[Archived] Rovers versus Manchester City, 25th April 8pm

[A cup of beans]

Benjani plays well one week then the next he is totally useless.

yeah.. agree. the man picks his games. chelsea, liverpool and city . the rest of the time he's as much use as a cardboard cut-out.

had a few mates in the city end last night... was a disappointing turn out from them and they were pretty quite until they scored.

our fans were brilliant, after the 1st 20 mins... what happened to the protests ?

the whole team were magnificent last night- phil jones' bursts from the back lifted everyone.. the fans and the rest of the team. my man of the match was jermaine jones, covered every blade of grass and really shone his disciplinary record looks terrible... 6 yellows in 11 games, but we need his steel and aggresiveness and to kick a few!

im confident of staying up, providing we show the same effort and desire in the upcoming games..

but i have to ask, why havent we shown that passion desire and effort IN ALL GAMES since jan ?

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

There was less than 20,000 Rovers fans on last night,lets not be the ones to judge on the score eh?

Citeh fans were more vocal too I thought.

TBH Den,I think however many strikers we play we still wont score enough.

[Mattyblue]

No surprise at those prices for a Sky game.

[den]

TBH Den,I think however many strikers we play we still wont score enough.

Agreed.

Allowing the opposition to dominate posession in midfield isn't the way to win games though. and with our midfield quality, how do we stop that happening if we're also outnumbered there?

[RevidgeBlue]

First thing a manager must do, is stop the opposition from dominating midfield. Once you've done that, the you can look to getting support to the front man. If we allow Bolton to run the midfield, they'll more than likely beat us.

They didn't last night though did they? Apart from the first 20 mins after which we adapted well and got into the game and looked the far likelier side to nick a goal for the rest of the first half and much of the second half.

Not particularly surprising that Citeh would dominate at some point really because if truth be told they have far better players than us. Also I thought we looked extremely low on confidence at the start after our recent run but grew in confidence once we didn't concede immediately.

[Gav]

Agreed.

Allowing the opposition to dominate posession in midfield isn't the way to win games though. and with our midfield quality, how do we stop that happening if we're also outnumbered there?

They had a 20 minute spell that was more down to the world class David Silva roaming and running the show than anything else.

We dominated from that point on for me Den, and the formation didn't really change, but we all see things differently.

[blue_and_white]

I do think there's a very good general argument that playing 4-4-2 doesn't make you automatically more attacking and dangerous than 4-5-1. Our most dangerous attacking player in the last 3 years has been Dunn playing behind the front man in a 4-5-1, as his double figure goal tally last season indicates. As Den says, if you play 4-4-2 and don't win the midfield battle then your strikers are too isolated and you may as well be playing 4-4-0 for all the real threat they can offer. I don't think we ever won the midfield battle against City last night, we just managed to match them from about 20 mins onwards and that allowed Salgado and Olsson to trouble them out wide. Thought Dunny had a good game last night but until we get someone at least as good as J.Jones who can play the full 90 then I think our midfield is too weak to control matches in a 4-4-2. Personally I'd go same again against Bolton (Dunn and Jones) but play Rochina behind Roberts/Benjani to link the midfield and attack.

[Ricky]

The Daily Telegraph summed it up pretty well for me

City, so powerful and assured in the first half, appeared to run out of steam as Jermaine Jones and David Dunn took a grip of the midfield for Blackburn

[den]

They didn't last night though did they? Apart from the first 20 mins after which we adapted well and got into the game

That's my whole point Rev. It was the first 20 mins when we played out and out 4-4-2 and they were murdering us.. At that point Kean changed it - he said so.

I do think there's a very good general argument that playing 4-4-2 doesn't make you automatically more attacking and dangerous than 4-5-1. Our most dangerous attacking player in the last 3 years has been Dunn playing behind the front man in a 4-5-1, as his double figure goal tally last season indicates. As Den says, if you play 4-4-2 and don't win the midfield battle then your strikers are too isolated and you may as well be playing 4-4-0 for all the real threat they can offer. I don't think we ever won the midfield battle against City last night, we just managed to match them from about 20 mins onwards and that allowed Salgado and Olsson to trouble them out wide.

Yes, good post blue and white.

I think Rev and plenty of others believe that if you are lining up with two strikers and four midfielders, you are playing 4-4-2.

[A cup of beans]

They had a 20 minute spell that was more down to the world class David Silva roaming and running the show than anything else.

he was brilliant... couldnt get the ball off him. great control balance and awareness.

truly gifted.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Did anyone watch the game on Sky after,beautiful picture of a glowing Ewood against the back drop of the town and hills.Must have been filmed from the top of bog height rd on the fields.The true heartbeat of the town.

[roversmum]

Yes it was beautiful, someone must have been sitting up there, for it showed the scene before, half time and after the match in the different shades of the evening. Would love copies of those pics.

[Gav]

he was brilliant... couldnt get the ball off him. great control balance and awareness.

truly gifted.

Be careful, I was accused of being you yesterday

Silva was great, fantastic little player.

[A cup of beans]

Be careful, I was accused of being you yesterday

Silva was great, fantastic little player.

another conspiracy ?

[CAPT KAYOS]

RevidgeBlue

That unforced error was because Kean brought an inexperienced striker on for a midfielder.

Rochina has been at fault defensively for two goals in each of his starts, but that may be just one of those things that happens and a similar thing might not happen to him again for a couple of seasons.

1 Also somebody who was not 'ready' just over a week ago in his natural position don't forget

2 Think back to OOjer's first few games

[Parsonblue]

Agreed.

Allowing the opposition to dominate posession in midfield isn't the way to win games though. and with our midfield quality, how do we stop that happening if we're also outnumbered there?

Couldn't agree more den. We allowed de Jong and Barry to dominate the central midfield area and nobody could get anywhere near Silva. Dunny hasn't got the legs to play behind the front two and then be expected to pick up midfield runners. I thought it was a huge error to start with two up front as we were completely outnumbered by City's five man midfield. Surely, Kean must have known that Mancini would approach the game with a defensive formation approaching 4-2-3-1. Adopting a 4-4-2 formation, with Dunny trying to get in and around the front two, was always going to leave us short-handed in the middle of the park.

[Mattyblue]

another conspiracy ?

Any reason you can think of why you are in a minority of one with that avatar, zacc?

[dopper69]

Would be interested to see how something along the lines of a defensive biased 3-5-2 formation would fare against Bolton.

GK Robbo

RCB P.Jones or Salgado

CB Samba

LCB Givet

CDM N’zonzi or P.Jones

CDM J.Jones

RM Holiett

LM Pedersen or Olsson

CAM Dunn

ST RSC

ST Roberts or Benjani

On paper I would say that looks reasonable for the personnel at our disposal. Strict instructions for the two CDM to sit in and around the half way line and I think we could get a result.

[ABBEY]

Would be interested to see how something along the lines of a defensive biased 3-5-2 formation would fare against Bolton.

ST RSC

On paper I would say that looks reasonable for the personnel at our disposal. Strict instructions for the two CDM to sit in and around the half way line and I think we could get a result.

WHY DEFENSIVE? WE NEED TO WIN!!!!!

WHY CROCKY? APART FROM HIS STUPID INFLATED WAGES...HE DONE NOTHING

GET A RESULT? WE NEED A WIN THATS ALL DRAW IS NO GOOD

[JAL]

Football should always be about defending first and foremost then you have to earn yourself that right as a team to then be able to attack.

Anyone player unprepared or able to defend has to be considered a luxury player.

[grizfoot]

I don't think you understand Simon. We started with Roberts and Benjani playing high upfield, as out and out strikers and our 4 mids got run silly by City 5 man mid. So when we actually played 4-4-2, we were at our worst in the game. After c20 mins, either one of Benjani or Roberts started to drop behind, giving us more numbers in midfield. Even when we matched city numbers wise they still had more quality there, - so starting the game by allowing them to outnumber and outclass us there was a bad move.

As for the argument that one up front means we wont score goals, that's a matter of not understanding as well - IMO. Because you have only one out and out striker in your starting line up, that doesn't mean you can't get players forward when you have posession.

First thing a manager must do, is stop the opposition from dominating midfield. Once you've done that, the you can look to getting support to the front man. If we allow Bolton to run the midfield, they'll more than likely beat us.

I'll say it once again we played 4-1-2-1-2 for the entire game (well up until the last 5 minutes when Mame Diouf) came on, we never at any point resorted to playing one upfront. Roberts and Benjani were clearly told to play high up the pitch at all times and never dropped back into midfield as you suggested, yes they were asked to work hard and chase down from the front but this is always crucial when playing two upfront especially in a diamond formation. The problem in the early stages was that we didn't press enough to begin with. Once we started closing down higher up the pitch and not allowing City time to dictate the play, we suddenley started to look the better team.

I agree five in midfield generally does make a team look more solid. But I thought bar the first 15 minutes we defended quite well even with the diamond shape in midfield.

[Gav]

Any reason you can think of why you are in a minority of one with that avatar, zacc?

That seals it then

[JAL]

There was less than 20,000 Rovers fans on last night,lets not be the ones to judge on the score eh?

Citeh fans were more vocal too I thought.

TBH Den,I think however many strikers we play we still wont score enough.

Looks like many of the Darwen enders didnt show last night which is a shame. Only goes to highlight their semi commitment to the team.

Just hope they are in full voice on saturday which could well be for many of them their last game of the season.

[Gav]

Looks like many of the Darwen enders didnt show last night which is a shame. Only goes to highlight their semi commitment to the team.

Just hope they are in full voice on saturday which could well be for many of them their last game of the season.

Thats a little harsh JAL? they've been great this season, and to be honest they shouldn't have been moved last night with Citys poor following, plenty of room.

[roverstill1die]

good performance by the team but still lacking a striker who knows how to put the board in the net!