match thread Birmingham (A) [The one we've all seemingly forgotten about]

[Guest]

Tough one, I'd go for the XI that started against Huddersfield but I'm sure TM won't see it that way.

Anyone going to this one, anyone know how many we've sold, and finally, what team would you go with?

[DE.]

No point even bothering to predict a team as Mowbray will do his best to confuse us with whatever line up he selects. 

Expecting a miserable defeat here, 2 or 3-0. Mowbray will continue to bemoan injuries and blame Harry Chapman's u23 performances for the result. Brereton will be very upset on commentary. 

[BankEnd Rover]

See us getting a draw here. Holtby has to start.

[arbitro]

3 minutes ago, BankEnd Rover said:

See us getting a draw here. Holtby has to start.

 

3 minutes ago, BankEnd Rover said:

See us getting a draw here. Holtby has to start.

And finish.

 

[philipl]

Brum have injuries and a red card suspension. Now the time to play them.

Unfortunately, now is a great time for them to play us...

Edited October 21, 2019 by philipl

[Mercer]

Just now, philipl said:

Brum have injuries and a red card suspension. Now the time to play them.

 

And is why Rovers will  win.

Holtby and Dack  will be too much for them and a two goal lead at half time should be sufficient to see us through 

This is the most winnable of the next four and we must make it count. 

[MarkBRFC]

We'll win this to get us all excited before Saturday.

[tomphil]

Brum  3   Rovers  2

I see this possibly being a bit topsy turvy like Leeds away last season.   The team, set up the approach to games and mentality, possibly even fitness just aren't tuned into seeing games out, defending leads or turning games around. We'd need to be 4 up with twenty mins to go to guarantee a 4-2 or 4-3 final score.

[Don Said]

Definitely time to find and stick (emphasise the stick) with a system that suits Dack and Holtby, that's probably our only slim chance of achieving anything this season.

Due to our best two defenders being injured long term, I'd probably be more comfortable with a 3/5 at the back. 4 at the back with Bell/Hart/Bennett at left back is an absolute no go for me.

Same 11, not ideal but something like:

                     Walton
        Nyambe Tosin Williams
  Bennett Travis Johnson Downing
                 Holtby Dack
                   Armstrong

[Amo]

I'd drop Walton and play rush goalie.

[Wegerleswiggle]

Bennett and Armstrong out

JRC and Graham in.

 

Never gonna happen I know but that's what I would do.

[CrouchingNunhiddenCucumber]

Had we forgotten or has the Mowbray-Venkys axis finally driven the will to give a single fuck out of us?

[davulsukur]

3-1 defeat I think.

[Riverside under the drip]

Having been to a fair number of away grounds this season, I'd normally be up for a half-term midweek trip but the dross served up recently has stopped me. I can't shake the idea that Holtby will be dropped and Gallagher back in ("He's not quite up to our speed yet and 3 games in 1 week comes a bit early" - Boring Tony). Worse still, I can see us failing to get more than 2 or 3 shots off at their goal as we continue to 'dominate' possession.

[Sparks Rover]

Gallagher hat trick against his old team???

[G Somerset Rover]

1 hour ago, Mercer said:

And is why Rovers will  win.

Holtby and Dack  will be too much for them and a two goal lead at half time should be sufficient to see us through 

Jesus Christ, there it is.

Edited October 21, 2019 by Gavlar Somerset Rover!

[Hasta]

A team in worse form than us with worse striking options than us.

Bearing in mind there is no way he will start DG at Preston, he will probably give him a runout here.

I wouldn't be surprised if we scored a couple tomorrow, although that could still lead to any of the three possible results.

 

[frosty]

We might win - we're due a victory to ensure we keep plodding along in mid-table and that we don't fall too far down the league. Birmingham can't be up to much themselves either, one mid-table team v another.

Obviously hope we win but it's pretty depressing that a victory wouldn't really mean anything, as we've made it clear we're incapable of doing anything of note this season.

[Amo]

1 hour ago, Wegerleswiggle said:

Bennett and Armstrong out

JRC and Graham in.

 

Never gonna happen I know but that's what I would do.

Yeah, there's more chance of Brexit getting done tomorrow night than ToMo dropping those two.

No complaints with that line-up. Graham might be on his last legs, but we need some presence in the box. 

[@roverseas]

Birmingham City (Away) - The one we've all seemingly forgotten about... not me! 

This is an important week for Rovers as it climax with PNE at their place, who could enter the fixture on Saturday with two defeats on the spin.  Hopefully Rovers can enter it with a pring in the step by taking all 3 points against the Brummies on their own patch.  The history books will tell you the likely result will be a draw, but I am hoping Mowbrays decision in pulling Holtby and Downing midway through the match against Huddersfield Town be a masterstroke, and they come back fit and ready for both Tuesday night and Saturday. 

 

Meanwhile, on Sunday I caught up with Birmingham Fan TV and got their opinion on this match. 

 

Edited October 21, 2019 by @roverseas

[Guest]

                         Walton
             Nyambe Tosin Williams
Bennett                                     Downing
                 Travis     Johnson
         
          Holtby    Dack    Armstrong

I think Nyambe was immense against Huddersfield but I'd sooner see Downing as a left-wing-back than Bennett at Left Back again. I'd potentially play JRC at right-wing-back also but can't imagine TM going for it.

Holtby, Dack and Armstrong worked brilliantly vs Huddersfield and I cannot see any reason to come away from it, a rotating front three Liverpool style is very difficult to defend against, as shown by our two goals on Saturday. Man mark Dack out of the game, Holtby and Armstrong are there too, the same for all of them. If we're losing the midfield battle you could always drop Holtby a little deeper and play with a midfield three, which is why I think this system is great.

[Miller11]

 

This is what I think the team will be, not what I’d pick. Everyone else in the world except Mowbray recognises the value of balance and playing your best striker.

Edited October 21, 2019 by Miller11

[BankEnd Rover]

Just now, Miller11 said:

 

This is what I think the team will be, not what I’d pick. Everyone else in the world except Mowbray recognises the value of balance and playing your best striker.

If Holtby does not start. Then Mowbray Deserves to be sacked there & then. 

[Butty]

Is anyone on this forum bothering going tomorrow? If you are then you deserve a knighthood. Think this could be a tough game, I’d say we have better players technically going forward but I can see Birmingham running at us getting bodies in the box and being physical, in-turn our defence will eventually fold as it usually does. 2-1 Brum. 

[arbitro]

Just now, Butty said:

Is anyone on this forum bothering going tomorrow? If you are then you deserve a knighthood. Think this could be a tough game, I’d say we have better players technically going forward but I can see Birmingham running at us getting bodies in the box and being physical, in-turn our defence will eventually fold as it usually does. 2-1 Brum. 

I'm going but instead of the usual four there are only two. I expect us to have around four hundred there, probably our lowest ever following at Birmingham. That probably typifies the lack of enthusiasm for Rovers at present.