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

[Paul Mellelieu]

Typical O'Neil team, quick to the ball, get the ball forward quickly, press the play. Boring as hell to watch. Villa are a million miles behind the 'top four' and didn't impress me at all today. And their idiot fans of course; what is it about the midlands?

If the Rovers had been half competent today we could have got a point or more. The defence did Ok for most part and only stupidity on Grella's part in failing to close down Milner, gave Villa a win. I won't mention the paucity of our midfield pairing as it's been done to death. Please never let Andrews play in the blue and white halves again. That said Dunn looked completely out of sorts, but surely moving him into the middle, shifting Pederesen to he left and Diouf to the right was the way to go. I understand, from a defensive point of view why we wanted to stop Young, but I thought Ooijer did well enough without Pedersen's help. What did happen though is that any offensive threat from him and Dunn was nil.

Roberts did well and shouldn't have come off and Santa Cruz did pose more of a threat.

I believe that it will be a significant achievement for us to escape the drop with this squad and Ince's eleven games without a win. It's a one in three chance we'll stay up now.

[Uddersfelt Blue]

if we are in the premier league next season i'll be amazed if any ince signings are at the club, andrews and grella can be dominated so easily and offer squat. warnock in the middle was the only good idea ince had, warnock and dunn is 10x better than andrews grella.

May as well play Warnock in the middle and Givet at left back. Even Mokoena is better than Grella and that is saying something!

[Eddie]

Worst performance of the season for me and confirmed what I had feared that we have missed any chance that we had of getting clear from the relegation zone and are now in this for the long haul. Anyone who feels certain that there are three teams worse than us in this league is a massive optimist. This put our unbeaten run into perspective and the feeling that some of us had that the run actually represented dropped points rather than a massive improvement and the stepping stone to salvation looked to be right I'm afraid. United up next and things could look very bleak this time next week.

Still think we'll stay up, but I've yet to be convinced that Allardyce is any better at this than Ince.

[RibbleValleyRover]

And their idiot fans of course; what is it about the midlands?

I read on another forum that the Fernhurst got smashed up pretty bad, anyone else heard this?

[Blue n White Rover]

That must be some pretty strong stuff you're smoking.

I want some

[Paul Mellelieu]

I read on another forum that the Fernhurst got smashed up pretty bad, anyone else heard this?

That's the story I heard. A couple of 'em, worse for wear, were taking on a couple of coppers before the game.

Before the game, Bolton Road, near to the ground, was a beer cans, bottles everywhere, in the front gardens and so on. What a shower.

[villadan]

That's the story I heard. A couple of 'em, worse for wear, were taking on a couple of coppers before the game.

Before the game, Bolton Road, near to the ground, was a beer cans, bottles everywhere, in the front gardens and so on. What a shower.

No point trying to defend the small minority of Villa fans so I won't

However I feel your comments on us being way off the top 4 are completely off the mark

One question

How many teams have come to your place and created enough goalscoring opportunities to beat you by 4 or 5 especially since Sam took over?

We are seeing the same attitude off a lot of opposition fans and I do not understand why.

6 of our first team in the England squad today proves we are a lot more than long ball

This isn't an antagonistic post I am simply trying to understand why so many are knocking us?

[47er]

Worst performance of the season for me and confirmed what I had feared that we have missed any chance that we had of getting clear from the relegation zone and are now in this for the long haul. Anyone who feels certain that there are three teams worse than us in this league is a massive optimist. This put our unbeaten run into perspective and the feeling that some of us had that the run actually represented dropped points rather than a massive improvement and the stepping stone to salvation looked to be right I'm afraid. United up next and things could look very bleak this time next week.

Still think we'll stay up, but I've yet to be convinced that Allardyce is any better at this than Ince.

Well Ince got 13 pionts in 17 games and Sam's got 10 in 7. Does that help? If not there's always the goal difference.

[jim mk2]

This isn't an antagonistic post I am simply trying to understand why so many are knocking us?

Jealousy !

[LeChuck]

This isn't an antagonistic post I am simply trying to understand why so many are knocking us?

I didn't think you were a top 4 side until today. Very solid at the back, work incredibly hard in midfield (pressure in the central areas especially) and always dangerous up front. I just think you'll have a problem if Young or Agbonlahor are injured, and totally screwed if both are.

[villadan]

I didn't think you were a top 4 side until today. Very solid at the back, work incredibly hard in midfield (pressure in the central areas especially) and always dangerous up front. I just think you'll have a problem if Young or Agbonlahor are injured, and totally screwed if both are.

Young has been suspended for the last 3 games we also have our captain out (Laursen for 2 months) Carew has been out for 3 months leaving us with 1 up front for 3 months.

Also arguably our most consistent defender in Bouma out for the whole season pushing our right back to play left back and CB to play right back.

Yet we are 15 games unbeaten and won 7 away on the bounce.

Sorry this isn't a Villa thread so I am out just feel aggrieved when someone calls us boring.

[Tom]

Villa have a good team with class players in most positions however there was a very heavy tendancy to just boot it as far as possible and hope Agbonglahor can run onto it.

The diving is shocking though, especially Young. Makes me laugh how its stereotyped at foreigners yet the worst culprits in my opnion are Young, Gerrard and Joe Cole.

[villadan]

Villa have a good team with class players in most positions however there was a very heavy tendancy to just boot it as far as possible and hope Agbonglahor can run onto it.

The diving is shocking though, especially Young. Makes me laugh how its stereotyped at foreigners yet the worst culprits in my opnion are Young, Gerrard and Joe Cole.

Playing to our strengths maybe?

Agree Young goes down to easily some of the time.

On todays evidence Samba looked like a solid defender has he been this way all season?

[Mozzer]

altho we have lost this game i still believe we will stay up..

our midfield-(andrews, dunn and grella) let us down today i thought-dunn clearly not fit yet..the game just went by andrews and grella just kept passing to villa players..i thought pedersen was good today and probably our best midfielder..

i thought we defended very well aswell-nelsen and samba are getting back to there old selves and look a good partnership again.i also thought ooijer did well against ashley young..

as for up front-i thought everything benni mcarthy tried nothing came off-infact i would of taken him off instead of roberts who i thought did quite well..

el hadj diouf-i was impressed by his debut-willing to run at players, looks to have a fair decent cross on him, im sure he will create chances and chip in with a few goals..

as for villa-1 of all-they have a top class central midfielder in gareth barry..2nd having pace is good-but for me they rely too much on it-i thought we handled young and agbonlahor very well today its just a shame we couldnt handle gareth barry who was brilliant in centre mid..

[Tom]

VillaDan, much respect for that in a way, Rovers would kill for a pacey forward or winger to play in behind the last man.

As previously said though Barry single handedly beat us in the centre as well and you are well stocked in every position.

All the best to Villa I hope they can keep it up, good honest (apart from the diving) english team, almost reminiscent of a 95' Rovers with good wingers and a good striking partnership all lead by a top manager.

But I still think Agbonglahor looks like a chav

[thenodrog]

If we're not going to start Roque, why didn't we just sell him and get someone in January making a £10mill profit? There were possibilities...

City's best bid was to pay the asking price for RSC ................... but over 3 years! So I guess thats why we (Please don't use that word again)ed em off.

[Fraserkirky]

i'd agree with the villeneuva point, stick him out on the left. he can't be any slower than pedersen and what he'd offer in retaining possession and decent delivery would far outway what would be lost with morts defensive qualities.

if we'd lost to spuds or pompey i'd be quite morbid right now, in as much as you can accept defeat i'll accept the second part of our season starts after the man u game.

i'd argue the roberts point seeing as he is the only fella with pace and does put a shift in, benni on the other hand offers very,very little.

if we are in the premier league next season i'll be amazed if any ince signings are at the club, andrews and grella can be dominated so easily and offer squat. warnock in the middle was the only good idea ince had, warnock and dunn is 10x better than andrews grella.

I mentioned the Villaneuva point before. We need to be more positve. I know Villaneuva is a bit slight but his ability on the ball is excellent.

"Got 2 play RSC for me big sam"! Was really concerned before the match at our starting line-up, then when we started with MGP on the right.

MGP was poor going foward, for me today.

Can't believe Diouf didn't start. The guy looks good enough to be starting for us week-in.

Still don't think we'll go down. West Brom, Pompey and Boro.

We need to get our finger out now! well after the man utd game.

[beerwins]

Blackburn v Liverpool could have got something against a lacklustre liverpool

Wigan v Blackburn pfft always goals galore still should have got something

Blackburn v Stoke hello sam bye ince players lift game , sams tactics give us good win

Sunderland v Blackburn points dropped , whichever way you look at it roberts should have scored to secure the game

Blackburn v Man City 2 up with not long to go and ends up 2-2 very sad result

window opens, lacking creativity in midfield and a right back.

Fulham v Blackburn OFF pitch like stanley , tough game too not sure if its best it was called off.

Blackburn v Newcastle first half shocking! second half better a better team would have put it out of sight in the first half, not good enough.

Blackburn v Bolton see newcastle first half but worse, humped the ball up to forwards that wanted it to feet, midfield on a cuban fishing expedition, second half better but still lacked the resolute to finish a game.

Middlesbrough v Blackburn couldnt score against a lacklustre boro team that seems to have accepted relegation under southgate.

window finishes signed givet a french international who plays LB or CB both positions were fine in first place and also signed spit a creative RM or a striker stand in, i would rather my dog wore a rovers shirt before this guy but hell what else are we going t get at least we kept santa cruz to warm the bench.

Blackburn v Aston Villa, worst fears are true!! sam puts a squad out to stop villa scoring goals and what happens we lose 2 -0 without evn looking like scoring at HOME too , players out of postion again.

All in all sam tells JW we can survive with what players we have = WRONG

midfield is absolute non prem competitive.

pederson = too inconsistent since he was told to start covering warnock his goals have dimished.

reid = dead

dunn - he is our best midfielder which is sad because basically he really is, we let him go because we wanted to do better and now look at us.

tugay= too old but he is still our best creative player by a mile even at his age.

carlos = lightweight BUT he is creative and skilfull , get the best out of him before diminsihing him to a life in the reserves ffs.

emerton =dead.

the axe =the axe

andrews = (Please don't use that word again)ing rubbish anyone with an ounce of football experience at any league can see how @#/? this guy is, im (Please don't use that word again)ing sick of seeing him in a rovers shirt, im sure he is the nicest guy on the planet but when peole say he did ok makes me sick, WAKE UP ffs you are mistaking his work effort with being a prem club midfielder, we need an influential player who can dicate the pace and spread play around not a headless chicken that runs around around after the ball.

I see some people saying nolan wasnt a good signing for newcastle well im sure he would have come and he is twice the player that we have atm and btw bullard isnt the one sam got knocked back for it was nolan i heard.

Is sam the man or was ince sacked to early? i dont know , but i know 1 thing our best games in our honeymoon period are long gone and draws are all i see, sam knows how not to lose to matches , does he know how to win them?

I was a big sam supporter i really was but i see only one outcome atm, sam didnt really have the rep for winning big and draws will not be good enough especially after the winnable games have gone.

[beerwins]

City's best bid was to pay the asking price for RSC ................... but over 3 years! So I guess thats why we (Please don't use that word again)ed em off.

but tottenhams offer was better, ok set price for 40 milll set up a list for who you want if he goes, and set up a list for if he stays either way it seems we got buggered.

[Balwer]

No point trying to defend the small minority of Villa fans so I won't

However I feel your comments on us being way off the top 4 are completely off the mark

One question

How many teams have come to your place and created enough goalscoring opportunities to beat you by 4 or 5 especially since Sam took over?

We are seeing the same attitude off a lot of opposition fans and I do not understand why.

6 of our first team in the England squad today proves we are a lot more than long ball

This isn't an antagonistic post I am simply trying to understand why so many are knocking us?

To be honest I think it's the jealousy of 15 other clubs seeing 'one of us' competing with the Big 4. We all still see you as beatable, but the reality is you were the better team today. Sure we had a couple of penalty shouts, but we didn't have one decent shot on goal, whereas you had several real chances. Sure we competed well in parts, but not for long enough.

My brother is a Villa fan and he and I share many long football debates, even though he is back home in Oz. Watched a few of your games this year so I think I can make a decent assessment on your team.

As I mentioned earlier, no team does the counter attack like Villa, and when you have susceptible fullbacks like us then it can work to perfection. Every team needs a speedy striker like Aggy, and while Young isn't the most technically gifted winger, for mine he has the best football brain of any winger in the Prem, he's always working himself into the gaps at exactly the right time. I think Sidwell was excellent today and he should play on the wing every time.

Your centre backs are excellent, Zak Knight totally negated Roberts today, and that's saying something. And you're missing Laursen, who's probably top 5 in the league at the position.

Your fullbacks are very solid, speedy and dependable but not world beaters.

Brad is Brad, and you are learning what we knew for 8 years.

The only downside I see to your side at the moment is central midfield. I don't think you really dominated the game there, and as any Rover fan will tell you, it's the biggest area of weakness in our team. Barry didn't impress me nearly as much as he used to, but maybe he just had an off day.

As for Heskey, he's just a guy for mine. Carew is a bit better, but not by much. They benefit from excellent supply and playing off Aggy for mine.

To summarise it's a solid team with few weaknesses that benefits from speed, particularly on the counter, and a couple of gun wingers in Young and Sidwell. If you guys had a central midfield with say a Gerard, Fabregas or Lampard I honestly think you'd be contenders for the title.

Yes it's hard losing to a team that last year barely beat us, and it sucks that my little brother continues to have bragging rights. But now this game is done you can be sure that most fans of the other 15 "small" clubs will be cheering for you. It will take a few seasons of this continued performance for the stigma of being a 'small' club to wear off for opposition fans though.

I am sure you see my assessment of your team differently, and to be honest I've had a few so my own judgement is probably a little impaired. Would love to hear feedback.

[LeChuck]

I'm guessing you mean Milner in the places you have mentioned Sidwell?

Other than that a very good summing up of Villa, although I wouldn't consider full-backs one of their strong points...just highlights what an excellent job O'Neill is doing with regards to getting the best out of what he has when Luke Young is playing left back.

[DaveyB]

Sorry this isn't a Villa thread so I am out just feel aggrieved when someone calls us boring.

You work hard, close down the space in midfield and sit very deep defensively. As soon as you got one in front you dropped even deeper, content to knock aimless long balls over the top of our defence knowing that there is a chance with the pace of Agbonlahor and Young that they may get on to one of them, or that their sheer presence bearing down will pressure defenders into a mistake.

Very effective - yes. Playing to your strengths - no doubt. Good to watch - not on your life.

But I don't expect you to care - fans generally only care about whether or not their team is winning. But you can't expect non-villa fans to share your views.

The risk with your style of play of course is that if you give any premiership team, no matter how poor, enough of the ball they will eventually create a chance - if RSC had found the target with his shot late on then we would probably have taken a point from you. The same at Pompey - if Crouch could hit the target from 6 yards then they could well have taken a point from a game where you had taken the lead early on.

Can you imagine Man Utd allowing bottom 4 teams back into games once they've got their noses in front? Or Chelsea under Mourinho? No neither can I - that's why people say you're a long way off being a top 4 side. You don't dominate games, you don't finish off games - prefering to sit back and give the initiative to the other side after going in front - and you've ridden your luck in a number of the games I've seen you in this season.

[Mr. E]

Top 4 side? Villa are good enough to challenge for the premiership. As a collective they are easily better than Chelsea's "galacticos" and Liverpool who play with 6 defenders. Still a bit far points-wise from United, but if they can keep winning who knows.

Which is funny since last season we were better than them.

[Eddie]

No. No they aren't.

[AggyBlue]

We got exactly what I expected, zilch.

It just didn't feel like it was a fair contest thanks to the ref.