1 hour ago, AllRoverAsia said:

I doubt that our No 2 Keeper is feeling much of the team-spirit, all-togetherness this fine Sunday.

Perhaps he was injured, splinters in the arse.

Away from the romance and heroics of our CM going into goals it was not so much a slap for the Swiss-Canadian as a full on punch in the face.

It confirmed, as I said last season, that he was only signed to get us off at international weekends. Certainly not for his keeping for which he presumably draws wages.

Weird and weirder.

Saw just highlights. Yes Ref cheated us on 2 blatant penalty calls and JR made little effort to avoid Raya, despite claims to the contrary.

Great point, as predicted. 

All three subs already used when Raya was done by the dingle, so Leutweiller was never coming off the bench.

Called it pre-match, as I just had a suspicion that we had got a bit complacent after Saturday.... It's a long way home for those hardy souls who made the trek to South Wales.

Another reality check methinks.. Swansea to beat us by 2 clear goals.. I do hope I am wrong

DarrenRover gets it right once again, "Have a nice day, and a sh1t afternoon!"Spot on!

Didn't think Leeds fashioned anything worth winning the game. Rovers shaded it on effort, teamwork and self-belief. Great stuff!

Win ugly, naahh.. Win by grafting, Yeah baby, YEAH!!!

ffs

Dack needs to have a game like Everton pre-season,... todaywould be a good time for the Fat Messi to make an appearance

2 hours ago, aletheia said:

Talking of cliches –here’s a few tired and tiresome tropes. Why, oh why is reffing so poor in this country and why can’t we have consistency? And an absolute cert on any phone-in is moaning about ‘biased’ refs, ‘cheating’ refs, refs that cost us the game, the league, my marriage, the end of the world……

 

Perhaps not the right space to raise this but since the notion of bad luck with reffing decisions has arisen, I thought it might be worth it.

 

The first thing that occurs to me is that only the weak blame refs. The next is that, since the quality is so poor according to many, then perhaps some on here should apply for the job. Maybe some ex pros should do it –I wonder why not?

But really, why would anyone with any sanity volunteer for the job? At grassroots level, the lifeblood for future refs, psychological and physical intimidation is rife, ranging from aggressive parents threatening to stab refs or sort them out in the car park, kids threatening to destroy changing rooms and screaming coaches. Thousands of UK officials — from grassroots level to top-flight — admitted they regularly experience verbal abuse. In the 2014/15 season, 100 incidents of criminal assault against men in black in the UK were recorded.

But many referees say the figures are much higher as the sickening violence goes unreported — out of fear or because officials have lost faith in the ability of county Football Associations to punish offenders quickly. There is plenty of footage out there of referees being kicked, punched and battered on the pitch for nothing more than giving a yellow card.

And take any game that you watch live or see on Match of the Day etc. and you can clearly see a variety of abuses. A ball goes out for a throw, a full back doesn’t like the way it’s given –and you can clearly see (or hear if you are pitch side) – “never lino, you f*****g c***, you cheating t**t!.” and that’s just a throw-in and you can clearly see that the full back is clearly wrong, not even close! Ditto, plenty of things to the ref. But of course, it’s just ‘industrial’ language that men use. Bo***cks! ?  Doesn’t happen in rugby, cricket, basketball.

Then of course there is the issue I mentioned elsewhere recently. The officials' ability to make decisions at the top tier is exceptional. I suspect they get 90% plus of decisions correct. It’s obvious they are going to get plenty wrong in a fast moving game with a split second to make a decision. But then armchair specialists and teams of ‘experts’ sitting in studios watching every decision in ultra 4K, super slo-mo and from lots of angles make their pronouncements and decide that the officials should be shamed. Cue radio phone-ins for sad individuals to take out their inadequacies on the ‘bas***d in green.’ And the amusing thing is, after all the endless replays, the experts disagree anyway. How many times have you screamed at the ref live or at the TV, only to be shown the replay to see that you were entirely wrong. Or here’s a classic –home fans screaming at an opposing player who is in their opinion feigning injury, only to see the poor sod carried off with something serious.

 

So, refs. If you want infallibility forget it. If you want close to it, then give them the tools –VAR at least (that works and not the nonsense we have at the moment –but that is another issue). Pay them more. Train them more. Give them more respect at all levels. Sin bins. Zero tolerance of backchat. Let’s face it, refs provide a useful social function, a safety valve to vent all that anger, a focal point for all the resentment, bitterness and spleen of a community come Saturday. Hell, give them a medal.

Completely with you on all of this - and before anyone asks, I did 25 years as a referee from grass-roots to semi-pro level, and one thing I know for certain about football is that once the jerseys are on, the blinkers are on too, together with a complete lack of perspective and respect for the people doing their best to make each game work.

I have to admit though that I am as biased as any other 'normal' fan when it comes to observing games, but at least I can usually give the referee the benefit of the doubt, based on my own long experience of the challenges of being in the middle. Having said that, the second penalty for Forest on Saturday - what the foooooooque was the blind B****rd in black actually thinking? Benefit of the doubt, my *rse.

Roll on Sheffield Utd - jog on you referees

WIR

Daaaaaack@!!

17 minutes ago, Mattyblue said:

On crowds of 10/11,000 you could argue that relegation battles should be the norm,  a situation we need to be mindful of. 

Though Brentford seem to be defying logic on that score.

Doesn't seem to hold Bournemouth back much either...

8 hours ago, deryck guyler's spoon said:

Preston fan's obsession and hatred for us is really puzzling to me. Like Bolton fans they seem intent on fostering some kind of intense rivalry with Rovers. As with Bolton, I couldn't care less about them, I have about as much interest in Reading or Brentford. I hate Burnley with the entire fibre of my being and have a strong dislike of manyoo as well as not caring much for some other clubs for a variety of reasons. Preston and Bolton barely register. 

Seconded. Spot on!

This is him, isn't it?

On 19/09/2018 at 12:46, booth said:

It's difficult to reach the keyboard now he's back in the stocks.

The six fingers might explain how he was able to type such lengthy and ill conceived vitriol only a nanosecond after any Rovers related article had appeared.

5 hours ago, 47er said:

Assuming Brereton is good enough.....

TM is no mug, and has seen something about the lad that he believes warrants his signing - we haven't seen for ourselves what young Ben is capable of yet, but given TM's nous and experience in the game, I'd be very very surprised if there wasn't something 'special' about young Mr Brereton. Football is a confidence game as much as anything else, though it often needs a bit of time for players to bed in, especially when a) there are 'star' individuals already catching the fans' eye and b) where the team has a high degree of confidence and a settled style of play

This is as strong a test of our mettle as the Bristol game, as Villa definitely have the players to challenge us, and they will be hurting perhaps even more than we are from their own 4-1 drubbing last time out. The key for me is if we have Dack returning to the side, and I'd also be looking for something special from the other new boys, especially Brereton. I think the first strike will be crucial for either side and hope to god that it goes our way. I don't think we have anything to fear, if we play to our strengths and potential. Let's turn the screw on the skew-nosed whinger, and send out a clear message to those who would wear claret and blue at Fortess Ewood!

2 minutes ago, Stuart said:

Hope it’s for Smallwood and not Rothwell. Could he line up with Smallwood, Evans and Reed?

I was talking to a Villa fan at work yesterday. He’s very concerned about how bad they are at the back. In his words “if you attack you will win”. Attacking is what we are good at. Here’s hoping for a good game today.

Agreed - I just hope we don't do the usual first half of 'giving the opposition respect' that TM seems to favour. The Bristol City setback apart, there was a feeling of some momentum building up, which helps both players and fans in terms of confidence. We could do with an early breakthrough and a solid performance from the back, and hopefully the return of our talisman to give the veneer of polish and flair to another workmanlike job well done. 

C'mon you Blues!

 I think the changing demographics are a factor, and that football in general has list its connection with its traditional market (e.g. the recent story about the number of clubs that could play without spectators & still be profit making).

Back on topic - Tuesday was further evidence for me that TM has transformed the culture at the club, and although it was no classic in terms of the quality of football played, the players worked hard as a team. Anyone coming in (including Brereton by the way) will have to adapt or risk not fitting in. It feels good to be a Rover again.ö

Going on for this one, hoping to see some of the fabulous team.spirit that has taken root in the squad. Not expecting a classic by any means, but hoping to be entertained. Cmon ye Blues!

Feck me, he looks older than I do!

We could do with a bit of luck to make the team ( and us) believe we aren't dependent on a talisman.. 

Hot air and pish fest.

14 minutes ago, Igloo5090 said:

Yes but Karanka and forest are obviously going all out for promotion this season, and currently Grabban is a better bet for goals. Whereas Mowbray has stated several times that he is building a team, so buying players with potential.

The only reason people are bothered with the (potential) Brereton signing is because they want him to go all out for promotion this season. Which he knows is slightly unrealistic.

Nailed it! Ta

Wasn't being dismissive, but rather cautious. I do hope we recruit some quality into the team (without negatively impacting the team spirit) and can hold our own in the division this season. I need more than hot air and platitudes repeated endlessly ad nauseam, in order to convince me that we are on track to do more than survive. That's all.

5 hours ago, ewoodnews said:

Working on deals

Sam Gallagher is still a chance on loan just have to wait and see

Lad from Forrest is able to come on loan just wanting to agree price.

No other news but will be speaking to people on Thursday.

Hmm.. just because it is posted in the middle of the night, doesn't necessarily make it more likely, plausible or fact based though...