v Sunderland (h) 18/10/2022

[roversfan99]

1 hour ago, joey_big_nose said:

We have to stick with a system for a while and settle into it. The first half 352 looked the best we have put together for a some time. Have to stick with it. We can always change later in the game if needed.

Also I don't really subscribe with 352 being more defensive than 4231 or 343. It can be very offensive as you can get a lot of players into dangerous areas. The wing backs and the number 10 will provide a lot of support to the front two. We created very few chances with either the 343 or 4231 despite having a lot of players pushed very far forward, because while they were positionally advanced they ended up seeing very little of the ball so had no impact. The 352 let us win the midfield battle which then meant we could create the opportunities.

Two strikers who have something to work with is much better than three strikers running around chasing the opposition all game.

I agree with the idea of consistency in formation and think that constantly changing formation leads to inconsistency but for me a 352 doesnt really suit our squad long term as much as it worked in the first half at the weekend.

Firstly the current set up and the players we have dont assemble much of an attacking threat, our wing backs are quite conservative and none of our central midfielders are goalscorers. It also is imbalanced in relation to our squad as we are then totally reliant on 2 forwards with Hirst and Vale not up to covering adequately and a host of attacking midfielders/wingers not really fitting in, sidelining Dack, Szmodics, Dolan, Hedges and Markanday.

My suggestion for tomorrow was just a slight tweak, replacing Travis with Dack. Him behind the 2 forwards (not as a false 9) would be a threat and would give us more creativity against a Sunderland side lacking strikers.

1 minute ago, chaddyrovers said:

Garrett protects the back with Wharton and Morton get forward and support the front 2. Plus Brittain and Pickering get forward aswell. 

Wharton and Morton have 0 career goals between them and neither are particularly attacking. Brittain hasnt scored more than 2 in any season and hasnt scored for a few years and Pickering is hardly known for his goalscoring.

[chaddyrovers]

1 hour ago, roversfan99 said:

Wharton and Morton have 0 career goals between them and neither are particularly attacking. Brittain hasnt scored more than 2 in any season and hasnt scored for a few years and Pickering is hardly known for his goalscoring.

And? That matters why considering how 2 players are at start of their career and 2 other are attacking full backs. 

We need control the centre midfield battle by having 3 vs 2 in there or 3 vs 3. 

1 hour ago, roversfan99 said:

Firstly the current set up and the players we have dont assemble much of an attacking threat,

Yet on Saturday we could have been at least 4 nil. That would suggest we have plenty of attacking threat wouldn't it? 

 

[R0verb0y]

On 16/10/2022 at 22:07, Andy said:

This.

I can't make Tuesday due to work commitments, but he'd get a brief applause pre-game from me, in recognition of the good things he did for us (and there were some big ones).

However, hopefully he'll be serenaded with a 'Tony, what's the score' by the end of the 90 minutes.

We're a point off top and playing a newly promoted side; it's a game we must win.

Yes, I'll be similar tonight. Mowbray deserves a bit more respect than Coyle would if he ever brought a Championship side to Ewood again; but I wince at the memory of some of the comments I made on here about him in the early days of his time in the Manager's chair.

And I think it's an ideal time for the "WLWL" sequence to end. Which I think it will. I don't know a lot about the theory behind statistics; but a sequence like that surely has to end sooner or later and no better time than tonight. I'd like to see us get an early goal and use that as a stepping stone towards the victory I hoped we'd get last Saturday. It'd be nice to have a chant (gloat?) of "Tony, Tony, what's the score?", ringing round Ewood for the last 20 minutes of tonight's game.

[Dan]

7 minutes ago, R0verb0y said:

Yes, I'll be similar tonight. Mowbray deserves a bit more respect than Coyle would if he ever brought a Championship side to Ewood again; but I wince at the memory of some of the comments I made on here about him in the early days of his time in the Manager's chair.

And I think it's an ideal time for the "WLWL" sequence to end. Which I think it will. I don't know a lot about the theory behind statistics; but a sequence like that surely has to end sooner or later and no better time than tonight. I'd like to see us get an early goal and use that as a stepping stone towards the victory I hoped we'd get last Saturday. It'd be nice to have a chant (gloat?) of "Tony, Tony, what's the score?", ringing round Ewood for the last 20 minutes of tonight's game.

He’ll probably be snoozing by the last 20 minutes, it’s a long journey for him to get to Ewood. 
 

He doesn’t deserve any applause, he long outstayed his welcome and lied when he said he’d leave before he became a burden; which was after the first of several death spirals. I still can’t believe many still think he was a nice bloke, he wasn’t. I hope we batter them, of course it won’t be his fault if we do, it never is. 

Edited October 18, 2022 by Dan

[AllRoverAsia]

The last time we played Sunderland we won 2-0 at Ewood in the Premier League.

It seems an eternity ago. Hang about .... It was .......

Doesn't time drag on when you're being screwed.

Anyway that enough entitlement for one day and it's not 1995 as if I didn't feckin know that, up yours Gurning Associates, and I hope we beat the NE trash tonight.

Edited October 18, 2022 by AllRoverAsia

[magicalmortensleftpeg]

5 hours ago, Dan said:

He’ll probably be snoozing by the last 20 minutes, it’s a long journey for him to get to Ewood. 
 

He doesn’t deserve any applause, he long outstayed his welcome and lied when he said he’d leave before he became a burden; which was after the first of several death spirals. I still can’t believe many still think he was a nice bloke, he wasn’t. I hope we batter them, of course it won’t be his fault if we do, it never is. 

So a remark he gave at a press conference overrides several years of stability and promotion from L1 at the first attempt? He outstayed his welcome but that’s as much on the owners for not having the guts to press the trigger.

He was far from faultless but did a decent enough job (compare him to the clowns who came before..) and deserves a decent reception. 

[BRFCS.com]

Quick Q&A about the match with a Sunderland fan on site here:

https://www.brfcs.com/magazine/articles/the-view-from-sunderland/305

Edited October 18, 2022 by BRFCS.com

[joey_big_nose]

9 hours ago, roversfan99 said:

I agree with the idea of consistency in formation and think that constantly changing formation leads to inconsistency but for me a 352 doesnt really suit our squad long term as much as it worked in the first half at the weekend.

Firstly the current set up and the players we have dont assemble much of an attacking threat, our wing backs are quite conservative and none of our central midfielders are goalscorers. It also is imbalanced in relation to our squad as we are then totally reliant on 2 forwards with Hirst and Vale not up to covering adequately and a host of attacking midfielders/wingers not really fitting in, sidelining Dack, Szmodics, Dolan, Hedges and Markanday.

My suggestion for tomorrow was just a slight tweak, replacing Travis with Dack. Him behind the 2 forwards (not as a false 9) would be a threat and would give us more creativity against a Sunderland side lacking strikers.

Wharton and Morton have 0 career goals between them and neither are particularly attacking. Brittain hasnt scored more than 2 in any season and hasnt scored for a few years and Pickering is hardly known for his goalscoring.

Don't really agree with the bit of bold. 352 trades having two wide forwards and either a striker or false 9 for a number 10 and a front two. Means we can play Gallagher and Brereton through the middle with Wharton or Dack in at 10. That just feels much more effective than having Gallagher or Szmodics running the wing and having no one to link up.

I agree Pickering doesn't have the engine on the left but Brittain is great getting up and down. Just seems much more comfortable for our players.

[Danny O.Brien]

Hope we start the same as we did on Saturday and blow them away. Put an end to this win/loss run we're on just in time for the dingles. 

[Oldgregg86]

8 hours ago, R0verb0y said:

Yes, I'll be similar tonight. Mowbray deserves a bit more respect than Coyle would if he ever brought a Championship side to Ewood again; but I wince at the memory of some of the comments I made on here about him in the early days of his time in the Manager's chair.

And I think it's an ideal time for the "WLWL" sequence to end. Which I think it will. I don't know a lot about the theory behind statistics; but a sequence like that surely has to end sooner or later and no better time than tonight. I'd like to see us get an early goal and use that as a stepping stone towards the victory I hoped we'd get last Saturday. It'd be nice to have a chant (gloat?) of "Tony, Tony, what's the score?", ringing round Ewood for the last 20 minutes of tonight's game.

Tony’s crashed the tanker 

Tony’s crashed the tanker 

Na na na na na

na na na na na

[RoversTilliDie]

Lets not take Sunderland to lightly tonight, they've beaten Reading and Wigan, something Rovers failed to do and drawn with Watford away. Hopefully a Rovers win, but we need to give it 120% tonight.

[arbitro]

Hopefully a clean sheet is forthcoming tonight as I believe we can score against the Mackems. I really hope Sky don't make this match too much about Mowbray coming back and blathering on about him.

I would pick Garrett as the replacement for Travis and bring Carter in for Phillips as the only changes from Saturday keeping the same shape.

[Sparks Rover]

9 minutes ago, arbitro said:

Hopefully a clean sheet is forthcoming tonight as I believe we can score against the Mackems. I really hope Sky don't make this match too much about Mowbray coming back and blathering on about him.

I would pick Garrett as the replacement for Travis and bring Carter in for Phillips as the only changes from Saturday keeping the same shape.

Prutton just on SSN moaning that we let Mogadon leave without so much of a handshake.....🙈  and he will have revenge on his mind....

We should have binned the gurning gimp years ago...should be grateful he lasted as long as he did.

[Crozzy]

13 minutes ago, arbitro said:

Hopefully a clean sheet is forthcoming tonight as I believe we can score against the Mackems. I really hope Sky don't make this match too much about Mowbray coming back and blathering on about him.

I would pick Garrett as the replacement for Travis and bring Carter in for Phillips as the only changes from Saturday keeping the same shape.

You know they will. They only ever talk about the other team when we play 😂 Always a narrative they cover then give us a little mention 

[AllRoverAsia]

27 minutes ago, arbitro said:

Hopefully a clean sheet is forthcoming tonight as I believe we can score against the Mackems. I really hope Sky don't make this match too much about Mowbray coming back and blathering on about him.

I would pick Garrett as the replacement for Travis and bring Carter in for Phillips as the only changes from Saturday keeping the same shape.

We all know that Moawnbray will be the main feature pre-match with numerous mention during and after.

It's what Sky do.

We need a win to shut the lot of them up including The Mouth 

[Displaced Rover]

I can't stand the thought of that dour tosser giving an interview post match if they've won. Should be enough motivation for the players alone.

[rigger]

10 hours ago, chaddyrovers said:

And? That matters why considering how 2 players are at start of their career and 2 other are attacking full backs. 

We need control the centre midfield battle by having 3 vs 2 in there or 3 vs 3. 

Yet on Saturday we could have been at least 4 nil. That would suggest we have plenty of attacking threat wouldn't it? 

 

Total agreement from me.

[TruRover]

Really need to break the streak tonight, honestly I couldn’t bare to lose to TM esp at home…

In general I feel it’s been a great start to the season. Sure we’ve been very inconsistent, sure a number of the away performances have been shocking (I’ve been to 3). However, the home form as been excellent, young players are breaking through, the players are clearly onboard with it (Dack aside) and there have been periods where it’s clear to see the identity of how we want to play, and how it can be effective. We’ve lacked that for years. Tomasson needs to learn, no doubt about it, but in general I feel he has been a breath of fresh air since he came in. 

I would go with:

kaminski 

carter Hyam Wharton 

Brittain Morton Garrett Wharton Pickering

Gally Diaz 

3-5-2/5-3-2

Garrett imo is the like for like replacement for Travis. 

[roversfan99]

11 hours ago, chaddyrovers said:

And? That matters why considering how 2 players are at start of their career and 2 other are attacking full backs. 

We need control the centre midfield battle by having 3 vs 2 in there or 3 vs 3. 

Yet on Saturday we could have been at least 4 nil. That would suggest we have plenty of attacking threat wouldn't it? 

 

But we scored only two, and one of those chances fell to Brittain who isn't someone who scores goals and indeed failed to put away a very presentable opportunity. The squad is not balanced well to play 532 and it would put into further question the money spent on Szmodics if we played a formation that didn't include a position for him.

3 hours ago, joey_big_nose said:

Don't really agree with the bit of bold. 352 trades having two wide forwards and either a striker or false 9 for a number 10 and a front two. Means we can play Gallagher and Brereton through the middle with Wharton or Dack in at 10. That just feels much more effective than having Gallagher or Szmodics running the wing and having no one to link up.

I agree Pickering doesn't have the engine on the left but Brittain is great getting up and down. Just seems much more comfortable for our players.

I think if you put Dack in as a 10 then it changes everything and that was my suggestion for tonight, A number 10 behind 2 strikers also opens up the possibility of a few other of our attacking players that also IMO don't suit a 532 to be involved.

My point was more that if you went with Travis/Garrett as well as Wharton and Morton in front of a back 5, that to me is too defensive and is very reliant on mainly Brereton but the front 2 to score with no other goal threats in the team.

[neophox]

With their strikeforce out injured and Ballard still injured I do hope we can get another win tonight.

[benhben]

I worry with a young and fairly lightweight midfield of Morton, Garrett and Wharton, but there aren't really any other options. Edun isnt good enough and weve never seen Mola. 

Cant see any other sensible selection other than the same team as Middlesborough, with Garrett for Travis. 

 

EDIT. Id completely forgotten Buckley was an option..which says a lot. 

Edited October 18, 2022 by benhben

[neophox]

I think I would start Hedges for Travis.

[Dan]

2 hours ago, neophox said:

I think I would start Hedges for Travis.

It’s a good shout as I’ve been impressed with Hedges this season, but it leaves us without anyone who can tackle in midfield. I wonder if Mola will come in to give us a bit of bite in the midfield. 

[Oldgregg86]

The little I’ve seen of Sunderland , their striker stewart looked a decent player. It’s a big miss for them as he isn’t fit to play.

I just hope whoever deputises for trav can step up to the plate and a few lads in the dressing room have an axe to grind from the previous regime  
 

we really should be beating these at home and we will 💪

COYB

[Irish_Rover]

25 minutes ago, Oldgregg86 said:

The little I’ve seen of Sunderland , their striker stewart looked a decent player. It’s a big miss for them as he isn’t fit to play.

I just hope whoever deputises for trav can step up to the plate and a few lads in the dressing room have an axe to grind from the previous regime  
 

we really should be beating these at home and we will 💪

COYB

Main striker out? Who is ol' Tone going  to play as right wing back now!

Obviously not the right back as he is planning to deploy him as the false nine in another move straight out of the Pep playbook! 😀