Wigan Athletic (H) - Monday Night Football (urgh..)

[JoeH]

I think the conversation over on the previous match thread has started to drift towards the Wigan game now, so here's a thread.

Unlike the last four, I think this is one of the best timed games we've had in years. Last season, we went on a great run, and the nosebleed began at Brentford (A), a very tough place to go and get points. This year, it'll be extremely difficult to lose against a Wigan side who've won 1 away game in 30. To have gone on that great run this year against some tough sides like Derby, Brentford, Stoke (A), Swansea and Bristol City is really good stuff, but those games are now followed by some relatively easy fixtures.

Wigan (H)
Birmingham (H)
Huddersfield (A)

As an expectation you'd want 7 points, and I reckon as a rule most could maybe be justified in expecting all 9 points from our next three. Wigan away from home are the worst side in the division, and I don't think there's a more perfect game to have off the back of our unbeaten run to try and extend it.

Q's:

• What's your line-up for this one?
• Should Danny Graham be back into the side
• Does Joe Rankin-Costello finally get a chance? (either on the bench or starting)
• Can Left-Back Downing deal with the likes of Jamal Lowe, a very fast winger?
• With very cheap tickets, a few days before Christmas, could we see a bigger crowd, or will the fixture move to a Monday dampen that?
• Will Tosin Adarabioyo be able to deal with Kieffer Moore?
• Does Holtby find a way into Mowbray's preferred starting eleven?

The worst part is we have to wait a full 9 days from the last game to find out!

[MarkBRFC]

13 minutes ago, JoeH said:

I think the conversation over on the previous match thread has started to drift towards the Wigan game now, so here's a thread.

Unlike the last four, I think this is one of the best timed games we've had in years. Last season, we went on a great run, and the nosebleed began at Brentford (A), a very tough place to go and get points. This year, it'll be extremely difficult to lose against a Wigan side who've won 1 away game in 30. To have gone on that great run this year against some tough sides like Derby, Brentford, Stoke (A), Swansea and Bristol City is really good stuff, but those games are now followed by some relatively easy fixtures.

Wigan (H)
Birmingham (H)
Huddersfield (A)

As an expectation you'd want 7 points, and I reckon as a rule most could maybe be justified in expecting all 9 points from our next three. Wigan away from home are the worst side in the division, and I don't think there's a more perfect game to have off the back of our unbeaten run to try and extend it.

Q's:

• What's your line-up for this one?
• Should Danny Graham be back into the side
• Does Joe Rankin-Costello finally get a chance? (either on the bench or starting)
• Can Left-Back Downing deal with the likes of Jamal Lowe, a very fast winger?
• With very cheap tickets, a few days before Christmas, could we see a bigger crowd, or will the fixture move to a Monday dampen that?
• Will Tosin Adarabioyo be able to deal with Kieffer Moore?
• Does Holtby find a way into Mowbray's preferred starting eleven?

The worst part is we have to wait a full 9 days from the last game to find out!

Always think that when you start to believe nonsense like the bit in bold, it will will come and bite you in the behind.

It would be very Rovers like to pick up 3/4 points from those fixtures.

The Wigan & Birmingham games will be a completely different kind of pressure for the players and manager, I think every Rovers fan in attendance and watching from afar will be expecting to win these games, a good test to see what this current players are made of.

I'd personally go for the same 11 as Saturday, apart from Dack and Armstrong in for Brereton & Bennett, maybe Downing back in at left back, but Bells pace might be crucial against Lowe.

JRC is well behind in the pecking order at the moment, I'd be very surprised if he starts a league game this season.

Going off recent form and with the tickets so cheap, I think we could be in for a surprise with the gate for this one. Just a shame it isn't a Saturday, although if it was I highly doubt that it would be a tenner a ticket.

Edited December 16, 2019 by MarkBRFC

[Wegerleswiggle]

I think 7 or 9 points is more than doable in the next 3 games, but only if we keep the same intensity as of late. The lads need to forget league positions and focus on getting the wins. 

I would keep Bell, Johnson, Gallagher and Holtby for the Wigan game and then look at freshening it up for Birmingham. As for JRC being involved I don't think this is the right time. I would personally play the like of JRC, Chapman, Butterworth, Davenport against Birmingham in the Cup. I couldn't care less about progressing in the FA Cup if we are riding high in the league. Let's be fair we aren't going to win it, so I would much rather keep all the big guns fresh for the remaining league fixtures. 

[BlackburnEnd75]

Genuinely tough team selection for this one. With a game every 3 days over 12 days, could Mowbray play the Bristol team one game and the Evans, Graham, Downing team in the other?

If he is picking a team on merit on Monday then he’s going to have be very brutal because, for once, some don’t deserved to be dropped. In theory you have to drop one of Travis, Evans or Johnson and drop one of Bell or Downing.

Genuinely tough decision

[Admiral Nelsen]

Of the upcoming games, this is the one where we really should be expecting three points. Birmingham and Huddersfield are certainly winnable, but much trickier on paper than this one.

With that in mind, I wouldn't try to be too clever in selection until we have to be. Start off with the 'best' team, rather than who deserves to keep their shirt from Bristol.

Bell, Johnson, Gally, Holtby and Bennett will get their chance over the coming games. No need to rush it. I'd go for the same team as Derby and try to kill the game early.

[roversfan99]

Walton

Nyambe Lenihan Adarabioyo Downing

Travis Johnson

Armstrong Dack Holtby

Graham

Subs: Leutwiler, Williams, Bennett, Evans, Gallagher, Rothwell, Brereton

Some very difficult choices to make. Whilst I dont rate Bell, he was very good on Saturday but Downing has been excellent too recently, the only reason Bell didnt subsequently make the bench was because we need Williams to cover centre back.

Central midfield, Johnson was the stand out player on Saturday but I would not complain if Evans gets the nod.

Graham is still our best striker and obviously scored last week v Swansea. That was an easier pick.

Last conundrum was in the wide areas. Holtby was very good on Saturday and obviously Armstrong got an assist midweek and a goal off the bench on Saturday. Rothwell has been ineffective and Bennett did a good job for the team but against a side that will need breaking down we need more guile.

[JoeH]

1 hour ago, JoeH said:

• What's your line-up for this one?
• Should Danny Graham be back into the side?
• Does Joe Rankin-Costello finally get a chance? (either on the bench or starting)
• Can Left-Back Downing deal with the likes of Jamal Lowe, a very fast winger?
• With very cheap tickets, a few days before Christmas, could we see a bigger crowd, or will the fixture move to a Monday dampen that?
• Will Tosin Adarabioyo be able to deal with Kieffer Moore?
• Does Holtby find a way into Mowbray's preferred starting eleven?

My personal answers.

Walton
Nyambe Tosin Lenihan Bell
Travis Johnson
Holtby Dack Armstrong
Graham

2: Yes, I think Graham, with a few weeks of rest having not started at Bristol City, is infinitely a better player than Gallagher, and when fit should start ahead of him, especially at home.

3: I think Joe Rankin-Costello should definitely make the bench, and like Bolton (H) last year with DB and JB, he should get to come on if we're winning in the second half, he's earned it for me.

4: I think not. I like Downing, and I wouldn't be against him starting on the wing, but for me there's no chance he can cope with Jamal Lowe's explosive pace down that side, and if he plays there I think Wigan will concentrate most of their attacks down that side.

5: I think it'll be about the same as most weeks, Sky ruin most things.

6: Impossible to say for sure, both about 6ft 5", the worry of course, like with Sam Vokes at the Bet365, is that Moore simply adjusts his movement to be one on one with 6ft 0" Darragh Lenihan as often as he can be.

7: Holtby absolutely has earned a spot in the preferred starting eleven. Rothwell struggled away at Stoke, didn't really do anything against Derby, Swansea OR Bristol City for me and for me Holtby's performance out to that right hand side was mightily professional and worthy of another full game at Ewood.

[BankEnd Rover]

Nothing but a win is expected so strongest team needs to be picked. Love to see Holtby & Dack together. Will be a difficult evening but can see us scabbing a 2-1.

No game is easy in this division.

[rigger]

1 hour ago, Wegerleswiggle said:

I think 7 or 9 points is more than doable in the next 3 games, but only if we keep the same intensity as of late. The lads need to forget league positions and focus on getting the wins. 

I would keep Bell, Johnson, Gallagher and Holtby for the Wigan game and then look at freshening it up for Birmingham. As for JRC being involved I don't think this is the right time. I would personally play the like of JRC, Chapman, Butterworth, Davenport against Birmingham in the Cup. I couldn't care less about progressing in the FA Cup if we are riding high in the league. Let's be fair we aren't going to win it, so I would much rather keep all the big guns fresh for the remaining league fixtures. 

Personally I think Gally plays better with Brereton and Dack plays better with Graham.

[Sparks Rover]

40 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

the only reason Bell didnt subsequently make the bench was because we need Williams to cover centre back.

When will people realise that without Del anywhere near that defence it has performed properly?  Don't you see a correlation?  He should never be picked again and sold off asap.  Totally useless

[Tom]

Gutted this isn’t Saturday as not sure I can make it now as we’re in London on Monday and may not be back in time

My confidence about a win worries me so I’ll try and stay cautious, at this point every win is huge though, looking at the teams above us 

Preston away at Cardiff

Brentford away at West Brom

Forest away at Huddersfield

Fulham home to Leeds

Sheff Wednesday at home to Bristol City 
 

Some tough games amongst them 

Theres a real chance we could go into the game knowing a win will take us into the playoff spots, a win would definitely take us above one of Wednesday or Bristol City Regardless of that outcome (but not both)

Traditionally we mess it up but we’ve been breaking tradition recently, lots of selection dilemmas of the good variety for once as well!

[JHRover]

I worry about this. 

In theory this should be a win all day long. Wigan are atrocious away from home and have that losing mentality that can see them surrender winning positions late on, even in comical fashion. The evidence is there for all to see with their results. 2 wins since promotion in 2018 and one of those was a complete fluke with 10 men when Leeds bottled it.

However, we've seen many a time with Mowbray's Rovers that we struggle against the poorer sides who come and sit deep and our record against the poorer sides isnt great. We inexplicably lost home games v Luton and Charlton and just about got over the line against Barnsley when really you should be getting 7-9 points from those. 

In fact it is those struggles against the poorer sides that are the reason we aren't sat in 3rd or 4th now. 

Keep it simple, don't fall behind and there is a great chance to win the game and go into Xmas looking good.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Just now, JHRover said:

I worry about this. 

In theory this should be a win all day long. Wigan are atrocious away from home and have that losing mentality that can see them surrender winning positions late on, even in comical fashion. The evidence is there for all to see with their results. 2 wins since promotion in 2018 and one of those was a complete fluke with 10 men when Leeds bottled it.

However, we've seen many a time with Mowbray's Rovers that we struggle against the poorer sides who come and sit deep and our record against the poorer sides isnt great. We inexplicably lost home games v Luton and Charlton and just about got over the line against Barnsley when really you should be getting 7-9 points from those. 

In fact it is those struggles against the poorer sides that are the reason we aren't sat in 3rd or 4th now. 

Keep it simple, don't fall behind and there is a great chance to win the game and go into Xmas looking good.

I'd rather have these selection problems than the problems we had last time we played at then at home when we'd run out of experienced centre halves.

[CrouchingNunhiddenCucumber]

I believe this is the ultimate test of how far we've come. Since Mowbray took over this has absolutely been a game we will labour in and ultimately draw or lose. It's a nailed on home banker on paper but then again so was Leeds beating Wigan at home in April. 

I'm predicting a twitchy 1-1 with the knives being sharpened for Mowbray by most on here. 

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Easy games?...this is Blackburn Rovers...expect the unexpected! 

Hoping for a 2-0 home win.

13,500

[old darwen blue]

14k official 11 k actual attendance. I’m going for a three nil win for us. Hope Cook gets sent off. 

[Hasta]

Same team as Derby please Tony.

[CD_93]

Treating the family to a few tickets so we'll lose 3-0. Put your mortgage on it.

Edited December 16, 2019 by CD_93

[roversfan99]

2 hours ago, Sparks Rover said:

When will people realise that without Del anywhere near that defence it has performed properly?  Don't you see a correlation?  He should never be picked again and sold off asap.  Totally useless

Williams certainly shouldnt be starting but hes our next best bet if a centre back gets injured. Hes our only alternative.

[Sparks Rover]

17 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

Williams certainly shouldnt be starting but hes our next best bet if a centre back gets injured. Hes our only alternative.

I'd rather drop Johnson in there

[JoeH]

24 minutes ago, Sparks Rover said:

I'd rather drop Johnson in there

That's dramatic. 

[philipl]

Banana skins don't usually come in blue and white stripes (or whatever concoction Wigan play away in) but this one does.

I haven't recovered from Charlton and Luton at home yet...

If we get to 23.00 on Monday next and have collected another three points I will be very very happy

And relieved.

Answers to all Q's are in Tony's tombola...

[Sparks Rover]

16 minutes ago, JoeH said:

That's dramatic. 

Anything to keep Del away from that back 4

[Wegerleswiggle]

59 minutes ago, Sparks Rover said:

I'd rather drop Johnson in there

Last time I dropped my Johnson in the back I got a slap. 

[Paul Mani]

3 hours ago, Hasta said:

Same team as Derby please Tony.

100% 

BUT, for those suggesting Bell goes in for Downing...WTF!!? Bell has been absolutely dog sh*t for two years, has one decent game and now people are picking him ahead of our player of the season so far? ?

Holtby, Gallagher and Johnson are the only ones with even a chance of breaking into the first XI for me.