[Archived] Rovers V Man United Preview and Match Thread

[Kendalrover]

I actually think there were positive and we deserved a point.

Probably why I was so devestated last night.

Is there a league table for 'deserved' points. I bet we are in a Champions League spot.

[Torgeir]

We need all 11 players to perform for 90 minutes. Unfortunately Valencia was too good last night, but Robinson really could have stopped his shot. ManU kept possession between the first and second goal and were patient throughout the game - a solid performance by them. Thought we worked with what little we had, and could have nicked it - or managed to get a draw but it wasn't to be. Hard work like this every week, and a little more accuracy when on the break, and we will get points from here on out.

If we do stay up, I really hope we invest heavily in the summer - because this seasons is just devastating to watch.

[Mattyblue]

'We've been taking the positives, dusting werselves down and cracking on' for 30+ games, still in the bottom 3...

[broadsword]

Not just cracking on, but also kicking on.

Have to agree with thenodrog, watching a game from behind a goal is cr*p, you need to be sat at halfway, elevated.

I was sat in with the home fans watching spurs vs Rovers once. I had a seat on the bottom row and couldn't see the players' feet at times.

[Tom]

Sometimes I think people don't take into account the oppostion. Talk of possession etc and how we should have gone at them, we were playing one of the best teams in the world and approached the game perfectly and frustrated them until a thunderbolt of a strike (altough accross the keeper from that angle questions have to be asked)

Yes we lost but we 99% would have lost if we went gung ho and then people would moan that we didn't keep our shape.

Last night isn't the problem, last week and wolves at home and Bolton at home is the problem.

[ruggles1995]

any1 else like the young lad henley to play at left back? In the 2 games hes played hes looked decent. Making the 6 hour drive up to Ewood next Tuesday. We MUST get something out of liverpool, but the worrying thing is I think Liverpool are due a win and I can see it being a 3-1 battering.

[thenodrog]

Just as an aside my mate's lad worked in the Darwen End bars and he was quite ameanable to MU until last night. He is now of the opinion that the majority last night were just thieving Irish scum.

Funny how kids choose never to believe their elders isn't it.

[Commondore]

It appears to have escaped quite a few people's attention that Mr Goodwillie wasn't on the bench last night, something to do with waiting to be sentenced.

Really? Both BBC and the TV graphics listed him as a sub. He's a very limited player, but at least he runs around and never gives up, and there's certainly a bigger chance of him getting on the end of a flick-on in 10 minutes than of Orr or Marcus Olsson doing it.

[G Somerset Rover]

any1 else like the young lad henley to play at left back? In the 2 games hes played hes looked decent. Making the 6 hour drive up to Ewood next Tuesday. We MUST get something out of liverpool, but the worrying thing is I think Liverpool are due a win and I can see it being a 3-1 battering.

He's probably due a few £k for each appearance, so don't expect to see him anytime soon. What are you worried about anyway - we have Marcus Olsson......

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

The score last night was? Remind me

Short term memory loss - very worrying.

[Hasta]

Ryan Giggs has played a number of positions for MU but he's only been selected on the right wing very rarely and every time I saw him he was awful.

Yes but when Giggs plays on the left wing he's good. What's MGP's excuse for the last 3 years ?

[Proudtobeblue&white]

My view is that a season is 38 games - had we been sitting in mid table mediocrity then last night would have been a shrug of the shoulders, beaten by the better team, and move on.

I felt that for 35 minutes Utd toyed with us, but in the 10 minutes until half time we got into gear and took the game to them and were unlucky not to have a gaol to show.

But then we get the half-time team talk which must have gone along the lines of: "What do you think you're doing, you've had shots on goal and could embarrass Sir Alex, not to mention jeopardising the £2 mill we can expect from them if we let them win and go on to claim the title. Go back out and defend!"

We have shown time and time again we cannot defend, so why do it. We are the best attacking side of the bottom 5, so why not play to strengths? Utd are a good tidy side, but I felt they were not as good last night as sides from the past, but we let them play. I'm afraid my belief about relegation is coming true - Kean is a very poor manager, not to bring on and freshen the team last night was criminal, Peds was average, but played out of position, and Marcus showed that he is a poor journeyman player [but cheap]. I was at Bolton and felt that it was the most important match for years, and again Kean failed to motivate his players sufficiently, nor mix things up when we had 30 minutes at 2-1. Last night wasn't the season decider, but far too many must win games have passed us by now. I just wish he would go.

[A cup of beans]

Having watched the game on TV I thought we actually did OK containing them - how many clear-cut chances did they have? I think we had more shots on target than when we won 3-2 at Old Trafford. We just lacked a bit of luck in that respect. Gave Valencia too much time on the wing, the commentator actually commented that Scholes had worn a groove in the pitch passing to him so often.

However, any credit due to Kean for this is taken away by the lack of subs. It was obvious we needed fresh legs in midfield and up front in the last 20 minutes. Formica and Dunn would have helped with ball possession and tracking down. Criminal not to do this, especially when Utd put three subs on at 0-0. However, in reality only a point lost and we should save our luck for WBA and Liverpool.

+1 sums up my feelings. lack of sums is astonishing! particularly when utd brought on fresh pacy players.

HOW OBVIOUS DOES IT HAVE TO BE FOR KEAN TO SEE MARTIN OLSSON ISNT A LEFT BACK!

kean is clueless and thick! he's proving it week in... week out!

[Torgeir]

+1 sums up my feelings. lack of sums is astonishing! particularly when utd brought on fresh pacy players.

HOW OBVIOUS DOES IT HAVE TO BE FOR KEAN TO SEE MARTIN OLSSON ISNT A LEFT BACK!

kean is clueless and thick! he's proving it week in... week out!

Who would you play at left back then? Givet would have been made to look silly by Valencia last night, a lot more so than Olsson was.

[savage90]

I was again fairly pleased with Marcus Olsson last night and I have been in recent weeks too. I really didn't expect much from him. But I enjoy his direct approach. He very nearly scored a spectacular volley and layed in Yakubu perfectly for what would have been a goal had it not been for Ferdinand's great challenge. Also he put in a fantastic cross for Yakubu against Bolton for a header he should have buried so I have been surprised at the glimpses of quality shown. He has been rushed into things for sure but I think West Brom might me an ideal chance for him. I thought Martin had the poorer game of the two last night, he struggled to deal with Valencia all night, perhaps Marcus is partly responsible for this but Martin is playing in defence and at times didn't look like a full back at all.

[Hughesy]

One of the key questions has to be - Is Kean to blame for the lack of Subs? Are his hands tied by the financial people & Venkys???

As for the Valencia goal - any shot hit that hard whilst running at goal from just 16-14 yards is always going to be near impossible to save.

[Mattyblue]

One of the key questions has to be - Is Kean to blame for the lack of Subs? Are his hands tied by the financial people & Venkys???

As for the Valencia goal - any shot hit that hard whilst running at goal from just 16-14 yards is always going to be near impossible to save.

Either way, at this stage it is worrying.

[broadsword]

If any manager's hands were tied like that i'd expect them to walk. I'd find it humiliating. It's no way to run a club. Clearly there's no point talking about canning kean, because only the truly desperate would want the gig under those circumstances

[Andy]

I was again fairly pleased with Marcus Olsson last night and I have been in recent weeks too. I really didn't expect much from him. But I enjoy his direct approach. He very nearly scored a spectacular volley and layed in Yakubu perfectly for what would have been a goal had it not been for Ferdinand's great challenge. Also he put in a fantastic cross for Yakubu against Bolton for a header he should have buried so I have been surprised at the glimpses of quality shown. He has been rushed into things for sure but I think West Brom might me an ideal chance for him. I thought Martin had the poorer game of the two last night, he struggled to deal with Valencia all night, perhaps Marcus is partly responsible for this but Martin is playing in defence and at times didn't look like a full back at all.

I agree, I thought Marcus did alright considering he's still getting to grips with the Premier League.

Seems to get a bit of hate on here, but I was pleased with Marcus Olsson last night.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

"Rovers boss Steve Kean believes they showed enough to suggest they are capable of avoiding the drop. "If we can play at that standard for next seven games - not for 80 mins but 90 - we'll get plenty of wins," he said."

The same inane bull that he has spouted ALL season regurgitated time and time again,we are going nowhere other than down under your tenure Teflon...I think maybe,just maybe its starting to hit home with some of our fans.

[Jimmy612]

If any manager's hands were tied like that i'd expect them to walk. I'd find it humiliating. It's no way to run a club. Clearly there's no point talking about canning kean, because only the truly desperate would want the gig under those circumstances

I would actually give it to Eric Black. I do not see anything at all that Kean offers to the club. His removal would help bring the club back together, all pulling in one direction.

Kean is safer in his job than Ferguson is unfortunately.

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

A bit surprised at the stick Olsson Mk2 is receiving. I agree he is a limited player - who needs to improve quite a bit to make a reasonable Premiership player - but lets give him a little slack as he has been thrown in right at the deep end. I am not certain that many thought he would get beyond the subs bench this season - let alone become a starter.

I think it is best to compare him to Formica - technically Formica is by far the better player. But given the way we currently play - when the ball is played long up the wing which player is going to get on the end of it and hold the ball up ?

I would like to see far more from Olsson - but he fits into the way we currently play - and though his individual contribution isn't always what it should be - I think he contributes greatly to the overall improved performances we have seen of late.

[only2garners]

Really? Both BBC and the TV graphics listed him as a sub. He's a very limited player, but at least he runs around and never gives up, and there's certainly a bigger chance of him getting on the end of a flick-on in 10 minutes than of Orr or Marcus Olsson doing it.

He definitely was not on the bench. He was not listed as a sub when the teams were announced at the ground and looking at the BBC match report now he's not listed there either. the report on Radio Lancashire said he would be available for selection but I guess it was decided that a day in court was not the ideal preparation.

[Torgeir]

One of the key questions has to be - Is Kean to blame for the lack of Subs? Are his hands tied by the financial people & Venkys???

As for the Valencia goal - any shot hit that hard whilst running at goal from just 16-14 yards is always going to be near impossible to save.

Not from the angle he was shooting from. Robinson is decent, and certainly not our worst player, but a goalkeeper like Friedel would have kept us up this season.

[Stuart]

We played virtually the same tactics at Old Trafford - remind me what the score was ?

Surely tactics change depending on the circumstances and personnel involved. You can't just say "well it worked last time". In any case, and you also need to change your strategy accordingly as the game progresses - e.g. replacing tiring players with fresher ones.

One of the key questions has to be - Is Kean to blame for the lack of Subs? Are his hands tied by the financial people & Venkys???

Neither answer to that question gives me ANY hope of survival.

Either:

1) Kean is incompetent (well...)

2) We are in absolute financial meltdown - in which case we will only see player sales at the end of the season - relegation or not.

3) Both

Let's hope it's just 1)...