Brentford (A) - 12:30pm KO (Sat 22nd Feb 2020)

[DE.]

Just now, S8 & Blue said:

I’d say he’s already WAY better than King ever was for us

He's had more impact than King, absolutely, but that's more down to Bowyer's ineffective use of King than a reflection on his ability imo. The fact Bournemouth signed him and he went on to have a very solid impact there pretty much from the get go proves he was ready, he just didn't fit into Bowyer's sludgy style of play because he had pace and creativity, which weren't exactly welcomed at the time. 

[HowieFive0]

1 hour ago, roversfan99 said:

You havent proven anything, youve stated your opinion. It certainly wasnt as clear cut as the decision against us which was a dive but I think we were lucky to get ours. I dont think I have ever seen you agree with a decision against us or disagree against one that has gone our way so if you want to view it from a position lacking neutrality then fair enough.

The throwing away of 23 points from winning positions will be a huge regret if we do miss out on the top 6.

How do we compare to other sides that went from winning positions ?..are we way out ?

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

3 hours ago, Sparks Rover said:

He made the wrong call because he had left it too late.  The call should have been to stay on his line, made Armstrongs mind up for him. Shocking goalie!  

You are trying to say in that split second he weighed up the wind and flight of the ball and thought he'd tempt AA into a lob...? Give over.  His decision making is shyte and always has been his weakness 

That's what good keepers do, they're aware of the conditions and how they can affect opponents decision making. Raya would be more aware than most as to how hard the wind was blowing.

[Tom]

1 hour ago, chaddyrovers said:

Lucky to receive? think I and certain other posters have proved that it was penalty. Raya face after he push Buckley knows its a pen, The rules that someone has posted(think @Herbie6590 posted, sorry if wrong). 

It only matters being in the top 6 after 46 games not after 34 games. Sheff Wed were top 6 not long ago not mid table 

Armstrong has step up to the plate like I suggested he would if we played up front after Dack Injury. If I remember correctly, you keep asking me who would step up to score in the games, I said Armstrong and the rest of his team mates. Players have set up and its very pleasing to see aswell. 

By the same metric you could ‘prove’ there’s was a penalty by showing that two of ours put their arms on their guy impeding him.

The above is nonsense but there is no proving either way, it’s a non issue though both were soft and both were given 

[roversfan99]

Just now, HowieFive0 said:

How do we compare to other sides that went from winning positions ?..are we way out ?

Cant remember which teams were beneath us, Wigan were the only team ahead of us on a massive 31 points, we were second when it showed the stat on 21 points prior to us losing a 2 nil lead.

[magicalmortensleftpeg]

1 hour ago, Ewood Ace said:

Another case of  what could have been at Griffin Park. For a an hour I thought that we were comfortable, the first goal as well taken as it was, was poor defending from Tosin and Lenihan to be so far off him. 

As for the two penalties. Our's is a penalty, Raya's decision making as bad as it has always been. As for theirs it is a blatant dive but as soon as he chucked himself to the floor I just knew the ref was going to give it. Although very poor defending by Bell to allow him to get into the area.

Travis and Johnson were the stand out performers today for me. Johnson is a strange player some games he looks so far of the pace you think he should be long retired and then other games he is dominant there doesn't seem to be any in between with him.

The mental strength of this squad is still a worry. With the play offs in sight we again passed up the opportunity and of course yet more points dropped from a winning position.

Completely disagree. Brentford controlled most of the game and we scored against the run of play. It’s a good point in the circumstances. For an hour we were comfortable?! Which hour was that? On the coach? 

[1864roverite]

Just seen the Brentford no penalty what a shocking decision from an abysmal Steve kean of a referee

 

[Butty]

I’d have taken a point before the game but not under those circumstances, no chance was there’s a pen and ours was one of them where if it was given against you you’d be fuming. They are a better side than us in terms of ability but we grafted and you can’t fault the lads today. Two massive home games now. 

[Wood26]

Seeing a lot of Brentford fans online saying how bad the ref was and they was against 12 men. I see their case for argument on the pen, but there’s evens that up. For life of me can’t think what else they are upset about? The ref even gave them a free kick when Bell was fouled whilst doing the best defending he’s ever done.

Edited February 22, 2020 by Wood26

[savage90]

The ref gave them nothing until their penalty. I was laughing at some of the decisions, including that one! 

[Scotland1]

22 minutes ago, 1864roverite said:

Just seen the Brentford no penalty what a shocking decision from an abysmal Steve kean of a referee

 

Tbf we got an easy one which most games every week goes as a free kick. 

[Pedro]

2 hours ago, magicalmortensleftpeg said:

It’s not 2 points dropped based on how the game panned out. Brentford threatened to cut loose throughout the game. We were in the same position last season and conceded 5, that says a lot about where we’ve come in 12 months. Walton, especially, has stepped up.

Honestly, I'd sign him tomorrow.

[SBlue]

4 minutes ago, Pedro said:

Honestly, I'd sign him tomorrow.

Yeah, starting to like Lurch. Quite an imposing gangly sod up close. His shot stopping is underrated by us lot I think.

42 minutes ago, DE. said:

He's had more impact than King, absolutely, but that's more down to Bowyer's ineffective use of King than a reflection on his ability imo. The fact Bournemouth signed him and he went on to have a very solid impact there pretty much from the get go proves he was ready, he just didn't fit into Bowyer's sludgy style of play because he had pace and creativity, which weren't exactly welcomed at the time. 

It was a criminal waste the Josh King situation that’s true.

Wasn’t he being bandied around at £30m this window?

I hope it’s just my memory playing tricks that Chris Brown often kept him out of the side.

 

If Arma was 6 foot and a bit like King is and could get his head on more stuff, then he’d certainly be one of Bournemouth’s best players too.

Edited February 22, 2020 by S8 & Blue

[DE.]

Just now, S8 & Blue said:

It was a criminal waste the Josh King situation that’s true.

Wasn’t he being bandied around at £30m this window?

I hope it’s just my memory playing tricks that Chris Brown often kept him out of the side.

If Arma was 6 foot and a bit like King is and could get his head on more stuff, then he’d certainly be one of Bournemouth’s best players too.

Man Utd wanted him for something like £30m but Bournemouth rejected their offer. Obviously United were pretty desperate as their eventual signing of Ighalo showed, but even so we definitely wasted King's talent whilst he was here. From recollection he was behind Rhodes and Gestede as far as striking positions were concerned, and Bowyer preferred players who could cross the ball out wide as opposed to players who would cut in and run at defenders, so the likes of Conway, Marshall and Cairney were preferred in those positions. With that said I seem to remember King playing quite a lot in the first half of the 13/14 season then not so much the second half. Can't remember if he got injured or whether he just wasn't the preferred option. From recollection he did have quite frequent injury problems during his time here as well. 

[Boroblue]

26 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

Cant remember which teams were beneath us, Wigan were the only team ahead of us on a massive 31 points, we were second when it showed the stat on 21 points prior to us losing a 2 nil lead.

There is something that does sit quite right with this statistic even though correct. 

For example if you had lost all 34 games and never been in front you would be on 0. Better than rovers but bottom of the league.

Alternatively over 34 games you could have been in front in seven and lost but won the remaining 27 and be top of the league. Yet using these statistics you could argue that the league leaders are mentally frail.

The results for some reason lack any relevance. 

[arbitro]

As I walked back to Brentford station I got into a conversation with a Brentford supporter who had a reasonable outlook on the game but was critical of us because we were physical, consumed time at every opportunity and played too much long ball. I told him I was pleased about that and he asked in a perplexed manner why. I told him that invariably we have had to punch above our weight and the success of recent times (cup runs, European qualifications) has been built on such attributes. We aren't a pushover anymore and are learning a few of the darker arts. That's exactly how I want opposition teams and fans to see us. Hopefully there will be no more rolling over for these teams with delusions of grandeur.

The game itself was strange as I would have snatched your hands off at 12.30 for a point but the joy is obviously tinged after being two up. Once again there were many 7/10 performances and that level of collective consistency is getting us results. Brentford can, without doubt play but the conditions aside we pretty much did a job on them by denying the too much space. All in all I thought it was a fair result and allows us to maintain and perhaps build the growing confidence that the team is showing.

[roversfan99]

Today was the last chance for us to make direct ground on one of the teams in the play offs, although that may be a positive thing as our record against these teams is poor, winning only 1, drawing 3 and losing 4. Also throw in 2 losses v the top 2 and our record v the top 6 is not something to be proud of. There is little margin for error now, we need to put a run of results together in the last 12 games that earns us at least 5 or 6 points more than a team in the top 6, at least 2 points more than the team in between and enough points to ensure no teams come from our blind side and overtake us. A long shot and one I suspect will be beyond us especially with our injury problems but theres no reason to fear it considering our form in the last few months.

[DE.]

Seeing the goals again on Quest - our penalty was pretty clear imo, whilst theirs was clearly soft and a dive. Not much to argue about either of them IMV.

Watkins' strike was an absolute peach but poor defending to let him get into that position. Still had it all to do from that position and absolutely no blame attached to Walton, but we should have had him closed down long before he got a shot away and arguably could have stopped the ball from getting to Watkins before he even had the chance to shoot. 

[SBlue]

Crazy to see some criticising Walton for the Watkins goal.

It’s leathered into the postage stamp beautifully.

No one is saving that.

[DE.]

9 minutes ago, arbitro said:

As I walked back to Brentford station I got into a conversation with a Brentford supporter who had a reasonable outlook on the game but was critical of us because we were physical, consumed time at every opportunity and played too much long ball.

He had no comment to make on the blatant dive from his own player that gave them their equaliser I assume?

[SBlue]

Just now, DE. said:

Seeing the goals again on Quest - our penalty was pretty clear imo, whilst theirs was clearly soft and a dive. Not much to argue about either of them IMV.

Yup. Robbed.

Can’t be disappointed with the team, the attitude, mentality, or the manager.

”We’ll put a decent point IN THE BAG and move on”

Still many positive signs.

[SBlue]

Just now, DE. said:

He had no comment to make on the blatant dive from his own player that gave them their equaliser I assume?

Decent lot their supporters, chatty and welcoming.

Still absolutely blind to the decisions though - they thought they were hard done by!

[DE.]

Just now, S8 & Blue said:

Decent lot their supporters, chatty and welcoming.

Still absolutely blind to the decisions though - they thought they were hard done by!

As ever was I suppose, we all do it. 

[arbitro]

Just now, DE. said:

He had no comment to make on the blatant dive from his own player that gave them their equaliser I assume?

To be fair we didn't really chat about specific incidents although I have seen it now and the outcome should have been a yellow card for a clear act of simulation. I thought our penalty was soft too.

[Bbrovers2288]

Honestly can’t complain about the result today and thought we played about as well I could’ve hoped. Was ashame their goal came when it did as we looked to have weathered the storm well and could see out the game. Came from absolutely nothing. Their pen wasn’t a pen but Johnson shouldn’t have gave the ref the option. Up until then I felt we got the majority of the refs decisions who I thought was shocking to both throughout. 
 

Thought travis was immense, has became a very important player for us. Walton and nyambe were also very good. Armstrong took his goals well but I still think he needs to lift his head at times - evident in his one v one , not looking for the correct side of the keeper. But happy with his progress.

very few negatives but thought downing was poor, even right at the death he had the opportunity to fire a corner in and instead lofted it to the edge of their box which nearly set them on a breakaway. 
 

johnson was the player I hoped we had signed but as mentioned rash on the pen and was a bit overly dirty at times. 
 

buckley- still to make my mind up if I like him or not to be honest. Neat and tidy but needs to show a bit more. 

though gallagher looked decent when he came on, relieved some pressure from our box and was unlucky with a run into theirs. 
 

im not as confident as most against stoke and Swansea but if we can take 6 points from them, it’s game on