[Archived] Hull Preview

[broadsword]

Can anyone rationalise why Sam was determined to sort out striker positions first, at the expense of all other positions?

We just need to get through this season, then hopefully midfield can be prioritised next.

[47er]

Don't get me wrong Ozz, our football this season has largely been desperately poor and yep, I reckon rovers could well lose 50% of their season ticket holders. I thought that last season though - until JW came up with a great ST package. Less room for manouvre now though, admittedly.

All I'm really trying to say, is that we have sold all our "entertaining" footballers. Again, I know I'm repeating this, but you can't replace the likes of Bellamy, RSC, Bentley, Warnock, Friedel even Savage, on top of losing Tugay etc, etc without it affecting the level of performance. These were the entertainers. These had quality. Quality is entertainment. My only other point is that replacing Allardyce with A.N. Other wont improve results. Not with this squad of players. In fact there would be a real danger of a new manager losing it completely.

I don't really know where we go though. I suppose the best solution is for Sam to be given decent funds this summer and for him to bring in the quality we need. He's done that before, - not sure he can do it again. We have to get rid of this set piece garbage though.

There is no way on earth that we will lose 50% of our season-ticket holders. That is wildly pessimistic. On set pieces, the time has surely come to rest Pedersen's long throw. It doesn't work because he can't get the distance without giving the ball loads of height. The result is that the defenders have so much time to work out where its landing that they can crowd Samba etc out. Or the keeper (Jim please note!) simply steps up and catches it. Delap's is a flat throw, comes in much harder and is as good as a free-kick. Pedersen took just about every throw-in against Hull where the goals were reachable and nothing remotely dangerous came from any of them. Ironically when he tried a short throw for some variety he made a complete mess of it!

[47er]

£9m with 2 goals in 17 apps.

McFadden was £5m, Jerome £4m, Gardner £3.5m, O'Connor £3m. Collectively the region of £15m all at around the same time.

Birmingham have spent the cash and had time to develop the squad. We are trying to build a squad from nothing and some expect it to change over night!

Moreover, Birmingham's is net spending, our's is gross ie it doesn't take into account that we had to sell before we could spend.

[Gav]

Can anyone rationalise why Sam was determined to sort out striker positions first, at the expense of all other positions?

We just need to get through this season, then hopefully midfield can be prioritised next.

I seem to recall Allardyce claiming he'd already sorted out the defence earlier in the season, Givet + Chimbonda, think he need a rethink on that one.

[Paul]

Sorry Paul but I disagree.

Your seat gives you limited impressions of a game.You are seeing it from limited angles as opposed to what pay TV with it's multi cameras and angles can show you.

A person such as you who has a well documented dislike of Sky Sports etc wouldn't underdstand those benefits Tv gives a very good view of what you can't see from your seat. Especially when the game is shown in realtime rather than some edited highlights on MOTD.

Completely different experiences. Actually being there allows you to see for yourself. TV shows you what an editor thinks you should be watching at any given time. Watching on tv may sometimes give you a more accurate view but it doesn't give you the whole pitch at any given time. It also doesn't give you the way it feels to be there and sometimes the way you feel you are seeing the match is as important as what you actually see. We still see too many hopeful long balls where you know the opposition defence is just going to hit it straight back at us. TV or at the ground that doesn't change. We may play some decent stuff in amongst it, but it still feels wearisome to watch us sometimes. I'm glad we're winning because otherwise it would be very difficult to sit through most games and retain a sense of perpective.

gumboots answers this point very well. IMV the TV can never show the whole game in the same manner as being in the ground. If it did why does our manager chose to sit in the stand rather than watching on TV? I think we can assume if TV gave a better overall view the majority of PL managers would be watching a monitor, not the live game.

I'd agree when watching live in the ground one's seat position changes the perspective and certainly influences what one sees. I no longer sit behind the goals because I simply can't see who has the ball at the other end! Sittng the JW, in a position not that different from the one the manager choses, I'd argue I'm seeing a far better view of the match than any TV viewer.

Sky certainly provides far more views, replays and close-ups of incidents I only see once. Their technical approach to the game is excellent and I have no arguement with that. With the different angles, replays etc the TV viewer will always get finer and better detail on any specific incident but I don't believe it gives as good or better an overall impression of the game or the quality of the play. If watching on TV truely did give a better feel for a match managers would be doing this and thousands of fans would have deserted grounds for the sofa.

My objection to Sky is partly Murdoch but primarily the changes which have been brought to the game, in particular casting aside the live spectator in favour of the worldwide TV audiences. i have no issue with the technicalities of how this is broadcast.

[thenodrog]

There is no way on earth that we will lose 50% of our season-ticket holders. That is wildly pessimistic. On set pieces, the time has surely come to rest Pedersen's long throw. It doesn't work because he can't get the distance without giving the ball loads of height. The result is that the defenders have so much time to work out where its landing that they can crowd Samba etc out. Or the keeper (Jim please note!) simply steps up and catches it. Delap's is a flat throw, comes in much harder and is as good as a free-kick. Pedersen took just about every throw-in against Hull where the goals were reachable and nothing remotely dangerous came from any of them. Ironically when he tried a short throw for some variety he made a complete mess of it!

Pedersons throw is a useful diversionary tactic only in freeing up a midfielder / left back into enough space to put a useful cross in. I think doing so has led to a couple of goals this season. Problem is we have to let Ped sling it in 5 times before the opposition are fooled into not marking the spare player and it does my head in when Ped ignores em!

[Amo]

Can anyone see us tallying 18 consecutive passes before we score a goal?

[yoda]

Can anyone see us tallying 18 consecutive passes before we score a goal?

If we did, we'd be labled boring Blackburn by the tabloids

[47er]

gumboots answers this point very well. IMV the TV can never show the whole game in the same manner as being in the ground. If it did why does our manager chose to sit in the stand rather than watching on TV? I think we can assume if TV gave a better overall view the majority of PL managers would be watching a monitor, not the live game.

I'd agree when watching live in the ground one's seat position changes the perspective and certainly influences what one sees. I no longer sit behind the goals because I simply can't see who has the ball at the other end! Sittng the JW, in a position not that different from the one the manager choses, I'd argue I'm seeing a far better view of the match than any TV viewer.

Sky certainly provides far more views, replays and close-ups of incidents I only see once. Their technical approach to the game is excellent and I have no arguement with that. With the different angles, replays etc the TV viewer will always get finer and better detail on any specific incident but I don't believe it gives as good or better an overall impression of the game or the quality of the play. If watching on TV truely did give a better feel for a match managers would be doing this and thousands of fans would have deserted grounds for the sofa.

My objection to Sky is partly Murdoch but primarily the changes which have been brought to the game, in particular casting aside the live spectator in favour of the worldwide TV audiences. i have no issue with the technicalities of how this is broadcast.

Sam sits in the stand with a TV monitor at his side!

[Kelbo]

Sam sits in the stand with a TV monitor at his side!

The monitor is mainly for replays etc.

From a higher vantage point, it is much easier to see the shape and Formation of opponents than at ground level and assessing things becomes easier, you can see the movement of players and have a much better vision of the game as a whole, on T/V you cant see that.

[den]

There is no way on earth that we will lose 50% of our season-ticket holders. That is wildly pessimistic.

Maybe over the top 47er, but I wouldn't be surprised if that happened.

Anyone know whether ST renewals will be due before the end of the season?

[alexanders]

Thinking about not renewing your ST's. Instead of being negative to everything - consider yourselves lucky to have the great honour that is attending Ewood Park once every second week for Premier action while we are stuck in front of the TV.

[yoda]

Thinking about not renewing your ST's. Instead of being negative to everything - consider yourselves lucky to have the great honour that is attending Ewood Park once every second week for Premier action while we are stuck in front of the TV.

Well said that person

[den]

Thinking about not renewing your ST's. Instead of being negative to everything - consider yourselves lucky to have the great honour that is attending Ewood Park once every second week for Premier action while we are stuck in front of the TV.

Who's that addressed to?

[alexanders]

Directed to all of you (not necessarily you Den) who not want to renew your ST's.

If I was too quick to jump into conclusions after the debate being held in this thread that many are thinking about not renewing ST's I apologize for that.

[den]

Directed to all of you (not necessarily you Den) who not want to renew your ST's.

If I was too quick to jump into conclusions after the debate being held in this thread that many are thinking about not renewing ST's I apologize for that.

Good, because I've probably had more season tickets than years you've been on the planet.

Oh - and don't apologise. None needed.

[S15]

To answer your initial question Den I don't think they will have to be renewed before the end of the season, but a prize freeze for those who do may well be a route the club will go down.

[Gav]

Good, because I've probably had more season tickets than years you've been on the planet.

Oh - and don't apologise. None needed.

I wouldn't bang on about the current plight as much as I do, but I know plenty of people like Den, who have had season tickets for many years, and are either considering their options next season, or just not bothering buying.

Now I’m not going to keep going around in circles with the usual suspects, because its not worth it, but it’s a real worry this. I know season ticket revenue isn’t key these days, but support for the club is.

[S15]

I guess if our hardcore supporters can't tolerate the current situation the biggest worry for the club is the fact that we happen to have @#/? support.

I can't really tap into the mindset of those who really can't stand whats happening at the moment, especially as the Kidd era, the old Division One Parkes era, the late Souness era and the Ince era were all worse.

If it's a disillusionment with top flight football in general I can fully understand that, but after the home form this season, if it's to do with Rovers and only Rovers, I'm immensely confused.

[mellison24]

I guess if our hardcore supporters can't tolerate the current situation the biggest worry for the club is the fact that we happen to have @#/? support.

I can't really tap into the mindset of those who really can't stand whats happening at the moment, especially as the Kidd era, the old Division One Parkes era, the late Souness era and the Ince era were all worse.

If it's a disillusionment with top flight football in general I can fully understand that, but after the home form this season, if it's to do with Rovers and only Rovers, I'm immensely confused.

I'm of this view as well. A few of my dads mates have grown fed up of football in general (massive wages for something they played in the park for a fiver a week etc etc). This is a fair enough reason to not buy/renew a season ticket. But we have lost only TWICE at home this year. And the football is gradually getting more pleasing on the eye (this doesn't matter too much to me, but it makes the 'style' excuse look a bit silly). I can only think of 2 managers in the Prem who never change style: Wenger and Rafa. How far have they got lately in terms of trophies or even relative success?

We are progressing as a club. I think people are expecting the changes to happen as quickly as they did under Hughes. But the smae changes ARE happening under Sam albeit more slowly (tough and boring at first, becoming a little more flexible and mixing up the play). If you choose not to support the club on the basis of what you have seen at Ewood this year (ie: gradual improvement and very good results) then something is wrong.

[Gav]

I guess if our hardcore supporters can't tolerate the current situation the biggest worry for the club is the fact that we happen to have @#/? support.

I can't really tap into the mindset of those who really can't stand whats happening at the moment, especially as the Kidd era, the old Division One Parkes era, the late Souness era and the Ince era were all worse.

If it's a disillusionment with top flight football in general I can fully understand that, but after the home form this season, if it's to do with Rovers and only Rovers, I'm immensely confused.

Blackburn Rovers have always had supporters that don't need an excuse not to go, and I'm not aiming that comment at anyone on here, but yes we do have @#/? aspects to our support, surely that hasn’t come as a surprise????

During all the eras you mentioned we had the feel good factor still running through the club, even under Kidd we had players worth watching, and under Parkes we had promotion to look forward to, eventually! Also we had Jack Walker, a fan in charge of the club, he wouldn’t stand for the cr@p we’re watching at the moment because he went home and away!

If you choose not to support the club on the basis of what you have seen at Ewood this year (ie: gradual improvement and very good results) then something is wrong.

You support the club both home and away, try telling the loyal 500 that go everywhere that its only what matters at Ewood that counts.

[mellison24]

GAV - The talk is about season ticket holders isn't it? I've seen 6 away games this year and all were dreadful barring Bolton. It won't stop me renewing my season ticket! I thought support was about 'support through thick and thin' where possible, or maybe I'm just too naive? If so, so be it.

[Gav]

GAV - The talk is about season ticket holders isn't it?

Season ticket holders don't go away?

Yes you support the club through thick thin, so accept the @#/? served up and just get on with it......ZZZzzz

Lets have a demonstration like the old days on Nuttall Street - FOX OUT, FOX OUT, FOX OUT!

[S15]

Season ticket holders don't go away?

Of course they do, and if I'd have paid to go and see some of the away games this season I'd be angry.

However, this doesn't alter the fact that the home record is very good, and it is the home fixtures you are paying your money for when you buy a season ticket.

[riverside returns]

This season the football away from home has been nothing short of dreadful. I do agree with some on here that there has been some positive signs recently in terms of football being played. I for one will be renewing in the usual vain hope that things improve. I do know that this is unlikely but after supporting the club for over 40 yrs, I guess I am a realist in some ways but still it is better now than it was in the 70's and i suppose our expectations have just increased.