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

[Frisky Jim]

United were outstanding. No shame in losing to such a special team.

I enjoyed the jibes Paul Ince received from the United support. United's support was fantastic today.

Roll on the Bolton game.

[The Prof.]

Very poor.

RSC very good - has he fell out with the rest of the team or got BO or something? No one went within 50 yards of him.

Brown - Excellent. Emo ok- rest -dire.

Rubbish team pattern from Ince. No wide cover or marking.

Really beginning to worry about Ince's ability to keep us going at this level.

Why does Setanta's picture always break up when it rains? It's rubbish and I cancelled. Don't buy this service?

Still it could be worse if I hadn't have been working I'd have gone.

United were outstanding. No shame in losing to such a special team.

I enjoyed the jibes Paul Ince received from the United support. United's support was fantastic today.

Roll on the Bolton game.

This team scrapped a 1-1 draw last season FJ.

[Cally]

Surprising to see such defeatism. Ewood Park used to be one of the toughest places to go for any side, especially the so called 'big four' now you're content to roll over for them.

Money can't buy you heart, passion and desire, and your players showed none of that tonight.

[BuckyRover]

Very poor.

RSC very good - has he fell out with the rest of the team or got BO or something? No one went within 50 yards of him.

Brown - Excellent. Emo ok- rest -dire.

Rubbish team pattern from Ince. No wide cover or marking.

Really beginning to worry about Ince's ability to keep us going at this level.

Why does Setanta's picture always break up when it rains? It's rubbish and I cancelled. Don't buy this service?

Still it could be worse if I hadn't have been working I'd have gone.

This team scrapped a 1-1 draw last season FJ.

Utd were close to clinching the title last season. They were very edgy.

They played very well today, didn't give us a chance.

Ince is learning.

[Blue n White Rover]

This team scrapped a 1-1 draw last season FJ.

They were all over us that game. If it weren't for Friedel we would have got hammered at least 4/5-1 in that game. We got a lucky goal, misunderstanding between Vidic and Ferdinand and we capitalised, other than that we were pinned back for the rest of the game. They deserved their equaliser and if you think they didn't then I guess "you should've gone to Specsavers".

[frosty]

Feeble. Toothless.

Easy for them.

We should have got more stuck in, it was quite similar to the Arsenal game in this way.

[Frisky Jim]

This team scrapped a 1-1 draw last season FJ.

And what did they win last season?

United were superb today and could have defeated us 5-0.

[philipl]

Very disappointing.

Too lightweight and too slow to give Man U any problems. We really miss a player like Bentley who could retain posession and work some space.

What a fantastic keeper Brown would be if only he were taller. Clear foul on him for the first goal (emphasised when the ref gave a foul against Roberts for an absolute nothing contact on Vidic by comparison in the 85th minute) but RFW put the two big guys on the back post to do what they did against our titchy keeper. Brown would have got to Rooney's number 2 as well if he were three inches taller. The most ridiculous image was that second half corner when Berbatov stood next to Brown a full head taller than him!

Not one Rovers cross from anybody was any good- playing Man U you need 100% of crosses on target not off target.

Roberts was on for 30 minutes before he received and controlled a ball.

And we can look forwards to the rest of the season playing on a ploughed field. The pitch will not recover from being played on in that soaking- you could see puddles of standing water at the end.

So played 2 of the big 4 and have yet to turn up in either game.

[Cally]

United were superb today and could have defeated us 5-0.

They started very poorly, you were on top and then let them back into the game.

After the goal you gave up.

[RevidgeBlue]

I thought today was the worst we've played in a very long time. United at home and we didn't even look up for it. What the hell do the players want FFS?

No heart, no passion, no one supporting anyone else, no one in their box when we got the ball forward, Roque completely isolated and no-one closing them down and standing thirty yards off them when they had the ball. It must be a very long time since ManUre had such a comfortable game with such a lack of a physical edge in the Premiership.

Don't mind losing to what is a very good side so much as losing without giving it a go. Leaves a horrible feeling in the pit of the stomach.

I expect a completely different attitude agaist Bolton.

[Exiled in Toronto]

United were very good and looked like European champions, and would have beaten us no matter what today, but having said that, too many players put in non-appearances.

[Frisky Jim]

They started very poorly, you were on top and then let them back into the game.

After the goal you gave up.

No, United's finishing was poor today: Fletcher's miss was the first of many chances squandered by the Red Devils. Thankfully Ronaldo didn't have his shooting boots on, or else United's supremacy would have been much more accurately reflected.

[RevidgeBlue]

Money can't buy you heart, passion and desire, and your players showed none of that tonight.

Spot on unfortunately.

[Cally]

No, United's finishing was poor today: Fletcher's miss was the first of many chances squandered by the Red Devils. Thankfully Ronaldo didn't have his shooting boots on, or else United's supremacy would have been much more accurately refelcted.

Yes, you had more posession in the first 10 minutes and had them penned into their own half at times, and had a couple of really good chances.

It's alright just saying they're a superior side, but they will be if your players don't show up.

[dr_awol]

Feeble. Toothless.

Easy for them.

We should have got more stuck in, it was quite similar to the Arsenal game in this way.

agreed.

also no creativity.

sad thing is we can do better :-(

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

We would not have scored if we had continued playing till next Saturday......well done Jason Brown who kept the score respectable.

Thats all really

[Frisky Jim]

Yes, you had more posession in the first 10 minutes and had them penned into their own half at times, and had a couple of really good chances.

It's alright just saying they're a superior side, but they will be if your players don't show up.

It was clear that Rovers' strategy was to contain United and hit them on the break. As soon as United scored we had to attack, subsequently leaving gaps galore. United are masters at exploiting space and creating chances through sharp, incisive play. The vast majority of clubs would have struggled against United today.

Some team is going to be on the receiving end of a severe beating from United this season.

[Cally]

It was clear that Rovers' strategy was to contain United and hit them on the break. As soon as United scored we had to attack, subseqently leaving gaps galore. United are masters at exploiting space and creating chances through sharp, incisive play. The vast majority of clubs would have struggled against United today.

Some team is going to be on the receiving end of a severe beating from United this season.

You sure you're not a United fan?

I couldn't see any strategy. The game was just very open to begin with, you were pressing them higher up the pitch and the mancs were struggling to keep the ball.

After the goal you just sat off and started condeding sloppy possesion, which they dutifully took advantage of.

[RovertheHill]

Very bizarre. First 10 minutes or so and we looked up for it and could have been 1 up. However, given the type of player that Ince was I find it so strange that we seem to sit off teams instead of pressing and biting into them. We made them look better than they were - especially the likes Fletcher and Brown. I love watching the best players at Ewood - Henry, Zola, Bergkamp etc. But I hate Ronaldo - he's a whining little sh*t and I wish he would eff off to Madrid.

Anyway, as for our lot

- Brown - it may be an optical illusion and he may in fact be 5 11, but he's too small. Fantastic agility but teams will just put him under pressure constantly

- Ollson - great potential, pace to burn. Needs to strengthen up a bit but hopefully will have learned a lot today

- Nelsen and Samba - both tried to make it 3-0 at the end. The team, when it goes behind, is crying out for a leader on the pitch like Sav. If Nelsen can't do it, he shouldn't be skipper

- Ooijer - not a right back - should be in the centre instead of Nelsen

- Emerton and Warnock - arguably our two best players. I'm beginning to think Warnock is a better midfielder than left back. Possibly should be the skipper

- Tugay - my favourite player but Giggs made life difficult for him. We should save him for the lesser teams not the top 4

- Derbs - works hard and had a great shot in the first 10 minutes

- RSC - most talented player by miles. Caused lots of problems. Knew we weren't scoring when he limped off

- Roberts - can't play against the better teams as he isn't good enough. Basically just lost the ball and/or gave a foul away whenever it went near him

- Treacy - couple of good runs - potential but like Ollson needs to toughen up

- Andrews - I'm afraid that 2-0 down and out of ideas against Utd is the time for Carlos - not Andrews

Come on Incey - get that passion sorted out - make them play like you used to!

[Frisky Jim]

You sure you're not a United fan?

I couldn't see any strategy. The game was just very open to begin with, you were pressing them higher up the pitch and the mancs were struggling to keep the ball.

After the goal you just sat off and started condeding sloppy possesion, which they dutifully took advantage of.

Cally, I've been accused of being a Dingle, a United fan, a City fan and a Trotter on here.

The perfomance against Arsenal was far worse than tonight's.

I think the wet surface helped United's passing game enormously.

Who do you support BTW?

[McClarky]

Golly what a stuffing, glad we don't have to play them every week, they were superb. On the positive side, looks like Roque sustained a minor enough injury to enable him to miss the trip to South America and 2 games next week (fingers crossed). Not much else on the positive side though. I suppose we played OK until they scored but from then on...

Hard to judge the team in a game like that. Best to put it down to experience and say we are doing OK pointswise overall and need to concentrate in the more important games against Bolton and Boro coming up.

[1864roverite]

Well folks, back home in the metropolis that is Leyland. I am cold, wet, tired and hungry, or was, as I have now just changed out of my beloved Rovers shirt and sat down with a cold one with the curry warming in the oven.

You know, I jut cannot be bothered to even contemplate writing about how poor a performance that was from everyone APART from 5, yes 5 players who played in Rovers shirts.

Before I do get the urge, I wonder if anyone else saw or witnessed the 15th minute phenomenen on the pitch !

Becasue I certaionly saw something that I do not wish to see again, especially against a manure team that WASNT playing the fast flowing football, that DIDNT have the awesome power of the carpet layer, that DIDNT have the incisive instincts of RVN and that DIDNT even bother to get out of first gear.

Minutes 1 - 15 saw a Rovers team that fought, badgered, ran, moved and so nearly took the lead.

Minutes 16 - 90 saw nothing of the sort of the players in blue and white.

As I ventured to Ewood today, I contemplated the good record we have against this lot. I also considered that after 3 good results and a disfunctional United midfield, that we might just nick a point, with a bit or lot of luck maybe all 3.

How the 16th minute changed that view such was our deterioration on the pitch.

From that point, I wondered if the team had been given instructions not to press as we reverted from a 4-5-1 formation to a 6-3-1 formation.

Rovers players lost the urge to push forward, they lost the urge to support the players up front, RSC didnt see a fellow Blue anywhere near him, Sir Matty didnt know what he was doing on the pitch, neither did MGP or Emerton, Tugay was at a loss and the words RESPECT FOR THE OPPOSITION took on a whole new meaning as Rovers bowed and bowed to the manure players.

Talk about backing off, Rovers were almost kicking into their own net.

We backed off and then what, we give a ball away and only a fabulous save from JB keeps the score level, however, that was very quickly undone as United potted the corner via a scramble off someones head. I dont know whether or not it was a foul, but at that point we were already up against it.

The second half started at pace as RSC so nearly scored to put us level however the stretch and shot put paid to his afternoon and allowed the marauding and fearsome Jason Roberts on the pitch to make a claim for a starting spot next week at Bolton.

For some reason, Rovers again reverted tp type and backed off. Giving space to the likes of Rooney, Anderson, the carpet layer and the like only serves to invite pressure and yet again, a goal is conceded as Rooney hit the net with a simply sublime finish.

A flurry of substitutions saw Treacy on for MGP and Andrews on for Tugay.

I agree Tugay had an awful game on his own in midfield trying to create something but I have to ask why Carlos wasnt considered. The reason why? We had NO creativity on the park all game and we desperately needed it.

In trying to take a positive out of todays game, it was Nelsen's performance as well as young Olsson.

Ratings

Brown - 9 excellent performance and deservedly MOTM

Oiijer - 6 comfortable

Samba - 6 likewise but should have put his whole body through the Little Argy Gimp to earn his yellow card.

Nelsen - 7 solid

Olsson - 6 good performance

Warnock - 6 got lost second half

Tugay - 6 faded big time and overrun in the centre

MGP - 4 simply non existant

Emerton - 6 faded with no support but ran his heart out chasing scum down

Derbyshire - 6 looked lost playing as part of a 5 man midfield

RSC -6 on his lonesome - should have had the opportunity to score but Sir Matty made the wrong decision to shoot

Treacy -5 no impact and crossing woeful

Andrews - 5 no impact whatsoever

Roberts - 3 todays 40 minute cameo emphasises why you shouldnt start another game for the Rovers.

My take on manure, nowhere near as football attractive as either Chelsea or Arsenal but clearly effective.

Their fans make me constantly laugh. Firstly in shouting, to get welsh, foreigners, irish and cockneys singing together to try and sound like a true manc is hilarious.

For them to constantly shout "Argentina" for the little cheating gimp makes me seeth at them, can they not recall 1982 ?

The carpet layer has once and for all proved that he is simply too big for manure, his body language says it all and I loved it, absolutley loved it every time he got dumped on his big fat portuguese winking ar$e

The chanting aimed at Paul Ince just proves how fickle that scum really are. They clearly cannot recall that he single handedly brought them out of their slump when they won the last championship playing for them, yet they still shout for the french clown cantona.

Anyhow, its curry and beer time. For those contemplating watching MOTD, dont bother. Listening to Alan Green on the way home suggests that it likely to be a tribute show to the football domination shown by manure at Ewood.

[Grabbi Graeme]

The last couple of seasons we haved gone toe to toe with the top four and have pushed them all the way over 90 mins and in a lot cases come away with something, today and against Arsenal we looked nowhere near, I can't see us taking points off the big four this season.

[brfcs5359]

I thought we played well today and Ince laid the team out in a an organised manner. We were compact and the defence looked good. We tired in midfield a bit but that was because we had little up front besides Roque. Peds and Derbs were awful and the ball kept coming back despite us playing well. When RSC went off that was it. We kept pushing up and defending high up. I was really pleased with that. From where we're sat on the Riverside you notice it more.

As the game drifted on Rovers seem to lose their pattern and sense of purpose and it got a bit one sided when the 2nd went in.

Brown 7 Good

Oijjar 7 Good - Snuffed out Ronaldo.

Nelsen 8 - Good - Not my favourite but he battled and organised and things went well for him

Samba 7 - Good/Solid - Like Nelsen. Read the game better, played more as unit, got in some good tackles.

Ollson 8 - Good. Pedersen left him for dead all match but he stayed loyal to the 2 centre halves closing off the channel whilst trying to take on both the overlapping Brown and drifting Rooney.

Emerton 8 - Good - Ran all game

Tugay 6 - Game passed him by for speed - Faded but did ok

Warnock - 8 Good - Should be captain. Tried to lead the team forward again and again. Hardly put a put wrong.

Pedersen - 1 Abysmal. Turned attack into defence. No idea where to play. Left Ollson exposed by not communicating. Last game in a Rovers Shirt

Derbyshire - 2 Abysmal. Ran a lot but looked like a 10 year old playing with 20 year olds. Like taking candy off a baby he was easily dispossed, pushed to one side or beaten to the ball or on th eend of a losing tackle. Missed a great chance.

Cruz 9 - AWESOME - Nothing to say that has not been said a thousand times.

SUBS

Roberts - 0 Abysmal. Should never play for Rovers again. Fouls, arguing. Looked like he was playing in wellies with a beach ball. Clueless team work. Clueless all around. Didn;t bother trying either.

Treacy - 4 One good cross, two bad ones. Lazy and has no idea what to do team wise. Failed time and again to attack the back post with Emerton crossing form the rights.

Andrews - 5 Did nothing right, nothing wrong. Had too little time and came on when Rovers were flagging and getting overun a bit.

Ince 8 - did a good job. Questions over Derbyshire, Roberts, Pedersen selection and no show for Villeneue. Tactically well organised. Got Rovers (trying) to play a neat passing game but Utd are not European Champions for nothing.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Came on early in the week saying that I didn't expect a result but I expected a performance, guess what , I got neither. That was embarassing- in all the years watching Rovers v Utd games I've never seen us so toothless or impotent. We wouldn't have scored if we'd have played whilst this time next week . If you could have asked for the conditions to play a technically superior team you would have ask for tonights conditions, get stuck in, the odd miss timed tackle ? What do you expect ref , it's like a lake out here. The first 30 minutes of the second half we never got out of our own half ! It was like they had 13 players not 11, no pressure on the the ball they just played as they pleased, if the final score had been 0-6 we couldn't have complained ! In the great game of snakes and ladders that is football management Ince just landed on that big snake that takes you back to square 1.

Scores

Brown 8, Played great but was at fault for the goal- get your elbow in their centre halves throat first next time.

Ooijer 5, Not a full back , we all know that, how many more times do we need to hang him out to dry? Never got over the half way line once.

Samba 6, Our best at the back.

Nelsen 6, Stuck to his task but allowed Olsen to become isolated.

Olsen 4, Totally out of his depth tonight, schoolboy error for the second goal.

Emerton 6, Worked hard without much reward.

Tugay 5, Much too fast a game and the greasy pitch didn't suit him tonight. Never crossed the half way line once

Warnock 5, Got a lesson in midfield play , let's see how much he's learnt in the next few games. Never crossed the half way line once.

Pedersen 4, The longer he plays the worse he gets, pathetic. Never got in their box once.

Derbyshire 4, Totally out of his depth, hardly touched the ball.

Santa Cruz 7 , Our best outfield player, without him we could have been Burnley.

Subs Roberts 3, The guy's a moron.

Treacy 4, gave it a go.

Andrews 3, Yeh ,right.