[Archived] Rovers v Wigan

[superniko]

It's a strange one because 6 points over 4 games you feel like Wigan have the advantage, but all the talk is 2 points a game gets you promoted (92 points). That would only take Wigan two above us so hardly out of reach, especially with their run in and Rotherham to play  

Shrewsbury are the ones to watch and we should be more than capable of matching / beating their total.

I'd absolutely love it if Wigan ended up 3rd after the comments from their manager and their smug players  

 

[philipl]

Overall we were comfortably the better side. I really appreciated the pressing and how we were in the Wigan faces all the time. Up until their first goal, Wigan were moaning at the ref all the time.

 

Ref was reasonable compared with most at this level except for two game changing decisions. There was a clear shove for a penalty which he missed and no way in a million years was there a foul for the free kick they scored directly from (the guy enthusiastically claiming it got nothing on the ball).

 

First Wigan goal was utterly scabby. One of those multiple ricochets that are kind for the attacking side you are going to concede in a long season and was really nobody's fault.

 

So automatic promotion is out of hands again but if both Shrewsbury get maximum points from their two games in hand and Wigan negotiate their end of season fixture crush to make up the gap, good luck to both of them.

 

I think we have too much to stay in this division. I certainly hope so having discovered only one bar has not ditched Sky (after missing most of the first half dry pub crawling). All the others take Sky Premier League feeds from obscure foreign stations which weren't bothering with our game. 

[RoverCanada]

Obviously a very frustrating result, but I'm just trying to take comfort that I would've been satisfied with a point before the game.

Nyambe was pretty awful. Hope this is just a hiccup given he was playing great not too long ago. Williams and Smallwood (how many more games until he can get a yellow again without getting suspended? Seems to have taken the bite out of his game) were quite poor too. Thought Lenihan and Dack were our standouts, and Graham, Bennett, Evans (happy to see him have a couple decent games now as we need him to step up in MF after a generally poor year so far), and Armstrong were solid.

If I were to grade it... Raya 6, Nyambe 4, Lenihan 8, Mulgrew 6, Williams 5, Bennett 7, Smallwood 5, Evans 7,  Dack 8, Armstrong 7, Graham 7. Can't say I noticed the subs much... Mowbray probably left them a bit too late. Would've put Bell on for Williams anyway.

[arbitro]

8 minutes ago, Bigdoggsteel said:

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

It was a miss for me. He didn't get a clean enough contact on the ball and hit it into the ground. That took the pace off the shot and made it easier for their keeper.

[Bigdoggsteel]

Just now, arbitro said:

It was a miss for me. He didn't get a clean enough contact on the ball and hit it into the ground. That took the pace off the shot and made it easier for their keeper.

I suppose it's always easy when we aren't the ones doing it 

[Bigdoggsteel]

8 minutes ago, philipl said:

Overall we were comfortably the better side. I really appreciated the pressing and how we were in the Wigan faces all the time. Up until their first goal, Wigan were moaning at the ref all the time.

 

Ref was reasonable compared with most at this level except for two game changing decisions. There was a clear shove for a penalty which he missed and no way in a million years was there a foul for the free kick they scored directly from (the guy enthusiastically claiming it got nothing on the ball).

 

First Wigan goal was utterly scabby. One of those multiple ricochets that are kind for the attacking side you are going to concede in a long season and was really nobody's fault.

 

So automatic promotion is out of hands again but if both Shrewsbury get maximum points from their two games in hand and Wigan negotiate their end of season fixture crush to make up the gap, good luck to both of them.

 

I think we have too much to stay in this division. I certainly hope so having discovered only one bar has not ditched Sky (after missing most of the first half dry pub crawling). All the others take Sky Premier League feeds from obscure foreign stations which weren't bothering with our game. 

I thought Nyambe was decent to be honest 

[Pedro]

Very deflating. I saw it coming unfortunately, we too often try to walk our way through games without intensity - that is why I fear the play offs.  If we could have some of that Wigan aggression, we'd be runaway leaders.  

Regardless, we are the best side in this league since November and we need to get on with the job at hand, starting with Blackpool.

[roversfan99]

Just now, Bigdoggsteel said:

I thought Nyambe was decent to be honest 

He definitely has improved alot this season, at times he looks muddled and dallies on the ball as if he doesnt know what to do next.

His errors dont lead to goals that often really, hes not the massive liability he once was, whereas Raya DOES too often cost us with direct mistakes. 

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

26 minutes ago, 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. 

I would wager good money that Wigan will not win all of those games in hand,same with shrews.....the pressure is firmly on them to get the results.

There are many twists and turns to come these remaining games.

[Bbrovers2288]

Thought we were neater, thought they were stronger and more powerful. Said before they scored the first it was time for subs, sadly our bench was all lightweight and small players. Needs addressed in the summer no matter what league we are in. Really liked the look of max power, shame we can’t swap him for Evans or Smallwood. Nick Powell is a moaning arse of a player and will grigg a cocky bar steward. I still expect both teams to be auto promotion 

[Clitherover]

22 minutes ago, Bigdoggsteel said:

I thought Nyambe was decent to be honest 

Nyambe was good, apart from one point when he got nutmegged he had a decent game.

Williams is definitely the weak point for me and needs replacing whatever league we are in next season.

[jim mk2]

2 hours ago, Bigdoggsteel said:

Tough to take, their goals were lucky. Our goals were quality. 

They are battlers though I will give them that. 

Great game to have on sky. Very entertaining. 

 

Their goals exposed some of our weaknesses - particularly at set pieces and Raya. So no, they weren't lucky.

Wigan  impressed me - very similar to Burnley they're a solid, hard working well organised outfit, and with a manager who clearly knows what he's doing. 

I fancy them to finish near the top of the Championship next season

[Fraserkirky]

Chapman can't come back soon enough. Want to see him and Bell on the left

[Vinjay]

When they showed Waggott wasn't it? Might have been Suhail next to him but the commentators, etc focus was on Waggott so people might have missed Pasha. Anyone have a screenshot if they are that bothered about it?

[Bigdoggsteel]

1 minute ago, Fraserkirky said:

Chapman can't come back soon enough. Want to see him and Bell on the left

That sounds tasty!

[Bigdoggsteel]

1 minute ago, Vinjay17 said:

When they showed Waggott wasn't it? Might have been Suhail next to him but the commentators, etc focus was on Waggott so people might have missed Pasha. Anyone have a screenshot if they are that bothered about it?

The 2 of them were there. Should be more questions asked. They aren't been asked. Never will be 

[Kamy100]

First half we were clinical and even though we decided to concede the possession to Wigan we managed to restrict the well and looked dangerous on the break.

Second half we started relatively well and looked comfortable but as the substitutions by Cook changed the game, suddenly the possession that they had was threatening with Vaughan offering a physical threat.  The goals that we conceded were poor.  We tired in the last 15 minutes as all that running around without the ball finally caught up with us.  Our defence has been a bit of a concern all season, they can look relatively comfortable and doing everything right and then bang we will concede a poor/soft/silly goal which lets the opposition back in.

I was impressed with Wigan they are a well organised side with a lot off fight.  Can't grumble with the point in the end.  The chase for promotion will I suspect go right down to the wire we just have to put this behind us and remember that we have won 4 out the last 5, or taken 7 points in the last week that is promotion form.  Blackpool next Saturday is a game that we have win to maintain the pressure on likes of Wigan, Shrewsbury and Rotherham.

[chaddyrovers]

1 hour ago, JHRover said:

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

well that's you isn't it. 

we have points on the board whilst Wigan are chasing us and have to fit in 5 games into their schedule because of their FA cup and they will be under huge pressure? 

can they squad handle it? not sure myself. 

1 hour ago, 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

you mean number 5 Morsy? 

58 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

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.

didn't see a foul tbh, not seen it on TV and I'm at the other end of the stadium. what about the clear pen on Dack in the second half that the ref in the second half miss?

I seen Dack outmuscle and out strength their right back and set up Bennett for his goal. Bennett work rate and positional is first class and so very good. 

Lenihan was awesone in the first half. 

I don't blame Raya for the 2nd goal but why didn't Rovers defenders get their headers to it and clear it. it was good ball in but Raya couldn't make a decision until it was far too late. and I cant believe @LewisF is blaming Ben Benson for the coaching of him, Look at how much better he is and confidence is this season. He is very young in terms of keeper is Raya but Mowbray has given him a chance and mostly he been very good like the Walsall game. also was it even a foul for their free kick for 2nd goal? Not for me. 

@Stuart is correct for view of the Ref in today game, so fair play to you Stuart. 

[blueboy3333]

http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/rovers/news/16064035._We_let_the_game_slip_through_our_fingers____Tony_Mowbray_reacts_to_Rovers__home_draw_with_Wigan/?ref=mac

“I think we’re two different teams, they are a possession-based teams whereas we’re a transition, power and counter-attacking team"

Interesting admission from Mowbray. It's why we sometimes struggle to break teams down at home but have been lethal at times away. Our first goal wouldn't have looked out of place in the Prem and was a classic counter-attack.

[bluefred]

Just now, Kamy100 said:

First half we were clinical and even though we decided to concede the possession to Wigan we managed to restrict the well and looked dangerous on the break.

Second half we started relatively well and looked comfortable but as the substitutions by Cook changed the game, suddenly the possession that they had was threatening with Vaughan offering a physical threat.  The goals that we conceded were poor.  We tired in the last 15 minutes as all that running around without the ball finally caught up with us.  Our defence has been a bit of a concern all season, they can look relatively comfortable and doing everything right and then bang we will concede a poor/soft/silly goal which lets the opposition back in.

I was impressed with Wigan they are a well organised side with a lot off fight.  Can't grumble with the point in the end.  The chase for promotion will I suspect go right down to the wire we just have to put this behind us and remember that we have won 4 out the last 5, or taken 7 points in the last week that is promotion form.  Blackpool next Saturday is a game that we have win to maintain the pressure on likes of Wigan, Shrewsbury and Rotherham.

Agree entirely  , 

i do think we should have taken Evans off at half time

and put Bennett in the middle and brought Payne on , just to keep more pressure 

on them.

 All in all a point isn’t the worst result .

 

[Vinjay]

16 minutes ago, Bigdoggsteel said:

The 2 of them were there. Should be more questions asked. They aren't been asked. Never will be 

Well at least Waggott's met some fans. Granted its easy to say certain things but I don't recall being annoyed by what I read. Has there been any noticeable crackdown in recent weeks on issues like people cheating the club on JW wing tickets but sitting in centre? Waggott said he would do something about it.

Stewards don't really care in many cases. I was irritated by one at game with Bristol R saying they were going to equalise towards the end. Do fans want to hear stewards coming out with such paranoid rubbish? I wouldn't be surprised if same guy said today that Wigan would score a winner.

Anyway the main concern would be better turnstile policing and monitoring them more closely for checking tickets, etc. It wouldn't have to be blatant spying but at the very least getting feedback from a few "test subjects" entering the stadium. Then if there is substantial feedback they aren't doing the checks properly get rid of them. I guess the problem is coming up the stairs from concourse with issues like moving from wings to centre. I know being directed towards a seat (especially if you have been in same one for years) would be irritating but there has to be some way of monitoring it effectively. Maybe CCTV and checking if certain seats in JW centre are occupied despite being listed as unsold, etc.

[darrenrover]

We were robbed!

How many times in the second half did Wigan (and Vaughan particularly) con the referee into giving free kicks in dangerous areas? How was the push on Dack not a penalty? How did Wigan's modern day version of Dennis Wise not see red?

The second goal was never a free kick in the first place and what followed defies belief.

That said, it was a thoroughly entertaining game even though I feel as if we lost.

I have to concede though that Wigan were 'smarter' than us today and on balance they deserved a point. (spit!)

 

[roversfan99]

2 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

 

didn't see a foul tbh, not seen it on TV and I'm at the other end of the stadium. what about the clear pen on Dack in the second half that the ref in the second half miss?

I seen Dack outmuscle and out strength their right back and set up Bennett for his goal. Bennett work rate and positional is first class and so very good. 

Lenihan was awesone in the first half. 

I don't blame Raya for the 2nd goal but why didn't Rovers defenders get their headers to it and clear it. it was good ball in but Raya couldn't make a decision until it was far too late. and I cant believe @LewisF is blaming Ben Benson for the coaching of him, Look at how much better he is and confidence is this season. He is very young in terms of keeper is Raya but Mowbray has given him a chance and mostly he been very good like the Walsall game. also was it even a foul for their free kick for 2nd goal? Not for me. 

@Stuart is correct for view of the Ref in today game, so fair play to you Stuart. 

The only one biased is you (in the same way as I am as a Rovers fan), point being we threw away 2 goals through a mixture of their good play and our own shortcomings. The ref was not biased at all, just poor on both sides, looked a foul to me in the build up to our second, thought the free kick for their second was soft and that was never a penalty on Dack (ive seen it back, didnt think so at the time nor on the replay) so it was just general incompetence favouring neither team, you cant blame refereeing conspiracies for us throwing away 2 points.

Surely you agree though that Raya is making too many mistakes? He is a talented keeper, good shot stopper, and for the first hour or whatever he was really good at catching crosses. But then he made another mistake. Keepers are judged on the mistakes they make. He is very young, not saying hes a lost cause but you look at our team and hes the one glaring weakness in terms of targeting someone to make a mistake. The second goal shouldnt go in like it did then he had a rush of blood to the head soon after, an experienced number 1 would be a masisve improvement next season, maybe loan Raya out to a League 1 club and get him to learn on the job and not affect the points we get. You mention the Walsall game but even then theres question marks over him for the goal they scored. Whilst hes making mistakes, you will also get people questioning how seemingly a novice coach is teaching him, maybe an experienced head will help to cut them out of his game?

[Rover_Shaun]

2 points thrown away. Very very Disappointing day indeed 

[tomphil]

There was always going to be these type of problems in blooding a rookie keeper but set pieces need an understanding between the defence, it's leader and the keeper. Every time we have to defend one our players are too busy looking at and moaning at the ref it happens all the time not just today.

Until we have the right types in there it will continue to be a weakness.