Rovers away at Villa this Saturday: 30th March - KO - 3pm

[Proudtobeblue&white]

Apologies for my tardiness in bringing you the review. I have been waiting for my dopey Villa mate to reply to an email I sent him on the 13th of this month!

This is the email I sent, and as luck would have it, I have just received a reply: Thanks Rick and son Scott.

 

"I have said I will do the website preview of our game at your place week on Saturday, sort of an update to the game at ours......if you and Scott could pitch in again and answer these very in depth questions!

 Spookily, we meet again, this time at your place following an international break. What a difference a few months make....15^th September it was, in front of the Sky cameras, where your man Hourihane scored a fantastic late free kick to equalise 1-1, Dack’s goal for us. I think we just shaded it that day! We were 12^th and 13^th respectively, with nine points each. A crowd of 15,982 attended, and you brought 3,998.

Our fortunes have taken different paths since, you ditched Bruce, we have persevered with Mowbray, you currently sit in the last play off place, on a good run of form. Since a great January, and a manager, kiss of death, of the month award, save for the recent Wigan game, have found life tough, and sit 17^th, 10-points behind you.

 

Q. You weren’t enamoured with Bruce when we last spoke, what is the general view of Dean Smith?

A. Dean Smith is playing some exciting stuff particularly since he sorted our defence with the loan of Mings and Hause.  General feel is he is doing a good job and is capable of winning promotion but will be a bit of a risk if we do make the EPL
 

Q. Is the play offs now your best hope of promotion, looking at the gap between the top three and yourselves? If so, it’s still a lottery....hopeful your momentum will carry you through?

A. Agree playoffs are our best hope.  We can beat anyone on our day so just depends on which Villa turn up
 

Q. You mentioned half a dozen names to look out for, who have been your players of the season, so far?

A Early season is was Abraham who couldn’t stop scoring but the return of Jack Gealish after 3 month injury has been a revelation. We’re a different side when he plays.  Mings has also been fantastic since we loaned him in January
 

Q. Unlike us, I think you have brought in a couple in the transfer window, are they making a difference?

Mings and Hause have been excellent and regular starters since Jan.
 

Q. I’m not going to ask you to give me a tip for the Grand National, based on your tips for top six and bottom three, but would you agree it looks like one from Leeds (hope not), Norwich and Sheff Utd to go up. With the W*nkys, and Ipswich looking doomed, you might be right about Reading?

A I think Leeds will be playoffs but if its not us I think WBA will make it.
 

Q. We have had very good away followings generally, but with our season petering out, a £30 price tag for adults, it remains to be seen whether we sell our initial 1,500 allocation. What sort of attendances have you been getting, and has your recent run sparked re-enthusiasm?

A Typical attendances have been 35000ish at home. No surprise really as Villa can always fill the stadium when the team is winning.  Even a Bruce side was getting 27000 and they were terrible to watch
 

Q. I think it’s fair to say, with your recent form, and our total inability to defend, many on here fear a bit of a thumping. Your prediction?

 

I went 2-1 home win at Ewood. If we lose by less than two, I would be happy! Though I did get the crowd spot on, predicting 16,000!

A. I think Villa win by 3-1 or 3-0

 

Q. How are your owners doing? Has the new CEO made a difference?

Owners have backed the club putting about £50m in so far in shares. They are professional sports owners with plenty of cash but the financial muscle wont really count unless we get promoted.  So far, the team they have employed look good and unlike our previous chairmen, letting the team do the talking
 

Thanks for updating us, and good luck for the rest of the season!"

So there it is, to be read in conjunction with the home preview. Been to Villa a few times, never been a problem. Hope all that go don't witness a 'mare. We might even cause an upset........Dack, 92nd minute, and Smith buys him on the spot for 15 million with a shake of TM's hand?

Keep believing that the Loons will eventually leave! I do!

 

 

Edited March 26, 2019 by Proudtobeblue&white

[roversfan99]

Raya

Nyambe Lenihan Mulgrew Bell

Rodwell Travis

Chapman Dack Rothwell

Graham

Subs: Leutweiler, Armstrong, Brereton, Davenport, Evans, Reed, Butterworth/Buckley

Apparently Abraham has pulled out out England under 21 duty tonight with an injury so hopefully they will be without him.

Hoping to see Mowbray grow some bollocks ahead of Saturday. Villa are apparently weak at full back and I'm fed up of seeing the likes of Bennett, Conway and Reed out of position plodding up the line and creating precious little. With a little more room to maneovure due to being both safe and not within a chance of the play offs, why not experiment but in a positive way.

Dont see the point of having the likes of Conway, Smallwood, Williams and to a lesser extent Bennett taking up places in the 18. Would like to see Rodwell in midfield because he could merit a new deal if played in his correct position.

Raya played simply because Leutweiler wont be here next season.

[Proudtobeblue&white]

A couple of well thought out loans in January seems to have made a bit of a difference.....mmmm?

[chaddyrovers]

My team

                         Raya

Nyambe Lenihan Mulgrew Bell

                 Reed Travis

        Bennett Dack Rothwell

                    Graham

Subs:- Luetwiler Rodwell Buckley Armstrong Brereton Conway Chapman/Evans

Wouldnt be starting Chapman.

[TrentVilla]

 

Ming and Hause have made a huge difference to us since they arrived but Jack coming back is the thing that's transformed us, it just lifts the games of all around him by 10-15%. It is impossible to over state how important he is to us, Tammy has scored a lot of goals but I'd rather be without him than captain Jack.

I'm looking forward to watching Dack, just hope he doesn't play too well.

[Proudtobeblue&white]

8 minutes ago, TrentVilla said:

 

Ming and Hause have made a huge difference to us since they arrived but Jack coming back is the thing that's transformed us, it just lifts the games of all around him by 10-15%. It is impossible to over state how important he is to us, Tammy has scored a lot of goals but I'd rather be without him than captain Jack.

I'm looking forward to watching Dack, just hope he doesn't play too well.

Sorry, I wasn't blanking you, just a mate in my town who I play five-a-side with is a Villa fan and he helped me with the home game preview. You are on a roll, I just hope you come unstuck Saturday, but doubt it. Our defence is a massive problem.

[TrentVilla]

41 minutes ago, Proudtobeblue&white said:

Sorry, I wasn't blanking you, just a mate in my town who I play five-a-side with is a Villa fan and he helped me with the home game preview. You are on a roll, I just hope you come unstuck Saturday, but doubt it. Our defence is a massive problem.

Not a problem mate and I agree largely with his views.

In terms of the attendance, they've opened the top tier of the Trinity Road Stand, I wouldn't be surprised if its as high as 37'000 - 38'000.

[CrouchingNunhiddenCucumber]

We're going to get bummed, 6-2. Tony blames each player individually after the game and absolves himself completely. 

[K-Hod]

I think we're going to get smashed in tbh.....

[Don Said]

This game won't be pretty for Rovers. It's got that inevitable Arsenal away under Allardyce feel to it.

There's some real height in that Villa side from the centre backs & Abraham which will be grim at set pieces against our little laddies.

As well as that I'm sure their manager will know that if they run at us, we won't be able to cope with their wingers and tricky players like Grealish.

They'll be right up for it with a big crowd whereas it's all abit 'meh' for Rovers at the moment.

I'd be really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really surprised if we concede less than 3.

[AllRoverAsia]

It looks like Lenihan, Mulgrew and Rodwell will be available on Saturday.

That's the, I suppose,  good news. 

The bad news,  for us,  is that it looks like Tammy Abraham will be fit for Villa. 

I have no frigging idea how we will get on,  much will depend on what videos Mowbray has been looking at and what biscuits he's munching. 

[Tom]

Apathy set in a little for me I didn’t know who we were playing nor could I remember our last result 

Hope to see a bit of youth to ignite some excitement for next season be nice to see Chapman, Davenport and Brereton up and running before the season is out

Think we’ll get a result here, games after international fixtures are always a little unpredictable and imagine they have had more players away than we have 

[47er]

I think we'll get pasted.

[MarkBRFC]

Biggest home banker this weekend anywhere in England this one.

As it's my birthday on Sunday the misses has bought match & train tickets for me and my lad to go, cheers I think.

4-1 Villa, our goal coming in the 86th minute.

[chaddyrovers]

Glad to see Rovers fans positive as always 

[MarkBRFC]

Just now, chaddyrovers said:

Glad to see Rovers fans positive as always 

Realistic I'd say from what we have seen with our eyes over the past 6/7 weeks, instead of being deluded.

[rigger]

This will be the game that makes us safe and busts a thousand coupons. 0-2 Rovers.

[roversfan99]

Just now, chaddyrovers said:

Glad to see Rovers fans positive as always 

It tends to wear fans down watching shite for 2 months now, especially with the season being all but over already. We cant defend and one thing that could rectify an inevitably dull season conclusion would be to play exciting players but I suspect his favourites will remain in the team until seasons end. 

[Tom Stinny]

Heavy loss here and the same old dull players used and the manager should be sacked for me.

 

I'd rather loose and play Chapman, Buckley and the likes than loose and play Smallwood, Evans and Bennet.

 

Think I'd even have Conway on the wing before Bennet which says a lot about Bennet. Brilliant marathon runner. Poor football player.

[CD_93]

No excuses not to hit the ground running here.

Here's hoping for a bit of conviction from the players and a bit of creativity from the manager.

[Ewood Ace]

                                 Leutwiler

                 Rodwell   Lenihan  Mulgrew

Nyambe                                                           Bell

                         Reed            Travis

                                    Dack

                  Armstrong         Graham

 

Subs: Raya, Magloire, Rankin-Costello, Evans, Chapman, Rothwell, Nuttall

[Guest]

Another 4 goals shipped, if we're lucky.

[Don Said]

24 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

Glad to see Rovers fans positive as always 

That's an unfair snipe, Chaddy.

Villa have won their last 4 games and are creeping in to the play offs. In their last two games at Villa Park they've taken apart Derby 4-0 and Boro 3-0; two teams who are much higher up and better than us.

Meanwhile Rovers are on a horrific away run, we've conceded 16 in our last 5 away games which is insane.

So putting 2+2 together.....

As others have said it's not being negative, just the likelihood based on our current situation.

[K-Hod]

54 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

Glad to see Rovers fans positive as always 

Strange comment. We're playing a team in considerably better form than we are, who have a better team than we have,  so people expect us to lose en masse, fancy that? Surely, that isn't difficult to understand?

Edited March 27, 2019 by K-Hod

[philipl]

Huge difference between losing and making a real scrap of it and getting beaten without a scrap.

Performance is all in this one.