West Ham Preview

[Nayef]

We had Aston Villa, Newcastle and West Ham in succession at Ewood. Forgive me Rovers for thinking that was 9 points there.

I hope I'm wrong but these sort of results suggest a mid-table mediocrity finish is looming.

The only silver lining was our turkish delight's pass to Santa. Sweetly weighted and Santa did Tugay the most injustice by blazing over.

[ABBEY]

arse /rent boys to follow

[American Rover12]

I think the guy who writes for the offisde, reads this board snd then just uses things all of us have said.

[cletus]

I don`t quite know where to start here!

I came away from Ewood very disappointed with performances, tactics & attitude of Blackburn Rovers yesterday.

I cannot put my finger on it, but i 'sense' there isn`t the togetherness in the squad their once was. Some players are starting to play for themselves & not for the team. When Hughes took over the club, he instilled a work ethic & a determination into the squad. Dirty Rovers was the tag the press gave us. We weren`t dirty, we were a tough organised team who fought for every ball & didn`t let reputations bother us.

In recent months, i`ve witnessed so-called 'lesser teams' come to Ewood & out-muscle Rovers. Once they out-muscled us, they sneek a goal & sit on it. Pompey did it, Villa did it & now West Ham have done it.

I don`t like to see Rovers lose, but it makes it more pallatable when they lose to a better side. The 3 home games we`ve lost this season have (in my view) been to poor quality sides. They`ve not beaten Rovers......Rovers have beaten themselves.

Hughsey needs to start kicking some arse!

(btw.....a friend who works at the club says Hughes had the team locked in the dressing room for over an hour after the final whistle. I certainly hope a few home-truths were said!)

[herbergeehh]

We had Aston Villa, Newcastle and West Ham in succession at Ewood. Forgive me Rovers for thinking that was 9 points there.

I hope I'm wrong but these sort of results suggest a mid-table mediocrity finish is looming.

The only silver lining was our turkish delight's pass to Santa. Sweetly weighted and Santa did Tugay the most injustice by blazing over.

I simply cannot believe Santa Cruz didn't score last night, that chance being the clearest opportunity after a lovely first touch.. It really was an easy goal in the end. What has happened to our pressure in midfield, we need someone to run the opposition in there. I agree with you, these three matches should've been at least seven points, preferably nine, we had the chance and we blew it. Still not way off the 4th spot though, but we need to start winning now.

[rover6]

I believe that they may be suspended right now (after kicking opposition players in reserve matches) but one of Keith Treacy/Sergio Peter must come into contention now. It's ridiculous that Gamst can play tripe game in game out - and Dunn the Winger isn't much better, without being usurped. Even with Bentley, we lack a real winger who can stretch teams with pace - yet Peter and Treacy can potentially do that given the chance.

They cannot do worse than Gamst and Dunn.

If we had a winger actually doing his job, we might be a slightly strong defensive side because Steven Warnock would not have to do the job of two men. He seems to be providing the attacking threat from our left flank - yet he has to do the left back defensive role as well.

As for Mokoena, he is just proving his doubters right. The critics said, give him a run in the team in a 4-4-2 and he will showcase his mediocrity. I still cannot believe that people were rating him just because he came off the bench and did some defensive donkey work as we defended a lead - any big, strong bloke with mobility could do that. (Almost).

[OscarRaven]

Have to say was very disappointed.

Three home games in a row now with the same mistakes against Villa we played great but when we conceded and confidence went and we had no guile to break Villa down. Again against Newcastle we conceded first, fortunately they were too poor to 'sit on it' and in the end we got lucky. One player who didn't have a particularly good game (even on the right) was the difference.

Against West Ham after the first half we should have counted our blessings and bought on Savage (for Axe) and Roberts (for B Mc) and showed some of that famous Rovers 'bullying'. Main problem - no service, Pederson and Dunn pulled into the middle constantly chasing the game. I have to say this is one where it lacked organisation and that’s the Managers responsibility.

The players need a confidence boost and soon - Wigan? I think the Chelsea game would be better personally, a good performance against a top 4 team is better than a scrappy win against a bottom 3 side for confidence in my opinion.

So just a few points separate us and Newcastle now and they are having a bad season apparently!

A reality check for us fans,

A big challenge for the management,

A real test of character for the players,

Christmas as usual will decide the mini leagues hopefully we can still be in and around for a top 6 finish but its going to be difficult as the relatively new (and very expensively assembled) teams of Villa, City and West ham begin to gel and tough old boots Everton and Portsmouth continue to grind out solid results.

We need to find that solidness at the back we used to have and then do something Rovers have not done for a long time in my opinion and that’s play consistently week in week out.

We have all the right pieces, just got to get them in the right place.

[RoyRover]

Yesterday's performance was truly horrific. Our first half performance in particular was bordering on the embarrassing. Any thoughts of finishing in the top 4 have gone and if we are to be top 6 side, we need to be beating teams like West Ham at home. There are very few positives to take out of this game. Benni played very well and it was nice to see Robbie Savage and Steven Reid getting more game time, but apart from that it was dreadful. We lacked quality on the ball, pace going forward and apart from Tugay, no one who looked like they could open a team up.

We had a couple of chances, Dunn hit the bar, Pedersen's two chances, Roque's header and shot and Tugay's volley at the end, but most of these were half chances. Our strikers are struggling for form and Pedersen doesn't just look like he has no confidence, he looks like he is totally out of his depth at this level. As for Mokoena, the less said the better! I think people have over estimated the quality of our side and I do believe that some serious money needs to be spent in January on better quality players.

[tchocky]

Now the game has sunk in and the worst disappointment waned. It was a truly frustrating game to watch, but some of the criticism here is amazing. We lost by one goal but were absolutely not outclassed by any means. We were not far off a result yesterday. West Ham came and did exactly as they had planned. Limited our options and pressurized us at our own place. They did their job very well and made life difficult for us. In the end they carried out their plan and came away with the prize. However we did have a fair few chances and I feel a draw would have been a better reflection of the game.

The main thing that annoyed me was not the performances of individual players, just the general lack of confidence and movement off the ball. Often times our players were standing around waiting for a pass, making it easy for an opposition player to close him down. The lack of an leader was apparent. If Savage had been on from the start, playing at his best, instead of Mokoena that would probably have inspired the others to put in the extra effort needed. Mokoena tried and failed to tame Parker. I feel that Sav would have done a better job of harassing him. It's mainly his non-stop running and determination that we lack.

I felt these looked especially insecure yesterday:

- Samba

- Gamst

- Mokoena

- Rocky

- Warnock

And to a lesser extent Emerton.

Maybe Ooijer would have been more effective as captain...

[artemorethanlabore]

I gotta say, the drop in form in the last couple of weeks doesn't nullify the great football played so far this season. Seems like the only two categories are greatest team since 1995 and "buy a new midfield". Yesterday was bad, but lets be reasonable.

[Hasta]

I've said all season that I don't feel a Tugay / Mokoana central midfield can work. Neither one of the, will pick any scraps up from the front men because they are both too deep. As a result the two wide men are having to tuck in and end up ineffectively playing neither wide or centrally. That's not an excuse as to why they were both poor mind you!

If one of these two plays then Savage, Reid or Dunn has to play with him and be allowed to push further forward.

People questioned Santa Cruz's scoring record when he came. He's obviously a very classy performer but I think recently we've seen why he doesnt score 15 a season. That miss yesterday was very similar to the one Roberts missed in the League Cup when he got injured. If Jase had missed that yesterday there'd be a lynch mob on here.

[1864roverite]

My take on the game was that Rovers were devoid of any drive or creativity.

Tugay, for all his good, gives too much ball away and cannot track back, the same can be said for Mokoena.

MGP, Benni and Dunny gave too light a performance yesterday. In fact we had 5 players who didnt seem interested until it was too late.

It was sad to watch our demise yesterday. I say demise because we had the chance to cement 7th spot with wigan on the horizon. I think that this game may have taken too much out of us like it did last season.

We need a central midfielder and we need someone in the back room staff to give the midfielders a kick up the jacksy. Its where we are losing the games from.

[Boz]

Yes, sad is a good adjective for yesterday's performance. Either of Rocky's or Tugs chances would have masked another lack lustre home game. We did have a number of opportunities to get at least a point but it was not to be. I must say that in my opinion the lack of width was a telling factor with the backs and midfield having little options as Dunny and MGP were slow to get wide to make themselves available. They seemed content to play narrow with both of them continually cutting inside. Dunny again being asked to play in another position and MGP still very much out of form being possible excuses. Time for some other solutions in these positions, Bents is specifically the answer to one, as for the other despite MGP's endeavours his confidence appears to be nil. May I just whisper a worry in my mind? Samba's performances since he got his new contract?

Disappointing, there's another description, but I personally will leave this with the few who boo a young goal keeper trying to make an impression on the international scene, but who was thrown to the lions by a desperate coach, and also to those who chose the focus on ex players rather than getting behind their team. But you pay your money and take your choice, just disappointing in my view.

[CAPT KAYOS]

we just so SLOW at getting up and around him. His self-belief ebbed through that first half as he lost posession having to play hospital balls because the midfield was anywhere except arriving where it should have been supporting the lead front man.

Something I have mentioned many times previously on here and I don't mean with just Santa up front.

Anyway, after my comments last week about not attending, I was back on to be there yesterday (especially after a 'them old days' tete a tet'with Ste B on Saturday night) but then other events took the decision out of my hands - so didn't actually attend after all -which sounds better that I didn't on all accounts.

So will not comment on the game just the aspects of the comments which it would appear to be repeating themselves yet again.

No width - as many have mentioned without this we are an average side that fannys about too much. From what has been said looks like we do miss the creativity of Bentley which has been mentioned numerous times before, however IMO its only when he plays out wide - when he has the freerole it seems to confuse the rest of them.

Chances - again something I have mentioned and about not making the opposition keeper work, despite all the fancy play at times we are never decisive enough to kill off teams - and tend to always rue them. Another aspect I am sure we are probably the worst of also ie missing chances and losing games.

Goals conceded - not seen yesterdays but from all accounts another giveaway goal - how many is that this season?

Now the worrying thing I heard on the radio this morning from Hughes - he said we where poor but then mentioned they changed it to go offensive in the second half!!! - What the hell is all that about - we where the home team so should be pressuring them from the off - did we not do that?

Would appear that one thing is certain, we certainly need strength in midfield, and another option on the left and get back to the normal lineup as much as possible.

[Dunnfc]

WOW

We were awful yesterday, we looked like a side scrapping to stay in the league ala Bolton. Too many misplaced passes and poor crossing and is it me or is the no communication amongst the defence and wing play. Totally awful yesterday Benni dropped too deep, Roque didnt want to shoot, and please someone tell the players too shoot instead of doo lallying around the box and losing the ball. Weve seemed to believe our own hype and i hope this latest defeat brings us back down to earth! The fans deserved better than that yesterday they are the ones who paid too watch that shower of ######. I personally think we selected the wrong team but hey Wigan next week

[Wild Irish Rover]

Watched the game in a bar in Krakow, Poland and was very disappointed in the performance. West Ham though, looked like a team who WANTED TO WIN everything - more drive, more commitment, more accuracy, more tackles put in, more ideas, more football and more desire. So perhaps no surprise that we failed to overcome.

IMO someone needs to remind Hughesey that there was optimism at the start of the season about the fact we had strong wide players who would be able to get to the bye line and cross for our strong headers of the ball. Watching yesterday, just like in so many other games this season, I was frustrated to see Roque playing deep and not going for goal (a couple of notably nervous exceptions apart), MGP and Emerton generally failing to take on defenders and go for the bye line to put in deep crosses and the midfield just huffing and puffing without any real sense of purpose.

Mind you, that dirty B*****d Cole should have gone for his challenge on Samba - totally cynical and the arshe just took his yelllow card and was smirking to his team mates like he knew he had got away with it.

I'll be there at Wigan, though not as optimistic as I would like, given the 0-3 performances enjoyed at the JJB the last two visits. I would love to think we will come through. Here's hoping, from Poland.

[emglch]

after the string of results, hughes still maintained that the present squad is good enough.

but realistically, for the kind of money that is available for signings and wages, i suppose this is good enough.

how sad as richer clubs like pompey, villa, man city, west ham and everton seem likely to finish in front of rovers on the current form.

[Hughesy]

Its just a minor blip, yes we weren’t at our best but we should of got at least a point from the game. We had some good chances which on another day would of resulted in a 2 or 3-1 win.

Keep the faith, it wont be long until we go on another good run again. Luckily for us the results around us were not too bad this weekend so we are still in touch.

[speeeeeeedie]

Rovers were not at the races yesterday, they couldn't pass, move, or create decent chances. Everyone was bad, you can't single any 1 person out. Savage proved what he's good at when he came on, he closed down 4 West Ham players in about 10 seconds and they ended up rushing a pass straight to Friedel, but he won't give you much else.

Santa Cruz was unlucky with his header and deserves a whipping for missing the Tugay pass 2 minutes later. He tried to kick the skin off it even though Green had already gone to ground, all it needed was a little dink over him.

We've now lost at home to West Ham, Aston Villa, and Portsmouth; hardly Euro form is it? Bring on the domestic cups.

Does the MOTM poll default to Tugay? He certainly was not our best performer yesterday.

[waggy]

HUGHES has to take his part off the blame for this result,playing the axe was a disgraceful decision,he offers very little.Once again the substitution's were far to late,why was derbyshire not brought on his pace would have been useful,and to give roberts 15 mins was beyond belief.We need to get benny back were he scores goals,playing centre forward not on the left wing,in the gap or were ever he is playing now.i said it last week samba needs resting,and i think nelsen and zurab should be paired up at wigan.Oojer was my man of the match by a mile,unfortunatley his injury seemed to make a hard job impossible.as for the booing of lucash,how many times does that galvanise a side

[AndyC]

what did you guys think west ham should have done when Ooijer went down injured.

kick the ball out?

I personally think they should have, on the basis that the hammers player was nowhere close to the ball when Ooijer went down..

no charity in the prem league though! wasn't it paulo di canio that got slated for doing a similar thing once for the hammers?

[Eddie]

Di Canio once caught the ball when the keeper had gone down injured when he easily could have scored. Rather than being slated he was praised by pretty much everyone.

[Paul]

what did you guys think west ham should have done when Ooijer went down injured.

kick the ball out?

I personally think they should have, on the basis that the hammers player was nowhere close to the ball when Ooijer went down..

no charity in the prem league though! wasn't it paulo di canio that got slated for doing a similar thing once for the hammers?

I'd have expected our guys to stick it in the back of the net.

[Steve]

everyone had a poor day, yet people only mention pedersen...

im not on about years back-in on about today, and still with one of his better performances he gets slated..i suppose it will take a goal a game to stop fans calling him..

Firstly I'm going to pick the positives today now that I've had time to reflect, I watched it at home (Cant afford the trip across cos' of christmas etc)

I did throw the remote I admit and did threaten to be head the dog if he barked again (Damn Westie's)

Heres what I thought, Gamst had a good game he was much more lively then usual, which isn't saying a lot but he did look like the only player capable of scoring for us, which is bad news in itself......

Friedel played well again, sometimes I worry about his kicking but he is still a rock.

Samba had a really good game he is very composed and surprisingly good on the ball for a big chap, if we had other centre backs I wouldn't mind watching him in a centre midfield role.

Tugay was excellent! The last few weeks I've been questioning whether he still "could do it" Sunday he proved he could, did anyone else see the turn of pace in 65th minute!! That pass to Roque was mouth watering

Things that frustrated me

Emerton, I'm not usually one for bad mouthing but how anyone can fail to take on George McCartney I'll never know! Emerton used to be regarded as a winger and a quick one at that, he didn't reach the byline once, even when Dunn came inside and McCartney followed Emerton just stood still... (Thats the point the remote left my hand)

Warnock..... didn't look his normal self, didnt really move much and his crossing wasn't the sharpest

The Axe..... His passing is terrible at times and he dallies on the ball too much, he's a bit of a poor mans Robbie Savage, at least with Sav on the pitch Gamst doest take all the free kicks. But he does break the play up well..... shame he then passes the ball straight to the opposition again

Santa Cruz..... He also had an off day he didn't link with McCarthy all day and his distribution was awful. Should have had a brace

Dunn.... If your on the wing stay there! I would much prefer to see him central then wide.

Everyone else was ok, although Ooijer still concerns me I think his lack of pace can be frightening at times I must admit I feel much better with Zurab and Samba/Samba and Nelsen.

All the above taken into consideration it would have been a very different result had Bentley been playing, sometimes you just need a bit of craft and guile at times and we missed that yesterday, we usually get that from Tugay but he was cleaning up after The Axe all game! That said we could have won it great save from Tugay's volley, himself and Dunn came close with 25/30 yarders early on in the game, Santa Cruz's header and Pedersen did well with his two chances.

At times we do play some lovely football and I would hate to be the team that comes up against an in-form team boasting the likes of Friedel, Samba, Pedersen, Reid, Bentley, Dunn, Santa Cruz and McCarthy, all potential match winners.

[LeftWinger]

Di Canio once caught the ball when the keeper had gone down injured when he easily could have scored. Rather than being slated he was praised by pretty much everyone.

That's a myth. He wouldn't have scored anyway - there were two defenders very close to him when he caught it - it was a very difficult chance and made him look good by catching it.