[Archived] Rovers Versus Arsenal - The Final Home Match Of 2009/2010

[MarkBRFC71]

Those who criticise Sam do magically dissappear on days like these dont they? The 'Sam-Lovers' seem to come on to defend him during the good games and bad games but the sam haters only come out of the woodwork on a bad day. Pity. Not surprising though.

No, I'm still here. The first hour was everything that's bad about BFS, but at least we tried to play in the second half, and deserved the win.

I still cannot warm to the man, think he's a lucky, arrogant tw*t, but league position alone says he deserves a chance to attempt to take us forward, and hopefully try to get us playing football not hoofball. The big question is can he? I remain to be convinced. A lot will depend on who he signs.

Was the second goal a foul on the keeper? I thought so at the time, but haven't seen it on TV yet ....

[tcj_jones]

I actually felt sorry for Fabianski. I didn't actually think he played badly as such, more that he was physically incapable of imposing himself and collecting the ball due to his height, build, and age. Both our goals stemmed from where he was unable to get through the players surrounding him and either flapped, or missed the ball.

Arsenal desperately need a new keeper. There lack of a good one lost them the game yesterday, that's for sure.

[OJRovers]

No, I'm still here. The first hour was everything that's bad about BFS

During the first hour we defended solidly, went in at half time 1-1 and caused their keeper to work twice as hard as Robinson - against a team (Arsenal) who on their day can be as good as any team in Europe....not sure what Sam has to do to win over some people.

The tactics used by Sam were the ONLY WAY we were going to get anything out of this game and it worked. Do you really think Andrews and Grella would be able to pass it round Arsenal's midfield??

We were only able to play better football with Ollson and Junior on in the second half because Arsenal were pushing everything forward and had 4 attackers on at the end.

[47er]

Spot on. The first 60 mins was one of the worst spectacles of the season - just one-dimensional hoofball.

Once Grella went off and Hoilett came on we seemed to get the ball down, push forward, try to play down the wings more and get crosses over rather than lumping it in from every angle.

As you say, work to do and a lot will depend on who we sign in summer. Some creativity is an absolute must though.

That's a load of nonsense. After they scored ( and they should have been 2 up at that point), we were comfortably the better side. When Hoilett came on we were already well on top and they were looking ragged. Hoilett, with his pace, was brought on to exploit that. 2nd half was definitely better than the first but to describe the first 60 minutes as "one of the worst spectacles of the season" is ludicrous. Seems to me our worst enemies are some of our own fans. Everybody knows we need more creativity, we have never replaced Bentley but where does that sort of creativity come from on our budget?

[roversfan09]

I was at the game wat was the last song NOT the Tonites going to be a gd nite then other 1 eney 1 know thankx

[CrazyIvan]

No, I'm still here.  The first hour was everything that's bad about BFS, but at least we tried to play in the second half, and deserved the win.

I still cannot warm to the man, think he's a lucky, arrogant tw*t, but league position alone says he deserves a chance to attempt to take us forward, and hopefully try to get us playing football not hoofball. The big question is can he?  I remain to be convinced.  A lot will depend on who he signs.

Was the second goal a foul on the keeper?  I thought so at the time, but haven't seen it on TV yet ....

 

Take a look at this post...

[RIML]

I was at the game wat was the last song NOT the Tonites going to be a gd nite then other 1 eney 1 know thankx

Also why does everyone sing, cheer up Brian Laws, oh what can it be argh it's the most annoying thing ever, some lads behind me sing it wrong too it sounded like everyone was singing 'be', it's oh what can it mean, "Cheer up, Sleepy Jean, Oh, what can it mean" the word 'be' makes no sense at all.

[JAL]

Couldnt believe how poor Arsenals back four looked.

Campbell and Silvestre wouldnt have looked out of place in a Burnley back four , so slow where they, but full cradit to big Sam and the team for exploiting them in the second half they couldnt cope with the blue and white boys.

Just dont know were all this long ball stuff in the media is coming from FFS. Thought Rovers played some great effective football in the second half which had me and most of the crowd on our feet cheering for more. Watching Dunny, Hoilet and Olsson running with the ball and Salgado in brief patches was a treat to watch ably supported by the rest of the team.

The number of times a Rovers player ran past the last Arsenal defender was extremely encouraging to see, Olsson being one main player and the defenders winning challenges in our third of the pitch all bodes well for next season.

Arte et labore.. we'll keep the blue and white flag flying high.

[Steve Moss]

. . . Dunny's interview on Radio Rovers said that all the players 'loved' him and believed in what he was doing. Amazing especially reading some of the tripe on here, shurely some mishtake? . . .

I'm coming to be of the firm opinion that selling Benni McCarthy did wonders for team morale and their performance.

[MarkBRFC71]

 

Take a look at this post...

Not a foul imo. Dunny maybe backed into the defender who in turn blocked the keeper a little, but a Prem keeper really needs to be more authoritative than that ....

[Mattyblue]

I think Rovers fans (like all fans) exist in a bubble and have entrenched opinions.

Personally I think the style of play post Man City away has been no different than much of the Mark Hughes era, but of course the beloved Sparky doesn't have this 'anti football

tag round his neck.

I rewatched the game on ESPN, excellent coverage by the way, Stubbs, Burley, Royle and John Champion all seemed very knowledgable and generally enthusiastic

about Rovers- most unlike the cliche ridden Beeb and 'Big 4' obsessed Sky.

Anyway, they were full of praise for us, saying we mixed up our approach really well, how much they enjoyed the game and waxed lyrical about the job Sam's done.

Some of you on here need to get real.

[DeadlyDirk]

I really couldn't give a toss how we play against Arsenal, up until May they had been challenging for the title and any point against them is a good one, three points is almost unimaginable. I'm delighted with the points and for me thi is one of the games where style and tactics simply don't matter, unless you want to be on the receiving end of a hammering that is.

Great win, still a top half finish in sight.

[Cheeky Sidders]

Definitely the worst Arsenal performance at Ewood since Rioch was in charge as they looked well short of ideas or effort. Great comedy goalkeeping from Fabianski though and we were well worth the three points. What always gets me about Arsenal though is their manager. That creepy tosser is utterly graceless in victory and defeat against us and it would kill him to give even a little praise. I loathe him more than RFW, Benitez and Lawrenson put together. And he looks like a Bond villain, the big ponce.

[jim mk2]

No, I'm still here. The first hour was everything that's bad about BFS, but at least we tried to play in the second half, and deserved the win.

I still cannot warm to the man, think he's a lucky, arrogant tw*t, but league position alone says he deserves a chance to attempt to take us forward, and hopefully try to get us playing football not hoofball. The big question is can he? I remain to be convinced. A lot will depend on who he signs.

Was the second goal a foul on the keeper? I thought so at the time, but haven't seen it on TV yet ....

Grudging praise and pretty pathetic post considering the elation among supporters of a fine Rovers win over a top 4 side and one that has made us suffer grievously in the past. This is criticism of the manager for the sake of it, provides nothing constructive and should be treated with the contempt it deserves.

[RoyRover]

I was delighted with yesterdays result and thought we fully deserved it on the basis of our second half performance. Arsenal are a big load of softies, who just don't like it when a team gets stuck into them. There was nothing wrong with our goals, so I don't know what Wenger is complaining about. As for performances, I thought that Samba and Givet looked very good, as did Olsson and Dunn. I know people think that Pedersen had a good game, but I didn't at all. I thought he continually gave the ball away, got caught in possession and was generally anonymous. Jason Roberts worked hard and really unsettled the Arsenal defence with his size and power, but oh dear God he is an awful footballer! A top half finish is still possible, which would be remarkable considering the way we have played this season.

[Rover Down Under]

Wenger Accuses Rovers of attempted Goonercide

5th May

Insinuated Press

Following Arsenal’s embarrassing 2-1 loss to Blackburn Rovers, a team 8 places below them and a squad costing several hundred million less, manager Arsene Wenger has spoken out against Blackburn’s “merdde” tatics, or is that murder?

“Ze are cheats, zere is nothing more to it zan zat,” said Wenger as he choked back the tears and supped on his third pint of Evian Bitter. “Everyone knows zat ze petit Northern slum towns should not even be in ze same league as us. We are ze purists, we are ze special ones.”

The Arsenal manager also went on to criticise the referee. “He should have protected us more, ze Blackburn players were looking at my players, it is unacceptable.”

Wenger is no stranger to criticising Blackburn tactics. Several years ago after a 1-0 defeat in the FA Cup Wenger claimed the Blackburn players had “kicked ze lumps out of us” and went on to display the rolls of cotton wool and padding that are usually used to wrap up and transport the Arsenal team to away games. The protective coverings were drenched in blood and guts.

Wenger has also claimed that Rovers second goal should never have been allowed as the entire team should have been sent off at the beginning of the game for touching Arsenal players when they shook hands before kick-off.

Arsenal physio, Cuthbert Nobertson, said all 25 squad members had sustained injuries from the brutal game. “Nasri has lost both legs, Diaby has a hole in his chest, Sagna was mashed into a laSagna, Fabianski has 216 broken bones from being crushed by Rovers players and Mannone is dead.” All are expected to make a full recovery for this weekend.

[old darwen blue]

Wenger Accuses Rovers of attempted Goonercide

5th May

Insinuated Press

Following Arsenal’s embarrassing 2-1 loss to Blackburn Rovers, a team 8 places below them and a squad costing several hundred million less, manager Arsene Wenger has spoken out against Blackburn’s “merdde” tatics, or is that murder?

“Ze are cheats, zere is nothing more to it zan zat,” said Wenger as he choked back the tears and supped on his third pint of Evian Bitter. “Everyone knows zat ze petit Northern slum towns should not even be in ze same league as us. We are ze purists, we are ze special ones.”

The Arsenal manager also went on to criticise the referee. “He should have protected us more, ze Blackburn players were looking at my players, it is unacceptable.”

Wenger is no stranger to criticising Blackburn tactics. Several years ago after a 1-0 defeat in the FA Cup Wenger claimed the Blackburn players had “kicked ze lumps out of us” and went on to display the rolls of cotton wool and padding that are usually used to wrap up and transport the Arsenal team to away games. The protective coverings were drenched in blood and guts.

Wenger has also claimed that Rovers second goal should never have been allowed as the entire team should have been sent off at the beginning of the game for touching Arsenal players when they shook hands before kick-off.

Arsenal physio, Cuthbert Nobertson, said all 25 squad members had sustained injuries from the brutal game. “Nasri has lost both legs, Diaby has a hole in his chest, Sagna was mashed into a laSagna, Fabianski has 216 broken bones from being crushed by Rovers players and Mannone is dead.” All are expected to make a full recovery for this weekend.

Ever considered writing comedy pal?

[47er]

Definitely the worst Arsenal performance at Ewood since Rioch was in charge as they looked well short of ideas or effort. Great comedy goalkeeping from Fabianski though and we were well worth the three points. What always gets me about Arsenal though is their manager. That creepy tosser is utterly graceless in victory and defeat against us and it would kill him to give even a little praise. I loathe him more than RFW, Benitez and Lawrenson put together. And he looks like a Bond villain, the big ponce.

And completely at odds with his own fans from what I've read on various Gooner sites. They aren't swallowing his spin about how unfairly their team was treated. On the contrary I haven't read 1 Arse fan report that doesn't say they got what they deserved. Some very unhappy people round that part of North London

[herbergeehh]

Can someone explain to me what the two guys in BBE were doing, they had their heads in their laps demonstratively? They were sitting like that for most parts of the first half.. Got a lot of TV coverage, undeservedly so.. if this was a protest, it must be the smallest protest ever - pretty ridiculous.

[Eddie]

I think they'd had a bit too much to drink and simply couldn't keep their eyes open. Certainly didn't look to be in too good of a state.

[gumboots]

And completely at odds with his own fans from what I've read on various Gooner sites. They aren't swallowing his spin about how unfairly their team was treated. On the contrary I haven't read 1 Arse fan report that doesn't say they got what they deserved. Some very unhappy people round that part of North London

They were on all the phone ins saying pretty much the same thing - that even if it was a foul on the keeper, they should have beeen so far superior to us that they were already out of sight, that their players weren't interested, that Wenger has no leader on the pitch in the way that players like Keown, Adams, Viera were leaders, and that if Lehmann had been in goal they would have backed him to deal with Samba, Dunn Roberts and anyone else who got in his way and deal with the aftermath, and if he still let it in then he'd have stropped until he brought to the ref's attention that it was possibly a foul, which meant he woiuld have got a higher percentage of the fouls than Fabianski or Almunia ever will.

[Amo]

Like I said at the time, I'm pretty sure one of those guys was the infamous sourpuss during our draw with Chelsea. Sure looked like him!

[Tom]

Also why does everyone sing, cheer up Brian Laws, oh what can it be argh it's the most annoying thing ever, some lads behind me sing it wrong too it sounded like everyone was singing 'be', it's oh what can it mean, "Cheer up, Sleepy Jean, Oh, what can it mean" the word 'be' makes no sense at all.

Also I may be wrong but I always thought in our version of blayden races the words were:

oh me lads should have seen us coming, walking down the Bolton road just to see em running

But most people sing should have seen us coming twice. Am I wrong or did it used to be different

[RIML]

Also I may be wrong but I always thought in our version of blayden races the words were:

oh me lads should have seen us coming, walking down the Bolton road just to see em running

But most people sing should have seen us coming twice. Am I wrong or did it used to be different

I think it can be both, but I sing should have seen us coming twice. Loads of teams sing it differently, Bolton's backwards version "Oh my lads you should of seen 'em runnin, Asked them why and they replied, the Bolton boys are comin," but nothing annoys me more than people singing 'oh what can it be'

[Derbyshire Blue]

Can someone explain to me what the two guys in BBE were doing, they had their heads in their laps demonstratively? They were sitting like that for most parts of the first half.. Got a lot of TV coverage, undeservedly so..

Watched the match out here in Germany and it was blatantly obvious from where I was sitting that Bank Holiday Monday had finally caught up with them after a weekend on the ale not long after they settled down in their seats...

I'm sure we've nearly all been there... Celtic at home in the Uefa Cup springs to mind in my case