QPR Away / Mercer’s Wine Club

[47er]

5 hours ago, Exiled in Toronto said:

Need more consistent goalscorers to be a real top 6 threat.

Overlooking the fact that we paid £12M for two of them!

To be a real Top 6 threat, as opposed to occasionally threatening it, we need a new manager.

[darrenrover]

27 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

Im not sure that he is reactionary necessarily, analogies aside. In fact he often goes out of his way to try and second guess opposition tactics, threats and weaknesses to the point that he fails to generate that level of consistency in his selections. You look at examples of playing 2 left backs against Oldham to try and nullify Oldhams right back, or even today the way that he lined up the front 3.

You look at the likes of Swansea, 3 at the back and wing backs, Ayew and Lowe up front, they play the same every week, Brentford with their 433, Norwich with their 4231. The players invariably change with unavailability etc but someone else comes in and keeps that continuity. Mowbray needs to look at it, who are our biggest goal threats? Dack and Armstrong, build around them. Kaminski, Nyambe, Lenihan, Branthwaite and Douglas with Travis and possibly Davenport as a shield. And then probably Elliott and one space up for grabs out wide. If one comes out, like for like in.

He also has a big problem in chasing games without going gung ho to the detriment of the balance of our side. That was a criticism even going back to his Celtic days. We needed a goal and regularly had the likes of Elliott and Dack in front of the defence where they dont offer a threat. There was no need to have Brereton, Dolan AND Elliott all on today. When Holtby went off, Downing should have come on.

I agree with all of this.

[Exiled in Toronto]

2 hours ago, 47er said:

Overlooking the fact that we paid £12M for two of them!

To be a real Top 6 threat, as opposed to occasionally threatening it, we need a new manager.

And another £12 million.

[Hoochie Bloochie Mama]

3 hours ago, RoversClitheroe said:

Mowbray is a reactionary manager rather than a preventative manager. Like only going to the dentist when you have toothache, rather than going to the dentist frequently to prevent it

Using your analogy Mowbray actually pulls his own tooth out before there's anything wrong with it. 

Edited February 7, 2021 by Hoochie Bloochie Mama

[TheRoversReturn]

8 hours ago, rigger said:

So basically your main goal threat is playing in midfield ? I cannot see any positives to that system.

If you play your superstar there, like Messi, he can impose more influence and burst forward along with the pacey wide forwards.

Mowbray played an out-of-form 17 year-old there with Gally as one of the wide forwards. Delusional. Elliot needs some games coming off the bench to have a go at tiring opposition players to get his confidence back up.

This game was here for the taking. It wasn't a disaster in that we did have chances and look dangerous, but ultimately we needed to win this one. If TM decides he HAS to play a false nine than Rothwell might be a better choice as he can move the ball quickly at speed and has the dribbling skills to give the opposition kittens. He was anonymous out wide instead, where he rarely seems to be able to impose himself.

A wasted chance today as the three points went begging.  

[darrenrover]

3 hours ago, 47er said:

We need (have always needed) a 6ft+ nasty bastard with elbows, who can give the centre-backs a hard time, shoot, score with his head and can knock it down for Armstrong to do the business.

That also means width and deep crosses from the wings, a winger also provides an outlet for the defence as opposed to banging it up the centre from where it returns.

Its bloody basic!

Size of Gallagher, that should be a given. Unfortunately he's just a soft, useless tart that couldn't hit a barn door from 5 yards! 

[Mattyblue]

5 hours ago, tonygreenbank said:

You are rather prone to exaggeration. I don’t really take any notice of what you say. It doesn’t make any sense.

Am I? Do you have an example? 

Just amused me that you think Grooby and Ste B ran some operation of virtue, and J*B is letting down his noble predecessors because he re-named a thread title. 😁
 

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

'Bumbling along without direction or purpose'

Season after Season..same as it ever was under Mowbray.

[Ulrich]

11 hours ago, booth said:

https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/19071176.mowbray-explains-elliott-positioning-rovers-defeat-qpr/
 

According to this Gallagher was playing alongside Armstrong.

On Elliot playing centrally, I'd be surprised if Liverpool are happy with their golden kid being played out of position. He looks like a shadow of the player when he was playing in his correct position.

It can't be easy playing for Mowbray constantly swapping you about like a panini sticker.

I wonder if pep, Jurgen etc alter players roles and positions to exploit the opponents weaknesses?

10 hours ago, J*B said:

OK, well I’ll qualify it with a serious response, just incase. 

We’ve always changed thread titles. It’s just with the latest forum software you can see (or I’m guessing you can) who changed the title and when. When I say always, usually it’s not for attempted comedy like in this instance, usually if a thread goes off topic or details about a game change / aren’t included I will tweak the thread title to be suitable. 

I changed the title of the thread because I found it funny. I really enjoyed StevenSK getting wine recommendations half way through the thread because I was expecting chaos when I logged in — which usually happens when we lose. To his credit, Mercer took it very well and I’ve had a few laugh out loud moments this evening reading the replies. I’ve also found it thoroughly refreshing that the thread isn’t full of arguments and bickering. We’ve had two reports tonight in this thread, usually after a loss we’re closer to ten. 

I may have misjudged the situation, honestly from viewing the replies I can only see that you’ve found offence, if it’s only you then my honest thoughts are ‘so be it’ but if it’s genuinely upset anyone else please do speak or (either on private message or publicly here) and if the general consensus is that it’s not appreciated I’ll make sure it doesn’t happen again. 

Either way, as always, thank you for having an opinion. This website is run at this stage solely by a small sponsorship deal and volunteers, it’s sometimes great and sometimes a bit of a burden. We won’t always get it right but we will always try to do the best to keep the site going, improve on it and at a minimum keep the community open to anyone that wishes to be part of it and respect it. 

Lads you have admirably carried the torch since the change over,thank you.  The new layout is nice, user friendly, although the colours are a bit bland and similar to most sites these days. White and another colour seems all the rage these days, everyone uses it. Personally I quite like the websites that have a darker background with lighter wordings. I came across one that had a dark red background, but really dark like an almost black burgundy or claret. I found it very soothing on the eyes, which consequently made reading the site much more bearable on the eyes. Do you think that is something that you would consider using here on BRFCS?

2 hours ago, Mattyblue said:

Am I? Do you have an example? 

Just amused me that you think Grooby and Ste B ran some operation of virtue, and J*B is letting down his noble predecessors because he re-named a thread title. 😁
 

Golum.

[arbitro]

One of Mowbrays biggest weaknesses, by his own admission is that he over thinks things and makes things far too complicated. Yesterday we saw in spades evidence of this. At times I hadn't got a clue who was playing where, what the formation was and more importantly what he was trying do. It's not the first time this has happened but against an average QPR I think his cleverness cost us. What the players must think of his random, illogical nonsense would be interesting.

[Gone to seed]

Elliot had a shocker yesterday. Absolutely bombed. We played our main goal threat as a winger. and gave him no one to aim at, expecting instead that he somehow miraculously played two roles in one.

Clueless doesn't cover it. Hopeless is more accurate

.

[TheRoversReturn]

12 hours ago, booth said:

https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/19071176.mowbray-explains-elliott-positioning-rovers-defeat-qpr/
 

According to this Gallagher was playing alongside Armstrong.

Could have fooled me. 

Armstrong was out on the left for most of the time, at least in the first half. As for Gally, watch him from the kick off and he purposefully goes wide right then has a punt from the Rovers half aimed at home. That tended to be his position throughout for all goal kicks and so on.  

[Bigdoggsteel]

2 for Glen Murray yesterday. What a partnership him and AA could be....

[Parsonblue]

I must admit that I've reached the point as to seriously question the value of paying even a tenner to watch Rovers at the moment. 

Like arbitro, I hadn't got a clue as to what formation we were playing or what role the players had.  The substitutions - particularly replacing Nyambe with the kid from City - were mystifying at times. 

The Nyambe substitution really irritated me.  Here we have a really good prospect who should be our right-back for years to come.  A lad who has all the qualities required to play that position in the modern game and yet in the summer I feel sure he will be off and who could blame him.  We will no doubt spend next season with a make-do-and-mend job until someone realises that full-back is a specialist position and needs a specialist in it!

We ended yesterday with a back-four of two kids on loan - who are here simply to get experience to benefit their own clubs in the long term and not Blackburn Rovers - and a player who is out of contract and will be released come May. 

Whilst this is a League in which anyone can beat anyone on their day the fact is that if you are serious about reaching the top six these sort of games need to be won.  Sadly, we seem to lack that winning mentality both on and off the pitch.  

We've spent serious money on Gallagher and Brereton and the return has been abysmal.  Brereton - who is supposedly a different player this season - has scored 3 League goals thus far.  Gally has four.  Hardly top six material.

We badly need a target man up front.  A rough, tough, bully who will impose himself on defenders and create things for others as well as score a few.  We also need a similar type in the centre of defence who can organise those around him.

Above all supporters need to see that the club has a plan, a strategy for achieving promotion.  Watching kids make mistakes and learn their trade before returning to the club that actually owns them has little long term appeal.

[magicalmortensleftpeg]

14 minutes ago, Bigdoggsteel said:

2 for Glen Murray yesterday. What a partnership him and AA could be....

But can Murray play on the wing?

[dingles staying down 4ever]

3 minutes ago, magicalmortensleftpeg said:

But can Murray play on the wing?

No but neither can SG

[47er]

7 hours ago, Exiled in Toronto said:

And another £12 million.

I doubt we'll get another pie that big but astute managers have been promoted on less.

[dingles staying down 4ever]

6 hours ago, darrenrover said:

Size of Gallagher, that should be a given. Unfortunately he's just a soft, useless tart that couldn't hit a barn door from 5 yards! 

As Ive said before when Gallagher plays down the middle he reminds me of when Kevin Davies played here. Davies goes to Bolton under a proper coach and he becomes a different player.

We'll never know if Gallagher could become a better central player because Mowbray hides him out on the wing. 

I disagree that he can't hit a barn door. The few time he has played central he has scored.

[G Somerset Rover]

8 minutes ago, magicalmortensleftpeg said:

But can Murray play on the wing?

Mowbray would have had Shearer on the wing as he’s ‘the best crosser at the club’.

Great post BTW Parson.

[47er]

2 hours ago, SIMON GARNERS 194 said:

'Bumbling along without direction or purpose'

Season after Season..same as it ever was under Mowbray.

The wording on his gravestone should read "Six points short".

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

7 minutes ago, Parsonblue said:

I must admit that I've reached the point as to seriously question the value of paying even a tenner to watch Rovers at the moment. 

Like arbitro, I hadn't got a clue as to what formation we were playing or what role the players had.  The substitutions - particularly replacing Nyambe with the kid from City - were mystifying at times. 

The Nyambe substitution really irritated me.  Here we have a really good prospect who should be our right-back for years to come.  A lad who has all the qualities required to play that position in the modern game and yet in the summer I feel sure he will be off and who could blame him.  We will no doubt spend next season with a make-do-and-mend job until someone realises that full-back is a specialist position and needs a specialist in it!

We ended yesterday with a back-four of two kids on loan - who are here simply to get experience to benefit their own clubs in the long term and not Blackburn Rovers - and a player who is out of contract and will be released come May. 

Whilst this is a League in which anyone can beat anyone on their day the fact is that if you are serious about reaching the top six these sort of games need to be won.  Sadly, we seem to lack that winning mentality both on and off the pitch.  

We've spent serious money on Gallagher and Brereton and the return has been abysmal.  Brereton - who is supposedly a different player this season - has scored 3 League goals thus far.  Gally has four.  Hardly top six material.

We badly need a target man up front.  A rough, tough, bully who will impose himself on defenders and create things for others as well as score a few.  We also need a similar type in the centre of defence who can organise those around him.

Above all supporters need to see that the club has a plan, a strategy for achieving promotion.  Watching kids make mistakes and learn their trade before returning to the club that actually owns them has little long term appeal.

Did TM explain the Nyambe sub - only reason would be fitness (given his issues, understandable).

Can somebody please confirm if we have a year option on Nyambe - I am sure I saw it reported we did.

Regarding back 4 - we have one centre half to come back from long term injury - and a new left back due in the summer.

On the match - we looked the better team for much of the match - but the fine margins that went for us in the previous 2 matches went against us in this. TBH with the players at TMs disposal we shouldn't have to rely on fine margins.

[47er]

5 minutes ago, DavidMailsTightPerm said:

TBH with the players at TMs disposal we shouldn't have to rely on fine margins.

Exactly so.

[darrenrover]

1 hour ago, arbitro said:

One of Mowbrays biggest weaknesses, by his own admission is that he over thinks things and makes things far too complicated. Yesterday we saw in spades evidence of this. At times I hadn't got a clue who was playing where, what the formation was and more importantly what he was trying do. It's not the first time this has happened but against an average QPR I think his cleverness cost us. What the players must think of his random, illogical nonsense would be interesting.

The players body language told its' own story Tony: They all looked absolutely pissed off!

Edited February 7, 2021 by darrenrover

[tomphil]

13 hours ago, Roverinbelfast said:

We are not far off, we have proved we can compete with the top teams in the league. It must be a mental block that every time we get close to the top 6 we flop. 

Plenty more twists and turns left this season. But anything other than top 6 this season is failure 

Not sure it's an actual mental block as Mowbray seems to do all he can to keep pressure off judging by the blaze' stuff he often says. Besides there should be very little pressure on a side in upper midtable.

Imo it's actually a lack of pressure and drive to win that looks like it is missing. When you've got the boss constantly saying slow build, journey see where we end up etc then where is the actual goal or targets set ?

This stuff without doubt filters to the players they know it's just win some lose some mentality. Shrug the shoulders, we go again, if it's not today it might be tomorrow, next week, season, year, 5 years.

The manager himself says this and i've said for several years now it seems more about keeping everybody happy than promotion. Just do enough to get enough points to keep selling the slow build, give as many as you can appearances regularly and increase squad value. 

All happy in wages and bonuses and a pleasant training ground. I don't think the owners demand top 6 at all they're just happy signing the cheques knowing there's very little hassle these days, the value is increasing and most of the money is going where it should.

A recipe for stability but not success.

 

 

Edited February 7, 2021 by tomphil

[darrenrover]

26 minutes ago, DavidMailsTightPerm said:

Did TM explain the Nyambe sub - only reason would be fitness (given his issues, understandable).

Can somebody please confirm if we have a year option on Nyambe - I am sure I saw it reported we did.

Regarding back 4 - we have one centre half to come back from long term injury - and a new left back due in the summer.

On the match - we looked the better team for much of the match - but the fine margins that went for us in the previous 2 matches went against us in this. TBH with the players at TMs disposal we shouldn't have to rely on fine margins.

What worries me about the situation with Nyambe, if he leaves for nothing, there's potentially a 'bloody good drink' in it for any pigs with noses in the trough!