[Archived] Keith Andrews - Rovers Newest Signing

[frosty]

Is Italy v Ireland on TV on Wednesday? If so, I may watch it, to see how Andrews fares against Pirlo and De Rossi in the middle. Hopefully he will continue his good form and do well.

[Jonnolad]

Dunn was injured, but the last three games or so , he has been on the subs bench. Sam must still think he is not ready to start a game yet. I think Grella is a better player then Andrews,but like Dunn he has not been able to put a run of games together.

Dunn played for pretty much the full game against Arsenal so he can't be injured. The thing is though he looked poor, and I think the poor form is the reason he's not starting, not some fitness or injury issue.

As for Grella, what makes you think he's a better player than Andrews in the Premier League? The games he has played in certainly don't suggest it. Is it just a Columbo style hunch? I'm intrigued.

[Blueandwhitemike]

There was a video on Rovers World about Dunn playing whilst carrying an injury, I couldn't watch it on my mac, but maybe that is why he is on the bench... Can anyone enlighten me?

[Jonnolad]

I would repeat an earlier suggestion I made that when we get to the end of the season we will be in a position to make a healthy profit on Andrews who may well be better suited to the championship. He is now an established Premier League player and is also an established international with a reasonably succesful side. Sure we can pull a couple of mill for him now.

Good thinking - let's stick with Grella & Dunn though as they are clearly Premier League players and are worth every penny of the combined £6m we paid for them.

[John]

There was a video on Rovers World about Dunn playing whilst carrying an injury, I couldn't watch it on my mac, but maybe that is why he is on the bench... Can anyone enlighten me?

Dunn is playing through the pain barrier and with injections. His ankle injury will be addressed at the end of the season.

[dingles staying down 4ever]

In a sense he did replace Bentley, because as you say his signing pushed Emerton out wide. Even though Emerton is better in CM anyway.

The intention was to play Emerton at right back not CM

[Jonnolad]

Dunn is playing through the pain barrier and with injections. His ankle injury will be addressed at the end of the season.

You don't have a link for that do you?

[Hughesy]

To be fair to Andrews - he has got us 3 key goals and he has been fit more or less all season - alot more than can be said for the likes of Grella, Dunn, Reid etc.

He may not be perfect but he is well worth a squad place in a premier league side. Hopefully next season, Sam will address our centre midfield and maybe shift either Dunn, Grella or Reid off our wage bill.

[JAL]

To be fair to Andrews - he has got us 3 key goals and he has been fit more or less all season - alot more than can be said for the likes of Grella, Dunn, Reid etc.

He may not be perfect but he is well worth a squad place in a premier league side. Hopefully next season, Sam will address our centre midfield and maybe shift either Dunn, Grella or Reid off our wage bill.

Cant disagree with that Hughesy but come next season what is Keith Andrews going to achieve with or for the club. Unless big Sam brings in some big hitters for the centre of the park I cant get too optimistic about next season chances .

[Jonnolad]

Cant disagree with that Hughesy but come next season what is Keith Andrews going to achieve with or for the club.

Good question - perhaps he'll just put in some decent performances and score some crucial goals for us (again!) - all on wages probably half that of Grella.

What more would you want from a midfield squad player? I'd certainly be chuffed if Mokoena had been doing that this season!

For what he cost (and is still costing) I certainly can't see any reason why we should sell him before next season. I'd ship Grella and Mokoena out before Andrews. How long can Tugay cut it for too, and can we really rely on Dunn or Reid to stay fit either?

[Billy Castell]

I'd like to shift Dunn, Reid and Vogel of our wage bill before selling Andrews. He may not be Steven Gerrard, but he is relatively injury free, has reasonable wages, and does a job for the squad. That is in marked contrast to Dunn and Reid, who spend more time being injured than playing, and Vogel who no manager seems to like. We need much better players than Keith if we are to avoid the 'excitement' of this season but he does a reasonable job for a squad player.

[Rover95]

I'd like to shift Dunn, Reid and Vogel of our wage bill before selling Andrews. He may not be Steven Gerrard, but he is relatively injury free, has reasonable wages, and does a job for the squad. That is in marked contrast to Dunn and Reid, who spend more time being injured than playing, and Vogel who no manager seems to like. We need much better players than Keith if we are to avoid the 'excitement' of this season but he does a reasonable job for a squad player.

You read my mind there! I was just about to post the same thing. I'm not sure why people want rid of Andrews. Our midfield is very thin on the ground and our history in the transfer market suggests that we'll not buy a whole load of players as much as we may need them.

We need to getting rid of these forever injured dead weights like Reid, Dunn. Grella. Just because Andrews isn't great doesn't mean he can't do a job for us. Look at Robbie Savage. A shining example of a player who wasn't great but could a job.

In this day and age you need a decent squad and I think we'd be daft to get rid of him

[Jonnolad]

I'd like to shift Dunn, Reid and Vogel of our wage bill before selling Andrews. He may not be Steven Gerrard, but he is relatively injury free, has reasonable wages, and does a job for the squad. That is in marked contrast to Dunn and Reid, who spend more time being injured than playing, and Vogel who no manager seems to like.

Christ I'd forgotten about Vogel - if there was ever a white elephant of a player for us it's him.

How much is he costing? How long is his contract? Who's gonna take him off us?

[Napoleon]

Christ I'd forgotten about Vogel - if there was ever a white elephant of a player for us it's him.

How much is he costing? How long is his contract? Who's gonna take him off us?

Quite a lot, until summer 2010, nobody

[Jonnolad]

Quite a lot, until summer 2010, nobody

Depressing eh!

And people moan about Andrews

[Billy Castell]

Christ I'd forgotten about Vogel - if there was ever a white elephant of a player for us it's him.

How much is he costing? How long is his contract? Who's gonna take him off us?

Perhaps we can flog him to someone like Wolves on a freebie if need be. Freeing up the wages is very important. Same for Reid and co.

[thenodrog]

In a sense he did replace Bentley?? Is this the let's see who can come up with a reason why Andrews replaced Bentley even though he didn't? Presumably the more contrived the better.

Besides, surely by that rationale it would have been Grella's signing as CM who freed up Emerton to play right wing.

We sold an attacking midfielder and we signed an attacking midfielder. Whats your problem?

[AggyBlue]

We sold an attacking midfielder and we signed an attacking midfielder. Whats your problem?

You missed out 'central' and 'wide right'.

Try again with their correct positions inserted

[Blue n White Rover]

We sold an attacking midfielder and we signed an attacking midfielder. Whats your problem?

Keith Andrews wasn't touted as the next David Beckham. David Bentley was. Andrews plays in CM and Bentley plays on RM.

So in what way is he his replacement?

What's next Theno? Grella was meant to be his replacement?

[Amo]

I thought Ince only went for a right-winger (Pennant) on deadline day when he realized Emerton was bobbins there.

[thenodrog]

You missed out 'central' and 'wide right'.

Try again with their correct positions inserted

My recollection is that although mostly on the right Bentley played in every position in midfield except deep. In fact he professed that he'd rather play central midfield.

Grella was brought in as replacement for Tugay.

Villanueva could have been perceived as an attacking midfield replacement but obviously the rest of his game was not strong enough.

[Eddie]

You know that isn't a fair assessment there. Andrews is a purely central player (apart from being asked to fill in elsewhere), Bentley, despite aspirations of playing other positions, was clearly best at right midfield. Andrews was in no way a replacement for Bentley. It seems that you think every signing is a replacement, never heard of simply strengthening an area? Grella, if he has been anything, was probably thought of more as a replacement for Savage. Villanueva wasn't a replacement for anyone, merely an attempt to add a different option to our midfield.

[thenodrog]

You know that isn't a fair assessment there. Andrews is a purely central player (apart from being asked to fill in elsewhere), Bentley, despite aspirations of playing other positions, was clearly best at right midfield. Andrews was in no way a replacement for Bentley. It seems that you think every signing is a replacement, never heard of simply strengthening an area? Grella, if he has been anything, was probably thought of more as a replacement for Savage. Villanueva wasn't a replacement for anyone, merely an attempt to add a different option to our midfield.

Look back 6 posts eddie. For those of us that go to Ewood the team for most of the first half of the season when most of the damage was done was very similar to last year (except for the loss of Emerton and the costly goalkeeper change) the only other very obvious difference was that Bentley wasn't there and Andrews was.

[Blue n White Rover]

My recollection is that although mostly on the right Bentley played in every position in midfield except deep. In fact he professed that he'd rather play central midfield.

Grella was brought in as replacement for Tugay.

Villanueva could have been perceived as an attacking midfield replacement but obviously the rest of his game was not strong enough.

Your kidding right?

Grella was bought as a replacement for Mokoena, Ince knew he was rubbish and wasn't interested in Vogel. How you can make that statement is unthinkable. Sometimes I do wonder if golf is getting to ya

[thenodrog]

Your kidding right?

Grella was bought as a replacement for Mokoena, Ince knew he was rubbish and wasn't interested in Vogel. How you can make that statement is unthinkable. Sometimes I do wonder if golf is getting to ya

Splitting hairs.

Anyway in your best BRFC 4-4-2 who do you have as sitting midfielder? Tugay or Mokoena?