[Archived] Villa Semi Final Match Preview

[RevidgeBlue]

Surely the more snow there is now/overnight the LESS treacherous it will be underfoor outside the ground?

The only issue then will be if people travelling from a distance away can get there on the roads?

Or am I reading it wrong there?

[martonrover]

Surely the more snow there is now/overnight the LESS treacherous it will be underfoor outside the ground?

The only issue then will be if people travelling from a distance away can get there on the roads?

Or am I reading it wrong there?

If it snows tonight and then freezes it will be treacherous.

[daveoftherovers]

I was at United Vs Leeds yesterday, approx 75,000 people. The surrounding roads and streets were an absolute nightmare.

Game went on as i am sure you know !

All very well but the attendance at OT was only 1/2 of that being allocated to "The Pink" (As my mate from Birmingham calls them) for the game at Ewood.

Anyway, I think the weather will play into our hands here:

My Theory:

Match is delayed due to all 6 lanes of the M6 being handed over to the Villa fans, travelling problems, Health & Safety police & a Climate Change Demo (As this weather is all the proof they need)

Anyway, due to the delay, our players get it in their minds that they are going out for the 2nd half and ACTUALLY TURN UP, as a result we find ourselves with clear blue water at 1/2 time

Enthusiasm conquers depression and we play free flowing attacking football, BS says **** it, the fan's DEMAND attacking football, this is what we shall give them

MON can't explain it, he's like that coach in "The Waterboy" in the 1st half without his coaching manual, he's at a complete loss

We sing non stop and don't have to endure Villa's 2 songs as we keep a clean sheet

Coyle buggers off to Bolton and a nice evening is rounded off with a lock in!

Well? Any mileage in it or shall I go back to the skunk? :-)

If it snows tonight and then freezes it will be treacherous.

That's nothing!

What happens if it rains ball bearings & small landmines, then it rains, snows, and hell freezes over and then it snows again?

Now that would be REALLY f***ing treacherous wouldn't it?

[grizfoot]

"They (the fans) are going to determine whether we get there or not," he admitted.

Seems to me he is just asking for the fans to back the team and to big up how much influence they can have.

He even goes on to say...

"If we haven't got them cheering us on, particularly as they did in the second half against Sunderland (on 28 December) when we weren't playing so well; it was their help that lifted us to get a draw."

That is great to hear from a Rovers manager. Bigging up the fans and saying how important their support is.

Can't win with some whatever he says, can he?

It is a cup semi final...our most important game since the Chelsea semi at Old Trafford! A trip to the new Wembley up for grabs!

In the Sunderland game I heard booing when the ball was passed back to Robinson from the kick-off which ironically resulted in the Pedersen goal.

It was just the wording of the phrase 'the fans will detemrine whether we win or not', that's totally incorrect to say that, yes fans have an influence but to say they can determine the outcome on the pitch is a bit over the top in my opinion. Arguably the best performance of the season was against Chelsea when there wasn't many people watching at all.

[broadsword]

I think it's just the way he expresses himself - or I hope it is.

Let's give him the benefit of the doubt and say that what he actually meant was that the fans could help us over the line.

Surely he wouldn't blame the fans if we lost?

[den]

In the Sunderland game I heard booing when the ball was passed back to Robinson from the kick-off which ironically resulted in the Pedersen goal.**

It was just the wording of the phrase 'the fans will detemrine whether we win or not', that's totally incorrect to say that, yes fans have an influence but to say they can determine the outcome on the pitch is a bit over the top in my opinion. Arguably the best performance of the season was against Chelsea when there wasn't many people watching at all.

and arguably you and others are just looking for things to pick up on. To say that the crowd has no bearing on the results is wide of the mark. Good vocal support quite often [not always] lifts the team. That's all he was saying.

** that was Andrews who did it twice simply because he didn't know what else to do with it.

[FourLaneBlue]

In the Sunderland game I heard booing when the ball was passed back to Robinson from the kick-off which ironically resulted in the Pedersen goal.

It was just the wording of the phrase 'the fans will detemrine whether we win or not', that's totally incorrect to say that, yes fans have an influence but to say they can determine the outcome on the pitch is a bit over the top in my opinion. Arguably the best performance of the season was against Chelsea when there wasn't many people watching at all.

Well...I didn't see that. I think you would have to be looking for that kind of interpretation and wanting to believe it to come up with how you perceive it.

Seriously...Sam has come out with some crap at times...the expert comment being the biggest of his own goals...but I really don't think this is one of them.

[thenodrog]

Went for my ticket today lunchtime and I was suprised at how little effort both the club and the council had put in to melt/combat the ice and snow. The entire area is treacherous as a result of yesterdays freeze/thaw /freeze. I must say that if it was my responsibility there is no way that I would allow the match to go on.

[RevidgeBlue]

"They (the fans) are going to determine whether we get there or not," he admitted.

Seems to me he is just asking for the fans to back the team and to big up how much influence they can have.

Can't win with some whatever he says, can he?

He's not saying that at all though is he?

He's said that whether we get through or not is dependant on the level of support tomorrow night. If the crowd's poor, bob's your uncle, ready made excuse for a poor performance.

Whether he meant it to come out like that I don't know but it is a very unfortunate turn of phrase imo.

That said everyone, myself included, seems to be starting to dissect every single word Sam utters on anything the way they did with Ince. That's probably a reflection on poor performances and results but nevertheless it isn't good and it's really only performances and results on the pitch that matter. I can't for example see the point in making a big issue of what he said about Diouf.

Everyone will soon be complaining about the cut/colour of the managers suit again if we carry on down that road.

[RevidgeBlue]

Went for my ticket today lunchtime and I was suprised at how little effort both the club and the council had put in to melt/combat the ice and snow. The entire area is treacherous as a result of yesterdays freeze/thaw /freeze. I must say that if it was my responsibility there is no way that I would allow the match to go on.

I would imagine there are potential liability issues if you try a half hearted attempt at gritting a public highway yourself and someone slips and hurts themselves.

That said you would have thought the Council/Rovers/Sky could have come to some arrangement to grit the area properly between them.

Do the Council want a successful team and advert for the town or not?

[Paul]

Worryingly,I've just read an article from a midlands paper saying that a date of Thursday 14th has been pencilled in if the game is postponed tomorrow.

Not great coming three days after a Prem away game,(and two days before the next league game,unless that is put back 24 hours).

No different from plaing Saturday and then Tuesday, though I agree the next game would be coming up very quickly.

If the Wigan game was able to go ahead I can't see any reason, at present, for postponing the game.

[KingCrip]

I have tickets for the game tomorrow and was planning on traveling down from Cumbria - how are the roads around Ewood and coming in from the M6 J31? Even better if anyone has been over Shap today? Have to drive back after the game and I really dont fancy getting stick in the car over night! If the games not cancelled would there be any chance of a refund?

Many thanks.

[FourLaneBlue]

He's not saying that at all though is he?

He's said that whether we get through or not is dependant on the level of support tomorrow night. If the crowd's poor, bob's your uncle, ready made excuse for a poor performance.

Whether he meant it to come out like that I don't know but it is a very unfortunate turn of phrase imo.

No...that is not necessarily "what he is saying". That is your interpretation if it. Could well be two different things. To be honest...you could well be right. However you don't know that anymore than if one of the other interpretations is correct.

I think too much is being read into it. Losing "is dependant on the level of support tomorrow night"...it just doesn't make sense does it? It would just be a strange thing to say more than anything. I do personally think he was trying to say that crowd backing is very important and it was basically a cry for support. It obviously was not very well expressed.

Unfortunately it is a weakness of Sam. The English language is not always his friend. Time and again he says things which can be interpreted in different ways and at times negatively. If his word usage was a bit more skillful at times we might not be scrutinising every damn word he says.

[Paul]

M6 is fine. M65 was tricky this morning between junctions 3 and 4 as eastbound traffic was struggling on the incline after junction 3.

[RevidgeBlue]

Unfortunately it is a weakness of Sam. The English language is not always his friend. Time and again he says things which can interpreted in different ways and at times negatively. If his word usagewas a bit more skilfull at times we might not be scrutinising every damn word he says.

To be fair to Sam, I wouldn't say that, the vast majority of the time he is pretty fluent with the media.

If his recent results were better we wouldn't be giving 2 hoots what he said before/afterwards.

Here's hoping that starts tomorrow night.

[FourLaneBlue]

That said everyone, myself included, seems to be starting to dissect every single word Sam utters on anything the way they did with Ince. That's probably a reflection on poor performances and results but nevertheless it isn't good and it's really only performances and results on the pitch that matter. I can't for example see the point in making a big issue of what he said about Diouf.

Everyone will soon be complaining about the cut/colour of the managers suit again if we carry on down that road.

Ever since Hughes seemed to make it surreptitiously known he was interested in the Newcastle job the club seems to have been shrouded in negativity. The club, the team, the tactics, the fans. This lifted a bit at the end of last season but seems to be back with a vengeance.

[philipl]

BBC's preview and manager video clips

I was beginning to wonder if this was the Met Office rather than a football semi-final discussion thread.

[FourLaneBlue]

To be fair to Sam, I wouldn't say that, the vast majority of the time he is pretty fluent with the media.

Is the vast majority of the time enough though? How many times do we hear the "expert" comments on here? Ad nauseum. Bet Incey wincey wished he never made his relegation quip either...

If his recent results were better we wouldn't be giving 2 hoots what he said before/afterwards.

True enough to an extent. However, even in the top half some will not be happy with Sam. For some inexplicable reason some people just cannot stand the man. There isn't any one explanation for this, and I can see his negative aspects, but the level of antipathy from Sam is hard to fathom.

[Tris]

Went for my ticket today lunchtime and I was suprised at how little effort both the club and the council had put in to melt/combat the ice and snow. The entire area is treacherous as a result of yesterdays freeze/thaw /freeze. I must say that if it was my responsibility there is no way that I would allow the match to go on.

Was down at Ewood just after 7 tonight, Rovers seem to have done their bit as the immediate perimeter / ticket office area looked mainly clear.

Kidder St and Nuttall St weren't though and when I drove back around 8 the falling snow was settling on Branch Road.

BwDC have clearly decided that minimal gritting is required through this cold spell, and nothing at all for pavements and side streets - as I posted earlier, they haven't bothered to touch our estate at all, so we've still got the stuff that fell on December 20th (and since) forming a nice icy base for this latest snowfall, and about 1/4 of a mile to reach the nearest (poorly) treated road.

If the game does get pulled because BwDC have failed to prepare the surrounding area properly then it is an outrage - it will cost the club money because the council has failed.

[McAds]

Blackburn reckon the game will definitely go ahead.

[Paul]

edit

BBC's preview and manager video clips

I was beginning to wonder if this was the Met Office rather than a football semi-final discussion thread.

People get over excited. It snowed, it froze, Wear senssible clothing, drive slowly, end of problem. I shall park in a different place tomorrow to avoid a slippery hill. it's called commonsense.....................but most folk would rather bleat about Health and Safety and the council failure to spread grit.

[RevidgeBlue]

True enough to an extent. However, even in the top half some will not be happy with Sam. For some inexplicable reason some people just cannot stand the man. There isn't any one explanation for this, and I can see his negative aspects, but the level of antipathy from Sam is hard to fathom.

Not the case with the majority of fans I wouldn't have thought. There will always be a minority of fans at any club who can't stand any manager no matter what.

I started off as a huge admirer of Sam when he arrived, was relieved when we scraped up but was alarmed by the way we performed last season and don't think the situation is any better this season. I need winning back round to some extent.

[FourLaneBlue]

There is a real lack of support. Fans have been scrutinising tactics, formations and players picked all season.

This negativity was there when we doing ok.

I do hope you are right and all will be well when Sam does turn us around - as I am sure he will IF given adequate time and noewhere near one full season in charge is nowhere near adequate - that those negative voices will come back to support the team and the manager.

[John]

In the Rovers World interview, Sam says he hopes the fans turn up in their thousands tomorrow because "we need them". He says the fans helped the team overcome Villa earlier in the season, when we were up against it and won with ten men.

Its pretty obvious what he is getting at in the quotes which came out today - if you can, come and support the team!

[Paul]

There is a real lack of support. Fans have been scrutinising tactics, formations and players picked all season.

This negativity was there when we doing ok.

I do hope you are right and all will be well when Sam does turn us around - as I am sure he will IF given adequate time and noewhere near one full season in charge is nowhere near adequate - that those negative voices will come back to support the team and the manager.

The point is we haven't been "doing OK" at any point this season. We've had a couple of decent performances, couple of games when we turn in a decent half and that's it. Philip posted at the begining of the season we'd be OK provided we didn't make a mess of the first five games. What happened? Four points from fifeteen.The truth is Allardyce has yet to produce any sort of consistent form while at the same time combining this with the worst style of football seen at Ewood for a long time. it's no wonder folk are unhappy. This is the problem and ticket sales for tomorrow appear to be making the point very clearly.