v Burnley (h) - 4/1/2025

[smiller14]

Very hard to say who should and shouldn't play - the fixture list has been gruelling and a lot depends on how fit and prepared the lads are. The Dingles rested a few, a luxury we couldn't really afford. 

Big question marks for me -

Who starts up top? Gueye is more of an impact sub for me, Leonard needs easing in but then Ohashi is knackered and potentially injured. 
 

Cantwell - is he well enough? And if he is, do you sacrifice his stardust for someone more industrious? I'd lean towards the former.

Centre mid - seems almost certain it'll be Baker but JRC is an outside bet. On paper you'd think Buckley would be perfect as a local lad, but he's often far too passive. Type of player to get sent off on derby day for two petulant bookings. 
 

 

[sharpysharps86]

There won't be many goals in this. Could well be 0-0, or a 1-0 to either side.

Predicted team:

                   Pears

Brittain   Batth   Hyam    Beck

          Tronstad     Baker

ACD           Dolan         Hedges

                  Gueye

That forward line doesn't give me much hope for goals but that's where we're at. I think he'll opt for Gueye over Leonard for the extra height.

[MarkBRFC]

  On 02/01/2025 at 10:36, smiller14 said:

 

Who starts up top? Gueye is more of an impact sub for me, Leonard needs easing in but then Ohashi is knackered and potentially injured. 
 

 

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Was wondering if we could we play Weimann as the central forward? Have Dolan, Hedges and ACD behind him?

[Tom]

Agree that Gueye is best from the bench but Leonard was really poor yesterday so it’s a tough decision, maybe Weimann can do the role but I never like playing without a true forward.

On balance I think I’d give Leonard the nod, young lad in a big derby is a gamble but he’d be well up for it, bring Big Mak on at half time if needed. 

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

I just hope,deep down,our Players realise what this fixture means to us fans.

I still have horrible visions of our 3-0 surrender at Turf Morgue and a grinning,care free JDT post Match interview.

NO NAY NEVER!

Edited January 2 by SIMON GARNERS 194

[Hasta]

  On 02/01/2025 at 12:36, SIMON GARNERS 194 said:

I just hope our Players realise what this fixture means to us fans.

I still have horrible visions of our 3-0 surrender at Turf Morgue and a grinning,care free JDT post Match interview.

NO NAY NEVER!

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During the interview Szmodics did with Big Sam in the summer, he says he didn't play in the away game but that the players had commented on how much animosity there was from the stands. Many of this lot also played in the last game at Ewood, including JRC kicking one of theirs after the final whistle. Hyam should be haunted by that Tella photo of him. There's enough in that dressing room to understand what it mean.

Hopefully Gueye can keep a lid on his OTT aggression. 

[jim mk2]

Just found out we've got 4 tickets for this......and I haven't seen Rovers win this season 😧 

[J*B]

  On 02/01/2025 at 12:43, jim mk2 said:

Just found out we've got 4 tickets for this......and I haven't seen Rovers win this season 😧 

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Give them back. 

[J*B]

Pears

Brittain Hyam Batth Beck

Tronstad Baker

Weimann Cantwell Hedges

Dolan

Toth, McFadz, JRC, Buckley, ACD, Leonard, Gueye + 2x academy players. Crickey that squad is stretched quickly. 

Experience please, Eustace. Assumed Ohashi is injured, we need someone to press their back line as otherwise they'll just retain the ball and the attacks will keep coming back. Plus having Gueye on the bench gives us a wildcard option for the last 20 minutes if needed.

[Exiled_Rover]

  On 02/01/2025 at 10:36, smiller14 said:

Very hard to say who should and shouldn't play - the fixture list has been gruelling and a lot depends on how fit and prepared the lads are. The Dingles rested a few, a luxury we couldn't really afford. 

Big question marks for me -

Who starts up top? Gueye is more of an impact sub for me, Leonard needs easing in but then Ohashi is knackered and potentially injured. 
 

Cantwell - is he well enough? And if he is, do you sacrifice his stardust for someone more industrious? I'd lean towards the former.

Centre mid - seems almost certain it'll be Baker but JRC is an outside bet. On paper you'd think Buckley would be perfect as a local lad, but he's often far too passive. Type of player to get sent off on derby day for two petulant bookings. 
 

 

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Cantwell works hard - he's just not quick enough to track a FB up and down the line for 90 minutes, which is where the accusations of him not pulling his finger out come from.

Against Hull, deep into the second half, he sprinted from his central position to track the RB (Dolan [I think] had floated centrally for an attack). He was well within his rights to just drop back into the defensive shape and let someone else pick up the RB, but he saw the danger and worked his socks off to cover. 

 

As for Buckley - he's just not good enough I'm afraid. He's a very talented footballer (although clearly he thinks he's far more talented than he actually is!), but he's a poor athlete and his attitude stinks. There's a reason Eustace is so reluctant to use him. 

[Exiled_Rover]

  On 02/01/2025 at 11:48, MarkBRFC said:

Was wondering if we could we play Weimann as the central forward? Have Dolan, Hedges and ACD behind him?

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That's a terrifyingly bad forward line. 

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

I swear to God if Buckley plays he gets bullied off the Park.

[rigger]

  On 02/01/2025 at 13:03, Exiled_Rover said:

That's a terrifyingly bad forward line. 

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At the moment a terrifyingly bad forward line, is all we have got.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

  On 02/01/2025 at 12:49, J*B said:

Pears

Brittain Hyam Batth Beck

Tronstad Baker

Weimann Cantwell Hedges

Dolan

Toth, McFadz, JRC, Buckley, ACD, Leonard, Gueye + 2x academy players. Crickey that squad is stretched quickly. 

Experience please, Eustace. Assumed Ohashi is injured, we need someone to press their back line as otherwise they'll just retain the ball and the attacks will keep coming back. Plus having Gueye on the bench gives us a wildcard option for the last 20 minutes if needed.

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I wouldn’t play Cantwell unless he’s 100% . The game passed Weimann by yesterday. 
My front four would be JRC, Buckley, Hedges with Dolan up top. Not ideal but Dolan will press them at the back and I think playing behind the striker is Buckley’s best position. It’s not a game for the the kids.

[Exiled_Rover]

  On 02/01/2025 at 13:10, rigger said:

At the moment a terrifyingly bad forward line, is all we have got.

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Perhaps - but you have Gueye and Leonard in the squad. At least they can both actually play CF. Weimann can't.

[TheRovers1994]

  On 02/01/2025 at 04:26, Upside Down said:

That's assuming the club will sell people the tickets which at present they are trying their very best to not do.

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Why ? 

[TheRovers1994]

  On 02/01/2025 at 11:49, Tom said:

Agree that Gueye is best from the bench but Leonard was really poor yesterday so it’s a tough decision, maybe Weimann can do the role but I never like playing without a true forward.

On balance I think I’d give Leonard the nod, young lad in a big derby is a gamble but he’d be well up for it, bring Big Mak on at half time if needed. 

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How was he poor ? What else clubs he do ? He was playing as a midfielder cause we was against the wall and put a shift in 

[RevidgeBlue]

  On 02/01/2025 at 12:49, J*B said:

Pears

Brittain Hyam Batth Beck

Tronstad Baker

Weimann Cantwell Hedges

Dolan

Toth, McFadz, JRC, Buckley, ACD, Leonard, Gueye + 2x academy players. Crickey that squad is stretched quickly. 

Experience please, Eustace. Assumed Ohashi is injured, we need someone to press their back line as otherwise they'll just retain the ball and the attacks will keep coming back. Plus having Gueye on the bench gives us a wildcard option for the last 20 minutes if needed.

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The defensive seven pick themselves at the moment but don't like that front 4.

JRC Cantwell Dolan

Leonard or Gueye up front for me.

(Assuming Ohashi is injured)

Most importantly they have to play like they know what the fixture means to the fans which wasn't something which occurred in local derbies when JDT was here.

[Mattyblue]

To be fair they scabbed a win at Ewood last time with a goal out of nothing, we were well in the game - I don’t think the players will need telling.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

  On 02/01/2025 at 13:35, RevidgeBlue said:

Most importantly they have to play like they know what the fixture means to the fans which wasn't something which occurred in local derbies when JDT was here.

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Amen to that!

[arbitro]

  On 02/01/2025 at 13:10, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

I wouldn’t play Cantwell unless he’s 100% . The game passed Weimann by yesterday. 
My front four would be JRC, Buckley, Hedges with Dolan up top. Not ideal but Dolan will press them at the back and I think playing behind the striker is Buckley’s best position. It’s not a game for the the kids.

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Weimann was good yesterday I thought. His tracking back and covering space to deny Leeds passing through us was fundamental to the game plan. As I said earlier with only 30% possession most of was the work off the ball which was the cornerstone of the performance.

[martonrover]

  On 02/01/2025 at 13:40, Mattyblue said:

To be fair they scabbed a win at Ewood last time with a goal out of nothing, we were well in the game - I don’t think the players will need telling.

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To put that in context, we were in full - scale capitulation mode when that game was played, and it came as little surprise that Burnley won, without having to engage third gear.

[Mattyblue]

Thought it was a decent performance personally, but there you go.

[joey_big_nose]

  On 02/01/2025 at 13:10, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

I wouldn’t play Cantwell unless he’s 100% . The game passed Weimann by yesterday. 
My front four would be JRC, Buckley, Hedges with Dolan up top. Not ideal but Dolan will press them at the back and I think playing behind the striker is Buckley’s best position. It’s not a game for the the kids.

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Yeah I tend to agree... We could start Gueye but we will run out of legs second half and bringing him on really helps. Buckley at 10 would give us the ability to pack the midfield which is useful. 

I guess game plan will be to not concede and bring Gueye and ACD on around 65 mins to make something. Shame to approach a home derby that way but we cant risk going down to an early goal.

[smiller14]

  On 02/01/2025 at 14:10, martonrover said:

To put that in context, we were in full - scale capitulation mode when that game was played, and it came as little surprise that Burnley won, without having to engage third gear.

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Not sure Burnley coasted the game, we were largely the better side but struggled to create much. Dolan took one off Hyam's head and we had a blatant penalty turned down.

It wasn't a surprise, no, but we more than matched them that day. The performance at their place was nothing short of disgraceful though