[Archived] Match Preview: Peterborough United v Rovers

[RevidgeBlue]

9 hours ago, BillC said:

Went today as I live close to Peterborough. It was an error strewn game. In the first half we were out muscled in midfield and looked vulnerable on the break. Awful defending for their goal. Nyambe and Conway were poor throughout. Tomlinson made a big difference and with Smallwood they controlled things. Dack was the best player by miles. Samuel struggled and Graham was no better. Home support was non existent but the Rovers fans were vocal creating some atmosphere. We need a couple of signings in Jan. A right back and a winger might be enough to turn us into a good promotion bet but we are not yet good enough on this performance in my opinion.

Who have you seen so far this season that looks a better bet than us for promotion? I must admit after the Fleetwood game I never expected us to go on a long winning run or suddenly start scoring three or four per game but having finally hit the magic 2 points per game mark that usually ensures automatic promotion id be desperately disappointed if we dont go up automatically now.

Shrewsbury and Charlton seem to be dropping back and even Wigan looked terrible when we played them imo. I wish we'd gone at them with the more positive attitude we've shown during the winning run but nevertheless they're now within sight and very catchable imo.

[philipl]

10 hours ago, BillC said:

Went today as I live close to Peterborough. It was an error strewn game. In the first half we were out muscled in midfield and looked vulnerable on the break. Awful defending for their goal. Nyambe and Conway were poor throughout. Tomlinson made a big difference and with Smallwood they controlled things. Dack was the best player by miles. Samuel struggled and Graham was no better. Home support was non existent but the Rovers fans were vocal creating some atmosphere. We need a couple of signings in Jan. A right back and a winger might be enough to turn us into a good promotion bet but we are not yet good enough on this performance in my opinion.

Great to read this post.

Really pleased that the consensus is that Tomlinson did really well.  

It will be good if all the players understand that a suspension means a fight to get back into the side.

Peterborough have the league's joint top scorer and had they maintained their first half lead would have been right back into the scrap for a lay off place. Yes Rovers have glaring inadequacies but what we are playing have even bigger shortcomings.

Will be devastated not to ge automatic promotion from here. We are scoring with a freedom rarely seen and have enough quality in the side that passing movements can tear the opposition apart- any opposition in this League.

Yes we are terrible compared with what we used to be under Sam but our terrible looks to be too good for this division.

[47er]

Have only seen the 5 min highlights from Sky, but it is obvious even from that that we are playing a much more pressing and aggressive game. There's 2 or 3 examples of us chasing and harrying opponents and bullying them out of the ball. We were not doing this earlier in the season and I don't know why.

However, we now look the goods for this division and that 3rd goal was indeed sublime.

[arbitro]

4 minutes ago, 47er said:

Have only seen the 5 min highlights from Sky, but it is obvious even from that that we are playing a much more pressing and aggressive game. There's 2 or 3 examples of us chasing and harrying opponents and bullying them out of the ball. We were not doing this earlier in the season and I don't know why.

However, we now look the goods for this division and that 3rd goal was indeed sublime.

You have highlighted one area where we have improved but the main area to me is that Mowbray has us pretty much playing counter attacking football which seems to suit us but that is only in away games. He (by his own admission) needs to devise a plan to beat teams more comfortably at home. The laborious, easy to defend against passing game at home could be our Achilles Heel with most of the top teams still to come to Ewood. I don't want to sound like a party pooper but in my opinion we are still quite a bit away from where many believe we should be in terms of the consistency in our play.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

We need to translate the 20 minute spells of high tempo pressing football into 30 minutes spells and to be able to do so in both halves not just one.

[Pedro]

Another super result. Just seen the third goal - absolutely brilliant. From Conway battling in the corner, the sprint forwards, interchanging of passes and a fantastic finish, absolutely sublime.

[JacknOry]

Tomlinson deserves to keep his place and unlikely that both Whits and Evans will be available for Tuesday - according to TM

http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/rovers/news/15712645._He_did_everything_we_want_from_our_midfield_players____Praise_for_Willem_Tomlinson_from_boss_Tony_Mowbray/?ref=mac

[den9112]

£26 to sit on a old wooden stool with barely 3 inches of legroom a blow out on the way down, and a quick detour into Lincoln to change as i didn't fancy the entire journey on a space saver.

£65 lighter with a new tyre and back on to Peterborough, but boy was it worth it , ok we let two in and there second actually felt like it was a defeat, but we won.

I think there must be video going round were every manager gets before we play them showing them to drop the ball at corners on the keeper and target the right back  .thats your way in against Blackburn .

The big plus of the game was Tomlinson,

looked like he had been playing with the first team all season, won the ball and played the pass ,also when he had the chance rather than just head it back , got the ball down and used it  , simple football .....It felt good being a Rovers fan on the way home

 

 

 

[1864roverite]

16 more wins required, great result no matter how we played. The momentum continues to roll forward.

[jim mk2]

 

Entertaining match in the freezing east Anglian cold.

Some observations 

Good

1 The team are playing with a great deal of confidence and look capable of scoring goals every time they attack. The feelgood factor is back!

2. Mowbray's got the team alot fitter and the shape looks better too.

3.. Dack must be the best £750,000 we've ever spent. Proper footballer and puts in a good shift too.

4. After a poor first half hour Downing had an very good game.

5. Mulgrew's a class above in this division 

6. Smallwood was a tiger in midfield. 

7  Last season I thought Williams was one of the worst left backs I'd seen in a Rovers shirt but looks a different player this season.

8. Antonnsson is a strange player. He's not a winger because he can't beat a  man and his crosses are poor. He's too weak physically to play with his back to goal, he can't head the ball for toffee, has no right foot and his left isn't that brilliant either.  But he scores goals

Bad

1. We continue to concede goals, and very soft ones at that. The better teams will punish us.

2. Raya still doesn't convince. He has no physical presence and cannot deal with crosses. My heart is in my mouth every time we concede a corner.

3. Nyambe still doesn't look the part. Poor first touch and gets caught out of position time after time.  Alot of goals we concede come down our right side.

4. Evans injured again. Shame as I like him as a player.

5. Conway was off the pace the whole game. Is he lacking match practice or over the hill ? Hope not as I like him. 

 

Conclusion

This excellent run won't last forever and we're bound to hit a bad patch. However we should finish in the top 6 but it's open to question whether we will make the top 2. This team is the direct opposite of Howard Kendall's third division promotion side, which was expert in grinding out 1-0 wins.  Can this team dig out results if the goals dry up? A right back and another winger is needed in January, and possibly a better goalkeeper if one is available 

 

Edited December 10, 2017 by jim mk2

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

What were you views on Tomlinson Jim ? If we can bring him through he'll solve our  Smallwood partner dilemma.

it's great that Dack is shining. The fans need a talisman to shout about, shades of Duncan McKenzie, Tony Field, David Speedie ?

Edited December 10, 2017 by Tyrone Shoelaces

[jim mk2]

 

Neat and efficient but wouldn't go overboard. Prefer Evans. 

[briansol]

15 hours ago, Cherry Blue said:

Charlie takes it in his stride then excellent play by Smallwood for Dack's first. He could have been selfish but with good short passing returns the ball for Dack to score. Dack's second is pure class from Antonsson. 

Ok tinted lens but we on the way up boys & girls 

You also have to get credit to Samuel for turn and excellent pass to release Antonsson. That is NOT an easy pass to get right. Inch perfect angle and weight.

[briansol]

23 minutes ago, jim mk2 said:

 

8. Antonnsson is a strange player. He's not a winger because he can't beat a  man and his crosses are poor. He's too weak physically to play with his back to goal, he can't head the ball for toffee, has no right foot and his left isn't that brilliant either.  But he scores goals

 

 

Antonsson is an enigma for sure. For all his shortcomings, it looks like he has found a sweet spot on the left side. I think it's a bit like Roy Keane's reflection on Jordan Rhodes career at Ipswich, they were too focused on what he couldn't do, rather than focus on what he could. 

Marcus covers the most distance in the whole team (According to TM and the analysis). His positioning is excellent and has an uncanny timing arriving in the box, which means he gets several chances every game. He has decent pace at this level and can finish with both feet and the odd header. 

[briansol]

23 minutes ago, jim mk2 said:

 

Neat and efficient but wouldn't go overboard. Prefer Evans. 

Seems accurate. Quite similar to Evans in playing style. Looked capable at this level and I would to see more of him.

[47er]

2 hours ago, arbitro said:

You have highlighted one area where we have improved but the main area to me is that Mowbray has us pretty much playing counter attacking football which seems to suit us but that is only in away games. He (by his own admission) needs to devise a plan to beat teams more comfortably at home. The laborious, easy to defend against passing game at home could be our Achilles Heel with most of the top teams still to come to Ewood. I don't want to sound like a party pooper but in my opinion we are still quite a bit away from where many believe we should be in terms of the consistency in our play.

Clearly you are right in your final assessment because we concede too many goals. If we are 1-0 up and under pressure could we hold out? Probably not and 3 points will become 1.

[Parsonblue]

As Mowbray stated, it wasn't perfect yesterday - not by a long way - but it was enjoyable and proved that we have the ammunition to step up a gear when required.  That opening spell in the second half was devastating and I doubt any side at this level could have lived with that sort of fast flowing football.  If we could play every game away from Ewood I'm sure we would walk away with this League.  We are definitely a team that is suited to counter-attacking and, of course, away from home the support is more vocal particularly during difficult spells in games.  In January I feel that if we could get that tricky, orthodox winger it would provide us with another avenue of attack which we don't have at the moment.  Defensively we need to tighten up collectively, particularly when defending balls into the box.  Nonetheless, at the moment I'm beginning to find this every bit as enjoyable as the previous two promotions from this division.  We aren't as good as the 74-75 or 79-80 sides yet but we are getting there and seem on an upward path at last.

[blueboy3333]

3 hours ago, arbitro said:

You have highlighted one area where we have improved but the main area to me is that Mowbray has us pretty much playing counter attacking football which seems to suit us but that is only in away games. He (by his own admission) needs to devise a plan to beat teams more comfortably at home. The laborious, easy to defend against passing game at home could be our Achilles Heel with most of the top teams still to come to Ewood. I don't want to sound like a party pooper but in my opinion we are still quite a bit away from where many believe we should be in terms of the consistency in our play.

Agreed. The goals yesterday were essentially two counter-attacking goals (executed brilliantly) and a corner. Dack is brilliant at exploiting the gaps that appear when the opposition try to attack us, but it's a lot more difficult for him at home when the oppo line up with 8 on the edge of their own box. Hence why Chapman will be such a big miss at Ewood. Still, we have a lot  of the top half teams to play at Ewood so maybe they will attack more and leave gaps for us to exploit (a bit like Pompey did).

If we do go up then we may be better suited to the Championship where we won't be favourites every week and most team will come to Ewood with better squads and try to out-play us. Our counter-attacking style may be of great benefit then, both home and away. We'd need a better defence though.

[Waggy76]

2 minutes ago, Parsonblue said:

As Mowbray stated, it wasn't perfect yesterday - not by a long way - but it was enjoyable and proved that we have the ammunition to step up a gear when required.  That opening spell in the second half was devastating and I doubt any side at this level could have lived with that sort of fast flowing football.  If we could play every game away from Ewood I'm sure we would walk away with this League.  We are definitely a team that is suited to counter-attacking and, of course, away from home the support is more vocal particularly during difficult spells in games.  In January I feel that if we could get that tricky, orthodox winger it would provide us with another avenue of attack which we don't have at the moment.  Defensively we need to tighten up collectively, particularly when defending balls into the box.  Nonetheless, at the moment I'm beginning to find this every bit as enjoyable as the previous two promotions from this division.  We aren't as good as the 74-75 or 79-80 sides yet but we are getting there and seem on an upward path at last.

Hope you are right Parson , the 79/80 didn't start till Xmas 79 winning at Hull , then Grimsby early New year !

[Cherry Blue]

6 minutes ago, Parsonblue said:

.......  away from home the support is more vocal particularly during difficult spells in games........

If we could get that away mentality at home games the twelfth man comes into play. The noise we make at away grounds is a joy to hear and sends shivers up many backs.

[Gav]

18 minutes ago, Parsonblue said:

If we could play every game away from Ewood I'm sure we would walk away with this League. Nonetheless, at the moment I'm beginning to find this every bit as enjoyable as the previous two promotions from this division.  We aren't as good as the 74-75 or 79-80 sides yet but we are getting there and seem on an upward path at last.

It's been a rotten 10yrs for Rovers fans away from home, and I for one have nothing but respect for the regulars like yourself/Aggy and hundreds more who trek up and down the land following the club week in week out.

I'm made up you, finally seeing us win more than we're losing, and long may it continue.  

[blueboy3333]

14 minutes ago, Parsonblue said:

As Mowbray stated, it wasn't perfect yesterday - not by a long way - but it was enjoyable and proved that we have the ammunition to step up a gear when required.  That opening spell in the second half was devastating and I doubt any side at this level could have lived with that sort of fast flowing football.  If we could play every game away from Ewood I'm sure we would walk away with this League.  We are definitely a team that is suited to counter-attacking and, of course, away from home the support is more vocal particularly during difficult spells in games.  In January I feel that if we could get that tricky, orthodox winger it would provide us with another avenue of attack which we don't have at the moment.  Defensively we need to tighten up collectively, particularly when defending balls into the box.  Nonetheless, at the moment I'm beginning to find this every bit as enjoyable as the previous two promotions from this division.  We aren't as good as the 74-75 or 79-80 sides yet but we are getting there and seem on an upward path at last.

Was 79-80 the year we also went on the cup run against the likes of Cov and Villa? Think we had close to 30k on for the latter.

How did Tomlinson play?

[Gav]

Villa certainly was 79/80 season, lost in a replay at Villa Park.

[Kamy100]

Roverseas Match Review:

 

[JHRover]

Big thing for me yesterday was how we dealt with falling behind. We fell behind at Southend and lost, fell behind at Shrewsbury and got a point and obviously in the last minute at Oldham got beat. Yesterday was the first time we came from behind to win away from home. Recent wins at Blackpool, Bury and Oxford we took control of the game in the first half and put ourselves in control whereas yesterday at half time we had work to do. It was impressive how we came out in the 2nd half and blew Peterborough away in 15 minutes and turned the game on its head.