Rovers V Bristol City

[JacknOry]

Just now, Ossydave said:

Imagine it we did somehow make the play offs though. Not sure my ticker could handle that, 11-9 on aggregate on something ridiculous like that

My last post on the Brentford game was at 0-2 and me being delighted to see us with a +1 GD. 

In true Rovers style my delight was not only quashed but pulverised into the tiniest of tiny pieces with 5-goals coming one after the other and the worst part was - you just knew they were coming.   

[CrouchingNunhiddenCucumber]

Both teams to score, more than 2.5 goals and Dack on the score sheet. 

 

[Hasta]

Bristol City are on a great run of form, but the only team they have beaten who are in the top 10 during that spell are Birmingham. That doesn't mean they haven't done exceptionally well, and they have draws against Derby and Norwich in there.

Win today and no team will have picked up more points at home than Rovers this season (30).

Should be a good game. I just hope one of Dack or Graham starts and Mulgrew is back.  If we go with Rodwell plus a non-centre half at the back I fear for us.

 

 

Edited February 9, 2019 by Hasta

[Ossydave]

2 hours ago, Stuart said:

Agreed. When you have money - which we supposedly do - then you can by a quality, experienced centre back. These guys have had most of their mistakes ironed out and learned from them. When you grow your own you are baking in these mistakes into your first team plans.

When Ferguson brought though his ‘kids’ he didn’t mess about at cb, he had Bruce and Pallister there. Both had lots of experience with other clubs. Lenihan is a case in point. He will get all of his learning under his belt with us and move to another club as the finished article. This may be fine for other clubs as a business approach because of the fees that can bring in. But we are a club that in which ever era you choose has a pedigree in the top flight. This needs to be short term thinking.

Especially with owners allegedly wanting to put money in.

Its alright saying we need an experienced centre half, I think most people agreed, but who was actually available in Jan at a decent price fitting that criteria? 

I can't think of many.

 

[Commondore]

Are both Graham and Dack confirmed out?

[G Somerset Rover]

10 minutes ago, Commondore said:

Are both Graham and Dack confirmed out?

No confirmation yet about anyone other than Lenihan being out. 

Edited February 9, 2019 by Gavlar Somerset Rover!

[chaddyrovers]

13 minutes ago, Commondore said:

Are both Graham and Dack confirmed out?

Mowbray told Sharpe on Thursday that both trained on Thursday morning and they will see how the react to it on Friday

Dack look perfectly fine yesterday on Instagram cooking for his missus

[Sparks Rover]

Just now, chaddyrovers said:

Dack look perfectly fine yesterday on Instagram cooking for his missus

Did he cook with his feet?

[blueboy3333]

https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/rovers/news/17420593.mowbrays-drops-hint-about-possible-new-role-for-rovers-star/

Mowbray commenting on the modern game and tactics etc. He speaks a lot of sense. 

As for today, if Dack is injured, there's a hint we may go 4-4-2. Or possibly the 'wry smile' is a double bluff! 

Anyway, we need to win today against one of our play-off push rivals. Big game. Don't feck it up Rovers. .

Ge-rin-to-em…

[blueboy3333]

4 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

Dack look perfectly fine yesterday on Instagram cooking for his missus

Fitness tests have changed. 

[roversfan99]

8 hours ago, Fraserkirky said:

Would be delighted to see Platt on the bench tomorrow.

If we are not targeting the playoffs(See January transfer Window), then I am looking forward to seeing 3-5 new young guys featuring before the end of the season. Young guys are on form against premier league youth teams.

As for Tomorrow, I think I want to see Brereton start, if Graham has a knock it’s possible.

Such a mentality cannot come in before we are mathematically safe AND mathematically out of the play off hunt, if that happens.

Many have mentioned planning for next season but that cannot come close to being the primary objective this season until the play offs is no longer possible, even though that would be considered over-achievement, there is no point capping your potential finish at where you expected to finish prior to the season starting.

Take Platt for instance, possibly as a sub today purely due to lack of cover at centre back yes. But lets not forget that this is a player who could not get on Stanleys bench earlier in the season. Is he a player that is ready to come into our first team at this moment in time? I would suggest not.

We have a team with plenty of younger players around it, Raya, Lenihan, Nyambe, Travis, Armstrong and Dack all regular starters, Nuttall, Rothwell and Brereton all regulars in the squad, and Chapman and Davenport will presumably be around the 18 when deemed fit enough. 

That being said, you can never have enough young, talented players and I would definitely be open to seeing one or two (5 seems a bit much all at once) but only if them individuals are deemed ready to be involved, regardless of their position. Take Travis, if we wanted to cherry pick a position for a player to come through, it wouldnt have been in central midfield. That being said, his individual quality and readiness forced his way into the team.

[Give 'Em the Axe]

52 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

Mowbray told Sharpe on Thursday that both trained on Thursday morning and they will see how the react to it on Friday

Dack look perfectly fine yesterday on Instagram cooking for his missus

As long as it wasn't out the back garden with her in her knickers this board will be safe to read for a little while more.

[roversfan99]

Platt has gone to Southport so seemingly nowhere near ready for our first team.

[Stuart]

2 hours ago, Ossydave said:

Its alright saying we need an experienced centre half, I think most people agreed, but who was actually available in Jan at a decent price fitting that criteria? 

I can't think of many.

I know what you mean. If only the club employed people to look for players in order to fill areas of the squad that are lacking...

[Husky]

It's a bit blustery, surely not the kind of game for Patsy, or a shaky keeper?

[Gone to seed]

I'd like to see an attacking approach today, and put BCFC on the back foot as far as we can, whilst keeping tight across the back (three or four or whatever). We've shown in recent times that we can put sides to the sword, such as Hull, who are now above us. We owe Brissle a poke in the balls for raining on the Charlie parade at theirs, so hopefully home advantage will prove to be so. Whatever happens, I think today is shoite or bust in terms of any aspirations in or around the playoff spaces - there is always one team that mounts a serious challenge from below by stringing good results together in the run up to the deciding stages, so my question would be, why can't it be Rovers this time?

C'mon ye Mighty Blues!

Head - 1-2 Brissle

Heart 3-0 mighty Roar  

Roll on ten to five!

[Tom]

Graham and Dack both start 

Amazingly Bennett keeps his place at right back, poor call when Nyambe is fit and ready 

[jim mk2]

Bennett stays despite getting the run around at Brentford. Entirely predictable. No doubt City will have taken note

[Stuart]

Just now, Tom said:

Graham and Dack both start 

Amazingly Bennett keeps his place at right back, poor call when Nyambe is fit and ready 

Smallwood back too, for Evans (sake).

[G Somerset Rover]

Glad Palmer isn’t starting but even Mercer could predict him coming off the bench to score today. 

Not liking Williams somehow winning his shirt back either - he’s gash.

Edited February 9, 2019 by Gavlar Somerset Rover!

[Miker]

Don’t really understand why Bell was dropped for Williams... don’t recall him being that poor against Brentford.

The rest of the lineup not all that surprising. A bit harsh for Nyambe to miss out on a starting spot again.

[Ewood Ace]

I'm no great fan of Bell and I think Williams is the slightly better full back but if one full back needed dropping after last week it was Bennett. 

[Tom]

That’s the odd thing, one full back got a roasting last week whilst a superior option is on the bench yet the one on the other side gets dropped.

Love Benno but it feels a case of Tony will find a place for him one way or another.

 

[jim mk2]

Horrible windy day to play football.  I hope the Rovers players are up for it

[Oldgregg86]

Really have no idea what to expect today. The wind and Raya certainly have me nervous. I think a defeat today severely damages our unlikely play off ambitions. My head says defeat but my blue and white heart still believes we can win this an use it as a catalyst to push on this season. Im excited and tense like a virgin sat on the end of his first loves bed. 

COYB