v Birmingham City (h) - 16/8/25

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

If you have a corner taker that can’t land the ball at head height on or around the space between the edge of the six yard box and the penalty spot when the chips are down and you’ve stacked the box you can’t blame bad luck. That’s just dumb football, pure and simple.

[RevidgeBlue]

8 minutes ago, Devon Rover said:

I'm talking about a recurrent habit of falling away and conceding defeat from the jaws of victory or useful points. It doesn't really matter what the pattern of play was, the result was the same.

Snatching defeat from the jaws of victory was the phrase that occurred to me as well. If there were trophies handed out for that we'd win the quadruple every year.

Look how many times we've failed to make the play offs when it seemed virtually impossible not to.

We've a loser's mentality pervading every corner of the Club at every level. Imo the last time we had a winning mentality was under Mark Hughes. Ever since then the prevailing attitude has been to do the bare minimum or just enough.

[RevidgeBlue]

8 minutes ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

If you have a corner taker that can’t land the ball at head height on or around the space between the edge of the six yard box and the penalty spot when the chips are down and you’ve stacked the box you can’t blame bad luck. That’s just dumb football, pure and simple.

Thing that occurred to me was, even if you mess up the corner and'/or think it struck someone's arm, that shouldn't automatically mean you concede at the other end!

[Bbrovers2288]

De naive I think he needs to be renamed. Don’t let the player get past you, if it takes a foul then do it. 
think gestede is going to have to be looked at hard come the end of the window, he hasn’t delivered on his promises at all, players don’t look good enough.

We are sinking further yet again it feels like, it’s really really hard to be a fan just now

[davulsukur]

2 hours ago, alex l said:

Jackson has said VI said no comment to all Travis questions - but he apologised for doing so. This has got JDT repeat all over it. 

The club have engineered the entire situation in order to get him out, paint him as the bad guy and sell him for under his valuation.

They just want him off the books.

[speeeeeeedie]

It is very early on but like many others I can see this team being relegated. Poor players playing for a poor manager. New signings don't seem good enough, and it's looking like the club captain is off too. 

Brum's goals came from schoolboy mistakes. 2 missed tackles for the pen, and an almighty cock up by everyone for their winner.

After the equaliser Rovers were on the front foot. Only a great save from their keeper stopped it being 2-1 Rovers. Que sera. 

It's all Venkys fault. 

[G Somerset Rover]

5 minutes ago, davulsukur said:

The club have engineered the entire situation in order to get him out, paint him as the bad guy and sell him for under his valuation.

They just want him off the books.

Their dream is probably to get Trav, Tronstad and Dom off the books and bring in a few more De Neve’s by the time the window shuts.

We’re gonna be down by Easter and there wont be any rising this time! 

[Parsonblue]

Disappointing result after having taken the lead.  Sadly, a lack of Championship 'know-how' doesn't help.  With players like Batth, Brittain, Weimann, Dolan and Travis the game would have been won, once we'd got our noses in front.  As yet, and it's still early days, most of the new signings don't look anywhere near as good as the players they have replaced.  Ismael was right when he said the game management was poor, but I also think some to the substitutions were not the best. 

Tronstad hasn't found last season's form and Tavares doesn't strike me as a defensive midfield player.  McLoughlin looks decent, but he's come from a Championship team and knows what this league is about.  

The ref was poor, of course he was, but that one usually is.  Nonetheless, we gave him the opportunity to give the penalty and the second goal was just plain embarrassing.  To allow the opposition to score from YOUR corner takes some doing.  The corner kick from Tavares was simply shocking - particularly as he could have slipped it to an unmarked Ribeiro to whip it over from a different angle.  But having lost possession, the attempts to get back and stop the breakaway were less than impressive.

I thought Cantwell looked good and, for all his critics, I thought Hedges put in a shift before he was replaced. 

The bench looks very thin and without some additions I suspect this might be a long old season.  Onwards to Hull City next week for a game that we badly need to get a result from.

[sharpysharps86]

Just now, G Somerset Rover said:

Their dream is probably to get Trav, Tronstad and Dom off the books and bring in a few more De Neve’s by the time the window shuts.

We’re gonna be down by Easter and there wont be any rising this time! 

Hyam and Tronstad were Broughton signings, so that checks out.

More grim times ahead.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

19 minutes ago, RevidgeBlue said:

Snatching defeat from the jaws of victory was the phrase that occurred to me as well. If there were trophies handed out for that we'd win the quadruple every year.

Look how many times we've failed to make the play offs when it seemed virtually impossible not to.

We've a loser's mentality pervading every corner of the Club at every level. Imo the last time we had a winning mentality was under Mark Hughes. Ever since then the prevailing attitude has been to do the bare minimum or just enough.

I thought we were a pretty combative side under Big Sam to be honest. It all went tits up the minute the Chicken Chokers fancied a new toy. It’s like any workplace - if the bosses aren’t around to crack the whip most people do the minimum they can get away with. Who’s going to be having a quiet word with the coach first thing Monday morning regarding our poor run.? Err Coar ?  I think it’ll be business as normal, ear flicks all round at training. They’ll all be out on the ale tonight, I’d be lying down in a darkened room with the door shut ! I make that four games on the bounce we’ve lost and we’ve made about four chances in those four games.

Edited 3 hours ago by Tyrone Shoelaces

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

13 minutes ago, Bbrovers2288 said:

De naive I think he needs to be renamed. Don’t let the player get past you, if it takes a foul then do it. 
think gestede is going to have to be looked at hard come the end of the window, he hasn’t delivered on his promises at all, players don’t look good enough.

We are sinking further yet again it feels like, it’s really really hard to be a fan just now

I said when I saw his photo that he looked like a neighbours son after he’d been sniffing glue. Maybe we should nickname him “ Sniffer “ ?

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

My wife just asked me if I wanted to meet up with two friends for a drink. I said “ No, I won’t be much company “. He’s a Sunderland fan. She said “ If football affects your mood so badly it’s time to give it up ! “ Maybe she’s right.

[davulsukur]

11 minutes ago, G Somerset Rover said:

Their dream is probably to get Trav, Tronstad and Dom off the books and bring in a few more De Neve’s by the time the window shuts.

We’re gonna be down by Easter and there wont be any rising this time! 

Correct.

Hyam is next. They've already started the process via Jackson the other day.

Fans were already saying "sell him" as soon as the ink dried on the article writing.

Edited 3 hours ago by davulsukur

[simongarnerisgod]

25 minutes ago, Bbrovers2288 said:

De naive I think he needs to be renamed. Don’t let the player get past you, if it takes a foul then do it. 
think gestede is going to have to be looked at hard come the end of the window, he hasn’t delivered on his promises at all, players don’t look good enough.

We are sinking further yet again it feels like, it’s really really hard to be a fan just now

i said earlier,he`s worse than markanday,who we gave away,there was obviously no scouting going on watching him,got to be all agents spiel who got him sold to us

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

13 minutes ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

My wife just asked me if I wanted to meet up with two friends for a drink. I said “ No, I won’t be much company “. He’s a Sunderland fan. She said “ If football affects your mood so badly it’s time to give it up ! “ Maybe she’s right.

I think when it doesn't effect your mood - that is the time to give up.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Just now, DavidMailsTightPerm said:

I think when it doesn't effect your mood - that is the time to give up.

I won’t giving up until they nail the lid down. What worries me is the Chicken Chokers might out last me.

[ElTwis]

I'm just calming down after that ending today. It's a game of fine margins and from my seat it looked like a great save from a Gueye (?) header seconds before the penalty that would have put the result out of sight.

 

Defence looked sound and I think Mcloughlin looked excellent and is the new Baath in terms of bringing the best out of Hyam.

 

The midfield is not settled and we don't know how to fit everyone in the team. Tavares was much deeper than Tuesday that didn't seem to suit him. Cantwell seemed a different payer with the armband on, no sulking or gesticulating but he's still not at his best.

 

I liked Kargbo on the right, that seemed to work but it pushed Ohashi left and we just didn't have anyone in the middle. It's not a problem unique to this season but we desperately need a natural striker, so many times there just wasn't anyone lurking in the middle.

 

Ultimately, I think we lost because our players are mid-low level championship quality and that's where I suspect we finish this year.

 

Side note - the awarding of caps beforehand was embarrassing. The club is a shadow of itself and Jack would be ashamed of anyone trying to claim any sort of veneer. As I type this I wonder if its harsh but not one person with any sort of profile over the last 30 years has stood up to say the Venkys era has been unacceptable.

Edited 3 hours ago by ElTwis

[Ossydave]

15 minutes ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

My wife just asked me if I wanted to meet up with two friends for a drink. I said “ No, I won’t be much company “. He’s a Sunderland fan. She said “ If football affects your mood so badly it’s time to give it up ! “ Maybe she’s right.

I didn't even watch it today, still got notifications etc off flash score and was pretty surprised we were winning. I still feel pissed off as I hate losing, probably not as bad as if I'd been there though...

[Scotty1991]

3 hours ago, Exiled_Rover said:

Their GK pulled off a worldie from Gueye and Hyam decided to head across goal rather than into the back of the net with a free header. 

We created enough today. 

But we didn’t score enough mate. This will be the problem. I’ve seen all the comments today on socials that we controlled the game, created loads etc but the fact of the matter is we won’t score enough goals and we don’t have the guile to see games out against the better sides. 

[norwichblue]

Don’t recommend going on their forum. They truly are an insufferable club with insufferable fans.

[M_B]

8 minutes ago, ElTwis said:

I'm just calming down after that ending today. It's a game of fine margins and from my seat it looked like a great save from a Gueye (?) header seconds before the penalty that would have put the result out of sight.

 

Defence looked sound and I think Mcloughlin looked excellent and is the new Baath in terms of bringing the best out of Hyam.

 

The midfield is not settled and we don't know how to fit everyone in the team. Tavares was much deeper than Tuesday that didn't seem to suit him. Cantwell seemed a different payer with the armband on, no sulking or gesticulating but he's still not at his best.

 

I liked Kargbo on the right, that seemed to work but it pushed Ohashi left and we just didn't have anyone in the middle. It's not a problem unique to this season but we desperately need a natural striker, so many times there just wasn't anyone lurking in the middle.

 

Ultimately, I think we lost because our players are mid-low level championship quality and that's where I suspect we finish this year.

 

Side note - the awarding of caps beforehand was embarrassing. The club is a shadow of itself and Jack would be ashamed of anyone trying to claim any sort of veneer. As I type this I wonder if its harsh but not one person with any sort of profile over the last 30 years has stood up to say the Venkys era has been unacceptable.

It looks like it's Batth missing Hyam rather than tother way round. 

[roverblue]

I was expecting a shit show and was actually quite impressed with the performance in areas.

Worked hard, got in front and looked solid then the subs came on and it all fell apart. Naivety from the new lads and the manager. 

We never looked like conceding and let them have the ball without threatening. Defensive signings all look decent.

The usual problem which I think puts us in danger of relegation is our quality in attack.

We don’t offer any threat from open play whatsoever. No pressure on the box, no balls across the box, no balls through for strikers. It’s so stale and we will need clean sheets to get a win as we won’t be scoring more than one.

A player like Stanisfield or Dyke would walk into our team. Sadly our best chance of goals look like long throws from Miller which says it all.

[MarkBRFC]

We have never lost the opening 4 games of a league season in our history.

I think we could lose our first 7 this season.

[alexanders]

Just now, MarkBRFC said:

We have never lost the opening 4 games of a league season in our history.

I think we could lose our first 7 this season.

Really tough fixtures to start of the season 

[wilsdenrover]

32 minutes ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

My wife just asked me if I wanted to meet up with two friends for a drink. I said “ No, I won’t be much company “. He’s a Sunderland fan. She said “ If football affects your mood so badly it’s time to give it up ! “ Maybe she’s right.

Whatever you do, don’t tell her that.