v QPR (h) - 30/7/22

[rovers11]

Overall I thought we did well today, especially given the amount of key players we've lost and the lack of incomings. It was a fairly routine win in the end (did they even have a shot on target?).

I thought the defence was outstanding and the combo of Travis/Buckley in Central midfield was excellent. The front 4 didn't quite click - Vale struggled, Gallagher was his usual self, Hedges did OK, and Brereton was quiet. 

There's no doubt we'll need to be better than that to win matches consistently, but it's a good start and hopefully 4/5 good signings over the next few weeks. 

 

 

[Ossydave]

Those interviews though, I'm being brutally honest now, I'd let JDT read me a bedtime story any day of the week and enjoy it. 

[Tormund]

7 minutes ago, Ossydave said:

Those interviews though, I'm being brutally honest now, I'd let JDT read me a bedtime story any day of the week and enjoy it. 

I’d definitely let him tuck me in.

[riverholmes]

35 minutes ago, joey_big_nose said:

One question I've got is really how different a setup was it to Mowbray really if we're honest. Very similar.

And I don't mean that as a negative to JDT just that really the way Mowbray set us up wasn't that daft. He wanted Nyambe out, he played Gallagher on the wing and BBD on the left.

It may well evolve over time but it's hardly chalk and cheese. People got fed up with Mowbray but he played a similar game to what we saw today.

So I guess the question is what does JDT need to do to be better than Mowbray as that's what we all want to move onwards and upwards?

Interesting point and I do believe that Gallagher in a wide forward role will be a failure, as it was with Mowbray.

However, Mowbray was keen on a lone No.10 or false 9, depending on what you want to call it. Last season saw range of midfielders put up there,  from my recollection, including Poveda, Clarkson, Johnson, Buckley and Dolan. Tomasson looks like he favours a centre forward, though, it is only one game and I can imagine Dolan or Dack getting a run out there too.

I can't help but regret that Rovers didn't get Reda Khadra back to the club. I didn't follow the transfer stories, so don't know the details of his situation, but having him and Dolan provide pace in the forward positions would be ideal - and, perhaps, finally, consign Gallagher to a central role or to the bench.

It's great to see Buckley finally played in his likely strongest position. We still really need another CM - a gap in the squad that has been evident for, perhaps, three years and somehow still not addressed. I want to see Garrett step up but another player would help the youngsters and, hopefully, mean Travis doesn't have to play virtually every minute of every game.

[Ossydave]

Mowbray would just witter on about the big bad wolf being brilliant and the pigs having no chance because of them having no money to spend

[Armchair supporter supremo]

12 minutes ago, Tormund said:

I’d definitely let him tuck me in.

hahahaha

 

JDT and the incredible actor Mads Mikkelsen have now sort of fused into the same person in my mind, I'll never watch hannibal the same way again now

[tomphil]

57 minutes ago, joey_big_nose said:

One question I've got is really how different a setup was it to Mowbray really if we're honest. Very similar.

And I don't mean that as a negative to JDT just that really the way Mowbray set us up wasn't that daft. He wanted Nyambe out, he played Gallagher on the wing and BBD on the left.

It may well evolve over time but it's hardly chalk and cheese. People got fed up with Mowbray but he played a similar game to what we saw today.

So I guess the question is what does JDT need to do to be better than Mowbray as that's what we all want to move onwards and upwards?

I'd like to think he'll evolve it as he goes along and adds a few players suited to his style.

Hopefully he's a manager who knows how he wants to play and does his best to convince the DoF to bring in players to fit this.

The impression with Mowbray was mostly he'd grab who he could as long as they fit his nice lad criteria then try and fit them in.

[Gav]

10 minutes ago, Ossydave said:

Mowbray would just witter on about the big bad wolf being brilliant and the pigs having no chance because of them having no money to spend

Actions speak louder than words, it’s league position that count….

[Sparks Rover]

12 minutes ago, tomphil said:

The impression with Mowbray was mostly he'd grab who he could as long as they fit his nice lad criteria then try and fit them in.

This is a critical point for me....I think JDT has a young mindset and should be able to motivate any of these young lads....Mogga in the other hand🙄

[RevidgeBlue]

14 minutes ago, Gav said:

Actions speak louder than words, it’s league position that count….

Well......if he's given £7m to spend and finishes higher than 15th ......he'll have done better than Mowbray in his first full season in the Championship.

[M_B]

1 hour ago, Displaced Rover said:

“Crap heavy metal” 🤦

You mean Thunderstruck by AC/DC….

Best track to be played at Ewood for many a year. 

If I never hear The Final Countdown ever again, I'll be happy. 

[Neal]

Good day out. Chuffed for the manager to start with a win. This is how I saw it....

 

Kaminski, played well but as usual his distribution almost cost us again. Otherwise, good game. 6.5/10

 

Brittain, solid. Just did his job and all this talk of him being either crap or amazing is nonsense. He did his job, that's it. 7/10

 

Ayala, a class apart. Experience, nous, a leader. 8/10

 

Wharton, solid, did his job, was comfortable. 7/10

 

Pickering, did ok. Wouldn't go as far as to call him solid as he gave the ball away one took many times. Feel he could get exposed and be a weak link but it seems more a confidence issue than ability to me. 6/10

 

Trav, wonder goal, solid. 7/10

 

Bucky, like a white Kante at times with his reading of the game and turning over possession. Such a clever little player, technically a class above. 8/10

 

Hedges, this is a wierd one. I think the good parts and the bad parts are standing out in different people's minds, hence the mixed reviews. For me it's much of the same as I've already seen, plays with intensity, looks busy and tidy at times but ultimately I don't see him as much of an attacking threat. Powderpuff is the word I've used before and I think it's pretty accurate but he was a bit grittier today at least. Has his moments but I don't see enough shots or individual brilliance to see him as someone who could make us a top 6 side. Good squad player, a solid performance but I think someone like Bowler would be an instant improvement. 

 

Diaz, showed his ability in fits and starts. Even in one of his more quieter games by his standards, still somehow manages to look a standard above what's on the pitch due to his pace, size and physicality. 6.5/10

 

Gallagher, meh. Should have been down the middle instead of Vale. Ineffective. Poor. 5/10

 

Vale, I don't want to be too critical because its the lads home debut but he looked a fish out of water to me. I think people are being a bit too nice in their assessments because he's one of our own but putting that aside and being honest... He looked too small and not quick enough. Having not seen him before I expected him to be quick at pressing but he looked knackered before half time and got bullied at times. There were some tidy moments but I think a loan to a league 1 side would be ideal or at least keep giving him 15/20 mins here and there but starting? Absolutely no way. 5.5/10

 

Dolan, was an instant improvement on Vale. Trickery, quick in the press and just a general pain in the arse. Unlucky not get an assist for Diaz. Should be starting. 6.5/10

 

Overall, I'm not sure how much we learned from today. It was a nice starter for us, especially for the manager. Lifts confidence and expectations. They were absolutely woeful and much the same as they were last season at Ewood. An almost carbon copy performance.

 

JDT's blue and white army!

Edited July 30, 2022 by Neal

[Gav]

12 minutes ago, RevidgeBlue said:

Well......if he's given £7m to spend and finishes higher than 15th ......he'll have done better than Mowbray in his first full season in the Championship.

Your mates aren’t giving him £7m 😂

We can’t even keep Nyambe, cheap bastards. 

Edited July 30, 2022 by Gav

[Mattyblue]

‘Err, umm. It was ok really. Nothing really stood out, but we’ll have a look at it on Monday. Listen, they are a young team, lot to learn some of them. Anyway, we’ll put the points in the bag and move on’.

[Ghost7]

Brittain looked an intelligent footballer to me, knows when to pass forward and when to pass back. Looked for the forward ball and decided against it after seeing poor movement from the front 4. Very confident about him... and he can head a ball.

Hedges, Ayala, Travis, Wharton, Buckley, Brittain and Dolan (briefly) all good today. An impressive start considering the limited resources.

[Miller11]

Solid if unspectacular (apart from the goal) start. I was worried early doors because the ref looked like he was ready to give Buckley a second yellow, but seemed to recognise he’d already been booked and let him off.

I thought QPR played some nice stuff, we did at times too in fairness, but both teams lacked a cutting edge.

Pickering is a worry. He was bad today in possession, which is probably his biggest strength. Need things to click a bit more up top, plenty of graft but not a lot of quality. Dolan made a real positive difference.

[Atko's Engine]

Great to be back at Ewood today, though it certainly didn't feel like a July opening fixture!

Good to see Amstel on draft in the Riverside, good service & a lick of paint in the bar booth, and a new playlist for the season inc (love it or loathe it) classic track of thunderstruck!!

As for the game, it was a tentative opening half hour in which we eased ourselves into the game with some neat one-twos amongst the front 4. Nothing much to get the juices flowing besides a couple of midfield challenges that nearly resulted in a red for JB; the ref was clearly going to show a yellow until he realised it was Buckley. IMO the ref took sympathy on him as he realised the first booking was a little harsh, given that it came after he'd allowed a silly advantage moments earlier which we quickly lost & left Buckley exposed.

They hit the bar on 25, but then we started a bit if a head of steam. We perhaps went ahead alittke ubndeservedly given the balance of play up to that point, but what a strike, worthy of winning any match! I hope Trav doesn't keep trying to repeat that.....

Shortly after, a thunderbolt from BBD followed a nice move, which their keeper did we to react to, and we finished the half strongly. 

2nd half, besides TK having a wobble, we dominated the game & created some good half chances without really threatening to add to our lead. Most QPR attacks were snuffed out before they reached our defensive third, but not surprisingly we tired a little & could've done with a couple of pairs of fresh legs.

TK - 6 - didn't have much to do but looked solid & commanded his area well. One scary kick at start if 2nd half that could've proved costly. 

Brittain - 7 - solid debut, clearly has an attacking mindset but also did well defensively & stuck to his task well. Doesn't seem to know when he is beaten & didn't give up when he was passed.

Pickering - 5 - our poorest performer I think. Plenty of misplaced passes & showed no attacking impetus, esp in first half. His lack of pace was evident defensively too. We need an upgrade.

Ayala - 7 - solid, esp 2nd half. Composed, dealt with everything he needed too. Class at this level, when fit.

Wharton - 7 - great foil for Ayala, and played similarly competently. Will have tougher afternoons, but a very solid season opener.

Travis - 8 - did everything that Travis does, niggles, harries, frustrates, often unnoticed, but what a scorcher of a goal that certainly will get him noticed. I watched JDT celebrate  & he loved it!

Buckley - 7 - would've been 8 but for nearly getting sent off. I like to think he assured JDT at half time that he could trust him not to risk a 2nd booking, as 2nd half he was composed & at the beginning of most forward exploits. Will be a key player this season.

Hedges - 7 - worked v hard, has a decent footballing brain on him but didn't quite a come together for him.  Showed some neat touches & good interplay, and certainly suits a pressing game.

Vale - 6 - a decent full debut, showed some good touches & link up play but didn't really get an opportunity to show his best off. Deserves more game time.

BBD - 7 - epitomised Rovers generally as in a slow start but became more & more influential as the game wore on. Occupied QPR's defence well, drew fouls, linked up well with those around him. Definitely seems happy, but he needs to sign a new contract or move for a decent fee.

Gallagher - 5 - worked hard as always, but was generally ineffective & often clumsy in possession. I'm a fan of his overall, but this was the type of performance that his detractors could rightly point to as evidence that he should do better.

Dolan - 7 - was busy and at it from his introduction. Can't be easy to defend against when introduced an hour in. Drew fouls, harried & chased. Was a bit silly / naive to be caught needlesslt offside in the build up to BBD's disallowed goal.

Overall, a decent start and one which bodes well. New starters are needed no doubt as the squad is too thin, and there will be much tougher opponents than a surprisingly toothless QPR. But today showed to me that we have 13/14 players good enough to compete well in this division, certainly until the transfer window closes  which affords our new management & recruitment staff time to work on ensuring we get the right new arrivals in.

Nice to see JDT's enthusiasm, whilst also keeping it fairly low key. Nice touch to join the players at the end to applaud the crowd.

I'm quietly confident this could be the beginning of something that we can all buy into...

 

Edited July 30, 2022 by Atko's Engine
Reduced Gally's score from 6 to 5

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

Though not his best match - I think Diaz showed enough to start to prove that last season wasn't a flash in the pan. Two brilliant long range efforts that could easily have been goals - and at times he looked a step above most on the pitch. 

[Silas]

19 minutes ago, Miller11 said:

I was worried early doors because the ref looked like he was ready to give Buckley a second yellow, but seemed to recognise he’d already been booked and let him off.

Exactly what happened, in split second slow motion.

I really want to applaud him and say it's good for the game, we all want to see 11 v 11, but I just know if the same thing happens to the opposition this season I'll be frothing at the mouth in anger.

We got away with one today, no doubt in my mind. 

[had.e.nuff]

A wins a win they still look a bit off the pace but hopefully that will come, any one know who played in the Huddersfield game this morning finished 2-2

[Boroblue]

2 hours ago, joey_big_nose said:

One question I've got is really how different a setup was it to Mowbray really if we're honest. Very similar.

And I don't mean that as a negative to JDT just that really the way Mowbray set us up wasn't that daft. He wanted Nyambe out, he played Gallagher on the wing and BBD on the left.

It may well evolve over time but it's hardly chalk and cheese. People got fed up with Mowbray but he played a similar game to what we saw today.

So I guess the question is what does JDT need to do to be better than Mowbray as that's what we all want to move onwards and upwards?

Not completely fold after Christmas not once but year after year

. Not be in second place in February and miss the play offs by going on a run of relegation form.

Not lose 7v0.

Not go on the longest losing run

Not blame the supporters lack of understanding for your own cock ups. 

Not bring in players that don’t fit the system then mis utilise them: Giles

Not leave rovers and then recommend rovers players to your own club

lenihan

giles

armstrong

I’m probably biased but I had no time for Mowbray. It may be the same system but with a better manager 

[Guest]

Stand out for me today were Ayala and Buckley

[Boroblue]

On the game 

Defensively Ayla is a cut above this league but only play  as when he wants

Wharton has got the championship bagged

pickering first half very poor but second pretty good 

buckley is class

travis played like travis

hedges I thought had a really good game. Some of the passes and through balls didn’t come off today but he saw them which bodes well

Gallagher is Gallagher bags of effort

Vale I thought was ok it’s his first game in mens football. He worked hard and picked the right passes without being spectacular 

All in All a d good day at the office

[rigger]

I thought Ayala was brilliant today, so composed. If we get half a season out of him, I will be happy. Class is everlasting.

[Sparks Rover]

2 hours ago, Mattyblue said:

‘Err, umm. It was ok really. Nothing really stood out, but we’ll have a look at it on Monday. Listen, they are a young team, lot to learn some of them. Anyway, we’ll put the points in the bag and move on’.

Sums up my thoughts.  QPR looked very undercooked.