[Archived] Birmingham Preview

[donnermeat]

Been saying this for the last 18 months...Ashley Cole will concur on this.

many board members have been saying otherwise .

I've said the same, I was so excited when we signed him. Ok largely because of what I saw on football manager, but still. I just got the anticipation beat out of me every week when I saw he wasn't selected.

Big improvement yesterday, really enjoyed it.

[Lie_still_Rover]

Kean said that. Can someone link a thread were this was stipulated "Simon Vuckevic is crap" .. I love the guy, humble and probably the best player in the division

[JAL]

Did you even watch today's game or just being your usual pissy self?

Formica played well today.

Why how many goals did he score, how many goal scoring chances did he create, how many times did he stop the opposition in their tracks.

[bluebruce]

Can't wait to see Simon when he's had a few games and is match fit. He looks a class above anyone else we have. Ridiculous how we manage to have a squad where we could pick any 2 from about 10 in wide midfield and yet only have 1 striker and 3 centre backs.

Ey? Agreed on the very small pool of CBs, and on seeing more of Simon, but 2 from 10 in wide midfield and only 1 striker? In the squad, we have Rhodes, Goodwillie, Best, Gomes who are out and out strikers. Two of those are unavailable, but not because the squad wasn't built with enough strikers. Rochina, Formica, Vukcevic can all play as the second striker (Dunn to an extent). In wide midfield we only have Pedersen, both Olssons and Vukcevic who you could consider 'natural' wide midfielders. Everyone else who is put there is a square peg in a round hole.

Why how many goals did he score, how many goal scoring chances did he create, how many times did he stop the opposition in their tracks.

No goals (only one of our players did score, from a pen), created the penalty, which was our only goal. Nearly scored at least once. Didn't think he was MOM but he had a decent game.

[Steve Kean's Hypnotoad]

Why how many goals did he score, how many goal scoring chances did he create, how many times did he stop the opposition in their tracks.

The exact logic I've used to defend Pedersen over the years.

[The Gull]

The thing that impacted me the most was the change in tactical approach, this was evident from Robinson all the way through the team.

Robinson very rarely launched the ball aimlessly today, he had options and tried to use them, as did the rest of the team. This was evident in Murphy's performance as he was comfortable having the ball as he had players in space or moving to be able to pick the right pass.

Vast improvement all round.

[Stuart]

We really are scraping the barrel to create arguments on the mb these days.

In the wider scheme of things I'm taking this as a good sign.

[CapeTownRover]

i hope that even if we dont get promoted this season, that we give Berg a chance to put his own team together for that promotion push. There are still players from the Kean era which need to removed, but i have no problem if we dont get promoted this season, as long as we continue to improve with more of what we saw yesterday

[Lie_still_Rover]

Issy brfcs, do you play for issy or is that your name, have to ask?

I think we will go up, no side in this division has a Simon, a Gomes, a Pedersen or Dunn to change a game. It will be clearer after December but I think we will go up this season automatically.

[Tom]

Issy brfcs, do you play for issy or is that your name, have to ask?

No it's formerly banned member Iceman with a newly registered account

JAL - Formica won the penalty and forced the keeper into his best save from a nothing chance

Did you watch the game?

[K-Hod]

Formica should never pull our shirt on ever again.

And award for idiotic observation of the day of the day goes to.... Absolutely no substance to the above, one of his best games as a Rover yesterday.

[Sparky Marky]

Issy brfcs, do you play for issy or is that your name, have to ask?

I think we will go up, no side in this division has a Simon, a Gomes, a Pedersen or Dunn to change a game. It will be clearer after December but I think we will go up this season automatically.

only one of those is currently capable of changing a game, and he'sbeen sat on his arse for 18 months.....

[RoyRover]

And award for idiotic observation of the day of the day goes to.... Absolutely no substance to the above, one of his best games as a Rover yesterday.

Totally agree. I thought that this was by far Formica's best games for us. He always looked dangerous, got into some good positions, nearly scored a wonder goal, would have scored if Marcus Olsson had crossed instead of shot, had some great turns away from defenders, worked hard and linked up well with others. That's what I saw anyway.

[den]

I haven't read any posts on here, apart from this page, so rather than going into too many details which will no doubt have been aired many times over, my general take on the game is that we saw some real influence from Berg - and in such a short time.

What we saw was the team go out and control the game in the manner that Berg used to play himself. I don't think Robinson hit a long ball all afternoon and the key was posession and patience. "Control" - we controlled posession and the pace of the game. The team knew what Berg wanted and responded excellently. The defence and midfield in particular played the way that Berg played the game - composed and with belief. I can't remember when we last went out onto the park with a proper game plan. It certainly never happened under Kean.

That control is the first step, the next step will be a bit harder to achieve. The imbalance of the squad is going to make getting that extra 10% needed to start winning games a tougher task. Even though we controlled the game for long periods, their 'keeper didn't have too much to do, while we still had a few nervous moments at the back. Does he have the personnel to take us that extra yard?

All in all, I was very impressed with Berg's influence and for the first time in years, I actually enjoyed the game.

[vyeo]

Very encouraging performance. I'll sum it up - even my wife remarked that we looked completely different than under Kean, that the ball was on the ground much more than she had ever seen in the last two years, and that we were actually making runs and making deliberate passes, rather than "thrashing the ball up". The team looked very much like what we were like under Hughes, and the thought of that was just bittersweet.

In any case, I'm quietly optimistic that we could do well this season - there're still many many games left in the season, and there's no reason why we can't go on a good run. Berg will need some time to resolve long-standing problems in the team, like our poor fitness etc, but once these are settled, we could be on to something. That said, more fundamental issues like the poor management of the club, Venky's ownership etc will probably be beyond his hands. But at least as far as on-field affairs are concerned, we should be in good hands.

[gumboots]

Not only did i enjoy the game but I felt the players were enjoying it because they knew what was expected of them and that others would be doing their jobs too so they could relax and get on with playing without wasting half their energy trying to work out what was supposed to be happening on the pitch. Crowds walking away had their moans and differences of opinion but it was normal football discussion, not slating the manager or the players. it was frustrating to play well and not win, but nor did we lose and it was the kind of game where, under Kean, I could have seen us tire and lose.

Players already look more energised, more confident and all of that communicates to the crowd and makes them more likely to get on with their job of supporting. No negative vibes from anywhere. That was good too.

It will take time. Kean had 2 years to strip our team of confidence pride and most of its best players. Berg has had one week to start putting it right again and I just don't get how you can be negative if you didn't go to the match when those who were there are telling you, (not through rose tinted glases or delight that we got the guy we wanted, because Berg was very much a left field appointment and although one or two mentioned him as a possible nobody said I want Berg) that it felt more like supporting rovers under Hughes or souness at their best than under Kean or Ince. I overheard one guy saying as we walked away "I saw the ball go forward more today than I did in the last 2 seasons put together." That has to be good., If you didn't go yesterday and could have done, then perhaps you should think and listen to what those who did go are saying before you criticise. We were good and it was almost fun watching us - a win would have been better but that will come.

[chaddyrovers]

Why how many goals did he score, how many goal scoring chances did he create, how many times did he stop the opposition in their tracks.

he won the penatly and forced Butland to a good save.

please watch the game before commenting

[DE.]

I don't think Robinson hit a long ball all afternoon

Great to hear that. One of the things that irritated me most about our play under bald was the fact Robbo would lump it up the pitch at every possible opportunity and we would inevitably lose possession. It was exasperating, especially as players were available for him to pass/throw out to.

[thenodrog]

What we saw was the team go out and control the game in the manner that Berg used to play himself. I don't think Robinson hit a long ball all afternoon and the key was posession and patience.

Nothing wrong with varying the gkeepers delivery with a big boot occasionally (Robinson is actually very very accurate) just so long as there is someone up top who can compete in the air. Rhodes is not that man so it's just more evidence that the numpty who shall not be named knew less than the square root of Kean all about managing a football team.

[m1st]

We really are scraping the barrel to create arguments on the mb these days.

In the wider scheme of things I'm taking this as a good sign.

Brilliant comment, Stuart! I really did LOL when I read it.

[CapeTownRover]

The main issue is, if we partner Rhodes with Gomes, then we will have to drop somebody to the bench between Rochina; Formica and Simon. Now, imo, Simon should be down the right, but Fabio Nunes performance when he came on, throws another issue. Do we play him on the left wing, and drop Rochina to the bench? If Givet is fit, then he should slot in alongside Dann, with Martin Olsson at left back. Or do we stick with Rochina up top with Rhodes. Its a really tough one to call for Berg, because its clear that Rhodes could do with a strike partner, as he just seems so isolated up front.

[Kelbo]

The main issue is, if we partner Rhodes with Gomes, then we will have to drop somebody to the bench between Rochina; Formica and Simon. Now, imo, Simon should be down the right, but Fabio Nunes performance when he came on, throws another issue. Do we play him on the left wing, and drop Rochina to the bench? If Givet is fit, then he should slot in alongside Dann, with Martin Olsson at left back. Or do we stick with Rochina up top with Rhodes. Its a really tough one to call for Berg, because its clear that Rhodes could do with a strike partner, as he just seems so isolated up front.

And for the first time in almost two years, we now have quality options, I wonder why that is?

[joey_big_nose]

Nice problem to have - who to play where. A constant problem I think will be Rochina, Vukcevic and Gomes all being similar players. I guess my team would be:-

---------------Robinson

Henley----Dann----Givet----Olsson

----------Murphy---Ettuhu

---Nunes----Rochina----Vukcevic

---------------Rhodes

It's quite amazing who is left on the bench with that team:- Gomes, Kazim-Richards, Pedersen, Dunn, Formica - you have to say we do have a very good squad. We need to get more out of them.

[BuckyRover]

I mentioned it the other day but the palace fans sat near me last week were of the opinion that we have the best squad in the league by some distance and that we are where we are solely because of Kean's incomptence.

I tend to agree

[J*B]

After watching yesterday, my team for next week is:

Robinson

Henley Dann Givet Olsson3

Simon Murphy Etuhu Nunes

Rochina

Rhodes

It's finally time to spank someone.