[Archived] Fulham Preview

[Paul]

btw all you needed to do was change your seat to a rather more 'discerning' part of the ground.

Not sure about that. Spent the whole the game listening to our local moron berating MGP so it's as bad in the JW. Agreed MGP had a poor game but he was totally out of position, a fact which seemed to escape the pillock behind me. His performance must be partly the manager's fault for asking him to play on the right.

[Athlete]

Not sure about that. Spent the whole the game listening to our local moron berating MGP so it's as bad in the JW. Agreed MGP had a poor game but he was totally out of position, a fact which seemed to escape the pillock behind me. His performance must be partly the manager's fault for asking him to play on the right.

When was the last time MGP had a good game ?? and yet he still gets picked

[Ricky]

I had some numpties behind me having a right bitch about Emerton being played in Midfield. Had to bite my lip to stop myself saying something.

My views on Andrews were that he was neat and tidy and always looked for a forward pass. He tries to thread a ball through for the strikers and rarely passes it back to Robbo (like Reid does). He had a decent shot which went just wide and personally I thought he had a decent game.

[joey_big_nose]

Something has happened at the club and its difficult to fathom out what it is exactly.

I have no real issues with Ince, I dont have full confidence in him yet and his back room staff dont exactly get me thinking that they can replace Eddie and co, hoever, it is plain to see that Ince thinks he can experiment at will when he cant. the time to experiment this season is in the games such as Wednesday when it doesnt really matter for this year. We need Premier League football otherwise there is just the downward spiral waiting for us should we drop.

I don't really agree with that. You only get to test teams in competitive matches, and thsoe managaers who have been most successful (top four teams, Moyes, Sparky, Harry, Bruce) are all quite happy to experiment when the season is up and running.

Its just a case of ablanceng between being solid and using your players in the best possible way.

Saturday was bizarre. Pedersen on the right was a poor decision Both Emerton and Andrews were going forward which made little sense (I had my heart in my mouth as Fulham would counter attack and we would have no one near the centre circle!). But apart from that the team worked well and the subsitituions worked perfectly, including a near genius one in swinging Derbyshire out to the left which completely flumoxed the Fulham defence.

I would imagine the lesson that will come out of this game is that t'Axe will get his spot back in the centre and be partnered with Andrews. Emerton will go back to the right (which I think is a shame but we have no one else to play there). Pedersen will be dropped, Treacy will keep his place.

Axe-Andrews combo was not really what I was hoping for to be honest. Although for all those slagging Andrews he is a definate improvement on Reid.

But we do in the modern game need to be flexible. At some stage we will shift to a 4231, another time I can see us on 4312, yet again in a 451 as well as a 442. This is how it works.

[T4E]

Good to hear the positive reviews for Emerton at CM. Hopefully we'll persevere with him in there, if he carries on like this it'll be like the new signing we didn't manage.

[gumboots]

It doesn't help the club.

I can't sit round people who don't know who speedie etc etc is though.

I do not enjoy it anymore, hence I don't go to ewood. By the way I had a season ticket since 1988 till 2004.

I take very strong exception to your suggestion that I cannot in some way be a real Rovers fan because I don't know much about David Speedie. Back in the 60's and early 70's I was standing on the terraces at Ayresome park, watching my home town team, Boro. When I moved away to Uni, college and work I lost touch with my home team because it was much harder to keep up with things when there was no internet or Sky. I've lived here in Clitheroe for 25 years now and, once I could afford it, I started following my local team, Rovers. Yes, it was post 95 - it was in fact the season before we got relegated. I stuck with the team through the Championship and am still here. I don't feel that knowing all about ex Rovers heroes affects my ability to comment sensibly most of the time on what I see on the pitch in front of me. If that makes me a moron or whatever in your eyes, then I'm sorry, but I'm the one going to rovers games every week to support my club - not you.

[ABBEY]

sorry gum but you DONT NEVER EVER change teams,you just dont its not right.

[CrazyIvan]

My view on the match.

Poor first half, Rovers looked a bit nervous in the first half and MGP on the right didn't quite work. Treacy looked like he lacked a little pace but he did pretty well all told and caused their right back no end of problems. He ended up getting taken out by same number 4 and ref just gave a throw-in. The ref wasn't the best...

Emo was immense, he ran everywhere and was unlucky not to score. Andrews was decent as I've said elsewhere but looked much more comfortable with Tugay than Emerton.

Simpson is a decent right back and has enough skills to make it at this level if he keeps on progressing. Nelsen had a good game and one tackle stood out in the box that was brilliant, he even got off the floor quicker than Johnson to clear the ball. Defensively we were generally solid, the opposing team is always going to get a chance and the two shots by Johnson were both brilliantly saved by Robbo.

Roberts was largely not in the game. Roque had a good chance to score and a foot or two to the right and it would have hit the back of the net. His interplay with Carlos for the goal was superb; I saw him some thing similar for Paraguay recently. He seems very comfortable playing as the front man with someone playing in the hole behind him.

The subs were well time and well chosen. Tugay changed the pattern of the game, typical really . Carlos ran everywhere and wanted to be involved in everything and he generally was. Derbs was just fantastic on the left wing skinning the right back a couple of times with pure pace. He was in the perfect position to score which is all you can ask. Carlos shot that was inches wide was reminiscent of Zola in his heyday. Did anybody else see the similarity?

All in all a good result. Not the best game but the last 20 minutes were good to watch from Rovers point of view.

[T4E]

Where is the MOM poll?

[joey_big_nose]

I have been thinking about the game a bit since and I have to say I am feeling a lot more positive.

Carlos is clearly going to be our key man as the season goes forward. The thing I found really encouraging about him is how far he swings out wide in either direction and comes inside. He is a creator and an intelligent player who is going to be extraordinarily hard to mark for the opposition. He covers the whole of the final third of the pitch and is always looking for the ball. I think him and Santa could work providing they are supported well by players getting beyond them (Derbyshire did this on Saturday for the goal). Ince's way of playing with Dunn/Andrews, Treacy and Emerton seems to promise this as they bomb on.

He is a great little play maker and I think will create a lot of room by drawing the defence for more straightforward players like Emerton to exploit. I would love to see us lineup like this:

----------------Cruz

----------------------Carlos

-----Treacy----Dunn-------Emerton

-------------------Grella

Warnock---Samba----Nelsen----Simpson

-------------------Robinson

I think that is actually beginning to look like a decent side. A lot depends on Grella being a quality player obviously which I am not really sure about - although Andrews, Simpson and Carlos have impressed for the outlay so perhaps our Paul can pick a player? While Dunn is out we will be using Andrews and he is a decent understudy for Dave. A good passer (a few of his balls on Saturday were really excellent) and I like his Lampard/Cahill style running into the box. He just needs to up his tempo and awareness a bit and needs to be partnered by someone who will sit back and let him bomb on. I like Treacy's pace and ability to go outside and inside the fullback (in the last ten years we have only had two players who could do that - Duff and Bentley. Not suggesting he is as good as them, but he can genuinely beat his man either way). Simpson and Warnock support the wide players well and seem solid at the back. Emerton is a head down and run player, but he does do it well and provided Carlos's movement and Simpson overlapping can create the space he will run into it all day. If we could add someone better that would be great but we have to wee with the willy we have as Souness would say.

The addition of one really unpredictable player like Carlos can create a lot of space for others.

I am also encouraged by the quality we will have on the bench - Ooijer, Tugay, Pedersen, Derbyshire and Roberts all have something to offer. It is a shame about McCarthy - he looks finished to me. The same might be said about Reid, although his Ireland performances suggest there is something there.

So, whilst our squad is weaker than Man City, Porstmouth, Villa or Spurs our best team is encouraging I think. I would back us to give those teams a game. Provided we do not suffer an injury crisis I think this season will be solid mid table, and we should have a decent amount of money to spend in the window.

[AndyC]

I have been thinking about the game a bit since and I have to say I am feeling a lot more positive.

Carlos is clearly going to be our key man as the season goes forward. The thing I found really encouraging about him is how far he swings out wide in either direction and comes inside. He is a creator and an intelligent player who is going to be extraordinarily hard to mark for the opposition. He covers the whole of the final third of the pitch and is always looking for the ball. I think him and Santa could work providing they are supported well by players getting beyond them (Derbyshire did this on Saturday for the goal). Ince's way of playing with Dunn/Andrews, Treacy and Emerton seems to promise this as they bomb on.

He is a great little play maker and I think will create a lot of room by drawing the defence for more straightforward players like Emerton to exploit. I would love to see us lineup like this:

----------------Cruz

----------------------Carlos

-----Treacy----Dunn-------Emerton

-------------------Grella

Warnock---Samba----Nelsen----Simpson

-------------------Robinson

I think that is actually beginning to look like a decent side. A lot depends on Grella being a quality player obviously which I am not really sure about - although Andrews, Simpson and Carlos have impressed for the outlay so perhaps our Paul can pick a player? While Dunn is out we will be using Andrews and he is a decent understudy for Dave. A good passer (a few of his balls on Saturday were really excellent) and I like his Lampard/Cahill style running into the box. He just needs to up his tempo and awareness a bit and needs to be partnered by someone who will sit back and let him bomb on. I like Treacy's pace and ability to go outside and inside the fullback (in the last ten years we have only had two players who could do that - Duff and Bentley. Not suggesting he is as good as them, but he can genuinely beat his man either way). Simpson and Warnock support the wide players well and seem solid at the back. Emerton is a head down and run player, but he does do it well and provided Carlos's movement and Simpson overlapping can create the space he will run into it all day. If we could add someone better that would be great but we have to wee with the willy we have as Souness would say.

The addition of one really unpredictable player like Carlos can create a lot of space for others.

I am also encouraged by the quality we will have on the bench - Ooijer, Tugay, Pedersen, Derbyshire and Roberts all have something to offer. It is a shame about McCarthy - he looks finished to me. The same might be said about Reid, although his Ireland performances suggest there is something there.

So, whilst our squad is weaker than Man City, Porstmouth, Villa or Spurs our best team is encouraging I think. I would back us to give those teams a game. Provided we do not suffer an injury crisis I think this season will be solid mid table, and we should have a decent amount of money to spend in the window.

far too balanced and sensible post joey for this message board.

didn't you know the world is coming to an end and ince is being tried for war crimes?

[gumboots]

sorry gum but you DONT NEVER EVER change teams,you just dont its not right.

Why not? I still love it when Boro win but I lived there as a kid. No choice really about what team you followed then - everyone chose the local team. When I became an adult I chose to follow rovers. Living in clitheroe it could just as easily have been our nearer neighbours at Burnley as lots of my friends were Burnley fans. You should be thankful I saw the light, have found my team and intend to carry on supporting them.

[ABBEY]

my grandad was, my dad was a rover and my youngest is a rover.If I ever moved anywhere I would NEVER CHANGE my allegience its not right.Its like swapping your son for someone elses daughter.

[gumboots]

my grandad was, my dad was a rover and my youngest is a rover.If I ever moved anywhere I would NEVER CHANGE my allegience its not right.Its like swapping your son for someone elses daughter.

But they probably never moved from the area, and it's easy nowadays to stay in touch. Modern technology means that my son in South Korea, my daughter in Germany, my daughter in France and my son at York can probably watch and hear as much about rovers as I can. It was different 30 years ago and having kids to look after and so on meant that in the 80s I really lost touch not just with my team but with football . I don't expect you to understand. when I left Teesside i thought I'd never want to live anywhere else because it seemed like the best place on earth to live to me. However, I've lived here in Lancashire nearly twice as long as I lived in Normanby and I wouldn't even think of myself as a Teessider any more. I consider this my home and as such I've chosen to support the team as well as the area. My kids say they'll never change either but I wouldn't hold it against them if they moved and chose their local team, provided it wasn't certain teams we all hate. I don't change every week or anything like that. I would not expect to make any more changes despite having a soft spot for Lorient in France. As I said I still cheer when Boro win as long as it's not against rovers and I almost crashed the car waving my arms about when they scored in the carling Cup final. Everyone's different and I can live with my choice. Doesn't make me less of a fan now that my childhood heroes were Hickton, Mcmordie, Gordon Jones, wille Wigham, Dickie Rooks, Billy Gates etc

[CAPT KAYOS]

To me the simple answer is to get back to basics and the traditional and more organised and understood 442 with players in their natural positions.

according to Radio Lancs this morning - Dunn ,Grell, Kish and OOjer are out so short of any quality back up really for CB so the pairing has to be Samba and Nelsen even though I still don't think they operate well together - something I mentioned a while ago.

Warnock needs top be told to defend , and MGP needs to be told to attack and get that ball forward

Simpson is a right back so stick him there

Reid needs dropping - too many mistakes and slow thinking on the ball.

Emerton on the right as nobody else but does have speed - same modus operandi as MGP

Tugay in the middle and told to stay there and patrol and help the defence - the only one we have with any nous and that can pass a ball - if he brings his invisible friend, then so be it.

If fit enough and well - with Tugay -Ricky Villa neuva needs to be given the chance to show what everybody appears to thinks he is - if not - then stick in Judge if fit ( he has the energy and combatitiveness to compete with Bullard).

Up front RSC + Benni (yep fat benni) /Derbyshire - we need goals and a bit more than a battering ram Roberts.

Focus should be on concentration and what there actual jobs are for their position.

Get back to doing what they should be able to do without thinking about it and maybe we may see a bit of what we should be seeing.

Didn't see the game but looks like my philosphy was not far off.

Worrying thing for me was the comments from Ince after the matching saying that the clean sheet was the most important thing and not the win.

[ABBEY]

Did he mean he would have settled for 0-0?

[T4E]

Didn't see the game but looks like my philosphy was not far off.

Worrying thing for me was the comments from Ince after the matching saying that the clean sheet was the most important thing and not the win.

Probably just another example of his rabbit in the headlights impression.

For the record, the gist of what he was trying to say is right. 1-0 was far more satisfying than 4-3 would have been.

[CrazyIvan]

I get the feeling Santa and Carlos are on the same wavelength - I often worry about Santa's reaction when passes go astray or not where he wants them to. Hopefully this partnership will pay off.

That was my impression certainly. I suspect that both are used to playing 1 up front with a smaller guy playing in the hole and feel comfortable with that. Isn't that a 'traditional' approach?

[Hughesy]

Pompey away, end of April, before that Reading at Home

[CAPT KAYOS]

Did he mean he would have settled for 0-0?

That's the way I understood it Abs

Now I aint no Ince doubter but his comments recently are really worring lately and Sounesseque 'back end' in application.

From what others have posted it appears to have been the MO and just to defend at all costs regardless without need for attack until the last 10 mins. Now there aint nothing wrong with hitting row z with a clearance etc which is what I was getting at however there needs to be a bit more application than that especially at home regardless of opposition and situation as that just smacks of panic in my book.

[joey_big_nose]

That's the way I understood it Abs

Now I aint no Ince doubter but his comments recently are really worring lately and Sounesseque 'back end' in application.

From what others have posted it appears to have been the MO and just to defend at all costs regardless without need for attack until the last 10 mins. Now there aint nothing wrong with hitting row z with a clearance etc which is what I was getting at however there needs to be a bit more application than that especially at home regardless of opposition and situation as that just smacks of panic in my book.

Um, nope. We were not "defending at all costs". We actually attacked for quite a lot of the game, and with Treacy on the left, 2 up front, 2 attacking full backs, and 2 attacking central midfielders it was a very offensive lineup.

The principle difference between West Ham and Fulham was against Fulham we kept our shape a lot better and were much more aggressive in the tackle, getting tight to our men. Fulham also didn't have the outlet of Etherington, or the brillaince of Bellamy to come on, but also we were not playing super slow Ooijer who got skinned by Etherington. We also (rather brutally) subdued Bullard.

It was not a defensive performance. If we had gone down that route we would have played 451 and the Axe would have been in there for sure.

In the last 15 minutes we had two strikers and three attacking midfielders achored by Tugay who is not the most defensively minded!

So the performance was many things but it was not purposefully defensive.

[tcj_jones]

Wow, I am absolutely staggered by assertions that we had a 'defend at all costs policy'. That is so far off the mark, I can't quite believe my eyes.

We dominated the game on Saturday and Fulham offered next to nothing in attack. We weren't great, but we dictated the game and were always probing forward.

[waggy]

WHEN THE team was read out on saturday i nearly fainted,but emerton was superb,the defence defended and when the dead weights were took off we looked good.the JACKAL looks the part,MATTY needs to start ,and i hope saturday is the last time we see ROCKY playing behind roberts

[waggy]

anyone else recieve a text message about it being a £1 for team members,good idea but 9pm on friday night is leaving it a bit late

[CAPT KAYOS]

Wow, I am absolutely staggered by assertions that we had a 'defend at all costs policy'. That is so far off the mark, I can't quite believe my eyes.

We dominated the game on Saturday and Fulham offered next to nothing in attack. We weren't great, but we dictated the game and were always probing forward.

That's the thing TCJ an JBN - as I mentioned I didn't see the game but the way Ince commented upon it, he was not bothered about whether we won - just that we kept the clean sheet.

From what you say it would appear we went about it as I felt would be the best way with each unit concentrating on its own aspect- defenders defend , midfielders midfield ( ) and attackers attack.

This is what appears rather confusing.