[Archived] Rovers 0-2 Everton

[adopted scouser]

fickle fickle fickle fickle

Hughes did this wrong, tactics all wrong, etc etc. On Wednesday night he was a god.

That's the beauty of supporting a club like ours, the bad news makes the good news seem fantastic. So Chelsea win every sodding game, how dull is that ? A turnaround like wednesday made every rovers fan want to leap around the street bollock naked with the shirt over his head !

We lost this one, thank you blackburn rovers football club, I'm ready for the next surprise

[Exiled_Rover]

Is everyone else wondering how you can be bollock naked whilst wearing a Rovers shirt, or is it just me......

[RevidgeBlue]

No way was that a red card, and whilst Halsey had a stinker getting in  the way of three Rovers attacks amongst other things, it was effectively the linesman who got Todd the card.

If only football adopted ideas from forward thinking Rugby League, by bringing in much needed technology, we might have finished with 11 men and three points. But there again the Iraqis might start morning prayers at the White House..........

364818[/snapback]

Strange game. We played some scintillating football for the first 20 minutes then went slowly off the boil. Nevertheless there was little sign of the mayhem to come of conceding a sloppy goal,the sending off, and the killer second on the stroke of half time.

Unless his hand was forced by injury I thought Hughes erred in his initial team selection by switching to 4-5-1. We've been successful playing 4-4-2 and the only real points for discussion are which two start from Zurab Nelsen and Todd, who plays alongside Savage, and who plays alongside Bellamy.

The foreign contingent on here calling Todd are way off the beam I feel. Nelsen had a stinker toay being at fault for both goals. I'd need to see the sending off again but feel it was a bad decision. My initial reaction was that the Everton player (Beattie) played the ball against Todd from a yard or so away. The referee who seeingly had a clear view didn't react nor indeed did the linesman until Beattie started waving his arms about. Then the linesman flagged and you feared the worst.

Hughes was also at fault I thought not bringing Zurab on immediately after the sending off. We seemed to be trying to muddle our way through half heartedly until half time and it cost us.

The second half even with 10 me we created the better chances but it was one of those days. Hopefully an afternoon we can put behind us, revert permanently to 4-4-2 and pretend today never happened

[G Somerset Rover]

I thought Bentley was up top today? I know he links with the midfield, but weren't we still effectively playing 4-4-2?

[den]

Back down to earth with a grinding bump!

Have to say that Bentley isn't a forward so playing 4-4-1-1 was effectively inviting a repeat of the Newcastle result which Everton were only too happy to oblige.

From what I've seen, we played gorgeous football for 30 minutes and still kept at it until heads went down as the second half went on. MGP's horror misses from inside the six yard box are undoubtedly what cost us three points today aided by a very dubious sending off (which resulted in Bellamy gobbing off and getting booked as well). Palsey is rubbish when he refs our games.

To be honest I am not sure Todd will get off this one- there must be a camera angle which shows he was a bit cynical the way he let the ball hit his arm. But no way should the officials have red carded him in the first place.

Well, we were just getting to the point of Hughes super-hero for having the balls to bench Savage and Emerton when Toogs turns in a very poor performance, Todd continues the crap form he's been showing all season, Friedel has another iffy one, Neill and Nelsen have a relative off day and MGP cannot hit the proverbial whilst continuing his dismal run of crossing and corner taking....   

West Ham becomes a buttock clencher next week if we are not to rejoin the troubled souls at the bottom.

364822[/snapback]

Don't usually disagree with you Philip but - Heads dropping? I thought rovers were the better team from first kick to the last. Pretty well backed up by Moyes' comments that he was hoping for a third goal, because he feared Everton weren't safe.

4-4-1-1? Hughes said on Radio Rovers pre-match that Bentley was playing as a striker.

Todd continuing what crap form? You might have to explain that one to me.

Finally, what was that 2 mins extra time all about? I might be wrong but rovers brought on 2 subs and Everton brought on 3 subs. Add injury time plus the fact that Lucas was pointing out to Halsey for all of the second half, the amount of time the 'keeper was taking to take his goal kicks. Lucas just stood there, sideways on to the play, gesturing to Halsey to tell the 'keeper to get a move on. Halsey did nothing.

Finally, he blew the whistle for full time, just seconds after the 2 mins sign had gone up.

I reckon Hughes and Neill Yardley have it right when they say Halsey doesn't like us.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

We have 1 good result followed by 4 or 5 crap ones, another under-achieving seaosn down in the bottom 8 because of poor management. The only difference between Souness and Hughes is that Hughes has us more organised and beter at the basics but he is clueless whwen it comes to tactics and trying to win games.

364813[/snapback]

Poor management?...get the ###### out!!

Strange game today,Everton were poor and never in the game until the ridiculous sending off which was never,NEVER a red card.Surreal feeling leaving the ground.....empty,robbed even.

One thing is for sure, we need another quality striker in January if we are to fulfil our potential this season.

22,000 with 5,000+ from Everton?......not improving is it

[Tony Diamond Inc]

Todd continuing what crap form? You might have to explain that one to me.

I agree, he was our best defender until the travesty, it's seems a coincidence that those calling for Todd to be dropped are the ones who don't attend the games!

[den]

        point is will sparky start on saturday with savage,his talisman or will he be brave enough to drop him

364210[/snapback]

Well Waggy - he dropped him.

[krislu]

Well Waggy - he dropped him.

364839[/snapback]

And we paid the price, Reid - Tugay cant play together in the centre..

[1864roverite]

for me the team was the wrong first 11 today.

Rovers should have had 4-4-2 with Kuqi partnering Bellamy.

Thompson should not have started, he is not yet fit enough and should have kept a cameo role.

The referee had a stinker again, cant really comment on the handball - I will wait for footie first - but please halsey, your stats read that you intercepted more balls than the whole of the everton defence together

I can only put his performance alongside Ashby's versus manure when he sent Henning packing for nothing

The saddest thing about today is that Rovers have now been undone by two of the poorest teams in the league at Ewood and have conceded 5 goals in the process without scoring. Everton were more effective with 11 Rovers players on the park, when toddy left us Rovers were still the better team and were up until the last 10 minutes.

MGP had a shocker

bentley did ok in fits and starts

No comment on the rest as I am still fuming about the result

[Paul Mellelieu]

Hughes got it right for me, bar Todd making the cut instead of Zurab. It was closer to a 442 than a 451.

Bentley played well untilhe faded in the last quarter of the game. Thompson diodn't play well at all. I think Reid was decent too. What undid us was bad finishing and bad refereeing. Even with ten men we out passed, out thought and out fought a woeful Everton team.

[roversmum]

Morten has become the opposition target punchbag. Today he got several surreptitious elbows, kicks and even a couple of punches in the stomach.

I cannot see how Everton got through the match with just one yellow card. An absolute travesty.

[Nayef]

I feel thoroughly sick and depressed.

This is another relegation battle which will finish by us just surviving at the end of the season. Then Bellamy, Nelson and Pedersen will decide to jump ship.

Then it'll be the end of Rovers as we know them and we'll become an average Division One side for years to come. No Jack Walker in the future (he really was one in a million).

Rovers fans to search the internet for the easiest ways to commit suicide or hire hitmen to gun down all those referees who have done us injustice time and time again over the years.

[rover6]

The only problem with playing Bentley and Bellamy upfront is the obvious one of not being able to play as many direct balls. Lets be honest, direct football has been quite a major part of our game (although not the only part, I hasten to add) and our players will have to adjust if Hughes persists with the B&B strike force. However, I think the second striker role may well be Bentley's best position.

As for Todd's 'crap form' or not, depending on your stance - who was the Rovers player who performed a rather ineffective slithering excuse for a tackle in the build up to Darren Ambrose's goal for Charlton? I'm not sure who it is but from the position they come from, i thought it could conceivably have been Todd. Everyone goes through dips in form and hopeful Todd will regain his top form - Nelsen as well.

Anyways, how we could have done with Stead today.

Just to add, I am not overly disappointed with this result. When we iron out the defensive jitters, we will climb that league.

Edited December 3, 2005 by rover6

[Paul]

Hands up all those who saw the game live? Which is not a swipe at those who can't get there. Lot of over-reaction to this defeat in my view. Like a lot I was surprised by the line-up but having been away all week, not even knowing who had played at Charlton or read a match report I presume Hughes was rewarding a good performance at The Valley?

Everton game with one thing in mind 0-0, they camped all 11 in their half from kick-off and it was clearly going to be very tough. Everton are a crap team, have been for the last 3 or 4 seasons, the CL was pure fluke, a lucky season. They lack any adventure and Moyes is not the genius some suggest.

Hughes on the other hand has turned the side around, got basically the same players fit, working well and passing beautifully. We are a far, far better side than Everton and I felt really good about Rovers today, feel awful about the result as we were mugged through two bits of rank defending from Nelsen and Brad fumbling across the goalmouth for the second; he should have launched himself at it. Rovers dominated the first half a part from a dodgy 6-7 minutes and went on to dominate most of the second until they just ran out of steam.

Todd was a clear handball for me and as soon as the refereee went to the linesman it was only going to be one decision. Very harsh but the rules are the rules and he was last man - at least within reach of goal.

If I have criticism it would be we started with 4-5-1 as Bentley clearly had missed the message about 4-4-1-1; I thought Tugay was ten yards too deep. Didn't agree with the subs as neither Bentley or MGP were having any impact, I'd have taken both of them off before subbing Tugs. I don't really understand why we had to start with 4-5-1 and that irritates but then we were playing far better football than Everton ever will.

Everton cheated, pushed, punched, time-wasted and played badly - just as they always do. Everton/Moyes or Rovers/Hughes? I know which I'd rather support on the basis of today's encounter.

Chin up Wham next

[bazza]

Oh and another thing, my son who is a student, paid over £32 to have the game ruined by the inept officials.

In fact, due to the lack of video technology, around 16,500 had the game ruined.

364821[/snapback]

It's not the officials who ruined the game.

It's FIFA's stupid rules that have destroyed the beautiful game. The officials are told to impose the stupid rules to the letter.

I'm disillusioned once again.

[grizfoot]

Mr Halsey costs Rovers another three points, he really should be banned from 'refreeing' anymore Rovers games.

Despite having 10 men for two thirds of the game i still thought we where far the better team and on another we'd have won easily.

[yawnsie]

To be fair to Everton, I think they played better than most are giving them credit for on here: after the first ten minutes or so they worked hard in closing us down. Having said that, we were the better team and I think we could have come back from going a goal down if we hadn't have lost Todd straight after. I'm disappointed that Bentley played instead of Kuqi - we were pretty lightweight upfront because of it. Bloody McFadden only seems to bother playing against us.

Just wondering, what went on in the first half with Marcus Bent and that kid? When that fella went and had a word with Bent, for a minute I thought there was gonna be another Dwight Yorke moment...

[Gav]

Can't believe the over reaction on here tonight?

We were by far the better side over 90 minutes today and played most of the game with 10 men!

Terrible decision by the linesman cost us dear today, it was a yellow card at best but mistakes happen, onwards and upwards.

Speaking to a few lads today, I was saying for the first time in 3-4 seasons I was going to today’s game actually believing we'd win and that’s not a luxury I’ve had in recent times.

Hughes has done a fantastic job in the last 18 months, just back the guy we're on the right track.

[waggy]

Well Waggy - he dropped him.

364839[/snapback]

so you reckon the result would have been different if lily was playing

[Gav]

Savage has done nothing since he moved here from birmingham.

You've got to give the manager some credit for dropping the guy as Hughes went out on a limb to sign him.

Long hair and energy doesn't win football games,

"I want to like you Robbie but you've got a long way to go son to impress me."

[1864roverite]

Rovers shouldhave had him in the starting line up instead of Thompson

[boris bear]

Please can someone confirm that Lawro has just said that we were playing really well when Todd was sent off. Did he really say that? Surely not!

[RovertheHill]

Bloody hell. I hope some of you lot have had your belts and shoelaces taken off you. If you were at the game you will know that Rovers dominated, even with 10 men. A couple of moments of going to sleep and they scored (and yes, it was Nelson at fault - it happens to everyone).

Halsey made more interceptions than the entire Everton midfield in the first half. What a kn*b - kept getting in the way. And the handball - well I'm not sure of the rules anymore. Todd sent off, yet a number of times Yobo and Weir as the last defenders flattened Bellers for free-kicks - but they aren't? Seems odd.

[Paul Mellelieu]

Paul, you're wrong about the handball decision being the right one. The rules state that the handball has to be intentional. Hanson was right, for once. Notice that Rover6 is giving his expert view, given he hasn't seen the game. I think Bentley did really well in the first half and was involved in some really super forward play. we didn't win because we didn't take out chances, defended poorly twice - did Everton have another chance? - and were reduced to ten men by a stupid, stupid decision by the officials. I echo Gav's view on the massive strides we've taken. A beautiful swan emerging from an ugly duckling.