[Archived] Rovers v Wigan

[LewisF]

How many goals does Raya want to cost us this season? Granted, he’s a great shot stopper, but his all round game, positional play etc isn’t there. Perhaps a goalkeeping coach who’s been in the game and experienced it first hand would coach those bad habits out of him. As it is, who’ve we got? Certainly nobody who should be the goalkeeping coach at Blackburn Rovers Football Club.

[Bigdoggsteel]

Just now, LewisF said:

1st half was as good as we’ve played all season. Every player won their own battles and the team as a whole was great. Completely bossed them.

But as we know by now, when in front we seem to prefer to defend it rather than build upon it. WHICH NEVER WORKS.

If we’d done the same as we did 1st half then we’d have comfortably won imo. We simply aren’t good enough in defence to sit back and defend when in front.

Is it confidence? I got the feeling our lads looked a bit shell shocked being 2 up. Like "where do we go from here?" Don't forget we are still a team trying to find our identity again 

[blueboy3333]

Just now, Bigdoggsteel said:

Ya he can bring in players,but those on the pitch should have cleared the 2nd goal today. You learn under 12 to clear balls at the front post to stop them causing more trouble 

Well they didn't and they haven't done all season. If you keep conceding goals the same way it's the managers fault for not addressing it.

[LewisF]

Just now, Bigdoggsteel said:

Is it confidence? I got the feeling our lads looked a bit shell shocked being 2 up. Like "where do we go from here?" Don't forget we are still a team trying to find our identity again 

I wouldn’t wanna assume anything regarding the players mentalities, but for me at half time it was still a case of “we need to score at least 3 goals to win a game”

[LewisF]

I like Mobwbray, and I do think we’ll go up automatically this season. But even if we do get promoted, that can’t excuse the lack of defensive organisation and dodgy tactics that have plagued our entire season. Because if it continues when/if we are in the championship we won’t be as fortunate 

[chaddyrovers]

Not read the thread since before the game

My thoughts are:-

Great first half and 2 very good goals. Thought we outclasses them and much the better team. Dack was outstanding. But always felt we need a third goal cos I expect them to come back. 

Second half felt we were slow and we loss our speed of play. 2 goals conceded were sloppy and shouldnt have happened. 

Ref was shocking how Powell wasnt send off for kick out at Lenihan I dont know. Then second half he bottled the decision to send him off again when he was late even tho he went to pocket then realise who the player was. Morsy 

Powell is no Dack and not in the same league. 

Subs had no impact. I would took Evans off at half time even tho he had a good game cos of the Yellow card for Conway. Graham put a shift in so can understand that one even I.wouldnt bought on Nuttall I would either Antonsson or Payne. 

Its a point at the end of the day. Lets move on and lets win against Blackpool..

I rather have the points on the board then chasing and games in hand. More pressure on them now imo

[Stonesrick]

Cook is Steve Evans MK 2. You just knew he would give them everything after our 2nd goal.

Was it just me or did Grigg shake his head sarcastically when handing over the MOM award to Dack.?

Also very smug when saying either Rovers or Shrews would get 2nd spot cos they are certain to get promoted - smug ba***td.

Seriously hope they falter and lose in the semi play off to Rotherham.

 

 

 

 

[Bigdoggsteel]

Just now, blueboy3333 said:

Well they didn't and they haven't done all season. If you keep conceding goals the same way it's the managers fault for not addressing it.

I agree. I'm just not sure what he can do at this point if out current players can't defend properly. I do think Williams is a weak link and mulgrew isn't a dominant centre half, so he needs to bring bell in, but mulgrew brings a lot to the table in other ways.im sure Mowbray is aware of our frailties. His post match comments confirm this 

[LewisF]

It is a very disappointing result given the first half, but coming up shortly aren’t Wigan due to be playing a match every 3 or 4 days? The intensity of their fixture congestion would be even more so if they win their next FA Cup fixture (although I don’t know who they’re playing). 

Therell be more twists and turns yet to come, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see Wigan get a few injuries and tire out when their fixtures begin to come thick and fast

[Roverthechimp]

Tbh it didn't feel like we sat back - Wigan threw on extra forwards. First goal is all about the bounce - could have gone safe when it dropped or from either deflection.

Second goal is just shocking - keeper has to follow the path of the ball.

Nuttall/Antonsson were attacking changes but Nuttall didn't win a ball.

Pity - thought we were the better team and battled well but annoyed to only get a draw considering the equalizer.

[Exiled in Toronto]

10 minutes ago, RevidgeBlue said:

I didn't think Wigan showed any quality whatsoever today other than be extremely physical. Certainly nothing that should have seen us lose a 2 goal lead. We just didn't turn up second half.

They were more than bruisers, all looked pretty confident on the ball, but we don’t stand up well to physicality, with the odd exceptions like Lenihan and Bennett.

Looking at the first goal again, Mulgrew should have thrown himself toward the shooter, I can’t imagine Hendry or Moran just standing there in that situation.

Second goal was a very good free kick, one of their players was only an inch from getting a touch sending it the other way, but Raya could have done more than wave an arm.

[USABlue]

53 minutes ago, Stuart said:

First person to say ‘decent point’ deserves a slap. After a fantastic first half, we went and stuffed it up. Or more specifically Mowbray stuffed it up. It was so so obvious that Wigan were getting back into the game and he left it and left it until the win had gone. He should have brought off Evans (especially after he got booked and became even less effective) moved Bennett inside and brought on Antonsson or Payne. Instead, he just watched and watched.

The referee was abysmal. Unfit, short-sighted and a bottler who was about to book a player until he realised it would be a red. He also bottled as clear a penalty as I’ve seen all season. The standard in League One is so poor that the league may as well save some money and use Sunday League officials.

A draw that feels like a defeat and we are now on the back foot hoping that other teams will slip up. Wigan were poor today and we contrived to let them back into a game that should have been out of sight.

If we didn’t have Dack, I’m not sure we’d even be in the top 6. He has been a massive sticking plaster for a dithering, tinkering manager who has no tactical nouse except a boring, ineffective left to right diagonal ball that rarely if ever sees us even keep possession.

I expect another selection change in the next game. Let’s hope that luck is on our side, and Dack stays fit.

If we don’t finish top 2 we will not go up. We don’t have the bottle or the tactics.

I too was surprised he waited so long you could see which way it was going.

  I also agree about still being in this division next season if we don't get top two.

[G Somerset Rover]

Just now, Exiled in Toronto said:

Second goal was a very good free kick, one of their players was only an inch from getting a touch sending it the other way, but Raya could have done more than wave an arm.

Slightly controversial as he was faultless otherwise, but Lenihan let Burn(?) get the wrong side of him for their equaliser. Right side of him and he’s getting to it before it drops in front of Raya.

[JHRover]

2 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

 

I rather have the points on the board then chasing and games in hand. More pressure on them now imo

You'd rather be on 73 from 36 than 67 from 32? I wouldn't.

[Tom]

Anyone notice first half when Raya kicked it out for an injury to one of their players their captain was trying to get them to push up and trying to encourage them not to throw it back - ubertwat

[Doug]

Well we didn't lose which was always the one to be avoided.

Looking at last 5 games current form for the 3 teams we are the team on the best run by far.

Overall, not too disappointed given the fact we have a weak defence.

Decent point

[Bigdoggsteel]

Just now, Tom said:

Anyone notice first half when Raya kicked it out for an injury to one of their players their captain was trying to get them to push up and trying to encourage them not to throw it back - ubertwat

The team represents the manager. He is a gurrier , whereas Mowbray has class and dignity. We need more fight at times. Be a bit thuggish, in the best possible way. 

[Waggy76]

Just now, Tom said:

Anyone notice first half when Raya kicked it out for an injury to one of their players their captain was trying to get them to push up and trying to encourage them not to throw it back - ubertwat

Him and Powell shouldnt have seen the 2nd half both should have been off ! Also Evans could well have seen red in 2nd ..

[Stuart]

Just now, Doug said:

Well we didn't lose which was always the one to be avoided.

Looking at last 5 games current form for the 3 teams we are the team on the best run by far.

Overall, not too disappointed given the fact we have a weak defence.

Decent point

?✋? 

Always one!  

[roversfan99]

Thought Mowbray got his team selection correct judging by the first half, but his use of subs were slow and incorrect. Nuttall is not ready by a long way, not done anything for a while and Id loan him out next season. Game was crying out for Conway to break it up, win fouls etc, and leave Armstrong or Graham who was excellent in holding it up on down the middle.

Really worrying how we threw away the good work in the first half, 2 really sloppy goals and I worry with each game becoming more and more important that we might struggle to keep our nerve going off today. That was for me the best 2 teams in the league by a distance.

Second was a good ball but Raya should be doing better, then he lost his head and nearly gifted them another, up until then he had been excellent in terms of claiming crosses, usually such a weakness. Good goalkeepers are usually ones that dont get much attention, a good keeper makes very few mistakes and he makes far, far too many sadly.

People are mentioning changing Mulgrew and Lenihan, I think they work really well together, Lenihans tenacity is nicely complimented by Mulgrews composure, weve had a couple of clean sheets recently with them 2 reunited, I do think that we need an experienced keeper behind him come the summer, alot of the goals are directly attributable to Raya and he cant instill much confidence. Williams was pretty poor again aswell, think its time to start Bell.

Also we need to work on central midfield, id bring in Whittingham next week for a different type of game to add composure and guile. Evans was probably the better of the 2 albeit he was close to a red but neither were great.

Bennett was really tenacious and im glad to see him score again, he needs to contribute with goals contrary to what some people might think, hes capable of it and 2 goals in a week is good to see. Dack is on a different level, felt the front 4 had a nice balance to it.

@chaddyrovers why no mention of the potential foul by Dack for the 2nd goal? Referee was just generally poor and unable to control with a fiery game, not biased either way.

[arbitro]

The proverbial game of two halves but in all honesty at half time how many Rovers fans had complete confidence that we wouldn't concede at least one goal. Vaughan was a good change for them and they looked a different proposition with him in. His pace and aggression certainly unnerved Rovers.

A real source of frustration and anger today was the number of soft and silly free kicks we gave away in wider positions. Why on earth our players gave the referee an opportunity to penalise us by touching the Wigan player baffles me. They weren't going anywhere, in fact on a couple they were facing the touchline. The delivery of Power made them a real threat and with the error prone Raya they always had a change. He was shocking for their second goal. It came through at waist height, no pace and with nobody near him he wafted an arm at it instead of moving his feet to get behind the ball. Truly awful goalkeeping. We had some decent performers today but the sedate Evans and Smallwood we pretty much second best for most of the game. Williams was poor in the first half and marginally improved after the break and Nyambe is far better in the opponents half than in his own at times. Lenihan did well but his battle with Powell got too personal and he could yet receive a retrospective ban for his ' Hanley' moment on Powell. 

I don't honestly understand Mowbray playing Evans and Smallwood when Bennett has been our best player in central midfield since the turn of the year. Dack, Armstrong and Graham were decent.

Overall it was a flat home support walking out in the knowledge that we definitely threw points away today with a no show in the second half.

 

[Paul]

Just now, JHRover said:

You'd rather be on 73 from 36 than 67 from 32? I wouldn't.

Cook said he’d rather have points on the board than games in hand. I know it’s dangerous to assume Wigan are going to start losing but starting next Saturday they have 6 games in 20 days. That’s one hell of a schedule. 

[Bigdoggsteel]

Just now, arbitro said:

The proverbial game of two halves but in all honesty at half time how many Rovers fans had complete confidence that we wouldn't concede at least one goal. Vaughan was a good change for them and they looked a different proposition with him in. His pace and aggression certainly unnerved Rovers.

A real source of frustration and anger today was the number of soft and silly free kicks we gave away in wider positions. Why on earth our players gave the referee an opportunity to penalise us by touching the Wigan player baffles me. They weren't going anywhere, in fact on a couple they were facing the touchline. The delivery of Power made them a real threat and with the error prone Raya they always had a change. He was shocking for their second goal. It came through at waist height, no pace and with nobody near him he wafted an arm at it instead of moving his feet to get behind the ball. Truly awful goalkeeping. We had some decent performers today but the sedate Evans and Smallwood we pretty much second best for most of the game. Williams was poor in the first half and marginally improved after the break and Nyambe is far better in the opponents half than in his own at times. Lenihan did well but his battle with Powell got too personal and he could yet receive a retrospective ban for his ' Hanley' moment on Powell. 

I don't honestly understand Mowbray playing Evans and Smallwood when Bennett has been our best player in central midfield since the turn of the year. Dack, Armstrong and Graham were decent.

Overall it was a flat home support walking out in the knowledge that we definitely threw points away today with a no show in the second half.

 

Evans had a great chance to make it 3-0 also. NOT the easiest chance, but he should have done better 

[Cherry Blue]

Just now, Doug said:

Well we didn't lose which was always the one to be avoided.

Looking at last 5 games current form for the 3 teams we are the team on the best run by far.

Overall, not too disappointed given the fact we have a weak defence.

Decent point

We were at home and 2 0 up. I for one am very disappointed. We must finish in top two, this squad won't win a play-off.

I'll not mention the chap in black shorts and black socks except that he wasn't on the Wigan team sheet.

[Bigdoggsteel]

Just now, Paul said:

Cook said he’d rather have points on the board than games in hand. I know it’s dangerous to assume Wigan are going to start losing but starting next Saturday they have 6 games in 20 days. That’s one hell of a schedule. 

They will definitely drop points , no doubt about it. We just need to not let today deflate us too much