[Archived] Blackburn squad 2011-2012

[philipl]

Andy Cryer writing in the LT today:

With Kalinic now joining El-Hadji Diouf out in the Rovers cold, Kean’s threadbare squad boasts just 16 players with more than one Premier League start to their name.

[den]

Andy Cryer writing in the LT today:

With Kalinic now joining El-Hadji Diouf out in the Rovers cold, Kean’s threadbare squad boasts just 16 players with more than one Premier League start to their name.

He has no qualms selling players, does he. Eventually, he'll learn that the game is about players.

[LeChuck]

Totally agree with this. The main issue is that we really really need someone (probably 2 people) who score goals.

I think our biggest problem is getting a midfielder to player alongside N'Zonzi. We have absolutely no-one other than Pedersen. No point having a striker if we're not going to see much of the ball.

[tonyoz]

I think our biggest problem is getting a midfielder to player alongside N'Zonzi. We have absolutely no-one other than Pedersen. No point having a striker if we're not going to see much of the ball.

I'm not sure about our biggest problem but it is certainly true that we became a more effective team when J Jones formed strong midfield partnerships with first P Jones and then N'Zonzi. In fact we saw the best Rovers midfield performances I've seen for many a long while. It is also interesting that this coincided with the dropping of Pedersen.

[joey_big_nose]

I think our biggest problem is getting a midfielder to player alongside N'Zonzi. We have absolutely no-one other than Pedersen. No point having a striker if we're not going to see much of the ball.

Really?? I would much rather have Nzonzi and one of Pedersen/Emerton/Adrews playing together and a top class strker, than Nzonzi and, say, J Jones and still have Robets up front. Striker is much much more important to improve.

On top of that we only currently have Roberts as proper striker and he is 34.......! In midfield we have Nzonzi, Andrews, Pedersen, Grella, Dunn, Lowe, Linganzi. Hopefully between them we should cobble something together.

[tonyoz]

Really?? I would much rather have Nzonzi and one of Pedersen/Emerton/Adrews playing together and a top class strker, than Nzonzi and, say, J Jones and still have Robets up front. Striker is much much more important to improve.

On top of that we only currently have Roberts as proper striker and he is 34.......! In midfield we have Nzonzi, Andrews, Pedersen, Grella, Dunn, Lowe, Linganzi. Hopefully between them we should cobble something together.

We have had a chronic striker problem ever since Santa Cruz left for City. The failures of last year's crop nearly sent us down. Nevertheless, some of the impotence of the attack was due to the lack of midfield steel and guile. We had been cobbling together various inadequate combinations for years until J Jones arrived. In my opinion we need to sort both areas if we are to see any significant improvement.

[den]

We have had a chronic striker problem ever since Santa Cruz left for City. The failures of last year's crop nearly sent us down. Nevertheless, some of the impotence of the attack was due to the lack of midfield steel and guile. In my opinion we need to sort both areas if we are to see any significant improvement.

Agreed tony.

The priority has to be a striker, but when JBN says we should be able to cobble something together, well 2 points.

1] cobbling together would be a pretty good assessment of what Kean would have to do with that midfield

and

2] This is the PL were playing in. Cobbling together from the first day of the season just isn't good enough.

[tonyoz]

Agreed tony.

The priority has to be a striker, but when JBN says we should be able to cobble something together, well 2 points.

1] cobbling together would be a pretty good assessment of what Kean would have to do with that midfield

and

2] This is the PL were playing in. Cobbling together from the first day of the season just isn't good enough.

That was quick den..........faster than my own edit!

[AHoyle90]

The team on the opening day will probably be

Robinson

Salgado

Samba

Nelsen

Givet

N'Zonzi

Andrews

Emerton

Hoilett

Olsson

Roberts

If thats the case through the season then we're going to struggle. Totally relying on the creativity of Olsson and Holiett and maybe the odd spark from Brett. With respect to Roberts he isn't going to pass the 10 goal mark over a full season so again your looking at Hoilett and Olsson to chip in with goals.

We need signings to add strength and depth, pretty simple really but NOTHING is being done.

[grizfoot]

Would be very worried if that was our squad for the season. Would heavily be relying on Holiett & Olsson continued improvement as well as hoping Rochina & Formica hit the ground running in their first full season. We could really do with a left-back, a couple of centre-mids, possible a winger and certainly a couple more strikers

[chris]

With the likely sale of Kalinic, to suggest we will go into this season with just Roberts at 34 and a player that Blackburn can barely be bothered to offer a contract Benjani at nearly 33, its not going to happen.

Whether its loans freebies or more likely a major signing(s) the forward line will look very different come 31st August, mark these words.

[Ripleys love child]

With the likely sale of Kalinic, to suggest we will go into this season with just Roberts at 34 and a player that Blackburn can barely be bothered to offer a contract Benjani at nearly 33, its not going to happen.

Whether its loans freebies or more likely a major signing(s) the forward line will look very different come 31st August, mark these words.

i admire your optimism chris, have you anything to share by saying that?

[chris]

i admire your optimism chris, have you anything to share by saying that?

Because I never believed the "we have no money rumours"

Today:

Kean downplayed the suggestion that the club's owners, Indian poultry company Venky's, lack the financial resources to support Blackburn in the transfer market.

"We don't have to sell before we buy," Kean added. "We are trying to keep the majority of the players together. We have a fixed budget, but it's a budget that is competitive and that will bring in good-quality players."