[Archived] Boro 1 - 0 Rovers.

[Lathund]

Drop Mokoena (Not that he's particularly bad, just that I'd rather play Nelsen - Todd) and play with two men upfront. Doesn't really matter whether it's Jansen, Gally, Stead or Johnson partnering Dickov as long as he's not alone upfront.

[Philly Rover ®]

I think the only hope is to play Stead until one bounces in off his back side because I can only really see a combination of Stead + one other working.

Totally agree Rev... maybe I'm biased toward the kid because his goals kept us up last year, but I still think he's got quality in him, and it would just take a goal or two to get his confidence up.

What's sad about the striker situation is that we're so threadbare up front that I would gladly have accepted a mercenary like Pandiani on loan for half a year--who cares whether he would have been committed to the cause or not, the so-called Rifle clearly doesn't give a toss about Brum but has already scored for them.

The one slice of good news in all of this is that it appears we're still a good team defensively, and if we can bring in a real quality striker in the summer then things could be looking up--assuming, of course, we don't first go down.

[James No. 7]

Next game is Norwich at home, if we lose we are going down...

That's a fair call and I agree with you.

[Oklahoma]

The moral of Stead, Jansen and Gally must be lousy.

They are not even bench choices...

Next game, drop Thommo and Dickov and put Stead and Jansen up front.

If you see the stats, Dickov is our best scorer but he has played much more time than any other stricker.

[Martin]

Beat Norwich we stay up.

Lose against Norwich we go down.

I think it's as big as that!

2 huge games coming up for the boys.

[PABBY]

There's been a bit of an over-reaction among the last few posts. Winning or losing against Norwich will decide nothing, it's what we do to the end of the season that counts.

In the next few weeks we are confronted with a pretty nightmarish run of league fixtures, but IF we can come out of these without dropping into the bottom 3 or 4, we stand a bloody good chance of staying up this season. On the back of the tough fixtures we have 3 even more important ones: Southampton (H), WBA (A) and Crystal Palace (H). These could well be the ones whose results most affect our fate come May.

So, keep the chins up guys. We've been in worse positions and survived in the last few seasons (albeit with better players!).

[RoyRover]

Another disappointing result. The idea of the playing Dickov upfront by himself doesn't work, because our wingers, or men from midfield are playing close enough to him, to support him. Hughes has to go back to a 4-4-2, if we are to win some games. Our attacking options coming off the bench, weren't able to help the cause and Hughes needs to address this. I hope the club realise what a big mistake they have made in not buying a striker. Our attack is crap.

[Rover IN Bury]

I know there’s not too much room in football for superstition however i am admittedly a bit superstitious, does any one ells agree that Souness may have jinxed Johnny Stead at the end of last season when he said in an interview he did not care if stead never scored another goal in a rovers shirt!

[DanLad]

I know there’s not too much room in football for superstition however i am admittedly a bit superstitious, does any one ells agree that Souness may have jinxed Johnny Stead at the end of last season when he said in an interview he did not care if stead never scored another goal in a rovers shirt!

Nah. Lady Luck never listens to Souness...

[Eddie]

Beat Norwich we stay up.

Lose against Norwich we go down.

I think it's as big as that!

2 huge games coming up for the boys.

Hmm bit dramatic. Have to say. Even if we lost I'd still say I'd rather be in our position than theirs. I mean at worst we'll be only 2 points clear of the relegation zone, which is better than being 2 points off safety.

[AlanK]

What a load of nonsense since the defeat.

LeChuck going on about Kanu for West Brom! He isn`t even starting for them at the moment and has scored about 2 league goals this season.

Rev dismissing the 5 man midfield which very nearly earnt us something against Chelsea. We got as close to beating them as any other team had. Don`t forget how Bolton did us at Ewood by sticking 5 in midfield. You want Stead upfront who hasn`t scored a league goal since last May instead of Dickov who I admit isn`t exactly prolific but he is the leading goalscorer.

Numerous people suggesting that if Norwich beat us we are down! How the hell do you work that out? Do the maths.

Its been an awful season but I don`t see us going down.

[Bobby G]

Its not yet at the desperation stage of last season,but a defeat against Norwich would mean we would be 1 or 2 points off relegation only.

A win would be a gigantic result,but who will score for us?

I like many others agree that Stead is our best hope,his confidence is low,but he is our only striker capable of some magic,and can play a 4-5-1,not that I like that damned formation.

DROP THOMMO,bring in Stead,bring back Tugay for Mokoena and play a 4-4-2.

BTW,Emerton was rubbish yet again.

[ABBEY]

just got back..........that first half had to the worst 1/2 ive seen in years .could have been 5 behind Todd and Neill were absolutly @#/?.Second half was a bit better but I cant see us ever scoring again we look that bad.

We also had the most BLATENT penalty in the history of football turned down with a push that everyone in the ground saw bar the big nosed dingle referee who works in nelson college .

[roverthemoon]

Where was the drummer, nobody ever again suggest we get rid of him. That has to be the worst vocal support ever today. Well done to the lads who were trying to generate some sort of enthusiasm but I think you are flogging a dead horse.

As for playing Dickov up front on his own it does not work why not try Reid alongside him. He is reasonable with his head, he has pace and can shoot.

[herbergeehh]

I miss Andy Cole.

[1864roverite]

shocking that we didnt have a striker on the bench to back up Dickov.

a shocking performance although in the second it looked like we could get something.

I sat with the boro fans, if we thought that our lot (supporters) were moaners then you should have heard that lot and they are still in Europe

[sibbald]

Everytime their keeper got it and didnt release it straight away the whole crowd got on his back

[boris bear]

We also had the most BLATENT penalty in the history of football turned down with a push that everyone in the ground saw bar the big nosed dingle referee who works in nelson college .

I agree that decision was an absolute shocker. How he could fail to give the penalty is beyond me.

[roversWASmylife]

That was one of the worst performances I've seen from Rovers all season.

Nearly everything about us was bad.

Matteo couldn't do anything right for a start. When he got the ball he gave it away, Neill was more a less the same yet again and was at fault for Boro's goal.

Boro were all over us in the first half and could have scored more than one.

Rovers never really got going until late on and even so we didn't create many chances, only Dickov coming close with a header tipped over the bar.

We are really in need of a striker, although we keep knocking the ball up to Dickov against defenders who are twice the size of him, where's the logic in that?

Clear penalty, but Mike Riley was the ref.

We were poor and Boro played better than us in a scrappy game, they deserved the three points.

Middlesbrough 1-0 Blackburn

I was worried up till the Bolton game at The Reebok with the concern of going down, now it's come back in my thoughts.

Next week's a must-win game, nothing less.

Edited February 5, 2005 by roversismylife

[92er]

1864 Roverite-we had Johnson.

[JAL]

People on hear are questioning the need for a striker, but the last few games have highlighted the lack of quality service going forward, Emmerton did naff all again - lots of running in fact plenty of running from Bret but no telling forward play which is disappointing.

Tommo is struggling big time at the moment he's suppopsed to be the driving force in midfield along with Savage but the last few games have shown that hes struggled to compete and make a positive contribution.

Pedersen hasnt done anything either in contributing to the attacking play in the last few matches which is aworry after doing so well.

When Flitcroft comes back we can revert to 4-4-2 but who plays is anybodys idea. Anyone thinking the Burnley game is going to be a stroll should think long and hard after this game because this has been a true reflection of our season so far.

[bazza]

Just watched the highlights on TV.

Brad beaten again by a shot from the left.

[USABlue]

You don't score you can't win games. We are so flat up front it is a sreious serious issue. I simply can not beleive we did not address the situation during the Window. Did we put too many resources in the Bazza/Savage situations that we left ourselves nothing in terms of time to get something done. Are we preparing oursleves for the drop?

Something must be done and quickly.

Not nearly as important as our league position but how we gonna do the dingles if we can't find the back of the net.

[Scotty]

Just watched the highlights on TV.

Brad beaten again by a shot from the left.

Ah. We're blaming him for shots that aren't his fault now are we.

[USABlue]

Just watched the highlights on TV.

Brad beaten again by a shot from the left.

Ah. We're blaming him for shots that aren't his fault now are we.

I never said a word though did I?

BTW, how do you always manage to post immediately after I do is this you are you stalking me?

Who was on the bench today, could someone tell me.