[Archived] Bristol City

[Commondore]

Aside from their goal (which I'm not sure someone like Baptiste would have handled better) I didn't think Lowe had a bad game last Saturday. We could certainly do better than him at right back, but that could be said for pretty much any position in the team right now.

[JAL]

Aside from their goal (which I'm not sure someone like Baptiste would have handled better) I didn't think Lowe had a bad game last Saturday. We could certainly do better than him at right back, but that could be said for pretty much any position in the team right now.

Let's hope he never has a stinker.

Is he any good in goal ?

[Jimmy612]

There can be no fathomable explanation for the continued selection of such a crap player in Jason Lowe.

He is and has always been truly truly terrible

Case for the defence. I don't understand this increasing hate campaign against Jason Lowe except to reaffirm my opinion that many Rovers fans perennially require a hate figure on the pitch to make their match day experience complete. There have been dozens in the past who I would dearly like to see in our team now. (N'Zonzi scored this weekend against Atletico to take Seville to 2nd in La Liga! He was really crap wasn't he?) Lowe is no world beater granted but despite not being selected in his best position he is not our worst player by some distance. We have any number of poorer players in the squad e.g. Feeney. Williams, Ward, Bennett, Brown, Nyambe, Byrne, Mulgrew, Hendrie with Evans, Akpan and Guthrie imo being on a par with him.

Reviewing the video of Bristol's late goal I saw us forward in numbers and obviously chasing a last minute winner following a Conway corner when Corey Evans gave away an amateurish and totally needless free kick by stupidly fouling a player who was facing his own goal and struggling to clear the ball from the edge of his own pen area. The quickly taken long punt upfield caught most of our players out by changing Bristol's defence into immediate attack. Fair enough Lowe goofed when he misjudged the through ball when he had at least 30 yards to judge it's flight but he did recover quickly enough to cover the shot only for it to take a deflection and send Steele the wrong way. Evans in the post match inquest should be in for bollocking number one for his idiocy. In recent weeks we have conceded a number of goals from long range efforts from the edge of the box by opposing midfielders, mostly caused by Guthrie or Evans not getting 'goal side' of their opposite numbers, yet the fact remains that I've read plenty of criticism for Lowe but I have yet to read any criticism whatsoever for Evans or Guthrie.

[Amo]

We have any number of poorer players in the squad e.g. Feeney. Williams, Ward, Bennett, Brown, Nyambe, Byrne, Mulgrew, Hendrie with Evans, Akpan and Guthrie imo being on a par with him.

How many of them are automatic-picks in the side? Furthermore, a few of them haven't been at the club long enough to form a balanced opinion, while we've had to suffer Jason Lowe for the entirety of the Venky's era.

[donnermeat]

Williams has been here long enough for me to see he's better than Lowe. Solid yet unspectacular. Brown hasn't even played a game! How do we know if he's poorer than Lowe? I'd be willing to bet a guy that's played Premier League football for the best part of 20 years will be a better player than Lowe, despite his age.

[tomphil]

Case for the defence. I don't understand this increasing hate campaign against Jason Lowe except to reaffirm my opinion that many Rovers fans perennially require a hate figure on the pitch to make their match day experience complete. There have been dozens in the past who I would dearly like to see in our team now. (N'Zonzi scored this weekend against Atletico to take Seville to 2nd in La Liga! He was really crap wasn't he?) Lowe is no world beater granted but despite not being selected in his best position he is not our worst player by some distance. We have any number of poorer players in the squad e.g. Feeney. Williams, Ward, Bennett, Brown, Nyambe, Byrne, Mulgrew, Hendrie with Evans, Akpan and Guthrie imo being on a par with him.

Reviewing the video of Bristol's late goal I saw us forward in numbers and obviously chasing a last minute winner following a Conway corner when Corey Evans gave away an amateurish and totally needless free kick by stupidly fouling a player who was facing his own goal and struggling to clear the ball from the edge of his own pen area. The quickly taken long punt upfield caught most of our players out by changing Bristol's defence into immediate attack. Fair enough Lowe goofed when he misjudged the through ball when he had at least 30 yards to judge it's flight but he did recover quickly enough to cover the shot only for it to take a deflection and send Steele the wrong way. Evans in the post match inquest should be in for bollocking number one for his idiocy. In recent weeks we have conceded a number of goals from long range efforts from the edge of the box by opposing midfielders, mostly caused by Guthrie or Evans not getting 'goal side' of their opposite numbers, yet the fact remains that I've read plenty of criticism for Lowe but I have yet to read any criticism whatsoever for Evans or Guthrie.

I understand your point but some bad comparisons there and as said the main ire directed at Lowe stems from his consistent automatic selection that stretches back years now.

[Jimmy612]

Automatic picks Amarillo? Any two of the last three for starters along with 2 of the first 4 with the other two figuring regularly as substututes. Mulgrew might come good in the right formation, Byrne comes with good press but has shown nothing yet, and from my recent observations if the club disposed of the lot of them in January we'd not miss them. Lowe's best position is not full back either, he fills in there because Coyle picks him to play there and personally I'd rather see Ben Marshall at RB. Whilst Lowe has lots of critics is there anyone on here who watches the team regularly who would rather see Adam Henley replace him? I suggest that you watch the team live more often Amarillo as commenting on the basis of other people's opinion is rather shaky isn't it?

Williams has been here long enough for me to see he's better than Lowe. Solid yet unspectacular. Brown hasn't even played a game! How do we know if he's poorer than Lowe? I'd be willing to bet a guy that's played Premier League football for the best part of 20 years will be a better player than Lowe, despite his age.

I couldn't say because I haven't seen Wes Brown in order to form accurate judgement but if that is the case then your argument is with Coyle.

Williams is ponderous and is playing at least a division too high imo.

[Amo]

You don't think a player who consistently starts and consistently under-performs shouldn't warrant singling out?

There have been players in the past who have come under unfair criticism. Lowe isn't one of them.

[donnermeat]

What is Lowe's best position then? It certainly isn't centre midfield from what I've seen of him anyway. I've seen many a team waltz through while he's been in there, just as you saw with Evans and Guthrie against Bristol, but for me at least they can move the ball efficiently. For what it's worth I think that going forward, the partnership of Guthrie and Evans isn't going to be good enough (the legs just aren't there) but as it stands there is no better alternative.

I definitely wouldn't want Henley to replace Lowe at full back. Henley is the worst player at the club.

[Jimmy612]

I understand your point but some bad comparisons there and as said the main ire directed at Lowe stems from his consistent automatic selection that stretches back years now.

Decent response but again your ire has to be directed at successive managers who have selected him. Lowe cannot pick himsel;f can he? Anybody knows better how to judge a player than our last half dozen or so managers then they had better apply for the Ewood job. It can't be long off.

Got to go now the M6 / M1 awaits.

[donnermeat]

Automatic picks Amarillo? Any two of the last three for starters along with 2 of the first 4 with the other two figuring regularly as substututes. Mulgrew might come good in the right formation, Byrne comes with good press but has shown nothing yet, and from my recent observations if the club disposed of the lot of them in January we'd not miss them. Lowe's best position is not full back either, he fills in there because Coyle picks him to play there and personally I'd rather see Ben Marshall at RB. Whilst Lowe has lots of critics is there anyone on here who watches the team regularly who would rather see Adam Henley replace him? I suggest that you watch the team live more often Amarillo as commenting on the basis of other people's opinion is rather shaky isn't it?

I couldn't say because I haven't seen Wes Brown in order to form accurate judgement but if that is the case then your argument is with Coyle.

Williams is ponderous and is playing at least a division too high imo.

My argument isn't with Coyle, I have no argument, you put him in your list of poorer players than Lowe. I just commented on why Brown shouldn't be on that list.

[Jimmy612]

.

I definitely wouldn't want Henley to replace Lowe at full back. Henley is the worst player at the club.

If Coyle has decided that he wants Marshall further forward then that is currently your only real option then isn't it?

[JHRover]

Its interesting that those players signed first in the summer shortly after Coyle's arrival - Stokes, Feeney, Byrne, Hendrie and even Graham - have found themselves at best on the fringes of the team in recent weeks. Admittedly in the case of Stokes and Graham this seems more to do with injuries than form, however even when both are fully fit I can't see them getting in the team ahead of Emnes and Gallagher.

It appears that this summers transfer window was a complete botch job (unless the priority is/was the £10 million for Hanley and Duffy). For whatever reason those players recruited soon after Coyle's arrival have been deemed not good enough and have subsequently been replaced themselves. Hendrie clearly not good enough. Byrne now sidelined. Feeney limited to 10 minute cameos at best. Stokes not featured for the first team in goodness knows how long.

For some reason Cheston thinks the club/owners deserve credit for recruiting players, as though there was ever any choice in the matter, yet from where I'm sitting I'm really struggling to understand how the transfer business conducted can be hailed as a success. Granted 3 or 4 of the later signings, only brought in at the 11th hour with the Duffy money, have made a positive difference to the team. Williams, Hoban, Emnes and Gallagher have helped significantly, the problem is that of those only Williams is our player. However the others - Hendrie, Stokes, Byrne, Samuelson, Feeney - have delivered next to nothing to the cause and at this point all have to be labelled as poor or pointless signings. Mulgrew is a little too early in the day to judge given his fitness issues and lack of pre-season but the fact he was given a 3 year contract is highly alarming and also suspicious. As for Wes Brown, if he so much as makes an appearance for the first team this season I'll be astonished.

[donnermeat]

If Coyle has decided that he wants Marshall further forward then that is currently your only real option then isn't it?

It is yes, I haven't said otherwise though.