v Sheffield Wednesday (h) - 3/2/26 - 19:45 k/o

[StHelensRover]

I think we're going to win but it's going to be a tight game. The one and a half games between the teams so far this season have produced one goal and very little quality. If anything, they've strengthened more than we have in January!

Expect the players to have a bounce though and get it over the line

[Miller11]

Unless he’s had a drastic change of heart, Johnson would run a mile from the job on a full time basis. Apparently he takes quite a lot of persuading to do it for the one game. Happy coaching, doesn’t want to be a manager.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

One thing I learnt when I was playing is there are no easy games until you’ve made them easy. Going out expecting any team to just fall over is how you lose “ easy “ games.

I remember as a schoolboy  playing in a 7 a side comp played on a full sized pitch. 15 minutes each way. We had 4 town team players in our 7. We cruised to the final. Our opponents in the final had ballsed up the fixture list and their first team, with their town team players, was playing away in another game ! So we were playing their reserves !  We thought we only had to turn up to win the trophy.

Our keeper had a nightmare, their reserve keeper had the game of his life. We were all trying to win the game on our own as individuals and we didn’t play as team, and we lost 2-1 ! 

So I learnt that lesson the hard way at a young age. Go out with the wrong attitude and you will nearly always come unstuck.
 

Edited 2 hours ago by Tyrone Shoelaces

[arbitro]

This probably sounds daft to some but our biggest enemy tonight might be complacency against a struggling Wednesday who have been further depleted by injury. The game over there in December was an example of what I mean as we looked like turning up would be enough, particularly after a really good result at Middlesbrough a few days before.

In pretty much every home game this season we have started really slowly with very little intensity and generally let the opposition grow into the game at their own pace, a bit like playing with the handbrake on. I get playing like that away but for me it was a real failing by Ismael and directly contributed to our abysmal home record. The exception was Millwall when a quick start and early goal gave us a foothold in the game and something to work with.

Damien Johnson needs to be bold with both selection and tactics and get at them from the kick off. An early goal will settle everyone down.

[Comfortably numb]

Portsmouth v Ipswich tonight postponed - waterlogged pitch ! 😄

[norwichblue]

8 minutes ago, Comfortably numb said:

Portsmouth v Ipswich tonight postponed - waterlogged pitch ! 😄

Cowboys

[47er]

2 hours ago, RoversTilliDie said:

I wouldn't under estimate Sheff Wed, who have give one or two top teams a scare.

They literally have nothing to lose.

[jim mk2]

Rovers were lucky to escape with a draw at Wednesday - how Bannnon missed that chance only he knows. I'm not optimistic we will win tonight. Big test for Damien Johnson   

[Danny O.Brien]

This feels like the Derby game last season, everyone was convinced we would smash them and we ended up losing 3-0. This is the perfect first fixture for DJ and the team to show what they can do with the shackles of Ismael off. Express and play the way we know they can, especially cantwell. Can't see anything other than a rovers win but what do I know.

[RevidgeBlue]

 From a tactical point of view, If they've known they were thinking of getting rid of VI for a few days, they should have potted him before Saturday's game against Hull and got Johnson in for that one as well.

The Hull game would have been a free hit for Johnson, no-one would have really expected us to win it and if he could have got 4 points from the two games, everyone would have considered that a really decent return and he could have kicked on with some confidence.

Now, although Im far from convinced we'd have won tonight's game under Ismael, Johnson is under massive pressure, winning is probably the last realistic chance of survival and if if he does manage it, he'll get absolutely zero credit for it as its Wednesday.

Hope he's really bold and changes it round substantially tonight. Change formation, put Tyjon/Joseph in, whatever. Just get them playing like they're enjoying it for once, get a decent amount of efforts on target (on the opposition goal, not our own) and the rest will hopefully take care of itself.

 

[M_B]

12 hours ago, roversfan99 said:

People will get behind anyone getting decent results, and anyone being appointed with a fresh start. This idea that Johnson would specifically get people unified, I dont get. 

In that case, was everyone right behind Ismael?

I think you're wide of the mark on this one, there will be detractors no matter who Gestede appoints, unless I've been reading a different forum.

Johnson on the other hand is "one of ours" and was obviously already here, if anyone will get a fair crack it's him. 

[roversfan99]

I know obviously the players have to take it seriously, avoid complacency etc. But speaking as a fan whose opinion has no impact. Tonight even with our form and with our inadequacies really should be a very comfortable home win. Its not a game we go into as slight favourite, its against a team thats nowhere near Championship standard, and that barely has any players left. They have played 29, lost 20 and won 1.

Even from one side of January to the other, a month of 7 losses to nil for Wednesday, they are much weaker. They have lost Amass, Bannan and Cadamarteri. They signed a couple of questionable players last night that arent registered in time.

I wonder if Johnson has full autocracy over team selection? Wouldnt be suprised if Gestede has a say.

[roversfan99]

1 minute ago, M_B said:

In that case, was everyone right behind Ismael?

I think you're wide of the mark on this one, there will be detractors no matter who Gestede appoints, unless I've been reading a different forum.

Johnson on the other hand is "one of ours" and was obviously already here, if anyone will get a fair crack it's him. 

When he was appointed, yes. When he lost game after game straight away and took us out of the play offs, maybe not although at no point did he get noticeable stick.

Some people would be annoyed that the cheap option of Johnson as opposed to an actual manager. He wouldnt avoid detractors just because hes "one of our own."

Any anger is not aimed at the manager anyway. Its not going to create a harmonious atmosphere keeping Johnson.

[M_B]

2 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

When he was appointed, yes. When he lost game after game straight away and took us out of the play offs, maybe not although at no point did he get noticeable stick.

Some people would be annoyed that the cheap option of Johnson as opposed to an actual manager. He wouldnt avoid detractors just because hes "one of our own."

Any anger is not aimed at the manager anyway. Its not going to create a harmonious atmosphere keeping Johnson.

We'll soon find out if you're right and the new man, like you claim, gets universal support on here. 

[RevidgeBlue]

10 minutes ago, M_B said:

In that case, was everyone right behind Ismael?

Think it's fair to say that he was no-one's first choice but nevertheless everyone was willing to give him a chance when he arrived. Unfortunately that goodwill dissipated almost immediately when he managed 1 point out of 18 from a team that had previously been competing for the play offs.

[London blue]

People being behind the manager on here matters not. Every new manager has the backing of the limited fans in the stadium, until they don't.

[roversfan99]

9 minutes ago, M_B said:

We'll soon find out if you're right and the new man, like you claim, gets universal support on here. 

I never said on here. I presumed you meant in the ground. Why does it matter what random fans put on a messageboard? 

No manager will be universally approved of on here. As long as people are willing to change depending on results either way thats fine. I am not the only one who wouldnt be happy with Johnson. Like with anyone, I would still change if we then got good results.

[RevidgeBlue]

 

10 minutes ago, M_B said:

We'll soon find out if you're right and the new man, like you claim, gets universal support on here. 

If you're somehow sneakily trying to blame the fans for Ismael's demise forget it. Unless you're appointing someone like Klopp, Guardiola or Dalglish in his prime, you're never going to get complete agreement.

It's up to the manager to win round any detractors with results.

[Jimmy612]

The other consideration last season was that people were even more angry than now. Eustace was universally liked and had obviously walked due to a lack of support... not only that, he'd gone to a club in the relegation zone in the same league.

Whoever the new bloke is, he'll be following in the footsteps of a manager with one of the worst managerial records in our history, and in to a club desperate to stop up. 

Of course, when all said and done, if it's a total desperado in the mould of Coyle, or one with an appalling journeyman record (like Coleman) the fans will have every right to be underwhelmed, and when that happens, new managers naturally have less rope.  It falls on the club to appoint a candidate the fans feel they can actually get behind. 

[RevidgeBlue]

19 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

Any anger is not aimed at the manager anyway. Its not going to create a harmonious atmosphere keeping Johnson.

It would do IF (and Im not suggesting he will) he won six on the bounce.

He needs to be judged on a game by game basis for the rest of the season. If he loses the next two or three then obviously we would need to make a permanent appointment very quickly.

If he did win six on the bounce, what are you going to do, replace him? The only exception to that would be if someone absolutely exceptional became available in the meantime who you didnt think you had any chance of getting.

Whilst I dont think we're quite in Chris Coleman territory, not sure that will happen either given our current standing in the game. If Johnson does ok and well enough to keep us up I can't see the problem in him retaining it until the end ofcthe season to give us more time to find the best possible permanent candidate.

The indications are he doesnt want it permanently anyway.

[RevidgeBlue]

8 minutes ago, Jimmy612 said:

  It falls on the club to appoint a candidate the fans feel they can actually get behind. 

Absolutely.