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Showing content with the highest reputation on 01/03/19 in all areas

  1. I really liked Bowyer. Was a decent man with integrity and intelligence and had a real eye for a player (perhaps aided by his dad? ) but he wasn’t able to reconstruct the club like Mowbray has. Don’t get me wrong. I don’t think TM is perfect. And I doubt he does either. I just think he’s doing better than he’s given credit for on here.
    7 points
  2. Just for the record in view of the criticism TM has received on this thread. I, amongst a small number of others, have his back completely. It feels a bit like planting a galatasary flag in a fenerbache centre circle (if you catch my drift) but this bloke is the best thing to happen to Rovers for years and by miles our best manager since Sam ( and is a much better bloke IMV). We’ve had a bad run no question. But played top teams in the last four. He always said at the outset that we would win some and lose some this season but always hope to compete. And ultimately consolidate. As far as I can remember very few thought that unreasonable ...until we started losing a few. But he has been proved so far correct. We are not the finished article but we have a team that competes, a club that is functional, a structure in place, a connection with fans and he is ..again IMV...completely responsible for that. And I’m not going to be mealy mouthed and subject that to qualifications like ‘needs to do better’. He’s doing bloody fine in my book.
    7 points
  3. Able or allowed? In reality he's done exactly what Mowbray did...except Bowyer was able to keep us in the Championship.... but wasn't allowed to choose his own CEO. Bowyer did a very good job here. He had better players because he was able to spot them and buy them...and he was never given £10m to spend either. If you think Mowbray gets it rough you should have been on here for the Bowyer days. Apparently all we needed was a different manager and those players would have got promoted Then Lambert turned up...and then Coyle. What Mowbray has done a lot better than Bowyer is galvanise the fanbase and create a better spirit around the club. Team spirit and players 'playing for the badge' is obviously something he genuinely cares about and wants the players to care about. He wants the players to connect with the fans. I can't think of another manager who has done it as well. The club is all the better for it. We are now in a situation where people are getting twitchy again. Calling for Mowbray's head is ridiculous. Comparing now to Bowyer's reign (as a pejorative) is also ridiculous. I think Mowbray makes some odd decisions, talks utter bobbins on occasions and seems to be very average in the transfer market (being kind) but we are mid-table in the Championship. I don't really think anyone can expect any better unless we can find one of the very few managers (Dyche, Warnock etc) who seem able to turn average sides into promotion winning sides within 12 months. If Mowbray goes then it will be up to V's to get a new manager, and we know how badly that can go. People tend to forget that .
    6 points
  4. Exactly. The good will towards Mowbray is palpable for the match-going public...and beyond. I think everyone was as delighted for Mowbray as they were for the three points against WBA. Having a rant on here because his signing are a bit shit etc doesn't change that.
    4 points
  5. I’m still giving him a chance anyway. Would like him to start against barcodes.
    3 points
  6. For me I think its more the case that TM still sees it as bringing in one or two players to help the ones already here rather than trying to bring in players who will go straight into the team and improve the starting eleven. A major overhaul is needed if we're going to challenge for promotion in tbe forseeable future not a bit of window dressing and tinkering with the depth of the squad. Hanley on loan, Wharton recall, a main striker and Chapman would get us through unscathed to the end of the season. Then hopefully the major reconstruction which should have started in the summer can commence.
    3 points
  7. For £6 Million Sheffield United brought in Norwood, Egan and McGoldrick all proven quality in the Championship and all would have improved our team. If you looked hard enough then there was plenty of talent out there that could have been brought in to make £7 Million look good value, be that spent combined on numerous players or spent on just one player.
    3 points
  8. I think the breakdown of how many FORWARD passes Smallwood and Evans attempt/complete compared to Travis would be interesting.
    3 points
  9. He's getting plenty of credit and always will, especially because of last season, it's just people were very concerned about us continually shipping late goals and making the same mistakes. If football fans can't discuss what the manager does well and does badly without being criticised for not giving the manager enough credit, then all football message boards might as well be closed down....
    3 points
  10. Is there a striker out there in the mould of Simon Garner. That's what I would like to see, along with a Colin Hendry and a Noel Brotherston. Not too much to ask. Oh and maybe a Tugay too.
    3 points
  11. A) No one's tried to defend the deal, one of the chief sugar coaters has liked your post and the other would ute he's banned ? b) You couldn't sign 3 proven players for that money, you could obviously depending on how you are judging 'proven' i.e Armstrong is proven compared to Brereton. Not painting your post as nonsense by the way just the notions that we couldn't sign a few good players ready to go into the side for that kind of money. Wages are also debatable as room can be made loaning out or removing a bit of deadwood so accommodate the 1 into 2 or 3 scenario.
    2 points
  12. I haven't seen anyone defend the deal to be honest. I just don't think it's as simple as saying "we should have signed 3 proven players instead". We would have done well to get 1 in todays market. That's the reality. He has 2 assists in 300 minutes of football. Graham is our main man and should start. Things could be worse. I think this deal has been discussed to death. 93 pages and counting.
    2 points
  13. Maddison set to leave Peterborough. Already has 14 assists this season. Him and Chapman in and send Palmer back. That would do for the creativity needed. Then it's time to bolster the defence and find a striker.
    2 points
  14. Don't think there's much, If any, prospect of us getting Reed on a permanent in January. I fail to see what incentive Southampton would have to agree to that at this stage with their Premier League status in doubt. Surely at best they will be happy to leave Reed here until the summer and then consider the position then when everyone knows where they are going to be. IF Southampton survive and we stay in the Championship then I think a permanent deal would be possible but would cost money, like any decent player will do these days. If, however, Southampton get relegated I'm sure Reed would feature in their plans as a ready made quality Championship player. The only way this is likely to change is if Southampton want him back in January to have a look at him with a view to him playing for them in their relegation run-in. My focus would be ensuring he stays here until the end of the season and spend the next few months saving up and whispering in his ear about a permanent deal in the summer.
    2 points
  15. The main aim this window is trying to make Reed our player and then hopefully playing him centre mid with travis 2 proper grafters who are pretty good on the ball also. The better we can make our midfield, the less reliant we will be on Graham as hopefully we wont be going direct as much as we do. We can hopefully then start trying to pass through the lines a bit more.
    2 points
  16. Lenihan gets beaten for headers far too easily - it's cost us quite a few goals this season. He's OK at centre back in League One but at this level le looks what he is - a converted midfield player
    2 points
  17. Only one way we'll ultimately keep our better players and that is by convincing them this is a club going places and is determined to try and get promoted to the Premier League. I'm confident that if Dack can see that we are determined to progress and continue upwards then he will be happy to go on the journey. Thankfully Mowbray SAYS all the right things on that front - acceptance that we need to progress and build and get into the promotion picture - but the problem is in actually doing it. Recruitment will either have to be extremely savvy (far more so than it has been so far) or a major outlay (far more than it has been so far). The basics are there - a decent starting XI, great team spirit - but the depth, resilience is falling short. I can't help but feel at times that some of Mowbray's comments are aimed as much at the owners and their advisors as they are at the fans and players. Talk about needing to get into the promotion picture to keep Dack is the sort of language I would expect him to use when trying to convince the owners to bankroll more signings and keep the club progressing. Budgets are seemingly decided on an annual basis and I expect Mowbray is facing an annual battle to convince them to spend rather than sit back and think it is job done because we're back in mid-table Championship.
    2 points
  18. End of the day him and his team get plenty of support at the grounds and that’s all that matters. An internet forum, like the pub is a place to vent and that won’t change and it shouldn’t either. So on here, say what you want and don’t just ‘get behind the manager/team ffs!’
    2 points
  19. Travis: ’I want to be the main man and the first name on the teamsheet’ https://www.rovers.co.uk/news/2019/january/i-want-to-be-the-first-name-on-the-teamsheet/
    2 points
  20. We are trying to sign Reed but a lot of other clubs are going to be trying to sign him to. Deal to be done with Southampton. We want a striker and a rb no names as yet. Missed out on a loan sign as Sheffield Utd got him instead. Will be looking at mostly loans but if deals become available the venkys will consider it. Being closer to the play offs come end of January might allow for more cash to be spent. Dack has a value that if not ment then no deal to be done. Venkys want to keep him until the summer at then maybe take the cash to reinvest throughout the squad. Will inform more when I know it.
    1 point
  21. - Weaknesses Aerial Duels Finishing Crossing Holding on to the ball Defensive contribution ? So when we're desperately trying to hold onto a result he's a great one to bring on - as Tony often does. Heck. Is there anything he CAN do?
    1 point
  22. Is he good enough to displace Lenihan? If not I don't see the point of wasting money on transfer fees and wages. Thought Rodwell was his back up centre half. Then you've got Downing as well. I'd rather take the best talent from league 1 and spend an extra bit of money.
    1 point
  23. Sorry pal but that's nonsense you only have to look at Armstrong, ok he hasn't torn any trees up but every now and then he contributes something. He cost an initial 1.75 poss rising to 3 over time, his wages won't be cheap but decent champ standard. Not much older than BB and I don't know about his youth pedigree but he had pedigree for scoring a few in the lower leagues he can also play a couple of positions. I'm also sure that BBs wages in the contract will reflect his progress and if he becomes a regular scoring goals he won't be on much different to AA soon enough. Either way compared to Brereton at the min he represents good value and just the same as Ben one good season or even half one and he'll attract attention and deliver a good profit if sold. Just as much chance if not more of that happening as there is with Brereton and we don't have to wait and pray that he delivers something at least. Yes ready made articles are hard to find for that money and modest starting wages but there ARE signings out there to be had who can contribute now and still grow and maybe deliver a profit.
    1 point
  24. The sceptic in me wonders if he's already plotting his escape and making comments like these to make a sacking more likely. I get the feeling Evans won't bite though. If Lambert wants to leave I think he's going to have to walk.
    1 point
  25. That's the type of player we should be looking at!
    1 point
  26. That's the million dollar question with Rovers as if every penny or even most of it went back to be reinvested in the squad i'm not sure we'd have been where we have, the rank bad management of Coyle aside who could probably relegate Man City this season if he went there now.
    1 point
  27. That's the problem - take those away and there aren't many goals coming from elsewhere - just Mulgrew's dead ball plays.
    1 point
  28. If mowbray can get him until summer and get 20+m and it goes into the defence/midfield, I wouldn't be too bothered. I believe Rothwell can do that job just as well given a decent run and no defensive responsibility.
    1 point
  29. I don't think that four ever played in the same team. Chapman is out of contract in the summer, and TM mentioned him fairly recently at the supporters consultation, and Boro have just signed another winger so you would think this one will probably happen if we want it too. Bauer is an interesting one, on paper he looks exactly what we need, can't say I have seen too much of him though. I don't think we'll be signing a left back, I think TM will want to run with Bell and hopefully we'll see an improvement, thought he was better on Tuesday. I would certainly be looking at a right back to come in and add depth there, we can't keep putting Bennett out there when Nyambe is out. Other than that, the main two pieces of business I want to see is Dack staying, and Travis not going out on loan and signing a new contract here.
    1 point
  30. You suspect huge money would go right to his head but Dack has come up the hard way whereas Bentley was at Arsenal quite young I think and maybe always a bit of a big time Charlie from a young age. I think Dack would give it a good go before he fell off the rails whether it was with Rovers or anywhere else, he's saying all the right things at the moment but it's consistency on the pitch that counts and also gets you the good moves. Personally i'd be horrified to see him become a barcode i think he'd be more suited to gentler Southern climes like Fulham or somewhere, avoid Spuds and West Ham at all costs if i were him, graveyards for modest talent like him.
    1 point
  31. It seems once Dack is happy here, we are in no rush to sell. I am convinced he will do a Bentley unless he gets his next move right. Good would be Brighton, Newcastle etc, bad would be West ham or pretty much any London club. I know there is no loyalty in football, but I think he owes us next season too. Although we would need to be better in the window next summer to encourage him, much better....
    1 point
  32. Probably not, but if that man exists will Venky's appoint him. Definitely not.
    1 point
  33. Promotion at a canter now Stuart. Though the first month or two was spent in the doldrums and the minimum expectation of 1st was missed despite having the best squad, best budget, best facilities etc far outstripping the 2nd best club in league one by some distance. This isn't to say that I am not grateful for promotion as a lesser manager could have easily stuffed it all up big time. But revisionism to one side the reality remains that the same doubts about Mowbray 'in the Champonship' remain from the 2016/17 season. The club still desperately needs another promotion to fix all the off the field problems that have never really gone away. Is Mowbray that man?
    1 point
  34. Bauer out of contract in the summer.
    1 point
  35. Bowyer for me is miles ahead of TM. Both seem to struggle with subs however and in game management. No doubting GB has a far better transfer record without the luxuary of a 7 million player. Too many late goals being conceded so is it fitness or concentration it’s happening to often, something like 17 points we’ve lost or more from winning positions. Said at Wigan I’d hold of a new deal for TM, we came runners up to Wigan. He achieved the least expected, we needed to get to Easter to judge him, there is hardly a que for TM for any vacancy which about is a level of his stock on football. Now after a bright start he’s languishing below mid table with a top half wage budget. Big second half of the season to come up for sure.
    1 point
  36. Just back from purchasing my tickets to catch the Newcastle FA Cup match. Hopefully Cpt Fab will be playing to finish off the Toon (like he does). Dont usually do match preview for Cup games but thought I would. Recorded live outside Ewood Park (bit ballsy). Could go either way this one. The Toon are up for grabs.
    1 point
  37. This is just like under Bowyer. One win and it’s back to full-on superfan support. I’ll carry on supporting Blackburn Rovers and not whichever millionaire happens to have the closest view of the pitch. That said, Mowbray needs to build on this result now and not keep chopping and changing. Delighted with three points against the Baggies but he’s only one dodgy team selection of being right back at square one. A decent League One manager, an average Championship one.
    1 point
  38. Andy Morrison or Andy Todd would do nicely !
    1 point
  39. I’d love to send him back but we all know it’s not going to happen so let’s kill that chat once and for all
    1 point
  40. Evans has been miles better than Smallwood this season overall and Travis is better than them both based on what I've seen of him. Reed and Travis would be the ideal central midfield pairing, but TM does love a square peg in a round hole and we do need more wingers.....
    1 point
  41. It’d be a pretty sad day when your own brother doesn’t pick you! I fear that we are going to see history repeat itself with Smallwood. He is the kind of player you would love to be able to bring on to close out a game. Keep possession and play an agricultural game. Or, be a like for like swap for Evans. It was exactly the same with Jason Lowe and he became more of a target because Bowyer kept starting him than if he had been a solid squad player. The flipside was that some fans took his selection to mean he was a good player because he gets picked rather than what they saw with their own eyes. Then as he racked up hands that became a stat in itself! Then he left on a free!! Our brilliant, highly experienced captain! Made us no money and wasn’t worthy of a new contract! What a contradiction! ”As long as he wears the shirt I’ll back him”. Hard to argue with such belligerence, no, some don’t like that word so: misplaced loyalty. Lets hope Richie doesn’t become that man and instead continues to contribute at a higher level than we should expect him to.
    1 point
  42. My main concern with Mowbray is that we won't really move in any direction under him. It'll be middle of the road forevermore unless there's some pretty significant investment in the first team squad (or in the wrong direction if players are sold and funds withdrawn, ala Bowyer). Obviously you have to give the man time to prove otherwise, but impressions from his first couple of years or so at the club suggests, to me, that he doesn't have the courage to push an average team into playoff/promotion contention.
    1 point
  43. Toss up for me between Evans and Smallwood. Don't think either are particularly good. Smallwood is generally either very effective or bloody awful. Evans isn't nearly as noticeable. Not sure if that means he does less or not. For me, a midfield 2 of Reed and Travis would be a bloody nightmare to play against. Constantly in your face and with some ability going forward.
    1 point
  44. I agree with the last line, but I wouldn't be angry that it's taken this long. He is only 21. I would liked to have seen him more last season, but the reality is we had a serious mission at hand and i understand why Mowbray kept it safe with Smallwood and Evans in there. if we missed out on promotion, the line would be that we should have stuck with what we know and not bring youngsters in. Wouldn't have been good for Travis either. Now seems the perfect time for him to step in. In some ways, we are under less pressure this season
    1 point
  45. Including yesterday, he’s played about 300 minutes. The equivalent of just over three matches. He has two assists. I’m expecting him to start against Newcastle but does need a run of starts to be able to judge fairly. That said I thought he was poor again yesterday. There is just nothing about him that makes him stand out.
    1 point
  46. Why is it so hard for some people to grasp that fans are behind the manager but not happy with 1 win in 9 and conceding loads of late goals? It’s really not that complicated.
    1 point
  47. A few thoughts related to the accounting/FFP angle on this: Transfer fees are amortised over the course of a player's contract. So, if Brereton cost is £7m and he signs a 4-year deal (?), the accounting cost is £1.75m per year. For argument's sake, say Brereton is sold for £15m in year 3 of his contract. For that accounting year, that would work out to a £13.25m player trading profit (which is versus the remaining value of his transfer fee). That kind of one-year windfall would go some way to making up our revenue deficit versus some of the bigger budget clubs in this division (particularly those receiving parachute payments) and it can almost serve as a 'safety valve' if we're at risk of non-compliance with FFP. You see that with a lot of clubs now, gambling with significant losses for a few years but then having throw in the towel with a couple major sales to balance the books if promotion doesn't happen. You thus spread the financial hit of a transfer over many years and then can profit from it all at once, potentially in a time of 'need'. Now, Brereton's certainly been a disappointment so far (although I think some of the criticism has been over the top: he's shown some flashes, should have one goal, and was doing something right at Forest...) and my £15m sale example is wishful thinking at this point in time, but it's pretty clear to me that the Armstrong, Brereton, Davenport, and Rothwell signings from this past transfer window (and Dack and Samuel last year) are all part of a general strategy where transfer money is set aside to identify young players with appreciating value. A 'young player transfer kitty', if you will. There will be some misses (Samuels probably, Armstrong blows hot and cold - mostly cold of late, Davenport's been unfortunate with injuries), but the year-on-year accounting cost is relatively low and you only need an occasional big hit to recoup it all (Dack). It may be why they're rethinking the academy, which is costing £2m/year but maybe it's better to spend that £2m on more proven young talent developed elsewhere than to hope something comes up through the academy. I don't think this has necessarily been at the expense of experienced players. New contracts for Mulgrew, Bennett, Evans, and Dack wouldn't have come cheap. Whittingham was a flop, but that was a similar idea of paying good wages for 'proven' experience, but not necessarily transfer fees. Conway's legs are fading, but he's obviously been kept around for his experience/leadership. Now, Brereton's obviously a much bigger swing than the others and there's certainly a legitimate debate about whether that money could have been better spent on some experience this year, but it still strikes me as part of a coherent financial strategy. His transfer reflects that we do have a major financial backer that is willing to flex its financial muscle, but we want to stay within FFP and have relatively low turnover in this league, so we need to focus our investment on so-called 'intangible assets'. While Rothwell's opportunities have been limited, and I agree he should be given more of a look, I don't think it's right to say he's been ignored. He's made appearances in 18 of our 26 games this year. The actual minutes are low, but that doesn't suggest to me that Mowbray doesn't like him or sees no role for him at all. As some of his past comments have suggested, Mowbray thinks he needs to work on his defensive duties first before trusting him over 90 minutes. That's debatable, but it suggests he's a player Mowbray wants to develop over time rather than a player's given up on.
    1 point
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