4 hours ago, speeeeeeedie said:

A great 3 points. Were Norwich bad? Rovers good? Probably a bit of both. Either way, quality was lacking across the board. Rovers worked hard without creating many chances. Norwich never looked like scoring. 

It's halfway through the season and Rovers lie 3rd in the table. I don't think anyone on here predicted that would be the case. Rovers are an odd team. They've not drawn a game and have looked worse than abject in some of their losses. Score first and they win, concede first and they lose. 

JDT needs to sort out what he wants and go with it. So far, for me, he is an improvement on Mowbray.

I thought both teams played well in patches - but over the 90 minutes just another average Championship game. Without doubt we were lucky - the first goal is so important at this level.

13 hours ago, tomphil said:

Attacking players can move all they want but when the ball is constantly finding opposition players instead of them it makes little difference.

Though don't agree 100% with JDT assessment  - if players don't move to receive passes it leads to players either making too ambitious passes (and giving the ball away) or getting caught in possession. Pass and move is the corner stone of most good teams - and if done properly can overcome limited players. However, when not working, possibly due to good press by the opposition - surely you try going longer to negate the benefit of the high press ? Playing through the lines of the high press has occasionally led to some great team goals, but more often has led to opposition goals.

12 hours ago, Upside Down said:

The fact we didn't play either of the Wharton's has really pissed me off. Players like that can be the difference in games like that. Instead it was treated like it was any other game, no different to playing away at Rotherham or Hull. As soon as the first goal went in it was just another example of every one shrugging their shoulders and going "oh well, no bother, I'll still be getting paid this week"

Our club has absolutely no passion, pride or determination from top to bottom and it hasn't done for twelve years. 

It pissed me off as well - but it has struck me since that maybe JDT was trying to protect them. Personally I think the experience would have been good for them - but they would have been heavily targeted.

5 hours ago, Waggy76 said:

If Jack Walker was in charge , I suspect  JDT would be skating on very thin ice indeed ..

 

If Jack was still around, he would have been in the dressing room pre Burnley match and NOBODY would be in any doubt as to how important the match was.

It is amazing how the pendulum swings with opinion over JDT - every victory and he is a managerial mastermind - every defeat and he is deemed worse than Mowbray.

Today was very painful viewing, and unlike the players, for fans will continue to be until we can get one over the Dingles. Roll back to mid-week - and the polar opposite.

I am still trying to be balanced over JDT - we have played some excellent football under him, similarly we have played some absolutely awful football.

At the moment I can't make my mind up which way it will go under JDT - we have accumulated far more points than we imagined at this stage of the season - and for that he deserves far more credit than I think he gets. He tinkers far more than Mowbray ever did - at times it is inspired, at times it is awful. I am confused - even today, a stronger referee gives a penalty, we go 1-0 up and the match changes drastically. Biggest problem - as soon as they scored I knew we were beaten - if as a fan I think that, lord knows what goes through the players minds.

2 hours ago, lraC said:

 

One final thing, if Barnes had done that to my team mate after his goal, he would have been out of the return fixture, as I would have twated him into the middle of next year. 

From the moment he hit Kaminski after the ball had gone in the first half, Barnes knew he could get away with almost anything. For a Premiership referee, he was shocking. Rovers were poor, but it is very difficult to defend against a team who feel they can get away with almost anything. Especially Barnes who tried to intimidate with almost the referees apparent blessing.

33 minutes ago, Zak said:

You seem much more up for it than Clarets fans. We now have a thread on here 7 pages long  with a fair amount of  aggression being displayed. Compare this to the main Clarets site, a couple of threads mainly about team selection and memories of past games. Of course there will be incidents but the main offenders are likely to be the feared "blue and white bog squad"

After watching your fans throw slates from the top of the Darwen End onto your own fans - I think you are on dodgy ground.

There are idiots on both sides - lets not lose sight of the fact that this game is to be top of the Championship going into the World Cup break. Burnley, with their parachute payments and remnants of a premiership team probably expected to be there - for Rovers it far exceeds our expectations - though JDT does seem to have a lucky touch as a manager. For us the game probably swings on Diaz - he hasn't been at his best this season - but still looks the best striker in the division capable of moments of sheer magic

Gotta say - that looked like a foul in the lead up to their first goal - but hey ho, we are through 

5 minutes ago, BigBar said:

Didn't see the chances but sounds like he has been poor too but tbf he is new to the club and hasn't been touted as the second coming. 

Negative? I'm very positive but I find Buckley very frustrating and have been proven right time after time. Don't pull the negative card because you don't like what you are hearing and not just based on tonight.

Where are you watching this - I can't find a stream

5 minutes ago, Stonesrick said:

For next Sunday, it’s as obvious as the light of day - get the ball into their box with crosses at every opportunity. They look like rabbits in the headlights when the ball is in the air.

Only watched the first half - but even then you could see that Sheffield could bully them. Their two wingers look good - so will need to keep them in check

47 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

£18.75 isn't a particularly great deal either.

Think yourself lucky we weren't formed later - or it would have been more expensive 🤣

I am possibly alone, but I think I can see what JDT is trying to achieve. When it comes off, we score brilliant goals, when it doesn't (as last night) we continually give the ball away. Is it a tactical problem, or inconsistency in performance which you generally get with such a young team.

I am as frustrated as anyone about his unwillingness to change tactics during matches, my only hope is that he sees this as a long term approach worth sticking to for long term benefit. Guardiola struggled initially at City - but stuck to his principles. Is it arrogance, or just self belief ?

15 hours ago, chaddyrovers said:

Rovers have offered BBD a new contract with bumper pay rise and we won't sell in January. He will make his decision on the contract offer at end of the season 

https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/20265875/ben-brereton-diaz-blackburn-keep-no-transfer/

Interesting gambit by our owners - could be a double bluff to get the best price for him in January - but they did show with Rothwell that they are prepared to gamble on promotion.

Even if we got top price for him in January, with our wage restrictions, replacing him will be tough - unless JDT has someone in mind.

6 hours ago, riverholmes said:

Buckley not involved again today. Unless he’s injured or it is part of some plan to revive his career, this strikes me as scapegoating of the player. He absolutely deserved to be considered for being dropped and by no means is entitled to games but he is one of our most naturally gifted players and by no means the only one who has been poor at times this season.

Moreover, he strikes me as a confidence player and, without knowing what is going on behind closed doors, I see this treatment as potentially blocking his return to form.

If he’s injured, then, fair enough. But I don’t think this club can afford to not support someone with the potential of Buckley. He needs minutes to re-find his form and grow as a player.

Dack could argue the same - as could Markanday, Edun etc. The shirt is earned on merit, playing for the team and the approach JDT wants to see.

2 minutes ago, Gordon Gekko said:

Markanday makes the bench 

Who 😅

Travis right back ?(

It is interesting that we are third in the league, have just won three on the bounce, and yet pre match talk is as much about Dack as it is the fixture itself.

I think we all cling to the image of the pre-injury Dack. His fleeting performances in the first team haven't been great. All reminds me of Jansen post head injury - we all want them to get back to the pre injury heights. Possibly, as with Jansen, injury has taken too much of a toll to regularly contribute.

3 hours ago, jim mk2 said:

Dack has the ability to find space in the box, is a good finisher and brings other players into play with his ability to hold up the ball and play a good pass. He's also a "classy" player 

What he's not is a runner; he lacks pace and cannot play a high pressing game that Tomasson appears to require. He also needs to play regularly to be sharp and at the very top of his game. 

I feel letting him go would be a big mistake and he'll score lots of goals at another club where he gets a regular starting place. 

Tomasson clearly has problems with him but should be big enough to recognise his qualities

I can't disagree with the first paragraph - but what nobody knows is how much the injuries have taken their toll. His fitness levels may be good - but can he twist and turn like he used to, has he still got that little burst of pace that used to create space for him.

I wouldn't be surprised if his relatively large salary is playing a part - but if he is 100% fit (in all ways) - would it not be better to play him, potentially improve the team, and then get a bigger transfer fee if we sell him in January ? If that is the case - then why aren't they ?

Without wishing to open up the debate - Rhodes was a brilliant goal scorer, but I always felt his lack of pace and hold up play had a detrimental impact on our team play. JDT is all about the team - maybe he sees Dack as not being a good fit for the team pattern and overall team play. People seem to think he has singled out Dack - but John Buckley has largely disappeared from the first team picture.

It was interesting to hear commentators on Radio Lancs say recently, how they have seen few Championship sides that have put in a 90 minute performance - and that can definitely be leveled at Rovers.

What I find difficult to judge - especially in the last two matches - how much of our second half struggles are down to us just sitting back on our lead, hoping to hit on the break and conserve energy - or how much is down to the opposition stepping up and us struggling to cope. 

Over the last few games JDT seems to have decided on a preferred formation - 5-3-2 - which seems to suit players at his disposal.

We do lack depth up front - and I do fear if either BBD (ESPECIALLY BBD) or Gallagher were out for an extended period.

So much will decide on the World Cup break and January transfer window (especially if we get a half decent offer for BBD).

Are we any good - jury is out for me - has JDT brought the club closer together, and by promoting youth helped fans to reconnect with the team - do I see a team pattern and general approach - a definite yes. 

11 hours ago, tomphil said:

That should be a given anyway and there is nothing whatsoever to say Dack hasn't bought into that.

He's being frozen out on orders from higher up the food chain more than likely and the head coach has to do the dirty work. 

The way some of you lot turn on players without any shred of evidence it's justified is embarrassing.

I would counter what you have put - unless you have actual evidence that he is being frozen out based on orders from "higher up the food chain". Bottom line, nobody knows if Dack is performing well in training - and importantly whether he is training to the new team pattern. It is interesting that for a number of youngsters that have made debuts - he always quotes how they understand the team structure.

2 hours ago, Exiled_Rover said:

If he's desperate to play why would he waste 6 more months of his career sitting on his current contract?

He's already missed 2 years. 

Plus - do we not have a year option on his contract ?

I am sure Dack isn't happy at not playing, and I think many on this MB have speculated he doesn't fit JDTs style and we may look to off load - so not really news.

I just hope we don't sell on the cheap - be interesting to see what the asking price would be. Even given injuries would personally be looking for £2m to 3m or even more linked to appearances

1 hour ago, USABlue said:

Comma maybe but not full stop.  Just cos that is your opinion it does not make it so.  By letter of the law that oush on Wharton warranted a pen. so equal equal. 

Would have been an interesting couple for VAR - for the penalty not given, it took Sky quite a few goes before they decided it should have been given. Would VAR have been able to reach a decision quick enough to stop Diaz scoring ?

For the offside - which was tight - Wharton was only offside as he had been pushed - so what would they have given.

Either way makes no odds - we won 2-0  - and it is a refreshing change to get the rub of the green from officials 🙂

Not getting too excited at the moment - it was a good first half performance, second half was difficult to judge as we obviously sat back.

At the end of the day, the game swung on the penalty decision. If it had been given this MB may have been a different place.

11 hours ago, aletheia said:

We see different games do we not?

 

First fifteen and we could have been 2-0 down. Their electrifying pace and sharp passing destroyed us. Thereafter, they somewhat passed themselves to death and didn’t deal with our quick counter-attacks. First goal penalty against the run of play took the wind out of their sails (why do defenders do that?), second goal ruined them –game over. They look like an exciting young team well coached buy not great defensively. Should have used their big striker more with early diagonals.

Travis is too slow and poor on the ball to play JDT’s one touch stuff. Ayala (cracking defender) got away with murder holding their striker. Gally did nothing much –perhaps come into his own when pitches get heavier. On that note, I’m fascinated to see how it goes in winter when pitches get less forgiving – can we keep up the tippy-tappy style preferred?

A win is a win. Mogadon was perhaps an even-keel. A JDT team bipolar? Mid table again but with a flush of optimism around as opposed to the gurning one?

 

I agree with much of this - the first goal is so important in the Championship - had they scored one of their early chances this MB may have been a different place.

I disagree about Travis - who I think does a Savage like role for the team. I will admit he doesn't have Rothwell like pace - but he did break their lines well on a number of occasions. 

Ayala did get away with a number of shirt pulls - but he wasn't alone. Interesting to see Rotherham attacking players pulling our defenders shirts to get an advantage.