[Archived] Bully Boys 3 Norwich 0

[waggy]

Two recent £3m signings out there yesterday. Should we have gone for Aston rather than Savage?

i was a great advocate for signing ashton,but he did very little yesterday apart from getting canaries only shot on target,i thought he played too deep- but glad he did.

i'm very undecided on sav,give him time just like we have too with all our new signing's.

if uckleberry finn had scored early doors yesterday could have been very different,green played like his gloves were 20 sizes too big,so let's not get carried away,still 4 more wins needed

[Martin]

Saturday was good, but Norwich were poor we must remmeber that.

Savage looks like he's going to be a real hero. Pedersen is creative and a real goal threat.

Don't think Nelson is a right back. I'd have Lucas in there everytime. However, as somebody mentioned Nelson is a fabulous central defender. He should be in there with Todd no question. They defend and that's it. As a full back you have to be able to play abit which Neill can do. Nelson struggled to do that 1st 45 on saturday.

Keep Tugay in, for the prem games at least. Might need somebody else for the Burnley game.

All in all positive but a long way to go yet. It just makes this week more enjoyable an we can look forward to visiting the dingledome.

[broadsword]

As a full back you have to be able to play abit which Neill can do.

Not in my book. You have to defend, that's it.

Anything else is a bonus. But if first and foremost if you can't defend then you shouldn't be in the backline.

Personally I hope we get a replacement for Neill in the close season. I don't rate him at all.

[salothsar]

Very good result against a poor team. Therefore I agree with thiose saying don't get carried away but still we won by 3 goals and kept a clean sheet. There can be very little to complain about there. Grenn did have a bad game and should have saved the 3rd easily. However, by the same token he shouln't really have managed to make the double save at the end. These things even themselves out.

I think one of the best things about the game is that we are now pretty close to knowing our best starting 11 and where to play them. Until now I don't think that was the case.

Full backs - Neil and Nissa (Not Neil biggest fan but no one else)

Centre halves - Todd and Nelson - can be very little argument there

Central Mid - Savage and Tugay (presuming Tugay plays like he did Sat)

Wings - MGP and Emerton (Reid) Emerton blows hot and cold and maybe time for Reid to be given a decent run

Strikers - Dikov and ? - Gally seems better coming off the bench. Bothroyd was atroucious last time out. So try Stead again but must score soon.

[salothsar]

Will spell check before posting again

[philipl]

Had a nightmare week-end so still have not seen the game but a great result and I really like this match report in today's Guardian.

How did the Ewood Park surface stand up to being played on in the downpour? Was it a microclimate?

[Alan75]

Can anyone shed any light on something I heard at half time, that a fans forum survey had been carried out by the LET asking what they thought was the most important, three points against Norwich or a win against the Dingles next week in the FA Cup.

The survey result was three points against Norwich

[Bobby G]

Thank God our fans are sensible.

Any other answer would have been crazy.Staying in the top flight is by far the most important thing for any club.

[Martin]

As a full back you have to be able to play abit which Neill can do.

Not in my book. You have to defend, that's it.

Anything else is a bonus. But if first and foremost if you can't defend then you shouldn't be in the backline.

Personally I hope we get a replacement for Neill in the close season. I don't rate him at all.

I think it's interesting the difference in opinions on Lucas Neill.

I think it's strange how like you don't rate him at all, yet I rate him highly. He's not in Gary Nevilles league but there are few others I would have ahead of him.

Granted his defending recently has been alittle slack, but everyone goes through that. Starting on the bench will have done him well.

I guess it comes back to what you want from a full back. I need to see someone comfortable on the ball who bombs forward. It is good to have one full back that bombs on and the other who sticks. Which with Matteo usually works.

Nelson is a great defender, don't get me wrong I just thought he looked a little uncomfortable at right back. Conversely he looked perfectly at home in the middle.

[CAPT KAYOS]

Two recent £3m signings out there yesterday. Should we have gone for Aston rather than Savage? 

i was a great advocate for signing ashton,but he did very little yesterday apart from getting canaries only shot on target,i thought he played too deep- but glad he did.

For one Ashton is a Striker and Savage is a midfielder Philipl so your question is inappropiate in its context.

Tend to agree Waggy that Ashton played deep but he did look like he could turn out to be a decent signing for Norwich considering the rest of the Norwich where poor - and he's bigger than I originally thought, personally I feel he would have been a good signing for us - still could be, as Norwich certainly look like they are going down on that performance.

Back to us, as mentioned it wasn't as 'great' as people are making out considering the opposition, but it was a welcome relief to what we have witnessed lately.

Bar the first 20mins, we where composed organised and actually looked capable of scoring.

Worthy mentions:-

As Scotty says, we won this game in midfield - Tugay/Savage partnership worked - Savage did the harrying and tackling with Tugay picking the passed and creating the play pefect balance that both seemed aware what the other was doing and covered when required.

Pedersen kept up his gradual improvement ( reminded me of Jansen of old in his style) showing the potential to be a class player.

Dickov - at last played how I feel I striker should be played - not to much scurrying about but challenged where necessary instead of looking for a freekick all the time) and made himself available where possible.

Nelsen - what a find definitely the partnership with Todd.

Johannson - dersevedly put back into the team and certainly didn't do himself no harm, best IMO he had played at LB for us.

Hughes -well done for revert back to 442 and the dropping of the FB's - enforced possibly but as somebody alread mentioned - tactic wise he might be inexperienced but he is certainlu not clueless.

Disappointments -

Mowkena - As I have said previously - we cannot play him at CB -gives me the heebies all the time - it has been mentioned he is possibly being to enthusiatic but he is much better as a defensive midfielder than at CB.

Emerton - possibly give him dues for being 'tired' but still don't feel he offers anything to the team by way of being effective - Reid needs to be given the chance as I feel we look moredangerous with him.

Gallagher - shame he didn't score but was rather quiet and annonomous for most of the game - Think hughes would have put Jemal on if Savage had not been taken off.

A better performance but lets not get too carried away and hope we can continue the winning form for a couple of games especially for the Sunday clash.

[stuwilky]

I think it's strange how like you don't rate him at all, yet I rate him highly. He's not in Gary Nevilles league but there are few others I would have ahead of him.

Granted his defending recently has been alittle slack, but everyone goes through that. Starting on the bench will have done him well.

I guess it comes back to what you want from a full back. I need to see someone comfortable on the ball who bombs forward. It is good to have one full back that bombs on and the other who sticks. Which with Matteo usually works.

Do you not find his inability to pass to another player in Blue and White frustrating?

[BRFC4EVA]

Disappointments -

Mowkena - As I have said previously - we cannot play him at CB -gives me the heebies all the time - it has been mentioned he is possibly being to enthusiatic but he is much better as a defensive midfielder than at CB.

Emerton - possibly give him dues for being 'tired' but still don't feel he offers anything to the team by way of being effective - Reid needs to be given the chance as I feel we look moredangerous with him.

Tad harsh considering the journey they had to do during the week to play for their respective countires. Emerton has been our only attacking/dangerous source of most of this season, so i feel its a bit harsh on the guy when he has either been travelling or playing for Australia during the week and only got home on fri morn i think. A full rest this week should hopefully see him back to his best vs the dark side come sunday aftanoon.

[philipl]

For one Ashton is a Striker and Savage is a midfielder Philipl

Well, you learn something new every day.

[CAPT KAYOS]

Emerton has been our only attacking/dangerous source of most of this season, so i feel its a bit harsh on the guy when he has either been travelling or playing for Australia during the week and only got home on fri morn i think.

Not really BRFC4E -did say give him dues for being 'tired' though

'only attacking/dangerous source of most of this season - must have missed that game

put it this way - certainly wouldn't want him as my 'driver' if I was a bank robber.

[CAPT KAYOS]

For one Ashton is a Striker and Savage is a midfielder Philipl

Well, you learn something new every day.

Don't tell me you didn't know

[BRFC4EVA]

Emerton has been our only attacking/dangerous source of most of this season, so i feel its a bit harsh on the guy when he has either been travelling or playing for Australia during the week and only got home on fri morn i think.

Not really BRFC4E -did say give him dues for being 'tired' though

'only attacking/dangerous source of most of this season - must have missed that game

put it this way - certainly wouldn't want him as my 'driver' if I was a bank robber.

He has been our main threat though hasnt he? I mean who else has actually looked like unlocking defences this yr apart from him and now Pederson?

[Ste B]

A full rest this week should hopefully see him back to his best vs the dark side come sunday aftanoon.

He is flying to Barca to play in a meaningless friendly on Tuesday. He had better be in full fitness for Sunday.

[CAPT KAYOS]

Emerton has been our only attacking/dangerous source of most of this season, so i feel its a bit harsh on the guy when he has either been travelling or playing for Australia during the week and only got home on fri morn i think.

Not really BRFC4E -did say give him dues for being 'tired' though

'only attacking/dangerous source of most of this season - must have missed that game

put it this way - certainly wouldn't want him as my 'driver' if I was a bank robber.

He has been our main threat though hasnt he? I mean who else has actually looked like unlocking defences this yr apart from him and now Pederson?

You are making it to easy - attacking threat?

Before Saturday - 21 goals in 26 games

I know its not all up to him but there is no end product from him - if you are happy for a player to just run around and trick himself then so beit - but as I have posted before watch ho many times our attack breaks down or goes backwards when he gets/loses the ball.

[tcj_jones]

I think it's interesting the difference in opinions on Lucas Neill.

I think it's strange how like you don't rate him at all, yet I rate him highly. He's not in Gary Nevilles league but there are few others I would have ahead of him.

Granted his defending recently has been alittle slack, but everyone goes through that. Starting on the bench will have done him well.

I guess it comes back to what you want from a full back. I need to see someone comfortable on the ball who bombs forward. It is good to have one full back that bombs on and the other who sticks. Which with Matteo usually works.

Nelson is a great defender, don't get me wrong I just thought he looked a little uncomfortable at right back. Conversely he looked perfectly at home in the middle.

From my observations, Lucas Neill has been little better than abysmal this season, with a couple of average performances recently. I haven't watched the football first highlights from this match, but I find it astounding that you cannot recognize his appauling positioning, inability to hold the offside line, his poor passing and his all too often loss of possession in attacking positions.

Edited February 14, 2005 by tcj_jones

[broadsword]

I don't remember Henning Berg or David May being the most attack-minded of full-backs, but they were solid. OK, you had Le Saux on the other side, but he was a pretty good defender as well.

Saying "OK, he can't defend very well, but he's good going forward" is the kind of thinking that brings about the insanity of Amoruso in defence.

Edited February 14, 2005 by Bryan

[Tris]

A full rest this week should hopefully see him back to his best vs the dark side come sunday aftanoon.

He is flying to Barca to play in a meaningless friendly on Tuesday. He had better be in full fitness for Sunday.

Maybe he'll learn a couple of tricks off Zidane.

Incidentally, the game is live tomorrow night on ITV2 at 8pm.

Edited February 14, 2005 by Tris

[herbergeehh]

"I thought the referee had an excellent game and the comments worked out extremely well – the game wasn't a challenge for the referee so I have no complaints on that score."

Quote: Nigel Worthington

What's that? Does he think Rovers played less aggressive because of what he said? "I don't want a Chelsea situation" ?

Stupid, stupid man.

[Fife Rover]

I may be in a minority of one here BUT; I really fancy seeing Amo come on for the last few minutes of a match when we need a goal to see what he can do with his heading ability and MGP's corners.

[USABlue]

Hopefully not too uch confidence RoyRover.

In what way?

In the way of being OVER confident and getting caught out.

[tcj_jones]

Watched the football first highlights and thought we rode our luck in the first half and certainly didn't deserve to be 2-0 up. If that were Chelsea and it were Robben or Drogba on goal, we would have been on the other end of that score line. One clear opportunity was created when Mokoena was drawn hopelessly out of defense, leaving acres for the attackers and Norwich missed a tap in when Johansson kept them onside and then proceded to leave his man in the middle of the area.

Going forward I thought Emerton was pretty anonymous; every time he got the ball he ran forward 15 metres then passed it straight back from where he came. Pedersen was terrific though and finally we have some kind of a threat from corners. Also, while not setting the world alight, Tugay and Savage complemented each other well and made a decent partnership - Tugay's ball for the first goal was magnificent and Pedersen did very well to work the finish, while Savage wasn't too dis-similar to Ferguson, just with the ability to tackle.

Half time and, although we played well, against a better opposition we could well have been behind. Mokoena and Johansson were disapointing and the defense looked shakey and going forward Gallagher wasn't in the game.

Second half saw Neill for Mokoena and Nelsen to right back. The result was a solid unit and Nelsen looked far more comfortable in the centre. A very assured performance, Pedersen, in particular, making real progress I still don't think we have a cutting edge to our strike force and, although Dickov scored twice, he wouldn't have done against better opposition considering one was a fumbled long shot and the other a near post header

Only real disapointments were Johansson and Mokoena, who gives me the chills every time he has possession of the ball in the back four.

Huge plus points - Nelsen and Pedersen, the former who was solid in the centre and steady on the right, the latter beginning to show what he can do.

Edited February 14, 2005 by tcj_jones