v WBA (h) - 14/8/22

[Miller11]

1 minute ago, roversfan99 said:

Is Edun strong defensively? Every time he has played at left back in the Championship he has been all over the place.

Remains to be seen, but I don’t see it as a strength of Pickering’s.

[slowmo]

9 hours ago, jim mk2 said:

Rovers’ good start will have been noted by the rest of the league. Bruce is a good manager and he will have looked at the way we play and adjust his team accordingly.

I’ve a feeling the mini bubble might burst and we’ll lose this one which might not be a bad thing in reducing inflated expectations of this Rovers team. Hope I’m wrong

I personally don't think opposition know what to expect from us yet .

I definitely don't,  3 different games coped with in different ways.  Flexible is going to be the theme this season. 

Same team,  plenty of options off bench and another win 🤞

Edited August 11, 2022 by slowmo

[simongarnerisgod]

be a massive statement even at this early stage of the season if we can stick one up west brom,realistically id`e be happy with a point

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

2 hours ago, simongarnerisgod said:

be a massive statement even at this early stage of the season if we can stick one up west brom,realistically id`e be happy with a point

Me too. I see they rested quite a few tonight.

[TruRover]

Grant forced off injured for West Brom today 

[A Northern Horde...]

2-1 Rovers

15,400

[JacknOry]

Yeah big statement if we win this one. Grant out for them is a big blow. Think they also have Dyke out? Zohore is also injured. Doesn't really leave them a central striker.

[Upside Down]

No where near enough optimism in this thread. 

4 - 1 to the Rovers 

BBD hat trick with a late one from Dolan. Don't know who will score for the baggies, I only give a fuck about Rovers. 

[ItsRoverZ]

If we lose but give a good account of ourselves and compete very well then I can take it, will show we are around that level

But if we lose convincingly and never really trouble the baggies then it shows how far away we are from that level 

I'm really hoping our good start isn't a small honeymoon period and we are truly turning a corner.

Hope for a win, heart says 2-1 Baggies

[Gordon Ottershaw]

I hope this doesn't bite me on the arse but I'm more confident than I was for the QPR or Swansea games. WBA were poor last season, have an anachronistic manager who, for me, is a busted flush and are struggling with injuries.

1-0 Rovers.

[The Gull]

This is a massive game due to the start we’ve had, people will have to take notice and surely helps any recruitment if we get a positive result against the Baggies. 
 

It’s very early in the new JDT era, but let’s not forget that even Mowbray had us unbeatable for a period last season, imagine what a decent manager and support staff could do!

 

Everyone in the media loves Bruce, all tipping them him and then to do well this season, I hope we are in that conversation after Sunday. 

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

Be an interesting barometer of progress under JDT. I do think people are getting a little expectant too early. We have only played 3 competitive matches under JDT - and there is a long way to go.

Interesting nobody complaining about JDT switching formations, tactics etc. And yet TM was tinkerman. I suppose JDT can tinker as long as we win - but that won't go on for ever.

Anyhow, let's hope the bubble isn't burst - would settle for an entertaining draw, with no injuries.

[magicalmortensleftpeg]

Be interested to see the crowd for this. As positive a feeling around the club as there has been in years, top of the league, not on TV, school holidays, not unreasonably high ticket prices. 

[Mattyblue]

Of course if you win it works, that’s the whole point. TM’s tinkering rarely did, as  for me he didn’t have the tactical nous to pull it off - a prime example being wasting a year trying to play like Swansea are now (i.e without the players to do it) in the lockdown season

No surprises that when he stumbled across a settled personnel and formation last season is when he got results.

Edited August 12, 2022 by Mattyblue

[Mattyblue]

9 minutes ago, magicalmortensleftpeg said:

Be interested to see the crowd for this. As positive a feeling around the club as there has been in years, top of the league, not on TV, school holidays, not unreasonably high ticket prices. 

Crowds can only go so high with just 8,500 ST holders as you need large numbers of match day buyers turning up every week to take up the slack to turn it into a decent gate - something you obviously don’t need to the same extent if you have 12/13k.

But if on Sunday and onwards we can pull in 4/5k walk ons at £25 -£30 (so not exactly give away prices) then that’s a good base to build on.

Last season we then supplemented that with good numbers of half STs… alas that will be a struggle this time however well we could end up doing when the energy bills start coming through the letterboxes…

Edited August 12, 2022 by Mattyblue

[joey_big_nose]

13 hours ago, R0verb0y said:

I agree with much of what's already written on this thread, with the exception that I have friends of the Newcastle persuasion who'd disagree with jim mk 2!

Given that we can't expect this weather to last much beyond the weekend and, afaik, there are no rail strikes scheduled for Sunday, there could be a big - 15,000+ - crowd. But that the only thing that's predictable is that we won't know till an hour before kick-off exactly what JDT's selection will be. I'm guessing it will broadly on the lines of the eleven who beat Swansea City with, possibly, Dack for Gallagher.

Score on the door? I'm going for a shock, with us only getting a 1-1 draw.

As West Brom are offensively very good I doubt Gallagher will get dropped  JDT will want his athleticism for closing WBA down and covering the wing.

[Lee0r]

53 minutes ago, joey_big_nose said:

As West Brom are offensively very good I doubt Gallagher will get dropped  JDT will want his athleticism for closing WBA down and covering the wing.

Exactly my thoughts too. I will be surprised if Gally is dropped as we will need him working hard in defence. 

[Neal]

I get the optimism, amazing start so far but I'm feeling a lot more conservative about this one. A point would be a good result and I do think we'll concede our first of the season. West Brom will be desperate to get their first 3 points and will ask questions of us. I would take a point, hopefully I'm still under estimating our young team and they prove me wrong again. 

 

1-1 Diaz. 

Edited August 12, 2022 by Neal

[chaddyrovers]

Rovers 2 nil win

[tomphil]

Rovers  0     WBA    0

Think we might show the defensive side in this one and sit a bit deeper as these lot are very dangerous on the break.  An entertaining draw.

14,767

[Upside Down]

1 hour ago, Mattyblue said:

Of course if you win it works, that’s the whole point. TM’s tinkering rarely did, as  for me he didn’t have the tactical nous to pull it off - a prime example being wasting a year trying to play like Swansea are now (i.e without the players to do it) in the lockdown season

No surprises that when he stumbled across a settled personnel and formation last season is when he got results.

Then he started fucking about with things and pissed away any chance of promotion we had. 

The man was a bell end.

[M_B]

Tough game against my favourites for promotion. 

Go on, let's have a 2-0 win. 

[rebelmswar]

Think there might be fireworks with a bit of a "I'm going to score more than you" mentality.

Szmodics will want to prove his goal wasnt a debut fluke and Diaz will want to prove hes worth the interest. 

2-1 Rovers Diaz and Szmodics with a terrifying last 10 mins.

 

[Ruaney]

1 - 0 Rovers. Dack on a sub to fire in the winner.

[Danny O.Brien]

2-1 rovers. Gallagher to score.