[Archived] Rovers v Donny: 11th January 2014...if only it was 1958!

[cesus]

It's all about results and we won. Regardless of what went wrong second half I cannot believe we stopped going through Marshall as he absolutely murdered that full back in the first half. Everything came that way yet in the second half it barely happened.

[Stuart]

I disagree with that. As a result of Bowyers negative tactics, it's a good job we had Hanley at the back. He won everything, and made some vital blocks in the 2nd half. Over 90 minutes who played better than Hanley?

Well, we would have dropped 2 points without Robinson.

It's all about results and we won. Regardless of what went wrong second half I cannot believe we stopped going through Marshall as he absolutely murdered that full back in the first half. Everything came that way yet in the second half it barely happened.

Marshall was my first half MoM too.

I posted during the game that the second half seemed to be about Bowyer defending a 1-0 lead.

[Shabani]

We won't go up playing two sitting midfielders at home, whilst shoving our best CM out onto the wing

[FGS5635]

Good 3 points and keeps the momentum going. 1st half we where pretty good and could/should easily have gone in 2 or 3 up at half time. Not quite as down on cairney on the right as some. Its not ideal but he drifts in and they struggle to pick him up as he wanders. He had a lot of the ball in the 1st half and could also have scored two goals. Deffo should have had at least 1 as that was a sitter. Bit disappointed with Henley again. With cairney drifting inside there is so much spare for him to run into and attack, but he seems really reluctant to get forward at times and take on the fullback.

As good as the 1st half was the 2nd was really poor. The back 4 dropped far to deep and we invited to much pressure. But a win is a win, another clean sheet and robbo looking calm/good once again can only be a postive.

All in all job done

[arbitro]

Talk about chalk and cheese. From completely dominating the first half we retreated into a defensive shell in the second half and once again vital points could have been dropped at home. I said the goal would have changed Dickov's half time talk but it appears it changed Bowyer's too. Had they announced man of the match five minutes later Robinson would probably won it. We were just inviting pressure in the last twenty minutes and once again Bowyer looked lost when we needed desperately to change the shape or system.

I'm really struggling to understand where Marshall went in the second half after literally running them ragged in the first. The same could be said of Cairney. Did the way Doncaster play in the second half force them back or were they told to do this? A better team than Doncaster would have won today and after I thought Bowyer had learnt from Sheff Wed and Birmingham the doubts about him have returned again.

[Al]

We won today because we have better players than Donny but the tactics were abysmal.

I said before the match that if we played two defensive midfielders we would struggle to score and was right. Cairney stuck out on the wing is wasted and so too is Taylor on the bench.

Then when we were losing midfield he takes off Cairney, our best midfielder, and leaves on Lowe, who has been on a yellow since Adam was a lad.

Finally he puts on DJ Campbell and leaves Rochina on the bench. If Campbell was sitting in the next seat to me he would be far too close to the pitch for my liking. Terrible player.

Get the tactics right Gary and we can at least get into the playoffs but if you don't we will fail.

[West Yorks Rover]

Nice to have Robbo back !

[dubdubdub]

I'm sure the only reason he started with Cairney out wide was because Taylor and King picked up injuries in training. Rochina, Morris and Dunn were on the bench but Dunn offers as much as Cairney out wide, Rochina is pretty useless in my opinion and Morris isn't good enough.

We know how well we can play (previous two matches) so just be grateful we pick up points when we aren't at our best.

[G Somerset Rover]

The midfeld line up when evans is back should look like

Evans

Taylor Cairney

Marshall King

He's not going to move to 5 in midfield as that will involve dropping Gestede. Unless players are injured or suspended then I'd be surprised if it isn't:

Cairney, Evans, Lowe, Marshall

Gestede, Rhodes

Incidentally we could really do with the Josh King from the early part of the season returning. He constantly seems to be injured or scared to run at his man at the moment.

[Plastic Head]

Glad i was at home today by the sound of things.

By the way I am neither single nor a muslim.

[Proudtobeblue&white]

What did happen at HT? Rovers on top, came out well in advance of Donny. Dickov must have put the fear of god into his players! Just felt we invited too much pressure when it was unnecessary - we shouldn't have been hanging on IMO. But stats never lie, we won.

Two very big games now inside 6 days. Man City will not define our season but Forrest might?

[thenodrog]

We are best plating a 4-5-1 or more specifically a 4-2-3-1 formation. Unfortunately for some on here on current form that means no place for Jordan Rhodes. Sorry but one cross (excellent though it was) does not do it for me. If he hadn't crossed tha ball for Rudy he may as well have been sat next to me for the first 45 mins.

btw I had Bear Head as MoM too.

[barry_]

Sticks in the craw listening to Bowyer say how good a team Donny are and that they really shouldn't be where they are in the league. He's becoming a cardboard cut out manager in front of the microphones.

The only people who can be happy with today's game are those that didn't attend and only see the 3 points.

It could and should have been 1-1 but for a brilliant save from Robbo.

Hanley did nothing to warrant MoM and for it because we kept a clean sheet - even though we nearly didn't.

Someone said we started the game with the side that should have ended it. I almost agree, as Rhodes proved again how effective he is putting over a brilliant cross for Rudy to nod in. That was the only positive in an otherwise forgettable performance. We are going to have to be glad of three points and move on.

Sadly, Bowyer will not learn from this and will stick with his negative midfield, at least for league games. But I stand by my earlier point. You do not play our best centre midfielder on the left wing for 75 minutes. I fear that when Evans is fit, Bowyer will do even more shuffling of the pack to accommodate Lowe, probably with Williamson (the better holding midfielder) making way. If he is so desperate to play Lowe, he should be a full back when we aren't looking at using wingbacks or use him as a sub.

A 1-0 win with tactics so negative that they make Doncaster look like PL-wannabes isn't good enough. Against better opposition, when it matters, we will come unstuck.

I'm dreading seeing the side he puts out on 19th March.

Derby

Blackpool

Brighton

Burnley

Bournemouth

Leicester

Ipswich

QPR

Yeovil

Wigan

Not one of those teams will fear coming to Ewood.

this

[Parsonblue]

A very satisfying result in terms of picking up three valuable points. Reminded me very much of Howard Kendall's team in 1979-80, in grinding out a win by snatching a goal and then ensuring they defended it. If Cairney had taken a decent chance in the first half I suspect we might have had more and I felt we should have had a certain penalty when Williamson was brought down.

Whatever money Robbo is on matters not for a good goalkeeper is the difference winning and drawing. There is no doubt that he remains head and shoulders above Eastwood and Kean and is clearly the number one 'keeper at the club.

The first half performance was pretty decent but in the second half both Cairney and Marshall didn't get into the game in the same way that they had in the first forty-five minutes. I thought Lowe had a good game in the centre of midfield and Williamson is an old head in a young midfield and does the dirty work that rarely catches the eye but is essential in any good team.

Not a classic performance but winning when not at your best is vital if progress is to be made. The next two League games - Forest and Derby - are huge in terms of determining the outcome of the season. Hopefully, Gary will have his eye on the bigger picture and rest several players in midweek so we don't pick up injuries prior to Forest and Derby.

[Stuart]

We are best plating a 4-5-1 or more specifically a 4-2-3-1 formation. Unfortunately for some on here on current form that means no place for Jordan Rhodes. Sorry but one cross (excellent though it was) does not do it for me. If he hadn't crossed tha ball for Rudy he may as well have been sat next to me for the first 45 mins.

btw I had Bear Head as MoM too.

Today he did everything his critics complain he doesn't / can't do and it's still not enough. He got the only assist in the game, oh well.

Rhodes could score a hat trick, and provide three assists, every game and it still wouldn't be enough for you, would it. Because then you might have to admit you were wrong. Next you'll be moaning he didn't score.

Rovers top scorer last season. 16 goals in the first half of this season. Top goal scorer in every division in 2013.

Not good enough for Rovers 2013/14 First XI.

[Hekla]

Today he did everything his critics complain he doesn't / can't do and it's still not enough. He got the only assist in the game, oh well.

Rhodes could score a hat trick, and provide three assists, every game and it still wouldn't be enough for you, would it. Because then you might have to admit you were wrong. Next you'll be moaning he didn't score.

Rovers top scorer last season. 16 goals in the first half of this season. Top goal scorer in every division in 2013.

Not good enough for Rovers 2013/14 First XI.

Well said, it's getting embarrassingly pathetic now.

[LDRover]

I've criticised Rhodes in the past but I thought he was okay today.

Plenty of movement towards the ball, good runs to move the centre halves around and made sure he was in and around Gestede for flick ons etc.

I think they looked a good pairing today and Rhodes certainly played a big part in that.

[Gav]

We are best plating a 4-5-1 or more specifically a 4-2-3-1 formation. Unfortunately for some on here on current form that means no place for Jordan Rhodes. Sorry but one cross (excellent though it was) does not do it for me. If he hadn't crossed tha ball for Rudy he may as well have been sat next to me for the first 45 mins.

You’ve posted some nonsense in your time Gordon but dropping/getting rid of Rhodes has to take the biscuit, complete bunkum.

[Proudtobeblue&white]

Rhodes played well in the first half, thought he put himself about and sprayed a few passes, he certainly wasn't a one trick pony. Second half he was less effective, but is the first name on the team sheet. With Rudy, quite exciting. Think he got a knock. Still feel GB could be more adventurous at home......but we're 8th, and in and around the mix. Take a point at Forrest

[Speedie Dived]

Today he did everything his critics complain he doesn't / can't do and it's still not enough. He got the only assist in the game, oh well.

Rhodes could score a hat trick, and provide three assists, every game and it still wouldn't be enough for you, would it. Because then you might have to admit you were wrong. Next you'll be moaning he didn't score.

Rovers top scorer last season. 16 goals in the first half of this season. Top goal scorer in every division in 2013.

Not good enough for Rovers 2013/14 First XI.

Have to say I have questioned Rhodes all round game but it's clearly improved recently. Thought he was excellent in the first half. Good sign of someone improving their game, Rochina should take note.

[Proudtobeblue&white]

I think we should move on. It was a game of two halves. Got the result. The Leeds result was better, but gave us the same points. Yes, that's what it's all about. GB keeps learning, but will say the tactics worked. Donny were awful first half, perhaps he should question why we were so awful second?

[DanielMB]

It still seems strange to me that some people are questioning the qualities of our undisputed topscorer.

[RussP]

If every Championship team was asked which current Championship player they'd want in their side, the other 23 teams would say Jordan Rhodes.

End of debate.

[wolfie]

It still seems strange to me that some people are questioning the qualities of our undisputed topscorer.

For god's sake, don't read the Rhodes thread.

[Proudtobeblue&white]

If every Championship team was asked which current Championship player they'd want in their side, the other 23 teams would say Jordan Rhodes.

End of debate.

Bob on