The Last Chance Saloon Closed Weeks Ago - Notes for Blackburn Friday, 4th Apr 2014 11:00 by HarryFromBath HarryfromBath assesses the mood in the opposition camp ahead of Saturday's game by delving into their forums. "Go on, then - tell me that's a good result. Useless. The season's been over for weeks. Hopefully this shuts up any clowns talking of a promotion push. Such levels of delusion should see you carted off to hospital", "We're stable yet uninspiring. That sums up a season which has ended for me today." "Draws are no good in this league." Rovers secured their fourth successive draw on Tuesday, when Brighton came from behind twice to secure a 3-3 result at Ewood Park. Many fans feel that any lingering hopes of making the play-offs this season have now disappeared. "The game summed up our season, which has promised so much but ultimately will deliver nothing", Stability Sucks"Stability is the thinking man's mediocrity", "Forget stability, bring on solidity!" "We've gone to Millwall [a 2-2 draw last Saturday] and been plain average as we have been all season. Stability." Any reference to 'stability' is greeted with ironic amusement on Rovers message boards. Given the clubs recent turmoil, many Rovers have appreciated seeing their ship steadied. "We have had a turnover of 30+ players in the last year. Gary Bowyer has had to rebuild his squad and we are in with a faint shout of the play-offs. Anyone with half a brain would see that as a job well done." Gary Bowyer"I don't think Bowyer has the personality to put it all together. He reminds me of Nigel Clough in some ways, a good coach, but not a tactician and not a manager to inspire players to do more. Clough put together a squad of young talents but they were mid-table and inconsistent." "His strengths are getting his players to play with pride and passion in most games, and changing the culture and playing squad around after three years of turmoil. Against that, he has signed some poor players, and he is slow to change tactics or make substitutions during games." "Bowyer's a nice guy but tactically inept", "He has made far too many wrong decisions far too often." Rovers were critical of his slowness to respond to Brighton's introduction of Kazenga LuaLua on Tuesday, and his reticence in making switches in last Tuesday week's draw away to Watford. The Owners"A chronic lack of leadership runs right through this club. We have owners who have little involvement and still seem to have no idea what they are doing. We have no strong leader at the club to run things day-to-day. We have a novice manager and no leaders on the pitch."
"It's 'Venkys Out' for me, or we're heading into oblivion." The resentment felt towards the owners these days is still palpable. "We always knew that the Venkys are the main problem. Unless they sell the club, there is simply no reason to hope for something better. Things are very painful right now." Defence"We're such a soft touch", "The reason Bowyer isn't getting enough out of them as a team is because defensively and tactically we are all over the place." Rovers have not kept a clean sheet in their last eight games and have conceded 18 goals in the process. "When we defend, we allow the opposition room. The ball can be taken at pace past the defender and a clumsy challenge or contact will be punished. We never, ever learn", "You have to be far tighter when crosses are coming in. It is basic defending but very poor." Paul Robinson"Robbo's had fundamental faults in his game for some time now", "He really struggles with low shots", "Most low and hard shots seem to go in, and have done past him for quite a while." The 34-year-old former Spurs and England keeper has been inconsistent at best in recent games.
"He was at fault for Brighton's first two goals, beaten at his near post twice. He should have saved the first and should have caught the ball from their corner", "His best days are undoubtedly behind him", "He's been a good keeper but is clearly making simple mistakes." "Paul needs to look in a mirror for the culprit rather than having a right old go at his defenders. He has taken to trying a 'crappy two-handed punch' far too often lately", "He has a habit of flapping at crosses", yet "He saved a golden chance that would have put Millwall two goals up" on Saturday". Things are equally unsettled at right-back, where Manchester United loan signing Michael Keane has covered in the last two games. The 21-year-old "is a centre-back, not a right-back", "He struggled in the last 15 minutes against Brighton. It was clear that he was out of position." He replaced Chelsea loan signing Todd Kane. The 20-year-old has "been genuinely a liability at right-back. He seems scared of the ball, not wanting to do anything with it except hoof it up field or pass it to the closest player to him. He gets caught horribly out of position", "A little bit blind alley to me." "Average enough." Former Doncaster man Tommy Spurr has been Rovers regular left-back. The 26-year-old "lacks drive, and does not support attacks unless he has a genuine winger in front of him", "He's slow, has a poor touch and can't pass. He's poor in possession and in getting forward." Rovers centre-back Matt Kilgallon "could communicate better with Keane or Hanley". The 30-year-old ex-Sunderland man "lacks creativity or confidence with his long hoofs up the pitch", but "can produce a sublime through ball when further up field". Grant Hanley"How can someone with such a large head have no brain?" The 22-year-old Scotland international "always gives the referee a reason with his clumsiness and with his handling of opponents", "He's an accident waiting to happen, still making the same mistakes he made in the Academy."
Hanley was sent off conceding a penalty in the 2-2 draw at Millwall, a decision which was rescinded on appeal. "He allowed the ball to bounce when it was first played through. It was very poor defending", "He is very slow reacting to the through ball", "He's far too rash with some of his challenges." Central Midfield"The Brighton game was very like the Burnley game. We were a goal up and on top, pressing high up the pitch, forcing errors from their back four, and another goal there for the taking. The opposition manager makes a tactical change. We go deeper and deeper until the inevitable happens" "Rohan Ince reminded me of Ivan Campo in the way he bossed the midfield for Brighton", "Brighton didn't have the ball when we pressed high up the pitch. Once we stood off them, we looked like conceding every time", "We let Brighton play their passing game without any pressure." Supporters are very frustrated at their team's inability to keep control of a game once they have their opponents on the back foot. They are just as unhappy with the lack of a threat, whether supporting the striker or scoring goals, from their midfielders. "We need to be able to play through and around, and retain the ball", "We seldom see our central midfielders running past Jordan Rhodes to get on the end of something. We are lucky if they get further than 10 yards past the halfway line more than twice in a game, excluding set-pieces." Rovers have mostly played with two holding players. "The Williamson/Lowe combination is not good enough", "At least one of the terrible twosome must make way", "They don't half make it easy for the opposition to score", "Lowe's a better athlete, Williamson's a better footballer. Neither is very good." "Lee Williamson lacks the ability to see the game. He has a League One thought process", "The 31-year-old ex-Portsmouth player "did the odd good thing against Brighton but on the whole was over-run, having to make last-ditch challenges as he struggled to keep up with the game". "Jason Lowe is not good enough for a team with any aspirations of promotion. We'll never get anywhere with him in central midfield", "He's good with the right players alongside him, but will never be an imaginative ball-playing midfielder." "Can someone tell me how many tackles our 'midfield enforcer' has made? I rarely see him tackle, although he can close down and cover the ground." The 22-year-old youth product "is far better at right-back", "Lowe has a fear of round-shaped objects", "He lacks a physical presence." Corry Evans"We lost the midfield when Evans went off injured." Rovers are desperate to see the return of the Northern Ireland international who was substituted in Tuesday's game with a dead leg. "I hope his injury is just a knock, as he is massive for us", "The midfield has more balance with him playing."
"When Evans went off, the balance of the team went. Our midfield was in control of the game with him on the pitch. He is simply better defensively and with the ball than Lowe or Williamson", "He's a proper midfielder who can sit at the back and pass the ball", "I love the bite he brings to midfield." There are minor criticisms of the 23-year-old former Hull player. "He drives me mad with his passes. At times, he gets the simplest 10-yard pass wrong. He's a good lad though, up and down and he likes a challenge. He's not a world beater, but he's solid." David Dunn"The best footballer at this club by a considerable margin", "Dunn is by far and away the most talented player on the field, and I do wish he was 22 again. He genuinely makes you feel like something can happen when he plays", "I cannot think of anyone in this division with his skill."
The 34-year-old former Birmingham player has been substituted in each of his last five starts. "Because of all his injuries, he is the equivalent of a 38-year-old. He can only be used in short bursts", "He was shattered after an hour against Burnley and needed replacing quickly." "We started sitting too deep against Brighton when Dunn went off", "It's no coincidence that this is what also happened against Burnley", "He's our only player with skill and guile at this level", "He's clearly our only player with any class, capable of making a breakthrough or keeping possession." Wide MidfieldBlackburn have been hampered this season with injuries to their wide men. Ben Marshall has been out with an ankle injury since January. Tom Cairney scored on his return also from an ankle knock against the Seagulls on Tuesday. "We have some quality on the ball with Cairney back in the team." "Cairney's needed in the middle where is playmaking skills are required." The 23-year-old former Hull man "is the best passer of a ball in the team", "He could be our best central player since Tugay. Playing him wide voids his ability." Many Rovers can see why Cairney's played wide. "He's too weak when it comes to making challenges", "The reason Bowyer won't play him there is because he's too lightweight and doesn't have much of a challenge. The opposition would drive right through our centre." "Joshua King's pace should have ensured he had a field day stretching the Brighton defence." However, the 22-year-old "hasn't performed consistently enough to warrant a starting place, despite his pace", "Brighton looked particularly strong down their left, with King never tracking back." Craig Conway"Conway has been an excellent signing so far", "He's an absolute class player", "He's been class for us since he joined, and has been chipping in with goals. It's priceless for midfielders to chip in with goals", "It's about time our players made more dynamic forward runs."
The 28-year-old ex-Cardiff player "might lack a yard of pace which is a shame. He's tidy on the ball, works incredibly hard, delivers good set-pieces and has an eye for goal", "He offers trickery and decent delivery, but we need more pace out wide. We're not stretching teams at all right now". Strikers"In attack, we either build up slowly, passing across the field, or we smash the ball at head height to Rhodes or Gestede", "At least we're scoring." While Rovers have struggled at the back in recent games, they have scored 13 times in the last five outings. "Luke Varney is a willing runner, but you are just as well not giving him the ball if you want to create something." Fans have been critical of the 31-year-old, who joined on loan from Leeds in February. "He's a good bench option", "He's capable of scoring a number of goals and being a real pain for defenders." Rudi Gestede"I like Rudy. He's a real handful in the air and gives the team something different", "I would like to see Gestede hold the ball up with midfielders running forward in support", "He will be a key player for us late in games when we need a goal and want to go more direct."
The 25-year-old former Cardiff striker "is awesome in the air and reminds me of Chris Sutton when he was first here", "He's not a natural finisher, although he's a much better all-round striker than Rhodes", "Gestede would undoubtedly better play Dunn into the box where he is still dangerous." Jordan Rhodes"Bit of a paradox is old Jordan", "I see trying to get JR to still score 30 league goals a season and contribute to the rest of the play like Drogba, is akin to asking the Golden Goose to lay two eggs a day. The last thing we want to do is kill our Golden Goose. His scoring 50% less is doing that in my eyes."
"When we played Burnley, Rhodes scored but we lost again. Apart from his goal, he might just as well have been sat watching. In the first half he did as well as I've seen him. In the second he was his totally ineffective self. Rhodes is about goals. We all know that. He does nowt else. We all know that too." "I had as many touches against Watford and I was in Row P. When he did get a touch, he was terrible with it", "I can see why at the age of 24 he's still playing in the Championship. He scored goals, but the whole team suffers because if his lack of footballing talent." The former ITFC striker is Rovers' leading scorer with 22 goals. The fact that Rudi Gestede is second with a mere five has raised a familiar debate. "Rhodes will never, through passing or physicality, bring about even a moderate number of assists", "He doesn't hold the ball and we lose possession." "Why is there this necessity that Rhodes should be all things to all men?", "Do we want Rhodes to improve his all-round game or to score goals?", "In the 18-yard-box, there is none more lethal. We should be set up to exploit this, pressing high up the pitch, getting him to face the goal." Rovers Thoughts on ITFC and the GameIt could be due to a sense of apathy with the hopes of the season fizzling out, but at the time of penning these notes (Thursday evening) no match day thread has appeared anywhere yet on any message board. I will update the forum on Saturday if there is anything worth mentioning. WebsitesThe busiest Rovers message board is at the BRFC Supporters Internet Site.
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