[Archived] Sunderland v Rovers

[cesus]

A shocking injury and suspension list including many first 11 players missing surely nobody can be shocked at this result. I for one don't see the players at Brockhall or reserve matches but I haven't heard anybody giving Goulon or Liganzi rave reviews from these performances to warrant first team football. I think the manager was in a no win situation today, the team available was very weak if we tried to play defensively we would have lost but we set out to have a go with what we had, Sunderland got a lucky goal and that completely played into there hands.

Kean still has lots to do to win over the fans but I don't have too many issues with the tactics and (from my self confessed 'limited' knowledge of the reserve players) the team that was picked today.

[tony gale's mic]

I was quite critical about Steve Kean when we played Stoke and West Ham, and I stand by that. However today's result isn't entirely unexpected, and given just how many injuries we had, the fact we were playing away and the quality of the Sunderland team, it's just about within the boundaries of acceptable as a one off result. We need signings desperately.

I do find it interesting though that a few people I know would have been the first to slate Sam for a result like this have been defending the manager on this occasion.

[Gav]

Under Sam at Ewood we conceded 6 goals in 8 games this season.

Under Allardyce at Spurs and Man Utd we conceeded 11, means nothing, going to games you actually see what a shambles the defence has been so far this season.

[tony gale's mic]

Under Allardyce at Spurs and Man Utd we conceeded 11, means nothing, going to games you actually see what a shambles the defence has been so far this season.

I've been to three games at Ewood so far this season and watched the rest one way or another.

Your question was specifically "going down to Ewood" - yes there's been nervy moments at the back at home our record at Ewood was excellent.

Two off days apart we've been pretty solid this season again, it's just been a habit of our time under Sam that when we did start shipping goals in a game we shipped a lot. Hardly ideal but sooner that than being porous in every game.

Anyway like I said earlier, I'm willing to put this down to injuries, playing a good side away from home etc - this result could have happened with many managers under the circumstances.

[RevidgeBlue]

Under Sam at Ewood we conceded 6 goals in 8 games this season.

Mainly because Robinson has had to play an absolute blinder and has pulled off 4 or 5 stunning stops each game.

I have to agree with GAV, considering the individual quality we have defensively we've looked very poor at the back all season.

[Iceman]

ffs, for now just play hoofball and get a result. this tippy toe football with the players we got, well its just madness. we dont have the players to all of a sudden change the style of play, so stick to the tough in your face football. we look like those southern softies, instead of the tough hard to beat team.

[Kelbo]

A shocking injury and suspension list including many first 11 players missing surely nobody can be shocked at this result. I for one don't see the players at Brockhall or reserve matches but I haven't heard anybody giving Goulon or Liganzi rave reviews from these performances to warrant first team football. I think the manager was in a no win situation today, the team available was very weak if we tried to play defensively we would have lost but we set out to have a go with what we had, Sunderland got a lucky goal and that completely played into there hands.

Kean still has lots to do to win over the fans but I don't have too many issues with the tactics and (from my self confessed 'limited' knowledge of the reserve players) the team that was picked today.

I would agree with the injury and suspensions but would also like to add this, we havent had the finances to put in a quality player in midfield to enable us to play through there, we had to try through getting young hopefuls such as Nzonzi etc in the hope they may do a job in there, but how much would a real quality midfielder cost in either wages or fee?

So, we couldnt go down that route under Sam, he recognised the fact and played accordingly, yes you may concur, he did the same at Bolton. (but not when he had Djorkeof and Okocha playing on top of their game)

If you had a mini, would you attempt to race a Ferrari for speed, no you wouldnt, you'd try and smash it before it got in front of you.

We have not got the squad at the moment to compete playing a passing and attacking system, it is proving so, we are being murdered through midfield and £5,000,000 wont get a quarter of a midfield player capable of changing that too much unless we hit really lucky.

I will leave out the top midfielders in the country and give you players I consider to be decent, then tell me how much they would cost. Pienaar, Cahill, Milner, Barry, Murphy (well for his age you may get him for £5,000,000) Bentley, Krankjar, uddlestone etc.

Then we are looking for a striker, unless again we hit really lucky, we arent going to get a top one for less than £12,000,000

I love free flowing football and as good as Tugay was, the vision of Berkavic, which splitscreen posted today, would be awesome and I for one would advocate this wherever possible, I love the passing game, love watching Arsenal, Barca etc but we simply havent got the players to compete in that way, to try to do this is foolish, Wigan, West Brom, Burnley etc, they all tried it and got relegated in the process.

Now if somehow we were fortunate with the meagre Transfer Kitty we are getting in January to unleash two or three real gems, its one hell of an ask and for someone like Steve Kean to do it is an even bigger ask, if he does, all credit to him but for me, he is not utilising the players he has at his disposal correctly. Yes I can see what he is trying to do and its a great way to play but we havent got the players to play in that way!

[crazykiller]

Today was a poor result of course but had we got a point out of today i would have bin more than happy, we had a very depleted squad and going up against a sunderland side who have spent a lot of money and had pretty much their best team out today wheras we havent spent a penny, and when you have the likes of darren bent and asmamoah gyan who cost a combined 23 million more than our entire team put together then a result like todays was not to be unexpected.

[RevidgeBlue]

ffs, for now just play hoofball and get a result. this tippy toe football with the players we got, well its just madness. we dont have the players to all of a sudden change the style of play, so stick to the tough in your face football. we look like those southern softies, instead of the tough hard to beat team.

...........that got beaten 7-1 at Man Utd. and against ten men at Bolton.

[Shabani]

Anyone who thinks we could have got a result today is living in cloud cuckoo land. Just look at their strikeforce, then look at all the injuries + suspensions we had.

Stop using every bad result as an excuse to dredge up Sam Allardyce and what he'd have done differently and how we'd have won

I genuinely believe that some people on here want us to lose, just so they can sit their at home looking smug, remarking to their equally smug friends about how 'right' they were that we'd lose.

The word 'supporter' is quite explanatory, the stem of the word tells you what you are supposed to do if you regard yourself as one. Grow up

[Tom]

...........that got beaten 7-1 at Man Utd. and against ten men at Bolton.

Don't talk nonsense that would never happen to a Sam Allardyce team, nor would failing to beat Fulham and Sunderland at home.

Let's face it both managers have been working with a squad of players who are pretty average, there will be good results and bad results, I still think last years position flattered us, without a huge chunk of late luck we would have been in a position I see as more true to our ability.

We could only keep it up for so long with the lack of investment which is why the takeover was neccesarry sooner or later, now we just have to hope venkys stump up some hard cash.

[philipl]

We were nine players down but they were also seven players down.

[Tom]

And 2 of their strikers cost a combined £24m ish

Also their goalkeeper probably didn't cost much less than our entire matchday squad

[philipl]

And 2 of their strikers cost a combined £24m ish

Also their goalkeeper probably didn't cost much less than our entire matchday squad

To a greater or lesser extent that is pretty well the case with every Premier League opponents we face bar Blackpool. Even West Brom, Wolves and Brum spent in the region of £20m on transfer fees this summer.

[imy9]

Highlights the money that Sunderland have been spending though. 24 million in strikers, wow. Goalie cost more than our entire first 11!

[Gav]

I have to agree with GAV, considering the individual quality we have defensively we've looked very poor at the back all season.

Allardyce to his credit sorted the defence out last season, but this season we’ve been extremely poor defensively, and was one of the reasons I’ve been saying we’ve gone backwards under him.

[RevidgeBlue]

I don't buy into arguments about their strike force cost 24m blah blah blah - if you believed that we'd hardly ever get a result anywhere.

Realistically however I thought our chance of a result went when Kalinic got himself needlessly dismissed at the Hawthorns. Maybe just maybe we could cope with no midfield with a bit of firepower up front.

But no midfield plus only one up front or no midfield plus Benjani plus one surely is never going to cut it.

[LeChuck]

Allardyce to his credit sorted the defence out last season, but this season we’ve been extremely poor defensively, and was one of the reasons I’ve been saying we’ve gone backwards under him.

6 goals in 8 home games says otherwise, I don't know how you can argue that.

I know we had a tendency to capitulate against top teams, but we didn't give mid-table teams many chances to score, games were always tight.

Kean has changed from that too quickly, we're not good enough going forward to outscore the opposition in open games.

[cn174]

Plus Hanley off at half time thats ten.

Hanley went off because he was having an awful game. He was at fault for both goals from what I can see, and generally they looked like they had the beating of him. I know that he isn't a right back, but still both errors from him.

Just got home and read what Steve Bruce said, what a pleb!!

[jim mk2]

I don't buy into arguments about their strike force cost 24m blah blah blah - if you believed that we'd hardly ever get a result anywhere.

Exactly. Which is why Sam Allardyce achieved miracles with very little to spend.

Fact remains money buys you class and goals and Darren Bent supplies both.

Just got home and read what Steve Bruce said, what a pleb!!

Honest truth from Bruce that I couldn't argue with. He probably looked across at the Rovers "management" today and thanked his lucky stars Sam wasn't there.

[Gav]

6 goals in 8 home games says otherwise, I don't know how you can argue that.

I know we had a tendency to capitulate against top teams, but we didn't give mid-table teams many chances to score, games were always tight.

Kean has changed from that too quickly, we're not good enough going forward to outscore the opposition in open games.

You may well have a point regarding Kean LeChuck, but even a blind man on a galloping horse can see the defence has been poor this season.

I think someone else mentioned, if it wasn't for Robinson playing out of his skin so far this term we'd have conceded many more.

Anyway we digress.

[sambo]

Whatever you say, Bruce is a tosser. Does he expect the world to all feel sorry for Big Sam now?

It's football, Big Sam was never going to be fiercely loyal to us, we didn't have to be with him. It all stinks of him, like Sir Alex, defending their mate to try and rubbish our great club.

[den]

You may well have a point regarding Kean LeChuck, but even a blind man on a galloping horse can see the defence has been poor this season.

I think someone else mentioned, if it wasn't for Robinson playing out of his skin so far this term we'd have conceded many more.

Anyway we digress.

Isn't Robinson part of the defence Gav?

[John]

Allardyce to his credit sorted the defence out last season, but this season weve been extremely poor defensively, and was one of the reasons Ive been saying weve gone backwards under him.

There is always potential for going backwards when you don't invest in the playing staff and have a zero transfer budget in the summer.

[Kelbo]

Anyone who thinks we could have got a result today is living in cloud cuckoo land. Just look at their strikeforce, then look at all the injuries + suspensions we had.Stop using every bad result as an excuse to dredge up Sam Allardyce and what he'd have done differently and how we'd have won

I genuinely believe that some people on here want us to lose, just so they can sit their at home looking smug, remarking to their equally smug friends about how 'right' they were that we'd lose.

The word 'supporter' is quite explanatory, the stem of the word tells you what you are supposed to do if you regard yourself as one. Grow up

And ask any footballer worth his salt, when he enters the field of play before a game the same question, its 11 v 11 - cup games are the same, you can, with a proper game plan get something from a game, to try to play the way we did with the squad we have was nothing sort of stupid!1