[Archived] Portsmouth v Rovers

[USABlue]

7 hours ago, Bigdoggsteel said:

Does anyone else feel we have missed Antonnsson? He always seemed to pop up with a goal or an assist. I wonder will he come straight back into the team? I wouldn't be against it. 

We have a lot of players now, Mowbray has some tough calls to make. Even if that means leaving players completely out of the run in. Unless he changes the team every week, 3-4 players who themselves would expect to be playing won't be, a couple won't even make the bench

Been wondering about your Antonnson question myself.  What is our WDL record with and without him.

[Bigdoggsteel]

1 hour ago, USABlue said:

Been wondering about your Antonnson question myself.  What is our WDL record with and without him.

Going off my own recollection,we drew a lot more since he got injured. 

[Hasta]

It's fairly simple.

When Antonnson played wide, you still saw him getting in the box trying to get himself a goal.

When Bennet / Bell / Conway play there you are surprised if they even get in the box.

[chaddyrovers]

'It's great that he's given himself the opportunity of selection' 

#Blackburn head coach Tony Mowbray is looking forward to the impending return of @darragh_lenihan.

?https://t.co/KmMWMnpNZy…

#Rovers #BBCFootball ? https://t.co/oPS9Rh2jHi

[chaddyrovers]

#Blackburn academy product Lewis Travis is keen 'to impress' head coach Tony Mowbray in order to claim a regular first-team place.

?
https://t.co/mtmCLhxBB2…

#Rovers #BBCFootball ? https://t.co/jEQBxFMPOm

[Bigdoggsteel]

So many players,so many options. Pick your best 11 Tony and let them at it. 

[BlackburnEnd75]

4 hours ago, arbitro said:

Your point about conceding goals from set plays is valid although I don't believe this is anything to do with systems but more to do with the lack of any real aerial dominance we are clearly lacking. We need to start winning games and the best chance in my opinion is keeping clean sheets. It's not easy but to give ourselves a chance we have to be more solid and two banks of four gives us a platform to do this. The conceding of goals from breakaways is down to a lack of organisation as well as individual errors. Even on Saturday when we had equalised we got caught a couple of times two v two as they broke. Perhaps Lenihan could play a holding role with Smallwood or Evans. It's pretty basic but there should always be a spare man or two to counter this.

By the way we seemed to have stopped conceding from corners by employing a simple tactic. Don't give too many away in the first place ?.

I agree the lack of a commanding Centre Half is the main reason for the amount of goals we concede from set plays. I wasn't suggesting that was down to the formation.

[yellowsubmarine]

2 hours ago, Bigdoggsteel said:

So many players,so many options. Pick your best 11 Tony and let them at it. 

Don't think Tony knows his first 11 even at this stage of the season. His first XI always depends on his opponents team strengths and weaknesses. He worries too much about other teams. 

[Garage Flower]

7 hours ago, BlackburnEnd75 said:

I agree the lack of a commanding Centre Half is the main reason for the amount of goals we concede from set plays. I wasn't suggesting that was down to the formation.

We’ve got the ball player in Mulgrew we need a warrior, they’re out there it’s not like a big lump is hard to come by in this league. Could do with one up front as well, we don’t have a proper plan B.  Every team that’s had some big lads has made life difficult for Rovers this season. We’ve all seen it. 

I’m looking forward to the return of Lenihan if for nothing else we’ll have a defender willing to give a bit back, we’re soft as shite and teams know it. I understand we’re going to get kicked and knocked about a bit but there’s nothing stopping us kicking back.

[blueboy3333]

10 hours ago, Bigdoggsteel said:

So many players,so many options. Pick your best 11 Tony and let them at it. 

But what if they have a good right-back?

[Madon]

8 hours ago, yellowsubmarine said:

Don't think Tony knows his first 11 even at this stage of the season. His first XI always depends on his opponents team strengths and weaknesses. He worries too much about other teams. 

In fairness, we have so much quality at the moment that I'm not sure anyone could pick our best 11. 

[Blue blood]

13 minutes ago, Madon said:

In fairness, we have so much quality at the moment that I'm not sure anyone could pick our best 11. 

In fairness that's in part because the squad isn't that balanced!

With either 4-4-2 or 4-4-1-1 or 4-2-3-1 we're still a few pieces of the jigsaw (namely a winger and second tough cm) short. In a 4-4-2 where does Dack fit in? In any formation where are our wingers/wide players or who accompanies Smallwood in the middle?

[FGS5635]

Just now, Blue blood said:

In fairness that's in part because the squad isn't that balanced!

With either 4-4-2 or 4-4-1-1 or 4-2-3-1 we're still a few pieces of the jigsaw (namely a winger and second tough cm) short. In a 4-4-2 where does Dack fit in? In any formation where are our wingers/wide players or who accompanies Smallwood in the middle?

This is where the manager has to make tough choices. If he thinks 4-4-2 is the best way to get 3 points, then you have to be brave and leave someone out. If thats Dack, then thats dack. If he goes 3-5-2 and wants only 1 holding midfeilder, then maybe smallwood misses out. You cant shoe horn in players with the depth we now have in the squad.

[benhben]

Team that beat Walsall please. 

Probably the best performance of the season..........team never to be replicated again by Mowbray. He obviously didnt like it. 

[Waggy76]

1 hour ago, Garage Flower said:

We’ve got the ball player in Mulgrew we need a warrior, they’re out there it’s not like a big lump is hard to come by in this league. Could do with one up front as well, we don’t have a proper plan B.  Every team that’s had some big lads has made life difficult for Rovers this season. We’ve all seen it. 

I’m looking forward to the return of Lenihan if for nothing else we’ll have a defender willing to give a bit back, we’re soft as shite and teams know it. I understand we’re going to get kicked and knocked about a bit but there’s nothing stopping us kicking back.

We have our own bigger lump in Gladwin ...I hope not !

[nathan_rovers1]

I am tempted to travel down from London this evening for this..... 

Tickets available on the night? 

 

[FGS5635]

Confidence is key in sports and it goes a lot quicker than it comes. After the unbreaten run ending and an indifferent home performance last time out, this game feels like a pivotal momnet of our season.

A big performance and result tonight would be huge. Rovers 3-1 #COYB

[JacknOry]

TM needs to make a choice of LB for this game instead of playing both of them. Then again, how good is the Portsmouth RB?

Armstrong deserves to start. Him Dack and Payne behind Graham.

Is Lenihan ready to come back yet?

[Mark45]

I will be in match today, we win also 2-0,maybe Joe Nuttall will play?

Hopefully.

[Mattyblue]

1 hour ago, nathan_rovers1 said:

I am tempted to travel down from London this evening for this..... 

Tickets available on the night? 

 

They are on sale on the night according to club's Twitter account.

[nathan_rovers1]

£36 for a 1 hour and 30 min train journey.... Blimey! 

[Mike E]

If we go up and Mulgrew stays, I'd be interested in seeing Hanley come back to play the 'lump' role, esp as he can run with the ball from defence too.

[joey_big_nose]

I'd say screw the opposition. We should be looking to overwhelm. We have the players. Payne, Armstrong, Graham, Dack, Samuel should all play.

Team for me.

-------------------------------Raya

Nyambe----Mulgrew-----Williams-----Bell

-----------------Payne------Smallwood

-------------Samuel-----Dack-----Armstrong

----------------------------Graham

Let the fullbacks to play very high up to provide the width, tell Smallwood his role is to protect back four. Tell Payne to play-make and dictate.

We should easily win games with that team. 

[Dreams of 1995]

Team to face Portsmouth, in my opinion

                   Raya

Caddis Downing Mulgrew Bell

       Bennett Smallwood 

Payne    Dack    Armstrong

            Graham

 

 

[Mike E]

10 minutes ago, joey_big_nose said:

I'd say screw the opposition. We should be looking to overwhelm. We have the players. Payne, Armstrong, Graham, Dack, Samuel should all play.

Team for me.

-------------------------------Raya

Nyambe----Mulgrew-----Williams-----Bell

-----------------Payne------Smallwood

-------------Samuel-----Dack-----Armstrong

----------------------------Graham

Let the fullbacks to play very high up to provide the width, tell Smallwood his role is to protect back four. Tell Payne to play-make and dictate.

We should easily win games with that team. 

 

1 minute ago, Dreams of 1995 said:

Team to face Portsmouth, in my opinion

                   Raya

Caddis Downing Mulgrew Bell

       Bennett Smallwood 

Payne    Dack    Armstrong

            Graham

 

 

Either of these suits me!

Think jbn's use of Payne would allow a more flexible approach to attacking, allowing 4231 to become 4132 very quickly and fluidly.

However, Dreams' ensures that we have midfield control in the form of 2 box-to-box no-nonsense players.

Maybe Tinkerman Tony tinkers because it's bloody tricky to balance/conflate those 2 excellent looking sides.