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

[AllRoverAsia]

7 hours ago, Stuart said:

Why lie?

“Bradley walked off training on Thursday feeling his hamstring," Mowbray added.

"Experience tells me that he can’t say his hamstring is 100% only two days later.

“We wanted to give him some treatment and time to make sure that the first time he sprints in a game he pulls up and misses the rest of the season.

“We shouldn’t risk him and that was what we went for."

https://www.rovers.co.uk/news/2019/april/boss-offers-mulgrew-and-dack-injury-update/

That needs to be read slowly.

It is probably what Mowbray actually said and not poor editing at roves.co.uk

[Fraserkirky]

There was nothing shocking about today at all, it’s the same as it’s been for weeks and months. Eye bleeeding football going forward and a soft touch at the back. So slow in possession it’s brutal. 

I thought Raya, Lenihan and Rothwell all had decent games and Travis when he came on played well. I would keep Nyambe, and everyone else is disposable IMO. Graham should be used from the bench at this stage of his career. I could have told you there was something wrong with Dack months ago, his body language has been shocking and has played with effort in spurts. He will be gone soon.

Play the fecking kids Tony, at least we can see a plan. 

Bennett was embarrassing today, Evans back to his usual disappearing act. 

[Gamst]

I struggle to understand why he doesn't put Chapman on the bench? At least it would give us a bit of flair and pace when chasing a game (which is every game...). Especially with Dack missing yesterday. It makes no sense. 

[arbitro]

Mowbray has gone public twice in recent weeks about Rothwell not tracking back and insulted the player by calling him a little boy. He used Bennett and Conway as examples of getting back to help defensively.

So (in true Mowbray "I know best" fashion) yesterday he played Rothwell out wide and Bennett as number ten. At times Mowbray is a walking, talking contradiction with his ramblings.

After an hour yesterday there was a summit between Mowbray, Venus and Lowe and I fully expected a change of shape with two positive changes. On 73 minutes he goes like for like with Travis for Smallwood and on 77 minutes Brereton for Nyambe. When I saw the board go up I thought we'd go to three at the back but Bennett went to full back and I still don't know where Brereton was supposed to be playing. As far as I'm concerned it's another example of the absolute fear with which Mowbray manages. 

[Mattyblue]

That Beetlejuice in the LT comments said Williams received a load of abuse when he came on?

Did anyone else hear that?

[sharpysharps86]

I think a lineup against Derby that's similar to yesterday will be the tipping point for many. Would love to see this lineup:

Raya

Nyambe, Lenihan,  Rodwell, Bell

Travis,  Reed

Chapman, Dack, Rothwell

Graham

Aside from the 2nd half implosion against Brentford I think Lenihan and Rodwell are the best pairing we can go with for now...while Graham will be continuously starved of service until we actually put some creativity into those 3 midfielders that need to support him.

Edited April 7, 2019 by sharpysharps86

[AllRoverAsia]

26 minutes ago, sharpysharps86 said:

I think a lineup against Derby that's similar to yesterday will be the tipping point for many. Would love to see this lineup:

Raya

Nyambe, Lenihan,  Rodwell, Bell

Travis,  Reed

Chapman, Dack, Rothwell

Graham

Aside from the 2nd half implosion against Brentford I think Lenihan and Rodwell are the best pairing we can go with for now...while Graham will be continuously starved of service until we actually put some creativity into those 3 midfielders that need to support him.

Tony's reaction on seeing that team selection

[Don Said]

Missed my first home game of the season yesterday so can’t comment on the game itself.

But I refuse to believe we selected Bennett at number 10. Can’t believe my eyes. I’d play most of the squad in that position before him. What were you thinking Tony? Benno’s been awful all season offering nothing, particularly going forward. Last game at Villa he was the worst player on the park by a distance. Couldn’t do anything right. He gets rewarded by arguably playing the most important position on the pitch, a place he’s never played and obviously can’t play? An actual football manager put him there, thinking it would be the right move? There is NO logic to it. Really angry with that. Amateur. By all accounts he didn’t do well but even if he’d had the game of his life the selection would still be baffling. Tony you’re losing the plot pal. Sort it out.

[Mattyblue]

Rothwell doesn’t do enough defensively, apparently, to help the full back when played wide. Bennett certainly does, as his ‘engine’ for getting up and down the flank is probably his best (only?) quality.

Rothwell likes to roam the pitch and play  ‘between the lines’.

So, who does he play as number 10 and who does he play wide?

Edited April 7, 2019 by Mattyblue

[G Somerset Rover]

Bennet’s best position is in front of a keyboard. 

[Neal]

12 hours ago, DaveyB said:

I disagree. We won’t get relegated this season (because of the points that Mowbray and the team garnered earlier in the season). 

If we start next season in the same form as we are ending this one then I’ll be right there with you in calling for his head

Since he took over he's not put his own stamp on the team at all, a few face changes perhaps but he's still dependant on the players Coyle and Lambert signed which took us down... Who have already proved aren't good enough for this league and will only mean one thing. 

 

He so often says on thing and does another. Back in February he said Rothwell and Brereton will get more games, since then both have had the sum total of 3 starts, Rothwell has 2 but only since Sheff Wednesday. 

 

He has no faith in many of his own signings. Will do anything to play Bennett at the expense of players like Harry Chapman or even Rothwell who should have been a natural replacement for Dack. 

 

Has absolutely no involvement in the European transfer market, says that its something they're looking to explore but in typical Mowbray style I can guarentuee (if he's still here in the summer) he wont make a single foreign signing. 

 

As a manager he's not learning from his previous managerial mistakes. Didn't sort out the defence at Coventry and played too many players out of position at Celtic. 

 

On current form, he's as bad as any manager we've had since we've been relegated. A much nicer bloke mind but that counts for little in football. 

[Neal]

1 hour ago, arbitro said:

Mowbray has gone public twice in recent weeks about Rothwell not tracking back and insulted the player by calling him a little boy. He used Bennett and Conway as examples of getting back to help defensively.

So (in true Mowbray "I know best" fashion) yesterday he played Rothwell out wide and Bennett as number ten. At times Mowbray is a walking, talking contradiction with his ramblings.

After an hour yesterday there was a summit between Mowbray, Venus and Lowe and I fully expected a change of shape with two positive changes. On 73 minutes he goes like for like with Travis for Smallwood and on 77 minutes Brereton for Nyambe. When I saw the board go up I thought we'd go to three at the back but Bennett went to full back and I still don't know where Brereton was supposed to be playing. As far as I'm concerned it's another example of the absolute fear with which Mowbray manages. 

Not an idea between 3 of them seemingly. His back room staff concern me as much as he does. They're all prehistoric in their methods. 

Edited April 7, 2019 by Neal

[JHRover]

As the summer approaches I think Mowbray is picking his side with a non-football agenda in mind. The exclusion of Harrison Reed, who is arguably our best midfield player and as versatile and better than Bennett isn't to do with his performances or ability, it is to do with the strong likelihood he won't be here next season or has grown fed up with Mowbray's tinkering at his expense. His impending departure doesn't fit with Mowbray's 'commitment' mantra which he seems to attach great weight to which is why he starts Bennett and Smallwood. The curious case of Jack Rodwell - signed in the summer to play CB yet when Mulgrew gets injured he brings on Derrick Williams - again I suspect is probably motivated in part by non-footballing factors - does he trigger a new contract if he plays more games?

The continual movement of Bennett around the team and his staunch refusal to ever drop him is becoming a parody now. I like Bennett - he can play in a few positions and his effort can't be questioned and I'm sure he's a 'leader' in the dressing room - but he's now played in something like 6 different positions at various times in the last couple of months - off Graham, CM, LM, RM, RB and LWB. Is Mowbray trying to show everyone just how versatile Bennett is by moving him here there and everywhere? Is he so determined to have him in the XI that he'll play him ANYWHERE? It's beyond strange but I don't believe it is actually doing Bennett or us any good. Like a few others he would benefit from having to earn a place in the team, be dropped if he doesn't play well or be given a run in his best position and play there for a while - you can say the same for Travis, Reed and Armstrong.

Edited April 7, 2019 by JHRover

[Mattyblue]

I imagine Rodwell is in the same boat as Reed, TM has probably heard from him or his ‘people’ that he won’t be here next season.

Edited April 7, 2019 by Mattyblue

[K-Hod]

13 hours ago, Paul Mellelieu said:

What a pack of Dacks.

Have you anything real to add, or are you just going to continue to passive aggressively slag people off that you don’t agree with? 

[Oldgregg86]

2 hours ago, sharpysharps86 said:

I think a lineup against Derby that's similar to yesterday will be the tipping point for many. Would love to see this lineup:

Raya

Nyambe, Lenihan,  Rodwell, Bell

Travis,  Reed

Chapman, Dack, Rothwell

Graham

Aside from the 2nd half implosion against Brentford I think Lenihan and Rodwell are the best pairing we can go with for now...while Graham will be continuously starved of service until we actually put some creativity into those 3 midfielders that need to support him.

I'd argue That's the team everyone wants to see

[BlackburnEnd75]

I’ve been quite critical of Mowbray this last month, but I’ve always wanted him to turn things around. Yesterday was the final straw for me. He just doesn’t get it, yesterday had a bit of everything from him

Bennett as a 10? 

Needlessly negative with only 1 attacking option on the bench?

Smallwood and Evans starting centre mid with Travis and Reed on the bench?

Even when Mulgrew got injured (there’s another that deserves to be dropped now) he opted for Williams instead on of Rodwell, what’s the point in having a centre half on the bench if your not going to bring him on when one goes off injured? Could’ve used chapman or Butterworth off the bench to breath some life into the team.

He didn’t make a  tactical change until gone 70 mins. He didn’t make an attacking change until brereton came on with about 15 mins to go, it was quite pathetic.

just drab turgid stuff as usual. Mowbray says that there’s not been a visible drop of in our performances. Remember Hull at home Tony what absolute nonsense.

the way we’re going we’ll get relegated next season 

 

[tomphil]

You only do what he does with Bennett when you are in the midst of some humungous injury crisis and it's all hands to the pump.  What he's doing is desperately shoe horning him into the side every game just for the sake of it. Like I said the other day it's insulting to fans now when there are other options.

That's not a dig at Bennett it's a dig at the manager who clearly is terrified of either upsetting his pecking order or putting faith in his other players.

[Waggy76]

1 hour ago, Mattyblue said:

I imagine Rodwell is in the same boat as Reed, TM has probably heard from him or his ‘people’ that he won’t be here next season.

I wouldn't be too sure about Rodwell ,not going to attract much better , he can play but is very fragile ..

[JacknOry]

Firmly in the he has to go camp now. That lineup was diabolical for a home game against another team in a poor run of form. 

[roversfan99]

An absolutely depressing and dispiriting performance against a Stoke side not in great form either but one playing almost within itself knowing we were never going to score in a month of Sundays.

Not going to get into the Dack conspiracies, lying, pissed up etc, for me all I saw yesterday was we need Dack far more than we ever realised, Graham was playing in a different postcode to the rest of the team.

To play a midfield trio with a combined goal tally of one was never going to work, was predictably ineffective against a much better 3 on their side of Allen, Etebo and Bojan, and summed up our lethargic, slow, monotonous, predictable and mind numbingly boring display. 

Bennett is the new Jason Lowe, and fans seem to be realising that. Rather than take Bennett off, the manager will always opt to simply take someone off in a different position and move Bennett there. His crossing was even worse than the general standard of crossing across the team and thats saying something.

The worst player had to be Bell however, he really is a terrible defender, his lack of willingness to close Ince down was really poor but weve seen it time and time again with him. His reluctance to ever drive forward with the ball is so infuriating too.

Raya deserves credit for 2 superb saves and deserved man of the match although I though he was poor for the goal. Not sure how Lenihan got man of the match, kept kicking the ball out of play. Age has caught up with Mulgrew, a mistake and an injury a further sign that a new deal was a poor choice. Nyambe was again all at sea too.

Rothwell to be honest did little substantial but was the only player in a Rovers shirt who had any sort of urgency, any sort of motivation to make something happen, although he didnt really manage to. Armstrong again seemed to play within himself bar one good shot,

Not one aspect of the side doesnt require reinforcements, a horrible indictment on Mowbrays recruitment. Need a new keeper really, Mowbray signed Leutweiler. Need new full backs on both sides, Mowbray signed Bell which hasnt worked. Mowbray signed Downing (before loaning him out) and a midfielder who he sees as a centre back, again, hasnt resolved our weak underbelly. He's signed plenty of midfielders but we are none the wiser on our best partnership in the middle, plus a lorry load of "wide forwards" leaving us woefully inept from wide positions, the crossing is a joke. And up front, despite signing Brereton, Armstrong Nuttall and the injured Samuel, only Graham is a reasonable option.

Yesterday was right up there with our frequent gutless performances this season. We had no idea what we were doing, and no real desire or urgency to create something, there was no grandstand finish. We wouldnt have scored if we were still playing now.

Edited April 7, 2019 by roversfan99

[MarkBRFC]

If we're drawing or a goal down when the board goes up at the end of 90 minutes you might aswell go home, coming upto 26 months since we last scored a injury time winner/equaliser in the league.

Edited April 7, 2019 by MarkBRFC

[SBlue]

Just now, MarkBRFC said:

If we're drawing or a goal down when the board goes up at the end of 90 minutes you might aswell go home, coming upto 26 months since we last scored a injury time winner/equaliser in the league.

You sit in the Riverside?

 

Because 90 mins seems late.

Edited April 7, 2019 by S8 & Blue

[RevidgeBlue]

1 hour ago, roversfan99 said:

Bennett is the new Jason Lowe, and fans seem to be realising that.

Yep, I find it amusing how people finally have finally cottoned on to how utterly useless these two particular players are about two years after I did!. Hopefully people will no longer think I was being peevish because said players were enjoying inappropriate relatiions with my better half.!

On a serious note it's no laughing matter though. Corry Evans was briefly sensational when he first joined the Club but after getting injured on international duty shortly thereafter he has been absolutely chronic yet for some reason he gets picked week in week out, month in month out season in season out and gets rewarded with pay rises and contract extensions and the like.

Ditto Bennett. He's been terrible ever since he joined the Club and has only ever briefly had a decent spell in central midfield in League 1. Even when he's having one of his better games he's merely completely ineffective.

Ditto Conway. Many years past his sell by date and awarded a new contract on purely sentimental grounds last summer.

Ditto Williams. How is he even considered for first team selection? There must be youngsters around the Club better than he is.

I don't understand it. Does the fact the manager likes all of the above and/or they're a good old bloke round the Club on a day to day basis completely blind the gaffer to what they're actually doing out on the pitch?

[K-Hod]

Just now, RevidgeBlue said:

Yep, I find it amusing how people finally have finally cottoned on to how utterly useless these two particular players are about two years after I did!. Hopefully people will no longer think I was being peevish because said players were enjoying inappropriate relatiions with my better half.!

On a serious note it's no laughing matter though. Corry Evans was briefly sensational when he first joined the Club but after getting injured on international duty shortly thereafter he has been absolutely chronic yet for some reason he gets picked week in week out, month in month out season in season out and gets rewarded with pay rises and contract extensions and the like.

Ditto Bennett. He's been terrible ever since he joined the Club and has only ever briefly had a decent spell in central midfield in League 1. Even when he's having one of his better games he's merely completely ineffective.

Ditto Conway. Many years past his sell by date and awarded a new contract on purely sentimental grounds last summer.

Ditto Williams. How is he even considered for first team selection? There must be youngsters around the Club better than he is.

I don't understand it. Does the fact the manager likes all of the above and/or they're a good old bloke round the Club on a day to day basis completely blind the gaffer to what they're actually doing out on the pitch?

I know he's a limited footballer, but Jesus Christ!