[Archived] Steve Kean

[jim mk2]

To be fair to the manager West Ham brought on a load of attacking players in the final 30 mins and Kean probably felt he had to freshen up his team. Hoilett looked tired and did not play well.

Anyone notice the Rovers players go into a huddle before the kick-off ? Do they see this as their battle or are they doing it for the manager ?

[den]

Anyone notice the Rovers players go into a huddle before the kick-off ? Do they see this as their battle or are they doing it for the manager ?

They did it before the Bolton game and it came from the players, not the manager.

[92er]

Anyone notice the Rovers players go into a huddle before the kick-off ? Do they see this as their battle or are they doing it for the manager ?

It doesn't answer your question, but they did that against Bolton and said it was spur of the moment.

[jim mk2]

It doesn't answer your question, but they did that against Bolton and said it was spur of the moment.

My daughter (not a regular) said it was the first time she'd seen that since Paul Ince's reign.

Significant.

[Exiled in Toronto]

the game was there to be won and his poor thinking cost us 2 points, end of story, thats 0/10 for me!!

Not sure I follow your logic. If you are assuming we should have won from being 1-0, to whom would you credit us being 1-0 up and having the 2 points to lose? We only started with 1 point so someone got us within striking distance of 3.

[47er]

People make me laugh, I know Kean doesn't appear to be a great manager by any means but people are just so biased against him that even when he gets something right people slag him off. People complained about Roberts starting, he scored today but we won't talk about that. He took the decision to play Emerton at right-back, he set-up the goal let's not talk about that. Nor the fact that the starting eleven on the pitch did a pretty effective job for the majority of the match considering we had a few injuries to contend with. Again the subs in hindsight didn't work but bringing on another defensive midfield to try and defend the game out isn't unheard of. Big Sam use to do this all the time when we held a narrow lead, he also use to play Keith Andrews (shock horror).

People forget the fact that Holiett was coming back from injury and just took a hefty knock before he was subbed. Roberts worked hard but wasn't getting into the game at all during the second half. No suprise to me that these two players where subbed. Andrews was the only defensive midfield option on the bench and Santa Cruz was brought on to try and hold the ball although maybe the pace of Kalinic or power of Benjani would have been a better option.

I actually have some sympathy with that point of view. I was outraged when I saw Roberts name on the sheet but he scored! And for 70 minutes, apart from that little spell near halftime we looked to have the game sewn up. And he did play Emerton in what we fans know is his best position, something I don't think Sam ever did. And, though I would never pick Andrews for anything, I actually thought he did OK. Question--what's Pedersen done with his shooting boots?

We always seemed panicky when the ball was in our own penalty area though and for that last 20 minutes we played far too deep. Not sure Kean can be blamed for that directly, I think we simply ran out of options up-front to hold the ball and take advantage of their all-out attacking. Dunn was on the bench so I would have brought him on for that reason, I would have had EHD out there, he would have been perfect for that game but he's banished to Scotland and I would have had Kalinic running his socks off for the last half-hour and stretching them. If Dunn wasn't fit he shouldn't have been there.So I blame Kean for those elements but , in the end, I'd have taken a point before the game, it was just so hard to take after being in the lead for so long.

After playing so well though our point came from the miss of the season from Kean and the block of the season from Samba. We were so close to tragedy.

[booth]

Not sure I follow your logic. If you are assuming we should have won from being 1-0, to whom would you credit us being 1-0 up and having the 2 points to lose? We only started with 1 point so someone got us within striking distance of 3.

And then went into hari kari mode and lost the two points. And it's not the first match he's shown he's bad at making changes.

When you're under the kosh, the last thing you need is for the man in charge to help the kosh fall. Would things be different If we would have lost? I will point out we were playing the bottom of the league. Past season stats mean nothing, West Ham were very poor.

Not directed at you EIT but anyone else feeling sickened by the sycophancy of Gavs posts and some of the other Kean apologists? Maybe it's just me but it seems at the moment some people are Steve Kean fans, not BRFC fans.

I work with a Burnley fan and he thinks Steve Kean is doing a splendid job too.

[Tom]

Kean make poor subs. RSC didn't chase anything and Andrews why???

When Hoilett went off he should have bought on Ruben on. or even go 4-4-2 and bring on Benjani and try to keep the ball up top.

My word you talk some rubbish, really you'd bring Rochina on at 1-0 up when under pressure?

That tells me about all I need to know right there.

Andrews may be poor but it would be absolute suicide to bring on a player with no defensive qualities at all

[booth]

My word you talk some rubbish, really you'd bring Rochina on at 1-0 up when under pressure?

That tells me about all I need to know right there.

Andrews may be poor but it would be absolute suicide to bring on a player with no defensive qualities at all

Agreed about Rochina. That mistakes been made before. But for me bringing Andrews in was suicide given he's just come back from injury and is poor at his peak.

[John]

I said at the time of the subs that it was not the right thing to do.

[Exiled in Toronto]

And then went into hari kari mode and lost the two points. And it's not the first match he's shown he's bad at making changes.

When you're under the kosh, the last thing you need is for the man in charge to help the kosh fall. Would things be different If we would have lost? I will point out we were playing the bottom of the league. Past season stats mean nothing, West Ham were very poor.

Not directed at you EIT but anyone else feeling sickened by the sycophancy of Gavs posts and some of the other Kean apologists? Maybe it's just me but it seems at the moment some people are Steve Kean fans, not BRFC fans.

I work with a Burnley fan and he thinks Steve Kean is doing a splendid job too.

Not a Kean fan, just a logic fan. If he threw away 2 points, he got us in a position to win them. Credit and debit surely? Also, since RSC for Roberts was like for like, as opposed to changing the shape of the team, isn't it a case of RSC failing to execute more than manager screwing up? Tho I don't see why Roberts needed to come off - he's good for 90 mins.

[XLM]

A lot of people aren't happy with Kean and that is fair enough, but don't just have a go for the sake of it.

The substitutions he made were perfectly rational, I can't really see where the complaints are coming from. Who else would we have brouhgt on? Even had Kalinic been on the bench I wouldn't have put him on, we were trying to preserve a lead, why throw on a striker who can't hold the ball up? That's why he doesn't make the squad for away games.

On reflection taking Hoilett off for Andrews was a mistake, an outlet with a bit of mobility like Rochina would have been more useful, we kind of got pinned back after he came off. But it could have gone either way, you can't judge him on hindsight.

We got a good point, we were only 12 minutes away from certain safety which is a bit hard to take but hey-ho, you can't fault any of the players' effort or the manager's judgement. We dust off and try and get over the line in the next fixture.

[PAFELL]

My word you talk some rubbish, really you'd bring Rochina on at 1-0 up when under pressure?

That tells me about all I need to know right there.

Andrews may be poor but it would be absolute suicide to bring on a player with no defensive qualities at all

Andrews did ok today - like or dislike him, credit must be given, he did ok.

If Roberts was tired or Kean wanted to replace / freshen up the forward line. the He should have brought on Benjani and not RSC. I cannot understand the publicity about encouraging benjani to play for a possible new contract - then not play him.

Hoilet, having just come back for a hamstring injury - meaning he also would not of got in a lot of training - it was not surprising he didn't finish the 90 minutes.

[Stuart]

I was going for the 'like for like' argument. I actually have never seen Formica and only seen Rochina make his Ewood cameo. I was just suggesting another way to go about it. Assuming all I've heard and seen is correct (and I maybe knew what Kean does re: training etc) that's as strategy I'd have liked to see him try.

Didn't mean it to sound 'know-it-all' if that's how it came across.

Didn't think that at all. Like I said to Chris I honestly want to know if Formica is good enough (and ready) for first team football. I can understand the 'he must be better than Andrews' argument, and I would have hoped he would be by now but for some reason he's not getting on the pitch.

[Bobby G]

To be fair to the manager West Ham brought on a load of attacking players in the final 30 mins and Kean probably felt he had to freshen up his team. Hoilett looked tired and did not play well.

Anyone notice the Rovers players go into a huddle before the kick-off ? Do they see this as their battle or are they doing it for the manager ?

I dont think anyone was against subbing players out. But Junior was giving them a hard time on our left, and it wouldve made sense to bring on a like for like replacement, instead of a sitting midfield like Andrews. Roberts for Santa Cruz I wouldnt have faulted under normal circumstances, but hindsight shows it was wrong too. The subs combined with a willingness to sit back and offer no threat when their defence was wide open and ready to be taken apart on the counter cost us 2 points. Samba saved us 1 point.

[Kelbo]

Not sure I follow your logic. If you are assuming we should have won from being 1-0, to whom would you credit us being 1-0 up and having the 2 points to lose? We only started with 1 point so someone got us within striking distance of 3.

THe logic is clear, opponents go three at the back, when they do that, you play with lots of width, that strtches them, instead, they played with four strikers, Ba, Kean, Cole and Piqqy, maybe Hanley at the back and pushed Olsson forward, this would have given us an outlet on the flank from where they had substituted their right full back for a striker, we had no outlet in the end and the ball kept coming straight back, players in wide positions simply cant be left alone, someone has to watch them and in my opinion, that would have disrupted their play as with four strikers and three at the back, left three midfielders, so who would have looked after the two full back positions?

[Gav]

Not directed at you EIT but anyone else feeling sickened by the sycophancy of Gavs posts and some of the other Kean apologists? Maybe it's just me but it seems at the moment some people are Steve Kean fans, not BRFC fans.

I work with a Burnley fan and he thinks Steve Kean is doing a splendid job too.

Typical of posts on here currently:

You are aware that I’m no Kean fan aren’t you booth, would have sacked the guy after the Everton game.

But one thing I’m not having is people like your good self, with all due respect, blaming the manager for it raining last night and me stubbing my toe on the bed this morning, its still hurting by the way

I’ve watched the game and spoken to a couple of people that went, and the manager did nothing wrong, his subs were fine, Hoilett was knackered, and the two new lads are not the answer away at West Ham with only 36% of the possession in a game.

I’ve been to West Ham myself 5 or 6 times, never seen us win, bogey ground, that result yesterday against a fellow relegation struggler was terrific in the grand scheme of things.

But I also understand the frustration of us not being able to hold out until the end, and see where you’re coming from on the subs, but that’s not the managers fault because he had to change things, and a holding midfield player and striker that’s supposed to hold the ball up, were the correct calls, it was like the Alamo when WH went 3 or 4 up front!

As a side issue:

Just looking at the results recently, 2 losses in 7 games, for a team battling relegation, and we’ve played 2 top 4 sides, isn’t that bad all things considered, is it?

[Roaming Rover]

Come on Gav, we'll have no talk like that on here. If you can't say anything negative then don't say anything at all!

[John]

Fair enough Gav, of course if it was Sam you would be hanging him out to dry though as you hated him.

On the subs, before they came on I said it was not the correct decision. There seems to be an obsession with playing Santa when he struggles to move, we need more than that, we are in a scrap for our lives.

[philipl]

Kean's comments on Match of the Day are inane even by the standards of football.

Get rid ASAP

[chris]

Kean sounds desperate in interviews, then Grant comes on who is very honest.

I don't enjoy Kean interviews.

Maybe I would if he was more successful.

[DP]

OK. Everton game aside we've approached the last few games reasonably well set up and Kean appears to be picking the right team. The lads also seem to be in good spirits. On that basis we have to give him some credit.

The worrying fact is he seems that he has to play Santa Cruz when fit and it wouldn't surprise me if its against his better judgement but he's been 'pursuaded' otherwise.

He also doesn't make good tactical changes during the game. We had Dunn on the bench who can keep the ball a bit and good to play behind the main striker for the last 20 mins. If he wasn't fit to do that then what was he doing on the bench? I had/have no problem with Andrews coming on to shore things up.

Kean will show his metal in the next game if he leaves Santa Cruz out altogether.

[John]

Speaking to non Rovers fans yesterday, they think Kean comes across as completely delusional and cannot believe he is manager of our football club.

[Gav]

Fair enough Gav, of course if it was Sam you would be hanging him out to dry though as you hated him.

On the subs, before they came on I said it was not the correct decision. There seems to be an obsession with playing Santa when he struggles to move, we need more than that, we are in a scrap for our lives.

Rubbish, even the most anti-Allardyce poster would have seen how vital yesterday point was.

Also, if you can find any post where I said I hated Allardyce, I'll buy you a pint or 3.

[savage8]

Speaking to non Rovers fans yesterday, they think Kean comes across as completely delusional and cannot believe he is manager of our football club.

Kean getting a bit of a slagging off Marcotti on Twitter. Marcotti knows....

Marcotti Gabriele Marcotti

Did I hear right? Kean on MOTD: "We tried to play on the break but that was difficult because WHUFC were really going for it..." Eh?

I don't have a problem with Kean saying he wants to play counter. But surely when the opp "goes for it" it makes it easier to do so, no?