[Archived] Bristol Rovers v THE ROVERS

[funny-old-game]

11 minutes ago, arbitro said:

Mowbray needs to earn his money this week and find out what Dacks form has plummeted to such depths over the past few weeks. He is central to most of the good things we do but recently has looked lethargic and lazy. If he can't improve him then drop him. We can't afford passengers.

On today's game I thought a draw was fair on the balance of play and chances but the circumstances were galling and extremely disappointed. Once again the tempo was slow with very little intensity particularly in the first half. I thought there was a marked improvement in the second half when the sedate Evans was replaced in midfield by a more dynamic player namely Bennett. He won tackles, showed great energy and supported the attack and defence and significantly Smallwood looked better alongside him.

I thought Mowbray panicked a bit with his double change on 55 minutes which could really have left us vulnerable had there been an injury. The way the game went after the penalty with Bristol pushing on and us counter attacking perhaps Bell would have been a better option around 70 - 75 minutes. It also meant Graham had to play 90 minutes and the tired jump when he mis headed the ball led directly to the equaliser. Raya was very good today.

Not a disaster but maybe a wake up call to any over confidence that might be creeping in.

Bang on about Bennett. Over the last few weeks we have been padestrian in midfield and that has spread throughout the team. We are in need of Bennett's energy and willingness to work from back to front, and as you say Tony, Smallwood looked better for it.

[roversfan99]

3 hours ago, chaddyrovers said:

Watched it at Blues Bar. 

After we scored we had 3 good chances plus 2 good chances in 1st half to score we missed them. 

Then a poor header clearance from Graham has lend to them scoring. 

Mowbray bought on Payne and Samuel. Payne wasnt in the game at all and Samuel didnt run enough in behind for me. But Mowbray kept 4 attacking players on the pitch all game. So people cant moan about Mowbray going defensively. But the Players are feeling the pressure now just like Wigan and Shrewsbury are. 

Keep the faith and calm down. I was disappointed/angry at drawing but calm down and looking at things much better. 

Graham, Dack and Armstrong all have gone off the game. Disappointed but form is temporary and class is permanent. This is why I suggested dropping Dack and Graham to freshen things up. Was moaned at by @roversfan99 for suggesting it. 

Teams are man marking Dack now and stopping us now. Most of us would do it thats why Dack and Armstrong should have swap and give them another problem

 

2 hours ago, blueboy3333 said:

 

Looks like @roversfan99 was right if the replacements aren't up to it.

Correct, just what I was going to say. Chaddy you cant claim you were right to suggest dropping Dack and Graham for Payne and Samuel and then deride them 2 players for poor performances too and still think you are right.

Just got back, it was a really poor performance, no idea why some people are suggesting anything else. Ive been one to say after MK Dons and Southend, the poor performances werent a massive alarm as we were grinding out wins, but 2 consecutive games that weve dropped points and continued to play poorly at this stage of the season and it becomes a problem.

Seems like for whatever reason, weve deviated from when we look most effective, like the start at MK Dons when we go straight for the throat. It was such a slow, boring match to watch and we couldnt create clear cut chances really.

Not sure what it is, tactics, surely not fitness as weve got a much deeper squad than most teams so cant really use that as an excuse, nerves but weve got plenty of experience, these last 2 games have not been good enough and we have to win on Thursday.

Why we rely so much on trying to hoof it up to Graham is beyond me, too often he has absolutely nothing to work with.

Special shoutout to Elliott Bennett for one of the most immature and ill disciplined 10 minutes youll ever see from an experienced player at the end, some of his decision making was absolutely awful and just kept giving them the ball back.

And why Samuel continues to get minutes is beyond me.

[Stuart]

6 minutes ago, funny-old-game said:

Bang on about Bennett. Over the last few weeks we have been padestrian in midfield and that has spread throughout the team. We are in need of Bennett's energy and willingness to work from back to front, and as you say Tony, Smallwood looked better for it.

I think Mowbray has got it completely wrong these last three games and has unbalanced the team. Moving Bennett to rb hasn’t worked (and isn’t working) from a team perspective. He’s his own worst enemy that bloke.

Mowbray has to take full responsibility for today’s result - a draw that feels like a defeat - and do something about it.

[Husky]

1 hour ago, Gav said:

 the ones that aren't Blackburn born and bred, don't have 'The Heritage' whatever that means......You're a credit to the club, and despite critisizm aimed at your from some quarters, I bet you're hurting just as much as every other Blackburn born and bred supporter this evening.

Dont let the occasional village idiot divide us, we're all Blackburn Rovers supports regrardless of where you're born.

 

 You mean all those that were born in Burnley?

[Bbrovers2288]

By the way the Bristol team was missing 2/3 of their better players and their fans reckon had they been fit that last min goal would’ve been a winner. Very worrying dip in performances that have been coming since first 20 mins at Wigan game. Manager, players need to realise mistakes and rectify quickly. Mowbray getting tactics wrong like start of season again and players making daft errors like graham heading it into danger zone, as a kid your taught never clear it in front of goal area, send it back where it came from if anything. 

I wonder how many of those that scoffed at my suggestion that this team isn’t championship ready before the Gillingham game still stick to their view that some personnel doesn’t  needs upgraded. Williams and Evans are the first two that should be losing certain starter status 

[Bigdoggsteel]

7 minutes ago, Stuart said:

I think Mowbray has got it completely wrong these last three games and has unbalanced the team. Moving Bennett to rb hasn’t worked (and isn’t working) from a team perspective. He’s his own worst enemy that bloke.

Mowbray has to take full responsibility for today’s result - a draw that feels like a defeat - and do something about it.

I agree that Bennett should be more central, but I dont know if it is fair to say that Mowbray has to take full responsibility. The players who missed chances bear some responsibility, as does every other player on the team who couldn't see the game out for the win. 

A couple of key players have disappeared in the last few games. This team are on the big bucks, time to show why 

[Mattyblue]

Back home after what seemed like the longest coach journey of all time!

So, it gave me plenty of time to reflect. Recently, we’ve gone fully off the boil starting at about half time at MK, but we haven’t been fluent since Wigan at the start of March.

The side is set up for Bradley Dack, he doesn’t perform and the team is bereft of ideas, if his decline carries on, a big decision has to be made.

[DE.]

One thing is for sure, if we get promoted (and it's still very much an if thanks to the last two performances) Mowbray will have a big job on his hands in the summer. We've got away with a lot of dodgy performances this season due to the quality of our players relative to the standard in the division. We won't have that advantage if we get promoted, and the performance levels we've seen this year won't cut it. I don't see Venky's investing much if at all (a couple of million in the Championship isn't the game changer it is in League One) so Mowbray is going to need to come up with a way to keep us competitive with a team that is no longer the highest paid in the division. The likes of Millwall, Preston, Ipswich and others have shown it can be done, but it's a team effort with those clubs. They aren't reliant on a single player to consistently provide an escape when things aren't going well. It's imperative that we keep Dack should we go up, but it would be foolish to think we can rely on him in the Championship as we have this season. His impact will almost certainly be reduced and we need to be prepared to deal with that.

All hypothetical for now though... right now all focus has to be on avoiding the playoffs. 

[darrenrover]

We're like rabbits in the headlights!

Get a bloody grip Mowbray and Rovers, get your chins up and have some self belief before you f**k it up!

Dack, bin Olivia off until 6th May, she's clearly a distraction!

[47er]

We've scored 2 goals in 3 games. This is not how to win promotion and not how we got in the top 3.

[Leonard Venkhater]

6 hours ago, HowieFive0 said:

But are we stumbling ? draw away win at home ?Shrewsbury will look at it as another game we have nt  been beaten. Pressure back onto Shrews .

And meanwhile Wigan draw at home ..

Yes, we are.No point denying it. I think TM ought to roll the dice in midfield.

 

[47er]

4 hours ago, Ossydave said:

Bloody stats eh, on the head again though sadly. 

So Tuesday is gonna be a lot more nervy than it could have been, Thursday even more so. 

This bottling talk is utterly pathetic though, anyone who thought today would be easy is out of touch completely with the league we're in. 

I think we'll move up a notch on Thursday and nick a win. Posh only 1 in 6 on the road against Bury. Keep the faith people, how are the players supposed to keep their cool when the fans are throwing toys all over the place. 

Easy--they don't read this site!

[GreenRover]

Dack normally comes good in front of the sky sports cameras so hopefully we can expect a better performance on Thursday. 

[Ossydave]

19 minutes ago, 47er said:

Easy--they don't read this site!

You sure? 

 

The Dack hate honestly beggars belief. 

Even superman has a day off. 

That man, regardless of who he's slamming has almost single handedly put us in second. 

[jim mk2]

47 minutes ago, Leonard Venkhater said:

Yes, we are.No point denying it. I think TM ought to roll the dice in midfield.

 

 

So we are "stumbling", but so are Wigan and Shrewsbury.

And why gamble when we're 5 points ahead of third place?

Doesn't make sense old chap

[windymiller7]

5 hours ago, funny-old-game said:

Bang on about Bennett. Over the last few weeks we have been padestrian in midfield and that has spread throughout the team. We are in need of Bennett's energy and willingness to work from back to front, and as you say Tony, Smallwood looked better for it.

Great post and also a great post you responded to.

This is why Bennett is my player of the year. He never goes missing. Even on a bad day, he stands up to be counted.

Gutted at how today panned out but we're still there. Much rather be where we are then the shrews. See u all on Thurs!.

TWBWA!

[Speedie's Gonna Get Ya]

4 hours ago, Ossydave said:

You sure? 

 

The Dack hate honestly beggars belief. 

Even superman has a day off. 

That man, regardless of who he's slamming has almost single handedly put us in second. 

“Dack hate.” Is far too strong. People are commenting on what they are seeing. One of (if not our biggest) talismen isn’t performing at the pointy end of the season.

I didn’t go yesterday but went to Gillingham. It sounds like his poor form is just that. Poor form. That said, is it too much of a coincidence to suggest that his performance levels have dipped now that he is back with his “queen” and in a long distance relationship too? We are of course not in possession of all the facts, but I strongly suspect he’s the one doing all the travelling!

Nobody is forgetting the contribution he has made; just wondering if his focus, energy levels and concentration are part of the reason for his dip in form.

To coin a phrase, if 2 + 2 genuinely = 4 (based on what we know/see/suspect) and not 5, then it needs sorting. Either he gets his head back in the game or TM has a decision to make. 

 

[Paul]

7 hours ago, DE. said:

It’s imperative we keep Dack should we go up, but it would be foolish to think we can rely on him in the Championship as we have this season. His impact will almost certainly be reduced and we need to be prepared to deal with that.

All hypothetical for now though... right now all focus has to be on avoiding the playoffs. 

My impression has been for a man of his height and build Dack is physically very strong. In this league this is a big part of his game as he often has to bully his way past two players to create space to play. 

I think this will be less so in the Championship and we can expect to see the creative side of his game flourish. I agree we can’t continue to be so reliant on him but I feel his influence over the season could be greater as less of his energy will go in to physically holding off the opposition. 

[dingles staying down 4ever]

Is it any coincidence that our tempo has dropped since Conway has been recalled. I know I sound like a broken record but he is now too slow. He is OK as the sub to come on when others are tired. I concede that it may have have begun with Evans back into the team as well but IMO Conway's inclusion has heightened the problem. If you attack down Conway's wing it is so slow that by the time the ball comes in every one is marked. Hit them at pace then the defence has less time to prepare and the defence will leave one player unmarked usually the player on the opposite flank, Armstrong.

Bennett into midfield makes sense but we need to start pressing further up the field. The problem we have had last season and at the beginning of this was how slow we attacked. This allowed others to reorganise. Mowbray eventually realised this and we began the run that as got us to where we are now. In the last few games we seem to have reverted to slow attack

If Dack is man marked give the opposition something else to think about. Taking him off to put Payne on means that Payne is then man marked. Easy to defend it is not changing things tactically. Start with Payne and Dack together playing close to Graham.

Sorry Chaddy but to sound like Mick McCarthy we need to be playing in the opposition's defensive third more. 

[JHRover]

We can talk about tiredness or missed chances or players out of form but the problem for me yesterday was the same problem that has existed since Mowbray arrived. If we go ahead in a game we almost immediately swing from being on top in a game to on the back foot. We sit back and adopt a counter attacking approach which involves allowing the opposition the freedom of the pitch, loads of possession and we end up camped in and around our area defending for our lives struggling to get a foothold in the game. More often than not we've got away with it and hung on and on a few occasions gone down the other end and notched a 2nd goal, but yesterday, like Rotherham, we were punished for it. Southend we were very nearly punished for it. We keep giving the opposition encouragement to come at us and with such a slender lead they will sooner or later have a chance to equalise.

[Waggy76]

23 minutes ago, JHRover said:

We can talk about tiredness or missed chances or players out of form but the problem for me yesterday was the same problem that has existed since Mowbray arrived. If we go ahead in a game we almost immediately swing from being on top in a game to on the back foot. We sit back and adopt a counter attacking approach which involves allowing the opposition the freedom of the pitch, loads of possession and we end up camped in and around our area defending for our lives struggling to get a foothold in the game. More often than not we've got away with it and hung on and on a few occasions gone down the other end and notched a 2nd goal, but yesterday, like Rotherham, we were punished for it. Southend we were very nearly punished for it. We keep giving the opposition encouragement to come at us and with such a slender lead they will sooner or later have a chance to equalise.

100%  Correct  !!!

[chaddyrovers]

10 hours ago, roversfan99 said:

 

Correct, just what I was going to say. Chaddy you cant claim you were right to suggest dropping Dack and Graham for Payne and Samuel and then deride them 2 players for poor performances too and still think you are right.

Just got back, it was a really poor performance, no idea why some people are suggesting anything else. Ive been one to say after MK Dons and Southend, the poor performances werent a massive alarm as we were grinding out wins, but 2 consecutive games that weve dropped points and continued to play poorly at this stage of the season and it becomes a problem.

Seems like for whatever reason, weve deviated from when we look most effective, like the start at MK Dons when we go straight for the throat. It was such a slow, boring match to watch and we couldnt create clear cut chances really.

Not sure what it is, tactics, surely not fitness as weve got a much deeper squad than most teams so cant really use that as an excuse, nerves but weve got plenty of experience, these last 2 games have not been good enough and we have to win on Thursday.

Why we rely so much on trying to hoof it up to Graham is beyond me, too often he has absolutely nothing to work with.

Special shoutout to Elliott Bennett for one of the most immature and ill disciplined 10 minutes youll ever see from an experienced player at the end, some of his decision making was absolutely awful and just kept giving them the ball back.

And why Samuel continues to get minutes is beyond me.

I didn't see Blueboy's comment has he on ignore for good reasons. We didn't know how both would have played from the start as the game might have been very different, we just never know. But we know that Dack, Graham, Armstrong, Payne and Samuel didn't have their best game. Dack and Graham miss good chances. Payne no impact, Samuel didn't get in behind their defence enough. 

disagree on it being a really poor performances as we created enough chances to score a second after we scored. Also Wigan and Shrewsbury performances have dropped off aswell. 

we didn't have any clear cut chances? really? what game were you watching? Graham 1st half when he pass instead, Dack shot. Second half Williams at back post, Armstrong shot from 20 yards which he put over when he should have bent in bottom corner, When we had 2 versus 1 in the last few minutes when a poor pass to Bennett cost us a one on one opportunity, Dack shot from about 12 yards out when he should have done better. 

nerves can get to the most experience players so really poor comment, as all 3 teams are getting nervous and struggling. 

Graham was very poor and looked knackered after 70 mins again. 3 starts in a week is too much him at this stage of his career. 

what you beef with Samuel yesterday? He showed yesterday he can hold the ball up and if he played further up the ball then we could have get him in more behind the defence. 

10 hours ago, Stuart said:

I think Mowbray has got it completely wrong these last three games and has unbalanced the team. Moving Bennett to rb hasn’t worked (and isn’t working) from a team perspective. He’s his own worst enemy that bloke.

Mowbray has to take full responsibility for today’s result - a draw that feels like a defeat - and do something about it.

Moving Bennett as work as we keep clean sheets so it has worked defensively. 

we are lacking pace wide but they aren't that many pacey wingers out there at this level or below. Chapman at this stage would be massive bonus and would be having an impact for us

yesterday did feel like a defeat cos they scored in last minute but we did deserve win this game tho. we had more than enough chances

1 hour ago, dingles staying down 4ever said:

Is it any coincidence that our tempo has dropped since Conway has been recalled. I know I sound like a broken record but he is now too slow. He is OK as the sub to come on when others are tired. I concede that it may have have begun with Evans back into the team as well but IMO Conway's inclusion has heightened the problem. If you attack down Conway's wing it is so slow that by the time the ball comes in every one is marked. Hit them at pace then the defence has less time to prepare and the defence will leave one player unmarked usually the player on the opposite flank, Armstrong.

Bennett into midfield makes sense but we need to start pressing further up the field. The problem we have had last season and at the beginning of this was how slow we attacked. This allowed others to reorganise. Mowbray eventually realised this and we began the run that as got us to where we are now. In the last few games we seem to have reverted to slow attack

If Dack is man marked give the opposition something else to think about. Taking him off to put Payne on means that Payne is then man marked. Easy to defend it is not changing things tactically. Start with Payne and Dack together playing close to Graham.

Sorry Chaddy but to sound like Mick McCarthy we need to be playing in the opposition's defensive third more. 

sorry but our tempo has dropped not because of Conway being starting but because teams have stopped Dack by man marking him and closing us down a lot more. 

Evans in recent games has been good so very unfair comment. 

In yesterday game, When Dack was man marked I was saying move him wide left and move Armstrong up front. give them a different problem to deal with. instead of being so easy to play against. 

 

[den9112]

On 14/04/2018 at 07:25, matt83 said:

 

You look at the Bristol bench with 20 mins left and there manager is encouraging ,keeping is players alert and motivated on there toes up and down the sidelines .

His players were set a job to do and did it ,Ok they doubled up on Dack and Graham ,you stop that and you stop Rovers easy job done by Bristol

You look at TM head in hands punching the ground turning his back to a bad pass....its almost as if his players react to the way he is acting were every bloody player is frieghtened of being the one to make that mistake ,it was if the defence was just waiting for the on slaught and lets hope we get away with it ,we have better experinced players who could have handled that better yesterday..

I am not sure what to make of Dacks last few games ,some say it could be his current girlfreind being a distraction ,now i know from personal experience that this can be a distraction for a young footballer ,i have seen a young talented player go from professional football via top teams Blackburn Sunderland Blackpool (in prem) Burnley and then loose it all with the distraction of a female ,missing training etc he eventualy got married then divorced ...Football over after years of hard work ,now i am not saying thgs is going to happen to Dack ,just saying it could have some bearing on his attitude or focusing and this  can affect his  game and his team mates...matt83 sorry your name came up i was going to reply about your journey down to Bristol as we may have had a spare seat and save you from your train journey but it got took

[Speedie's Gonna Get Ya]

3 hours ago, Paul said:

My impression has been for a man of his height and build Dack is physically very strong. In this league this is a big part of his game as he often has to bully his way past two players to create space to play. 

I think this will be less so in the Championship and we can expect to see the creative side of his game flourish. I agree we can’t continue to be so reliant on him but I feel his influence over the season could be greater as less of his energy will go in to physically holding off the opposition. 

As for current league performance(s) versus when he’s been at his best it’s a massive part of his game; which seems to be one of the missing ingredients at the mo.

[JHRover]

Just now, chaddyrovers said:

I didn't see Blueboy's comment has he on ignore for good reasons. We didn't know how both would have played from the start as the game might have been very different, we just never know. But we know that Dack, Graham, Armstrong, Payne and Samuel didn't have their best game. Dack and Graham miss good chances. Payne no impact, Samuel didn't get in behind their defence enough. 

disagree on it being a really poor performances as we created enough chances to score a second after we scored. Also Wigan and Shrewsbury performances have dropped off aswell. 

we didn't have any clear cut chances? really? what game were you watching? Graham 1st half when he pass instead, Dack shot. Second half Williams at back post, Armstrong shot from 20 yards which he put over when he should have bent in bottom corner, When we had 2 versus 1 in the last few minutes when a poor pass to Bennett cost us a one on one opportunity, Dack shot from about 12 yards out when he should have done better. 

 

 

After we had took the lead I remember the Williams header which he should have scored but sadly scoring headers is something this team doesn't do very well. I don't remember any other real good chances to score. The rest of it is all stuff that any side will have in a game. Putting a long range shot over the bar or misplacing a pass is par for the course and isn't evidence of deserving to win a game. For a side top of the league I don't think we create very much by way of good scoring opportunities.

It wasn't a really poor performance as it was better than Southend and Gillingham but still some way short of the level i would expect.