[Archived] Rovers 1 Charlton 0

[RoyRover]

A great result for Rovers. We need to win our home games and we did that today. Todd sounds like he had another good game. A win, with a clean sheet is very pleasing. Now, we are building a gap between ourselves and the relegation zone. I hope that the good results from the Christmas period and new players coming into the club, will mean a better half to the season.

[broadsword]

Hope we lose against Cardiff, don't need the distraction of a cup run.

[DP]

A good cup run would be great to install even more confidence in the team.

Gives us opportunities to play more of the fringe players as well.

[Eddie]

I also hope we can go on a good cup run. Might be beneficial to the season, boost for the players, and as has been said, opportunity to play some fringe players.

[Blackpool_Rover]

just got back, in a word - delighted. Everyone played well today, friedel worried me a bit when he refused to make those corners his own and just stayed on his line but thankfully it turned out ok, great save by brad first half aswell. I see people have stopped slagging matteo recently, best weve had at left back for a long time.

[Bobby G]

IIRC Matteo started his career as a left-back at Liverpool.

Maybe he is rediscovering his form.That would only be good news, a big left-back who wont let ppl get past him easily.

Brad's biggest weakness is his reluctance to attack balls.I doubt that will change at this stage in his career.

How did Stead play?

[Ossydave]

IIRC Matteo started his career as a left-back at Liverpool.

Maybe he is rediscovering his form.That would only be good news, a big left-back who wont let ppl get past him easily.

Brad's biggest weakness is his reluctance to attack balls.I doubt that will change at this stage in his career.

How did Stead play?

You're correct regarding Matteo

Who would have thought we'd end up with one of the meaner defences in the top flight at the turn of the year? Amazing what basic organisation and a decent training regime can produce.

I just hope it continues when (if?) the new lads start playing.

[blue/white]

-I completely disagree with those that want a short-lived cup run--

Think of the benefits of getting some squad guys a good run-out... Imagine Jemal or Gally getting some good work and building some confidence - there can only be a upside to a nice cup run.

Ossydave- I don't profess to know much about anything, but funny how a 2 month stretch with a real coaching staff have tightened things up at the back and created a newfound steel, uh?

Edited January 3, 2005 by blue/white

[Bobby G]

We need to pick up some more points against Pompey and Bolton cause in the end of Jan-Feb stretch we will be playing the top sides again and we cant expect more than a draw or two there at best.

4 more points out of Pompey and Bolton and Ill be happy.

[rover6]

Well done, Rovers. Thoroughly deserved win by all accounts. Charlton barely had a shot on target and that is testament, in particular, to the form of Nisse and Todd.

[Kiwiwannabe]

How long did today's match seem to last?! Went to Oxford v Kiddiminster last week and that seemed to drag, but today was the longest match I've ever been to! At least it got a bit more interesting in the second half.

Did Matteo have his Predator boots on the wrong feet today?!

Overall quite happy with a battling performance and 3 points. Matteo does look suspect at LB and I thought Fergusson was very poor. He can't pass! And what was going on with our free kicks?!

7 points from the Christmas period - I'd have been more than happy with that before the games.

[RovertheHill]

Matteo is very suspect at left back. He's slower at turning than an oil tanker and his left foot is more like a log than a wand. He does seem to have good heading ability and a pacy guy like Emerton helping him out I think has hidden the flaws. Personally, I prefer McEveley but frankly it's hard to argue with our defensive record recently.

[DanLad]

Well done, Rovers. Thoroughly deserved win by all accounts. Charlton barely had a shot on target and that is testament, in particular, to the form of Nisse and Todd.

Only criticism of Todd and Johansen, apart from the odd dodgy pass, would be that they let the ball bounce a couple of times when they should have gone to win the ball.

[SAS]

well it was a win, a win that could have been more comfortable.

[AxesFirstTouch]

todd and matteo made a few mistakes between them which could have cost a goal. Stead has very good upfront almost making a goal for himself out of nothing, really deserved a goal. Lucas was very good as well. Thompson Motm though.

[Lathund]

Just finished watching it (delayed) and I'm delighted. I was nervous every time Rommedahl got the ball, but he reminded me of Emerton last season, in that he didn't quite dare take people on as much as he should have.

I have no real complaints today, I thought everyone did what they should, but Dickov doesn't really have the best vision. There were at least a couple of occasions late on in the game where he was centre-left about 10 metres outside the area and had 2-3 runs forward from other players and yet just laid it back. Also at the end when he got himself into a decent position to shoot (credit to him for that though) but where Gally (I think) would've been clean through with a very simple pass from Dickov, yet he shot. I don't think he should be dropped as he is a real nuisance, and he has scored 7 goals after all, but I see what people are saying when commenting that it's hard to play alongside him.

Neill was solid again, Todd was excellent (again), Nissa did his job well, Thommo was lively and creative, Emerton had a good but not great game, Stead looked good but his control was lacking a couple of times when he had decent balls played through to him. Friedel looked reliable. Although I was scared shitless when they had that free kick

[herbergeehh]

Just watched the game on TV, great result !

Important to get 3 points now, we'll get a breath of fresh non-relegation air from this hopefully... Pleased to see Stead get stuck in today, ran and created chances both for himself and Dickov + midfield up there.

Lacks that goalscoring touch he had last year, but he more than deserves the place alongside Dickov for the next match IMO.

Thommo also had a good match, clever balls and aggressive play on his right side of midfield - offered more width than Reidy has done IMO. Would as mentioned in a lot of threads like to see MGP get pushed in in OT, just to delay time and give him a small feeling of contribution to the victory!

But won't complain more about it in this match, fully understand Hughes' decision to keep the players when battling to stay in front.

Dickov worked his socks off again, troubled their defence as always. Emerton looked a bit out of position, some poor attempts to take on their rightback and a few poor choices. But a good goal, after a brilliant cross by Thommo. (why doesn't he take all our set pieces??)

Flitty and Ferguson did okay in the centre, the ball wasn't in there much really.. battled well, which was the most important thing since we were in the lead for a change... Thommo, as mentioned, did well and should start in the next Prem match. Lucas in defence, was instrumental in keeping a clean sheet today. Some good tackles, some horrible tackles (Murphy coming through, and pushing Konchesky out of the pitch when the ball clearly headed for goal kick) and some good passes/runs and one horrible pass. (Rommedahl nearly getting a goal)

Todd and Nissa solid in central defence, a bit nervous of Toddys dribling for a while there though.. finally, Matteo did okay at left back - against a Rommedahl with extreme pace. (thank god he's @#/? at everything else)

Great win, up the Rovers!

EDIT: Oh, and what a delightful sight - a Rovers winger that actually can put in a good cross!

Edited January 3, 2005 by herbergeehh

[Ossydave]

Lucas was very good as well.

Still showing the lapses though, they had a fair shout for a penalty eh?

He definitely IS playing better than in the latter stages of Souness era though.

[Modi]

but we just nick it 1-0. Emerton to score.

Hmmm. Top of the class.

I'm just slightly miffed that for the last 4 matches I've had a bet on Emerton to score 1st and today I didn't.

However, 7 points from the Christmas periiod is good, especially with two more clean sheets.

[American]

Just finished watching it (delayed) and I'm delighted. I was nervous every time Rommedahl got the ball, but he reminded me of Emerton last season, in that he didn't quite dare take people on as much as he should have.

The Rovers World commentator was talking about how he hasn't done too great, but then mentioned that he might just be taking time to adapt, like Emerton last season.

[Paul Mellelieu]

A well earned win achieved by a lot of hard work and determination. Not a great performance, but we had little to beat today. Only after Charlton changed from a 451 to a 442 in the second half did the game open up. Tired legs were evident too, although we kept going right to the end, even when under some late pressure.

For me Lucas was our best player, along with the cnetral midfield duo. Flitcroft did very well, sitting in front of the back four. Nissa and Toddy tried their best to help out Chalrton during a period of the second half, but we defended well.

Stead could have scored a couple, but still looks well short at the moment.

Thompson and Emerton struggled a little until the Londonders switch to 442.

A win at home; that's how it feels.

ps Rover6. We are you so obsessed with MGP? On the occasions I've seen him pay he was awful and I don't know how you can know any different.

[waggy]

good win,7 pts from the xmas fixtures and the defence seems to be defending as a unit.todd was my motm,he is so solid starting to remind me off his dad.

thought stead did ok,still would love to see him playing with gally.thought tommo looked rusty,but emerton's goal was worth the admission price alone

[philipl]

Great result, delighted a got my prediction hopelessly wrong and was pretty astonished at how extremely ordinary Charlton looked. Shame Aston Villa were so utterly inept at Palace (it was showing on the adjacent screen)- how did we lose to that shower?

Watched ther game live and was impressed all round- nobody had a bad game; in fact they all played really well.

Dickov showed far more to his game than those who decry him are willing to admit and Stead IS class. I know he missed controlling three very difficult through balls in great positions but the lad kept getting there which is all credit to him.

My only gripe was not so much the forward interplay (although it did not work as well when Gally came on) but the passes in the final third. We are keeping posession well but at the cost of not playing any inspired defence splitting balls. I can certainly think of at least three occasions when the failure to pass to players who had created space cost us opportunities to strike on goal.

I don't knows when our approach play will be remedied but it was interesting to read how Mourinho prepared Porto for the Champions League Final. To quote from Ricard Williams' thought provoking piece on Mourinho in the Guardian today:

"After Porto's victory over Monaco in the European Cup final, he was asked how he had prepared the team for the encounter. To a standard question he produced a response that was neither banal or evasive but provided a genuine insight. "On Friday we practised defending," he said. "On Saturday we practised attacking. On Sunday we practised the transition from attack to defence. On Monday we practised the transition from defence to attack. And on Tuesday we practised set-pieces."

"Those who like to make the comparison between Mourinho and Brian Clough might care to reflect on the training routine that enabled Old Big 'Ead to win the European Cup twice with a club of roughly Porto's size. Cloughie would send his Nottingham Forest players for a walk beside the Trent, occasionally joining them - with his dog - for a game of eight-a-side on a municipal pitch. And that, from Monday to Friday, was more or less that. "

One sight which gladdened me was Mark Bowen eagerly talking to a listening Mark Hughes. No more Souness storming around his technical area with a dumb struck Dean Saunders looking gormless stood motionless next to the subs bench.

[AlanSheppard]

Just finished watching it (delayed) and I'm delighted. I was nervous every time Rommedahl got the ball, but he reminded me of Emerton last season, in that he didn't quite dare take people on as much as he should have.

The Rovers World commentator was talking about how he hasn't done too great, but then mentioned that he might just be taking time to adapt, like Emerton last season.

Second Season Syndrome is usually applied to guys like Stead who have a blinding first season and then struggle. I reckon in a lot of cases it works the other way, lots of foreigners like Emerton and Angel struggled originally before improving.

As for this nonsense about not wanting a cup run. I don't know what to say! I will feel extremely dissapointed if we lose to Cardiff on saturday, a good cup run will provide excitement and is a distraction from the mundane life of the Prem. I'm not saying Hughes should put out the entire first team (some of them may need a break) but I do hope he puts out a strong side consisting mainly of first teamers with a few fringe players at the very least. A cup defeat can be very demoralising and must be avoided.

[frosty]

Good win

Now lets rest some players for Cardiff eg, Dickov, Ferguson