[Archived] Fulham Preview

[Anti-Dingle-Brigade]

The comments about Andrews are odd. I thought we looked much more solid when he came on for the tiring Reid, in fact, I'm not sure if Fulham even had a shot wheras they were peppering our goal with shots before his introduction. I think that is his role really, the late subsitution.

[Steve Moss]

Let's hope we build on this now, and Allardyce sees the light and that positive football is the way forward. Message to Sam - sometimes "The Punters" might just be right .... don't let your arrogance get in the way of admitting you got it wrong, and making the necessary changes.

He doesn't have to admit he was wrong. Just make the necessary changes.

[ffan]

A good win. I fancy you to take Villa now.

[MarkBRFC71]

He doesn't have to admit he was wrong. Just make the necessary changes.

And by making them, he's admitting he's been wrong sticking to 4-5-1 all this time.

[Stuart]

The comments about Andrews are odd. I thought we looked much more solid when he came on for the tiring Reid, in fact, I'm not sure if Fulham even had a shot wheras they were peppering our goal with shots before his introduction. I think that is his role really, the late subsitution.

You jest, surely. They had their first shot less than 30 seconds after he was introduced.

Andrews should hang up his boots and become a guide for the stadium tours. He has undeniable ability in chaperoning visitors to Ewood (rather than tackling them) and his pointing is second to none, and would be very useful in our trophy room.

A good win. I fancy you to take Villa now.

Very gracious ffan. I wish we did!

[Steve Moss]

A good win. I fancy you to take Villa now.

Of course we will. By 2.

[MarkBRFC71]

Of course we will. By 2.

Or Sam could undo all today's good work, revert to 4-5-1 with Pedersen and Andrews ....

[Tom]

Well thank you, oh did I enjoy him scoring. He deserved MOTM in my honest opinion, although I thought Samba was just as good, the clumsy challenge in the first half was probably the difference in him not getting the award.

Ryan Nelsen I want your babies

He was good today but for me Olsson should have got MOTM.

Great win today although for me it wasn't a great performance but any means, until Benni's shot that led to the corner we created very little and the fans were getting fed up.

-Kalinic and Benni were both good today but had very little in the way of service, that control and turn by Niko at the end was world class.

-Emerton was poor I thought, very sloppy in possession

-Robbo made some great saves but flapped at one cross and seem stranded for the overhead

-For me the best player on the pitch was Dempsey before he went off, superb and on another day we would have put us to bed early

- The worrying thing for me is apart from Olssons chance at the end of the first half and Juniors overhit ball I can't remember us vreating a proper chance from open play

It's certainly a start with a good team selection, lets hope some good tactics follow and we should be fine. Couldn't ask for a much better next league game to follow this much needed win.

And to the fans booing Andrews, disgrace!

[Sysagent]

Much better solid performance from the Rovers today, I think my daughter brought us some luck, just wish I could afford for us to attend more often...

Thought Benni made the difference today (strange he didn't Thursday when he appeared), Robinson had a pretty solid game apart from the one flap and I think we were very lucky to not have a penalty awarded against us in the second half when Samba took out the last man on the ball.

If Kalinic could get the service that Shearer and Sutton used to he would be up there banging um in like a good un.

I am still buzzing at the win!!!

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

A much better all round performance from Rovers,and what do you know.....we play 4-4-2!!!!

Just continue with that formation Sam and no tinkering,LET THIS SIDE SETTLE!

Lets just all stick together as fans and see this rough spell through,after the Wigan and Hull games we could be in a much better position.

[Tom]

I hope Kalinic, Olsson, Benni and maybe even Reid keep their places for the Wigan game.

I also think its good that at one stage today we had Kalinic, Olsson, NZonzi and Hoilett on who are all young and all showing promise.

[American]

The key is to free up some funds for a proven goal scorer to come in. You do that and it takes the pressure off Di Santo and Kalinic to score every game.

Yes, we need a proven goal scorer - like that Benni McCarthy guy.

[Ninjathunder]

Great performance from a number of players today. Benni put in a shop window performance and kalinic did everything but score. I hope that Big Sam isn't stubborn enough seeing that 2 centre halves scored in a 442 formation to abandon it as I'd like to see that partnership continue on wednesday and beyond with Di Santo ble to come in if necessary.

One downside today was the booing of Andrews. If he had been on from the start and had a poor performance I could just about excuse it if he was being subbed but what does it say for us as a club to boo who is, at best, a sub, coming on as a sub replacing a player still not capable of 90 mins when we've won the game. It was pathetic.

[Paul Mellelieu]

We got the rub of the green against superior team today: about time you might argue.

It was still difficult viewing, although there was decent stuff played once Fulham gave up.

[Steve Moss]

Or Sam could undo all today's good work, revert to 4-5-1 with Pedersen and Andrews ....

Not going to happen.

And on an even brighter side, MON is blaming his squad exhaustion following the Rovers game for his draw against West Ham. Let's hope he's right. They should even more exhausted Wednesday, further improving our odds.

[RIML]

He was good today but for me Olsson should have got MOTM.

I said at the game I thought they'd give it to Olsson for playing in different positions. He was very good and closes down more than Pedersen. Come to think of it Samba did lump the ball up quite a lot but both him and Nelsen defended well, kept a clean sheet and both scored so I have no complaints. Only three points behind Fulham now, think we've played one more game to them, the only difference, they've beat Liverpool and United.

[Wing Wizard Windy Miller]

We got the rub of the green against superior team today: about time you might argue.

It was still difficult viewing, although there was decent stuff played once Fulham gave up.

Agree with that paul. We creaated very little in terms of goal scoring opportunities and were a little fortunate with the 2 goals scored. We did however show MUCH more commitment in the tackle.

The stats are concerning though... Fulham dominated possesion, had more shots on goal/target and corners. How many times over the years have Fulham done that at Ewood.

Three welcome points and a little more pride in the performance (especially the younger players). Lets hope we kick on from here.

[Plastic Head]

A few seem to think the performance was much improved.

Well against a team who haven't won away since the opening game (and at Pompey at that) and who had injury problems we should have been able to hold our own at least.

However they had twice as many shots on target and twice as many goal attemps. They had the majority of possesion and 3 times as many free kick and twice as many corners.

We scored from a mishit corner and a free-kick. Apart from that their keeper had a couple of long range shots to deal with.

And we were at home.

Yeah, big improvement. Just glad of the 3 points.

[imy9]

A few seem to think the performance was much improved.

Well against a team who haven't won away since the opening game (and at Pompey at that) and who had injury problems we should have been able to hold our own at least.

However they had twice as many shots on target and twice as many goal attemps. They had the majority of possesion and 3 times as many free kick and twice as many corners.

We scored from a mishit corner and a free-kick. Apart from that their keeper had a couple of long range shots to deal with.

And we were at home.

Yeah, big improvement. Just glad of the 3 points.

We have not a won a game since November in the league, so yes it is a MASSIVE improvement

[RoyRover]

I'm delighted with the win and with the fact that the likes of Kalinic, Hoilett, Olsson and Nzonzi were all involved as these are the players that we should be looking to build the team on for the future. I haven't seen any highlights, but its sounds like Benni, Olsson, Kalinic and Reid all had good games. I was especially happy to see Steven Reid get a first start in the league. How did he play? He's had some bad injuries and he's taken longer to come into the first team than we would have liked, but I hope he can show some good form between now and the end of the season. It's amazing how much of lift a win can do and win Bolton losing, we look a little more comfortable up in 12th. Hopefully this can give us some more confidence over the next few weeks, when we will be playing the teams in and around us. I would find it difficult to decide now if I wanted us to win against Villa in the league cup, if it meant our performance against Wigan suffered.

[DE.]

A few seem to think the performance was much improved.

Well against a team who haven't won away since the opening game (and at Pompey at that) and who had injury problems we should have been able to hold our own at least.

However they had twice as many shots on target and twice as many goal attemps. They had the majority of possesion and 3 times as many free kick and twice as many corners.

We scored from a mishit corner and a free-kick. Apart from that their keeper had a couple of long range shots to deal with.

And we were at home.

Yeah, big improvement. Just glad of the 3 points.

Considering our confidence was at rock-bottom, we hadn't won a game in the league since November and this week was little short of a crisis, anybody expecting us hold our own against a decent Fulham team had far too high expectations.

2 goals, a battling performance and a win will do just fine, thanks. This is the positive foundation upon which we can build better performances.

[beerwins]

I think he just saved his job today at least until the summer, even though we were still very bad a few individuals actually played a lot better and with more fight, Benni was creative even though frustrating too his little touches make the difference, Kalinic gave a lot too he worked his socks of yet again and they both tracked back really well.

If Sam is staying then we need to find some money to sign a workhorse in midfield, too many times our midfield is just bypassed, Reid today in my opinion did what was needed threw in a few good challenhes and shook them up a bit and they didnt fancy it but at times our midfield didnt break up there play and they had too much time on the ball, I put that down to reid not being fit enough and Nzonzi for me isnt that kind of player.

All in all we were in no means good enough yet and I think lady luck was with us (and the ref come too think of it) but its a start, we still played too much hoofball at times.

Some other things were a bit strange to me which I havent seen yet but was pointed out to me by a friend , Sambas reaction when he scored, Reids non handshake to sam instead gave andrews a hug when he was subbed and Sam and Bennis little exchanges which ran from shouting at each other to having a laugh, some very strange little things happened on the touchline too which I never saw any of, anyone else see anything like this?

[tony gale's mic]

A few seem to think the performance was much improved.

Well against a team who haven't won away since the opening game (and at Pompey at that) and who had injury problems we should have been able to hold our own at least.

However they had twice as many shots on target and twice as many goal attemps. They had the majority of possesion and 3 times as many free kick and twice as many corners.

We scored from a mishit corner and a free-kick. Apart from that their keeper had a couple of long range shots to deal with.

And we were at home.

Yeah, big improvement. Just glad of the 3 points.

You're so negative you make Big Sam look like Kevin Keegan.

[hollowsr]

A few seem to think the performance was much improved.

Well against a team who haven't won away since the opening game (and at Pompey at that) and who had injury problems we should have been able to hold our own at least.

However they had twice as many shots on target and twice as many goal attemps. They had the majority of possesion and 3 times as many free kick and twice as many corners.

We scored from a mishit corner and a free-kick. Apart from that their keeper had a couple of long range shots to deal with.

And we were at home.

Yeah, big improvement. Just glad of the 3 points.

Try to be optimistic at least I know we have forgotten how to be but you're taking the ######. Stats: SHOTS ON TARGET- Rovers 7 Fulham 9. Last time I checked double of 7 wasn't 9. SHOTS OFF TARGET- Rovers 4 Fulham 5. Once again double of 4 isn't 5.

[bobsterbrfc]

Pleased with the three points, but there are times when someone seems to flick a switch and we become a shambles defensively. Very pleased with Olsson, Kalinic and Reid. Kalinic definitely needs to start putting the ball in the net and I do still think he is a bit lightweight, but he reminds me of a Jansen/Fowler kind of player.