[Archived] Aston Villa FA Cup game

[PAFELL]

1. I think the only direction that most Rovers' fans at Villa Park today would like to push Mr. Andrews is towards the door marked exit.

2. If having 31 points by the end of January is not the basis for launching a run in the Cup I'm not sure what is.

3. As for Kean's style of play, I suspect that after today he realises that he may need to change things from time to time.

4. You may not think Wembley is special, but for all Rovers fans the sight of the FA Cup being lifted by a Rovers' player is not something to belittle.

5. From your remarks I suspect you didn't bother to spend your time and money at Villa Park this afternoon like those of us who are somewhat disgruntled by the fact that the manager and players would appear to share your view on appearing at Wembley.

No I didn't go to the game - every game is an away game for me due to where I live. I therefore pick and chose games I go to. Not a case of not bothering.

Yes it would be good to see Rovers at wembley and winning the cup. But in my view the club and the team are still under going a lot of changes. So for this season in my view a cup run would just be a bonus. But I am also trying to be positive about the situation - onwards amd upwards etc.

Yes Kean has a lot to learn still. I agree about Andrews.

[OhmiBRFC]

He made them get the head steward and told them their policy was wrong! Might write to them and complain, as will face the same situation on the next visit.

Villa stewards are terrible.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

He made them get the head steward and told them their policy was wrong! Might write to them and complain, as will face the same situation on the next visit.

Name the guilty men Mum. On another tack we must be the worst team on the planet when playing against ten men. Of course you need to be able to pass and move to exploit the advantage, not our strong suit. I suggest the next time it happens we take a player off and make it 10 versus 10, it can't be any worse.

He made them get the head steward and told them their policy was wrong! Might write to them and complain, as will face the same situation on the next visit.

Name the guilty men Mum. On another tack we must be the worst team on the planet when playing against ten men. Of course you need to be able to pass and move to exploit the advantage, not our strong suit. I suggest the next time it happens we take a player off and make it 10 versus 10, it can't be any worse.

Mm, I don't know what happened there, maybe an echo. I meant name the guilty players not the stewards.

[greggyk]

Went to the match yesterday... I think Kean will be digging his own grave if he thinks the only way he'll keep the owners happy is to attack for the full 90...far to open yesterday and an awful Villa side tore N'Zonzi,Pedersen and Andrews apart..

Andrews wasn't 'that' bad...infact first half I thought he was our best player...Pedersen was by far the worst player on the pitch, lazy passing again from him kept getting us in trouble.

Although perhaps 'worst player' mantle would have gone to Roberts had I only just realised he started! The guy has lost any ability he once had...I'd rather Benjani start than him..

[thenodrog]

Just seen the goals. Dreadful dedfending for all 4. (Did I detect Brad trying to cheat??? He must be embarrassed beyond belief this morning).

Just a sneaky worry that without Allardyce's gritty 4-5-1 and with new man Kean instructed on pain of death to play more entertaining football that we might regress to Paul Ince mode once the shine wears off.

[K-Hod]

Allardyce may have had more tactical nous, we were awful yesterday. No forward runs from midfield, if any game highlighted our need for a new centre mid it was yesterday.

No forward running, the amount of times Olsson and Pedersen didn't put crosses in from good positions, I could go on.

Fact is, Andrews and Pedersen were dreadful yesterday. The only players who can emerge with much credit from yesterday's game are Robinson and Hoilett.

[John]

I thought it was always Sam's fault that we were poor in games?

[K-Hod]

I thought it was always Sam's fault that we were poor in games?

I was a fan of Sam for the record, though many weren't. I had various issues with his stewardship but anyway that's gone.

Yesterday reminded me of the West Ham/Stoke games in December though......

[Amo]

Just a sneaky worry that without Allardyce's gritty 4-5-1 and with new man Kean instructed on pain of death to play more entertaining football that we might regress to Paul Ince mode once the shine wears off.

We got the same result here last season.

The defending under Sam was abysmal at times.

[No Nay Never]

Some of the over reactions on this thread are nothing short of unbelievable. Anyone who saw the game would agree we had the clearer chances and on another day could have easily got a replay or better. We badly missed Givet and Nelsen and with Samba and Hanley not performing as well as they can on the day it was always going to be a uphill task after giving away three soft goals. On the subject of Keith Andrews some people at the game yesterday claiming to be part of the Rovers support need to look up the word supporter and take a good long read.

I was a fan of Sam for the record, though many weren't. I had various issues with his stewardship but anyway that's gone.

Yesterday reminded me of the West Ham/Stoke games in December though......

Jesus, were you at the West Ham and Stoke games, we created more chances yesterday than we did in those two games put together.

[roversmum]

Quite happy to do that, No Nay Never, as long as some of the players look up the word 'player' ...

[No Nay Never]

Quite happy to do that, No Nay Never, as long as some of the players look up the word 'player' ...

My point is that although I would admit he wouldn't be selected in my Rovers team, if the manager be it Ince, Allardyce or Kean select him then he is in the team and booing him is only going to have a negative effect on him and the players around him. The only way he wouldn't have been jeered yesterday is if he didn't give the ball away at all, which I don't think any of our players achieved.

[bazza]

Jesus, were you at the West Ham and Stoke games, we created more chances yesterday than we did in those two games put together.

Why are you talking to Jesus and not the rest of us? Do you think he was at those games?

[No Nay Never]

Why are you talking to Jesus and not the rest of us? Do you think he was at those games?

Judging by your signature you are getting on a bit and make jokes that my 6 year old wouldn't find amusing. Slightly worrying.

[roversmum]

My point is that although I would admit he wouldn't be selected in my Rovers team, if the manager be it Ince, Allardyce or Kean select him then he is in the team and booing him is only going to have a negative effect on him and the players around him. The only way he wouldn't have been jeered yesterday is if he didn't give the ball away at all, which I don't think any of our players achieved.

Ah. I would never boo a Rovers player on the pitch, I quite agree with what you say there. Maybe though, we should ask Robbo to stop shouting at Peds, because it's obviously having a detrimental effect on him... I blame Tugay myself, he's left his invisible friend behind.

Chances are fine, it's what you do with them that counts, you don't win a match by missing them. We've had too many days that are not 'better days'.

[Amo]

Maybe though, we should ask Robbo to stop shouting at Peds, because it's obviously having a detrimental effect on him.

Weird logic, that.

Robbo shouts BECAUSE Pedersen keeps losing the ball with his sloppy passes.

[Exiled in Toronto]

Just seen the goals. Dreadful dedfending for all 4. (Did I detect Brad trying to cheat??? He must be embarrassed beyond belief this morning).

Just a sneaky worry that without Allardyce's gritty 4-5-1 and with new man Kean instructed on pain of death to play more entertaining football that we might regress to Paul Ince mode once the shine wears off.

That would be the gritty 4-5-1 that lost 3 cup ties to Villa last season, conceding 10 goals in the process?

[XLM]

Even Allardyce haters have got to respect the fact that he has more in depth knowledge and managerial ability in his big toe than can be found on the entire Indian sub-continent.

Why compare his football knowledge to the owners? Compare it Kean's.

I'm getting a bit sick of your over emphasis on the owners and the country they come from.

[roversmum]

Weird logic, that.

Robbo shouts BECAUSE Pedersen keeps losing the ball with his sloppy passes.

I realise that, Topman, but if the theory is that booing at the players upsets them, then surely your team-mates shouting at you must have a similar effect, worse if anything...

[dazmaz]

I realise that, Topman, but if the theory is that booing at the players upsets them, then surely your team-mates shouting at you must have a similar effect, worse if anything...

not really. Players need a kick up the ass whilst they are on the pitch, One player (in this case robbo) giving him a telling off is going to have a better effect than 20,000 fans giving him stick.

Infact there is no other player, apart from the goalkeeper, who is better suited to giving someone a right telling off on the pitch because he (or she in womens football) should see everything that happens on the pitch.

[RevidgeBlue]

My first away game for about 18 months yesterday.

Very disappointing overall even if we missed enough clear cut chances to earn a draw on another day.

The first half highlighted our major weakness - the midfield. Andrews, Nzonzi and Pedersen should have had reversing lights on the back of their shirts they spent so much time backing off the Villa players. When you concede quite so much space in the final third of the pitch, it's going to cost you eventually, as it proved yesterday.

Andrews started o.k. but got worse and worse as the match went on. Nzonzi gives the impression it physically pains him to have to make a forward pass. Pedersen's demeanour and attitude was an absolute disgrace - gave the impression he couldn't care less as for the second week running he gave the ball away to the opposition time and time again.

Up front Roberts has looked very disappointing imo since returning from injury. At the back unlike Phil Jones Hanley is a very long way off being Premiertship quality at this stage imo.

Not many of the players looked as if they were up for a trip to Wembley in March and only Robinson, Salgado, Samba Olsson and Hoilett seemed to have the required amount of urgency about them on the day.

Grella did quite well when he came on and used the ball economically without giving it away.

Oh well, never mind Wembley in May, we can now have an exciting finish to the League. Will we end up with 45 or 50 points? Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz............

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

My first away game for about 18 months yesterday.

Very disappointing overall even if we missed enough clear cut chances to earn a draw on another day.

The first half highlighted our major weakness - the midfield. Andrews, Nzonzi and Pedersen should have had reversing lights on the back of their shirts they spent so much time backing off the Villa players. When you concede quite so much space in the final third of the pitch, it's going to cost you eventually, as it proved yesterday.

Andrews started o.k. but got worse and worse as the match went on. Nzonzi gives the impression it physically pains him to have to make a forward pass. Pedersen's demeanour and attitude was an absolute disgrace - gave the impression he couldn't care less as for the second week running he gave the ball away to the opposition time and time again.

Up front Roberts has looked very disappointing imo since returning from injury. At the back unlike Phil Jones Hanley is a very long way off being Premiertship quality at this stage imo.

Not many of the players looked as if they were up for a trip to Wembley in March and only Robinson, Salgado, Samba Olsson and Hoilett seemed to have the required amount of urgency about them on the day.

Grella did quite well when he came on and used the ball economically without giving it away.

Oh well, never mind Wembley in May, we can now have an exciting finish to the League. Will we end up with 45 or 50 points? Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz............

Thanks - what looks like a reasoned summary - that at last makes some sense of Houlliers comments that Villa rode their luck a little.

Sounds like we are creating chances at least. To be honest - the slack defending was evident even when Sam was there.

Though obviously disappointed - did Rovers again show the attacking intent that Kean seems to be pushing for ?

[thenodrog]

Why compare his football knowledge to the owners? Compare it Kean's.

I'm getting a bit sick of your over emphasis on the owners and the country they come from.

You can be as sick as you want but back off with the insinuations XLM.

It's common knowledge that Kean is under strict orders from the owners (Joan in particular) to get the squad to play more attractive football..... despite the fact that they know as much about ice fishing in the Arctic as they do about the capabilities of our squad and Premier league football in general.

Weird logic, that.

Robbo shouts BECAUSE Pedersen keeps losing the ball with his sloppy passes.

You need to recognise that some people respond best to a carrot and some to a stick topman.

[XLM]

It obviously wasn't just me who took what you said in that way.

[thenodrog]

It obviously wasn't just me who took what you said in that way.

So what?