Chalk and Cheese

[AucklandRover]

I was waiting for cairney to show us what were missing.. Still waiting..

[jordan12rhodes]

The top teams are generally consistent though. They wouldn't be up there otherwise.

[robinrover]

Well done rovers a fantastic result after Saturday's shambles
blooming typical I don't go and they put in a resounding performance and result
I am missing the hammers game too so fingers crossed for more of the same.

[Despair]

That's 3 of the 6 pts I (as indeed PL) was aspiring to capture.
It was not 'desperate optimism' that prompted my predict, as I still believe we are in better hands under PL. The man was a winner as a player and has proven to be as a manager.
I am with Gally in his view that post the Sat match the squad would have been left in no uncertain mind about where they stand, and his changing of personnel will be a kick up the backside with an instruction they are fighting for their positions, no matter what their.
There was also a bit of a veiled comment towards not bleating about hard luck / but you played (really) well despite.
As for CB that is one of my JR12's type 'annoyances'. In times gone by every player in B&W got the support of the crowd, provided the put a shift in. To my mind this started to change after we hit the heights when players started to be targeted as being not fit to wear the shirt, when they were clearly less talented than wished for, but would run through wall

[AucklandRover]

Well, Despair, you're a braver man than me! I have to say that I was seriously nervous after the Hull game. And, unlike you, I didn't think we were heading down under GB; we were just treading water.
This Fulham match was just about in the dreaded "must win" category, and that can make players nervous and error-prone. It sounds as if the first 15 minutes WERE edgy, but the rest of the game should really have restored confidence.
I'm going to be controversial here, and not give PL a huge bouquet. I think he got it seriously wrong for several weeks when he tried to play a long-ball game we were blatantly unsuited to. You could argue he was a bit slow to learn! And I don't think the argument holds water that he was powerless until he got his own players. To me, he clearly did NOT make the BEST use of the ones he had! As for him being a "winner" as a manager, there are parts of Birmingham where you'd be laughed out of court for that statement.
I have considerable respect for him myself,

[AucklandRover]

The top teams are generally consistent though. They wouldn't be up there otherwise.

But even that can change. At one point, everyone was saying that the best team in the League was Derby. Now they are on a run where they have picked up only four points in eight games!

[Despair]

That's perfectly fine Aucks and I would not disagree with your view in any way.
I just say it how I see it, as it comes across to me. That makes me no expert, or right in any way.
Just before GB was dropped I had said that for the first time I was getting concerned for our safety, whereas before we were (in my mind) drifting, but bearably safe. That though was not good enough in our perilous financial situation.
Given our declined stature as a club (under Venkys and their 'record'), I thought it a decent coup to attract PL, despite what some others thought of his tarnished reputation. With AV, I myself never took that as a perfectly viable benchmark.
For me he was always going to tinker and gamble for some time whilst seeing what his inherited charges were capable of, and with it his newer recruits. With that there were always going to be ups and downs in performance and results. But I think that given his experience and stature he can ride over it. I also do not see him as a nail

[champs95]

I went on Sat vrs Hull.
I tried my best to refrain from posting for a few reasons.
Without stepping back I had felt it was the single worst match I have ever seen in my lifetime. Berift of ideas, passion, and it was a very quiet and depressing Ewood. But the fact those 3 players taken out last minute, for me played a huge part in the performance and the result. I felt Hull where very poor. Thats what annoyed me the most. The lack of effort, tactical nous was already too much to bare. Seeing them celebrate like they'd won the league really pissed me off. I told a few of their lads afterwards they wont get an easier 3 points all season. And at some point we would give someone a real hiding. As it had been coming.

I just didnt expect it last night!! I do fancy a result vrs West Ham now. We have notjing to lose in this match. Its a bonus game.

I cant handle seeing these players being written off - like Brown.
Theres a good few posters on this site alone who laugh at him on a reg

[champs95]

and to be fair on Cairney, he did show us what we missed in the away game vrs Fulham, when he scored, made a goal in a pretty easy defeat. As pointed out though, consistency is not his strong point. Last night (by all accounts) he had a quiet night. He didnt away, he was the difference between the 2 sides.

[Despair]

and to be fair on Cairney, he did show us what we missed in the away game vrs Fulham, when he scored, made a goal in a pretty easy defeat. As pointed out though, consistency is not his strong point. Last night (by all accounts) he had a quiet night. He didnt away, he was the difference between the 2 sides.

That's the enigma Champs, stylish players (at our level at least) can blow hot and cold and with that become frustrating and / or a burden. With guys like Brown etc. they know their limitations and therefore work far harder and be more committed to 'the cause'. Whereas with many a style player when things aren't going their way they switch off. Especially the younger they are, the more mature player just rides out the form drop and puts a bit more in to compensate.
That has been my concern with Ben Marshall, when he's 'on', he's really on. When not, he (for me at least) tends to switch off.