[Archived] Pre-season

[Tom]

Poor game by all accounts, a few points:

Hoilett, looks promising, great turn of pace

N'zonzi, I thought he was impressive, very athletic and good in the air, only problem is his flick ons tended to go up rather than forward

Gally, ok but he isn't good enough, too greedy

Di Santo, looks quick and surprisingly strong, he will score goals

Roberts was Roberts

The only player to really stand out was the Hibs number 7 he looked a class act, sign him up Sam

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Yeah, he was ace. Quicker than Carlos though.

Stood out in their side, fast and went past about 4 of our players in one burst of speed,turned them inside out.

I WAS EXPECTING MORE.....my final comment on tonight.

[cn174]

I WAS EXPECTING MORE.....my final comment on tonight.

Sadly it was quite what I was expecting. Having been to Leeds and Sheff Wed I think this was a slight improvement, but much more is needed before a week on Saturday.

[67splitscreen]

This is the wee fella.

Pocket Rocket

With two strikers in front of him he would be so dangerous, one of those always looking to play the ball in to the space if the strikers read it class act.

Not the best video, here we go again,

[Ricky]

Interestingly it's the lad unleaded said to look out for before the game kicked off.

[BuckyRover]

Don't worry guys it was a friendly. I find it amazing that people can be so negative. In 2001 when we were promoted we beat Barcelona. We we near the bottom at Christmas, we only survived due to the signing of Andy Cole. It means absolutely nothing. They would have been more up for it than us, that's human nature. It will be a different performance against the Globetrotters.

I also firmly believe Andrews will have a very good season. (That does not negate the validity of my first point)

[67splitscreen]

Bucky although i agree it's a friendly and they may have been up for it more, especially after there 3-1 drubbing by PNE, we where poor at best, Ok a few players missing, but still no excuse. Even Sam came down to the Tech area with 10 min to go, trying to get things going.

We should now be showing signs of what is to come.

I'm gonna get slated for this but i think Gally maybe could do a job in CF, he can thread a ball through the eye of a needle, he did so several times tonight, just Roberts and Di Santo did not read the pass.

[Amo]

Don't worry guys it was a friendly. I find it amazing that people can be so negative. In 2001 when we were promoted we beat Barcelona. We we near the bottom at Christmas, we only survived due to the signing of Andy Cole. It means absolutely nothing. They would have been more up for it than us, that's human nature. It will be a different performance against the Globetrotters.

I also firmly believe Andrews will have a very good season. (That does not negate the validity of my first point)

Thank you.

Fans are always so quick to judge. I remember when Ince won his first game away at Everton, everyone couldn't wait to taunt the doubters. 'We're in good hands, etc.' Don't let a few pre-season games be the yardstick for the year ahead. Sure, it doesn't look fantastic, esp in the midfield department, but last season we had mid-table form with the bare bones of a squad.

[rovers1995]

Big Sam was sat in the dugout the whole game with his young son and he stood up when Martin Olsson got clattered. Trust me he was very vocal even when he was sat down, he made sure every player could hear him.

[saxo1man30]

Bucky although i agree it's a friendly and they may have been up for it more, especially after there 3-1 drubbing by PNE, we where poor at best, Ok a few players missing, but still no excuse. Even Sam came down to the Tech area with 10 min to go, trying to get things going.

We should now be showing signs of what is to come.

I'm gonna get slated for this but i think Gally maybe could do a job in CF, he can thread a ball through the eye of a needle, he did so several times tonight, just Roberts and Di Santo did not read the pass.

gally did work his nuts off in the game tonight, but at the end of the day he produced nothing imo. di santo was the star on a poor attacking night. at least we never looked in danger of conceding easily.

[67splitscreen]

gally did work his nuts off in the game tonight, but at the end of the day he produced nothing imo. di santo was the star on a poor attacking night. at least we never looked in danger of conceding easily.

[JAL]

Lots of puzzles for Big Sam to figure out in the Rovers team.

Di Santo looks like hes going to be one quality player, not now but in years to come.

Gally was shyte, weak, ineffective didnt do anything definitely time to offload.

Nzonzi looks like hes going to be a great find though.

Jacobsen looks small, slow and a definite free transfer looking player.

Ryan Nelsen looks slow and uncomfortably when running at full speed, not a good sign for the new season.

Roberts was as somebody said Roberts.

Andrews well if hes our centre then theres not much to look forward to except a struggle - Andrews should have been sent off tonight for a reckless high footed challenge on a Hibs player. He spent all night chasing the Hibs players around without ever creating anything for the forwards.

[saxo1man30]

Lots of puzzles for Big Sam to figure out in the Rovers team.

Nzonzi looks like hes going to be a great find though.

eventually he might, but off tonight`s game i don`t know how you can draw that conclusion at all. defensively our midfield was ran through time and time again and nzonzi never once ran forward with the ball to carry the fight to them. he has a lot to learn, i hope this isn`t the midfield that starts against city or it could be embarressing. this was a hibs side, lest you forget, that was overran by PNE at the weekend.

[BRFC1995]

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.

getting past a joke how fed up/bored i am of having dunn and grella around contributing the grand sum of nothing.

[JAL]

eventually he might, but off tonight`s game i don`t know how you can draw that conclusion at all. defensively our midfield was ran through time and time again and nzonzi never once ran forward with the ball to carry the fight to them. he has a lot to learn, i hope this isn`t the midfield that starts against city or it could be embarressing. this was a hibs side, lest you forget, that was overran by PNE at the weekend.

True saxo, just think with his height, his pace and his passing and tackling ability he has the attributes that will make him capable of making it, but as you point out the City game and this season in particular could be too soon.

I'm far more positive on him than negative thats for sure. Andrews was and never will be the ideal partner to have with you for a young lad like Nzonzi.

[RevidgeBlue]

Sure, it doesn't look fantastic, esp in the midfield department, but last season we had mid-table form with the bare bones of a squad.

I have to disagree with this widely held "we showed top half form in the second half of last season" assertion. I thought we had a good five or six games after Sam first came in, played quite well and from memory amassed quite a few points in that short window.

Thereafter we were poor in terms of performances and no better than average in terms of picking up points imo.

[Amo]

I have to disagree with this widely held "we showed top half form in the second half of last season" assertion. I thought we had a good five or six games after Sam first came in, played quite well and from memory amassed quite a few points in that short window.

Thereafter we were poor in terms of performances and no better than average in terms of picking up points imo.

Based on the average points total with Big Sam, across 38 games we would have mid-table form. Performances weren't great, but to show that form for a relegation-threatened side isn't half bad.

[Baz]

Well there was only one team trying to play football and they were wearing green.

New Signings:

N'zonzi - athletic, tall, closed down players, put a decent tackle in. Distribution average, but looked like he trying too hard at times. Type of player who will get a lot of bookings for "persistent fouling" (especially at Rovers). One for the future, albeit may have to play anyway.

de Santo - good footballer, quick, moved well with the ball. Encouraging but not exceptional.

Jacobsen - poor, no attacking flair, pretty slow, a plodder at best.

Hoilett - very quick, but didn't get involved enough although only given short time to get involved.

Others of note:

Andrews- abysmal - was outclassed by Hibs midfield. Resorted to holding onto their shirts. Jumping into an awful tackle. Should have been booked first half and sent off in second.

Olsson - makes good attacking runs but then lacks a trick or quality to do anything. Did ok defensively.

Gally - decent football at times but played it far far away from hurting opposition. Last appearance in blue n white halves?

Hibs at times embarrassed us as we couldnt get the ball off them. Their no7 played very well, and had a good turn of pace too - worth watching, but may be too small for Prem.

Very disappointed. Our midfield is awful - I cant think of any other prem team with worse.

[Parsonblue]

I have to disagree with this widely held "we showed top half form in the second half of last season" assertion. I thought we had a good five or six games after Sam first came in, played quite well and from memory amassed quite a few points in that short window.

Thereafter we were poor in terms of performances and no better than average in terms of picking up points imo.

The point being we picked up the points that if converted over a whole season would have seen us in a comfortable position. Ultimately, points are more important than form or performances. From what I have seen in pre-season I still feel that we will achieve a position between 12th and 15th without too much trouble. We may well flirt with the relegation places at times this season but I don't believe we will get into the same plight as under Ince and co. Sam will have us organised and battling. He will target games that are winnable and while it may not be for the purists, I have confidence that he will retain Premier League status. Like so many clubs in this League, that is now the first objective of every season.

[cn174]

From the preason games I've seen so far I like the look of Hoilett and van Heerden. di Santo looked pretty good today as well I think.

Overall though we have been done in midfield all three games which doesn't bode well considering who we've been playing against. Also we still attack in the slowest fashion making it much more difficult for ourselves.

Anyway a couple of photos from today (click for bigger)

^^Sam going mad after the Olsson tackle

^^Probably one of our closest efforts from Pedersen

[bazza]

Baz has said it all.

Hibs played pretty football. They worked as a team and must have had far more possession than us. But they had no punch up front.

I liked the look of all the new boys except Jacobsen.

Gally seems to have it but something is telling him not to use it. I think he'd do better at another club.

I'm an Andrews sympathiser but tonight he was just awful.

Roberts was/is too greedy.

To sum up, I'd like to see Rovers players moving and working as a team as Hibs did.

I'm very fearful for the start of the season.

[saxo1man30]

we need kalinic to turn out to be our new shearer if we`ve a hope of anything more than lower mid table.

our midfield can`t be depended on, so direct football is a must at this moment with the midfield basically acting as a sheild for the defence. sam can`t be blamed for any of this, we need a new midfield. to do that we`d have to ship out our current ones. unfortunatly nobody would pay more than 1-2m for each of the players concerned and that is not enough to buy suitable replacements. it`s a huge dilemma for the club going forward.

[spencey7]

Keith Andrews is a League One player at best - Steven N'zonzi came from the French Third Division. (Before the flaming begins, I think N'zonzi could be a decent player in the future, but the step up we're seemingly expecting him to make is ludicrous.)

To expect these two players to compete against ANY other centre-midfield pairing in the Premier League is insanity.

I also question the logic of pinning our goalscoring hopes for next season on the shoulders of two relatively inexperienced 21-year-olds (even if they are 6-foot-plus).

I will reiterate that pre-season games mean nothing, but the squad is worrying at the moment - Kalinic or no Kalinic.

[pksrover]

I work in Liverpool so if you ever want a lift for a mid week game give me a shout.

I work in Runcorn so if I go to mid week games I would probably just drive straight from work. But cheers anyway!

[saxo1man30]

I also question the logic of pinning our goalscoring hopes for next season on the shoulders of two relatively inexperienced 21-year-olds (even if they are 6-foot-plus).

hmm, i`m gonna pick you up on that. what are mccarthy and roberts if not experienced? the team needed an injection of youth, not more old legs. sam has got his signings spot on. it`s just a shame we don`t have the money to start to rebuild our midfield too.