[Archived] 5m

[thenodrog]

MGP will insist on aiming shots to the near post. It's far easier for keepers when players do that. He would find far more success from his strikes if he were to aim just inside the opponents far post....... just ask Benni.

Now it would indeed have been a fantastic goal if he had scored yesterdays very difficult volley but despite all the coaching and experience that MGP must have benefitted from he still persists in aiming most of his strikes on goal for the near post doesn't he?

Anybody care to speculate why this is? Surely one such succesful strike which claimed the winning goal at the home of his boyhood favourite club could not have left that much of an impression on his deep sub-conscious could it?

[herbergeehh]

His goal against Hungary for Norway is an example of the opposite though. And the goal against Fulham last season..

Last nights' effort just sliced off his foot, hard to tell where he was really aiming ?

[tcj_jones]

Now it would indeed have been a fantastic goal if he had scored yesterdays very difficult volley but despite all the coaching and experience that MGP must have benefitted from he still persists in aiming most of his strikes on goal for the near post doesn't he?

Anybody care to speculate why this is? Surely one such succesful strike which claimed the winning goal at the home of his boyhood favourite club could not have left that much of an impression on his deep sub-conscious could it?

When it happened, I was so angry, because it was at perfect heading height and if he put it accross the keeper it might have been a goal.

However, now I'm in two minds, because he has scored a few of those and should be allowed to try it. Maybe if he didn't pick the balls when a header probably would have scored, it would have been ok!

[JAL]

Now it would indeed have been a fantastic goal if he had scored yesterdays very difficult volley but despite all the coaching and experience that MGP must have benefitted from he still persists in aiming most of his strikes on goal for the near post doesn't he?

Anybody care to speculate why this is?

I think your looking far too much into this one by asking why MGP kicked it there instead of here, ask Shearer just get it on target which is what MGP was trying to do but it just didnt come off this time but i'm sure next time he'll net one. Forget all about coaching its all about practice on this one.

[thenodrog]

Now it would indeed have been a fantastic goal if he had scored yesterdays very difficult volley but despite all the coaching and experience that MGP must have benefitted from he still persists in aiming most of his strikes on goal for the near post doesn't he?Anybody care to speculate why this is?

I think your looking far too much into this one by asking why MGP kicked it there instead of here, ask Shearer just get it on target which is what MGP was trying to do but it just didnt come off this time but i'm sure next time he'll net one. Forget all about coaching its all about practice on this one.

That volley on Sat was an example, the comment was a generalisation. He elects to go near post far too often. It's just like the advice to angle headers on goal downwards, there are still plenty that go high into the net but the advice to head down if at all possible is valid, just as valid in fact as the advice to take the option of shooting across an advancing keeper to hit the side netting just inside the far post.

[JAL]

I think your looking far too much into this one by asking why MGP kicked it there instead of here, ask Shearer just get it on target which is what MGP was trying to do but it just didnt come off this time but i'm sure next time he'll net one. Forget all about coaching its all about practice on this one.

That volley on Sat was an example, the comment was a generalisation. He elects to go near post far too often. It's just like the advice to angle headers on goal downwards, there are still plenty that go high into the net but the advice to head down if at all possible is valid, just as valid in fact as the advice to take the option of shooting across an advancing keeper to hit the side netting just inside the far post.

Fully understand what your saying and it is valid nothing wrong with what you say at all, but come that moment in time i think MGP just looks to get it on target, as for his heading wasnt it in the semi final when he went to place a downward header past Cech only to see it go agonisingly wide. For me his technique in striking a ball as well as his heading is of the highest quality i'd just let him carry on doing what he feels is best for him.

Some you score some you miss cant wait to see one of his free kicks hit the back of the net some time very soon.

[Jan]

Fully understand what your saying and it is valid nothing wrong with what you say at all, but come that moment in time i think MGP just looks to get it on target, as for his heading wasnt it in the semi final when he went to place a downward header past Cech only to see it go agonisingly wide. For me his technique in striking a ball as well as his heading is of the highest quality i'd just let him carry on doing what he feels is best for him.

Some you score some you miss cant wait to see one of his free kicks hit the back of the net some time very soon.

Eh? Have you ever actually seen us play?

He's been pants all season. His set pieces have been atrocious (that's the polite word), he's been even dopier than usual and makes the wrong choice every time when "shooting". And as for "agonisingly wide"- substitute "didn't get on target with an open goal in front of him".

[MCMC1875]

Blimey! Lay off him, the lot of you.

It's only mid September. Even in any championship winning side it's rare that all eleven play well, week in, week out.

Creative players can win games with a single piece of flair. Fans have always overlooked this. Even in our 94/95 side, Wilcox (and even Atkins) had numerous detractors at Ewood every match (and not just on the Riverside). Before that Brotherston used to get it in the neck.

That's football fans for you, tremendous manager, improving squad, great result, unbeaten in 15 games, great season ahead and still some are not satisfied..........nothing changes.

[philipl]

Ask most football supporters in the UK to name Rovers two most famous footballers and the majority would come up with MGP and Benni.

We've just drawn at Stamford Bridge, are unbeaten in 8th with a game in hand having played the 1st, 2nd, 5th and 7th placed teams and MGP and Benni are getting slagged.

What is this? Some sort of penis envy (metaphorically speaking)?

[ihateburnley]

Ask most football supporters in the UK to name Rovers two most famous footballers and the majority would come up with MGP and Benni.

We've just drawn at Stamford Bridge, are unbeaten in 8th with a game in hand having played the 1st, 2nd, 5th and 7th placed teams and MGP and Benni are getting slagged.

What is this? Some sort of penis envy (metaphorically speaking)?

I think that's the whole point philip - we know that on their days they are probably our two best players yet they have yet to come up with the goods this season. Just because a player is better technically than the rest, it doesn't mean that player shouldn't be criticised for what were admittedly @#/? performances.

[Daremz]

I think that's the whole point philip - we know that on their days they are probably our two best players yet they have yet to come up with the goods this season. Just because a player is better technically than the rest, it doesn't mean that player shouldn't be criticised for what were admittedly @#/? performances.

You're right, but especially in the case of MGP, I feel a lot of negativism around these boards. And all this while we know what he can do; win us 2 or 3 matches a season due to individual skill. He just needs a match like Pompey at home to fire a free kick in and get his faith back. Things will turn out okay with MGP this season. And please stop about Sergio Peter. I'd rather have Javier de Pedro back as a back-up...

Blackburn - Portsmouth....

2-1

Benni McCarthy, MGP

Kapo.

[JAL]

Eh? Have you ever actually seen us play?

He's been pants all season. His set pieces have been atrocious (that's the polite word), he's been even dopier than usual and makes the wrong choice every time when "shooting". And as for "agonisingly wide"- substitute "didn't get on target with an open goal in front of him".

Take it your not a fan of MGP'S at the moment Jan, OK maybe hes taken the wrong option or failed to execute the finish but for me he still poses a threat from set pieces or open play plus hes putting in a tremendous amount of running covering Warnock. Relax and chill dont worrry if he misses another chance if MGP can stay cool then the goals will arrive.

[Jan]

Take it your not a fan of MGP'S at the moment Jan, OK maybe hes taken the wrong option or failed to execute the finish but for me he still poses a threat from set pieces or open play plus hes putting in a tremendous amount of running covering Warnock. Relax and chill dont worrry if he misses another chance if MGP can stay cool then the goals will arrive.

I just think he should never be allowed a holiday again. Last season he was crud for the first half, progressing to adequate with the occasional flashes of good towards the end of the season. This season he's back to crud again.

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

I just think he should never be allowed a holiday again. Last season he was crud for the first half, progressing to adequate with the occasional flashes of good towards the end of the season. This season he's back to crud again.

But I think that many people miss the point.

MGP is a solid left sided midfield player - with occasional flashes of brilliance. Unfortunately his dead balls have been nowhere near his usual standard - but his standard is a hell of a lot better than most players we have seen at Rovers in recent years.

But most important of all - he is a team player - he knows his role in the team - and contributes in every match he plays, as his work rate is unbelievable.

Maybe we were spoiled by Duff - who was probably one of the best players I have ever seen in a Rovers shirt. But I think the stick that MGP is totally out of order.

He isn't as good as some people in the national media think - but also he is nowhere near as bad as some of the people on this message board make out.

[thenodrog]

We've just drawn at Stamford Bridge, are unbeaten in 8th with a game in hand having played the 1st, 2nd, 5th and 7th placed teams and MGP and Benni are getting slagged.

Not slagged by me. I rate MGP. I rate his team ethic, his work rate and his basic ability, both on the ground and equally importantly in the air. My only criticism is this near post shooting obsession with him.

Maybe we were spoiled by Duff - who was probably one of the best players I have ever seen in a Rovers shirt.

Not totally in agreement with that. Duff was a crowd pleaser and had far better dribbling skills than MGP without a shadow of a doubt, but his shooting ability until his final season with us was generally woeful (and only appeared to improve under the tutelage of Dean Saunders) whilst his heading ability and dead ball skills were between non-existent and ordinary.

[BRFC4EVA]

Ask most football supporters in the UK to name Rovers two most famous footballers and the majority would come up with MGP and Benni.

We've just drawn at Stamford Bridge, are unbeaten in 8th with a game in hand having played the 1st, 2nd, 5th and 7th placed teams and MGP and Benni are getting slagged.

What is this? Some sort of penis envy (metaphorically speaking)?

On the other hand you can look at it from the positive point of view. We're unbeaten in 15, top 7 in the league and our 2 leading players havent really fired yet. Kinda like united-what are they gonna be like when they have Ronaldo and Rooney firing, how good are we gonna be when their firing with maybe Reidy also!

Mgp has started slowly, but he never stops working. Watching him closely this season, my only concern would be some of the rank dumb things he does. Like a simple pass infield going to the opposition or the like. However he has never left Warnock exposed and has never sulked-he will fire soon!

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

Not totally in agreement with that. Duff was a crowd pleaser and had far better dribbling skills than MGP without a shadow of a doubt, but his shooting ability until his final season with us was generally woeful (and only appeared to improve under the tutelage of Dean Saunders) whilst his heading ability and dead ball skills were between non-existent and ordinary.

I was more referring to the finished article that we sold onto Chelski. In his final season with us he was untouchable - as you say he added goal scoring to his dribblng skills - and I do recollect him scoring direct from a free kick in that final season.

[Blueboy Downunder]

Take it your not a fan of MGP'S at the moment Jan, OK maybe hes taken the wrong option or failed to execute the finish but for me he still poses a threat from set pieces or open play plus hes putting in a tremendous amount of running covering Warnock. Relax and chill dont worrry if he misses another chance if MGP can stay cool then the goals will arrive.

don't worry about it mate. jan has waited a while to find one but now has plumped for MGP for her scapegaot since souness left.

i did feel that he probably could and should have got that volley on target, cause i just think that it would have taken something special for cech to make a save from that close in and travelling at that speed. in saying that, i certainly am not going to slag the guy off because he missed that chance and also the open net against chelsea in the fa cup semi last season. it happens, thats football...get on with on!!

[Jan]

don't worry about it mate. jan has waited a while to find one but now has plumped for MGP for her scapegaot since souness left.

i did feel that he probably could and should have got that volley on target, cause i just think that it would have taken something special for cech to make a save from that close in and travelling at that speed. in saying that, i certainly am not going to slag the guy off because he missed that chance and also the open net against chelsea in the fa cup semi last season. it happens, thats football...get on with on!!

You're a sad, sad, sad person.

[thenodrog]

You're a sad, sad, sad person.

3 sads? I've told you a million times not to exaggerate!

[LWX]

if we were to do the greatest XI vote again in 5 years duff would still be our left winger.

as for peds.....

come on lad get into gear, and soon please.

[Blueboy Downunder]

mgp and the duffer have different qualities that they bring and have brought to rovers. the biggest thing for me with morten is that he is far less likely to run at the fullback and take him on, where duffer was a past master at that art. mgp is far better at free kicks but finishing i am kinda sitting on the fence between the two

thanks jan i really appreciate your kind words, but you'll do well to remember those very words when you are constantly slagging off our players and past employees of the club

[Daremz]

I finally have it. England is a land of paradigmatic negativism. We've played a few matches this season, and MGP is getting slagged by some of you. But wait, let's take a look a Mr. Tugay. It's clear he can't run games anymore because of his age, and besides a few halves of football (which he still can do, 45 minutes of football just suit him, after that he's useless and gets stupid yellow cards which could have cost us one of the best victories in the last few season). But wait, this is not the Tugay-thread, I'm sorry. What I'm saying is that it's unfair to slag MGP after a few matches while there are players there who are doing worse while the fan-favourite gets your protection. And because of his work-rate I think you always must have respect for a midfielder like MGP. As soon as he gets his set-pieces back on track he'll be of amazing value, and don't forget the opposite teams always keep an extra eye on him, which is in the advantage of the other players!

[ABBEY]

thanks jan i really appreciate your kind words, but you'll do well to remember those very words when you are constantly slagging off our players and past employees of the club

only back to 1991 though when she decided she wanted a second club.....right put her back on ignore.

[rover6]

Hughes must take some of the blame for MGP's continual average/poor form. Hughes has shown no interest in dropping Gamst when he is playing badly - when was the last time he was subbed in a game?

Now, the roared response to the above is - we don't have anyone to replace him because Sergio Peter isn't good enough/ready. However, Peter has shown that he has potential in previous games and unless Hughes gives him a chance to develop his confidence by getting first team action, he won't realise that potential, at Rovers.

What springs to mind is comments made by Steven Warnock about his experience trying to break into Benitez's plans. He expressly said that although he was occasionally given first team chances to shine - he felt that the manager didn't believe in him and that had a crucial fettering effect on his confidence and ability to perform to his maximum.

Hughes doesn't seem to believe in Sergio Peter. Rather, he has the utmost faith in Gamst regardless of whether he's having a Javi De Pedro day.