[Archived] Nikola Kalinic

[Tom]

We can talk about how he doesn't get chances created but when he had the ball in the box he did nothing with it.

In the second half he had a chance to get a shot away but instead tried to turn his man 4 times before losing the ball in his own feet and then a bit later tried a turn and backheeled the ball out of play.

I'm confident that Mame Diouf would have offered more yesterday even if he is clumsy.

[chaddyrovers]

Kean doesn't want to play MD recently. don't know why? I think the ideal striker partnership is Either Kalinic with MD or RSC.

Kalinic will become one of the best striker.

[Eddie]

First of all he needs a run of games. It's no good to play him one game and then leave him out the next 4. Secondly, in the final 20 minutes of the game he looked our most dangerous player by some distance.

There are certainly areas of our game that he needs to improve, but there should be no reason why the likes of Roberts, Benjani or Diouf could be ahead of him.

[Veevs]

So, the guy scores two on international duty but now he's not good enough to beat the mighty Mike Williamson and Coloccini?

Look at his goals in mid-week. A good cross from out-wide and a chipped ball over the top. When did he get anything like that today?

Agree totally, match stats show a total of 1 accurate cross into the box.. in the whole match and I cant remember seeing a single ball played in front of him.

We can talk about how he doesn't get chances created but when he had the ball in the box he did nothing with it.

In the second half he had a chance to get a shot away but instead tried to turn his man 4 times before losing the ball in his own feet and then a bit later tried a turn and backheeled the ball out of play.

I'm confident that Mame Diouf would have offered more yesterday even if he is clumsy.

He isnt Bergkamp it's not his game (and he should of had the support too pass to) at least he had more than 80% success rate in terms of passing and unlike roberts actually had shots on goal.

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

The nearest he got was in the first half when he tried to cut across the defenders in the box to create a shot and one of them pulled him back. How a referee can miss something so blatant is beyond me!

Summed up the referee for me - definite foul - definite yellow card (if not red card - couldn't tell whether he was final defender or not from where I was sat). He really should have put on a striped shirt to go with his black shorts !

Also - did you see the foul throw in the second half - absolutely amazing.

[Ozz]

It appears clear to me that Kalinic will be on his way this summer-providing Kean is staying. His none appearance again yesterday suggests that there is a problem between the management and the Croat.

[Ricky]

He looked good with roque against west brom and scored on his last run out. Not sure what Kean has against the boy but there's obviously an issue.

[Alan75]

He looked good with roque against west brom and scored on his last run out. Not sure what Kean has against the boy but there's obviously an issue.

Maybe he should change his agent

[joey_big_nose]

He looked good with roque against west brom and scored on his last run out. Not sure what Kean has against the boy but there's obviously an issue.

There was never any doubt that Cruz would start if fit, and we went one up so there was no room for Kalinic. As the game progressed Kean used his subs in different areas, and by the quality of the second half performance he was justified. Jones and Roberts on made sense to physically dominate the play, perhaps he could have swapped Cruz for Kalinic rather than bring on Pedersen but I can see the argument for MGP.

The only thing Kean can be accused of was being negative in starting 4231 rather than 442 - I personally think this was a mistake borne out by the insipid performance by Diouf and Cruz.

Kalinic will probably get a start next home game. Not sure he will start away at Arsenal as we will only use one striker and will need a physical player up there so one of Cruz or Roberts is likely.

It will take real balls to play Kali and Cruz against Arsenal. And to be honest I think it would be a bit stupid. Hoilett and Olsson on the wings breaking with pace, and Roberts or RSC up front makes more sense.

[JMillZz]

There was never any doubt that Cruz would start if fit, and we went one up so there was no room for Kalinic. As the game progressed Kean used his subs in different areas, and by the quality of the second half performance he was justified. Jones and Roberts on made sense to physically dominate the play, perhaps he could have swapped Cruz for Kalinic rather than bring on Pedersen but I can see the argument for MGP.

The only thing Kean can be accused of was being negative in starting 4231 rather than 442 - I personally think this was a mistake borne out by the insipid performance by Diouf and Cruz.

Kalinic will probably get a start next home game. Not sure he will start away at Arsenal as we will only use one striker and will need a physical player up there so one of Cruz or Roberts is likely.

It will take real balls to play Kali and Cruz against Arsenal. And to be honest I think it would be a bit stupid. Hoilett and Olsson on the wings breaking with pace, and Roberts or RSC up front makes more sense.

But Roberts has shown nothing to suggest he deserves a start or even a sub appearance.

[Tom]

But Roberts has shown nothing to suggest he deserves a start or even a sub appearance.

He had a good impact yesterday IMO, won some balls that no other of our strikers could with his running.

[RibbleValleyRover]

He had a good impact yesterday IMO, won some balls that no other of our strikers could with his running.

No chance of him scoring the goals that are needed to keep us up.

[RevidgeBlue]

It appears clear to me that Kalinic will be on his way this summer-providing Kean is staying. His none appearance again yesterday suggests that there is a problem between the management and the Croat.

I used to think Kalinic might make it but sad to say, Kalinic has been here for nearly two seasons and has failed to make any sort of meaningful impact under either Sam or Steve Kean.

Opinion of him would imo be far less favourable if we hadn't paid 6m for him.

It's a shame because none of our other strikers are ripping it up either but that's the cumulative result of underinvestment by the previous owners.

[JMillZz]

I used to think Kalinic might make it but sad to say, Kalinic has been here for nearly two seasons and has failed to make any sort of meaningful impact under either Sam or Steve Kean.

Opinion of him would imo be far less favourable if we hadn't paid 6m for him.

It's a shame because none of our other strikers are ripping it up either but that's the cumulative result of underinvestment by the previous owners.

But when he scores and then gets dropped he is hardly going to put together a great run. Particularly with the way our team has been playing recently.

[Brfcrule1]

Tco please enlighten us what good is a striker that can trap a ball but when presented with an open goal could not hit a cows a*** with a banjo?. At the end of the day trapping a ball is not his only job he still needs to score goals to improve our position for me how you can leave our top scorer out just beggars belief. RevidgeBlue you say Kalinic has not made no meaningful impact so being our top scorer this season has no bearing on that fact?. Being thrust into a team where the manager seems clueless is that the fault of Kalinic?. At the end of the day the stats don't lie he is not our top scorer by fluke & he as much as anyone of our other strikers deserves to stake his chance for a 1st team place as the others have hardley been setting the EPL on fire.

[jimw1988]

Anyone know what the story is? ill, injured or being pushed out?

[philipl]

There was stuff on the chat this evening saying pushed after a disagreement with SK.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Did we ever get to the bottom of that game he missed a while back for " personal reasons " ?

[Bobby G]

Its obvious there is a falling out. He surely is good enough to be ahead of Benjani in the pecking order.

[Exiled in Toronto]

He certainly didn't help himself with his ludicrous sending off at West Brom. He would have been bound to be in the team for the next match and then who knows?

Whatever the subsequent background, glad he wasn't on the pitch today as he has nothing in his locker that can trouble top teams. Would have sepnt the game on his arse and we'd have had less possession

[modes98]

Utter disgrace. How this guy is not given a starting place is beyond me. He is a class act and if we don't use him we will regret it.

[LeftWinger]

Utter disgrace. How this guy is not given a starting place is beyond me. He is a class act and if we don't use him we will regret it.

Would we have won today had he been the lone striker?

[patrickvalery]

Kalinic is one of those players who i think will come good at some point and really shine. I'm pretty sure i'm alone in this, but on occasions he reminds me of Berbatov. In his early days with us especially. The way he used to drop off into areas between the oppositions defence and midfield. His touch and movement is excellent and some of the positions he takes up in the box have been wasted by our 1 dimensional midefielders.

However, its obvious something has really halted his Rovers career. He mopes about too much nowadays and i think Kean is probably right in keeping him away from the side at the moment. A relegation scrap is not the place to carry someone who is anything less that 100% committed. I sincerely hope whatever issues there are can be resolved because i think he can be a real asset if he is motivated. Sadly i just can't see this happening and i suspect he'll move on in the summer if a buyer can be found. A real shame because i have got no doubt we'll end up scratching our heads as to why he never produced for us and then pulled up trees elsewhere.

[joey_big_nose]

Aresnal away is just not the right game for Kalinic. He can;t hold up the ball well on his own, and falls over. We needed people who could retain it and win in the air like Cruz, Roberts and Benjani. Rochina makes sense too as he can play wide and in the hole which Kalinic can't.

Against Birmingham I think we will go 442 so if Kali doesn't make the bench for that I think something serious is happening with him.

[Amo]

Aresnal away is just not the right game for Kalinic. He can;t hold up the ball well on his own, and falls over. We needed people who could retain it and win in the air like Cruz, Roberts and Benjani. Rochina makes sense too as he can play wide and in the hole which Kalinic can't.

Against Birmingham I think we will go 442 so if Kali doesn't make the bench for that I think something serious is happening with him.

I agree to an extent, but to drop our leading goalscorer (and £6m investment) from the entire 18? That's astounding.