[Archived] Wimbledon

[47er]

6 hours ago, Paul said:

After some thought I was going to post I feel there is a complete overreaction on here to this defeat and performance. I deliberately avoided saying anything last night.  I do not criticise anyone for attending Ewood or not, it's a personal choice, but the knives appeared to be out online throughout the game.

I haven't read any crowing with delight at the result from fans who wanted us to lose though.

Compared to last weekend's claims about how some would be gnashing their teeth because we had won 3-0.

[scotchrover]

There's too much over reaction on here for my liking. The fact some people are calling for Mowbray's head/ implying it is unbelievable. We're not even at the end of September yet, and with all due respect, up until yesterday, we finally looked like we'd got going. Mowbray needs a full season, and for it to be then reviewed, unless we fall into a serious league position- 11th being 3 points off the play-offs, isn't that. 

There's far too many people on this board who seem to think that: "because we're Blackburn Rovers, we should win every game. " We won't do- chances are we'll probably lose more. 

Yesterday wasn't brilliant, and I feel that the first half performance cost us. We lacked a clinical touch in the second half, but I think must teams in this league would have, against a team that sat 11 players on the edge of the box, for 45 minutes. I don't think it would have been wrong to say we were unlucky too. The ref didn't help the situation either- he stopped play every time he got chance against us. 

 

I still think we'll be in the top 6 come summer. People who think otherwise are completely overreacting. 

[GreenRover]

Watched the highlights just now. Horrendous goal to give away. I hope Mowbray shows that goal during the week to the team and kills them for giving away such an needless goal. Loose pass, Conway caught standing but Williams was a bystander with it all. It was less then three yards away but didn't bother to get goalside and Appiah could not miss the second time. I would kill Williams for that. If he got goalside there was no goal. Laziness and complacency written all over it. Mowbray has to kill them for that. 

[sambo]

Just now, scotchrover said:

There's too much over reaction on here for my liking. The fact some people are calling for Mowbray's head/ implying it is unbelievable. We're not even at the end of September yet, and with all due respect, up until yesterday, we finally looked like we'd got going. Mowbray needs a full season, and for it to be then reviewed, unless we fall into a serious league position- 11th being 3 points off the play-offs, isn't that. 

There's far too many people on this board who seem to think that: "because we're Blackburn Rovers, we should win every game. " We won't do- chances are we'll probably lose more. 

Yes we'll lose more games, but given our expenditure/squad we should win a lot more than we lose.

Just now, scotchrover said:

Yesterday wasn't brilliant, and I feel that the first half performance cost us. We lacked a clinical touch in the second half, but I think must teams in this league would have, against a team that sat 11 players on the edge of the box, for 45 minutes. I don't think it would have been wrong to say we were unlucky too. The ref didn't help the situation either- he stopped play every time he got chance against us. 

 

I still think we'll be in the top 6 come summer. People who think otherwise are completely overreacting. 

Top 6? We should be top 2, no excuses. Spent more than the rest of the division and the expectation is top 2. Sneaking the top 6 is hardly success.

[USABlue]

Bad thing is, my gut feel is that we will now lose a couple in a row.  Yesterday we just looked toothless.  Some players looked like the had ni understanding with their team mates.  One in the 2nd half defender left it / short oassed it to a team mate and he left it, womble po{s in and takes the ball.  Sorry but I don't know who is who on my mobile.

One thing we.need is.someone up front who can get up and win headers.  Young Raya gets some decent distance on his kicks but we never win anything in the air and the ball comes straight back.  He may as well roll it out.

[JHRover]

Just now, scotchrover said:

There's too much over reaction on here for my liking. The fact some people are calling for Mowbray's head/ implying it is unbelievable. We're not even at the end of September yet, and with all due respect, up until yesterday, we finally looked like we'd got going. Mowbray needs a full season, and for it to be then reviewed, unless we fall into a serious league position- 11th being 3 points off the play-offs, isn't that. 

There's far too many people on this board who seem to think that: "because we're Blackburn Rovers, we should win every game. " We won't do- chances are we'll probably lose more. 

Yesterday wasn't brilliant, and I feel that the first half performance cost us. We lacked a clinical touch in the second half, but I think must teams in this league would have, against a team that sat 11 players on the edge of the box, for 45 minutes. I don't think it would have been wrong to say we were unlucky too. The ref didn't help the situation either- he stopped play every time he got chance against us. 

 

I still think we'll be in the top 6 come summer. People who think otherwise are completely overreacting. 

You don't get promoted for finishing in the top 6, so whilst it might then lead to promotion it shouldn't be hailed as a success in itself if we finish there.

I don't think anyone is calling for Mowbray to be fired right now, but I don't think he should be free from major criticism, and I think his job should be under threat if we don't push ourselves into the top 6 within reach of the top 2 very quickly. 

We can play the game of being 'just outside' the top 6 all season long. There will be a whole raft of clubs occupying 7th to 17th who are within reach of the play off spots all season long. That's why the play off system works because so many clubs are theoretically in with a chance of reaching them right up until the end of the season. It doesn't mean we're doing well enough and we should just limp on as we are.

Too early to draw conclusions I agree, but 3 defeats in 7 is unacceptable, and the gap to the top is already growing wide. We cannot allow it to get much bigger.

I don't think we should win every game just because we're Blackburn Rovers but given our business over the summer and the talk coming from the manager and players I expect better than 10th in the league and home defeats to Wimbledon and Doncaster.

[Athlete]

We rode our luck Tuesday yesterday realistically we should have been beaten by more.. Yes by a poor Wimbledon side.. If one thing came out of that game it proved we've signed some awful dross.. Caddis released by bury deemed not good enough and yesterday he proved that he's no where near that.. Our more experienced players had stinkers as well out muscled out fought.. 11th in league one is just not good enough.. Forget the ownership issues for a minute.. People have been totally carried away with the four wins on the bounce 

[Gav]

I enjoy reading your posts JH, always well thought out and informative, but I have to take exception with the 3 defeats being unacceptable?

We've not won 4 in a row since 2007 I read recently, so 12 points from 15 is a tremendous return under Venkys ownership and all the sh1te that comes with that.

Next week will be a real test, I'm looking forward to it which is a rarity! but let's see where we are after 15/20 games, not when we're hardly a month in.

[K-Hod]

People are talking about an over reaction or calling for Mowbray's head but it just isn't the case. I've not seen a single post saying 'sack Mowbray', 'Mowbray our' or whatever. Could it be that suggesting people had said that was an over reaction??

The buck stops with the manager in this game and if he gets it as badly wrong as he did yesterday, then like at any other football club on the planet, his judgment will be brought into question. I'd be more worried if it wasn't to be honest. 

There certainly are a few factors at play here, but you've got to wonder why the manager isn't selecting players he's spent most of his budget on.

Most frustratingly, it's one steps forward and two steps back, yet again. 

[Stuart]

3 minutes ago, Gav said:

I enjoy reading your posts JH, always well thought out and informative, but I have to take exception with the 3 defeats being unacceptable?

We've not won 4 in a row since 2007 I read recently, so 12 points from 15 is a tremendous return under Venkys ownership and all the sh1te that comes with that.

Next week will be a real test, I'm looking forward to it which is a rarity! but let's see where we are after 15/20 games, not when we're hardly a month in.

Selective editing there, Gav.

JH said it was unacceptable for a team who want to finish in the top 2.

[arbitro]

Just now, K-Hod said:

People are talking about an over reaction or calling for Mowbray's head but it just isn't the case. I've not seen a single post saying 'sack Mowbray', 'Mowbray our' or whatever. Could it be that suggesting people had said that was an over reaction??

The buck stops with the manager in this game and if he gets it as badly wrong as he did yesterday, then like at any other football club on the planet, his judgment will be brought into question. I'd be more worried if it wasn't to be honest. 

There certainly are a few factors at play here, but you've got to wonder why the manager isn't selecting players he's spent most of his budget on.

Most frustratingly, it's one steps forward and two steps back, yet again. 

After an inept performance like yesterday the manager and players simply have to be questioned. I am still angry at the attitude of many players yesterday who looked complacent on the back of four wins (albeit by not playing particularly well). I sensed this after five minutes. Now if it is evident to me then Mowbray should see it too and get stuck into his players. In training this week they should be reminded how bad they were by going back to basics and they should all watch the video of the game and their attitudes pointed out to them. If they are too precious to accept this then drop them.

[Gav]

Just now, Stuart said:

Selective editing there, Gav.

JH said it was unacceptable for a team who want to finish in the top 2.

Not at all, the point being everyone's overreacting Stuart, were 8 games in for goodness sake!

Sheff Utd couldn't buy a win in the early part of last season and went up as champions, so let's have a bit of perspective. 

[blackburnforever]

I have been watching football for so long and what i see with rovers at the moment is we are playing the wrong system.  Bear in mind our strength is the midfield and our weaker areas are defence and attack. SO it should be quite simple to work this one out.....

                                      raya

caddis/nyambe  downing/ward       mulgrew      williams

                   smallwood                  evans

      bennett                  dack                   conway/chapman

                                   samuel

4-2-3-1

this system is fantastic at protecting the centrebacks, also tends to create much better fliudity through the areas of the field, and hence much better at creating triangles of play. Dack is your ideal player for this system. ALSO remember you are getting more of your better players on the field. Paul cook at wigan employs this system fantastically well. And his players are no better suited to it than ours or indeed his players are no better than ours. I have seen so much football over the years this system will more often than not dominate against a 4-4-2. You have effective presence all over the field. I would hope tony sees this or somebody bring it to his attention. I appreciate feedback on this matter thanks.........

 

[Athlete]

2 minutes ago, Gav said:

Not at all, the point being everyone's overreacting Stuart, were 8 games in for goodness sake!

Sheff Utd couldn't buy a win in the early part of last season and went up as champions, so let's have a bit of perspective. 

Perspective is we are Blackburn Rovers and shouldn't accept being 11th in league one... AFC Wimbledon at home yes a poor AFC Wimbledon who realistically should have won with more.. TM needs to quickly know his best starting 11.. Yesterday all around me know one could actually say what formation he was playing and that includes some ex pros.. 

[Stuart]

7 minutes ago, Gav said:

Not at all, the point being everyone's overreacting Stuart, were 8 games in for goodness sake!

Sheff Utd couldn't buy a win in the early part of last season and went up as champions, so let's have a bit of perspective. 

They won three out of their first 7. Not too dissimilar to us to be fair.

But they then went on a three month unbeaten run. Let's see if we do the same.

[Oldgregg86]

After yesterday I'm convinced the answer is Bennett at right back and Chapman to start where Bennett usually plays. Is it just me that thinks it's glaringly obvious that all Bennett's strengths can be utilized at right back. Endless running, puts himself about and into a tackle, can whip a good cross in but lacks that drive and creativity that Chapman has in abundance with Bennett's stamina and experience could cover Chapman's inexperience defensively. I'm not convinced by Caddis or nyambe and Bennett is alot more mobile than Caddis and alot better going forward than nyambe. The difference Chapman makes off the bench, it's criminal he is on it. 

Also Elliot ward terrifies me. If he's not making a mistake he's recovering from one. Even when we have the ball my heart is in my mouth when he gets it .

Would also keep jal happy if he beats the last man and curls a screamer in 

[Ossydave]

People got giddy. This is one of the most unpredictable leagues on planet earth I'm afraid 

[JHRover]

38 minutes ago, Gav said:

I enjoy reading your posts JH, always well thought out and informative, but I have to take exception with the 3 defeats being unacceptable?

We've not won 4 in a row since 2007 I read recently, so 12 points from 15 is a tremendous return under Venkys ownership and all the sh1te that comes with that.

Next week will be a real test, I'm looking forward to it which is a rarity! but let's see where we are after 15/20 games, not when we're hardly a month in.

But it isn't 12 points from 15. Its 12 points from 21. 

Mowbray himself has said today that 3 defeats at this early stage isn't good enough for a side that wants promotion. 

4 wins on the bounce is of course good no matter who you are but if you want to win the league or finish 2nd it will have to be done quite frequently or bettered if we want to last the course.

If we're going to lose 3 in every 7 then come the season end we will have lost 18-20 games. We won't be going up with that.

[JHRover]

21 minutes ago, Gav said:

Not at all, the point being everyone's overreacting Stuart, were 8 games in for goodness sake!

Sheff Utd couldn't buy a win in the early part of last season and went up as champions, so let's have a bit of perspective. 

Sooner rather than later these references to Sheffield United will have to stop. It was around now that they clicked into gear and were virtually unstoppable thereafter. Once they'd settled down they were relentless in pursuit of the title and their home form was among the strongest in the country. I don't think they lost a single game from January onwards. I simply can't see us being able to replicate that.

We appeared to have found our rhythm and then in typical nearly men fashion blew it at home against one of the worst sides in the league, just 2 games after doing the same against another poor side in Doncaster. Can't afford to do it. 

[Gav]

6 minutes ago, JHRover said:

Sooner rather than later these references to Sheffield United will have to stop. It was around now that they clicked into gear and were virtually unstoppable thereafter. Once they'd settled down they were relentless in pursuit of the title and their home form was among the strongest in the country. I don't think they lost a single game from January onwards. I simply can't see us being able to replicate that.

We appeared to have found our rhythm and then in typical nearly men fashion blew it at home against one of the worst sides in the league, just 2 games after doing the same against another poor side in Doncaster. Can't afford to do it. 

I don't expect us to go up this season, in fact I'd be surprised if we go up next either, that's where my expectations under Venkys lie,  but many fellow fans do think we'll go up, at a canter, but that's not going to happen for me. 

You can talk wage bills, transfer fees and manager/player positive rhetoric,  but the bottom line is to bring in the numbers of new players we have over the past 12 weeks and expect them to be riding high at the top of the league is Roy of the Rovers stuff and I've not even started on the club being setup to fail.

Hope I'm wrong.

[JHRover]

Just now, Gav said:

but the bottom line is to bring in the numbers of new players we have over the past 12 weeks and expect them to be riding high at the top of the league is Roy of the Rovers stuff and I've not even started on the club being setup to fail.

I would question whether we have brought in that many players really. Bringing in 12 over a summer isn't some freakishly high number of arrivals. I've not bothered researching it yet but suspect most other clubs in this league recruited similar numbers of players.

Then we get round to the fact that the majority of the starting line ups Mowbray has selected are well stocked on players who were at the club last season.

I think the player turnover thing is an excuse. No doubt the club will wheel it out a few times via the Lancashire Telegraph if we continue to underachieve but I don't accept it as an excuse, and even if it was a genuine reason for not doing as well as we should, it was avoidable had we not allowed 15+ to leave.

Wigan have a new manager, coaching staff and quite a few new players yet they aren't losing games at home to bottom 6 clubs.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

41 minutes ago, Gav said:

I don't expect us to go up this season, in fact I'd be surprised if we go up next either, that's where my expectations under Venkys lie,  but many fellow fans do think we'll go up, at a canter, but that's not going to happen for me. 

You can talk wage bills, transfer fees and manager/player positive rhetoric,  but the bottom line is to bring in the numbers of new players we have over the past 12 weeks and expect them to be riding high at the top of the league is Roy of the Rovers stuff and I've not even started on the club being setup to fail.

Hope I'm wrong.

But there's the rub Gav...you don't want to see any success on the field of play because it would possibly take away some of the resentment towards the Venkys.

We truly are between a rock and a hard place with this whole situation.

[Gav]

Just now, SIMON GARNERS 194 said:

But there's the rub Gav...you don't want to see any success on the field of play because it would possibly take away some of the resentment towards the Venkys.

We truly are between a rock and a hard place with this whole situation.

Absolute bunkum SG, where have you got that from? That I don't want to see any success? Not from me that's for sure.

 

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Hand on heart I didn't expect us to go up this season. We haven't got what it takes to run a successful promotion campaign in spite of having a pretty good group of players.

Having said that I didn't expect us to lose to Wimbledon at home.

[martonrover]

3 hours ago, JHRover said:

You don't get promoted for finishing in the top 6, so whilst it might then lead to promotion it shouldn't be hailed as a success in itself if we finish there.

I don't think anyone is calling for Mowbray to be fired right now, but I don't think he should be free from major criticism, and I think his job should be under threat if we don't push ourselves into the top 6 within reach of the top 2 very quickly. 

We can play the game of being 'just outside' the top 6 all season long. There will be a whole raft of clubs occupying 7th to 17th who are within reach of the play off spots all season long. That's why the play off system works because so many clubs are theoretically in with a chance of reaching them right up until the end of the season. It doesn't mean we're doing well enough and we should just limp on as we are.

Too early to draw conclusions I agree, but 3 defeats in 7 is unacceptable, and the gap to the top is already growing wide. We cannot allow it to get much bigger.

I don't think we should win every game just because we're Blackburn Rovers but given our business over the summer and the talk coming from the manager and players I expect better than 10th in the league and home defeats to Wimbledon and Doncaster.

Very good post.

I felt strongly that Mowbray should not have been appointed, but there would be no justification in sacking him now.

However, the question I keep asking myself is, "Does Mowbray have a promotion left in him?"

Both my heart and head are saying "No", (based on results during his recent years as a manager and on what I've seen so far under his tenure at Rovers).

Hoping against hope that I'm wrong.

Given the backing he's had, top six is an absolute minimum requirement.

.