v Swansea City (h) - 7/8/21

[RevidgeBlue]

21 minutes ago, MarkBRFC said:

I will be pretty annoyed if we just sign more PL kids on loan to beef the squad up instead of giving Pike, Butterworth, Carter etc games

This is the problem, with loaning youngsters from Prem League Clubs, they have to be given game time and it's no use whatsoever in terms of our long term development. I'd rather see our own youngsters given the chance.

[RevidgeBlue]

One negative yesterday I thought was the pitch. Pretty poor for the first game of the season, there were some bare patches in front of me and it looked like it had only just coped with the recent rain as the ball was running very slowly.

I think we'll have major problems with it by winter - Waggott should have asked the owners to fund a new pitch instead of spitting his dummy out after he didn't get his own way over Brockhall.

[roversfan99]

5 hours ago, JBiz said:

One small observation on the “wingers” yesterday, when we opened the scoring - our “left winger” was directly between the posts and our “right winger” was following up directly behind him centrally to finish it off.

I get frustrated by Gally far more than Diaz in that position, however I don’t think Sam has attributes to play as a pressing forward against a possession team either.

In a Jokanavic team (SUFC vs BFC last night 442 vs 442) I think both these lads would do far better as they’re not expected to cover the full back, they’d play up top.

Questions about why you’d recruit them for these roles still ring in my ears, however it’s hard to argue against their effectiveness yesterday as we created a lot, got into good positions, but their “finishing” was the issue and all three forwards spurned glorious chances.

Finally - if you see below the last time we played Millwall, the same front three started, and I recall being more impressed by the Dolan than I’d been expecting too.

He played this position in three games (Swansea / Brentford / Millwall) after our worst run in years (when AA was rested).

Whilst he needs work on his finishing and final ball, his attitude, work rate and pace are key requirements for pressing from the front. 

 

I think the Millwall game was evidence that such a set up could work on occasion, but it is often remembered in isolation when the whole week to which that game started off showed that between the 3, with Dolan central, it is difficult to imagine that such a set up has the goal threat to sustain us for any serious length of time.

Good work rate, attitude and energy are good attributes but are not enough to play in the forward line, especially centrally. When Armstrong departs, we need to bring in a central striker to replace him, and whilst it is not realistic to get someone who gets 28 goals, we need someone who can get a decent amount.

Going back to that week, we scored 3 goals in 3 games with Brereton and Gallagher flanking Dolan, 2 of which came from having Dack behind those 3 who offers a goal threat not currently in our team without him as well as Armstrong. Initially, that Millwall game was like a breath of fresh air but as the week went on we looked overall rather impotent in front of goal.

[TimmyJimmy]

4 hours ago, AllRoverAsia said:

My dad said lager was gnats piss so I took up beer as a hoppy. Good old days.

My dad called it 'maidens water', think that was bloke speak from the army!

[bluebruce]

Swansea boss thinks they were unfortunate in defeat and really dominant. Clearly TM passed him his 'possession is the only thing that matters in football' pipe before the game because they didn't deserve a thing. They were awful.

[joey_big_nose]

7 hours ago, JBiz said:

One small observation on the “wingers” yesterday, when we opened the scoring - our “left winger” was directly between the posts and our “right winger” was following up directly behind him centrally to finish it off.

I get frustrated by Gally far more than Diaz in that position, however I don’t think Sam has attributes to play as a pressing forward against a possession team either.

In a Jokanavic team (SUFC vs BFC last night 442 vs 442) I think both these lads would do far better as they’re not expected to cover the full back, they’d play up top.

Questions about why you’d recruit them for these roles still ring in my ears, however it’s hard to argue against their effectiveness yesterday as we created a lot, got into good positions, but their “finishing” was the issue and all three forwards spurned glorious chances.

Finally - if you see below the last time we played Millwall, the same front three started, and I recall being more impressed by the Dolan than I’d been expecting too.

He played this position in three games (Swansea / Brentford / Millwall) after our worst run in years (when AA was rested).

Whilst he needs work on his finishing and final ball, his attitude, work rate and pace are key requirements for pressing from the front. 

 

Yes agee with this. Basically I think a team with a new system gets around a dozen games until the opposition figure it out and setup to nullify the team.

As a team you've really got two options 1) be so good that even when they've figured you out they can't stop you,  2) have a plan B.

Our issue last year is we started really well but the 433 got found out in November but we didn't really switch the system till Feb.

I hope we go into this season a bit more flexibly.

 

 

 

[rigger]

3 hours ago, joey_big_nose said:

Yes agee with this. Basically I think a team with a new system gets around a dozen games until the opposition figure it out and setup to nullify the team.

As a team you've really got two options 1) be so good that even when they've figured you out they can't stop you,  2) have a plan B.

Our issue last year is we started really well but the 433 got found out in November but we didn't really switch the system till Feb.

I hope we go into this season a bit more flexibly.

 

 

 

The problem with your argument is that from February we went on our most disastrous run.

Edited August 8, 2021 by rigger

[K-Hod]

1 hour ago, bluebruce said:

Swansea boss thinks they were unfortunate in defeat and really dominant. Clearly TM passed him his 'possession is the only thing that matters in football' pipe before the game because they didn't deserve a thing. They were awful.

He’s off his chops if he thinks that, they were absolutely awful yesterday.

[DE.]

21 shots to 7, and 10 on target to 4 in our favour. Not even close.

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

7 hours ago, Ulrich said:

Dolan's role is clearly one more of distraction then anything else. Small, quick busy and he is meant to occupy both CBs with our bigger, goal scorers attacking the space between the CBs and FBs. It creates a conundrum for the CBs do they stay with Dolan or help the full back? We will see how it works out over the season, but fingers crossed like last year it takes teams a while to figure it out and we get some points on the board, as we must anticipate our normal losing period with TM in charge.

For me Dolan helps create chances for others with his perpetual movement. Our first came as a result of him pulling the defence out position to leave Diaz room. He was constantly available for a pass, which makes it easier for the rest of the team. 

On the negative , he was brushed off the ball too easily at times, his passing was hit and miss, and he should have had a couple of goals.

 

[yankfan]

2 hours ago, bluebruce said:

Swansea boss thinks they were unfortunate in defeat and really dominant. Clearly TM passed him his 'possession is the only thing that matters in football' pipe before the game because they didn't deserve a thing. They were awful.

I read his comments this morning and was shocked. They were total rubbish and his insistence on playing out of the back should have seen them concede 4 or 5. The first 20 min they had 70% possession but hadn’t gotten within 10 yards of the half way line. When they did beat the press they looked much more dangerous, but they spent as much time creating chances for us than getting forward. We also failed to create anything from our possession. Every opportunity we had came from winning it high up the pitch. We were not very clinical in the finish and quite poor in possession. Dolan provided no outlet when we won the ball in our half. Our only attack was our pressure. Not a tactic that will work every week, unless we can run against teams as poor as the Swans were

[ossyian]

11 hours ago, MarkBRFC said:

Whose careers have the Riversiders ruined out of interest?

Maybe used the wrong phrase there Mark. Probs should have said made players fearful of or hated playing at Ewood such as Quinn, Thompson, Wilcox etc. Jim Smith said as much when he was manager here in the 70s

[1864roverite]

Game aside and mention of Amstel lager being like the piss water it is I cannot understand or indeed I am amazed that no one has pointed out the price of a spud pie £3.80🤬

I saw the eats deal £8 for a pint and a pie or hot dog!

WTF ? If Rovers had the sense to drop pies to a reasonable price they would sell many more. £2.20 for a small bottle of water? It’s pricing gone mad on the concourse.

 

[Gav]

19 minutes ago, 1864roverite said:

Game aside and mention of Amstel lager being like the piss water it is I cannot understand or indeed I am amazed that no one has pointed out the price of a spud pie £3.80🤬

I saw the eats deal £8 for a pint and a pie or hot dog!

WTF ? If Rovers had the sense to drop pies to a reasonable price they would sell many more. £2.20 for a small bottle of water? It’s pricing gone mad on the concourse.

 

The beers always been crap, the prices have always been through the roof and the service awful, but more often than not the football made up for it.….

[dingles staying down 4ever]

12 hours ago, Mattyblue said:

He went on to win 50 cap for Northern Ireland, went to a World Cup and was sold for some decent fees. Then a decade plus in management.

Some ‘ruined career’.

look what I said again........Rovers career

[chaddyrovers]

35 minutes ago, 1864roverite said:

I am amazed that no one has pointed out the price of a spud pie £3.80🤬

I saw the eats deal £8 for a pint and a pie or hot dog!

WTF ? If Rovers had the sense to drop pies to a reasonable price they would sell many more. £2.20 for a small bottle of water? It’s pricing gone mad on the concourse.

shocking pricing from the club. Far too higher and is the quality good? probably not

You are better off getting a bottle of water or a drink from local shop or supermarket. Do you use the Burger van outside the Blackburn end on the street? Find the burgers there really tasting and good quality

[bazza]

I make sure I've eaten at home and I bring a small flask of coffee. I refuse to pay rip-off prices anywhere, not just Ewood.

[riverholmes]

4 hours ago, joey_big_nose said:

Yes agee with this. Basically I think a team with a new system gets around a dozen games until the opposition figure it out and setup to nullify the team.

As a team you've really got two options 1) be so good that even when they've figured you out they can't stop you,  2) have a plan B.

Our issue last year is we started really well but the 433 got found out in November but we didn't really switch the system till Feb.

I hope we go into this season a bit more flexibly.

 

 

I strongly agree with this. If you look at the Swansea attack at the end of the highlights published by Rovers on Youtube, it is shockingly easy to cut Rovers open - once you by-pass the press of the front three. As the still below shows, the Swansea defensive player, No.2, puts the ball through into midfield, taking out five Rovers attackers. Brereton, Dolan and Buckley (?) can't get back (don't try), so the Rovers full backs and defenders are outnumbered and a Swansea attacker has a shot from the edge of the area. 

 

 

 

[Darrenbot]

27 minutes ago, bazza said:

I make sure I've eaten at home and I bring a small flask of coffee. I refuse to pay rip-off prices anywhere, not just Ewood.

I havent had any food in the ground for years and years way too dear and the quality was shite,my usual thing is to get a Burger on the way in before the game and a Hot Dog on the way out from a burger van near the ground.

[had.e.nuff]

4 hours ago, DE. said:

21 shots to 7, and 10 on target to 4 in our favour. Not even close.

looks like another manager believing the possesion stats sounds familiar

[Tom]

Agree with @Revidge Blue on the pitch - thought it looked very heavy.

From a worms eye view it looked long so not sure if it was tactical somehow 

On the catering, it’s all as overpriced as you would expect but the fries are bloody lovely 

Edited August 8, 2021 by Tom

[simongarnerisgod]

1 hour ago, Darrenbot said:

I havent had any food in the ground for years and years way too dear and the quality was shite,my usual thing is to get a Burger on the way in before the game and a Hot Dog on the way out from a burger van near the ground.

i noticed the usual burger van near the riverside was`nt there yesterday,has swag evicted them or maybe they`ve got a better pitch??used to be good stuff and reasonable price from there

[47er]

it seems to me we have 3 " No 10's"----Dack,Rothwell and Dolan and we can't play them all in the same team yet each, individually, are worthy of selection.

Elsewhere we have little cover at all. Mowbray's random signings.......

[Mattyblue]

8 hours ago, Tom said:

Agree with @Revidge Blue on the pitch - thought it looked very heavy.

From a worms eye view it looked long so not sure if it was tactical somehow 

On the catering, it’s all as overpriced as you would expect but the fries are bloody lovely 

It was already cutting up around the JW/BEnd byline.

[Blueandwhitemike]

I watched on TV

I thought Swansea were truly abysmal.  Like us they lost quite a few good players but the combination of a very recently appointed manager trying and failing to implement a difficult to play system with unsuitable players lead to one of the worst away team performances we will see all season I reckon.

For sure credit has to go to our players for looking them look worse but I think they would have lost to most half decent teams.  If their manager really believes what he said then they will be in big trouble this season.