[Archived] Blackburn Vs Arsenal

[4000Holes]

Each and everyone of our members are entitled to their own opinoon so I cant be bothered reading them all.

I am firmly in the Kean out clan but I didnt feel the need to march on Ewood yesterday demanding he be sacked. Back in my favourite stand after a 2 game sabbatical in the BBurn End and what a differnece it made !

I predicted a 4-0 Arsenal rapeing of our club, glad I was totally wrong. I hoped Kean would have gone before the game becasue I really dont rate him.

HOWEVER

I have to take my hat off to him for yesterday. Far too often we have seen a Rovers team come out in the second half and be totally inept. Yesterday something happened to change that.

Looking at the line up I was astounded to see young Lowe in midfield with the bench littered with midfielders. I knew instantly that we woiuld buckle in that area with the youngster being pulled over the place, even more so with the ever slowing Salgado still at right back, the one position where we have been destroyed in 4 games this season. The other players selected looked up and Samba was quite rightly reinstated as Captain. I couldnt grasp the exclusion of Ollsson.

After 10 or so minutes Rovers were all over the place and then Salgado gets taken off. Whether he was ill, injured or whether it was tactical it was the right decision. If he was ill before the game he should never have played. Placing Lowe in the right back slot worked because it allowed NZonzi to team up with Petrovic in the central berths, 2 young solid players who can run, tackle and hold the ball. It was at this point that I believe Rovers had some belief. Although we equalised against the run of play it was a class finish by Yakubu. ultimately Rovers wnet down 2-1 at the interval and I really feared for us.

The second half was a total change. We saw fight, effort, tactical awareness and a willingness to run. We got lucky woth an own goal equaliser but you have to make your own luck. Effort gets rewarded as does endeavour. When Yakubu slotted home number 3 from a dodgy offside position you got the feeling it was our day even more so when Arsenal notched our 4th goal. When Arsenal scored their own 3rd goal you got the feeling we could easily buckle, but we held out, we got lucky and we won 4-3.

A fantastically deserved win IMO and one that the team was rewarded with 3 vital points.

The points I make from the game.

My lucky blue undies came out of retirement and are now back in the frame on matchdays.

Ruben needs to understand that against teams like Arsenal you cant dribble past 5 players and that you must play the easy ball.

Hoillett needs to track back some more to lighten Givets load.

Formica could well be the fox in the box and playmaker if he can just muscle up a little.

Salgado - the end is nigh.

Robinson still easily Englands number 1 keeper.

In NZonzi and Petrovic I think we are going to see a quality central midfield pairing. They need some more games to learn each others game but they played very well.

Now then onto Kean. Credit where its due. He stood up and was counted. Yes he got a lucky result but he didnt hide nor did he shy away when Arsenal scored. That being said, the next game will mark his card. he must look at Orient and play Petrovic and NZonzi for the first 45 just for experience. He must hope Roberts can give him food for thought because I think we may have seen the beginning of a decent squad taking place. Granted, 1 result doesnt right everything but there is some quality football being played its not all hoof ball, we play the ball out and the midfield are playing pass and move football.

Upwards and onwards

Right try again.

Agree and I have been a Kean out person, but credit to him.

Hope he is learning and learning fast. Again time and time again we were caught out on the left side yesterday. Not Givet's fault as he will never be a left back as long as he has an hole in is arse but he was just left exposed, same as Salgado against Villa. Still very worried that SK seems to have no idea about setting up a team, but it was better second half.

Yesterday is just what the owners and we as supporters were praying for but there is still a need for improvement regarding set up.

The great part of yesterday was the pace in which we were able to break and I guess against a lesser team than Arsenal, we would have put genuine fear into them. So agree onward and upward but still hope he is learning fast!

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Parsonblue's Arsenal match report is now published to the front page here.

Excellent summing up of the game as usual. Reminds me of the great E.W. Swanton.

[BuckyRover]

When Gerrard missed a penalty against us last season, my immediate feeling was that we were lucky he didn't score. I've now found out luck had nothing to do with it.

Bad technique

[philipl]

When Gerrard missed a penalty against us last season, my immediate feeling was that we were lucky he didn't score. I've now found out luck had nothing to do with it.

Bad technique

The reality many people are convinced by is he wanted a new manager and his miss went a long way to getting Hodgson sacked at Anfield.....

Watch what Gerrard does as he prepares to take that pen and how he reacts to having missed it.

[imy9]

The reality many people are convinced by is he wanted a new manager and his miss went a long way to getting Hodgson sacked at Anfield.....

Watch what Gerrard does as he prepares to take that pen and how he reacts to having missed it.

So the liverpool captain, man who is mr liverpool wanted to lose a match to fire a manager, not only that he missed a pen on purpose.

Whoever thinks that has substance is delusional.

[BuckyRover]

So the liverpool captain, man who is mr liverpool wanted to lose a match to fire a manager, not only that he missed a pen on purpose.

Whoever thinks that has substance is delusional.

It's up there with believing that Samba was our manager at the back end of last season.

[Tom]

Why did he also score and bust a gut to win the penalty?

Another Philip gem

[Blue n White Rover]

It was the itchy nipple philipl

[Rover_Shaun]

The reality many people are convinced by is he wanted a new manager and his miss went a long way to getting Hodgson sacked at Anfield.....

Watch what Gerrard does as he prepares to take that pen and how he reacts to having missed it.

I hope you are not suggesting he looked towards Hodgson before taking it because if you are it's all in the producers editing. Hodgson was on the half way line and Gerrard looks to the side where the ref is and not Hodgson as gerrard would have had to turn around to see him.

He reacts the same way every player does when they miss a pen. they feel foolish and sheepish

I think you are slowly losing the plot Philip

We conceded three goals at home and could have easily conceded more yesterday !

IF pedersen had scored that header we would have won the fa cup

[Mattyblue]

When Gerrard missed a penalty against us last season, my immediate feeling was that we were lucky he didn't score. I've now found out luck had nothing to do with it.

Bad technique

The team that gets a penalty awarded against them are 'lucky' if it is missed, I suppose, as they are normally scored. A 'lucky escape' and all that.

Missing a penalty is not 'unlucky', it's a free shot from 12 yards.

[chris]

The team that gets a penalty awarded against them are 'lucky' if it is missed, I suppose, as they are normally scored. A 'lucky escape' and all that.

Missing a penalty is not 'unlucky', it's a free shot from 12 yards.

Yeah I agree, I played a lot of football and I have never hit the post from a pen and thoughtI was unlucky, I missed.

P.S. I rarely miss, I normally fake kick or drop the shoulder and the keeper moves.

[Tony Diamond Inc]

maybe but I have bigger concerns I can't help but think this game would have never took place if football had not been invented.

[dave birch]

I hope you are not suggesting he looked towards Hodgson before taking it because if you are it's all in the producers editing. Hodgson was on the half way line and Gerrard looks to the side where the ref is and not Hodgson as gerrard would have had to turn around to see him.

He reacts the same way every player does when they miss a pen. they feel foolish and sheepish

I think you are slowly losing the plot Philip

IMO Gerrard deliberately missed that penalty, an opinion that is shared by many of my LFC supporting mates.

A player of that caliber would have it on target.

[dazmaz]

IMO Gerrard deliberately missed that penalty, an opinion that is shared by many of my LFC supporting mates.

A player of that caliber would have it on target.

You mean like Rooney missed his? Or beckham in euro champs? Players like that never miss penaltys

Everyone misses penaltys/keeper saves. Its the technique what makes it great/poor, if the ball isnt struck as it should you it will be a miss or save, unless you still manage to wrong foot the keeper

[dave birch]

You mean like Rooney missed his? Or beckham in euro champs? Players like that never miss penaltys

Everyone misses penaltys/keeper saves. Its the technique what makes it great/poor, if the ball isnt struck as it should you it will be a miss or save, unless you still manage to wrong foot the keeper

Remind me Dazmaz, where did the ball go? Row Z sort of stuff?

The keeper didn't save it, did he.

Additionally, what happened to LFC after RH2 was removed? Their "form" turned around iirc.

[LeChuck]

IMO Gerrard deliberately missed that penalty, an opinion that is shared by many of my LFC supporting mates.

A player of that caliber would have it on target.

So why does Gerrard bother scoring a screamer just before that then?

I hate conspiracy at the best of times, even more so when they're utter nonsense like that.

[Drunx2002]

Rovers had 5 shots on goal to Arsenal's 16, they easily had more posession and should have thumped us.

Steve Kean's predictable comment after the match that only 1% of fans joined the march only made me dislike him further. The fact that anyone turned up to march against the manager of our club is proof enough that something is wrong. There are significantly more disgruntled fans (me included) as the polls on here suggest, but a lot of people (again me included) chose not to get involved.

Yes we got three points in what was a cracking game. But we did this to Liverpool shortly after he got the job, and then spiralled into decline. I can't see Newcastle or Manchester City's defence being so generous in the next two games. And lets face it, Yakubu's hold up play was decent and he scored with two excellent finishes but he's not going to be chasing down lost causes any time soon with that amount of extra weight.

I'm relieved that we got 3 points but I'm still in the "Steve Kean Out" camp. For me, the continuing disregard that he shows for the supporters every week is enough to sack the guy.

[dave birch]

So why does Gerrard bother scoring a screamer just before that then?

I hate conspiracy at the best of times, even more so when they're utter nonsense like that.

Was it a "screamer"? A goal, no doubt, but a "screamer"?

BTW, it was an "opinion" imv and the view of a fair few supporters of LFC and a few other teams, so I suppose that makes it nonsense....

and he wouldn't be the first footballer to manufacture the departure of a manager, would he.

[LeChuck]

I perhaps shouldn't have attempted to judge the quality of the goal when asking the question, as it's pretty much irrelevant.

Why would he score a goal then miss a penalty on purpose? It defies all logic.

[daveoftherovers]

I perhaps shouldn't have attempted to judge the quality of the goal when asking the question, as it's pretty much irrelevant.

Why would he score a goal then miss a penalty on purpose? It defies all logic.

Le Chuck, your flaw is applying logic, it'll never catch on you know LOL

****ing conspiracy theories really do my head in, what % are true overall, got to be less than the 1st digit!

[tonyoz]

Rovers had 5 shots on goal to Arsenal's 16, they easily had more posession and should have thumped us.

We came back from losing positions twice. Unheard of! The players went for it in the 2nd half and got their just desserts. No Rovers team has ever played Arsenal off the pitch in recent memory - it ain't gonna be like that. Here is a taster of a previous heroic victory. What a game! (2002):

"..............................will have been especially perturbed by the heroic display of Graeme Souness's keeper, Brad Friedel.

His dozen saves included brilliant ones from Thierry Henry and Sylvain Wiltord, the latter immediately before Rovers were reduced to 10 men, Garry Flitcroft collecting a second yellow card for a foul on Freddie Ljungberg; earlier he had kicked the ball away.

Blackburn survived the remaining 15 minutes as they had the rest of the afternoon - just."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/blackburn-rovers/3036798/Arsenal-left-ruing-the-blues-again.html

[braddock]

The reality many people are convinced by is he wanted a new manager and his miss went a long way to getting Hodgson sacked at Anfield.....

Watch what Gerrard does as he prepares to take that pen and how he reacts to having missed it.

Just seen this

[Billy Castell]

Lucky with the own goals and comedy defending, but who cares? We beat Arsenal and Wenger can stick that fact up his bum.

[bob fleming]

Fantastic result. Fantastic match. Thoroughly enjoyed it and it's been a while since I said that. Cracking miss by Motorcycle and two great OG's. Also thought the Yak was just what we need. All good.

We shouldn't get carried away though... The Daily Mash perspective Does anyone know Wayne Hayes?

[chris]

Fantastic result. Fantastic match. Thoroughly enjoyed it and it's been a while since I said that. Cracking miss by Motorcycle and two great OG's. Also thought the Yak was just what we need. All good.

We shouldn't get carried away though... The Daily Mash perspective Does anyone know Wayne Hayes?

"Imagine a fat, middle-aged bloke like me pulling Lindsay Lohan. It would be impossible to enjoy the experience as I'd be unable to ignore the depths to which she had sunk."

oh Lindsey I can't get it up, I keep thinking about your DUI.

Whats this guy on.