[Archived] Blackburn Rovers V Portsmouth

[chocky]

Crouch is a good player...shows more heart than that money grabbing big head Santa Cruz...We made a mistake not selling him when we had the opportunity...He was a nobody till he came to Rovers and got a chance ...now he thinks he is too good for us...good bye and good riddance..

[begresko]

I just wanted to say fair play to Andrews. Pushed into a position he doesn't have great qualities for. And before everyone has a go, yes he does lack in quality in some areas but i was more than happy to see him in a rovers shirt after his performance. He read the game pretty well and was up against tricky opposition. He showed good pace and a decent pass. He may not be prem quality but he has certainly performed well enough to deserve a place in our squad. Great result and enjoyed it.

[philipl]

Given the way property prices have fallen since he's signed, Robbo has been a very smart boy in "only" renting!

[TimmyJimmy]

Given the way property prices have fallen since he's signed, Robbo has been a very smart boy in "only" renting!

are you suggesting he's a rent boy

[Anti Euro Smiths Fan]

The nightmare is nearly over, and changes have to be made in the summer....

Well what a relief that this nightmare of a season is almost over. Rovers are now 99.9% likely to avoid relegation, which is a big weight off our shoulders. It would take an incredible set of results to relegate Rovers now, which I'm sure won't happen.

When the dust settles at the end of the season I would like John Williams and the Rovers board to conduct a full review of the season, because lessons need to be learned and the same mistakes musn't be repeated again.

The disastrous decision to appoint Paul Ince meant that Rovers were facing a major relegation battle for much of the season. David Bentley was allowed to leave without a replacement brought in, meaning that the team were cruelly lacking in width and creativity in midfield.

I dislike Dirty Diouf as a person and I also feel he's somewhat overrated as a footballer and hasn't provided enough creativity since arriving at Ewood in January.

The central-midfield position has been a problem for a couple of seasons. Ince brought in a guy from League Two - the likeable but limited Keith Andrews - together with the injury-prone Vince Grella, who has looked fairly good in some matches, but at other times the games have passed him by and he's looked woefully short of the speed and fitness required, with his variey of passing also limited at times.

To the 'fan' who shouted (the second pedersen got the ball)'run with it you f***ing w*****' you should be ashamed of your self.

I don't condone the actual words used and I wouldn't shout those things myself, but over the last couple of seasons I've been enormously frustrated with MGP's contributions. He simply hasn't been good enough over the last couple of years, lacking the speed, quality and goals needed. Saturday's goal against Portsmouth was his first Premiership goal this season.

Pedersen's goal for Rovers against Bolton last season in February 2008 was also his first Premiership goal for over a year. These days wide players in the Premiership have to possess pace, crossing ability and chip in with a fair number of goals. MGP doesn't provide enough of them. He's been a bitter disappointment to me in recent seasons.

In the summer I feel Sam Allardyce needs to undertake a very big rebuilding job, with a number of new players brought in and the poorer ones shipped out.

There is going to be wholesale changes to the staff

That's what I was hoping for. But on the official website though, Mr Allardyce seems to be indicating that he doesn't envisage huge changes in the summer.

(See the link here)

I personally feel it is imperative that the weaknesses we have in outfield positions on the pitch are addressed and I was hoping to see substantial changes to the squad in the summer to improve the overall quality.

Sadly I suspect that the board and the trustees will continue to be as tight as a pair of nun's knickers, when actually a substantial amount of expenditure is needed I feel.

Sam Allardyce is a big improvement on Paul Ince, but I've still got concerns about the style of play in the long-term under Big Sam. We have a tendency to give the ball away too cheaply and I'm concerned that Sam doesn't appear to feel that keeping possession is important for a team.

What school did Gary Linekar go to? In describing Chelsea's current initiative he informed us that no Asians play in the Premier League. I'm sure that there are more but straight off the top of my head I can think of Zurab and Tugay from Georgia and Turkey respectively, Banayoun from israel and Manchester Uniteds Ji-sung Park.

I like Lineker, but I'm afraid that he made a fairly common mistake that a number of other people within the media also tend to make in these politically correct times. Specifically they use the word "Asian" when what they really have in mind is primarily people of Indian and Pakistani descent. In that sense they seem to be excluding the Orientals and others within Asia. (Surely Lineker hasn't forgotten that the Eastern Asian chap Park Ji-Sung plays for Man United.)

If Gary Lineker had informed us on the BBC: "No Indians or Pakistanis play in the Premiership" that would have been more accurate, but unfortunately even the description "Pakistani" raises eyebrows with some people. (Thenodrog previously told the story of how a female teacher told the kids in her class that "Pakistani" is a naughty word that they shouldn't use.)

Therefore I suspect that Gary Lineker and some others say the word "Asian" when what they have in mind, but are perhaps reluctant to say is the more accurate term "Indian or Pakistani descent". (Thenodrog uses the abbreviated term 'Indo-Pak' to describe such people.)

It is also somewhat unfortunate that the word "Oriental" to describe Eastern Asian people of Chinese/Japanese/Korean/Vietnamese descent also upsets some sensitive people.

The term "Orient" is derived from the Latin word 'oriens' meaning "east" - Leyton Orient being a club situated in the East End of London. In my view "Oriental" is a perfectly acceptable word to describe Eastern Asian people, but again I suspect that Gary Lineker and other pundits on the BBC would be reluctant to use the word "Oriental" to describe players like Park Ji-Sung and Sun Jihai.

[92er]

.

Btw, has anybody fathomed why Andrews got booked late in the first half? We were bewildered at the time and even the commentators couldn't explain it...

What I saw of the incident was that Andrews appeared to have been fouled by their left winger, seconds later fouled the same player, who then appeared to complain vigourously to the ref, who gave the foul and booked Andrews. It wasn't clear to me what Andrews had done, nor if the ref actually saw it.

[JAL]

Don't worry about JAL TGM, he'll find fault in anything Rovers do.

Just trying to raise the bar and not fall into the trap of accepting mediocrity.

[only2garners]

Therefore I suspect that Gary Lineker and some others say the word "Asian" when what they have in mind, but are perhaps reluctant to say is the more accurate term "Indian or Pakistani descent". (Thenodrog uses the abbreviated term 'Indo-Pak' to describe such people.)

I'm sure you will be delighted to know that there is a politically correct phrase for such people - South Asian.

[Paul Mellelieu]

I'm sure you will be delighted to know that there is a politically correct phrase for such people - South Asian.

South-east Asian I think you'll find. How come AESF manages to stray so far away from a thumping good result for us yesterday? And be so pompous (and wrong) with it? One more for the ignore button!

[yoda]

South-east Asian I think you'll find. How come AESF manages to stray so far away from a thumping good result for us yesterday? And be so pompous (and wrong) with it? One more for the ignore button!

how about sub-continentals?

[LeChuck]

I can forgive him for failing to mention Zurab and Tugay, as Georgia and Turkey are European in that they take part in the European Championship qualifyers (although the same goes for Israel). There are, however, other Asian players in the Premier League:

Tamir Cohen (Bolton) - Israel

Seol Ki-Hyeon (Fulham) - South Korea

Andranik Teymourian (Fulham) - Iran

Benayoun (Liverpool) - Israel

Tal Ben-Haim (City/Sunderland) - Israel

Park Ji-Sung (Man Utd) - South Korea

Cho Won-Hee (Wigan) - South Korea

I know what you're getting at there but it's a tad pedantic. We all know that when someone says 'Asian' it's a bit more specific than simply someone who is from the continent of Asia.

In the way Lineker meant it, there aren't any Asian players in the Premier League. That's why there was a big deal made about Harpal Singh when he was a youngster at Leeds. No idea what happened to him in the end, don't think he's made it at any meaningful level.

Edit: I quoted this before reading the rest of thread, I didn't realise it had dominated the topic! Although I should have guessed...

[kandi]

Crouch is a good player...shows more heart than that money grabbing big head Santa Cruz...We made a mistake not selling him when we had the opportunity...He was a nobody till he came to Rovers and got a chance ...now he thinks he is too good for us...good bye and good riddance..

When you think Roque was a nobody till he came to Rovers then you Know nothing about football,this comment is ridiculous..who do you think you are?

[tony gale's mic]

When you think Roque was a nobody till he came to Rovers then you Know nothing about football,this comment is ridiculous..who do you think you are?

He wasn't a nobody, but he had a very poor goalscoring record at Bayern and wasnt that popular with the fans.

[chocky]

When you think Roque was a nobody till he came to Rovers then you Know nothing about football,this comment is ridiculous..who do you think you are?

Had you heard of him before he came to Rovers?...I watch a lot of foreign football and he did not light up the Bundersliga....Do you think his behaviour towards Rovers is acceptable...?..I don't..Just how Injured is he...not that badly I bet...I think he is being readied for his big move...He was largley unliked in at Bayern and in Germany and did not score many goals...I liked him at Rovers too...unitill I realised he was just another mercinary @#/? out to use Rovers as a stepping stone to "greater" things...I hope he falls on his arse..And I think I am a Rovers fan with a season ticket and a right to an opinion even if it conflicts with yours...

[vizcaya]

In the way Lineker meant it, there aren't any Asian players in the Premier League. That's why there was a big deal made about Harpal Singh when he was a youngster at Leeds. No idea what happened to him in the end, don't think he's made it at any meaningful level.

According to Wiki, he's currently playing for Dundalk in Ireland. Looks like his best season were in 2005-6, when he played 30 games and scored one goal for Stockport County.

[only2garners]

Sorry to be pedantic but South Asian refers to people from the Indian subcontinent i.e. India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. South East Asian id Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia etc.

[philipl]

Portsmouth is in the south of England. Or was last time I looked.

[thenodrog]

Interesting snippet from a mate who's a neighbor of Robbo, seems he's only renting his house. Wonder why that would be if he's here for the long term? I don't know what it means, if anything, but I found it interesting anyway.

No doubt thats cos house prices have been going down. His agent / manager has prob wisely invested his money elsewhere. Anyway he likely has a few already elsewhere.

[blue phil]

Surely it's a good time to buy a house then if prices are low .....

[thenodrog]

Just trying to raise the bar and not fall into the trap of accepting mediocrity.

In the autumn I'd have been happy to be mediocre.

I'm sure you will be delighted to know that there is a politically correct phrase for such people - South Asian.

Never heard of it.

[tony gale's mic]

One of my dad's friends rented a house out to Kevin Gallacher in the mid 90s and he was here for 6 years...

He also rented one out to Billy McKinlay (mightve been the same one, not sure I was quite young at the time)...guess who was the good tenant and who was the bad one..

[thenodrog]

I know what you're getting at there but it's a tad pedantic. We all know that when someone says 'Asian' it's a bit more specific than simply someone who is from the continent of Asia.

In the way Lineker meant it, there aren't any Asian players in the Premier League.

Thats a proper Blackburn opinion. Asians are from asia and thats that, if you want to sub divide em then find another term.

Had you heard of him before he came to Rovers?...I watch a lot of foreign football and he did not light up the Bundersliga....Do you think his behaviour towards Rovers is acceptable...?..I don't..Just how Injured is he...not that badly I bet...I think he is being readied for his big move...He was largley unliked in at Bayern and in Germany and did not score many goals...I liked him at Rovers too...unitill I realised he was just another mercinary @#/? out to use Rovers as a stepping stone to "greater" things...I hope he falls on his arse..And I think I am a Rovers fan with a season ticket and a right to an opinion even if it conflicts with yours...

They all are! Every man jack of em. And if you believe otherwise you are simply deluding yourself.

[broadsword]

Harpal Singh plays for dundalk apparently

[Tom]

The atmosphere was good - fans in the darwen end certainly makes a difference. I do have one gripe though and that is the constant slating of pedersen whenver he gets the ball from certain fans in the bbe lower. To the 'fan' who shouted (the second pedersen got the ball)'run with it you f***ing w*****' you should be ashamed of your self. Oddly, I don't hear the same abuse whenever tugay or warnock send passes astray, which for warnock happened a lot yesterday.

No-one deserves that sort of slagging off.

Massively agree with this, Tugay gave the ball away numerous times early on with not so much as a grumble (I'm not saying he deserved criticism it's just a comparison) Yet the very first time Pedesersen got the vall some nob behind me in the BBE lower shouted

'For f*cks sake Pedersen we don't like that word, please don't use it do something'

Absolute ridiculous, every misplaced pass him or Andrews makes is meet with groans and mainly little praise for when they do things right.

I just hope he starts next season with the confidence that sometimes aludes him.

As an aside i thought Andrews was superb again yesterday in an unfamiliar position, I honestly think without him in the squad we'd be in a much worse position now.

[thenodrog]

As an aside i thought Andrews was superb again yesterday

Andrews and superb are two words that do not belong in the same sentence. After an awful first 15 mins he settled and had a 'decent' match and thats it.