Boing Boing Baggies v Rovers: 30th October 2018

[OnlyOneTugay]

Great result against all the odds . A team/squad full of battlers .

Up the Rovers

 

[Alan]

It’s still a strange starting setup. I hope the manager gives a post match summary to explain his thinking for leaving all his strikers on the bench and what the problem was with Rodwell.

 

[Drog]

Alan surely a point away at free scoring WBA still with plenty of Prem players on show surely negates any need to explain his team selection.
I suggested last week that once we had gone in front and the opponents stepped up a gear and had us on the back foot that Graham, Armstrong and Dack weren't putting any sort of a shift in defensively. Mowbray has obviously thought along similar lines, stiffened the midfield up, left a couple of strikers on the bench and given them all something to consider. Remember now that we have a very strong bench it's only fair to give those lads a chance when the form of someone in the team dips. If that wasn't the case then allegations of favouritism would start and he'd lose the camaraderie of the squad. As it is morale and togetherness seems very high throughout the squad.

 

[Wilpshire Blue]

Highlights
How the ref didn’t give that handball at the beginning is beyond me.
Cracking goal by Reed and some nervy goalmouth stuff at the end!
https://www.skysports.com/watch/video/sports/football/11537436/west-brom-1-1-blackburn

 

[Wilpshire Blue]

Raya in hospital
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/46005934

 

[geedog]

todays golden boys after meeting my two girls on Thursday

 

[geedog]

Rovers can confirm the following update regarding the condition of goalkeeper David Raya.

Rovers are pleased to report that, following treatment in hospital, David Raya is travelling back up to Blackburn tonight with a member of the club's medical department.

Rovers are hopeful that the injury is not as serious as first feared, despite David sustaining a broken nose and having several stitches to a facial wound.

A further assessment will be made by our club doctor over the weekend; we hope to provide a further update on Monday

 

[Drog]

That's good, but it'll be bloody sore for a day or two! 1st choice keeper and 3 first choice centre halves injured will prove to be a serious handicap. No idea how long each will be out but I'd imagine Downing and Williams will be detailed a little extra fitness work and excused match practice this week.

 

[Drog]

Highlights
How the ref didn’t give that handball at the beginning is beyond me.
Cracking goal by Reed and some nervy goalmouth stuff at the end!
https://www.skysports.com/watch/video/sports/football/11537436/west-brom-1-1-blackburn

Bell continues to do great things one minute and awful things the next. Dawson is no bigger than Bell but he showed much more desire to win that header. Bell may have had a hand on his shoulder but he never even left the ground did he? Given his height he's got to compete and be much stronger in those positions.
After that it appears from the highlights that the Rovers had the better of the chances in the match until we were down to 10 men with Smallwood in the nets. One incident apart when Rodriguez missed a sitter after failing to put the rebounded save from Raya away. Raya saved well tbh but when then ball initially ran free from Williams tackle it should have been his ball all day long as he had much less ground to cover than Rodriguez. Maybe being behind the penalty spot at the time he was standing a yard or two too deep in his goal.
First pen shout would have been given by many Refs as the defenders hands were in the air, away from his body plus he was about 10 yards away from Reed and should have been able to move them out of the way AND WBA gained control of the ball! I'm rather ambivalent about that guideline as it's mighty difficult to play football with your arms pinned to your sides. I'd have given it but it's taken me 2 viewings to come to that conclusion. It'd no doubt have been given against us though... or is my brfc persecution complex showing a little?
Second pen for the tackle on Palmer wasn't a pen imo as the defender must have got his foot to the ball to move it backwards from Palmer. The way refs are now though I'd wager that tackle would have been deemed a foul 9 times out of 10 if it was outside the box!

 

[Smells Like Kean Spirit]

Good to see Tony Mowbray is confident enough in the squad to make radical tactical changes, like leaving the strikers on the bench, and yet we can still come away from the Hawthorns with a point. Sounds like Armstrong played a blinder against Leeds but left the full backs exposed at Swansea. Mowbray must have known that Darren Moore and his WBA scouts will have taken note and was bold enough to shuffle the pack. Keeps everyone on their toes as well.

 

[Wilpshire Blue]

That's good, but it'll be bloody sore for a day or two! 1st choice keeper and 3 first choice centre halves injured will prove to be a serious handicap. No idea how long each will be out but I'd imagine Downing and Williams will be detailed a little extra fitness work and excused match practice this week.

Good thing we don’t have a midweek match for a change.

 

[Drog]

There is that. Don't know about Rodwell or Mulgrew but I'd imagine Lenihan should be OK.... on the basis that he only appeared to 'rick' his back / hip.

 

[Alan]

Alan surely a point away at free scoring WBA still with plenty of Prem players on show surely negates any need to explain his team selection.
I suggested last week that once we had gone in front and the opponents stepped up a gear and had us on the back foot that Graham, Armstrong and Dack weren't putting any sort of a shift in defensively. Mowbray has obviously thought along similar lines, stiffened the midfield up, left a couple of strikers on the bench and given them all something to consider. Remember now that we have a very strong bench it's only fair to give those lads a chance when the form of someone in the team dips. If that wasn't the case then allegations of favouritism would start and he'd lose the camaraderie of the squad. As it is morale and togetherness seems very high throughout the squad.

I still think that if you go into a match wIth NO strikers and leave three on the bench an explanation is necessary

 

[ABBEY]

The explanation is he picked a team good enough for a good point away from home...if a loss occured then explanation needed but none needed it worked .

 

[Alan]

I still think it would be good to hear what the manager’s thinking was to go into a match entirely devoid of strikers but yet put three on the bench. Far be it from me to say he was wrong but I’d like to know what plan he had in mind. It’s finished now so no need for secrecy from the fans.

 

[Drog]

I still think it would be good to hear what the manager’s thinking was to go into a match entirely devoid of strikers but yet put three on the bench. Far be it from me to say he was wrong but I’d like to know what plan he had in mind. It’s finished now so no need for secrecy from the fans.

Depends if you don't class our leading scorer as a striker or not Al. I do and tbh playing a 4-5-1 (more like a 4-2-3-1)is the best way to utilise the quite considerable attacking talents of Rothwell and Palmer. Alternatively in that system Graham could just as easily have been played with Dack on the bench. Furthermore we aren't privy to what the scientific and medical data collected by those harnesses is telling them.

 

[Alan]

Dack in my book is an attacking midfielder and not a striker. We the paying supporters are not privy to the scientific medical data which is why I would like Mowbray to explain his thinking to us. I never said he was wrong just that I believe that as paying suporters I feel that it would be proper to be told his thinking for such an unusual line up. I know you have attempted to make sense of it Gord but it is the managers thoughts that interest me and I do not understand why you don’t want to know what he was trying to do either. I mean tactically not just “trying to get a point”. Am I wrong to be interested?

 

[Steve Moss]

Ideally, every player is an attacker and potential scorer. Every player is a defender and potential ball winner. Leaving the "strikers" on the bench is not that concerning if TM thought the eleven players he sent onto the field could win the ball, keep possession and put it in the back of the net.

 

[Drog]

Mowbray "He added: “We made a few changes that we felt we needed to make."

I assume Al that given that WBA have been free scoring this season that he just thought needed a few more bodies in midfield who could put a tackle in when needed but with Rothwell and Palmer they are bodies that can break fast. I hope those two and Conway too have rewarded his faith in them.... seems from the LT that they have. Also it looks like Reed has seized the opportunity to start in the middle of midfield where he likes to be. That imo has just been a matter of time. Our very strong bench all of a sudden does not just provide replacement strength in depth it also provides tactical options.

Here's Rich Sharpe's opinions on the players.
https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co....-1-blackburn-rovers-1-player-ratings/?ref=mac

 

[Alan]

Thanks everybody for second guessing. I’ll wait. for Tony Mowbray’s thoughts too. Edit I tried to add a smiley but they don’t work on my phone. Roll on getting my laptop back from the repairers!