[Archived] Blackburn Vs Portsmouth. Ewood Park, 7Th November.

[Saahil]

Haha did you see the expert he got fits... GETT IN!

[est990]

benni and roberts should be our first choice, they complement each other and they have both said in the past that they enjoy playing together

[KoNG]

The lads playing around now..... Cheeky buggers

[LeChuck]

Sam too stubborn to change when 4-4-1-1 doesn't work? Roberts coming on is a terrible decision? Maybe he is the expert after all!

Cracking second half, excellent work considering we've been struggling in the second half of games recently. Hopefully Sam will be a little bit more flexible with his approach now. The 4-4-1-1 we started with still won us our last three home games though, it's very premature to write it off after a 45 minute poor display.

Next week's selection will be very interesting. Roberts will definitely start, hopefully with McCarthy.

Edit: As a side point...it's another week where a bagful of goals have been scored collectively across the PL games. It can't continue like this all season, surely?

[Rovermatt]

Great win. Fair play to the team for coming through the inevitable bad start.

[martmitch]

only thing could make this victory better is if city score a late winner

[des]

please please for now on can we play at least two yes two up front, if you want to plat dunn in a five midfiels them play a 3-5-2, but please do not go for a 4-4-1-1 at home.

This result changes thing around is a big results lets hope the coaching staff learn to keep playing this way

[G Somerset Rover]

Next game: no 4-5-1 and no EHD & Pedersen.

This is a big big win.

[tony gale's mic]

Fantastic stuff, even after going 2-1 up we still kept attacking them. Roberts has shown why he's still an asset to the club.

[Bobby G]

Great comeback.

Nothing more to say other than if we let Benni leave, we are fools.

[Rovermatt]

Effing Dingles.

[Iceman]

Yeah baby, RAM does it again.

[DE.]

A good result for us in the end.

First half was dreadful, the worst half I've seen from a Rovers side this season. As I said in my half time post, I think the system was at fault rather than the players. The players didn't do anything specifically wrong, the formation was just negative and poor to begin with. Baffling way to start at home against the bottom club in the divsion.

Second half we were a totally different team. Took the game to them for most of it, deservably scored 3. I was sceptical about bringing Roberts on but my hat off to him, he did well. McCarthy is absolute class, he needs to feature far more. The second half begs the question of whether we need MGP? I don't think he should be considered a starter, he provides nothing. We were a better team without him.

Essentially, Sam got it badly wrong in the first half. He changed it drastically in the second half and it worked. Hopefully he'll learn from this and drop the 4-4-1-1 formation at home against teams we should be beating. 4-3-3/4-4-2 worked far, far better. It was obvious to everybody.

Also, Chimbonda's attempt to get sent off in the first half was inexcusable. If we'd gone down to ten men then we may be looking at a very different result right now. He needs to be repreminded for that.

A relieved Rovers fan tonight.

[RibbleValleyRover]

Great comeback, and good to see Sam making the changes at HT rather than waiting until something like the 60th or 70th minute.

Hopefully this will get Sam thinking in regards to the 4-4-1-1, it needs a lot of things right on the day for it to work. We look far more dangerous with 2 or more up front.

Agree with the comments about Pedersen, the guy is finished.

[emerton]

fantastic second half - not sure i can see di santo, roberts, benni & dunny playing together from kick off but certainly poses a few selection headaches!

[Iceman]

RAM should start in a 4-4-2 formation.

[Clitherover]

well done lads..

hats off to sam for the change of tactics at half time, worked wonders.

[Mr. E]

What a game...and how long we've been waiting for something like this. When things are massively looking hopeless, you HAVE to make drastic changes. Surprisingly, BFS did just that, and we were 100% different in the 2nd half. One of Robert's best ever games for the club, and with Benni we actually looked like a footballing team. It is absolute madness not to play him, let alone want him to leave. Huge contribution by him which set the team on fire. We could have had more than 3, though to be honest a better team would have punished us for exposing our back too. Very enjoyable 2nd half overall.

Now it's up to BFS to study this game carefully and device our best formation and starting eleven - because clearly the one that started is not good enough.

[G Somerset Rover]

Agree with the comments about Pedersen, the guy is finished.

I know I was banging on about it in the chat room, but EHD needs to be urgently dropped too. Got to be the most overrated player in our squad IMO and our wingers are just as bad as our central midfield.

There's no doubt that he got it badly wrong in the first half but credit to Sam for changing it at half time.

The table makes much better viewing tonight.

[sam_rovers]

Absolutely Ecstatic.. Good on Sam for changing the formation at half time and withdrawing pedersen and diouf (both were so ineffective, shocking) and I'm sure his half time talk must've fired the lads up!

Was glad when pompey pulled out Dindande, his pace was giving our defenders problems and was worried that he could get one of them sent off! Won't change my opinion on Robinson.. not as good as Friedel, really poor at saving from long range. Glad that Andrews didn't start. We looked good in the 2nd half.. McCarthy oozed class when he had the ball and his delivery from corners and set pieces was fantastic, he brings a lot to the team and I hope Sam sees that and doesn't get rid of him in January.

And I've been critical of Roberts but fair play to him, excellent goals.. great finishing and ran Ben Haim and Wilson Ragged... Great game by him...

[afx111]

i tot pedersen and EHD were crap but nzonzi was disappointing as well....largely anonymous and i don't remember any defensive or attack contribution from him

[DE.]

i tot pedersen and EHD were crap but nzonzi was disappointing as well....largely anonymous and i don't remember any defensive or attack contribution from him

You could argue N'Zonzi should not even be starting, considering his age and PL experience. I think it's harsh to criticise him when other players with far more experience (Pedersen, Diouf) are playing very poorly either side of him.

[Dan]

BFS is not going to change anything. His biggest problem is his stubburn attitude. He did drop Andrews, which shows he is at least learning a little. 4-5-1 at home though? Against Pompy? Flashbacks from Newcastle fans moaning about their famous game at home against Derby spring to mind. We are up the creek though, because even if we do sack him, we'll struggle to find anyone decent and his pay off/signing on fee for new manager will mean bye bye to the January transfer kitty(if we even have one).

Wow, I've got to say I was completely wrong about Sam! Lets hope that this is a sign of things to come? Benni, Jase and Dunny played amazing today. Did anyone see that run near the end of the game from Emerton?! It was Classic Emerton!

[brian_gallagher85]

Stat in Daily Mail

"Rovers have let in five goals from long range this season but Pompey haven't scored from distance"

Stop posting stats like that you idiot

[Lurid Coat]

Question is whether we'll actually start playing with two up front regularly now.

Really hope that Sam has seen the error of his ways and keeps Benni. What impact subs he and Roberts were today. Truly excellent.