v WBA (a) - Valentine’s Day 💙🤍

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

42 minutes ago, simongarnerisgod said:

yes,they put a massive shift in but did`nt  get anything from the game because the manager is obsessed with playing like man city.i.e no centre forward( the early buckley chance would have made a massive difference imo and it`s in the back of the net if a striker is on the end of it ) guaranteed to get tensions in the dressing room going,the lads can see their chances of promotion slipping away because of our manager

What formation did we play on our long unbeaten run ?

[DeeCee]

43 minutes ago, simongarnerisgod said:

yes,they put a massive shift in but did`nt  get anything from the game because the manager is obsessed with playing like man city.i.e no centre forward( the early buckley chance would have made a massive difference imo and it`s in the back of the net if a striker is on the end of it ) guaranteed to get tensions in the dressing room going,the lads can see their chances of promotion slipping away because of our manager

🤦‍♀️Have a bit of positivity please?

[WacoRover]

36 minutes ago, simongarnerisgod said:

yes,they put a massive shift in but did`nt  get anything from the game because the manager is obsessed with playing like man city.i.e no centre forward( the early buckley chance would have made a massive difference imo and it`s in the back of the net if a striker is on the end of it ) guaranteed to get tensions in the dressing room going,the lads can see their chances of promotion slipping away because of our manager

I dunno, Simon…

Theres lots of things that happen that cannot be attributed to the manager. Lenihan’ s two yellows, for example. TM cannot take off every player who gets a yellow. The player has to be responsible, play smarter. 

I’ve raked ol’ Tony  over the coals a few times, myself. He deserves some credit for the winning streak, he deserves some blame for our goals drying up. But, we’ve had some open sitters that our lads totally blew during the last 7 games. 

I don’t know if we can promote or not. If we make a playoff place, I will always think fondly of ol’ Tony. Even if we don’t promote. Obviously, a lot can still happen in our final 15 games. I like to think we can ride the current drought out, and start scoring again. 
 
COYB! 

[roversfan99]

More laughable and biased nonsense against a manager for apparently blowing apart our promotion chances by playing the same system that has seen us overachieve and be in such a great position in the first place.

[Southside Rover]

I can't see Mowbray changing formation especially now players are returning. Ayala will come in for Lenihan but if anything happens to the 3 that start, it will force a change of formation at that point imo.

So I think Kaminski, Nyambe, Ayala, Van Hecke, Wharton, Giles, Travis, Johnson, Rothwell, Brereton, Khadra

I think Dolan, Pickering and Gallagher will be used from the bench having come back from injury.

Buckley needs to sit one out for me and away at West Brom I think Mowbray will play safer with someone like Johnson as we've seen before.

Well set for counter attacking in my opinion.

Someone mentioned Carroll bullying,  I'd like to see Van Hecke shape up against him for this.

 

Edited February 13, 2022 by Southside Rover

[tomphil]

These young lads will always put a shift in and i think the prospect of another Fulham was the driving force the other night.

What they need though and often lack is some clear direction and help from the sidelines. Not the same old subs for subs sake but some nous and thinking out of the box.

[bluebruce]

2 hours ago, Southside Rover said:

Buckley needs to sit one out for me and away at West Brom I think Mowbray will play safer with someone like Johnson as we've seen before.

Well set for counter attacking in my opinion.

 

I think Buckley should probably sit out this game, but putting Johnson in his place doesn't set us up for counter attacking whatsoever.

He's far slower, can't nick the ball like Bucko can in the final third to start counters that are already next to the goal, and doesn't have as high quality range of passing to start counters. Not saying that makes him the wrong choice (he wouldn't be mine though), but he really isn't of benefit over Buckley specifically in the sense of counter attacking.

[Southside Rover]

10 minutes ago, bluebruce said:

I think Buckley should probably sit out this game, but putting Johnson in his place doesn't set us up for counter attacking whatsoever.

He's far slower, can't nick the ball like Bucko can in the final third to start counters that are already next to the goal, and doesn't have as high quality range of passing to start counters. Not saying that makes him the wrong choice (he wouldn't be mine though), but he really isn't of benefit over Buckley specifically in the sense of counter attacking.

I wasn't saying Johnson was the answer to counter attacking. I said he would be Mowbrays safe bet in terms of holding. The attacking threat is what I meant was set for counter attacking in that its pace rather than a gangly Gallagher for example.

Anyone that watches Blackburns games will know Johnson is not the key to a counter attacking system but he is liked by Mowbray when needing to firm up the middle of the park, especially away from home.

[Fraserkirky]

Johnson is not the answer, I’d put Khadra as false 9, and bring in Gallagher

[joey_big_nose]

1 hour ago, Fraserkirky said:

Johnson is not the answer, I’d put Khadra as false 9, and bring in Gallagher

I'd say if we're in the same system it will just be a straight swap for Dolan, partly because he played well on Wednesday and partly that he presses excellently which is a big part of the false 9 role.

[arbitro]

Up to a couple of weeks ago we knew exactly how West Brom would play with long, direct balls, long throws and set pieces launched into the box. The change of manager has thrown a bit of a curveball as Bruce seems a hybrid of playing football and route one. Hopefully Mowbray will have done his homework and be ready for whatever they do. For us we should just play the same system which has stood us in great stead for most of the season but I fear Mowbray will tinker. Historically on the back of defeats he has pretty much always done, it's in his DNA.

[Devon Rover]

Thanks very much, Sky and/or EFL, for giving me a huge, and quite perilous, Valentines Day dilemma: Whether to go with the previously-agreed plan of cooking a romantic dinner for my, currently injured, wife and watching a 'nice film' together, or to order a takeaway and watch the match in standard 'Rovers Losing on TV' sullen silence. Definitely a difficult decision to make, here...

 

Chinese or Indian?

[Bigdoggsteel]

Reflecting on the Forest game, I think Brereton was trying too hard , huffing and puffing, and was getting involved in too much verbals with the officials. This is a worry and it comes back to the pressure on his shoulders to deliver the goals. We need some others to step up and contribute and tonight is the night to do it. 

Edited February 14, 2022 by Bigdoggsteel

[JHRover]

A lot of people saying they would be happy with a draw here. Normally I would completely agree but unfortunately with the results at Hull, Luton and Swansea we need to make ground up here.

Fail to win and that is 2 wins in 9 including FA Cup and with tough games against QPR, Sheff Utd and Fulham coming up where no doubt people would be happy with draws in those we could easily be looking at 3 wins in 13 even if we beat Millwall and get draws in them. Not good enough.

[BigUts]

When I was awake at 5am this morning  (thanks to my 2 year old daughter) I lay awake reflecting on the Forest game and too often Forest were able to get the ball "between the lines" and run at the back 3 particularly in the first half. As such; I'd go for Rothwell in the false 9 and bring in Johnson for further protection. Adding Johnson in there with Travis gives us two robust players and adds further screening in front of the back 3.

Rothwell has the pace to allow us to press from the front. Gallagher was excellent when he come off the bench on Wednesday and I'd be tempted to play him up top with Khadra - who I always think is very unlucky to be removed from the action on 60 mins EVERY game, especially against Forest as they were plopping there pants just before he got brought off with his direct running.

BBD will no doubt get the nod over Gallagher (and with every justification) but I think the lad looks a little jaded (although he has a very languid way about him anyway does Big Ben).

 

[AllRoverAsia]

1 hour ago, Devon Rover said:

Thanks very much, Sky and/or EFL, for giving me a huge, and quite perilous, Valentines Day dilemma: Whether to go with the previously-agreed plan of cooking a romantic dinner for my, currently injured, wife and watching a 'nice film' together, or to order a takeaway and watch the match in standard 'Rovers Losing on TV' sullen silence. Definitely a difficult decision to make, here...

 

Chinese or Indian?

Easy, pre match do all for the missus, lose the nice film idea and get the TV on to Sky.

Indian for sure.

And lots of beer.

[Guest]

15 minutes ago, BigUts said:

When I was awake at 5am this morning  (thanks to my 2 year old daughter) I lay awake reflecting on the Forest game and too often Forest were able to get the ball "between the lines" and run at the back 3 particularly in the first half. As such; I'd go for Rothwell in the false 9 and bring in Johnson for further protection. Adding Johnson in there with Travis gives us two robust players and adds further screening in front of the back 3.

Rothwell has the pace to allow us to press from the front. Gallagher was excellent when he come off the bench on Wednesday and I'd be tempted to play him up top with Khadra - who I always think is very unlucky to be removed from the action on 60 mins EVERY game, especially against Forest as they were plopping there pants just before he got brought off with his direct running.

BBD will no doubt get the nod over Gallagher (and with every justification) but I think the lad looks a little jaded (although he has a very languid way about him anyway does Big Ben).

 

Similar thought process for me too today. They're not pretty on the eye, and won't be any time soon under Bruce. So I'd try match them up and keep it tight and then look to win it in the last 30.

TK

Nyambe Ayala JP Wharton Pickering

Trav Johnson

Khadra Gallagher BBD

Gives us a chance on the break but the ability to keep it solid for the long ball bombardment we're likely to face.

Giles

Hedges

Dolan

Rothwell

All available from the bench.

[tomphil]

2 hours ago, arbitro said:

Up to a couple of weeks ago we knew exactly how West Brom would play with long, direct balls, long throws and set pieces launched into the box. The change of manager has thrown a bit of a curveball as Bruce seems a hybrid of playing football and route one. Hopefully Mowbray will have done his homework and be ready for whatever they do. For us we should just play the same system which has stood us in great stead for most of the season but I fear Mowbray will tinker. Historically on the back of defeats he has pretty much always done, it's in his DNA.

I think Bruce will come in and just look at our weak spots and look to exploit them, probably not bother too much what we are going to do.

In other words he won't crap himself at the prospect of playing the 3rd placed side at home but instead focus on revving up his own troops.

[Guest]

Daryl Dike, Kyle Bartley, Jake Livermore and Matt Phillips out for WBA tonight.

[Devon Rover]

48 minutes ago, AllRoverAsia said:

Easy, pre match do all for the missus, lose the nice film idea and get the TV on to Sky.

Indian for sure.

And lots of beer.

Loving your work! The beers are ready for the match. I'm hoping I will be, too...!

[rovers11]

A very tough game and a high probability that another loss is on the cards. 

The form of a lot of our players has dipped. Two goals in 7 games is the most alarming stat of all, we have zero quality going forward at the moment which is a real concern. First goal is absolutely crucial tonight. Without Lenihan our defence is usually all over the place but let's hope for a good result. 

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

31 minutes ago, rovers11 said:

A very tough game and a high probability that another loss is on the cards. 

The form of a lot of our players has dipped. Two goals in 7 games is the most alarming stat of all, we have zero quality going forward at the moment which is a real concern. First goal is absolutely crucial tonight. Without Lenihan our defence is usually all over the place but let's hope for a good result. 

Is everything as it should be behind the scenes ? 

[rovers11]

10 minutes ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

Is everything as it should be behind the scenes ? 

I don't think the contract situations help but I think it's more a case of us having a small squad and some players running on empty. It was always going to be difficult for Diaz to keep up his amazing goalscoring form. That was our main source of goals but they've now dried up. There's not a lot of goalscorers in our squad generally. That's the main source of the problem. 

Selling Diaz in the summer and buying 2-3 good attacking players will make us far stronger imo. 

[Bigdoggsteel]

  I would go

 

                            Kaminski

 

            Van Hecke       Ayala      Wharton

Nyambe                                                 Giles (Pickering if fit)

                    Johnson         Travis

                              Rothwell

        Khadra                             Brereton

[oldjamfan1]

The missus got me this card - it’s funny but a bit close to the bone really 😂😂😂