[Archived] Gillingham away 17.3.18

[islander200]

https://www.thesun.co.uk/tvandshowbiz/6026996/olivia-attwood-cheers-boyfriend-bradley-dack-at-football-match-with-amber-davies/

Bradley's mind on other things last night????

[Giant]

Not sure he should be wearing claret and blue trunks in the spa. 

[DE.]

57 minutes ago, Biz said:

Good point about Dack, we’ve missed him for the past two matches really, according to the radio he was off his game last night - but that’s not “setting up not to lose” if he has one or two poor performances or has to be replaced, is it? He’s not dropping off because he is being told to be “negative” is he? It’s a result of his fitness and/or other teams trying to negate his impact.

For plan B, it’s perfectly understandable that we may expect to be more effective (I don’t think Payne is a number 10) but I don’t think that the drop off in performances is simply down to tactical decisions about “not losing”! That’s what I initially disagreed with and still will.

I would categorically say that I believe the overall tactic hasn’t changed much since November, only the way we are working in it! It is my opinion, all the suggestions the manager is causing a poorer performance by directly requesting a more defensive tactic, are wrong.

I actually agree with most of what you say here. You've interpreted my comment to mean that I believed Mowbray specifically changed tactics for this match, but that isn't what I meant. I think we always set up with first priority being not to lose, and second priority being to win if possible. From what I've seen Mowbray likes to play counter-attacking football. He wants us to control the ball, keep it tight and nick a goal or two. In fairness to him that has obviously worked for most of the season, but imo it's also the reason we see similar levels of performance regardless of the team we're playing. Rather than save our cautious counter-attacking style for the better teams in the league, we use it no matter who we're playing. It works better against the better clubs because they try to push forward and leave gaps to exploit, but it's less effective against the more defensive sides because we end up cancelling each other out. Hence our victories usually coming from a flash of magic from the likes of Dack, Graham, Armstrong or Mulgrew. Tony has shown he can change our style to be more attacking later on in a match, but we always seem to start very cautiously. It's why, again imo, we have the most draws out of anybody in the top 7 except Charlton, who have the same amount but have obviously won less matches. 

Using our last ten games as a benchmark, we've scored a healthy 19 goals. However, of those 19, only 7 were scored in the first 30 minutes. Only 1 was scored in the first ten minutes of a match. It doesn't necessarily matter when goals are scored as long as we ultimately win, but I think Tony prefers to set a slow pace to begin with and looks to analyse the game as it progresses from there. Generally speaking Dack, Armstrong or Graham have been putting it in the back of the net, but it feels like when Dack is misfiring the whole team struggles to cope. Graham did have those superb two assists in the MK Dons game, but it's not something he does too often. He certainly wasn't doing it last night! 

1 hour ago, Exiled in Toronto said:

I’m glad this message board wasn’t around when we lost six in a row at this time of year under Kenny, including a completely abject 0-2 surrender at Port Vale. Or when we lost at home to City then again abjectly 0-2 at Upton Park when the league title was in our grasp. Or when Gordon Lee’s team won 2 of the last 8 to limp over the line. 

I imagine those performances got the criticism they deserved in pubs across Blackburn. I don't see the need to try and suppress all criticism if the season is generally going well. We as fans should always be looking for improvement, as should the coaching staff. As long as the criticism is well thought out what's the problem? Obviously if it's just "MOWBRAY OUT" or "useless keaners!" then fair enough. But I don't see much of that around here.

[AllRoverAsia]

1 hour ago, islander200 said:

https://www.thesun.co.uk/tvandshowbiz/6026996/olivia-attwood-cheers-boyfriend-bradley-dack-at-football-match-with-amber-davies/

Bradley's mind on other things last night????

I wonder if she went out on another Strongbow straight from the tap bender. Bint.

[roversfan99]

3 hours ago, chaddyrovers said:

Evans has been in good form and he was good last night from fans Ive spoken to who were at the game. 

Bell wide left? Lenihan centre back? 6 defenders in that team. 

No Dack or Payne? 

Or maybe try 2 striker up with number 10 in behind. The team below is just me freshing up the team. 

                          Raya

         Lenihan Mulgrew Williams

   Bennett Travis Whittinghan Bell

                         Payne  

                 Samuel Armstrong        

Subs:- Luetwiler Downing Evans Smallwood Graham Dack Conway Antonsson

Hasnt Bennett been outstanding at right back?.

Even some fans have been asking for him to play there all season. 

Have we got a cup game coming up that im unaware of?! 

Dack and Graham on the bench for the home stretch, our 2 best attacking players with a combined goal haul of 32 dropped for a dolloper with no League goal since November?

Drastic formation change within a run of 8 wins and 3 draws, to one weve never played before (when we played 3 at the back we had Dack and Armstrong both off Graham, ineffectively)

Smallwood and Evans both dropped in favour of an inexperienced kid?

Keep the team roughly as it is, the players that have got us here, but play Payne with Armstrong, Dack and Graham, go attacking from the off, Whittingham for Evans in midfield for his passing ability maybe.

Nuttall as sub striker, Samuel left back home.

[JBiz]

1 hour ago, islander200 said:

https://www.thesun.co.uk/tvandshowbiz/6026996/olivia-attwood-cheers-boyfriend-bradley-dack-at-football-match-with-amber-davies/

Bradley's mind on other things last night????

No wonder lads got fatigued hammies...!!

 

@DE. I think your original wording was “desperate not to lose”. In reflection I think I’ve interpreted that into a few others suggestions we are negative, @barry_ used the word to “insipid” and a few others have had similar points.

I think I largely agree though- however I have slightly different opinion about our all around tactics and how they are applied. 

Mowbray to me is a mix it up, let the lads “get on with it” sort of manager; Ive seen us employ slick wing play at times, long ball, possession and a high line etc. In terms counter attacking football, I don’t think it’s the primary way we play I think it’s our better phase at current, we struggle to break teams down through controlling the ball.

Reason for that? In my opinion we need more natural midfielders, overlapping widemen as opposed to strikers shunted out wide. It’s no coincidence that countering is something we’ve done brilliantly at times, Dacks goal away at Peterborough was sublime, set up by Samuel and Antonsson! It plays into the strengths you’d have with three natural forwards let loose behind a defence, rather than a couple of wingers working off the fullbacks and deep centre mids to break teams down.

We also play a fair bit of target man stuff with Mowbray, and I don’t think this suits Danny Graham 3 games a week against the type of defenders this league is full of! Samuel ain’t no target player either. 

[DE.]

29 minutes ago, Biz said:

No wonder lads got fatigued hammies...!!

 

@DE. I think your original wording was “desperate not to lose”. In reflection I think I’ve interpreted that into a few others suggestions we are negative, @barry_ used the word to “insipid” and a few others have had similar points.

I think I largely agree though- however I have slightly different opinion about our all around tactics and how they are applied. 

Mowbray to me is a mix it up, let the lads “get on with it” sort of manager; Ive seen us employ slick wing play at times, long ball, possession and a high line etc. In terms counter attacking football, I don’t think it’s the primary way we play I think it’s our better phase at current, we struggle to break teams down through controlling the ball.

Reason for that? In my opinion we need more natural midfielders, overlapping widemen as opposed to strikers shunted out wide. It’s no coincidence that countering is something we’ve done brilliantly at times, Dacks goal away at Peterborough was sublime, set up by Samuel and Antonsson! It plays into the strengths you’d have with three natural forwards let loose behind a defence, rather than a couple of wingers working off the fullbacks and deep centre mids to break teams down.

We also play a fair bit of target man stuff with Mowbray, and I don’t think this suits Danny Graham 3 games a week against the type of defenders this league is full of! Samuel ain’t no target player either. 

I think we both agree the players aren't quite there for the way Mowbray wants to play. In Dack, Armstrong & Graham we have the nucleus of a great attack, albeit part of which is on loan. We're good at goalkeeper and central defence, too, imo. Pretty much everywhere else needs work though. Too many players that are inconsistent, lack fitness or just aren't particularly good. 

Funnily enough despite those deficiencies I think Mowbray would keep us in the Championship even with the current squad. I think his cautious, meticulous approach would do enough to keep us safe. 

[islander200]

With Dack seemingly getting back together with this love island bird I hope it won't lead to him angling for a move away this summer to get back down south 

[McClarky]

Some of the hysteria on here is something else. We have just won 8 from 10 and drawn an away game with a clean sheet. This isn’t a panic situation. People are suggesting freshened up teams which involve leaving out our best players and playing weird formations now. We aren’t going down, this is not a desperate situation. Calm down..

[MarkBRFC]

Nah, Bell has been bought into play left wing back.

I'm convinced he's going to 352 next season.

[blueboy3333]

2 hours ago, Exiled in Toronto said:

I’m glad this message board wasn’t around when we lost six in a row at this time of year under Kenny, including a completely abject 0-2 surrender at Port Vale. Or when we lost at home to City then again abjectly 0-2 at Upton Park when the league title was in our grasp. Or when Gordon Lee’s team won 2 of the last 8 to limp over the line. 

Team don't win important game, fans react emotionally on social media platform. Imagine that? Not in your day though eh? You were a stoic bunch, calm of nerve and you didn't show emotion. Nobody ever moaned on the football special back to Blackburn, in the pub or at work the next day if a game didn't go to plan. it was all 'be reet next week cocker, don't be mitherin, micklin nor mucklin or you'll feel tan o'er me boot ya big nancy boy'.

[Exiled in Toronto]

All that and more! You cosseted, snowflake Millennials wouldn’t have lasted 10 minutes. ?

I don’t remember anything but constantly enjoying the Gordon Lee season, perhaps apart from letting 6 in at Hereford. Certainly the 5-2 triumph over Plymouth wasn’t greeted with a massed chorus of “Means nothing, won nothing yet, X games to save our club” when perhaps that phrase was a lot more warranted.

Interestingly, consulting my Jackman, our 40th game on April 9th was a draw away at Gillingham! Lee out!!!

[Waggy76]

Just now, Exiled in Toronto said:

All that and more! You cosseted, snowflake Millennials wouldn’t have lasted 10 minutes. ?

I don’t remember anything but constantly enjoying the Gordon Lee season, perhaps apart from letting 6 in at Hereford. Certainly the 5-2 triumph over Plymouth wasn’t greeted with a massed chorus of “Means nothing, won nothing yet, X games to save our club” when perhaps that phrase was a lot more warranted.

Interestingly, consulting my Jackman, our 40th game on April 9th was a draw away at Gillingham! Lee out!!!

Have we ever won a game at Gillingham ?

[Doaksie]

3 hours ago, Biz said:

I notice not many of those concerned with the recent performances have even suggested that pressure is a factor, the expectation of getting across that finish line is definitely going to be hard for some, especially those who played in our relegation season! I think that may be why Whittingham returned (w/o seeing him in training).. perhaps some experience is needed to guide us over the line! 

Spot on for me. I've mentioned the increased pressure, tension and nervousness in our play a few times in recent performances, but I don't think I have seen anyone else allude to it. 

It is certainly a factor. I don't care about how well Wigan and Shrewsbury are coping with it. Our season has a well-acknowledged 'sh*t or bust' feel to it, and our senior players have shrunk into themselves a bit. And as you hinted at, Tony is not immune to it either (hence the "revert to type" and "negative" insinuations). 

Perhaps the dropped points will focus a few minds. Or perhaps the trend will only continue to grow as a result of the Gillingham game. It's time for the 'big' players to step up. We pay the big wages for situations just like these. 

[jim mk2]

8 hours ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

Reading those latest results for Gillingham I can see why they set up like an " away " team and were happy to play for a point. I was a bit puzzled at first as to why a home team that are as good as safe would be prepared to not give it a go. Looking at those scores tells me why.

 

I think they were afraid of us as high-scoring league leaders and set up their team accordingly. They also raised their game and worked very hard. We're a bit of a counter attack side too so in effect you had 2 away teams playing each other. Not surprising that it ended 0-0. 

We were poor but still got a point. 

[jim mk2]

Watching Peter Whittingham last night made me wonder how he scored so many goals for Cardiff in the past at a much higher level and why he has been so poor for us. He has obviously still got a touch of class about him 

[Speedie's Gonna Get Ya]

4 hours ago, Exiled in Toronto said:

Too much emphasis on Mowbray IMO. I can’t think of any tactical plan in the world that can reliably deliver away wins when the only player that shines is the goalie. Smallwood and Evans were both very poor,  Evans much more so than his last 2-3 games and Smallwood has looked pants for week. I fully expect Bennett in there on Sat.

I think we all agreed Conway had earned a start over Antonsson, but he didn’t grasp it. Dack was unfit, but Payne didn’t do much either when he came on. Graham looked like an ex-prem player not fancying being booted up the arse for 90 mins in Gillingham on a wet Tuesday night, so the Gills could crowd out Armstrong with impunity. And Charlie had two free kicks but didn’t really test the keeper much. Would some different players have done better? Maybe, maybe we’d have lost 3-0.

10 points out of 12 when playing poorly used to be a sign of a promotion team. And if I were Shrewsbury I’d find it demoralizing that we rack up points no matter how we play.

Onward to the Gas

Fair assessment of what I witnessed.

[blueboy3333]

1 hour ago, Doaksie said:

Spot on for me. I've mentioned the increased pressure, tension and nervousness in our play a few times in recent performances, but I don't think I have seen anyone else allude to it. 

I was saying it weeks ago pal.

[Exiled in Toronto]

2 minutes ago, meadows said:

Yes and never lost there

Although me and the current Coroner for Liverpool once lost our car there. Took two hours to find where we’d parked after the game, night match an’ all!

[blueboy3333]

1 hour ago, Exiled in Toronto said:

Means nothing, won nothing yet, X games to save our club” when perhaps that phrase was a lot more warranted.

Were we in hock to some shyters from thousands of miles away to the tune of £120m and counting when Gordon Lee was here?

[blueboy3333]

http://www.skysports.com/watch/video/sports/football/teams/gillingham/11325857/gillingham-0-0-blackburn

Highlights for those who haven't seen them.

[Exiled in Toronto]

Just now, blueboy3333 said:

Were we in hock to some shyters from thousands of miles away to the tune of £120m and counting when Gordon Lee was here?

If Lee hadn’t have turned up we might never have come back. 4th season in the 3rd, the last manager had just poached two of our three best players. We were getting used to being down there. Crowds half what they are even now. Back then a disgruntled pie maker could’ve shut us down. No shysters thank God, real fans in charge, but no money to spend on anything.

 

[Oldgregg86]

Just now, blueboy3333 said:

http://www.skysports.com/watch/video/sports/football/teams/gillingham/11325857/gillingham-0-0-blackburn

Highlights for those who haven't seen them.

Didn't know there was any. If i click that link it should  just be a 30 second clip of darragh smashing someone into the stand

[chaddyrovers]

4 hours ago, roversfan99 said:

Have we got a cup game coming up that im unaware of?! 

Dack and Graham on the bench for the home stretch, our 2 best attacking players with a combined goal haul of 32 dropped for a dolloper with no League goal since November?

Drastic formation change within a run of 8 wins and 3 draws, to one weve never played before (when we played 3 at the back we had Dack and Armstrong both off Graham, ineffectively)

Smallwood and Evans both dropped in favour of an inexperienced kid?

Keep the team roughly as it is, the players that have got us here, but play Payne with Armstrong, Dack and Graham, go attacking from the off, Whittingham for Evans in midfield for his passing ability maybe.

Nuttall as sub striker, Samuel left back home.

Dont try to be funny. 

Dack wasnt 100% fit on Tuesday so he wont be fit for Saturday. 

We have played 3-5-2 this season. 

Midfield need refreshing. Evans and Smallwood looked shattered on Saturday. Cant comment on Tuesday game. Wasnt there. Watch game tomorrow on Rovers player. 

 

[roversfan99]

Just now, chaddyrovers said:

Dont try to be funny. 

Dack wasnt 100% fit on Tuesday so he wont be fit for Saturday. 

We have played 3-5-2 this season. 

Midfield need refreshing. Evans and Smallwood looked shattered on Saturday. Cant comment on Tuesday game. Wasnt there. Watch game tomorrow on Rovers player. 

 

Have we? The 2 times I can remember we started with 3 at the back, Doncaster at home were we had Whittingham and Bennett either side of Graham, and Bury at home where Armstrong and Dack played off Graham.

Either way, to take out all of our key players is madness, especially in a new formation. Maybe change 1 or 2 to freshen it up, not rip up the plans and start again.

If Dack isnt fit why is he on your bench?