2021/22 Pre-Season

[Miller11]

57 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

Why do you prefer 4-4-2 and how would play it and who would be your starting 11?

Because I think it’s an uncomplicated formation that is balanced and allows players to know what their job is and use the attributes that suit them.

[J*B]

1 hour ago, OldEwoodBlue said:

From the supposed Manager of Blackburn Rovers....

“Bolton Wanderers is a big club, historically a big club and to coin a phrase, they’re on their way back."

Is it only me that’s reading this as a sly dig? As in, we where “on our way back”, but we’re not now? 
 

If it is, the reason we’re no longer singing “we’re on our way back”, Tony, is because you spunked all of the money on last season and ended up finishing closer to the bottom three than the top six despite being backed to the hill and back. 

[Paul Mellelieu]

9 minutes ago, J*B said:

Is it only me that’s reading this as a sly dig? As in, we where “on our way back”, but we’re not now? 
 

If it is, the reason we’re no longer singing “we’re on our way back”, Tony, is because you spunked all of the money on last season and ended up finishing closer to the bottom three than the top six despite being backed to the hill and back. 

Not at all.

[Sparks Rover]

40 minutes ago, Dan said:

We could play the local pub team and he’d big them up. 

Aye, he'd be playing the Vulcan and be saying they've got a lot of history, tough lads there like, smoking that team is....

[Sparks Rover]

12 minutes ago, J*B said:

Is it only me that’s reading this as a sly dig? As in, we where “on our way back”, but we’re not now? 
 

If it is, the reason we’re no longer singing “we’re on our way back”, Tony, is because you spunked all of the money on last season and ended up finishing closer to the bottom three than the top six despite being backed to the hill and back. 

"Tony had a dream......that turned into a fucking nightmare.. la de la"

Edited July 31, 2021 by Sparks Rover

[Tom]

3 hours ago, arbitro said:

What the hell is going on here. Ayala reported 'soreness' before the game and didn't play and Mowbray uses the excuse that he has trained all week to justify it. That has to be the most feeble reason ever for missing a game and Mowbray is fine with it.

Unbelievable and another new low for us.

Never mind him saying if he has to miss a few days training a week to play at weekend then that’s fine!

No pressure on Ayala, take a few days off a week mate

[J*B]

3 hours ago, arbitro said:

What the hell is going on here. Ayala reported 'soreness' before the game and didn't play and Mowbray uses the excuse that he has trained all week to justify it. That has to be the most feeble reason ever for missing a game and Mowbray is fine with it.

Unbelievable and another new low for us.

The same Ayala that allegedly sued the Boro medical team for alleged negligence after they allegedly repeatedly told the club that they couldn’t find any reason why he wasn’t fit enough to play football. 

[lraC]

4 hours ago, J*B said:

The same Ayala that allegedly sued the Boro medical team for alleged negligence after they allegedly repeatedly told the club that they couldn’t find any reason why he wasn’t fit enough to play football. 

Perhaps we need Brereton to have a chat with him in Spanish.

Eres un jugador, no el medico.

[Parsonblue]

Personally, I'd rather go with Magloire or Carter in a back-four, alongside Lenihan, and forget about Ayala.  Yesterday they both looked uncomfortable in Mowbray's attempts at a back five.  Ever since he came Mowbray has tried the three centre-back option and can't get it to work with the players we have - or perhaps it's a case of the players not understanding what he wants.  Whatever the reason,  Mowbray's overcomplicated systems tend to highlight the weaknesses in a player rather than try to play to their strengths.  

   

[Sparks Rover]

29 minutes ago, Parsonblue said:

Personally, I'd rather go with Magloire or Carter in a back-four, alongside Lenihan, and forget about Ayala.  Yesterday they both looked uncomfortable in Mowbray's attempts at a back five.  Ever since he came Mowbray has tried the three centre-back option and can't get it to work with the players we have - or perhaps it's a case of the players not understanding what he wants.  Whatever the reason,  Mowbray's overcomplicated systems tend to highlight the weaknesses in a player rather than try to play to their strengths.  

   

To play 3 at the back they all need the following qualities: speed and good on the ball.

None of ours fits the bill. 4 at the back for me with this bog standard bunch.

Edited August 1, 2021 by Sparks Rover

[Bigdoggsteel]

10 hours ago, J*B said:

Is it only me that’s reading this as a sly dig? As in, we where “on our way back”, but we’re not now? 
 

If it is, the reason we’re no longer singing “we’re on our way back”, Tony, is because you spunked all of the money on last season and ended up finishing closer to the bottom three than the top six despite being backed to the hill and back. 

No, I wouldn't think there is a sly dig there to be honest. 

[Bigdoggsteel]

9 hours ago, J*B said:

The same Ayala that allegedly sued the Boro medical team for alleged negligence after they allegedly repeatedly told the club that they couldn’t find any reason why he wasn’t fit enough to play football. 

Allegedly 

[G Somerset Rover]

As others have said, putting his injuries to the side, Ayala and Lenihan don’t even make a good pairing - too similar, both like playing the same side and both don’t have an ounce of pace between them. 

As for the ‘injuries’, Jesus Christ he’s putting Grella in the shade. At least Boro fans used to get to watch him from August - Jan every season. Three years was reckless - sounds like it was almost suicidal for Mowbray, but Mr Bulletproof marches on. 

Edited August 1, 2021 by Gavlar Somerset Rover!

[Wheelton Blue]

Mowbray doesn't have the luxury anymore of picking various/random line ups from his expensively assembled squad, whereby due to the law of averages, he got a few results.

He now, due to a limited squad size of limited ability, will have to find a way to find a settled team playing in a settled way,

He's just not capable of doing this.

[Bigdoggsteel]

I will be amazed if Ayala plays 3 games back to back, let alone 5. 

[Ulrich]

12 hours ago, OldEwoodBlue said:

From the supposed Manager of Blackburn Rovers....

“Bolton Wanderers is a big club, historically a big club and to coin a phrase, they’re on their way back."

Did he really say that?

1 hour ago, Parsonblue said:

Personally, I'd rather go with Magloire or Carter in a back-four, alongside Lenihan, and forget about Ayala.  Yesterday they both looked uncomfortable in Mowbray's attempts at a back five.  Ever since he came Mowbray has tried the three centre-back option and can't get it to work with the players we have - or perhaps it's a case of the players not understanding what he wants.  Whatever the reason,  Mowbray's overcomplicated systems tend to highlight the weaknesses in a player rather than try to play to their strengths.  

   

More likely TM and co. are just poor coaches, who struggle to get the message across. Playing in a three is hardly rocket science and having endured listening to TM communicate over the last several years, I can imagine his directions within sessions are nothing short of confusing.

[tomphil]

He tried it in league 1 and it backfired spectacularly and it's all down to him wanting bombing full backs.

He cannot get away from that whatever system he employs it always comes down to wanting players to be better than they are.  That's the difference between him and say a Mick McCarthy or Warnock.

You want blood out of stones then they are the types you pay to manage your team, note i say team not entire club.  You want silly over attempts at continental football but average players and complicated football jargon, you employ  Mowbray types.

Somewhere along the line one or two at best will prosper but the team as a whole or many others with good basics won't.

[rigger]

A sad thing for me was : I just looked on the Rovers site, and there is a picture of all eleven starting players from yesterday, and I could not recognise all of them.

Edited August 1, 2021 by rigger

[chaddyrovers]

3 hours ago, Parsonblue said:

Personally, I'd rather go with Magloire or Carter in a back-four, alongside Lenihan, and forget about Ayala.  Yesterday they both looked uncomfortable in Mowbray's attempts at a back five.  Ever since he came Mowbray has tried the three centre-back option and can't get it to work with the players we have - or perhaps it's a case of the players not understanding what he wants.  Whatever the reason,  Mowbray's overcomplicated systems tend to highlight the weaknesses in a player rather than try to play to their strengths.  

   

But the back 5 worked when we played Leeds tho so what was the difference how Mowbray played it against Leeds then against Bolton?

Could we not play the back 5 when we are looking to solid and want to play on the counter?

[Sparks Rover]

11 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

But the back 5 worked when we played Leeds tho so what was the difference how Mowbray played it against Leeds then against Bolton?

Leeds couldn't care less about the game, notlob wanted to beat us.  When we play in the league every team will want to beat us.  Worrying times.

[chaddyrovers]

14 hours ago, Miller11 said:

Because I think it’s an uncomplicated formation that is balanced and allows players to know what their job is and use the attributes that suit them.

I have no problem with any formation/s or style of play being used as long as the manager signed players that will fit that formation or style. 

I think playing 4-4-2 with Brereton and Gallagher up front and Dolan or JRC on the right and Rothwell on the left side could work if played corrected. 

Edited August 1, 2021 by chaddyrovers

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

12 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

I have no problem with any formation/s or style of play being used as long as the manager signed players that will fit that formation or style. 

I think playing 4-4-2 with Brereton and Gallagher up front and Dolan or JRC on the right and Rothwell on the left side could work if played corrected. 

If you ‘re hoping to get the best out of Brererton and Gallagher, as you say, they need to be played up front as a pair. It’s fitting the rest of the team into that formation that’s the issue. What do they do in training ? That’s the place to work out new ways of playing and new formations.

Edited August 1, 2021 by Tyrone Shoelaces

[chaddyrovers]

7 minutes ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

If you ‘re hoping to get the best out of Brererton and Gallagher, as you say, they need to be played up front as a pair. It’s fitting the rest of the team into that formation that’s the issue. What do they do in training ? That’s the place to work out new ways of playing.

I agree. 

 

[Fraserkirky]

Biggest problem yesterday for the 5 at the back, was Davenport and Travis were absolutely diabolical. Never available for a pass, Travis doesn’t have the touch in tight areas of the pitch. 

[Bigdoggsteel]

7 minutes ago, Fraserkirky said:

Biggest problem yesterday for the 5 at the back, was Davenport and Travis were absolutely diabolical. Never available for a pass, Travis doesn’t have the touch in tight areas of the pitch. 

Was Travis over rated or is he just not playing well? What's the consensus? 

Davenport hasn't done it yet for us has he and he's here a while now

The middle of the field is a huge concern