[Archived] Cardiff At Home 18Th August

[Mike Graham]

I thought Lowe had a reasonable game on Tuesday. He was one of few, if any, who had any spatial awareness about them.

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

It is amazing - people claim Lowe isn't a whipping boy for people on this MB - and yet in a match where our rookie keeper gave away a goal, our left back also being culpable by being so damned slow - some on the MB descends into having a go at Lowe.

[Tom]

It is amazing - people claim Lowe isn't a whipping boy for people on this MB - and yet in a match where our rookie keeper gave away a goal, our left back also being culpable by being so damned slow - some on the MB descends into having a go at Lowe.

Because over 90 minutes apart from one very good interception he offered nothing yet seems overly protected by the manager. Nothing to do with a whipping boy.

[Blue blood]

Has he? If he has then by that measure so to has Raya, Henley, Duffy, Olsson, Marshall and Rhodes.

Hey I'm not defending Lowe at all. His play, effort and contribution to the team effort has to do that. ... I'm just refusing to join the hanging party which seems to appeal to so many.

Point 1. Raya saved us the point vs. Hudds whilst Rhodes was isolated with no service then injured just after half time. Hardly in the terrible category. Thought Henley was promising going forwards vs. Cardiff although overall not a good start to the season. Not sure we can defend Lowe on that basis! Agree Marshall has been dire. He'd get dropped by me too. Point is though it doesn't take away from Lowe being poor or protected.

Point 2 part of the frustration is that Lowe isn't picked on form but favouritism which makes it very different and discouraging. We saw the same with Hanley last year and could be happening with Marshall too. When this happens it shows another weakness of the manager and is bound to get fans annoyed with falling standards, bad selection and unprofessional favouritism. In such cases GB isn't doing the best for the team.

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

Point 1. Raya saved us the point vs. Hudds whilst Rhodes was isolated with no service then injured just after half time. Hardly in the terrible category. Thought Henley was promising going forwards vs. Cardiff although overall not a good start to the season. Not sure we can defend Lowe on that basis! Agree Marshall has been dire. He'd get dropped by me too. Point is though it doesn't take away from Lowe being poor or protected.

Point 2 part of the frustration is that Lowe isn't picked on form but favouritism which makes it very different and discouraging. We saw the same with Hanley last year and could be happening with Marshall too. When this happens it shows another weakness of the manager and is bound to get fans annoyed with falling standards, bad selection and unprofessional favouritism. In such cases GB isn't doing the best for the team.

Firstly let me say I would rest Lowe - but why is it favouritism ? Listening to GB on radio Rovers - it sounds like Lowe is asked to do a specific job and is doing that to GB's instructions. Whether GB's faith in Lowe is misplaced is an entirely different thing.

[Gav]

It is amazing - people claim Lowe isn't a whipping boy for people on this MB - and yet in a match where our rookie keeper gave away a goal, our left back also being culpable by being so damned slow - some on the MB descends into having a go at Lowe.

Have you seen Lowe play this season?

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

Have you seen Lowe play this season?

Please see previous post.

[Gav]

Please see previous post.

I've seen it, doesn't say you went?

So by your reply I assume you've been, you've also seen Lowe.

Everyone agrees he's been shocking so far this season, only you and Gordon think he's doing ok.

What does that tell you?

[Mike E]

I've seen it, doesn't say you went?

So by your reply I assume you've been, you've also seen Lowe.

Everyone agrees he's been shocking so far this season, only you and Gordon think he's doing ok.

What does that tell you?

Although I'm on the side that would drop Lowe:

'What's right isn't always popular and what's popular isn't always right'.

[Gav]

Although I'm on the side that would drop Lowe:

'What's right isn't always popular and what's popular isn't always right'.

I think everyone would drop Lowe Mike.

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

I've seen it, doesn't say you went?

So by your reply I assume you've been, you've also seen Lowe.

Everyone agrees he's been shocking so far this season, only you and Gordon think he's doing ok.

What does that tell you?

Don't recollect saying he was ok this season - just that I am sick of him being a convenient scapegoat for a number that have it in for him.

Since coming back from injury he has been poor - but so have a few players. I would rest him and try Guthrie - but to be honest haven't been overly impressed with him so far.

[Blue blood]

Don't recollect saying he was ok this season - just that I am sick of him being a convenient scapegoat for a number that have it in for him.

Since coming back from injury he has been poor - but so have a few players. I would rest him and try Guthrie - but to be honest haven't been overly impressed with him so far.

Thing is dmtp I'm not looking for a scapegoat which can be seen from the past few years posts. However as stated in the original post he's not only been poor but also bowyer accommodates Lowe in his team even when form and tactics suggest he shouldn't. Tuesday was a prime example of that.

The gripe is with bowyer for doing so and not just with Lowe but Hanley last season (and it'll be interesting to see if Marshall gets dropped). It's defending Lowe to be controversial when these are clearly the circumstances that gets me.

Especially since the person involved does the exact same thing he is complaining about happening to Rhodes with far less to go on. And in his posts changed reality a few times to back up his argument. I really should learn how the ignore function works.

[Stuart]

It is amazing - people claim Lowe isn't a whipping boy for people on this MB - and yet in a match where our rookie keeper gave away a goal, our left back also being culpable by being so damned slow - some on the MB descends into having a go at Lowe.

We took off a full back and replaced him with a makeshift full back because we needed to improve our midfield and didn't want to substitute HIS player.

It was the stand out moment of the match.

[ABBEY]

He embarrassed himself did Gary with that sub

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

We took off a full back and replaced him with a makeshift full back because we needed to improve our midfield and didn't want to substitute HIS player.

It was the stand out moment of the match.

Firstly - personally I would have kept Henley on. However - shortly after the substitution Duffy went up front and we went three at the back - you could argue Lowe was the better bet in that formation. Also Akpan was looking tired - so keeping Lowe on offered more future flexibility. IMO it was more likely that Lowes ability to play a number of positions was the reason GB kept him on - but let's go with favouritism as it fits far better into the various conspiracy theories.

[chris_h]

I haven't seen Lowe play but I gather he's a better full back than midfielder? Would he be better than Henley defensively?

I want us to be more difficult to score against. Would replacing Olsson and Henley with Spurr and Lowe give us a better defensive back four?

(Whilst sacrificing pace down the flanks)

[Stuart]

Firstly - personally I would have kept Henley on. However - shortly after the substitution Duffy went up front and we went three at the back - you could argue Lowe was the better bet in that formation. Also Akpan was looking tired - so keeping Lowe on offered more future flexibility. IMO it was more likely that Lowes ability to play a number of positions was the reason GB kept him on - but let's go with favouritism as it fits far better into the various conspiracy theories.

Hardly a conspiracy theory. Most managers have their favourites. It's just a shame that our manager's favourites are very limited footballers.

Had Lowe been injured and not played that game then (aside from the fact we may have won the game) do you think he would have taken off Henley to put Williamson to CB to put Duffy up front? Or Evans to full back to do the same?

But in any case, after 30-odd new players into the club, why is our bench so inadequate that we have to move two players out of position to chase a game rather than - a.) pick the right players from the start and b.) bring on the right players from the bench?

Continuing this current trend of trying to contain a match for 70 minutes and then trying to score in he last 20 simply isn't working.

I guess we'll just have to wait until Bowyer has been at the club for another four or five years and made all of these mistakes until we can really judge. I just hope we still have a (league) club by then.

[K-Hod]

Williamson has played at CB when we've had injuries before, Lowe got shifted to right back as he has played there a lot before in fairness.

Whilst I'd have rather had Henley there myself, Lowe didn't exactly get forward any less than Henley when he was shifted there!

[tomphil]

I haven't seen Lowe play but I gather he's a better full back than midfielder? Would he be better than Henley defensively?

I want us to be more difficult to score against. Would replacing Olsson and Henley with Spurr and Lowe give us a better defensive back four?

(Whilst sacrificing pace down the flanks)

Not for me, horses for courses and I see no need for it. Henley can get better and he didn't do much wrong the other night just didn't get forward enough. He has pace which you need in that position and it can get you out of trouble even if you miss the initial tackle. Lowey has done a job a time or two filling in there but as we saw last season early on he got torn a new one at Wolves and Norwich away but he stuck at it as he always does. It should only be a job for him as an absolute back up imo.

[Rover_Shaun]

You could argue that we scored with Lowe at righy back!

[Stuart]

You could argue that we scored with Lowe at righy back!

That's probably what it was, Shaun. You could also argue he was instrumental in the wave after wave of attack when he wasn't in midfield. The only player who makes his biggest contribution to the team when not playing in 'his' position (or not playing at all).

I wonder if he will be in CM or RB, or even on the bench today? Maybe Henley will have 'picked up a knock'.

Hmm. I guess we'll have to wait until Lancelot decides in an hour.

[thenodrog]

There's no hanging party on a match day (yet)

Wrong. The knives are out as soon as the game kicks off.

Point 1. Raya saved us the point vs. Hudds whilst Rhodes was isolated with no service then injured just after half time. Hardly in the terrible category. Thought Henley was promising going forwards vs. Cardiff although overall not a good start to the season. Not sure we can defend Lowe on that basis! Agree Marshall has been dire. He'd get dropped by me too. Point is though it doesn't take away from Lowe being poor or protected.

Point 2 part of the frustration is that Lowe isn't picked on form but favouritism which makes it very different and discouraging. We saw the same with Hanley last year and could be happening with Marshall too. When this happens it shows another weakness of the manager and is bound to get fans annoyed with falling standards, bad selection and unprofessional favouritism. In such cases GB isn't doing the best for the team.

So why no boos and cat calls for Ben Marshall?

Have you seen Lowe play this season?

I have gav. Every home match. Have you? Truth is he does some good things, some very good things both interspersed with a few mistakes..... just like every member of the squad.

I've seen it, doesn't say you went?

So by your reply I assume you've been, you've also seen Lowe.

Everyone agrees he's been shocking so far this season, only you and Gordon think he's doing ok.

What does that tell you?

Tells me that Im not part of a flock and that my opinion is valid as always.

We took off a full back and replaced him with a makeshift full back because we needed to improve our midfield and didn't want to substitute HIS player.

It was the stand out moment of the match.

I don't think right back is Lowe's best position but he is better there than Henley. Henley is playing two divisions to high.

[Gav]

Tells me that Im not part of a flock and that my opinion is valid as always.

Sadly Gordon with your recent Venky epiphany, your opinion has never been more irrelevant to be honest, don't shoot the messenger by the way, just saying.

Just for the record I still sit up and take note though but I'm in a minority of 1 I think......

[thenodrog]

Continuing this current trend of trying to contain a match for 70 minutes and then trying to score in he last 20 simply isn't working.

Eh? When did this 'current trend' start?

[Butty]

Eh? When did this 'current trend' start?

Last season we seemed to take the lead a lot then subsequently throw it away, looks the opposite so far this season.