v Middlesbrough (a) - 16/3/24

[roversfan99]

An average of less than a point a game and 0 wins with none of the games being against the top 6 is not good foundations for anything.

[M_B]

I think some have underestimated the damage done previously, if he saves Rovers from the drop, it will have been some turnaround. 

[roversfan99]

We was 7 points (I think) clear and about 8 teams clear when he came in. Hardly some turnaround.

[grizfoot]

39 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

We was 7 points (I think) clear and about 8 teams clear when he came in. Hardly some turnaround.

I suppose it depends on the context you look at it in.

JDTs last seven games: W0 D2 L5 F8 A17 GD-9 PTS: 2

Eustace's first seven games: W0 D5 L2 F6 A8 GD-2 PTS: 5 

Actually a 150% increase in points! But at this juncture it is perhaps less of a turnaround more of a plugging holes in a sinking ship hoping you can nurse it back to shore before the worse happens.

Edited March 16 by grizfoot

[AllRoverAsia]

JE has failed to do as well as the other teams around us at the bottom of the table. Since his arrival we've dropped a place and the gap to the bottom 3 has gone from 7 points to just 3. That is the important issue. 

If the current trend of results and points accumulation of us and others is not moved in our favour then we get relegated.

Edited March 16 by AllRoverAsia

[NeilInBristol]

3 hours ago, AllRoverAsia said:

JE has failed to do as well as the other teams around us at the bottom of the table. Since his arrival we've dropped a place and the gap to the bottom 3 has gone from 7 points to just 3. That is the important issue. 

If the current trend of results and points accumulation of us and others is not moved in our favour then we get relegated.

Spot on

Look at Cardiff as an example. In the time since we played them they've now moved away from the relegation zone at some pace and urgency. We've just limped along.

He needs to get a win. Asap

[M_B]

4 hours ago, roversfan99 said:

We was 7 points (I think) clear and about 8 teams clear when he came in. Hardly some turnaround.

The table shows form over the season, it has no relevance whatsoever to the form the team was in prior to Tomasson leaving.

 

[NeilInBristol]

8 hours ago, booth said:

At some point you have to start blaming the players, and more importantly the people who assembled them.

We all know who's to blame. Frustratingly the court case is postponed until August so they limp on and we limp on.

The no excuse coach is now making excuses about Connor being young and needs protection from the first team and he's one for the future. 

Frustrating owners

Frustrating coach

Hope the players who do play today can show that fight they showed against Newcastle 

[arbitro]

I really haven't got a clue about how today will go. Middlesbrough are in good nick, we aren't. They are at home albeit on a ground were we usually do well. Who knows what the outcome will be. I'm pretty certain though that Eustace will go with a back five, leave us short in midfield again and we will create very little.

Nigh on 1000 Rovers fans are making the trip today. I really hope the journey back home makes the effort worthwhile for them. Hopefully Waggott and the owners are the the object of their ire.

[Herbie6590]

https://www.brfcs.com/magazine/articles/they-played-for-both-rovers-and-boro/57

[AllRoverAsia]

54 minutes ago, NeilInBristol said:

We all know who's to blame. Frustratingly the court case is postponed until August so they limp on and we limp on.

The no excuse coach is now making excuses about Connor being young and needs protection from the first team and he's one for the future. 

Frustrating owners

Frustrating coach

Hope the players who do play today can show that fight they showed against Newcastle 

I draw hope from my belief that we do have quite a few decent players and are better than our form since December indicates.

But it's a results business, especially so at the arse end of a season when in trouble. We need to get wins, we are going to lose a few of the games left and draws in others may not be enough.

I have no idea how today will go but hopefully we don't lose.

[roversfan99]

1 hour ago, M_B said:

The table shows form over the season, it has no relevance whatsoever to the form the team was in prior to Tomasson leaving.

 

I think you are clutching at straws perhaps due to a dislike of Tomasson.

I dont doubt that Eustace came into far from ideal circumstances.  I also think that Tomasson's time came to an end. But we have seen zero new manager bounce and displayed relegation form in a run of games which has been favourable. It wouldnt be a remarkablr achievement to keep us up considering where we were when he came in.

[NeilInBristol]

The king is dead. Long live the king 

[Old Codger]

Not sure how many will trudge up the A19 for this one, but fair play to those hardy bastards who make the trip. I hope you are rewarded for your blind optimism with a display of attacking flair, resolute defending and midfield tenacity / creativity in equal measure.

The form book looks somewhat telling:

Boro - Last 6 = won 4 lost two

Rovers - Last 6 drawn 5 lost one.

Just like every single game from now to the end of the season, we need something from this one. I think though, on balance, that all we will get is disappointment and anger at what might have been. Hoping I'm wrong. Both sides have something to play for, but at opposite ends of the table. Both sides have players back. Both sides have players capable of changing a game. Both have players who coast like entitled babies instead of blazing like footballing gods.

Hoping for a Rovers miracle.

Expecting a Rovers reverse 😞

But FFS! COYB!

F-WAGGOTT OUT!

F-VENKYRAODESAIWASTRELS OUT!

F-SUHAILPASHAHIDINGLIKEAWANKER OUT!

Edited March 16 by Old Codger
Wild Irish Rover, WIR Second Coming, The Expert, Shirley Crabtree Wrestler. All me, all gone beyond. All Rovers till they died! Still am, always will be RTID

[OldEwoodBlue]

Not seen what Eusless has had to say this week. Is this a must win game or not ?

[M_B]

3 hours ago, roversfan99 said:

I think you are clutching at straws perhaps due to a dislike of Tomasson.

I dont doubt that Eustace came into far from ideal circumstances.  I also think that Tomasson's time came to an end. But we have seen zero new manager bounce and displayed relegation form in a run of games which has been favourable. It wouldnt be a remarkablr achievement to keep us up considering where we were when he came in.

I'm not clutching at anything, I don't need to,I'm beyond getting emotionally attached to anyone, I'm just saying it as I see it. 

We were in a death spiral, Tomasson left and we've lost 2 in 8 as I see it, not brilliant obviously but the way we were playing previously, not too bad.

If you want to quote the lack of wins crack on, I don't really care if we draw our way to safety, we can't afford to go down. I think keeping us up would be a good achievement, you play it down if you want. 

 

 

[WacoRover]

3 hours ago, Old Codger said:

Not sure how many will trudge up the A19 for this one, but fair play to those hardy bastards who make the trip. I hope you are rewarded for your blind optimism with a display of attacking flair, resolute defending and midfield tenacity / creativity in equal measure.

The form book looks somewhat telling:

Boro - Last 6 = won 4 lost two

Rovers - Last 6 drawn 5 lost one.

Just like every single game from now to the end of the season, we need something from this one. I think though, on balance, that all we will get is disappointment and anger at what might have been. Hoping I'm wrong. Both sides have something to play for, but at opposite ends of the table. Both sides have players back. Both sides have players capable of changing a game. Both have players who coast like entitled babies instead of blazing like footballing gods.

Hoping for a Rovers miracle.

Expecting a Rovers reverse 😞

But FFS! COYB!

F-WAGGOTT OUT!

F-VENKYRAODESAIWASTRELS OUT!

F-SUHAILPASHAHIDINGLIKEAWANKER OUT!

Shirley Crabtree Wrestler deceased?
I missed that when it happened. Sad to hear, I always enjoyed reading SCW posts. 

[davulsukur]

11 minutes ago, OldEwoodBlue said:

Not seen what Eusless has had to say this week. Is this a must win game or not ?

Nope.

"Take each game as it comes" (or similar cliche)

Edited March 16 by davulsukur

[Blue blood]

Last night I dreamg we were 4-0 down inside 20 minutes, 2-4 at half time, and it finished 3-4 with us having some literal kids playing for us. Sadly this isn't as fanciful as it could be. 

another Boro win I fear. 

[Old Codger]

22 minutes ago, WacoRover said:

Shirley Crabtree Wrestler deceased?
I missed that when it happened. Sad to hear, I always enjoyed reading SCW posts. 

Well I'm not really dead, but the nom de plume has been retired / killed off. The posts remain somewhat adjacent, though perhaps a little toned down to reduce my tendency to offend folks 😭, but it is still me, except I'm now officially an Old Codger 😉

[simongarnerisgod]

can`t see anything other than a heavy beating today,especially if we play that stupidly high defensive line,boro are in good form and the riverside is never an easy place to get a result,it`s a game to sit deep and try to hit them on the counter,i wouldn`t want to try and force the issue against a better side

[Blue blood]

On 13/03/2024 at 00:42, roversfan99 said:

A direct rival below us in the league lost. That is better than them winning being supposedly offset by Boro being any less or more difficult at the weekend.

The one thing that is in our favour and makes relegation still far from a foregone conclusion is the number of teams around us. From a mini league of 7, we only have to not be one of the 2 worst and that doesnt factor in a 3 point buffer over 2 of those teams (one with considerably worse goal difference) and a 2 point buffer over a further 2, and assumes that both Millwall and Swansea arent in it who themselves are only 2 points ahead of us.

Not that I have any confidence of us not being one of the 2 worst teams. It will be interesting to see how many points are needed. 

That's been .my take for a while. 

[WacoRover]

13 minutes ago, Old Codger said:

Well I'm not really dead, but the nom de plume has been retired / killed off. The posts remain somewhat adjacent, though perhaps a little toned down to reduce my tendency to offend folks 😭, but it is still me, except I'm now officially an Old Codger 😉

That was a close call Whew! 😂

Glad to hear it, keep those entertaining posts coming! 

[rovers11]

That's the best starting 11 we've had for a long time. 

[B16Rover]

Strong 11 players wise.  Not sure what formation is unless Pickering is at centre back?