Tony Mowbray Discussion

[chaddyrovers]

19 minutes ago, Mercer said:

Two clean sheets and league wins on the bounce is a start but Mowbray still has a long way to go to convince.

Let's keep some perspective - we've defeated two very ordinary teams in M'boro and Hull.

I also think Mowbray has spunked £14million up the wall on Armstrong, Brereton and Gallagher - couldn't believe the stat that Gallagher has now gone some 21 league games without a goal! 

 

wins are win. simple as. Can only beat who we played. 

 

[47er]

Just now, chaddyrovers said:

wins are win. simple as. Can only beat who we played. 

 

Obviously true but, at the same time, its foolish to ignore the fact that there are harder challenges ahead. Get through them and its a different matter.

[gumboots]

Beating the weaker teams helps with confidence which boosts fitness ie players work harder in training and matches if they're buzzing, concentration levels - players are more likely to stay focused throughout the match if they think that doing so gets results - and so on. A win is not just a win but a stepping stone to the next one 

[RV Blue]

Thing is with Downing is that due to his no n-existent resale value, he’s only a good signing if we go up. If we don’t go up, we’ve spunked 15/20k a week on a player who’s given us no return on investment. We’re frighteningly thin in certain areas (central midfield, central defence and left fullback), a injury in one of those positions and we’ll struggle. Also, it’ll be really hard to have a successful season if Bennett is at right back for the whole of it, he’s a liability - Nyambe must come into the side until Jan, then I’d be looking for a new one. If we can stay injury free and shore up the right hand side, chances are that we’ll have a decent season.

[philipl]

Just now, RV Blue said:

Thing is with Downing is that due to his no n-existent resale value, he’s only a good signing if we go up. If we don’t go up, we’ve spunked 15/20k a week on a player who’s given us no return on investment. We’re frighteningly thin in certain areas (central midfield, central defence and left fullback), a injury in one of those positions and we’ll struggle. Also, it’ll be really hard to have a successful season if Bennett is at right back for the whole of it, he’s a liability - Nyambe must come into the side until Jan, then I’d be looking for a new one. If we can stay injury free and shore up the right hand side, chances are that we’ll have a decent season.

Bit in bold I agree 100%

Bit in italics I disagree 100%. We are probably over-stocked in central midfield and we now have three absolutely first class central defenders plus cover from Nyambe and Grayson/Platt while left back has Williams who could play there at a stretch plus Bell and Hart. Yes I would have liked to have seen a further addition at central defence during the window but Mowbray might have called this one right given what was and wasn't available in the market. Very much doubt Bauer could have matched Williams last night.

[K-Hod]

He got it right tonight, no doubt. I just feel Bennett at full back 'has got a mistake in him' every time I see him play there and so it proved tonight.

Luckily, Hull failed to capitalise.....

Edited August 21, 2019 by K-Hod

[Dreams of 1995]

Just now, philipl said:

Bit in bold I agree 100%

Bit in italics I disagree 100%. We are probably over-stocked in central midfield and we now have three absolutely first class central defenders plus cover from Nyambe and Grayson/Platt while left back has Williams who could play there at a stretch plus Bell and Hart. Yes I would have liked to have seen a further addition at central defence during the window but Mowbray might have called this one right given what was and wasn't available in the market. Very much doubt Bauer could have matched Williams last night.

Williams literally won us the game last night. Scored and made two goal saving interceptions. His finest performance in a Rovers shirt.

Tosin must wonder if he'll get back in if he keeps this up. His only saving grace is that he can play defensive midfield, and Baggies fans have said his best games came in that position.

[RV Blue]

Just now, philipl said:

Bit in bold I agree 100%

Bit in italics I disagree 100%. We are probably over-stocked in central midfield and we now have three absolutely first class central defenders plus cover from Nyambe and Grayson/Platt while left back has Williams who could play there at a stretch plus Bell and Hart. Yes I would have liked to have seen a further addition at central defence during the window but Mowbray might have called this one right given what was and wasn't available in the market. Very much doubt Bauer could have matched Williams last night.

It’s Smallwood or Evans if Trav or Johnson get injured. Tosin is a 21 year old kid from City, who (by most accounts) had a pretty poor season last year. Even if he’s decent, 2 injuries in the centre of defence and we’re up shit creek.

[JBiz]

Just now, K-Hod said:

He got it right tonight, no doubt. I just feel Bennett at full back 'has got a mistake in him' every time I see him play there and so it proved tonight.

Luckily, Hull failed to capitalise.....

I think many are completely forgetting Nyambe is no different in that respect at least

Even if he is slightly more in tune defensively, arguably quicker and stronger - Bennett again showed why he’s being preferred at the minute last night;

Full impact, full energy, up and down the line, supported the forwards on the overlap, helped combine with Johnson, Travis and Dack to keep the ball. Made a few shocker passes, got caught out once or twice - but also made some great challenges.

Nyambe is just not as good technically for me, or does he react/read the play as well. A really recent example is Oldhams opener. He was literally half the pitch out of position.

Ideally - there is a Cunningham esq RB up the clubs sleeve. I think Nyambe (like Lethal Derek) will eventually find himself more comfortable as a CB

 

[JBiz]

Just now, RV Blue said:

It’s Smallwood or Evans if Trav or Johnson get injured. Tosin is a 21 year old kid from City, who (by most accounts) had a pretty poor season last year. Even if he’s decent, 2 injuries in the centre of defence and we’re up shit creek.

Seasons have been defined by injury before, even if your wage bill is 3 times ours.

Look at Boro last year. Last few months of the season they lost Fry, Ayala and George friend.

Not many teams would’ve survived that tbh.

[magicalmortensleftpeg]

Just now, RV Blue said:

It’s Smallwood or Evans if Trav or Johnson get injured. Tosin is a 21 year old kid from City, who (by most accounts) had a pretty poor season last year. Even if he’s decent, 2 injuries in the centre of defence and we’re up shit creek.

We can all play that game. What if Dack gets injured and then Rothwell? I don’t think Evans is a bad back up to have in midfield. I’m not sure who you expect we should have as our third/fourth choice centre mids. 

Likewise the defence. Not sure we can expect to have 4 first choice centre backs. It’d be a nice problem to have obviously but Tosin looks like a decent alternative from what I saw at Fulham.

 

[Dreams of 1995]

Just now, Harry The Bass said:

I think many are completely forgetting Nyambe is no different in that respect at least

Even if he is slightly more in tune defensively, arguably quicker and stronger - Bennett again showed why he’s being preferred at the minute last night;

Full impact, full energy, up and down the line, supported the forwards on the overlap, helped combine with Johnson, Travis and Dack to keep the ball. Made a few shocker passes, got caught out once or twice - but also made some great challenges.

Nyambe is just not as good technically for me, or does he react/read the play as well. A really recent example is Oldhams opener. He was literally half the pitch out of position.

Ideally - there is a Cunningham esq RB up the clubs sleeve. I think Nyambe (like Lethal Derek) will eventually find himself more comfortable as a CB

 

Exactly what Williams used to be like at left back. Some of the joys of playing centre half is you can see all of the game. It improved Lenihan no end, looks to have improved Williams so it's definitely not out of the realms of possibility that it can improve Nyambe. He'll need to work on his heading though.

[rigger]

8 hours ago, 47er said:

Obviously true but, at the same time, its foolish to ignore the fact that there are harder challenges ahead. Get through them and its a different matter.

But it was meant to be a really hard start to the season, now it's changed ?

[tomphil]

11 hours ago, DE. said:

Although we won I wouldn't say he got everything right. Gallagher out wide and Arma up top was a mistake that hindered us until Gallagher came off and Arma went out wide. Armstrong also could easily have cost us our goal with his positioning, although it's possible he's been told to do that. Bennett at right back is also wrong and repeatedly put us on the back foot when we didn't need to be.

Travis/Johnson partnership is looking good. Del/Lenihan/Tosin as CB options look solid. Downing has started strong, hopefully his legs will hold out for the whole season because he's a difference maker. Cunningham at LB is superb but if he gets injured we're screwed. 

Better teams will take advantage of our inability to score from open play and very weak right hand side, but Hull weren't that team tonight. Still plenty of work to be done.

Got it right by his muddled standards is maybe a better way to describe it and i agree a better side would probably have put us to the sword but then again he may have set out differently.

What i saw last night imo was two disjointed formations on two very evenly matched sides who don't look like they'll tear any trees up this season but it made for a decent game to watch. Both cut some avenues off and tried to exploit others and being honest Hull should've been a goal or two up first half but for some terrible finishing but we also got some good breaks that missed the decent final ball or anything in the middle to aim for.

I thought Armstrong was poor last night his body language wasn't great but he's always like that when started up top on his own he's like a lost boy.  A good right winger for us last night who could've sheilded Bennett and got some good balls in on the break with Gallagher up top giving us at least some presence would've made it a lot more comfortable i reckon.

[DE.]

Just now, tomphil said:

Got it right by his muddled standards is maybe a better way to describe it and i agree a better side would probably have put us to the sword but then again he may have set out differently.

What i saw last night imo was two disjointed formations on two very evenly matched sides who don't look like they'll tear any trees up this season but it made for a decent game to watch. Both cut some avenues off and tried to exploit others and being honest Hull should've been a goal or two up first half but for some terrible finishing but we also got some good breaks that missed the decent final ball or anything in the middle to aim for.

I thought Armstrong was poor last night his body language wasn't great but he's always like that when started up top on his own he's like a lost boy.  A good right winger for us last night who could've sheilded Bennett and got some good balls in on the break with Gallagher up top giving us at least some presence would've made it a lot more comfortable i reckon.

To be fair to Arma he's thrown up top by himself sporadically and never gets a run of games in that position, so it's hard to blame him for being a bit rusty, 

I think we're a work in progress but will improve as the season goes on. If we were playing Rothwell on the right and Graham/Gallagher down the middle I think we'd have the potential for a decent season even with Mowbray's limitations taken into account. However if we continue to persist with Gallagher/Armstrong on the wing and Bennett at right back then our right side will unfortunately sink us as the season goes on.

[gumboots]

58 minutes ago, Harry The Bass said:

I think many are completely forgetting Nyambe is no different in that respect at least

Even if he is slightly more in tune defensively, arguably quicker and stronger - Bennett again showed why he’s being preferred at the minute last night;

Full impact, full energy, up and down the line, supported the forwards on the overlap, helped combine with Johnson, Travis and Dack to keep the ball. Made a few shocker passes, got caught out once or twice - but also made some great challenges.

 

 

More you do, more potential there is for mistakes and the more people notice them because they're noticing you. 

[Bigdoggsteel]

1 hour ago, RV Blue said:

It’s Smallwood or Evans if Trav or Johnson get injured. Tosin is a 21 year old kid from City, who (by most accounts) had a pretty poor season last year. Even if he’s decent, 2 injuries in the centre of defence and we’re up shit creek.

As pretty much every other club would be 

[philipl]

1 hour ago, RV Blue said:

It’s Smallwood or Evans if Trav or Johnson get injured. Tosin is a 21 year old kid from City, who (by most accounts) had a pretty poor season last year. Even if he’s decent, 2 injuries in the centre of defence and we’re up shit creek.

Davenport, Buckley

[oldjamfan1]

57 minutes ago, magicalmortensleftpeg said:

We can all play that game. What if Dack gets injured and then Rothwell? I don’t think Evans is a bad back up to have in midfield. I’m not sure who you expect we should have as our third/fourth choice centre mids. 

Likewise the defence. Not sure we can expect to have 4 first choice centre backs. It’d be a nice problem to have obviously but Tosin looks like a decent alternative from what I saw at Fulham.

 

I agree with this. I know we all like to moan about Evans' crab-like style, but at the end of the day he's an international central midfielder and he's a back-up player for us. Fans of many other championship clubs will be quite envious of that scenario, and would no doubt scoff at us for moaning about it.

Downing could also play there if required, probably to great effect (a la Gordon Cowans in 1992)

[Oldgregg86]

Just now, philipl said:

Davenport, Buckley

Any idea how long davenport is out. I have high hopes about this lad and think he will be a good player for us if he can stay fit

[Bigdoggsteel]

Shake it all about? 

Like the new thread title 

[47er]

1 minute ago, tomphil said:

What i saw last night imo was two disjointed formations on two very evenly matched sides who don't look like they'll tear any trees up this season but it made for a decent game to watch. Both cut some avenues off and tried to exploit others and being honest Hull should've been a goal or two up first half but for some terrible finishing but we also got some good breaks that missed the decent final ball or anything in the middle to aim for.

 

Yes, my feelings too .2 pretty ordinary sides. There were 3 strikes on the woodwork from us and 1 from them plus a missed penalty in the first half! Makes it sound a really entertaining game but between the odd goalmouth incident there was  lots of ponderous turgid stuff with which we have become too familiar. Neither side looks top half to me.

Very pleased with Downing---still got plenty of pace, Gallagher showed a bit more, Cunningham was terrific, Williams was exceptional, Bennet was much better than usual but still has at least one clanger in him! Much more secure in central mid-field now with Johnson and Travis though both need to be more constructive.

Creativity and fluidity is what we lack. Real wingers in a 4-4-2 would suit me but maybe the time for that has passed.

[DE.]

Just now, oldjamfan1 said:

I agree with this. I know we all like to moan about Evans' crab-like style, but at the end of the day he's an international central midfielder and he's a back-up player for us. Fans of many other championship clubs will be quite envious of that scenario, and would no doubt scoff at us for moaning about it.

Downing could also play there if required, probably to great effect (a la Gordon Cowans in 1992)

Personally I don't even think Evans is good enough as back up at this point. I don't want him anywhere near the pitch in a Rovers shirt. He's pretty much the only remaining symbol of our decline from the GB days and I'm looking forward to the day he's gone. Unfortunately probably won't be for a while as interest in his services was non-existent even when we were relegated, which I think says it all. Also the new contract and high wages will make a move difficult, so... yeah. Best we can hope for is probably a loan out somewhere, like Mulgrew. Depends whether Evans is happy to sit on the bench or not. If he is genuinely good enough to be starting and has any ambition then he shouldn't be. 

 

[Silas]

1 hour ago, rigger said:

But it was meant to be a really hard start to the season, now it's changed ?

Hasn't changed for me. Still a really hard start.

And lose to Cardiff and West Brom and it's 6 pts from 6 games.  That's relegation form.

Obviously,  win those 2 and it's promotion from. 

So, I'm chuffed to bits with the last few results. But,  we've still a lot to prove. 

Here's hoping the lads and TM do prove some of us wrong. 

[47er]

2 hours ago, rigger said:

But it was meant to be a really hard start to the season, now it's changed ?

It looks as if you are trying to say that I thought we had a very difficult start to the season and now we've won 2 in a row I'm back-tracking and saying it was an easy start?

Please show me where I've written anything like that!

Silas above has it right, don't get carried away just yet!

Edited August 21, 2019 by 47er