v Norwich City (h) - 24/02/2024

[superniko]

43 minutes ago, Exiled_Rover said:

Yes, he picked the team. He even came down from the stands in the second half. 

Yeah - when we were 3-1 up

Do we know he picked the team? Looked to me like Johnson was in charge. 

[islander200]

6 minutes ago, superniko said:

Yeah - when we were 3-1 up

Do we know he picked the team? Looked to me like Johnson was in charge. 

Johnson said Eustace had a big influence and spent 4 hours with the coaching team on the Friday.

 

[islander200]

1 hour ago, Groundhog said:

I've actually forgotten what it feels like to play slightly better in the second half and come back to draw a game.

When was the last time/how many times other than Millwall on the final day we came from behind to gain any points?

We came from behind v Millwall this season also 

[superniko]

25 minutes ago, Gav said:

If you know, you know 😉

Hopefully the 2nd part of the post comes to fruition!!!

[arbitro]

I thought Szmodics looked knackered today and no wonder. I don't know if it's been posted yet but his wife gave birth to a little girl around 11 am after going to hospital at 2 am. Sammy was with her all the time and turned up at 2 pm to play. His commitment can never be questioned 😁😁. It would have been great for him to score a winner.

Congratulations to the Szmodics family.

[roversfan99]

Did we look that solid and hard to play against today? They caused us loads of problems repeatedly playing the ball in behind our very slow back 3 and a mixture of inconsistent passing and Sargent being off colour and often not even getting a shot away meant that we somewhat got away with it to an extent. 

[rigger]

4 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

Did we look that solid and hard to play against today? They caused us loads of problems repeatedly playing the ball in behind our very slow back 3 and a mixture of inconsistent passing and Sargent being off colour and often not even getting a shot away meant that we somewhat got away with it to an extent. 

Or you could say that the defence did it's job.

[arbitro]

3 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

Did we look that solid and hard to play against today? They caused us loads of problems repeatedly playing the ball in behind our very slow back 3 and a mixture of inconsistent passing and Sargent being off colour and often not even getting a shot away meant that we somewhat got away with it to an extent. 

I think loads of problems is exaggerating it. They got in behind a couple of times in the second half as we stood off and allowed McClean time to play a straight ball through. Pears read them both and got there comfortably. And in the games under Eustace so far it's the first time we have been exposed like that. I thought we coped extremely well defensively today.

[Moptop1]

3 hours ago, OsloRover said:

You can get relegated from L1 too you know 😉

Really? You want to tell that to The Rao’s!

[joey_big_nose]

8 minutes ago, arbitro said:

I think loads of problems is exaggerating it. They got in behind a couple of times in the second half as we stood off and allowed McClean time to play a straight ball through. Pears read them both and got there comfortably. And in the games under Eustace so far it's the first time we have been exposed like that. I thought we coped extremely well defensively today.

Yeah on balance Id say we got in behind them more than they got behind us.

Theres loads of slagging off of our way of playing - and Cardiff away it was truly dreadful until Buckley came on - but since Eustace has come in Im yet to see a side look any better. It was very even today and while we didnt do any slick football neither did Norwich who are in form and a good footballing side.

Edited February 24 by joey_big_nose

[Gav]

22 minutes ago, superniko said:

Hopefully the 2nd part of the post comes to fruition!!!

I hope so my friend.

[roversfan99]

3 minutes ago, arbitro said:

I think loads of problems is exaggerating it. They got in behind a couple of times in the second half as we stood off and allowed McClean time to play a straight ball through. Pears read them both and got there comfortably. And in the games under Eustace so far it's the first time we have been exposed like that. I thought we coped extremely well defensively today.

There were also times in the first half when Sargent got in. Once he tried to round Pears and lost his footing, another he had a one on one saved off the top of my head. I felt we were as vulnerable in behind as in any game under Eustace which is perhaps with us being at home and not sitting quite as deep. 

McFadzean is a conundrum IMO. Undoubtedly a big asset in his experience and he will head balls away all day and read the game. But he is so slow and it can and will be targeted. He is also particularly bad with the ball at his feet and kept giving them the ball back.

[MarkBRFC]

1 hour ago, Groundhog said:

I've actually forgotten what it feels like to play slightly better in the second half and come back to draw a game.

When was the last time/how many times other than Millwall on the final day we came from behind to gain any points?

2 points won from losing positions at Ewood since March 22

[Paul Mellelieu]

2 hours ago, NeilInBristol said:

tbf after tues i won't be rushing to watch us play live again, that was shocking. im sure many fans are turned off too, today was a bit better but a lot of lump it forward and hope gally gets on the end. at least corners have improved slightly but its not entertaining to watch overall 

Do they have capital letters in Bristol?

[Herbie6590]

https://www.brfcs.com/magazine/football/match/1047828/blackburn-norwich?tab=voting

Vote for your POTM supported by @RoversTrust in the Match Centre now…

[simongarnerisgod]

3 minutes ago, Paul Mellelieu said:

  2 hours ago, NeilInBristol said:

tbf after tues i won't be rushing to watch us play live again, that was shocking. im sure many fans are turned off too, today was a bit better but a lot of lump it forward and hope gally gets on the end. at least corners have improved slightly but its not entertaining to watch overall 

i did`nt find it entertaining to see jdt give up this season play suicide football

[DaveyB]

1 hour ago, Torgeir said:

Fadz is quicker than Hyam. Overall our current team is the slowest we've had for a number of years. 

He really isn’t 

[bazza]

We're only 4 points above a relegation place now. Just saying.

[aletheia]

Can't see SS enjoying or lasting long in this set up.

[Cherry Blue]

Referee Oliver Langford & his assistant (riverside) were as bad as I've seen at Ewood this season. Why on earth does the EFL continie to employ idiots that are no better than than Sunday league?

Norwich had Langford sust. Fall to the ground & roll about like you've had a kick that may require treatment and he gives you a freekick. One one ocaision when Langford didn't blow, the Norwich defender got up and carried on as if nothing happened, which is correct because on that occaision nothing did happen. Uterly perthahic performance by two inapt officials.

Pears was again MOM & Pickering had a decent game. No passing around at the back was a relief.

[aletheia]

1 minute ago, Cherry Blue said:

Referee Oliver Langford & his assistant (riverside) were as bad as I've seen at Ewood this season. Why on earth does the EFL continie to employ idiots that are no better than than Sunday league?

Norwich had Langford sust. Fall to the ground & roll about like you've had a kick that may require treatment and he gives you a freekick. One one ocaision when Langford didn't blow, the Norwich defender got up and carried on as if nothing happened, which is correct because on that occaision nothing did happen. Uterly perthahic performance by two inapt officials.

Pears was again MOM & Pickering had a decent game. No passing around at the back was a relief.

Because amateur football and the lower leagues are full of muppet fans on the sidelines and neanderthals on the pitch who see aggression and violence towards refs as a norm. How many ex pros want to do it? Thought so, they aren't stupid.

[roversfan99]

Pears did well in the main but one major error was a terrible kick that led to the free kick for their goal.

[Rover8T4]

Showed great fight to get back on level terms after going one down. Not the best football on the eye but we are frustrating teams. Best of all it's nice to see an actual corner get played in, All 3 centre halfs plus Gally can head the ball and cause teams serious problems. Gally has had a run of games through the middle and is starting too look like a decent 9, 2  headers saved by opposition goalie. He looks hungry

Edited February 24 by Rover8T4

[jim mk2]

On 23/02/2024 at 13:51, jim mk2 said:

Norwich in good form and a different prospect to the team we outplayed earlier in the season

I'd happily take a draw and another point towards staying in this division

Rovers 1 Norwich 1

 

If you know, you know

And I put money on it ....not alot but enough for a pint or two

Aye thenk you!

 

[arbitro]

30 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

There were also times in the first half when Sargent got in. Once he tried to round Pears and lost his footing, another he had a one on one saved off the top of my head. I felt we were as vulnerable in behind as in any game under Eustace which is perhaps with us being at home and not sitting quite as deep. 

McFadzean is a conundrum IMO. Undoubtedly a big asset in his experience and he will head balls away all day and read the game. But he is so slow and it can and will be targeted. He is also particularly bad with the ball at his feet and kept giving them the ball back.

I was worried about McFadzean given his age but I have been pleasantly surprised. Positionally he is probably the best we have and his physicality is undoubted. Occasionally he could be prone (along with Hyam) to a ball in behind but today is the first time in four games where it has happened. 

Playing against a better passing team like Norwich means pushing up a little further to deny them time and space to play. I thought we did this well today as opposed to sitting in deeper like we did against Birmingham and Cardiff who are more direct. It's horses for courses and I'm happy that Eustace recognises this and adjusts his tactics accordingly.