[Archived] 29th October - Norwich Preview

[grizfoot]

The three subs could all be possibly put down to injury. Rochina, Yakubu & Hoilett all came off midweek complaining of niggles and hence probably weren't fully fit for this game. Hoilett definitely pulled up with what looked to be a hamstring injury. That being said I thought the third sub was the wrong move, why not bring on Simon instead of Petrovic. In hindsight maybe Roberts instead of Goodwillie would have been better also (don't know how many people would have suggested that at the time though) It was eerily similar to what happened in the cup game midweek, we take our main attacking forces off in the trio mentioned above and we look a completely different side inviting pressure on. Then again if the players are injured and need protecting there's no much you can do.

For me all three game we conceded are not down to defensive errors. The first a quality finish, the second took a wicked deflection and the third was harsh penalty given against Nzonzi for handball when he clearly had no clue where the ball had gone. Call it unlucky but it's becoming a whole too familiar scheme, we play well enough to win but end up throwing the game away somehow. Overall I thought we defended much better today, Givet was immense at the back which makes it all the more baffling that we managed to score three away from home and still not win the game.

[Damien]

Hoilett was clutching his hamstring according to the commentator! But still I thought it was foolish of Kean subbing yak and Rochina! All in all regardless of those subs we were robbed today!

[RibbleValleyRover]

It doesn't matter how well we played at times, when you are in trouble you have to focus on results not performances and we clearly aren't getting them.

Like I said the other day if you let in at least two goals per game you are going to find it very difficult to get wins. Look how Blackpool did last season when they had a 'shoot-out' mentality.

Rovers have to sack the manager now and get in a proper manager with the tactical knowledge and know-how to make us hard to beat. Sparky did it when we were in trouble as did Sam.

Rovers should be making an inquiry to someone like Curbishley asap, a manager with a proven record of keeping sides up in this league and doing a good job with a limited budget. There is no harm in sounding him out, perhaps offer him a one year deal with a decent bonus if he keeps us up. That will allow the owners to make a change in the summer if they want to try for a bigger name and would give Curbs the opportunity to get back into the game.

I reckon he would take it if an offer like that was on the table.

[joey_big_nose]

Anyone whose tyring to blame kean for this defeat is absolutely barmy! Our side was superbly set up, worked their socks off, had some fantastic individual efforts, and the best passing performance I have seen from Rovers in years. We totally dominated and were beat by two very lucky goals.

Hoilett came off becase he pulled up chasing the ball. Only thing I would hold against Kean is bringing Goodwillie on which was totally pointless. But it is still bizarre to say it in anyway contributed to the two Norwich goals. Yak wasn't holding the ball well at all upfront.

As others said I have wanted him to go because of terrible performances against Wolves and Newcastle. But to be honest if he can get the team to play like he has in the last three games I would be more than happy for him to stay....!

ps. How classy were Nzonzi and Pedersen in the middle! I just didnt think they were capable of that....

[A cup of beans]

I dont know what to feel. I cant really blame Kean for being 3-1 up then losing a goal to a deflection and another to an incorrect refereeing decision. People saying that it was wrong to take off Hoilett/Rochina for Dunn/Petrovic but it made sense at the time to tighten up. The fact that we still conceded suggests that we'd have struggled even more if Hoilett/Rochina had stayed on.

correct morten. to blame steve kean's substitutions for the result are frankly unfair.

Yak was tiring.. dunn was brought on to stiffen up and keep possession.. which he did.. and junior was injured.

im not surprised by every1 seeing it as another opportunity to bash kean.

deflected goal and a scandalous decision are the reasons we drew.

im really upset at the result. its agony!

[perthblue02]

Rochina was controlling the midfield don't understand that substitution at all, Holliet looked like he was carrying a knock when he came off (excusable substitution) Yak for good Goodwiilie (yak was tiring but Norwich were still keeping two players on him)- Tactical nievity cost us the game by letting Norwich apply more pressure than can be absorbed , with that pressure came two very unlucky incidents, the deflection and the penalty.

Plus side, Givet back to his steady best, Rochina is going to be a class act, Formica ever improving, like somebody posted earlier that line up today should not be bottom of the league

[bluefred]

totaly agree we lost points in this game because we havent got a manager.by that i mean a manager would not of made substituions with 15mins to go at 1-3 up.

ok you want to tighten things up , but we werte rolling all over them .he should have waited untill at the earleyest 85th min then brought on dunn for formica ,and in stoppage time brought on

goodwillie for the yak.KEAN is ffff@cking useless and clueless,the team he played from the start was good,

[booth]

Merson saying that Kean's substitutions invited pressure, but that penalty was the worst decision he'd ever seen.

He said on the team coach back Kean will be asking himself why he changed things and took Rochina off, who was the best player on the pitch.

[Tooogs]

Choose Kean. Choose a job. Choose an assistant for him. Choose Ronaldinho, choose marquee signings, 9 fans, ludicrous statements and parasitic agents. Choose questionable wealth, high expectations and mental statements. Choose to default on mortgage repayments. Choose Dunn's home. Choose your friends. Choose one percent and wondering why the (Please don't use that word again) do you bother on a Saturday afternoon. Choose sitting on the couch watching mind numbing sprit crushing interviews, stuffing fried chicken into your mouth. Choose clucking away at the end of it all, banging on about positivity, fine margins and bad luck, nothing more than an embarrassment to those who you replaced. RISK YOUR FUTURE... CHOOSE KEAN!

[chris]

don't no what to say, loved the game until that pen, but so harsh, was in shock, was not a pen, so harsh.

Feel sorry for Kean because he didn't do much wrong, but this is a horrible result particularly with Chelsea coming.

When we play bad we don't win and when we play well we don;t win.

A Chelsea defeat should see the end of Kean.

players don;t deserve to lose that game.

[Makey11]

NEVER change things if everything is going well unless a player is injured.... The biggest rule for all managers... so we take off rochina who looked the brightest player on the pitch..... yes we were playing well.... so why changew anything....

[Mercer]

Said earlier, surely we can't draw or lose this now when 3-1 up.

Well, unnecessary subs shafted us again.

Luck doesn't enter into it:

Was Pedersens deflected free kick goal v Newcastle unlucky for them ?

As for the penalty, let's not forget the Arsenal clearcut penalty they didn't get in the last minutes when Robbo sent one of theirs flying nor the TWO stonewallers Newcastle didn't get in the 2nd half.

Kean is happy to accept the run of the ball when it's for you, you simply have to accept it if and when it goes against you.

The facts are simple:

6 wins in 31 PL games and 55 goals conceded - THE CLOWN HAS TO GO.

[Mattyblue]

Anyone whose tyring to blame kean for this defeat is absolutely barmy! Our side was superbly set up, worked their socks off, had some fantastic individual efforts, and the best passing performance I have seen from Rovers in years. We totally dominated and were beat by two very lucky goals.

Hoilett came off becase he pulled up chasing the ball. Only thing I would hold against Kean is bringing Goodwillie on which was totally pointless. But it is still bizarre to say it in anyway contributed to the two Norwich goals. Yak wasn't holding the ball well at all upfront.

As others said I have wanted him to go because of terrible performances against Wolves and Newcastle. But to be honest if he can get the team to play like he has in the last three games I would be more than happy for him to stay....!

.

6 wins from 31 games.

6 points from over a quarter of the season.

You must have very low standards.

[Gogger]

Why bring Goodwillie on? WHY?? He is absolutely rubish when playing upfront alone, cant win one ball or header. This is when a "good" manager would have seen that we needed somebody upfront who could hold up the ball and wait for other players.

[The Rover of Finland]

Only one way to avoid relegation. Don´t think Kean will be sacked though.

[yoda]

OK own up right now, who let cocco out of the dug out when we were coasting?

AND COCCO, DO YOU NOT KNOW,

IF IT AIN'T BROKE, DON'T FIX IT.

YOU COMPLETE NUMPTY

[joey_big_nose]

Rochina was controlling the midfield don't understand that substitution at all, Holliet looked like he was carrying a knock when he came off (excusable substitution) Yak for good Goodwiilie (yak was tiring but Norwich were still keeping two players on him)- Tactical nievity cost us the game by letting Norwich apply more pressure than can be absorbed , with that pressure came two very unlucky incidents, the deflection and the penalty.

Agree that losing Rochina was a blow and I would rather have taken off Formica.

Still it wasn't like Norwich were actually causing us any problems were they? A few hopeful balls in the box, we were keeping possession well. Norwich didn't look like scoring at all. Ultimately we were undone by some appalling decisions.

Just don't buy the argument kean is to blame for this at all. In fact he (and clement) should be praised for motivating and setting up the side to play excellently. I

[DE.]

For the record, if we're going to cry about luck... Norwich had a nailed on penalty turned down in the first half.

[DP]

Choose Kean. Choose a job. Choose an assistant for him. Choose Ronaldinho, choose marquee signings, 9 fans, ludicrous statements and parasitic agents. Choose questionable wealth, high expectations and mental statements. Choose to default on mortgage repayments. Choose Dunn's home. Choose your friends. Choose one percent and wondering why the (Please don't use that word again) do you bother on a Saturday afternoon. Choose sitting on the couch watching mind numbing sprit crushing interviews, stuffing fried chicken into your mouth. Choose clucking away at the end of it all, banging on about positivity, fine margins and bad luck, nothing more than an embarrassment to those who you replaced. RISK YOUR FUTURE... CHOOSE KEAN!

Take a bow son!

[bigbrandjohn]

So you don't think Kean's substitutions caused the problem? And I expect it wasn't Kean's fault on Wednesday night following similar substitutions?

The buck stops with the manager - unfortunately we don't have one. It's like history repeating itself, Kidd all over again. At least Kidd was a likeable guy. The current incumbent doesn't even have the self-respect to admit he's not up to it.

We will end up doing a Brum or a Boro. Get to a cup final and get relegated. Kean will see that as a positive. Progress even. Then we'll move forward and target the points required for the play-offs.

So so angry.

three goals way from home. Some great performances. Outrageous penalty decision. Oh and those subs. Injury to Hoilett and Yakubu not making it happen today. Goodwillie technically more mobile. Petrovic provided momentum in midfield and we almost scored in the last few minutes. Plenty to feel good about. I am not so so angry. I am so so disappointed. interestingly Clement is clearly engaged and I think it was him giving the officials serious welly. No lack of passion from him.

[Grez]

Shocking pen decision... I would report ref to FA for that.

Deflection unlucky

Taking yak off was stupid IMO - he was holding the ball up.

Can I be mad at kean - not for the display, but we did not close out the win. He is responsible for that!

Aaaaarghhh

[booth]

Anyone whose tyring to blame kean for this defeat is absolutely barmy! Our side was superbly set up, worked their socks off, had some fantastic individual efforts, and the best passing performance I have seen from Rovers in years. We totally dominated and were beat by two very lucky goals.

Hoilett came off becase he pulled up chasing the ball. Only thing I would hold against Kean is bringing Goodwillie on which was totally pointless. But it is still bizarre to say it in anyway contributed to the two Norwich goals. Yak wasn't holding the ball well at all upfront.

As others said I have wanted him to go because of terrible performances against Wolves and Newcastle. But to be honest if he can get the team to play like he has in the last three games I would be more than happy for him to stay....!

ps. How classy were Nzonzi and Pedersen in the middle! I just didnt think they were capable of that....

Key word there being were. Why did he take Rochina off? After that happened it let Norwich into the game.

Or was I watching a totally different match?

For me you can play 80 minutes amazingly, but then if you make big changes like that and the last ten minutes the home team are at you, you're inviting problems.

And it's not like it's the first time.

I will spell this out clearly THIS IS THE SECOND TIME IN LESS THAN A WEEK WE'VE LOST A TWO GOAL LEAD. We cannot keep a clean sheet.

But it's okay, he's not going anywhere. The folks who thinks he deserves more games because we're playing well but dropping points are getting their wish.

[The Rover of Finland]

6 wins from 31 games.

6 points from over a quarter of the season.

You must have very low standards.

And the schedule haven´t been hardest.

[Tooogs]

Take a bow son!

I can't take credit for that. It's from the photoshop thread!

BANG ON THOUGH!

[joey_big_nose]

6 wins from 31 games.

6 points from over a quarter of the season.

You must have very low standards.

I agree about the long term results being extremely poor, and there is no reason to say he should stay after three good games. If we have a quality manager lined up lets bring him in, Im all for it. But you have to be balanced in your assessment and today we were excellent. There is no escaping that no matter how much peoples personal emnity towards Kean is.

Face up lads. If Venky's didn't want to sack him after Newcastle he is not going to get sacked now after three very good performances. No chance.