Rovers v Canaries. Sat 12th Dec 3pm

[joey_big_nose]

For me Lenihan is our best defender by some way, it's born out in the stats on our win %. I mean we just had our first loss in 7 without him in the team…. Hes quick, good in the air, physical. Is not the best distribution wise but okay. Positioning not great but better than Williams. Only area I would say Williams is better than him is on distribution. Ayala seems to offer much better positioning but does lack pace like Williams….

 

Personally I can see milage in the back three with Williams left, Lenihan right and Ayala anchoring. Will free Nyambe and Douglas to get really far forward and provide a lot of width against teams that pack the centre of the pitch and frustrate the 433. We keep the front three so no change there. All we really lose is one out of Holtby/Johnson/Rothwell which if it's a game where they don't get any space anyway I think is okay.

If we can get to a point where we can pretty fluidly change from 433 to 343 and be comfortable in both formations, maybe even change in game as required we will be a much more challenging proposition for other teams as they won't be sure how we will play and how to nullify us.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

4 hours ago, joey_big_nose said:

Aren't we the highest scoring for this many games into the season since we won the Prem?

But I guess your point is Armstrong scores the lion share.

Yeah, if Armstrong isn't on song scoring goals just got a lot more difficult.

[Butty]

4 hours ago, Sparks Rover said:

Give over. Twice the defender is Lenihan.

I’m not saying Lenihan isn’t a better defender but you can’t disagree that at the start of this season when those two were our centre back pairing for the first few games that it was Lenihan who was making mistakes and having poor games, whereas Del didn’t do much wrong at all. 

[BlackburnEnd75]

7 hours ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

We could do with a few more goals scattered around the team. We lost between 6 and 10 goals when Mulgrew got dropped that we've never replaced.

Arent we still the top scorers in the league. 

We need to replace the brereton goal threat. 

Easiest way to get an extra goal source is to get dack fit and hopefully he can chip in with a few from the 8 position 

[bluebruce]

1 minute ago, BlackburnEnd75 said:

Arent we still the top scorers in the league. 

We need to replace the brereton goal threat. 

Easiest way to get an extra goal source is to get dack fit and hopefully he can chip in with a few from the 8 position 

I don't think we need to replace Brereton's direct goal threat. He only has 3, which is the same as SG who hasn't played as much. It's the way BB helps us stretch defences and can find that ball through to the likes of Arma. That's what we need back.

[slowmo]

49 minutes ago, bluebruce said:

I don't think we need to replace Brereton's direct goal threat. He only has 3, which is the same as SG who hasn't played as much. It's the way BB helps us stretch defences and can find that ball through to the likes of Arma. That's what we need back.

Perhaps a brief cameo of rothwell moving LF ? He's got a bit of form behind him at the moment and could hopefully continue but in that position , until Ben's back. Then give Davenport a chance to add some bite in midfield. Once Travis is back he won't get a look in .

[joey_big_nose]

11 minutes ago, slowmo said:

Perhaps a brief cameo of rothwell moving LF ? He's got a bit of form behind him at the moment and could hopefully continue but in that position , until Ben's back. Then give Davenport a chance to add some bite in midfield. Once Travis is back he won't get a look in .

Not for me personally, I think Rothwell is at his best picking up the ball deep and central and running at the heart of the defence. He's absolutely outstanding at that. Can taken 3 or 4 players out in a single run.

Out wide or up front he doesn't get the opportunity to do that.

[Mr. E]

The thing is Williams and Lenihan have a natural partnership and make each other better than they are individually. Not by a great deal, but by enough to make a small difference. I would have expected TM to see that.

Left back remains questionable. Douglas is ok - which by itself is an improvement on Bell - but merely ok is not enough to cope with quality teams.

Fortitude is going to be needed in droves tomorrow. 

[Mr. E]

3 hours ago, joey_big_nose said:

Personally I can see milage in the back three with Williams left, Lenihan right and Ayala anchoring. Will free Nyambe and Douglas to get really far forward and provide a lot of width against teams that pack the centre of the pitch and frustrate the 433. We keep the front three so no change there. All we really lose is one out of Holtby/Johnson/Rothwell which if it's a game where they don't get any space anyway I think is okay.

If we can get to a point where we can pretty fluidly change from 433 to 343 and be comfortable in both formations, maybe even change in game as required we will be a much more challenging proposition for other teams as they won't be sure how we will play and how to nullify us.

I like that in theory, but I feel the midfield then is just too weak and we will be dominated in terms of possession every game. Maybe when we get Travis back and if Holtby can maintain top performance...

[Uddersfelt Blue]

4 hours ago, joey_big_nose said:

For me Lenihan is our best defender by some way, it's born out in the stats on our win %. I mean we just had our first loss in 7 without him in the team…. Hes quick, good in the air, physical. Is not the best distribution wise but okay. Positioning not great but better than Williams. Only area I would say Williams is better than him is on distribution. Ayala seems to offer much better positioning but does lack pace like Williams….

 

Personally I can see milage in the back three with Williams left, Lenihan right and Ayala anchoring. Will free Nyambe and Douglas to get really far forward and provide a lot of width against teams that pack the centre of the pitch and frustrate the 433. We keep the front three so no change there. All we really lose is one out of Holtby/Johnson/Rothwell which if it's a game where they don't get any space anyway I think is okay.

If we can get to a point where we can pretty fluidly change from 433 to 343 and be comfortable in both formations, maybe even change in game as required we will be a much more challenging proposition for other teams as they won't be sure how we will play and how to nullify us.

I mentioned a back three a few weeks ago but the general feeling was that we couldn’t play with that formation. Maybe it’s worth a try. 

[Uddersfelt Blue]

9 hours ago, WIR Second Coming said:

We could do with a thumping result like this... (highly unlikely I know)

 

Or even a repeat of the FA cup 5th round replay in 1966. The old farts on here will recall Rovers won 3-2! No video available 

Edited December 11, 2020 by Uddersfelt Blue

[joey_big_nose]

1 hour ago, Mr. E said:

I like that in theory, but I feel the midfield then is just too weak and we will be dominated in terms of possession every game. Maybe when we get Travis back and if Holtby can maintain top performance...

I think we will be much more competitive in midfield with three across the back and four across midfield than the other way around personally. The extra body in the middle means you can compete in numbers and get wider. With three across the middle it's great when youre on the front foot and the fullbacks pushing up, but when the oppo have you on the back foot the central midfielders look narrow and isolated with few options on.

Anyway it's about picking your battles. Seems to me :

Games good for 343 - when you've got decent opposition playing 3 at the back themselves and playing tight looking to frustrate you.

Games good for 433 - when oppo is relatively open and play four at the back, or teams you think you can steamroller no matter how they play.

Edited December 11, 2020 by joey_big_nose

[bluebruce]

13 hours ago, WIR Second Coming said:

We could do with a thumping result like this... (highly unlikely I know)

 

Armstrong could do to watch that. I'm not one of those who slam him whenever he has an off game, and he does create sometimes, but the other night he let his self interest take to the fore. That video shows you how even the greatest goalscorers have to weigh up the options and know when to pass instead.

[yellowsubmarine]

Sutton bringing down Shearer? Future SAS partnership. 😄

[Ossydave]

He's had a mixed start, partly because of injury, but if he stays fit for a decent amount of time now Ayala will be our best defender by some distance and it will show, absolutely no doubt about that. It will help massively if he can go say at least 10 games or more with the same defensive partner, presumably Lenihan. The best teams have the best defensive partnerships at the back, its actually ridiculous how long it is since we've had one. Injuries and suspensions can bugger off for a while now, give is a break 🙏

[47er]

Not confident about this game. A draw I predict. Means 2 points out of 9 😂

[JacknOry]

19 hours ago, S8 & Blue said:

Mentally checked out of the football after the disappointment on Weds.

How's the mood? Positive?

We can do these imo

I did the same.

[Uddersfelt Blue]

A draw won’t be the end of the world. We have had 3 games against teams above us. To draw two of them is OK as much as we think we should be winning. 
 

Having said that, we can win this game if we play as we have shown in some of our games this season. Would be better if we had Brereton available as he has been a major difference this season. 

[G Somerset Rover]

2 minutes ago, Uddersfelt Blue said:

A draw won’t be the end of the world. We have had 3 games against teams above us. To draw two of them is OK as much as we think we should be winning.

Personally I don’t think we’ll win, but surely a draw isn’t a good result today after collecting one point from our previous two matches? At what point do we need to start winning matches against the teams above us? Bloody soon IMO if we ever are to challenge for the top 6.

[islander200]

37 minutes ago, Gavlar Somerset Rover! said:

Personally I don’t think we’ll win, but surely a draw isn’t a good result today after collecting one point from our previous two matches? At what point do we need to start winning matches against the teams above us? Bloody soon IMO if we ever are to challenge for the top 6.

I agree we should be targetting a win today at home against a good but beatable side.

5 points off having played 5 of the toughest away games suggests to me we are challenging for the top 6.Home results going to be key to getting there though

 

[Roverthechimp]

Sorry folks - live on tv here and i have nowhere else to be. Put yer money on a loss 😱🙈😉

[Silas]

25 minutes ago, Roverthechimp said:

Sorry folks - live on tv here and i have nowhere else to be. Put yer money on a loss 😱🙈😉

Well, you have 5 hrs left to find somewhere to be! 😏

[Roverthechimp]

31 minutes ago, Silas said:

Well, you have 5 hrs left to find somewhere to be! 😏

Easier said than done due to the Corona situation ...

My option is sorting the junk in the cellar 🤔😉 (i suppose i could get drunk and fall asleep before kick-off - might work 🤣)

 

 

[Roverthechimp]

Any news on potential lineup?

[matt83]

8 hours ago, bluebruce said:

Armstrong could do to watch that. I'm not one of those who slam him whenever he has an off game, and he does create sometimes, but the other night he let his self interest take to the fore. That video shows you how even the greatest goalscorers have to weigh up the options and know when to pass instead.

I’m sure he’ll be back to normal now the sky cameras aren’t on him.