[Archived] Forest

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Nice story - not heard it before. United fans couldn't believe we paid £20k. They thought he was hopeless - and he didn't disappoint with us.

Yeah it's a new one on me. Kopel was poor.

Reminds me of a story I was told.

My Rugby League club had sent two directors down to the Bath/ Worcester area just after the war to watch a Rugby Union centre play. The lad had played a blinder that day so the directors went into the clubhouse after the game to try to sign the guy. This was in the days when the two codes were at war and approaches to change codes had to be made carefully.

The directors spotted the guy at the bar and approached him as discretely as they could.

". We represent ------------ How would you like to sign for our club ? We are prepared to offer you £ 500 to sign and £ 10 a week plus bonuses ".

The guy said " Yes of course I would gentlemen but you should see this first ". With that he rolled up his trouser leg to reveal a false leg ! He'd been wounded in the war and the centre who played was his twin brother !

[Gav]

I give up!

Great!

We'll call it a draw

[yoda]

Great!

We'll call it a draw

Draws are no good in this new era, win at all cost, PL will kick you all round the dressing room

[Gav]

Draws are no good in this new era, win at all cost, PL will kick you all round the dressing room

Me and 47er are in the old era!

[yoda]

Me and 47er are in the old era!

Luddites eh!

draws are sooooo yesterday

[47er]

Me and 47er are in the old era!

2 points for a win and if you are level with the last defender you are bloody well OFFSIDE!

[Gav]

2 points for a win and if you are level with the last defender you are bloody well OFFSIDE!

I'm not that old!

[blueboy3333]

I find it really bloody strange to observe some peoples behaviour on here at times...

I've seen people on here at the start of the season totally write off Shane Duffy who in my opinion (heading at goal aside) has been excellent this season.

People already writing off Koita, who for all his flaws has a lot of raw ability, has played very few games in a totally different league and on top of that is trying to fill the shoes of a lad who'd been scoring for fun... But let's forget all that, because in some expert opinions the lad is a donkey and thats the end of that. Give him time AND the manager time to work out how he actually fits in, get him up to standard AND THEN JUDGE HIM. He didn't come as a goal scorer so don't expect one.

I've seen people write off Akpan, who given his physique... Could play total football and score goals would be at a club much bigger than ours but he's not... He has limitations but also has time to develop still. Given the circumstances (credit to the previous manager) has been a really good signing so far but I'm sure people expect Patrick Vieira or something. Not great against Brum but some pretty solid performances on the whole since he's come in and has plugged the gap from previous seasons of watching teams wander right through our non existent centre midfield... Surely it's no coincidence the back 4 have been able to keep more clean sheets. Yes he misplaces some passes, yes he makes the odd mistake but his presence on the field has counted for a lot and shown us something that we were desperately missing for many seasons.

I've seen people slagging the football within a month of Lambert being in charge and has 3 wins in 5 and is unbeaten.

Some criticism I can understand... Rhodes has his limitations, we all know that but it's to an extent understandable. The criticism of Henley I can understand because he's a boy in a mans league and something of a weak link that gets targeted BUT that's hardly his fault, he needs time to develop but he needs to go out on loan to earn his stripes.

Sometimes I really do wonder what people expect, to play perfect football IMMEDIATELY, be in the top 6 IMMEDIATELY... That's how it comes across anyhow.

Have some bloody faith in finally what we have in a proper manager like Paul Lambert. He's making the best of what he has, he will make us better, we are better in fact, he will make us fitter, he will get us playing better football, he will bring in a better quality of player, we're bloody tough to beat and horrible to play against and we will have a more positive season that what we would have this season under Bowyer. There's plenty to look forward to as a Rovers fan these days, it's time we gave ourselves a break and change of mindset and do what those not worthy (former recent managers) told us to do... Be positive. We have the right back room staff, a decent squad and FINALLY the right man in charge...

In Lambert I trust.

https://blueyedboy.wordpress.com/2015/12/16/long-ewood-weekend-proved-hard-going-as-rovers-bubble-under/

Here's the other side of the argument. In fairness though i think this chap can be a bit over-critical, he certainly was during Bowyer;s reign. I'm not sure he'd be happy if Guardiola turned up to manage us with Messi in tow.

[ABBEY]

I'm not that old!

Karl Pilkington would say BS

[K-Hod]

https://blueyedboy.wordpress.com/2015/12/16/long-ewood-weekend-proved-hard-going-as-rovers-bubble-under/

Here's the other side of the argument. In fairness though i think this chap can be a bit over-critical, he certainly was during Bowyer;s reign. I'm not sure he'd be happy if Guardiola turned up to manage us with Messi in tow.

He's an absolute misery guts that lad. Though he writes well to his credit.

[Mattyblue]

Good writer is Jim, however you've got to be cutting Lambert some slack, surely?

The physical condition of the players he has inherited is appalling and says it all about the Bowyer regime.

Couple in the fact that a lot of these these unfit players are of average quality, he has a hell of a job on and should be commended thus far.

[Steve Kean's Hypnotoad]

Very well written piece that, and he does make a lot of valid points. However I have to question his expectation levels as well. Its an article written from the point of view of a club who should be reasonably expecting to make the play-offs. That isn't us. We've a mid-table squad with bottom half attendances and a totally unknown pot of cash (could be top-half level, could be absolutely nothing). If Lambert gets this squad into the play-offs it'll be a truly monumental achievement, but I don't expect it for one minute to be done with style, we just don't have the players for that. The only way I can see it happening is keeping it tight at the back and inching our way towards a final 6th placed finish by a point.

[JAL]

Very well written piece that, and he does make a lot of valid points. However I have to question his expectation levels as well. Its an article written from the point of view of a club who should be reasonably expecting to make the play-offs. That isn't us. We've a mid-table squad with bottom half attendances and a totally unknown pot of cash (could be top-half level, could be absolutely nothing). If Lambert gets this squad into the play-offs it'll be a truly monumental achievement, but I don't expect it for one minute to be done with style, we just don't have the players for that. The only way I can see it happening is keeping it tight at the back and inching our way towards a final 6th placed finish by a point.

What's the point of sixth place if your still not good enough to go up?

[K-Hod]

What's the point of sixth place if your still not good enough to go up?

It's the play-offs and it's 11 men vs 11 men, anything can happen. If you can't make the top two it's better to give yourself a go at the last chance saloon!

[beanie]

What's the point of sixth place if your still not good enough to go up?

If you scrape 6th it becomes 3 cup ties where the 4 involved all have chance of being promoted.

[beanie]

What's the point of sixth place if your still not good enough to go up?

If you scrape 6th it becomes 3 cup ties where the 4 involved all have chance of being promoted.

[onlyonetugay]

I always enjoy his articles and I think he says it as he sees it. He's giving an objective view on the mediocre performances since Paul Lambert got the job. Like the vast majority of Rovers fans I think things will improve and when they do, I'm sure Jim will give credit where credit is due.

[JAL]

It's the play-offs and it's 11 men vs 11 men, anything can happen. If you can't make the top two it's better to give yourself a go at the last chance saloon!

A lot of investment has to go into upgrading the quality of Rovers current attack for there to be a positive swing.

[47er]

I'm not that old!

3 points for a win came in in UK in 1981 Gav! Just as well because Manu would have won the Premiership in 1995 not us!

Off-side rule changed for Italia 90!

How old are you again?

[K-Hod]

A lot of investment has to go into upgrading the quality of Rovers current attack for there to be a positive swing.

If we carry on the way we are there's no reason we can't continue to go on a run.

That being said, you're right, we desparately need to get some reinforcements in January. I'm just glad we can again!!

[Neal]

It's the play-offs and it's 11 men vs 11 men, anything can happen. If you can't make the top two it's better to give yourself a go at the last chance saloon!

Wouldn't have even dignified it with an answer fella.

[Jock]

Catching up with decent fitness halfway through a season is a very hard thing to do. You can't overwork the body or you'll get injuries. We really are trying to do catch up with more professional clubs. The damage was done pre-season. Mark Hughes struggled early on to get us up to speed. When he did we were one of the best in football.

I know everyone says footballers have an easy job but it's all about being better than your opponent. At the moment most teams are fitter. Let's hope we catch up.

[chaddyrovers]

It's the play-offs and it's 11 men vs 11 men, anything can happen. If you can't make the top two it's better to give yourself a go at the last chance saloon!

Exactly. Its 3 games that can get you promote. No reason why we couldnt catch 5th either.

We need players in during the January. Unless we do this we wont get top 6 imo.

[blueboy3333]

Not sure the criticism of the fitness under Bowyer is fair. We looked far fitter than Ipswich when we battered them 3-0 and just as fit as Burnley when we should have battered them 3-0. The players were fit enough for how Bowyer wanted them to play. Lambert has to get them extra fit if he wants to play a 100mph pressing game for 90 minutes. Under Bowyer we were never knackered for the last 30 mins of a game like t'other night. Different strokes.

[blueboy3333]

Exactly. Its 3 games that can get you promote. No reason why we couldnt catch 5th either.

We need players in during the January. Unless we do this we wont get top 6 imo.

Lets hope Bonleh continue to stumble. Regardless, the play-offs are there for the taking, especially if Lambert gets some better players in during the Jan window. I think we have the nucleus of a good Championsip team, we just need 3 or 4 quality players in to augment what we have. A striker, a winger, a CM and a full back to challenge Henley. Maybe Lenihan can start to press for a starting position. He got rave reviews at Burton, the new 'Roy Keane' as one of their more exitable fans put it on a forum!