[Archived] Man City Preview

[Eddie]

Two pieces of bad defending and poor finishing, that was the difference. Overall I was relatively pleased with the nature of the

[1864roverite]

I think the Given scenmario has been discussed before.

its the biggest mistake transfer wise Rovers have ever made.

They sold GIVEN and kept FLOWERS when they should really have done it the other way.

[adopted scouser]

I wouldnt normally comment, but I'm amazed that you were able to see the whole of the game, covered by tv cameras, whilst contributing to the message board during the game.

15.14 - Does Jason Roberts' constant grinning like an idiot annoy anyone else?

15.26 - Roberts again living up to the hype. Is there a worse striker in the Premier League? I can't think of one. Why is Diouf ever allowed to take a set piece?

16.22 - The gulf in technique between the two teams is huge. Even things as basic as first touches. We are playing ugly...

16.25 - For the attention of Mr J. Roberts - There's no point making being built like a human battering ram the focal point of your game if you're going to pussy out of every challenge.

16.46 - I thought the days of Samba the Striker were consigned to last season? Hideous.

16.51 - Absolutely brilliant from Ireland. Embarassing from us. Well and truly beaten by a far better team.

People may take more notice of your posts, if you at least attended the game or delayed your derogatory remarks until after the watershed.

Brilliant Alan, and have you noticed no post since he got 'found out'

Another one 'Greco', just like the cafe in the shopping centre serving up shyte.

Pulling players to bits after one game FFS, don't turn into the morons who booed Villa yesterday.

[grizfoot]

Despite losing 2-0 I can't help but feel positive about yesterday's game. In the first half we created enough chances to have two goals at least it was only through an untimely slip by Warnock that Citeh got the lead. Second half we didn't create much but Given still made a superb save from a Roberts header. The second goal came with us chasing the game so you can forgive that.

Moneybags Citeh got lucky in my opinion, in true refleciton of the game probably a draw would have been far. I overheard a Rovers fan talking about Citeh after the game, he said something along the lines "City were 14/1 for the title this morning, they won't be anymore of that left after that performance, I wish I'd put some on now they've got the best strikeforce in the Preimership". Found that particularly funny, Citeh weren't anything special based on yesterday's performance and will do well to even get in top 4 let alone winning the title. What can't be argued is with the top quality strikers they've got, if we had Adebayor and Bellamy upfront yesterday we may have won. Hence why strikers are so valuable to teams, Adebayor had one shot on target all day and finished it brilliantly, Roberts and McCarthy had numerous chances between thme but didn't.

[brfcs5359]

Well reflecting this morning Sam has problems with selection. Injuries coming back plus players like Gally he has to try out to get rid of. I will be our best and most creative midfielder Gally. He does not give the ball away and yesterday put in two crunching tackles. He tracked back and was available. I don't think Sam has missed any of things giving the last 15 in that position.

Givet was class. A much better centre half than left back. So when fit who plays? Nelsen, Samba, Givet? Samba is the most inconsistant but the one who can play the most and is the quickest.

Right back is a problem. Jacobson did ok. But where does Bert fit in? And if Selgado comes in he will presumedly be first choice. (or moved into midfield anchor?)

Left back should be clear but if the manager goes Samba and captain Nelsen, surely Givet won't sit out? Ollson played well in pre-season and we need pace. I personally think he has the desire, athletism and just needs to concentrate a bit more to be an outstanding full back.

On yesterday's performance Pederson has nailed his position.

Rightside of midfield is between three. Bert, Spit and Reidy. Bert should be the automatic and Reidy athletism and pace should edge him over Diouf.

Centre midfield is a scrap. Vice Captain Dunn should when fit be an automatic. I believe his natural sub will be Gallagher though Peds Norway performance is turning heads for him to come inside. That leaves a defensive midfielder. Andrews, Grella, Reidy, Warnock and I would not discount Selgado given BFS's Hiero comments or the long shot Bert who I would have in front of all of them in that position because he is better in almost all attributes.

He has 3 or 4 kids to fit in plus the two new wide players in the lesser cup games.

Up front is simple. Di Santos, Kalinic and prayer mat they do not get injured.

I think if we can cut the injuries, we have an excellent squad that can push for Europe. Our first 11 would have beaten City yesterday comfortably.

[Stuart]

Brilliant Alan, and have you noticed no post since he got 'found out'

Another one 'Greco', just like the cafe in the shopping centre serving up shyte.

Pulling players to bits after one game FFS, don't turn into the morons who booed Villa yesterday.

Eeh, that's going back a bit.

[Bobby G]

I also think a fit Kalinic yesterday could have scored.

Roberts has really tired me out with his misses. Some of them are non-league level. Yes, I admit he creates chances out of nothing for himself and others cause of his power and pace but whats the point if he misses them all. He has cost us so many points over the years, much more than he has won us.

[Amo]

Roberts has really tired me out with his misses. Some of them are non-league level. Yes, I admit he creates chances out of nothing for himself and others cause of his power and pace but whats the point if he misses them all. He has cost us so many points over the years, much more than he has won us.

He wouldn't be here if he could finish.

[Fife Rover]

You are prize pillock.

Just got back from the game, thought that we played really well throughout, particularly in the first half, created numerous chances but could not put them away. City had very few chances but the difference was that they put them away. The big problem for Rovers will be that we need to convert chances we create but I am confident that we can get this right.

I though Jacobson and N'Zonzi did quite well.

Lots of positives to take from the performance/

Absolutely spot on in every word of your post Kamy.....especially your first sentence!!

You have very succintly summarised all that I was about to say and therefore saved me the trouble.

Maybe I will just add that the Gull and one or two others (that I cant remember without hunting back too far to bother) have also summed up the way I saw the match and my own conclusions. If we continue to play this way we will most definitely win far more than we will lose; as long as we re-find the lost art of scoring goals.

Another small addition is that I probably owe Den an apology from when he told me that the way a match looks on TV compared to actually being there was quite right. And I must admit that whilst Andrews had "a sort of OK" performance yesterday, he was definitely the weak link in our midfield. He did not do anything seriously wrong, but then again he did not do anything that a player in central midfield should be doing and I would expect him to do.

In summary I found the performance from Rovers against a very good City side to be far more than just encouraging; it was damned good to watch and made for an exciting match; and I am absolutely delighted that I took advantage of a great offer from Rovers to get a season ticket that has given me a superb view of the match from the JW Upper, Row 1 and just about level with the penalty box line at the BBE. Fantastic. I think I might just aim for more matches than I had intended after this.

[sambo]

Anyone else disappointed at all the people leaving five minutes early? Even in the BBE lower people were streaming out at 0-1

[greco]

Look, sorry if I was a tad harsh earlier. Of course you can state your opinion, it's a messageboard, but don't take umbridge if you get shot at for talking, in my opinion, absolute drivel. Drivel that quite frankly is peddled out far too easily by many without our own doing it.

we will just agree to disagree then. For me, it was a tad too much, with the long passes aimed at city´s area.

i can certainly understand, that the nature of this topic, can get the blood boiling, as its one that will be heavely debated throughout the season.

our set pieces are geniuenly world class, and of course a strenght we should play too, Obviously. But could that be spiced up, with a little more variety from the open play, i personally think, we could have done a bit better.

[greco]

Brilliant Alan, and have you noticed no post since he got 'found out'

Another one 'Greco', just like the cafe in the shopping centre serving up shyte.

Pulling players to bits after one game FFS, don't turn into the morons who booed Villa yesterday.

im by no means pulling the player to bits. Im just saying, that for my liking, there was too many long passes aimed at the city area. Its a matter of personal preferences, when it comes to fotball and tactics.

[Ossydave]

Anyone else disappointed at all the people leaving five minutes early? Even in the BBE lower people were streaming out at 0-1

Not really no, it's happened for years regardless of the score?

[AggyBlue]

im by no means pulling the player to bits. Im just saying, that for my liking, there was too many long passes aimed at the city area. Its a matter of personal preferences. cafe´s are for queers.

Are you sure you mean long passes or just clearances from a player being put under pressure.

I agree with Mum on this point, some people will only pick up on the things they want to see.

[mellison24]

Anyone else disappointed at all the people leaving five minutes early? Even in the BBE lower people were streaming out at 0-1

That p1ssed me off massively!! The people that leave before the whistle blows are NOT fans (unless they desperately have to get sumwhere). But I doubt 500 fans had to get anywhere in a hurry. Poor, poor support that.

[sambo]

Not really no, it's happened for years regardless of the score?

Less so in the Blackburn End, used to it from the Riversiders though

[rovers1995]

I've been saying this many many times but nobody listens. BECAUSE OF THE WALKWAY IN FRONT OF THE RIVERSIDE YOU SEE THE FANS LEAVING EASIER. IN THE BLACKBURN END AND JACK WALKER YOU SEE THE LEAVE BUT BECAUSE THEY GO DOWN THE TUNNELS YOU CAN'T SEE THEM AS EASY.

Regardless of that I never leave early and I never will.

[Plastic Head]

Final thought on yesterday, and to try and get some perspective.

Over the last 2 seasons at Ewood (yes I include a relatively successful season under Hughes in this) the quality of football and entertainment at Ewood has generally been very ordinary, and quite often awful.

I can maybe think of 7-8 games I can honestly say I enjoyed in that time (one was aginst Grimsby for gods sake).

At least yesterday we got the ball into the goal area and made the keeper work a little. I remember many games over 2 years where we have managed one shot by half time (against some crap sides as well). We gave it a go and were beaten by a team that cost £150M more than ours, but we were very much in the game for 90 minutes.

I don't think we over-played long balls, we just didn't have a midfield capable of moving the ball forward and creating chances.

We maybe did overplay the throw-ins a bit, but if we are supposed to be a "set piece" team were going to struggle as the free-kicks and corners we terrible again.

Let's hope Kalinic turns out to be a player, if he is we should have a decent season.

[RibbleValleyRover]

I'd strongly argue that you see far more from live television coverage than you would actually seeing the game in the flesh. You see from more angles and you have the benefit of action replays on contentious issues.

Not really aimed at you Fife, but those in this thread saying that the opinions of someone who viewed the game on television/online as worthless or inferior to someone who went to the game are completely wrong.

[mellison24]

I've been saying this many many times but nobody listens. BECAUSE OF THE WALKWAY IN FRONT OF THE RIVERSIDE YOU SEE THE FANS LEAVING EASIER. IN THE BLACKBURN END AND JACK WALKER YOU SEE THE LEAVE BUT BECAUSE THEY GO DOWN THE TUNNELS YOU CAN'T SEE THEM AS EASY.

Regardless of that I never leave early and I never will.

But I sit in the BBE and about 500 fans just got up and left about 5mins BEFORE citeh scored the 2nd!!

[greco]

Are you sure you mean long passes or just clearances from a player being put under pressure.

I agree with Mum on this point, some people will only pick up on the things they want to see.

there was a bit too many long passes. Passes there were often aimed straight for citys area, just hoping for the best. I understand why it was necessary to play that style, at times, but i ill say it once again, i think with a bit more variety, we might have done better.

look aggy, im from denmark and it isnt often i get to watch rovers. Our club isnt exactly the most televised here en denmark, so whatever you might think im looking for, or whatever this mum is preaching to you, im not one of those whom this should be aimed at. I cant quite figure out, if your trying to categorize me as being a negative and biased, to pick apart my point of view, and if thats the case, then your really missing the target.

[RevidgeBlue]

Interesting to see the "hoofball" debate coming up again already, if you term it slightly differently as getting the ball into the opposition box hoping a lucky break will go our way then I thought we played basically exactly the same way as last season. We just played it more effectively than at times last season.

If you like that style of play fine, I'm not a huge fan, but I'd take it if we won every week. Ultimately it didn't work yesterday, nor did it a lot of the time last season, but it did make for an entertaining game yesterday.

The one thing that occurred to me after yesterday's game was that due to the way we play under Sam we rarely carve the opposition open and create gilt edged chances. The chances that come our way tend to be snap shot half chances and whoever plays up front will have to be a lot more clinical than yesterday.

[thenodrog]

Rightside of midfield is between three. Bert, Spit and Reidy. Bert should be the automatic and Reidy athletism and pace should edge him over Diouf.

Reid I think will be no more than a bit part player from now on. I cannot comment on the Spanish fella yet and I liked the look of Jacobson but imo Bert at RB and Diouff at RM will link well and provide plenty of threat down the right.

[greco]

Interesting to see the "hoofball" debate coming up again already, if you term it slightly differently as getting the ball into the opposition box hoping a lucky break will go our way then I thought we played basically exactly the same way as last season. We just played it more effectively than at times last season.

If you like that style of play fine, I'm not a huge fan, but I'd take it if we won every week. Ultimately it didn't work yesterday, nor did it a lot of the time last season, but it did make for an entertaining game yesterday.

The one thing that occurred to me after yesterday's game was that due to the way we play under Sam we rarely carve the opposition open and create gilt edged chances. The chances that come our way tend to be snap shot half chances and whoever plays up front will have to be a lot more clinical than yesterday.

you sir, are apparently better, at putting my thoughts into sentences, then i am

from beginnig to end, i wholeheartedly agree.

[Exiled in Toronto]

The one thing that occurred to me after yesterday's game was that due to the way we play under Sam we rarely carve the opposition open and create gilt edged chances. The chances that come our way tend to be snap shot half chances and whoever plays up front will have to be a lot more clinical than yesterday.

I think that is what riles a section of our support, albeit a minority. With no pace, guile or dribbling ability on the wings and no-one in central midfield who can run past players or get beyond the frowards, we are completely unable to create chances through what many people regard as the epitomy of good football. Even when we were in the lower leagues, we always had a player or two who could do some of those things at the level we were at.

Yesterday was OK in that we were in the game until right at the end, so we always had a puncher's chance, but I cannot think of a single move or bit of skill that would have stuck in my mind on the walk up Heys Lane other than Given's save from Samba's header - the only save I thought was beyond the norm.

I'm expecting to see some serious skill from Kalanic given what we paid and also from DiSanto from Nicko's gushing praise, but I'm not sure they will get much opportunity to show it other than from knockdowns.