[Archived] Blackburn V Wba

[ihtd]

Rewind to when we last played WBA in the league, we were becoming adrift at the bottom, down to ten men and losing 2-1 after going ahead early on and with only a couple of minutes left, Keith Andrews shot home his first goal for the club and gained us a massive point. Not much as changed since then, we've lost the dead weight management team and brought in a man that has instilled some confidence into the club and the supporters in Sam Allardyce. We've gone from being bottom of the league and five points adrift to being safe before the last game of the season. Not many of us would have believed we'd be able to have honestly said that we would be safe with before the last day of the season. When i signed up to do this match preview i truly thought i'd be writing this preview as if the clubs future would depend on the result of this match. Luckily for us Big Sam and the boys have won the matches we've needed to in order to be safe. This season can be and should be put away in Room 101 to never be mentioned again but its not as simple as that, that would be disrespectful to this man!

Sunday will be the last time we will see Tugay line-up in a Rovers shirt in a competitive match due to him being released at the end of the season and hopefully hanging up his boots (not signing for QPR as rumoured). Now i already know that there is a thread dedicated to Tugay on this board already, but the man deserves a huge send-off from the Ewood Park faithful. We all have our favourite Tugay memories, in his time at the club he has become a cult hero and will be fondly remembered by us all. Hopefully he'll retire, open up a bar and we can all go to Tugay's for a pint on the Costa Del Sol or somewhere similar. This season has been one that many of us would like to forget especially after the brief but awful reign of Paul Ince, but get down to Ewood on Sunday, show your support for the team and the back-room staff for maintaining Premier League and show your appreciation for the legend that is TUGAY!!!

I've been searching on Youtube for Tugay's best moments in a Rovers shirt and here are some of them to bring the memories of good times (and seasons) back

Tugay Highlight Reel

The Match

West Brom and Blackburn Rovers find themselves playing for pride and prize money on the last day of the season. WBA with a win could finish in 19th place should Boro only draw at best, which this year with an increase in prize money could add an extra £500-550 000 to their fund to get back out of the Championship at the first attempt. Rovers, could go as finish as high as 12th and as low as 16th depending on tonights result between Sunderland and Portsmouth. I expect this game to quite open as both teams will want to end the season with a win to end on a high note to a disappointing season for both sets of fans. I suppose our season should be classed as an achievement after what we've come through after the Ince debacle.

WBA having conceded the most goals in the league this season should be ripe for the picking on Sunday should be able to field any sort of attacking line-up against them or even a line-up at all. Right now we currently have injury problems with at least 2 players in 3 positions. We have injury doubts over Nelsen and Givet from yesterday adding them to the long-term injury problems we currently have, its in Rovers interest that this Sunday is the last game of the season.

West Brom have been showered in praise by the media this season for attempting to play football, their only problem has been that they do not have someone who can put the ball in the back of the net. Martin Keown (yes he is a ugly tw@t) made a good point last night on MOTD2, they had a goalscorer last season in Kevin Phillips and they let him go for nothing or next to nothing, how they could have done with his natural goalscoring abilities this season. They play nice football but if we play to our strengths we should be able to pick up the three points which could make a difference to our transfer kitty for this summer.

Star Player

Each team has their own star player, a star player doesn't have to be Lionel Messi like, just the best player for the team he plays for. Chris Brunt, their top scorer this season with 8 league goals with Roman Bednar behind him with 6 goals but the less we say about Bednar the better for legal reasons He will be one of their few players that other clubs in the lower half of the Prem will take a look at in the post season.

Under-rated Player

Has to be Jonathan Greening, released/sold on the cheap by Manchester United, and has gone on the have a fairly good career for himself with 'Boro and WBA. A hard-working midfielder that can also pass the ball well (as all midfielders should be able to...take note Aaron Mokoena) Will never be good enough to play for anyone better than a struggling Premiership team but he always puts his shift in and occassionally comes up with a few great goals. Loved by the WBA fans due to his loyalty to the club, he had offers to move last time they were relegated and stuck it out with them to gain promotion to the Premiership last season.

Sadly, no Q&A like the rest of you have had this season as i do not know any WBA fans (lucky if i know anybody that doesn't support Chelski, Manure or Arsenal) and I don't have Adrian Chiles on speed-dial so if anyone knows one and wants to add one to the preview, feel free

Prediction

Rovers 3

WBA 2

...and a load of Turkish flags for sale outside Ewood

[chocky]

Very good...that goal against Spurs dwells in the mind...One of the best goals ever?...maybe...We will go to this game with a sense of relief rather than a celebration of the end of the season..In a way Tugay leaving will give us something to celebrate...a great Rovers career and we will not forget his contributiobn to our continuing success in the premier league. I'm bringing my Nephew to this one (He's a Rovers fan by the way) and look foward to a better season next time round...I think there will be a lot of changes next season but only for the better...I predict 3-0 for this match...we'll really go for it last game of the season...

[T4E]

Best preview ever. Well done mate.

3-0 Rovers, Tugay hattrick.

[unluckymorton]

Best preview ever. Well done mate.

3-0 Rovers, Tugay hattrick.

I'm not sure about a Tugay hat-trick, but I'll have a few quid on him to score first. I can't bring myself to buy and sport a Turkey or Galatasaray flag though, I buy my season ticket to support the Rovers, not other nations or other teams.

Tugay has given us some great memories, he is a legend. Lets hope he can stay on board with a coaching role. Imagine if he could pass on some of his magic and wealth of experience to some of the lads in the academy?

[LeChuck]

We should have two tactics for this game:

1) Play Tugay 25 yards from the opposition goal all game, give the ball to Tugay tell him to shoot on sight.

2) When this is not available, try dribbling in the box (without trying to score) until the opposition commit a foul. Tugay to take resulting penalty.

Hopefully he gets a goal and we're 1-0 up with 20 minutes to go...at which point we can substitute him and let him run down the rest of the time exiting the field.

[Ozz]

There should be free Turkish Delight Bars given out at the game.

[ihtd]

Best preview ever. Well done mate.

3-0 Rovers, Tugay hattrick.

I've been struggling to do this match preview for days, I forgot i'd signed up for it and its right at the business end of my final year at university so I wasn't sure if i'd be able to do anything worth reading.

I'd love a Tugay hat-trick, has he ever scored more than once in a game for Rovers? I'm not quite sure if he has or not tbh, so a hat-trick in his final game would be some achievement for the little maestro.

[Inta Beaver]

I think alot of players are playing for there future in this game, if the likes of Pederson, Benni, Grella etc don't turn up and perform against the worst team in the league then they should be bombed out of the club!

A Tugay goal would be amazing! We need another good home performance.

Rovers 2-1 Wba

[Stuart]

Great preview.

Seriously hoping for a Tugay screamer, although realistically hoping for us to get a penalty at some point. (C'mon Diouf cos Gamst isn't getting another one!). We all need to remind Toogs to step up if it does happen.

Some great moments Tugay has given us, not least his 90 mins against Pompey in our hour (and a half) of need, let's hope for one more.

3-0 Rovers to kick off a Summer of nicko's transfer rumours and looking forward to a new season. Our 9th consecutive year in the top flight; a first for us if I'm not mistaken.

Who're we playing again...?

[Amo]

What an emotional game it will be for Rovers and Toogs. I hope we can give him the perfect swansong. But anyone else predict Rovers shooting themselves in the foot, as we usually do against the underdogs?

I'm smelling a 2-2.

[Hughesy]

Lets win and finish in 12th. At almost 800k a place, its very important we finish as high as possible.

TUGAY - YOU ARE MY TURKISH DELIGHT

We have to get the legend a goal, whether it be a penalty or whatever, we just have to get him that goal, and ideally infront of the Blackburn End.

Prediction 3-1 Rovers. Tugay to score the 2nd (Penalty).

[unluckymorton]

What an emotional game it will be for Rovers and Toogs. I hope we can give him the perfect swansong. But anyone else predict Rovers shooting themselves in the foot, as we usually do against the underdogs?

I'm smelling a 2-2.

It will be extremely emotional, but "Shooting ourselves in the foot"?

Why are us Rovers fans always thinking that we keep letting ourselves down?

Did we do that at Fulham in our game in hand? Did we do that the other week when we beat Pompey in a 6 pointer to as good as guarantee Premier League status? No we didn't, and no we don't 'usually shoot ourselves in the foot'. We just don't win them all.

We have had a tough season due to us taking a gamble on an unproven manager, which again is unlike Rovers. we were unlucky with the gamble and next season we will make up for that. Just look where the 4 or 5 (Bolton, City at home, WBA away, Hull at home, Sunderland at home) wins we really could have had would have put us, that's not shooting ourselves in the foot either, it's building up again after the Ince farce that was. we'll be winning games like that next season. that is where we will be picking up points next season, and that will put us safely in the top half.

2-2 will not be a disaster, we'll see a few goals, most likely some showboating from Tugay and have a good sing. Lets just have a good day out and then look forward to a good season next season.

[unluckymorton]

Lets win and finish in 12th. At almost 800k a place, its very important we finish as high as possible.

TUGAY - YOU ARE MY TURKISH DELIGHT

We have to get the legend a goal, whether it be a penalty or whatever, we just have to get him that goal, and ideally infront of the Blackburn End.

Prediction 3-1 Rovers. Tugay to score the 2nd (Penalty).

12th could mean Big Sam being able to work his magic on another player, 12th would mean £1.5m for us, that could sign us someone on loan who could make a real difference for the season.

Finishing 12th after being 19th with 13pts at the end of November would be a great job well done by Big Sam and the players. And well done to a majority of the fans who just kept behind the team through all of that rough patch. it was real difficult but we spurred them on.

[martmitch]

if west brom had and any sniff of staying up i'd have them down to win this, as they dont I cant see them doing much, their away form recently & throughout the season suggests they will be poor, cmon rovers lets give tugay the sendoff he deserves

[Inta Beaver]

Can everyone remember last season playing Birmingham away on the last day they were already down, teams play with nothing to lose and this game won't be a stroll in the park.

[unluckymorton]

Can everyone remember last season playing Birmingham away on the last day they were already down, teams play with nothing to lose and this game won't be a stroll in the park.

Does anybody recall any game in the Premier League being a stroll in the park? I sure don't.

Everybody wants to go out with a bang at the end of the season. Let's hope we do that for Toogs.

[mellison24]

Can everyone remember last season playing Birmingham away on the last day they were already down, teams play with nothing to lose and this game won't be a stroll in the park.

they weren't already down, hence their pitch invasion. They thought they'd stayed up, then fulham scored to send them down. I know, i was there.

[Amo]

It will be extremely emotional, but "Shooting ourselves in the foot"?

Why are us Rovers fans always thinking that we keep letting ourselves down?

Did we do that at Fulham in our game in hand? Did we do that the other week when we beat Pompey in a 6 pointer to as good as guarantee Premier League status? No we didn't, and no we don't 'usually shoot ourselves in the foot'. We just don't win them all.

Coventry TWICE. Larissa. Birmingham.

All underdogs where Rovers have fluffed it.

[Inta Beaver]

they weren't already down, hence their pitch invasion. They thought they'd stayed up, then fulham scored to send them down. I know, i was there.

Your correct I don't know why I thought they were already down, I do think WBA will be play better against us now they are down. If they needed a win we would of been able to put alot more pressure on them, as they would of played with nerves and fear.

[frosty]

1-0 Rovers, Tugay to get the winner. It must happen!

[Anti-Dingle-Brigade]

Tugay needs to take every free kick and penalty. We need to cross it to him from corners at every opportunity.

The fans can make it happen if they are vocal enough.

[philipl]

Well done ihtd! Good luck with the Finals.

Ewood will go more mental than any of us could ever remmber if Tugs scores.

My forecast- Tugay to be booked for time wastng when he is subbed in the 91st minute!

[1864roverite]

Nice read, well done mate.

I am ever so relieved that I can go to Ewood on Sunday and not be bothered about results elsewhere or whatever happens on the pitch in the Rovers game.

I am also very lucky that on Sunday, I will be able to see the departing of a true Rovers Legend in Tugay.

Tugay has earned the tag "Legend", he has shown loyalty and pride, traits so missing in todays modern day footballers, and for a club like ours to have had him bears testament as to the stature of Blackburn Rovers FC.

Thank you Tugay for so many memories.

Thank you Mr Souness for what must rate as Rovers most ever astute signing and when you think of the money we paid its a legendary signing.

I will have my Tugay shirt with me and will treasure it along with all of my Rovers memorabilia.

On to the game, well for me, I of course want a Rovers win with a Tugay thunderbolt. The scoreline matters not just as long as we take the 3 points on offer.

The main thing for me about the game like many many others is this.

WE RID A SEASON OF HELL AND CLEANSE THE CLUB CLEAN OF ALL THINGS INCE

Come on Rovers take the extram £1m on offer placepot wise, get above the Winkers and its almost a successful season.

2-1 Rovers

[JAL]

This game must be great for Sam Allardyce if he can get a result he could end up pipping his old club in the premiership and see his last one go down - what more of an incentive could big Sam have to winning this game.

Anyhow onto the celebrations of a legend which should surely begin pre match with the Bob Dylan record 'Things have changed' piped out around Ewood Park followed by ninety minutes of 'Tugay you are my Turkish delight' interupted hopefully by 'cheer up Alan Shearer' and if Bolton are struggling a 'wankee, wankee, wanderer' song.

Hopefully the crowd are in good voice, Tugay gets the best send off possible, and then after the game its onto Darwen live for some good live music.

[colin]

Nice one IHTD.

I like the idea of putting Tugay 25 yards from the West Brom goal and passing it to him.

Trouble is, even West Brom would work that one out eventually.

I'm looking forward to it.