[Archived] West Ham United (away - 7th May)

[chris]

shame Olsson is not left midfield was our main threat Saturday, didn't know Phil Jones would be out

[Anti-Dingle-Brigade]

P jones was limping a bit against Bolton, maybe he picked up a knock?

[jimw1988]

no upson or parker is great for us. I think we can get a point today with junior in the team!

Come on rovers!

[Exiled_Rover]

West Ham United starting XI - Green, Jacobsen, Bridge, Gabbidon, Da Costa, Hitzlsperger, Spector, Boa Morte, Sears, Ba, Cole

Substitutes - Boffin, Tomkins, Kovac, Collison, Hines, Piquionne and Keane

Blackburn Rovers starting XI - Robinson, Givet, Samba, Emerton, N'Zonzi, J.Jones, Olsson, Pedersen, Hoilett, Diouf and Roberts

Substitutes - Bunn, Hanley, Andrews, Formica, Santa Cruz, Benjani and Rochina

Where's Phil Jones? Where's Kalinic?

Why are we being forced to play Olsson at bloody left back again? Jesus, Kean.

[Anti-Dingle-Brigade]

Yeah Kean it's your fault players have got injuries.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

That's not the team I was hoping for and that's putting it mildly. Peds in centre midfield, Diouf out wide , Robets on is own up front . Bloody hell, if we get a point it'll be a miracle !

[Stevo]

Wham do have some pace on the flanks with that line-up, so it might be a blessing that we have to play Olsson and Emerton there. Got a good feeling about this, we need to contain them early on as they have a lot of attacking talent, but if we can hold on through the first 15-20mins then this could be a great day for us!

Come on Rovers!!!

[Toodling]

Yeah Kean it's your fault players have got injuries.

Well said some people on here are idiots.

[Mercer]

No Parker? wheeeeeeeeeeeeeey!

And I can tell you first hand that Gabbidon is @#/?!

To be fair that is a shocker of a side, our players should be well up for it now.

Theirs or ours !?!?

No Niko, again !!!

[RibbleValleyRover]

Back injury is why Phil Jones is out.

Olsson and Hoilett on the left (if it lines up that way) did work against Arsenal though I do have my doubts about how fit Hoilett really is.

Looks like Kean's spokesman starts up front again.

[Guest roverite1991]

West Ham United starting XI - Green, Jacobsen, Bridge, Gabbidon, Da Costa, Hitzlsperger, Spector, Boa Morte, Sears, Ba, Cole

Substitutes - Boffin, Tomkins, Kovac, Collison, Hines, Piquionne and Keane

Blackburn Rovers starting XI - Robinson, Givet, Samba, Emerton, N'Zonzi, J.Jones, Olsson, Pedersen, Hoilett, Diouf and Roberts

Substitutes - Bunn, Hanley, Andrews, Formica, Santa Cruz, Benjani and Rochina

Looks like they'll be coming right at us with a 4-3-3. Trying to work out if that formation of ours is a 3-5-2 or a 4-4-2. Gutted that P. Jones ain't starting in Diouf's place (as a defender in a 4-5-1).

Positives: Hoilett and Olsson in the line-up. 2 pacey, so-called 'hard' men up front and Pedersen's set-pieces. Couple that with a relatively strong defensive game with Givet, Samba, JJ and Zonz (I also consider Bert at his best in the RB or CDM position).

Feeling quitely confident.

P.S. Positive: I love seeing Diouf leap like a salmon, even though it regularly leads to nowt.......now go out and score for us lad!!

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Wham do have some pace on the flanks with that line-up, so it might be a blessing that we have to play Olsson and Emerton there. Got a good feeling about this, we need to contain them early on as they have a lot of attacking talent, but if we can hold on through the first 15-20mins then this could be a great day for us!

Come on Rovers!!!

I had a good feeling until I saw that team ! My hearts in my boots now.

[Josh]

To be fair even though Olsson is at left back the two holding midfielders will allow him to bomb on as he did against Arsenal. And it surely looks like the end of Kalinic's Rovers' career

[47er]

Kalinic not even on the bench!

[Presty On Tour]

Theirs or ours !?!?

No Niko, again !!!

In all honesty when I wrote that, our team selection wasn't on there.

Jones out is a huge blow, means Olsson has to go back in defence.

Kalinic, Dunn and Salgado missing too and Andrews in the 16. Bloody hell Formica is in there aswell.

With our fulbacks, we are definately playing on the counter attack today.

[Tom]

Jones is a big loss, niko isn't although I'd rather have benjani on than Roberts.

I thought hoilett was faking injury and had played his last game for us though! :s

[OsloRover]

I'm seeing a:

Robbo

Emerton-Samba-Givet-Olsson

Nzonzi-JJ

Diouf-Pedersen-Hoilett

Roberts

This looks about right.

Sensible approach by Kean in that case, playing a solid 4-5-1 with our quickest players Hoilett and Mame on each wing to hurt the opposition on the counter. Playing two defensive mids who can drop back might also provide Olsson some freedom down the flank.

Pedersen is also quite good on the counter with his engine and passing, hopefully with the two bulldogs behind him he won't lose the ball in too dangerous a position today. Roberts is, well, Roberts. As a lone front man he is probably the best option.

Phil Jones must be injured, after all he took some beating vs Bolton. The only other option, God forbid, is that somebody have bid for him and he is not in the right mental state.

[alexanders]

P.jones injured?

[Anti-Dingle-Brigade]

Back injury, wasn't risked.

[Mc Love]

Kean was just on http://media.todayfm.com/live_stream/popup - Premier League live - if anyone is interested??

[Amo]

Theirs or ours !?!?

No Niko, again !!!

Ready to take back what you said about Hoilett, Miseryman?

Thought not.

[RibbleValleyRover]

P.jones injured?

Back Injury.

Roberts must be scoring 50 goals a training session into an open net, either that or he has something on Kean.

[MarkBRFC71]

I imagine it's 4-4-2:

........................Robbo

Bert......Samba.....Givet.....Olsson

Hoilett.....J.Jones.....N'Zonzi.....Pedersen

................Roberts......MB Diouf

Would have started with Niko (actually, anyone!) instead of Roberts, and Hanley at the back, Givet at left back and Olsson on the wing. Pedersen lacks fight, commitment and heart, and Roberts is just not a Prem striker.

Hoilett back is a big bonus though.

Would be over the moon if that team got us a point, but I'm not confident tbh.

EDIT: we're on Five Live according to website. Bear in mind that won't work via the web though ....http://www.bbc.co.uk/5live/

[Bobby G]

Its a disgrace the way Niko is being played around with this way. I mean come on.

[brfc4ever]

horrible lineup imo

Hope the guys prove me wrong.