[Archived] Rovers v Wigan

[Stuart]

Having watched MOTD (well done to whoever edited our match) it's clear that the free kick for Wigan's goal should never have been given. Gomez tried to shoulder Jones out of the way and Jones simply stayed strong. Gomez simply bounced off him.

That said the first was by far the worst performance of our season and I can only really put it down to the tension. The relief with the fans after Peds free kick was very obvious and the team seemed to respond. A bit.

I was amazed when the scoreboard read 2-0 to Rovers and by the end, the game was exciting in spite of the football rather than because of it.

One of the worst games we've been to in a long time but ultimately...

3 points.

[Majiball]

For the first time I found myself agreeing with those who have criticised MGP for months. A very good goal coming from a well taken free-kick which was just about perfect - put it a spot which attacks the goal and if everyone misses the ball it's on target for the next. Excellent. However some of his midfield play was just awful.

A well respected MBer told me Sam's pre-match interview spoke of how this week's training concentrated on improving our second-half performance which the manager says has been awful. This left us both a bit non-plussed at half-time, clearly it didn't work as we were just as poor second-half as first!

On the otherhand we created 2 or 3 decent chances, took two and really should have had a third. All very confusing. I hadn't imagined turning up at Ewood to find Wigan have a better team than us, but they do seem to be toothless as for all the time they had the ball I can only recall Robbo having two saves to make. Pretty but not very effective? I did though spend the whole game expecting Rovers to lose as Wigan seemed to spend most of the game camped in our half. A strange day.

Perhaps its time to ditch the scientific approach and get harry in with his magic wand?

I'm happy enough despite some comical moments as we got there in the end and are now out of the relegation zone.

I will say one think despite a strong performance from the trio against Chelsea I do worry about playing 3 players in the middle who are not recognised central players, long term. I do hope we address this in Jan and don't just look to get a striker in.

[John]

Perhaps its time to ditch the scientific approach and get harry in with his magic wand?

I remember when Harry first came in at Spurs when they were struggling at the bottom of the table - he joined in October and in the Janaury transfer window they spent £40 million on new players to help them get out of the relegation zone....

[Kelbo]

I remember when Harry first came in at Spurs when they were struggling at the bottom of the table - he joined in October and in the Janaury transfer window they spent £40 million on new players to help them get out of the relegation zone....

I think Majiball was referring to Harry Potter

[John]

I think Majiball was referring to Harry Potter

OK - well it is Sunday morning, plus interesting stat all the same!

[Majiball]

I remember when Harry first came in at Spurs when they were struggling at the bottom of the table - he joined in October and in the Janaury transfer window they spent £40 million on new players to help them get out of the relegation zone....

Quality. Did you have a good night out?

I think Majiball was referring to Harry Potter

Indeed.

How did you get on yesterday?

[John]

Just watched Sam's interview on Rovers Player.

Said the players were edgy/nervous this week in training, which possibly contributed to the performance yesterday.

Also said for him, Emerton was the man of the match and stand out player on the pitch (mentioned N'Zogbia for Wigan too).

[Bobby G]

I thought Bert was excellent yesterday. Looks his old self.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Just watched Sam's interview on Rovers Player.

Said the players were edgy/nervous this week in training, which possibly contributed to the performance yesterday.

Also said for him, Emerton was the man of the match and stand out player on the pitch (mentioned N'Zogbia for Wigan too).

At least he gives us a bit of mobility in the centre of the pitch, if only he had a football brain.

[den]

Perhaps someone forgot to tell Sam that the new owners were watching!

Strange how there's still the view that every time the performance alters, it's because the manager has changed his footballing ethos. Allardyce picked the same team and asked them to perform as they did against Chelsea, - that's what he said pre-match. But as we all know really, football doesn't work that way.

I'm not going to get into the details of yet another poor performance, but if we all take a step back and realise what's been happening over the past three years since Hughes was at his peak, the withdrawing of value on the pitch could only ever result in what we are seeing now. Lot's of us have seen it many times before. The best teams, with the best players, play well most of the time and play badly, not so often. The poorer teams play badly most of the time with the odd good performance less often.

It makes no difference at this stage who the manager is, because no-one could get much more than what's being got now. That's the plain truth of the matter and simply looking at performances one at a time is deluding ourselves as to the real problem.

IMO, this situation is as a result of selling our better players and has little to do with the manager, the current players [who are doing the best they can]or tactics. Until we get better class of player, things aren't going to improve. In fact they will only go worse.

[Kelbo]

Quality. Did you have a good night out?

Indeed.

How did you get on yesterday?

Drew 2 - 2 in cup away, replay at home now!!

[47er]

Having watched MOTD (well done to whoever edited our match) it's clear that the free kick for Wigan's goal should never have been given. Gomez tried to shoulder Jones out of the way and Jones simply stayed strong. Gomez simply bounced off him.

That said the first was by far the worst performance of our season and I can only really put it down to the tension. The relief with the fans after Peds free kick was very obvious and the team seemed to respond. A bit.

I was amazed when the scoreboard read 2-0 to Rovers and by the end, the game was exciting in spite of the football rather than because of it.

One of the worst games we've been to in a long time but ultimately...

3 points.

I didn't think the game was anywhere near as bad as the Liverpool or Stoke games.

Couldn't have been anyway cos we won!

[John]

In his pre-match interview on Friday, Sam explains the thinking behind the team selection and tactics against Chelsea.

He goes into some detail talking about Diouf on the right using his pace to keep Cole in check.

He said they worked on various things during the week in training, fairly obvious but it had nothing to do with the prospective new owners being present at the match!

[thenodrog]

A bit of useless information but it looks like Pedersen and Roberts had the same boots on. Get the whole team wearing 'em

It is truly useless information RIML...... Roberts yellow boot was a foot away from the ball when he flukily 'shinned' it in off the post! If he'd been a yard further out it would have missed.

His power and pace does indeed worry defenders but I can't imagine he causes goalkeepers to lose any sleep.

[thenodrog]

did Roberts not smile when he scored because it was against his old club, or because he realizes how much he cost us vs Chelsea and that he needs to make up a lot more ground for that?

Either

1. He's still sulking with Allardyce and thinks he's making some kind of moody statement for all to see.

or

2. He's thinking I'm going to look a right pr1ck on MoTD when they see that it came off the top of my shin pad.

I'm going for the former. He is a real sulker when he doesn't get his own way. He's sulked lots of times previously..... if fact every time Hughes dropped him. I'd have sympathy if his ineptitude had not cost us a probable 3 points against the Champions last week.

Just when is the berk going to realise that he can't hit a cows arse with a banjo and that he is so so fortunate to be even drawing wages in the Prem?

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Strange how there's still the view that every time the performance alters, it's because the manager has changed his footballing ethos. Allardyce picked the same team and asked them to perform as they did against Chelsea, - that's what he said pre-match. But as we all know really, football doesn't work that way.

I'm not going to get into the details of yet another poor performance, but if we all take a step back and realise what's been happening over the past three years since Hughes was at his peak, the withdrawing of value on the pitch could only ever result in what we are seeing now. Lot's of us have seen it many times before. The best teams, with the best players, play well most of the time and play badly, not so often. The poorer teams play badly most of the time with the odd good performance less often.

It makes no difference at this stage who the manager is, because no-one could get much more than what's being got now. That's the plain truth of the matter and simply looking at performances one at a time is deluding ourselves as to the real problem.

IMO, this situation is as a result of selling our better players and has little to do with the manager, the current players [who are doing the best they can]or tactics. Until we get better class of player, things aren't going to improve. In fact they will only go worse.

I agree with 90% of that Den. That's why I'm muted with my criticism of the manager. I do have a problem with the way the players are being asked to play a certain style of football that doesn't seem to suit their abilities.

[thenodrog]

despite the performance im thrilled with 3 points; A result against newcastle would get some good momentum for us coming into spurs which will be tough

Big performances required from Samba, Nelsen and Jones. The mags danger is the aerial threat posed by the two big strikers Ameobi and Carroll and Nolans timed runs in support. Samba and Nelsen are as solid in the air as most pairings but Jones needs to curb his recent wanderlust and ball watching and simply stay goal side of Nolan at all times. Grella might be the better option for this one.

[nicko]

Either

1. He's still sulking with Allardyce and thinks he's making some kind of moody statement for all to see.

or

2. He's thinking I'm going to look a right pr1ck on MoTD when they see that it came off the top of my shin pad.

I'm going for the former. He is a real sulker when he doesn't get his own way. He's sulked lots of times previously..... if fact every time Hughes dropped him. I'd have sympathy if his ineptitude had not cost us a probable 3 points against the Champions last week.

Just when is the berk going to realise that he can't hit a cows arse with a banjo and that he is so so fortunate to be even drawing wages in the Prem?

I think you will find the non-celebration was because he was scoring against his old team - and a club he got into the Premier League.

[47er]

It is truly useless information RIML...... Roberts yellow boot was a foot away from the ball when he flukily 'shinned' it in off the post! If he'd been a yard further out it would have missed.

His power and pace does indeed worry defenders but I can't imagine he causes goalkeepers to lose any sleep.

Roberts does at least do something up there though. His pace and strength make it hard for defenders even if he usually msses the one on ones.

But what does Kalinic do?

[Amo]

Either

1. He's still sulking with Allardyce and thinks he's making some kind of moody statement for all to see.

or

2. He's thinking I'm going to look a right pr1ck on MoTD when they see that it came off the top of my shin pad.

I'm going for the former. He is a real sulker when he doesn't get his own way. He's sulked lots of times previously..... if fact every time Hughes dropped him. I'd have sympathy if his ineptitude had not cost us a probable 3 points against the Champions last week.

Just when is the berk going to realise that he can't hit a cows arse with a banjo and that he is so so fortunate to be even drawing wages in the Prem?

So harsh, so harsh.

Roberts has always given 100% for Rovers, even when he's been brought in from the cold. He had every right to feel aggrieved this season, when Allardyce ditched him without as much as a squad number, despite failing to sign anyone who can do a better job. Lucky to be playing at this level? He was good enough to finish in a Top 10 side last season, and now he's back in the first-team. While far from the most gifted of strikers, Roberts really gets some unfair stick from his own fans. It's not his fault the club hasn't signed anyone who can keep him out of the side.

[thenodrog]

Good result be we are lacking so much quality its unbelievable, one of those is the manager (at the moment). To be fair hes never had a good squad to work with, but Im unsure whether he would change his tactics with even a squad like madrid

Mourhino and Allardyce went to the same school of football. Virtually the same tactics except Jose gets to work with the top players. I haven't watched Real at all but I'd imagine they are a much more defensive outfit this season.

[den]

I agree with 90% of that Den. That's why I'm muted with my criticism of the manager. I do have a problem with the way the players are being asked to play a certain style of football that doesn't seem to suit their abilities.

Yeah, I don't disagree that Allardyce has his own beliefs of how the game should be played Tyrone, all good managers should know what they're trying to achieve. The problem is we've brought a manager in and can't back him with cash, - so we're kind of stuck in no mans land.

All I'm saying is that I don't think any other manager could turn things around with this current situation. Blaming the manager for us being where we are is ignoring the real, underlying problem that isn't going to go away without big investment. If Venky's don't have the resources, then nothing's going to change much - IMO.

Plus, Sam isn't going to change his footballing beliefs and surely that, plus the playing squad he was inheriting must have formed part of the interviewing process?

[thenodrog]

Anyone else think that Mame Diouf had his worse game in a rovers shirt - don't think he could have scored if we had played all night.

At least the manager rectified that by subbing him at HT. Which begs the question where the dodgy referee managed to find a full 4 minutes overtime. That second half had just 3 substitutions and at no time did a trainer go onto the pitch.

[thenodrog]

Good gravy but that was dreadful. First game ive gone to this season due to the birth of first child and other than the relief of getting 3 points it really failed to make the 9 hour round trip worth while.

No player in a blue and white shirt seemed to have any idea of what to do going forward. No idea of how to trap or pass a ball. How to track or pressure a player. Givet and Samba looked good at times but very suspect at others. The only consitant players we had was Robbo and the Admiral. Diouf Snr had an uncharistic day off. Pederson was anonomous other than a good lofted pass for the M.Diouf chance and the misshit freekick that flew in.

However, David Dunn, time to put out to pasture, either that or dont even think of playing him til the new year. Tell him to take a couple of months off, lose a couple of stone and then come back, hopefully, as fit as he could be. Putting him on meant we were playing with 10 men for the entire second half(barring injury time and that run).

Truly a terrible game of football.

Dunny's just had 2 months off Hemel! Where do we go from there with him? He must be feeling embarrassed when he sees videos of his appearence next to 21 other athletes.

btw... you should have booked into the Islington or somewhere and enjoyed a nice meal and night out in any one of Blackburns 5* establishments. It'd have done your perceptions much more good than that long round trip.

[nicko]

Mourhino and Allardyce went to the same school of football. Virtually the same tactics except Jose gets to work with the top players. I haven't watched Real at all but I'd imagine they are a much more defensive outfit this season.

You didn't watch AC Milan v Real Madrid last week then...