v Birmingham City (h) 22/10/2022

[Upside Down]

Well we managed to break the cycle in a positive way and get one over a former manager. 

Birmingham up next after a good result against the dingles.

Optimistic prediction for this week is a 3-0 win for the majestic Rovers. 

 

[JacknOry]

Wont be as easy as it might look on paper. This is the type of side we struggle against. 

[Guest]

I'd really like to see Rovers and JDT kick on with this game, and to return to the fearless football and confident cohesion that characterised our start to the season (i.e. three straight wins propelling us to the summit).

Unfortunately, common sense and deja vu kind of rules out the notion that we have the guts and guile to do that consistently, despite there being all the signs that this division is wide open for any side to beat any other.

It's almost like the chaos and panic in government has spread to football management in the Championship, setting in place a complete lack of vision about how to cope with the next soon to be emerging crisis (in this case manifested by whoever is the next opponent). We have seen Rovers struggle against the likes of Luton, Reading and Cardiff - not sides you would normally quake in your boots about. And yet, we have got results against the odds against sides with greater resources and (I spit as I write this) better pedigrees in the division.

So, I'd love another 'performance' from JDT's Blue & White Army - but I wonder if we might be undone by our own virtuosity once again (especially if we go a goal down...and it could happen).

Rovers 1 Big Club 1 on balance

Rovers 3 Big Club 0 on paper

Rovers 1 Big Club 2 on reflection on the season to date.

COYB!

Edited October 20, 2022 by Shirley Crabtree Wrestler
I'm a football fan. Don't expect me to be rational

[oldjamfan1]

I think JDT will rotate a couple of players but stick with the 352. Pickering to come back in and Brittain to move back to the right, and maybe A Wharton for Sammie. Dunno about Ayala’s injury status but it’s quite chilly at the minute so I’m guessing he’s out. Same middle three at the back then for me.

                     Kaminsky

       Carter    Hyam  S Wharton

Brittain Wharton Garrett Morton Harry 

                  Gallagher Diaz

[Paul Mani]

If Ayala is still out and everyone else is fit, I’d go…
 

                    Kaminski

        Carter.   Hyam.   Wharton

Brittain.                                   Hedges

      Travis     Morton     A.Wharton

                Gally        BBD

Subs - Pears, Phillips, Pickering, Garrett, Szmodics, Dolan, Hirst

Before anyone says…I’d have Dack in, but JDT won’t so there’s no point considering him.

 

Edited October 20, 2022 by Paul Mani

[superniko]

10 minutes ago, Paul Mani said:

If Ayala is still out and everyone else is fit, I’d go…
 

                    Kaminski

        Carter.   Hyam.   Wharton

Brittain.                                   Hedges

      Travis     Morton     A.Wharton

                Gally        BBD

Subs - Pears, Phillips, Pickering, Garrett, Szmodics, Dolan, Hirst

Before anyone says…I’d have Dack in, but JDT won’t so there’s no point considering him.

 

I agree I think that’s the team he’ll go with, and also agree with the rest of the post. Perhaps small chance he rests Morton - seems to be the only player in the middle who he hasn’t yet and he likes to rotate 

[oldjamfan1]

42 minutes ago, Paul Mani said:

If Ayala is still out and everyone else is fit, I’d go…
 

                    Kaminski

        Carter.   Hyam.   Wharton

Brittain.                                   Hedges

      Travis     Morton     A.Wharton

                Gally        BBD

Subs - Pears, Phillips, Pickering, Garrett, Szmodics, Dolan, Hirst

Before anyone says…I’d have Dack in, but JDT won’t so there’s no point considering him.

 

Is Travis not still suspended?

[Neal]

Not been on here for a while so I'm not sure what the feeling is over Dack but for me, based on what I saw against Bristol City... He's miles off the first 11, it was genuinely like playing with 10 men. As unfortunate as it is for him and us that he's had those injuries let's not be too sentimental, if you're good enough and fit enough... You play. The manager without any sentiment (unlike Mowbray) obviously doesn't feel that he is. 

 

Tricky game this one but they were one of the worst sides I'd seen at Ewood last season. I'd like to see us control this one a little better than Boro and Sunderland but 3 points is my only concern. 

 

Rovers 2-1. 

 

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

1 hour ago, oldjamfan1 said:

Is Travis not still suspended?

I thought that. Wasn’t it two games ?

[Admiral Nelsen]

Just the one game for 5 yellows wasn't it? I assumed he would be back for this one anyway.

Hopefully with an extra days rest and with a full week coming up, there's no need for much rotation. Equally, there are first teamers who will be coming back into contention, so you'd expect a couple of changes on that basis. I'd have the same team as @Paul Mani only with Pickering coming in, although I'm sure if that leaves Hedges on the bench or playing elsewhere. 

 

They've been much better than I expected this year, but I still think we'll beat them at home.

 

2-0 Rovers.

 

[1864roverite]

Travis got a one game ban for 5 bookings.

Another tough game which we need to score early to bring Big club brum out of their shell as they are a frustrating team.

Boro mkII for me, Rovers to nick it

[Northcote blues]

42 minutes ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

I thought that. Wasn’t it two games ?

10 yellows is a 2 game ban.

Trav got 5 yellows so 1 game.

[joey_big_nose]

3 hours ago, Paul Mani said:

If Ayala is still out and everyone else is fit, I’d go…
 

                    Kaminski

        Carter.   Hyam.   Wharton

Brittain.                                   Hedges

      Travis     Morton     A.Wharton

                Gally        BBD

Subs - Pears, Phillips, Pickering, Garrett, Szmodics, Dolan, Hirst

Before anyone says…I’d have Dack in, but JDT won’t so there’s no point considering him.

 

Having Adam Wharton in will give us a bit more passing from midfield as he drifts into the number 10 role.

I am a bit fearful however that we will maybe play Smodics and Travis which wil lead to us finding it hard to get the right passes into the front two. Also think he may stick with the inverted wing backs.

[Admiral Nelsen]

3 minutes ago, joey_big_nose said:

Having Adam Wharton in will give us a bit more passing from midfield as he drifts into the number 10 role.

I am a bit fearful however that we will maybe play Smodics and Travis which wil lead to us finding it hard to get the right passes into the front two. Also think he may stick with the inverted wing backs.

The way he was limping off against Sunderland, I'd be amazed if we saw Szmodics at the weekend.

[Miller11]

3 hours ago, Paul Mani said:

If Ayala is still out and everyone else is fit, I’d go…
 

                    Kaminski

        Carter.   Hyam.   Wharton

Brittain.                                   Hedges

      Travis     Morton     A.Wharton

                Gally        BBD

Subs - Pears, Phillips, Pickering, Garrett, Szmodics, Dolan, Hirst

Before anyone says…I’d have Dack in, but JDT won’t so there’s no point considering him.

 

I’d go with that but Garrett in for Travis, although I know It won’t happen.

Hedges could prove to be an absolute monster of a wingback. I’ve been impressed with his work rate all season, and there seems to be enough defensive ability for the way we are setting up. Really keen to see him play on his natural foot.

[rigger]

4 hours ago, Paul Mani said:

If Ayala is still out and everyone else is fit, I’d go…
 

                    Kaminski

        Carter.   Hyam.   Wharton

Brittain.                                   Hedges

      Travis     Morton     A.Wharton

                Gally        BBD

Subs - Pears, Phillips, Pickering, Garrett, Szmodics, Dolan, Hirst

Before anyone says…I’d have Dack in, but JDT won’t so there’s no point considering him.

 

I'd have Vale over Hirst on the bench, I agree with the rest

[MarkBRFC]

These are an underrated team this season, and we always take a step back after a couple forward.

Rovers 0 Brum 2

[Ossydave]

The extra days rest for our players may work in our favour here.  I know they're professional athletes but that was a tough shift for them last night and there'll be some aches and pains today and tomorrow leading into the game!  As an aside I also think out fitness levels have stepped up a notch, half the team used to be blowing out their backsides last 10-20 minutes.  On Tuesday you had Diaz still powering forward late on though.  Although JDT seems ultra cautious with signs of fatigue (hence Pickering missed out Tuesday).  A wise approach and HOPEFULLY should result in less injuries as the season progresses.

Over the last 8 games we're neck and neck form wise, a stroll in the park this shall not be......But then we ARE top of the home table in the league.

Assuming we can score firs I'm going for another steely 2-0 home win.

 

[booth]

I think we'll lose this one due to BBD's efforts against Sunderland. When he plays well we play well so I'm not expecting much.

He has to play Brittain again, we miss him when he's out. Hedges too.

[Mattyblue]

Post the Christmas and new year period there is only around one night game a month (and none in January, re-arranged games notwithstanding).

So if we can get through this mad pre-World Cup cramming in of matches in a decent position, then who knows…

[WacoRover]

Since I’m a relative newcomer to English football, and a lover of history, I like to get a sense of our play over the years against other clubs:

Rovers, 50 wins vs Small Heath/Birm.; 34 draws; 48 losses, making this one of the 10 most played series by Rovers.

We’ve won our last four against them. it’s this stat I’m most interested about. We’ve had a nice run against them, which we know, must come to an end eventually. But not this time. 

Good guys, 3-1. 

[R0verb0y]

I agree with those who say that Birmingham are likely to be a difficult opponent on Saturday.

They came from behind in their midweek game to draw with our neighbours to the east - I think that's the fifth or sixth time this season they (the neighbours, that is) have dropped points in the last 10 minutes of a game - just saying!! It just feels like whichever team JDT puts out, and I'm not going to try to second-guess his choice for this weekend, we'll do we'll to bring more than a point back.

[R0verb0y]

"... we'll do well...", obvs.

Bloody predictive texting!!

[roversfan99]

Be a difficult team selection, unsure if Ayala is going to be fit but he would come in for Carter if he is. Szmodics pulled up just before going off plus he struggled on the ball the other night. Pickering coming back in may allow for more balance.

Kaminski

Hyam Ayala Wharton

Brittain Morton Wharton Pickering

Hedges Gallagher Brereton

Subs: Pears, Carter, Travis, Garrett, Szmodics, Dack, Markanday

With Carter in for Ayala if necessary.

[joey_big_nose]

2 hours ago, Miller11 said:

I’d go with that but Garrett in for Travis, although I know It won’t happen.

Hedges could prove to be an absolute monster of a wingback. I’ve been impressed with his work rate all season, and there seems to be enough defensive ability for the way we are setting up. Really keen to see him play on his natural foot.

Yeah, he's a bit physical unit too. Very powerful. I can see him making a good wing back if he sorts his positioning out a bit.  And we play him on the left side...