[Archived] West Brom v Blackburn Rovers

[Jimmy612]

Said it the day we signed him....KEANO SIGN HIM UP...KEANO...KEANO SIGN HIM UP!

What criteria did you employ to come up with that so early Hughesy?

[Valois]

I had to laugh when diouf was subbed. He was applauding all sides of the pitch and waving. Basically doing anything he could to waste a few more seconds.

He can be an idiot.... But he's our idiot!!

Agree, he is in the same mould of player as Savage in the fact that yes he is an idiot, but he gets under the skin of the opposistion and their fans, he's like an itch that wont go away, and you would rather have him in your team than the opposistion.

[Jimmy612]

Today this guy was really worth the Manure hype about him, Kean has played him in a bit of the deep striker role as he is best suited to the ball carrying role, his best feature today and against stoke was his tracking back,

Basically thats 4-5-1 then. No doubt some will prefer to label it 4-4-1-1?

[Exiled in Toronto]

Watched the whole game yesterday evening and throughly enjoyed it. As Paul posted earlier, it was very remiscent of Bolton away last year under Mcd when positive substitutions in the 2nd half enabled us to pull away in what was a game that could have gone either way. No dropping back 40 yards and hoping for the best.

Of the many posiitves, the ones that stood out for me was the pairing of Dioff and Olsson on the left - it really leverages Diouf's ability to hang onto the ball and then pick the right moment tp pass, giving Olsson time to leg it up the wing. Could do with Diof defending better a la Mame Diouf, but we always looked a threat down that side, something that was always unthinkable with Givet.

Also, that we mixed up the set-pieces. Nico's 2nd came from ther 3rd of 3 consecutive LW corners, the 2nd having been a short one, so for the 3rd they had no idea what we were going to do.

To early to judge our new manager (as indeed it was in the last 2 games) but one cannot help be delighted for him.

[Jimmy612]

There are definitely too many cases of irresistable forces v the immovable objects on this thread. Time for reflection on this post.

Spot on. The King is dead, long live the King.

That sums it up nicely. Basically Steve Kean is in charge using Big Sam's tactics. Surely no one can argue with that can they?

Tin Hat time.

[Radagast]

There are definitely too many cases of irresistable forces v the immovable objects on this thread. Time for reflection on this post.

That sums it up nicely. Basically Kean is in charge using Sam's tactics. Surely no one can argue with that can they?

Tin Hat time.

Well yeah the highlighted bit most certainly can be argued with because it's not as simple as same basic formation = identical tactics. It's not Fifa 97.

[Jimmy612]

It was good to see Kalinic being afforded an opportunity while facing goal and not having to contort himself to buy even a half chance. This is not something that has happened very often during his time at the club. Fantastic pass from Pedersen too.

Even from the highlights on Sky it was startling to see Rovers' player actually attempting to pass to each other.

That is about the most ridiculous post on here. Both Kalinic's goals were forged on the Allardyce anvil.

[imy9]

So when have you seen Niko run down a flank facing goal under Sam?he usually had his back to goal! 4-5-1 or 4-3-3 wasn't created by Sam or used by Sam only was it?

[Jimmy612]

Someone posted we won this game because Kean realised he had to use Allardyce tactics. Absolute phooey. Nonsense. It's far, far too early to be praising Kean as a messiah but I rarely, if ever, saw Rovers play like this under Allardyce, except against Chelsea in the Carling Cup and Bolton away ( step forward Neil MacDonald). We tried to play football, we passed the ball, we entertained our fans and gave them reason to sing. Watching Allardyce's teams was purgatory, trips to Ewood a duty and away games just so painful it's unbelievable. I'm really looking forward to Liverpool next week and vaguely thinking about Sunderland on Saturday. Sunderland? I've never been there.

?

A very positive and uplifting post Paul. Nice to see you've managed to forget all about WHU, Stoke and 3-5-2? Good because I haven't.

[imy9]

I may be mistaken but did we not play 3-5-2 under Sam this season in the pl?

[budha]

I may be mistaken but did we not play 3-5-2 under Sam this season in the pl?

Atleast we played 3-5-2/5-3-2 for the first half of the Wolves game in April.

[Miker]

Are people serious in saying they have never seen us play this way under Sam? It was a 3-1 win, but it was by no means the most exciting game you've ever seen. We scored 3 typical Sam goals and our general play was pretty static throughout the game. Nothing against the win or the manner of it, especially given the injuries, but I can't actually believe people are saying they've NEVER seen us play this way under Sam.

[Exiled_Rover]

Are people serious in saying they have never seen us play this way under Sam? It was a 3-1 win, but it was by no means the most exciting game you've ever seen. We scored 3 typical Sam goals and our general play was pretty static throughout the game. Nothing against the win or the manner of it, especially given the injuries, but I can't actually believe people are saying they've NEVER seen us play this way under Sam.

When was the last time a striker was released down the channel under Sam?

[Jimmy612]

I may be mistaken but did we not play 3-5-2 under Sam this season in the pl?

We played a loose 3-7 at Bolton once Davies had been sent off. We were sucker punched by it too.

When was the last time a striker was released down the channel under Sam?

Eh? Released down the channel? Oh you mean that hoof ball (of quality) down the wing? Happened all the time or so we are lead to believe.

Alternatively how about the same number of times that we see Premier league right backs vanish into thin air?

[philipl]

It didn't feel like this watching the game because for me the relief of us winning and not looking clueless was immense but we shouldn't ignore these stats:

Possession

West Brom 55% Blackburn 45%

Attempts on target

West Brom 11 Blackburn 4

Attempts off target

West Brom 10 Blackburn 2

Corners

West Brom 8 Blackburn 5

Fouls

West Brom 9 Blackburn 13

[American]

It didn't feel like this watching the game because for me the relief of us winning and not looking clueless was immense but we shouldn't ignore these stats:

Possession

West Brom 55% Blackburn 45%

Attempts on target

West Brom 11 Blackburn 4

Attempts off target

West Brom 10 Blackburn 2

Corners

West Brom 8 Blackburn 5

Fouls

West Brom 9 Blackburn 13

Wouldn't happen to have that broken down by half, would you? Thought we were very exposed in the first half, but tightened up by becoming more attacking before the red in the second, not just sitting back and letting them take the ball to us.

[imy9]

We played a loose 3-7 at Bolton once Davies had been sent off. We were sucker punched by it too.

Eh? Released down the channel? Oh you mean that hoof ball (of quality) down the wing? Happened all the time or so we are lead to believe.

Alternatively how about the same number of times that we see Premier league right backs vanish into thin air?

There is a difference between what we used to do 90% of the time, which is to lump a ball forward aimlessly to a striker, who had his back to goal, with our midfield 30 yards away and a precision pass which releases the striker and allows him to score. The pass for the goal yesterday was outstanding. If you watched the game you would have noticed that the players were much further forward in the game. Phillips stats are interesting as we had 45% possession in the 90 minutes and played a lot of the second half with 10 men. Lots of neat passes and decent build up play- which WILL get better as they players get used to it in games.

[Jeru tha Damaja]

It didn't feel like this watching the game because for me the relief of us winning and not looking clueless was immense but we shouldn't ignore these stats:

Possession

West Brom 55% Blackburn 45%

Attempts on target

West Brom 11 Blackburn 4

Attempts off target

West Brom 10 Blackburn 2

Corners

West Brom 8 Blackburn 5

Fouls

West Brom 9 Blackburn 13

The only problem I see with any of those figures is the lack of chances we created. If I hadn't seen the number of WBA's shots that came from 20+ yards then I might be more worried.

The way we have allowed the opposition to dominate us home and away in terms of possession I'm actually pleasantly surprised that we managed 45% despite being down to 10 for a lot of the second-half.

[DE.]

I'd wager a lot of those WBA shots came after Kalinic's sending off. They battered our goal for a good while after that.

[Radagast]

Wouldn't happen to have that broken down by half, would you? Thought we were very exposed in the first half, but tightened up by becoming more attacking before the red in the second, not just sitting back and letting them take the ball to us.

The possession was actually even more in West Brom's favour by full time according to SSN. We only had 37% overall! Truly an unusual game from the sounds of things.

[den]

Are people serious in saying they have never seen us play this way under Sam? It was a 3-1 win, but it was by no means the most exciting game you've ever seen.

Are they serious - yes. Are they right - no.

It's hopeless Miker because you will never convince the people who didn't want Allardyce, that Rovers, apart from the set pieces, did indeed pass the ball. Sometimes they passed it well, sometimes they didn't. Just like the 3 games so far under Steve Kean.

[Exiled_Rover]

Are they serious - yes. Are they right - no.

It's hopeless Miker because you will never convince the people who didn't want Allardyce, that Rovers, apart from the set pieces, did indeed pass the ball. Sometimes they passed it well, sometimes they didn't. Just like the 3 games so far under Steve Kean.

And apparently we'll never convince the Allardyce apologists that the football is already much better.

Sadly it's a debate that will run on and on because people are stubborn.

[alexanders]

It was lesser of the long throws. The defenders and midfielders actually put a string of passes together.

No, I havent seen us play like that under Allardyce - at least not this sesaon which I have found more negative than last season. The end of last season I enjoyed Sam's football.

[den]

And apparently we'll never convince the Allardyce apologists that the football is already much better.

Sadly it's a debate that will run on and on because people are stubborn.

Because it isn't. Unless of course you ignore two of the three games.

[sambo]

What a day! People saying that was anything like what would have happened under Big Sam are wrong - I can only think of Villa away where we have tried to attack the opposition from the off in an away game. After a shaky end to the first half, I think Sam would have tried to merely stop them scoring, whereas Kean went on the front foot and made attacking tactical changes. Had it not been for the red card, we looked well like getting a fourth goal.

I respect what Sam did, and feel the sacking was maybe unfair, but that was miles away from any away day under Sam, who had a far different outlook. This shows how good Kalinic can be when not used as a very poor man's Kevin Davies (rubbishes some claims (by one or two) that he is rubbish).

On a different note, the support from the stands was incredible, and the players really responded to it. For the goals down that end and at the final whistle, they really celebrated with the fans - felt good feeling we were all pulling together. Another thing I liked was the way the final whistle was greeted by the players all huddling in celebration - they, for the first time, seemed to play for Kean.

What a day!