[Archived] Rovers V Reading Sun 20Th Dec

[K-Hod]

you didn't see the irony in my post then? Ironic.

A little tooooooooo ironic.....

Or have I got it wrong?

[Tom]

you didn't see the irony in my post then? Ironic.

Inception

[Tony Diamond Inc]

We were only beaten by a 'wonder goal' because we can't/won't score.

[ABBEY]

fluke goal....he could strike that 99/100 and there will be 99 cups of bovril on the stand floor

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

fluke goal....he could strike that 99/100 and there will be 99 cups of bovril on the stand floor

Yeah but he tried it and it came off. When did we last score a goal like that ? We're shot shy as well as all our other failings.

[G Somerset Rover]

It was a bloody strike and a half. As soon as it left his boot I knew it was in. Again though, the terrible Guthrie (I didn't realise he was on the pitch 2nd half until he got subbed) shouldn't have given him the freedom of the Madejski and should have stopped him from even making the strike.

You are spot on though Tyrone regarding us being shot shy. I said yesterday but barring one late save their GK may as well have been at home for an early Christmas break. We didn't test him enough all day.

[ABBEY]

Yeah but he tried it and it came off. When did we last score a goal like that ? We're shot shy as well as all our other failings.

i know they all count.

[Blue blood]

There were some VERY embarrassing comments when Bowyer was here. Someone even compared Lambert's arrival to the time Dalglish arrived. That was embarrassing. Performances have been poor since Lambert arrived...defensive, negative football. Nowt wrong with that if he keeps getting results but he's had an easy start as far as the oppo are concerned. Let's see how he does against decent oppo before we hail him as the new Messiah. He's getting less out the players than Bowyer did at present.

Looking forward to the 'fast, attacking football' he promised though!

I'm fairly sure his points tally is showing he isn't getting less out of the players though...

Some comparisons were a bit wild but being honest I'm willing to bet bowyer will never achieve in his whole career as a manager what Lambert already has.

[yoda]

Yeah but he tried it and it came off. When did we last score a goal like that ? We're shot shy as well as all our other failings.

Shot stats for the game

us - 7 with 3 on target

them - 13 with 7 on target

possession - us 51% them 49%

[JBiz]

9 people 'liked' that post, so they can see it! You need to look a bit harder pal

Why not quote "a" post if you are talking about it. I assume you meant several.

Secondly, it's completely irrelevant to harp on about number of wins/losses after less than the same amount of time. I don't think anyone in the world cares how PLs record will stack up against GBs because the main thing is where the club ends up.

The expectations should have risen. We now have a confirmed aim from the owners and some actual experience. Derek Guylers Spoon made a cracking post on this in the other thread, in patience (after one defeat) brings the knives out for something and since even the most inpatient fan would be foolish to start sticking the boot in PL, many others are picking at the squad, mentality etc.

It just comes across as missing the cathartic process of putting the boot in on here week by week that many fell into.

Assembling a team and mounting a promotion challenge will take a few windows IMO, especially when we take into account the way we've recruited for 12 months- without being able to even pay a fee. Hopefully now if we are signing players for money, it's not out of the sales of others. That didn't help either.

If we can pick a few players to make the difference. The frame of the squad we have may not be as far from what we need as many have said in reaction to one defeat in 8.

Also- cheers pedro!

[booth]

I agree with lots of this - but my worry is that the quality of football has one backwards - and the good run of results were against fairly average sides. Indeed we have struggled when playing half decent sides.

I find it amazing that anyone that dares to criticise our current standard of play is automatically a Bowyer supporter and PL detractor.

IMO Bowyer did some things well - and some things badly - and we needed to change. Lets not forget that GB actually managed to get more out of certain players than PL did - but PL is getting more out of other players (most likely different styles of play). Also when considering the squad that GB left for PL - lets not forget Gestede and Cairney had to be sold for financial reasons - and both players would strengthen the current squad.

Amongst all the angst at a single defeat - we have to remember that PL wants to play a different style, is working them harder in training (would be curious as to whether too hard) - and it will all take time. Certain players won't suit the style of play - doesn't necessarily make them bad players though.

I have criticised our standard of play since PL took over - somewhat ironic that against Forest I actually saw a significant improvement and that the training was starting to take effect. Sounds like we went a little backwards against Reading - but again (but for a wonder goal) was fairly defensively sound. IMO a sound defence is the key to promotion - just need to either get Rhodes scoring or replace him in January.

We weren't playing particularly well with Bowyer were we? For me the best I think we played was against Burnley.

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

Defence is solid (Henley open to debate but as a unit they are doing well) but then any decent manager should be able to drill a back line effectively. Further up the field (with the exception of the out of form Rhodes and Conway) there isn't anyone really contributing. Then there is the bench which has minimal options on to say the least.

Look at the teams in the top 5 - 6. How many of our players would get in their first 11 or bench?

I would suggest:

Hanley

Olssen

Duffy

Evans

Conway

Rhodes

Marshall

Lawrence

I would guess that around 3 of that lot would actually start for a top 6 side.

We are short of quality. Players like Conway and Marshall will get a game regardless of form because there is nobody to push for their position.

Interestingly, I expect the much maligned Jason Lowe would fit into a PL midfield...

At this moment in time Hanley and Duffy are as good as any pairing in the division (though they obviously have their faults).

Olsson - Derby wanted on loan - so that is another. Add to this the fact that Boro wanted Rhodes and Brighton wanted Marshall - presumably not to sit on their benches.

I think a lot of football fans suffer from the grass being greener syndrome when judging their own players. I will agree that a number of our midfield and forwards are under achieving at the moment - but I think that is partly down to the new tactics and time to bed in.

We weren't playing particularly well with Bowyer were we? For me the best I think we played was against Burnley.

I think from Fulham away onwards there was a massive improvement in our midfield and forward play - just a shame that defensive lapses (and at times poor finishing) undermined a lot of the good work.

[FGS5635]

You can tell the squad for the most part isnt at the required fitness levels to really play as PL wants. There is certainly way more effort when we dont have the ball now and in most games we do seem to tire 2nd half

As a player if your struggling fitness wise in a game, its a lot easier to take a slight breather when we have the ball, than when we dont, as you dont want to be the one that costs us a goal by not doing you're job. As a result you can see the lack of movement when we do have the ball. Slowly as the squad gets fitter, you'd expect this to improve and as such we become better going forward.

Certainly this isnt the only reason for our issues going forward under PL, but its deffo one of imo

That said, its pretty hard to work on fitness as this time of the year with a small squad, so its not a quick fix and may even be next year after a good pre season before we see it where PL wants it

[allanncd]

Reading targeted the Henley weakness after the interval as their substitute Ola John broke through to the deadball line and 6 yard box on several occasions, brushing Henley aside as if he was a training ground dummy. Fortunately his final ball was either awful or well defended.

[had.e.nuff]

No, think it was last game or game before they start afresh, think its built up over couple months then start again, there both on 1 now till i don't no when

your right but both are on 5 and the next step for suspension is 10 it used to be 31 dec cut off point but that only for prem now championship is 30 nov.

[philipl]

If somehow we win at least one of the Boro and Bolton games and don't lose at Cardiff then we will get to the window proper still in the hunt for the play-offs and I would expect to see at least three players coming in.

We all know throughout Rovers' history how an inspirational signing can transform our club's fortunes so now is not the time to write off our chances this season.

Or look at it this way, imagine that Gestede, King and Cairney had still been on the staff when Lambert joined- do you think our performances would have been as sterile? Even with those three far from ideal players, 16 or 18 points out of 18 is not inconceivable from the last six games.

[tomphil]

I can't help wondering what would have happened last season had Lambert or someone similar got hold of that squad 12 months ago.

[DE.]

I can't help wondering what would have happened last season had Lambert or someone similar got hold of that squad 12 months ago.

Sadly we'll never know. With the embargo over our heads it would have been a difficult time for any manager. Lambert's in a good position now, at least, to strengthen as he sees fit.

[Rover_Shaun]

You're still butthurt about Bowyer being sacked, aren't you?

Of course because he was monumentally wrong. More wrong than pineapple on pizza or a gingerbread latte

[blueboy3333]

Of course because he was monumentally wrong. More wrong than pineapple on pizza or a gingerbread latte

it's hard to take seriously the opinions of men who use the terms 'butthurt' and 'latte'.

Bowyer did a good job Shaun, one day that will dawn on you. It's just taking you that little bit longer than most. I look forward to our imminent promotion now he's gone. That's what you said a 'proper' manager would achieve, right?

I can't help wondering what would have happened last season had Lambert or someone similar got hold of that squad 12 months ago.

he would have had Willo and Lowe in midfield, so probably not much different than 9th, and judging by the performances so far he wouldn't have got 40 goals out of Rhodes and Rudy.

[tomphil]

it's hard to take seriously the opinions of men who use the terms 'butthurt' and 'latte'.

Bowyer did a good job Shaun, one day that will dawn on you. It's just taking you that little bit longer than most. I look forward to our imminent promotion now he's gone. That's what you said a 'proper' manager would achieve, right?

he would have had Willo and Lowe in midfield, so probably not much different than 9th, and judging by the performances so far he wouldn't have got 40 goals out of Rhodes and Rudy.

Pre embargo so he could have shaken things up and judging by the way he seems to be encouraging the wingers to play like wingers and whack the crosses in Rudy would have prospered anyway.

[K-Hod]

it's hard to take seriously the opinions of men who use the terms 'butthurt' and 'latte'.

Bowyer did a good job Shaun, one day that will dawn on you. It's just taking you that little bit longer than most. I look forward to our imminent promotion now he's gone. That's what you said a 'proper' manager would achieve, right?

he would have had Willo and Lowe in midfield, so probably not much different than 9th, and judging by the performances so far he wouldn't have got 40 goals out of Rhodes and Rudy.

He focussed immediately on shoring up our defence though didn't he? Something bizarrely Bowyer never did, despite us giving away a succession of late goals?

Anyway, Bowyer has gone and he isn't coming back.

[Rover_Shaun]

it's hard to take seriously the opinions of men who use the terms 'butthurt' and 'latte'.

Bowyer did a good job Shaun, one day that will dawn on you. It's just taking you that little bit longer than most. I look forward to our imminent promotion now he's gone. That's what you said a 'proper' manager would achieve, right?

he would have had Willo and Lowe in midfield, so probably not much different than 9th, and judging by the performances so far he wouldn't have got 40 goals out of Rhodes and Rudy.

I did say Latte's were wrong (White filter coffee for me every time) but like with Bowyer you couldn't see what was in plain sight....even now when you've been proven as wrong as an Xmas X-Factor marathon

I'm sure the 'consensus' was 'only' that a proper manager could get an extra 10% out of them in terms of points...........ooooh look, lo and behold he has, and some.

Never let facts get in the way of a good generalisation

Bowyer has gone and he isn't coming back.

Halleluja Brother Hod

Anyway I'm off back in to the shadows until the next stupefying comment

[Steve Kean's Hypnotoad]

Bowyer did a good job Shaun, one day that will dawn on you. It's just taking you that little bit longer than most. I look forward to our imminent promotion now he's gone. That's what you said a 'proper' manager would achieve, right

In your opinion he did a good job. In my opinion he wasted our 2nd and 3rd best chances to go back up. Every season we spend in this division we lose money, lose players and lose fans. The first season was a total Venkys debacle, the 2nd and 3rd Bowyer has nobody to blame but himself. In the 2nd he fell narrowly short, in the 3rd he fell a long way short. We were undeniably getting worse under him and would have continued to do so.

The "steadied the ship" line that is the bread and butter of Bowyer supporters is a great big con in my opinion. All it means for me is he was better than the unbelievably dreadful Berg and Appleton, arguably the 2 worst managers in the club's history. A feat which could have been achieved by Justin Bieber or Alan Partridge with points to spare. Its like putting someone out of the local mental institution in charge of Blackburn Council for a couple of months, then giving me the job, and after 2 years of nothing getting done congratulating me for steadying the ship.

As for the looking forward to our imminent promotion under Lambert, well that puts my last paragraph into even starker contrast. You were happy to judge Bowyer against the inept bungling of Berg and Appleton, and now you insist on judging Lambert against...Ferguson? I can't think who else could be expected to guarantee immediate promotion after 3 years of stagnation.

[JBiz]

He focussed immediately on shoring up our defence though didn't he? Something bizarrely Bowyer never did, despite us giving away a succession of late goals?

Anyway, Bowyer has gone and he isn't coming back.

The defenders who have been "shored" up are all players good enough for this league, PLs helped show that but many said the same about Duffy and Hanley months before.

It's also pretty effing obvious that a manager with experience, hold on... 3 managers of experience would do a better job of training basics (ie defending) than a coach in his first management role.

On GB,I can't see anyone hoping for him to come back either.

If someone makes a view point that he did a good job in his opinion, if your reply is "Anyway, Bowyer has gone and he isn't coming back" it makes you sound like a bit of a prat in my opinion.

Like you're more focussed on trying to make someone look a dick than answering his post. That's my opinion mind, and you're welcome to tell me how I'm wrong!