[Archived] Rovers 0-2 Everton

[Neil Weaver]

Tricky to add to most of the posts - if we'd have put a few of the chances away (yes, I'm talking about you MGP, but I suppose on the plus side he was in the right place to miss em) we'd have got something out of the game, even with 10 men. Which brings me on to the sending off : I came away from the game fuming at what I saw as a terrible decision but thought "wait till I've seen it on the telly". Well, it was still diabolical. And cost at least a point, like Liverpool away. And Mr Halsey of Bolton is the common factor. The posters who are having a pop at Todd, pop away, but bear in mind that he didn't put a foot (or hand ho ho ho) wrong today. Wouldn't be at all suprised to see the FA rescind that one early next week.

Wonder what D'Urso is up to these days? Suggest you go and find out Mr Halsey. Probably as well to steer clear of Ewood, you are heading on the same road as our old mate Gerald Ashby. Is that down the bookies to collect on an anti-Rovers bet?

[colin]

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!

364871[/snapback]

Yup, not only that , but both Hansen & the lounge lizard Lawrensen said that Mad Andy's sending off was a travestry.

So, let's wait for the card to be rescinded. As for the three points...........bye

I'm not usually on for picking on officials, but that Assistant Ref was not very good.

BTW Both Bellamy & Bentley were bobbins.

[ABBEY]

had the mispleaser of of being at at a family party in runcorn...spelligs not bothered.................everton fan said hes embarassed at sending off!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

right thts gone what a pillock halsey is..not sseen any pics since but sending of looked like 2 legs tangling and hitting todds hand not todd hitting ball.......ok ...ive calmed domn a bit now ..but if that one sided asshole of a pricks whores mum is laying out the letter of the law..ANSWER THIS ....MCFADDAN DIVED BLATENLY TWICE IN FRONT OF THE PRICK HALSEY AND NEVER GOT ONE LET ALONE TWO AND A SENDING OFF YELLOW.....ARETWATA TWO FOOTS AND NOTHING ....IVE NEVER EVER LOST IT LIKE TODAY AND HAD APOLGISED TO MY 7 YEAR OLD SON BECAUES I LOST IT ...PRICK TURNED THE GAME ANND HOPE HE SWALLOWS HIS WHISTLE AND DIES A SLOW PAINFUL DEATH NEXT GAME WHAT A FERKIN ######

[Paul Mellelieu]

To all the doom mongers: Moyes' assessment of the Rovers.

"Outside the top three or four, Blackburn are playing as well as anyone in the Premiership and they gave us a hard time for the first 15 or 20 minutes,'' Moyes admitted.

Edited December 4, 2005 by Paul McGarry

[ABBEY]

PAUL ..SAME AS TOFE SAID AT PARTY....HALSEY GRRRRRRRRRR I WANNA KILL HIM REALLY REALLY DO

[den]

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

364864[/snapback]

Results have been pretty good with Savage in the side - until today.

[Scotty]

Just when I thought I could predict the team up pops Hughes with another interesting selection. When I first heard it I was sure we'd be playing 4-5-1 and matching Everton man for man, but it turned out that Bentley played as a second striker in a 4-4-2 formation. Thompson played wide-right and Reid came in for Savage in the middle.

We started brilliantly. For the first 20 minutes we simply blew Everton away with a fantastic display of controlled attacking football. Bellamy constantly stretched their defence and got in behind them with intelligent runs, Tugay knitted our passing together in midfield, and we had a threat down both flanks with our full-backs linking up well with our wide-men. The only thing we didn't do was score.

Pedersen missed a sitter in the first five minutes, he hit the post five minutes later, and we won numerous corners and free-kicks, but the goal just wouldn't come. Everton had to change their shape to cope with us, putting a defensive midfielder on Tugay and leaving Beattie isolated up front. And it worked.

Our attacking play was slowly stifled and Everton started to come more into the game. For the next ten minutes nothing much happened as both teams cancelled each other out but then, totally out of the blue, Everton scored. And what a bad goal it was to concede. A long punt from their defence was missed by both Beattie and our defenders. The bouncing ball was then flicked on by Everton and McFadden beat Gray to subsequent bounce to nod past a poorly positioned Friedel. That's three 50-50 challenges that our defence lost in the lead up to the goal. Not good enough.

Five minutes later came the defining moment of the match. More bad defending saw Beattie attempt to flick the ball past Todd. Now there's no doubt the ball hit Todd on the arm, and there's no doubt that Beattie would have been clean through had the ball not hit Todd on the arm, but there's also no doubt that Todd knew nothing about it and his handball was completely accidental. It wasn't even worthy of a booking. Sadly the linesman thought differently and clearly advised the ref to send Todd off. It's the second time that Halsey has wrongly cost us a game this season.

The resulting free-kick nearly resulted in a goal, Arteta just firing wide, but Everton did go two up shorlty afterwards. We reshuffled our defence by moving Reid to right-back and Neill to centre-half but, ten men or no ten men, our defending was shocking again for Everton's second. Beattie again won another header, Osman held the ball up well unchallenged, and he placed a great ball straight into the path of Arteta who finished expertly.

Game over.

Zurab came on for Thompson at half-time which allowed Reid to go back to the centre of midfield and Neill back to right-back.

We started the second half well and Pedersen missed another sitter when he failed to apply the finish to a great ball from Neill. Who knows what might have happened had that gone in, but that was as good as it got for us. We huffed and puffed, continually looked the better team, but Everton's extra man cost us in the end. Due to their extra numbers in midfield we continually hit the ball long and Everton's defenders just lapped it up. Strangely, Hughes waited until 15 minutes from the end to put Kuqi on, someone who might have been able to win some of the long balls we were playing, and by then it was too late.

So, another game lost against a team I'm convinced we're better than.

Our defence was poor today, and has been for a while. We lost too many headers and we allowed the excellent Beattie to bully us. Nelsen and Todd were equally culpable, as were the full-backs, and Friedel didn't exactly cover himself with glory on the first goal. We looked more solid when Zurab came on, but by then Everton were content to see the game out rather than attack for a third goal.

We started well in midfield but faded badly. Tugay was majestic at first but, once Everton started to close him down, he disappeared. Reid was energetic and supported the attack well but all too often his passing and control let him down. Pedersen missed two sitters today and didn't do much else. Thompson just didn't do much. Emerton came on too late to really make an impact.

Bellamy was excellent again and was easily our man of the match. Bentley started well, all good touches and neat passes, but faded when a more physical presence was needed after the sending off. Kuqi wasn't great when he came on but the game was over by then - he should have been on at least 15 minutes earlier.

It's hard to sum up today's game as we were clearly the better team, yet we got beat 2-0. There's no doubt the sending off cost us dearly, but we also were guilty of giving two incredibly sloppy goals away. Our defending has been really poor recently and it needs to be addressed. Ultimately though I just left the game feeling angry that another crap team had beaten us.

I also question Hughes's team selection and tactics. There's no way in my book that Reid is a better central midfielder than Savage. For all Savage's histrionics he can control and pass the ball far better than Reid. And there's no way that Bentley is a better striker than Kuqi. When I heard Bentley was playing I assumed he'd be the attacking midfielder in a 4-5-1 formation, but he played as an out an out striker today. Kuqi would have been a better bet in my opinion, and it was staggering that Hughes waited so long to bring Kuqi on. I also thought that Emerton should have come on a lot earlier than he did. We desperately needed someone in the second half to run with the ball and link our defence and attack, Emerton could have done that.

We lost a crap team today, just like we did against Newcastle and Liverpool. We're in a run of winnable games and we need to start winning some, if not most, of them to prove that we're as good as I think we are. I'm not worrying yet but next weeks game is looking like an awfully big one now.

[cletus]

Came away from Ewood feeling like i`d been mugged....but that`s twice now! (felt same way after newcastle game)

The ref/linesman had a shocker & ruined the game as a spectacle.

In Everton`s defence, Yobo played out of his skin & won almost every 50/50 ball in the air.

Rovers should`ve been 2-0 up in the first 10mins, but if you don`t put away your chances............you`ll get punished. And we did.

22k was p1ss poor anole

[pg]

Pedersen missed a sitter in the first five minutes, he hit the post five minutes later, and we won numerous corners and free-kicks, but the goal just wouldn't come.  Everton had to change their shape to cope with us, putting a defensive midfielder on Tugay and leaving Beattie isolated up front.  And it worked.

364890[/snapback]

Based on that assessent, Moyes won the tactical battle over Hughes today.

Of course, Todd's red would not have helped matters. And I'm not surprised that all teams that come to Ewood don't get someone to sit on Tugay. Ever since O'Neil got Sutton to sit on him during the UEFA Cup tie.. it seems that if you stop Tugay.. you stop Rovers.

At least at home.

Thanks for the match reviews everyone. Was a bit shocked when I saw the score-line, but after reading the reports I'm not slashing my wrists just yet.

[FourLaneBlue]

If I'd had to choose between winning on Wednesday or today then a quarter final cup tie is a better reward than three points. It's our only real chance of success. That said, the next home game becomes a really important fixture. We have an excellent home record against West Ham I believe, I especially recall the 7-1 thrashing, so hopefully we can pay them back for the opening day defeat.

[Bobby G]

Watched the game.

Utterly disappointed. There is such a thin line between winning and losing.

Against Charlton Emo scored in the 1st or 2nd minute and we went on a romp. Had MGP scored as early as that from the 6 yard box or his cross crept in a couple of minutes later, everything could have been different.

Obviously, the red car effectively ended it for us. Mind you the commentator said it was April-May 2003 when we last came from a goal behind to win in the league!

2 mistakes for me by Sparky. Firstly, starting Bentley ahead of Kuqi when Kuqi's strength and body would have kept their defence busy for sure. Secondly, I think Zurab should have come on immediately after the red card as we were all over the place after the red and couldnt settle down, especially Reid.

Not happy with Friedel for the first goal. He didnt need to come out.

Delighted he dropped Savage, only as a wake up call for the guy! Hope we see the real Robbie now.

Neill had an assured game for me in general. Bellamy faded away big-time. Reids passing was nervous. Tugay looked a class apart until they started closing him down. MGP had a poor game for me. He is out of form in my book and Im a big fan. I would consider dropping him, maybe give Peter a chance? His set pieces have been awful during the last few games.

Effort present, cutting edge missing. Again vindicating calls for a central striker to come in January.

My 2 cents are that we shouldnt be thinking of top 6. But to 10 is much more do-able and we should be happy with it. Bottom half would be disappointing. Cant see a relegation battle myself. Hope Im right.

[Paul]

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.

364873[/snapback]

Well it's all about opinions, to quote Scotty's view of what happened rather than the decision

Now there's no doubt the ball hit Todd on the arm, and there's no doubt that Beattie would have been clean through had the ball not hit Todd on the arm, but there's also no doubt that Todd knew nothing about it and his handball was completely accidental.

At the game I thought it was a clear hand ball, after seeing seeing re-runs on MOTD (two different views, three times each) the view with Todd's open palm being struck by the ball is clear it was a hand ball. So the question is was this intentional? Todd's a professional footballer, did he have a decision to make? Take my hand away and Beattie is through, leave it there and it's accidental hand ball, I hope? I don't feel this was clear cut and had the positions been reversed, Everton defender with Bellamy say, we would have been screaming for a free kick and a red.

I'm not blaming Todd but I think he knew what he was doing; there is little doubt Beattie would have been clean through if he had taken his hand away. Right decision by the linesman which probably cost us the game. Tin hat time I think.

Overall we played very well, showed Everton to be a poor side, six months ago I'd have been really angry at this defeat. Today I think it's a question of two mistakes and two bad misses costing us the game - Nelsen and Pedersen stand up please. The worry must be that we have now lost twice to very, very bad sides in Newcastle and Everton. We should not be losing to rubbish teams of this type.

[Mike Graham]

22,000 gate

5.000 from Everton

only 17,000 Blues for a local Derby on the back of the fantastic Charlton result.

God help us against West Ham

[Ozz]

I thought Todd was banged to rights at the time, but I had a poor view from JW lower. Seen it again and he looked a bit hard done too. Bad luck again for Rovers. Pedersen should have scored twice, and on another day we could have got a point even all three if we had the run of the green. Used it all up on Wednesday no doubt.

[Ozz]

Just realised that Im beginning to sound like SOuness...

[Simon Says]

I'm not blaming Todd but I think he knew what he was doing; there is little doubt Beattie would have been clean through if he had taken his hand away. Right decision by the linesman which probably cost us the game. Tin hat time I think. 

364916[/snapback]

Well its all about opinions, in my view Todd wasn't even looking at the ball and so it was totally accidental.

Still we can all agree it cost us the game.

Have to say we should not be downhearted. We played some very good football and if we continue in the same vein we will win more than we lose.

[Manchester Blue]

Well it's all about opinions, to quote Scotty's view of what happened rather than the decision

At the game I thought it was a clear hand ball, after seeing seeing re-runs on MOTD (two different views, three times each) the view with Todd's open palm being struck by the ball is clear it was a hand ball. So the question is was this intentional? Todd's a professional footballer, did he have a decision to make? Take my hand away and Beattie is through, leave it there and it's accidental hand ball, I hope? I don't feel this was clear cut and had the positions been reversed, Everton defender with Bellamy say, we would have been screaming for a free kick and a red.

I'm not blaming Todd but I think he knew what he was doing; there is little doubt Beattie would have been clean through if he had taken his hand away. Right decision by the linesman which probably cost us the game. Tin hat time I think. 

364916[/snapback]

It is one of the most basic rules of football that handball should only be given if it is intentional. Never mind the sending off etc, it has to be deliberate. It's one of the things pundits and especially armchair pundits get wrong.

One of the benefits of playing local league football was learning some of the rules that you don't always pick up from watching. Amateur refs are by and large a great bunch who jus do it or the pleasure. They also ref very much by the book and the amount of times handballs were not given because it was 'ball to hand' you wouldn't believe.

It seems to me the supposed 'pro' refs get swayed by the culture of fans who scream handball every time the ball is anywhere near the body. Todd's sending off is not a matter of opinion, it's simply wrong. Watch it closely and his eyes and most importantly his arm don't move he is trying to readjust to the path of the ball and it hits his arm, i.e ball to hand. It really is that simple.

It's for that reason that I expect Todd's sending off to be rescinded which will be the second time this season that it has happened with Halsey. Will he be disciplined? I doubt it very much but he bloody well should be.

[waggy]

tbh we should have been 2 up,before everton had a shot.the 1st 20 mins we were superb,but a moments hestitation in defence led to everton's first goal.the todd sending off was warranted imo and he let us down big time.apart from the big 3 i cannot see any premiership team turning the game round with 10 men.from the 30 minute it was damage limitation,but we still made the odd chance.

[stuwilky]

One of the benefits of playing local league football was learning some of the rules that you don't always pick up from watching. 

364931[/snapback]

There are no rules in football. Only Laws.

[Yorick]

Our defence was poor today, and has been for a while.  We lost too many headers and we allowed the excellent Beattie to bully us. 

364890[/snapback]

Good report spoiled by one sentence. I thought Beattie was poor.

Having said that Ferguson is now a joke. Bent should slap in a transfer request if that big lummox is played before him again this season.

[Paul]

Todd's sending off is not a matter of opinion, it's simply wrong.  Watch it closely and his eyes and most importantly his arm don't move he is trying to readjust to the path of the ball and it hits his arm, i.e ball to hand.  It really is that simple.

364931[/snapback]

I agree entirely about what the laws of the game state, it probably wasn't ball to hand. On MOTD this morning there was a penalty given, against Villa?, where the defender clearly moved his whole upper body towards the ball and I thought was struck on the shoulder joint though the commentator said arm. Nailed on penalty. In another game a Liverpool player was hit on the hand by the ball a yard from the goal-line but nothing was given. It was clearly ball to hand.

In the split second the linesman had available he can't study Todd's eyes or his arm movements, he may only have seen the ball contact with the hand and assumed it was deliberate. Todd did have an open palm. With the benefit of TV replay the majority believe the decision to be wrong; at the time I thought it was right with as much time to judge as the linesman had.

Had the situation been reversed the BBE would have been screaming a red card and a free-kick.

[broadsword]

Can't believe the over reaction on here tonight?

364862[/snapback]

Well, can you or can't you?

Make your mind up!

[Scotty]

Anorak time.

Law 12 states:

"A direct free kick is also awarded to the opposing team if a player commits any of the following four offences:

- tackles an opponent to gain possession of the ball, making contact with the opponent before touching the ball

- holds an opponent

- spits at an opponent

- handles the ball deliberately (except for the goalkeeper within his own penalty area)"

It goes on to say:

"A player is sent off and shown the red card if he commits any of the following seven offences:

- is guilty of serious foul play

- is guilty of violent conduct

- spits at an opponent or any other person

- denies the opposing team a goal or an obvious goal-scoring opportunity by deliberately handling the ball (this does not apply to a goalkeeper within his own penalty area)

- denies an obvious goal-scoring opportunity to an opponent moving towards the player’s goal by an offence punishable by a free kick or a penalty kick

- uses offensive or insulting or abusive language and/or gestures

- receives a second caution in the same match"

Laws of the game

So, it all comes down to whether Todd's handball was deliberate or not. There's no doubt in my mind that it wasn't.

[Yorick]

M of the Match? No idea really, but I do know that Mr Hughes played a shocker today. I don't know whats gone on but what I do know is that his starting 11 dumbfounded me rather than inspired me. Still we started well and should have taken at least a 1-0 lead but Everton were coming back into it when they scored a rather fortunate opener. We then lost Todd. Most opinion on the riverside and mine included was that it was indeed handball, but I thought it overly severe to red card a player over such an innoccuos incident when the referee plainly did not see the incident. More often than not the player would have had the benefit of the doubt and a stern talking too. Halsey however plainly did not learn any lesson at Anfield did he?

Once down to 10 we were unfortunate to concede another before HT (on 45 mins for the second match in a row!), but from this point on Hughes really cocked up. 10 v 11 is difficult enough without passengers and imo Sav and Kuqi should have come out for the second half in place of the bland Bentley and Tugay / Pederson. Whatever anybodies opinion of those first two's abilities the fact is that they both do the work of two players. Also Bentley and Ped are most definitely not inspirational 'scrappers' are they?

It hardly matters but Halsey's performance needs to be reviewed by the powers that be. He refused to give Everton players yellow cards that would have been nailed on certs if committed by Rovers players! His extra time allocation was criminal compared to the more usual 4 mins when we are in front. What is going on? I rarely subscribe to most conspiracy theories but things are being stacked rather to high against us at the moment.

[philipl]

I think it was harsh but there is one camera angle which is a problem. Having been sent off, isn't the onus on Todd to prove his innocence? (Rather than the van Persie case where he was not punished during the game but had a case to answer afterwards).

I have read one report that Rovers aren't going to challenge the sending off. Does anyone know what the situation is?

Incidentally, I do think we are being reffed according to reputation and not reality. If you look at the BBC's scores for refs we seem to have disproportionately more poor performances in our games.

Edited December 4, 2005 by philipl