[Archived] Sunderland vs Rovers

[K-Hod]

Diouff could be guilty of eating babies and I'd still question Kean and his puppeteer's real motives for getting shot of him.

Yep I concur, we employ players to play football, not to be choir boys.

[ABBEY]

That was crap!!!

[malk]

Well I watched the whole game (on TV) and can't say it helped with either my knackered shoulder from the previous day's rugby or the hangover from the session that followed, still...

We were desperately unlucky. Yes we were under the kosh and invited a lot of pressure but had either the penalty (and possible red card for Bramble)been given or the goal not disallowed we almost certainly would have been ok.

Also, for those banging on about the squad size, we had four defenders injured in the game and Nelsen was already out. How big a squad do you suggest we have?

[hesfromburn]

emerton and ehd bigger???

We wasnt in a position to let these go without replacing them.

formica rochina vukevic dont count because we were struggling with our squad size for ages with players not being replaced or replacments not up to scratch and being shipped off as soon as they arrive.

[des]

we lost because

a we played far too deep never pushed up and cloase dowm the spaces

b Our midfeils was too old and slow

c no ball wining and ball holding midfield players ( dunn did his best to play the ball but he has lost some of his pace.

D up front want ball we had did not stick and hence it came back onto the defence.

all in all the second half reminder mw of the team that I played for ( many years ago) called mission utd I think we only won about 5-6 games in four years, and rovers made us look good.

[sentient]

Also, for those banging on about the squad size, we had four defenders injured in the game and Nelsen was already out. How big a squad do you suggest we have?

The squad would have to be big enough to cope with expected injuries. So with the weewee-poor fitness regime introduced by the ringmaster I'd say "flewkin massive" would be the right size - about a thousand players probably.

[Commondore]

I've been trying to post here for two days, but anger and frustration has kept me from it until now... What a horrible, HORRIBLE way to loose that was!

Sunderland looked completely toothless against a defense utterly torn apart by forced substitutions, they should have scored 5 or 6 and yet had to conjure up 2 wonder goals out of nowhere to break us down, and STILL we can't get more than 1 ball past them? Shambolic. I haven't felt this ill over a Rovers game since that utterly worthless display away against Everton last season.

I don't like sticking up for Kean, but having to waste all his substitutions on injured players destroyed our day. From the 60th minute it was clear that we needed fresh legs on the pitch, but the injuries robbed Kean of that option. It was however stupid to put on a clearly not yet fit Olsson for Givet, you could tell after his first run that he was slow and nowhere near full fitness. That decision came back to haunt us in spectacular style.

Yakubu had his worst game for us yet, he was bereft of any support from midfield, mostly due to Formica acting like a defensive central midfielder rather than lending support to his forward. Square peg in a round hole anyone? Still, whenever he actually got the ball Yak lost it or threw it away with a stupid missed pass, he clearly let his frustration get the better of hm.

Vukcevic worked hard and scored our goal but still looked a bit slow to play on the wing, still one of our better performers today. He reminds me of an El Hadji Diouf who's actually any good. Samba was man of the match by a country mile, and Dann looked solid for the most part.

Pedersen and Dunn did a better job than usual in central midfield, which unfortunately isn't exactly a ringing endorsement. The fact that they are our first choice whenever Nzonzi is suspended or injured is a testament to how imbalanced the squad is, we NEED another defensive central midfielder this January.

[AllRoverAsia]

Well I watched the whole game (on TV) and can't say it helped with either my knackered shoulder from the previous day's rugby or the hangover from the session that followed, still...

We were desperately unlucky. Yes we were under the kosh and invited a lot of pressure but had either the penalty (and possible red card for Bramble)been given or the goal not disallowed we almost certainly would have been ok.

Also, for those banging on about the squad size, we had four defenders injured in the game and Nelsen was already out. How big a squad do you suggest we have?

I counted 31 names in the current Rovers squad:

Rovers Squad

However IMO it's fair to ignore:

Grella (permanently unfit), Riberio, Anderson, Andrews (on loan) and Aley (on loan)

and the kids: Slew, Cotton, Morris and Henley

and the obvious crap not good enough for the PL: Roberts, Hanley, Goodwillie and Blackman

Deducting the above brings the squad size down to 18 and still includes the old brigade of Dunn, Salgado, Nelsen and Pedersen all of whom have lost pace and are all now more injury prone.

Quite a few of those not mentioned above have question marks about their PL suitability.

The fact is that Rovers have a very very poor squad with no depth to take account of a bad injury run. The quality and depth within a squad is the most important factor and Rovers just don't have it.

[DeadlyDirk]

Kean can bang on about injuries to defenders but as mentioned it just brings up the same old questions about some of the transfer activity.

Why were Riberio and Anderson signed if they are not even good enough to be on the bench in a defensive crisis when we see 17 year olds coming off the bench and people starting that are not fit enough to do so.

Why are Emerton and Diouf allowed to go for free (Oh sorry we paid to get rid of Diouf) without bringing in replacements first.

If it's money that's so tight why are we blowing 1m on people like Slew when it could have been used for some important defensive cover.

Why did we not look at the loan market which is fantastic for a short term option and under a budget.

You can bring up the excuse of injuries but that just admits blame for not sorting things out in the summer.

[1864roverite]

We are not even half way through the season and we see Rovers players cant even last 60 minutes ? What the hell has pre season and the weekly training been all about ?

***** lack of tactical awareness has faff all to do with luck and injuries, its common for all to see the man is a complete novice when it comes to tactics and know how in football matches.

**** OUT

[Stuart]

Why were Riberio and Anderson signed if they are not even good enough to be on the bench in a defensive crisis when we see 17 year olds coming off the bench and people starting that are not fit enough to do so.

It's a really good question, Dirk.

This is the kind of situation that should be making the PL get involved. It just does not add up from any perspective that I can think of.

Except one.

[BuckyRover]

I can see the headlines now.

"Premier League shock. Team buys players not fit for first team"

Scandal

[Kelbo]

I can see the headlines now.

"Premier League shock. Team buys players not fit for first team"

Scandal

No, Premier League Team buys players incapable of playing at Conference level, WHY?

[BuckyRover]

No, Premier League Team buys players incapable of playing at Conference level, WHY?

Because their scout said he was good?

Because they felt like it?

Because they liked his hair?

Because they like his neo-liberal attitude?

They can buy anyone they can afford

[Kelbo]

Because their scout said he was good?

Because they felt like it?

Because they liked his hair?

Because they like his neo-liberal attitude?

They can buy anyone they can afford

No scouts involved in those two I'm afraid!!

If they were, sack them now!!

[BuckyRover]

No scouts involved in those two I'm afraid!!

If they were, sack them now!!

My point is saying things "like the Premier league must investigate" in this situation is pointless. It will never happen

[Stuart]

My point is saying things "like the Premier league must investigate" in this situation is pointless. It will never happen

I didn't say must, I said should. Subtle difference.

So you think that Ribeiro and Anderson coming in and playing no part despite the worst defensive crisis that any of us can remember isn't even slightly strange?

You can just put it down to bad judgement/luck from our scouting network?

[Pelio]

I counted 31 names in the current Rovers squad:

Rovers Squad

However IMO it's fair to ignore:

Grella (permanently unfit), Riberio, Anderson, Andrews (on loan) and Aley (on loan)

and the kids: Slew, Cotton, Morris and Henley

and the obvious crap not good enough for the PL: Roberts, Hanley, Goodwillie and Blackman

Deducting the above brings the squad size down to 18 and still includes the old brigade of Dunn, Salgado, Nelsen and Pedersen all of whom have lost pace and are all now more injury prone.

Quite a few of those not mentioned above have question marks about their PL suitability.

The fact is that Rovers have a very very poor squad with no depth to take account of a bad injury run. The quality and depth within a squad is the most important factor and Rovers just don't have it.

I agree, our central midfield in particular is shocking at present. So are our fullback and striker options... The whole squad is desperately needing investment but are Venkys gonna invest any cash? Are they heck! The sad part is the youth coming through shows a lot of promise and I fear that unless Venkys get us some good 1st team players next month, we're gonna have to rely on these youngsters to make up the numbers. I'm all for giving them a chance but what are they gonna learn by being hammered week in week out? This is Venkys last chance to do something but deep down I know they won't act....

[BuckyRover]

I didn't say must, I said should. Subtle difference.

So you think that Ribeiro and Anderson coming in and playing no part despite the worst defensive crisis that any of us can remember isn't even slightly strange?

You can just put it down to bad judgement/luck from our scouting network?

Of course it's strange. It's obvious that Anderson wasn't brought in for his football skills but neither was Julio Santa Cruz. The only evidence that would be needed in defence is Kean saying he saw him play and thought he was good. End of investigation.

What would they be investigating even? I don't think it's against the rules to try and run a club on the cheap unfortunately.

It's rubbish and a never ending nightmare but I don't see many rules being broken (so far).

[Pedro]

My point is saying things "like the Premier league must investigate" in this situation is pointless. It will never happen

To be fair, Bebe at Man Utd is a far stranger one than either of our two chumps.

[BuckyRover]

To be fair, Bebe at Man Utd is a far stranger one than either of our two chumps.

He's been brushed under the carpet hasn't he?

To be fair he's suffered a cruciate injury whilst on loan at Besiktas

[DE.]

Kean can bang on about injuries to defenders but as mentioned it just brings up the same old questions about some of the transfer activity.

Why were Riberio and Anderson signed if they are not even good enough to be on the bench in a defensive crisis when we see 17 year olds coming off the bench and people starting that are not fit enough to do so.

Why are Emerton and Diouf allowed to go for free (Oh sorry we paid to get rid of Diouf) without bringing in replacements first.

If it's money that's so tight why are we blowing 1m on people like Slew when it could have been used for some important defensive cover.

Why did we not look at the loan market which is fantastic for a short term option and under a budget.

You can bring up the excuse of injuries but that just admits blame for not sorting things out in the summer.

Spot on. Let's also not forget Nelsen's current injury is the direct result of Kean rushing him back early. Looks like the same will happen to Olsson.

It's embarrassing that most of our players can't last for 90 minutes, and suggests one of two things:

A ) training and match prep is sub-standard, or

B ) our game plan makes the players work too hard and results in them being knackered after an hour.

The amount of points we've thrown away from leading positions says it all. Something is badly wrong.

[LeChuck]

I don't understand why Kean was complaining about having to play Hanley (a centre back) at right back.

He didn't have to do that. If he'd included a central midfielder on the bench he could have played Lowe at right back and brought on a midfielder for Salgado.

The full backs weren't the problem anyway, both of them did ok. The problem was the midfield sat ridiculously deep and nobody could keep possession. We should have pushed Vukcevic and Formica much further up in support Yakubu.

[thenodrog]

Spot on. Let's also not forget Nelsen's current injury is the direct result of Kean rushing him back early. Looks like the same will happen to Olsson.

It's embarrassing that most of our players can't last for 90 minutes, and suggests one of two things:

A ) training and match prep is sub-standard, or

B ) our game plan makes the players work too hard and results in them being knackered after an hour.

The amount of points we've thrown away from leading positions says it all. Something is badly wrong.

taken from the LET......Kean “It would be easy to feel sorry for ourselves but we won’t. We will get back out on training field and putting things right for the two big homes games we have coming up.”

Every effin week he comes out with the same sentence about the training ground! I think he missed saying it in the post match interview for the first time ever but here it is again in the papers! He's doing my bloody head in!!

[John]

taken from the LET......Kean It would be easy to feel sorry for ourselves but we wont. We will get back out on training field and putting things right for the two big homes games we have coming up.

Every effin week he comes out with the same sentence about the training ground! I think he missed saying it in the post match interview for the first time ever but here it is again in the papers! He's doing my bloody head in!!

Personally like the "togetherness of the squad" line he repeats on a weekly basis. Along with having the support of our (knowledgeable) owners.