Rovers v Charlton

[Vilesinner]

44 minutes ago, Sparks Rover said:

Have you actually seen Grayson or are you just guessing.?  So far away from good enough....I'd go as far as saying he's non league 

I saw the two goals he scored last season in his last 3 games. I think he would be better suited to left back with that great left foot he has, his agility, and his bit of trickery. I know from Tony's comments he has been impressed with him.

[Vilesinner]

Just now, Vilesinner said:

I saw the two goals he scored last season in his last 3 games. I think he would be better suited to left back with that great left foot he has, his agility, and his bit of trickery. I know from Tony's comments he has been impressed with him.

I think Hart and Grayson are our two best prospects at left back. Williams is only a CB imo, and Bell has potential but lacks focus imo.

[Neal]

2 hours ago, Vilesinner said:

I think Hart and Grayson are our two best prospects at left back. Williams is only a CB imo, and Bell has potential but lacks focus imo.

Aren't they our only prospects at left back?

[Sparks Rover]

4 hours ago, islander200 said:

How many times you watched Grayson?

Iv only seen him a couple of times but looked handy.Dont think he should be starting left back but wondering why you think he is non league?

Is it because you believe that he only in the game due to help from daddy or are you basing your opinion after watching him extensively?

Been watching him since he was 13 and for sure his surname has been a big help.  My opinion is that theres too much nepotism and cronyism in football. Mols has always been a class above Joe and still is.

Edited August 1, 2019 by Sparks Rover

[Sparks Rover]

3 hours ago, Vilesinner said:

I think Hart and Grayson are our two best prospects at left back. 

Then we are screwed

[AllRoverAsia]

"Charlton's record of 5 wins out of 47 when playing away on the first day of the season"

https://www.castrust.org/2019/08/blackburn-and-charlton-over-200m-in-debt/

They go for 0-0 as being a good result for Charlton but I expect a Rovers win by 3-2

[Don Said]

Happy Football Eve!

Always wary of playing newly promoted sides on the first day due to momentum and the weird ways of this game. That said, on paper, Charlton haven't kicked on massively. They've made a few additions at the back and have some decent players such as Taylor, Williams and Forster Caskey, but they've lost some of their better players in Aribo/Bauer and it sounds like they're very short on numbers particularly in midfield/attack.

If we're serious about challenging the top 6 this season, it goes without saying we need to start with a win, we've undoubtedly got the better squad in this one so no excuses. A draw or loss would be a massive blow to any confidence, particularly noting some of the fixtures we've got over the next month.

I would go:

                    Walton

Nyambe Lenihan Adarabioyo Bell

               Travis Johnson

         Arma   Dack   Rothwell

                  Graham

Decent options on the bench in Gallagher, Brereton, Downing, Buckley etc. On that note it's good to see some quality in the squad, we've quite a few who won't start and feel like they should be starting long term.

I do think Mowbray will play Bennett/Mulgrew over Nyambe/Adarabioyo. If he does hopefully the carrot is dangled infront of those two to take their chance in the 11 and keep it sooner rather than later, with the former two being decent enough options for rotation/cover. With Nyambe returing late from AFCON & Tosin only having spent a few days with us, it's understandable if they need to be phased in.

I really hope we don't bother with a big striker on the wing. Arma and Rothwell on form can really hurt any team in the league with their pace and ability. Arma has had a great pre season and seems to be adapting to the wider role well thanks to his attributes and a year or so's experience, and Rothwell finished last season very strongly and is arguably one of our best technical players, only second to Dack.

We started games slowly at Ewood last season, would be nice if we directly tried to address this by being a bit braver from the first minute. Start well and score first and I'd like to think this is the sort of game we could control, going on to score one or two more second half.

COYB.

[rigger]

I keep coming back to the thought. I don't care who plays as long as we win.

[Guest]

A quick scope of the Charlton forums, and I'd say over 80% of their fan base are predicting a loss, and over half are predicting a 3-0+ loss.

[Madon]

I can't bloody wait to get back on Ewood tomorrow. 

I've not felt this optimistic about a season since Venkys took over. 

5pm tomorrow I'll probably be crying into my chippy.

[Mattyblue]

Just now, Madon said:

I can't bloody wait to get back on Ewood tomorrow. 

I've not felt this optimistic about a season since Venkys took over. 

5pm tomorrow I'll probably be crying into my chippy.

2014 felt more optimistic to me. We had put together a real good side at this level  and 15,000+ turned up for a Friday night Sky game against Cardiff. A real buzz at Ewood that night.

Didn't last.

Edited August 2, 2019 by Mattyblue

[MarkBRFC]

Yeah agree with the above, went into that season with some real optimism, we had just finished the previous season with a long unbeaten run, and there just seemed to be a bit of a buzz around the place on that Friday evening.

I think we were actually in touching distance of the play offs until around December before it started to go really wrong, remember losing at home to Sheff Wed, then away games at Brentford and Bolton which were awful.

Cup run aside our league form didn't really recover to make a threat to the playoffs, it was our most wasted season since coming down I think.

[Bigdoggsteel]

Hopefully a clean sheet now to kick things off tomorrow. Would be great. Although I know some would like if we win, but concede as well, just so there is a validation of their non-stop criticism of the manager, Mulgrew and the defence. Of course this will be denied now, but I think we all know it is true

Obviously after last season some criticism is normal, but the nit picking and focusing on negatives has gone over the top. We have made good signings. Our defensive record at home was good last year. We have signed another centre half. Mulgrew knows he needs to step up his game.

I wonder even if he does play well, will that be recognised? Probably not. More likely every goal we concede with him playing will somehow be his fault. It's not all doom and gloom. I think it's going to be the best season since we went down."

Finally, yes, I wish we had a new centre back in beside Lenihan tomorrow too! 

I am not trying to wind anyone up by saying the above, it's just my opinion. We all know what people say about them! 

Edited August 2, 2019 by Bigdoggsteel

[philipl]

7 minutes ago, Mattyblue said:

2014 felt more optimistic to me. We had put together a real good side at this level  and 15,000+ turned up for a Friday night Sky game against Cardiff. A real buzz at Ewood that night.

Didn't last.

Sorry I had no enthusiasm at all in 2014 knowing the absolute unfolding disaster one step off the pitch inevitably would poison on field.

This season is the first since Hughes I am completely happily anticipating.

[Mattyblue]

Just now, philipl said:

Sorry I had no enthusiasm at all in 2014 knowing the absolute unfolding disaster one step off the pitch inevitably would poison on field.

This season is the first since Hughes I am completely happily anticipating.

I’m talking about us mere mortals and the feel round the ground, not those ‘ITK’.

[Ossydave]

Pretty busy at the ticket office just now, I think we might be in for a better crowd than expected. Hopefully a few kids attending the open training thing blagged mum n dad to get them a ticket for tomorrow's game.

[tomphil]

1 hour ago, Mattyblue said:

2014 felt more optimistic to me. We had put together a real good side at this level  and 15,000+ turned up for a Friday night Sky game against Cardiff. A real buzz at Ewood that night.

Didn't last.

As soon as Bowyer moved Lowe from middle to right back and left a right back on the bench it set the tone of the season. I hope this Tone is a tad more ambitious.

[frosty]

Just now, tomphil said:

As soon as Bowyer moved Lowe from middle to right back and left a right back on the bench it set the tone of the season. I hope this Tone is a tad more ambitious.

Indeed. Cardiff were there for the taking, they didn't do anything under Solskjaer in the Championship and he was out of a job a couple of months later.

Bowyer left Dunn, King and Marshall on the bench that night instead of really going for it, and as you say it just set the tone for what was to come.

Fingers crossed for a good display and win tomorrow!

[Bigdoggsteel]

                   Walton

Nyambe Lenihan Mulgrew Downing

             Travis Johnson

   Armstrong  Dack  Rothwell

               Graham/Brereton

That would be my team. I think it's pretty attacking. Not sure about Downing left-back, but if there was a game where it should work, it is this one. I can't decide between Graham and Brereton. 

I think the worse case scenario would be something like this. 

                   Walton

Bennett Lenihan Mulgrew Downing

               Evans Johnson

   Armstrong  Dack  Gallagher

             Graham/Brereton

Roll on 2pm tomorrow....I will be refreshing Instagram to see those jerseys hanging in the dressing room! 

[benhben]

                    Walton

Nyambe Lenihan Adarabioyo Bell

              Travis  Rothwell

Armstrong     Dack        Gallaher

                   Brereton      

Get at them early! 

[AllRoverAsia]

1 hour ago, rigger said:

I keep coming back to the thought. I don't care who plays as long as we win.

And I don't care how we play as long as we win. Hoofball, tippy-tappy, whatever brings a win. Spunk and bottle help a lot. 

[bluebruce]

22 hours ago, Neal said:

“Have we got enough to take the sting out of them? Do we have more quality than them? Saturday will show whether we do or don’t."

 

I should hope we do fella, you've spent a fortune in comparison! 

Is that a TM quote then? We have two players who I assume each cost us more than the entire Charlton squad? If you can buy an entire squad of players for less that are better quality than our entire squad, something went wrong here. The comment I'd expect would be more like 'hopefully our extra quality will be enough to see off their momentum'.

Presumably just being excessively modest... (or I've misunderstood who you're quoting)

[BankEnd Rover]

Does anyone know when the player know what the starting 11 is before the match. Is it on the day? Day before?

[AllRoverAsia]

Just now, bluebruce said:

Is that a TM quote then? We have two players who I assume each cost us more than the entire Charlton squad? If you can buy an entire squad of players for less that are better quality than our entire squad, something went wrong here. The comment I'd expect would be more like 'hopefully our extra quality will be enough to see off their momentum'.

Presumably just being excessively modest... (or I've misunderstood who you're quoting)

This will help a guess: "While Addicks boss Lee Bowyer thinks now might be a good time for Rovers to play his side, it’s not a view Mowbray prescribes to."

[Bigdoggsteel]

It's just mind games from both managers. Mowbray expects nothing less than a win and they players know that.