Rovers v Charlton

[Stuart]

Just now, Tom said:

Beaten by the manager today 

Our own manager 

The worst thing is, in our heart of hearts we all knew he would play that defence.

He’ll probably put them all on notice after today’s game.

Again.

[tomphil]

On 20/07/2019 at 12:40, tomphil said:

Rovers 1    Charlton 2  

12.556

Shock, horror, derision and blame laying before we bounce back with a win in the next one. It's going to be one topsy turvy season i reckon.

BUMP !!!

Rubbish but entirely predictable with certain same old favs struggling and a manager who could confuse Einstien in 5 mins flat.

First day nerves hopefully.

[G Somerset Rover]

Just now, pick32 said:

On the plus side he has 5 days to sort out the defence which was shocking today

Personally struggling to see how he deserves the chance to. If 69 goals against and the worst away defensive record in the football league didn't tell him the we needed a minimum of 3 new defenders BEFORE the season started, then nothing will.

[AllRoverAsia]

Just now, USABlue said:

Pissed at Mowbary.  This past summer.I watched.girls defend with bigger balls than we have.

I watched the US win the Womens WC too

[bigbrandjohn]

Not pretty. First of the season.  Home defeat 2 goals conceded. Silver lining? Better to see the deficiencies now rather than 10 games in. Problem is when  Bristol City defender gets sold for 20 million you are not going to get defenders on the cheap now. Oh and everyone is looking for defenders  

Mowbray is building a team for the future. His biggest problem. When does he push the button? 

 

[Paul Mellelieu]

Just now, CambridgeRover said:

Ayy and if we hadn't had conceded two poor chances then we would have won today. 

My point is that we had lots of possession, so we shouldn't the attackers off the hook too.  Not a difficult line of argument to follow.

[tonyoz]

Just now, BankEnd Rover said:

It's crazy how much we've all looked forward to this knowing deep in our minds that our defence isn't good enough. Bowyer saying on sky sports his morning basically we were going to win and we loose. I know it's first game but this shouldnof been the easiest game of the season. We've bottled it and for someone who hasn't liked Mowbray since the start it Dosent bold well. Fulham away next...5-0?

Yes, but more worryingly, we didn't create anything. We've spent decent money (for this level) but we looked crap. I thought Charlton was in some sort of crisis? 

[DE.]

Just now, Paul Mellelieu said:

My point is that we had lots of possession, so we shouldn't the attackers off the hook too.  Not a difficult line of argument to follow.

Tony Mowbray chose those attackers though. He decided to put 35 year old Downing on the wing ahead of Rothwell who was on fire at the end of last season. He chose to put Gallagher ahead of Graham despite the latter being our most consistent goalscorer for three or four seasons now. Stupid decisions which have once again cost us.

[Wing Wizard Windy Miller]

Just now, Paul Mellelieu said:

My point is that we had lots of possession, so we shouldn't the attackers off the hook too.  Not a difficult line of argument to follow.

So just shite all round then?

[RoverAbroad]

Ten points from today - 

1. Nyambe has a great experience at the African Cup of Nations yet he's on the bench for Bennett? Even his biggest fan wouldn't say he's a right back.

2. Rothwell must be thinking about ringing his agent right now. Not that he did anything when he came on, but doubt he was in a great frame of mind. Great performances to the tail end of last season...and Mowbray sticks him on the bench.

3. Bell was weak. Looked scared to get stuck in at times. Then again, alongside Mulgrew and Bennett perhaps we'd all be skittish. 

4. New keeper looked nervous. Hardly covered himself in glory with the goals, but neither especially his fault either so perhaps that's a bit harsh.

5. Gallagher put himself about a bit but was knackered at the end. Useless on the wing, lacking Armstrong's pace to have a go at the full back.

6. Johnson was our man of the match and formed a steady partnership with Travis. That was our best area of our team by a country mile. So...Tony takes Travis off.

7.  While Armstrong didn't have the best of games, he still looked dangerous. His pace could have been particularly useful right at the end. 

8. We're losing at home, chasing the game. We have a £7million striker on the bench who has been showing promise in preseason. However, we also have an inexperienced teenage midfielder on the bench. Who should we send on? 

9.  Mowbray's selection was wrong (who other than TM doesn't think Nymabe, and Rothwell should have started?) and his subs were worse. Why was the clearly pooped Gallagher kept on but Armstrong taken off? 

10. This should have been the most winnable game of the entire season. At home against a team tipped by many to finish dead last in the Championship this season, having lost a number of their best players from last year. Yet...we created nothing. We weren't unlucky to lose, we were lucky to be level. I'm not sure we can even focus on the defence so much, other than the own goal we didn't really have a clearcut chance. Gallagher's swing at air and Downing misreading of the pullback in the first half was about the lot. 

If this team plays like this at home to Charlton, what hope is there at Craven Cottage? 

All it took was one game to rip away all that preseason optimism. We could say; well, it's only one game. Or, we could say that these were the same issues that were there for all to see time and time again all last season. 

Dark horses for the play-offs?!?

Edited August 3, 2019 by RoverAbroad

[Pedro]

The whole Championship can see we are dopey at the back and target our defence asap. This lad from City better be the 2nd coming of Jesus or something special because we need him. 

[Paul Mellelieu]

Just now, Wing Wizard Windy Miller said:

So just shite all round then?

Johnson played well.

[Paul Mellelieu]

Just now, DE. said:

Tony Mowbray chose those attackers though. He decided to put 35 year old Downing on the wing ahead of Rothwell who was on fire at the end of last season. He chose to put Gallagher ahead of Graham despite the latter being our most consistent goalscorer for three or four seasons now. Stupid decisions which have once again cost us.

Yes, but Dack eta, must play better in the final third.

[CambridgeRover]

Just now, Paul Mellelieu said:

My point is that we had lots of possession, so we shouldn't the attackers off the hook too.  Not a difficult line of argument to follow.

Oh I get the argument, I am arguing that maybe it is more realistic to expect the defence to get a clean sheet once in a while rather than expecting the attack to be scoring 2/3 goals every game. Do you follow that one?

[tonyoz]

Just now, Wing Wizard Windy Miller said:

So just shite all round then?

Pretty much sums it up I'm afraid.

[DE.]

Just now, Paul Mellelieu said:

Yes, but Dack eta, must play better in the final third.

Problem is Dack has been inconsistent for some time now. We just can't rely on him to be consistently good every game. Sometimes others need to step up and take charge when Dack is having a stinker. They never do though. When Dack is off form the entire team is off form. It's just not good enough when we've spent a combined £12m on attacking players in the last two windows. The only player who has shown a glimpse of being able to pull the team up when Dack is misfiring is Rothwell, and lo and behold he's back on the bench. 

Edited August 3, 2019 by DE.

[Paul Mellelieu]

Just now, CambridgeRover said:

Oh I get the argument, I am arguing that maybe it is more realistic to expect the defence to get a clean sheet once in a while rather than expecting the attack to be scoring 2/3 goals every game. Do you follow that one?

It's not an either/or.  

[CambridgeRover]

Just now, Paul Mellelieu said:

It's not an either/or.  

Did I say it was? Just a balance of probabilities. No attack scored 2/3 goals a game but many defences can keep a clean sheet at home against a promoted team

 

Even good attacking players have off days. City relied upon a Kompany wonder goal to win the league. But if those off days are coupled with a leaky defence then we get performances like today

Edited August 3, 2019 by CambridgeRover

[cesus]

Signing Cristiano Ronaldo would be pointless whilst these chumps (bar Lenihan) are selected in defence. Nobody wants Mowbray to be wrong, a successful Mowbray is a successful Rovers but after watching Mulgrew miss ANOTHER high ball and Bennett being selected OUT OF POSITION and messing up for a goal it’s almost like a nightmare being played out in front of you as you know the outcome before it happens. 

Please Tony sign some ugly defenders who can defend and play people in the positions they have developed to play all their professional career.

[Miller11]

Called a 2-1 loss the minute I saw the line up.

Said it before, Bennett and Mulgrew as mainstays of our back 4 = relegation battle.

[tonyoz]

Just now, CambridgeRover said:

Did I say it was?

No but we are all disappointed. The defence was crap - agreed, but the expensive, acclaimed attack did nothing either. I agree with you AND Paul.

[tonyoz]

Oh! and I find Steve Smith really irritating too!

[CambridgeRover]

Just now, tonyoz said:

No but we are all disappointed. The defence was crap - agreed, but the expensive, acclaimed attack did nothing either. I agree with you AND Paul.

Aye no disagreement here, I don't disagree with Paul either, obviously the attack didn't perform. Everyone can weight it differently. For me personally I am more disappointing in the defence than the attack 

[Fraserkirky]

Just now, cesus said:

Signing Cristiano Ronaldo would be pointless whilst these chumps (bar Lenihan) are selected in defence. Nobody wants Mowbray to be wrong, a successful Mowbray is a successful Rovers but after watching Mulgrew miss ANOTHER high ball and Bennett being selected OUT OF POSITION and messing up for a goal it’s almost like a nightmare being played out in front of you as you know the outcome before it happens. 

Please Tony sign some ugly defenders who can defend and play people in the positions they have developed to play all their professional career.

Lenihan should not be excused either, absolutely woeful today too. Your centre half shouldn’t be getting beat at corners like that.

Edited August 3, 2019 by Fraserkirky

[perthblue02]

Just now, Paul Mellelieu said:

My point is that we had lots of possession, so we shouldn't the attackers off the hook too.  Not a difficult line of argument to follow.

How much of that possession was playing about with it in our own half?