Swansea(home)predictions

[robinrover]

Our faint play off Hopes fade away as another fairly lacklustre performance will occur.
1-1

[champs95]

Faint hopes? We are 4 points outside of the Play-offs. With 33 points still to play for.
Come one mate, lets be fair here.
We basically have a point extra than Bristol City as we have a far superior GD.
I know you really dont want to hear anything positive or good, and are happy to completely write us off. But its hardly fair, or makes any sense.
Bristol City are just one point ahead of us, have just lost 3 games in a row.
Imagine how you would take 3 defeats???!!!
And I bet nobody at Bristol City is acting like this.
We are in a fantastic position one that far far exceeded most peoples expectations.
How on earth folk are choosing to see this in a negative light is way beyond my basic understanding.

If one person said this is where we would be sat on 27th Feb 2020 at the start of this season, You would have been mental if you hadn't been very happy with that, especially factoring just how many players we have lost.

Take Bristol City, Fulham's, Leeds, WBA, Preston and Brenford's best few players away from them for half a season they would all be struggling to maintain a slight play off chance.

And still this is deemed not good enough.

Ewood was shockingly empty last night.
The mamager is doing his bit, the players are doing their bit, the fans are a complete let down and an embarrassment.

[robinrover]

I like positivity champs but cope better with low expectations and get the occasional pleasant surprise.
When I first joined roversmad I got pretty cross when we lost because I expected too much.
Now I am more a glass half empty when it comes to football,so then the ups mean so much more rather than defeats mean the weekend is ****ed.
Sure I was young then and now I am a little wiser but doing it that way helps me cope with disappointment better.

[champs95]

I like positivity champs but cope better with low expectations and get the occasional pleasant surprise.
When I first joined roversmad I got pretty cross when we lost because I expected too much.
Now I am more a glass half empty when it comes to football,so then the ups mean so much more rather than defeats mean the weekend is ****ed.
Sure I was young then and now I am a little wiser but doing it that way helps me cope with disappointment better.

This is my view, for what its worth.
We are just not good enough to get in the play-offs. we are very very close, and I feel that's a good positive step forward. Its an improvement on last season.
The simple fact we are even up there, still with a shout, is actually a miracle.
People see the improvement, expectancy starts to kick in, and people start to feel disappointed we aren't achieving something we where never going to anyway. Because we aren't quite good enough.
The fact we are where we are, all things considered is a BIG achievement. But we clearly have lots to do in order to ever get out of this division.
They where one of the better sides I have seen at Ewood this season. Nothing upfront, but they didn't come to attack. They have just as good a midfield as us, and a very strong defence, and a very very decent keeper. They came for a point, and got one. Because we lack creativity. Way too many touches in midfield. Downing was back doing what he spent the season doing (before he ran into recent form after xmas) taking 15 touches too many, running across the pitch, and not getting the ball forward quick enough. Same with Johnson.
I felt so sorry for Bell, when Rothwell plays, when he gets a pass and it goes onto his left foot, he has NOBODY in front of him on the pitch. Rothwell has no positional sense whatsoever. So Bell has 2 options. He has to beat 2 men on his own, and put in a wonderful cross. Which is an unfair task. Or come back inside or back. when he does that, he gets moaned at. Armstrong, Rothwell etc don't give him an option. So the poor lad is left exposed. Nyambe was poor last night I thought, his worst game all season. But Bell seemed to be the only one getting stick.
Not sure why Gallagher played being honest. How and why did he walk back into a side in form and confident. He never looked like scoring, and missed our best chances. He is starting to concern me, I am not seeing progression. And he is getting more chances than anyone, and not delivering. I think that sends out the wrong message.

Last nights game was crying out for Dack. I thought we would never look back, but last night was a reminder how much creativity we lack. Dack always gave us that edge. And didn't rely on his suppl line. Armstrong is 100% reliant on supply line. If that breaks down, we do. Especially without Holbty or Dack.

We are down to the bare bones, and have been for a while. But that was still a point gained last night, not a failure.

[champs95]

For the size of our ground, and the support we get, we are ranked 23rd out of 24 teams.
Its a souless, empty god awful place to play football. No atmosphere, the ones who go most of them moan.
Its almost impossible for players at home matches, to get up and motivated.
The expectancy level is alongside all the big sides, who get 30k for home games. Who all outspend us.
Only we actually have no right to be there. By rights, we should be around the bottom 8. Probably lower.
But folk expect win after win after win. And will feel disappointed if we don't. And will be vocal.

Without the fans ever really really contributing. I just find it strange people have such high expectations, for such a small club nobody can be bothered to go and watch and support.
That for me is the biggest disappointment of all.

[robinrover]

Just for the record champs,I dont have lofty expectations for us and last night's result wasn't my over ambitious expectations dashed.
I feel we have a middle of the road team and where we are and the chance we still have is nothing far short than brilliant.
I would love to be there home and away each week but work,mixed with a long journey do not work on a regular basis.
I feel sorry for some of our more LOCAL fans who have to get the big book of excuses out for not attending,as they are the ones holding this club back.
Lee based in stow on the wold still makes probably 3 or 4 home games a season but for the ones a stones throw away,what is their excuse?usually venkys
"I wont return until they are gone"
Change the record as without them we go POP.

[Saxo1man41]

Do you think the fear of coronovirus made the attendance even worse than normal..? I admit, it's got me thinking twice about attending, and I have a season ticket..!

[AucklandRover]

Champs - as a matter of fact, if my cousin is anything to go by, there has been a similar reaction at Bristol City!
There are already mutterings of "Johnson out!".

Have a look at my last post on the previous thread. I am beginning to doubt my own eyes, because I thought Gallagher was one of our best players on Wednesday, and I also thought that Downing and Nyambe played well.
"Eye of the beholder", and all that!

[AucklandRover]

Rovers 1- Swansea 0.

[champs95]

Champs - as a matter of fact, if my cousin is anything to go by, there has been a similar reaction at Bristol City!
There are already mutterings of "Johnson out!".

Have a look at my last post on the previous thread. I am beginning to doubt my own eyes, because I thought Gallagher was one of our best players on Wednesday, and I also thought that Downing and Nyambe played well.
"Eye of the beholder", and all that!

Not sure I can understand why fans of a club who have never played in the Prem expect them to go up. Like us and the vast majority, they are just a midtable club. Who have only ever been in the play offs once in the Champ. So no real experience. I'd put them as higher midtable and they have a decent ground and due to the massive size of the city, and no other clubs around at all (other than Gas), they can call on 20 odd thousand when they are doing well. And they have spent a bit aswell. This is just one season they are flirting with the play offs. I do dislike that little **** Johnson so I'm not bothered what happens to him.
Most clubs fans are the same.