Flat track bullies. Four points from a possible 15.

This game will be a good litmus test of the team's mental strength. As we know, in recent seasons we have faltered in the big games when there is more pressure on.

We need to shed the flat track bully label and lay down a marker for the rest of the season. 

10 hours ago, chaddyrovers said:

his pension pot will suffice? what a bizarre comment to make. 

You ever spoken to the manager and spent time listening to our manager in none match day setting. cos it a great listening to his experience and different situations he has been part of,

Like the other guy, you have interpreted my comment to literally. To clarify again, I don't think Tony is milking Rovers, (as has been the case with certain other managers). 

All I meant is that he is under very little pressure and, barring a very long and sustained run of poor results, he is safe with us sitting around in midtable, which on all the evidence is his ceiling.

He is in the comfort zone.

2 hours ago, Dreams of 1995 said:

This is such a stupid argument and far too many people use it on here. What does it even mean? Is it some dig because he’s an older bloke or summat? 
 

When you get up to work, get paid and x amount of quid gets shoved aside in pension contributions - what are you doing? You’re working until your pension pot suffices. What you’ve just tried to use as a bit of a dig at Mowbray is what every other working person is doing in life too. 
 

Mowbray has worked in football for over 40 years for fuck sake and there’s posters on here who do nothing but moan about how this is his “last pay day for the pension pot”. Get over yourselves. It’s another job for him, and if he did get sacked or does leave I have no doubt he’ll be back at another club in a matter of time, being paid and...shock horror....building his pension pot. 
 

What an evil sod 

A bit OTT. What I mean is that he's on a cushy number, compared to most other managers in Football. He is under very little pressure.

I certainly don't think he's "evil" and he's not been a failure in that he got us straight back out of League One.

However, all the evidence is that he's now reached his ceiling with us and it's highly unlikely he will take us any further, in spite of being well backed by the owners.

I don't begrudge Tony his pension, but it's time he was topping it up elsewhere if we have any ambition to move forwards.

12 hours ago, chaddyrovers said:

Paul Cook? 

I wouldn't want that dingle anywhere near the Blackburn Rovers manager chair. We had one ex dingle in the hotseat we don't need or want another in there, 

Stick by Mowbray. He is right manager for us. 

The problem with Coyle is that he was a busted flush with a managerial career in a tail spin, not that he was a former Burnley manager.

Mowbray is the right manager to keep us flattering to deceive and bumbling around mid-table until he decides his pension pot will suffice.

2 minutes ago, dingles staying down 4ever said:

Its a shame we haven't got wingers who can get to the byline and cross to a tall centre forward attacking the ball in the box. We are nearly there with this manager except we have a tall forward who should attack the ball in the air but appears to be afraid of his own shadow and plays wide and on Saturday we had a wide man who used to take on full backs and cross but we play him down the middle. We have the basics there for a plan B but slightly wrong now lets see if our manager can work it out.

I think Gallagher was a monumental waste of money, but if Mowbray wants to persist with him it certainly has to be in the middle. 

Armstrong's best position is also central. He never really looked comfortable out wide.

9 hours ago, 47er said:

This is the fear----that TM has , to his credit, assembled a squad that looks capable of challenging for promotion but may not be able to manage it so that it performs at its best.

Like Bowyer in fact.

The best managers are somehow capable of creating teams that are better than the sum of their individual parts. Brian Clough is probably the best example. Sir Alex is another.

When they left, or any of their players were transferred, those players never seemed to perform at their previous level. And, the obverse, particularly with Clough, players they signed seemed quite ordinary till he got to work with them.

 I agree TM is a plodder who doesn't seem to learn from his mistakes. Its incredible to me that he can continue to play Gally or Brereton wide. In truth he shouldn't be playing them at all and we should have a big, brooding presence in that penalty area who can fend off defenders and get the ball down to his smaller forwards, or actually score with a header, or who can shoot on sight with power. £12M should have got us someone at least remotely like that. When we play it always looks like something is missing up front.

Exactly. We only have one centre forward who is capable of scoring regularly, and he's not going to be winning the ball in the air. That is something that was not addressed during the transfer window.

2 minutes ago, superniko said:

One positive to take is that when (if?) everyone is fully fit 6 of that 11 will not be starting. 

I wouldn't be so sure. My worry is that Tony's tombola will be on overdrive this season, with so many players to choose from, (when fit).

5 minutes ago, The Mighty Chaffinch said:

When was the last time we nicked a 1-0 away from home in stoppage time? Regardless of how well Bell has played defensively in recent matches we have to get Douglas in straight away to give us something going forward. On another note, Chris Hughton has a hex over us. I may be imaging it but we hardly ever seem to beat his sides. I knew as soon as he was appointed we were in for some pain today. 

A bloke who will get Forest promoted. Meanwhile, we will continue to flatter to deceive.

7 minutes ago, Steptoe87 said:

Bad business getting Harvey Elliott in my eyes massive wage and he has an even bigger attitude problem bad business 

If his attitude was that bad he would not entertain joining a Championship club on loan.

1 minute ago, Exiled_Rover said:

Why the eulogy? It's only a loan deal.

Fair play to Orta, A nice touch, and surely it's highly unlikely (bearing in mind age etc) that Douglas will ever play for Leeds again.

Shortly after the appointment, I told a former colleague who's a Barrow fan that I thought it was a very odd and risky appointment, (eg the Oldham debacle).

Standing by my remarks.

12 minutes ago, Blue blood said:

 

Well that makes me feel a lot better. Was it just the European one that shut then? I guess that means no more taking advantage of the European scouting network. 

As I said I feel there is still a lot to do, so it's good that the  window hasn't fully closed. 

Two anticlimaxes for the price of one ?

We could still sign the Norwegian left back, as he's a free agent.

1 minute ago, Hoochie Bloochie Mama said:

It would seem there's already a £10m bid in for him, stinking out the place. If he stays injury free and in the striker spot then 20+ goals this season is highly likely. At the going rate for talented young strikers that bid would have to be doubled you would have thought - especially as he's English. 

Agreed, and the one thing about Venkys is they usually hold out for a higher fee.

Obviously, we want Armstrong to stay, and even if we did get offered silly money for him, it would be useless to us if we sell him at the death on deadline day.

Just now, Paul Mani said:

Yeah, he’s the obvious one mate and the most likely. I just don’t think they’d let him go right now unless they got silly money - like the Watkins sale...£25m+

Let's hope not.

Just now, Paul Mani said:

Hmm...I’ve reflected on what he said and I don’t think that’s the case. Hes saying is that he only has enough now to buy one player OR loaned two or three...if that’s the case then he actually can’t buy Manning because the squad needs a 2nd choice keeper more. His thought process being we have a first team LB and the likes of JRC or Bennett to cover but if Kaminski gets injured we’re literally down to Fisher.

Either way, I hope he’s bluffing because we need a LB and a Keeper minimum. The sales of King and Raya should release some more money as will any internal sales...wonder if someone might come and snatch Dack on the last day? If Ollie Watkins is worth £28m surely Dack’s worth £10-15m even coming off a bad injury? He’s every bit as effective as Benhrama, Watkins etc in the Championhip...wouldn’t surprise me!

I would think Armstrong is more of a candidate for a substantial, late bid.

Mowbray has been unable to set up a defence at any club he has managed. I'm not buying the conspiracy theories.

31 minutes ago, RovingRover said:

Part of me wish relieved we lost today because at least it will serve as a kick up the backside to Mowbray, Waggott and the owners to stop faffing about in the transfer market.

We couldn't see the window close with no defensive signings which I think would have been a real possibility.

We need a LB and 2 CB's sharpish. It's as simple as that.

No, no, no, everyone else is very naughty for playing the game with agents and getting deals done.

We are going to teach them all a lesson by having a sh*t defence (again).

That'll show them!

2 hours ago, Paul Mellelieu said:

That was then - we have little money now was my point.  The distant owners explains the rest of your points.  Please do read.

Well we were reportedly set to shell out the best part of a million on a defender.  Okay, that's not mega bucks, but it's still competitive in this division.

It's not all about the money, anyway. The way we always fold when there is something riding on a game epitomises the mentality instilled by Mowbray.

We do not have enough grit or a belief we can succeed.

As others have pointed out, our recruitment process appears to be too slow and on a one a time basis.

Re - the distant owners, I am just relating my points to the fact they are physically "distant".

Sorry if my reply came across as abrasive. I wasn't aiming it at you personally. Just my take on it.

8 minutes ago, OnePhilT said:

I didn't know Thomas Kaminski played for 'Boro!

He used to play violin for The Electric Light Orchestra, and Tony's a big fan.

Just now, islander200 said:

I seen a fella that looked like Chris Brunt standing outside the ground when I took the dog for a walk earlier

Well we do need someone to fill the obligatory 'Tony's old boy' role now Downing's moved on. 

22 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

Talking to players, clubs, agents according to Mowbray

Just what you don't want, Tony calling to waffle and talk in riddles for half an hour while you're having tea.

As long as we are such a soft touch in defence, and fail to win key games, (ie when the pressure is on), it would take Messi or Ronaldo to give us a chance of top 6.