[Archived] Sheffield Wednesday Preview

[G Somerset Rover]

I've been banging on about needing pace for years. The first real speedster we brought in, Barrow, barely got played before being recalled. It's galling how sluggish we are. We need an outlet(s).

We are one point closer to sixth place than we were before a ball was kicked !

Can't be unhappy with Lambert's start - 4 points from 2 difficult games (not played teams like Charlton, Huddersfied or Bristol City). Talking of Bristol City, we have to be looking to go there next week and win, and I think we will.

Need to keep the newly found good feeling and optimism going. Onwards and upwards, in Lambert we trust.

Mercer, just please next week, do not predict that we'll smash the opposition 4/5 goals to 1 which you have been typically doing (and failing/cursing us). You know it won't happen. We don't have the personnel or the nous to beat teams by these margins.

We'd take a 1-0 right now.

[Mercer]

Interesting about the gate. Two factors, appalling weather and relatively high pricing for this fixture. Personally, would have gone today if it had not been for a work commitment.

Sounds like Marshall quietish - to me, he's at his most dangerous when coming from deep where he's more difficult to pick-up and gets up a head of steam. Back to right back ?

I've been banging on about needing pace for years. The first real speedster we brought in, Barrow, barely got played before being recalled. It's galling how sluggish we are. We need an outlet(s).
Mercer, just please next week, do not predict that we'll smash the opposition 4/5 goals to 1 which you have been typically doing (and failing/cursing us). You know it won't happen. We don't have the personnel or the nous to beat teams by these margins.

We'd take a 1-0 right now.

I honestly think we should be smashing some teams by some margin.

Really thought we'd have too much in our offensive play for Wednesday today.

I'll say it now, I fully expect us to beat Bristol City next week though would happily take a 1-0.

Happy ?

[G Somerset Rover]

Absolutely .

[roverandout]

Interesting about the gate. Two factors, appalling weather and relatively high pricing for this fixture. Personally, would have gone today if it had not been for a work commitment.

Sounds like Marshall quietish - to me, he's at his most dangerous when coming from deep where he's more difficult to pick-up and gets up a head of steam. Back to right back ?

I honestly think we should be smashing some teams by some margin.

Really thought we'd have too much in our offensive play for Wednesday today.

I'll say it now, I fully expect us to beat Bristol City next week though would happily take a 1-0.

Happy ?

Then I predict a 5-0 win to us

[JAL]

[quote name="Mercerman" post="1592664"

I honestly think we should be smashing some teams by some margin.

Really thought we'd have too much in our offensive play for Wednesday today.

?

Don't know how you reach that conclusion from a team that had only won four games all season and barely score more than a goal a game and the majority of those come from just one player.

[tomphil]

Never actually thought it would be a really big gate as some did, people aren't just going to come flocking back at the drop of a hat sadly. History tells us that doesn't happen in Blackburn, we got one of the biggest names in world football in Kenny Dalglish back in the day yet the first game he turned up the crowd only went up a few thousand. Winning games and getting that belief was the key back then same as now after such a turbulent period.

Having said that I thought it would be a few more but you can deff knock a good few off with the weather and price at this time of year. Two lapsed guys were coming with me today but both pulled out this morning, doesn't take much to put people off. Youu'd think though that if the club wanted to play on the feelgood factor they'd have come up with something.

Otherside of the coin is there'd have been about 8/9k homers in today if there hadn't been a management change so it's a start !

[Neal]

1st half i thought we were excellent, pressed really well to win back the ball and I thought this was a true representation of how Lambert wants us to play. I noticed on half time that Corry Evans was having to stretch because he was cramping up. Akpan, Marshall and Taylor were all cramping up at around 65 minutes and by 75 minutes they were all completely shot to bits. It was clear that they're still not at the level of fitness to play the game Lambert wants. There was some div sat behind me going on at the manager telling him to make a sub and whilst I could sort of understand his point albeit coming across in a typically annoying, wingey, moaning, fuddy duddy way... You could tell the reason why Lambert didn't take them off earlier is because he knows for them to be match sharp for 90 minutes... They need to play for 90 minutes.

1st goal was really poor to give away, Wednesday were absolutely dire in the first half, was one of the worst performances I've seen this season in that half... 2nd half they had 3 forwards on and went for it. Expected to concede and we did so all in all it was perhaps a fair result. We desperately missed some pace in the final 3rd today and feel if we had that on the counter then we'd have run out more than comfortable winners but Rhodes as well know just isn't that outlet.

I say this almost every week, a good percentage of Rovers fans are absolutely clueless. I spoke to a guy at half time who said it was no different from Bowyer, was absolutely amazed. In the first half we passed it around the midfield and back 4 instead of aimlessly hoofing it forward and pressed in a way we haven't done for as long as I can remember... I just had to walk away before I lost my patience. Some fans just don't deserve a proper manager because they only ever pick up on the negatives and there were plenty of positives in the first half.

I thought Akpan and Evans both had decent games, again, particularly in the first half. Taylor for me should only be used as an impact sub, lad has bags of running but not enough quality, take nothing away from him, he's a good squad player to have but nothing more. Marsh was very hot and cold, some good things, some poor things.

Just a word on Shane Duffy because he's come in for some stick since signing for us and some even wrote him off (ridiculously)... He was absolutely immense today, won absolutely every header and just a showed proper leadership and commitment, really gutted for him that we didn't get 3 points and shame Hanley didn't play to the same standard else we may have gotten something more today.

All in all, a little disappointed we didn't take 3 points but another day with less injuries we'd have won that. Yes the sitting back was frustrating but I'm sure our fans expect miracles within 2 weeks of his employment to totally rid the team of bad habits and change their mentality... Some of our fans need to get real. Enjoyed watching Paul Lambert on the touchline giving tactical information and It feels good to walk away from a match that we haven't won having full faith that the manager knows why and knows what and where we have to improve.

PLBWA

[Neal]

Personally speaking I have major doubts about this new fitness regime being instigated half way into a season. I'm not sure the extra work load can be incorporated in amongst a congested fixture list.

I don't say this as a knee jerk reaction to today's result (not a bad one all things considered), but this season is a write off. Give lambert a freebie to get his ideas across, a full preseason and a couple of transfer windows and then we might see the fruits of his labour.

When Sparky came and the first thing he did was work on our fitness and that was almost midseason I think. This extra workload is an extra hour of training a day... Hardly working in't mines is it? They need to be fitter and he's getting them fitter... It's something that's absolutely mandatory if we want to compete for 90 mins. Sorry to say it but look at Burnley, work for every minute of the game and shows week in week out. Regardless of the fixture list, this step up in fitness needs to happen.

7 points of the top 6 is hardly a write off fella. It being a realistic expectation is a different thing but lets have something to play for and hope for else whats the bloody point? This team needs to start performing in a manner where they're playing to achieve something instead of going through the motions every week like under mr mediocrity.

With the exception of the owners we've got want we wanted in terms of management, this fella has pedigree as both a manger and player and because of that is someone we can believe in... So it would be nice if the fans could follow suit and change their attitudes also because although we've been sh*t on for the past 5 years... This is an opportunity to actually be positive about Rovers. Let's just go for it, the lot of us, fans, players, coaching staff and try and have an enjoyable season eh? Push for playoffs (despite if we make them or not) and get a result at Turf Moor.

PLBWA

[USABlue]

I dod not see the game but both games I listened to, this and Preston.

From a listening standpoint both games sounded worse than when Bowyer was here.

For a boss that wants to play on the front foot he is a bit quick to pull one of our more dangerous players' Conway.

[Speedie Dived]

Good job PL has got a 66% win rate so far

Is this a joke?

[blueboy3333]

So it would be nice if the fans could follow suit and change their attitudes also because although we've been sh*t on for the past 5 years... This is an opportunity to actually be positive about Rovers. Let's just go for it, the lot of us, fans, players, coaching staff and try and have an enjoyable season eh? Push for playoffs (despite if we make them or not) and get a result at Turf Moor.

PLBWA

Some of us were appreciative and positive when Bowyer was here, because of the good work he'd done. Your contribution to match threads was either 'Bowyer Out' if we lost or silence if we didn't. It's a bit ironic you now telling the 'fans' to change their collective attitude. The performances so far under PL are no great shakes according to people i know who've been on, the only thing that has changed is we're having a bit of luck in front of goal. Sounds like the subs yesterday were more negative than anything Bowyer ever did.

Lets hope PL works wonders then we'll all be happy, but lets leave the happy-clappy stuff until performances and results improve, and he actually achieves something. Then you can come on here and preach all you like

Not being Bowyer doesn't make him the Messiah

I say this almost every week, Rovers fans on the whole are absolutely clueless.

they all speak highly of you though

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Never actually thought it would be a really big gate as some did, people aren't just going to come flocking back at the drop of a hat sadly. History tells us that doesn't happen in Blackburn, we got one of the biggest names in world football in Kenny Dalglish back in the day yet the first game he turned up the crowd only went up a few thousand. Winning games and getting that belief was the key back then same as now after such a turbulent period.

Having said that I thought it would be a few more but you can deff knock a good few off with the weather and price at this time of year. Two lapsed guys were coming with me today but both pulled out this morning, doesn't take much to put people off. Youu'd think though that if the club wanted to play on the feelgood factor they'd have come up with something.

Otherside of the coin is there'd have been about 8/9k homers in today if there hadn't been a management change so it's a start !

50 % of the fans we've lost in the last few years will never come back no matter what. They're lost to Blackburn Rovers. I've seen it happen before at Rovers and other clubs. They've found other things to do that they now prefer. The other 50 % can be brought back back to the club if we start 1) getting results. 2) playing entertaining football. It can be done but it won't happen over night. It'll take a good while.

[gumboots]

As will changing mentality and results with these players. You could see the difference early on in the game but they haven't yet learnt that you have to maintain the effort and energy all through games. They're still too happy to sit back. Yesterday felt better than under bowyer, but it was clear that lambert doesn't see himself having many options on the bench as he only brought on his subs very late. Things will change, both with ream and crowds but it will all take time. Just be thankful it's started

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

1st half i thought we were excellent, pressed really well to win back the ball and I thought this was a true representation of how Lambert wants us to play. I noticed on half time that Corry Evans was having to stretch because he was cramping up. Akpan, Marshall and Taylor were all cramping up at around 65 minutes and by 75 minutes they were all completely shot to bits. It was clear that they're still not at the level of fitness to play the game Lambert wants. There was some div sat behind me going on at the manager telling him to make a sub and whilst I could sort of understand his point albeit coming across in a typically annoying, wingey, moaning, fuddy duddy way... You could tell the reason why Lambert didn't take them off earlier is because he knows for them to be match sharp for 90 minutes... They need to play for 90 minutes.

1st goal was really poor to give away, Wednesday were absolutely dire in the first half, was one of the worst performances I've seen this season in that half... 2nd half they had 3 forwards on and went for it. Expected to concede and we did so all in all it was perhaps a fair result. We desperately missed some pace in the final 3rd today and feel if we had that on the counter then we'd have run out more than comfortable winners but Rhodes as well know just isn't that outlet.

I say this almost every week, Rovers fans on the whole are absolutely clueless. I spoke to a guy at half time who said it was no different from Bowyer, was absolutely amazed. In the first half we passed it around the midfield and back 4 instead of aimlessly hoofing it forward and pressed in a way we haven't done for as long as I can remember... I just had to walk away before I lost my patience. Some fans just don't deserve a proper manager because they only ever pick up on the negatives and there were plenty of positives in the first half.

I thought Akpan and Evans both had decent games, again, particularly in the first half. Taylor for me should only be used as an impact sub, lad has bags of running but not enough quality, take nothing away from him, he's a good squad player to have but nothing more. Marsh was very hot and cold, some good things, some poor things.

Just a word on Shane Duffy because he's come in for some stick since signing for us and some even wrote him off (ridiculously)... He was absolutely immense today, won absolutely every header and just a showed proper leadership and commitment, really gutted for him that we didn't get 3 points and shame Hanley didn't play to the same standard else we may have gotten something more today.

All in all, a little disappointed we didn't take 3 points but another day with less injuries we'd have won that. Yes the sitting back was frustrating but I'm sure our fans expect miracles within 2 weeks of his employment to totally rid the team of bad habits and change their mentality... Some of our fans need to get real. Enjoyed watching Paul Lambert on the touchline giving tactical information and It feels good to walk away from a match that we haven't won having full faith that the manager knows why and knows what and where we have to improve.

PLBWA

I agree about some fans. It never ceases to amaze me that some people can attend week in week out yet apparently learn nothing. Some guy will come on here and say X was great today but Y was crap, then somebody else will say the exact opposite ! They can't both be right. Not just Rovers fans, I've seen the same thing at other clubs. Read any message board after a game and you get the same sort of thing. I don't know what they're watching. Maybe their minds are made up before the kick off. I think being a player or ex player even if at a low level certainly helps to analyse the game correctly and understand what playing in a team is all about. How different players react to certain circumstances etc. The psychology of the game.

I've also been watching Rugby League for many years but because I never played it at any level I still don't fully understand what's going on.

[K-Hod]

I think you're right Tyrone, in relation to Neal's point. I don't think it's just Rovers fans, it's football fans in general, they don't understand, and a lot of it is because they haven't played the game.

Some goon as I was leaving shouted 'boo, rubbish'. I honestly had to leave before I said something. What a moron. We were a bit unfortunate not to win yesterday, it takes time for the manager to put his stamp on the squad though.

Can we cut out the petty point scoring re Bowyer please? He's gone and he isn't coming back. Thanks. :-)

[philipl]

id love to see a bit of premiership quality in our squad, Souness brought in berkovic on loan(a real game changing player) as well as having duff, dunn, jansen and flitcroft in the team and exciting players like that(well maybe flitcroft wasn't exciting but he was a real leader) ensured crowds never dropped to low and the quality of football was always good, right now id kill for just 1 player of their quality in the squad and i'm sure that it would also bring more fans back, im pretty sure if/when we get out of the embargo the venkys will sanction at least 1 high quality(expensive) signing to give our belated promotion push a boost but first we need to get out of the embargo(and without selling any of the decent players we have already)

EDIT. can believe i left Mark Hughes and Henning Berg out of that list of players, they where both brought in on loan, Hughes may have been 84 but he still scored a few and his hold up play was monumental, having a player of his quality, attitude and experiance really helped the youngsters(duff, dunn, jansen) on and off the field, ( 100% solid,dependable and probably the most reliable defender i've seen here in my lifetime) so i say again we really need to try and attract a player(or 2) of this quality as soon as we get the chance if we really want to move up a level.

Exactly mirrors my feeling.

When we lost Gestade (who won 3/5ths of Villa's points on the opening day of the season and is now rotting at Villa and would probably relish a loan move back), I felt we went from a team that should have been in the play-offs to a typical mid-table squad. For all the three internationals we have, most Champs clubs can match us in reality if they are on OK/good day form.

My fervent hope is that the combination of a kind December fixture list and Paul Lambert really working the new manager oracle will lift us up the table so that we are genuine challengers for a play-off slot when a) the embargo is lifted, and Lambert can use his knowledge and connections in the January window. Our future is being decided in the negotiations with the Football League this month every bit as much as our performances on the pitch.

We played a club yesterday that is on current form, automatic promotion contender material- from what I have read about the game, we clearly had the better of one half and nearly held out in the second half. At last there will be a belief in the team that the rest of them are capable of scoring besides Rhodes and we know that on our own good day, even with the current squad, we need not fear anybody in this league.

Incidentally, on the attendance, Ewood looked to have many more on yesterday from the pictures I have seen- I suspect non-attending ST holders showed up but of course that would not be reflected in the reported gate changing.

[martonrover]

I couldn't go because of work but the bottom line is a perfectly acceptable result against a team that will be in the play off equation.

The reality is that Lambert cannot wave a magic wand and have us storming up the league, (clearly some people expected that).

It's not his team and the speed of our progress will depend on the transfer situation.

The basis for cautious optimism is that we now have a guy who's been there and done it.

One of Bowyer's main faults was the obvious lack of a plan to move the club forwards again. We just bumbled along.

I'm confident that will not be the case with Lambert.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

I think you're right Tyrone, in relation to Neal's point. I don't think it's just Rovers fans, it's football fans in general, they don't understand, and a lot of it is because they haven't played the game.

Some goon as I was leaving shouted 'boo, rubbish'. I honestly had to leave before I said something. What a moron. We were a bit unfortunate not to win yesterday, it takes time for the manager to put his stamp on the squad though.

Can we cut out the petty point scoring re Bowyer please? He's gone and he isn't coming back. Thanks. :-)

Re The players and ex players watching the game. I don't know what the amateur game is like in Blackburn but where I live it's almost collapsed. There used to be two local leagues, one with three divisions and another with two. Now there is one combined league with one division. That was not counting the really good teams that were playing in the better class regional leagues.

At the start of this season the secretary of this league was saying in my local paper that if one more team dropped out the league would have to fold !

So maybe you're getting a less " educated " fan sat near year in the stands these days.

[USABlue]

1st half i thought we were excellent, pressed really well to win back the ball and I thought this was a true representation of how Lambert wants us to play. I noticed on half time that Corry Evans was having to stretch because he was cramping up. Akpan, Marshall and Taylor were all cramping up at around 65 minutes and by 75 minutes they were all completely shot to bits. It was clear that they're still not at the level of fitness to play the game Lambert wants. There was some div sat behind me going on at the manager telling him to make a sub and whilst I could sort of understand his point albeit coming across in a typically annoying, wingey, moaning, fuddy duddy way... You could tell the reason why Lambert didn't take them off earlier is because he knows for them to be match sharp for 90 minutes... They need to play for 90 minutes.

1st goal was really poor to give away, Wednesday were absolutely dire in the first half, was one of the worst performances I've seen this season in that half... 2nd half they had 3 forwards on and went for it. Expected to concede and we did so all in all it was perhaps a fair result. We desperately missed some pace in the final 3rd today and feel if we had that on the counter then we'd have run out more than comfortable winners but Rhodes as well know just isn't that outlet.

I say this almost every week, Rovers fans on the whole are absolutely clueless. I spoke to a guy at half time who said it was no different from Bowyer, was absolutely amazed. In the first half we passed it around the midfield and back 4 instead of aimlessly hoofing it forward and pressed in a way we haven't done for as long as I can remember... I just had to walk away before I lost my patience. Some fans just don't deserve a proper manager because they only ever pick up on the negatives and there were plenty of positives in the first half.

I thought Akpan and Evans both had decent games, again, particularly in the first half. Taylor for me should only be used as an impact sub, lad has bags of running but not enough quality, take nothing away from him, he's a good squad player to have but nothing more. Marsh was very hot and cold, some good things, some poor things.

Just a word on Shane Duffy because he's come in for some stick since signing for us and some even wrote him off (ridiculously)... He was absolutely immense today, won absolutely every header and just a showed proper leadership and commitment, really gutted for him that we didn't get 3 points and shame Hanley didn't play to the same standard else we may have gotten something more today.

All in all, a little disappointed we didn't take 3 points but another day with less injuries we'd have won that. Yes the sitting back was frustrating but I'm sure our fans expect miracles within 2 weeks of his employment to totally rid the team of bad habits and change their mentality... Some of our fans need to get real. Enjoyed watching Paul Lambert on the touchline giving tactical information and It feels good to walk away from a match that we haven't won having full faith that the manager knows why and knows what and where we have to improve.

PLBWA

Was happy to read the first sentence, nice to know there is a noticeable difference in how we are trying to play.

[philipl]

Re The players and ex players watching the game. I don't know what the amateur game is like in Blackburn but where I live it's almost collapsed. There used to be two local leagues, one with three divisions and another with two. Now there is one combined league with one division. That was not counting the really good teams that were playing in the better class regional leagues.

At the start of this season the secretary of this league was saying in my local paper that if one more team dropped out the league would have to fold !

So maybe you're getting a less " educated " fan sat near year in the stands these days.

That's terrible! I remember the Blackburn Combination having five divisions.

[blueboy3333]

http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/rovers/news/14110716.Paul_Lambert__No_need_for_Blackburn_Rovers_to_feel__too_dejected__by_Sheffield_Wednesday_draw/?ref=mac

good to hear PL's comments re the strength of our squad/bench compared to SW's. You'd have to assume money is going to be made available to him and that the embargo can be exited.

[pk1875]

It was disappointing to concede late, but a decent result looking at the bigger picture.

First half we looked hungry, sharp and organised totally bossing the game, we closed down when not in possession and this resulted in quite a few errors from Wednesday. The midfield looked far better and looked like we had a game plan. It was encouraging to see that when they made it 1-1 close to half time we went back on the offensive and took the lead again rather than holding on until half time. From my view point their keeper could easily have had a red card for deliberate handball outside the box.

Second half Wednesday looked stronger and the game was a lot more even building up to the late equaliser. It was a luck goal with Hanley down injured also when they played the ball out of defence a minute or two before the goal the ball clearly went a good yard out of play down the Riverside wing before swerving back into play, a miss hit shot spun towards the back post and they scored.

Overall probably a fair result against one of the stronger teams on current form. I left the ground happy as I could see definite progress. In less than two weeks there is a noticeable difference.

One last point a much improved atmosphere all around the ground, from the Darwen End we could hear and join in with the Blackburn End!!!

[arbitro]

I was a bit frustrated post match but primarily down the the fact that we let the lead slip twice through completely avoidable goals but I am not downhearted about the bigger picture. There were many positives yesterday and there were several clear indications during phases of how I think Lambert wants us to play on a more consistent basis. I was interested to hear Lambert still talk about working hard and this is clearly the ethos he wants to bring to the club. With several eminently winnable games coming up we should begin a gradual climb up the table and from January start to really see the effects of Lamberts changes and with (hopefully) a few additions to the squad I am quite enthused. However we will still be very much a work in progress.

On the subject of people moaning it is the same wherever you go. Look no further than the Rags of Manchester.

[Pedro]

I think some aren't giving enough credit to Sheffield. They absolutely swamped Conway and Marshall whenever they had the ball and dealt with Rhodes easily. If it looked like we were heading goalwards, they fouled us - the ref needed to be consistent with his bookings.

I think they set their stall out well. I felt Hanley should have got rid of the ball on the edge of our box - that resulted in them scoring. And we were too busy trying to blag the ref to make a decision for Hanley, instead of defending for the the 2nd.

Schoolboy errors.

[Neal]

I think you're right Tyrone, in relation to Neal's point. I don't think it's just Rovers fans, it's football fans in general, they don't understand, and a lot of it is because they haven't played the game.

Some goon as I was leaving shouted 'boo, rubbish'. I honestly had to leave before I said something. What a moron.

Don't know how you've managed to bite your tongue there, you're a better man than me.

I wasn't so much making a point about our fans but just speaking my mind about how I felt at yesterdays game, i've had the experience at playing at a decent standard so perhaps I see things differently but just found some people's lack of patience and inability to see the difference in 1St half totally amazing.

Did no one else think that Shane Duffy was outstanding? Haven't seen many posts about him.