[Archived] Rovers 1 Arsenil

[roversmum]

This is one match we must all do our best to turn up for!

[waggy]

THOUGHT NELSEN WAS OUTSTANDING

[waggy]

15 QUID FOR ADULTS AND A DIVER FOR RUGRATS

[thenodrog]

Nonda, FFS, STAY ON SIDE (What is it with our forwards this year???)

Come on lads, ram it down his throat!

Nonda's a stronger physical prescence but imo Jeffers is the best we have at making on side runs off the ch's shoulder. I had high hopes for him at the start of the season but there really must be some serious flaw in his psyche.

[garnersfags]

I might as well start the ticket price debate.

£20 for a ticket will result in a crowd of around 17 - 20,000 if the game is live on BBC.

On the face of it, this is good value for such high quality entertainment and Rovers should be applauded for continuing to lead the way in the fight to make the game more affordable to all.

I do feel, however, that this is now a real chance to reach that magical Wembley final and as such the club must do everything to fill the ground for this pivotal tie.

A tenner for season ticket holders and £12/15 for the rest would have ensured we had closer to 25,000 which would have guaranteed the atmosphere needed to provide that '12th man' backing.

This is a difficult and emotive issue that John Williams is well aware of and I hope that despite the prices we turn out in big numbers and show our appreciation of what Mark and the boys are achieving on 'relatively' meagre resources.

Personally I'm like an excited kid at the prospect of what we can genuinely achieve this season.

[ABBEY]

VINJAY RANT @ GOONERS HAHAHAHAHAHA

[AggyBlue]

VINJAY RANT @ GOONERS HAHAHAHAHAHA

Some bitter gooners posting in that thread.

[James No. 7]

In defence of the unpaid penalty, I suggest using the Arsene Wenger defence: "I didn't see it".

[bluebruce]

I don't get why some people are having a go at Rover6 and misattributing quotes to him (and since I said some slightly similar stuff I feel I oughta mention some things). He didn't say he wasn't happy with the result. Only a moron wouldn't be happy with the result. He didn't seem to be questioning tactics either (though I'm not sure if he shifted towards that later). Certainly the tactics were spot on. The defence were brilliant. Yadda yadda, we know all this. All I was pointing out, and the bulk of what rover6 was, I think, pointing out, is that our passing was largely woeful. As rovermatt pointed out, passing successfully wouldn't have unhinged our game plan, so I shouldn't think Hughes told them not to pass properly. I take umbridge at what phil said when he was accusing me (I think I was included) and others of being bereft of football knowledge simply because we could see that our passing was dire. I was very pleased with the result, and never expected a win throughout (certainly not before). I'm not miffed we didn't score. I'm just hoping we never pass that badly again whilst I watch us. And Nonda's offsides are a bit much. All credit to the lads though, obviously. Everyone worked hard and we got a fantastic result. Let's finish the job (which will take a different approach methinks) and hammer city.

[Blue blood]

A very pleasing result, especially considering that unlike the Arsenal outfit we faced most of the players had played a midweek game, and our injury list is still blighting our season. Typical Arsenal winging from arguably the most irritating manager in the Prem (at least Jose intends to be annoying), Henry was his arrogent worst and Fabrigas showed he's as cocky as he is talented. I hope Chelsea give them a good stuffing in the cup final, followed by a tonking from whatever team they face in the CL, then we can put the final glitch in their season by knocking them out of the FA cup. Failing all three I'd love it, love it, if we can turn them over - then they can start winging that they have to play small northern clubs prior, or heck any club, prior to the semis at the very least.

Ranting aside, there were so many positives to take, from super brad at the back to Dunn just off the front man. The back 4 were excellent, Zurab providing a tougher less adventurous option at right back to emerton. Warnock bar a rash challenge which should have been a penalty won every tackle. His only weakness seemes to be rash moments but hopefully Hughes and co will get that out of him. Samba and Nelsen are looking better every game. Mokoena is also improving which is nice to see, whilst Bentley is really providing the the team with the dynanism it needs and with big players like Tugs and Benni a bit out of form at the mo he's arguably our most important player at the moment. Dunn looked off the pace in the first half but improved as the game went on, and I was impressed he lasted as long as he did.

The negatives - the passing was a bit sloppy at times, Nonda could have done more and caused the defence a few more problems imo. As for the penalty - yes it was a penalty - but plenty of other decisions went incorrectly against us so Arsenal can't really complain on that front.

Really looking forward to the replay - will definately be there. Come on Rovers!

[unsall]

I might as well start the ticket price debate.

£20 for a ticket will result in a crowd of around 17 - 20,000 if the game is live on BBC.

On the face of it, this is good value for such high quality entertainment and Rovers should be applauded for continuing to lead the way in the fight to make the game more affordable to all.

I do feel, however, that this is now a real chance to reach that magical Wembley final and as such the club must do everything to fill the ground for this pivotal tie.

A tenner for season ticket holders and £12/15 for the rest would have ensured we had closer to 25,000 which would have guaranteed the atmosphere needed to provide that '12th man' backing.

This is a difficult and emotive issue that John Williams is well aware of and I hope that despite the prices we turn out in big numbers and show our appreciation of what Mark and the boys are achieving on 'relatively' meagre resources.

Personally I'm like an excited kid at the prospect of what we can genuinely achieve this season.

Has to be at least 15 quid minimum price set by F.A.

[Jordan]

The Daily Mail has a swipe at our 'pitiful' away following today so I've emailed the reporter pointing out the problems with Saturdays game (time, late tickets etc..). If I get a reply I'll post later.

What did it say Hasta?

I bet we did not get complemented for our great following at Salzburg, Feyenoord and Leverkusen!

[stuwilky]

Replay is on telly.

Sky, 8pm kick off.

[mike at picture]

ffs, why cant they leave us alone?

[Hasta]

What did it say Hasta?

I bet we did not get complemented for our great following at Salzburg, Feyenoord and Leverkusen!

It basically said that the atmosphere was not helped by Blackburns 'pitiful' following. It just got my grumpy back up a bit first thing this morning. BoB Fleming is right that the Mail on Sundays article was more irritating as it basically slagged Hughes off for moaning and storming up and down the touchline saying that he was out of order. Obviously rather comment on that than say what a determined gritty display by Blackburn.

I got no reply from the journalist today despite my eloquently put points. Surprise.

[USABlue]

15 QUID FOR ADULTS AND A DIVER FOR RUGRATS

Scuba or Deep Sea?? I won't mention muff.

[USABlue]

VINJAY RANT @ GOONERS HAHAHAHAHAHA

Wow some good stuff there. They are really hurt that we did not just roll over and die, cockney hypocrites, just how exciting were Arsenal years back. Dull and boring for us this was a one off. Hughes had a plan the players stuck to it and neither Wenger nor his players had the answer. I hope we give 'em a bloody good thumping.

[roversmum]

Cracking debate going on there. Best part is, if you thought some of the English and spelling was bad on here, it's got nothing on the stuff the Gooners are coming up with!

I don't think I've seen so much whining from supporters of other clubs either !

[colin]

In today's "The Sun" there is an absolutely superb photo of Brad pulling off that brilliant save from Mr Henry. Worth a look if you find a copy.

Rather bizarrely, in the close foreground just behind Brad is Mr Warnock apparently doing an impersonation of a little hamster.

The printed version was taken a bit to the left of this one

http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2002390...7080039,00.html

but you can definately see Steven with an imaginary peanut in his hands and he's about to have a good nibble.

[Anti Euro Smiths Fan]

Big four demand Cup replays are axed

Chelsea and Liverpool today joined Arsenal and Manchester United in calling for all FA Cup replays to be scrapped. The issue was first raised by Arsene Wenger following Saturday's lunchtime Cup tie against Blackburn Rovers at the Emirates Stadium. Wenger has been angered by having to travel to Blackburn for a replay and believes FA Cup games should be settled in a single match. He was backed afterwards by Manchester United chief executive David Gill, who said that United's forthcoming replay against Reading at the Madejski Stadium was "completely unacceptable".

Mr Gill said that he was horrified at the prospect of a replay and the situation "must never be repeated". Mr Gill called for Manchester United to be given a two-goal lead ahead of each FA Cup tie. "In the unlikely event that the match ends in a draw, there should be a penalty shoot-out afterwards." Arsenal Chairman Peter Hill-Wood said that he didn't believe in penalties, but that any Arsenal match ending in a draw should be settled by who wins a toss of the coin. "Arsenal should then be heads and tails," he said.

Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon, who has seen his Blues side play each of their FA Cup ties at home this year, said that Stamford Bridge should host all of Chelsea's Cup ties in the future. "We shouldn't be required to play away in the FA Cup," he said. Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho, meanwhile, has been angered by the West London extension to the congestion charge. Mourinho said that John Terry and Frank Lampard were banging on his door demanding an increase to their £120,000 a week wages following the introduction of the £8 charge to West London drivers. A furious Mourinho said: "Does that crazy Mayor Livingstone not realise how inconvenient it is. This £8 charge will put a huge dent in our wages."

Peter Kenyon tried to quell Mourinho's anger by calling for the FA to introduce special compensation payments to Chelsea, as well as adopting a seeding system for the FA Cup next season to ensure that Chelsea face lower league opposition at home in all of their FA Cup ties. Mr Kenyon called for smaller clubs to be fined if they try to force a replay against Chelsea.

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez, whose side are preparing for a Champions League tie against Barcelona, said that he agreed with the idea of a seeding system for the FA Cup. Benitez said that it was "unacceptable" for his Liverpool side to have faced Arsenal in the 3rd Round of the Cup this year. "All English clubs competing in the Champions League should get a bye into the semi-finals," said the Spaniard. Liverpool's new American owners backed the stance of their manager and said they wanted to see an end to meaningless Cup matches before the semi-final stage. American tycoon George Gillett said that this would free up more time for Liverpool to play lucrative matches in America and Japan which he insisted are "much more important to the global aims of our franchise."

A Liverpool spokeswoman confirmed that the club would be putting forward proposals to the FA and threatened action against anyone who objects. "Anyone who disagrees with us should be belted with one of Craig Bellamy's golf clubs," she said.

[Ewood Spark]

What did it say Hasta?

I bet we did not get complemented for our great following at Salzburg, Feyenoord and Leverkusen!

According to a mate at work who listened to the Leverkusen game on Radio Five they refered to our small following of between 300 to 400!!!

[AggyBlue]

Quality AES

Might be closer to the truth than we dare think

[trueblue]

Big four demand Cup replays are axed

He was backed afterwards by Manchester United chief executive David Gill, who said that United's forthcoming replay against Reading at the Madejski Stadium was "completely unacceptable".

If Scumchester are so bothered by fixture congestion why are they playing a meaningless game against a European XI on March 28th???

Double-standards or just greedy barstewards!!!

[thenodrog]

If Scumchester are so bothered by fixture congestion why are they playing a meaningless game against a European XI on March 28th???

Double-standards or just greedy barstewards!!!

We could do that even if it stuffs the lower league clubs out of big pay days but only if the Champions League is structured likewise. Who knows it might even make it mildly interesting.

[Hasta]

Hasta

Thanks for your email and I appreciate your explanation. It is certainly

becoming increasingly difficult for supporters to watch their teams play

home and away, and there are seemingly fewer days between matches.

Unfortunately, the FA Cup is becoming a victim and I have to agree with

Wenger's sentiments - it would be much easier to settle the ties on the

day.

Rest assured, had the match been at Ewood, I would have been equally

critical if Arsenal's supporters had not travelled in numbers.

Thanks again for your email.

Kind regards

Neil

This in reply to an email I sent to him pointing out the possible reasons contributing to our poor away following at the weekend.

Arsenal fan by any chance?

To be fair at least he replied.