[Archived] Rovers v Wigan

[Lancaster Rover]

However unpleasant Cooke is he had a contributing factor in Wigan salvaging a point yesterday.

[Paul]

26 minutes ago, Hasta said:

 

 It's not a penalty at all. Have you watched it back? Dack also has his left arm out and is trying to grab a bit of the guys shirt. There is nothing in it.

As bad as the ref was, when people keep banging on about the penalty it just makes you sound desperate to find fault in the ref.

He was poor and refereed the second half completely different from the first half. He gave a lot of fouls in the second half which he was letting go in the first half and yet we didnt learn. I've not seen the free kick for the equaliser which looked soft but the one big error was the foul he gave for Nyambe. However I've seen worse this season and he certainly wasn't the reason why we let Wigan boss the second half.

 

Well as ever the joy of football is we all have different views, literally,  of the game and opinions on the team and incidents. I haven’t watched the playback but will at some point.

From my angle, back of the JWL above the opposition technical area, it was a clear two handed push. I haven’t spoken about the referee though I did note he took a long look at the incident - or at least he wanted it to appear he did!! I didn’t think the referee any worse than those we’ve seen this year though I felt some of the free kicks awarded to Wigan were clearly wrong including the one which lead to their second goal. I haven’t seen a replay so this is my instinct from the opposite side of the pitch. I thought him capable of awarding a dodgy penalty to either side.

Rovers were responsible for the draw not the officials. We should know by now decisions in this league can be unexpected. We should also have learned when you have a team on the rack at 2-0 the time is right to go for the jugular. A third goal in the 45-60 minute period and it is game over. Add to this Wigan were always going to go at us from the start of the second half, they had no choice. This should have been countered by Rovers pushing them back in to their own half.

The other aspect of our play which I felt contributed to our downfall was time wasting. This isn’t a general aspect of our play but at 2-0 we deliberately started to take forever at every thrown, free kick etc. While this didn’t result in excessive extra time it had the effect of slowing down our play and reducing the match time available to us to score a third. In similar circumstances when the opposition play like this the home support howls from the rooftops. 

[RevidgeBlue]

3 hours ago, Paul said:

Stuart are you talking about the two handed push in Dack’s back on the left side, as you face goal, of the penalty area?

This is the only penalty shout I saw and for me it was 100% nailed on penalty. Probably the clearest at Ewood this season. 

Just watched the game back and I didn't think that was a penalty. Don't think the ref got as much wrong as some people are making out, unfortunately however he made two glaring errors imo, the decision to penalise  Nyambe and book him for an excellent challenge (which wasn't crucial) and the award of a non existent foul by Armstrong for the free kick leading up to the goal (which was).

Bad mistake from Raya, it was an extremely difficult ball to deal with but he should have been getting behind the line of the ball so that at worst it hits him and hopefully bounces away. Still think overall he's a good keeper though with the potential to be a top class one.

Poor old ToMo looked completely shell shocked in his post match interview. Hope he manages to regroup himself and fire the players up again before weekend.

[blueboy3333]

I have a healthy respect for Cook precisely because he's done it the hard way, earnt his stripes and gradually moved up the leagues. He's done a very good job wherever he's been. Better that than the likes of Gary Monk who just get jobs on the basis he once got lucky at Swansea and was given a job in the Prem with no experience of ever managing.

As for Cooks antics, he is doing whatever he can to do the best for his club.  That's what winners do. Fergie made a career out of it. If the refs are influenced by it then it has worked. This is pro football, it isn't tiddlywinks.

Sour grapes.

[robbojohnno]

43 minutes ago, Gavlar Somerset Rover! said:

The guy needs an FA fine/banishment to the stands or two to put him in line. He was the same at the DW earlier in the season; always getting in the 4th officials ear and intimidating them. As it is, in League One he just gets away with it and I think he had an influence yesterday. He’s like a big kid.

100% agree it's a disgrace how he gets away with old school playground bullying of these novice lower league officials. 

[robbojohnno]

30 minutes ago, Lancaster Rover said:

However unpleasant Cooke is he had a contributing factor in Wigan salvaging a point yesterday.

He was the factor, he was effectively the referree.

[RevidgeBlue]

Just now, robbojohnno said:

100% agree it's a disgrace how he gets away with old school playground bullying of these novice lower league officials. 

To be fair to Cook It's his job to get in the ears of the officials, and their job not to take any notice whatsoever of the objectionable oaf!

It worked pretty well for Alex Ferguson for 25 years.

[arbitro]

Just now, robbojohnno said:

100% agree it's a disgrace how he gets away with old school playground bullying of these novice lower league officials. 

If the referee and fourth official allow it to happen then managers like Cook will do it safe in the knowledge that they have nothing to lose and potentially plenty to gain. Yesterday's officials were weak and the referee was certainly reluctant to issue any second yellow cards. As a result he was never really in control of the match. The two incidents between Lenihan and Powell in the first half were both possible red cards for me (viewing in real time). Neither were picked up by any of the officials which was indicative of the erratic officiating yesterday.

[Exiled in Toronto]

1 hour ago, arbitro said:

I don't buy the coaching aspect in relation to the second Wigan goal. Any keeper with a modicum of nous would have got to the flight of the ball and simply caught it. If he has to be coached to such an elementary level he should be nowhere near professional football.

Given a Wigan player very nearly touched it in maybe his best bet would’ve been to charge toward the ball and punch it back where it came from. Not that he ever punches anything.

[Bbrovers2288]

Anybody else notice our team are horrendous at heading? Nyambe constantly lets ball bounce instead of getting his head on it and clearing. Williams is equally as bad for it and should also have had a couple of goals recently but for his square dome heading when in great positions. Coaching ? 

[RevidgeBlue]

Just now, Bbrovers2288 said:

Anybody else notice our team are horrendous at heading? Nyambe constantly lets ball bounce instead of getting his head on it and clearing. Williams is equally as bad for it and should also have had a couple of goals recently but for his square dome heading when in great positions. Coaching ? 

They're probably scared to head the ball given the completely over the top (and as far as I can see completely unproven) hysteria these days about the possible link between giving yourself brain injury/later onset dementia through heading the ball.

[Giant]

Modern balls are like beach balls, the old leather ones used to weigh a ton when wet. I can understand the latter giving brain injuries.

[RevidgeBlue]

Just now, Giant said:

Modern balls are like beach balls, the old leather ones used to weigh a ton when wet. I can understand the latter giving brain injuries.

It is possible, but I'm not sure how it can be proven the likes of poor old Jeff Astle wouldn't have contracted dementia anyway, or if the incidence of former footballers with dementia is any greater than in the rest of the general population.

[oldjamfan1]

On 3/4/2018 at 13:45, AdamRochina said:

 We must be the only team to go in front and get terrified

Not particularly having a go at just you here (though you do have a tendency to overreact during games) but quite a few people have made various comments about Rovers not knowing what to do when they get in front in a game. 

Turns out that we have scored first in a game 23 times this season, winning 19 of them, drawing 4 and losing NONE.

Odd stat that for a team of chokers.

[Hasta]

1 hour ago, Paul said:

Well as ever the joy of football is we all have different views, literally,  of the game and opinions on the team and incidents. I haven’t watched the playback but will at some point.

From my angle, back of the JWL above the opposition technical area, it was a clear two handed push. I haven’t spoken about the referee though I did note he took a long look at the incident - or at least he wanted it to appear he did!! I didn’t think the referee any worse than those we’ve seen this year though I felt some of the free kicks awarded to Wigan were clearly wrong including the one which lead to their second goal. I haven’t seen a replay so this is my instinct from the opposite side of the pitch. I thought him capable of awarding a dodgy penalty to either side.

 

Sorry Paul. That's a problem with multi-quoting. Most of my reply was aimed at Chaddy but as you had also stated you thought it was a clear penalty I put you in there.

On the ground from the Blackburn End I couldn't see it properly. On TV it looks nothing at first glance. On the replay two hands come across but Dack has his hand holding him off and grabbing at his shirt. 

Highlights here if anyone wants to relive it.

[Hasta]

37 minutes ago, Bbrovers2288 said:

Anybody else notice our team are horrendous at heading? Nyambe constantly lets ball bounce instead of getting his head on it and clearing. Williams is equally as bad for it and should also have had a couple of goals recently but for his square dome heading when in great positions. Coaching ? 

I noticed this - last season. It's still never been rectified.

[roversfan99]

3 hours ago, chaddyrovers said:

You mean when Nyambe and Vaughan challenge for the ball?

Exactly agreed. 

Look at Stuart, Paul and Tom comments about the pen claim. 

Thats your view on ref not mine. 

But surely you arent saying that he was biased towards Wigan ie purposely giving them an advantage?

[JHRover]

Just now, meadows said:

I’m prepared to bet money that’s the first time Paul Cook & Pep have been compared

No surprises they were falling out the other week at the DW. Pep never far from trouble whenever anyone beats him or upsets his team and stops them and Cook an unsavoury individual at the best of times.

[Boz]

I have now watched highlights back for the first time, with interest for any apparent push on Dack in their penalty area, Wigan player's left arm comes around Dack's right shoulder, it would have been a very soft decision if a penalty was awarded, though you've seen them given, but no worse than Dack on the lead up to our second goal.

That being said it might have been fun to see Cook spontaneously combust at the award! 

[Gav]

I'm very surprised the occasion yesterday hasn't been given more coverage.

Ewood was absolutely rocking at times yesterday, especially in the first half, and with over 16k fans on for a live TV game It felt like the old days at times for me.

The elephant in Pune is still very much in the room, but yesterday was about Blackburn Rovers, its players and manager and most of all it's tremendous supporters.

 

 

 

[JHRover]

2 minutes ago, Gav said:

I'm very surprised the occasion yesterday hasn't been given more coverage.

Ewood was absolutely rocking at times yesterday, especially in the first half, and with over 16k fans on for a live TV game It felt like the old days at times for me.

The elephant in Pune is still very much in the room, but yesterday was about Blackburn Rovers, its players and manager and most of all it's tremendous supporters.

 

 

 

To me it felt like a Championship game, in the atmosphere, attendance and quality of football on offer. I'm sure supporters of most League One clubs watching will have recognised by some distance the two best footballing teams in this league going head to head.

[FGS5635]

16 minutes ago, Gav said:

I'm very surprised the occasion yesterday hasn't been given more coverage.

Ewood was absolutely rocking at times yesterday, especially in the first half, and with over 16k fans on for a live TV game It felt like the old days at times for me.

The elephant in Pune is still very much in the room, but yesterday was about Blackburn Rovers, its players and manager and most of all it's tremendous supporters.

 

 

 

Agreed. I reckon the chants after the 1st goal are the loudest ewood has been for quite some time

[Vinjay]

The referee. 4th official (and maybe even Mowbray) should have been the ones to tell Cook to shut up. Maybe even the fans should have yelled at the 4th official to stand up to him. Maybe he is an unpleasant individual but from a psychological standpoint he must have felt it was effective. His mindset may have been they were playing away from home against a much bigger club and he was paranoid about the ref being intimidated by fans, etc. So he decided to try and do it himself.

I didn't realise he was as old as he was (didn't know much about him besides getting Portsmouth promoted and touted amongst the favourites at start of season perhaps misguided by factors like their attendances for some reason) and didn't even realise he played for Burnley until the commentators mentioned it and Gav bringing it up on this thread. What's that got to do with his touchline antics anyway would people even be pointing it out otherwise? 

That name though...Paul Cook. Hardly a name that strikes fear into hearts is it? It couldn't be anymore bland if he was called Joe Bloggs.

[Mattyblue]

43 minutes ago, JHRover said:

To me it felt like a Championship game, in the atmosphere, attendance and quality of football on offer. I'm sure supporters of most League One clubs watching will have recognised by some distance the two best footballing teams in this league going head to head.

The occasion, the atmosphere, the match itself... and the result, all reminded me of PNE last season.

Let's just hope yesterday's dropped points don't end up being as pivotal as that day...

[Hasta]

59 minutes ago, Gav said:

I'm very surprised the occasion yesterday hasn't been given more coverage.

Ewood was absolutely rocking at times yesterday, especially in the first half, and with over 16k fans on for a live TV game It felt like the old days at times for me.

The elephant in Pune is still very much in the room, but yesterday was about Blackburn Rovers, its players and manager and most of all it's tremendous supporters.

 

 

 

It was good but no better than the Shrewsbury game.

It was quite similar to most atmosphere's in a local derby - Ewood was rocking this time last year against Preston until we messed that one up at the death. 

edit - MattyBlue beat me to it.