v Fulham (h) - 3/11/2021

[K-Hod]

I am absolutely loathe to make this comparison, but I’ve been thinking all day that surviving a 0-7 reverse at home is getting into Kean levels of being unsackable. If last night isn’t the tipping point, what the hell will it be?

[The Mighty Chaffinch]

I know this is playing Devil’s Advocate to the max but we have taken 6 points from the last 9! I chose a good night to miss my first Ewood match in ages! I fully expected us to lose last night and when we went down to 10 a royal thumping was always on the cards. I personally wouldn’t read too much into it. Freak results happen from time to time. How many hammerings have we taken in recent years? Not many. We’re the masters of losing by the odd goal. Southampton shipped 9 at home to Leicester and then went on a decent run culminating in a victory in the reverse fixture. Anything can happen. Yes I’m pissed off but we were seventh on Saturday night. From memory it’s been eleven years since we last conceded 7. I’ll take that. 

[lraC]

7 minutes ago, K-Hod said:

I am absolutely loathe to make this comparison, but I’ve been thinking all day that surviving a 0-7 reverse at home is getting into Kean levels of being unsackable. If last night isn’t the tipping point, what the hell will it be?

I think other people are now thinking that way, which is exactly why Mowbray should have fallen on his sword. To be mentioned in the same breath as that cretin from days gone by, would have been unthinkable, but the longer he stays and the more shite he talks, the closer this is becoming.

[Wheelton Blue]

4 minutes ago, The Mighty Chaffinch said:

I know this is playing Devil’s Advocate to the max but we have taken 6 points from the last 9! I chose a good night to miss my first Ewood match in ages! I fully expected us to lose last night and when we went down to 10 a royal thumping was always on the cards. I personally wouldn’t read too much into it. Freak results happen from time to time. How many hammerings have we taken in recent years? Not many. We’re the masters of losing by the odd goal. Southampton shipped 9 at home to Leicester and then went on a decent run culminating in a victory in the reverse fixture. Anything can happen. Yes I’m pissed off but we were seventh on Saturday night. From memory it’s been eleven years since we last conceded 7. I’ll take that. 

Wow. Just Wow.

[tomphil]

1 hour ago, lraC said:

It becomes a thing when what I consider to be entertainment starts to make me angry. Investing years of your life, following your home town team, bringing your children up to do the same, only to see it destroyed by conmen and chancers, is hard to take. 

Sadly around me last night....well the handful within speaking distance..where mostly laughing it off.  Shrugging shoulders and saying oh well we'll never be that bad again hopefully.

Below us on the touchline was a fella with his hands in his pockets wishing he was at home in front of the fire.  Difference is he's getting ten grand a week to stop the sort of thing we witnessed last night actually happening. To say his stamp has rubbed off on fans is an understatement.

[Athlete]

do not know wether this has been posted but fair play to Speedie

[RoverInverness]

53 minutes ago, The Mighty Chaffinch said:

I know this is playing Devil’s Advocate to the max but we have taken 6 points from the last 9! I chose a good night to miss my first Ewood match in ages! I fully expected us to lose last night and when we went down to 10 a royal thumping was always on the cards. I personally wouldn’t read too much into it. Freak results happen from time to time. How many hammerings have we taken in recent years? Not many. We’re the masters of losing by the odd goal. Southampton shipped 9 at home to Leicester and then went on a decent run culminating in a victory in the reverse fixture. Anything can happen. Yes I’m pissed off but we were seventh on Saturday night. From memory it’s been eleven years since we last conceded 7. I’ll take that. 

Full respect for coming on here and being prepared to go against the flow of mainstream message board opinion. I don’t think you’re trolling, but who knows for sure.

Our worst home defeat EVER- in 146 years is not a freak result though. A freak result is a result that - as you correctly define - actually happens from time to time. Losing 0-7 at Ewood does not happen from time to time. It has NEVER happened before. No living Rovers fan has seen such a big home defeat and not even any dead Rovers fans witnessed this before. This is not a thing that happens at Ewood ‘from time to time’ it has never happened at Ewood before. It never happened under Kidd, under Kean, under Ince, under Coyle or under whatever shit managers we had before my time. It never happened before this century, last century or two centuries ago, it never happened in the time of Elizabeth II, George V or even in the reign of Queen bloody Victoria. 
 

This is not a ‘freak result’ it’s an absolute outrage - as is the fact he hasn’t been sacked - as is the fact he hasn’t resigned and as is the fact he didn’t even apologise or take responsibility. 
 

It’s not a freak result it’s a disgrace and so is he.

If you were trolling well done on winding me up - it worked.

 

[DE.]

Just now, Athlete said:

do not know wether this has been posted but fair play to Speedie

Meanwhile Bradley Dack and Danny Butterworth 'like' Harrison Reed's Instagram post celebrating the result. 

[G Somerset Rover]

34 minutes ago, DE. said:

Meanwhile Bradley Dack and Danny Butterworth 'like' Harrison Reed's Instagram post celebrating the result. 

Trav put a post up momentarily saying along lines of ‘we’ll put it right on Saturday.’ I am guessing the hundreds of people calling the team out forced him to take it down! 

[DE.]

5 minutes ago, Gavlar Somerset Rover! said:

Trav put a post up momentarily saying along lines of ‘we’ll put it right on Saturday.’ I am guessing the hundreds of people calling the team out forced him to take it down! 

Yeah, probably better just to say quiet (and obviously not 'like' posts from opposition players enjoying the result, friend or not). The manager is the one we needed to hear the apology from, and it never came. 

[sympatheticclaret]

Sorry, but I couldn't resist ... remember, we're away at Chelsea at Saturday .... 

[oldjamfan1]

55 minutes ago, sympatheticclaret said:

Sorry, but I couldn't resist ... remember, we're away at Chelsea at Saturday .... 

A cursory glance at the bottom of the prem table is the only scant consolation most of us can take at the moment and the flip side to that same coin is you’re only as good as your last result so keep smiling pal 😉

Edited November 4, 2021 by oldjamfan1

[mode_m]

9 minutes ago, sympatheticclaret said:

Sorry, but I couldn't resist ... remember, we're away at Chelsea at Saturday .... 

I think I've seen all these memes by this point anyway.  😞

[Armchair supporter supremo]

3 hours ago, chaddyrovers said:

I wouldn't criticise any supporter for voicing the opinion whether their view is Mowbray should be sack or Mowbray should stay

Every supporter has their view 

awww bless 😇

[The Mighty Chaffinch]

2 hours ago, RoverInverness said:

Full respect for coming on here and being prepared to go against the flow of mainstream message board opinion. I don’t think you’re trolling, but who knows for sure.

Our worst home defeat EVER- in 146 years is not a freak result though. A freak result is a result that - as you correctly define - actually happens from time to time. Losing 0-7 at Ewood does not happen from time to time. It has NEVER happened before. No living Rovers fan has seen such a big home defeat and not even any dead Rovers fans witnessed this before. This is not a thing that happens at Ewood ‘from time to time’ it has never happened at Ewood before. It never happened under Kidd, under Kean, under Ince, under Coyle or under whatever shit managers we had before my time. It never happened before this century, last century or two centuries ago, it never happened in the time of Elizabeth II, George V or even in the reign of Queen bloody Victoria. 
 

This is not a ‘freak result’ it’s an absolute outrage - as is the fact he hasn’t been sacked - as is the fact he hasn’t resigned and as is the fact he didn’t even apologise or take responsibility. 
 

It’s not a freak result it’s a disgrace and so is he.

If you were trolling well done on winding me up - it worked.

 

I’m not trolling, I’m just saying it how I genuinely see it. Last night we came up against a rampant Fulham side, packed with quality, who took advantage of our ten men in clinical fashion. I have taken a lot of enjoyment from the majority of home matches this season. We won on the opening day for the first time in eons , the 5-1 demolition of Cardiff, wins against Reading and Hull, the development of Dolan, the almost unreal transformation of Brereton, the form of Ayala…I’m not going to slide all that under the carpet because of one result, no matter how embarrassing it may have been. It wasn’t to local rivals. It wasn’t to a team inferior to us in the division. Arguably the defeats at Huddersfield and Blackpool were worse because they were games in which we could/should have won. I want a change of management and I have stated that on these pages before but Mowbray did not send his team out to lose 7-0 last night…circumstances combined to deliver a result that may not be repeated for another 146 years. 

[RoverInverness]

30 minutes ago, The Mighty Chaffinch said:

I’m not trolling, I’m just saying it how I genuinely see it. Last night we came up against a rampant Fulham side, packed with quality, who took advantage of our ten men in clinical fashion. I have taken a lot of enjoyment from the majority of home matches this season. We won on the opening day for the first time in eons , the 5-1 demolition of Cardiff, wins against Reading and Hull, the development of Dolan, the almost unreal transformation of Brereton, the form of Ayala…I’m not going to slide all that under the carpet because of one result, no matter how embarrassing it may have been. It wasn’t to local rivals. It wasn’t to a team inferior to us in the division. Arguably the defeats at Huddersfield and Blackpool were worse because they were games in which we could/should have won. I want a change of management and I have stated that on these pages before but Mowbray did not send his team out to lose 7-0 last night…circumstances combined to deliver a result that may not be repeated for another 146 years. 

Thanks for the reply Chaffinch, but no I’m not buying it. Even San Marino only lose 0-7 at home when playing vastly superior European nations (I quickly checked in the past ten years I could only see England, Germany and Norway putting this many past them at home). Teams do not lose 0-7 at home in league matches unless things are terribly wrong. Before last night we’ve been relegated, we’ve been outclassed, we’ve been torn apart, we’ve had poor managers who’ve lost the dressing room, we’ve had men sent off - we’ve never lost 0-7 at home. It wouldn’t be acceptable if we were playing Real Madrid and it’s not acceptable against Fulham. It was the managers job to shut up shop and preserve the goal difference and some dignity. He gave up! He surrendered. He negated his responsibility to put however many men behind the ball as was necessary to stop the humiliation. He abandoned responsibility and let it happen. It was gross negligence of his duties and he needs to be relieved of them.

[Herbie6590]

https://www.brfcs.com/magazine/articles/blackburn-rovers-ship-7-and-i-just-don't-seem-to-care/108

[Mattyblue]

I spotted that from Michael last night. He’s always come across as pretty level headed on Twitter. Certainly not ‘negative’ to parrot a certain individual.

So reading that it brought home what this horrendous decade has done to the fanbase. A club decaying and neglected in all areas.

[broadsword]

When a manager sends a player on, telling him just do what you can, then I'm sorry, but you're shit out of excuses. 

We got schooled by Fulham. Our lads were absolutely all over the shop. As keegan one said, you can't turn donkeys into race horses, but you can make them faster donkeys. I have absolutely no idea what those lads do in training every week. But it isn't working, is it? You may not have the best players, or the most resources, so you learn to adapt and beat teams with better organisation, more desire, better attitude, fitness. 

We've got a manager who's given up and doesn't know what he's doing. The whole club is a doss house for wasters, grifters and no hopers, and it's been like that for a decade or more.

We get tooled by Fulham and we should just take it on the chin because they're really decent. We were really decent, until venky vaginisil botherers turned up. 

We're a joke club and we're dying on our arse and I don't see why we should just take it

[Roversider]

Been a Rovers fan for well over 50 years and can't remember such an abject display.  The one that came closest was a 2-0 away defeat by Chesterfield which would've been 7 if we hadn't had a world-class display by Roger Jones.  The team that day looked like they'd been on the beer most of the night before (might well have been the case back then).  By the way that crapo display against Chesterfield was still miles better than against Fulham.

True, Fulham are class, bang on form and facing 10 men etc.. - but that score could only occur with the connivance of the losing team.

Crushingly saddened by the whole situation.  God help us against the Blades.

[Oldgregg86]

Why were our fans booing Harrison Reed everytime He touched the ball ?

If I remember righty last time he came he got a good reception and did his best here for the rovers . I couldn’t understand why the disrespect.

( obviously pre photo which kicked off the other thread)

[K-Hod]

7 minutes ago, Oldgregg86 said:

Why were our fans booing Harrison Reed everytime He touched the ball ?

If I remember righty last time he came he got a good reception and did his best here for the rovers . I couldn’t understand why the disrespect.

( obviously pre photo which kicked off the other thread)

Nobody in the JW upper was!

[Bigdoggsteel]

12 minutes ago, Oldgregg86 said:

Why were our fans booing Harrison Reed everytime He touched the ball ?

If I remember righty last time he came he got a good reception and did his best here for the rovers . I couldn’t understand why the disrespect.

( obviously pre photo which kicked off the other thread)

Honestly, who cares if they were? He plays for Fulham 

[riverholmes]

'That’ll Toughen Them Up'

A theatrical production from Venky’s and Tony Mowbray.

This production stars Jan Paul Van Hecke as a young Dutch centre back from Brighton who finds himself starting for loan club, Rovers, in a big game against second placed team Fulham. The film starts with JP, as he is known, walking off the pitch, puffing his cheeks. He has just been sent off for an exceptionally clumsy flying tackle.

The film zooms back into JP’s recent past. He has been unexpectedly sent out by his club, Brighton, in the Premier League, to the north of the country to gain experience. He’s sent to Lancashire, with second tier team, Blackburn Rovers, managed by veteran manager, Tony Mowbray.

Young JP arrives at his new club near the start of the season injured and unable to play. He watches from the stands as his unfancied team have a reasonable but inconsistent start. Jan Paul, initially, finds himself struggling to fit in and pining for his native Holland, where he grew up in a small coastal city where fishing has traditionally been the source of livelihoods.

Nonetheless, JP is itching to play, as he sees manager, Mowbray, select a number of new rookies. He has played for Heerenveen in the top Dutch League. He knows it’s only a matter of time that he recovers and gets his chance. His assurance grows as he witnesses some poor games by his team.

Several games into the season and Rovers are positioned towards the upper half of the league. Their veteran defender, Ayala, gets injured and JP is called upon. After an unsteady start he settles in and helps the team to some wins. He's lacking fitness but the manager trusts him. When he is dropped back to the subs bench, JP urges Mowbray to give more of a chance. Mowbray tells him to be patient and that his time will come again.

Rovers are to face the league’s second top team, Fulham, in a midweek game. It’s the start of November and the weather in England is very cold. JP feels at home, as it reminds him of playing football in the winter in the Netherlands, with the cold North Sea air catching in the breath.

The day before the big game, JP is told that he will start. He will not be in a back three any more, but trusted as one of the two centre backs. Ayala is still injured and JP is preferred over the other young English defenders in the squad. Mowbray and his assistants, sit him down in a meeting to prepare him for the game. “You’ve got to be tough, JP,” Mowbray says. “We believe in you. We can see your technical ability and your athleticism. But, you’ve got to be strong and dominant. Don’t let them bully you. This is great preparation for when you’re back in the Premier League.”

JP will be up against the top scorer in the league, Fulham’s big Serbian, Aleksandar Mitrovic. He is powerful and very prolific, with international experience. A more experienced colleague is given the responsibility to mark Mitrovic at set-pieces but JP is warned that every cross will be a danger. He’s given a DVD of Mitrovic’s recent goals by the coaches and finds himself dreaming of clashing with the danger man.

The game comes and very quickly, the team concede two goals. Fulham are controlling the game and the ball and Rovers are chasing shadows. Mitrovic has scored, out jumping a defender at a corner, and has been winning most headers and holding the ball up. The moment of reckoning comes for JP, as a long ball is played to a Fulham forward. The ball is high and the opponent gets there first. If JP doesn’t stop the player, the attacker will have a run to goal. “Don’t be  bullied – show your athleticism”. The manager’s words are ringing in his ears.

JP launches himself at the ball with his leg up and the moment he lifts off, he knows he’s made a mistake. His foot was high but not enough to reach the ball and there was no way he could get there without kicking the player in the face. He misses the ball and crashes through the opponent. They collapse together in a heap, with the home crowd screaming displeasure. It was stupid but not malicious. No-one is surprised by the red card. JP trudges off the pitch feeling embarrassed.

The game finishes 7-0. It’s Rovers heaviest defeat in years. Mitrovic scores only one and the most damage was done by Fulham’s pacy wide forwards. No matter how deep and in numbers they defended, the wingers beat them and crossed or scored. By the end, Rovers had given up on a formation and scurried trying to defend and almost begging for the final whistle from the referee.

The changing room was sombre. The manager berated them for not winning their individual battles, as he had prepared them for. Everyone expected a difficult game but not as terrible as that. It had been like lambs to the slaughter. JP apologised to the team and the manager but they insisted it wasn’t his fault. He’s relieved. It was true, there were so many awful performances, he couldn’t be singled out too much and he would get another chance when he returned from suspension.

“Definitely, the Flying Dutchman,” a coach joked. JP smiled and winced, internally. He’d panicked but, he’d get stronger and tougher. He would improve. He remembered Tony Mowbray’s words after the game. “JP, it’s a harsh lesson. It will toughen you up for Brighton. It’s a fucking man’s game.”

The production ends with JP at an amusement park on a cold and wet day with his partner. They mood is light and they're queuing for a roller coaster. "Everyone starts somewhere," JP says wistfully.

Edited November 5, 2021 by riverholmes

[oldjamfan1]

3 hours ago, riverholmes said:

'That’ll Toughen Them Up'

A theatrical production from Venky’s and Tony Mowbray.

This production stars Jan Paul Van Hecke as a young Dutch centre back from Brighton who finds himself starting for loan club, Rovers, in a big game against second placed team Fulham. The film starts with JP, as he is known, walking off the pitch, puffing his cheeks. He has just been sent off for an exceptionally clumsy flying tackle.

The film zooms back into JP’s recent past. He has been unexpectedly sent out by his club, Brighton, in the Premier League, to the north of the country to gain experience. He’s sent to Lancashire, with second tier team, Blackburn Rovers, managed by veteran manager, Tony Mowbray.

Young JP arrives at his new club near the start of the season injured and unable to play. He watches from the stands as his unfancied team have a reasonable but inconsistent start. Jan Paul, initially, finds himself struggling to fit in and pining for his native Holland, where he grew up in a small coastal city where fishing has traditionally been the source of livelihoods.

Nonetheless, JP is itching to play, as he sees manager, Mowbray, select a number of new rookies. He has played for Heerenveen in the top Dutch League. He knows it’s only a matter of time that he recovers and gets his chance. His assurance grows as he witnesses some poor games by his team.

Several games into the season and Rovers are positioned towards the upper half of the league. Their veteran defender, Ayala, gets injured and JP is called upon. After an unsteady start he settles in and helps the team to some wins. He's lacking fitness but the manager trusts him. When he is dropped back to the subs bench, JP urges Mowbray to give more of a chance. Mowbray tells him to be patient and that his time will come again.

Rovers are to face the league’s second top team, Fulham, in a midweek game. It’s the start of November and the weather in England is very cold. JP feels at home, as it reminds him of playing football in the winter in the Netherlands, with the cold North Sea air catching in the breath.

The day before the big game in London, JP is told that he will start. He will not be in a back three any more, but trusted as one of the two centre backs. Ayala is still injured and JP is preferred over the other young English defenders in the squad. Mowbray and his assistants, sit him down in a meeting to prepare him for the game. “You’ve got to be tough, JP,” Mowbray says. “We believe in you. We can see your technical ability and your athleticism. But, you’ve got to be strong and dominant. Don’t let them bully you. This is great preparation for when you’re back in the Premier League.”

JP will be up against the top scorer in the league, Fulham’s big Serbian, Aleksandar Mitrovic. He is powerful and very prolific, with international experience. A more experienced colleague is given the responsibility to mark Mitrovic at set-pieces but JP is warned that every cross will be a danger. He’s given a DVD of Mitrovic’s recent goals by the coaches and finds himself dreaming of clashing with the danger man.

The game comes and very quickly, the team concede two goals. Fulham are controlling the game and the ball and Rovers are chasing shadows. Mitrovic has scored, out jumping a defender at a corner, and has been winning most headers and holding the ball up. The moment of reckoning comes for JP, as a long ball is played to a Fulham forward. The ball is high and the opponent gets there first. If JP doesn’t stop the player, the attacker will have a run to goal. “Don’t be  bullied – show your athleticism”. The manager’s words are ringing in his ears.

JP launches himself at the ball with his leg up and the moment he lifts off, he knows he’s made a mistake. His foot was high but not enough to reach the ball and there was no way he could get there without kicking the player in the face. He misses the ball and crashes through the opponent. They collapse together in a heap, with the home crowd screaming displeasure. It was stupid but not malicious. No-one is surprised by the red card. JP trudges off the pitch feeling embarrassed.

The game finishes 7-0. It’s Rovers heaviest defeat in years. Mitrovic scores only one and the most damage was done by Fulham’s pacy wide forwards. No matter how deep and in numbers they defended, the wingers beat them and crossed or scored. By the end, Rovers had given up on a formation and scurried trying to defend and almost begging for the final whistle from the referee.

The changing room and team bus was sombre on the way home. The manager berated them for not winning their individual battles, as he had prepared them for. Everyone expected a difficult game but not as terrible as that. It had been like lambs to the slaughter. JP apologised to the team and the manager but they insisted it wasn’t his fault. He’s relieved. It was true, there were so many awful performances, he couldn’t be singled out too much and he would get another chance when he returned from suspension.

“Definitely, the Flying Dutchman,” a coach joked. JP smiled and winced, internally. He’d panicked but, he’d get stronger and tougher. He would improve. He remembered Tony Mowbray’s words after the game. “JP, it’s a harsh lesson. It will toughen you up for Brighton. It’s a fucking man’s game.”

The production ends with JP at an amusement park on a cold and wet day with his partner. They mood is light and they're queuing for a roller coaster. "Everyone starts somewhere," JP says wistfully.

Very good but it was at home…….