[Archived] Villa Semi Final Match Preview

[Tom]

Another point I just remembered, Benni at half time was a p1sstake, the rest of them were warming up he spends 10 minutes talking to Carew before doing a few kick ups.

[RevidgeBlue]

We're in a must win game whereby the only realistic chance of going through the tie is to take a commanding lead to Villa Park, and we start one up front AGAIN.

WHY?

Can someone explain that? I mean at least in a League game you get a point for a draw but in this context a home draw is practically worthless!

Thanks for messing it up for us Sam. And that's not really the word I feel like using.

Good performances from Robinson and Kalinic - the latter of whom will no doubt get dropped for Sunday.

The only other plus point was that whilst we could have had a couple, Villa missed a host of chances to make the tie safe, in the unlikely event someone other than Allardyce was in charge for the return leg we might stand a puncher's chance.

[RoyRover]

I didn't see the first half, which I'm glad about because apparently we were pathetic! I did see the second half and thought we played well. I think Kalinic is getting better, the guy just can't buy a goal. He did exactly what he should have done for both his chances, the post just got in the way unfortunately. I thought Emerton looked lively in the middle and Nzonzi did well again. It's just a shame that we have to be 1-0 down in our home league of a semi-final to make us put on a performance in the second half. Kalinic should definitely start on Sunday against Fulham. I'd have a midfield of Dunn, Emerton, Nzonzi and Holliet for that one.

[Tom]

Just watching it back on sky, the interviews are sickening, Andy Burton asking Agbonglahor why he was booked, it was a blatant dive why are they trying to prove his innocence?

[XLM]

He's saying that they identified Villa's main threat as their counter attack and worked on defending against it in training, but clearly it still didn't work. He's saying the difference in the two teams was Villa's ability to counter attack effectively, as that's where the majority of their chances came from. It's not hard to work out

And his tactics gift easy counter attacking opportunities. A moron could have seen that we were going to concede from one. Villa have lightning quick players. It was always going to happen when from free kicks you lump the ball up to give a centre back and a defensive midfielder a 25% chance of getting on the ball. Every time we don't win the ball they're off and away with no central midfield and just a right back and a left back to beat. ###### stupid tactics.

He's lost whatever amount of the plot he previously owned.

[EDIT] Oh and why must people, both supporters, and in the media continually praise N'Zonzi. He is too inexperienced and is just lacking any confidence. Playing the ball to him in the opposition half is just setting the ball off on a slow road to Robbo.

[PAFELL]

again someone not grasping the point i was trying to make!!!! what do such people do on a saturday? the game finished not later than 10pm.

tbh im that ###### off im not going into it anymore, iv made my point and im sure several people will agree with what iv said!

You should go back and re-read what you wrote. You slagged off every Rovers supporter who lives within 20 minutes of ewood, who didn't go to the game tonight. Yet you have no idea why these people didn't go.

[Miker]

You can have an opinion about the team and the game etc, but you cannot slag people off for not going when you're in Australia. That's just f-ing ridiculous.

What are you on?!?

The crowd was dead at Ewood. I was slagging off the dead crowd at Ewood and the amount of empty seats. I'm sorry, but whether I go to a sporting event or a concert, I always get involved. I don't understand people that don't. Moreover, when it's an important game like a cup semi, either not going or not getting involves is just unacceptable.

One thing I am more passionate about than Rovers is heavy metal and when Iron Maiden came on tour here, I went to both of the shows in Melbourne and travelled to New Zealand for two shows the following year as well because it was the first time they've come here in years. I went crazy for all 4 shows, stood through pouring rain for 8 hours in Auckland to get in the front row and then had to survive for 2 hours in a raging mosh pit. I did this because I am a FAN.

This doesn't even apply to Rovers because I am not a FAN, I am a SUPPORTER of the club. If one of my favourite bands came and played all the songs I hate, I would not enjoy myself and not get involved as much. But when Rovers come onto the pitch to play a game of football, I support them 100%, no matter who plays, what the formation is and how badly the odds are stacked against us. That's what a supporter does and as a supporter, I reserve the right to give my opinion about a game and get angry at what I deem a distinct lack of support shown at a match.

So call me a moron, baby, drug addict... whatever you want, but at the end of the day I'm still sitting here wearing my Rovers shirt and looking forward to the next game. Fact is, if you think that sort of support that was there against Villa today is acceptable, you have a strange opinion of what's right and wrong, and I simply have had enough.

Screw you guys, I'm going home.

[jod]

Just watching it back on sky, the interviews are sickening, Andy Burton asking Agbonglahor why he was booked, it was a blatant dive why are they trying to prove his innocence?

It was a blatant penalty as was the Chimbonda handball. Rovers lucky to still be in the tie.

[broadsword]

I thought it was a nailed-on pen.

Was there not contact?

It looked like he only started falling after contact?

Maybe I'm wrong but at the time, I thought: "definite pen".

[Miker]

So your saying our players lack cohesion and its not the managers fault? so who's is it? Dont get me wrong im not jumping on the sack Sam bandwagon but the blame must lie with him, its his job to motivate the team, pick the tactics, gel the players and get results and he isnt doing that, I wish there was someone else to blame but there isnt becuase all the important decisions are made by him.

As for the tactics being the same in the first half as the second they werent plain and simple, the first half we stood off and played longball with dunny playing off kalinic, second half we held the ball and worked it to the wings if your saying we played the same tactics for both halves then I havent got a clue what tactic he is playing then, maybe he is saying go out there and do what you want.

100% Sam should be getting cohesion out of the players, but I'm not sure what a 4-5-1 formation has to do with one of our players having the ball and the rest just standing around not making any options. I'm sorry, but that's football basics. I don't think Sam is telling the players to stand around and not create any options.

Uhhh we didn't play long ball in the first half, and if we did, then we played it in the second as well. We got the ball and couldn't find any decent passing options and whenever we did, the pass would either hit a Villa player or go astray, whenever the ball was in the air one of the players would always head it to no one. I'm sorry, but lack of movement is down to the players, unless Sam is directly telling them to stand there and do nothing when we have the ball or make terrible passes.

[XLM]

100% Sam should be getting cohesion out of the players, but I'm not sure what a 4-5-1 formation has to do with one of our players having the ball and the rest just standing around not making any options. I'm sorry, but that's football basics. I don't think Sam is telling the players to stand around and not create any options.

Uhhh we didn't play long ball in the first half, and if we did, then we played it in the second as well. We got the ball and couldn't find any decent passing options and whenever we did, the pass would either hit a Villa player or go astray, whenever the ball was in the air one of the players would always head it to no one. I'm sorry, but lack of movement is down to the players, unless Sam is directly telling them to stand there and do nothing when we have the ball or make terrible passes.

He's lost the players. I think that is quite apparent.

[ultrablue]

defensive shambles tonight - worst ive seen Samba.

Salgado had no idea where he should have been.

They got in behind NZonzi with incredible ease.

4-4-2 against fulham - Salgado out and Di Santo in.

BUT, an attacking line up from the start at home in a must win game? Wishful thinking!

[dazmaz]

100% Sam should be getting cohesion out of the players, but I'm not sure what a 4-5-1 formation has to do with one of our players having the ball and the rest just standing around not making any options. I'm sorry, but that's football basics. I don't think Sam is telling the players to stand around and not create any options.

Uhhh we didn't play long ball in the first half, and if we did, then we played it in the second as well. We got the ball and couldn't find any decent passing options and whenever we did, the pass would either hit a Villa player or go astray, whenever the ball was in the air one of the players would always head it to no one. I'm sorry, but lack of movement is down to the players, unless Sam is directly telling them to stand there and do nothing when we have the ball or make terrible passes.

the tactics where clear from the start, defend and try and nick a goal. that backfired yet he waited untill going on the 80th min to bring a 2nd striker on. he is a (Please don't use that word again) wit who should (Please don't use that word again) off back to his bolton!!!!

[Wing Wizard Windy Miller]

Sad - Little passion either on or off the pitch. For a supposedly physical team we seem very lightweight and can't tackle.

Why on earth was Sam trying to "stay in the tie" with his cautious approach, we are @#/? away from home, our only chance was to win by a couple.

Got to keep faith with Kalinic though - starting to look a class act.

[PAFELL]

Don't be a tit Dazmaz there's plenty people with much more important things on than a semi final like the chap whose wife just gave birth is he a w@nker as well?

You cannot reason with people who have attitudes like that. He forgets its a mid week game, People back at work , night workers (who don't always work on saturdays so can make those games. kids are back at school, babysitters / childminders etc / people working. Money situation just after christmas. Maybe people not being able to work because of the weather etc etc.

There are many reasons why local people cannot get to the game - but some of those watched it on TV.

Most mid week games have lower attendances - let alone a cup tie. As I mentioned you cannot reason with people like that, especially when they are angry etc.

[JAL]

It looks like its almost over for big Sam at Rovers, leaving it now down to the powers that be to come up with the forward solution.

One up front supported by a slow Dunny,

a right back on the right wing,

your right winger in the centre of midfield,

a left winger booed by the home crowd at his first mistake,

a right back in the left back spot,

Samba and Nelsen looking way out of their depth.

O and three subs were two of whom weren't fit enough!

Wonderful, but Wembley IS STILL acheivable but not with the current manager in charge .

[grizfoot]

You cannot reason with people who have attitudes like that. He forgets its a mid week game, People back at work , night workers (who don't always work on saturdays so can make those games. kids are back at school, babysitters / childminders etc / people working. Money situation just after christmas. Maybe people not being able to work because of the weather etc etc.

There are many reasons why local people cannot get to the game - but some of those watched it on TV.

Most mid week games have lower attendances - let alone a cup tie. As I mentioned you cannot reason with people like that, especially when they are angry etc.

You say that but for the Bayer Leverkusen UEFA Cup match a couple of seasons back Ewood was packed and it's was at an even more difficult time for some people at around 6pm I believe because of German TV. Where have all thoose fans that attended that game gone to?

[BPF]

I love this team.

This team is a family member to me, I hold it very dear.

Tonight I witnessed a match which was supposedly a semi final. A semi final where the fans are so sick of the way things are going that they cannot be bothered to properly applaud their team at the start of the second half. A semi final that was attended by so little people that I could have easily changed seats ten or eleven times in my immediate area. A semi final that seemed to prove that the players had lost faith in the management along with the fans.

Mr Williams, I ask you to save my team. Sam saved us and for that you redeemed yourself for Ince. But now he has morphed into Mr Ince and you must, please, save us again before it gets too late. If we get relegated I will of course continue to support the team, I have before. But I feel that it will be the end of the Blackburn that Jack built.

[dazmaz]

You cannot reason with people who have attitudes like that. He forgets its a mid week game, People back at work , night workers (who don't always work on saturdays so can make those games. kids are back at school, babysitters / childminders etc / people working. Money situation just after christmas. Maybe people not being able to work because of the weather etc etc.

There are many reasons why local people cannot get to the game - but some of those watched it on TV.

Most mid week games have lower attendances - let alone a cup tie. As I mentioned you cannot reason with people like that, especially when they are angry etc.

angry isnt the word. how anyone can comment on the fins is way over my head. work is no excuse, as i said everyone was out the stadium before 10pm. plus its not just a cup tie, its a damn SEMI, again incase you didnt catch that a SEMI final! or do some people not grasp that, this could well be our last semi for a long time yet people would rather pay god knows hpw much to sit on their ass in their nice warm cosey homes and watch it on sky! im sure anyone mrs could watch the kids for a few hours. and again after being let go from my job (hence the jobseekers) and being able to afford £15 for a SEMI final explains it all. people have had since december to prepare for tonight, yet so many couldnt be assed to get of their backsides and get to ewood to cheer the team on.

hell any TRUE fan wouldnt of missed tonight for the world

[eddiewac]

There was no contact from Samba on Agbonlahor, he started falling before he even got near it and still didn't make contact, quite clever though in the way he did it because he obviously fooled some people. If there was contact, he would not have gone down like he did, only one leg would've made contact with Sambas and yet both his legs do the same thing, blatant dive

[grizfoot]

angry isnt the word. how anyone can comment on the fins is way over my head. work is no excuse, as i said everyone was out the stadium before 10pm. plus its not just a cup tie, its a damn SEMI, again incase you didnt catch that a SEMI final! or do some people not grasp that, this could well be our last semi for a long time yet people would rather pay god knows hpw much to sit on their ass in their nice warm cosey homes and watch it on sky! im sure anyone mrs could watch the kids for a few hours. and again after being let go from my job (hence the jobseekers) and being able to afford £15 for a SEMI final explains it all. people have had since december to prepare for tonight, yet so many couldnt be assed to get of their backsides and get to ewood to cheer the team on.

hell any TRUE fan wouldnt of missed tonight for the world

Well said.

[Tom]

It was a blatant penalty as was the Chimbonda handball. Rovers lucky to still be in the tie.

Chimbondas yes but the Bongywhore one, never in a trillion years for me, cheating git.

[RevidgeBlue]

There was no contact from Samba on Agbonlahor, he started falling before he even got near it and still didn't make contact, quite clever though in the way he did it because he obviously fooled some people. If there was contact, he would not have gone down like he did, only one leg would've made contact with Sambas and yet both his legs do the same thing, blatant dive

Having seem them again I thought the Agbonlahor one was very marginal, could have gone either way.

We were very lucky with the handball - should have been a penalty and end of tie. Was actually a really good stop by Robinson as well.

[BPF]

angry isnt the word. how anyone can comment on the fins is way over my head. work is no excuse, as i said everyone was out the stadium before 10pm. plus its not just a cup tie, its a damn SEMI, again incase you didnt catch that a SEMI final! or do some people not grasp that, this could well be our last semi for a long time yet people would rather pay god knows hpw much to sit on their ass in their nice warm cosey homes and watch it on sky! im sure anyone mrs could watch the kids for a few hours. and again after being let go from my job (hence the jobseekers) and being able to afford £15 for a SEMI final explains it all. people have had since december to prepare for tonight, yet so many couldnt be assed to get of their backsides and get to ewood to cheer the team on.

hell any TRUE fan wouldnt of missed tonight for the world

Great post.

I have a great belief that Sam is killing our side and I hate seeing us like this, it depresses me. But for tonight I put it all to one side and went to Ewood to support the team.

(I also spent £40 on a coat! Put it in the transfer kitty!)

defensive shambles tonight - worst ive seen Samba.

Salgado had no idea where he should have been.

They got in behind NZonzi with incredible ease.

4-4-2 against fulham - Salgado out and Di Santo in.

BUT, an attacking line up from the start at home in a must win game? Wishful thinking!

Ah you seem to have overlooked that Salgado was playing that well known position:

A Central Defending Attacking Central Midfielder Defensive Midfielder on the Right Wing, upfront as striker

[Tom]

angry isnt the word. how anyone can comment on the fins is way over my head. work is no excuse, as i said everyone was out the stadium before 10pm. plus its not just a cup tie, its a damn SEMI, again incase you didnt catch that a SEMI final! or do some people not grasp that, this could well be our last semi for a long time yet people would rather pay god knows hpw much to sit on their ass in their nice warm cosey homes and watch it on sky! im sure anyone mrs could watch the kids for a few hours. and again after being let go from my job (hence the jobseekers) and being able to afford £15 for a SEMI final explains it all. people have had since december to prepare for tonight, yet so many couldnt be assed to get of their backsides and get to ewood to cheer the team on.

hell any TRUE fan wouldnt of missed tonight for the world

Serious question, do you have a mortage to pay? Kids to support?

Maybe you do but maybe others do and just £15 to them could be much more use elsewhere?