Rovers v Rotherham Utd. (h) Wed. 16th Dec. 7.45pm

[darrenrover]

After a thoroughly depressing week of football, 3 games and a solitary point gained, we welcome The Millers to Ewood Park on Wednesday night.

They've struggled so far this season particularly away where they've only won once in 9 outings. They also picked up their 2nd win since October yesterday, turning over Bristol City 2-0 at The New York Stadium.

Rovers' team selection causes that many conundrums all over the park, I really wouldn't know where to start, other than Kaminski in goal and Elliott fitted in somewhere!

I hope our intrepid leader keeps his mouth well and truly shut to any form of media for the foreseeable future, so that he doesn't inflict any further inadvertent damage to club and supporter morale.

Old cliché it may be but if ever there was a 'must win game', it should apply here.

COYB!! (FFS!)

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

If they can keep 11 on the pitch it'll be a tough game. If we get to play against 10 again we'll murder 'em.

[Hoochie Bloochie Mama]

The 4 remaining games in December are all very winnable, starting with this one. Stoke is potentially the toughest but Rotherham, SWFC and Huddersfield are all below us in the league. Huge opportunity (again!) before the new year to get in and around the top 6. 

Edited December 13, 2020 by Hoochie Bloochie Mama

[Sparks Rover]

We all know this is a 3 or 4 job against one of the divisions weaker teams.  Mowbrays problem is if we stop beating the so-called lower teams, then we have a problem.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

8 minutes ago, Sparks Rover said:

We all know this is a 3 or 4 job against one of the divisions weaker teams.  Mowbrays problem is if we stop beating the so-called lower teams, then we have a problem.

This lot beat Bristol City ( who beat us in midweek ) quite comfortably yesterday. If it's the easy peasy Rovers that turn up we'll be in for a shock.

[Sparks Rover]

4 minutes ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

This lot beat Bristol City ( who beat us in midweek ) quite comfortably yesterday. If it's the easy peasy Rovers that turn up we'll be in for a shock.

No, we are winning these games comfortably,  I'm confident Mowbray will get 3 points here.  We have the players to score against these teams, sadly we don't have a promotion defence.

[LDRover]

No doubt in my mind that we win this 'must win' game.

The next 4 games after are also very winnable on paper so 11 points is the minimum requirement to keep close to the business end.

[tomphil]

Return of the flat track bully boys.

Mulit in game changes and subs again, Elliot moves around all 6 non defensive positions. Tony hailed as the Championship Pep again by his fan club.

Rovers  3   Millers   0

[G Somerset Rover]

Few too many Mercer esque predictions here for my liking! Only lost two on the trot so far - Mowbray’s W/L runs usually last a game or two longer which makes me nervous.

Edited December 13, 2020 by Gavlar Somerset Rover!

[roversfan99]

I do wonder what changes we could make without severely impacting the team. Armstrong and Elliott certainly cant be dropped, Gallagher isnt convincing but would Dolan or Chapman really improve us? Neither Rothwell nor Holtby has nailed down a place, maybe bring in Downing for probably Holtby but the likes of Buckley and Davenport wont improve us. Trybull may be a consideration but Johnson has been our best midfielder this season, 100%. Douglas would perhaps warrant dropping but I wouldnt want to see Bell come back in, we know he isnt good enough.

Kaminski

Nyambe Lenihan Ayala Douglas

Johnson

Downing Rothwell

Elliott Armstrong Gallagher

 

[Sparks Rover]

2 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

I do wonder what changes we could make without severely impacting the team. Armstrong and Elliott certainly cant be dropped, Gallagher isnt convincing but would Dolan or Chapman really improve us? Neither Rothwell nor Holtby has nailed down a place, maybe bring in Downing for probably Holtby but the likes of Buckley and Davenport wont improve us. Trybull may be a consideration but Johnson has been our best midfielder this season, 100%. Douglas would perhaps warrant dropping but I wouldnt want to see Bell come back in, we know he isnt good enough.

Kaminski

Nyambe Lenihan Ayala Douglas

Johnson

Downing Rothwell

Elliott Armstrong Gallagher

 

Douglas reminds me of when salgado came, and was clearly a yard off the pace. No doubting he can cross a ball, but if I was an opposition scout I'd be letting the gaffer know that is our weak spot and he should look to penetrate down that side, especially with no real cover from Gallagher or whoever plays ahead of Douglas.

[Ewood Ace]

                                 Kaminski

Nyambe       Lenihan             Ayala      Bell

                 Davenport             Downing

Elliott                        Rothwell              Dolan

                                Armstrong

[chaddyrovers]

                    Kaminski 

Nyambe  Lenihan  Ayala Bell

    Rothwell Trybull Johnson

Elliott         Armstrong    Gallagher 

[alcd]

47 minutes ago, LDRover said:

No doubt in my mind that we win this 'must win' game.

The next 4 games after are also very winnable on paper so 11 points is the minimum requirement to keep close to the business end.

How is it possible to get 11 points from 4 matches? 

[booth]

We'll win this because Mowbray will have to put a shift in after 1 point in 9.

[LDRover]

10 minutes ago, alcd said:

How is it possible to get 11 points from 4 matches? 

The 'next' 4 games added to the Rotherham game so 5 in total.

[Bigdoggsteel]

1 hour ago, tomphil said:

Return of the flat track bully boys.

Mulit in game changes and subs again, Elliot moves around all 6 non defensive positions. Tony hailed as the Championship Pep again by his fan club.

Rovers  3   Millers   0

Hopefully! 

[rigger]

2 hours ago, alcd said:

How is it possible to get 11 points from 4 matches? 

If you read the post he means Rotherham then the next four games, 5 in total. 3 wins two draws.

[JHRover]

We will win this one, but it won't be easy or comfortable. I expect another single goal victory, probably 1-0. 

Pressure will be mounting on Mowbray after 3 games and 1 point so he will recover the situation here followed by a tame defeat at Stoke on Saturday to keep us muddling along.

Rotherham are a handful but their away record is abysmal. If it was at their place I'd be backing them but we should have enough.

[Doogs]

Just a mid table game. Couldnt care less now.

[Cherry Blue]

1 hour ago, Doogs said:

Just a mid table game. Couldnt care less now.

A must win game. It's in my blood.

COYB

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

2 hours ago, JHRover said:

We will win this one, but it won't be easy or comfortable. I expect another single goal victory, probably 1-0. 

Pressure will be mounting on Mowbray after 3 games and 1 point so he will recover the situation here followed by a tame defeat at Stoke on Saturday to keep us muddling along.

Rotherham are a handful but their away record is abysmal. If it was at their place I'd be backing them but we should have enough.

I'd take a 1-0 win now but I'm not sure we do 1-0 wins anymore.

[BlackburnEnd75]

                           Kaminski

Nyambe      Ayala         Williams        Douglas

           Downing       Trybull        Rothwell

Elliot                     Armstrong              Gallagher

 

Subs: Pears, Lenihan, Bell, Davenport, Johnson, Buckley, Holtby, Dolan, Chapman,

Douglas over Bell purely as we will likely have the ball a lot. 

Holtby hasn't influenced much recently and should be rested along with Johnson who is racking up the minutes.

Maybe Dolan over Gallagher, perhaps buckley over Downing, harsh on Davenport who probably deserves a start t some point.

[philipl]

I am certain Bristol City went to Rotherham expecting 3 points and came back with a 2-0 defeat on Saturday.

Rotherham are big mobile and vulnerable. 

Continue failing to get even a third of attempts on target and we will be vulnerable too, especially if our central defenders are as mentally fragile as they indicated in the late second half against Norwich.

Not winning this shouldn't even be contemplated but I am sure Mowbray will have bigged them up come Tuesday teatime.

[joey_big_nose]

Have to win this one or it begins to feel like the wheels have fallen off.

Bad news for us is they can play 3 at the back so will surely do that as they did against Bristol City. We really struggle when that happens. 

What's worrying is all the teams between now and Birmingham (6 games total) can play 3 at the back....

I personally don't think we can just play 433 and hope we can bulldoze through. We need a plan B desperately as we will definitely need it in that run, maybe as soon as Wednesday.

I'd change up to 343 for the start of the game with the option to switch to 433 mid game if required. I think we need to get some time in a new system under our belt against a supposedly weaker team.

                         Kaminski

           Lenihan.   Ayala.   Williams 

Nyambe.    Johnson.   Rothwell.   Downing

         Elliott.     Armstrong.   Dolan.