[Archived] Match Preview: Rovers v Huddersfield Town - 21st Sept 2013

[chaddyrovers]

Firstly, I was very pleased with how solid we look defensively and the way Dann and Hanley played against Vaughan and Stead. didn't give them a chance even.

I thought first half passing was good and some good movement but we did lack that final quality pass to exposed them. A couple of times during the first half Kane had make good runs down the wing but wasn't picked out sadly and Evans made run but wasn't picked out again.

Second half we tried to break them down but sadly couldn't. Huddersfield were solid defensively all game without creating very much. They started 5-3-2 and changed after 55 mins or so to 4-5-1 formation and never once trying to win the game IMO. But they came for a point and get a point. Robins got his tactics and gameplan spot on

I thought we started with the right team IMO and formation but when Best came on we went 4-4-2 and that seems to unsettled our play passing wise.

If Rhodes had scored that Header that he put over the bar then it would be more open game second half and allow us more space for King, Cairney and Taylor.

I will take the clean sheet and point.

Bowyer is the right manager for us and he is trying to undone all the wrongs that have happens in 2 years but this will take time. Fans need to get this big time. you cant put BRFC back right in 9 games FFS

we need have a full week of training for Bowyer to get more of his ideas over to them and improve on our short passing and movement in the final third and I'm sure he will do this week.

BRFC!!!

reading through the recent replies and being serious for once... its a question of perspectives isn't it.

In that we are both probably going to be mid-table teams this year ( although all fan, including myself will carry that little light of optimism at the back of our minds, of something greater) but for Huddersfield this is a relative success and progress for out 2nd year back in the championship. For most of your fans it seems a mid-tale finish would be seen as a disappointment.

However I think Stuart above hits the nail on the head, in that the crazy turmoil of last year (in fact since Venky's took you over) have hit the playing side of your club far harder than some of your fans seem to want to accept. It seems you have a decent man in Gary Bowyer and he seems to be creating some stability from the first time in 3 years.

Stability needs to come before hopes of further progress. It strikes me as this is a season of re-grouping and stability for you rather than a push for automatics. Although I accept the worrying feeling of the financial losses and Venky's cutting their losses and running, hangs over your clubs head like the sword of Damocles.

So a serious post from me rather than a wind-up.

Very good post from you there mate.

Both clubs will be mid table with a outside chance of the last playoff place with both teams having very good strikers in Rhodes and Vaughan.

I also agree with you that Bowyer is trying to created some stability for Blackburn Rovers and give us a platform where we can push for promotion next season.

[Rover_Shaun]

Every day is groundhog day at Ewood. Remember we are dealing with Venkys so to use logic in relation to Bowyers job security is foolish.

[roversfan99]

Cairney is in no way a number 10, he plays better deeper, Bowyer got his team selection wrong yesterday by playing Evans AND Lowe; Evans is better but they do the same job so take Lowe out, push Cairney back and play Judge in the number 10 role in order to add a bit of spark. Judge did well when he came on although the subs were made too late.

We never looked like breaking them down.

[RockinRover]

It's simple really.

We have a manager who has never managed before slowly learning his trade and doing a reasonable job so far.

Then we have an extremely young squad who all need to gel together.

One day we will hopefully have a Gary Bowyer who has learned from his mistakes and a squad of players all used to playing together.

That will take time, but when it happens and I'm sure it will we will fly up the table.

Until then, have some patience and belief for the first time in 3 years!

[Rover_Shaun]

I'm sure that 99% of Rovers fans would stick with Bowyer unless it goes horribly wrong like the last 3 managers.

[tonyoz]

I just don't know what people expect. The team is obviously going to be a work in progress because they are all youngsters learning together. Listening to them after the match, they were gutted too not to have got the 3 points. When did we last hear players sounding pleased to be here, appreciative of the fans, frustrated by their own performances, determined to become a real team, support one another and do their best? Perhaps bowyer is getting some things wrong but, after the shambles we've been for the last 3 seasons, he's earned the right, by changing the atmosphere around the place, to build his team.

Good post gumboots.

[tonyoz]

Thought it was another example of just how poor Championship football can be. I felt Huddersfield created the better chances but their final ball was every bit as poor as ours. I don't think the Huddersfield 'keeper will have an easier afternoon - not one save of worth was he asked to make. I thought both sides looked destined to be nothing more than mid-table at best. Quite how long the owners will be prepared to support an average Championship side I wouldn't like to guess but I can only see them losing more and more money as we fall further and further behind the required standards of Premier League football. I thought we looked very ordinary today and came away quite depressed.

I hope this is just the understandable, immediate post-match blues. I share the sentiments to some extent (I have not seen the match). To compensate, let me repeat your comments which cheered me up considerably not too long ago:

“It is, of course, far too early to make predictions about how this season will end come next May. However, despite the setbacks at Carlisle and Doncaster, there can be no disguising the fact that there is a positive feeling beginning to creep back into Saturday afternoons at Ewood Park.”

“……………..and there is a sense that Gary Bowyer is building a team which, whilst it may or may not achieve a top-six finish, will provide entertainment and, above all, provide honesty and enthusiasm on the pitch — two qualities which have been absent in recent times.”

“………….Six points from two home games has been a timely boost for the Rovers, but more importantly the standard of the football that the team has produced has been excellent. It is, of course, early days and with away trips to Burnley and Leicester on the horizon it would be wrong to get carried away. However, there are definite signs that Gary Bowyer is beginning to fashion a team that might yet cause a surprise or two this season and certainly most fans left Ewood in better heart than at any time in the past couple of years."

Extracts from Parson Blue's match Report v Bolton.

[tomphil]

reading through the recent replies and being serious for once... its a question of perspectives isn't it.

In that we are both probably going to be mid-table teams this year ( although all fan, including myself will carry that little light of optimism at the back of our minds, of something greater) but for Huddersfield this is a relative success and progress for out 2nd year back in the championship. For most of your fans it seems a mid-tale finish would be seen as a disappointment.

However I think Stuart above hits the nail on the head, in that the crazy turmoil of last year (in fact since Venky's took you over) have hit the playing side of your club far harder than some of your fans seem to want to accept. It seems you have a decent man in Gary Bowyer and he seems to be creating some stability from the first time in 3 years.

Stability needs to come before hopes of further progress. It strikes me as this is a season of re-grouping and stability for you rather than a push for automatics. Although I accept the worrying feeling of the financial losses and Venky's cutting their losses and running, hangs over your clubs head like the sword of Damocles.

So a serious post from me rather than a wind-up.

Good post.......for once

[onlyoneDuff]

Good point and something that is often overlooked by Lowe's detractors. I was denounced as "wum" yesterday for saying Lowe is the lynchpin of the side but the manager always picks him over other defensive midfield candidates and he must have clocked up about 50 - 100 league appearances by now - not bad for a young player. He's obviously seen as having a big future.

And what has our record been with him in the side...if he is the "lynchpin" than that pin is broken...as for the "big future", what other clubs have come in for him....

[JAL]

Agree with most of that but King is no number 10, and not sure that Judge or Marshall are. The worrying thing is to be desperate for Dunn or Rochina.

In the first half we did well up to the box and then fell flat too much - Cairney mostly to blame, which surprised me,

Also chose to play too much down the left, with Taylor often in acres of space on the right.

Agree with Bowyer on the way that the ball dropped. There were shooting chances for Cairney, Spurr and Taylor that all dropped to their much weaker foot.

I think a lot of the frustration in the second half was down to the way Huddersfield set up - their 5-man midfield was well organised and worked well, protecting the real weakness which was the two centre-backs.

Frustration was also down to no change in our set-up to try and make something different happen.

Sometimes what's wrong seems obvious but can't see any clear improvements that could be made.

Judge, Marshal, Taylor all look OK but a bit limited - maybe time will show Marshall is the best of the three.

Evans and Cairney look the best pairing in midfield, but I'd be loathe to lose the excellent security and protection that Lowe provides for a still dodgy back 4.

Moving Lowe to right-back for a shaky Kane isn't the answer.

King was largely nullified by Huddersfield's set-up too.

So where was Jason Lowe hiding when Burnley scored their goal ?

Excellent security and protection ! Yeh, from never returning to the premiership.

With Rovers only having ONE match winner throughout the whole of the squad it aint surprising that GB is going to struggle.

[Fife Rover]

Nobody wants mediocrity. Stability is, however, a sign of progress after what we've had. I want to see my team winning as much as anyone does. I want us riding high in the championship, gaining promotion, settling into another premiership run, challenging for cups playing in Europe, but those days are past. Doesn't mean they can't come back, just that we have to give the bits and pieces of recovery we've seen recently chance to grow. Look at teams like Swansea and Southampton. They were down and outs not too many years back. Now Swansea are winning away in Valencia and Southampton are winnig at Anfield when Liverpool fans were actually genuinely beginning to believe they could be doing something this year. It's no good bemoaning what we don't have. We need to support what we do have.

Well said Gumboots. That sums up our position perfectly and as long as GB and the players continue to grow together in that vein, then the only way is up. It is just going to take some time to achieve the ultimate aim, and we as supporters are just going to have to be patient.

[09101965]

So where was Jason Lowe hiding when Burnley scored their goal ?

Excellent security and protection ! Yeh, from never returning to the premiership.

With Rovers only having ONE match winner throughout the whole of the squad it aint surprising that GB is going to struggle, is it ?

It was Kane that left his man and then a peach of a shot - maybe Lowe should have got to Stanislas though. I'd have to watch again.

I think we've seen enough of Lowe in the premiership to know he's unlikely to make it at that level - he doesn't seem sharp enough wlth the ball at his feet and under pressure. Was impressed with his wider range of passing at Carlisle though. Maybe he plays under strict orders in the league.

Don't know who your "match winner" is (I hope it's not Rhodes), but it's a team game and a good enough team will go up without a match winner as long as it has all, or most, of the elements of a good side. i think we're getting there slowly. At least we're not going backwards like since Hughes left, and for now Lowe is important.

-

[aletheia]

Generally agree with Adrian, cesus, wing wizard, 09101965

As a general point I thought it was quite a good game –very unbritish like with both sides generally keeping it short. Lacked the up and at ‘em style that English fans seem to love but serves us poorly internationally.

Getting some enjoyment from seeing a team with some rhyme and reason.

Agree that final ball at times and ideas around the D were lacking from all players at times.

Taylor was disappointing but good attitude.

King as usual, bursts of ability mixed with poor decisions, giving ball away etc

Kean great going forward, shaky at back at times.

Lowe snuffed out a lot –very good water carrier today and can’t understand the flak (but of course he could have been substituted later when we obviously needed a goal).

Rhodes not at his best but criticisms have been harsh.

GB subs too late.

several looked leggy –young team-so why not use that large squad (at least earlier in the game)?

Spur definitely below par.

Agree that Cairney in wrong position.

Evans looked our best player for large parts of the game.

For all our possession we rarely troubled the keeper –Huddersfield could easily have done us.

So in short, enjoy going more than any other time in last 3 years to watch a team who obviously care and have some group spirit but the team is what it is –young, inexpensive, newly playing together with new manager. Mid table or just below.

Coherent mediocrity is an improvement on erm….shambolic laughing stock.

[JAL]

It was Kane that left his man and then a peach of a shot - maybe Lowe should have got to Stanislas though. I'd have to watch again.

I think we've seen enough of Lowe in the premiership to know he's unlikely to make it at that level - he doesn't seem sharp enough wlth the ball at his feet and under pressure. Was impressed with his wider range of passing at Carlisle though. Maybe he plays under strict orders in the league.

Don't know who your "match winner" is (I hope it's not Rhodes), but it's a team game and a good enough team will go up without a match winner as long as it has all, or most, of the elements of a good side. i think we're getting there slowly. At least we're not going backwards like since Hughes left, and for now Lowe is important.

-

The team that goes up will have the most match winners in it from the goalie through to the forwards and onto the substitutes including the management team. We've got to do with just the one for now which just shows a true gauge of how successful this team will be.

[Leonard Venkhater]

Generally agree with Adrian, cesus, wing wizard, 09101965

As a general point I thought it was quite a good game –very unbritish like with both sides generally keeping it short. Lacked the up and at ‘em style that English fans seem to love but serves us poorly internationally.

Getting some enjoyment from seeing a team with some rhyme and reason.

Agree that final ball at times and ideas around the D were lacking from all players at times.

Taylor was disappointing but good attitude.

King as usual, bursts of ability mixed with poor decisions, giving ball away etc

Kean great going forward, shaky at back at times.

Lowe snuffed out a lot –very good water carrier today and can’t understand the flak (but of course he could have been substituted later when we obviously needed a goal).

Rhodes not at his best but criticisms have been harsh.

GB subs too late.

several looked leggy –young team-so why not use that large squad (at least earlier in the game)?

Spur definitely below par.

Agree that Cairney in wrong position.

Evans looked our best player for large parts of the game.

For all our possession we rarely troubled the keeper –Huddersfield could easily have done us.

So in short, enjoy going more than any other time in last 3 years to watch a team who obviously care and have some group spirit but the team is what it is –young, inexpensive, newly playing together with new manager. Mid table or just below.

Coherent mediocrity is an improvement on erm….shambolic laughing stock.

OMG...And he said he was't "going anywhere"

Pretty fair summary. We have a team for the first time in a good while. I am still hoping for more, as the season progresses..

[thenodrog]

I didn't go cos I was at a wedding BUT there seems to be a general perception on here that we should have paggered Huddersfield. Why is that and what sort of cock eyed disrespectful thinking is behind it when both teams are mid table and Huddersfield have 3 points more than us? Not like it was top v bottom is it?

[Stuart]

I didn't go cos I was at a wedding BUT there seems to be a general perception on here that we should have paggered Huddersfield. Why is that and what sort of cock eyed disrespectful thinking is behind it when both teams are mid table and Huddersfield have 3 points more than us? Not like it was top v bottom is it?

Not paggered but if you have a look at their results this season we are reasonably entitled to "expect" a home win against them. Much as they would "expect" a home win against us.

[Rover_Shaun]

Just seen the BBC "highlights" and a Rovers player never touched the ball nor did it show any Rovers chances

[Stuart Ripley]

back to normal then after all the fun of the last few weeks on tele

[JAL]

Was Mr.Shaw present for this game ?

[chaddyrovers]

Was Mr.Shaw present for this game ?

I think he was but tbh didnt really properly look Jal.

he would be sit in his normal seat in Jack Walker upper stand. If he wasnt there then maybe ill or away on holiday or something

[JAL]

yeah why?

Where ?

[ABBEY]

Only back part time but bowyer is to negative !

Any team that attacks in this league wins it.

[LDRover]

Only back part time but bowyer is to negative !

Any team that attacks in this league wins it.

Agreed. We need to stop giving so much respect to the opposition and get at them.

In this respect Bowyer's negative final substitution on Saturday did him no favours.

[G Somerset Rover]

Was Mr.Shaw present for this game ?

Probably too busy taking advantage of his amazing ties with Moyes and teeing up some loans for us. Nick Powell, Jesse Lingard or Macheda possibly? Oh wait.