[Archived] Boxing Day, Rovers v Weds, 26th December 2013

[FGS5635]

Rovers boss Gary Bowyer was puzzled after his side was booed off at full-time.

"The progress we're making is decent - that's six out of the last nine games where we've kept a clean sheet.

There's a chorus of boos round the ground, which I don't quite understand. We have to understand where we've come from. You always try to win the game, but if you can't get the three, make sure you get the one."

To be fair he has a point

I am not a fan of 442 either in this division I would love to see us set up a 4 3 3 formation with the midfield

Henley Dann Hanley Spurr

Cairney Evans Dunn/Lowe

Marshall Rhodes Rochina/Taylor

I'd say we already play that to a certain degree. Most formations outside of 442 are just 451's in disguise. 4411, 433, 4141, 4231 they are all basically 451. All of them become 451 when your under pressure, its only when you have teams on the back foot that they appear to be the more attacking variation.

[Stuart]

Rovers boss Gary Bowyer was puzzled after his side was booed off at full-time.

"The progress we're making is decent - that's six out of the last nine games where we've kept a clean sheet.

There's a chorus of boos round the ground, which I don't quite understand. We have to understand where we've come from. You always try to win the game, but if you can't get the three, make sure you get the one."

HE decided we couldn't get the three and went for the one.

...with over a third of the match remaining!

That's why the last half hour was so dire and fans were unhappy.

[TBTF]

Bowyer got it badly wrong today in my opinion.

I was happy to see Gastede get a run out thinking that he would be playing as a target man, however was bemused as to why he was playing in the "false number 9" position, consequently Rhodes was in his familiar position of having to deal with long balls which is deffo not the best part of his game. We started the second half fairly well, but then the negative substitution of Gestede for Williamson meant that effectively we had bought on a DM for a striker and pushed our most creative player (Cairney) out wide where he is very ineffective. We then preceded to pump long balls upto Rhodes which again is not working to his strengths and the Sheff Weds defenders dealt with quite easily.

I still believe that in the current circumstances Bowyer is the best man for the job, but today in my opinion was not his finest day. Sometimes he has to risk losing to win games but it seemed to me that 15 minutes into the second half he was happy to tighten things up and accept the point. We were playing the third worst side in the league so he needed to be a bit courageous.

It seemed like we made every change to justify keeping £1m man Marshall on the pitch. Sorry but i just don't get him.And Gestede is todays version of Bothroyd.

[FGS5635]

Paul Wheelock ‏@PaulWheelock 4m

Told Chris Taylor should be 'okay' to face Birmingham City after being stretchered off yesterday. David Dunn in with medics today.

[DE.]

I haven't read back farther than this page but I've got to say the booing at the final whistle was bloody pathetic and unfortunately typical of the Ewood faithful these days. Too many watch with very critical blue and white specs and know nothing about the opposition other than league position. In a nutshell and imo neither team deserved to lose and it was plain to me that neither team had come for a draw either. Sheffield Wednesday came with the simple but effective tactic to press our rather flimsy 4 man midfield very hard up the field in order to keep the supply away from JR and it worked a treat

Absolutely correct. As I said earlier in the thread, stop JR and you stop Rovers - Dunn being out also plays a big part in our ineffectiveness. None of the other players have the required capability to unlock a defence or hit the back of the net consistently. Rochina may have that talent but for whatever reason he isn't trusted.

[m1st]

I wasn't at yesterday's game because I live 25-30 miles from Ewood and no longer drive, so I'm usually dependent on public transport, which on Boxing Day is almost non-existent, to get to games. I can't therefore comment on the game but would like to make a slightly flippant suggestion.

I think Bowyer's doing a good enough job in the circumstances but don't think he's [yet] shown that he has the tactical nous to get us into the play-off zone or get us back home to the Premier League. That being said, what about making a cheeky bid to recruit the Dingles' manager, who has surely been one of the surprise managerial packages of the seasons so far?

Plus it'd probably stuff them up, too! A win-win situation?

[tomphil]

Totally agree with thenodrog on this one for once. Understand the frustration and GB got it wrong yesterday but the booing mid second half got me keaning seething. Ok if you want to vent your spleen do it at the end. Our home fans are at times every bit as crap as the team is. I can almost understand part timers turning up spending their cash on Boxing day and being brassed off but behind me guys who turn up every game and have seen a whole lot worse and should know better. Moan about Rhodes, moan about Bowyer from midway through the first half then start booing halfway through the second half. JHC fellas get a keaning grip.

[JAL]

I wasn't at yesterday's game because I live 25-30 miles from Ewood and no longer drive, so I'm usually dependent on public transport, which on Boxing Day is almost non-existent, to get to games. I can't therefore comment on the game but would like to make a slightly flippant suggestion.

I think Bowyer's doing a good enough job in the circumstances but don't think he's [yet] shown that he has the tactical nous to get us into the play-off zone or get us back home to the Premier League. That being said, what about making a cheeky bid to recruit the Dingles' manager, who has surely been one of the surprise managerial packages of the seasons so far?

Plus it'd probably stuff them up, too! A win-win situation?

HE decided we couldn't get the three and went for the one.

...with over a third of the match remaining!

That's why the last half hour was so dire and fans were unhappy.

At least hell know that he cant let that happen again on sunday.

[rovers11]

So why on earth did he sign Gestede ?

To provide a different option. Sometimes you need to mix it up and play route one football.

[Stuart]

Absolutely correct. As I said earlier in the thread, stop JR and you stop Rovers - Dunn being out also plays a big part in our ineffectiveness. None of the other players have the required capability to unlock a defence or hit the back of the net consistently. Rochina may have that talent but for whatever reason he isn't trusted.

The opposition don't need to stop Rhodes (and frequently aren't able to). We do a fine enough job ourselves of nullifying his threat by not making the best use of him.

But let's say that's true, that we don't have any other players capable of unlocking a defence (even when Rhodes has occupied two defenders) why does Gordon keep advocating that we drop/sub him.

What we need is better midfielders!

[tomphil]

To provide a different option. Sometimes you need to mix it up and play route one football.

Yeah but we started playing route one after he gone off.

[Majiball]

Yeah but we started playing route one after he gone off.

Aye and by all accounts he played ala DJ at Ipswich, in the hole?

[rovers11]

Decent football? Must be missing that.

Remarkable? Hardly, as Bowyer was allowed to cast aside the core of under performers and bring in his own players, he has also had the fans behind him, there hasn't been manager changes and he does have players like Rhodes, Dann and Hanley to build around.

We've played good football at times this season. Derby, Bournemouth, Bolton, Yeovil and Barnsley to name a few occasions. Bowyer takes a measured approach to games with a focus on keeping clean sheets. That's what Hughes and Allardyce used to do as well. If you don't concede you can't lose. On the negative side, that often means he doesn't take a gamble to try and win a match which perhaps he should.

You don't think he's done a good job this season? I find anyone that thinks that absolutely baffling. Think of how poor we were last season and how much in decline we've been over the past 3 years. Add that to the chaos behind the scenes and then tell me he hasn't don't a remarkable job. He's not only steadied the ship but has us moving in he right direction.

[tomphil]

Aye and by all accounts he played ala DJ at Ipswich, in the hole?

Well he didn't see much of the ball put it that way and he certainly didn't offer much. Disjointed performance from the off but we've seen a lot worse. Sheff Weds worked very hard and seemed to have two men on every one of ours. Marshall- who i thought was lively- on the left always trying to cut in on his rigt foot then he moves along and on comes King. Pace at last, keeps breaking away only to again stop and cut to his right foot, all this whilst naff all is happening on the right.

[DE.]

The opposition don't need to stop Rhodes (and frequently aren't able to). We do a fine enough job ourselves of nullifying his threat by not making the best use of him.

But let's say that's true, that we don't have any other players capable of unlocking a defence (even when Rhodes has occupied two defenders) why does Gordon keep advocating that we drop/sub him.

What we need is better midfielders!

I agree completely, I only concurred with the overall sentiment that Rhodes being stopped reduces the team to practically nothing (and that any booing is pathetic).

Dropping Rhodes definitely isn't the solution. I don't actually think we're THAT far off having a solid team... a regularly fit David Dunn and Evans/Cairney as our main midfield pairing would solve a lot of our problems.

[yoda's brother]

I wasn't at yesterday's game because I live 25-30 miles from Ewood and no longer drive, so I'm usually dependent on public transport, which on Boxing Day is almost non-existent, to get to games. I can't therefore comment on the game but would like to make a slightly flippant suggestion.

I think Bowyer's doing a good enough job in the circumstances but don't think he's [yet] shown that he has the tactical nous to get us into the play-off zone or get us back home to the Premier League. That being said, what about making a cheeky bid to recruit the Dingles' manager, who has surely been one of the surprise managerial packages of the seasons so far?

Plus it'd probably stuff them up, too! A win-win situation?

why would he want to leave a team at the top to come here.

[Amo]

We've played good football at times this season. Derby, Bournemouth, Bolton, Yeovil and Barnsley to name a few occasions. Bowyer takes a measured approach to games with a focus on keeping clean sheets. That's what Hughes and Allardyce used to do as well. If you don't concede you can't lose. On the negative side, that often means he doesn't take a gamble to try and win a match which perhaps he should.

But in Allardyce's case, we never aspired beyond survival, and if we're lucky midtable consolidation. We need promotion this season, otherwise I can't see us being better equipped next term when the FFP kicks in and the parachute payments dry up. That means being adventurous and throwing caution to the wind. As Del Boy was fond of reminding his benighted brother, "He who dares wins, Rodders." Particularly when you're at home against a managerless side in the bottom three.

[LDRover]

To provide a different option. Sometimes you need to mix it up and play route one football.

Totally agree. Yet we adopted that tactic after Gestede went off yesterday!!

[Majiball]

Does anyone know what Dunn was out with?

I assume it was a stomach strain.

[FGS5635]

Does anyone know what Dunn was out with?

I assume it was a stomach strain.

The official line was a 'slight' hamstring strain

[Majiball]

The official line was a 'slight' hamstring strain

Was King not also out with a slight hammy?

King takes the bench and the through and through Rover stayed home. Fairly soon I'm going to adapt JR's song to Dunn.

[FGS5635]

To be fair dunny cant play 2 games in 3 days, even doing 60mins. So he was always going to miss one of these games

[roverstdt]

But in Allardyce's case, we never aspired beyond survival, and if we're lucky midtable consolidation. We need promotion this season, otherwise I can't see us being better equipped next term when the FFP kicks in and the parachute payments dry up. That means being adventurous and throwing caution to the wind. As Del Boy was fond of reminding his benighted brother, "He who dares wins, Rodders." Particularly when you're at home against a managerless side in the bottom three.

Of course we need promotion this year, but the other aspect of it is are we equipped for promotion? Like saying I need a million pound a year for my job but am i capable of it is a completely different thing. People are focusing too much on what we need, and need to take a step back and realise what we are capable of doing.

[Majiball]

To be fair dunny cant play 2 games in 3 days, even doing 60mins. So he was always going to miss one of these games

he played 15 the weekend before Yeovil, 7 days later he played 67 at Yeovil so not even 90 in 2 weeks? He then gets a strain that's that bad he can't even take the bench for a match 5 days later? Not even for 15 at the end if we need it?

I bet starts against Brum, given the strain was that bad he couldn't even take the bench that's one hell of a recovery.

Why are we playing a system to suit him when by all accounts he couldn't even finish a training session? Does he train? Can he train?

[FGS5635]

He needs wrapping in cotton wool. its annoying, but at this stage of his career it is what it is.

I suspect he will start vs brum and do his customary 60mins