Rovers v QPR Sat 7th November

[A Northern Horde...]

I think the next question regarding Armstrong should be how much can we resist a bid for him come January?...

[47er]

Just now, A Northern Horde... said:

I think the next question regarding Armstrong should be how much can we resist a bid for him come January?...

Could well be the case. If we got a big fee, if Mowbray was allowed to spend all of it, if he spent it wisely, I wouldn't worry.

Lot of "ifs" though.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Just now, A Northern Horde... said:

I think the next question regarding Armstrong should be how much can we resist a bid for him come January?...

I've mixed views about that. I couldn't see him playing up front on his own at top level. His all round game isn't at that point yet, I'm not sure it ever will be. I could see him playing alongside one of the stumps they have at the Dingledome and being very successful. They're one of the few teams that play with two up front.

Would we sell him to a rival in this league ? How many could afford him ?

[Gone to seed]

6 minutes ago, A Northern Horde... said:

I think the next question regarding Armstrong should be how much can we resist a bid for him come January?...

Well, the reality is that whatever any club put on the table in January, it would likely to be a pish in the ocean relative to a) the debt mountain owed to the Venksters, or b) the value of a place in the top tier. There would need to be some serious logic to justify a sale at that stage, and we are a club built on....

Oh sh1t!

[47er]

9 minutes ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

I've mixed views about that. I couldn't see him playing up front on his own at top level. His all round game isn't at that point yet, I'm not sure it ever will be. I could see him playing alongside one of the stumps they have at the Dingledome and being very successful. They're one of the few teams that play with two up front.

Would we sell him to a rival in this league ? How many could afford him ?

We should play with 2 upfront. A big, traditional striker who could knock it down for him or hold it up, with 2 genuine wingers to whip it in---we'd score heaps!

I recognise the wingers would have to track back and all that but what a joy that would be.

[only2garners]

12 hours ago, Admiral Nelsen said:

Couldn't agree more. Other players rightly got the plaudits today but Buckley was a crucial cog in our midfield.

He obviously has talent in abundance, and showed it this afternoon. Has to work on his consistency and decision making, but on today's showing we have a real player on our hands if we're patient with him.

And once again a stunning pass in the first half. Largely missed as Wharton slipped when moving for it - if he hadn't he would have been clean through in the penalty area.

[dingles staying down 4ever]

13 minutes ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

I've mixed views about that. I couldn't see him playing up front on his own at top level. His all round game isn't at that point yet, I'm not sure it ever will be. I could see him playing alongside one of the stumps they have at the Dingledome and being very successful. They're one of the few teams that play with two up front.

Would we sell him to a rival in this league ? How many could afford him ?

Ive said this for ages about Armstrong but I still cant see anybody from the top league paying top dollar for him. His other fault is that he can't read the line and gets offside far too often. The only sides I can see going for him are Bournemouth if King moves in Janurary and they are in the top 6 or Watford. They have the money and him leaving us weakens us and adds to there goal threat

[joey_big_nose]

3 minutes ago, 47er said:

Could well be the case. If we got a big fee, if Mowbray was allowed to spend all of it, if he spent it wisely, I wouldn't worry.

Lot of "ifs" though.

We're very fortunate that we could probably just swap Dack straight in for him from a goal scoring perspective in January. I think Dack up front with Brereton and Elliott either side would work pretty well.

I am concerned though that losing his pace would be a big blow.  Armstrong gets a lot of joy against high lines. We would lose that so smart opposition managers would maybe just push up a bit.

Anyway, we should try everything to keep him imo. Add Dack's goals, Travis' physicality, and hopefully a defensive improvement from Ayala and Douglas and we are really onto something I think second half of the season  

[philipl]

31 minutes ago, A Northern Horde... said:

I think the next question regarding Armstrong should be how much can we resist a bid for him come January?...

Worth remembering that the Venky's have been really difficult for the bidding clubs to deal with when bids have been received for players they didn't want to part with.

[JHRover]

Pleased and relieved to secure a desperately needed win. All things considered with changes and the personnel available it was a good and deserved win. 

An early setback with Evans, a weak looking bench and then the setback with their penalty yet we recovered well.

I remain extremely concerned about the injuries we are picking up and struggle to accept that these are just down to bad luck or misfortune. The way it is going they are going to derail the season and I think there needs to be a review.

It is frustrating that despite the obvious quality in the squad and goalscoring ability that we are sat here in such a lowly position. Many rivals would love the abilities of Armstrong and co. in their ranks. 

Time after the break to get some payback on Luton and PNE but we need to show a nasty side in these games. The opposition will.

[Guest]

1 hour ago, Ewood Ace said:

If I spend my £10 on the coverage of the game then I am perfectly entitled to give my opinion on the coverage and the commentary is in my opinion very poor other than that I think the coverage is very good.

Of course you're entitled to, it doesn't make it any less depressing to read. 

[Ewood Ace]

Just now, JoeH said:

Of course you're entitled to, it doesn't make it any less depressing to read. 

There's always the ignore function if it makes you that depressed. 

[Guest]

Just now, Ewood Ace said:

There's always the ignore function if it makes you that depressed. 

True

[garnersfags]

1 hour ago, JoeH said:

No. No they didn’t say that.

When we can’t moan about the players, we can’t moan about the result, we can’t moan about Mowbray, AND we can’t moan about the election results, let’s moan about something really insignificant like iFollow commentary - who, given the fact that they don’t receive replays in the stadium like we do at home, do a fine job.

One of them is a PR/Media guy who steps in to do a job, the other is a pretty decent play by play commentator. Sure they call a few things wrong, but we all would without the benefit of a replay. The amount of times I watch something once and think “easily our ball” and then see it back and admit it wasn’t is uncountable. 

This is fair comment, and a good end to the 'debate'.

[garnersfags]

13 hours ago, bluebruce said:

Did TK give this absolutely superb BJ during the game?

I know he only had 4 saves to make but doing that between saves is really disrespecting the opposition. And what about the social distancing rules? No wonder covid is spreading through the camp if this is what we get up to...

Gave us all a laugh last night, cheers!

[Blue blood]

Thoughts on the game:

1) Crucial win. Stops the rot and go into the break on a bit more of a positive trajectory. 

2) My word don't our best players make a difference? 

3) Armstrong - if he was more clinical he wouldn't be here. Likewise if there were more natural scorers in the team his wastefulness wouldn't be as much an issue. Overall very pleased with his progress and we are a different team with him in the first 11. 

4) A defence of youth graduates show we have spent next to nothing/ignored our defence. Sure we had a couple injured but that was the case across the team.  I'm not sure whether it is Venkys or TM or a couple of good youth grads covering over the cracks but we seem to have ignored the defence. Contrast with the amount of midfielders we have brought in and you see a heck of a difference. You feel a bit more spent on the defence and we would be a much better prospect. 

5) Johnson on his day is one of our most important players. The problem is that inconsistency, injuries and a lack of fitness make this something that cannot be relied upon. Shame because when on form he is a beast. 

6) We have too many fair weather players that look good when we are playing well winning but poor when struggling. Bereton seems a prime example of this. That said 6 months ago if you would have said Bereton would turn into a fair weather player rather than a flop then I would have taken it, as that's a big improvement. 

7) Today showed why I think I am right about relegation not being an issue. We will beat too many of the weaker teams and pick up points. Not sure we have enough about us for a promotion push but there's enough in there which will get the 1 win in 4 to keep us safe. 

 

[Blue blood]

13 hours ago, Admiral Nelsen said:

Couldn't agree more. Other players rightly got the plaudits today but Buckley was a crucial cog in our midfield.

He obviously has talent in abundance, and showed it this afternoon. Has to work on his consistency and decision making, but on today's showing we have a real player on our hands if we're patient with him.

Would agree. He needs to get a bit tougher or a bit smarter, both of which I think could be coached into him. The talent and control he has though can't be taught and makes him well worth holding onto. 

Think the patience point is key. Given he needs more toughness or smarts, that's not going to come overnight. so it's not a case of switching his position or something simple to make a difference it will take work. But something definitely worth persevering with.  

[garnersfags]

Just now, Blue blood said:

A defence of youth graduates show we have spent next to nothing/ignored our defence. Sure we had a couple injured but that was the case across the team.  I'm not sure whether it is Venkys or TM or a couple of good youth grads covering over the cracks but we seem to have ignored the defence. Contrast with the amount of midfielders we have brought in and you see a heck of a difference. You feel a bit more spent on the defence and we would be a much better prospect. 

The window or season that we buy two decent defenders will be the season we get in the play-offs. With the exception of the peerless but temporary Aderabaiyo, we haven't strengthened our defence since we were relegated, or even a couple of seasons before that. 

We bob around mid-table like a plastic bottle in the North Sea, until someone associated with the club suddenly realises.

As Tony likes to remind us, you can't rush these things...

[bboy]

The whole Armstrong's Wastefulness thing reminds of the Rhodes does nothing but score goals debate.

Ultimately his impact comes from what he does very well not what he doesn't do! We'll miss it the one day in the future when Armstrong leaves.

P.S. Imagine how good a hybrid of Armstrong and Rhodes would be!

[Blue blood]

Just now, garnersfags said:

The window or season that we buy two decent defenders will be the season we get in the play-offs. With the exception of the peerless but temporary Aderabaiyo, we haven't strengthened our defence since we were relegated, or even a couple of seasons before that. 

We bob around mid-table like a plastic bottle in the North Sea, until someone associated with the club suddenly realises.

As Tony likes to remind us, you can't rush these things...

Absolutely. 

Given we have strengthened in areas we have numbers in (although am not against that because of quality concerns rather than quantity) to not strengthen the defence more is crazy. We didn't rely on the promising Dolan, plus Bereton and Chapman out wide we brought in Elliott. Heck we even brought Downing back! 

But experienced defenders are at an utter premium at Rovers and we are content to go with the bare minimum and have makeshift full backs from.midfield. 

[dallydally]

13 hours ago, Wegerleswiggle said:

Harsh on Buckley. Thought he was class today. Don't recall him giving the ball away once!

He is too easily pushed off the ball. When he loses possession he doesn't bust a gut to get back/try to retrieve it. All opinions - yours and mine - but I regard him as overrated

[Kie_BRFC]

Just now, dallydally said:

He is too easily pushed off the ball. When he loses possession he doesn't bust a gut to get back/try to retrieve it. All opinions - yours and mine - but I regard him as overrated

He worked his arse off yesterday, maybe could say that about him on previous showings, but yesterday he was grafting all over the pitch

[dallydally]

Just now, Kie_BRFC said:

He worked his arse off yesterday, maybe could say that about him on previous showings, but yesterday he was grafting all over the pitch

Let's agree to disagree ?

[@roverseas]

Decent performance at just the right time.  Now we can regroup and refocus for the festive onslaught which is just around the corner.  We never really do well in the festive fixtures but hopefully this year we can do different.  Happy for Big Ben getting in amongst the goals.  Stella performance from Buckley and JRC too.

 

 

[Darrenbot]

Lots of optimism on here again after a win,So far the teams weve beaten this season are 18,21,22,24th in the league,i'll start getting exited when they eventually beat a half decent team.