Old Codger

FFS

First goal wins this I think.. 😞

You just know the script for the second half now...

Rovers started well. But not hurting this lot.

Someone needs to plant their feet firmly on the ground and get back to basics, like creating chances, defending with resolve and cutting out the frankly silly farting around at the back from goal kicks. If JE with all the technology and evaluation available to him to explore basic issues on the pitch, can't see the glaring truths that are holding us back AND do something to fix them, then there is little for us keyboard coaches to do other than moan from the sidelines. Not that anyone is listening...

We keep trying to football our way past opponents. Not a tactic that is likely to work with our squad. Let's cut out the horse poo for a few weeks, stop fannying around at the back, go direct, use the big man for target practice and hold up play, and let the poacher that we saw in Yuki's early outings feed off the scraps. That will steady the ship. IMO

I think I was vindicated in my comment to be fair.

Harry Leonard on the bench, in good scoring form for the U21s. Unbelievable

Pickering, Buckley and Gueye subs,, FFS we really don't want to hurt this lot do we?

Pedestrian plod ball, with no attacking intent, no cutting edge, no sign of life

Might as well make wholesale changes now. This lot won't concede three against us 😞

I think we are seeing the real character of this squad, to be fair. Which is largely that they don't appear to have any... 😞

We don't look like we are in the same league as these, on the showing so far, neither in terms of quality or attitude. Long hard afternoon ahead, methinks.

Turgidity! 🤣 I don't think it will be as flowing as that, to be fair.. It will be full, but not with liquid (unless you count the Venksters taking the pish as liquid). More likely to be flatulent, than turgid, methinks. Anyway, unless there are outgoings, I don't expect there will be any incomings. That's just the way it is now, down Ewood way.

Keep it tight at the back with Batth and Hyam leading the line and shielded by Tronstad, counter using the awareness and skill of Cantwell, quick thinking and skill of Beck and shithousery of Travis, hold the ball up in their half using Big Mak and nick a goal through the tirelessness of Yuki. Feck me - Simples! This probably works, if the Hornets fail to turn up. Head - Hornets 2 Rovers Toothless on the road again 0 Heart - Howling Hornets 1 Roaring Rovers 2 Funt cart - Hornets 4 Rovers 5 (never happening) COYB!

We got verrrryyy lucky in front of our goal this evening, with WBA having at least three efforts go narrowly wide that on another evening might well have seen us dead and buried before half time. Positives for me were Cantwell's performance - he is definitely growing in confidence and influence on the pitch. Tronstadt is a real hardworker, putting himself about and adding some steel to the side. Travis works hard for the team, and Yuki too - Sammy was the epitome of a never say die chaser on and off the ball for us, so it is good to see someone taking up that role, as it definitely unsettles defenders. Pears had a decent enough game and made some competent saves, but someone needs to put an end to the nonsensical tippy tappy out from the back for every goal kick. It isn't entertaining, it is predictable to the extent we all know that the opposition will be gifted at least one chance, and as someone pointed out after Swansea, we end up hoofing the ball down field indiscriminately and aimlessly in most cases anyway., At least if Pears was kicking straight up the pitch we'd have a chance of one of ours trapping or knocking on, and perhaps creating a chance from route one, for US rather than the opposition. We are unlikely to be relegated on current form. Question is whether there is enough in the tank to carry on grinding out decent results. We shall see at Watford on Saturday lunchtime, no doubt. COYB!

A point not a bad return against this lot. But we did have the chances to hurt them, just didn't take them on the night.

We are playing Russian Roulette again at the back. Not a good idea with players of the quality that WBA have pushing up. Coming back into the game a bit now, and Cantwell is starting to spray passes around. Interesting battle ahead...?

He played a peach of a pass in for Harry Leonard to score against the German side in the U21 international game last night. Brittain does a similar thing (thinking about his cross for Yuki to head in the leveller against Norwich), so perhaps it is a question of having some strength in depth available to the squad, to create chances for our not quite striking it yet strikers..? For me, if they are good enough to sign a professional contract, then they are good enough to represent the town ;0)

Hmm.. who got their head in a tough spot to score the equaliser against Norwich?? https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1566626547224107

I think we will get a proper wake up call this evening. A good footballing side with a bit of muscle and old fashioned shithousery is going to find us wanting in most departments. The Baggies are perhaps in that category of opponent, and I expect us to struggle with our limited resources against a side with greater quality and depth than us. Not sure we will even score tonight, but am pretty certain WBA will 😞 C'mon Rovers - Make me eat my words!! COYB!

It's one of those games where we know the opposition can pick us off, and that they will come with a clear game plan and the flexibility to change things up if it isn't quite going the way they want. At the same time, Rovers have to believe they can beat any other side in the division, with a bit of luck and a shed load of hard work. What will be interesting will be whether the players can perform in a more coordinated and purposeful way than in recent games, although perhaps we might struggle to play any worse as a unit than we did at Plymouth... Stiff test. A midweek barometer of our potential and appetite. Bring it on! Head - Rovers 1 Baggies 2 Heart - Rovers 2 Baggies 1 Boing Boing - Rovers 3 Baggies 2 with a last gasp in off the arse of Big Mak, after a sublime strike from Cantwell and another Japanese Banger from Yuki... COYB!!

This!

9 pages on a matchday thread AFTER winning... says it all really 😞 It was as dull as ditch water to watch, and we had about as much spark as a wet match at an underwater barbecue. Thank goodness we contrived to score. A clean sheet is a bonus too. Let's keep grinding out points towards safety though. Everything counts, in small amounts... Yuki looks a shadow of his previous self, Cantwell is like one of those flash teenager cars (all go faster stripes and a hifi more powerful than its engine) Big Mak neither fish nor (yet) fowl (or foul either). With Big Mak, I think we need to learn how to profit from his hold up and flick on play, and certainly not count on him in front of goal. Cantwell I think will come good, once he knows more clearly who he is playing with. Yuki needs another sight of goal, and I think he will roar back as a nemesis in this (bang average) division. Swansea looked even more laboured than we did at times, and contrived to give us more chances than we deserved. Not one for the scrap books, but not one for the scrap heap either. Onwards!

Swansea looking very tired just now. But there is no killer instinct from Rovers - typified by a couple of very weak efforts from Cantwell and JRC to reach or use the ball when in a good position..