Sheffield United vs Blackburn Rovers: 29th December 2018

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

2 hours ago, Bbrovers2288 said:

He does but we are over reliant and a one man team. This makes it easy to defend against us. I’d rather have 3-4 players in the middle that we’re capable of creating something, be it a quality cross, mazy run to the byline, a long shot that bursts the net, a sublime pass to our strikers. As it is we are waiting on dack to beat 2-3 men and find the one striker up top. We need more options. We also don’t keep the ball enough and dominate teams. We are looking for smash and grab results. I’m all honesty it’s hard to watch

I was only thinking about this the other day. When did we last score a goal with a shot from distance ie 20 yards plus ?

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

2 hours ago, Ossydave said:

Not sure about Mulgrew as a full back, he's seriously static way too much 

I don't think Mulgrew would be quick enough for full back anymore.  I'm not sure he's got the ability to get up and down the flank as much as a good full back should do.

[bluefred]

It's time Rothwell was given a run in the team 

[Sparks Rover]

50 minutes ago, Ewood Ace said:

Not only do Sheff U have the best finisher in the Championship in Billy Sharp but in Enda Stevens they also have the best player that I have seen in the Championship this season, everything that you want from a wing back, you watch him play and you see why we can't play 3/5 at the back as we don't have anyone on either side who could do the job that he does.

Plus you need 3 quick, good-on-the-ball, centre halves, of which we dont have any. So we would need a whole new team to play that formation successfully 

[Bbrovers2288]

13 minutes ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

I was only thinking about this the other day. When did we last score a goal with a shot from distance ie 20 yards plus ?

I think Bennett got one from distance last year, Wimbledon perhaps? And Conway in pre season I think, other than that we have relied on dack or graham with scraps in the box

[RevidgeBlue]

20 minutes ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

I was only thinking about this the other day. When did we last score a goal with a shot from distance ie 20 yards plus ?

Don't have a tape measure to hand but Reed at West Brom maybe?

[CD_93]

22 minutes ago, bluefred said:

It's time Rothwell was given a run in the team 

He’ll need to improve his diving technique first.

[MarkBRFC]

Mulgrew has scored two from outside the box this month alone, although i'm presuming you mean from open play ?

[tomphil]

4 hours ago, Bigdoggsteel said:

Johnson stepping up could be good. He seems to have the under 23s at a good fitness level. 

I'd agree with that if they tied it in with a path for his young talent to get more of a sniff at first team level so they got the same nurturing as the likes of Brereton has been afforded so far.

[aletheia]

TM -talk about deflection. Dear, oh dear.

"It was an Intense football match, two teams who were at it. Sadly I would say the officials had the biggest impact on the game today.

"I think the referee mismanaged the game. He's come from the Premier League to the Championship, thought he'd have a nice easy day and he's guessed his way through the match with his decisions.

"He's upset the stadium, upset our bench and I think he had the biggest impact on the game.

[JHRover]

If Mowbray genuinely thinks that the referee was to blame for yesterday's capitulation then we're in a bigger mess than I thought. I'll be the first to moan about referees but the responsibility for yesterday lies in house.

[aletheia]

As to formations -we can all play this game and each one would have issues. As has been mentioned, there are plenty of other issues that also need dealing with.

For the record-maybe:-

                             Raya

    Lenihan   Downing   Mulgrew

Nyambe    Reed      Travis         Bennett

                 Dack    Armstrong

                      Graham    

 

Palmer/Conway/Smallwood/Rodwell/Evans/Brereton/Nuttall?

 

And to add, it goes without saying that formations mean little if attitude, fitness, desire etc are not present.

Edited December 30, 2018 by aletheia
slight addition

[DE.]

Just now, JHRover said:

If Mowbray genuinely thinks that the referee was to blame for yesterday's capitulation then we're in a bigger mess than I thought. I'll be the first to moan about referees but the responsibility for yesterday lies in house.

In the article I read he spent two or three paragraphs complaining about the referee, then added at the end "but it wasn't the ref's fault we conceded three". Begs the question of why he's going on about it so much. Seems like deflection and desperation to me.

[rigger]

4 hours ago, arbitro said:

You are wrong, the law doesn't say every handball is a caution. For it to be an offence the referee has to deem it intentional but even then a caution is discretionary.

I may be wrong, I was under the  impression, that under the present laws of the game, a DELIBERATE handball was an offence and a caution. 

[aletheia]

Law 12

HANDLING THE BALL

Handling the ball involves a deliberate act of a player making contact with the ball with the hand or arm.

The following must be considered:

• the movement of the hand towards the ball (not the ball towards the hand)
• the distance between the opponent and the ball (unexpected ball)
• the position of the hand does not necessarily mean that there is an offence
• touching the ball with an object held in the hand (clothing, shinguard, etc.) is an offence
• hitting the ball with a thrown object (boot, shinguard, etc.) is an offence

The goalkeeper has the same restrictions on handling the ball as any other player outside the penalty area. Inside their penalty area, the goalkeeper cannot be guilty of a handling offence incurring a direct free kick or any related sanction but can be guilty of handling offences that incur an indirect free kick.

[aletheia]

On the Smallwood tackle.

Agree years ago it would have not been a red. But even Bremner and Hunter might have been embarrassed by such a daft tackle.

 

As to the world cup, lack of sendings off and no contact anymore. Well, for a start, players in the world cup aren’t stupid enough to do a tackle like that. Simply brain dead. What on earth is the point? Let’s say he wins it –so what, it’s in a nothing area. Situation of the game? No still daft –they are down to 10 men, why bother? Stopping a certain goal or break away with goal potential? No. Just all round stupid.

[Stuart]

2 hours ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

I was only thinking about this the other day. When did we last score a goal with a shot from distance ie 20 yards plus ?

Presumably you are ruling out free kicks?

To be honest goals from open play don’t immediately spring to mind when I think of Rovers recent goals.

[Bigdoggsteel]

Just caught the highlights. 

Was that a straight red for Smallwood? If so  very bad decisions. Maybe a yellow. 

Awful defending by Lenihan for their first goal. What has happened him this season?

Brutal defending by Williams for the second. His concentration and passing are so bad for this level. 

Mulgrew not great for the third, but if I was him I would have given up at that stage too through sheer frustration at being surrounded by shit. 

We need defenders. We need a strong centre half in January. Prioritising anything else in January is unacceptable.  I would start Downing for now, with Mulgrew. 

[Boroblue]

Went to yesterday’s game and Swansea, Ipswich ,Wigan, Preston and stoke. My New Years wish list is defenders who can defend no more no less. Our whole system is unbalanced because we have to play a midfield to try and defend our defenders. I’m not really sure what they do well but defending isn’t one of them. We don’t push forward or commit to attacks because they can’t be left exposed to:

In no particular order crosses, individual responsibility for covering your man, working as a unit, quick interchanges in front of them, players running behind them and the list probably goes on. 

Good at looking surprised when opposition forwards do their job, staring at their feet and looking dejected at every goal.

Mowbray needs to stop buying midfielders and forwards and buy a set of decent defenders. Surprisingly this  is not a sudden problem it’s been there all the time since Mowbray arrived and before with no attempt at a solution.

New Year 3 or 4 defenders please.

[Wing Wizard Windy Miller]

4 hours ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

I was only thinking about this the other day. When did we last score a goal with a shot from distance ie 20 yards plus ?

West Bromwich. Reed.  Can't think of any others.

[@roverseas]

Just touched down in Lancashire, better late than never. Even at sea I managed to catch the Great Collapse that was Sheff Utd vs Rovers. Despite the shambles that was the last 20 minutes, Rovers did look decent against Sheffield United, with Mowbrays experimental lineup proving to be quite effective.  Travis and Rothwell the standouts. Hope to see them against West Brom in 2019.  Here is my thoughts, albeit it late from the top deck of a ship in the middle of the North Sea. 

 

[USABlue]

14 hours ago, RevidgeBlue said:

I felt Smallwood was a little unfortunate, in real time it was a 50-50 challenge, the ball was there to be won, his body wasn't off the ground, I'm not sure he was overly reckless and he  was only a split second away from getting to the ball first. 20 years ago that may not have even warranted a yellow.

That said, in today's climate I don't think there'd be any mileage whatsoever in appealing it, and more to the point as others have said at 11 v 10 there's absolutely no need to go diving in and give the referee a decision to make. I think TM's comments are merely an attempt to deflect a bit of attention away from himself and the players after another embarrassing collapse.

I don't agree with TM  either that at 11 v 10 there was only one winner. For some inexplicable reason our intensity levels dropped off completely as soon as they went down to ten. The same thing happened at Boro, we started fannying about and passing the ball sideways and backwards almost as if we were the ones trying to hold out for a point when in both cases we should have been going for the jugular. Very strange.

Mental issues Rev, like late goals we think we have the game won and relax when what we need is a ruthless go for the jugular mindset.  

[USABlue]

11 hours ago, Stuart said:

A few factors for me. It was never in a million years a straight red card.

Bennett going in for the same ball along with the Sheff Utd player made it look worse.

The reaction of player and his team mates immediately surrounding the referee put the ref under pressure.

Having already shown he was card happy the ref gave Smallwood a massive incentive not to go diving in. Very silly but I’ll say it again, that was not a red card challenge.

In fact, it’s about time there was an overhaul of the archaic red and yellow card system. Refereeing errors are far more common now and their game-changing decisions are now very costly - including financially.

It’s going to be interesting to see how we play without him as he is fast becoming a tackling Jason Lowe in this division: first name on the manager’s team sheet despite not having what it takes.

I thiught Sharps acting was disgraceful, rolling rounf like his leg was broke then sprinting off the pitch.  Asshole.

[USABlue]

5 hours ago, bluefred said:

It's time Rothwell was given a run in the team 

What was everyones thoughts on Rothwell.  I enjoyed his posivity and pace but he has some blunders in him, still, would like to see more of him.

[roversfan99]

Just now, USABlue said:

What was everyones thoughts on Rothwell.  I enjoyed his posivity and pace but he has some blunders in him, still, would like to see more of him.

Gave the ball away so often, once or twice in silly areas. Palmer was far better.