[Archived] Bowyer

[Leonard Venkhater]

Don't you find it worrying that almost every match we can sit here saying we miss easy chances? We also make serious mistakes as well with frequency.

I am not sure if you were joking but I do worry about that.

A pattern of extreme individual errors might seem seem a contradiction in terms, but...if we could magically erase even 30% of these mistakes at the back, we would be comfortably in the play off positions.

Then, the amount of chances I see and hear us miss, always leaves me expecting that we will rue them.

So what does management do to improve this? Maybe, more confidence in the keeper will help defenders....but the glaring misses, I guess it is just practise, practise, but I am sure they have already been doing just that...

[Majiball]

I am not sure if you were joking but I do worry about that.

A pattern of extreme individual errors might seem seem a contradiction in terms, but...if we could magically erase even 30% of these mistakes at the back, we would be comfortably in the play off positions.

Then, the amount of chances I see and hear us miss, always leaves me expecting that we will rue them.

So what does management do to improve this? Maybe, more confidence in the keeper will help defenders....but the glaring misses, I guess it is just practise, practise, but I am sure they have already been doing just that...

it could be any number of reasons or a combination of them, the only way to know is to be there and we're not so can merely guess but fatigue would be my bet.

[den]

Bowyer isn't above reproach, Parson. There's definite room for improvement if we're looking to get into the playoffs. 20% according to Paul on the podcast. So while he's doing a steady job, there's a marked lack of consistency. I'd say that comes from moving key players like Cairney in and out of position. As soon as Lowe and Williamson are both fit and available, Cairney finds himself having to make way. He's our best ball-playing midfielder but he's not going to see as much of the ball out-wide. You don't need to be a Football Manager aficionado to spot this.

Irrespective of whether bowyer is right or wrong to play Cairney out wide, the decision to do so is fair debate. Just because Bowyer picks him there, doesn't mean he's right, nor should it put any kind of cap on the discussion.

[FGS5635]

This isnt a rigid 442 with cairney stuck wide right. For me bowyer has found the perfect way to utilise what we have and play two up top without being totally dominated in midfield. Cairney rarely gets the ball 'out wide' He constantly drifts inside and practically plays centrally. This helps us not be over run in central midfield against 5 man midfields. With JR or rudy dropping back at times we are finding ways to negate the man less. It also for me free's cairney of some defensive responsibility and allows him to drift in and find pockets of space easier.

The 1st half of the season taught us that no variation of 1 up front is going to get the best out of JR. With dunny 'in the hole' we have had some mild success, but most agree playing to JR's strengths is having someone like rudy beside him. This system helps JR, gives cairney some freedom and is still fairly rock solid defensivley. Add evans and we become even better. Allow henley to bomb forward especially at home and the system can become even more free flowing

[Rover_Shaun]

We'll know the answer by the end of May (though I suspect I know it now)

[Shabani]

I dunno why we can't just stick Lowe down the right, he could be a poor mans Milner. Lots of running and energy, no final ball but Henley can bomb past and do that bit

[Al]

We can play Lowe. Just not Williamson as well especially at home.

[JBiz]

I dunno why we can't just stick Lowe down the right, he could be a poor mans Milner. Lots of running and energy, no final ball but Henley can bomb past and do that bit

Steve Kean did this, and I thought at the time it was moronic!

[dubdubdub]

We didn't create enough chances to go in better than 1-0 and really struggled to hang on against a poor team and in my mind that was due to an over defensive mindset allowing the opposition back into the game. If we had any other keeper than Robinson it would have cost us 2 points. Down to negative tactics.

Cairney missed a sitter and we scored so i'd argue that we created enough to go in 2-0 up.

[USABlue]

We don't score enough goals, I agree. But it's nowt to do with playing 2 defensive mids and everything to do with other players aside from Rhodes not scoring. The chance creation isn't hampered by a defensive mindset, so goal-scoring isn't either. That is down to the players given the chance to score (usually the strikers, wingers and centre backs as well as the midfield).

Fair point, most of the time if Jordan does not score we finish the game at nil. Looks likenRudy might help in this regard.

[thenodrog]

Wow!! You aint even got him on the bench either Gordon

Oops sorry trueblue, I must have overlooked Jordan Rhodes. Shame on me. Goes without saying that I would always want the services of a player with his qualities on my bench.

[chaddyrovers]

Oops sorry trueblue, I must have overlooked Jordan Rhodes. Shame on me. Goes without saying that a player with his qualities would always find a place on my bench.

Rhodes should be almost every game.

he scores goals and is the best natural finisher in this league.

scores half of our goals since signing for us.

can you explain why you wouldnt start him please???

[Amo]

can you explain why you wouldnt start him please???

There's whole threads devoted to Drog's crackpot theories. Don't let this become another.

[thenodrog]

Rhodes should be almost every game.

he scores goals and is the best natural finisher in this league.

scores half of our goals since signing for us.

can you explain why you wouldnt start him please???

I thought I had done. It's quite simple, Rhodes is a fine striker in the pen area without a doubt but I prefer a version of 4-5-1 and that being the case Gestede (albeit from what I have seen since he signed) is the best man to play up top. If we are losing after 65 mins or so and needing to go more gung ho then Rhodes is a damned good option to have on the bench. Pretty obvious I'd have thought.

btw ...... Whats crackpot about that Amorillo? Most football clubs play a version of 4-5-1 these days don't they?

[RevidgeBlue]

I thought I had done. It's quite simple, Rhodes is a fine striker in the pen area without a doubt but I prefer a version of 4-5-1 and that being the case Gestede (albeit from what I have seen since he signed) is the best man to play up top. If we are losing after 65 mins or so and needing to go more gung ho then Rhodes is a damned good option to have on the bench. Pretty obvious I'd have thought.btw ...... Whats crackpot about that Amorillo? Most football clubs play a version of 4-5-1 these days don't they?

Difficult to see how on form anyone with anything other than some sort of personal agenda would drop Rhodes. Since he and Gestede have been paired together we've "won" the second half against Birmingham 2-0 with Rhodes bagging a brace, both scored in the away win at Leeds and one set up the other for the winner against Doncaster.

How is that not working exactly?

[gumboots]

Also, interestingly enough, they were saying on TV this weekend how it's noticeable that many teams are moving back towards playing 2 up top much of the time. Whilst it's great to have a player who can be the lone striker if needed it's even better if you have a pair who can share the work. What you need is a partnership, and that can take time to develop properly. I think Rhodes and gestede will only get better, and as rev says, they're not doing badly already

[K-Hod]

Tbf I'd probably rest Rhodes tonight....

[den]

Difficult to see how on form anyone with anything other than some sort of personal agenda would drop Rhodes. Since he and Gestede have been paired together we've "won" the second half against Birmingham 2-0 with Rhodes bagging a brace, both scored in the away win at Leeds and one set up the other for the winner against Doncaster.

How is that not working exactly?

Gordon is saying that the best formation is 4-5-1 and Gestede has shown more for the team lately. You pick your best team don't you?

[CapeTownRover]

so Rhodes wouldnt be in your best team right now?

[den]

so Rhodes wouldnt be in your best team right now?

I haven't seen enough of Gestede to know whether he's better than Rhodes, but if he is, of course I would play him. Gordon thinks Gestede - from the little he's seen of him - is a better player.

Shouldn't we always play our best team, whichever that is?

[onlyonejackwalker]

I haven't seen enough of Gestede to know whether he's better than Rhodes, but if he is, of course I would play him. Gordon thinks Gestede - from the little he's seen of him - is a better player.

Shouldn't we always play our best team, whichever that is?

I'm not sure he is saying he is a better player, just potentially a better team option if he is more suited to playing 4-5-1 with his back to goal. As RB and GumB say the two of them seem to be playing well off each other to date, pleasingly giving us another option.

[Blackpool_Rover]

I agree with starting Rhodes on the bench tonight. Gestede isn't a better player but is more suited to what we need to do against one of the best teams in the world. We don't want to lose 6-0.

Like drog said....if we are losing with 20 mins left....stick Rhodes on. We need to frustrate them as long as possible and then bring him off the bench if needs be. If he starts with both up front then we are asking for trouble IMO. Of course, the league is a different matter entirely and I would certainly start both.

[Shabani]

If you think Gestede is a better player than Rhodes than you shouldn't be watching football to be honest

[den]

I'm not sure he is saying he is a better player, just potentially a better team option if he is more suited to playing 4-5-1 with his back to goal.

Isn't a better team option a better player?

Note I haven't said he is.

[rovers11]

This has probably been posted before but quite an interesting article about how some sanity has returned to Rovers: http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/jan/14/blackburn-rovers-manchester-city-venkys

A lot of that is down to Bowyer for sure. Success on the pitch brings sanity off it, even for owners like Venky's. I'm not sure I agree that Venky's have learnt tbh. If we were, say, 10 points off the play offs would they give GB time or sack him? I think whoever was in charge this season needed time to build something and right the wrongs off the past few seasons. I don't think Venky's would have been thinking like that though if we weren't in a decent position right now.