[Archived] Blackburn Rovers v Sheffield Wednesday Preview

[Ricky]

2 goals conceded in 4 games is more like it. Just a shame we've not scored more. Can't have it both ways though. A new manager needed to sure us up at the back and black seems to have done this.

[thenodrog]

Glad we used 3 subs today and I actually thought Black made 3 good subs at good times. How many times did we see Kean trying to influence a game by throwing on his one sub on 88 minutes? Rochina showed both his good and bad sides today I thought. At least he got to play in a CAM / CF role for once as opposed to the right wing or something.

Personally I thought his use of subs carried question marks. Rochina has much quality without a doubt but I said to my mate that once Dunny went off (btw he needs to see a psychiatrist rather than a physio regarding his injury problems imo) and we were playing 4-4-2 and 1-0 up it was foolish to put on a lad who hasn't a tackle in him and is only any good in a 4-5-1 or 3-5-2 formation, and especially so against the 5 man midfield that SW employed. Pederson was the man to replace Dunny if anybody. From the time Rochina came on we conceded more and more of the play. Second half Black took off the right men who were both particularly inept BUT he should have binned them both 10 mins sooner. Incidentally once Ped came on and KR went off Rochina looked the man to play in the hole and the midfield looked more balanced.

btw Does anybody else suspect that the person on the left last night was the OTHER Olsson? Mind sound far fetched but I know two identical twins who got away with swapping girlfriends one night!

First time I've gone since last season and it's difficult to believe how far we have fallen in quality. Just a couple of years ago we would have passed teams like Sheff Wed of the park but now most of the team can't pass wind. Dann I can single out as being particularly poor. This team has no work ethic and is not enjoying it's football. Best way I can describe it is that they are playing on their heels rather than their toes. I've no idea how good Rhodes is but what I do know is that he needs more and faster service in from the wings and by-line. Tiny Taylor had him in his arse pocket for most of thye match.

[thenodrog]

The teams fitness is becoming laughable , Wednesday were poor , good job cos we were knackered after 60 mins ...

Might be an idea to look deeper into that. Effectively a 3 man midfield once Dunn departed to rub some linament on his ego v 5 from Wednesday will have sapped their fitness as well as putting undue pressure on our full backs (one of whom is pathetic btw). Can't do anything else really can it?

Rochina though a box of tricks rarely ventures further back than the centre circle and thinks he can play at the 'point' of a 4 man midfield! Someone needs to explain that in a 4 man midfield there isn't one!

[thenodrog]

Extremely dissapointing gate, especially with a healthy following from Sheffield also.

We didn't bother going down, after the euphoria of the rat resigning, the club should have appointed a new manager before last nights game, but again they've messed around and lost the publics imagination once again.

Own up Gav.... it's not entirely down to the owners. Like me you are just disenchanted with the entire farce of professional football. Ordinary journeymen plodders now get paid a Kings Ransom every week. I just cannot take it seriously anymore and anyway I've discovered that I have better things to do at the weekends.

First 25 minutes were the best of the season for me so far. Dunny was running the show, that all changed when he went off. Rochina has all the ability in the world but positionally he is poor. He does not show for the ball like Dunny does, leaving the less creative players isolated with fewer options. Not meaning to bash Rochina, but passing the ball is also his final option anywhere near goal, his job is to feed Rhodes.

So many coming on here saying it went wrong when Dunny went off. Giving ground was purely down to the manager not Lowe or Etuhu or whoever. As I've just said above Rochina is not the man to play in a 4 man midfield.

[scotty_beam_me_up]

I thought Lowe gave his all night and had a good game. For me it was Etuhu who was the problem. He doesnt have the courage to want the ball. A couple of times Rochina had the ball and we all know he isn't just knock it down the line so surely his teammates know he is going to look for a pass but no one wanted the ball off him. I feel if we could build a team around Rochina we could go up like QPR did with a team built around Tarabet.

[Gav]

Own up Gav.... it's not entirely down to the owners. Like me you are just disenchanted with the entire farce of professional football. Ordinary journeymen plodders now get paid a Kings Ransom every week. I just cannot take it seriously anymore and anyway I've discovered that I have better things to do at the weekends.

Certainly something in that Gordon

[G Somerset Rover]

I'm becoming more impressed with Lowe.

What he needs with him though is a box to box midfielder. We don't have one at the club and are crying out for one.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Own up Gav.... it's not entirely down to the owners. Like me you are just disenchanted with the entire farce of professional football. Ordinary journeymen plodders now get paid a Kings Ransom every week. I just cannot take it seriously anymore and anyway I've discovered that I have better things to do at the weekends.

Dont think your too far from the truth there Theno for many people...we appear to have lost upwards of 10,000 home fans in the process,horrific figures.

[JAL]

Lowe most probably had a good game due to the quality of the opposition being closer to league 1 level than top end championship/ premiership level.

Dann has probably had two Ok games for the club purely because the opposition where of a poor standard rather than him being good.

[Tom]

Personally I thought his use of subs carried question marks. Rochina has much quality without a doubt but I said to my mate that once Dunny went off (btw he needs to see a psychiatrist rather than a physio regarding his injury problems imo) and we were playing 4-4-2 and 1-0 up it was foolish to put on a lad who hasn't a tackle in him and is only any good in a 4-5-1 or 3-5-2 formation, and especially so against the 5 man midfield that SW employed. Pederson was the man to replace Dunny if anybody. From the time Rochina came on we conceded more and more of the play. Second half Black took off the right men who were both particularly inept BUT he should have binned them both 10 mins sooner. Incidentally once Ped came on and KR went off Rochina looked the man to play in the hole and the midfield looked more balanced.

btw Does anybody else suspect that the person on the left last night was the OTHER Olsson? Mind sound far fetched but I know two identical twins who got away with swapping girlfriends one night!

First time I've gone since last season and it's difficult to believe how far we have fallen in quality. Just a couple of years ago we would have passed teams like Sheff Wed of the park but now most of the team can't pass wind. Dann I can single out as being particularly poor. This team has no work ethic and is not enjoying it's football. Best way I can describe it is that they are playing on their heels rather than their toes. I've no idea how good Rhodes is but what I do know is that he needs more and faster service in from the wings and by-line. Tiny Taylor had him in his arse pocket for most of thye match.

Olsson had all the signs of Martin and none of Marcus, obvious talent but no effort last night, the other one isn't as talented but works hard, not that you were being serious

[bazza]

I'm becoming more impressed with Lowe.

What he needs with him though is a box to box midfielder. We don't have one at the club and are crying out for one.

I thought Danny Murphy would be that B-to-B midfielder when we signed him.

Fulham should be investigated by Trading Standards.

[thenodrog]

I thought Danny Murphy would be that B-to-B midfielder when we signed him.

Fulham should be investigated by Trading Standards.

Why bazza? Danny Murphy has never ever been a box to box man..... In fact imo he's only ever been a football journeyman who has made a damned good living out of a limited talent simply cos he has Liverpool FC on his cv.

[trueblueroversiloveu]

Rochina wasn't playing in a four man midfield at all. It was either a 5 with olsson and lazy ass richards on the wings or a 4 4 1 1. People praising richards and slagging off rochina I can't get my head round. Kazim loses the ball and can't be arsed to win it back whereas rochina did. He was our only outlet yet time and time again he had no one to pass it to.

[Drover]

Yep, rochina was playing behind the striker. Last night's formation was a 4 2 3 1 with Olsson rochina/dunn and ckr making up the three. Think its a good formation we should employ and thought rochina actually did well and was more impeded by lack of help from the two either side of him. Olsson and ckr didn't have the best of games.

[Salgado Is A Hero]

Rochina wasn't playing in a four man midfield at all. It was either a 5 with olsson and lazy ass richards on the wings or a 4 4 1 1. People praising richards and slagging off rochina I can't get my head round. Kazim loses the ball and can't be arsed to win it back whereas rochina did. He was our only outlet yet time and time again he had no one to pass it to.

This has been a problem for too long now......part of me's glad I no longer have to watch us.

[Ossydave]

As I posted last week, Lowe is a good little player when used correctly, Black seems a bit more clued up on this judging by the past couple of games.

I think the performance dipped as soon as Dunny went off pretty much. Also seems like the players still have certain Kean'isms in their games, i.e sitting back on a lead, it needs beating out of them ASAP. We also need to press more when not in posession.

[Salgado Is A Hero]

Our fitness issues probably play a part in both......if we pressed a lot we'd be knackered before half time.

[bazza]

I finish up hoarse after every game screaming to the players, "Help him! Somebody help him!" I cannot see why professional footballers fail to support each other in the team. Rovers players just stand around at throw-ins and when a colleague has possession on his own surrounded by three or four of the opposition as did Rhodes and Rochina last night.

It's as if they are all frightened of having possession of the ball. Nobody wants it. That's why we don't win "second ball" in midfield.

[thenodrog]

Yep, rochina was playing behind the striker. Last night's formation was a 4 2 3 1 with Olsson rochina/dunn and ckr making up the three.

Not when we were defending it wasn't. Olsson, Rhodes, CKR and Rochina don't have a tackle in em and the latter 3 appear never to have heard the term 'get goal side'.

[Steve Kean's Hypnotoad]

Rochina did nothing for me except for one great run in the second half. He was brought on for Dunn in a similar position, Dunn controlled the game, Rochina barely got involved in it. I bet Dunn had twice as many touches in half the time on the pitch.

As for Kazim-Richards, well he was a handful thats for sure. I thought he was also being persistently fouled. I quite like the guy, not sure why he hasn't been given more chance playing up front after the great start against Ipswich.

[Guest Wen Y Hu]

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

[Steve Kean's Hypnotoad]

He does some good write-ups that guy! Even convinced me to backtrack on Rochina somewhat. Regarding the attendance, I think the removal of home fans from the Darwen End for certain games needs to be abolished next season if we stay in this league. I would estimate its now taking about 1,500 off our gates as the majority simple refuse to sit elsewhere, more than cancelling out the additional attendance boost a club like Wednesday gives.