The Relegation Thread (15th edition)

[matt83]

Just now, MarkBRFC said:

We'll keep limping on, winning once in every 4 or 5 games or so just to give us enough of a cushion to be sucked into any real trouble, whilst others tell us we're only 6 points, 7 points, 8 points etc off the play offs with every passing week.

You’ll also hear it’s a tight division there’s at least 10 teams who could challenge for the top 6. We’ll be right up there if we put together back to back wins, well 3 wins, well 4 wins, well 5 wins...

Then if we’re lucky enough to succumb to mid table mediocrity you’ll hear this was a transitional season cementing our championship status again. All the while qpr have transformed fortunes and past us over a summer. Preston are competing with no budget. 

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Just now, matt83 said:

You’ll also hear it’s a tight division there’s at least 10 teams who could challenge for the top 6. We’ll be right up there if we put together back to back wins, well 3 wins, well 4 wins, well 5 wins...

Then if we’re lucky enough to succumb to mid table mediocrity you’ll hear this was a transitional season cementing our championship status again. All the while qpr have transformed fortunes and past us over a summer. Preston are competing with no budget. 

I'm getting ready to start looking over my shoulder. Our home form is terrible. Win your home games and normally you'll be OK even if your away form is poor. Struggle at home and normally you're looking at the drop.

[Stuart]

18 hours ago, DE. said:

With Stoke and Huddersfield both beginning to revive themselves we had better start looking over our shoulders. Keep throwing away points as we are doing and it won't be long until we're fighting to stay in the division.

Supporters of Mowbray point out that his first Rovers relegation was not his fault because it was too late for him to do anything. Although he did have time.

These same people wouldn’t advocate potting Mowbray until it was too late for the next manager to turn it around.

The point of change has to come when it becomes apparent that the job ahead is beyond the incumbent, not his successor.

Otherwise we are championing failure.

When will that point be? After £14m+ investment the target this season was top 6 and is now looking like being revised staying up on the current trajectory. Avoiding relegation cannot then be considered a success.

[Blue blood]

2 hours ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

Just look at the impact the Cowley's have had at Hudds. They looked down and out at half time but their management came up with a way to get them back into the game and they won the second half. Nothing our guy did altered that, we were second best for 45 minutes. Some of the teams that you would have though would have really struggled, like Charlton and Luton, are doing fine. Hudds will get clear, in fact the thought crossed my mind that they could easily end up with more points than us by May.

We can't stop conceding soft goals. Our latest style of passing it around in our half until we lose it won't cure that, it'll just make it worse, especially when the back 4 changes every week. That's how teams get relegated.

Indeed a month or so ago I thought we would be fine. Stumbling along in mid table with enough occasional wins to see us safe. Problem is if all the other teams up their game - and it certainly looks like Hudds and Stoke have - will such an ambling approach be enough? Bare in mind last time we went down with a very high points total and if certain teams continue to pick up we could be in the same situation. 

Also massively agree with us throwing away points by conversing stupid goals. It's not just that that's throwing away points though - nuts substitutions and line ups are costing us  and limiting the amount of time we are on top in games. This too is massively costing us points. 

What makes this even more incredible is by and large we have a mid table to top 10 squad imo. We are only a good striker, centre half and keeper away from that (barring injuries) yet we are very nervously looking downwards. 

[davulsukur]

https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/17980615.rovers-talking-points-wait-substitute-goal-goes/

No sub has scored a goal for us this season. The bloke who scored Hudds 2nd yesterday already has 3 off the bench this season.

We have only scored 1 goal in the last 10mins of game as well, Armstrongs consolation goal against QPR.

Not good stats.

[dingles staying down 4ever]

3 hours ago, Sparks Rover said:

Yes it’s a long time since Tony made a sub that impacted like Bacuna did yesterday.

 

mowbray out

Still think its our liking to stand off players running with the ball rather than the opposing manager's briiliance

Edited October 20, 2019 by dingles staying down 4ever

[G Somerset Rover]

22 minutes ago, davulsukur said:

https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/17980615.rovers-talking-points-wait-substitute-goal-goes/

No sub has scored a goal for us this season. The bloke who scored Hudds 2nd yesterday already has 3 off the bench this season.

We have only scored 1 goal in the last 10mins of game as well, Armstrongs consolation goal against QPR.

Not good stats.

There’s far too many stats against Tony now which tell me he’ll never ever get us remotely near the promised land. 

Edited October 20, 2019 by Gavlar Somerset Rover!

[philipl]

If we keep on losing every third game purely through managerial incompetence we are going to be sweating badly at the wrong end of the table.

[jim mk2]

Another stumble on the slippery slope downwards 

And Preston Sheffield Wednesday and Leeds to come

Tony’s pensions advisers are not concerned though 

[darrenrover]

3 points above the drop zone with 2 tough fixtures coming up: 

Something's gotta change.

[DE.]

Just now, darrenrover said:

3 points above the drop zone with 2 tough fixtures coming up: 

Something's gotta change.

The only thing that's going to change is our league position as we slip into the relegation zone.

[Stuart]

You do wonder what Venkys make of Tony’s opinion on Rovers. When they took over we were in the top division and now Mowbray talks as though we are lucky to be in the second having been in the third for a season.

They are further away from making any money or getting any prestige from their continued ownership than ever. Surely they would have learned from the Coyle experience not to replace Mowbray with someone similar.

If whomever they trust in the UK isn’t already sounding out Hughton or Hughes really isn’t doing their job.

[Blue blood]

Getting serious now as it seems even when we play well for a period, the rest of our performance utterly undoes it. Let's be honest, when you can't get anything from the game when you are 2-0 up at half time, you really are struggling. 

My biggest worry is all the marginal results are going against us. Brum were rubbish but still get the 3 points. Preston give us an entire half and 2 goals and we don't get the points. Play well (ish) Vs Hudds and end with a point. These are relegation type results. At the very least you would expect points Vs Brum and PNE (if not, very reasonably 3 today) yet to come away with bad results Vs average teams suggests it's only going one way. 

Huddersfield have arrested their decline and I see Millwall have won today. Their manager is one I rate, and even if it's just new manager bounce that's a heck of a lot more impetus than we have. Stoke lost which is positive for us but you feel their board may be quicker than us to sort any problems out. Regardless of opposition- on whom I don't think we can rely to be worse than us - our form and performances are relagation fodder. 

Last time we went down I believe we were sonewhat unfortunate. It was a bad combination of no investment, some improbable results and all teams doing decently. This time there is no excuse as £15 mill onwards we look weak, scared and mentally fragile, not to mention we leak goals. In some ways our decent start may have masked the problem from the owners, but another month of this and no one will be able to ignore how we are sinking. 

 

[Bad Boy]

Sheff  Weds and Leeds up soon.  We will be deep in the do dar’s.  This team has no confidence nor leadership.

[Blue blood]

Right now we are second..  

... In the likely relegation candidates mini-table. Only Millwall are above us. I rate their manager so think they may be safe because of that, but their thin squad and budget could mean they are embroiled. 

Rookie managers at Reading and Boro is a great thing for us. However should Boro get shut of Woodgate I fear a decent manager would get them climbing out. Reading having made one change already, could be looking very likely for the drop. 

Huddersfield with a competent manager now at the helm and a decent squad probably should continue to climb and get out of trouble. 

Wigan and Luton I think could go either way. Teams capable of good performances or getting battered depending on the day. Neither team has huge resources so definitely both will be in the relegation mix. 

Stoke and Barnsley I feel could be in real trouble, especially Barnsley with their low budget too. Stoke's mini revival stalled today but they may be one of those clubs which are all internally wrong. Their manager is solid but it doesn't seem to be working out there. Both could we be in the mix, although an astute change by Stoke could make a difference. 

So Hudds and Millwall to sneak out - leaving it 3 from 8. Probably 3 from 7 when Boro finally pot Woodgate. Just under 50% chance from those very simplistic odds of how many teams there are who will be struggling. It's going to be tight. 

 

[Waggy76]

Just now, Blue blood said:

Right now we are second..  

... In the likely relegation candidates mini-table. Only Millwall are above us. I rate their manager so think they may be safe because of that, but their thin squad and budget could mean they are embroiled. 

Rookie managers at Reading and Boro is a great thing for us. However should Boro get shut of Woodgate I fear a decent manager would get them climbing out. Reading having made one change already, could be looking very likely for the drop. 

Huddersfield with a competent manager now at the helm and a decent squad probably should continue to climb and get out of trouble. 

Wigan and Luton I think could go either way. Teams capable of good performances or getting battered depending on the day. Neither team has huge resources so definitely both will be in the relegation mix. 

Stoke and Barnsley I feel could be in real trouble, especially Barnsley with their low budget too. Stoke's mini revival stalled today but they may be one of those clubs which are all internally wrong. Their manager is solid but it doesn't seem to be working out there. Both could we be in the mix, although an astute change by Stoke could make a difference. 

So Hudds and Millwall to sneak out - leaving it 3 from 8. Probably 3 from 7 when Boro finally pot Woodgate. Just under 50% chance from those very simplistic odds of how many teams there are who will be struggling. It's going to be tight. 

 

Maybe Middlesbrough will do a Newcastle and appoint Mowbray to replace Woodgate ???

It ain't as daft as it sounds !!!!

[davulsukur]

We are now in a relegation scrap. 

We wont fight our way out of it, our only hope is that there are 3 teams worse than us. 

And we have the significant handicap of an atrocious manager.

[MCMC1875]

If ever a club was in limbo ours is it.

[Blue blood]

2 hours ago, Waggy76 said:

Maybe Middlesbrough will do a Newcastle and appoint Mowbray to replace Woodgate ???

It ain't as daft as it sounds !!!!

No and that is a hope. It got us our of jail last time and it might do this time too. Problem is that TM hasn't done well the last 12 months an Gibson generally knows what he is doing. That said it is far from impossible and we can hope for it as it doubly benefits us, weakening a rival and allowing us to get a new broom in. 

[Stuart]

Just can’t see any team in a relegation battle reaching out to Mowbray.

[den]

1 hour ago, MCMC1875 said:

If ever a club was in limbo ours is it.

More of a trance with nobody having a clue what to do about it, or prepared to do anything about it.
 

A club with owners who have no physical contact with their management and running the business completely via phone calls and emails can never prosper can it?
 

[47er]

I feel its just like  its Coyle all over again. Doesn't matter whether we're in front or not, we always find a way to lose.

Scoring enough to prevent the eventual collapse is beyond us.

I'm in despair.

[47er]

Just now, den said:

More of a trance with nobody having a clue what to do about it, or prepared to do anything about it.
 

A club with owners who have no physical contact with their management and running the business completely via phone calls and emails can never prosper can it?
 

Given how stupid our owners are, the complete absence of contact with our owners should be a plus!

Our owners will never be an asset butMowbray has had it all to himself. For example he's had enough money, he's simply thrown it away.

His selections, his playing people out of position, his tinkering with the side from week to week, our obvious lack of fitness, his bullshit interviews---he's stuffed it up on his own as far as I'm concerned.

Had he fixed the defensive frailties he himself identified we'd be top half now. Its him to blame, fairly and squarely.

[booth]

His transfer dealings over the last couple of seasons were always going to lead to this. Too many gambles, not enough quality, no identifiable strategy at play. I can't understand how more people haven't been able to see this.

Any team that doesn't strengthen, even the winning teams, end up only going one way.

[Stuart]

Just now, booth said:

His transfer dealings over the last couple of seasons were always going to lead to this. Too many gambles, not enough quality, no identifiable strategy at play. I can't understand how more people haven't been able to see this.

Any team that doesn't strengthen, even the winning teams, end up only going one way.

And with the money he has spent he has no real excuses.