[Archived] Villa Semi Final Match Preview

[Tom]

Nor me, I've given up the booze now.

I think a few Rovers may be drove to drink if this carries on though

[Steve Moss]

At where???

Argh! Why I used the word "Chelsea" I haven't the faintest. I think I had one too many to drink. Which is understandable as I had to drown out the pain.

BUT whatever it is and for all the eternal optimists out there, take heart..... it's only half time in this tie and we are always better in the 2nd half.

Excellent point. We are only a point down. We can still win this semi, especially if the Rovers play 90 minutes with the intent to win. Something which has been lacking on occassion, but we need to start sometime and now would be good.

[Ossydave]

Whoever wrote it was definitely not being sarcastic. Not sure where they got the stat from but I have reason to believe it's true. You just seem to think his distribution is awful, yet he's our highest points scoring defender on Premier League fantasy football but I suppose that must be a fantasy

The points thing is due to his 2 goals, not his fantastic passing ability......

[philipl]

What those votes say is the whole defense was rubbish!

Having watched the highlights again just now, we owe an enormous thank you to Robo and Clattenburg for not being many goals behind.

[Presty On Tour]

Well what a night!

Ice skated to the ground, got my ticket in the lower bbe and went to the ewood arms.

Fueled with alcohol, went to the ground and just love the buzz when you get in the stand.

1st half was dire and their goal from our point of view was awful! 1 up front at home and we created very little!

2nd half was much better, I thought the Kalinic header was in and we showed that we can more than match Villa.

I'm still in Blackburn and am going to Ewood in a bit to get my ticket for the 2nd leg. I still hope for a miricle at Villa park but we are only 1 down and there's still a chance of making Wembley! I'm not giving up just yet!

[RIML]

The points thing is due to his 2 goals, not his fantastic passing ability......

Exactly and what did you say again, his distribution is awful?

[Ewood Spark]

Just been down to get my Villa/coach ticket and was surprised to find that I am on coach 19. Looks like we will have a bigger following than at Citeh at least.

[ABBEY]

I'm still in Blackburn and am going to Ewood in a bit to get my ticket for the 2nd leg. I still hope for a miricle at Villa park but we are only 1 down and there's still a chance of making Wembley! I'm not giving up just yet!

wembelway in oct.

[Ossydave]

Exactly and what did you say again, his distribution is awful?

Yes, it is. What does that have to do with scoring 2 goals though???

[RIML]

Yes, it is. What does that have to do with scoring 2 goals though???

Distribution, in other words has he delivered? Yes he's scored goals, created goals and kept clean sheets. Defended well on a whole so why do you think he's not delivered or offered little?

[rebelmswar]

Distribution, in other words has he delivered? Yes he's scored goals, created goals and kept clean sheets. Defended well on a whole so why do you think he's not delivered or offered little?

Distribution is moving the ball around and finding another player. He is horrid at that at the moment.

[RIML]

Distribution is moving the ball around and finding another player. He is horrid at that at the moment.

He said his distribution is awful, to me that doesn't just mean delivering a pass but delivering as a player.

[tcj_jones]

Our problems in distribution and ball retension are evident throughout the team:

As Robinson is instructed to punt it long, we often bypass the midfield and give the ball straight back to the opposition. On the odd occasion when the back four are presented with the ball, they panic and punt it long, often out of play. This isn't all their fault though, as nobody from CM looks to drop deep and make themself available for a pass (how we miss Tugay).

When the wingers are given the ball, they have neither the skill to keep it at their feet, nor the pace to beat a man. Consequently, they pass it sidewards or backwards. When this occurs, the likes of N'Zonzi, Grella and Andrews lack the creativity or passing ability to do an awful lot with it or the ability to take the ball on and drive forward.

Finally, when Kalinic or Di Santo do manage to hold the ball up front, Dunn is unable to do anything with the layoffs as the opposition have sussed him out and close him down immediately. With only one up front, there isn't much of a risk involved in doing this.

[sambo]

He said his distribution is awful, to me that doesn't just mean delivering a pass but delivering as a player.

Distribution is how you distribute the ball - it's your passing accuracy. 'Delivering as a player' comes under performance, not distribution.

[rebelmswar]

He said his distribution is awful, to me that doesn't just mean delivering a pass but delivering as a player.

Thats fine that you use it to mean that, just wanted to let you know what most people take the meaning as.

Still he may have chipped in with some goals (and we need them badly) but he has been dodgy for some time in his team role.

We should give him a rest to get his head right is all that I am saying.

Just my opinion and all that good stuff.

[RIML]

Distribution is how you distribute the ball - it's your passing accuracy. 'Delivering as a player' comes under performance, not distribution.

The definition of distribution is the delivery of something. Whether that means delivery of the ball or whether he's delivered as a player/captain. I thought he was talking about his all round play and what he delivers to the team.

He made about two mistakes against Villa, but who didn't? He's not the only player who's made the odd mistake this season.

[Ossydave]

Distribution in a footballing sense is distribution of the ball, which as the posters above have rightly pointed out is poor.

[broadsword]

Is he a footballer or a postman?

Bloody nonsense!

Distribution is passing, nothing else.

[LeChuck]

Distribution has never meant anything other than passing accuracy in football terms. It's certainly not all round performance.

[McAds]

Just been down to get my Villa/coach ticket and was surprised to find that I am on coach 19. Looks like we will have a bigger following than at Citeh at least.

You’d sold 1300 of your allocation on Thursday and I’ve just heard that you’ve sent back 1800 of the lower tier tickets from your inital allocation.

[RIML]

Distribution in a footballing sense is distribution of the ball, which as the posters above have rightly pointed out is poor.

Is he a footballer or a postman?

Bloody nonsense!

Distribution is passing, nothing else.

Distribution has never meant anything other than passing accuracy in football terms. It's certainly not all round performance.

Ok, my bad, I do take things quite literally. The way people go on you'd think he was as bad as Andrews. Maybe if we had decent midfielders we could pass our way out of trouble and into midfield but we're just not good enough in that area. He's not the only one who makes mistakes and certainly not a player I'd drop.

[AggyBlue]

I've never seen as many players fall over at the slightest touch as I did on Thursday night. Well done MoN, even Warnock was diving all over.

What troubles me more though is the fact referees award free kicks for these dives, therefore the problem will only get worse.

[philipl]

You’d sold 1300 of your allocation on Thursday and I’ve just heard that you’ve sent back 1800 of the lower tier tickets from your inital allocation.

We will have those back if we've sacked Allardyce before we play you!

[AggyBlue]

I only intend on getting mine tomorrow. I assume there'll be plenty others thinking the same.

[roversmum]

I've never seen as many players fall over at the slightest touch as I did on Thursday night. Well done MoN, even Warnock was diving all over.

What troubles me more though is the fact referees award free kicks for these dives, therefore the problem will only get worse.

They've obviously been to the Arsenal School of Drama...