The best I can say on this is it’s attritional

Let’s hope the failure to sign anyone is the trigger for the appearance of our under 23 players. Real ale in the Issac Wilson  and the Resolution coupled with a 2 v1 win for the mighty blues.COYB

4 minutes ago, magicalmortensleftpeg said:

Some fans need a reality check. It’s easy to be negative. If you want to look for faults, you’ll always find them. But look at the squad Mowbray inherited and look at it now. He’s done a reasonable job. Will he take us up? Probably not, but based on our revenue, debt, attendances etc. we’re doing well to compete with the top 6 at all. 
He’s made big mistakes and Brereton is certainly the headline. But to expect us to constantly spend big money every window is delusional. 

Why do people endless down play us like we are some little minnow trying hard to get by. We are more successful club historically than most if not all of the clubs in this league. I’m not going to go through a list because facts are facts. I will not downgrade my expectations. Will he take us up no but not for the reasons you give but because of a total lack of ambition. 

We are top of the current form league which suggests we can compete but that had to be built on but again like last season the opportunity will pass us by. 

Let me just repeat this we are not a small shit club lucky to be sat at the same table has the big boys we are equal if not better and pretending differently does not excuse management.

7 minutes ago, JHRover said:

If being 4 points off the top 6 after back to back wins and with 17 games remaining is 'destined for mid table' why do we bother?

If that position doesn't present an opportunity in the final run in nothing will. 

If we had owners who understood the division and football they might recognise that.

I completely agree but unfortunately we don’t cease opportunity and our actions in this window also show we don’t learn from our mistakes either ( see last season for details). 

We now enter the last 17 games thin on the ground without Dack and an injury away from the return of Mulgrew. So yes I feel mid table is were we will end because with an ounce of ambition we could do far better in a mediocre league.

Well although disappointed I think this is the best thing that has happened. We are destined for mid table full stop. Mowbray has wasted no more money on projects and bench warmers. We can use the under 23s and give them experience.

hopefully in summer we can revamp the squad and have a new man at the helm with a bit of freedom to do this without being hindered by Mowbray signings.

1 hour ago, Mashed Potatoes said:

Yeah - forgot about him. Think he was here before Mowbray ? which gets him off the hook per the poster above.

Is there a hook? I was merely explaining that managers have teams Hughes had one and allardyce it’s par for the course. If the manager who is the figure head succeeds then they share that success and move with them. Equally  if they fail they have to Suffer the same fate has there leader.

Lowe is not part of Mowbray team so if he’s poor then he fails because of that not by association has in the case of Venus. Johnson has proved to be good at his previous job. Can he make the step up only time will tell.

Mowbray is paid to lead to develop the team tactics and ethos full stop no amount of subterfuge by yourself in trying to spread responsibility is acceptable. If there not doing the job he wants he has the power to remove them if he doesn’t then it his responsibility.

If in a hypothetical world where we are top of the league Mowbray would take full credit and if a big club came in he would go and collect the salary and accolades that go with it. The papers would say what a great manager Mowbray is not Lowe not Johnson that is the world he occupies so trying to divert blame to others is grossly unfair.

38 minutes ago, Mashed Potatoes said:

But he is doing the coaching - so why does he get away with it ?

Firstly we have an hierarchical management structure and the buck stops at the top not unusual or making an example of Mowbray. Venus is part of team Mowbray they came has a job lot and has is the normal practice leave has one. If Mowbray has been successfully head hunted he would take Venus and not Johnson. Johnson is part of team rovers and has been there a matter of months. So has you say that’s why he gets away with it.

2 hours ago, Leonard Venkhater said:

Yep. I had to smile at a poster, who was watching a recent game on TV with his wife, who kept saying, "Why doesn't the one in the gloves try to stop the cross?"

I went to hudds with my wife and part way through the game she said. Why do we keep doing the same thing passing to them in front of our own goal

1 hour ago, Mashed Potatoes said:

If Mowbray goes some people want an unproven coach in Damien Johnson to take over

I think I may vote for that. With an option to change at the end of the season

This has no real contribution but doesn’t it make you feel proud

9 minutes ago, tonyoz said:

You were’nt alone Tom!

 

I was refusing to go on holiday because I wanted to go to the play offs!!!

4 hours ago, Mashed Potatoes said:

Criticise on a messageboard - yes. But if it is true that the young man was driven to tears by his treatment from Rovers supporters -no.

Ignoring football for a second life is about success and failure and failure is the most important part. Adversity is what builds strength of character. Crying which I don’t believe he did is not the answer. Get out on the training ground roll your sleeves up and prove the doubters wrong. That is the answer not only to football but to life.

The way to help a person is not to make it easier but make them confront the challenge. In adversity you learn about yourself it chips off the rough edges.

He needs to get up and show us what made him an England international because you don’t get there by crying or being shite. It takes work and dedication and to suggest that someone who at 20 has got that far in his career is now crying at a few boos is laughable. 

2 hours ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

He's lightening quick for a start. He's got a good engine- gets up and down the wing without too much trouble. End to end runs are no problem. He can pick a pass and he gives it nice and early, rarely gets caught in possession,  reads the game well for a young player. Two decent feet, Most of all he wants to play and he wants to take the game to the opposition all the time. Very enthusiastic lad with a good attitude. Very bright and level headed off the pitch apparently.

Downside is he's not very tall although he does his best in aerial challenges.

He's been out of the team lately because he was being asked to do too much at such a young age  but the rest had obviously worked wonders for him today.

Before we get too excited United are in for him apparently.

He also didn’t look out of he’s depth against Newcastle today and I’ll go further made a difference in shutting down Newcastle on that wing. Very very tidy

4 minutes ago, Harry The Bass said:

Only the bit you disagree with as normal yea? But I’m the contrary / devils advocate ...

It’s arrogance. Because it assumes that your knowledge of watching Blackburn rovers extends to assuming how other teams should react.. for instance Preston and Burnley in poor runs.. have their managers been sacked?

No, despite a plethora of their fans claiming it’s time to move on. You’re in the same club! 

 

No has a general principle your wrong teams sack there manager for failure. I’m not discussing Mowbray but the general principle. 59 managers-this year. Average life span in the championship less than a year. Even if you just apply these criteria he’s had ample opportunity. This is not hysteria but normal. However has you say it’s where you set the bar.  For a club with a history of success like ours forgetting  the small town club, cut your cloth we have never been built on mediocrity and the statistics on that don’t lie. Promotion is our goal today not tomorrow. If he can’t deliver it get someone else on a short term contract and if he can’t do it get someone else. 

This is just an opinion to conclude Mowbray was given too long a contract and has forgotten that his job is result orientated.

The number of managers sacked this year 59. The average time in the job of a championship manager less than a year. So by any criteria the angst about Mowbray is not reflex by a bunch of fans who are hysterical. The reality is football management is a today business particularly in the championship. Why because the premiership offers the crock of gold. If we get the next managerial appointment wrong do what everyone else does get another. Short term contracts for a short term project. Promotion or bust. If it doesn’t look like it’s right you have two options change the players or the manager and we all no which is the standard choice. 

Mid table is not an option, long term project not an option. Not for us or any other championship team. Has Mowbray statistically had a chance look at the figures. 

If anything our owners give them to long. All football managers are destined to fail in a short term business. Am I anti Mowbray no I’m pro success, I’m pro short term,I’m pro top three and I don’t care how we get there and with who. I’m anti mid table, anti statis quo and anti gravey tomorrow. 

If tomorrow Mowbray says we will be promoted I’m in. If he says long term project I’m out. Not because I’m radical but I’m like every other supporter. In the words of the film Jerry macquire “ show me the money”

Just now, MarkBRFC said:

Nyambe & Bell too.

So basically we have no players who can actually play football. Can I add reed watch Smallwood and Evans. Evans who has to be left on the bench to be motivated and holtby who’s a young lad who needs time to understand what we do. Sorry and Rodwell

Just now, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

Correct. However if they'd have started with the 11 that finished the game they might have won that game.  The " Big Man " was a 40 years old journeyman but Newcastle couldn't deal with him. Going 4-4-2 enabled them to play a more direct game than the 3-5-1-1 they started out with.

Wilbraham may not be the future but horses for courses

13 minutes ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

Yeah, we could have paid £40 million for Joelinton like Newcastle did. I'd rather have Gallagher ! I believe some Geordie fans were giving him some grief has he made his way to the team coach after the game.

I went to dale today and Murphy gave an example of how to manage. Dale out gunned and out resourced by Newcastle. Murphy first system three at the back was a disaster exposed on the right. First attempt change the left wing back to the right .Still not working. Before half time take off magloire go 4 at the back. Still not working. Bring a big man on up front at half time. Bingo. Now that’s management.

46 minutes ago, JacknOry said:

Not a bad goal scored a month ago.

https://artyfooty.com/skills/run/niklas-schmidt-run-skill-goal-vs-hamburger/

 

 

 

We’ll soon put a stop to that sort of display. Needs to watch Evans and Smallwood 

30 minutes ago, bluebruce said:

You want to sell Lenihan without replacing him, then rely on the kids and patching up with loans? Our defence is threadbare as it is. Our keeper is dire. Come the summer we will need a ton of players all at once, between players whose contracts are out and not worth renewing, and loans which will finish.

Our young centre halves are mostly on loan and not proven at anywhere near this level. We can't sell Lenihan. If we do, we absolutely need to buy a permanent replacement.

As it stands, most fans will tell you we need a keeper, a centre half, a left back, and potentially a RB. We can't get all of that from the youth team, not at an acceptable level. Come next season we need a minimum of 2 centre backs when Tosin returns. Selling our only decent permanent one without replacement is madness.

Do I want to sell lenihan? Definitely not I said I suspect he may be sold. Do I want a makeshift defence? No I definitely don’t but after god knows how many transfer windows that’s what we’ve got. Do I trust Mowbray to spend money wisely. Well the best part of 14 million on strikers makes me a touch wary.

I was advocating managed transition not radicalism. At some point unless decisive action is taken mid table mediocrity means your better players leave that is a certainty. So with lenihan as an example how long is it before he demands the chance to either join a premiership club or move to one with realistic promotion chances. If you where a young man with ambition you would want that and it should be expected.

So we have two options roll the dice and spend on the real deal players which TM has already said due to financial constraints can’t be done or we change the operating system. Bring in Johnson as a new face with new ideas. Resist the temptation to bring in another raft of bang average players which is what we do.If possible hold on to our better players, move on the crap( if possible) and give our younger hungry players a chance. We won’t go down or up but nor will we stay has we are. Are better players will move it’s a given.

29 minutes ago, JoeH said:

How much better? JRC is a good player. Bringing in someone else's youth on loan, when we haven't given our own a go, and spent £4m on the academy, is pathetic from the club. Would be fuming if we went for this.

This makes total sense. We are going nowhere get our own young guys blooded rather than be a learning curve for other teams youngsters.

I’ve said this previously and will repeat it. Tomphils idea of TM upstairs. Then give Johnson a bash at managing. Blood are youngsters and review in summer. This I feel allows TM to adopt a more advisory and less hands on role. Johnson gets his chance and can use his knowledge of the U23 to develop them and adopt a style of play they understand. It gives the club a better perspective on who has the ability to step up. I would also bring in Any loanee that Johnson feels has what it takes. 

If possible we should remove any deadwood that is increasing the wage bill but not add more players to it. I also suspect lenihan will be sold to balance the books. The above I feel is cost effective,utilises the resources we have and prevents another useless spending splurge.Has it stands we are effectively achieving nothing but losing money to stand still at least with the above there is an element of that appears proactive.

Finally if it fails in summer we can reassess and if required appoint a more experienced manager.

Just now, JoeH said:

Reckon I might get a few more people joining my - “yeah Harry Chapman isn’t actually *that* great” - club after today!

I know I do often talk about him but honestly he was just as weak as Buckley today, no physicality whatsoever and looked nothing special for the time he played.

He was played has a left winger and he’s a right winger. I think endlessly finding things wrong with young players is not he answer. Buckley is being played has a winger for god sake. It’s not Chapman that’s at fault or Buckley it’s our leaddrship

ps chapman may or may not be very good but he’s not the problem 

Just now, Bigdoggsteel said:

Yet when he played well in the exact same formation ,nobody credited the manager for his performances. The players,for whatever reason,have reverted to the bad version since the Wigan game. Maybe Tosin plays that and we win. Its small margins. I have major doubts about mowbray,but the players need to step up too. They cant blame the formation or tactics for lack of application or effort. Travis tries in fairness, but we just dont help ourselves. Looked a nervous wreck of an outfit today. Its baffling. 

No because we had a run of games with a stable team and formation and now we’ve started the endless chop and change. 

No there is no business anywhere in the world that says poor performance is due to the inability of the workers. Managers by their title are paid to lead people. 

The system that is being deployed is failing the individuals not the opposite.

Today I saw no lack of effort just a massive lack of organisation and system. When under pressure that is what is relied on who does what when and where.

The idea that you can continually put the failure on the personnel and absolve management of responsibility not only makes no football sense but it fails even the simplist test of management