Rovers v Leeds, Ewood, 12.00 KO, 20th October

[patrickvalery]

If I'd have been a Leeds fan watching today's game I'd have honestly felt that Rovers had done a job on us. Much the way I felt Sheffield utd did to us. We may not have been free flowing, but we were extremely professional and looked like wily opponents who had the measure of them and the league. 

Got to take my hat off to Mowbray. He's done an outstanding job for us. Really can't underestimate it. Rodwell is looking a shrewd piece of business by the way. We've got a keeper who pulls off miraculous saves. Bell looks a better footballer than Williams and our central midfield looks very combative. My only concern is his ability to spot a centre forward. I love Danny Graham. In my eyes he's the championship version of Glenn Murray. But Samuel and Brereton (thus far) suggest to me this is is Mowbray's major weakness. But on the whole, to take the reigns when he did, with the widespread doom and gloom, he has been nothing short of remarkable and is rapidly becoming one of those managers I will always remember fondly. All the charm and honesty of Bowyer but with the acumen to back it up with results. Football is starting to feel enjoyable again!!

[McClarky]

Good grief. Why is this site always about Chaddy and his entourage arguing about nothing? If people want to bicker about who’s got the biggest one please do it away from the Matchday thread where most people want to talk about the game and not you.  This is really getting ridiculous.

[Mattyblue]

It’s a fair point, it should have been on an attendance thread, but if a poster says something people think is silly on a different thread, should it just be ignored? Or perhaps mods could be a bit more active and move posts to appropriate threads, if possible?

Edited October 20, 2018 by Mattyblue

[dallydally]

So enjoyed the game today. Cut and thrust throughout and - best of all - we edged it. Very encouraged by where we sit at this time in the season. Long way to go but promising.

[joey_big_nose]

54 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

And Palmer made the goal with a superb bit of individuality in the last game. Rothwell has also done plenty to warrant a game. Excellent team performance and them 2 spent the afternoon getting splinters in their backsides and we still have them waiting to improve us further.

Yes - we seem to have a very strong bench now with Palmer, Rodwell and Rothwell. Plus Williams is decent and we've got Nyambe coming back too.

If we can add a quality target man then top six could actually happen I think.

The spine of the team (Raya, Mulgrew, Evans, Dack, Graham) is great. Probably Reed and Rodwell will cement their places as well.

It's a very hard working side with some genuine talent at this level.

 

 

[Neal]

Anyone else remember a long ball being played up to DG today that was going out of play... Until Harrison Reed tore past him and won us a corner!!?? Wow. Graham couldn't believe it! Just absolutely unreal that lad. 

[roversfan99]

1 hour ago, joey_big_nose said:

Yes - we seem to have a very strong bench now with Palmer, Rodwell and Rothwell. Plus Williams is decent and we've got Nyambe coming back too.

If we can add a quality target man then top six could actually happen I think.

The spine of the team (Raya, Mulgrew, Evans, Dack, Graham) is great. Probably Reed and Rodwell will cement their places as well.

It's a very hard working side with some genuine talent at this level.

 

 

We have as good a target man as we will be able to get in Graham. We need a winger and a centre back to push on a very talented squad.

[chaddyrovers]

10 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

We have as good a target man as we will be able to get in Graham. We need a winger and a centre back to push on a very talented squad.

I agree we need 2 or 3 signings in January. Wide player, centre back deffo.  Think we sign Bauer from Charlton. Would like Burke on loan from Wba or look to sign Leko from Wba. 

But lets see where we are January time and what funds he get to spend after Mowbray meeting with the owners in November. 

[Tugay's Right Foot]

1 hour ago, roversfan99 said:

We have as good a target man as we will be able to get in Graham. We need a winger and a centre back to push on a very talented squad.

I think we might get those with Venkys interested and keeping performances up. Not to forget Davenport who I heard had a few good defence splitting passes for Butterworth and the like in the last U23s. Seems to have a good left foot and might settle the left side. 

[arbitro]

7 hours ago, Neal said:

Anyone else remember a long ball being played up to DG today that was going out of play... Until Harrison Reed tore past him and won us a corner!!?? Wow. Graham couldn't believe it! Just absolutely unreal that lad. 

The goals aside that incident drew probably the loudest applause of the day. The simple stuff is sometimes the most effective.

[CrouchingNunhiddenCucumber]

10 hours ago, Biz said:

Took a lot of time to soak today in- I genuinely cannot believe how good Evans currently is playing. I thought the team played well today, but he really did stand out as the premium ball winner- Until Rodwell arrived- it feels almost surreal to see such depth and quality across the pitch.

Even Conway’s quality from set pieces came into play despite reservations about his extension.

What is the limit for this team? 

Couldn't agree more on Evans, didn't think he was capable of the level he has played at this season, yesterday being the peak for me. More than happy to hold my hands up and say I was wrong about him. 

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Matters are very encouraging...TM surpassing expectations and doing a great job.

There appears a hell of a lot of fight and spirit within this team,the Club seems revitalized.It's the best it's been in some ten long and painful years.

If the unspeakable ones can back Mowbray in January then who knows.

I am enthused again and seriously looking at buying a half season ticket.

[47er]

TM continually proves us wrong! I disagreed with his selections yesterday yet Armstrong, just to name one, had a great game and Conway didn't let us down at all.

I'm coming to the conclusion that TM signed more mid-fielders than normal because he doesn't want them to play every game. If we are to run teams off the park, mid-fielders can't play at that intensity 3 times a week. Just a feeling!

I do wish however that we can accept we won't all agree about everything he does. Its not treachery to criticise him, speaking for myself its anxiety! 

[Neal]

1 hour ago, arbitro said:

The goals aside that incident drew probably the loudest applause of the day. The simple stuff is sometimes the most effective.

It was unreal, i couldn't believe he'd got there. Graham had his hands on his head in disbelief!

[magicalmortensleftpeg]

This side is streets ahead of anything we had in the Championship under Bowyer. Several of our bench players yesterday would be starting in many Champioship teams. The depth is really impressive. I think we can genuinely start talking about the play offs being a realistic aim. Momentum is so important. We just seem to find ways to win and we’re now doing it against decent teams. 

Edited October 21, 2018 by magicalmortensleftpeg

[Neal]

8 minutes ago, magicalmortensleftpeg said:

This side is streets ahead of anything we had in the Championship under Bowyer. Several of our bench players yesterday would be starting in many Champioship teams. The depth is really impressive. I think we can genuinely start talking about the play offs being a realistic aim. Momentum is so important. We just seem to find ways to win and we’re now doing it against decent teams. 

I think that's a dangerous thing to do. We are a good side but this is a tough long season in this league. Keep taking every game as it comes, the clubs that seem to get out of this league do exactly that. 

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

8 hours ago, chaddyrovers said:

I agree we need 2 or 3 signings in January. Wide player, centre back deffo.  Think we sign Bauer from Charlton. Would like Burke on loan from Wba or look to sign Leko from Wba. 

But lets see where we are January time and what funds he get to spend after Mowbray meeting with the owners in November. 

Do you really think that West Brom will loan us players that will strengthen our position in January ? We'd be lucky to get Harper back. 

[Neal]

Rovers will sign Bauer and Chapman and that will be it come January i think. Signing a player like Chapman could be exactly what we need as a little pick up of spirits and could be vital for impact sub appearances.

 

Gutted to see we missed out on Celina... What a signing that would have been. 

Edited October 21, 2018 by Neal

[HowieFive0]

20 hours ago, JacknOry said:

Love our social media team hahaha

I think that was in response to this ..the arrogant tw@ts! 

[AllRoverAsia]

2 minutes ago, HowieFive0 said:

I think that was in response to this ..the arrogant tw@ts! 

Just say: Gary Sprake

[Oldgregg86]

14 hours ago, chaddyrovers said:

. I was more talking about local people. 

 

[tomphil]

1 hour ago, magicalmortensleftpeg said:

This side is streets ahead of anything we had in the Championship under Bowyer. Several of our bench players yesterday would be starting in many Champioship teams. The depth is really impressive. I think we can genuinely start talking about the play offs being a realistic aim. Momentum is so important. We just seem to find ways to win and we’re now doing it against decent teams. 

It is exactly the kind of whole package of things that were missing under GB despite some obvious good things then. That's not a dig at him in any way as he just brought an air of calmness to it all for a while that was desperately needed and he did a good job to the best of his abilities but they were very limited due to lack of experience.

You can see now though why there was so much falling out on here in regards to him when a lot of us who've seen it all before felt it right to expect a bit more of the whole package of things we have now rather than the just do enough and it's enough nature of back then. 

If the plonkers that be had got someone in like TM after him to build on his stability we might well be in the Prem now. Lambert was a dud but not a disaster but never underestimate the damage getting Coyle in did and never ever let it be repeated.

[dingles staying down 4ever]

1 hour ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

Do you really think that West Brom will loan us players that will strengthen our position in January ? We'd be lucky to get Harper back. 

corrected for you.....that should be we'd be really unlucky to get Harper back.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

2 hours ago, Neal said:

Rovers will sign Bauer and Chapman and that will be it come January i think. Signing a player like Chapman could be exactly what we need as a little pick up of spirits and could be vital for impact sub appearances.

 

Gutted to see we missed out on Celina... What a signing that would have been. 

Doesn't look like Chapman figures much in Pulis's thoughts.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

4 hours ago, arbitro said:

The goals aside that incident drew probably the loudest applause of the day. The simple stuff is sometimes the most effective.

It gees up the rest of the team also. All I ever want from Rovers players is they give 100%. I can accept opponents being more skilful but I can't accept it when other teams out enthuse us. Mowbray seems to be turning the corner in that respect after a lot of years were the players looked like they didn't really enjoy being out there.