[Archived] Rovers V Brighton

[Stuart]

I chose to disagree with your view I'm doing more harm than good. My take on this is to ignore the attitude some take towards supporters who still attend - that's not a poke at you I simply can't be bothered with the endless repetitive discussion it generates.

Where I do take issue, and your use of the example negates your first point, is on recovery. From what I have read the Rangers support did not desert the club so helping to demonstrate the value in rescuing the club.

One issue we have at Ewood now is possibly 15,000 have gone probably never to return. This is immensely damaging to the club's prospects of rescue. Other than blind loyalty to the cause it's hard to see a reason for "investing" in Rovers.

I can see your point, Paul. The problem though is blame. Some people blame the stayaways for our circumstances and even our future prospects. The blame lies squarely with these useless owners and their minions.

One of the reasons I stuck it out when Kean was here was because I believed he would not be here forever. But it took protests to bring Shebby Singh into the fold - the catalyst for his downfall.

Although I've continued to attend, I can't claim it for noble reasons. Whilst I will join in with any protests - even to the division of my wider family - I attend because my lads want to go (probably much the same as you). I attend because it is guaranteed time with my family - even if we complain about on-field and off-field events, or share gallows humour. Yes, we could plan other things but unless I change teams (wtf!) or sports (I'm coming close) there is no other regimented 'fixture' around which we finish work early, drive twice round Blackburn and meet for.

I can't see when they will leave. There is no reason for them to still be here so there is equally no reason for them to leave. Is the money going to dry up for them (it can only be money)? I'm hoping beyond hope that - like Kean - there will be a sudden announcement out of the blue. The fact that Glen Mullan has gone radio silent is a source of either hope or concern. For now I'll continue to choose hope.

I'm the meantime, blaming stayaways for our prospects is going to do nothing more than alienate them further. They won't come back for Venkys, they won't come back for other fans. Most of whom they blame for NOT boycotting.

Right now we are destined for the exact same fate as Blackpool and it's hard to see it any other way. If Seneca or some other can show their hand then there is something positive for fans to get behind. Until then it's all very negative, whichever way you you at it.

[Paul]

Paul rangers attendance dropped to the 20s from the 40s especially when the IPO was raised and later on ended up in difficulty again and with the Easdales etc.

OK. Take the point as I wasn't aware of it. I still think though it will be tougher with only 6000 left and a population of 140,000 against Glasgow's 600,000 plus a huge catchment area.

[McClarky]

Just saw the goals. Another 2 from the midfield failing to close down. Recurring theme over 5 years with successive managers failing to address it. Lowe and Evans are certainly not the answer but we don't seem to have anyone who can plug that gap.

[Paul]

Stuart I agree with all you say, which is why I don't quote, other than blaming stayaways. As far as I'm concerned people can do as they wish. I was only pointing out that 15000 lost fans, and we have to acknowledge many will never return, will be impacting on the "saleability" of the club.

I've simply given up discussing it all as there is no chance of a consensus or reconciliation.

Venky's and their backers are to blame. No one else.

[Stuart]

Stuart I agree with all you say, which is why I don't quote, other than blaming stayaways. As far as I'm concerned people can do as they wish. I was only pointing out that 15000 lost fans, and we have to acknowledge many will never return, will be impacting on the "saleability" of the club.

I've simply given up discussing it all as there is no chance of a consensus or reconciliation.

Venky's and their backers are to blame. No one else.

Most have, Paul. I almost miss our arguments!

But this is now life for Rovers fans: apathy reigns.

Of all the sales and downgrading on the pitch, the biggest thing they have taken from us is our heart. Like a club after a disaster, but without any catharsis, or healing, are nowhere close to sense of rebuilding.

But how can you heal a wound that is still festering?

[koi]

Ha! genuinely forgot we were playing.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Just saw the goals. Another 2 from the midfield failing to close down. Recurring theme over 5 years with successive managers failing to address it. Lowe and Evans are certainly not the answer but we don't seem to have anyone who can plug that gap.

I've also been banging on about this for a while now. Under Lambert those sort of goals dried up somewhat. No team should allowing the opposition free shots from around the " D ". At this level you get punished.

[donnermeat]

Lowey gets another 90 mins.

What does he do well bar 5 year passes backwards?

He can't read the game or make an inception, he can't tackle, he can't pass forwards, He can't shoot and he can't run convincingly.

Can we please see him on the bench?

What gets me most about Lowe is he never takes the ball on the turn and gets his head up. It's one of the first things drilled into a centre midfielder but he takes it flat every time and picks the safe pass, potentially killing any momentum. He can barely control the ball properly and this guy is our captain. The one thing he does well is fill in for other players who are out of position. Blows my mind that this guy has made almost 200 appearances for Rovers.

That will be one of the easiest games Norwood and Stephens will ever play last night, against a powder puff midfield like ours.

Shocking performance across the board last night bar Lenihan. There was a couple of occasions when we had someone down the wing ready to put a ball in and, with three strikers on the pitch, none of them were breaking their neck to get into the box and of course our dynamic central midfield hardly ever got within 25 yards of our strike force all night, as per.

Indicative of the lackadaisical (putting it mildly) attitude that envelops our club right now, from top to bottom. The way in which we are 'run' filters down across all facets of the club, as you would expect it to really. Running a club in this way will only attract shysters and the wrong type of characters.

So I'm not even going to lay much blame at Coyle. Yes he should organise the defence a lot better but as pointed out on here recently, it's not something he's ever been able to do successfully. He's here because he's cheap and desperate, our players are here because they are freebies and rejects (plus offered 3 year deals in the case of Mulgrew and Stokes) and we have a puppet board (a skeleton one at that) that have no power and are only here to satisfy Football League requirements.

I don't know how much longer I can support and get behind this club with it's current structure. I have a season ticket but with my wife and 6 month old daughter at home whilst I'm at Rovers, it seems folly of me to attend.

I know I'm not the only one to feel like this obviously, it's just heartbreaking to see the club run like this.

Anyway I won't waste anymore of your time, rant over!

[Iceman]

didnt even know we were playing last night. Looks like i didnt miss much though, same @#/? as usual

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Just steeled myself to watch the " highlights ". Our body language is terrible. We look a beaten team all the time. The response to conceding appears to be a shrug of the shoulders and everybody looking into space. Our physicality is poor, we allowed ourselves to be bullied on occasions by smaller players in a home game.

That last goal was beyond a joke, I could have saved that. He got down like he was getting into bed.

The players look like they've already accepted relegation as a done deal.

[donnermeat]

And I'm sure there's still some great people at the club trying to do things and make things better. In fact I know there are.

The question is how much longer are they going to be here when we get relegated, wound down and minimalised even further?

[Gav]

No much on here about Duffy, he was always going to score, but how did he play?

[LDRover]

Which player was it who took the fresh air shot before Gallagher scored our 1st? It was comedy gold.

[Athlete]

And I'm sure there's still some great people at the club trying to do things and make things better. In fact I know there are.

The question is how much longer are they going to be here when we get relegated, wound down and minimalised even further?

Unfortunately that will probably happen..

Even the official crowd was the lowest for years.. The club is dying a slow death..

No much on here about Duffy, he was always going to score, but how did he play?

Decent game tbf even though he got a barracking from the darwen end

[Rover_Shaun]

Paul rangers attendance dropped to the 20s from the 40s especially when the IPO was raised and later on ended up in difficulty again and with the Easdales etc.

Your letting facts get in the way. Ignore the facts and blame those who have stopped going

[Lancaster Rover]

If you watch Lowe closely the way he positions himself to receive the ball is appalling, he squares himself on so he only really ever has the option of going backwards or at the very best sideways. Even when at right back he receives the ball flat, he should be controlling the ball and moving it forward in the same movement, yet he nearly always requires two touches before he can make a decision.

[JHRover]

Corry Evans has made 100 appearances for Rovers and scored 3 goals.

Jason Lowe has made 155 appearances for Rovers and scored 1 goal.

4 goals in 255 competitive games for two central midfielders. Something very, very wrong there.

[Lancaster Rover]

Yeah. they're both sh*t.

[perthblue02]

Well that your opinion. But not mine and also alot of people around me said the same as I posted.

Are these the same people that changed your mind about boycotting when Keoyle was appointed?

Serious question btw and not a dig

[JHRover]

We've currently got 2 players in the League's Top 10 goalscorers this season with Sam Gallagher on 9 and Danny Graham on 7.

The likes of Cardiff, Wigan and Wolves don't even have 1 player who has scored 6 or more. Assombalonga and Lansbury at Forest have 12 between them.

So yes, we've got problems, but I'm struggling to accept the theory that this side just isn't good enough. At least in some departments we have real Championship quality and some players in our ranks who are a lot better than our League position suggests. It's time the manager was taken to task for that.

It's no wonder Gallagher and Graham look fed up. They're good players for this level and are being dragged into relegation due to a manager that has no plan or tactical idea.

[johnradfordsubbuteo]

Happy Birthday Gordon Greer.I suggest he listens to Jilted John...

[Gav]

The sides not good enough JH, the managers not good enough, the coaching setup isn't good enough and the owners aren't good enough.

This is the worse side in most people's living memory and the league position reflects that.

You mention Danny Graham, a player that's gone missing for most of the season and as with Rhodes and Gestede we all know goals alone don't bring success.

This football club will never recover until Venkys sod off, its as simple as that.

[Lancaster Rover]

The side is massively unbalanced, that's the issue. We have quality in the forward line, in Conway and Marshall (when he plays there) we have competent if unspectacular wide men but both of championship quality. Williams is another steady championship player.

The problem lies in the centre of midfield, centre back and right back. The amount of goals that are coming from poor shape in midfield, not tracking runners, free headers at corners, centre backs getting dragged out of shape due to errors at right back. It's all basic stuff, our shape is as bad as I've seen for a professional football team, which considering we play a flat 4-4-2 is staggering.

[JHRover]

I accept that. What I'm trying to say is that Coyle is getting a free ride on the basis that he's got nothing to work with and better can't be expected. I think that (admittedly down to some of his own work in the transfer market) this squad is capable of more. Maybe not much more, but a manager that had the ability to organise a defence, with Emnes, Graham and Gallagher notching almost 20 between them so far this season, we'd have a very strong chance of survival rather than what we are doing, which is surrendering to relegation.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

If you watch Lowe closely the way he positions himself to receive the ball is appalling, he squares himself on so he only really ever has the option of going backwards or at the very best sideways. Even when at right back he receives the ball flat, he should be controlling the ball and moving it forward in the same movement, yet he nearly always requires two touches before he can make a decision.

It's almost the first thing you learn as a young player. Receive the ball sideways on, then you can move in three directions. Receive it square on and normally you can only move in one.