[Archived] team for rotherham

[Darwen Rover 007]

Good game, still think we made it harder than it was... my take on the players: 

Raya 7 - two very good saves but always makes me really nervous 

Caddis 7.5 - good solid game for me always puts a shift in 

Downing 8 - A CB that plays it forward with intent, great game

Mulgrew 7 - solid enough 

Williams 6 - still too much of a liability for me 

Dack 7 - Started really well but faded as the game went on.. Also seems all over the place, is he unfit? 

Bennett 7 - consistent loads of effort bit fee misplaced passes

Smallwood 8 - really enjoy watching this guy, great effort and a great engine 

Evans 6.5 - of the two defensive midfielders he didn't look like the experienced international 

Antonsson 8.5 - definitely man of the match, perhaps his best position coming in from the left? 

Samuel 7.5 - generally good strong play almost made things happen 

Subs:

Chapman 8 - when will this guy get a start 

Hart 7.5 - will hopefully replace Williams 

[Colt Seavers]

Totally different tempo tonight, right from the off. I thought we pressed high up the pitch all night. Mowbray looks to have got them fit.

Bennett had a great first half and repeatedly skinned the full back. Samuel put a couple of great balls in that Dack really should have done better with. We genuinely had ten very good chances and the scoreline flattered a very poor away side. 

I thought all three subs did well. Chapman is very classy and dangerous. Quite like Rochina but pacey and direct. Hart tried to get involved and I enjoyed Whittingham' s cameo. He picks a lovely pass and was unlucky not to score. I think he is a better bet at home than Evans. 

There was a different feel to the team tonight and I am feeling extremely positive for the next few games. 

I still think Caddis and Williams are weak links though.

[Wing Wizard Windy Miller]

Enjoyable evening.  More of the  same Saturday please.

[Pedro]

It could and should have been seven or more goals. A very good performance but some awful finishing made it nervier than it should have been. There wasn't a bad performance tonight and that's great to say. It's been a long time since I've seen a midweek win at Ewood and one where we carved a team open so well. Antonsson showed he is a player tonight, nice to see after a lot of early negative comments. Let's hope we can go on another winning run now - we need to.

[chaddyrovers]

excellent win tonight. should have been more goals tonight. 

first half we created loads of chances and should have been at least 3 nil up. The formation worked tonight, and Antonsson on left, Dack in number 10 and Bennett on right with Samuel up front worked and we got plenty of chances through them. Antonsson was outstanding all game and should have had hat trick tonight. had the beaten of Rotherham right back all game. Dack show why he is talented player and should be starting. 

Rotherham were poor first half, but improved second half but felt Rovers didn't come out like our first half performance. But we had enough chances second half to have score 3 or 4 more goals., 

Downing should be started every game until Lenihan is back. 

Very enjoyable evening tonight. more of the same on Saturday please 

[roversfan99]

Very good performance, looked very dangerous everytime we came forward, although we have to be far more clinical and we worryingly lost control after half time in the centre of midfield, not sure what Mowbray said to them.

Chapman has to start now, you'd probably have to drop Dack out of the front 4, maybe move Bennett central, Antonsson left, Chapman right but very fluid like tonight.

Whittingham was excellent again when he came on and the other 2 should be competing to partner him, their standard has dropped these last few games and Whittingham gives you that control behind the fluidity in front of him, and he showed with a pass to Antonsson over the top that if you move he will find you.

Raya again was bullied once or twice, dont feel comfortable with him in net although he made a great save at his near post.

Maintaining this standard is the key now.

[chaddyrovers]

Smallwood was good tonight and must be first choice in centre midfield. 

Wouldnt be Dack either. 10 role suit him. 

[tomphil]

Good effort, that's the way to go about it from the off every game if they are serious about promotion and not just when they feel like it or get a rollicking.

Fair play Mowbray as well got it right tonight although not sure about his half time team talk

Same again Saturday, keep the faith !

[Oldgregg86]

1 hour ago, RevidgeBlue said:

Could have been 8 with steadier finishing. Not as good second half unsurprisingly but still a very good display overall.

If we can play like that every game the results will take care of themselves. The only problem I can see arising out of tonight is that whilst everyone did rheir jobs tonight, Chapman is just too good not to be starting. The lad is sensational. Who the hell have Boro got that's better than him?

Also very impressed with Downing, Antonsson and Young Sam Ward when he came on.

2 cracking saves from Raya at 1-0 as well. Cracking entertainment for once.

Adama traore. Probably the best player on that division but thanks for the rest. Couldnt make it tonight . Gutted. Excited for sat now COYB

[tomphil]

1 hour ago, Tom said:

Raya made some cracking saves but when he comes up against a human adult in the air it terrifies me. He comes off worse but the refs will offer no protection 

This is why he should have been out on loan again playing somewhere every week instead of sitting on Rovers bench learning nothing for a couple of seasons.  That kind of stuff could have been ironed out, so many lightweight keepers these days coming out of academies.

[chaddyrovers]

Blackburn @Rovers boss Tony Mowbray full of praise for Harry Chapman... but he didn't understand.

https://t.co/taR3eetLBP… https://t.co/RKjc7goWUU

[grizfoot]

Fair play to Mowbray he kept faith in more or less the same team who had failed to win the last two but they didn't let him down tonight. Thought the team was fantastic, Antonsson had is best game for us and seemed a yard or two quicker, don't know whether that's was fitness, confidence or just from playing the wing give him more time on the ball. It's not just an easy lazy Scandinavian comparison to say he does actually reminded me a bit of MGP, he attacked the back post from the left very effectively tonight. 

Rotherham just couldn't handle us going forward, the game should really have been out of sight by half-time with the number of chances we had. It only got a little nervy when we seemed to sit back slightly towards the middle of the second half, luckily the introduction of that man Chapman again who created and scored the goal all by himself to seal the win.

Would keep the exact same team for Saturday.

[West Yorks Rover]

Rotherham manager said  "after 10 games, that's the best we have come up against"

[RevidgeBlue]

23 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

Blackburn @Rovers boss Tony Mowbray full of praise for Harry Chapman... but he didn't understand.

https://t.co/taR3eetLBP… https://t.co/RKjc7goWUU

High praise indeed. I'd say he was a different type of player to those two all time legends and rather more like a right footed Damien Duff myself!

[RevidgeBlue]

31 minutes ago, tomphil said:

This is why he should have been out on loan again playing somewhere every week instead of sitting on Rovers bench learning nothing for a couple of seasons.  That kind of stuff could have been ironed out, so many lightweight keepers these days coming out of academies.

Think the criticism of Raya is way OTT myself. He tends to make minor errors which dont usually lead to goals and frequently makes outstanding saves which save a goal.

By way of contrast I felt Steele often had games when he didnr save anything - the opposition had 4 shots and scored 3 etc, and when he made a mistake it tended to be a serious one which cost us a goal.

He's still young and relatively inexperienced and hopefully he will iron out the minor errors with experience without losing the outstanding saves.

[rossyrover]

With better finishing could have been double figures still happy for the win and the three points.

[Tugay's Right Foot]

4 hours ago, Darwen Rover 007 said:

Good game, still think we made it harder than it was... my take on the players: 

Raya 7 - two very good saves but always makes me really nervous 

Caddis 7.5 - good solid game for me always puts a shift in 

Downing 8 - A CB that plays it forward with intent, great game

Mulgrew 7 - solid enough 

Williams 6 - still too much of a liability for me 

Dack 7 - Started really well but faded as the game went on.. Also seems all over the place, is he unfit? 

Bennett 7 - consistent loads of effort bit fee misplaced passes

Smallwood 8 - really enjoy watching this guy, great effort and a great engine 

Evans 6.5 - of the two defensive midfielders he didn't look like the experienced international 

Antonsson 8.5 - definitely man of the match, perhaps his best position coming in from the left? 

Samuel 7.5 - generally good strong play almost made things happen 

Subs:

Chapman 8 - when will this guy get a start 

Hart 7.5 - will hopefully replace Williams 

Same thoughts here.

In my view, Downing should be starting in place of Ward now. In the two games he played, he has been solid and able to play it forward when needed. The defence looks much sturdier when he started last night, compared to the mini heart attacks I get when I see Ward on the ball. A shoutout to Antonsson, I think he's gaining in confidence and starting to show what's he made of. If he enjoys playing for Rovers and continues, he's gonna be a real player. Could have 6 or 7 goals, not just his first at Ewood. Samuel, Dack and Antonsson gave nightmares to the Rotherham defence.

Also like to say I liked what I saw from the Liverpool lad, Sam Hart. Improved on Williams when he came on. Now if we can get Travis on the right, we may be can get a defence that's youthful and solid. Nice match, enjoyed it. Bring on the Gills!

[Tugay's Right Foot]

1 hour ago, RevidgeBlue said:

Think the criticism of Raya is way OTT myself. He tends to make minor errors which dont usually lead to goals and frequently makes outstanding saves which save a goal.

By way of contrast I felt Steele often had games when he didnr save anything - the opposition had 4 shots and scored 3 etc, and when he made a mistake it tended to be a serious one which cost us a goal.

He's still young and relatively inexperienced and hopefully he will iron out the minor errors with experience without losing the outstanding saves.

I thought Raya did OK too from the few shots he fielded.

[Tugay's Right Foot]

3 hours ago, grizfoot said:

Fair play to Mowbray he kept faith in more or less the same team who had failed to win the last two but they didn't let him down tonight. Thought the team was fantastic, Antonsson had is best game for us and seemed a yard or two quicker, don't know whether that's was fitness, confidence or just from playing the wing give him more time on the ball. It's not just an easy lazy Scandinavian comparison to say he does actually reminded me a bit of MGP, he attacked the back post from the left very effectively tonight. 

Rotherham just couldn't handle us going forward, the game should really have been out of sight by half-time with the number of chances we had. It only got a little nervy when we seemed to sit back slightly towards the middle of the second half, luckily the introduction of that man Chapman again who created and scored the goal all by himself to seal the win.

Would keep the exact same team for Saturday.

wouldn't say it's the same team? Downing in for Ward was a big difference. Antonsson, Dack and Samuel in front proved more than a handful. COuld easily have been a spanking

[Tugay's Right Foot]

4 hours ago, roversfan99 said:

Very good performance, looked very dangerous everytime we came forward, although we have to be far more clinical and we worryingly lost control after half time in the centre of midfield, not sure what Mowbray said to them.

Chapman has to start now, you'd probably have to drop Dack out of the front 4, maybe move Bennett central, Antonsson left, Chapman right but very fluid like tonight.

Whittingham was excellent again when he came on and the other 2 should be competing to partner him, their standard has dropped these last few games and Whittingham gives you that control behind the fluidity in front of him, and he showed with a pass to Antonsson over the top that if you move he will find you.

Raya again was bullied once or twice, dont feel comfortable with him in net although he made a great save at his near post.

Maintaining this standard is the key now.

Whittingham was class, wasn't he? Starting to think he's getting the hang of it now. To me, Evans seems to be coasting it for the past few matches. Is Whittingham a like for like replacement for Evans?

[philipl]

6 hours ago, West Yorks Rover said:

Rotherham manager said  "after 10 games, that's the best we have come up against"

That is very reassuring. Of the teams towards the top they have played Fleetwood, Bradford, Peterborough and Charlton.

Good to see a team gel and go at the opposition straight from the off. It looks like we have too many individually good players and too much strength in depth for this division but that needs converting into results more reliably against worse sides than Rotherham. 

The comments that Rotherham were poor are encouraging too- I doubt Oldham and Walsall fans would concur with that view.

I had serious concerns going into last night's game so great to get such a very solid win which could have been much more emphatic as Revidge points out. Somebody could be on for a real hiding before too long.

That said, great to see so many shots in the stats columns and for a good proportion to have been on target. Also, for all the protestations for Chapman to start the game (and surely he will), it was such a good feeling when Rotherham had a good little patch from the 55th minute knowing we had a sub who could come on and put a complete stop to their pressing by forcing them to commit covering players further back even if he did nothing else.  

 

[Athlete]

8 hours ago, chaddyrovers said:

Blackburn @Rovers boss Tony Mowbray full of praise for Harry Chapman... but he didn't understand.

https://t.co/taR3eetLBP… https://t.co/RKjc7goWUU

I'd give him a start from the off. Before he came on Rotherham were the better second half and looked like a equalizer was on the cards after we should have finished them off first half.. But Chapman gave a different dimension Rotherham couldn't cope with him was really pleased to see him notch.. Gutted he's only on loan the lads got talent and electrifying pace 

[AlanK]

I'm as fickle as the next fan. I wasn't impressed after shrewsbury but now we've taken 4 points out of 6 against two top 10 teams including away to the top team.things are good ???

[Parsonblue]

A much better performance than of late.  I thought it was a good team performance which ought to have brought far more than two goals.  Apart from the finishing I thought we gave our best performance of the season in terms of the quality of the football.  We now have a decent run of fixtures to hopefully make progress in terms of League position.  I still think mid-season will be the point at which we make the depth of our squad, particularly with the batch of youngsters coming through, tell against many of the clubs at the top who have much smaller squads.  Another three points on Saturday and it will give us 19 points from 10 games - only 1 point away from the 2 points per game average that is required - a decent start to the season.

[philipl]

13 minutes ago, AlanK said:

I'm as fickle as the next fan. I wasn't impressed after shrewsbury but now we've taken 4 points out of 6 against two top 10 teams including away to the top team.things are good ???

7 out of 9 away from home actually- wins at Bradford and Scunthorpe and draw against Shrewsbury.

Becomes 10 out of 12 adding Rotherham at home.