READING

[JacknOry]

Many penned this as a match to be wary of and so it proved. Dack and Palmer out was obviously a massive factor as with both or even one of those playing, I could not see anything other than a victory for us. 

Dreadful in the first half it has to be said despite a nice flurry in the first ten minutes but being so thin squad-wise was always going to affect team morale especially with your best player out. Us without Dack is like Barca without Messi albeit on a lower scale and you could tell it affected the players mentally int he first half not knowing what to do without having that man they could rely on to produce something.

TM obviously gave them a rocket and we did show some fabulous character in the second half. Rothwell, now has to be pushing for a starting position and I would suggest he takes up Smallwoods role in CM or takes Bennetts place with Bennett slotting next to Evans.

Bennett showed some real grit, as did Evans and Nyambe (JAL are you there?), I said last week just gets better and this week he has shown that again. People comment he doesnt get forward as much as they would like but I can see that confidence coming into him now. When he first started out he was a little raw but his game is developing extremely fast. 

Lenihan was below par but so were many in the first half and Raya showd some of his weaknesses again. 

Graham when he came on showed the intelligence he has as a player but I worry for his legs now - we seriously need somebody else to be a direct alternative for him. Nuttall and Samuel were improved from when I last saw them but really they are not ready for this level yet. 

End of day - we need bodies of quality in.

[JeffRover]

Desperate for new additions as was obvious with the team we had out second half. But we should know that this Rovers team under Mowbray do not simply lay down and die. Fantastic to rally like that without Dack, Armstrong and Oalmer who were all key on Saturday. Let’s hope we get Dack and KP back for Brentford and hopefully some new signings.

[rigger]

1 hour ago, Doaksie said:

Very good second half for Bennett - full of drive. Evans and Nuttall putting in plenty of effort. Rothwell playing himself into a starting role. Very composed. 

But a special mention to Nyambe. At times I thought there were 2 of him in the second half. Lad just keeps improving. 

 

the only problem was that it looked like no-one was there in the first half

Edited August 22, 2018 by rigger

[K-Hod]

Rothwell was outstanding all match.

Nyambe and Evans very good in second half. Bennett improved in second half.

It really was a game of two halves and I’m so glad we didn’t lose tbh, but it doesn’t make it any less frustrating that we’ve gone in 2-0 down at half time and started a game so slowly AGAIN!

We just need lots of bodies in and fast. Particularly if the injuries keep on piling up (especially at this early stage). 

[Paul]

1 minute ago, rigger said:

the only problem was that it looked like no-one was there in the first half

That was because he had no cover in the first half and was left exposed several times.

[dallydally]

Well what a roller coaster of a game! Two soft goals first half and you might have thought we were dead and buried. Not so. Great resilience and commitment in the second half. We could have stolen all three points. It's an ok start to life in the Championship. 3 points on Saturday and we'll be nicely on track

[JBiz]

Just now, K-Hod said:

 

 started a game so slowly AGAIN!

 

I thought we hit the bar and had a couple of decent chances before they scored? I seem to remember thinking it was against the run of play anyway. The stuffing came out for a short time after the goal I thought.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

14 minutes ago, 4000Holes said:

Bell is still learning his trade.  He is still young and yes sometimes he looked poor but other times looked really good.

Cut the boy some slack.  He has pace to burn and he will improve.  Maybe I am a little bit older than you but I remember Tommy Hutchinson giving Kieth Newton an absolutely torrid time at Bloomfield Road but look how that turned out.

Both Bell and Nyambe will be ok.

Hutchison gave plenty of full backs a tough time. He had a trick were he over ran the ball and then dragged it through with his trailing leg. He fooled me every time and I was only watching  from the stand. I've never seen another player  do this particular trick. 

I rated Nyambe when the knives were out for him on here. He has pace and athleticism. That'll take you a long way in today's football. The skill bit will come with time.

 

[joey_big_nose]

2 minutes ago, Biz said:

I thought we hit the bar and had a couple of decent chances before they scored? I seem to remember thinking it was against the run of play anyway. The stuffing came out for a short time after the goal I thought.

I agree. I don't think we had a poor first half. We dominated it. But the two chances Reading got (through our appalling defending) they scored.

Edited August 22, 2018 by joey_big_nose

[rigger]

I thought it was the worst performance of this season, and I have been to all of them. But we got a point , so onward and upwards.

[Stuart]

First half went:

OK

Surreal

Bad

Dreadful

[Leonard Venkhater]

53 minutes ago, neophox said:

Well maybe Anichebe got mates at Reading and just watched the game

Hope so...

[tomphil]

Odd game, credit to Reading who had a game plan but it was a typical Mowbray Rovers game really, pish first half then on it second half when our backs are against the wall. Could have been different if we'd scored in the first flurry but it was probably always going to be one of those nights.

Championship is mad like that though a lot of sides would've lost that 0-3/4, bravo for the team spirit I just wish he'd give them a bollocking and apply the 2nd half tactics from the beginning and cut out the first half poncing about in games !

[McClarky]

The most impressive thing for me was how TM turned things round at half time with the changes he made.  Different team in second half, we played with real intensity while first half was flat.

what on Earth was the keeper doing first half though?  

[Gav]

Got to say I really enjoyed tonight's game, it's clear we're in a better league and plying our trade against much better players, but we didn't look out of place.

Started the game on the front foot hitting the bar, then conceded 2 very poor goals, but we never gave up and that's all credit to Mowbray, he's instilled that never say die attitude and it bore fruit tonight.

All the players in blue n White looked comfortable, nobody looked out of place, and that sets us for a decent season and a mid table finish.

Job done.

 

[Leonard Venkhater]

38 minutes ago, 4000Holes said:

Bell is still learning his trade.  He is still young and yes sometimes he looked poor but other times looked really good.

Cut the boy some slack.  He has pace to burn and he will improve.  Maybe I am a little bit older than you but I remember Tommy Hutchinson giving Kieth Newton an absolutely torrid time at Bloomfield Road but look how that turned out.

Both Bell and Nyambe will be ok.

A 0-0 draw? My first away game. Newton was an established international and a young Hutchinson absolutely destroyed him

[RV Blue]

Rothwell was excellent when he moved inside, he’s not a wide man - don’t play him there Tony.

I’ve been Evans’ biggest critic on here but what a performance he put in tonight, both in the first half carrying a dreadful Smallwood, and in the second half.

Nyambe is turning into a proper player, improving every time I see him. He still needs to be more confident going forward, although as he showed tonight, that is coming. He’s got some future ahead of him, Kyle Walker-esque.

2-2 was probably a fair result and I’m delighted with it as we looked dead and buried at half time.

Some of the comments on here have been embarrassing... Downing better than Lenihan?? Evans a disgrace?? Christ.

[Wing Wizard Windy Miller]

Absolutely delighted after seeing the team sheet and the first half.  Hats off to the lads second half, we got a result through sheer determination and committment.  Everyone  put their  body on the line second half. Nyambe,  Rothwell,  Bennett, Evans, Graham all excellent.  Even Samuels did well when he came on!

We have a great team spirit but desperately lack attacking quality -especially with a couple of injuries.   It's a shame because I think we are 3 or 4 decent signings away from bloodying a lot of noses this year.  It is going to be the most open championship in ages.

 

[islander200]

12 minutes ago, Leonard Venkhater said:

Hope so...

Mowbray said after the match Anichebe isn't one he is persuing 

[Leonard Venkhater]

Just now, islander200 said:

Mowbray said after the match Anichebe isn't one he is persuing 

Phew!

[tomphil]

1.5 points per game which is steady enough.

Edited August 22, 2018 by tomphil

[Dreams of 1995]

Coming back from 2-0 down gives you an untold amount of confidence as a player. I wouldn't be surprised to see us turning Brentford over the weekend.

Nutall looked ok when he came on. That header was a good chance and had me out of my seat for half a second.

Rothwell is some player. His passing is incisive and he always seems to put the right weight on the ball. Can see him being a good partner to Evans/Smallwood. 

I was disappointed with our defence for both goals. It's been a perpetual disappointment for me our defence for the past 5 years. Every time I think we've got a good back 4 here we tend to concede really soft goals. I thought with Bell in there vs Hull we looked a lot more solid than usual - then tonight I was left shaking my head. It's a real tough position to be in because for all my doubts about the solidity of it I couldn't find it within myself to drop either Lenihan or Mulgrew. Nyambe didn't put much wrong and although Bell was a bit wasteful in possession at times today he didn't either. Yet, at the full time whistle, I found myself blaming the defence for us being 2-0 down. It's a recurring theme. I understand that when a defender makes a mistake it usually leads to a goal, a talking point, whereas attackers get away with it a lot more but the fact of the matter is we have for a long time now made too many mistakes at the back. It needs sorting.

Other than that gripe (which has been coming for a while, not based solely on tonights performance) I was quite happy with the way we played. A little bit flat but so were they. 2-2 seemed a fair enough result.

[Blueandwhitemike]

 

Last game before heading back to China and what a game.

First ten minutes were very good and Rothwell had a  great shot hit the bar, Armstrong forced the keeper into a   good save and it looked like we weren't going to miss Dack too much.  

Then disaster,  Lenihan was messed up and  Raya didn't save him.  Darragh had an absolute mare first half and was making Bodvarsson look a star.    Reading looked pretty decent all over and we looked shellshocked particularly after the second goal.

Second half we got back into it more on effort and desire than skill or tactics,  though  Reading helped us by going onto their shell and we played the last 20 minutes or more with 3 at the back and really went for it.

Of course, Dack and Palmer's absence plus the injuries hampered us but we lost this game more by poor defending.

Great to see that passion and hard work in the second half,  Nyambe and Evans did well, as others have mentioned  Rothwell looked the only one with real quality so well done  TM  for bringing him in.   Good to see  Lenihan do so much better in the second half too rather than be affected by his really poor heading in the first.

Overall we should have won as we created a lot more chances than them but feels like a  good result after that first half shocker.

 

[chaddyrovers]

I thought we were unlucky not to win the game after 90 mins. Before the game started I expect a win, at half time I would be happy with a draw but at full time I was mixed feeling. pleased we got a draw but felt we could/should have won. 

We started at the front foot which was good to see. Their 1st goal came against the run of play. Felt it was mistake by Lenihan who had a very poor 1st half but got better second half. Raya made a great save but the second goal was scored from his save. 

Second half it was all us. WE up the tempo and Reading couldn't keep up with it. Rothwell was excellent and deserved MOTM, Bell and Nyambe played well. Lenihan and Smallwood poor today. The penalties were both right decisions. Mulgrew took both well

It was good to see Mowbray change formation twice during the game. We started 4-4-2 with Graham and Armstrong up front, After half time we played more of 4-3-3 formation with Samuel right Graham centre and Conway left with Bennett and Rothwell ahead of Evans in centre midfield. When Samuel got injured we went 3 at the back with Nyambe, Mulgrew and Lenihan, Conway and Bell wing backs and Graham and Nuttall up front. 

Injuries to Armstrong and Samuel could leave us short if long term. 

Did we miss Dack? of course we have to find a way to play without him. That's Football

But up to 9th and still unbeaten. We more than comfortable in this league and good enough

[roversfan99]

Really poor first half after 2 good early efforts. Second half full of passion, at times in the absence of quality. A lot of hesistancy around the box at times leading to attacks breaking down but no shortage of effort and character.

Big questions of Raya again, for both goals. Lenihan all over the shop, Mulgrew much better until a slip late on nearly cost us. 2 superb penalties. Full backs ok, Nyambe cant cross a ball but solid defensively. Wish Bell would be braver going forwards too but no problems at full back.

Bennett poor first half, full of spirit in the second albeit he still needs to be far better in the final third. Grahams hold up as always very good.

Evans was brilliant, asked for the ball regularly, Smallwood has to be dropped however. Never showed for the ball, head went down, absolutely abject on the ball. Rothwell was very good, seemed to be everywhere, full of energy and not short of ability. Like the look of him. Him and Evans can share the man of the match.

It wasnt Armstrongs day in the time he was on but we need his pace back desperately. Nuttall far better than usual when he came on, Conway less so, so predictable and ponderous.

Need quite a few players in and Dack, Palmer and Armstrong back to help what is a spirited group but with a few weaknesses.