[Archived] West Ham Vs Rovers

[Eddie]

MGP off crossbar from a freekick...very unlucky.

[RibbleValleyRover]

Very poor going forward.

Kalinic has had no clear cut chances really but what do you expect with hardly any support.

I can understand why we are trying to keep it tight as we are away from home and our record is shocking, but this style of play (sit deep, hoof the ball up to Niko) just doesn't suit us. There is the famous proverb that "Attack is the best form of defense" and there is definitely some truth in that. Not saying we need to go all gung-ho, but being so defensive/deep is putting pressure on us. Putting pressure on them will give them something to think about.

[jonv]

Hardly any rovers fans there, just one block of them stuffed in the corner

maybe the tv mics are positioned near that block

[Ossydave]

Great effort from MGP there hitting the bar.

[Eddie]

Diouf continues to have a stinker.

[BPF]

Learn to cross Diouf!!!!!

[Bobby G]

We were poor. Lucky they were toothless. They wont be in the second half so unless we improve, we will lose this one cause Cole will come on and cause us problems.

Before anyone says we were keeping them at bay, WELL YES, but that only works if we change our strategy a bit in the second half.

[Ricky]

Does Diouf have some nudie photos of sam or something??

I have no idea how he gets into the team.

[Tom]

I would say they were lucky seeing as we've just hit the bar, both teams look poor

0-0 would be a good result

[hollowsr]

Come on guys, there are some depressive people on here since we are drawing 0-0 at a place where we have a horrific record! Cheer up please guys! Its depressing reading this

[Ossydave]

Complete was of a shirt having Diouf in the team, really don't understand his inclusion.

[Mr. E]

Atrocious by both sides. It really is as poor as a Premiership match can get.

[Heinz]

Learn to cross Diouf!!!!!

LOL what the hell was he doing? A shot/cross/pass in one?

[BPF]

Learn to cross Diouf!!!!!

I feel like I've seen Kalinic hit the deck fifteen times.

This could easily go either way. Come on Rovers!

Also I agree that we need to strengthen a very weak midfield but I also believe that being 200% confident in a lone striker that has had two good games, is a little scary.

[budha]

Due to Agbonlahor's couple of goals, that display has lifted us to top half of the live league table.

[modes98]

I have a sore neck now. All the balls up to Kalinic are head height, what can they expect him to do with that. Looked better when we started to play it around and support Kal towards the end.

[Miker]

I just wanted to point out that besides it being incredibly boring hoofball, it's actually working fairly well. I am assuming Sam is trying to keep West Ham from playing their passing game and we've done exactly that. By keeping it in the air and breaking up the tempo, we've basically kept West Ham at bay and haven't given them any chances. While at the same time we've caused them some problems with the long balls. Kalinic has managed to hold it up quite a few times in the box and Pedersen had an excellent free kick bounce off the bar.

So if the team keeps playing this way and manages to nick a goal, it wouldn't be too bad, given it's West Ham away and an extra 3 points to take home.

[joey_big_nose]

Atrocious game. It is a bit dispirating to see people hoofing it up when they aren't even under any pressure. To be honest Diouf has been okay so far. Contributed more than Emerton or NZonzi.

I would be tempted to bring on Reid and Hoilett soonish and try and get the ball to Pedersen's feet. We have had next to no interest in passing....

[greco]

a quite boring 1 half, 2 very equal teams in terms of quality.

the first team to score, is going to win, i reckon.

would like us to push the d-line a bit further up, so the distance between kalinic and the midfield is shorter.

[Bobby G]

They are a poor side and these are games we CAN win.

Even if we dont and settle for a draw, we have to improve from the first half showing cause you can be sure they will.

[DE.]

The game sounds pretty bad. They've left 3 of their top players on the bench, so I would have thought we would have got at them a bit. Seems we're working to frustrate them... have to admit I'd take a 0-0.

[Miker]

The game sounds pretty bad. They've left 3 of their top players on the bench, so I would have thought we would have got at them a bit. Seems we're working to frustrate them... have to admit I'd take a 0-0.

That's pretty much it. Hopefully we will now try and have a go in the second half though.

[mellison24]

A draw would be a decent result I guess, but we should be looking to beat them, surely??? Stoke will be a much tougher proposition in terms of gaining points. Bolton may not be a pushover either! Only Hull would I EXPECT a win, out of the next 3 games, but we should be looking to win them; not stifle them and hope for the best. Hope we start playing, if only to get Chris Kamara all hyper, like he usually is.

[Tom]

I still think a draw away at Upton Park is a good result as it would take us 8 points clear of the relegation zone at full time if we could keep it at 0-0

[RibbleValleyRover]

I still think a draw away at Upton Park is a good result as it would take us 8 points clear of the relegation zone at full time if we could keep it at 0-0

It would be a good result but the performance so far has been poor and we are riding our luck. If we were playing like this against one of the top sides in the league it could easily be 3 or 4-0 by now. Play like this against Stoke and we would get ripped to shreds imo.