[Archived] Jordan Rhodes

[tomphil]

Anyone mentioned the chance Ings shot straight at Robbo and faffed the rebound whilst slagging Rhodes ? Also we changed seats to sit with a couple of friends for this on row 2 N01 and close up Dunny was ranting at anyone and everyone a good while before he was subbed. He seemed more angry than knackered, probably angry at himself for not laying off the ale several years ago

He was caught when he went down holding his face, albeit accidently.

[thenodrog]

I'm not sure he's being given any instructions as to what he's supposed to do when the team drops deep and starts playing like a bunch of gutless cowards, because he starts to look totally lost when that occurs.

Very harsh. Games ebb and flow. Have you not played much football yourself?

[JWUpper]

Agree with most of what you said with regard to set up and how obvious it was to spot which has me wavering re GB -however don't blind yourself to Rhodes' performance - he was shocking in the 2nd half (strange compared to how he performed in the first) -the support play may not have been brilliant but when he did get the ball he virtually gave it away every time be it by foot or the direction of his headers ( something he has never improved on since he has been here)

The question has to be what was said again at half time to warrant the ' the difference' in the second half especially with Rhodes who played as well as what I have seen from him in the Rovers shirt.

Henley is an enigma - what has gone wrong - looked very impressive on his first cameos but now looks completely out of his depth.

Was talking to my dad about this during the game...I recall some of his best performances I'd seen were when we were relegated against Liverpool and United away when we had at least one experienced centre back alongside him.

I think it's an issue that's relevant to the whole team and it's impacting Henley particularly badly. With no vocal, experienced leader on the pitch after Dunn is inevitably subbed, some of the less experienced and younger players seem to ignore demands of their particular position and panic on the ball during tough matches or when we're losing, which inevitably leads to mistakes and us conceding goals.

Nearly the whole game Henley seemed sheepish and I can't actually remember him wanting possession on the ball...you could tell with his first touch he wanted to get rid of it as soon as he could.

Think we're crying out for an experienced cm or cb to galvanize the first team...but unfortunately it's not happening before the summer!

[roversfan99]

Rhodes has been terrible for 2 months and is not at all suited to playing with a big man like Gestede.

I thought he was very good in the first half on Sunday though, a great goal, linked play up a few times and looked much more of a threat with space in front of him, he is always more dangerous when people try to play through balls etc rather than at anticipating flick ons.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Kane's no better at right back. He's had plenty of chances. What's gone wrong with Henley I don't know, I thought he really had the makings at one point. For now I'd play Lowe there with Evans and Cairney in midfield.

[SoldierMo]

Henley seems like a lost puppy...i dont think iv seen him crossed the half way line under bowyers tenure..cant really say hes under bowyers instructions not to as spurr seems to still push up

[Amo]

Not much between Kane & Henley defensive-wise, the former offers more going forward, however.

Lowe is the heartbeat of Bowyer's midfield. He won't shaft him to right-back.

[barry_]

Kane's no better at right back. He's had plenty of chances. What's gone wrong with Henley I don't know, I thought he really had the makings at one point. For now I'd play Lowe there with Evans and Cairney in midfield.

Kane is a much better player than Henley. He makes the odd mistake because he's not afraid to play the game.

Just how would you, 'for now' play Cairney? He's injured.

[DE.]

Very harsh. Games ebb and flow. Have you not played much football yourself?

Games do ebb and flow, but when we go 1-0 up the players sit back and lose their bottle. It could be that Bowyer instructs them to do so but it's clear our players don't have the mental fortitude to accept such responsibility and as such should probably be discouraged from doing so.

Squad mentality plays a huge part in how successful certain tactics are. We have very few natural leaders and there will inevitably by a weaker mental state as a result. Calling them cowards probably was a bit harsh but it is a suitable description for the way we played in the second half on Sunday. Very, very cowardly, especially after Rhodes hit the post. Burnley did put more pressure on, but we let them and seemed unable to cope with the game being taken to us.

[Neal]

One word: SELL.

[LDRover]

That was one disinterested footballer out there tonight.

I wonder what he'd have been like if Gaz hadn't got him up for the game??

[Stuart]

I honestly don't think Bowyer knows how to get the best our of him. He thrived alongside and just ahead of Kazim-Richards, with David Jones in a proper defensive midfield role. The ball stuck to him like glue, meaning we played more of the game in the final third, whereas now, because Bowyer likes to play with 6 defenders, we concede the midfield battle and spend much of our time in our own half.

Bowyer has brought in his own personnel and the service to Rhodes has all but dried up. We need the match to be played further up the pitch to get the best out of Rhodes, not ping it up to him and hope he can retain possession. It's just not his game.

We either need to replace Bowyer or drop Rhodes and see how long he lasts with his best striker on the bench - while the team continue to play @#/? football but even less clinical in front of goal.

[roverandout]

I think this will be it for Rhodes, probably be on his way in the summer

[thenodrog]

I think this will be it for Rhodes, probably be on his way in the summer

.... at a massive loss. Not many times when I'd like to see the back of someone but I'd certainly like to see the back of him. My cynicism of his game is now almost turning into an irrational hatred of the sort suffered by many BRFC fans about any given player. Is it a virus? Will I yearn to see the back of Rhodes only to turn my new found craving to hate a player turn out of necessity on another player the minute he clears off?

I'll forgive a lack of ability but never a lack of effort and I've got to say JR tonight gave the laziest and most shiftless sorry arsed excuse for a performance that I have seen for some time. Small wonder he doesn't get close to the Scotland team is it? Bowyer simply MUST be under orders to play him every game.

[booth]

I honestly don't think Bowyer knows how to get the best our of him. He thrived alongside and just ahead of Kazim-Richards, with David Jones in a proper defensive midfield role. The ball stuck to him like glue, meaning we played more of the game in the final third, whereas now, because Bowyer likes to play with 6 defenders, we concede the midfield battle and spend much of our time in our own half.

I don't think Bowyer knows how to get the best out of the majority of the squad.

Like Tony Parkes he's a nice guy and as caretaker worked wonders, but as the top dog it's too much too soon.

Your hatred is strange Theno. If we didn't have him we really would be in the kean because had Leon Best not gotten injured that's what we'd have had last season. Rhodes was a panic buy and that money wouldn't have gone anywhere else. I can't blame our top scorer when our manager is making stupid mistakes that appear to be random rash spur of the moment decisions, and we have players like Etuhu, Dabo and Olsson in the squad who have just been absolutely pointless additions. What was Dabo about? Absolutely bizarre. Here to help with the promotion push?! Yeah right.

[thenodrog]

I don't think Bowyer knows how to get the best out of the majority of the squad.

Like Tony Parkes he's a nice guy and as caretaker worked wonders, but as the top dog it's too much too soon.

Your hatred is strange Theno. If we didn't have him we really would be in the kean because had Leon Best not gotten injured that's what we'd have had last season. Rhodes was a panic buy and that money wouldn't have gone anywhere else. I can't blame our top scorer when our manager is making stupid mistakes that appear to be random rash spur of the moment decisions, and we have players like Etuhu, Dabo and Olsson in the squad who have just been absolutely pointless additions. What was Dabo about? Absolutely bizarre. Here to help with the promotion push?! Yeah right.

Wasn't hatred to start with it was subjective criticism, this became objective criticism over time and now through intense frustration is bordering on mild hatred as you say.

Reason is simple I can't ever take to someone who wont produce any effort in the blue and white halves. Difference between Rhodes and Ings on Sunday was that one of them just waited for something to happen whilst the other made things happen. You don't need me to tell you which is which. Our defense were given no time to build from the back whilst Burnleys had as much time as they wanted to do so. Obvious tactic by Dyche to ensure Rhodes supply line was restricted to the long ball. BRFC have been sussed in this division and on Bowyer has aided and abetted this by playing Gestede off Rhodes instead of the other way around. Anybody care to opine why?

To varneys credit he never shirks a physical challenge but last night Rhodes and Feeney were actually shying away from long balls in that godawful second half after Gestede had been winched off. In effect they 'hid' at 0-1 down! The game was not lost at that point but they clearly wanted no part of it.

[Amo]

Maybe he's resentfully fed up of having the ball hoofed up to him and wants some decent service for a change?

[DE.]

You must have a very long list of players you hate Gordon, as there are many who have given a far worse account of themselves over the past few years in the blue and white halves.

[tomphil]

The very way we continue to play just highlights Rhodes weaknesses (an there is a few) but we never ever play to his strengths. Isolated again last night feeding off aimless punts, he should be playing off Rudy for those. Most of the goals he's scored at Rovers he's either pounced on a loose ball or dug something out himself. Put him in a team that creates chances he'll score 30. Use it or lose it !

[ABBEY]

As the song about goater used to go ...feed the goat and he will score

It ain't rocket science .

[K-Hod]

Tell you something for nowt, we'll miss him when he's gone....

[ABBEY]

We will indeed

[roverandout]

as I have said another post, Rhodes goals earlier in the season covered up bowyers lack of management skills, can count so many times when he has popped up with a winner, now they have dried up, bowyer has shown to be clueless with no game plan

[Jimmy612]

Tell you something for nowt, we'll miss him when he's gone....

That will depend very much on how we spend the money we get for him. As we're unlikely to receive an offer over £4m I doubt he will leave.... unless of course Venkys decide to cut their losses and at least get some small part of the ridiculous fee they paid back.

[harryl]

Don't know if it's been mentioned before, but has anyone else noticed that when Gestede and Rhodes play together the latter struggles at the one thing he's good at which is scoring?

Maybe something similar is happeneing to what Van Persie has said about people occupying the space that he wants to be in?

I dont know the stats but it seems as though ever since we've played them two up upfront it has not benefited Rhodes (our best player) in the slighest and infact put a stop to his goals tally. This is backed up by (despite us losing) the dingle game, with Gestede on the bench and Rhodes scoring again. But when reinstated against Bournemouth we and Rhodes both fail to score.

I've got to admit despite liking Bowyer, i do feel he watches a completely different game to us. Shifting cairney out wide to accomodate Lowe and Williamson is infuriating and insisting on playing Gestede and Rhodes despite it clearly not working is again plain stupidity.