[Archived] Rovers v West Ham

[mrsjansen]

Based on how we played, yes.

We would have played better (or at least smarter) under Sam. I'm firmly of the belief he would have brought all 3 points home.

Last seasons game was 0 - 0

[Uddersfelt Blue]

Paul

That is one of the best posts that I have read on the MB for months.

A shortened version would be "we are doomed without honesty and leadership".

I feel totally disheartened and depressed. My glass needs another wine.

At risk of being shot down I would say that given the very difficult circumstances the players, manager and fans found themselves in, this was actually not a bad performance. OK, some individual players could have played much better but the effort and spirit was there!!! A disappointing result but the players didn't deserve to be booed for it.

Don't forget we were 12 minutes from a win that would have seen us in 8th place.

Unfortunately the injuries played a critical part in the fact we didn't win. They left Kean with no opportunity to substitute some of the tiring players, like Diouf and Dunn, with players such as Olssen and Hoilett, who would have given a tiring West Ham defence a bit more to worry about. Instead it was Avram Grant who could afford to make the tactical subs and this paid off for him.

There's no point keep having a go at Venkys for sacking Sam. That can't be undone (can't it?)

We must ALL be positive in getting behind the team and hope that Venkys are prepared to back up their big ambitions for the club with similar positive actions. We will at least need a quality replacement for Jones whilst he is out. What better time to bring in a top quality midfielder to support the likes of Pedersen and Emerton. How I wish we had someone like Parker

We don't need lots of changes. Just one or two marquee signings (and I don't mean Boyd and Geovanni).

Come on Venkys, it's vital that the January window is not wasted.

[broadsword]

Could've been worse, we could've played man Utd away this w/e - imagine that.

[DE.]

At risk of being shot down I would say that given the very difficult circumstances the players, manager and fans found themselves in, this was actually not a bad performance. OK, some individual players could have played much better but the effort and spirit was there!!! A disappointing result but the players didn't deserve to be booed for it.

Pretty sure the boo's were aimed at Venky's meddling in the club's affairs rather than the players' effort,

[Amo]

Unfortunately the injuries played a critical part in the fact we didn't win. They left Kean with no opportunity to substitute some of the tiring players, like Diouf and Dunn, with players such as Olssen and Hoilett, who would have given a tiring West Ham defence a bit more to worry about. Instead it was Avram Grant who could afford to make the tactical subs and this paid off for him.

That's true, but at the same time Hoilett & Olsson should have started. I just don't know why Allardyce and now Kean are averse to playing our two quickest wingers in the same team. As I already said today, we don't have anyone who can get behind defences. Diouf just meanders on the ball trying to draw a foul or a corner because he hasn't got it in him to beat his man, and Pedersen, Emerton & Dunn aren't much better. I mean... are we missing something here? Because it just sounds like common sense to me.

[Blue n White Rover]

Well, that was poor. No attacking threat and although we didn't use the long ball as much as we did under Allardyce, our players looked clueless when passing the ball on the ground. Robinson's goal kicks have suddenly shortened, and there seemed to be a lack of confidence from the players, especially Samba.

Was expecting a draw today, but after looking at West Ham and how poor they were, I agree with those that are saying if Sam was here, that was an easy 3 points in the bag. West Ham will definitely be going down if they continue to play the way we did.

We need to buck our ideas up a lot more and Kean needs some sort of game plan. I do feel sorry for him in the sense all 3 of his substitutions were enforced rather than tactical. Hopefully, Ollsson will start the next game and we can get 3 points against a strong Stoke side.

[Madon]

The performance was below par, but the thing that annoyed me more than anything this afternoon was the booing of Benni McCarthy. Some people have such short memories, yeah he's getting on a bit and piling on the pounds but he was a champions league winner who chose to come to little old Blackburn and scored for fun in his first season, and when the big boys were calling he may have wanted to leave but still stayed at Ewood!. I've never celebrated so wildly as i did when Benni scored that beauty agaainst Arsenal in the quarters, simply magic and a joy to watch (at times)

[greco]

when you have a team consisting of players who lack technique and a bit of quality in general, you have to rely on a strong organisation. While i found sam and his style a bit boringm, his approach was the right one, as organisation was cruccial to him. we lack the individual quality, therefore we need to stick together as a TEAM and be ORGANISED.

Today that was thrown out the wondow and i saw a side which was all over the place. It seems to me, that kean wants to go in anohter direction, courtesy of mrs "the scumbag" D. Thats naive or stupid approach, actually both, so im quite worried about whats to come.

An owner trying to dictate the style and a coach that seems naive, thats just a bad bad combination

[Uddersfelt Blue]

That's true, but at the same time Hoilett & Olsson should have started. I just don't know why Allardyce and now Kean are averse to playing our two quickest wingers in the same team. As I already said today, we don't have anyone who can get behind defences. Diouf just meanders on the ball trying to draw a foul or a corner because he hasn't got it in him to beat his man, and Pedersen, Emerton & Dunn aren't much better. I mean... are we missing something here? Because it just sounds like common sense to me.

IMO Kean went for the conservative approach in his first match with the possibility that the younger lads could come on later in the match to liven things up. Not saying he was right but entirely understandable.

If we start 4 4 2 again then we have to go M Diouf and Kalinic up front (although I suspect we'll be back to 4 5 1 against stoke). Benjani is simply not good enough.

Shame about Dunny, he seemed to be the only one wanting to pick out that killer pass but sadly waited far too long each time he tried.

[darwenblueswearehere]

That's true, but at the same time Hoilett & Olsson should have started. I just don't know why Allardyce and now Kean are averse to playing our two quickest wingers in the same team. As I already said today, we don't have anyone who can get behind defences. Diouf just meanders on the ball trying to draw a foul or a corner because he hasn't got it in him to beat his man, and Pedersen, Emerton & Dunn aren't much better. I mean... are we missing something here? Because it just sounds like common sense to me.

Absolutely spot on

[Hughesy]

Thanks all for your messages....Sad day for me.

The crowd....VERY GOOD considering the weather.

The Defence....decent, despite being affected by injuries

The Midfield...well where to start Emerton his usual self, checking & passing backwards - Dunn poor and greedy, MGP average, Diouf decent retention when given the ball, but not involved in enough.

Strikers....Roberts did nothing/ lasted no time, Benjani didnt look interested/ fit....Mame best of the 3 by far, by why the hell do we only pass to him when his back is to goal - play it into the channels like he is crying out for.

Tactics/ Manager watch - POOR....To not include Olssen & Jones from the start was poor, Id would have also considered Hoilett & Kalinic over Emerton & Roberts.

Bogey team, no matter what we hardly ever beat them - however I honestly believe with Sam in charge, we would have won that game today.

[philipl]

Says a lot about how we are all feeling in that we had a perfectly good goal chalked off for no apparent reason and nobody has mentioned it.

[Mike Graham]

Says a lot about how we are all feeling in that we had a perfectly good goal chalked off for no apparent reason and nobody has mentioned it.

Yes, good point, I was sideways on to this and could not understand why. Not too much complaint from our players though

[beerwins]

That's true, but at the same time Hoilett & Olsson should have started. I just don't know why Allardyce and now Kean are averse to playing our two quickest wingers in the same team. As I already said today, we don't have anyone who can get behind defences. Diouf just meanders on the ball trying to draw a foul or a corner because he hasn't got it in him to beat his man, and Pedersen, Emerton & Dunn aren't much better. I mean... are we missing something here? Because it just sounds like common sense to me.

As much as I try to understand the managers decision to the team he picks I too struggle to understand this, West ham came with the intention of picking us on the counter attack and Kean set up to play the ball out to the wings, why did'nt we have at least one player who can run with the ball with pace?

I was expecting a team of something like:

......................Robinson....................

Salgado.......Samba...........Nelsen..........Givet

......................Jones.......................

Hoilett..............Pederson.................Olsson

...............Kalinic...........................

.............................Roberts

I really dont understand the option to use Pederson in a defensive role either as he seems to be, I know he can pick a pass and hold the ball but he can also shoot and he is a great header of the ball, if you were to play two fast wingers you need the likes of Pederson getting in the box too for the crosses coming in, when we had Bentley whipping in crosses he met plenty of them at the back post.

[Blue blood]

Not read back as yet, as want to get my thoughts out first, although sadly very few of them are good.

Not sure where to start. Maybe it was watching soccer saturday on sky and seeing our club - or rather our owners and by association us - ridiculed for what has gone on. Certainly our good name and all the club stands for is being dragged through the mud. Not trying to be melodramatic, but we got one heck of a slating (and this was before all the other games were called off too) and suprised me how much the whole football world - well uk - has taken notice of our owners folly.

Perhaps discouraging was the atmosphere - it sounded like the fans were frightened. It was very, very muted, and didn't really get going till Ben Heim began his idotic theatrics late in the second half. I've been there when the fans have been angry, for example Ince, and jubilent like at the Millenium Stadium, but I've never seen an atmosphere quite like today. Perhaps it's the realisation that it is the core of the club, the owners which are wrong, which has never been an issue before and has no easy solution (E.g. poor manager, get rid, problems in the team, get in new players. In realise in practice that's not simple, but both are much more fix-able.) The venkeys logo on the big screen was a major gaffe, and it must be the first PR move to only show the thing once. Speaking of PR NOTHING in the programme to reassure the fans or tell them what is going on. Another shoddy day from the powers that be.

On the pitch - was it meant to be a statement? Lots of short passes but it all had very little effect. We overpassed at times, created little, and rarely threatened west ham's goal. When we did score it was from a ball crossed into the box (kudos for Emerton for doing very well there) rathere than trying to pass our way to victory. If ever there were a call to mix it up and go a bit more direct today was it, but we didn't. If that's the more attractive, God forbid more effective, alternative to Big Sam's method we are in deep trouble.

Additionally playing a fast counter game later on didn't work. Unsuprising given that 1) we have little pace in the team and 2) Benjani and Dunn looked knackered long before the final whistle. Factor in the second consideration, you do wonder why we didn't try for a few more set pieces and long throws. Not saying that we should have resorted to root one all the time, but not to use any/very little long ball strategy is just as narrow minded and damaging to the team as the reverse.

Am shocked Kalanic didn't play. Thought this style would've been far more suitable to him, than the utterly useless Benjani. Also suprised Olsson didn't feature. Not sure Dunn is a left midfielder (I think that's where he played) and regardless he seemed to loose possession more than any positive contribution he made.

West Ham are poor, in fact they were very poor till we let them back in it at the end. (A fact made all the more depressing by the fact we were hardly great to contain them.) Only Pedersen and Salgado stood out to me as having good games. If we cannot win games like this we could be in big trouble. The only positive is that we drew, keeping them at arms length. Hard times being a rover.

[beerwins]

Not read back as yet, as want to get my thoughts out first, although sadly very few of them are good.

Not sure where to start. Maybe it was watching soccer saturday on sky and seeing our club - or rather our owners and by association us - ridiculed for what has gone on. Certainly our good name and all the club stands for is being dragged through the mud. Not trying to be melodramatic, but we got one heck of a slating (and this was before all the other games were called off too) and suprised me how much the whole football world - well uk - has taken notice of our owners folly.

Perhaps discouraging was the atmosphere - it sounded like the fans were frightened. It was very, very muted, and didn't really get going till Ben Heim began his idotic theatrics late in the second half. I've been there when the fans have been angry, for example Ince, and jubilent like at the Millenium Stadium, but I've never seen an atmosphere quite like today. Perhaps it's the realisation that it is the core of the club, the owners which are wrong, which has never been an issue before and has no easy solution (E.g. poor manager, get rid, problems in the team, get in new players. In realise in practice that's not simple, but both are much more fix-able.) The venkeys logo on the big screen was a major gaffe, and it must be the first PR move to only show the thing once. Speaking of PR NOTHING in the programme to reassure the fans or tell them what is going on. Another shoddy day from the powers that be.

On the pitch - was it meant to be a statement? Lots of short passes but it all had very little effect. We overpassed at times, created little, and rarely threatened west ham's goal. When we did score it was from a ball crossed into the box (kudos for Emerton for doing very well there) rathere than trying to pass our way to victory. If ever there were a call to mix it up and go a bit more direct today was it, but we didn't. If that's the more attractive, God forbid more effective, alternative to Big Sam's method we are in deep trouble.

Additionally playing a fast counter game later on didn't work. Unsuprising given that 1) we have little pace in the team and 2) Benjani and Dunn looked knackered long before the final whistle. Factor in the second consideration, you do wonder why we didn't try for a few more set pieces and long throws. Not saying that we should have resorted to root one all the time, but not to use any/very little long ball strategy is just as narrow minded and damaging to the team as the reverse.

Am shocked Kalanic didn't play. Thought this style would've been far more suitable to him, than the utterly useless Benjani. Also suprised Olsson didn't feature. Not sure Dunn is a left midfielder (I think that's where he played) and regardless he seemed to loose possession more than any positive contribution he made.

West Ham are poor, in fact they were very poor till we let them back in it at the end. (A fact made all the more depressing by the fact we were hardly great to contain them.) Only Pedersen and Salgado stood out to me as having good games. If we cannot win games like this we could be in big trouble. The only positive is that we drew, keeping them at arms length. Hard times being a rover.

I enjoyed that post and I am not very good with feelings but the bit I have highlighted has hit the nail on the head for me, before there were always worries and problems but you had faith in JW and the trust to fix the problems with common sense and a good understanding of the game, unfortunately this time the problem is unfixable because it is actually our owners who are the problem and you get the feeling that JW will have no input here makes me worry like hell.

The new owners want to play with their toy to make some money but they dont understand how fickle the premiership is, it only takes one wrong word in an interview to have all the press pick up on it and then it transfers to the players which reflects their performance.

[Exiled_Rover]

Could've been worse, we could've played man Utd away this w/e - imagine that.

Don't think we would have done worse than 7-1 to be fair.

[Tom]

A few positives amongst the doom:

- Pedersen could hardly have put more in today, he was everywhere throwing himself into tackles, just a shame his free kicks were just a bit out. If only we had a team full of Mortens we wouldn't have an issue.

- I thought the Choir was a nice touch and actually pretty good

- I have regained the feeling in my toes

[Jeru tha Damaja]

If only we had a team full of Mortens we wouldn't have an issue.

Apart from conceding a free-kick every 15 seconds because he can't tackle. Just runs around clipping people's ankles and leaning in with his shoulder (like with Parker today).

[beerwins]

Apart from conceding a free-kick every 15 seconds because he can't tackle. Just runs around clipping people's ankles and leaning in with his shoulder (like with Parker today).

Yeh but it did look really good, was like a stick insect knocking down hulk.

He as been asked to play a different position to what he has played for the majority of his life, he was the best player by a long shot today and he is playing out of position, not bad really.

[Kelbo]

We only lost Roberts to a muscle pull. Maybe the cold weather didn't help.

with proper warm ups, cold weather has bugger all to do with it

[47er]

Thought Mame Diouf looked good today. On that basis the best of our 4 strikers. I don't think Sam used him enough or in the right way. He's quick and clever, he should be running the channels and getting the early ball. He's probably wasted with us come to think of it.

[beerwins]

with proper warm ups, cold weather has bugger all to do with it

I think maybe he meant a nice warm bath was waiting for him.

[BPF]

Terrible.

There are no positives about today.

I can also confidently state that the players do not want Kean as manager.

[RovertheHill]

Terrible.

There are no positives about today.

I can also confidently state that the players do not want Kean as manager.

How?