[Archived] Others' Views Of Rovers

[philipl]

I went back seven pages to find a suitable thread for this article debating whether the Rovers would be good enough for a Champions' League spot. Seemingly not enough strength in depth but equally more a lack of depth of knowledge in the writer.

Anyway, here is a sink for dropping third party views about Rovers into.

[Tim Southampton Rover]

I asked my friends, who are football fans, to pick the best Rovers XI out of the current squad using the BBC Sport Team Selector. They were putting Warnock at CB, Nelsen at LB, they didn't even pick Samba and they picked Pedersen on the right of midfield. I then told them to pick the teams for United, Chelsea and Liverpool and they pretty much picked the best players in the right positions. I honestly think people are now brainwashed with the top 4 teams because they are always in the media spotlight yet teams like Blackburn, Bolton etc don't get much positive recognition because people just don't know anything about us.

[Eddie]

I actually think that article is pretty much right. It's true that we don't have enough cover in certain areas, central midfield, right midfield and probably right back, with central midfield being a very important problem.

I've seen a lot of positive stuff about us in the last few weeks. We've been taken up as one of the small teams that people like to talk about recently, but it is true that if you are 8-15th you'll get very little attention.

[stuwilky]

I actually think that article is pretty much right. It's true that we don't have enough cover in certain areas, central midfield, right midfield and probably right back, with central midfield being a very important problem.

I've seen a lot of positive stuff about us in the last few weeks. We've been taken up as one of the small teams that people like to talk about recently, but it is true that if you are 8-15th you'll get very little attention.

How many right backs do we need?

Emerton

Ooijer

And even the Admiral are far more than competant right backs.

[Tim Southampton Rover]

I think Emerton's performances this season has proved that we probably don't need a right back. Before the season started, I had my doubts over him playing there but he has been superb.

[Eddie]

How many right backs do we need?

Emerton

Ooijer

And even the Admiral are far more than competant right backs.

I like Ooijer at centre back, but I'm really not a fan of him at right back. We have to change the way we play when he is there and we are seriously weaker for it, the same would happen if Nelsen was there. I'd even rather see someone like Reid play there. If Emerton picked up an injury and was out for 5+ games then I think we would suffer.

[stuwilky]

I like Ooijer at centre back, but I'm really not a fan of him at right back. We have to change the way we play when he is there and we are seriously weaker for it, the same would happen if Nelsen was there. I'd even rather see someone like Reid play there. If Emerton picked up an injury and was out for 5+ games then I think we would suffer.

But we arent Chelsea are we....

We cant have a tip top player in exactly the same mould as the others.

Do we have good cover at right back? The answer is yes.

Centre midfield is our weak point at the moment.

[Maverick]

One of the biggest newspapers in Norway had an article about Rovers and how well start to the season we have had. Gamst was asked what he thought about Rovers getting so little notice in the media in England. He said that was just fine. That made it much easier to consentrate about playing football and hopefully competes for a top spot at the end of the season.

[JAL]

I think it would be better to keep Rovers a big secret and just pick up the prizes at the end of the season an embarrass all conected with the media in this country.

[Exiled_Rover]

I actually think that article is pretty much right. It's true that we don't have enough cover in certain areas, central midfield, right midfield and probably right back, with central midfield being a very important problem.

I've seen a lot of positive stuff about us in the last few weeks. We've been taken up as one of the small teams that people like to talk about recently, but it is true that if you are 8-15th you'll get very little attention.

I was just about to say, the piece is pretty fair. We don't have a deep enough squad to challenge if injuries and suspensions take their toll.

[tcj_jones]

How many right backs do we need?

Emerton

Ooijer

And even the Admiral are far more than competant right backs.

From what I have seen of Ooijer in his time at Rovers, I'd be inclined to say he is a pretty poor right back. He is not a fit replacement for Emerton (who thought I'd be saying that a season or two ago?!) In fact, Ooijer doesn't fill me with confidence even at centre back. Maybe I haven't seen enough of him in the centre - he should be quality considering his number of dutch caps and the number of times he's captained his country.

Right now, I think we could deal with an injury to almost every member of the team quite easily, except for Friedel, Emerton and Bentley who, right now, are irreplaceable. I would add Pedersen to that list, but he has been somewhat off form recently.

[jonman105]

Good article!

[lockers]

Generally most people in my experience think that we are just a small club punching above our weight and that we only have 3 players (Benni, Bents, MGP)

Let them think it i say!!

[youandwhosearmy]

its a positive and honest article in my view, sure there are some slight facts wrong, but you can tell the writer knows their stuff about us generally

[stuwilky]

From what I have seen of Ooijer in his time at Rovers, I'd be inclined to say he is a pretty poor right back. He is not a fit replacement for Emerton (who thought I'd be saying that a season or two ago?!) In fact, Ooijer doesn't fill me with confidence even at centre back. Maybe I haven't seen enough of him in the centre - he should be quality considering his number of dutch caps and the number of times he's captained his country.

How often have you seen him at right back for Rovers?

[Alan75]

Not my favoured right back, but Ooijer had a solid performance as a defensive full back against City on Sunday. Be it that Emerton was there as cover and did all the running for him.

Oooijer is a solid defender but as an attacking wing back then forget it. Thats were the concern arises should Emerton be injured or suspended, then we have no wing back cover, as our game is based on 2 wingers and 2 wing backs who cover each other.

[Earlydoors]

Is Samba likely to go to The African Cup of Nations in Jan /Feb ?

I think he was born in France but qualifies for someone else ?

We will miss him - on current form he's likely to challenge for PFA Players Player award.

Might need to buy a replacement in January transfer window -- Woodgate anybody ? Boro should be bottom three by then.

[HairwayToSteven]

I also think that we'd suffer should injuries flourish once again, though maybe not to last year's extent. I feel we're slightly more capable of putting acceptable people in. The point I'm making is that when we had to put the axe in last year he was abysmal - until he found form and proved just about everyone wrong, myself included. If say, he had to lace his boots this year I think it would take him less time to adjust. Same goes for Derbs and Roberts and Ooijer (remember the game vs Chelski and his really slow start?) who've gotten more adjusted and used to the style of play. So there is a more capable squad from last year, but we haven't really got strength in numbers, like the really big teams have. I mean, even the big teams have displayed vulnerability to injuries & suspentions (Chelski (Terry), Le Arse (Henry and a plethora of players), Man U (Scholes, Rooney and now suspended Ronaldo) and Tottenham (King, Dawson - imo their achilles heel). We don't have a proven left winger to replace MGP i.e., and though he hasn't found any form he's still hard to replace. One can remember in times of misplaced free kicks and corners, that he runs the most of all the players in the PL!. We could throw Treacy in there, but he has almost no experience at the highest level, if any. We also have the young german Peter, but I think he's still recovering from the injurie. Other players that are really tough to replace: Bents, Warnock, Samba/Nelsen, McCarthy/Santa Cruz and not to mention Friedel (who I suspect quite a few of us take for granted). Just about any disruption to the current first XI will have an influence in our great flow and accurate passing game. That's my opinion.

EDIT: Errrr.... this was me agreeing with the person who wrote that article to some extent.

[Eddie]

But we arent Chelsea are we....

We cant have a tip top player in exactly the same mould as the others.

Do we have good cover at right back? The answer is yes.

Centre midfield is our weak point at the moment.

I'm not saying tip top, but for me we don't have a player who can fill in and play the same way, or even anywhere like it, so that is a problem. We have enough cover up front, centre backs, goalkeepers, left back and left midfield (I think Peter would be fine and could turn out to be a very good player). Right midfield we could work around, using Reid, Emerton, Dunn or even playing Pedersen on the right; but at the centre of midfield and at right back I would be really worried if Emerton or any of the big centre midfielders is out for a pit (particularly Savage).

[bluebruce]

My biggest worry would definitely be right wing. I didn't think we had a sufficient right winger until Bentley started performing, and if he gets injured we could be screwed. He's a completely instrumental player in our squad, so much so that we pretty much never drop him unless we have to. I know we have players that 'can' play there. But I don't find any of them good enough. Up front Benni and Roque are both important but IMO we can afford to lose either of them for a brief period, with excellent backup. Not seen enough of Jason Brown to know how much we would suffer if Brad was injured, but injuries to keepers are thankfully pretty rare, Brad in particular. He's Superman after all. I think we can cope with most injuries elsewhere (even to Pedersen since he's so bloody inconsistent anyway and I rate Peter higher than most on here...plus Warnock could shift up there well I'm sure, he's quality coming forward).

[HairwayToSteven]

My biggest worry would definitely be right wing. I didn't think we had a sufficient right winger until Bentley started performing, and if he gets injured we could be screwed. He's a completely instrumental player in our squad, so much so that we pretty much never drop him unless we have to. I know we have players that 'can' play there. But I don't find any of them good enough. Up front Benni and Roque are both important but IMO we can afford to lose either of them for a brief period, with excellent backup. Not seen enough of Jason Brown to know how much we would suffer if Brad was injured, but injuries to keepers are thankfully pretty rare, Brad in particular. He's Superman after all. I think we can cope with most injuries elsewhere (even to Pedersen since he's so bloody inconsistent anyway and I rate Peter higher than most on here...plus Warnock could shift up there well I'm sure, he's quality coming forward).

Warnock replacing MGP would be less than smart imo, who'd play LB? I also rate Peter more than most I guess, but either he's still injured (or coming back from injury) or he's had a dip in form.

[stuwilky]

left midfield (I think Peter would be fine and could turn out to be a very good player).

Based on how many minutes of senior playing time Eddie?

[Anti-Dingle-Brigade]

African Nations is where we will be most likely to lose.

Losing Benni, Samba, Axe and possibly others will pretty much devastate us

[Hypo-Luxa]

African Nations is where we will be most likely to lose.

Losing Benni, Samba, Axe and possibly others will pretty much devastate us

Luckily during the African Nations we have a relatively easy schedule(Sunderland, Bolton, Derby, 'Boro). Plus if we have a full squad to pick from, we should be ok. Not 100%, obviously, but we should be fine. Santa Cruz-Derbyshire up front with Zurab or Ooijer filling in for Samba will suffice. I just hope and pray we stay healthy enough to pick from a full squad when the African Nations Cup is going on AND that none of our guys get hurt while playing in the African Nations.

[tcj_jones]

How often have you seen him at right back for Rovers?

This season playing at right back, I have seen Ooijer play in:

Middlesbrough (a) - 50 mins + of Football First highlights

Mypa (a) - Whole 90 minutes, Channel 5

Arsenal (h) - 5 min sub appeance at Ewood

Man City (h) - 30 mins sub appearance at Ewood

As for last season, I cannot recall, although I seem to remember seeing him play at right back on a few occasions. It might only stand at two full games and two sub appearances this season, but he has looked pretty poor. He offers us nothing when either he or the team is in possession of the ball, offers nothing going forward and is too slow to play as a full back. Sometimes you see a player and you can make that kind of judgement.

Ooijer started to hit a bit of form for us before his injury last season, but he made several bad mistakes before then. I'd say that, for the majority of his time at Rovers, although he did suffer a broken leg, he has not been impressive. He is certainly a better centre back than he is right back though.

Also, if you were making an implication as to the amount of time I spend watching Rovers, well I am very proud to tell you that I see a lot, especially when you consider that I either have to make the journey from London, or as is the case for most games, Canterbury, and on a large student debt. I have already been to Ewood for both home games, and should be attending Chelsea away next week.