ROVERS V Wigan

[Stuart]

Crack open the biscuits, we’ve won a do.

We got the second goal to settle the game but it was the introduction of Rothwell that saw our style of play change incredibly and got the best out of Reed and Dack especially (who seemed to riff off of him), and we created a couple of chances for Nuttall - who should have got at least one. Dack missed a sitter but pounced on a bad back pass and brought the points home. Before that Graham took advantage of a (yet another) long punt from Raya, calmly tucking away his second, after the ball bounced over the defender - assisted by the wind.

That, after a penalty, was enough to see him - rather bizarrely after only 60 minutes of huffing and puffing - get the MoM award. Personally I’d have given the honour to Magloire for his contribution to a rare clean sheet on his debut, after growing in confidence with every minute of the game. (Even though Rothwell once again showed that he is the best player in the squad by the proverbial country mile).

A tough first half and good second with a very enjoyable last 15 minutes. A leaf out of the U23 book with us carrying on attacking wave after wave at 2-0 up rather than sitting back and jitterily trying to defend (and regularly failing).

A better team than Wigan might have punished us but we did enough on the night. Maybe even warrants the chocolate hobnobs.

[USABlue]

1 hour ago, Bbrovers2288 said:

Magloire and lenihan at the back until the end of the season 

Tony is never going to go for that.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

1 hour ago, Bigdoggsteel said:

We don't really press teams do we? Is that fitness or instructions from the manager 

Great 3 points, we can stop looking over our shoulders now. It's significant that we always seem to do much better when we score first.

When I saw the team I put my hands over my eyes.

[bigbrandjohn]

This is a good read

https://www.wigantoday.net/sport/football/latics/blackburn-rovers-3-wigan-athletic-0-1-9646178

[Ewood Ace]

Terrible first half but a much better second although it must be said Wigan were a very poor side. I actually thought that we played better when Graham went off as we got the ball down and played which brought Dack more into the game.

Magloire looked very composed on debut (you have to wonder why he hasn't been used sooner), Nyambe was solid as well, even Williams did ok although he does struggle when he is pulled out of position, but Wigan only did it a couple times. I thought that Conway and Bennett in the wide roles were poor defensively and ineffective going forward.

Reed I thought was fantastic in his best position, (a shame that he has been so criminally under used in it) man of the match tonight for me. Travis got better as the game went on, as did Dack. It is no surprise that Dack looks a better player when Rothwell is on the pitch as not only is he on Dack's wave length but he also gives defenders another creative player to worry about which frees up space for Dack. I'm not sure what more Rothwell has to do for Mowbray to give him a start. 

Armstrong was disappointing as he has been for most the season bar the month of January. Graham stepped up when needed, a very good penalty and a lovely taken second goal. What Nuttall may lack in quality he makes up for in effort and made a constant nuisance of himself for their back line.

All in all a much needed 3 points that must surely all but secure our Championship status for next season. Now let's hope we can kick on and have a good finish to build on for next season. Although there will be much sterner challenges to come than that posed by Wigan tonight.

[Bigdoggsteel]

Ya not sure if it was because of Rothwell being on the field, but Dack really got the game by the scruff second half. Some lovely takes and quick turns to get is on the attack 

Edited March 12, 2019 by Bigdoggsteel

[den]

What a good footballer Danny Graham is. Sorry Rev, but he certainly has a touch of class about him. 

 

Comfortable at at the end but for quite a while both teams looked dearth of confidence. No complaints tonight, but it certainly helped us a lot playing against a Wigan side that had no resemblance to the Wigan sides of the last few seasons.

[Butty]

Now we can safely say we are staying up and we aren’t going up either, I’d like too see Rothwell get a good run in the team from now till the end of the season, Brereton and Chapman too... Raya Nyambe Travis and Magloire all products of our academy, don’t think too many other championship sides will be starting four academy graduates in there teams. The future could be bright for us, we certainly have a lot of potential in our team let’s just hope the lads fulfill it. 

[J*B]

I don't care what formation it is, Reed and Travis must both play centre midfield.

[Tom]

I also enjoyed watching Tyler at the end, double fist pumps and then the others all made a point of going over to him.

Last off the field he probably didn’t want it to end 

[Mercer]

Well that was a throw back to last season - a League One match!

Wow, Wigan are bad and if we couldn't have beaten that lot.

Three nil is a tad misleading - we got a soft penalty and two gifts from Wigan.

A bizarre start with Cook out five minutes before the teams emerged - can't recall having seen that before, a manager leaving his team in the changing rooms.

Almost equally bizarre was Benson on the pitch awaiting Raya for a warm-up before the second half began - Raya leisurely emerged after Benson had been on the pitch for I guess two minutes and the warm up was restricted to just 3 shots / throws at Raya.  Indiscipline or lack of respect on Raya's behalf?

As for the game itself - well Magloire was okay but not really tested by Wigan.  Not sure whether we were playing 3 or 4 at the back!  Williams' distribution is truly awful.

Didn't think Travis and Reed made the most of their opportunity and I was a bit disappointed with both.  I felt that for most of the match they played too deep. 

As for Armstrong, what an appalling touch.  Think he's a lad with pace but little else.

Too much hoofball and we didn't get forward in numbers quickly enough to support Graham in the box.

We stopped the rot but I think it was pretty poor stuff and there will be far more difficult tests ahead. 

Edited March 12, 2019 by Mercer

[Exiled in Toronto]

The absence of Mulgrew and achieving a clean sheet is far beyond coincidence for me, the man can’t defend. Well done Magloire, showing how it’s done, put his bollocks on the line several times.

Edited March 12, 2019 by Exiled in Toronto

[Husky]

Just out of interest was the Raya's first ever pass completion?

[arbitro]

A really welcome win which should give the players some confidence after the poor run we have been on. I thought we looked like a team who hadn't won for some time until Reed cleverly won the penalty and Graham despatched expertly. In the second half I thought Dacks play was excellent as he got on the ball and looked hungry. I was delighted when he scored and he looked relieved. Graham was terrific throughout and other players seemed to feed off him. Magloire looked good and it was pleasing to see him square up to that nasty little shit Garner. He looked tired towards the end and lost a few headers but overall he can be delighted with his debut. And I think Mowbray deserves some credit for his changes. I liked it when McManaman outpaced Conway early in the second half. Mowbray saw that Wigan were going to target Conway down our right and immediately swapped Conway and Bennett over.

Chuffed to win because ultimately that's all that matters.

[Admiral Nelsen]

Needed a fixture like that to get us out of the bad run of form, but with a patched up team, we really did play some good stuff. Credit to all involved, especially Magloire.

Our form this season shows that, even though we have a team capable of causing anyone in the division issues on our day, we're probably about 3 additions from realistically being able to compete in the top 6. Plenty of these players should be hungry until the end of the season to show that they are not the ones that need replacing. Big summer ahead.

Also, Wigan are absolutely awful

[Pedro]

Thank God for that. Really takes pressure off the team (who would have absolutely caved in a relegation scrap).  Project stick with the League One players should be over with now. Introduce some of the U23's and scour the world for improvements on the first team. 

We were very wasteful, lucky not to concede but I really enjoyed tonight. Great to win again.

[Bbrovers2288]

8 minutes ago, Admiral Nelsen said:

Needed a fixture like that to get us out of the bad run of form, but with a patched up team, we really did play some good stuff. Credit to all involved, especially Magloire.

Our form this season shows that, even though we have a team capable of causing anyone in the division issues on our day, we're probably about 3 additions from realistically being able to compete in the top 6. Plenty of these players should be hungry until the end of the season to show that they are not the ones that need replacing. Big summer ahead.

Also, Wigan are absolutely awful

More than 3 sadly, I’d say about 7-8 to get us anywhere near a promotion team 

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

1 hour ago, CD_93 said:

Magloire making the absolute most of that debut. Lovely stuff.

Would still like to see Rothwell start. Terrific when he's out there. So positive.

It's funny - I thought he did ok. Did some things really well - but constantly beaten in  the air and bullied a bit at times.

[tomphil]

Graham and Dack ae lively and on form = we win, a rookie back line comes up against an out of form attack which swings it in our favour.

Great debut for another youngster, stick with him now don't change a winning team they've earned their shirts tonight. Leave the favs where they are for a bit...out of the starting line up and start leaving the ones only interested in their International stuff out altogether, they know who they are !

Time for Tony the Tough, team and results first individuals second !

Edited March 12, 2019 by tomphil

[Bigdoggsteel]

Just now, DavidMailsTightPerm said:

It's funny - I thought he did ok. Did some things really well - but constantly beaten in  the air and bullied a bit at times.

They barely had a shot 

[roversfan99]

Thought 3 nil was a very flattering but welcome scoreline against a horrendous Wigan side.

Dack deserved his goal, for 80 minutes he was so obviously out of form but he kept plugging away and that lucky goal may be just the ticket for a hot spell.

Graham again is superb with such poor service to him, first half we were shite but he took his 2 goals very well and we have to pray hes not injured.

Magloire did well enough at a level far above his station at the moment, one superb recovery tackle and one or 2 blocks, says alot for our organisation and/or their lack of quality meant he was barely involved but looked a bit flimsy especially in the air. Felt Williams and especially Nyambe also did a decent job in unfamiliar positions. They should have taken advantage of a back 5 as bad on paper as I can remember but fair play, collectively, cant grumble at all.

Reed and in particular Travis were poor first half but were much more on the front foot in the second and ran the game through a high press.

Rothwell is like a dog chasing a ball in whatever direction it goes and it can be risky to dribble in the wrong areas but hes undoubtedly a threat and perhaps deserves a chance over Armstrong on Saturday who was really poor. Nuttall I felt was very disappointing and if he is higher in the pecking order than Brereton then we need to worry.

[Angry_Pirate]

I'm happy to take the positives, however let's not get carried away and claim all is fixed... Wigan were appalling, truly woeful. Can't quite get over how bad they actually were, the goals we scored. Haha.

I was (for once) happy with the team selection, especially seeing a youth player getting a start ?, and Reed and Travis all over the pitch second half makes you continually wonder why we haven't done that since Travis came into the team.

Bennett at left back might just be his best position ?

I thought Tyler Magliore played well and showed many solid attributes, and big props to Nyambe, Williams, Bennett and Raya for how they helped and had his back. There is no coincidence that Raya seemed like a true sweeper keeper tonight as he was always ready for any error made... and for as happy as I was for Magliore, not to be too giddy as I saw loads of positives however he lost a lot of aerial battles over the 90 mins... like a lot. But I'm proud of the lad and he seemed comfortable in there.

Danny Graham must have secured the Player of the Season trophy now.

Can we keep that 2nd half performance going into Sheff Wed? I'll reserve full praise until that game is in the past. But tonight was easy.

[bazza]

3-0. Well well well!!  I must forecast 1-4 scorelines more often.?

We grew in confidence as the game went on. I was impressed with everyone, even Bennett, Conway and Williams.

Lovely debut by Tyler Magloire. Big lad. Fast runner. Put himself about. Needs coaching to gain the nous of how to win headers. I bet he's delighted.

I'm glad we won by that margin just for Mowbray's sake.

 

[RevidgeBlue]

30 minutes ago, den said:

What a good footballer Danny Graham is. Sorry Rev, but he certainly has a touch of class about him. 

 

Comfortable at at the end but for quite a while both teams looked dearth of confidence. No complaints tonight, but it certainly helped us a lot playing against a Wigan side that had no resemblance to the Wigan sides of the last few seasons.

Sorry den, seems strange to say about someone who scored twice but I didn't think Graham had a particularly good game. Scored a penalty and did well to anticipate the freakish flight of the ball on the wind for a fortunate second.

However as EwoodAce perceptively points out we actually  looked much better once Graham went off and we started playing football as opposed to attempting to hammer long balls towards Graham.

In particular Dack came into his own and started dictating play and looked the player we know he can be for the first time in months.

[Sparks Rover]

Good to get the points but seriously Cook needs sacking. Worst team I've seen this season and nobody should get carried away here.