Rovers v QPR Sat 7th November

[Ossydave]

I think TM will (rather foolishly) pretty much write this one off, he won't risk bringing players back into the team and just wants to get to the international break now and hope for better luck on the injury front when we return. I'm in 2 minds whether to even watch it if I'm being honest although the fact we're grounded again from today probably means I will.

We will however win this game 3-0.

[Mercer]

Despite our injury problems, we should be mullering those southern softies QPR - let's be honest, they are no great shakes.

I would go with (assuming Armstrong unfit):

Stergiakis / JRC, Nymabe, Wharton, Bell / Rothwell, Johnson, Holtby / Elliott, Brereton, Chapman

Pears made a couple of decent saves against M'boro but, IMO, he got lucky on corners / crosses and still looks like a frightened rabbit.  Lenihan has to be dropped - IMO, his head has gone.  As for Gallagher, IMO, no way should he be anywhere near our first team - a catastrophe of a signing.

This game we will win, I have no doubt - at least one of Rothwell / Holtby / Elliott / Brereton will produce a magic moment or two to see us home.  Mowbray also seems to have the knack of finding a win just when he needs it the most from a personal point of view.

Irrespective of the performance or result, IMO, messrs Mowbray, Venus, Lowe and Benson should all be booted out.

 

[Tom]

Sadly I didn’t have a clue who we were playing and have no inclination to buy a streaming pass.

I wish it wasn’t this way but struggling for any enthusiasm 

[G Somerset Rover]

37 minutes ago, Mercer said:

This game we will win, I have no doubt - at least one of Rothwell / Holtby / Elliott / Brereton will produce a magic moment or two to see us home. 

How many ‘magic moments’ have those 4 produced in Rovers shirts to date, combined? I reckon I could count them on one hand. 

Edited November 5, 2020 by Gavlar Somerset Rover!

[WacoRover]

2 hours ago, Tom said:

Sadly I didn’t have a clue who we were playing and have no inclination to buy a streaming pass.

I wish it wasn’t this way but struggling for any enthusiasm 

Man, I understand & empathize with you. I keep wanting to get iFollow, but I tell myself (lies), “just wait, things will get better, spend money then.”

I basically gametrack on BBC or LT, read comments here & “the other” Rovers board, then watch the highlights later (if any). 

Its not getting harder being a Rovers fan; but it is hard wanting to spend money on ‘em. 

Edited November 6, 2020 by WacoRover

[Stuart]

Agree with @darrenrover. This is a must win game in the context of the season. We have to turn around this form we are in.

Anyone who thinks it isn’t must have already written off promotion. The start of the rot.

Anyone who says “we won’t get relegated” has already moved the goalposts from the target at the start of the season. Lowering that bar is defeatist and lines up a defence of Mowbray if he does keep us up.

We need to stop changing the targets and excusing failure. We were here under Bowyer after he had peaked. How many time did people say “we are only 5 points, 6 points, 7 points, 3 wins, 4 wins off the top six” while watching us fall down the division? People even excused Coyle.

A midtable finish this season is FAILURE.

Meanwhile people are already happy with “covid” and “injuries” to excuse everything (including the players he does select from those available) and carry on with their loyalty to nice man Tony. We have to demand better and instead of the crowd getting on his back, BCD will help to quell any dissent, while meanwhile people will just switch off. Waggott will then simply blame the fans and ask Venkys for another few million. What kind of way is this to run a football club? Injuries or not, managers have always paid for failure on the pitch. Always.

Except here.

[Ossydave]

Its not a must win game, thats a ridiculous statement given how many games are left to play and the erratic form of quite frankly most teams in the league/country!

It most certainly is a "must play 10 times better than Tuesday" game for TM or he's going to lose a lot more sympathisers. If he's going to insist on playing Gallagher then play 442 and have either JRC/Chapman/Elliott at least getting some crosses in the box. If he lines up the same as Tuesday night there's a fair chance of the remote getting launched through the TV.

[islander200]

26 minutes ago, Stuart said:

Agree with @darrenrover

Anyone who says “we won’t get relegated” has already moved the goalposts from the target at the start of the season. Lowering that bar is defeatist and lines up a defence of Mowbray if he does keep us up.

 

A midtable finish this season is FAILURE.

 

I said we won't get relegated and I'm not moving the goalposts at all,I haven't given up on anything.Simply responded to a few who have said Relegation is on the cards.

We had posters saying we would get relegated last season and the season before.There are worse sides than us in the division.

Agreed that midtable isn't good enough.

[Stuart]

2 minutes ago, islander200 said:

I said we won't get relegated and I'm not moving the goalposts at all,I haven't given up on anything.Simply responded to a few who have said Relegation is on the cards.

We had posters saying we would get relegated last season and the season before.There are worse sides than us in the division.

Agreed that midtable isn't good enough.

Guilty conscience? I didn’t even read your post bud.

[Oldgregg86]

I have written promotion off Stuart. I am defeated not defeatist, deflated and void of any hope. 

[Mercer]

Mowbray in LT on Downing:

“But as I sit here, he hasn’t done anything in the last three months and you can’t come and train for two days and think you can go and go and affect a football match".

So Downing hasn't done anything in three months which is approximately the length of time between the final league game of a closing season and the opening league game of a new season.

So based on a normal pre season of 5/6 weeks or so, I would not have thought he would be 'match fit' until the middle of December by which time we'll have played 18 or 19 games.  IMO, what a nonsense - a desperate signing by a desperate manager.

 

Edited November 6, 2020 by Mercer

[AllRoverAsia]

26 minutes ago, Mercer said:

Mowbray in LT on Downing:

“But as I sit here, he hasn’t done anything in the last three months and you can’t come and train for two days and think you can go and go and affect a football match".

So Downing hasn't done anything in three months which is approximately the length of time between the final league game of a closing season and the opening league game of a new season.

So based on a normal pre season of 5/6 weeks or so, I would not have thought he would be 'match fit' until the middle of December by which time we'll have played 18 or 19 games.  IMO, what a nonsense - a desperate signing by a desperate manager.

 

I imagine that article was for Punes benefit

[JHRover]

As far as I'm concerned every home game should be viewed as must win if there is any ambition of achieving promotion. 

To get promotion you will need to win the majority of your home fixtures, and you will only do that by going into them desperate to win them, not taking pressure off and seeing a draw as decent.

We've dropped far too many points at Ewood already this season. If we want to get back on track we need to win.

On what planet 2 points or even 1 from 6 this week in home games against Middlesbrough and QPR is acceptable im not sure.

All the excuses at the ready but once again its more delaying and stalling. Promising milk and honey later on in the season when we arrive at having no players missing which won't ever be the case.

[tomphil]

We know how it pans out we'll get a few back and have a decent run i'm sure then probably a dismal winter before dead rubber season is upon us again. Add in the odd scalp from upper table and a mostly fit squad all talk will turn to next season and this will be written off again as one of those things.

Always thought that any play off place achieved in this era would just come from a late run where we just crash in at the last min.  Got to stay handily placed for that though.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

11 hours ago, Tom said:

Sadly I didn’t have a clue who we were playing and have no inclination to buy a streaming pass.

I wish it wasn’t this way but struggling for any enthusiasm 

The gates are going to be really interesting when we eventually get back to opening up for spectators. I think we'll find a significant fall off in attendances. Waning enthusiasm appears to be rife.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

1 hour ago, Mercer said:

Mowbray in LT on Downing:

“But as I sit here, he hasn’t done anything in the last three months and you can’t come and train for two days and think you can go and go and affect a football match".

So Downing hasn't done anything in three months which is approximately the length of time between the final league game of a closing season and the opening league game of a new season.

So based on a normal pre season of 5/6 weeks or so, I would not have thought he would be 'match fit' until the middle of December by which time we'll have played 18 or 19 games.  IMO, what a nonsense - a desperate signing by a desperate manager.

 

Totally inexplicable signing for me. By time he's fit to play most of the guys missing now will be back. You let your fitness levels slide at that age and you won't ever get 100% of it back. Not at pro level anyway.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

3 hours ago, islander200 said:

I said we won't get relegated and I'm not moving the goalposts at all,I haven't given up on anything.Simply responded to a few who have said Relegation is on the cards.

We had posters saying we would get relegated last season and the season before.There are worse sides than us in the division.

Agreed that midtable isn't good enough.

I think we've more chance of going down than we have of going up unfortunately.

[Waggy76]

Just now, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

The gates are going to be really interesting when we eventually get back to opening up for spectators. I think we'll find a significant fall off in attendances. Waning enthusiasm appears to be rife.

That will be across the board not just the Rovers , the general public are becoming fed up with football, especially the cries of poverty when paying average players £1000s a week .

Whilst most of their fans are suffering financial hardships ...

[JHRover]

Just now, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

The gates are going to be really interesting when we eventually get back to opening up for spectators. I think we'll find a significant fall off in attendances. Waning enthusiasm appears to be rife.

It goes without saying that there will be harm to attendances across the board and clubs are really going to have their work cut out to try and address it.

What I am interested in is how our decline compares to those elsewhere at rival clubs. I am expecting us to be one of the worst affected, and I don't believe that this will be down to 'demographics' or the local population, but will be down to a shoddy poorly thought out strategy from those running the club.

Lets assume that fans will be allowed back without restrictions for the 2021-22 season. Lets assume we are still on the road to nowhere with Mowbray in the summer. Then Waggott is going to have to work his socks off over the summer to get people back. It isn't going to be easy, or quick, but serious, sustained and innovative ideas need to be rolled out to do it and re-engage supporters and get people back in the habit. Groundhog day just won't sell.

I'm afraid sticking an extra £50 on the price and attempting to emotionally blackmail supporters into signing up will just alienate even more.

'As you were folks' and 'we're committed, are you?' attitude to it will not bring people back. This is going to be the stage when a £300,000 a year CEO needs to earn his salary.

Sadly I don't think Waggott has the capability, innovation or interest never mind the freedom to spearhead such a thing. All he will do is propose a pricing structure and await approval from the money men in India.

Scary really whilst Accy Stanley are this week distributing free kits to Hyndburn primary school children. Keep them interested, keep them hooked.

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

11 hours ago, Gavlar Somerset Rover! said:

How many ‘magic moments’ have those 4 produced in Rovers shirts to date, combined? I reckon I could count them on one hand. 

You must have even more fingers than a dingle then ?

[Tom]

Just now, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

The gates are going to be really interesting when we eventually get back to opening up for spectators. I think we'll find a significant fall off in attendances. Waning enthusiasm appears to be rife.

This is something @Mattyblue has mentioned many times in the past, once people get out of the habit it’s hard to get them back into it 

[Elvis Biro]

I lived in Shepherds Bush once upon a time and I can remember watching  Brian Moore on the Saturday lunchtime footy preview programme. The big news was that Rodney Marsh had gone awol and was not expected to play that afternoon because of a row with the manager. I walked round the corner to my local and found Rodney downing what was quite clearly not his first pint. Or last one for that matter. What a geezer!

16 hours ago, AllRoverAsia said:

Yes indeed, brilliant on his day. Great hair too. 

 

[Blue blood]

13 minutes ago, Tom said:

This is something @Mattyblue has mentioned many times in the past, once people get out of the habit it’s hard to get them back into it 

Strangely my Dad says the opposite. He wants to go more now he can't. Perhaps because it's a way of spending time together and lockdown has prevented home visits and other ways of doing so. Maybe if watching football matches is permissible as oppose to home visits it could have an effect on maintaining attendance? Agree with the main principle though. When the habit is gone then it's hard to get it back. A lot of other businesses will worry about that too. 

[Oldgregg86]

I think the crowds will be healthy enough for a couple of months. It won’t take long for them to drop like a stone once we haven’t had a shot on goal and the novelty factor of going again wears off again as everything else also opens but initially I think they will be fine. It’s up to the powers that be to keep them from going elsewhere and the home games I’ve seen this season won’t keep people interested for long

[Uddersfelt Blue]

It’s possible that a safe return will have a positive affect on attendances across the board. Hell, I think we’ve all seen too much of our own four walls and football on TV. That’s not what watching football is about. It’s about being part of an overall match day experience.

Unfortunately it’s going to be a while before large numbers of fans are allowed back