[Archived] Blackburn Rovers vs Tottenham Hotspur preview

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

You always have a chance in football, always.

I'm a little baffled by your gaps everywhere comment, care to expand as there are gaps in every formation that can be exploited. Spurs play 2 lines of 4 and by putting 3 people in between those two lines we'll force them to change.

We won't get anything sitting back against spurs, so lets have a go and get all of our best players on the pitch. Given the predicement we find ourselves in we need to do this as often as possible, to help the cause.

Against a different team - might be successful - but I don't like the lack of protection for the full backs in your system.

Idea of Rochina on his own up front is interesting. When he has played there in the past - he drops back too much - but if can be pursuaded to keep in the final third - could be successful - as he is hard working, eye for goal and that little bit of flair. He just needs to learn to hold the ball up a bit better.

[UtopianParadigm]

Against a different team - might be successful - but I don't like the lack of protection for the full backs in your system.

Idea of Rochina on his own up front is interesting. When he has played there in the past - he drops back too much - but if can be pursuaded to keep in the final third - could be successful - as he is hard working, eye for goal and that little bit of flair. He just needs to learn to hold the ball up a bit better.

Spot on. Gareth Bale will annihilate Dann/Salgado. Lowe has to go in there, he's the only capable player at RB who's agile enough to keep up with Bale. If he can keep Bale wide as much as possible and force the cross, rather than allowing him to cut inside, then let the CBs clear up in the box.

I also think Rochina deserves a few starts up front. Certainly deserves it more than Jason Roberts. Can somebody put that man out of his misery, please?

I can't see anything aside from a loss here, unfortunately, although I'd love a win, even if it hands that bald-headed fool a reprieve.

[rigger]

Does any one know what the Tottenham team may be ?

Harry Redknapp

[Ralfinho]

Im think we will get trounced 4-0 on this. I cannot see us getting anything other than entering their box about 6 times (Kean will be counting on his doorman counter probably)

Then a massive sit in after the match

[davulsukur]

Like others have previously said, i fear if we are getting beat, things could turn nasty.

[TimmyJimmy]

Spurs are about pace and playing to feet. The skill in their midfield and at wing/fullback is frightening, in fact most of their team is scarily good.

Their weakness is their defence and the cover for that defence so that's what I'd target with a Hughes style attitude and a Sam style setup. We need to stay really close to them and press for possession (the Hughes bit) then go for long ball and set pieces bypassing their midfield whatever possible (the Sam bit). We can't beat them at their own game, they are too talented for that but we can close them down, push them, nudge them, hold their shirts, accidentally tread on feet, barge them, block them, bully them.

This means sacrificing our skill players - Hoilett, Rochina etc - and bringing in the crunchers eg Grella. A big presence in their box is needed ie Samba, Dann, Yak, Nzonzi etc and try to nick the winning goal from the set piece. So we should play tall destructive players and leave the skilful creative players on the bench.

IMO if we go with any other plan then we will get creamed. With Hughes or Sam in charge I'd back a 1:0 to Rovers but with the super special one in charge I fear an inevitable d!ck!ng.

[Majiball]

Against a different team - might be successful - but I don't like the lack of protection for the full backs in your system.

Idea of Rochina on his own up front is interesting. When he has played there in the past - he drops back too much - but if can be pursuaded to keep in the final third - could be successful - as he is hard working, eye for goal and that little bit of flair. He just needs to learn to hold the ball up a bit better.

I don't get it if I'm honest we match them up like this (sorry it's the exact formation we use week in week out and our full backs don't get exposed):

Robbo

Dann Samba Givet Olsson

Adebayour

VDV

N'zoniz Grella

Bale Modric Parker Lennon

Vuckevic Hoillet Formica

Rochina

LB King Dawson Walker

Gomes

Parker must sit back otherwise we have a 4 v 4 and with all that pace we will create chances. The full backs cannot bomb on for the same reason, once parker is forced back we have a man advatage in defence and with a 4 v 3 in our favour in the middle area we have a spare man to help out where needed (fluid spare man), he can also drift out wide to help the full back IE grella & N'zonzi.

Lowe doesn't have the pace to match Bale, he will have a torid time because of that. Jones matched Drogba because he was also strong, lowe is nowhere near Bales pace and he'll even beat him on the outside. I think playing him there is too big a risk to his developement, so Dann can go there as he's the best defender we have who can play there.

I think the front 4 if they can interchange and double up on some of spurs back line will do them damage.

At the end of the day if the players are let down on the training pitch and from the dugout then it won't matter how we play we'll lose.

Spot on. Gareth Bale will annihilate Dann/Salgado. Lowe has to go in there, he's the only capable player at RB who's agile enough to keep up with Bale. If he can keep Bale wide as much as possible and force the cross, rather than allowing him to cut inside, then let the CBs clear up in the box.

I also think Rochina deserves a few starts up front. Certainly deserves it more than Jason Roberts. Can somebody put that man out of his misery, please?

I can't see anything aside from a loss here, unfortunately, although I'd love a win, even if it hands that bald-headed fool a reprieve.

Gareth Bale is far faster than lowe he'll do his usual knock it long and sprint after it, inside or outside Lowe won't keep up with him. If Lowe forces him wide as you suggest he's isolated and 1 v 1 with Bale, who's your money on? Mines on Bale in that situation, and once he's past him he has a clear run at our goal and he loves shooting from thos positions.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Another miserable weekend awaits our club.

[Roversi]

Salgado CANNOT play. sadley this is the type of game when Brett Emerton could have been really handy on the right of midfield. Harry Likes the 4-4-1-1, if we can get control of the midfield we may have a chance here. i'd refrain from playing Yakubu or Roberts, just the types of strikers Dawson/Kaboul like to play against, those two aint so clever when they have a striker willing to move about and run in behind so goodwillie gets the nod for me, Pedersen on the right to add more defensive cover against bale. this is what i would play

GK: Robinson

DL: Givet

DR: Lowe

DC: Samba

DC: Dann

ML: Olsson

MR: Pedersen

MC: Dunn (IF FIT)

MC: N'Zonzi

AMC: Holiett

ST: Goodwillie

[bennyboyt11]

This is the sort of game I wish we still had JJ for, someone to put himself about in the middle of the pitch.

[JAL]

Spurs are beatable but then again it needs everyone to be able to put a foot in.

[seanc88]

whoever is chosen we need people on the wings who will track back because otherwise Spurs will put 4 to 10 by us. I'd go with

Robinson

Lowe, Dann, Samba, Givet,

Vukcevic,Hoilett,Nzonzi,Olsson,

Yakubu, Goodwillie

Subs(and use them): Pederson, Rochina, Formica, Salgado, Bunn, Hanley.

Gonna be a difficult game to watch if spurs are in good form. I love Salgado but i don't think he has the legs for Bale etc.

[47er]

You always have a chance in football, always.

I'm a little baffled by your gaps everywhere comment, care to expand as there are gaps in every formation that can be exploited. Spurs play 2 lines of 4 and by putting 3 people in between those two lines we'll force them to change.

We won't get anything sitting back against spurs, so lets have a go and get all of our best players on the pitch. Given the predicement we find ourselves in we need to do this as often as possible, to help the cause.

Gave you a + by accident! You've picked 4 players who can't defend against possibly the 3rd best attacking side in the League. You've got nothing between N'Zonzi /Grella and the back 4, both of those are too immobile to keep the likes of Modra out. Then you've given hardly any cover to the full-backs and our right-back in particular will have his work cut out.

I'd pack the midfield with 5, at least 3 of them able to defend------not a lot of choice so I'd go N'Zonzi, Grella (if fit!) and Lowe.

I said weeks ago I wouldn't play Rochina and Formica in the same side so I'll stick to that till both develop. Lone striker---------probably Rochna.

I don't think I've solved anything but the quality of the squad means we have to try and ground out a point here. Trying times.

[roverandout]

big question is how does our defence deal with adebayor and defoe when they couldnt deal with helguson properly?

[Jimmy612]

Anyone know if Lennon is fit? Redknapp played Jake Livermore on the right hand side according to sky sports, is he quick?

If it is Livermore on the right you would have to assume Givet may be able to handle him pretty well, particularly if Olsson plays and helps out defensively.

One huge problem (one of many) under Kean is how exposed our full backs are, if we allow this to happen against Bale we'l be ripped apart. Tricky who to choose to play down the right hand side, surely not Salgado! Emerton would have been my number one choice but for some reason we let him go on a free

so....

Robinson

Lowe Samba Dann Givet

Simon Grella NZonzi Olsson

Hoilett

Yakubu

Is Grella fit? if so can he give Modric a torrid time and stop him pulling the strings? We're missing bite in the midfield.. In a crap squad you must bully teams!

Can Simon provide the necessary cover for Lowe? Whoever we play at right back is going to have a bad day, its just a matter of trying to limit the damage by providing as much help as possible. Alternatively could Pedersen play right hand side, with the only task being to limit Bale.

10 months ago Diouf would have walked into my squad on the right hand side, failing that Bert would have done, its not all about quality, but as much to do as how effective they are in limiting opposition. We're lacking PL experience, and we got rid of two for no reason whatsoever

Really brings home just how poor our squad is now imo.. Kean out

[Amo]

Is Grella fit?

[steverovers]

Carnage during the game and carnage sfterwards too....

0-4

[Paul]

We need 35 points from 30 games, probably just possible but looking unlikely. Worryingly most of the teams we need to catch although only 2-3 points away don't appear to share any if our difficulties.

A win to keep us in touch is essential, anything less and the season is probably over. There is no sign of the miracle worker we need appearing.

Kean wont be able to hide in the dugout this time, the boss will be watching.

My predictions:

Rovers lose

Huge Kean out protest

Fans show anger towards owners

No action from owners

This is going to be horrible

[Veevs]

We need 35 points from 30 games, probably just possible but looking unlikely. Worryingly most of the teams we need to catch although only 2-3 points away don't appear to share any if our difficulties.

A win to keep us in touch is essential, anything less and the season is probably over. There is no sign of the miracle worker we need appearing.

Kean wont be able to hide in the dugout this time, the boss will be watching.

My predictions:

Rovers lose

Huge Kean out protest

Fans show anger towards owners

No action from owners

This is going to be horrible

Not sure on that in regards to the teams we need to catch.. the likes of Norwich are already 5 points above us in the league, QPR 4 those are still 2 of the favourites for the drop (we are now third favourite for relegation).

If we don't win this we will start to see some of the clubs around us move up the table (6 of the bottom 9 are playing each other this weekend).

Expecting a loss this weekend as tottenhams strengths match up to our weaknesses and we just don't have the players to break up play.. but worried we will get a bore draw and another stay of execution for Kean.

[Jimmy612]

It was late and I was tired.

Is Grella available for selection*****

[Slinky]

Robbo

Dann Samba Givet Olsson

Grella (if fit) N'zonzi

Vuckevic Hoillet Formica

Rochina

I like. But you can't be serious about suggesting Grella might play. It'll be Lowe.

I think Kean will (unfortunately) actually line up with:

Robbo

Salgado Dann Samba Givet

Lowe N'zonzi

Hoillet Formica Olsson

Roberts

[Clitherover]

(we are now third favourite for relegation).

I'm surprised we haven't been made favourites to go down tbh.

[Majiball]

I like. But you can't be serious about suggesting Grella might play. It'll be Lowe.

I think Kean will (unfortunately) actually line up with:

Robbo

Salgado Dann Samba Givet

Lowe N'zonzi

Hoillet Formica Olsson

Roberts

Lol, if Grella's fit he's a good passer so I'd play him, if not I'd stick Lowe in there.

My link

Lennon and Bale it could well be for Spuds on Sun, so I absolutley crap my pants at those 2 facing Givet N salgado, as well as those lovely big gaps in our channels. Spuds are down to 2 CB's, it's our best chance of upsetting them if we can try and hit them hard there.

[John]

Few Spurs fans I have spoken to reckon a draw is likely - they are struggling with defenders and feel they could easily concede from set pieces.

[Majiball]

Few Spurs fans I have spoken to reckon a draw is likely - they are struggling with defenders and feel they could easily concede from set pieces.

It's a good reason to have a go at them, if we sit back and let them come at us I think they'll tear us apart.