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

[Paul]

Well enjoyed my game yesterday, thoroughly entertaining which is about the best we can hope for. I thought both Derby and Rovers played very well with Derby demonstrating the sort if team we need to be to gain promotion. Lots of pressure in the first 15-20 minutes, Rovers then matched them for the first half but once we scored Derby turned up the pressure from KO and dominated the rest of the match.

I felt as a team we defended very well from the front on occasions during the second half but didn't keep it up. When we did defend from the front Derby were forced back to the keeper but as the half progressed we dropped deeper and deeper. Once again we invited pressure and again paid the price.

Regrettably I think Bowyer again got the subs wrong. I arrived to late to hear the subs but Williamson for Marshall should have been Dunny - and yes there would have to be concerns over Dunn lasting the whole match. I see why Kane came on, good move, but it should have been Rhodes off not Gestede who is clearly the player more likely to keep the ball in the position we found ourselves in.

For me Chris Taylor had his best game to date, my MOTM yesterday.

We needed a win, just as we have in every game since Boxing Day. A look at the table and our unconvincing results in the last month shows the chances we are throwing away.

I hadn't realised Derby had such a young side, perhaps that bodes well for Rovers next year?

[dingles staying down 4ever]

I arrived to late to hear the subs but Williamson for Marshall should have been Dunny - and yes there would have to be concerns over Dunn lasting the whole match.

There is no question that Dunn can't last a whole game but Williamson can't stand the pace either. He just drops further and further back inviting pressure leaving huge gaps in midfield. Just do not get what he brings to the squad. Lets not forget this a player who had been freed by a relegated second division club and had had no club for over half a season.

Hopefully yesterday was his last game but I suspect not.

[Speedie Dived]

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.

Wondered that too. Did not look injured, been talking of Liverpool for a while, could have been connected to that.

I would have sat a centre forward on him, but pretty sure they both got injured at the same time. Rhodes took a huge knee to the back and then Gestede got taken out. But he would have found space anyway, to good for this level.

[K-Hod]

Another very good post from you, parson blue.

Lee Williamson today made 0 tackles, 0 interceptions, and 0 clearances. He also made 20 passes with an accuracy of 80%. #Rovers

This is where are problems are lying right now. We can criticise GB all we like but some players aren't performing. Williamson made 0 successful tackles last week and 0 successful tackles again this week. Simply not good enough and no surprise we got overrun by Derby in midfield.

I'd love to see his 'distance covered' stats. He moves like an ocean liner.

[thenodrog]

I'd love to see his 'distance covered' stats. He moves like an ocean liner.

He's not that quick ffs! More accurate to say he turns like one.

Gloriously funny that it was the ease with which vokes outpaced him should have served as a warning to all. It certainly concerned me cos I hadn't seen him play until then but i have watched him a few times at Ewood since and imo he is a plodder at best. Dunno his careeer history but from what I have seen he is slow of foot (and worse still) even slower of thought.

[adsfortheblues]

I'm quite astounded as to how it's taken so long for people to realise that Williamson is a terrible footballer. It isn't long ago many on here were saying "he can do a job" etc.

Did we ever really think a player who couldn't get into the Portsmouth side, would be anything better than rubbish?

[thenodrog]

I'm quite astounded as to how it's taken so long for people to realise that Williamson is a terrible footballer. It isn't long ago many on here were saying "he can do a job" etc.

Ditto. I must say his basic lack of ability astounded me after what some had said. Who signed him?

[K-Hod]

He's not that quick ffs! More accurate to say he turns like one.

Gloriously funny that it was the ease with which vokes outpaced him should have served as a warning to all. It certainly concerned me cos I hadn't seen him play until then but i have watched him a few times at Ewood since and imo he is a plodder at best. Dunno his careeer history but from what I have seen he is slow of foot (and worse still) even slower of thought.

Think it was Ings, but at any rate, the point still stands! The least active defensive midfielder I've ever seen. Between him and Lowe yesterday I saw a stat that they made one tackle between them.....

[thenodrog]

Think it was Ings, but at any rate, the point still stands! The least active defensive midfielder I've ever seen. Between him and Lowe yesterday I saw a stat that they made one tackle between them.....

Really? If thats kosher then I rem Lowe tracking back to block a nailed on goal in the last 20.

[LDRover]

Obviously reading is not your strong point.

Why the gobsh1ted response to my initial post?

You said we 'sacrificed 2 points at the alter of 4-4-2' yet we were 1 up until we changed to 4-5-1.

Not only that, but after this change there was only one winner and it certainly wasn't us.

[thenodrog]

Why the gobsh1ted response to my initial post?

You said we 'sacrificed 2 points at the alter of 4-4-2' yet we were 1 up until we changed to 4-5-1.

Not only that, but after this change there was only one winner and it certainly wasn't us.

So given a basic starting X1 are a 4-4-2 man or a 4-5-1 man?

As far as I am concerned (and accepting that our goal was the product of our two strikers) the issue when fit and available is Rhodes or Dunn in the team. Gestede is our best option at No9 now so the issue is effectively between starting with ideally

A. Dunn / Cairney / Taylor as the '3' in a fluid 4-2-3-1

or

B. Rhodes up front with Gestede in front of a 4 man midfield in a 4-4-2 and leaving one of the 3 above sitting out the game on the bench.

Yesterday was screaming for another body in midfield to restrict the time and space that Hughes and ######### (kinell it appears no one is now able to even share jims surname on this board ) D A W K I N S were exploiting.

I obviously go for A

btw For reasons of debate please ignore the folly of relying on a crock now that Marshall is injured and Rochina inspain.

[LDRover]

The 2 up front look a good pairing I'd stick with that, especially in what I consider to be a weak league.

Nothing wrong with 4 in midfield but I'd go left footer on the left and vice versa. Playing opposite reduces our width, especially given that our full backs don't get forward very well.

The big issue is the central midfield playing far too deep and marking space. It was obvious that Will Hughes was running the game and he, in effect, was Williamson or Lowe's opposite number. One of those two should have got close to him and marked his card. You've played football (in that position I believe) what would you have done?? Take the opposition's main threat out of the game and you make life a hell of a lot easier.

From what I watched Derby matched up 4-4-2 as well, they just did it in a more positive and effective manner.

[Gav]

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.

Absolutely Jim, sums things up nicely.

[dingles staying down 4ever]

The 2 up front look a good pairing I'd stick with that, especially in what I consider to be a weak league.

Nothing wrong with 4 in midfield but I'd go left footer on the left and vice versa. Playing opposite reduces our width, especially given that our full backs don't get forward very well.

The big issue is the central midfield playing far too deep and marking space. It was obvious that Will Hughes was running the game and he, in effect, was Williamson or Lowe's opposite number. One of those two should have got close to him and marked his card. You've played football (in that position I believe) what would you have done?? Take the opposition's main threat out of the game and you make life a hell of a lot easier.

From what I watched Derby matched up 4-4-2 as well, they just did it in a more positive and effective manner.

From quite early in the second half it was clear that our midfield 4 were losing the battle with their midfield 4. This was because Williamson could not cover the ground and as not to be caught out with his defensive duties was dropping further and further back. Bower tried to sort this by adding another body in midfield. My prefererd options would have to taken Willaimson off, move either Crainey or Taylor back into the middle and bring Kean or Morris on, who has operated as a winger before.

If Williamson is the answer to any of questions that were being asked of our midfield, then I don't know what the bloody questions were.

[rovers11]

Another shocking stat:

Lowe and Williamson have made only TWO successful tackles between them in the last two games. No wonder GB is bring in in a new central midfielder. Evans is back in training on Monday as well so things should improve in that department.

[thenodrog]

How much to get that Oscar to come to Brockhall and give free kick taking classes to messrs Cairney, Marshall and Rhodes? Pathetic rising shots whistling over the bar time after time. Practising such techniques costs nowt.

[Rover_Shaun]

I can do what he did with a 99p flyaway football on the beach

They should go back to using proper weight footballs

[yoda]

I can do what he did with a 99p flyaway football on the beach

They should go back to using proper weight footballs

Practice makes perfect,

A craftsman never blames his tools

[Rover_Shaun]

It helps when they are so light they swerve left then right then left again...........as shown when you toepunt one of those cheap footballs really hard (more exaggerated but proves the theory)

[Brfcrule1]

I was actually talking to a good friend and poster on here about this at half time & after on the train back home Mike Ellison on here about the conundrum that is Lowe & Willow in central midfield and we both agreed they are 2 similar type players both 2 defensive midfielders and both drop far too deep and in centre of midfield you need 1 def. Midfielder to drop and 1 creative one to push forward. To have 2 in the centre that do exactly the same job is not working and everyone I speak to is flaberghasted GB has not brought Cairney infield and stuck with proper wingers like Marshy,Taylor, King etc.. although we agree with Evans on the verge of a return and if we can get this Dabo chap in we can then either loan or sell Willow permanently and this is what we both agreed was a major problem yesterday and like Mike I do believe this is definitely 2 massive points dropped as esp defensively they were there for the taking if we were a bit braver we could have got the 3 points but we both agree anything else than 6 points this week will be disastrous. I must say though it was good to meet up with a lovely young man as Mike Ellison. It's a shame though as I have yet to meet up with Tom M this year both very nice men.

[Mike E]

It was a pleasure to meet you too Savio I'd also add that Lowe tends to be the 'cover' while Williamson is the tackler, which is simply inadequate.

If Lowe is to be 'cover' then his partner ought to be in the 'box-to-box' mould, rather like Evans. As the central 3 in a 5-man midfield, we've seen them do well.

But imo, Evans and Cairney should be the central pairing. Or if Bowyer insists, Lowe and Evans central with Cairney and Taylor/King/Marshall out wide.

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

From quite early in the second half it was clear that our midfield 4 were losing the battle with their midfield 4. This was because Williamson could not cover the ground and as not to be caught out with his defensive duties was dropping further and further back. Bower tried to sort this by adding another body in midfield. My prefererd options would have to taken Willaimson off, move either Crainey or Taylor back into the middle and bring Kean or Morris on, who has operated as a winger before.

If Williamson is the answer to any of questions that were being asked of our midfield, then I don't know what the bloody questions were.

Do you not think that as a team we defend far too deep ? Not certain it is just the midfield that are dropping back too deep - but the defence never seems to play a high line - which always leaves a gap between our midfield and strikers.

[Husky]

Another shocking stat:

Lowe and Williamson have made only TWO successful tackles between them in the last two games. No wonder GB is bring in in a new central midfielder. Evans is back in training on Monday as well so things should improve in that department.

Just one question. Where do people get these stats from that I keep reading about here? Ta!

[Brfcrule1]

It was a pleasure to meet you too Savio I'd also add that Lowe tends to be the 'cover' while Williamson is the tackler, which is simply inadequate.

If Lowe is to be 'cover' then his partner ought to be in the 'box-to-box' mould, rather like Evans. As the central 3 in a 5-man midfield, we've seen them do well.

But imo, Evans and Cairney should be the central pairing. Or if Bowyer insists, Lowe and Evans central with Cairney and Taylor/King/Marshall out wide.

Mike tbh I think the majority on here would have Evans & Cairney in the middle but I think we all know once Evans is back he will most likely play Evans & Lowe in the middle with Cairney out wide where I feel he is generally wasted.

[cesus]

Just one question. Where do people get these stats from that I keep reading about here? Ta!

Not sure if you are on twitter but there is a page called @BlackburnStats that has started up recently which has been firing out loads of stats.