[Archived] Burnlee Preview

[Amo]

The only way I can rationalise it is that, to Venky's, we are a minor blip on their financial radar. They may be happy to keep funding us on the slim chance that, one season, all the right pieces will align and we'll get promoted. This would mean we're in for a long, painful spell as a club slowly slipping further and further into the abyss, with nobody at boardroom or management level caring as long as they get paid and can assure the owners every couple of months that things are going as well as can be expected.

They've tried the hands-on approach. It didn't work.

They've tried the hands-off approach. It hasn't worked.

Quite simply, they are arrogant, entitled plutocrats who haven't learned a single lesson in the five years that they've owned the club. They're still rewarding failure and turning a blind eye to the mismanagement that's taking place on their watch. As I've said before, they won't listen to anyone who isn't a sycophantic 'yes man', because that would mean facing up to some hard-truths. Many people thought Bowyer was one of us, and that his honest and self-effacing manner was a breath of fresh air, which soon changed once he got his feet under the table. Like most people in positions of power, they don't want to give it up, and as such he's now become part of the problem.

[Gav]

I wouldn't agree that the majority of the players are crap, particularly the first 11. They're just lacking leadership and a clear style of play.

Hopefully if we get a change of manager we'll test out the theory Neal, but hardly any of our first 11 would get into serious promotion pushing sides and that's telling for me.

[K-Hod]

Whatever anyone wants to say about hard luck stories or anything else, we lost. That's 1 point out of the last 3 games which is terrible. 2 wins from 13, unacceptable.

It's not even about that run, or this season, it's about Venky's tenure, Bowyer'a tenure, it's cr@p and I'm sick of it, sick of failure, rubbish, sick of that lot taking the mick out of us, sick of us making it easy for them to do so, sick of everything. It's all so avoidable if the right decisions were made.

Also sick of people being so surprised at others being so angry with Bowyer, he's crap and doesn't even care, how can anyone take a game by game approach with the man? We've lost to Burnley again and it is his fault! Just jog on Gary, I've had enough of you and your loser mentality, you're duller than dish water.

[Stuart]

Dyc-hed reckons Hanley should have been sent off for his challenge on Barton but makes no mention of the Mee forearm led challenge on Marshall early on

That was disgusting and showed up the ref for what he was. A gutless idiot who had decided he wasn't going to make a booking in a derby game.

[Neal]

I don't know what another manager might have done because I'm not psychic, but I know our current manager continues to drop points game after game. Let's deal in facts not bulls***.

I try in every post to provide some sort of facts for my arguments, I think most who want a change in manager do also and those that seem to be in favour with sticking with him just seem to blatantly ignore them. A lot of blind faith because of previous managers perhaps but people need to face up to the fact that this guy isn't a Rovers manager.

[cesus]

That was disgusting and showed up the ref for what he was. A gutless idiot who had decided he wasn't going to make a booking in a derby game.

I agree, ego led decision from the ref to shine himself by saying he didn't need to book anybody in the derby. A clear yellow was due down the right hand side for a professional foul when Marshall (I think) broke away, the ref dodged giving a yellow. A break down our left leads Barton to chance his arm and hoof Conway (I think) down with the chance of dodging a yellow and yes he too some how dodged a yellow.

[ABBEY]

Come back Abbey, we are being slaughtered by the pro-bowyer/pro-venky brigade

Can't be arsed pal .. Not worth the aggro from a certain mod .

[Jock]

SSDD

I guess we had better get used to losing to that lot twice a season. Even if those extolling Bowyer's selection, formation and tactics are right...

...WE STILL @#/? LOST!!

Burnley fans I know are utterly delighted about how we are set up. Bowyer is our equivalent of their Brian Laws.

Brian Laws, bloody hell your spot on Stuart. Bowyer is our Brian Laws.

[TeamGB-11]

..

[Hasta]

Has Bowyer gone yet or is he still at Ewood led on his back with Dyche tickling his tummy.

[TeamGB-11]

Brian Laws, bloody hell your spot on Stuart. Bowyer is our Brian Laws.

Kean was our Brian laws, bowyer is our Steve cotterill(brought in good players but going nowhere with them)..

[booth]

Kean wasn't an ex-player for us like Laws was for them. Infact Kean barely even played for anyone at all.

I'm sure Laws wanted the best for Burnley but just wasn't good enough. Kean just took the Rovers for all he could and didn't give a toss about the implications.

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

A little bemused by all the criticism of Marshall at RB.

1) he's been poor all season at right mid

2) he played most of the second half in midfield anyway, picking up the ball deep and driving up making us five in midfield. He was, imo, one of the main reasons we were so dominant. Pushing him forward would have been a mistake in my view as Henley could never have performed that role and Marshall could have drifted out the game.

We created a hell of a lot of chances, I don't think rejigging midfield was the issue here. It was putting away opportunities.

If our players, including the usually immaculate Rhodes, had shown Armfields coolness we would have scored three.

Edit - no way defending Bowyer here, hes responsible for finishing as much as anything else. But let's make sure we are actually beating him with a legitimate stick.

Totally agree with this - Marshall was MOM and (I agree with you) partly because he was running from deep so wasn't as tightly marked. Having Marshall at right back also gives us somebody comfortable in possession who can deliver a reasonable long range pass. TBH I thought it was a brave attacking decision.

IMO Evans was poor today - but I do wonder if he is still carrying an injury but because we are so thin on the ground had to play.

Though I think Bowyer probably has to go - the stick he is getting from some for today's match is a little unreal. Two wins all season - yes, but today he tactically matched Dyche (who many on here drool over) and lost out because of some poor decision making - this could easily be down to fitness having played three tough games in quick succession - especially one for only 10 men for most of the match. Lets also not forget the long list of injuries - especially Guthrie and Koita who could have been the plan B we needed when going behind.

[Neal]

Though I think Bowyer probably has to go - the stick he is getting from some for today's match is a little unreal. Two wins all season - yes, but today he tactically matched Dyche (who many on here drool over) and lost out because of some poor decision making - this could easily be down to fitness having played three tough games in quick succession - especially one for only 10 men for most of the match. Lets also not forget the long list of injuries - especially Guthrie and Koita who could have been the plan B we needed when going behind.

It's the basics and the small things that make a difference in this league. Doing the basics well, taking no chances at the back, attacking and defending as a team week in week out will get you results and Gary simply hasn't disciplined this into our squad of players. How many times do individual errors cost us?

Today Steele's kicking at times made me want him to grab him by the fecking throat... Hadn't had anything to do for about 15 minutes, all you've got to do is kick the ball properly you moron and shanks one 15 yards and puts the next goal kick out of play.

[bob fleming]

Smashing.

Bowyer out. Well done everyone.

Fortunately we have venkys, some country and western know nowt and that Everton bloke to pick his successor.

Sorry, I can't see it getting much better - with or without the fella. I wouldn't trust the aforementioned to run a bath never mind our football club.

If it wasn't for the £100m I'd buy it tomorrow. At least I'd play some decent pre match music.

[bob fleming]

Come back Abbey, we are being slaughtered by the pro-bowyer/pro-venky brigade

Who is this "we"?

When did last go to a game?

Before anyone starts having a go, this "fan" (short for fanatic apparently - Google it) lives about 3 miles from the ground.

Meanwhile there were about 6 lads from Norway in the Blues supporting their team today. A superb effort.

[Pedro]

Totally agree with this - Marshall was MOM and (I agree with you) partly because he was running from deep so wasn't as tightly marked. Having Marshall at right back also gives us somebody comfortable in possession who can deliver a reasonable long range pass. TBH I thought it was a brave attacking decision.

IMO Evans was poor today - but I do wonder if he is still carrying an injury but because we are so thin on the ground had to play.

Though I think Bowyer probably has to go - the stick he is getting from some for today's match is a little unreal. Two wins all season - yes, but today he tactically matched Dyche (who many on here drool over) and lost out because of some poor decision making - this could easily be down to fitness having played three tough games in quick succession - especially one for only 10 men for most of the match. Lets also not forget the long list of injuries - especially Guthrie and Koita who could have been the plan B we needed when going behind.

Let's not give him excuses. Enough is enough. At some point he has to be accountable. That point should have been in January. Never going to be good enough and he has creamed a very good living out of Rovers. Time to go.

[ratters]

Taking the game in isolation you would say that we should have comfortably won it. We created enough chances and defended well overall to limit them to a couple of half chances at best. A couple of half chances just wide by Rhodes then one from edge of box where he should have hit the target as a minimum in the first half. Second half the Lawrence lack of composure cost us but Akpan and Rhodes should also have scored. I do like Akpan though - when was the last time a cm made a run such as that into the box to get on the end of a header? I don't understand why Henley left out. If tactical I don't get it as it meant delfouneso in left midfield which he just isn't. He should have played the team that beat Ipswich convincingly. A stupid mistake from Evans for the goal. Looking at it it was difficult to get enough power or direction to put it anywhere safe. Best bet would have been out for a corner but split second decisions need to be right. Looking at the bench yesterday before the game and the options to change a game from it were just non existent. I said pre game if we go behind there is just no plan B available. Plan B in the end was having Duffy up front in injury time. And that is the issue.

Bigger picture and it is a familiar tale with only 2 wins all season. Kamy has just posted on Twitter our away form since 13/14 season and it is shocking. I don't think we will go down but equally I can never see us being promoted under Bowyer. To his credit, mkdons aside the defence has been more solid this season but equally at the other end we are struggling if Rhodes doesn't bag. If you look at one game yesterday you could think not much wrong- take the bigger picture and clearly something is. The overall trend is downwards. He always uses the word consistency but the only way to get that is to be drilled at playing a certain way and individual players repeatedly practicing the same thing over and over so it becomes engrained. That is what the coach is for and that is what I think must be missing for ours. Over the last couple of years he has constantly changed team and formation. It is a bit more stable this year following injuries forcing his hand and again I think that was not a judgement call by him. I don't dislike him and I don't believe he is not putting his all into this. But it comes down to capability and honestly I just don't believe he has it so has to go.

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

One thing that annoys me is some fans saying Burnley deserved it because they did a job on us. Sorry but this is the one match that I wont apologise for looking at through blue and white glasses - they were bloody lucky, we battered them in the second half - sod the "they know how to win" brigade.

[McClarky]

Our central midfield pair were totally useless yesterday. Evans can't trap a bag of cement and Akpan hides in midfield. I was watching him and when we have the ball he looks for a marker and when they have it he just stands and watches while the game goes on round him, rubbish.

[K-Hod]

I'm not interested in what we did or didn't deserve, particularly against that lot. Hard luck stories are the hallmark of a loser imo (Bowyer).

Just fed up of all this crap now.

[Mike Graham]

I bet Longsiders, who is lurking on here right now, had a nice glass of Port last night.

[chaddyrovers]

Who is this "we"?

When did last go to a game?

Before anyone starts having a go, this "fan" (short for fanatic apparently - Google it) lives about 3 miles from the ground.

Meanwhile there were about 6 lads from Norway in the Blues supporting their team today. A superb effort.

His comments makes it looks like a war footing or something.

great effort from Norway those lads.

I was around 10 mins late today due to work issues but still manage to get and support my team

[arbitro]

Our central midfield pair were totally useless yesterday. Evans can't trap a bag of cement and Akpan hides in midfield. I was watching him and when we have the ball he looks for a marker and when they have it he just stands and watches while the game goes on round him, rubbish.

Midfield was the area were Burnley were dominant yesterday as Barton, Jones, Arfield and Boyd were far better than ours who looked laboured. I also thought that Vokes led the Burnley line really well and pretty much dominant in the air at both end of the pitch.

The real certainty from yesterday is that we can't carry on losing football matches and despite Bowyer offering some valid reasons for our defeats he is ultimately responsible. Personally I believe a more tactically astute manager could get a lot more out of this squad and consequently results would improve. But it would mean that either Bowyer does the honourable thing or the powers that be are bold.

In reality neither will happen and we will be in a relegation scrap.

[bob fleming]

great effort from Norway those lads.

Well, I say Norway, it was definitely Sandanavian sounding though. Or possibly Carlisle.