Stoke City home

[Amo]

6 hours ago, Wood26 said:

Agree I’d of preferred Reed, and so did Mowbray, we tried, but he chose Fulham.

Probably didn't fancy another year on the wing and told to become the next Richie Smallwood.

[Madon]

Jesus christ, what a way to start the day reading this thread... We couldn't get more doom and gloom if we tried. 

It's a game we should have won, yes. However, PNE and Bristol didn't pick up any points this week and PNE are the team to catch. We've gained a point on them so let's put it in the bag. 

They've got Fulham at weekend, we've got Swansea at home... I know which I'd rather have. If we win we'll hopefully be 1 point outside the play offs.

I'd rather be lingering in 7th/8th right now anyway and sneak in under the radar on the last day. 

It ain't over til it's over folks, fasten your seatbelts.

 

COYB

[tomphil]

55 minutes ago, philipl said:

I would have recognised Johnson is going through a tired patch and played Buckley for his superior passing ability. 

Arma wide right to use his pace, Downing left, Samuel centre for his ball control and Rothwell in the Dack slot for his unpredictability and told go show what he can do. Gallagher on the bench and subs used earlier if it were still goalless.

And I would have beaten Stoke.

To me he selects Gallagher right for defensive reasons first and of course that kind of thinking gives him the excuse he needs to rotate certain player when in reality there isn't any need.

Think both managers set out to stifle each other last night and protect the point they began with. I reckon behind the doors both would have been happy with it.

The most predictable game and result of the entire season imo.

[arbitro]

25 minutes ago, Stuart said:

The thing is though, and you aren’t the first to point him out, Rothwell was the one player who actually generated any excitement when he got the ball. If anyone has the X Factor it’s him.

I certainly would have kept Samuel playing instead of Gallagher though. I don’t understand the logic, especially if he had an existing back problem.

Normally I would agree about Rothwell but having been out for a month I thought he wasn't ready to start. I was surprised when I saw the team.

[Amo]

Just now, Madon said:

Jesus christ, what a way to start the day reading this thread... We couldn't get more doom and gloom if we tried. 

It's not about the one game. Last night was endemic of us under Mowbray. We've dropped too many points against lesser sides and have no answer for those who park the bus. That shortcoming will be a big part of our failure to reach the playoffs.

[OldEwoodBlue]

Today's plan is to avoid reading any of Tony's excuses and drivel.

[K-Hod]

7 hours ago, Wood26 said:

Yes I’m certain that’s our strategy. Build up academy players, find gems for cheap like Dack or Armstrong, or invest on someone we think we can profit on. There’s no way we would spend £5 million on Charlie Austin for example, while it may help get us up, it’s not a gamble Venkys are interested in. Again maybe I’m wrong, but knowing how tight Mowbray is, no I don’t think Brereton was his call.

Agree I’d of preferred Reed, and so did Mowbray, we tried, but he chose Fulham. A free Bradley Johnson, best mates with our captain, we all would of taken in start of season, and I’m glad we did. 

As another poster rightly said, it’s competitive sport, not the stock exchange. 
The primary aim should be to win football matches and achieve promotion.

[Cherry Blue]

With no or limited money to spend we need to rely on the academy but TM is not the man to bring the young stars through. 

[islander200]

After Buckley's involvement in two goals in the two previous matches very suprided we didn't at least see him from the bench.Game was crying out for some creativity 

[Mashed Potatoes]

Now that our defence has strengthened considerably, our principal weakness is failing to break down teams who are content to play for a point - we have been unlucky in that injuries have deprived us of Dack and Holtby, the two players most likely to unlock opposition defences. Nonetheless despite the gloom and doom brigade doing their best to convince otherwise we are not out of playoff contention yet.

[Doogs]

Simply not good enough. All this passing back and sideways bores me to hell. It's worse than watching paint dry...Had enough to be honest...

[Mashed Potatoes]

28 minutes ago, Cherry Blue said:

With no or limited money to spend we need to rely on the academy but TM is not the man to bring the young stars through. 

He's already brought a number of young stars through.

[Guest]

1 hour ago, Madon said:

However, PNE and Bristol didn't pick up any points this week and PNE are the team to catch. We've gained a point on them so let's put it in the bag. 

But that's not really true when you add the context that we're further away from the play-offs now than we were a week ago. Preston beat Hull at the weekend and we drew, then Preston lost and we drew. So we're at -1 to Preston for the week of football. 

That's not exactly positive.

[tomphil]

11 minutes ago, Mashed Potatoes said:

Now that our defence has strengthened considerably, our principal weakness is failing to break down teams who are content to play for a point - we have been unlucky in that injuries have deprived us of Dack and Holtby, the two players most likely to unlock opposition defences. Nonetheless despite the gloom and doom brigade doing their best to convince otherwise we are not out of playoff contention yet.

Even with Dack and Holtby we've suffered similar the failure to bring in a winger who might at least have the pace to get in behind has long been something we've needed but still hasn't been addressed, in favour of playing (finding a place for) strikers there. 

Agree on the defence and we've lost games like that in the past so it has been moved on from last season we have to give then that.  However lets look at the bigger picture and see that the keeper and arguably most talented player won't be here they are loaned. And quite likely one of Nyambie or Lenihen will be sold.

Worrying for the 'slow build' project, no getting away from it this season could present our best chance of getting in those play offs for a while to come. 

[Guest]

Massively guilty last night of the thing we always used to do with Bradley Dack.

1. Get the ball.
2. Look up.
3. Find Bradley.
4. Give it to him and see what he can do.

We did that last night with Stewart Downing, who accumulatively, must have had the ball in his pocket for about 20 minutes of that game. They simply marked completely tight and still whenever Downing had the ball, didn't close him down and waited for him to make his move. Nothing on so we create nothing.

The best thing about the Dack injury has been that we've stopped this whole, "Where's Dack" style of football. We've been playing whats in front of us, moving the ball quickly and without too much though for who the ball is going to. Last night, for whatever reason, maybe Rothwell's inclusion as a more recognised ball carrier, we looked flat and very "Where's Stewart"/"Where's Joe". 

Frustrating, and I hope we manage to come away from that, but that was my main take from the game.

[AllRoverAsia]

Stoke were better than Yeovil.

That's about it.

What a friggin borefest. I do feel for those who pay good money to watch utter shite.

Gallagher FFS. I know a player is poor when I feel embarrassed for Girly Locks

[Paul Mani]

Stoke set up to stop us. It was the best rearguard action I’ve seen in a long time. They succeeded. The end.

Onto the next one. Let’s hope Swansea try to attack us on Saturday or we may be in the same situation again. A win keeps us on track for the 1.8pts per game we need.

The Lenihan loss could be pivotal.

 

[MarkBRFC]

It concerns me that we might have a right hand side of Bennett & Gallagher on Saturday. 

[Hasta]

1 hour ago, Madon said:

Jesus christ, what a way to start the day reading this thread... We couldn't get more doom and gloom if we tried. 

It's a game we should have won, yes. However, PNE and Bristol didn't pick up any points this week and PNE are the team to catch. We've gained a point on them so let's put it in the bag. 

They've got Fulham at weekend, we've got Swansea at home... I know which I'd rather have. If we win we'll hopefully be 1 point outside the play offs.

I'd rather be lingering in 7th/8th right now anyway and sneak in under the radar on the last day. 

It ain't over til it's over folks, fasten your seatbelts.

 

COYB

It aint over but there are only 11 games left. These good points against Boro and Brentford, and last nights point, are going to be pretty ineffective if we never actually get to the top 6. If we are 5 points behind with 3 games left, and manage to gain a point over the subsequent round of games, it's won't be great. 

Remember, we don't just have to be 3 points better than Preston and 1 point better than Bristol City over the next 11 games. We also have to be as good as Swansea, 2 points better than Millwall, 2 points better than Cardiff. From where we are lingering, you cannot just 'limp' into 6th.  Games at home have to be targeted as wins, otherwise people will be disappointed.

 

Edited February 27, 2020 by Hasta

[Madon]

Just now, Hasta said:

It aint over but there are only 11 games left. These good points against Boro and Brentford, and last nights point, are going to be pretty ineffective if we never actually get to the top 6. If we are 5 points behind with 3 games left, and manage to gain a point over the subsequent round of games, it's won't be great. 

Remember, we don't just have to be 3 points better than Preston and 1 point better than Bristol City over the next 11 games. We also have to be as good as Swansea, 2 points better than Millwall, 2 points better than Cardiff. From where we are lingering, you cannot just 'limp' into 6th.  Games at home have to be targeted as wins, otherwise people will be disappointed.

 

I totally agree, people are bound to be disappointed when we are chasing the play offs and are playing a lowly Stoke at home, but I just think the majority of the reactions on here are way over the top.

Stoke came for the point last night and they were brilliant at getting it. 

11 games left, I still believe we can do it - but I've always been an optimist! 

[Sparks Rover]

Just now, Madon said:

Stoke came for the point last night and they were brilliant at getting it. 

Yes, but QPR and Derby put 4 past them recently at home.....I'm sure stoke would have tried not to lose those games.....we couldn't manage a shot on target hardly....

All good though, eh?

[Hasta]

5 minutes ago, Madon said:

I totally agree, people are bound to be disappointed when we are chasing the play offs and are playing a lowly Stoke at home, but I just think the majority of the reactions on here are way over the top.

Stoke came for the point last night and they were brilliant at getting it. 

11 games left, I still believe we can do it - but I've always been an optimist! 

Maybe the negative reactions get filtered out by my brain but I've skipped through this morning and I didn't see anything OTT.

We were poor for the majority of the game, Gallagher was a strange selection and we did resort to tapping it around at the back and then hoofing it for Armstrong a lot in the first half. It was a very poor, limited display, 

What frustrated me was how long it took before we changed it. We were better 2nd half but still not good enough. And yet we didn't change it until 79 minutes. ! I'm sure in the league one campaign, when we had a poor half, Mowbray made substitutions at half time. I remember some games where we had made all changes by 65 minutes and we were concerned in case we picked up an injury. However last night we just persevered despite the fact we had only created one chance in the second half , and had a few powered puff efforts from outside the box.

 

Edited February 27, 2020 by Hasta

[DE.]

5 minutes ago, Madon said:

I totally agree, people are bound to be disappointed when we are chasing the play offs and are playing a lowly Stoke at home, but I just think the majority of the reactions on here are way over the top.

Stoke came for the point last night and they were brilliant at getting it. 

11 games left, I still believe we can do it - but I've always been an optimist! 

I think it was as much to do with our ineptitude as them being good. Armstrong up top on his own with long balls being pumped up to his head would be easy for most Championship defenders to deal with. As would the likes of Gallagher and Bell toiling on the flanks. Rothwell's comeback was hugely underwhelming as he did nothing of note and Downing struggled to create anything either.

It was a bad day at the office for us - particularly the first half where we looked incredibly disjointed and slow. It was nothing to do with Stoke, we just didn't come out prepared or motivated. Second half I was much happier with our effort but it was obvious the quality was still lacking. Stoke really didn't have to do that much. How many saves did Butland have to make? All our shots were directly at him. 

[Tom]

Whilst I think it’s two points clearly dropped again I think we’ll know more after Saturday

With the last two fixtures and this weekends we will have had one really tough game on paper and two where you would definitely want 3 points, Preston one where you would want to win and 2 stinkers.

Currently they have 3 points from those games whilst we have 2, I think it’s key that after Saturday we have closed the gap so nothing less than a win will be good enough and would likely result in a 1 or 2 point swing over the 3 games.

If we finish the week 3 points or more behind Preston then it will have been a bit of a failure of a week for me.

I don’t think Stoke really parked the bus last night and probably looked the more likely to score for most of the first half, second they were happy with a point but we didn’t do nearly enough to put that in jeopardy.

Saturday will be more open and can see us scoring 2 or 3 but we will be exposed at the other end as well, Ayew is always capable of giving you a tough time when on form. 

[Tom]

Just now, DE. said:

I think it was as much to do with our ineptitude as them being good. Armstrong up top on his own with long balls being pumped up to his head would be easy for most Championship defenders to deal with. As would the likes of Gallagher and Bell toiling on the flanks. Rothwell's comeback was hugely underwhelming as he did nothing of note and Downing struggled to create anything either.

It was a bad day at the office for us - particularly the first half where we looked incredibly disjointed and slow. It was nothing to do with Stoke, we just didn't come out prepared or motivated. Second half I was much happier with our effort but it was obvious the quality was still lacking. Stoke really didn't have to do that much. How many saves did Butland have to make? All our shots were directly at him. 

The rovers website hailed the inspired keeping of Butland, he didn’t do anything I wouldn’t expect Jake Kean to do