[Archived] Blackburn Rovers 3 West Ham 2

[krislu]

Truely brilliant second half in term of entertainment. Both defenses were shockingly poor today, but we dont care now that we got 3points!!

[Rovers Air Force]

YAY!!!

[Oklahoma]

IT ENDED!!!

3-2!!!

[James No. 7]

Looks like another 4-5-1.

I was optimistc in my prediction, but having seen this line up we would be lucky to even get a point..

...

Reid as rightback? Why doesnt Hughes play Matteo in the centre and Neill as right back? Has Hughes lost the plot just like Souness , I hope not...

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3-2 Krislu. That is all.

WELL DONE ROVERS!

Well done Matty Jansen for getting a grain of game time.

[modes98]

No nails left now! Not a great game but i'm glad we got 3 points.

6 yellows for the hammers, god they are a dirty bunch of londoners!

Kuqi and Dickov don't look in to bad form

[krislu]

3-2 Krislu. That is all.

WELL DONE ROVERS!

Well done Matty Jansen for getting a grain of game time.

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Yeah, yeah! Our defense was poor today, but fortunately for us so were they. Very happy we got three points today...

[mattyc2422]

Great win without Nelsen and Bellamy available.

[James No. 7]

6 yellows for the hammers, god they are a dirty bunch of londoners! 

That is an automatic fine right there.

If memory serves me correctly, this is only the second time in Mark Hughes' tenure that we have won after going behind. The last match being against Charlton in the last Carling Cup match to win by the same scoreline, 3-2.

[greggyk]

Good point. 3 goals in one game without Bellamy! Brilliant!

Also, decent attendance considering who we were playing.(yes,im sure you are aware by me posting so soon that i didnt go )

[Shevchenko]

First time in two and a half years we've come from behind to win in the league. Not bad that

We got lucky with the penalty though, bit harsh I thought but it was just what we needed at the right time. I suppose bad luck evens itself out a bit over the season. Todd shouldn't have been sent off last time and we shouldn't really have had a pen today but there you go.

Shaky defense today but I suppose that's hardly surprising considering we were missing Todd and Nelsen. Zura needs to clean up his act a bit though, he was diving like it was going out of fashion today...

[herbergeehh]

Fantastic result, that's what counts!

Good to see us get three goals, and horrifying to see our defensive game. Zura was truly awful, not the assured centerback without a muscling Nelsen or Todd alongside him. Neill did okay in his new position, but I feel him and Zura are too similar to play in a 2 man central defence.

Reid did allright aswell, a bit late on Zamora's goal though.

Others.. Tugay a bit complacent and dragged the tempo down in the first half, better in the second. Silly yellow card, both him and Dickov. Savage did well, worked hard and had a few good attempts on goal from set pieces.

Bentley wasn't too much involved 1st half, a neat through chip to Dickov who (according to the linesman) was offside. Worked hard and did okay, all things considered.

Nelsen or/and Todd hopefully back next match, and our solid defense will come back with them.

[RoyRover]

A brilliant result. I thought that it was going to be one of those days, when West Ham scored at the end of the first half, having done nothing going forward. I have always been very critical of Dickov, because I didn't think that he was up to the job. BUt he has scored again, which is his job. Kuqi is another player who I didn't think was up to it, but he comes on and scores the winner! It sounds like our defence was dire, but at least we won and we have players to return.

[Rovers_4_life]

Brilliant result and a great second half in terms of entertainment. I thought Mickeal Gray and Lucas Neil were once again brilliant and pleased that Kuqi got on to score and hopefully he can get a start at Fulham next week. I still have no idea why Bentley started when he obviously isn't good enough or why Emerton was taken off, hen Bentley should have made way. Still delighted we got the points and lets hope we cans et up our christmas period with another win next week.

[Hughesy]

Just got back.

Chuffed with the result. Again we worked very hard and before we went down 1-0 we could have been easily winning the game. If we learn to become abit more clinical infornt of goal then we could give someone a hiding soon.

2 games in only a few weeks when we have come back from behind to win. Things are improving!! Give Hughes the money to splash In January or the summer to improve us further.

[grizfoot]

Just glad to get all 3 points.

What a game !!!

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

WHAT A GAME!!!!

First half it was Everton all again, Rovers dominating possession but hit by the sucker punch just before half time,matters didn't look good...were are the goals coming from?

Second half and the penalty seemed to inject more life into our team,good old Dickov takes a lot of stick but up he pops again to give us a 2-1 lead.Comical defending nearly cost us dearly again today.....West Hams equaliser was a joke, our makeshift defence was simply nowhere!.

....And then the flying Finn enters the arena,what more is there to say!!!

Very entertaining football, if folk wont come now they never will.Fair play to West Ham, I had my head in my hands every time that came forward in the last 10 minutes.I'm made up and a big finger to the bookies from me this evening.................

KEERRRRCHIINNNNGGGG!!!!!!!!!!!

Edited December 10, 2005 by SIMON GARNERS 194

[Ianrally]

I really think that its a decent line up.

..........Reid played as a right back at Millwall so he knows what he is doing

Sorry Cocker but you must be having a laugh. Reid thinks the ball is a hot potato, and in my opinion it does not matter in which position he plays.

[waggy]

at half time i said if we win today i will believe in santa claus

[Modi]

Totally crap first half.

Totally great second half.

Kuqi's goal was pretty nifty.

[tcj_jones]

Sorry Cocker but you must be having a laugh. Reid thinks the ball is a hot potato, and in my opinion it does not matter in which position he plays.

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Didn't watch the game today, but recently, when attacking, Reid has been influential in midfield, controlling the game deep in the oppositions half, keeping possession and spreading the ball well. He certainly didn't seem to be playing hot potatoe.

[rover6]

Kuqi in line for a start for the next game?

He's doing a good job of proving doubters like me wrong. I wouldn't say he has actually got anywhere near proving that he is a Prem standard forward, that takesa couple of seasons at least, but he's on the way.

[andyrovers]

Just got home, what a game.....

Reid, what is he doin at right back? Never rated him..

We let in 2 easy goals...

Mike Riley should have sent off a couple of WHU players, he would have if it were on the other foot....

Nice to see Savs and Brad getting on so well. What was that all about?

A well deserved 3 points

[1864roverite]

Hello

my name is Roverite and I am a Roverholic

The drummer has finally got to me. He and his boyfriend/lover or whatever finally forced me to take the option of a free ticket (courtesy of Budweiser) and move on up to the high echelons of the Sir Jack Walker Stand where my view was quite simply superb from just below the gantry.

Before I go to the game itself, a few views.

The ground today looked like there were more than 20000 fans inside, I am sure that Rovers are on the take !

I talked to Gary Flitcroft prematch along with Jay McEveley, unable to obtain some insider information HOWEVER Rovers had 2 players in the stands watching, they are both Europeans and have/are linked to Rovers. Sorry dont know their names and I didnt actually see them.

The game and the first half are unmentionable. Utter garbage, poor,crap whatever, it was certainly not a half where any effort was produced. Too many players didnt want the ball and too many gave the ball away. Rovers, although with the dominant possession seemed happy to commit suicide and echo's of the Everton game were sounding at Ewood as wham broke and scored the goal the game was crying out for. Pain for us Supporters, as we all know Rovers are not or never supposed to be capable of coming back from behind in Premiership games.

The second half came and no substitutions, I was amazed as I expected Dickov and Emeerton to be off and replaced. The same 11 began the second half and what a transformation. Immediately we saw Rovers attack the ball, Emerton was a man possessed and Bentley's skill was becoming evident. A couple of close calls, two fantastic reaction saves from Carroll stopped the Rovers drawing level. Then we had the luck, Riley the KN*B gives Rovers a penalty for handball, from my seat we were fortunate. But who cares? A sweetly struck mishit/scuffshot finds its way home as Carroll is despatched the wrong way. All square but then almost immediately Rovers a 2-1 ahead. A fantastic ball, slightly deflected to the back post, finds our little Scottish striker lurking and the ball is in the net. Unbelievable considering the first half we had just witnessed.

But hey ? We are Blackburn Rovers and some non existant defending, plenty of backing off and a mis tackle sees the ball to the byline, a cross and a simple header at the back post 2-2 . Gutted from my seat, I lost my head as the abuse directed towards the midfield and defence rebounded off a lovely middle aged lady who appeared to take umbridge at my passion on conceding another soft goal. Without being rude, I simply informed this lovely lady that if my team showed as much passion as I then we would see them eating at the top table and playing Champions League Football, not to mention the 25k a week they earn

So Wham are on the up and the bubble that had long burst were back floating around in cockney chime. Game on. Rovers continue to press and Savage nearly scores with a fantastic effort from 25 yards, lots of oooohs and aaaaghs and then Zurab plays the most idiotic of back headers and the ugliest striker in the WORLD fails miserably as he hits a fan at the top of the Blackburn End. Relief for all round then The Kuqi Monster wins a header, barges his way past the wham defence and blasts the ball into the net off the underside of the bar. 3-2 and Rovers appear home and dry. Enter frenetic, frantic and sometimes damn right poor defending and Rovers want to press the self destruct button. A simple clearance and series of air shots ends when Savage and Brad square up. The muppet show is nearly resurrected but the players compose themselves and finally, after much heavy breathing Riley the KN*B blows his penny whistle and the points are in the bag.

Rovers are through the 20 point barrier and now have the luxury of what we fnas would believe are a few games that we can reasonably expect to gain some points. Relegation worries are now confined to the memory of last season and we all now look forward to the festive season in a positive frame of mind. If only Rovers could have got 3 points from the Everton game .

MY view on tactics was that Rovers looked solid for 40 minutes. Lucas played centre half very comfortably alongside Zurab. I could believe we had the diddy men up front.

Brad - 7 - virtually nothing to do all game. 1 save and twice picked hte ball out of the net.

Reid - 6 - did not look comfortable in the first half. Too many loose passes.

Zurab - 7 - stupid header nearly cost us, backed off when wham scored the first goal.

Neill 8 - my man of the match. Solid and the lung busting run at the end deserved a goal.

Gray - 7 - steady game but can do more.

MGP - 6 - flitted in the first half, got stuck in more in the second period. He needs to be more positive.

Tugay - 6 flatters to deceive sometimes and definately gave too many simple balls away. When he is good he is great when he is bad he is very poor.

Emerton - 4 - where was he in the first 45 ? only lasted 10 minutes in the 2nd before being subbed.

Savage - 7 - steady game, two cracking free kicks and broke up a lot of whams play.

Dickov - 7 - poor first half but 2 well taken goals. poor booking whn MGP was gonna be clean through he decided to take out the wham player giving them a free kick.

Bentley - 7 some great touches, unlucky not to score himself and set up goal number 2.

Subs

the Axe - 6 - steady

Jansen - 9 - just for getting on in a game

Kuqi - 7 - simply does not give up, blasted his way through the defence for the winner. 10/10 for the dive.

So 3 points, 12th in the league and everything to look forward to.

Come on Rovers, fulham, boro, sunderland, wigan and pompy are next up. Santa, all I want for christmas is 12-15 points.

[Rover4ever]

Anyone else felt Carroll would have been sent off for his lunge, if he played for us?

Apart from that Riley was fair considering his repuration, he did miss Zurab's atrocious dive though!

Kuqi's goal was a typical "battering ram" performance, thats what he is good at, you cant expet him to make a 100 stepovers every game, he holds the ball well, and he causes havoc in the penalty area with his direct physical running

On a side note, Shearer was punching, kicking, diving in with 2 legs at Arsenal throughout todays game, yet he escaped as much as a booking until the last minute.

Are referees actually scared of people like Keane and Shearer?

No fan of the whingers but Gallagher was absolutely determined in helping Newcastle as much as he could. Did i mention Gilberto got sent off for 2 ordinary fouls?

[colin]

Nice to see Savs and Brad getting on so well. What was that all about?

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A cross in from West Ham's left wing came in it was going straight to Brad and he probably shouted for it. Lily decided to ignore him and swung a boot at the ball, it went straight up into the air and down somwhere near the middle of a very crowded penalty area. Cue more panic.

Seconds later when Brad had the ball, he and Lily must have "had words" which lead to Brad shoving Lily in the back.

It was nice to see them kiss and make up afterwards.