Jon Dahl Tomasson - Sweden coach

[Mercer]

I'm beginning to think we've just got a 'nicer' version of Mowbray.

Some signings and his tactics and selections are baffling.

I actually think our points return of 18 is about 6 points more than our performances have merited.  We've won games we didn't really deserve to yet I can't think of games we've lost and thought 'we were unlucky there, we deserved something from the game'.  Very worrying times.

As a club, we shoot ourselves in the feet - seemingly, by insisting our new manager takes on Johnson, Lowe and Benson.  Our 1st team coaching set-up needed a complete clear out - I think Johnson, Lowe and Benson are a big, big part of the problem and I just don't see what value they bring to the party.

[Upside Down]

The midfield desperately needs sorting out.

We've got some good youth players coming through with loads of potential but we need someone else who can stand alongside them and be a solid support. 

Getting bullied out of games is not acceptable and we need someone in there with some bollocks. At the moment, if we concede first we may as well shake hands and go home there and then.

I'll give JDT the three transfer windows he said he'd need as there really wasn't much of a squad for him to do anything with when he came. The pressing issue when he first arrived was the lack of defenders and that was addressed. Hopefully over the coming windows the rest of the squad will be sorted.

I'm happy that he likes to bring in the youth. There is nothing I would love to see more than a successful Rovers team made up of players from the academy and the local area. 

[DanielMB]

A little patience with the man would be good. There is a lot of managers on this forum. Reading on this MB it seems so easy being a manager. Just do this. Just play him. Just play 3 at the back. Just sub him. Most of us were prepared for a relegation fight after losing many players in the summer. JDT has been hired as a headcoach and his way of playing is different from TMs. JDT wants us to be better on the ball, something we struggled massively with under TM. It doesnt happen over night. The best way to learn this is probably during games. There is only so much you can practice during trainingsessions. As long as we arent in a relegation dogfight JDT should, in my opinion, stick with his ideas. It does look massively frustrating at times but it is a work in progress. Wether we like it or not. 

[AllRoverAsia]

19 minutes ago, DanielMB said:

A little patience with the man would be good. There is a lot of managers on this forum. Reading on this MB it seems so easy being a manager. Just do this. Just play him. Just play 3 at the back. Just sub him. Most of us were prepared for a relegation fight after losing many players in the summer. JDT has been hired as a headcoach and his way of playing is different from TMs. JDT wants us to be better on the ball, something we struggled massively with under TM. It doesnt happen over night. The best way to learn this is probably during games. There is only so much you can practice during trainingsessions. As long as we arent in a relegation dogfight JDT should, in my opinion, stick with his ideas. It does look massively frustrating at times but it is a work in progress. Wether we like it or not. 

Football is always a work in progress, a project, a journey. This is true even at country owned clubs like Man C and Toon. Always, it's nothing that is unique to Rovers and should not be used as a defence of rank poor players or questionable management or coaching.

A start at Rovers would be playing a side with your best footballers in it, Dack and Adam W are obvious choices, and build style and tactics from that core.

And stop with the tippy tappy in our own penalty area and passing goalkicks to a full back within our own penalty area and close to the goalie/touchline and the  mayhem which follows almost every time they do it which is often.

What sort of competent manager tries that nonsense with players who are just not good enough to do it.

Edited October 5, 2022 by AllRoverAsia

[G Somerset Rover]

Amen. I swear Tomasson must think Ayala is Baresi.

[RV Blue]

If Pep was managing us in this league he wouldn’t play like he does at City. Playing to your strengths is basic and Tomasson seems incapable of doing it, which is very worrying. I think we all know 6th is a false position, we’ll be lucky to stay up this season if we carry on playing as we are doing now.

[Staffordshire Rover]

I remember a lot of people were laughing at Swansea for the way they play out at the back when we beat them, we are turning into that laughing stock. Watching that night was so painful and we could all see the issues but we continued to make the same mistakes.

Fine play out from the back when you have the players that are comfortable and confident to do so. Where has our energy and pressing gone? Travis looks knackered.

 

JDT needs to learn quickly and have a plan B and C 

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

1 hour ago, DanielMB said:

A little patience with the man would be good. There is a lot of managers on this forum. Reading on this MB it seems so easy being a manager. Just do this. Just play him. Just play 3 at the back. Just sub him. Most of us were prepared for a relegation fight after losing many players in the summer. JDT has been hired as a headcoach and his way of playing is different from TMs. JDT wants us to be better on the ball, something we struggled massively with under TM. It doesnt happen over night. The best way to learn this is probably during games. There is only so much you can practice during trainingsessions. As long as we arent in a relegation dogfight JDT should, in my opinion, stick with his ideas. It does look massively frustrating at times but it is a work in progress. Wether we like it or not. 

Is his way of playing different to Mowbray’s ? I remember that season when Mowbray tried playing “ Keep Ball “ and we got nowhere with it. Expecting high class possession football with average players is a recipe for disaster. It’ll get more lower level managers the sack than ever it will a trophy. The lad at my local club, Rochdale, tried it and it got them relegated and he lost his job. He’s coaching City’s kids now, maybe it will work with them.

Edited October 5, 2022 by Tyrone Shoelaces

[arbitro]

It's almost like Tomasson hasn't to be criticised because he needs time in the view of some. In all honesty I don't really care for the journey he speaks whether it be three months or three years. I, along with many judge him on what I see every game good, bad or indifferent. The next game is always the most important and by trying to absolve him of blame by using excuses like he needs time, another two windows etc is papering over the clear cracks. I am bothered about the here and now and we, with one exception have been poor recently. And if supporters feel Tomasson is culpable then he should be called out. If he can't see the problem from last night he is a part of the problem.

[arbitro]

19 minutes ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

Is his way of playing different to Mowbray’s ? I remember that season when Mowbray tried playing “ Keep Ball “ and we got nowhere with it. Expecting high class possession football with average players is a recipe for disaster. It’ll get more lower level managers the sack than ever it will a trophy. The lad at my local club, Rochdale, tried it and it got them relegated and he lost his job. He’s coaching City’s kids now, maybe it will work with them.

Saturday's starting team only had two Tomassons signings in it and one of them is on loan. Last night only three of the starters were his signings.

[G Somerset Rover]

Tommason really needs to heed warning from Cocu's time at Derby. He's fortunate that he's at a club where results and performances are secondary, but it will catch up with him eventually if he doesn't change.

I'm finding his 'use' of Adam Wharton baffling too. 'Managing his workload' was the excuse, yet he's okay with him playing 90m for England and our Under 23's. He's head and shoulders above Buckley right now and IMO would put in a better stint than Travis. He can pick a pass, gets stuck in, and plays on the half-turn. Get him in.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

7 minutes ago, arbitro said:

Saturday's starting team only had two Tomassons signings in it and one of them is on loan. Last night only three of the starters were his signings.

You’ve played football. Which is hardest ? Trying to play your way out of trouble as a back four player or trying to press the ball when the defender has it ? I could get young lads out of the Sunday League who can press the ball all day as long as they are good athletes. No real skill required.

[arbitro]

6 minutes ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

You’ve played football. Which is hardest ? Trying to play your way out of trouble as a back four player or trying to press the ball when the defender has it ? I could get young lads out of the Sunday League who can press the ball all day as long as they are good athletes. No real skill required.

Our lack of a decent press allowed Cardiff time on the ball to pick a pass and play through the lines. I lost count of the times they did it last night and got themselves on the front foot.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Just now, arbitro said:

Our lack of a decent press allowed Cardiff time on the ball to pick a pass and play through the lines. I lost count of the times they did it last night and got themselves on the front foot.

If you’re not going to press 100% you might as well not bother at all. Being half hearted about it is the worst of all worlds.

[jw_]

Quite frankly I'm disappointed and frustrated with the tactics being employed as all they are doing is making it easier for the opposition teams. Messing about in your own penalty is fraught with danger and brings the opposition into close range hungering for the ball and Ayala ( granted he's a good defender) virtually stands still at times inviting trouble.

The games are won with goals and the only penalty area we should be in is the oppositions, also even 1 down with less than a minute to go we were still passing it slowly in our own area.

As others have said where is the high pressing game JDT talked about after his arrival.

[K-Hod]

Whilst the playing out from the back was incredibly frustrating last night, what was most concerning for me was how wide open we were. Cardiff were able to get in very good positions with relative ease.

I think it was partly down to being over run in midfield, but if that’s the case, then it needs to change and sharpish. Bit worrying that JDT didn’t act on that tbh.

[chaddyrovers]

JDT is still the man to get this club back to PL. He is trying to bring in his style and what he wants slowly. Fans and that every fan need to give him time and patience and stop expecting instant success or result. The way people are going on you would think we were bottom of the league and had no point. We are 6th after 12 games which is above where I thought we would be after 12 games. I will say this again we are 6th in the league and some people are saying sack him and I find those comments totally embarrassing and very sad to read. I also wonder why you aren't willing to give him more time and patience to bring in his style, coaching method, players getting used to it. It is work in progress at Rovers. 

[roversfan99]

There are huge genuine worries that he is trying to instill a philosophy that quite simply is not fit for purpose considering the players available. He seems desperate to have us playing it out from the back but it doesnt suit us. All this talk of high intensity pressing etc but we have been a painfully dull watch all season and I suspect should we continue in the same vein, results will go downhill rather than improve.

There has been a lot of talk about us being inconsistent but I would say that the level of performance has been consistently poor. A big re-think is needed.

11 hours ago, chaddyrovers said:

JDT will stay be here next season, I am very sure of this. 

Please need to stop overreacting here

He will be regardless of results. Venkys dont care enough either way.

[chaddyrovers]

43 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

There are huge genuine worries that he is trying to instill a philosophy that quite simply is not fit for purpose considering the players available. He seems desperate to have us playing it out from the back but it doesnt suit us. All this talk of high intensity pressing etc but we have been a painfully dull watch all season and I suspect should we continue in the same vein, results will go downhill rather than improve.

There has been a lot of talk about us being inconsistent but I would say that the level of performance has been consistently poor. A big re-think is needed.

so you didn't enjoy the QPR, Blackpool or Watford game where we pressed from the front, did you miss this? 

 

43 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

He will be regardless of results. Venkys dont care enough either way.

Still blaming the owners again for nothing. He will stay in place cos he has the backing of owners CEO, GB and the players plus most fans. Rightly so when we are 6th in the league, some people calling for him to be sack is crazy and embarrassing in my opinion. 

 

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

What I’m calling for is for the manager to realise he’s at Blackburn Rovers in the championship and not still back at AC Milan in the champions league.

[smiller14]

2 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

so you didn't enjoy the QPR, Blackpool or Watford game where we pressed from the front, did you miss this? 

 

Still blaming the owners again for nothing. He will stay in place cos he has the backing of owners CEO, GB and the players plus most fans. Rightly so when we are 6th in the league, some people calling for him to be sack is crazy and embarrassing in my opinion. 

 

Chaddy, I don't see why you get so arrogant if someone disagrees with you - 'did you miss this' is just condescending nonsense. Yes, we played well in 3 games (although I'd argue QPR we didn't press well, we created very little and scored a wonder goal). What about the other 9 games? The performances at Sheff Utd, Cardiff, Luton and Reading all rank amongst some of the worst I've seen in recent years. I fully back JDT to get it right, but he certainly isn't above some criticism. 

[rigger]

2 hours ago, AllRoverAsia said:

Football is always a work in progress, a project, a journey. This is true even at country owned clubs like Man C and Toon. Always, it's nothing that is unique to Rovers and should not be used as a defence of rank poor players or questionable management or coaching.

A start at Rovers would be playing a side with your best footballers in it, Dack and Adam W are obvious choices, and build style and tactics from that core.

And stop with the tippy tappy in our own penalty area and passing goalkicks to a full back within our own penalty area and close to the goalie/touchline and the  mayhem which follows almost every time they do it which is often.

What sort of competent manager tries that nonsense with players who are just not good enough to do it.

If I was an opposition manager, I would tell the players that anytime they have the ball in the Rovers half, just boot it out for a goal-kick, as the Rovers way of taking goal-kicks create more goal chances than opposition players.

[roversfan99]

8 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

so you didn't enjoy the QPR, Blackpool or Watford game where we pressed from the front, did you miss this? 

 

Still blaming the owners again for nothing. He will stay in place cos he has the backing of owners CEO, GB and the players plus most fans. Rightly so when we are 6th in the league, some people calling for him to be sack is crazy and embarrassing in my opinion. 

 

The Watford game we played well in, QPR was a drab game settled by a wonder goal and Blackpool was ok.

Do you have answers to my questions on style of play, notably passing it out slowly from the back?

Venkys have history of not sacking managers under contract despite results. Obviously not saying they should sack Tomasson.

[Sparks Rover]

He doesn't seem to know how to put out a functioning midfield.  Doesn't have the players? I don't know.   We need someone who sits, controls the flow of the game and makes the team tick.  Our central midfield changes from one game to the next and most aren't good enough.

[chaddyrovers]

41 minutes ago, smiller14 said:

Chaddy, I don't see why you get so arrogant if someone disagrees with you - 'did you miss this' is just condescending nonsense. Yes, we played well in 3 games (although I'd argue QPR we didn't press well, we created very little and scored a wonder goal). What about the other 9 games? The performances at Sheff Utd, Cardiff, Luton and Reading all rank amongst some of the worst I've seen in recent years. I fully back JDT to get it right, but he certainly isn't above some criticism. 

Firstly, no one is getting arrogant! 

We played well in more than 3 games for me. Yes we had some poor performances like Sheffield United or Luton games, but I would say Both Fulham games, Reading away and Forest game was much worst performances or even the Derby (first half) and Stoke home games were much worse than this season performances. 

35 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

The Watford game we played well in, QPR was a drab game settled by a wonder goal and Blackpool was ok.

Do you have answers to my questions on style of play, notably passing it out slowly from the back?

Venkys have history of not sacking managers under contract despite results. Obviously not saying they should sack Tomasson.

Blackpool game was only, ok? I'm shocked by that response. Watford game we were very good. 

I have answered your questions posed to me. 

Venkys or anyone at Rovers isn't sacking JDT when we are 6th in the league after 12 games.