v Middlesbrough (h) - 29/12/22

[roversfan99]

Why share your own opinions if you can just repeatedly echo those repeated soundbites from inside the club?!

New structure, ahead of where we thought, time and patience, changing style, transition season, long term plan, get promoted and stay there. Only missing the word project.

[rigger]

  On 29/12/2022 at 18:00, chaddyrovers said:

Markanday isn't a striker. He role is playing from the right, cutting in onto his left foot. He does have skills and some pace. 

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That is were our use of Markanday has to be called into question. He does not have the qualities needed to play the position, the Rovers have asked him to play. I will say again - The only thing I have seen from Markanday is a good shot when he has drifted into a central position. I have never seen him show any ability to beat a defender, what are the skills that you mention ?

[Dan]

  On 29/12/2022 at 18:05, chaddyrovers said:

Looking forward to tonight game and watching Rovers live again. Rovers to win 2-1 with Gallagher and BBD scoring. 

Yet, we are 3rd in the league with a new footballing management structure in place where the head coach and DoF have been 6 months, recruitment staff about 2 to 3 months so I would say we are well ahead where I thought we would be. JDT need time and patience to build his own team playing in the style he wants us to. I see this season has transition season in the long term plan of getting promote and staying there. 

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The performances have been average to poor, even when we’ve won, I’m not sure he can get us promote. I’d love to see us get promote. I just think if he wasn’t so stubborn and mixed it up a bit we could definitely get in the play offs and maybe get promote as we have the foundations of a good team. 
 

It’s been a Jekyll and Hyde season, so it’s not always easy to completely write us off. 1-0 Rovers Lenihan OG.  

[bluebruce]

  On 29/12/2022 at 18:05, chaddyrovers said:

 

Yet, we are 3rd in the league with a new footballing management structure in place where the head coach and DoF have been 6 months, recruitment staff about 2 to 3 months so I would say we are well ahead where I thought we would be.

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In terms of where we are in the league, we are well ahead of where I thought we would be. In terms of creating a team identity and style that looks likely to bring long term success, we are way behind where I thought we would be. A death spiral feels imminent, if not already in progress.

[Gav]

Venkys out!

[Andy]

Why so much hate for the ‘project’ thing?

Jack himself admitted that is winning the league was a project - one we achieved a year ahead of his plans.

Seems sensible to me to have a plan/strategy for year-on-year improvement.

As nice as it’d be to have everything right now (or results and performances), but that’s not how life works.

Anyway, fingers crossed for 3 points tonight, with some winnable games ahead of us. A real chance to build on the points tally garnered so far.

[Crozzy]

  On 29/12/2022 at 18:12, rigger said:

That is were our use of Markanday has to be called into question. He does not have the qualities needed to play the position, the Rovers have asked him to play. I will say again - The only thing I have seen from Markanday is a good shot when he has drifted into a central position. I have never seen him show any ability to beat a defender, what are the skills that you mention ?

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In fairness I’ve been to a few cup games and seen him take defenders on. He’s pretty lively and I wouldn’t mind seeing him get a bit of game time 

[K-Hod]

  On 29/12/2022 at 18:23, Andy said:

Why so much hate for the ‘project’ thing?

Jack himself admitted that is winning the league was a project - one we achieved a year ahead of his plans.

Seems sensible to me to have a plan/strategy for year-on-year improvement.

As nice as it’d be to have everything right now (or results and performances), but that’s not how life works.

Anyway, fingers crossed for 3 points tonight, with some winnable games ahead of us. A real chance to build on the points tally garnered so far.

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I’ll tell you why.

JDT said himself ‘we aren’t in the promotion picture this season’ the other day. Almost like us being third is an inconvenience. Is the project more important than our league position?

Is adding value to players more important than winning matches? I support Blackburn Rovers football club, not our balance sheet…

If promotion isn’t the aim, when we are sitting in third, I start to question what the point of us being a professional football club is, I’ll be honest.

[Exiled_Rover]

  On 29/12/2022 at 18:23, Andy said:

Why so much hate for the ‘project’ thing?

Jack himself admitted that is winning the league was a project - one we achieved a year ahead of his plans.

Seems sensible to me to have a plan/strategy for year-on-year improvement.

As nice as it’d be to have everything right now (or results and performances), but that’s not how life works.

Anyway, fingers crossed for 3 points tonight, with some winnable games ahead of us. A real chance to build on the points tally garnered so far.

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It's because people were burned by Mowbray's talk of a 'journey' so they're reacting in the extreme to anything that sounds similar.

[roversfan99]

I may be wrong as I was too young to experience the Premier League win. But if the title win (and the challenge the year before) was ahead of schedule, was that regularly communicated as such by the club?

[Exiled_Rover]

  On 29/12/2022 at 18:26, K-Hod said:

I’ll tell you why.

JDT said himself ‘we aren’t in the promotion picture this season’ the other day. Almost like us being third is an inconvenience. Is the project more important than our league position?

Is adding value to players more important than winning matches? I support Blackburn Rovers football club, not our balance sheet…

If promotion isn’t the aim, when we are sitting in third, I start to question what the point of us being a professional football club is, I’ll be honest.

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Probably because he's realistic and has looked around the squad and thought "this isn't a promotion winning side" and sadly we don't have £30m to throw about like our neighbours to make it one.

People are calling for Adam Wharton to save us - an 18 year old who can't last 70 minutes at the moment. I've no doubt he'll be brilliant in time, but like Phillips he's being managed carefully.

[roversfan99]

We dont have £30m to throw about although we did have over £12m to throw down the drain.

[Silas]

  On 29/12/2022 at 18:23, Andy said:

Why so much hate for the ‘project’ thing?

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Personally, no problem with the concept, but hate when it's trotted out as an excuse. 

Tonight, we could go 5 losses from 6 matches. 

A lot of those losses very heavy. 

IF that situation got hand waved away as a 'journey' I'd be absolutely fuming. Because a catastrophe like that needs addressing no matter what stage you're at in a 'project'.

Hopefully l won't have to judge JDT on that scenario. But tonight does feel a bit of a watershed moment, whether that be performance on the pitch, or manager response afterwards.

Just my own stance.

[BankEnd Rover]

  On 29/12/2022 at 18:34, Exiled_Rover said:

Probably because he's realistic and has looked around the squad and thought "this isn't a promotion winning side" and sadly we don't have £30m to throw about like our neighbours to make it one.

People are calling for Adam Wharton to save us - an 18 year old who can't last 70 minutes at the moment. I've no doubt he'll be brilliant in time, but like Phillips he's being managed carefully.

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Exactly!! Im sure he would love to get us as high as possible this season but he’s being real and knows there’s so much more to be done if we want to be a prem team. 
People need to chill out.
 

[BigBar]

  On 29/12/2022 at 14:40, Sweaty Gussets said:

His team is 3rd at Christmas. 

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You keep flip flopping trying to play both sides. Criticising the tactics and style of play then crediting the manager on the other hand. Make your mind up. Do you just want to be on the right side of the argument when it suits?

[garnersfags]

  On 29/12/2022 at 18:26, K-Hod said:

If promotion isn’t the aim, when we are sitting in third, I start to question what the point of us being a professional football club is, I’ll be honest.

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We now know, or most of us do, that winning individual games is not a priority for JDT. I hope we now all agree that this is the case. 

I now go to the games hoping for the odd detour from the project, where we have the odd lighting break, or hopeful punt for the strikers to run onto. I feel the squad is frustrated enough after the last few games, for individuals to risk electric shock punishment, and just decide to create and score a coupla goals, and therefore actually win a game. We live in hope! 

COYB !!!!!

[BankEnd Rover]

Only thing I’m currently worried about is the XG. Was it @Sweaty Gussetswho posted soemthing at the start of this thread. Truely mental how we sit so low in that particular but sit 3rd In the league.

[CambridgeRover]

No changes in the line up. Adam wharton returns to the bench

[Dreams of 1995]

  On 29/12/2022 at 18:37, roversfan99 said:

We dont have £30m to throw about although we did have over £12m to throw down the drain.

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Where’s the £12m come from? 

[rigger]

  On 29/12/2022 at 18:26, Crozzy said:

In fairness I’ve been to a few cup games and seen him take defenders on. He’s pretty lively and I wouldn’t mind seeing him get a bit of game time 

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He hasn't shown what you have seen, for the U21s.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

  On 29/12/2022 at 18:37, roversfan99 said:

We dont have £30m to throw about although we did have over £12m to throw down the drain.

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Around 210 million down the drain more like.

[BigBar]

Happy to see Watmore on the bench, he's a handful and a pest, if we are going to insist on messing about at the back it's for the best he isn't on the pitch.

Also if there is no place for Alex Mowatt in their side I'd happily take him at Rovers. The type of midfielder we actually need.

[WacoRover]

I admit our recent form has me somewhat anxious. I am hopeful of a good result, but I would gladly accept a great one. 😄

2-1. COYB! 

[BigBar]

Grim reading. 

[JohnD]

Too weak in midfield again, we'll be overrun and will lose 

Two of our four up front will contribute naff all.