[Archived] Preview of ROVERS vs. Blackpool; 19 March 2011.

[jim mk2]

To blame Kean for where we are in the table now isn't the problem.

So who do we blame apart from the owners who appointed him ?

The manager carries the can in football because it's a results business (contrary to the tripe in the "entertainment" thread). "Bad luck" and poor refererring is irrelevant because you make your own luck in football. If / when we go down it will be Kean's responsibility and his alone because he inherited a team and a club in a relatively healthy position.

[JAL]

Love the way you take pure speculation on your part and then form judgements on it. Mental!

Mental too you but accurately true.

[thenodrog]

They should get Robinson to take all their free kicks - his delivery was perfect every time.

That penalty was one of the most bizarre things I've seen in a game. The Blackpool players didn't seem to understand what he meant. Nice move leading up to it though. Also, the free kick which led to their second wasn't a free kick either, however well taken it may have been. I think Rovers can count themselves a little unlucky, although if they'd had any strikers who'd been fit and interested they'd have scored 4 or 5 in the second half - every time we attacked down the left we looked likely to score.

Must say I had a similar angle to Webb and it looked like Nelsen had taken him out at the time, albeit after the shot had gone. One of those instances when I immediately looked toward the ref rather than follow the ball.

Jones stupid lunge on the edge of our own area for the second goal was just plain stupid. I'd rather see him fined by the club than Givet for that piece of pub football stupidity.

[savage8]

Had a brief read of the last 4-5 pages of this thread, depressing stuff (to read).

Let's be honest, we were excellent up until the free kick that they scored their disallowed goal - not quite sure what formation we went with but Martin and Junior were running the show, aided by Jermaine Jones who was impressive. If Mame was a little taller we would've been one up and cruising.

Then a freak horror show and we're 2 down - NEVER EVER a penalty, yet Kean STILL sticks up for the referee because "he knows how fast the ball can move"???!!!. Bizarre. Think it was a foul for Adam's excellent free kick (not sure if Robbo's positiong was right, seemed like he was way off his line). Also, what was the reasoning behind Adam's ridiculous taunting of the BBE? Still think he and JJ were a different class on the pitch.

Blackpool didn't turn up in the first 5 of the second half, their RB had a shocker but fair play to Jr. RSC seemed reluctant/lazy/unfit to make front post runs for his crosses (something which Niko is good at, but crazily overlooked). How N'Zonzi missed i'll never know - rubbish, although he got stuck in at times.

Great to finally go mental when we scored the equaliser, although we should've won. Not sure what good a draw does for us but other results seem to have gone our way (other than Wigan and Wolves - we can't expect all other teams in the mire to draw every match). Seems like refs do have an agenda with us these days, wasn't Sam pally with alot of the top refs? Speculation of course.

Also what was the ridiculous blocking of the passage outside the players entrance on the Jack Walker stand? Were the chickens in town? Thought it might have been something to allow their limos to drive in? Apologies if this has already been answered.

I really don't like Holloway.

[Andy]

I understand the point made about MGP and I'm not a Ped-hater.

He didn't break out of a gentle jog yesterday and I can recall two instances where he needed to make the effort to help the team - once to get down the left wing when Nelsen had the ball (Nelsen literally stood with the ball and pointed to Pedersen where he should have been running) and the other was to track back when Blackpool were on the counter and looked like adding a 3rd.

Nobody's expecting to show the same desire that both of the Jones and Chris Samba did, but he could at least look like he's trying.

As for formation, I actually liked how we lined up given the players we had available.

From how they were positioned it seemed to be:

Robbo

Salgado Nelsen Samba Olsson

Nzonzi

Jones Emerton

Diouf Santa Cruz Hoilett

Really like how that looks and can't fault Kean, or whoever picks the team, for that.

[JAL]

Must say I had a similar angle to Webb and it looked like Nelsen had taken him out at the time, albeit after the shot had gone.

He did catch him after the ball had gone with webb having disalloed a goal just minutes earlier he evened it up by giving the penalty. Whoever was late in the challenge needs agood kick up the arse for allowing the referee to make the decision.

Like a lot of Rovers players yesterday many looked just that split second too slow so upping the fitness levels now has to be a main priority.

Salgado, Nelsen, Pedersen, Santa Cruz are four who need to up their fitness.

[thenodrog]

As most people said why oh why did Rovers take him back. The doctors know exactly what he is like, so completely madness.

I am not surprised by how bad Rocky is but I am surprised Kean has no plan at all to play him up front with Niko.

RSC has lost a lot of mobility so he is poor at running wide etc but he is still best of our lot by far when playing with his back to goal and given an accurate delivery. We need someone in close to benefit.

[Mattyblue]

Watching Roque at the World Cup, he looked as if his legs had gone. Unfortunately we are seeing this in the flesh.

[thenodrog]

Charlie Adam = class. Time on the ball, finds space and a wonderful passer / striker of the ball.

That's why Liverpool and Spurs want him.

As I've flagged many times, I believe that he could have been ours for £5million right at the BEGINNING of the window. Instead, we f----ed around and have probably spent £10m+ on agents' fees, transfer & loan fees and wages, and for what ?

Indeed. Hence Holloway's comment that he was worth 40m to Blackpool. They were unfortunate to to get all 3 but without him they would have left Ewood pointless. End of debate really.

[den]

Shocking formation by Kean - again. No-one appeared to know where they were playing, what their jobs were. Even the first 20 mins, we lacked pattern to our play.

We dominated them yesterday. God some people are hopeless. Yes clearly Kean is a terrible terrible manager but please dont just make cr*p up. When we go down I know Kean will be 100% to blame and if we stay up he'll be blamed for not keeping us in the top 10. But yesterday we didn't do much wrong and only lost to a shockign refereeing decision.

I watched the first half and was trying to work out what formation we were playing. After half an hour I gave up and just watched the game. Talking to two people at half time and they were totally baffled, just like me.

The one thing that could have been expected after a fortnight break, was that the tactics would be spot on. We improved immeasurably when the lads took matters into their own hands and simply got the ball forward as best they could.

Kean needs to stop confusing the team and the fans and decide which it is - 4-4-2, or 4-5-1.

[Fylde Coast Fan]

Indeed. Hence Holloway's comment that he was worth 40m to Blackpool. They were unfortunate to to get all 3 but without him they would have left Ewood pointless. End of debate really.

Blackpool without Charlie Adam would be everything the pundits thought they'd be this season. Blackpool fans rate Vaughan and Phillips highly - I thought Vaughan was pretty average, make a good Championship player, and Phillips looked no better than, say, Aaron Doran. Pool fan told me the only one of our players they'd want is Hoilett, and that Michel Salgado is the dirtiest, slowest player he's ever seen.

[thenodrog]

Never a penalty but there will be no FA reprimand. There won't even be any reaction. 4 points lost in a week because of 2 atrocious penalty decisions by 2 different refs.

The incident where Hoilett was pulled down as his flick went on to hit the post was, ironically, far more of a penalty than the one given against us in the last minute at Fulham.

We truly are out of luck.............and going down.

Luck or are the Prem authorities combining to dispense with a potential embarrassment by handing it over to the Championship? I'm sure that behind closed doors they are all worried about events under Venkey's ownership and the unhealthy influence of Jerome Anderson.

I take it you didn't see MGP's totally commitment-free, lazy 'cameo' yesterday then? He did nothing of note, other than at least twice fail to track back and from one of those the Lashers nearly scored. JJ and Phil Jones absolutely bollocked him twice.

And what if his orders were to stay forward and stay wide Mark? I'd imagine they must have been given the match situation.

[Mercer]

What a load of rubbish!

So if we had bid £5 Million we would have had him, so no chance of Liverpool and Spuds bidding for him as we had bid £5 Million????

Blackpool had obviously decided they will go down with out him, so were never going to sell him.

I thought he was excellent in the first half but no where in the 2nd and rightly taken off.

You need to read the post properly.

I said at the BEGINNING of the window.

At this time, Adam was doing 'okay' and it's common knowledge that he was supposedly on the target list of both Sam and then Kean with a ringing endorsement from Tony Parkes (who is now a part time scout). Even the 'famous' Nicko was spouting this.

We will never know, but it was believed at the time that a 'knockout' £5million bid would secure him.

What happened then. Well Adam started ripping-up trees in January's games, other 'bigger' clubs started taking note, up went the price and Adam's aspirations and Rovers instead, IMO, foolishly opted to pursue a transfer agenda, allegedly, drawn-up by Anderson.

Rubbish, certainly not.

[thenodrog]

I havent spent much time on this messageboard recently and I wont be wasting my time on here for much longer. The ref gifts them a penalty which even their manager agrees wasnt a foul and then Charlie Adam steps up with one of the most accurate free kicks of the season. Going in at half time we were as good as relegated but the team rallies and gets us a point after battering them for the majority of the match and the entirity of the second half. We now sit 13th. To criticise Kean for the team coming back from 2 goals down at half time is pathetic. We didn't lose two goals to poor defending or any Kean mistake.

Now, clearly 2-2 at kick off wasn't what any of us wanted and im not for a minute saying that things couldn't have gone a lot better HOWEVER, the ref did more to ruin Rovers day than Kean. We came from two goals down at half time which i predict NO ONE saw coming at the time. The players showed character and dug us out of a massive hole.

The people who are saying we should sack him this instant also seem to be the people who are demanding that Formica starts the very next game which is utter madness considering none of us have ever seen him play and he has not had one minute of prem action. You criticise Kean for team selection and yet your answer is to throw an unproven 20 year old argentinian into the team who has only had a couple of reserve games???....

To blame Kean for where we are in the table now isn't the problem. He clearly has a lot to learn and has made many mistakes. But to blame him for yesterday isn't fair. We should have got a point against Fulham and 3 against Blackpool. The reason for why we didnt was more to do with dodgy ref decisions than Kean.

We dominated them yesterday. God some people are hopeless. Yes clearly Kean is a terrible terrible manager but please dont just make cr*p up. When we go down I know Kean will be 100% to blame and if we stay up he'll be blamed for not keeping us in the top 10. But yesterday we didn't do much wrong and only lost to a shockign refereeing decision.

Kean's no manager thats for sure, he's just a puppet! Of course he isn't responsible for our predicament, we aren't in danger of relegation cos of one home draw it's down to a series of unbelievably stupid events since December. The blame for that is 100% down to the foolishness and inexperience of Joan and the SDM's and their inexplicable faith in putting their trust and their personal fortunes in the hands of a member of the scummy profession that blights the modern game.... a footballing agent.

[Amo]

I havent spent much time on this messageboard recently and I wont be wasting my time on here for much longer.

Don't blame you, mate.

If people think the club is sinking fast, they obviously haven't seen this forum.

[thenodrog]

So who do we blame apart from the owners who appointed him ?

The manager carries the can in football because it's a results business (contrary to the tripe in the "entertainment" thread). "Bad luck" and poor refererring is irrelevant because you make your own luck in football. If / when we go down it will be Kean's responsibility and his alone because he inherited a team and a club in a relatively healthy position.

Wrong Jim. He didn't sack Allardyce and he didn't appoint himself. President Truman knew where blame should lie.

I really don't like Holloway.

I think you are in the minority. He is a little too opinionated and should stop being such a rent-a-quote but he does speak from the heart and has added mightily to the entertainment value in the Prem this season.

[jim mk2]

Wrong Jim. He didn't sack Allardyce and he didn't appoint himself. President Truman knew where blame should lie.

We all know he shouldn't have been appointed. The question that was raised is responsibility for results and performances since he took over.

[thenodrog]

Pool fan told me the only one of our players they'd want is Hoilett, and that Michel Salgado is the dirtiest, slowest player he's ever seen.

sour grapes. At full time he'd have expected 3 points.

Even the now 'infamous' Nicko was spouting this.

Fixed it for you Mercerman.

[Wiggy]

Pool fan told me the only one of our players they'd want is Hoilett, and that Michel Salgado is the dirtiest, slowest player he's ever seen.

Well I reckon your mate knows the square root of f all about football FCF! Nearly all our players would walk into that team....and then perform better under a proper manager.

[Tom]

Indeed. Hence Holloway's comment that he was worth 40m to Blackpool. They were unfortunate to to get all 3 but without him they would have left Ewood pointless. End of debate really.

Whilst I normally agree with a lot you say on football matters here I disagree, on the balance of the game if anyone it was us who deserved the three points, it would have been a travesty had we lost that game.

58 percent possession, 24 shots to 8, hit the post twice with another two off the line, one of their goals was a farce as well.

Blackpool were very fortunate to be one up then capitalised with a second then just couldn't cope in the second half, something which is quite common with Blackpool. Naivety maybe.

[thenodrog]

We all know he shouldn't have been appointed. The question that was raised is responsibility for results and performances since he took over.

Still at the door of the owners. If they could read the signs that most of us could, if they could understand player morale, football tactice etc then they should have got shot of him a month ago. For me straight after the NUFC game was the time to admit they were wrong and do something about it.

[47er]

RSC has lost a lot of mobility so he is poor at running wide etc but he is still best of our lot by far when playing with his back to goal and given an accurate delivery. We need someone in close to benefit.

He did win a lot of balls in the air and his first touch was pretty good. I just think he's rusty from the bench at City. He wasn't as bad as some are making out.

Neither was Pedersen--got some decent crosses over.

[thenodrog]

Whilst I normally agree with a lot you say on football matters here I disagree, on the balance of the game if anyone it was us who deserved the three points, it would have been a travesty had we lost that game.

58 percent possession, 24 shots to 8, hit the post twice with another two off the line, one of their goals was a farce as well.

Blackpool were very fortunate to be one up then capitalised with a second then just couldn't cope in the second half, something which is quite common with Blackpool. Naivety maybe.

Tom at 1-2 up with 93 mins on the clock they were unfortunate to not get all 3 points whichever way you look at it. btw for me I think 6 or 7 mins would have been nearer the mark given the number of subs and the amount of unchecked time wasting.

As for Adam..... whilst Charlie Adam isn't a run all day all action midfield grafter he has immense quality with his vision and his left foot. A team needs a mix and he provides invention and guile which is a very rare commodity. When we played Arsenal down here I think I expended more energy at HT than Cec Fabrigas did all tha match but he's renowned for his invention.

Yesterday Adams made a superb but subsequently disallowed goal with a beutifully disguised and deadly free kick, he scored a pen under pressure, he scored a superb free kick and in the second half he nearly repeated his first free kick if only DJ Campbell had not halted his run. If he did that for us in front of N'Zonzi and Jones he'd be like a young fit Dunny.

[Tom]

I think that was Puncheon theno, Campbell didnt play.

Blackpool will be gutted they didn't hold on but on balance didn't deserve three points.

As good as he's been for us Robbo concerned me yesterday, he parried a couple of speculative shots into dangerous areas.

[jim mk2]

Still at the door of the owners. If they could read the signs that most of us could, if they could understand player morale, football tactice etc then they should have got shot of him a month ago. For me straight after the NUFC game was the time to admit they were wrong and do something about it.

This lot won't admit they do anything wrong because it's quite likely they'll stick with Kean even when we go down. Jeremy Peace showed the way at WBA by binning Di Matteo. Still a long haul for them but results have improved under Hodgson.