[Archived] Rovers v. Newcastle Preview - February 1, 2012

[jehrover]

Lets not make out like Newcastle are some great side. In recent away games they have been beaten by Brighton, Fulham, Norwich and Liverpool, conceding 13 goals in the process. Tonight, especially with several of their better players missing, we should have taken three points comfortably to climb out of the bottom three. I said the same after the Stoke game a few weeks back, another game we blew and fell right into our opponents trap.

Newcastle came to town with the sole objective of stopping us scoring and taking a 0-0. If they could squeak a goal on the break then that would be a bonus for them. Admittedly their first goal was incredibly fortunate for them, but they say you make your own luck in this game. Their whole approach was far more professional and disciplined than ours was, again like Stoke a few weeks ago. They were quite happy to defend in numbers whilst we tapped the ball around in our half, before launching it forward and handing it straight back to them to run the clock down further. It's called a game-plan. Whilst not pretty it allows you to grind out crucial points on cold nights away from home. Kean could do with taking a leaf out of their book as how to keep clean sheets.

People who want to hide behind the 'we were unlucky tonight' excuse are simply hiding from the truth. The manager cannot come up with a suitable gameplan at home and his signings are not good enough. That's his fault.

[super_arran]

Dont talk wet, Its about the match and not a protest, so this is the only thread that it should be posted in

The first paragraph maybe, but the majority of your post was about someone disagreeing with your involvement with the protests.

Fair do's you didn't retaliate, but still, nothing to do with the match.

[Doug]

Modeste looks like he has potential, possibly very nervous and snatching at things, think a few more outings needed before he is written off!! He certainly looks like he has pace and good in the air and Newcastle defenders found him a real handfull. He looks more like a back up for Yak than other forwards we have, (on that performance).

I really hope Samba can be talked into a decent frame of mind. With him and Yak back I'm sure we will be a more complete team. We should've won tonight,don't think anyone can argue with that and feel sorry for Dunny, anyone can have a pen saved and when things aren't going your way that's what happens.

Don't want to be too down, the performance was encouraging, terrible og meant we were chasing so the inevitable breakaway goal in injury time follows, giving a scoreline that doesn't reflect the game.

I hope the lack of booing was in recognition of a decent performance.

If we can perform like this with Samba (hopefully) and Yak back things may still be salvageable.

[Steve Kean's Hypnotoad]

Disgraceful that Glen. I'd ignore it if you can mate. Simple psychology really. The fans are very annoyed, they've decided to curry national favour and not abuse Kean anymore, they've decided abusing Venkys is pointless, so who can they abuse? Who's an easy target? I know, the protestors, and more specifically the guy who organised the protests. Pathetic individuals.

[B75]

Can anyone tell me why goodwillie wasn't involved tonight was he injured or dropped?

[RoyRover]

This was a crucial game to get three points from when you see the fixtures we have coming up and yet again Steve Kean fails to deliver. Never mind, we'll be told tomorrow that he's unlucky, that he's doing a fantastic job and if the fans would just get behind him things would be so much better.

[Steve Moss]

dont no how anyone can moan, we were easily the better team just couldn't finish today. Easily premiership standard football on show today.

Is that our silver lining? "We were better than Newcastle, despite them surviving and us being relegated."

What counts is the league table. Everything else is window dressing.

No, you're completely missing the point. Kean wanted to sign players. Venkys didnt give him any money. Im not a kean fan but venkys are the real culprits. Most of the players kean has signed have not even been chosen by him.

Did I miss something? Kean was happy with his dealings this window. He said so and if he is an honest man, he can't complain.

Or are you saying Kean lied?

One off the bar

One off the line

Rebound hit wide

2 chances for Modeste when the keeper came out

Modeste 1-1 that he thrashed at

Scott Dan header from 6 yards - straight at the keeper

Formica wide from a few yards

Penalty missed

Simpson somehow blocking a late Givet effort

Thats off the top of my head, we battered them and did create chances but ultimately failed to take them.

That's football, look at the Arsenal game, in that we scored more than we had shots I think.

That's Hughsey math. The only shots that count are the shots that go into the net.

[Tom]

No it's logic, someone said we didn't create chances I simply pointed out that we did, no more no less

[PAFELL]

Can anyone tell me why goodwillie wasn't involved tonight was he injured or dropped?

He was ill

[thenodrog]

Modeste looks like he has potential, possibly very nervous and snatching at things, think a few more outings needed before he is written off!! He certainly looks like he has pace and good in the air and Newcastle defenders found him a real handfull. He looks more like a back up for Yak than other forwards we have, (on that performance).

Can't see it myself. He looked a complete donkey everytime he was facing goal. He took the wrong option time after time.

[Mercer]

Late back from the match after being figuratively ripped to pieces by a couple of Geordie pals.

TBH, I though we were crap - horrible, horrible football.

We lost to a very, very poor Newcastle side and that's the big worry.

We have relegation written all over us. Caught a bit of Kean's Rovers interview and he was very upbeat as we'd entered their box 62 times. FFS, we were desperately short of quality tonight.

Either Rochina or Formica should have started tonight - just no guile, craft or creativity other than hoofball and set pieces.

Struggled to see any positives at all tonight.

[Mr C]

Lets not make out like Newcastle are some great side. In recent away games they have been beaten by Brighton, Fulham, Norwich and Liverpool, conceding 13 goals in the process. Tonight, especially with several of their better players missing, we should have taken three points comfortably to climb out of the bottom three. I said the same after the Stoke game a few weeks back, another game we blew and fell right into our opponents trap.

Newcastle came to town with the sole objective of stopping us scoring and taking a 0-0. If they could squeak a goal on the break then that would be a bonus for them. Admittedly their first goal was incredibly fortunate for them, but they say you make your own luck in this game. Their whole approach was far more professional and disciplined than ours was, again like Stoke a few weeks ago. They were quite happy to defend in numbers whilst we tapped the ball around in our half, before launching it forward and handing it straight back to them to run the clock down further. It's called a game-plan. Whilst not pretty it allows you to grind out crucial points on cold nights away from home. Kean could do with taking a leaf out of their book as how to keep clean sheets.

People who want to hide behind the 'we were unlucky tonight' excuse are simply hiding from the truth. The manager cannot come up with a suitable gameplan at home and his signings are not good enough. That's his fault.

Was just about to post my own opinion of tonight's shocker - but, to me, this says it all!

[47er]

Sick to the stomach. They were gifted goals in the 7th and in stoppage time. In the 80+ minutes in-between we dominated the game.

We created loads of chances, their attempt at an own-goal hit the crossbar and crucially we missed a penalty.

You can say we were unlucky but they defended well, kept a clean sheet and took just about the only chances that came their way all night.

In truth, this was Step 23 in the long procession towards relegation. I've thought it all season.

Can't keep a clean sheet, can't convert very reasonable chances = relegation.

On individuals, Dunn looked good till the penalty knocked the stuffing out of him, N'Zonzi looked class till extra time, Petrovic looks to have reverted to 1 mile an hour and Modeste seems to have all the attributes of a good striker except one-------composure in front of goal.

Oh, and Pedersen's dead ball delivery was terrific but some poor stuff in open play.

Can't blame the supporters this time eh?

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

What can't be missed (unlike the Newcastle goal) - was yet another good performance. Overall the team look more settled - and they are at least passing and moving.

On a different night we would have won easily - but that is football - and far better teams than Rovers have suffered similar nights.

Most worrying - we didn't pick up any points from a match we should have won. We can't afford to do that - and to be honest the way we missed chances and our bad luck had all the hallmarks of a team that was going to be relegated.

There is still hope - for some strange reason I can't help but feel we will get a result at Arsenal. The key is whether Samba will come back to the first team - we badly missed him - not defensively but for all those damned corners.

Be interested on peoples view of the referee - for me he was either inept or bias - can never make my mind up when we have matches like last night.

[redroses]

Wolves, Everton, Stoke, West Brom, Bolton and Newcastle. All defeats at home. To lose every single one of those is a disgrace. Just need to add Wigan, QPR and villa to it for almost a clean sweep. We will go down on the simple fact our head to head games against these teams so far is appalling. As for today's game i thought we could've played all night and not scored. The penalty in my view was not a penalty but "justice was done" and "evening itself out" just doesn't work for me. When these breaks come along we've have to take them. After tonight i cannot see how we can win 6 from 15 to stand a chance. Newcastle are hardly world beaters but they had half a team out, had 40 odd points in the bag and got the luck today.

[Brfcrule1]

some of you hu have to realise the quote below sums up tonight:

Basically the lack of investment cost us tonight, we had a freebie striker upfront and it showed, if money had been spent on a proper striker then we would've won the game.

for all the good modeste does he is not a goalscorer and can no way play the lone striker well yes he holds the ball up well but the only thing that matters is being able to put the ball in the back of the net and I have to say throughout this sorry episode venkys have always opted for the cheapest option and today highlighted this by the way B75 they said goodwillie was ill but in a way you have to feel a bit sorry for kean because before the window opened he did earmark Andy Johnson,Maynard, and others I mean a while back we were linked with the Russian Pogrebnyak now he's gone to Fulham for 3M even the Ajax striker was available for peanuts and you have to feel sorry because I get the impression he wanted to go back in for Johnson at 1.5-2M he would have been a steal but obviously the owners put the breaks on any strikers worth money even Cisse at 4M at QPR was a bargain I only hope their penny pinching does not cost us our EPL status but equally he does not help himself by not keeping us in the picture about having 5 live bids out there having money to spend and I do feel with an Andy Johnson picking up Modeste's flick ons we would have got something from the game maybe even won it.

[thenodrog]

No it's logic, someone said we didn't create chances I simply pointed out that we did, no more no less

Take away the penalty save and NUFC would not have lost if Krul had spent the entire match sat next to me in the JW Upper Tom. As far as I can rem he made a routine stop from a Dann glancing header and another from Modeste's pathetic choice of a shot from distance late in the game when he should have carried the ball forward and slotted it in ala Obertan.

We huffed and puffed right enough but in the end we were too weak in important areas and we got what we deserved.... sweet FA. Pity cos imo NUFC were the worst Prem team that I have seen down here this season. I think a huge slice of blame must go to the pratt who sent Yakubu off v Fulham for what I have down as a collision. However that is no excuse, Kean has unfortunately brought in third rate strikers.

Unless I am mistaken that is us Wigan and Wolves for the drop. QPR and Bolton sadly have more about em than us.

[Mr C]

Be interested on peoples view of the referee - for me he was either inept or bias - can never make my mind up when we have matches like last night.

Phil Dowd was very inept - and very, very large!

[redroses]

i thought the ref gave us practically everything.

[Tom]

Take away the penalty save and NUFC would not have lost if Krul had spent the entire match sat next to me in the JW Upper Tom. As far as I can rem he made a routine stop from a Dann glancing header and another from Modeste's pathetic choice of a shot from distance late in the game when he should have carried the ball forward and slotted it in ala Obertan.

We huffed and puffed right enough but in the end we were too weak in important areas and we got what we deserved.... sweet FA. Pity cos imo NUFC were the worst Prem team that I have seen down here this season. I think a huge slice of blame must go to the pratt who sent Yakubu off v Fulham for what I have down as a collision. However that is no excuse, Kean has unfortunately brought in third rate strikers.

Unless I am mistaken that is us Wigan and Wolves for the drop. QPR and Bolton sadly have more about em than us.

Not denying that Theno all I'm saying is we had chances, plenty of them, we just didn't take them.

[LeChuck]

He gave us a free kick on the edge of the area for a blatant dive, and a pretty soft penalty (which I thought he would never give after the reaction to the Hoilett dive).

I can't think of a single thing that he gave against us.

[RibbleValleyRover]

Another week of bemoaning 'bad' luck by the looks of it, pretty sure I recall similar excuses when Rovers were struggling under the Kidd, Ince and Souness regimes. The reality is so far this season we have had as much 'good' luck as 'bad'.

I could talk about the transfer window and the glaring weaknesses which were clear for all to see tonight but I have done that already, that window is shut and Rovers have to try and survive with what they have.

By the sounds of it we were the better side in the first half largely due to Newcastle missing Tiote and Cabaye in midfield. Rovers had plenty of chances to create some decent goal scoring opportunities but that final ball often failed. Don't recall hearing Krul making too many saves (which is strange considering the stats at the end the first half).

Second Half Pardew responded tactically by changing the midfield with Ben Arfa going off and Perch coming on. Newcastle seemed to be a lot more stable defensively after that change. Rovers still had some chances in that half but again Krul wasn't really tested, Newcastle overall had the more clear cut ones and got the win.

Rovers currently on 18 points with 15 games left. If 40 points is needed then we will have to get 22 points from the last 15 games - not easy considering our record and form so far this season. The only ways I see us surviving is if sides around us start to beat each other or really implode which reduces the amount of points needed for safety. Rovers also have to beat those sides around us, something which we have struggled with so far this season.

[BRFC1995]

Put my head down at half time just to close my eyes for 15 minutes, woke up at 2 in the morning both unsuprised and as resigned to a future as bleak as any Wimbledon fan could have imagined, mk rovers here we come.

For all of this ###### to be so avoidable and keans position so safe has without a doubt killed interest in football, the game isn't meant to be this predictable when playing teams in the same division.......9 home defeats in 12.

[Dan]

Put my head down at half time just to close my eyes for 15 minutes, woke up at 2 in the morning both unsuprised and as resigned to a future as bleak as any Wimbledon fan could have imagined, mk rovers here we come.

For all of this ###### to be so avoidable and keans position so safe has without a doubt killed interest in football, the game isn't meant to be this predictable when playing teams in the same division.......9 home defeats in 12.

Thought you would have been woken up by a steward and thrown out of Ewood well before 2am!

[waggy]

gawd it looked cold at ewood last night,did roberts give modeste his boots as a leaving present?