Bristol City (H) - Saturday 14th March (3pm KO)

[Guest]

Lenihan returns, as will a back four featuring Nyambe in his favoured position. 3pts & results going our way puts us into 6th position. Bristol City of course face us, whilst Preston take on Luton Town away. Cardiff host Leeds and Millwall host a Derby County side who just annihilated us at the weekend. Balance of probability says that Rovers and Preston pick up wins, with Cardiff, Millwall and Bristol City most likely drawing or losing. 

Despite a poor performance at the weekend, I feel that with the pressure of "win and we're in the play-offs" lifted (albeit self-inflicted) we'll probably pick up a win here.
Bristol City have been in even worse form than us over the last six matches, picking up just one win in seven matches. In typical Rovers fashion, I see us keeping faint hopes alive, just so they can be crushed again with the back-to-back away games at Wigan and Barnsley coming up.

Away from home, City like a 1-0 victory. They've managed this result at QPR, Reading & Cardiff this season. In-fact, Lee Johnson's side very rarely score more than a goal or two, a team etched in a similar fashion to Fulham who very much grab their goal and sit (ignoring that 6-0 win earlier this season!!).

We managed to pick up a win at Ashton Gate earlier in the season, in one of our stronger performances of the season - where Bradley Dack didn't feature as he won't on Saturday.

Usual Q's:

• Your Starting XI and Subs
• Does Brereton need to be dropped?
• Can Mowbray continue to justify Sam Gallagher's starting spot every week?
• How does Danny Graham fit into our squad now?
• Score Predictions & Goal-scorers

 

As per Mr @Sparks Rover's Review, I'll be adding some new content to this preview - apparently it simply isn't good enough. Recent form for both sides, fixtures for other 6th spot hopefuls and an insight in the away sides playing style just simply isn't enough and I need to do more.

So, specially made for Mr @Sparks Rover, I'll continue:

I attended the Bristol City fixture last season at Ashton Gate, it was very early on in the 18/19 campaign and we were hammered 4-1. At that stage, if you'd have told me that by this time this year we'd be in the same position, clamouring to reach the same spot in the table, I'd have been delighted. Now it has to be said that Lee Johnson has let some key players go, and lost some other key players he may have rather kept hold of, since then. However, Bristol City still boast an impressive team. They definitely seemed to struggle in this seasons reverse fixture when it came to chasing leads, and I'm hopeful that if we can nick an early goal on Saturday that we can prove this theory to be correct. Rovers love an early goal, we've been one of the most potent sides in the division within the first 20 minutes of games this season. 

Bristol City have announced that to date, over 300 tickets have been sold from the club's initial allocation, which for a team in the position they're in, is a pretty lowly figure for a Saturday 3pm kick off. Another interesting stat is Bristol City's 14 shots, 8 on target, against tough to beat Fulham. They came away with a 1-1 draw but certainly proved more of a threat against them than we managed in our two losses to Fulham this season, home and away. Their xG was 1.68, a respectful figure given the difficulty most sides have in breaking down Scott Parker's side.

In health news, this could be our last home game in front of a crowd for a while, who knows! Obviously it's all speculation, but with sporting events, leagues and competitions being suspended across Europe, and current statistics having the UK around "two weeks behind Italy", we may not see a home game at Ewood Park in person for a while after Saturday.

[tomphil]

This should be the reaction game when we've had one so poor we at least usually get one where a lightbulb goes off and he goes back to basics. BB will be binned again until 15 mins before the end whatever the score, the revolving right side will probably see Samuels name out the hat and maybe AA up top.

Team spirit will win the day after either Bell or Bennett have cost us another goal somehow.

Rovers  2   City   1

[MarkBRFC]

I think we're in the middle of another classic winless Mowbray run.

Rovers 0 Bristol City 1

[Dreams of 1995]

You have a thing for Fulham we can tell that much. 

[Guest]

47 minutes ago, MarkBRFC said:

I think we're in the middle of another classic winless Mowbray run.

Rovers 0 Bristol City 1

Maybe, does seem to boast those characteristics.

[Guest]

17 minutes ago, Dreams of 1995 said:

You have a thing for Fulham we can tell that much. 

Merely talking about City's previous opponents, their similarities, how we fared against City's most recent opponents vs how they did. Just a coincidence that Fulham are the team in question  

[tomphil]

Must be down to the virus they haven't shifted many yet they usually travel well up here when they are doing ok.

Expecting behind closed doors maybe ?

[WacoRover]

I feel much better about this than I did away at Derby. Having Lenihan back is a huge positive. I cannot see Tony putting BB or SamG back in his 11, giving Samuel a try instead. All these moves will result in improved play for Rovers, both defending & in the attack. 

[roversfan99]

Very much a must win. Lose and its curtains. Dress it up as you wish but we have a 9 game sequence in which we have to pick more points than any of the 4 teams ahead of us, factoring in a small deficit, plus more than the teams right over our shoulder, so its a long shot. We need to get out of the habit and mindset of plodding along, needs to be something special now.

Brereton and Gallagher need dropping, as obviously does Bennett and Rothwell. Think I would go:

Walton

Nyambe Lenihan Adarabioyo Bell

Chapman Travis Johnson Downing

Samuel Armstrong

Subs: Hilton, Williams, Rankin Costello, Graham, Gallagher, Davenport, Rothwell

 

[WacoRover]

99,

i approve of your 11, and your bench. Alas, Tony, for whatever reason, will not leave Bennett off the 18. He sneaks in, somehow. 

[Clive 62]

We’ve decided to give this a miss under current circumstances, season ticket holders but health more important than footy , considering we missed Brentford, QPR + Hull, + haven’t witnessed a victory since Barnsley could be a blessing. 

[chaddyrovers]

2 hours ago, roversfan99 said:

Very much a must win. Lose and its curtains. Dress it up as you wish but we have a 9 game sequence in which we have to pick more points than any of the 4 teams ahead of us, factoring in a small deficit, plus more than the teams right over our shoulder, so its a long shot. We need to get out of the habit and mindset of plodding along, needs to be something special now.

Brereton and Gallagher need dropping, as obviously does Bennett and Rothwell. Think I would go:

Walton

Nyambe Lenihan Adarabioyo Bell

Chapman Travis Johnson Downing

Samuel Armstrong

Subs: Hilton, Williams, Rankin Costello, Graham, Gallagher, Davenport, Rothwell

 

Before the Derby game, you wanting Brereton to be given a go. After 1 game he needs dropping. ?

Chapman? Hasn't played a game in weeks. 

Edited March 10, 2020 by chaddyrovers

[roversfan99]

5 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

Before the Derby game, you wanting Brereton to be given a go. After 1 game he needs dropping. ?

Chapman? Hasn't played a game in weeks. 

Because he was that bad against Derby and I realised that I was wrong to be encouraged by his ability to merely win a couple of fouls.

I dont see any other right wingers.

[chaddyrovers]

Just now, roversfan99 said:

Because he was that bad against Derby and I realised that I was wrong to be encouraged by his ability to merely win a couple of fouls.

I dont see any other right wingers.

Only played 59 mins all season. 

Cant even get bench most weeks. 

I would play Rankin Costello there. 

 

[WacoRover]

Yeah, I think a bunch of us wanted to see BB given a fair chance. At this point in time, with so much on the line and the season riding on every game, I have to wonder how many more chances he deserves, over guys that are probably more skillful than he is.

 

Edited March 10, 2020 by WacoRover

[OldEwoodBlue]

36 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

Chapman? Hasn't played a game in weeks. 

That's because he refused to play for the U23s and his head has gone

Reference Steve Waggott ((lame)horses mouth)

[OldEwoodBlue]

38 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

Before the Derby game, you wanting Brereton to be given a go. After 1 game he needs dropping. ?

 

I agree that is funny.

Some fans have a bigger tombola than Pension Pot Tony

[roversfan99]

26 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

Only played 59 mins all season. 

Cant even get bench most weeks. 

I would play Rankin Costello there. 

 

Was unimpressed by Rankin Costello in his 2 starts, didnt really show anything to get me excited at all. Not particularly fast, didnt take anyone on, no sign of much technical ability or flair. 

Slim pickings out wide and no doubt the managers favourite donkey Gallagher will be shoved there.

[DeeCee]

Coming up this week for a visit to family so with me being a Jonah and being at the match (unless it's behind closed doors) I predict 0-0 

[chaddyrovers]

4 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

Was unimpressed by Rankin Costello in his 2 starts, didnt really show anything to get me excited at all. Not particularly fast, didnt take anyone on, no sign of much technical ability or flair. 

Slim pickings out wide and no doubt the managers favourite donkey Gallagher will be shoved there.

I seen plenty of good signs from Rankin Costello. Good assist for Gallagher's goal at Sheffield Wednesday. Good defensively work at Boro away. Against Fulham, asked to do a different type of role. Not his game but didn't stop his work ethic. 

Plus I've seen this player grow in the under 23's so I'm a fan of him. 

[roversfan99]

45 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

I seen plenty of good signs from Rankin Costello. Good assist for Gallagher's goal at Sheffield Wednesday. Good defensively work at Boro away. Against Fulham, asked to do a different type of role. Not his game but didn't stop his work ethic. 

Plus I've seen this player grow in the under 23's so I'm a fan of him. 

Work ethic is not an attribute to be fawned over for a side chasing the top 6. 

[Gone to seed]

Dead rubber.

We all know Mowbray's cycle of winning a few games, getting our hopes up, then dashing expectations with a long run of poor results. The writing has been on the walll all season, and we are now on the lacklustre stretch of the cycle, which will see us finishing outside of the playoff places.

It's probably as well. It would be embarrassing going any higher in the leagues, even with our proud traditions and history. Probably better for us to accept the season is over, except for the odd flash of exciitement here and there, and let's see how things shape up over the summer.

Saturday - meh - another 1-1 toil against the odds.

[chaddyrovers]

2 hours ago, roversfan99 said:

Work ethic is not an attribute to be fawned over for a side chasing the top 6. 

neither is being over critical of Rankin Costello

Edited March 10, 2020 by chaddyrovers

[Stuart]

We’ll win this. Now it doesn’t matter.

But there are some interesting fixtures...

(3) Fulham (64pts) v (4) Brentford (60pts)

(10) Rovers (53pts) v (7) Bristol City (55pts)

(12) Millwall (54pts) v (8) Derby (51pts)

(9) Cardiff (54pts) v (1) Leeds (71pts)

This weekend we need Fulham to win, Rovers win, Derby win/draw, Leeds win/draw.

And PNE lose, Forest lose.

We could finish the weekend as high as 6th or as low as 12th... on the back of one match!

[sabino]

14 minutes ago, Stuart said:

We’ll win this. Now it doesn’t matter.

 

But, It DOES matter.