[Archived] Nottingham Forest vs. Rovers - Saturday 18th January 2014

[den]

Who's to say that Gary won't become an outstanding manager? I simply think we ought to give the guy a chance.

You're twisting my words there Parson. I'm not criticising him, I'm saying we needed the best we could get, because there won't be an opportunity to build next season.

[Parsonblue]

You're twisting my words there Parson. I'm not criticising him, I'm saying we needed the best we could get, because there won't be an opportunity to build next season.

Apologies for that den as it wasn't my intention. I assume that after the chaos of last season and the amount of money they had to pay out to former managers that Desai and her family simply didn't trust any of their advisors to find a manager. I suspect that having met Gary they found a guy who is honest and has a genuine love of the club. If they are in this for the long term - and that is open to doubt - then appointing someone like Gary makes sense. If it was a case of promotion or bust this season then whoever was given the manager's job should have been given a budget to reflect that situation. Gary was given very little in terms of a budget but told to cut the wage bill. That doesn't sound like a plan for instant promotion but rather more one for getting the club in a better financial foundation than it is at present.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Build next season Parson? The debt must be around £80m now and still rising, while Shaw has said he expects a transfer embargo. That's why it was so important that we got the best manager available last summer, rather than just go along with a coach who had done reasonably well in the odd game.

With a better manager, we just might be in the top 6 now. Some of our performances have been really, really poor and IMO, a more experienced man could have improved those performances enough to have got us to a higher points total.

Couldn't agree more Den...why in God's name do some people think matters will be better next season?

The financial restraints applied to us next season could well strangle the life out of Rovers future promotion prospects.

[Gav]

Couldn't agree more Den...why in God's name do some people think matters will be better next season?

The financial restraints applied to us next season could well strangle the life out of Rovers future promotion prospects.

Nobody knows whats going to happen next season SG, this site has been rife with rumour lies and speculation over the past 4yrs, most of which never came to pass.

What people are saying is that the side will be better equiped to challenege next season having been together longer and I agree with that.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

A transfer embargo will come into effect Gav..Venkys have closed the purse strings and manager has orders to sell to spend.

Bowyer will have his hands shackled even tighter next season.Every season spent in this God awful league drags this club further into the mire.

[DE.]

In terms of financial restraints, we have a minus net spend in terms of transfer fees this season anyway, don't we? We sold Olsson for £2.5M, and from recollection the only players who came in for fees are Marshall (£1M), Evans (£700K) and Cairney (£500K).

Wages are the big concern but there's plenty of deadwood we could cut adrift to get that down. It's just a case of trying to find somebody to take these players off us.

We do have some weak positions which need addressing (GK, DR, DC, DM) but even if we have to stick with the current first-teamers they'll have benefited from a season of playing together and adapting to each other. We have quite a few young players like Henley, Hanley, Cairney and Rhodes who should also improve somewhat over the next season or so.

Obviously if there is financial armageddon at the end of the season then the above is all moot, but we only have hearsay to suggest that will be the case at the moment. Our financial situation is dire but we aren't alone in that regard.

[yoda]

Nobody knows whats going to happen next season SG, this site has been rife with rumour lies and speculation over the past 4yrs, most of which never came to pass.

What people are saying is that the side will be better equiped to challenege next season having been together longer and I agree with that.

eh!

we have been relegated, up to our eye balls in debt, absent owners and a string of ex managers paid off, threat of embargoes, made a laughing stock in court,

which are the bits that never came to pass?

[joey_big_nose]

we should sign a decent LM and put cairney in the middle

We have king Taylor and Marshall. Lots of decent players who can go on the left. Bowyer just fancies cairney there for some reason...

Bowyer has to drop the Lowe Willamson partnership and take a few risks. I would love to see:-

Robinson

Henley Dann Hanley Spurr

Marshall Cairney Lowe King

Rhodes Gestede

Thats a good attacking team which plays to our strengths.

[Gav]

eh!

we have been relegated, up to our eye balls in debt, absent owners and a string of ex managers paid off, threat of embargoes, made a laughing stock in court,

which are the bits that never came to pass?

Points deductions, the dossier, people going to prison, glasgow gangsters, kean in the car park, 3rd party club ownership and much more.

[yoda]

Points deductions, the dossier, people going to prison, glasgow gangsters, kean in the car park, 3rd party club ownership and much more.

You make it sound like every thing is rosy, phew that is a relief,

I was thinking we were in the @#/?

[Amo]

We have king Taylor and Marshall. Lots of decent players who can go on the left. Bowyer just fancies cairney there for some reason...

Bowyer has to drop the Lowe Willamson partnership and take a few risks. I would love to see:-

Robinson

Henley Dann Hanley Spurr

Marshall Cairney Lowe King

Rhodes Gestede

Thats a good attacking team which plays to our strengths.

As soon as Evans is up to speed, it's got to be him and Cairney in midfield, for me. That has the potential to be one of the best midfield pairings in the league. Lowe would then be a handy player to bring on when we're closing out a game, or even as a makeshift right-back, seeing as Henley and Kane have both been suspect. But against his better judgement, Bowyer won't do this.

[DE.]

We have king Taylor and Marshall. Lots of decent players who can go on the left. Bowyer just fancies cairney there for some reason...

Bowyer has to drop the Lowe Willamson partnership and take a few risks. I would love to see:-

Robinson

Henley Dann Hanley Spurr

Marshall Cairney Lowe King

Rhodes Gestede

Thats a good attacking team which plays to our strengths.

Is it?

You're putting a lot of faith in Lowe doing all the defensive midfield work, despite showing multiple times this season he isn't up to the task by himself. Bowyer may be a stickler for playing Lowe but he clearly feels he needs another DM in there as well to help out, and I'd say with good reason. Put Lowe in that role by himself and I imagine we start leaking a lot more goals as Dann and Hanley become exposed.

[joey_big_nose]

Is it?

You're putting a lot of faith in Lowe doing all the defensive midfield work, despite showing multiple times this season he isn't up to the task by himself. Bowyer may be a stickler for playing Lowe but he clearly feels he needs another DM in there as well to help out, and I'd say with good reason. Put Lowe in that role by himself and I imagine we start leaking a lot more goals as Dann and Hanley become exposed.

Well if there is one thing the likes of Swansea, Norwich etc have taught us is that good defence isnt about having bruisers in the middle of the park, rather defending as a unit, getting behind the ball and pressing it. I don't think our defensive are so much personnel, rather organisation and mentality.

We should be getting Cairney in the middle and expect him to work as hard off the ball as with it to close down. I think Lowe does a good job at this though agree Evans as more to offer attacking wise.

[DE.]

I'm afraid we don't have anywhere near the talent of Swansea or Norwich. I think we'd need far more talented players to adopt that type of approach. Put Cairney in the middle with Lowe and it's possible we lose his creative effectiveness, as he has to do Williamson's job of covering Lowe's errors (and Lowe does the same for Williamson, both have their weaknesses). As he's not naturally a DM he will probably do this less effectively than a natural in that position.

At best you'd probably have Lowe/Evans with Cairney playing further up the pitch behind Rhodes. I don't see how you could have Cairney, Gestede and Rhodes all in the attacking part of the pitch without severely compromising our defence.

[arbitro]

I'm afraid we don't have anywhere near the talent of Swansea or Norwich. I think we'd need far more talented players to adopt that type of approach. Put Cairney in the middle with Lowe and it's possible we lose his creative effectiveness, as he has to do Williamson's job of covering Lowe's errors (and Lowe does the same for Williamson, both have their weaknesses). As he's not naturally a DM he will probably do this less effectively than a natural in that position.

At best you'd probably have Lowe/Evans with Cairney playing further up the pitch behind Rhodes. I don't see how you could have Cairney, Gestede and Rhodes all in the attacking part of the pitch without severely compromising our defence.

I can't quite understand the concept of having two players in the same team doing the same job one of which is covering each other's mistakes.

[Gav]

You make it sound like every thing is rosy, phew that is a relief,

I was thinking we were in the kean

[DE.]

I can't quite understand the concept of having two players in the same team doing the same job one of which is covering each other's mistakes.

Because neither are good enough on their own.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

How good was Eyal Berkovic at tackling ? I seem to remember he was worse than " The Pensioner ", but when he got the ball he made things happen down the other end. Get Cairney playing where he can hurt teams.

[Shabani]

Just watching Cairney's assist for the first goal shows what a classy player he is. Gets the ball on the edge of the box, knows his options, doesn't panic and puts it in a great position for Marshall

You have to agree with Tyrone^^, he needs to be playing where he can hurt teams ie. as close to the opposition box as possible

[Stuart]

Couldn't agree more Den...why in God's name do some people think matters will be better next season?

The financial restraints applied to us next season could well strangle the life out of Rovers future promotion prospects.

It also seems a but silly, and dare I say arrogant, to suggest that we might be better off worrying about 'keeping our powder dry' for next season, when we are in touch of the play off places with just under half a season left.

Our powder needs lighting now, before we run out of matches. (Literally and metaphorically speaking!)

[Paul]

How do you know that?

Some good sources were suggesting after the dreadful Christmas results GB had to get a result at Elland Road. I can't say if it's true but it does tie in with the team selection and performance.

Given our lack of consistency crap over Christmas, excellent at Leeds, iffy against Doncaster, excellent against City at home, good at the Etihad and by accounts not so good yesterday, one has to wonder what's going on?

[DE.]

Given our lack of consistency crap over Christmas, excellent at Leeds, iffy against Doncaster, excellent against City at home, good at the Etihad and by accounts not so good yesterday, one has to wonder what's going on?

We have an average team, that's all that is going on. Consistent teams have a combination of good players across the majority of the team and a strong spine, usually combined with a lack of injuries. We have a few good players generally surrounded by average/poor ones, a weak spine and intermittent injuries. Our results reflect the quality of the team.

[yoda]

We have an average team, that's all that is going on. Consistent teams have a combination of good players across the majority of the team and a strong spine, usually combined with a lack of injuries. We have a few good players generally surrounded by average/poor ones, a weak spine and intermittent injuries. Our results reflect the quality of the team. the owners

don't like doing that but hey ho

[Stuart]

Some good sources were suggesting after the dreadful Christmas results GB had to get a result at Elland Road. I can't say if it's true but it does tie in with the team selection and performance.

That makes it sound like he knows what to do to win games and simply chooses not to!

I'm more inclined to believe that he was simply compensating because his favourite player, and linchpin in his preferred negative set up, wasn't available.

[Roverthechimp]

Or that his scouting team reported that Leeds were there for the taking? (hell why not be positive - try it sometime, you might like it )