v Reading (h) - 15/3/23, 7:45pm

[scotchrover]

Excellent result- should have been more.

I just hope people start returning. The lads deserve a big crowd! 

[roversfan99]

Crucial win against a truly terrible side in a game that I thought we very easily could have won by a much more convincing scoreline, the performance was more dominant than the scoreline suggests.

Brereton and Gallagher caused them problems despite wastefulness especially from the latter and offered a threat they lacked with Joao and Long.  Szmodics was very good and Thomas gives us something we dont have and will be a big miss at the weekend.

Morton did pretty well I thought and his pass was excellent that led to a superb assist from Gallagher and finish from Hedges. Travis continued his good form and the defence aside from the odd bit of sloppiness was fine. Pears was shaky and perhaps could have got to the goal.

[garnersfags]

Just as I think Buckley is a really good player, in spite of many wanting him out of the club, Morton is also a good player, in spite of many of us wanting him sent back to Liverpool. 

I do not want Garrett playing instead of either of them. 

All 11 again played well tonight. We cannot keep wasting 5 golden chances per game, however my hope that each of the culprits will surely improve their finishing with sooo much practice, has not come to fruition. 

Composure in the box is what we should be focusing on, for hours and hours. 

Good performance tonight, and very good win. 

With our game in hand against Burnley, we can only expect a point to be gained, so it is still so tight for that valuable 6th place. 

Without Morton though, my prediction is that we'll come 7th, so his fitness and consistency is vital. 

Phew, what a game....

[arbitro]

Three points in the bag was pretty much all that mattered and despite some nervy moments we got them. Job done and now the planning can start for the next match. Personally I thought Reading were in the Blackpool category but if there was one real weakness tonight for us it was the finishing which overall was poor. Our ratio of chances to goals was excellent before tonight but that might have slipped a bit after some wayward finishing. But the excitement was palpable leaving the ground and travelling home as we know it's another three points towards our end goal. 

We are making a habit of late goals recently and this was an area in which we were criticised earlier in the season. I believe it's this new mentality and drive which is keeping us at it right to the end.

Well done to the players and staff.

[Torgeir]

Have to give JDT some credit for taking out of form players out of the side, and once given the chance again they cling on for dear life. Quality man-management. Some exceptional performances tonight, and a fully deserved win. I was so pissed off when Reading scored, but luckily we came back and clinched a vital win before our league break.

 

Bring on the Blades, I hope we beat them three more times this season, I really do. Awful side.

[Exiled_Rover]

4 minutes ago, garnersfags said:

Just as I think Buckley is a really good player, in spite of many wanting him out of the club, Morton is also a good player, in spite of many of us wanting him sent back to Liverpool. 

I do not want Garrett playing instead of either of them. 

All 11 again played well tonight. We cannot keep wasting 5 golden chances per game, however my hope that each of the culprits will surely improve their finishing with sooo much practice, has not come to fruition. 

Composure in the box is what we should be focusing on, for hours and hours. 

Good performance tonight, and very good win. 

With our game in hand against Burnley, we can only expect a point to be gained, so it is still so tight for that valuable 6th place. 

Without Morton though, my prediction is that we'll come 7th, so his fitness and consistency is vital. 

Phew, what a game....

I thought Morton was terrible tonight - took him 70 minutes to actually turn on the ball and drive into the acres of space in midfield. 

[wilsdenrover]

9 minutes ago, scotchrover said:

Excellent result- should have been more.

I just hope people start returning. The lads deserve a big crowd! 

I’m getting more and more tempted.

Unfortunately I currently don’t have a way of getting there.

[Exiled_Rover]

Too tired to give a full review, but my immediate feeling is one of relief.

That should have been a cricket score, but somehow we ended up clinging on (against 10 men no less) because Gallagher and Brereton fluffed a hatful of chances and JDT refused to sub tired players. 

[BankEnd Rover]

8 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

Crucial win against a truly terrible side in a game that I thought we very easily could have won by a much more convincing scoreline, the performance was more dominant than the scoreline suggests.

Brereton and Gallagher caused them problems despite wastefulness especially from the latter and offered a threat they lacked with Joao and Long.  Szmodics was very good and Thomas gives us something we dont have and will be a big miss at the weekend.

Morton did pretty well I thought and his pass was excellent that led to a superb assist from Gallagher and finish from Hedges. Travis continued his good form and the defence aside from the odd bit of sloppiness was fine. Pears was shaky and perhaps could have got to the goal.

I’m not sure on Morton. Great pass for the build up to the goal but I just see gaps in that midfield when he’s in the middle - His physicality defiantly is his downside. Also he plays the easy pass too often and sometimes too easily when he has the opportunity to move forward…even trav has started to move forward more with the ball and looks a lot more confident in doing it. 
I hope we get to see A Wharton again this season…

Edited March 15, 2023 by BankEnd Rover

[Paul Mani]

58 minutes ago, Andy said:

5 points clear of 7th / 9 points off 2nd.

Going to be an interesting last 9 games...

5 of those at home and a couple of upcoming away games at Birmingham and Huddersfield. We’ve got a bloody chance here lads 🙊

Szmodics is a very good player. So intelligent, he stretches teams and finds space running around in defenders blind spots.

Should’ve been 5 tonight and we made it difficult but overall I’m not complaining.

[BankEnd Rover]

2 minutes ago, Exiled_Rover said:

I thought Morton was terrible tonight - took him 70 minutes to actually turn on the ball and drive into the acres of space in midfield. 

Yeap frustrated the hell out of me…Again! When we sit deep, he may aswell not be on the pitch! 

[Guest]

54 minutes ago, Bbrovers2288 said:

One of those wins that makes you more angry than happy, how we weren’t on east street I will never know, but if composure up top and we could’ve had 4, 5 easy, as it was we got hit by the sucker punch and even at the end there we were hanging in with some very poor game management, get it in the corner, make the extra man count and keep the ball. 
didn’t think the tactics were right here, exactly the type of match Dolan is made for, much more than stoke, he should’ve started. 
I have been singing their praises but jrc and pears weren’t great, maybe they won’t hold their places , kaminski and brittain will be knocking on the managers door if so. 
Yes 3 points is all that matters I just wish I could’ve enjoyed it more 

As nice as a thumping would’ve been, you just can’t beat the feeling of walking away from Ewood after a late winner against a team of shithouses. The feeling is unrivalled, 5 more of them in our last 5 home games will do me!

[philipl]

Phew!

Gallagher sublime backheel setting up Hedges winner was full compensation for all his misses, miscontrols and being in the wrong place for balls across the box.

That 5 points gap to Norwich looks lovely and they had Marquinhos straight redas an added bonus.

Incidentally I have often thought I watched a different match to the official statistics reporters. At half time Rovers had 1 chance and 0 crosses. Probably woke up for the second half but the match numbers are probably those for the second half only ...

[Guest]

1 minute ago, philipl said:

Phew!

Gallagher sublime backheel setting up Hedges winner was full compensation for all his misses, miscontrols and being in the wrong place for balls across the box.

That 5 points gap to Norwich looks lovely and they had Marquinhos straight redas an added bonus.

Incidentally I have often thought I watched a different match to the official statistics reporters. At half time Rovers had 1 chance and 0 crosses. Probably woke up for the second half but the match numbers are probably those for the second half only ...

Odd that; we should’ve been 3 up at half time with the chances we created!

[Crozzy]

Well done tonight. Should have put the game to bed but stuck in well after their equaliser and then a player went down and instead of walking off at nearest point after treatment walked 30 yards staying on the pitch to time waste before they then made 3 subs and wasted a good 3/4 minutes total (shambolic the ref allowed that)

Stuck at it and got the job done. Proud of the lads tonight, showed courage to go get a winner after the equaliser and all those missed chances!

Just seen the red back on the highlights and from that angle doesn’t look much in it but live with it about 10 yards right in front of me it wasn’t soft at all. Could see a mark on Gallaghers face from it

Edited March 15, 2023 by Crozzy

[superniko]

That 5 point gap to Norwich feels even better knowing their next 3 are Stoke (A), Sheff Utd (H) then Rovers (A). 
No gimmes in there and they go to Boro away at Easter too 

[tomphil]

11 minutes ago, Exiled_Rover said:

I thought Morton was terrible tonight - took him 70 minutes to actually turn on the ball and drive into the acres of space in midfield. 

I worry all the time Morton is on the pitch there's as much chance of him splitting our own defence with a loose ball as playing one in at the other end.

There's a good player in there but until he builds a bit more strength and bite he isn't really suited to an aggressive championship side. Buckley can be too casual and frustrating but he's still good at breaking play and putting a foot in.  

That's the big difference for me.

Edited March 15, 2023 by tomphil

[superniko]

7 minutes ago, philipl said:

Phew!

Gallagher sublime backheel setting up Hedges winner was full compensation for all his misses, miscontrols and being in the wrong place for balls across the box.

That 5 points gap to Norwich looks lovely and they had Marquinhos straight redas an added bonus.

Incidentally I have often thought I watched a different match to the official statistics reporters. At half time Rovers had 1 chance and 0 crosses. Probably woke up for the second half but the match numbers are probably those for the second half only ...

Yeah that is way out isn’t it. 
Thomas cross for a Gallagher header in the first half and prob more I can’t remember 

[philipl]

5 minutes ago, Mellor Rover said:

Odd that; we should’ve been 3 up at half time with the chances we created!

3 stops by the keeper, Szmodics hit the post, Carter, Gallagher narrowly over as well as the Ben goal all come to mind as countable first half attempts on goal. Numbers go bonkers if blocks count. 

[Exiled_Rover]

14 minutes ago, BankEnd Rover said:

Yeap frustrated the hell out of me…Again! When we sit deep, he may aswell not be on the pitch! 

My two complaints (three really as he doesn't fancy a tackle) tonight are that their #8 just sat on him and took him out of the game - Morton stopped moving cos he considered himself 'marked' and when he does get the ball he just gives it back to the CB. 

He's a pointless player - I'm sure he'll go on to have a brilliant career, but I'd much rather see Garrett and Wharton play. 

[Exiled_Rover]

1 hour ago, mr bishi said:

Highlights 

 

https://www.skysports.com/football/live-blog/12040/12834715/championship-live?postid=5630239

Those highlights are a tragedy - we absolutely battered them.

They did score a wonderful goal though, to be fair. 

[chaddyrovers]

Excellent all round performance by us. Created plenty of chances and Should have scored 6 or 7 goals tonight. Good attacking football

Szmodics rightly man of the match tonight. Outstanding tonight.

Delighted with 3 points and win!!!

[Mike E]

Many thanks to @K-Hod for inviting me to use @JBiz ST. Really enjoyable (if that's the right word) game!

[chaddyrovers]

 

 

[martonrover]

I think that’s easily one of the best games at Ewood this season.

Felt a bit like a cup tie.

The win was well deserved, but I would credit Reading for making it difficult, more than our own failures.

In particular, a couple of brilliant last ditch blocks where goals looked certain.

Three hard earned points.