Cardiff-home

[Paul]

1 hour ago, Gavlar Somerset Rover! said:

Stats show Cardiff having double the shots we’ve had and just ONE on target from us. We’re really struggling this season going forward aren’t we. 

I wouldn't pay too much attention to those stats. They are simply wrong. First half we had at least three on target which took slight deflections to go for corners. If you're a Cardiff fan that's good defending. Second half we hit the post and I think the Cardiff keeper saved one. Cardiff hit the post in the first half and Walton made one good save.

The reality is if it hadn't been for deflections, very slight ones, Rovers could have been 2-3 up at halftime.

Second half both teams dropped a gear and played poorly. The sides were very evenly matched and largely cancelled each other out.

When Dack and Graham came off I'd have put Gallagher in the centre and Armstrong wide. Rothwell was anonymous.

[OldEwoodBlue]

5 games into Mowbray's 10 game trial.

He better sort something out sharpish because he needs 5 back to back wins to get where he is supposed to be and keep his job.

Oh sorry, it will be "give him until Christmas". Rinse. Repeat.

 

[BlackburnEnd75]

Just now, Rovers1994 said:

 

Btw what’s happened to Rothwell this season? He’s been so poor whenever he’s come on, looks completely invisible.

He was invisible today (he wasn’t given enough time), but thought he looked good vs Hull.

its a shame for him as he clearly has a manager that doesn’t believe in him

[joey_big_nose]

Defence is very solid now. Night and day compared to last season.

Up front we do have a real problem. We do lack a quality striker and I think it's a given that while Armstrong and Gallagher can make positive contributions to the team it is not going to be a significant numbers of goals or locking down that partnership role with Dack. Breretons a total waste of space and Graham's ageing.

Not sure what the next step is to be honest. What we really need is a top class youngish target man for Dack to play off. We've spent 12m and not got that. 

If Dack was unavailable I would go two up front and see how that worked. But as you can't really drop him I think we'll just keep on trucking and hope something clicks.

 

[joey_big_nose]

Just now, OldEwoodBlue said:

5 games into Mowbray's 10 game trial.

He better sort something out sharpish because he needs 5 back to back wins to get where he is supposed to be and keep his job.

Oh sorry, it will be "give him until Christmas". Rinse. Repeat.

 

5 back to back wins would likely put us first? Is that the minimum requirement?

[chaddyrovers]

good point today against a typical Warnock team. Game of few clear cut chances. very tight game.

Defensive thought we were solid on the whole(tho miss Cunningham). Walton made a good save and claims crosses when he did. Lenihan and Williams is a very good partnership and keeping a third clean sheet in 5 games is very good and good start to the season. Bennett also good against Murphy and Hoilett. 

Attacking. Warnock decided to man mark Dack with Bacuna out of the game. Graham out played and no chance against their centre backs. so taking both off make sense. Players like Rothwell and Armstrong pace would cause their problems later in the game. I would have like to see them on earlier in the game. 

The Nyambe sub makes sense cos Downing was tired and not helping Bennett defensively enough so when both played down there stop that problem cos before that Murphy and Hoilett keep changing positions. 

We did have a clear cut chance that Johnson should have scored and Williams hitting post. so it could have a better but I would taken a point and a clean sheet before the game against Cardiff. 

 

 

[chaddyrovers]

1 hour ago, Gavlar Somerset Rover! said:

Stats show Cardiff having double the shots we’ve had and just ONE on target from us. We’re really struggling this season going forward aren’t we. 

 

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

3 games in 8 days is probably a game too far for Downing.

[OldEwoodBlue]

Just now, joey_big_nose said:

5 back to back wins would likely put us first? Is that the minimum requirement?

Top 6 is the minimum requirement, as you well know.

[RevidgeBlue]

Just now, chaddyrovers said:

 

Two efforts on target at home isn't acceptable either. The defence has been uncharacteristically stingy the last three games but I wouldn't bank on that continuing and the problem will come when we start letting a few in again.

I would say it's fairly obvious we'll get nowhere with Graham up top and Gallagher out wide. Imo the manager will have to try and get a tune out of Dack and one of the strikers other than Graham through the middle and bring in Chapman and/or Rothwell to create some fluency out wide.

[joey_big_nose]

Just now, OldEwoodBlue said:

Top 6 is the minimum requirement, as you well know.

Well

1) getting 10 points in the next 15 would keep us well in touch with the tops 6,

2) I would say top six is a pretty daft minimum requirement given the number of good teams in the division and our relative budget.

[chaddyrovers]

Just now, RevidgeBlue said:

Two efforts on target at home isn't acceptable either. The defence has been uncharacteristically stingy the last three games but I wouldn't bank on that continuing and the problem will come when we start letting a few in again.

I would say it's fairly obvious we'll get nowhere with Graham up top and Gallagher out wide. Imo the manager will have to try and get a tune out of Dack and one of the strikers other than Graham through the middle and bring in Chapman and/or Rothwell to create some fluency out wide.

Well we have Graham's shot 1st half shot that was blocked. Williams's shot that hit post second half. Both dont count as shots on target but both good efforts. Thought Lenihan's shot should have worked the keeper at least.

I wouldnt play Graham at West Brom. Gallagher would start up front for me

Just now, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

3 games in 8 days is probably a game too far for Downing.

4 games in 11 days. 

[magicalmortensleftpeg]

Just now, OldEwoodBlue said:

Top 6 is the minimum requirement, as you well know.

Doing better than last season is the minimum requirement.

If you expect promotion with the current squad, you’re being unrealistic.

 

[magicalmortensleftpeg]

24 minutes ago, DE. said:

After a brilliant end to last season he's been dropped for a 35 year old and/or a striker who doesn't even play very well out wide. So I imagine much like Nyambe his confidence isn't exactly sky high at the moment. 

He’s been dropped for a better player. Not sure what Downing’s age has to do with it. Would you start Rothwell over Downing at present?

Rothwell started against Fulham and did nothing.

[arbitro]

"Today it was unusual for us to face so many long balls! I'd get slaughtered! But I thought we coped admirably.

The above is a quote from Warnock. He is exaggerating in my view but the long diagonal balls to Gallagher on the right are getting predictable and unproductive.

Sometimes Mowbray has to be smarter.

[roversfan99]

A horrible, horrible performance to have to endure, and another toothless display going forward. Cardiff were more dangerous but ultimately it was a load of shite all round.

Firstly the positive, a third clean sheet is undoubtedly a massive improvement. Lenihan was the stand out centre back for me, Williams fine bar one mistake that led to Ralls (I think?) hitting the post in the second half. Bennett was fine again, three in a row. Bell is a joke, summing himself up when the ball was cleared to him from a corner, he had no idea what to do and ultimately did absolutely nothing and they countered. Nowhere near up to it, Cunningham back is a massive relief.

Has to be massive question marks aimed towards the manager and his tactics, he seems happy post match but I've no idea why, bar obviously the improved defence.

Today, it was obvious that if we went direct, Flint and Morrison would eat everything for breakfast, yet he left Armstrong and Rothwell on the bench, and we had no pace, Downing had a shocker and Gallagher again plodded up and down the line offering bugger all going forward.

He spoke at length all pre season about practising ways of playing in terms of attacking, we have appeared blunt in attack all season, 3 goals in 5 games (a fluky own goal from a corner, a penalty and a header from a set piece that shouldnt have been given) is nowhere near acceptable. We repeatedly dominate the possession statistics but its just laboured passing at the back for the sake of it, that ultimately usually ends in a lump forward anyway, its been even worse to watch than last season. We arent creating good chances, we rarely if ever look like scoring.

The Gallagher wide experiment surely has to end now, he can quite obviously not play that position, its another game that he has failed to score in, or indeed come close to scoring. We had 2 pacy players out wide at the end of the season, getting fans off their seats and ultimately providing goals and assists. How is Gallagher above them in the pecking order for a place? Or even Chapman.

 

[stinny1]

After the start we've  had i would have took your hand off if somebody  had offered us 7 points from the last three . Still think we are three quality players away from being a top six team . Right back, Right wing and a stricker. But  the defence has tighten up i was worried  when Cunningham  was missing but with some luck and good defending  we've  kept another  clean sheet.  And this will build confidence through the team Chapman needs a run out on the wing at some point. I didn't  go today so i don't  know how Bell went on . Why we brought  two forwards  in who do the same job is beyond me when we really need a proven goal  scorer but they want big wages and thats the problem  . I think money is there but we can't  compete with wages so they are gambling on the two lads theve brought in 

[Yonder12]

Bell needs to be dropped permanently,  he was shocking today, no football brain.

[West Yorks Rover]

Just now, magicalmortensleftpeg said:

Doing better than last season is the minimum requirement.

If you expect promotion with the current squad, you’re being unrealistic.

 

Wasn't it Mowbray who said the target is top 6. ?

[magicalmortensleftpeg]

Just now, West Yorks Rover said:

Wasn't it Mowbray who said the target is top 6. ?

Yes, a target. Not minimum expectation.

[Stuart]

What a dreadful game of football. Whoever it was who bet on BTTS - yeah, thanks for that.

Our attacking game plan is almost non-existent, and doesn’t look like we will score. This Gallagher on the wing and Armstrong as the lone forward experiment needs to stop, its making both players completely ineffective. Downing, having been unplayable on Tuesday, was virtually anonymous today. Not sure what is happening with Dack but Mowbray is turning a £15m player into a £3m one. He was coming so deep in the first half just get the ball that he is never looking like scoring. I’ve said it before but we’ll regret not selling him. Five games in and Graham is becoming the tired looking player we were fearing he’d become, and £14m down the Shanks and we still have no alternative.

Our defence was the only saving grace today. Thankfully Mowbray resisted the urge to tinker and we kept a clean sheet (as much because of how much Johnson and Travis worked in midfield as our centre backs). Bell was excellent. For 5 minutes. Then he just went downhill fast. That lad’s confidence is shot (a feature of Mowbray’s tenure being young players with ability having it beaten out of them and they can’t do the ugly stuff. (Tony, if you want ugly, buy ugly).

0-0 was probably fair after both teams hit the left hand BBE upright but it was hard to watch for large periods. Mowbray will probably see that as a well fought point against a Colin side. It could have been so much more. I’m trying to convince myself that we aren’t back at the Bowyer stage of W1D1L1 and a squad of players that we waste with old school tactics. Long balls to Gallagher just got less and less effective as the game wore on and we had no plan B.

It was amusing though early in the second half after the first chorus of “Super, super Joe” from the BBE, Mowbray sent out Arma to warm up.

Today’s result depends on your outlook. 7 points out of 15 and comfortably midtable after a difficult set of results. Or, conversely, a new defensive partnership, a “suspended” left back, 7 points out of 9 and no goals against in 3 consecutive games, and it’s top 6 form.

Lets’ hope it’s the latter.

[The Mighty Chaffinch]

I'd have taken a point before kick off and I'm happy with one now! Cardiff were in the Premier League last season, we matched them and could have nudged it in the end with our late chances. 7 points from 9, three clean sheets on the bounce. I'm not complaining 

[OldEwoodBlue]

8 minutes ago, magicalmortensleftpeg said:

Doing better than last season is the minimum requirement.

If you expect promotion with the current squad, you’re being unrealistic.

 

I dont expect promotion.

That is next season.

I expect top 6 or I expect Mowbray to go before he becomes Bowyer mk2 and we start going backwards.

You clearly have lower expectations.

 

 

 

[DE.]

6 minutes ago, magicalmortensleftpeg said:

He’s been dropped for a better player. Not sure what Downing’s age has to do with it. Would you start Rothwell over Downing at present?

Rothwell started against Fulham and did nothing.

I'd start him ahead of Gallagher, not Downing. But obviously age has something to do with it. We have Rothwell ready and waiting, needing regular first team football to progress as a player and integrate into the team, and he watches as the manager brings in a 35 year old to take one of those spots instead. That kind of short-term planning suggests Mowbray still has little confidence in Rothwell right now, which is strange considering how good he was at the end of the previous season.

But yeah, he had one bad match in his only league start against one of the best teams in the division so is obviously not worth a place in the team. 

[Exiled in Toronto]

Tough game to watch but some positives for me were:

- Walton made some high catches Raya wouldn’t have got, plus a really smart save down low.

- We got through Cunningham’s absence OK

- Johnson. That shot near the end from Armstrong’s pass, he had run from the halfway line to get there. Not bad for an old fella in the 85th minute.

The biggest negative for me is Dack, he hasn’t hurt anyone in five games. He does some good stuff but back in the centre circle. Given that the rest of the mids and forwards are picked to fit around his role, it’s time he stepped up. I’m beginning to think he’s been found out at this level.