Preston at Home

[philipl]

Need to win the next two

[joey_big_nose]

Are there any decent youth defenders we can put on the bench at least? 

How's Wharton doing? Can we recall him?

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackburn_Rovers_F.C.

Also - If you look at our squad of 25 only six are classed as defenders, but one of those is Rodwell who I would say is more a midfielder. So really only 5. Really you should have around 7-8 defenders in the squad.

Then if you scroll down five of our nine loaned out players are defenders....!

 

Edited March 6, 2019 by joey_big_nose

[Sparks Rover]

5 minutes ago, joey_big_nose said:

Are there any decent youth defenders we can put on the bench at least? 

How's Wharton doing? Can we recall him?

Wharton scored last night for promotion chasing Bury

[joey_big_nose]

Surely we have to recall one of Bell, Downing or Wharton? It's farcical at the moment. What if Lenihan breaks down again? Also Mulgrew and Rodwell are both injury prone.

Something's not right.

Edited March 6, 2019 by joey_big_nose

[tomphil]

Tony said we'll manage, whilst wasting a window.

I'm really not so sure there was any actual funds available I think they'd tied all the loose change from this seasons budget in the first instalments for BB and will now have to wait for next seasons budget to be agreed before any signings are made, that could be interesting.

They also got part of a wage off the payroll in Jan with Downing when it wasn't really that advisable to do so from a football perspective.  Also ST's and crowd predictions haven't hit this seasons projection, I think the money men have had a word again and plonked the brakes on before that window.

We'll manage with what we have 'isn't' we are slow building for the future - it's getting by. We've been here before.

[Don Said]

12 hours ago, McClarky said:

Please not 3 at the back, please not Bell in any formation.  We are really struggling without Lenihan and I can’t suggest any way of getting past that other just hoping that Preston miss the chances we will gift them.  Just shows you that proper defenders may be going out of fashion but outside the higher levels of the game they are the key to everything.

We don't have a good enough squad to play a back 3/5 but due to how suicidal/inept our 4231 has looked defensively recently, we might have to give it a go as a short team stop the rot measure. If that was to be the case Bell is unfortunately the only option to play on the left at present.

Walking away from the Rotherham ground Saturday I heard a snippet of a conversation between their fans about us mauling them for a while after half time in which they mentioned our number 8 (Rothwell) being a class act and Bell ripping their right side a new sphincter after he'd been pushed forward.

Might be wishful thinking but he seems to be a bit of a reverse Emerton. He's shyte as a left back in a back 4, but he's looked decent in the very brief amount of time he's played as a more attacking wing back/winger.

[DE.]

Even the best teams in the league haven't thrashed us at home so I don't foresee a scoreline hammering. More likely we'll either scrape a draw or lose 1/2-0. 

[JHRover]

1 hour ago, tomphil said:

Tony said we'll manage, whilst wasting a window.

I'm really not so sure there was any actual funds available I think they'd tied all the loose change from this seasons budget in the first instalments for BB and will now have to wait for next seasons budget to be agreed before any signings are made, that could be interesting.

They also got part of a wage off the payroll in Jan with Downing when it wasn't really that advisable to do so from a football perspective.  Also ST's and crowd predictions haven't hit this seasons projection, I think the money men have had a word again and plonked the brakes on before that window.

We'll manage with what we have 'isn't' we are slow building for the future - it's getting by. We've been here before.

I half wonder if the reckless decision to allow Downing out was done to open space on the payroll for Chapman to come in, or free up some cash for the nominal fee we will pay Middlesbrough to get him here now.

Without wanting to accuse Mowbray of lying stranger things have happened here over the years.

I've always believed that the club budget and transfer budget are two completely separate things. The club budget is what Waggott and Cheston oversee, base their forecasts on and are instructed to work within by those in India. The transfer budget is extra dosh that Mowbray goes and gets from India when the need arises or when someone over there takes enough interest/has some spare cash/gets excited following a decent run of results.

The club budget sees Waggott and co. scrimping for every penny they can find as they are under pressure to reduce the reliance on Venkys to top up the shortfall. The transfer budget sees someone over there chucking Mowbray millions for a teenager to develop.

If there was money 'available' in January I doubt it was sat in the club accounts waiting to be spent. It may have been 'available' had Mowbray picked up the phone to India and requested it from Mrs Desai.

But then we've the added issue here of the ownership diplomacy that the manager seemingly has to play here. Mowbray may have been under the impression that in requesting additional funding in January he may have been diminishing his pot or credit in the summer. He may also have felt it might erode his credibility or popularity in India if he was to go to them cap in hand mid-season to request extra cash having agreed to a healthy budget last summer.

There's all sorts of plates spinning here in terms of different issues to deal with so whilst technically he might have been able to get some extra dosh through had he needed it he probably felt the best way to win the Indians over was to cart on with what he had and then turn up in May having kept his powder dry hoping that would mean more credit and a bigger budget then. The other issue is however that since then our form has collapsed alarmingly and if that continues much longer we could easily end up in a relegation scrap having been in with a sniff of the play-offs. I don't know whether the owners understand such things or not or if their advisors do but in normal circumstances if the manager could have spent cash, elected not to and then oversaw a complete collapse in form there would be eyebrows raised in Pune HQ.

Edited March 6, 2019 by JHRover

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

2 hours ago, Don Said said:

We don't have a good enough squad to play a back 3/5 but due to how suicidal/inept our 4231 has looked defensively recently, we might have to give it a go as a short team stop the rot measure. If that was to be the case Bell is unfortunately the only option to play on the left at present.

Walking away from the Rotherham ground Saturday I heard a snippet of a conversation between their fans about us mauling them for a while after half time in which they mentioned our number 8 (Rothwell) being a class act and Bell ripping their right side a new sphincter after he'd been pushed forward.

Might be wishful thinking but he seems to be a bit of a reverse Emerton. He's shyte as a left back in a back 4, but he's looked decent in the very brief amount of time he's played as a more attacking wing back/winger.

I'd rather have Bell playing as a left winger than Bennett.

[Don Said]

Just now, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

I'd rather have Bell playing as a left winger than Bennett.

All day. Round pegs in round holes; inject that in to my veins.

God bless the passion and effort Benno gives in a Rovers shirt but he sadly he offers next to nothing on the pitch. He's played loads of games out wide and I genuinely can't remember him running past a man all season.

[Angry_Pirate]

I'm desperate for a win in this one, however clinging to the hope that any loss moves TM, his team and L1 loyals one giant step closer to leaving.

Got a feeling this one could get ugly if we go a couple down. 

Biggest game of the season in such a potentially pointless mid table game. Win could see a turnaround in the last 10 games safe from relegation worries. Loss and relegation isn't impossible and surely fingers will be firmly pointed at the management. Of course all his fingers will be pointed elsewhere.

If Smallw*nk starts I'll riot!

Edited March 6, 2019 by Angry_Pirate

[Hasta]

7 hours ago, Angry_Pirate said:

If Smallw*nk starts I'll riot!

Popular player tries his best for the club and is instrumental in getting us back to the Championship.

Then gets found out to be not good enough at this level and gets nicknamed Smallw*nk by classless fan.

Edited March 6, 2019 by Hasta

[Nobbers123]

Preston fan in peace. Just looking to get an idea of what everyone is thinking for saturday. Also any tips for pubs, with it being a 12pm KO it kind of limits where everyone will be drinking because I doubt many places will be serving alcohol pre 10am.

[Tom Stinny]

1 hour ago, Hasta said:

Popular player tries his best for the club and is instrumental in getting us back to the Championship.

Then gets found out to be not good enough at this level and gets nicknaked Smallw*nk by classless fan.

Think you'll find in football and most aspects of life that class finishes last.

 

Smallwood is obviously far out of his ability limit playing for us at this level. 5th choice centre midfielder sure. First team or bench regular he is not. 

 

For the thousands a week any player should try. They should try their backside off.

[Angry_Pirate]

2 hours ago, Hasta said:

Popular player tries his best for the club and is instrumental in getting us back to the Championship.

Then gets found out to be not good enough at this level and gets nicknaked Smallw*nk by classless fan.

You lost me at "instrumental"

Last season: 46 appearances, 3 assist, 2 goals, 9 shots all season. You're right, can't believe he didnt get player of the season with such astounding contribution.

For the record (and not living in the past)

This season: 27 appearances, 2100 minutes, 1 assist, 0 goals, 0.2 shots per games, wins 1.2 headers per game. 75% pass success. Average rating 6.4/10. W*nk.

Edited March 6, 2019 by Angry_Pirate

[only2garners]

Well a defensive midfielder isn't going to have a lot of goals and assists is he? 

[blueboy3333]

5 hours ago, Nobbers123 said:

Just looking to get an idea of what everyone is thinking for saturday.

I think most people are thinking:-

     'If we score 4 we might win, which is a shame because we never score 4 and it really would be great to smash North End because they really are a bitter bunch of bellends who have never ever got over Rovers winning the league and generally being much better than them at everything, even before Sir Jack rocked up. However, in mitigation, it can't be easy being the only local club never have got to the Prem when all your fiercest rivals have so we can understand their animosity and do pity them. In summary, they really are the shit stain on the underpants of Lancashire football'    

Or words to that effect. 

Edited March 6, 2019 by blueboy3333

[USABlue]

90 mins of embarrassment.  What the hell happened.  The Hull game I was thinking bloody hell we've cracked it, upwards from here.  We've been diabolical ever since 3-1 hammering.

[Husky]

8 hours ago, Nobbers123 said:

Preston fan in peace. Just looking to get an idea of what everyone is thinking for saturday. Also any tips for pubs, with it being a 12pm KO it kind of limits where everyone will be drinking because I doubt many places will be serving alcohol pre 10am.

My advice would be to BYOB!

[old darwen blue]

No pubs available to away fans on Police instructions so I believe. 

[blueboy3333]

They've nearly sold out their cup final. They normally only take about 1200 away, if that.

Plastics

[Mattyblue]

Careful now!

You’ll get a reputation on their board. I’m already ‘TwattyBlue’! 

[JHRover]

Oh well at least Waggott and Cheston will be happy with the coin coming in from 7,500 away fans having their big annual day out. Caley will be happy as he can be back home in time for tea.

 

[arbitro]

After two awful performances at Preston and Wigan earlier in the season I am hoping against hope that there will be some redemption from Mowbray and his team over the next two games. However I fear the worst and the last few weeks have given me little cause to be even slightly optimistic. Mowbray needs to step up and get his selection and tactics right and accept his responsibility as manager.

It's sad to say but I think our best chance of any result is if Preston come into the game over confidently. And that's a sad indictment on how far we have slumped.

[BlackburnEnd75]

Interesting that Rich Sharpe seems to think that Williams return from suspension will see us shift to a back 3 at the weekend. Obviously Williams returning is always a bad thing but 3 at the back not sure how I feel about that. I think it would suit Mulgrew playing in the middle of a 3 would expose him to pace a lot less, give us an extra body to deal with crosses into the area, keeps Bell further up the pitch. On the other hand we've not been impressive last few times we've played that formation, and we don't have any decent wing backs. At least it something different-ish?

I'm really trying to be positive but I feel that this time next week after the two homes games against North West teams that Mowbeay could completely lose the fanbase.