Rovers vs Stoke City, 06/04/18, Ewood Park, 3pm Kick Off.

[Guest]

Dont think mowbray realises theres actually less space for AA on the wing than up front...

Theres nowhere he can run into, he's against quicker opponents, AND hes further from goal. 

[SBlue]

Just now, blueboy3333 said:

That's got a lot to do with where he plays. I've not seen his chance today but he's rarely played in on goal. When he has been played in,  like his goal against Wigan last season at home and the goal this season when he cut inside at the DE and rolled it in the corner,  he finishes brilliantly. Unfortunately Mowbray has built a team that does nothing but hoof it up front. AA needs to play on the shoulder of the last man with some players behind him who can pass the ball. When he does he'll hopefully look a different player. 

Agree about the joke that is the BB deal. 

Getting towards the kind of football that gets the best out of the Armstrong’s,Brereton’s and Rothwell’s is going to take some major surgery.

 

A change of formation, a change of intent and approach to games, and likely dropping DG.

I don’t expect these things to feasibly happen until preseason.

[DE.]

Just now, S8 & Blue said:

Getting towards the kind of football that gets the best out of the Armstrong’s,Brereton’s and Rothwell’s is going to take some major surgery.

 

A change of formation, a change of intent and approach to games, and likely dropping DG.

I don’t expect these things to feasibly happen until preseason.

Realistically all of the above is also going to take a change of manager. There's no sign of us getting there under TM, and it's been nearly two and a half years now. He's brought in the players to do it, but shows no desire to change our style of play at all. It's really disappointing how little our play has progressed, particularly this season. 

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

2 hours ago, DaveyB said:

I agree to an extent, I’d love to see D Johnson given a chance, especially with the raft of exciting youngsters we have coming through. 

But, where we differ, is that I think Mowbray deserves an opportunity to see if he can turn things around. I’m not sure that he can, but last season and the first half of this one tells me he can get more out of the players than he is currently getting and I think he’s earnt some patience.

I’m also not convinced that our current style of play is Mowbray’s preferred style. I think he adopted something of a horses for courses approach last season and then decided to stick with it at the start of this rather than risk upsetting the balance of the squad by trying to change it too much. I’m interested to see if, given a full pre-season and the opportunity to bring players in over the summer, he can change it. Personally, I’d give him the summer and then review things at the end of September. 

Our " current style of play ", would you like to describe it for me ?

[Stuart]

Just now, S8 & Blue said:

Getting towards the kind of football that gets the best out of the Armstrong’s,Brereton’s and Rothwell’s is going to take some major surgery.

 

A change of formation, a change of intent and approach to games, and likely dropping DG.

I don’t expect these things to feasibly happen until preseason.

Despite being a fan, I actually think dropping Graham to the bench next season is the right thing to do.

He is another year older but could become the direct option for later on in games where we are struggling. Less time on the pitch to get the most out of him.

[Oldgregg86]

Just now, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

Our " current style of play ", would you like to describe it for me ?

Shite

[SBlue]

Just now, DE. said:

Realistically all of the above is also going to take a change of manager. There's no sign of us getting there under TM, and it's been nearly two and a half years now. He's brought in the players to do it, but shows no desire to change our style of play at all. It's really disappointing how little our play has progressed, particularly this season. 

Ergo why I’m only just getting on the concern train.

Nothing today felt like we were trying to get out of our comfort zone.

The attritional, team spirit percentage play has taken us a long way so far. , and I love that style. But we missed that one spark we need in Dack.

Im really worried that the fight and belief wasn’t there.

Last season’s Benno could have played in goal and kept a clean sheet. 

Today he was asked to dictate our attack and looked like he couldn’t be arsed.

 

Id have taken a 3-0 loss today with Brereton, Chapman, Rothwell, Travis, Buckley.

 

Judging from the post match comments, TM is more worried about Rotherham than we’d like to think.

 

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

7 hours ago, blueboy3333 said:

You had too much to dream last night.

You've been on the Electric Prunes again !

[SBlue]

Just now, Stuart said:

Despite being a fan, I actually think dropping Graham to the bench next season is the right thing to do.

He is another year older but could become the direct option for later on in games where we are struggling. Less time on the pitch to get the most out of him.

I don’t think TM thinks we are safe, therefore DG starts and we revert to the “trusted” lads.

 

But DG is really not mobile enough to get the best out of our attackers bar Dack.

Not many read the game like Brad.

 

Danny needs to start seeing the bench a bit more, and surely has to next season.

Edited April 6, 2019 by S8 & Blue

[OJRovers]

Where is Ben Gladwin? Genuinely couldn’t be any worse than Bennett at number 10 if Dack’s head has gone.

[DE.]

Just now, S8 & Blue said:

Ergo why I’m only just getting on the concern train.

Nothing today felt like we were trying to get out of our comfort zone.

The attritional, team spirit percentage play has taken us a long way so far. , and I love that style. But we missed that one spark we need in Dack.

Im really worried that the fight and belief wasn’t there.

Last season’s Benno could have played in goal and kept a clean sheet. 

Today he was asked to dictate our attack and looked like he couldn’t be arsed.

 

Id have taken a 3-0 loss today with Brereton, Chapman, Rothwell, Travis, Buckley.

 

Judging from the post match comments, TM is more worried about Rotherham than we’d like to think.

 

TM is worried about everybody. We could be playing Harrogate next week and he'd be fretting over their right back and working out ways to stop him.

Up until November you could have described us as attritional, industrial, or whatever else is said to describe teams that work hard but have no set style of play. Since then, though, we've seen countless individual errors, poor performances and generally bad play. Where was our team spirit when we were hammered by Wigan, Preston or Brentford? Away from home especially we seem to have no appetite at all. 

What's confusing is that if we were planning to be an industrious, direct team, why in the world were we bringing in Rothwell, Palmer, Armstrong, Brereton, etc? These are players for an entirely different style of play which TM has shown no evidence of wanting to play. I can't understand the rationale behind our recruitment, let alone where we're supposed to be going as a team. This is why I have such major reservations about giving TM another summer transfer window. 

[SBlue]

Just now, OJRovers said:

Where is Ben Gladwin? Genuinely couldn’t be any worse than Bennett at number 10 if Dack’s head has gone.

He fell in the Vince Grella hole.

[G Somerset Rover]

Just now, OJRovers said:

Where is Ben Gladwin? Genuinely couldn’t be any worse than Bennett at number 10 if Dack’s head has gone.

Wash your mouth out! He’s played about 5 mins in 3 seasons. In saying that he’s more talented than Dack, as he’ll tell you.

[SBlue]

Just now, DE. said:

TM is worried about everybody. We could be playing Harrogate next week and he'd be fretting over their right back and working out ways to stop him.

Up until November you could have described us as attritional, industrial, or whatever else is said to describe teams that work hard but have no set style of play. Since then, though, we've seen countless individual errors, poor performances and generally bad play. Where was our team spirit when we were hammered by Wigan, Preston or Brentford? Away from home especially we seem to have no appetite at all. 

What's confusing is that if we were planning to be an industrious, direct team, why in the world were we bringing in Rothwell, Palmer, Armstrong, Brereton, etc? These are players for an entirely different style of play which TM has shown no evidence of wanting to play. I can't understand the rationale behind our recruitment, let alone where we're supposed to be going as a team. This is why I have such major reservations about giving TM another summer transfer window. 

It is odd.

TM signs some very exciting young forwards. But they aren’t integral to the first team yet.

I think they are good young players, and I’m happy to let him stockpile a few more.

But I’d like him to start bloody using them.

[USABlue]

I am so mad right now I best stay away a couple days.

[Leonard Venkhater]

14 minutes ago, S8 & Blue said:

Ergo why I’m only just getting on the concern train.

Nothing today felt like we were trying to get out of our comfort zone.

The attritional, team spirit percentage play has taken us a long way so far. , and I love that style. But we missed that one spark we need in Dack.

Im really worried that the fight and belief wasn’t there.

Last season’s Benno could have played in goal and kept a clean sheet. 

Today he was asked to dictate our attack and looked like he couldn’t be arsed.

 

Id have taken a 3-0 loss today with Brereton, Chapman, Rothwell, Travis, Buckley.

 

Judging from the post match comments, TM is more worried about Rotherham than we’d like to think.

 

5

So am I

[Blue blood]

Some interesting comments. Not sure I see what others see in Armstrong - I think he has potential, but I also think it's a fair way from being realized either up front or out wide. Strikes me currently as someone whose level is  a bit above league 1 but below championship. However, like with many of our players, it's likely a better manager could get something from the "raw ingredients" of Armstrong, should he fit that style. As it is, his limited ability combined with our playing style of humping it long means it's another player whose weaknesses are highlighted. A genuine wide player like Chapman or Rothwell who can scrap a bit more in his place would both probably get more change from the current set up. 

Not sure I'd be planning on getting rid of Graham anytime soon. I think he would be great foil for any half decent strike partner in this division, and would also work fairly well if we got genuine wingers and some decent crosses in. I think it's a bit of a myth that we hump it long because Graham isn't that mobile. We hump it long because bar Dack there's scarcely a half decent pass among the midfield and defense. Time will catch up with him eventually and we do need to start thinking ling term about replacements - but blimey we've problems all over the shop, including getting some decent competition for him, before we even consider dropping him 

 

[AAK]

1 hour ago, blueboy3333 said:

That's got a lot to do with where he plays. I've not seen his chance today but he's rarely played in on goal. When he has been played in,  like his goal against Wigan last season at home and the goal this season when he cut inside at the DE and rolled it in the corner,  he finishes brilliantly. Unfortunately Mowbray has built a team that does nothing but hoof it up front. AA needs to play on the shoulder of the last man with some players behind him who can pass the ball. When he does he'll hopefully look a different player. 

Agree about the joke that is the BB deal. 

Armstrong is shite , simple as, he was shite for bolton and barnsley at this level, he really is crap.

Edited April 6, 2019 by AAK

[blueboy3333]

Just now, AAK said:

Armstrong is shite , simple as, he was shite for bolton and barnsley at this level, he really is crap.

Excellent discussion. Cheers. 

[bigbrandjohn]

1 hour ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

You've been on the Electric Prunes again !

Is the thread to get me to the World on time?

[Neal]

I think people are a bit harsh on Arma. Lad was unlucky hitting the bar and I can think of quite a few efforts this season that he's had that have hit the woodwork. At times this season he's looked unplayable. I question the managers use of him to be honest, if he's not created anything out wide he should have been given opportunities in the last 15-20 mins through the middle instead, few times have we seen his pace up top playing on the shoulder. To critisise him out of all the dross we have... It's definatley harsh. 

[SBlue]

1 hour ago, Blue blood said:

 

Not sure I'd be planning on getting rid of Graham anytime soon. I think he would be great foil for any half decent strike partner in this division, and would also work fairly well if we got genuine wingers and some decent crosses in. I think it's a bit of a myth that we hump it long because Graham isn't that mobile. We hump it long because bar Dack there's scarcely a half decent pass among the midfield and defense. Time will catch up with him eventually and we do need to start thinking ling term about replacements - but blimey we've problems all over the shop, including getting some decent competition for him, before we even consider dropping him 

 

First bold - that partnership has been with Dack. And has contributed to most of our decent attacking play for a couple of years. 

We were so lost without Bradley in the final third today, so much possession with zero spark, movement, or creativity.

That leads me to...

Second bold - 

I think we need to change it up. We need a complete revamp of formation.

Big man knock down is a dying tactic, and we’ve seen teams (as today) completely nullify us by keeping Graham quiet. Take him off or he isn’t winning his battles, or we don’t have a Ona ride class player playing off him and we can’t defend either because we’ve no way through the lines.

These are the biggest issues for me that need addressing -

How do we play if we don’t have Dack, and if we can’t replace Graham?

I find it hard to identify any player I’ve seen recently that can play that role as well as DG.

He’ll be almost impossible to replace.

 

Thats why I was so disappointed today in how we just did the same stuff but worse than ever.

The definition of huff and puff without D & G both on song.

 

 

Edited April 7, 2019 by S8 & Blue

[@roverseas]

Bah! Another bland performance by Rovers, I am with the players... I can not wait for the season to end.  We need a reboot... kinda like Batman or Ghostbusters. We need fresh ideas, whether its from the staff or a fresh batch of players.  The tried and trusted method can only last so long, and it appears the idea tank is running low.  I am on the "MOWBRAY REMAIN" campaign and hope he has a productive transfer window to bring it the defensive reinforcements we have been lacking since we were relegated nearly 24 months ago.  Stoke seemed boring today, but they got the basics right. DEFENSE DEFENSE DEFENSE. Fix that and who knows. Thoughts from the gaffa, the fans and more.

 

[rossyrover]

Awful at Ewood  against Stoke thought man of the match had to be David Raya as all the outfield players were well below par also missed Bradley Dack for his getting on to those Danny Graham knock downs survival in this division going to be touch and go at this rate rovers need a win from somewhere. 

[SBlue]

Let’s hope the reboot is more Batman and less Ghostbusters, eh @roverseas?

 

Mowbray to be more of a Chris Nolan; and less of a fake, studio dictated sham with a glossy veneer.

 

It could go either way tbh.

Edited April 7, 2019 by S8 & Blue