[Archived] Blackburn Rovers V Tottenham Hotspur

[Steve Moss]

This can't go on, unless the manager finds someone either from within the existing staff or from outside who can find the back of the net, we will go down.

I don't think its as desperate as that. We've been doing well from time to time, and poorly at others. The trick we need to master is some level of consistency.

Rovers have 19 points in 18 games. We are averaging 1.055 points a game as of now, or are on track for a 40.09 point season. In other words, safe despite our dismal performances.

Wigan will be the 19th game and the half way point for the season. A draw would put us exactly at 20 points, or on target for a 40 point season. A win would raise us to 22 points in 19 games, or on track for a 44 point season.

But we have a few built in advantages. First, we've played the top 3 away, so the matches we would arguably be expected to be at our worse (and were), are out of the way. We still have to play the top 3 at home, but it is not unrealistic to think we're contenders for a point or more from those three games.

Second, most of our League matches through the end of January are all very winnable, including Wigan (A), Sunderland (H), Fulham (H), Wigan (H), and West Ham (A). Our most difficult game should be ManC (A). We should get everything from the Wigan and West Ham games. And while Sunderland and Fulham are decent teams they'll be coming to Ewood and we've some scores to settle. Excluding ManC, it is not unrealistic for us to expect to gather all 15 points from these matches. If so, we would be sitting on 34 points at the end of January. Even if we underperform slightly we could still earn 10-12 (adjusting for a loss and/or a draw)more points by the end of January, putting us at 29-31 points, not a bad haul and a decent position to begin to final third or so of the season. As a bonus, we might even expect something from ManC, as there is reportedly a dressing room revolt against Hughes sacking and, as we play them fairly soon, Jan. 11, the disruption might be of benefit to us.

Third, Sam is not incompetent or blind. I am certain, based on his summer dealings, that he will buy a player or two in January, cutting out some of the deadwood in the meantime, and we will have a stronger, better squad for us to finish the last third of the season.

Finally, we still have one game against Burnley. 3 points are very likely from that match.

And as for next season, we won't have to support MGP, Reid and a few other drains on the wage bill. That should free up some cash so Sam can continue building. Long term, if we stay up (and I trust Sam to make that happen), the future should be bright.

[RevidgeBlue]

Thanks for that positive post, I hope you're right!

My view is that you can extrapolate averages all you like but unless we start creating a few chances and the strikers start finding the back of the net on a consistent basis we're in real trouble regardless of the fixture list.

The other thing is that given we only have our heads slightly above water due to our results at home, forthcoming home fixtures against Chelski, ManUre and the Arse pose a real problem.

We were never going to keep on winning all our home games anyway but imo our survival chances rest on starting to pick up a few results away from home and I can't see where that's coming from given our style of play currently.

.

[philipl]

Have to say that felt like a relegation bound defeat.

Played well in parts but ended up well beaten.

This could be a 40 points not enough season by the way.

[Kelbo]

Apart from the odd throw in today, he didnt get much else wrong.

He missed a blatent elbow to the face of Givet by Defoe which led to their first goal, he missed Crouch half strangling Nelsen to score with the header, I call that very wrong for either he or the assistant or both should have been in a position to see both those challenges, they are paid big money now and for me missing incidents like this are poor!! My take on the game was this, the first half, Rovers played a great tactical game, allowing Spurs the ball where they could have it and one Defoe shot which went wide apart, the Rovers goal was never troubled, Rovers created three or four decent half chances and one minute before half time (or during stoppage time) a poor refereeeing decision cost us a goal!!

Second half we upped the tempo a little and hit the post and Gomez had two or three saves to make as opposed to Robinson who only had to pick the ball out of the net twice, otherwise not one shot to save!!

Only as we pressed for an equaliser, did Spurs create the chance which gave them a decent second goal on the break!!

Plus sides, no hoofball, Grella and NZonzi played well, Hoillet was threatening, Di Santo did really well apat from scoring and Benni had a decent game too, the back four were in the main pretty solid!

Down sides, we are not taking our chances, Chimbonda shouldnt have allowed the cross to get in for Spurs first goal

and perhaps Robbo should have come for the cross but apart from that, we didnt deserve to lose this game at all, maybe we deserved a win but Spurs worked on the counter well!

However, Tghe back four handled Defoe and Crouch pretty well and Defoe was subbed mid way through the second half.

Grellas range of passing and his pressing of the ball was excellent, a much improved midfield performance, we just didnt take our chances and that is a worry!

[Muddboy]

We played well, blah blah blah.

The referee was s****. blah blah blah.

One goal in six games, zero creativity, strikers that couldn't score in the proverbial brothel.

This can't go on, unless the manager finds someone either from within the existing staff or from outside who can find the back of the net, we will go down.

Simple as.

I agree 100%.

If people honestly thought our performance yesterday was satisfactory, they're deluded.

[Kelbo]

I agree 100%.

If people honestly thought our performance yesterday was satisfactory, they're deluded.

For you to make such a comment tells me one of two things, you either didnt attend the match or you have little knowledge of football!

[Muddboy]

For you to make such a comment tells me one of two things, you either didnt attend the match or you have little knowledge of football!

Wrong on both counts.

We were turned over by a poor Spurs side that offered very little

That tells me our performance wasn't up to scratch and therefore not satisfactory.

Do the math.

[thenodrog]

Two teams who created few clear cut chances between them. One with a clown of a keeper famous for making amateurish and costly errors ................ and the other with Peter Crouch. Crouch won.

I can only assume that the Spurs fans were taking the p1ss when they were chanting 'Englands No 1'? We use to opine on here just how many points per season that Brad Freidel was worth to BRFC. Today we saw 2 of them.

[Kelbo]

Wrong on both counts.

We were turned over by a poor Spurs side that offered very little

That tells me our performance wasn't up to scratch and therefore not satisfactory.

Do the math.

Math ? that is singular, surley it should be plural?

Performance and result are two separate entities!!

The performance was fine apart from sticking the ball away, 'turned over' one (if not two) poor reffing decisions prior to the first goal at a very bad time in the game, granted we were done by an excellent ansd swift counter for the second as we pressed for the equaliser - stats Rovers 9 on target, Spurs 2

by the way, just where were you sitting at the game?

[thenodrog]

Math ? that is singular, surley it should be plural?

Surly or not I don't believe grammatically that there is a plural for Math.

[Kelbo]

Surly or not I don't believe grammatically that there is a plural for Math.

Maths, is an abbreviation for Mathematics, not Mathematic!

[thenodrog]

Maths, is an abbreviation for Mathematics, not Mathematic!

OK if thats the case I'll bow to your superior knowledge kelbo.

[RIML]

Maths, is an abbreviation for Mathematics, not Mathematic!

Try telling that to the Irish

[AggyBlue]

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.

100% agree.

No Premier League team had more attempts on target than us yesterday.

Not putting the ball in the net is the reason we lost yesterday, I thought we were the batter team.

Yet again we had a ref that made the game a farce and was so biased it was laughable.

[Muddboy]

Math ? that is singular, surley it should be plural?

Performance and result are two separate entities!!

The performance was fine apart from sticking the ball away, 'turned over' one (if not two) poor reffing decisions prior to the first goal at a very bad time in the game, granted we were done by an excellent ansd swift counter for the second as we pressed for the equaliser - stats Rovers 9 on target, Spurs 2

by the way, just where were you sitting at the game?

Riverside block 18. Do you want my seat number as well?

You're entitled to your opinion but my belief is that a poor performance led to a poor result. Therefore, I think you'll find the two are linked.

Blaming the ref is a cop out and is a poor attempt at masking Rovers' inadequacies.

Over and out.

[The Harwood Yankee]

More shots on target than any other Premiership team but still didnt score & lost again? There's only so much you can blame on a referee with stats like that. It's not as if he was disallowing legitimate goals scored by Rovers. There may have been a question mark over the Spurs goal but the reality is that once again our strikers have failed to score and win us the game.

I'm in agreement with those on here who say it was generally a substandard performance. Grella was the name out of the hat for the sponsor's man of the match with a very average performance. There seems to be a general feeling of 'average' and 'that'll do, its only Rovers so we're only entitled to end the season just above the relegation scrap.' I want to see the manager fielding a team of 11 battlers. The days when Ewood was feared as a tough place to go, where Mourinho gets his team to throw their shirts to the crowd because they had to fight to win. Not much chance of that with players like we have now!

January's transfer window is crucial. Yet already we're bracing ourselves for Fat Sam's miserable whiney voice telling us we've got no money to spend. Er, how about selling off the deadwood then Sam? Reid, Pedersen, Andrews, Diouf - all eating up wages & would command a fee and whose departure would leave no discernible weaking of the squad if adequately (not even spectacularly) replaced.

Still no creative midfielder to replace the sorely missed Tugay. Still no wide players who can consistently beat a man & put a decent cross in. Still no strikers capable of taking their chances and scoring on a consistent basis. Stop the whingeing Sam and get doing your job - these are basic weaknesses in our squad which Hughes was able to address with not much more money (Santa Cruz, Bellamy, Bentley etc.).

Today's team performance against a very poor Spurs side highlights just how important January is for us.

[philipl]

Not blaming the ref for the result but Peter Walton is still an absolutely rubbish ref!

[USABlue]

I'm too miffed to write much, how the hell did that first goal stand. We do we persist rying to go through the middle of defences bigger than our forward line. We took it down the wings and crossed ust a couple of time, each time caused the SPURSDefence itters rather than the meat and drink of the middle of the park. Why oh why when we were a goal down did we constantly find our forwards up front with no one to pass to? It was like nobody could be arsed to go up with them. Other than that not too despondent about the performance, very very concened about our position and failings in front of goal.

[chocky]

I'm too miffed to write much, how the hell did that first goal stand. We do we persist rying to go through the middle of defences bigger than our forward line. We took it down the wings and crossed ust a couple of time, each time caused the SPURSDefence itters rather than the meat and drink of the middle of the park. Why oh why when we were a goal down did we constantly find our forwards up front with no one to pass to? It was like nobody could be arsed to go up with them. Other than that not too despondent about the performance, very very concened about our position and failings in front of goal.

I think the ref decided that Nelsen had backed into Crouch so the goal stood...But that notwithstanding..we had 9 shots on target they had two..as some one said on here do the maths...even if we converted a third of those we should have won 3-2...

[Majiball]

There was nothing wrong with the performance of the team yesterday. We tried to play football and caused them a lot of issues. We just didn't get the rub of the green at home for a change. The main issue for me yesterday was not playing to the whistle for their first goal and switching off again.

Hoillet looked good, we played more on the ground and we actually saw players moving off the ball again. On a different day we have won that game and you couldn't have said that about Birmingham.

[CrazyIvan]

My over-riding impression from yesterday was one of 'just not good enough'. Only in the final third mind you and Givet, who has cost us a couple of goals recently which is really unusual so I'll let him off... Benni was brilliant and very unlucky. We need, desperately, to find a striker in the team who is going to put the chances away. Benni is my bet since he's done it before. Roberts? Nah, not good enough. Nico? I think he will be and could be this season. Di Santo? Eventually. We need Bert, Dunn and Big Chris back asap. Having watched it again, we were excellent in a great deal of the game but the killer instinct was not there. That's what we are missing here and away from Ewood. Boxing Day, I will be there with my wife to support the lads come what may (unless it's called off...) so my Christmas wish is for Big Sam to find a few goals in the bottom of his stocking because we need them more than anything.

[abbzy]

We have nothing going forward, our number 1 striker has scored 1 premiership goal in his whole career and that was an open net from 2 years that maybe shouldn't have been given. Our playmaker is Paul Robinson and that's why we will struggle massively, people say, we battered them, we were on top etc, but the ball being launched in their box isn't creating an opening, other teams actually work the ball and then create a chance and thats why we struggle to score

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

We have nothing going forward, our number 1 striker has scored 1 premiership goal in his whole career and that was an open net from 2 years that maybe shouldn't have been given. Our playmaker is Paul Robinson and that's why we will struggle massively, people say, we battered them, we were on top etc, but the ball being launched in their box isn't creating an opening, other teams actually work the ball and then create a chance and thats why we struggle to score

Just watched the other goals from yesterday on sky sport. We all know how hard it is to defend crosses when opponents get to or up the bye-line, yesterday there was quite a few goal stemming from that position. If you want to know why we don't score you only have to look at that lack of quality balls coming in from the flanks.

[abbzy]

Just watched the other goals from yesterday on sky sport. We all know how hard it is to defend crosses when opponents get to or up the bye-line, yesterday there was quite a few goal stemming from that position. If you want to know why we don't score you only have to look at that lack of quality balls coming in from the flanks.

The only balls that do go in their box are from our keeper, we have nobody who can actually pass it about and then bring our wingers into the game in good positions. My friends who aren't rovers fans text me after the Birmingham game saying they genuinely thought Bolton played more football under Allardyce than we do now, i wouldnt mind if we were winning and it was horrible to watch, but at minute its just embarassing

[Miker]

Wrong on both counts.

We were turned over by a poor Spurs side that offered very little

That tells me our performance wasn't up to scratch and therefore not satisfactory.

Do the math.

That's such a ridiculous statement. "Satisfactory" can mean anything. It was satsifactory in terms of effort levels and tactics, it wasn't satisfactory in terms of us being unable to convert chances. We are too exposed against teams with pace, and there's not much we can do.