[Archived] Blackburn Rovers vs. Aston Villa

[broadsword]

If you can't be bothered to spell his name correctly, what does it mean?

Laziness, ignorance, inability to spell?

I'm hardly a pedant, am I montfart?

Pedersen, as well.

Bloke's only been here six years, some people still can't spell his bloody name properly. Unbelievable!

[philipl]

Sorry Brian.

[thenodrog]

5. Take care with spelling / grammar

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[Mattyblue]

Pedersen, as well.

Bloke's only been here six years, some people still can't spell his bloody name properly. Unbelievable!

It will never change!

Remember our Aussie keeper John FILAN? Didn't stop Rovers fans singing 'Phelan, Phelan'.

[dave birch]

Just as an aside Dave, NelsEn was interviewed on RR and said he was really looking forward to the Test and desperately wanted England to wipe the floor with the Aussies.

Generally the Kiwis and Aussies have a respect for each other. When it comes to sport it's full on, however, at the moment, we are consumed with the fact that there are 29 miners stuck in a mine in NZ. So sport, and other antipodean rivalries are forgotten pro tem.

[1864roverite]

I do think some of our members are seriously underestimating Villa.

They have the most exciting crop of youngsters being blooded since United in the early 90's. They, like Arsenal, have some of the most gifted English kids coming through the ranks. Granted they missed the spark of Reo Coker and the aggression of Petrov whilst uglywhore is clearly still unfit.

It was a great result for Rovers because I didnt expect to win.

The new beginning started with a win and that has to be good. 9 points out of 12 sees us looking upwards rather than the bottom 3 looking up.

The run of games we have post manure gives the opportunity of progression up and amongst the top 8 and Rovers have to grab it with both hands. How good itr would be to reach the new year with a decent haul of points in the bag.

as for the players yesterday. I thought Roberts did well although that run and shot was clearly quality ! Dunny got 90 minutes under his belt whilst MGP continues with his scoring run.

welcome the Asian barry White, I half expected him to break out into a song as he waved us on.

[broadsword]

Sorry Brian.

Do you know, you're the first person to ever spell my name incorrectly. No, really!

[BRFC95]

Do you know, you're the first person to ever spell my name incorrectly. No, really!

First person after your parents

[philipl]

Do you know, you're the first person to ever spell my name incorrectly. No, really!

Sorry Bryan- couldn't resist making the deliberate overdone mistake!

[Ozz]

Brad Friedel has now conceded more goals at Ewood Park than any other ground.

[Al]

Brad Friedel has now conceded more goals at Ewood Park than any other ground.

Surprise, surprise seeing it was his home ground for years.

[brian_gallagher85]

First person after your parents

ZING!

[MarkBRFC71]

That must be difficult for you to do Mark. He's played this hoofball for as long as he's been managing, wonder what made him change his mind about that - around 3 weeks ago?

Not difficult at all Den. He's changed our style and tactics and it's getting better results - what's not to give him credit for?

See you still can't or won't accept that the manager has changed the way we play, despite it being glaringly obvious?

We hoof it a lot less, mix it up more, press teams higher up the pitch, play more on the front foot. Please tell me you can see this as I'm beginning to wonder if all you see is 22 men in bright coloured shirts running around and kicking the round thing toward the stick things with net between them.

[Bobby G]

This has also coincided with our winning run. I'd like to see how we approach the next 4-5 games as it would be more telling over a longer period of time.

[den]

Not difficult at all Den. He's changed our style and tactics and it's getting better results - what's not to give him credit for?

See you still can't or won't accept that the manager has changed the way we play, despite it being glaringly obvious?

We hoof it a lot less, mix it up more, press teams higher up the pitch, play more on the front foot. Please tell me you can see this as I'm beginning to wonder if all you see is 22 men in bright coloured shirts running around and kicking the round thing toward the stick things with net between them.

I think your continued use of "hoofball" says all I need to know Mark.

So, you didn't answer my question: What made sam change from 30 years of "hoofball" to wanting our lads to pass the ball more, around 3 weeks ago? He's finally seen the errors of his ways, Said to himself "I can't keep playing hoofball much longer, so I'll ask the lads to pass the ball more and play good football for a change"? - or, more likely in my opinion, - recently the players are improving their form, Jones has made a big difference, Roberts has done well, Hoiletts done well, Pedersens doing great again and the teams just playing better?

I think the truth is - and you're not on your own here - that after slating Allardyce since he's been here and telling everyone that he doesn't know what football is all about, those viewpoints are shown to be off the mark [no pun intended]. So, having to admit that his teams can and do play football, as he wants them to, you suggest he's completely done a U turn - in order to protect your "hoofball" tag.

Yes tactics change, even within games and from minute to minute even. However, you are suggesting that Sam's gone through a complete ethos change.

and I kow nowt about football!

[broadsword]

First person after your parents

It's a valid spelling mate.

[Bobby G]

Den, you've got a fair reflection of things.

[MarkBRFC71]

I think your continued use of "hoofball" says all I need to know Mark.

So, you didn't answer my question: What made sam change from 30 years of "hoofball" to wanting our lads to pass the ball more, around 3 weeks ago?

The fact that by launching it at every opportunity, sitting back off the opposition defenders and letting them have the ball, and playing pretty negatively had resulted in us being in the bottom 3 and the manager being rightly criticised for his approach?

He's finally seen the errors of his ways, Said to himself "I can't keep playing hoofball much longer, so I'll ask the lads to pass the ball more and play good football for a change"? - or, more likely in my opinion, - recently the players are improving their form, Jones has made a big difference, Roberts has done well, Hoiletts done well, Pedersens doing great again and the teams just playing better?

I think the truth is - and you're not on your own here - that after slating Allardyce since he's been here and telling everyone that he doesn't know what football is all about, those viewpoints are shown to be off the mark [no pun intended]. So, having to admit that his teams can and do play football, as he wants them to, you suggest he's completely done a U turn - in order to protect your "hoofball" tag.

and I kow nowt about football!

I didn't say he's done a complete 'u' turn, but the tactics have definitely changed. And as a result of that, the team is playing better, looking more effective and getting better results. The tactical changes have driven the improvement in the players, not the other way round - and for that you have to credit the manager.

[Andy]

Don't agree - and I've never agreed that we play 'hoofball' under Sam.

Yes, in some games we have been more direct, and we'll never know if this was due to Sam or the players on the pitch, but in those games we've also played some nice, short stuff too.

We mix it up; that's our style.

Players form and performance fluctuates, regardless of what they've been instructed in the changing room.

Someone on here, possibly yourself, was genuinely trying to blame Samba's mistake just after HT at Newcastle on 'Sam's half time teamtalk'...!

Go and watch a Wimbledon match from the early 90's and compare it to our most direct performance - nowhere near the same.

[MarkBRFC71]

Don't agree - and I've never agreed that we play 'hoofball' under Sam.

Yes, in some games we have been more direct, and we'll never know if this was due to Sam or the players on the pitch, but in those games we've also played some nice, short stuff too.

We mix it up; that's our style.

Players form and performance fluctuates, regardless of what they've been instructed in the changing room.

Someone on here, possibly yourself, was genuinely trying to blame Samba's mistake just after HT at Newcastle on 'Sam's half time teamtalk'...!

Go and watch a Wimbledon match from the early 90's and compare it to our most direct performance - nowhere near the same.

We have played the most dreadful hoofball at times - the Fulham game this season was a prime example of it at its worst. Thankfully we seemed to have moved on from that, and the results have improved in line with the performances.

[Amo]

No, Den, if Sam had made a 'u-turn' on his tactics, we'd be playing possession football. So quit exaggerating just to make a point.

On many an occasion, our players have received the ball and their first instinct was to lump it forward aimlessly. Are you telling me this is natural for PL, international players like Pedersen, Dunn, Emerton, and Diouf et al? So, why exactly were they doing this? Could it be where Sam has drilled it into them to launch it forward as early as possible and get it into the percentage areas? By Jove, I think it might be!

[den]

We have played the most dreadful hoofball at times - the Fulham game this season was a prime example of it at its worst.

I was there. I know we were terrible. What's that got to do with anything?

Thankfully we seemed to have moved on from that, and the results have improved in line with the performances.

Yes we have improved.

The whole point is that you can't accept that it's anything other than Allardyce moving on from "Hoofball". People knew at the time that we were playing badly, but in some peoples opinion, it wasn't simply because Allardyce was telling the players to do nothing but hit it long. We've improved since then, but you still can't accept that it isn't simply because Allardyce has changed his whole outlook on how to play football.

To believe that someone like Sam is going to change completely, his whole ideas on football overnight is daft and I would argue insulting to him.

[CrazyIvan]

Hoofball under Sam is, and always has been, a myth. The team has started playing very well and they are on form now. When the team has been off colour (and our 'class' of player means it's more often than the top teams) the football looks dreadful. Passes go astray continually. To avoid that and being under pressure, players tend to get rid of the ball quicker and that does result in big hoofs up the pitch. Playing the percentages means we do put the ball in the box in the air and put the keeper under pressure. It works. That isn't hoofball, it's tactical.

BTW, this entire hoofball v non-hoofball argument is circular. People believe what they want and it will always be so.

[den]

Hoofball under Sam is, and always has been, a myth. The team has started playing very well and they are on form now. When the team has been off colour (and our 'class' of player means it's more often than the top teams) the football looks dreadful. Passes go astray continually. To avoid that and being under pressure, players tend to get rid of the ball quicker and that does result in big hoofs up the pitch.

Thank you CrazyIvan. Football has always been that way, especially at a club like Rovers.

[den]

No, Den, if Sam had made a 'u-turn' on his tactics, we'd be playing possession football. So quit exaggerating just to make a point.

On many an occasion, our players have received the ball and their first instinct was to lump it forward aimlessly. Are you telling me this is natural for PL, international players like Pedersen, Dunn, Emerton, and Diouf et al? So, why exactly were they doing this? Could it be where Sam has drilled it into them to launch it forward as early as possible and get it into the percentage areas? By Jove, I think it might be!

and by Jove, now he doesn't! You make no allowance whatsoever for the fact that no football game is ever the same.

See CrazyIvan's post above. Football has more to it than a manager either asking the the team to hoof it, or otherwise.

and you know it.