Tyrone Shoelaces

Talking about individual players in isolation is a pointless exercise unless we’ve decided on a coherent way of playing. Then we can decide what we need to sign in the way of players to fulfil the plan. I don’t think Mowbray works that way though. He just collects players first and then just shoehorns them into some in-effective system.

I was just looking through some old “Last Sports “cuttings. Anybody remember the little cartoon character Sam in the “ Sam Says “ strip that was always in the “ Last Sports “ ? He was a typical old Lancastrian chap with a soup strainer moustache and a flat cap with a big Rovers rosette on his chest. He always had a pithy remark in broad Blackburnian for right after the game. One or two - After we’d beat Sheffield Wednesday easily 3-0 -“ Yon owls played like they’d bin up all neet”. After a great 5-5 draw with Arsenal - “ Ah’ve had to check in’t Sports to believe Ah’ve sin such a crackin’ game. After thrashing Leeds 4-0 in the League Cup - “ I towd tha last weeks win weren’t a fluke “ After a dull 1-1 home draw with bottom club Leyton Orient - “ Trust t’rovers to mek a hash of easy meat “.

I think if Rhodes had have been on the end of all the chances Armstrong has had this season he would have had about 40 odd goals to his credit. The down side is he wouldn’t have got to some of the chances in the first place.

Yes I agree with that. My point about some Prem clubs allegedly wanting Armstrong and yet never wanting Rhodes lends a bit of weight to my argument though.

...... or brains.

That’s what gets me down about Mowbray, there’s absolutely no passion in anything he says. Radio Lancs interviewer - “ What did you make of today’s game Tony . “ Mowbray - Long pause as the gears in his brain start to turn over. Sucks his teeth. Then a slow stream of platitudes that never make a lot of sense emerge. It’s as though he’s being asked if his piles are still bothering him ! He’s just a joy free zone.

Yeah getting dropped is bad enough but getting dropped for somebody you know isn’t as good is a real pisser.

I look at it like this - are we likely to replace him with a better player ? If as I suspect the answer is no we aren’t, we need to keep him.

I was reading a report of the Derby v Owls game today in the “ Sunday Observer “ and this piece struck home for me. “ You tirelessly run the channels for 46 games, only to be relegated on a technicality. You invest your time and emotion and your iFollow subscription, but you are powerless to stop the club you cherish being mismanaged into the dirt. Grief is the price you pay for love. Despair is the price you pay for hope. But for the growing number of clubs in the dungeon of English football, the equation between hope and despair has never been so cruelly weighted. A life of eternal serfdom to the Premier League giants: that’s the best case by the way. Meanwhile your wage bill is 130% of turnover and there are still no fans in the stadium “.

If I had to choose between Armstrong or Rhodes it’d be Armstrong every time for me. Premier League clubs are seriously interested in Armstrong, none of them ever gave Rhodes a second glance.

What other answers are there ?

He’s got great pace, good athleticism and physical size, and decent defensive ability. You’d think he could make a good Champ level centre back in the fullness of time. He hasn’t and probably won’t because his heading ability isn’t up to the job. Most of us realised that years ago when he first came into the team. Why is that still the case now ? Why hasn’t it been worked on. Why has inability to jump and keep his eyes open at the same time been improved upon ?

The bloke at Bolton has worked wonders there.

I see Weds started with Rhodes but subbed him off in the second half.

Let’s not get carried away. This is a really under strength big club side.

it’s worth I try. I would expect if you asked the two players concerned where they’d like to play that would possibly be it.

That team would walk this League and be good enough to beat most of the bottom third of the current Premier League.

Left back.

It’s a cup final for Rotherham and a nothing game for Cardiff.

In all the time I’ve been watching Rovers I can’t recall a left back less capable of keeping a winger quiet than Bell. He just watches his opponent cross the ball in as though it’s nothing to do with him.

According to a pal of mine Stoke have made a serious bid for Stephen Humphreys, the Rochdale striker. We were supposed to be interested in him a month ago, along with half of the championship clubs. Swansea are also in the bidding apparently.

Years ago the Rugby League correspondent of my local club was banned by the clubs directors because of his criticism of the way the team was performing. He took to paying at the turnstiles in a disguise to be able to report on the matches.

I’ve been an avid fan of “ Line Of Duty “ over the years. It started out brilliantly with series 1 and has usually provided some gripping TV. However I thought it had run it’s course at the end of the last series. I haven’t watched the latest series in spite of my wife watching it.

Pears might have better taste in home furnishings.

If you like Soul music and Motown his show is a must listen.