Carabao Cup - next round, moving on - draw.

[tomphil]

Lower prices in league games HAVE worked there is no argument to be had on that.  

Cheaper tickets tonight WILL work there'll be 7k away fans and hopefully a similar number of home fans get off their backsides and get behind THEIR fucking team.  If it wasn't cheap you'd be looking at 7k total attendance instead of 12k, so again no argument to be had.

This is Blackburn and these are the gates we get for these fixtures those crying out there won't be 15 thousand home fans on need some kind of therapy.  Our active fanbase now due to a number of factors is twelve thousand and they won't all turn up for this.  Neither will thousands of part timers or lapsed fans it's a carawhatever cup game it isn't glamorous opposition in the slightest and it isn't the quarter finals or the semi finals.

I don't recall the gates being spectacular when we were a Prem team on the way to the final either until the business end of the competition.  I do recall our active fanbase being being double what it is now and the tickets being cheap.

[Miller11]

A cheap away game just in time for Christmas after a months break must sound good to Forest fans. Certainly a lot better than a home cup tie off the back of being embarrassed by our two biggest rivals, the Norwich performance came too late, and that snow last time out at Ewood was off putting!

[Guest]

Literally nobody is arsed about this cup, that's the long and short of it. The souls's been sucked out of it completely by the big prem teams who play their second XI every game and still win it. No go for me tonight.

[Mattyblue]

18 minutes ago, tomphil said:

Lower prices in league games HAVE worked there is no argument to be had on that.  

Cheaper tickets tonight WILL work there'll be 7k away fans and hopefully a similar number of home fans get off their backsides and get behind THEIR fucking team.  If it wasn't cheap you'd be looking at 7k total attendance instead of 12k, so again no argument to be had.

This is Blackburn and these are the gates we get for these fixtures those crying out there won't be 15 thousand home fans on need some kind of therapy.  Our active fanbase now due to a number of factors is twelve thousand and they won't all turn up for this.  Neither will thousands of part timers or lapsed fans it's a carawhatever cup game it isn't glamorous opposition in the slightest and it isn't the quarter finals or the semi finals.

I don't recall the gates being spectacular when we were a Prem team on the way to the final either until the business end of the competition.  I do recall our active fanbase being being double what it is now and the tickets being cheap.

Exactly that. Cheap tickets do and have worked time and again, but it is far more noticeable for a league game when you already have 8/9k ST holders in the tent and you are just adding to the gate with extra walk ons and a bigger away support.

Tonight, plenty of non season ticket won’t be there, I’d say well over half the ones I know aren’t going - the gaps in the Blackburn End illustrate that, and unlike other city clubs we just don’t have the extra floating fans to take up the slack. Just simple maths, really.

Unfortunately it is lost on the social media warriors.

[superniko]

Some strong 11s from the Prem teams last night and I expect the same from Forest tonight. I think the only reason for this is the WC break though,. The majority of these clubs players didn't go to the WC so they have affectively had over a month with no competitive match. This round will allow those clubs to get some match practice in ahead of the league restarting. 

Leicester, Newcastle, Southampton & Wolves were all full strength last night. 

Unfortunately due to that I think it'll be the end of our run, it's a shame how the last draw panned out as it's likely an all top-tier quarter final line up.

[tomphil]

If this was a home league game against Forest in the Champ at discounted 12 quid tickets there'd be at least a 5k walk up plus ST holders.

That puts into perspective of where we are at with this, i want to win and have another go but i want to do it with as little risk as possible to those players we rely on in the league.  Strongest team possible and 3 points v Sunderland and/or Boro way way outweighs this one for me.

Edited December 21, 2022 by tomphil

[TruRover]

51 minutes ago, Mellor Rover said:

Literally nobody is arsed about this cup, that's the long and short of it. The souls's been sucked out of it completely by the big prem teams who play their second XI every game and still win it. No go for me tonight.

Completely disagree. 
 

Ask any of the 2000/3000 fans who went down to West Ham on a cold Wednesday night. A night that will live long in the memory. 

[roverandout]

Is it on rovers player or is that just league games

[roversfan99]

37 minutes ago, TruRover said:

Completely disagree. 
 

Ask any of the 2000/3000 fans who went down to West Ham on a cold Wednesday night. A night that will live long in the memory. 

I find it such a shame how there is a widespread disregard towards cup competitions nowadays. 

How many times have we seen pre cup games in recent years that basically people don't care, lets concentrate on the league, only to go out and end up bumbling in mid table most of the time anyway. Why not try and have a bit of excitement.

Tonight we have a chance to get to a quarter final and it would be great if we could manage it. For many it would be an inconvenience. Yes there are lots of league games and there is always (as there is at any time) the chance of injury but is playing a strong side putting a massive further strain on the league campaign to the point that it will massively hinder it?

Also, and I am not suggesting that we would win the cup, but our League Cup win is such a fantastic memory that eclipses anything since 1995. Easy to forget that when we played Arsenal that year, they played a second string team. Does it reduce the satisfaction for anyone?

You can create great memories in the cup (far in excess of beating Huddersfield or Rotherham at home) even without winning the cup, take the win at West Ham that you mention or going further back the penalty shootout win v Chelsea.

[Sweaty Gussets]

Festive bantz, 

[roversfan99]

Very weak team. Forest have gone strong too.

[Sweaty Gussets]

[Sweaty Gussets]

6 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

Very weak team. Forest have gone strong too.

Is it not similar strength to the team that won at WHU?

[Hasta]

6 minutes ago, Sweaty Gussets said:

Is it not similar strength to the team that won at WHU?

That had Dack, Buckley and Dolan in IIRC.

[BankEnd Rover]

I have every confidence in the midfield & even Hirst…not so much the back line.

A Wharton & Garrett masterclass incoming.

[Hasta]

It’ll be a good test for the midfield here, especially Wharton and Garrett. Will give us an indication if they should be pushing the first team. No confidence in Hirst up front mind you.

Id be happy to still be in it after 60 minutes as there’s plenty of options on the bench.

[Hasta]

As for the attendance tonight, if the priority for the club is clearly the league (based on team selection), then you can’t complain if the priority for the fans is the league also.

 

[Sweaty Gussets]

9 minutes ago, Hasta said:

That had Dack, Buckley and Dolan in IIRC.

It did, but no S Wharton, Szmodics, Travis or Hedges at WHU. I'd say a very similar quality of line-up.

[Silas]

Surprised Forest have gone so strong with a relegation battle ongoing. 

But suppose they don't play again till next Tues night.

Shame, would have preferred two B teams battling it out.

Not going to enjoy a Lingard goal celebration dance.

[Atko's Engine]

I'm quite happy with that lineup. There's 4 first team regulars with decent experience, (Travis, Hedges, Szmodics & Scott W) plus 5 young talents looking to impress, plus Hirst & Pears.

I think that's about right given the context.

As for Forest,a strong team in terms of the players but nothing to be scared of & they'll likely be a bit rusty.. I'd expect them to win but we'll give a good account of ourselves I reckon

[Sweaty Gussets]

KO delayed until 8

[Miller11]

6 minutes ago, Sweaty Gussets said:

KO delayed until 8

Good job we hardly sold any tickets. Might not have been kicking off until Christmas Eve.

[WacoRover]

I understand why Tomasson starts a young lineup, but I cannot see Rovers advancing today.

[BigBar]

Whilst not atrocious, the pitch looks a bit worse for wear which is disapp given the break, harsh weather or not you would expect it to be a little better.

[A Northern Horde...]

Team have been training on it during the cold snap