v Blackpool (h) - 21/2/23

[R0verb0y]

Well, as one who's (one of?) this Board's Sandgrown 'Uns, I thought that, as I couldn't motivate myself to take my place in the Riverside this afternoon, I'd prepare this thread ahead of our midweek game against the team from my birthplace.

When I looked at the stats over the years and across various competitions including: the F.A. Cup (going back to the 1880s); nearly fifty years before our first meeting in the Football League; one season in the Premier League; and a few meetings in the easily-forgotten Anglo Scottish Cup in the 1970s, I found that there was very little difference between the two clubs. We've won 24 games; 'Pool have won 22; with 17 draws.

Many of us will approach next week's game with deep reservations about our abilities to see off a team in the Seasiders' position. Especially when, as today, they've had a "New Manager Bounce" off the bottom place in the Championship, I could imagine Mick McCarthy motivating them to give us a much closer game than our present positions in the Championship table would indicate.

So I reckon that we'll do very well to take the three points we need to keep our hopes of a play-off place alive. I'll leave selection of the actual team to those of you who had more 'stamina' than me this afternoon.

[Andy]

The 3 points is the priority, to keep us around the play off places.

I'd take another performance like today if it ended with the same result, but you'd like to hope that we could play more '2nd half' than 1st, from today's game.

Hopefully Dack's injury isn't serious and we can welcome Young Wharton back into the squad.

I'd keep Dolan in the side based on the last couple of games; think he's performed admirably in an unfamiliar position.

[rigger]

1 hour ago, Andy said:

The 3 points is the priority, to keep us around the play off places.

I'd take another performance like today if it ended with the same result, but you'd like to hope that we could play more '2nd half' than 1st, from today's game.

Hopefully Dack's injury isn't serious and we can welcome Young Wharton back into the squad.

I'd keep Dolan in the side based on the last couple of games; think he's performed admirably in an unfamiliar position.

I'd go with three central midfielders and two central forwards.

[chaddyrovers]

I would go with this team if BBD and Dack are injured which I think is likely given how both looked when they went off. 

                Pears

Carter Ayala Hyam Pickering

          Travis Buckley

Thomas Szmodics Hedges

               Dolan

Subs:- Hilton Phillips Brittain Garrett Vale Gallagher Leonard 

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

22 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

I would go with this team if BBD and Dack are injured which I think is likely given how both looked when they went off. 

                Pears

Carter Ayala Hyam Pickering

          Travis Buckley

Thomas Szmodics Hedges

               Dolan

Subs:- Hilton Phillips Brittain Garrett Vale Gallagher Leonard 

I think Carter is better at centre half than right back. JDT will have to man up and rest Ayala, play Carter and Hyam in the centre, and bring in Brittain at right back.

 

 

[DE.]

Glad they got their first win since October (I think?) today, as otherwise we all know it would have been us gifting them the result on Tuesday.

[Exiled_Rover]

As we have no CFs this will be another battle. I expect something similar to the Wigan game where they didn't lay a glove on us, but we couldn't convert any of our chances either.

With regards to team selection, my main question would be whether Dolan can keep it up - he's run his blood to water twice this week. 

[Feed the Yak]

Great chance to kick on here.

If Dack and BBD are out I'd play 4-3-3 with the below:

Pears, Britain, Carter, Hyam, Pickering, Travis, JRC, Buckley, Dolan, Thomas, Hedges

JRC right side of the midfield 3. A Wharton for Buckley if he is fit but it doesn't seem like he is...If JRC isn't fit...well it's getting hard to put a decent first XI together but I would go 523 with Ayala at the heart of defence, Leonard as the central striker and Thomas as the rwb, so no Brittain. Don't think JDT would do the same mind.

Let's hope the injuries we have aren't too bad as they are certainly stacking up.

Edited February 19, 2023 by Feed the Yak

[Sweaty Gussets]

13 hours ago, chaddyrovers said:

I would go with this team if BBD and Dack are injured which I think is likely given how both looked when they went off. 

                Pears

Carter Ayala Hyam Pickering

          Travis Buckley

Thomas Szmodics Hedges

               Dolan

Subs:- Hilton Phillips Brittain Garrett Vale Gallagher Leonard 

That won't be far off but I think he may play Gally and not Hedges, and maybe put Thomas on the left and Gally right. Or Vale may come back in. 

Struggling for options now with so many injuries. 

[Sweaty Gussets]

From the top, hopefully:

home win

away win

away win

home win

don't care

[Sweaty Gussets]

He felt 'pumped' yesterday when the crowd got loud.

Time for the stay-aways to get to Ewood and bring the noise!

He also said the aim is to get to the play-offs. He's slightly off message there and may need a talking to from JDT!

[arbitro]

In this picture Dack seems to be indicating something small with his thumb and forefinger. Perhaps a slight strain or something similar?

 

 

[wilsdenrover]

2 hours ago, Sweaty Gussets said:

He felt 'pumped' yesterday when the crowd got loud.

Time for the stay-aways to get to Ewood and bring the noise!

He also said the aim is to get to the play-offs. He's slightly off message there and may need a talking to from JDT!

The players need the noise to perform

The fans need a performance to make the noise

Who will blink first…

Edited February 19, 2023 by wilsdenrover

[levi]

1 hour ago, arbitro said:

In this picture Dack seems to be indicating something small with his thumb and forefinger. Perhaps a slight strain or something similar?

 

 

He was doing the finger rotation/substitute signal to the bench

[roversfan99]

17 hours ago, chaddyrovers said:

I would go with this team if BBD and Dack are injured which I think is likely given how both looked when they went off. 

                Pears

Carter Ayala Hyam Pickering

          Travis Buckley

Thomas Szmodics Hedges

               Dolan

Subs:- Hilton Phillips Brittain Garrett Vale Gallagher Leonard 

That subs bench is terrifying.

[rigger]

After making my way to Ewood for Saturdays, poor performance, I won't be going on against Blackpool. It is not worth the hassle.

Edited February 19, 2023 by rigger

[chaddyrovers]

3 hours ago, Sweaty Gussets said:

That won't be far off but I think he may play Gally and not Hedges, and maybe put Thomas on the left and Gally right. Or Vale may come back in. 

Struggling for options now with so many injuries. 

I wouldn't be surprised if Gallagher started up front with Dolan left but I would left him on bench. 

Plenty of options its all how you want to play them now

26 minutes ago, levi said:

He was doing the finger rotation/substitute signal to the bench

Yes the TV coverage clearly show this

3 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

That subs bench is terrifying.

no surprise to see you post that. Opportunities for others to step up now. Rovers did yesterday and Ayala scored with great diving header. 

[rigger]

6 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

That subs bench is terrifying.

I prefer to have the best players on the pitch, rather than on the bench.

[Exiled_Rover]

15 minutes ago, rigger said:

After making my way to Ewood for Saturdays, poor performance, I won't be going on against Blackpool. It is not worth the hassle.

I'm missing my weekly football game to go to this - but I guess we all have different priorities. 

[Mattyblue]

How passive aggressive 😁

[roversfan99]

Assuming that our 2 goal threats are out:

Pears

Carter Ayala Hyam

Thomas Travis A Wharton Pickering

Hedges Gallagher Dolan

Subs: Hilton, Brittain, Rankin Costello, Buckley, Szmodics, Phillips, Leonard

Looks so weak, would stick to the back 3 just because none of the 3 deserve dropping, have Thomas linking with Hedges down the right. Adam Wharton in for Buckley who was poor but is still better than Morton or Garrett.

[rigger]

1 hour ago, Exiled_Rover said:

I'm missing my weekly football game to go to this - but I guess we all have different priorities. 

My main priority is that there are no trains/buses that get me home from night matches.

[superniko]

Assuming no Dack or Brereton:

                    Pears

Brittain Carter Hyam Pickering

           JRC  Travis  Buckley

   Thomas     Dolan      Hedges

Switch to 433, rest Ayala as he was only back on Saturday and played the full 90. 
Adam Wharton in for Buckley if fit but I assume not. No Gallagher.

[Guest]

I wonder what they do in training, with players like Thomas and Brittain who can cross a ball, and players like BBD and (ahem) Gallagher, whose job it is to convert chances into goals. Do you think they practice stuff like timing runs to get on the end of crosses? Is it possible they even consider what is involved in getting the ball central from the sides and what that means in terms of arriving in the box in time to meet the ball? Am I alone in thinking that players might actually discuss how they might play in order to score goals.

If not that, then what are they doing in training, ffs?

Back to the bafflingly bad boring bedrudgery and beffudlement of Blackpool, at Ewood.

Can see this being a niggly one, with Poveda showing what he is capable of, and Gallagher finally remembering what his shooting boots are for (i.e. not just storing his collection of bottle tops from grounds visited).

Going for another low scoring epic in crowd baiting game strangulation oblivion.

Heart - Rovers 2 Pooliverse 1

Head - Rovers 1 Even more depressing place to live 1

Hernia - Rovers 0 - Ian Poveda 2

COYB!

[Ossydave]

2-0 home win.

Hedges and Dolan with the goals.

Apparently Blackpool had only sold 1500 on Friday which is pretty poor, yesterday's win may shift a few more.