[Archived] Blackburn Rovers v Stoke City Preview

[BRFCBOY]

Biggest problem at the minute Is the lack of pace in the side, nzonzi pedersen Dunn petrovic Formica haven't got a yard between them, when hoilett an olsson don't play we have no one to get in behind teams, prime example is etherington got in behind our defence proba only a handful of times an created the second goal. The pace issue has become apparent since the Sunderland game in my opinion, there is no one we can put the ball in the corners for to releive a bit of pressure and is why there are so many balls being passed sideways an backwards. Dunn nzonzi and petrovic all played ok without any of them standing out and gettin in to areas where they could hurt the opposition. There were numerous times where all three of them had hold of the ball looked forward and out wide an there was no one to aim for and no one to get in behind the Stoke back four

[grizfoot]

I hope they show Pedersen's slide tackle on Kean, as sad as it may sound that was my highlight of the game.

[USABlue]

We looked a real threat form set pieces today but besides that we looked like we ran out of ideas and throwing samba upfront left us short at the back for the counter.

We have looked even better if Samba was not being held all the time, he was held round the neck one time. How Mason spotted Yak holding Sorensen after Sorensen had gone the wrong way for the ball yet failed to see the numerous holds on Samba and Yak, including the shirt pull on the line just leaves me befuddled.

[Amo]

I hope they show Pedersen's slide tackle on Kean, as sad as it may sound that was my highlight of the game.

Someone GIF that ****.

BTW, is that the first tackle Peds has made this season?

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

I thought Yakubu had a very good game considering the absolute lack of support.

Pedersen was a disgrace again today, how Simon can't get in ahead of him & Dunn is beyond me.

Stoke looked comfortable with all the long balls, our movement without Olssen and Hoilett is woeful.

Today it feels like our relegation was confirmed. Had we won, we'd be out but we've blown it.

I thought the Yak was absolutely superb today - showed what a great signing he was. To be honest - though Stoke looked comfortable with a large number of long balls - the Yak, at times, made them look average at the back - its a shame he had no support.

Didn't think MGP was a disgrace - but I can't understand why Simon didn't get on, and hasn't been playing more regularly. Why play Formica on the wing - which isn't his position - when we have an international right winger on the bench ?

On the whole our movement off the ball was awful - with the exception of the two full backs who regularly made good breaks only to not be picked up by the midfield players - Nzonzi being the worst culprit.

The one thing that is very obvious - no Olsson or Hoilett - no pace (excluding Henley and Lowe).

[Tom]

Do you think there's a striker in the league with a tougher job than Yakubu? The lack of support he gets up there is staggering yet be does a great job of it

[Stuart]

Do you think there's a striker in the league with a tougher job than Yakubu? The lack of support he gets up there is staggering yet be does a great job of it

Wouldn't be at all surprised if we Venkys cash in on him in January.

Given our financial state, I'd say none of our experienced players are safe. Can't we just fast forward to the end of January?

[BuckyRover]

Enjoy the Yak while he lasts. He often has a patch like this when he joins clubs.

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

Do you think there's a striker in the league with a tougher job than Yakubu? The lack of support he gets up there is staggering yet be does a great job of it

Hopefully when Olsson and Hoilett are fit again - we can do something about that.

At the moment we are unbelievably lucky to still be in with a chance of avoiding relegation. All it takes is a new manager, with some cash to play with in January, and keep our key players - and we could still get ourselves out of the bottom three.

[Roversider]

We have looked even better if Samba was not being held all the time, he was held round the neck one time. How Mason spotted Yak holding Sorensen after Sorensen had gone the wrong way for the ball yet failed to see the numerous holds on Samba and Yak, including the shirt pull on the line just leaves me befuddled.

Spot on, must say that my heart sinks when I see Mr. Mason refereeing any game, he is officious, inconsistent and not aware of what is going on. The only thing he got right was picking up on the Stoke time wasting with the 5 minutes extra time.

Stoke have a brutally effective way of playing and occasionally our inexperience showed. On the second goal Lowe missed the opportunity to risk copping a yellow and stop Etherington before he got into our half.

We need some more cynical players in our team (like Stoke have) to keep a better defensive record. Sad but true.

[yoda's brother]

Biggest problem at the minute Is the lack of pace in the side, nzonzi pedersen Dunn petrovic Formica haven't got a yard between them, when hoilett an olsson don't play we have no one to get in behind teams, prime example is etherington got in behind our defence proba only a handful of times an created the second goal. The pace issue has become apparent since the Sunderland game in my opinion, there is no one we can put the ball in the corners for to releive a bit of pressure and is why there are so many balls being passed sideways an backwards. Dunn nzonzi and petrovic all played ok without any of them standing out and gettin in to areas where they could hurt the opposition. There were numerous times where all three of them had hold of the ball looked forward and out wide an there was no one to aim for and no one to get in behind the Stoke back four

i think the biggest problem at the minute is the "manager"

[Tom]

Hopefully when Olsson and Hoilett are fit again - we can do something about that.

At the moment we are unbelievably lucky to still be in with a chance of avoiding relegation. All it takes is a new manager, with some cash to play with in January, and keep our key players - and we could still get ourselves out of the bottom three.

I wouldn't expect to see Hoilett play for us again, in fact I wouldn't be surprised if he lined up against us next week V Newcastle, probably more chance of it!

I agree though its unbelievable that we have lost to Stoke, Wolves, WBA and Bolton at home and we are still only one result away from being out of the bottom 3, some teams are nearly as bad as us,sadly most of them have real managers though

[Stuart]

Spot on, must say that my heart sinks when I see Mr. Mason refereeing any game, he is officious, inconsistent and not aware of what is going on. The only thing he got right was picking up on the Stoke time wasting with the 5 minutes extra time.

Stoke have a brutally effective way of playing and occasionally our inexperience showed. On the second goal Lowe missed the opportunity to risk copping a yellow and stop Etherington before he got into our half.

We need some more cynical players in our team (like Stoke have) to keep a better defensive record. Sad but true.

Lowe has got 8 or 9 yellows now. Not far off a two game ban.

[ABBEY]

me

[RibbleValleyRover]

Played to Stoke's strengths today and we paid the price. I also see Kean was quite vocal about the support he got today, good to see that support was rewarded, oh wait...

Rovers going down, that's the only outcome I can see on the horizon.

[47er]

Hopefully when Olsson and Hoilett are fit again - we can do something about that.

At the moment we are unbelievably lucky to still be in with a chance of avoiding relegation. All it takes is a new manager, with some cash to play with in January, and keep our key players - and we could still get ourselves out of the bottom three.

When Hoilett is fit again he'll be playing for someone else! No hope there.

[JAL]

The lack of pace not only shows when Rovers are in possession but also when out of possession.

Stokes first goal we had all the team bar Yak back in position defending. The ball goes out to our centre and Formica ambles towards the Stoke player in possession showing little conviction to actually get the ball, but hes supported by the even slower team mate Petrovic whose inside Formica yet more central. Both are so slow, lacking any conviction to win the ball that one Stoke players passes to another, to another, across our midfield line, to which the Stoke player crosses with the freedom of Ewood park to find Peter Crouch who finishes the job.

Its just isnt good enough from these players, they shouldn't play again for me until they have proved themselves in training. But then again they are a poor reflection of a very poor manager in Stephen Kean and his low standards of defensive play.

[Stuart]

me

You look quite cuddly in that photo Abs.

Movember does you no favours!

[gumboots]

You look quite cuddly in that photo Abs.

Movember does you no favours!

Looks like one of the diddy men!

Speaking of dressing up - who were the 3 Balaji clones in the bbe lower?

[ABBEY]

haha

[den]

Lowe has got 8 or 9 yellows now. Not far off a two game ban.

Yellow cards have been rescinded now that we're in the new year Jisty.

[cn174]

Yellow cards have been rescinded now that we're in the new year Jisty.

Are you sure? Don't they differentiate between people reaching 5 and people reaching 10?

[den]

Are you sure? Don't they differentiate between people reaching 5 and people reaching 10?

Only thing I'm sure of Clare, is that I heard something on the tele, about yellows not counting now we're in the new year.

You might be right though about counts above five, - I'm not sure.

[ABBEY]

aye they said that on telly the other day,but its usually feb?

[Tom]

After seeing it on MOTD I still think Lowe is at fault for the second goal, just take him out on halfway