[Archived] Wigan Preview

[Mr. E]

Really need the players to step up tomorrow. If you want to play at the club next season, now is the final deadline to show it.

[Beta Ray Bill]

Really need the players to step up tomorrow. If you want to play at the club next season, now is the final deadline to show it.

Not too bothered what the players do tomorrow, I'd rather they put effort in on Sunday.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

NO Roberts tommorrow....they are unsure if he will play again this season according to LET!

[dingles staying down 4ever]

Very bad feeling about tomorrow. Think we'll get beat 1-0. Just can't see where the goals are coming from.

[McClarky]

but how the hell is it a must win game when we need between 4 - 6 points from the next 5 games ( 15 points up from grabs )

It's a must win game because we have 2 away games which we WILL lose and 3 home games of which we must win 2. If we don't win on Sunday we will be under so much pressure in the 2 remaining home games. A win tomorrow and other results (Hull & Boro) going our away will put us in a decent position but anything leaves us right in the mire becuase the Geordies wiull probably win on Monday.

Also, Wigan at home is probably the easiest game we could have at this time. They are a poor side with nothing to play for. If you were to hand pick a game to play at this time I think you would pick Wigan at home so it is so vital that we take advantage and beat them. They will be on the deckchairs if we fire right into them early on, just hope the team are up for it.

[dingles staying down 4ever]

Previously Sam has gone into every game as a MUST NOT lose game. Now we have to win at least one game and then he can return to the previous philosphy. The sooner we achieve that win the sooner Rovers can breath a little easier thus making this as a MUST win game but it is adding pressure onto a team that I'm not sure can handle it.

[Manc Rover]

Which one is the pretty one?

Which one's the female?

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

According to my paper Wigan are at absolute full strength with every player available for selection. A midfield of Valencia- Cattermole- Scharner - N'Zogbia , any one of which would walk into our team, should be much too strong for our dollopers. We've lost the ability to nil teams and we can't score. I'm going for a repeat of last weeks " performance" with the same scoreline- 0-1 to Wigan. One interesting fact though- Wigan have only scored 15 goals from open play, worse than any other team in the league.

[Tom]

Is anyone actually looking forward to tomorrows game?

Personally I just want it out of the way same with every other game. The nerves are getting to me.

[RibbleValleyRover]

Is anyone actually looking forward to tomorrows game?

I can't remember the last game I was looking forward to seeing; it’s been a dire, painful season. This season I don't think there has been a game we have come into when I’ve thought "Yeah we are going to win that for sure".

[John]

This is a game that Blackburn have to win, and I mean they have to win.

[Mc Love]

Who is going to score for us is the question on everyones lips!

[den]

Previously Sam has gone into every game as a MUST NOT lose game.

That's the right approach to any game, as long as we still try to win it.

I can understand this "must not lose" approach between now and the end of the season though. Sam's not stupid, - he knows that there aren't many goals in this current team and to go about a game in a Kamikaze fashion would be the final nail. I imagine he wants first and foremost clean sheets. That in itself would be enough to keep us up. We aren't going to outscore anyone, are we?

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

According to my paper Wigan are at absolute full strength with every player available for selection.A midfield of Valencia- Cattermole- Scharner - N'Zogbia, any one of which would walk into our team

All respect to Wigan but looking at their midfield compared to our sorry excuse and you have to ask just what the hell has been going on in the minds of past and present managers.....it borders on utter neglect!

[Manc Rover]

All respect to Wigan but looking at their midfield compared to our sorry excuse and you have to ask just what the hell has been going on in the minds of past and present managers.....it borders on utter neglect!

They're all good but Cattermole was a real coup by Wigan. Why on earth Southgate sold him and why on earth we didn't go in for him. Was cheap as well! Lets hope we get the rub of the green but if we put out the same sorry midfield as last week, we're Dunn for!

[Blue blood]

NO Roberts tommorrow....they are unsure if he will play again this season according to LET!

That's due to the nature of his injury. If we weren't in such a dire predicament - points and players wise - there wouldn't have even been any noises about him playing again this season from the club.

According to my paper Wigan are at absolute full strength with every player available for selection. A midfield of Valencia- Cattermole- Scharner - N'Zogbia , any one of which would walk into our team, should be much too strong for our dollopers. We've lost the ability to nil teams and we can't score. I'm going for a repeat of last weeks " performance" with the same scoreline- 0-1 to Wigan. One interesting fact though- Wigan have only scored 15 goals from open play, worse than any other team in the league.

Gutting isn't it. You look at the quality bargins we've been able to get for other positions in the team - samba at the back, pre injury nelsen, benni & rocky up front - and you wonder why there's been none in midfield.

Having said that I'm quite happy with Diouf and Emerton when fit - it's just we need another 2-4 other quality midfielders (who can remain fit) for the squad.

The wigan stat has encouraged me somewhat, as keeping the score down is the only chance we have of a win. Not sure we've got a couple of goals in us, or even one come to that, but a team with nothing to play for, who've struggled to score from open play (and let's face it MUST be suffering from overconfidence after they strolled past us at the JJB earlier in the season) is an ideal game for rovers to get three points on the board.

[Tom]

My team for tomorrow:

Robinson

Ooijer Samba Nelsen Givet

Carlos/doran Dunn Warnock Pedersen

Benni Diouf

Subs: Bunn, Mokoena, Andrews, Blackman, Grella, Zurab, Tugay

We could do with diouf up front to give us some running I think.

[Pinch]

Well, at least Sunderland and HC have lost today...Hull are doomed. I can only see us playing for a draw now. I'm trying to enjoy another week outside of the bottom 3.

[BRFC1995]

My team for tomorrow:

Robinson

Ooijer Samba Nelsen Givet

Carlos/doran Dunn Warnock Pedersen

Benni Diouf

Subs: Bunn, Mokoena, Andrews, Blackman, Grella, Zurab, Tugay

We could do with diouf up front to give us some running I think.

if carlos ain't the second striker, he won't get. on......not to be harsh but a weak,slow midget ain't gonna get pitch time on the wings in a big sam team.

swap carlos for moko and leave benni upfront alone and that'll unfortunately be the exact starting 11 imo.

[dingles staying down 4ever]

That's the right approach to any game, as long as we still try to win it.

I can understand this "must not lose" approach between now and the end of the season though. Sam's not stupid, - he knows that there aren't many goals in this current team and to go about a game in a Kamikaze fashion would be the final nail. I imagine he wants first and foremost clean sheets. That in itself would be enough to keep us up. We aren't going to outscore anyone, are we?

I'm not saying kamikaze but when opportunity present itself with time running out we should try for it. At home against a team who seem to have packed up and gone on their hols we must try and take the game to them a little bit more than we have at present to try and generate a result. Benni up front means the ball needs to be in the box on the floor, anything else is ineffective so he may as well not be on the field. This means to be a bit more attack minded. I'm all for playing the Axe away from home but in a fixture like tomorrows surely not.

[ABBEY]

Well, at least Sunderland and HC have lost today...Hull are doomed. I can only see us playing for a draw now. I'm trying to enjoy another week outside of the bottom 3.

if we play for a draw tommorow then i think my season ticket may just end up being thrown on the pitch.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

When will folk get it into their skulls that we CANT afford to rely on other results in our position...we must win home games like these.

STUFF THE IDEA OF A DRAW FFS!

[Mr. E]

NO Roberts tommorrow....they are unsure if he will play again this season according to LET!

killer blow.

I'm trying to be positive but I just can't see how we're going to do it. You can't win games without goals, and Benni is not a one-man type of striker.

Yes no one wants to rely on other teams, but realistically I think the best we can hope for is a draw and for Pompey to hold Newcastle.

[RibbleValleyRover]

Sam has to either play Samba up front with Benni, Carlos with Benni or Diouf with Benni.

Benni can't play upfront on his own, if we line up with just the one striker i cannot see us scoring.

[Blue n White Rover]

Right Ladies and Gentlemen...and Vinjay

Here we go!

Near enough perfect results for us this weekend, top that with an Arsenal win tommorow midday.

The fans have to be vocal, let ourselves be heard and stick behind the team even if we go down a goal. Carry on believeing.

Formation wise I can never predict what Sam will put out, however, it is crucial that we start with a 4-4-2.

Keep Samba at the back, the physical presence of Zaki will prove too much for Nelsen. We need to be aware of Scharner's aerial threat from set-pieces. Grella must start for me as The Axe is no good.

I've predicted a Rovers win all season in every game but most mine are wrong. So i'll go for a 2-2 draw, with Nelsen and McCarthy scoring for Rovers.

Come on you Blues!!!