[Archived] Rovers V Norwich City

[booth]

That's your opinion - he is no world beater - but IMO he isn't crap.

What typifies some people's blind spot with him - he was constantly criticised for not getting "stuck in" - yesterday he made three or four crunching tackles - which stopped some good breaks for Norwich - it would appear that none of the fans that have some form of instant dislike for Lowe seem to mention this - they just saw the one time he allowed a pass to go under his foot.

You definitely watched a different game

[Doug]

After considering what we witnessed yesterday, there are some significant changes that can be made with what we have.

Move Marshall back to RB, he has not had a good game away from that position in 2 seasons.

Play anybody at LB other than Henley (well, not quite) , my choice for a good while has been to convert Conway as he's too slow at LM, but too good to leave on the bench.

Start Greer rather than Ward, Byrne rather than Akpan, and possibly Conway for Bennett (if we don't play him LB).

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

If you think Lowe has the attributes to be a good captain, then OK. I personally think not, but it's all about opinions, isn't it? In the grand scheme of things it's a very small thing. We have a much darker cloud hanging over our head that goes by the name of Venky's. Anything else is irrelevant in comparison.

To be honest I don't know if he will or won't make a good captain - but unlike others I am willing to give him the chance.

[booth]

So you didn't see the match - but can come on here giving your opinion of Lowe's performance - that really sums up some people's weird obsession with having it in for Lowe

I saw the match and he was awful, and there was one moment when he decided to have a go at another player and lost the ball himself which was just cringeworthy. I think you encapsulate the people who obsess over bad players just to be different. Which is fair enough, each to their own.

Wilcox took some stick when he first came into the team because he stood out as being a weak link amongst some very good players, far better than what we have now. Wilcox stepped up. There was one interview in the LET when he said he'd worked hard on his game because he knew he needed to step up. Fair play to him he became a far better player than anyone imagined. When he upped his game by more than a few notches he stopped getting stick from the crowd.

Lowe on the other hand has had chance after chance by various different managers and he's never been any good. He's 24 now and doesn't show any sign of going forwards. At 21, Wilcox had bags of pace and a good cross. What does Lowe have? Even Coyle doesn't trust him to take Evans place due to injury and stuck him in defence.

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

You definitely watched a different game

Try tweeting Olsson.

[Mike E]

Why is Lowe being captain a slap in the face for season ticket holders ? It isn't necessarily the best player that makes the captain - it is sometimes the one that can motivate his team mates, and has the respect of the squad. Do you know that Lowe doesn't have the respect of his fellow players, or can't motivate the team ?

I don't know whether he will be a good captain or not - but if you have the inside track into what is being said at Brockhall by the players about Lowe's appointment - please share.

I wouldn't be quite as complimentary about Lowe as you are, BUT I must say he pleasantly surprised me yesterday when he was tackling further upfield.

I'd move Marshall to full back in his place though.

[booth]

Try tweeting Olsson.

So he can kick players, that's his quality?

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

I saw the match and he was awful, and there was one moment when he decided to have a go at another player and lost the ball himself which was just cringeworthy. I think you encapsulate the people who obsess over bad players just to be different. Which is fair enough, each to their own.

Wilcox took some stick when he first came into the team because he stood out as being a weak link amongst some very good players, far better than what we have now. Wilcox stepped up. There was one interview in the LET when he said he'd worked hard on his game because he knew he needed to step up. Fair play to him he became a far better player than anyone imagined. When he upped his game by more than a few notches he stopped getting stick from the crowd.

Lowe on the other hand has had chance after chance by various different managers and he's never been any good. He's 24 now and doesn't show any sign of going forwards. At 21, Wilcox had bags of pace and a good cross. What does Lowe have? Even Coyle doesn't trust him to take Evans place due to injury and stuck him in defence.

Your first point - I have never said Lowe is a world beater - at the moment I would have Lenihan and Evans ahead of him in central midfield, and Marshall at right back. Lowe isn't a bad player - just a limited one - as you say each to their own. In a match where Apkan and Henley were absolutely woeful - some posters fist instinct is to have a go at Lowe - and yet it is me obsessing over bad players - lol.

BTW - why exactly does manager after manager (incl U21) continue to play Lowe if he is so bad ?

However, yesterday Lowe was nowhere near the worst player on the pitch - and yet some fans obsess about the time he let the ball roll under his foot.

You need to think again about your last sentence - if Marshall is to play further forward (which Coyle seems to want) - who exactly was going to play right back - it was nothing to do with Lowe being good enough to cover Evans. Also funny that most fans have long been saying that Lowe should be played right back. Personally I would have Marshall at right back - but I am sure many would disagree.

So he can kick players, that's his quality?

If I remember right - the tackle he did on Olsson wasn't even a free kick ?

I wouldn't be quite as complimentary about Lowe as you are, BUT I must say he pleasantly surprised me yesterday when he was tackling further upfield.

I'd move Marshall to full back in his place though.

I am not actually complimenting Lowe - just didn't think he was as bad as some are making out.

[Tom]

Lowe had a stinker and started our demise with the suicidal ball to Marshall, one good tackle in the first half is all I can be positive about

[Stuart]

To be honest I don't know if he will or won't make a good captain - but unlike others I am willing to give him the chance.

Based on what? Blind hope?

We knew he wasn't a leader before yesterday. Having watched him, it's clearly too much for him. He needs to use all his energy to focus on his own game.

If Marshall was to move to right back I'm not sure how Lowe fits in the side. His best role is as a squad player to do the hard yards in midfield or maybe as DM to protect a lead or draw late on in a game. Making him captain has created a problem because he will now have to play from the start. We are back to the negative approach we had under Bowyer.

I just can't see how Coyle turns this one around. Demote Lowe? Doubtful. In reality, his arrogance will kick in and we'll see Lowe at rb for some time to come. Which means gambling that Marshall can click up front - whilst Stokes sits on the bench.

We are at our best at home in a 4-4-2 taking the game to the opposition, getting a reaction from the crowd and being positive - rather than talking about bring positive and setting up defensively. Negative football doesn't work, keeps home fans quiet and plays into the hands of the visitors.

[Athlete]

Lowe had a stinker and started our demise with the suicidal ball to Marshall, one good tackle in the first half is all I can be positive about

On the JL debate how many good games as he had for Rovers... Not very many that's for sure..

[broadsword]

Seems a very strange viewpoint to me. "he shouldn't be in the first team, but let's give him a chance to show what he can do as captain"

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

Lowe had a stinker and started our demise with the suicidal ball to Marshall, one good tackle in the first half is all I can be positive about

So the woeful defending on the edge of the box had nothing to do with it - or the strange tactic of having Apkan in a strange advanced role that left Lenihan over ran at times ?

[Tom]

So the woeful defending on the edge of the box had nothing to do with it - or the strange tactic of having Apkan in a strange advanced role that left Lenihan over ran at times ?

They should never have had the ball we had the ball under no pressure until he gave it to them, more could have been done after but the route cause was Jason Lowe's idiocy or lack of simple ability

[darrenrover]

We can debate until the cows come home but sadly, with perhaps a couple of exceptions, The playing squad, management and coaching staff, 'board' and owners are nowhere near good enough to represent Blackburn Rovers and/or compete in The Championship.

Unless things dramatically change, we're going down. Team selection with our squad is merely tinkering, there's not a good 'un amongst them sadly, thats a fact.

We deserve much better.

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

Yep that's about the strength of it based on seeing near enough every game he's played for us at Ewood and a good number away. I gave my opinion of what to expect from him before the season began and reading the comments on here it seems to back that up.

You have a long history of seeing the opposite in Jason Lowe to most others on here so I'd say it's you who has some weird obsession with him whilst others can see further than the end of their nose.

When you say most - I presume you mean the more vocal - which is what it comes down to. As far as obsession - why is some posters first instinct to have a go at Lowe when he wasn't the worst player on the pitch. Some people that didn't even attend the match can seemingly give an informed opinion of how crap he played.

I struggle to think of any players that had a good match yesterday - it is even difficult to judge the performances of the substitutes as Norwich had taken their foot off the gas when they came on (possible exception being Greer). Yet there is an ongoing debate about how crap one player is - even before I defended him.

[Tom]

Anyone else think Marshall looked a little tubby yesterday and generally quite unfit

[blue kiwi]

Out of morbid curiosity I looked at the team we started with at the beginning of the 14-15 season against Cardiff City.

Robinson

Baptiste Hanley Kilgallon Olsson

Conway Lowe Evans Cairney

Gestede Rhodes

The bench included Dunn, Marshall and Josh King.

Sobering.

was the scoreline not the same as yesterday?

[Stuart]

Anyone else think Marshall looked a little tubby yesterday and generally quite unfit

Not sure mate.

Tell you what though, Martin Olsson has really bulked up. Not sure if he slightly unfit but he looked like he had spent his Summer at the gym. He looked a beast.

[booth]

Your first point - I have never said Lowe is a world beater - at the moment I would have Lenihan and Evans ahead of him in central midfield, and Marshall at right back. Lowe isn't a bad player - just a limited one - as you say each to their own. In a match where Apkan and Henley were absolutely woeful - some posters fist instinct is to have a go at Lowe - and yet it is me obsessing over bad players - lol.

BTW - why exactly does manager after manager (incl U21) continue to play Lowe if he is so bad ?

However, yesterday Lowe was nowhere near the worst player on the pitch - and yet some fans obsess about the time he let the ball roll under his foot.

You need to think again about your last sentence - if Marshall is to play further forward (which Coyle seems to want) - who exactly was going to play right back - it was nothing to do with Lowe being good enough to cover Evans. Also funny that most fans have long been saying that Lowe should be played right back. Personally I would have Marshall at right back - but I am sure many would disagree.

If I remember right - the tackle he did on Olsson wasn't even a free kick ?

I am not actually complimenting Lowe - just didn't think he was as bad as some are making out.

I think Coyle's wrong to play Marshall there, and unlike some people seem to think he wasn't playing "in the hole" he was playing centre midfield. He was too far away from Graham to be playing in the hole. There was no one in the hole at all, Graham was totally isolated.

I'd also say Lowe, Akpan and Henley were as bad as each other, along with Steele who doesn't look confident enough to be first choice goalie. I wouldn't have any of those four near the team personally.

The point about Lowe only being able to kick people, that's all I saw him contribute. His passing, positioning and general defensive play was just awful and as a captain he only got animated once and even then he lost the ball in a dangerous place.

Anyone else think Marshall looked a little tubby yesterday and generally quite unfit

I thought most players looked unfit, apart from Henley strangely enough who looked nippy in the first ten minutes until his head well and truly dropped.

[1arC]

was the scoreline not the same as yesterday?

It was 1-1 I think.

[Stuart]

Somebody on Fb trying to find comfort in the fact that in Coyle's Burnley promotion season they lost their first game 4-1 (although they were away) to Sheffield Wednesday.

They had a much better squad that we have mind.

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

I thought most players looked unfit, apart from Henley strangely enough who looked nippy in the first ten minutes until his head well and truly dropped.

I don't know what has happened to Henley - another player who doesn't look like he will fulfill the early career promise. Was it not Salgado that was talking him up when he played for Rovers - since then Henley has gone backwards.

[chaddyrovers]

was the scoreline not the same as yesterday?

its finished 1-1 with Cairney scoring and it was on Sky

[booth]

I don't know what has happened to Henley - another player who doesn't look like he will fulfill the early career promise. Was it not Salgado that was talking him up when he played for Rovers - since then Henley has gone backwards.

Too much too soon? From what I hear he's a very rich young man with a nice car.