Smallwood signs

[JHRover]

52 minutes ago, Bigdoggsteel said:

He is definitely going to get another booking before the end of March, hopefully it doesn't mean he is suspended against a couple of tricky teams.. A strategic booking might not be the worst idea 

Different ways of looking at that. A deliberate booking in the last minute at Fleetwood would have seen him suspended for home games vs Northampton and Walsall. With due respect we should be more than capable of beating those sides with or without Smallwood and he would then be back fresh and clean slate for the Plymouth game which ought to be more difficult.

The other is that until we get Evans, Whittingham or Lenihan back we're on thin ice in central midfield and so it makes sense for him to 'hold off' until at least one of those are back to full fitness.

Times like these when the numerous bookings he has picked up this season need some scrutiny. Disgusting in my opinion the number of cheap immediate bookings he has collected on his first foul in games whilst others get away with murder.

[arbitro]

43 minutes ago, JHRover said:

Different ways of looking at that. A deliberate booking in the last minute at Fleetwood would have seen him suspended for home games vs Northampton and Walsall. With due respect we should be more than capable of beating those sides with or without Smallwood and he would then be back fresh and clean slate for the Plymouth game which ought to be more difficult.

The other is that until we get Evans, Whittingham or Lenihan back we're on thin ice in central midfield and so it makes sense for him to 'hold off' until at least one of those are back to full fitness.

Times like these when the numerous bookings he has picked up this season need some scrutiny. Disgusting in my opinion the number of cheap immediate bookings he has collected on his first foul in games whilst others get away with murder.

Another aspect might be that he isn't having to make as many challenges having another tackler alongside him who shares the load. Without trying to sound disrespectful pretty much all his partners aren't renowned for putting tackles in.

[Bigdoggsteel]

11 minutes ago, arbitro said:

Another aspect might be that he isn't having to make as many challenges having another tackler alongside him who shares the load. Without trying to sound disrespectful pretty much all his partners aren't renowned for putting tackles in.

Ya, good point 

Edited January 25, 2018 by Bigdoggsteel

[Mattyblue]

On 20/06/2017 at 16:54, jim mk2 said:

Poor man's Jason Lowe by all accounts. 

[benhben]

 You can't deny his commitment to Rovers. Love it. 

 

[SBlue]

Someone will be along in a minute to tell you that this is highly unprofessional, and that stag do behaviour by a player in full kit runs the risk of bringing the club into disrepute.

?

[Stuart]

Nice of him to invite Birdy.

[Oldgregg86]

I thought he had opened a day centre or something

[blueboy3333]

Lot of love for Richie from the Mogster.

I tried reading the thread but it was mainly Bigdogg picking fights. Quelle surprise. 

[old darwen blue]

I just have to keep replaying that just for the crowd reaction behind the goal. It was just like how the Blackburn End used to be like on the terraces. 

[blueboy3333]

6 hours ago, old darwen blue said:

I just have to keep replaying that just for the crowd reaction behind the goal. It was just like how the Blackburn End used to be like on the terraces. 

That goal was a highlight of last season. Replayed it many times myself. 

[Bigdoggsteel]

12 hours ago, blueboy3333 said:

Lot of love for Richie from the Mogster.

I tried reading the thread but it was mainly Bigdogg picking fights. Quelle surprise. 

What thread? Your link is to twitter

Standard sneaky little hidden dig from you. Are you finished with being a ladyboy? 

Edited August 22, 2018 by Bigdoggsteel

[SBlue]

50 consecutive league starts for Richie if he plays tonight.

Seems to be getting a few grumbles on here lately, but that's a decent achievement imo and testament to his reliability and importance in our overall turnaround over the last 12 months.

Like him to get another cracker tonight.

[Admiral Nelsen]

6 minutes ago, S8 & Blue said:

50 consecutive league starts for Richie if he plays tonight.

Seems to be getting a few grumbles on here lately, but that's a decent achievement imo and testament to his reliability and importance in our overall turnaround over the last 12 months.

Like him to get another cracker tonight.

Agree. Whilst the criticism doesn't come from the same place as it did for Jason Lowe for instance, I still think it's been a little unfair.

Ultimately, we've been beating teams in the midfield battle, apart from maybe a spell against Millwall. The attack is flowing pretty freely & the defence is looking pretty solid. Usually a sign that the engine room is doing it's job!

[DE.]

Smallwood was okay at League 1 level, sometimes very good, but it's pretty obvious he's not Championship quality. Evans looked much better last night when Smallwood was taken off the pitch, as did many others who were having to try and cover his mistakes. Time for a rethink from Mowbray. I appreciate his loyalty to players but when that comes at the expense of results and the performance of other team mates something has to be done.

[Bigdoggsteel]

Cook at Wigan unsentimentaly sent Max Power back to the league 1 with Sunderland. I wouldn't mind keeping Smallwood, but he clearly isn't a starter now. It's a good sign Mowbray acted at half time last night. 

[blueboy3333]

40 minutes ago, Bigdoggsteel said:

Cook at Wigan unsentimentaly sent Max Power back to the league 1 with Sunderland. I wouldn't mind keeping Smallwood, but he clearly isn't a starter now. It's a good sign Mowbray acted at half time last night. 

He's dragged him off before at HT and he's always played the next game. 

[Lancaster Rover]

It's hard to say what he will do on Saturday with the injuries sustained last night having an effect. Brentford are flying at the moment and I can see us setting up more defensively with a midfield of Evans, Smallwood, Rothwell and Bennett in there. Reading Tony's comments from last night's game it sounds like we won't be risking Dack and I can see Palmer starting on the bench.

[Al]

3 minutes ago, Lancaster Rover said:

It's hard to say what he will do on Saturday with the injuries sustained last night having an effect. Brentford are flying at the moment and I can see us setting up more defensively with a midfield of Evans, Smallwood, Rothwell and Bennett in there. Reading Tony's comments from last night's game it sounds like we won't be risking Dack and I can see Palmer starting on the bench.

If we don't play Dack and Palmer on Saturday and have no new bodies with attacking flair we will lose. Cast iron certainty. After the injuries last night the lack of class on the team was obvious and if it is not rectified before Saturday there is no chance against Brentford.

[Lancaster Rover]

I don't disagree, I'm merely giving an opinion on what I think Mowbray will do based on his comments.

[Bigdoggsteel]

24 minutes ago, blueboy3333 said:

He's dragged him off before at HT and he's always played the next game. 

Ya, but I think last night was the most noticeable that Smallwood was a bit all over the place. I wouldn't be against him getting his place back at some point, for now he needs to sit it out and get his shit together. Rothwell or Bennett are ideal replacements. Rothwell at home, Bennett away 

[JacknOry]

15 minutes ago, Lancaster Rover said:

It's hard to say what he will do on Saturday with the injuries sustained last night having an effect. Brentford are flying at the moment and I can see us setting up more defensively with a midfield of Evans, Smallwood, Rothwell and Bennett in there. Reading Tony's comments from last night's game it sounds like we won't be risking Dack and I can see Palmer starting on the bench.

I didnt see that about Dack for next game? I was actually surprised not to at least see him on the bench last night as just a few days ago TM said he was confident Dack would start against Reading. Is the knock worse than first thought?

[tomphil]

He's off the pace at the moment and probably needs withdrawing although someone made the point he's better suited to away games and us lying a bit deeper and counter attacking. I agree with this and have long felt it's an issue starting the same way at home with two deep lying defensive mids anyway, it's gone on way back through Bowyers time and to me it's often the root cause of so many poor first half displays from then to now even last season when we could've steamrolled a few sides but sat off and let them run games in the first half.

We've blamed Lowe/Evans now Richie quite rightly at times but that doesn't get away from the fact they are defensive mids who sit there waiting for teams to come at us to break play up. When you have two in every time you end up conceding space in the centre of the park that on your home patch you should be dominating. Why we have to approach nearly every game like that now there are a couple of other options is open to debate.

[Lancaster Rover]

1 minute ago, JacknOry said:

I didnt see that about Dack for next game? I was actually surprised not to at least see him on the bench last night as just a few days ago TM said he was confident Dack would start against Reading. Is the knock worse than first thought?

He's said something along the lines of he will run tomorrow and we will see but if there is any doubt is it worth risking him and the potential to further injure himself. That's how I read it anyway. It was in the 2nd match report Sharpe put out on Twitter.

[Mattyblue]

Bennett and Evans are surely the answer.

Evans can provide the calm head and passing ability, Bennett with the energy, plus he has an ability to ping a ball.