v Stoke City (h) - 4/10/25, k/o 12:30pm

[Hullrover]

1 hour ago, KidderStreetNoise said:

River level has dropped a lot overnight, there’s no planned pitch inspection this morning so got to assume they’ve got it all under control…

Just like our defence.

[arbitro]

I would like to think that Rovers have a plan in place for an early pitch I inspection and have been liaising with the match referee. Given the early kick off the referee should be staying locally and for a 12.30 kick off would normally arrive around 10 am. He will do a preliminary inspection, look at an up to date forecast and speak to the ground staff.

With Stoke supporters leaving between 10-11 am I would hope this is factored in along with the other criteria.

I would say it really is touch and go right now but the referee needs to be decisive.

[Wing Wizard Windy Miller]

9 hours ago, Kjell said:

I have struggled a bit to see how Ismael wants us to play, maybe especially what I thought was supposed to be a high press – or at least high intensity – has shown itself to a very small degree.

Then we’re kind of somewhat organized at the back – until we aren’t. We’re not particularly direct, we’re not particularly physical, and the new players (apart from Alebiosu) don’t seem to have very clear basic skills or standout strengths.

I really haven’t found a better description than the one a Watford fan gave to LT back when Ismael was appointed (not entirely sure on the possesion bit):

"We were quite dour, not negative but we would tend to spend a lot of the first half shadow boxing to see what the other team had. They weren't playing by the same rules so often we'd be a goal down before we knew what happened. He was very safety first, massively into possession." https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/24964221.blackburn-rovers-lowdown-valerien-ismael-watford-spell/

If Stoke comes out with high intensity in the first 10-15 minutes, I could easily see us going down 0-2. At that point, Ismael will need to decide whether to bring in De Neve, Kargbo, or Henrikson to turn our fortunes around.

Thought exactly this.  Ismael hasn't introduced any consistent style/approach.  Doesn't seem to have a specific game plan - which was literally the only thing I expected him to do.  High intensity for 90 mins.  Piss poor manager. 

The long throw is a waste of time too.  If you play Millar at cb, you are already one tall payer down in the box.  If there's only one or two  6 footers in the team to compete for the throw, it's meat and drink to the defending team.   No point bothering with it. 

Now if you have 4 or 5 of  Gueye/Axel/Carter/Wharton/Alebiosu/Gudjonsen on the pitch, it makes more sense. 

1-3 Stoke today but good chance it gets called off. 

[Lancaster Rover]

Half of Millars throws were big looping ones midweek, that takes a lot of the threat away IMO. If it’s arrowed in like a driven corner they’re murder to deal with, otherwise the effort to get him over there isn’t worth the outcome 

Edited 3 hours ago by Lancaster Rover
Autocorrect

[Devon Rover]

10 minutes ago, arbitro said:

I would like to think that Rovers have a plan in place for an early pitch I inspection and have been liaising with the match referee. Given the early kick off the referee should be staying locally and for a 12.30 kick off would normally arrive around 10 am. He will do a preliminary inspection, look at an up to date forecast and speak to the ground staff.

With Stoke supporters leaving between 10-11 am I would hope this is factored in along with the other criteria.

I would say it really is touch and go right now but the referee needs to be decisive.

Would all make sense. We made the journey up last night. Would love to have a Rovers game to watch before we drive back to the south west - whatever the result.

[Cherry Blue]

 

10 minutes ago, Lancaster Rover said:

Half of Millars throws were big looping ones midweek, that takes a lot of the threat away IMO. If it’s arrowed in like a driven corner they’re murder to deal with, otherwise the effort to get him over there isn’t worth the outcome 

Good point and heard a few say same. By now this should have been sorted.

Time to deliver Ismael  

[Ossydave]

24 minutes ago, arbitro said:

I would like to think that Rovers have a plan in place for an early pitch I inspection and have been liaising with the match referee. Given the early kick off the referee should be staying locally and for a 12.30 kick off would normally arrive around 10 am. He will do a preliminary inspection, look at an up to date forecast and speak to the ground staff.

With Stoke supporters leaving between 10-11 am I would hope this is factored in along with the other criteria.

I would say it really is touch and go right now but the referee needs to be decisive.

They'll be setting off a lot closer to 10 than 11 I would have thought unless they're planning on just watching the second half.....M6 on a Saturday in this grim weather?

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Game will be played in very difficult conditions that's for sure!

[arbitro]

11 minutes ago, Devon Rover said:

Would all make sense. We made the journey up last night. Would love to have a Rovers game to watch before we drive back to the south west - whatever the result.

It doesn't appear that Rovers have a planned inspection.

Surely, given the weather and forecast there should be an announcement about a designated inspection detailing what time this will be and to watch Rovers social media channels for further updates.

I have already seen today many posts from non league teams outlining their plans.

It's a common courtesy really.

[arbitro]

5 minutes ago, Ossydave said:

They'll be setting off a lot closer to 10 than 11 I would have thought unless they're planning on just watching the second half.....M6 on a Saturday in this grim weather?

Official club coaches are leaving at 9 am. 

https://www.stokecityfc.com/news/2025/september/12/ticket-information-blackburn-rovers/

[Ossydave]

4 minutes ago, arbitro said:

Official club coaches are leaving at 9 am. 

https://www.stokecityfc.com/news/2025/september/12/ticket-information-blackburn-rovers/

Yes, 2 hours before 11am 🤣

[MarkBRFC]

12 minutes ago, arbitro said:

It's a common courtesy really.

🤣 they aren't bothered about that.

Edited 3 hours ago by MarkBRFC

[Exiled_Rover]

There's surely no way it's on - the weather is much worse this week than it was last.

[Ossydave]

They've done a matchday tweet of Tronstad in the pissing down rain, what more could you possibly want 😳

[chaddyrovers]

[Cherry Blue]

22 minutes ago, Ossydave said:

They'll be setting off a lot closer to 10 than 11 I would have thought unless they're planning on just watching the second half.....M6 on a Saturday in this grim weather?

Off topic - reminds me of Birmingham away a few seasons back. We arrive ten minutes late due to M problems but security wouldn't allows in ground. A~~holes!

[Ossydave]

1 minute ago, Exiled_Rover said:

There's surely no way it's on - the weather is much worse this week than it was last.

Much worse where? I've been up since 6am and changed my mind multiple times whether it'll be on or not, it's inconsistent! At 6am I'd say definitely off, right now I'm not so sure as it's mainly the wind making itself known. Maybe it'll help blow some surface water off the pitch in some mother nature hairdryer effect 🥲

[chaddyrovers]

3 minutes ago, Exiled_Rover said:

There's surely no way it's on - the weather is much worse this week than it was last.

The weather yesterday was much worse than the Saturday when we played Ipswich. 

Its meant to Sunshine and rain during the game according to the met office forecast

[...]

It'll be on. It's not dropped near enough rain as it did the other week. The wind will help

[Devon Rover]

13 minutes ago, ... said:

It'll be on. It's not dropped near enough rain as it did the other week. The wind will help

Starting to come down heavily now, though. Enough hours of heavy rain ahead to waterlog the pitch. I'm still expecting a late call off, not least because officials, club etc will be desperate to avoid the embarrassment of another mid game abandonment.

Edited 2 hours ago by Devon Rover

[Cherry Blue]

12 minutes ago, Devon Rover said:

Starting to come down heavily now, though. Enough hours of heavy rain ahead to waterlog the pitch. I'm still expecting a late call off, not least because officials, club etc will be desperate to avoid the embarrassment of another mid game abandonment.

[Ossydave]

9 minutes ago, Devon Rover said:

Starting to come down heavily now, though. Enough hours of heavy rain ahead to waterlog the pitch. I'm still expecting a late call off, not least because officials, club etc will be desperate to avoid the embarrassment of another mid game abandonment.

Not sure a pre game postponement would save much embarrassment though either. They'll want it to go ahead, desperately, so they can say "see our pitch and dogshit drainage can cope with rain".

I watched midweek via the club broadcast and the amount of times they mentioned how we'd been impacted by the postponement was ridiculous, like we'd been really hard done to. The usual attitude from within the rotten club that we're never at fault, ever.

[TheKitGuy]

15 minutes ago, Devon Rover said:

Starting to come down heavily now, though. Enough hours of heavy rain ahead to waterlog the pitch. I'm still expecting a late call off, not least because officials, club etc will be desperate to avoid the embarrassment of another mid game abandonment.

Pitch had very little time to dry out overnight either... 

 

Begs the question, why can't we afford covers? I'd wager a cover costs around £2

5-8k? 

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

If the weather in Blackburn is anything like the weather in Rochdale I can’t see the game going ahead. We had 2” of rain in my back garden yesterday. Plus it’s pouring down now.

Edited 2 hours ago by Tyrone Shoelaces

[Rogerb]

There is a flood alert for the upper Ribble and hodder as far as Samlesbury. Think the Darwen goes into the Ribble. As the Ribble fills up will affect the Darwen.

We need an eyeball on the outflow pipe at Ewood