[Archived] Rovers V Huddersfield Town - 16Th April 2016 At 3Pm

[Stuart]

3 Thoughts

In summer when we played both teams had 1 strong and one poor half, both after poor starts appointed ambitious managers but we now look miles apart.

Imo the uncertainty of Lamberts position has rubbed off on the players and no one thinks they'll be here next year - on or off the pitch. Reminded me of the Peterborough home game under caretaker GB where no one cared.

Finally we are in mega free fall and I worry for next season. No disrespect to Hudds but when we can't beat them at home we really need to be looking downwards. A motivated PL with assurances would be ok but we seem more likely to have no squad or manager or a demotivated aer come next year which bodes badly.

I've read your first para 6 times and can't make head nor tail of it mate.

[philipl]

To the extent I thought about today's game, it never remotely crossed my mind that we might lose it....

[Blue blood]

I've read your first para 6 times and can't make head nor tail of it mate.

Sorry! Trying to say that the first half of our seasons were similar. When we played each other in the summer both us and Hudds looked great for a half and poor for a half. Both clubs due to ambitions not being met sacked their manager and got in a replacement who was considered a coup. However today showed while Hudds have been heading slowly upwards since then, for various reasons we've not kicked on. And that showed given they were worthy winners.

Perhaps need to type more than rant at phone!

[blondie]

Starting to have reservations about Lambert. Came in and said all the right things,though if you had read this Messageboard, anybody could have concluded the previous regimes shortcomings. At the moment, albeit a squad that has not had the benefit of any money to spend, looks devoid of what is required to achieve any respectability in this division. The tactics or lack of them are concerning, signings have, in total been ineffective, Danny Graham aside. Irrespective of the complete lack of direction from the owners, things should be better than this.

[thegrumpyman]

We are in absolute free fall and any optimism needs to be curtailed as I believe we are in dire straits. It's gone beyond a joke now and the I think the club is in a really precarious situation. The next few months could have very long term ramifications.

[Stuart]

We are in absolute free fall and any optimism needs to be curtailed as I believe we are in dire straits. It's gone beyond a joke now and the I think the club is in a really precarious situation. The next few months could have very long term ramifications.

I agree with the sentiment but, to be fair, it's the last five years that are having the ramifications. The next few months might determine if we can survive.

[grizfoot]

All credit to the club for trying to attract fans to attend by offering lower ticket pricing for this game. But sadly today's performance is not the kind that is going to win any old fans back or gain us any new ones.

I'm struggling to take any positives from today. I really thought we had turned the corner at home with those four wins on the bounce against Fulham, MK Dons, Middlesbrough and Birmingham but now we seemed to have returned to the turgid home form that saw us start the year poorly. That's the worst home performance of the season for me, I never thought I'd be saying that after having witnessed that Bolton game earlier in the season.

Lambert is correct in his post-match comments we were the architects of our own downfall today with the way we conceded the two goals and at least he was aware there was a lack of energy in the side. Fans can forgive lack of quality, the level we are at now means we aren't going to have superb footballers all over the pitch but the least you should expect is commitment, energy and some resemblance of a high tempo game when you are the home side. We saw little evidence of that barring a five minute burst shortly after we went two behind. Add the lack of energy to the current lack of quality in our side and you get these sorts of results and performances

Maybe some credit is due to Huddersfield, who looked sharp, energetic and lively going forward. Van La Parra was especially impressive I thought. Quick, direct and skillful just the sort of qualities we lack going forward. If Huddersfield can have someone of that quality in their side, why can't we?

Only goal difference separates us from being 21st and next to the relegation zone. Thankfully there is only four more games to go and with a nine point gap over MK Dons we should be safe but the way we are playing at the moment I'll be relieved when it is mathematically confirmed and we can start building for next season. Maybe one positive to take is that it surely is blatantly obviously we are in desperate need of wholesale changes in nearly every position. There's not many players in the team now that I would be sad to see leave. They say football works in cycles hopefully we have reached the bottom of ours now. It's difficult not to feel a little deflated when you put in such a poor performance and your game changing subs read Brown, Lowe, Akpan (to be fair to Lowe I thought he played well at right-back when he came on) and then you see Rhodes score two and the Dingles win to send them nearer to promotion. Look on the bright side it could be worse, we could be Bolton.

[thegrumpyman]

I agree with the sentiment but, to be fair, it's the last five years that are having the ramifications. The next few months might determine if we can survive.

Yeah this is my point Stuart - I think survival of the club is at stake nowadays not just survival in the championship.

[LewisF]

What a completely spineless performance from near enough everybody in blue and white. What Duffy was thinking with that header is beyond me, he may be solid for 89 mins of a match but the amount of times he costs us matches is beyond belief (Bolton away, burnley away, Preston at home, today just to name a few). The only players I thought could come out with any credit were Marshall and Lowe, and we looked incredibly poor on the left (did Kilgallon manage to pass to a Rovers player today at all?). And as for Grimes, well he is just the typical young footballer, fancy tricks and lightweight, goes down like a sack of spuds. A few in the DE (including me) rightly stood up chanting for venkys out, but even so the numbers are still far too little and the overall impression is that the majority of fans will just accept venkys behaviour and always will. I'd take administration next season if venkys sod off and rebuild from there with owners who actually care. They aren't going to be our owners forever, so the sooner they leave the better!

Pathetic and does not bode well at all for next season.

[VinjayV4]

Couldn't really see the Dortmund style that Huddersfield Town have supposedly adopted. As it turned out Shane Duffy was the most creative player for them.

[chaddyrovers]

Thought Huddersfield played well and their manager has a style of play and they stick to it

[47er]

3 Thoughts

In summer when we played both teams had 1 strong and one poor half, both after poor starts appointed ambitious managers but we now look miles apart.

Imo the uncertainty of Lamberts position has rubbed off on the players and no one thinks they'll be here next year - on or off the pitch. Reminded me of the Peterborough home game under caretaker GB where no one cared.

Finally we are in mega free fall and I worry for next season. No disrespect to Hudds but when we can't beat them at home we really need to be looking downwards. A motivated PL with assurances would be ok but we seem more likely to have no squad or manager or a demotivated aer come next year which bodes badly.

The continuing uncertainty about the future must surely be affecting our performances? Lambert has gone farther than any manager I can remember in clearly explaining the difficulties he is working under. He hoped to have met the owners weeks ago to agree plans for the summer. No meeting has ever taken place nor does it appear that one is even scheduled.

He has players wondering if they are part of the scheme of things for next year and there is nothing he can tell them.

As ever Venkys remain remote, uncaring and seemingly oblivious to the damage their neglect is doing to this wonderful old club or our's.

[VinjayV4]

The continuing uncertainty about the future must surely be affecting our performances? Lambert has gone farther than any manager I can remember in clearly explaining the difficulties he is working under. He hoped to have met the owners weeks ago to agree plans for the summer. No meeting has ever taken place nor does it appear that one is even scheduled.

He has players wondering if they are part of the scheme of things for next year and there is nothing he can tell them.

As ever Venkys remain remote, uncaring and seemingly oblivious to the damage their neglect is doing to this wonderful old club or our's.

Well you don't have to be a brain surgeon to have noticed a downshifting performance trend since the Brentford game. So yes I've personally pondered that question too.

3 home league losses in a row...the good faith from the 4 consecutive wins has already faded. I was optimistic enough to say the club should aim to go unbeaten at Ewood for rest of season at one point. Perhaps after the MK game but not entirely certain.

Speaking of MK does anyone seriously think they have a hope in hell of survival? Would a draw at Forest be a good result? No its a relatively meaningless game and almost guaranteed to be irrelevant for the points total.

So no a draw wouldn't be an absolute disgrace but there's no reason to suggest it would be a "good result".

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

If I was a player I'd busting a gut to make sure I was here next season. Why aren't our lot ? Let's face it with one or two exceptions there won't be a stampede for any of them.

Who was it said - " put all the players in a big sack, beat the sack with a stick, you won't be hitting an innocent person " ?

[Gav]

Maybe I'm the only one, but I think Duffys a decent centre back, he's had a poor few months I agree, Hanley was similar last season, but he's only young, give the lad a chance.

[Pedro]

I actually thought Marshall was poor (as he was at Wolves). His body language told me that he wants to be on holiday.

He was poor. He got owned many times and had no real impact. What he did have was that magical ingredient that too many lacked today. Effort. He was the only one to keep having a go and the only one to want the ball. Best of a bad bunch by a mile but that goes to show how rubbish we were.

Maybe I'm the only one, but I think Duffys a decent centre back, he's had a poor few months I agree, Hanley was similar last season, but he's only young, give the lad a chance.

The potential is there but a brain isn't.

[Beta Ray Bill]

Couldn't really see the Dortmund style that Huddersfield Town have supposedly adopted. As it turned out Shane Duffy was the most creative player for them.

Thought Huddersfield played well and their manager has a style of play and they stick to it

I am advised by learned Town friends - who have been quite gracious in victory and sympathetic to our woes - that this wasn't the much vaunted gangnam style. They did something different today which was perfectly effective against a truly dreadful Rovers team.

[Lancs Rover]

Maybe I'm the only one, but I think Duffys a decent centre back, he's had a poor few months I agree, Hanley was similar last season, but he's only young, give the lad a chance.

You're right, GAV. But dropping a player who isn't playing their best is a given in football surely? That isn't happening even temporarily although we have two experienced and dependable replacements. But one is a loan and the other is looking toward the exit door in a few weeks. If Ward had started yesterday that would have been five loan players starting the game. Half the outfield team.

Realistically only Duffy will be here come August. But fighting to keep your place and fighting to get into the team should be a prerequisite and it is what PL implied he demanded when he arrived. So what's changed?

Obviously I can only speculate but my pet theory is that the transfer embargo, combined with the arms length approach to planning, just put the top hat on a bad situation. Look at Forest as well. Fulham, Bolton...A club in the modern era needs a plan. This is my reading of PL's comments, that plugging the gaps will catch you up eventually both on and off the pitch. Just saying.

[gumboots]

I listed yesterday clubs who've gone from bad to worse and it's never just poor players or managers because they can, with cash and time, be solved. It's always clubs that are poorly owned and run. You can run a club well at any level and give your fans hope. You can run a premiership club badly despite throwing money at the problem and sink like a stone. It's the hopelessness and frustration of following a club that anyone can see is being badly run or in our case not run at all that gets to fans. We are powerless to influence anything and even worse in our case is that so many don't even seem to see what's going on.

[Mike Graham]

Big gate of 15,061

Nice to hear Ewood was over 1/2 full.

[Lancs Rover]

I listed yesterday clubs who've gone from bad to worse and it's never just poor players or managers because they can, with cash and time, be solved. It's always clubs that are poorly owned and run. You can run a club well at any level and give your fans hope. You can run a premiership club badly despite throwing money at the problem and sink like a stone. It's the hopelessness and frustration of following a club that anyone can see is being badly run or in our case not run at all that gets to fans. We are powerless to influence anything and even worse in our case is that so many don't even seem to see what's going on.

Google 'bystander effect'.

Take note ABBEY.

[gumboots]

I'm not saying we shouldn't try to influence things btw. Just that we all saw how little effect our protests had last time and so feel pessimistic about the effect any future protests might have. If there's a way of getting rid of venkys that might work, show me it

[JBiz]

I am advised by learned Town friends - who have been quite gracious in victory and sympathetic to our woes - that this wasn't the much vaunted gangnam style. They did something different today which was perfectly effective against a truly dreadful Rovers team.

They looked organised! Like team with a plan. Gomez, grimes and Bennett looked all out of place in their positions in the first half. Sprinkle in some mistakes and coat with a distinct lack of effort from at least 5 of the team and that's the difference.

We can be organised with these players whether some think we can do better or not. A simple formation built to hold shape and press the ball can be achieved, starting with a 4132 needs specialists - Darragh is still learning, Grimes is no wide player, Bennett is inconsistent and never explosive, Gomez is better served off the front man IMO.

Yesterday almost made me yearn for us to go back to basics completely, pack the midfield a bit and play 451. It wouldn't make a difference if the squad aren't motivated though.

[Tom]

I've just realised that Grimes was playing; don't think I noticed him yesterday

[blue kiwi]

We are at the crossroads the last time we appointed a decent manager in the championship was souness you could see he had a plan for the following season and the players bought into it.

Unfortunately this shower are not buying into PLs plan or he ain't got one.

Were is the next win coming from.