[Archived] Rovers 2 Sunderland 0

[Paul Mellelieu]

I have to add my vote to Tugay's performance. Then only man on then pitch with any vision.

[tonygreenbank]

Tugay was MOM by a country mile. 1864 what are you on?? he worked as hard as I have ever seen him tonight. Pedersen not fit; Reid out of position otherwise a comfortable win.

[West Aussie]

Don't agree with you there 1864, Tugay ran the show make no mistake. My man of the match and certainly that of the commentary team here on Fox.

Pongol did absolutely nothing and offered nothing in my IMO.

A championship team was written all over Sunderland they were woeful, but Rovers still looked fragile. A good 3 points to get some much needed confidence back.

[USABlue]

Really really glad to get that game out of the way. 1864, did you actually see Toogs pass that set up Peter for him to cross for Bellers second. He can still do it, just not as often. I thought he did bloody well tonight. How long's he been doing that step over though, don't recall seeing him do that before he did it several times tonight.

I thuoght Pongo showed some good touches, started on the right and did well but went to the left and did little. Quite a few "almosts"

There is potential there, I think.

How crap was Pedersen tonight? I hope he's still got a knock or I'd have in on the bench.

Edited February 16, 2006 by USABlue

[RevidgeBlue]

A lot of people I spoke to after the game thought tonight was awful.

I didn't think it was that bad.

We've played a lot better sure, but the game was played in a very strange atmosphere. Sunderland were so poor it was like playing a non League side. I actually felt sorry for them. When you know you're probably going to win without getting out of 2nd gear, it's hard to generate tempo on the pitch or atmosphere off it.

We didn't play particularly well tonight but the whole side were well up for the game. As evidenced by Friedel's body language, which was one of extreme urgency. As such we won a good share of the 50/50's.

MGP clearly wasn't fit and shouldn't have started. Peter supplied yet another quality assist for Bellers and you have to say his all round contribution is far better

than Morten's (Without the spectacular goals)

Can't understand why Pongolle was pulled off. Wasn't playing brilliantly but at least at times he can control the ball when it's played up to him. Unlike the honey monster.

On the rare occasions we see him, Bellamy is as influential for us as Shearer was.

Would give my right arm to see an injury free season from him in a Rovers shirt next season.

Totally disagree with 1864. Tugay played well.

[LeChuck]

One plainly obvious pointer about tonights performance is that TUGAY is NO longer capable of running the midfield with split passes nor can he control the midfield or build play consistently.

384381[/snapback]

Urgh...

Tugay is the single most important player we have for playing a 4-4-2 formation. The tactics are simple in central midfield nowadays...one holding player who can intercept, spread play and play a disciplined position...alongside a box-to-box midfielder who is all action, will put their foot in and give 100% every game. With Tugay and Savage we have that...Liverpool have it with Alonso/Sissoko, Chelsea with Makelele/Lampard (ok, plus a more attacking midfielder to boot), Tottenham with Carrick/Jenas etc etc...when Reid and Savage play together, neither have the discipline to just sit and pick up the pieces, both want to run everywhere.

Tugay is THE biggest job for Sparky on the horizon, and he will know it. Mokoena is not the answer, he's far too sloppy in possesion. I just hope Tugay will give us another season and therefore Sparky moer time to make the correct decision.

As for tonight...job done. Two defeats on the spin...followed by a workmanlike win. The more I see of what Hughes is doing with our side, the more I like it. If Bellamy can stay fit between now and the end of the season, there's no reason why we can't be outside challengers for a top 4 position.

[Bobby G]

Tugays passing was breathtaking last night and he proved yet again that at his best, he is our most important player.

However, he isnt capable of playing like yesterday every single game and needs a rest every few games and his games need to be chosen carefully.

But he was world class last night and I wish I couldve been there to pay the entrance fee to watch the maestro in action.

On a side note, FSP was not that involved. MGP looked clearly injured. Reid was poor. We didnt create too many clear cut chances and if we had played better opposition we could have drawn or lost, especially as Sunderland had at least 2-3 dead certain chances which they couldnt put away.

[James No. 7]

The guy on Fox over here in the states thought Tugay was brilliant too... I thought he was good as well. Seems you might be in a bit of minority here 1864...

Aye. The sending off of Tugay by the Ewood crowd was fantastic, too. Obviously most Rovers fans thought he had a terrific game.

He is old now, but make no mistake, he can still do his business. Not all of his passes come off, but that is sometimes the price of having a creative player. It could be so easy to just have the ball stick to his feet, then pass it off only a couple of metres away and say that none of his passes ever went astray. He takes the risks, and those risks sometimes end up goals. You certainly don't get anywhere special without creative genius.

And it's a unrealistic to have him pass forward all of the time. Sometimes we need to keep hold of possession. Giving the ball away, especially when there are no clear options, is a recipe for disaster. What we don't need is the opposition having the ball more than they should.

Hughes has said that players like Tugay don't come along very often at all, so we should savour the time we have with Tugay at the club. One day he will be gone, and I sure hope that we don't rue that day by finding no proper replacement, which as someone has said already is Hughes' biggest upcoming job.

[Exiled_Rover]

Whatever your opinions on the recent game, or the season as a whole, one thing is certain - Fortress Ewood is back!

[Rovermatt]

Good win.

Bellamy's second was quality.

[Guest Kamy100]

Not the best game but the main thing was to get the 3 points.

Have to disagree with you 1864. Tugay was excellent. Yes he can make the odd mistake but last night I thought that he really well, his passing was sublime and it is just a pity that at times some of our players aren't on the same wavelength.

Impressed with Peter, a bit lightweight but definately has a lot of ability and will get better over the next 12 months.

Bring on the Arsenal. Massive game which we need to win to maintain the charge for a European Spot.

[stuwilky]

I am a Peter fan but i'd rather have MGP on anyday. But he has hardly trained and will not be up to match speed just yet.

384343[/snapback]

Peter was superb again yesterday. I seem to recall posting yonks ago that he looked the real deal in the reserves. A player who can actually deliver a pinpoint cross to our strikers the vast majority of the time. Its unheard of at Ewood park.

[Presty On Tour]

tricky bannana skin game out the way and 3 points is a good job well done.

the first half was poor, i think hughes must of rattled the players at half time as second half some of our play wasn't brilliant but we had a cutting edge thoughout the side especially with bellamy up top and our fullbacks pushing forward at every opertunity.

with 7 wins out of our last 9 at home, ewood is looking like it's old self!!!

tugay was immense, his skill on the ball, work rate, passing and technique was all quality, the ovation when he came off was class.

soak and sun those limbs in dubai mate, we need you for the arsenal which folks have already said is now a big big game with a possible move up the table to 5th

[AggyBlue]

Very impressed with the new Robbie Savage, his attitude has totally changed the last few games. He got clattered half a dozen times last night, there was no rolling around, no complaining to the ref, instead he just jumped up, dusted himself down and got on with it. Good to see.

As for last night, strange game, strange atmosphere, very surreal.

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

Sunderland were so poor it was like playing a non League side.

384436[/snapback]

That doesn't really bode well - as they created a number of very good chances against us. Though we kept a clean sheet - it is obvious that the defensive mistakes that cost us the previous two away games are still there.

Lets hope an extended rest will see them coming out of the traps against Arsenal and Spuds. Two positive results from those matches would go a long way to cementing a top half of the table finish.

[RoyRover]

That was an important win last night. Tugay looked class and it was good too see Bellamy scoring again. His second was great, after a good cross by Peter. Thats the kind of difference that he makes to our team. Imagine how many goals he would have had if he stayed fit!

[BigDom]

Good win last night but not sure about the performance...the guys looked very tired and so I hope they make the most of their break.

MGP did not look 100% and I think Hughes could have given Peter the full 90 mins...his cross for the 2nd goal was pure class.....a real star for the future !

West Brom and Everton were disappointing and had we got 6 points from those 2 games we would have seen us in 4th...hopefully reaching the magic 40 points will spur the lads on to bigger and better things

[rover6]

Extending Tugays contract smacks of a lack of ambition, totally agree 1864, you cant rely on yesteryear thinking Tugay is going to still put in top drawer performances, to me its a waste of money in wages.

384404[/snapback]

The problem with Tugay is that he can easily be nullified if he's closed down quickly and subjected to strong tackles.

And by virtue of his deep-lying position, if he loses the ball we are likely to concede because the other midfielders tend to be in front of him.

Keeping Tugay for next year is all very well as long as we sign a replacement to play most of the games.

[Ronin]

Good and very much needed result. Should've been a hatrick for Bellamy (if it wasn't for that pesky post). Well impressed with Peter's on the money cross for the second.

A bit of R&R then it's back in the midst. 40pts, done. Now to push on and see how far we can go!

[SAS]

i thought we looked leaky at the back

the amount of crosses that were undealt with

[salothsar]

i just hope our players arent thinking like this

its an IF

never a WHEN

384226[/snapback]

It was a WHEN not an IF. Told you

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Poor first half but a professonal performance second half by Rovers saw us comfortably home and dry....job done and sitting pretty in 7th place!!

When fit, Bellamy is a massive player for us,what a shame his fantastic strike didn't go in off the post for a well deserved hat trick.Again I thought Tugay was good and the reception by the fans proved it.Peter is one hell of a prospect and in my opinion should feature regularly from now till seasons end.

I feel for Stead, the lad looks lost, his reception by the Rovers fans was heart-warming though.The Mackem fans deserve more for their support.

18,200 with some 2,500? from Sunderland ........PLEASE COME AND SUPPORT US FOR GODS SAKE!!!!

[Lee]

1700 from Sundyland

[gazsimm]

great result for us last night to get us back on track for europe

shame about the crowd ,were have our fans gone i can't believe it we are playing some great football under Hughes but still we get small gates, thats why we will never challenge the top elite in the prem again cos we do not have enough money coming in from our gates.

[greggyk]

btw- I think next season it's time to introduce a singing section in the Blackburn End!