[Archived] Burnley V Blackburn Rovers

[RIML]

Another thing about today - how does that Grade A sh!thole of a ground get a safety certificate? We went through the turnstiles and came to an abrupt halt. A mass of people inching forward into what looked like a dark, satanic mill waiting to be demolished. There just wasn't enough room for the number of people in there. It was dull, uninviting and quite simply belonged to a different era and division, not even Championship standard. If there had been a fire, stampede or whatever, I dread to think what could have happened.

It was more like the shower scene in Schlinder's List. I know that's not funny but seriously that's how it felt to me.

[LeftWinger]

Cracking day out - despite being sat on a coach for over 2 and half hours to get there! Our support was exceptional and you could see the game meant something to the players. Givet punching the air at the end was great.

Sam deserves some praise today. We've achieved something that Chelsea, Arsenal, United, Villa and Everton (as well as every other side that's been there this season) failed to do. We kept a clean sheet.

There are no negatives as far as I'm concerned. We won - 31 years and counting.

Top video's by the way Hughesy.

[1864roverite]

Well folks, I have finally made it home via several hosteleries in Blackburn and Leyland, what a bloody good day out.

The day started at 0730, beer, breakfast and then onto macdonalds and more beer. As I got onto coach 29 I contemplated what it would mean SHOULD the worst happen and we lose the game, the thought didnt last too long as the chimp on the back on the coach, who couldnt string a sentence together without the F Word appearing several times kept me amused and took my mind off the match.

Arriving at dingledome at 1030 the bar was open, 3 bottles of carlsberg later and all is swell. A brave and sensible decision saw us being herded into the stadium with our beer in hand as the turnstyles closed and 20 coaches remained at a stop up in Cliviger. It made for a better atmosphere.

My pre match chat with Sam must have made sense as he agreed, the turd wa sno place for a weak Keith Andrews and indeed he didnt even make the coach.

The first half started, Rovers fans were vociferous burnley were dead. After 18 minutes Ollson took a tumble, Mike Dean said Penalty, Dunny siad ta very much 1-0 Rovers and GAME OVER.

Burnely weere never ever going toe recover.

After that the rest is history. Rovers fans are partying, Burnely have gone, lost forever from the top league of English football. Do we really care ? I have now read Dunny's afterhtoughts in the media, Peersonally, I couldnt give a rats arse. No nae never no more, They are no longer on the horizon and our enemies are to take the drop downstairs.

1-0 the scoreline, happy as larry and all that.

Brian Laws is a legend.

[thenodrog]

Sam deserves some praise today. We've achieved something that Chelsea, Arsenal, United, Villa and Everton (as well as every other side that's been there this season) failed to do. We kept a clean sheet.

After watching Burnley today I find that fact absolutely amazing! Unfathomable even. I couldn't see em scoring if they had been playing till now!

[Guest andrewpickup]

Have to say i thought Diouf did quite well, probably more effective then both Dunn and Pedersen put together. Apparently Kalinic was given a rest which was fair enough, although it was a shame he didnt come on.

Roberts second touch is always woeful so it would have been good to see a striker who could have actually kept the ball long enough to cause a real threat. Overall Roberts did alright in the end, these are the sorts of games (against championship defences) where he can be effective.

I agree with all of this. There is an idiot core at our away days. Obvious today but its just a few plebs, would be good if the police piled in with batons

[eddiewac]

They got lucky against most of those teams though, scoring wonder goals and somehow keeping the ball out. As soon as those wonder goals dry up, they were always going to struggle

[grizfoot]

Just thought I'd my match ratings for the game:

Brown (6) - Seems to run off his line at any given opportunity, could have cost us on another today, but it didn't. The very little he had did to do he did okay.

Salgado (8) - Another solid performance, no Burnley player ever really ran at him.

Jones (8) - Another superb perfromance, this lad looks the real deal and I'm sure the more games he gets the more confident he'll become on the ball. Also looks to be a good target from corners/free-kicks he gets in some good attacking positons.

Samba (9) - Bar the one clumsy tackle that could have cost us a penalty he was superb. Good block towards the end and he didn't give the Burnley strikers a sniff all game.

Givet (8) - Best performance I've seen from Givet in a while, a class above that prat Wade Elliot.

Diouf (6) - I'd say it was slight imporvement on the Birmingham performance, but still seems to lack any sort of pace which prevents him supporting our lone striker.

Nzonzi (7) - He needs to look up more when he dribbles and stop lofting the ball forward aimlessly. When he does get his foot on the ball and look up he's capable of picking out good passes but too often he goes for the kick it anywhere approach. Broke up the play well today though.

Pedersen (4) - Where's the tenacious midfielder we've seen for the last month or so gone? He was totally non-existant today and his set-piece delivery was dreadful.

Dunn (6) - Penalty aside he wasn't really involved in the game that much. Still holds onto the ball for too long at times, recall a couple of occassions where he should of played the pass earlier. That being said he's by far and away our most creative player.

Olsson (9) - Made some brilliant runs forward from midfield and looked our only threat in this game.

Roberts (7) - Thought he ran the line well, although the Burnley defense got bossed around far too easily by him. Same old story though our striker picks up the ball and is totally isolated and as to take on the entire defense if he wants to create a shooting opprtunity for himself.

====================================================================

Emerton (4) - Very poor when he came on, can see why Diouf's being preferred.

Di Santo (5) - Didn't have that much time to get involved, nice to see him get a run out though.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

After watching Burnley today I find that fact absolutely amazing! Unfathomable even. I couldn't see em scoring if they had been playing till now!

Never underestimate the 'Judas Coyle' effect,its ripped the heart and soul out of their players and fans alike.......the man should be f'kin knighted!

[AJW]

Just thought I'd my match ratings for the game:

Brown (6) - Seems to run off his line at any given opportunity, could have cost us on another today, but it didn't. The very little he had did to do he did okay.

Salgado (8) - Another solid performance, no Burnley player ever really ran at him.

Jones (8) - Another superb perfromance, this lad looks the real deal and I'm sure the more games he gets the more confident he'll become on the ball. Also looks to be a good target from corners/free-kicks he gets in some good attacking positons.

Samba (9) - Bar the one clumsy tackle that could have cost us a penalty he was superb. Good block towards the end and he didn't give the Burnley strikers a sniff all game.

Givet (8) - Best performance I've seen from Givet in a while, a class above that prat Wade Elliot.

Diouf (6) - I'd say it was slight imporvement on the Birmingham performance, but still seems to lack any sort of pace which prevents him supporting our lone striker.

Nzonzi (7) - He needs to look up more when he dribbles and stop lofting the ball forward aimlessly. When he does get his foot on the ball and look up he's capable of picking out good passes but too often he goes for the kick it anywhere approach. Broke up the play well today though.

Pedersen (4) - Where's the tenacious midfielder we've seen for the last month or so gone? He was totally non-existant today and his set-piece delivery was dreadful.

Dunn (6) - Penalty aside he wasn't really involved in the game that much. Still holds onto the ball for too long at times, recall a couple of occassions where he should of played the pass earlier. That being said he's by far and away our most creative player.

Olsson (9) - Made some brilliant runs forward from midfield and looked our only threat in this game.

Roberts (7) - Thought he ran the line well, although the Burnley defense got bossed around far too easily by him. Same old story though our striker picks up the ball and is totally isolated and as to take on the entire defense if he wants to create a shooting opprtunity for himself.

====================================================================

Emerton (4) - Very poor when he came on, can see why Diouf's being preferred.

Di Santo (5) - Didn't have that much time to get involved, nice to see him get a run out though.

what??? we've beat the dingles and your complaining

[Bobby G]

We were in full control for the whole match. Never worried we would concede.

Defensively Jones and Samba are one hell of an aerial force. I wouldnt drop the youngster at this point even if Nelsen is back.

Cant complain about anything as the season has turned around well. Great selection and tactics today. I have to say over the last couple of months, we have played some decent stuff and the hoof ball from earlier in the season is less and less prevalent.

[Blue n White Rover]

what??? we've beat the dingles and your complaining

He's just giving his opinion on the game, which seems to be a fair reflection. Nothing wrong with that!

[roversmum]

Just watched it back, Brown was borderline, a free kick and no card at most. I think Dean didn't give it as it could have been a shove by Nugent so he just let the play go on.

Whether Nugent 'shoved' Brown or not, he put him off balance. Benefit of the doubt for me.

Oh and yet another point, the end was one of my favourite moments as a Rovers fan, all the players throwing their shirts in, Phil Jones doing a little jig, Diouffy winding up their fans and someone throwing a banana I think on a Pedersen picking it up taking a bite and throwing it back.

You could tell it really meant something to them to give the fans that win. Even Chimbonda was getting people singing the David Dunn is blue and white song.

Brilliant just brilliant.

It was fantastic, I don't think I've ever seen the players so fired up after a win. They were in no doubt how much it meant to the fans and wanted to be part of it. Very well done, lads (and I'm sure there were signs of nervousness during the match).

Another thing about today - how does that Grade A sh!thole of a ground get a safety certificate? We went through the turnstiles and came to an abrupt halt. A mass of people inching forward into what looked like a dark, satanic mill waiting to be demolished. There just wasn't enough room for the number of people in there. It was dull, uninviting and quite simply belonged to a different era and division, not even Championship standard. If there had been a fire, stampede or whatever, I dread to think what could have happened.

It was horrendous. I went in the councourse because the steward would not let me use the disabled toilet outside although as I carer I should be able to, and felt in danger of being crushed - three toilets for the ladies is a joke.

Ah yes - Martin's 'dive'. What would you do if you were bearing down on goal and a rather large, ugly, yellow creature bore down on you? You would try to get out of the way, I would have thought, very possibly falling in the process. The referee's view was behind the incident and I believe he may have thought that Martin was actually tripped up by the player behind him.

Anyway. Great day out, despite the early start. And fair play to the disabled Burnley fan and her carer who actually have a season ticket in the middle of the 'away' disabled area! Don't think I'd fancy that.

[AJW]

its the most important away game , it was never gonna be a footballing feast , burnley is one of the most hostile away fixtures in the league, our away form is @#/? and he gives pedersen a 4!!

[S15]

its the most important away game , it was never gonna be a footballing feast , burnley is one of the most hostile away fixtures in the league, our away form is @#/? and he gives pedersen a 4!!

Mental isn't it?

I'd have given MGP a 3 for today's performance.

[RibbleValleyRover]

Mental isn't it?

I'd have given MGP a 3 for today's performance.

Its mental giving him a three... I would give him a 2.

On a serious note there is nothing wrong with people saying our performance was poor, we won but if people believe that a particular player had a shocker its right for them to express that. Whether its against Burnley or Chelsea, if i believe a player has had a poor performance i will say it as i see it.

[dinglebasher]

Today has restored my faith in football. I'd been beginning to feel disillusioned with the Premier League in general and Rovers' contribution to it. I'll always love BRFC and will always have a season ticket, but the annual relegation struggle, the Ince debacle and the domination of all the competitions by the top four teams had taken the edge off things.

Today was different, in that we now have a team who fight for everything, a manager who has assembled a squad of experience and youth, and a fanbase that has increased in number and vocal support. The things I love about football are the anticipation of a big game, the sense of unity between the fans on the terraces and the players, and the feeling that the players care about the team they play for. It seemed like these things returned today.

Today was the culmination of a season which has seen things improve significantly at Ewood. The masterstroke of reducing season ticket prices and making the games accessible to many more people has significantly improved the atmosphere at home games. It must be far more satisfying for the players to perform in front of a few thousand fans than rows of empty blue seats. I think the board should be applauded for their ticketing policy, let's hope the common sense continues.

It was also good to hear some new songs on the terraces. The atmosphere was always going to be special, but it felt as if we stepped it up a level, even from previous derby matches. The new songs will carry on being used in other games, and I think this will undoubtedly have a positive effect on the atmosphere in those games.

The most pleasing thing was the reaction of the players at the end of the game. They look like a team with a good spirit, who understand and appreciate the importance of the games to the fans. Too many times in the past we've seen players trudge straight off the pitch without acknowledging the supporters - today they celebrated in front of the fans like they'd won the league. It makes a real difference to the way the fans feel about the team if they see them so ecstatic about winning the game.

Clearly there are still issues to resolve - the quality of football is not as many would like it, but it is effective, and we all enjoy getting seven points in a week. The squad is better, but we still lack a driving midfielder and need more options up front.

Let's enjoy today as a sign that we are moving in the right direction - we already have as many points as we won in the whole of last season - and get behind the lads again at Pompey and then against United - lots to look forward to.

[T4E]

Great day. Word of praise for the police that organised the escorts to and from t'Turf - thoroughly professional with minimal fuss I thought. Was also good to see a few of them in front of us giggling at some of the songs we were singing.

[Hughesy]

Emerton was our poorest player.

Diouf didnt do much, but he is great at holding the ball when you need him to, something we lost when he left the pitch.

Di Santo once again showed he is a long way off being ready for the prem...no thanks

Salgado was good and seemed very up for it too!

[grizfoot]

what??? we've beat the dingles and your complaining

Not really complaining, I was just giving my opinion on each indivdual players performance. Of course I'm delighted that we won doens't mean I can't think certain players were below par. Just shows how bad the dingles were to be honest, we never really left second gear but coped comfortably, they had a no idea how to break down our back four and five across midfield.

Mental isn't it?

I'd have given MGP a 3 for today's performance.

Pedersen has actually looked okay recentley but he was poor today. How difficult is it to put a decent cross in from a free-kick? Watched Liverpool game straight after and every single free-kick Gerrard took was spot on right in the danger area. I know Pedersen isn't to the same standard of Gerrard but surely he should be putting the majority of his free-kicks in good positions, today we must have had about ten free-kicks in good position yet I only recall one decent delivery out of the lot. That was my main reason for his poor match rating, we rely heavily on set-pieces for our goals and we need better delivery than we got today.

[boris bear]

Well Hayley has won Dancing On Ice and that could be the last win for the Dingles this season.

[Seggie]

MOTD said they had scored in every home game this season.

NOT TODAY LOL

[Hughesy]

Olsson shots against the bar was over the line - just seen it on MOTD2 again.

[Anti-Dingle-Brigade]

The Dingles are going mental about the police now, they seemed to be baton-happy late on. Suspect the safety officer will get sacked for the beer fiasco. They seem more gutted about our party than anything else.

[Mattyblue]

Tremendous day, matches against these lot always seem a lot tenser at the time, I kick every ball, howl at every decision. i'm full of nervous tension.

Then I watch it back and think... never in doubt!

Ive enjoyed the Derbies this season, but now It's time for them to bog off back to the wilderness!

And all these 'Deadwood', 'proper fans at Burnleh' etc etc barbs that we've heard for years can be put to bed FOR GOOD. We outsung them home and away, the intensity and passion of our supporters was something to behold.

Up the Rovers.

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

can't go though all the previous pages - but has anyone congratulated Big Sam for getting his tactics spot on ?

In our biggest away game - he leaves Jones in the centre - playing Givet at left back - and pushing Olsson so far forward he was often playing as an attacker. It worked a treat. I can't believe how much our season has turned around - from nowhere we now seem to have youngsters in the team and genuine hope for the future.