[Archived] Charlton V Blackburn

[LDRover]

For me the most annoying thing about McCarthy is the amount of times he gets caught offside. Does the guy not know the rules ffs? It takes me back to Egil Offsidestad.

Anyway, as a side note, two long standing season ticket holding friends of mine have both told me they won't be renewing their tickets next season. An overreaction to last night? Possibly, but they're not usually prone to that kind of behaviour.

We're in the mire though make no mistake, I just hope that the manager's seemingly carefree attitude towards our position is just a front to stop the panic spreading to the stands.

[Bing]

When Hughes first took over I seem to recall Matteo doing a decent enough defensive job. He's not the attacking outlet that Gray is but he didn't let us down and I don't remember his place being called into question too often when we were securing clean sheet after clean sheet.

Its a strange one; the perceived ability of a player usually rises 10 fold when they're out of the team - in his case it seems to have gone in reverse. I'm not advocating a recall ahead of Gray but he's not the total lumbering carthorse that he's made out to be.

[Wolverine]

I agree that 4-5-1 is looking inevitable...

For me, Henchoz is playing above expectations, and Ooijer is playing better now. Having said that, whatever he has done, Todd is a player most footballers do not want to play against, so maybe the time has come to bring back the beef.

I'd play Axe in front but tell him he is 'only there to tackle - so don't get any fancy footballing ideas (!)'.

Grey at left back and Neill at right back (until Brett is back, then he can disappear for all I care, now), with Peter and Bentley on the wings and have them work together all day in training.

Get Savage in the middle harrassing with Toogs in front to do all the actual football. Then tell Benni he is up front on his own, impress us.

Pederson - get home, and have a rest - you are knackered and unfit. Leave this band you are in and get a bloody haircut.

Brad. You are our only hope. No pressure.

Sparky - pull something out of the bag when the transfer window opens, please...

[thenodrog]

Just got back from the match.

Charlton 1 Rovers 0

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

We're going down!! Watch us slip slowly into the relegation zone, and get rooted to the bottom.

I'm off to splash some cash on those sh1ts in blue and white relegating us.

Mark Hughes will leave for Man U, all our "players" will leave for brighter futures and with attendances like 16,900 Blackburn Rovers WILL NEVER RECOVER.

An excellent post Nayef. I can just see MU and the Glasers queuing up to replace the old RFW with a man who has just relegated a club under his charge.

So what is the concensus?

1. We need to have less pride in our performance and go to 4-5-1 dogs of war away from home.

2. Jeffers to replace Nonda.

3. Gallagher is lower league material without any doubt. He possesses a modicum of skill but a serious lack of application / heart / aggression.

4. Bentley has clearly improved but is still far too lightweight.

5. Motivation is what is lacking most rather than talent.

6. Injuries to some of our 'big' players is finding the depth of quality in our squad depth out.

7. Although it was right for them to move on Dickov and Kuqi contributed more to the team than many on here gave em credit for.

So.......... Nothing really that I have not been banging on about since the New Zealand game in fact!

[gazsimm]

we are in deep trouble now after last nights result. It's time to get rid of lazy can't be botherd Nonda and give Derbyshire a chance. which he deserves. Nonda was a disgrace last night

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

I am glad there haven't been any knee jerk reactions to last night

Irrespective of league position - everyone can beat everyone in this league. I am not surprised at getting beat - as some of our away performances have been diabolical. This isn't the first bad away performance is it ?

But lets put it in perspective - we have two of our best players from last season in the treatment room (Reid and Nelsen) - with our new Kuqi (Roberts) also out to the new year. We already had a thin looking squad without these long term injuries - and I think the number of matches is catching up with a number of players (which is worrying).

However - even when playing well we have a habit of getting beat by teams like Charlton. It puts more pressure on the Newcastle game - again I don't think it will be a roll-over as they have some good players. It is down to Sparky and the players to make sure we exploit their main weakness in defence - and lack of bite up front (put like that we should win )

[gazsimm]

Before anyone says anything i think Mark Hughes is a great manager but last night i think he selected the wrong team. The team he should of picked should of been

Brad

Emerton Ooijer Henchoz Gray

Bentley Tugay Savage Peter

McCarthy Gallagher

Edited December 6, 2006 by gazsimm

[Bing]

I am glad there haven't been any knee jerk reactions to last night

I don't think its knee-jerk at all. We've scored 4 goals in 9 games, look utterly toothless up front and no signs of that changing barring a top purchase or two in January. That's where our problems stem from; our defence and midfield is perfectly adequate despite one or two individuals being off-form.

Driving back from Villa, a pundit on local Birmingham radio described our strike pairing as "a pair of clowns". They've not improved at all since then. Its evident for all of us to see yet just the other day Hughes stated he could "see a real partnership developing." I'm all for being positive but that was just a bewildering thing to say.

[herbergeehh]

Gallagher

He made one of the worst sub appearances I've seen for quite some time, so why he should deserve a starting spot up front is beyond me. Jeffers, however..

[JAL]

I don't think its knee-jerk at all. We've scored 4 goals in 9 games, look utterly toothless up front and no signs of that changing barring a top purchase or two in January. That's where our problems stem from; our defence and midfield is perfectly adequate despite one or two individuals being off-form.

Driving back from Villa, a pundit on local Birmingham radio described our strike pairing as "a pair of clowns". They've not improved at all since then. Its evident for all of us to see yet just the other day Hughes stated he could "see a real partnership developing." I'm all for being positive but that was just a bewildering thing to say.

Too true, but we seem to have even more clowns in reserve which is a worry. Cheap foreign imports are unsustainable for Rovers future especially when they are around the thirty plus mark.

Quality investment is required especially in the attacking third.

[gazsimm]

He made one of the worst sub appearances I've seen for quite some time, so why he should deserve a starting spot up front is beyond me. Jeffers, however..

Gallagher should be up front instead of Nonda not in midfield

Jeffers was injured last night

[JAL]

Gallagher should be up front instead of Nonda not in midfield

Jeffers was injured last night

Gallagher isnt strong enough for premiership football so why should he be playing for Rovers?

Jeffers is just a penalty box player, but how often with our current crop of players are we going to get into the box to bring Jeffers into play ?

At this moment in time, Blackburn Rovers looks like the easiest team to play against in the prem which is a massive worry.

Losing Emmerton is another massive blow.

[gumboots]

the one good thing to come out of last night is that more peole are seeing that Gallagher is not good enough. I have listened to people on here insisting that he is worth a start etc. and have never been able to understand why. As soon as he came on last night I said to my family that we would lose and ultimately we ddid. A team that has to rely on players of his quality to change the game is in serious bother, and whilst I still don't think we look like going down I think the current situation is the biggest challenge Mark Hughes and his staff have faced.

[John]

I slept in for work (taken a sick day) this morning as well.....

Just to cap off a truly awful game.

Edited December 6, 2006 by John

[G Somerset Rover]

A team that has to rely on players of his quality to change the game is in serious bother, and whilst I still don't think we look like going down I think the current situation is the biggest challenge Mark Hughes and his staff have faced.

Judging by Mark Bowen's bulging folder at full-time last night I'd have to agree!!!

Edited December 6, 2006 by Somerset Rover!

[SuperStella]

I'm effing sick of teams turning us over when they are `desperate` for a win, we must be the easiest touch in the league, they`d better be up for sat.

[Presty On Tour]

there needs to be some serious changes in all departments at rovers. lastnight i hope there was some smashed cups and harsh words in the away dressing room at full time, this is not acceptable and if we continue like that it's end of!!

we cant just wait for nelsen/reidy to return or say it will sort it's self out when we buy in january, we need points now or it could be to late!!

by the sounds of it, a few rovers players could do do with a slap in the chops and a rocket up their ass!!

the geordies are playing reading tonight and only have about 10 fit 1st team players availible against a reading side on a roll whom only need 1 point from the game to go 3rd!!!

the game on sat versus newcastle i would go as far to say it's crunch time and the biggest game of the season so far!!

[gazsimm]

there needs to be some serious changes in all departments at rovers. lastnight i hope there was some smashed cups and harsh words in the away dressing room at full time, this is not acceptable and if we continue like that it's end of!!

we cant just wait for nelsen/reidy to return or say it will sort it's self out when we buy in january, we need points now or it could be to late!!

by the sounds of it, a few rovers players could do do with a slap in the chops and a rocket up their ass!!

the geordies are playing reading tonight and only have about 10 fit 1st team players availible against a reading side on a roll whom only need 1 point from the game to go 3rd!!!

the game on sat versus newcastle i would go as far to say it's crunch time and the biggest game of the season so far!!

I would of shown Nonda the door last night and sent him back to Roma

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

Personally I would play Derbyshire. From what I have seen of Benni - he isn't the type of player to hang on the shoulder of the last defender and then beat them for pace - he is far more comfortable filling the hole between midfield and attack. Having Derbyshire up front would provide us with a bit of pace - and stretch the opposition providing a little more room for Benni.

Regarding Nonda - I don't think he has been as bad as people on this board are making out - but his biggest problem is that he doesn't have the pace to stretch the opposition and neither does Benni. At this moment in time I just feel they are ill-suited to play together - especially for our style of play.

[speeeeeeedie]

I think we all agree that it was an absolutely shocking performance from BRFC. I only saw the second half but apparently that was the better one. I'd hate to be forced to watch the first. I lost count of the number of times Rovers players passed it to the opposition. It was like watching Sunday League. I would like Hughes and his management team to publish their ProZone results from that game to give us actual numbers. As soon as Henchoz body checked M. Bent for no reason I knew it was curtains; our wall was 4 yards too far over giving them an open goal to shoot at. Brad Friedel has to be blamed which takes the gloss of another of his excellent performances.

Gallagher is plainly not up to it. Would he garner the same support if we'd signed him from another team? I doubt it. The lad has skill but not the application.

We will not go down, nor will we be sucked into the relegation battle. We will be one of about 8 teams come March/April who could finish anywhere between 17th or 9th depending on if they put in a good run toward the end of the season. This is where it looks bright for us as we will have a full team playing then. Hopefully.

I agree that we may have to revert to the 4-5-1 circle wagon formation to help us get over the winter fixture pile up. Put Mokoena in there battering anything that comes close to our box.

For people vaunting the return of Matteo; What are you thinking? Who posted that if a player is not playing his quality increases 10 fold? This applies here.

[MI ROVER]

Shambles. We have no idea going forward except the big hoof up the middle and people on here call Bolton at least they all seem hungry and work for their team more than our players.

Without a fit and firing Pedersen our creative forward play is nil.

Get rid of Nonda

Whilst McCarthy shows neat touches he is a very frustrating player to watch.

Gallagher/Peter - so thats why they never get on ! for players who were suposed to be eager to please they looked way short of premiership quality against lets face it a poor Charlton side.

[FourLaneBlue]

What is the point of giving Mokoena a new contract if Hughes won't play 4-5-1? Even when we are away from home and have a striker who is plainly playing rubbish in Nonda. The guy hasn't actually scored a proper goal since away at Boro! The goal against Fulham was a backpass that somehow their useless new goaly messed up!

MGP needs a rest...Peter or Gally cannot do worse and at least we might hope to see MGP getting back to form when a bit fitter and recovered from his rib. Why not try 4-5-1 for the next away game?

At least one good thing has come of this...Hughes ain't getting constantly linked to United in the LET anymore!

[CAPT KAYOS]

Ho! Ho! Ho! Merry Xmas everybody and welcome to the Wonderful (or not so Wonderful at the mo) World of Rovers.

Taken the Blue n White specs off yet?

Yet again I have to pat myself on the back for another foresight I gave you all about the front two at the beginning of the season and how it would cost us - fancy flicks but no directness ... and look now everybody jumps on the bandwagaon as if it something that has not happened before.

Worry thing here is .. we have not played in Europe for over a week so cannot blame that but yet again its not just one player who does not perform.. something that is becoming an apparent on a regular basis.

Add this to the lack of concentration, misplaced passes and lack of application and ideas and you can see why we are having problems.

Forget the injuries, we are making mistakes at an alarming rate which is just not acceptable at professional level regardless of whether they are a first team or fringe player. Two numpties up front who get caught offside numerous times yet never seem to be in the box, couple that with the attempts at controlling a ball especially Nonda and wasting good opportunities and we end up with what we are seeing.

5 goals in 9 matches - pathetic

Some players need a really big kick up the arse with a reality check ... give the benchers a start and we might start to see some response.

[yellowsubmarine]

Some players need a really big kick up the arse with a reality check ... give the benchers a start and we might start to see some response.

But i really dont know who we can bring from the bench that will improve the first eleven significantly.

[pleasure]

At least one good thing has come of this...Hughes ain't getting constantly linked to United in the LET anymore!

every cloud.... FLB.

ii think MH is reluctant to play 'the axe' in games that are seen as winnable, but i'd expect to see him in away games against the top teams.

i was extremely disappointed with last nights display. the performance against fulham should've acted as a springboard.

i think we are far to easy to play against, especially away from home . we play infront of teams and very rarely get in behind them (unless emerton overlaps) due to bentley and ped not being the quickest.

the benni and nonda partnership is not working. it seems obvious to me that both players need a pacey partner to bring out the best in them.

their lack of effort in away matches leaves a lot to be desired, and has been rightly criticised, although the service they usually get is poor, it shouldn't be used as an excuse.

our defending of set-pieces is abysmal, with ooijer probably the main culprit last-night, and we are conceding a ridiculous amount of poor goals.

the switching off moments and lack of judgement have been addressed on the training pitch, but sadly nothing seems to be sinking in.

i'd hope to see a change in personnel, but i think we'll stick with 'tried and trusted' and it could ultimately be to our detriment.