[Archived] Arsenal Preview

[ABBEY]

Jesus, put your toys back in your pram!

The defence is awful. The players are the same that have done well in recent seasons. Ince appointed Winterburn to improve the defence. I think Ince, his backroom staff (and the players) are entirely responsible. The board backed him with significant cash this summer, it is not their fault that the scouting system nor Ince/Mathias couldn't find a suitable replacement for Bentley. It is also not their fault that a previously fully functioning defence now can't tell their rear ends from their elbows.

thats BOLLUX...TODAY WAS WOEFUL,GUTLESS,PASSIONLESS AND I DONT WHO HAS STOPPED THIS BUT IT WAS OUR TRAIT ....THE HEART AND SOUL HAS GONE FROM THE TEAM....IM ASHAMED TO BE A ROVER TONIGHT...IT WAS NEVER THAT BAD UNDER JIM ILEY OR BRIAN KIDD....INCE HAD THE OPPURTUNITY TO CHANGE THE MIDFIELD TODAY AND IT SHOWED HE HAS NO COACHING BADGES BECUSE HE DIDNT.CANT REMEMBER OUR MIDFIELD EVER TURNING ALL WIMP LIKE THAT BEFORE....WE ARE IN TROUBLE DONT MASK OVER IT THE WHEELS ARE COMING OFF AND BEFORE WE KNOW IT ITS GOING TO FREEFALL.......IM NOT CHUCKING TOYS OUT THE PRAM IF YOU WERE THERE TODAY YOU WILL KNOW THAT WAS PATHETIC AND NOT GOOD ENOUGH.

[Guest Kamy100]

Just got back and for the first time in a long time I watched that game and it became apparent to me that we actually had no gameplan. We didn't try to close Arsenal down, they walked through our midfield and we sat to deep. Even an idiot knows that if you give them time and space then they will take you to the cleaners. Reid and Andrews were non-existent and to be honest all of our problems stemmed from them two. Andrews looked out of his depth, he seemed to just run around but actually do nothing.

I thought that Winterburn was meant to improve our defence, but the evidence thus far is that we have gone the other way.

Very disappointing afternoon.

[The Prof.]

thats BOLLUX...TODAY WAS WOEFUL,GUTLESS,PASSIONLESS AND I DONT WHO HAS STOPPED THIS BUT IT WAS OUR TRAIT ....THE HEART AND SOUL HAS GONE FROM THE TEAM....IM ASHAMED TO BE A ROVER TONIGHT...IT WAS NEVER THAT BAD UNDER JIM ILEY OR BRIAN KIDD....INCE HAD THE OPPURTUNITY TO CHANGE THE MIDFIELD TODAY AND IT SHOWED HE HAS NO COACHING BADGES BECUSE HE DIDNT.CANT REMEMBER OUR MIDFIELD EVER TURNING ALL WIMP LIKE THAT BEFORE....WE ARE IN TROUBLE DONT MASK OVER IT THE WHEELS ARE COMING OFF AND BEFORE WE KNOW IT ITS GOING TO FREEFALL.......IM NOT CHUCKING TOYS OUT THE PRAM IF YOU WERE THERE TODAY YOU WILL KNOW THAT WAS PATHETIC AND NOT GOOD ENOUGH.

Upset eh Abbey?

[wandel77]

Think Pedersen did ok today, but its also difficult to play back position and left wing when Warnock is in his own world !

[ABBEY]

Upset eh Abbey?

are you not???

tell you flitcroft or atcko or sav wouldnt of been dictaed to today like that weak midfield was...stella is calling

[The Prof.]

are you not???

tell you flitcroft or atcko or sav wouldnt of been dictaed to today like that weak midfield was...stella is calling

Upset - I am beginning to regret not backing BFS - at least we'd have put a scap up. Beat you to stella!

[Iceman]

Im realy thinking now, that BFS would not have been a bad appointment. At least we would have been robust, tough and strong. I think JW wil have to make a very careful decision, and that is does he continue with Ince, or is he brave enough to find somebody else. I think the latter would make the most sense, rather now before its to late to react. Curbishly or Keegan wouldnt be a bad choice, and i dont care what anybody thinks of those 2 guys.

[MarkBRFC71]

Today was just a total capitulation - no heart or fight from anyone other than Roque.

Robinson - Did OK and this week at least couldn't be faulted for any of the goals!

Simpson - Solid debut, certainly a better bet than Ooijer at right back.

Nelsen - Should be dropped for next week. Ooijer and Zurab are our first choice centreback pairing, without doubt.

Samba - See above - a liability at the minute.

Warnock - the most inconsistent player we've ever had? Awesome one week, schoolboy error after error the next.

Emerton - Just proved why we were foolish to not replace Bentley. Not a right winger - full stop.

Reid - Just not good enough for the Prem. Can't pass, run, tackle. Even Mokoena is better - that's how bad he is. Definitely should be dropped for the Fulham game.

Andrews - Didn't do too badly, although the pace of the game seemed too much for him sometimes.

Pedersen - His best game in a while, although his corners and crossing remain awful.

Roque - The only player who seemed to care. Fought for scraps, but with no joy.

Roberts - Just not good enough. Unfortunately we don't really have the squad depth to replace him with anyone better, not until Benni loses a stone.

Ince looks to be totally out of his depth as a Premier League manager, and defeat against Fulham should for me see him sacked. The Derbyshire substitution was an atrocious decision - how many times does he need to prove he is totally inept at playing right wing? Carols should have been brought on instead.

More and more the decision to appoint Ince is looking like a financial not footballing one, and it worries me.

I keep hearing that Newcastle are after Ince - please let that be true.

[Amo]

I've heard Winterburn's hardly had a chance to work with the squad at all. The question is - why? He's waited until after the Arsenal game.

Disappointing performance and result. It's easy to say 'Oh well, it's Arsenal' but it sounds like we're really lacking some steel in the middle of the pitch, as well as an attacking edge. This falls to Ince. It was his responsibility to keep/sell Bentley & Friedel, so it's up to him to strengthen the side tactically and personnel-wise. He hasn't done so.

Sack Ince? That's pretty crazy. I'd give him 10 games before any talk like that. I don't care for his appointment, but even so you have to give someone time to impose themselves on the players. Alex Ferguson came close to the sack at Manchester United at first, but he managed to turn it around and become a legend.

[Bobby G]

There is no way the board would get rid of Ince so soon as it would put them under question too.

Unless Newcastle make the decision for them, as they did with Souness. But after tonight I dont see how they would...

[Guest Kamy100]

Have to also remember that Hughes lost 8 games on the bounce when he took over and look how that turned out, although in Hughes's favour he always talked sense I am yet to hear that from Ince.

[Kei]

Rovers were poor today but Arsenal were on a different planet. It's quite scary to think they will struggle to win anything this year. They almost play too much football. We aint gonna be playing them every week, thank god. That said they won't get an easier afternoon than they did today.

Ince has to take alot of blame. Last week I felt we were unlucky but today we deserved everything we got.

Andrews was given no chance being given a debut against Febregas. Today was the perfect time to blood Carlos. He was hardly going to get kicked out of the game against Arsenal but he was ignored again. We had two similar players in Reid and Andrews who didn't really look like they knew what they were being asked to do, so they did nothing, they got torn to pieces.

Warnock does not look interested and should have been goal side for the second goal but was left massively exposed by Nelson's ball watching for the 5th time this season. I thought Roque had a decent game and won most things in and around him but Roberts simply cannot read Roque at all. Time and again he won headers and knock downs and Roberts was nowhere to be seen. Matty needs to start against Fulham.

Extremely poor but Arsenal were a different class.

[24right]

Just got back from the game and I am just astonished at the pub football level of performance today. Everyone has to take a share of the blame, Ince, with playing Andrews who looked so much out of his depth, like a child wearing arm bands being asked to swim the Atlantic and the more established players who were incapable of passing the ball 5 yards to a team mate in the 2nd half let alone tackle and compete.

Everyone needs to take a long hard look at themselves tonight............

[Sandiway Blue]

Just got back and for the first time in a long time I watched that game and it became apparent to me that we actually had no gameplan. We didn't try to close Arsenal down, they walked through our midfield and we sat to deep. Even an idiot knows that if you give them time and space then they will take you to the cleaners. Reid and Andrews were non-existent and to be honest all of our problems stemmed from them two. Andrews looked out of his depth, he seemed to just run around but actually do nothing.

I thought that Winterburn was meant to improve our defence, but the evidence thus far is that we have gone the other way.

Very disappointing afternoon.

That sums today up entirely and for me was the main reason why we lost in the manner we did.

I thought Robbo played well as did Pedersen and Roque was feeding off scraps,however the rest was poor.

[Plastic Head]

OK...to be honest I think we did OK in the first half. We created similar chances to them and could have had 2 goals ourselves.

HOWEVER, the marking at the centre of our defence was an embarassment. For gods sake, Adebayor is a 6"6"" black man with a red shirt on. It can't be that difficult to see him and stand near him when he's in the box surely?

The second half was a non-event and there was more chance of a Gary Glitter comeback than a Rovers one in that game. Hope Eboue has a karmic serious injury after a scandalous dive.

Robinson. OK but just doesn't seem to save much. 5/10

Simpson. Decent game actually. 7/10

Warnock. Dodgy. 5/10

Samba. Error-ridden performance and didn't pick up a stick in the box. 3/10

Nelsen. Lost vP for the first, Adebayor for the second, turned like a tanker for the third and i'd gone by the fourth. 1/10

Emerton. Kept trying and ran himself into the ground. 7/10

Pedersen. See Hull City. Ineffective. Ineffectual, In need of replacement. 2/10

Reid. Needs to get stuck in. 5/10

Andrews. If he was 10 years younger he would be worth percevering with. He isn't so he isn't. 5/10

Roque. Another frustrating afternoon. 6/10

Roberts. Not involved. 5/10

Subs: Irrelevant.

Referee Mike Dean. A sad and pathetic man. 0/10

Team for next week injury permiting:

Bunn, Simpson, Warnock, Kishi, Ooijer, Emerton, Dunn Villanueva, Treacy, Roque, Roberts.

[RibbleValleyRover]

I couldn't make the game due to a member of my family being ill so i don't know if this is true. According to a fan on 606 Keith Andrews was booed by some of the fans on his Home debut.

Is that true?

[ABBEY]

never heard any booing rvr only at the endfor everyone

[Guest Kamy100]

I couldn't make the game due to a member of my family being ill so i don't know if this is true. According to a fan on 606 Keith Andrews was booed by some of the fans on his Home debut.

Is that true?

I didn't hear any booing, although there were alot of people very disappointed with his performance, but deffo no booing. Benni McCarthy was booed when he came on.

[Sandiway Blue]

I didn't hear any booing, although there were alot of people very disappointed with his performance, but deffo no booing. Benni McCarthy was booed when he came on.

Sadly i heard the booing too,shocking really.

In all fairness he did try a bit when he came on but he does look unfit and needs to sort himself out.

[1864roverite]

And now for the reality check, both for those who went to the game and those who didnt.

Lets just say this and believe me the truth is going to be harsh. Rovers were hammered by the WORST Arsenal team to venture into Ewood Park for many a season. I love watching the Arsenal style of free flowing football, the slick one pass football, the creativity, the guile and the movement. Players such as Bergkamp, Henry, Pires, Hleb and Rosicky, not to mention the simple play of Clichy, Toure and fabregas. There have been many many more players to mention but this current team are nowhere near them.

Rovers today are a poor shadow of the team they were at home to the big teams last season. The tactics employed were non existant. We were promised the team would have a go in the media, that simply didnt happen. The team on the pitch was so ineffective it was embarassing to be a Rovers fan today. For me, I cannot recall ever the last time I walked off a good five minutes before the end of a game, but today it happened. I was truly shocked to see my beloved BRFC in such a sorry state.

Our team today does not deseve the calibre of player such as Roque Santa Cruz when we see a player such as Keith Andrews trying to play football on the same pitch. What a total embarassment for the Board, the Club, The team and its supporters.

It just seems so surreal because although Arsenal scored early doors, Rovers could and should have been at least 2-1 up if not 2-2 by half time. After that, we just simply lost all will to live, all will to play football and well, I am honestly stunned at what we had to witness on that pitch.

So, where has it all gone wrong ?

I hear the papers are picking Ince for the Newcastle job, well for me get yourself gone mate now and take your back room team and Keith Andrews as well. Especially if we are to witness that lack of effort in home games. If a player cannot raise his game for a match versus Arsenal whilst earning 20k a week then they dont deserve to wear our shirt.

No guile.

No effort.

No teamwork.

No creativity.

No defending together.

No one wanting the ball.

No-one passing.

No one wanting the ball.

No passion.

Whatever happened to the ethic that we saw at Everton ?

I dont normally do ratings but here my view today from the JW Upper.

Robinson 8 - fine saves and kept the score below 7.

Thomas 7 - thought he had a good game.

Samba 5 - poor first half improved in the second.

Nelsen 5 - poor overall.

Warnock 6 - too exposed.

Emerton 8 - lacked support.

Reid 3 - shocking.

Andrews 1 - out of his depth BIG TIME.

MGP 7 - good effort but got slapped in a tackle.

Roberts 6 - should have scored.

RSC - 6 - as above and lacked support.

So then Mr Ince, can we have an explanation as to what it was Rovers were aiming to do on that pitch ?

Could I also have an answer as to what you think makes Andrews the complete box to box midfielder ?

Could I also have an answer as to why we didnt have a midfield destroyer in front of the back 4 to quell the attacking football Arsenal so clearly play each game ?

And finally, can I have an answer as to why Rovers today made EBOUE look like he was a first class world top 3 midfielder ?

The Keith Andrews mystery is an enigma. I have seen some dodgy players at Ewood over the years but I have never seen one so much out his depth as I saw today. Yes he can run but he cant play. His tackling was 5 second too late, his passing was awful, he lacked pace and drive, he lacked nouse in fact I just dont know why he was on the pitch.

Surely, todays option should have seen Rovers employ Mokoena in front of the back 4 especially with our injuries. We should certainly have seen Tugay on at half time because we didnt have anything through the middle or down the flanks. Reid, I think I read somewhere, was apparently given a free holding role for the Irish and played well, in todays game he was as bad as Andrews.

Rovers lack depth, lack quality and lack enough nouse on the park that is going to see us struggle in the coming weeks. A long hard winter beckons and if he cannot sort out what is plain for all to see, we are looking certainties for relegation, and I mean CERTAINTIES such was this inept display. It was Arsenal I hear you say, but may I remind you this was NOT a full free flowing Arsenal team, it was an Arsenal team that simply just passed the ball to each other and destroyed Rovers lack of will to play as an opponent.

The board must clearly see there are issues in the team ethics, its that obvious. Rovers should have pulled out all the stops to sign a central midfielder, be it a loanee or big money signing. Come January, it will be too late. The likes of RSC and Warnock will not be around because who would want to be associated with such a poor team.

I dont want to hear "its early days", we only get 38 games to get it right, we have already conceded 8 goals in 2 games whilst only managing to score 1.

Something has to give otherwise, our club is dead in the water as a Premiership outfit. If we go down we stay down forever.

Now that might sound like a frustrated supporter shouting out but believe me its the bleak prospect facing BRFC in the coming 8 months.

[G Somerset Rover]

Everyone has to take a share of the blame, Ince, with playing Andrews who looked so much out of his depth, like a child wearing arm bands being asked to swim the Atlantic and the more

Made me laugh on such a woeful day. The facts speak for themselves. I'm always of the opinion that a team's goal difference says alot about them, and right now we're the worst in the league. The problem is, who do we drop? Ooijer and Zurab are injured so Nelsen and Samba have to play. But then again, Samba could never be dropped could he? And in central midfield Grella and Dunny are out. I've got to say that our midfield looks the worst I have seen for many a year. No creativity and no ideas. Some battle and in your face attitude would do, but that doesn't even look possible.

Extremely dejected right now. The Fulham game becomes absoloutely huge.

Finally why the hell sign Carlos and make out he's the next big thing if your never going to actually play him! What risk was there in throwing him on at 2-0 down?!

[Paul]

I don't often agree with 1864's views but he got it right with regard to the match. I don't think Arsenal are poor though. The real truth is Arsenal never got out of first gear. Andrews is awful and Simpson is never going to make it - that's why he's at Ewood.

[FourLaneBlue]

Have to also remember that Hughes lost 8 games on the bounce when he took over

No he didn´t...after winning his first match in charge Hughes did go 8 games without a win but that included five draws including against Liverpool. Not a great start however he was handed a far inferior squad than Ince has and with little chance to add any players (other than Djorkaeff on a free) due to the transfer window having shut.

Ince, on the other hand, seemingly inherited what many on here were raving about being our best ever squad.

It is still early days but it has not been a start to reassure the fans that is for sure...

[thenodrog]

Today was NO surprise whatsoever despite many shallow thinkers amongst our members thinking that we are still top 6 material. The club is a shambles and on a steep downward curve. Not wholly our fault cos the Premiership is now money orientated and probably corrupt too boot. Ince as I have said frequently is not a quality manager, anybody who signs Andrews and Fowler to play in the Prem is either evil or a buffoon. The plain fact is that Hughes had us punching above our weight despite being on a shoestring budget. Ince simply does not possess the ability / nous to carry that forward, that is blindingly obvious from his signings. We will be bottom 6 as I predicted unless we get shut. If we get shut later rather than sooner we will go down. We were mighty lucky to get a flier at Everton. Sad to say but our best hope of Prem survival is to hold out the olive branch for Allardyce, if we want to play attractive attacking football then it will have to be in a different division.

I'm off out.....

[des]

in any team playing at our level, you need bit of bite and pace and skill, all three were lacking today and yes I did watch most of he game.

However the team we were playing were good.