Thursday deadline.

[Mike E]

In fairness, I agree that we've only really outplayed the oppo in about 5/6 games.

BUT, that's all that ever happens for top teams. In any given season there are only about half-a-dozen games where even PL winners outclass the opposition. Most of the time it's about grinding out results and breaking down defensive tactics.

Only real exceptions would be City last year, Arsenal in 2004, and Utd in 2008.

[Bigdoggsteel]

Just now, rigger said:

But a lot of the time his first touch was awful with no defenders marking him.

Was it? He had some great first touches as well. 

So so you think he shouldn't be bothering with the personal trainer? 

[OJRovers]

I'm in the camp of "Yes we were quite poor for large parts of last season". The comparison being Wigan who destroyed most teams and looked like a Championship outfit,

However, there are a few reasons for this. I think Mowbray's style of play is not to have the majority of the ball, so isn't going to be pretty when opposition teams just sit back and defend, which happened a lot. 

To our credit, we were generally very good at creating chances even when teams did sit back and try to frustrate us. I also think that we defended reasonably well all season - much more organised than we've been for a while.

I think I said it earlier in the season, but we're not far off a decent team. I think a pacey winger and a decent central midfielder would transform the team. Best performance of the season was probably Wigan with Bennett in the middle. But I don't think this was replicated because Evans is far too pedestrian.

So, without signings, I think we're struggling in the bottom half, but not certain relegation.

[roversfan99]

1 hour ago, TruRover said:

Abit off topic here, and this may be abit controversial as he rightly had his critics last season, but after reading the LT on Dominic Samuel I think he has identified the area which he needs and TM needs him to improve to get in the starting 11, which is his hold up. If he can add this to his game along with the pace he already has he could be a really decent player for us. His confidence took a big knock last season but I do Feel like there's a player in there and he seems to have the right attitude, however he was pretty much non-existent in the second half of last season, and if that continues this season I imagine he will be off. Going to be a big season for him.

link to the article if anyone wants to read - http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/16318542.Rovers_striker_explains_decision_to_take_on_personal_trainer/?ref=mac 

Think a few videos of him working out have glossed over the fact that at a much inferior level, he failed to score post-November.

[JHRover]

19 minutes ago, AAK said:

Just seen Boro signed Flint from Bristol City for £7 million. They are still spending big aren't they. Bristol sold Reid to Cardiff also, their fans aren't happy.

Yeah but apparently if they don't go up they might be in trouble. Bit like Villa, what a mess they're in now......

Then again if they don't go up they might not be. And if they do go up they definitely won't be.

At least Bristol have sold Reid to a club in a higher division for a good sum and will reinvest that cash. Better than selling your best player to a relegation rival for a low amount and then spending none of it on replacements.......

[TruRover]

Just now, roversfan99 said:

Think a few videos of him working out have glossed over the fact that at a much inferior level, he failed to score post-November.

No doubt last season he was poor post November. But he was looking decent early season but I agree he has to massively step up his game to have an impact next season, just feel like he could Mayby surprise a few next season. But that's probaly just me being over optimistic!

Either way tho signing a new striker to challenge him and DG has to be a priority in my eyes. 

[roversfan99]

Just now, TruRover said:

No doubt last season he was poor post November. But he was looking decent early season but I agree he has to massively step up his game to have an impact next season, just feel like he could Mayby surprise a few next season. But that's probaly just me being over optimistic!

Either way tho signing a new striker to challenge him and DG has to be a priority in my eyes. 

Theres no logic to state that a striker who failed to score after November will do any better against better defenders. I dont rate him in general but I specifically dont understand the buzz over a video of him working out. All playees will to some degree.

Mowbray mentions young players alot but we dont have any wingers worthy of the name so we need at least 2 first team ready wingers. Not ones that "will do."

[rigger]

25 minutes ago, Bigdoggsteel said:

Was it? He had some great first touches as well. 

So so you think he shouldn't be bothering with the personal trainer? 

I never said that, but I will stand by my opinion that his first touch is awful. I hope that he improves in that department, but that will only be seen in actual matches

[EgyptianPete]

9 minutes ago, OJRovers said:

I'm in the camp of "Yes we were quite poor for large parts of last season". The comparison being Wigan who destroyed most teams and looked like a Championship outfit,

However, there are a few reasons for this. I think Mowbray's style of play is not to have the majority of the ball, so isn't going to be pretty when opposition teams just sit back and defend, which happened a lot. 

To our credit, we were generally very good at creating chances even when teams did sit back and try to frustrate us. I also think that we defended reasonably well all season - much more organised than we've been for a while.

I think I said it earlier in the season, but we're not far off a decent team. I think a pacey winger and a decent central midfielder would transform the team. Best performance of the season was probably Wigan with Bennett in the middle. But I don't think this was replicated because Evans is far too pedestrian.

So, without signings, I think we're struggling in the bottom half, but not certain relegation.

Well i saw both matches we played Wigan, and even with 9 men we were the better team, so here's  the deal, lets see who ends up higher in the championship, as i recall the last time Wigan were in the championship Will Grigg was definatley not on fire. 

[islander200]

10 minutes ago, OJRovers said:

I'm in the camp of "Yes we were quite poor for large parts of last season". The comparison being Wigan who destroyed most teams and looked like a Championship outfit,

However, there are a few reasons for this. I think Mowbray's style of play is not to have the majority of the ball, so isn't going to be pretty when opposition teams just sit back and defend, which happened a lot. 

To our credit, we were generally very good at creating chances even when teams did sit back and try to frustrate us. I also think that we defended reasonably well all season - much more organised than we've been for a while.

I think I said it earlier in the season, but we're not far off a decent team. I think a pacey winger and a decent central midfielder would transform the team. Best performance of the season was probably Wigan with Bennett in the middle. But I don't think this was replicated because Evans is far too pedestrian.

So, without signings, I think we're struggling in the bottom half, but not certain relegation.

Wigan looked great against the weaker league 1 opposition but against the better teams not so good so disagree with you saying they looked a championship outfit.

We didn't put many teams to the sword but against the better sides we defeated most of them with ease.

We should have buried Wigan at Ewood and on another day we would have got the 3 points and won the league in doing so.

 

[K-Hod]

People are reading too much into fans saying that we didn't play well a lot of the time last season IMO. For clarification:

a) Fundamentally, (and I imagine everyone else is the same) I don't care how well we play as long as we win.

b) I, along with many others said all last season that we didn't play well but were often bailed out by Dack, Graham and Mulgrew for the most part and to a lesser extent, Raya. 

c) I went to all games at home and only the one away, so I can't speak for all 46 games, obviously, but for any confusion, see point 'A'. 

d) It is still possible to criticise the team and still give them credit for achieving promotion.

Edited June 28, 2018 by K-Hod

[Bigdoggsteel]

20 minutes ago, rigger said:

I never said that, but I will stand by my opinion that his first touch is awful. I hope that he improves in that department, but that will only be seen in actual matches

No, you didn't say it, but your only input on him working with a personal trainer was that it wont help his first touch. 

[Beanie01289]

1 hour ago, AAK said:

Just seen Boro signed Flint from Bristol City for £7 million. They are still spending big aren't they. Bristol sold Reid to Cardiff also, their fans aren't happy.

Boro are after Matt Ritchie for 15m as well. 

[Butty]

2 hours ago, Bigdoggsteel said:

He looks in great shape, so well done to him on that. Be great if he hits the ground running with an early goal 

Not in as good shape as Caddis though  

[Angry_Pirate]

Feel obliged to agree with some points here. 

Just look at our last 10 home games: We were garbage for the first 45 minutes against Bradford (0-0), Southend (0-0), Bury (0-0), Peterborough (0-1), Blackpool (1-0), Northampton (0-1) and Oldham (0-2), and second half vs Wigan (0-2). That's 8 games out of 10. That does not say we didn't deserve to the 18 points from those matches, however you cant really argue with how bad we were for more than 40-50% of each of those games.  

However, comparing us to Wigan is unfair on Blackburn Rovers as all due respect to Wigan, most teams/fans in League 1 didn't care at all that they were playing Wigan, they cared a lot when the played us. Example: I have a lot of Oldham friends and they are disgusted with how they were able to perform so well for 1.5 games against us,  then not turn up for the other 44 games (especially Wigan away). Doncaster acted like they had won the league when the beat us opening day.

You only have to watch the World Cup and matches like Brazil Vs Costa Rica and Spain Vs Iran to realise 9 men behind the ball, with time wasting tactics, is hard to beat.

[MarkBRFC]

1 hour ago, roversfan99 said:

Mowbray mentions young players alot but we dont have any wingers worthy of the name so we need at least 2 first team ready wingers. Not ones that "will do."

I don't think Mowbray will start the season with wingers, so I doubt there is any panic in his mind to get any wide players over the line at the moment.

Of course when we get stuffed in our first 2/3 games of the season because of his insistence at playing that horrible 3-5-2 formation, things will probably change and we'll look at getting in a couple on loan before the deadline.

[roversfan99]

Just now, MarkBRFC said:

I don't think Mowbray will start the season with wingers, so I doubt there is any panic in his mind to get any wide players over the line at the moment.

Of course when we get stuffed in our first 2/3 games of the season because of his insistence at playing that horrible 3-5-2 formation, things will probably change and we'll look at getting in a couple on loan before the deadline.

Haha. I really do hope hes kicked the thought of 3 at the back in to touch after its failure last season.

 

[Angry_Pirate]

Just now, MarkBRFC said:

I don't think Mowbray will start the season with wingers, so I doubt there is any panic in his mind to get any wide players over the line at the moment.

Of course when we get stuffed in our first 2/3 games of the season because of his insistence at playing that horrible 3-5-2 formation, things will probably change and we'll look at getting in a couple on loan before the deadline.

That's also (unfortunately) my gut feeling. We have some "decent" fixtures in August too. 

[rigger]

1 hour ago, Bigdoggsteel said:

No, you didn't say it, but your only input on him working with a personal trainer was that it wont help his first touch. 

correct

[Fraserkirky]

36 minutes ago, MarkBRFC said:

I don't think Mowbray will start the season with wingers, so I doubt there is any panic in his mind to get any wide players over the line at the moment.

Of course when we get stuffed in our first 2/3 games of the season because of his insistence at playing that horrible 3-5-2 formation, things will probably change and we'll look at getting in a couple on loan before the deadline.

Looking at the squad now I agree we will be back to 3-5-2.

So:

Raya

Lenihan NEW Mulgrew

Bennett——————Bell

 Rothwell——Smallwood

—————Dack—————-

———NEW———NEW——-

You have Williams, Nyambe, Travis who can all play a couple of positions off the bench for you, Bennett can play RWB or CM. Evans and Whittingham depth for  CM, and Gladwin can be Dacks back up.

So expect a Centre Back like Bauer or the boy Hector from Chelsea.

Then 2 strikers. Hopefully one with power and strength like a Gestede type and then a quicker Armstrong type.

Would love Lucas Joao back on a permanent and Thierry Anbrose on loan from City.

Throw in a real quality Centre Midfielder and get rid of Evans or Whittingham and you have the 4 New Signings I think we need.

Edited June 28, 2018 by Fraserkirky

[JBiz]

44 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

Haha. I really do hope hes kicked the thought of 3 at the back in to touch after its failure last season.

 

I don’t recall it being a complete failure? I remember it being ineffective at times, useful at others. Similar to how we played 4231 and 442 times and it looked useless - ie Oldham away.

 

[Fraserkirky]

Just now, Biz said:

I don’t recall it being a complete failure? I remember it being ineffective at times, useful at others. Similar to how we played 4231 and 442 times and it looked useless - ie Oldham away.

 

Was certainly useless against Southend on opening day, switched it at half time if I recall!

[JBiz]

1 minute ago, Fraserkirky said:

Was certainly useless against Southend on opening day, switched it at half time if I recall!

And useless at home to Doncaster, but then we also changed to it whilst chasing a few games later in the season and the extra player upfront helped us over the line.

[JacknOry]

24 minutes ago, Fraserkirky said:

Looking at the squad now I agree we will be back to 3-5-2.

So:

Raya

Lenihan NEW Mulgrew

Bennett——————Bell

 Rothwell——Smallwood

—————Dack—————-

———NEW———NEW——-

You have Williams, Nyambe, Travis who can all play a couple of positions off the bench for you, Bennett can play RWB or CM. Evans and Whittingham depth for  CM, and Gladwin can be Dacks back up.

So expect a Centre Back like Bauer or the boy Hector from Chelsea.

Then 2 strikers. Hopefully one with power and strength like a Gestede type and then a quicker Armstrong type.

Would love Lucas Joao back on a permanent and Thierry Anbrose on loan from City.

Throw in a real quality Centre Midfielder and get rid of Evans or Whittingham and you have the 4 New Signings I think we need.

No place for Graham in that lineup?

[Fraserkirky]

Just now, JacknOry said:

No place for Graham in that lineup?

No I would like to see him come off the bench in a decent Championship side.