5 minutes ago, MarkBRFC said:

You have missed out the entire 09-10 season in that post!

 We lost all four away games, but the results at Ewood that season were as follows...

 Liverpool home - 0-0

 Chelsea home - 1-1

 Man Utd home - 0-0 

 Arsenal home - 2-1

 Give the guy some credit, he had us really difficult to beat at Ewood.

  

I certainly did, good catch!

7 minutes ago, USABlue said:

I think you are confusing Allardyce's Rovers with Hughes'. If I recall it was his team that Wenger stuck on us the infamous Bully Boys tag.  I was so proud.

 Didn't Allardyce often use games against big clubs as throwaways.  Not sure what our actual record was against these teams but I do know, as many others do that Big Sam had preferred games.

 Remember before Sam was actually hired when Hughes left?  Sam's name was being mentioned as a replacement for Hughes and there was a campaign to NOT hire him.  Based on that JW made the Ill fated decision to give Ince the gig.

Allardyce's results against Manchester U, Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal:

21 Feb 2009: Man Utd - Rovers 2-1

14 Mar 2009: Arsenal - Rovers 4-0

11 Apr 2009: Liverpool - Rovers 4-0 

16 May 2009: Chelsea - Rovers 2-0

28 Aug 2010: Rovers - Arsenal 1-2

24 Oct 2010: Liverpool - Rovers 2-1

30 Oct 2010: Rovers - Chelsea 1-2

27 Nov 2010: Man Utd - Rovers 7-1

0 points out of 24 possible. It is what it is, it wasn't easy taking points from those teams, but I think this supports that he targeted "winnable" matches and let other ones go. 

I like that midfield trio, but not the players in front of them. 

Well, the one positive thing is that our unbeaten run is intact, as that was dreadful all around. Even Walton, with his two good saves towards the end, looked shaky throughout the rest of the game.

While he didn't exactly turn the game around, I feel Holtby showed that he needs to be in the team when fit as he's our best passer and decision-maker in the final third as well as offering effective solutions further down the field.  

Terrible 45 minutes, Wigan not much better mind... If this proves anything it's that Tosin needs to play every minute of every game, on crutches if need be. Think we would be well served by Holtby's composure on the ball in the second half, everyone else is currently just hoofing it away or slowly advancing util they run into an opposition defender. 

21 hours ago, OnePhilT said:

It's great to have won in this manner, but I think we need to recognise how easily it could have been different. Bristol City had three clear chances to equalise in the first-half, and even in their awful second-half performance, they had a glaring opportunity to do the same. We are (whether we like it or not) fortunate that it didn't happen, and we went on to capitalise to make it 2-0.

I've no doubt that Mowbray will be looking at one or two of those events in order to work on it, because we're far from comfortable winners of any given match. Not being negative, but the nerves I had throughout our slender lead are justified, I think!

It was hardly a barrage against Walton though, it seems harsh to expect the opposition to not create a single goalscoring opportunity. And they were only awful because we frustrated them and didn't let them play any better.  

5 hours ago, davulsukur said:

It was a cracking strike.

I really wonder what's happened here with him. I was expecting him to be a great signing, he started well enough and then his performances went down hill.

He was dropped and was out of the team for a while. Just poor performances? Attitude? Both?

I've seen a tendency in him to play for himself rather than the team in central midfield, I.E he's tackling, shooting, passing and dribbling but without much thought or positional sense for such an important position. He was toned down today and had plenty of defensive support in midfield from Travis, Bennett and Holtby, and looked much better. 

Fantastic away performance, locked down the middle of the pitch tightly and forced Bristol out on the flanks, where they ran into the immense Nyambe and Bell again and again. I was also impressed with Holtby's class mixed with defensive toughness and Johnson's calm performance, miles away from the maverick midfielder he's looked like up until now. Only disappointment was Brereton, who didn't play disastrously but looks devoid of confidence as well as afraid of being injured. Looks more and more like he should be loaned out to League 1 or somewhere in Europe to give him a proper chance to build himself up again. 

I had a memory of Grabbi going on a good scoring run in our UEFA cup qualifiers right before we finally sold him, and thinking "maybe he should have gotten another chance after all?" Turned out it was all of one goal, against CSKA Sofia.

Ruiz Jr is a scary opponent, even when massively overweight (even for him) and facing an opponent who's physicality easily kept the Mexican at a comfortable distance and allowed for easy rounds from jabs, he always looked like he could seriously hurt Joshua if he got a chance. Came close a couple of times as well. Would have been a career-ender for Joshua, and for me he looked like he was still fighting demons from their last match throughout all 12 rounds. If he's so scared of Ruiz' hooks, how will he handle Wilder's cross? 

Has Evans just hit a purple patch, or has Mowbray found a perfect role and midfield partner for him? Most of the Rovers team I've seen throughout the years have tended to play better when there's one dedicated defensive midfielder in the side. 

On 26/11/2019 at 22:58, jim mk2 said:

Lewandowski 4 goals for Bayern so far tonight......Sam had him lined up for Rovers before he was potted

Probably because there was a fat brown envelope in it for him... Allardyce is good at what he does, but him being retroactively contrasted against the corrupt Venkys as a trustworthy, dependable good 'un is wholly undeserved. He's a proven corrupt grifter that stands out even among his generation of managers. 

1 hour ago, chaddyrovers said:

Very good enjoyable win. 

1st half was boring from both teams. Discussion at Half time was about we need a change of manager and who could we get realistically. We started formation 4-1-4-1 with Travis in front of the back 4 with Dack and Holtby in centre mid then on 33 mins Mowbray changed it and went 4-2-3-1 with Armstrong and Holtby wide, Dack in 10 role and Travis and Downing in centre midfield. . 

Second half we played well and deserve to win tbf. Hutchinson in centre midfield marked Dack out of the game second half and stop Dack playing. Tosin header was a good goal by him and Buckley shot wasn't going in but don't shoot don't score. Tosin was excellent today and show how good he really is. 

Players are right behind the manager and show their fighting spirit now. Lets hope we can go on unbeaten run now. 

Walton not fault for the Sheffield Wednesday's goal. Totally and utter unfair to blame him. Our defenders don't react to the deflected cross. Back 4 played well today. Nyambe impressed at centre back. 

very enjoyable night now

How many times have we tried a new tactic only for it to fail and then revert to 4-2-3-1? It's the formation the squad is made up for, I have no idea why Mowbray insists otherwise. This needs to be a true turning point for the season, Mowbray still very close to the sack for me.

On 20/10/2019 at 00:12, joey_big_nose said:

We are a frustrating team. We have a very technically strong team for this level who play good football when on song. Downing, Holtby, Dack can all really play, and I think Armstrong is better than people give him credit for. 

 But we lack consistency, heart and desire. We always look like we can concede soft goals and frequently do, even if the opposition aren't creating chances. It's been like that for a long long time now.

...while players like Williams, Lenihan, Cunningham and Nyambe are all at best OK at this level (jury is still out regarding Adarabioyo). Mowbray's non-prioritizing of our defense before this season is costing us, and will continue to do so.

Dack is strong as an ox, not many players as skilled as him could have shaked off two defenders and turned to shoot like he did for the second goal. MiIlwall and Reading aren't top tier opposition, but comfortable wins against lesser opposition is not to be taken for granted, and the squad looks deeper than it has for a long time. Get one of Graham or Gallagher firing, and things would start to look really hopeful.  

Good show by Wallin there, showed an iron chin and gave Fury a bit of a scare in the 12th. Still, I doubt he'll ever get a better chance than meeting Fury with a profusely bleeding cut from the third round forward, and he still never really looked close to shaking him before that final onslaught. 

*Players grabbing the ball with their hands when they go down from a perceived foul before the ref has blown the whistle. 

*Strikers taking corner kicks just because they like kicking dead balls and have the status to demand it. Regardless of heading ability they should be in the box instead. 

Oh, and that it's long since turned into a capitalist joke/nightmare on most levels, but that's been fairly well covered in the thread already. 

Just now, BRFC4EVA said:

Frustrating on so many levels. I actually think it's quite important to progress as much as possible in the cups, because it gives as many opportunities as possible (in a competitive but relatively pressure free environment) for the young players like Buckley, Chapman, Grayson, JRC etc to play. When are these guys going to get the next chance to play now we're out?

 Selection:

 1.) Why play smallwood? Clearly not good enough. I understand resting Johnson, but travis? He's 21 and will want to play as much as he can, playing tues/sat is not an issue at that age. Should have been Evans with Travis

 2.) Why play Buckley on the right. Dack picks up knocks, rest him and play Buckley central and then Chapman on the right.

 3.) Why is Armstrong taking pens?!

The game was there for the taking and if we had scored that pen, would have gone on to comfortably win I think. The positive is dominating a prem team who despite the changes had more money on the pitch then our whole club is worth.

4.) What possible reason was there to not play Walton in goal?

1 hour ago, USABlue said:

His Vagina is acting up.

Being a woman, or like a woman, is bad! Hilarious!

Long stretches of the game had very little organized play from either side, but I was impressed with how well we controlled play and held out for the last 15 minutes or so, Hull never even looked threatening during that crucial period. Not sure we'll get away with trading counterattacks with other teams for a whole season though, just like Mowbray I suppose I'd like to see us play our way towards goal a bit more. 

*Johnson is a madman, running, tackling, crossing, shooting, losing the ball and causing penalties all in one game. No wonder Travis is much more subdued beside him than he was last season. Very entertaining to watch, but the jury is still out on whether he'll cause us trouble in the long run.

*Our attacking four had some good individual performances, but they still look like a bunch of square pegs in round holes at times. Gallagher did a good job playing as a traditional, hard working winger, but is that really the best use of his abilities?

*Really liked the look of Cunningham, good mix of attacking and defending capabilities. Bennett had a harder time, but then he was up against one o the league's best wingers in Grosicki. He's another player who doesn't look like he's a good fit for the position and system.  

*Three points away from home against decent opposition. Onwards and upwards. 

Not much organized play from either side, some good counter attacks though. Cunningham, Dack and Downing have all been good but we're desperate for a proper striker for them to aim for, Armstrong has been completely ineffectual when not running the channels. 

Just now, Bigdoggsteel said:

Got my little Sky sports pass on Now TV for €58 for 3 months. Bargain!  

 Will be glued tonight. Really looking forward to it. 

Same here! Gearing up for disappointment, although in a purely objective sense I think this game has the makings of a draw. In light of Mowbray's comments think we'll see Gallagher as a striker rather than Graham.

I really like the third shirt, especially with the all white badge. It doesn't look right with the same color shorts though, should have been white or black. 

Just now, Gavlar Somerset Rover! said:

Sorry if someone has already posted it, but Sharpe reckons Smallwood is going nowhere as will fight for his place. Everything wrong with us right there. No room for sentiment - thank him for his service and ship him out.

If he won't accept it himself it's not much the club can do though, besides paying him off of course.

On 29/07/2019 at 11:34, jim mk2 said:

Classic Mowbray, overthinking it and making a simple game more complicated than it need be.

Matt Busby understood it. Send out your best players and let them get on with it. 

Will the Rovers players understand Pep Mowbray's latest tinkering? Highly unlikely I'd say.  

Matt Busby plied his trade 60 years ago, things change. If everyone just send out their best players and let them get on with it, the team with the better players (i.e the most money) wins every time. Why not try to counteract that with a resource that doesn’t cost a penny and can move mountains if applied correctly?