Rovers V Everton Preview

[Eddie]

Why isn't benni on the motm list? Personally I thought he was our best player.

[den]

Why isn't benni on the motm list? Personally I thought he was our best player.

Sorry Eddie, I forgot.

He's on now, just for you. I don't think he's missed out on many votes.

[CAPT KAYOS]

:derbyshire on the wing is another baffling decision,almost sounessque.the guys a natural finisher,not bloody johnny price

Exactly what I and Manchester Blue have been saying Waggy.

[b12_simon]

I'm surprised at the dummies being spat out on this thread. I thought we played well (with a couple of exceptions and one of them was out of position).

IMO 4-5-1 was the right way to start. Admittedly it gave us a poor 1st half but I thoroughly enjoyed the 2nd half and was pleased getting a point from a very good Everton side.

[CAPT KAYOS]

IMO 4-5-1 was the right way to start. Admittedly it gave us a poor 1st half but I thoroughly enjoyed the 2nd half and was pleased getting a point from a very good Everton side.

Do you mean when we reverted to more of a 442 formation?

[b12_simon]

Do you mean when we reverted to more of a 442 formation?

Yes. At that point the game opened up.

I think starting 4-4-2 would've been a mistake: we've a weak central midfield right now, one that Everton's very strong midfield could've overrun.

I'd not usually advocate 4-5-1 at home but on this occassion the manager got the formation right.

(Except Derbs out wide and Gamst being picked at all)

[only2garners]

Do you mean when we reverted to more of a 442 formation?

But the first move to 442 saw us overrun in the centre of midfield with Reid and Bentley and was possibly our worst section of the game. It was only when Tugay came on for Derbyshire and Bentley moved wide did we get back into the game. So it's not simply what formation we play but also who we have where playing it.

[CAPT KAYOS]

But the first move to 442 saw us overrun in the centre of midfield with Reid and Bentley and was possibly our worst section of the game. It was only when Tugay came on for Derbyshire and Bentley moved wide did we get back into the game. So it's not simply what formation we play but also who we have where playing it.

Totally agree, but if you have a formation with players playimg in their normal positions its alot more easier to adapt to changes- hence why we initially struggled when the subs where brought on.

[CAPT KAYOS]

Yes. At that point the game opened up.

I think starting 4-4-2 would've been a mistake: we've a weak central midfield right now, one that Everton's very strong midfield could've overrun.

I'd not usually advocate 4-5-1 at home but on this occassion the manager got the formation right.

(Except Derbs out wide and Gamst being picked at all)

(Except Derbs out wide and Gamst being picked at all) - so it was wrong then (with the players we had)

As for the weak midfield - it coped well enough at the beginning of the season so why the need to change - only diifference is Reid for Savage- which imo is no weaker and maybe a little stronger if truth be told.

We coped well enough at Goodison with their 5 and our 4 - so why not at home?

[den]

Must admit the two wide men we had on show, were very, very poor by PL standards. - and if nothing comes from the flanks, then you really are going to struggle.

[b12_simon]

(Except Derbs out wide and Gamst being picked at all) - so it was wrong then (with the players we had)

The shape was right, not all the players were. Your complaint is the 5 in midfield.

As for the weak midfield - it coped well enough at the beginning of the season so why the need to change - only diifference is Reid for Savage- which imo is no weaker and maybe a little stronger if truth be told.

We coped well enough at Goodison with their 5 and our 4 - so why not at home?

At the start of the season we weren't as prone to conceding the first goal as we are right now. The manager's identified this as a problem and I reckon starting with the 5 is his response to it. Concede an early one to Everton and they shut up shop. Scousers go home happy with their 1-0 away from home.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Any Guardian readers out there ? We got the biggest kicking from a reporter I've ever known today, his report of the game was shamefully one sided, Collie was much more objective than this fool.

[RibbleValleyRover]

Maybe its just me, but don't you think Reid is far more effective going forward in an attacking midfield role?

A couple of seasons ago when we finished in 6th place, it was Reid's "box to box" power runs that propelled us to a great finish in the league.

I know he has to play a more defensive/holding role, to allow Dunn to make forward runs. I just really hope we do get a defensive/holding midfielder in the summer that will allow Reid or Dunny to make those forward runs, as IMO they are at their best going forward.

[roversmum]

If that isn't a dive I'm the Queen Mother

[philipl]

Looks like Zura had a close escape from Freddie Kruger ma'am.

[Yorick]

I would have to say Man City at home as long ago as the 2nd of September.

I thought we were poor in the second half against Reading after going in at the break three up.

In fact, imo we've only played two really good games at home this season, Arsenal and City in the opening two home fixtures.

Three and a half if you include the Chelsea game and the second half against Arsenal in the Carling Cup.

After our early season burst a patern seem seems to be emerging that only a fool can ignore two victories out of the last ten home games of which we were lucky against Sunderland in one of them.

Not since the Man City home game have we dominated for long periods for me .....

writing this before i read the rest off the thread,once again we get out off jail at home.

13 goals at home this season is just not good enough

You three sound just like Pompey fans. They are having a good season too despite being awful at Fratton Park. I wonder how you would view this season if we were still on 39 points, had a really good home record but an away record like Fulham / Derby?

In a similar but flippant comparison to Revidge Blues point. Imagine the contrasting mood when trudging away from ewood park after letting a blistering 3-0 ht lead over Reading slip to 3-2 with skipping along Bolton Road following some imaginary 3-2 full time result after being 0-2 down at HT and scoring 3 in the second half. Its a lot to do with our own attitudes.

[Paul Mellelieu]

Any Guardian readers out there ? We got the biggest kicking from a reporter I've ever known today, his report of the game was shamefully one sided, Collie was much more objective than this fool.

A truly awfully one-sided report.

A theory: maybe we need more bad press in order to foster the world against us mentality that seems to have served Hughes so well in the past. The manager of the month award was the start of the poor form.

[philipl]

Richard Rae

A new name for the list of evil demons that have beset our club. Will be watching out for his cyclops-style "reports" for the Grauniad in future. Too Toffee coated even for Blue Kipper was that rant!

Still haven't forgiven Joe Lovejoy for writing that Crystal Palce deserved a place in the First Division more than Rovers in his preview before the Glad all Over Selhurst Courtney penalty second leg.

[RibbleValleyRover]

Wait til we play Arsenal next. Whinger Wenger moaning about the "physicality" of the game and calling it "violence".

[licker]

Hiya lads Licker here from Toffeetalk, Just read through the topic and i must say i'm amazed at how many supporters read and post in your forum, we're lucky to get 5 or 6 pages on our topics but most of your topics go into double figures.

Had to read through after the Everton match to see what the feeling was about the game, and must admit a very high percentage of you are very honest in your assesments, unlike our forum where every man women and child are 100% convinced that "WE WUZ ROBBED". I thought it was a decent enough game that we just shaded, tho we have played a lot better.

A comment about the offside rule, it seems like we the supporters dont fully understand it, the managers, players and pundits dont fully understand it and its open to different interpretations by different officials, that should'nt be allowed to continue. Imagine such a debatable decision like that occuring in the last game of the season and causing one of the teams to be relegated, the mind boggles at the furore it would cause. Why not go back to what it was, or better still do away with it altogether.

The way i see it .... its 11 against 11 and if Santa Cruz wants to hang about in the penalty area its up to a defender to come back and mark him, it would open the game up, do away with all the contentious decisions and make for a better spectacle, rather than 20 outfield players trying to sqeeze into the centre circle. But doing away with it would be too easy wouldnt it, the suits in the Governing bodies FA, FIFA, and the Premier league, have to come up with some mind boggling rules to make themselves feel important.

Just before i go i would like to thank you all for being so honest and a special thanks to Hasta for a great Preview, wish you all the best for the rest of the season. Cheers.

Licker.

[Flopsy]

no probs, Licker, I thought you wuz slightly robbed, however some of the decisions we've had go against us this season, I'm not crying into my tea.

Good luck with 4th and lets see how Liverpool try and get into the Champions League this time

[CAPT KAYOS]

The shape was right, not all the players were. Your complaint is the 5 in midfield.

At the start of the season we weren't as prone to conceding the first goal as we are right now. The manager's identified this as a problem and I reckon starting with the 5 is his response to it. Concede an early one to Everton and they shut up shop. Scousers go home happy with their 1-0 away from home.

So by your own admittance there we did not have the players to play the formation -so Hughes did get it wrong.

Sorry for being a pain, but as you can probably tell I do have a bugbear against 5 in midfield (and not just with this team ), however the way Rovers play, the 5 does not suit our style regardless of who we have, but to keep you happy I would have started with Emerton wide and brought in Treacy (is he fit) on the left as MGP offers nothing at the moment, needs must.

At the beginning of the season we where playing 442 week in week out and looked organised - for some reason (unrest?) when we got knocked out of Europe and especially October onwards we started making stupid mistakes on a regular basis (even though we have been giving goals away for a long time) - this had nothing to do with the formation though more lack of organisation and cohesion - but Hughes then decided to keep changing it which made it worse.

5 away from home looks like it works - but if we want to show some mettle at home we have to take a game by the scruff we have to be more offensive at home (literally) - especially against those around the same position

I just have a bad feeling if we do not achieve a European berth this season - we will be fighting at the bottom end next season.

[CAPT KAYOS]

Like Hughesy said, the first time the ball was played forward, Johnson knew he was offside and was coming back onside.

This to me is where the decison should have been made - yet from what I have heard including the linesman's own reason nothing has been said about this

Johnson was definitely in an offside position when the ball was played first - however to be fair he did get himself onside before advancing again and did not linger waiting for the ball - therefore to me that is the reason why the goal should have stood, otherwise what else was he supposed to do - just stand around and wait for the officials to tell him he can touch the ball again.

This is why the interpretation needs to go back to just being what it is - offside is offside and none of the interfering with play/ 1st, 2nd instance etc.

No wonder everybody is confused

[Ozz]

Hiya lads Licker here from Toffeetalk, Just read through the topic and i must say i'm amazed at how many supporters read and post in your forum, we're lucky to get 5 or 6 pages on our topics but most of your topics go into double figures.

Licker.

Testament to the on-going good work of the moderators, who encourage reasoned well thought opinion, and come down on childish and chav-like posting. IMO.

[Flopsy]

you need to post that in the "Why I should be a Moderator" thread, you sweet talker you