[Archived] Rovers V Man United Preview and Match Thread

[Jock]

John Newsham and co... you should be disgraced tonight! Allowing United fans in boxes in the Jack Walker to goad fans and incite trouble and they are allowed to get away with it! But yet when Rovers fans enter the Darwen End they need to be searched in case they have banners that 'may' incite trouble. Get your priorities sorted. Rovers aren't about anything other than the $$$ any more! Sold ourselves to the devil and we shall not be returning for a while yet.

Its disgusting but then we know this lot will do owt for money.

[Hasta]

Clueless and corut but we knew that anyway.

[roverandout]

davidmail, when i say yardstick, im talking about basing this rovers performance on how we will go into the rest of the season, some people think this performance was acceptable!!!

[grizfoot]

I am only stating the obvious here, but it seemingly didn't occur to Steve Kean. Generally when a team has spent a large amount of the game chasing the ball and is under great pressure from the opposing team who have yet to break down a good defensive shape they often bring on substitutions to firstly bring fresh legs to the team and secondly, possibly an overlooked function of subs, is the simple fact that it slows down the game and stops the opposing team from building constant pressure. We played okay up until about the 70minute mark where it was becoming increasingly evident that the Red Scum where seeing more and more of the ball. If you can't relieve the pressure by keeping hold of the possession for any length of time (not much chance of that with the "hoof it anywhere" mentality) another good way of doing this is by keep breaking up the play and bringing on subs. I was crying out for Formica to come on, his extra energy in midfield always seems to give us a boost whenever he comes off the bench. Even at 0-1 with five minutes left we didn't even bother with making an attacking substitution, just about sums everything up really.

[OJRovers]

Yes we were set up well to start with, but once fergie made subs we were getting stretched and players were starting to tire.

HOW and WHY does Pedersen keep getting picked and stay on the pitch when he is SO bad. It was crying out for Dunn to come on, even at one nil down we still had 13 mins!

I'm also convinced there is more to the no-subs we have seen recently.

ANDY CRYER; please ask SK directly whether he is working to a weekly budget and if that affects the subs we can use. And also where is Simon Vukcevic, how bad does Pedersen have to play to get dropped.

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

Worth noting that the goals were in the last ten minutes after Man U had made substitutes and we were getting tired.This is ###### ridiculous Steve.

Yes - it is also worth noting that their substitutions were two England internationals and last years player of the year.

[hesfromburn]

I know he's a tryer but I don't think Lowe will ever cut it as a decent prem midfielder. He looks frightened on the ball and gives it to N'Zonzi at every opportunity. Our midfield, to be frank, is simply terrible and just one of the many reasons that we are where we are.

I agree he doesnt look the best or gifted on the ball, but he is still only young and he is a lot more usefull than petrovic. I think we look more solid with Lowe n'zonzi in midfield and orr at right back.

Givet for Dann is a must. It should have been dunn for peds, we really need a playmaker where peds is, its a shame because I think Simon could have been that man if given half a chance

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

If that performance tonight was down to Black then we need our 4th new coach of the season.

"Stand 20-40 yards off the player with the ball, sit back on the edge of our own area for 90 minutes and just hope they don't find a way past us.

Unacceptable.

It is strange that for a team that you found so tactically inept - we managed to create the better chances for much of the match - and limit their clear cut chances. Even Fergie alluded to the fact that they found it difficult to break us down.

Player for player our team isn't as good as theirs - and yet we gave them a real scare, and with a little more luck (i.e. them scoring from a cross) we may have got a precious point - and possibly more if one of our chances had gone in.

[allanncd]

Reading the hysterical wrong-headed reaction to the performance and outcome (no surprise) in this match reminds me why I now visit this MB so infrequently.

[tomphil]

Yes we were set up well to start with, but once fergie made subs we were getting stretched and players were starting to tire.

HOW and WHY does Pedersen keep getting picked and stay on the pitch when he is SO bad. It was crying out for Dunn to come on, even at one nil down we still had 13 mins!

I'm also convinced there is more to the no-subs we have seen recently.

ANDY CRYER; please ask SK directly whether he is working to a weekly budget and if that affects the subs we can use. And also where is Simon Vukcevic, how bad does Pedersen have to play to get dropped.

Wasnt there something mentioned a few years ago about some Norweigen tv co. or something paying money to Rovers for live games over there because of Pederson. If some of his wages are being funded it would certainly explain a few things about why all managers have kept him as an ever present

[chaddyrovers]

Really good performance tonight by the team

shown great commitment and passion tonight.

Just wish Hoilett shot had gone in 1st half. would have been diifferent story maybe!

roll on WBA game. perform the same and we will win.

COYB!

[Kendalrover]

According to BBC we had 30% possession so that about sums up how much we were in the game. Yes we had some good chances but the shots were at a good height and position for the keeper to make his saves look good.

Valencia was a threat all night and he was left alone on the wing and allowed to cross again and again it was obvious to me that he would have some say in the final outcome.

To change tact did anyone else notice that as soon as United scored their second goal our illustrious leader's lacky (sorry security man/driver) went into the technical area to protect him from any obnoxious fan who might run onto the pich. Though it made a perfect photo opportunity for the media to show how our manager needs protection.

I think the way the ground started to empty shows what most Rovers fans really think, it seems like people have started to give up.

[Waggy76]

I agree - somehow people seem to think we are going to go from the ineptitude we showed against Bolton to playing United off the park.

Subs - well seen some of the conspiracy theories - if true would be like the old saying "sinking the ship for a penny worth of tar" - but for the moment will see them just as theories.

Substitutions - and their timing - will rarely fit in with what fans think. I would have brought on somebody with fresh legs - and to be honest when 2-0 down would have brought off Hoilett and the Yak to safe them for later matches. BUT - as you say - the team pattern was working - for all their possession we had roughly the same number of chances. To be honest I am a little surprised at peoples reaction.

I think people have had enough of the liar that is Steve Kean and the owners who do not care !!!!

[roverandout]

dont come back too soon then!!! aimed at allan

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

HOW and WHY does Pedersen keep getting picked and stay on the pitch when he is SO bad. It was crying out for Dunn to come on, even at one nil down we still had 13 mins!

Never really certain why MGP gets the stick he does - wasn't his best match - but was far from his worst.

[super_arran]

Has anyone mentioned how bad/petulant/lazy N'Zonzi was?

[roverandout]

did anyone notice jones shunning the home support when people tried to clap him off, he turned his back on the rovers supporters and just clapped the man utd fans, big baby!!!

[super_arran]

did anyone notice jones shunning the home support when people tried to clap him off, he turned his back on the rovers supporters and just clapped the man utd fans, big baby!!!

Don't blame him, most of the dicks were booing him

[Andy]

Has anyone mentioned how bad/petulant/lazy N'Zonzi was?

I noticed this - at one point he even did a lovely spinning motion, arms aloft after misplacing a pass.

Decent player, but needs to knock the petulance on the head.

[jim mk2]

Player for player our team isn't as good as theirs - and yet we gave them a real scare, and with a little more luck (i.e. them scoring from a cross) we may have got a precious point - and possibly more if one of our chances had gone in.

Made them work hard but we didn't scare them. United dominated the match and a goal (or two) was always inevitable IMO.

[super_arran]

I noticed this - at one point he even did a lovely spinning motion, arms aloft after misplacing a pass.

Decent player, but needs to knock the petulance on the head.

Yeh, bit of a Dioufy strop.

Someone needs to get it in his head that he's not as good as he thinks he might be.

[Tom]

For all their possession time and time again they got to the edge of our box and got frustrated, many times they passed it back and forth awaiting a gap that didn't come, both their goals were strikes from range.

There should have been players ready to come on if need be mind. Pedersen had a poor game but produced the ball of the game to Marcus olsson to set up yakubus chance

By the way Jones will never make it to the top in midfield, uniteds weakest player today.

[allanncd]

I have it on good authority Kean is ordered to lose matches so no win bonuses are paid.

[Brfcrule1]

I do think many of you are right against Bolton yes we should have made more subs to get back into the game because Bolton are a much weaker side. I can now see the logic behind not making a sub against Utd for the simple reason like earlier in the season where he changed things around and the result was worse if after they scored he brought on a striker to try and get something from the game and we lost 4/5-0 our goal difference would have been screwed. So the overall picture says that we are 2 goals behind QPR so we are within touching distance of them. I have to applaud the players for their application stuck to the gameplan I have to say the players did not deserve that because the first goal Valencia it did take a small deflection and felt it was rather fortuitous even the player could not answer whether it was a shot or cross. The 2nd goal was well taken and there is not much anyone could do about it. I did think for the way we defended so manfully the least we deserved is a point but we were unlucky, However, looking back at it I think we now should've made subs between their 2 goals to disrupt things and slow things down even further. I would not have made attacking subs just more steel in defence/midfield as if we had gone attacking after they scored the goal difference could have hurt us massively. Now for the West Brom game we must get 3 points and no excuses can be given West Brom are no Man Utd and 3 points are essential & we must get at least a point of Liverpool to have any chance of surviving. I also don't think A.Villa will get dragged into it because unless they start conceding 4-5 goals a game they won't get dragged into it as their GD will probably give them an extra point.

[roverandout]

tom i dont agree, i thought jones looked comfortable on the ball and caused us a few problems with his runs, had a decent chance with the header and rarely gave the ball away