Rovers vs Owls Boxing Day 3pm through a Socially Distanced Looking Glass

[Stuart]

A mixture of both Chaddy. Not sure Arma and Dack are a front two but I could swap Armstrong and Brereton.

[chaddyrovers]

4 minutes ago, Stuart said:

A mixture of both Chaddy. Not sure Arma and Dack are a front two but I could swap Armstrong and Brereton.

Not a fan of Armstrong wide and didnt understand why he was played there yesterday. 

I think Brereton has to play left with Elliott right Armstrong with Rothwell and Dack playing the 2 more advanced roles of the 3 man midfield. Travis in front of back 4. 

What did you feel of my starting 11 when Dack and Travis are fit?

[Stuart]

1 minute ago, Sparks Rover said:

Literally no defensive cover on the left, with Lenihan also playing left this is completely unbalanced.  2 attacking midfielders in the middle, no defensive attributes between them. Travis has to play unless you are going with fit players today.

Can't argue with the forwards really

I’ve ignored players unfit. JRC would be at left back ahead of Douglas at this juncture for example. Holtby would make way for Travis. This is why I think our recruitment has been unbalanced and Mowbray is compensating for this by rotating as he doesn’t like unhappy players. If he had a meritocracy instead of an equity system we could have some serious competition. Instead we seem to have players who ‘do a job’ knowing that they will be rotated out soon instead of perform like their place depends on it.

Despite all of the changes in personnel it just seems like the same old issues.

[Miller11]

6 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

                 

                        Kaminski

     Nyambe  Lenihan  Ayala  Bell

              Rothwell Travis  Dack

            Elliott   Armstrong  Brereton 

What do people think of that team?

                  

 

 

I’d agree with this being our best team, except I’d bring in Wharton for Lenihan.

I think for the moment we have to stick with the 4-3-3. Brereton has found his role in this formation. The subtle change to a 4-2-3-1 really doesn’t suit him.
 

Dack has all the attributes to play there, his role will be very different as goal scoring would be a less important aspect of his game. The thing is, if we go with him and Rothwell in there we HAVE to have Travis fit alongside them. Someone to do the dirty work who has enough of an engine. This won’t be a popular opinion, but Bennett would be my choice to deputise if/when Trav is unavailable.
 

For all the depth in our squad it’s still very unbalanced.

 

[dingles staying down 4ever]

Weve tried three full backs this season with little success, I'd be tempted to throw Downing in there as he wouldnt make the same basic mistakes that Bell or Douglas has made and is just as quick as Douglas.

[Stuart]

3 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

Not a fan of Armstrong wide and didnt understand why he was played there yesterday. 

I think Brereton has to play left with Elliott right Armstrong with Rothwell and Dack playing the 2 more advanced roles of the 3 man midfield. Travis in front of back 4. 

What did you feel of my starting 11 when Dack and Travis are fit?

Don’t think I saw it Chris. Do you mean like this?

[chaddyrovers]

3 minutes ago, Miller11 said:

I’d agree with this being our best team, except I’d bring in Wharton for Lenihan.

I think for the moment we have to stick with the 4-3-3. Brereton has found his role in this formation. The subtle change to a 4-2-3-1 really doesn’t suit him.
 

Dack has all the attributes to play there, his role will be very different as goal scoring would be a less important aspect of his game. The thing is, if we go with him and Rothwell in there we HAVE to have Travis fit alongside them. Someone to do the dirty work who has enough of an engine. This won’t be a popular opinion, but Bennett would be my choice to deputise if/when Trav is unavailable.
 

For all the depth in our squad it’s still very unbalanced.

 

I would Wharton in my starting 11 if fit but cos he out injured for season but he would be starter for me. 

Dack has played there for Gillingham and said recently that his role before he came here. 

I disagree on the squad balance. Tho I think left back is still a weakness despite Douglas signing who has been very poor. 

[chaddyrovers]

4 minutes ago, Stuart said:

Don’t think I saw it Chris. Do you mean like this?

Yes very similar to Leeds. 

Dack and Rothwell plays in the 10 roles and Brereton and Elliott play higher up tho..

Cant pick Douglas cos hes been so poor. Been tempt to sent back tbh

[Bigdoggsteel]

22 minutes ago, Stuart said:

I’ve ignored players unfit. JRC would be at left back ahead of Douglas at this juncture for example. Holtby would make way for Travis. This is why I think our recruitment has been unbalanced and Mowbray is compensating for this by rotating as he doesn’t like unhappy players. If he had a meritocracy instead of an equity system we could have some serious competition. Instead we seem to have players who ‘do a job’ knowing that they will be rotated out soon instead of perform like their place depends on it.

Despite all of the changes in personnel it just seems like the same old issues.

It's funny cos I agree I don't think he likes unhappy players, but his ham fisted methods often lead to this happening anyway. 

I would love to hear the inside track from the players on what the make of him. I wonder is it mixed? Dack seems to be a huge fan, as are a few others. 

Did ye watch the brains of Brockhall on YouTube? It's good craic, but Gallagher was on the other day and they asked him his position he said "right back, am no right wing isn't it? Then laughed and said "striker" he then asked "can I do that again" or "can we leave that out?" And started laughing. 

[chaddyrovers]

14 minutes ago, Bigdoggsteel said:

Mowbray is compensating for this by rotating as he doesn’t like unhappy players. 

I dont think hes rotate enough in centre midfield

[Bigdoggsteel]

4 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

I dont think hes rotate enough in centre midfield

That's weird, I don't think I said what you quoted there? 

Anyways, ya I think Holtby and Johnson are getting too much game time than their performances deserve. It's perplexing how Davenport hadn't played more. It's classic Mowbray though. He did similar before with Rothwell after he played well and then proceeded to drop him for ,I would say, questionable reasons based off his view of what a midfielder should do. 

Edited December 27, 2020 by Bigdoggsteel

[Stuart]

12 minutes ago, Bigdoggsteel said:

It's funny cos I agree I don't think he likes unhappy players, but his ham fisted methods often lead to this happening anyway. 

I would love to hear the inside track from the players on what the make of him. I wonder is it mixed? Dack seems to be a huge fan, as are a few others. 

Did ye watch the brains of Brockhall on YouTube? It's good craic, but Gallagher was on the other day and they asked him his position he said "right back, am no right wing isn't it? Then laughed and said "striker" he then asked "can I do that again" or "can we leave that out?" And started laughing. 

I actually feel quite sorry for Gallagher in a way (money aside ofc). Between the age of 23-25, having developed as a striker, he is now being asked to play a different role just to get into the first XI (even as a sub). He can’t be particularly happy with it but because he ‘gets on with it’ that makes him the ‘right kind of player’ making his situation self-fulfilling. Had he kicked off (as I suspect other players have in the past) he’d be in the stiffs for rehabilitation or out the door.

It needs a player revolt of a good half dozen players to make any meaningful difference. Until the we just carry on with new players coming in and assimilating into ‘the group’.

Oh for a normal set up!

Whet gets me throughout all of this is that the only change on the back room staff has been to move Johnson from a role he was excelling (and embarrassingly playing a better and more successful brand of football to the first team - at the time) - to being the IT guy for the first team. Why haven’t any of them been let go and replaced with better. All too comfortable. Easier just to blame the ref or time-wasting or talk up the opposition manager traits and accept that we have peaked but keep going anyway (for the live of the game?). Quite why owners put up with this is the bizarre thing. I guess nobody is advising them any different. Bringing in Waggott was an absolute masterstroke - for both men. Neither will be able to believe their luck. At any other club both would have been toast by now.

[roversfan99]

I think there are 4 of the front 6 that definitely are in our best side, and the only formation that fits them all in their best position is 4-2-3-1, Armstrongs goal tally since playing up front is unquestionable, Dack has consistently produced in a Rovers shirt as a number 10, Elliott has been fantastic coming in from the right (yet ineffective when Mowbrays typical meddling has moved Elliott into central midfield or as a false 9) and Travis is a beacon of consistency in the central. As far as im concerned, them 4 are on another level to Johnson, Brereton, Rothwell, Holtby, Trybull, Gallagher and an ageing Downing in regards to consistency and effectiveness. As far as I am concerned, the balance of the team would be crucial in filling those spare spaces in CM and wide left.

The 4-3-3 certainly has not gained a points yield anywhere near high enough to warrant it our unquestionable formation, there are more questions than answers.

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

1 hour ago, roversfan99 said:

I think there are 4 of the front 6 that definitely are in our best side, and the only formation that fits them all in their best position is 4-2-3-1, Armstrongs goal tally since playing up front is unquestionable, Dack has consistently produced in a Rovers shirt as a number 10, Elliott has been fantastic coming in from the right (yet ineffective when Mowbrays typical meddling has moved Elliott into central midfield or as a false 9) and Travis is a beacon of consistency in the central. As far as im concerned, them 4 are on another level to Johnson, Brereton, Rothwell, Holtby, Trybull, Gallagher and an ageing Downing in regards to consistency and effectiveness. As far as I am concerned, the balance of the team would be crucial in filling those spare spaces in CM and wide left.

The 4-3-3 certainly has not gained a points yield anywhere near high enough to warrant it our unquestionable formation, there are more questions than answers.

Disagree regarding BB - he has been one of our most effective players since lockdown - for me he would be in the team.

IMO 4-2-3-1 is the way forward when Travis and Dack are both fully fit. Travis and Rothwell have the legs to play the two in midfield - with both capable of breaking from deep. It would leave the full backs exposed at times.

[roversfan99]

7 minutes ago, DavidMailsTightPerm said:

Disagree regarding BB - he has been one of our most effective players since lockdown - for me he would be in the team.

IMO 4-2-3-1 is the way forward when Travis and Dack are both fully fit. Travis and Rothwell have the legs to play the two in midfield - with both capable of breaking from deep. It would leave the full backs exposed at times.

Brereton would be first pick on the left I would agree. I would fear that Rothwell would be too attacking to be in the 2 and it may be more suited to a Trybull or more likely a Johnson to give us more protection.

[BlackburnEnd75]

I think the man at the base of the midfield 3 is an issue. When we were pressing more intensely at the start of the season I think we could get away with johnson in that role. 

I like Trybull and think he has the right attributes to play that role but doesn't seem to be in favour or is injured (I know he doesn't release it quickly enough sometimes)

Davenport is untested .... still 

Evans is injured as usual and I don't rate him

Travis is our best cm. But has excelled in a 2 man cm. Start of the season he was playing right of the 3. I don't think he works as the sitting midfielder, It limits the strenghts of his own game too much and it also highlights his weakness. He doesn't open his body up very well when receiving the ball especially when facing his own goal. In that role he has to do it a lot a more of this and I don't think it would work. 

So combine that with the less intense pressing and the return of dack as an option at 10 then it might worth changing to 4 2 3 1

[Sparks Rover]

6 minutes ago, BlackburnEnd75 said:

I think the man at the base of the midfield 3 is an issue.

He's trying to do this important position on the cheap.  Hand in pocket time next week if he was serious ....but he's not.  He's happy as long as the win column is same as the defeat one. And it always is.

[Butty]

31 minutes ago, Sparks Rover said:

He's trying to do this important position on the cheap.  Hand in pocket time next week if he was serious ....but he's not.  He's happy as long as the win column is same as the defeat one. And it always is.

He’s spent enough, hence why we’ve no money to spend in Jan

[Sparks Rover]

7 minutes ago, Butty said:

He’s spent enough, hence why we’ve no money to spend in Jan

I agree.  But who says there is no money.  He never gets us in the mix, so there's no incentive for the owners to spend a bit more.

Edited December 28, 2020 by Sparks Rover

[USABlue]

Inthiught we'd be up for one point over the festive period but expected it at Hudds with defeats to Wednesday and Big Club.  One point ahead of my expectations.  When are we going to stop dominating possesion only to fall behind with the ooponents 1st or 2nd attempt on goal.

 Notnunderstanding why Rothwell ismolaying somdeepnand.notmunderstanding why Douglas is still starting ,he's been horrible.

[Hoochie Bloochie Mama]

Tony Pulis sacked by Sheffield Wednesday after 10 games in charge | Football | The Guardian

That's what happens if you can't beat Rovers!

[neophox]

Pulis sacked after only 7p in last 10 games.

[neophox]

More balls in the owners of Wednesday than Rovers. With Chansiri as owner Mowbray would be long gone.

[neophox]

On 27/12/2020 at 13:41, Stuart said:

Don’t think I saw it Chris. Do you mean like this?

Douglas never in my 11st eleven.

[neophox]

When is Travis back?