Who would blame Bradley. The manager has obviously taken a dislike to him.
-
NEXT GAME:no idea
Sometime in August
Kick off unknown pm
No idea where
Definitely the Championship
Rovers v ‘Big Club’ Birmingham City
- Thread starter Barmitzvah Boy
- Start date
Bit of good music to open today. I usually hum the strap line and chorus to the face looking back at me in the shaving mirror every morning. However I’ve a feeling JDT has adopted my ‘anthem’ of late.
(62) Electronic - Getting Away with It (Lyrics) - YouTube
Just how tf we are doing it I don’t know. Our blunt instruments up top have finally grown into the promise that Tony Mowbray saw in them all that time ago. Is it perhaps fair to say that if they’d done it from the off the Premier League dream might not have eluded him. The price to pay though is shredded nerves and chewed finger nails for the Ewood faithful! Not that there are too many of those these days. Whenever I’m standing at a bar..... which is reprehensibly most days a week.... people I know will come up to me for a chat and the opening topic isn’t the weather, Ukraine or the suicide merchants in the Tory party, it’s the Rovers! My usual retort is buy a ticket and see for yourself before attempting to explain how we are currently joint top after 17 matches without falling out with anybody. Unfortunately most of their faces cloud with a little shame / regret / reluctance at my suggestion when in all fairness I’d say 90% of them just can’t face asking the wife if they can have a season ticket! Wives of course see BRFC as not only an unnecessary expense but also as a love rival! Think about it. Perhaps I should suggest them asking the wimp that is staring back in their shaving mirror every morning! I think most will prefer to avoid a row by writing to Father Christmas. Unfortunately this sounds like I am expecting the Rovers to continue with this extraordinary winning run when in all honesty I am not! Performances like the ones at Luton, Sheff Utd, Cardiff etc and of course the aberration at Wigan will not allow me to believe we should be lording it at the top. So JDT... which Rovers is the real one which will ultimately hold control over the opther? Is it the Dr Jeckyll or Mr Hyde variation?
I must at this point say that the Premier League is a must if we are to rid ourselves of at least some of our massive debt which hangs over us constantly like the legendary sword of Damocles, but for me the best Division in the nation is the Championship. I tire or writing ‘play bad and you’ll lose’ to describe the Championship but it’s true as our seven losses will testify. Just to add context the last time we were promoted from the Championship way back in 2000/2001 we recorded just 7 losses all season! This season it’s proving a real roller coaster for us. Fortunately our last three victories have been against teams who have lost key players to injury (and a Manager in Boro’s case) whilst our own Manager has had virtually a full squad (minus Ayala) to select from. Perhaps the injuries yesterday to Gallagher and Hedges (and possibly others) will find us out away to Hull City next Saturday?
Whatever happens it is all adding up to an enthralling season. Not just for us either as I am now seeing visiting teams to Ewood Park bringing quality passing play to our home matches rather than the more usual away version of defend / long ball in the air /defend approach which has been a trademark of the Championship for seemingly eons. Sunderland gave us a thorough testing on Tuesday night and Brum yesterday were probably the best Birmingham City team that I have seen for many a year as our MoM award to Kaminski will testify. Birmingham turned up on the back of 9 Championship points from just 6 away games and we could all see why, I counted 5 saves each of which could have passed a keeper of lesser ability. I hope the Dutch scouts were there because we could have another big draw should he be tempted away by one of the big boys.
So a wins a win and that’s another three points to safety from relegation despite again being victimised by the Bastard in Black yet again.... I’m aware that I’ve had criticism on here for occasionally being unfair to Referees (despite balance provided by frequently awarding good marks to decent Referees) but is there a worse Referee in the lists than Gavin Ward? Every appearance by him ends with a chorus of booing and frequently from both sets of supporters. The man is a menace and a disgrace to his trade.
Kaminsky.... 9 No chance with the goal which came from Hyam getting his feet mixed up but what a performance! At least 4 or 5 ‘worldies’ to employ a frequently overused description.
Carter.... 6 He along with the entire defence was put under much pressure by a Brum team who had done their homework on our vulnerabilities very thoroughly. He, Hedges and our right side clearly being seen as our weakness defensively by Brum as much of their first half attacks came from their left side.
Hyam... 7 Another who didn’t shine as well as he has been doing of late.
Wharton S... 7 Perhaps needs to get back to doing the simple things well as a number of telegraphed passes to tightly marked colleagues almost ended in disaster.
Hedges.... 7 (See Carter above) JDT still going with Hedges left foot in the right wing back position. Does many good things and has grown into surely being one of the first names on the team sheet but frequently displays too much reliance of his left peg.
Pickering... 6 Restored to his position as left wing back after recovering from injury.
Morton.... 7 Not allowed the time and space that he got on Tuesday night (another bit of good work by Birmingham’s scouts) but the lad from Livvie is proving to be a class act.
Wharton A 7 Preferred to the recent good form of Szmodics and scored a cracker second goal just before HT to allow us all a rare relaxed HT break. T
Travis... 7 Watch out Trav.... the kids are coming! Good old Lewis now back from suspension can always be relied on to be our regular midfield growler but (and I’m not being unkind) does not possess the raw talent and creative ability of our recent Academy products.
Gallagher...7 Opened the scoring (how could he miss from Mortons pass) after confusing the Brum defence by switching wings with BBD. A lad who finally seems well able to use his height and bulk to our advantage. Made more than one headed clearance from Birmingham’s dead ball situations.
BBD.... 6 Didn’t score for once and possibly worth a 7 but I can’t give him the same marks as Gallagher for this match. Future Quiz question.... who can recall a BBurn Rovers striker whacking a shot at goal straight out of play for an opposition throw in on the opposite wing in two successive home matches? I don’t think even Beamo managed that feat! He’ll be jealous today no doubt.
Subs
Garrett (Wharton 61) 6 Bit of a mystery this. Wharton was having a decent match but did JDT see Garret as better defensively when Brums midfield was growing in influence?
Phillips (Hedges 65) 6 Introduced as Hedges injury forced him out of action. Rovers reverted to a back four from then on.
Vale (Gallagher 85) 6 Brought on as Big Sam limped off. There is a good player here but he really does need a couple of goals. Shows a quick brain in his attempts to play colleagues through on goal.
Dolan (BBD 85) 5 Without Szmodics available it was obviously Dolan’s instructions were to use his energy and none stop effort to close Birmingham’s defenders down quickly and prevent them building from the back. Also JDT must have spotted the distance that Ruddy was coming of his line and wanted to either exploit it or put a stop to him squeezing the game into our half in those final tense minutes.
Manager JDT 7 Picked a team to do a job and it did. Another 3 points but after Hogan put Brum back in it on 80 mins it made for a very twitchy ending with the crowd aware that QPR were 2-1 up v Wigan and Burnley had come back from 0-2 down at Sland to lead 2-3.
Might be best advised to get the players to look for a safe ball and avoiding playing too many passes in ever decreasing triangles and ending up losing possession just outside our own box. Still with an average age of 22 it is a learning curve.
Referee Gavin Ward... 2. Best thing he did 1SG was wake up the Blackburn End’s vocal chords with ‘You’re not fit to referee’ before there was 30 mins on the clock! Most comical moment and one that should be viewed at referee HQ was Scott Wharton almost being t de-bagged 10 yards in front of Ward and somehow the numpty allowing play on before giving a free kick for Brum two seconds later!
(62) Electronic - Getting Away with It (Lyrics) - YouTube
Just how tf we are doing it I don’t know. Our blunt instruments up top have finally grown into the promise that Tony Mowbray saw in them all that time ago. Is it perhaps fair to say that if they’d done it from the off the Premier League dream might not have eluded him. The price to pay though is shredded nerves and chewed finger nails for the Ewood faithful! Not that there are too many of those these days. Whenever I’m standing at a bar..... which is reprehensibly most days a week.... people I know will come up to me for a chat and the opening topic isn’t the weather, Ukraine or the suicide merchants in the Tory party, it’s the Rovers! My usual retort is buy a ticket and see for yourself before attempting to explain how we are currently joint top after 17 matches without falling out with anybody. Unfortunately most of their faces cloud with a little shame / regret / reluctance at my suggestion when in all fairness I’d say 90% of them just can’t face asking the wife if they can have a season ticket! Wives of course see BRFC as not only an unnecessary expense but also as a love rival! Think about it. Perhaps I should suggest them asking the wimp that is staring back in their shaving mirror every morning! I think most will prefer to avoid a row by writing to Father Christmas. Unfortunately this sounds like I am expecting the Rovers to continue with this extraordinary winning run when in all honesty I am not! Performances like the ones at Luton, Sheff Utd, Cardiff etc and of course the aberration at Wigan will not allow me to believe we should be lording it at the top. So JDT... which Rovers is the real one which will ultimately hold control over the opther? Is it the Dr Jeckyll or Mr Hyde variation?
I must at this point say that the Premier League is a must if we are to rid ourselves of at least some of our massive debt which hangs over us constantly like the legendary sword of Damocles, but for me the best Division in the nation is the Championship. I tire or writing ‘play bad and you’ll lose’ to describe the Championship but it’s true as our seven losses will testify. Just to add context the last time we were promoted from the Championship way back in 2000/2001 we recorded just 7 losses all season! This season it’s proving a real roller coaster for us. Fortunately our last three victories have been against teams who have lost key players to injury (and a Manager in Boro’s case) whilst our own Manager has had virtually a full squad (minus Ayala) to select from. Perhaps the injuries yesterday to Gallagher and Hedges (and possibly others) will find us out away to Hull City next Saturday?
Whatever happens it is all adding up to an enthralling season. Not just for us either as I am now seeing visiting teams to Ewood Park bringing quality passing play to our home matches rather than the more usual away version of defend / long ball in the air /defend approach which has been a trademark of the Championship for seemingly eons. Sunderland gave us a thorough testing on Tuesday night and Brum yesterday were probably the best Birmingham City team that I have seen for many a year as our MoM award to Kaminski will testify. Birmingham turned up on the back of 9 Championship points from just 6 away games and we could all see why, I counted 5 saves each of which could have passed a keeper of lesser ability. I hope the Dutch scouts were there because we could have another big draw should he be tempted away by one of the big boys.
So a wins a win and that’s another three points to safety from relegation despite again being victimised by the Bastard in Black yet again.... I’m aware that I’ve had criticism on here for occasionally being unfair to Referees (despite balance provided by frequently awarding good marks to decent Referees) but is there a worse Referee in the lists than Gavin Ward? Every appearance by him ends with a chorus of booing and frequently from both sets of supporters. The man is a menace and a disgrace to his trade.
Kaminsky.... 9 No chance with the goal which came from Hyam getting his feet mixed up but what a performance! At least 4 or 5 ‘worldies’ to employ a frequently overused description.
Carter.... 6 He along with the entire defence was put under much pressure by a Brum team who had done their homework on our vulnerabilities very thoroughly. He, Hedges and our right side clearly being seen as our weakness defensively by Brum as much of their first half attacks came from their left side.
Hyam... 7 Another who didn’t shine as well as he has been doing of late.
Wharton S... 7 Perhaps needs to get back to doing the simple things well as a number of telegraphed passes to tightly marked colleagues almost ended in disaster.
Hedges.... 7 (See Carter above) JDT still going with Hedges left foot in the right wing back position. Does many good things and has grown into surely being one of the first names on the team sheet but frequently displays too much reliance of his left peg.
Pickering... 6 Restored to his position as left wing back after recovering from injury.
Morton.... 7 Not allowed the time and space that he got on Tuesday night (another bit of good work by Birmingham’s scouts) but the lad from Livvie is proving to be a class act.
Wharton A 7 Preferred to the recent good form of Szmodics and scored a cracker second goal just before HT to allow us all a rare relaxed HT break. T
Travis... 7 Watch out Trav.... the kids are coming! Good old Lewis now back from suspension can always be relied on to be our regular midfield growler but (and I’m not being unkind) does not possess the raw talent and creative ability of our recent Academy products.
Gallagher...7 Opened the scoring (how could he miss from Mortons pass) after confusing the Brum defence by switching wings with BBD. A lad who finally seems well able to use his height and bulk to our advantage. Made more than one headed clearance from Birmingham’s dead ball situations.
BBD.... 6 Didn’t score for once and possibly worth a 7 but I can’t give him the same marks as Gallagher for this match. Future Quiz question.... who can recall a BBurn Rovers striker whacking a shot at goal straight out of play for an opposition throw in on the opposite wing in two successive home matches? I don’t think even Beamo managed that feat! He’ll be jealous today no doubt.
Subs
Garrett (Wharton 61) 6 Bit of a mystery this. Wharton was having a decent match but did JDT see Garret as better defensively when Brums midfield was growing in influence?
Phillips (Hedges 65) 6 Introduced as Hedges injury forced him out of action. Rovers reverted to a back four from then on.
Vale (Gallagher 85) 6 Brought on as Big Sam limped off. There is a good player here but he really does need a couple of goals. Shows a quick brain in his attempts to play colleagues through on goal.
Dolan (BBD 85) 5 Without Szmodics available it was obviously Dolan’s instructions were to use his energy and none stop effort to close Birmingham’s defenders down quickly and prevent them building from the back. Also JDT must have spotted the distance that Ruddy was coming of his line and wanted to either exploit it or put a stop to him squeezing the game into our half in those final tense minutes.
Manager JDT 7 Picked a team to do a job and it did. Another 3 points but after Hogan put Brum back in it on 80 mins it made for a very twitchy ending with the crowd aware that QPR were 2-1 up v Wigan and Burnley had come back from 0-2 down at Sland to lead 2-3.
Might be best advised to get the players to look for a safe ball and avoiding playing too many passes in ever decreasing triangles and ending up losing possession just outside our own box. Still with an average age of 22 it is a learning curve.
Referee Gavin Ward... 2. Best thing he did 1SG was wake up the Blackburn End’s vocal chords with ‘You’re not fit to referee’ before there was 30 mins on the clock! Most comical moment and one that should be viewed at referee HQ was Scott Wharton almost being t de-bagged 10 yards in front of Ward and somehow the numpty allowing play on before giving a free kick for Brum two seconds later!
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Well with Brum having 17 shots with 6 on target and scoring 1 and with us 5 shots and just 3 on target with one goal from a midfielder maybe he has.
1SimonGarner
Senior Member
Spot on analysis as always. I agree 100% that we really need to get the Premiership money soon injected into the club even in the likely event of us coming straight back down. IF the money is managed right, it will keep us going for a good few years.
Kaminsky a desereved 9/10, the first I think I've seen in your match reports, has anyone ever had a 10?!
Kaminsky a desereved 9/10, the first I think I've seen in your match reports, has anyone ever had a 10?!
Nope.... can't see that happening either. Great match he had he still did let one in.
1SimonGarner
Senior Member
Wasn't questioning your rating, spot on IMO. Being relatively new to the forum, I was wondering if anyone had ever been worthy of a 10?
Rumour and I say rumour is that JDT has changed the training times and BD said 'I can't do that cos I have other commitments' (tv work presumably) and JDT told him that he'd have to prioritise and it was up to him.
Barmitzvah Boy
Global winner of the 2021 Christmas Quiz 👊🤩🤩
Great review Drog but ’Poirot’ Kaminsky is from Belgium not Holland. 
. He was also my PoM closely followed by ‘Donkey’ Gallagher who was immense yesterday.
I would have left a player forward (especially Dolan for the final 10+ minutes) rather than defend deep at corners. It is simple stuff and takes two of their big lads out of the attack.
. He was also my PoM closely followed by ‘Donkey’ Gallagher who was immense yesterday.I would have left a player forward (especially Dolan for the final 10+ minutes) rather than defend deep at corners. It is simple stuff and takes two of their big lads out of the attack.
blueandwhitehalves
Senior Member
I don't want to jump on Dack's case, will always be grateful for his magnificent season in League 1 which contributed more than anyone to our promotion.
But we're talking a bust-up between JDT, a man who I'm still worried is too nice to be a football manager, and Dack who punched a copper and then was taken to court 3 times for not doing his community service. Add in likely ego inflation from his minor celebrity status in reality tv, and I do wonder how easy he is to manage.
But we're talking a bust-up between JDT, a man who I'm still worried is too nice to be a football manager, and Dack who punched a copper and then was taken to court 3 times for not doing his community service. Add in likely ego inflation from his minor celebrity status in reality tv, and I do wonder how easy he is to manage.
Barmitzvah Boy
Global winner of the 2021 Christmas Quiz 👊🤩🤩
JDT is not ‘too nice’. From what I have heard he is as hard as nails and is clear about what he wants.
blueandwhitehalves
Senior Member
Oh ok, well thats very reassuring to hear!
I thought 'hard as nails' Skandis had all come here to rape, pillage, loot intermingle and breed with Saxons in King Alfred's time, leaving behind all the pacifists, yoghurt knitters and tree huggers in Scandanavia.
Were the rainbow flags part of that?
1SimonGarner
Senior Member
I'm all for diversity and integration, unfortunately it's a myth. I believe BWD are making attempts to "integrate" some white families into the community's in Audley and Whalley Range! I mentioned after the game Saturday how all the stewards at Ewood are Asian's, but that community simply doesn't support it's local football team. It's nothing like integration, the Asians have their customs and community's and the white's have their's with little cross over or INTEGRATION.
I'm not at all racist - it may sound like I am - but I am proud of my Town and it's history and what's happening (and in truth happened) in Blackburn is that it's historical culture is being raped and thrown away. Integration, Diversity - YES. A proud Northern town totally losing it's identity - A BIG FAT NO!
I'm not at all racist - it may sound like I am - but I am proud of my Town and it's history and what's happening (and in truth happened) in Blackburn is that it's historical culture is being raped and thrown away. Integration, Diversity - YES. A proud Northern town totally losing it's identity - A BIG FAT NO!
1SimonGarner
Senior Member
Perfectly worded Drog, 100% right. Maybe I should say I'm not a raving racist, that would be more accurate.
1SimonGarner
Senior Member
My Dad is racist, not that he hates any race that isn't white British, more that he loves his town and hates it being as good as taken over by any race.