As both Dalglish and Sherwood pointed out at the Hall of Fame dinner last year, the amount of players we had missing through injury for big chunks of that season - Batty, Gallacher, Warhurst, Wilcox - more than evens out the loss of Cantona in the ‘luck’ stakes

10 minutes ago, Hoochie Bloochie Mama said:

That's just not true is it. A hoof forward to the chuckle brothers (to me- to you), who inevitably mess it up, is not being hit on the break.

A hoof forward to a lone attacker, over the majority of our team (who were in their half, which turned our fullback and caused a mistake in communication.  
Maybe not ‘hit on the break’ as such, certainly not good defending (not even close) but also not exactly evidence of a team camped in with 10 men behind the ball

1 hour ago, Stuart said:

Slightly conflating different things there.

Mowbray isn’t responsible for when goals are scored. Goals happen for a variety of reasons, often mistakes by the opposition.

What Mowbray does do is select eleven players and assigns them a position. You can get a feel for the game plan by looking at the personnel selected and those on the bench.

With very few exceptions (the ones that generate excitement from fans and often result in winning games) Mowbray sets up to keep things tight and to play football later on the game. This happens time and again. If it’s 0-0 then that later attacking approach sees us “going for a win” until the last few minutes when we tend to stick but too often we are chasing a point. Yesterday was notable that once we got the equaliser we didn’t go all out for a winner. Tapping the ball about until the clock eventually ran out with us having the ball in the middle of the park. 

You’re right - it’s just pure coincidence and dumb luck that we score more than most inside the first 15 minutes and absolutely nothing to do with us attacking teams from the start of games. 
 

And yesterday, after the equaliser, we had 3 decent chances to score and were camped in their half for the majority of injury time. 
You’re confusing going all out for a win with launching the ball into the box (which given the height of our team compared to theirs would probably not have yielded much success)

24 minutes ago, Hoochie Bloochie Mama said:

It was what made his 'we always start on the front foot' spiel of the last two seasons so laughable. Mowbray starts with the intention not to lose games, he doesn't start with the intention to win them. Hence the shitty 1st half performances. He's a reactive manager - safety first, men behind the ball, and only change if its going wrong. His plan B is to allow a couple more to get forward. 

This season we looked like we actually would get on the 'front foot' and attack teams from the off. Maybe the loss of Travis has been a bigger blow than anyone imagines so looking forward to pressing teams high up the pitch again when he's back. 

That’s just bollocks

Last season we scored 15 goals in the first 15 minutes of games (I don’t know how that stacks up against other teams in the end, but I remember against Brentford the commentator on Sky saying that it the most in the championship at that point) and this season, so far, we have 5 inside the first 15 minutes. 
So the idea that we only start playing after we go behind is just not backed up by the stats. 
 

And the idea that we play for a draw, camped with men behind the ball - do you even watch our games?
If anything our problem is that we commit too many players forward and get caught on the break - see the goals conceded yesterday, at Watford, at Bournemouth, against Reading... to name just a few

Nyambe, Johnson and Gallagher were all excellent today, and Rothwell was good first half.

But Elliott was really poor all game today - maybe he needs a rest on Wednesday and let Dolan, who looked good when he came on, have a game from the start.

6 hours ago, philipl said:

Never ever let a team play at Ewood in halves with white in it again!

Hated that visual clash with a passion and I wonder if some of our unusually wayward passing was because of the clash.

I believe our passing accuracy last night was something like 10% down on what it normally is.

Agree - although I do also wonder if that helped a little with the late handball shout. Certainly, on the first reply they showed I was fairly certain that it was their player that had handled the ball, and it was only on the 3rd viewing that I could tell it was Lenihan. I wonder if the ref, even if he saw the handball, decided not to give it as he couldn't be 100% certain which 'white sleeved player' had actually touched it?

Presumably a knock-on effect of this is that prices for young British players will go through the roof. 

So it could be a very good time to have a team full of promising young British players (plus others such as Nyambe who have been here long enough to qualify for citizenship). 
Maybe the £12m spent on Gallagher and Brereton was an inspired investment after all!!

Wharton has done ok, and certainly looks pretty solid defensively, but on the ball has looked incredibly shaky and, in my opinion, would rightly be behind Williams and Ayala for that reason. 

You could see yesterday, particularly in the first 30 minutes when Barnsley were really pressing us in our half, they stepped off and were happy for Scott to have the ball, knowing that he would either go back to Kaminsky or just punt it forward aimlessly (which he did a number of times and lost possession every time)
Compare that to Lenihan (who is not exactly a Tosin himself) who played a few decent balls in behind the Barnsley defence and almost got Armstrong away a couple of times. 

I think it depends on what comes most naturally to you. I too played at a fairly decent level and started as a winger, before moving up front where I played for the majority of my time, before then moving back in my final couple of years to DM and then eventually to CB. I definitely found playing up front easier as I had to concentrate on what I was doing less, although obviously I found the deeper positions less physically demanding (hence why I moved back there)

Anyway, on BB (as this is his thread) it is great to see him contributing to the team and I do think to an extent that the stats don't really tell the whole story. For instance, I was thinking during Saturday's game that if Armstrong was as unselfish as Ben, then he would probably have more than just the 2 goals - on Saturday alone there were two occasions where Armstrong took the harder option of trying to shoot past (or through) a defender where a relatively simple square pass may have put BB in with a chance on goal.
(BTW, I am not criticising AA for his 'selfishness' - good strikers need that, and when I played I was often the most selfish player on the pitch, but it is just worth noting that if BB were to develop that more 'ruthless' side to his game, it may well also result in less chances falling to AA and maybe even less goals for the team as a whole)

31 minutes ago, superniko said:

Did he also put the ball through for the yellow card that could/should have been red? I think it was, and it was also a lovely weighted pass. 
Both were from more central areas though, not convinced he’s an out and out wide man (first time I’ve watched him mind you). 

That one was Brereton - the player that I keep reading on here offers no goal threat whatsoever 

22 minutes ago, Tom Stinny said:

Give the manager until end of November. If he's dropping bollocks get rid as this is shit or bust season. About 8 or more can go for free in the summer which means there's little chance next year.

It’s not the manager out there missing penalties, or blazing over from 10 yards out, or fluffing 1on1’s, or scoring ridiculous own goals. 
You could argue that the chances we created showed he set the team up right - he doesn’t tell the players to miss them on purpose you know. 

20 minutes ago, RoversClitheroe said:

Why are people genuinely rating that performance? 

I personally thought it was absolutely horrific.

Devoid of ideas, whats all this passing round the back for 90 minutes? 

Holtby and Elliott only ones with any urgency.

Evans absolutely useless.

On another note, without Rothwell and some mobility this 3 at the back does not work.

Saturday’s performance was poor, devoid of ideas etc. Tonight we had enough good chances to have won 3 games - if you can’t see that, I don’t know what game you’re watching. 
But then, since we played 4-3-3, and definitely not 3 at the back, maybe you weren’t actually watching the game at all

Lots of criticism on here for Brereton, but he was comfortably the pick of the 3 forwards that started this afternoon. 
 

Not saying that he played particularly well, but the other 2 were worse and the fact that Ben is getting pelters and the other 2 aren’t being mentioned says more about the posters on here than it does about him.  

Not sure how much truth there is to this since Whiteman played for Donny last night in the EFL Trophy. 
Surely if he’d already met with Mowbray and ‘everything was signed’ then he wouldn’t still be turning out for them - especially in a fairly meaningless game. 

19 minutes ago, Mike E said:

Not doubting it, but what actually is a 'homophobic gesture'?

“a masturbatory gesture next to his backside” apparently 

https://amp.theguardian.com/football/2014/apr/09/colin-kazim-richards-guilty-homophobic-gesture-brighton-fans

19 minutes ago, AshleyClifford said:

To be fair what ever the price, the club can't really win. What I mean by that is; Handing over any amount without any idea of when you may be able to attend a game is a difficult decision to make.

I have made this point before and I'll make it again. The Worst decision the club ever made regarding season tickets was to reduce them to £199 pounds during the "Taking back Ewood" campaign. We were in the premier league at the time (prior to Venkys) with very poor attendances - Now the plan worked but it was always short sighted and what temporary boost in sales it gave has to have devalued the product.

"In a sense you are lowering the price, because you're giving people something for less than it's worth. You've devalued your offer by giving people an out, and this can have the effect of people not investing as much into your product as they otherwise would have."

Lancashire telegraph May 2003

A standard ticket on the Blackburn End will increase by £1 per game next term to £385 for adults.However, given the fact there will be an increase in the amount of category A games, that actually works out as a saving when compared to increases in matchday prices.
Chief executive John Williams insists the club are continuing to do everything in their power to make football at Ewood as affordable as possible.And he has described the overall season ticket package as 'very attractive' when compared with the rest of the top flight.

 

 

John Williams March 2004

 "We are planning for Premier League football. We had a meeting about season tickets and we do need to make sure we are in the right division.

"As far as I'm concerned we are planning a strategy which means we are in the Premier League next year. I'm very positive and concentrating on that strategy but we're not in a position to announce it yet."However, WiIliams admitted that Rovers' poor home form, which culminated in some supporters throwing season tickets onto the pitch in protest on Saturday, could play a part in their new price package.

"We will have to gauge our disappointment at home this season," he said. "But we hope we can retain and increase our season ticket base."

 

From the times 2010#

 

On Saturday, September 18 at 3pm, Hyde welcome Redditch United to their Ewen Fields ground. It is a big game: the clubs are joint-bottom of the Blue Square Bet North division with a solitary point from their first seven matches.

Thirty miles north, at the same time on the same day, Blackburn Rovers host Fulham in the Barclays Premier League. Last year they were the tenth and twelfth-best teams in the country. An adult seat at Hyde is £12. An adult seat at Ewood Park for the Fulham game is £10.

 

So in 2003 £385 in Blackburn end is described as attractive compared to other premier league teams. 2004 John williams is considering protest by fans as a consideration for ticket prices. 2010 Ewood cheaper than Hyde United.

 

2020 - Fans complaining that the price in the blackburn end has in real terms increased by less than £1 a year over the last 18 years.

 

Sad but true but our Indian owner seem far more committed than most of our fans.  I won't look into the price of the Jack walker stand but I know that this is cheaper than what it once was.

 

 

Must admit I was thinking something similar myself the other day.
I found myself annoyed by the price rise, but then remembered that myself & my dad moved from the DE to the JW Upper when they reduced the prices under John Williams because we decided that £400 for a ST in the JW Upper was decent value - we also got a free under 8’s ticket for my son who was 3 or 4 at the time and who only came to about 5 games or so. 
 

We’ve since moved to the JW Lower and to renew for the 3 of us it would be £760 (my dad is now a senior citizen and my son is 17), so although a price rise on last year, in reality £40 cheaper for us as a group than 14 years or so ago. 

1 hour ago, RoversClitheroe said:

Incorrect, JRC has an assist. 

Brereton has nothing.

So really JRC has contributed more than Brereton

Whilst technically an 'assist' for the stats, in reality it was a short square ball across the middle of the pitch 35 yards from goal from which Johnson took a long range pot shot, which squirmed under the keeper who really ought to have done much better.

Hardly a defence splitting wonder ball which laid the goal on a plate is it?

*Edit* - Just noticed that roversfan99 made the same point much more eloquently 

As others have said it's all about opinions, but for me Brereton has looked a much better player and has contributed to the team more so far in the opening two games than JRC, yet people are arguing that Brereton needs to be dropped whilst JRC needs to be given a run of games to show what he can do.

I'm guessing that's because JRC is seen as a young player, and Brereton as an established one but the reality is that the two are the same age (3 months between them). I know that Brereton cost a considerable amount of money, but the reality is that he is a young player and we need to view him as that - raw and with potential to get better. Yes, he'll have some bad games (hopefully amongst some good ones), and he is not the finished article, but I honestly believe that, as he develops, in a couple of years time we will have a very good player on our hands

Does anyone know if this will be available to watch anywhere?

Plus, my other question still stands.
 

There seems to be a clamour on here for them to be on sale, but who on here is actually wanting to buy one at the moment?
If, as I suspect, the number is minuscule, then having them on sale wouldn’t bring in much money anyway 

1 hour ago, JHRover said:

I don't know why you are amazed that clubs are selling them. To me it is logical. 

Clubs are hard up and need money. Not many better ways of doing that than getting fans to hand over hundreds of pounds at no immediate cost to the club. 

In these unusual times a lot of people are going to come through this with very different habits. They might lose their jobs and income over the coming months and not be able to afford a ticket, whereas if they had been on sale in June they might have paid up whilst sat at home with nothing to do.

As the economy and travel begin to open up bored people will be finding things to spend on that they haven't been able to do over the last few months. Book a holiday. Go out for meals. Sign up for another year of Mowbray's Rovers way down the list.

People will change habits. It is now 4 months since the last game at Ewood and will be 7 months minimum before people are allowed back in the ground. During that period people will find other things to do. They will be lost, not to return. 

If they had been enticed into signing up with a discount in April then they would have a reason to come back.

Honestly it is basic stuff. Then Waggott wonders why crowds continue to drop.

I’m amazed because they’re selling a product which may not exist. 
And whilst clubs are hard up and season ticket sales provide some immediate cash flow, if there’s a 50% chance you’ll have to refund some or all of that money I’m not sure how prudent it is to spending that. Otherwise you’re just creating problems for yourself down the line. 

16 minutes ago, Mattyblue said:

Derby have suspended sales today due to their ongoing legal issues. Sheff Wed have had them on sale previously, sold thousands in their early bird period. So those two clubs are obviously not who you would use as examples due to legal uncertainty.

But Ok then - a majority of clubs not under league investigation have them on sale. Take it you ignored the examples I gave, fair enough, but fine we are in esteemed company with PNE and Reading, but let’s not bemoan cash flow when the majority of the league has raked in millions of pounds.

Few more -

https://newstadium.brentfordfc.com/season-tickets

https://www.canaries.co.uk/season-tickets/

https://www.stokecityfc.com/tickets/season-cards

https://www.mfc.co.uk/tickets/season-cards/season-card-prices-and-benefits

https://www.htafc.com/news/2020/april/season-cards-renewal-deadline-extended/

 

Fair enough. Like I said I picked the first 4 teams I thought of (I’ve previously lived in both Derby & Sheffield so those are always likely to be among the first I think of)

I’m genuinely amazed that teams are selling them at the moment.
I’d be interested to know, honestly, who on here would buy a season ticket at the minute given the uncertainty about when/if crowds will be able to attend again?

Edit - I didn’t ignore your examples, I replied to your original message which didn’t include any 

4 minutes ago, Mattyblue said:

Pretty much every club in the league has them on sale - with most reporting thousands sold.

You may be right - however, out of interest I had a quick look at Derby, Sheff Weds, Preston & Reading (the first 4 teams that came to mind, who were clear that they would be in the Championship next season) and none of them have season tickets on sale. 
 

Derby & Wednesday had them on sale, but have stopped sales because of the current uncertainty and neither Reading or Preston had any info about season tickets on their website. 
 

I guess I must just have got unlucky given that ‘pretty much every team has them on sale already’?

4 hours ago, darrenrover said:

The fact that season tickets are not yet on sale (or any news of when they will be) is extremely concerning. Coupled with Mowbray not having sight of a budget, is something more sinister afoot?

I realise that Rovers is not always the best run club (understatement!), but I don’t think that we can read too much into season tickets not being on sale yet. What exactly would you be buying? And how much would people be willing to pay?

For instance, given that fans definitely won’t be able to attend at the start of the season are the club going to sell IFollow season tickets? And if so, are they able to sell them to cover home & away games or would away games have to be bought separately in the way that away match tickets would be? I’m guessing, from past experience of how they work, that the EFL haven’t even thought about that question yet. 
 

Then you have the question of cost. Obviously no one is going to pay £300+ for IFollow, but say they are priced at £150-200 would people buy them anyway given that we might be able to attend games again from October and so the IFollow subscription would no longer be needed. 
Perhaps they could introduce another option - say £150 for just Ifollow and £250 for Ifollow upgraded to physical tickets when/if we can attend again? But again, are people going to buy those given that we might be back in October, but it’s just as likely to be next Jan/Feb or even next September, so effectively you’re paying £100 for potentially nothing. 
 

I know it’s frustrating, but this is not a normal off-season and it really isn’t as simple as just saying ‘get the season tickets on sale’. 
(I haven’t really the time or inclination to check what other Championship clubs are doing, but I’d be amazed if any have season tickets on sale yet)

If (and I know it’s a big if, but...) if we win our next two, and other results go with form, then we could go into the final game of the season just 1 point off sixth - which I would probably have taken before the season started 

As I’ve said I think that the first half at Barnsley was good and had we taken one of our chances we would probably have gone on to win 3 or 4 nil - but ultimately goals change games, we didn’t take our chances, they did. That’s the way it goes, and it’s annoying, frustrating etc, but equally doesn’t completely negate the positive parts of the performance. 
 

The performance at Wigan wasn’t good - but also wasn’t abject. It looked like it had 0-0 written all over it from about 10 mins in - and would have been if it weren’t for Walton (whose individual performances since the restart could legitimately be labelled abject imo)

6 minutes ago, Mattyblue said:

‘Results colouring the view of the performances’, well until we get points for 70% possession garnered by passing the ball around our own half then that’s kind of what fans will do...

Indeed. And don’t get me wrong, I’m as p***ed off as anyone when we lose - ask my wife, she’ll tell you I was like a bear with a sore head on Tuesday and again last night. 
 

But, that doesn’t mean that the performances were abject, or spineless or whatever. Just because we lose doesn’t mean that automatically we’ve played crap - just as winning doesn’t mean that we were brilliant (a point that many on here are usually very quick to point out!)