MATCHWATCH : Blackburn Rovers (a)

[SouthDownsRoyal]

If relegation would be so good why do we try for promotion every year?

Exactly, I’m always amazed how some seem to think relegation is sone sort if positive, it in no way is.

Maybe some use it as a mechanism of coping to try and come to terms with it but lower attendances, lower revenue, a poorer squad, harder ti attract fans players managers and sponsorship etc no guarantee of winning more games or doing well.

No thanks.

[Hound]

Yeah no benefit at all to going down

How about winning more games, playing more attractive football, finishing higher in the table, attracting back fans and rebuilding a culture of positivity and winning rather than toxic failure?

And seeing more of the Academy talent at a level they have more chance of excelling?

Loads of benefits.

If you can guarantee that would happen, which you can't, then relegation may just be worthwhile. I really do not want relegation but it does feel that it may be the only way to close the door or this depressing chapter. My concern is, I have no idea if the next chapter would be more positive or take a dark twist.

Anyway on to last night - thought we did OK without being brilliant - around the time we scored we looked the better team but the goals sum up our season.

Our corner, tackle/clearance from Holmes stops initial break but as it was fairly poor allows a 3 on 1 - in the 2nd minute! - Mbengue gets back and gets something on the ball but typically goes straight on the chest of BBD, who picks his spot wonderfully. Less said about letting a guy have all the time in the world to backheel a through ball the better.

Looking at our run in and it is now not too bad and think they can be grouped as such:

Potential wins: Hull, Brum, Wigan, Huddersfield
Likely/possible draws: Luton, PNE, Bristol
Defeats: Burnley, Coventry

That’s a very kind set of fixtures tbf

Obvs a couple of what may be big 6 pointers but hopefully hudders and Wigan will get the points deductions if we do

[elrey]

If relegation would be so good why do we try for promotion every year?

Exactly, I’m always amazed how some seem to think relegation is sone sort if positive, it in no way is.

Maybe some use it as a mechanism of coping to try and come to terms with it but lower attendances, lower revenue, a poorer squad, harder ti attract fans players managers and sponsorship etc no guarantee of winning more games or doing well.

No thanks.

Sometimes going down allows you to rebuild and come back stronger. We could literally spend every season fighting relegation and never get going, or we could (could is a big word) go down, and do a Luton or a Coventry.

[Snowflake Royal]

Yeah no benefit at all to going down

How about winning more games, playing more attractive football, finishing higher in the table, attracting back fans and rebuilding a culture of positivity and winning rather than toxic failure?

And seeing more of the Academy talent at a level they have more chance of excelling?

Loads of benefits.

If you can guarantee that would happen, which you can't, then relegation may just be worthwhile. I really do not want relegation but it does feel that it may be the only way to close the door or this depressing chapter. My concern is, I have no idea if the next chapter would be more positive or take a dark twist.

Anyway on to last night - thought we did OK without being brilliant - around the time we scored we looked the better team but the goals sum up our season.

Our corner, tackle/clearance from Holmes stops initial break but as it was fairly poor allows a 3 on 1 - in the 2nd minute! - Mbengue gets back and gets something on the ball but typically goes straight on the chest of BBD, who picks his spot wonderfully. Less said about letting a guy have all the time in the world to backheel a through ball the better.

Looking at our run in and it is now not too bad and think they can be grouped as such:

Potential wins: Hull, Brum, Wigan, Huddersfield
Likely/possible draws: Luton, PNE, Bristol
Defeats: Burnley, Coventry

Ok I guarantee we won't finish in the bottom 8 of League 1 if we get relegated.

The added benefit is that if I'm wrong the club will be spiralling into ceasing to exist. And ceasing to exist would be a blessed relief at that point.

[Coppells Lost Coat]

League 1 would mean less money. Less money means a new lower band of players to pick from*. Lower band of players means the football standard would be awful to watch**. Awful football would mean the fans wont be coming in their droves to watch us.

*might get lucky with unearthing a gem.
**might win more games

Considering how many player we will need next season we would be forced into playing more of the academy which some might be up for but lets face it not many are ready, so there would be a greater risk they'd would be kicked off the park.
Anybody who thinks if we get relegated we'd suddenly turn into this expansive footballing side playing the academy players needs to take their medication. There is just as much chance of us getting relegated further with the amount we'd have to do in 1 transfer window.

[Snowflake Royal]

League 1 would mean less money. Less money means a new lower band of players to pick from*. Lower band of players means the football standard would be awful to watch**. Awful football would mean the fans wont be coming in their droves to watch us.

*might get lucky with unearthing a gem.
**might win more games

Considering how many player we will need next season we would be forced into playing more of the academy which some might be up for but lets face it not many are ready, so there would be a greater risk they'd would be kicked off the park.
Anybody who thinks if we get relegated we'd suddenly turn into this expansive footballing side playing the academy players needs to take their medication. There is just as much chance of us getting relegated further with the amount we'd have to do in 1 transfer window.

No, there is not just as much chance of a double relegation. Double relegations are rarer than immediate promotions.

Almost all our large earners will be gone, our wage budget easily managed, and we'll have one of the higher attendances in the league, putting us financially ahead of most teams, rather than behind. On top of that we have an excellent Academy that regularly cranks out players of L1 quality that progress to Championship quality and beyond.

We've been there before.

It's not the end of the world. We'll still play 48 games a season, minimum.

[BarryWhiteRFC]

How about winning more games, playing more attractive football, finishing higher in the table, attracting back fans and rebuilding a culture of positivity and winning rather than toxic failure?

And seeing more of the Academy talent at a level they have more chance of excelling?

Loads of benefits.

If you can guarantee that would happen, which you can't, then relegation may just be worthwhile. I really do not want relegation but it does feel that it may be the only way to close the door or this depressing chapter. My concern is, I have no idea if the next chapter would be more positive or take a dark twist.

Anyway on to last night - thought we did OK without being brilliant - around the time we scored we looked the better team but the goals sum up our season.

Our corner, tackle/clearance from Holmes stops initial break but as it was fairly poor allows a 3 on 1 - in the 2nd minute! - Mbengue gets back and gets something on the ball but typically goes straight on the chest of BBD, who picks his spot wonderfully. Less said about letting a guy have all the time in the world to backheel a through ball the better.

Looking at our run in and it is now not too bad and think they can be grouped as such:

Potential wins: Hull, Brum, Wigan, Huddersfield
Likely/possible draws: Luton, PNE, Bristol
Defeats: Burnley, Coventry

Ok I guarantee we won't finish in the bottom 8 of League 1 if we get relegated.

The added benefit is that if I'm wrong the club will be spiralling into ceasing to exist. And ceasing to exist would be a blessed relief at that point.

Not sure I could ever cope with the club ceasing to exist, and I feel that anyone who thinks it could 'ever' be considered a blessing is no real fan. No matter what the division, it is my team. It is part of my identity. If the club died, I honestly feel a part of me would die with it.

[BarryWhiteRFC]

League 1 would mean less money. Less money means a new lower band of players to pick from*. Lower band of players means the football standard would be awful to watch**. Awful football would mean the fans wont be coming in their droves to watch us.

*might get lucky with unearthing a gem.
**might win more games

Considering how many player we will need next season we would be forced into playing more of the academy which some might be up for but lets face it not many are ready, so there would be a greater risk they'd would be kicked off the park.
Anybody who thinks if we get relegated we'd suddenly turn into this expansive footballing side playing the academy players needs to take their medication. There is just as much chance of us getting relegated further with the amount we'd have to do in 1 transfer window.

I think people just remember Nicky Forster tearing teams apart in League One. Players like him are rare in such a division.

[6ft Kerplunk]

League 1 would mean less money. Less money means a new lower band of players to pick from*. Lower band of players means the football standard would be awful to watch**. Awful football would mean the fans wont be coming in their droves to watch us.

The transfer embargo has meant we're pretty much already living this.

[Coppells Lost Coat]

League 1 would mean less money. Less money means a new lower band of players to pick from*. Lower band of players means the football standard would be awful to watch**. Awful football would mean the fans wont be coming in their droves to watch us.

The transfer embargo has meant we're pretty much already living this.

But still able to attract okay / older head to play Champ football. Think of the next level of player willing to move to us and then the contracted players wanting to move on from us. We'd be looking at bringing in basically a new 11 then what started last night - but on a smaller budget.

[SouthDownsRoyal]

If relegation would be so good why do we try for promotion every year?

Exactly, I’m always amazed how some seem to think relegation is sone sort if positive, it in no way is.

Maybe some use it as a mechanism of coping to try and come to terms with it but lower attendances, lower revenue, a poorer squad, harder ti attract fans players managers and sponsorship etc no guarantee of winning more games or doing well.

No thanks.

Sometimes going down allows you to rebuild and come back stronger. We could literally spend every season fighting relegation and never get going, or we could (could is a big word) go down, and do a Luton or a Coventry.

Yes that could happen but I suspect we would be languishing in league one for many years bobbing around 10th/mid table with every passing year lower attendances less interest in the club and less revenue

[YorkshireRoyal99]

League 1 would mean less money. Less money means a new lower band of players to pick from*. Lower band of players means the football standard would be awful to watch**. Awful football would mean the fans wont be coming in their droves to watch us.

*might get lucky with unearthing a gem.
**might win more games

Considering how many player we will need next season we would be forced into playing more of the academy which some might be up for but lets face it not many are ready, so there would be a greater risk they'd would be kicked off the park.
Anybody who thinks if we get relegated we'd suddenly turn into this expansive footballing side playing the academy players needs to take their medication. There is just as much chance of us getting relegated further with the amount we'd have to do in 1 transfer window.

No, there is not just as much chance of a double relegation. Double relegations are rarer than immediate promotions.

Almost all our large earners will be gone, our wage budget easily managed, and we'll have one of the higher attendances in the league, putting us financially ahead of most teams, rather than behind. On top of that we have an excellent Academy that regularly cranks out players of L1 quality that progress to Championship quality and beyond.

We've been there before.

It's not the end of the world. We'll still play 48 games a season, minimum.

With a club that has desperately struggled to spend within it's means in the last decade or so now, reducing our income is probably one of the last things we'd want to be doing.

[Snowflake Royal]

League 1 would mean less money. Less money means a new lower band of players to pick from*. Lower band of players means the football standard would be awful to watch**. Awful football would mean the fans wont be coming in their droves to watch us.

The transfer embargo has meant we're pretty much already living this.

But still able to attract okay / older head to play Champ football. Think of the next level of player willing to move to us and then the contracted players wanting to move on from us. We'd be looking at bringing in basically a new 11 then what started last night - but on a smaller budget.

Have you got any examples of these ok older heads?

We need a whole new set of players whichever division we're in. In a lower one, we can use more of our youth and not quite good enough for the Championship players to fill those gaps.

NGW isn't really strong enough to be first choice for a non-relegatiom threatened Championship side. He is for a L1 side. For example.

We could probably do ok in L1 with Bouzanis, Andresson/Southwood and CBC for goalies. Not good enough for mid-table Championship is the prevailing view.

We are a struggling also ran in the Championship. Picking up scraps. In L1, we're a relatively big fish with just about the best facilities in the League

[YorkshireRoyal99]

The transfer embargo has meant we're pretty much already living this.

But still able to attract okay / older head to play Champ football. Think of the next level of player willing to move to us and then the contracted players wanting to move on from us. We'd be looking at bringing in basically a new 11 then what started last night - but on a smaller budget.

Have you got any examples of these ok older heads?

We need a whole new set of players whichever division we're in. In a lower one, we can use more of our youth and not quite good enough for the Championship players to fill those gaps.

NGW isn't really strong enough to be first choice for a non-relegatiom threatened Championship side. He is for a L1 side. For example.

We could probably do ok in L1 with Bouzanis, Andresson/Southwood and CBC for goalies. Not good enough for mid-table Championship is the prevailing view.

We are a struggling also ran in the Championship. Picking up scraps. In L1, we're a relatively big fish with just about the best facilities in the League

The problem is not a lot of our youth is good enough for L1 football yet either. The best example we've got is Luke Southwood who is plying his trade at a bottom half side, he is now 25 and has over 100 senior appearances to his name.

The only academy players I think at the moment that might be able to hold their own or impress at League One level is Azeez and Abrefa, I'm not sure about anyone else.

[Snowflake Royal]

But still able to attract okay / older head to play Champ football. Think of the next level of player willing to move to us and then the contracted players wanting to move on from us. We'd be looking at bringing in basically a new 11 then what started last night - but on a smaller budget.

Have you got any examples of these ok older heads?

We need a whole new set of players whichever division we're in. In a lower one, we can use more of our youth and not quite good enough for the Championship players to fill those gaps.

NGW isn't really strong enough to be first choice for a non-relegatiom threatened Championship side. He is for a L1 side. For example.

We could probably do ok in L1 with Bouzanis, Andresson/Southwood and CBC for goalies. Not good enough for mid-table Championship is the prevailing view.

We are a struggling also ran in the Championship. Picking up scraps. In L1, we're a relatively big fish with just about the best facilities in the League

The problem is not a lot of our youth is good enough for L1 football yet either. The best example we've got is Luke Southwood who is plying his trade at a bottom half side, he is now 25 and has over 100 senior appearances to his name.

The only academy players I think at the moment that might be able to hold their own or impress at League One level is Azeez and Abrefa, I'm not sure about anyone else.

Anyone who we are giving minutes to in the Championship should be able to contribute.

That means
Abrefa
Azeez
Clarke
Clarke
Ehibhtiomhan
Craig
Leavy
Osorio
Andresson
Abbey

[YorkshireRoyal99]

Have you got any examples of these ok older heads?

We need a whole new set of players whichever division we're in. In a lower one, we can use more of our youth and not quite good enough for the Championship players to fill those gaps.

NGW isn't really strong enough to be first choice for a non-relegatiom threatened Championship side. He is for a L1 side. For example.

We could probably do ok in L1 with Bouzanis, Andresson/Southwood and CBC for goalies. Not good enough for mid-table Championship is the prevailing view.

We are a struggling also ran in the Championship. Picking up scraps. In L1, we're a relatively big fish with just about the best facilities in the League

The problem is not a lot of our youth is good enough for L1 football yet either. The best example we've got is Luke Southwood who is plying his trade at a bottom half side, he is now 25 and has over 100 senior appearances to his name.

The only academy players I think at the moment that might be able to hold their own or impress at League One level is Azeez and Abrefa, I'm not sure about anyone else.

Anyone who we are giving minutes to in the Championship should be able to contribute.

That means
Abrefa
Azeez
Clarke
Clarke
Ehibhtiomhan
Craig
Leavy
Osorio
Andresson
Abbey

My apologies, I missed out Abbey who may be able to, but probably not yet. So Azeez, Abrefa and maybe Abbey.

We are giving these players minutes because our hands are tied, not because even half of that list is good enough. Andresson you say should be able to contribute yet he's made 3 appearances for Stevenage at his current loan spell and has played a handful of games at L1 level, for example.

If that's what you want to be relying on next season then, should we go down, then yes we could very well be drawn into another relegation battle.

[tmesis]

Have you got any examples of these ok older heads?

We need a whole new set of players whichever division we're in. In a lower one, we can use more of our youth and not quite good enough for the Championship players to fill those gaps.

NGW isn't really strong enough to be first choice for a non-relegatiom threatened Championship side. He is for a L1 side. For example.

We could probably do ok in L1 with Bouzanis, Andresson/Southwood and CBC for goalies. Not good enough for mid-table Championship is the prevailing view.

We are a struggling also ran in the Championship. Picking up scraps. In L1, we're a relatively big fish with just about the best facilities in the League

The problem is not a lot of our youth is good enough for L1 football yet either. The best example we've got is Luke Southwood who is plying his trade at a bottom half side, he is now 25 and has over 100 senior appearances to his name.

The only academy players I think at the moment that might be able to hold their own or impress at League One level is Azeez and Abrefa, I'm not sure about anyone else.

Anyone who we are giving minutes to in the Championship should be able to contribute.

That means
Abrefa
Azeez
Clarke
Clarke
Ehibhtiomhan
Craig
Leavy
Osorio
Andresson
Abbey

I remember being truly impressed with quality of the young team that played so well in the cup tie at 6th tier Kidderminster last year.

Oh, no...wait.

[Snowflake Royal]

Yes, because I'm definitely saying they should all be in our first XI


The comments about Southwood are bonkers. He's been playing at L1 level or above for years.

You've only got to look at the players we've let slip as well, there's a huge list of Academy players we've produced who are L1 level or above.

Fosu, Stacey, Hyam, Dickie, Obita, The guy at Luton whose name I forget, Hector, Robson-Kanu, Karacan, Olise, Rinomhota, Hamer, McCarthy, Pearce... etc etc.

[blythspartan]

The problem is not a lot of our youth is good enough for L1 football yet either. The best example we've got is Luke Southwood who is plying his trade at a bottom half side, he is now 25 and has over 100 senior appearances to his name.

The only academy players I think at the moment that might be able to hold their own or impress at League One level is Azeez and Abrefa, I'm not sure about anyone else.

Anyone who we are giving minutes to in the Championship should be able to contribute.

That means
Abrefa
Azeez
Clarke
Clarke
Ehibhtiomhan
Craig
Leavy
Osorio
Andresson
Abbey

My apologies, I missed out Abbey who may be able to, but probably not yet. So Azeez, Abrefa and maybe Abbey.

We are giving these players minutes because our hands are tied, not because even half of that list is good enough. Andresson you say should be able to contribute yet he's made 3 appearances for Stevenage at his current loan spell and has played a handful of games at L1 level, for example.

If that's what you want to be relying on next season then, should we go down, then yes we could very well be drawn into another relegation battle.

They might be good enough with 2 or 3 seasoned pros added and a few youngsters from Premiership clubs.

I look at Coventry as a great example, I can’t name hardly any of their players but they’re one of best sides I have seen in the championship over the last 2 years.

[Snowflake Royal]

Anyone who we are giving minutes to in the Championship should be able to contribute.

That means
Abrefa
Azeez
Clarke
Clarke
Ehibhtiomhan
Craig
Leavy
Osorio
Andresson
Abbey

My apologies, I missed out Abbey who may be able to, but probably not yet. So Azeez, Abrefa and maybe Abbey.

We are giving these players minutes because our hands are tied, not because even half of that list is good enough. Andresson you say should be able to contribute yet he's made 3 appearances for Stevenage at his current loan spell and has played a handful of games at L1 level, for example.

If that's what you want to be relying on next season then, should we go down, then yes we could very well be drawn into another relegation battle.

They might be good enough with 2 or 3 seasoned pros added and a few youngsters from Premiership clubs.

I look at Coventry as a great example, I can’t name hardly any of their players but they’re one of best sides I have seen in the championship over the last 2 years.

And they got there with Dom Hyam. A Reading FC Academy player some of our fans didn’t think was good enough.