+ Visit Blackburn Rovers FC Mad for Latest News, Transfer Gossip, Fixtures and Match Results
Page 1 of 4 123 ... LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 40

Thread: A strange old week ........

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Posts
    11,680

    A strange old week ........

    this made me laugh. Its looking very likely they will be hit with a 9 point deduction. This put them in between QPR and Wigan, only 5 points above Rotherham.
    If there is a football god, it will ensure this shower have a torrid end to the season, culminating in their relegation. It couldn't happen to a ****ter football club.

    Ok, the likelihood is they will still finish well above us, but we threw the towel in back in Jan, and we are crap.

    Its been a weird week. TM has also thrown the towel in, stating what we all knew. We simply aren't good enough for this level. And £16.8m Debt is a major concern. Ok, the plan was to get up and we probably knew that we had to invest to get back here. But its another big hit for us. We simply cant carry on running a club like this? The owners just wont keep putting in millions upon millions. The club isn't growing, the crowds are actually dropping.
    Mowbray being honest, will mean its not worth anyone turning up for the rest of this season. Why spend money we don't have, to go see a side not good enough, who we know wont win. And TM has handed them a big way out now. By telling them they aren't good enough. And admitting it to the very few who are still bothering to turn out and watch us lose every ground we turn up at. And lose woefully. Players will simply hide now, and continue to not bother turning up for games, not performing.

    My major concern is what now? Will we actually have funds to spend in the summer? Can we even afford to go buy another defender? After the Brereton debacle.
    We desperately need strengthening. We possibly need half a new side, at least. And that's for us just to carry on competing in midtable at this level. If we don't add, then I am pretty sure we will be spending a season fighting relegation. Such a shame, as only a few months ago, we looked to be heading for a bright future.

    We aren't, we are midtable at the very best. And we would have to do a lot in the summer, to pull ourselves up to that level of midtable. Right now, we are one of the worst sides in the league. With no fans.

    I just don't think we actually have any money to spend. And would be in the mire, if we did actually spend any.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
    Posts
    4,311
    Afternoon champs
    The figures are very worrying and leave us with a dilemma
    Bargain bin time AGAIN or spend and risk what Birmingham have now been stung with.
    We need a complete defensive overall and the thought of playing next season with what we have is a major concern.
    When the West Brom money was on the table for dack,maybe just maybe we should of taken it
    We face a bit of a uncertain future.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Posts
    11,680
    Quote Originally Posted by robinrover View Post
    Afternoon champs
    The figures are very worrying and leave us with a dilemma
    Bargain bin time AGAIN or spend and risk what Birmingham have now been stung with.
    We need a complete defensive overall and the thought of playing next season with what we have is a major concern.
    When the West Brom money was on the table for dack,maybe just maybe we should of taken it
    We face a bit of a uncertain future.

    Any club, who are ever going to get anywhere, will always have a clear long term goal. And a short-term plan. I thought I knew ours? I don't. These last few months have proved we had no short-term plan. Infact, its gone so wrong, that this will affect any long-term plan put in place.
    Can we afford to sit and just tread water with basically a div1 side that just isn't good enough? Should we be handing a 3 year contract to a bloke who can point out the bleeding obvious, but is unable to even think about trying to change things? Since we handed Mowbray a contract, we have barley won a game. Or gained many points.
    He isn't on bad money. But is inept when it comes up to finding a solution. I don't buy we aren't good enough. Like this seasons capitulation, its a complete cop out. We don't need a guy to point out obvious things. we need a guy to solve problems. Thus far, he isn't even getting close. We are appalling. We didn't start the season this woeful. I don't buy it.

    Money was available, he chose not to spend it. Maybe that was the right thing to do? Time will tell on that. For him personally, I don't think it was. As I think he will be out of work, because of that decision.

    And the real concern is, he has now told all his players, all our fans, and everyone in football that his side, he put together, aren't anywhere near good enough. He even names individual players and blames them. And we run the risk of being back in a real mess financially if we did spend. Yet the manager has said himself, we need to get in quite a few new players. If he wants to improve us, then those players won't all be free transfers. So what next? We spend big? Risk it? We wont last in this league as we are. We are relegation fodder next season. And the one thing they needed to do this season, was try get fans back in that stadium. We lose every week now, so that's not happening anytime soon.

    Bad decisions have been made yet again this season. Lessons that should have been learnt, have come back to haunt us. Handing contracts mid-season to all the old pro's like Bennett, Evans, Mulgrew etc who aren't good enough anymore. That all costs money. Plus giving TM a 3 year contract? Really? This guy now has to come up with answers to a lot of questions. Not point out the obvious. My dog can do that. He is being paid to come up with solutions. I am really really unsure he can.

    The one plus point I can say today, at least we wont lose this weekend. But only because we aren't playing.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Posts
    6,297
    I could write a lot more, Champs, but were you saying those "old pros" weren't good enough after the Hull game?

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Posts
    11,680
    Quote Originally Posted by AucklandRover View Post
    I could write a lot more, Champs, but were you saying those "old pros" weren't good enough after the Hull game?
    In spells this season, when Dack was inform, we did well in certain games. There where ocasions we got a hammering, but we managed to turn it round. In almost every game after we played Brentford it's been shocking. So over the season as a whole, yes the old pro's, the overall contract negotiations including with the manager, haven't been good. And I feel it's one of the factors. I still say we have a bad apple in the dressing room. Be that Rodwell, or Dack (it could easily be the latter as he is a very questionable character) it's been the case in the 2nd half of the season. We are trying, and we doing our best. I don't believe anyone has downed tools (deep down) but I do think they aren't good enough for this league moving forwards. For me, it started to feel like an old boys club. And that was back in Jan. Then we has a great month. Then Hull. The high point of the season. Then an unbelievably sharp decline down the table.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Posts
    3,258
    Cannot disagree with the bulk of that Champs.
    But my ‘view’ has always been;
    TM is not a footballing messiah that exudes the clout to achieve promotion (IMO just as Garry B - both nice decent guys).
    BRFC is a heavy burden to carry forward.
    The disillusioned support base, both still attending and more importantly missing, are a real ‘restraining’ factor.
    Our financial state is equally debilitating.
    The financial reward structuring courtesy of Sky makes progress by town teams such as ours very very difficult.
    The long term ‘punt’ albeit not monies up front for BB was and still is (for me) mistifying, as there were far more important ‘today’ issues to address.
    As you say, and i have commented many times, we are fortunate that Venkys are financially keeping us afloat . Which is quite ‘deserved’ as it is their foolishness that has put us into this far deeper predicament (circa 100 m more in debt than whence they arrived).
    Just how long are they going to be able to ‘justifiably’ keep funding us. ?
    For me the clock is and always was ‘ticking’ unabaited (as is Brexit).
    Last edited by Despair; 23-03-2019 at 08:08 AM.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Posts
    6,297
    My take is that it is not football common sense to try to find simple answers for a bad run, simply because there are nearly always multiple factors involved.
    There have been numerous posts on the Telegraph (and, I gather, on social media) to the effect that our defence has been consistently terrible under Mowbray. This is not borne out by statistical fact. Last season, we had the third best defensive record in D.1. After 18 matches this season (end of November), our GA tally was 25. There were 13 other clubs with the same or worse figures. It is in the 20 games since then that our defence has often crumbled.
    This squad has run out of steam collectively, not helped by Lenihan's injury, and a serious loss of form as far as Mulgrew and Williams are concerned.
    We definitely need the following in the summer: another target-man centre-forward and an old-style centre-back. We PROBABLY could also do with an experienced left-back (although I think it is too early to write off Bell and Williams), and a play-making central midfielder. As for the last of these, can we really afford someone of the necessary quality? Tugays are at a premium.
    In other words, I don't see the need to chuck out huge numbers - especially as there are now about six Under-23s on the fringe, and we have Chapman, Davenport, Samuel and Gladwin as virtually new players.
    As for the idea that Mowbray should go, it's nonsense. He took us to a position after the Hull game that was ridiculously high, given the relative value of our squad, compared to some of the others. We should wait and see what funding he gets in the summer, and he should at least be given till Christmas, for heaven's sake.
    Look at the table. The BBC pre-season prediction process had us at 17th and Stoke at No. 1. Which of the two has had a worse season?! We could get eight or nine points and finish in the top half!
    All the doom and gloom seems to me to be hysterically over the top.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Posts
    11,680
    Quote Originally Posted by AucklandRover View Post
    My take is that it is not football common sense to try to find simple answers for a bad run, simply because there are nearly always multiple factors involved.
    There have been numerous posts on the Telegraph (and, I gather, on social media) to the effect that our defence has been consistently terrible under Mowbray. This is not borne out by statistical fact. Last season, we had the third best defensive record in D.1. After 18 matches this season (end of November), our GA tally was 25. There were 13 other clubs with the same or worse figures. It is in the 20 games since then that our defence has often crumbled.
    This squad has run out of steam collectively, not helped by Lenihan's injury, and a serious loss of form as far as Mulgrew and Williams are concerned.
    We definitely need the following in the summer: another target-man centre-forward and an old-style centre-back. We PROBABLY could also do with an experienced left-back (although I think it is too early to write off Bell and Williams), and a play-making central midfielder. As for the last of these, can we really afford someone of the necessary quality? Tugays are at a premium.
    In other words, I don't see the need to chuck out huge numbers - especially as there are now about six Under-23s on the fringe, and we have Chapman, Davenport, Samuel and Gladwin as virtually new players.
    As for the idea that Mowbray should go, it's nonsense. He took us to a position after the Hull game that was ridiculously high, given the relative value of our squad, compared to some of the others. We should wait and see what funding he gets in the summer, and he should at least be given till Christmas, for heaven's sake.
    Look at the table. The BBC pre-season prediction process had us at 17th and Stoke at No. 1. Which of the two has had a worse season?! We could get eight or nine points and finish in the top half!
    All the doom and gloom seems to me to be hysterically over the top.
    The inadequacies within the squad can't be ignored. And I do think he will have the summer to address that. And he will probably be given funds in which to carry that out. How much we will risk, and who we go for will come out in time, and our intentions will be made clear once that begins.
    Giving this a balanced view, TM has had a season to see who is good enough, and who isn't. He has been more vocal about that of late. And he has seen this league, and the players within it. So he should know what needs addressing, and who to go get to do so. It's then about being clever in the market as to how much we pay.
    I haven't been saying he should go, but the defeats, the manner of the defeats has been a concern. And that can't be just put down to first season jitters. Ok the BBC said we'd be 17th, but I felt we could finish higher than that. And keep the positivity from last season. Yes I agree, by the time we beat Hull, we where in a completely false position. But then again, I'm not actually impressed with any side in this league. The quality isn't that good. Just our squad was left very light. Every single club, including us, will point to injuries as the main reason for any loss of form. That's why you need a good solid squad. And a strong 1st eleven. With a certain game plan that is identifiable. We have none of those things, which is why we are placed where we are on the league.
    The big picture tells me he stays, he maintains his position, and we have an effective summer transfer window.
    The current form of turning up to places like Sheff Wed and defending woefully just seems to continue. Week after week. With no real signs of it letting up. Unless we play a Wigan (or Bolton) and that's tough to ignore.
    I believe he has earnt his right to stay personally. Football and the industry it is now, may force the hand of the owners. Because essentially it's a results business.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Posts
    6,297
    It IS a results business, but I simply think it's wrong to say that none of the issues and factors that have contributed are any excuse. You don't go from good results to poor, overnight, because the man in charge has suddenly become a "bad" manager.
    In any case, I'd love to see the statistics for how often a change of manager has an immediate positive impact (apart from the kind of three-match bounce we saw with Lambert).

    Probable leavers?
    Leutwiler, Downing, Smallwood, Evans, Reed, Gladwin.
    Possible leavers?
    Mulgrew, Rodwell, Williams, Hart, Bell, Conway, Samuel, Nuttall.
    Fringe possibilities?
    Dack.

    I have seen calls for ALL of these to be released - in Dack's case, mainly for the money - and some people have thrown Nyambe in too!
    In the unlikely event of all 15 departing, what would we be left with - to begin with, from the current 1st Team Squad?
    GK: Raya, Fisher
    RB: Nyambe
    LB: NIL
    CB: Lenihan, Wharton
    RM: Bennett
    DM: Travis, Davenport
    ACM: Rothwell
    LM: NIL
    RW: Chapman
    LW: NIL
    No. 10: Armstrong, Brereton
    CF: Graham.

    From the Under-23s, we can say that the following are the ones most seriously in contention:
    Magloire, Grayson, Platt (all centre-backs)
    Buckley, Rankin-Costello (midfield)
    Butterworth (forward).

    That produces a first-team squad of 19, including eight who would still qualify as U-23s!
    Can we really afford to throw away all that experience? More to the point, would Venky's fund enough experienced, good-quality replacements?!
    I think we just need to be cautious and sensible. Players like Bell, Samuel, Rodwell, Hart and even Gladwin could still come good. In addition, the decline we have seen in Mulgrew and Williams might not be permanent.
    In other words, I don't believe we should go in for panic-buying. I'd love to think that Joe Nuttall could step up to the Graham plate, but I'm dubious, so we really need to invest there. A Scott Dann-style centre-back is essential. As for the left-back position, I just don't know. Perhaps either Hart or Thompson might come through, if Bell and Williams continue to prove not good enough.
    Then there's the other big one. Is Rothwell good enough to become our playmaker from a central midfield role? If not, are Venky's willing to fork out the 5M+ we would need to get a player of the right quality? Given the uncertainty generated by the Brereton purchase, I think that will only happen if we sell Dack.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Posts
    3,258
    Aucks , my view in ref to Champs piece was also not outright saying that TM should be dumped.
    Mine was really from the hard cold fact standpoint of Venkys.
    My descriptive of TM’s ‘abilities’ re: his clear potential to launch us to promotion given his ‘miscalculations’ that you also acknowlege added to the ‘restraining factors’ that i listed, for me hold a fairly hefty question mark.
    This is not to say i think catagorically he cannot achieve it, just that there is for me some doubt.
    Again, if i was sat in any boardroom review i would not be able to discount it.
    I need to also say that, possibly unlike Champs, to be entertained by a bulk of the academy being brought in an with that just ‘holding our own’ in the Champs would be my preferred outcome.
    But im not in charge of the balance sheet.

Page 1 of 4 123 ... LastLast

Forum Info

Footymad Forums offer you the chance to interact and discuss all things football with fellow fans from around the world, and share your views on footballing issues from the latest, breaking transfer rumours to the state of the game at international level and everything in between.

Whether your team is battling it out for the Premier League title or struggling for League survival, there's a forum for you!

Gooners, Mackems, Tractor Boys - you're all welcome, please just remember to respect the opinions of others.

Click here for a full list of the hundreds of forums available to you

The forums are free to join, although you must play fair and abide by the rules explained here, otherwise your ability to post may be temporarily or permanently revoked.

So what are you waiting for? Register now and join the debate!

(these forums are not actively moderated, so if you wish to report any comment made by another member please report it.)



Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •