[Archived] Pre-season

[Doaksie]

Just watched the Rangers v City game (3-2 to Rangers) - was very entertaining indeed for a friendly match. City certainly look very fluid, when counter-attacking especially - something we will do very well to keep a lid on. Rangers main threath came from some very good link-up play in the midfield area (mainly from Davis and Mendes), plenty of good one touch inter-play. City still look vulnerable in defence when threatned, but I just can't see a midfield of Andrews and N'Zonzi zipping the ball about at speed to cause much danger.

[DeadlyDirk]

0-0 at FT, sounded as though we were on top most of the game but couldn't score, decent work out though I guess, clean sheet and all that.

[Balwer]

Sounds like a few of our posters did their dough at Labrokes. Doh!

[Hughesy]

Sounds like a few of our posters did their dough at Labrokes. Doh!

Mine was on an accumulator which failed elsewhere anyway - no big loss

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Been on the game......Sam Allardyce has a lot of work to do with this squad before we are anywhere near ready come the City game.

Roberts his usual miss a hat full of chance self,Di Santos some nice touches but nothing special I thought..will need time

[Hughesy]

How did NZonzi play? and Hoilett?

[DeadlyDirk]

How did NZonzi play? and Hoilett?

Sam has just been on Rovers player doing an interview after the match, said Jacobsen was the only new signing he anticipated starting in the team but now N'Zonzi has been a huge bonus and comes into contention, says due to niggles Dunn and Grella are ruled out of the start of the season.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Nothing special against a one of the weaker SPL teams.No one really stood out for me tonight,I've come home slighty frustrated.Lots of possession but no end product.

That was not far off our starting eleven tonight.

[Doaksie]

Dunn and Grella are ruled out of the start of the season.

Andrews and N'Zonzi it is then, for the first few games at the very least.

[Hughesy]

Id disagree - I think that was our 2nd choice strikers.

Missing the midfield men

lots of possession and chances, thats something to work with.

[Mike Graham]

how many of the suggested 2,000 Hibs fans turned up......was it 20?

[DeadlyDirk]

Id disagree - I think that was our 2nd choice strikers.

Missing the midfield men

lots of possession and chances, thats something to work with.

Still close to our starting eleven thats fit.

On the official site it said Benni missed the game with a twisted ankle so wouldn't be surprised if he's struggling for Citeh as well.

[RevidgeBlue]

Not a game to remember according to Radio Rovers.

Not much comfort to be drawn from any of the 3 friendlies against Hibs, Sheff Wed or Leeds?

[John]

Out of the midfielders missing, only Dunn is creative. The rest are 'workers'.

[G Somerset Rover]

I'm sorry..I've had a really bad day but I have just about had it with Dunn and Grella now. The guys are crocks - end of. So they're going to miss the start of the season now, great. Then they'll be playing catch up all the way through the season.

To think there's some who believe that we don't need new blood in that department.

[neophox]

This will probably be the starting eleven against City:

Robinson

Jacobsen, Nelsen, Samba, Givet

Diouf, Warnock, Nzonzi/Andrews, Pedersen

Kalinic (if available) otherwise Di Santo and Roberts/McCarthy

Out of the midfielders missing, only Dunn is creative. The rest are 'workers'.

I think Nzonzi is the crative man!

Warnock will play beside him

[67splitscreen]

87 minutes was al I could stomach.

God help us in the two weeks time.

Yes we dominated a very poor side, who played with one up top for the first half.

Nzonzi he's ok he will get there.

Andrews solid along side Nzonzi, sort of a fatherly figure.

MGP his days are numbered for me. just drifts in and out of the game, always first to the ball for free kicks though.

Samba and Kishi what you would expect.

Ollson did fine going forward, never really troubled defensively .

Jacobsen well organized lacks pace.

Hoilett has a great turn on him and always in around the action, nothing really fell for him.

Gally did OK probably our most creative player, that says it all

Di Santo good footwork think he will be OK needs livelier players around him

If we do happen to sell Samba there No. 5 is worth a look at, a very cool cookie, similar to Samba in stature maybe a few pounds heavier but very neat and tidy on the ball.

There No.7 little fellow like Carlos was there main threat very similar players

No individual marks out of 10, overall a poor performance against poor opposition

Doran, EVh not really on long enough.

Wish I'd stayed at home.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

how many of the suggested 2,000 Hibs fans turned up......was it 20?

500-800 Dont know about any trouble?

There's a hell of a lot of work to be done with this side,a poor performance tonight.ALL the new players will need plenty of time to adapt to this team imo.

[neophox]

This will probably be the starting eleven against City:

Robinson

Jacobsen, Nelsen, Samba, Givet

Diouf, Warnock, Nzonzi/Andrews, Pedersen

Kalinic (if available) otherwise Di Santo and Roberts/McCarthy

I think Nzonzi is the creative man!

Warnock will play beside him

[jrabrfc]

A forgettable game really. In fact I've already forgotten large chunks of it! We started brightly, Pedersen looked ok, but then he drifted out of the game. Di Santo looked strong and had some good touches but I wouldn't be expecting too much of him too soon. As for the rest, well nobody stood out and nobody really had a shocker. Roberts still frustrates, Andrews worked hard, Nzonzi looks tidy but nothing more and the rest, well, like I said, I've forgotten already. One more warm up game before the real thing starts and I hope we can find some attacking thrust from somewhere or it might be a long afternoon against City.

Hibs brought a few down, a good effort for a Wednesday in Blackburn, but there was nowhere near 2000 of them.

[67splitscreen]

how many of the suggested 2,000 Hibs fans turned up......was it 20?

200-250 maybe 300 tops.

[Fife Rover]

87 minutes was al I could stomach.

God help us in the two weeks time.

Yes we dominated a very poor side, who played with one up top for the first half.

Nzonzi he's ok he will get there.

Andrews solid along side Nzonzi, sort of a fatherly figure.

MGP his days are numbered for me. just drifts in and out of the game, always first to the ball for free kicks though.

Samba and Kishi what you would expect.

Ollson did fine going forward, never really troubled defensively .

Jacobsen well organized lacks pace.

Hoilett has a great turn on him and always in around the action, nothing really fell for him.

Gally did OK probably our most creative player, that says it all

Di Santo good footwork think he will be OK needs livelier players around him

If we do happen to sell Samba there No. 5 is worth a look at, a very cool cookie, similar to Samba in stature maybe a few pounds heavier but very neat and tidy on the ball.

There No.7 little fellow like Carlos was there main threat very similar players

No individual marks out of 10, overall a poor performance against poor opposition

Doran, EVh not really on long enough.

Wish I'd stayed at home.

That would be Sol Bamba....he was a very good player for Dunfermline in the SPL. I really liked him then. Good solid defender and good distribution too. Oh and quite pacy for a big lad too. Reminds me in lots of ways of Chris Samba (though not as good as him but OK).

[rovers1995]

Main points from the game:

Franco Di Santo - big, strong, fast, works hard for the team but he did miss a couple of chances

Steven N'Zonzi - He has to start the season, he impressed me along with Keith Andrews

Morten Gamst Pedersen - Improvement, free kicks on target,some corners beat the first man, shot a lot and tried really hard

Hoilett - Fast, not a lot of time really but I think he will do well

Van Heerden - not enough time on the pitch

Paul Gallagher - Did well, good freekicks and corners from the right

Also, Brett Emerton and Stephen Reid said they are a few weeks away

[mellison24]

Hughesy's summary is pretty much spot on. I think Gally could do more of a job in the centre as the creative type, with Diou taking his place on the right wing. A pretty shoddy performance to be honest, BUT not to be discouraged! It's only a friendly, and our players will have a LOT more support than we had at Ewood. I read sumwhere we had around 6/7k at the ground. Also a number of first teamers not played. I think we can judge how our season will pan out come the end of the dreaded october.

[frosty]

There No.7 little fellow like Carlos was there main threat very similar players

Yeah, he was ace. Quicker than Carlos though.