[Archived] Manchester City v Rovers Preview 25/2/2012

[Mattyblue]

On a different note - I watched the rugby and the cricket instead. At least there both sides turned uup and tried. the odd flashes of our match I saw when my husband insisted on turning to Rovers showed about 20 city players (Ido know there were only 11 really) and about 5 of us one of whom dropped what looked like an easy catch to allow the opposition a goal.

Rovers fan Jos Buttler took a cracking catch an all...

[cesus]

We have had some guff in our defence during the Premiership years but has anybody seen a worse combo than Dann & Orr on the right side of defence? We have a terrible manager combined with players who are somehow pulling in Premiership contracts, the future looks frightening!

[thenodrog]

I didn't expect anything different, but I was hoping for some fight, some desire, organisation, a bit of ambition.

These things don't cost any money, and are a bare minimum of what I expect from a Rovers side.

Unfortunately, we got reamed in everything but the scoreline, and the whole thing was an abject embarrassment from start to finish. We have no-one who takes control, no-one who is willing to give it all. Just a team of rubber dinghy-men.

If it was last game of the season, Chelsea away and we needed a point to stay up, would you have been happy with that? Would you have said "oh well, we were never going to win anyway"? Of course bloody not.

I was hoping (but not really expecting) a touch of the Dunkirk spirit, a bit of bottle. Instead, we got a load of the maginot line spirit.

To use another Kiddism, we're a club without a heartbeat.

I warned of this earlier in the season..... Many years ago I played in a team that was relegated and as squad morale diminishes losing becomes greeted with a simple shrug of the shoulders as any belief in winning evaporates.

The thing that stands out a mile (yet something which never raises comment from the mysteriously agenda'd football luminaries on MoTD and in large parts of the press) is the way that the manager has 'disposed' of any natural leaders from the squad. Players who can lead from the front and rally the players to greater effort who were in the squad. Losing Samba and Nelsen would be a massive blow to any club yet it barely raises a mention does it? When MU had both Ferdinand and Vidic out that was given as a reason for every poor performance whereas with us it appears to be deemed an irrelevence. I suggest that as our very own version of the night of the long knives continues against any player / member of staff who dares challenges events that the manager quickly becomes disrespected by the players. Instead of 'us' at BRFC as it was little over a year ago it's now 'them, him and us'. Small wonder then that demoralisation sets in to replace self belief, pride and desire is it?

Of course Man City and ourselves are poles apart in terms of talent but I see hope evaporating now. Unless I am mistaken in reading the tea leaves in my morning cuppa I see the current any 3 from 5 rapidly becoming 2 from 4.

[Mattyblue]

Indeed gord, case in point Robbo as captain.

Now there's an argument that keepers shouldn't have the armband (though it didn't do Italy and Dino Zoff any harm), however it was more that he was one of only a couple of experienced/long-ish serving player left.

[Doug]

The manner in which we approached the game must have dismayed all of us. How many sub premiership players were on display for us? Where has that backbone gone?

Hoillet, a revalation to most a short while ago, looks overweight, lost, no passion!!

Petrovic, Orr, Dann, Formica in fact.... all the bloody lot of 'em!! On the odd occasion we touched the ball, we gave it straight away.

I'm wondering whether this was actually another 'forfeit' match! Shambolic performance....the worst, by any PL team I can remember, and by any Rovers team I can remember.

[Andy]

Some people used to accuse Big Sam of forfeiting away games like City, but yesterday was an absolute surrender from the first minute.

No will to attack, no passion, no attempt at anything other than getting comfortably beaten.

[cn174]

Just been having a read on the guardian and saw this comment. Think it just about sums the game up from our point of view:

Scoreline was a bit flattering.

Blackburn were lucky to get nil.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

I'm still numb from the manner of yesterday's utterly gutless deafeat....where's the spirit of the blue 'n' whites gone?

[Guest Wen Y Hu]

Parsonblue's match report is published to the front page here.

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

The only typical reaction is the apologetic, limp-wristed guff you come out with every week.

Try reading my post - and then possibly try to look at it in an objective way - rather than immediately presuming it is a defence of Kean or the Venkys.

I would have said the same after we won against United or drew with Liverpool.

Though you obviously refuse to accept that yesterdays result was as much about the financial gulf between the top 4 and the rest as it is about our manager or owners. Case in point Man Utd 7 Rovers 1

Though why let that get in the way of your well constructed argument.

'Knee-jerk recation' after 15 months of utter crap.

Always trust DMTP

I thought this thread was to discuss the City match - if you think we are alone in being outplayed by the City this season you really need to look at their home record.

[Mattyblue]

14% possession, have you seen the like before DMTP? At any level?

[cn174]

I thought this thread was to discuss the City match - if you think we are alone in being outplayed by the City this season you really need to look at their home record.

Of course we're not the only team to have been outplayed by City this season. However this is probably the easiest game they'll have had. We offered nothing, absolutely nothing. City are a very good team, but you can set yourself up to make it difficult for them. What did we do, run around aimlessly like headless chickens. We couldn't even hoof the ball in the general direction of one of our players. We let them have 78% possession and 28 shots on goal. That isn't even trying to give them a game, that is just rolling over and letting them do whatever they wanted.

[Mattyblue]

I'll tell you what it reminded me of, when Andorra or San Marino play away at a top international side and don't even attempt to get out their own half, unfortunately we were less organised.

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

14% possession, have you seen the like before DMTP? At any level?

In truth - no - but then again sky report 22% - hardly good I accept - but possibly similar to what Arsenal got playing against Barca ! Stoke got 24% and had no shots on target - so we aren't alone in being outplayed. As I said - am I happy about it - no - but I am realistic about it.

[broadsword]

Oh well that's OK then, what are we all complaining about?

[roverandout]

david, please tell me how the likes of swansea, a team who suposedly are worse than us can go there and give city a game? i think they lost 1-0 earlier in the season.

[Stuart]

david, please tell me how the likes of swansea, a team who suposedly are worse than us can go there and give city a game? i think they lost 1-0 earlier in the season.

Big difference roverandout. They have one of those mythical creatures we used to have. A manager.

[MarkBRFC]

Swansea actually lost 4-0 at city this season, still dont let that stop you.

[roverandout]

ah ok, but they did try and play man city, they had a go so my point still remains,

stuart yes and they do have a manager, a good one, we dont even have a manager!!!

[Tom]

Swansea actually lost 4-0 at city this season, still dont let that stop you.

Could have been twice that but vorm had the game of his career.

The point still stands that they did worse than us at the end of the day.

Can't wait to forget this game and move on

[Mattyblue]

And we also lost 4-0 at home,, how many 4 goal wins have they had away from home this season? Not many.

Still, that day 'we held them for 55 minutes, which was a real positive'.

[DE.]

And we also lost 4-0 at home,, how many 4 goal wins have they had away from home this season? Not many.

Still, that day 'we held them for 55 minutes, which was a real positive'.

Lost 4-0 last time, only lost 3-0 this time. Shows we're improving, still on course for top 10, europe next season, we'll win a cup, unearth the next Lionel Messi, lads are behind the manager, owners 100% behind him too, dew on the grass, entries into the opposition box, bla bla blaaaaaaaaaa

[broadsword]

Could have been twice that but vorm had the game of his career.

The point still stands that they did worse than us at the end of the day.

Can't wait to forget this game and move on

Which in some way vindicates our approach to the game?

[MarkBRFC]

Correct Matty, we have surrendered twice to City this season which is unacceptable. I don't see what bringing Swansea into it had to do with anything though, we beat them fairly comfy at home aswell, what does it mean in this thread? Nothing.

[JAL]

Rochina's fancy pass, come kick forward to no one, summed up the embarassment to premier league football management that goes by the name of Stephen Kean, the plunderer of Ewood Park.