Home V Fulham 08/02/2020

[chaddyrovers]

8 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

Johnson, Travis and Downing was your midfield 3 in the team you suggested. Has this change or are you just covering all bases?

Have I said I change from my team? 

My way is to match the Fulham formation but to play a similar way to that Brentford home game last season

[Uddersfelt Blue]

Bristol City just lost 3-1 to Birmingham this evening.

A win for Rovers puts us within 3 points of 6th as it stands. What better incentive to have a right good go at Fulham

Edited February 7, 2020 by Uddersfelt Blue

[MarkBRFC]

1 minute ago, Uddersfelt Blue said:

Bristol City just lost 3-1 to Birmingham this evening.

A win for Rovers puts us within 3 points of 6th as it stands. What better incentive to have a right good go at Fulham

We have been here many times in the venkys era, expect the most meek performance you have ever seen and a 2-0 defeat.

[Mattyblue]

With the top 6 opening up, if we’d have been playing a bottom half side I’d be near certain of not picking up 3 points. Against the better sides at Ewood we often raise our game, so who knows.

[Bbrovers2288]

Yea real incentive to win, sadly I don’t think we will 

[Uddersfelt Blue]

Why shouldn’t we win? We are one of the top teams on current form. 

Yes, Fulham are doing well too but beatable 

[Blue blood]

20 minutes ago, Uddersfelt Blue said:

Why shouldn’t we win? We are one of the top teams on current form. 

Yes, Fulham are doing well too but beatable 

Perhaps the raft of injuries (including virtually all our creative players injured) and the fact we don't cope well with the pressure of being near playoffs. Even without thinking about league positions and even with a fully fit squad it isn't an easy game - factor in the circumstances and it is a difficult game. So yeah, there's a number of strong reasons to suggest we won't win. 

That said we do like being the underdog and if I am impressed by the Fulham team I'm not by their manager. So it's far from a given result. That said it's still a tricky game for Rovers. A win would be a huge statement of intent. A draw in the circumstances would not be overly disappointing. 

Head over heart (and even then a tad optimistic) i'll go for a 1-1 draw. 

[Husky]

1 hour ago, Uddersfelt Blue said:

Bristol City just lost 3-1 to Birmingham this evening.

A win for Rovers puts us within 3 points of 6th as it stands. What better incentive to have a right good go at Fulham

That's actually bad news. I expect every team we play against from now on will come under Tony T's 'they have greatly improved' pre match big up.

[roversfan99]

22 minutes ago, Blue blood said:

Perhaps the raft of injuries (including virtually all our creative players injured) and the fact we don't cope well with the pressure of being near playoffs. Even without thinking about league positions and even with a fully fit squad it isn't an easy game - factor in the circumstances and it is a difficult game. So yeah, there's a number of strong reasons to suggest we won't win. 

That said we do like being the underdog and if I am impressed by the Fulham team I'm not by their manager. So it's far from a given result. That said it's still a tricky game for Rovers. A win would be a huge statement of intent. A draw in the circumstances would not be overly disappointing. 

Head over heart (and even then a tad optimistic) i'll go for a 1-1 draw. 

I am not even sure it is just the psychological pressure of being near the play offs, I just think that with all things levelled out we are mid table fodder at the moment. On a particularly poor run we might delve into lower mid table and I think went as low as 18th but never in serious danger of relegation, conversly after good form we might poke our head into the lower top half but again neve making it into the top 6, and ultimately we level out in the middle.

Agree with the rest of your analysis though.

[Inglorious basturk]

1 hour ago, chaddyrovers said:

Have I said I change from my team? 

My way is to match the Fulham formation but to play a similar way to that Brentford home game last season

Mate ... how do you get through the day ?? 

[Paul Mani]

I’d consider playing Bennett today in a midfield three or on the right of a midfield four. Or maybe even Johnson in three with Downing to the left of him and Trav to the right.  I’d even be tempted to play Graham and get aerial balls into their box. It just feels like one of those blood and thunder games where we need a bit of experience.

Expect us to rise to the occasion. Hope we can nick it.

Edited February 8, 2020 by Paul Mani

[Gone to seed]

Tough call today. Expecting there to be the inevitable problems due to lack of quality through injuries. It is a challenge for TM and the team, especially as Fulham have quality in spades, so they should be capable of running over us. However football isn't a rational sport with nailed on certainties, especially in this division...I'm going for a hard fought reverse this afternoon, with Fulham picking us off once in each half, with a huff and puff late consolation for us.. 1-2

But,COYB of course!

[Oldgregg86]

I really want to see davenport in the middle with travis. I honestly think this would be an excellent partnership and give travis the freedom to burst forward and do what he did at boro. I just think they would compliment each other really well. 

Edited February 8, 2020 by Oldgregg86

[darrenrover]

On 05/02/2020 at 13:08, JoeH said:

Walton
Nyambe   Lenihan   Tosin   Williams   Bell

Travis      Johnson

Downing

Graham      Armstrong

5-2-3. I like Downing behind the forwards, he's a creative player and has shown on multiple occasions he can shoot from the edge of the box. Without Holtby it'd be easy to change the midfield drastically, but against a strong Fulham side, I'd go with a 5 back. Allow the hot in form Nyambe to roam forward, Johnson and Travis can hold the midfield and Armstrong can drift around Graham.

I suspect TM may go for this team and formation too and I like you, wouldn't be critical if he did. I'd be tempted to replace Bell with JRC though.

 

[davulsukur]

14 hours ago, MarkBRFC said:

We have been here many times in the venkys era, expect the most meek performance you have ever seen and a 2-0 defeat.

Sad but true, unbelievably frustrating being a Rovers fan (under Venkys)

 

[joey_big_nose]

Have to say I'm not devastated about losing Holtby. On recent form less important a player than Armstrong, Downing, Travis, Lenihan, Nyambe or Tosin.

I can see Buckley starting at 10.

[toogs]

11 minutes ago, joey_big_nose said:

Have to say I'm not devastated about losing Holtby. On recent form less important a player than Armstrong, Downing, Travis, Lenihan, Nyambe or Tosin.

I can see Buckley starting at 10.

Holtbys work rate, closing down etc was excellent last home game. 
 

A first team starter that we will now miss in my opinion. 
 

all those above players are important because there is no- one in our squad to replace them. 

Edited February 8, 2020 by toogs

[Husky]

1-1.

We usually do well against teams that play better football.

Unbeaten run, yadda yadda, only ... points from the play-offs.

[OldEwoodBlue]

[Exiled in Toronto]

Looks like 4-4-2

[davulsukur]

Good to see JRC start again.

Surely must be JRC and Downing on the wings? Arma in behind Gally up top?

Or 4-4-2?

[Oldgregg86]

Can’t complain about that lineup

COYB

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

2 minutes ago, Exiled in Toronto said:

Looks like 4-4-2

Could be or 4-3-3 with Travis-Johnson-Downing in the middle 3 and Gallager-Armstrong-Rankin Costello up front. Or it could be a mixture of the two systems with and without the ball.

Edited February 8, 2020 by Tyrone Shoelaces

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Just now, Oldgregg86 said:

Can’t complain about that lineup

COYB

I'll let you know at 4-55 pm.

[Bigdoggsteel]

No Bennett, but I thought he always starts or is "shoe horned in" regardless? 

Can that narrative please be put to bed now? 

Decent team,as good as we could expect.

Brereton on for the winner