[Archived] Blackburn v Millwall 24th November, 2012

[Howler]

I think this game showed once and for all that we are not going to walk this league and will be lucky to reach the play-offs. Millwall are on a good run but pretty average for this league and are subsisting on minimal resources. They created the better chances and could have had 3 or 4 on another day quite easily.

Rhodes is pretty much useless outside the penalty area so unless he gets good service in the box he won't do a thing for us. Show pony Rochina obviously missed the sessions on first time passing at the Barcelona academy as he seemed to require five turns and two pirouettes every time he got the ball. On the wings Marcus Olsson and Formica put in typically useless shifts. As for Etuhu, I knew he couldn't play football but at least expected him to be able to boss midfield with a few tackles. Didn't even do that.

Glad to see our set pieces have improved now Pedersen isn't playing, or maybe not. Off about ten corners I think the keeper comfortably caught nine of them.

Not sure why Henley is getting stick, all their chances came down our left and every time he got the ball there was no option down the line on the right, Formica or his replacement had wandered off leaving him no choice to go back to he centre backs.

[Ewoodbhappy]

Could do with a Shittu in our squad.

Let me think?? Murphy!

[JAL]

Jackett's done a good job at Millwall but doesn't change the fact that if you lose 2-0 at home to them the sign is your not going up and your not much good.

Hey ! but arent we debt free for this privilege!

Shebby more or less said it in an interview, he goes if we don't go up. We aint going up......

Is this all being orchestrated to make Kean (the worst manager ever) look good.

[JonnyBRFC]

Crazy how up and down this forum is - reading posts last week after the Peterborough result we were the best in the league and Berg was a tactical genius.

Now after Saturdays result Berg should be sacked, our players cannot play football and are useless.

Berg has had 4 games in charge I think? Remember our team with Kean at the helm teams like Millwall would of had a field day against us.

Personally think 2-0 flatters Millwall, with Rovers seemingly dominating the end of the first half and the majority of the second. I wish we had a decent target man we could play alongside Rhodes at home, hopefully we could bring someone in January. With some better finishing we should of scored and if Rochina released the ball at the right times we could have been away - they crowded him and left the wide men in a lot of space, if only he looked up.

New boy King made an instant impact flashing a few balls across the face of goal - a delivery which Marcus lacks. Have high hopes for him out wide if he makes the line and crosses in instead of turning inside to get his shot away.

Millwall held their own and played ugly at times - Danny Shittu did what he does, bullied Rhodes and won pretty much everything in the air - he was also screaming at his team, motivating them as a captain should.

Berg would of been a fool to change the team that had played so well in the last 3, Huddersfield, Brum and Peterborough all were great performances, however Millwall seemed to counter us well - they pushed up and got in our faces, Robbo was left to lump it forward only for it to be gobbled up by Shittu. We were slow in the build up from defence to midfield, Etuhu doesn't look comfortable on the ball and just passes it sideways whenever he can - he needs to get it to Murphy and Millwall knew it, I would of taken Murphy off but who would replace - Lowe? or I think Pedersen could have done a job - certainly with our delivery from set pieces which has been lacking in recent games.

Anyway onwards and upwards, we need a result against Notlob on Wednesday to take a bit of confidence into the weekend.

[Torgeir]

Personally think 2-0 flatters Millwall, with Rovers seemingly dominating the end of the first half and the majority of the second. I wish we had a decent target man we could play alongside Rhodes at home, hopefully we could bring someone in January. With some better finishing we should of scored and if Rochina released the ball at the right times we could have been away - they crowded him and left the wide men in a lot of space, if only he looked up.

Nuno Gomes?

[JonnyBRFC]

Nuno Gomes?

Very true - was thinking a big lad to ruffle with the CB's, but didn't Nuno play a similar role against Hull i think? Holding it up and distributing well?

[Plastics]

What were people's thoughts on Simon's contribution? Admittedly he didn't have long to make an impact, but I've still not seen why people bang on about him from the time he's had on the pitch. A few nice touches here and there but we he still appears to be largely ineffectual the rest of the time. I'm not against giving him more game time as to get the best out of him will require this, but I'm still unaware of why there are such high expectations of him and why people think he definitely needs to be starting, international experience aside.

[Batman.]

What were people's thoughts on Simon's contribution? Admittedly he didn't have long to make an impact, but I've still not seen why people bang on about him from the time he's had on the pitch. A few nice touches here and there but we he still appears to be largely ineffectual the rest of the time. I'm not against giving him more game time as to get the best out of him will require this, but I'm still unaware of why there are such high expectations of him and why people think he definitely needs to be starting, international experience aside.

Simon is suffering from what is known as "Benni McCarthy Syndrome."

When he's not in the team, he's pretty much the best player on the planet, but give him a run of three games and opinions will quickly turn.

In all honesty, I think he should be in the team, as he clearly has a fair bit of quality, especially at this level. However, play him every week and we won't suddenly shoot up the league.

[alexanders]

We are the best placed team of the three relegated teams from last season.

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

Saturday's game was a bit like being in a time warp and playing Wimbledon 25 years ago, they were big, rough, ugly, physical, extremely well drilled and aided by an overly lenient referee they did a pretty effective number on us.

We didn't cope particularly well although I thought we were much the better side for the final 15 minutes of the first half and for much of the second until Hanley's calamitous mistake for the first goal.At that point I thought either we were going to nick it or it would be 0-0. However, you simply can't make mistakes like that and as someone else said above Hanley seemed to play a lot better in the second half of last season in a higher division than he has done this season. Givet needs to come into the side for Hanley or if there is an isue with Givet we probably need two new centre halves in January. Conversely I thought Dann played very well and is starting to show why he was allegedly so highly rated by so many clubs.

The whole side was guilty of trying to play an impossible pass at times and not keeping it simple to keep moves going. Rochina was obviously the main culprit in that respect but for all his faults he's still the most likely person to produce a moment of magic to unlock the opposition defence even when having an off day, in much the same way as a top class striker can have a stinker but still nick a goal towards the end to save the day.

Formica was dreadfully disappointing after some much improved displays recently, completely anonymous. You'd think Vukcevic deserves a chance to start on the right.

Rhodes will surely never have a more ineffective day, early on every time he went up for the ball he got a shove in the back, a poke in the eye or a clout on the head and allowed himself to be muscled out of the game thereafter.

Can't see King being much help to Rhodes, he looks like a striker stuck out on the wing who cuts in and tries to score himself every time he gets the ball. Would prefer to see Nunes out wide, whether King can play more centrally with Rhodes I've no idea.

Overall we have to wise up if were playing physical opposition who try to muscle us out of it. Otherwise I didn't think it was anywhere near as bad as many people are suggesting, the way the game panned out the first goal was always going to be crucial. We were looking the likelier of the two teams to get it but unfortunately they got it courtesy of Hanley's unforced error. That seemed to give Millwall a second wind and after that there only looked one likely winner.

At last - I thought I had gone to a different match to those that seem to think we were played off the pitch by Millwall.

[Howler]

At last - I thought I had gone to a different match to those that seem to think we were played off the pitch by Millwall.

Well they only hit the back of the net 5 times..... I know three were ruled out (at least one of the offside goals looked onside to me)

I agree it wasn't totally bad but we deserved to lose against an average championship side packed full of journey-men (admittedly well drilled) and missing their best player Liam Trotter.

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

Well they only hit the back of the net 5 times..... I know three were ruled out (at least one of the offside goals looked onside to me)

I agree it wasn't totally bad but we deserved to lose against an average championship side packed full of journey-men (admittedly well drilled) and missing their best player Liam Trotter.

Whoever scored first on Saturday was likely to win. The second goal really came about because we were chucking so many men forward. Both of their goals were the type of goals you don't score very often in a season.

Off side goals can actually be a sign of good defending - aka Arsenal under Tony Adams - maybe Berg is starting to have an influence ?

One thing that can't be ignored - every team we have played at Ewood has raised their game - and run themselves into a stand still. In the good ole days when we were in the top division - it is like playing an FA Cup match every home match. As the season goes on - teams won't be able to maintain this level of intensity.

[TBTF]

Whoever scored first on Saturday was likely to win. The second goal really came about because we were chucking so many men forward. Both of their goals were the type of goals you don't score very often in a season.

Off side goals can actually be a sign of good defending - aka Arsenal under Tony Adams - maybe Berg is starting to have an influence ?

One thing that can't be ignored - every team we have played at Ewood has raised their game - and run themselves into a stand still. In the good ole days when we were in the top division - it is like playing an FA Cup match every home match. As the season goes on - teams won't be able to maintain this level of intensity.

But the home form is simply not good enough or anywhere near promotion material.When you consider the budget we have versus what some of these other teams are working with it does border on the disgraceful.Saturday being a case in point. The group commitment of that team and their manager and their response to their fans at the final whistle spoke volumes for what it meant to them. I f we aren't able to rise above this then it really is going to be a long season.

All of a sudden a draw against Bolton and we go in the Turf War under serious pressure

[Guest Wen Y Hu]

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

[Amo]

What were people's thoughts on Simon's contribution? Admittedly he didn't have long to make an impact, but I've still not seen why people bang on about him from the time he's had on the pitch. A few nice touches here and there but we he still appears to be largely ineffectual the rest of the time. I'm not against giving him more game time as to get the best out of him will require this, but I'm still unaware of why there are such high expectations of him and why people think he definitely needs to be starting, international experience aside.

Messi he is not but most of our midfielders have been given a run in the side to "prove" themselves, so why not Simon? He's an established international midfielder with enough pedigree for this league. You have to ask yourself what the deal is with keeping him out of the starting eleven. Bad attitude? If that was the case, he'd be getting the CKR treatment. Tin-foil hat time, but I honestly suspect there's some sort of contractual clause that's limiting his appearances. We all know Venky's were employing a weekly playing budget last season. Perhaps Simon is a carryover from that? Why did Berg give the impression that Simon's future was as a super-sub and nothing more?

IMO, Vukcevic has a part to play this season but like any player he needs a decent run. I'm not expecting him to single-handedly take us up, but I would at least like the opportunity to see what he can do. I'd hate to think one of our more experienced players was being hogtied by financial restraints, considering how much is at stake this season.

[G Somerset Rover]

Posted in the Berg thread but only just seen your post Topman. It has to be contractual surely? I too picked up on Berg's super sub hint and its just too strange a situation with him never starting a league game.

Somebody the other day mentioned he wants to be a monk, while he could be like Andy Van Der Meyde for all we know away from the pitch. So God only knows really. If he's not going to play we need to get him off the books as somehow we seemed tied to limiting his playing time.

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

Messi he is not but most of our midfielders have been given a run in the side to "prove" themselves, so why not Simon? He's an established international midfielder with enough pedigree for this league. You have to ask yourself what the deal is with keeping him out of the starting eleven. Bad attitude? If that was the case, he'd be getting the CKR treatment. Tin-foil hat time, but I honestly suspect there's some sort of contractual clause that's limiting his appearances. We all know Venky's were employing a weekly playing budget last season. Perhaps Simon is a carryover from that? Why did Berg give the impression that Simon's future was as a super-sub and nothing more?

IMO, Vukcevic has a part to play this season but like any player he needs a decent run. I'm not expecting him to single-handedly take us up, but I would at least like the opportunity to see what he can do. I'd hate to think one of our more experienced players was being hogtied by financial restraints, considering how much is at stake this season.

Though I agree I would have given him a start by now - prior to Saturday who would you have dropped ? Murphy had played some of the best football since he joined Rovers - Rochina looked like he was finally starting to influence matches - Formica had played his best matches for some time and Olsson (mk 2) gives us the pace our side lacks without him.

Personally I would have brought him on sooner on Saturday. Wednesday will be a true test - with another high pressure derby match on Saturday it is important that Berg freshens the team - it will be strange if Vuckevic doesn't start instead of a rested Rochina or Formica.

[thenodrog]

One thing that can't be ignored - every team we have played at Ewood has raised their game - and run themselves into a stand still. In the good ole days when we were in the top division - it is like playing an FA Cup match every home match. As the season goes on - teams won't be able to maintain this level of intensity.

Man Utd face that effect every week in the Prem.

[Plastics]

Man Utd face that effect every week in the Prem.

I don't think anybody was expecting us to perform as well as that.

[Amo]

Though I agree I would have given him a start by now - prior to Saturday who would you have dropped ?

Marcus Olsson?