v Luton Town (h) - 1/5/23

[rigger]

12 minutes ago, BlackburnEnd75 said:

Dack can finish. Dack is fit. Dack was our best attacker for 2 months of the season. Dack must play.

The only problem is that Dack doesn't fit the way JDT seems to want the team to play.

[Mattyblue]

And he obviously isn’t match fit, he’s had 20 minutes on the pitch since mid February.

[Cherry Blue]

Dack is lacking games but I'd still start him. His ability & game know how will be a problem for Luton.

[Guest]

3 minutes ago, Mattyblue said:

And he obviously isn’t match fit, he’s had 20 minutes on the pitch since mid February.

I suppose you could argue if we're looking for goals, a non-match fit Dack (or even a match-fit one) might not fit our team's style, but he certainly knows where the onion bag is.

I suspect he will remain on the bench and only appear if we're looking for a goal in the last twenty minutes of the next couple of games.

Edited April 30, 2023 by goozburger

[Mattyblue]

I would think so, you just can’t see him getting a start when he’s so rusty. 

All a bit of a mess up top, isn’t it. 
 

[chaddyrovers]

27 minutes ago, Cherry Blue said:

Dack is lacking games but I'd still start him. His ability & game know how will be a problem for Luton.

Are you dropping Szmodics who is in form or moving him positional to put Dack in the team? 

[RoversTilliDie]

It's in our own hands, win the last 2 big chance of the play offs. I would go with an all out attack formation, we ca'nt sit back any more we need to win the last 2.

[dingles staying down 4ever]

4 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

Are you dropping Szmodics who is in form or moving him positional to put Dack in the team? 

or you play Dack as a false no.9. Im no fan of this but both Mowbray and JDT have tried it before

[RevidgeBlue]

1 hour ago, Exiled_Rover said:

I only use the term 'bottled' when I think players are talented enough, but lack the nerve.

We simply don't have any goal scorers in the team. 

We have '"bottled" it because whatever your view on the personnel we have, they were good enough to get into a seemingly unassailable position in the first place but we've capped the season off with (so far) a run of four points out of twenty one. It's not like we tried, but never forced our way into the play off places at any point.

Same situation last season when we blew an even more promising position after the end of January.

[RevidgeBlue]

5 hours ago, Atko's Engine said:

No, the ship's still at the quay side waiting for late arrivals, but the captain's revving the engines & about to tell his crew to cast off.

Nah, we tried to fire the engines up seven games ago and they failed to start and have failed to start in each of seven games subsequently!

It's not me that needs belief, it's the players and it's up to them to show some passion, get the job done by hook or by crook, and prove me wrong

[Guest]

6 minutes ago, RevidgeBlue said:

Same situation last season when we blew an even more promising position after the end of January.

Not quite the same to blow it in January than to blow it in May.

[chaddyrovers]

I reckon we will win 2 nil tomorrow with Szmodics and Leonard scoring. 

 

[AllRoverAsia]

30 minutes ago, goozburger said:

Not quite the same to blow it in January than to blow it in May.

It was blown up throughout April.

No wins and just 4 points gained from 21 available.

Edited April 30, 2023 by AllRoverAsia

[Guest]

12 minutes ago, AllRoverAsia said:

It was blown up throughout April.

No wins and just 4 points gained from 21 available.

Still in our hands if we can (admittedly a tall order) get two wins. I disagree we've blown it. The big difference for me is that we've still performed well enough.

Hopeful is the correct word. At least it's something.

[Ossydave]

The way JDT is advertising Ayala being fit, I think he might play him up top tomorrow 🤔 

Nah he won't but he's easily our biggest goal threat on corners so if it's getting late and we need a goal get him on!

[chaddyrovers]

5 minutes ago, Ossydave said:

The way JDT is advertising Ayala being fit, I think he might play him up top tomorrow 🤔 

Nah he won't but he's easily our biggest goal threat on corners so if it's getting late and we need a goal get him on!

on bench I think. in the last few minutes come on up front like Samba or Hendry used to

[Ossydave]

Would be a fitting swansong for him if he scored a crucial goal. I'd like to think Carter and Phillips have picked up on some of his qualities in training, nobody can question he can defend.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

I remember Ayala having to go up front against Luton a year or two back when Gally got chinned off the ball. He made Chis Samba look like Haaland. The bloke can’t even run.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

I hope that Lockyer is playing tomorrow. He’s the one that took out Gally with the elbow to the throat off the ball. I hope somebody fills him in.

Edited April 30, 2023 by Tyrone Shoelaces

[ben_the_beast]

1 minute ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

I remember Ayala having to go up front against Luton a year or two back when Gally got chinned off the ball. He made Chis Samba look like Haaland. The bloke can’t even run.

By Tom Lockyer. Good defender, total thug. If Luton go up he's the type of player who will really struggle. No way he'll be able to get away with his thuggery in the Prem.

[AllRoverAsia]

1 hour ago, goozburger said:

Still in our hands if we can (admittedly a tall order) get two wins. I disagree we've blown it. The big difference for me is that we've still performed well enough.

Hopeful is the correct word. At least it's something.

I should have said if blown up then April results are a major factor.

I have already predicted wins in our final 2 games so I'll stand by that, there is still hope and we are not playing Man City.

COYB

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

4 minutes ago, ben_the_beast said:

By Tom Lockyer. Good defender, total thug. If Luton go up he's the type of player who will really struggle. No way he'll be able to get away with his thuggery in the Prem.

He shouldn’t be getting away with it our league. The ref and the linesman must have had their eyes painted on.

[AllRoverAsia]

6 minutes ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

I remember Ayala having to go up front against Luton a year or two back when Gally got chinned off the ball. He made Chis Samba look like Haaland. The bloke can’t even run.

It was a painful look, when I start feeling sorry for a pro footballer something is wrong.

[Hasta]

3 hours ago, chaddyrovers said:

Are you dropping Szmodics who is in form or moving him positional to put Dack in the team? 

If we aren’t going to play Leonard or Brereton up top , I’d rather play Szmodics there and put Dack in Szmodics’ position.  Dolan is completely ineffective there. Szmodics will make more intelligent runs in behind and Dack can either pick him out or arrive late in the box and offer a genuine threat. 
 

We won’t lose anything in ‘presence’ as Dolan has none there. ( he needs to be careful he’s not ruined by being played out of position)

Edited April 30, 2023 by Hasta

[Sweaty Gussets]

Just now, Hasta said:

If we aren’t going to play Leonard or Brereton up top , I’d rather play Szmodics there and put Dack in Szmodics’ position.  Dolan is completely ineffective there. Szmodics will make more intelligent runs in behind and Dack can either pick him out or arrive late in the box and offer a genuine threat. 
 

We won’t lose anything in ‘presence’ as Dolan has none there.

I like Dolan's enthusiasm, but he lacks quality with his final ball. He's not a No9 or No10. Probably been most effective in BBD's position.