1 hour ago, roverblue said:

The players have proved time and time again at Ewood this season that they are complete bottle jobs. We have barely taken a point off anyone at home and just turn up expecting to lose these days.

All we hear before these 'crucial' games is about how the fans need to get behind them and all stick together. Then when Saturday comes they play like non-league plodders kicking them in their own net or passing it out of play. 

Then after the game the manager and players say "we have an incredible opportunity next week to put it right". Well guess what dickheads you have run out of games.

That's what happened against Sheff Wed. All the hype before the game then they played with all the fervour of a dead fish. 

Coventry have had a taxing week. Coming within a big toe of beating Man U and getting to the cup final, then losing at home to a fellow play off hopeful.

What better way to bring back the hope than having spineless Rovers roll over and give them an easy 3 points. 

Last Sunday's game was the most significant of the season and the players didn't turn up. They get to put it right tomorrow. Eustace has had another full week with no travelling to work on how they'll play. However, none of that will matter if players continue making risible errors that cost goals. 

I want a win but can't see anything but a defeat knowing that when it matters Rovers usually shirk. 

A mate sent me this. I think it's been debunked but I tell all and sundry that Lewandowski would have been a Rovers player if not for that Icelandic volcano erupting that year.

3 hours ago, Lancaster Rover said:

Overall the majority of problems stem from a lack of quality throughout the side, this leads to poor decision making, crumbling under pressure, whatever you want to call it.

Using Wharton as an example, not because he's the worst but because he comes to mind first.

 Wharton is slow, he makes decisions slowly and is criminally one footed. This leads to us moving the ball out from the back ponderously, which leads to possession being heavily concentrated to one side of the pitch when he has the ball, leading to players having to play with their back to goal (predominantly right footed, receiving it on the left). Teams squeeze up, our players move over to condense the play and try to get numerical superiority, we make mistakes and the compounding impact multiplies over a phase of pay with players being out of position to cover mistakes. They switch the play and we're caught out time and time again. 

You could replicate this model across the pitch where individual deficiencies cause massive problems that lead to a disjointed unit that when playing anything other than trench football, with 11 men behind the ball struggles. 

The whole team is slow. I've been saying it all season. Not one player has any pace. Other teams don't have to worry about getting beat over the top so can play a higher line thus putting pressure on the defence, who crumble regularly. 

@rigger, you had it right. What a nice surprise win. 

As to the game. Rovers did what teams at all levels do when playing against superior opposition; keep it tight and hope for a chance on the break. It's not pretty, it's not a tactical masterclass, but it is effective. 

Leeds players were trying their hardest to con the ref into giving them a pen, not a chance for any of them. Gallagher's arm may have been given a long look by VAR, but I doubt the official would have overturned the ref's initial no pen decision. 

Gallagher won 1 attacking header all game, and Dolan had 1 decent pass. Those combined led to Szmodics cool finish. How did both of them miss the cross from Szmodics? 

I think that Gallagher was far more effective in Rovers box defending Leeds crosses.

1 hour ago, Uddersfelt Blue said:

Only seen the goals from last night’s game and some pretty awful defending was the principal cause. However, you defend from the front so the whole team are to blame.

I finally got around to watching the highlights. Shambolic is an understatement. 

I disagree with your defend from the front comment. They were all individual errors by defenders. Hyam on ice skates. McFadz looking uninterested. It was awful.

There are calls for Hyam to be dropped. He was woeful, but he's a championship player, so I think it's likely that he'll be fine next time out. 

8 minutes ago, wilsdenrover said:

You have a very good way of looking at things.

6 hours ago, wilsdenrover said:

Before last night, Leeds had won their previous nine home league games.

I think anything we get there would have to be considered a bonus.

I found this website; https://www.11v11.com/teams/blackburn-rovers/tab/opposingTeams/opposition/Leeds United/

In the entire history of the fixture Leeds have won 50% more games than Rovers, with BRFC losing 8 of the last 9. It's not looking good for Saturday.

2 hours ago, KentExile said:

Fair comment, I have edited my original post

You should have kept it. There are some harsh replies on this. I'd wager that people's responses would be different if the name was changed to Tugay. 

I played against him when he was young, even then he was being tipped as a future England player. Going from 20 years of constant ego boosting to nothing caused a massive drop in his mental state. He, like many, turned to synthetic means to try to rekindle that high.

It is hard to feel sympathy for millionaire footballer, and especially one who was utterly abject for BRFC. He stole a living whilst at BRFC, and I also remember his wife crassly attempting to defend him. For this have a go all day.

Yet, to me, this should be separated from him getting hooked on coke. People either abusing, or being addicted to drugs, need help not scorn.

1 loss in 6 for Eustace's Rovers, tempered by only 1 win though. A result on Wednesday will be immense as I expect zero points against Leeds on Saturday.

There is a full slate of Championship games midweek. 2 games feature teams directly above and below Rovers;

Plymouth v. QPR

Swansea v. Stoke

Should us Rovers fans hope for QPR and Swansea wins? 

5 hours ago, K-Hod said:

As ever with England, if you go beyond our strongest XI, there is a drop off in quality.

I’d back our strongest team to give anyone a game, just there are some players we really cannot do without.

Hard to disagree on the drop off. Yet what team aside from maybe France (excluding Mbappe) could you say that for?

Last night was essentially it for Southgate. His next games are tournament warm-ups. He will already know 80%+ of his squad, now he has to wait and hope that all the players he wants stay fit.

9 of his 11 is set; Pickford, Walker, Stones, Maguire (yes, he'll play if fit), Rice, Bellingham, Saka, Foden, Kane. He needs to decide on a midfield partner for Rice, and a left back.

Of Southgate's usuals Grealish, Shaw, Trippier, Alexander-Arnold, Pope, and James are injured. Potential new boy Colwill is too. I assume if they are all fit come end of May they'll be in the squad. 

Toney, Rashford, Watkins will be in the squad as will Chilwell and Gallagher.

Phillips, Sterling, and probably Henderson are gone.

6 hours ago, j166429 said:

I had some correspondence, via email, with Daniel Williams back in August 2007. He seemed serious about the takeover...There was definitely a gap between what the trustees wanted for the club and what he wanted to spend. His major business interest, Princeton Global went under in October 2007...

Did he ever really have the financial means to buy the club?

I don't think that he had any money. After his Rovers foray he was interested in a second tier US club, Rochester Rhinos. That went nowhere, Rochester ended up going bust and are now rebranding. 

30 minutes ago, damo100 said:

We'll win nothing under Southgate. 

Evey England manager besides Alf Ramsey won nothing. Using that as a stick to beat Southgate with is a bit harsh. 

England are not a top table football nation, as much as I want them to be. Yet thanks to Southgate's efforts whilst aiding England youth development the national talent pool is getting better. 

As for yesterday's game. It wasn't the best. Gallagher and Chilwell were poor. Watkins anonymous. Bellingham got kicked off his game, especially by Paqueta. Maguire will play at the Euros, but he needs significant game time week in week out until the tournament to get sharp. 

On 17/03/2024 at 06:40, sharpysharps86 said:

 

Gallagher's form when he came back from injury was promising but he's fallen off a cliff in recent weeks. Deserves dropping but the problem is who do you bring in? There's literally only Telalovic available to come in.

On 17/03/2024 at 06:45, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

Normal service has resumed with Gally. One good game in every five or six matches.

I think Gallagher's greatest attribute is his defensive heading ability from corners. He can't head in the opposition box but does a good job in his own. 

As for Saturday, a draw was fair. A pretty even game. Rovers had a couple of chances in the second half that on another day may have gone in, yet so could the Boro one that hit the bar and the fresh air kick off the rebound. 

Still no wins for Eustace. I had Rovers picking up 4 points from the last 3 games, they got 3. Ipswich next who manhandled Sheff Wed.

It is going to be one interesting run in.

Usually one team romps away with top spot, this season it's a 2 possibly 3 horse race between Leicester, Leeds, and Ipswich for 1st.

Southampton look safe for a play off spot behind the top 3 which leaves West Brom, Coventry, Hull, PNE, and Norwich fighting for the 2 playoff spots.

Relegation, unfortunately with Rovers very much in play, is even tighter.

Rotherham are gone.

Sheff Wednesday have won 5 of 6 but are still second from bottom on 38 points. Yet Watford in 12th are only 6 points better off. 

Sunderland in 10th have lost 5 in a row and conceivably could be dragged into a relegation fight, albeit slight.

Let's hope for results to go Rovers way tonight.

4 hours ago, K-Hod said:

Makes a bit of a mockery of it being called the best league in the world, when the gulf in class between the top 3 and everyone else is so huge. 
How many massive away wins have there been this season? They’ve been talking up a three horse race being the most exciting in years, but I’d say, if anything, the gap between the have and have nots is bigger than ever.

As Paddy Power humorously posted last night: ‘just how bad must that Derby 07-08 team have been, to be worse than Sheffield United?’.

I said the other week that there is something wrong at Sheffield Utd. Last night was another example. 5 down before halftime is disgraceful. Neither the manager or players are performing. 

Selling their 2 best players and losing a couple of good loan players hasn't helped, but from the outside it looks like the whole lot of them have given up. Is their owner trying to sell up?

Both Sheff Utd and Burnley utilised the loan market in the Championship and deployed completely different strategies once promoted. Luton had no loans and only brought in a couple of new players and are in trouble but faring better than the other two. 

Someone posted a topic like this around the same time last season when there was genuine hope of a playoff spot. Fast forward 12 months and Rovers have 11 games left to pick up enough points to stay up. 

Here are my predictions;

Millwall (H) - draw

Plymouth (H) - win

Boro (A) - loss

Ipswich (H) - draw

Sunderland (A) - loss

Southampton (H) - loss

Bristol City (A) - loss

Leeds (A) - loss

Sheff Wed (H) - draw

Coventry (H) - win

Leicester (A) - loss

I have 9 more points. Will that be enough? 

7 hours ago, RoverDom said:

Rushford, apart from the goal, was absolutely gash. 

 

 

The whole team was. 

Ten Hag set them up to play on the counter and they couldn't even muster that bar a few early forays.

I know City are streets ahead but Man U weren't trying to play. They'd get the ball to the halfway line then concede possession.  

Their subs were pitiful. Amrabat, Antony, and two youngsters. Amrabat cost them a goal. Antony did nothing but pass it backwards twice. He has to be up there as one of the worst Premier League signings. £80m+ for no output.

Ratcliffe's PR team keep pumping out grandiose statements about getting back to the top. It will cost an inordinate amount of time and money to do that. His first action should be to bin Ten Hag, but that would be cruel to those like me who enjoy watching Man U's ineptitude.

47 minutes ago, matt83 said:

I am not an elite athlete nor ever have been.

But at uni e played Wednesday and Saturday every week. We won, lost and drew. Played well in games and played badly. There was never a point where on a Saturday where we said yeah played baldly today must be tired legs from Wednesday. Probably more the 40 pints between Wednesday and Saturday.

Off to watch Clitheroe today. They played midweek and most of the squad will have been up and down ladders for 40 hours week this week, plus training. I’ll guarantee you if they lose they won’t trot out the tired legs excuse. But when it comes to professionals the little darlings have tired legs.

It’s a convenient excuse perpetuated in the game, whether they believe it or not, because it’s convenient to keep in the locker for rainy day whether your citeh or rovers. IF we lose and it’s because we genuinely feel “ leggy” the first act Monday should be sack the fitness coach. If we even have one. 

You cannot compare the physical demands on professional footballers to any uni or Clitheroe level players. 

There is a reason why football clubs now have teams of performance analysts. Clubs need to eek out as much from players as possible. 

Anyway, all signs point to a loss today. I hope not though.

3 hours ago, Wheelton Blue said:

We're all accustomed to a less than half full Ewood, with next to zero atmosphere, and accompanying 'library' chants from the Darwen End.

Last night showed the other side of Ewood. A big crowd for once, a vociferous backing, and plenty to get behind both in the dugout and on the pitch.

When it's like that, Ewood remains a wonderful place in which to watch our team.

Great stuff.

Watching from afar it reminded me of the Villa and Liverpool cup ties from the late 80's early 90's. Underdogs v. big boys. It was good as a one off but Rovers should not be in that position - thank you Venkys.

It was a shame Rovers lost, but as soon as Hyam stepped up I knew he'd miss. 

40 minutes ago, WacoRover said:

Bah, you ever been to a Texas/OU game? The Cotton Bowl is half Longhorns, half Sooners, with fans of each sprinkled in everywhere. Or Dallas Cowboys/Washington Redskins?! 

y’all don’t have a lock on “atmosphere”. As much as I love my adopted sport of English footie, it’s not the ultimate in passionate crowds. Every NFL stadium here, is bigger than every English ground, with the exception of maybe Wembley.

In fact, we have a good dozen or so college stadiums larger than EVERY ground in the UK- Texas, Michigan, A&M, Tennessee, Ohio St., Alabama, the Coliseum in Los Angeles., etc. College stadiums are much louder than NFL stadiums, too. 

Read the book Dirty Northern Bastards by Tim Marshall. It's been around for a few years so some of it is outdated now, but it is available in the USA.

It gives a decent insight into some of the songs/rivalries/atmosphere at football stadiums in the UK. The USA has none of what is written about.

Rovers do get a mention as well. 

This game will be the first I can watch since the JDT to Eustace change. 

I'd have rather had a league game as I would be able to compare apples to apples but the potential of a cup upset is always appealing. 

On paper they are too good. Anthony Gordon could run Rovers ragged. 

6 hours ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

Two Sheff Utd players were involved in an on field skirmish yesterday.  Shades of Batty versus LeSaux. One of them, the Brazilian Vinicius Souza, had calmed down enough to swap shirts at half time with a fellow Brazilian, Joan Gomes, who was playing for Wolves ! 
What goes on in these players heads ? He’d never kick another ball for me if I was the manager.

Sheffield Utd are in a bad spot. 

In the last few weeks Wilder has been charged by the FA for spitting his dummy out after a defeat and slagging a ref for apparently eating a sandwich in front of him. Holgate got sent off after 10 minutes last week for a knee-high scissor kick, and now this. 

Something isn't right at the club. There does not seem to be discipline within the camp to mount a fight to give themselves a chance.

On 12/02/2024 at 06:31, oldjamfan1 said:

Like me you’re old enough to remember Kidd at Wembley - my kids didn’t get him but got Lambert, who was perhaps a less obvious one. Berg didn’t actually play in the final but still got a winners medal and it’s quite surprising really that Hughes and Ince aren’t on the list - my younger lad thought they might have been. Plenty of league titles between them but not the big cup.

Full house mate, well done.

I'm sure that Kean told someone along the way that if it wasn't for injuries he'd have won one too. 

It's looking like a 3 horse race for the title. 

Fresh off easily beating Liverpool Arsenal hammered the Hammers yesterday 6-0. 

Liverpool were unconvincing but still put 3 past Burnley.

City were labouring against Everton but De Bruyne came on and the tide turned. 2 goals from Haaland won it. 

Arsenal puzzle me. They don't strike me as having many good players but are up there.