Oppo Forum: https://www.brfcs.com/forums/forum/4-blackburn-rovers-fans-messageboard/ After a gutsy second half showing a Elland Road against the filthiest team in the English leagues, we return to our hallowed turf for the first time in what seems an age to take on fellow hornet Johnathan Eustace's improved Blackburn Rovers. There is no bad blood between us and Eustace (that I am aware of) so he should hopefully receive a warm welcome from the Vicarage Road faithful. Vicarage Road, going purely by results has been a world away from our dreadful, turgid and sloppy away performances. Even when we won at Millwall on the opening day of the season, we conceded a 2-0 lead and almost left The Den with a single point rather than the three we did get. Looking at our home form in more detail we probably result in one match where we have been dominant, which was the 3-0 win over an awful Stoke City. In our other home games, we have just about been clinging on to slender one goal advantages having come back from a goal behind on a fair few occasions. Which brings me easily onto the next topic of heavy discussion on these forums, our lovely Head Coach. Topsy Turvy Tom Under Pressure? Cleverley has lost three of past four matches, all away from homeCleverley has had a very mixed bag of performances since he became head coach. While our overall win to loss ratio is exactly what you would expect for a midtable side like Watford, some of his decisions of late have been found wanting by a fair few of the fanbase. Dan Bachmann, our old pair of "Safe Hands" between the sticks was at fault massively for our loss at Leeds midweek, but then again the blame is rightly more aimed at the fact Tom picked him to start with. He wasn't ready for first team football, and to start him again after our nightmare showing at Kennel Club, where is confidence was shattered no doubt, was almost inexcusable. A new meme of "If He Is Fit, He Plays..." has gone around the Internet domains a few times this past week and Cleverley paid the price for his faith in a 50% ready keeper with two errors in the first ten minutes which effectively lost the game. I still have faith in Tom, and he probably has a longer lease of life than other head coaches due to 'begin one of us' but our trigger happy owner will only tolerate so many defeats in a row before he dusts off the corner flag. With the ongoing debate of continuing to start a mis-firing striker in Bayo, freezing out his #1 target of the Summer in Daniel Jebbison, he needs a result on Saturday not only to win some favour back from the home supporters, but to make sure Gino doesn't get fidgety. Blackburn Bouncing Going for Promotion: Eustace has gotten Blackburn off to their best start in a while Blackburn, a few predicted pre season would be fighting relegation. In a Similar vein to ourselves, they have turned the form books on their heads and started well, even beating Leeds. Rovers have been in the playoffs more or less all season long, only time outside when they had a slight wobble and lost two on the bounce. They managed to come back with four points in their last two games, a creditable draw at home to fellow promotion hopefuls WBA and seeing off midtable Swansea by a single goal before that. In a vacuum, Blackburn have been a side that have a history of starting well then fading badly towards the tail end of a season. Last season they were in real danger of relegation till a few matches before the end. This season, Eustace has them motivated and it looks like they might be able to sustain a reasonable challenge for a playoff place minimal come May 2025. At the time of writing, Yuki Ohashi is their top scorer with four goals, while top assists is Makhtar Gueye. Last season, a lot of talk was over whether they could keep hold of Sammie Szmodics. He was the division's top scorer last season and the main reason they avoided relegation. However, since his Summer transfer to Premier League new boys Ipswich Town, Blackburn have coped well with his loss. Still managing to find the net on a consistent basis. While their defence is not great, they don't lose too many games, and in this rough and tumble division that's all you need to get up near the top of the table. I am expecting a tough game for us at the weekend, with them needing the points to maintain their push for a top two challenge. Home Comforts? At Vicarage Road, we are having a great time going by results. As the above chart alludes to, only Coventry City so far this season have escaped fortress Vic with anything above zero points. We've taken down division giants in Middlesbrough and Sunderland, as well as handed out a thrashing to a league two reserve side in the League Cup. However, our actual performances, especially how we have started the vast majority of these matches remains a cause for concern. All it needs is an away side to race into more than a goal lead, and I think our resolve will crumble. Despite starting slowly in these games, we have shown great resolve to come back and not only draw but win these games. Tom and lads deserve credit for their "never give up" attitude (if only we could say the same for our away performances). I hope we start this game on the front foot for once, and take the game to Blackburn from minute one. Tom may need to switch up the side a bit to the one who lost at Leeds, but I remain remain confident we can continue or good home form despite our never-ending losing streak on our travels. I would go through the line up, formation we should go with, but I think predicting that is just as hard as predicting how many goals we will concede on the road at Sheffield Wednesday. What I will suggest, is start Tom Ince. He's a good player and needs to be involved more in games. He cares, and might just be the answer to our set piece issues. Start Johnathan Bond in goal. Bachmann (despite his apology) is still not ready mentally it seems. Give him the weekend off and see if he can travel to Hillsbrough. I would also throw some spice in the line up and give Doumbia start up front. Baah, as well as he played midweek and in most games, is not a striker and it's not fair on him playing him as such. Doumbia deserves more of a chance to show he can cope with the pace of the Championship. Skyla Predicts: Watford 2 Blackburn 1
Sign players who will play, said Sir Alex. He cited that as the best managerial advice he was ever given. Meanwhile in the Watford world, Ogbonna will now sadly miss 6-8 weeks, Keben hasn’t been seen at all, and Ngakia remains his customary “one match away”. I’m not expecting much change to our starting eleven here. To swap keepers now would be to admit he was wrong to recall DB in the first place. If the ever impressive Baah can manage two starts in five days, and Tom thinks Sissoko can manage three in eight days, then we might even be unchanged. If Jebbison isn’t injured and fails to make the bench, it will show we really have problems with our summer recruitment in key positions, aside the fact we also signed players not able to actually play because of injury/fitness.
I don't think we have ever signed players to instantly improve the first XI under the Pozzo's. It's simply a case of throw enough s**t at the wall and hope some of it sticks.
The shocking away form makes this a very important game, as ludicrous as that sounds. Even a draw puts much more pressure on the next two (both away). I fear heads could really drop if the home fortress is breached. 1-2 Blackburn. The fat lady is on in 5.
As long as your playing CF in place of Bayo I think we'll be alright though. I've heard you have a mean right foot.
I mean, of this there was never any doubt, in fairness. It just looks particularly bad now it's coming to fruition, perhaps even more starkly and/or quickly than expected.
Despite some of the drama queens, this isn't a 'must win' or even a 'must not loose.' This is a game where as long as we see some progress from the last two defeats, we can take encouragement that Clevs is building something with his exciting young team. Keep Blackburn to 1 or 2 goals, create some reasonable XG for ourselves and I'd say it's job done.
Hard game. Draw would not be so bad. I think key period for us is either side of international break. Oxford at home and then Plymouth away. And then 2 home games on the bounce.
Absolutely. The best way to help Jebbison get over his low confidence is for us as fans to show we have low confidence in all of them.
I can see us starting to slowly and possibly even going behind to an early goal. Thereafter I see us settling down and responding with two goals, to get a barely deserved win. Not sure why.
So a 12.30 KO throws sensible lunch arrangements up in the air. Is there anything edible available at the ground for less than £20 pp and unlikely to cause food poisoning ? Any decent pies or did Malky Mackay eat them all ? I would bring sandwiches and a thermos but I appreciate that could start a riot.
You must be new here. @The undeniable truth please educate this football virgin on how XG>G in terms of measuring overall progress and success. The only thing more important is successful dribbles.
@The undeniable truth is also very proficient at dribbling. Just look at his posts. EDIT: sorry, I thought you said 'drivel'.
Sure. @BC101 XG>G in terms of measuring overall progress and success. The only thing more important is successful dribbles.
On the topic of xG, I was having a browse of the various stat tables yesterday and clocked that no side in the league has conceded more xG than us so far. We rise up to 18th in terms of xG conceded when only looking at home games with us in 23rd when looking at away games only. There's been a couple of games that we conceded a lot of chances (Norwich + Preston) that could throw out the averages at this stage of the season, but could be a worry if that becomes a longer term trend. Also a worry is how little xG we've created in a lot of games - which combined with our strikers that struggle with actually turning chances into goals isn't a great combination either.
So based purely on the quality of chances created at both ends of the pitch, we have been second best in every game except Stoke (H) and Sunderland (H) ? Worrying if true.
Correct, most of our wins have only been by a single goal as well which I think is papering over the cracks somewhat. I hope I'm wrong and the results continue to go against what the data says, but I think we're in somewhat of a false position at the moment.
Even from the eye test, it felt like we were really lucky to come away with six points from Sunderland and Boro and it could easily have been one. Feels a little like we've been squeaking wins and taking pretty comprehensive defeats.
