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

[LeChuck]

we're practically screaming for a left flank with Givet and Olsson.

Really? It hasn't served as that well in the past.

I'm terrified at thought of Adam Johnson coming up against Givet, he's exactly the sort of player who tears Givet a new one on a regular basis.

[Jimmy612]

-----------Robinson---------------

--Salgado-Samba-Hanley-Givet------

-----J.Jones-Pedersen-P.Jones-----

-Hoilett-------------------Olsson-

-------------Benjani--------------

The formation is right, just worry about Hanley in there, like you say though P.Jones must be in midfield for me. Probably put Givet at C/B, Olsson to left back, and then god knows who on the left/right flank dependant on which one you want Hoillet to play down.

Is Rochina ready? Nice glimpses against Everton, lovely vision on one or two occasions.

[LeChuck]

This will most likely not be a popular but I'd play...

Popular with me, I think that's definitely the best shape for us.

[joey_big_nose]

This is how I think Kean will set us up:

Robinson, Salgado-Givet-Samba-Olsson, Emerton-J.Jones-Dunn-P.Jones-Hoilett, Roberts.

Agree with the concern here. Emerton is a total waste yet Kean keeps on trying to play him. He has been too off the pace to be effective defensively and has had absolutely zero impact offensively - worse than Pedersen (at least offers something at set pieces) who has got a real hiding on here.

I suppose Kean includes him out of a nod to experience, but it has been pitifully poor. Arguably our worst performer this season if you exclude the injured duo of Grella and Andews.

Getting a point will come down to how hard we can work in midfield and how well organised we can be defensively. On top of that we need to hope city's talent has a bad day at the office like their Liverpool game.

[ABBEY]

0-5

[Oklahoma]

Rovers win 1-0, City return to their poor games and Rochina scores his first goal in the Premier league.

[LeChuck]

Emerton is a total waste yet Kean keeps on trying to play him.

Ridiculous isn't it? Diouf is five times the winger Emerton is yet we moved him on.

Emerton was awful on the wing five years ago. Many years and a serious injury have been added to him since then, so he's even less effective now.

[Amo]

worse than Pedersen (at least offers something at set pieces)

About time he proved that then.

If Pedersen can't strike a dead ball then he's dead weight.

Not that Emerton's much better, but at least he's a better athlete and can play across the park.

[Commondore]

Really? It hasn't served as that well in the past.

I'm terrified at thought of Adam Johnson coming up against Givet, he's exactly the sort of player who tears Givet a new one on a regular basis.

A very possible scenario but it's not like Olsson is great at containing quick wingers either, I always think we look much more solid with Givet at left back. Olsson has got a lot of the raw material, but he's all over the place with his positioning. Also, wouldn't it be nice to have a threat from two flanks rather than one?

It is, by the way, close to embarrassing having to choose between Roberts and Benjani for the lone striker role... Who are we, Derby County 07/08?!

[Hasta]

Quite a tense day on Saturday looking at the other fixtures.

Chelsea - West ham

Blackpool - Newcastle

Sunderland - Wigan

Wolves - Fulham

OK West Ham will probably get beat but all of the other games are fixtures which the relegation threatened teams will have identified as a real chance of points. If they all win we could be really in the mire before we play. However should none of them win then it will probably be the best day in quite a while to be a Rovers fan !!

[CAPT KAYOS]

Quite a tense day on Saturday looking at the other fixtures.

Chelsea - West ham

Blackpool - Newcastle

Sunderland - Wigan

Wolves - Fulham

OK West Ham will probably get beat but all of the other games are fixtures which the relegation threatened teams will have identified as a real chance of points. If they all win we could be really in the mire before we play. However should none of them win then it will probably be the best day in quite a while to be a Rovers fan !!

unfortunately Hasta, I think it could be a case of doom and gloom again - Blackpool will dick the geordies and Wolves the same to Fulham, Wigan will more than likely get at least a point at Sunderland

[broadsword]

Very difficult to predict results this year, it's so tight.

One thing's for sure, playing after everyone else does us no favours at all.

[LeChuck]

A very possible scenario but it's not like Olsson is great at containing quick wingers either, I always think we look much more solid with Givet at left back. Olsson has got a lot of the raw material, but he's all over the place with his positioning. Also, wouldn't it be nice to have a threat from two flanks rather than one?

I honestly can't remember the last time Olsson struggled against a single player. He was excellent at the Emirates against a very quick Arsenal team. The infamous Spurs match when he faced Lennon does stick in the mind, but that was a long time ago. The Wigan mistake aside, Olsson has been very solid in his run at full back this season.

Givet, on the other hand, struggles to this day against quick players. He's very good at scrappy defending in the box, but a full back's job is much more than that (probably why he's a natural centre half by trade). Johnson will murder him if they face each other, I can see it now. Our best hope is for a disinterested Balotelli drifting out there and hoping Johnson is on the bench if Givet plays full back.

Givet in the centre would allow us to play P. Jones in midfield. With N'Zonzi still out surely that's a necessity given how physically powerful that City midfield is. We're probably resigned to playing one of Dunn or Pedersen as it is, with Jones at centre back we'll probably have to play both.

If we stick Rochina on the left wing then we can have a threat on both flanks, his dribbling skills would be welcome out there. Rochina and Hoilett out wide could be menacing in a 4-3-3; have them interchanging, sometimes cutting inside, sometimes crossing. If Hoilett's fit, that is.

[Tom]

unfortunately Hasta, I think it could be a case of doom and gloom again - Blackpool will dick the geordies and Wolves the same to Fulham, Wigan will more than likely get at least a point at Sunderland

We say that but lets not forget Blackpool got drubbed by Wigan at weekend and Wolves didn't look great against Everton. Fans of West Ham and Wolves will probably be saying Rovers will get something against City.

When we are down in this situation we all automatically think the worst.

[Nafe_rovers]

2-1 Rovers... cummon!!!

[roverwhelmed]

I can't imagine us getting anything and won't be panicking (any more than already - which is pretty significant panicking). We need to show willing, we need to show fight, which is what I loved seeing at the Emirates. I am going to sing my heart out from beginning to end, regardless of the score.

[Kie_BRFC]

I would play :

_____________ROBBO______________

SALGADO____SAMBA____P.JONES______GIVET

___________J.JONES___________

________DUNN________OLSSON

HOILETT_______KALINIC_______ROCHINA

I would have Jermaine Jones as defensife cover and 3 upfront which we might as well try if we need to hoof then atleast we have plenty to aim for.

[rebelmswar]

I would play :

_____________ROBBO______________

SALGADO____SAMBA____P.JONES______GIVET

___________J.JONES___________

________DUNN________OLSSON

HOILETT_______KALINIC_______ROCHINA

I would have Jermaine Jones as defensife cover and 3 upfront which we might as well try if we need to hoof then atleast we have plenty to aim for.

More slaughter than a Venkeys chicken processing plant after being awarded the KFC contract if we play anything remotely approaching that.

[sambo]

I would play :

_____________ROBBO______________

SALGADO____SAMBA____P.JONES______GIVET

___________J.JONES___________

________DUNN________OLSSON

HOILETT_______KALINIC_______ROCHINA

I would have Jermaine Jones as defensife cover and 3 upfront which we might as well try if we need to hoof then atleast we have plenty to aim for.

Plenty to aim for? How small is that strike force?

[Steve Moss]

Rovers win 1-0, City return to their poor games and Rochina scores his first goal in the Premier league.

From your lips to the Good Lord's ears.

[Presty On Tour]

I would play :

_____________ROBBO______________

SALGADO____SAMBA____P.JONES______GIVET

___________J.JONES___________

________DUNN________OLSSON

HOILETT_______KALINIC_______ROCHINA

I would have Jermaine Jones as defensife cover and 3 upfront which we might as well try if we need to hoof then atleast we have plenty to aim for.

Well I like it.

[roversfan99]

Surely wit them players, this would be more likely:(I prefer Olsson as a winger and P.Jones as a defender generally)

------------Robinson

Salgado Samba Givet Olsson

---------P.Jones

------J.Jones Dunn

Hoilett ------------- Rochina

------------Kalinic

[TimmyJimmy]

Well if it was me I'd go with ...

Robinson

Salgado Samba Hanley Givet

J Jones P Jones

Hoilett Rochina Olsson

Kalinic

Solid back four, tough hard cover from the Jones boys sitting in front, pace from Hoilett and Olsson to protect the space in front of the full backs plus energy and creativity going forward. Special K has to get on the pitch for this match surely!?

Complete pie in the sky I know but if we went this way I'd be looking for a score draw and a very useful point.

[RevidgeBlue]

Time to ditch the one up front routine and go back to two strikers whereby we were at least creating chances and scoring some goals earlier in Kean's tenure. With a lone striker we haven't even been creating any chances.

Robinson

Emerton Samba Givet Olsson

Hoillett Phil Jones J Jones Dunn

RSC Kalinic

Plenty of attacking potential in that team.

In recent weeks Citeh have been either brilliant or absolutely woeful and if we catch them on an off night I think this is one of our best chances for 3 points. We need above all a high tempo performance with plenty of passion. There was nothing wrong with our performance for example when we battered Spurs, we just couldn't put the ball in the back of the net.

[m1st]

But surely RSC's not allowed to play against his parent club, Rev?

The only straws we can clutch at are:

1] City's poor away record;

2] Will their players be "saving themselves" for Wembley?

Even as a perennial "glass-half-full" man, I believe it'll be a total fluke if we get anything out of this game.

We need a lot of prayers [on yer knees, you lot! ] that Saturday's results go the way we need them to, and that we get a [preferably controversial] penalty in the 93rd minute of what had been until then a 0-0 draw, despite City battering us.

I'd go with TimmyJimmy's team; I think it could get us the result we need. Then on to beat the totally demoralised Trotters!

Nurse; I think my medication's wearing off!!