[Archived] Club PR is impying that 9th place is an achievement? Progression or Regression. Your thoughts?

[chris_h]

It seems ok to compare us with Bournemouth but not Wigan.

[JBiz]

What I said was we've fared just below expectations because taking into account factors you mention a playoff berth was probably the best bet.

Wigan have fell well and truly under their expectations by a mile.

I'm not disputing we haven't gone forwards in the past 12 month. Any minor regressions on the field are mirrored by slight improvements in the running of the club ala youth team.

[chaddyrovers]

Wigan spent around 6 million pounds on 2 new strikers and both failed to settle and score goals

[Athlete]

It seems ok to compare us with Bournemouth but not Wigan.

We shouldn't be compared to anyone should have set our own standards of which promotion was the objective so we've failed

we didn't have any star players to flog when we came down and Wigan spent a hell of a lot more money than Rovers since Bowyer has come in...and they've gone down, we haven't.

Wigan had been down 18 months before flogging the likes of maloney mcmanaman Watson

[Athlete]

Wigan spent around 6 million pounds on 2 new strikers and both failed to settle and score goals

They were both high earners and subsequently loaned to la liga and Tours in France along with another significant signing Adam forshaw loaned to Boro to reduce the wage bill as well as kiernan to Birmingham as I said wigan dispensed with their scouting system and started purchasing via an agency does it sound familiar even when a player is signed on loan there's a signing on fee.. Hence who profits yes Mr ten percent..

I have very very good connections with people in the know at Wigan that's where my info comes from regarding them

But why are people comparing to wigan is beyond me or is it to justify our underperforming season

Btw wigan did have an interest when they came down in JR but couldn't afford or weren't prepared to go anywhere near what Rovers would of even listened to they subsequently signed grant Holt

That's what I'm getting at in a roundabout way

Wigan or any other championship club are nothing to do with us our aim was promotion we failed simple as... Comparison to wigan is trying to justify us finishing 9th.... Don't seem to recall anyone comparing us to wigan in the not too distant past when they plied their trade in the old 4th division... We're where we then

[Rover_Shaun]

Wigan, Stanley, Darlington 1883, Spennymoor Town, Bamber Bridge, Barcelona. They are all fkin irrelevant to Blackburn Rovers.

We have underachieved and it is disappointing. End of.

[davulsukur]

The league season has been a disappointment, no doubts there. We barely put up any fight for a playoff spot.

For me at least, a serious play off push was the aim for this season, which would have built nicely on last season but we failed miserably in that respect. At best, we have stood still.

The cup run was great and without that the season would have been a total failure.

The focus now shifts onto next season and the summer will have a big say in the expectations and goals. If, as expected, we lose both Rhodes and Gestede and we are still under the embargo, the focus might quickly shift from a playoff push to championship survival.

A good use of the loan market (See Patrick Bamford not Luke Varney) is an absolute must.

[DE.]

Bowyer's use of the loan market this season has been appalling for the most part. Baptiste was a worthwhile addition, but none of the others improved the team and were no better than what we already had.

[Athlete]

Bowyer's use of the loan market this season has been appalling for the most part. Baptiste was a worthwhile addition, but none of the others improved the team and were no better than what we already had.

absolutely correct....Jay Spearing what was that all about Bolton fans laughed when they knew he was coming here

[davulsukur]

I don't understand why we just loan championship players who can't get into their own team?

[Parsonblue]

At the start of the season there were probably 15 clubs with realistic expectations to be challenging for the play-offs and promotion and clearly 13 are going to fall short. The likes of Wigan, Brighton and Fulham have had incredibly poor seasons compared with what was predicted for them. The likes of Norwich, Derby and Middlesbrough were all touted for automatic promotion and at least two - and possibly all three - will be playing Championship football next season. The Rovers have more or less finished in a similar position to last season - 9th instead of 8th and a handful of points fewer. Disappointing, undoubtedly, but not the end of the world. All the teams above us have scored more goals than the Rovers and, with the exception of Brentford, have conceded far fewer, which would suggest that both in attack and defence these sides have been more consistent over the course of the season. Having two prolific goalscorers is clearly not enough on its own as the teams above us have all scored more goals.

As for next season it will be even more difficult to make a push for the play-offs given the restrictions of the embargo on the number of players you can bring in - only frees and loans - and the level of wages you can pay them. The restrictions on what you can pay will also have an impact on the quality of loan player that you can bring in. The squad this season has clearly not been good enough to challenge on a consistent basis - too many individual errors at crucial times has been a constant theme throughout the campaign. Whilst the manager takes the blame for the overall position of the club there have been times when certain players have also not produced on a consistent basis. The reason we are not in the top six is simple - we have not been good enough. With the restrictions placed upon us it is going to become even more difficult to try to improve the quality of a squad that has been woefully inconsistent this season. In the short term, whilst it may not be popular to say it, but retaining Championship status until the embargo is lifted is going to be a challenge no matter who the manager might be.

[Mercer]

Surely, our aim for the last two seasons has been promotion. This is certainly what the season ticket hype for the last two seasons was focused upon.

Therefore, we have failed miserably.

I personally can't see improvement anywhere. Reaching the U21 final papers over the cracks - if these lads are so good, why hasn't Bowyer given any of them an extended run other than the odd 70 minutes here and there.

I think the club's infrastructure has been dumbed down and we are now paying the price, and will continue to do so.

The bottom line is that a club's football manager is its biggest asset - he makes or breaks the club. You can have the most switched on owners and Exec Management, however, if the manager can't deliver you are goosed until he's replaced. Sadly, the boring and mediocre Bowyer is struggling to even tread water. Next season, I see us as a bottom 8 side - at least we will have stability though !

[Mercer]

At the start of the season there were probably 15 clubs with realistic expectations to be challenging for the play-offs and promotion and clearly 13 are going to fall short. The likes of Wigan, Brighton and Fulham have had incredibly poor seasons compared with what was predicted for them. The likes of Norwich, Derby and Middlesbrough were all touted for automatic promotion and at least two - and possibly all three - will be playing Championship football next season. The Rovers have more or less finished in a similar position to last season - 9th instead of 8th and a handful of points fewer. Disappointing, undoubtedly, but not the end of the world. All the teams above us have scored more goals than the Rovers and, with the exception of Brentford, have conceded far fewer, which would suggest that both in attack and defence these sides have been more consistent over the course of the season. Having two prolific goalscorers is clearly not enough on its own as the teams above us have all scored more goals.

As for next season it will be even more difficult to make a push for the play-offs given the restrictions of the embargo on the number of players you can bring in - only frees and loans - and the level of wages you can pay them. The restrictions on what you can pay will also have an impact on the quality of loan player that you can bring in. The squad this season has clearly not been good enough to challenge on a consistent basis - too many individual errors at crucial times has been a constant theme throughout the campaign. Whilst the manager takes the blame for the overall position of the club there have been times when certain players have also not produced on a consistent basis. The reason we are not in the top six is simple - we have not been good enough. With the restrictions placed upon us it is going to become even more difficult to try to improve the quality of a squad that has been woefully inconsistent this season. In the short term, whilst it may not be popular to say it, but retaining Championship status until the embargo is lifted is going to be a challenge no matter who the manager might be.

This is why it was imperative we got up either last season or this.

The buck stops with Bowyer. There can be no excuses. He has signed 20+ players and failed to mould them into a motivated, organised, cohesive and flexible unit.

Time you stopped defending Bowyer. A huge majority think he's a dud who's taking us nowhere. We have blown a great opportunity to get back up. If you have a £15 to £20 million strike force delivering 40 goals a season then your position is indefensible.

[Parsonblue]

This is why it was imperative we got up either last season or this.

The buck stops with Bowyer. There can be no excuses. He has signed 20+ players and failed to mould them into a motivated, organised, cohesive and flexible unit.

Time you stopped defending Bowyer. A huge majority think he's a dud who's taking us nowhere. We have blown a great opportunity to get back up. If you have a £15 to £20 million strike force delivering 40 goals a season then your position is indefensible.

There may well be a huge majority who think a particular way Mercerman. However, I always like to think for myself rather than think as someone tells to think. The bottom line is that despite the strike force delivering 40 goals, all the teams above us have scored more goals. As a team we simply haven't been good enough or consistent enough. And if you don't mind I'll defend who I want, just like yourself with Owen and "wee" Dougie.

[ABBEY]

The Rovers have more or less finished in a similar position to last season - 9th instead of 8th and a handful of points fewer.

Handful ? 23 off promotion and 13 off play offs is more than a handful.

[Rover_Shaun]

Regarding promotion here are the stats from this Century. As we all like pointless stats

Target for automatic Promotion: 90 points

Target for the playoffs: 75 points

These will get you there unless it's a once in a decade high points season.

So from that this team need the following percentage increase in performance (based on 64, 65 or 67 points from this season

Playoffs +18% / +16% / +12%

Automatic 41% / 39% / 35%

-------------------

Avoid Relegation target: 48 points

To fall into relegation it would take the following points drop from 64, 65 or 67 points

-26% / -27% / -29%

Enjoy that?

[tomphil]

You mean you need to go out and try and win games and not cautiously creep in by drawing ? Damn, who'd have thought that

[Athlete]

At the start of the season there were probably 15 clubs with realistic expectations to be challenging for the play-offs and promotion and clearly 13 are going to fall short. The likes of Wigan, Brighton and Fulham have had incredibly poor seasons compared with what was predicted for them. The likes of Norwich, Derby and Middlesbrough were all touted for automatic promotion and at least two - and possibly all three - will be playing Championship football next season. The Rovers have more or less finished in a similar position to last season - 9th instead of 8th and a handful of points fewer. Disappointing, undoubtedly, but not the end of the world. All the teams above us have scored more goals than the Rovers and, with the exception of Brentford, have conceded far fewer, which would suggest that both in attack and defence these sides have been more consistent over the course of the season. Having two prolific goalscorers is clearly not enough on its own as the teams above us have all scored more goals.

As for next season it will be even more difficult to make a push for the play-offs given the restrictions of the embargo on the number of players you can bring in - only frees and loans - and the level of wages you can pay them. The restrictions on what you can pay will also have an impact on the quality of loan player that you can bring in. The squad this season has clearly not been good enough to challenge on a consistent basis - too many individual errors at crucial times has been a constant theme throughout the campaign. Whilst the manager takes the blame for the overall position of the club there have been times when certain players have also not produced on a consistent basis. The reason we are not in the top six is simple - we have not been good enough. With the restrictions placed upon us it is going to become even more difficult to try to improve the quality of a squad that has been woefully inconsistent this season. In the short term, whilst it may not be popular to say it, but retaining Championship status until the embargo is lifted is going to be a challenge no matter who the manager might be.

PB on the playing side the buck stops with the manager hes signed over twenty players plus loans has the luxury of 2 top rated goalscorers..no more excuses or comparing us to other clubs GB is out his depth he's failed end of...time to twist

[den]

There may well be a huge majority who think a particular way Mercerman. However, I always like to think for myself rather than think as someone tells to think. The bottom line is that despite the strike force delivering 40 goals, all the teams above us have scored more goals. As a team we simply haven't been good enough or consistent enough.

Correct Parson.

and we haven't been good enough because we can't control a game. You control a game by controlling posession and the pace of the game, which has to be done through midfield. The quality of our midfield players isn't great. I think everyone would agree with that. Now our problem is that neither Gestede nor Rhodes can play the lone striker role. It's been tried many, many times and we just get pinned back the whole game. Bowyer knows that and said so last week. Strachan doesn't play Rhodes for the same reason and has said so. Many posters on here have also said so.

So what's happening with us, is because that system doesn't work, bowyer has had to play 4-4-2 most games (he calls it "being brave"). So, because we aren't effective playing 4-5-1, we play 4-4-2 and that just puts a poor midfield under even more pressure. To be fair to Bowyer, he sees the problem and has tried to get around it by dropping both Rhodes and Gestede on a fairly regular basis and has tried Brown to see if that helps us control a game. Unfortunately brown really is no Bergkamp. So Bowyer is stumped.

A lot of our fans look at the number of goals Gestede and Rhodes have scored and think they're doing their job and its everybody else's fault that results don't follow. However, for me, results don't follow their goals because their inabilities put far too much pressure on an already below par midfield. While they're scoring goals, everyone behind them is getting the run around.

To go back to your point about the team not being good enough Parson, you're right. Spending almost all of our transfer budget that we've had since Kean left, on one player was madness, when there was no way that it was ever going to make us into a good team.

[K-Hod]

Good post Den. Though the Rhodes transfer wasn't part of our budget, it was a one off from Balaji wasn't it?

[ABBEY]

The haters like to change history

[Parsonblue]

Handful ? 23 off promotion and 13 off play offs is more than a handful.

I'm talking about the difference in points between this season and last Abbey and it's a handful. As you say Abbey, with regard to Bowyer, haters gonna hate

[Rover_Shaun]

What use is spinning the stat of a handful of points if half the league moves on without you?

[den]

Good post Den. Though the Rhodes transfer wasn't part of our budget, it was a one off from Balaji wasn't it?

If I remember correctly, wasn't the story that Singh told Glen that Balaji sold off part of his land to buy Rhodes and that it was a one off? Apologies if that's wrong. A few points.....

Glen only knows what Singh told him.

Is Balaji really that poor to have to sell off land?

Were Huddersfield paid, in full, up front for Rhodes? Weren't we told that Hfield were still owed money up until recently for Rhodes?

So are we to believe that the Rhodes fee and wages don't show on the rovers accounts - and if that is the case, selling him wouldn't reduce the losses by a single penny would it.

If we sell Rhodes, will Balaji want his money back?

Are we really to believe that we could only buy a player for £8m as long as his name was Jordan Rhodes?

[davulsukur]

Good post Den, our midfield has been a problem for many years.