Tony Mowbray Discussion

[matt83]

It’s almost pointless talking about Mowbray now. This time of year I am partial to a Xmassy film and yesterday Groundhog Day was ticked off. All so annoyingly predictable. 

He’s going nowhere I would say there are 3 camps now - Those who are happy with and have accepted medical table mediocrity. Those who fear the Venkys making a worse appointment. Those acknowledged we’ve plateaued and want to make a change in the hope the replacement is more Warnock than junaid Ali. I did consider those who think Mowbray will get us into the play offs but I can’t believe there’s anyone who actually believes that it must be more of a bravado/denial thing.

When things get back to normal and grounds reopen again I’ll be interested to see what the gates are like. I suspect even though people should be chomping at the bit for live football again and therefore bumper crowds, I reckon the attendances will be low very low. I dare say a few, not least swag, will be left scratching their heads as to why. Answer: Tony Tonbola and his strive for mediocrity  

Edited December 10, 2020 by matt83

[tomphil]

We are still missing one or probably 2 proper center halves in the squad. We still rely on a converted mid and converted left back half the time.

His failure to ever get a real grip on the defence is a real issue for me all he's ever seemed to do is stick a plaster on it.  You have to create a real platform there so games like last night have a better chance of a shut out.

Such fine lines as a 0-0 is then hailed as a really handy point but we get undone the same way time and again. 

That for me has been the biggest drawback of his time here, i see Hanley nominated for player of the month. Exactly what we are missing.

[Ossydave]

Whilst not being a Mowbray fan boy, or being totally against him being replaced, the issue still remains who replaces him?

Chris Hughton has probably been mentioned more than most on here as the saviour, his Forest team are nervously looking at relegation spots rather than play offs.  Warnock as well, his Boro team are below us after getting stuffed off PNE of all teams.

 

[Hoochie Bloochie Mama]

I don't think anybody was really surprised by last nights result...as soon as we get a sniff of the top 6, or play a team in or around the top 6, we invariably lose. 

The big surprise will be if we get in the Top 6 and stay there. 

[USABlue]

On 11/11/2020 at 18:22, Exiled in Toronto said:

This ageing supporter remembers them being a division above us for well over half of the 70s and 80s.

Myself also, maybe the fella thinks I'm a young un.  I just don't think we should look down on anyone.  On the day anything can happen, the FA Cup is testament to that.   Many many fruit less visits to Kenilworth Road says the same thing.  Same Luton the beat us at Ewood.

[DE.]

I'm feeling very downbeat after last night's result. I felt like the matches against Brentford and Bristol City were genuine chances to prove we've turned a corner - to show something really has changed from previous seasons.

1 point from those two games is just so disappointing. Having the best attacking stats in the league doesn't mean much to me if we're 10th and can't win against anybody in the top half. I'd much rather have the best defensive record in the league, and I'm sure we'd be a lot higher in the table if we did.

Edited December 10, 2020 by DE.

[chaddyrovers]

Mowbray nominated for manager of the month and Armstrong player of the month for November 

 

[JHRover]

42 minutes ago, DE. said:

I'm feeling very downbeat after last night's result. I felt like the matches against Brentford and Bristol City were genuine chances to prove we've turned a corner - to show something really has changed from previous seasons.

1 point from those two games is just so disappointing. Having the best attacking stats in the league doesn't mean much to me if we're 10th and can't win against anybody in the top half. I'd much rather have the best defensive record in the league, and I'm sure we'd be a lot higher in the table if we did.

I'm in the same camp. I just feel that we are going to waste a glorious opportunity this season and we won't get a better one for some time. The likes of Armstrong and Elliott won't be here long especially if we can't get higher than 8th.

Its the same old story every time we get anywhere near threatening in the division.

We've already lost too many games for a side that wants promotion. We are too easy to beat. Last night should have at the worst case been a 0-0 but we are the masters at allowing the fine margins to go against us. 

At 60 minutes last night I was quite pleased with the potential for a 0-0 draw at a tricky place following on from a draw at Brentford. But their goal and our defeat highlights where we are at. No way should we be losing like that in those sort of games and so we are now facing another gap to the top 6 with top of the league coming on Saturday. 

[Blue blood]

15 hours ago, roversfan99 said:

The thing with Bowyers' squad is probably due to a mixture of financial restrictions (especially compared to Mowbray) some bizarre signings and some strange loyalty to poor players he inherited was very much either really good or dreadful. Rhodes and Gestede were the best strikeforce in the League undoubtedly and in Conway and Marshall when both were fit we had 2 really effective wingers. Hanley and Duffy grew into an effective partnership at CB too. But we had some totally incompetent players in the starting 11, he couldnt look past Lowe and Williamson in the centre of midfield which meant that we probably had a bottom 3 standard central midfield. At full back we often had Spurr who was at best ok, and RB was a bit of a problem position, Baptiste was out of position and uncomfortable there and Henley/Kane werent up to it, and then in goal, Bowyer had Robinson post blood clot when he could barely move, and then had some real trouble replacing him with Kean, Eastwood and Steele all below par. So I think even in our best side whilst having maybe 5 or 6 players right at the top end of the league in terms of quality, there were at least 3 who were probably not up to the standard of the Championship full stop. Of course you need more than 11 which is when a further problem arose, we had the likes of Chris Taylor, Varney, Chris Brown etc who were all miles short of Championship standard.

He definitely did underachieve though with the squad he built.

Good post. I would agree with you that there was some dross in the team that held us back but I would question how big a handicap it was. I mean obviously it didn't help and the Lowe love in in particular caused us no end of trouble. 

That said I think you perhaps overestimate the problem. Spurr and Baptists were adequate full backs for this league (although appreciate the latter was better at CB) and definitely not liabilities. Likewise we had Evans when fit in cm, and for all I don't rate him he was better than Lowe and Williams. Plus of he played Cairney there more than out wide that means we were "only" a goal keeper and defensive midfielder who were liabilities.

Put that way it sounds a problem, and undoubtedly it was. I guess my point is that a lot of the other average players, especially the squad ones I don't think were liabilities. Not great sure, but a Warnock type manager would have used them to slot in and do a decent job. I think the issue was poor management of players good and mediocre rather than having a terrible squad. 

So we are maybe disagreeing on why Bowyer wasn't that great! This is what it has come to under Venkys. 

 

 

[chaddyrovers]

I dont feel downbeat at all over the 2 results. 

[Blue blood]

Also worth saying whilst 9 point from 3 games is great, a likely 10 from 6 is less so. A win Vs Norwich and it looks a very good run from 6 games (including 2 difficult ones). but a 3 game run without a win and you can be certain  that we aren't going to be getting into the playoffs anytime soon. 

Imo 4 points from this 3 game run is what's necessary to keep pace, maybe 3 at a push. Sure the season won't be totally over if we don't but it's yet more evidence we can't do it when it matters. 

[Blue blood]

Just now, chaddyrovers said:

I dont feel downbeat at all over the 2 results. 

Of course there is no reason for pessimism. Just because we cannot beat a team above us, and are bottling another chance of getting into the playoffs, where on earth is there any reason in that to be downbeat? 

 

[JHRover]

6 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

I dont feel downbeat at all over the 2 results. 

You don't feel downbeat after 1 point from 6? Do you ever feel downbeat?

[Hoochie Bloochie Mama]

22 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

I dont feel downbeat at all over the 2 results. 

Expected two defeats?

[G Somerset Rover]

2 hours ago, chaddyrovers said:

I dont feel downbeat at all over the 2 results. 

Are you expecting us to win pretty much every game in the new year ‘when we get Dack and Trav back’? Seems like half the board are.

Edited December 10, 2020 by Gavlar Somerset Rover!

[Elvis Biro]

3 hours ago, USABlue said:

Myself also, maybe the fella thinks I'm a young un.  I just don't think we should look down on anyone.  On the day anything can happen, the FA Cup is testament to that.   Many many fruit less visits to Kenilworth Road says the same thing.  Same Luton the beat us at Ewood.

I'll retract the word 'tinpot', if you like. But please don't try to argue that Luton Town possess one eighth of a scintilla of the pedigree of Blackburn Rovers.

[islander200]

5 minutes ago, Gavlar Somerset Rover! said:

Are you expecting us to win pretty much every game in the new year ‘when we get Dack and Trav back’? Seems like half the board are.

Who has said we will every game when Dack and Travis are back?

Are you suggesting those two players wouldn't improve most championship sides including us?

We are 5 points off having played some really tough away games.Seems like half the board are just waiting for an opportunity to moan.We are doing ok nobody can argue that.

[G Somerset Rover]

41 minutes ago, islander200 said:

Who has said we will every game when Dack and Travis are back?

Are you suggesting those two players wouldn't improve most championship sides including us?

We are 5 points off having played some really tough away games.Seems like half the board are just waiting for an opportunity to moan.We are doing ok nobody can argue that.

Tongue in cheek. And no I’m not suggesting they wouldn’t improve most teams in the division. What I am saying is a fair few folk are excusing poor results because of missing those two. Which is all well and good but for the whole of Mowbray’s tenure we have crumbled whenever we’ve got within sight of the play offs. I can’t see it being any different this year - regardless of those two being back fit.  

[Guest]

Just spotted Preston 3-0 Boro. Warnock working wonders 😶

[Ewood Ace]

1 minute ago, JoeH said:

Just spotted Preston 3-0 Boro. Warnock working wonders 😶

Took over Middlesbrough 21st in the league kept them up and within a few months and spending little money only has them only a point behind the might of Tony Mowbray, who has taken nearly 4 years and a lot more money to get where he is.

[roversfan99]

1 hour ago, islander200 said:

Who has said we will every game when Dack and Travis are back?

Are you suggesting those two players wouldn't improve most championship sides including us?

We are 5 points off having played some really tough away games.Seems like half the board are just waiting for an opportunity to moan.We are doing ok nobody can argue that.

We shouldnt be viewing these tough away games with such an inferiority complex if we genuinely think we are aiming to be a top 6 side.

The last sentence is something that can be argued depending on expectation. The target is top 6 and we are 5 points away, therefore is that ok? Certainly not to the point where people cannot argue otherwise.

Its this continious notion that we are x points away (often accompanied with excuses y and z) as it that is about to change any time soon. 

I dont get why anyone expects not to see moaning and frustration when we lose a game. Especially when it is another chance spurned to break into the top 6 and another failure to overcome anyone half decent.

[islander200]

29 minutes ago, Gavlar Somerset Rover! said:

Tongue in cheek. And no I’m not suggesting they wouldn’t improve most teams in the division. What I am saying is a fair few folk are excusing poor results because of missing those two. Which is all well and good but for the whole of Mowbray’s tenure we have crumbled whenever we’ve got within sight of the play offs. I can’t see it being any different this year - regardless of those two being back fit.  

In my opinion we haven't had a squad worthy of finishing in the top 6 until this season.

As things stand we are one of the teams competing to be in the top 6.We have the majority of the better sides in the division already played, granted the results in those games have been poor but 5 of the top 6 have to come to Ewood yet.

Last night's result was poor but it was on the back of a 7 game unbeaten run.Norwich is a tough match but feel we can get 6 points out of the next two matches.

There is more reason to be upbeat rather than downhearted on the evidence so far 

[islander200]

2 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

We shouldnt be viewing these tough away games with such an inferiority complex if we genuinely think we are aiming to be a top 6 side.

The last sentence is something that can be argued depending on expectation. The target is top 6 and we are 5 points away, therefore is that ok? Certainly not to the point where people cannot argue otherwise.

Its this continious notion that we are x points away (often accompanied with excuses y and z) as it that is about to change any time soon. 

I dont get why anyone expects not to see moaning and frustration when we lose a game. Especially when it is another chance spurned to break into the top 6 and another failure to overcome anyone half decent.

How are the team approaching those away games with such an inferiority complex, with the exception of the Swansea game we have competed well in all those matches.Created plenty of chances and could and probably should have had more points in them.Not seen the team go away this year looking for a point we have attacked in most those games.

I obviously would have liked more points from them but my point is those tough away games are out of the way for us and we are still only 5 points off.

Have the other top 6 hopefuls had as tough away fixtures as we have had so far? Don't think they have.

[Mercer]

IMO, Mowbray just doesn't get the best from what we have and hasn't got that steely winning mentality.

Listening to the interviews last night from Holden and Mowbray, Holden was so upbeat and positive - their bottom line objective is top 2 whilst, IMO, Mowbray's objective is to challenge for top 6.

Injuries don't wash - that was a very strong starting 11 last night.  Sadly, IMO, Mowbray did not set us up right and his substitutions were baffling to me.

Sick of feckin saying it - we need a young, hungry and innovative manager who, I am pretty certain, would get a far better tune out of the payers we have at Rovers. 

[Hoochie Bloochie Mama]

3 minutes ago, Mercer said:

IMO, Mowbray just doesn't get the best from what we have and hasn't got that steely winning mentality.

Listening to the interviews last night from Holden and Mowbray, Holden was so upbeat and positive - their bottom line objective is top 2 whilst, IMO, Mowbray's objective is to challenge for top 6.

Injuries don't wash - that was a very strong starting 11 last night.  Sadly, IMO, Mowbray did not set us up right and his substitutions were baffling to me.

Sick of feckin saying it - we need a young, hungry and innovative manager who, I am pretty certain, would get a far better tune out of the payers we have at Rovers. 

Paul Ince was once that.

Genuinely, who would you suggest?

Edited December 10, 2020 by Hoochie Bloochie Mama