[Archived] Rovers 3 Leeds 0

[cn174]

Well we can safely say that Bellamy changed the game for us. We played alright in the first half but never looked threatening. Dickov missed another good chance, whilst with other opportunities we seemed to just wanna walk the ball into the net.

But when Bellamy came on this all changed. His awareness, pace and ability make so much difference for us, the buildup for our second goal was ace!

Good performance, decent crowd as well, and into the last 16 of the cup. Not bad for a fiver!

[percy]

I'll even hold my hands up and admit Emerton had a storming game, second half especially, so much so that I thought we'd sneaked a new signing on

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Someone behind me was insisting he should tested for banned substance abuse after the match !! For 5-10 mins after his goal he was back to his best and beating Leeds players for fun.

Very impressed with Bellamy's performance tonight - his assists were superb (especially the 1-2 with MGP and cross for Dickov's goal). I have to admit when he signed, I thought he'd be a bit more of a one dimensional player - just a super quick player for balls over / behind the defence, but tonight he ran the show for us offensively when he came on. Dropping deep to link up play with midfield, working the channels well and pulling the Leeds defenders out of position several times - they just couldn't cope.

Towards the end of the game he was dropping off and playing just outside their area, keeping the ball moving and inviting others to make use of the spaces being created. In the end, Neill took up the offer and made it 3-0. If we can get another player (or even two) in the same class as him, we could be a superb team.

[Manchester Blue]

Professional,clinical and entertaining....A JOB WELL DONE ROVERS!!!

15,000 + crowd......more than I expected to be honest,matters are looking up on all fronts.

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Quite a bit more than I thought as well. When I walked out of the Moorings and saw the weather I thought it would put a few off, however when I got to the ground and saw the queues I was quite impressed at how many were still braving the weather.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

I'll sign off this thread with the comment that I am more enthusiastic about Rovers attitude and performances now than I have been for at least a couple of years.Mark Hughes whole mind set towards these cup games is a breath of fresh air compared to matters under Souness.

Victories like tonight will only breed confidence both on and off the pitch......keep up the good work B.R.F.C.!

[SAS]

2-1 win to leeds i think

14,000 to see our sad sad loss

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okay

i was nearly right on the attendence

less said about my predicted score the better

at least ladbrokes was happy with my prediction

[RevidgeBlue]

3-0 flattered us slightly, if anyone had suggested at half time that that would have been the score they'd have been carted off to a padded cell.

It was poor fare until the first goal. After that we improved considerably and everything revolved around Bellamy once he came on. Like Cole when he first joined he looked a level above the rest tonight.

Never seen Tugay go in for as many tackles before. Thought he was excellent whilst Savage seemed to be taking a bit of a breather.

Playing not particularly well, winning 3-0. I can feel another trip to Cardiff coming on.

Finally an apology to thenodrog, I suggested at the weekend that Dickov and Kuqi weren't Premiership standard. I was wrong. On last night's evidence they're not even Championship standard. Although Dickov, despite being awful, managed to get on the end of the unmissable chance laid on for him by Bellamy. Guess you'd settle for that every week.

[roversmum]

I noticed that Douglas was giving Tugay an elbow at every opportunity and then clattering Sav, seemed like he was out to try and hurt someone, doesn't he realise he has to come back to the club.

One of the reasons I never rated the guy, he's always been too ready to give that kind of hassle.

I think he's hoping for a permanent move to Leeds - would suit me but I'm not sure they'd want him on that basis.

Good game, great result, Rovers class evident, Leeds really didn't know how to handle it.

[juggalo_rover]

Great to see we're taking the non-premiership games more seriously now.

Even though i don't like Emerton that much its good to hear him having a good game, hopefully he can continue this with our World Cup qualifiers against Uruguay (U R GAY as my mates say).

Another home game in the next round please!

Can't wait for this weekend!

[American]

I'm hoping for one of the big guns next round. They tend to play their B teams in the earlier rounds. Better now than in the semis or final.

[herbergeehh]

Think you're a bit negative there, Rev. The first half wasn't too bad, the passing and especially the combinations between the wings and the full backs were good.

Emerton, Tugay, Lucas, Bellamy: Hats off.

When's the draw??

Just a bit off-topic; noticed quite a few people wearing some kind of armband or patch on their jackets.. black, with yellow rings/arrows or something on it. What is that about, anyone know?

Oh, and have to mention comeback kid Toddy, solid defending alongside Zura today! Not sure the loss of the Admiral will have to be that big after seeing today's match..

[thenodrog]

Finally an apology to thenodrog, I suggested  at the weekend that Dickov and Kuqi weren't Premiership standard. I was wrong. On last night's evidence they're not even Championship standard. Although Dickov, despite being awful, managed to get on the end of the unmissable chance laid on for him by Bellamy. Guess you'd settle for that every week. 

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Certainly I would Rev. That would make Dickov even more effective that Shearer at his best!

[AggyBlue]

Think you're a bit negative there, Rev. The first half wasn't too bad, the passing and especially the combinations between the wings and the full backs were good.

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Agreed.

There was a lot of slick football in the first half that had dirty Leeds chasing shadows and they managed to step it up when Bellamy came on.

No doubt Rev expects his Mondeo to go like a Ferrari

[AxesFirstTouch]

I dont know if anyone reads the official board, but it seems someone is slagging off emertons performance tonight, Its see's emerton is this years scapegoat again.

http://boards.rovers.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=7232

Guys how did Micky gray play btw?

Edited October 26, 2005 by wakefieldrawks

[wicklowrover]

At the beginning of the season, watching the West Ham and then the Newcastle game I though we were terrible, but after the Man Utd, West Brom, Liverpool (even though we lost), Brum and then this game we seem to be starting to get our ###### together... Just hope that Nelsen isn't out for too long

[mattyc2422]

Glad we beat those pretenders.

[Paul]

I dont know if anyone reads the official board, but it seems someone is slagging off emertons performance tonight, Its see's emerton is this years scapegoat again. 

http://boards.rovers.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=7232

Guys how did Micky gray play btw?

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I don't think it's surprising really, and have to say I'm surprised by the praise he has been receiving for last night. He played well but he was far from brilliant, just did his job. Emerton has been so awful for the past two years that he's going to have to put in some real blinders to change my view - lets not forget he struggles to beat a man, can't cross a road and has a poor shot. So while he might be our better option on the right he has a long, long way to go before he's the player he should be.

For me I thought Hughes' remarks at the audience evening where telling, basically he stated Emerton was a great outlet for the team in away games, when under pressure the players would look to him to carry the ball up the pitch. That struck me as damning with faint praise, no mention of any other aspect of his game. I wonder why? I think he will leave in the summer.

[philipl]

Just scooted through the press coverage- now we are a one man team- Bellamy Rovers (I'll get that in before the hacks use it).

Only the Telegraph which go a wow on Emerton have anything like a balanced report.

[Ozz]

Why don`t we shoot from outside thebox? Loads of times in the first half, we had men bursting throught to the endge of the box, only to stop, look around and play an daft sideways ball.

Kizanishvanilli went off, was he injured? I hope he`s OK for Saturday as I was petrified by the Axe at CH. His first touch he nearly gave the ball away on the edge of our box!

I also noted Bellamy has a touch of the Dickovs-moans when the ball isn`t exactly played where he wants it! He`d better get used to that!

Remember, this was close to a full strengh team so dont get carried away with the result-Leeds, apart from Healy who I thought ran th eline very well-were shoddy, esp at the back. Some woeful finishing in the first half from Rovers.

[krislu]

When's the draw??

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Anyone know the answer to this?

[philipl]

Saturday lunchtime I believe.

[Ronin]

A good win, despite against a non-Premiership side, and a good confidence boost. Hoping for a decent draw, maybe against one of the big-guns kid sides.

Hoping we can carry the form into Saturday's game against Chelsea. Heck, we may even get a draw against them

[CAPT KAYOS]

A wins a win but lets not get carried away.

Blackwell interview on the radio implicated they were not coming to win the game and the Reading game at the weekend was bigger, also that it would just be technical matters for them to see how they could cope away from home if they got promoted back to the Premier.

They made 7 changes from the weekend we made 2 - puts it into perspective really

As for Emerton - who was he up against really.

[T4E]

Just scooted through the press coverage- now we are a one man team- Bellamy Rovers (I'll get that in before the hacks use it).

Only the Telegraph which go a wow on Emerton have anything like a balanced report.

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At Half time is was 0-0. Second half we brought on Bellamy, won 3-0 and he set all of the goals up. Surely a balanced report would be to give him the vast majority of the credit?

[roversmum]

Blackwell interview on the radio implicated they were not coming to win the game and the Reading game at the weekend was bigger, also that it would just be technical matters for them to see how they could cope away from home if they got promoted back to the Premier.

He would say that, wouldn't he? Don't see it myself, there's often two games a week in the Championship, what's the difference? Reading played last night as well......

Noticed he was moaning about the sending-off; seems he would have been happier if Robbie had been badly injured

[CAPT KAYOS]

He would say that, wouldn't he?  Don't see it myself, there's often two games a week in the Championship, what's the difference?  Reading played last night as well......

Noticed he was moaning about the sending-off; seems he would have been happier if Robbie had been badly injured 

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This was before the game RM, and advised of the changes he would be making citing to the fact they have more important matters without detriment to us