[Archived] Hull City Preview

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Pretty much seen the same problems as everybody else today,we did look a tired side lacking that usual spark and invention,almost boring in parts of the game.We need a right winger and a midfield general as neither the Axe,Reid nor Tugay are the answer.

Positives in the performances of Dunny,Robinson and Roberts... the rest so so.

Fair play to HULL and their fans who look a damn sight better than Derby,shame only about 19,000 'quiet' Rovers fans.

2nd in the league and 4 points from 6 is steady going to date.

[incy wincy little spider]

Just got back from the game and i thought we were boring. Didn't really feel like we were going to score even though we has loads of crosses into the box. There seemed to be no link between midfield and attack and when we took dunn off we had nothing. We must sign at least one flair player. Even if we won 1-0 I would still think the same. Robinson also worries me a bit with his flapping at at least one cross. Glad I saved my student pennies and didn't buy a season ticket!

[RevidgeBlue]

Very disappointing, a real case of "After the Lord Mayor's show" after such a flowing display against Everton.

The game just confirmed everything we already knew really, Bentley, although no world beater, was a high quality player on his day and we need to invest heavily to replace him.

We also badly lack creativity in central midfield. Quality and investment needed again there.

Mokoena has no role to play in home games.

Roberts was excellent, don't know why he was taken off, conversely never seen RSC so sluggish. Ince slapped down Wendy Howard on Radio Rovers when she made a similar point, saying everyone couldn't play well all the time and putting it down to the midweek travelling.

Mc Carthy is insulting the famous blue and white halves by waddling onto the pitch in that shape. What must Derbyshire think?

Ooijer has been responsible for two goals conceded in two games now, not a natural RB, surely time to give Simpson his chance.

Despite all that, we'd all have been over the moon with four points from two games had it been the other way round.

shame only about 19,000 'quiet' Rovers fans.

Thought it was a very good turn out in home areas.

[brfcshabba]

I would have taken off Santa Cruz and Reid rather than Roberts and Mokeona.

A few around me were saying things along similar lines

[imy9]

What have we found out today.

1. Ooijer is not a right-back. Too easily drawn into the centre (eg the goal) and hopeless going forward.

2. Pedersen is ineffective at best and ideally needs replacing.

3. Reid cannot play on right-mid.

4. The Axe is shyte.

5. Dunn is injury prone

6. Our attacking is like pulling teeth.

1. Ooijer is not a right back but has played well there on ocassion- Simpson will probably play there at some point in the next 6 games. (Ince has only seen Ooijer play there ONCE in a competitive game so he will soon work this out).

2. Pedersen has played THREE games in the last SEVEN days, as has Reid, RSC and The Axe, could this explain their poor performances today, I think so.

3. Reid played really well against Everton at right mid and poor today, lets see how he does after half a dozen games.

4. The Axe was superb against Everton, The Axed PLAYED shyte would be appropriate.

5. He came off after 45 minutes today, can you tell me how many games he has missed for us since he joined us? (dont let facts get in the way of perpetuating a myth)

6. We have scored 4 goals in two games, just think if out attack "is like pulling teeth" now, how great could we be?

[ABBEY]

It goes hand in hand with being a manager at the very top Incey. You'll need to learn to cope with that - it is not a valid excuse.

Very disappointing result.

exactly.....tired what an excuse...top athletes , thousands of pounds a week, no money mortgage worries ,no work bar exersing ...

TRY DOING A 12 HOUR SHIFT MR INCE THEN GO TRAINING THEN YOU WILL KNOW WHAT CHUFFING TIRED IS!!!!!!

PATHETIC EXCUSE for a below performence ,too many players today who didnt show enogh commitment...

[Presty On Tour]

I blame Lawro!

And oh yeah I bet we will be last on motd tonight.

2 points lost and very disappointed.

[Eddie]

McCarthy is insulting the famous blue and white halves by waddling onto the pitch in that shape. What must Derbyshire think?

How much McCarthy feel when Mr. Santa +20k Cruz barely turns up and stays on the pitch for 90 minutes. It was clear that he was tired or something, he needed to go off and Benni needed more than 10 minutes to get into the game. Why do managers think that you can throw on an attacking player with a few minutes and expect him to prove himself or change the game? The only players who can really do much late on are players with pace who can stretch a side, we don't have any of those and Benni certainly isn't one.

I'm not having a dig at Santa Cruz, no one plays well for 38 games, but if a player isn't playing well then he should go off when we are struggling to create in the 60th minute and he is bringing and end to almost all of our attacks, especially when he isn't even a player who creates something out of nothing.

[hawaii501]

We really needed bentley out there today, the game lacked a creative player in the second half. Dunn went off injured and after that we never got going again.

Dunn and Warnock just have been kicked 10 times each.

Surely it is a must for us to go and buy an out and out right winger as Reid and Emo aint the solution.

Emerton needs to be shifted back to right back as Andre Ooijer is a centre back not a right back, the guy aint got the pace

[daveoftherovers]

I actually thought we were rubbish today, tempo wasn't quick enough, the following had a shocker

Oijer (As much a RB as I am)

Warnock (I thought he was playing for them at one stage)

Benni **** off to wearside !!! You're a disgrace! (I agree about Matty, you'd be looking at that with some contempt, if in his shoes)

ONLY bright notes:

Dunny (Unless he was injured in the 2nd half, that was not a good choice ince!)

Paul Robinson who was EXCELLENT! Has so much that Brad didn't (Like coming off his line (Quickly) and his kicking, although he does need to turn the gas down)

Emerton tried, but he's a RB !! Reidy tried, but he's not RM, but Treacy on the bench unused????

Benni given 5 mins??? (3 mistakes) (Being selected, called off the bench, time allowed)

We played a really poor side today and it felt like a loss because we were pants!

Just Hoofing it up to Santa ISN'T GOOD ENOUGH !!!

Oh, and Roberts, STOP ****ing Moaning !!!

[ABBEY]

eddie...how must benni feel?

in a word BLOATED...how can he expect to play when hes about 2 stone over weight he looks like an anorexic jan molby!!!!

[brfcshabba]

I'm sure this could have been said in the match thread...

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Oh, and Roberts, STOP ****ing Moaning !!!

Rarely smiles when he even scores a goal the miserable barsteward!

[Hasta]

Indeed. And besides there where plenty of times last year we had similar performances with bentley in midfield. I'd rather buy Carlos and A N Other and move on.

[Hasta]

How much McCarthy feel when Mr. Santa +20k Cruz barely turns up and stays on the pitch for 90 minutes. It was clear that he was tired or something, he needed to go off and Benni needed more than 10 minutes to get into the game. Why do managers think that you can throw on an attacking player with a few minutes and expect him to prove himself or change the game? The only players who can really do much late on are players with pace who can stretch a side, we don't have any of those and Benni certainly isn't one.

I'm not having a dig at Santa Cruz, no one plays well for 38 games, but if a player isn't playing well then he should go off when we are struggling to create in the 60th minute and he is bringing and end to almost all of our attacks, especially when he isn't even a player who creates something out of nothing.

So McCarthy himself has admitted he doesn't deserve to start. And now we are admitting he's not really the kind of player to come off the bench. Take the £4mill+ for god sake.

[Paul Mellelieu]

There's a thread to discuss this called Rovers vs Hull

[Mc Love]

Bentley didnt seem to create much for Spuds today

[krislu]

eddie...how must benni feel?

in a word BLOATED...how can he expect to play when hes about 2 stone over weight he looks like an anorexic jan molby!!!!

Well, the club rates him as worth more than £9m and still put him on the bench! What the hell is wrong with us?

[Roar of the Rover]

Robbo. Did OK, his long kicks are a weapon but used too often. 7.5/10

Ooijer. Struggled all game. 4.5/10

Warnock. Brutally assaulted several times by the thug King who another ref would have had off the park before HT. Best bet to get a decent cross in. 7.5/10

Samba. Did OK but would like to have seen him forward more. 7/10

Nelsen. Had a difficult afternoon but coped well enough. 7/10

Reid. Totally anonymous in the first half on the right. Ineffective in the middle after HT. 4.5/10

Dunn. Best player on the pitch by miles. We lost our only creativity at HT. 8/10

Mokoena. Awful. 2/10

Pedersen. Completely ineffective in all aspects of the game. Hull nearly scored from his first 2 corners. 1/10

Roberts. Constant threat, fed only on scraps and deserved his goal. 8/10

Santa. Like Roberts without the strength. 7/10

It's a bit harsh but Roque was rubbish today. Just wasn't his usual self. Rarely won any headers in the air, the one chance he did have he headed wide. Doesn't deserve a 7 in my opinion much lower than that. Can't be his fault though, played 90 minutes with Paraguay and had a long journey. Ince should have been brave enough to take Roque off and bring on Benni in my opinion. Roberts was by far our best player and to take him off was just plain daft, especially when Roque was performing so badly.

Anyway, 4 points from 2 games isn't to bad. Grimsby next, should be another win and then look forward to another defeat against the Hammers

[Hasta]

Quick points as I've had a few to drink:-

• For the second week running Roberts looked the best striker we have got. I'm not saying he is but for those who say he's not worth a place in the squad eat thy words.

• The midfield was weak last year. This year without Bentley it is worse and needs strenghtening. Dunn was easily the pick (again JAL) until he went off injured (again JAL). After that it had no creativity whatsoever.

• Tugay is finished. He came on with 20 minutes left as an impact player. That impact player should be charging and outrunning everyone else to give us the impetus. He looked as knackered as everyone esle. He's a legend but let him go. Likewise Reid is still not the player he was. He was OK on the right but awful in the middle. The axe does a job but not going forward.

• Robinson can kick a ball a flippin long way.

[Roar of the Rover]

Bentley didnt seem to create much for Spuds today

We seriously lacked that killer ball today and throughout the game our crosses were awful. Rovers MUST birng in a right midfielder before the end of the transfer window or we could struggle. Time Rovers splashed the cash to bring in Joaquin and not look for a bargain. I can't see any other realistic option.

[Roar of the Rover]

Quick points as I've had a few to drink:-

• For the second week running Roberts looked the best striker we have got. I'm not saying he is but for those who say he's not worth a place in the squad eat thy words.

• The midfield was weak last year. This year without Bentley it is worse and needs strenghtening. Dunn was easily the pick (again JAL) until he went off injured (again JAL). After that it had no creativity whatsoever.

• Tugay is finished. He came on with 20 minutes left as an impact player. That impact player should be charging and outrunning everyone else to give us the impetus. He looked as knackered as everyone esle. He's a legend but let him go. Likewise Reid is still not the player he was. He was OK on the right but awful in the middle. The axe does a job but not going forward.

• Robinson can kick a ball a flippin long way.

Talk more sense than those that are sober

[Paul]

Thinking about the game I realise it's impossible to be either for or against Paul Ince on the basis of his football. He has the same team as Hughes, minus Bentley, and all we saw today was a repeat of the many, many lack lustre peformances seen at Ewood Park under Sparky last year. Ince, Hughes or whoever in charge with our best 11 on the pitch the result would have been the same - boring and lacking in creativity. We will see better games and play better against Arsenal et al but this will be because of the space those teams create giving us the opportunity to play better. We do not have a squad capable of breaking down a determined side like Hull. Anyone unhappy with today, and I'm disappointed as I had high hopes, should be looking at the squad and asking questions because this team is as good as it gets. Some fans have said we should have given Hughes the money to invest, I for one have questioned how the club can justify the funds. This evening I think the same applies except that if we are to see anything resembling entertaining football at Ewood Ince must be given money to spend on players. On today's performance, with the exception of Dunn, we have no one to create anything exciting. Robinson looks as though he will regain his confidence and prove a good signing; I felt Roberts had his best game for Rovers to date, none of the rest registered with me at all, neither good nor bad, just anonymous.

I haven't seen any of the Everton game, but the media reports and real excitment from fans on here means it must have been very good. Either Hull are better than Everton or the team simply lacked the motivation to perform. I suspect once again the side thought Hull would be ready to roll over and this would be a stroll on the park. It wasn't, we weren't ready to try and win and fans have been let down. If this is the standard of performance we can expect from the side it's going to be a long, long season. As for Ince's excuse of tiredness, here I will take issue - absolute brollocks and a very lame excuse. These guys have played one / two competitive games in three months, they are young men at the peak of physical fitness (Benni being the notable exception).

Four points from these opening fixtures is a decent return but after winning a game we could well have lost to fail against Hull makes it seem like 2 points lost rather than 4 gained. We simply cannot afford to chuck away points against sides like Hull. My main reaction to today's game? I won't be going Wedesday.

From the tannoy I gather Ince was introduced to the home crowd - it would have been a good idea to actually see him at this point. He wasn't visible from the JW, where was he?

On Villanueva (sp) I gather he had chicken pox? I had this as an adult and I'm not surpised he isn't ready to play as it's an illness which can really knock an adult for six.

[deftangel]

Do you not think that the loss of Bentley was there for all to see in todays game.

Of course but £17m was adequate compensation for the loss of his services when the alternitive was for him to half heartedly play for us in a sulk in a new season where the rest of the premiership will have been quick to realise he was the only quality midfielder and shut him out of the game anyway. Not that he's setting the world alight at Spurs but the fact that Bentley wasn't playing isn't the problem, it was that we haven't invested in a midfield that has been an issue going forwards creatively for quite some time.

As someone else above said, if this is what convinces Ince that we need to get people in at defensive midfield and right wing before September 1st then I'd swap two points for it.

[Roar of the Rover]

Thinking about the game I realise it's impossible to be either for or against Paul Ince on the basis of his football. He has the same team as Hughes, minus Bentley, and all we saw today was a repeat of the many, many lack lustre peformances seen at Ewood Park under Sparky last year. Ince, Hughes or whoever in charge with our best 11 on the pitch the result would have been the same - boring and lacking in creativity. We will see better games and play better against Arsenal et al but this will be because of the space those teams create giving us the opportunity to play better. We do not have a squad capable of breaking down a determined side like Hull. Anyone unhappy with today, and I'm disappointed as I had high hopes, should be looking at the squad and asking questions because this team is as good as it gets. Some fans have said we should have given Hughes the money to invest, I for one have questioned how the club can justify the funds. This evening I think the same applies except that if we are to see anything resembling entertaining football at Ewood Ince must be given money to spend on players. On today's performance, with the exception of Dunn, we have no one to create anything exciting. Robinson looks as though he will regain his confidence and prove a good signing; I felt Roberts had his best game for Rovers to date, none of the rest registered with me at all, neither good nor bad, just anonymous.

I haven't seen any of the Everton game, but the media reports and real excitment from fans on here means it must have been very good. Either Hull are better than Everton or the team simply lacked the motivation to perform. I suspect once again the side thought Hull would be ready to roll over and this would be a stroll on the park. It wasn't, we weren't ready to try and win and fans have been let down. If this is the standard of performance we can expect from the side it's going to be a long, long season. As for Ince's excuse of tiredness, here I will take issue - absolute brollocks and a very lame excuse. These guys have played one competitive game in three months, they are young men in the peak of physical fitness (Benni being the notable exception).

Four points from these opening fixtures is a decent return but after winning a game we could well have lost to fail against Hull makes it seem like 2 points lost rather than 4 gained. We simply cannot afford to chuck away points against sides like Hull. My main reaction to today's game? I won't be going Wedesday.

From the tannoy I gather Ince was introduced to the home crowd - it would have been a good idea to actually see him at this point. He wasn't visible from the JW, where was he?

On Villanueva (sp) I gather he had chicken pox? I had this as an adult and I'm not surpised he isn't ready to play as it's an illness which can really knock an adult for six.

What a load of tripe that is.

Ince had 1 hour with the players yesterday. No preparation time for the game. Roque played 90 mins for Paraguay and had a very long journey. Must have got back on Friday. After watching the Everton game last week there is real sense of determination and I'm very confident that given the time with his squad Incey will get us the right results. there is no-one to blame for this result other than stupid pointless friendlies. It affected us and if you were at the game today you would've noticed quite a few of our players were very lathargic and gave away the ball. Ince can't do much if he has only 1 HOUR with his squad prior to a PL game!