[Archived] Rovers 2-1 Wigan

[Alan75]

This team is giving me the Feel Good Factor, they are playing for each other and dare I say it, for the fans.

Lucas Neil may want to leave, but he aint half putting in some superb performances. Those who suggested that he shouldnt be captain, should think again.

[Ozz]

We did hammer them in the 2nd half. The only irony was that the winning goal came from such a crappy bit of play. We had chance after chance, with several one on ones spurned. Wigan were not without their chances, notably three goes from the penalty but it would have harsh should Rovers lost this game.

[Rovermatt]

Another excellent result. I though that we were dead and buried in true Rovers fashion as soon as I heard that Bruno had struck early on. However, once again we showed great character and ran out winners.

I look forward to the highlights. Especially Brown's exploits.

Three wins on the bounce. Nice.

[herbergeehh]

No highlights on youtube and such yet then?

Lovely goal by Bentley, great linkup play and a fine finish.

[stuwilky]

I haven't seen the highlights, but I thought that the rule actually states a red card for a situation where someone is fouled in a clear goal scoring opportunity, regardless whether it is the last defender who fouled or not.

Anyway, top win Rovers! Can't wait to see the highlights. Benley sounds like he's scored another great goal.

It does, however where there is a covering defender the argument stands that it is not a "clear goalscoring opportunity"

Its ######, but thats how it is applied.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

A game of two halves at Ewood, first half was dreadful ,we spent most of it inventing new ways to give the ball to Wigan , all they did was wait for the inevitable miss placed pass. You could see the Heskey goal coming, Oijer was nowhere when the ball came in and Heskey notched a simple goal. Following this shock we struggled to impose any shape or form to our game , especially in midfield. I keep banging on about our midfield but the balance is not right, Savage hasn't got the skill and passing ability to play as an advanced midfielder.

Fortunately we managed to put a good move together right on half time and Bentley made it 2 in 2 games with a well taken goal. I said to my son at half time " Things can only get better" . Well I got that wrong because Brad was subbed and we welcomed a debutant goalie- not an ideal start. Having said that we really came at Wigan and for 20 -25 minutes played some really good stuff and we should have been well in front by threequarter time.

Then the inevitable happened, Oijer got caught one on one with Heskey and was left trying to play catch up, foolishly he tried to tackle Heskey from behind and Heskey said "thank you very much" and tumbled over for a predictable penalty. Luckily for us Jason Brown, who had yet to actually make a save managed to keep out a poor pen and save the rebound. Instead of being galvanised by this we went into our shell and for 10 minutes Wigan were on top for the first time in the game. Shortly after it took a simple ale house ball down the middle to unlock the Wigan defence and McCarthy was left with a tap in which settled the game in spite of a bit of Wigan huffing and puffing at the end.

Rating

Brad- 6, not really a lot to do apart from pick Heskey's shot out of the net.

Emerton-7 Another good performance, he looks the part at right back but left Oijer exposed for the pen.

Oijer-5 I'm not convinced he's the answer, not as good as Andy Todd in my opinion, an international class centre half shouldn't be making desperate tackles like the one on Heskey.

Zurab-6 Steady performance but with both centre halves your heart's in your

mouth when they have the ball.

Neill- 6 Didn't do much wrong but M.O.T.M., you're having a laugh- has his watch broken?

Bentley-6 Looked inventive at times and scored a nice goal, needs to get on the ball more.

Savage-5 Runs around a lot, achieves a little. A couple of decent free kicks.

Tugay-6 The usual mixture of sublime passes and give aways.

Pedersen-5 Doesn't do enough, partly to blame for the first goal. His corners are a joke at the moment. Also too easily brushed off the ball.

Jeffers-6 Played brightly and showed some nice touches but needs a goal badly.

Mc Carthy-8 Looked a top class player today, his holding up of the ball was exactly what Wigan lacked. Could have had a hat trick on another day.

Brown-7 Saved a pen and kept out a dangerous cross shot right after, did all you could expect on his debut.

Mokoena-6 Came on for Tugay and looked lively ,even made a couple of nice passes, being anxious to create a good impression made him commit a bad tackle resulting in a booking.

Roberts-6 Looked short of match fitness but his strength was too much at times for a tiring Wigan back four.

[Ewood-angel]

Another good win for us, just a pity about our first half performance. Wigan were all over us in and I would have thought scored more goals. I bet Sparky gave them the hair dryer treatment at half time. Excellent 2nd half, we shoud have scored more than just the one. But all credit to Bentley, another absolute cracker in the 1st half.

Not sure about Lucas Neill MOTM. I thought he was pretty poor today and not a very good captain. They should have given the MOTM to Jason Brown for those superb saves!

[herbergeehh]

Welcome to the board, Jason!

[OhmiBRFC]

Why did Friedel go off?

[colin]

Well yes, this was a game of two halves (if you put the last five minutes of the first into the second.)

The new slim line Emile took his goal well, stabbing in from short range at the nearside post after a slick move down the right wing by Wigan.

The rest of the half was fairly bland bar some Laurel & Hardy defending by Rovers on three or four occasions which lead to some serious palpitations around my seat.

Our goal was wonderfully worked with Bentley & Jeffers (?) combining with a dummy, a one two with a finish from Bentley from the left corner of the goal area to just beat Kirkland at the far post. Just imagine a typical Thierry Henry goal and you'll have it in a nutshell.

For the first thirty minutes of the second half we outplayed them, Tugay was his usual "trap & pass," MGP & Neill and Bert & Bentley played similarly: when one of them went forward the other either supported or took over the defensive role.

Our winner was a bit of a nightmare for Kirkland & (I think de Zoowething) there was a long punt which landed equidistant between the two of them just outside the penalty area. Either Kirkland should have rushed out and punted it clear or deZoothing should have hoofed it into row Z in the Blackburn End. But Roberts' foot and Kirkland's foot met the ball at the same time and McCarthy took the ball that squirmed out and had an open goal tap-in.

The penalty was fairly obvious as Ooojer brought down Emile when he didn't really need to but Todorov's spot kick was fairly poor. Brown saved, saved Todorov's follow up and the, after a brief scramble, saved a goal-bound header. Well done tht man. "Are you Friedal in disguise?" we all sang.

Franny Jeffers had a good game second half at least when he was playing towards us - lots of clever and intelligent running.

Crowd was small but at least in the second half was in good voice.

And, despite the three points, we've only climbed one place. Hey-ho, looks like the early season helter skelter is calming down.

[Eddie]

Groin strain, as a precaution.

[adopted scouser]

Three wins on the bounce. Nice.

Four, and with Rovers above Liverpool life is sweet for yours truly.

[grizfoot]

Worrying thing was our defence made Emile Heskey look like a superstar today, which he clearly is not.

Going foward we looked good especially second half. I thought it was a bad decision to take Jeffers off at the time since he was starting to look good . But then again Roberts did create the goal when he came on, so what do I know.

Brilliant debut from Brown, looks like Brad's been teachin him a few things in training.

[Modi]

Worrying thing was our defence made Emile Heskey look like a superstar today, which he clearly is not.

To be fair to Heskey, asfar as can I work out he's not had a bad run against us -

Leicester 7 games 2 goals

Liverpool 7 games 4 goals

Birmingham 3 games 1 goal

Wigan 1 game 1 goal

18 goals and 8 goals

Edited October 1, 2006 by Modi

[Eddie]

Brilliant debut from Brown, looks like Brad's been teachin him a few things in training.

He said in an interview that he faced a penalty from Todorov (I think that's who took it) last year and he thought he'd go the same way.

[Nayef]

To be fair to Heskey, asfar as can I work out he's not had a bad run against us -

Leicester 7 games 2 goals

Liverpool 7 games 4 goals

Birmingham 3 games 1 goal

Wigan 1 game 1 goal

18 goals and 8 goals

Makes 26 goals which is an awful lot against one team. Man must have a vendetta.

[West Sussex Rover]

Makes 26 goals which is an awful lot against one team. Man must have a vendetta.

I think he meant to say 18 games and 8 goals, not 18 goals and 8 goals...

Edited October 1, 2006 by Rover The Moon

[herbergeehh]

Wooooooooooooooooooooooooooooosh

[RevidgeBlue]

Don't know what Sparky says or what he puts in the half time tea on the Sunday after European games but it certainly works.

Just as against Man City we weren't really at the races first half, but were much improved in the second. In fact today in the second half I thought the passage of play from half time until the Wigan penalty was the best since Sparky took over at Ewood. Completely exhillarating.

Unfortunately however we couldn't make our breathtaking build up play count and it looked as if we were going to go down to a completely undeserved defeat when we conceded a penalty with 12 minutes to go. Fortunately Jason Brown made a superb double save and we got slightly lucky with the winner which was undoubtedly offside at the point when Roberts passed to McCarthy. Against that we spurned a couple of one and ones which would have made the scoreline more convincing.

I was really impressed with McCarthy today. We all know he has the talent, but until today I was wondering if he would fancy it in January or February, whether he had the physical strength to be a huge success in the Premiership. Well on the basis of today he has. He added real strength and power to his silky touches in a very impressive performance. Of the other strikers Jeffers had a poor first half but produced a superb lay off to Bentley for the first. After that in the second he looked a completely different player, with some superb play. And Roberts whilst obviously not completely match fit had the Wigan defenders bouncing off him. He'll be a real handful when he's completely up to speed.

So overall, poor first half, superb second, and it's particularly pleasing to be sitting one point above Liverpool in the table.

The one downside was the performance of Oiijer who I thought had a mare today, letting Heskey get in front of him for the first and conceding yet another penalty which could or perhaps should have led to a defeat. He's had half a dozen games or so to settle in now and looked ok against a side offering no physical threat in Salzburg but I don't think he's quick enough or strong enough for the Premiership. How many more games are we going to have to carry on making excuses for him? Not a patch on Todd imo.

[pksrover]

...

Neill- 6 Didn't do much wrong but M.O.T.M., you're having a laugh- has his watch broken?

...

...

Not sure about Lucas Neill MOTM. I thought he was pretty poor today and not a very good captain. They should have given the MOTM to Jason Brown for those superb saves!

well, at least we know that you two weren't at Ewood today! Neill was very good at the back today and have some neat combinations with Gamst, Tugay, Benni etc when going forward... I belive it was Lucas who set up Bentley/Jeffers when we equalised as well.

people need to get over that Neill haven't signed a new contract! the man of the matc award today was close race between him and Benni, but I gave it to Neill (doing the player ratings for the norwegian supporters club) today cos I though Benni should have scored some more goals today. Neill didn't make any major errors as I could spot today.

...

Unfortunately however we couldn't make our breathtaking build up play count and it looked as if we were going to go down to a completely undeserved defeat when we conceded a penalty with 12 minutes to go. Fortunately Jason Brown made a superb double save and we got slightly lucky with the winner which was undoubtedly offside at the point when Roberts passed to McCarthy. Against that we spurned a couple of one and ones which would have made the scoreline more convincing.

...

The one downside was the performance of Oiijer who I thought had a mare today, letting Heskey get in front of him for the first and conceding yet another penalty which could or perhaps should have led to a defeat. He's had half a dozen games or so to settle in now and looked ok against a side offering no physical threat in Salzburg but I don't think he's quick enough or strong enough for the Premiership. How many more games are we going to have to carry on making excuses for him? Not a patch on Todd imo.

1. McCarthy was NOT in offside when Roberts got the ball passed Kirkland, but he was offside in the build up when Neill played the ball behind their defence.

2. Ooijer played well against both Boro and Salzburg (man of the match), but before those two games I would have agreed with you bringing Todd back. He have no pace at all and made a stupid challenge on heskey for the penalty..

edit:

its nice that they are happy to score a goal for Rovers, but c'mon guys...kids are watching!

Edited October 1, 2006 by pks1984

[rover6]

Great to keep the winning feeling going.

I just wonder, hasn't Ooijer been playing RB for PSV? In which case the transition to regular CB could take time - or perhaps he isn't as good a central defender as he is a full back.

[pksrover]

Great to keep the winning feeling going.

I just wonder, hasn't Ooijer been playing RB for PSV? In which case the transition to regular CB could take time - or perhaps he isn't as good a central defender as he is a full back.

center back for both PSV and Holland as far as I know..

[den]

What we need is more Benni interviews!

Saw his after match interviews on Football first and MOTD. What a great character, what a great sense of humour.

[daren]

Yeah, I loved his take on the goal

It was a bit harsh on JJ, because he did all the hard work. But if you put a candy in my mouth I will bite it

Well said, that man!

On another note, I'm encouraged that even not playing at our best after a midweek European exploit we still managed to win. I don't understand how people (not looking at RevidgeBlue ) can be so negative about our fourth win on the trot....enjoy it while the going is good, folks!

[Paul]

Don't know what Sparky says or what he puts in the half time tea on the Sunday after European games but it certainly works.

Really, really enjoyed the second-half performance which contained some of the most exhilirating football Rovers have played in years. There's little doubt Hughes understands his role at Ewood, which is much more than winning games, and is intent on giving us great winning football. After a poor first half the second 45 minutes was just wonderful, if slightly nerve-wracking, to watch.

One thing I don't get is this European excuse, for any team. We played football on Thursday night and then again on Sunday. So what? Last season on eight occassions we played Wednesday-Saturday or Saturday-Tuesday which is precisely the same as Thursday-Sunday. I can see the point has some relevance if a team has played away but a home game in Europe leading to a sluggish start in the next PL? Utter rubbish and nothing but an excuse, for any side yet the press continually trot this out and fans accept it as some sort of gospel.

Very disappointed by the gate. They don't know what they missed. This was a very important result and performance, so often we follow one good home result with an inept loss. Good to see that was avoided.