[Archived] Everton Preview

[Rover Down Under]

That win was for Uncle Jack, so will the many wins from here on in.

[Tim Southampton Rover]

Pleased with the debut of Diouf too. He looks like he has all the attributes to be a success at Rovers.

[ffan]

Fair play lads, great way to start the season.

[neophox]

Great win and Pedersen was rigthly man of the match, he was everywhere in the game but the whole team deserve credit....looks like good team spirit! 3 points!!

[joey_big_nose]

Pleased with the debut of Diouf too. He looks like he has all the attributes to be a success at Rovers.

Agreed- looks like he will hit the ground in a way that Di Santo and Kalinic did not. Also looks like exactly the sort of player who Niko could form a good partnership with if we look to go 442

[Dan]

Why are Scousers like Batman? They don't go anywhere without Robin!

[Majiball]

Nice to get 3 points on the board.

Just got back home so can someone tell me how we played??? Have we improved on last year???

[brian_gallagher85]

I've just had the Holloway post match interview cut short by bloody Score Northern Ireland

Still buzzing from a fantastic start to the season

We played to our strengths today and delighted for Niko, he needed that asap this season to try and hit the ground running. Solid performances from all concerned today, but I have to give credit to El Hadji today who I thought had a very good game

[RibbleValleyRover]

Nice to get 3 points on the board.

Just got back home so can someone tell me how we played??? Have we improved on last year???

Started bright, got the goal then spent most of the match just sitting back and defending when we had to. We couldn't play like that against a United or a Chelsea, they would have the quality to use that superior possession and put away the chances.

But its three points, clean sheet and Niko gets a much needed confidence boosting goal. Not much more you could ask for.

[dopper69]

Credit where it is due. It appeared an odd selection at first but paid off.

Well done

[Bobby G]

Great start to the season. Defence looks solid. Dont want to tempt it but now (as with the last few months of last season), Id be almost surprised if/when we concede. We deal with everything aerially and as a unit the back 4 look in check with each other.

I dont know where we would have scored had Niko not taken his chance, but there you go. Last season that one would have hit the post, as I was expecting it to until it swerved inwards.

Jones was excellent in midfield. Salgado was brilliant at right back and Pedersen really worked hard. Diouf looks a bit over-weight to me, and that may be a position to look to strengthen in the future. Mame looks good on the break as well.

3 important points, good selection and tactics and a confidence booster for Brum next week.

[adopted scouser]

Was that the people's club, or the Village People's club ?

[Doaksie]

I've just had the Holloway post match interview cut short by bloody Score Northern Ireland

That's why I switched to SSN Brian.

Very disciplined performance from every single player today. A real team performance, which is good to see. A result of the unchanged squad perhaps.

I thought Jones was exceptional today. Set the tempo for a fantastic defensive display.

[brian_gallagher85]

I had it on but my brother nicked the remote and changed it in the other room

[Majiball]

Started bright, got the goal then spent most of the match just sitting back and defending when we had to. We couldn't play like that against a United or a Chelsea, they would have the quality to use that superior possession and put away the chances.

But its three points, clean sheet and Niko gets a much needed confidence boosting goal. Not much more you could ask for.

Great start to the season. Defence looks solid. Dont want to tempt it but now (as with the last few months of last season), Id be almost surprised if/when we concede. We deal with everything aerially and as a unit the back 4 look in check with each other.

I dont know where we would have scored had Niko not taken his chance, but there you go. Last season that one would have hit the post, as I was expecting it to until it swerved inwards.

Jones was excellent in midfield. Salgado was brilliant at right back and Pedersen really worked hard. Diouf looks a bit over-weight to me, and that may be a position to look to strengthen in the future. Mame looks good on the break as well.

3 important points, good selection and tactics and a confidence booster for Brum next week.

Thanks you two!!!!

Did Jones play in midfield?? how did we line up????

Very happy Niko scored today it will do him the world of good and banish the memories of all those misses last year.

[American Rover12]

3 points and you can never complain about that. I thought Salgado, MGP, and Nelson all had great games. Kalinic can't be faulted for lack of trying and hopefully his skill and form will improve as the season pushes on. Great finish though, not at all easy despite the free net.

Jones was strong but showed his age, no doubt a further season with Nelson, Givet, Salgado and Samba will only improve our good young defender. (Wow just typing all those defenders shows where our true strength as a club lies.)

Very impressed with Mame Diouf in his first league game. Pace and some, and good skill to hold the ball, exactly what we needed to kill off the game.

Gotta hand it to Sam, the guy had a plan and it shut down all of the Pink's strengths. Scrappy game that I thought the ref and his assistants handled very well.

Great to get three points for Uncle Jack. ONE JACK WALKER!!

[unclejack28]

great win, thought the whole team as a unit had a good game even e.diouf. only negative is dunn's injury hope hes ok. but great start fair play.

[RoverRich]

Brilliant display from Jonesy. He was everywhere and did a great job in midfield. The gamble from Sam paid off. Also, agree with others in that Salgado and Pedersen were very good with bright displays from both Dioufs. A solid defensive performance and nicely taken goal by Niko should give us something to build upon now. Very happy to get 3 points on the board straight away!

[Tom]

-Great win against a decent team.

-Ugly at times but effective.

-Pedersen easily MOM, superb today bar a couple of bad free kicks.

-Dunn looked fat and is still a crock

-Poor form not having a minutes silence for Stansfield

-Today was the first time I've seen a free kick given because someone got hit by a ball

-Great finish by Niko and M Diouf looked decent

One nil and your shirts are sh*t

[MarkBRFC71]

Desperate first half, hoofball all the way. Second half was better, we at least tried in patches to get the ball down and play.

Like most, was gutted when the team was revealed and we were starting with 6 defenders - at home! To be fair though, we looked solid and Everton on paper are one of the stronger teams.

Jones should have been MOM, easily our best player - like most at Ewood was surprised when Pedersen got it.

Defence looked solid, but without Dunny midfield desperately lacking in any class, guile or creativity.

Niko was superb - not far behind MOM after Jones - and M Diouf looks a handful if a little raw.

Everton were poor, no cutting edge at all. Felt like they had much more possession, but couldn't get through our team.

All-in-all, a great result and 3 points, an OK performance overall.

[martmitch]

improved performance in the second half and we needed it to be, nzonzi should have made it 2 and possibly jones 3 but would have just been icing on the cake, Everton never really got going especially up front, dominated posession mainly due to us sitting back in our own half and hoofing it away, esp in first half.

Defence were exceptional today, robbo more or less had nothing to do, salgado continues to improve every game, m.diouf looked pretty lively and dangerous, how about him and nicko up front so he doesnt have to run half the pitch every time he gets the ball? shame about dunn, story of his life

3 points on the board, fortress ewood is alive and well

[Tom]

How do you know most of Ewood was surprised at the MOTM award Mark?

People around me all seemed to agree he deserved it.

Also great save by Robbo with his face

[MarkBRFC71]

How do you know most of Ewood was surprised at the MOTM award Mark?

People around me all seemed to agree he deserved it.

Also great save by Robbo with his face

OK, most round me. He was vastly improved over his usual performances, but to suggest he was better than Jones - who was playing out of position - is silly. I would also have put Niko and Salgado ahead of him tbh, but the MOM awards at Ewood rarely reflect the games ....

[Tom]

Each to their own I thought both were great, pedersen better for me but jones looks surprisingly assured on the ball.

Could have cost us dearly with a silly foul but we have a gem there.

Kalinic seemed to bubble with confidence after his goal, great way for him to start.

[MarkBRFC71]

Each to their own I thought both were great, pedersen better for me but jones looks surprisingly assured on the ball.

Could have cost us dearly with a silly foul but we have a gem there.

Kalinic seemed to bubble with confidence after his goal, great way for him to start.

Should do Niko the world of good to be off and running already. Would love to see him and Mame as a partnership, they could cause some real damage together.