[Archived] GAME THREAD - Hull City Home 12/13

[Tom10K]

What a soulless and strange night at Ewood that was, the enjoyment of watching our football club is well and truly gone. Last season I agreed with a Wolves fan at the first game last season that both teams would be relegated, tonight a Hull fan said something similar with more swearing but I feel that I have just watched two poor Championship sides. Its hard to put into words how poor Hull were, yet Rovers had no idea how to break them down. On paper there was no contest in reality it took a scramble to force a winner, the only "Positive" was Bruno Riberio and the entrance of Nuno Gomes for the well and truly finished David Dunn (I hate saying that but its true).

It feels like a nightmare scenario seeing Steve Kean so excited at his masterful 1-0 victory, where Kean looked calm throughout I'd hate to think how crazy Souness, Hughes or Allardyce would have going had they been overseeing such a performance. A win is a win, I want to be happy but the realisation after two matches for me is that we are fighting for a mid-table finish in the Championship. Steve Kean and his lack of tactics or ideas was clear for everyone to see, but sadly the result is all that he needs to show the media this week.

[Baz]

We got a vital 3 points which puts us into the upper reaches of the table whilst at the same time the quality of the performance could not leave anyone in any doubt that Kean is still not the answer, even at this level.

Not so sure Rev, they don't appear to seen the doubt when the results weren't there for past 18 months.

[ABBEY]

Poor poor poor ...hope the wife fancies asda Saturday . We won yes but it was woeful .

[jim mk2]

1 SOCCER Blackburn 2nd Nightlead

KEAN WORRIED ABOUT KAZIM-RICHARDS

By Dominic Farrell, Press Association Sport

Blackburn manager Steve Kean was left sweating on the fitness of Colin Kazim-Richards after the on-loan Galatasaray forward's second goal in as many matches secured a 1-0 win over Hull.

Kazim-Richards followed up his debut goal in Saturday's opening draw at Ipswich by smashing home from close range to settle the npower Championship contest in the 77th minute.

But in the closing minutes the 25-year-old Turkey international pulled up with a knee injury, meaning Portuguese veteran Nuno Gomes could be Kean's only available senior striker for the visit of Leicester on Saturday.

``He felt a little strain just on the outside of his knee, so hopefully that won't be a bad one because the last thing we would want is another injury to the strikers,'' Kean said.

With Republic of Ireland striker Leon Best, a £3million summer signing from Newcastle, sidelined due to knee ligament damage, Kean remains in the market for attacking reinforcements.

The Rovers boss recently went public with his club's bid for highly-rated Huddersfield striker Jordan Rhodes but does not want to ruffle any more feathers before the close of the transfer window.

He said: ``What I've said, and I think it's very important, is we're trying to be respectful to clubs that own the players that we're bidding for.

``If it's a 'no, and please don't bid again and go away' then I think we'll try somewhere else because we're trying to improve the squad right up until the deadline.''

Kean was glowing in his assessment of Kazim-Richards' contribution this evening before his late withdrawal.

``He thought, when he came to the club, he wasn't a natural goalscorer, but I would disagree with him,'' he said.

``I think he's got the power and the strength and the attributes - certainly his anticipational skills - to let him score and give him opportunities to score.

``Not only at this level, but I think he can score a level up.''

An attendance of 13,562 - Rovers' lowest for a home league game since their goalless draw with Sheffield United in 1993 - soundtracked the contest with now familiar calls for Kean's head, most notably after Kazim-Richards' goal.

When asked about this afterwards, the Scot maintained his position that further positive results can quickly bring about a change of opinion despite Blackburn's relegation from the Barclays Premier League last year.

``The thing that I'm focusing on is wins and clean sheets,'' he added.

``We've managed to get a really good point on Saturday, a clean sheet today, scored a goal and I'm sure by the time we get another couple of victories the fans will be happy.''

Hull manager Steve Bruce felt a lack of ruthlessness in front of goal cost his side in a game of few chances.

``There wasn't a hive of created chances, but I thought if anything we had the better chances,'' he said.

``I think after being at the club a few weeks that's going to be our Achilles heel.

``I'm not just saying strikers. I think it's the whole culture, midfield players, defenders - the whole thing. I think that's the one area where we've got to improve.

``For all our good football and the way we are defensively, if you don't score and take the chances somewhere like here it's going to be a frustrating night for you.''

end

[The Prof.]

Rovers win and I feel awful. I don't know wether to be upset or happy.

Me too bud.

Have to agree with Brucie's version of the game above.

``He felt a little strain just on the outside of his knee, so hopefully that won't be a bad one because the last thing we would want is another injury to the strikers,'' Kean said.

What other strikers?

[sambo]

Awful. So, so boring.

Only the D.E sang really, and were the only ones giving Kean stick in a soulless, quiet, empty Ewood.

Mid table mediocrity written all over it.

[adsfortheblues]

Nonsense.

Then again - if you were there - you'd have seen for yourself.

I was there and we were lucky, awful performance.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

``We've managed to get a really good point on Saturday, a clean sheet today, scored a goal and I'm sure by the time we get another couple of victories the fans will be happy.''

Rainbows and Unicorns in the world of Teflon.

[Rover_Shaun]

It was so interesting on five live I switched off and watched Raiders of the Lost Ark again.

There was something familiar about the film and the turgid events at Venky HQ.....Deja Vu??

[promoted2001]

We need "I saw Bruno Ribeiro play" t-shirts

[thenodrog]

*Puts tin hat on*

Thankful for three points but Richards, shirtless, covered in tatoos and drop kicking the corner flag is NOT the Blackburn Rovers I grew up with.

Sorry.

Pathetic isn't it? A yellow card collected by the cupid stunt for absolutely no reason. A clause in the contract re: Salary unpaid coupled with a discretionary fine based on weakening the club's options whilst under suspension would surely stop such infantile displays. Why make such a fuss? Scoring is what we signed him for!

Negatives:

Tactics or lack thereof

Robinson looked awful, flapped at easy crosses and poor kicking

Lowe is poor

Nunes and Olsson both lacked an end product

Positives:

Etuhu was a class above and the engine we missed last season

Kazim Richards did well with little service

I saw Bruno Ribeiro play a competitive game, the atmosphere was great when he came on

I have a Moat of empty seats surrounding me so I can spead out when I get bored

I saw Bruno Ribeiro take a shot

I thought you were staying away Tom?

[Andy]

The best thing about tonight's result is that it was the final result in a small accumulator that won me £125

[S60tti_BRFC]

Holy ######!! That was terrible. Can't sum up how woeful we actually are. The players Kean has at his disposal should easily walk the championship, or at least a rudderless Hull City on a dark and gloomy night at Ewood. Tonight truly confirmed how far we have actually fallen under Venkys, the soulless ewood with a mere 13k+ fans will be lucky to see a 13th placed finish at best.

Venky's could only manage a measly 69 minutes before they disappeared into the sun set yet again. Kean had his arms aloft like we'd won the championship.

I only went tonight as i was offered a free ticket, but the way forward really is only away games. I was at Ipswich, i'll be at Leeds, but i won't be stepping in Ewood until something drastic has changed, I'm still shocked at what i experienced tonight, i've never witnessed something so flat.

When we scored, i didn't have a clue how to react, (what have venkys done to me)

[Tom]

Pathetic isn't it? A yellow card collected by the cupid stunt for absolutely no reason. A clause in the contract re: Salary unpaid coupled with a discretionary fine based on weakening the club's options whilst under suspension would surely stop such infantile displays. Why make such a fuss? Scoring is what we signed him for!

I thought you were staying away Tom?

I was undecided, went to the club shop today, approached the till twice and walked away before finally giving me

Not a decision I'm particularly happy with and not a political one by any means

[RevidgeBlue]

*Puts tin hat on*

Thankful for three points but Richards, shirtless, covered in tatoos and drop kicking the corner flag is NOT the Blackburn Rovers I grew up with.

Sorry.

I do think that's being a bit picky. I quite enjoyed the enthusiasm of his goal celebration.

I just wish he hadn't peeled his shirt off and picked up a needless yellow card.

I was there and we were lucky, awful performance.

It wasn't a great performance but in my view we were never in any danger of losing the game.

The only question was whether it would finish 0-0 or whether we would nick it.

Admittedly it looked like it would finish 0-0 for most of the game because for all our obvious superiority we lined up far too negatively with only a stand in wide man up front.

[A cup of beans]

Poor poor poor ...hope the wife fancies asda Saturday . We won yes but it was woeful .

Couldnt agree more.

The Championship is a dreadful league.

Hull were abject.

Ethuhu strolled around under no pressure.

Nunes will vanish off the face of the earth within a few months.

Tactics were non existent.

No presence upfront until Gomes came on.

Worst Rovers squad I've seen (and I include some pretty average 80's squads..) they were all better than this current rabble).

Leonard Venkyhater said it best; "My heart and my soul have been stolen."

[Salgado Is A Hero]

Agreed, he should have known not to take his shirt off......but I like celebrations that are a bit different in the world of football where many players seem like lifeless robots in interviews and that......players like Balotelli and Kazim are a refreshing change......he scored a goal for us and people moan about the celebration? There's bigger issues than that to get worked up about.

[A cup of beans]

Holy ######!! That was terrible. Can't sum up how woeful we actually are. The players Kean has at his disposal should easily walk the championship, or at least a rudderless Hull City on a dark and gloomy night at Ewood. Tonight truly confirmed how far we have actually fallen under Venkys, the soulless ewood with a mere 13k+ fans will be lucky to see a 13th placed finish at best.

Venky's could only manage a measly 69 minutes before they disappeared into the sun set yet again. Kean had his arms aloft like we'd won the championship.

I only went tonight as i was offered a free ticket, but the way forward really is only away games. I was at Ipswich, i'll be at Leeds, but i won't be stepping in Ewood until something drastic has changed, I'm still shocked at what i experienced tonight, i've never witnessed something so flat.

When we scored, i didn't have a clue how to react, (what have venkys done to me)

Great post. Sums up the whole sorry mess.

We need "I saw Bruno Ribeiro play" t-shirts

and "Shebby... Shebby. give us a wave" -

The shameless illegitimate did! what a moron!

[jim mk2]

Sounds as though fans had to suffer the same dross as the second half at Portman Road, one of the worst 45mins I have ever had to watch. Rovers are a poor, weak, old, slow side. We'll do well to finish halfway this season.

[thenodrog]

Agreed, he should have known not to take his shirt off......but I like celebrations that are a bit different in the world of football where many players seem like lifeless robots in interviews and that......players like Balotelli and Kazim are a refreshing change......he scored a goal for us and people moan about the celebration? There's bigger issues than that to get worked up about.

Not when our only other centre forward with any quality is going to be missing most of the season. An infantile and irresponsible action.

[sam_rovers]

Always happy when we win a game but the fact I want Kean OUT will never change

[RevidgeBlue]

Rovers are a poor, weak, old, slow side. We'll do well to finish halfway this season.

If Hull turn out to be a relegation outfit then you might be right. But not if they are representative of the general standard of the Division. It's impossible to overemphasise how poor they were after having watched Premiership football for the majority of the last 20 years.

On the evidence of the opening 2 games the Division is there for the taking with the addition of some firepower up front.

[tomphil]

Awful game, usual numb tactics. They mostly knocked it about like a pre season stroll. Highlight of the night was actually seeing Bruno and the crowds reaction, a slight bit of humour on a eerie night apart from the Kean out chant from the 800 or so Hull fans who were mostly silent themselves. A win is a win though but you feel an even slightly better team would have taken us tonight

[Giant]

Thought Murphy looked very weak tonight, Dunn a sad site, the fans reaction to the arrival of Bruno an embarrassment to the player and Nuno Gomes head and shoulders above anyone else on the pitch in terms of vision. Also think that we'll win this league.

[BuckyRover]

I didn't think I would be but I am happy that we won. My fire isn't extinguished just yet