Watched the game from the North Stand (wife is a Rovers season ticket holder). A few things were apparent whilst stood there. First, there can't be many grounds as generous as Oakwell is to away teams, with the layout. A nice round of applause as the away team leaves the pitch after the warm up, home team booed on for the second half. Could also see how fickle football fans are. I was sat in that stand watching this fixture in 2016, and the atmosphere amongst Blackburn fans was toxic, with Owen Coyle the main target closely followed by the Venky's. Completely different today, with them firmly behind their team. There were also chants of "Mowbray is our king". Not long since, they wanted him out! They were also chanting "There's only one Jack Walker" I resisted the temptation to point out that they could do with a second one. They were in decent voice throughout, though could tell they were getting frustrated in the second half. There were the usual chants of how the home fans weren't singing, never really understand that. I couldn't hear much from home fans, but that's because they were 100 yards away and the 1600 in the same stand as me were making a din. On the game itself, we looked more organised defensively, which is a tick for Schopp. Though, I wasn't so sure about his half time substitutes. I thought Adeboyejo should've come on, and leaving a midfield two of Gomes and Hondermarck was asking a lot of them, but he soon changed that. Was also surprised Sibbick didn't move into the back three instead of Halme, who was the vulnerable one in possession imo. In attack, we just look like a team lacking confidence. Quite hesitant when we get to their box, which leads to us having to go back to the back 3 again. We're definitely missing Morris' urgency on the ball. I fear that we're pinning all our hopes on him recreating his form from last season. Because we need somebody to score goals to turn these draws onto wins if we want to get to 50 points, let alone mid table and above. Some decisions for Schopp to make next week. Kitching back, but does he change it after a clean sheet? Hopefully Benson and Palmer will be options for midfield as well. Slightly concerned about Vita. Hondermarck in midfield and Odour to LWB were both seen as better options as him.
Would agree on confidence but it’s also movement, it’s lacking. That said today gave me hope in terms of the long term
I sat in the bottom corner of the East near the Ponty and the home fans made a right noise, Oakwell is that open and acoustically ***** that it makes the atmosphere sound terrible. 10 people in the NYS stadium sound like there's 20k in there, I'm probably the only fan hoping that the fall out with the rent/tenancy ends in a new stadium either on the current site or elsewhere - I'm not a fan of Oakwell.
Didn't we only have one sub left when Oduor dropped back to left wing back? I thought putting Adeboyejo on and leaving Clarke on was a bit of a statement of attacking intent in the second half. It didn't really work, although if the ball had hit Adeboyejo at the back post it might well have gone in and we'd have won 1-0.
Away fans in general are either the clubs most passionate and dedicated, or those who enjoy the ‘social occasion’ ie pubs pints pies and oh yes football! So the ‘away day’ experience will produce the most voiciferous fans who are also importantly sat (stood) together! At home season tickets etc split the vital ‘gobby’ fans therefore the chants seem disjointed and less effective.
I agree. I'm the other side of the Ponty and there were some periods of noise but not really a din.Been in these new football bowls and they are no noisier, mostly they look emptier and soulless too. Having a chat on the walk up with a Blackburn fan, talking about the state of the West stand. Told him it was historic!
The layout at Stoke is similar, in that the tunnel is in the corner where the away end is, the match officials got some right stick at half time. The sent off Stoke player and the coaches also ran the gauntlet of away fan’s taunts.
Definitely, for some reason fans feel that they outsung the opposition fans (as if it really matters anyway!) without considering that the noise from people around them will be louder to them than the group at the other end. It’s like the audio equivalent of father ted explaining to Dougal what the difference between small and far away is.
All home grounds are mostly dead these days especially in England. I've visited Easter road and tynecastle up north and it was much louder than even grounds like Elland Road sadly.
Didn’t bear any booing of the home team re entering the pitch from where I was . You sure it wasn’t Yooouuu redddds?
They were booed by the away fans, who were the first group the players hear when they come out of the tunnel. No home fans within at least 50 yards of the tunnel
I was thinking about this randomly the other day. We should push them to the other side of the north stand, put the black separator down the first row of seats closest to the east stand, and then block off the bottom half of the stand. The more they sell the further across they go, but they're always halfway back and away from the tunnel. Just an idea like
