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[blue_and_white]

So spare me the usual 'if it wernt for those passionate lads in the Darwen End it would he a morgue'.

Eh? I clearly praised both corners and said it'd be a lot better for atmosphere if they joined up. Spent 10 years at the back of NO1 so am well aware there's at least as much passion there (if a lot more moaning/swearing/booing) as there is in the Darwen End. Maybe I'm being a bit harsh on the atmosphere, I suppose being in front in a match would help and that hasn't been the case for a while.

[CrazyIvan]

Is there anybody else out there who looks at the posts on this board and wonders where the balanced view is? There is such polarisation here that it becomes hard to see the wood for the trees. This situation is not as simple as black or white. Maybe that's the result of a message board, those who's views are so polarised have the loudest voice. As long as Rovers remain above the teams that are now below them, even on goal difference, we will stay up. One win is desperately needed but we're not in the bottom three. I can see the table as well as anyone else and I can see that one heavy defeat and we could plummet. I also know that one win will take us to half-way in the table. A top ten finish is really not out of the question. A bottom three one is also not out of the question. The one thing that the result on Saturday gave us (and the players) is heart because they fought their way out of a horrible situation made, mostly, by the referee. That is a massive bonus and that bit of momentum is really what we needed. (Seeing as some of it started at Fulham, it wouldn't be the first time that a loss there saw us start to move in the right direction either.)

Steve Kean is not evil and neither is he a saint. He's not completely useless as some make out but neither is he a footballing genius. The one thing that gives me some hope for him as manager is he does actually seem to be learning. His substitutions on Saturday were timed well and had the desired effect. Of course, all of these points can and probably will be argued for weeks to come. But there is genuine reason to have some hope.

The one thing that needs to happen between now and the end of the season is for us to get behind this team and roar them on no matter what your view.

[47er]

Is there anybody else out there who looks at the posts on this board and wonders where the balanced view is? There is such polarisation here that it becomes hard to see the wood for the trees. This situation is not as simple as black or white. Maybe that's the result of a message board, those who's views are so polarised have the loudest voice. As long as Rovers remain above the teams that are now below them, even on goal difference, we will stay up. One win is desperately needed but we're not in the bottom three. I can see the table as well as anyone else and I can see that one heavy defeat and we could plummet. I also know that one win will take us to half-way in the table. A top ten finish is really not out of the question. A bottom three one is also not out of the question. The one thing that the result on Saturday gave us (and the players) is heart because they fought their way out of a horrible situation made, mostly, by the referee. That is a massive bonus and that bit of momentum is really what we needed. (Seeing as some of it started at Fulham, it wouldn't be the first time that a loss there saw us start to move in the right direction either.)

Steve Kean is not evil and neither is he a saint. He's not completely useless as some make out but neither is he a footballing genius. The one thing that gives me some hope for him as manager is he does actually seem to be learning. His substitutions on Saturday were timed well and had the desired effect. Of course, all of these points can and probably will be argued for weeks to come. But there is genuine reason to have some hope.

The one thing that needs to happen between now and the end of the season is for us to get behind this team and roar them on no matter what your view.

We have taken 2 points out of a possible 18! We are bottom of the form table. We are1 point off a relegation place and we play Arsenal away next up. How is it possible to be balanced about that?

[John]

Hard luck stories, good performances, injuries etc - of course, these have an impact.

However the most important fact, at this moment in time, is that we are not winning football matches – plus, importantly, we are starting to run out of time, IMO, given our remaining fixtures.

The players can be “behind Kean” and they can also enjoy his training sessions, however that does not mean he is good enough to be a manager, and subsequently pick up enough results so we remain in the Premier League.

[CrazyIvan]

We have taken 2 points out of a possible 18! We are bottom of the form table. We are1 point off a relegation place and we play Arsenal away next up. How is it possible to be balanced about that?

Have you actually read what I wrote?

[Mattyblue]

I have put my point across on this board, fan of Kean I most certainly aint.

However, we played pretty well at Fulham and by reverting to the 'prehistoric' Allardyce tactics we fought back with passion on Saturday.

Hopefully the likes of Nelsen, Samba, Salgado will continue to provide the leadership we need (even if that is in place of the manager).

Kean is not going to go anywhere now, by the time of the Birmingham game we will be well into April- I have reconciled myself to sinking or swimming with him from now till May.

There but for the grace of God, go we.

[broadsword]

Stating the plain facts is a good start in realising a balanced assessment of our situation.

- Our form is bad, we've not yet dropped into the bottom 3, but that is only because we had a buffer of points. We've now had a concertina effect and we're on a knife edge between relegation/ survival. We may be 13th but we're being caught as we're on a terrible run, we are bottom of teh form table.

- Blackpool at home is, likely as not, one of the easier fixtures that we had ahead of us. We showed considerable heart and got back into it - in fact, Blackpool's first goal was debateable so really we should've won. But then, we should really have won comfortably against a side of that calibre, rather than bemoaning bad luck.

- We are shipping goals at an alarming rate. Since we last won in the league against West Brom, we've conceded 14 goals in 6 games. That is horrendous, and for that you have to look at how the menager has set the team up, is he getting the best out of the players he has available? What influence is John Jensen having, his arrival seems to have coincided with a turn for the worse?

- Our remaining games are Arsenal away, Birmingham at home, Everton away, Man City at home, Bolton at home, West Ham away, Man Utd at home and Wolves away. The most we'll take from that is 8 points I think, unless there's a sudden up-surge in form or we fluke a couple of wins?

- We have owners who arguably are naiive, dis-interested and open to exploitation by cynical third parties willing to weaken our club for their own personal gain. Depending on who you believe, the finances of the club are stretched by pay-off's to senior employees who have left, improved contracts to existing players, and the removal of relegation clauses by owners who have not used any of their own money on the club, but who have instead secured debt against it. If we were to go down, things would be perilous, if we stay up, are we just on a one-track road to disaster anyway?

- Alternatively, that could be a twisted perception, and what would really happen next year would be that Kean (as he has stated is possible) would take us into the top six with a £5 million transfer budget and a collection of loan signings. I think it comes down to what siutuation you think is most credible (or perhaps it will be somewhere in-between).

There, I think that is a pretty fair summation.

[47er]

Have you actually read what I wrote?

Yes---"A top ten finish is not out of the question". You're away with the fairies.

I'm just pointing out a few actual facts.

[CrazyIvan]

Yes---"A top ten finish is not out of the question". You're away with the fairies.

I'm just pointing out a few actual facts.

Yeah, did you read the next line? FFS...

[47er]

Yeah, did you read the next line? FFS...

Yes its a load of bloody rubbish. There's very little polarisation on here actually. The vast majority believe we are doomed or might escape by the skin of our teeth. Then there's you.

[Kelbo]

Hard luck stories, good performances, injuries etc - of course, these have an impact.

However the most important fact, at this moment in time, is that we are not winning football matches – plus, importantly, we are starting to run out of time, IMO, given our remaining fixtures.

The players can be “behind Kean” and they can also enjoy his training sessions, however that does not mean he is good enough to be a manager, and subsequently pick up enough results so we remain in the Premier League.

The big problem when you arent winning games is tension sets in, wrong decisions seem to be made and players who know they are able to move on lose interest etc. Granted on Saturday it was a great fightback and we were hampered by an extremely poor refereeing decision, I will say this again though, a good manager in the transfer window would have got hold of a player who could have some impact, I have kept mentioning O'Hara and he's revitalised Wolves, he drives games and get the crowd up for it, maybe Hoilett can do the same for us, he does look the part now, but can we keep him?

Yes we should back the team 100% even if we dont like Venkys puppet manager but its also up to the team to lift the crowd, they did on Saturday by going for it and looking like they meant business, next game is Arsenal, two dodgy centre backs and a few dodgy keepers, I know where I would be knocking the ball at every opportunity, wonder if Kean will!!

[CrazyIvan]

Yes its a load of bloody rubbish. There's very little polarisation on here actually. The vast majority believe we are doomed or might escape by the skin of our teeth. Then there's you.

Bloody brilliant! We're not doomed. I think we might just escape by the skin of our teeth but the fact remains, yes FACT, we are still only 3 points behind 11th place and 4 behind 10th. That's not insurmountable. We have got some tough games and we need performances like the second half on Saturday in every game now. I haven't posted where I beleive we are staying up or going down. Jesus.

[Mercer]

next game is Arsenal, two dodgy centre backs and a few dodgy keepers, I know where I would be knocking the ball at every opportunity, wonder if Kean will!!

Assuming we manage to get the ball off them often enough!

[rog of the rovers]

I like to think I'm a 'balanced' Rovers fan.

Bar 25 minutes of Saturday's game which saw a debatable penalty and a magnificent free kick, we dominated.

You never know how crucial that point is going to be at the end of the season.

Obviously Arsenal away next, but Villa have to go to Everton, Blackpool to Fulham, Birmingham at home to Bolton, West Brom at home to Liverpool, Wolves away at Newcastle, West Ham at home to Man United, Wigan at home to Spurs.

Villa - tough match, Everton in good form.

Blackpool - Fulham will be looking for a win at the Cottage to cement their place for next season.

Birmingham - Beaten by Bolton as recently as last weekend

West Brom - Liverpool in good form, comfortably brushed aside Sunderland yesterday

Wolves - Even if they beat Newcastle, it will only drag the magpies further into the relegation battle

West Ham - Never easy against United

Wigan - Never easy against Spurs either

Obviously it will be very difficult at the Emirates, but every other side, below us currently, have equally tough matches.

[Ben-2000]

Bloody brilliant! We're not doomed. I think we might just escape by the skin of our teeth but the fact remains, yes FACT, we are still only 3 points behind 11th place and 4 behind 10th. That's not insurmountable. We have got some tough games and we need performances like the second half on Saturday in every game now. I haven't posted where I beleive we are staying up or going down. Jesus.

A bit of positivity for a change

COYB!

[onlyonejackwalker]

A bit of positivity for a change

COYB!

More positive news. We did NOT lose at home to the mighty....ermmmm.....Blackpool. Hip, hip, hurray!

[funny-old-game]

roversmum, on 21 March 2011 - 08:27 AM, said:

Then it's up to us to make it our club again. It's still Blackburn Rovers after all. I do understand what you mean, Kelbo, but it's time for a change of mind-set. We cannot change what has happened but it's a bit lily-livered of us to give up on the club we love.

And I, for one, have no intention of it.

I agree, so what can we do about it, we need to get people involved and really let this lot know we are not going to just lie down and accept are fate, any suggestions.

As the saying goes

"For evil to prosper all it needs is for good people to do nothing"

[rebelmswar]

This is begining to feel like when one walks out of a supermarket and sees an advertisment under the whipperblade on the car.

One removes it, drives over to Virgin, completes a purchase, leaves the store and the same piece of paper is there, and its raining.

[Kelbo]

Assuming we manage to get the ball off them often enough!

That is the point but we should have a few goal kicks!!!

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

More positive news. We did NOT lose at home to the mighty....ermmmm.....Blackpool. Hip, hip, hurray!

Blackpool - the team with the second best away record in the country - second only to United ?

Sunderland had a similar match (refereeing apart) with Blackpool - i.e. had most possession and numerous shots on target - but lost 2-0 at home to them.

I think some of the fans are falling into the lil-old Blackpool trap that many in the Premiership have done. Blackpool have had some remarkable away performances this season - and beaten teams in far better form than Rovers are at the moment.

Lets get it straight - other than 20 minutes (following the shock of going 2-0 down) we battered them. Over the whole match we easily deserved to win - but you don't always get what you deserve, especially when you are subject to eratic refs.

It was one of our easier remaining fixtures - but not the certain three points many had us down for. Somehow - we need to pull out an unexpected win or even draw - be it against Arsenal, United or City.

With eight matches to go we are in deep trouble - but this has been the strangest season for many years - with so many matches still to play - we ain't doomed yet. Player for player we still have a good squad - the manager does continue to worry me - but he does seem to be learning - whether it is quick enough is debateable.

[Roost]

This is begining to feel like when one walks out of a supermarket and sees an advertisment under the whipperblade on the car.

One removes it, drives over to Virgin, completes a purchase, leaves the store and the same piece of paper is there, and its raining.

Genius - your posts get better and better - one of the few remaining reasons I come on this MB

[Exiled in Toronto]

- Our remaining games are Arsenal away, Birmingham at home, Everton away, Man City at home, Bolton at home, West Ham away, Man Utd at home and Wolves away. The most we'll take from that is 8 points I think, unless there's a sudden up-surge in form or we fluke a couple of wins?

Yes things look grim but no worse than they did at this time in the Steadinho year where we won away at Everton and home to United in a very similar run-in. Souness was doing massive changes to the line up (didn't we go to 3-5-2 or something?). The biggest difference I see this time is that we do not have a forward who looks like he can score 6 or 7 goals in the last 8 games.

[imy9]

Funny how CrazyIvan showing some positivity is cause to almost burn him at the stake, balanced views on here?

[Stockport rover]

Talking of backing the team does anyone know how many tickets we have sold for arsenal away?

[Rovers Gals]

ironic but samba is our talisman and motivator to guide our team in these times