[Archived] Rovers V Reading

[Mercer]

Just two days before the match and no thread - says it all, as do our plummeting attendances with a 'real' gate of just over 7,000 against Brighton being flagged by Preston Blue (alleged by his sources) on this MB.

In 50+ years watching Rovers, I have never known our fan base to be so disaffected with seemingly almost zero confidence in both the manager and captain.

We've lost our last two games and looking at our next eight league fixtures, I think there's a real danger we could lose the lot, unless there is a dramatic change in management, to make it 10 losses on the trot.

Reading will be tough and after losing at Leeds in midweek, they will be looking to bounce right back. Struggling to see Rovers taking anything from this fixture.

[1arC]

The bookies have us favourites for this and have Reading at 9/5. I have no idea why unless someone knows something we don't. I am considering a largish bet, to make me feel better when the inevitable happens.

[JHRover]

I suppose Reading have lost their last 2 away games without scoring, including a 5-0 hammering at Fulham, but that's about it.

[LDRover]

Both teams to score is as close to a cert as you can get on this game

[1arC]

I have a cunning plan for this. Sky bet have Reading at 9/5 and the draw at 23/10. Using £5 as an example, back Reading to win which would return a profit of £9. cover that with £2.20 on the draw which would return a profit of £5.06 (Your stake back). So reading win means you are £6.80 up and a draw means we have a point and you break even. A Rovers win is worth £7.20 of any ones money. Multiply by 2, 10, 100 or 1,000 if you are brave or leave alone if you fancy a Rovers win and don't want to pay for it.

[1arC]

Both teams to score is 8/11

[tomphil]

I have a cunning plan for this. Sky bet have Reading at 9/5 and the draw at 23/10. Using £5 as an example, back Reading to win which would return a profit of £9. cover that with £2.20 on the draw which would return a profit of £5.06 (Your stake back). So reading win means you are £6.80 up and a draw means we have a point and you break even. A Rovers win is worth £7.20 of any ones money. Multiply by 2, 10, 100 or 1,000 if you are brave or leave alone if you fancy a Rovers win and don't want to pay for it.

I would imagine there is a screen in an office in India that flashes this kind of thing up before, during and after every game. The stakes might be a big bigger though. Just saying...........

Anyway i think this will be the 1 win in roughly every 5 type thing we've seen over the past couple of years that maintains our below average standards but just keeps the heads above water when combined with a few draws. A draw is pretty useless but looking at both teams form recently it's what you'd put the smart money on.

Think we'll nick it though thanks to Mr Gallaghers fine scoring form, goals seem to be a problem for Reading at times.

Rovers 2 Reading 1

Won't be many biscuit men so the tenner tickets might see the stated crowd just over 10k

Real crowd 8 thousand.

[cesus]

Evans and Guthrie struggling to be fit for this one. Obviously no Hoban, Ward, Greer or Mulgrew. (From the LT). Not only are we now struggling to fill centre back we now can't fill central midfield, not that we have had a competent central midfield for 4 years+. How utterly depressing it is to be a fan of this club, truly heart breaking we can't even get a semi competent team onto the pitch.

[Amo]

Evans and Guthrie struggling to be fit for this one.

Thank god Lowe will make it.

[tomphil]

Sick note Brown should be perfectly comfy slotted in besides Lenihen after all that's why they gave him a contract isn't it ????

[AggyBlue]

Evans went straight down the tunnel when he came off on Tuesday night, I thought he might be injured.

Sick note Brown should be perfectly comfy slotted in besides Lenihen after all that's why they gave him a contract isn't it ????

Nyambe can cover central defence. I would prefer him to Brown any day.

[JHRover]

Evans and Guthrie struggling to be fit for this one. Obviously no Hoban, Ward, Greer or Mulgrew. (From the LT). Not only are we now struggling to fill centre back we now can't fill central midfield, not that we have had a competent central midfield for 4 years+. How utterly depressing it is to be a fan of this club, truly heart breaking we can't even get a semi competent team onto the pitch.

Lets be honest though, many of us saw this problem coming back in July when we had about 11 contracted players at the club. Allowing a mass exodus along with another batch of big money sales with no intention of spending or reinvesting was only ever going to result in problems we are now seeing.

The Championship is a tough, relentless league that requires a squad of fit players who can be relied upon to perform 2/3 times a week for 90 minutes. Our squad isn't big enough and hasn't been since the summer. I was banging the drum for more signings time and time again as it was obvious when the winter months and hectic schedule came that injuries and suspensions would hit us hard.

Infact, I'm surprised we haven't suffered more, as so far we've only really struggled in central defence. The solution to allowing Duffy and Hanley to go, two fit and dependable players at a good age, was to replace them with two 36 year olds in Greer and Brown, one of which we're expected to accept still isn't match fit having been with the club for 6 months.

We got lucky in some ways that Lenihan has been able to step into CB and perform there to a good level, because there clearly wasn't a plan for him to do that prior to the injuries mounting.

People like Guthrie, Mulgew, Stokes, Ward and Brown have been injury prone and spent the majority of the last few seasons in the treatment room. Anyone who researched their backgrounds over the last 2-3 seasons would see that. When fit and firing Guthrie, Mulgrew and Stokes can all do a job in this league, but not for 90 minutes 3 times a week.

Hoban was sent here from Watford to get fit because injuries had kept him out of contention at their place, so unfortunate as it was it really wasn't a surprise to see him get injured.

Danny Graham and Marvin Emnes both look like they struggle to perform for 90 minutes and that was unlikely to change at their age.

Of course there is a solution to the defensive problem - give Scott Wharton a chance. Yet again, for non-footballing reasons, I fully expect him to be kept out of contention on Saturday.

[RevidgeBlue]

The bookies have us favourites for this and have Reading at 9/5. I have no idea why unless someone knows something we don't. I am considering a largish bet, to make me feel better when the inevitable happens.

They must have spotted that mercer expects us to struggle.

[Stuart]

Thank god Lowe will make it.

Is Lowe not suspended? He seemed might upset at getting a yellow card on Tuesday.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

The worst Rovers side I have seen in my lifetime..I have neither confidence or belief in them.

How sad is this.

[bazza]

The worst Rovers side I have seen in my lifetime..I have neither confidence or belief in them.

How sad is this.

Same with me. And some of my Rovers mates cannot understand why I am so despondent.

I felt down before going on Tuesday. I felt miserable throughout the game. I left Ewood with no hope for the future.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

The worst Rovers side I have seen in my lifetime..I have neither confidence or belief in them.

How sad is this.

Me too. Another defeat by one goal.

[chaddyrovers]

My team would be

Raya Marshall Lenihan Wharton Williams Mahoney Byrne Akpan Conway Gallagher Graham

Subs:- Steele Nyambe Lowe Bennett Tomlinson Stokes Emnes

Going for 3-2 Rovers win

The team I expect Coyle to pick

Steele Marshall Lenihan Wharton Williams Feeney Lowe Akpan Conway Gallagher Graham

[J*B]

I still find it hard to fathom that Akpan is a genuine footballer and plays for my club.

[davulsukur]

A defeat.

Either 2-1 or 3-2. More likely 3-2

[tomphil]

Is Lowe not suspended? He seemed might upset at getting a yellow card on Tuesday.

One booking away i think which will surely come Sat

[roverandout]

Jaap stamp has proven u don't need experience to be a good coach, coyle has been in coaching for years and is still @#/?

[tomphil]

Evans went straight down the tunnel when he came off on Tuesday night, I thought he might be injured.

Nyambe can cover central defence. I would prefer him to Brown any day.

You'd think it would be best to put Wharton in next to Darragh with Akpan going in the center then just go long down the channels all afternoon. No point expecting anything from midfield so go big Sam style and keep it in the air and away from the opposition.

Nyambe as cover from the bench as no doubt Brown will be injured after visiting the hospital today handing out gifts.

[frosty]

The team I expect Coyle to pick

Steele Marshall Lenihan Wharton Williams Feeney Lowe Akpan Conway Gallagher

Only 10 players there, though there's more chance of us starting with 10 than picking Wharton. New contract and a pay rise if he plays again, and all that.

[JHRover]

I can picture Coyle and Cheston sat in a room all morning wondering what to do next with the Wharton situation. There's no way they'll let him play, so they're going to have to come up with an alternative plan to resolve the defensive crisis without calling in Wharton and without raising too much suspicion.

Step forward Jason Lowe, who once played at CB at Wigan, to fill the void, and leave summer signing Wes Brown on the bench and then Coyle can sit on the bench with his fingers crossed that things will work themselves out and he won't need to use Brown.