[Archived] Wohoo Its Sunderland Again (preview)

[herbergeehh]

No modesty from Benni then - a fantastic looping header from me - I mean it was but it's up to us to say that really, not him!

Pretty sure it's tongue in cheek, it would be a typical Benni comment.

[Anti-Dingle-Brigade]

Not been on since I got back, only just thawed out! Some ratings:

Robinson - 8. How assured did he look today? Possibly the best performance in a Rovers shirt yet. Apart from the goal, which wasn't really his fault, he was great. He could have done better with the goal which is why he didn't receive a 9. He commanded his area, his kicking was good and he got us out of some nasty situations. He was claiming so many balls he usually shies away from. Happy for him.

Givet - 9. Joint MOTM. Started very shakily and seems a bit podgy, but his cross-blocking is second to none. I can't remember the last defender we had who stopped crosses so well. He likes a slide as well. Got better as the game went on. Very impressed.

Nelsen - 7. A fine routine performance from the big man. Dealt with everything as far as I saw.

Zurab - 6. Not as good as he usually is. Lost the ball once or twice and put Robbo under a lot of pressure late on with a backpass. Could do better.

Simpson - 4. He's only a young lad and there is scope for improvement, but a poor game yesterday. He completely miskicked in the first half and nearly gifted them a goal. Send back.

Ooijer - 7. A fine, routine replacement like Nelsen. Made a brilliant defensive header late on.

Treacy - 4. Again, a young lad who had a bad game. It was obvious that he was trying but nothing was coming off for him. He was on a completely different wavelength to the rest of the team. Loan out.

Dunn - 6. Not his best performance but only just back from injury. Was sitting deeper to compensate for the Axe and struggled a little.

Mokoena - 7. A great goal, although I personally think he sliced it a bit, but covered up a mediocre game. To be honest, he was as unreliable as ever in the middle. He cost us the goal in my opinion by heading straight to a Sunderland player in the build up. Not great, did ok.

Tugay - 7. A routine good performance. Sprayed the ball about well and linked up with the strikers, as usual. Could have shot late on!

Villanueva - 9. Joint MOTM. He did very well in an unfamiliar environment and shows signs of adapting to the game. He needs to learn when to release a pass and he beats Pedersen in the slowness stakes, but this was exposed when he was on the wing, he will do better in the centre. A few good set pieces. Improving. Keep, if the price can be lowered.

Cruz - 7. He seemed to be struggling rather than not putting in any effort, and the fact he talked to the bench before going down the tunnel after he got subbed seems to back this up. Needs match fitness. Missed a sitter of a header though.

Roberts - 7. Average performance from the big man. Ran and ran and got some shots off, unlucky not to score with the shot that Gordon unknowingly sat on. Did his job.

McCarthy - 8. A great run out from Benni, and a well taken goal. Linked up with everybody well and as soon as he got in front of the defender there was only ever going to be one outcome. Great stuff.

As a team though, we were a little bit off. Misplaced passes and different wavelengths were the order of the night.

A scrappy win. We should have scored about 3-4 but if not for luck/Gordon/good defending.

Onwards and upwards.

EDIT: I realise I've been saying "today" a lot here. The ice is addling my brain.

[chileandude]

I think I have mentioned this before but Villanueva is not worth £5 million, where did you get this number? His price according to the Chilean press is closer to £3 million. Which I think is a fair price for that prodigious left foot. It may not be worth that too a fast paced league like the Premiership but in any other league that's a bit slower, like the French for example, then that is a fair price.

[LeChuck]

I think I have mentioned this before but Villanueva is not worth £5 million, where did you get this number?

It's continually posted on here, I have no idea why.

It includes the fee already paid to take him on loan and his wages whilst here. It will not cost £5 million to make the deal permanent.

A thought though...would the fee have been arranged in Sterling or Peso? Hopefully Sterling because he'll cost considerably more otherwise.

[Amo]

A lot of people have already made their minds up about Carlos. Apparently he's a lightweight plodder with a sweet left-foot. I think Rovers should be nurturing his talent because, pace aside, he could be a real gem for us. Let's face it, this team is crying out for invention and technical ability. We look toothless whenever Dunn & Tugay are missing.

Anywhere I can catch the goals? Not having much luck.

[Stuart]

A lot of people have already made their minds up about Carlos. Apparently he's a lightweight plodder with a sweet left-foot. I think Rovers should be nurturing his talent because, pace aside, he could be a real gem for us. Let's face it, this team is crying out for invention and technical ability. We look toothless whenever Dunn & Tugay are missing.

Anywhere I can catch the goals? Not having much luck.

I think you could be right here Topman. It's not as though Tugay has every skinned anyone for pace. If we were comfortably in the top half (although no-one is really 'comfortable' this season) I think Sam would be a lot more inclined to persevere. Maybe our midfield situation will him an opportunity...

[rover6]

Congratulations to Mokoena for his goal. I haven't seen it yet but I'm prepared to praise him when he does the business. Should he get a new contract? - I don't think so but if he can put in more solid performances, he'll be earning his money.

So glad about King Carlos doing well. I really like the idea of a SKILFUL player featuring in our team. Hope he gets further chances.

As for Treacy, as I said before, he's had his chance, he can't complain anymore because he's failed the test. It was clear to me from his Blythe performance (where incidentally, I thought Judge looked a vastly superior player) that Treacy lacks vision and guile and will struggle to make it in the Premier League. Olsson should be the next guy looked at as Gamst's deputee/pusher.

As for Danny Simpson, Tony Kane must be bemoaning the prejudice that favours mediocre experience. Simpson is a nothing player. Kane cannot be worse.

[DeadlyDirk]

A lot of people have already made their minds up about Carlos. Apparently he's a lightweight plodder with a sweet left-foot. I think Rovers should be nurturing his talent because, pace aside, he could be a real gem for us. Let's face it, this team is crying out for invention and technical ability. We look toothless whenever Dunn & Tugay are missing.

Anywhere I can catch the goals? Not having much luck.

http://www.101greatgoals.com/videodisplay/2051374/ 10 minutes of highlights.

[Paul Mellelieu]

Those who went to the game have generally got things right. An Okish game involving two very average teams. We should have won in 90. Givet excellent. Carlos is a last minutes player for me..

Anyone notice the switch to 3-5-2 in the second half of extra time?

Very, very vold

[Montfort]

Some good posts on here most of which I agree with.

Everyone around me really enjoyed the Axes goal. A great strike, a collective double take and stacks of comments of the predictable kind. Strangers were laughing and joking with each other. In test match special terms - a champagne moment!!

I dont think I've seen a match with so many good chances not going in and on reflection I think alot of credit should go their goal keeper but then again there were two headers where we should have done better.

Wasn't this the best allround performance from Carlos. We all know his weaknesses and his abilities. The question is does the balance warrent him a place in the team. Certainly it did on last nights performance in last nights team. I am inclined to agree with the poster who made him his joint man of the match. And isn't he getting better? For a start he lasted so much better. Didn't he say himself that at one stage he could only manage about 60 minutes in a match. Wasn't he much more involved in the match throughout not just at the set pieces? And the set pieces are magnificent. The free kick for the header was perfect. The free kick on goal that was tipped over was magnificent. There is no fluke about this he can do it time and time again.

Finally, Benni is a joy to watch when he is on song.

finally, finally , it was cold. I was glad we did not go to penalties for a couple of reasons.

[CornishRover]

http://www.101greatgoals.com/videodisplay/2051374/ 10 minutes of highlights.

Thanks for this - am down in sunny ( ) Cornwall and couldn't wait up for ITV to show adverts over the goals!!

[chileandude]

And isn't he getting better? For a start he lasted so much better. Didn't he say himself that at one stage he could only manage about 60 minutes in a match. Wasn't he much more involved in the match throughout not just at the set pieces? And the set pieces are magnificent. The free kick for the header was perfect. The free kick on goal that was tipped over was magnificent. There is no fluke about this he can do it time and time again.

And he WILL get better. He is only 23. If Roque was a bit more awake he would have capitalized on those great crosses provided by the pineapple. Also the excuse that he can't last a whole match is no longer valid. He clearly can. He was as lively in the last minutes as in the first minutes of the match.

He will never get much faster than what he already is. However he can get considerably stronger and a bit faster mentally which should give him an edge. Also his speed is crap but he has a decent acceleration which also helps him to make make some room for a shot.

[Anti-Dingle-Brigade]

http://www.101greatgoals.com/videodisplay/2051374/ 10 minutes of highlights.

That is hilarious at 5:20 when Roberts is raucously laughing at the goal.

[grizfoot]

A reasonably even game but we did have the best chances and just about deserved the win in my opinion.

Givet did impress me, he looks a similiar sort of player to Ooijer in the sense that he's a nonsense sort of defender. But he is a little bit quicker than Andre which helps when played at fullback. Also a number of brilliant timed tackles, definately looks a good signing based on last night's performance.

However in contrast in the other fullback positon you had Simpson. Who in all honesty looked absolutely lost at times, he can't pass or cross a ball with any sort of accuracy. Just aimless ball after aimless ball combined with his total lack of postional sense when defending leaves me in no doubt that he's not a Premiership standard player his only attribute is pace but apart from that he's woeful. Keith Treacy also didn't get involved much in the game, although when he did he got axed a number of occasions. No doubting the lad's work effort but he really needs to sharpen up on his crossing and passing, no end product whatsoever.

My man of the match would have gone to Villanueva. Thought he was absolutely brilliant at times, the only player on the pitch that looked like creating anything. Yes not everything he tried he managed to pull off but something always looks likely to happen when he has the ball at his feet. Sometimes he can over do things but when he gets it right he can pick out some sublime passes. The only thing that worries me about him is his lack of pace, if he had even a little bit more pace he'd be an even bigger handful. Still think the kid's got something though, offers something completely different to anyone else we've got.

[tonygreenbank]

He played left back for our reserves recently and by all reports, got skinned a couple of times by some youngster. I fear the worst for this game because I personally think that Edwards is a very good winger - and very quick.

Anyway, that wasn't a good moan, because I didn't mention Mokoena.

WHAT THE FRIG IS AARON MOKOENA DOING ON A FOOTBALL PITCH?

Sorry Rover6 but your post stood out as an example to people on messageboards not to publish whilst a match is in progress as you can look a bit of a plonker. Can I suggest that you leave Allardyce to do the managing of the team as he may know a little more than you about football.

As for the game itself the drama at the end makes going to matches so worthwhile. I made a bit of a fool of myself when Benni scored by running the length of a row of empty seats punching the air then going to the end of the Riverside and jumpimg for joy at the final whistle, running out of the stadium and up to the Manxman pub for a pint! There to see Everton`s winner in a deserted pub,only me in!

If Carlos had pace he would be Maradonna! Tremendous skill with the football.

Roll on Coventry; lightening cant strike twice, can it?