[Archived] Rovers Vs Villa Preview 7th Feb K.o 3pm

[tony gale's mic]

I don't see how some people think Santa should be a certain starter when he has been poor recently, unless I saw different games against Boro and sunderland than the rest of you?

His best performance by far was against Bolton when he came off the bench.

Edit: I wonder if some of the people saying Santa should start either way are the smae people who complain when the likes of Gerrard and Lampard get picked for England regardless of how they're playing together.

Then why didn't we sell him and get a replacement?

I think he ought to have started, Roberts was ineffectual today and I think he makes a better "impact" player than Roque does with his pace and strength against tired defences.

[sambo]

Deep in the brown stuff. Interesting stat, we have the same amount of points in Sam's first 7 games than we did with Ince.

Awful performance and weird selection.

United (A) LOSS

Hull (A) DRAW

Everton (H) LOSS/DRAW

Fulham (A)DRAW

Arsenal (A)LOSS

West Ham (H)DRAW/WIN

That isn't enough. If I was a betting man I would put money on us being one of the 3, because even after a purple patch/honeymoon period we are still deep in it.

Robinson 5 Flapped too much

Ooijer 5 Just too slow.

Samba 6 Did ok

Nelsen 5 Poor distribution

Warnock 5 Milner ran him ragged

Pedersen 6 Out of position

Andrews 4 Awful

Tugay 4.5 Poor passing. Sad we rely on a 38 year old for inspiration

Grella 4 Too slow with poor passing

Dunn 6 Did ok.

Diouf 7 Lively

Benni 5 No service but poor

Roberts 5 No touch at all.

Roque - Not enough service or time. What was Sam thinking?

[Mr. E]

Nothing like knee-jerk reactions, is there?

I think Sam's hand has been forced somewhat regarding selection because of the run we've been on in the league, why is probably why he stuck as close as possible to the team that's been getting those results. In a strange way, today's performance will probably give him more freedom to choose now, because he will have justifiable reasons for making big changes to the team, whereas it could have been damaging to the morale of some players to be taken out after the run we were on.

the run we were on / relegation zone = do not match.

Technically, we can go an entire season "unbeaten" and still get relegated. What's important is that we win games, which we have failed at.

The big changes should have been made for this game and at the transfer market.

[Plastic Head]

ANDREWS

An absolue joke. If it wasn't for the seriousness of the situation I think we would enjoy laughing at him. Absolutely incredible that Sam sees fit to have him anywhere near a first team place. Free transfer back to MK please. PLEASE.

Edit: Statement Removed: Please don't make those kind of insinuations on this MB.

DIOUF

Did well on a belated debut. Looks to be an improvement to the team. Didn't spit or dive enough.

ALLARDYCE

The Andrews farce aside, a mystifying decision to play Dunn on the left and Pedersen on the right gave Villa the advantage. Also the replacement of Roberts, leaving the ineffective McCarthy on was plain wrong.

VILLA

Should surely be capable of better given their resources. Defended well enough without being tested due to the referee. Young has been touted as an England player, but on this performance wouldn't even get on our team. Carew should have been given 2 yellows for blatant elbows. Midfield not as dominant as it should have been. Milner looked their best.

VILLA FANS

Seem to have more in common with the Dingles than just a kit. Constantly sang about empty seats when there was 3000 behind them in their end! They are not the club to go on about that, the away support they have brought to Ewood over the last 17 years have been shocking considering the size of the City they inhabit.

THE GAME

Usual first half poorness but did better in the second without testing the keeper. Total lack of application cost us the goal. If the game had been correctly refereed we would have had 3 pens, one in the first half and two in the second.

THE FUTURE

Relegation still 50/50. We have to win games aginst the bottom 15. Draws aren't enough. I think it's clear who we need to finish above now. The games at Hull and Stoke and home to Spurs and West Ham are crucial, we have to win 3 of these. Good job it's an easy 3 points next week!

[Tom]

I do agree TGM the decision not to sell him was baffling in some ways but if there was nobody else to bring in then we couldn't sell.

I think Sam was in the mindset that he would be happy to sell as long as it didn't weaken the squad, no decent replacement = no point selling

[Plastic Head]

I think Andrews is a passenger, but booing your own players isn't acceptable.

It's acceptable to me and i'm the only one that matters. I paid for ticket and i'll do as I please.

I've booed a lot better than that clown.

[1864roverite]

Well then, just what are we to make of our first defeat under Sam's leadership ?

It is very very simple, today was as bad as it ever got under Ince and co.

Disjointed, Uninterested, Toothless, Rabid, Ineffective and Tedious are words that can be very closely associated with our performance today. All very very sad of course becasue although Villa are riding the crest of a wave in second spot, they really were not that much better than a turgid Rovers side.

I cant be bothered to give the players ratings today such is my disappointment and sadness at witnesing the latest performance of my team, however, as I have previously pointed out and like a few others today I again find myself questionning the player that is Keith Andrews.

With Andrews on the pitch today, Rovers were not only against a fast Villa side, they were against the monotonously boring idiotic referee Bennett and also playing a 12 man Villa team with 10 men. Odd sounding I hear you say, but really thats the effect he has on our team play from the off, he may as well play for the other team.

Sadly, I cannot find anything positive about him with exception that he fits the definition of poo perfectly. Lets take a look at his 45 minute cameo performance today.

He couldnt head the ball.

Only 2 passes sneaked forwards.

His one and only tackle was on a Rovers player.

He doesnt speak or talk on the pitch and more often than not goes for the same ball another Rovers player is going to win comfortabley, causes that player to lose the ball hence leaving us with a wide open space where he should be.

He doesnt shoot.

He doesnt defend.

He cant attack.

He cant jump.

In fact, he does faff all apart from wreak havic in our team, hence the stitches he picked up from The Admiral last weekend.

Today he was very very very poor, he was a liability and there is NOT a person on earth that could offer any sort of defence for him.

Rant over.

Sam got it totally wrong today. Pederson on the right ? Ooijer right back against speedsters ? Grella the maestro ? A tired McCarthy ON the pitch with a fit and ready RSC on the bench ? Wrong tactics and from the off wrong gameplan.

Villa just about did enough to win the game, Robinson wasnt overworked, they didnt have chance after chance despite the speed threat and aerial threat of caroo and peskey, Rovers were not under the cosh for 90 minutes its just that we didnt have the CREATIVITY on the park for our own players.

Brad Freidel did not make ONE save and that is a problem because Rovers didnt cause the defence ANY bloody problems.

For the first time in a few weeks, my night is ruined, all I can think of is Ince and Andrews, the cricket team in the W Indies are crumbling, the credit crunch is hitting us all, its too bloody cold, MOTD doesnt interest me and SKY are showing crap films that I have seen already.

Tonight, the reality of relegation is hovering over Ewood Park. Yes, some results have gone our way but some others havent.

United in 2 weeks time ? I am dreading the thought. I would imagine our goal difference will take a big hit because any more of like today and they will score 9 or more with ease.

Blackburn are lucky to find themselves in the company of WBA, Boro, Pompy, Stoke, Bolton and Newcastle becasue its 3 out of that little lot that are taking hte drop.

The remaining home games take on major importance whilst at the same time, we have to pick up at least 5 points from the away games. We dare not lose away to Hull or Stoke, in fact 6 points is the minimum.

Thats for the future, tonight is for drinking

[Tom]

I think the area we lost the game today was centre mid, I agree Dunny in the middle seems the obvious choice but his fitness is obviously and issue.

Andrews will take most of the flack for it but Tugay was our worst centre mid today by a long way, apart from the ball to Roque (which was a peach) nearly evry single pass found their man.

I hope we don't live to regret not strenghtening the midfield but it could happen.

[jim mk2]

Blackburn are lucky to find themselves in the company of WBA, Boro, Pompy, Stoke, Bolton and Newcastle becasue its 3 out of that little lot that are taking hte drop.

Blackburn ?? True fans call us Rovers, nowt else.

[villadan]

Not here to gloat I like Blackburn but the guy above slating the referee being in Villas favour so much is way off mark.

To be honest there was 2 debateable disallowed Villa goals there today and the amount of times he should have played the advantage but didn't was appalling.

I agree the referee was rubbish today but cetainly not in our favour!!

FWIW I thought your centre back Samba was pretty good today and I hope you fight your way out of the bottom 3

Good luck with the rest of the season guys

[sambo]

IMO we are down, we don't seem up for a fight.

[Mr Maureen]

That´s a lot of rubbish

Despite his "love for Blackburn Rovers" Cruz is gutted the transfer did'nt happen.

He looks lazy and dissinterested because his mind is 20 miles away at Wastelands.Has been all season.

Hughes and Allardyce screwed up the transfer with their cat and mouse game.

[1864roverite]

Not here to gloat I like Blackburn but the guy above slating the referee being in Villas favour so much is way off mark.

To be honest there was 2 debateable disallowed Villa goals there today and the amount of times he should have played the advantage but didn't was appalling.

I agree the referee was rubbish today but cetainly not in our favour!!

FWIW I thought your centre back Samba was pretty good today and I hope you fight your way out of the bottom 3

Good luck with the rest of the season guys

Both goals were well offside mate watch the game tonight to see.

The ref missed a blatant pull on RSC, he missed a certain penalty in the first half when Zat knight jumped over Roberts and he missed a shocking amount of pulling in the penalty area by Cuellar, Knight and Davis. But, Villa deserved the win and good luck to you in pursuing the red scum.

[philipl]

Villa were lucky today. Two heavily deflected goals.

The sort of luck teams enjoy when they are on their way to winning something and having watched Chelsea v Hull on an adjacent screen, Villa are miles better than Chelski at present. Also seen Liverpool and Arsenal recently and were Man U to falter on their peerless journey to a third title on the trot, the only team that would pick up the baton are Villa on current form.

Their defending is outstanding. Referee Bennett gave them a lot of leeway at the back and they took full advantage of all the latitude given to them.

Villa's first disallowed goal could easily have been given- shove on Nelsen that could well have/almost always have been missed but the second disallowed goal was very clearly offside.

Against that, Rovers had four big penalty shouts. One was very clearly correctly ruled out but the other three were nailed on penalties. The fact that the TV company did not use all the cameras at their disposal to examine those calls pretty well shows they were certain penalties! The bias in the commentary was yet again ludicrously against the Rovers.

Sam probably made a mistake in not starting Diouf in place of Andrews who yet again was clearly out of place facing top Premier League opposition. I am worried that Dunn did not appear for the second half.

I would have started RSC in place of Roberts but RSC was pretty ineffective in his 20 minutes run out. Nelsen and Samba were outstanding for the Rovers.

No dishonour in losing this one (except for Ref Bennet) but wins for the bar codes and Sunderland are results we could have done without. Looking a bit lonely for the bottom four at present.

PS There are some really stupid people posting on this thread.

[beerwins]

The fact that santa didnt start and playing pederson on the right to counter youngs speed means that we are letting them dictate the game before it even starts, when we are at home i would like to see our best 11 in the correct positions and actually have a go, take the game to them for 30 mins try get an early goal.

Setting your team to counter for pace is a strange one for sure, just drop off the speed merchants and throw in a few hard challenges to worry them. sam is trying to hard to get everything right and stop the other team scoring, and we are suffering creative wise.

When i heard JW on the radio say sam told him he was confident with the team he had i was worried to say the least our midfield is dire and uncreative and thats when there not injured.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Keith Andrews would not get a place in Burnley's side and that REALLY is a damning verdict!

[RevidgeBlue]

We were rather unlucky that we ran into an abysmal performance from Steve Bennett and should in my book have been awarded three penalties, but on open play you have to say that we didn't deserve anything from the game and were poor.

Sam got the tactics badly wrong today imo, nullifying both MGP and Dunn in the first half by playing them on the wrong side, then bringing Tugay on at half time, and leaving the introduction of Roque at least 10 minutes too late, then bringing off the industrious Roberts but leaving on Benni who was back to his usual frustrating worst. Common sense would seem to dictate Dunn and Grella in the middle, MGP on the left and Diouf on the right.

The one bright spot was Diouf who I thought showed more quality in the 2nd half than everyone else put together.

Just as after the Boro game I am fearing the worst, take off the four away games against the top four and we have ten games to find seventeen or eighteen points. I think we're seeing really that apart from defending better, this is still basically the same set of players that landed us in trouble in the first place.

[villadan]

Both goals were well offside mate watch the game tonight to see.

The ref missed a blatant pull on RSC, he missed a certain penalty in the first half when Zat knight jumped over Roberts and he missed a shocking amount of pulling in the penalty area by Cuellar, Knight and Davis. But, Villa deserved the win and good luck to you in pursuing the red scum.

I did watch the game and the first wasn't even given for offside it was given for a dubious push on Nelsen.

Just shows what contrasting and biased views fans have on incidents and that is me saying I might well be wrong but that is how I saw the game.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

I hope we don't live to regret not strenghtening the midfield but it could happen.

We ALL knew where the long standing weakness was with the squad....the club decided yet again to take no action and spend no money strengthening that position.

There by the grace of god go we?

[den]

Seems like I was the only one who thought Grella was absolutely pathetic. Twin him with Andrews and what do we have - a central midfield not good enough for league one - never mind the championship.

Someone said the relegation chances were 50/50. I don't think they're as good as that.

[super_arran]

It's acceptable to me and i'm the only one that matters. I paid for ticket and i'll do as I please.

I've booed a lot better than that clown.

so the morale of the team doesn't matter then?

Do you for one second think that by booing andrews Big sam is goin to think "that guy's (and a small section of the ground) opinions matters to me, i'm wrong, lets never play him again" and please dont go on about the manager listenin to the fans because lets face it, he's goin to do what he wants, thats why in his job discription it will probably state that he makes the decisions...not you.

also, what do you think it will do to Andrews performance? Are you booing him because you want him to play better? because if you are (and i'm no rocket scientist) i'm pretty sure it wont help.

To sum it up:

Big Sam's goin to play him no matter what because as an experienced premier league manager (and i'm guessin you're not) he see's talent,

booing him wont help anyone,

get your head out of your arse

support the whole team.

[sambo]

I agree

Grella was apalling.

[Tom]

To be honest I thought the second was offisde but the first was dubious I thought our players collided.

Reading the match report on my phone on the way home it said it was disallowed for handball which I didnt see.

[des]

yes grella was bad very bad and slow as well

however remember folks its only one game, up to now we have played well and not got enough points out of them, so roll on the next match and we need some points

[Majiball]

Thanks for that lads.

Firstly why was this not our midfield:

Dunn---Andrews---Grella----MGP

Dunn on the right means only one player out of position.

Andrews I'm sorry you've had your chance. When Dunny pushes you off the ball you know your times up.

Where was the width???? Our wingers where always tucked in. we never seemed to cover the whole pitch when in possession as such we couldn't stretch them.

Casual approach reminded me of Rovers under Hughes at times, I'd have thought we where mid-table not in the bottom 3.

Flicks, one touch passes and generally in-cohesive performance.

Why was Sam not screaming on our touchline.

Stevie W one of the basics of defending is that if you pass across your bloody box make sure it goes to one of the four? Rovers FFS.

Is our game plan to lob it forward at any opportunity????

Fight lads thats what we want to see if we lose I want to at least be able to say we tried.

we where very lucky today.