v Bristol City (h) - 12/3/22

[Exiled in Toronto]

First game in three years and I had a marvellous afternoon apart from the 95 mins bit in the middle of wallowing in our own crapulence.

My brother and I - two Tockholes lads - started off with an excellent lunch at The Rock from where the view was as good as it ever gets: Ribble estuary, Blackpool Tower, Forest of Bowland all crystal clear and even the fells of the lower Lake District on the horizon. Parked outside my grandma’s old council house near the Manxman, and walked down under the railway the way I remember being taken to see Billy Smart’s Circus. Back to Settle afterwards for the best fish and chips I’ve had since forever. 

Ah yes, I forgot to mention the shit in the sandwich - the game. 

First half far too pedestrian: a combination of Buckley not being at the races and Rothwell continually coming short to get a pass off one centre half before giving it to another, or, in a moment of rare excitement, giving it to a wingback before getting it back so as to give it to a centre-half. The much derided picture above of our two wingbacks in Bristol’s D fashioning a chance of sorts tells a deeper story: JR-C actually ran right past an immobile Gallagher, making the run Sam the Donkey should have been making, something that happened again when JR-C nearly got a toe on a Buckley cross with Gallagher spectating. I watched Sam the Donkey a lot off the ball and his movement is even worse than I’d thought from watching iFollow. I thought there was a marked reluctance from other players to give the ball to him.

Second half things improved slightly, Khadra being a real threat until shooting, Trav - our water-carrier - managing three more shots than Rothwell has managed since being retained “to propel our promotion push.” I’ve never joined in the BRFCS adulation of Rothwell but now I get annoyed virtually every time he gets the ball: easy sideways passes to the likes of Lenihan and Pickering - as if they are capable of doing anything with it - and those silly schoolyard runs that take five touches to get going and almost invariably end in a head-down barely-in-control-of-the-ball charge into four defenders. No wonder he has so few goals and assists in ten years as a pro. Add in his almost complete inability to defend and the middle of the park becomes increasingly wide-open, which is why four at the back is always so vulnerable for us.

Overall I think we got what we deserved. Bristol fashioned more and better chances. The subs, once again, did not improve things. Apart from the penalty and the missed sitter from Kahdra’s cross, I don’t think Dack had more than two touches.

However, not even such a poor display can take the shine of a wonderful afternoon of reminiscing with my only brother who I also hadn’t seen for three years.

Edited March 13, 2022 by Exiled in Toronto

[Upside Down]

21 minutes ago, Exiled in Toronto said:

First game in three years and I had a marvellous afternoon apart from the 95 mins bit in the middle of wallowing in our own crapulence.

My brother and I - two Tockholes lads - started off with an excellent lunch at The Rock from where the view was as good as it ever gets: Ribble estuary, Blackpool Tower, Forest of Bowland all crystal clear and even the fells of the lower Lake District on the horizon. Parked outside my grandma’s old council house near the Manxman, and walked down under the railway the way I remember being taken to see Billy Smart’s Circus. Back to Settle afterwards for the best fish and chips I’ve had since forever. 

Ah yes, I forgot to mention the shit in the sandwich - the game. 

First half far too pedestrian: a combination of Buckley not being at the races and Rothwell continually coming short to get a pass off one centre half before giving it to another, or, in a moment of rare excitement, giving it to a wingback before getting it back so as to give it to a centre-half. The much derided picture above of our two wingbacks in Bristol’s D fashioning a chance of sorts tells a deeper story: JR-C actually ran right past an immobile Gallagher, making the run Sam the Donkey should have been making, something that happened again when JR-C nearly got a toe on a Buckley cross with Gallagher spectating. I watched Sam the Donkey a lot off the ball and his movement is even worse than I’d thought from watching iFollow. I thought there was a marked reluctance from other players to give the ball to him.

Second half things improved slightly, Khadra being a real threat until shooting, Trav - our water-carrier - managing three more shots than Rothwell has managed since being retained “to propel our promotion push.” I’ve never joined in the BRFCS adulation of Rothwell but now I get annoyed virtually every time he gets the ball: easy sideways passes to the likes of Lenihan and Pickering - as if they are capable of doing anything with it - and those silly schoolyard runs that take five touches to get going and almost invariably end in a head-down barely-in-control-of-the-ball charge into four defenders. No wonder he has so few goals and assists in ten years as a pro. Add in his almost complete inability to defend and the middle of the park becomes increasingly wide-open, which is why four at the back is always so vulnerable for us.

Overall I think we got what we deserved. Bristol fashioned more and better chances. The subs, once again, did not improve things. Apart from the penalty and the missed sitter from Kahdra’s cross, I don’t think Dack had more than two touches.

However, not even such a poor display can take the shine of a wonderful afternoon of reminiscing with my only brother who I also hadn’t seen for three years.

Glad to hear you had a great day out.

I remember going walking over to Tockholes with my Grandad at least once a week when I was a nipper. 

I still don't think I'd be able to bring myself to going back to Ewood again yet.

[Ossydave]

I've been in a foul mood since about 5pm last night and it's showing no signs of subsiding 🤬

We're just sleep walking into ANOTHER mid table finish folks. If any of you think we'll still make the play offs I admire your optimism I really do, but what's it going to take to alter your opinion? YES I would take being in the top 6 at this stage of the season if someone offered it at the start, as the Mowbrayites keep going on about, but it's only a matter of time now before we slip out. Its just a bloody good job we did go on that fantastic run or we'd be hurtling towards league 1 on current form.

Fine margins again, Lenihan should have scored (again), Dack should have scored 1 or 2 BUT other teams miss a few sitters most games, they just manage to convert at least 1 other chance as well.

Of course we've experienced these horror runs before under Mowbray BUT we at least usually manage to score a few! It's beyond depressing now.

On the back of that, what did I agree to do last night?

Of course I agreed to go to Coventry away in a few weeks, Coventry who battered Sheff Utd yesterday that is 🙄

[AllRoverAsia]

Two beacons of light exist.

If Dack stays fit he will start to score. He is too good not to. At least he is back.

If BBD is not wrecked by Chile in their upcoming games (I am assuming he is travelling) then his return to us will hopefully not be too late to be effective.

There is actually a third, this league is bang average bar Fulham.

Reading @Exiled in Toronto story put me in a good frame of mind and helped with this try at positivity. Thanks.

Edited March 13, 2022 by AllRoverAsia

[Gav]

3 hours ago, Upside Down said:

There are no excuses for those shit penalties.

Whether the keeper was off the line or the defender was in the box is irrelevant. Any professional football player should be able to smash a penalty in regardless. It's their job for fuck sake.

Shearer would never have had any issues, he'd just walk up and smash it into the net.

We had a period in the late 80's where we seemed to miss a penalty every week. Howard Gayle, Garner and Kennedy all guilty if memory serves me correctly, it seemed to go on for the 2nd half of the season, with Gayle missing one in the playoff final home leg, not sure if it all happened in the same season.

Absolute madness, unbelievable to witness, as the customary wheels came off the promotion campaign.

Edited March 13, 2022 by Gav

[Colt Seavers]

16 minutes ago, Gav said:

We had a period in the late 80's where we seemed to miss a penalty every week. Howard Gayle, Garner and Kennedy all guilty if memory serves me correctly, it seemed to go on for the 2nd half of the season, with Gayle missing one in the playoff final home leg, not sure if it all happened in the same season.

Absolute madness, unbelievable to witness, as the customary wheels came off the promotion campaign.

Yes I remember that. It ended up with David Mail of all people taking one at Stoke away and smashing it into the top corner. Ģarner, strangely enough wasn't one of those missing penalties though. I don't think he took one for us after about 1984 ish. Incredible really when you think about it.

Of the current crop, the way Rothwell passes the ball crisply and accurately makes me think he would take a decent penalty. Not that I think he has the panache to step up however.

Edited March 13, 2022 by Colt Seavers

[Ossydave]

6 minutes ago, Colt Seavers said:

Yes I remember that. It ended up with David Mail of all people taking one at Stoke away and smashing it into the top corner. Ģarner, strangely enough wasn't one of those missing penalties though. I don't think he took one for us after about 1984 ish. Incredible really when you think about it.

Of the current crop, the way Rothwell passes the ball crisply and accurately makes me think he would take a decent penalty. Not that I think he has the panache to step up however.

I'd let Van Hecke take one, he'd absolutely smash it then carry on running and burst the net

[Gav]

19 minutes ago, Colt Seavers said:

Yes I remember that. It ended up with David Mail of all people taking one at Stoke away and smashing it into the top corner. Ģarner, strangely enough wasn't one of those missing penalties though. I don't think he took one for us after about 1984 ish. Incredible really when you think about it.

Of the current crop, the way Rothwell passes the ball crisply and accurately makes me think he would take a decent penalty. Not that I think he has the panache to step up however.

I can still see that now, if it wasn't for the net it would still be travelling.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

11 hours ago, Exiled in Toronto said:

Back to the penalty: actually half their team were encroaching, but the ref was clearly unsighted…

We can’t really complain, that was up there with one of the worst penalties I’ve ever seen at any level of football. It was like a back pass.

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

57 minutes ago, AllRoverAsia said:

Two beacons of light exist.

If Dack stays fit he will start to score. He is too good not to. At least he is back.

If BBD is not wrecked by Chile in their upcoming games (I am assuming he is travelling) then his return to us will hopefully not be too late to be effective.

There is actually a third, this league is bang average bar Fulham.

Reading @Exiled in Toronto story put me in a good frame of mind and helped with this try at positivity. Thanks.

I have a nagging optimism that the Diaz fairy tale will continue with him returning from injury and firing us to the promised land. Of course it is probably rubbish - but two years ago who would have said he would be our top scorer and a Chilean International.

Also, though Dack didn't do a great deal, in two bits of play he showed how he can make a difference. Firstly the back heal to Rothwell that nearly came off, secondly his scuffed shot which showed that even when not fully fit he can still find space in the box like none of our other players can.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

12 minutes ago, Gav said:

I can still see that now, if it wasn't for the net it would still be travelling.

I can forgive the taker if he smashes it and it hit’s the woodwork or the keeper but yesterdays kick was really poor. What was worse was expecting Dack to take it in the first place.

[Upside Down]

50 minutes ago, Gav said:

We had a period in the late 80's where we seemed to miss a penalty every week. Howard Gayle, Garner and Kennedy all guilty if memory serves me correctly, it seemed to go on for the 2nd half of the season, with Gayle missing one in the playoff final home leg, not sure if it all happened in the same season.

Absolute madness, unbelievable to witness, as the customary wheels came off the promotion campaign.

Oh how great it must have been to see Rovers making a genuine attempt to get promoted. 

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

2 hours ago, Exiled in Toronto said:

First game in three years and I had a marvellous afternoon apart from the 95 mins bit in the middle of wallowing in our own crapulence.

My brother and I - two Tockholes lads - started off with an excellent lunch at The Rock from where the view was as good as it ever gets: Ribble estuary, Blackpool Tower, Forest of Bowland all crystal clear and even the fells of the lower Lake District on the horizon. Parked outside my grandma’s old council house near the Manxman, and walked down under the railway the way I remember being taken to see Billy Smart’s Circus. Back to Settle afterwards for the best fish and chips I’ve had since forever. 

Ah yes, I forgot to mention the shit in the sandwich - the game. 

First half far too pedestrian: a combination of Buckley not being at the races and Rothwell continually coming short to get a pass off one centre half before giving it to another, or, in a moment of rare excitement, giving it to a wingback before getting it back so as to give it to a centre-half. The much derided picture above of our two wingbacks in Bristol’s D fashioning a chance of sorts tells a deeper story: JR-C actually ran right past an immobile Gallagher, making the run Sam the Donkey should have been making, something that happened again when JR-C nearly got a toe on a Buckley cross with Gallagher spectating. I watched Sam the Donkey a lot off the ball and his movement is even worse than I’d thought from watching iFollow. I thought there was a marked reluctance from other players to give the ball to him.

Second half things improved slightly, Khadra being a real threat until shooting, Trav - our water-carrier - managing three more shots than Rothwell has managed since being retained “to propel our promotion push.” I’ve never joined in the BRFCS adulation of Rothwell but now I get annoyed virtually every time he gets the ball: easy sideways passes to the likes of Lenihan and Pickering - as if they are capable of doing anything with it - and those silly schoolyard runs that take five touches to get going and almost invariably end in a head-down barely-in-control-of-the-ball charge into four defenders. No wonder he has so few goals and assists in ten years as a pro. Add in his almost complete inability to defend and the middle of the park becomes increasingly wide-open, which is why four at the back is always so vulnerable for us.

Overall I think we got what we deserved. Bristol fashioned more and better chances. The subs, once again, did not improve things. Apart from the penalty and the missed sitter from Kahdra’s cross, I don’t think Dack had more than two touches.

However, not even such a poor display can take the shine of a wonderful afternoon of reminiscing with my only brother who I also hadn’t seen for three years.

That’s a great read, sorry about the result. I agree with you about Rothwell. I said ages ago “ he doesn’t do enough often enough “ and got slated for it on here. He’s another one who “ dribbles when he comes to a pair of feet “, too much head down.

[Gav]

3 minutes ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

I can forgive the taker if he smashes it and it hit’s the woodwork or the keeper but yesterdays kick was really poor. What was worse was expecting Dack to take it in the first place.

No excuse for missing a penalty at this level, same with hitting the first man at corners, these are things you can practice. Keepers can make a good save, thats acceptable, but the 2 powderpuff efforts recently have probably cost us 6 points, 6 points we can ill afford to give up at this stage.

[Gav]

6 minutes ago, Upside Down said:

Oh how great it must have been to see Rovers making a genuine attempt to get promoted. 

The older fans at the time used to say, after falling at the final fence several times:

"The board don't want to go up, if they did who would pay the wages"

[G Somerset Rover]

30 minutes ago, Ossydave said:

I'd let Van Hecke take one, he'd absolutely smash it then carry on running and burst the net

That’s literally it. The next one we get - whoever it is - just fecking smack it one. Van Hecke seems a good shout, or Wharton. I’ll cut Dack some slack given what he’s been through but it was as weak as piss. Any of us lot would have saved it.

[RoversTilliDie]

On 11/03/2022 at 09:12, Gavlar Somerset Rover! said:

If we can’t beat this lot at home, even without BBD, then we may as well all pack up, go home and wait for next season.

We lost 1-0 but I won't be packing it in and going home like you and some of the pretend Rovers supporters. The only plus was Dack looked lively like his old self. Who's stupid idea was it that Dack took the penalty when he's been out for nearly 2 years with the same injury twice. I would try and sign Van Heck permanently he looked solid and confident at the back. Some of the shots on target were weak to put it politely, my sister could have hit the ball harder. I will be there Tuesday rovers till i die and till we get a manager with a decent football brain.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Neil Weaver]

9 minutes ago, Gav said:

The older fans at the time used to say, after falling at the final fence several times:

"The board don't want to go up, if they did who would pay the wages"

Pretty much what I was just thinking Gav.  For those who weren't around at the time, think of some of the shouters brigade from here

[rigger]

4 minutes ago, Geoff66 said:

We lost 1-0 but I won't be packing it in and going home like you and some of the pretend Rovers supporters. The only plus was Dack looked lively like his old self. Who's stupid idea was it that Dack took the penalty when he's been out for nearly 2 years with the same injury twice. I would try and sign Van Heck permanently he looked solid and confident at the back. Some of the shots on target were weak to put it politely, my sister could have hit the ball harder. I will be there Tuesday rovers till i die and till we get a manager with a decent football brain.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You say that Dack looked like his old self. To me, he missed a penalty, a sitter from 10 yards out, and let the ball roll out for a goal kick when it looked like he could not make up his mind what to do.

[tomphil]

I think the Diaz saga will sadly become more about getting him fit and performing in the bigger shop window that is international football.

If the promotion tilt continues to slip away it won't be long before TM starts saying he doesn't want to lose him in summer. Whilst virtually inviting bids in with every other next breath, it'll all start with the local rag blaming the player and his agent as per.

Edited March 13, 2022 by tomphil

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

1 hour ago, Colt Seavers said:

Yes I remember that. It ended up with David Mail of all people taking one at Stoke away and smashing it into the top corner. Ģarner, strangely enough wasn't one of those missing penalties though. I don't think he took one for us after about 1984 ish. Incredible really when you think about it.

Of the current crop, the way Rothwell passes the ball crisply and accurately makes me think he would take a decent penalty. Not that I think he has the panache to step up however.

It’s not just about technique, it’s about mentality as well. Any of those players would be well capable of taking a good pen in training. It’s when the pressure is on it’s not so easy. If you went in goals I’d have been confident of scoring maybe 7 or 8 out of 10. If all of a sudden I had to pay you £1000 if I missed the next pen it’s a different story altogether. I’m a lot less confident all of a sudden.

Nothing has changed - you, the ball, the size of the goals, the weather ?  They’re all the same. What has changed is what’s going on in my head.

Edited March 13, 2022 by Tyrone Shoelaces

[Guest]

Laughable how we broke our record with 5 games not scoring a league goal, and we could well equal that by next Saturday. Twice in one season. Disgraceful mismanagement in the transfer window from TM and Waggott. Both heads should roll.

[HowieFive0]

25 minutes ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

I can forgive the taker if he smashes it and it hit’s the woodwork or the keeper but yesterdays kick was really poor. What was worse was expecting Dack to take it in the first place.

I want to know who was on penalty duties before Dacks appearance . Surely someone was nominated and whoever it was should have been trusted to take it .

 

[Gav]

14 minutes ago, Neil Weaver said:

Pretty much what I was just thinking Gav.  For those who weren't around at the time, think of some of the shouters brigade from here

My dad was one of them Neil, I always remember when Kenny took over as manager:

"Bloody rubbish, what do we want him for"

After promotion:

"Bloody rubbish, nearly blew it for us though didn't he, bloody rubbish"

Its in the Blackburn gene pool I'm sure, my grandad was the same and the Mrs says I'm going the same way.

🤣

[RoversTilliDie]

Just now, rigger said:

You say that Dack looked like his old self. To me, he missed a penalty, a sitter from 10 yards out, and let the ball roll out for a goal kick when it looked like he could not make up his mind what to do.

 

1 minute ago, rigger said:

You say that Dack looked like his old self. To me, he missed a penalty, a sitter from 10 yards out, and let the ball roll out for a goal kick when it looked like he could not make up his mind what to do.

It's amazing were still 4th after the results, we won't be if there's any more bad results. It's time for some of the players to stand up and be counted or take the shirt off and go elsewhere, how many youngsters that watch rovers would give there right arm to wear the shirt.