Liverpool Preview

[Wolverine]

0-0

We will outplay them and hammer the post and bar.

I wish I had put money on it... Cracking game!

[Beta Ray Bill]

Great game with some very solid performances throughout the team.

Benni has never worked harder in a Rovers shirt.

Ooijer was very good until Kewell came on.

Have we seen the birth of Bert mk III - the box-to-box defensive midfielder?

Samba just loves taking the michael out of the opposition.

Brad has virtually nothing to do for 75 mins and then saves the game for us several times.

Only downer on the entire day - the tosswit who parked in the Brown Cow blocking us in for over half an hour.

[RevidgeBlue]

I thought Santa Cruz was outstanding today.

I didn't mean what I wrote about him to come out like it sounded, he didn't play at all badly imo but I thought he lacked a bit of edge or sharpness as opposed to his early season form which I presume is down to his injury concerns.

[Dunnfc]

Rovers:

We were good but not excellent today, far too many passes/crosses went astray but with the players we had missing and the ones coming in we were good value for a point if not three. I felt the defence played terrificly well, but the midfield was atroccious apart from Emerton who was played out of position but played very well and deserved his MOM award for his gutsy performance. The fans should give each other a pat on the back because we were awesome today we really got Ewood rocking and even the Liverpool fans acknoledged this as sometimes we out sung them but the Liverpool fans were loud at times and well behaved so well done to them.

Pedersen and Bentley did struggle today but that was due to Liverpools defensive play and negative tatics as they played to defensive even the fans shouted "attack" as Liverpool at times were just so deep. No doubt on MOTD we will see just the liverpool chances only 1 on target and Mark Lawrenson will no doubt say they deserved to win but that is not the truth and if you wernt there you didnt really miss out apart from the cracking atmosphere. We did hit the post twice though.

Friedel kept us in the game at the end with some crucial blocks and some good commanding of his area, but McCarthy what a player, he worked so hard he could hardly walk when coming off Thanks to all the singing BRFC fans though you made my day.

[brfcshabba]

Where any of the crossbar challengers from on here?

If so you were crap

[S15]

Pedersen is a waste of time....

£7m was it Mr Levy?

[pg]

Considering I actually went to the game I think we should all be grateful that we grabbed a draw.

BTW I had my first pint of Thwaites Original before the game... lovely stuff!

[Dunnfc]

I went to the game bud, but im not grateful for a point because we clearly deserved that point if not more.

Pffft Thwaites

[USABlue]

Too many stray passes, Bentley was poor today I think we gave them too much respect too, Part way through the first half I thought they were there for the taking. Second half they slowly came on. Was their getting a foothold on the game when Dunny went off a coincidence?

Handball shout was a Pen in my opinion I've seen Carragher get away with that too many times. Commentators making all sort of excuses, the intent of going in with your hands up like that is to block the ball, not balance or any other of that crap.

Not happy with a point, in the end we only just hung on. We need to go for it more, few games now I see some fancy passing on the edge of the box when I think we should be heading goal wards. Bentley's crossing was woeful by his standards.

[pg]

Dunn - my record for attending Blackburn Rovers games was (until tonight)

1 draw, 6 losses - 7 goals for, 15 against.

[sumps]

feel like smashing my t.v screen in after that 'review' on motd!

[Jan]

Pedersen is a waste of time....

£7m was it Mr Levy?

I'd take 7p at the moment. At one point he walked over to the bench and I suggested he just sat down as at least then Mr Warnock would not HOPE to get assistance from him. Oh, and Philipl- the reason for Warnock not being as good today was that instead of Dunn in front of him he had the useless MGP there.

He needs dropping- preferably from the Clifton Suspension Bridge.

[philipl]

Thought I'd leave it to others to comment on MGP. There were some moments when he looked to be back in the groove then he would do something breathtakingly awful. A pass into space perfectly launching a Liverpool counter attack when he had drifted over to the right lateish in the second half was outstandingly bad.

When we have our midfielders fit, MGP certainly doesn't get anywhere a starting position on present form.

[Mozzer]

pedersen useless-let me guess, your one of the dimwits who booed him???

pedersen's defensive work always goes unnoticed, his defending when we was under the kosh was brilliant , ok his corners could have been better, but so could have bentley's....

im a massive fan of both bentley and pedersen, but to say pedersen is usless when bentley didnt do anything much better then pedersen is wrong..

[American Rover12]

Well, here's my two sense. I apologize for the random order these thoughts and mini rants are in.

Watched the game live at a bar with two of my friends. Hoping to show the one tat rover's are a good club and to see our style of play; hoping just to annoy the other ( a Manure Fan )

1st and foremost- the shot at the end of the 1st half that hit the crossbar was absolutely heartbreaking.

Domination in th first half doesn't even begin to describe it. Bentley needed to finish on his wide shot as well.

The second half we came out strong and then suddenly, it wasn't like that. I don't think, other then few gerrard and Dirk not knowing how to shoot, we were ever completely outplayed. Big Brad did save the day and our asses numerous times though.

Simple things like benni and MGP miscommunication in the corner, and passing in general, all elementary things, Rover's seemed to be making a mess of. MGP, in general, was crap today. Every free kick he insisted on taking was worse then the last one and he didn't have a decent service all match.

I don't know, there were so many good things but little bad things that left a bad taste in my mouth. Maybe I'm riding the high but I feel shafted by not taking all 3 away from the match today. If we want to be seriously considered, three points from the scousers shouldn't be unattainable.

But, a point is a point!

[Hasta]

Feel we should have won this but ultimately a good point and proves we are as good as the opposition around our current league position.

Superb performance by Dunny againt one of the 'top 4' until he went off. What did you make of it JAL?

the reason for Warnock not being as good today was that instead of Dunn in front of him he had the useless MGP there.

Warnocks distribution was very poor at times. He has several good games and then throws in a shocker. Today was one of them. To blame MGP is ridiculous, petty and makes you come across like JAL - as a person whose views are blinkered by another agenda.

[USABlue]

I thought MGP was poor too today. Bents is the one that disappointed me the most. It took him forever before he got a decent corner over and the one cross he put over everyone afte Rocky had done some great work then got free in the middle was heartbreaking. I was hoping he'd shine on a stage like today but he did not. It's the kind of game a young man with England aspirations should be making peolpe sit up and look not walk away saying see I told you he was not good enough. The more I think about it the more upset I am we did not get three points, three today and we'd be up there with the arse and manyoo Oh for Dunny's shot to have been one inch lower.

[SuperStella]

stop f**king moaning u spoilt tw*ts

[Grabbi Graeme]

Came away from the game a little disappointed that we only got a point, but after a little reflection we were playing one of the alleged top four although they didn't look like it.

Don't think there were any real bad performances from us we worked well, apart from the last 10 mins when it looked like we going for the draw.

Warnock and Pedersen was certainly better than what we had on the right, Ooijer is not a player who can overlap with Bentley like Bert does.

Brad not needed for most of the game then comes up with a great save, again Samba was fantastic Nelsen solid on his return, Bert adding another string to his bow and Dunn getting back to player we know.

Benni and Santa again worked hard up front.

As for Liverpool all I can say is that they seem a one man team, everything they created went through Gerrard, without him they would struggle.

[Seggie]

stop f**king moaning u spoilt tw*ts

First off Ive only read this page, I had to leave Ewood quite quick to get to Manchester for a gig and havnt had the time to go through the last couple of pages. But SS I completely understand were you are coming from because I felt at the end we were very lucky to come away with a point.

For most the game we did what we had to do and keep Gerrard quiet, Liverpool to me are only a good team when he plays well so we have done good. But the problems began when Dunn went off and Tugay replaced him although Toogs had some nice touches he didnt have the same effect as Dunn who I felt had had yet another quality game. For long periods we were the better team.

People looking for faults with individual performances should look at things this way, the team got a point it keeps us ahead of the scousers and we have a game in hand, if we win that we will go third so stop bloody moaning.

Incidently I was stopped every five mins before the Foo Fighters gig in Manchester tonight and had to have a discussion with a few people about this match and how they as neutrals felt it was a good result AND how well we are playing this season. But the funniest thing of the evening had to be Im at this gig still wearing my colours and I take my seat and Ive booked our tickets and it pans out Im sat next to a DINGLE who was also quite complementry about our form. His Daughter did apologise a few times for her dad calling me a B*stard.

Great night guys we ARE going places. Lets believe in the lads for next week and another point will see me happy

[Neil Weaver]

Glad to see sanity returning (SS and GG ; btw GG, time for a change of name?). What game did you watch today Rev?

Can't fault anyone for lack of effort, wouldn't argue one or two didn't play to the standards they've set of late, but bear in mind the opposition for gawd's sake. They were a damned sight sharper and quicker to close down than the likes of Reading. We had the better of that game for an hour. Mention in dispatches for Bert for a fine game as a centre mid : when I saw the team before the start I gave us no chance, thought we'd see nothing of the ball and Gerrard would have free rein, but Bert (and Dunny till he went off) kept it an even battle in midfield. You saw what the game might have been like when Tugs had to come on for the last 30 mins - totally different.

A really enjoyable game between two evenly matched teams - different strengths, but sharing the points was about right from where I was sat.

[Rover Down Under]

My 2 shillings:

- Atmosphere - a few posts said it was good but I swear I spent most of the match listening to Liverpool fans, especially the beginning. I heard a few "Hughesie" and "McCarthy" chants but it didn't sound that good to me. Mind you it wouldn't surprise me if Sky altered the volumes, or put more mikes at the Darwen End.

- For a team that cost less than Torre's left leg we made 'Pool look mediocre at times, there was a sweet moment in the first half when Samba just walked the ball past their front men out of defense.

- Great to see Benni is back, it has occurred to me that he might have been suffering from depression during that recent dip in form, anyone else think so?

- The commentary was utter drivel. I'm surprised they could talk so much whilst simultaneously blowing Liverpool and / or Gerrard (I'm sick to death of the overrated tosser), it's like we were'nt even there - pathetic. And the penalty comments, GOD! The ball WAS going in the net were it not for those arms - balancing himself my arse. There was a penalty or two given last year against Nelson (?) for similar handballs nowhere near the net. If it had been t'other way round no guesses as to what would have happened.

- In games with so few chances we needed much better crosses - MGP & Bents! MGP wasn't as bad as some posters suggested, I think he's "coming back" slowly and will hit a golden patch soon.

- There was some lovely slick passing and great team work in the first half, lost it a bit in the second.

- Bring on Southern Counties United next weekend!

[Wolves_Rover]

stop f**king moaning u spoilt tw*ts

Gotta agree here.

We played well in the first half but not so well in the second (Bradley excepted).

All in all a good point although I was concerned that Crouch took Samba apart in the last 10.

If we take points off the "big 4" and beat the others we're laughing.

roll on utd......

[philipl]

They are in a minority of one but the Times consider Rovers overwhelmingly superior in all departments.

However, most reports see the draw as no more or less than both sides deserved. The Independent probably gets it right- Liverpool are a clun in insipient crisis with no clear route forwards. The selection made by Rafa yesterday was all about how to play and control the Rovers

[Alan75]

OK Who noticed the referee yesterday.

Makes a refreshing change, when the ref isnt the centre of attention. He realised that it was a top of the table clash, let the game flow, and had quiet words with the players committing offences. He may not have give a penalty for the hand ball, as he may have not seen it, (I didnt until MOTD)

Well done Martin Atkinson.

For those knocking the players performance, please remember that this was the third game in six days, two of which were away Spuds and Pompey. Teams (even the top four) now playing Rovers are showing respect for the way we play and are more defencive in their play. Liverpool played the game down middle of the park, preventing our wingers from seeing much of the ball. We were playing one of the top clubs and we outplayed them for most of the game.

Whilst Samba and Friedel once again were exceptional, my man of the match has to be Emerton, playing out of position he took on the role of defensive midfielder in the middle of the park, he chased and harried all afternoon and didnt put a foot wrong.