Mowbray’s Future

[DE.]

2 hours ago, blueboy3333 said:

ROVERS TEAM STATS:

Attacking - 11.1 shots per game (21st best in Championship) 

Defending - 13.8 shots against per game (19th worst in Championship)

Goals scored from open play - 24 from 35 games (19th most in Championship)

Goals conceded from open play - 39 from 35 games (3rd most in Championship)

Penalties scored - 7  (1st most in Championship)

Penalties conceded - 4  (5th most in Championship)

Goals from set-pieces - 13  (6th most in Championship)

Goals against from set pieces - 9  (18th most in Championship)

Crosses per game - 15  (joint least in Championship)

Long balls per game - 87 (joint most in the Championship)

GK saves per game - 3.1 (joint 2nd most in Championship)

https://www.whoscored.com/Regions/252/Tournaments/7/Seasons/7379/Stages/16389/TeamStatistics/England-Championship-2018-2019

 

Practically every worthwhile stat points to us being a very poor team who are extremely lucky to have the amount of points we have. There can be no surprise if we go into next season with Mowbray in charge and end up in trouble. Warning signs are everywhere. 

[Guest]

7 minutes ago, DE. said:

Practically every worthwhile stat points to us being a very poor team who are extremely lucky to have the amount of points we have. There can be no surprise if we go into next season with Mowbray in charge and end up in trouble. Warning signs are everywhere. 

Anyone who watches us would know that’s utter bollocks. We never ever seem to get a result when we don’t deserve to yet always seem to concede late when we deserve to win.

[Bbrovers2288]

1 hour ago, Mellor Rover said:

Graham, Brereton, Dack, Armstrong, Reed, Travis, Raya, Rothwell and Chapman the only ones for me. The rest I could happily show the door.

Graham- great servant but on the decline, I don’t think he will be much kop next season. 

Brereton- only on the basis that we deserve some return from him

dack- peed me off recently, nowhere near as good as he is capable of. How many assists does he have this season? Think he is going.

armstrong- showed in bits that he has something that can perhaps be worked on. Il give you armstrong. 

Reed- not ours and not staying. 

Travis- performances have dropped sadly but yes worth keeping. 

Raya- on what basis, has threw away so many points for us. Needs replacing. Like an fm keeper with great stats for loads of things but near 0s for others. Will never be a prem keeper. 

Rothwell- hmm yea I guess but fans think he is messi when really he hasn’t shown that much. Gives the ball away a lot for me. 

Chapman- the kind of player we need if fit yes. Question marks remain. 

I would add lenihan- I’d be disappointed if he left. 

Id love to see rodwell start a few in midfield, not a centre back. 

Rest- honestly wouldn’t be arsed if they moved on. Nobody near consistently good enough to progress this team 

[Stuart]

2 hours ago, arbitro said:

There were lots of murmurings of discontent at Rotherham yesterday. It wasn't chanting or anything but quite a few around were I was questioning his tactics and team selection. That's the first time I've heard anything like that at a game. And fans really do have an absolute right to question things.

His tactics and team selections have been questionable for some time - even last season - but he got the results so it was fairly quiet.

Now that results are disappearing the noises will start. Managers always have and always will be judged on results - from fans if not owners/boardrooms. When the latter fail act things get much worse in the stands.

Mowbray absolutely has to do something different. And by different, I mean more than just swapping the starting line up around.

[RV Blue]

9 minutes ago, Mellor Rover said:

Anyone who watches us would know that’s utter bollocks. We never ever seem to get a result when we don’t deserve to yet always seem to concede late when we deserve to win.

QPR at home and Millwall away off the top of my head... I’m sure there are plenty of others.

[DE.]

Just now, RV Blue said:

QPR at home and Millwall away off the top of my head... I’m sure there are plenty of others.

The 0-0 with Derby comes to mind as well. They properly battered us, no idea how we escaped from there with a point. And the 1-1 with West Brom, again were by far second best but scraped a draw thanks to a rare Harrison Reed wonder strike.

[Butty]

Just now, DE. said:

The 0-0 with Derby comes to mind as well. They properly battered us, no idea how we escaped from there with a point.

Brentford at home earlier in the season when we won 1-0. I thought they were much the better side in that one.. Been a weird old season for us. 

[DE.]

Just now, Butty said:

Brentford at home earlier in the season when we won 1-0. I thought they were much the better side in that one.. Been a weird old season for us. 

Yeah, indeed. Not going to really count the late goals as "bad luck" as it's happened so often that it's clearly a problem with game management and/or late game fitness levels, which isn't luck but poor preparation.

[tomphil]

8 minutes ago, Stuart said:

His tactics and team selections have been questionable for some time - even last season - but he got the results so it was fairly quiet.

Now that results are disappearing the noises will start. Managers always have and always will be judged on results - from fans if not owners/boardrooms. When the latter fail act things get much worse in the stands.

Mowbray absolutely has to do something different. And by different, I mean more than just swapping the starting line up around.

It's the way he manages and that's never going to change a quick ask of Boro/Cov and West Brom fans will say the same things as we say he's a complete rotator, tinkerer and square peg in round holes man that'll never change.

Even when he has whats resembled his best 11 getting results he's rarely left it unchanged more than a game or to apart from the usual enforced ones he really is Tombola Tony but it was actually working early on but it's getting daft now, he has the excuses to do it though now for rest of season.

[Pedro]

36 minutes ago, Bbrovers2288 said:

Graham- great servant but on the decline, I don’t think he will be much kop next season. 

Brereton- only on the basis that we deserve some return from him

dack- peed me off recently, nowhere near as good as he is capable of. How many assists does he have this season? Think he is going.

armstrong- showed in bits that he has something that can perhaps be worked on. Il give you armstrong. 

Reed- not ours and not staying. 

Travis- performances have dropped sadly but yes worth keeping. 

Raya- on what basis, has threw away so many points for us. Needs replacing. Like an fm keeper with great stats for loads of things but near 0s for others. Will never be a prem keeper. 

Rothwell- hmm yea I guess but fans think he is messi when really he hasn’t shown that much. Gives the ball away a lot for me. 

Chapman- the kind of player we need if fit yes. Question marks remain. 

I would add lenihan- I’d be disappointed if he left. 

Id love to see rodwell start a few in midfield, not a centre back. 

Rest- honestly wouldn’t be arsed if they moved on. Nobody near consistently good enough to progress this team 

I'd like to see Rodwell in midfield too. I'm sick of no height in there.  Rodwell with Reed alongside him must be worth a go.

 

Oh wait...we've no bloody centre backs though ?

[RoversClitheroe]

For me the performance against Rotherham has left me scratching my head.

Rotherham one of the tallest teams in the division and we play long ball? Mowbray is the man that said he wants to play a nice style of football. Playing long ball against a tall team baffles me.

We have 0 recognised defenders yet plays 3 at the back? 

I struggle with the logic. 

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

9 hours ago, DE. said:

Yeah, indeed. Not going to really count the late goals as "bad luck" as it's happened so often that it's clearly a problem with game management and/or late game fitness levels, which isn't luck but poor preparation.

Mentally weak teams concede goals at the end of the game, mentally strong teams score goals at the end of the game.  That hasn't changed in all the time I've been watching football.

Edited March 4, 2019 by Tyrone Shoelaces

[gazzaa2]

9 hours ago, tomphil said:

It's the way he manages and that's never going to change a quick ask of Boro/Cov and West Brom fans will say the same things as we say he's a complete rotator, tinkerer and square peg in round holes man that'll never change.

Even when he has whats resembled his best 11 getting results he's rarely left it unchanged more than a game or to apart from the usual enforced ones he really is Tombola Tony but it was actually working early on but it's getting daft now, he has the excuses to do it though now for rest of season.

He's a League One level manager.

Not done anything at this level since West Brom over a decade ago. Last season was his first success in management since then. 

He also had a two 2 budget last season and very strong squad for that league and he did his job, but it would have been a balls up if we didn't go up.

 

Edited March 4, 2019 by gazzaa2

[arbitro]

37 minutes ago, RoversClitheroe said:

For me the performance against Rotherham has left me scratching my head.

Rotherham one of the tallest teams in the division and we play long ball? Mowbray is the man that said he wants to play a nice style of football. Playing long ball against a tall team baffles me.

We have 0 recognised defenders yet plays 3 at the back? 

I struggle with the logic. 

On Saturday Mowbray started with a back four, after about ten minutes went to a three and at the start of the second half went back to a four. I haven't a flaming clue why. There doesn't seem to be any logic to some of his decisions but he is content to name players who are making mistakes.

[blueboy3333]

Totally agree on Mogga's pedigree. He did well last season but only with the best players in the league and a budget that dwarfed everyone else's. This season, after the promotion momentum had dissipated, it was always going to be a test of his managerial prowess. The stats unfortunately speak for themselves. 

The joint worst away defence out of 92 clubs.

The least amount of crosses into the box in the division

The most long balls in the division

One of the teams with the least amount of goals from open play.

These aren't the stats of a well-coached team. 

[JHRover]

The unforced chopping and changing is really starting to get on my nerves. I can only presume the reason Mowbray is so eager to chop and change systems, formations and personnel so frequently is either because he thinks he's being clever, doesn't have a clue what our best is or is trying to keep everyone happy by giving everyone game time and time in different positions.

I don't believe for one minute it is doing us any good to keep changing. I'm a firm believer that unless you've an unbelievably strong squad at this level then the way to success is by developing a fit, well drilled first XI with decent back-up to step in when needed, but with a clear idea of your strengths and strongest XI.

We keep claiming to be following Sheffield United's blueprint (a hell of a lot to do this summer if we're going to copy them) and yet Sheffield United appear to me to have recruited with a clear system in mind, have a set way of playing and stick to it regardless of the opposition. Sometimes it doesn't work and they get beat but they're doing alright out of it.

Actually the majority of sides to get out of this league do so with a clear defined way of playing and keep changes to a minimum. When Burnley did it they never changed their team except on the rare occasions they picked up injuries.

It's a confused mess and I don't think the manager or squad are good enough to keep chopping and changing 3 times a game, we just end up disjointed and confused.

[roversfan99]

Ultimately he came out and went all guns blazing on the players post match, but ultimately the team he put out had absolutely nothing in the way of competent defenders on the pitch. If Raya had been taught all week how to finish and he played him up front, would Mowbray have any place calling him out for not scoring. No. Playing that flimsy defence and keeper will always struggle to defend as a unit. Mowbray needs to look at himself and how hes ended up with such a defence.

He bemoaned the lack of our one player on Saturday who enjoys heading the ball away. Behave Tony, its hardly an injury crisis to be without one centre back, that shouldnt leave you with no option but to go with a tired and tested Rodwell and Mulgrew combination that simply doesnt work. This is your squad now, why do you still only have one centre back who will head the ball away? Mowbrays most staunch supporters will point to the potential of a Bauer deal not going through last summer. Why was Mowbrays plan B to sign a midfielder on a year contract to try and "convert" him into a defender? 

And its ok saying he "knows what we need" in the summer but what evidence is there to suggest he is the man to fix it? Calling for more time and resources shouldnt be at all required. Hes had 2 years, 4 windows and well over 10 million. Whereas a good manager builds from the back, hes spent less than 500k on defenders. The only centre back hes signed was for peanuts, and is very much a steady League 1 defender and no more, the very fact that so many are bemoaning his absence now weve carelessly loaned him out says plenty about whats still at the club. Its a slap in the face to have a 7m striker twiddling his thumbs on the bench as we chase a goal due to poor defending. Its negligence over a long period of time under Mowbray thats ended up in the sorry state we see today.

We seemed to be a well drilled team in many aspects last season, often capable of winning when not at our best. It seems that was solely based on having superior attacking players.

[DE.]

1 hour ago, RoversClitheroe said:

For me the performance against Rotherham has left me scratching my head.

Rotherham one of the tallest teams in the division and we play long ball? Mowbray is the man that said he wants to play a nice style of football. Playing long ball against a tall team baffles me.

We have 0 recognised defenders yet plays 3 at the back? 

I struggle with the logic. 

We're joint highest for long balls in the league, so I don't think we know how to play any other way. 

[tomphil]

42 minutes ago, arbitro said:

On Saturday Mowbray started with a back four, after about ten minutes went to a three and at the start of the second half went back to a four. I haven't a flaming clue why. There doesn't seem to be any logic to some of his decisions but he is content to name players who are making mistakes.

Is he making all the decisions though ?  A point discussed recently and prompted by his comments about how much influence the seniors have.  Are the constant changes him over ruling them or the other way around ?

I still back him but in his time here it really looks like he wouldn't know a settled team and formation if one slapped him in the chops.

[47er]

19 hours ago, chaddyrovers said:

involved in discussing Rovers last night? friends of yours? 

The poll is quite clearly that the vast majority are right behind and majority are 100% behind him. Clearly you aren't. 

Nope there is none at all in the ground. 

not sure they will be many suitors for him

Why Madness? cos you don't agree with it. 

The deal for me was spot on and year less than I would have like to see. 

Chaddy----all managers are judged on results! Was always so, will always be so.If we were relegated (and had normal owners) the manager would be sacked.

Have you ever known a club get rid of the players and keep the manager? Sadly for us, the rest of the Championship managers have worked this manager and therefore this  team out.

How bad do results have to get before you have at least some doubts? 1 point out of 18 remember.

[arbitro]

1 hour ago, tomphil said:

Is he making all the decisions though ?  A point discussed recently and prompted by his comments about how much influence the seniors have.  Are the constant changes him over ruling them or the other way around ?

I still back him but in his time here it really looks like he wouldn't know a settled team and formation if one slapped him in the chops.

I would have thought that any in game changes are down to Mowbray with perhaps some input from his coaching staff. On Saturday he changed our defensive shape twice in a short space of time. In my opinion his constant tweaking and changing of personnel and tactics is confusing the players. I would imagine that all week in training they worked on defensive shape which they started with and within ten minutes of the game starting he changes it and a short time later goes back to the original formation. 

Baffling.

[Angry_Pirate]

The ironic thing is that the only reason people aren't calling for the manager to be sacked is because of "blind loyalty" to what he has done for the club the past two years. The exact same problem the manager has with this team and his biggest failing.

The manager has blind loyalty with his League 1 players, staff and tactics and many fans have blind loyalty to a manager who has blind loyalty to League 1 players, staff and tactics. We will be back in League 1 in 18 months if one or all of these things don't change before the summer.

Mowbray as manager is currently no better for our team than Smallw*nk, Bennett and Williams are on the pitch, or Benson is in training.

A new manager will not be loyal to these underperforming players, therefore as fans we shouldn't act the same towards a manager.

Loyalty gets you nowhere when it is clear you are loyal to the wrong cause.

Edited March 4, 2019 by Angry_Pirate

[DE.]

16 minutes ago, 47er said:

Chaddy----all managers are judged on results! Was always so, will always be so.If we were relegated (and had normal owners) the manager would be sacked.

Have you ever known a club get rid of the players and keep the manager? Sadly for us, the rest of the Championship managers have worked this manager and therefore this  team out.

How bad do results have to get before you have at least some doubts? 1 point out of 18 remember.

Since Nov 10 we've managed 19 points out of a possible 57, with almost all of those coming in January (during which we also somewhat amazingly kept three clean sheets in a row, although those were against Ipswich, Milwall and Hull). We've shipped 35 goals and scored 28 in the last 19 games.

[Pedro]

9 hours ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

Mentally weak teams concede goals at the end of the game, mentally strong teams score goals at the end of the game.  That hasn't changed in all the time I've been watching football.

Exactly.  It really is that simple. 

[Pedro]

6 hours ago, DE. said:

Since Nov 10 we've managed 19 points out of a possible 57, with almost all of those coming in January (during which we also somewhat amazingly kept three clean sheets in a row, although those were against Ipswich, Milwall and Hull). We've shipped 35 goals and scored 28 in the last 19 games.

Please stop with stats like that. I'm depressed enough.