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[Archived] Rovers vs West Brom preview

ben_the_beast

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ben_the_beast

ben_the_beast

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Blackburn Rovers vs West Bromwich Albion

17/12/2011

First off apologies for this preview being slightly late. It has been a busy week. Could mods merge with the existing thread and pin please.

So this weekend brings the visit of WBA to Ewood Park. Since my last preview a good couple of months ago not an awful lot has changed. Rovers are still lounging around the bottom of the Premier League, Steve Kean leads us with unwavering positivity, the Venkys continue to hide in their safe haven on Pune, whilst Rovers fans continue to protest on through waves of criticism from the more uneducated types in the media. Most notably those residing on BBC 1 at 10:30 on a saturday evening.

With not an awful lot changing the emphasis is on the extreme need for points. There have been those (rightly or wrongly) almost willing for the Rovers not to succeed through the hope it could signal the beginning of a new regime which would bring a higher level of success to the club and more importantly honor. With this change not forthcoming there is only the 90 minutes which are important. This weekend that 90 minutes is against West Brom, a team which if true to form Steve Kean should be hoping to be gaining a valuable 3 points from, therefore bringing Rovers closer to that illusive 17th position. Rovers record against West Brom under Kean currently stands at a mighty 100% with wins both home and away against West Brom last term which proved to be a major, major factor in our survival.

WBA 1-3 ROVERS

ROVERS 2-0 WBA

Many will remember when Rovers visited the Hawthornes, Niko Kalinic scored twice to then later be sent off. After this game not much was seen from Kalinic, much of the time coming off the bench late on in games despite his superior goalscoring record in comparison to Rovers other strikers. It is worth noting that since these wins last season a lot has changed for West Brom. Back then they were playing what was deemed to be an attractive passing game under Roberto Di Matteo but his side seemed soft and conceded easily (sounds familiar barring the attractive passing part). Since then he was relieved from his duties (some felt harshly so) and one of our former managers Roy Hodgson was installed. Ultimately it proved to be a just decision as under Roy West Brom went on to put together a string of good results and stayed up comfortably, avoiding the final day dramas. Hodgson has tightened the team up as a unit making them harder to beat, however their form this season has been slightly erratic.

Form over the last 5 games

Arsenal 3-0 WBA 05/11/2011

WBA 2-1 Bolton 19/11/2011

WBA 1-3 Spurs 26/11/2011

QPR 1-1 WBA 03/12/2011

WBA 1-2 Wigan 10/12/2011

As can be seen West Brom are not in good form of late. Their last win came 4 games ago against Bolton and prior to that another 4 games ago against Wolves. This poor form culminated last weekend in a loss at home to Wigan so this isn't a bad time to be facing them. Hopefully this will result in confidence being low giving Rovers the opportunity to gain all three points. I would go as far to say that much of our season depends on victory this weekend. In saying this West Brom do have some quality players in their team and should not be taken lightly.

Their line up against Wigan consisted of

GK: Foster

Defenders: Reid, Olsson, McAuley, Shorey

Midfield: Brunt, Morrison, Mulumbu, Thomas

Strikers: Long, Odemwingie

Without watching West Brom to much I would say there is some real talent in that side going forwards. Up front they have Shane Long who is their top scorer with 5 goals and Peter Odemwingie who although has struggled for form so far in his second season does have undoubted quality. In midfield Brunt will always provide a top delivery from wide areas whilst the trickery of Thomas on the left will give whoever we have at right back a tough time. In the centre there is technique but maybe lacking a little bit of grit. The back four strikes me as distinctly average although Jonas Olsson is a powerful leader and organizer at the back and Ben Foster is a decent goalie to have between the sticks.

Not many would have predicted Steve Kean would have lasted a year at the helm of Blackburn Rovers, firstly when he was appointed on a caretaker basis, secondly through the strings of poor results and finally through the fans protests. This week does however mark his 1st year anniversary and whatever ones opinion on Mr Kean, he is right when he says we all want the same thing. A win so lets get behind the team and hopefully get those vital 3 points.

With West Broms form and our perilous situation ordinarily a would predict this to be a tentative affair. However both teams strengths are clearly when going forwards and I can't see Rovers suddenly tightening up at the back after no clean sheets this season. Honestly I don't know which way this one will go but I do expect lots of goals.

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Audax Champions League

Audax

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Rovers 2-1 WBA for a Lawro like prediction.

If Blackburn can not defeat West Brom at home, I'm sorry to say you'd have to question whether the Rovers deserve to be in the topflight.

However, if one looks at the 4 losses WBA has suffered in the last 6 games, it was a rough patch, to Arsenal away and two at home to Tottenham and Liverpool, a questionable penalty kick in the 0-2 loss to Liverpool. A loss to a desperate Wigan who at times, haven't been as bad as the table shows.

Could turn on management. Odemwingie has 2 goals so far this season, 15 for all of last season so in that area, the Baggies are suffering and along with Wigan have the fewest goals in the league at 14.

A must for the Rovers, last week they should have gotten at least a draw but one could make excuses about bad luck and it being MON's first game back.

-----

A number of other matches will affect that end of the table:

Wolves Stoke City

Spurs Sunderland

QPR Man Utd.

Wigan Chelsea

Newcastle Swansea

Fulham Bolton

Everton Norwich

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AllRoverAsia

AllRoverAsia

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Even a win will keep us in the bottom 3 but would set us up for Bolton.

Its a winnable game and one that we just must win so fingers and legs crossed.

4-2 to Rovers - that's a score prediction not our midfield/strikers formation.

If we lose Ewood Park should be a cauldron of anti Kean/Venky hate.

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bazza Champions League

bazza

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We got the double over them last season. I cannot see us doing the same again because we are playing far worse football.

We'll be lucky to get a draw. I was going to say 0-0 but our defence will concede at least one.

So I'll go for 2-2.

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J*B World Cup

J*B

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Hoilett, Givet, Olsson all definately out according to some reporter at the presser on Twitter. as well as Grella (obviously).

Expected team?

Robinson

Salgado Samba Dann Lowe

N'Zonzi Pedersen

Simon Formica Rochina

Yakubu

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rovers11 Champions League

rovers11

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Hoilett, Givet, Olsson all definately out according to some reporter at the presser on Twitter. as well as Grella (obviously).

Expected team?

Robinson

Salgado Samba Dann Lowe

N'Zonzi Pedersen

Simon Formica Rochina

Yakubu

Is Rochina back? Think we need his creativity with Olsson and Hoilett out.

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J*B World Cup

J*B

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Is Rochina back? Think we need his creativity with Olsson and Hoilett out.

I think even if he's 70% he'll be played, otherwise I cant see who we'd actually play there.

The only other option is Pedersen playing left wing, and Petrovic playing CM. And that, to me, seems like a forfeit.

Saying that he could play

NZonzi Pedersen

Simon Dunn Formica

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rovers11 Champions League

rovers11

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I think even if he's 70% he'll be played, otherwise I cant see who we'd actually play there.

The only other option is Pedersen playing left wing, and Petrovic playing CM. And that, to me, seems like a forfeit.

Saying that he could play

NZonzi Pedersen

Simon Dunn Formica

I think he'll play:

Robbo

Salgado Samba Dann Lowe

Simon Dunn NZonzi Pedersen

Formica

Yak

Even without some key players, that team should be good enough to win the game. West Brom are poor (esp away from home) and we seem to always beat them (the only team that Kean seems actually do well against).

Pedersen's set pieces will win this one for us. Think we've scored in nearly every game from a Pedersen set piece since he has come back into the side from injury. 3-2 Rovers for me.

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