[Archived] Pre-season

[Hughesy]

Hoilett, Olssen n van herden's pace changed the game for us. If anyone wasn't sure why Treacy was allowed out on loan then Olssen today showed why - he has pace and he's direct.

Dunn did well when he came on too. Hoilett looked good and had good movement, but we need to play to his strengths more.

[Iceman]

Well Man City's midfield of SWP, Barry and Petrov were given a tough time against our speedy local team. Adebayor and Robinho were @#/?

[Fife Rover]

Would it honestly surprise you Fife?

No , not at all. I did just entertain a faint hope that given his supposed desire for restoration to the S.A. National team, he MIGHT just have decided to rustle-up a tiny bit of interest.

[Hughesy]

Decent away following today. NZonzi looks decent, he wins most of the balls in the air too. He did eventually go off due to cramp though.

Andrews for all his critics has improved alot if you at him 12 months ago to now. He still isn't a world beater but he is a decent squad man.

Shame we didn't get to see Samba, Doran n Judge today too!

[AggyBlue]

No , not at all. I did just entertain a faint hope that given his supposed desire for restoration to the S.A. National team, he MIGHT just have decided to rustle-up a tiny bit of interest.

I thought Benni seemed to do a lot more running today. Didn't look like he was shirking.

The trouble with Benni is that he is predominantly a box player, he needs the ball to his feet in the box.

Nice to get back into the swing of going to games again.

Andrews for all his critics has improved alot if you at him 12 months ago to now. He still isn't a world beater but he is a decent squad man.

Shame we didn't get to see Samba,

Andrews did a lot of good work without being spectacular, he needs a good passer alongside to give the ball to.

Samba spectated from the dugout.

[DeadlyDirk]

Decent away following today. NZonzi looks decent, he wins most of the balls in the air too. He did eventually go off due to cramp though.

Andrews for all his critics has improved alot if you at him 12 months ago to now. He still isn't a world beater but he is a decent squad man.

Shame we didn't get to see Samba, Doran n Judge today too!

Was there any mention at the ground of why Samba wasn't there? He seemed to be the only first teamer barring Grella who presumably didn't recover from his knock who wasn't there, other than the injured players and a few of the younger kids like Doran and Judge as you say.

[AggyBlue]

Funny of the day:-

Big Sam Big Sam give us a wave.

followed by

Fat @#/?. Booooooo

from the drunken mob, far right

[The Harwood Yankee]

Third nailed on penalty for Rovers, third time lucky and the ref gave it.

Pedersen, Andrews and McCarthy were dismal.

Defense was caught too many times and Robinson was excellent; no chance with the goal which was taken brilliantly by Beckford.

As soon as Dunn came on we looked like a football team. Nice contributions too from EvH, Hollet, Olsson and Gallagher who all livened things up for Rovers.

NZonzi alternated between promising and horrible.

Great news to see Diouf showing some pace.

Just got back from the match & pretty much everything I was going to say has been nailed by philipl. We had no midfield at all until Dunn came on. Andrews remains a liability (he tries, I know he tries, but I'd try if I was playing for Rovers - I'd still be crap!). 4 year contract? No Sam!!

One question - since they came on around the same time - which was Hoillet & which was Van Heerden? Whichever was the no. 19 who took the left wing looks like he has real promise. He certainly looked much more up for it than Morten Gamst Pedestrian.

Gallagher should be retained to do precisely what he did today - a sub to come off the bench when we need a late goal. He's not a Premiership starter but he's a squad player of some ability as an impact player.

Sam really has some major work to do though before the season starts. We are desperate for 1, preferably 2, strikers, and the same in midfield. Otherwise the Leeds fans' prediction of Championship football for Rovers this time next season will be prescient.

[T4E]

Andrews remains a liability (he tries, I know he tries, but I'd try if I was playing for Rovers - I'd still be crap!)

Yes! Exactly. We all would. It's not enough.

[Antgrad]

Funny of the day:-

Big Sam Big Sam give us a wave.

followed by

Fat @#/?. Booooooo

from the drunken mob, far right

They expected him to hear them in Russia?

[Hughesy]

I turned round n told them he was in Russia, they soon look stunned and shut up! Ha ha!

Gally seems to get more praise than most, think it's the local factor!

[Exiled in Toronto]

Yes! Exactly. We all would. It's not enough.

But he's not keeping anyone any better out of the team is he? Andrews is a symptom, not the problem.

We're STILL relying on essentially Souness's midfield, minus the maestro. It's pathetic.

[Uddersfelt Blue]

Just back from the game and a little worried.

Not until Dunn, Elrio, Hoilett and Olssen came on in the second half did we start to cause Leeds problems by playing the ball on the floor and running at the defence.

In the first half there were too many high balls to McCarthy and Roberts which Leeds giant defence managed to cope with comfortably.

Central midfiled is going to be a problem with Nzonzi not really looking ready for Premiership football although credit to the lad he did get stuck in.

Elrio will be a handful, a bit like Carlos but more direct, tried too many little backheels but it was clear that the others were keen to give him the ball.

Hoilett, didn't do too much but again is probably one who will need to adapt to Premier League footy.

Gallacher still looks like he hasn't fulfilled his potential but how much longer can we wait?

Olssen, made a couple of decent runs into the box which leads me to the conclusion that he's a better winger than full back.

Jacobssen, did OK but no better than Emerton or Andrews at full back.

All in all not a great performance but it was a practise match and hopefully Sam will have learnt something, not least that we NEED a striker AND midfielder who have both proved themselves at the top level. Players that can come straight into the team leaving the promising youngsters to develop without any pressure.

[Uddersfelt Blue]

Just got back from the match & pretty much everything I was going to say has been nailed by philipl. We had no midfield at all until Dunn came on. Andrews remains a liability (he tries, I know he tries, but I'd try if I was playing for Rovers - I'd still be crap!). 4 year contract? No Sam!!

One question - since they came on around the same time - which was Hoillet & which was Van Heerden? Whichever was the no. 19 who took the left wing looks like he has real promise. He certainly looked much more up for it than Morten Gamst Pedestrian.

Gallagher should be retained to do precisely what he did today - a sub to come off the bench when we need a late goal. He's not a Premiership starter but he's a squad player of some ability as an impact player.

Sam really has some major work to do though before the season starts. We are desperate for 1, preferably 2, strikers, and the same in midfield. Otherwise the Leeds fans' prediction of Championship football for Rovers this time next season will be prescient.

No 19 was Van Heerden

[cletus]

was there a decent turn out crowd-wise today?

[robbojohnno]

Jakobsen - Looked average.

N'zonzi - Needs to bulk up, may have promise.

Elrio - Did ok, a lot better than MGP who was awfully awful.

Hoillet - Looked very impressive, good touch, fast and picked out a good pass also.

Dunn - Classy sub appearance.

[super_arran]

was there a decent turn out crowd-wise today?

11,885 the official site says

[cn174]

11,885 the official site says

Not a bad crowd. Not to sure that they needed to delay kick off due to 'the sheer number of people trying to get into the game'

[cletus]

11,885 the official site says

A Bumley-sized crowd then? not bad for a friendly

[brfcshabba]

Got back a while ago. Midfield is definately worrying, nobody pushing forward and trying to press the play. Leeds had far too much time and space.

Olsson was quite good showing more pace than we had in the whole of the first half.

Missed the Leeds goal as I was more interested in Pirate guy and the guy with the sunglasses who later got kicked out

[Parsonblue]

I thought it was a decent enough game today considering the numerous substitutions that were made in the second half. Leeds looked to be ahead of us in terms of preparation - which you would expect with them starting earlier than ourselves. However, I felt the Rovers came into the game in the second half, particularly following the introduction of Dunn, Olsson, van Heerden and Hoilett. Of the other newcomers, I thought Jacobsen looked steady at right-back and suspect he will improve to make the position his own while Nzonzi seems a very promising young midfielder.

If Dunn can remain fit, and Emerton and Reid can get fit, then with Andrews, Nzonzi and Grella - not to mention Warnock - we will have options in the centre of midfield. On the wings we have Diouf, van Heerden, Hoilett, Olsson, Pedersen, Doran and possibly Judge to select from. Of those, van Heerden, Hoilett and Olsson looked genuinely impressive today and I would have thought that Olsson would be worth a try on the left wing.

With finances being tight I suspect the manager will opt to use whatever money he has available to strengthen the attack. Roberts, McCarthy and Gallagher would not be sufficient to carry us through the first half of the season on the evidence of today.

I must say that I thought Leeds looked a tidy side and wouldn't be surprised to see them win automatic promotion this time. They played some neat football and looked very creative.

While many are not enthused about the coming season I must say that I see no reason for us to be struggling against relegation again. We may not be challenging for Europe but I think that a position between 15th and 12th should be possible. With the finances that are available to the Rovers that would be a decent position to be in.

[Hughesy]

Agree pretty much with what Parson said, except for 15th next season. Top 10 has to be our aim.

[SamTheShrew]

i thought we were poor today, first half we just made up the numbers. Leeds were by far the better team and looked more like the premier team.

was quite worrying how many through balls made it in behind the back four - when beckford hit the post it was obvious he was going to cut inside, go across the area and shoot, and yet two defenders still allowed him to do so.

Robbo was fantastic when called upon, nice to see him get applause from the whole ground.

McCarthy and MGP were awful, i still fail to see what keith andrews does. Jacobsen didnt really do much either. Beckford won far too many headers against Nelson and him.

no imagination in the side at all today until elrio and hoillet came on, and dunn - was good to see an injection of pace. Dunn did more in the first 5 mins of his game than the whole team put together.

The need for a striker was far too obvious.

I hope the trip to Russia is fruitful!

[Iceman]

A Bumley-sized crowd then? not bad for a friendly

There was 40000 at the Chiefs vs Man City game in a friendly today :-)

[imy9]

Can anyone confirm the rumour that Diouf has found his pace again!