[Archived] Rovers v Derby County: 25th January 2014, 3pm KO

[Leonard Venkhater]

Exactly I think we would all be a little more patient, if we had a better idea what the owners have in mind

to sort out our financial woes, if anything !

Absolutely right! .Radio silence from the body snatchers so the punters can only draw their own inferences from info about mounting debt and what they read about FFP. What else can supporters do? There is a complete leadership vacuum and sadly Bowyer will eventually pay the price for fans' frustration.

[LDRover]

Isnt that because the supporters are sold the idea that this season is a promotional push.

Good point JAL.

Dress it up how you want but this is the ONLY communication about objectives for the season that's coming from the club.

[Leonard Venkhater]

Good point JAL.

Dress it up how you want but this is the ONLY communication about objectives for the season that's coming from the club.

I hope this comes back to haunt me ..really, but I have seen several promotion campaigns over the years-both successful ones and near misses and, believe me, this is neither.

[yoda's brother]

Doesn't equate to being dominated, it's what you do with it that counts?

so what did we do with it

[West Yorks Rover]

Derby were struggling under Clough and McClaren has, with the same players turned their season around but player for player are they better than us? I personally don't think so. For most of the game today they were far better than us. They passed the ball well, had good shape and tackled like they wanted to win. The main difference I thought was the managers decisions on the day.

McClaren has certainly toughened them up, Derby fans will tell you that, same players though.

[Speedie Dived]

so what did we do with it

4 clear cut chances, nailed on penalty.

What did they create? We defended very well. Yet to see Killgallon put a foot wrong.

[bluebruce]

so what did we do with it

Scored the same as the opposition.

[somersetrover]

For about 70 minutes today we were the better team and well worth the 3 points. Then in the last 20 minutes or so McClaren's managerial experienced showed when he changed Derby's system and therefore changed the game whilst our inexperienced manager watched on and did nothing.

[Steve Kean's Hypnotoad]

They're 4th. At this level Derby are a very good side while we are middling to good and still in recovery mode after the shock of the last 3 years. We're doing OK but still lacking the little bit of talent and consistency to get higher. At the present time and in view of events at the club I think people's expectations at the moment are too high.

Who has the higher wage bill though? I'd be amazed if it isn't us. I don't buy into this recovery mode business that seems to be the stock excuse for defending Bowyer cause I don't get what it is exactly that happened last season or the season before thats affecting him doing his job. If this were Sam Allardyce we'd hired as our permanent manager in the summer then I'd be amazed if the fans were giving him time, making excuses for him and saying he can't be expected to beat the good teams in the league. We're a good team, we have an ex-England keeper, a Scotland centre-half, a £6m centre half, Millwall's best player from last season, a player a promoted club Hull were mad to let leave and an £8m striker. Derby would be top of the league under McClaren if he had the players Bowyer does.

[bazza]

Good to have Robbo back for stability. Matt Kilgallon was calmness and efficiency personified. (I'm beginning to sound like Stuart Hall)

When Ben Marshall injured himself with his reckless tackle on their player near the halfway line and had to be carried off on a stretcher, exactly who would most of you have brought on as replacement? Dunn? Kane? Morris? Olsson? Mahoney? or the obvious choice of Williamson?

Lowe gets through a tremendous amount of work and at least one block saved a certain goal. Yes, for me, he's one of the first names on the team sheet.

Rhodes and Gestede played well and it looks like a good partnership is developing.

Why is it that Williamson and Taylor get very tired in the last 15 minutes of a match? So does Cairney, come to think of it.

We didn't sit back; we were pushed back by an excellent Derby team well organised by Steve McLaren. Wave after wave of Derby attacks came down our right. Poor young Henley was being over-run. Kane in front of him was the obvious substitution.

Who, other than an injured Gestede, would you have taken off to make way for Kane?

Maybe Dunn should have come on towards the end but for whom? Williamson? Taylor? Cairney?

We are a mid table side finding our feet and we got a welcome point today.

[Rover_Shaun]

This season was always about consolidation

Great post GAV. This season was essentially about preparing for next season.

Isnt that because the supporters are sold the idea that this season is a promotional push.

May I bring to your attention Exhibit B (Exhibit A was the "premierleague pledge")?

[West Yorks Rover]

4 clear cut chances, nailed on penalty.

What did they create? We defended very well. Yet to see Killgallon put a foot wrong.

Glad to hear at least we seem to have a decent replacement for Dann, a few have said he played well.

[JBiz]

Isnt that because the supporters are sold the idea that this season is a promotional push.

Hardly going to sell under the marketing ploy of "come watch repair the last three years of completely @#/? everything up"

Another theory on your sudden WUM appearance- you only follow BRFC in the prem so when we played Man City on the box you got laughed at for wearing your Daglish era Rovers shirt down the Nags head. Why take it out on us?

[Rover_Shaun]

That's exactly it Jizzle. Shocked that you had the mental capacity to work it out. Have a gold star

[Parsonblue]

Last time I looked we were within three points of the play-offs. Seems a fairly accurate poster to me.

[LDRover]

It would if you'd not been to Ewood over the last couple of months.

[47er]

I've said all season that we are a middling Championship team and I forecast 9th at the finish. We could still get into the playoffs but we don't seem to have the momentum to make it a reality.

Anything can happen if we got there but I can't see it.

Bowyer has stabilised us and made some good, cheap, young signings. In theory this should set us up for a real good go at it next season.

The question is "Will he be allowed to?"

[Darwen Rover 007]

Was very dissapointed with Henley today, thought he gave up on a few occasions when he shouldn't have done...

Also re the two holding midfielders one has to close down the opposition and the other hold back at present it's both backing off...

Gotta to get Cairney in the middle the guy is a cut above the rest and we are going to drain his confidence if we play him out of position

[Bucksrover]

When we get evans back, or if this loan lad is a decent centre midfielder, it will make the world of difference.

Williamson is a joke. Neither him or lowe can tackle well, but at least lowe can run.

[West Yorks Rover]

Was very dissapointed with Henley today, thought he gave up on a few occasions when he shouldn't have done...

Also re the two holding midfielders one has to close down the opposition and the other hold back at present it's both backing off...

Gotta to get Cairney in the middle the guy is a cut above the rest and we are going to drain his confidence if we play him out of position

Someone mentioned earlier that Cairney seems to get tired in the last 15 mins, maybe because he's not used to playing out wide.

Although he should be getting used to it by now.

' Get him in the middle Gaz '

[Tom]

I thought Henley copped some unfair stick today, he hasn't been great recently but the winger he was up against was one of the busiest players I've seen at Ewood this season.

[thenodrog]

So we conceded after going 4-5-1 then?

Obviously reading is not your strong point.

[thenodrog]

Lowe stopped an almost certain goal in the second half and covered a lot of ground defensively. We know Williamson is not good enough, and this is being addressed with the young French lad.

Not really sure what people expect, we are 3 points off the play offs with a team that has obvious areas of improvement.

Derby are probably best side I have seen since we went down. Hughes changed the game and will go on to play at a higher level, he found space so well.

No wonder with us at 4-4-2! He just dropped a little deeper and he had 10 yards of space. Makes you wonder why he was a sub.

[thenodrog]

Who has the higher wage bill though? I'd be amazed if it isn't us. I don't buy into this recovery mode business that seems to be the stock excuse for defending Bowyer cause I don't get what it is exactly that happened last season or the season before thats affecting him doing his job. If this were Sam Allardyce we'd hired as our permanent manager in the summer then I'd be amazed if the fans were giving him time, making excuses for him and saying he can't be expected to beat the good teams in the league. We're a good team, we have an ex-England keeper, a Scotland centre-half, a £6m centre half, Millwall's best player from last season, a player a promoted club Hull were mad to let leave and an £8m striker. Derby would be top of the league under McClaren if he had the players Bowyer does.

6m centre half? Who is that then?

[Neal]

I thought Henley copped some unfair stick today, he hasn't been great recently but the winger he was up against was one of the busiest players I've seen at Ewood this season.

He does allow them to be busy though... Never gets touch tight to anyone he plays against.