[Archived] Groundhog January - Rovers V Villa

[Steve Moss]

Guys:

1. It's only the first half. Recently Rovers have been a team of two halves, so let's wait until the end of the match before we put on the sack clothe and ashes.

2. We don't have a lot of depth. Sam had to focus on either today or Tuesday. I think he made the right choice.

3. We need to see how Reid, Olson, etc. (and even Dunn) will perform. By the end of the match, we'll have a better idea where they stand. As will Sam and, more importantly, the board.

4. We are losing to Villa at home. Even worse case it's not like a League One team thrashed us at Ewood, which is they way some are behaving.

[Tim Southampton Rover]

Everyone keep calm and remember it is all about Tuesday. No one will care about the third round of the FA cup when we're headed to Wembley.

Just try to contain the damage...

Unfortunately what we've seen in the last month or so means Tuesdays game looks like another guaranteed win for Villa.

[RoverRich]

Why a midfielder on for a striker when we are already 2-0 down?? I don't understand that move...

[RibbleValleyRover]

In bed ill with the Norovirus so i thought i would listen to the game on Radio Lancs, pointless though as the usual Rovers have turned up.

Poor defending/marking and no creativity, the story of our season really.

I'm not a big fan of the overrated diver that is Young, but he shows what we are clearly missing, someone who can put a decent ball into the box. We haven't got a player in the whole squad who can put a decent ball into the box, its a complete joke.

Everyone keep calm and remember it is all about Tuesday. No one will care about the third round of the FA cup when we're headed to Wembley.

Your living in cloud cuckoo land if you think we stand a chance on Tuesday, this has to be the most impotent Rovers side in years.

[stuwilky]

The way some people carry on on this forum it is as if they WANT us to lose.

Get a grip.

[super_arran]

Interesting man management going on here, put two young, unconfident strikers in a team which can't win...nice one Sam should do their confidence a power of good.

Yeh because keeping them on the bench and not giving them a chance will do them the world of good.

Get your sam hating hat off will you.

[ihtd]

Tuesday night IMO will define the rest of our season.

Lose and lose badly and I think a lot of fans will turn on Sam & possibly the board (not saying its the right thing to do etc but it is likely to happen with the amount of discontent around at the moment)

Win and go onto make the final, our season could be turned around and give us that confidence that is clearly missing at the moment. Also being in a cup final or the possibility of one might make an extra loan signing possible from one of the top four (along the lines of Ramsey/from abroad) to give us a bit of creativity in the middle of the park.

Still raging about today though!

[Anti-Dingle-Brigade]

We're playing a reserve team here, people seriously expect us to beat such a strong Villa team?

It's all about the CC.

[ABBEY]

That's what happens when you completely change your backline. Fair play to Sam for giving the youngsters a go, but you have to expect a complete mess defensively if you change your back four and keeper and that's not something you want to happen against Villa.

i "unignored " you last week when i sent you a link,think its time to turn on again.

why is it fair play for playing a weak team in the FA cup?

[AggyBlue]

Good to see our extended first team squad upon which we're lavishing 46m of our 50m turnover coming up trumps again..........

Yep, we could get the same results spending a fraction of that

[Stuart]

Why a midfielder on for a striker when we are already 2-0 down?? I don't understand that move...

Sacrificed Di Santo for the numpty Diouf. 4-4-1.

[ABBEY]

We're playing a reserve team here, people seriously expect us to beat such a strong Villa team?

It's all about the CC.

so the fa cup doesnt matter?

[RevidgeBlue]

4. We are losing to Villa at home. Even worse case it's not like a League One team thrashed us at Ewood, which is they way some are behaving.

True, but is it too much to ask for us to be well organised and hard to break down?

I expected us to lose just about today, but I expected us to be competitive and for it to be a tight game.

Not game over after 30 mins. It's Anfield, and the Emirates all over again.

[Tom]

Yeh because keeping them on the bench and not giving them a chance will do them the world of good.

Get your sam hating hat off will you.

Agree, one thing Sam can't be criticised for today is the front two, it's what 90% would have gone with and rightly so for me

[Anti-Dingle-Brigade]

so the fa cup doesnt matter?

NOPE.

[ihtd]

We're playing a reserve team here, people seriously expect us to beat such a strong Villa team?

It's all about the CC.

I don't think it's a case of beating Villa, I think it's a case of us fans at least expecting a performance and some effort (both players & manager). I really am not that fussed if we get beat as long as we don't have idiots like Diouf getting straight reds out of frustration. No shots on target in 45 mins shows just how poor a side we really are.

Even with our full-strength team available we would struggle to beat them over two legs and thats not me being pessimistic or anti-Sam, its me just being realistic. Give a good performance that gives us something to build upon for a change!

[Bobby G]

People are pushing it a tad bit I think to suggest that a loss on Tuesday and there will be a huge turn around against the manager.

If there is, it will be counter-productive, because unlike with Ince, we will be into the second half of the season, and our board are not a sacking board as we know.

[bobsterbrfc]

Sam is down in the dug-out now. Not hiding away in the stands to be fair.

[Blue n White Rover]

The side we have put out is one without our 2 main centre halves. Samba in my opinion would have dealt with both Ashley Young crosses, and providing we started with McCarthy, he would have been more likely to tuck away the penalty.

Tuesday night will be completely different to this dross we have put out today. If not then it's time to get rid of the expert.

If we are to get to Wembeley, we need to have a healthy lead going into the 2nd Leg, because our away form is shocking!!!

[Guest Kamy100]

Lets hope the players fight in the second half and make it hard for Villa. The squad is not good enough, Sam has given the fringe players a chance and they have not

performed, the priority is clearly Tuesday.

[Stuart]

Sam will always have detractors no matter what he does. It's partly down to the old adage that "you can't please all of the people all of the time" but mainly because he isn't winning games.

I'd like to see us try to have a settled side not keep chopping and changing each week. But if he was to do that, he'd be carpeted for leaving so-and-so on the bench game after game.

Damned if he does and damned if he doesn't.

As a number of posters have said, today isn't the important one. If anything it'd be good if Villa come to Ewood on Tuesday expecting to give us a good tugging, might breed complacency.

Here's hoping!

[Bobby G]

We will need a 2 goal lead I would reckon.

[broadsword]

Tuesday night will be completely different to this dross we have put out today. If not then it's time to get rid of the expert.

Are you saying we've put a side out to lose today?

If so, I think it's disgraceful to give up a game before it's even been played.

[Tom]

People are pushing it a tad bit I think to suggest that a loss on Tuesday and there will be a huge turn around against the manager.

If there is, it will be counter-productive, because unlike with Ince, we will be into the second half of the season, and our board are not a sacking board as we know.

What I mean is its all well and good sacrificing the FA cup for the semi if we go on to win it, if we go out meekly a lot of people wont be impressed.

The good thing is league form and all the rest means nothing on Tuesday, if we really want it I think we can win it.

[John]

As being rested today, at least Keith Andrews will be "fresh" and ready for the big one on Tuesday....