v WBA (h) - 23/10/2024

[Exiled_Rover]

1 hour ago, arbitro said:

A really hard earned point which many would have taken at 7.45. It was a game that Eustace set us up not to lose which I completely understand. At times we were like the away team as we sat in and played on the break. I thought some of the changes we made should have happened sooner as it appeared a few were struggling. Hopefully Carter isn't going to be missing for too long but I fear the worst having seen him being helped around the pitch. With McFadzean out all of a sudden we are struggling for centre halves. The clean sheet is a big plus tonight and that's five for the season now. Keeping clean sheets in the Championship is one way to success. With the games coming thick and fast now I really think Eustace has to rotate his squad a bit more.

 

Several players were down on their haunches on Saturday and the same today.

He needs to use Baker more for a start. Beck looked shattered at the end too - as much as I think he's lightyears better than Pickering, he has to be managed with 2 games a week. 

[Polky]

Good point tonight, would have taken that before the game.

If we can somehow pick up three points at the weekend that will be a solid week.

[Ghost7]

1 hour ago, Exiled_Rover said:

Several players were down on their haunches on Saturday and the same today.

He needs to use Baker more for a start. Beck looked shattered at the end too - as much as I think he's lightyears better than Pickering, he has to be managed with 2 games a week. 

 

Agree, I can't understand why the minutes aren't being shared more. Dolan does not need to be on there for nearly 90 minutes each game, there aren't really any stand out players and the bench can easily be involved more during games and earlier on. Tronstad and Travis will burnout soon. There are never any minutes for Baker, Sigurdsson or Buckley. It seemed to take forever for him to make any significant subs and the game was nearly over.

[chaddyrovers]

3 hours ago, arbitro said:

A really hard earned point which many would have taken at 7.45. It was a game that Eustace set us up not to lose which I completely understand. At times we were like the away team as we sat in and played on the break. I thought some of the changes we made should have happened sooner as it appeared a few were struggling. Hopefully Carter isn't going to be missing for too long but I fear the worst having seen him being helped around the pitch. With McFadzean out all of a sudden we are struggling for centre halves. The clean sheet is a big plus tonight and that's five for the season now. Keeping clean sheets in the Championship is one way to success. With the games coming thick and fast now I really think Eustace has to rotate his squad a bit more.

 

Carter looks bad. Surprise if we see him before Christmas tbf

2 hours ago, M_B said:

Given the vast difference in squad value, that was a good point, felt obliged to stay behind and clap them off.

Thought Hyam was man of the match, but it could have gone to a few. Nobody particularly outstanding, but a team performance with plenty effort.

From being a team which stayed up on the last day, to having the style of play scrutinised whilst in 6th place, 3 points off the top 2 is quite the turnaround by Eustace.

For Hyam and Travis were our best players. Tronstad as ever steady and reliable. 

Eustace is doing a very good job. 

1 hour ago, Exiled_Rover said:

I haven't seen a single checker - do they try and catch late comers? Haven't been checked at either of the last two home games, but I get there about 15 minutes early most matches. 

Been checked last 2 home games. Straight through in about 5 seconds tops. Same as always

[ageoftherover]

5 hours ago, Andy said:

Yeah, I'm not a fan of this rewriting history.

JDT did an excellent job here for the majority of his time, certainly that first season.

Yes, it went to shit towards the end, but he'd mentally signed off long before that point.

I always find it strange that people find this to be a point in his favour.

I've worked in places where there was complete nonsense going on above/politically. Within that, there were still people working alongside me who counted on me to do my job, not to mention customers/clients. I know the circumstances around JDT were abject last year, but I will always consider straight up downing tools to be very poor professional behaviour.

[chaddyrovers]

3 hours ago, roversfan99 said:

Another borefest, Eustace football isnt entertaining but its all about results. I think tonight was a decent point but not a good watch. 19 points from 11 is a very solid return but we need to start winning away from home.

Surely it's points over entertaining football every time? 

Borefest? Would you want us to be more open and defensive weaker? 

 

[AllRoverAsia]

5 hours ago, tomphil said:

A waste of a big wage that guy either get a tune out of him or get rid in Jan and use the wages better he's never fancied the grind since he first turned up.

He's got a tune in him but lacks the desire to play it.

[yankfan]

7 hours ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

As they said during the game - when did we last score direct from a free kick ?

Mulgrew I reckon 

[magicalmortensleftpeg]

7 hours ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

Maja looked to be exactly what we are short of.

A striker who didn’t manage to score?  Already got several of those.

I didn’t particularly notice him to be honest. WBA look a tidy team but no one player particularly stood out apart from their full back who couldn’t throw a ball properly.

Edited October 24, 2024 by magicalmortensleftpeg

[K-Hod]

Not a great football match, all told.

Would have taken the point before kick off, too.
Not sure either team did enough to win overall either.
Draw a fair result IMO.

[roversfan99]

2 hours ago, chaddyrovers said:

Surely it's points over entertaining football every time? 

Borefest? Would you want us to be more open and defensive weaker? 

 

"Its all about results" is probably the answer to that.

[roverblue]

If we can keep battling till January then hopefully we can loan in some better attacking players (as we certainly won’t pay for any). Eustace done a great job on a league one budget and got the lads motivated.

The key area to address in summer was wingers and strikers. We have completely failed at the former and it’s hard to judge the strikers when we create nothing for them all game. 

Relying on hedges/dolan/sigurdson to attack a fullback or put some crosses in is a tried recipe for failure. The only hope is ACD if he get gets a start but not seen much so far to get my hopes up.

[chaddyrovers]

9 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

"Its all about results" is probably the answer to that.

So you happy to pick points whilst not playing entertaining football you would prefer to watch? 

You did called yesterday game a borefest? 

[arbitro]

7 hours ago, Exiled_Rover said:

Several players were down on their haunches on Saturday and the same today.

He needs to use Baker more for a start. Beck looked shattered at the end too - as much as I think he's lightyears better than Pickering, he has to be managed with 2 games a week. 

Hyam could hardly run in the last few minutes but if Carter and McFadzean are out he will have to play. In other areas we have cover but I do sense a reluctance from Eustace to make too many changes.

I like Eustace but I do think sometimes he lacks a bit of tactical nous. Last night it was crying out for a ball over the top as West Brom had a high line and press. We did it twice and got in behind but I saw many other opportunities where Ohashi, Cantwell and Dolan made an angled run to stay onside but the pass never came. We simply didn't see them so maybe there is culpability on our own players as well as Eustace. I also noticed this at Plymouth when Eustace admitted the game plan was to essentially defend for an hour against a high pressing team.

[martonrover]

8 hours ago, booth said:

Not sure if it's religious fervour or the fact that he took us to our highest league position since relegation from the PL, and that was after the January sabotage. I can appreciate both managers, especially when both are saddled with incompetents.

Two tough games coming up. If Eustace can better last years tally after the same amount of games it'll be some achievement.

True, re - JDT's first season, but It's likely we would've been relegated had he stayed to the end of his second, (he has a relegation on his CV).

He was let down by the owners, but two wrongs don't make a right, and his stubbornness and lack of pragmatism exposed his weaknesses.

[roversfan99]

9 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

So you happy to pick points whilst not playing entertaining football you would prefer to watch? 

You did called yesterday game a borefest? 

Yes, surely its self explanatory.

[Mattyblue]

I thought it was a decent game. West Brom will be up there, but we competed well. Both teams missed good chances. 0-0 on midweek at Ewood doesn’t necessarily mean ‘boring’.

[arbitro]

Although I haven't seen anything official it appears we have a new set piece coach. On each corner for and against last night Eustace and Gardiner sat down and Ben Benson was shouting instructions and gesturing from the technical area. I have noticed several Premier League clubs doing the same this season.

[BigBar]

11 hours ago, AAK said:

Think about what you've just said. Then think about the circumstances of the recruitment, then think about the owners, then think about what you've just said again. If you can't work it out, I apologise.

Are you actually ok? If you think I don't recognise what a shit show the club has been for over a decade at the hands of our joke "owners" and that every manager has their work cut out for them the second they agree to take charge at our club then you have are very much mistaken. 

Quick to throw in smarmy comments because I simply praised Eustace for what I see as an incredible job is very odd. Look at the turn around from what he walked into. If you have some sort of affection for JDT then you fill your boots but if you can't see that Eustace has been very very good since arriving then I apologise to you. 

Edited October 24, 2024 by BigBar

[tomphil]

3 hours ago, AllRoverAsia said:

He's got a tune in him but lacks the desire to play it.

The fact that at times Dolan and/or Hedges keep an international out of the starting line up tells it's own story and he is probably on both their wages combined.

I'm 100% certain that John Park and Rudy would invest that money in someone more productive.

[RoversTilliDie]

There goalkeeper had to keep jumping up and down to keep warm, because he had hardly anything to do for 90 minutes. We should have given him something to do with a few shots on target. We had one golden opportunity, but instead of shooting for goal, we chose to pass, and the chance was gone. I thought Trondstat had a good game, and Cantwell.

[MarkBRFC]

9 hours ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

As they said during the game - when did we last score direct from a free kick ?

Ben Brereton Diaz, against WBA funnily enough in February 2023.

[RoversTilliDie]

I was disappointed with a point last night, unlike some commenters. W.B.A. will be far happier with the point, and our 100% home record has gone.

[RoversTilliDie]

I agree with somebody's comment in the LT, we're amateur at taking throw ins, and useless at set pieces. Something John Eustace needs to put right on the training ground.

[benhben]

First time at Ewood last night for quote a while. Thought we battled well and it was an even game even though west Brom had the better chances. I said I'd think both teams would take a draw before the game and that's how it turned out. Observations are similar to everyone else. 

We're desperate for some pace to get in behind. There's none anywhere on the pitch apart from Beck and Carter at the back  Think Cantwell could pick them out if anyone was capable of making the runs. There's no get out ball when we're under the cosh. 

Hedges and Dolan get on the ball plenty and look tidy, but don't really do anything with it.

Saw pears got good reviews...not sure why. He made a couple of routine saves at the end but almost cost us in the first half taking too long to clear his lines then fumbled a cross and took out Travis. Still looks a fumble waiting to happen.

Beck is unbelievable better than Pickering. Tenacious and has the pace to cover. It's no coincidence we're defensively better since he's come in.

JRC is far too slow on the ball imo. Just doesn't look like an athlete.

Edited October 24, 2024 by benhben