[Archived] Boro v Rovers - 8th Feb, KO 3 pm, Riverside Stadium

[thenodrog]

As I said in the Rhodes thread (in general I didn't see the Boro game):

I don't agree that he's now doing the ugly stuff better in general he's just in bad form I think, to say he's now doing what people wanted is just a mask, he's put in two great crosses for Gestede but doesn't seem to be overly working defences

For someone who reads the game so well usually his anticipation of Gestedes flick ons has been woeful.

Some objective observers will no doubt have noticed that by playing Gestede (who wins more in the air than he loses) to help JR and take the centre halves full attentions from him and provide him with an endless stream of through balls that it is now simply highlighting his lack of pace and strength...... I am one of them. I shouldn't be surprised to hear JR's (increasingly worried) agent applying pressure on Bowyer / Shaw to blame Gestede for his star man's loss of form.

[47er]

Cmn Theno, I bet we hear nothing of the sort! We have enough problems, no need to make more up.

[darrenrover]

Some objective observers will no doubt have noticed that by playing Gestede (who wins more in the air than he loses) to help JR and take the centre halves full attentions from him and provide him with an endless stream of through balls that it is now simply highlighting his lack of pace and strength...... I am one of them. I shouldn't be surprised to hear JR's (increasingly worried) agent applying pressure on Bowyer / Shaw to blame Gestede for his star man's loss of form.

Personally I think it's more to do with how the team is set up. Traditionaly 442 generally means playing with players wide, whether that be wingers in the MGP sense who have also defensive duties (sadly lacking in the first half Sat) or attacking full backs, either of which have the ability to deliver a cross and a more effective lay off ball from one of the 2.

We're not doing that. We're playing a narrow midfield and as a consequence the balls played forward from a central midfield position and flicked on by Gestede would only be of use to a forward playing on the shoulder with pace which Rhodes doesn't possess, culminating in nothing.

I think GB is trying to accommodate Rhodes in a type of hybrid formation which hasn't and won't work.

[Stuart]

I've never known anyone blow so much smoke up their own ass.

Go and look at Rhodes stats. Goals AND assists.

Then hold up that mirror and recite your opening pompous paragraph. Odd that sarcasm is funny as long as it's not aimed at you.

Disappointing.

[darrenrover]

I've never known anyone blow so much smoke up their own ass.

Go and look at Rhodes stats. Goals AND assists.

Then hold up that mirror and recite your opening pompous paragraph. Odd that sarcasm is funny as long as it's not aimed at you.

Disappointing.

I'm surprised you've risen !

I recall your questioning eyebrow expression of me a few days back!

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

I have always pondered whether we would be a better team overall without Rhodes - it is really a difficult one, and one that will always polarise opinion.

IMO he has looked somewhat disillusioned of late - he still (IMO) works hard - but his body language at the moment isn't the best.

One thing that has been very noticeable - is that Gestede has benefited from the attention that Rhodes gets. Very often you see defendes flocking around Rhodes - while Gestede is left largely unattended. Hopefully - as attention diverts more to Gestede - it will free up Rhodes from defenders attention.

[Stuart]

I'm surprised you've risen !

I recall your questioning eyebrow expression of me a few days back!

True enough

[FGS5635]

My grandad always used to say good players that are good fits for your team never divide opinion. If they are right for your team then pretty much everyone will agree on it.

Kills my thoughts on certain players but I could see his point and arguably it can be applied to a few of ours maybe

[OJRovers]

I have always pondered whether we would be a better team overall without Rhodes - it is really a difficult one, and one that will always polarise opinion.

IMO he has looked somewhat disillusioned of late - he still (IMO) works hard - but his body language at the moment isn't the best.

One thing that has been very noticeable - is that Gestede has benefited from the attention that Rhodes gets. Very often you see defendes flocking around Rhodes - while Gestede is left largely unattended. Hopefully - as attention diverts more to Gestede - it will free up Rhodes from defenders attention.

Gestede on his own up front vs Notts Forrest was poor.

Its a tough one because Bowyer has tried a few different systems and it hasn't worked. When Evans is fit, i'd be tempted to try a 4-3-3 with Cairney/Lowe/Evans behind Conway/Gestede/Taylor.

[Amo]

Robinson

Kane - Hanley - Kilgallon - Spurr

Evans - Cairney

Taylor - Dunn - Conway

Rhodes/Gestede

[darrenrover]

Robinson

Kane - Hanley - Kilgallon - Spurr

Evans - Cairney

Taylor - Dunn - Conway

Rhodes/Gestede

I'd be inclined to agree Amo, with the exception of Kane, who's never impressed me.

Replace Kane with the energetic Lowe to work the right flank, I think that formation could be a winner.

[booth]

My grandad always used to say good players that are good fits for your team never divide opinion. If they are right for your team then pretty much everyone will agree on it.

Kills my thoughts on certain players but I could see his point and arguably it can be applied to a few of ours maybe

Your Grandad must not have been around when some berks were saying we should drop Shearer when he had a goal drought. Or when Sutton stopped scoring during the season we won the PL.

[FGS5635]

Your Grandad must not have been around when some berks were saying we should drop Shearer when he had a goal drought. Or when Sutton stopped scoring during the season we won the PL.

His disclaimer was 'pretty much everyone agree'. You always get some numpties who are bonkers. Not sure I agree with him or it can be applied to every player, but its an interesting thought on these matters in my opinion

[booth]

I remember when 90 Minutes magazine described Ripley and Wilcox as "dodgy Blackburn wingers."

Shearer must have laughed his backside off as he collected his golden boot.

[darrenrover]

I remember when 90 Minutes magazine described Ripley and Wilcox as "dodgy Blackburn wingers."

Shearer must have laughed his backside off as he collected his golden boot.

Agreed, comparisons with our current crop though is very much apples with oranges.

[FGS5635]

I remember when 90 Minutes magazine described Ripley and Wilcox as "dodgy Blackburn wingers."

Shearer must have laughed his backside off as he collected his golden boot.

sigh, if only we had them now. Rudy and JR would have a field day

[booth]

Agreed, comparisons with our current crop though is very much apples with oranges.

It wasn't a comparison, just a response to FGS's post. The point was, you can't please everyone.

The most ridiculous one I think I ever heard was that Shearer doesn't score enough tap-ins!

sigh, if only we had them now. Rudy and JR would have a field day

90 minutes used to get my back up regularly. They'd rarely have any of our players in team of the week but at the time there was nowhere for my student self to get my football fix. Some writer scoffed that "defender" Chris Sutton would turn us into league winners and would be an expensive mistake

[dingles staying down 4ever]

Gestede on his own up front vs Notts Forrest was poor.

But Gestede on his own against City was very good. So it is 50/50 whether it'll work.

[den]

I have always pondered whether we would be a better team overall without Rhodes - it is really a difficult one, and one that will always polarise opinion.

It's not difficult at all.

[broadsword]

It seems like we're 10 men plus Rhodes, especially right now.

[SoldierMo]

Ermm last game it was Robinson plus 10 men

[Steve Kean's Hypnotoad]

My grandad always used to say good players that are good fits for your team never divide opinion. If they are right for your team then pretty much everyone will agree on it.

Kills my thoughts on certain players but I could see his point and arguably it can be applied to a few of ours maybe

Not sure about that one. Its probably not too far off but I think some notice has to be paid to how amateurish fans opinions are, and how easily a slight but very vocal minority can become convinced (and convince others) that their opinion is unanimous amongst fans. For example going back to the pre-Venkys golden era there were points where Savage, Reid, Salgado, Emerton, Pedersen, Nelsen and Diouf were viewed negatively by probably a majority of fans. All ended up proving themselves and being involved in successful sides when their time here is taken as a whole. And of course the most farcical fan judgement in recent times was the opinion that Allardyce wasn't good for and didn't fit into Rovers.

Personally I'm always very sceptical when fans become convinced they know of a better team selection than the manager, even when its a large majority of fans. If the manager is a good one I'm always happy to trust he knows best, if he's a poor one I suppose its more up for debate. I suppose Bowyer is somewhere in between.

[broadsword]

Ermm last game it was Robinson plus 10 men

I know you're only as good as your last game, but that's not exactly been a trend this season.

Whereas Rhodes playing in a bubble seems to be.

[SoldierMo]

Anybody know how many points has rhodes won us this season?just curious

[Tom]

Single handedly?

Same as the rest of the team, most likely 0.

Imagine he's scored a lot of winning goals but to say he has won us the points is doing a disservice to others just as saying he's lost us points in other games is doing him a disservice