Yes totally agree.
We had our heads down for a bit when we lost dack as so much came from him.
Saturday hopefully was a turning point and if the players needed to know there is life without dack,that result provided the positive outcome needed.
....without a certain Mr Dack in it?
Been thinking for a while, when you lose a player, another who was slightly in the shadows can step up.
I really feel Armstrong is starting to show real signs of being more effective. He is faster, he can create goals, and score them. I think him and Gallagher can cause havoc up front.
Before Dack was injured, it was very apparent we remained massively inconsistent. I feel this was mainly down to an over-reliance on him. And he could not always perform. His lack of pace was an issue. As was his skill. It wasn't getting him away from defenders. It wasn't quite working. He could only perform with Graham. Graham could only perform with Dack.
The forward 3 currently seem to offer so much more. More pace, Gallagher is a huge powerful presence. And he posses pace. His goal on Sat was all about his game. Graham could not score that type of goal, and its something we need to keep, hold onto and nuture.
It's take us until mid Jan, but we have (I feel) found a new forward line, who can be effective. It was a real concern. I felt we had been too reliant on Dack. And it was holding us back.
We need 3 or 4 different options when going forward. Too many times Dack was simply doubled up on by defenders ,and we where quite easy to nullify. When you have 3 players all creating problems of a different nature, you create other issues. Sheff Wed simply didn't have a clue what to do against us.
If we had played a fit Dack on Sat, it would have been quite simple to see what we would have done.
Armstrong is performing well, most weeks currently.
Holtby is showing signs of what we really needed. And I feel over the next few games, we will see how good he actually is. And the more we stick with Gally now, the more we will reap the benefits next season.
I really enjoy watching Dack, but I can't help feel we are reacting to losing him in a positive manner, and its improved us. What does everyone else think?
Yes totally agree.
We had our heads down for a bit when we lost dack as so much came from him.
Saturday hopefully was a turning point and if the players needed to know there is life without dack,that result provided the positive outcome needed.
I guess after 2 whole seasons of pretty much playing the same way every week, and also in training, it was going to take a little while to find something new. I just get this overriding feeling over the last few games, (as we played well vrs PNE just couldn't find a winner, and they scored a fluke. Walton has not had a save to make in 2 games now) we are looking a much better football team. Holby and Armstrong cause havoc. Gally, when he like this, is tough to mark. Holbty is one of those players who has a knack of being in the right place at the right time.
But best of all on Sat, was Tony coming out and giving special attention to his 2 centre halves. Who he stated where immense, and played as big a role in this emphatic win, as anyone. Just he was aware that it would be the rest of the side who took the plaudits after winning 0-5 away. But they where key aswell. That's great to see and hear.
Not sure.
Dack often does feck all.
However, I have always thought we could thump any team when we have the right players in the right positions.
Tinker man TM could be holding us back?
I think I'll wait a couple of games before I commit!
Certainly, though, Armstrong has stepped up, and perhaps we are able to play with more variety. (We all remember when success was entirely built around whether Rhodes had a good day or not!)
As Champs says, a lot stems from the back, and it is a long time since we had a centre-back pairing that looks as strong as that.
I don't really buy the positional argument, though.
We started Saturday's game with three players "out of position".
Which 3?
I am intrigued by this.
Which 3 players?Gallagher one but I am struggling to pin point others out of position.
Gallagher, Downing, Holtby and Armstrong were all playing in positions which Transfermarkt identifies as being unusual - in terms of their whole careers. (Saxo mentions Rothwell, and he could be added, but it's not clear from his playing-record what his best position is).
Holtby has played very few games as a No. 10, and Downing has certainly not featured very often as a central midfielder.
As for Armstrong, we all agreed earlier in the season that he just didn't seem to have what it takes to lead the line, despite his claiming that No. 9 was his preferred position.
Gallagher, we know about. Apparently, Mowbray has been "destroying" him by playing him as the "wide forward". Well...!
The point is, modern players are more flexible. Downing, for example, has looked comfortable with Rovers in at least three positions.
I just keep coming back to the fact that every game is different, and trying to put your finger on the reasons for a particular performance is a bit of a waste of effort.
After all, the Bristol City game saw a raft of changes, and one of our best displays!
I have said that the Wigan game was my biggest disappointment this season, but even in that match, we created four or five good chances in the last 20 minute, but we didn't put any of them away.
THAT is often the key difference between one game and another.
We could field last Saturday's team against QPR, create the same number of chances, but squander them all. Would that have anything to do with "positions"?
Last edited by AucklandRover; 21-01-2020 at 03:22 AM.