Quick BFTG - BRFC

[Selsey Bill]

Blackburn literally looked a league better than us last night - they are the best side I've seen us play this season. Anyone who thinks we are ready for the Championship, or even a play off scrap really needs to think again. In fairness to us though we gave it a very good go last night, and were unlucky to not come away with a draw. As usual, two very poor goals conceded. We played much better than we did on Saturday, and all though we lost I came way feeling a little more reassured than I did at the weekend. If we had played how we did on Saturday Rovers would have dicked us last night. I thought my most improved player of the season Dion Donohue was our best player last night, and Anton Walkes played well. As for Burgess, he had an absolute mare. Pitman tried harder than usual but is just not mobile enough anymore, especially against the likes of Charlie Mulgrew, who along with Bradley Dack is way to good for L1. Chaplin was the same as Saturday, pretty average for me, but he scored! Thopson will be battered and bruised this morning,but had a better game than Close. You've heard it before, but last night's game was won and lost in Midfield.

[Pompey Penguin]

Thanks SB; fair comments. I think this is just where we are at the moment; a young, mid-table L1 side paying mid-table wages. We have had a good look at the players that were good in L2, and have a fair idea as to which are any use if we are to challenge the likes of Blackburn and Wigan. We might yet flirt with the play-offs again at some point this season, but can't really claim to be anything like good enough to go up.

This is not the time to discuss the summer, but it will be a big close season for Jackett (and the owners) with a number of difficult decisions and significant changes to be made if we are to continue to progress.

[Berkshire Blue]

Thanks SB, pretty well just as I saw it, especially re the midfield. I felt quite sorry for Gareth Evans, as everything seemed to go wrong for him last night, although he did make one excellent saving tackle in the second half. I don't know what happened to Burgess' passing, but I can't believe that it will be that bad again.

Having said all that I thought that we gave a really decent team a good game, and were probably a bit unfortunate to lose.

[RubiconCSL]

I think I would rather we didn't make the play-offs to be honest. Okay, it may be another day out at our spiritual home (if the play-offs are at Wembley that is), but I would be very scared we'd win and get promoted! With the results we've had against the better teams in this league, a season in the Championship would be very painful indeed.

L1 it is then for a few seasons by the look of it. If that is so, but other things improve (Training facilities, Stadium, academy etc.), then I'll not be too unhappy. But if nothing improves, then I won't be very happy.

[Selsey Bill]

I felt quite sorry for Gareth Evans, as everything seemed to go wrong for him last night

Do you not think he looks like he's got the weight of the world on his shoulders at the moment? He doesn't look like he's enjoying life at the moment, well certainly not his football.

[Berkshire Blue]

I felt quite sorry for Gareth Evans, as everything seemed to go wrong for him last night

Do you not think he looks like he's got the weight of the world on his shoulders at the moment? He doesn't look like he's enjoying life at the moment, well certainly not his football.

I don't know what it was, but something certainly wasn't right last night, and I was surprised that he wasn't subbed to be honest.

[Selsey Bill]

I felt quite sorry for Gareth Evans, as everything seemed to go wrong for him last night

Do you not think he looks like he's got the weight of the world on his shoulders at the moment? He doesn't look like he's enjoying life at the moment, well certainly not his football.

I don't know what it was, but something certainly wasn't right last night, and I was surprised that he wasn't subbed to be honest.

He was exactly the same at MK on Saturday, in fact he was far worse. Again he wasn't subbed when he definitely should have been IMHO. KJ seems to be very loyal to him. Sad to say but I think he is one of those in our squad who has not been able to make the step up to L1.

[Pompey Penguin]

Sad to say but I think he is one of those in our squad who has not been able to make the step up to L1.

I think that is what Evans is. A very useful squad player who can fill in at either RB, RWB or RMF, meaning that we can limit the number of players we need in the squad and spend the budget elsewhere. However, if he is one of the first choice 11, then we are not good enough.

[blue architect]

Despite losing I enjoyed the match. It was really informative and showed the vast gap between effectively a Championship club and a League 2 club. Not only was their work rate far greater than ours but the running off the ball pulled our formation apart allowing them to have much more time on the ball than we should have allowed. That combined with quick passing on the deck cut open our defence like the proverbial hot knife. In response we looked to hoof ball (why when we dont have height unless Hawkins plays?) and we were shut down quickly when we had the ball by not one, but usually two of their players.
I was also impressed by Blackburns approach to playing, they seem drilled in supporting each other, knew what each were likely to do and anticipated this. At half time their "bench" squad undertook warm up exercises leading onto skill activities all in a structured format - ours just kicked the ball to each other whiling away time until they could sit back down on the bench.
When their player was injured and had to be stretchered off (I hope he is ok) they used the five minute delay by throwing additional balls onto the park and continued to keep warm passing it around in neat triangles. Most of our lads stood around chatting, probably about what they would spend that weeks wages on. At the re-start they were away while we had to go through the warm up stages.
Even when they were down to 10 men you would not have noticed, bearing in mind that at times in the first half they looked like they had 15 players on the park!
A very class act. Certanily will not be in this league next season. We were dogged enough only to loose by the odd goal - which is the only positive I can take away.