[Archived] News - Rovers Ready For Relegation Showdown

[Kamy100]

Ahead of the season finale at Brentford, Rovers manager Tony Mowbray has said that his squad will be “fully ready and prepared for Brentford”.  Rovers head into the final match of the season facing a final day relegation battle with Nottingham Forest and Birmingham City.

Talking to the Lancashire Telegraph Mowbray said “We will be fully ready and prepared for Brentford,  We are at least taking it to the last day.  The worst case scenario on Saturday was that we lost, everyone else won, and it was finished, it would have been a terrible week.  We now have this week to really build it up, get the players at their peak and maximum fitness, mentality and quality and really build up to this game as a cup final.”

Brentford’s recent home form has been very good having win their last 4 homes games which included impressive wins against Derby (4-0) and play off hopeful Leeds (2-0).  Mowbray knows that even a victory might not be enough but he wants his team to win and put the pressure on their relegation rivals “If we go to Brentford and win, it might not be enough, but we have to put that doubt in everyone’s mind.

“I believe quite strongly in this group of players and that we can go there and make life really difficult for a team who are strong at home.

“But recently we have won at Nottingham Forest, been to Wolves and drew 0-0, so we will go to Brentford looking to keep things tight, nick a goal, and hopefully win the match.”

Rovers announced yesterday that they had sold out of their initial 1600 allocation for the game.  The game will kick on at 12pm on Sunday and will be televised live on Sky Sports Mix.

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[SIMON GARNERS 194]

The only thing we have been ready for all season is relegation,the fact that we are in this God awful situation fills me with sadness and anger in equal amounts.

The whole club is a clusterfcuk.

[MCMC1875]

56 minutes ago, SIMON GARNERS 194 said:

The only thing we have been ready for all season is relegation,the fact that we are in this God awful situation fills me with sadness and anger in equal amounts.

The whole club is a clusterfcuk.

I had a look at the Rovers 2009 squad this morning.

What a bloody long way we've fallen.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Just now, MCMC1875 said:

I had a look at the Rovers 2009 squad this morning.

What a bloody long way we've fallen.

But still there are those who will except our dire situation with a shrug of the shoulders and a look at the floor.

NOTHING this lot have done to us on and off the field of play is acceptable.

[broadsword]

Can't wait to get this over with

[Mattyblue]

What really frustrates me with all this (well, there's a million and one things, but anyway) is that even now, despite the rapid decline of the club on and off the pitch, despite the pain of the past 6 years, despite the fact it was all so unnecessary, is that Venky's have constantly been given the opportunity to turn things around, yet they haven't taken it EVERY single time.

Saturday being a prime example, yes the tickets were cheaper, but 15,500 Rovers fans turned up, after a season that could only be described as a farce. Fans are still willing to be part of something- the false dawn of Lambert, the 2013/14 period and so on. There is still so much to be envied at Blackburn Rovers- the training ground, Ewood Park, the Academy. Everything is here to make this a normal club again- we are not (yet) Brighton c2003 stuck at an athletic track or Coventry somehow tenants to a London rugby club.

Yet, every year that goes by drags us closer to it, just a slow motion car crash and we can't do anything to stop it.

[Athlete]

12 hours ago, Kamy100 said:

 

“But recently we have won at Nottingham Forest, been to Wolves and drew 0-0, so we will go to Brentford looking to keep things tight, nick a goal, and hopefully win the match.”

 

keep it tight  and Nick a goal FFS...if we'd of gone for jugular and nicked a few more on Saturday against a lacklustre Villa who had one foot in Marbella we'd of been out the bottom three....we need goals as 1-o win highly likely won't be enougth yet some fans are happy with Mowbray if he'd not been so negative of recent we'd be safe the Wolves away and Bristol at home come to mind

[Stuart]

Just now, Athlete said:

keep it tight  and Nick a goal FFS...if we'd of gone for jugular and nicked a few more on Saturday against a lacklustre Villa who had one foot in Marbella we'd of been out the bottom three....we need goals as 1-o win highly likely won't be enougth yet some fans are happy with Mowbray if he'd not been so negative of recent we'd be safe the Wolves away and Bristol at home come to mind

If Mowbray wins he will be able to hold his head up and say we did our jobs but we can't control other teams' results.

The fact is that an emphatic win would see us safe but how likely is that. A win could see us safe and a draw might possibly see us safe. He's playing the odds or talking a good game in public.

Personally I don't fancy Ipswich to win away at Forest so that rules out a Rovers draw in my mind. I do fancy Bristol to beat Birmingham. Maybe Mowbray does too.

Worst case scenario is that all of the games are tight with Forest 0-0 and us and Brum both winning 1-0 with 10 minutes left. Can we afford to hang on to one goal and not go for a second?

What do you do, hotshot? What do you do?

[Rover_Shaun]

Blah blah blag. Shut your gob Mowbray and grow a pair

[A cup of beans]

1 hour ago, Athlete said:

keep it tight  and Nick a goal FFS...if we'd of gone for jugular and nicked a few more on Saturday against a lacklustre Villa who had one foot in Marbella we'd of been out the bottom three....we need goals as 1-o win highly likely won't be enougth yet some fans are happy with Mowbray if he'd not been so negative of recent we'd be safe the Wolves away and Bristol at home come to mind

I kind of agree, In reference to the Villa game. But I can understand TMs thinking.

One sucker punch, one mistake or fluke and we'dve been down already.

He doesn't trust this rabble of a squad and neither would I, in his position.

We've been in the bottom 3 all season, haven't we?

 

 

[RevidgeBlue]

1 hour ago, Stuart said:

If Mowbray wins he will be able to hold his head up and say we did our jobs but we can't control other teams' results.

The fact is that an emphatic win would see us safe but how likely is that. A win could see us safe and a draw might possibly see us safe. He's playing the odds or talking a good game in public.

Personally I don't fancy Ipswich to win away at Forest so that rules out a Rovers draw in my mind. I do fancy Bristol to beat Birmingham. Maybe Mowbray does too.

Worst case scenario is that all of the games are tight with Forest 0-0 and us and Brum both winning 1-0 with 10 minutes left. Can we afford to hang on to one goal and not go for a second?

What do you do, hotshot? What do you do?

The way Mowbray is talking is as if We're operating in a weird parallel universe whereby the League table is completely irrelevant or as if it's the early part of the season when a draw at Brentford would be a good result in isolation.

We're the ones still in the bottom 3 with 90 minutes to go. We're the ones who have to try and seize the initiative and pass the other two. We can't be passive hoping the other two slip up.

Of course TM could be trying to throw a complete curveball and might be trying to lull Brentford into a false sense of security and we might batter them from the I doubt it however as the grind it out and try and Nick a goal approach seems to be the way he approaches every game even if it isn't what is required.

The approach should not be "We'll try and keep it tight and Nick one." It should be "We must win and if necessary be prepared to go out and try to score 3 or 4 goals,"

Does anyone think Brum and Forest will take the same approach? They'd be more entitled to take it than us but would still look pretty bloody silly if they played for a draw and we sneaked past them at the last minute.

[not exactly Scarface]

Thought this was a good time to sign up, not a Rovers fan as you may observe but in all sincerity hope the club can stay up on the final weekend that is almost upon us.     Let it be said that I for one am fiercely against Mick McCarthy and have been for some considerable time, and as you may imagine a great many of us have now reached a similar conclusion.    Can't wait for that (not sure if you're allowed to swear of here), to just pack up leave and find another club side to ruin and stagnate, he's already put us back two or three seasons since he arrived.   Say it again have really lost patience with that fool and just waiting now for him to decide to quit.   It won't bring back two or three years of considerable damage that he has inflicted upon us but a new start has to begin somewhere.

This league is bizarre and can throw many surprises so don't worry too much about Sunday.    Just focus on what you have to do and we'll try to take care of Forest and provide a helping hand.   Our opposition will be fearful on the day and make mistakes that we can take advantage of, but forewarned is forearmed, McCarthy won't be breaking his back to get three points from it.    Just hope that some of the players show some effort but expect a few of the kids will get a run out, shouldn't be many first team names for a game that is for us ultimately irrelevant,

But once again realise there's a lot riding on it for other teams so it should an afternoon of some drama for all involved.    Thanks so much.

[RevidgeBlue]

Just now, not exactly Scarface said:

Thought this was a good time to sign up, not a Rovers fan as you may observe but in all sincerity hope the club can stay up on the final weekend that is almost upon us.     Let it be said that I for one am fiercely against Mick McCarthy and have been for some considerable time, and as you may imagine a great many of us have now reached a similar conclusion.    Can't wait for that (not sure if you're allowed to swear of here), to just pack up leave and find another club side to ruin and stagnate, he's already put us back two or three seasons since he arrived.   Say it again have really lost patience with that fool and just waiting now for him to decide to quit.   It won't bring back two or three years of considerable damage that he has inflicted upon us but a new start has to begin somewhere.

This league is bizarre and can throw many surprises so don't worry too much about Sunday.    Just focus on what you have to do and we'll try to take care of Forest and provide a helping hand.   Our opposition will be fearful on the day and make mistakes that we can take advantage of, but forewarned is forearmed, McCarthy won't be breaking his back to get three points from it.    Just hope that some of the players show some effort but expect a few of the kids will get a run out, shouldn't be many first team names for a game that is for us ultimately irrelevant,

But once again realise there's a lot riding on it for other teams so it should an afternoon of some drama for all involved.    Thanks so much.

Thanks for your post. I'm no fan of McCarthy either these days but I think he is generally very well regarded on here.

Needless to say everyone on here will be rooting for you on Sunday. A 3-0 win for you allowing us the luxury of a 1-0 defeat would be just the ticket!

Good Luck.

[Stuart]

4 hours ago, not exactly Scarface said:

Thought this was a good time to sign up, not a Rovers fan as you may observe but in all sincerity hope the club can stay up on the final weekend that is almost upon us.     Let it be said that I for one am fiercely against Mick McCarthy and have been for some considerable time, and as you may imagine a great many of us have now reached a similar conclusion.    Can't wait for that (not sure if you're allowed to swear of here), to just pack up leave and find another club side to ruin and stagnate, he's already put us back two or three seasons since he arrived.   Say it again have really lost patience with that fool and just waiting now for him to decide to quit.   It won't bring back two or three years of considerable damage that he has inflicted upon us but a new start has to begin somewhere.

This league is bizarre and can throw many surprises so don't worry too much about Sunday.    Just focus on what you have to do and we'll try to take care of Forest and provide a helping hand.   Our opposition will be fearful on the day and make mistakes that we can take advantage of, but forewarned is forearmed, McCarthy won't be breaking his back to get three points from it.    Just hope that some of the players show some effort but expect a few of the kids will get a run out, shouldn't be many first team names for a game that is for us ultimately irrelevant,

But once again realise there's a lot riding on it for other teams so it should an afternoon of some drama for all involved.    Thanks so much.

Every fans looks at their own club differently.

But to call what McCarthy has done at Ipswich 'considerable damage' - on a Rovers messageboard - shows just how out of touch fans are with other clubs aside from their own. With a sound footing at Ipswich, and some funds, McCarthy could easily have a decent season next season.

Clubs like Rovers, Forest, Blackpool, Portsmouth, Coventry,  and a few others have had 'considerable damage' done to them, and in each case it's damningly obvious that it's down to the owners being utterly clueless about running clubs (not that the footballing authorities give a @#/?) - but again, come back to us when you have had a Steve Kean or an Owen Coyle do 'considerable damage'.

Maybe I'm being a tad harsh because we have been utterly destroyed as a club, a team and as a fanbase but it's hard to feel sympathy when a midtable town club with a respected, experienced manager in charge is something we'd be grateful of at this point. As you said, this is a funny division and Ipswich's fortunes could flip 180 degrees next season. Rovers' won't.

I'll pop this here - although I don't agree with every word (and have no sympathy for Coyle) it does keep us in the public eye.

https://www.facebook.com/5liveSport/videos/1352713604821201/

[davulsukur]

I was just about to post the same thing.

Sutton at least realises that we are more likely to go into league 2 than come back up.

Quote

Sutton, who was on the panel for BBC Radio 5 Live Wednesday Night Club, said: “It isn’t a surprise what’s going on at Blackburn - if it’s not this season, it will be next season.

“There’s a better chance of them going down to League Two than there is of them bouncing straight back up.

“The club is in a complete mess and it is solely down to [owners] the Venky’s.”

 

[Mattyblue]

Though at a lower level and without the glamour of the Premier League, Ipswich fans with McCarthy remind me of what I often used to hear about Allardyce.

No money to spend, yet safely mid table just wasn't good enough.

[Bigdoggsteel]

I am just happy that come the end of this weekend, at least we will know where we stand. This season has been a miserable one as a supporter. 

Regardless of what happens I believe the fans need to unite more than ever against the owners. 

[davulsukur]

I'm almost to the point where I think "I can't wait for this season to end, whatever happens, happens"

And then, I think how seriously damaging being in League One for us would be and I think "oh, S**t!, lets not end the season just yet!"

[roverandout]

I cant wait till venkys feck off

[AllRoverAsia]

20 minutes ago, roverandout said:

I cant wait till venkys feck off

Seconded

[Ricky]

If we're serious about having a team of writers on here it's probably worth making sure the articles are proof read first.

The game will 'kick on' at 12:00 Sunday and Brentford have 'win' their last four home games.

[JohnD]

It's very difficult, nigh on impossible, to proof read your own work but I agree it must be done.

Amateurish without it.