Leeds United v Rovers: Boxing Day 2018, 3pm

[DE.]

19 minutes ago, Mercer said:

Certain we wont go down given what we already have in the bag.

However, don't buy this consolidation cr@p - aim for the ceiling and hit the floor.........

I think the confidence and momentum of promotion plus the addition of 3 or 4 decent players (not a £7million+ player who can' even get a game), should have seen us flying.

We are marginally better off than 2 years ago but read somethereal our league position is identical to Christmas 3 years ago.  This is not progress.

We're essentially back to where we were under Bowyer during the season he got us 9th, just with a less talented squad. So finishing anywhere from 14th - 21st would be about right. I'd be stunned if we got relegated at this point. Too many teams worse off than us this season. 

[Butty]

Talk of relegation is madness we aren’t going to go down, at the start of the season I thought we’d stay up and finish around 15th/16th which would be a solid season for us as a newly promoted team, I think the fact we started so well has amplified the fact we’ve been so poor over the last month or so, if we’d have spent all season hanging around 12th-15th I don’t think there would be the uproar there is now. We have too many league one standard players to be even thinking about the top six. The fact we throw so many leads away pisses me off and some of Mowbrays tactical decisions are baffling but you can’t say where we are in the league now is an underachievement with our squad, if anything we are over achieving. When I saw we went 2-1 up today I was buzzing and to throw it away like that yet again is madness, there is clearly something wrong or something missing in this squad whether it’s from TM or the players mentality, I don’t know. There’s so much work too be done with this squad, and I’ve still got faith in TM to be at the helm for the push but I might think differently come the end of the season... Bit of a half drunk ramble that...

[Sparks Rover]

29 minutes ago, Bbrovers2288 said:

Smallwood gave away the free kick that led to their winner, I was screaming at the tele don’t foul him but standard Smallwood, he has no football brain.

the one thing that will hold dack back is pace/fitness, he broke through on the Leeds goal and had a clear sight at goal but slowed up allowing a defender to get a toe in, top class player scores there. 

Our defence is woeful, can honestly say we need 2 new actual centre backs, a new left back and quite possibly a new rb. It’s a shambles. Lenihan should then be pushed back into midfield with Rodwell or reed, giving us some actual bite rather than the powder puff Evans n Smallwood. Armstrong is a one trick pony, knocks it on and tries to use his pace, doesn’t work at this level. Play him up top or not at all. 

Bell needs to work on his final ball and I just don’t think he is quite good enough in all honesty. 

New hard battering ram cocky striker needed to aid graham.

sad thing is most of the rovers fans can see these points need addressing but mowbray can’t, it’s baffling 

Wholeheartedly agree with every point, especially the first one with Smallwood tapping away at the guys ankles going away from goal with 20 seconds left...what a complete cock....

[Fraserkirky]

1 hour ago, skous18 said:

He looked slow and in my opinion he wasn’t really covering Evans well. Maybe I just had bigger expectations as i was desperate for someone to step up and replace Smallwood, but tbh Smallwood coming in for Rodwell felt like having a positive impact (obviously you know how it all ended) but yeah - not Rodwell’s best game imo

Fair assessment. But plugged into centre midfield, with zero match fitness, on a huge pitch against the best team in the league is a rough shift.

Smallwood did have a bit of an impact when he came on, all deep in our own half...

Edited December 27, 2018 by Fraserkirky

[USABlue]

4 hours ago, Mercer said:

Mowbray is not going to change.

IMV, his reign has been characterised by an overly cautious approach, muddling tactics, poor player trading, failing to use what he has properly (square pegs and round holes) and poor football.

Last season we got away with it in a pi $$ poor league.  This season we will get punished for it.

I do think we need a young and progressive manager and not a very poor man's Mourinho

Any names for the hat Merc, what's wee dougie upto?  Any realistic suggestions?

[AllRoverAsia]

11 hours ago, RevidgeBlue said:

The scoreline looks tight but its an embarrassing performance.

Evans is an absolute disgrace in midfield jogging around a bit and doing plenty of pointing. He might as well get in the bath now. Williams as we know is a defensive liability. Bell isn't offering a huge amount.

Of our three attacking players Dack looks up for it today but he's completely on his own. Graham is shot at and nothing Armstrong does seems to come off.

If we carry on like that it's probably just a case of how many. Can't see us scoring unless Mulgrew scores a free kick from distance or they give us a soft penalty.

Please PM me next weeks winning Lottery numbers, Cheers.

Edited December 27, 2018 by AllRoverAsia

[yellowsubmarine]

6 hours ago, DE. said:

I'd be stunned if we got relegated at this point. Too many teams worse off than us this season. 

Dont tempt fate.

[jw_]

7 hours ago, Bbrovers2288 said:

Smallwood gave away the free kick that led to their winner, I was screaming at the tele don’t foul him but standard Smallwood, he has no football brain.

the one thing that will hold dack back is pace/fitness, he broke through on the Leeds goal and had a clear sight at goal but slowed up allowing a defender to get a toe in, top class player scores there. 

Our defence is woeful, can honestly say we need 2 new actual centre backs, a new left back and quite possibly a new rb. It’s a shambles. Lenihan should then be pushed back into midfield with Rodwell or reed, giving us some actual bite rather than the powder puff Evans n Smallwood. Armstrong is a one trick pony, knocks it on and tries to use his pace, doesn’t work at this level. Play him up top or not at all. 

Bell needs to work on his final ball and I just don’t think he is quite good enough in all honesty. 

New hard battering ram cocky striker needed to aid graham.

sad thing is most of the rovers fans can see these points need addressing but mowbray can’t, it’s baffling 

Nail, hammer, head.

[yellowsubmarine]

This Smallwood/Evans combination in centre midfield has not been working at all this season. When was the last time we won a game mainly due to Smallwood and Evans worked wonderfully to protect the defence or even run the midfield. We are conceding goals left right centre, especially in the last minutes. Clearly even with 2 defensive midfielders, we can't even stop conceding these silly late goals.

And yes, we desperately need a tough ass centre back (i don't know who as long as its not a midfielder-turned-defender).

[Bigdoggsteel]

After watching the highlights a couple of times, the following points haven't been mentioned. 

Mulgrew definitely dived for the peno. A great dive so it was. The Leeds player clumsiness meant it had to be given. 

I would blame Lenihan for the 3rd Leeds goal. He is a couple of feet from Roofe. Not close enough and doesn't compete for the header. Inexcusable He needs to be replaced. 

Raya pulled off some incredible saves 

Edited December 27, 2018 by Bigdoggsteel

[JBiz]

Always best not to post in reaction to a game like that. For me the reactive “Mowbray out” all over social media is equally as painful to read as watching Lenihan and Bell tumble over their own players immediately after the kick off at 2-1, and then watching Rothwell’s poor clearance, then nobody try to put a head in the way with 30 seconds left to go.

Even after that insane two minutes, we aren’t far off in my opinion, and I think the notion that we might steal a victory at the league leaders absolutely panicked our lads. It’s a constant theme. No wonder we are nervous in them scenarios.

Leeds however had a poor afternoon - but they are top for a reason - did the same to Villa a week ago.

The performance overall was good though IMO second half especially- but we didn’t expect to go to leeds and control the game did we? 

The changes worked- Rodwell looked assured and played a calm and confident role - the 5atb formation (when we pushed up) stopped leeds from playing out on the deck. 

I thought all substitutes had a positive effect, Rothwell for his running (despite a couple of mistakes) and Reed / Smallwood brought so much energy on. 

Someone mentioned a better leader/more nasty centreback needed. I think these games we’ve thrown away show that should be the next acquisition. 

 

[Ewood Ace]

 

12 hours ago, Parsonblue said:

 

Of course, as many have said, we have to get better at defending the final quarter of games and I'm sure that Mowbray, as a pretty decent defender himself in his playing days, will surely realise that a top class centre-half needs to be one of the first signings he needs to make.  

 

He's had 3 transfer windows here an still hasn't realised it, even though it has been abundantly clear

[Cherry Blue]

6 minutes ago, Bigdoggsteel said:

After watching the highlights a couple of times, the following points haven't been mentioned. 

Mulgrew definitely dived for the peno. A great dive so it was. The Leeds player clumsiness meant it had to be given. 

I would blame Lenihan for the 3rd Leeds goal. He is a couple of feet from Roofe. Not close enough and doesn't compete for the header. Inexcusable He needs to be replaced. 

Raya pulled off some incredible saves 

I'd also ask Bell why he allowed the cross in the first place, given that there was only seconds remaining. He provided no opposition not even close. A complete lack of ability, loss of concentration (as was Raya v Birmingham - does TM not mention the importance of closing a game down???). Had he held the player we would have come away with a draw. Seconds left Bell what on earth was you thinking about?

[blueboy3333]

10 minutes ago, Cherry Blue said:

I'd also ask Bell why he allowed the cross in the first place

It's not the first time he's made it incredibly easy for the winger or whoever to get the cross in. His attempt to stop the cross for the Rotherham goal at Ewood was one of the most limp attempts I've even seen. He just dangled a leg. The forward just headed it in from 6 yards pretty much unchallenged. It summed up our defending.  

#TotalCommitment

Edited December 27, 2018 by blueboy3333

[blueboy3333]

26 minutes ago, Ewood Ace said:

 

He's had 3 transfer windows here an still hasn't realised it, even though it has been abundantly clear

He had a £7m reserve striker to buy. He can't be expected to buy a defender. Expectations need reigning in?

Anyway, he wanted Bauer, who is hardly a 'top-class centre-half' as far as I can see. 

[G Somerset Rover]

We’re definitely lacking leadership on the field (putting Mowbray aside). Every time we concede a goal there’s just disappointment on the faces of the players - nobody grabbing the ball and motivating them. Not sure Mulgrew is captain material for me as he doesn’t rattle enough cages and motivate enough on the pitch - class player as he is. Just adds more weight for the need for an experienced centre half to come in for me.

[AAK]

47 minutes ago, Cherry Blue said:

I'd also ask Bell why he allowed the cross in the first place, given that there was only seconds remaining. He provided no opposition not even close. A complete lack of ability, loss of concentration (as was Raya v Birmingham - does TM not mention the importance of closing a game down???). Had he held the player we would have come away with a draw. Seconds left Bell what on earth was you thinking about?

I make this point every week to people, people think it doesn't matter if they don't score, every single week whoever plays full back allows the opposition winger to cross the ball, it is baffling. Someone mentioned yesterday how many goals we concede from cross into the box, this is why.

Edited December 27, 2018 by AAK

[JHRover]

12 hours ago, Butty said:

Talk of relegation is madness we aren’t going to go down, at the start of the season I thought we’d stay up and finish around 15th/16th which would be a solid season for us as a newly promoted team, I think the fact we started so well has amplified the fact we’ve been so poor over the last month or so, if we’d have spent all season hanging around 12th-15th I don’t think there would be the uproar there is now. We have too many league one standard players to be even thinking about the top six. The fact we throw so many leads away pisses me off and some of Mowbrays tactical decisions are baffling but you can’t say where we are in the league now is an underachievement with our squad, if anything we are over achieving. When I saw we went 2-1 up today I was buzzing and to throw it away like that yet again is madness, there is clearly something wrong or something missing in this squad whether it’s from TM or the players mentality, I don’t know. There’s so much work too be done with this squad, and I’ve still got faith in TM to be at the helm for the push but I might think differently come the end of the season... Bit of a half drunk ramble that...

I wish I shared your confidence. Next two are tough games which we'll do well to get anything out of. On paper we have a kinder run in January and February beginning with a trip to struggling Millwall, but given the way we are playing would you fancy us going down to the Den and getting a win against a Millwall side fighting for their lives? Our record this season against the bottom half sides is very poor. Failed to beat Preston, Wigan, Rotherham, Ipswich, Millwall, Reading, Bristol City and scraped wins against Bolton, Brentford and Hull. That will have to change.

We SHOULD have enough to survive in comparison to the likes of Ipswich, Bolton and Rotherham but strange things happen. A lead of 10 points+ over them going into the 2nd half of the season SHOULD be a good gap. But we're on a slippery slope and I honestly wouldn't fancy us to beat anyone at the moment. We have a knack for snatching a draw or defeat from the jaws of victory and have done all season. The only thing keeping us going is the camaraderie in the squad and the presence of Mulgrew/Dack/Graham who between them can deliver the goods infront of goal. 

[1864roverite]

Sick of reading the negative comments about Brereton unless you watch him day in and out and you know a thing about being a striker then believe me, he will become a huge star and in fact I think he could be the man to beat Garners goal scoring record he is THAT good.

Rovers defenders and defensive midfielders can’t seem to understand the basic ethos of Row Z and the opposition can’t attack instead we saw a whole host of pathetic attempts to clear the ball. Standing off players allows the ball to be crossed and we do 5is far too often and this is what now sees us looking over our shoulders instead of looking ahead. By my count we have lost somewhere in the region of 13 points from decent positions that would have seen us already mathematically safe from the drop and looking at the top 6 rather than a scrap amongst the bottom 10.

 

Finally fir this calling for TM to be sacked give your bloody heads a wobble and stay away

[blueboy3333]

4 minutes ago, 1864roverite said:

Sick of reading the negative comments about Brereton unless you watch him day in and out and you know a thing about being a striker then believe me, he will become a huge star and in fact I think he could be the man to beat Garners goal scoring record he is THAT good.

Do you watch him every day? 

[blueboy3333]

 

6 minutes ago, 1864roverite said:

Finally fir this calling for TM to be sacked give your bloody heads a wobble and stay away

Ironic. You were a boycotter until Degsy Shaw phoned you up. 

[CP Company Lad]

Better team won yesterday in all honesty. We dominated the 1st half but Rovers always seemed to look a threat on the break. 2nd half you came out and bossed it for a spell. We need to start making more of our posession need to put teams to bed when we are on top. Too many scares for me. Our keeper isnt good enough which saddens me to say because he is only a kid. No way should Mulgrew of found the net with that free kick. Reading back this thread about relegation is ridiculuos. You will be in the top 10. The pressure was always going to tell in the end. We have a spirit in us now that we havent had in many many years. We need a couple of additions in January to stay in and around the Top 6.

 

Good luck going forward and the fans that came over yesterday did the club proud. Best away following at Leeds so far this season. Best in terms of vocal backing for the team. Good to see in the days when most away support apart from a few is dire. 

[Bigdoggsteel]

2 hours ago, blueboy3333 said:

He had a £7m reserve striker to buy. He can't be expected to buy a defender. Expectations need reigning in?

Anyway, he wanted Bauer, who is hardly a 'top-class centre-half' as far as I can see. 

Ya, I'm sure you have seen plenty of Bauer. Do you go down the valley much, cos Charlton don't really be on TV. 

[MarkBRFC]

1 hour ago, 1864roverite said:

Sick of reading the negative comments about Brereton unless you watch him day in and out and you know a thing about being a striker then believe me, he will become a huge star and in fact I think he could be the man to beat Garners goal scoring record he is THAT good.

Oh come on!

I have defended Brereton as he's a 19 year oldvlad in a new area still learning the game, but what on earth have you seen to come out with that utterly rediculous opinion?

Even if he "bedded" in this season and scored say 15 goals next season we would sell him the year after anyway.

Garners record haha good grief.

[Tom Stinny]

I don't question that we have some very talented individuals in the likes of Dack, Graham, Mulgrew and the likes who if they had an extra bit of pace or physicality would play in the premier league.

 

The main reason I'm concerned is this team is meant to be full of determined strong together fighters but I don't think they've ever had to fight when it's going wrong. In league 1 the standard was very very poor and we walked the league literally at times.

 

The lad Brereton whose been brought in I think will eventually make it at this level but if someone offered me a winger of championship level. Reed on a permanent and a tough centre back in exchange I would snap their hand off.

 

That isn't a dig at Brereton I just think he's the right player at the wrong time. A luxury signing in its entirety.

 

If I was the manager now I would get the entire squad together and say right lads lets get to the 40-50 point survival mark and think of nothing else until then. 

 

I was one who a few weeks ago pushing to aim for the play offs. Naively really but when you look at the squad I do think 3-4 quality additions in the right places would have had us near.

 

I don't want the manager to go. He's a nice enough guy but I would like some accountability from him. He doesn't have to say it but I would like to see him sort it. As the moto goes, actions speak louder than words.

 

Aims for me are a centre defender along with real concentration on defensive coaching and if we are winning or losing games 1-0 then we can build from there. Kamikaze football is a very dangerous way to play and 3 points yesterday would have been massive.