v Preston North End (h) - 10/11/23

[roversfan99]

Rubbish. Impossible to focus on the positives out of a 5th home loss in 8 at "Fortress Ewood."

So lightweight, lacking an attack and the state of that subs bench shows you everything about the disregard shown by the owners.

[47er]

3 minutes ago, arbitro said:

He is and that's great but he isn't an out and out striker. If we had someone who could match his tally by finishing some of our approach play off we would be pushing right at the top end of the table. Missing good chances cost us dearly last season and I'll wager now it will this season.

Its a nightmare.I could have written the script for that game. Almost every week we play the better football and are complemented for it. But our squad is stretched, we don't have a decent natural central striker and we tire towards the end and concede late goals.

We can't put our subs on earlier because they are not good enough.

All goes back to lack of investment in the squad . January looms. If we don't do something substantial then this season will fizzle out. How long will JDT put up it it? For once I'm on the side of those who say "we won't find anyone better."

[Commondore]

We're absolute shit when chasing a result, not the first time this season we've battered a team only to get robbed at the end. To be fair, the PNE attack looked more dangerous than ours, it seems like we need at least 2-3 exceptional individual touches to get to a goal while they got by with just throwing bodies forward at the right opportunities.

Markanday can't be here next season, he's currently filling up a place in the squad but beyond that I don't see it happening for him, another player that needs way too much in order to get in on goal or create a chance. Moran was our best player, A Wharton some good passes and interceptions but plays his defensive game at a very high risk. Sigurdsson uneven but shouldn't have been subbed unless he was absolutely knackered, which he did't look. 

[roversfan99]

1 hour ago, Andy said:

We battered them and should have been out of sight by HT.

You'd suggested we had much to fear; we absolutely did not.

They won, but even the blindest of blind men could see that we were far superior tonight.

A blind man clearly cant see the scoreboard which sadly is all that matters.

Id take winning by being alledgedly far inferior any day.

1 hour ago, RevidgeBlue said:

Just about the most enjoyable match you could ever hope to watch if you were a neutral. We dominated the first half and should have been a couple of goals up at least but our lack of cutting edge proved crucial.

Preston came back into it second half and there can be no real complaints about the result. We'll play a lot worse than that this season and win but the lack of a serviceable striker showed us up for what we're likely to be - a lower mid table side at best.

JDT must be so frustrated.Greg the egg has had 3 goes at signing a striker and come up with Hirst, Ennis and Telalovic. 

Pitiful.

Any blame to the owners forcing him to forage at the bottom of the barrel.

[Leonard Venkhater]

54 minutes ago, johnradfordsubbuteo said:

Marquee signing? Pop-up tent from Aldi's middle aisle signing more like.

On the anniversary of the folio, now is the winter of our discount tent?

[47er]

17 minutes ago, roverblue said:

surely Ennis or Telalovic get a game soon barely seen either play yet

I wonder what the reason could be.....

[Crimpshrine]

42 minutes ago, Waggy76 said:

If nothing happens in January (new players ready made ), we will finish in the bottom 6 !

We may need to sell in January!

[Leonard Venkhater]

2 minutes ago, 47er said:

I wonder what the reason could be.....

They are shit?

[47er]

Just now, Leonard Venkhater said:

They are shit?

Yes, I think you've stumbled on the answer there!

[den]

If people are looking to blame anyone then don’t be looking on the field or at the manager. Those guys are doing a brilliant job given their resources.

Look above them. That’s where the club is being let down.

[booth]

49 minutes ago, jim mk2 said:

Their fans will say they were easily the better side. Pinned us back for long periods and created plenty of chances.    I’d be surprised if they don’t make the playoffs 

Considering it was on the telly so most could see they weren't very good, it's a weird stance to take. Their first goal was against the run of play, their player who put the ball across slipped on his arse. Had he stayed on his feet and crossed he maybe wouldn't have been as accurate. Their second goal was due to players like Wharton and Markanday expected to see out the game. What they did have was team spirit and more fight, but for 20 minutes in both halves Rovers looked a different class.

The thing that massively lets us down is a lack of bite upfront, if Szmod doesn't score the goals it's down to luck whether someone else steps up. You only need to look at our goalscoring chart, once again our supporting players are lacklustre in front of goal. It also doesn't help that our defence is missing three first teamers forcing us to use a midfielder as fullback, in a defence that already isn't the best.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

34 minutes ago, arbitro said:

The stumbling block lies several thousand miles away.

Yes,that was tbe point I was making...

[DE.]

14 minutes ago, Commondore said:

Sigurdsson uneven but shouldn't have been subbed unless he was absolutely knackered, which he did't look. 

He'd been carrying a knock since the first half. Surprised he wasn't taken off earlier, but I suppose it speaks to our total lack of suitable replacements on the bench. 

[jim mk2]

double post

Edited November 11, 2023 by jim mk2

[booth]

24 minutes ago, RevidgeBlue said:

I know you always put our defeats down to perceived shortcomings of the officials but that is a truly bizarre post. I thought the referee had an excellent game.

Wharton and Moran were continually fouled. Moran was fouled about 3 times within five minutes and the ref just gave them a talking to. I don't like seeing refs dishing out cards like confetti but when they are deliberately targeting a player, especially a young player, and disallowing them from playing it should be punished. Obviously a directive from the manager to stop them by any means.

[Ghost7]

I thought we were really impressive tonight with so many players out injured. 

All we are missing is owners that will back the club.

[Waggy76]

17 minutes ago, Crimpshrine said:

We may need to sell in January!

 

23 minutes ago, Commondore said:

We're absolute shit when chasing a result, not the first time this season we've battered a team only to get robbed at the end. To be fair, the PNE attack looked more dangerous than ours, it seems like we need at least 2-3 exceptional individual touches to get to a goal while they got by with just throwing bodies forward at the right opportunities.

Markanday can't be here next season, he's currently filling up a place in the squad but beyond that I don't see it happening for him, another player that needs way too much in order to get in on goal or create a chance. Moran was our best player, A Wharton some good passes and interceptions but plays his defensive game at a very high risk. Sigurdsson uneven but shouldn't have been subbed unless he was absolutely knackered, which he did't look. 

Impossible for Sigdursson to be knackered, he has  done absolutely nothing for a month ...

[booth]

2 minutes ago, jim mk2 said:

It was on the TV and anyone could see they were a solid side full of experienced pros that had too much nous for our team. Making up a load of ifs and buts about their goals is a weird stance to take. 

When Rovers were winning early on last season, playing exactly the same as Preston did tonight... ie, Shit, but hitting teams on the break and getting lucky, you didn't seem quite as impressed.

I suggest you watch a replay. I was surprised at how poor Preston was, they just didn't give up and had been briefed on our soft underbelly courtesy of Venkys.

[MarkBRFC]

Amazing how people see different games.

What I saw was a pretty spineless showing from Rovers again at Ewood.

Easy to defend against, and can't deal with fairly simple balls in the box.

Give me Prestons big, strong, physical, direct side over our bunch of spineless midget weaklings any day.

[Darwen Rover 007]

We played some great stuff again...

We didn't deserve what we got again...

We are a few players short of being a top 6 side there's absolutely no doubt in my mind... the problem statements are:

1.  Injuries in defence, you could argue We are 1 x defender short, but not often you'll get, JRC, Carter, Hyam and Pickering all injured. 

2.  We are a decent goalscorer short, every man and his dog knows this.

Don't know what's up with Siggy, not the man he once was, probably carrying an injury.

 

[jim mk2]

21 minutes ago, booth said:

Considering it was on the telly so most could see they weren't very good, it's a weird stance to take. Their first goal was against the run of play, their player who put the ball across slipped on his arse. Had he stayed on his feet and crossed he maybe wouldn't have been as accurate. Their second goal was due to players like Wharton and Markanday expected to see out the game. What they did have was team spirit and more fight, but for 20 minutes in both halves Rovers looked a different class.

The thing that massively lets us down is a lack of bite upfront, if Szmod doesn't score the goals it's down to luck whether someone else steps up. You only need to look at our goalscoring chart, once again our supporting players are lacklustre in front of goal. It also doesn't help that our defence is missing three first teamers forcing us to use a midfielder as fullback, in a defence that already isn't the best.

 

It was on the TV and anyone could see they were a solid side full of experienced pros that had too much nous for our team. Making up a load of ifs and buts about their goals is a weird stance to take. 

[D-side17]

1 hour ago, jim mk2 said:

Their fans will say they were easily the better side. Pinned us back for long periods and created plenty of chances.    I’d be surprised if they don’t make the playoffs 

I'll have a £30 bet with you that Preston don't make the play-offs this season. Loser pays the £30 to the winner's charity of choice. Deal?

[booth]

Just now, jim mk2 said:

 

It was on the TV and anyone could see they were a solid side full of experienced pros that had too much nous for our team. Making up a load of ifs and buts about their goals is a weird stance to take. 

Yeah I read it the first time.

I didn't make anything up, it's all there to see. Preston were poor, yet still beat us for all the obvious reasons that have plagued us for a while now. No need to make anything up.

[Uddersfelt Blue]

Don’t know exactly what kicked off at the end of the game that had Szmodics and Travis coming across to confront some fans as we were leaving the Riverside but suspect they didn’t appreciate the abuse they were getting. That’s bang out of order when players are giving their all for the team and the fans. 

 

[Exiled_Rover]

26 minutes ago, den said:

If people are looking to blame anyone then don’t be looking on the field or at the manager. Those guys are doing a brilliant job given their resources.

Look above them. That’s where the club is being let down.

I really like JDT, but I'm starting to get frustrated at his refusal to give Ennis, Leonard and Telalovic a crack.

You can't continue to start games with two slow, sub 5'8" guys playing centrally.

Both Swansea and PNE set a high line against us at Ewood, knowing that neither Szmodics or Dolan could run in behind them. When we did move the ball closer to their goal they just set up on their penalty spot knowing we couldn't whip dangerous crosses in. 

It's maddening.