[Archived] Mark Lawrenson

[ewoodpo]

This bloke always slags us off with his negative comments on MOTD. I was looking at his predictions for tomorrows game surprise surprise he has put us down for a defeat. That's not what bugs it's the additional comments he makes about out , this time he has gone to far. He is saying our sole aim should be survival in the league .

West Ham v Blackburn

Blackburn have picked up and I can't believe Sam Allardyce is under pressure, because his aim there is just to finish in the Premier League every season. Nikola Kalinic has started to score and looks the signing they thought he would be before they bought him.

But because of the feel-good factor at West Ham at the moment I'll go for them to win it. And it would be Sod's law for Blackburn if Benni McCarthy was to score.

Verdict: 2-1

[Baz]

This bloke always slags us off with his negative comments on MOTD. I was looking at his predictions for tomorrows game surprise surprise he has put us down for a defeat. That's not what bugs it's the additional comments he makes about out , this time he has gone to far. He is saying our sole aim should be survival in the league .

West Ham v Blackburn

Blackburn have picked up and I can't believe Sam Allardyce is under pressure, because his aim there is just to finish in the Premier League every season. Nikola Kalinic has started to score and looks the signing they thought he would be before they bought him.

But because of the feel-good factor at West Ham at the moment I'll go for them to win it. And it would be Sod's law for Blackburn if Benni McCarthy was to score.

Verdict: 2-1

As much as I dislike him, he's not wrong in this case is he?

[magicalmortensleftpeg]

This bloke always slags us off with his negative comments on MOTD. I was looking at his predictions for tomorrows game surprise surprise he has put us down for a defeat. That's not what bugs it's the additional comments he makes about out , this time he has gone to far. He is saying our sole aim should be survival in the league .

West Ham v Blackburn

Blackburn have picked up and I can't believe Sam Allardyce is under pressure, because his aim there is just to finish in the Premier League every season. Nikola Kalinic has started to score and looks the signing they thought he would be before they bought him.

But because of the feel-good factor at West Ham at the moment I'll go for them to win it. And it would be Sod's law for Blackburn if Benni McCarthy was to score.

Verdict: 2-1

Well, is he wrong? Our biggest aim, along with basically every other team outside the top 6 is to stay up. The gap between those teams and the rest is so big that staying in the division is the main objective, especially when you look at how the likes of Charlton, Southampton, 'Boro, Norwich, Leeds etc who go down and then get relegated once more.

We're not going to challenge for Europe so if we stayed in the premier league every season then i'd be more then happy.

[ewoodpo]

Well, is he wrong? Our biggest aim, along with basically every other team outside the top 6 is to stay up. The gap between those teams and the rest is so big that staying in the division is the main objective, especially when you look at how the likes of Charlton, Southampton, 'Boro, Norwich, Leeds etc who go down and then get relegated once more.

We're not going to challenge for Europe so if we stayed in the premier league every season then i'd be more then happy.

He is wrong We are a small club compared to most in the prem. However, on our day we are more than capable of competing against anybody in the league. I just have this hatred for the bloke and think that he is a total idiot he is always putting us down.

[Tom]

Here we go again

[Amo]

Rovers and our persecution complex...

[magicalmortensleftpeg]

He is wrong We are a small club compared to most in the prem. However, on our day we are more than capable of competing against anybody in the league. I just have this hatred for the bloke and think that he is a total idiot he is always putting us down.

That doesnt mean he's wrong. We're a small club with very limited resouces in comparison to virtually every other club in the division, that is why the majority of us are realistic enough to understand that staying in the premier league should be our biggest aim of every season. If you think otherwise then you're slightly deluded.

[ewoodpo]

That doesnt mean he's wrong. We're a small club with very limited resouces in comparison to virtually every other club in the division, that is why the majority of us are realistic enough to understand that staying in the premier league should be our biggest aim of every season. If you think otherwise then you're slightly deluded.

So would you be saying that we have been punching above our weight for all these years that we have been in the prem. Deluded my friend maybe, I would like to refer to myself as an optimist.

[jim mk2]

So would you be saying that we have been punching above our weight for all these years that we have been in the prem.

Punching above our weight ? Absolutely and unequivocally, yes !

With you look at the size of the town, the population catchment area, the club's financial resources, Rovers' continuing presence in the top flight defies all logic.

Which is why Sam Allardyce deserves bouquets rather than brickbats for the magnificent job he is doing.

[jonv]

this forum should ban posts from multiple I.P's, it gets boring, synonymous and disrespectfully puts the club in a bad light, time and time again

[ewoodpo]

Punching above our weight ? Absolutely and unequivocally, yes !

With you look at the size of the town, the population catchment area, the club's financial resources, Rovers' continuing presence in the top flight defies all logic.

Which is why Sam Allardyce deserves bouquets rather than brickbats for the magnificent job he is doing.

I agree with you on the Sam comment, those who abuse Sam and get the banners out in the Riverside should really have a look at themselves.

[magicalmortensleftpeg]

So would you be saying that we have been punching above our weight for all these years that we have been in the prem. Deluded my friend maybe, I would like to refer to myself as an optimist.

The fact that you think we havent been punching above our weight shows how skewed your expectations are of this club. We are fortunate to be here, not in relation to how good our players are but the fact that a club of this size in a town of this size has been able to sustain a premiership team.

Optimism is great but realism will cause you far fewer sleepless nights, or angry fits of rage towards football pundits who remind you of where the

club actually is.

[ewoodpo]

The fact that you think we havent been punching above our weight shows how skewed your expectations are of this club. We are fortunate to be here, not in relation to how good our players are but the fact that a club of this size in a town of this size has been able to sustain a premiership team.

Optimism is great but realism will cause you far fewer sleepless nights, or angry fits of rage towards football pundits who remind you of where the

club actually is.

My expectations for the club are not to finish in the bottom three. However I do feel that we should be finishing mid-table every season. Is that too much to ask for ?

[magicalmortensleftpeg]

My expectations for the club are not to finish in the bottom three. However I do feel that we should be finishing mid-table every season. Is that too much to ask for ?

In a word, yes.

4/5 years ago there was a top 4 that was impregnable, now there is a top 7, including the likes of Spurs, Villa and City. The very best we could hope for is 8th, so to feel that we 'should' finish in the top 10 is very optimisitc. We cannot compete with the majority of the top 10 anymore financially and therefore our expectations need to be adjusted.

Staying in the premier league perhaps with a decent run in a cup competition is the best we can realistically expect from our team at the moment. Until we get new owners that is how it will be.

[unluckymorton]

In a word, yes.

4/5 years ago there was a top 4 that was impregnable, now there is a top 7, including the likes of Spurs, Villa and City. The very best we could hope for is 8th, so to feel that we 'should' finish in the top 10 is very optimisitc. We cannot compete with the majority of the top 10 anymore financially and therefore our expectations need to be adjusted.

Staying in the premier league perhaps with a decent run in a cup competition is the best we can realistically expect from our team at the moment. Until we get new owners that is how it will be.

I agree, if we finish the season in our current position we must consider it a success. I don't think there is another club in Britain with such a small fan base/catchment area & little money who could manage to stay in the top flight. Credit to the board and the management team for the great job they do with such little resources.

I also think Lawro is a 1st class c0ck.

[savage8]

I agree with you on the Sam comment, those who abuse Sam and get the banners out in the Riverside should really have a look at themselves.

Sorry if this has been mentioned, but what banners were these?

[ewoodpo]

Sorry if this has been mentioned, but what banners were these?

The Get Sam out Hughes SOS banner at the Fulham game they had one over a seat in the Riverside . They soon put it away when we scored the first. It was clearly visible from the JW therefore Sam must have seen it as well.

[Fylde Coast Fan]

I'm not keen on Lawro either but he's not wrong here. Sam's priority number one is Premier League survival - that goes for about 12 other clubs every season, too. Once survival is secured - and I think relegation is an increasingly remote prospect this year given how badly some of our rivals are struggling - it becomes how high we can kick on.

I think it'll be a long time until we're challenging for Europe again, if ever. We've not got (much) worse, but a number of clubs that used to be below us have seen serious investment that has allowed them to kick on. Blackburn, Bolton, Wigan and so on, with sub-30k attendances and limited resources, are destined to spend most of our time in the bottom half from now until the overspenders start to go bust.

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

Lawro always has it in for us :-

1. WHU main aim is to stay in the Premiership - why not single them out.

2. It will be a b***dy miracle if McCarthy scores for WHU - as he is still a Rovers player at the mo

Why not say something positive ? We have won two Premiership games on the bounce, played on one of the most entertaining Cup Semi's shown on national tv for some time - and yet he still manages to get a negative slant on everything.

Charlton got some recognition for their efforts punching above their weight - Rovers rarely seem to get credit from certain parts of the media

[bazza]

I like Lawro predicting us to lose.

Very often, when he does so, we win.

P.S. He's from Preston. What do you expect from a nobender from Weepdale?

[Exiled_Rover]

Punching above our weight ? Absolutely and unequivocally, yes !

With you look at the size of the town, the population catchment area, the club's financial resources, Rovers' continuing presence in the top flight defies all logic.

Which is why Sam Allardyce deserves bouquets rather than brickbats for the magnificent job he is doing.

One thing I will say is that a hell of a lot of Rovers' fanbase is outside the Blackburn catchment area.

[47er]

One thing I will say is that a hell of a lot of Rovers' fanbase is outside the Blackburn catchment area.

That's because a hell of a lot of people born in Blackburn move out!

[Mattyblue]

That's because a hell of a lot of people born in Blackburn move out!

Indeed, if Rovers had to rely on Blackburn alone, the club would not ve pulling in 19000 season ticket holders, not possible.

[FourLaneBlue]

One thing I will say is that a hell of a lot of Rovers' fanbase is outside the Blackburn catchment area.

We don't really have a very large catchment in terms of area.

We have 2 Prem sides in Burnley and Bolton on our doorstep. Never mind the likes of Preston and Accy Stanley.

The only area we have had to ourselves is to the North...and that is mainly sheep. Even that has been compromised by Morecambe becoming a league club.

Can't think of many more clubs which such a tight catchment area.

[MCMC1875]

That's because a hell of a lot of people born in Blackburn move out!