Luton away 21/11/20

[Saxo1man41]

norman whiteside is the one that always comes to my mind. brilliant young player thats caeers was wrecked by a bad injury.

[champs95]

To be fair, Champs, their goal had a strong element of luck to it.
The first Luton player was clearly shaping to shoot, but when he slipped, the ball skidded forward unexpectedly.
Excellent reactions by the scorer, though.
I was really pleased by Gallagher's goal. Going in where it hurts and getting a foot on the ball is something we've seen far too little of.
I know you weren't a great fan of Graham's but at his best, that was what he provided for us - especially when Mulgrew was taking the set-pieces.
A question for everybody.
If Dack DOES come back, fit and sharp, whose place is he going to take?

I believe it will be Dack and Holbty fighting for one place in Midfield. I no longer see Dack as one of the forwards.

[champs95]

norman whiteside is the one that always comes to my mind. brilliant young player thats caeers was wrecked by a bad injury.

One of my all time fav's Marco Van Basten. Never came back the same.

[champs95]

To be fair, Champs, their goal had a strong element of luck to it.
The first Luton player was clearly shaping to shoot, but when he slipped, the ball skidded forward unexpectedly.
Excellent reactions by the scorer, though.
I was really pleased by Gallagher's goal. Going in where it hurts and getting a foot on the ball is something we've seen far too little of.
I know you weren't a great fan of Graham's but at his best, that was what he provided for us - especially when Mulgrew was taking the set-pieces.
A question for everybody.
If Dack DOES come back, fit and sharp, whose place is he going to take?

My only issue with Graham was he was clearly 12 months past his best. It held back Gallagher and it held back Brereton.
He showed signs of not being able to do what he did before the season prior.
DG was last effective over a season in our first season back after promotion. Him and Dack had forged a decent partnership. I felt it was found out pretty quickly, and we struggled in the second half of the season and we fell away.
before that, DG at his best was superb. And I would struggle to name a better Champ striker who could hold the ball up better. My issue with him, was he was kept well past his best, we had moved on. Spent money. And kept reverting back to him.

See my exact same issue with Downing. Too old, won't make us better. And stops a younger player like Buckley developing. We saw this last season. we have regressed and gone back to something and someone that was not working. Instead of sticking with our expensive academy players.

There is a reason we are going nowhere. These are prime examples. I don't moan for no reason, or continually say the same things on repeat for no reason. It's all linked.
We brought a load of players in over summer all have added zero. Apart from the keeper who seems decent.

You never know? We could be seeing the best of Gallagher in a central role? He has been here going on 18 months now. But has spent 99% of his time played as a winger. Its a no brainer. He wont get better being played out of position.
Brereton has made huge improvements. Why? Its not rocket science. Because he is playing. And getting games.
No point having all these academy players and making expensive signings if all you are going to do it revert back to Graham, Downing, Bennett, Johnson etc. We have never gone anywhere with these sorts of players so far past their best.
Then we go and sign Ayala. And folk then start to winder why our injury list is so long.

And where is Lewis Holtby? Can anyone actually answer that? In Germany? Babysitting? Injured? Covid? Or just cant be arsed anymore.

I keep saying it, I feel its all a bit of a shambles. And if they lose to Preston tomorrow, which they always do, then they will be pretty close to the bottom 3. Much closer to that, than the top 6. We have been in this form since last July. And there will always be an excuse.

i'm bored of the whole thing.

[seventwo]

I believe it will be Dack and Holbty fighting for one place in Midfield. I no longer see Dack as one of the forwards.

Dack is a lazy arse and will struggle in the new set up. Good enough to carry though?

[AucklandRover]

Holtby was keen to play, but Mowbray felt he needed another few days.
Remember, performances in training are monitored very carefully.
I think you're being too harsh on Ayala.
You called him "crap" on another thread, but he has actually looked to me what we have often needed in the last two seasons - one of those no-nonsense, old-fashioned centre-halves. For sure, he is no Mulgrew in terms of distribution. Indeed, Williams is better than Ayala and Lenihan in that respect, but I will be happy if they just do the primary job of defending properly.
I also think you are too harsh on Johnson. When Holtby and Rothwell have been alongside him, he has played well, because of being able to focus on the "holding" role.
I haven't given up on Trybull yet. He was poor on Saturday, but think about how mediocre Holtby looked for much of last season!
The problem Mowbray needs to focus on first and foremost is getting beyond teams who play nine back. I always think we look more likely to crack them when Nyambe is on the pitch, personally, but I'd also like to see Joe R-C playing at the same time.
That won't happen for a while now, of course!

[champs95]

I didnt like how Ayala broke down in his first game.
For me, everything you described I agreed with. Downing was the only actual Centre Half we have had in years. Lenihan is a midfielder converted. Williams fancies himself as one. I dont believe either are core defenders at heart.
You will not be able to rely on Ayala Aucks. Ok, I will accept I was maybe harsh calling him crap. Injury prone is a far more accurate description. It matters little what my opinion is, or yours. He will always be injured. So we wont see a great deal of him either way.
The one who has appeared and I feel performed well, is Wharton. Who is everything you describe. A defender. And when Lenihan is asked to concentrate and look after his young partner, I feel he steps it up. And I quite like that partnership.
If you take Armstrong and Kaminski to one side. The 2 bright sparks of this season, for me the only other is Wharton. Who I do feel has stepped up.

Johnson? Looked good vrs Wycombe, Derby and Cov.
Was poor vrs Watford, Cardiff, Forest etc.
We are in dire need of the likes him tonight.
For a senor player to dive in like that on Sat and get himself booked spoke volumes of the lad.
Its ok looking good vrs Wycombe who had 10 men. When we actually need someone to step up in a tough tight game, where was Johnson then?
Nowhere.
You cant rely on these people, and I hark back to my original statement. There is a reason we are going absolutely nowhere and why they are lower than midtable. And also why they will be closer to the relegation places if we lose tonight, than the heading up the league. Johnson is doig excatly what he did last season. Playing 1 decent game in 4 or 5. And even then, he dives in in his first game back and gets suspended. Joke, absolute joke.

Another prime example. On Sat Joe Rothwell got MOM.
If we had won this game, and he had actually done something for once, the I could start to understand.
He sideways. Never once opening them up.
Your creative midfielder, gets MOM and creates nothing. There are big reasons we are not going anywhere. He had no impact on a game that was poor. Didnt create anything, didnt score. Ran around, like a headless chicken and passed
When was the last time Holtby or Rothwell or anyone in midfield scored? Weeks or months ago?

[champs95]

What I am keen to find out Aucks.
What did you see in 50 mins away at Watford where we had already conceded 3 poor goals to round on the opinion Ayala was decent?
He was part of a defence that let in 3 poor goals. Then got injured. And we haven't seen him since.
I mean, talk him up all you like. Which you are doing because I said he was ****e.
But in reality, in a Rovers shirt, may I ask, what are you basing that on actually?
50 mins in an away defeat?
Would you really say he shone brightly that night?
I must admit, I am baffled by that.

[AucklandRover]

You keep putting words into my mouth!
I am NOT talking him up.
I simply will NOT condemn a player on the back of a handful of performances.
It's the same with Trybull.
He was poor against Luton, but his record demonstrates that he is talented.
Your condemnation of Johnson is completely over the top!
And to imply that Rothwell and Holtby "add nothing" is simply ridiculous! Holtby looks twice the player he did, last season.
Against Preston, we had eight players missing, used five subs, and dominated throughout.
To me, your criticisms are wild generalisations - not based on an analysis of the big picture.

[champs95]

You keep putting words into my mouth!
I am NOT talking him up.
I simply will NOT condemn a player on the back of a handful of performances.
It's the same with Trybull.
He was poor against Luton, but his record demonstrates that he is talented.
Your condemnation of Johnson is completely over the top!
And to imply that Rothwell and Holtby "add nothing" is simply ridiculous! Holtby looks twice the player he did, last season.
Against Preston, we had eight players missing, used five subs, and dominated throughout.
To me, your criticisms are wild generalisations - not based on an analysis of the big picture.

Your ****ing boring me now. And losing it.