v WBA (a) - Valentine’s Day 💙🤍

[G Somerset Rover]

2 hours ago, JHRover said:

There are a lot of people who I saw before and after the game saying how happy they would be with a draw at West Brom. The same people will almost certainly be saying the same before QPR, Sheff Utd and Fulham soon, so if they are happy to get draws there, even if we beat a stubborn Millwall with our scoring problems, that will be 2 wins in 10. I'm not sure if these people are aware of that or not.

Sooner or later we are going to have to win one or two of these 'lets be happy with a point' games otherwise the play-offs will soon slip out of reach.

Bang on. I’ve absolutely no doubt on Saturday night if we draw against Millwall - at home no less - that the same folk will be on here saying ‘it’s a decent point’. We need to win some bloody football matches, starting with this must win at the weekend.

Edited February 15, 2022 by Gavlar Somerset Rover!

[arbitro]

It was a strange game I thought probably because I expected much more from West Brom and it appeared that Mowbray did early on as we sat deep. As the game went on I was more and more confident about winning as I realised that West Brom only had one tactic. And we should have won with the chances we created as we were the much better team in the second half. The quick passing, high tempo and press returned so hopefully we are over our blip and get winning again. We were solid defensively with some really good performances but Wharton had his best game in a Rovers shirt in my view. He is turning out to be a leader and has quickly become one of our most important players. Nyambe showed why he is by far the best right sided defender at the club (memo to Mowbray - don't cut off your nose to spite your face ever again). Buckley and Brereton showed up well in the second half, enough to suggest a return to form although I would hope that Buckley is kept behind after training to work on his finishing. 

Overall it was quite pleasing and lots of good things happened to suggest we can start scoring and winning again after a really good clean sheet.

[Sparks Rover]

2 hours ago, Mercer said:

 

IMO, Travis gives it his all, as did Lowe, Travis has aggression, Lowe didn't, Travis not good on ball, neither was Lowe.  So I will say again, what is the difference between Travis and Lowe other than aggression?

This crossed my mind tonight too. 

We need a proper player at the base of the midfield,  someone who can play, dictate the game.  Travis at times looked devoid of ideas when in possession and has no skill to beat a player.  Lowe mark2

Edited February 15, 2022 by Sparks Rover

[speeeeeeedie]

I thought that it was a decent enough performance. Rovers are usually good for rolling over and giving a new opposition manager an easy win.

Lots of missed final passes as usual but Brereton was half a foot offside, Buckley was unlucky with another, and if Khadra knew how to pass he could have laid it on a plate for someone else instead of shooting from an almost impossible angle. Alas it was a draw. No goals conceded should be treated positively.

[WacoRover]

First Rovers game I’ve watched in its entirety, since Reading/Rovers in person in Sept, 2019. 

Some observations: Wharton & Van Hecke are wonderful defenders. I am glad Kaminski got a new deal. BB-D is a wonderful scorer at this level, but he appeared sluggish today. Dolan & Khadra brought some good energy into the game. 

All things considered, it was a hard-won point at the Hawthorns. I cannot gripe about that. I can gripe we haven’t scored a goal in four straight. 

[A Northern Horde...]

Way too reliant on Diaz,he's running out of steam.

Millwall is a must win game.

[Ossydave]

Surprised how many people are happy with a point, West Brom are bobbins and were there for the taking.

No pressure or anything but we simply need Dack back now IMO and we need him scoring.

Just not creating anything for Diaz or even Gallagher last night and the pivotal man in the middle, although he's had a decent season, is off the boil and can't really shoot.

I'd have him on the bench on Sat, his presence alone will be a shot in the arm, if he's not required then great we've managed to score but give him the last 15 if not.

I'd be starting with Diaz up top, in the middle, with Khadra and Dolan either side. I fully expect this to not happen though and the same front 3 will start as last night...

[OldEwoodBlue]

Dolan was MOM by a long way.

Says a lot about the rest.

[Paddy laddy]

7 hours ago, Gav said:

You had Rothwell out tonight which was nonsense, you’ve been sighting squad unrest all week, which is nonsense. 

You said Ayala didn’t fancy it against Carroll?

You compared Travis to Lowe - which is nonsense.

You called Hedges a dolloper.

Now i may get banned for baiting but this crap needs calling out.

You sold Brereton and Kaminsky in January, you had Alex Neill in post last April and in the summer, it’s a steady stream of nonsense and as a regular poster I’m sick of reading it.

Its not OPINION when you’re stating it as fact and don’t get me started on wee doughie and you mate Coyle - The Bolton connection. 

The Travis Lowe comparison has been explained here ? Ayala I suspect won’t turn out unless 100 percent , it’s possible he didn’t fancy it v Carroll’s rep

hedges a dolloper ? Not sure , but would like to see him used if any good 

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

8 hours ago, RevidgeBlue said:

Looks like Mowbray is going to take us on a run the likes of which has rarely (if ever) been seen before from a side sat 2nd in the table in January. Poor transfer window combined with his own stubbornness

2 points from 12, no goal in 374 mins.

Khedra and Dolan both did way more in 15 mins than Gallagher in 90. Yet Mowbray wont concede he's been a bad signing and persists in playing him despite all evidence to the contrary. That's why ultimately we'll never succeed with him at the helm.

Decent point in some ways given the fact we were playing with 9 (JRC and Gallagher) but not what we needed given the run we've been on. Pl

Play offs looking a bit of a pipe dream in this form sadly.

 

 

Rev - I am sure you must remember a side top of the old division 2 - rumours were bookies had stopped taking bets on them for promotion. Even with an experienced league winning manager, and huge transfer budget they only just limped into the top 6 on the final day. These things happen - we were never going to carry on winning match after match - even if TM had made better choices in the transfer window.

[neophox]

Travis is a shithouse for the opponents, a bit like Savage was.....can wind people up...Lowe did not do that....I would not compare them...also Travis can break up play and start attacks.... Rothwells drop in form hasn't help.

[neophox]

Surely Dack must be in contention for a bench place on saturday after coming through three games unscatched...

[neophox]

Kaminski

Nyambe, Leninhan, Van Hecke, Wharton, Pickering

Travis, Rothwell

Dolan, Brereton, Khadra

 

This is how I hope we start against Millwall.

Gallagher and Hedges should be ready if it dont work to replace Dolan or Khadra but this is a side with freightening pace.

[gazzaa2]

8 hours ago, RevidgeBlue said:

Not sure you can say Ayala was swinging the lead on this occasion but what you can say with certainty is he has a career history of being injury prone and/or going awol for whatever reason so overall, given the money he's on he has to go down as a bad signing for me.

Dont agree with the bit about Travis.

The rest is absolutely spot on. It needs saying.

I can't believe how blase people are being about us having slipped so tamely and quickly out of the automatic promotion reckoning. It's not on, if form had tailed off very slightly then fair enough but if we were good enough to get into 2nd in the first place then the form over the last few games has been simply unacceptable.

If we were playing like this in any other season the pitchforks would be well and truly out but TM is getting away with it at the moment purely because we played well before Chrismas.

It's not on. We've already had quite enough dung thrown our way over the last 10 years without this to cap it all off.

 

The run we had was the outlier though. You can't finish top 2 with one good run of form. If you combine it with mid table form for the rest of the season then it can get you top 6.

 

We are what we are. An average side with a striker on 20 goals. That's enough to put you high up the table.

[47er]

I thought Brereton was excellent. The one player on either side who looked like he could win the game. The way he's checked by 2 defenders but can pull away from them and bear down on goal is outstanding. He has learned so much in the last few months.

The finish for the second off-side "goal" was brilliant.

A few other observations:

Why did we persist with the big diagonal pass? The player receiving was invariably trying to control a ball over head-height when standing on the touch-line! A non-percentage option.

Carrol---still worth his place-would have been very useful for us. Giles is a good crosser but there's not really any target for him.

Wharton, VanHecke and Nyambe---absolutely outstanding. Very sad that 2 will likely leave us.

Finally, if we play like we did for that 2nd half for the rest of the season, we will at least make top 6.

 

[jim mk2]

Some observations from a wet and windy Hawthorns

Rovers were excellent in defence  Nyambe, van hecke and Wharton in particular were outstanding. Nyambe should never be dropped

West Brom were very poor and their fans silent for most of the game in contrast to our fans who were excellent throughout

Both teams looked lacking in a bit of confidence and will struggle to make the playoffs. Without Brereton Where is Rovers’ next goal coming from? 
 

Tony was back to his aggravating self with Gallagher in the right wing and our best player Buckley in the false 9 role. It just doesn’t work

Like Butterworth I just don’t get Rankin-Costello. He’s a powder puff player slow in thought and slow physically, a poor passer and a waste of a shirt. 

[G Somerset Rover]

Get the sense that TM isn’t happy with Ayala:

https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/19924332.blackburn-rovers-tony-mowbray-explains-daniel-ayala-decision/

[Bigdoggsteel]

8 hours ago, alcd said:

Er, didn't quite pan out that way with Nyambe did it? He was far better than Lenihan would have been with all his reckless challenges and needless yellow cards. 

No, he played very well. Far better than lenihan? I think you're being a bit over the top on lenihan there, he has been one of our best players this season. You speak of "needless yellows and reckless challenges" don't forget all the important things he does as well

 

 

[joey_big_nose]

9 hours ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

Something has to change.

For me I don't really see why we don't use England's 3142 setup from World Cup 2018.... Play with a holding midfielder, drop Buckley deeper but have both him and Rothwell driving forward. And also it gets Gally and Brereton closer together.

Solves the twin problem of the strikers being too wide and needing some passing quality deeper.

Anyway never will happen. Despite all the various formations we have used the one constant has been wide strikers. Doubt that's going to change now.

                              Kaminski

         Lenihan.    Van Hecke.     Wharton

                                 Travis

Nyambe.      Buckley.    Rothwell.     Pickering

                    Gallagher.    Brereton  

[K-Hod]

Calling Travis ‘Lowe Mk2’ is an interesting flex. When would you have seen shithousery or crunching tackles from Lowe? The 30th of February?

The 21st of never? 

[roverblue]

Great point in the end, good 2nd half performance and probably could have nicked a 1 nil win with a bit more luck.

Nyambe looked great as the right sided defender, if we convince him to stay then maybe thats the better position for him long term when Van Hecke goes back or Lenihan leaves. 

Brereton looked sharper than he has in a while too, hope the injury isn't serious. 

Follow that up with a win on Saturday and it brings a bit of hope back after recent results!

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

7 hours ago, Sparks Rover said:

This crossed my mind tonight too. 

We need a proper player at the base of the midfield,  someone who can play, dictate the game.  Travis at times looked devoid of ideas when in possession and has no skill to beat a player.  Lowe mark2

To be honest that was the signing I was hoping we would make in the window. We need a Travis with more ball skills. They don’t come cheap but they are out there.

[arbitro]

I think it's crazy to say Travis is no better than Lowe. He has some limitations but he brings more to the team than Lowe ever did. He leads and I thought the responsibility of being captain last night saw a disciplined and dilligent  performance. His work off the ball is really important to us. I don't really remember any redeeming features about Lowe.

[Displaced Rover]

People equating Lewis Travis to Jason Lowe ought to be banned from watching football.

Travis offers far more in terms of work rate, ability, defensive cover than Lowe ever did. Yes he might not be great in terms of passing/play making but you can't have 3 of that sort of player in the middle. Travis in an important player for us.

[TheRevAshton]

A couple of notes on the game last night.

Don't know where to start with JRC. A performance he'll want to forget. However i'm mindful of the fact that he's just had a long lay-off, out of position, got thrown in last minute etc. Would like to see him play with the U23's for a bit.

Nyambe was brilliant, play him at every opportunity. If it's him or Deyo, there is no debate.

Wharton - defensively brilliant as ever. However, I find his long balls to be very wasteful and frustrating at times. He also needs to work on his offensive heading, he does a great job at getting his head on corners but the accuracy is poor.

Brereton - Shades of Diaz in last nights performance, he really stood out at times. Needs to watch his line though, 2 offside goals! Hope his knock isn't anything too serious.

Dolan - Must start against Millwall. Gives his all every single minute, plays like he's Blackburn born and bred - the energy and passion oozes off him.

Overall - not the worst result, but we've again left the teams around us drooling. We really needed 3 points and could have spanked this lot with more brains and composure in the final 3rd. For weeks we've been very sloppy around the middle too, constantly giving the ball away for large chunks of the game - urgently needs looking at.

WBA had lost their previous 3 games 0-2. It's gonna really hit home when they lose to Luton at the weekend, and then get a battering off 'Boro shortly after.

Anyway... fingers crossed for +3 against Millwall on Saturday.

Edited February 15, 2022 by TheRevAshton