Stoke v Rovers Nov 30

[jim mk2]

So, after one of the best performances of the season in midweek can Rovers maintain the momentum away to lowly Stoke City?

Fans have been buoyed by the victory over Brentford but Mowbray's Rovers have a habit of raising hopes only to disappoint in the next game.

Stoke are in the bottom 2 but have a new manager in former Northern Ireland boss Michael O'Neill and have won 2 of their last 4 games, albeit victories over fellow strugglers Wigan and Barnsley.

In the words of one famous poster, it ought to be a nailed-on Rovers win, but it's never been that simple with this team under  Mowbray. 

Which team will turn up, the one that played so well against Brentford or the team that has too often been so easy to beat? 

Discuss. 

[jw_]

If Mowbray sticks with the same team (unlikely) we will batter Stoke, if he "tinkers" ( likely) we may still win but it will be a nail biter.

If he does tinker and we get beat then it will highlight clearly what our problem has been all along. 

[Paul Mani]

What I want is for the manager to dispense with his idea to ‘transition’ us into Tika taka football. This group of players love playing heavy metal football and Wednesday was a fine example. We don’t need 70% possession of the ball to beat teams. 

I want Mowbray to keep that 11 and blueprint of high octane football with uncompromising centre halves, workman-like midfielders, lightening quick wingers and a little un off a big un, up top. Everyone busts a gut to get forward and everyone kills themselves to get back. It suits the players and us as fans. We were all buzzing after Wednesday.

 The progression is simply to buy better footballers to suit this mould. Upgrade the quality but keep the identity of the team.

Edited November 29, 2019 by Paul Mani

[chaddyrovers]

Same team and same way please Mowbray. 

Stoke will play 4-3-3/4-5-1. 

 

[tomphil]

Set up and play to our players strengths and use the signings you've made like they should be used. This is the blood and guts championship there's no place for a pedestrian walking football version of Brazil style. it's not working so forget it.

No easy games but no need to fear Stoke they are probably in a false position but they are there this season because they aren't playing well. Make it about us not them and we'll come away with something.

Stoke  2    Rovers  2

[MarkBRFC]

Usual away surrender I'm going for, 3-1 Stoke.

[CrouchingNunhiddenCucumber]

It's down to Tony really, we should be going there for the win but the concern is he'll be worried about something he shouldn't be worried about and this will transmit onto the team and ergo our performance. 

I'm going for a decent away win 1-2 and an internal battle with the myself not to look how many points we are off the play offs. 

[joey_big_nose]

Id play the same team, but with the expectation of swapping Graham at half time / 60 mins. We need to integrate Gallagher into the way we play somehow.

Edited November 29, 2019 by joey_big_nose

[Guest]

We can't play the same team, it would be very naive. We aren't good enough to completely ignore the opposition and just play our own way. Stoke are extremely physical, Lee Gregory and Nick Powell aren't Ollie Watkins and Said Benrahma, I personally believe having Williams back in at left back would be the only way to deal with those two, and the likes of Danny Batth too from set pieces. 

Home against Derby we should absolutely retain the XI from Brentford, but not tomorrow, away from home against an entirely different side that will play a completely different way.

[tomphil]

WE don't really have the players to match these physical sides so i don't advocate trying to play them at their own game.  Play our game don't sit back and let them impose themselves.

Edited November 29, 2019 by tomphil

[Guest]

Just now, tomphil said:

WE don't really have the players to match these physical sides so i don't advocate trying to play them at their own game.  Play our game don't sit back and let them impose themselves.

I'm not saying sit back, I'm simply saying Downing can't mark Gregory, Powell, Batth and other big feckers like Williams can from set pieces.

[Wegerleswiggle]

Same team as Wednesday, same intensity as Wednesday, same result as Wednesday. 

Bang bang, job done! 

[JHRover]

16 minutes ago, JoeH said:

We can't play the same team, it would be very naive. We aren't good enough to completely ignore the opposition and just play our own way. Stoke are extremely physical, Lee Gregory and Nick Powell aren't Ollie Watkins and Said Benrahma, I personally believe having Williams back in at left back would be the only way to deal with those two, and the likes of Danny Batth too from set pieces. 

Home against Derby we should absolutely retain the XI from Brentford, but not tomorrow, away from home against an entirely different side that will play a completely different way.

Burnley go with the same team whether they are playing Bournemouth or Man City and it tends to work for them. When they got out of this league they used the same players and system every week.

We need an identity and consistency and the way to get that it to settle on a system and preferred XI. 

Edited November 29, 2019 by JHRover

[chaddyrovers]

Just now, JoeH said:

I'm not saying sit back, I'm simply saying Downing can't mark Gregory, Powell, Batth and other big feckers like Williams can from set pieces.

Gregory aint big. Powell has barely played there. 

Woods and Allen will be centre midfield. Ince and either Clusas or MCClean wide. 

We need to.play our game not theirs. Same way as Wednesday . 

[Guest]

Just now, JHRover said:

Burnley go with the same team whether they are playing Bournemouth or Man City and it tends to work for them. When they got out of this league they used the same players and system every week.

We need an identity and consistency and the way to get that it to settle on a system and preferred XI. 

Burnley lose heavily to a lot of teams because of this. They will finish low down in their league. We don't want to do that.

 

Just now, chaddyrovers said:

Gregory aint big. Powell has barely played there. 

Woods and Allen will be centre midfield. Ince and either Clusas or MCClean wide. 

We need to.play our game not theirs. Same way as Wednesday . 

Gregory is more of a physical presence than Danny Graham, don't underestimate him, a top quality centre-forward who we'd be lucky to have an have to watch carefully. I respect your position, but I don't think Stoke and Brentford are similar at all, and we're simply not good enough to ignore that and play the same team anyway.

[Wegerleswiggle]

17 minutes ago, JoeH said:

We can't play the same team, it would be very naive. We aren't good enough to completely ignore the opposition and just play our own way. Stoke are extremely physical, Lee Gregory and Nick Powell aren't Ollie Watkins and Said Benrahma, I personally believe having Williams back in at left back would be the only way to deal with those two, and the likes of Danny Batth too from set pieces. 

Home against Derby we should absolutely retain the XI from Brentford, but not tomorrow, away from home against an entirely different side that will play a completely different way.

Let them worry about us. Let them worry about Downing marauding down the wing, overlapping Rothwell. Do Liverpool drop Robertson against physical teams? We have to get out of the mentality of lining up to compensate the opposition's strengths, especially when they are in the relegation zone. 

We should use Wednesday as a fresh strating point. Use that system as our new identity. If we don't and Tony starts to tinker again then we are simply going back to square one! 

[Guest]

Just now, Wegerleswiggle said:

Let them worry about us.

It's a good point, and I respect it and I can in some ways admit that I agree, but I feel like away from home it could be perceived as naive.

[chaddyrovers]

Just now, JoeH said:

Gregory is more of a physical presence than Danny Graham, don't underestimate him, a top quality centre-forward who we'd be lucky to have an have to watch carefully. I respect your position, but I don't think Stoke and Brentford are similar at all, and we're simply not good enough to ignore that and play the same team anyway.

Gregory is nothing like Graham. He aint top quality either..at best mid table quality. 

Play the same team and the same way. Stop changing it every week. 

Stoke will leave spaces for us to exploit. 

[Guest]

Just now, chaddyrovers said:

Gregory is nothing like Graham. He aint top quality either..at best mid table quality. 

Play the same team and the same way. Stop changing it every week. 

Stoke will leave spaces for us to exploit. 

He really is. A physical, goal poacher with a great flick and an ability to draw fouls from defenders. I'd love to have Gregory at Rovers, a player with a lot of experience in this division, and if left alone, will score tomorrow.

[JacknOry]

Just now, JoeH said:

Burnley lose heavily to a lot of teams because of this. They will finish low down in their league. We don't want to do that.

And how have we been doing by interchanging our lineups in order to nullify the opponents strengths? Brentford was the first time this season we put out (probably) our best team and let them worry about us. 

Gregory is more of a physical presence than Danny Graham, don't underestimate him, a top quality centre-forward who we'd be lucky to have an have to watch carefully. I respect your position, but I don't think Stoke and Brentford are similar at all, and we're simply not good enough to ignore that and play the same team anyway.

Well, i would rather try to find out instead of continue with something that obviously has not been working for us. We need to be more positive going into games rather than worrying about the strengths of teams in the relegation places. 

 

Edited November 29, 2019 by JacknOry

[Guest]

@JacknOry I'm merely suggesting Williams over Downing at a minimum, not a complete change in style.

[roversfan99]

The side on Wednesday night was well balanced, with that front 6 being the same one that ended the season so well. 

It would be criminal to change things up out of fear of Stoke. That 11 was good off the ball and offers a threat on the break and an out ball.

[Wegerleswiggle]

Just now, JoeH said:

@JacknOry I'm merely suggesting Williams over Downing at a minimum, not a complete change in style.

Is Williams fit? 

[Nelsonthedog]

The only change id make is to bring in Williams at left back possibly.. then it's a tough choice of downing or rothwell on the left side.

[Nelsonthedog]

Just now, Wegerleswiggle said:

Is Williams fit? 

Good question.