Bristol City (H) - Saturday 20th June - 3pm KO

[RevidgeBlue]

16 hours ago, Darrenbot said:

I may be showing my age  here but Wasn't there an early 80's private eye tv programme called Shoestring set in Bristol ,maybe he could have helped lol

Great programme, and one that seems to be very rarely repeated.

[roversfan99]

3 minutes ago, RevidgeBlue said:

I thought Bell was much improved before the season shut down. Might have had something to do with him trying to impress enough to warrant a new deal but still miles better than the dreadful Williams at LB imo.

You aren't the only person who I have seen say that but I certainly didnt ever see a competent left back in Bell or a noticeable improvement. Still indecisive and utterly unthreatening going forward and easy to bypass defensively.

[RevidgeBlue]

19 hours ago, JoeH said:

Who would you like to see play? Who do you think will thrive in the final 9 games? What do you make of the race for 6th, who grabs it, is it us?

Excited to discuss below  

To paraphrase from another old classic Stingray "Anything could happen in the next 9 games".

I think we see some very odd results, some 5-3 type scorelines and home advantage probably won't be as useful as normal.

Fitness will be absolutely key. From our point of view, if we decided they weren't good enough before, I hope we dont revert back to the likes of Smallwood, Mulgrew and I would also say Williams which will probably make the latter an automatic pick.

[Oldgregg86]

I chose Williams as a more solid defender than bell and Downing’s experience in front of him to compensate for the lack of quality in that area. 

[RoversClitheroe]

19 minutes ago, Oldgregg86 said:

I chose Williams as a more solid defender than bell and Downing’s experience in front of him to compensate for the lack of quality in that area. 

I'd put downing at LB and Rothwell LW

[tomphil]

17 hours ago, Darrenbot said:

I may be showing my age  here but Wasn't there an early 80's private eye tv programme called Shoestring set in Bristol ,maybe he could have helped lol

Eddie Shoestring !   I don't know why i know that as it's all i know of it.

Even he couldn't solve some of Rovers team selections and tactics.

[DeeCee]

1 hour ago, tomphil said:

Eddie Shoestring !   I don't know why i know that as it's all i know of it.

Even he couldn't solve some of Rovers team selections and tactics.

Trevor Eve

[Leonard Venkhater]

1 hour ago, tomphil said:

Eddie Shoestring !   I don't know why i know that as it's all i know of it.

Even he couldn't solve some of Rovers team selections and tactics.

But I think one of Trevor Eve's later roles would be far more appropriate-certainly for Gallagher and Brereton and probably for our whole stadium.."Waking the Dead"..

Edited June 15, 2020 by Leonard Venkhater

[simongarnerisgod]

2 hours ago, Oldgregg86 said:

I chose Williams as a more solid defender than bell and Downing’s experience in front of him to compensate for the lack of quality in that area. 

i would`nt have williams anywhere near the side,he`s a weak centre back and a calamity at left back,this is the perfect time to blood some youngsters,lets face the truth,we ar`nt going anywhere the remainder of this season,give some game time to the fringe and young players

[Ossydave]

7 minutes ago, simongarnerisgod said:

i would`nt have williams anywhere near the side,he`s a weak centre back and a calamity at left back,this is the perfect time to blood some youngsters,lets face the truth,we ar`nt going anywhere the remainder of this season,give some game time to the fringe and young players

I don't think it's really fair to write us off completely as going nowhere this season.

Theres going to be some weird results and I imagine someone is going to sneak in them play offs, you never know.

Does home advantage even exist in the current climate? I would say probably not. The form book is gonna be completely ripped up I think, its gonna be interesting. 

Edited June 15, 2020 by Ossydave

[Mattyblue]

In many ways we are coming out of ‘preseason’... and we don’t seem to start campaigns well (we haven’t had a win in our opening two games since August 2014, and generally do poorly in the opening month). Which obviously isn’t particularly fatal usually as there would still be 40+ games to play, but it could well be this time.

Edited June 15, 2020 by Mattyblue

[JHRover]

29 minutes ago, Mattyblue said:

In many ways we are coming out of ‘preseason’... and we don’t seem to start campaigns well (we haven’t had a win in our opening two games since August 2014, and generally do poorly in the opening month). Which obviously isn’t particularly fatal usually as there would still be 40+ games to play, but it could well be this time.

True but I firmly believe that our slow starts to seasons are a symptom of poor planning and late decisions by Venkys with the barmy annual India review in May to authorise budgets and targets etc.

This time their influence will be less so it will really come down to Mowbray and his staff getting them fit and competing quickly. 

Not optimistic of that mind you.

[philipl]

That 2-0 win at Ashton Gate was probably the highlight of Mowbray's season- one game he definitely out thought the opposition.

Putting this as a Must WIN for our Play-Off hopes based on the remaining fixtures after it.

Lose and the season is over as soon as it has restarted.

Away teams are doing extremely well in German fixtures behind closed doors.

 

[davulsukur]

Wow a match thread, its been a while.

Back to pure Mowbray frustration I reckon. Not what I'd pick but what I think Mowbray will pick:

----------------------Walton

Bennett---Tosin------Lenihan---Bell

-----‐-----------Travis--Evans

Gallagher-------Holtby--------Downing

-----------------------Arma

 

 

[Oldgregg86]

1 hour ago, simongarnerisgod said:

i would`nt have williams anywhere near the side,he`s a weak centre back and a calamity at left back,this is the perfect time to blood some youngsters,lets face the truth,we ar`nt going anywhere the remainder of this season,give some game time to the fringe and young players

I think Williams is ok as a centre back and a bad left back, bell is just awful full stop . It’s been a weak spot since tommy spurr left and badly needs rectifying . Williams imo is the best of two evils at LB

if the u23s have a lb worthy of a chance I’d be up for it . I haven’t seen any u23 games this season with the exception of the wolves game at leyland so cant really comment their

Edited June 15, 2020 by Oldgregg86

[Stuart]

My feelings about this weekend’s match at this moment are of morbid curiosity.

But I’m not worried, they will soon return to deep disappointment.

If we can beat Bristol then all of a sudden things will get a lot more interesting.

Of course... we won’t.

But we might!

The life of a Rovers fan.  

[Tom]

I’m in the minority but I rate Bell, not in Nyambe’s league but a decent enough full back for now and would keep him as a squad player 

Makes the odd mistake but few as bad as Cunningham against West Brom earlier in the season.

Edited June 15, 2020 by Tom

[roversfan99]

10 minutes ago, Tom said:

I’m in the minority but I rate Bell, not in Nyambe’s league but a decent enough full back for now and would keep him as a squad player 

Makes the odd mistake but few as bad as Cunningham against West Brom earlier in the season.

Does he impress you more going forward or defensively? For me he is so slow of mind and reluctant to run forward and I dont think hes ever assisted for us, correct me if im wrong. And defensively he lets as many crosses come in as any Rovers full back I can remember.

[RoversClitheroe]

1 hour ago, Tom said:

I’m in the minority but I rate Bell, not in Nyambe’s league but a decent enough full back for now and would keep him as a squad player 

Makes the odd mistake but few as bad as Cunningham against West Brom earlier in the season.

Everyone rated Cunningham so highly and forgot about that West Brom game where he got legit destroyed.

[roversfan99]

1 hour ago, RoversClitheroe said:

Everyone rated Cunningham so highly and forgot about that West Brom game where he got legit destroyed.

I think everyone acknowledged the mistake, and ultimately we can never expect a player not to make mistakes. But he also was a key factor in a defensive improvement and also offered far more in terms of technical ability compared to Bell in an attacking sense.

[nathan_rovers1]

What are the rules again? 

[Ossydave]

5 hours ago, nathan_rovers1 said:

What are the rules again? 

 

Its funny you say that, I do wonder if we'll see players getting booked for spitting or celebrating too closely with their pals

[Mattyblue]

Bell is a third division player who is repeatedly exposed at this level. Cunningham is simply superior as a full back, either as a defender or on the overlap, and we really missed him.

Edited June 16, 2020 by Mattyblue

[Ossydave]

Well looks like Bell is around for a while longer, Sharp said he's got another year on his contract.....

[Mattyblue]

What was den’s old maxim?

‘Have second (third) division players, get...

Edited June 16, 2020 by Mattyblue