[Archived] Patience

[scotty_beam_me_up]

Now I know this maybe a dirty word in football but is it not about time we had a little bit of patience down at Ewood Park. This topic isn't just about yesterday but yesterday is a microcosm of our problems in general. This post is a plea to all fans too get behind everyone now assiociated with Blackburn Rovers

Yesterday I was in the Darwen End watching grown men with anger strewn across their faces scream at players time and time again shouting "hoof it" "get it forward" and booing every time we played the ball backwards. After reading a lot of Footballers biography's their biggest problem with fans is that they don't understand the game. Yesterday those around me proved this to be correct 100%. Keeping the ball is massive in the modern game as it gives you the chance to wear the opposition down but the fans around me don't seem to see this.

Getting away from yesterday we have had a history of not giving players time and then destroying them when they are not up to standard. The great Tugay was often a focus for the boo boys in his early days and I remember the Riverside giving him dogs abuse against Celtic in the home game. In recent times Keith Andrews has been hounded out of the club and his main crime was that he came from League Two. MGP was once a 15million pound player and has given us great days over the years (Old Trafford was one of my favourite away days). As fans we ask for loyalty from our players but what loyalty have we shown him when he needed our support?

This isn't a new phenomenon. When we won the league Wilcox and Sherwood used to get untold abuse and that's when we were sitting top of English football. Danny Murphy is now the man getting the abuse and his crime appears to be that he has accepted a wage offer which was the best offer he could get in the summer. Does anyone think abusing him from start to finish is going to help him? Bradley Orr also seems to be in the boo boys sights.

If we are going to get out of this mess we are going to need to get behind everyone wearing blue and white. Most fans should now have seen we will not just roll over teams in this league and I really think we could be the 12th man this season. There will be times when we go a goal down or go in at half time a goal behind and our support to OUR players could prove vital.

Now the cancer that was Kean has gone I am asking every fan to get behind every player at our club. Remember patience is a virtue.

[roverandout]

agree about playing patient football, look at spain, they do it best and they win everything now

[watford-rover]

Well said, I totally agree

[AggyBlue]

Passing the ball backwards should be a last resort in keeping possession, for our players it has become the first option. Not one of our players took responsibility and tried to create anything positive with the ball.

It doesn't help when you set the team out with seven outfield player to keep behind the ball though.

There was so much wrong with yesterday the whole lot deserved booing off.

As for knowing nothing about football, the first person to say that to me, after fifty plus years playing and watching, gets put on their @rse.

[dingles staying down 4ever]

I love the people who one minute say we have to keep the ball and then the next Get it up the field!

Unfortuately if the players don't move in to space then passing the ball to forward players becomes difficult so the easy option is backwards. If your back players aren't comfortable on the ball all they'll do is lump it and hope it reaches a team mate.

[AndyC]

Passing the ball backwards should be a last resort in keeping possession, for our players it has become the first option. Not one of our players took responsibility and tried to create anything positive with the ball.

It doesn't help when you set the team out with seven outfield player to keep behind the ball though.

There was so much wrong with yesterday the whole lot deserved booing off.

As for knowing nothing about football, the first person to say that to me, after fifty plus years playing and watching, gets put on their @rse.

I'm sure you weren't one of the fans just shouting 'hoof it forward' though fella!

Agree about passing it back. I don't have an issue if there's nothing else on, but when the players are scared to pass and move forward, then there's something seriously wrong with their confidence.

[roversmum]

You may well have a point, Scotty. Now I'm no expert at football - quite the contrary, but to me it seems what whilst we are busy passing the ball round the back, it gives all the opposition players time to get in their places for when it is finally passed forward. By that time we've no chance as they can pick up the ball quite easily, as few are able to run at players with the ball - although Fabio did quite well doing just that when he came on. Even Black and Hendry were screaming at them to pass it forward.

Tugay's main problem was his vision that others didn't have and he would often lose the ball because either the player he had targeted (even before the ball had come to him) had moved or hadn't interpreted Tugay's intention.

Dingles also has a point in that for years I have been complaining that our players are too static, they never rarely get themselves in position to receive a ball and also often wait for a pass to come to them rather than anticipate and have a chance of receiving it.

However, shouting at the players is not the way to go. They do lack confidence and they are capable of much more. Personally though, I'd be looking at mixing things up a bit, introducing two or three more of our Portuguese lads and bringing on some of the former Academy lads who are now playing in the Reserves/under 21 squad.

Also, what the dickens was with Nuno Gomes, proving by sprinting up and down the side of the pitch, proving that he could run faster than those on the pitch and not being subbed on?

Edit: -and please don't mention Murphy. A complete embarrassment.

[Ossydave]

I think the players are a bit in limbo at the minute waiting to see who the new gaffer is, not excusing them at all because they should be getting on with the job regardless. There's definitely a lot of fans out there who thought we'd become Barcelona mkII overnight when Kean left though.

[keaney23]

After game yesturday Scott Dann came out to sign autographs when a small group chanted scott dann is dog ****. I thought that was harsh. Scott Dann didnt put a foot wrong yesturday and in fact hes played well this season minus one bad back pass. Its about time we supported our team win lose or draw. The negative press Rovers fans have got seems to hit nerves but based on some evidence from yesturday with Danny Murphy and with what I witnessed with Scott Dann then the negative press feels only fair for small group of negative fans. Seriously sort it out. Kean IS out after all. Move on.

[Tom]

Have to agree, murphy was poor but at one point he did well to keep the ball and nothing was on so he played it back and some idiots near me started booing, there was literally nothing on and he was been closed down at the time.

As bad as he may have been if nobody is making an effort to move into space then options are limited.

He was then booed as he approached to take a corner in the second half, yes he's been bad but the bloke has played ten games for us I just don't see what it achieves.

Of course a lot of people in the stand understand the game fully but the odd idiot is often more vocal so it may sound worse

[seanc88]

very good post. I think another area where patience is needed is between fans. We've all been through so much this past two years but yesterday was a prime example of the complete lack of respect for fellow fans and people in general.

The abuse Kamy received for simply saying to people to keep an eye out for a rovers related article that 'might' come out over the next 24 hours was ridiculous. I understand why people get frustrated by people who have contacts or supposed contacts, but the fact that Kamy has informed us of so much on this website and on podcasts you'd think people could respect that he couldn't say anymore. I mean he has to respect the wishes of his sources or they will dry up. It's the same with anyone who has legit sources. They aren't that easy to get hence most of us not being 'in the know'.

Another area where respect is needed is with the players. Keaney23 touched on an example of it above and another case I heard of yesterday was in relation to Danny Murphy and his family. When he was leaving yesterday he stopped to sign for a few supporters. He was holding his son at the time and had his wife by his side when he was swore at by certain fans. Regardless of how people viewed his performances so far, there is no reason to abuse the man in from of him children. It's one of the most sickening things I've heard in a long time.

We're all in this together and now with a new manager coming in we all need to pull together. No loose links, we need to walk and stand as one. We need to show the footballing world why Blackburn Rovers is a great club with great supporters.

[AggyBlue]

I'm sure you weren't one of the fans just shouting 'hoof it forward' though fella!

No I wasn't but I did spend most of the match shaking my head

[PAFELL]

Now I know this maybe a dirty word in football but is it not about time we had a little bit of patience down at Ewood Park. This topic isn't just about yesterday but yesterday is a microcosm of our problems in general. This post is a plea to all fans too get behind everyone now assiociated with Blackburn Rovers

Yesterday I was in the Darwen End watching grown men with anger strewn across their faces scream at players time and time again shouting "hoof it" "get it forward" and booing every time we played the ball backwards. After reading a lot of Footballers biography's their biggest problem with fans is that they don't understand the game. Yesterday those around me proved this to be correct 100%. Keeping the ball is massive in the modern game as it gives you the chance to wear the opposition down but the fans around me don't seem to see this.

Getting away from yesterday we have had a history of not giving players time and then destroying them when they are not up to standard. The great Tugay was often a focus for the boo boys in his early days and I remember the Riverside giving him dogs abuse against Celtic in the home game. In recent times Keith Andrews has been hounded out of the club and his main crime was that he came from League Two. MGP was once a 15million pound player and has given us great days over the years (Old Trafford was one of my favourite away days). As fans we ask for loyalty from our players but what loyalty have we shown him when he needed our support?

This isn't a new phenomenon. When we won the league Wilcox and Sherwood used to get untold abuse and that's when we were sitting top of English football. Danny Murphy is now the man getting the abuse and his crime appears to be that he has accepted a wage offer which was the best offer he could get in the summer. Does anyone think abusing him from start to finish is going to help him? Bradley Orr also seems to be in the boo boys sights.

If we are going to get out of this mess we are going to need to get behind everyone wearing blue and white. Most fans should now have seen we will not just roll over teams in this league and I really think we could be the 12th man this season. There will be times when we go a goal down or go in at half time a goal behind and our support to OUR players could prove vital.

Now the cancer that was Kean has gone I am asking every fan to get behind every player at our club. Remember patience is a virtue.

Good post, well said.

After game yesturday Scott Dann came out to sign autographs when a small group chanted scott dann is dog ****. I thought that was harsh. Scott Dann didnt put a foot wrong yesturday and in fact hes played well this season minus one bad back pass. Its about time we supported our team win lose or draw. The negative press Rovers fans have got seems to hit nerves but based on some evidence from yesturday with Danny Murphy and with what I witnessed with Scott Dann then the negative press feels only fair for small group of negative fans. Seriously sort it out. Kean IS out after all. Move on.

Danny Murphys wife has received abuse from some rovers fans. Totally out of order. For some people, it appears that giving out abuse is their hobby.

[JAL]

Rovers passed the ball around all too slowly and never really had any intent as roversmum points out it was only when Fabio Nunes came on the left side that the intent was there but only for that side of the pitch.

For balance considering we have the highest paid squad in the championship, yet we have or carry no threat down the right side at all this surely has to be professional neglect of the highest order.

[K-Hod]

Patience? After the horror show of the last 2 years? With the squad we have? Please.

[Mattyblue]

I'd say half of our team don't 'understand the game'.

[my_name_is_Earl]

I can't agree with passing the ball back just for the sake of it. This is ludicrous, if you look at the better teams, the only reason that they pass backwards is to draw a very defensive opposition out towards them or to switch flanks and shift the opposition.

This is not why we pass the ball backwards. We pass it backwards because we don't have a clue. This is largely due to an abysmal coaching staff and lack of preparation as well as poor confidence.

Yes, we need to be more patient but if you're team is offering absolutely nothing then they need telling, they need a rocket. If the players were giving 100% and still passing backwards than you would be inclined to be more patient. However, where was the intensity yesterday? Where was the commitment? The drive? These things come with attitude and at present, the squad has a very poor attitude, generally.

In principle, we do need to be more patient but the players, as a team, need to offer much, much more during matches.

[K-Hod]

The players we have are massively under-achieving ultimately. The amount of times we went backwards for the sake of it was embarrassing. We hoofed it aimlessly more than ever under Allardyce.

[unsall]

You are so right,there is a hell of a lot of fans down there who haven't a clue,one guy near me says every week for 2 strikers to sit on the half way line when we are defending and to leave 2 wingers out wide all of the time,you just can't do it these days,ok back in the 60s but times have changed in the days of Dalglish he always defended with 11 and had the wingers squeeze in,lets just wait for the new manager and hope he cah gel the team.Re,murphy and Etuhu most fans inc me thought they were 2 good buys not sure why Murphy is not producing,again new manager might sort him out because he did have a good season last year.

[DE.]

The players we have are massively under-achieving ultimately. The amount of times we went backwards for the sake of it was embarrassing. We hoofed it aimlessly more than ever under Allardyce.

The problem is we have gotten rid of most of the players in the team that have both experience and footballing intelligence, which is actually a pretty rare combo. To be a successful player without footballing intelligence you must have extremely good technical ability (eg. Nani) or work under a manager who will tell you exactly what to do and how to do it.

We've let go or pushed out most of the players in the team who had intelligence on the pitch. Nelsen, Samba, Salgado, Diouf (makes up for his lack of pace with intelligent runs/positioning)... most of our players appear to be dumb as a post when it comes to reading the game. Especially the defenders, the poor sods don't have a clue. Murphy's the only one in the team who seems to understand the flow of the game but he's either not arsed or doesn't feel he has enough support within the team.

That's why we really need an Allardyce type manager. Somebody who will tell these fairly simple players what to do and when to do it. Kean's management style clearly lets the players have a huge amount of freedom, something they just aren't intelligent enough to utilise. Black seems to have continued that trend. It's why we always see such a huge gap between defence/midfield/striker(s) ... the players don't have the natural intelligence to understand where they need to be on or off the ball, and the formation is not helping them overcome that deficiency.

[Plastic Head]

The fans at Ewood have been patient beyond belief, and that is part of the problem.

The scumbags that own our club have dragged it down to a level of chaos never before seen at a football club in this country. Maybe in India this is the norm but it certainly isn't here.

The running of the club continues to be a shambles with staff given jobs beyond their capabilities and even then not given tools and backing needed to do their job effectively. Some roles have been unfilled for too long and key decisions have been made by outside parties with their own interests at heart or by the odious Kean.

They have allowed Kean to demolish a very good Premier League squad and leave the team, as I witnessed yesterday in my first visit of the season, completely without organisation, method and motivation. They couldn't even be arsed to get out of bed and sack the jerk properly, he had to do their job for them and will probably rob them further for their procrastination and inability to make a decision.

Then they have the brass neck to send us a comedian from a place where football is as relevant as snow, and expect us to swallow his confused and random ranting as them making things better. Well screw you, anyone with an ounce of sense saw through him in five seconds.

And there they sat on Saturday, in seats formerly reserved for the Rovers greatest supporter, without a word of dissent from the attendees (well all but one in particular at least).

These people should be hounded out of town, if they ever return, with a firm message never to come back.

It seems that even the monstrous Kean had had enough of them in the end, it's time some people started to realise that things will only continue to get worse whilst these fools own the club. You think because Kean has left things will improve? Dream on. The nightmare will continue until all there is left is a decaying and deserted stadium and a team of pub cloggers playing non league football.

Wake up, smell the chapattis and if you must give the clowns your money let them know they need to do one, now.

[adsfortheblues]

Now I know this maybe a dirty word in football but is it not about time we had a little bit of patience down at Ewood Park. This topic isn't just about yesterday but yesterday is a microcosm of our problems in general. This post is a plea to all fans too get behind everyone now assiociated with Blackburn Rovers

Yesterday I was in the Darwen End watching grown men with anger strewn across their faces scream at players time and time again shouting "hoof it" "get it forward" and booing every time we played the ball backwards. After reading a lot of Footballers biography's their biggest problem with fans is that they don't understand the game. Yesterday those around me proved this to be correct 100%. Keeping the ball is massive in the modern game as it gives you the chance to wear the opposition down but the fans around me don't seem to see this.

Getting away from yesterday we have had a history of not giving players time and then destroying them when they are not up to standard. The great Tugay was often a focus for the boo boys in his early days and I remember the Riverside giving him dogs abuse against Celtic in the home game. In recent times Keith Andrews has been hounded out of the club and his main crime was that he came from League Two. MGP was once a 15million pound player and has given us great days over the years (Old Trafford was one of my favourite away days). As fans we ask for loyalty from our players but what loyalty have we shown him when he needed our support?

This isn't a new phenomenon. When we won the league Wilcox and Sherwood used to get untold abuse and that's when we were sitting top of English football. Danny Murphy is now the man getting the abuse and his crime appears to be that he has accepted a wage offer which was the best offer he could get in the summer. Does anyone think abusing him from start to finish is going to help him? Bradley Orr also seems to be in the boo boys sights.

If we are going to get out of this mess we are going to need to get behind everyone wearing blue and white. Most fans should now have seen we will not just roll over teams in this league and I really think we could be the 12th man this season. There will be times when we go a goal down or go in at half time a goal behind and our support to OUR players could prove vital.

Now the cancer that was Kean has gone I am asking every fan to get behind every player at our club. Remember patience is a virtue.

On the point of fans don't understand the game. To be perfectly on I think plenty of fans understand the game and secondly even if some people don't grasp all parts of the game, these people pay their hard earned money to watch these overpaid losers and they certainly don't pay this money because they want to watch a bunch of garbage week in week out. Therefore they have a right to vent their frustrations at these underperforming or in some cases simply not good enough so called players.

[scotty_beam_me_up]

I would just like to clarify I do think we have some very well informed fans who can see the problems but continue to support. My concern is though that its the vocal minority that get heard and stop the likes of Dann signing autographs and Joanna Taylor going on Twitter giving us a bit of an insight into life behind the scenes at Ewood. Players do talk and I would like to hope when our new manager goes into the transfer market in January, players will want to come here because Ewood is a great place to play football.

I would also like to add I can be as guilty as anyone. When CKR failed to chase the ball into the corner in the first half yesterday I did utter a few expletives under my breath!!

[scotty_beam_me_up]

The fans at Ewood have been patient beyond belief, and that is part of the problem.

The scumbags that own our club have dragged it down to a level of chaos never before seen at a football club in this country. Maybe in India this is the norm but it certainly isn't here.

The running of the club continues to be a shambles with staff given jobs beyond their capabilities and even then not given tools and backing needed to do their job effectively. Some roles have been unfilled for too long and key decisions have been made by outside parties with their own interests at heart or by the odious Kean.

They have allowed Kean to demolish a very good Premier League squad and leave the team, as I witnessed yesterday in my first visit of the season, completely without organisation, method and motivation. They couldn't even be arsed to get out of bed and sack the jerk properly, he had to do their job for them and will probably rob them further for their procrastination and inability to make a decision.

Then they have the brass neck to send us a comedian from a place where football is as relevant as snow, and expect us to swallow his confused and random ranting as them making things better. Well screw you, anyone with an ounce of sense saw through him in five seconds.

And there they sat on Saturday, in seats formerly reserved for the Rovers greatest supporter, without a word of dissent from the attendees (well all but one in particular at least).

These people should be hounded out of town, if they ever return, with a firm message never to come back.

It seems that even the monstrous Kean had had enough of them in the end, it's time some people started to realise that things will only continue to get worse whilst these fools own the club. You think because Kean has left things will improve? Dream on. The nightmare will continue until all there is left is a decaying and deserted stadium and a team of pub cloggers playing non league football.

Wake up, smell the chapattis and if you must give the clowns your money let them know they need to do one, now.

I think you're missing the point of my post. I know the owners are probably the worst in the football, their performance over the last 2 years has proven that. My point is the players who are here now have nothing to do with the regime and are just plying their trade. I would like us to get behind them like I know we can. This isn't a Venky's issue as it has been going on for a long time now. The only way we will get rid of Venkys is to by them out but in the mean time I would like us to get behind the team and not castigate the players.

[the original david brent]

Yesterday I was in the Darwen End watching grown men with anger strewn across their faces scream at players time and time again shouting "hoof it" "get it forward" and booing every time we played the ball backwards. After reading a lot of Footballers biography's their biggest problem with fans is that they don't understand the game. Yesterday those around me proved this to be correct 100%. Keeping the ball is massive in the modern game as it gives you the chance to wear the opposition down but the fans around me don't seem to see this.

I personally disagree with this. I've played footy to a reasonable standard and I'd like to think I have some understanding of the game. I find the sideways and backwards passing between the midfield and defence as boring and ineffective. Its also dangerous, as we have seen with rovers this season, with goals being conceded by losing possession at the back.

The style of keeping the ball at the back may work for Barcelona. But it does not work for an average team like rovers. Indeed, who is fairing better in the premier league? Big Sam and his direct style of play, or Brendan Rodgers and his let's kean about with the ball at the back for ages?

Rovers could do a lot worse than get the ball into the final third as quickly as possible and play from there. I don't mean up and under stuff. Moreso some forward passing, or somebody having the confidence to carry the ball forward 20-30 yards. How many times have we had the ball in the final third in the last 3 games? Not many.

Going back to your original point, I think the fans are right to want to see the ball further up the field.