[Archived] Sheffield Wednesday v Rovers

[Tom]

Wouldn't argue with that Tom, I just can't think of a set of fans anywhere who appear to want a manager to fail so much so they can get a 'big name' in. I don't expect anyone to own up to being one of these people and certainly not aiming it at you Tom, but there are a few about without a doubt.

I know but I've been critical for sure when I've feel obvious mistakes have cost us, today it didn't sound like we sat back and invited pressure which has cost us before, I questioned the lack of subs more out of genuinely curiosity.

From my limited view of the game it seemed like a bad decision from the normally clinical Rhodes was a pivotal moment.

More than anything today seems a bit like 'one of those days' just at a frustrating time and an annoyance which has somewhat dampened what hasn't been a bad season all in all.

There has been some progress and a transitional season was probably needed but I feel next season success or failure should be judged on promotion or not

[Stuart]

Not to wish my time away but I'm really interested to see what our squad looks like come 31st August.

[No Nay Never]

No-one wants Bowyer to fail.

It's just that his talents are in scouting, not as a manager.

I've still not had anyone give me a clue as to how much longer he should get. Do we wait until we have a 10 game freefall next season? Or does he have an unlimited free pass? Because most of the arguments at the moment [for keeping him] will still apply by Christmas.

Well for me if we are not challenging at Xmas then it maybe time, I personally believe we will be but that's my opinion.

I know but I've been critical for sure when I've feel obvious mistakes have cost us, today it didn't sound like we sat back and invited pressure which has cost us before, I questioned the lack of subs more out of genuinely curiosity.

From my limited view of the game it seemed like a bad decision from the normally clinical Rhodes was a pivotal moment.

More than anything today seems a bit like 'one of those days' just at a frustrating time and an annoyance which has somewhat dampened what has been a bad season all in all.

There has been some progress and a transitional season was probably needed but I feel next season success or failure should be judged on promotion or not

We have gone from one extreme to the other in terms of sitting back to close games out. The Rhodes chance was no doubt a pivotal moment as you say though normally clinical.

[Leonard Venkhater]

Well he doesn't bother me. Maybe it's because I don't take an awful lot of notice of at least 75% of the posts made on here. Most are done in anger, ignorance, optimism, pessimism or worse with either a hidden agenda or a vendetta.

btw it's 'affected' roverandout.

Well at least that doesn't always include me then.!

I try and make it a policy not to comment immediately after a game, when we've lost because I am sure my immediate comments would get me sectioned.

I take a kind of 7 deadly sins approach to the messageboard...Anger ( oh yes), Despair( yup) Hope( sometimes), Ignorance( probably). I think Nick Hornby said the natural state of a normal football fan( i.e. not a glory hunter) is anger, frustration and anxiety or something..Well that was certainly me today!

The frustrating thing is that all of us could have written the script for today. As someone said after the Brighton game, " I could have laughed. It was so Rovers!"

[T.J.Newton]

(sorry I haven't gone through the thread but I've no doubt this sentiment has been said numerous times already)

Again we blow it when it really matters! we'd be sitting 2 points of the playoff spots if we had seen the game out without bottling it in the final minutes,

I understand, we have a young squad and a manager who has played a big part in turning the clubs fortunes around in general but he's also learning on the job(whether learning from his mistakes is yet to be seen though)

just incredibly frustrating,

so close, yet so far.

[West Yorks Rover]

Some shocking defending by both teams in a game that could have ended 6-6. Grant Hanley was the poorest of our defenders as he reminded me of the old Hanley who clearly thinks he is a better player than he actually is. Lowe was our best player I thought and on another day Gestede would have been sent off for two embarrassing dives. My only criticism of Bowyer was bringing Varney on to play a five across the middle. Has we continued with the same shape and like for like substitution I thought we could have really pushed for a fourth goal. As it was we sat deeper and invited pressure.

Some shocking defending by both teams in a game that could have ended 6-6. Grant Hanley was the poorest of our defenders as he reminded me of the old Hanley who clearly thinks he is a better player than he actually is. Lowe was our best player I thought and on another day Gestede would have been sent off for two embarrassing dives. My only criticism of Bowyer was bringing Varney on to play a five across the middle. Has we continued with the same shape and like for like substitution I thought we could have really pushed for a fourth goal. As it was we sat deeper and invited pressure.

The thing is though Varney wasn't brought on until the 92 min anyway, why didn't GB react earlier, maybe after they pulled it back to 2-3

on 72 mins.

[des]

it does take time to learn the job that GB has the only thing I do not like is when we play too deep

[No Nay Never]

The thing is though Varney wasn't brought on until the 92 min anyway, why didn't GB react earlier, maybe after they pulled it back to 2-3

on 72 mins.

If he did and they equalised anyway then it would have been GB's fault for bringing Varney on for Rhodes!! At that time we were still creating a good few chances so would have been a bit silly to take Rhodes off when he is usually our best finisher.

[Amo]

Based on first-half scorelines we'd currently be 5th in the league. It's a game of two halves and all that, and quite clearly something Bowyer says at half-time isn't paying off.

[Bucksrover]

Another frustrating day. Un-beaten in 8 is that?! - but a draw that felt like a loss. Especially as the play-off dream is properly snuffed out.

I would agree that Bowyer has flaws - I would have had Taylor or King on for the slow-motion-Williamson and pushed Cairney central with one of those two wide. But part of the reason today was so frustrating is that Bowyer has brought in some great players and we are so nearly a quality championship team. I think the financial uncertainty makes us all impatient and maybe overlook what he has done.

Think we really missed Evans today - they could run through our central midfield today.

The players need to take a lot of the blame for throwing that away today. A lot of young talented players, but they need to mature and get some steel and intelligence in the way they play. They were passing it round with Ole's ringing out against QPR. They go away from home and they lose the ability to kill the game.

If Bowyer can tinker as he would like in the summer, keep DJ, Best and co away from this team, and we have this squad going into next season then we could do really well.

Conway my man of the match today.

[arbitro]

The thing is though Varney wasn't brought on until the 92 min anyway, why didn't GB react earlier, maybe after they pulled it back to 2-3

on 72 mins.

My point was that he brought him on to make up a five across midfield instead of like for like and keeping the same shape. If this season has taught us anything it is that we struggle to hold on to leads late in the game and are extremely vulnerable to conceding late goals. Sometimes you reap what you sow and our propensity to defend too deep and 'hang on' to narrow leads has cost us a lot of points.

[somersetrover]

I am sure that some people on here were delighted when they equalised as they haven't been able to have a good moan after the last couple games. My biggest worry is our inconsistency in conceding goals, this season we have kept 14 clean sheets only 4 clubs have kept more so that very good but there is certainly a case of when it rains in pours as 18 times we have conceded two or more goals in a game and that isn't good enough as you are going to need to score at least 3 to win.

As for the argument about making subs, none of the players on the bench apart from Taylor and King would have had an impact on the game and the players in their positions were playing well, also if we had made the subs and conceded then Bowyer would have been blamed for disrupting the team.

[West Yorks Rover]

If he did and they equalised anyway then it would have been GB's fault for bringing Varney on for Rhodes!! At that time we were still creating a good few chances so would have been a bit silly to take Rhodes off when he is usually our best finisher.

My point wasn't about who he brought on, it was about the fact he didn't react early enough to their 2nd goal, he seems to be

rather clueless when it comes to the use of subs, as in, none used in normal time.

I think it becomes more and more obvious that he needs some help on match days, from an experienced tactician.

Apart from that he's done a pretty decent job overall, with the exception of his obsession with Lowe of course.

[OJRovers]

Season of missed chances this year, so close but so far.

[Parsonblue]

No-one wants Bowyer to fail.

It's just that his talents are in scouting, not as a manager.

I've still not had anyone give me a clue as to how much longer he should get. Do we wait until we have a 10 game freefall next season? Or does he have an unlimited free pass? Because most of the arguments at the moment [for keeping him] will still apply by Christmas.

With all due respect Stuart but what qualifications do you or I have to judge that he is a better scout than a manager or a better manager than a scout? Football Manager is rather like Prime Minister it's a job we all feel we can do better than the person who is doing it. However, there is a reason that we aren't and that's because we are not qualified to do it and wouldn't be very good at it when push comes to shove. We base our opinions on what we see on a Saturday afternoon. We have no idea what has gone on in training during the week. We have no idea if players are carrying injuries or have personal problems that impact on their game. In fact we know very little out the inner workings of team preparation and what really goes on a football club. I wonder how many of us would enjoy seeing people wander off the street and telling us that we aren't very good at our own jobs - whatever it may be - by people who really know nothing about it?

[rovers11]

There is no hatred of Bowyer. There is an acceptance by some that he is a better scout than a manager, and a blind faith from others that he will become a good manager by the start of next season. Maybe this season was just a practise.

If we aren't going to get a new man in then we had better hope that Bowyer does become a good manager, as judged by the majority of fans, not just by his mates - and by some better yardstick than 'we can't do any better'.

Becomes a good manager?! I would say he already is a good manager. The job he's done in the past 12 months is excellent. If he was a bad manager then we wouldn't have gone from relegation fodder to play off contenders in 12 months. He really hasn't had the credit he deserves. He has made mistakes but overall I'm very happy with the job he's done.

[JAL]

My only criticism of Bowyer was bringing Varney on to play a five across the middle. Has we continued with the same shape and like for like substitution I thought we could have really pushed for a fourth goal. As it was we sat deeper and invited pressure.

Rovers fans can only pray for the summer when Luke Varney goes back to wherever he came from as hes a poor player that brings nothing to the table.

[Roverthechimp]

With all due respect Stuart but what qualifications do you or I have to judge that he is a better scout than a manager or a better manager than a scout? Football Manager is rather like Prime Minister it's a job we all feel we can do better than the person who is doing it. However, there is a reason that we aren't and that's because we are not qualified to do it and wouldn't be very good at it when push comes to shove. We base our opinions on what we see on a Saturday afternoon. We have no idea what has gone on in training during the week. We have no idea if players are carrying injuries or have personal problems that impact on their game. In fact we know very little out the inner workings of team preparation and what really goes on a football club. I wonder how many of us would enjoy seeing people wander off the street and telling us that we aren't very good at our own jobs - whatever it may be - by people who really know nothing about it?

Good post Parson. To be fair to Stuart i think if you add the phrase "in my opinion" to his posts then it makes for easier debate.

[Stuart]

With all due respect Stuart but what qualifications do you or I have to judge that he is a better scout than a manager or a better manager than a scout? Football Manager is rather like Prime Minister it's a job we all feel we can do better than the person who is doing it. However, there is a reason that we aren't and that's because we are not qualified to do it and wouldn't be very good at it when push comes to shove. We base our opinions on what we see on a Saturday afternoon. We have no idea what has gone on in training during the week. We have no idea if players are carrying injuries or have personal problems that impact on their game. In fact we know very little out the inner workings of team preparation and what really goes on a football club. I wonder how many of us would enjoy seeing people wander off the street and telling us that we aren't very good at our own jobs - whatever it may be - by people who really know nothing about it?

I don't need to be a good Rovers manager, I just need the the club to pick one who is.

I 'judge' him as a good scout based on the players I have seen. I 'judge' him as a poorer manager because in a very poor league we are midtable with our nearest neighbours tearing up the league with nothing BUT a better manager.

With all due respect, I don't think you would be quite so one-eyed about it if it weren't a guy you know so well from the youth and reserve side of the game. His record isn't that much better than Steve Kean, and is far inferior to the much maligned Tim Sherwood.

Good post Parson. To be fair to Stuart i think if you add the phrase "in my opinion" to his posts then it makes for easier debate.

Thanks but it goes without saying that every post I make is my opinion. It's kind of implicit. I can't see that I can type "in my opinion" after every statement.

[sharpysharps]

Disappointing the way we let slip 2 points again but such is Rovers this season. Would've taken a point before the game as Wednesday have been decent enough since the change of manager they had. It's easy to say that though and I really felt we would win the game once we went 3-1 ahead so I am annoyed and frustrated by the result.

That said, I expected us to be roughly where we are now. Might not be the most exciting prospect but it's a darn sight better than last April when we lost at Hillsborough and dropped into the relegation zone.

After the Bournemouth game I felt we might well need a change of manager. Looking back I think that was a case of emotion running high still after the Burnley defeat. We aren't ready for the prem, it's quite clear. However we have players with the right attitude more so than last seasons group. Progress might be slower than we would all like but people forget Leicester's success has been in the making for a few years.

[No Nay Never]

My point wasn't about who he brought on, it was about the fact he didn't react early enough to their 2nd goal, he seems to be

rather clueless when it comes to the use of subs, as in, none used in normal time.

I think it becomes more and more obvious that he needs some help on match days, from an experienced tactician.

Apart from that he's done a pretty decent job overall, with the exception of his obsession with Lowe of course.

Wasn't aimed at you in particular WYR, or Luke Varney could be said for whoever came on.

[roversfan99]

Sickening again being there watching us throw it away again, there was for me a lack of leadership through out the team apart from Robinson who was bellowing at the team alot. Hanley is not captain material, he has really been in poor form in the last month or 2.

We needed fresh legs and to break up the game and again Bowyer did nothing. King would have been a good sub with his pace as their defence looked suspect in behind all day.

[Colt Seavers]

I went to the game. Unlike the previous two games, our ball retention was poor today. We didn't look comfortable in possession and punted forward endlessly. Cairney was quiet today although he worked hard. Conway too wasn't his usual swashbuckling self. Williamson worked hard and was my man of the match.

Rhodes had chances to sew the game up and I am annoyed at his selfish attitude to some extent. I have seen for a while his disinterest in providing assists for his teammates. It has to be all about him! I know he has to score goals as a striker but I hope bowyer talks to him about the bigger picture here.

Keane was repeatedly beaten by their winger and had a poor game ( great goal though).

We had a couple of throw ins in their right back spot very late on and missed dunny at that point. If he had been playing he would have kept possession and we would have won the game. (Is he injured?).

Bowyer came over at the end and pointed to the floral tribute in the lower tier. He seemed to be conveying that remembering the death of the 96 was the overriding priority of the day and that some perspective should be put on things. This annoyed me too. An outpouring of vicarious grief is one thing but everyone paid respects to the tragic victims prior to kick off and that was that!

Tommy spurr sustained an injury fifteen minutes or so from the end (groin, left side I think) and should have come off. I cannot understand why he was left on! I am no advocate of Marcus, but why have him on the bench if you stubbornly refuse to bring him on. Alternatively, kilgallon to left back, Keane to centre and Kane on would have addressed the issue.

We have stupidly thrown away the chance of promotion this year from a really poor quality division and bowyer will undoubtedly pay the price.

All in all, a sorry, but totally avoidable state of affairs.

[JAL]

I went to the game. Unlike the previous two games, our ball retention was poor today. We didn't look comfortable in possession and punted forward endlessly. Cairney was quiet today although he worked hard. Conway too wasn't his usual swashbuckling self. Williamson worked hard and was my man of the match.

Rhodes had chances to sew the game up and I am annoyed at his selfish attitude to some extent. I have seen for a while his disinterest in providing assists for his teammates. It has to be all about him! I know he has to score goals as a striker but I hope bowyer talks to him about the bigger picture here.

Keane was repeatedly beaten by their winger and had a poor game ( great goal though).

We had a couple of throw ins in their right back spot very late on and missed dunny at that point. If he had been playing he would have kept possession and we would have won the game. (Is he injured?).

Bowyer came over at the end and pointed to the floral tribute in the lower tier. He seemed to be conveying that remembering the death of the 96 was the overriding priority of the day and that some perspective should be put on things. This annoyed me too. An outpouring of vicarious grief is one thing but everyone paid respects to the tragic victims prior to kick off and that was that!

Tommy spurr sustained an injury fifteen minutes or so from the end (groin, left side I think) and should have come off. I cannot understand why he was left on! I am no advocate of Marcus, but why have him on the bench if you stubbornly refuse to bring him on. Alternatively, kilgallon to left back, Keane to centre and Kane on would have addressed the issue.

We have stupidly thrown away the chance of promotion this year from a really poor quality division and bowyer will undoubtedly pay the price.

All in all, a sorry, but totally avoidable state of affairs.

Interesting stuff regarding GB coming on at the end has one thinking of Stephen Kean applauding the fans at Wigan.

[yoda's brother]

I am sure that some people on here were delighted when they equalised as they haven't been able to have a good moan after the last couple games. My biggest worry is our inconsistency in conceding goals, this season we have kept 14 clean sheets only 4 clubs have kept more so that very good but there is certainly a case of when it rains in pours as 18 times we have conceded two or more goals in a game and that isn't good enough as you are going to need to score at least 3 to win.

As for the argument about making subs, none of the players on the bench apart from Taylor and King would have had an impact on the game and the players in their positions were playing well, also if we had made the subs and conceded then Bowyer would have been blamed for disrupting the team.

dont talk bo11ocks