v Coventry (h) 19/4/23 @ 19:45

[tomphil]

1 hour ago, Groundhog said:

I get the frustration, but booing at half time is poor, it's not like we weren't creating chances and anyone who's been to more than 1 game will know that in the second half attacking the Blackburn End we have a chance. One lad behind me during the Hull game needed a word - spouting drivel about every player, analysing their poor technique and tactics like an arm chair Pep. Fans like that drive me nuts.

It's not just us, all fans are like this, especially clubs that have success in recent years and have a fanbase with higher or distorted expectations.

I think there's a few defined groups of fans at Rovers now: people in their twenties seem to get behind the team regardless, they've never seen the "glory" years and not experienced the teams of Souness or Hughes, so this season is as good it gets in their recent memories. I've been impressed with the passion and dedication. Then there's miserable gits like me, born in the 80s, accepting our 90s and early 2000s success as the default standard and judging every team to that standard, but trying to remain calm, pragmatic and realistic. Obviously there's a flipside: FIFA playing kids expecting every player to become a world beater, and older fans comparing every player to Bryan Douglas etc. We're a mixed up bunch.

Surely that's the same at any modest sized club not full of day trippers ( or small clubs like Burnley half full of them ) it's just a generational thing.

I get what you're saying about the younger ones v those of us who had a decade + of unbelievable success for a club like us but i'd like to think most have accepted that is long gone now probably forever.  Imo those are the mostly the ones who don't go at all now or only turn up for the odd Oxford style game - balls to em.

Think it's just a football thing though not unique to Rovers.

[Herbie6590]

Our very own @rog of the rovers was on BBC CWR this morning - roughly 1:20.00 in…

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0fclr2y?partner=uk.co.bbc&origin=share-mobile

 

Educating the masses about “A Day In The Life”… one presenter at a time 😉

[J*B]

3-5-2 for me given Ronnie's injury, our leaky defence and need for a firm midfield.

Kaminski
Carter Hyam Wharton
JRC Morton Travis Wharton Brittain

Dolan Brereton

Hope to catch them on the break...

[BigBar]

5 hours ago, arbitro said:

If we play the slow, laborious football tonight we will make it difficult for ourselves and easier for Coventry. Tomasson has to set us up to go at them with an intensity to match how we played at Huddersfield. Adam Wharton simply has to start as he is the one who gets us on the front foot and can pick the right pass at the right time. If he doesn't start that to me will be a statement of intent from Tomasson and we can expect another night of frustration. The last time we scored first was against Reading on March 15th. I believe it's imperative we score first tonight to have any chance of winning. My heart says he will go for it, my head tells me otherwise.

As I said previously, we waste valuable time the whole game by passing it round the back when we should be trying to score, feels like the game start for us in the 70th minute most weeks lately.

[davulsukur]

2 hours ago, Sparks Rover said:

Can this bunch of players do something they've not done this season?  Win under pressure, real pressure.  This is a shit or bust match in my opinion.

I know where my money is going., Cov double chance win or draw.  Hope to lose my coin.

Definitely shit or bust. 

A loss tonight and it's game over for the play offs.

[Groundhog]

59 minutes ago, tomphil said:

I get what you're saying about the younger ones v those of us who had a decade + of unbelievable success for a club like us but i'd like to think most have accepted that is long gone now probably forever. 

My head has accepted it, but at full time against Hull it really hurt that we didn't take the 3 points, same as Yeovil at home years ago, I've always had that feeling deep down that "we're better than this" and it won't go away, then it switches, my head takes over, and I think we are where we are, football goes in cycles and we're just having our lull, but could be worse, we're in dreamland compared to fans of Bolton, Derby, Portsmouth, what happened to Bury etc. I'd like to think we're still due success in the future, might take administration and new owners but this historic, famous old club must remain an attractive prospect for people.

[1864roverite]

the biggest issue Rovers have tonight is themselves, it is as simple as that.

[rog of the rovers]

1 hour ago, Herbie6590 said:

Our very own @rog of the rovers was on BBC CWR this morning - roughly 1:20.00 in…

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0fclr2y?partner=uk.co.bbc&origin=share-mobile

 

Educating the masses about “A Day In The Life”… one presenter at a time 😉

Limited my waffling to about 5 minutes.

Scarred by recent failures my over riding thoughts, though it does sound like Coventry will be bringing a few fans this evening!

[NeilInBristol]

2 hours ago, BigBar said:

As I said previously, we waste valuable time the whole game by passing it round the back when we should be trying to score, feels like the game start for us in the 70th minute most weeks lately.

its not good, by that point we have already conceded as well

[JHRover]

Anyone know why we have decided at this late stage of the season to have 'ROVERS' emblazoned across the top tier seating of the Darwen End?

At first I thought we had put white seat lettering across the upper tier but it isn't permanent, just temporary, just in the DE (surely BBE would be better?).

I've no objection to them doing things to make Ewood look better, especially making use of the redundant upper tiers, but would prefer something more permanent and tidier than this.

[arbitro]

[Mattyblue]

How Potemkin. What top tier?

[Mercer]

Which Rovers' lot will turn up tonight - hungry young men and men of steel or the 'bottling boys' who wilt at the merest whiff of pressure?

Heart, as always, says Rovers, head says Coventry by at least a goal.  Stuck money on Coventry at slightly better than 2/1 so there will be at least some consolation should we lose.

Tired of saying it - Adam Wharton MUST start as MUST Leonard.  Pretty certain JDT will bottle it and keep at least Leonard on the bench if not both.  Fortune favours the brave and from what I've seen these two lads don't harbour fear and are Rovers through and through - don't be an imbecile JDT and cut these lads loose, give them their heads and tell them to fire us to the play-offs.

Going to be a long night, sadly, I don't think it's going to be a happy one and JDT will face a flurry of brickbats over selection and tactics in recent games which have cost us so very, very dearly.

Edited April 19, 2023 by Mercer

[pk1875]

On 17/04/2023 at 14:27, roversfan99 said:

I can't fathom how it would be anything but totally beneficial to go up.

We would be up against it to stay up, but it would be a huge boost to get promotion both on and off the pitch.

It could potentially increase our match going fan base, it would massively improve our finances and would give us an opportunity to sign some players that even if we did come back down, they would be huge improvements on what we currently have.

It would break this psychological feeling that we will never return to the Premier League, or even get close. 

And of course, it wouldn't be impossible to stay up, there are some poor teams at the bottom of the Premier League. Big if, but manage the summer right and maybe we can have a right good go at staying in the league. If not, we should have a top Championship squad ready to bounce back. We go from Championship also rans to a team expecting to get back into the Premier League.

The idea of kicking on next season doesn't really tally up IMO. Our only goalscorer will be leaving for free and we will be scrounging around for freebies and loanees, this slow build idea doesn't really work.

Of course from a business and supporters point of view Promotion would be fantastic, and possibly ensure the short term future of the club.

 

I was talking about the development of a young squad. Getting hammered week in week out could seriously damage their confidence, whereas a top 6 finish this year and Promotion next year could see the squad better prepared... 

 

That said I desperately hope we go up....

[BigBar]

46 minutes ago, Neilbristol said:

its not good, by that point we have already conceded as well

We wait and wait and wait. Time runs out and you drop points and realise your centre halves and keeper have had the ball more than the rest of the team combined.

[only2garners]

19 minutes ago, Mercer said:

Which Rovers' lot will turn up tonight - hungry young men and men of steel or the 'bottling boys' who wilt at the merest whiff of pressure?

Heart, as always, says Rovers, head says Coventry by at least a goal.  Stuck money on Coventry at slightly better than 2/1 so there will be at least some consolation should we lose.

Tired of saying it - Adam Wharton MUST start as MUST Leonard.  Pretty certain JDT will bottle it and keep at least Leonard on the bench if not both.  Fortune favours the brave and from what I've seen these two lads don't harbour fear and are Rovers through and through - don't be an imbecile JDT and cut these lads loose, give them their heads and tell them to fire us to the play-offs.

Going to be a long night, sadly, I don't think it's going to be a happy one and JDT will face a flurry of brickbats over selection and tactics in recent games which have cost us so very, very dearly.

Excellent news Mercer.

[BigBar]

2 minutes ago, pk1875 said:

Of course from a business and supporters point of view Promotion would be fantastic, and possibly ensure the short term future of the club.

 

I was talking about the development of a young squad. Getting hammered week in week out could seriously damage their confidence, whereas a top 6 finish this year and Promotion next year could see the squad better prepared... 

 

That said I desperately hope we go up....

To be fair and it's very harsh but if we got promoted alot of them would be replaced or have to settled for limited time. Wouldn't go full Nottingham Forest but you get that PL money and you bring it alot more quality. It's still a task but you get there first then plan as best you can to stay there.

[superniko]

36 minutes ago, arbitro said:

It's making me uncomfortable that the 'ROVERS' isn't in the middle!

(though I like the idea - always thought stuff like this, and covering corners of stands with flags/memorabilia is a good way to make it feel more full)

[den]

Lose tonight and the play offs are gone IMO. Deep down the players and manager will know that as well. 
 

If the build up from the back isn’t a whole lot better and quicker, winning will be impossible. Coventry will have watched us. I’ll be amazed if they don’t close down any short build up play from Pears. I hope to goodness JDT thinks that way too.

[broadsword]

17 minutes ago, superniko said:

It's making me uncomfortable that the 'ROVERS' isn't in the middle!

(though I like the idea - always thought stuff like this, and covering corners of stands with flags/memorabilia is a good way to make it feel more full)

(rofl) Bloody cack-handed Rovers.

 

Feel dead nervous, I get the feeling he won't pick Wharton or Leonard, and it will be Gallagher and Morton instead, and we'll lose. Will love to be proven wrong, I'm just readying myself for what feels like impending disappointment.

[Guest]

I think I’m right in saying this, but if we beat Coventry Preston and Millwall, I think that guarantees us a playoff spot no matter what happens elsewhere. Tonight could be huge.

[NeilInBristol]

50 minutes ago, BigBar said:

We wait and wait and wait. Time runs out and you drop points and realise your centre halves and keeper have had the ball more than the rest of the team combined.

At least the possession stats look good eh... (Joking obvs)

[Tricky]

"if you get through on goal, shoot with the weaker foot this time... "

worth a shot

[Mercer]

8 minutes ago, Mellor Rover said:

I think I’m right in saying this, but if we beat Coventry Preston and Millwall, I think that guarantees us a playoff spot no matter what happens elsewhere. Tonight could be huge.  If Norwich win their last 4 games....................!!!???

Edited April 19, 2023 by Mercer

[only2garners]

10 minutes ago, Mellor Rover said:

I think I’m right in saying this, but if we beat Coventry Preston and Millwall, I think that guarantees us a playoff spot no matter what happens elsewhere. Tonight could be huge.

I think you're right. Winning those 3 would get us to 72 points. Luton (86), Porto (83), WBA (75) and Norwich (73) could all get more, but as WBA play Norwich they can't both get maximum points so 72 will be enough. In reality the total needed may well be a bit less as not every other team will win all their games.