Pride of Lancashire 2 Who are ya 1

[den]

LET Clarets

"In the meantime, they take solace in the fact these two gripping FA Cup ties have proved one thing - the gap between Burnley and Blackburn Rovers is narrowing.

Not that long ago, these two famous old clubs were poles apart and heading in the opposite direction.

Not any more."

Seems to be universal among the Burnley faithful, that they're closing the gap.

[SamDingle]

I know you want all us Dingles to be distraught - it always helps a good celebration but however vexing you find it everyone seems pretty upbeat about it.

Not just because to any neutral observer the 'gulf' in class would appear to have diminished markedly. But also because after witnessing a Premiership club in action for 3 hours then the level we need to reach doesn't seem unattainable. All very average indeed.

And Robbie Savage really is dreadful. If he maintains that level of performance he'll end up with his dream move to Wrexham soon enough. Think what he'll save on travelling.

[brfcshabba]

"The hope is that £600,000 replacement Ade Akinbiyi can help to sharpen things up again at that end of the field."

[Paul]

Not just because to any neutral observer the 'gulf' in class would appear to have diminished markedly. But also because after witnessing a Premiership club in action for 3 hours then the level we need to reach doesn't seem unattainable. All very average indeed.

Sam I think you miss the point entirely. The table shows Rovers to be at best an average PL team. Under Hughes we are improving but there is a long road ahead.

That said both games clearly demonstrated the vast gap between the PL and the Championship. While we didn't play well the speed of thought, skill and all around performance of our individual players was far superior to Burnley's, and so it should be - these guys ae paid an obscene amount of money because they are supposed to be good.

At no time did you look like winning the tie, never did you actually threaten Rovers, neither game, while enjoyable, was enthralling because Burnley offered nothing. Burnley played well but to even begin thinking the PL is close is ludicrous, you don't have a single player able to survive at that level. With your current side you'd be down by Christmas.

Just go and watch Norwich and WBA. You have many miles to travel and the sad thing, for football in general, is with every year the distance is greater.

[USABlue]

I am really starting to feel sorry for these clarrots. They are just mentally challenged I think. "The gap is closing" Now let's see.

When we played Burnley at the Turf in 2000 they were above us in the league.

Same Season at Ewood they were just a few points behind us.

Now we are in seperate leagues the gap is closing, they just don't get it. They raise their game for their biggest matches in years but do little but defend. I suppose when you finally score a goal against your hated rivals you will feel a bit cocky. "Outplayed" us? Could some one please provide some stats in total from the two games. If out playing someone gets you beat 2-1 then may the clarrots outplay every team from here on out

[Blueboy Downunder]

what makes this result even more sweeter and FUNNIER....is that we scored off a deflected goal and awful goalkeeping/brilliant strike from morten.....giving the dingles even more reason to whine about how close they were to beating us....

[Hughesy]

I know you want all us Dingles to be distraught - it always helps a good celebration but however vexing you find it everyone seems pretty upbeat about it.

Not just because to any neutral observer the 'gulf' in class would appear to have diminished markedly. But also because after witnessing a Premiership club in action for 3 hours then the level we need to reach doesn't seem unattainable. All very average indeed.

And Robbie Savage really is dreadful. If he maintains that level of performance he'll end up with his dream move to Wrexham soon enough. Think what he'll save on travelling.

Utter crap there.

We played crap and still won - that tells you alot. The gulf is probably bigger. If under Souness we had faced you and played poor then we would of caved in and lost. Under Hughes we didnt.

Once we sign a new striker at the end of the season the gulf will be even greater.

[Hughesy]

Stats from last night

Blackburn Rovers v Burnley

Possession 60% - 40%

Goals 2 - 1

Shots On Target 5 - 2

Shots Off Target 7 - 2

Blocked Shots 6 - 0

Corners 6 - 4

Fouls Conceded 13 - 17

Offsides 4 - 0

Yellow Cards 1 - 2

Red Cards 0 - 0

Stats taken from opta stats on sky

We played crap, we still outplayed burnley - Yet the "gap is closing" hahaha.

[eddiewac]

I don't think it was awful goalkeeping for Pedersens goal, it was just a rocket of a strike. I can't see how Burnley claim to be unlucky, we deserved to win, they had about 3 shots in the whole game yesterday and one was on target, we could have easily won by more especially if Emerton had shot when he was practically in the net instead of turning round and getting tackled!! Unless that was when he injured himself. We didn't play as good as we can do but we played well enough to beat them

[eddiewac]

totally agree!

It also happens during games.

There were periods during the second half were rovers supporters booed our own team.

S Cockroll picked up on this and so did the B*rnley players.

I didn't hear anyone booing the Rovers players! Ever thought we were booing the opposition, after all they are our biggest rivals!

[Rishton Claret]

....still proud of the Riverside last night! 

i may well consider going in there for the Leicester game.

For what, begining to leave before the end of the game!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Edited March 2, 2005 by Rishton Claret

[philipl]

Well said Paul.

Burnley have improved remarkably in the last nine months- at the end of the Ternent era they were heading for relegation this season but they have scrimped and borrowed a side which can play pretty football and defend. The comparison with leaking 5s, 6s and 7s under Ternent must make it feel like there is a renaissance at the Turf but the reality is the current dingles cannot be said to be an improvement over their 0-2, 5-0 predeccessors. This lot are thoroughly mid-table and will end the season mid-table without challenging for a play-off place unlike Ternent's team did twice.

The gap between this Burnley outfit and any club capable of making it into the Coco Cola play-offs, let alone automatic promotion is significant. The squad is far too thin for a start and three of the best players are loanees of which perhaps only Oster will stay with them- and that because of disciplinary problems and the likelihood his erstwhile employers will need better players in the Prem next season.

Akinbiyi is no way even approaching Premiership class- a buy to try to maintain Coca Cola survival in 05/6 if ever there was one!

Even erstwhile dingle stars- Little, Chaplow and Blake- have disappeared into obscurity at their new abodes. Those were the players who gave the dingles hope of a Premiership future yet their current fates show that even the players they idolised and believed to be approaching international class were in reality well short of the standard needed to survive in the top league.

Norwich, West Brom and Palace show that clubs which could produce results week in, week out against opposition like Burnley equally fail week in week out against opposition like Rovers even after spending close to £20m between them on new players to try to compete at a higher level.

Over the two Cup games, Burnley brought the second meanest defence in their division to play against the second most toothless attack in the Premiership. Burnley were still so frightened of the Rovers they opted for a five man midfield just to make sure they wouldn't get tonked again.

Even so in 180 minutes and with several players below par, the Rovers scored twice and conjured up at least another four goal scoring opportunities. At the other end, Burnley scarcely mustered anything except a spectacular Fashinu-look alike strike by Hyde.

Dingle pride maybe more intact today than it was on 2 April 2001 but the reality is that a yawning chasm has opened between the two clubs in the intervening period. Burnley holding their heads high for a toothless performance which never caused the Rovers a serious moment of alarm for their FA Cup future shows how low expectations at that end of the M65 have dropped.

The dingles are clutching at straws but so too is the English game, so vast is the gulf in resources and performance between the Premiership and the rest.

[waggy]

did anyone notice the birthday on the scoreboard,

HAPPY 21ST BIRTHDAY JORDAN [ORVIL]

WAS IT YESTERDAY JORDAN

[Cocker]

did anyone notice the birthday on the scoreboard,

HAPPY 21ST BIRTHDAY JORDAN [ORVIL]

WAS IT YESTERDAY JORDAN

Its been said somewhere else already however, I dont beleive Jordan to be 21.

28 Maybe but 21. Come on mate, you dont have to lie about your age just yet

Edited March 2, 2005 by Cocker

[SamDingle]

Dingle pride maybe more intact today than it was on 2 April 2001 but the reality is that a yawning chasm has opened between the two clubs in the intervening period.

The yawning chasm is between the top three and the rest of English football.

The rest are much of a muchness.

Of all the teams we've faced at the Turf this season, Rovers and Villa had two of the least threatening forward lines.

Dickov, Gallagher and Bothroyd. They're just dross however much you pay 'em and however much you believe that the Premiership is the best in the world.

[mrsjansen]

Don't care how we won, the important thing is we did.

It's nice to have Sparkey who actually wants to win a cup.

To go out against Burnley would have been dreadful, but who cares. we're through.

P.S Just been reported on ssn that Bothroyd has just been released form hospital suffering from internal bleeding apparently.

[sibbald]

Dingle pride maybe more intact today than it was on 2 April 2001 but the reality is that a yawning chasm has opened between the two clubs in the intervening period.

The yawning chasm is between the top three and the rest of English football.

The rest are much of a muchness.

Of all the teams we've faced at the Turf this season, Rovers and Villa had two of the least threatening forward lines.

Dickov, Gallagher and Bothroyd. They're just dross however much you pay 'em and however much you believe that the Premiership is the best in the world.

The rest are much of a muchness So the likes of Liverpool are classed in the same region as Chesterfield and Cambridge

[den]

Dingle pride maybe more intact today than it was on 2 April 2001 but the reality is that a yawning chasm has opened between the two clubs in the intervening period.

The yawning chasm is between the top three and the rest of English football.

The rest are much of a muchness.

Of all the teams we've faced at the Turf this season, Rovers and Villa had two of the least threatening forward lines.

Dickov, Gallagher and Bothroyd. They're just dross however much you pay 'em and however much you believe that the Premiership is the best in the world.

You would think the three promoted sides would find it easy to stay up then?

[Paul]

Dickov, Gallagher and Bothroyd. They're just dross however much you pay 'em and however much you believe that the Premiership is the best in the world.

Poor yes, dross no. There isn't a Rover who wouldn't acknowledge we are crying out for an exciting striker.

Nobody said the PL was the best in the world but you spoke of the gap. In many ways the Championship is more competitive and possibly more entertaining but in pure footballing ability the gulf is very, very signifigant. Every year it becomes tougher for promoted teams to compete and their only real chance of staying up is to hope a PL team fcomes off the rails - Leeds, Southampton.

I don't say this is good or healthy but you have to acknowledge the gulf between the two leagues.

[Brownie]

Plus we have the best midfielder in the country playing for us !

Best midfielder in the UK?

Q. Who's the best midfielder plying his trade in this country?

Frank Lampard

6.67%

Patrick Vieira

8.09%

Roy Keane

2.65%

Steven Gerrard

32.17%

Michael Carrick

2.57%

Jermaine Jenas

10.14%

Robbie Savage

36.32%

Other

1.35%

[longsiders1882]

Plus we have the best midfielder in the country playing for us !

Best midfielder in the UK?

Q. Who's the best midfielder plying his trade in this country?

Frank Lampard

6.67%

Patrick Vieira

8.09%

Roy Keane

2.65%

Steven Gerrard

32.17%

Michael Carrick

2.57%

Jermaine Jenas

10.14%

Robbie Savage

36.32%

Other

1.35%

can we have a source and date for that please

If anybody, and I mean ANYBODY believes Savage is the best midfielder in the British leagues they are seriously short on football knowledge.

He's good, he's a nuisance and he is defintely the type of player who you love in your team and hate in the oppositions. I was particularly impressed with the way he drew the crowds hatred onto himself at the Turf during his warm up - thus saving less assured players some additional pressure.

He is all these things but he is a long long way from being the best midfielder in the British leagues

[Eddie]

Don't really think you even have to try with us on this one longsiders, I doubt any on this messageboard believe he is the best in the country. He's a good player, who I think has been great for us since he has come here, but by no means the best around.

[jim mk2]

Over the two games both Rovers and Burnley showed themselves to be well-organised teams made up of journeymen players (Pedersen excepted).

The difference is that our journeymen are just that bit better than theirs. The "gap" perceived to be closing by Burnlery supporters is in fact as wide as the last time the teams met. Rovers would still beat Burnley nine times out of ten.

[AndyR]

Rovers would still beat Burnley nine times out of ten.

I think thats a fair quote Jim - the other game being a draw!

[broadsword]

I should imagine we will strengthen considerably in the Summer. Not sure how much Burnley will spend, but doubt it will be anything like our budget.