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

[chocky]

Ant body else watch Sunday supplement. They all actually want Rovers to go down because they all love Sam and we sacked him. Great the unbiased free press eh.

[RevidgeBlue]

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.

That post is just about bang on and I won't be back on until after the next game either such is the levels to which this once decent forum appear to have sunk.

Without wishing to single out Jal in particular when you have him saying what is needed is for several fans to drag the "clown" (our manager) out of the dug out and people are defending the chants from some of our own fans against our manager barely a third of the way into the game yesterday there's not much point wasting any more time on here until some modicum of commonsense returns.

Incidentally nothing whatsoever against John Williams but I can't believe some posters have actually adopted a picture of him as their avatar. That's borderline stalkerish, creepy, disturbing whatever you want to call it and I would wager the man himself would find his picture being used as a form of protest a little embarrassing.

[RevidgeBlue]

Based on their first 16 weeks in the ownership of Rovers, there are definitely people at the Premier League who would be very happy if Venky's became somebody else's problem.

That does not mean Webb's decisions yesterday were a stitch-up. Far less controversial if the linesman had not flagged the two offside goals.

You don't know that's the case at all so why say it?

You do however make an excellent point about the linesperson If referees have been instructed by the PL to send us down, why disallow two extremely tight (but correct) offside decisions?

[Mattyblue]

Ant body else watch Sunday supplement. They all actually want Rovers to go down because they all love Sam and we sacked him. Great the unbiased free press eh.

Aye the press all love Sam!

Christ almighty wake up!

[Paul Mellelieu]

At half time I was expecting another Plymouth, it should have been with all the chances we missed, what a let down.

Still can't believe that rag tag mob got out of Ewood with a point.

It was 2-1 at half time against Plymouth.

[modes98]

Strange that Ollie has been in the press moaning about our direct style of football. Right so we now know what works and what teams don't like, so lets do it every week to stay in this division or we can revert to pretty football that gets us nowhere and is sending us down.

[Kelbo]

Dear me Gordon, have you taken on philip's mantle of spouting the most most ridiculous unsubstantiated rubbish in an attempt to discredit the new owners?

The new owners are to say the least two butties short of a picnic,. even you must admit that, unless you are one of the 10 people in the UK who believe otherwise!!

[AggyBlue]

It was 2-1 at half time against Plymouth.

Was it really. I still expected the same result.

[AndyC]

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.

it was believed at the time......by who?

I know his agent and I can confirm you are way off the mark on this one.

[m1st]

I've deliberately left it a while before commenting on yesterday's game because I had so many conflicting emotions that I honestly didn't know what to think.

Before and after the game, I met up with old friends who are Blackpool fans and we all agreed, afterwards, that Webb had had a stinker for both teams. The award of the penalty to Blackpool felt like he'd given Pool a consolation prize for the controversial way he had to chalk off their earlier "goal", then the free-kick really took the wind out of our sails for the rest of the first half and Blackpool were cutting through our midfield like a knife through butter.

Obviously, I don't know who said what to who in the dressing room at half time but the spirit that was shown in the second half boded well for the future. I'll never be a football coach but I can't help hoping that there'll be some "shooting straight" practice between now and a week on Saturday!

And although I originally advocated the selection of MB Diouf for this game, I was very disappointed in him; I'm sure the fastest I saw him move yesterday was when he was going off the field to be substituted!

What does Niko have to do to be chosen for the start of a game? Something has got to be done in the next fortnight to get him and Roque playing as a duo, especially at The Emirates where the current Arsenal back four is nowhere near the standard of their predecessors of the last 20 - 25 years. It's not just as a "glass-half-full" man that I feel we can pull off a surprise win there.

And where will that leave us? What follows is a quote from the old schoolmate whose opinion I canvassed in the preparation of Visitors' Views in the original post on this thread:

Conceding an injury time equaliser seems like a defeat. Scoring same seems like a win. Seems is the significant verb in this text, because seems is an illusion. By next weekend, the drama will have faded from the memory banks, and the reality of the result will have sunk in. That reality is that Rovers have been held at home by one of their relegation rivals, in what has been described on BRFC [fans'] web-sites as a "must win game",..... or else ! I glanced last night at Rovers' last 8 fixtures, and thought that it could well be described as the run-in from hell. If Blackburn get past 40 points from that lot, they will have done brilliantly. I think that Rovers needed to play NEXT week, while they were still fired up. The euphoria from yesterday's stoppage time will have dissipated by the time you get to the Emirates.

I fear there's a lot in that. Having looked at the remaining fixtures myself for the bottom 8 teams, I think that Wigan are probably doomed and that Birmingham have a tricky run-in, but there are others of the bottom eight [West Ham; Wolves] who seem to be in better form than we are. "Squeaky bum time" definitely starts here!

[thenodrog]

That post is just about bang on and I won't be back on until after the next game either such is the levels to which this once decent forum appear to have sunk.

The way I felt at half time I wasn't sure that I would even be at the next game!

Simon you must know by now that you hold a minority viewpoint? Can you offer me anything good that the new owners have done or brought to our club since November?

[Exiled in Toronto]

It was 2-1 at half time against Plymouth.

I too was thinking about the Plymouth game and also the Derby play-off when we went 2 dowm yesterday. The big difference this time was the collapse in team spirit up until half time.

[BigJackWalker]

got the highlights anyone?

[Mattyblue]

Bloody hell Rev! This is a different era to the days when the message board would get its knickers in a twist over Souness' tactical nous or even Paul Ince.

The club is teetering on the brink, and how on earth a long standing, level headed fella like you can't see it and just thinks that 90% of posters are being hysterical beggars belief.

[ptholt]

Just got home from yesterdays game (we stayed the night and went to some outlet place in Fleetwood before heading home to sussex),

The highlight of my morning after a four hour drive up and arriving at Ewood quite early, was a ten minute chat with John Williams who was attending his first game back at Ewood, have to say what a nice guy he was and taking the time to talk to my eldest and i between ground and car park, he came across as a passionate motivated and enthusiastic supporter of our club, a true gent who i couldnt help but think what we may have lost there (I have read everything about him, but its kinda hard to get a real opinion till you meet them imo).

Had a similar chat with Gally before the game as well, who was sure we would do well depending which rovers turned up (with hindsight, perhaps he was hoping for Bristol).

We were seated in the lower JW stand on the darwen side (never been on that side before), and i have to say the people around us were of an age who really didnt wish to be around kids or any football fan that wished to make any form of noise above a gentle clap for fear of making them into dropping there sanotgen or wake them up from there daily nap.

They scowled and moaned whenever one of my three kids cheered or shouted, they moaned if any of them stood up (my youngest is 6, my eldest 12 and there hardly tall) and generally it had all the atmosphere of a dentists waiting room without the decent reading nmaterial - which i sadly missed for most of the first half after we went 2-0 down. It did seem really strange and frankly massive pathetic to be completely out clapped and outsung by the blackpool crowd, and the loudest noise we heard from any rovers fan nearby was on the opposite side of the ground, i do find it rather odd that people go to a game to sit, stay quiet and show all the passion of a dead fish, but then to scowl, moan, poke and snipe at people who did any of those things i found downright pathetic, if you want to sit with your travelling rug, tuc biscuits enjoying a nice cuppa in abject silence why go to a live game instead of watching quincy on tv :s

Bizarelly they all came to life mid way through the first half when we were 2-0 down not to encourage but to do a bit more winging and moaning, or perhaps the collostomy bags were full and it was all the sloshing i could hear..

In truth leading up to half time i was sorely tempted to set off on the 4 hour drive home, heads were down on the pitch, lots of head shaking, shoulder shrugging and generally quite a bit of sulking and they just seemed lost and devoid of any on or off pitch leadership, the collective groaning and moaning i heard at half time i did think was the result of a load of old dears trying to stretch there joints, but i was reliably informed we were boo'd off - neither surprised me.

The second half started a lot better than the first ended (thankfully), i could almost hear the blackburn end shouting (i think the derby and joan club day trip in the lower jw had all turned there hearing aids off by this point so even they looked blissful after they had helped themselves to the ale samples in the concourse) and it appeared we may have been in a football ground instead of a morgue, it was at this point that Steve Keane decided to try and confuse the hell out of me with what appeared to be some bizarre substitutions, whilst i love the idea of home town boy done good coming back from injury, the thought of replacing a midfielder for a centre half when your 2-0 down seemed bizarre to say the least, and the cynic in me did wonder if this was purely a crowd pleasing move to get them back on Keane's side and get some home crowd brownie points.

I thought Nzonzi had a total stinker and could see why he was subbed, he seems to be having eyesight issues and can barely pass to a rovers player, though personally some more attacking options were called for but instead we got Jason Roberts, he reminds me of the big bad wolf, he huffs, he puff but he rarely brings the house down, in fact I was certain he even blocked a goal bound effort with his own backside just before the Blackpool line – certainly looked that way for me, will check on the <cough> highlights.

Diouf is the most ineffective rovers forward ive seen for.. Well I was going to say for ages, but then ti remember also watching di santo and grabbi, so lets just say he is in a similar mould to those two, and the sooner he is sent packing the better, the only united shirt that lads ever going to wear is probably a Scunthorpe one. He runs a lot, normally at the wrong time and offside, he falls over a lot and has the first touch of a birch hall avenue council house, it hits him and bounces off twenty yards.

Rocky also seemed somewhat distant, and at some point he is either going to have to actually try and put a shift in, hopefully before his good reputation is in danger of being ruined by this bloke who stands around not doing very much – although he wasn’t blessed with much to do anything with.

Pedersen's arrival was also rather odd, on one hand someone who could perhaps deliver a decent ball, the odd free kick or long throw was welcome, though his work and movement rate was about the same as the nursing home support around me, perhaps that’s why they loved him so much, maybe he pops in with biscuits for some dunking on a Friday. Or maybe as he is bench warming his own attitude has taken a knock and he's reacting not by showing what he can do, but by the footballing equivalent of showing keane two fingers, im not sure which it is, but sadly neither does Steve Keane I think.

I shall end this rather sarcastic late night (not much sleep was had this weekend) by just adding that I really do think Steve Keane is tactically inept, and managerially incapable at this level, his formations are confusing the players, his squad selections are strange (what has nzonzi done recently to keep his place?) and his substitutions are just bizarre.

Despite not wanting to at half time, I did find myself buying tickets for the Brum game (already have my Arsenal tickets) but the only seats I could get where the exact same ones as yesterdays game noooooooooooooooooooooooo – ill take a travelling rug so I blend in, and maybe some digestives to hand out for more dunking with Blackburn'n newest open air retirement home in the lower JW.

[thenodrog]

Despite not wanting to at half time, I did find myself buying tickets for the Brum game (already have my Arsenal tickets) but the only seats I could get where the exact same ones as yesterdays game noooooooooooooooooooooooo – ill take a travelling rug so I blend in, and maybe some digestives to hand out for more dunking with Blackburn'n newest open air retirement home in the lower JW.

Don't really understand why you can't get tickets elsewhere pth.

[ptholt]

Was the only place where we could get seats for five of us apparently,

even when asked if there was a three with two in front or behind nearby and splitting the familty up, it wasnt an option...

[47er]

Reasons to be hopeful :-

1. Hoilett - Duff the 2nd - could end up actually being better, as his passing is IMO better. Yet again a bright spark of creativity in an otherwise workman like midfield.

2. J Jones - possibly his best game for Rovers - drive and pace from midfield we have been sadly missing for a long time. It is a shame that he seems to spend a lot of time complaining about tackles rather than getting on with the game.

3. P Jones - doesn't matter what he has been promised - has to be played centre midfield until we are (hopefully) safe - as he adds the aggression, desire and drive we miss at times (especially when things aren't going well).

4. Olsson - don't agree with the opinion that he is a liability at left back (he is no worse a defender than Warnock) - but I would prefer to see him left midfield. Either position he shows the drive we so badly need in our current position.

5. Robinson - still the best English keeper IMO.

6. RSC - actually played 90 minutes, and looked still strong at the end of the match. Personally don't think he had a brilliant match - but if we are to get out of the mess he could be key.

Overall I can't criticise Kean too much for yesterdays performance. We set off really well - and should have had at least one goal to show for our early dominance. No manager could allow for the referee's intervention in the game. After the break we came out all guns blazing - another manager (e.g. Sam) would have taken credit for the turnaround (both personally and from the fans) and yet with Kean people seem to think it was inspite of him rather than anything positive he did. IMO if we go down, it will be as a result of Kean (and our new owners decision to change manager mid-season with no good reason) - however I would ask people to be a little more balanced in their assessment of Kean. Ultimately, it is now extremely likely that Kean will oversee the team until the end of the season at least - so lets get behind him and the team - as we just have to make the best of what we have now.

P.S. One thing to thank Kean for - I doubt Hoilett would have made it at Rovers under Allardyce. The one positive for Kean is that he has given Hoilett the confidence and platform to show his talents. I do think the overall team pattern suffers at times - which is why I would play him just behind a lone striker against Arsenal - so the midfield can keep its shape better and Hoilett can concentrate on which he does best.

That's a pretty fair post imo. You couldn't really blame Kean for yesterday, just for everything that led up to it. We were unlucky with the ref, we were looking OK till that pen.

Why are people talking about the pen as an "even-upper?" The earlier "goal" was clearly off-side, the only problem was the lateness of the flag.

I can't understand Holloway going on about the ref either.The equalising goal came about because their keeper was blocked by his own defenders. I've watched the replay 5 times!

[gumboots]

Was the only place where we could get seats for five of us apparently,

even when asked if there was a three with two in front or behind nearby and splitting the familty up, it wasnt an option...

There must have been seats in the Blackburn upper - there always are. It's not enormously noisy up there but most people except us (well, including us as our kids still come with us but as the youngest is 21 you'll see what I mean) have kids with them so nobody minds if the kids stand up, shout etc or just go to sleep as a friend's son used to do when he was small.

[Dan]

Was the only place where we could get seats for five of us apparently,

even when asked if there was a three with two in front or behind nearby and splitting the familty up, it wasnt an option...

I know exactly the area you are talking about. They stare daggers at you if you shout and 'tut' when they have to stand up to let you past at half time. I did feel bad since they were all cosy with their packed lunches and tartan blankets on their knees. Very strange, but each to their own, people enjoy different things :-)

[ptholt]

well i thought that, but the lady at the ticket sales bit in the shop said all she could offer us was the same we had for the bpool game, the evil monster in me thought to get my kids dressed up in the loudest clothes and tell em to shout as much as they can manage as they have a whole stand to shout for!

[Kelbo]

it was believed at the time......by who?

I know his agent and I can confirm you are way off the mark on this one.

Tony Parkes told me personally, no argument on that score at all, he recommended Adam to Rovers, absolutely 100% spot on that one.

[John]

Think Parkes mentioned that in a LET interview/article too.

[gumboots]

well i thought that, but the lady at the ticket sales bit in the shop said all she could offer us was the same we had for the bpool game, the evil monster in me thought to get my kids dressed up in the loudest clothes and tell em to shout as much as they can manage as they have a whole stand to shout for!

I think the lady was talking rubbish and if I were you I'd ring up and check again - they can always swap tickets for you. I know there are seats empty up there because if i went to Ewood and asked for tickets for other family members near ours, I'd get them 100% sure.

[Mattyblue]

Defintely, epsecially as you have your kids with you, that's what the BBE upper tier is for.