After a disappointing ( but in my mind not the most surprising draw of all time ) we travel to Blackburn Rovers for our next match. As I put on the Bristol write up, we're unable to dictate a game at home - note home form is bang average. No win in 3! However, we've only lost one on the road this season - pace to burn in Niles/ Fraser/ Sears. Rhodes will probably score his usual goal vs us but I really do not see us losing this fixture. I actually fancy us to win 1-0 / 2-0 / 2-1 and get our season alive and kicking. Blackburn IMO will be in the relegation fight this season and I wouldn't be surprised to see them drop. Sidenote - fair play Blackburn, £22 an away ticket is decent ! ( not that I'm going ! ) Thoughts? Lineup thoughts!?
Sorry lads, but I've reverted back to my old friend, pessimism. To quote Han Solo, 'I've got a bad feeling about this' and I just can't see us picking up a win here. Blackburn are scrapping at the wrong end of the table, true, but they're unbeaten in their last three (including impressive draws away at Hull and QPR) and Jordan Rhodes has a knack of scoring against us. Meanwhile, our form and defence has been pretty poor lately and the home draw against basement boys Bristol City was a disappointing result. I know some on here don't pay much heed to the old head-to-head shtick. After all, it's what counts on the day, right? But since Blackburn's relegation three seasons ago, we've only beaten them once and, on the three times we've played at Ewood Park over those years, we've lost every time. I'm not fully up to date with the spate of injuries, so correct me if I'm wrong. Hopefully Bart will be back in goal because Gerken just isn't cut out for first-team football at a Championship club aiming for promotion. For me, he's been culpable for too many goals and, as a last line of defence, he doesn't fill me with confidence, and sometimes I think that comes across with how we play defensively. Especially as those issues in defence have been exacerbated since Gerken has come into the side, although it would be naive to lay the blame squarely at his feet. I can imagine it'll be the same old back four, which is fairly worrying. However, there is only so much we can change considering our lack of experience and in-depth support in those defensive areas. This was where we needed some investment over the summer, but we relied on cheap, unproven potential. Having said that, I'd like Knudsen to keep on the field. He seems to be improving with every game and he's a fairly consistent player, definitely got potential. It's nice to see Emmanuel has some fans on here, and he will hopefully develop into a first-team regular because God knows we need a right-back. But his performance against Brighton, where he came up against a pacey left-winger, really underlined his rawness and inexperience. He had to be taken off at half-time. I fear the same might happen against Blackburn, but who knows if he doesn't play? Still, expect the usual back four. I'm hoping Fraser and Oar start on the wings with a central midfield pairing of Skuse and hopefully Bru. That's maybe a little too attacking, but I think they have a good balance and from what I've seen recently, Skuse and Douglas look a little too static and conservative for me. Fitness permitting, Sears and McGoldrick up front. They're our in-form strikers, let's play them in their natural positions. None of this Sears on the wing business. We have three natural wingers all vying for a game, let's keep our best striker at the top end of the pitch. Finally, the score. 2-1 Blackburn, but I hope to be proved wrong.
Ever the optimist Weighty I like! 1-2 to us. Sears and McG 2nd half. Need a win. Nuggets, your post puts it all nicely, better than mine! Very keen for at least one change defensively!
2-1 Town Sears and Murphy. I'm hoping Oar gets a start in this one to show us what he's got, AMN to replace him later instead of moving Freddie out wide. Murph and Sears to lead the line, Bru and Skuse behind them.
I cant see where all this faith comes from having watched us recently, is it blind faith? We will see what changes are made, i wont hold my breath as think the stubborn old dinosaur will stick with the same. We are crap at the back and in CM, Rhodes will enjoy himself and deffo score at least one, 3-2 Blackburn My team, obv cant have Yorwerth in now, so....... Bart Emmanuel Smith Berra Parr Oar Bru Skuse Fraser Pitman Sears Mick will go Gerken Chambers Smiff Berra Knudsen AMN Skuse Douglas Fraser Murphy Sears
" I cant see where all this faith comes from having watched us recently, is it blind faith? " The fact we are good on the road this season, beating Preston/ Leeds/ point at Brentford / ( Okay Reading disaster ) but 7/12 is a good away record Spanish so that's likely to be why people are upbeat. Interesting side that Spanish - what I will say is Parr was absolutely bloody horrific for the first 50 vs Man Utd so not sure I'd trust him at present. I'd like to see that midfield play though! I think this game will suit us - we can allow Blackburn to come onto us and hit them on the break with speed. Can see the natives getting restless. That said, IF we lose this, our very promising start will begin to become questioned. Mick has some big questions for this game - lets not forget after the Reading disaster - what happened next? Oh that's right, 1-0 away at Leeds in about as comfortable away performance as you can wish for. I really want to see Tommy Oar start this - Niles caused us no end of issues balance wise vs Bristol City and can be very naive with the ball so I hope to god he's on the bench for this. I would go - Bart Chambers / Smith / Berra / Knudsen ( Niles was the issue vs Bristol City ) Oar / Bru / Skuse / Fraser Murphy / Sears ( as soon as Murphy went off vs Bristol City, despite being flat we were 10 x worse ) McGoldrick is an interesting one - how do we fit him into a 4-4-2? I'd be SEMI tempted to go 4-3-3 for this one, same back 5, Skuse/ Bru / Tabb.... behind McGoldrick / Sears/ Murph.
Skuse and Tabb together, come on Westy, you know i hate both!! My blood pressure is high enough, that would finish me off!! Why not swap Bru for Douglas and have a midfield 3 of Sensational Skuse Dynamic Douglas and Terrific Tabby!!
I just can't see us getting 3 points out of this after our last few performances. I would love to be proved wrong but our form is slightly worrying at the moment. Their wingers and Rhodes will cause our defence all sorts of trouble and Mick refuses to change it around despite the fact we are conceding bucket loads of goals. What did Bart ever do wrong to be pushed out? There must be something we don't know about that situation as it is bizarre that Gerken gets the nod each week (obviously aware of Bart's personal issues). Think Bru needs to come back in place of Douglas and Sears has to start as well. Don't think Mick knows Freddie's best strike partner which is hampering the team at the moment. Either way, it should be a good game with goals and I'm going for a 2-2 draw!
Lucas we're a hell of a lot better on the road with who we have so I wouldn't be surprised to see us win today. That said, no Fraser is a massively blow. Not happy with Gerken in goal. Come on Parr you prove your worth today.
Get the first goal....and confidence will surely come back. Like the subs line-up......very useful 1st team core there! But good old Mick doesnt see it my way! COYBs. a hard fought 2-2
Well thats one of the weak links addressed, altho would never have happened had Knudsen not been ill!! Ffs Gerken and Douglas keep their places, i hope we win 5-6 with Douglas scoring 2 og's and Gerken falling over a few times gifting them a couple!! That way, we win but MM might actually see what is in front of him, tbh even then.........
Bring on subs soon, mick, defense shot to pieces! Midfield ****e. Like I said last week, our season is unravelling.....bloody fast!
