[Archived] Pre-season

[den]

My worry too Paul. If it's even possible, the loss of Tugay has made our midfield even less creative - we are well and truly devoid of any ideas coming from the centre of the park. It's no good splashing out on a striker (Kalinic) if he's going to have his hands on his hips looking back at the Rovers goal for the majority of the game. A potential midfield of Diouf Andrews N'Zonzi Pedersen has surely got to be the least effective in the Premiership? Dunn and Grella were "aiming to get a full pre-season in" and unsuprisngly haven't done so, and Emerton and Reid will be playing serious catch-up once they do fully recover (doubtful the latter ever will).

I don't know whether it's because the big kick off is getting closer but as it does I'm getting more and more pessimistic about our fortunes. I'm pretty sure there will be three worst teams than us but I can't help but feel that we're in for a long season.

Have to agree with this and the other posts that highlight the midfield as being a problem.

Anyway, I was really looking forward to the game last night, in particular I was looking forward to seeing the new guys and I was looking forward to our lads playing some good football, on the ground and taking some kind of control over the game.

The new lads -

Jacobsen was OK, no more than that, no less. I'm not convinced that he can do that in the Prem though because he just didn't seem to have too much quality. His passing wasn't too great and I get the feeling that against the better Prem teams he might struggle defensively.

Nzonzi got around, got involved in things but again didn't look to have the passing side to his game. In fact I thought his passing was very average.

Di Santo is a good player, he wouldn't be at Chelsea and getting games there if he wasn't - and he looked a good player. Similar to RSC in some ways. He was always available coming short, had good touch and looked quite confident. Not as good as RSC yet though. My concern would be whether he has enough desire to do well at Ewood, or whether he might just be here for the ride. Will he really get stuck in if it comes to a relegation fight - I hope so. Time will tell on that one.

Hoilett certainly showed the desire to make a mark. He put in a lot of running, looked quick over the first couple of yards and there is some talent there. Need to see more of him, but suspect he could have a part to play from the subs bench to start with.

Van Heerden wasn't on long enough to make anything of him really. Certainly has quick feet though. Whether he can make an impact I don't know yet.

As for the game in general, it was worrying watching us have so little idea how to beat an awfully average Hibs team. The back four did what they had to do, but weren't tested at all really. Up front Roberts continues to get into good positions then wastes it all by continually losing posession.

Midfield is very worrying. Without real talent there, every game is going to be a fight against the tide. It looks like we aren't going to see too much of Dunn again, seeing that he still has the old injury from last season [achilles was it]? If so, that might need an operation. Grella - where is he? He's a long way to go before he shows his presence in any kind of consistent way. Everyone knows what I think about Andrews. He was embarrassingly poor last night. He has to be able to dictate to the Hibs midfield doesn't he? If he's struggling to get involved here, then what chance when the Gerrards of this world come to town.

The trustees need to release some more of that RSC and Derbs cash, because one good midfield signing might make all the difference.

[A cup of beans]

last nights game highlighted that we have absolutely no creativity in the middle of the park.

illustrated by the fact that we've had andrews playing in the 'tugay role' in pre-season

i also couldnt believe how poor hibs were. no movement, the vast majority of passes were aimless square and backwards.

if they are representative of the scottish premier league... how poor must the scottish 3rd division be.

[joey_big_nose]

The trustees need to release some more of that RSC and Derbs cash, because one good midfield signing might make all the difference.

Whilst I have disagreed with you over Warnock and Andrews in that I think you do them down more than they deserve, I utterly agree with this. If Dunn and Grella looked like they could be fit for the season I could see some logic in "keeping the powder dry".

However patently they aren't going to be. Neither is Reid. We are seriously looking at choosing between Nzonzi, Andrews, Warnock and, if we are lucky, Emerton for the opening game against Man City. This is ludicrous.

We need to get someone in who is creative. Something tells me Rothen will turn up next week as he is budget but does have passing quality. I hope he is feeling like having a serious Indian summer appended to his career.

We going to be carrying a bloated squad but I don't really think we have much choice to be honest. Grella has to go down as one of the worst purchases of recent seasons. Between Reid, Grella and Dunn we are carrying 10m pound of transfer fees, 40 games a season between them and probably combined wages of 90-100 grand a week.

We cannot support that whichever way you look at it.

[den]

Whilst I have disagreed with you over Warnock and Andrews in that I think you do them down more than they deserve,

I don't remember talking down Warnock JBN. He's not a midfielder IMO, but that's not talking him down.

[Anti-Dingle-Brigade]

Unusual comment about Nzonzi's passing, I thought he was the best passer of the ball on the pitch. He seems really comfortable on the ball and seems to have grasped the art of hitting a ball hard enough to bypass everyone without being uncontrollable to the receiver.

I was impressed by Di Santo, he didn't get much but his ball control and dribbling was sublime at times, he reminds me of Cruz but I genuinely think he could be better.

Hoilett looked decent in my opinion, very quick and has a good turn on him. Impact sub more than anything.

[AggyBlue]

Last night was the third time I've seen Nzonzi and he has got better and looked more composed with each game.

I think he might play a bigger part this season than most of us would like. I'd certainly pick him before Andrews though.

[dazmaz]

whats with all the d-day stuff people are posting? its not going to be the end of the world if we dont bring in a new midfeilder, and with it being only a pre season no one can judge how we are going to perform. what matters is a week on saturday, and if the midfeild are very poor against city then is the time to complain about it

[Hughesy]

N'Zonzi will turn into a star for us - I can see it!

[mellison24]

A wee thought has just occured to me and I find it slightly dicouraging.......if ALL players were fit, out best midfield 4 is arguably a Souness-era lot:

Emerton - Dunn - Reid - Pedersen

Oh dear.......

[Amo]

N'Zonzi will turn into a star for us - I can see it!

Based on a few pre-season games?

The Premier League is a big step-up from the French lower leagues. I'm hoping he does very well, but I'm not expecting him to be a star.

[mellison24]

Based on a few pre-season games?

The Premier League is a big step-up from the French lower leagues. I'm hoping he does very well, but I'm not expecting him to be a star.

The new VIEIRA!!! I'm also expecting the new DAVOR SUKER!!! (yes, tongue-in-cheek but one can always hope!)

[joey_big_nose]

Based on a few pre-season games?

The Premier League is a big step-up from the French lower leagues. I'm hoping he does very well, but I'm not expecting him to be a star.

Well quite a few of ours have made the step up very quickly - Nelsen, Samba, Andrews, Derbyshire began starting games very soon after arriving from what people considered vastly inferior leagues. The way its looking at the moment NZonzi will start against City because he has match fitness. No one else apart from Andrews will. Which probably means our central pairing will be Nzonzi-Andrews, unless Warnock gets the nod.

I wonder how Barry and De Jong feel about that?

[Amo]

Well quite a few of ours have made the step up very quickly - Nelsen, Samba, Andrews, Derbyshire began starting games very soon after arriving from what people considered vastly inferior leagues. The way its looking at the moment NZonzi will start against City because he has match fitness. No one else apart from Andrews will. Which probably means our central pairing will be Nzonzi-Andrews, unless Warnock gets the nod.

I wonder how Barry and De Jong feel about that?

Exactly. He was supposed to be a reserve player, but injuries have forced Sam's hand. I'm not saying he won't be a star, but I would like to see him with a good few PL games under his belt before I draw that conclusion.

[pksrover]

Hughesy,

As a winger you need to be able to attack and put in decent service to the forwards. There are two types of wingers:

1- Wingers that can dribble and take on the opposition defence.

2- Wingers that rely on crossing ability rather than taking men on.

(Ones that can do both are rare and cost lots of money).

Pedersen doesn't meet the first criteria because he isn't pacey and can't take players on. So you are then relying on his ability to put in a decent cross into the box from out wide. Something he hasn't done consistantly for several seasons.

If Sam admires his defensive qualities so much perhaps he should play him as a fullback...

Or

3 - Wingers that as soon as they see the left back have got the ball run inside between Roberts and Di Santo to wait for a cross from the half way line (Pedersen).

4 - Wingers that as soon as they see the right back have got the ball run inside in the hole behind the two strikers to wait for the ball and be a fancy playmaker and then obviously leaving their right back on his own to play a pass back to the centre back (Gallagher, but I guess he won't get many games out wide if staying with us).

Would be nice to have wingers that can hold their width and assist the full backs coming foward sometime.

[millionpints]

i also couldnt believe how poor hibs were. no movement, the vast majority of passes were aimless square and backwards.

if they are representative of the scottish premier league... how poor must the scottish 3rd division be.

If your comment is representative of how bad hibs are then how bad must we be to fail to beat them?

[waggy]

seems all is not well at ewood at the moment

[A cup of beans]

If your comment is representative of how bad hibs are then how bad must we be to fail to beat them?

we failed to beat them because rovers had no urgency to their play, but we totally controlled and dictated the game in every other aspect.

hibs were void any motivation, application, and imagination. they were content to pass in triangles and mostly back towards their own goal.

i expected far more from them, and fear for scottish football if they are representative of the standard of the scottish premier league.

[john.leigh]

We have been needing "the next Tugay" for about 3 seasons, it's not just big Sam who has struggled to find one.

If players of that ilk were so plentiful, and cheap, then Tugay would have been shown the door ages ago.

Some people seem to be looking back at Tugy's performances through rose coloured glasses... for the last season or so he was a liability.

Ok he could pull off the odd nice touch, but his legs had gone & he gave away many silly fouls when he had got skinned for pace in midfield.

Yes we DO need a new Tugay, but Mark Hughes should have signed us one yonks ago!!

[incecticide]

Pedersen doesn't meet the first criteria because he isn't pacey and can't take players on. So you are then relying on his ability to put in a decent cross into the box from out wide. Something he hasn't done consistantly for several seasons.

Poppycock!

[sweet]

Should of tried to get huddlestone when we had the chance.

[super_arran]

seems all is not well at ewood at the moment

how would you know

[RibbleValleyRover]

Poppycock!

So you are saying that on a consistent basis his corners beat the first man? Or that his freekicks find their target?

If your answers are yes then that's poppycock.

[incecticide]

So you are saying that on a consistent basis his corners beat the first man? Or that his freekicks find their target?

If your answers are yes then that's poppycock.

That's not what you said RVR. A quick check shows 7 assists just in the league last season, from what I can see that's our highest by miles.

[RibbleValleyRover]

That wasn't hard to do considering our lack of creative players in the team. Just because he was statistically our most creative player doesn't mean he is up to the job or that his performances are of an acceptable level. Clearly if you have watched him for the past few seasons he has been in a serious decline.

The sooner we get rid the better.

[unluckymorton]

That wasn't hard to do considering our lack of creative players in the team. Just because he was statistically our most creative player doesn't mean he is up to the job or that his performances are of an acceptable level. Clearly if you have watched him for the past few seasons he has been in a serious decline.

The sooner we get rid the better.

Yeah, lets get rid, in fact sack them all.