[Archived] Rovers L1 Game 24 - Ewood Park (30th December 2017)

[Hasta]

Scunthorpe did well for a long while last season before dropping away. Apparently they were the better side when we met them earlier in the season and are finding form again at the moment. A win on Saturday will put them bang in the promotion picture. 

Im quite looking forward to the game actually. Bring on the Irons.

[philipl]

1 hour ago, Hasta said:

Scunthorpe did well for a long while last season before dropping away. Apparently they were the better side when we met them earlier in the season and are finding form again at the moment. A win on Saturday will put them bang in the promotion picture. 

Im quite looking forward to the game actually. Bring on the Irons.

Meadows on another thread has pointed out to be wary of writing Scunthorpe off. Record in last 10 W 8 D 1 L 1 F 22 A11. In fact they drew the game before that too so lost one in 11 in the league. Not that bad a record in comparison to anybody.

Could be a cracker.

[AggyBlue]

I'll be a bag on nerves on Saturday for this one. Not got a good feeling after our recent poor performances.

[Paul]

27 minutes ago, philipl said:

Could be a cracker.

It should be Philip. Both teams in great form, both badly need to win this game, Scunthorpe to put themselves right in the mix and Rovers to keep hauling in Wigan. A draw isn’t a disaster for either side but I can see both sides going for the win.

I can see Charlton winning at Wigan

[arbitro]

9 minutes ago, Paul said:

It should be Philip. Both teams in great form, both badly need to win this game, Scunthorpe to put themselves right in the mix and Rovers to keep hauling in Wigan. A draw isn’t a disaster for either side but I can see both sides going for the win.

I can see Charlton winning at Wigan

Of all the teams we have played so far Scunthorpe have been the most impressive in my opinion. We really stole the points that night. We need more players to be at it than of late when we have have far too many passengers. The back five picks itself but midfield will be key as it generally is in League One. I would love to be eulogising about playing attractively and winning at 4.45 on Saturday but in reality I would take just winning.

[scotchrover]

2 hours ago, Paul said:

It should be Philip. Both teams in great form, both badly need to win this game, Scunthorpe to put themselves right in the mix and Rovers to keep hauling in Wigan. A draw isn’t a disaster for either side but I can see both sides going for the win.

I can see Charlton winning at Wigan

I’d be very surprised if Charlton pick anything up against Wigan. I hear Robinson’s lost the dressing room, and current form would suggest that. 

Onto our own game, I’d personally take a draw. We’ve not be playing too well, yet we keep picking up points. It wouldn’t surprise me if we lost on Saturday. I hope I’m wrong though! 

[1864roverite]

Big 6 pointer imo. Rovers should just about sneak it making a 50 point haul pre new year tonic. Rovers have to hit the ground running in January to carry on the winning momentum

 

[Kamy100]

 

 

[Lihamylly]

One thing is certain. We won't get away this time with a sloppy performance. We probably have to deliver a top notch product to bag this one.

I just hope the lads are mentally ready for the challenge from the very start of the match.

[philipl]

Realistically with a 46 game perspective, this is a must not lose for both sides.

If we win, it gives Scunthorpe a mountain to climb to get an automatic promotion slot.

This is the sort of game which decides promotion challenges- a win for Rovers will be a big step forward.

[Paul]

10 hours ago, scotchrover said:

I’d be very surprised if Charlton pick anything up against Wigan. I hear Robinson’s lost the dressing room, and current form would suggest that. 

I don’t follow the division closely enough to discuss this point. My feeling is pretty simple, Charlton are one of the better sides to visit Ewood this season, Wigan have to lose at some point, I think Charlton are one of the sides with potential to inflict that defeat.

You’re obviously right about their form which shows just how quickly a few bad results influences this league. In the same manner our recent run has pushed us from way off the mark to serious contenders. 

[Lancs Rover]

"Attackers win you games; defenders win you titles." - Fergie, apparently.

If we get promoted, it will be on the back of our defensive displays. Our strikers, on the other hand, just can't seem to get going consistently. 

Saturday looks to be the biggest Ewood Park test of this view. Defence holds firm, and we win, then better times ahead. 

[AllRoverAsia]

11 minutes ago, markread said:

"Attackers win you games; defenders win you titles." - Fergie, apparently.

If we get promoted, it will be on the back of our defensive displays. Our strikers, on the other hand, just can't seem to get going consistently. 

Saturday looks to be the biggest Ewood Park test of this view. Defence holds firm, and we win, then better times ahead. 

The strikers are being over rotated.  Genuine strikers are selfish and live by and get their highs from scoring goals and whatever may be said in interviews hate being rotated/ rested, especially after just scoring.

Consistency comes from playing.

Most would agree that the Rovers spine is Raya, Mulgrew, Smallwood, Dack + strikerX

[dingles staying down 4ever]

13 minutes ago, markread said:

"Attackers win you games; defenders win you titles." - Fergie, apparently.

If we get promoted, it will be on the back of our defensive displays. Our strikers, on the other hand, just can't seem to get going consistently. 

Saturday looks to be the biggest Ewood Park test of this view. Defence holds firm, and we win, then better times ahead. 

We are knackered then. Set piece to our back post...Nymabe beaten in the air.......

[dingles staying down 4ever]

4 minutes ago, AllRoverAsia said:

The strikers are being over rotated.  Genuine strikers are selfish and live by and get their highs from scoring goals and whatever may be said in interviews hate being rotated/ rested, especially after just scoring.

Consistency comes from playing.

Comes from the fact I think Mowbray still doesn't know who is his best striker is

[Ossydave]

Nice routine win for me, 2-0 again. 

First half is crucial. 

We've only gone into half time trailing once at home all season, important we do the same here or they could get their tails up a bit. 

Nice early goal then pick them off around the 60 minute mark to seal it. 

[AllRoverAsia]

12 minutes ago, dingles staying down 4ever said:

Comes from the fact I think Mowbray still doesn't know who is his best striker is

Agreed, and Nuttall's emergence has added to Mowbray's dilemma. At the start of the season I am sure he was not in TM's plans but forced his way in by scoring in the youth teams at the same time as TM was busy not giving his main strikers time to settle by playing on a regular basis.

[dingles staying down 4ever]

Just now, AllRoverAsia said:

Agreed, and Nuttall's emergence has added to Mowbray's dilemma. At the start of the season I am sure he was not in TM's plans but forced his way in by scoring in the youth teams at the same time as TM was busy not giving his main strikers time to settle by playing on a regular basis.

Spot on, players around them can't get used to their styles of play either.

[HowieFive0]

27 minutes ago, dingles staying down 4ever said:

Comes from the fact I think Mowbray still doesn't know who is his best striker is

Does anyone know who our best striker is ? No one has put down a marker and really said im No1. 

[dingles staying down 4ever]

Just now, HowieFive0 said:

Does anyone know who our best striker is ? No one has put down a marker and really said im No1. 

None have been given a long enough run of games although none look capable of playing the lone striker.

[lraC]

The bookies have Scunthorpe priced at about 3/1 for this, which seems a big price given their current form. Rovers have of course had an even better run, so could be a close one. 

[G Somerset Rover]

Lenihan can’t be far off a spot on the bench by now? 

On the game, I don’t think Scunny are quite as good as they’re being bigged up to be. They lost at Walsall justifiably a few games ago. TM really needs to earn his corn here by getting them firing out of the traps from the off.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Just now, dingles staying down 4ever said:

None have been given a long enough run of games although none look capable of playing the lone striker.

I can't really argue with that but who would shine with the very indifferent service our lone striker gets.

[tomphil]

1 hour ago, AllRoverAsia said:

The strikers are being over rotated.  Genuine strikers are selfish and live by and get their highs from scoring goals and whatever may be said in interviews hate being rotated/ rested, especially after just scoring.

Consistency comes from playing.

Most would agree that the Rovers spine is Raya, Mulgrew, Smallwood, Dack + strikerX

Mowbray certainly does over rotate some areas and for me it plays a big part in a lot of the disjointed stuttering we see regularly in the first half of games.

[JHRover]

Last season when under relegation pressure we overcame Newcastle twice, Aston Villa and Derby. We're told that we now have a stronger squad and better management team in place, so I'm not sure why the panic about Scunthorpe United at home. 

They're better than most in this league. That isn't saying much. Wigan and Shrewsbury were not impressive and we drew at their places. 

I do worry that some people are too quick to heap praise upon the opposition here. I'm not particularly interested in them. I've seen every team play bar Walsall this season and not one of them has struck me as a quality side. Some better than others but even the so-called best by a country mile Wigan offered nothing against us.

This game, along with Shrewsbury, Wigan and Bradford still to come at Ewood, are our golden tickets. Win those, as we should be looking to do, and we will go a long way to achieving our target. I very much hope that we aren't approaching them with trepidation and 'a point will be OK' mentality. We've overcome the hurdle of our rivals away from home, now we have to deal with them at home.

The talk is all of 'Scunthorpe on fire at the moment'. Actually our form is better than theirs, we're at home and above them in the league. That's before we get round to the respective cost and experience of each squad.

Time to deliver and strike a message out to our 'rivals'.