[Archived] Rovers 0-1 United

[SamTheShrew]

mokoena simply isnt good enough

[B.R.F.C]

4 losses in a row, sinking uncontrollably towards the bottom 3. Massive changes need to be made in January, and they must start from the defence.

The defending was the best part of our performance today. Quite simply as Modes says, we miss Sav and Reido and we are getting overrun in the midfield increasing the pressure and workload on our defence. Its a shame Hughesy didnt buy Haested cause we sure could do with him right now alongside Toogs

Also a bit ###### off at MGP and McCarthys effort today. McCarthy went round the pitch like a child giving off after that free kick incident. MGP was rubbish and I was astonished Hughesy subbed Bentley over him.

United deserved it easily

[philipl]

We played damned well against an extremely good full strength Manc outfit considering the spine of our team was out injured. Shame we didn't nick a draw as nobody could have argued against it if we had done.

There is a bit of a worrisome gap opening ahead of us but none of these 4 defeats have been of a nature which makes me worry about a relegation scrap.

[yellowsubmarine]

Mokoena is a horror show, but we aint got choices.

[Presty On Tour]

if zurab had scored the header it could have been a different story.

we have no pace and we have nobody who wanted to run with the ball apart from emerton.

our midfield was no where, tugay couldn't get hold of the ball and we had no fight today.

alan parry and the sky commentry was even worse than our performance, alan parry a neutral colour red me thinks the tosser!!!

[Rovermatt]

Awful. Absolutely bloody awful. I hate Manchester United.

We were abysmal from start to finish, allowing them total control of the field and only their finishing (hampered by difficult conditions) let down the build-up play we so readily accomodated.

United didn't even need the ref's help (he was in fact very fair). Our sloppy passing and lack of penetration was infuriating.

Four losses on the bounce and three points above the drop-things ain't good.

As an aside, the commentating was disgraceful. They were literally willing United to score, appalling stuff.

Edited November 11, 2006 by Rovermatt

[1864roverite]

Lets hit a dose of reality peeps, Rovers were good for their money today and fully deserved the loss !

How a Rovers team with 10 men can hope to beat ANYONE let alone manure is beyond belief.

Rovers may as well not start with 11 by having MGP on the pitch, today he was nothing short of shocking and it really pains me to say it.

I have to question Mark Hughes tactical nouse today, in particular leaving the subs so late on when we were chasing the game, Rio and co ahve had the easiest game at the back than they will all season.

For me, I am gutted we didnt take a point after predicting a manure goalsfest, 4-0 I shouted and out on the fixed odds coupon. I am wholly pleased we didnt ship more than one but really disappointed by the display of several Rovers players.

The players who can take a bow

Brad, Zurab, Andre, TUGAY and Bert.

The players who just about earned their corn

Bentley and The Axe

The players who just didnt want to know

Nonda, Benni, Lucas

The player who did faff all but play as an extram man in a red shirt

MGP

Rovers were solid in the first half and comfortable but created NOTHING ! For all Tugays class there wasnt a Rovers shirt available in a run, and when they were they just didnt hold the ball up well enough.

In the second half we gave far too many balls away and were overrun in the middle.

Today we had NO service for the front two, so it was pointless playing 4-4-2.

People will slate the Axe, he played Scholes very well and restricted his playing, he did his job until he decided to venture forward leaving us a big gap in the middle of the park.

Lucas knows he is gone and cant be arsed. The armband needs moving on Mark and NOW for the benefit of the team. MGP needs a rest. We desperately need a shot of confidence because Spuds will come to Ewood next week expecting 3 points.

Thats it for me tonight, I am in the fridge, sinking a 10 pack and not speaking to the wife, not taking the dog out and the neighbours can get FFFFFFFFFFFD

[den]

We wont tolerate bad language Rovermatt.

[Guest Kamy100]

I thought that we did OK today, especially considering how well United have played over the last few weeks.

Unfortunately we have no options in central midfield, that is where all of our problems are coming from. Today we were over run in midfield, that is why United controlled the match, as I said in the transfer thread before it closed we wil regret not bringing in a central midfielder to cover for injuries.

Still got to stay behind the team and hopefully things will get better once players started coming back from injury, another option is to play 4-5-1 with Mokoena, Tugay and Bentley in central midfield.

[B.R.F.C]

As an aside, the commentating was disgraceful. They were literally willing United to score, appalling stuff.

Indeed, the co commentator may as well have been chanting along with the United fans in the Darwen End. Will be writing a complaint to Sky that I expect a neutral and balanced commentary for my £8 next time

Edited November 11, 2006 by B.R.F.C

[Hasta]

Diasspointing but not overun (in socreline at least) as I thought we might have been.

Very little created. McCarthy is OK with a strict ref but if defenders are allowed to pull and push him as he controls it he seems to sulk a little.

The midfield is just not right. I know we've no choice in there but as well as lacking creativity (as we always have since Dunn left) we now lack drive. We have no midfielder who can get the ball, surge 10 are 15 yards forward quickly and release it. Whilst we can still battle in there and hold the ball up well with nice little passes, eventually we just toss it over the top.

Can Bentley not see Emertons overlapping runs? I'm all for putting an early cross in but if your 2 on 1 on the full back at least try and work the situation.

Hope the guy near the back of the Bburn End that collapsed was OK.

Edited November 11, 2006 by Hasta

[frosty]

Dissapointing.

We didn't create any real chances, but i did think Zurab should have done better with his header off Pedersen's free kick.

[DP]

Lucas knows he is gone and cant be arsed. The armband needs moving on Mark and NOW for the benefit of the team. MGP needs a rest. We desperately need a shot of confidence because Spuds will come to Ewood next week expecting 3 points.

Neill is playing through the pain barrier at the moment as he is carrying an injury. Hardly sounds like a player who can't be arsed.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Sheffield Wednesday fans sarcastically give their across city neighbours the nickname 'THE BLUNTS'........cant really think of anything more appropriate to call our lot at the moment, we posed very little threat to Utd all game to be honest.

We are heading the wrong way in the Prem and matters need to change very soon.

[Roar of the Rover]

Sparky says there were loads of positives, How??, we created very little. So, i thinks thats only 3 shots on target in the last 2 games, sort it out sparky, i'm sure he will.

[grizfoot]

Was Lucas injured or just not interested?

Either way he was flippin' terrible along with Mokoena (who can't pass the ball to save his life).

I don't know why all of a sudden we turned to the tactic of hitting long balls all the time, it clearly doesn't work. Don't think Nonda or McCarthy won one header all game. Looking at the positives i thought Oiijer & Tugay both put in good performances.

[West Sussex Rover]

In my opinion we seriously need to look at getting at least 3 midfielders in the transfer window and Neil has shown us he nolonger wants to be playing for us so we need to replace him.

If we have learnt anything from the last several 'performances' it is that Mokoena shouldnt be in the first team and that Sparky should have at least signed one midfielder on loan/perminantly in the summer.

Its a premier league managers job to have a backup plan in case of injuries etc... and i wouldnt consider Mokoena that backup plan...!

[s_simpson_9]

In the wash up of the match we will find out that Neill did his hammy early in the first half.

He stretched to cut off a ball to Ronaldo - he then signalled to the bench - Mickey Gray started to warm up - he then signalled to the bench that he would try to run it off.

I know the prat wants to leave us at January - but in the face of doing some real damage to his hammy he stayed on the field.

I can only assume that those who are slating him didn't see the above series of events.

ps - in the lead up to last night's match there was a show on Fox Sports (Australia) about football fans - anyhow, there was a story about two saps getting married at Turf Moor - very funny indeed. The Lady Sap couldn't think of a better place to get married.

Edited November 11, 2006 by s_simpson_9

[grizfoot]

I can't bear to watch the highlights on Football First. The commentators are so biased its unbelievable everything United do is followed by the word 'fantastic' or 'brilliant. Yet Rovers always seem to make 'lucky' passes and ''fortunate' interceptions.

And yes Neill did get injured. That explains why he could run in the second half. Why the hell didn't he come off then?

[herbergeehh]

Tugay; another brilliant performance. Flawless in possession, and some wonderful passing especially in the 2nd half.

Credit to Ooijer aswell, who did extremely well to be in the right place at the right time when crosses came in. Lucas had a nightmare, I'll let him blame the injury a bit though..

[emglch]

4-5-1 next game? :ph34r:

[RevidgeBlue]

We played damned well against an extremely good full strength Manc outfit considering the spine of our team was out injured. Shame we didn't nick a draw as nobody could have argued against it if we had done.

There is a bit of a worrisome gap opening ahead of us but none of these 4 defeats have been of a nature which makes me worry about a relegation scrap.

Sorry that's absolute rubbish in my opinion, the mancs won at will, it was a matter of when not if they were going to score. And it was only kept down to a respectableish 0-1 by the over rated Rooney having an off day.

We created nowt.

But even worse was, if in doubt against a technically superior side get in their faces and rattle them. We didn't even try to do that.

Until Savage returns god knows where the next points are coming from.

[Eddie]

Tugay; another brilliant performance. Flawless in possession, and some wonderful passing especially in the 2nd half.

I think we were watching different games. Like the entire team, Tugay showed great touches and passes in small spurts, the majority of the time, like all of the rest, he picked out red shirts more than he did blue and white. His work rate was pretty impressive (by his standards).

[FourLaneBlue]

We can't play Mokoena as a central midfielder in a 4-4-2, it just leaves us too vulnerable. Stick someone else in there as well - anyone. Gallagher, Bentley, bring Benni back a bit to play as an attacking midfielder, get Hughes out of retirement I dunno...just lets not try and play with The Axe as one of the two central midfielders again eh?

Thought Ooijer looked good today but playing an unfit Neill is worrying and surely the subs could have been given a bit more time? Not sure it was the best day at the office for Hughes, just hope Savage is back soon as that seems to have well and truly shafted us.

[West Sussex Rover]

Anyone else baffled by Sparkies comments of the game??

He has no complaints?? Surely if your a manager and you team has not won then surely you must have questions.

People were yelling out for him to bolster up the midfield in the summer and he didnt sign anyone, and now 4 losses on and were still complaining about injuries??

Whats the point in splashing the cash on first rate strikers if you havent got anyone suplying the balls...

We CANNOT keep playing the long ball game as the England International team did in the World Cup, it didnt work then and it doesnt work now!

We need to replace Gamst if he is not performing and nurture Bentley when he is in form like this (excluding todays iffy performance)...

Now is the time for investment in our midfield and one new leftback. Well in the Transfer Window anyway...!

Edited November 12, 2006 by Rover The Moon