[Archived] Groundhog January - Rovers V Villa

[Tom]

We scored and had a penalty save must have been more than one on target

I think the postive second half performance has spared Sam from a potentially embarassing interview

[AggyBlue]

We scored and had a penalty save must have been more than one on target

I think the postive second half performance has spared Sam from a potentially embarassing interview

BBC stats, not mine

[modes98]

10 games without a win means new manager time.

I seriously doubt it.

Who would you like to bring in? Sparky is the only decent one around and I doubt he would come back, he spotted the problems coming and jumped ship.

We were awful first half but second half with 10 men put in a good display. Another goal for Kalinic is a great bonus. It also showed that playing 6 defenders was a good move and don't ask me why or how.

Bring on Tuesday, we need a lead to take back to VP.

[Alan75]

If we'd have scored ours and they had missed theirs, we'd have got a replay.

Still never mind eh - the world's best cup competition was finished once the FA allowed clubs to play reserve sides.

The FA Cup died the day that Man Utd were allowed to dropped out to play in the World Championnship Micky Mouse Cup.

[RevidgeBlue]

haha thats funny

It's also funny (strange) how no wins in thirteen for Ince mean people want to string him up in front of the Town Hall, no wins in ten for Sam and it just doesn't seem to register or matter!

[sweet]

It's also funny (strange) how no wins in thirteen for Ince mean people want to string him up in front of the Town Hall, no wins in ten for Sam and it just doesn't seem to register or matter!

Give it another 3 games without a win - and I am sure it will be a different story.

[Blue blood]

We would not have won this competition with the squad we have at our disposal. With a potential Carling Cup final on the horizon and a battle for premiership survival on our hands you'd have to be a fool to want more games added to the list.

Going on that mentality we might as well throw in the towel for the League Cup games, as all 3 other teams still in have far superior squads to ours.

A couple of easy draws a la our league cup run and we could find ourselves going far in the competition. Add in the extra revenue, prestige etc. and the fact it is the aim to win football games!

Added to which if today's team could get a draw against Villa, at times it briefly looked possible, then they could do the same and beat them if the same players were used in the replay. This is before you factor in that a draw would've deflated Villa mentally before tuesdays game as they would have rightly felt that they threw it away, as well as giving our players a moral boost. Clearly a draw would've been advantageous to us going into the semi final.

Finally, as Sam and others need to suss out: forfitting or sacrificing one game does NOT guarentee that you win another one.

[BRFC1995]

We would not have won this competition with the squad we have at our disposal. With a potential Carling Cup final on the horizon and a battle for premiership survival on our hands you'd have to be a fool to want more games added to the list.

agree totally, even at my most optimistic i could'nt see us winning this cup, 2 teams today with far bigger priorities than this match.

that said we had/have a poor side playing and we really can't sign players quick enough right now..........as long as i live i never want to see mort, ollsen or diouf in a rovers shirt again utter cack, and the di santo experiment still carries on fruitlessly. at least it was'nt a league game.

[dazmaz]

It's also funny (strange) how no wins in thirteen for Ince mean people want to string him up in front of the Town Hall, no wins in ten for Sam and it just doesn't seem to register or matter!

but wasnt it 10 straight losses for ince? where as with sam we have drawn alot

[John]

but wasnt it 10 straight losses for ince? where as with sam we have drawn alot

Are we cast adrift near the bottom of the table yet?

[tony gale's mic]

It's also funny (strange) how no wins in thirteen for Ince mean people want to string him up in front of the Town Hall, no wins in ten for Sam and it just doesn't seem to register or matter!

What utter rubbish. I'm as concerned as anyone at our recent form and think some of Sam's choices have been questionable.

But there's some crucial differences which should be plainly obvious.

Firstly Ince hadn't saved us from relegation the season before with the sort of form over the second half of a season which wasnt far from a European place, proving he can do a good job with our club.

Secondly Ince had never previously succeeded at the top level or even close. Sam had.

Thirdly Ince had us in the relegation and several points from safety. Sam has us looking nervously over our shoulder but that's about it.

And saying it doesnt register or matter?! Have you seen some of the comments on here lately?

[Denis_B]

Blue blood wrote.....'Added to which if today's team could get a draw against Villa, at times it briefly looked possible, then they could do the same and beat them if the same players were used in the replay'

Villas side will change to include Friedel, Luke Young, Dunne, Petrov, Milner, Agbonlahor and Heskey......it won't be anything like the same side or tactics.

[DE.]

Going on that mentality we might as well throw in the towel for the League Cup games, as all 3 other teams still in have far superior squads to ours.

A couple of easy draws a la our league cup run and we could find ourselves going far in the competition. Add in the extra revenue, prestige etc. and the fact it is the aim to win football games!

Added to which if today's team could get a draw against Villa, at times it briefly looked possible, then they could do the same and beat them if the same players were used in the replay. This is before you factor in that a draw would've deflated Villa mentally before tuesdays game as they would have rightly felt that they threw it away, as well as giving our players a moral boost. Clearly a draw would've been advantageous to us going into the semi final.

Finally, as Sam and others need to suss out: forfitting or sacrificing one game does NOT guarentee that you win another one.

There's a facebook petition you may want to join.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Sam has us looking nervously over our shoulder but that's about it.

Well aren't we the lucky ones....yes,thats about it!

[andyroversmad]

I've been told you are;)

[Amo]

What utter rubbish. I'm as concerned as anyone at our recent form and think some of Sam's choices have been questionable.

But there's some crucial differences which should be plainly obvious.

Firstly Ince hadn't saved us from relegation the season before with the sort of form over the second half of a season which wasnt far from a European place, proving he can do a good job with our club.

Secondly Ince had never previously succeeded at the top level or even close. Sam had.

Thirdly Ince had us in the relegation and several points from safety. Sam has us looking nervously over our shoulder but that's about it.

And saying it doesnt register or matter?! Have you seen some of the comments on here lately?

For once, some realism and sense on this topic. I wouldn't mind Revidge, he was a negative ninny before the season and that doesn't look like changing anytime soon. I don't think any of us would say Sam is doing a breathtaking job, but comparisons with Ince are seriously out of touch.

[Blue blood]

There's a facebook petition you may want to join.

Umm, I don't think so. Think that's rather childish, and don't rate your suggestion that I might want to either.

My disagreement was with your statement that it's better to loose this match then get a replay. For the reasons I outlined - both for the semi final, our season in general, and heck for the sake of winning football games and pleasing the fans - I disagree strongly with that. That was my contention with your post, nothing against Sam or you personally.

Also I hardly think that any criticism of Sam or the team at present means that I am anti-Sam. I'm not happy with how things are going at present, but realise the progress Sam has made, that he got us out of the soup last season and that there's no one better we could get at the moment.

TGM sums it up very well imo, and would be where I stand too, although I'm somewhat more vocal about my concerns over our current run of form.

[RevidgeBlue]

For once, some realism and sense on this topic. I wouldn't mind Revidge, he was a negative ninny before the season and that doesn't look like changing anytime soon. I don't think any of us would say Sam is doing a breathtaking job, but comparisons with Ince are seriously out of touch.

My pre season prediction based on our performances last season was that we'd finish 17th. At the moment that doesn't look too far wide of the mark. How does potentially being right make me negative?

I'm just worried we'll finish even worse than that and we will do IF we carry on in our current form.

[walk down bolton road]

It's also funny (strange) how no wins in thirteen for Ince mean people want to string him up in front of the Town Hall, no wins in ten for Sam and it just doesn't seem to register or matter!

It registers and matters Revidge the question is how long before everyone else realises what a serious situation we are in.We bury our heads in the sand at our peril.

[bubblerrovers]

I love going on this site to be with other Rovers fans, but 90% of people on here are either stupid or know nothing about football. Why get rid of Big Sam?? Jose Mourinhio could come in and we'd still an awful team with no quality. THERE IS NO MONEY!!!! MONEY BUYS QUALITY. Sam is the best sort of manager for this club, end of.

[Steve Moss]

Five good things from today's game.

1. Kalinic knows he can score against Villa. Which should do wonders for his confidence on the balance of Villa's January matches.

2. Olson was excellent.

3. MGP boosted his sale value.

4. Dunn has to be smarting, which means he should come roaring out of the gates come Tuesday.

5. EHD won't be near the bench for the next three games.

[alexanders]

Five good things from today's game.

1. Kalinic knows he can score against Villa. Which should do wonders for his confidence on the balance of Villa's January matches.

2. Olson was excellent.

3. MGP boosted his sale value.

4. Dunn has to be smarting, which means he should come roaring out of the gates come Tuesday.

5. EHD won't be near the bench for the next three games.

Excellent post.

Was Olsson excellent defensively / offensively or both?

I have always been a shy admirer of the swede. He has something about him and it wasnt his fault that Incey put him up against Lennon. A lot of full backs would have a nightmare against him.

[Anti-Dingle-Brigade]

I'm pretty sure Guzan will be playing in the CC, Denis_B. He's apparently always used in cup competitions. I'm sure Trent or somebody else can clarify.

[TrentVilla]

I'm pretty sure Guzan will be playing in the CC, Denis_B. He's apparently always used in cup competitions. I'm sure Trent or somebody else can clarify.

Correct mate. As I said in the (we've got a semi on thread) Guzan plays all our League Cup matches and by the look of things today now our FA Cup matches as well. We've high hopes for the lad, very promising prospect.

[DE.]

Umm, I don't think so. Think that's rather childish, and don't rate your suggestion that I might want to either.

My disagreement was with your statement that it's better to loose this match then get a replay. For the reasons I outlined - both for the semi final, our season in general, and heck for the sake of winning football games and pleasing the fans - I disagree strongly with that. That was my contention with your post, nothing against Sam or you personally.

Also I hardly think that any criticism of Sam or the team at present means that I am anti-Sam. I'm not happy with how things are going at present, but realise the progress Sam has made, that he got us out of the soup last season and that there's no one better we could get at the moment.

TGM sums it up very well imo, and would be where I stand too, although I'm somewhat more vocal about my concerns over our current run of form.

I voted 'no' on the Allardyce poll so I'm not thrilled with the direction we're going in myself, but I don't think this game is anything to get majorly concerned about.

We can't compete on three fronts. If you think we can, you're underestimating the impact the extra games would have on our thin team. I think there is a general overestimation of both the prestiege of the FA cup and the benefits of staying in the competition. It would only really benefit us if we got to the semis, which I just don't see happening. Our focus has to be premiership survival and if we can get to the final of the Carling Cup then fantastic. It sounds like we gave it a go today with a radically changed team, and were playing a good Villa team away from home with ten men for much of the game.

Bring on tuesday, it's a shame we didn't progress today but it was not a game I expected us to win. As somebody said earlier in the thread, maybe next year. We're not equipped to do the job this year.