Ben Brereton Diaz

[SBlue]

14 hours ago, 47er said:

Can't understand why Dack keeps hitting the post when he has the whole goal to aim at!

That's a direct quote from my wife who is not a football fan!

She’d fit in on here.

[blueboy3333]

2 hours ago, S8 & Blue said:

She’d fit in on here.

she'd be an 8/10 poster. 

[Mercer]

8 hours ago, Bigdoggsteel said:

That comment about Mowbray is silly. He came into a mess and started getting results straight away. Not his team or players. To say that he put us down is very far off the mark. You do remember Coyle don't you? 

I think most fans would agree Mowbray inherited a mess from Coyle.

He almost saved us - to go down on goal difference was shattering.

Despite all his efforts and good work that season, in my opinion, ultimately, we lost too many points under Mowbray through his caution and game management.  I think too many winning positions ended up as draws and too many matches where we were drawing ended up as losses.  @JHRover made this point today on the Middlesbrough thread 'Bristol, Middlesbrough, Swansea, Ipswich - away games we've been in glorious positions and then let valuable points slip'.  We failed to stay up by a single point and that hurt like hell.  Mowbray's first objective was to save us from relegation and he failed.

Mowbray brought us back at the first time of asking so job done.  However, it should be borne in mind that  League One, IMV, is pi$$ poor (nowhere near as competitive as the league that Lee and Kendall brought us out many years ago) and we were the best resourced club.

Mowbray has steadied the ship and deserves credit for that.  However, IMV, he is a steady Eddie at best and has not got the managerial nous to get us back to the PL.

 

Edited December 9, 2018 by Mercer

[chaddyrovers]

12 minutes ago, Mercer said:

 

Mowbray has steadied the ship and deserves credit for that.  However, IMV, he is a steady Eddie at best and has not got the managerial nous to get us back to the PL.

 

well Mowbray is going nowhere any time soon. still 3 and half years left on his contract. 

 

[davulsukur]

16 minutes ago, Mercer said:

I think most fans would agree Mowbray inherited a mess from Coyle.

He almost saved us - to go down on goal difference was shattering.

Despite all his efforts and good work that season, in my opinion, ultimately, we lost too many points under Mowbray through his caution and game management.  I think too many winning positions ended up as draws and too many matches where we were drawing ended up as losses.  We failed to stay up by a single point and that hurt like hell.  Mowbray's first objective was to save us from relegation and he failed.

Mowbray brought us back at the first time of asking so job done.  However, it should be borne in mind that  League One, IMV, is pi$$ poor (nowhere near as competitive as the league that Lee and Kendall brought us out many years ago) and we were the best resourced club.

Mowbray has steadied the ship and deserves credit for that.  However, IMV, he is a steady Eddie at best and has not got the managerial nous to get us back to the PL.

 

I’m not disagreeing that Mowbray is a cautious manager but putting the blame of relegation at his feet is ludicrous. 

Coyle had double the amount of games that Mowbray had. The blame for relegation is firmly at his door.

[bluebruce]

22 hours ago, tomphil said:

Today was certainly a justifiable day to give him a proper run, it's a game v ten, we are creating chances but struggling to put them away, he cost 7 million pounds, he's a STRIKER. the formation could've been altered to accommodate him if needed as we had an extra man.

Today was the day........

The same occurred to me. Switch one of our CMs out for him, put 2 up top. Admittedly would have left us open to a counter so Tony took the cautious option again.

[Sparks Rover]

2 hours ago, Mercer said:

Mowbray has steadied the ship and deserves credit for that.  However, IMV, he is a steady Eddie at best and has not got the managerial nous to get us back to the PL.

 

I think you are being a bit over the top here too soon.  Mowbray's got a funny charisma about him, very honest, and Christ we've had some bullshitters, scoundrels and tosspots at our club recently.  We are in touching distance of the play-offs without really playing that well, we definitely won't get relegated.  Is that not enough progress for you mate?  What's your beef with him? Or are you just arguing for sake of it.?

I think he can take us higher and I certainly dont want a change

[Mercer]

54 minutes ago, Sparks Rover said:

I think you are being a bit over the top here too soon.  Mowbray's got a funny charisma about him, very honest, and Christ we've had some bullshitters, scoundrels and tosspots at our club recently.  We are in touching distance of the play-offs without really playing that well, we definitely won't get relegated.  Is that not enough progress for you mate?  What's your beef with him? Or are you just arguing for sake of it.?

I think he can take us higher and I certainly dont want a change

In the Championship, positivity, confidence and momentum will take you a long way.

I think most fans want the club to go as far as it can as fast as it can.

At times, Mowbray's tactics, team selections and substitutions baffle me.  I also think his game management is poor - @JHRover made this point today on the Middlesbrough thread 'Bristol, Middlesbrough, Swansea, Ipswich - away games we've been in glorious positions and then let valuable points slip'. 

I also think Mowbray's transfer dealings are mixed.  Dack has been an excellent signing and I think Mowbray has to take a lot of credit for his development.  However, I think there are very poor signings like Hart and Gladwin, too many Joe Averages (Armstrong for one) and IMV, the biggest mystery and possible clanger of all (Brereton).

I think we will know a lot more about our manager and players after December's fixtures.

I hope you are right and Mowbray is the man to take us higher but, IMV, based on what I have seen so far, I don't think he will.

 

[roversfan99]

1 hour ago, Sparks Rover said:

I think you are being a bit over the top here too soon.  Mowbray's got a funny charisma about him, very honest, and Christ we've had some bullshitters, scoundrels and tosspots at our club recently.  We are in touching distance of the play-offs without really playing that well, we definitely won't get relegated.  Is that not enough progress for you mate?  What's your beef with him? Or are you just arguing for sake of it.?

I think he can take us higher and I certainly dont want a change

Whilst I think Mercer is going well overboard with his statements. Not being a bullshitter or a tosspot is no benchmark or barometer to judge our manager against.

He certainly has done a good job and I am happy to see him continue and have no doubts at all about his immediate future. It doesnt sit right with me however that he deserves or gains credit for not being Coyle, not being Kean, essentially not being a useless prick. Not many are that bad!

I also think Mercer made a very fair comment amidst his posts, that Mowbrays recritment is very hit and miss. 

The key is to appreciate our season this far without going overboard. We seem to be consistently inconsistent, only winning back to back games once, and only losing back to back games once. Therefore, theres not much evidence to be able to confidently predict a sustained push at the top 6, nor is there much evidence to be overly fearful of a slide down into trouble. The football has been pretty uninspiring at times, direct, pragmatic and full of long balls. The signings with healthy backing have IMO raised more questions than answers and failed to develop the team much if at all from last seasons convincing promotion winners. There are questions about ruthlessness and game management. The most pleasing thing to see is the spirit that has undoubtedly continued to drive the team and has seen us get results against teams such as Leeds, Villa, Derby, Forest and WBA. 

I certainly think we are going pretty well, Mowbray is a popular manager who is deserving of an almost unanimous backing with credit in the bank from last season.

Edited December 10, 2018 by roversfan99

[blueboy3333]

The most expensive groundsman (assistant) in football history. The personalised front bumper was apparently a deal-breaker for Ben and his agent and was the reason we only got him on loan initially. Looks like everything will go through now in January. Phew!

[Bigdoggsteel]

11 hours ago, Mercer said:

I think most fans would agree Mowbray inherited a mess from Coyle.

He almost saved us - to go down on goal difference was shattering.

Despite all his efforts and good work that season, in my opinion, ultimately, we lost too many points under Mowbray through his caution and game management.  I think too many winning positions ended up as draws and too many matches where we were drawing ended up as losses.  @JHRover made this point today on the Middlesbrough thread 'Bristol, Middlesbrough, Swansea, Ipswich - away games we've been in glorious positions and then let valuable points slip'.  We failed to stay up by a single point and that hurt like hell.  Mowbray's first objective was to save us from relegation and he failed.

Mowbray brought us back at the first time of asking so job done.  However, it should be borne in mind that  League One, IMV, is pi$$ poor (nowhere near as competitive as the league that Lee and Kendall brought us out many years ago) and we were the best resourced club.

Mowbray has steadied the ship and deserves credit for that.  However, IMV, he is a steady Eddie at best and has not got the managerial nous to get us back to the PL.

 

He got West brom there, so he proved he has the tactical nous. At the moment he is doing well with the resources he has at hand. 

You must have thought ok at some point though, didn't you have to take a break from here after predicting us to win every game ?? I can't remember the exact chain of events

[Bigdoggsteel]

7 minutes ago, blueboy3333 said:

The most expensive groundsman (assistant) in football history. The personalised front bumper was apparently a deal-breaker for Ben and his agent and was the reason we only got him on loan initially. Looks like everything will go through now in January. Phew!

Did we sign that from Forest as part of the deal? Would have been useful against that Boro defense last weekend 

[perthblue02]

3 minutes ago, Bigdoggsteel said:

Did we sign that from Forest as part of the deal? Would have been useful against that Boro defense last weekend 

Unfortunately they can't use it for snow shifting yet as it needs to bulk up its upper plough strength 

[Bigdoggsteel]

8 minutes ago, perthblue02 said:

Unfortunately they can't use it for snow shifting yet as it needs to bulk up its upper plough strength 

Should be alright on the wing though. Pretty direct. Uses the same 1 move that Armstrong uses,hit and chase, but I would say that Mr Plow is an upgrade 

[Mercer]

1 hour ago, Bigdoggsteel said:

He got West brom there, so he proved he has the tactical nous. At the moment he is doing well with the resources he has at hand. 

You must have thought ok at some point though, didn't you have to take a break from here after predicting us to win every game ?? I can't remember the exact chain of events

and Coyle got Burnley up...............................

Mowbray has committed the club to almost £10million on Brereton and Armstrong.  Brereton can't even get a start and Armstrong, IMV, looks like a League 1 player at best and has made little impact this season.  If that's using resources well....................... and Mowbray says he needs another striker!

Edited December 10, 2018 by Mercer

[Sparks Rover]

Argue for the sake of it.

[Bigdoggsteel]

12 minutes ago, Mercer said:

and Coyle got Burnley up...............................

Mowbray has committed the club to almost £10million on Brereton and Armstrong.  Brereton can't even get a start and Armstrong, IMV, looks like a League 1 player at best and has made little impact this season.  If that's using resources well....................... and Mowbray says he needs another striker!

Still overachieving though

[Mercer]

1 hour ago, Bigdoggsteel said:

Still overachieving though

Disagree.

With the club's infrastructure, we should be PL.

To me, I would expect a top 8 finish this year and promotion next year.

[chaddyrovers]

1 hour ago, Mercer said:

and Coyle got Burnley up...............................

Mowbray has committed the club to almost £10million on Brereton and Armstrong.  Brereton can't even get a start and Armstrong, IMV, looks like a League 1 player at best and has made little impact this season.  If that's using resources well....................... and Mowbray says he needs another striker!

yet again you cant resist but mention that name can you? he is a joke and his name should be blocked on here. 

Armstrong is trying far too hard and just need to relax and play his natural game. He was great against Leeds and they couldn't stop him. 

Armstrong a winger in the system we used and wont play much up front in my opinion. If we played 4-4-2 then different story. 

1 minute ago, Mercer said:

Disagree.

With the club's infrastructure, we should be PL.

To me, I would expect a top 8 finish this year and promotion next year.

Sorry but we are newly promoted side and if we can mid table then it a very good season. we aren't getting relegate this season and our season would be similar to Sheffield United last season. 

 

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

4 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

yet again you cant resist but mention that name can you? he is a joke and his name should be blocked on here. 

Armstrong is trying far too hard and just need to relax and play his natural game. He was great against Leeds and they couldn't stop him. 

Armstrong a winger in the system we used and wont play much up front in my opinion. If we played 4-4-2 then different story. 

Sorry but we are newly promoted side and if we can mid table then it a very good season. we aren't getting relegate this season and our season would be similar to Sheffield United last season. 

 

Most people who saw Armstrong's contribution at ' Boro would say he wasn't trying hard enough.

[Bigdoggsteel]

13 minutes ago, Mercer said:

Disagree.

With the club's infrastructure, we should be PL.

To me, I would expect a top 8 finish this year and promotion next year.

We have no right to be in the premier league. From where Mowbray found the club, we are over achieving. 

Top 8 after being promoted from league 1? Ambitious. We will be there or thereabouts 

I reckon you are the only one who thinks we aren't overachieving 

Edited December 10, 2018 by Bigdoggsteel

[Reedy You're A Star]

People talk about us being "a newly promoted side" and "overachieving"  like we've spent the last 10 years in League 1 and are just finding our feet in the Championship. Most of this side were in the squad that narrowly slipped into League 1, briefly, on goal difference. Mostly because of Coyle's ineptness. We have loads of players with decent Championship experience and, apparently, the finances to compete in this League. So why shouldn't we be aiming for more than just bobbing around mid-table?

[Sparks Rover]

49 minutes ago, Mercer said:

Disagree.

With the club's infrastructure, we should be PL.

To me, I would expect a top 8 finish this year and promotion next year.

Imagine your every post designed to wind up someone......you dont half come out with some cack mate.  You know what you're doing too.....very sad

[Sparks Rover]

37 minutes ago, Reedy You're A Star said:

People talk about us being "a newly promoted side" and "overachieving"  like we've spent the last 10 years in League 1 and are just finding our feet in the Championship. Most of this side were in the squad that narrowly slipped into League 1, briefly, on goal difference. Mostly because of Coyle's ineptness. We have loads of players with decent Championship experience and, apparently, the finances to compete in this League. So why shouldn't we be aiming for more than just bobbing around mid-table?

Theres only ever been 2 clubs that had 2 back to back promotions into the Premier League? 

[Bigdoggsteel]

41 minutes ago, Reedy You're A Star said:

People talk about us being "a newly promoted side" and "overachieving"  like we've spent the last 10 years in League 1 and are just finding our feet in the Championship. Most of this side were in the squad that narrowly slipped into League 1, briefly, on goal difference. Mostly because of Coyle's ineptness. We have loads of players with decent Championship experience and, apparently, the finances to compete in this League. So why shouldn't we be aiming for more than just bobbing around mid-table?

It isn't as if before Coyle arriving we were at the top of the table. We were "bobbing around mid table", so after falling to league and one and getting promoted, why would you expect better? I think it is reasonable to acknowledge that steady progress will take time. Look at Sheffield united. 

As for finances, from a quick look,  every team ahead of us in the league, apart from Birmingham,  has spent more and plenty below us have also.