Why do we concede so many last minute goals?

[BlackburnEnd75]

I think it's fitness. You look at them at the end of every game and they look visibly knackered. Some might still be covering the ground but its affecting their game. You also look and our two main attackers aren't 90 mins players. Graham barely moves past 70mins, Dack would've scored the winner on Saturday if he was fitter and usually fades in the last 15-20 mins of games. We don't have an out ball and we don't move the ball well enough to take pressure off. 

[Bigdoggsteel]

On 25/02/2019 at 15:05, roversfan99 said:

Lenihan has played a big part of it, indeed he has made the most defensive appearances out of anyone.

I look at for example Bristol City, and none of their defenders are warriors as you described. Middlesbrough were missing Flint against us but looked incredibly well drilled regardless. Good defenders dont need to be thugs or even overly aggressive.

Unfortunately, Rodwell isnt a defender full stop, Bell and Williams are simply not competent defenders and Mulgrew is past his best. With our goalkeeper regularly directly responsible for goals too its little wonder we concede so much.

I never said anyone needs to be a thug, so don't put words in my mouth. 

Middlesborough looked comfortable because we were shit going forward. 

You need defenders with a nasty streak who aren't afraid to get stuck in. We don't have enough. I agree we could be drilled better definsivley. 

Edited February 26, 2019 by Bigdoggsteel

[CD_93]

1 hour ago, Exiled in Toronto said:

Shocked to read in today’s LT that, even though we have conceded bucketloads, Raya has made more saves than any other keeper in the division! Go, Defence!!

He has to because he has no bloody protection.

[Blue blood]

You can be tough and not be a thug but that toughness makes for being a good defender. Nelson was the best example of this, a gent but tough.

Todd is a good example of how you can be a thug and a good defender...

[old darwen blue]

20 hours ago, Blue blood said:

You can be tough and not be a thug but that toughness makes for being a good defender. Nelson was the best example of this, a gent but tough.

Todd is a good example of how you can be a thug and a good defender...

What! Andy Todds not a thug, he’s just a very naughty boy sometimes!

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

On 26/02/2019 at 14:09, old darwen blue said:

What! Andy Todds not a thug, he’s just a very naughty boy sometimes!

We've all played against players you know not to take liberties with before you even kicked off.  Rovers don't have any at the moment. Andy Todd was one, Batty, Flitcroft etc were others.

[MarkBRFC]

20 hours ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

We've all played against players you know not to take liberties with before you even kicked off.  Rovers don't have any at the moment. Andy Todd was one, Batty, Flitcroft etc were others.

Do many teams in the top two divisions have that sort of player at the moment?

Seems to be a dying breed.

Edited February 28, 2019 by MarkBRFC

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Just now, MarkBRFC said:

Do many teams in the top two divisions have that sort of player at the moment?

Seems to be a dying breed.

I can't think of many off hand.

I used to play against a lad who was known as " The Village Idiot "  even by his own team mates. They'd shout  " Over here village " if he had the ball and they wanted a pass. One day he lost it badly and gripped the ref by the throat and that was that. Banned sine die. He took up cricket after that.

Funny thing was he was a really nice guy off the pitch but the minute he crossed the white line look out. I made the mistake of bringing him down with a crude tackle from behind one day. He turned around and grabbed me by the shirt collar and lifted me off the ground. A bit like that famous photo of Dave Mackay gripping Billy Bremner. We both got booked.

[rossyrover]

Start at the back with a new keeper makes the defence in front feel at lot safer look at the Dingles now Heaton is back between the sticks much harder score against but the same defenders who were conceding regular in front of Hart, Raya has cost the rovers at least 8 points with his mistakes.

[old darwen blue]

Saved a few points though with his saves I would have thought?

[tomphil]

From the way TM is now talking about it being 'only' a mental thing I fully see us starting next season with the same defence unless some get sold. Worrying that he only thinks it's that although I doubt he'd say he didn't think they were good enough now after the window and no veiled threats of upgrading one or two.  He's part right it is somewhat down to the mental thing but more fragility than just thinking they can shut up shop after every lead and going straight into backs to the wall mode, that hasn't happened many times because they concede that quickly it hasn't had chance.

Top and bottom is that defence as a whole isn't good enough to do what it should and as said before if he doesn't acknowledge that privately in his own mind and address it we'll have big problems next season. They aren't bad just not strong enough to give us the platform for where the club needs to be going.

 

[blueboy3333]

"I think the team when they get in front late in a game they try and protect the lead, and that’s the wrong thing to do I think"

https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/rovers/news/17467972.tony-mowbray-on-rovers-conceding-so-many-late-goals/

What we all have to remember is it's not Tony's fault. It's not because we blatantly can't defend, or because we cant retain possession to see out the games because we hoof it a lot, or because the fitness may be an issue. No, it's a mentality thing which is the players fault. 

[blueboy3333]

Oh and it wasn't a problem t'other week. Now it's the 'elephant in the room'.

 

 

[Boz]

Problem stems from not having any experienced centre halves, at least one who has has consistently played at or above this level in this pivotal position for a number of seasons. It's all well and good playing converted midfield players, but the team takes their position on the pitch from one stand out centre half, who gets the defence on a flat back line and further up the field, rather than entrenched on our own 18 yard box. A centre half not unlike Tony Mowbray. 

 

[Blue blood]

5 hours ago, blueboy3333 said:

"I think the team when they get in front late in a game they try and protect the lead, and that’s the wrong thing to do I think"

https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/rovers/news/17467972.tony-mowbray-on-rovers-conceding-so-many-late-goals/

What we all have to remember is it's not Tony's fault. It's not because we blatantly can't defend, or because we cant retain possession to see out the games because we hoof it a lot, or because the fitness may be an issue. No, it's a mentality thing which is the players fault. 

Yeah but no one is daft enough to fess up to the multitude of problems you've rightly attributed it to (although buying adequate cover should also be in the list). 

What is strange to me is in our relegation scrap last time round under TM we were relatively tight and it was not killing off games that was the problem. 2 years on and that solidity is completely gone. 

Also after his players choosing tactics comments he can't drop any worse clangers when talking about tactics but I digress...