v Fulham (a) - 5/3/22

[martonrover]

7 minutes ago, OldEwoodBlue said:

For anyone still thinking about promotion. Remember this Fulham side will get battered every week. It would be a truely horrible season for us. Be lucky to get 10 points with this manager and side.

This. Some folk are writing this game off, as “we can’t be expected to compete with Fulham”.

It really does put our promotion credentials in context.

 

[JonnyP]

I think that half proves why Fulham are the best team in the League, thought the lads pressed well but they are more than capable of dealing with the pressure and once through our attacking line they have a lot more space exposing Johnson.

people giving Pickering guff but he has been a bit exposed and Wilson is a class act n very very quick. Thought Dolan had his leg taken from underneath him rather than Mitrovitic who just puts his leg into the defender n then throws himself on the floor.

1st goal was from our mistake second goal might not of happened if the ref made the right decision. JRC coming on is also a massive sucker blow as he just isn’t at the races. 3rd choice RWB by far. Prob should have dropped Giles into RWB n brought Gally on as a target n moved Dolan out wide.
 

missing BBD n I think Rothwell would be better suited than Johnson for this game, but to be fair to Fulham are the best team in the League n playing like it. 

[AllRoverAsia]

2 minutes ago, garnersfags said:

Every time Dolan or Khadra get the ball, they are automatically programmed to try 3 tricks, drag-backs, step-overs, whether there is an opposition player there or not. Its school yard stuff. 

Dolan is there to press, but when he wins it, he hasn't a clue what to do with it, apart from immediately go into exhibition you-tube mode. It's hard to watch.

Men against boys.

Unfortunately Hedges must come on, to stretch them, and show some honesty. 

A strong, disciplined 1st 10 minutes, and we go again. 

It's not over until the 3rd goes in. 

I have been bored for quite a while with those 2 and their constant showboating. It's not as if they are much use at it.

[booth]

1 minute ago, roversfan99 said:

Horrendous first half. A lot of nonsense on here and elsewhere writing off this game as a lost cause before it started, obviously the most difficult game of the season but we are 4th in the table, fighting for promotion, we shouldn't be writing games off.  A terrible performance however with no positives.

We just don't ever look like scoring, Khadra looks like he cant be arsed and Dolan is as is usually the case full of energy (and a terrible dive) but lacking in anything of substance, Giles aside from one run has been non existent too

Kaminski making a terrible mistake for the 2nd time in 3 games. Van Hecke has been played by Mitrovic, keeping the ball in aside he keeps getting tight and getting rolled. Rankin Costello is not a Championship footballer either, Johnson and Travis non-existent.

We need the next goal.

Well it clearly wasn't nonsense was it.

[Exiled_Rover]

7 minutes ago, moerpho said:

What odds do I get that we will end the game with Buckley as false 9, Gallagher on the wing and….I dunno….Ainaley Pears on the other wing?

Thankfully we only have 2 subs left. 

[superniko]

2 minutes ago, Mellor Rover said:

Take khadra and travis off before he gets booked and hope to keep the score down for me. All about our next 3 home games now.

Agree with that actually regarding Travis. 
No point him being out there now. 

[OldEwoodBlue]

2 minutes ago, booth said:

Or kickstart another good run as it did last time.

Blimey how desperate are we right now.

Excuse me Booth.... is this your straw?

[Dolly blue]

The square pegs return…Rankin Costello at RB ? …James Brown must be bad 
Dolan at false 9 ? 
Giles wide right? 

…..it’s been a terrible half …we look clueless ….Kaminski …an unforgivable error at this level 

 When Mowbray has to think …we fail. 

Edited March 5, 2022 by Dolly blue

[Exiled_Rover]

5 minutes ago, AllRoverAsia said:

Downing or Kevin Davies? Fecked either way.

Keith Andrews and you've got the holy trinity. 

[RoverDom]

"Sam Gallagher is more of a physical presence"  🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[Exiled_Rover]

3 minutes ago, martonrover said:

This. Some folk are writing this game off, as “we can’t be expected to compete with Fulham”.

It really does put our promotion credentials in context.

 

Not really - there's levels to this league. Two runaway teams and everyone else. 

Guess where the two runaway teams were last year?

[OldEwoodBlue]

"We have no attacking threat"

[yellowsubmarine]

Commentator: "Rovers have no attacking threat."

[J*B]

But if a rant coming, which is a shame. We should be really enjoying this season, because we are overachieving. I’d argue we are overachieving because the quality of the league outside of Fulham is really poor. But I’ve not been able to enjoy this because it feels so very predictable and like we continue to make the same mistakes. Now I’m not saying I know more than Tony Mowbray about football - he’s forgotten more than I know. But there are some huge issues which I just can’t get my head around:

1) The February slump. Why? Every year, why? I just can’t get it. It can’t be purely coincidence. 

2) Rothwell. If, as we have been told, Mowbray and Rothwell had agreed he was going to Bournemouth only for Venkys to stop it, then Mowbray should have walked. He’s not been half of the player since the end of January and I believe it’s had a knock on effect with morale. Regardless he should NEVER have been allowed to fall into his final 6 months  

3) Giles. He’s good. Good signing. But he’s a left wing back and we are committed to developing Pickering, our own left wing back. So why is he here? We clearly needed genuine attacking input, he’s playing right striker today.

4) Hedges. Totally bemused by this. We’ve been chasing him for what feels like forever. We sign him, pay money to get him here quick and then don’t play him? 

5) Zeefuik. Doesn’t look great. A rumoured option to buy at 3M? I wouldn’t pay 300K so far. How much is he costing? Would Nyambe have signed 6 months ago if we had offered him whatever Deyo is costing us? 

6) Tony always speaks about recruitment. Gallagher has been a complete disaster. He signed Markanday who has potential but nothing else so far. We where DESPERATE for attacking solutions in January because BBD was always going to break down at some point. 

Some observations on the game:

JRC is either really poor or not a RWB. He had a great reputation so I hope injuries haven’t taken their toll.

Pickering is getting exposed.

If JVH struggles with Mitrovic - who let’s be honest is a superb Championship striker but distinctly average in the Premier League, then he won’t be playing for Brighton next year.

Dolan is trying and is worth a place in the squad but pedigree wise let’s not forget he was released by PNE and on loan at Clitheroe 2 years ago. 

Kaminski should have done better but it shouldn’t have come from that. 

Lenihan one of the few to come out of this with any credit. Out of contract in the summer. 

[bluebruce]

14 minutes ago, OldEwoodBlue said:

For anyone still thinking about promotion. Remember this Fulham side will get battered every week. It would be a truely horrible season for us. Be lucky to get 10 points with this manager and side.

So, you'd rather stay down here, with no 200 million quid windfall? And lose half the side in the summer with barely any money to replace them?

[Dan]

Just now, Exiled_Rover said:

Not really - there's levels to this league. Two runaway teams and everyone else. 

Guess where the two runaway teams were last year?

We should at least compete. They aren’t Liverpool or Citeh ffs. 

[AllRoverAsia]

9 minutes ago, Paul Mellelieu said:

One that's given is a decent season so far.

Good riposte.

So far ......

[G Somerset Rover]

Khadra off. He’s been just as bad as the rest of them, but you surely leave him on as he could produce something. Take Pickering off, Giles to LWB. But nah, take off the only bloke who has got in positions to score since BBD got injured.

[booth]

2 minutes ago, AllRoverAsia said:

I have been bored for quite a while with those 2 and their constant showboating. It's not as if they are much use at it.

To be fair to both, Dolan should have had a pen and I doubt either player would have expected to ever be providing a promotion chasing team goals. Both have been trained from an early age to support the striker not be the fecking striker.

He's the sort of man who wonders why his dog can't climb very well, so buys a cat and wishes it could bark.

[BlueBro]

13 minutes ago, rovers11 said:

I sadly agree. As much as I want promotion, we'd be the worst team in prem league history. 

I'd take 10 points and £100m............plus a new manager 

[Exiled_Rover]

11 minutes ago, simongarnerisgod said:

dear old tony,he does get carried away with his own opinion of his tactical prowess🙂

There was a quote on Radio Lancs when were couldn't buy a win last year. 

He essentially said he's a tactical genius with more than 30 years in the game and he operates at a level far above the layman, so he won't bother explaining his tactical decisions to the fans. 

[G Somerset Rover]

Gallagher left wing crossing it in to two guys who who can’t be more than 5’8. Mowbray logic. 

[Dan]

We should have taken Johnston off he’s been statuesque and brought on Rothwell. Hopefully the next sub. 

[Exiled_Rover]

The ref helping Mitrovic off the floor after he's tried to put one on Van Hecke says it all about how he's officiated this game.

[booth]

Mitrovic back on his arse.