LDRover

Get in!!!!

Superb goal from Rothwell

Said earlier in the thread that Holtby has become less effective due to the opposition pressing the defence and blocking the ball into midfield. I feel today Brentford will play their own game and not just try to nullify us as the onus is on them to dictate meaning we'll get more space. Without Holtby we'll struggle to dictate any play and I'm calling it now that we're going to struggle.

I think our downturn in performance level over the past 2 games has been down to the opposition nulliifying us playing out from the back by blocking the ball into midfield. I reckon Brentford will play their own game and we'll see less of the ball and this will suit us. Press them, win the ball up the pitch and get at them from there. Also think we will get more opportunity to play and they will be more open. I'd expect Holtby to have more time and that will be key as long as he is alongside Rothwell and Johnson is on a going day. I don't rate Da Silva for them too highly - too slow in possession - and I reckon we can get at them. Defensively we need to be on it and the comparison of keepers will be interesting to say the least. Go in there and play our game and I don't see us losing.

I was one that completely wrote him off after his first 6 months here. Although I'm not going to slurp the Kool aid and say he's worth every penny yet I will certainly concede that he's a useful player for us now. He looks strong and has a bit about him with his back to goal. Still needs to work on his first touch and not go to ground so easy but the change has been like night and day.

I think you have to recognise that in the last 2 games both teams have cut off the ball into him through the high press as he's been identified as our playmaker. Prior to that, he was controlling games. That said, we have to find a way of combatting it so we need another playmaker in there or a way of going front to back and winning second balls up the pitch.

He he get in!!!!

I've no idea what those subs were meant to achieve.

Brilliant, brilliant brilliant from Harvey. He's a cut above this level that boy.

Being outplayed at the moment, winning no 2nd balls

I was at their 1st qualifying round match at Frickley where they were lucky to win 1-0 with a late goal. Good luck to them.

If natural level is partly down to the owners' wealth then there is no way we're mid table championship. Furthermore, Leonard's point was about competing in this league before we had any significant cash injection. We were serial play off contenders season on season in the late 80s with a record signing of £90,000. If Mowbray had us at that level now some would want the stadium naming after him.

Ben Whiteman has bagged a brace for Donny at Carlisle.

Those Norwich absentees are horrendous for them. A full front line out and their 3 main midfielders in Hernandez, Cantwell and McLean. Add to that the keeper and full backs I count 8 players who would have probably started. No way I'd have stuck them in my acca if I'd have known that.

Indeed. Even when we were absolutely borassic we still troubled the top end of this league with Smith, Saxton and Mackay. Also, the standard in this division was higher then as the top league teams had smaller squads and didn't mop up the lower league talent to sit on their bench. This is what riles me so much when I read of natural levels which are anything but.

Well it has been hard to digest what has happened over the last 10 years

Good win against good opposition. No stand out performances for me apart from Kaminski but the type of results that successful teams get over the course of a season. Need to follow up on Wednesday with 3 points then we are very much in the hunt.

Superb from Elliott and Nyambe, brilliant finish from Arma. Better for us to go more direct as they have the legs on us.

Look at the way they let the centre halves keep the ball and then push 2 on the full backs once it goes wide. Playing on the fact they are so poor on the ball and it's working. Need to sacrifice this playing out and go longer.

I'll start to worry when he's Mr January in the rovers 2021 calendar

Agreed. You'd get the odd day when it wasn't below freezing in July.

And to think on reading the team for the Luton game there were those who didn't even consider his absence or have him in our best 11. I'm not sure there's a better midfielder in this league.

Great performance this, absolutely bossing it Rothwell and Holtby unplayable. But how bad are PNE?

What a bad un that Rafferty is. Never the same since Baker Street fell out of the charts.

I'm with you on the clean sheet den. Problem is whenever we set up hard to beat it is to the detriment of any attacking threat. Then we'll generally throw an individual mistake in and concede anyway. Mowbray has never been able to strike the balance between defence and attack and, after over 4 years, I suspect (well, know) he never will.