[Archived] Rovers L1 Game 24 - Ewood Park (30th December 2017)

[DE.]

13 minutes ago, Stuart said:

Stats don’t tell the whole story though. It’s not the number of chances but the quality of chances. We are making fatal mistakes in very dangerous areas of the pitch and gifting opposition strikers good chances. It’s not as though it’s been a one-off today. I’ve said on many occasions this season that “a better quality striker would have punished us”.

The stats I've posted don't tell the whole story, for sure, but if the opposition aren't getting good chances (generally shots on target) they can't score, and Wigan are evidently doing that very well and reaping the rewards. We need to try and do the same as our defenders (across the team, not just LB/CB/CB/RB) seem to have a lot of mistakes in them if put under pressure.

[only2garners]

3 hours ago, Oldgregg86 said:

Well I must of seen a different game to everyone else. I thought whittingham was appalling. One of the worst performances this season by anyone. Nyambe was his usual poor self , slowing up play, passing backwards, doesn't know how to cross a ball and if that was a good performance then we are in serious trouble. I will say it again hart isn't a footballer full stop. He should not be getting paid to play football. 

To many poor individual performances and that team is being carried by a few individuals.

Take dack and mulgrew out that team and its a mid table side... At best.

 

Were you at the same game as me?

I thought Whittingham was excellent, especially in the second half. As Paul has posted above, most of the positive passing came from him. Nyambe wasn't wonderful but he did use his pace a number of times to drive at the Scunthorpe defence.

In contrast, with the occasional honourable exception, particularly the pass for the second goal, Dack had one of his least effective games. He seemed to be too concerned with playing the man first to get some space rather than concentrating on playing the ball. Mulgrew was by and large comfortable but he does have a habit of believing he is better than he is, playing about with the ball when he should be getting rid and trying to play balls that didn't work.

[Stuart]

12 hours ago, Oldgregg86 said:

Well I must of seen a different game to everyone else. I thought whittingham was appalling. One of the worst performances this season by anyone. Nyambe was his usual poor self , slowing up play, passing backwards, doesn't know how to cross a ball and if that was a good performance then we are in serious trouble. I will say it again hart isn't a footballer full stop. He should not be getting paid to play football. 

To many poor individual performances and that team is being carried by a few individuals.

Take dack and mulgrew out that team and its a mid table side... At best.

Have to agree on Hart. I can’t believe we have brought him in ahead of our own youth. He looked so naive yesterday. Pointing and running around. Then losing the ball or failing to even get in the end of a pass. That said, there were a number of players who shunned the chance to pass to him and instead looked for other options.

In other news, do we have to put quite so much water on the pitch? I’m not sure if it was just a coincidence but the number of miscontrolled passes and sliced kicks was noticeable. It’s as though someone took Kean’s ‘not enough dew on the pitch’ remarks to heart.

I also thought the ref was very poor. First half he seemed to give us everything and second half he did the same for them. Even fouls that didn’t look like fouls - for both teams!

[Oldgregg86]

I did notice they didn't want to pass to him as well. 

[dingles staying down 4ever]

For those saying that was Whittingham's best game let me correct you. The 2nd half was his best half in a Rovers shirt. He was poor in the first and should of been taken off but I'm glad he wasn't with an entirely different 2nd half. The left hand side of our team at present is weak and that includes Whittingham has the left central midfielder. In the first half Antonnson and Whittingham offered litlle to defence or attack leaving Williams exposed. I'll get slated for this but it also includes Mulgrew who at times also gets pulled into areas he shouldn't go and was caught for the first. Raya should of dealt with it though.

Bennett usually offers Nyambe some protection although his help for their 2nd was shocking. He was not the only defensive player to miskick, with Downing particularly guilty.

On the whole it was a good performance, the best I've seen this season with two sides trying to play football. Yet again it is the lack of ability in doing the basics of football which have proved Rovers' undoing.

Scunthorpe's right wingback, Holmes I think, had a great long throw on him for such a small person. 

Also why was the pitch watered at half time?

[Oldgregg86]

8 hours ago, only2garners said:

Were you at the same game as me?

I thought Whittingham was excellent, especially in the second half. As Paul has posted above, most of the positive passing came from him. Nyambe wasn't wonderful but he did use his pace a number of times to drive at the Scunthorpe defence.

In contrast, with the occasional honourable exception, particularly the pass for the second goal, Dack had one of his least effective games. He seemed to be too concerned with playing the man first to get some space rather than concentrating on playing the ball. Mulgrew was by and large comfortable but he does have a habit of believing he is better than he is, playing about with the ball when he should be getting rid and trying to play balls that didn't work.

Sounds like it. Dack was the only reason we get in the final third. Whittingham shirked tackles, made several bad passes and made the wrong choices and was poor all game. Really bad game

[dingles staying down 4ever]

3 minutes ago, Oldgregg86 said:

Sounds like it. Dack was the only reason we get in the final third. Whittingham shirked tackles, made several bad passes and made the wrong choices and was poor all game. Really bad game

First half I'd agree, but he improved dramatically in the 2nd until Antonnson went off. After that the whole team took time to settle down. He still shirked tackles but going forward he was passing more attack minded which was good to see.

[USABlue]

16 hours ago, DE. said:

Poor result. Shrewsbury pull two points away from us. We need to strengthen in January or we're looking at a playoff spot imo. 

They got one from us we got four from them over the season  Acceptable against a promotion contender I suppose. We should have had 3 points but that soft mentality cost us again and regardless what the "won't go down" Mercer says, it will cost us promotion.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

1 hour ago, USABlue said:

They got one from us we got four from them over the season  Acceptable against a promotion contender I suppose. We should have had 3 points but that soft mentality cost us again and regardless what the "won't go down" Mercer says, it will cost us promotion.

I agree about the " soft mentality " , it's our Achilles heel. It's taking some shifting after 7 years of rubbish.

[Doug]

54 minutes ago, Oldgregg86 said:

Sounds like it. Dack was the only reason we get in the final third. Whittingham shirked tackles, made several bad passes and made the wrong choices and was poor all game. Really bad game

I also felt Whittingham was poor yesterday, he should be head and shoulders above most in this league, but, I haven't seen anything to suggest he is.

Although, my biggest gripe is (as always) with Williams, he is woeful. Nyambe tried hard and does seem to be improving (slowly). Raya seemed to be at fault for the first, but I'd like to see a replay as it seemed too easy.

Antonsson didn't score, didn't defend, didn't compete but did manage one decent header to set up Graham, he really is a strange one and every time I moan about him....he scores!

Dack and Graham were excellent, they must be first on the team sheet after yesterday.

Mulgrew wasn't as good as usual, (but still better than most), and Downing was ok (just ok).

Bennett ran round like a good un, but let himself down with a number of very poor passes (including what should have been the killer pass for Dack to finish) and getting it horribly wrong for their second goal.

Overall, I was glad we didn't lose, but this 'we should get promoted with the players we have' attitude is tripe, we have 3 or 4 good players, the rest are bang average (IMO).

[blueboy3333]

1 hour ago, Doug said:

I also felt Whittingham was poor yesterday, he should be head and shoulders above most in this league, but, I haven't seen anything to suggest he is.

Although, my biggest gripe is (as always) with Williams, he is woeful. Nyambe tried hard and does seem to be improving (slowly). Raya seemed to be at fault for the first, but I'd like to see a replay as it seemed too easy.

Antonsson didn't score, didn't defend, didn't compete but did manage one decent header to set up Graham, he really is a strange one and every time I moan about him....he scores!

Dack and Graham were excellent, they must be first on the team sheet after yesterday.

Mulgrew wasn't as good as usual, (but still better than most), and Downing was ok (just ok).

Bennett ran round like a good un, but let himself down with a number of very poor passes (including what should have been the killer pass for Dack to finish) and getting it horribly wrong for their second goal.

Overall, I was glad we didn't lose, but this 'we should get promoted with the players we have' attitude is tripe, we have 3 or 4 good players, the rest are bang average (IMO).

Good post but disagree here. We completely outplayed a top L1 team yesterday. The quality of our players is relative to the opposition. You may not think they are great but I've yet to see a team with better players. Most of our players would walk into their side and I include the likes of Wiliams in that.

[Speedie's Gonna Get Ya]

2 hours ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

I agree about the " soft mentality " , it's our Achilles heel. It's taking some shifting after 7 years of rubbish.

And on a more positive note the best support at home all season....

[dingles staying down 4ever]

2 minutes ago, blueboy3333 said:

Good post but disagree here. We completely outplayed a top L1 team yesterday. The quality of our players is relative to the opposition. You may not think they are great but I've yet to see a team with better players. Most of our players would walk into their side and I include the likes of Wiliams in that.

I think somewhere between the two lies the truth. We are where we are for a reason. We have players who potentially could probably get into other sides but not at present. A few players are playing OK but not many are playing that well they'd walk into other teams. Maybe its the tactics but the only player I'd say which walk into any other team is Dack on present form.

[blueboy3333]

Just now, dingles staying down 4ever said:

I think somewhere between the two lies the truth. We are where we are for a reason. We have players who potentially could probably get into other sides but not at present. A few players are playing OK but not many are playing that well they'd walk into other teams. Maybe its the tactics but the only player I'd say which walk into any other team is Dack on present form.

Don't be silly. Which of Scunthorpe's players would have got in our team yesterday? Maybe the right midfielder/wing back and the No 16. They hadn't much up front and their midfield was dominated by ours.

[dingles staying down 4ever]

6 minutes ago, blueboy3333 said:

Don't be silly. Which of Scunthorpe's players would have got in our team yesterday? Maybe the right midfielder/wing back and the No 16. They hadn't much up front and their midfield was dominated by ours.

So thats two. Put the ball on the other foot which Rovers players would walk into theirs? Dack and ? To walk into another team they have to be a good deal better. Their team looked a well drilled unit. Ok we should have won but lets not go on preconcieved ideas. Mulgrew got caught for the first, Downing was far from convincing, Williams was poor in the first half, Nyambe half our fans say he shouldn't be in the team, Antonnsson poor, Whitingham poor in the first half.

I could go on but to say that our players can walk into other teams is doing other teams a disservice. 

On paper they should but in reality no.

In the first half btw we only had two midfielders playing so how on earth can you say there midfield 5 were dominated by ours? 2nd half a different story. 

[blueboy3333]

Just now, dingles staying down 4ever said:

4 minutes ago, blueboy3333 said:

 

So thats two. Put the ball on the other foot which Rovers players would walk into theirs? Dack and ? To walk into another team they have to be a good deal better

Based on yesterday everyone except the two I mentioned. We dominated them for a reason. We have better players.

[dingles staying down 4ever]

The quote was walk in to an opponents team not just get in? Do you think that we were that much better yesterday. We were the better of the two sides but at no stage were walking the game.

[JAL]

4 hours ago, Oldgregg86 said:

Sounds like it. Dack was the only reason we get in the final third. Whittingham shirked tackles, made several bad passes and made the wrong choices and was poor all game. Really bad game

Can see what your saying re Whittingham, thought he was casual but he at least tried to play some smooth forward balls into his team mates especially on his left hand side though the sub Hart was a very poor replacement for a pretty quite Antonsson similarly Samuel for Graham proved another backward step.

On Nyambe though he had a decent game but he definitely gives absolutely nothing to the team from an attacking point, absolutely nothing. When he's up there nothing ever came from him he can only play short passes that's as far as he can go.

[JAL]

It was a thoroughly enjoyable game Rovers didn't deserve to draw but hey ho. Rev's mate Bennett who looked one of the fittest players on the pitch overplayed a through ball to make it three one then missed kicked a clearance presenting Scunny with a glorious opportunity from twelve yards out which they duly converted.

One of those days though you can see why a Mowbray hasn't won anything in football. Soft mentality.

Samuel for Graham was a poor choice like Nuttall these two don't seem to have the finess to take Rovers onwards and upwards.

[Gav]

So we've got poor defenders, a cr@p keeper, the midfields woeful and terrible strikers.

The manager should have been sacked in November, the crowd are quiet, we never dominate games, we'll never catch Wigan and Shrewsbury are going up in second place.

Ive not even started on the pies and the Riverside bogs.

Youre a right bunch of miserable sods! 

We are 3rd in the league, not been beaten in 13 games, the clubs best run in decades and all you get on here is moan moan @#/? moan.

The manager, players and fans are doing very well indeed at the half way point of the season, with a bit of luck we'll go up comfortably this season, but the posters on BRFCS must do better, much better in the New Year, because some of the comments are just embarrassing. 

Happy New Year. 

[JAL]

Big Learning curve for Raya was when he anticipated the Scunthorpe forward playing a cross moved off his near post opened a gap for the striker to fire in Scunthorpes first goal.

[JAL]

3 minutes ago, Gav said:

So we've got poor defenders, a cr@p keeper, the midfields woeful and terrible strikers.

The manager should have been sacked in November, the crowd are quiet, we never dominate games, we'll never catch Wigan and Shrewsbury are going up in second place.

Ive not even started on the pies and the Riverside bogs.

Youre a right bunch of miserable sods! 

We are 3rd in the league, not been beaten in 13 games, the clubs best run in decades and all you get on here is moan moan @#/? moan.

The manager, players and fans are doing very well indeed at the half way point of the season, with a bit of luck we'll go up comfortably this season, but the posters on BRFCS must do better, much better in the New Year, because some of the comments are just embarrassing. 

Happy New Year. 

The poor defender yesterday was Eliot Benett whom we can forgive. Gav.

[dingles staying down 4ever]

Just now, JAL said:

Big Learning curve for Raya was when he anticipated the Scunthorpe forward playing a cross moved off his near post opened a gap for the striker to fire in Scunthorpes first goal.

Agree it is a big learning curve, he was too central for the position the play had gone into and then tried to anticipate a cross which left the whole nearside of the goal exposed.

But he wasn't the only one who made a mistake for that goal. A far more experienced player allowed the Scunthorpe player get away from him in a dangerous position and has to take a portion of the blame for the goal.

[JAL]

Just now, dingles staying down 4ever said:

Agree it is a big learning curve, he was too central for the position the play had gone into and then tried to anticipate a cross which left the whole nearside of the goal exposed.

But he wasn't the only one who made a mistake for that goal. A far more experienced player allowed the Scunthorpe player getaway from him in a dangerous position and has to take a portion of the blame for the goal.

Credit to the Scunthorpe players for showing good skill and quick feet once they were inside our area you have to be very careful as a defender.

[tomphil]

4 minutes ago, JAL said:

Big Learning curve for Raya was when he anticipated the Scunthorpe forward playing a cross moved off his near post opened a gap for the striker to fire in Scunthorpes first goal.

Time wasted sat on bench at Ewood for a season or two earning thousands doing nowt except watching a second rater in Steele have held him back a lot. Playing somewhere, anywhere week in week out would have helped iron out those kind of naïve wobbles but now he has to learn the ropes here instead which will prove costly a time or two.

Always has a match/point winning worldie save in him as well though to be fair.