Stoke City v Rovers (a) Sat. 19th Dec. 3pm

[Fraserkirky]

Better see a massive up tick in results when the trio gets back or It’s curtains for Mowbray I think. He has had a good run but it’s time for a change. He will get till the end of the season regardless.

I thought we were okay today, miles better than Wed. Johnson did well actually, better than usual. Perhaps it should be a permanent move. Douglas a bit better, Lenihan wasn’t outrageously bad as usual which is nice. Trybull had a good game, Rothwell done alright, Holtby on a poor poor run of form. Gallagher shouldn’t start again, what a waste of 5m, just not a good footballer at all.

Stoke are a dreadful side but so organized. 

[47er]

3 hours ago, Tugayisgod said:

All I know is that if we played week in, week out the way Stoke played today, ie sticking 10 men behind the ball and say "break us down" (and that's at home!), then this message board would go into meltdown even more than normsl

Quite right. I propose that for the sake of this MB we should keep losing.(preferably 1-0) 😂

[roversfan99]

"Trusting the professionals" isnt something that should be done at the expense of personal opinion. No one is suggesting that they take over as manager. All teams in the league have professionals, the question is whether the professional in charge at the moment is our best bet to achieve or even surpass expectations.

[nuttyrover]

I’m not sure what fans expect. The clubs at the top of the tree have spent far more than us or they’re playing percentages. We were always going to be outsiders but we desperately need Dack’s talismanic presence and Travis in the engine room. 

[Blue blood]

9 minutes ago, nuttyrover said:

I’m not sure what fans expect. The clubs at the top of the tree have spent far more than us or they’re playing percentages. We were always going to be outsiders but we desperately need Dack’s talismanic presence and Travis in the engine room. 

I expect progress within 3 years. 

I expect not to see players hopelessly out of position. 

I expect us not to stock up a defence with crocks. 

I expect us to be able to beat teams above us from time to time. 

I expect basic idiotic mistakes like letting players chose if they are fit not to be made. 

I expect good players contract situations to be sorted. 

I expect us to have a bit of bottle and launch a serious promotion bid. 

I expect us to not hide behind the excuse of they spent more than us. Boo bloody hoo. Didn't stop Hughes or Souness's teams. (And by that inference TM should get little credit for promotion.) 

I expect that if Brentford can turn a profit  to increase their budget than so can we. On that I expect us to be able to at least match the achievements of Millwall and Preston who both finished above us with inferior budgets. 

I expect a good balanced squad after free reign and no forced outgoings in 3 years. 

I expect some sodding accountability for the management. You know targets, performance reviews and other radical measures. 

I expect us not to arse away money on extensions for dross in an extended season. 

And I expect some pride in the shirt. 

[callumrovers]

We need to get promoted this season - no questions about that. 

How can we sustain as a club when we are riddled in debt?  Mowbray talks about a journey but what do we do when we either sell our best players to comply with FFP or they ask to leave to join more ambitious clubs? Do you trust the current management set up to be able to find ready made replacements? This no doubt will set us back another 3 years and the cycle will be repeated. We need promotion this season. Anything else and I fear we will be left as a midtable championships club for years to come and with this comes more debt and a weakened team. 

If we had decisive owners, Mowbray would of been sent packing last season, alas we don't. 

There is no argument about attractive football or percentages. 

Premier league football = ££££ ( Doesn't matter how we get there, I would take sh*thousing every team and 1-0 wins to secure a better future for the club.)

Anyone who says different is short sighted and needs realise the severity of the situation.

 

[Doogs]

Has Tony gone....

[Elvis Biro]

16 minutes ago, Doogs said:

Has Tony gone....

Only if you are asleep and having a lovely dream.

[bigbrandjohn]

13 minutes ago, Doogs said:

Has Tony gone....

No but the manager in 5th place has. 
 

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/55381160

 

We have been there before. A procession of losers and dodgy deals all requiring pay off. Like everyone, I thought this was our year. It still may be. I don’t want to go back to the days of hire and fire. 

We have a good team with valuable players. We need a bit of luck with injuries and a consistent run. 
 

This is a hard league with 6 teams at least on Premier league pay offs from relegation. 
 

Nothing is great about this year but let’s review once we get Dack, Bretherton and Travis back. Oh and our fans. 

[Wood26]

4 minutes ago, bigbrandjohn said:

No but the manager in 5th place has. 
 

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/55381160

 

We have been there before. A procession of losers and dodgy deals all requiring pay off. Like everyone, I thought this was our year. It still may be. I don’t want to go back to the days of hire and fire. 

We have a good team with valuable players. We need a bit of luck with injuries and a consistent run. 
 

This is a hard league with 6 teams at least on Premier league pay offs from relegation. 
 

Nothing is great about this year but let’s review once we get Dack, Bretherton and Travis back. Oh and our fans. 

Spot on.

We lost because we conceded a header as we had a CM at CB due to 3 people being injured who would be there instead.

We couldn’t score. Is our attack bad? No, we are second highest scorers in league.

We move on

[Blue blood]

9 minutes ago, Wood26 said:

Spot on.

We lost because we conceded a header as we had a CM at CB due to 3 people being injured who would be there instead.

We couldn’t score. Is our attack bad? No, we are second highest scorers in league.

We move on

Don't mean to pick on you specifically but your excuse about centre backs is all of TMs making. Having three injury prone CBs on the books was asking for such a situation to occur. 

Also even if it's just an off day for our attack and an unfortunate loss, as your post seems to imply, what about every other game against one of the stronger teams? 

It's the whole move on with no accountability that is helping to cause this malaise. 

[Sparks Rover]

18 minutes ago, Wood26 said:

Spot on.

We lost because we conceded a header as we had a CM at CB due to 3 people being injured who would be there instead.

We couldn’t score. Is our attack bad? No, we are second highest scorers in league.

We move on

You said further up we need Dack and Brereton, to get to the play offs....now you are saying the opposite 

Talking twaddle just to get people to argue with you. Like an unsophisticated Chaddy

[JHRover]

19 minutes ago, Wood26 said:

Spot on.

We lost because we conceded a header as we had a CM at CB due to 3 people being injured who would be there instead.

We couldn’t score. Is our attack bad? No, we are second highest scorers in league.

We move on

In 2018-19, 2019-20 and now 2020-21 we have reached a point, usually around December and January, where we end up with no fit/available CBs and have to either chop and change formations, play full backs at centre back or throw in youngsters to deal with it.

Is this bad luck? For it to happen once would be bad luck. Three seasons running and any serious operation would be asking serious questions as to how this predicament keeps appearing each season despite transfer windows and some different personnel. 

 

[JHRover]

Just now, JHRover said:

In 2018-19, 2019-20 and now 2020-21 we have reached a point, usually around December and January, where we end up with no fit/available CBs and have to either chop and change formations, play full backs or midfielders at centre back or throw in youngsters to deal with it.

Is this bad luck? For it to happen once would be bad luck. Three seasons running and any serious operation would be asking serious questions as to how this predicament keeps appearing each season despite transfer windows and some different personnel. 

 

 

[Crimpshrine]

2 hours ago, Wood26 said:

I’d be interested to know how a different manager would of made a difference to today’s result?

We are a better team then Stoke,

 

Haven't you just answered your own question?

Maybe we are a better team and they have a better manager.

[Wood26]

5 minutes ago, Sparks Rover said:

You said further up we need Dack and Brereton, to get to the play offs....now you are saying the opposite 

Talking twaddle just to get people to argue with you. Like an unsophisticated Chaddy

I don’t want anyone to argue with anyone, not at all, we all follow same team, just giving my opinion.

I said we are clearly a good attacking team hence our goals, but as per other posts, A Dack and Brereton can help us unlock teams like Stoke.

[Sparks Rover]

2 minutes ago, Wood26 said:

I don’t want anyone to argue with anyone, not at all, we all follow same team, just giving my opinion.

I said we are clearly a good attacking team hence our goals, but as per other posts, A Dack and Brereton can help us unlock teams like Stoke.

Yeah, sorry mate got the wrong end of stick. Yeah Brereton is that awkward bugger who could have helped today....if we sort the defence proper the goals are there. So frustrating 

[darrenrover]

5 hours ago, Mercer said:

We all want attractive football, however...............................

• Both Stoke and M'boro were in acute danger of relegation last season.
• O'Neill and Warnock kept them up - something Mowbray failed to do when appointed Rovers' manager
• O'Neill and Warnock have been in charge of their respective clubs for less than 12 months and after saving them from relegation, they have made them harder to beat and are both 5 points better off than Rovers. 
• Mowbray has had 4 years at it with Rovers and in less than a quarter of that time, O'Neill and Warnock have got their clubs into better positions and, IMO, are more likely to get into the play offs. 
• Like Mark Hughes did with us, O'Neill and Warnock are first making their teams difficult to beat and then with better players (remember our progression to the likes of Bentley, Bellamy, Santa Cruz etc) the style will come as well as the results - that is evolution whereas Mowbray's evolution, IMO, is just bullsh1t for the owners and about self preservation.
• And, let us not forget, IMO, Mowbray's teams have served up some of the most dire football I've seen with Rovers over his 4 years in charge.

I would take O'Neill and Warnock every day of the week over Mowbray as would, I suspect, the majority of Rovers' fans.  I think the 'happy clappers' will be playing the same tune in years to come as Mowbray consolidates us as a mid table Championship team at best.

 

 

I agree with you but I don't think I'd like to watch a Warnock or O'Neill team twice a week. Stoke were particularly woeful.

If 4 years ago, Mowbray had started the "slow build" starting with 2 strong, experienced centre halves and 2 full backs, who both have the ability to defend first and foremost, added to our current midfield and forward line, we'd be pissing this league. 

Can you imagine a back 4 of Hird, Fazackerley, Keeley, Bailey instead of the current incumbents?

I feel that the failure to address something that has been glaringly apparent to even our least knowledgable of fans, has been Mowbray's (and every other manager in Venkys 10 year tenure) failing. I just don't get it.

Edited December 20, 2020 by darrenrover

[darrenrover]

2 hours ago, nuttyrover said:

I’m not sure what fans expect. The clubs at the top of the tree have spent far more than us or they’re playing percentages. We were always going to be outsiders but we desperately need Dack’s talismanic presence and Travis in the engine room. 

I didn't realise Bradley and Trav were both retraining to return as centre backs!

I do agree with your general point though.

[Mercer]

9 minutes ago, darrenrover said:

I agree with you but I don't think I'd particularly like to watch a Warnock or O'Neill team twice a week. Stoke were particularly woeful.

If 4 years ago, Mowbray had started the "slow build" starting with 2 strong, experienced centre halves and 2 full backs, who both have the ability to defend first and foremost, added to our current midfield and forward line, we'd be pissing this league. 

Can you imagine a back 4 of Hird, Fazackerley, Keeley, Bailey instead of the current incumbents?

I feel that the failure to address something that has been glaringly apparent to even our least knowledgable of fans, has been Mowbray's (and every other manager in Venkys 10 year tenure) failing. I just don't get it.

Think we'd almost double our goal tally with Hird and Bailey as our full backs.  Who can forget their marauding forays - their directness and ability to run at pace with the ball was superb (like Rothwell on speed!).

Faz and 'Killer' couldn't half defend and underrated as footballers.

Those were happy days!

  

Edited December 20, 2020 by Mercer

[AllRoverAsia]

1 hour ago, darrenrover said:

I agree with you but I don't think I'd like to watch a Warnock or O'Neill team twice a week. Stoke were particularly woeful.

If 4 years ago, Mowbray had started the "slow build" starting with 2 strong, experienced centre halves and 2 full backs, who both have the ability to defend first and foremost, added to our current midfield and forward line, we'd be pissing this league. 

Can you imagine a back 4 of Hird, Fazackerley, Keeley, Bailey instead of the current incumbents?

I feel that the failure to address something that has been glaringly apparent to even our least knowledgable of fans, has been Mowbray's (and every other manager in Venkys 10 year tenure) failing. I just don't get it.

The strategy almost ensures that promotion is always just out of reach.

Odd isn't it and to whose benefit.

[Fraserkirky]

I still can’t believe Armstrong didn’t go round the keeper. It was perfect.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

If we don't get promotion this season I fear our best players are on their way...the financial situation has been compounded by Covid.Then the shit will really will hit the fan so to speak.

Do we have a Manager who is capable of Promotion?..........🙄

[chaddyrovers]

 

 

[darrenrover]

4 hours ago, Fraserkirky said:

I still can’t believe Armstrong didn’t go round the keeper again. It was perfect.

Edited slightly for you, hope you don't mind.