[Archived] Watford 2-1 Rovers

[promoted2001]

He can play there tho. Ferguson was thinking of having him as a replacement for Keane. A loan is the only option really. Not sure on who to go for.

[BrianPotter]

I live on the south coast and travelled up to the game, only about a 2.5hr round trip for me - had I travelled from Blackburn I would be livid after that perfomance.

I sort of had a feeling this would happen though. For me there is a worrying trend here in our in ability to perform against the bottom teams. West Ham, Charlton and Watford are three games that we should have won, and had we done so we'd be sitting in 5th place.

Hughes is even aware of this problem, he mentioned it yesterday and still we turn in a performance like that.

Benni, Bentley and Gamst did reasonably well, the rest of them may as well have stayed at home. I would never directly blame a player for a bad result but I have a real problem with the use of Mokeana in centre midflied. I believe he can do a job for us in certain situations but not in the centre of the midfield - he simply hasn't got the ability to play there. Over the season, generally if Mokeana is in midfield we turn in a poor performance. I know people are saying Dunn is not the answer, but sureley a midflied combination of Dunn and Tugay is better than Mokeana/Dunn or Mokeana/Tugay?

We've had these blips before and always bounced back, think that Hughes should now work on avoiding the blips in the first place!

[Presty On Tour]

smith imo is a striker and thats his best position.

rfw tried molding him into the keane role but it didn't really work out.

he can play in midfield and even if we brought him in on loan, he's just another player who isn't match fit yet.

[modes98]

I know he shouldn't expect much sympathy from oppo fans but for the Watford fans to mock him with 'Cheerio, Cheerio' when being stretchered off was pathetic.

Only to be matched by the pathetic Booing at Ooijer on saturday, although to their credit they sort of clapped when he was on the stretcher.

[CAPT KAYOS]

smith imo is a striker and thats his best position.

Same here.

Its just this stupid tendency for managers to think they can change players into something they are not that appears to be a catching phenomena in Football nowadays for some strange reason.

Leave it alone MANAGERS and get the best out of the players in the position they are best at

[USABlue]

I'm still reeling from the result. It looks even worse in the cold light of day.

The result I am already over, it was written in the Rovers stars, the loss of another player to a briken leg is what bothers me the most. That was a terrible challenge, was the Watford player carded?

Also for Mr Hughes, why oh why has the axe been given a new contract and, tonight you made your second big mistake in man management, giving Neill the captaincy being the first. You should have started Matty Derbyshire, it was time, Nonda has not got what it takes and Matty has been scoring. The boost to the young lad's confidence would have been huge had he been put in the starting eleven. To have him come off the bench, I think would have had him wondering what does he have to do, why does the boss not rate me. Even if he had played poorly it was the right time to do it, reward for his efforts instead we give the waste of a Rovers shirt that is Nonda a game. Bad decision Hughesy but you are the boss so I'll live with it. Out of the cup Saturday??? I think we can use Hendrie now.

[Eddie]

It wasn't even given as a foul usablue.

[todd_could_take_tyson]

The Axe is a League ONE player. He'd look out of place in Rovers Reserves squad. A good game from Axe is equivalent to that of a average game for a Championship player.

GET RID PLEASE MARK!

[Jordan]

Just back from the match after a detour via my mates house near Manchester. Last night was extremley disapointing but hopefully Rovers will bounce back. It was a game in hand as well so atleast we have not dropped down the table at all. Gutted for Savage and agree with everyone that we need to bring somebody in. The wood-chopper simply is not good enough for the Premierleague, his positioning as awful he cannot tackle, pass or shoot. It would be nice to bring in Sidwell or Smith on loan or even possibly Lee Hendrie.

[Cocker]

Can anyone confirm if Benni is injured too?

[stuwilky]

Can anyone confirm if Benni is injured too?

Was reported as a dead leg. Should be fit for the weekend.

[speeeeeeedie]

What thread was it a while back about Rovers always being the team that breaks someone's duck or gives them a milestone? Fife mentioned it as did others. The writing was on the wall for last night, and it seems we played to it. What a bad night.

[Jordan]

Can anyone confirm if Benni is injured too?

Did not look too serious. Basically one of their defenders went into the back of him when he was trying to control the ball and he went down holding his hammy. He go back up and it looked like he had run it off and didn't looked to be affected. Hughsey then took him off as a precaution i would imagine.

[bazza]

.

How can a talented set of players that played like Premiership champions on Saturday play like a Pub team the following Tuesday night? This isn't a recent problem, it's something that's plagued us over the last five or six seasons since our return to the Premiership.

Where Rovers are concerned, they've been plagued by this ever since I started watching them around 1951 or so. They were probably like this before that.

Why oh why can't we play to the best of our ability CONSISTANTLY like Man Utd seem to do?

[Martin]

Didn't make the game and watched the highlights on Sky.

Firstly, poor Robbie, but if there is a player with the mentality to get over such an injury he's the man. Although time and age are against him. At least he has a recovery buddy in Ooijer.... oh and Reid.

Nonda is like Mark Viduka (just perhaps not as good). Sometimes (in ten minute spells) he's unplayable, unfortunately sometimes he makes Dwight Yorke's work rate look good and frankly at times he does look disinterested. Not that I think he is I just think that's his culture.

Mokoena looks awful with Savage in the middle. That's becasue none of them have any technical prowess - not with a moving ball anyway. Alongside Tugay, Bentley or Dunn (in the long term) Mokoena willl be fine. Don't expect him to do anything other than tackle and pass it five yards square.

Well done to all those that travelled I can imagine you will find it hard to sympathise with Mokoena or Nonda at this point, but do have faith - mark my words we'll need it over the coming weeks.

[Cocker]

Did not look too serious. Basically one of their defenders went into the back of him when he was trying to control the ball and he went down holding his hammy. He go back up and it looked like he had run it off and didn't looked to be affected. Hughsey then took him off as a precaution i would imagine.

Thank god for that then. He could maybe do with a rest at the weekend anyway and start with Nonda and Matty (maybe Roberts)

[gazsimm]

Thank god for that then. He could maybe do with a rest at the weekend anyway and start with Nonda and Matty (maybe Roberts)

I hope Nonda gets dropped he was crap last night and i rather we replace him and get someone else in on loan instead

[Earlydoors]

Clearly everyone was watching the same game.

Nonda was atrocious - completely anonymous until he spooned one over from six yards. Likewise, Moekoena has no idea of positioning and no engine. If he stopped thinking and became box to box at least I could forgive him for having no talent whatsoever...

Biggest blow of course is Super Rob. He's totally won me over this season. To begin with I was of the Alan Hansen opinion but its his mentality and desire that oppostion fans don't appreciate. He's always the first there to celebrate a team mates goal and you know he will be a big loss in the changing room. It was he as much as anyone who picked us up in Krakow and dragged us to victory. Get well soon Robbie, you will be missed.......

[ewoodblue]

I hope Nonda gets dropped he was crap last night and i rather we replace him and get someone else in on loan instead

Last night, i thought Sparky would of started with Derbyshire , instead of Nonda.

Poor performance , all round, a poor night ,all round.Why do we consistently get beat by these lower teams.There must be a reason for it.

[yellowsubmarine]

Last night, i thought Sparky would of started with Derbyshire , instead of Nonda.

Poor performance , all round, a poor night ,all round.Why do we consistently get beat by these lower teams.There must be a reason for it.

Complacency i think.

Derbyshire NEEDS to start! He's a young, hungry and in-form striker. Nonda is just plain lazy.

[gazsimm]

Last night, i thought Sparky would of started with Derbyshire , instead of Nonda.

Poor performance , all round, a poor night ,all round.Why do we consistently get beat by these lower teams.There must be a reason for it.

quite simple the team think they are going to win comfortably and are not fully committed

[Rovermatt]

What thread was it a while back about Rovers always being the team that breaks someone's duck or gives them a milestone? Fife mentioned it as did others. The writing was on the wall for last night, and it seems we played to it. What a bad night.

I've been saying it for years. It goes back that long.

[frosty]

Against the current bottom 3 and the 3 relegated last season, we have took a grand total of 3 points when playing these teams away from home. A win at Sunderland and defeats at West Brom, Birmingham, West Ham, Charlton and Watford.

Either we go to these places thinking we're brilliant and only have to turn up to win or we can't handle a battle. We're becoming a soft touch.

[CAPT KAYOS]

Either we go to these places thinking we're brilliant and only have to turn up to win or we can't handle a battle. We're becoming a soft touch.

Or we always change the team/formation when no need to unless enforced.

[thenodrog]

Or we always change the team/formation when no need to unless enforced.

It's bound to be a taj difficult playing players with broken legs.