[Archived] Benni Mccarthy - Gone

[Hughesy]

Curiously those stat's Eddie is it 12 including 7 subs or 12 starts and 7 sub appearances?

Eddie?? Anyway its 12 appearances (7 as a sub). Which for 6 goals is very good.

Philip - Benni came deep or wide a number of times to help create something, he helped create two goals by doing so. The first for Roberts by going wide to lay it off for a cross and the 3rd goal he dropped deep to flick it onto Roberts who then fluffed the chance before Benni showed him how to do it.

McCarthy would play perfectley alongside Martins from Newcastle or someone else with power and pace. Derbyshire could play very well with him, if only he had abit more physical strength.

[Bobby G]

If Roberts was a good finisher, they would have been a great partnership. Its a shame he cant finish for jack.

[roversmum]

McCarthy and Pedersen used to link up well on the left. I saw signs of that link coming back and I'm sure Sam will have noticed it.

[ABBEY]

I've taken a bit of stick throughout my time backing Benni during his dark spell, but for me his still remains the best player at this club. He's a better player than Santa Cruz and it is essential that he is playing. He's a better finisher and is more likely to create for others. Santa Cruz should play as a foil to Benni, like Roberts does, which he is more than capable of doing. Since Santa Cruz came in and started doing well he has always been our go-to guy and that has meant that Benni has been less effective. If people don't think that Benni and Santa Cruz can work together then they should just try and remember how good they looked at the start of last season (the Everton game in particular springs to mind).

thing is eddie benni deserved the stick he got,he was at least 3 stone over weight and looked like eddie murphy in "big momma".For a so called athelete to come back after a 2 month lay off as big as that is unproffesional and a P take on the rovers board ,management and fans alike.

He looks like he has shed quite a few pounds and looked fantastic at the weekend.The ball he trapped and dragged was worth attending for just to see that.

[Rover4ever]

The perfect foil for someone like McCarthy is a player like Bellamy, someone fast who would be able to predict McCarthy's flick-ons and backheels.

[RevidgeBlue]

What Abbey said.

It was unforgiveable for him to come back from pre season in that shape. Half the season's gone and it's only now he's properly fit.

He was superb on Saturday and I look forward to more of the same, but after eighteen months of underperformance he'll have to do that a lot more consistently before I start singing his name from the rooftops again.

Sam actually did make a point of saying in his post match Radio Rovers interview that getting Benni back to his best of two seasons ago was going to be one of his main priorities.

[Hughesy]

Whilst I agree he didnt come back in the best shape... he has always done quite well when given the chance for us. He has to be no1 striker at the moment without a doubt and going off this weekend I would say at the moment Roberts deserves the place alongside him.

I also heard sam saying about him wanting Benni back to his best and that it was one of his main priorites. Im sure Pedersen is another one. He was running in behind defences at the back post again at the weekend which we havent seen for some time.

[joey_big_nose]

I may have got this wrong but I thought I was watching a pretty basic 4-4-2 yesterday with Rovers concentrating on doing the basics correctly.

Benni and Jason were doing nothing more sophisticated than Benni attacking the right and Jason the left.

If that is to be the way forwards, then replacing Jason with Roque shouldn't be a problem except for keepers facing RSC in one-on-ones which would be a nice problem from a Rovers standpoint.

I'm not sure what you we watching! There was a lot of movement around (as all strikers do), not one coveringeither side. The first peanlty came from Benni on the left, and the South African did drop off a fair bit.

The one change seemd to be that when Stoke gained possession it was Roberts who would drop back and defend while mcCarthy would stay up front (previously when they have played together it has usually been the other way round). For a guy who is not really a "target man" Benni did a very good job of holding up the ball against a a big set of defenders, and it did mean he would more regularly be playing off the back line.

I just can't see how Cruz and McCarthy will work, they bring too much of the same stuff to the party. We shall see though, I am sure Cruz will get a chance from the bench against Sunderland. But when it happens watch how they move off each other. It is just never convincing.

If we could upgrade Roberts to a big powerful striker, who is good in the air and has pace, and good technique and finishing we would be laughing. But then I think his name is either Eto'o or Drogba...

[philipl]

By and large, if the two were on the same line, Benni was right and Jason was left.

If both players are on song at the same time, I cannot for the life of me see why Sam and his team cannot coach Benni and Roque into being a devastatingly effective front line.

As Jbn comments, Benni is a very good furthest forwards player. I think Hughes' mistake was to play RSC furthest forward in a system that was geared to hit the front man with a cross leaving Benni in a complete no-man's land last season. I'd like to see Benni tried as the furthest forward in a combo with Roque as unless we buy some wingers, the crosses are just not going to come.

And selling RSC in order to afford two decent wingers would be an exercise in the utmost futility.

[Blueandwhitemike]

Fantastic to see Benni back to his best, when he is there he really is a great player. His problems have mostly been in his head, last season he seemed to be acting up for a while but when he did play a bit, he missed a few chances and I reckon he lost confidence, and then his place. When he came back this year overweight it was very disappointing and rightly he was told so. He did get himself fit and looked like he might be ready to crack on and then, sadly, his father passed away. When he came back he knocked in a couple of goals and I was very surprised to see him not in the 11 for Ince's last two games. His game and his comments ( especially the sweat blood bit ) make me think his head is 'right' and his body is fine. I may be optimistic but I think he can go on to be one of the best strikers in the division for the rest of the season and I predict another 10 goals for him this season.

[RibbleValleyRover]

Just read on the official site that it was his 100th game for Rovers, not a bad way to mark it thats for sure.

I think Sam should and will stick with Benni and Roberts going into the next game. He shows he has the hunger and drive back and clearly wants to give his all on the pitch. If Benni can keep scoring goals then it will greatly help in our battle against relegation.

[Billy Castell]

If Benni carries on the form he's shown last Saturda, i'll almost be like having a new striker.

Keep it up Benni!

[dingles staying down 4ever]

I'm not sure what you we watching! There was a lot of movement around (as all strikers do), not one coveringeither side. The first peanlty came from Benni on the left, and the South African did drop off a fair bit.

The one change seemd to be that when Stoke gained possession it was Roberts who would drop back and defend while mcCarthy would stay up front (previously when they have played together it has usually been the other way round). For a guy who is not really a "target man" Benni did a very good job of holding up the ball against a a big set of defenders, and it did mean he would more regularly be playing off the back line.

It was good to see Benni used correctly IMO.

He has never been a player who chases lost causes so to have him doing another forwards running was never going to work. It just made him look lazy.

As a front two, Roberts and Benni have always looked the best combination for Rovers. Sure RSC is a good player but to me he does not gel with any of Rovers' other forwards. This was fine whilst he was scoring goals but this season he has not.

Benni also appears to gel better with Pedersen as well where RSC played better with David Bentley. It was just a shame that the four of them could not play as a complete attacking unit. If that had happened as it was hoped at the beginning of last season then Champions League would have been a possibility.

[PAFELL]

It was good to see Benni used correctly IMO.

He has never been a player who chases lost causes so to have him doing another forwards running was never going to work. It just made him look lazy.

As a front two, Roberts and Benni have always looked the best combination for Rovers. Sure RSC is a good player but to me he does not gel with any of Rovers' other forwards. This was fine whilst he was scoring goals but this season he has not.

Benni also appears to gel better with Pedersen as well where RSC played better with David Bentley. It was just a shame that the four of them could not play as a complete attacking unit. If that had happened as it was hoped at the beginning of last season then Champions League would have been a possibility.

I heard some time ago that RSC also plays well on the right wing, simular to what Davies does at Bolton. If that is the case Bennie up front with Roberts and RSC coming in from the wing, could cause problems for a lot of defences.

[joey_big_nose]

I heard some time ago that RSC also plays well on the right wing, simular to what Davies does at Bolton. If that is the case Bennie up front with Roberts and RSC coming in from the wing, could cause problems for a lot of defences.

In a standard 442? That would be interesting... not sure Roque would be too keen on it, and I doubt he would do a disciplined job there so the right back would not get much protection.

Potentially what we could do is 4312?

----------Roberts-------Cruz

----------------McCarthy

----Pedersen---Grella----Dunn

Warnock--Ooijer---Samba---Emerton

----------------Robinson

I could see it working up front but it might leave us short on width and vulnerable on the counter. Dunn would be reduced to a workhorse too.

[Anti-Dingle-Brigade]

McCarthy would be too deep in that formation imo.

Robinson

Emerton--Samba--Nelsen--Warnock

Grella

Cruz--Dunn--Pedersen

McCarthy--Roberts

Edited December 23, 2008 by Anti-Dingle-Brigade

[Hughesy]

Best way round it is to sell Roque - spend the £18-20m + £10m kitty on a right winger, midfielder and another Striker with Pace.

[joey_big_nose]

Best way round it is to sell Roque - spend the £18-20m + £10m kitty on a right winger, midfielder and another Striker with Pace.

If anyone is going to spend 20m on Roque in the form he is in they are a nut bar. Can only happen if Man City back Hughes which I doubt they will.

[philipl]

Best way round it is to sell Roque - spend the £18-20m + £10m kitty on a right winger, midfielder and another Striker with Pace.

...and pay them £20k a week each to keep the wages within budget.

[dingles staying down 4ever]

I heard some time ago that RSC also plays well on the right wing, simular to what Davies does at Bolton. If that is the case Bennie up front with Roberts and RSC coming in from the wing, could cause problems for a lot of defences.

The only time we've seen evidence of this was last season against Man. Utd. and it did work very well. But I think that was a case of catching Utd by surprise by playing a 6ft+ forward against a 2'3" left back.

I don't think it would work if surprise element was taken out by playing every week.

[47er]

Whilst I agree he didnt come back in the best shape... he has always done quite well when given the chance for us. He has to be no1 striker at the moment without a doubt and going off this weekend I would say at the moment Roberts deserves the place alongside him.

I also heard sam saying about him wanting Benni back to his best and that it was one of his main priorites. Im sure Pedersen is another one. He was running in behind defences at the back post again at the weekend which we havent seen for some time.

I thought the same about Pedersen. When won the penalty I thought "when was the last time he was seen in the penalty area?"

[philipl]

The Mail are saying Benni wants out after being sustituted by Sam when on a hattrick against Stoke.

Well it is the Mail...

[dingles staying down 4ever]

The Mail are saying Benni wants out after being sustituted by Sam when on a hattrick against Stoke.

Well it is the Mail...

Why don't the mail just say 'Every player wants to leave Blackburn' then they can save themselves some column inches

[MCMC1875]

Why don't the mail just say 'Every player wants to leave Blackburn' then they can save themselves some column inches

It was the Mail that laid in to Allardyce after the Stoke victory.

[alexanders]

Daily Mail an example of very very very bad journalism

<< McCarthy expected to start with Santa Cruz in Allardyce’s first game against Stoke last

Saturday but the Paraguayan was instead set to partner Jason Roberts before pulling

out with a calf injury. McCarthy went on to score twice to take his total to four goals in

three games. >>

As we all know - it was Mccarthy who partnered Roberts!