As Rovers’ poor run continued, with Tony Mowbray’s men becoming the first Rovers cohort to go five games without scoring a goal in the club’s history, the manager discussed his thoughts after his side were on the end of a dramatic 1-0 loss, away at Bramall Lane against high-flying Sheffield United.
“We paid the price at the end for not taking our chances. We obviously missed a penalty and lots of other half chances and things bouncing around their box, and nothing went in tonight. We have to accept that it hasn’t been going our way over the past four or five games and we haven’t been scoring. I think we did enough to win the match tonight, but we found a way to lose it. We didn’t lose it through a lack of desire, effort or togetherness. I’ve just said to them in the dressing room that they’re an amazing group of lads who fight and put their all on the line for this club, yet we have to take days like today on the chin. We deserved to win the game, yet we’ve found a way to lose it which is very disappointing.
“The goal we conceded, from a corner, was very unlike us. We needed to make first contact to clear the danger, which would have put them back under pressure, as they had been for the previous 20 minutes, but the result is now in the history books, and we have to accept it. We’ve emerged from tonight with a lot of positives, despite the result. We had a really first 20 minutes and we dug in, put our bodies on the line, defended with everybody back and we saw it out. The longer the game went on, the more our athleticism, power and pace started to show, and we looked like the team in the ascendency, despite the fact they had a man sent off.
“After the red card, we had chances including the penalty, but nothing was going in for us. There’s not a lot more I can say on that. I was pleased with the effort, desire and fighting spirit of the team and we played against a team who have been forged on similar grounds. Sheffield United are a hard-working team and they have a lot of quality, having spent two years in the Premier League and although we’re disappointed, we have to brush ourselves down and get ready to go again on Saturday.
“The lads know what they did well and what they didn’t do well. I tell them everyday and after every game. They know the good things that they do, both as a group and as individuals. We just have to learn and grow as the season unfolds. I’ve told them that ‘we’re going to win a lot of games between now and the end of the season. I said to them the other week that they shouldn’t worry about the defeats, because we will win lots of games and the points will keep mounting up. Don’t lose belief and confidence in what you’re doing, because we’ll be fine’ and I’m pretty confident that we’ll finish where we deserve to finish and hopefully through the effort this team have put in, that’ll give us a chance to extend the season.
“When you receive a blow like we have tonight, you can’t think about the result. You have to think about the performance and how they achieved it and they have to focus on the things they do on a regular basis. I fully understand the question supporters may have of ‘who’s going to stick the ball in the net?’ I get that. Maybe Reda (Khadra) should have put the ball in the net a few times, tonight? Other opportunities didn’t go our way, and Sheffield United defended with their lives with their big, experienced defenders who make life difficult for you. Their home record is exceptionally good, so you expect them to do well. I think, we totally dominated the game after they went down to 10 men, yet they scored from a set-play which is a real frustration for us.
“Someone’s told me that we should have retaken the penalty, because apparently their goalkeeper was off his line. I haven’t seen it back, but I’m not disappointed about that. Reda has had the whole goal to aim at and he didn’t score. He practices penalties, virtually every day, after training so I had no problem with him taking it. Obviously, had Ben (Brereton Díaz) been playing, he would have taken it and even Joe (Rothwell) might have potentially taken it, but Reda felt confident and wanted to take it. It was a good save by the goalie (Wes Foderingham), he’s dived but kept his hand up, so well done to him, but we’re left frustrated. We have to take these games on the chin and keep trying to do what we’re doing, and we know we’re capable of and keep believing that it’s enough to win matches.
“It’s not really a headscratcher as to why we’re not scoring, you often go through spells like that, both as a team and as an individual player, strikers especially. The great Harry Kane has only scored seven goals in the Premier League, this season and he went five, six, seven games without scoring. We know that Ben’s going to be missing for a fair amount of time. As I’ve said to the team, somebody has to step up and fill the void, but it doesn’t have to be one of the strikers. Maybe the likes of John Buckley, Joe Rothwell, one of the centre-halves from a set-piece or one of the wing-backs at the back-post? They’re all capable of scoring goals, but somebody has to score otherwise you don’t win games. Maybe the opportunity is coming for other people? Ryan Hedges is here, and he has a wonderful left-foot and Ryan Giles can play high up the field on both flanks as well. Maybe somewhere down the line we look at other options, as the games unfold for us as long as the work-ethic remains and they do their jobs, maybe other people need opportunities to have a go?
“Darragh (Lenihan) is a brilliant captain. He’s had a long chat with the team in that dressing room. I let them sort it out between themselves after matches and then have my say. There was a lot of talking between them and Darragh is a big, loud voice in there. He’s a man amongst boys, if I’m honest and I find it interesting to listen to him before I talk and build on his words. The main thing coming out of this run is that we have to stick together. You have to remember the feeling of losing that game, after being so dominant for most of it. You have to remember that feeling and make sure that it doesn’t happen too often.”
