[Archived] Blackburn Rovers V Portsmouth

[jny]

great atmosphere weve had the tugay song, givet, mccarthy, samba , robinson .... fans hardly stopped singing gutted im not there

Me too would have loved to go but can't because of revision damn!!

Get in Rovers practically safe now phew....

[tony gale's mic]

As regards filling up the ground - it's still results which are the most important factor there for me.

People are going to enjoy seeing Rovers win much more than they're going to enjoy Rovers play pretty but frustrating football.

I think all this talk of the quality of football is silly - you can't have your cake and eat it if you're a team like us. Not unless we have the good fortune to come across one or two genuinely exciting players with the resources we have.

[Bobby G]

tgm,

I agree completely. But its only being filled up due to the special offer put out by the club. Its been immense having the Darwen End filled up by our own fans, and us making the noise for a change.

[tony gale's mic]

tgm,

I agree completely. But its only being filled up due to the special offer put out by the club. Its been immense having the Darwen End filled up by our own fans, and us making the noise for a change.

True, but a winning and successful team is the best way to bring in the punters. I don't buy into the whole argument that the style of football is going to drive people away. There's nothing like celebrating your team score and win. There's nothing more frustrating than watching your team play pretty little triangles with no end product.

So our aims on that front should match our aims of doing well anyway, and entertaining the fans with the style of football should be way down the list of Sam's priorities. Especially since it's extremely hard to bring the players in to match that style with our budget. If we had Spurs' budget it may have been a different story.

[John]

True, but a winning and successful team is the best way to bring in the punters. I don't buy into the whole argument that the style of football is going to drive people away. There's nothing like celebrating your team score and win. There's nothing more frustrating than watching your team play pretty little triangles with no end product.

So our aims on that front should match our aims of doing well anyway, and entertaining the fans with the style of football should be way down the list of Sam's priorities. Especially since it's extremely hard to bring the players in to match that style with our budget. If we had Spurs' budget it may have been a different story.

Summed up perfectly!!

[Tom]

Job done just about.

Good day at the office, poor football at times but the rsult counts and we can start building for next season.

In honstey the way Riley was ith his whistle i was amazed he didn't blow for a foul for the first goal.

Their penalty was a shocking decision.

Pedersen and Diouf both put in some deadly balls.

Robbo looked assured again, the one time he was beaten Nelsen saved us with a world class block.

Play up rovers.

[1864roverite]

Well then, my prediction that Keith Andews would score the winner went wrong, but hey, who bloody cares?

Just back from the game and its a mighty relief to know that we are almost virtually safe (barring a big goal difference swing).

Waggy and the paulettes come back to Ewood. You will witness a change in the heartbeat of the club. Granted, Rovers havent been exactly pretty on the eye, but, as our home record bears testimony, its been effective in saving our Premier League Status.

Sam Allardyce has instilled a will to win, a work ethic and pride in the shirt. These were all missing attributed when we had the apprentice in charge.

Today could have been a big banana skin. Pompy at times played some good football but so did Rovers. Both teams had the option of hoofball but both also could pass it along the deck.

Plus points for me today were the following;

Another clean sheet.

The performance of Givet.

The never say die nor give up attitude of King Kong aka Chris Samba. The man was immense, never gave up and his do or die effort caused mayhem for the Pompy defence.

The will to win at all costs and the willingness to back each other up.

MGP scoring a goal in The Blackburn End.

Negative points;

Warnock gave too many balls away, in fact for the first 70 minutes he was the only threat to Rovers superiority.

Grella's short passing game, ineffective and is the only real negative about his display.

The lack of picking up the second ball.

Rovers have almost completed the first phase of this years plan. It is surely now going to be closed as a successful campaign albeit a painful one on the basis we achieved survival.

The second phase of this season will be completed as we bring the final curtain to close after the game versus WBA. There is going to be wholesale changes to the staff and for a time I am certain there will be an uneasiness around the club.

Great atmosphere again in the ground, good to see the flags and plenty of cheering.

A party beckons versus WBA. Come to Ewood and say thanks to Sam and staff for saving our skins. The club deserve it, Sam and the team deserve it.

[imy9]

Do you think the board will start to plan for next season in the Premier league now? What I mean is, are free transfers like Kameni going to be snapped up?

[RevidgeBlue]

Not exactly a classic, it was dull in the extreme until we scored, but eventually another effective performance and overall a job really well done by Sam considering the position we were in when he took over.

Once again, what a difference it made having the Darwen End full of home fans. Sam commented on this in his post match interview - said we had never looked as if we'd been been under any real pressure in the last two games, which could have been really tense affairs, and he'd be urging JW and the Trust to try and continue that next season.

A lot of good individual performances today - I thought Andrews and Samba did really well out of position, Solid stuff from Nelsen and Givet, and Tugay and Grella linked up nicely at times as well.

Robinson looks more and more of an inspired signing with every game. The Blackburn End came up with a gem singing "England's number 2" to James.

Although after cocking up on our first perhaps "England's number 5" would have been more apt.

The key to our immediate future now lies with the owners. Will they relent and finally give the manager a little bit of backing to give him a chance? If so it could be interesting times once again down at Ewood next season.

[tony gale's mic]

Robbo didn't have too much to do today from what I remember...

[RevidgeBlue]

Robbo didn't have too much to do today from what I remember...

But what he did he did well.

No shame in ad mitting you were wrong you know...............

[Billy Castell]

We are staying up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hoooooorrrayyy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The future can be sorted out tomorrow for all I care, today is about our survival. Sounded like an ugly game but right now I couldn't care less. For all I care we could have had Kaka and Leo Messi on the pitch doing their tricks. Today was about the result, and we got the right one. So lets be happy and say thank you to Mr. Allardyce for giving this ship a new hull, and not turning us into Hull.

How bad was Portsmouth's penalty? Big Nose tit face on SSN said it was terrible.

[tony gale's mic]

But what he did he did well.

No shame in ad mitting you were wrong you know...............

Nope, jury's still very much out for me. Today I think it's hard to comment either way since if he'd messed up on any of the little things he had to do today that would have been very worrying. And he's certainly not an "inspired signing" yet by a long stretch of the imagination, but he hasn't been bad recently either and that Wigan game was his best performance by some distance.

[RevidgeBlue]

Nope, jury's still very much out for me. Today I think it's hard to comment either way since if he'd messed up on any of the little things he had to do today that would have been very worrying. And he's certainly not an "inspired signing" yet by a long stretch of the imagination, but he hasn't been bad recently either and that Wigan game was his best performance by some distance.

Suit yourself.

I know you'll argue black is white and vice versa until the cows come home but I think you're well wide of the mark on Robinson.

[tony gale's mic]

Suit yourself.

I know you'll argue black is white and vice versa until the cows come home but I think you're well wide of the mark on Robinson.

I just think "inspired signing" is wide of the mark. Overall he's not been terrible but look at Schwarzer - that's an inspired signing. If you're suggesting Robbo has been better than him or even as good as him this season you're wearing some very blue and white tinted glasses. And if you're looking for a game like this to prove his worth to us where he didn't even have anything to do then you're scraping the barrel a bit.

[Stuart]

I really enjoyed the game today. Beforehand I was worried that the atmosphere wouldn't, couldn't live up to the Wigan game but once we scored the first one that changed and the crowd really got into it again. Up until that point there hadn't been a shot of any description from either team but Rovers were bossing the play. I can't work out if we have decided to shoot towards the Blackburn end first half or if it's the opposition because we seem to have done it during our last 3 home games. It used to worry me when that happened because it took something away from the second half but it appears to be working!

It was another good gesture by the club to hand out flags to fans coming into the ground - my lad was pretty pleased anyway - plus they were less annoying than those noise-maker things last week.

I agree with most of what 1864 has said so I won't regurgitate it. For me though there were a couple of magic moments today:

1) When Pompey got their penalty - once again a ball blasted at a defender (what is that all about anyway?!) but this time Andrews had his arm pointing down and against his body. Anyway, the magic moment bit was the reaction of the Blackburn end. Although the whole ground was angry at the injustice, the BBE created an absolute crescendo of noise shouting "England's England's Number One" over and over and jumping up and down and swaying about. The noise was intense and I'm certain this is what resulted in the penalty being blasted high and wide. Fantastic, and probably as good a moment as either of our goals.

2) Magic moment number 2 for those of us still in the Riverside (why do people keep clearing off with 5 minutes plus stoppages to go?!) Tugay was walking past clapping and waving to the crowd, crying and wiping the tears from his eyes with his sleeve. It makes you proud to be a Rover when we have players like that who wear their heart on their sleeve. It must have been sheer adrenalin that got him through the full match. When some players know there is no-one better than them on the bench, their performances can wane (and some have) but not Tugay. He's an absolute credit to himself and to the club and I dearly hope that he gets a proper send off. I'm not sure if we can afford to turn the final game of the season into a Tugay showboating session because league position and the prize money will still be important but it'd be nice to say goodbye properly. Something about his demeanor though which made me wonder if he'd played his last game(?) - although I'm not sure who would take his place.

Hopefully the club can now start to put season tickets on sale and we can start to look forward to a Summer of speculation and opinions about the players we might be bringing in!

Come on you Blues!

[Billy Castell]

I hope that Tugay is rested against Chelsea just so he can play a part against West Brom at home. Sentimental I know, but we can be now.

[RevidgeBlue]

I just think "inspired signing" is wide of the mark. Overall he's not been terrible but look at Schwarzer - that's an inspired signing.

Robinson's nearly 30, Schwarzer's nearly 37!!!

I'd take Robinson every day of the week.

[Rovermatt]

Thrilled with this. We have to be safe now in all reality.

[DE.]

2) Magic moment number 2 for those of us still in the Riverside (why do people keep clearing off with 5 minutes plus stoppages to go?!) Tugay was walking past clapping and waving to the crowd, crying and wiping the tears from his eyes with his sleeve. It makes you proud to be a Rover when we have players like that who wear their heart on their sleeve.

Got goosebumps just reading that, must've been something special to see. What a legend Tugay is and has been.

[tony gale's mic]

Robinson's nearly 30, Schwarzer's nearly 37!!!

I'd take Robinson every day of the week.

Judging by this season he's got another couple of seasons at the top level left in him. He's been excellent.

[jim mk2]

Nope, jury's still very much out for me. Today I think it's hard to comment either way since if he'd messed up on any of the little things he had to do today that would have been very worrying. And he's certainly not an "inspired signing" yet by a long stretch of the imagination, but he hasn't been bad recently either and that Wigan game was his best performance by some distance.

Time to give Robinson the benefit of the doubt. He looked very average in the first half of the season but has improved immensely in the past 6 weeks. If he keeps playing like this next season I can see him regaining his regular England No 1 spot. He also looks like he cares about the fans and the club.

[Anti-Dingle-Brigade]

Speaking of Robinson, he couldn't watch the Benni penalty and stood facing the BBE. He was celebrating just as hard as any of us when it hit the back of the net, he obviously really cares about the club and it's clear he's no mercenary.

Everyone played well, especially Samba, Benni, Givet, Tugay and Andrews. Warnock and Grella played some poor passes but they were both good at breaking up play, as usual.

Thought the first goal was a foul on James as it looked like Samba took him out but luckily enough it stood.

Another great atmosphere too, the flags were a nice touch and the riot of blue and white helped the atmosphere.

[super_arran]

Speaking of Robinson, he couldn't watch the Benni penalty and stood facing the BBE. He was celebrating just as hard as any of us when it hit the back of the net, he obviously really cares about the club and it's clear he's no mercenary.

Everyone played well, especially Samba, Benni, Givet, Tugay and Andrews. Warnock and Grella played some poor passes but they were both good at breaking up play, as usual.

Thought the first goal was a foul on James as it looked like Samba took him out but luckily enough it stood.

Another great atmosphere too, the flags were a nice touch and the riot of blue and white helped the atmosphere.

Nah i saw a replay, Samba got the slightest of touches

[Anti-Dingle-Brigade]

I've only seen it once in real-time. Looked like James knocked it over towards Pedersen before Samba crashed into him.