[Archived] Aston Villa V Rovers

[RevidgeBlue]

No surprise at all about today's result, a continuation of the poor form v West Ham and for 75 minutes v Basle except even worse. Arguably as bad as we've played under Hughes.

Once again the bottom line is we can't cope in midfield without both Reid and Savage. We're suffering badly from the lack of investment in the squad in the summer. Savage has become our Bellamy, we need to wrap him up in cotton wool because without him we're stuffed.

That said there were still a lot of very disappointing performances in other areas of the pitch. The two centre backs got shrugged off the ball time and time again and just aren't imposing enough as a pairing. We need Todd back in that side. The midfield was non existent and the front two were once again extremely disappointing - waiting for the ball to come to them rather than vice versa.

Bentley was the least poor performer today which wasn't saying much. No leaders on the pitch today and worrying times ahead. Hopefully we'll still have our heads above water by the time Savage and ultimately Nelsen and Reid return.

One consolation though, it certainly isn't going to be dull this season, competing for the UEFA Cup on one front and battling against the threat of relegation on the other!

Edited November 5, 2006 by RevidgeBlue

[rover6]

Once again the bottom line is we can't cope in midfield without both Reid and Savage. We're suffering badly from the lack of investment in the squad in the summer.

We HAD to bring in another central midfielder, with Hughes deciding Douglas was surplus to requirements. We're paying the price now.

With Savage out for a while, Hughes has got to earn his money and get a player to fill an unfamiliar centre midfield role. Mokoena's got to be discarded and someone like Emerton, Gallagher, Neill or someone I haven't thought of has to be asked to save this team from sinking further in the absence of Sav and Reid.

Edited November 5, 2006 by rover6

[Simon Says]

We need to freshen things up and as others have said Todd has to return.

If Bert is still injured we need to go in against United with Zurab at right back, Lucas (if fit) at left back and Todd and Ooijer in the middle.

The thought of Mickey Gray against Ronaldo makes me shudder.

Also was Gally injured? Have to say after his cameo on Thursday night I was very dissapointed to see that he was not involved at all today.

[Eddie]

It can't be Neill or Emerton. If you take either of those out of the left/right back spots then you really weaken the side.

[pg]

Emerton has played in the midfield of a 3-5-2 under Guus Hiddink.

[jim mk2]

Martin O'Neill admitted after the game that if Villa's was a penalty, then Rovers should have been awarded one too.

Still doesn't hide the fact that Rovers' squad is not strong enough to cope with a few injuries and a third successive defeat continues the slide into the lower half of the table.

[modes98]

Uninspiring, Boring, Awful. Rovers long ball to the front 2 approach did not work and it didn't at any point look like working. The penalty was a joke, how the assistant gave that when the x thousand rovers fans behind him clearly saw it wasn't a penalty i'll never know. He then followed that up with another shocker to give villa a free kick in a dangerous position. As has been said in the media if your giving them that one, which totally changed the game, then we had to have one early in the second half.

Poor Reffing to let McCann constantly break up play with foul after foul. Yet he was quick enough to book our lads for protesting a ridiculas decision.

£30 wasted and i fear for Man Utd next weekend. Don't play the axe in cm please!!!

Gray got better as the game went on couldn't have got much worse though. Franny Jeffers looked ok up front but should have at least managed a shot on target with that ball over the top that the defender missed.

Disappointing to say the least.

[Eddie]

Emerton has played in the midfield of a 3-5-2 under Guus Hiddink.

I don't doubt that he is capable, I'd actually would think that his pace, power, tackling and passing would make him a very good candidate, but I would rather we try something else and try and keep our first choice back four that were starting to look so good up until injuries hit.

[Jan]

Just got back from the game.

For those blaming Gray for the second goal- get off it. Down to Zurab 100%. He panicked when he could have put it into row z or indeed anywhere else and instead hit it straight to Angel.

The only positive I took was that Peter at least must have proved he is better than Gamst. When Peter came on, Bentley went into centre mid (not too bad, by the way) and Peter stayed on the left. Problem was so did Gamst, and he sort of stood in between Gray and Peter. A mid-defender (aka waste of space) being his position. This left Lucas Neill rather lonely on the right, and he ran so far (even turning up as a centre forward at some points) that he's injured himself too.

Now I'm not saying that Gamst was the cause of the defeat (he wasn't), but he was absolutely boggingly awful today. I don't remember a touch where he didn't give the ball away. Peter is a better alternative. However I suspect that both will be playing next week, and that anyone turning up to Ewood early enough with their boots will also get a game.

Hey never mind, it's only Manure!!! (Oh god)

However, one funny (ish) thing did happen today. Sutton had the ball and Petrov was in space and clearly wanting the ball, and I ended up shouting "give the ball to Stan" before I realised that I was shouting for the wrong team!!!

Edited November 5, 2006 by Jan

[LeChuck]

It can't be Neill or Emerton. If you take either of those out of the left/right back spots then you really weaken the side.

Nonsense. The central midfield area is by far the biggest concern in the team right now. You might weaken the full back positions a little taking one out, but we've got adequate cover on either side...ignore the scapegoating surrounding Gray, he's not a bad left back, we managed quite well last year with him there. If it significantly strengthened the central area (which it almost certianly would if Mokoena was taken out for Neill/Emerton) then it would definitely be worth it.

Edited November 5, 2006 by LeChuck

[jim mk2]

However, one funny (ish) thing did happen today. Sutton had the ball and Petrov was in space and clearly wanting the ball, and I ended up shouting "give the ball to Stan" before I realised that I was shouting for the wrong team!!!

No Janice.

Celtic are your team, Rovers merely a flag of convenience.

[Jan]

No Janice.

Celtic are your team, Rovers merely a flag of convenience.

And were you one of the 200 or so there today??

Thought not

Edited November 5, 2006 by Jan

[jim mk2]

Thought wrong luv.

[bazza]

If Todd is still not in favour and Bert is fit, hows about playing Ooijer and Henchoz as centre backs and try Zurab in midfield?

[AxesFirstTouch]

Gray was okay today, crap going forward mind.

The Axe was outplayed by Gavin Mccann, says it all really.

[Rovermatt]

Inevitable result.

[Simon Says]

For those blaming Gray for the second goal- get off it. Down to Zurab 100%. He panicked when he could have put it into row z or indeed anywhere else and instead hit it straight to Angel.

Whilst it is true to say that Zurab should have kicked the ball into row Z, you can’t get away from the fact that Gray put him under huge pressure with an absolutely ridiculous ball in the first place.

100%? Never.

[Nayef]

May 2007...

1. Mark Hughes has left Blackburn Rovers and has been signed by Manchester United to replace Alex Ferguson.

2. Blackburn Rovers's slide down the table has resulted in relegation on the final day of the season to the joy of the media's darlings West Ham/Newcastle/Tottenham.

3. Also celebrating are thousands of delirious monkeys as Burnley get promoted to the Premiership while Rovers go down

4. Friedel, Nelsen, Khizanishvilli, Emerton, Bentley, Reid, Savage, Benni, Gamst and Roberts all leave the club for various premiership teams.

5. Gray states that despit relegation he is commited to the club and will stay for yonks.

6. Having had to suffer 1 through to 4, number 5 drives most Rovers fans to suicide. BRFC are left perplexed why there has been a dramatic fall in attendances from 19,000 in the premiership to 7,000 in the championship until someone points out the number of suicides in May 2007.

7. First day of the season 07/08 and a penalty is awarded to Scunthorpe for handball by Ooijer.

8. Jason Brown saves and Rovers only lose by the solitary goal.

[OhmiBRFC]

i can safely say in all honesty that today was a waste of time and money

[Fife Rover]

Bring back Hodgson!

What for? To put the cat out?

[Welshrover1981]

Hughes has got to ge his priorities right here. The Premiership is far more important than Europe.

At the end of the day its about doing well in the Prem and sticking a weakened team in Europe.

We are doing a Middleborough, and we are suffering because of it.

2 more midfielders and definately a left back to replace Gray. If we can all see how crap he is, why cant Hughes?

[BigDom]

Just got back from Villa...via a stiff drink !!!

Mr Hughes still has my 100% support as I know that injuries are hampering his preferred line up but I agree with some of the comments on here....is Europe the number 1 priority ? I am starting to question a few of the decisions !!

First....what do these guys do during training ? Our defence is still too nervous at set pieces and when we have the ball in the last 3rd....sort it out Rovers !

I also thought we lacked any sort of creativity in midfield...Tugay and Bentley try their best but when will Hughesy realise that the Axe is no good in that position....things seemed to improve when Peter came on

IMO....stick Gamst (or Gallagher)on the right, Peter on the left and put Bentley and Tugay in the middle

We desperately need more reinforcements in January.....a new left back seems an ideal place to start !!!

Edited November 5, 2006 by BigDom

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Hughes has got to ge his priorities right here. The Premiership is far more important than Europe.

That thought has been eating away at me also since todays final whistle, its very sad and unfortunate but the Premierleague must take top priority,and low and behold at a time when when we finally look like we are capable of doing something in Europe...we've won three Uefa matches and totally regained our pride back since the Trelleborgs bebacle but god help us if its at the expense of league form.

Hughes must feel so frustrated at the lack of financial backing at the club let alone the fans ......brassed off at our paper thin squad, REALLY flurkin brassed off !!!!

Edited November 5, 2006 by SIMON GARNERS 194

[Eddie]

We have no idea whether our lack of transfer activity was down to poor financial backing or the fact that Hughes couldn't identify a realistic target. I may be wrong here, but I was under the impression that the board would have backed Hughes had he said he had found someone he really thought would improve things, they have certainly never publicly failed him. For whatever reason, be it that they weren't able to find anyone or that their attempts failed, Hughes and his team didn't bring in anyone to add depth to the centre of midfield. That is part of his job, so if the blame is to go anywhere it has to be placed on him.

[RevidgeBlue]

Hughes has got to ge his priorities right here. The Premiership is far more important than Europe.

I have to disagree with that, Hughes is fielding virtually the only starting eleven he can with the players available to him.

We've fielded virtually the same eleven players in recent games both in Europe and domestically so how is that treating Europe as a priority?

Where it's gone pear shaped is that we gambled on only having two central midfielders in the summer (and Tugay who should really be a luxury 30 or 40 minutes here or there option) and we've been unlucky enough to see Savage and Reid injured at the same time.

Was it an operational decision by Sparky or lack of funding? I suspect the latter but I suppose we'll never know.