[Archived] Rovers v West Ham

[King Kenny's Magic]

Horrible game from start to finish.Not a lot to say except that if Venkys think that side of ours can achieve top 5 then they are puddled.Three injuries to key players? WTF, thats all we need after this week!!

Excellent turnout of nearly 22,000 considering the conditions but you could feel a very real undercurrent of unrest amongst our support.The Venky's adverts on the big screen were welcomed with loud boo's.

ALL IS FAR FROM WELL AT EWOOD.

Just to top it all off! The only thing that could make it worse would be Mrs D trying to poach Brian(I'm a football genius on Champ Manager) Laws for manager.

Sorry chaps,yeah I was on about Big Chris.

[Kelbo]

Defensively, given 2 major injuries, I thought we did well. Robbo only had 1 save to make other than the goal which came from an ambitious dribble by Parker. Wolves could have had 6 but for Robbo.

It was also clear that Grant had done his homework on combatting the Sam style. They only gave away 1 free kick in Robbo launch territory and for that one they held a ludicrously high line, much nearer the centre cirle than the 18 yard line. We weren't goign to be able to crowd the keeper.

MGP's long throw has clearly been consigned to history, but since it gained us one goal in 2 years, I suspect we will weather that particular storm.

The snow around the edges of the pitch didnt allow for long throws!!

[alexanders]

beerwins: If they same thing happened with Sam as manager, wouldn't he prefer Benjani himself?

[Mr C]

Depressed and upset after my visit to Ewood this afternoon.

Appalling game.

Shocking performance.

Really, really bad atmosphere with a tangible undercurrent of discontent.

No phone calls allowed on Radio Rovers after the game. Welcome to the new world of Blackburn Rovers Football Club.

I genuinely fear for the future of our once proud and beloved club.

PS: Steve Kean thought Benjani did "very well". Kentaro must have told him he had to say that.

[RoyRover]

This was not a good result and by all accounts a terrible performance. This was a game that we should be getting three points from. I hope that today's result and performance show the owners that:

• winning against the bottom club is a must at home and sacking the manager days before the game doesn't help the players in their performance to do so

• we are so far from a top five side and that their comments about us being one just make themselves look foolish

• we don't have the players to play an open brand of attacking football

• football is a results business and whether you liked Sam's style or not (I personally hated it), it got the most out of the players with limited ability that we have and got results.

[chaddyrovers]

beerwins: If they same thing happened with Sam as manager, wouldn't he prefer Benjani himself?

We will never know will we!!!

Thought the only players who played well today was Pedersen, Nelsen and M.Diouf(not given the ball enough). Dont understand why Kalinic wans't bought when Roberts got injured! Rovers performance was awful today. didn't use the ball well and give the ball away far too much!

Shame about Jones being out for the season!!!

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

No phone calls allowed on Radio Rovers after the game. Welcome to the new world of Blackburn Rovers Football Club.

I dont usually listen to Radio Rovers but decided to tune in today hoping to hear the opinions of other supporters about this week's events.All I can say is that I hope to God that you know who did not instuct RR to not take post match calls....its the first time I've ever known that.

[K-Hod]

Nothing good about that game. We drew against the bottom team AT HOME! That was about as entertaining as tap dancing on a minefield.

I'm not blaming Steve Kean wholeheartedly and I know it takes time to gel- but my god, David Dunn left wing???????????

I hope that's the last time I ever see Brett Emerton play football, he needs to grasp the concept of passing to players in the same colour shirt as him, he was shocking.

Dunn was dreadful as well, one of the worst performances I've ever seen him put in.

We played the ball along the ground, but there was no urgency to get forward, we were slower than ever. That was El Hadji-Diouf's worst performance of the season as well.

[beerwins]

beerwins: If they same thing happened with Sam as manager, wouldn't he prefer Benjani himself?

I have no idea, I was'nt comparing What Sam would have done because he has gone, I was simply stating that I thought it was a bad decision.

I think Kalinic has sat on the sidelines long enough and I was very surprised that he didnt start alongside Roberts at home against the bottom team and was very surprised to see Benjani hobble of the bench to replace Roberts, Kalinic can hold the ball better than Benjani and it would have been more a like for like Substitution.

[grizfoot]

Interesting game I thought although some might disagree. I was actually suprised to see us switch to 4-4-2 after our success with 4-5-1 at home but at least it shows that Steve Kean isn't afraid to make his own decisions. There's was a distinct difference in our style of play also, the team we clearly told to play more short passes and keep the ball moving and try and work positions out wide. Some of the football was half-decent although some of our players clearly don't fit this style of play or they are just no use to it. It was a very attacking line-up with two strikers as well as four midfielders who you would all consider to be better at attacking than defending.

Worringly though this switch to 4-4-2 made us look much more open and there was so much space down the centre of the pitch at times with our entire midfield committed, especially in the second half. Also a worry was the lack of creativity in the side, we never really looked like picking out that killer pass and our main danger came from set-pieces as usual. The strikeforce didn't help much, Mame Diouf is quick but that appears his only quality attribute most of the time, never really managed to get in and behind the defenders to utilise his pace. Benjani was poor when he came on and was caught offside about five times when he shouldn't have been. On the subject of poor, Dvaid Dunn was absolutely shocking he lost the ball so many times it became hard to believe. Overall our best players where probably Nelsen & Pedersen, our overall performance probably didn't warrant three points because I thought West Ham looked pretty dangerous going forward although might be more to do with our lack of apparent organisation at the back.

You can't judge Steve Kean of this one game, but there was definitley things to like about today's performance. We retained possession of the ball and worked wide positions well at times but then again defensively we looked vulnerable and strangely lacking in organisation. The injuries really hampered us in this game also, they tied Kean's hands in terms of making any possible tactical changes late on and it also looks like we'll be without Jones for sometime which is a big blow for us.

Not the best of performances but not any worse than the 1-1 with Fulham this season or indeed the 0-0 against West Ham last season in my opinion.

[beerwins]

Dunn was that bad today that the guy next to me shouted out TAKE HIM OFF FFS, I said he cant we have already used our subs, he said I know!

At least I got a laugh when Robbo T bagged C. Cole while he was lying in the snow, Maybe thats what Venky's meant about entertainment

[Muddboy]

I wouldn't be surprised if a few players put in transfer requests next week

That's what worries me too.

I think we have too many players that aren't really up for the fight – particularly after the events of this week.

[Mike Graham]

God that was damm awful today, it would be a disgrace to call that football.

The pre match warm up summed Rovers players up, totally disinterested and demotivated.

Let us be clear, there is NO question....we are in deep cack.

[Kelbo]

I have read many observations today, I see some observations as those who didnt go near the game, they were not correct assesments at all, for what they are worth, here are mine.

Noticably, from the onset and with the way we set the team up, the back four (Nelsen, Givet and Salgado) are without pace and no Jones in front to protect them with pace power and energy, there were always going to be problems and Dyer was almost played in a number of times as we were caught too high up the park in Midfield, Dunny cant get back and Pederson, who for me was awesome today had to try and do the work of three men!! That put pressure on the back four who looked disjointed and the whole team without shape or direction.

I mentioned to my son who is also a coach (UEFA that Robinsons kicking wasnt as sure as normal and that he was knocking the ball wide and diagonal, obviously to get at the back three of West Ham, (they set up as 4-3-3) but M Diouf wasnt up to the task and Olssen, who I thought would have been a better option was never given any game time!!

Apart from Pedersons set plays and the goal, we never threatened a poor West Ham keeper, after watching his first half performance, I would have targeted that in the second half.

We became disjointed, without shape and held on to the ball far too long at times and for me, the players didnt look up for it, they looked lethargic and their body language at times showed something was not quite right.

I cant blame Steve Kean, I could see he was trying to press the ball further up the park, but to do this, you need the personell and we havent got the players capable of playing that kind of game, ie box to box midfielders, especially Dunny who looks buggered.

It was a poor game played by two certs for relegation on this showing with only Nelsen, Pedersen and EH Diouf showing anythig like decent form, perhaps Salgado but he was struggling due to the gap between midfield and defence.

Rovers needed some direction from the manager, I didnt see any evidence of that and we face the Christmas period without Samba, Roberts and Jones!!

Sad times, Mrs D, all is well, £5,000,000 and Andersons input will put things right and a top seven finish!! In Division 1- it was that bad.

[Tom]

Those who are so certain we would have won today Under Sam remember we threw away a win against a flaccid Fulham and last week got beat by a team with ten men who didn't even play well.

[chaddyrovers]

Steve Kean post match interview with Sky Sports

http://www.skysports.com/video/inline/0,26691,12606_6598336,00.html

[modes98]

Wow that was depressing.

Dunn and Benjani were awful. Every time we broke forward Benjani put himself 4 or 5 yards offside so the man with the ball couldn't pass it to him, bad sub should have put Kal on. Dunn just looks over weight and slow.

Robbo played well, Nelsen was a deserved MOM. Emerton looked very good in parts. The rest you could take or leave, they did very little to contribute.

New Diouf looked sharp early doors but faded rapidly.

Kean has a lot to prove and if today proved anything it is that he is a bit niave tactically.

Pulling the DM position out left our CBs exposed to Parker and so. We need a manager now! Not a coach who can pretend and get us relegated!

[67splitscreen]

Dunn was that bad today that the guy next to me shouted out TAKE HIM OFF FFS, I said he cant we have already used our subs, he said I know!

At least I got a laugh when Robbo T bagged C. Cole while he was lying in the snow, Maybe thats what Venky's meant about entertainment

You must have been in the row behind me as I heard the exact same words. Had a bit of a chuckle to myself as he said it.

[Mike Graham]

Venky's:

(Please don't use that word again) OFF asap, no-one wants you and your scummy (Please don't use that word again)-pig agents.

[Mercer]

If no one can hear the alarm bells then they certainly should do so now.

We have failed to beat a miserable, bottom of the league side.

With Sam, we would have blown them away.

A foreign debutant keeper - with Sam, the guy wouldn't have known where he was or what he was doing after 15 minutes - instead, he had an easy afternoon.

The saying goes - if it aint broke then don't fix it.

I really feel that we are in big, big trouble and heading for relegation.

I am certain Kean got it tactically wrong today and didn't cut the authoritative and inspirational figure needed.

Something died in my heart this week with the Rovers and I sensed it is the same with many I spoke with today.

[mogster]

So, is that the kind of thing Venky's were looking for?

[Gav]

Too many drama queens on this thread/site.

Whilst today performance was awful, it was no worse than its been of late. It was encouraging to see us taking the odd short throw, and in parts some of our build up play relied on short crisp passing not hoof ball, but it was limited I agree.

Not the best, but a points better than non, onwards and upwards.

[John]

Still, this squad is capable of playing better, more attractive football eh? Wonder what Venky's think tonight?

As Ms Desai said, this team has potential.

It makes me cringe when we try to pass the ball too much and need to be careful as we give it away in dangerous areas - even when we get it in wide areas and deliver a good ball, we don't have any one with decent movement to find space in the box.

[philipl]

Wasn't at the game but I have heard from two people now that the pre-match warm-up looked shambolic. Then we lost two players to muscle pulls.

[Kelbo]

Too many drama queens on this thread/site.

Whilst today performance was awful, it was no worse than its been of late. It was encouraging to see us taking the odd short throw, and in parts some of our build up play relied on short crisp passing not hoof ball, but it was limited I agree.

Not the best, but a points better than non, onwards and upwards.

How could you play a long throw with a foot of snow round the parameters??

No worse than of late?

Ok if you say so