Devon Rover

The formation change is probably appropriate in the circumstances as we'd very likely be thrashed with our usual formation and approach. But with the personnel, and no Cantwell to create anything, I really dont see it making a huge amount of difference. It's so bleak tuning in for what is most likely a routine defeat against Coventry bloody city. Getting ready to hide behind the sofa...

13 minutes ago, ... said:

It'll be on. It's not dropped near enough rain as it did the other week. The wind will help

Starting to come down heavily now, though. Enough hours of heavy rain ahead to waterlog the pitch. I'm still expecting a late call off, not least because officials, club etc will be desperate to avoid the embarrassment of another mid game abandonment.

10 minutes ago, arbitro said:

I would like to think that Rovers have a plan in place for an early pitch I inspection and have been liaising with the match referee. Given the early kick off the referee should be staying locally and for a 12.30 kick off would normally arrive around 10 am. He will do a preliminary inspection, look at an up to date forecast and speak to the ground staff.

With Stoke supporters leaving between 10-11 am I would hope this is factored in along with the other criteria.

I would say it really is touch and go right now but the referee needs to be decisive.

Would all make sense. We made the journey up last night. Would love to have a Rovers game to watch before we drive back to the south west - whatever the result.

Really frustrating, this. Some weeks ago I bought a couple of tickets to take my eight-year-old to his first game in a year. We are setting off on the 240 mile drive in a few hours, got a hotel booked, to watch the game tomorrow then drive 240 miles back. I can't not go as he will be devastated - especially if the game goes ahead. But there is clearly a likelihood that I'll have to manage the huge disappointment of getting all the way there just to wake up and have it called off. Really not sure what to do. But how ridiculous is it that we are probably the only set of fans thinking like this and fully anticipating our stadium not being fit to hold a full match, again.

I think I'll be risking it, as my son has been so excited for seeing Rovers again, despite my 'expectation management'!!

1 hour ago, chaddyrovers said:

               Toth

Alebiosu Miller Wharton Ribeiro 

               Tronstad TGH

Morishita  Cantwell  Hedges

                   Ohashi

Rovers 2-1  

There is a time for holding your nerve and sticking with something in the belief things will turn around. Then there is a time for making things change by trying something different. For me, we are in the second of those. The tactical approach this season isnt working. I would try something different to take control of a significant slump. That's an important part of a managers job and I think he needs to take meaningful action, now. But I agree that the team and formation above is probably what he will stick with again. 2-0 Stoke.

This is not intended to be negative, especially as I think those statements are very good. But what is the intended audience and influence for them? Until Glen kindly posted them above, I hadn't seen them. That's probably because I'm not a group member. But I would imagine it isn't group members who need to receive and read the statements but those of us outside them, and the media, if they are to have any effect. Have I missed those anywhere, in which case ignore me?!

3 minutes ago, Devon Rover said:

This might have been covered already but, genuine question, what is the "danger" to players in playing out the last 10 minutes of a match 16,000 people have paid to attend, on a pitch where the ball won't bounce or roll?

My 16-year-old plays football matches each Sunday on pitches that undulate and contain random holes. Occasionally the pitch, which has no designed drainage, becomes waterlogged during a game. Is that any more or less dangerous? Because they play to the end unless there is lightning. 

I'm a bit confused by the referenced to danger.

I should add: I don't think the decision to stop the game was wrong and it isn't the main issue in the grand scheme of things. Im just not sure a justification for it based on danger is necessarily helpful or appropriate. But I've asked the question because I may be misunderstanding. 

15 minutes ago, damo100 said:

Inability way I'm happy this pitch/drainage debacle occurred again yesterday.  

It was only a matter of time before this happened. 

The club (Venkys, Pasha) have known the drainage at Ewood has needed repair work for years, but as per unwilling to foot the bill.

The drainage system hasn't been addressed since the Redevelopment over 30 years ago.

This will undoubtedly lead to more national criticism in how our club has been mismanaged under their ownership.

 

It should, but it won't.

This might have been covered already but, genuine question, what is the "danger" to players in playing out the last 10 minutes of a match 16,000 people have paid to attend, on a pitch where the ball won't bounce or roll?

My 16-year-old plays football matches each Sunday on pitches that undulate and contain random holes. Occasionally the pitch, which has no designed drainage, becomes waterlogged during a game. Is that any more or less dangerous? Because they play to the end unless there is lightning. 

I'm a bit confused by the references to danger.

1 minute ago, benhben said:

Ive watched Gueye live enough times now to know hes truly awful. Its clear he'll never be any good at championship level. 

The only way I see him being effective is if the team was set up for him to minimise him having the ball at his feet. Direct style of play and Two wingers putting crosses in towards his head. Thats not gonna happen though. 

I'd rather sell for a fee and get cover in on loan. 

Agreed on ability and style of team that he'd need.

In terms of selling or loaning him - I don't really care, to be honest. Either way, we aren't going to use the sale money and/or wage saving to invest in the team. The money we have received from other sales in the transfer window (and previously) primarily subsidises and mitigates Venkys' losses and inability (unwillingness) to invest. In my mind, the more money we bring in through player sales, the longer Venkys can drag out the destruction of Blackburn Rovers. 

If we have to get rid of Gueye for financial reasons then, on balance and outside of the window, I'd favour loaning him out and hoping he finds a semblance of form that enables him to contribute something more to our team on his return. Because we aren't likely to replace him with anything much better.

3 hours ago, wilsdenrover said:

I think tomorrow is going to be (yet another) occasion where there isn’t time for the case to be heard. 

It is listed as case number 111 and the 24th which is a ‘supplemental matter’.

Supplemental matters are taken up when the court returns after lunch at 14:30 and the court finishes at 16:30 (Delhi time).

I think the word we’re all looking for is farcical.

That's definitely one word. I was thinking of the words "the lazy part-time bastards".

2 minutes ago, Herbie6590 said:

Never underestimate the amount of personal turmoil that this would load onto an individual. It's a load of grief to have your motives questioned & your morals/ethics dragged over the coals. 

It sounds great in principle...whistle blow, expose the club...but in practice it's incredibly time-consuming, expensive & emotionally draining. 

Totally agree. It is easy for any of us to comment on what departed staff should do but, having been in a similar position before, it can impact on your self-confidence, health, and anxiety levels about future career opportunities (if you have years ahead still to work). In my situation, I became nervous, withdrawn, and just desperately keen to find a way to move on. Blowing a whistle, or engaging a lawyer, were the last things I, or my family needed me to do. For others, it might be exactly what is needed to move on, but I think it's important not to judge what someone should or shouldn't do - even if it seems like the logical/ required thing. The greater good doesn't always come into it when it is family, health and mortgage payments on the line.

This is all desperately sad stuff, though, for all except those very senior at our club, Whilst they are here, it isn't my club.

3 hours ago, J*B said:

My officially unofficial "good enough or not good enough" ratings below, based on what I've seen over the last 12 months:

Good Enough

Toth

Alebiosu

Hyam

Mclouglin

Pickering

Tronny

Cantwell

Ohashi

Unknown

Michalski

Miller

Carter

Wharton

Tavares

Baradji

Henriksson

Tyjon

Miro

Not Good Enough

Montgomery

De Neve

Forshaw

Hedges

Kargbo

Gueye

I might have missed it but, "good enough" for what? Avoiding relegation, pootling around middle table, or pushing for playoffs/promotion? The lists of players considered good enough, or not, would, I assume, change based on the aspirations.

4 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

What would a 1 or 2 out of 10 require the players to do?

On field Balaji BJ.

9 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

1st half, we stopped them playing and creating chances. If you watch them against Ipswich, they had chances after chances. We never let that happened. Until the penalty incident, Birmingham created nothing of noted. Gray, Anderson, Stansfield and Kyogo did nothing all game. Our defending for the penalty incident is very poor and no way should he get in there. 

Of course that was good performance, well drilled, organised and playing to plan. Birmingham created nothing all game until Laird got the penalty. Even then we were pushing for the winner, Birmingham wasn't until that poor corner and how we defended it. 

On Cantwell, I thought that was good performance from him. Elliott Jackson and Rovers had his the player of the match and Elliott Jackson gave him a 8. Same as I did on here. Hyam, McLoughlin and Alebiosu were also very good.  

I couldn't give a flying monkeys what a neutral, stats don't tell you how the game went and what happened during the game. 

I think anyone who didn't think that was good performance and players playing to plan is bonkers and their seat must not be facing the pitch

But the players you list there, except Cantwell, are defenders. I don't think anyone would suggest it wasn't a good defensive performance (apart from the very, very poor errors in the last 10 mins or so). But in terms of attacking play, chance creation, and goals, we look a very poor team and it was another unimpressive performance, in that regard. That has to be a concern for everyone, as should three goals on target in two games. It isn't just a stat for which no monkeys should be flown. It is a basic, important, and meaningful indicator of where the team's definicies lie. Unfortunately it won't resonate with our owners so I guess it doesn't matter, but any supporter unconcerned about this major flaw in the team must be facing the pitch but not really seeing.

8 minutes ago, StHelensRover said:

Your analysis boiled down:

1st half, we didn't have a single shot on target so you've said we were compact and solid.

2nd half, you have said that Todd Cantwell's fortunate (but extremely well taken goal) was justification to make him captain of the football club. What? He didn't play Birmingham off the park. He was very average like everyone else, but a loose ball fell to him at a set piece, right place, right time. Great goal.

After that you say we were still really solid at defending despite the horrific defending which led to their penalty and the horrific defending that led to their winner. You're still trying to argue that the penalty was soft or whatever or that he was looking for it, he was tripped from behind. It was a clear penalty, clumsy from Miller but he had to try something as De Neve had let him straight in.

I cannot believe you think that was a good performance. Two shots on target, barely any possession, created nothing and defended poorly when Birmingham actually strung something together. If you got a neutral to read the stats, they would struggle to believe we played well. I've read the stats and watched the match with my own eyes, we did not play well. Anyone who thinks we did I think is bonkers.

Yes, i think that is three shots on target in 200+ minutes of Championship football. It is nowhere near good enough, yet no surprise based on the transfer dealings of the club. There is little to defend here.

19 minutes ago, M_B said:

That isn't how I saw it today,I couldn't see Birmingham scoring from open play whatsoever. It was Rovers over committing to the win which cost them. 

I'm talking about a recurrent habit of falling away and conceding defeat from the jaws of victory or useful points. It doesn't really matter what the pattern of play was, the result was the same.

4 minutes ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

Bad teams concede at the death regularly. Good team score at the death regularly. How long ago is it since we came from a goal down to win in the last ten minutes ? It must be years ago. 

I was thinking this, too. Going into the last 5 mins I felt sure City would have at least one big chance to get something from the game. And when it went to 1-1 with 10 extra minutes to play, I felt no confidence whatsoever that Rovers would strike back. There have been so many of our games that play out like this late in the match - and (virtually) never in our favour. That speaks not to refereeing, or 'luck', but to character, mindset, fitness, confidence, or all the above. The club has become overrun by losers and people who aren't good enough for whatever role they have, at all levels. We are a mess and I defy anyone to say administration and a fresh start would not be preferable to this horrific experience.

It just gets worse and worse. 

Leaving aside very poor refereeing decisions, this is the kind of throwing away we have seen from Rovers over and over in recent seasons. I'm sick of the whole club. 

I can't stand to watch. It's like being made to repeatedly watch cctv footage of your grandpa passing his trousers, tripping himself up, then getting mugged.

One shot on target in 100 minutes. Kargbo only got a limited time, in which he caused panic, Miller should be straight in and get Hedges out. 

Reasons to feel optimistic: few and far between beyond getting the above into the line up, immediately. 

How absolutely awful. A huge tragedy for his family. Monumentally less important, but he was also a superb footballer.

Whoever you are, whatever you achieve, it's all so fragile, isn't it? Very sad.

24 minutes ago, Ossydave said:

With Scott Carson leaving City, maybe they'll want to fill the void with Pears.....

I've no idea if any of our reserve keepers are remotely good but I can't see Pears wanting a full season playing second fiddle, can't blame him either at 27 he's in his prime. 

Loosest ever application of the word "prime", there!