The Football.....

[PaulSB]

Very little to say about Rovers. We had two games in four days and took one point. Oxford beat us on Wednesday. Three points now separate the teams in 19th to 23rd. Anything can happen.

One little thing from this mess. I have never missed a crucial Rovers game; promotion, relegation, cup winners, PL Champions. I was there through the highs and lows. On Easter Monday we face WBA in a crucial six pointer at Ewood. We will be travelling home from a full family holiday. The question is can I persuade Mrs P to leave early enough so my lad and I can get to the game?

Millwall away today. Any points would be a miracle. Potentially drop to 23rd this evening. The general view is we're going down. I think we are.

 

[StuAff]

Very little to say about Rovers. We had two games in four days and took one point. Oxford beat us on Wednesday. Three points now separate the teams in 19th to 23rd. Anything can happen.

One little thing from this mess. I have never missed a crucial Rovers game; promotion, relegation, cup winners, PL Champions. I was there through the highs and lows. On Easter Monday we face WBA in a crucial six pointer at Ewood. We will be travelling home from a full family holiday. The question is can I persuade Mrs P to leave early enough so my lad and I can get to the game?

Millwall away today. Any points would be a miracle. Potentially drop to 23rd this evening. The general view is we're going down. I think we are.

Well, miracles do happen, you won!

 

[Accy cyclist]

Gillingham sacked Accy's former manager John Coleman last season after he was fair to say average in his few games in charge. Then Gareth Ainsworth touted his 'I'm available if you want me'!!! with Gillingham giving him the manager job. Gillingham lost again today, and badly to automatic promotion contenders Cambridge United. They are now below Accrington in Division Two. How long will the much over rated Gareth Ainsworth in my opinion be given before he's shown the door, like they did with John Coleman?!😏

Sorry the link's not working, but as you can see, it was a bad loss.

Cambridge United 5-0 Gillingham - BBC Sport https://share.google/ylbuVeevo0kR8vJOj

Cambridge United 5-0 Gillingham - BBC Sport

 

[PaulSB]

Well, miracles do happen, you won!

Yes, can't quite believe it. I was in the cinema with my wife...........I had to go out to double check the score. 🤣

 

[PaulSB]

What a difference one set of results can make. Everything went our way yesterday, though the Baggies did spoil things a bit. From being nailed on certain to be in the bottom three at KO Rovers scrambled to 19th. A completely unexpected win.

Next Saturday Rovers are home to 'Boro. Form, league position etc all point to an away win. I'll take a draw. The four teams around us have tricky away games. A draw could well see us hold on to 19th.

If only we'd got something from the Oxford game on Wednesday. A point would have been tremendous in the light of yesterday's result.

 

[No Ta Doctor]

I'm trying not to get overexcited by the boy Max Dowman. Been trying to keep a lid on it for two years now, because he's just a kid and we shouldn't hype kids up, it's not good for them. But I think that's over now, he just made himself a national talking point. So what you need to know:

1. He's ridiculously talented, very very smooth dribbler, and like Messi (not comparison in quality, just style) it's based almost entirely on improvising from stitching simple cuts and balance shifts together, rather than doing tricks
2. Tall and strong at 16, dunno how much growth he has left. He's been playing way above his age for years
3. Totally grounded, you'll rarely hear him speak (it's actually not allowed to interview him at matches due to his age) but his head just seems to be screwed on right. Mature beyond his years
4. Comes from a family of Arsenal fans, so genuinely a fan growing up (err... quickly remind myself, he's still doing that). I think most of his family are volunteers at a local grassroots football club
5. Hale End product

Anyway, yesterday was an absolutely incredible moment, Gooners all over the world will be on a high until at least the midweek game tomorrow!

 

[Dave7]

So.....Liverpool host Spurs.
All the pundits have Spurs down for a good drubbing.
My worry is, it depends on which Liverpool turn up. Also I have the feeling that Spurs will 'click' one day......I just hope its not today.

 

[No Ta Doctor]

So.....Liverpool host Spurs.
All the pundits have Spurs down for a good drubbing.
My worry is, it depends on which Liverpool turn up. Also I have the feeling that Spurs will 'click' one day......I just hope its not today.

Without wanting to jinx anything, Spurs injuries and suspensions make it unlikely that anything much is going to "click". They're also in a continual state of flux, given that they might have their fourth manager in 9 months by tomorrow. Few of their players want to be there next season - regardless of whether they go down or not. Their only saving grace today is that they don't have to play in front of a baying crowd of fans that hate them as they're away from home.

Back in the distant past of six managers ago (21-23) Conte said the players all played for themselves, and not the club. I think that's probably doubly true now, as the want-aways are now more concerned with being visible to potential suitors than doing the invisible hard work that teams are built on

 

[The Central Scrutinizer]

I'm trying not to get overexcited by the boy Max Dowman. Been trying to keep a lid on it for two years now, because he's just a kid and we shouldn't hype kids up, it's not good for them. But I think that's over now, he just made himself a national talking point. So what you need to know:

1. He's ridiculously talented, very very smooth dribbler, and like Messi (not comparison in quality, just style) it's based almost entirely on improvising from stitching simple cuts and balance shifts together, rather than doing tricks
2. Tall and strong at 16, dunno how much growth he has left. He's been playing way above his age for years
3. Totally grounded, you'll rarely hear him speak (it's actually not allowed to interview him at matches due to his age) but his head just seems to be screwed on right. Mature beyond his years
4. Comes from a family of Arsenal fans, so genuinely a fan growing up (err... quickly remind myself, he's still doing that). I think most of his family are volunteers at a local grassroots football club
5. Hale End product

Anyway, yesterday was an absolutely incredible moment, Gooners all over the world will be on a high until at least the midweek game tomorrow!

Max Dowman took his goal very well and looks a star in the making.
I thought Arsenal huffed and puffed most of the match but sometimes you have to win ugly.
I must say the draw with City later on in the evening helped us both out

 

[Dave7]

Villa were well beaten by Utd. That means IF Lpool beat Spurs we leapfrog Chelsea and Villa to go 4th.
TBH I thought Villa had a better GD than us but the commentator clearly said we would go 4th.

 

[Vapin' Joe]

I must say the draw with City later on in the evening helped us both out

From what I saw on MoTD it must have been a tough watch. A result we'd have happily taken before the match but seeing your team penned in their own half for most of the game is never less than stressful. Fingers crossed that Liverpool give Spurs a drubbing today.

 

[No Ta Doctor]

From what I saw on MoTD it must have been a tough watch. A result we'd have happily taken before the match but seeing your team penned in their own half for most of the game is never less than stressful. Fingers crossed that Liverpool give Spurs a drubbing today.

Mavrapanos scoring the goal - and blocking a late shot from Haaland with his face 😱 - is giving Gooners the "secret Wenger masterplan activated" vibe

 

[No Ta Doctor]

Max Dowman took his goal very well and looks a star in the making.
I thought Arsenal huffed and puffed most of the match but sometimes you have to win ugly.
I must say the draw with City later on in the evening helped us both out

We had some absolutely beautiful moments, but never really made a lot of headway with them. When we failed to score with our early dominance Everton grew into the game and we became pretty stodgy. Some of our players are running on fumes now I think, Timber getting injured has been on the cards a while imo and Zubimendi has been looking like he needs a few weeks in the Seychelles for a month or so

 

[No Ta Doctor]

Without wanting to jinx anything, Spurs injuries and suspensions make it unlikely that anything much is going to "click". They're also in a continual state of flux, given that they might have their fourth manager in 9 months by tomorrow. Few of their players want to be there next season - regardless of whether they go down or not. Their only saving grace today is that they don't have to play in front of a baying crowd of fans that hate them as they're away from home.

Back in the distant past of six managers ago (21-23) Conte said the players all played for themselves, and not the club. I think that's probably doubly true now, as the want-aways are now more concerned with being visible to potential suitors than doing the invisible hard work that teams are built on

Sorry. I appear to have jinxed it.

 

[postman]

Its going to be close for us.Could have done with the penalty,the goalie even moved over and gave him more area to aim at he hit it wide.