[Archived] Rovers vs Killie.

[Majiball]

It never ceases to amaze me how many people on this board put forward critical opinions on a performance and tactics when they didn't even see the game. Rovers looked like they were taking the ###### out of Kilmarnock in that first half once we'd scored, to the point where Dunny and N'Zonzi actually looked a bit casual at times. Hoillett was terrorising them and Formica got in behind them once or twice too. Jason looked a half decent centre forward which is probably a sad indictment on Kilmarnock's class. Kilmarnock did have their moments too, but kept giving the ball away. I would ease off the criticism until we get a few league games under our belts.

It never ceases to amaze me that people comment without knowledge, my info on the game came from someone who was closer to the pitch than any fan.

[magicalmortensleftpeg]

It never ceases to amaze me that people comment without knowledge, my info on the game came from someone who was closer to the pitch than any fan.

Ha! You're bragging about how accurate your second hand information is. Brilliant.

[darwenblueswearehere]

It never ceases to amaze me that people comment without knowledge, my info on the game came from someone who was closer to the pitch than any fan.

You seem to have taken this a bit personally? It wasn't aimed at anyone in particular, it was a general comment based on several posters who were putting negative views forward without actually being at Rugby Park themselves. People just seem to want to criticise per se. If you have 'inside information' then good luck to you. Your mole will no doubt tell you that team spirit is actually pretty bloody good just now then?

I was at the game, and I also played to a pretty reasonable standard myself 'back in the day', but still have the utmost respect for the views of others, as long as they witnessed the game and don't simply put forward academic or second hand opinions, based on Andy Cryers twitter feed etc or what they read on this message board. Kilmarnock had two good wide men but were otherwise embarrassingly bad. They could hardly string 2 passes together - literally!! Rovers killed them in 15 first half minutes and then coasted the rest of the game. Dunny was outpacing all of their midfielders FFS, that's how bad they were. Which makes it a bit difficult to assess Rovers, to be honest, but I am cautiously optimistic for this season, provided we get another centre half and a Crouch-type striker.

[Majiball]

Thanks you two, you've just made me ###### myself laughing.

Parsonblue posted that we didn't do so well, so I used my phone and regardless of second hand I trust that info above anyone elses.

[Parsonblue]

It was a friendly game and presumably we were experimenting with formations. Its not worth crying about.

I agree that pre-season is the time to experiment with formations but by the final pre-season game we should really have settled on a formation and the first choice eleven. As others have said before, this pre-season has seen very few games but a great deal of travelling. Both the Under-18's and the Reserves have played far more games than the seniors and appear much more settled in terms of the pattern of play they are using.

[cruz]

TWO goals from Roberts!!! Venky's can spend the 'fabled' striker transfer money on booze, women, fast cars and bullets as it's obvious we are sorted for goals

[Kelbo]

Ha! You're bragging about how accurate your second hand information is. Brilliant.

It seems odd you would question someone who is actively involved with a professional football club

It was a friendly game and presumably we were experimenting with formations. Its not worth crying about.

At this stage of pre season, experiments should be over, should be the way we are going to play next week, if we are still experimenting with formations now, god help us!

[cruz]

At this stage of pre season, experiments should be over, should be the way we are going to play next week, if we are still experimenting with formations now, god help us!

It worked in friendlies for England. Look at the success, when it came to the crunch, we had under Sven....oh wait...I mean McClaren.....oh heck....I mean Cappello.....oh bugger! Yep god help us

[JAL]

So you agree we should have had more pre-season fixtures arranged?

I haven't checked but I'll wager we have played the least pre-season fixtures of any Barclays Premier league team.

Very poor planning from the novices.

If the main man from Scotland thinks the season starts on August 22nd then what hope do we really have for the coming season.

[darwenblueswearehere]

Thanks you two, you've just made me ###### myself laughing.

Parsonblue posted that we didn't do so well, so I used my phone and regardless of second hand I trust that info above anyone elses.

?????

Dearie me I think you may have ego issues Majiball - which part of "it wasn't aimed at you" didn't you understand?

[Majiball]

?????

Dearie me I think you may have ego issues Majiball - which part of "it wasn't aimed at you" didn't you understand?

Thanks for the amateur psychology lesson.

[otto man]

It never ceases to amaze me that people comment without knowledge, my info on the game came from someone who was closer to the pitch than any fan.

Majiball, on 07 August 2011 - 10:20 AM, said:

Could someone please post the formation we played, thanks.

Really? Parson blue was on the pitch? Because that's where you were getting your game info from!(Just read the last couple of pages folks)

You needed to ask the board about the formation because your source "closer to the pitch than any fan" didn't know?

[Majiball]

Majiball, on 07 August 2011 - 10:20 AM, said:

Could someone please post the formation we played, thanks.

Really? Parson blue was on the pitch? Because that's where you were getting your game info from!(Just read the last couple of pages folks)

You needed to ask the board about the formation because your source "closer to the pitch than any fan" didn't know?

Do you understand the concept of a timeline? Sorry I'f forgotten thinking was never your strong point, you just do as your told.

Phone call was made after the posts were made, OK? and given I know who my old boss is, I truly don't give a rats arse what you think. His main comment, good luck for the season (rovers), cause your gonna need it.

[otto man]

Do you understand the concept of a timeline? Sorry I'f forgotten thinking was never your strong point, you just do as your told.

Phone call was made after the posts were made, OK? and given I know who my old boss is, I truly don't give a rats arse what you think. His main comment, good luck for the season (rovers), cause your gonna need it.

So that was your game info? "good luck for the season you're gonna need it"? You were critiquing a game you hadn't even seen,using second hand info! As for not thinking.... You get more and more like TGM with every post.

[Mafioso]

Does anyone have a link where I can see the goals/highlights ?

[darwenblueswearehere]

It seems odd you would question someone who is actively involved with a professional football club

Superb!!!

At this stage of pre season, experiments should be over, should be the way we are going to play next week, if we are still experimenting with formations now, god help us!

I don't think we were experimenting. Apart from those who couldn't play (Samba, Salgado) I think the team that started against Killie will start the Wolves match, so it is likely to be

Robinson,

Salgado, Samba, Hanley, Givet

Hoillett, Emerton, Dunn, N'Zonzi, Olssen

Roberts

Its likely that Hoillett rather than Dunn will support Roberts, given the way they played at Killie.

[Mattyblue]

Who's rattled your cage Maj?

Christ, if we are bickering after a 4-1 friendly win over Killie, what's going to happen when the real stuff gets going?

[darwenblueswearehere]

Thanks for the amateur psychology lesson.

For all you know I might be a professional psychologist.........but I'm glad my opinion made you p1ss yourself laughing, it says a lot about you really.

I assume that you work in football in some capacity as you seem to think that you have to work within the game to understand it and comment on it. Just add arrogant and deluded to your list of personality traits. You're in good company, as Souness and latterly Sam expressed similar arrogant views about the paying spectator's knowledge of the game.

Football is not a rocket science, it is a simple game that involves passing the ball to a teammate, moving into a position to receive it back and trying to put the ball in the opposition's goal. And if you lose the ball, win it back as quickly as possible and revert to step one above.........and there are only so many formations and tactical permutations you can make with ten outfield players. Maybe I've over-simplified it to make a point but it really isn't beyond the wit of a reasonably intelligent person to understand what is going on for the duration of the game. Yes, we even watch what players are doing when they don't have the ball too!

Even 'professional' football people regularly disagree on how a particular game has gone, so I'll make the point again that criticising a performance or tactics based on second hand information, whatever its source, is flawed. I saw no evidence on Saturday to make me fear for the coming season. To be fair I didn't particularly learn a lot from it either - the opposition wasn't good enough to test us, and the majority of the Rovers players that played are well known enough to us. Other people who were there may have differing views and that's fine. In terms of fitness levels, which have also been questioned in this thread, the game against Villa was enough to show me that there is no problem there - we looked fitter than Villa towards the end of that match in the searing heat and it was a high tempo game.

If people are gonna get slated for challenging the views of 'professional football people' what exactly is the point of this forum? Does that make Steve Kean beyond criticism? Of course it doesn't, so chill out .

[philipl]

Andy Cryer has written in the LT that Kean says both Nelsen and Samba will not be fit for the Wolves game.

How did our defensive line-up against Killie cope?

[Parsonblue]

Andy Cryer has written in the LT that Kean says both Nelsen and Samba will not be fit for the Wolves game.

How did our defensive line-up against Killie cope?

Not very well is the simple answer. Killie created numerous chances but couldn't convert them. Let's hope Wolves are just as wasteful in front of goal.

[darwenblueswearehere]

Not very well is the simple answer. Killie created numerous chances but couldn't convert them. Let's hope Wolves are just as wasteful in front of goal.

Yes I would agree with that. We looked particularly vulnerable from corners/crosses, where I can remember Killie having three, if not four, free headers. I don't think Givet is a centre half, I never have done. If Samba isn't fit for Saturday then I will start to worry. It emphasises the dire need for a new centre half, or if we sell Samba, two of them......

[Kelbo]

Yes I would agree with that. We looked particularly vulnerable from corners/crosses, where I can remember Killie having three, if not four, free headers. I don't think Givet is a centre half, I never have done. If Samba isn't fit for Saturday then I will start to worry. It emphasises the dire need for a new centre half, or if we sell Samba, two of them......

One of the biggest differences between Championship/Scottish Football and Premier Leage is that in general terms, defences are tighter and strikers have to be better, this is my worry, in both those areas we appear to be lacking, I do think Rochina will turn out to be a gem and hopefully Goodwillie will get up to speed but we do need at least one central defender to cover for injuries/suspensions etc. (tow if Samba leaves)

[Guest Wen Y Hu]

Parsonblue's match report on the Killie game is now published to the front page here. Thanks to pb and apologies for the delay in putting it up.

[92er]

I saw no evidence on Saturday to make me fear for the coming season.

You should read Andy Cryer's report in the LT.

[darwenblueswearehere]

You should read Andy Cryer's report in the LT.

I don't need to, I was at the game. I do have a slight advantage over Andy Cryer to be fair, in that I live in Glasgow and see a lot of games up here as well as being a ST holder at Ewood so have a fair idea of both teams' levels.

I think we'll be involved in some high scoring games this season................