Rovers vs Rotherham

[Cherry Blue]

yeah disappointing we couldn't break into top six. We did play some quality football at times but lacked the killer finishing. Smallwood had a good game. Has the ideas, not the skill, but his commitment shines through. He was still at it as he sat down after being subd. Ref this week wasn't too bad, he let the game flow but could do little to stop Rotherham wasting time.

[Husky]

Just throwing this in the mix. Was Raya brought back too soon? As we know he's not the best at crosses and commanding the penalty area (or even 6 yard box). Just back from a bad facial injury . . .hmmmm!

[Hasta]

1 hour ago, Ewood Ace said:

Bennett was shocking again at full back (we need cover for Nyambe in January) and he was only slightly better in midfield. He's been poor for a little while, t

The guy was excellent earlier this season but has had to be moved out of position to cover Nyambe's injury. He's still done well but you want him dropped?

Today reminded me of Plymouth last year. We dominated that second half but it just didn't happen. However I was far happier with the performance than I was for the qpr game. I thought everyone played well apart from DG and whilst the result is disappointing, I'm not too downheartened.

[Ewood Ace]

Just now, Hasta said:

The guy was excellent earlier this season but has had to be moved out of position to cover Nyambe's injury. He's still done well but you want him dropped?

He was decent early in the season but I'd say excellent is pushing it he had one very good performance against Brentford but other than that he was solid nothing more.

I don't think that he has done well covering for Nyambe I think he has been poor. I've said before about Bennett he works hard but he is not our best player in any position. He's quite clearly not better than Nyambe at right back. Bennett's best position is probably central midfield (although he was very ordinary in there today) but would you pick him above any of Reed, Evans, Rodwell or Smallwood? Not for me. And in the wide area's we have the likes of Palmer, Armstrong, Rothwell, Brereton and even Reed all of whom offer more than Bennett in the final third. Bennett will certainly have a role later on in games with his energy and work rate when other tire but for the starting roles I feel we have better. 

[Oldgregg86]

I thought that was a thoroughly entertaining if not extremely frustrating afternoon. 

Rodwell and lenihan were superb all afternoon and compliment each other well. Nyambe also made a big difference and added some balance when he came on. Hopefully he will be starting the next game.

I can't work out bell. He just seems to casual. Like he's having a kick about with his mates. I think he needs Abit more urgency about him.

Smallwood, excellent. 

Palmer again, didn't play badly but doesn't seem to blend into to the team.

Dack was man marked the whole game but he should be coming to expect this now. Was very ineffective up until Rotherham scored and missed a good chance. Remember form is temporary, class is permanent, so not to worried. Took his goal well and had some dack-esque moments

Graham was poor in front of goal again. He really needs to start putting these chances away. Overall play was ok but he should have scored at least one.

Rothwell made an impact when he came on and I feel Tony's only mistake today was not making the changes a little earlier. 

Brereton has the crouch vibe about him. Because of his size he looks clumsy ( I know what I mean ). He provided a good assist and did well when he came on. 

Adam Armstrong was superb. What a performance and fully deserved his man of the match. His first touch was out of this world all game. 

And finally, Rotherham. They where well drilled, efficient and worked hard. I can see why alot of teams would struggle against there size and organisation. A couple of decent players to, however the sheer amount of time wasting was an embarrassment to the club, the fans, and sport as a whole. We pay to be entertained. We want to see the ball in play and two teams compete to see who comes out on top. Time wasting from the first kick is a disgrace and something seriously needs to be done about this. 

Another day we win at a canter but it wasn't meant to be. We learn and we go again 

COYB

Edited November 10, 2018 by Oldgregg86

[blueboy3333]

Fairly predictable Rovers performance at home against a team we were probably favourites to beat. It's a symptom of how Mowbray sets up. That's Reading, Millwall and now Rotherham where we've had a poor first half displays and then stepped it up second half. Tony must be sending them out first half with a warm Horlicks down them. Front foot Tony lad, we are supposed to take the game to the 'lesser' teams at Ewood.

2nd half much better. Graham missed his obligatory sitter (time to drop him at home?) early on and then we contrived to mess up every decent position we had. AA played well but his final ball on his left foot especially is pretty dreadful. Palmer flatters to deceive. Bell couldn't cross his legs. Bennett the same. In their defence though we rarely have anyone in the box so they are crossing to just Dack and/or Graham half the time. Piss easy for Rotherham's giants to defend against. However we did play some really good stuff at times up the edge of their box. 

Bell's defending for their goal was pathetic. His attempt to try and stop the cross was embarrassing. Half-arsed dangle of a foot. Pretty much sums him up half the time. 

Positives - Nyambe was superb when he came on - pace and power and he showed what we miss down the right when he's out. Lenihan was again immense. Rodwell showed a lot of composure. Brereton changed the game again when he came on, it makes a big difference having a big mobile striker up top. He put one fantastic ball in (as well as the one for the goal) that zipped head height across the 6 yard box but as usual there was no-one there, which happens far too often for it to be coincidence. 

Good to see Raya back. He had a very quiet afternoon. 

2 points predictably dropped at home against a lesser light of the division.

Credit to Rotherham though for grinding it out. I hope they stay up.  

[Ewood Ace]

1 minute ago, Oldgregg86 said:

I can't work out bell. He just seems to casual. Like he's having a kick about with his mates. I think he needs Abit more urgency about him.

I've seen enough of him now to work him out and I think he's useless. Such idle defending for their goal today no way should their man have been able to get the ball over into the box. He's doesn't look cut out for this level of football. 

Edited November 10, 2018 by Ewood Ace

[Hasta]

6 minutes ago, Ewood Ace said:

He was decent early in the season but I'd say excellent is pushing it he had one very good performance against Brentford but other than that he was solid nothing more.

I don't think that he has done well covering for Nyambe I think he has been poor. I've said before about Bennett he works hard but he is not our best player in any position. He's quite clearly not better than Nyambe at right back. Bennett's best position is probably central midfield (although he was very ordinary in there today) but would you pick him above any of Reed, Evans, Rodwell or Smallwood? Not for me. And in the wide area's we have the likes of Palmer, Armstrong, Rothwell, Brereton and even Reed all of whom offer more than Bennett in the final third. Bennett will certainly have a role later on in games with his energy and work rate when other tire but for the starting roles I feel we have better. 

I disagree completely on almost all of that and would have him in central midfield over all those you mention apart from Reed.

 

Edited November 10, 2018 by Hasta

[roversfan99]

A very poor result and further proof of a worrying underlying issue in an inability to beat the weakest teams in the division at home, as we also saw v Millwall and Reading. This will need fixing urgently if we want to trouble the top 6.

That being said, we had more than enough chances to win in that second half, we battered a very poor Rotherham side and justified a very positive attacking selection by Mowbray.

Armstrong's directness was very similar to how he played v Leeds, he played like a natural winger and needs to take more care with his end product but he was a constant menace. I'm surprised to see such a mixed response to Palmer and how he did, I thought he was our most inventive player and hes also massively improved in terms of work rate.

I also dont think that Bennett merits a place in the starting line up, Mowbray was correct to play 2 attacking wide men (and should do so more often) but wrong to shoehorn him in at right back where he again was poor in the first half. Nyambe was excellent when he came on and needs to come into the line up, with Armstrong and Palmer wide, and Bennett as the odd man out on the bench. When he moved centrally he kept relieving the pressure by taking speculative pot shots.

Elsewhere, Raya was relatively untroubled but seemed very slow getting down for their goal. Bell is a load of crap and isnt good enough. Lenihan was very good and Rodwell fine beside him. Smallwood was quite poor first half, and Reed was affected by his injury for quite a while. Graham wasted a few golden chances and Dack wasnt at his best again but he is like a magnet to the ball in terms of anticipating and taking potential chances. 

1 hour ago, Bigdoggsteel said:

Glad to see no over reactions on here anyway

I do think we need to look at Dack and Graham being guaranteed starters. Dack keeps scoring, but he isn't doing half as much from open play 

I dont get how you can justify questioning Dack being a guaranteed starter. He is a regular, consistent source of goals in a team that doesnt score that many, he has scored far more than our other 5 attacking players combined, and his goals alone should justify a place regardless of how he is playing otherwise. You mention the fact that he keeps scoring as if its not enough, or as if its not that important.

[blueboy3333]

Just now, Ewood Ace said:

He was decent early in the season but I'd say excellent is pushing it he had one very good performance against Brentford but other than that he was solid nothing more.

I don't think that he has done well covering for Nyambe I think he has been poor. I've said before about Bennett he works hard but he is not our best player in any position. He's quite clearly not better than Nyambe at right back. Bennett's best position is probably central midfield (although he was very ordinary in there today) but would you pick him above any of Reed, Evans, Rodwell or Smallwood? Not for me. And in the wide area's we have the likes of Palmer, Armstrong, Rothwell, Brereton and even Reed all of whom offer more than Bennett in the final third. Bennett will certainly have a role later on in games with his energy and work rate when other tire but for the starting roles I feel we have better. 

Palmer? Behave, the guy's a show pony who again looked fairly average today.  Lots of flicks and step-overs but nowt meaningful you could hang your hat on. He's the new Rochina.

[blueboy3333]

Just now, roversfan99 said:

I'm surprised to see such a mixed response to Palmer and how he did, I thought he was our most inventive player and hes also massively improved in terms of work rate.

Did he create a single chance? 

[Ewood Ace]

Just now, roversfan99 said:

 I'm surprised to see such a mixed response to Palmer and how he did, I thought he was our most inventive player and hes also massively improved in terms of work rate.

People seem to have made their minds up early about him and decided that because he tries a few tricks and pieces of skill that he is a show pony who doesn't work. Whereas I think he is a bright play always looking to be inventive and create something, he has dramatically improved his work rate and he also wins a lot of headers long balls which given the amount of long balls we play is important. 

[blueboy3333]

Just now, Ewood Ace said:

People seem to have made their minds up early about him and decided that because he tries a few tricks and pieces of skill that he is a show pony who doesn't work. Whereas I think he is a bright play always looking to be inventive and create something, he has dramatically improved his work rate and he also wins a lot of headers long balls which given the amount of long balls we play is important. 

There is no end product with Palmer.

[1864roverite]

How in gods earth did we not win?

 

Football didn’t really matter today, the immaculate minutes silence was simply heartwarming ??????

 

[roversfan99]

6 minutes ago, blueboy3333 said:

Did he create a single chance? 

Played a key role with Dack in giving Graham a brilliant chance early in the second half.

I think a lot of the reason as to why Rothwell is such a favourite and Palmer not so much is the way they play.

Rothwell charges round everywhere like a labrador but does he have any end product most of the time? Not sure.

[Ewood Ace]

2 minutes ago, Hasta said:

I disagree completely on almost all of that and would have him in central midfield over all those you mention apart from Reed.

Evans has arguably been our best player this season and Rodwell is an England international who has shown in his short time here the quality that he has. On what basis would you be picking Bennett ahead of them to play in central midfield? 

Just now, blueboy3333 said:

There is no end product with Palmer.

You could say that about all of our team Dack aside. I just don't think you can really judge Palmer until he has been given a decent run in the team. Palmer and Rothwell is another example of this as well both seem to get one start and then are back on the bench and reduced to short cameos at the end of games. Armstrong is being given a decent run now and is showing signs of improvement although there is still an end product lacking with him.

[blueboy3333]

Just now, roversfan99 said:

Played a key role with Dack in giving Graham a brilliant chance early in the second half.

I think a lot of the reason as to why Rothwell is such a favourite and Palmer not so much is the way they play.

Rothwell charges round everywhere like a labrador but does he have any end product most of the time? Not sure.

I'm not sure either of them do. That may, however, be because of the way we play as a team. AA aside, we don't have many players busting a gut to run in behind. At least BB came on and made runs across the defenders and down the channels. He did it a few times and showed some good movement but never once got the ball. Oh, for a Tugay or Sherwood!

[Tom]

19 minutes ago, blueboy3333 said:

Did he create a single chance? 

He played a big part in creating a few chances, one great flick on with his head (I’d say behind Graham He’s probably our most useful attacker in the air), one where he dropped deep turned a defender and turned defence into attack and a couple of brillIant balls in behind the defence to Nyambe to put good crosses in, few more as well.

Armstrong looked dangerous today but I think he’s too greedy, looks to shoot every time and apart from his worldie effort was wasteful today more often than not.

Edited November 10, 2018 by Tom

[blueboy3333]

Just now, Ewood Ace said:

Evans has arguably been our best player this season and Rodwell is an England international who has shown in his short time here the quality that he has. On what basis would you be picking Bennett ahead of them to play in central midfield? 

You could say that about all of our team Dack aside. I just don't think you can really judge Palmer until he has been given a decent run in the team. Palmer and Rothwell is another example of this as well both seem to get one start and then are back on the bench and reduced to short cameos at the end of games. Armstrong is being given a decent run now and is showing signs of improvement although there is still an end product lacking with him.

I'd agree with both those statements. Evans was missed today but Bennett would always be in my starting XI. 

Creativity is a big problem in our team at home. We were better today as the game went on, and that move for the Graham chance early in the 2nd half was superb but it's very rare we string passes together like that and create clear chances. It's normally a speculative cross into a box devoid of Rovers players. 

[Hasta]

5 minutes ago, Ewood Ace said:

Evans has arguably been our best player this season and Rodwell is an England international who has shown in his short time here the quality that he has. On what basis would you be picking Bennett ahead of them to play in central midfield? 

Because I thought Bennett was better than Evans when they both have featured in central midfield this year, and apart from the first 45 minutes at BoltoN I've not seen much of Rodwell but I believe we need pace and mobility in there and Bennett has that more than JR.

 

 

Edited November 10, 2018 by Hasta

[blueboy3333]

Just now, Tom said:

He played a big part in creating a few chances, one great flick on with his head, one where he dropped deep turned a defender and turned defence into attack and a couple of brillIant balls in behind the defence to Nyambe to put good crosses in, few more as well.

Armstrong looked dangerous today but I think he’s too greedy, looks to shoot every time and apart from his worldie effort was wasteful today more often than not.

Agree on AA, he's getting better as he plays more but he isn't a creator of chances. His crossing off his left foot is very poor. 

Palmer has qualities, but he's one of those players who looks good without having any real impact on the game. That turn where he sent Bennett away was brilliant but it was on the half way line and it came to nothing. The passes to Nyambe came to nothing too and were fairly routine. I'm talking about creating genuine chances where he puts people through on goal or puts a cross on someone's head from 6 yards out. That's surely why we brought him to the club. 

[rigger]

28 minutes ago, Ewood Ace said:

I've seen enough of him now to work him out and I think he's useless. Such idle defending for their goal today no way should their man have been able to get the ball over into the box. He's doesn't look cut out for this level of football. 

He is by far our weakest link, I do not see one aspect of his game that is good enough at this level

[Ewood Ace]

2 minutes ago, Hasta said:

Because I thought Bennet was better than Evans when they both have featured in central midfield this year, and apart from the first 45 minutes at BoltoN I've not seen much of Rodwell but I believe we need pace and mobility in there and Bennett has that more than JR.

 

 

Have you seen Evans this season? He's been fantastic. As for Rodwell he's got great composure on the ball and will start attacks of with his passing whereas Bennett is more likely to win the ball back and then give away again with a bad pass or a ridiculous long range shot.

Edited November 10, 2018 by Ewood Ace

[Tom]

Just now, blueboy3333 said:

Agree on AA, he's getting better as he plays more but he isn't a creator of chances. His crossing off his left foot is very poor. 

Palmer has qualities, but he's one of those players who looks good without having any real impact on the game. That turn where he sent Bennett away was brilliant but it was on the half way line and it came to nothing. The passes to Nyambe came to nothing too and were fairly routine. I'm talking about creating genuine chances where he puts people through on goal or puts a cross on someone's head from 6 yards out. That's surely why we brought him to the club. 

I actually think Palmer would do better in a different side, his problem is Dack is too good and he isn’t Dack.

As such he’s playing out wide and he hasn’t yet learned how to be fully effective as a winger, Brereton has a similar issue in that he won’t be deployed as a striker as we can’t play 2 up top AND Dacky.

Its a nice ‘problem’ to have of course 

[roversfan99]

3 minutes ago, blueboy3333 said:

I'm not sure either of them do. That may, however, be because of the way we play as a team. AA aside, we don't have many players busting a gut to run in behind. At least BB came on and made runs across the defenders and down the channels. He did it a few times and showed some good movement but never once got the ball. Oh, for a Tugay or Sherwood!

I feel like Brereton would be more effective if he spent more time within the width of the 18 yard box, something hes obviously told not to do by a manager who seemingly doesnt trust him centrally. I felt like after our goal any potential search for a winner fizzled out and half the time we had no focal point in the box when we got into crossing positions. I thought our crossing all day was absolutely shocking, Bennett was particularly bad in the first half, Bell throughout too. Need to take far more care crossing into areas where our opponent has 2 big centre backs heading everything away.

Just now, blueboy3333 said:

I'd agree with both those statements. Evans was missed today but Bennett would always be in my starting XI. 

Creativity is a big problem in our team at home. We were better today as the game went on, and that move for the Graham chance early in the 2nd half was superb but it's very rare we string passes together like that and create clear chances. It's normally a speculative cross into a box devoid of Rovers players. 

Whilst I appreciate that Bennett has many qualities, is it just his attitude that makes you feel he should be guaranteed a place in the team? Or is it a lack of belief in Palmer and Rothwell?

Today I felt he was shoehorned in at right back wrongly because it was easier than dropping him. Mowbray had decided to play 2 attacking players wide and I felt he was vindicated in the amount of chances we created. But I felt he should have started Nyambe.