[Archived] Blackburn Rovers - Manchester United

[yellowsubmarine]

Why can't we hang on? !@#$

[tony gale's mic]

Brilliant first half but lets be honest after 60 minutes or so we fell to pieces. We sat back far too much, let them throw lots of men forward, persisted with Reid at right back and only Friedel stopped us from getting beaten much earlier.

Still impressed overall with the show we put up but it could have been so different.

Friedel, Samba, Nelsen, Warnock and Vogel were particularly impressive. Gamst had his best game in a while.

[Rovers in America]

Despite not getting the full 3 points, that was a great performance today.

Samba had his best game in a long time. Nelson looked like the admiral of old. Warnock did well dispossessing. Vogel made some key contributions. MGP had some great runs and plays. Bents was superb in the first half. Roque finally scores a goal with his feet. And what more can be said about Big Bad Brad that hasn't been said?

[USABlue]

Too bad Utd's two shortest players beat our defence in the air but good result. I was hoping we could hold on to take the title race out of Utd's hands but then thought wait a minute I can't stand Chelsea. At least Utd play footy that is good to watch.

It was not the foregone conclusion that the press and most others thought it would be. That is enough to make me happy.

Oh yeah, Big Brad left me just speechless today, my favourite was the save off O'Shea, even Brad liked that one.

[Mr. E]

Hughes sacrificed football for some meaningless points today, and I'm getting tired of it. I'd rather we play in the Championship, but do so with open attacking football, not 10-men on the goaline.

[American Rover12]

Well now that the game has ended, and my pulse is back down to a normal rate, I can honestly say that for the most part (from before the axe came on) that was some of the best play I've seen all season. Not a bad word can be said about anyone really, and our weakest link was Reid playing out of position. United really threw everything at us and it was just unlucky we couldn't hold them off for the last. Still, such a good game.

[Shevchenko]

Can't argue with that performance. Bit odd formation and tactics, but hey it seemed to work really so...the players worked hard, couple of key players had very good games but we didn't have enough in the tank to hold them off. We were alright for the first 60 - 65 mins then we started to fade and I put it down to tiredness. And really, it always looked like they would get something out of it - if it hadn't been for the absolute LEGEND Friedel, they'd have walked it in the last 15 mins or so.

Decent result all things considered.

[tony gale's mic]

Hughes sacrificed football for some meaningless points today, and I'm getting tired of it. I'd rather we play in the Championship, but do so with open attacking football, not 10-men on the goaline.

You are utterly unbelievable.

[American Rover12]

Hughes sacrificed football for some meaningless points today, and I'm getting tired of it. I'd rather we play in the Championship, but do so with open attacking football, not 10-men on the goaline.

You could not have been watching the game that was on today.

[Mr. E]

You could not have been watching the game that was on today.

The 1st half was good, but the 2nd we just wanted to play the game out and keep the result instead of having a go. And for what, I don't know. For Chelsea?

[Cocker]

The 1st half was good, but the 2nd we just wanted to play the game out and keep the result instead of having a go. And for what, I don't know. For Chelsea?

For us getting some points ourselves maybe? Just a guess

[philipl]

Fantastic fantastic game- great performance by the Rovers who nullified a full strength Man U side for all bar 15 minutes.

Hughes showed himself to be the master tactician with RSC dropping deep with effect, Roberts giving Vidic and Ferdinand a worrying time all afternoon. Apart from some silly diving in by Reid, the Emerton/Reid switch of position worked well and Bentley roaming free caused the Mancs all kinds of problems first half. It was their getting tight on him second half that eventually set up all that late pressure.

Samba was superb. Three races against Ronaldo at the end and he won every one of them.

MGP best game this season.

Vogel is a cracking little player

Friedel is simply superman.

My pulse is still racing even now.

[philipl]

The 1st half was good, but the 2nd we just wanted to play the game out and keep the result instead of having a go. And for what, I don't know. For Chelsea?

Don't even bother posting.

[Grabbi Graeme]

Going into this game I would have taken a point as Man U were in great form and I feared that a performance like we put in against Liverpool we were gonna get slaughtered.

But after a few scary first mins we got into the game and after we took the lead I felt that we could match Man U and I felt we deserved to go in 1-0 up at half time.

The second half was different though we mostly sat back but did try to hit Man U on the break, as the half wore on I had mixed feelings of maybe we can take the 3 points from this, but at the back of my mind I thought this is Man U and we all know what they usually do and 2 mins fron time they did what we were all dreading.

I thought we defended well considering the pressure Man U were piling on in the second half, only thing I have to say is the tactics were strange again today, Reid does not look like a footballer who can perform at this level, Bentley is a wide player not a centre midfielder, I felt we missed his wide play today.

So we got a point and put a bit of a spanner in the Utd title charge.

[Mike Graham]

watched this game on the big screen in Washington DC with a couple of Rovers fans, Arsenal boys and Fulham with loads of Mancs not one of which came from Manc Chester.

we were awesome, Brad and |Bents were out of this World

rather ratted with ale but velly velly happy :rolleyes:

[only2garners]

Well perhaps those complaining about Hughes' lack of tactical nous will be a little quieter now. Playing Santa Cruz wide on the right and Bentley behind Roberts completely confused what is supposed to be an outstanding United defence.

Although I was too far away to see I understand from replays that the corner United scored from should have been a goal kick. I make that at least three times now that United have scored goals to equalise in the dying minutes from corners that should have been goal kicks - Ince at Old Trafford in the early Premiership days and Smith at Ewood a few years ago.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

A thoroughly enjoyable match which Rovers were unlucky not to get all three points......we can hold our heads up high again tonight!

Santa Cruz along with Brad were outstanding...worth the entrance fee alone.

Such a shame we cant see Ewood full like that every game.

[jonv]

tbh, im absolutely f****** ###### off.

The casino here in Perth advertised the game to be live. "The biggest screen in the southern hemisphere". Headed down to be the only guy in a Rovers shirt in a sea of Red shirts. May I add that 80% of the people in United shirts where Asians who had never even been to the city of Manchester. Talk about marketing .

To make matters even more disheartening, the network decided to reschedule, and cancel the coverage of the game.

Absolutely dishonest and after a few pints I've sent a very angry e-mail to our local cable company, Foxtel.

Any other Aussies have the same situation? Absolutely disgracefull.

From what I have gathered a very entertaining game and without Friedals heroics it could have been a very different scoreline.

Can't F****** wait to get to Ewood next season... you boys best not let me down like FOX have today

.... and whats this about Vogel playing awesome???

[Billy Castell]

Sounds like it was a bit like the Newcastle game in 1995, though I doubt Friedel talked about the teams bottle afterwards.

[Wing Wizard Windy Miller]

Well perhaps those complaining about Hughes' lack of tactical nous will be a little quieter now. Playing Santa Cruz wide on the right and Bentley behind Roberts completely confused what is supposed to be an outstanding United defence.

You could see what Hughes had in mind, isolating Evra against Roque's aerial threat, using Roberts as a battering ram and Bentley floating around. We certainly nullified United in the first half and were worthy of the lead.

Personally I thought that Reid had an absolute shocker at right back. He looked scared and indecisive from the first min to the last and got a silly yellow card.. The only glimpse of anything positive was a charging run down the wing in the second half. United realised this at half time and targeted him in the second. All United's pressure stemmed from the left. Though I must say Roque tracked back and defended superbly.

If you are looking at Hughes tactically, he got it right first half and wrong second. Reid should have swapped with Emerton or OOijer should have been brought on at right back. Pedersen seemed shattered and we sat too deep. It's all well and good sitting back if you can break with pace...we can't! I couldn't help but think on a couple of occasions that had we a player with Bellamy's pace/ability we would have been able to exploit several opportunities on the break when United pressed. Hopefully food for thought in the transfer market.

Overall though, happy with a point and some excellent perfomances from Samba, Roque, Warnock and the legend that is Friedel.

[brfcshabba]

I agree with you about Reid. He looked hesitant every time the ball went his way and was probably lucky to get away with the penalty claim on Rooney in the first half.

[Scotty]

For those of you who didn't see the game and were confused about the formation, we played 4-2-3-1 today with Vogel and Emerton sitting in front of the back four, Santa Cruz playing the old inside right position, Pedersen playing inside left, and Bentley playing a free attacking midfield role (a la Gerrard).

Will write more after watching MotD - we were ace today though.

[grizfoot]

I reckon we'll get a 1-1 draw.

Spot on from me for once.

Thought the lads did brilliantly today, if only we could put similiar sorts of performances in eahc week against lesser opposition.

Thought it was stroke of genius by Hughes to opt to play Santa Cruz out of the right-wing, he won every single header against Evra who's poor in air. The tactic we used 4-2-3-1 worked really well for us, exactly the same way that Liverpool play with two deep lying midfielders. Roberts chased and chased and ensured Ferdinand & Vidic didn't have a moments rest. When Bentley got on the ball he showed a few classy dribbles and a wonderful shot that could have so easily gone in. Emerton & Vogel sat deep in midfield and worked tireless to deny space. The back four also did a decent job, Samba inparticulary was magnificient especially considering he's had some dodgy loking performances in prior games.

Overall a draw was probably about fair, but still feel a little robbed with the late goal but you could see it coming a mile off.

[Ozz]

Brief thoughts till tomorrow night.

Freidel-awesome

Vogel-excellent

Samba-Faultless

Warnonck-Excellent

RSC-What a performance

Roberts-Brill, till tiring

Ferdinand-Worth the 29 million on todays showing.

Scholes-Yes please

Giggs-No thanks!

Rooney-fat diving nowty scouser. Should have been sent off for wrestling match

Ronaldo-quiet and childish.

Fans-impreessive on both sides.

Bed-looks appealing..

[Hasta]

Bed-looks appealing..

I read that as Ped-looks appealing !!

Probably a fair result. Of the 4 penalty incidents the only one that I think should have possibly been given was Reid on Rooney. To get it though he should have let his legs go from under him with the contact, not 2 minutes later.

Just seen the two Friedel saves (from Rooney and Tevez) on MOTD and they were awesome, especially the Tevez one. A lot of keepers would have just got a token glove on that and it still go in. Friedel got a strong enough hand on it to take all the power off the ball.

Not much mention of Bentley on here but thought he played very well first half and caused United problems. Shop window performance maybe? Nowhere near as effective second half.