ROVERS v Boro

[matt83]

Just now, DE. said:

Thankfully didn't see the game but am I to assume we're back to Evans Mk I now he's got his new contract? Notice he was hooked at HT. 

Travis was so much better.

[blueboy3333]

Just now, DE. said:

Thankfully didn't see the game but am I to assume we're back to Evans Mk I now he's got his new contract? Notice he was hooked at HT. 

Like the rest of the team he was slow, lethargic and kept giving the ball way. 

[G Somerset Rover]

Mikel had our midfield two by the scruff of the neck first half. I still can’t get over that first 45 - just what the f*** was going on?

[superniko]

A few essentials for me for the rest of the season and looking ahead to next year:

- Nyambe has to start at RB, Bennett is a utility squad player. Lots of graft but little quality. He isn't a RB

- Williams should never play for us again if we want to progress. The red wasn't helped by Mulgrew but regardless he isn't good enough. 

- Reed and Travis have to start in the centre together if Tony is going to persist with this formation. Similar to the above, we will never progress if Evans and Smallwood continue to play. 

- Armstrong is a league one player at best. His end product is similar to Chorleys level. He's fast but that is his only outlet. When Chapman is up to speed let's give him a go in this position and find a winger for the opposite side (again if Tony is persisting with this formation)

- Mulgrew isn't up to the Championship. Saved with his set pieces too often he simply cannot defend. We really need to strengthen here in the summer. Our defence is woeful. 

- Dack isn't a premier league player, but he is key to when we play well  

- Raya, Nyambe, Travis, Reed, Dack and Graham are probably the only players worthy of must starts. One is getting too old and another is on loan.

it may all sound harsh or negative, but in my eyes it's the reality. We've a long, long way to go. 

Despite occasional good spells and getting close to the playoffs, xG has consistently had us down as a bottom 8 team throughout the season. We simply allow far too many shots/opportunities and create very little. 

[joey_big_nose]

When you consider someone like Wagner could be interested in us it is worth consideration.

Next steps I would say are now to think about next season. Let's get the young players on the pitch (and let's face it we looked a lot better when e they came out second half).

Mulgrew and Rodwell need to never play together again in a back 4 ever. Until Lenihan is fit again I would play a back three with Nyambe in it.

And he got a lot of stick against Reading but Bell was our best player by miles today.

I'd line up next game

------------------------Raya

-------Nyambe---Rodwell--Mulgrew

Bennett-----Travis------Reed-------Bell

-------------------------Dack

-------------Graham-----Armstrong

Think we will limp home around 14th. The manager needs to think we are likely to have a very weak squad come August. Dack, Mulgrew, Lenihan and Graham all likely to be sold or too old to play regularly. Rodwell and Reed may not sign. Would leave us very weak across the team and needing an absolutely massive rebuilding job.

[Husky]

Rovers MOTM was between Raya, Bell and Travis.

 

[Ewood Ace]

Just like Sheffield United at home Mowbray could not tactically work out how to counter their 3-5-2 formation. I had no idea at times what formation we were playing and it seemed that neither did the players. Dack was wasted he seemed to be playing more as a defensive midfielder than an attacking one in the first half.

Mulgrew was awful not just for the first goal but also a dreadful header which led to the Williams red card among other things. Bennett showed for the goal that is he not a right back but other than Mowbray everyone else already knew that. He was poor throughout as well (did he make a pass to a Rovers player?), should not be starting in any position for us.

I thought that Rodwell was about the only player to come out of the first half with any credibility our best player by far, can only assume he was taken of because of injury otherwise the decision to take him of instead of Mulgrew is a disgrace.

Brereton completely invisible another who didn't seem to know where he was playing. Raya was much better today not only was his shot stopping good but so was  the command of his area from their set pieces.

Bell was good going forward (seemed that his goal has given him some confidence) however still poor defensively, if only he put as much energy and effort into defending as he does attacking. For me he's not good enough defensively to play in a back 4 he either needs to play on the wing or as a wing back in a 5. 

I remember a couple posters on here laughed at me when I said what a class signing Obi Mikel was for them. I though that today he showed what a class act he is at this level, he dominated the Midfield. 

It is surely clear for all to see that the manager's negligence in the January window is now starting to bite, no attacking alternatives on the bench and now for the next few games only 2 available centre backs. The team's performances in recent weeks are reflecting the attitude that the manager has been taking, complacent, unambitious and by February satisfied that the season has been a success. The team aren't motivated enough and when you here the manager speak its clear why. Not Good enough for me Mowbray Out!

[roversfan99]

Absolutely shocking yet again, dont let a fairly spirited but ultimately fairly toothless second half with 10 men take away from how poor we were first half.

Mowbray got things horribly wrong. Brereton is simply not a wide man, he is being let out to dry playing there, that being said he doesnt really resemble a footballer.

Mowbrays reactive change to 3 at the back was absolutely horrendous. Bennett can not play left wing back, Reed right wing back, the front 3 not having a clue what they are doing and Dack in a central 2 sitting in front of the defence. 

Defensively again we were torn apart at will. Rodwell is not a centre back, Bennett isnt a right back, the defence again had a vulnerable, flimsy nature to it that continues to show signs of neglect under Mowbray. Mulgrew was the man to typify it today, he played like hed been out last night on the piss. 

Thought Boro were very good, dominated prior to the red card, played less long ball than us, Mikel ran the show and Assombolonga was excellent too, and they should have scored 4 or 5 in the second half but otherwise a terrific away performance. If only we were capable of such away performances.

Clutching at straws looking for positives. Raya made a couple of good saves, kicking as bad as always bar a lovely chest and volley near the end. Bell was much more positive although his crossing is very ... inconsistent. Mowbrays created a massive mess for himself, 4 losses on the bounce, 9 in 16 I think it is, so many goals conceded and so many strange tactical decisions creates further doubts as to whether he can take us further.

[DE.]

1 minute ago, joey_big_nose said:

Think we will limp home around 14th. The manager needs to think we are likely to have a very weak squad come August. Dack, Mulgrew, Lenihan and Graham all likely to be sold or too old to play regularly. Rodwell and Reed may not sign. Would leave us very weak across the team and needing an absolutely massive rebuilding job.

We'll do well to finish 14th imo. I'm expecting closer to 17th/18th. We couldn't even beat Reading ffs.

[alcd]

13 minutes ago, neophox said:

Mowbrays contracts until 2022

so would be expensive getting rid.

Getting relegated next season, if not this, will be a lot more expensive 

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

I haven't seen the game but when I saw the team just before I went out I thought there was no balance between attack and defence and nowhere near enough bite in midfield. Every game we play there are multiple changes. In my opinion that's another game lost in team selection. I'm afraid the manager has lost the plot regarding our best eleven and is starting to also lose the players, if he already hasn't done so. At any other normal football club he'd be getting the hard word tomorrow morning. " Sort it out or you're down the road ", but we aren't a normal club so nothing will happen.

[RevidgeBlue]

20 minutes ago, blueboy3333 said:

Tony just said he didn't recognise the team. Cheeky sod. We play like that most weeks! 

 

Not sure what he expected after announcing we hadnt achieved what we wanted this season with nearly one third of it still to go. Tbe most blatant invitation to lay down tools imaginable.

Nothing new we didn't know arising out of today. Nyambe and Bell need to be in  either full back position, we need a proper centre half, Travis needs to play, we could do with adding Reed in summer and him and Travis need to be the CM pairing. Dack playing way too deep recently.

Williams Bennett Evans Graham Conway not good enough. Get rid in summer.

Will Tony do it? Doubt it.

[jim mk2]

7 minutes ago, joey_big_nose said:

When you consider someone like Wagner could be interested in us it is worth consideration.

 

Where have you seen this ? 

[philipl]

Bell, Nyambe and Travis brought energy to the team. Raya outstanding, Mulgrew unusually fragile. 

Every Rovers player in the first half was losing their personal battles.

On that showing, Obi Mikel is an inspired signing for Boro and they are serious contenders for automatic promotion with their game in hand over the top two. Certainly showed how to close a game out when leading by a single goal. (hint, hint) 

  

[Cherry Blue]

Very disappointing.

The last two defeats are down to TMs bad team selection. He rests players at Reading in order to field a strong side against his home team Middlesbrough. By his own admission this was "an emotional game" which from a football aspect is understandable but for me not acceptable when he is Rovers' manager. Why is he the only man (well almost) that puts Brereton in the team? I hate to say it but we need a new manager. 

[jim mk2]

With this squad and Mowbray in charge we'll get relegated next season. Mowbray needs alot of money to spend in the summer (although I wouldn't bank on him to spend it wisely), but will the owners provide it?

As it stands we seem to be in a death spiral and Mowbray doesn't know what to do about it. He lost 9 in succession at Coventry before he went. We're heading that way as I can't see where the next win is coming from. And I think he's losing the players too, Mulgrew for one doesn't look interested.

[alcd]

40 minutes ago, jim mk2 said:

Alarm bells ringing over Mowbray.  We'll be relegation candidates next season if he's still with us. I hope he's gone as soon as possible

Totally agree. But any confidence his replacement would be any better?

[jim mk2]

Just now, alcd said:

Totally agree. But any confidence his replacement would be any better?

No. 

[joey_big_nose]

5 minutes ago, jim mk2 said:

Where have you seen this ? 

Nothing specific, just he's done it before with Huddersfield and may be up for it. I don't think his stock is so high he will definitely get a prem job.

[Stuart]

That second half brought back quite a lot of the pride that the first half lost.

At times we didn’t look like we had a man less.

Brereton is still not a Championship footballer. If he had come through the ranks or had cost less than a million he would have gone the way of Lyons by now.

[Cherry Blue]

19 minutes ago, joey_big_nose said:

...........

.......The manager needs to think we are likely to have a very weak squad come August. Dack, Mulgrew, Lenihan and Graham all likely to be sold or too old to play regularly. Rodwell and Reed may not sign. Would leave us very weak across the team and needing an absolutely massive rebuilding job.

Again, January window was a missed opportunity to strengthen. 

[Torgeir]

We really need Nyambe and Lenihan back in this team. I'm sure Mowbray will start thinking about next season now, and should give Chapman, Travis, Nyambe, Brereton and possibly one or two from the U23's as much game time as possible from here on out.

[bluebruce]

12 minutes ago, Torgeir said:

We really need Nyambe and Lenihan back in this team. I'm sure Mowbray will start thinking about next season now, and should give Chapman, Travis, Nyambe, Brereton and possibly one or two from the U23's as much game time as possible from here on out.

We need to fix this rot before we can afford to do that (with Brereton and the u-23s anyway, unless we have some better than our first team).

[blueboy3333]

1 minute ago, Torgeir said:

We really need Nyambe and Lenihan back in this team. I'm sure Mowbray will start thinking about next season now, and should give Chapman, Travis, Nyambe, Brereton and possibly one or two from the U23's as much game time as possible from here on out.

It's bizarre that Nyambe has been dropped. 

[Wing Wizard Windy Miller]

35 minutes ago, Ewood Ace said:

Just like Sheffield United at home Mowbray could not tactically work out how to counter their 3-5-2 formation. I had no idea at times what formation we were playing and it seemed that neither did the players. Dack was wasted he seemed to be playing more as a defensive midfielder than an attacking one in the first half.

Mulgrew was awful not just for the first goal but also a dreadful header which led to the Williams red card among other things. Bennett showed for the goal that is he not a right back but other than Mowbray everyone else already knew that. He was poor throughout as well (did he make a pass to a Rovers player?), should not be starting in any position for us.

I thought that Rodwell was about the only player to come out of the first half with any credibility our best player by far, can only assume he was taken of because of injury otherwise the decision to take him of instead of Mulgrew is a disgrace.

Brereton completely invisible another who didn't seem to know where he was playing. Raya was much better today not only was his shot stopping good but so was  the command of his area from their set pieces.

Bell was good going forward (seemed that his goal has given him some confidence) however still poor defensively, if only he put as much energy and effort into defending as he does attacking. For me he's not good enough defensively to play in a back 4 he either needs to play on the wing or as a wing back in a 5. 

I remember a couple posters on here laughed at me when I said what a class signing Obi Mikel was for them. I though that today he showed what a class act he is at this level, he dominated the Midfield. 

It is surely clear for all to see that the manager's negligence in the January window is now starting to bite, no attacking alternatives on the bench and now for the next few games only 2 available centre backs. The team's performances in recent weeks are reflecting the attitude that the manager has been taking, complacent, unambitious and by February satisfied that the season has been a success. The team aren't motivated enough and when you here the manager speak its clear why. Not Good enough for me Mowbray Out!

I would disagree about Rodwell.  I thought he was equally as inept as Mulgrew.  Not only that, it was a petulant foul that got him booked.  He looked very frustrated and could easily have got himself sent off.  History tells us he's not a man to have in the trenches.