[Archived] Match Preview: Manchester United (october 4, Ewood Park, 17:30)

[speeeeeeedie]

Nobody is asking for that attitude to be adopted Abbey, it's simply:

Don't boo your own players.

Don't moan about everything.

Don't blame everything on Ince, he is a new manager learning the ropes. He just needs games like these to help him get the balance right between attack and defence against big teams.

Don't be so negative about everything.

Don't moan about the drummer for 10 years then when he leaves sit in your chair muttering about the atmosphere.

This will never happen on here, It's in our blood. As Den pointed out yesterday, I am guilty as the next man because I moan about the moaners!

[Anti-Dingle-Brigade]

I didn't mean to direct that at you Abbey, you just seemed a bit more negative than you usually are.

I just direct it at everyone. Booing our own players? It's just pathetic.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Graham you imply that if we could have swapped the strikers around we would have won the game , rubbish. It wasn't up front were the game was lost it was in midfield. We must have lost 95% of the 50/50 balls that were there to be won , our lack of pace and athleticism was there for all but the most one eyed to see. Their four ran our five ragged. We never got forward to support the front players all night. We hardly got a cross ball in all night.

If Berbatov and Rooney had played up front for us they wouldn't have got a pass, they would have had to chase the rubbish that Santa had to deal with all night.

Sometimes I wonder what people actually watch when they go to Ewood !

[den]

This will never happen on here, It's in our blood. As Den pointed out yesterday, I am guilty as the next man because I moan about the moaners!

[1864roverite]

At last someone noticed, it wasnt the fact we got beat it was the manner in which we lost.

Thanks JHC for that person.

lets be real about yesterday. United were NOT awesome, United didnt play their usual incisive football, they simply strolled through the game after a hard 15 minute opening once the huffing and puffing had gone from Rovers.

I dont mind giving Rovers the bird if they deserve it, I dont mind crossing swords with fellow Rovers supporters in exchanging views but please, can some of you realise jsut how BAD we actually were yesterday.

A fellow fan has already mentioned that we have had the best start points wise for many a year, GREAT. Anothe supporter also pointed out that in previous years we have booted the living life out of teams at Ewood like manure and arsenal and have come up with a positive result. Yesterday, we were like puff lemon biscuits, crumbling in the wet weather.

BRFC as it stands are not a true footballing side, against a real footballing side, one with class, we are not going to win.

Yesterday we needed some protection in front of the back 4, we didnt get it.

We needed a stronger midfielder central wise, we didnt get one.

We needed players to support the lone forward, we didnt get any.

We needed impetus with substitutions, we didnt get any.

We needed a jolt for the crowd in the form of effort or a crunching tackle, Warnock first minute aside, we didnt get any.

No more pussying around guys and girls, we dont want to hear excuses about how good they were, are or can be. We want to see Rovers players playing with the hearts on their sleeves, earning their 20k a week with effort and pride. I dont want to hear our manager bowing to RFW and his experiences, I wanted him to boot the red faced jock from pillar to post and for him to ram everything red down his throat.

I wanted MY team to TRY its damend hardest to beat the team in front of them.

IT DIDNT BLOODY HAPPEN, simple as that.

Its not about goading Ince and his back room staff, its not about Andrews, its not about Roberts, its about EFFORT and not lying down like a wet lettuce.

[Tom]

Got to agree there about the booing, recenlty have heard boo's for Pedersen, Andrews and Benni the last time he played, I really can't see what it achieves.

It will be interesting to see the line up for the Bolton game as Ince seems to be picking based on form so will he stick with Olsson after he had a hard time or does he revert to Warnock at LB?

[ABBEY]

I didn't mean to direct that at you Abbey, you just seemed a bit more negative than you usually are.

I just direct it at everyone. Booing our own players? It's just pathetic.

kool , not more negative just upset,disgusted,irate at the showing yesterday at the way we played /told to play it hurts every time i get a txt/email/phone call etc off plastic reds...like i said i didnt boo..i ranted.

how anyone can spin anything good yesterday is beyond me

[Flopsy]

dont we have the majority of our defensive midfielders crocked?

We were always going to lose, Jimmy Arnfield was co-commentating on Radio 5, therefore it was a done deal. Having the keeper blatently fouled in the build up for the first goal doesnt help, but from what I've seen and heard, we didnt particularly deserve anything.

[vintageadidas]

I have not left Ewood so angry for a while. The performance was shocking, in EVERY aspect. It has all been mentioned in previous posts but the two major things that stood out in my mind was the lack of passion and the fact we lookeed so clueless.

MO must continue to play, he has so much potential. He had a decent game, people are basing their analysis on that slip which made it 2-0. He was pretty solid against Ronaldo. Better players have been rippped apart by that lad.

I personally think he should be our new left winger. MGP's days are well and truely numbered and i think he knows it.

JR - i was furious with him yesterday. He came on sulked, gave foul after foul away and has nothing in his locker against the bigger clubs. He should play against the Stoke, West Brom's and Wigan's of this world.

Matt Deryshire is a super sub, he is far more effective in the last 20 mins of a game. Not a starter in my opinion.

RSC - if he get seriously injured or leaves in January. We could be in serious trouble.

[Exiled in Toronto]

Got to agree there about the booing, recenlty have heard boo's for Pedersen, Andrews and Benni the last time he played, I really can't see what it achieves.

I don't think even in relegation years, Rovers fans booed 3 players in the same season. I especially don't understand the booing of Andrews; he came on as our 6th choice midfielder yesterday (Reid, Dunn, Grella, Tugay, Warnock all ahead of him in the pecking order) and he seems to me an honest trier. Oh, and he got about more in his 15 mins than Tugay had done all match.

When did Rovers fans ever turn on an honest trier? I'm beginning to think the burnley fans might have a point: this board has been full of big-time charlie statements for months now - 7th best club in the land, I wanted Laudrup as manager etc etc. We got to 7th by being the honest, trying underdogs and now those qualities are being booed by our own fans.

[bigbrandjohn]

I think this is a fair/generous report of the game depending on whether your pint mug is half full or half empty

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/...run-ragged.html

[neekoy]

I think it is quite obvious to see that with our new style of open play and attacking football, the conditions didn't suit us.

A dry pitch and we could have put 4 past them.

[jw_]

I taped the game (middle of night) then watched it in the morning and now have the benefit to watch it as many times as I want, if only to check out some of the comments on this board. Anyway one big positive for me is Brown in goal, it's the second game I've watched him play and this c*ap about his height is rubbish. He has good hands and holds on to the ball well, and in the United game pulled of a couple of terrific saves, for me I prefer him to Robinson.I've done the "slow mo" on that first goal and he may or may not have reached it but we'll never know because he was taken out of the action. Now I don't think anyone's mentioned it but the guy really responsible for that goal was Olsen, he was on the post and the ball went between his leg and the post through a gap not much wider than the ball,he just was'nt watching the ball.

No other positives on the game and everyone has covered the negatives including Olsen's (again) failure to check Ronaldo which led to the second goal.Maybe a bit harsh on Olsen though as Ronaldo received that ball in perfect position and should have beaten any defender who was in Olsens position.

The booing was clearly heard on tv and to those responsible p*ss off you're a disgrace.

Yes it's a huge disappointment losing a game especially to Man U and yes they lacked effort etc but some on this board seem to just revel in and why is Andrews always singled out when the whole team (more or less) failed to perform. Andrews has shown enough to be on as a sub in a team that's no better than him.

[Paul]

We got to 7th by being the honest, trying underdogs and now those qualities are being booed by our own fans.

I'm afraid that is not true. It is those qualities which seemed to be missing from Saturday's performance. I didn't hear any booing but if there was some it wouldn't surprise me. Fans have very few ways to express frustartion or displeasure; boo, leave early or simply don't go. While I don't do any of these I can understand people who do; the BBE was 25% empty 10-15 minutes before HT and that should be telling the club something.

We didn't play badly against Utd, we didn't play the right way. The truth is we might have been trying to tackle the shadows for all the effect our display had. Rovers weren't bad but we didn't rattle the opposition once and against a team of this quality you have to be hard and fair. Sitting deep and leaving a 40 yard gap in midfield to your lone striker is going to win nothing. That is why a section of fans may have booed.

[roversmum]

We have turned from the BULLYBOYS to the NANCYBOYS.(or streetfighters to ballerinas)

Issue here, Abbey. Miss Roversmum is a ballerina and they don't just turn up for an hour or two a day. They train/practice for several hours. Maybe the lads need to get down to Ballet School to toughen them up - they'd certainly see a bit of passion and Mr Roberts would learn how to turn! I'm sure Miss Roversmum would be willing to give them a few lessons!

Although I am a Robinson fan, I think Jason Brown is every bit as good and I feel a lot safer with him between the sticks. He may be shorter but he makes up for it in brawn and strength.

Ince is learning. He will be smarting underneath and I'm sure a few things were said in the dressing room after the match.

The lads will need to be up for it for the Bolton match and I'm sure they will be. Go Rovers!

[Exiled_Rover]

Graham you imply that if we could have swapped the strikers around we would have won the game , rubbish. It wasn't up front were the game was lost it was in midfield. We must have lost 95% of the 50/50 balls that were there to be won , our lack of pace and athleticism was there for all but the most one eyed to see. Their four ran our five ragged. We never got forward to support the front players all night. We hardly got a cross ball in all night.

If Berbatov and Rooney had played up front for us they wouldn't have got a pass, they would have had to chase the rubbish that Santa had to deal with all night.

Sometimes I wonder what people actually watch when they go to Ewood !

That's not true at all: Emerton and Warnock provide a lot of athleticism. The problem was the gameplan of backing off to our 18 yard box and giving Utd all day to pass the ball about.

[joey_big_nose]

Well my tuppence worth about the game on Saturday.

First 15 minutes was great - we were first to the ball, working a lot harder than United all over the pitch and, although we only caused them one or two problems, we looked like we could compete. Suddenly, as others have said, from the 15 minute mark we sat back. I don't know why, whether it was spontaneous or whether it was deliberate tactics to conserve energy, but we just backed off. We suddenly looked pretty hopeless.

This was a shame because the Utd central pair of Giggs and Fletcher lacked shape and energy and I thought Warnock could have continued to dominate there. However once we gave them the room we found it extremely hard to win back the ball. From that point onwards, apart from maybe 15 minutes dotted around the second half and a late rally, we were utterly on the back foot. When Cruz went off we were completely toothless!

The main problem I had with the game was not the defensive performance - that was (apart from a couple of massive errors that Utd failed to punish us for - or Brown saved us from) largely acceptable - but rather the bizarre backing off from the 15th minute and the difficulty we had in hurting Utd. I said before the game that Utd are weak at full back and weak in the air out wide. Plus, due to an injury crisis, they were weak defensively right across the midfield. However tactically we did not look to exploit this, either with high balls out to the wings or by bringing on Carlos to get behind Giggs and Fletcher. We probably were not helped out by such a long list of absentees in central midfield, but we could have done with another worker in midfield instead of Tugay, Cruz on the right to cause Evra problems rather than Derbyshire and started Roberts with Carlos in behind. As it was we extremely rarely caused even the mildest concern for the Utd back five as they could deal with whatever we had.

Overall, an improvement over the shambles against Arsenal as we at least had a decent shape and competent defence. But we still have a way to go before we are going to be cleverly set up against the bigger teams. We cannot beat the likes of United by playing straight up football, unless they are having a massive off day and we on top form, we need to play to our strengths. Ince failed to exploit that on Saturday.

[brfcs5359]

As most have said up to boldy all right hand Bennett not in white giving Utd a one goal start we were in the game. Give them Derbyshire and Peds for Rooney and Berba. Those two gave it a way so often we had to back off at times. In the end, Rovers failure up front determind the pattern of play. As commented. Warnock and tugay matched Fletcher and Giggs And Emo worked his socks off.

Rovers abysmal failure up fornt was highlighted when Cruz went off and Roberts came on. It was all over then and Rovers were forced to defend deeper by their own inadequacies up front.

[super_arran]

Ollson has been sh!t for 90 minutes...Pedersen for over 2 years.

He is absolutely terrible in every game and I now boo his every touch and will until he goes away.

I think Ince has realised his awfullness and will phase him out now.

what will boo'ing him do? make him play better? make ince sell him on?......get your head out of your a*se mate

[philipl]

If we are being really honest, United missed an open goal in the 10th minute and only a wonder save from Brown prevented them from scoring immediately prior to the American Football block-off on Brown for their opening goal.

[G Somerset Rover]

Phillip is correct. Then again, I really don't think that we could have complained had we lost that game by a clear 5 goals such was United's dominance. The sheer ease in which they cut through our backline was extremely worrying.

[AggyBlue]

The sheer ease in which they cut through our backline was extremely worrying.

I'm not worried. We won't play teams of that quality every week.

They're European Champions, they have players worth more than our club. It's no surprise they created chances with ease at times.

The gulf between the top four is getting wider IMO. Look at Villa, widely regarded as being the team closest to breaking the top four monopoly. They got taken apart by Chelsea much in the same way that we did against MU.

Too many posters on here are in cloud cuckoo land.

[den]

I'm not worried. We won't play teams of that quality every week.

They're European Champions, they have players worth more than our club. It's no surprise they created chances with ease at times.

The gulf between the top four is getting wider IMO. Look at Villa, widely regarded as being the team closest to breaking the top four monopoly. They got taken apart by Chelsea much in the same way that we did against MU.

Too many posters on here are in cloud cuckoo land.

You think that no-one outside the top four will give UTD a better game than rovers did, at home Aggy?

That game on Saturday will be possibly the easiest away game they get all season. That IS the truth mate.

[Jackson]

I attended the match on Saturday. In his defence, I thought Olsson had some great challenges and several times showed real determination and grit. (In future, and in my opinion, I would play him left wing mid with Carlos finally given a chance forward of him and Simpson behind).

For me the number one issue was too much respect for a team that, at times, didn't seem dangerous, at times and especially in the first half, seemed to be well contained and muted and, at several times, lost the ball to great mid-field challenges (Ronaldo frequently rendered useless and who is Berbatov?). Few on here seem to have remembered these moments.

The second issue was how on earth RSC was expected to score alone with four defenders negating any pass. It was like trying to invade Normandy with a canal barge. I fully expected the arrival of Roberts in addition to, not in place of (although I appreciate the injury issue). And for Christ's sake - is Ince afraid that if he plays Carlos, one of the big four might notice him??

The third issue was the fans support (I sit in the JWS). It was like a night at the theatre.

Please, lets get behind our players.

[BuckyRover]

I'm not worried. We won't play teams of that quality every week.

They're European Champions, they have players worth more than our club. It's no surprise they created chances with ease at times.

The gulf between the top four is getting wider IMO. Look at Villa, widely regarded as being the team closest to breaking the top four monopoly. They got taken apart by Chelsea much in the same way that we did against MU.

Too many posters on here are in cloud cuckoo land.

Amen to that.

Chelsea totally dominated Aston Villa. We were much more in the game against Utd and although we didn't play well, it took a controversial goal to break the deadlock.

Martin O'Neill has been around for a lot longer than Paul Ince, maybe he should be sacked now?