[Archived] Derby County v Blackburn Rovers Review

[Mattyblue]

Indeed Old Darwen. Looking through this thread when the game was on yesterday, I'd never seen so few new posts.

Apathy has well and truly set in.

[Alan75]

I must say I thought Lowe had a reasonably decent game today. I've been very critical of him, but give him his dues, in central midfield he looks okay. Playing him right wing though is a big no.

Agreed - really annoyed me reading back on this topic to see so called fans criticising Lowe from the comfort of their armchairs.

Have to agree also with Parsonblue that the inclusion of Dunn and Pederson was a benifit - maybe not the most gifted players these days but they along with Lowe at leaste gave 110% and showed some passion. Something that will be needed to get out of this league.

If only we had a Craig Short or Ryan Nelson to boss the defence and a captain in the shape of Flitcroft to boss the game.

ps -

Pride Park Pie watch - Over cooked and dry - more crust than content (bit like the football)

[Paul]

Never done this before ....... Been away all weekend and only just remembered to check the scores. Jeez.

[K-Hod]

Not bothered watching he highlights, but it seems to be the same sh1t, different day.

The only difference between Black and Kean, is the post match interviews from what I can see- Black isn't completely full of horse sh1t....Though, he still comes out with the odd Kean-ism...

[tomphil]

Lowe did ok yesterday. He isn't a world beater and never will be but some spineless turds need to stop picking on him. The fact is the likes of him and many others like Dann, Orr etc are exposed for being very fortunate to be at a club that was in the Prem when really their level on a consistent basis is bottom half championship material. We all know who to blame for that, just like the over promoting of the likes of Lowe.

[roverandout]

amazing, we used to have about 23 or so pages on match threads, look how few we have now, is this a sign of people's apathy towards rovers right now?

[gumboots]

amazing, we used to have about 23 or so pages on match threads, look how few we have now, is this a sign of people's apathy towards rovers right now?

it was an away game and it wasn't shown on MOTD. we used to get minimal coverage on there but at least most of us were awake when it happened and if not we'd watch it early next morning. Now it IS early next morning before we get to see ithe first run through (and I can't stand Maniche anyway) and whilst i'd watch if, by some miracle we scored lots of goals and won (as with Bristol City away), I really can't be bothered for one Rhodes strike that I can see probably anytime.

[my_name_is_Earl]

I thought first half, there was plenty to be happy with. We had Lowe, Dunn and Etuhu snapping at ankles all the way through it. Second half, we dropped much deeper which I believe is mainly down to poor fitness. When you're tired, you drop back and settle on dominating a smaller portion of the pitch in order to conserve your energy. This happened once again as it has done all season and this is by far and away the biggest thing that the new manager has to address in order to see an improvement in results. If we can go through 90 minutes as we do through to 60 minutes, we'll definitely see results improve.

Talking about 60 minutes, what a shame Dunn can't last a full game. We looked a much more balanced team with his tenacity, intensity and vision. Fitness allowing, he could still do a job in the premier league, he is that good. Didn't he take time out to improve his own cardio fitness recently? Well, you could see what a difference it has made. the rest of the squad needs to put the same time in at the gym.

As for Black, didn't do too much wrong apart from one major decision which cost us two points. Firstly, the positive, he dropped Murphy and without him in there, Lowe took centre stage. I would play him over Murphy at the moment as well, simply because he has a much better engine. Once Murphy is fully fit, those two should be fighting for that position although I would be happy to see Lowe go in at RB once Murphy is fully fit simply as he is the best at the club in that position.

Now the major mistake. Replacing Dunn with Formica. Dunn had energy, enthusiasm and commitment until he was just totally shattered and needed replacing. Putting Formica on in his place was the worst thing Black could have done. He lacked everything that Dunn had given throughout the game and once Formica came on, Derby targeted this area for the rest of the match and scored there goal through another Formica error. The problem is Formica is a little boy out there, in terms of the physical, off the ball side of the game. He lacks the intensity and I would say ability to close people down, he doesn't put enough pressure on the opposition and he lets people go past him way too easily. The goal came through that, otherwise we would have won that match.

I don't think Formica has a future at the club to be honest, we need a team who can unite when they haven't got the ball and scrap and fight for each other. As others have said, there are to many show ponies at this club, none more so than Mauro Formica who will never be a success in English football unless he changes his game. I would rather have seen a youth team player come on who isn't afraid to get hurt.

[Ferrit]

Can only hope whoever comes in does the required and bins Hendry off immediately.

Doing a great job Col.

[broadsword]

Indeed Old Darwen. Looking through this thread when the game was on yesterday, I'd never seen so few new posts.

Apathy has well and truly set in.

I won't feel interested again until venky's have left.

I forgot about the game until half-time yesterday so I had a quick check. Then I fell asleep until ten to 5. Laughed bitterly when I saw the final result.

[arbitro]

I thought first half, there was plenty to be happy with. We had Lowe, Dunn and Etuhu snapping at ankles all the way through it. Second half, we dropped much deeper which I believe is mainly down to poor fitness. When you're tired, you drop back and settle on dominating a smaller portion of the pitch in order to conserve your energy. This happened once again as it has done all season and this is by far and away the biggest thing that the new manager has to address in order to see an improvement in results. If we can go through 90 minutes as we do through to 60 minutes, we'll definitely see results improve.

Talking about 60 minutes, what a shame Dunn can't last a full game. We looked a much more balanced team with his tenacity, intensity and vision. Fitness allowing, he could still do a job in the premier league, he is that good. Didn't he take time out to improve his own cardio fitness recently? Well, you could see what a difference it has made. the rest of the squad needs to put the same time in at the gym.

As for Black, didn't do too much wrong apart from one major decision which cost us two points. Firstly, the positive, he dropped Murphy and without him in there, Lowe took centre stage. I would play him over Murphy at the moment as well, simply because he has a much better engine. Once Murphy is fully fit, those two should be fighting for that position although I would be happy to see Lowe go in at RB once Murphy is fully fit simply as he is the best at the club in that position.

Now the major mistake. Replacing Dunn with Formica. Dunn had energy, enthusiasm and commitment until he was just totally shattered and needed replacing. Putting Formica on in his place was the worst thing Black could have done. He lacked everything that Dunn had given throughout the game and once Formica came on, Derby targeted this area for the rest of the match and scored there goal through another Formica error. The problem is Formica is a little boy out there, in terms of the physical, off the ball side of the game. He lacks the intensity and I would say ability to close people down, he doesn't put enough pressure on the opposition and he lets people go past him way too easily. The goal came through that, otherwise we would have won that match.

I don't think Formica has a future at the club to be honest, we need a team who can unite when they haven't got the ball and scrap and fight for each other. As others have said, there are to many show ponies at this club, none more so than Mauro Formica who will never be a success in English football unless he changes his game. I would rather have seen a youth team player come on who isn't afraid to get hurt.

I wouldn't disagree with much of that. For me he should have gone as much like for like as he could when Dunn went off. I felt that Nuno Gomes should have replaced him and played in the hole. Dunn did really well yesterday and was behind most of the good things that we did. I thought Pedersen's set pieces in the first half were as good as they have been for a long time. Our fitness is appalling and what we did in the second half yesterday was reminiscent of several games under Kean when we went ahead. I know Kazim Richards has been out but he was a virtual passenger in the second half and after any run he made he needed several minutes to recover.

I felt it was right (and probably brave) for Black to drop Murphy. I watched the players warm up yesterday and as the subs warmed up together Murphy just looked belligerent and disinterested. It appeared to me that he just didn't want to be there as being a substitute was beneath him. I really hope he see this as a kick up the backside and knuckles down and comes back as something like the player he really is.

[speeeeeeedie]

Never done this before ....... Been away all weekend and only just remembered to check the scores. Jeez.

Me too Paul. The game finished over 24 hours ago and this is the first time I've looked.

Us not being in the Premier Leauge is doing this. I have no idea what is happenning, and reading summaries on here of bad performace after bad performance makes me more apathetic.

Kean going is a step in the right direction but he was a symptom of greater problems.

[Salgado Is A Hero]

How did the players perform as individuals?

Did Olsson get forward much? Did Pedersen contribute from open play as well?

How many chances did we create? Did we cross it enough?

Did Kazim play well before he got tired?

What did the formation look like? Was it Dunn or Kazim closest to Rhodes?

[my_name_is_Earl]

I wouldn't disagree with much of that. For me he should have gone as much like for like as he could when Dunn went off. I felt that Nuno Gomes should have replaced him and played in the hole. Dunn did really well yesterday and was behind most of the good things that we did. I thought Pedersen's set pieces in the first half were as good as they have been for a long time. Our fitness is appalling and what we did in the second half yesterday was reminiscent of several games under Kean when we went ahead. I know Kazim Richards has been out but he was a virtual passenger in the second half and after any run he made he needed several minutes to recover.

I felt it was right (and probably brave) for Black to drop Murphy. I watched the players warm up yesterday and as the subs warmed up together Murphy just looked belligerent and disinterested. It appeared to me that he just didn't want to be there as being a substitute was beneath him. I really hope he see this as a kick up the backside and knuckles down and comes back as something like the player he really is.

Yeah, I agree with that about Gomes, absolutely. Also agree with Kazim-Richards as well but wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt this time as he desperately needs minutes to get back to fitness. A lot for a new manager to get stuck into but plenty of reasons to be positive that a new man will be able to change things, especially based on the first half showing.

[tomphil]

How did the players perform as individuals?

Did Olsson get forward much? Did Pedersen contribute from open play as well? - Dunn, Peds, an 1 or 2 others played well. Most were usual average performance.

How many chances did we create? Did we cross it enough? - Hardly any as usual. only a couple of quality crosses really in the very rare times Olsson got forward

Did Kazim play well before he got tired? -- I didn't think so.

What did the formation look like? Was it Dunn or Kazim closest to Rhodes? -- The same as usual. Dunn and Richards tried to get forward 1st half but most of 2nd half rhodes was his isolated self.

[Alan75]

How did the players perform as individuals?

Did Olsson get forward much? Not enough for my liking.

Did Pedersen contribute from open play as well? Yes

How many chances did we create? Very few in first half best - Rhodes goal and Pederson free kick - about a dozen attempts throughout the game.

Did we cross it enough? No

Did Kazim play well before he got tired? Cant say I noticed him involved a great deal.

What did the formation look like? Rhodes the lone striker

Was it Dunn or Kazim closest to Rhodes? Dunn did more attacking runs at Derbys defence

[Howler]

First half I think we played OK, kept them at bay and nicked a goal.

Second half we tired badly and were holding on. Not sure why we only made one sub, when we clearly needed fresh legs for Kazim Richards and Rhodes.

Dunn and Pedersen showed Premier League quality at times and made a difference. Disappointed by Olsson - doesn't look interested and could have got forward lots more. The few times he did he looked dangerous. Lowe and Etuhu in midfield means zero creativity from there and we struggled to keep the ball, as mentioned earlier Rhodes is not a target man and needs help up there.

Good loud following from the Rovers fans I thought

[m1st]

I won't feel interested again until venky's have left.

I forgot about the game until half-time yesterday so I had a quick check. Then I fell asleep until ten to 5. Laughed bitterly when I saw the final result.

I was in a similar position. I came to the Wolves game, mainly because I could get a lift to & from the game from a Wolves fan who lives near me, but was so uninspired that it'll take a lot to get me back to Ewood any time soon - certainly not for a game against the mighty Watford. [Living 25-30 miles from Blackburn and not driving means that evening kick-offs are out of the question.]

I was working late Saturday afternoon into the evening so I asked a mate to text me the final score from Derby. When I saw how late their equaliser had come, my only reaction was, "typical of this era".

[thenodrog]

Shot our bolt spending 50k per week on old player over two years IMO, v bad decisions again over the summer - SS had no idea as to what was needed to do a "Souness" and get us back up - still doesn't unless he surprises us all!

Serves em right. They should have got rid of Kean sooner and not been so bloody stubborn. That man has cost the slumdogs millions.

[thenodrog]

amazing, we used to have about 23 or so pages on match threads, look how few we have now, is this a sign of people's apathy towards rovers right now?

In a nutshell yes. We have been here before and it's a downhill slide from here until we claim our rightful place in the football heirarchy..... or rather lowerarchy. It's why our Prem status was so precious and so mystefying how so many people were willing to risk it on a fools charter of 'entertaining football' given that most of em couldn't define it anyway.

Prem football is simply not sustainable to a club of our size and resource as I'm sure the Venkys now realise . Way back at the start of his tenure Jack Walker should have used his wealth and status to unify the Lancashire clubs into one. Unfortunately the moment passed and if we survive the financial maelstrom which must arrive soon we will be plodding around the lower divisions for ever.

[mhead]

But with our PNE team of Shaw/Agnew it should now be easy for us to merge with the Central Lancs team that is fading even faster than us.

Perhaps the time is NOW for us Lancashire United supporters a.k.a. 'the few' or 'the enlightened ones' to rise and multiply.

[Guest Wen Y Hu]

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

[yoda]

But with our PNE team of Shaw/Agnew it should now be easy for us to merge with the Central Lancs team that is fading even faster than us.

Perhaps the time is NOW for us Lancashire United supporters a.k.a. 'the few' or 'the enlightened ones' to rise and multiply.

Lancashire United is a bus company

[tomphil]

Lancashire United is a bus company

And that's the way it should stay. Never heard as much crap in my life as Lancashire utd. There's a similar franchise effort up the road to this called Man Utd which has thousands of fans from all over Lancashire as well as beyond coming together under one plastic banner. People who yearn for a Lancs utd should just head to Old Traff and save us all the earache if it's glory they're after !

[thenodrog]

Ever considered that maybe if there had been a Lancashire United in place when the maximum wage was abolished in the early 60's and small clubs were doomed to football in the basements Man Utd wouldn't have attracted quite so many Lancastrian supporters?

Oh btw I quite like glory days.