BLACKBURN ROVERS v DERBY COUNTY Championship #1
Friday 9th August 2024, 2000 Ewood Park Stadium, Blackburn
Back so soon, new season, new start and whilst you bask in the heat of the Farage Riots, I swelter in the furnace of the ridiculous heat in Greece.
So, it’s still me doing the MTs unless someone else wants to step - honest, don’t mind - but I should have more time this season as the government has given us a proper pay rise and repealed some spiteful anti-union laws which means we can get back to a more stable working life.
Look, we’re in the Championship and I predict we will finish somewhere between 2nd and 17th. New signings seem to ignited a frisson of anticipation but we do need a new goalie surely? That Ozoh chap looks a bit handy and there does seem to be an iota of link-up between him and other players. And Fozzie - still going
I think Friday is a sell-out for the away fans and also on Sky - got to find somewhere to watch it, 10.00pm kick-off.
It’s only natural to want us to dominate this league with attractive tika-taka football but it ‘ain’t gonna happen - how soon before the befuddled start asking for Warne’s head?
Team: Vickers (GK), Wilson, Nelson, Cashin, Elder, Ozoh, Goudmijn, Osborn, Barkhuizen, Mendez-Laing, Jackson
Subs: Luthra (GK), Forsyth, Bradley, Nyambe, Thompson, Fornah, Adams, Brown, Collins
Blackburn Rovers 4 - 2 Derby County
posted on 10/8/24
I thought Osborne played most of the game at left back, I'd rather have Forsyth there.
Has Cashin put on weight, or is it my tele?
The team did not look fit, which is strange as our manager is a PT instructor.
It's going to be a hard slog this season.
That's all folks.
posted on 10/8/24
We’ve played 1 game and we are not in the bottom 3. If it stays like that we’ll be happy 😄
posted on 11/8/24
I, for one, am totally happy with the progress and look forward to improvement during the season.
Just don’t lose sight of what we nearly became, recovered from and where we are.
UTR xx
posted on 11/8/24
I've now been able to watch the whole game and concluded that we were nowhere near as bad as some (not on here) have been making out.
B's first goal in its build up was poor from us but the deflection in the box was lucky for them. The other three came from bad defending for sure but before those three subs by B we looked secure enough. I'm not sure why Kenzo was subbed as he was our best player and we then looked like winning it or at least getting a draw. We just disintegrated after he went.
Cash has come in for some severe criticism but he did well for me and was plain unlucky with three successive strong challenges none of which saw the ball bounce kindly for us.
The only one to disappoint was Jackson but he is clearly not a CF. Vickers was fine and not at fault for any of the goals. NML was also nowhere near as bad as RD would have you think and was close to being our MOM. Elder looked sharp down the left but should we have two attacking full backs when playing four at the back?
All these comments of course are derived from a computer screen and you can't beat being there to get the full picture so others who were there may well disagree but there is no doom and gloom for me especially as I'm sure more bodies will be coming in.
posted on 11/8/24
You are right about the full backs Chicago. If we play a back 4, which I prefer, we should play Nyambe and Forsyth/Osborne. If we play a back 5, which I dislike, we should play Ward/Wilson and Elder/Sibley. Which might be difficult as we stupidly let Sibley go.
posted on 11/8/24
Could be worse. We could be Plymouth …
Up to 19th now.
posted on 11/8/24
Wayne Rooney could well be the helping hand needed to survive this division! Only one match but how long will he survive a baptism of fire there considering his managerial strengths to date? Surprised Whittaker hasn't left yet, with him gone it doesn't look great for them.
posted on 11/8/24
So I wonder what our best formation would be - four or five at the back? Much will presumably depend on who else we can bring in but whatever happens sorting out the midfield is priority. I just hope PW is not going to continue with his apparent willingness to bypass the middle by passing from the back either short or long to/down the flanks.. It becomes too predictable.
posted on 11/8/24
comment by Chicagoram (U22653)
posted 7 hours, 15 minutes ago
I've now been able to watch the whole game and concluded that we were nowhere near as bad as some (not on here) have been making out.
B's first goal in its build up was poor from us but the deflection in the box was lucky for them. The other three came from bad defending for sure but before those three subs by B we looked secure enough. I'm not sure why Kenzo was subbed as he was our best player and we then looked like winning it or at least getting a draw. We just disintegrated after he went.
Cash has come in for some severe criticism but he did well for me and was plain unlucky with three successive strong challenges none of which saw the ball bounce kindly for us.
The only one to disappoint was Jackson but he is clearly not a CF. Vickers was fine and not at fault for any of the goals. NML was also nowhere near as bad as RD would have you think and was close to being our MOM. Elder looked sharp down the left but should we have two attacking full backs when playing four at the back?
All these comments of course are derived from a computer screen and you can't beat being there to get the full picture so others who were there may well disagree but there is no doom and gloom for me especially as I'm sure more bodies will be coming in.
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If you look at these stats Chicago they bear out your summary:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/live/cz6xx06qwzxt#MatchStats
posted on 11/8/24
Unlike last season, teams are not going to sit in against us. We are going to be up against it most weeks so Warne will probably adapt the formation to try to negate the strengths of the opposition. In fact this was often the case even last season. I can see the formation varying match to match and within matches. At present I would say the best back four is Niambe Nelson Cashin Forsyth. A solid midfield would be Wilson Ozoh Adams Osborn. Up front could be Yates and a new centre forward. That would mean no place for the captain or for Kenzo of course. A back three would be Nelson Cashin and a new quicker centre half. Ward/Wilson and Elder/Osborn wing backs. Ozoh, Adams and Kenzo in midfield. Yates and a new centre forward up front.
If we stick with 4-3-3 I think we struggle unless we get a Lukaku to play up front. The wingers we have got are not superstars and with only a single front man it is hard to see where the goals come from.