Carabao Cup

[tomphil]

1 hour ago, arbitro said:

Winning is the most important thing in every game. Dig below that though and we did look really susceptible at the back particularly in the first half when Raya made a couple of smart saves. I am far from convinced by three at the back. One of the main differences between Saturday and last night was the width we had going forward. The passing was a lot better than at Southend. Mulgrew hurt himself early on and carried on for much of the game although he went straight down the tunnel when he was substituted for treatment.

Coventry were decent but the third goal killed them off and spared us the agony of extra time for what was a road work Laden drive home.

3 at the back in away games in the league is very much a no no from me it just doesn't suit these players. All at sea when Cov attacked at times from highlights I've seen although they gradually got to grips with it but in a league game with more robust opponents we could have been 2 or 3 down again.

Great attacking effort and the football flowed at times but just as Southend presented a challenge we maybe didn't need on opening day Coventry are the opposite, just the type of team you need to be playing away in the cup to get the season underway.

Edited August 9, 2017 by tomphil

[tomphil]

10 hours ago, Tom said:

Mulgrew is such a classy player but I've never seen him play a game at the back and not get caught out, he should be in front of the back four but not sure we can accommodate him there or have anyone else to play at the back!

Noticed that when he first came he's a bit of a ball watcher too casual at times although I put that down to the championship settling in period for him but maybe not. We desperately need some win the ball first ask questions later type defenders we are so lead footed at the back, it'll keep proving costly. We are going to end up needing to score 3 or 4 to win games again !

[Bigdoggsteel]

6 minutes ago, tomphil said:

Noticed that when he first came he's a bit of a ball watcher too casual at times although I put that down to the championship settling in period for him but maybe not. We desperately need some win the ball first ask questions later type defenders we are so lead footed at the back, it'll keep proving costly. We are going to end up needing to score 3 or 4 to win games again !

Mulgrew is interesting. My worry is his ability lets him think he can coast through certain games. He is an international centre half and has looked good in games I have seen him play in V England and Germany. He just needs to get motivated and focus on every game... 

[philipl]

I hadn't released until just now that the reindeer cup is the new name for the League Cup.

So last night's match actually mattered.

Good job we won then.

 

 

[tomphil]

58 minutes ago, Bigdoggsteel said:

Mulgrew is interesting. My worry is his ability lets him think he can coast through certain games. He is an international centre half and has looked good in games I have seen him play in V England and Germany. He just needs to get motivated and focus on every game... 

Yes no doubting he's a cultured player more of a thinking defender than blood and thunder so get a couple of those types around him and he'll be fine. I don't think he lacks the motivation it's just the type of player he is, slightly laid back.

[oldjamfan1]

1 hour ago, philipl said:

I hadn't released until just now that the reindeer cup is the new name for the League Cup.

So last night's match actually mattered.

Good job we won then.

 

 

Same here Philip - I had thought it was the 'Johnstone Paints' equivalent last night........

[scotchrover]

12 minutes ago, oldjamfan1 said:

Same here Philip - I had thought it was the 'Johnstone Paints' equivalent last night........

I thought it was too! We played very well last night though, after a shaky start. As soon as their equaliser went in, I did wonder whether a repeat of Southend was on the cards, but after we got our noses back in front, we were a joy to watch and should have scored far more than we did. We were a lot more physical last night too, which shows we've learnt from Saturday.

Looking at those who caught my eye last night: 

Caddis- excellent going forward, providing a real threat down the wing and solid defensively. He needs to start on Saturday.

Raya- excellent saves again, before our second went on. If he sorts his kicking out, he'll go in January for big money.

Ward- clumsy again and probably would have been moved on now if the options had been there, in the window.

Chapman- looks dangerous with the pace he's got, which many backlines in League 1 will struggle with. He's another who needs to start.

Gladwin- looks good technically, and didn't mind getting stuck in when he came on. He might be a better player than Evans, but it's hard to judge based on 2 games.

Overall- well worth the money I spent going down there, and well done Tony Mowbray for picking a strong 11. He obviously recognises the need for them to have the match time together, in order the jel. I just hope we can transfer the majority of that performance to our first home game, on Saturday. 

[Leonard Venkhater]

16 hours ago, bob fleming said:

Got to love this on Twitter! From @ninjathunder

"Absolutely bloody typical. #Rovers on the verge of a rare away victory and @realDonaldTrump threatens the apocalypse"

I absolutely love that.

Unfortunately, I am on record for a dismissive comment about the Tiananmen Square students the morning after Selhurst '89.

Any time I get on any kind of political high horse, my family love to remind me.

[bob fleming]

37 minutes ago, Leonard Venkhater said:

Unfortunately, I am on record for a dismissive comment about the Tiananmen Square students the morning after Selhurst '89.

What a truly historic moment that was. Etched in my mind, and in the minds of everyone who saw it, forever. Chilling stuff. Bloody Courtney.

[Leonard Venkhater]

14 minutes ago, bob fleming said:

What a truly historic moment that was. Etched in my mind, and in the minds of everyone who saw it, forever. Chilling stuff. Bloody Courtney.

And the student protesters?

[Dreams of 1995]

Is there anybody that still thinks Ward is good enough?

[bob fleming]

Just now, Leonard Venkhater said:

And the student protesters?

You mean that fella in front of the tank? He had it easy. I bet they weren't playing Glad All Over to him at a million decibels were they?

[Gav]

5 minutes ago, Leonard Venkhater said:

And the student protesters?

Tax dodgers. 

[Leonard Venkhater]

What a great win.

I saw this on a Sky blue blog. Wonderful to read:

Unfortunately they were left a little punch drunk against Mowbray’s death-by-passing. To be fair, I’m being needlessly critical of Blackburn’s approach there – they controlled the match and also made plenty of incisive passes, catching us on the break countless times. All good for them and their possession stats; a bloody hard night’s work for us.

[Gav]

2 minutes ago, Dreams of 1995 said:

Is there anybody that still thinks Ward is good enough?

I thought Ashley Ward gave 110% every game, you can't ask more than that.

The fact he was useless shouldn't come into it, if the manager picks him and he gives his all thats all you can ask.

That penalty at The Valley was a stonewaller 

 

[Commondore]

20 hours ago, blueboy3333 said:

  Summat like this:-                        

                                Raya

                  Nyambe Ward Mulgrew

      Caddis     Smallwood   Evans    Williams

              Feeney                   Bennett

                              Samuel      

I honestly believe this is the formation we should focus on going forward, wouldn't mind us defending our way to promotion one bit. 

[Pedro]

4 hours ago, philipl said:

I hadn't released until just now that the reindeer cup is the new name for the League Cup.

So last night's match actually mattered.

Good job we won then.

 

 

I didn't realise until yesterday either. 

[GreenRover]

Just saw the highlights there. Feeney was involved in everything on the highlights. Looks like he played well. Could he be pushing for start at the weekend? 

[Give 'Em the Axe]

Yep. Happy with that. A win is a win and it's nice to progress in the League Cup. Rare for us in recent years. Good that Samuel is off the mark, too. He looked gash against Southend (to be fair, most of 'em did), hopefully the goal will be a jolt of confidence for the fella.

Back to real business on Saturday...knock wood Charlie M will be ready for that.

Delighted to read that Caddis played well. Pushing for a start, surely?

[jim mk2]

1 hour ago, Leonard Venkhater said:

What a great win.

I saw this on a Sky blue blog. Wonderful to read:

Unfortunately they were left a little punch drunk against Mowbray’s death-by-passing. To be fair, I’m being needlessly critical of Blackburn’s approach there – they controlled the match and also made plenty of incisive passes, catching us on the break countless times. All good for them and their possession stats; a bloody hard night’s work for us.

 

This worries me. A passing game rarely wins promotion out of the lower divisions. We need a  strong, physical team in which every player knows his job and plays to a fixed formation every week, usually a 4-4-2. Mowbray likes to tinker with his teams too much, which serves only to confuse players. A"passing" team can also be bullied and harried out of possession when the going gets tough - do we have the players who can do that too ? 

[Give 'Em the Axe]

1 minute ago, jim mk2 said:

 

A"passing" team can also be bullied and harried out of possession when the going gets tough - do we have the players who can do that too ?

That's major concern alright. They looked like a pile of nutless wonders last Saturday. Bennett aside, there was almost a complete lack of venom and physicality when out-of-possession or on 50/50s. The team needs a few billy-bollockses for dealing out the roughness.

[broadsword]

4 hours ago, Gav said:

Tax dodgers. 

Tank dodgers? 

[Husky]

5 hours ago, bob fleming said:

What a truly historic moment that was. Etched in my mind, and in the minds of everyone who saw it, forever. Chilling stuff. Bloody Courtney.

But I thought we were '3rd division fodder' before Jack?

[bob fleming]

51 minutes ago, Husky said:

But I thought we were '3rd division fodder' before Jack?

To be very clear, I've never said that Husky. It's absolute bollokcs

[gumboots]

I thought that word was banned