[Archived] Portsmouth v Rovers

[Butty]

Wow what a result. Whether we deserved it or not I couldn't give a toss. Tonight was a must win!! I've left loads of games this season, home and away where we haven't performed and have still come away with 3 points. Can't complain I guess, strangely it's the sign of a good team so whatever. COYB EDIT: F**k me by the way, Travis' tackle was an absolute shocker 

[chaddyrovers]

From Rovers official twitter page

We’ll leave you with this tonight, from Tony Mowbray...

“I'm delighted for the supporters, it feels like a big win. I've always talked to the lads about the importance of making that connection with the fans. We care about this club.”

More: https://t.co/cis71HR58f…

[Butty]

Good too see Ryan's injury isn't as bad as it could have been. I'm sure every rovers fan apart from JAL will be glad of that  

[Sparks Rover]

39 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

 

I cant be bother with debating with someone like yourself on here pointless cos you are a person with cocky clever i am better than anybody else attitude. 

Do you understand irony? 

[Mike E]

1 hour ago, den said:

Nyambe got stretchered off because he bit his tongue? We’ll blow me. Is his tongue tied to his legs then?

Spitting blood not from an obvious wound and headache isn't a good mix. Those symptoms would get you straight to hospital.

[speeeeeeedie]

1 hour ago, Cherry Blue said:

Great win didn't expect 3 points. Well done to our travelling support who got behind the lads. 

I didn't realise that Rovers were playing. 

I had a look at the table. Unless Wigan and or Shrewsbury hit a bad spell I think it's the play off route for promotion. If those 2 lose their games in hand and Rovers blip is over it will get interesting.

Hats off to any fan willing to travel to a Rovers game, in any division, on the south coast mid week - in February.

 

[Fraserkirky]

Bradley Dack won't play worse than that and stay on the pitch. Absolutely woeful, gave the ball away every time he touched it. Frustrating.

Apart from that everyone was good.

Raya is a premiership keeper if he could catch the ball. Need him to stay on his line. Hope his calamities don't cost us down the stretch.

Nyambe is so good at times and then gets lost. Love his ability to win the ball back with his physicality.

Mulgrew and Downing strolled it.

Williams is poor with the ball but decent defensively. Bell at home, Williams away.

Bennett was man of the match for me, bounced back from the weekend when I thought he was shocking.

Smallwood did better tonight, good to have a tough guy in there away from home. Passing was decent tonight too.

Dack was dreadful

Payne still lightweight. Period on the bench I think.

Samuel tried hard but nothing coming off for him. Held the ball up okay at times.

Armstrong, man do we need speed in this team. Quality finisher too. Up top every game please. 

Lenihan was tremendous when he came on. Like a new signing.

Graham, did he touch the ball.

Travis, unlucky with the challenge thought he went for the ball but the timing was poor. 

Tony 10/10

[barry_]

1 hour ago, chaddyrovers said:

From Rovers official twitter page

We’ll leave you with this tonight, from Tony Mowbray...

“I'm delighted for the supporters, it feels like a big win. I've always talked to the lads about the importance of making that connection with the fans. We care about this club.”

More: https://t.co/cis71HR58f…

you seem to revel in glorifying the wins and saying very little when we don't win.

I didn't follow any of the game tonight (except the odd post on here) but the change of formation/fortunes was due to an injury?

From what I can see beforehand we were under the cosh and any supporter who is sick of the same thing week in week out under Mowbray is well within their rights to be less than enthusiastic when things go well.

I'm glad we won, i wish TM seemed more passionate and didn't seem so full of doubt about his team.

 

[AggyBlue]

4 hours ago, Fraserkirky said:

Bradley Dack won't play worse than that and stay on the pitch. Absolutely woeful, gave the ball away every time he touched it. Frustrating.

 

In fairness he attracted as many as four players when he got on the ball.

He did dwell on the ball too much though and attracting so many players to him left big spaces elsewhere. He needs to lay the ball off to take advantage.

[Stuart]

6 hours ago, chaddyrovers said:

3 at the back suits the players and players are playing in their right positions. 

I cant be bother with debating with someone like yourself on here pointless cos you are a person with cocky clever i am better than anybody else attitude. 

A win is a win. Couldnt give a toss how we played but Pompey messageboard comments and Rovers fans comment are saying we were better team. 

Chaddy, I would gladly never converse with you ever again. You quoted me, I responded. You think the sun shines out of TM’s backside and will scour Twitter looking for posts by random folk that back you up. Meanwhile I think he is having a bad spell and continues to make mistakes. Doesn’t matter what I say we will never agree.

Remember, it is ALWAYS you that starts with the flaming, then you start to cry when you get some back.

Do us both a favour and put me on ignore.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Great result...promotion is in our hands.

It's Rovers at Ewood that has me worried!

'Kin Tangerines!

[matt83]

Very good result. Didn’t think we’d win. Why do we seem to dispatch all the teams in and around the playoffs Home and away (until the actual playoffs if can’t get automatic no doubt) but we can’t beat the relegation threatened teams. Better beat bloody Bury at home but sort of expecting an Ewood bottle job. 

[Mattyblue]

“Sometimes I can become a bit intense with the team meetings and fine details and I stepped back a bit and the players took control and got the job done.

“Sometimes it’s important to give ownership of the team to the people who are out on the grass doing the job.

“We’ve spent a lot of time working. 32 games in, lots of meetings on how we play on the front foot, squeeze and press.

“They don’t need me to keep telling me every game, they don’t need me to tell them and they got the job done.”

 

 

As said before, at least he’s self aware.

[1864roverite]

Move on folks less bitching between members as the result is all that matters.

 

last night was a good night for ALL at Ewood and the fans.

We must make it count v Bury next Monday night.

 

thats is all that matters everything else takes care of itself.

[D-side17]

7 hours ago, blueboy3333 said:

And as they point out their budget is nothing compared to ours.

I wasn't disputing that we have the larger budget. I was disputing the statement (from someone who hadn't watched the game) that our win was lucky and undeserved.

I wonder if Wigan fans dismiss all of their wins as lucky and undeserved on the basis that they have a larger budget and better players than most other League One teams.

[JacknOry]

Need somebody to sprinkle some reality into all this positive 'hysteria'.

[patrickvalery]

Hate to say it because I've always quite liked him, but Raya was a big part of our problems last night. A few wobbles and it seemed to spread a nervousness throughout our back four.

Thought Nyambe looked assured and was playing well before getting clobbered.

Not at all sure about Williams. I think had Nyambe not been injured and effectively forced two substitutions, Bell would have replaced him. In fact after switching to 3 at the back both Elliott and Williams looked very uncomfortable out wide.

Not seen much of Samuel so perhaps it's a bit unfair. But it looked to me like he was being played to justify the summer expenditure and he was due a run out. Wasn't at all impressed with him.

Seems a bit harsh to be so critical after a win, but my overriding feeling was we got out of jail. It wasn't a case that Portsmouth were cutting us open time and time again. But Jackett summed it up well when he said they weren't trying to unlock the door, more knock it down. And I think it's fair to say at times it looked like it might fall in.

I'm hoping it's just a dip and if it is then you have to say it's good that we're still picking up points along the way.

All this said, I could be way off the mark because in real time I didn't think Travis' tackle warranted a red. Which shows how much my opinion is worth!

[Scratch Andy]

I was lucky enough to be there, but sat in the same stand as the Rovers fans with 3 x Portsmouth fans who I know through work.

It is interesting to read some of our negative fans views on here about the performance etc and put that together with the views of my pompey friends.

They were frightened to death of Bradley Dack every time he got the ball, Mulgrew's left foot and in their words we are definitely second best and we will be happy with a draw.

There notable comments were 

1) You pass the ball and look dangerous everytime you go forward.

2) Your big lad up front is crap. 

3) Your goalie is a liability.

4) Armstrong is quick and aware

5) Mulgrew best distribution and dead ball seen in a long time at Frant on park.

6) You will go up as you are as good as any team we have played this season.

There support is fantastic, when they scored the whole stadium was rocking.

Great 3 points, COYB

[Mattyblue]

Fratton Park itself helps the atmosphere. An 18,000 gate in a 19,000 capacity stadium with stands right on top of the pitch.

12/13,000 in Ewood Park spread over four big stands (well 3 and the Riverside) just makes it hard to get anything going.

[Butty]

36 minutes ago, patrickvalery said:

Hate to say it because I've always quite liked him, but Raya was a big part of our problems last night. A few wobbles and it seemed to spread a nervousness throughout our back four.

Thought Nyambe looked assured and was playing well before getting clobbered.

Not at all sure about Williams. I think had Nyambe not been injured and effectively forced two substitutions, Bell would have replaced him. In fact after switching to 3 at the back both Elliott and Williams looked very uncomfortable out wide.

Not seen much of Samuel so perhaps it's a bit unfair. But it looked to me like he was being played to justify the summer expenditure and he was due a run out. Wasn't at all impressed with him.

Seems a bit harsh to be so critical after a win, but my overriding feeling was we got out of jail. It wasn't a case that Portsmouth were cutting us open time and time again. But Jackett summed it up well when he said they weren't trying to unlock the door, more knock it down. And I think it's fair to say at times it looked like it might fall in.

I'm hoping it's just a dip and if it is then you have to say it's good that we're still picking up points along the way.

All this said, I could be way off the mark because in real time I didn't think Travis' tackle warranted a red. Which shows how much my opinion is worth!

 I've given up worrying about the way we play as long as we get 3 points. It seems to be a trademark of our season to not play particularly well but still win games, we've probably won more games in that manner than by actually performing to our best and blowing the opposition away. Maybe that's just what sort of team we are, I don't know, it's a strange one really. Like I said though, as long as we win then fook it  

[Wing Wizard Windy Miller]

Just now, Butty said:

 I've given up worrying about the way we play as long as we get 3 points. It seems to be a trademark of our season to not play particularly well but still win games, we've probably won more games in that manner than by actually performing to our best and blowing the opposition away. Maybe that's just what sort of team we are, I don't know, it's a strange one really. Like I said though, as long as we win then fook it  

I'm beginning to come round to that way of thinking! ?We have some glaring issues but we are up near the top and challenging.  Time to just roll with it and see what occurs. 

COYB

[arbitro]

First and foremost we won a game which on paper was tough and in doing so showed some resilience which I thought was lacking at times recently. It was a Curates Egg of a performance though with mainly good spells interspersed with poor spells when we let Portsmouth dominate the ball. Mulgrew was outstanding I thought and in front of him Bennett (until he was moved out wide) and Smallwood working extremely hard. Our flair players were a disappointment on the night but Armstrong came up with the goals. Raya is an enigma for us and last night the fans were nervous every time the ball came into our penalty area.

Mowbray got his three at the back system in and although that didn't win us the game we certainly didn't look any worse because of it. Team selection and tactics for Bury will be interesting and I sincerely hope Mowbray is flexible in his thinking and plays the best system according to the variables each different game will present.

[Jimbobololo]

1 hour ago, Stuart said:

Chaddy, I would gladly never converse with you ever again. You quoted me, I responded. You think the sun shines out of TM’s backside and will scour Twitter looking for posts by random folk that back you up. Meanwhile I think he is having a bad spell and continues to make mistakes. Doesn’t matter what I say we will never agree.

Remember, it is ALWAYS you that starts with the flaming, then you start to cry when you get some back.

Do us both a favour and put me on ignore.

He is right though. Why don't you put him on ignore? It does seem a compulsion of yours to have the final say.

[blueboy3333]

1 hour ago, Scratch Andy said:

I was lucky enough to be there, but sat in the same stand as the Rovers fans with 3 x Portsmouth fans who I know through work.

It is interesting to read some of our negative fans views on here about the performance etc and put that together with the views of my pompey friends.

They were frightened to death of Bradley Dack every time he got the ball, Mulgrew's left foot and in their words we are definitely second best and we will be happy with a draw.

There notable comments were 

1) You pass the ball and look dangerous everytime you go forward.

2) Your big lad up front is crap. 

3) Your goalie is a liability.

4) Armstrong is quick and aware

5) Mulgrew best distribution and dead ball seen in a long time at Frant on park.

6) You will go up as you are as good as any team we have played this season.

There support is fantastic, when they scored the whole stadium was rocking.

Great 3 points, COYB

Sounds like the 'negative' posters and your mates are pretty much on the same page.

[JBiz]

Just now, blueboy3333 said:

Sounds like the 'negative' posters and your mates are pretty much on the same page.

No, I don’t think a few of us give the team a single shred of credit. The Pompey fans views that I’ve read all said we looked “best team at fratton” this season, yet a few of ours who probably watched on a jerky facebook stream think we played poorly.

I imagine those same people would’ve been extremely critical had we played beautifully and lost 1-0.