Stoke(home)predictions

[robinrover]

Absolutely no surprise in that result.
We looked lethargic and lacking any sort of killer instinct to finish a VERY poor stoke side.
We dominated possession but when we came near the box,we looked like a side playing together for the first time.
Why was rothwell starting?why was samuel and Buckley dropped?and what message does that give these young players?mowbray seems hell bent on receiving justification for spending good money on Gallagher.
The lad is ok dont get me wrong,I just cannot see him progressing more than what he is but on the other side brereton looks to be abandoned in the football wilderness.
Swansea will at least play with more freedom than stoke but jesus christ last night could of played for another hour and we still would of played it with the urgency of a pensioner.

[champs95]

Looking at all the results, we gained what could be a valuable point. And remain unbeaten in 4. And to remind, we are doing this without several of our best players. Its not easy, and when a battling side comes for a draw and sets up to defend it's a tough ask. I got the reason for changes. SG is a more physical striker, and he was up against 2 very tall physical defenders. I saw nothing from Samuel when he was on, to insist he shouldve. played. And he offers no more goal thrrst than SG. Rothwell has more pace when running with the ball. And is faster than the other 2 young lads. Personally didn't think it was the night (at the start) to play lots of young lads.
I didnt think Stoke looked any better or worse than Fulham. And Bristol City who we gained on and are slightly above us, still consider themselves still in play off race. They lost at home to Hudds. And where dire. Everyone lost around us, we gained. Everyone else is still in this, as are we. Only we are doing it with no support. An empty ground, and devoid of our better players. It's a miracle we are even here. Onto the next extremely tough test where the players and manager will absolutely do their bit. Will everyone else associated to Rovers?

[robinrover]

I get that with Gallagher but rothwell would of been suited to a tired stoke last 20 minutes or so.
I maybe would of stuck with samuel then changed it up on the hour mark.
It is what it is and yes we are still in it but opportunities are getting passed by.
dont get me wrong at the start of the season I was looking at mid table for our finish so to be in the mix is fantastic.

[champs95]

I get that with Gallagher but rothwell would of been suited to a tired stoke last 20 minutes or so.
I maybe would of stuck with samuel then changed it up on the hour mark.
It is what it is and yes we are still in it but opportunities are getting passed by.
dont get me wrong at the start of the season I was looking at mid table for our finish so to be in the mix is fantastic.

He could've done that, and still achieved the same result.
We are very much on for an average of 2 points a game, which takes us around 76 points, which has got you in the play offs in the past 5 championship seasons. We will smash last seasons points haul, and have improved massively.
Its so hard to come on into a professional game of football, and impose yourself. As JRC proved last night, despite showing 2 or 3 very intelligent and decent touches. He failed to impact the game in a big way. So I think its fair to assume, both him and Buckley would have struggled to make an impact from the start. Crucially the manager who has been producing some fantastic work of late, made the decision to go with what he did last night. And fair enough, it didn't get us 3 points. We aren't going to win every game, and not every decision will be effective. Unbeaten in 4, a much much better recent form than all the sides around us, and we are a slight touch away from the play offs, with every side losing this mid-week and quite a few in very poor form.
I'd take where we are over Stoke who have spent £59M in 2 seasons and are one point outside the relegation.
If we where going to finish midtable in most peoples eyes, I am confused why last nights results was met with suck lack of confidence by our fans?
We have lost Lenihan now for 2 games, we are really up against it, and need every single bit of support, positivity and good luck we can get our hands on. As we really do have a tough job, and we are still here fighting now. Villa where 13th on this same round of games last season.

[champs95]

Controversial, but today Leeds United have announced dropping out of the race for promotion, because they lost at home to Wigan. They are the first side in the history of the Championship to have lost to a side who are in the bottom 3. The club have announced that 'its these results against the bottom 3 will come back and haunt us'
Everyone in Football knows, no side doing well at the top can every lose to a side in the bottom 3.

Bristol City quickly followed suit. They have removed themselves from the play off hunt. They lost at home to a poor Huddersfield side. No decent side can every lost at home to a side near the bottom. It has never happened before, shock-waves are moving throughout the Championship. Coupled with their recent poor form, they have decided its best to remove themselves from the race for the play-offs.

Fulham think its best they pull out, having lost at home 0-3 to Barnsley have decided enough is enough. You don't lose to a side in the bottom 3. Nobody does.

No side in the Championship has every lost to a side sat at the bottom scrapping for points.

More news to follow later.

[champs95]

Brentford have now joined in.
They are embarrased they could not break down such a poor side like us at home on Sat. We are below them, and everyone knows, when you play a side lower than you in the Champ, you beat them. 100 times out of 100.
And then they lost to Luton.
They feel its best all round to pull out of the race.

News has got around today how football works on paper. Abd it makes for grim reading. Half the division will have to give up at this rate.

[robinrover]

You do have a tendency to treat negativity with sarcasm or a sharp tongue,which is fair enough as I have a little bit of that myself,however rewind to November and you were running everything to do with the club down.
Just to elaborate I am disappointed with last night but not slating this team or ready to throw the towel in.
We are still in this race but results like that wont help,when others have a points advantage.

[champs95]

If we where sat in the bottom 3, I could try and understand disappointment.
4 points outside the play-offs unbeaten in 4, one of the most inform sides in the division, without our better players.
I think its a tad harsh personally. I thin k we are doing much better than expected, and should be supported.
The biggest disappointment last night was the crowd. Especially in such a big game.
It is extremely hard for players to get up for any game at home, with no actual support.

I just feel folk expect so much, and are blind to certain aspects. Did the fans help last night> I'd say a resounding no.
But they take none of the blame.
They will be critical though.

Back in Nov we where shaping very very poorly, the manager was making too many changes, every game, and it was a frustrating time. The time I was saying this, we had dropped to 5 points above the bottom 3. Which was concerning. Hence why I was vocal. I felt we could have been doing better.

This is not the same.

[robinrover]

I am disappointed in the way we tended to stroll through the game(not helped by the negative tactics of stoke)not the position we are in and how we didn't progress last night.
There is a difference 😉
Look we are a mid table team punching above our weight and providing we dont have a monumental wobble,we can celebrate a good season,where some of the academy are given that chance.
After all that's what we are pumping the millions in for.

[AucklandRover]

In the end, I still think fans react to the result as if it tells the whole story.
Let's imagine Travis had put that chance away right at the death.
That wouldn't have changed anything hat had happened in the previous 95 minutes, but I bet supporters would be reacting as if it HAD!
Sometimes you are going to break down a stubborn defence; sometimes you're not - and which one happens is going to be the result of MANY possible factors - including luck.