[Archived] MATCH PREVIEW: Rovers vs Wolves

[BPF]

4 mins added.

No urgency from the fans or players.

Amazing.

[Balwer]

Wolves signed Roger Johnson for £4.25m. Can't help thinking that was bargain of the summer.

Except that it was £7m.

[Tango]

Except that it was £7m.

Read today that the figure was misquoted in the press and official figure was £4.25m. Even at £7m he would have been a chuffing bargain.

[AHoyle90]

Can't make comments because I didn't see the game. But dear oh dear, that is a terrible result.

[Andy]

Awful, just awful.

Salgado had a massive stinker and Hanley didn't do too badly to be fair.

Uninspired, often resorting to the much-maligned long ball/direct tactics (particularly from defence) - but regardless of anything it's a big defeat at home to a relegation rival on the first day of the season.

That is a blow, no doubt.

I'd like to think that this will put some heat on the owners to get rid of the coach in charge and appoint a manager before we find ourselves in a serious position, but I'm not holding my breath...

[emerton]

Disappointing not to get anything from this, especially with some tougher games coming up.

However I'm sure we will get better with the inclusion of some fresh defenders and perhaps a bit more steel in midfield with petro.

[BRFC1995]

Blackman coming on

Says everything about how abject we are relying on another bloody ince stooge.

Kean out......and it ain't too early to start that as I haven't stopped since feb.....fooking clueless

[Miker]

Hopeless, Kean has no clue. We looked a complete shambles and lack of defensive options isn't an excuse, manager and owners have themselves to blame.

Only positives is that the players we've bought look quite good. Dunn seems to be fitter and more mobile and played the full 90 with ease. Olsson looks good enough at left back too.

Salgado had an absolute shocker. Not convinced by Hanley at the back.

We better get busy in the transfer market next week.

[Balwer]

Read today that the figure was misquoted in the press and official figure was £4.25m. Even at £7m he would have been a chuffing bargain.

Might be the old add-ons then. Either way agree with you, just what we were needing today.

[joey_big_nose]

Injuries have hurt us very badly but the face of it is we are in a really sticky situation. We desperately need Samba and Nelsen fit so that Nzonzi can ply midfield. Ontop of that we need two top strikers, another CM - hopefully very experienced - on top of Petrovic and a good centreback.

I might as well list the (few) good points:-

-Formica and Rochina looked decent

-Roberts had a good first half

-Hanley actually did quite well in poor circumstances

-Set piece delivery was excellent in first half (no one to get on them though)

Loads of bad point, but to pick on the worst:-

-Nzonzi terrible as CB

-Really thought the shape of the side was atrocious

-No defensive midfield what so ever. Wolves had free reign in front of our penalty box.

-Committed far too many players to attack.

-Created chances but no one really looked like scoring

-Why did we so rarely get the ball to Hoilett?

[Mc Love]

TBH i didnt expect to win, our team is shocking. And I think even though it was friendly, we all saw it in Hong Kong. And I know its only the first game of the season but surely Kean's timer has already started counting down. Hopefully it will be sooner rather than later, and if the Raos have any worth to their name they will cough up the funds and get some experienced top quality players in.

No more of this pissing about with our club

[Rovermatt]

I've no wish to sound fatalistic but we are indeed in serious trouble. We have a clueless manager who is outstupided only by the owners. We sell our best defender on the cheap, try to strengthen on the cheap, lose our opening HOME game to a deeply average competitor and have a very tricky trip to Villa next week. Kean shouldn't last until the end of September.

[Iceman]

Kean out! and I'm being serious about it, that was just absolutely shocking!

[chilly]

Lets be honest any team with 1st 3 choice centre backs missing would struggle, chelsea, liverpool and arsenal also in last two seasons really struggled when they had cb's missing.

[brian nelsen]

We'll get better. Proper central defence. Younger, faster right back. Petrovic and NZonzi in the middle. Attacking wise, much more positive that it will click, but still need one more. Possibly 2. Hanley is good back up. Need one more central defender in. I for one will not be too downhearted. Bruno may get his chance next time out. Onwards and hopefully upwards.

[Eddie]

At times a total shambles, but there are some positives to take. Formica and Dunn did well in midfield and Rochina and Goodwillie both looked decent when they came on. N'Zonzi is certainly no CB, but we didn't really need a test to know that. A draw probably would have been the fair result, but Salgado put in one of the worst performances that you will see from a premier league player this season.

We need our CB options back and we need a better striker. I've certainly seen worse performances from us over the past 12 months, but hopefully this will show the owners that a bit of investment is needed.

[bringdunnback]

I'm actually very postitive about the performance, we have no shape someone says? what do you want, them to be rigid in the 442 or whatever the formation is. Kean wants to play positive fluid football and thats what I saw in parts today, pace was key today and we played through the channels really quite well. All the attacking players played decently including a good performance from Roberts.

Fact is we lost, and lost for one reason only, SALGADO.

Too small for the first goal and too rash for the second, a stat from the BBC says hes conceded the most penalties in the Premier League since the start of last season. His lack of pace didnt let him down today to be fair but it will against other opposition, namely Villa next week. He is the weak link.

As for N'Zonzi and Hanley, thought N'Zonzi grew as the game went on, still made a few errors and got lucky on a few occasions, Hanley was excellent and very consistent throughout the match. Other positives were that Dunn, Formica, Roberts, Rochina and Goodwillie all played fairly well, Hoilett is our best threat and we must tie him down!!

[Eddie]

Sorry guys, but of course a lack of defensive options is an excuse. Having 3 first team defenders missing would cripple most teams.

I'm actually very postitive about the performance, we have no shape someone says? what do you want, them to be rigid in the 442 or whatever the formation is. Kean wants to play positive fluid football and thats what I saw in parts today, pace was key today and we played through the channels really quite well. All the attacking players played decently including a good performance from Roberts.

Fact is we lost, and lost for one reason only, SALGADO.

Too small for the first goal and too rash for the second, a stat from the BBC says hes conceded the most penalties in the Premier League since the start of last season. His lack of pace didnt let him down today to be fair but it will against other opposition, namely Villa next week. He is the weak link.

As for N'Zonzi and Hanley, thought N'Zonzi grew as the game went on, still made a few errors and got lucky on a few occasions, Hanley was excellent and very consistent throughout the match. Other positives were that Dunn, Formica, Roberts, Rochina and Goodwillie all played fairly well, Hoilett is our best threat and we must tie him down!!

Agreed. Nice summary.

[Ferrit]

Obvious result is obvious.

If you start with the 11 we started with today, how can we expect to get a result? No chance, not in this league.

[Amo]

Really disappointing result. It was important we got off to a good start, and naturally it would be Wolves' first win at Ewood in 19 years.

However, people underestimate losing the spine of our defence. We lost a wealth of experience and had to form a makeshift side, which left us horribly exposed and put pressure on the backline. With the likes of Nelsen, Samba & Givet in the side, it would have been a different story.

Apparently, Kean says we need two more players. Sorry, mate, we need at least double that. Two new strikers, a midfielder and a new centre-back are required. If anything, let's hope today's defeat was a wake-up call for Venky's... doubt it, though.

[magicalmortensleftpeg]

The only positive is that this is a massive alarm call. We are desperate for a proven striker, solid CB and another midfielder. Venky's must see that now.

Losing Givet and having to play Nzonzi in CB hamstrung us from the beginning. Taking out our best midfielder to play out of position at CB ruined us. Can't blame Kean for making the decision, but we should have bought somebody in for cover before today.

Even without any injuries the side as it is now isn't good enough. Our season and any serious hope of playing premier league football in a years time completely depends on who we buy in the next 2 weeks. We have to buy well and quickly.

[steo]

Time to judge is Sept 1st eh,i don't bloody think so,kean nothin but a joke manager and venkys nothing but penny pinchers

[bigbrandjohn]

I can see it coming. Someone will offer big bucks for Samba in the last week of the window and we will be flailing around for a replacement.

I would love Bentley back on loan. knows how to cross from the right and knows how to crack one in from the middle without complications. we have big boys in the middle, they need a constant stream of balls on their heads. That's how we used to bang the goals in.

[brian nelsen]

I'm actually very postitive about the performance, we have no shape someone says? what do you want, them to be rigid in the 442 or whatever the formation is. Kean wants to play positive fluid football and thats what I saw in parts today, pace was key today and we played through the channels really quite well. All the attacking players played decently including a good performance from Roberts.

Fact is we lost, and lost for one reason only, SALGADO.

Too small for the first goal and too rash for the second, a stat from the BBC says hes conceded the most penalties in the Premier League since the start of last season. His lack of pace didnt let him down today to be fair but it will against other opposition, namely Villa next week. He is the weak link.

As for N'Zonzi and Hanley, thought N'Zonzi grew as the game went on, still made a few errors and got lucky on a few occasions, Hanley was excellent and very consistent throughout the match. Other positives were that Dunn, Formica, Roberts, Rochina and Goodwillie all played fairly well, Hoilett is our best threat and we must tie him down!!

Prepare yourself to be shot down sir. I agree with you though. Now I too will be shot down. See you on the floor.

[unclejack28]

Absolutely gutted with the result.

Positives

1. Goodwillie,rochina,formica looked good in parts

2.Hanley did well, big task for a teenager to be the main man at the back

3. Dunn lasted 90 mins, played some good balls.

4. Attacking wise we weren't to bad, good balls in the box

Negatives

Too many but I feel the worst were

1. nzonzi should never play in that position again.

2. Keane looked to have no idea what to do.

3. Salgado was slow and terrible

4. The most important one is that we gave up. After the 75th minute we dropped our heads and pretty much gave up and didn't care and as a rover fan that hurts the most.

I think once we hopefully get samba givet and nelly back our defense will be ok. Then nzonzi and petrovic as defensive mids.

We need 1 striker/1 center back and a left winger.