[Archived] The Relegation Battle Aftermath

[True Blue & White]

I really wouldn't bet any amount of moeny either way at the moment although like th rest of us I hope we can limp over the line and sort the club out in the summer!

[Kelbo]

The thing that worries me more than anything is this, we dont appear to have the fire in our bellies which battling teams have, you can win games by sheer pressure on opponents, look at how Hoillet pressurised Ridgewell, defenders dont like that and neither do keepers but for me, we seem to go a goal down before putting in a real shift and thats down to the poor motivational skills of Kean!

Last night watching Liverpool, Dalglish was still shouting at his players at 3 - 0 up, he encouraged and directed his players throughout the game and was quick to praise each one as they left the field, thats what good managers do!!

[Hughesy]

The thing that worries me more than anything is this, we dont appear to have the fire in our bellies which battling teams have, you can win games by sheer pressure on opponents, look at how Hoillet pressurised Ridgewell, defenders dont like that and neither do keepers but for me, we seem to go a goal down before putting in a real shift and thats down to the poor motivational skills of Kean!

So Is Sam to blame for some of this motivational stuff then? Given that we always threw away leads under him, or conceded just after scoring….

At least under Kean we are showing signs of not giving up….2-0 down to Blackpool 2-2 and had many more chances, 1-0 down to brum 1-1 and 0-0 with Arsenal despite going down to 10 men.

[Parsonblue]

At least under Kean we are showing signs of not giving up….2-0 down to Blackpool 2-2 and had many more chances, 1-0 down to brum 1-1 and 0-0 with Arsenal despite going down to 10 men.

The problem Hughesy, is that Blackpool and Birmingham were games we needed to win and at no point did we look like winning either of them. The same thing happened against Newcastle when, if truth be told, we were lucky to get a point. Kean's record is appalling results wise and, ultimately, it's our results that will keep us up or send us down. Hopefully we can stagger over the finishing line and then fire off Kean in the summer and bring in a decent management team. Unfortunately, our clueless owners are likely to stick with Kean no matter what happens.

[Hughesy]

We looked like we could do something against Blackpool in the 2nd half, we had tons of chances….it just took too long to get the equaliser. Against Brum we looked the much better side in the 2nd half and I thought if anyone would win then it would be us. Part of the reason we looked clueless in attack is a trio of players – MGP, Roberts & Emerton….not good enough this season from all 3 of them (MGP been ok in parts).

I still back the players to pull us through….regardless of the manager.

Hopefully we do look at the management team in the summer though, I like the style of football that he’s trying to get us playing (attacking, pace & on the deck), and I like the fact he is happy to play Olsson, Hoilett and drop some under-performing players like Pedersen….however results are what people get judged on in the end....time will tell I suppose.

[Kelbo]

So Is Sam to blame for some of this motivational stuff then? Given that we always threw away leads under him, or conceded just after scoring….

At least under Kean we are showing signs of not giving up….2-0 down to Blackpool 2-2 and had many more chances, 1-0 down to brum 1-1 and 0-0 with Arsenal despite going down to 10 men.

In a relegation position we should be out of the traps and at them with aggression and determination, we arent doing that, then when the opposition scores we pick the game up but we could easily have been 2 down last Saturday with no way back.

[TimmyJimmy]

In a relegation position we should be out of the traps and at them with aggression and determination, we arent doing that, then when the opposition scores we pick the game up but we could easily have been 2 down last Saturday with no way back.

Totally correct Kelbo. These days the weasel word is 'tempo' as in "we didn't start at a high enough tempo" but in reality your terminology sums it up perfectly "we didn't show any aggression or determination". Inexplicable from the players but there we are. It's for this reason that the supporters are so vital in this battle, we have to fire the players up and keep them at it for 90 minutes. Sad but true.

[John]

It was interesting hearing from some of the other managers from clubs in and around us speaking recently. They said they would be drawing on their experience to get their teams prepared for the relegation tussle/matches ahead.

With a more experienced manager at the helm I would be very confident of us staying up – we are where we are though unfortunately.

[JAL]

The thing that worries me more than anything is this, we dont appear to have the fire in our bellies which battling teams have, you can win games by sheer pressure on opponents, look at how Hoillet pressurised Ridgewell, defenders dont like that and neither do keepers but for me, we seem to go a goal down before putting in a real shift and thats down to the poor motivational skills of Kean!

Last night watching Liverpool, Dalglish was still shouting at his players at 3 - 0 up, he encouraged and directed his players throughout the game and was quick to praise each one as they left the field, thats what good managers do!!

The two Jones's had fire in their belly kelbo, most definitely, so did Olsson and Hoilett and Salgado. Dunny certainly gave all that his wrecked body could offer as well

[Neil Weaver]

The two Jones's had fire in their belly kelbo, most definitely, so did Olsson and Hoilett and Salgado. Dunny certainly gave all that his wrecked body could offer as well

I'd agree there JAL. Strange feeling after the game on Saturday - I really felt everyone (well probably apart from RSC) had put a good shift in. Trouble is, it might well not be enough to avoid being relegated but at least it felt to me as though they were trying. Yes even MGP and the like (cos I'm sure Tyrone would like to remind us of his view of him), though they might not have the all-action style of J Jones.

[JAL]

I'd agree there JAL. Strange feeling after the game on Saturday - I really felt everyone (well probably apart from RSC) had put a good shift in. Trouble is, it might well not be enough to avoid being relegated but at least it felt to me as though they were trying. Yes even MGP and the like (cos I'm sure Tyrone would like to remind us of his view of him), though they might not have the all-action style of J Jones.

Everybody i've spoken to since saturday have more or less pointed the finger of blame at the manager and his inability to see things and change them quickly enough.

[m1st]

This is a "glass-half-full" man writing from the heart, not the head. All matches from now on are crucial, imo none more so than the away game to W. Ham.

I firmly believe [don't ask me why; I just do] that 18th, 19th & 20th places will be occupied after the final whistles on 22nd May by Blackpool, Wolves & Wigan [not necessarily in that order]; can't see us being higher than 16th.

I just hope that our owners will then reflect on how narrow an escape we have had, realise that a team which has had such a narrow escape doesn't reflect upon them in the way they hoped when they bought us and BL**DY WELL DO SOMETHING SENSIBLE ABOUT IT!!!

[CAPT KAYOS]

The thing that worries me more than anything is this, we dont appear to have the fire in our bellies which battling teams have

Points I raised at the turn of year before our more than unstable position became fact - and something I repeated at the beginning of last month with regard to us having a bar that we cannot pass unlike some other clubs.

All this has been worsened due to the fact of the hillbilly we have in charge.

Its not all players as has been mentioned , but its a team game and when its more than 50% of that team that isn't doing its bit, including the one steering (off course), is it any wonder we are in the position we are in at the moment

[roversmum]

Absolutely. It's been going on for some time now, I was almost beside myself with it way before Sam left. As others have said, it made going to matches a chore.

[Iceman]

Win at Everton, and we are safe.

[Tom]

Not quite Iceman but I will feel confident of staying up then.

I feel we need one win as we will pick up a draw or two along the way, the sooner we get that win the better.

[JAL]

We, Rovers, HAVE THE PLAYERS to avoid relegation, most definitely, so to achieve this relegation would most certainly go down as appalling bad football management.

[DE.]

Agree that we have good enough players to survive. Defence and midfield are both adequete, our weakest area by far is the striking department, but if we can nick a couple of 1-0's that'll do. Unfortunately having a tactical novice in the dugout is a huge negative - hopefully not large enough to cancel out the plus of having a decent defence and midfield.

[Jimmy612]

Agree that we have good enough players to survive. Defence and midfield are both adequete, our weakest area by far is the striking department, but if we can nick a couple of 1-0's that'll do. Unfortunately having a tactical novice in the dugout is a huge negative - hopefully not large enough to cancel out the plus of having a decent defence and midfield.

I think our midfield is ok in 4-5-1 or 4-3-2-1 in attacking purposes.

Robinson

Salgado-Samba-Nelsen/Hanley-Givet

JJ - PJ -Pedersen/Dunn

Hoillett Olsson

Cruz

I think it will be difficult to replace Jones in midfield an so I have decided that if Nelsen is not fit Hanley should be centre half. Reason being I also think Olsson is very important on the left hand side (his pace is very useful for attacking purposes). Therefore if Olsson is at left wing Givet has to be at left back.

Bit worried about Hanley there though, whether he is quite ready is questionable, especially in a relegation battle. Has he played since his own goal against Villa?

[Mattyblue]

Seeing Rovers win game after game at Ewood in the PL,

never a chore for me.

Watching us in a third full ground on a Tuesday night in the Football League- now that would be.

I'm suprised you took all this for granted mum.

[roversmum]

No, I didn't take it for granted, Matty, ever. But you see I am also an away follower, and boy, that was a feat of endurance, particularly when there was little motivation in the squad for those matches, time after time. It won't stop me going, though, the only thing that will do that will be if Mr Roversmum's health is no longer up to it.

Funnily enough, in my youth, I watched my home town team, Swindon Town, avidly as they wended their way up and down the divisions (more often down than up, it has to be said). I know I was young and possibly foolish in those days, but I don't remember ever feeling so upset as after that 7-1 debacle against Manchester United.

Even so, I would not have wished for events to pan out in the way they have.

I know some would be delighted if we were relegated and are even hoping for us to drop even further so they can keep crowing. I am not amongst those people.

[Mattyblue]

People say this, but I cannot see the likes of jimmkk2, phil etc being anything but devestated if we go down- it would be a pretty empty kind of pleasure they would get by crowing on here.

[roversmum]

And to make matters worse, we'd have to regurgitate the whole Venky's, Anderson, Keane, Allardyce stuff all over and over and over and over again.

Sorry, I missed out an 'and over'

[Tom]

Tevez out for 4 weeks, good news for Rovers with City coming up.

It will never happen but 4 points in the next 2 games puts us just about there and stop all this stress.

[Gav]

The thing that worries me more than anything is this, we dont appear to have the fire in our bellies which battling teams have, you can win games by sheer pressure on opponents, look at how Hoillet pressurised Ridgewell, defenders dont like that and neither do keepers but for me, we seem to go a goal down before putting in a real shift and thats down to the poor motivational skills of Kean!

I'm really not sure how you can come to that conclusion Kelbo, the fight and desire at Arsenal was wonderful to see, and the comeback against Bpool, not the signs of a team that doesn't have fire in their bellies and a desire to win.

Now if you’re talking about tactics and playing a more pressing game that’s a whole different thing.

I really don’t think we’ll go down, I’m convinced we’ll just manage to stay up, but not by good management, simply by other teams not performing. I think one more win and a draw will should do it, please don’t ask me where they’re coming from though:

Everton and City possibly? Depends which City team turns up, and a draw on Saturday would be most welcome.