8 hours ago, rigger said:

That doesn't make it right. There is no substitute for ability, all other aspects can be worked on.

We all know of players that could have been something if their dedication matched their talent. If dedication and hard work aren’t part of a player’s repertoire from early in their career then they often don’t justify the early hype. I think self-discipline and hard work are as important as raw talent - for every Christiano Ronaldo who trains hard and reaches the peak of his career there’s a ravel Morrison and a jack rodwell who can’t be arsed and ends up pissing it away. 

10 hours ago, Wing Wizard Windy Miller said:

I imagine its long been the case that gifted players are lazier in training.  Those less gifted naturally have to work harder to impress.

I can't imagine Tugay was ever a great trainer..

or Gazza, Maradonna, Ibrahimovic etc.

Still be the first name on the team sheet though.

Either build a team aroun a talent or move the talent on if you want a team of grafters.  

I get your point about naturally talented players not trying as hard but Wharton is 19 and hasn’t got double figures in appearances. Bit much to compare him with generational talents and suggest he should be the first name on the team sheet. He has to earn the right to be seen as a le Tissier or a Tugay that doesn’t have to do anything in training. So far it seems like he hasn’t, and seeing how JDT has gotten the most out of our other talented youngsters do you not think it’s sensible to trust his judgement on Wharton?

7 hours ago, rigger said:

Is the snare for the rabbits ?

Great match so far, Dolan looking bright. 

1 minute ago, RevidgeBlue said:

Really, based on what?

He doesn't have a single redeeming quality in my eyes. To say he's decent at this level is probably as much of an exaggeration as saying he's the worst player ever to play for the Club.

It’s really not. I’m not his biggest fan but I take exception to unwarranted vitriol and boring, repetitive posts about how awful he is. No world beater but far from the worst striker we’ve had in the last ten years, never mind the whole Venkys era. I agree that he’s by no means a top 6 striker and we paid over the odds for him but we could be worse off. Imagine we had Hirst, Vale and no Gallagher.  

2 minutes ago, roverandout said:

Some of them hardly played.  Please do better

So now the goalposts have shifted again?How many games are we talking then? Is a season enough? Actually scrap that, not worth engaging with this nonsense 😆 

43 minutes ago, roverandout said:

Please name a team of worse rovers strikers in venkys era. In fact I would go as far to say he's the WORST number 9 we've ever had. It's a disgrace he has that shirt

Being forthright and indulging in hyperbole doesn’t make your opinion more valid. 
 

Marcus Antonsson

Leon Best

Nuno Gomes

Joe Nuttall

Daniel Butterworth

David Goodwillie

George Hirst

Edinho Junior

Jordan Slew

DJ Campbell

Anthony Stokes

There’s 11 ⬆️ it wasn’t difficult, and in fact  of them has only recently left. Gallagher isn’t a great player but he’s a decent championship striker. The problem is he’s not suitable for a side aiming to be in the top 6. That’s not his fault and it doesn’t make him the “WORST” striker we’ve ever had. 

On 09/02/2023 at 18:34, Ianrally said:

This sounds very familiar, Valencia maybe but it’s very close to home for many of us. It’s like looking in a mirror. 
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/64545162

100%. Only the names have changed. 

4 hours ago, Jimmy612 said:

I suspect Ali may have mental health issues.   In a recent tweet he said taking the Rovers job is the best thing he never did, and that he's happy where he is playing in front of 60,000 fans every week.  The most recent job I can find is him appointed to be Manager of Grays Athletic Women's team, who play in the Eastern Region Women's Football League - Division One South - this was May 2022.  When I visit the website and do a bit of Twitter research, their head coach is Matt West, appointed August 2022.  So Ali's stay lasted 3 months at the most. 

Judanali.com is a poorly built website that is effectively a load of pictures of him with ex footballers, probably who he follows round, gets a selfie with and pretends they're his friends in the game.  I think he probably also pressures them to mention him on social media platforms - he has a few tweets from people like Neville Southall and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink saying "good luck Judan Ali, hope this is the beginning of a great coaching career".  I doubt they are anything genuine, just something to get him to leave them alone - there may also be an element of them feeling sorry for him.

It looks like he also edits his own Wikipedia page, mostly with bullshit, and never states when he has left a role. The BRFC bit is hilarious.... "In season 2012 - 2013 English champions Blackburn Rovers FC who won the Premier League in 1995 invited Judan Ali to assist in stabilising the club as it was going through turbulent times, Ali did this by making key coaching appointments and continued to oversee matters until Blackburn Rovers F.C. were stable"  Even if this were true, he therefore played his part in one of the most tumultuous periods in the clubs history - Kean, Eric Black, Berg, Bowyer, Appleton, Bowyer.

The Independent wrote about Ali's involvement at Rovers following Berg's sacking - https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/news/from-bollywood-to-ewood-judan-ali-in-challenging-new-role-8432330.html - that journalist appeared to be able to piece together about as much as we can.

He also genuinely believes he deserved the Rovers job when he has next to no real coaching experience and no achievements to point to.  He's a nobody and a narcissist who's become obsessed with the idea that he is football's greatest gift.  It's just our luck that our stupid owners ever gave him ANY platform or association with the club.  Safri would probably have been advised to not comment either - it's given Ali exactly what he wants... more attention.  But I can understand he would be hurt by this clown tarnishing the reputation of the club.

 

He 100% wrote his own Wikipedia entry. Who else would have the patience to document his moves between the Latvian FA and Taiwan 😂 I see a Rovers fan has now added their own edit to his page 🙈

Pele was sadly before my time and not much footage exists of him in his pomp but his achievements and legacy are without question. One of the greatest to be sure. There’s a saying in Northern Ireland - Maradona good, Pele great, George Best! I’d have Messi as the best I’ve seen, and would argue for him to be one of the five best ever (in no particular order):

Maradona

Pele

Best

Messi

Cruyff

1 minute ago, DE. said:

Problem is you can't rely on one player for the entire season, as we found out last season when BBD got injured and we bombed out of the playoffs in spectacular fashion. Our other forwards need to step up, but by and large they aren't very good. Gallagher's four goals and one assist are being touted as a revelation season for him, which kind of says it all. 

Yep, to have a recognised striker capable of a double figure goal tally would make a big difference. 

Good there from hedges and Brereton but final ball lacking. Hedges has improved a lot this season. Need BBD to get his shooting boots back on. Remember when he was overflowing with confidence? Made such a difference. 

12 minutes ago, RoverCanada said:

😞

(proud of those boys regardless)

Canada were very impressive. Daylight robbery, I was rooting for you tonight!

6 hours ago, bluebruce said:

Only just seen that the Germans put their hands over their mouths before the game in protest at being forbidden from wearing rainbow armbands. FIFA had threatened them with sanctions if they wore it!

Personally I think that's fucking outrageous. Isn't football as a whole supposed to be making strides in support in this area? And now the world's governing body threaten sanctions for a simple gesture of support.

The way FIFA have not only crookedly given Qatar a WC but subsequently kowtowed to every archaic wish of the Qataris is an absolute blight on the sport. I get that this is a sovereign country with its own laws and customs, but they're incredibly lucky to be hosting a World Cup in the first place. It should very much have been about adapting their laws and customs temporarily, in limited spaces, for the global guests they're welcoming. It should never have been about the World Cup making a long list of concessions for it to be held in a country no fucker wanted it held in anyway. On top of which, it's just a bloody symbol, and it's hardly a swastika. It's not like the Germans or other nations wearing rainbow armbands was going to set off an avalanche of bumming in Qatar.

If Qatar weren't willing to make legally-binding commitments for the competition to be held in the manner it is accustomed to, with guests enjoying freedoms they're accustomed to, then they should have been told in absolutely no uncertain terms that the World Cup would be held elsewhere.

Of course, that was never going to happen because too much money was on the table for corrupt scrotes at FIFA HQ.

Fantastic that you agree with equal rights for gay people. I have a gay brother and I’m sure he’d be delighted to hear that there is so much support for “bumming” 🙄 Your penultimate paragraph is spot on though and there is no way that the WC should have gone to a country with such extreme views on cultural and moral customs that most of the west share. However, the WC is in a country that do not share our values. Morality is subjective and we have no right to tell anyone in another country how to live their lives or try to force our values on them, no matter how repulsive their values seem to us (the point being that they consider our stance on sexuality, freedom of religion, and personal liberty to be repulsive and we would be up in arms if Saudi or Qatari players tried to highlight the supposed moral degeneracy in a typical western democracy). That’s part of living in a country with liberal, progressive values. If we feel so strongly about it then don’t send a team, don’t watch the matches and don’t broadcast the footage. But equally, don’t go to those countries and expect them to bow down to our self-declared moral supremacy. 

5 hours ago, DE. said:

The worst thing is seeing the useful idiots parrot the "you have to respect their culture" mantra. No, I don't and won't respect a culture warped by misogyny and homophobia, thanks. Don't get me wrong, all countries have problems to varying degrees, but at least most are giving the impression of trying to improve rather than reveling in ignorance and bigotry. 

Ignorance is a nebulous word that can mean many things to many people. Some might say that a person who categorises an entire country and cultural group as “warped by misogyny and homophobia”, or categorises those who disagree with them as “useful idiots” is ignorant. Keep politics out of football I say, and the best way to change the world is to lead by example. Not to denigrate, cast aspersions, and demonise those who are different to us. I won’t visit countries like Qatar, Russia, or North Korea, simply because I know that my brother would be in fear of his life if he tried to live his normal day to day existence there and would not be welcome. It doesn’t mean that I think any less of the people or the culture that produced them. It’s not very long since a hero of this country was punished with chemical castration for the “crime” of being gay. That doesn’t invalidate our culture. In the 1950s the UK was full of wonderful people, many of our parents generation who might have produced many fantastic contributions to world culture. Would it have done any good to demonise those people? In time I would imagine that morality will change in the Middle East, and in 100 years perhaps the UK will be considered a backward part of the world, or our great grandchildren will look back on us with disgust. We’re all products of the society we live in but not always responsible for the policies or crimes of the ruling classes. 

I seem to be in a minority of one but Garrett didn’t stand out as our worst player for me. I’m disappointed in how little involvement hedges and brittain have had, I think hedges touched the ball once in that first half. BBD showing some flashes, Gallagher apart from the early chance has been mostly anonymous. 

We definitely came into the game more towards the end, I think because Burnley committed to a more direct passage of play which gave us good chances on the counter. 

Overall not too disappointed, we’re playing a better team at their place. Could easily improve things by slowing the game down and getting it wide to stretch Burnley. Our passing has been very poor, I think because we’re trying to pass through the middle and it’s just not working against the Burnley press. Would Hedges and Brittain perform better on their natural sides? Could Dack bring some unpredictability and magic to the midfield battle in place of Travis or Garrett? A yellow at this stage is a ticking time bomb for Travis, agree with those disappointed in him for picking one up. 

Hyam has been very good when called upon - physical and aggressive, and positionslly aware. Kaminski is basically the reason we are not at least one down, two incredible reaction saves. 

Burnley definitely have the advantage but I don’t think we’ve been awful. Our play has been lacking in a creative sense but we’ve been solid. I think we’ll see a bit more from Rovers in the second half and I’d settle for a draw right now. 


 

Bit harsh on Toney imo but somebody always misses out. If he was at Arsenal he’d have made the squad for sure. 

3 minutes ago, Ossydave said:

Almost spot on 🤨

Surprised how little Hull threatened us really, but that's perhaps at least partly down to the relentless press from every man in blue and white.

The players are really buying into the JDT philosophy and it's starting to show. Mr Dack hats off, worked his damn socks off and will 100% have thrown his hat in the ring to be involved more now. Szmodics again a warrior, Vale too doing bits. Travis did well for the most part although went wandering out of position a few times. Ayala looked like he'd never been away from the team the beast. Scotty as reliable as ever when called upon, Hyam too.

If you had to pick fault today it would be Gallys finishing, Diaz looking a bit tired and some silly showboating by the young lads in midfield, that's being picky though, I'm happy as F.

Didn’t catch the game today but I’m chuffed that Dack played well/worked hard. Would be amazing to get him back in the first team or as a serious option from the bench. 

4 minutes ago, bluebruce said:

Dack starting to develop a bald patch.

Must be the stress he’s under this season. 

2 hours ago, ben_the_beast said:

There's a Bradley Dack - stick or twist thread. How about you try and keep the Dack chat in there Chaddy. I've been as guilty as anyone at responding to you, but you're swamping up half this message board with Dack chat on about 3 or 4 different threads.

Where your opinion goes against the grain people keep biting. So yes it takes two to tango, but if you specifically made an effort to contain it to that thread it would do the messageboard a lot of good.

Dack’s absence from the first XI is one of the biggest debating points around our club at the minute and, as always, the biggest debates leak in to different threads. Chaddy is entitled to respond and represent his views on this.

Why don’t you leave instructions on board etiquette to the moderators and do the message board a lot of good yourself. 

It’s a good question, and a good article that raises a lot of discussion points. I had doubts about JDT regarding his relative lack of experience at this level, and whether changing manager would make a difference with our dysfunctional owners at the helm. The table doesn’t lie though and even though we’re inconsistent we’ve had some great results (Watford especially when we made them look very bad indeed). New signings have worked out beautifully, the youth team graduates have been impressive, and some players have really kicked on - Hedges especially has been like a new signing, but Pickering also, and Dolan has been a bit more productive as well. Some players have gone backwards - Travis and Buckley no longer seem to be the bright future of our club and most would prefer Morton and Wharton over them now but they are young and still developing. It’s a concern that JDT doesn’t seem to value Dack but we don’t know what is going on behind the scenes - JDT spends all week with him and has a far better understanding of what he’s capable of and how well he fits the system. After two years out did anyone really expect Dack to come back to his best? The inconsistency may settle down as JDT gets to know this league, the opposition, and our strengths and weaknesses, and young players mature and develop their game.

I genuinely didn’t expect much from this season. We’re implementing a new management system, the squad was heavily depleted with 3 first teamers leaving for free, and every year we’re out of the top table we lose ground on our competitors. So far we’ve exceeded my expectations although the inconsistency makes it seem like we’re doing worse (if that makes sense?).

I think that our squad and resources dictate that we’re an average championship level club at this stage, so for me we are a decent side and doing better than could be expected. I don’t think we’re good enough for the prem, and if we were up there now we would be humiliated. Every season we tell ourselves “this league is bang average”, yet every season 3 teams are better than us and get promoted. That’s the nature of the championship, and we are stuck in the middle of an average league with nothing to say that we have the right to outperform other teams or consider ourselves above the competition.

We are a club with potential - great facilities, genuinely great youth prospects, and a proud history and passionate fan base. We’ve got imo the best player in the league in BBD and early signs are that something could be building with our young players and a coach who has shown potential and will learn in the job as we progress. I don’t think we’ll be sat in 2nd come the end of the season though so if that is the metric used to judge whether we’re good or not the answer from me is no. If we judge our team on potential, professionalism, passion, then yes I think we’re in a good place. And that’s not bad considering that we’d have failed on those measures for a long time from Venkys taking over until TM came in. 

2 hours ago, Hasta said:

Then you didn’t understand it.

I said “So what you are saying is in all the games we have lost, there is no way the result could have been different if we had elected to using Dack from the bench earlierr. Because we know for 100% certainty that by not putting him on earlier resulted in defeat.“

Think about this slowly before you reply,  but the reason we are 100% certain that not putting Dack on earlier in those  games resulted in defeat can be proven, is because we actually did lose them!!!!!

How is that utter bollocks. It’s pure fact.

 

It’s not a fact and, as others have pointed out, it’s a statement devoid of sense and has nothing relevant to say. Might as well say 

“So what you are saying is in all the games we have lost, there is no way the result could have been different if we had elected to JDT playing up front from the bench. Because we know for 100% certainty that by not putting him on earlier resulted in defeat.“

So the above statement is true, but it is also worthless and without meaning. Many things didn’t happen but they can’t all be responsible for us losing the match. 

Defeat was not the result of the decision not to bring on Dack, although if he’d scored the winner then he could have been one of the reasons for victory. If you think about this slowly you should perceive the logic. 

Bit of a long shot but can anybody recommend a pub in Liverpool that might be showing the match?

Don’t know how justified this one is but what about David Bentley? Never see him mentioned among the great players that have been with us but Bentley was a class act for us for a while. I remember the hat trick against Utd, a few England caps, a protracted transfer saga, and a big money move to spurs that didn’t really work out for him. Then he came back on loan I think and was fairly shite. Think he retired early on as he lost the love for the game. Probably one of our record transfers I’d imagine. 

On 29/08/2022 at 21:02, Armchair supporter supremo said:

Enjoying this one, bit hard to follow at times i thought, but a really top class whodunnit! In a more unique setting than you normally see on these shows. 

 

Also got through the briliant "we own this city" last week, another top class brilliantly written and acted show. Jon Bernthal did an amazing job playing one of the most horrible characters around yet still kind of leaving you feeling sorry for him a bit! 

We own this city was top notch 👍👍