[Archived] Bowyer

[Riverside67]

Now needs to get Cairney

[JAL]

Gestede will be signing permanent for us.

Looks like bent agents running the club again chaddy with that kind of statement as he hasnt proved himself yet.

[Tom]

He was brave (it looked pretty daft) today and it paid off, well done to him now lets continue to be brave at home

[Rover_Shaun]

Gestede will be signing permanent for us.

Thats why I questioned giving a player a deal who has a lot to prove

[AlvinStraight]

As long as Gestede is only going to be on an reasonable championship wage, I don't see what the problem is, he's better than all or other centre forwards(obviously not including Rhodes)

[arbitro]

He was brave (it looked pretty daft) today and it paid off, well done to him now lets continue to be brave at home

It was difficult to work out the formation and shape when watching the starting ten warm up but credit where it is due. Bowyer's celebration to the fans at the end of the game gave me the impression that he was a relieved man. If only he had been as bold in the last two home games.

[Riverside67]

Arbitro, the main thing is he learns and moves on from this.

Amazing what a bit more ambiton can do.

I would suggest he only uses the one up front approach when we are away at Forest and Reading now using two defensie CM's. We have played moss of the top teams away so might as well go for it now.

I reckon most of the other teams in the league would be worried about us turning a corner. Let's hope Bowyer and the team have done so.

[Steve Kean's Hypnotoad]

Gestede hasn't looked too bad to me so far. I think fans can be too eager to criticise the players who do the ugly side of the game. Defensive midfielders usually come in for some stick from our fans, Lowe, Wiliamson, Mokoena, right back to David Batty.

And equally the big striker who knocks people about and draws the attention of defenders, Gestede at the moment, Roberts, Kalinic, Marcus Bent in the past. It'd be interesting to hear what Rhodes, McCarthy, Derbyshire, Jansen would say about playing with those guys, I think they'd be pretty complimentary. Like defensive mid, the target man is one of those positions that doesn't flatter the player who plays it, but its something that most teams need.

[LDRover]

Arbitro, the main thing is he learns and moves on from this.

Amazing what a bit more ambiton can do.

I would suggest he only uses the one up front approach when we are away at Forest and Reading now using two defensie CM's. We have played moss of the top teams away so might as well go for it now.

I reckon most of the other teams in the league would be worried about us turning a corner. Let's hope Bowyer and the team have done so.

Exactly.

It's about making the opposition change to combat what we're doing rather than the opposite.

For instance playing Gestede next to Rhodes. Suddenly the defence have to worry about a big unit with a turn of pace. Plus, there's the added worry that a flick on leads to a chance for the predatory Rhodes, it's a completely different mindset for the back 4.

Cairney in the middle can pick a pass. Straight away the opposition know they can't afford to give him time on the ball so have to become less rigid in their approach. This, in turn opens up space for others whereas with 2 DFs the opposition don't really need to press as any threat is minimal.

Bowyer has done well today but as has been said above let's continue to get at teams. There really are no stand out performers to worry about in this league.

[arbitro]

Arbitro, the main thing is he learns and moves on from this.

Amazing what a bit more ambiton can do.

I would suggest he only uses the one up front approach when we are away at Forest and Reading now using two defensie CM's. We have played moss of the top teams away so might as well go for it now.

I reckon most of the other teams in the league would be worried about us turning a corner. Let's hope Bowyer and the team have done so.

Absolutely agree. I have said many times it's horses for courses and every home game should see an offensive line up. A QPR away type set up and tactics should be used against the top sides away from home. Hopefully Bowyer has become a far better manager in a week.

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

It was difficult to work out the formation and shape when watching the starting ten warm up but credit where it is due. Bowyer's celebration to the fans at the end of the game gave me the impression that he was a relieved man. If only he had been as bold in the last two home games.

I agree about the Sheffield game - but Birmingham we played off the park and created enough chances to easily win the match. Though it was partly defensive mistakes that led to the defeat against Birmingham - it was also our inability to take the numerous chances we had.

[arbitro]

I agree about the Sheffield game - but Birmingham we played off the park and created enough chances to easily win the match. Though it was partly defensive mistakes that led to the defeat against Birmingham - it was also our inability to take the numerous chances we had.

But our starting 11 was generally negative with two holding midfielders and probably out most creative player isolated out wide. We battered them in the second half with different personnel and a system change. Had we gone with that line up and system from the start I believe we would have won.

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

But our starting 11 was generally negative with two holding midfielders and probably out most creative player isolated out wide. We battered them in the second half with different personnel and a system change. Had we gone with that line up and system from the start I believe we would have won.

But we also battered them in the first half. I was sat with a neutral for this match - and even he couldn't believe we were 3-0 down at half time. Everybody keeps saying we were negative in the first half - but we created numerous chances with this supposedly negative team. Also - lets not forget that Williamson started off as a winger/midfield player - and in the first half he got forward on numerous occasions.

For me the second half - we were actually less convincing - and could have quite easily conceded further goals.

[arbitro]

But we also battered them in the first half. I was sat with a neutral for this match - and even he couldn't believe we were 3-0 down at half time. Everybody keeps saying we were negative in the first half - but we created numerous chances with this supposedly negative team. Also - lets not forget that Williamson started off as a winger/midfield player - and in the first half he got forward on numerous occasions.

For me the second half - we were actually less convincing - and could have quite easily conceded further goals.

Had we kept the same players and shape for the second half do you think we would have scored two and created lots of chances? I just heard Bowyers post match comments today and he said 'we learnt a lot about our players in the second half against Birmingham'. I think that is quite telling and hopefully Bowyer himself has learnt something about himself.

[USABlue]

Freedman has had his hands tied behind his back at Bolton, even more so than Bowyer.

His spell at Palace was little less than remarkable and I would take him in a heartbeat.

Bowyer is not the answer, never was and never will be.

Let's just hope that in 2014 we will turn the corner although I firmly believe we will need a new manager to achieve that.

Back defending wee dougie. Give it up.

[USABlue]

Some like stats so here some for you. I thought I would see where we were at New year last season expecting to see some daylight between us and last seasons squad (as I had forgot) and was surprised to see a virtually identical table

Rovers position at the end of 2012

Pos 15th P24 W8 D8 L8 F32 A33 Pts32

avg points per game 1.33 (play off positions @ 40 points)

Rovers position at the end of 2013

Pos 12th P23 W8 D7 L8 F28 A27 Pts31

avg pts/game 1.35 (play off positions @ 35 points)

So only a positive result at Leeds will keep us up with the class of 2012/13.

Current 2013/14 average points per game would leave us with FOUR more points than the end of 2012/13

Puts the long term Bowyer affect into some perspective. Obviously the Appleton era was yet to come last season

Links to tables

http://www.blackburnrovers-mad.co.uk/snapshot_tables/2012_2013/29/dec/blackburn_rovers/index.shtml

http://www.blackburnrovers-mad.co.uk/snapshot_tables/2013_2014/29/dec/blackburn_rovers/index.shtml

Does not really tell the whole story. Take out the first half dozen or so games where we somehow managed to scab some results. Subtract Bowyers points earned and it paints a much different picture.

[USABlue]

Bit crazy on here. Pre season many if not most were speaking in terms of mid table being a good season,some even hinted at struggling to stay out of the relegation spots. I find it hilarious that now we are within a couple of points of the playoffs Bowyer is still being roundly criticized. Is it people who forecast doom and gloom trying to hold on to their opinions as fact. Take out some of the stupid stupid individual errors, which Bowyer has no control over, add a few of the many chances when we should have scored and did not. Again out of GB's control. Do those two things and we would be solidly rooted in a playoff spot. GB has my vote he is a Rover and is doing fine. May he continue learning. I still stick by my pre season prediction.

[Riverside67]

USABlue repeat individual errors are within the Managers control though and it is those that are the concern.

[AggyBlue]

USABlue repeat individual errors are within the Managers control though and it is those that are the concern.

Which repeat individual errors are you referring to?

[Parsonblue]

USABlue repeat individual errors are within the Managers control though and it is those that are the concern.

I've not seen repeat individual errors. I've seen different players making wrong decisions at different times in different situations. Not sure how the manager can impact on the decision making at any particular moment. It's rather like taking penalties. You can work on them in training for hours but under the pressure of a match situation a player will still miss. Players are human and will make human errors. Spurr's error yesterday was something that nine times out of ten he would not do. Yesterday he made the wrong decision and it proved costly.

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

Had we kept the same players and shape for the second half do you think we would have scored two and created lots of chances? I just heard Bowyers post match comments today and he said 'we learnt a lot about our players in the second half against Birmingham'. I think that is quite telling and hopefully Bowyer himself has learnt something about himself.

Surely Bowyer was referring to the character demonstrated by the team ?

Nobody will know whether keeping the same team and personnel would have led to as many chances or not - similarly would we have created as many chances in the first half with the team that played much of the second half ?

Do you think that the team we started with created loads of decent chances or not ? Did you think we played well in the first half ?

[FGS5635]

I've not seen repeat individual errors. I've seen different players making wrong decisions at different times in different situations. Not sure how the manager can impact on the decision making at any particular moment. It's rather like taking penalties. You can work on them in training for hours but under the pressure of a match situation a player will still miss. Players are human and will make human errors. Spurr's error yesterday was something that nine times out of ten he would not do. Yesterday he made the wrong decision and it proved costly.

Exactly.

The mistakes are the reason these guys are playing championship footie and not premier league in some cases. Good players dont make, or make a lot less of these mistakes

I do think Bowyer has to shoulder some of the blame for the countless goalkeeping mistakes though. He should have brought a keeper in on loan when he realised Kean needed dropping. In fairness though he may well have tried, but funds/politics may have stopped him who knows

[JBiz]

Exactly.

The mistakes are the reason these guys are playing championship footie and not premier league in some cases. Good players dont make, or make a lot less of these mistakes

I do think Bowyer has to shoulder some of the blame for the countless goalkeeping mistakes though. He should have brought a keeper in on loan when he realised Kean needed dropping. In fairness though he may well have tried, but funds/politics may have stopped him who knows

I think it is just unfortunate that Eastwood also has a "flappy" area of his game. Kean needed to be dropped, and I think it will ultimately make him a better player hopefully. (if he takes it on the chin and works harder in training)

The individual errors is the only thing between top six and our current position. I don't think this is a marker for poor coaching or bad players though - I think it is due to the sheer volume of young/inexperienced players we have in our team. It's a classic educational path, the more you play - the more experienced you get - the less mistakes you make. A good example for this would be Big Chris Samba. When he first started at Ewood he always looked like he had a mistake in him, the more experienced and confident he got - the better player he was.

Id rather take a few errors from our young players, when you see the work rate personally. Look at Taylor and Marshall yesterday - both in different positions, both played well and worked their respective arses off and both Bowyer signings.

Keep it up GB. I'm feeling extra positive about 2014 - Let's get Cairney's name signed in ink.

[FGS5635]

I think it is just unfortunate that Eastwood also has a "flappy" area of his game. Kean needed to be dropped, and I think it will ultimately make him a better player hopefully. (if he takes it on the chin and works harder in training)

Thats the error though In my opinion. He stuck with Kean for so long becasue he knew eastwood wasnt the answer. For me at that point a keeper should have come in on loan.

Not sure kean will come back after this year, not at rovers anyway. Not sure he is mentally strong enough

[JBiz]

Thats the error though In my opinion. He stuck with Kean for so long becasue he knew eastwood wasnt the answer. For me at that point a keeper should have come in on loan.

Not sure kean will come back after this year, not at rovers anyway. Not sure he is mentally strong enough

Very early/young to write them both off.