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[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Just now, jim mk2 said:

Remember Jack Payne a couple of seasons back ?   He had that ability.  I went to the Oxford away match in the promotion season and he was the best player on the pitch by a mile, and presumably why we took note and signed him.  I was surprised he didn't make it with us but the fact he's now languishing in the lower leagues with Lincoln City shows what I know. 

The thing is Jim we brought him to Ewood in case anything happened to Dack so he rarely got a game in his best position. A pal of mine saw him playing for Bradford last year and he was the best player on the pitch, he absolutely ran the game. There's a reason why players with bags of ability drift down the leagues, they lack consistency. You see players in giant killing cup games looking like they could make the step up on that one showing. Watch them again the following week and they're back to being Mr Average. Players at top level can perform for  maybe 30 games a season at a good level, the wannabes can only do 10 at the most.

[DE.]

I think Stoke had at least double the amount of shots we did in the first half and spent a significant amount of time in our half, so if they set up defensively I dread to think what we were doing! 

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

6 minutes ago, jim mk2 said:

Hmmm. I'll take  the points first and entertainment second. That's why I always liked Sam Allardyce !  Agree about Mowbray though

A win can make up for a dull game. Most people will be back again. A boring 0-0 games makes you want to kick the cat when you get home.

[jim mk2]

Does anyone have a link to league tables based on home and away form ? 

 

[Bigdoggsteel]

3 minutes ago, DE. said:

I think Stoke had at least double the amount of shots we did in the first half and spent a significant amount of time in our half, so if they set up defensively I dread to think what we were doing! 

They have quality players. We were lucky Powell didn't put one away. I bet we would have been more progressive and attacking if he did.

I mentioned it last night,but seriously between the crowd,the manager and most of the players bar Travis, why is everyone so nice and kind of respectful? That bullshit that Allen pulled was a fucking joke. Went down for at least 4 minutes , hobbled off and then immediately ran back on. He should have been nailed with a tackle for that. Imagine if ,and I know he is the extreme, someone tried to pull that if Roy Keane was playing or managing? The crowd booed a bit,but my god I can't believe some of the stuff that teams try at Ewood. That killed the momentum we had, the ref didn't even attempt to play it as extra time. Imagine Warnock was on the bench and a player tried that. Ok ,I'm rambling now but I honestly couldn't believe what I was seeing. 

Edited February 27, 2020 by Bigdoggsteel

[jim mk2]

4 minutes ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

 There's a reason why players with bags of ability drift down the leagues, they lack consistency. 

Rothwell in this category too - looks brilliant when he's in the mood but he gives you about one good game in 10. Holtby is another. Dack will give you about one in 3.  Payne looked weak and ineffectual with us - seemed lacking in confidence. 

[DE.]

Just now, Bigdoggsteel said:

I mentioned it last night,bit seriously between the crowd,the manager and most of the players bar Travis, why is everyone so nice and kind of respectful. 

Because we have a team of soft lads created in the image of the manager. That's why we don't sign the likes of Maddison. Bring in talented 'nice lad' type players and it's enough for a comfortable enough mid-table position, but is the ambition and cunning there in these lads to push on past that? I don't think so. All teams need a couple of players like Short, Todd, Savage, Mokoena, etc to dabble in the dark arts when required, or dish out some serious bollockings when things aren't up to standard. We have very little of that in the team and under TM I doubt we ever will. 

[jim mk2]

The Premier League winning team of 1995 was full of "feisty" characters, according to Ray Harford. Lenighan looks like a lad who would enjoy an argument but most of the rest wouldn't say boo to a goose.  

[Exiled_Rover]

6 minutes ago, jim mk2 said:

Rothwell in this category too - looks brilliant when he's in the mood but he gives you about one good game in 10. Holtby is another. Dack will give you about one in 3.  Payne looked weak and ineffectual with us - seemed lacking in confidence. 

Rothwell is a much better player than you're giving him credit for.

He's been asked to play out of position and is doing a job there. He's also playing with a very static group of players - he occasionally flashes his vision and range of passing. I say occasionally because often he's not afforded the runners to do so. 

[Bigdoggsteel]

Just now, Exiled_Rover said:

Rothwell is a much better player than you're giving him credit for.

He's been asked to play out of position and is doing a job there. He's also playing with a very static group of players - he occasionally flashes his vision and range of passing. I say occasionally because often he's not afforded the runners to do so. 

Is he being asked to play out of position? Not sure he is. 

As for no runners, you do know Adam Armstrong ,don't you? That's pretty much his game. A dream for players who have vision , hence why Dack set him up nicely on occasion. 

He occasionally flashes what he can do,because other times he simply fails to do it. I mean he went on that run last season where we was genuinely good. We haven't seen that since and it's not because he is out of position or because other players are bad,it's on him. I am pretty sure he would admit the same himself. 

[Hasta]

30 minutes ago, jim mk2 said:

Does anyone have a link to league tables based on home and away form ? 

 

https://www.flashscore.com/football/england/championship/standings/

 

Overall, home and away form for full season.

Plus form tables (overall / home / away) over last 5, 10, 15 and 20 games.

 

Edited February 27, 2020 by Hasta

[oldjamfan1]

21 minutes ago, jim mk2 said:

The Premier League winning team of 1995 was full of "feisty" characters, according to Ray Harford. Lenighan looks like a lad who would enjoy an argument but most of the rest wouldn't say boo to a goose.  

Travis? Johnson?

[G Somerset Rover]

Just now, oldjamfan1 said:

Travis? Johnson?

Deffo Trav. Johnson if he's had a lay in before his commute from Derby.

[Exiled_Rover]

13 minutes ago, Bigdoggsteel said:

Is he being asked to play out of position? Not sure he is. 

As for no runners, you do know Adam Armstrong ,don't you? That's pretty much his game. A dream for players who have vision , hence why Dack set him up nicely on occasion. 

He occasionally flashes what he can do,because other times he simply fails to do it. I mean he went on that run last season where we was genuinely good. We haven't seen that since and it's not because he is out of position or because other players are bad,it's on him. I am pretty sure he would admit the same himself. 

So he has one runner then? Wonderful.

He's not a AML / LW /LM (whatever it is Mowbray lines him up as). 

[Bigdoggsteel]

Just now, oldjamfan1 said:

Travis? Johnson?

Travis for sure. Johnson too,but he wasn't on it last night. He seems to only very conservatively at home, afraid to try anything expansive for fear of giving the ball away. He's better in away day scraps. 

[Bigdoggsteel]

1 minute ago, Exiled_Rover said:

So he has one runner then? Wonderful.

He's not a AML / LW /LM (whatever it is Mowbray lines him up as). 

Nyambe, Gallagher,Bell all available too. The problem was he didn't get on the ball and when he did he put his head down and ran into trouble. He's not playing well. Pretty sure he started in the number 10 role last night. Plus he played some of his best stuff off the left for us. Where do you think he should play? 

Edited February 27, 2020 by Bigdoggsteel

[Amo]

Think we've still yet to see the best of Johnson. Not sure his heart is really in it here, and the fact he hasn't moved closer to the area would seem to support that.

[DE.]

4 minutes ago, oldjamfan1 said:

Travis? Johnson?

Johnson could barely be bothered to run yesterday, let alone do anything else.

[Bigdoggsteel]

Just now, DE. said:

Johnson could barely be bothered to run yesterday, let alone do anything else.

I don't think he's lazy,just a bit cumbersome. Playing very conservatively too. Not sure if that's a confidence thing. Didn't need him last night I feel. 

[DE.]

Just now, Bigdoggsteel said:

I don't think he's lazy,just a bit cumbersome. Playing very conservatively too. Not sure if that's a confidence thing. Didn't need him last night I feel. 

Not always but last night he really was being lazy. At one point in the first half Tosin was jogging out of defence with the ball and motioning for Johnson to come closer to get the ball, but he just stood there and then strolled off to the side leaving Tosin looking visibly annoyed and instead passing it to Travis. Really frustrating to see that.

[Sparks Rover]

51 minutes ago, Bigdoggsteel said:

They have quality players. We were lucky Powell didn't put one away. I bet we would have been more progressive and attacking if he did.

I mentioned it last night,but seriously between the crowd,the manager and most of the players bar Travis, why is everyone so nice and kind of respectful? That bullshit that Allen pulled was a fucking joke. Went down for at least 4 minutes , hobbled off and then immediately ran back on. He should have been nailed with a tackle for that. Imagine if ,and I know he is the extreme, someone tried to pull that if Roy Keane was playing or managing? The crowd booed a bit,but my god I can't believe some of the stuff that teams try at Ewood. That killed the momentum we had, the ref didn't even attempt to play it as extra time. Imagine Warnock was on the bench and a player tried that. Ok ,I'm rambling now but I honestly couldn't believe what I was seeing. 

This is spot on. I noticed last night a challenge that Gallagher accidentally put on their CH.  Just after it he's there tapping hands being nice and adjusting his stupid feckin hair.  Instead, he should be kicking him again next time harder.

[Bigdoggsteel]

6 minutes ago, DE. said:

Not always but last night he really was being lazy. At one point in the first half Tosin was jogging out of defence with the ball and motioning for Johnson to come closer to get the ball, but he just stood there and then strolled off to the side leaving Tosin looking visibly annoyed and instead passing it to Travis. Really frustrating to see that.

Missed that. I think he is better in scrappy games where we don't have as much of the ball and there is a bit of an aerial battle in midfield.  He reminds me of Glen Whelan insofar as most of his passes go sideways and backwards. 

[Amo]

57 minutes ago, Bigdoggsteel said:

I mentioned it last night,but seriously between the crowd,the manager and most of the players bar Travis, why is everyone so nice and kind of respectful? 

The obvious answer is that teams are the reflection of their manager. 

It's the reason Fergie's United side would harass and pester referees when anything went against them.

Mowbray doesn't want any badboys in his team. He wants nice, cosy, son-in-law material.

[Guest]

2 hours ago, rigger said:

Rather than play Bell , yes.

You had him at right wing back, not left.

Goalposts moved again ??‍♂️?

[rigger]

Just now, JoeH said:

You had him at right wing back, not left.

Goalposts moved again ??‍♂️?

You are correct, but the first topic of my discussion was a formation that did not include Bell. Then it changed to why I had suggested Chapman in the team. So the goalposts haven’t moved, there are just two of them