[Archived] Rovers 1-1Tottenham

[Fife Rover]

We are not scoring because we keep playing in cross after cross from the wings to two forwards who will not / cannot head the ball. Yesterday of numerous occasions neither of em even attempted to meet a cross. We need to supply them differently as per the disallowed goal, and if not then Nonda is due a spell on the bench in favour of Jeffers.

Well it aint "cannot" Theno......Nonda's goal against Boro....!

[Anti Euro Smiths Fan]

McCarthy sensational.

Sensational ??

I'd politely suggest Philip that you're either very easily pleased, or alternatively perhaps sipped a little too much wine whilst watching the match. I thought McCarthy was at best average. A few fancy flicks and a couple of back-heels doesn't placate me. McCarthy could (and should) be doing more for the team. As for his strike partner Mr Nonda, I think he's been shocking in recent matches.

I'm not sure what's worse - to have a player like our former Finnish international Shefki Kuqi, who had the first touch of a pub player and all the grace and technical ability of a rhino on roller blades - or a player such as Nonda who does actually have a modicum of talent and skill, but isn't willing to put himself about, make decent runs and work hard for the side. For all of Kuqi's faults (and by God he had a ton of them) , at least he did give the impression that he was trying his best for the team.

Shabani Nonda has been a passenger in recent matches. At the highest level, you can't afford to carry players like him. Admittedly the service to the strikers from wide positions has been poor. Some of Bentley's crosses were abysmal on Sunday - but it's still the job of a striker to work hard, make runs and create space. I'm finding the McCarthy & Nonda partnership frustrating at the moment.

Without a win in our last six Premiershp matches (four defeats and two draws) , Mark Hughes needs to identify areas for improvement for the rest of the season and he can certainly start by looking at the Rovers strike partnership.

No wins in six Premiership games is relegation form. I'm not suggesting that Rovers will be relegated, but there's a danger of being involved in a dogfight unless the situation improves. A number of players over the last month or two have fallen well short of the standards that Hughes should be setting.

At the start of the season Jason Roberts ludicrously suggested that Rovers could finish in the top four and qualify for the Champions League. I know that we've had some injury problems, but it just highlights the weaknesses in our squad when we miss players so badly. Other teams have to cope with injuries too. With the ageing Tugay facing a ban shortly, we have bugger all creativity elsewhere in midfield. Nobody with the skill, vision and ingenuity to split open an opposition defence as often as a Premiership team needs.

The positives to take from Sunday's frustrating result were that Henchoz and Ooijer generally played well (albeit they did get caught out of position defensively on a couple of occasions) , while Michael Gray had a better game than some of his previous performances.

Edited November 21, 2006 by Anti Euro Smiths Fan

[spanishblue]

Just hope we get a decent ref and linesmen for Thursday. Anyone know where they will be from?

[AggyBlue]

Just hope we get a decent ref and linesmen for Thursday. Anyone know where they will be from?

The refs in Europe don't carry the same bias against us as do premiership refs. :ph34r:

[USABlue]

Lost amongst the refereeing debacle was a point I wanted to make more of an opinion/observation. MGP, first 20 minutes, every time he got the ball out wide he passed it backwards (A la bert of old) he never even turnd to go forwards, complete utter waste of time. I was there watching the game giving him hell when on about 20 mins he received the ball out wide again. What happened next is marked on my calendar. He turned to face the opponents and took on his man and actually beat him. I was floored. He tried it again later but it did not work out so back to normal.

This man infuriates me, he always has to be honest. Do we persist in the sheer hope that he will pull a moment of magic out of his hat, well he's not doing and to me he's not worth a starting spot.

Now, what was that about a handball.

Edited November 21, 2006 by USABlue

[G Somerset Rover]

At the start of the season Jason Roberts ludicrously suggested that Rovers could finish in the top four and qualify for the Champions League. I know that we've had some injury problems, but it just highlights the weaknesses in our squad when we miss players so badly. Other teams have to cope with injuries too. With the ageing Tugay facing a ban shortly, we have bugger all creativity elsewhere in midfield. Nobody with the skill, vision and ingenuity to split open an opposition defence as often as a Premiership team needs.

I pretty much agree with your whole post AESF. Our squad depth has obviously been tested to the limit at present due to injuries but other squads too have had injury problems. Take our subs bench against Spurs' (who granted have spent almost more than anyone else in recent years) who could bring on Keane, Berbatov and Murphy despite being depleted by injuries. We currently have no plan B whatsoever. Hughes clearly doesnt't have much faith in Jeffers, Peter and Gally for example being able to grab a goal because he always seems hesitant to throw them on despite our abysmal run and poor form from other players (ie Nonda and MGP). Last season showed how well we did to keep pace with clubs with larger squads at their disposal.

Until January it has to be a case of fighting for every point that we can until we get some of our big game players back and hopefuly being able to strengthen all departments-even our strikeforce-if we are to repeat the second halves of the previous two seasons.

Edited November 21, 2006 by Somerset Rover!

[cravenblue]

does anyone know what time the fa will reject rovers appeal and overturn spurs appeal?

[BuckyRover]

Did anybody hear Sky commentators saying that Matteo had been talking about how sharp Jeffers had been looking in training, and that he expects he will be making more of an impression in the coming weeks.

Interesting I thought.

[thenodrog]

Did anybody hear Sky commentators saying that Matteo had been talking about how sharp Jeffers had been looking in training, and that he expects he will be making more of an impression in the coming weeks.

Interesting I thought.

The original 'great white hope'. In truth I do like what little I have seen from Jeffrers, he appears mobile, sharp and intelligent. I can only assume Hughes and his team are employing some sort of sports psychology to make sure that after his failure at Arsenal that he is ready both mentally and physically for the step up to the starting sheet when the call comes.

[chris]

I was a little surprised about how much Nonda and Benni seem to be able to run away from crosses on Sunday, you know if you have Jansen or Sutton they battle for everything, but our strikers seems to always be in the wrong place and have no timing, and that’s not luck of a cross, it’s a natural ability, so I’m not surprised we are not scoring.

[Ste B]

does anyone know what time the fa will reject rovers appeal and overturn spurs appeal?

Once Gary Mabbutt has looked at the two videos.

(panel is actually Paul Elliot, Gordon Milne, Robbie Earle, Graham Taylor, Gary Mabbutt, Alan Jones, David Rose and Warren Barton)

[Eddie]

I was a little surprised about how much Nonda and Benni seem to be able to run away from crosses on Sunday, you know if you have Jansen or Sutton they battle for everything, but our strikers seems to always be in the wrong place and have no timing, and that’s not luck of a cross, it’s a natural ability, so I’m not surprised we are not scoring.

We didn't put that many good crosses in on Sunday. I can remember only 3 or 4 good ones, one of which MGP headed over and the other of which Benni did amazingly well to flick towards goal (wasn't really that good of a cross). Bentley, Emerton and MGP were all guilty of finding stands with their crosses instead of heads.

[Jammy]

--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Ste B @ Nov 21 2006, 12:06 ) 461576[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->

Once Gary Mabbutt has looked at the two videos.

(panel is actually Paul Elliot, Gordon Milne, Robbie Earle, Graham Taylor, Gary Mabbutt, Alan Jones, David Rose and Warren Barton)

Appeals REJECTED!

TheFA

Edited November 21, 2006 by Jammy

[92er]

I was expecting that to be the case with Tugay-I presumed they would argue he was the last man.

It is good it is only 1 game.

[AggyBlue]

I was expecting that to be the case with Tugay-I presumed they would argue he was the last man.

It is good it is only 1 game.

Even so, I still find it hard to accept a guy can be sent off and susequently banned for something which was purely accidental.

[USABlue]

I too, like Rev, expected us to come away with nothing. This is a case of the good old FA puffing out their chests and flashing the V signs.

They WILL overturn worse, more blatant cases in the future.

[Tris]

-->

QUOTE(Ste B @ Nov 21 2006, 12:06 ) 461576[/snapback]

Once Gary Mabbutt has looked at the two videos.

(panel is actually Paul Elliot, Gordon Milne, Robbie Earle, Graham Taylor, Gary Mabbutt, Alan Jones, David Rose and Warren Barton)

That list reads like a who's who of crap B-list TV pundits.

Not surprising we didn't get any joy. Idiots. The whole country can see the sending off was wrong - I haven't met one neutral football fan who thought it was a sending off.

I'm only surprised the FA didn't appoint the MOTD2 idiots onto the panel to make sure.

[Moppy]

So the FA have turned down both red card appeals.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/e...rem/6165944.stm

[LeChuck]

Tris...under the letter of the law it was a correct decision. What everyone (including myself) has a problem with is that law, under those circumstances a penalty is punishment enough.

I didn't for a second expect Tugay's card to be overturned...I'm quite suprised Ghaly's wasn't though.

[G Somerset Rover]

Probably me not doing enough reading-but how come Tugs has only received a one game ban and Ghally three?

Is it because Ghally's was for voilent conduct?

Edited November 21, 2006 by Somerset Rover!

[modes98]

Ghaly's is for violent conduct and as such 3 match. Tugs is just a normal red so 1 match.

The replays are quite damming for Ghaly, glad he got 3 matches.

Edited November 21, 2006 by modes98

[92er]

Probably me not doing enough reading-but how come Tugs has only received a one game ban and Ghally three?

Is it because Ghally's was for voilent conduct?

I thought it was because he had scored such a good goal. Without it, he might have got 3.

[Moppy]

Tris...under the letter of the law it was a correct decision. What everyone (including myself) has a problem with is that law, under those circumstances a penalty is punishment enough.

I didn't for a second expect Tugay's card to be overturned...I'm quite suprised Ghaly's wasn't though.

Not quite the case imo. I did hold a bit of hope it would get turned around, not much. Its if he is deemed to be denying a clear goal scoring opportunity. Had their guy not gone down I am not sure he would have got to the ball he put it too far infront of him. + He had turned slighly so our defender was within distance to possibly get a block on any shot. But yes if you deem him to be denying a clear goal scoring opportunity if it be intentional or not then its a ban.

Edited November 21, 2006 by Moppy

[Presty On Tour]

will tugay's 1 game ban come in to effect immediately?

Edited November 21, 2006 by jansenpresty10@wales

[rover_groo]

Tris...under the letter of the law it was a correct decision. What everyone (including myself) has a problem with is that law, under those circumstances a penalty is punishment enough.

I didn't for a second expect Tugay's card to be overturned...I'm quite suprised Ghaly's wasn't though.

Le Chuck, I definitely don't agree with what you are saying.

As you said a penalty was a perhaps the 'letter of the law', but if contact was made, then it was with Tugay's stud on his trailing foot!!!

As for the sending off, the wee jerk wasn't bearing down on goal, as when he flicked the ball over, he either flicked it behind him or in a straight line. It didn't present him with a clear goal-scoring opportunity as he still had to control the ball, despite having to beat Friedel from 16 yards and with 1 goal in 13 games for Spudz, extremely unlikely he was going to get his 2nd.