[Archived] Sell Out At The Emirates

[Eddie]

It is in my book , especially when its blatantly obvious and trying to gain advantage/con the officials - makes you wonder about the incident at 1/2 empty is that Ewood in disguise O/T the other week

It may be in your book and many may agree with such a change to the rules, but it isn't actually a rule, so there's no way it would have happened. Diouf should have gone. MGP should have been booked.

[Iceman]

If this club wants to compete, then invesyment is key for next season. We just cant continue like this. No matter which manager we have, we will struggle with the players we have. Hughes did well, but things are just changing every season with teams becoming financially strong.

[gazsimm]

didn't expext nothing before the game, against a good inform arsenal team at the moment. Bigger games coming up against West Ham and Tottenham, which we must be looking to take 4 points from at least. One thing for sure though is Simpson is not good enough at this level, he was very poor on saturday and i hope to god i don't see him play again for us.

[den]

I wasn't expecting anything from the game points wise Den, but I did expect a spirited performance.

If you're going to set up to "park the bus" you have to do it properly and with spirit and commitment. Not concede a goal after two minutes. Poor regardless of the opposition.

I'm not defending the performance Simon. I am defending the tactics that Allardyce has used so far this season though. We're on course to stay up.

[broadsword]

... on course to stay up with a threadbare squad full of crocks and never-hasbeens, with the odd decent player sprinkled in.

[OJRovers]

... on course to stay up with a threadbare squad full of crocks and never-hasbeens, with the odd decent player sprinkled in.

Pretty much the same squad that finished 7th in the best league in the world last year...

The negativity on here is unbelievable, we lost to Arsenal who are a class act and it all doom and gloom. I work with Oldham fans who just lost 6-2 to Mk Dons - puts it in perspective a bit.

If people expect Rovers to win every week and moan so much when we don't - they should go support Man United instead.

[den]

Pretty much the same squad that finished 7th in the best league in the world last year...

Not true.

Two best players sold, others injured long term. Add another 6 brought in by Ince who are, with the exception of Robinson, not good enough for this league. Even Robinson is a change for the worse.

and I'm one of the positive one's on this thread.

[CAPT KAYOS]

bet you celebrated promotion ala mr speedie tho capn lol

Well considering it was at the other end Abbey and looked like a penalty then to right I did (I was more annoyed about the penalty we missed)

After seeing it after the game the Leicester player did actually put his arm across Speedie but it was a soft penalty (hasn't Speedie admitted that) but still there was contact (same as Pedersen at O/T?) - Pedersen on Saturday was out on his own and should have been carded - I hate any player who does the same in similar circumstances no matter who it is and feel it should be a red card.

[gumboots]

Pretty much the same squad that finished 7th in the best league in the world last year...

The negativity on here is unbelievable, we lost to Arsenal who are a class act and it all doom and gloom. I work with Oldham fans who just lost 6-2 to Mk Dons - puts it in perspective a bit.

If people expect Rovers to win every week and moan so much when we don't - they should go support Man United instead.

Many of the squad are the same. However, many of those who were here last year are injured and others are getting a bit long in the tooth. all squads get older, of course they do, but our squad were not the youngest to start with. Does that make sense? It's been a long day today.

[broadsword]

Not true.

Two best players sold, others injured long term. Add another 6 brought in by Ince who are, with the exception of Robinson, not good enough for this league. Even Robinson is a change for the worse.

and I'm one of the positive one's on this thread.

Pretty much sums it up for me.

[Jonnolad]

I was being sarcastic. The poor lad has had more stick than anyone I can remember from people on here. I think he does a decent job. He's not the greatest but he's not terrible.

This Rovers team is threadbare, we can all see that. Allardyce has made is mind up that the only way we are staying up is by taking points of those around us. Why risk our best (only?) 11 in a game where we rarely get anything.

I knew you were being sarcastic all along.....honest

Totally agree with your synopsis of big Sam's approach to the "big games"; the bloke likes his percentages. If we stay up this season then it'll all be worth it.

[modes98]

Blackburn Bullies cut my foot, bit of a harsh headline considering all he says is that we are the toughest tackling team he has played against.

[jonv]

ahahaha

[thenodrog]

Blackburn Bullies cut my foot, bit of a harsh headline considering all he says is that we are the toughest tackling team he has played against.

Puff! He'd have been a lot of use in the Siege of Leningrad I don't think.

btw Just how many teams has he played against? It's a complete lie if you ask me and we should send our doctor to check it out. Anyway how can we be rougher than them when we had so many subbed through injury and so many injured players that missed the match completely? It doesn't quite add up! Come to think about it with the likes of RVP on the bench I cannot imagine Arsenal playing anybody in the 2nd half with 8 stitches in a foot wound! I smell a rat and I hope BRFC under Allardyce have the balls to come out strongly against accusations like these by asking for proof. It's all 'chuck enough mud' stuff.

[Hughesy]

Ha ha what a girl! Even if we did do it, get over it you puff!

We didnt even play physical in the game, god help him next year when we have a much improved side with a few more of Sam's battlers and tactics in there. He will be crying!!

[thenodrog]

Ha ha what a girl! Even if we did do it, get over it you puff!

We didnt even play physical in the game, god help him next year when we have a much improved side with a few more of Sam's battlers and tactics in there. He will be crying!!

Given that scenario I'd imagine that he'll get a little more attention than the others.

[CAPT KAYOS]

On the other hand ... don't know if anybody else heard on the Radio this morning, our pampered tired puffs bully heroes had seaweed wraps (massage? ) ahead of the game at an extortionate price for each

fat lot of good that did them

And if this is anything to go by - looks like they where smoking it also

STILL MAKE TOP 10!!

[Hughesy]

Samba really is a confident bloke - he says we will win our next 2 home games, hope he is right!

We could do we some more positive players like him.

[Anti Euro Smiths Fan]

Blackburn Bullies cut my foot, bit of a harsh headline considering all he says is that we are the toughest tackling team he has played against.

Unfortunately I think some of the strong adverse media reaction towards Rovers which has followed our 4-0 thrashing by Arsenal could well subconsciously influence referees in our remaining Premiership matches this season.

In the eyes of the media we are now back to being dirty Northern bullies Blackburn Rovers again, a team of rough uncouth hoofing cloggers. I can't defend Diouf's challenge on Manuel Almunia. I thought it was late, stupid and reckless. Another ref might well have sent Diouf off for the challenge.

Because of the way that Diouf's challenge was highlighted on Match Of The Day and in the media in general I don't think it will do us any favours at all with refs in future matches. The next time a Rovers player makes a challenge like Diouf I suspect it will be a red card not a yellow.

I also can't defend Pedersen's ridiculous dive on Saturday or the way that Sam Allardyce appeared to condone the theatrical dive. We know that Sam has a previous history of condoning diving at Bolton. Many Rovers fans were disgusted with the way that Sam defended El Hadj Diouf a few years ago when the Senegalese spitter blatantly dived to win a penalty for Bolton at Ewood.

The late Brian Clough had a zero tolerance policy towards his players diving. Cloughie wouldn't put up with diving, but he still managed to win the League championship and two European Cups with Nottingham Forest. It would be nice if Sam Allardyce could occasionally signal his disapproval of Rovers players cheating, rather than condoning it.

All in all, Saturday's shambles at the Emirates Stadium was an extremely bad day at the office - damaging our goal difference which is now worse than Portsmouth's and significantly worse than Newcastle and Sunderland's. It also caused unwanted headlines and another media outcry about "bullies" in relation to the way that Rovers play, which will do us no favours with refs in future games.

I was embarrassed and bitterly disappointed by the shambles on Saturday and it could damage us in the long-term. Some of the Rovers players badly let themselves down and they now desperately need a much better performance at home to West Ham at the weekend.

[Hughesy]

BULLY BOYS RETURN!!!!

Ha ha I wish, it was fun when teams used to be worried about playing us because of how physical we could be..Nobody likes us, we dont care.

[Paul Mellelieu]

Hopefully, the bully-boy tag will put the wind up West Ham's less than committed players. The irony is that this group of Rovers players have shown little of the northern grit needed to escape a relegation battle.

[Mr. E]

...and Hull are beating Arsenal now at the Emirates. Yeah, no shame in that.

[John]

Phil Brown claimed in his post-match interview tonight that Cesc Fabregas spat at his assistant manager Brian Horton - he said that is what this club is all about (referring to Arsenal obviously).

Wenger refused to shake Brown's hand at the end of the match.

Setanta reporting now that Horton will make a complaint to the FA tomorrow morning.

[thenodrog]

Unfortunately I think some of the strong adverse media reaction towards Rovers which has followed our 4-0 thrashing by Arsenal could well subconsciously influence referees in our remaining Premiership matches this season.

In the eyes of the media we are now back to being dirty Northern bullies Blackburn Rovers again, a team of rough uncouth hoofing cloggers. I can't defend Diouf's challenge on Manuel Almunia. I thought it was late, stupid and reckless. Another ref might well have sent Diouf off for the challenge.

Because of the way that Diouf's challenge was highlighted on Match Of The Day and in the media in general I don't think it will do us any favours at all with refs in future matches. The next time a Rovers player makes a challenge like Diouf I suspect it will be a red card not a yellow.

I also can't defend Pedersen's ridiculous dive on Saturday or the way that Sam Allardyce appeared to condone the theatrical dive. We know that Sam has a previous history of condoning diving at Bolton. Many Rovers fans were disgusted with the way that Sam defended El Hadj Diouf a few years ago when the Senegalese spitter blatantly dived to win a penalty for Bolton at Ewood.

The late Brian Clough had a zero tolerance policy towards his players diving. Cloughie wouldn't put up with diving, but he still managed to win the League championship and two European Cups with Nottingham Forest. It would be nice if Sam Allardyce could occasionally signal his disapproval of Rovers players cheating, rather than condoning it.

All in all, Saturday's shambles at the Emirates Stadium was an extremely bad day at the office - damaging our goal difference which is now worse than Portsmouth's and significantly worse than Newcastle and Sunderland's. It also caused unwanted headlines and another media outcry about "bullies" in relation to the way that Rovers play, which will do us no favours with refs in future games.

I was embarrassed and bitterly disappointed by the shambles on Saturday and it could damage us in the long-term. Some of the Rovers players badly let themselves down and they now desperately need a much better performance at home to West Ham at the weekend.

Hang on aesf. You are being too selective. I can well rem RVP's two footed high lunge on Nelsen at ewood last season!!! It made EHD's attempt look girly.

I rem Vierra getting red card after red card and being defended by Wenger for every one. Does any of this from the BBC sport sound familiar?

Arsenal scored twice late on to win 2-1 at the Emirates and seal a last-four date against Chelsea at Wembley.

Brown said: "For their club captain Cesc Fabregas to spit at my assistant at the end of the game shows you what this club is all about."

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger said: "I know nothing about that at all."

Fabregas, who is recovering from knee surgery, joined his team-mates on the pitch at the final whistle after two goals in the last 16 minutes from Robin van Persie and a disputed header from William Gallas cancelled out Nick Barmby's early strike.

Brown added: "I was there and I witnessed it, he spat at my assistant manager down the tunnel, that's their club captain. Hopefully he's proud of himself. He spat at his feet."

Hull's boss was furious after the defeat, as the game ended without the two managers shaking hands, criticising referee Mike Riley and his officials of succumbing to pressure from Arsenal and boss Wenger.

He said: "The game was turned on its head when the referee succumbed to local pressure."

Brown also condemned his Arsenal counterpart's behaviour as The Emirates crowd taunted Hull for what they saw as time-wasting.

He said: "Mr. Wenger decides to join in and the result is my goalkeeper getting booked in the second half.

"Arsene Wenger got my goalkeeper booked. You call that good management? He was complaining about time-wasting. It's an absolute disgrace."

Asked about Wenger's failure to shake his hand at the final whistle, Brown said: "He never does."

Brown added: "We haven't been beaten by Arsenal, and they are fourth top of the Premier League. We have been beaten by a linesman's decision and a referee's decision for Gallas' goal."

Wenger insisted he knew nothing of any incident between Fabregas and Horton, saying: "I don't know about that at all. I was quite relaxed tonight I must tell you, and I don't know what to tell you."

Oh and btw Hull had 5 booked and Arsenal 2 so nothing new there then?

Furthermore I rem the terrible indescretions committed by Arsenals feared centre halves from the year dot. Not just Adams, Lineghan, Bould and Keown but right back through Young to Ian Ure. I rem the annual battles and fisticuffs that the Arse had with Man Utd. Nothing was ever admitted to by either Wenger or Ferguson was there? Did Mourhino defend Drogba's diving and essiens hatchet jobs? Course he did. Has the old RFW ever publically admonished Roy Keane for his behaviour or Christiano Ronaldo for his diving? Has Benitez or Houllier ever openly criticised Gerrads dives or his tackle into the midriff of Evertons Naysmith?

Thing is that a good manager does not openly criticise his players. Whether they do in the privacy of the dressing room is a dofferent matter. Also all clubs can cut up rough and especially the big 4 when things are going against them. The fact that they are normally 2 or 3 up ontrol of any given match is the reason that they dont often need to.

As for the likes of Clough and Paisley and Shanks. Excellent managers and at least two of em were good blokes too. I'm glad that I can rem so much about them. But I doubt whether they could manage today withou major adatation of their styles now that team spirit is lesser than individual needs to todays professional and his army of advisers / hangers on.

[Paul Mellelieu]

'Drog's right on this one. Weren't Arsenal top of the red card lists? His misses the annual assault by Dennis Berkamp on a Rovers defender.

To listen to Keown calling Rovers bullies after his behaviour over the years was a blast!