v Blackpool (h) - 21/2/23

[Hasta]

9 minutes ago, superniko said:

Was it JRC who pinged the cross field pass to Thomas with the outside of his boot in the build up to the goal? Maybe he fancies that CM role!

When he hit the pass the Blackpool fans jeered like it was a crap ball, too high/hard and was going out of play. It then holds up a bit and Thomas brought it down on the touchline perfectly. Watch the Sky Sports highlights and you can hear the Blackpool jeers as he plays the ball out wide.

[magicalmortensleftpeg]

JRC Diaz.
A Chilean-esque transformation. Remarkable to see how well he’s playing now compared to earlier in the season. Him and Brittain offer so much more going forward than previous full backs, including Pickering. 

[superniko]

1 minute ago, Hasta said:

When he hit the pass the Blackpool fans jeered like it was a crap ball, too high/hard and was going out of play. It then holds up a bit and Thomas brought it down on the touchline perfectly. Watch the Sky Sports highlights and you can hear the Blackpool jeers as he plays the ball out wide.

Yeah! When I watched it back I couldn't actually see Thomas as he was glued to the touchline (so good to have that sort of output now with a proper winger), so maybe they thought he just launched it out of play.

[wilsdenrover]

7 minutes ago, R0verb0y said:

Any chance of anybody less technologically-challenged than me - not difficult! - copying the photo taken in the Ewood clubhouse to the Nostalgia thread, please? I've a comment on it that I'd like to offer that's inappropriate to this thread.

Done

[arbitro]

2 minutes ago, Hasta said:

When he hit the pass the Blackpool fans jeered like it was a crap ball, too high/hard and was going out of play. It then holds up a bit and Thomas brought it down on the touchline perfectly. Watch the Sky Sports highlights and you can hear the Blackpool jeers as he plays the ball out wide.

I heard the Blackpool fans jeering too but in all honesty I thought it was a wayward pass simply because I didn't see Thomas. It was like he was camouflaged 😂. Even then he read the awkward bounce perfectly, attacked the space and got in a pass to create a goal which is one of the reasons we signed him.

[Guest]

Another decent performance for my money. LOVED it when the guy behind me started booing and shouting '10 seconds from danger here boys' when Brittain received it in the build up to the goal.

We're doing ok. A lacklusture window (again) will probably be our undoing, but from the next 13 games, 7 wins could well be enough for a playoff place. Let's hope we don't run out of steam with the injuries mounting up.

[Exiled_Rover]

2 minutes ago, Mellor Rover said:

Another decent performance for my money. LOVED it when the guy behind me started booing and shouting '10 seconds from danger here boys' when Brittain received it in the build up to the goal.

We're doing ok. A lacklusture window (again) will probably be our undoing, but from the next 13 games, 7 wins could well be enough for a playoff place. Let's hope we don't run out of steam with the injuries mounting up.

The moaning and groaning when we're playing the ball around the back, looking for that incisive ball to a CM (where Buckley et al turns on it and runs into acres of space when they beat the press) grinds my gears.

"I don't like this! Get rid!" etc is what you hear around me. I think they'd much rather we just hoof the ball up to Thomas and Gallagher and try to feed on the second balls.

[Mattyblue]

For me we will be there and there abouts, purely because JDT will continue to keep us solid. Yes, we’ll get beat somewhere, but then follow it up with a 1-0 win.

Carry on in that vein, keep nicking those wins and with the shed load of victories we already have, we’ve every chance.

[Hasta]

3 minutes ago, Exiled_Rover said:

The moaning and groaning when we're playing the ball around the back, looking for that incisive ball to a CM (where Buckley et al turns on it and runs into acres of space when they beat the press) grinds my gears.

"I don't like this! Get rid!" etc is what you hear around me. I think they'd much rather we just hoof the ball up to Thomas and Gallagher and try to feed on the second balls.

At Burnley we created our solitary shot on target when we did exactly that. Sometimes when messing around hasn't worked, that is a viable option.

The other thing last night in the first 25 minutes was the front 4 were literally right up on the Blackpool defensive line. This meant there was no real option between defensive midfield and the forwards to pass to. Therefore we did just knock it around at the back with no option to go into midfield. That all changed second half when Buckley and Travis suddenly started appearing in huge pockets of space.

Edited February 22, 2023 by Hasta

[jim mk2]

1 hour ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

Standing - Roy Isherwood, Harry Leyland, Dave Whelan,  John Bray, Mike England, Andy McEvoy, Mick McGrath, Bob Jones.

Seated - Matt Woods, Ally McCleod, Dougan, Fred Pickering.

Young Fred threw me - didn't recognise him from the side

Wasn't Bob Jones the reserve keeper an Aussie? 

[cesus]

23 minutes ago, Hasta said:

When he hit the pass the Blackpool fans jeered like it was a crap ball, too high/hard and was going out of play. It then holds up a bit and Thomas brought it down on the touchline perfectly. Watch the Sky Sports highlights and you can hear the Blackpool jeers as he plays the ball out wide.

To be fair I added to that noise with an "ooooo", as I thought it was a great effort at an attempt forward which before that had been in short supply. Then Thomas did great to keep it in and supply a top assist.

[Exiled_Rover]

31 minutes ago, superniko said:

Was it JRC who pinged the cross field pass to Thomas with the outside of his boot in the build up to the goal? Maybe he fancies that CM role!

His transformation as a player is remarkable.

He was once a highly thought of youngster, but he obviously dropped off to the extent that we were looking to loan him this summer. Besides his attacking work - both down the flanks and drifting inside to play CM (credit to JDT and his Assistant Manager for that gem btw - Travis drops back to RB when he does that), his defensive basics are lovely to watch. I love seeing him nip in in front of a much faster wide player and wall them off on a through ball.

 

[jim mk2]

57 minutes ago, wilsdenrover said:

Had you seen the photo before or could you just remember them all?

I’ve found a copy with the caption on it and you’re 100% correct!

This is the link - https://www.theguardian.com/sport/gallery/2020/oct/03/graffiti-fishing-and-mr-whippy-unseen-photographs-from-footballs-yesteryear

I’ll stop going off topic now!

 

Some great photos in there - a few I haven't seen before

A young Mike Ferguson in the Accrington Stanley photo

[Exiled_Rover]

27 minutes ago, Mattyblue said:

For me we will be there and there abouts, purely because JDT will continue to keep us solid. Yes, we’ll get beat somewhere, but then follow it up with a 1-0 win.

Carry on in that vein, keep nicking those wins and with the shed load of victories we already have, we’ve every chance.

Honestly we'll get blown away in the playoffs. We simply don't have the fire power to overcome a good team that's flying at the end of the season.

Still, I'd love to get there - it'd be positive progress.

[Sparks Rover]

7 minutes ago, Exiled_Rover said:

Honestly we'll get blown away in the playoffs. We simply don't have the fire power to overcome a good team that's flying at the end of the season.

Still, I'd love to get there - it'd be positive progress.

Agree, we bottle games that matter.

[Dreams of 1995]

An excellent team performance yet again. Any game you come away with 3 pts can never be deemed as anything but good

JDT is very much a build from the back coach. It is not lost on me that many people who spent years arguing Mowbray should do the same, and that results trumps the team performance (usually when disagreeing with You Know Who), are now beating the drum of 'like watching paint dry'

When we look around us we have to acknowledge how weak our squad is. Watford, Norwich, Baggies, Boro, Burnley and Sheff Utd all have far better quality and in depth. Yet, here we are competing on every level: clean sheets, points, league position. The one area we lack massively in is goals scored, but we all know the frustrations we face in that department

The term I like to use is that you wee with the willy you have. In the absence of forwards we must focus on our defence. You play to your strengths. That is exactly what JDT is doing: he is protecting a vulnerable midfield, and trying his very best to ensure his strikers don't need to score 2 or 3 goals to win a game

Dolan had a lively game again and offers far more than Vale or Gallagher. Gally just doesn't appear to have a role in this team. I think next game we have to stick with a Hedges, Dolan and Thomas front line, maybe with an opportunity afforded to Leonard also

Thought Trav was fantastic last night. He made a tackle in the 2nd half that got me out the chair - it's been a while since that has happened

JRC, Brittain, Hyam, Carter (who I really like now) and Ayala all brilliant again. And credit for Pears for that last minute collection from a dangerous cross. Overall excellent defensive performance, coupled with a few moments of class, and we sit pretty in 4th. Excellent Tuesday night

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

32 minutes ago, jim mk2 said:

Young Fred threw me - didn't recognise him from the side

Wasn't Bob Jones the reserve keeper an Aussie? 

No Jim.

[rigger]

13 minutes ago, Exiled_Rover said:

Honestly we'll get blown away in the playoffs. We simply don't have the fire power to overcome a good team that's flying at the end of the season.

Still, I'd love to get there - it'd be positive progress.

Unless we are that good team flying at the end of the  season.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

38 minutes ago, jim mk2 said:

 

Some great photos in there - a few I haven't seen before

A young Mike Ferguson in the Accrington Stanley photo

Fred Else in the one were the Preston team are linking arms.

[BigBar]

Very strange season overall. We can look solid at times but I do wonder if that's down to the opposition at times. We have taken a few beatens over the season too so not like we are consistent and losing by the odd goal whilst being solid. Burnley, Rotherham, Preston and Forest spring to mind.

Need to grind out a result the weekend vs QPR. Better recruitment and I would be alot more positive but I'm still keeping the fingers crossed. Seems we are close but lack of bodies and injuries may be our downfall.

[Miller11]

Two things that have become noticeable lately…

Since Pears has come into the side we are going longer than we did with Kaminski. Goal kicks are taken properly and not passed 5 yards to a centre back. It’s a very welcome change as the previous tactic put us under enormous unnecessary and sustained pressure and cost us a number of goals. I thought Brittain last night and both JRC and Carter of late have used the ball better and not been averse to trying a longer ball to relieve some pressure at the back. In the early part of the season we missed Nyambe carrying the ball down the right hand side, we’d become accustomed to that being one of the main ways of getting upfield over the past few years, for it to be replaced by incessant back/sideways passing. Last night was the best collective fullback performance this season (won’t have it so easy very often though).

Secondly we have a lot more attacking intent and actually attempt to get more balls into the box. This has started since Thomas came into the side. Now we seem to overplay it far less when we are in and around the opposition area. We still need better finishing though… last night would certainly be enough to persuade me to have a look at the free transfer market, there must be someone there who could become an impact sub for the run in.

Hopefully these are some concessions JDT has made to his preferred playing style that we saw for the early part of the season. Perhaps he’s learning the league a bit more and prioritising points over philosophy.

[47er]

2 hours ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

Standing - Roy Isherwood, Harry Leyland, Dave Whelan,  John Bray, Mike England, Andy McEvoy, Mick McGrath, Bob Jones.

Seated - Matt Woods, Ally McCleod, Dougan, Fred Pickering.

Bray looks quite slim there! I remember him as a big burley bloke you'd want to avoid.

[smiller14]

I'm absolutely delighted with how things are going. I feared the worst after Christmas when we started slowly, but we just keep grinding out points. A tepid, passive first half performance vs Swansea was improved upon considerably in the 2nd half, and whilst I didn't make last night's game, it sounded encouraging.

I still think our lack of striker will cost us, how many times in that second half vs Swansea did good crosses come in only for Gally to make himself look 5 foot 2? 

Sorba Thomas is a difference maker for me. A touchline-hugging, chalk on your boots winger who isn't afraid to put the ball in rather than slowly cutting in and passing it backwards. How we've longed for that.

JDT deserves credit. Through some of the miserable performances this season I've criticised him and felt extremely negative, so only right I give him credit now. It is so often all or nothing with Rovers - when we lose the performances offer no glimmer of encouragement, but we just seem to bounce back and win afterwards. Good to see and a far cry from the famed death spirals we saw under TM.

A win on Saturday and I'll start dreaming. 

[Dreams of 1995]

Sorba Thomas must have looked at Brereton and Gallagher and thought "I'm going to get assists here"

Little did he realise how poor both of them are at attacking balls in the box. Gallagher actually takes the piss with how bad he is at getting across his man

What irks me is that he has regressed since his days under Coyle. His strength there was getting across his man, and if you remember he scored goals by attacking balls into the middle

[booth]

21 minutes ago, Dreams of 1995 said:

Sorba Thomas must have looked at Brereton and Gallagher and thought "I'm going to get assists here"

Little did he realise how poor both of them are at attacking balls in the box. Gallagher actually takes the piss with how bad he is at getting across his man

What irks me is that he has regressed since his days under Coyle. His strength there was getting across his man, and if you remember he scored goals by attacking balls into the middle

People say he puts in the effort but I don't see it. When he was here on loan he was playing for a contract but since he got signed he gets a decent wedge every week and simply lacks desire and passion for the game. Earlier in the season someone pissed him off and he put in a decent performance, probably his only one.

I've seen bad strikers and they try but just can't hit the net. He rarely gets the opportunity because he doesn't seem interested most of the time.

He looked visibly pissed off at himself over that miss last night though.