Birmingham Away

[47er]

4 hours ago, DE. said:

Not a bad result in isolation, but it's still just 1 point from the last 15 available. Unless our form picks up quite dramatically in the next dozen games I'm going to be quite concerned going into the summer. There is a lot of work to be done to make us serious playoff contenders. Based on our recent form and the amount of upgrades needed across the park I think Tony might have to lower his and the owners' expectations for next season. As it stands we'd do well to be solid mid table next season. I just can't see us having enough to spend in the summer to strengthen from Dack's likely departure combined with what will need to be a fairly heavy influx of new players. 

Sale of Dack would give us decent money to spend if only Tony would sound it on top defenders.

[DE.]

Just now, 47er said:

Sale of Dack would give us decent money to spend if only Tony would sound it on top defenders.

Considering all fees from sales under this lot disappear into a black hole never to be seen again I wouldn't be so sure of that!

[47er]

Just now, DE. said:

Considering all fees from sales under this lot disappear into a black hole never to be seen again I wouldn't be so sure of that!

I did say "would" not "will". I've no more faith in them than you!

[chaddyrovers]

38 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

Possibly yeah, but his hands were tied with Adams running at him with pace, should have done more to block it but was unlucky to see it go through his legs. 

Like I said, I would like both to be dropped, neither are performing well enough. Our lack of options due to recruitment negligence means they both will continue.

Mulgrew should be closing him down quicker and more aggresive. 

Second goal, Mulgrew never close him down and his reaction was poor to it. 

[Guest]

Shocking defending, again... But if Dack scores, as he should, at the end it’s a good 3 points. These are the fine margins TM needs to iron out urgently. Whether it be recruitment or coaching it’s becoming farcical. 

[Bbrovers2288]

Che Adams must wish he could play against our back line every week the amount of gifts we give him. Would love him at rovers but he will be moving to bigger and better than us sadly. 

Had fears about Mulgrew at the start of the season and it’s now looking like I was right to be with ability diminishing by the week now. Should only be a sub next year to step in when needed. Also rayas chance is just about up for me, is capable of great saves but far too many errors that we just can’t afford. Whole defence needs revamped, I don’t think we have the funds or ability to do that however 

[Tom Stinny]

Heard Bennet can play centre half. He'll give it a right good go with plenty of soldering. Can even switch to left back during the game. Possibly take the goal kicks as well.

 

All hail Mowbray the wise

[Parsonblue]

After the first 20 minutes, when Birmingham looked like they would take us apart, I thought we came back well.  Same old faults in terms of individual errors for which we were punished.  The manager knows the changes that need to be made and I'm sure they will happen in the summer.  The total collapse of Mulgrew as a defender has been startling over the past three games and again underlines the need for a tough, experienced centre-back who can organise those around him.

A draw was probably a fair result but having gone 2-1 up so late we really ought to be able to hold onto it.  I thought Travis had a much better game and Smallwood put in a decent shift in midfield.  Graham was a real workhorse up front and deserved his goal even if there was a deflection.  It was good to end the run of defeats.  I agree with arbitro about a certain element of our support who are doing the club no favours.

[Guest]

Here’s a stat for you.

 We’ve scored 2+ goals on 13 occassions including the cups this season. 

We’ve failed to win 9 of those 13 matches. You can’t keep needing 3 goals to win a game of football unless you’re Barcelona.

[roversfan99]

1 hour ago, 47er said:

Sale of Dack would give us decent money to spend if only Tony would sound it on top defenders.

Would also remove our best player and a huge chunk of our goal threat. We should look to improve with Dack.

[roversfan99]

23 minutes ago, Parsonblue said:

I agree with arbitro about a certain element of our support who are doing the club no favours.

May i ask for clarity on this as I have not seen the initial post? @arbitro

[roversfan99]

1 hour ago, chaddyrovers said:

Mulgrew should be closing him down quicker and more aggresive. 

Second goal, Mulgrew never close him down and his reaction was poor to it. 

Bell was the main problem for the first but the pair havent covered themselves in glory.

Stand by my comment that both should be dropped, Bell let go in the summer, and neither will get us near promotion. Sadly weve no one to put in.

[@roverseas]

Well my friends... that match was typical Rovers. Sluggish start, more desire midway to level then take the lead, and then collapse. Our season wrapped up in 90 minutes. However if we are honest I think a draw is a fair result, and I would have taken that at kick off no question.  In this video, hear the words from the gaffa and also two Brum fans who feel a little hard done by! 

 

[G Somerset Rover]

3 hours ago, DE. said:

Mulgrew's reaction after both goals worries me. Head down, moping, negative body language. Not how I would want my captain responding to conceding goals.

Not a captain. Never was, never is. We need Andy Todd reincarnate essentially - a tough son of a gun.

[unsall]

1 hour ago, Parsonblue said:

After the first 20 minutes, when Birmingham looked like they would take us apart, I thought we came back well.  Same old faults in terms of individual errors for which we were punished.  The manager knows the changes that need to be made and I'm sure they will happen in the summer.  The total collapse of Mulgrew as a defender has been startling over the past three games and again underlines the need for a tough, experienced centre-back who can organise those around him.

A draw was probably a fair result but having gone 2-1 up so late we really ought to be able to hold onto it.  I thought Travis had a much better game and Smallwood put in a decent shift in midfield.  Graham was a real workhorse up front and deserved his goal even if there was a deflection.  It was good to end the run of defeats.  I agree with arbitro about a certain element of our support who are doing the club no favours.

Yeah spot on as usual.?

[rossyrover]

Mulgrew scores again but his defending not up to his usual standard at the moment,Bell loss of the ball led to the first goal and a mistake by Raya the second goal these Raya mistakes seem to happening on a regular basis and is becoming very worrying. 

[roversfan99]

16 minutes ago, Gavlar Somerset Rover! said:

Not a captain. Never was, never is. We need Andy Todd reincarnate essentially - a tough son of a gun.

He was certainly a captain last season when he led us to promotion. I have heard him at games organising and he has been a better defender overall than people give him credit for. Granted his form recently has been really poor and I am unconvinced he is any longer a competent Championship centre back.

Captains dont have to be thugs. Tottenhams captain is Hugo Lloris. David Silva is regularly City captain when Kompany is injured. Tom Heaton is Burnley captain and Harry Kane England captain. In the Championship, Sheffield Uniteds captain is Billy Sharp, Brentfords is Romaine Sawyers and West Brom Chris Brunt. Captains come in different shapes and sizes.

[arbitro]

6 hours ago, roversfan99 said:

May i ask for clarity on this as I have not seen the initial post? @arbitro

There was an undercurrent today I felt as scores of Rovers fans, through drink or other substances were belligerent towards any authority, showed complete disregard for others and were generally obnoxious. I very rarely go onto a concourse but my friend went down at half-time and said there was beer being thrown and some were fighting. When we scored early in the second half lots of them came through the tunnel from the concourse and began pushing people who were in their seats in some kind of pseudo celebration. They then stood and blocked exits and gang ways and became aggressive with stewards when they were asked to go to their seats. And the age profile of these ranged from teenagers to blokes in their fifties. I saw parents move to other areas with their kids in fear.

I'm no prude but there is a real selfishness about some of these who don't even realise they are spoiling other people's enjoyment.

[Mattyblue]

Strong batch of Columbian by the sounds of it...

[DE.]

As Merce mentioned a few pages back, at Mulgrew's age form and effectiveness can disintegrate almost overnight. Although in this instance I don't think that's the case, as he's been suspect most of the season. It's just getting even worse now. It's a bit of a catch-22 as whilst his defending is now a liability to us, his goals from set pieces are vital. He's only a couple of goals behind Graham/Dack. Hardly any of our other players score goals, so taking Mulgrew out of the team puts an even heavier burden on Graham/Dack to score in every match.

[Giant]

1 hour ago, arbitro said:

There was an undercurrent today I felt as scores of Rovers fans, through drink or other substances were belligerent towards any authority, showed complete disregard for others and were generally obnoxious. I very rarely go onto a concourse but my friend went down at half-time and said there was beer being thrown and some were fighting. When we scored early in the second half lots of them came through the tunnel from the concourse and began pushing people who were in their seats in some kind of pseudo celebration. They then stood and blocked exits and gang ways and became aggressive with stewards when they were asked to go to their seats. And the age profile of these ranged from teenagers to blokes in their fifties. I saw parents move to other areas with their kids in fear.

I'm no prude but there is a real selfishness about some of these who don't even realise they are spoiling other people's enjoyment.

Absolutely accurate assessment of the situation. A lot of so called fans more interested in getting drunk and/or high than watching the game. Even in the stand there were “off their head” idiots abusing other fans. It’s a good job we didn’t lose or there could have been some serious inter-fan aggro, and I don’t mean between Rovers and Brum fans.

 

[Stuart]

2 hours ago, arbitro said:

There was an undercurrent today I felt as scores of Rovers fans, through drink or other substances were belligerent towards any authority, showed complete disregard for others and were generally obnoxious. I very rarely go onto a concourse but my friend went down at half-time and said there was beer being thrown and some were fighting. When we scored early in the second half lots of them came through the tunnel from the concourse and began pushing people who were in their seats in some kind of pseudo celebration. They then stood and blocked exits and gang ways and became aggressive with stewards when they were asked to go to their seats. And the age profile of these ranged from teenagers to blokes in their fifties. I saw parents move to other areas with their kids in fear.

I'm no prude but there is a real selfishness about some of these who don't even realise they are spoiling other people's enjoyment.

Although I struggle anyway due to Saturday morning commitments, I honestly don’t enjoy going to away games because of certain elements of our away fanbase. Even at the generally well behaved Newcastle cup game I witnessed a drunken “Rovers fan” kick a seat until it broke - and not even in temper, just because he could. Even on a good day, if you don’t get there early you’ll likely struggle to sit in your ticketed seat.

It’s the “we’ll do what we want” culture sickness that has pervaded football since organised fighting became more risky. And since parenting/teaching became the much maligned undertaking that it is today. “You can’t do/say that to my child”. But I digress.

I’m not convinced this translates into poor performances or results though. Seems an easy excuse (and not one you’ve made, Tony) to take the heat off a hapless, but eminently likeable, manager.

[arbitro]

1 minute ago, meadows said:

Perhaps that’s a good enough reason not to allow fans three or four hours more drinking time for the Preston game 

But they were allowed to at Deepdale Jim. 

 

[jim mk2]

More often than not I have to ask people in front of me to sit down at away matches. Even older men (and women) stand. I pick my targets though. If they look undesirable types I simply move. It's isn't worth the hassle and possible abuse. 

Rovers have always had an element of nutcase fans, going back to the 1960s. Some idiot even went on the pitch and attacked the QPR goalkeeper (Phil Parkes?) at Ewood circa 1967-8. The unruly element seem to be returning recently. What that is I don't know. 

[tomphil]

If Mulgrews actual defensive abilities were as good as his cultured left foot well he'd be in top flight but there's a reason he's here from a club like Celtic in a not very strong at all league.  He struggled last time in this division so its been no surprise to me and it's clear he might be a calm head and good in the dressing room but he's no leader on the pitch, hands on hips head down far too easy.

Unfortunately take him out of the team and we lose a regular supply of goals but our defence isn't nowhere near strong enough to keep picking someone because they might score a free kick.

He would however look a whole lot better with a strong partner/keeper and left back around him !

Edited February 24, 2019 by tomphil