[Archived] Blackburn Rovers V Tottenham Hotspur

[gumboots]

Bit picky Ossy ... Spurs 5th with 30 points, Rovers 12th on 19 points. We lost to Big Club on Tuesday and Spurs won against Man City on Wednesday (looking ruddy good in the process). If "on fire" is too scary to deal with then they're ticking over nicely.

Hey, I did pick us for a win though

Won't be here for this one as we're off to Germany tomorrow. Merry Christmas everyone and hopefully a few goals and points from Rovers to celebrate when I get back

[Tom]

All the best Gumboots, have a safe and enjoyable trip, I'm sure you will.

[bob fleming]

The midfield must consist of Dunn, N'Zonzi, Grella and Hoilett.

Starts for KA, Diouf or Pederson (or any number of them) will just not be good enough.

Roberts should be on the bench to be used only in an emergency.

Totally agree. Unfortunately I doubt it will happen. I think Dunn is still injured judging by by what he said on SSN. Diouf for me is finished, no pace, nothing. Pedersen isn't far behind (weak as water) - but at least he can take a throw in eh? Never fails (to impress or be effective). I can't knock Keef as at least he tries and keeps himself fit (but bloody hell...).

Meanwhile Bert is injured again and Reidy who was on loan at QPR but was sent back is injured (or was, then probably got fit again, but is now probably injured again. Probably). Fortunately we have Keef (II) Treacy back from Sheff Utd shortly so that's an option. Mind you the boy Olllssson could probably get a run out on the wing in my mind at any rate.

Anyway, I'll not get started on the forwards, the point is we don't have much at our disposal do we? It was crap on Tuesday, we were bloody awful, yet we could have nicked a draw if some gormless defender hadn't blocked Nicola's header.

We'll beat Spurs though, they don't like it up 'em. Bunch of soft southern, shandy drinking, cliche riddled, jelly eel eating, gentlemen.

Whatever happened to David Bentley by the way? Wasn't he in the England squad once upon a time? If only he played for a proper football club eh? (who had a couple of bob to rub together, he might be giving Lennon a run for his money).

[USABlue]

I feel a hiding coming here if Sam persists with his ignorant team selections.

[Blue n White Rover]

First reaction was to predict a stonking loss at home. They're on fire and we aren't. Player for player they're stronger and in most positions they are an order of magnitude faster. Added to the downside I'll be sitting with a relative who is travelling up for the game - a mad spuds supporter - and when we watch this tie together we always lose and he gives me grief.

However ...

I don't think spuds will press us like Big Club did which means we will perform a lot better. If they stand off us we could even get a result.

If I was Sam I'd tell Givet to invest in a yellow card and give Lennon a few really heavy tackles early on. Same for whoever is marking up Defoe (pun intended).

Give them something to stay deep for by playing Di Santo and Kalinic with Hoilett providing the ammo. If we drop off them with our keef pointing at space they'll be through us like a dose of salts.

Confident though that Sam will make the right choices and with our crowd noise we will win this 2:1.

Exactly, get booked in the first 10 minutes of the match and then back off Lennon all through out the game allowing him to use his pace against you, wise idea!

Ask Olsson what happened when he invested in one of them yellows!

[salothsar]

Will Duuny be fit ? With him we've got a good chance, without not a hope in hell. Even less than that if any of the 3 already mentioned start, or Roberts for that matter.

[Mr. E]

Unless Grella, Emerton and Dunn are injured there is really no excuse for even including Diouf and Pedersen in the squad even. IF BFS hasn't learned by now that they are finished, there really is no hope.

Trio attack of Dunn/Benni behind Di Santo and Kalinic too please. 2 upfront simply is not enough for us.

[roversfan1]

Im going for 1-1 here as Im not convinced by their defence and their keeper is still quite ropey so we could pressurise him early on from set pieces so we can score, it just depends on whether we can keep them out at the other end!

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

After watching Spurs last night I'm slightly worried that their superior midfield will destroy our pathetic one, especially if EHD and Peds play.

Sat here shuddering at the thought of it

[G Somerset Rover]

If two or more of EDH, Roberts, MGP & Keef start (one is excusable in the event that Grella, Emerton & Dunn are all out) we may as well hold the white flag up before a ball is kicked. I will be furious if more than one of these imposter's plays. If I had my way EHD & Roberts imparticularly would be attempting to run around with the under 18's at Brockhall this weekend with the back tail of my size 11's still hanging out of their arses.

By the way you are damn right blue n wite rover. If Givet is as predicted to be deployed at left back a yellow card early on against Lennon is more or less a red given his inferior pace to the chav. I would suggest Olsson at left back with his pace..

..or maybe not.

[RoyRover]

This is a really big game and one which we have to be positive with. We've done quite well at home against Spurs over the past few years, if my memory serves me correctly. They should have stuffed us last year, but somehow we got a win, which went a long way to keeping us up. No matter who plays, special attention has to be given to Aaron Lennon. It's plain to see what he did to Erik Edman and Sylvinho when the left back was isolated one on one. As other people have said, unless there are injuries then the likes of Pedersen, Roberts and Diouf should not start. They offer nothing to the team. Spurs are a quick side, so having Hoilett starting is a must IMO. I wouldn't play Olsson at left back either to try and counteract Lennon's pace, as he got torn to shreads last year by the guy at White Hart Lane. I have a real hatred of Spurs and would like nothing better than giving them a good beating as an early Christmas present.

[Hughesy]

Once again this weekend I will be keeping an eye on your result and hoping that you can do us a favour, you haven't helped us out much lately but fingers crossed you can on Saturday.

What is drawing with Liverpool not good enough for you!?

As for the game - we need to stop lennon - to do that I would play Chimbonda at left back, with Ollson on the left wing as we need someone to help out with pace.

Id play Salgado at right back - he will stop Krancjar.

Next step Samba to stop defoe. Our midfield is key to this game - they need to be willing to battle with Palacios or we will be in trouble.

[waggy]

if dunny is not on the pitch i expect a hammering,if he is i can see us scoring,powder puff in attack we need to take our chances,i expect 1 up front which will make hughsey happy

[joey_big_nose]

What is drawing with Liverpool not good enough for you!?

As for the game - we need to stop lennon - to do that I would play Chimbonda at left back, with Ollson on the left wing as we need someone to help out with pace.

Id play Salgado at right back - he will stop Krancjar.

Next step Samba to stop defoe. Our midfield is key to this game - they need to be willing to battle with Palacios or we will be in trouble.

Olsson should get a start now on left wing. He cannot be worse than Pedersen or Diouf. Team i would go for:-

----------------------Di Santo

------Olsson---------Dunn--------Hoilett

-------------------Grella-----NZonzi

Chimbonda---Nelsen-----Samba----Salgado

-----------------------Robinson

If Grella is not fit I would bring Salgado into midfield and play Jacobsen at RB. If Dunn is not fit I would start McCarthy. Pedersen, Diouf and Anderws should get nowhere near the first team.

[G Somerset Rover]

Similar to what line-up I'd play, but surely Kalinic has to start Joey? He was the only positive from Tuesday for me.

Edit: And where's Samba?!

[The Rover of Finland]

We should do the same than against Chelski and start with three strikers. Emerton is out and our wingers are useless. If it´s 4-4-2 I´d test Olsson on left. Hoilett on right side. Does anyone else think Chimbonda would do well as a winger?

[Amo]

I don't think Sam will be as experimental as to give Olsson a shot out-wide. But then again, predicting the lottery is easier than predicting Sam's selections.

Robinson

Salgado - Samba - Givet - Chimbonda

Hoilett - Grella - N'Zonzi

McCarthy

Di Santo - Kalinic.

[Hughesy]

Dunn out.......and Emerton.....and Reid - Ring any bells?!

[herbergeehh]

Robinson

Jacobsen - Samba - Givet - Chimbonda

Hoilett - Grella - N'Zonzi

McCarthy

Di Santo - Kalinic.

That's the team I would go for, although I think it's far more likely to be Andrews in midfield instead of Hoilett - regardless of the performance he made on Tuesday, which really broadened all the borders I thought he had.. Alternatively, we won't see all three strikers, and just play with two wingers. As long as Hoilett is one of them, we'll be ok.

[waggy]

i'm getting worried about dunnys injury now

[joey_big_nose]

Dunn out.......and Emerton.....and Reid - Ring any bells?!

Does that mean Grella is definately available?

Just read Rovers.co.uk - Grella is back.

[TimmyJimmy]

Exactly, get booked in the first 10 minutes of the match and then back off Lennon all through out the game allowing him to use his pace against you, wise idea!

Ask Olsson what happened when he invested in one of them yellows!

Know what you mean but I intended it to be read with a modicum common sense, guess it's my own fault for saying 'early on'. It's rare to get booked for a first foul and I'm not advocating career ending challenges. A couple of good 'strong' tackles are needed to take the wind out of his sails, he's far to confident right now and we don't want him thinking he can take the p*ss do we?

Givet's good but if Lennons on song he's going past him - Givet will sit back anyway so no difference in getting a card and then sitting back.

Maybe a few simple words would do instead like "... welcome to Ewood Lennon, if you take the p*ss I'm going to cut you in two, your call" - gives him something to think about. Although "...Bienvenue à Ewood Lennon, si vous prenez l'urine je vais vous couper dans deux, votre appel" may go over the lad's head

[mellison24]

I got the spade out today. It'll be in use tomorrow should there be extra snow tonight and the under-soil heating fails (as it did last time there was little snow-warning, which was a home game against sunderland on the 28th Dec in 2006, i think)

[T4E]

Seriously think I'm going to give this one a miss. If the players can't be arsed, neither can I.

[mellison24]

Seriously think I'm going to give this one a miss. If the players can't be arsed, neither can I.

But was it not just Diouf and Pedersen that CBA? I thougt the rest seemed to at least try at brum and just played shyte.