V Blackburn (A) Matchday Thread

[Ruud Aralliss]

9 minutes ago, Mckram said:

When Weimann was here everyone said he was shocking?!

 

Not sure everyone said he was shocking, his final ball was lacking but looked dangerous going forward, anyhow not sure he was happy being played our wide

[GrimsbyRam]

2 minutes ago, IslandExile said:

Yeah. How did that work out?

Not the point Cocu massively underachieving. Average age of side now older than before. What Morris brought him in for he is not doing.

[HuddersRam]

How do you even begin to rate that performance when it is the same we have watched time and time again for the last four months, only with less goals?

• Who is bringing in our players and who trusted them with £6-8 million to spend on Bielik? - Yes he's young and yes he impressed in League One but he has offered next to nothing to this side throughout the entire season. Money that would have been spent far, far better elsewhere in the squad.
• What's happened to Duane Holmes? - He is a shadow of the player we saw last season. Mount and Wilson are gone yes but surely his game is more mature than to only rely on having better players around him?
• What is this club's obsession in recent years with bringing in big names? It's lovely having you here Wayne, it was lovely having Frank here. And Ashley. But it's an utter waste bringing Rooney into this side. It's a waste of his talents because he is surrounded by a lack of effort throughout the squad, a lack of tactical knowhow and just an all round mediocre Championship squad.

I know the Lampard saga was a mess and pushed us back months but there's no excusing what we are seeing week in, week out. It's the same game on a constant loop and we're seeing no evidence of the side or the manager learning from it. Waghorn as a lone forward is not the answer to this, he can't do it. Martin as a lone forward is barely the answer, he's not the player of five years ago unfortunately. He's got to find a compromise somewhere and build an XI that he can say is his strongest and he is sticking with, rather than flitting people in and out constantly in the desperate hope it might stick.

God this is grim.

[Mr Tibbs]

Under 23’s are the best side at the club. 

Would love to see some of them more involved. Mel asked if we’d have patience if we played the kids when Rowett was here, I think now is the perfect time. Sure we’ll lose a lot but we’ll gain in the long run. Playing below average players who don’t belong to us is getting us nowhere. 

Recruitment has killed us. The Lawrence, Waghorn and Marriott fee’s are harrowing for the players we’ve received. 

 

[DRBee]

Pathetic , cautious team selection. Not prepared to take risks . Cocu not learning - we are going bakwards

[Comrade 86]

6 minutes ago, Andicis said:

The youth teams are a fair point, they're just about the only positive to take from this season. These same players were perfectly capable of playing the passes under Lampard last season, at what point is it due to the players not understanding the permanent chopping and changing of formation and personnel? How are they supposed to get any kind of rhythm if we change up what we're doing every game? I'm more referring to performances, rather than results with the piss poor comment. 

If that's necessary, yes. If it's a transition season - fine. If we're going backwards and don't show signs of improvement, then it's time to pull the plug and do something different. 

Honestly, I think we need a clear out. I'm less concerned by the poor performances, the root cause of which I think is mostly the constant stream of injuries, than I am by the total lack of heart shown by the players on our travels. If you watch any of the youth teams play, their entire demeanour is unrecognisable to many of the senior squad. I don't agree with @Angry Ram's suggestion that only one or two of the young'uns will make the step up either. 

Blood some youth, bring in 3 or 4 good quality signings who have a demonstrable record of not just technical ability, but some passion and fight too and we'll be contenders, but you can't introduce youth players to a team that shows so little heart and I think Cocu sees this. He's caught between a rock and a hard place and for once I'd like to see the players held at least partially accountable for their ineptitude instead of the gaffer getting roasted week in, week out. It doesn't matter what team or formation you play if the players can't fulfil the basic requirements expected of them and show no real urge to fight when things aren't going their way. Just my opinion of course!

[Raich Carter]

Watched it on RamsTV - Dowell offers nothing and I mean nothing. That lad needs to go back - he might be decent but he isn’t for us. 
 

whole team lacked energy. It’s as if we’re waiting for something... ?

[Mckram]

5 minutes ago, jimbo jones said:

No I’d take them over, Dowell, Paterson & Waghorn

Two of them haven’t even played more than a handful of times this season but fair enough.

I’m personally glad to see the back of players like Jerome and Johnson and think what we have now is a lot better if managed correctly as last season showed. 

[Comrade 86]

16 minutes ago, Emson said:

Where are @Paul, @86 Schmokes & a Pancake, @reverendo de duivel , @Mucker1884

Why have they gone so mysteriously silent ? 

Please, lend us your knowing expertise in our hour of need

Let us hear the positive spin and how everything is going to be ok - don't be shy .....!

I've been posting all day mate. If you take me off 'ignore' that might help! ??

[DCFC Ram]

If Cocu is electioneering to try to save his job - he isn't very good at it. If he actually believes his post match to RD he needs to go now.

 

[Gee SCREAMER !!]

I don't know what's happening with this team .  But the Russians have sent me a  secret recording of Phil and Mel discussing todays line up .

[RamNut]

5 minutes ago, B4ev6is said:

Well come on lads what freaking hell was that even through I was listening to radio Derby. What hell does selby has to do get in the team dowell needs dropping and for hammer for me no better than roos.

We are so short in central midfield that we’ve really only got Holmes, dowell, and knight. Pick two from that three. 

Holmes did ok. Dowell wasn’t the issue. The issue was tactical. We are risk averse and lack width. 

 Still....we have to keep the faith apparently.

Quote

First comes spring and summer, but then we have fall and winter. And then we get spring and summer again.

 

[kash_a_ram_a_ding_dong]

9 minutes ago, Jourdan said:

Wassall to the rescue, please.

If nothing else, we'd be fun to watch again.

I'm starting to want this to happen.

C,mon cocu,get it together.

 

[TheresOnlyWanChope]

5 minutes ago, HuddersRam said:

How do you even begin to rate that performance when it is the same we have watched time and time again for the last four months, only with less goals?

• Who is bringing in our players and who trusted them with £6-8 million to spend on Bielik? - Yes he's young and yes he impressed in League One but he has offered next to nothing to this side throughout the entire season. Money that would have been spent far, far better elsewhere in the squad.
• What's happened to Duane Holmes? - He is a shadow of the player we saw last season. Mount and Wilson are gone yes but surely his game is more mature than to only rely on having better players around him?
• What is this club's obsession in recent years with bringing in big names? It's lovely having you here Wayne, it was lovely having Frank here. And Ashley. But it's an utter waste bringing Rooney into this side. It's a waste of his talents because he is surrounded by a lack of effort throughout the squad, a lack of tactical knowhow and just an all round mediocre Championship squad.

I know the Lampard saga was a mess and pushed us back months but there's no excusing what we are seeing week in, week out. It's the same game on a constant loop and we're seeing no evidence of the side or the manager learning from it. Waghorn as a lone forward is not the answer to this, he can't do it. Martin as a lone forward is barely the answer, he's not the player of five years ago unfortunately. He's got to find a compromise somewhere and build an XI that he can say is his strongest and he is sticking with, rather than flitting people in and out constantly in the desperate hope it might stick.

God this is grim.

I think some bits of this post are strange- Bielik has generally been good. So has Holmes. Maybe they weren't today, I haven't gone but at home both players have been performing generally well. Wayne Rooney hasn't even played a match yet! Maybe it will be more positive in January with him playing. Big names? Lampard got us to playoff final and Ashley Cole was pretty solid for us. 

I agree it's grim.

[Tamworthram]

Dreading this time next Saturday.

I can see Sheffield Wednesday beating us with ease and Millwall taking a point. 

Still along way off "must win game" territory but it would make our next two away games (Reading and Wigan) somewhat important.

[LittleEatonRam]

This season we don't have Harry Wilson to score a goal out of nothing and totally change the complexion of a game. 

Anyone thinking this squad is top 6 needs to think again, hard. 

In the summer we lost Johnson, Bryson, Nugent (experienced players at this level) and three International players.

We've replaced them with a CB on loan who got injured, a free transfer from Aberdeen who is now injured, a loanee from Everton who looks more like Judge Reinhold from Beverley Hills Cop than a footballer and a defensive midfielder who hasn't been able to play a string of games all season.

On top of that we've lost our Captain and one of only 3 CBs at the club, an experienced midfielder who got injured taking a penalty and an off field fiasco that made us a national laughing stock.

And that's not all of it! The idea that another manager would have us in the top 6 now with all that is laughable.

[Angry Ram]

5 minutes ago, 86 Schmokes & a Pancake said:

Honestly, I think we need a clear out. I'm less concerned by the poor performances, the root cause of which I think is mostly the constant stream of injuries, than I am by the total lack of heart shown by the players on our travels. If you watch any of the youth teams play, their entire demeanour is unrecognisable to many of the senior squad. I don't agree with @Angry Ram's suggestion that only one or two of the young'uns will make the step up either. 

Blood some youth, bring in 3 or 4 good quality signings who have a demonstrable record of not just technical ability, but some passion and fight too and we'll be contenders, but you can't introduce youth players to a team that shows so little heart and I think Cocu sees this. He's caught between a rock and a hard place and for once I'd like to see the players held at least partially accountable for their ineptitude instead of the gaffer getting roasted week in, week out. It doesn't matter what team or formation you play if the players can't fulfil the basic requirements expected of them and show no real urge to fight when things aren't going their way. Just my opinion of course!

I’m not having we don’t agree. And me coming for Christmas In Oxford at yours anorl. ?

[Andicis]

2 minutes ago, 86 Schmokes & a Pancake said:

Honestly, I think we need a clear out. I'm less concerned by the poor performances, the root cause of which I think is mostly the constant stream of injuries, than I am by the total lack of heart shown by the players on our travels. If you watch any of the youth teams play, their entire demeanour is unrecognisable to many of the senior squad. I don't agree with @Angry Ram's suggestion that only one or two of the young'uns will make the step up either. 

Blood some youth, bring in 3 or 4 good quality signings who have a demonstrable record of not just technical ability, but some passion and fight too and we'll be contenders, but you can't introduce youth players to a team that shows so little heart and I think Cocu sees this. He's caught between a rock and a hard place and for once I'd like to see the players held at least partially accountable for their ineptitude instead of the gaffer getting roasted week in, week out. It doesn't matter what team or formation you play if the players can't fulfil the basic requirements expected of them and show no real urge to fight when things aren't going their way. Just my opinion of course!

And the players definitely deserve to take some responsibility, I'm not trying to claim they should be cleared of all guilt, but the nature of being the manager is the responsibility always lands on you when the performances are bad. Footballers even at the top are slow to adapt to things, so changing what you do and changing what you ask from them every single game is always going to be a struggle. I'd give him to late February - March, and if no improvement is being made after a second window, then questions should be asked.

[DCFC Ram]

Bielik sub was tactical. Is he serious? 

[AdamRam]

Where is roseinor (is that how you spell it) in all of this. He was hailed by some, mentioning no names, as as astute signing. What has he brought to the club ?

Our squad is dire, Davies and Forsyth are a bottom half pairing, we don’t have a winger, not one. Our keeper selection is poor to say the least, we haven’t got a creative midfielder, and we have no pace in the side. Injuries haven’t helped, but for me the problem as I said at the start of the season is the recruitment, a shocking window.

No surprise that we are struggling, although Cocu has to take some of the blame, we haven’t got a side that plays with any backbone, we are soft and easy to beat. Unless he changes that, we haven’t got a hope.