Brentford v Rovers: 2nd February 2019

[geedog]

Calm down everyone, yes its disappointing but dack, graham and evens all off injured... Not the day we wanted but on the up side it put pne a place lower to 18th so.......... Every cloud and all that!!!! Do you need a hug Alan?

 

[OnlyOneTugay]

This team has away days like this . Preston , Wigan , Bristol City and now Brentford . We take the rough with the smooth

Home next week and chance to put it right .

 

[Drog]

I don't know who is available but Mowbray's subs have always been a disaster,

Maybe timely to point out that Nuttall scored 30 seconds after coming on with his 1st touch a fortnight ago.

 

[khmerblue]

Jeez that was a kick in the nomads,but at least we won the rugby.

 

[geedog]

I think we can kiss the playoffs goodbye.

We are 4 points off 6 place!

 

[khmerblue]

Bitter defeat yesterday,we were all at sea even at 2 up,we may rue the chance off getting a decent full back or 2.Charlie back sat and normal service to resume.Still well placed and more than happy with our league position.

 

[Drog]

Bennett was murdered yesterday down their left wing. They had targeted him as the weak spot. No real excuse for 3 clean sheets (in fact 1 goal conceded in 4 all January) and then this! Perhaps the fact that 3 of our defenders yesterday started their careers in midfield could be a factor in these collapses. The worrying thing with the Rovers this season is the fact that once a goal has been conceded the leak often turns into a flood.

 

[Gav]

We lack that bit of mental toughness that comes with experience in my opinion Gordon, and the only way you gain that is to play games at this level.

We'll be in a much better position next season to mount a challenge.

 

[Drog]

Maybe timely to point out that Nuttall scored 30 seconds after coming on with his 1st touch a fortnight ago.

What I would agree with Al is that after being forced to sub a striker and an inside forward when defending a 1-2 lead away from home, Mowbray elected to significantly change the shape and formation of the team by going with 2 out and out strikers. Neither of whom we all know is up to the job at this level.
I know that I keep banging this drum but surely far better to have brought on Rothwell with either Nuttall / Brereton up front so that either he or Armstrong could play in Dack's role? The team shape and method would not have been changed and 4-5-1 is surely a stronger defensive unit than a 4-4-2? (perhaps that 2 might actually be described as 1 and a half). Lets be honest at this point .... we all know Rothwell is a 'player' at this level who is not so obviously out of his depth as the other two.

Now for the intrigue........... Is it my imagination or is Mowbray showing favouritism toward Brereton by taking opportunities away from Ewood to bring him into the picture? If so he is going down a dangerous path because any favouritism can quickly cause dissatisfaction and lack of respect within the dressing room for any manager. Respect is all and players aren't stupid in these matters. They know who should be in the team and who should not. Far better for any manager to admit to a mistake and emulate Bill Shanks at Liverpool who would play big money signings with the reserves for a season to learn the Liverpool way BEFORE allowing them to be selected for the 'Big Heads'. Even Keegan and Rush had to accept this mantra (btw first to avoid this Liverpool inauguration routine was Dalglish but that was only because Keegan had surprised them all by moving to Hamburg) By doing so he earned the respect of the newbie and maintained the respect of the rest of the squad.

 

[Drog]

We lack that bit of mental toughness that comes with experience in my opinion Gordon, and the only way you gain that is to play games at this level.

We'll be in a much better position next season to mount a challenge.

That is a school of thought that I used to agree with Gav but these days clubs like us who don't seize an opportunity when it is presented to them are picked off in the close season by big money rivals. If we don't get to the Prem this year then it's highly likely that we'll start next season without the likes of Dack, Reed, Travis, Armstrong and even Rodwell, Lenihan and Rothwell could be enticed away. Should we somehow get to the play offs and prevail we'll be in for a season of regular batterings and humiliation BUT the club would then be relegated to figure as one of the big money teams in the Championship ourselves.

 

[Wilpshire Blue]

This also had a significant effect on our goal difference.
We are the only team in the top half with a negative GD and we are a country mile behind the GD of teams currently in the play off places.
A good GD can be worth an extra point and as this season reaches its last third, we are on the wrong side of that equation.

 

[Barmitzvah Boy]

Well, not long back from. Brentford and 22 hours to mull over the game.

The first 10 minutes were magical, we had chances to make it 3 or 4 and the game would have been over. Brentford clearly did their homework. They crocked Dack and he was ineffective after that. They focussed on on RB (Bennett) who was left dreadfully exposed. Fans were crying out not to change our winning team following Hull, many of those same fans are crying out saying Nayambe should have replaced Bennett.....the life and times of a Rovers fan, you could not make it up how two faced and fickle some of our fans are.

What really angered me was the slating of Bennett on his personal Twitter account. Some our fans really are disgusting.

Meanwhile we had a great time in Brentford. Great fans and some really good, if not awfully expensive, pubs. Never mind the result..... a fun time was had by all.

 

[Drog]

Bennett was exposed I feel because Armstrong doesn't defend very well and leaves his full back (either side) exposed.

 

[steve w]

Bennett was exposed I feel because Armstrong doesn't defend very well and leaves his full back (either side) exposed.

I have been making that point all season, we seem to be trading off attacking potential against defensive duties, ok when we score 3, but not quite such a good plan in a tight game.
Further to an earlier post about player favouritism, I do wonder if our "team spirit" is a big factor in team selection. Bennett (much as I like him and his attitude) is being played out of position, and I wonder if that is because he "has" to play

 

[OnlyOneTugay]

Agree Steve .

I like the wide men / wingers to be as good without the ball as they are with it . If Bennett, a midfield player , is playing at right back , he needs Harrison Reed to play in front of him and help him out defensively.

What’s happened to our regular right back , Nyambe ? Is he injured or just out of favour ?

 

[Drog]

Seems that Mowbray is quite recently requesting that Armstrong and Reed switch wings through matches to test opposing full backs out. It's a tactic that I totally agree with and nothing to do with leaving Bell / Bennett / Nyambe exposed. That is down to Armstrong not being schooled or even not taking on board the need to get goal side of his opposite number and not to hang either full back out to dry. Defensive duties are the responsibility of every outfield player when the need arises. Man City under Pep are proving this completely.

 

[Gav]

Chapman is another one who doesn't like to get goal side.

One of the biggest criticisms when Chapman was here on loan was his inability to support the defense when the opposition had the ball. He was great going forward, exciting, but had no awareness of his defensive duties, so Mowbray has his work cut out to get him to slot in when we've not got the ball.

I would imagine thats the reason why Pulis didn't fancy him at Boro, he likes hard working industrious players, he usually has no places available for luxury players like Chapman.

 

[OnlyOneTugay]

Seems that Mowbray is quite recently requesting that Armstrong and Reed switch wings through matches to test opposing full backs out. It's a tactic that I totally agree with and nothing to do with leaving Bell / Bennett / Nyambe exposed. That is down to Armstrong not being schooled or even not taking on board the need to get goal side of his opposite number and not to hang either full back out to dry. Defensive duties are the responsibility of every outfield player when the need arises. Man City under Pep are proving this completely.

Switching Reed and Armstrong is a tactic that I don’t disagree with . However where you have a midfielder playing at right back , especially away from home , when the home team is much more likely to attack in numbers , you need you best wide man / winger to protect him / cover for him / help him out / double up .

I didn’t see the game, but from reports , Brentford targeted Bennett for the obvious reason that he’s not a specialist right back. To me it seems you therefore play your best defensive wide man in front of him , especially away from home .

Rovers have done better than I thought they would this season and Mowbray deserves every plaudit . He’s turned the team & club around . As I said in a earlier post , get to 50 points and everything else is a bonus . However to push to the edge and into the play off positions Rovers need to defend much better . I’m surprised that Mowbray, as an ex defender , doesn’t seem to prioritise that area . That’s why the signing of Chapman didn’t thrill me .

I doubt teams managed by the likes of Dyche , Allardyce , Pullis , Warnock et al would have been beaten after going 2-0 up at Brentford, never mind let 5 in .