[Archived] Bolton Vs Rovers

[Mercer]

Now we are clutching at straws. Davies outmuscled Grant Hanley at times.

Hanley, IMO, looked so overweight and is rapidly going backwards.

Another mystery, why is Givet not in this team ?

Still the best defender we have and still has the the greater fighting qualities.

[JAL]

Hanley, IMO, looked so overweight and is rapidly going backwards.

Another mystery, why is Givet not in this team ?

Still the best defender we have and still has the the greater fighting qualities.

Totally agree, Hanley does look overweight can only think that fitness is holding Givet back at this moment in time.

[jim mk2]

Hanley, IMO, looked so overweight and is rapidly going backwards.

Another mystery, why is Givet not in this team ?

Still the best defender we have and still has the the greater fighting qualities.

Hanley looks heavy but is a lightweight defensively and has no physical presence. Remember the Liverpool match last season when Carroll barged him out of the way to score a late winner. Nothing's changed since then, the lad's not good enough. Forget about replacing Robinson - we need a new centre half in the Samba mould.

[AHoyle90]

Leaving players out such as Givet, Pedersen and CKR is baffling given who's playing instead of them.

People who think we have the best squad in the league are deluded, and now there's going to be reservations about the manager, given his selection of players and tactics tonight.

Shocking night at the office, and a dreadful time to be a Rovers fan, on boxing day I will be off to watch the local Evo Stik team in front of a crowd of 400 behind a pub, beats Ewood these days, Venkys have destroyed us from the inside out.

[JAL]

Hanley looks heavy but is a lightweight defensively and has no physical presence. Remember the Liverpool match last season when Carroll barged him out of the way to score a late winner. Nothing's changed since then, the lad's not good enough. Forget about replacing Robinson - we need a new centre half in the Samba mould.

Young scouse centre half Ryan Edwards out on loan at Rochdale is six foot four, could he be the answer.

[dr who true blue]

Hanley looks heavy but is a lightweight defensively and has no physical presence. Remember the Liverpool match last season when Carroll barged him out of the way to score a late winner. Nothing's changed since then, the lad's not good enough. Forget about replacing Robinson - we need a new centre half in the Samba mould.

Half the team are unfit no tatics.no passion.no hope berg looks out of is depth need root and branch changes at ewood going to be a long season.

[Tom]

Strange how views differ, I thought that he gave Rovers plenty for nowt whereas Bolton seemed hard done by on several occasions.

Definitely, a 'homer' and we were still dire.

Oh he was certainly crap and missed some obvious fouls but Davies was backing in and climbing every time but I suppose he has made a career of it, wish we had someone like him

The most bizarre decision was when Rochina dragged the ball out of play trying to do a fancy flick then appealed for a foul, the ref then gave us the throw in even though their guy was nowhere near the ball

[PAFELL]

To be honest i expected Rovers to win this one. I saw Bolton play Brighton and they were very bad. Lucky to get a draw. Sadly they put it right tonight. They were up for it and rovers were not.

[Parsonblue]

Hugely disappointing performance but I can't say I'm surprised. This squad is nowhere near good enough to get out of a League which requires physical attributes instead of the flicks and tricks that some of our show ponies want to indulge in. Kazim-Richards and Pedersen made a difference when they came on and Pederson got some excellent crosses in. Rochina needs a spell on the bench and let Vukcevic have a run in that role. King was very poor and I'm not quite sure how he is an improvement on Markus Olsson. Etuhu and Murphy were awful in midfield - Andrews and Spearing ran the show. Eagles turned young Henley inside out but that will happen with young players. Bolton looked a decent outfit compared to the Rovers, which considering their results this season doesn't say much about us.

Berg is going to need time to turn this around and needs to completely revamp the squad and bring in players who have the right attributes for this League. Sadly, I think this season can be written off in terms of automatic promotion and the play-offs are going to be difficult to reach if we don't strengthen in January. I must admit that I'm not looking forward to Burnley but then again, maybe a defeat at the Turf might concentrate a few minds back at Ewood as to what needs to be done.

[jim mk2]

Hugely disappointing performance but I can't say I'm surprised. This squad is nowhere near good enough to get out of a League which requires physical attributes instead of the flicks and tricks that some of our show ponies want to indulge in. Kazim-Richards and Pedersen made a difference when they came on and Pederson got some excellent crosses in. Rochina needs a spell on the bench and let Vukcevic have a run in that role. King was very poor and I'm not quite sure how he is an improvement on Markus Olsson. Etuhu and Murphy were awful in midfield - Andrews and Spearing ran the show. Eagles turned young Henley inside out but that will happen with young players. Bolton looked a decent outfit compared to the Rovers, which considering their results this season doesn't say much about us.

Berg is going to need time to turn this around and needs to completely revamp the squad and bring in players who have the right attributes for this League. Sadly, I think this season can be written off in terms of automatic promotion and the play-offs are going to be difficult to reach if we don't strengthen in January. I must admit that I'm not looking forward to Burnley but then again, maybe a defeat at the Turf might concentrate a few minds back at Ewood as to what needs to be done.

Sometimes a manager has to work with what he's got. What if we don't strengthen in January - how is Berg going to cope then ? Berg has to show he can improve what we have - it's what good managers do.

[Mercer]

Clearly, a number who went to tonight's game felt Rovers 'were not up for it'. Absolutely staggering - a derby match, biggest gate of the season and a newish manager. IMO, says it all, this lot of players are not good enough and neither is the manager. As a supporter, as a minimum, I expect those 11 in blue and white out there to run their feckin b o l l o c k s off.

We are in a right old mess. We all knew this season was going to be huge. It all started badly in June when Kean should have been sacked. Instead, he was allowed to continue and bring in, IMO, more playing dross. We then compound matters by again appointing, IMO, a managerial novice in terms of English football.

Not trying to be dramatic here but we could be witnessing the collapse of our once great club.

[Hughesy]

Forget about replacing Robinson - we need a new centre half in the Samba mould.

You could have Kompany & Vidic and Robbo would still make them look poor, he is terrible! And has been for 18 months. Slow, over-weight, poor attention, pushes everything back into the middle and awful at any shots from distance, which seems to have been quickly spotted as more and more opponents are now trying him from distance.

I just hope Venkys back Berg because there is so many weaknesses in our team at the moment, and too many happy to simply pick up a wage. GK, CB, CM & RM all need improving on....whether from what we have in the squad or from the transfer window.

Not had a chance to read all the posts but tonight for 75 minutes we were awful. The 1st goal was poor in many ways, none more than the keeper getting beat at the near post.

The 2nd was also poor, again the defence slow to react.

We only started to play once the sulky Rochina left the pitch and Olsson's run actually started to cause a problem, as some times he would actually receive the ball. Pedersen floated one or two nice passes into the box too, but again he isnt the answer.

For me one of our main problems is the midfield we are starting with. Etuhu & Murphy together as your only centre mid DOESNT work... it needs to be one + someone else. Then with Rochina & Formica I think only one should be on the pitch at any time. For the 2nd home game in a row tonight we basically didnt have a right wing, as Formica drifts far too much. We need to give Vukcevic a chance out on the right, Nunes on the left with Murphy and perhaps Lowe in the middle. We then need 2 upfront - whether that be Rhodes & Rochina, or Rhodes and another.

[Oklahoma]

I would say Jim Iley , Radford ,Birchenall , Aston , etc

What as happenend to our Portugese starlets ?

I have a good idea , they are no good !

It's their fault for all that's happened this season...

[Hughesy]

One can only hope that what happened tonight, happened just at the right time as a wake up call - rather than happening on sunday!

[tomphil]

Strange how Berg seems to be starting Murphy, Ethuhu, Rochina and Formica every game despite them being continually crap and not dropping them. Who brought or had a hand in bringing those players here ? Just who is actually running this team ?

[Plastics]

That was balls.

[dr who true blue]

You could have Kompany & Vidic and Robbo would still make them look poor, he is terrible! And has been for 18 months. Slow, over-weight, poor attention, pushes everything back into the middle and awful at any shots from distance, which seems to have been quickly spotted as more and more opponents are now trying him from distance.

I just hope Venkys back Berg because there is so many weaknesses in our team at the moment, and too many happy to simply pick up a wage. GK, CB, CM & RM all need improving on....whether from what we have in the squad or from the transfer window.

Not had a chance to read all the posts but tonight for 75 minutes we were awful. The 1st goal was poor in many ways, none more than the keeper getting beat at the near post.

The 2nd was also poor, again the defence slow to react.

We only started to play once the sulky Rochina left the pitch and Olsson's run actually started to cause a problem, as some times he would actually receive the ball. Pedersen floated one or two nice passes into the box too, but again he isnt the answer.

For me one of our main problems is the midfield we are starting with. Etuhu & Murphy together as your only centre mid DOESNT work... it needs to be one + someone else. Then with Rochina & Formica I think only one should be on the pitch at any time. For the 2nd home game in a row tonight we basically didnt have a right wing, as Formica drifts far too much. We need to give Vukcevic a chance out on the right, Nunes on the left with Murphy and perhaps Lowe in the middle. We then need 2 upfront - whether that be Rhodes & Rochina, or Rhodes and another.

Agree on all points except rhodes who imo brings nothing to the team has no vision and his only contrabuting factor his he is very good at passing the ball backwards

[Parsonblue]

Sometimes a manager has to work with what he's got. What if we don't strengthen in January - how is Berg going to cope then ? Berg has to show he can improve what we have - it's what good managers do.

How do you improve Murphy when his legs have gone? Rochina is totally unsuited to English football, and have you ever seen a goalkeeper beaten on his near post as often as Robinson? Sadly, quite a number of our players are not good enough. All the successful managers in recent times at Ewood - Lee, Kendall, Kenny, Souness, Hughes, Big Sam, have built sides with players they have brought in to do specific jobs. Berg has to be given the same chance and also has to be given a free hand and not given players that others have bought for him.

[Plastics]

Agree on all points except rhodes who imo brings nothing to the team has no vision and his only contrabuting factor his he is very good at passing the ball backwards

I know, it's weird he never passes it forwards in this system isn't it?

[Mercer]

How do you improve Murphy when his legs have gone? Rochina is totally unsuited to English football, and have you ever seen a goalkeeper beaten on his near post as often as Robinson? Sadly, quite a number of our players are not good enough. All the successful managers in recent times at Ewood - Lee, Kendall, Kenny, Souness, Hughes, Big Sam, have built sides with players they have brought in to do specific jobs. Berg has to be given the same chance and also has to be given a free hand and not given players that others have bought for him.

Partially true, however, if you look at all the other newly appointed Championship managers, they have fashioned excellent results with 'inherited' players plus an odd loan signing.

So Berg is in the same boat as the others. His one signing so far, King, IMO, looks absolutely hopeless and offered no impact or added value at all.

We have had no 'new manager bounce' as 5 measly points from 6 games is self evident.

[NH1875]

Just arrived back in south Manchester after having to endure the majority of the train journey home with the notlobs, and I thought the performance tonight was horrific, especially the first half, x-rated stuff. Rochina is incredibly frustrating to watch, he beats the same player 3 times then falls over or concedes possession. I'm not sure he realises its a team game. Equally frustrating is the lack of wide play; Murphy, Etuhu and Rochina all try to force the play through the middle, and when there is no space in the middle, the ball ends up back with Robinson or hoofed to the opposition GK by Hanley. I lost count of the times I was screaming and gesticulating to unmarked players in wide positions all night, particularly down the left, the central midfielders just didn't see it.

Was biting my hand at times trying to watch tonight, if we turn up with such a lazy attitude and lack of tactical awareness on Sunday we could be steamrolled and humiliated beyond our worst nightmares.

Reading back, maybe this is an overly dramatic post but I am furious with the efforts from the team tonight!

[Plastics]

Partially true, however, if you look at all the other newly appointed Championship managers, they have fashioned excellent results with 'inherited' players plus an odd loan signing.

So Berg is in the same boat as the others. His one signing so far, King, IMO, looks absolutely hopeless and offered no impact or added value at all.

We have had no 'new manager bounce' as 5 measly points from 6 games is self evident.

Don't say partially true then go on another point. He wasn't talking about giving him the same chance as the other recently appointed managers over a 5 or 6 game period, he was talking about the same chance as a Blackburn Rovers manager. Enjoy lapping up the negatives you kean.

[Mercer]

Don't say partially true then go on another point. He wasn't talking about giving him the same chance as the other recently appointed managers over a 5 or 6 game period, he was talking about the same chance as a Blackburn Rovers manager. Enjoy lapping up the negatives you kean.

Get a feckin life !

If there were positives, I'd be raving about them.

We have just lost two home games on the bounce and are 4 points of play-offs with 4 or 5 difficult fixtures to come.

[Rover_Shaun]

There are only negatives. There is not one single positive to be had. Poor squad, tactically inept manager, clueless owners

[garnersfags]

Agree on all points except rhodes who imo brings nothing to the team has no vision and his only contrabuting factor his he is very good at passing the ball backwards

If that's a humourous quip after a jolly happy evening at the game, it's not funny. If not, I worry for you.......