Aston Villa Vs Blackburn

[Exiled_Rover]

Villa set piece eh? Are they Bolton in disguise?

[Alan75]

Time to bring Roberts on........if hes on the bench.

[Tango]

I wish Hughes would make his substitutions a little earlier...

[Dunnfc]

Harewood hits the bar according to Talksport.

[Lathund]

No idea why Derbs is still on. Surely we're a better team with McCarthy or Roberts up front and Bentley on the right? I like Bentley in the centre, but to pull that off we need a good player on the right side of midfield as well.

[Dunnfc]

Because Derbyshire is a poacher and we are probably having more shots at the keeper expecting him to spill one and Derbyshire to tap it in, whenever i comment we concede, so dont make me post again lol.

[Alan75]

roberts on for matty

[artemorethanlabore]

The players look very tired.

[mattyboy6000]

i can't believe i watched a number of cynical fouls by villa in rthe last ten; reidy does on and gets a card!

[Alan75]

draw

[Tango]

Not a bad result and a very good performance I thought, we looked very solid defensively. Pedersen remains a frustrating figure, if his final ball was up to scratch I reckon we'd have scored a couple today from the good positions he got himself into. We can certainly build on this, and with a few exciting signings the second half of the season could yet be quite promising. Warnock my MOTM today.

[USABlue]

Did not manage to see the whole game but what I did see, last 30 mins or so, much much better performance. I still can not fathom why we persist with Gamst. Corners crap, free kicks crap, passing crap, tackling crap. I just don't get it. Had a funny feeling they would score from the free kick. Well pleased with the point and Hey, we actually scored first. Well done for trying to win the game too, could easily have tried to see it out for a draw, Samba took a big gamble giving away the free kick in injury time, almost bit us on the arse

Brad tried to shade to his right had he not taken the step to his left he would have had the shot from the free kick. Happy with the point I though we would get hammered, Sparky, please bench Gamst. I did not think he brought enough when he was on song he clearly doesn't deserve a place in this team.

I think we have Nicko to thank for this win, clearly his reporting of several new signings has gee'd up the players. A stroke of pure genius by a closet McDingle.

[McClarky]

Yeah Warnock had a good game, as did all the defenders rteally. Shame that we were undone by a flash of genius because apart from that (and the 1 in the last minute) Villa never really threatened. Good point though and thats us up to 8th.

[Exiled in Toronto]

Good hard game, fair result overall.

The equaliser was hardly an unstoppable free kick; Brad fell for Barry's dummy run over the ball, moved two steps back towards the middle of the goal and was flatfooted. Something he did again right at the end but this time the free kick just flew wide.

I thought the defense looked marvellous today, unrecognisable from the last few weeks. Dunn and Reid did well, as did Bentley. MGP, amazingly, did nothing of note other than waste an excellent opportunity to tee up Roberts near the end.

Early subs and someone, anyone, in place of MGP, and we would have won this.

[AggyBlue]

Pedersen remains a frustrating figure, if his final ball was up to scratch I reckon we'd have scored a couple today from the good positions he got himself into.

Spot on. He always seems to make the wrong decisions and did several times late in the game today.

Much better performance overall though.

[USABlue]

Good hard game, fair result overall.

The equaliser was hardly an unstoppable free kick; Brad fell for Barry's dummy run over the ball, moved two steps back towards the middle of the goal and was flatfooted. Something he did again right at the end but this time the free kick just flew wide.

I thought the defense looked marvellous today, unrecognisable from the last few weeks. Dunn and Reid did well, as did Bentley. MGP, amazingly, did nothing of note other than waste an excellent opportunity to tee up Roberts near the end.

Early subs and someone, anyone, in place of MGP, and we would have won this.

Agree with all of that, just want to add, has the Admiral been our achilles heel. Watching today we looked a lot more relaxed at the back, perhaps th einjury is as many have said a blessing.

[Paul Mellelieu]

I wonder if the Ooijer/Samba partnership has tightened things up at the back.

How games without defeat?

[USABlue]

Spot on. He always seems to make the wrong decisions and did several times late in the game today.

Much better performance overall though.

You mean team performance right? Not Peds performance? Was hoping Peds would have a blinder today and spuds would offer 10 mil or so and we'd sell him.

[philipl]

What a cracking good game that was.

Lot's of hard physical challenges from both sides and Rovers very well worth the draw.

The defence was superbly organised and handled everything that was thrown at them. Samba and Ooijer together were a perfect combination, Emerton had the neccessary pace to nullify Young completely in the first half (MO'N switched his wing for the second half) and but for a few wayward passes, Warnock surely must have impressed the watching Capello. Samba did a brilliant job on Carew.

Midfield worked really well. Barry, Reo Coker and Petrov got very little time or space to do anything against Dunn and Reid and Dunn's run to set up the goal was brilliant. MGP had a decent game- very nearly a good game and would have been a brilliant game had he had the confidence to strike the ball with conviction, so many passes into dangerous areas were just that little bit under hit. Bentley started out trying too hard but after a few cock-ups he settled and played his normal excellent game but did nothing really outstanding.

Roque had a monster of a game against the Villa defensive man mountains. What a brilliant leader of the line he is and he got that all important goal. Derbs didn't show the pace we know he has but penalty apart he didn't disgrace himself. Dunn should have taken the penalty just to wind the Villa supporters up- Derbs effort was woefully bad.

An excellent point. If we'd taken all three Villa could have had no complaints. On this performance, we've got the Rovers of the early season back and we are challenging again.

[AggyBlue]

You mean team performance right? Not Peds performance? Was hoping Peds would have a blinder today and spuds would offer 10 mil or so and we'd sell him.

Yeah the team.

Peds had a shot in the last minute from about 30 yards, it trickled over the goal line about 15 yards wide of goal. That sums his performance up for me.

[they_think_its_all_rover]

Heard Samba out for Everton & Arsenal games due to suspension now... that true?

[Eddie]

Yes.

[Lurid Coat]

Just returned home from the official Blackburn Rovers supporters pub in Oslo (Norway), where I watched the game with around 20 Rovers diehards. A draw was a fair result, I suppose, although I can't help but feel that we'd deserved the win, what with the missed penalty. The defence was more or less rock solid for the first time in ages today - Samba/Ooijer was a great partnership in central defence. Nelsen's injury might have been a blessing in disguise for us! Here's hoping Samba isn't suspended for two games..

[philipl]

Samba had 9 cards before today, I thought only Reid got booked right at the end of the game.

[they_think_its_all_rover]

No, Samba got booked on the 90th min...

crap... reckon Khiza can stand up to Everton & Arsenal?