[Archived] Sunderland Preview

[mellison24]

I actually agree with Waggy on this, if we start with Roberts i can see us struggling to get anything from this game.

I suppose I can understand that, and i WOULD sooner start DiSanto. I just think that Allardyce wouldnt want to put any pressure on DiSanto just yet. Let him and Kalinic play at Gillingham and see how they get on. But at Sunderland, I WOULD start Jase and Macca.

[S15]

Well DiSanto is only here till January, so it's pressure time, cos Roberts is sh*te.

[1864roverite]

I have been up in this area Monday and Tuesday and managed to chat to a few supporters whilst watching tv in the pubs. I think the general consensus from them is that Blackburn game is going to be a hard game for them.

For me, its a game where there wont be many goals. I think Bent will score as he appears to be on one of those scoring runs he normally goes on before tailing off whilst at the same time, I think Rovers and their own forwards may end the goal drought.

1-1

[garyh123]

I agree, i think it will be a hard game.

If everyone is fit then midfield and attack look quite strong but defence still a bit dodgy for my liking. Not sure whether Cattermole or Malbranque will be fit yet either, if not then we might struggle.

Who will play right wing for you lot? Our left back had a nightmare the other night so you might get some joy down that side

I fancy a draw as well, although knowing our defence it might be more than 1

[joey_big_nose]

Who will play right wing for you lot? Our left back had a nightmare the other night so you might get some joy down that side

Almost certainly Diouf, but there is an outside chance a young player called Hoilett could play there. He is very promising and very quick. If he doesn't get the nod at the start he will make an appearence in the second half at some point.

[Hughesy]

Almost certainly Diouf, but there is an outside chance a young player called Hoilett could play there. He is very promising and very quick. If he doesn't get the nod at the start he will make an appearence in the second half at some point.

Thats if Salgado hasnt eaten him for breakfast

[Fife Rover]

We sue Real Madrid for £800m.

Oooh Yes!! The trustees will need to dig out a lot of pairs of trousers for that lot.

[Mr. E]

I really, really don't want to draw with Sunderland again. But yes, that's probably what will happen. And when we get that last-minute equalizer the great prophets will come out again with theories about how "it will give us a big boost", only for us to play like crap and lose the next game, as usual. As long as we keep being pleased with these draws last season's scenario isn't going to improve.

Only a win will do.

[Iceman]

Why do people think Di Santo, will be under pressure to perform if selected. If Di Santo hits the post,or at least hits the target then he has already done more than Roberts. How many chances must Roberts get? He is a seasoned professional, who should have sorted his goal scoring problems out by now. I like Jase, but im fed up. Di Santo or Hoiliett cant do any worse, so put some pressure on Roberts by dropping him.

[Hughesy]

I really, really don't want to draw with Sunderland again. But yes, that's probably what will happen. And when we get that last-minute equalizer the great prophets will come out again with theories about how "it will give us a big boost", only for us to play like crap and lose the next game, as usual. As long as we keep being pleased with these draws last season's scenario isn't going to improve.

Only a win will do.

Such a happy bloke/ woman!

[Manc Rover]

I seriously hope he isn't playing for another club now we've signed him....what happens if he gets an injury.....that can happen in 5 mins...

Might do what Turkey did with Tugay on his last appearance for them...They started him in his last game then subbed him as soon as the ball went out of play.

[vintageadidas]

Great Read:

By now you would think that we Blackburn Rovers fans would be used to the negative portrayal of our club in the media. It is a culture generally driven by lazy, yet arguably astute sportswriters and pundits who realise that despite our club holding the enviable record of being the best supported club in the Premiership in proportion to its catchment area, you ain't going to get rich by shifting newspapers in a small town like Blackburn.

However, despite being conditioned to having our achievements and accolades overlooked or downplayed by the so called "experts", it was with some disappointment that I read Mirror Chief Sports Writer Oliver Holt's comments in his Rovers vs. City match report this weekend.

Forget the game itself, of which some media revolutionaries dared to claim that Rovers were the better side, it was more the comparison of the current City regime to the halcyon days of Jack Walker's dynasty at Ewood that particularly rankled. In reference to accusations from some quarters that City had "sold out" by taking Sheik Mansour's billions and turning their club from perennial also-rans to possible title contenders, Holt claimed of Rovers,

"They didn't moan about the lost soul of their club when Jack Walker was pumping money into the Rovers in the 90's..."

Now excuse me Mr Holt, but "lost soul"? For anyone to compare the current operation at Eastlands to the Walker revolution at Ewood in those terms, in my opinion, shows at a lack of knowledge of the events going on at Ewood Park at the time, and a lack of respect for a man who lived the dream of taking his hometown club to the very peak of the game. I would be fairly happy to bet that City's new owners weren't stood on the terraces as City slipped into the third tier of English football a few years back, but the man the Ewood faithful called "Uncle Jack" is a time served fan. For Jack it was Rovers or nothing, he simply was and is the best fan-cum-benefactor any club could evr wish to have. For the Sheik, City simply represented an available commodity to buy into the Premiership.

Mr Walkers' wet tears, broadcast live on television on that fateful day at Anfield on the 14th May 1995, as the final whistle went and his hometown club were declared Champions of England, appear now to be a stark and poignant contrast to the dry desert home of City's benefactor.

Ewood Park, with its impressive main stand named after the great man himself is a long standing testament to Jack Walkers legacy. This is a stadium which quintessentially has Soul. The site, which has been home to the Rovers since the 1890's, before Manchester City even existed under their current guise, is one of the oldest in the league. A change of location was considered and quickly knocked back during the Walker years, and the stadium was rebuilt on the existing site with Walker cash. City's soul resides at Maine Rd, whilst their football is played at the Council owned Eastlands Stadium.

Rovers won the title with three big signings, Alan Shearer, Chris Sutton and Tim Flowers. The rest of the side was made up from the likes of Graeme Le Saux, a reserve team player from Chelsea, and Colin Hendry, Jason Wilcox and captain Tim Sherwood, who had all been playing second tier football with Rovers three seasons previously. Rovers other big signing, David Batty was sidelined for most of the season with injury, leaving Daglish not to bring one of several big money signings off the bench to replace him, as City would now do, but to utilise Mark Atkins, signed as a right back from Scunthorpe in 1988 for around £45,000. Atkins in midfield was one of the unsung heroes of Rovers Championship season. An unrestricted Mark Hughes style spending spree to acquire the best players in every position from at home and abroad this was not.

The side that started at Anfield in May 1995 contained nine Englishmen.The two "foreigners" were Scot Colin Hendry, and Jeff Kenna from the Republic of Ireland. Not just a side with Soul, but home-grown Soul, I would say.

Good luck to City, every Club has its time in the sun and it appears theirs is now, but please don't tell me that a billionaire Sheik's latest plaything can ever be compared to the realisation of a passionate football fans' lifelong dream. Ironically Oliver Holt's match report was published nine years to the day since Jack Walker sadly passed away, but his name is still chanted at Ewood Park and his legacy lives on. If ever a club achieved success whilst maintaining its Soul, it was Rovers under Jack.

- EDIT: Sorry, i totally put this in the wrong thread!

[joey_big_nose]

"They didn't moan about the lost soul of their club when Jack Walker was pumping money into the Rovers in the 90's..."

Rovers won the title with three big signings, Alan Shearer, Chris Sutton and Tim Flowers. The rest of the side was made up from the likes of Graeme Le Saux, a reserve team player from Chelsea, and Colin Hendry, Jason Wilcox and captain Tim Sherwood, who had all been playing second tier football with Rovers three seasons previously. Rovers other big signing, David Batty was sidelined for most of the season with injury, leaving Daglish not to bring one of several big money signings off the bench to replace him, as City would now do, but to utilise Mark Atkins, signed as a right back from Scunthorpe in 1988 for around £45,000. Atkins in midfield was one of the unsung heroes of Rovers Championship season. An unrestricted Mark Hughes style spending spree to acquire the best players in every position from at home and abroad this was not.

The side that started at Anfield in May 1995 contained nine Englishmen.The two "foreigners" were Scot Colin Hendry, and Jeff Kenna from the Republic of Ireland. Not just a side with Soul, but home-grown Soul, I would say.

Totally accurate. It's crazy how Rovers were labelled as "buying the title" when Liverpool and Man Utd had much more expensive squads at the time. Man Utd dropped 7 million quid on Andy Cole in January of course.

We had one really exceptional player in Shearer, a few very talented guys in le Saux, Flowers and Sutton but the rest of the team was a case of Dalgleish getting the most out of decent but unspectacular players most of who mcost peanuts.

He did this with style. Never been recognised as it should.

[Big Fat Sam]

Totally accurate. It's crazy how Rovers were labelled as "buying the title" when Liverpool and Man Utd had much more expensive squads at the time. Man Utd dropped 7 million quid on Andy Cole in January of course.

We had one really exceptional player in Shearer, a few very talented guys in le Saux, Flowers and Sutton but the rest of the team was a case of Dalgleish getting the most out of decent but unspectacular players most of who mcost peanuts.

He did this with style. Never been recognised as it should.

And from the second we came up. What we had was a team, built on a style that got the best out of all our players. We had at least 5 english players who couldn't get in the national team, but yet ruled in the premiership in the blue and white. Kenny was awesome at picking the right pieces for his jigsaw puzzles. Perhaps we should have gotten to him before Liverpool and put him in charge of our academy??

[RibbleValleyRover]

Why do people think Di Santo, will be under pressure to perform if selected. If Di Santo hits the post,or at least hits the target then he has already done more than Roberts. How many chances must Roberts get? He is a seasoned professional, who should have sorted his goal scoring problems out by now. I like Jase, but im fed up. Di Santo or Hoiliett cant do any worse, so put some pressure on Roberts by dropping him.

Same here, fed up of creating a few chances per game and Roberts wasting them.

I'd play Di Santo and drop Roberts to the bench, he could make a decent impact sub.

[Mark Atkins' Bald Patch]

I was pinning my hopes on 2 or 3 of Sunderland's midfield being injured.

It seems that's not to be the case though...

http://www.shieldsgazette.com/safc/Good-ne...e-on.5576812.jp

I thought with Cana / Cattermole out, our centre midfield pairing might have been able to at least compete.

That's today ruined!

On the striker front, I agreee Di Santo must start instead of Roberts ... didn't Roberts miss a sitter at sunderland last year to win the game? Can't afford to risk that happening again.

[Hughesy]

Kalinic in the squad for the game!!

Grella also in the squad again & Nelsen now fit and in the squad.

Dunn, Reid & Emo all played a behind doors match this week too so are not far off either.

[Amo]

To be fair, Roberts often contrives his own chances. He can show a good turn of pace and muscle himself a chance at goal. If he could finish, he'd have been snapped from us ages ago.

[joey_big_nose]

Kalinic in the squad for the game!!

Grella also in the squad again & Nelsen now fit and in the squad.

Dunn, Reid & Emo all played a behind doors match this week too so are not far off either.

Well Grella was on the bench last week so its not that surprising....

Hmm. Interesting to see if Nelsen comes in and Warnock take Keith's place in midfield. Or if Grella starts. Or Hoilett. Looking forward to it!

Great to hear about Dunn, Reid and Emo.

[RibbleValleyRover]

If Nelsen is fit enough then i expect him to come back into the side and Givet will be moved to left back. Its then between Warnock and Grella to play alongside N'zonzi imo. Can't see Kalinic starting, i'd pick Di Santo and Benni, but got a feeling he will stick with the donkey that is Roberts.

[Manc Rover]

Cattermole is a serious injury doubt for tomorrow apparently. Apologies if already posted but this is good news. We've nobody in his class in the middle and he would bully Andrews big time.

[garyh123]

Cattermole is a serious injury doubt for tomorrow apparently. Apologies if already posted but this is good news. We've nobody in his class in the middle and he would bully Andrews big time.

Cattermole, Richardson and Cana will play barring any last minute injuries. Malbranque trained today and looks likely to play but decision will be made tomorrow.

[G Somerset Rover]

To be fair, Roberts often contrives his own chances. He can show a good turn of pace and muscle himself a chance at goal. If he could finish, he'd have been snapped from us ages ago.

Exactly. He gets a lot of stick but that's only because he couldn't hit Michelle McManus's arse with a banjo.

Still though, I'm getting so fed up at his poor finishing that I would definitely start Di Santo for this one.

[the original david brent]

Just been to get sunderland tickets and they tell me we have sold well over half of the 2.2k allocation so far, so with tickets available on the day, id guess probably a 1.5k following. Not bad, but would expect more for opening away game.

[roversfan1]

Roberts works hard but his job as a striker is to score goals and he doesnt do enough of that...I understand the temptation to stick with him as he puts himself about and chases things down but really we may only get 3-4 real chances and we have to be sticking those away so I too would play Di Santo from the start and bring Roberts on with maybe 20 to go when the oppostion are getting tired?