Championship season 2019-20

[Stuart]

Here’s hoping today ends up being a point gained.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

1 hour ago, Stuart said:

I’ll just pop this here too...

That says a lot.

[HowieFive0]

14 minutes ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

That says a lot.

Well at least that puts to bed the myth  that we only ever turn up in the second half 

[Cherry Blue]

Quote

Preston have equalised ☹️

 

[Sparks Rover]

35 minutes ago, HowieFive0 said:

Well at least that puts to bed the myth  that we only ever turn up in the second half 

Which is a myth in itself 

[HowieFive0]

Just now, Sparks Rover said:

Which is a myth in itself 

It is now .

[Blue blood]

1 hour ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

That says a lot.

I think part of the reason we do poorly in the second half - not the fault for today's goals although it didn't help our game - is the lack of options from the bench who are any good to see out games. Today for example, who could we bring on to shore things up? What happens is a defender is having a poor game? How much trouble for the opposition strike force is Gally really going to provide? Where's the pace off the bench? Rovers have a plan B Graham, but outside of that, at the moment we have very few options to see out games and protect leads. Part of that is the injury crisis but part of that imo is an unbalanced squad. 

Along with our lack of a something out of nothing player, this is why I expect we won't get playoffs this year,  

 

[superniko]

So we had the hardest match of all our rivals this week.

Same distance from Fulham, Brentford and Forest.

1 point closer to Bristol City

2 points further from PNE

Pulled 1 away from Millwall and Cardiff.

Swansea closed the gap by 2 

 

[Stuart]

20 minutes ago, Blue blood said:

I think part of the reason we do poorly in the second half - not the fault for today's goals although it didn't help our game - is the lack of options from the bench who are any good to see out games. Today for example, who could we bring on to shore things up? What happens is a defender is having a poor game? How much trouble for the opposition strike force is Gally really going to provide? Where's the pace off the bench? Rovers have a plan B Graham, but outside of that, at the moment we have very few options to see out games and protect leads. Part of that is the injury crisis but part of that imo is an unbalanced squad. 

Along with our lack of a something out of nothing player, this is why I expect we won't get playoffs this year,  

This is why having the play-offs as a target and no money to buy players in January doesn’t stack up.

We don’t have the depth, injuries haven’t helped, but equally the manager normally makes changes when it’s too late.

In contrast we are currently very fortunate that our defenders remain fit. ??

[TruRover]

Worth mentioning that Preston have tough away trips to Fulham and West Brom this week, 2 wins this week should see us go above them 

[Mattyblue]

Shades of us at Barnsley in relegation season. How the clownshoe stayed in post for another two months after that Boxing Day debacle is beyond me...

‘It is a ground where the tunnel is in the corner near the away fans and as Boro players trudged off a sizeable crowd of simmering Boro fans gathered to make their feelings only too clear.

And tempers almost boiled over as Rudy Gestede gestured dismissively at supporters as he disappeared down the tunnel’

[chaddyrovers]

14 minutes ago, Mattyblue said:

Shades of us at Barnsley in relegation season. How the clownshoe stayed in post for another two months after that Boxing Day debacle is beyond me...

‘It is a ground where the tunnel is in the corner near the away fans and as Boro players trudged off a sizeable crowd of simmering Boro fans gathered to make their feelings only too clear.

And tempers almost boiled over as Rudy Gestede gestured dismissively at supporters as he disappeared down the tunnel’

Hasn't Woodgate slammed his senior players there after today's game? 

[roversfan99]

Amazed if Woodgate keeps his job until the end of the weekend, doing a dismal job. 

Looks like the top 2 are starting to peel away again, the 4 behind are very much in pole position for the play offs but it would be interesting to see what happens to Fulham and Parker if they fail to go up with that squad.

[DE.]

Boro and Huddersfield had both started picking up a bit of momentum but seems to have stalled for both and with Wigan winning today they are now looking over their shoulders nervously again. 

[Ewood Ace]

The last two Championship games that I have watched on TV, us today and West Brom V Forest last week the standard of officiating has been an embarrassment. Although when you see what they are like in the Premiership's its no surprise, as even our supposed elite refs are hopeless. The continuing decline in refereeing standards in this country is a crisis for the national game.   

[bboy]

24 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

Amazed if Woodgate keeps his job until the end of the weekend, doing a dismal job. 

Weird only a few weeks ago I think they were starting to settle and climbing back up the table. 

I actually thought our away point was very good one to get. 

Strange what 4-5 results do to a club and manager. 

Exact same with Shef Wednesday. They were 3rd at Christmas. Just beaten Leeds when we played them. Now look at them. 

 

Things change quickly in this league 

[Blue blood]

1 hour ago, bboy said:

Weird only a few weeks ago I think they were starting to settle and climbing back up the table. 

I actually thought our away point was very good one to get. 

Strange what 4-5 results do to a club and manager. 

Exact same with Shef Wednesday. They were 3rd at Christmas. Just beaten Leeds when we played them. Now look at them. 

 

Things change quickly in this league 

Woodgate had them in or around the bottom 3 for most of the first half of the season. Had a mini run driving them up the table for a bit but most of the season they have looked poor and relegation candidates. 

[bboy]

Here's one for you, if they get rid of Woodgate do you think they'd go for Mowbray? Would Mowbray be tempted by home comforts?

[Mattyblue]

1 hour ago, DE. said:

Boro and Huddersfield had both started picking up a bit of momentum but seems to have stalled for both and with Wigan winning today they are now looking over their shoulders nervously again. 

Huddersfield was a stupid move for the Cowleys, trying to turn these nosediving clubs round is a big ask and usually takes time and a few managers - we should know.

They were the next big thing and could have waited for a more stable club, though I imagine parachute payment wages sealed the deal...

[chaddyrovers]

I don't see things improving at Boro if Gibson is going to cut the budget again next season which is happening as players out of contract wont have their contract renew at the current level of wages. The Boro owner want to start bringing through more and more academy players. 

I don't see Boro sacking Woodgate before next Weekend. If they did, who does Gibson go after his replacement. Tough question

Gibson need a plan 

Edited February 22, 2020 by chaddyrovers

[chaddyrovers]

3 minutes ago, bboy said:

Here's one for you, if they get rid of Woodgate do you think they'd go for Mowbray? Would Mowbray be tempted by home comforts?

I don't see Mowbray leaving us for them. Boro cutting costs there. 

Just now, Mattyblue said:

Huddersfield was a stupid move for the Cowleys, trying to turn these nosediving clubs round is a big ask and usually takes time and a few managers - we should know.

They were the next big thing and could have waited for a more stable club, though I imagine parachute payment wages sealed the deal...

I disagree. I think Cowley move there was right but not sure he got them playing to their strengths speaking a Friend who supports Huddersfield. Long term project there

[SBlue]

9 minutes ago, bboy said:

Here's one for you, if they get rid of Woodgate do you think they'd go for Mowbray? Would Mowbray be tempted by home comforts?

Unfortunately, I think he might, with the right guarantees and contract.

[Mattyblue]

Right for who Chaddy? Not them if they are sacked.

Hear a lot about ‘long term projects’, usually said by struggling managers and clubs, it’s code for ‘we are cutting back, so make do’... next news they’ve been potted.

Edited February 22, 2020 by Mattyblue

[DE.]

11 minutes ago, Mattyblue said:

Huddersfield was a stupid move for the Cowleys, trying to turn these nosediving clubs round is a big ask and usually takes time and a few managers - we should know.

They were the next big thing and could have waited for a more stable club, though I imagine parachute payment wages sealed the deal...

Generally speaking you're right, these clubs are always a huge risk for relatively unproven managers. You can see the appeal - a big wage, the prestiege of a 'big' club (although not sure Huddersfield really fall into that category on the back of a couple of PL seasons, one of which was totally embarrassing), a selection of theoretically good players to use and a platform of fairly low expectations. However failure can come at a heavy price, as the likes of Paul Hurst, Chris Coleman and others have found out over the past few years. The reality is that these clubs are often cutting back on costs, have players on big wages who don't really want to be there and may not respect managers from lower levels, an already irritated fanbase with little patience and owners who may already be in a state of panic and quick to push the panic button if things don't pick up quickly.

The Cowleys will have to hope they can keep Huddersfield up this season and are then given a genuine chance to have a clear out and rebuild from a sturdier foundation. Moving poor players on big contracts on can be painfully difficult though, as we've found out a number of times over the past decade or so. 

Edited February 22, 2020 by DE.

[Blue blood]

Some interesting questions of other clubs. Once again the championship proves it is much more exciting than the championship - anyone can beat anyone and tons of intrigue throughout the table. 

The jobs at Stoke and Huddersfield by new managers is an interesting one. Both had a long run of brokenness - Hudds about a year, Stoke 3 or 4 years. Especially in the case of Stoke that is not a quick fix. Add in its a league where anyone can beat anyone - Barnsley's wins Vs Fulham and Charlton beating Forest as 2 examples and it shows its not that easy to get clear from danger. Add in how badly both were doing prior to the new managers and even being a few points out of the relegation zone is not bad going. It might not be enough but it shows it's not a poor job they are doing. 

Boro - have said all along they are prime candidates for relegation with a rookie manager and cutbacks being a terrible recipe for trouble. They have hovered in or just above the relegation zone for most of the season so it hasn't been a great year for them and the negative consistency (as in being in or around trouble) suggests they aren't in great shape or making good progress. The thing to their advantage is the chairman is a fairly smart cookie and may we'll get rid before too late. 

Would TM go there. I honestly think tbat depends on FFP at Rovers. There's obviously an emotional tug and his record at Rovers will look quite positive on paper despite the relegation. That said Boro aren't any more attractive than us and further behind so why would he go? The only reason would be if we were going to have to dismantle the team due to FFP restrictions or he knows that he won't get the resources to build on what he has done. Past history suggests such a scenario is possible. And whilst there may be better candidates for Boro there are certainly worse, so I think it comes down to plans for us for next season from the owners/board.