2 minutes ago, Ewood Ace said:

That's something people say about Palmer but I don't think is true. I think it is a lazy accusation aimed at him because he had the confidence to try some tricks.

He worked a lot harder in terms of tracking back and chasing down opponents than the likes of Brereton, Armstrong or even Rothwell. Also unlike those 3 he was capable of winning a few headers which is much needed with Mowbray's hoof ball.

I think the truth's somewhere in the middle.

Agree that his work rate was fine, think saying otherwise is a bit of a lazy accusation. That said, I don't think he could really have been trusted to play in the way that the team needed in terms of looking after the ball in the right areas. 

A good player who if we signed on a four year contract would be a good investment, but given where we are, would rather give more game time to one of those who will definitely be here next season.

Not overly upset about Palmer, assuming the reports are true. Talented boy though, seems like a decent lad too.

Seem to remember Tony mentioning about taking the pressure off Dack when we first brought him in. Probably envisaged him playing number 10 a lot more than he has done, which would've suited him more. 

Now that we're as good as safe, I'd rather give playing time to one of our own players. Makes sense for all parties. 

2 hours ago, neophox said:

For being Bought as league one players I have to say Both Bell and Rothwell has done well in Championship! Good cheap Deals by Mowbray. 

Basically agree due to their potential (especially Rothwell) but both will need to develop significantly to be long term fixtures in my view, if our aspirations are to be mixing it around the top of the table.

Bell at the moment is simply too loose a defender to deserve a place in the team (especially against the better footballing teams who put us under pressure) in front of Williams, who generally I think is underrated. That said, he is physically very impressive and is comfortable on the ball (even if his crossing needs work), but that's not enough if he allows his winger to get the ball into the box as frequently as he does.

As you say, as a league 1 signing for a few hundred grand, he's not been a bad bit of business, but he certainly has things in his games to fix before we can really say it's paid dividends either in terms of increased value or his being worth his place in the side. Probably say the same with Rothwell, although he's probably entitled to a few more appearences before passing judgement.

Reed on a permanent deal would be a fabulous bit of business.

We've seen how difficult it is to get a player in this division who can be comfortable on the ball as well as well as properly compete in the middle of the park. Come to think of it I don't think we've had a single one, other than perhaps David Jones on loan. If young Travis develops into the sort of player that he looks like he might be, then all of a sudden our perennial problem position (even though Evans and Smallwood are a big improvement on what we've had in years) could suddenly be a real strength. 

9 minutes ago, Leonard Venkhater said:

OMG..Please God, no!

What a way for TM to lose all credibility!

To be fair, I think the worst possible option would be to keep Travis at Rovers but not in the first XI. Delighted with the way that he's played in the last few games, and deserves to keep his place, but it's common for the form of youngsters to tail off once the adrenaline of stepping up to a new level wears off.

He obviously looks every inch the Championship player already, but so long as there's no repeat of him stewing in the reserves, at least he'll get a chance to develop and show what he can do consistently.

Some tricky decisions for TM here. We're looking nailed on for mid-table, so I'd like us to really go full strength for a cup run, but at the same time a lot of our big hitters have played a lot of a football and some players out of the team probably warrant more minutes.

I'd go:

Raya

Bennett  Lenihan  Williams Bell

Travis Evans

Rothwell Palmer Armstrong

Brereton

But wouldn't especially mind if Downing or Conway got starts either. Is there a chance that we could see Davenport on the bench for this one?

Once you get an opinion on a player, it's hard for them to change your mind, so my biggest complement to Evans is that after thinking that he's not been contributing nearly enough for most of the last four years, he's improved enough that I'm actually chuffed with this.

Hopefully this is more to do with fitness and having a proper manager than anything else, but his form over the last 12 months suggests he is a better player than just a Championship journeyman, if at the same time not of the highest quality. 

29 minutes ago, JHRover said:

Sheffield United have put our game down as Category A. I assume purely on the time of the year and they reckon they can get more home fans on than usual. I suspect we'll do well to shift many for that. £29 is steep especially for the time of year. There might be a few who go there rather than pay £39 to go to Leeds and a few like me who haven't been on Bramall Lane before, but can't see us shifting 2,000.

Let's see, but I can see that being surprisingly well attended after a disappointing following at Leeds. Combination of cheaper (if not exactly cheap) tickets, new ground for many, still most people off, better trains running etc. 

7 minutes ago, philipl said:

Got a feeling we are going to get a stinker of a draw. Palace or QPR away....

We've had a few in recent years. Just so long as it's better than a 4 hour trip to Newport, then to be called off at half 2 due to a waterlogged pitch, then I'll be happy!

30 minutes ago, S8 & Blue said:

Thank god.

Similarily selfishly - any South Yorkshire away.

Barring that something trammable from Manc like Oldham, Bury (if they are in still)

Assuming we'd still have the 'behind both goals' allocation like last year, Bury would be class.

Let's see what the next few years hold, but if we carry on progressing under Mowbray then I think that fixture will be remembered fondly for years and years as a turning point.

2 hours ago, BankEnd Rover said:

It just his finishing he needs to work on. He does all the hard work and just cant seem to finish. Hopefully once he get a few more goals that will improve.

Half agree, he's had enough chances to expect to have a couple if he was being ruthless, but then again he's hit the bar & seen efforts blocked which would usually go in. His finishing has looked one of his stronger points in the past, so hopefully he'll just need one and he can get on a roll. 

2 hours ago, rigger said:

I think, Armstrong is nearly a cert pick.

Got a good feeling about Armstrong in this one. Really unlucky not to bag in the last couple of matches, but looking brighter in general play & I think Saturday will be his day. 

They're clearly back in something like some form now, albeit with a team that doesn't really frighten me.

Don't think there the sort of team that are going to outplay us all that much, but will probably be very difficult to play against all the same. Can see a 2-1 for either side. 

https://www.rovers.co.uk/news/2018/november/charlie-commits-future-to-the-club/ 

2 more years for Charlie!

Maybe 15 seats in the corners. Looks pretty full apart from that!

4 minutes ago, millersfan said:

Yes, vaulks will be a loss! We have found that Vaulks, Towell and Manning (on loan from QPR) have a really good drive and energy in midfiled. That does lead to us moving Ajayi into a holding midfield role which I think we would have done anyway. I dont think there will be many goals in this game.....

Hows richie smallwood doing? I was sad to see him leave us, always gave 100% and would put himself on the line.... he did seem to get a nosebleed if he was too far up the pitch though ?

It does seem you are having a really good start back in the championship, i'd have had wigan doing the best of the 3 teams promoted.

 

Smallwood's been an amazingly popular figure pretty much since day one. After years of disconnect between players & fans, you probably couldn't have picked a better character & player to come in and he was hugely important in our promotion.

This season has probably seen a reasonable number Rovers fans be a bit more apprehensive about how well he can make the step up, but personally I think he's winning over plenty of however many doubters there were. As you say, not the most gifted with the ball at his feet, but has played a big part in beating teams that you'd have to say have probably got better technical players than us, and lays a great platform for the likes of Dack to exploit. 

Everyone's willing him to do well though. Fairly certain most Rovers fans enjoyed this winner more than we did promotion!

Just now, only2garners said:

I see Wigan tickets are also on sale now - just got mine online. Hopefully a good proportion of those going to Deepdale will come along to this as well.

Really disappointed that they're so close together, and that Wigan is on a Wednesday night. 

I can see us selling out at PNE after such a brisk start, but we'd do reasonably well to shift half that amount so soon after. 

Just now, millersfan said:

Hey! Rotherham fan here to help in friendly discussion before the game on Saturday. Unfortunatlty I'm not able to make it to Ewood Park, so I'll be looking to follow this one on the radio.

Richie Towell was on loan with us all last season and played a key part in in our promotion back to the championship. He's been out of form for the past couple of games but always gives 100%.

The team is still pretty much the side we came up with from league 1, with the addition of a right back and centre mid. We are punching above our weight a little in this league, but we are doing it the right way.....

What to expect from us? 100% team work etheic, we will probably come and look to stay in the game add in a holding midfielder and look to break. we have managed to mark up 5 points from the last 3 games which included Swansea and Middlesborough, all hard fought.

As one of your posters noted earlier, most teams look at us and think an easy 3 points. If you are playing well and on your game you may do that, our away form is not the best this season, but come into the game thinking it should be stright forward and you may find you have a frustrating afternoon!.

My money will be on a 0-0 or 1-1 draw!

 

Won't pretend to know a great deal about your side but your results show that you clearly know how to dig in, think getting the first goal here could be crucial for Rovers. 

See that Vaulks is suspended, big loss do you feel?

In the summer I was really hoping we'd still sign him. Risky with a bad injury behind him, but still a good risk/reward trade-off in a position that we seemed to be well short in.

With the further fitness issues, & the fact that we regularly have players of the quality of Palmer & Rothwell on the bench, afraid taking him now would just be sentiment, although I really hope for his sake that he has a good career somewhere. 

Buying an English midfielder for megabucks and then not play him is textbook Spurs behaviour in fairness. 

Doubt it enormously, but fair play to him for even getting a semi-credible link to a CL team when he was in the third tear only a few months ago.

Just now, roversfan99 said:

Raya

Nyambe Lenihan Mulgrew Williams

Rodwell Reed

Palmer Dack Rothwell

Brereton

Subs: Leutweiler, Bennett, Smallwood, Armstrong, Graham, Downing, Bell

Ive assumed Raya and Mulgrew are going to be fit. Id like to see the shackles off as this is on paper almost as winnable a game as we will get. 50/50 between the striker, opted to satisfy the want to see Brereton played centrally but would be equally happy with Graham.

This is basically my team too, only with Bennett in for (probably) Rothwell and I'd opt for Graham too.

Not seen much of Rotherham, but the impression I've got is that despite not having the quality, they're making teams work hard for taking points off them. Think we might need Bennett's energy and graft in this one, hopefully having the quality elsewhere. 

Just now, BankEnd Rover said:

1,700 sold so far...not bad with 3 weeks left 

Only on open sale tomorrow too. 

Not sure if a complete sell out is realistic, but a nice win at the weekend a week before pay day should hopefully take us close!

22 minutes ago, davulsukur said:

It's genuinely quite scary how a guy like Coyle can be classed a professional football manager. He's just full of waffle and soundbites, just like K**n was.

When it comes down to training, tactics, motivation etc. his knowledge/ability must be so poor and yet people were still chucking jobs his way.

Mogga is obviously doing the business for us but he isn't faultless and yet the difference between what he inherited and what we have now is chalk and cheese. 

It's been spoken about a few times over the last 18 months, but this is a really important point which in a way has been playing out on most of the threads on this board.

Maybe this is the same at all clubs to a certain extent, but I think the chaos at Rovers over recent years, as well as some of the managerial appointments has made it really easy for fans to get grouped in the 'optimistic' or 'pessimistic' categories (see happy clappers or doom-mongers, if things get pejorative). 

Consequence of this is that fans get into the habit very easily of looking at any, often almost unrelated issue as a slight against their position, and therefore have a tendency to get very defensive to the point that we have two large groups who are constantly talking past each other. This was happening even under Bowyer. Refusal to recognise poor signings/soft underbelly because of the great work that he did, or indeed vice versa. 

Might be a bit of a tangent, but it makes points like your last one all the more important. I personally think the sun shines out of TM's backside, but I think amongst his best achievements is that because of what he has done & how much of a step up he is (as a manager and a bloke) than Coyle, it means that we now should be able to talk about things like players costing too much money or if we have a late goals issue without it descending into 'which of the two camps do you belong to' squabbles that we've been having for the last 5 years or more. 

3 hours ago, Dreams of 1995 said:

Come to think of it I'm struggling to see what Brereton brings us over what Antonsson did. Similar pace, although Brereton might have a defter touch, neither can hold the ball up and were more comfortable with it in front of them. So far the big - and most important - difference between the two is the goal scoring record.

Let's hope BB can bang a few in succession and put the doubts at ease like Antonson did. 

Not really a comment on BB, but Antonsson's biggest issue for me was that he was possibly the most frail footballer I've ever seen play for Rovers. Apart from possibly Carlos Villanueva. Worked hard & had a nice finish, but I think that was probably it and he struggled to even make a yard for himself because of his lack of strength and any real pace. 

Brereton has got the physique to be a real handful, so hopefully we'll be seeing him make the most of that sooner rather than later. 

Just now, CP Company Lad said:

Just love this league when it's going well. I thought we were very comfortable yesterday. The keeper was at fault for the goal. Yeah the Prem is where the money is but we have been there and done that and Europe. I really love the Championship. So competitive and 14 teams could end up in the top 6. Pushed now I would say in no order. Leeds,Derby, Middlesbrough,Nottingham Forest will be in the mix. Villa will push on. Hopefully Rovers can stay with the pace. I honestly think Sheffield United will fall away. West Brom also. 

Couldn't agree more about the Championship, fabulous league. Just an ironic shame that winning it means having (probably) less fun in the top flight. Even by normal standards, this year looks extremely hard to predict. We're in November now, and to my mind there's not a single team that stands out as emerging from a pack of 7 or 8 as favourites for automatic promotion. Maybe Derby in recent weeks. 

Sheffield United are a funny one. For me, they were the best team I've seen at Ewood this year and by a fair distance, but going off that performance you'd never have guessed that they would be leaking goals or dropping points as much as they have in some recent games.