[Archived] Brum Away

[Tom]

Duff scored a Wonder goal didn't he?

[broadsword]

I'm not old enough...who is that, and when did they play for us?

Late eighties, he was a very small midfielder. 5 feet two i think

[mattjansen]

Im quite @#/? right now and only watched the game on telly, but i saw the same game as you lot but im quite stunned how you can blame GB for the performance by the subs. Yes we fell back but do you think that was the order?? We have eleven player that has too stand up and be counted for!! The mentality on this forum is beyond me sometime,

[Jeru tha Damaja]

Cards on the table, the second half today was my fault. I was watching Ben Hur until I saw we were 4-0 up, so I put the game on the laptop and it was downhill from there.

Sorry lads!

[pontyrover]

You're either his agent or his mum.

Could I not be both?

[barry_]

http://youtu.be/pQUu1HTRPYA

[adsfortheblues]

More like the equaliser by Sheff Wed. Or what about the injury time goal by Forest at Ewood? It's the end of the season and one can point to many 'what ifs'.

But when it comes down to goal difference, which I think it will, people will immediately think, if we'd have carried on having a go at brum and won, say 6-0 instead of sitting back and conceding two, then we would have got that 6th spot.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Could I not be both?

Mm, I did think that.

[blueboy3333]

I'm not old enough...who is that, and when did they play for us?

apologies bb, i was trying to be funny. I failed. We signed him from PNE, he was about 4 feet tall. i think he joined the circus when he finished playing.

[JBiz]

If you wanted to sum up this season, show someone ten minutes of the first half, and then 10 minutes of late in the second.

Absolute inconsistency. Unplayable at times, and then incapable at others! The longer this unbeaten run goes on though will improve confidence and if we can take it into next season it can only be good. Forget the playoffs this season but it's nice to still be mathmatical!

Evans was impressive today- everywhere on the pitch at times. The first eleven looked well capable of beating anyone today- regardless of how bad Brum played. Not to forget, Rudy is an astute signing. Another from lower league France; (nzonzi, dabo etc). I actually watched some of the Lens vs Chateroux game today and it ain't a bad standard at all. Maybe more gems down there.

To sum up- we need to sort out this calamitous defensive ends to games we are leading, and play in that attacking vein more consistently. Time, experience and consistency in the staff/players is the no1 way to achieve this improvement in consistent performance (in theory!)

[Neal]

Does everyone need to write 'in my opinion...' before conveying their opinion?

The fact is, he is doing and has done a cracking job and I'd be more than happy for him to be in charge next season as I think it would be in the best interests of the club and supporters.

That's an opinion. The FACT is we're below Mick McCarthys Ipswich side that cost £400,000... Now that's a cracking job. Sean Dyche... That's a cracking job, Steve Mcclaren... A cracking job. You see any of those playing for draws against Yeovil at home? I'm not saying he's done a bad job, I'm saying he's underachieved this season if he doesn't get us in the playoffs.

[Blueandwhitemike]

Great to win and score 4 away from home...

Sure Ipswich fans must be absolutely furious with their team, throwing away 2 points against a team that has been in by far the worst form in the league for months.

When Rudy went off Radio Rovers said it looked like he had a slight niggle... Don't know if it was true as they didn't ask him in the post match interview but before we slag GB too much should be taken into account that it was the case.

I would have loved Rittenberg to come on in his place but I'm guessing (don't really know) he is a more suitable replacement for Rhodes as Varney can be decent in the air.

Brum were down to ten men last twenty minutes but Lowe couldn't do much for the last 15 and would have gone off if we still had a sub.

Even in the second half we played some lovely stuff in patches, the move with too many passes to count, that swung one side to the other then back to the middle before King played in Rhodes who almost scored but for the keeper coming off his line very quickly.

This team is very young, with youth comes inexperience and inconsistency, so this season was always going to be a bit like it has been. GB has tried to bring in some more experience in the second half of the season though so at least he has seen it too.

With a bit of perspective it is a good result.

[Paul]

I'm not saying he's done a bad job, I'm saying he's underachieved this season if he doesn't get us in the playoffs.

Exactly. I know hindsight is easy but we all know the missed opportunities since Christmas. Looking back we should be at least 10 points better off than we are.

If GB is in charge next season I would say the target should be 3rd or 4th as a minimum. Until we see who vines down it's difficult to know how realistic automatic promotion would be as a target.

[Blueandwhitemike]

Just watched the football league show, it was mentioned that super big Mic's Ipswich have thrown away 30 points from winning positions... So Rovers aren't the only ones (don't know our stat, could be worse...) Probably the same could be said about all the teams from Brighton down... Just a little more perspective

Also mad to see Frasier (Kelsey Grammer) at the Bristol Rovers game, haha.

[thenodrog]

Im quite @#/? right now and only watched the game on telly, but i saw the same game as you lot but im quite stunned how you can blame GB for the performance by the subs. Yes we fell back but do you think that was the order?? We have eleven player that has too stand up and be counted for!! The mentality on this forum is beyond me sometime,

Indeed. Rather typical of this board that three days after a match where he received much criticism for using sub's too late that now he is getting stick for using them too early!

[thenodrog]

But when it comes down to goal difference, which I think it will, people will immediately think, if we'd have carried on having a go at brum and won, say 6-0 instead of sitting back and conceding two, then we would have got that 6th spot.

A single dropped point wipes out a goal diff of a thousand! The carelessly dropped points over the season are what frustrates me most and what must be avoided next year. Holding onto a lead frequently needs more effort, graft and guile than getting it.

[Tom]

Indeed. Rather typical of this board that three days after a match where he received much criticism for using sub's too late that now he is getting stick for using them too early!

Maybe he needs to use subs more wisely then? I'd say on each occasion the criticism is warranted, it's not just a case of wrong time it's often wrong man and wrong time.

On Friday we were desperate to change it up down the right hand side, King should have come on there when he brought Dunn on IMO, yesterday he probably thought the game was safe which it probably already was but Varney and Feeney are terrible and it appears the changes swung the momentum to the opposition

[thenodrog]

My point being that for some everything he does is wrong. I've been saying for Somme time that if I was in his position I would be looking to bring in a tactician as assistant. If he could do that it would greatly extend his life expectancy in the ewood hot seat.

[Tom]

Agreed

[dingles staying down 4ever]

Indeed. Rather typical of this board that three days after a match where he received much criticism for using sub's too late that now he is getting stick for using them too early!

Is the fact that Varney and Feeney are here is the only criticism I'd have yesterday. Both should be nowhere near Ewood and should have been with me yesterday on Blackpool Beach

[booth]

My point being that for some everything he does is wrong. I've been saying for Somme time that if I was in his position I would be looking to bring in a tactician as assistant. If he could do that it would greatly extend his life expectancy in the ewood hot seat.

Not sure if that's completely true. For me the fact he does things right but gets some seemingly obvious things wrong is the biggest frustration about Bowyer. He can't seem to use subs or alter tactics effectively which has led to us not being in the play offs and hoping for a miracle.

If we must persevere I agree he needs a tactically wiser head alongside him to provide options.

Someone said McCarthy is in the same boat dropping points. Are you kidding me? He's turned them around from a bottom end of the table team to in with a shout of play offs with no money.

[Blueandwhitemike]

Booth, the point about McCarthy is that Ipswich have also dropped loads of points from winning positions. He's a very good manager, who has done a very good job. I mentioned it because it shows that even very good, very experienced managers' teams make tactical mistakes and have blown leads many times over the season. This is meant to give us a bit of perspective about Bowyer's failings. Brighton, Forest, Ipswich, Watford etc. have all done it.

If Rovers can learn to keep more of those leads, like Leicester and Burnley next season we will have a good chance, this year we have dropped too many but so have all the teams close to us.

[Amo]

Someone said McCarthy is in the same boat dropping points. Are you kidding me? He's turned them around from a bottom end of the table team to in with a shout of play offs with no money.

Something the critics conveniently overlook. McCarthy spent something like £57,000 in the summer, compared to Bowyer's £2m+. I have little doubt that McCarthy would've had us competing for automatic promotion.

[thenodrog]

Something you've overlooked is the squad that he started with compared to the shiftless journeymen that we had on the books.

Not only that but whilst some are holding McCarthy up as a sort of managerial demigod I recall that he has been sacked time and again.

Read this and you might be in a majority of 1 in having little doubt. His legacy at Millwall wouldn't tempt me to throw the cheque book his way either. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mick_McCarthy#Millwall

As far as I can see whilst he has had some success McCarthy's been a nearly man many times too and would in no way guarantee promotion.

Next.......

[Amo]

Something you've overlooked is the squad that he started with compared to the shiftless journeymen that we had on the books.

And Ipswich were rooted to the bottom of the table when McCarthy took over. Your point? He's managed to change their fortunes around more dramatically than Bowyer, and for a fraction of the cost.

Not only that but whilst some are holding McCarthy up as a sort of managerial demigod I recall that he has been sacked time and again.

No less than your hero Smallardyce.

McCarthy isn't cut out for the PL but he knows how to get sides in there. Isn't that the matter at hand, Gordon?