[Archived] Blackburn Rovers V Tottenham Hotspur

[Inta Beaver]

Lets face the facts, are there 3 teams worse than the Rovers in this league. I dont think so.

Every game follows the same pattern. No creativity, cant score, so slow at the back and cant keep clean sheets.

I agree that we lack creativity, but we can't keep clean sheets?? How did we do against Stoke, Liverpool, and Hull??

We need a shake up in Jan, the Walker Trust will have to find some cash if we carry on like this!

[RIML]

Tottenham 2 shots on target - 2 goals, says it all for me, they were lucky!

The people who said our manager has to go and the tactics were wrong need to get real. Sam didn't start with Diouf, Pedersen or Andrews which is what we all wanted and people are still moaning.

The fans need to look at their contribution today because our support was f***in sh*t.

Ummmmm read Allardyces comments on Rovers.co.uk..he seems to have it in his head we've not won in five. Can anybody please remind him of a 3-0 drubbing at Fulham?!

Yeah and who lost 3-0 @ Fulham today?

[Eddie]

Oh right...United lost? All's fine then!

Are they going to share some of their points with us?

[RoverRich]

Awful. The tactics were awful. Everyone was poor today. McCarthy didn't try, Grella can't pass, Salgado isn't a winger, Givet isn't the player he was. Hurts a lot does this.

Everyone was poor today? McCarthy didn't try? Grella can't pass? Definitely didn't watch the same game! IMO McCarthy and Grella were 2 of our best players along with Hoilett. Grella was solid in the middle, tackled well, passed well and deserved MOTM whilst McCarthy was the 1 player who looked to try things and at least made an attempt at creativity. He should have scored though. It is just the way he plays which makes people think he doesn't try, a bit like Berbatov at United except with not as much class.

[brfcs5359]

Allardyce must go. Poor tactics. Poor selection. Poor transfers. No idea. Clueless. I'd rather have a bingo machine pick the team.

Any decent manager would get rid of numerous players in January. Selgado, Diouf, Roberts, Pedersen, Van Heerden. M

[G Somerset Rover]

And your point is RIML? Mine was that Allardyce has glossed over that spanking at Fulham to make it sound all rosey at the club. The fact is that game signalled the start of this awful run where we cannot hit a barn door with a banjo and can't win to save our lives.

We head to the unpredicatable Wigan next where we'll either get whacked or it will all fall into place for us. Its a big big game and the longer the run goes the more unstable Allardyce's position will become.

[RIML]

And your point is RIML? Mine was that Allardyce has glossed over that spanking at Fulham to make it sound all rosey at the club. The fact is that game signalled the start of this awful run where we cannot hit a barn door with a banjo and can't win to save our lives.

We head to the unpredicatable Wigan next where we'll either get whacked or it will all fall into place for us. Its a big big game and the longer the run goes the more unstable Allardyce's position will become.

My point is, we lost 3-0 @ Fulham and one of the best teams in this league lost 3-0, it's not easy going to Fulham and not a lot of teams will go there and get a result, Man United couldn't even score against them and equalled our result, does that not mean anything to you?

It isn't great when we've failed to score at home yet again against a Spurs team who hadn't kept a clean sheet away from home all season but it wasn't to be today, we were unfortunate they had 2 shots on target and scored 2 goals, they were lucky and the result flattered them imo.

[den]

Everyone was poor today? McCarthy didn't try? Grella can't pass? Definitely didn't watch the same game! IMO McCarthy and Grella were 2 of our best players along with Hoilett. Grella was solid in the middle, tackled well, passed well and deserved MOTM

Grella played very well first half. Second half I thought his distribution was pretty poor. His MOTM award was greeted with audible surprise all around Ewood.

[Eddie]

My point is, we lost 3-0 @ Fulham and one of the best teams in this league lost 3-0, it's not easy going to Fulham and not a lot of teams will go there and get a result, Man United couldn't even score against them and equalled our result, does that not mean anything to you?

It isn't great when we've failed to score at home yet again against a Spurs team who hadn't kept a clean sheet away from home all season but it wasn't to be today, we were unfortunate they had 2 shots on target and scored 2 goals, they were lucky and the result flattered them imo.

Which would be fine if we weren't on a horrible run of form that has come out of a relatively easy patch of games. You can say what you like about Fulham being tough, but to get 3 points from Fulham, Liverpool, Stoke, Hull, Birmingham and Spurs just isn't good enough. That's relegation form.

Oh and if you want to play the "but look what happened to United today" card, then how about we look what happened to Liverpool today and what happened to Spurs last weekend.

[RIML]

Which would be fine if we weren't on a horrible run of form that has come out of a relatively easy patch of games. You can say what you like about Fulham being tough, but to get 3 points from Fulham, Liverpool, Stoke, Hull, Birmingham and Spurs just isn't good enough. That's relegation form.

Oh and if you want to play the "but look what happened to United today" card, then how about we look what happened to Liverpool today and what happened to Spurs last weekend.

I'm not playing that card I replied to Somerset Rover about his comment about losing 3-0 to Fulham.

I'm not trying to make excuses, but what was the fans excuse for not turning up today, we can moan all we want but we didn't get behind the team or the manager. They needed our support more than ever today and we were pathetic.

Out of the games you mentioned 3 were away and I don't know whether you've noticed but not a lot of teams have won away from home this season and Liverpool and Tottenham at home are not easy games.

[Bobby G]

Everyone has said whats needed to be said.

I will add that only David Dunn has close to the required level of creativity at this level and only Hoilett has close to the required pace at this level in our whole squad.

I sincerely hope Dunn is back asap and back to his form too.

If I were JW, Id really consider convincing the board for a technically sound creative midfielder.

[1864roverite]

I left Ewood distraught as well as being bloody frozen. I just could not fathom how we had lost to a Spurs outfit that played the long ball game to perfection. I mean who would have thought it, footballing Spurs playing long ball against Blackburn Rovers.

Poor Robbo only did two things, and that was to pick the ball out of his net. That tells me one thing, our defence did ok. To limit a free footballing team like Spurs to two chances was good defending although, without Samba the task was always going to be difficult with Crouch leading their attack.

The saddest thing about today was the lack of creativity and pace within Rovers ranks. There was nothing to make me think even the impending return of Dunny will make things easier.

I cant really be bothered about the match now because I am still cold, still laughing at the circus of Eastlands and still angry about the scum rising bak above us without having to kick a ball in anger.

A few pointers/views on todays game.

The ref was inept. He should have blown for half time BEFORE Crouch manhandled Nelsen to score the goal. Overall he was very very poor.

Whatever tactics Sam employed they were flawed.

Hoilett does not look like the player he could be. If he has so much pace why doesnt he use it to take men on especially when the defender is on the back foot.

Mccarthy did okay but should have scored. He does show disinterest and loses far too many balls.

Roberts/MGP/Diouf/Andrews/Zurab/Treacy should all leave the club. None are of any use to the shirt and are taking cash out of the club without deserving a single penny of it.

Salgado is not a right wing or explosive midfielder.

Who even thought of allowing Crouch to be marked by fresh air for the second goal, congratulations, it worked.

di Santo is a willing player but needs to go to finishing school, he at least needs some service and help up front. The same for Kalinic, its not good having pace up front with them fighting off 4 defenders when there is no support from the team.

Yet another good home crowd leaves Ewood despondent. Anymore Sam and you will be out on your arse. Now that Hughes an co are unemployed they will be looking for a club. With not many options around, any more failures on the park will see you replaced and looking around Rovers could easily be an option for him.

Merry Chrimbo everyone

[MeanGreenMachine]

I'm not playing that card I replied to Somerset Rover about his comment about losing 3-0 to Fulham.

I'm not trying to make excuses, but what was the fans excuse for not turning up today, we can moan all we want but we didn't get behind the team or the manager. They needed our support more than ever today and we were pathetic.

Out of the games you mentioned 3 were away and I don't know whether you've noticed but not a lot of teams have won away from home this season and Liverpool and Tottenham at home are not easy games.

Give the fans something to cheer about then?

[RIML]

Give the fans something to cheer about then?

We shouldn't need things to cheer about, we should get behind the team no matter what!

[LDRover]

Disillusioned and disappointed, it feels like we're dying a slow slow death.

There's not a single player who can get me off my seat, I don't see anything resembling good football, I see overpaid idiots making huge anounts of money for doing feck all and I see an arrogant manager trying to pull the wool over the supporters' eyes with selctive use of stats to try and prove his points.

Can't say I'm a fan of Allardyce and I just wonder what would have happened if he'd been the manager we'd have turned to after Hughes left because I feel he's been given a hell of a lot of slack because of where we were when Ince got potted.

[Alan75]

One of the worst referee's ar Ewood today, but you cant blame him for the defeat.

Poor defending by Chimbonda lead to the first on half time, although Crouch was climbing all over Nelson. (I wonder if the goal had stood if it had been a Rovers strinker)

In my opinion we lost it with the substitutions. Bring on MPG and moving Junior to the right baffled me. Junior had been having some success on the left but once he was moved to the right to accomodate MPG he drifted out of the game.

Swapping Di Santo with Nico did nothing in fact it made it worst as Di Santo is able to hold the ball up, Nico left isolated is not a ball winner and doesnt hold the ball.

As for Roberts did he actually contribute anything.

The game was crying out for someone to put their foot on the ball and control the game. Shame Tugay is now only watching from the BBE Box.

[MeanGreenMachine]

Post match interview template...

Comment on how little our squad cost compared to the opposition

Quick bash at the media who may dare to suggest we were crap

Complain about the ref, they hate us

Maybe the blame lies somwhere else, but i wouldnt dare suggest it.

[G Somerset Rover]

Add forgetting certain results to improve his arguement to the list..and how we've 'played well bar one or two games all season'.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Disillusioned and disappointed, it feels like we're dying a slow slow death.

There's not a single player who can get me off my seat, I don't see anything resembling good football, I see overpaid idiots making huge anounts of money for doing feck all

I agree with that LD,we have no 'entertainers'.When Pedersen and Roberts came on its moans rather than cheers you can hear around the ground!.It just goes to highlight how little squad strength we possess.

You cant blame the fans RIML,they are frustrated with what they are seeing.The gate was excellent today considering the time of year.

[OJRovers]

Not a lot of luck is going Rovers way at the minute, they hit the bar and it falls in the net, we hit the bar and post and it bounces out. On another day we could've won.

The reaction to our poor luck and the inexplicable ref decisions was unacceptible though. We let our heads drop when Spurs were there for the taking.

We need to start making our own luck and believe that we can win games. I think BS is picking the best players we have but seem to lack a drive to go out and win games. This is something that only Dunny and Samba show really when they are playing so we miss them badly.

For me, Nelsen as captain on the pitch needs to get the team together and make sure we play like we can do in the 5 min spells. We looked resigned to defeat once Benni's shot didn't go in.

Feel sorry for N'Zonzi, Givet and Benni today who looked really up for it and gave it everything.

Pedersen shouldn't even be on the bench and not sure Salgado is any better than KA in midfield.

[RIML]

You cant blame the fans RIML,they are frustrated with what they are seeing.The gate was excellent today considering the time of year.

No but we could have done more, the fans didn't try their best today, yet some of the fans are quick to blame the players when they don't try their best. It's only fair if it works both ways, I know we pay the players wages but we have to get behind them at times like this.

[Ricky]

The fans don't pay a fraction of the players wages nic, that's all down to sky these days. The ground could be empty and the differences in the club finances wouldn't be huge. Gate receipts are a small fraction of club turnover these days.

Thought spurs were very average, which is a worry as they still managed to beat us 2-0!!!

[RIML]

The fans don't pay a fraction of the players wages nic, that's all down to sky these days. The ground could be empty and the differences in the club finances wouldn't be huge. Gate receipts are a small fraction of club turnover these days.

Thought spurs were very average, which is a worry as they still managed to beat us 2-0!!!

Well we do our bit the fans do have a right to do whatever they want if they've paid their money but our support wasn't very good today, decent crowd but atmosphere was crap, worst all season, I tried to do my bit.

The three times we've lost at home in a year have all been 2-0, the timing of their first goal didn't help, with a bit of luck it could have been so different, it wasn't to be, we need to move on quickly and I'm confident we'll beat Wigan.

Interesting to see Spurs away record is as good as our home record W4 D3 L2

[JAL]

Come back Mark Hughes please!

Goodbye big Sam.

Today that was shyte that even the players gave the impression that they'd lost faith with big Sam.

Absolutely NO arte et labore TODAY.

[Blue blood]

A very disappointing result, against a Spurs side that did not inspire me.

Everyone knows it but it hs to be said there is ZERO creativity in our team. The strikers are so unsupported and poorly served, it's no wonder why we've only scored once in the last 5 league games.

Time after time I was left frustrated that when the ball was played up to our strikers no one rushed up to support them, leaving the striker to either try taking on the entire Spurs defence, or play it back and break off the attack. The bloke in front of me said there wasn't an attacking bone in the bodies of any of our midfield (Holiet excepted) and he's right. Our midfielder's aren't box to box they're box to half way line.

There was a 15 minute period in the second half when we played with urgency - why on earth didn't we play like that before then is beyond me - and produced our best chance through Benni, I'm still bewildered how that didn't go in. Had it done so I've a feeling it'd have been a different game, as we were playing decently and with our tails up might've gone on to grab a winner. As it was 5 minutes later the urgency had gone.

Sam managed one achievement this afternoon - which was to find someone who could do a worse job than Peds or Diouf on the wing. Step forward Salgado. We might've well have played with 10 men. Subbing him for Peds was a smart move imo, at least Peds was involved enough to mess up, Salgado was as much use as Tugay sat behind me. I'd have told Peds & Chimbonda to run at their right back a bit more, as he'd already recieved a yellow card, and ran the risk of getting sent off or backing off a lot giving us space, but we didn't exploit what to me was a good avenue of attack.

The referee was shocking - some of his decisions were baffling. Some of the balls that the Spurs players "shepherded" out in particular were a fair way away from them, if they had the ball under control I'd have been amazed as they would've had to have had extendable legs or something. As for their first goal, offside, Crouch all over Nelsen, shocking officiating from the officials. Having said that Chimbonda should've blocked the cross and Robbo should've caught it. Poor play all round on that one.

There were positives:

N'Zonzi to me me was class. I've bracketed him in the tidy and promising category, but today I thought he was excellent getting stuck in and with good distribution. He also got forward a bit more, although this is clearly not his forte. Very promising would be more apt terminology on this type of performance.

The defence overall played well, I can't remember Robbo having to save a shot - Nelsen and Givet coped well, goals aside, and one of those was a tad unfortunate. I didn't think Chimbonda had his best game but was very encouraged by Jacobsen at right back, who I thought looked as consistent as ever.

Thirdly Spurs did not look light years away from us. We contained them pretty well for the most part, against an expensively assembled squad. And according to others we played 200% better than we did against Brum, which is an encouraging response.

However, the thing that'll stick most in the mind from this game is our utter lack of offensive prowess. No creativity and no support for the strikers. This needs to be addressed soon as without goals you can't win games, and without chances you can't score goals. Sam NEEDS to rectify this with 1/2 offensive midfielders in January or it'll be a long season.