tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30827235.post4259509248093518941..comments2024-03-12T08:53:00.766+00:00Comments on The Marple Leaf: Not fit to wear the shirt? Michael Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08616909770570609477noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30827235.post-71698732000579736262017-10-16T10:41:16.174+00:002017-10-16T10:41:16.174+00:00The fragility of some Rovers fans should be expect...The fragility of some Rovers fans should be expected. I've seen Forest, Bolton, City (yes, that one), Leeds and others come down to the wastelands of the third tier. I've seen us beat them all, and I've watched supporters of each team respond in exactly the same way. "How dare this little Pennine club beat us! Do they not know our history?!" A few more results like this will separate those fans who understand the predicament Rovers are in and are up for the fight, and those that thought this was going to be a bit of a novelty season, with lots of quaint little grounds to visit and wins every week. <br /><br />However, for me, your biggest problem is Mowbray. I'm unsure where his reputation as a strong, astute manager comes from. There's little to go off looking at his record. He should know how things work down in League 1. Spreading the ball to tippy-tap wingers on the hope they'll skin their man and get a great ball in doesn't work at this level. 9/10 there'll be a lump of a full back there, who cares not if the man ends up in the stand, so long as the ball does as well. I lost count of how many times Rovers fell foul of that.<br /><br />Direct football is the what gets teams out of this division meaning the midfield is the key battle-ground. Partly because the Rovers team is a bit light-weight, but mainly because Mowbray didn't prioritise (or didn't seem to) this area of the park, we completely over-ran you. Jack Byrne probably won't have an easier game all season.<br /><br />On Saturday's performance, Rovers won't be going up this season. And with Mowbray in charge, promotion looks unlikely for subsequent seasons as well. <br /><br />Rovers are a League 1 team now. The key to getting back to the Championship is owning that, and playing the likes of Oldham at their own game. <br /><br />Let's see if Mr Mowbray has learnt any lessons by February 10th...Macca (OAFC)noreply@blogger.com