[Archived] Blackburn Vs. Everton (preview)

[matduggy]

From Official:

ROVERS: Brown, Ooijer, Samba, Nelsen ©, Givet, Andrews, Grella, Warnock, Santa Cruz, Roberts, Diouf.

Subs: Bunn (GK), Tugay, Dunn, McCarthy, Mokoena, Simpson, Treacy.

EVERTON: Howard, Baines, Yobo, Lescott, Jagielka, Jo, Cahill, Neville ©, Pienaar, Osman, Rodwell.

Subs: Nash, van der Meyde, Castillo, Saha, Jacobsen, Fellaini, Gosling.

[Bobby G]

Roberts for MGP and Brown starts for Robinson.

Interesting as the question is are we reverting to 4-4-2? Or will we stick to 4-5-1 and play Roberts a bit wider, or maybe even Roque?

Id guess we will play 4-4-2 and it worries me with the midfielders we have.

[herbergeehh]

I hope we will see a 4-3-3 / 4-5-1, with Diouf on the left and one of the strikers on the right - having Warnock in central midfield gives us something extra.

[Mr. E]

The big problem still is that Andrews is starting while Benni is not, but whatever.

[alexanders]

I hope we will see a 4-3-3 / 4-5-1, with Diouf on the left and one of the strikers on the right - having Warnock in central midfield gives us something extra.

Sky sports just showed us in a 4-3-3

[Mr. E]

Andrews has already mucked up 2-3 of our best plays.

[deftangel]

Can someone tell Ooijer that he does not have to aimlessly punt the ball first time upfield everytime it arrives at his feet. He should be giving it to someone who can play football!

[DE.]

Our attacking threat at the moment is nil. Hopeless long punts up the pitch that are easily dealt with, when we do break we pass backwards because there aren't enough people forward in support. The only saving grace is that Everton have little attacking threat either at the moment.

Edit: They nearly scored. Awesome save by Brown. This match is only going one way at the moment, we need to make changes.

[Presty On Tour]

Good reaction save from Brown, good work!

[Sysagent]

Sounds woeful on the radio.

I despair... I really do...

[martmitch]

great save from brown, thought that was 1-0 for sure. We desperately need some creativity up front, weve had a few chances in the box but howard yet to make an actual save, saying that brown has only had 2 saves to deal with and 1 of them was a really poor effort from jo

hopefully second half will get a shake up, as things stand we are back in relegation zone with stoke winning

[Rover Down Under]

Not bad this half. Poor last third play is letting us down. Sorry to all the Andrews haters but he has been MoM so far, winning lots of balls, great distribution, running his legs off - can't understand why some are so against him - he's like a mini-Mark (Atkins). Great save from Brown, reckon we'll come out guns blazing in 2nd half...

[DE.]

Half time.

Been a pretty dull match, Everton look far more threatening. The amount of space we were gifting them in the final ten minutes or so of that half was worrying.

Observations:

Our game has consisted mostly of punting it up the pitch. Dire football. We have no creativity, and need to bring Dunn on.

We can't counter-attack.

RSC is easily the best player in our current squad - whenever he's on the ball his quality shines through.

Andrews started off running all over the place, reminded me of Sav, and caused their players to lose the ball a few times. He has, however, absolutely no quality whatsoever. As Everton took a foothold on the game in the last 10 minutes or so he disappeared.

Roberts should go off, Lescott has had him in his pocket.

I think we should bring on Dunn and Benni Mac, and think about changing our formation. The 4-5-1/4-3-3 is having no effect, we're yet to have a shot on goal. By the end of the half Everton were starting to dominate.

On the plus side, Brown has looked solid and so has Samba. Some dodgy stuff from Ooijer, especially towards the end of the half. Givet's been solid, Nelsen's distribution has been poor but otherwise an OK performance.

[Bobby G]

We started off well, but faded as the half went by. Last few minutes Everton had been carving our defence open.

Diouf hasnt found his place yet today and Roque playing on the right hasnt really worked other than pinning Baines back. Id consider Dunn coming on sooner rather than later. We lack some creativity and a cool head to direct play from midfield.

On a side-note, all our rivals are getting positive results other than Boro, so we will lose some ground if we end up drawing.

[alexanders]

Tugay on and Santa cruz up.

[Rover Down Under]

BTW - the cops have been sent off - something to do with their colours clashing with the Everton tops - reminds me of when RFW had his w*nkers change their grey tops at half time cos they couldn't see each other

[RoyRover]

That was a very scrappy first half. Lots of hopeful balls being played up to Roberts, Santa Cruz and Diouf. We haven't been able to sustain any period of pressure and create any chances. I'd like to see Warnock go out to the left wing, Diouf on the right and play two up front. Everton haven't looked great and this is a game we can win.

[DE.]

Tugay on for Grella, as Grella has a 'slight groin strain' ... infuriating, what an utter waste of 4M.

[waynerovers]

ouch!

[tchocky]

Not looking very good this. Passing is terrible for the most part. Thankfully Grella is off. Ooijer tries too much when a simple pass would suffice and Roberts is having a stinker. Really impressed by Givet. Warnock and Andrews working their socks off, as are Diouf and Rocky.

[DE.]

Givet off, clash of heads. Moko on Warnock back to Left Back.

[Eddie]

We are far too negative. This is Allardyce football.

[Lurid Coat]

Moko to drive home a screamer from 30 yards.

[DE.]

Roberts one on one. Doesn't come close to scoring. Maybe he's cost us another set of points. Most strikers would have scored that.

[Mr. E]

jason Roberts has killed us once again. One-on-one with the keeper and you can bet your house on him missing. Enough's enough.