v Coventry City (a) - 18/10/25

[Gutted]

5 hours ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

Are we doing too much in training ?

Not if the manager prioritises his own birthday celebrations ahead of crucial game preparations.

[AvRover]

It seems the performance today, for the raw technical ability of the squad, was ok - so we can't fault application. The individual weaknesses would be carried and helped by an otherwise competent squad so we shouldn't hang the players out to dry. As was said earlier, a change in management would merely be shuffling deck chairs on the Titanic.

Until the ownership changes, we will live this groundhog day over and over. Maybe League 1 will force them out. Three or four seasons in the bottom half of League 1 with Bolton and Wigan then we can hopefully spend the following ten years climbing back up the leagues.

It's wasted breath to expect anything different under this ownership.

This season really is as expected - bottom half flirting with relegation. It's still early days so win the must wins and we may well be ok. However, to be cynical, are we just postponing the inevitable if we do survive?

We have to be pragmatic and accept from where the club is today it's a long road back in any scenario. Ultimately, the darkest days for Blackburn Rovers may still be to come in the next few years as the chickens come home to roost.

[metalrover]

We'll be firmly entrenched in the bottom three by the next international break. This team is simply not good enough.

[bluebruce]

8 hours ago, BlackburnEnd75 said:

 

Tbh as much as the fans don't deserve this

The fans who find the status quo acceptable absolutely do deserve this. It's the rest of us who don't.

[lraC]

I’m finding to harder and harder to watch the team with any enthusiasm, knowing what’s going on with the 4 stooges running the club and these corrupt owners.

I did watch on Rovers TV yesterday, but hardly had any passion and very little care, at the end.

The whole thing is an empty vessel.

[G Somerset Rover]

44 minutes ago, lraC said:

I’m finding to harder and harder to watch the team with any enthusiasm, knowing what’s going on with the 4 stooges running the club and these corrupt owners.

I did watch on Rovers TV yesterday, but hardly had any passion and very little care, at the end.

The whole thing is an empty vessel.

I feel the same. Just a shrug of the shoulders yesterday when we lost when in years gone by it would have ruined my weekend.

I’m completely resigned to relegation - I don’t think there’s much of a chance that we will avoid it.

[chaddyrovers]

Good first half. Didn't sit in and just defend. Created chances. But we didnt take them. That's is the problem again. 

After they 2 goals in 3 minutes. Game was gone. 

Don't get taking Ohashi off yesterday. Or not bring Morishita on

Sheffield United home game is must win now

[Torgeir]

The game was a good watch but you get what you pay for in this business. Two quality finishes from them, but also a really dangerous area to clear the ball into (edge of the D). 

I feel sorry for the manager and for the players, because the effort and performances have been there (for the most part) this season, but we end up with nothing and naturally we didn't have any response after conceding two goals in quick succession yesterday. The subs made no impact, Gueye and Kargbo must be the least intelligent footballers in the squad, and had no impact on the game other than making sure it didn't look like we tried to come back after conceding twice. 

 

I think most of us aren't surprised we're in for a struggle this season. The squad was torn apart in the transfer window and the people running the club has taken a huge gamble - we'll see where we end up.

[arbitro]

It's such a simple thing to say but scoring when you are on too is so important but our futility in the goals department was once again apparent. I sensed a touch of complacency from Coventry and their entitled fans in the first half which we did really well to capitalise on from a footballing point of view and had we scored first who knows.

The two quick goals killed us and once again poor organisation did us I thought. Both were from just outside the box and there was no pressure on the scorers. I saw McLoughlin bollocking Tronstad and Gardner-Hickman for not getting out to get a block. It was hard to disagree with him.

The flurry of substitutes were unlikely to get us back in the game but I felt that Ismael has thrown the towel in by this time and had one eye on Tuesday. Coventry did similar and dropped their levels down a year or two and probably saved us from further embarrassment.

There were so many good things in the first half which at half-time gave us some hope but the quick capitulation after conceding first is a worrying trend. The shape and system was working well in the first half and the intensity was good. We created some good opportunities from side positions which we should have made more of.

Ismael is responsible for results and at any normal football club he would rightly be under pressure. I firmly believe that even relegation would not force a change of manager so he has to come up with answers.

 

[M_B]

3 hours ago, bluebruce said:

The fans who find the status quo acceptable absolutely do deserve this. It's the rest of us who don't.

That moral high ground must be full to bursting by now. 

[Parsonblue]

Completely agree with that assessment arbitro.  At half-time we were well in the game and ought to have been on the score sheet.  Unfortunately, our inability to convert chances is becoming a serious concern.  Despite Pep football, the game is still about what happens in the two penalty areas.  Yesterday, we played some decent stuff at times in getting up and down the pitch.  In the first half we more than matched a Coventry side who, I have no doubt, will be chasing promotion this season.  They have terrific firepower at their disposal and it told in the end.  However, at the moment we don't score enough goals and we don't keep clean sheets.  That's always been a recipe for relegation in the past and it's no different today. 

Val has to find a way of changing those simple truths with the players he has available.  The next two home games are huge, not to mention the upcoming game with Derby.  I would say we need at least seven points from those three games to try to get some momentum into the season.

[BRFC.]

With cantwell and miller out for Tuesday. This could be the side playing against Sheffield United. Struggles in league one 

[London blue]

3 minutes ago, BRFC. said:

With cantwell and miller out for Tuesday. This could be the side playing against Sheffield United. Struggles in league one 

We'll have to play 4 at the back.

I remember stating that with out squad 5 at the back wasn't possible - look what's happened.

Wish we had a solid, ever-available CB to slot in...

[arbitro]

How many times did Kargbo and Gueye get caught offside for the period they were on?

I recall at least four but maybe there are more.

It's such a frustration and wholly avoidable.

[cesus]

1 minute ago, arbitro said:

How many times did Kargbo and Gueye get caught offside for the period they were on?

I recall at least four but maybe there are more.

It's such a frustration and wholly avoidable.

It is at that point I find myself wanting to pull out what little hair I have. These two in particular do not seem to know the rule, they also come on to the pitch when their mates are knackered, and bring an end to a rare rest for our defensive players with the ball up pitch.

The galling fact is Gueye and Kargbo not knowing the offside rule is the least of our worries.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

9 hours ago, alcd said:

Apathy is the word. For the first time in years I didn't even bother to look for the score until after the end of the match. I had a much more enjoyable afternoon than I would have had so I'll do it again next week. 

That’s what I do if I’m not watching the game. That way I reckon they can only spoil my day from 4-55 pm.

[Tugayisgod]

No Trav then for the 150th...

 

[bluebruce]

1 hour ago, M_B said:

That moral high ground must be full to bursting by now. 

Hardy har. I think it's pretty obvious that people who love their shit circumstances are welcome to them.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

1 hour ago, BRFC. said:

With cantwell and miller out for Tuesday. This could be the side playing against Sheffield United. Struggles in league one 

Horrific...we have been reduced to a rabble.

Edited 4 hours ago by SIMON GARNERS 194

[Cherry Blue]

5 minutes ago, SIMON GARNERS 194 said:

Horrific...we have been reduced to a rabble.

I'm guessing Ismael would have wanted to rest Wharton who will have to play at risk.

I can imagine Rudy's thoughts are around "....thankfully we still have fit players like Kargho, Hedges, Henriksson, Montgonmery...". That's how bad this is as we approach 10th game 3rd from bottom!!!

[USABlue]

17 hours ago, chaddyrovers said:

Why has Ismael took Ohashi off? 

I wondered that too.  Thought he was doing well.

[Herbie6590]

2 hours ago, BRFC. said:

With cantwell and miller out for Tuesday. This could be the side playing against Sheffield United. Struggles in league one 

It could…but it won’t…start I mean. Not struggle. It will definitely struggle. 

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

I just had a look at their team yesterday. They’re certainly in a false position. Some good players with plenty of experience.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

A quick two fingered salute would have sufficed Ian...a pressure release indeed!

[Tomphil2]

Subs are always a debatable issue but Ismaels use of them is terrible to be honest.

Changes for the sake of it throwing people on for the sake of it just to get mins but the way this club is now set up it's part of the bigger agenda.

Increasing value through mins taking priority over everything else but to be fair to him i don't think Gueye or Kargbo would look out of place at Chorley.

And throwing them on at that level probably wouldn't change a 0-2 game.