Reading v Rovers

[chaddyrovers]

11 minutes ago, Ewood Ace said:

Do you genuinely think that Smallwood is a better option in central midfield than Reed? 

Conway was on for 75 Minutes and offered nothing bar missing a good chance. Rothwell was on for 20 minutes and assisted a goal, his pace and running with the ball was a constant  threat whereas Conway offered no threat.

Armstrong did fine apart from scoring. I'd say if your striker misses two good chances then he hasn't been fine.

The problem is Rodwell isn't a centre back as showed last night but because Lenihan is injured and we have no other defenders Rodwell has to play there, that is down to the manger letting centre backs go out on loan and not bringing anyone in.

I pick players on form. Reed was poor at Saturday. Smallwood was good and better than Reed. Reed has been poor recently. 

Conway offered no threat? He did fine yesterday and should have scored. 

Armstrong should have scored. Thought he was poorer out wide 

[Ewood Ace]

Just now, chaddyrovers said:

I pick players on form. Reed was poor at Saturday. Smallwood was good and better than Reed. Reed has been poor recently. 

Conway offered no threat? He did fine yesterday and should have scored. 

Armstrong should have scored. Thought he was poorer out wide 

Reed is twice the player Smallwood is unfortunately for him and the team the manager rarely plays him in his best position despite the fact he is comfortably our best Central midfielder. 

Can you tell me anything that Conway did in attack that threatened Reading other than wasting a good chance with a poor effort.

I was agreeing with you that Armstrong should have scored twice. I was just question your opinion that Armstrong did fine apart from scoring I'd say if your striker misses two good chances then he has not done fine. 

[Silas]

1 hour ago, superniko said:

4 on the board

Thank you. 

Well that's a disgrace then.

Not saying we would have scored, could have had 15 extra mins and our lot would have huffed and puffed to nothing.

Not the point tho, it sets a very dangerous precedent. 

This wasn't the usual players pissing about looking to waste time. There was NO ball on the pitch TWICE for a good amount of time, all while a ballboy just stood there not even trying to look for it.

That ref has just given any team free reign to do the same thing in future.

It's cheating, end of. And refs are supposed to be there to stop cheating.  

Was watching a European game the other night (forget which country), and there was 2 mins injury time. There was a player went down , a sub etc and the clock ticked to 92 whilst the team chasing an equaliser set up a free kick.

The ref went over and said: when u strike the ball for this free kick, your 2 mins starts then. 

Proper reffing that. 

Edited February 14, 2019 by Silas
Any team

[JHRover]

Time and time again we get to 70 minutes having made all 3 substitutions. I think Mowbray loses the plot in games when we're struggling or losing, throwing on players in the hope they change the direction of the game but it very rarely works out for us. Partly because our squad isn't good enough and we don't have any game changers but even when we bring on the likes of Graham and Dack it rarely seems to pay dividends. So many times we end up throwing people on and it seems to be a gung-ho approach with little thought given to keeping the back door shut at the other end of the pitch.

Too many people playing in too many different positions or being asked to do too many jobs. I'd love to have a clear starting XI where everyone is in their best position and knows their jobs inside out and for that team to play 3,4,5 games in a row without the need for numerous changes, formation alterations, positional changes etc.

[JHRover]

7 minutes ago, Silas said:

Thank you. 

Well that's a disgrace then.

Not saying we would have scored, could have had 15 extra mins and our lot would have huffed and puffed to nothing.

Not the point tho, it sets a very dangerous precedent. 

This wasn't the usual players pissing about looking to waste time. There was NO ball on the pitch TWICE for a good amount of time, all while a ballboy just stood there not even trying to look for it.

That ref has just given any team free reign to do the same thing in future.

It's cheating, end of. And refs are supposed to be there to stop cheating.  

Was watching a European game the other night (forget which country), and there was 2 mins injury time. There was a player went down , a sub etc and the clock ticked to 92 whilst the team chasing an equaliser set up a free kick.

The ref went over and said: when u strike the ball for this free kick, your 2 mins starts then. 

Proper reffing that. 

Not as bad as the referee against Bristol City. Minimum of 1 minute in the first half, yet only 40 seconds played. Minimum of 4 minutes in the second half, yellow card issued for their keeper during that time, yet the whistle blown bang on 4 minutes.

[Silas]

Just now, JHRover said:

Not as bad as the referee against Bristol City. Minimum of 1 minute in the first half, yet only 40 seconds played. Minimum of 4 minutes in the second half, yellow card issued for their keeper during that time, yet the whistle blown bang on 4 minutes.

Sound like moaning minnies, but I wouldn't care if it was fair both ways round.

I'm sure there's been a couple of times at Ewood this season where a min or two has been tacked on when we were trying to cling on to points .

Don't know why, but it's something that really winds me up. 

[chaddyrovers]

Just now, JHRover said:

Not as bad as the referee against Bristol City. Minimum of 1 minute in the first half, yet only 40 seconds played. Minimum of 4 minutes in the second half, yellow card issued for their keeper during that time, yet the whistle blown bang on 4 minutes.

Referee standards in the English game is pathetic and lowest ever. 

The FA, PL and FL arent interested at all either.

No refs at the world cup should have been kick up the ass but instead standards have got worse

[Bigdoggsteel]

1 hour ago, Tom Stinny said:

I could buy into that if others like Raya. Smallwood and Bennet we're held to the same standard. Bennet was shocking against Swansea away. Brentford away and I think he played there against Norwich at home? But might be wrong with that one.

 

It's not like we are putting rock solid players in who don't usually play that position.

I am sure if they were as directly responsible for a goal, they would be 

[Tom]

1 hour ago, jim mk2 said:

Really ? One maybe, when Brereton and Armstrong made a mess of a breakaway but their keeper didn't have alot to do. We had alot of possession but no cutting edge. 

Interestingly he’s counting the half chances that Bell and Conway sliced wide from a tight angle as nailed on goals yet ignores the identical one they missed plus the two sitters they missed second half 

So why chance we had was as good as a goal but their equal or better chances don’t count against us 

Bonkers 

[frosty]

1 hour ago, chaddyrovers said:

I pick players on form. Reed was poor at Saturday. Smallwood was good and better than Reed. Reed has been poor recently. 

 

There's no way at all that Smallwood should be on the pitch ahead of Reed. I agree Reed has tailed off a little (doesn't help when we're wasting him out wide, though he still does a solid job) but even when he's performing at that slightly lower level, he's a better option than Smallwood.

It's players like Reed who we know are good enough for the top end of this division that we need and will help us kick on, Smallwood - as much as he was alright last season - isn't and never will be.

That said I remember you agreeing with Bowyer when he unforgivably picked Chris Brown ahead of Gestede for a spell, so I don't know why I'm bothering really.....!

[OJRovers]

Anyone think that we shouldn't have let Downing go out on loan?

I'd have him starting if he was here still. He's always been a calming influence at the back.

 

[tomphil]

1 hour ago, JHRover said:

Time and time again we get to 70 minutes having made all 3 substitutions. I think Mowbray loses the plot in games when we're struggling or losing, throwing on players in the hope they change the direction of the game but it very rarely works out for us. Partly because our squad isn't good enough and we don't have any game changers but even when we bring on the likes of Graham and Dack it rarely seems to pay dividends. So many times we end up throwing people on and it seems to be a gung-ho approach with little thought given to keeping the back door shut at the other end of the pitch.

Too many people playing in too many different positions or being asked to do too many jobs. I'd love to have a clear starting XI where everyone is in their best position and knows their jobs inside out and for that team to play 3,4,5 games in a row without the need for numerous changes, formation alterations, positional changes etc.

That's exactly what he does when plan A isn't working it seems just a case of use the squad and give them mins without any real plan although that might be doing a disservice he probably knows in his head but it doesn't translate to the players.

It worked quite often last season because we were stronger than the majority in terms of good players to bring on and it has worked a couple of times this season but its probably undone us as many if not more times.

[barry_]

Inside the concourse ?

[Neal]

2 hours ago, Bigdoggsteel said:

On Nyambe, everyone makes mistakes, but his defending for Bristols goal last weekend was simply atrocious. You wouldn't see it in Sunday league. 

Bennett got the worst roasting I've ever seen from a pro footballer at Brentford. If someone is going to make mistakes then I'd rather it be one of our youth prospects that some bloke at the end of his career. 

[The Axe]

Thought last season Mowbray handled the bench better than any manager we have had. Becoming to realise like Tomphil that this was because we just had a stronger bench than the rest of the division.

[roversfan99]

3 hours ago, chaddyrovers said:

 

Maybe you could have played Rothwell instead of Conway, would it improve the result. who knows. 

That is the argument of someone with little to nothing constructive to say. 

The team you suggested had 3 or 4 different players, in a different formation and with a few of those players in different positions. So you quite blatantly didnt agree with the team selected.

Many of these changes were things highlighted by those critical of last night which saw us slip to a third successive defeat and concede 2 more goals against a very poor side. You suggested Brereton central and Armstrong wide prior to the game. They played in the opposite positions yet youve still defended the manager on it. You didnt have Smallwood and Conway in your team yet have defended Mowbray for it. Smacks of hypocricsy.

If when that happens, you just resort back to full defence mode of the manager even though you would have selected a different team and formation, instead putting any differences down to Mowbray having "inside info." Its nonsense. Just admit he got it wrong last night, or admit that there are flaws in the team that he has struggled to fix thus far. Doesnt mean you want him sacked or that he hasnt brought plenty of good things to the club.

[roversfan99]

43 minutes ago, barry_ said:

Inside the concourse ?

Dont let vinjay see such a welcome.

[perthblue02]

50 minutes ago, barry_ said:

Inside the concourse ?

Cat out of the bag about stadium sponsorship with a well known software company responsible for a very popular football computer game ?

[Amo]

1 hour ago, OJRovers said:

Anyone think that we shouldn't have let Downing go out on loan?

I'd have him starting if he was here still. He's always been a calming influence at the back.

Yes, said so at the time. Steady eddie, never let us down.

Why keep him when we can shoehorn some more midfielders in there?

[Sparks Rover]

3 hours ago, Mellor Rover said:

Davenport was rumoured to be about half a million and to be fair did have rave reviews and looked good 

Give over. Average at best in preseason 

[Guest]

3 minutes ago, Sparks Rover said:

Give over. Average at best in preseason 

Average at best is 3 times better than Smallwood

[FGS5635]

Quite what Rothwell has to do to get let off the leash I dont know.

He just looks a threat everytime he gets the ball.

God knows what he thinks sat on the bench watching Conway and Brereton.

The formation last night was perfect for him to play instead of conway

Had a weird testimonial feel last night with folk playing anywhere and people just being chucked here there and everywhere to get a game

[Ewood Ace]

5 hours ago, chaddyrovers said:

I pick players on form. Reed was poor at Saturday. Smallwood was good and better than Reed. Reed has been poor recently. 

Strange you say that you pick players on form and that Smallwood was better than Reed on Saturday and that Reed has been poor recently. Yet in your team you had Reed starting and Smallwood on the bench. Funny that pre game you thought Reed should start yet because Mowbray picks Smallwood instead, Reed has suddenly become poor and Smallwood a better option. Talk about contradicting yourself.

On ‎10‎/‎02‎/‎2019 at 12:41, chaddyrovers said:

my team

                         Raya

Nyambe Rodwell Mulgrew Bell

                Reed Travis

Bennett         Dack        Armstrong

                     Brereton

subs:- Luetwiler, Williams, Smallwood, Rothwell, Conway, Graham, Nuttall 

Edited February 14, 2019 by Ewood Ace

[chaddyrovers]

2 hours ago, roversfan99 said:

That is the argument of someone with little to nothing constructive to say. 

The team you suggested had 3 or 4 different players, in a different formation and with a few of those players in different positions. So you quite blatantly didnt agree with the team selected.

Many of these changes were things highlighted by those critical of last night which saw us slip to a third successive defeat and concede 2 more goals against a very poor side. You suggested Brereton central and Armstrong wide prior to the game. They played in the opposite positions yet youve still defended the manager on it. You didnt have Smallwood and Conway in your team yet have defended Mowbray for it. Smacks of hypocricsy.

If when that happens, you just resort back to full defence mode of the manager even though you would have selected a different team and formation, instead putting any differences down to Mowbray having "inside info." Its nonsense. Just admit he got it wrong last night, or admit that there are flaws in the team that he has struggled to fix thus far. Doesnt mean you want him sacked or that he hasnt brought plenty of good things to the club.

Brereton drifted inside alot like I keep saying. Did he not? 

I selected my team but I dont know was fit before the game as Im not on coaching staff am I? 

If Rovers put the 1st half chances its a different game but you would still try and insist on finding a negative thing to moan again. 

Of course I dont want Mowbray sack. I would have given him a longer contract and IMO best manager since Mark Hughes time at the club. 

[roversfan99]

6 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

Brereton drifted inside alot like I keep saying. Did he not? 

I selected my team but I dont know was fit before the game as Im not on coaching staff am I? 

If Rovers put the 1st half chances its a different game but you would still try and insist on finding a negative thing to moan again. 

Of course I dont want Mowbray sack. I would have given him a longer contract and IMO best manager since Mark Hughes time at the club. 

Yeah but leaving the full back exposed. Offered nothing to cover the full back bar a clumsy foul. He wont though, hes a striker.

If thats your argument then that could go for anything. Nyambe and Reed were also in your team.

They didnt put the chance away, one good chance for Armstrong and a couple of half chances. No firepower on the pitch. I am negative because a bizarre team selection and continious defensive and organisational woes led to a third straight loss, an 8th loss in 15 and v a shit team at that.

Best manager since Allardyce. Albeit the alternatives are all shit. Im not saying hes not done a good job but theres a massive red flag surrounding his defensive negligence and you seem as relaxed about it as him despite it costing us game in game out.