[Archived] Hull City V Blackburn Rovers

[sambo]

Gutted I didnt go now, been to every away game post-xmas (minus Blyth) and seen one goal, don't go and great atmosphere + 2 goals. Well done boys

[Exiled_Rover]

You're a jinx sambo.

[only2garners]

On radio Lancs all you could hear were the Rovers fans, which was great bar the loud rendition of Two Pound An Hour.

That was Hull fans joining in with Rovers so no doubt it would be loud. The stewards had thrown out a few from the home stand (there's a novelty) and the Hull fans had responded by telling those who got kicked out how stupid they were with a reference to Millwall who trashed the place the last time they were there. Rovers fans applauded and then launched into the ever tedious Two pounds an hour.

Hardly a classic but I thought Rovers did enough to justify the points. First goal came out of the blue and after that until Pedersen was sent off we were in control. Some stressful moments in the last 10 minutes but we survived.

It baffles me what Andrews has to get any credit from Rovers fans. A perfectly competent performance capped with a goal. Compare this with Warnock who until he scored was woeful, giving the ball away time and again. Late in the game Andrews tried his best to set up Roberts for a clear run into the Hull half, holding up the ball to give him chance to get onside, which he still failed to do despite being nearly on the half way line. Then when the offside flag came it was Andrews who was getting the blame from Rovers fans around me - you couldn't make it up.

[JAL]

Doesnt that apply to every player not just Andrews? So MGP was having a good game because of the opposition, as well as Robbo?

YES.

If I have to categorise players, Robbo and Andrews are firmly in the same camp - not good enough.

MGP at least CAN score goals from distance with his feet, produce excellent free kicks, is an excellent header of the ball and HAS the ability to cross a ball all against the best of opposition (Man U). Why he doesnt do it now is one for the club to answer but Andrews keeping out 'the axe' says it all about the lack of quality currently in Rovers midfield.

[neekoy]

Andrews now has my respect, he has scored a number of crucial goals for us this year and whilst not being the best player going around tries his guts out.

[Tom]

Agreed Andrews may not be the most gifted but will fight for us till te last minute of the last game of the season. Would be a great sqaud man to have but ideally shouldn't have to start weekly.

[Hughesy]

Other than being abit mouthy with ref, when he wasnt happy how the player only got booked - I thought Diouf was good today. I can see him becoming a favourite in no time. Really puts it up the opposition fans and loves a good old fashioned tackle and square up.

Andrews for all his faults madea great run for the goal, and to be fair to him never stops running.

Think Grella is also starting to show promising signs and seems quite a decent shooter too.

[thenodrog]

Looking at some of the forums and a lot of Hull fans are not happy with Phil Brown and his treatment of Giovanni especially this line in his press conference.

"He will never do that to me again," Brown said. "I'm the manager. I haven't spoken to him yet. He's getting drugs-tested so hopefully they will find that positive."

Unless it's on a girlfriend/wife brazilians are a complete waste of time and should be avoided at all costs.

[thenodrog]

Andrews now has my respect, he has scored a number of crucial goals for us this year and whilst not being the best player going around tries his guts out.

Thats 2 I think.

I've criticised Andrews ability as a Prem player but credit where it's due..... Andrews ran a heck of a long way to get on the end of Warnocks cross that might never have been made, if you know what I mean. I think it's fair to say that a lot of people do not always see work done off the ball. An excellent goal imo.

[Iceman]

We win and there are still people who moan, about something. If we win ugly,score a goal with our nose or any other way and we win and avoid relegation then ill be happy. Right now its about remaining positive, supporting the team and getting the job done. Next season we build again, under Big Sam!

[RoyRover]

Next season we build again, under Big Sam!

Exactly. We can stay up this season and next year, start rebuilding a team that Sam wants. We will probably have a fair bit of cash from selling Santa Cruz and Sam has shown at Bolton how he can find some great bargains and hopefully one or two quality players

[the original david brent]

That was Hull fans joining in with Rovers so no doubt it would be loud. The stewards had thrown out a few from the home stand (there's a novelty) and the Hull fans had responded by telling those who got kicked out how stupid they were with a reference to Millwall who trashed the place the last time they were there. Rovers fans applauded and then launched into the ever tedious Two pounds an hour.

The hull fans were directing their chants and anger at the stewards, not their own fans, and the millwall reference was that the stewards were nowhere to be seen when Millwall trashed the place. Cue the £2 an hour chant from rovers fans.

All in all a top weekend away in hull. It unjustly has a bad reputation, and I found the natives to be friendly.

Special mention for Keith Andrews, who has rightly or wrongly copped a lot of stick from the fans, but yesterday played well. Great run for his goal.

[1864roverite]

We take the points and move on.

It seems there are various view points on yesterday and rightly so. Some are happy and some are not.

At the end of the day, you only had to watch Footie First to take a look at how Andrews input either hinders or helps us.

I have my own views on the lad but yesterday he came up trumps even if he didnt have the best of games (according to some).

3 points was what was required and 3 points was what we got.

Moving ont o Everton, yes their own midfield have problems but we have inherited one big one with a gaping hole on the left side due to MGP one match ban (I thought he would miss the Fulham game).

This may be a blessing in disguise as MGP will be totally refreshed for Fulham away and he enjoys scoring against them doesnt he ?

[thenodrog]

Exactly. We can stay up this season and next year, start rebuilding a team that Sam wants. We will probably have a fair bit of cash from selling Santa Cruz and Sam has shown at Bolton how he can find some great bargains and hopefully one or two quality players

It's odds on I guess, but if Hughes is not at the wastelands who's going to have the finances necessary? Villa just got Heskey to share the job with Carew, Spuds a possibly, he's not fast enough for Fergy or Wenger and Lpool are hard up. So who else is there unless the strong euro attracts overseas buyers......... QPR?

[dave birch]

It's odds on I guess, but if Hughes is not at the wastelands who's going to have the finances necessary? Villa just got Heskey to share the job with Carew, Spuds a possibly, he's not fast enough for Fergy or Wenger and Lpool are hard up. So who else is there......... QPR?

If that's the case, he might have to stay at Ewood and do the business there.

[gumboots]

It's odds on I guess, but if Hughes is not at the wastelands who's going to have the finances necessary? Villa just got Heskey to share the job with Carew, Spuds a possibly, he's not fast enough for Fergy or Wenger and Lpool are hard up. So who else is there......... QPR?

Hansen on MOTD was suggesting that we will be trying to keep him next year.

[brightonrover]

I enjoyed my time in Hull and I think their stadium is pretty good - just the size that Ewood should be really.

I didn't enjoy the football we played but, in this situation, it's all about battling, particularly against fellow strugglers and that's what we did yesterday.

That kind of football won't work against the best teams but, if we can fight like that till the end of the season, there's enough games left for us to pick up the points we need.

[thenodrog]

Hansen on MOTD was suggesting that we will be trying to keep him next year.

Sam will certainly want him to stay. Kevin Davies back-to-goal-type only much better when he turns around. SA will covet that.

[only2garners]

At the end of the day, you only had to watch Footie First to take a look at how Andrews input either hinders or helps us.

It would be better than Match of the Day but not much. Part of the problem with fans' views on Andrews (and plenty of other players) is that they rely on TV coverage to give them an "informed" opinion. TV is great for giving you close-ups and replays of goals and other incidents but can't give you the whole picture - you can't see what players are doing away from the ball off screen, what runs are being made to create space or block opposition options.

[thenodrog]

TV is great for giving you close-ups and replays of goals and other incidents but can't give you the whole picture - you can't see what players are doing away from the ball off screen, what runs are being made to create space or block opposition options.

Sitting in the JW upper does help I find.

[Jonnolad]

IF Andrews had a good game you need to seriously look at the quality of the opposition.

I really can't get my head round this kind of comment. The only thing I can put it down to is the halo effect:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halo_effect

Let's look at the evidence:

1) Big Sam keeps picking Keith Andrews for his starting line up in crucial games, so presumably he rates him.

2) Giovanni Trappatoni now picks Keith Andrews for his starting line up in crucial games, again presumably he must rate him.

3) Keith gets consistency decent scores amongst journalists in match reports - here's today's mail for instance (the Sun & Star have similar); second highest score, same as Santa Cruz amongst others - http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/...or-Rovers.html)

4) He scores absolutely crucial goals for our survival (we'd have been bottom of the table for long periods without his equaliser against West Brom - a huge psychological blow).

5) He's scored the most league goals of any midfielder this season so far - more than Tugay, Emerton, Dunn, Reid, Pedersen or Grella (not to mention Moekena). Warnock has admittedly scored more, but he didn't play in midfield for all those games.

6) He only cost us £800k - a pittance in Premier League terms - a quarter than Robinson, a fifth of Grella.

So why do own fans dislike him so much - his own fans for christ's sake? Grella has played far worse than Andrews has in my opinion but doesn't get any stick at all.

I honestly think that the negativity of our own fans is what will cost us this season. We need Keith Andrews playing well, and it's our remaining home games which are crucial in that. Keith gets greeted with groans at best, boos at worst by his home support. That can't do his confidence any good at all, which is absolutely the last thing we want in a relegation battle.

[thenodrog]

I really can't get my head round this kind of comment. The only thing I can put it down to is the halo effect:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halo_effect

Let's look at the evidence:

1) Big Sam keeps picking Keith Andrews for his starting line up in crucial games, so presumably he rates him.

2) Giovanni Trappatoni now picks Keith Andrews for his starting line up in crucial games, again presumably he must rate him.

3) Keith gets consistency decent scores amongst journalists in match reports - here's today's mail for instance (the Sun & Star have similar); second highest score, same as Santa Cruz amongst others - http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/...or-Rovers.html)

4) He scores absolutely crucial goals for our survival (we'd have been bottom of the table for long periods without his equaliser against West Brom - a huge psychological blow).

5) He's scored the most league goals of any midfielder this season so far - more than Tugay, Emerton, Dunn, Reid, Pedersen or Grella (not to mention Moekena). Warnock has admittedly scored more, but he didn't play in midfield for all those games.

6) He only cost us £800k - a pittance in Premier League terms - a quarter than Robinson, a fifth of Grella.

So why do own fans dislike him so much - his own fans for christ's sake? Grella has played far worse than Andrews has in my opinion but doesn't get any stick at all.

I honestly think that the negativity of our own fans is what will cost us this season. We need Keith Andrews playing well, and it's our remaining home games which are crucial in that. Keith gets greeted with groans at best, boos at worst by his home support. That can't do his confidence any good at all, which is absolutely the last thing we want in a relegation battle.

I take all that on board. I also recognise that his goal yesterday was a result of his attitude, enthusiasm and willingness to graft. He is trying to make the best of his opportunity at BRFC this season and all credit to him for that. Nearest I can link him to is Super Atko who was of very limited ability but did the water carrying job very well. (He'd not be playing in todays Prem btw).

But with KA it is still all lipstick on a pig. He should not really be a Premiership regular as I'm sure that you would see if we put him on the transfer market.

[Amo]

But who exactly is Andrews keeping out of the side? Mokoena couldn't possibly play alongside Grella, and Vogel fell into a worm-hole circa August 2008. We're also a team trying to scrape points wherever they come. We're hardly playing above ourselves with a consistent midfield.

I have nothing against the man, but I don't think he is good enough to play week-in week-out in the PL. His performances have often been anonymous for us, and he also can't tackle for toffee. He conceded the free-kick for Man. Utd's winner, and almost did the same for Hull yesterday.

[Jonnolad]

I take all that on board. I also recognise that his goal yesterday was a result of his attitude, enthusiasm and willingness to graft. He is trying to make the best of his opportunity at BRFC this season and all credit to him for that. Nearest I can link him to is Super Atko who was of very limited ability but did the water carrying job very well. (He'd not be playing in todays Prem btw).

But with KA it is still all lipstick on a pig. He should not really be a Premiership regular as I'm sure that you would see if we put him on the transfer market.

But thank god he is a Premiership player though eh - our Premiership player. Because without him (and his goals) we'd be a far worse position than we are in now.

As for the transfer market thing - do you honestly not think we would get £800k for him now? Regular starter now for us and crucially also the ROI. I've said this before but Andrews is currently keeping Andy Reid out of the ROI team (amongst others). Reid is a regular started for Sunderland and cost them £4m just over a year ago. Trappatoni obviously rates Andrews over Reid - has Reid value gone from £4m to £800k in a year? Surely we can then assume that Andrews is going to be worth more than £800k now. Surely?

Factor into this his relatively low wages in our squad and we should be really praising this bloke more for what he does - not deriding him at every opportunity that some fans seem to do.

Like I said before - it's a halo effect amongst his own fans - or more accurately a reverse halo effect. It's a shame - a real shame, because it could have an effect on his game, and that's the last thing we need given our current position.

[Stonesrick]

I thought Keith Andrews had a very effective game and did a very professional job. Why is it that people have to compare him with the top midfielders in the Premier League?

He is not comparable with Gerrard, Lampard, Scholes etc but he certainly is with those teams around us. We are never going to be able to compete with the top teams again so let's face reality and as was so well highlighted get rid of the 'Halo effect'.

Oh and one other thing to note as well as being picked regularly by BS and the Ireland manager....... he manages to stay FIT! which is more than can be said for some of our midfielders.