Tony Mowbray Discussion

[Dolly blue]

It’s not in Mowbray’s interest to get near the Premier League ....can you imagine him and his mate Venus locking tactical horns with Klopp ? 
Sadly, “ jobs for the boys “ is the order of the day at Ewood . 
No ambition,....we’ve become a rudderless club ...I can take it when we try and fail but I can’t take this soulless, gutless approach. 
 
Is there anyone out there who has ANY  hope of success  next season with Waggott, Mowbray and Venus ?? Please inform me of how you feel this way. 

[Athlete]

54 minutes ago, DE. said:

With our budget I don't think we'll ever have a squad that is top six in the division for ability. This represents a problem as I don't see Mowbray as an overachieving manager, just one who meets basic expectations. If we want to get promoted I do think we would need to change manager, but can understand the reluctance to do so as Venky's do not have a track record of appointing managers with the ability to overachieve.

OUR BUDGET !...TM's wasted over 10 million on two absolute duds in Gallagher and Bererton

[DE.]

Indeed he has, but I would guess our overall transfer/wage budget still ranks somewhere in the middle of the division. It's something a better manager could get us into the playoffs with, but I don't think TM ever will.

[tomphil]

59 minutes ago, Stuart said:

This guy is a hamster in a wheel.

Sometimes he goes fast and sometimes he goes slowly. Sometimes he just stands still. And sometimes he even goes backwards.

But ultimately he is going nowhere.

Kevin Gallagher summed it up just now by saying, and I paraphrase for brevity, we set up 4-6-0, defending before attacking, and sapping the confidence out of our forward players.

If we cannot go for it from the position we are in, safe, with a 7th placed finish no better than 21st, and on the tails of local rivals then when can we?

We need to perform far far better than that. But why should the players care? Doesn’t matter if they are in or out of form, it doesn’t affect chances of selection. Doesn’t matter what happens on the pitch or for how many matches, Mowbray is under zero pressure.

All too comfortable and, as far as I’m concerned, promotion will mean pressure from fans for a change of manager, while WDL in the Championship will not.

Now if there was pressure on him today we'd have seen a completely different attitude from him and the players would have come out fighting tooth and nail. I'd stake my house we'd have won that if there were vultures circling.  As it is it was an impressive return to action last week with some bold thinking. Today was very much take the foot off the gas and lets just set out not to lose, never works with our lot we are either on it or we aren't.

How much of that comes from him i'm not sure but you'd have thought he'd have fathomed a way around it by now. Main issue is we don't go down fighting we a goal behind and if we don't hit back within a few mins it's game over.

Edited June 27, 2020 by tomphil

[Bigdoggsteel]

Muddled thinking from Mowbray at a crucial time ,yet again

 Rothwell had no busines starting that game. Was perfect for Johnson to come in for Evans and help us win the midfield battle. Rothwell is a pointless player in my opinion, especially in a game like that. Actually in any game. He drives me mad. 

When he ,eventually, brought Armstrong on he put Brereton centre. What in god's name is that about? Put our top scorer in the middle you moron! 

Bennett left back was somewhat forced, but I don't recall JRC seeming to slow the play down as much every time he got the ball. 

Travis and Evans are the engine of the team. Without them together we won't make the play offs. Missed opportunity. 

[rigger]

1 hour ago, chaddyrovers said:

really? 

We played 4-3-3 with Downing as deep playmaker like last week

So would Downing have been missed in midfield today or could he have played at left back?

[tomphil]

55 minutes ago, unleaded said:

Can just see this coming

We will move on to the next one ! Terrible football and how he’s lasted this long with the tools he’s had only Venkys can explain... 

We need a sporting director to monitor his goings on .... Too much power with no one to question him ... 

What we've always needed under this lot is a CEO or similar with Rovers at heart or who understands it and its fans at least. Also one who knows football. 

Then when you have an ok gaffer like Mowbray there is someone there independent of the owners and him and his staff. That way pressure can be applied when needed and even an arm round the shoulder or shield when things aren't, up to a point of course. The way it is he has his own people in office around him then there's the owners man and all the lot including the ownership are probably connected to the same agents.

It will never ever be a recipe for success no matter how much money is chucked at it.

[roversfan99]

No strange tactics?

Playing Bennett at left back? Or indeed at all?

Playing Gallagher again as a right winger/forward? Or indeed at all?

Playing Holtby as essentially a central striker?

Having Armstrong on the bench? Then wide left, where Brereton was?

Our squad is so imbalanced, you look at the potential side for Tuesday night, who do we go for?

Walton (no alternative), Nyambe, Lenihan, Adarabioyo, Travis (if fit) in their respective positions goes without saying. Then it gets tricky.

Downing has to play at left back, theres no alternative. So thats a back 5 and Travis. I'd prefer Davenport to Johnson alongside Travis, may need them both in there. 

Holtby and Armstrong have to start. Its how we build around that. Ideally youd want them 2 as a striker and attacking midfielder. But what about either side? Literally no one.

Maybe Holtby as a 10, Armstrong up top and Brereton left with the 2 interchanging, and Chapman on the right?! 

Suspect considering the situation and a couple of injuries that Tuesdays team will be one of his weirdest yet.

 

[DE.]

Wouldn't surprise me in the slightest to see Gallagher toiling away on the right again Tuesday. 

[roversfan99]

This speech worked.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Just now, roversfan99 said:

This speech worked.

I think the players like life just the way it is.

[DE.]

10 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

This speech worked.

A bit strange to say that and that set up with a 4-6-0 formation against a team who were 12 points behind us in the table.

[Doogs]

The only good thing to come put of today's game is that us the fans couldnt watch ..

[Bigdoggsteel]

1 hour ago, DE. said:

Wouldn't surprise me in the slightest to see Gallagher toiling away on the right again Tuesday. 

I would be more surprised if he isn't 

Mowbray has a unique knack for playing players when he shouldn't and not playing them when he should. Could make a list of examples. 

Wouldn't surprise me to see more points dropped on Tuesday. Would be like us. 

 

[Inglorious basturk]

We aren’t tough enough.  Can you imagine that vile prick cook bantering about his wife’s baking ? 

[simongarnerisgod]

4 hours ago, DE. said:

A bit strange to say that and that set up with a 4-6-0 formation against a team who were 12 points behind us in the table.

well you need to score f***** goals to win a match and today we would`nt have put one in if we`de be played till midnight,thanks to your tactics against a nothing team who where there for the taking,we really should`nt be moaning because we in a pretty good position,but my god the opportunities we`ve missed to get in the playoffs?,scarily to me this side is reaching  the end needs breaking up and rebuilding and i don`t think mowbray has the ability or money to do it

[Sparks Rover]

4 hours ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

I think the players like life just the way it is.

I think Tony does too. He's got at least 2 years of happy clapping down ewood....pension growing month by month 

[Blue blood]

Last week showed why TM is a decent manager. Today showed why he is not a good manager. The only consistencies at Ewood are: our inconsistent performances, players out of position and favourites played long after they need dropping (and dropping only coming when TM is in the last chance saloon.) These weaknesses seem unchangable in TM, and for all the promise at times, they totally hold us back and form a glass ceiling. Venkys with their lack of interest, delayed decision making and their lack of appropriate senior management appointed at the club are another equally impenetrable glass ceiling.  The two together are a horrific mess which is only going to destroy the club by a thousand cuts. 

TM should be credited for bringing in the youngsters he has (although with Nayambe in particular I wonder if he hindered rather than helped.) However he should be thankful we have such a damn good academy because they've really covered his weakness in the transfer window. 

The fact we have 4 strikers I would happily ship out (albeit one for age reasons) speaks volumes for his poor squad planning. And it's a drum I've banged on for years but we haven't replaced either  Graham or Mulgrew as they have aged to build our team around. Add in the age of Johnson and Downing, the return of the loanees - although good riddance to Walton - and you really see how much work needs doing on the squad. Heck replacing the aged may mean we don't get anywhere near to replacing our uninspired forward line. 

Maybe I am particularly negative after a loss and just need to rant, but take away a poor result today, and if we narrowly missed out on promotion with some good performances the problems would remain the same. Same squad issues, same players out of position. (I mean Gally at right wing, on what basis does that ever look good or has worked? How many times does Bennett need to get done before he is dropped.) These are glaring errors, huge, obvious rookie errors. That TM makes them continually suggests he is incapable of learning or improving. 

Not that he will leave. Safe as houses is our Tony. And they'd only replace him with worse. What a crap position to be in. 

 

[rigger]

Would Venkys leaving improve the team - No

Would dud players leaving improve the team - No

Would TM leaving improve the team - Yes

[rigger]

10 minutes ago, OnePhilT said:

 

When Kean left, I thought the team would improve. When Berg left, I thought the team would improve. When Appleton left, I thought the team would improve, When Bowyer left, I thought the team would improve. When Lambert left, I thought the team would improve. When Coyle left, I KNEW the team would improve. Even when Allardyce left a decade ago, I think a fair number thought that the team would improve.

Damien Johnson is probably going to be our next manager. When he takes over - in fact, whoever takes over - it's going to be yet another exercise in seeing how he can handle things the way that Venkys operate. Johnson might know that by now, but then so did Bowyer. I don't think things will get better just by changing the manager. We may even have peaked under these owners. Can't fault the financial backing overall, in spite of how it's been spent, but the way that they run the club in practical terms is always going to be the core problem. Tony Mowbray is about the only manager out of that lot, above, who seems to be able to make things work at the club. Having somebody else do the same or even better is going to be a longshot in my opinion.

The team would improve because there wouldn’t be repeated wrong player selections. Fair enough a manager may have to, at some point make some selections that may not work. That is par for the course. But to persist with selections that do not work is a failure that cannot be accepted .

[47er]

Can't believe anyone can think Tony can taken us to the next level. This is his level----10th to 12th in the Championship forever.

He's been here quite a while now and it could be argued he's stabilised us. But how long does it take before stability becomes mediocrity?

He will go on forever keeping us halfway up the Championship or down, whichever way you look at it.

We've never seriously threatened Top 6 all the time he's been manager, we need a real over- haul of the squad before next season thanks to his blunders in the transfer market.

Will Venkys pay? Will Mowbray make the right choices if they do?

Will he play them in the right positions?

Time he went, need to be bold. Club dying week by week.

 

Edited June 28, 2020 by 47er

[rigger]

If Mowbray stays It makes my decision  on renewing next season easier.

[matt83]

15 minutes ago, rigger said:

If Mowbray stays It makes my decision  on renewing next season easier.

I certainly won’t be swayed into a season ticket with this lot and Tonebola pulling the strings. A truly dull side perfectly in the image of the man himself.

I’ll just pick and chose games avoiding the games like sheff wed we price at £48 and out of principe avoiding the games I’m liable to pay waggott tax.
 

[tomphil]

Echoing blue bloods post really, we've seen the two sides of this manager and his team in the space of a week yet again. Of course we have to take into account the nature of this division and a couple of good players missing. Sadly though even if they were available then i couldn't see it making a great deal of difference because he often negates the strengths of the team by further weakening already week areas with his selections and tactics.

When the pressure is on him he and the team deliver when it isn't they collectively relax far too much and leave things to chance. Trying things that might work once in 5 in favour of things that do work when they do them back to back and we go on winning runs.

The guy will never go shit or bust when we are in touching distance only when his back is against the wall.  If they really really want it then he and them have to show it, it's in the locker so open the f##### door !

[DE.]

31 minutes ago, tomphil said:

Of course we have to take into account the nature of this division and a couple of good players missing. Sadly though even if they were available then i couldn't see it making a great deal of difference because he often negates the strengths of the team by further weakening already week areas with his selections and tactics.

Yeah, it's strange but even when our better players are injured or suspended it doesn't seem to make that much difference to our overall form. In fact when Dack got injured I believe our form generally picked up rather than declined - but I believe it would have been roughly the same whether he'd have been present or not. Under TM our form seems to swing between good and bad irrespective of who is playing. Sometimes we'll see a line up and think "yes, that's exactly what we need" and the resulting performance will be dire. Alternatively sometimes we'll see a line up and think "wtf" and we'll go on to play well and win.That's why for the most part I've stopped paying attention to how we line up as it seems to have no major bearing on the end result. In my view it's not a good thing as it suggests we can't get the best out of our top players, and our system is largely designed to limit every player to a certain ability level. Good enough to keep us in mid-table as long as the standard of player is on average fairly decent, but never enough to push us beyond that point and in danger of dragging us downwards if the quality of players at the club begins to nosedive as it did during GB's tenure (and I would argue he was very similar to Mowbray in regards to the above).

Edited June 28, 2020 by DE.