It such a strange feeling.... feels like we are definitely going down. But somehow bookies have us at 10/1 - I guess just due to all the permutations. So we will probably survive unless the bookies have all lost their minds.

But - our form second half of the season is absolutely unbelievable. I don't think I have ever seen anything so bad over as   sustained a period as half a season in all my time following Rovers.

A month or two bad form you can put down to the ups and downs of the league, but something as sustained as this does suggest we are going straight down next season. 

I think ultimately if you look at the common denominator it's not really the players or the manager (although they could both be better) - it's the instability at the top of the club which is killing us. As important as finding good players in the summer is going to be finding some firm footing for the clubs future we can build on. I think if we can get a secure financial basis for the club that will be a huge psychological uplift and enable some sensible planning whatever budget we have. But another summer of uncertainty and I really think we are fooked.

21 minutes ago, arbitro said:

I've just seen the goals on tv and I'm staggered that Pears tries to blame Hyam for his aberration for the third goal. He is compounding his embarrassment. And for their second Brittain looks like he is towing a caravan trying to keep up with the Wednesday full back who scored. Under normal circumstances there would be wholesale changes for the Coventry game but I'm beginning to fear that Eustace isn't comfortable making big decisions that might upset players. His all too cosying up to the players just doesn't sit right with me. 

Agree with this, I cant think of a single big call hes made with the players. Always picks the most obvious XI. Hasnt punished players for poor performances. Hasnt rested anyone. I dont think hes dropped anyone except when injured/ suspended? Which given the results being relegation form is a bit surprising.

Well I always like to give the manager time and a decent run of games before coming to a view. But I think its fair to say hes not got it.

We're not a brilliant team but we have the leagues top scorer and essentially the same set of players who finished seventh last year. If the first XI was disassembled I am pretty sure every player except Pears will get a contract at a mid table Championship club.

With the team he should have had two or three more wins by now on the board minimum. I really thought after Leeds he had shown something but a performance like that today is not acceptable.

Surely need to change to four at the back now?

2 minutes ago, wilsdenrover said:

I worked this out yesterday and removing his goals put us on (I think) 35 points.

Of course this doesn’t take into account the influence of the rest of his game.

Its not an exact science though is it... If you went back and told everyone on this board that Szmodics would not only replace Diazs goals but more than double them then the pitch forks would be out.

Its very hard to predict what happens.

Double post...

I do wonder if the games being more on TV will actually increase attendances. Certainly the trend across English football has been increases in attendances even though more and more games are available on TV up and down the leagues

Rovers are going the opposite way but I think that might be more about terrible ownership.

Youd think more TV = lower gates but just not been the case. Championship used to have very few games on TV but it's going up and up.

Anyone with half a brain has been able to watch every EFL game using a VPN since Covid, but again attendances still going up....

https://www.european-football-statistics.co.uk/attn/nav/attnengleague.htm

One of those things that might be counter intuitive? In 2016 100 championship games were on Sky. This year 193....

On 14/04/2024 at 12:39, chaddyrovers said:

do we need alot of signings this summer? 

Current squad for next season

keepers - Pears, Wahlstedt, Michalski 

Defenders - Brittain, Carter, Hyam, Wharton, O'Riordan, Pickering, 

CM's - Tronstad, Garrett, Buckley, JRC, Travis

wide players - Dolan, Markanday, Sigurdsson, Hedges, 

no 10 - Szmodics, Gilsenan

Strikers - Gallagher, Vale, Telalovic, Leonard

I have included Dolan and Gallagher cos I expect them to sign next contract. 

I think we deffo need a pacey wide player, Striker, right back, maybe another Keeper if we loan out Wahlstedt for a season, I would use Gent at left back back up given the reviews he had there, could do with another centre back or maybe re sign McFadzean for another season. Then a replacement for Szmodics if he does leave. 

Nicholas Michalski? 

If the squad stays the same (and I assume someone will buy Szmodics and Carter while Gallager will also leave but let's wait and see) then I would say the priority list is :

1. A genuine goal scoring target man striker
2. A pacy winger with good delivery
3. A reliable goal keeper
4. A creative centre mid
5. A left back (maybe Gent coming back covers this?)
6. An experienced centreback

Everyone loves listing that we need 10 signings or whatever which is not realistic. If we could get those 6 before outgoings and they were quality that would make the difference.

Tactically its an awkward one as the team against Leeds performed so well but it was a totally different sort of game as we knew Leeds would attack all game.

Wednesday will probably be a lot more defensive.... That said they need the win more than we do so theyll have to commit players forward eventually - though if the clubs around them lose on Saturday they may aim for a point.

It really is all about not conceding the first goal. Thats the most important thing by far. So probably setup same way as Leeds, sit deep, but be ready to break quickly. Think it could be quite a dull game.

18 minutes ago, frosty said:

Mental that though, innit? Bristol City aside I've appreciated what Eustace has done in the last few games or so. But JDT.....JDT was the one IMO, the chance to do something different after years of nothingness, the one who actually had genuine ambitions for Blackburn Rovers and who could quite easily have taken us there. And the club cocked it up.

I liked JDT a lot as the way we played on our day was brilliant... but I am not sure he really was the real deal even if we had backed him. We did well generally against other mid table sides, but we really struggled against motivated teams at the bottom and the top of the table. We only managed to get back into a game after conceding first once or twice over 20+ games. Those are two stats that persisted so long over his 18 month tenure it really make me question whether he has it in him to properly motivate and organise a team. The way we played sometimes verged on the unhinged with three players overloading the far right channel of the pitch but only one player on his own in central midfield. We'd dominate games without converting chances but end up losing over and over again to very soft goals.

If he goes on to make a big impact as a manager in England or the big European leagues fair play. But I wouldn't bet my house on it. If I was a hiring CEO looking through his CV there would be as much to worry me as interest me in his time at Rovers.

4 hours ago, doctorryan said:

The sad thing is if JDT had been willing to apply this type of setup & game plan on occasion (depending on various circumstances) instead of always going "Banzai!" we might be worried about top 6 & not this crap we're dealing with.

Totally agree on this. Leeds smashed us at home earlier this season as we gave them so much room. Total opposite today 

Think off the back of this Eustace has already beaten JDTs record against top six sides? I dont think JDT won a game against the top six? Could be wrong though.

Thought we were tactically and performance wise very very good today, and showed some decent offensive quality in the second half.  I feared the worst when we went 343 to start, but it worked superbly.

6 minutes ago, Upside Down said:

What the fuck are these tactics supposed to be?

Fair enough putting men behind the ball but there is absolutely nobody up front to release possession to. So basic and we can't do it.

Time wasting from the kick off, absolutely ridiculous. Leeds are a pretty average side here and if we'd have done some absolute basic tactics and set up properly we could well have scored here.

Honestly the shittest Rovers team I have ever seen.

I think to be honest the tactics have been pretty good and worked well. The issue has been on the half dozen good break opportunities we have had we've missed simple passes in the final third.

Well we have gone 352 which I don't think is a good idea, and Hyam has kept his place. But at least McFadz is not starting. Hyam central rather than him RCB should be better.

How on earth we get hold of the ball centre of the park I have no idea. One or both of Dolan or Szmodics is going to have to really help Tronstad and JRC out.

Regarding the Wednesday game just been listening to Arte et Labore podcast and they mentioned that Wednesday despite their position have had top 10 form over the last 25 (!!!) games while we have relegation form in that period. Its got me absolutely cacking it.

2 minutes ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

More injuries ? Suspensions ?

Always a risk but I dont think ive ever heard of anyone rest players for 8 days away.

7 hours ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

It’s a hard one to call. Do you go out with our best eleven ( whoever/whatever that is ) or do you save them for the Sheff Wed game ?  Whoever plays we can’t have a repeat of last nights score line.

I think Arbitro speculated on a 5 at the back line up and I think he may be right. I haven’t got into the frame of mind to watch last nights “ highlights “ no show yet but If what I read is correct Hyam better not be one of them. 

Wednesday is 8 days after so I cant see why we would rest anyone.

8 hours ago, arbitro said:

My fear after last night is that Eustace will go with a back five after last night. Doing that would play into their hands and allow them to overrun us. I would be quite happy to see Hyam and Brittain left out and replaced with Carter and JRC. Bring Garrett into midfield and at least we look more competitive rather than rolling over like last night. 

Agreed with this... While I'm not against three at the back generally I think it has not worked for us at all, mainly as we cant support the front three adequately so we just let the other side come at us over and over and the defence cant cope. We've limited other sides quite well with the back four Bristol City apart so lets just have confidence in that.

Id go

                         Pears

 Brittain.   Carter.   Wharton.   Chrisene

                  JRC.     Tronstad 

      Markanday        Szmodics.    Dolan

                         Gallagher

If we come away with anything it will be incredible.

This is the worst preparation for Leeds, all our defensive confidence up in smoke.

5 minutes ago, RutlandRover said:

Great that's the Sunderland goal difference down the toilet. Fucking hell. This one's on Eustace as much as Hyam - why on earth didn't he haul him off at half time?!

I tend to agree... First half we did okay I thought except two horrendous individual errors which is hard to blame the manager for.

But the half time changes were extremely stupid - both in terms of bringing our best defender off and leaving the one having a horror show on, and the change of shape to a back three which totally evaporated our ability to create chances.

Wow....

Ooof that js really really really bad from Hyam. Worst performance since Duffy I think.

So bizarre he stayed on.

Wharton coming off was weird. But same was Markanday coming off as he seemed like he was doing okay. Moran offering very little.

Well defensively we look more secure but look even worse going forward.

Going three at the back in these circumstances doesn't seem the right call.

We should go back to Four at the back...

4 minutes ago, G Somerset Rover said:

How in Gods name has Hyam stayed on over Wharton?

Thought Wharton was the one defender playing well.... Very bizarre