Rovers v West Brom 1 Jan 2019

[Tom Stinny]

20 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

May I ask why that is the case? 

We are in a league with some real rubbish in it, notably the likes of Bolton and Ipswich.

We have a wage budget of between 10th and 16th place in the league according to our chief executive, so offer very competitive Championship wages.

Yes we got relegated (primarily down to I have been stopped from posting this by moderators. Coyle) but since we have spent comfortably above 10 million on our squad, and are carrying the momentum from a promotion.

Do you not think your expectations were far too low?

I agree with you. After spending around 12 million over what was brought in and having only a handful spending more. I would certainly be aiming around the 12-8 place mark.

 

Above 8 is a masterclass of a season. Anything near the drop zone and it's a poor season for me. Remember Ipswich are a complete disaster. Bolton can afford player wages and there are other teams that are certainly struggling this year.

 

Hull beating Bolton 6-0 says everything about this league. Consistently takes you far further than individual class. If you asked the teams who came down from the prem to pick players from Sheffield United for example.

 

They probably wouldn't have their eyes on many if any. Yet as a team they are probably one of the best in the league.

[Proudtobeblue&white]

2 minutes ago, Stuart said:

I think if we are going to build we need to have a positive January window and finish as strongly as we can this season.

I agree, but it all comes down to the V-factor?

Edited January 1, 2019 by Proudtobeblue&white

[Waggy76]

4 minutes ago, Parsonblue said:

Thoroughly enjoyed the game today and very pleased with the performance.  Travis was outstanding, Evans was solid, as usual in midfield, and Graham worked like a Trojan in closing down and winning free-kicks when needed - Brereton should just watch and learn from him if he is ever going to have a hope of winning a starting slot.  Mulgrew's goal was a bit of quality and the second was a superb move and excellent finish from Dack.   I thought Bell had a better game today and offered a bit more defensively than he has of late and Armstrong offered more today than he has for some time.

Looking at the table I just don't see us getting dragged into a relegation battle the way things look.  Lambert is working his relegation magic at Ipswich who seem to have one foot in League One, Reading are in freefall whilst Bolton are looking in serious trouble both on and off the pitch.  Wigan have taken just one point from the last 18.  At the moment we have 8 wins, 8 defeats and 10 draws - very much mid-table form and a platform on which to build.

I find Wigans fall down the league funny but surprising , a complete non entity of club with a manager who is a  prick..

But one thing they could ala Burnley is not give goals away ....

Maybe both will be relegated , that would be a laugh but unlikely !!

 

 

[OJRovers]

It's a real shame we have given away so many points in the closing stages of games.

If you look at the top 6, despite us being the underdogs we've put up good performances against Leeds, Norwich, West Brom, Boro, Shef Utd (away). Apart from SU at home, if we hadn't shot ourselves in the foot we should have been undefeated in the other games.

Birmingham are up in 8th who were one of the worst teams I've seen at Ewood. Again a game we should have won.

It's a missed opportunity for me. Both in the points thrown away and also in the poor use of £9m transfer money last summer.

[arbitro]

1 hour ago, RevidgeBlue said:

No. He's just way past his best.

I don't get it when people go bananas when he collapses somewhere near the half way line and earns a free kick. You'd think he'd beaten five men and bent a thirty yarder into the top corner.  You've got to do a lot more than hold it up occasionslly for me.

Harsh. The way we play is largely based around Grahams hold up play and bringing other players into the game. You make it sound like he earns a dozen free kicks a game. Today he won a couple of free kicks late on which relieved the pressure and killed West Broms momentum. That is a key role within the team. And he scores, defends and leads from the front.

I honestly find it strange that somebody of your age who has watched football for a long time can't see the qualities he brings.

[blueboy3333]

Graham ran his socks off today, defended from the front and held the ball up well.

 

[tomphil]

13 minutes ago, arbitro said:

Harsh. The way we play is largely based around Grahams hold up play and bringing other players into the game. You make it sound like he earns a dozen free kicks a game. Today he won a couple of free kicks late on which relieved the pressure and killed West Broms momentum. That is a key role within the team. And he scores, defends and leads from the front.

I honestly find it strange that somebody of your age who has watched football for a long time can't see the qualities he brings.

He can but Lambert brought DG to the club therefore..... ?

[Husky]

14 minutes ago, arbitro said:

Harsh. The way we play is largely based around Grahams hold up play and bringing other players into the game. You make it sound like he earns a dozen free kicks a game. Today he won a couple of free kicks late on which relieved the pressure and killed West Broms momentum. That is a key role within the team. And he scores, defends and leads from the front.

 

Even in the 6th minute of added time there was a ball pumped up to Patsy - who in turn rose like a blind Bambi in the middle of nowhere - the ball ended up in our box several seconds later. If Graham was still on he would have had it under control and the game would have been over.

Sometimes it's the small things.

[47er]

Let's hope that game marks the end of Travis loan speculation. 

[USABlue]

1 hour ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

You're just being greedy now. If the outfield player hadn't gone earlier we may have had a good chance.

No, he hit Brereton in the face with the ball.  Red card.  Not a yellow for Ben.  Remember when harrassing the keeper was an every game almost everytime thing.  Also I am amazed at the calm on here regarding the penalty, is it because we won anyway or because it was Dack.

Edited January 1, 2019 by USABlue

[USABlue]

1 hour ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

I liked the way he just kept going after the ball and swept past Livermore with ease. Controlled aggression.

I loved him keep nicking the ball off the toe of the opposition player the impertinence of the young uns nowadays.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Just now, USABlue said:

No, he hit Brereton in the face with the ball.  Red card.  Not a yellow for Ben.  Remember when harrassing the keeper was an every game almost everytime thing.

Do you remember Mike Pejic the old Stoke full back ? I remember Stoke playing away at Leeds in the FA Cup. It was a really close game but Leeds scored near the end. Stoke were then chasing in the game and Pejic went bombing forward after a long ball. Gary Sprake in the Leeds goal just got there first and pretended to push the ball in Pejic's face. Pejic lost it completely and went in head first over the ball and really nutted Sprake. It was hilarious and served Sprake right, Pejic got first go at the bath water, 

[Torgeir]

Bell is the most frustrating Rover to watch at the moment. Is it lack of confidence or lack of footballing brains? Bennett had a tough task marking the excellent Barnes but does lack match fitness. Was left one on one with him by Reed a few times too many, but then again the energy of Reed is something else. If we can tie him to a permanent deal then I'd bee over the moon. Great game, really deserved the win and the penalty looked a bit soft to me and gave them a lifeline they didn't deserve.

[@roverseas]

Well we made it. Travelled 3500 miles to witness a decent Rovers performance that took home all 3 points. Despite not dominating possession we took our chances and pressed West Brom hard.  Reed and Travis were exceptional today, best players on pitch. Mulgrew and Dack may get the headlines, but those two midfielders ran their socks off. Thoughts from the gaffa and more... Loved it... despite the cold. 

 

[Darwen Rover 007]

1 hour ago, blueboy3333 said:

Graham ran his socks off today, defended from the front and held the ball up well.

 

Ben if you or any of your family or coaching staff are reading this and missed the game... then please take note!

[bluebruce]

1 hour ago, blueboy3333 said:

Graham ran his socks off today, defended from the front and held the ball up well.

 

There was a particularly disappointing moment from Brereton today, highlighted by Graham's work rate. Late in the game the West Brom defence passed it across their goal and then wide, and Graham chased it down with everything he had. It looked a lost cause to me and I was thinking don't even bother, but he put enough pressure on that they had to pass it back across the other way.

Brereton got the chance to do the same thing immediately on the other side as a result, with Graham's example to follow. Except it was more likely to result in snatching the ball. He is younger, faster, hadn't been on the pitch long, and has to prove he is worthy of a place in the starting 11, unlike Graham. He barely broke stride and got nowhere near it.

I know he can run a lot faster, I've seen it. It wasn't a key moment of the game but I was stunned to watch the lackadaisical manner of it. I have to question whether he really wants to be here. I suspect that, like a lot of fans, he is wondering whether this was the right move for him.

[yellowsubmarine]

4 hours ago, K-Hod said:

Bennett is fairly limited and I’d like it if he contributed more goals and assists from the wing admittedly, but I always appreciate a grafter...

He offers a fist pump like no other.

[Stuart]

10 hours ago, K-Hod said:

Bennett is fairly limited and I’d like it if he contributed more goals and assists from the wing admittedly, but I always appreciate a grafter...

He can score goals but he plays to his best wherever Mowbray asks him to - at the expense of himself - even at right back. We are a much poorer team when he isn’t in it.

[philipl]

Great to wake up with a big smile on my face.

[tomphil]

10 hours ago, bluebruce said:

There was a particularly disappointing moment from Brereton today, highlighted by Graham's work rate. Late in the game the West Brom defence passed it across their goal and then wide, and Graham chased it down with everything he had. It looked a lost cause to me and I was thinking don't even bother, but he put enough pressure on that they had to pass it back across the other way.

Brereton got the chance to do the same thing immediately on the other side as a result, with Graham's example to follow. Except it was more likely to result in snatching the ball. He is younger, faster, hadn't been on the pitch long, and has to prove he is worthy of a place in the starting 11, unlike Graham. He barely broke stride and got nowhere near it.

I know he can run a lot faster, I've seen it. It wasn't a key moment of the game but I was stunned to watch the lackadaisical manner of it. I have to question whether he really wants to be here. I suspect that, like a lot of fans, he is wondering whether this was the right move for him.

That sums up everything we've seen from him so far and he looks anything but a player trying to make an impression and earn a place in the side. The leaders on the pitch and the people on the sidelines should be bawling him out to do stuff like that.  He's either another lackadaisical type young player or he's not putting enough in, either way that's not anywhere near good enough regardless of whether he cost 70p or 7 million or his age.

[roversfan99]

3 hours ago, Stuart said:

He can score goals but he plays to his best wherever Mowbray asks him to - at the expense of himself - even at right back. We are a much poorer team when he isn’t in it.

Hes a liability at right back however you dress it up. His tendency to needlessly dive in coupled with his poor positional play leaves us massively exposed in that area, with Harvey Barnes and Enda Stevens the latest two to run amock down that side. His crossing was also particularly poor yesterday.

Thats not his fault though, he simply isnt at right back. He tries his best there as he always does but we are a poorer team with him filling in at right back.

[Ewood Ace]

2 hours ago, roversfan99 said:

Hes a liability at right back however you dress it up. His tendency to needlessly dive in coupled with his poor positional play leaves us massively exposed in that area, with Harvey Barnes and Enda Stevens the latest two to run amock down that side. His crossing was also particularly poor yesterday.

You'd have thought that someone would have told him by now to stay on his feet, too often he rashly dives in and leaves us completely exposed down his side. As for his positional play that's what you get when you play a winger at full back. Bennett performances at full back this season have been woeful if Nyambe is going to be injured for any length of time then we should be dipping into the loan market for a right back.

[BlackburnEnd75]

28 minutes ago, Ewood Ace said:

You'd have thought that someone would have told him by now to stay on his feet, too often he rashly dives in and leaves us completely exposed down his side. As for his positional play that's what you get when you play a winger at full back. Bennett performances at full back this season have been woeful if Nyambe is going to be injured for any length of time then we should be dipping into the loan market for a right back.

We need to try someone else there in the short term if Nyambe isn't fit. What about Lenihan to right back? Wouldn't want to waste Travis or Reed there but might not be an alternative?

[Exiled in Toronto]

The more I rewatch that penalty, the more annoyed I get. Of all the self-destructs in the last few weeks, that’s the worst for me. Raya I believe didn’t see the Brum player because of the now discarded mask. Williams is just effing useless.

But Dack made a choice with that penalty to run towards, barge into and shove over a player who was presenting minimal threat just a few minutes after us going 2-0 up. Dack wasn’t beaten by amazing skill, it wasn’t a dive, the player wasn’t about to score - he had Reed right there and Benno between him and the goal. For the first time I began to wonder if there was something sinister going on with all these “errors”.

[Bigdoggsteel]

7 minutes ago, Exiled in Toronto said:

The more I rewatch that penalty, the more annoyed I get. Of all the self-destructs in the last few weeks, that’s the worst for me. Raya I believe didn’t see the Brum player because of the now discarded mask. Williams is just effing useless.

But Dack made a choice with that penalty to run towards, barge into and shove over a player who was presenting minimal threat just a few minutes after us going 2-0 up. Dack wasn’t beaten by amazing skill, it wasn’t a dive, the player wasn’t about to score - he had Reed right there and Benno between him and the goal. For the first time I began to wonder if there was something sinister going on with all these “errors”.

Do go on