[Archived] Rovers v West Brom

[cruz]

With the never ending debate about our owners and transfers raging on it's quite easy to forget that the club still plays football matches.

West Brom is a very winnable game and a win will mean we need just 3 more to reach the magical 40 point mark (though that waterline may be higher this season)

Roque to make his 2nd home debut?

Jermaine Jones to start also?

More new faces?

[moerpho]

Need to work on your math-skills! If we win against West Brom we're still 9 points off the 40-point mark. I'll add that I feel confident that we'll win against Brom, and reach 40 points before March is upon us.

Edit: lol - hands raised! Probably down to me posting without reading your post thouroughly. Sorry!

[yeti-dog]

Clearly he meant that 3 more wins after hopefully beating WBA will see us hitting the magical 40 point mark.

[67splitscreen]

Need to work on your math-skills! If we win against West Brom we're still 9 points off the 40-point mark. I'll add that I feel confident that we'll win against Brom, and reach 40 points before March is upon us.

Tut, Tut. win against the baggies leaves three more wins to achieve what the OP said.

First chance of a double this season, baggies a bit like ourselves, which team turns up on the day, we both lack consistency at the moment.

Hopefully reinforcements in place in key areas will swing this one in our favour.

2-1 home win.

[Ozz]

It's Ten Quid a ticket (£5 for OAPS and Kids). Anywhere in the ground.

WBA only have the upper tier of the Darwen End, but for a tenner they should sell out.

Rover ticket page.

[ElTwis]

I think this is a good time to play West Brom, they don't seem to be the team they were a few months ago. Plus, my impression is that Keans teams will be much better against clubs that try to get it down and play it.

Rovers win, 2-1. Santa Cruz to score. Stick a fiver on it, thats as good as money.

[Mercer]

This is a must win match in order to keep a decent gap between us and the bottom 3 and therefore keep the pressure off.

I'll go for a starting 11 of Robinson / Salgado, Nelsen, Samba, Givet / Hoillet, Jones, Pedersen, Olsson / RSC, Kalinic

Fully expect a win - WBA now looking shaky at the back and will go for 3 or 4 - 1.

Will be disappointed if not 25,000 on despite live Sky coverage.

[andyroversmad]

Rovers 2 - 0 West Brom

Santa Cruz 11 mins, 65 mins

[joey_big_nose]

This is a must win match in order to keep a decent gap between us and the bottom 3 and therefore keep the pressure off.

I'll go for a starting 11 of Robinson / Salgado, Nelsen, Samba, Givet / Hoillet, Jones, Pedersen, Olsson / RSC, Kalinic

Fully expect a win - WBA now looking shaky at the back and will go for 3 or 4 - 1.

Will be disappointed if not 25,000 on despite live Sky coverage.

Good team although on current form you would have to start MB DIouf ahead of Kalinic.

[crazykiller]

Good team although on current form you would have to start MB DIouf ahead of Kalinic.

quite right mate kalinic doesnt merit a startin place at this moment, he had his chance at the weekend to show his ability but was frustrating as he didnt hold the ball up well and was on his backside a couple of times in quick succession so therefore M Diouf should start alongside Roque as he was one of our most impressive performers at the bridge.

[alexanders]

Hopefully we will se some of this:

[AggyBlue]

Hopefully we will se some of this:

Are we having a sweep then? How long he's on the pitch before his first red card.

[Mercer]

Are we having a sweep then? How long he's on the pitch before his first red card.

Could he beat Flitcroft's debut - was he only on for about 10 minutes v. Everton ?

[alexanders]

I dont think he will get a red card.

I really miss the bully tag we had with savage, mokoena et al in our team.

[rog of the rovers]

Could he beat Flitcroft's debut - was he only on for about 10 minutes v. Everton ?

I think it was 2 minutes! An elbow to the face of Duncan Ferguson (if my memory serves me correctly)

[Blackburn Ravers]

2 or 3 minutes he stayed on the pitch, Yeah Everton, HAHA Wotta debut

[Anti-Dingle-Brigade]

Robbo

Salgado-Samba-Nelsen-Givet

JJ

Hoilett-Pedersen-Olsson

MBD-RSC

Not bad. I can see either Dunny or Pedersen being dropped. Hope it's Dunn, he's been awful. Impact sub with 20 mins to go if needed.

[67splitscreen]

Would like to see JJ start but have they not just come out of their winter break in Germany, banished to the ressies may mean he is a little off the pace.

N'Zonzi should also be nearing at least a bench place.

[Steve Moss]

As a general matter, for the 2010-2011 season we have won 45% of our home PL matches, drawn 27% and lost 27%. And before anyone asks, I have no idea as to where the odd percentage point might be located. My math sucks, which is why I am not a doctor.* That and I get queasy at the sight of blood.

As to West Brom specifically, over the entire history of English league football, when playing at home Rovers have won 33 matches, drawn 10 and lost 11 against West Brom. Since 2002 we have played them four times at home in league matches, winning once and drawing three times. We have not lost to them at home in a league match since 1991. Based on past performance (which is not a guarantee of future results, per my financial planner) we have a high probability of getting a win or draw from this match. And a win would place us nine points from safety, with 14 matches left until the end of the season.

As an indication of the overall quality of our respective squads, Blackburn has an (alleged) 1 in 2000 chance of winning the PL. By contrast, West Brom has an (probably accurate) 1 in 5000 chance of winning the PL. Now I personally think that the Rovers chances of winning it all have been vastly underrated (have the odds makers seen our thrashing of Liverpool? We should be at least 1 in 100), but in seriousness I would agree that we are at least 2 1/2 times better a squad than West Brom. More so with the recent additions of RSC and Jermaine Jones.**

As an additional point in comparison, we are 10th in the league at home, based on an 11th on attack (averaging 1.36 goals) and a very good 6th at defense (conceding .91 goals) for home games. By contrast, West Brom is 16th in the PL for away matches, based on a surprising 8th on attack (scoring an average of 1.18) but a terrible 18th on defense (conceding an average of 2.18) for away games. So I vote we go at them and exploit their lousy defense.****

So Mr. Kean, a win would not only be greatly appreciated but is expected. No pressure.

And as a newly minted football pundit*****, my predition is a 3-1 win for the Rovers, as the above stats don't, in my view, take into account our addition of RSC or Jones, or the (alleged) imminient arrival of the (alleged) footballing genius and (alleged) motivator extraordinaire Maradona, or the (alleged) any day now arrival of an (alleged) marquee signing. I hope there is enough alleges in there to protect myself from any potential suit for defamation as (alleged) persons (allegedly) speaking (allegedly) lack free speech rights in the (alleged) country (allegedly) known as England. Though you folks did get the best (no alleged necessary) football league in the world, so perhaps its a fair trade.

* Disclaimer: All data presented herein is based: 1) on league home matches only, not cups; and, 2) my perhaps flawed reading of tables and charts, which is yet another reason I am not a doctor. Though I did sleep in a Holiday Inn once or twice.

** In the spirit of show business (and football is close enough as fans demand that they be "entertained"), here's hoping that Jermaine Jones breaks a leg on his Rovers debut. Preferably one of the opposition's.*** Though it is to be hoped that EHD makes appropriately contrite and sympathetic noises, and perhaps even considers sending chocolates and flowers to the poor unfortunate who forgot that football is (allegedly) a contact sport.

*** Thankfully Steven Reid is out injured, per West Brom's website, as he would have been a prime candidate. I like the man's heart and am sorry his fitness problems precluded extending his contract with the Rovers.

**** Of course, my ineptitude at football tactics is one of many reasons I am not a PL manager. But if I can win just one tournament with my U10 girls, I'm sure West Ham might hire me. Or perhaps I would be better off pursuing a career as agent. I have two 9 year old girls who are natural athletes and would doubtless improve West Ham's attacking options.

***** What can I say. I'm exploring career opportunities. This is a test round as I would like to someday do a Newcastle match as: 1) I hate Newcastle; 2) I know a Newcastle fan who might answer questions (though he only speaks in an intoxicated state); and, 3) the only other PL fans I know like either ManU (which poses a problem as I consider myself a gentleman and refuse to associate with that sort) or Blackpool (and he's age 6, so he might have to answer in crayon).

[blue/white]

Hopefully we will se some of this:

Tasty tackle!

Exactly what we've been missing since Sav started going stale.

Mr. Moss have you been drinking tonight?

[Steve Moss]

Mr. Moss have you been drinking tonight?

What kind of question is that? Of course I have. Good stuff too.

[Ozz]

Hopefully we will se some of this:

It's the Scissor Sisters manouvere.

[philipl]

Be very helpful to get the 3 points but I think West Brom could give us a real scare in what promises to be a cracking encounter.

Will JJ manage to avoid a card?- on his track record with Schalke, the question is more likely to be which colour?

[Valois]

Be very helpful to get the 3 points but I think West Brom could give us a real scare in what promises to be a cracking encounter.

Will JJ manage to avoid a card?- on his track record with Schalke, the question is more likely to be which colour?

Just checking his stats for yellow/red cazrds.

Games - 205

Yellow cards - 66

Red Cards - 6

Straight Red - 0

For a ball winning midfielder I would say 1 yellow for every 3 games is about the norm. We have been lacking someone who doesn't mind a challenge in midfield for some time now.

Will be interesting to see the odds for him to get booked on Sunday however, definitely worth a few I quid.

[philipl]

This season it is 9 games, 8 yellows one red if I remember what got posted correctly.