[Archived] Blackburn Rovers - Manchester United

[brfcshabba]

Must admit i was suprised at how few united fans were in the home areas - expected loads.

Did anybody else see the Utd fan run from the Darwen end all the way along the front of the Riverside to the Blackburn end exit when they scored?

[Laurence]

Must admit i was suprised at how few united fans were in the home areas - expected loads.

Some of them had the sense to keep quiet, like one guy sat in front of me who'd come with some Rovers supporters!

[gumboots]

The keeper did get a toe on the ball but definetely blocked Roberts, its a hard one to call.

He touched the ball first but is very lucky to do so because if you look at him, he's only ever looking to stop roberts. He doesn't even know where the ball is just that it's somewhere to his right and Roberts mustn't get there. Not a pen but the kind you wish were.

[thenodrog]

Aggravating watching a clip of their goal and seeing Paul Scholes stood in space and all alone for long enough. Schoolboy defending

1

....... as was the short corner at about the same time when Reid was walking away with his back to the taker. Walking backwards at set pieces is standard practice at amateur level for goodness sake.

[Neil Weaver]

He touched the ball first but is very lucky to do so because if you look at him, he's only ever looking to stop roberts. He doesn't even know where the ball is just that it's somewhere to his right and Roberts mustn't get there. Not a pen but the kind you wish were.

Agree with you there gumboots, including the view it would have been a harsh pen. Seen em given though. Thing is, you see similar challenges (obviously not involving hands or goalies!) in other areas of the pitch, where player b makes sure there's no way player a is getting past and a foul is ALWAYS given. If Schumacher's famous 'challenge' is top of the Premier League then Kuszczak v Roberts was League 2, but it did remind me when I saw it last night on TV.

[Anti Euro Smiths Fan]

I'm getting rather sick of the sight of Carlos Tevez - the stocky long-haired Argentinian whose dodgy 'goal' for West Ham at Ewood last season helped to keep the Hammers up, when they should have been relegated for a flagrant breach of the rules.

The Premier League commission described the Tevez deal to West Ham as one of "dishonesty and deceit" and said that Paul Aldridge, West Ham's former managing director, told a "direct lie" to the Premier League about the transfer. I find it sickening that Man United have been able to indirectly benefit from the dishonesty and deceit of West Ham, by signing a player who had already gained an illegal year's experience of the Premiership last season, when the rules were broken.

As James Lawton wrote in The Independent last year: "A Premiership without rules that can be enforced for the common good is not actually a proper league. It is an outright perversity of such a concept and the first step to moral chaos and a collapse in respect."

Lawson is right that we haven't actually got a proper Premiership in this country. We've got a sickening greedy organisation that allows the rules to be bent and we've got a stagnant cartel for the rich top four clubs. Out of the last five seasons only once (Everton in 2005) has a club from outside the 'big four' broken into the Champions League places.

Last season Carlos Tevez promised West Ham fans that he was going to stay at the club "for the long-term". Clearly to Tevez, the "long-term" means just one season before buggering off.

Out of all the scumbags who play for Man United - and I include that wild petulant animal Wayne Rooney who should have been sent off yesterday - I found it particularly irritating that it was Carlos Tevez who scored United's late equaliser.

It was hugely disappointing and frustrating that Rovers couldn't hold on. For 75 minutes Rovers played well, but for the last 15 minutes they made the mistake of defending too deep and inviting pressure on to them from United's dangerous attacking players. A better team than Rovers would have been able to exploit United's desperation to score and would have been able to find the gaps to score a second goal on the counter-attack to kill the game off.

Pedersen should have done better with the chance he had after about 73 minutes. Rovers should have continued to look for a second goal after that, but unfortunately sat back and invited too much pressure.

I could see the late goal coming, but it was particularly disappointing that we conceded a soft goal from a set-piece, rather than from an individual moment of brilliance from a United player. We've conceded all too many goals from set-pieces this season and it's something that our Welsh trio of Messrs Hughes, Bowen and Niedzwiecki should be working long and hard at on the training ground to try to eradicate.

Before Tevez's goal, the haphazard Steven Reid nearly gifted United a goal with a careless back-header. I feel that Reid has been disappointing in recent games and Hughes should consider dropping him. David Bentley was fluent and positive in the first half, but along with our other attackers, not so effective after the break.

if only we could start beating the teams around us, we`d be top 4 material ourselves.

Realistically we've got a mountain to climb before we can ever consider ourselves top 4 material. The most telling statistic is one that should be setting off alarm bells in the head of John Williams, who claimed in January that Rovers were challenging for a Champions League place.

We've only beaten one - yes one - team in the current top ten all season. Apart from a 1-0 win over Man City back in September, we've failed to win any of our other games home and away against the teams in the current top ten.

This to me shows that we've got a heck of a long way to go before anyone can talk about a Champions League place in the future. Frankly against the better teams in the Premiership, we are simply not good enough.

Apart from Bentley we lack pace and fluidity going forward. We're not quick enough or dangerous enough on the counter-attack. On the left-hand side of our midfield, with the often ineffectual Pedersen there, we don't have the ability to consistently beat defenders and put in quality crosses.

That's the sad reality I'm afraid. We did well for 75 minutes but were not good enough or clinical enough to hold on.

[shadsworth cloud]

well, the rules of the game state that it is a foul if you have the intent even if you make no contact with the opponent or if you touch the ball first

remember that penalty awarded to liverpool for a "foul" on steven gerrard by ( i think) a sheff u player

so i reckon rovers should have had a penalty for the challenge by kuszczak on roberts

not that we get that level of analysis on the man u dominated media

[joey_big_nose]

No he didn't, he was basically just a big lump up there. First of all he should have scored only a couple of minutes into the match, after that he did nothing apart from barge into people. Yes, sometimes it causes people a bit of trouble, but it looks much more effective than it really is. He regularly got the ball out wide and was simply at a loss as to what to do. He just didn't make many contributions to our attacking play.

Your insane Eddie. There is absolutely no way McCarthy could lead the line. He would just drop back into the midfield. Quite often Roberts was on his own on the counter but he did a great job of hassling Utd's back two and winning balls Benni would have never got to. For that role he is a million times better than either Cruz or the South African. He isn't ideal but there is no doubt he is the best at it in the squad.

That said McCarthy can play in that formation but in the supporting three, not as the "spearhead". He just doesn't have the physical presence. Vidic and Ferdinand would have eaten him alive.

If we hold on to Bentley maybe we should be looking for a really powerful striker to lead the line (Ashton? Maybe not quick enough) and a fast tricky left winger (farfan?) for the summer.

[herbergeehh]

And play Santa Cruz on the right...?

[Seggie]

Thought Reid was absoloutly shocking yesterday almost seemed hellbent on trying to give United something. Also when Mokoena came on I knew that we were going to concede. You dont sit back against United at any time especially when as we proved in the first half we could match them.

[Paul Mellelieu]

Thought Reid was absoloutly shocking yesterday almost seemed hellbent on trying to give United something. Also when Mokoena came on I knew that we were going to concede. You dont sit back against United at any time especially when as we proved in the first half we could match them.

They pushed us back.

[Ozz]

AESF-your facts RE games won against the top ten (which changes on a weekly basis remember...) are one way way of looking at it. Another would be to say after yesterdays result, it means that we have taken points off all of the top four this very season too. And having lost only 9 games this season with 3 to play too. But I agree with you about MGP, looked poor last night and should have sealed the match with his chance near the end (72 minute?).

[KoNG]

The game was never on Foxtel as far as I could tell. I checked Friday and was amazed it wasn't being shown - typical really, I've seen practically every other Rovers game this season bar 2 or 3 and the best match of all is replaced by a ruddy Gayovalhandball (AFL) replay, so I listened to Wendy on Radio Rovers instead ;-)

As for the billions of Asian Man U and Chelsea supporters, yes they annoy me too but I finally figured it out and it's not down to marketing: When you have a small "member" you need to compensate by being a large member (or a member of a large group of small "members".)

i'd just "assumed" it was on all week, didn't think to even check. Surely seeing though we had managed to get nearly every other rover's game this season... Surely we would get the man u game nearing end of season!? Wrong. Checked fox guide on friday and the game wasn't part of the active games. Grr. What is with that..? Bummed i missed it.

[Fife Rover]

Might be wrong but without checking I thought it was 0-4? We did get beaten later in that season by Lpool 1-4 courtesy of a Mike Harrison pen into the Darwen end.

Tut Tut ! you must be getting old Theno The game you are referring to against Liverpool was many weeks earlier, but you are right about the scorer of Rovers goal in both matches; it was Mike Harrison (pen against 'pool). Jim's "awful day" when the Mancs beat us 1-4 was in May and was the penultimate home match.

[Fife Rover]

Jim was referring to this game, as was I:

0-5

Was he? Well in that case he got the year wrong because that was 1965.

[thenodrog]

Tut Tut ! you must be getting old Theno

Not really Fife ..... I was just very young at the time.

[RoversFanUSA]

Well for me Big Brad was MOTM for me hands down. As for how we played I thought we were very strong in the first half and about half way through the second half we looked tired and out run.

I thought MGP looked better then he has in a long time although he did get pushed off the ball pretty easily at times and bently all but disapered in the second half. Reid was, IMO crap almost all game. I mean instead of heading the ball back to the saftey of the keeper he heads it out to Ronaldo which almost cost us a goal.

I think that the goal was silly and we should have defended it a lot better. I watched the replay and moko left ginger snap all to his loansome which inturn ended up going to tevez and well...u no.

Over all I'm VERY happy with the result, its ashame that we couldn't have won but its more then expected and like I read if we had played like this all season then I think we'd be in a very different place

[philipl]

Your insane Eddie. There is absolutely no way McCarthy could lead the line. He would just drop back into the midfield. Quite often Roberts was on his own on the counter but he did a great job of hassling Utd's back two and winning balls Benni would have never got to. For that role he is a million times better than either Cruz or the South African. He isn't ideal but there is no doubt he is the best at it in the squad.

That said McCarthy can play in that formation but in the supporting three, not as the "spearhead". He just doesn't have the physical presence. Vidic and Ferdinand would have eaten him alive.

If we hold on to Bentley maybe we should be looking for a really powerful striker to lead the line (Ashton? Maybe not quick enough) and a fast tricky left winger (farfan?) for the summer.

McCarthy lead the line to the tune of 24 goals last season. He can lead the line with trickery and control and sudden acceleration, not with physical brute force. If the ball is played to him he doesn't need to go looking for it- I think Benni could be a revelation again as the spearhead because he has the best nose for where chances are going to be at the club.

Agreed Jason is the better hassler but on the occasions Benni has been fired up his work rate has been impressive which is why so many people have got on his case.

The choice comes down to whether the other 9 can build a game controlling platform so playing to Benni's explosive game becomes an advantage rather than a liability. If the 9 cannot do that, the spearhead has to spend all his time tussling with the opposition defense and midfield which is undoubtedly Jason's strength.

[Tris]

We didn't play that well technically today imo but if only we could show that sort of fightng spirit for the other 37 games of the season.

That's the bit that annoys me too.

Ewood Park (players and fans) only seems able to get properly motivated by that lot paying a visit. The atmosphere was a whole lot better than at any time this season, and the performance on the pitch was unrecognisable from the recent garbage which has been served up.

It's too little too late though even for the Intertoto. We need maximum 9 points out of 9, PLUS Everton, West Ham and Wigan all to beat Villa, and two of Fulham, Liverpool and Boro to beat Man City.

Given our position going into the Christmas fixtures, it's a sad way to be ending the season, and no amount of finding positives from this one-off but ultimately meaningless show against Man Utd can fix that.

[Paul]

Given our position going into the Christmas fixtures, it's a sad way to be ending the season, and no amount of finding positives from this one-off but ultimately meaningless show against Man Utd can fix that.

Several people have asked how I enjoyed the game and my real answer has been "I don't know". As a one-off it was good but left me with the exact same feeling as expressed by Tris and Revidge. If we had shown the same committment and organisation throughout the season, especially the second half, things would be a lot brighter today. As it is we've thrown away much of the hard work put in to the games up to late October.

It's unarguable the home defaets to Villa and Portsmouth have proved very costly, in every sense. Plus with the way the FA Cup has gone this year the defeat to Coventry almost wrecked the second half.

One thing I've become very tired of is players being rolled out on a weekly basis to tell us how the European dream is still alive, most recently Reid and MGP. I'm afraid this just smacks of the marketing boys looking to whip up a few extra ticket sales at the end of the season. If the Euro dream is such a motivator for the players what has been happening for the past 6 months?

[roversmum]

Couldn't have put it better, Paul.

How many times this season has lethargic uninterested play let the team down. How can a season that started so well peter out this way? The players have to stand up and be counted now, no good whining about Europe, they need to take a good look at themselves. It's going to be harder to qualify from next season (I believe) with changes coming up. The fans are not stupid, much more of some of the stuff we have been served with this season and feet will turn away from Ewood.

[joey_big_nose]

I thgink a large amount of it is tactical. Man Urtd are the first team that has pitched up at Ewood this season in a very attacking formation. Usually whoever we play sit very deep and it makes it very difficult for us. It hasn't helped that the central midfield and defence have been awful at times too.

We are building for next season now. It is imperative that Hughhes looks into getting a side together that is comfortable playing few different ways so that opposition teams cannot so easily negate us. Villa are a lesson in how to switch from 451 to 442 to 433. We need that.

If we can add to Bentley and Cruz as our two truely "dangerous" players who are utilised well in the system, and that means getting more out of the likes of McCarthy and Dunn as well as any other new signings, then we will be doing well. This 4231 could be the start of that. We have a lot of players who aren't really out and out strikers but like to be in that last third. Lets use them. And in the summer lets get a really good and fast wide player, a creative and hard working central midfielder and powerful and fast striker.

It would be a distinct advantage if those who came to Ewood are not sure how we will turn up.

[Cheshireblue]

Decent display on Saturday. Tactical battle won hands down by Hughes. Their back 4 never looked comfortable and I think we won every high ball and the majority of the second balls that came from them. Vidic looked very ordinary for me.

Roberts confirmed for me that he is all effort and little end result. That's OK against Fulham, but if we were still playing now he still wouldn't have got a shot on goal yet.

Roque and Bentley were different class to the rest of the outfield players none of whom played badly. I thought Vogel was solid if unspectacular, and even Gamst looked like he knew what he was supposed to be doing. He didn't do it very well, but at least he appeared to have a clue.

Brad was my man of the match - He must be worth 10 points a season to us.

I might be wrong, but I don't think Everton have applied for the Inter two-bob, so what we need is for Villa to catch Everton, get the UEFA cup spot and then we get the Two-bob place on the basis that we are the highest placed applicant.

[thenodrog]

Couldn't have put it better, Paul.

The fans are not stupid, much more of some of the stuff we have been served with this season and feet will turn away from Ewood.

Must be a NW thing, peculiar to BRFC, Man City, Bolton and Wigan cos it's odd that feet never appear to turn away from the likes of Newcastle, Everton, Spurs, WHU etc no matter how poorly they perform.

It's been my opinion ever since we got into the Prem that the supporters of BRFC must be prepared to foster more commitment and effort to maintain a top team than the supporters of the big city clubs. Unfortunately nowadays weak minded individuals, low incomes and the pub TV is the enemy within the town.

[modes98]

I might be wrong, but I don't think Everton have applied for the Inter two-bob, so what we need is for Villa to catch Everton, get the UEFA cup spot and then we get the Two-bob place on the basis that we are the highest placed applicant.

Everton have. Everton, Villa, Man C and Ourselves are the contenders.

We have blown the chance with a couple of home draws in recent weeks, whilst villa have racked up 15 goals in 3 games.