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

[TrentVilla]

Ashley Young up against Ooijer worries me, Simpson has pace I guess but that would be a massive risk. Not much cover on the right from Diouf either, we'll really miss Emerton in this game.

The obvious pace of Agbonlahor and Heskey will cause Nelson a lot of problems as well, hopefully Samba can keep up with the physical side of things. Robbo is going to need a good game too.

With that being said I think we can hurt them too, they'll miss Laursen and we still have 3 good strikers. Trentvilla mentions Luke Young is out of position and very right footed playing at left back, maybe Diouf can cause him some problems on debut.

Let's just hope Friedel doesn't have one of his blinders against us, Villa will be favourites but we definitely have a chance of nicking it, I'll sit on the fence and go 2-2.

Ashley Young will be a challenge for Ooijer but then he has been for every defender he has faced the last 18 months the postive news for us he is back after a 3 game rest so hopefully he will be refreshed.

We do miss Laursen but have good cover so it doesn't concern me that much as for Luke Young at left back, I may have given the wrong impression there. He is very right footed but even at left back has been one of our most consistent players this season he certainly isn't a weakness.

As for the lucky thing that keeps getting levelled against us I would like to challange this notion or perhaps put it into a little context, we have been fortunate decisions have gone our way but more often than not they have been the correct decisions such as the one at Hull.

You don't win 9 away games in 12 and go 12 games unbeaten without having a little more than luck. That said I see this as being a very very tough fixture I wish we had come to Ewood while Ince was still there.

Out of interest have you been more direct since Sam took over?

[allrovertheworld]

Out of interest have you been more direct since Sam took over?

Yes we have. I wouldn't say it's just long ball but Sam is only interested in playing football in the final third. He loves the ball out to the wings and any chance to put the ball in the box is taken. We don't build up free flowing passing from the back and we are happy to let the other team have the ball as we work extremely hard when we don't have it.

We have game plan now.

Under Ince we were all over the shop, the players were given to much freedom.

[tonyoz]

Mmmm......BFS might be doing a better job than we thought. If we still had Brad.....Mmmmm.

Poor finishing has been our downfall recently.........not Robbo errors.

[Amo]

Been talk about Heskey & Carew playing together. Let's hope so! Nelsen and Samba will eat them for breakfast.

[philipl]

Huge lift for the lads with that late winner tonight.

I was thinking what a tough job Sam would have picking them up if we went out as the clock ticked dowen in extra time.

I bet they are all buzzing now- I certainly am!

[Tom]

Can't see us getting anything here but I can't see many teams taking much from Villa, good honest footballing side.

We simply wont deal with the pace.

3-1 Villa

All is not lost though

[joey_big_nose]

I think we will be okay against Villa. Probably look to play deep and spring Cruz or Diouf on the counter. If Grella and Dunn are both available then we are actually quite decent in the middle of the park. Formation will be interesting.... I would guess from the substitutions tonight we are looking at:

----------------McCarthy

-------------------Cruz

-----Pedersen---Dunn----Diouf

------------------Grella

Warnock---Nelsen---Samba---Ooijer

-----------------Robinson

However we could feasibly go 4231, which is what I would personally choose. I am also not sure we are such an effective unit when Roberts does not play. We should have a strong team and a strong bench with Roberts, Carlos who looks to have found some form, Givet, Tugay though may not recover from his injury.

Big weakness is Ooijer being exposed at right back. Simpson by all accounts improved tonight and does have pace in his favour. But hardly a surer choice than the Dutchman.

[cokezero]

Been talk about Heskey & Carew playing together. Let's hope so! Nelsen and Samba will eat them for breakfast.

I think it'll be Heskey-Agbonlahor. Neither played tonight and Carew played 90 minutes.

[Presty On Tour]

I really don't like Ooijer or Simpson at right back.

Givet has played right back before in his career and played well tonight at left back.

Played the full 120mins after not much 1st team action this season, so might be knackered come Saturday.

Young is going to be the biggest problem imo and must be dealt with.

[Mr. E]

8. A lot has been said about our latest signing Diouf and he will be available for his debut against you. What are your thoughts?

A talented player but a disgusting individual who I wouldn't want anywhere near my club and I'm sorry to see sign for a decent club like Blackburn. I think its a sad indictment of the modern game that someone like Diouf is given chance after chance by clubs that said he is a good player and I understand why you got him.

If anyone can get the best out of him its Fat Sam but I would rather not see this guy in English football.

See, this is what I was afraid of. Now clubs are claiming moral high-ground over us. And this time it's hard to defend it.

I hope he gets a terrific reception on Saturday because he genuinely deserves it.

He'll probably get it, and it's not that his contributions don't deserve it, but what kind of message is it sending to Santa Cruz and other players who think they're too big for us? "Go on, leave for the bigger contract, we'll respect you nonetheless."

?

[Iceman]

Put Mokoena on Ashley Young :-) and have Mokoena rough him up a bit, not to hurt or injure the guy but to make it difficult for Young to play. My biggest concern remains Barry, that guy seems to me to be the real danger.

[my_name_is_Earl]

I think BS will keep it tight for the first half so I would imagine that in open play, Villa will struggle to play their stuff. As the game goes on, I can see their counter attack become more threatening as we go for three points. However, our direct approach should give us some attacking threat and sooner or later, we will start converting more of our chances as the season goes on.

I'm going for a 1 - 1 draw with both goals coming in the second half.

[MarkBRFC]

He'll probably get it, and it's not that his contributions don't deserve it, but what kind of message is it sending to Santa Cruz and other players who think they're too big for us? "Go on, leave for the bigger contract, we'll respect you nonetheless."

Hardly the same though is it, Brad was a great servant for the club for what, 8 years? Through promotion to winning the WC etc. He may have even turned down other clubs during that time.

Santa has had 1 decent season.

Can't compare the two IMO.

[super_arran]

He'll probably get it, and it's not that his contributions don't deserve it, but what kind of message is it sending to Santa Cruz and other players who think they're too big for us? "Go on, leave for the bigger contract, we'll respect you nonetheless."

?

You think too much

[Mozzer]

Givet has played right back before in his career and played well tonight at left back.

givet did well at left back last night and showed how very one footed he is-playing him at right back would be asking for trouble..

as for the team-yes i do worry about ooijer at right back against ashley young and danny simpson altho has the pace he simply isnt good enough at this level..

aston villa get most of there joy either threw set pieces or counter attacking football-maybe if we just play them at there own game-sit back and just counter attack we may get something..

mcarthy and roberts to start up front for me in this game..

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

No easy games in this league and as we slip back into the bottom three its the Villains we must overcome at Ewood.Seen some very entertaining games over the last 20 years against them including the spectacle of

in a blue 'n' white shirt putting two past them in 1988.

Should see another decent Ewood crowd with Villa bringing 5k+ no doubt......

ROVERS 2 VILLA 1

Att: 26,400

[blue and whites]

really got a good feeling about the game. if we get hold on young and agbonlahor we would be fine, but that is a hard task. not really worried about heskey. nelsen and samba are great against strong oponents, obviously..

i would like to see diouf from the start of the match, do think he would be a good signing. i'm a bit unsure about the rest of the team, but i would like simpson on the right because of his pace. i also want gamst out of the team for a period now, i'm norwegian and think he have been pants for a long long time, at club and nation.

robinson

simpson/givet samba nelsen warnock/givet

diouf grella/warnock dunn villanueva

santa mccarthy

[tucker]

I think it would be a big gamble to start with both Villanueva and Diouf on the flanks. Villa are very strong in wide areas, with the likes of Young, Agbonlahor and Milner at their disposal, you need wide players with the discipline to track back and double up, therefore I think Pederson should start on the left and ideally Emerton would have been avle to play right sided, obviously we don't have that option so perhaps Diouf would play there but I certainly woudln't be comfortable with both Dioff and Villanueva in wide areas.

Villa are a very strong team, watching them recently though - and certainly away from home - I feel they have ridden there luck, I thought Pompey deserved at least a point, they won a scrappy game at Sunderland and won late on at both West Ham and Hull. You could say this is the mark of a good team and I would tend to agree, however I feel they are overdue a defeat away from home and I think this Saturday could be it.

I'll go (very predictably) 2-1 Rovers

[Eddie]

If anything I'd start Villanueva in the middle, but with Dunn being fit again I'd leave him on the bench. Probably play Diouf on the right and MGP on the left, with Grella and Dunn in the middle.

[tucker]

Villa play 3 strong fast and mobile central midfielders, it will be hard enough with 2 against 3 in the first place let alone playing with (what you could consider) a luxury player as one of our 2.

[philipl]

Fascinating set of facts and statistics in the BBS preview.

This will be the 150th meeting between the two clubs and Villa are shooting for a 7th successive away win.

Mark Lawrenson predicts a 1-1 draw which combined with his other predictions would keep us in the bottom three.

This is going to be one heck of a tough fixture for both sides I suspect.

[TrentVilla]

Been talk about Heskey & Carew playing together. Let's hope so! Nelsen and Samba will eat them for breakfast.

Your defence has had enough trouble dealing with Carew on his own in the past so not sure how you come to this conclusion however there is no chance these two will start.

[joey_big_nose]

Your defence has had enough trouble dealing with Carew on his own in the past so not sure how you come to this conclusion however there is no chance these two will start.

Crucial difference here is our defence at the moment is the best it has been in 18 months. It is a very good unit indeed.

[TrentVilla]

Crucial difference here is our defence at the moment is the best it has been in 18 months. It is a very good unit indeed.

To be expected under Fat Sam.

Looks like we have sold all 5000 tickets.

Any danger of the game falling foul of the weather?

[Balwer]

If only Givet could play Right Back. I want to find a spot in the side for him, but Left Back is Warnock's best position and he's been good since Big Sam took the reins.