[Archived] Spurs Preview

[Eddie]

Absolutely fantastic win and I'm delighted, but here's my opinion on this one:

I'll be in the minority, but I thought it was a penalty. Givet was far enough away that he can't simply argue that he didn't have time. It was soft and unfortunate, but we'd have wanted it at the other end and we'd be fuming it it then hadn't been given. Soft penalty, but a penalty nonetheless.

The ball wasn't on the spot, it doesn't change a huge amount, but why the ref couldn't be bothered to walk there and make him move it is beyond me.

We were pretty terrible for most of the game, particularly after MGP went off, which shows how important he actually is to the way that we "play". Really terrible performance though. Robinson did well in goal, making a very good save, a couple other good ones and looking controlled in goal. The back four handled the pace decently and Andrews did a fair job filling in at right back again, he is as he was labeled in the chat room a "poor man's Emerton" and I'd probably continue putting him there for the rest of the season now. Going forward we were clueless and couldn't string anything together.

Sending off totally changed the game and we would never have got anything from it without it. Second yellow card was a little soft perhaps, but like our penalty it was the right decision.

Spurs should be ashamed of their defending after the sending off, they lost the plot and were a shambles.

Well done to the players for sticking at it and for pulling out the three points. It wasn't pretty, but it was crucial, particularly with Liverpool next week.

[ThatRabbitsDynamite]

A mention for Andrews, who I think played well in an unfamiliar role.

I agree. He stopped Modric dead on a dangerous run early in the first half and cleared a very dangerous ball in the second. He's not the best there but, he's also a midfielder. He played well overall all things considered.

[joey_big_nose]

I wouldn't go that far in regards to Samba its clear he is a defender and not a striker but he showed great passion and commitment and did what was asked of him. But he is an option that could be used if we suffer an injury up front in the game or if Sam wants to change his tactics.

Samba's got great feet though! Did you see the drag back and tunr in the penalty area? Has been watching Benni clearly! Also good pass for Benni's goal.

[Eddie]

Very good pass for Benni's goal and a very cool finish. As I said, if you want a decent chance to fall to anyone in this run-in it's Benni.

[chris]

bloody brilliant, was not expecting that result, keep a close eye on other scores now

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Yet again we fail to put in a first half performance.......why is this happening?,why do we continue to put pressure on ourselves?

WHAT A FOOKIN MASSIVE RESULT THOUGH!!!

[imy9]

Are you having a laugh? He gave the ball away at every opportunity....his link up play down the right was non-existant. He's definately not a right back

He did well in an unfamiliar role, did you see much of Modric in the game? This is a central midfield player who has played one and a half games at right back in his career (oh yeah and he scored a vital goal in the last game in that very position).

[emerton]

Never been prouder t be a rovers fan. We were outplayed, out muscled and pretty much everything else.

However the endeavour and fight we showed typifies the squads determination.

Outnumbered at a Melbourne pub 50 yids to 1 but I let them know who took the 3 points!

special credit to diouf who thought was our best

Rovers till I die

[Majiball]

I wouldn't go that far in regards to Samba its clear he is a defender and not a striker but he showed great passion and commitment and did what was asked of him. But he is an option that could be used if we suffer an injury up front in the game or if Sam wants to change his tactics.

Its a shame that Dunny is so injury prone, we look a different team when he is in our midfield.

It wasn't meant seriously as in make him play there all the time, but rather more akin to the being able to play both positions. Its quite rare to be able to play both centre half and striker and be effective.

I thought we'd just lob it long up to him (it was all we had been doing), but he's got a better touch than Roberts and did well.

If Roberts is out for time now you never know.

[RibbleValleyRover]

If Roberts is out for time now you never know.

Quite possible that Sam may start with Samba up front next game if Roberts is out. Its looking like Roque isn't going to play again this season and as we know Derbs is on loan and can't be recalled.

I agree he is an option when we are suffering from injuries up front or need to change something in a match, still that means we end up weakening our defense at the same time as he is by far our best central defender.

[bigbrandjohn]

For the majority of the game our play was very poor. Clueless hit and hope stuff that started to grate as we got no return. The moment Dunn was moved centrally and we actually made a string of passes, we started to reap the benefits. Hopefully a learning curve for Sam's team selection.

I agree.

What a rollercoaster of emotions,just look at the thread from start to finish. Please let this season be over,with midtable security assured so my ticker can have a well earned rest. Summer will be topsy turvy with all of Sam's contacts feeding the media who we are getting and who we are not. Roque may get 15 million as i dont think Hughes will be at City and Spurs will probably get him.

There is no doubt in my mind that Diouf is certifiable. To take on the Tottenham defence single handedly after the game beggars belief.

[Rovermatt]

I'm not sure how we got away with that - so appalling was the performance for 82 minutes - but we did. The three points are massive for us and in spite of my frustration with the sheer incompetence of our players (the outstanding Samba excepted) I'm very proud of how we kept going.

The fact that we beat Spurs makes the result even sweeter. I guffawed at Arry's post-match interview. He seemed to think that Ooijer may have been offside and seemed to think that Spurs alone were screwed by the laughable officiating despite his team having been ahead courtesy of the worst penalty decision at Ewood since Diouf cheated us out of a point all those years ago.

[Tom]

Wow what a rollercoaster.

For 75 minutes I think myself along with most of the blackburn end may have beleived we were doomed.

I was saying to my mate i'll take awful football if it keeps us up therefore I couldn't care less how badly we were today.

Mokoena will take a lot of flack but I honestly didn't think he was worse than most on the day.

Credit to Diouf, Givet, Robinson and Samba in particular the rest were mainly poor.

The atmosphere at the end was electric, had to laugh at diouf doing his aeroplanes.

Sam has to take some credit his ugly football and putting Samba up front paid dividends.

Oh and those horns are bloody annoying.

[RoyRover]

Today's result doesn't mask over a truly appalling performance by us and had it been earlier in the season I would have had more to say about, but at this stage of the season, where results are all that are important, I couldn't care less! Spurs were the better team and looked more dangerous going forward. We were so bad in the first half and most of the second that it was embarrassing. It is no exaggeration to say that we looked like a Sunday League team at some stages. There penalty was a joke and it summed up the performance of the referee. I thought that Mokoena and Andrews were the worst two players on the pitch. Fair play to Samba, who really put a shift in today and was by far our best attacking option, which is quite worrying. Despite the performance, these are three invaluable points, that could make the difference at the end of the season.

[frosty]

Awesome!!!! Get in Ooijer!

We were awful for 75 mins......didn't look like scoring.......get in Rovers

[Iceman]

You can moan all you want about Dioufy, but he is a player who will give it is all. At the end i loved his aggression, it showed his passion and that he is a tough character. Moko might be in a heap of trouble though. Well done lads

[Tom]

Did Moko have a swing at the spuurs player Iccers? Missed it when it happened?

[Eddie]

It was a bit nasty and he was lucky not to go for it. He didn't have a swing so much as just run in with an elbow raised and barge into the player. Again, if it had been against us and we had then ended up losing that one, especially having had a player sent off, posters on here would be talking about that incident as having been huge.

[broadsword]

Oh God, we were absolutely appalling.

Over the moon at the three points, but we can't be going through that ever again.

Unless some decent money is made available over tehj summer, I think we just saw a glimpse of the future.

[Tom]

Just watching it back now I've got homw, the penalty really is laughable.

Theno is right with his idea of importing refs if the ones we employ are of this standard.

Simply shocking.

[Iceman]

It looked as Moko went intentionally with the elbow, but no arm was swung. Diouf worked hard today, and what a character he is. Toogs and Dunn were brilliant, but it does show that if we get 2 fit creative midfielders then we can play football. Benni you couldnt blame him, as there was no service to him for almost 80 mins, but thats why you would rather have him in those situations than JR!

[beerwins]

It looked as it was an angry reaction to seeing his number come up to be subbed, was shocking tbh, i can see a bit of comeback for him maybe some sort of ban, cant say i would be 100% bothered.

[1864roverite]

Well well well, what a rollercoaster of a ride we had today at Ewood.

We started with optimism, we despaired with anger, we rejoiced with hope and then went barmy with elation at the sound of the final whistle.

Today Rovers huffed, puffed, toiled, laboured and sent their fans mad with their inability to pass, their inability to break down what I deemed a poor Spurs team, the ineffectiveness football of up and at tme tactics, the players who so clearly looked out of it when Spurs got what I thought was a shocking penalty decision and the lack of a will to win at all costs for the shirt/club/team.

Yet, as we all left Ewood rejoicing, it dawned that despite a truly awful performance Rovers had played goddamned ugly football and had emerged with what surely is going to be 3 crucial points.

At times Rovers were no better than a pub team. Too many stray passes, too little passing to a teammate, no effort, languishing efforts up front, no bite or zip in the tackle and too lethargic.

Thats about all I will say, the game didnt matter but the result did.

Robinson - great save to keep us in it, other than that he didnt have to do anything.

Givet - class

Samba(1) only quality in the first half in blue and white.

Nelsen - solid.

Andrews - shockingly out of his depth.

The Axe - not very good.

Warnock - harried but little quality on show against quality opposition in the middle.

MGP - most stipid injury caused by a shocking decision to try and volley a ball from the corner flag area.

Diouf - not pretty but he doesnt lack effort.

Robeerts - ineffective and cumbersome.

McCarthy - his goal saved his skin today, lazy lazy and downright bone idle.

Dunny - came good in the last 20 minutes when Rovers got the upper hand.

Tugay - the only player who could put his foot on the ball.

Ooijer - HERO.

I have to say that as its half time, Rovers have the results going their way. It looks like then end of WBA, Boro could find themselves stranded whilst the Barcodes may well find themselves 5 points behind Rovers, lets hope so anyhow.

Thats the football over for me this weekend, although I may settle for watching Barcelona and the dream that my beloved Rovers can play football like those at the Nou Camp.

finally, whatever the situation outside the Blackburn End I hope that person recovers from whatever ailment struck them down.

[rover6]

Oh God, we were absolutely appalling.

Over the moon at the three points, but we can't be going through that ever again.

Unless some decent money is made available over tehj summer, I think we just saw a glimpse of the future.

Brought back memories of Souness' Desperation Squad (Andresen, Douglas, Amo et al), with football being put firmly on the backburner.

A massive victory for Rovers and the Long Ball Pragmatists.

BTW: This isn't a dig but it is clear that Diouf is not the skilful, creative force that people were deluding themselves about. He's a vicious terrier who'll give his all and more.

[Tom]

For me Moko is vital for us in some games.

People are praising Dunn but I wasnt too impressed today, he was trying too many tricks that he isn't quick enough to do any more, he did put in a good shift though.

Diouf I agree with he was excellent again.

One more thing for those chanting for Matt Derbyshire, remember what happend last time he played when we tried to see out a victory.