[Archived] Brentford Away 19.03.2016

[garnersfags]

I'm still stewing on the style we are seemingly adopting away from home.

Not particularly a high pressing style.

Definitely not a passing, keep-ball style.

Hoofball and dire are the 2 words which seem to be associated with our away league performances in 2016, with the exception of Burnley and Boro.

Our inability to retain posession has ultimately seen us concede and lose most of these games.

I expected Lambert to show a bit of tactical acumen and find a way to allow our admittedly thin(in terms of quality) squad to take the game to the weaker teams and expose their paper thin confidence.

We've actually played more effectively against the sides in the top 4.

Brentford was the ultimate example. A team in crisis, who lose more or less EVERY game. There didn't seem to be much difference in our approach from Tuesday night, until the sending off.

I rate Lambert, and I think we'll improve but I do not accept that a team that has performed so consistently at Ewood has to accept that it will lose 70+% of away games(since December), and more importantly rely on lumping it up to a lone striker without an apparent plan B.

I share the temporary euphoria from Saturday but since I witnessed our laboured victory at Deepdale, most of our away performances have lacked any ambition, and our resulting miserly points tally has meant we have remained near the relegation zone until Easter, despite increasingly promising home form.

It's not meant to be negative, just an honest, factual observation.

14/15 away games is enough of a sample on which to make this interim assessment.

[philipl]

Great 3 points!

[bazza]

Fabulous goal celebration from Duffy. Anyone in the Rovers crowd get hurt?

[MCMC1875]

Fabulous goal celebration from Duffy. Anyone in the Rovers crowd get hurt?

.

[LDRover]

Fabulous goal celebration from Duffy. Anyone in the Rovers crowd get hurt?

Nah, his headers are always off target.

[47er]

I'm still stewing on the style we are seemingly adopting away from home.

Not particularly a high pressing style.

Definitely not a passing, keep-ball style.

Hoofball and dire are the 2 words which seem to be associated with our away league performances in 2016, with the exception of Burnley and Boro.

Our inability to retain posession has ultimately seen us concede and lose most of these games.

I expected Lambert to show a bit of tactical acumen and find a way to allow our admittedly thin(in terms of quality) squad to take the game to the weaker teams and expose their paper thin confidence.

We've actually played more effectively against the sides in the top 4.

Brentford was the ultimate example. A team in crisis, who lose more or less EVERY game. There didn't seem to be much difference in our approach from Tuesday night, until the sending off.

I rate Lambert, and I think we'll improve but I do not accept that a team that has performed so consistently at Ewood has to accept that it will lose 70+% of away games(since December), and more importantly rely on lumping it up to a lone striker without an apparent plan B.

I share the temporary euphoria from Saturday but since I witnessed our laboured victory at Deepdale, most of our away performances have lacked any ambition, and our resulting miserly points tally has meant we have remained near the relegation zone until Easter, despite increasingly promising home form.

It's not meant to be negative, just an honest, factual observation.

14/15 away games is enough of a sample on which to make this interim assessment.

My interim assessment is that he has saved us from relegation to the third tier.

[Leonard Venkhater]

Probably.

GF's analysis is a good one, though. I am hoping this is about the difficulties of change management and players adjusting to a new regime, as well as the number of games.

There is a huge problem about our away performances. You can tell that even by radio commentary, the number of failed passes and aimless balls etc.

For me, it is summed up by Andy Bayes' comment to the ex player beside him....."It's got to be better than that, hasn't it?".

At least we can all savour Saturday's result and celebrations for a fortnight without having our mood shattered by another disappointment Lol

[Al]

He was a very capable player but I'm not sure he had a real desire though, Al. Not for us, anyway. The regime at the time may have played a part.

Rochina was never given a proper chance. His manager preferred the run all day type of player devoid of flair.

[Give 'Em the Axe]

Rochina was never given a proper chance.

i completely agree with that. Of all the players that have come and gone I really feel like he is the proverbial 'one that got away'. That kind of raw talent needs proper coaching. With the set-up we had at the time, he never stood a chance.

[Amo]

Rochina was never given a proper chance. His manager preferred the run all day type of player devoid of flair.

You won't find a more divisive player than Rochina. Some thought he was a show pony, others thought he was a flawed genius. I'll tell you what, it'll be a long time before we ever see another player at Rovers capable of this:

I hope 'Lowey' was shaking his head in awe rather than disgust.

[VinjayV4]

Gomez might be capable of that we know he's certainly adept from long range.

I don't really like "show pony" types much. My favorite type of players (in an attacking sense) are those who are simply ruthless and don't waste time with "flicks and tricks". I guess for centre forwards the ultimate example would be the "Shearer type" though ruthlessness is defined differently depending which level a player is at.

[frosty]

You won't find a more divisive player than Rochina. Some thought he was a show pony, others thought he was a flawed genius. I'll tell you what, it'll be a long time before we ever see another player at Rovers capable of this:

I hope 'Lowey' was shaking his head in awe rather than disgust.

You can see Taylor and Lowe looking bewildered at seeing some skill and flair! Unheard of for them two.

[DaveyB]

You won't find a more divisive player than Rochina. Some thought he was a show pony, others thought he was a flawed genius. I'll tell you what, it'll be a long time before we ever see another player at Rovers capable of this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OaubTi0DtjY

I hope 'Lowey' was shaking his head in awe rather than disgust.

This clip sums up Rochina perfectly for me. Yes it was a great bit of skill and looks good, but ultimately it didn't lead to anything. Whereas a more measured shot with his right foot, or even a simple pass to either Rhodes or Taylor, might not have looked as spectacular, but would probably have had a better chance of resulting in a goal - and in a tight game that kind of decision can be the difference between losing and winning.

[Tom]

Exactly - yes insanely skillfull but I also saw him many a time do a great bit of skill and then run it out of play or do something daft, being effective is better than being skillfull.

I liked him and would have liked to see more of him but that clip doesn't prove much other than he is very one footed.

Between that clip and this one (3:50) you could sum him up pretty well

Then again that strike at Fulham was one the sweetest I can recall for a long time

[frosty]

He was daft giving the ball away at 3:50 at Peterborough, yep, you wouldn't want him doing that at 1-0 up or something. But the pass at 1:30 was absolutely perfect and that nobody else was (and this probably remains the case with our current squad!) capable of.

[Salgado Is Still A Hero]

I think a good example of what he could be like was at home to Man Utd once. We lost 2-0 to a Valencia cross/shot and an Ashley Young goal.

Anyway, after about 65/70 mins, we had done nothing from an attacking point of view all game, and our fans were chanting for him to be brought on, which he was. Then he was absolutely shocking, lost the ball almost every time, constantly chose the wrong option, and I think at one point he had a shot that almost went out for a throw in.

But he had managed to put Utd on the back foot, because finally we had a guy on the pitch who could take the game to them. And it was the first time all game we had actually had players with the ball in dangerous positions.

He was panned for that performance and rightly so but I quite liked him because he actually looked to make things happen. And even if he lost the ball 4 out of 5, or even 8 out of 10 times, we had players playing instead who would lose the ball 2 out of 2 times, in the whole of the 90 mins. At least Rochina actually got involved.

I'm not really a fan of stats but his were actually quite decent, and his detractors were often Pedersen fans who would quote his stats to back-up their argument and ignore Rochina's. Even though Pedersen took set pieces.

[Stuart]

This clip sums up Rochina perfectly for me. Yes it was a great bit of skill and looks good, but ultimately it didn't lead to anything. Whereas a more measured shot with his right foot, or even a simple pass to either Rhodes or Taylor, might not have looked as spectacular, but would probably have had a better chance of resulting in a goal - and in a tight game that kind of decision can be the difference between losing and winning.

The clip also sums up Lowe perfectly for me.

Not good enough, never going to be good enough but shakes his head at somebody with genuine ability.

Exactly - yes insanely skillfull but I also saw him many a time do a great bit of skill and then run it out of play or do something daft, being effective is better than being skillfull.

I liked him and would have liked to see more of him but that clip doesn't prove much other than he is very one footed.

Between that clip and this one (3:50) you could sum him up pretty well

http://youtu.be/TAjLmzLvlzg

Then again that strike at Fulham was one the sweetest I can recall for a long time

Wasn't that Rochina's slide rule pass on 1:30?

[Mike E]

I think a good example of what he could be like was at home to Man Utd once. We lost 2-0 to a Valencia cross/shot and an Ashley Young goal.

Anyway, after about 65/70 mins, we had done nothing from an attacking point of view all game, and our fans were chanting for him to be brought on, which he was. Then he was absolutely shocking, lost the ball almost every time, constantly chose the wrong option, and I think at one point he had a shot that almost went out for a throw in.

But he had managed to put Utd on the back foot, because finally we had a guy on the pitch who could take the game to them. And it was the first time all game we had actually had players with the ball in dangerous positions.

He was panned for that performance and rightly so but I quite liked him because he actually looked to make things happen. And even if he lost the ball 4 out of 5, or even 8 out of 10 times, we had players playing instead who would lose the ball 2 out of 2 times, in the whole of the 90 mins. At least Rochina actually got involved.

I'm not really a fan of stats but his were actually quite decent, and his detractors were often Pedersen fans who would quote his stats to back-up their argument and ignore Rochina's. Even though Pedersen took set pieces.

I agree with you but maths took a hit there! 4/5 and 8/10 are the same

[Steve Kean's Hypnotoad]

I'm still stewing on the style we are seemingly adopting away from home.

Not particularly a high pressing style.

Definitely not a passing, keep-ball style.

Hoofball and dire are the 2 words which seem to be associated with our away league performances in 2016, with the exception of Burnley and Boro.

Oh god, is the hoofball nonsense coming back again. Lets just skip the 2 years of arguments and fans getting on the manager's back, thinking anything they say will change our style in the slightest.

Lets just get on with it:

- Sack Lambert

- Assume we're going to employ a good manager known for playing attractive football.

- Actually employ some joker known for playing attractive football.

- Assume we're going to buy some technically excellent, effective players.

- Actually buy some technically excellent, woefully ineffective players.

- Get relegated.

- Stagnate in League 1.

- Finally sack the good football manager and employ someone who gets the results.

- Fans start moaning about hoofball again.

If we speed up this process we can be in the Evo-Stick before we know it, where everyone will wonder what went wrong. And absolutely nobody will think "maybe we should have appreciated winning and stopped banging on about bloody hoofball when we were actually a decent team".

[Al]

Gomez might be capable of that we know he's certainly adept from long range.

I don't really like "show pony" types much. My favorite type of players (in an attacking sense) are those who are simply ruthless and don't waste time with "flicks and tricks". I guess for centre forwards the ultimate example would be the "Shearer type" though ruthlessness is defined differently depending which level a player is at.

Just what I hate in football is blood and thunder types with no flair. Your Shearer example however is wrong. Shearer had loads of skill and flair and you do him an injustice.

[Salgado Is Still A Hero]

I agree with you but maths took a hit there! 4/5 and 8/10 are the same

Ha, shocking. I was about to right 9/10 then changed it without thinking.

[Leonard Venkhater]

Just what I hate in football is blood and thunder types with no flair. Your Shearer example however is wrong. Shearer had loads of skill and flair and you do him an injustice.

The kids were watching that famous thrashing of Norwich, when we knocked them off the top of the table. In that game Shearer had everything. And the lob was exquisite. It was the best one I had seen, since Tony Field's away at Watford in the early 70's! Parson will remember....

[K-Hod]

Just what I hate in football is blood and thunder types with no flair. Your Shearer example however is wrong. Shearer had loads of skill and flair and you do him an injustice.

Must admit, I have to agree. Shearer had everything.

[JBiz]

Must admit, I have to agree. Shearer had everything.

I'd call him technically proficient but my definition of "flair" is not big Al.

[Rover_Shaun]

He had a 'flair' for scoring goals. And that's the object of the game