[Archived] Blackburn Rovers v Cardiff City 7th December 2012

[onlyoneDuff]

why isn't Gomes playing....seemed like he was scoring when he played....and the little Portuguese winger Nuno has put more quality crosses in the box in 20 minutes than our other left wingers have done all year

[Salgado Is A Hero]

Disagree, we need to play 4-4-2 with Kazim and Rhodes as that is the only way to get the best from Rhodes.

I would play Dunny in central midfield with preferably Murphy, if that leaves us open I'd change 1 of them. Formica and Vukcevic are not central midfielders, and Dunny and Murphy have some know how.

Dunny and Murphy in central midfield is suicide imo....it would be like playing Scholes and Giggs....probably worse.

Dunn hasn't got the legs to play in central midfield.....he'll make Murphy look like Savage.

I've always said we should say 4-4-2, my earlier post said, "if not we should play this"....as in I know we're not going to play 4-4-2 unfortunately so instead we should play this.....I agree with the comment the other day about 4-5-1 being "tactical cowardice".....this is a different league and we can get away with playing 4-4-2.

Formica and Vukcevic might not be ideal CM's but it's the best we can do at the moment imo by playing them next to Lowe.

I don't think any of us can really say with enough justification with regards to where Vukcevic can or cannot play.

But him or Formica next to Lowe would still be an improvement on what has been happening this season imo.

The bottom line is something needs to be done....until January.

Rhodes up top on his own isn't working because he can't hold it up when it's hoofed long.....but Defoe works at Spurs this season because it's played to his feet and there are players who get up quickly to support him and provide width as well......we don't do that.

[bazza]

why isn't Gomes playing....seemed like he was scoring when he played....and the little Portuguese winger Nuno has put more quality crosses in the box in 20 minutes than our other left wingers have done all year

Gomes is injured and Nunes' corners were low and easily cleared.

[Amo]

I agree but at least Dunn is used to English football and will always give his all.

People seem to think that bringing in Vukcevic will make everything better. You can't bring in someone with barely any experience in England and chuck him besides

Lowe.

Givet is the main one we are missing.

Disagree. We need to shake things up because Berg's current plan isn't working.

For me the spine of the team is our main issue. From the goalkeeper right through to the heart of midfield we're carrying too much dead weight. Robbo needs dropping... somewhere in the middle of the Atlantic I don't care how inexperienced Jake Kean is, if he's good enough to understudy then he's good enough to fill in. Then we need to get Givet back in for Hanley, who wasn't a PL defender and doesn't look like much of a Championship one either.

Lowe is the best of a poor bunch. At least he can put himself about a bit. Etuhu is absolutely shocking and Murphy's seen better days... but he's too old to remember them. Vukcevic HAS represented Montenegro in centre-midfield, he's good on the ball, has an eye for goal, and likes to make late runs into the box. It might work, it might not. But we certainly have nothing to lose by giving him a run in the side.

[Salgado Is A Hero]

Feck me - you sure you were watching the match ?

Don't know where on earth that leaves us then !

I kind of agree tbh.....I don't think Cardiff were that good.....we made them look better and at times they looked really good and moved the ball around well but Leicester were certainly better.

I imagine people thought Palace were better as well.

Then again, Cardiff are a different side away from home......there were quite a few moments in the 2nd half where I felt "confident" that they could be got at and we could possibly get something from the game.

We almost did, undeservedly.

[47er]

No it was down to them appointing another "somebody" rather than a "MANAGER"

No, because whoever was appointed manager was handed a deeply unsuitable squad.

[broadsword]

God, that wasn't good. I didn't even cheer when Rovers scored, I knew it wouldn't last.

I'm not sure where to start. Perhaps the most obvious thing ... Berg, on TV I didn't notice him trying to intervene, convey instructions etc. In fcat given his body language at one point i thought he was the Norwegian version of Kean. Why don't Givet and Simon start, something is going on behind the scenes there. Given his comments last year, is Berg just there to pick up the cash? I don't care if he didn't have a back-room team of his choosing in Norway, why hasn't he fired off Hendry at least? Since he has taken off, what has changed? Even allowing for the luck that Kean had early-season in scabbing wins, I believe we're at best playing to the same standard we achieved under Kean. If you're a new manager at any under-performing team, the first thing you do is shut the back door, that's what Black did ... so why is Berg seemingly ignoring that?

As for the rest, well, I couldn't believe what Robinson did for the first goal, he went over like a 20kg bag of King Edwards, what was that about? The third goal was just acutely embarassing. It could well have ended up being more than 4. Dann plays like he is hungover, Hanley plays like it's bannockburn II. Our midfield has as much growl as a church mouse. Rhodes is starved of service. Him and Olsson are our only decent players that I can see.

I think as the season moves on, the novelty factor of playing an ex-Prem team will fade away as teams begin to realise we're powder-puff and easily turned over.

Seriously, how bad is Etuhu? And Dann, he's just unreal. He's up there with Darren Peacock.

[Mercer]

No, because whoever was appointed manager was handed a deeply unsuitable squad.

Berg accepted the job knowing that auto promo was the bottom line.

If he didn't think he could deliver then he should not have accepted.

[blueboy3333]

I kind of agree tbh.....I don't think Cardiff were that good.....we made them look better and at times they looked really good and moved the ball around well but Leicester were certainly better.

I imagine people thought Palace were better as well.

Then again, Cardiff are a different side away from home......there were quite a few moments in the 2nd half where I felt "confident" that they could be got at and we could possibly get something from the game.

We almost did, undeservedly.

Exactly what i meant. cardiff's away record is poor and you could see why. when we strung a few passes together in the second half they looked average. We were shocking but we could have easily gone 2-1 up if Formica had scored. it was only when we put 17 wingers on at the end and Dann went into a coma that it opened up for them to score at will. Cardiff are competent but no great shakes. The Championship this year is very average.

[AggyBlue]

Cardiff were crap. They got the result because we are even worse.

They were the most cynical side to have played at Ewood for years, the ref was awful in letting them get away with what they did.

[Rovers_Dan]

Long ball

[steverovers]

We can blame the ref, or whoever we want to blame, but the bottom line is this is the worst Rovers side since the mid 1970s. If we had some passion it would help, but we haven't. The first half 'show' today was worse than anything under Kean or anyone else for that matter.

We probably will get enough points to stay up this season, but next season I wouldn't be so sure.

[chris_h]

We can blame the ref, or whoever we want to blame, but the bottom line is this is the worst Rovers side since the mid 1970s. If we had some passion it would help, but we haven't. The first half 'show' today was worse than anything under Kean or anyone else for that matter.

We probably will get enough points to stay up this season, but next season I wouldn't be so sure.

Bloody 'ell Steve! Worse than Jim Iley's team of the late 70's? Or the team that went down in 79? I've only just seen the scoreline so you might have a point.

I haven't seen the game, nor will I be watching the recorded version I have waiting for me.That will be deleted. Becoming a regular habit that. I had grave misgivings about Berg at the time of his appointment and was desperately disappointed that we missed out on Holloway. We have to back him though, to be fair he has hardly inherited a squad of good, honest pros. Besides which, sacking him before the end of the season would be madness imo, we have more that enough instability as it is without potentially having three managers in a season.

I just hope we can stay up and can reassess next summer when hopefully, those keaning morons from Pune have got as far away from the club as possible .

[Mike Graham]

I never thought I would end up being grateful to Steve Kean for the points he gained early in the season. However, on the evidence of recent performances those points might be vital in keeping us in this League. Shebby was quoted as saying only automatic promotion was good enough and, although we are still over a fortnight away from Christmas, that particular ship has already sailed without us. So Shebby, where do we go from here? One thing is for sure we are certainly not going back to the Premier League. It is heartbreaking to see a great club brought to its knees by an Indian family who have got rid of a Premier League manager and players and replaced them with a bunch of has-been's, never will be's and a collection of show ponies who are simply not suited to life in the Championship. I fear it is going to take years to rebuild what Venkys have so carelessly tossed away and I suspect it is going to get worse before it gets better, if indeed it ever does get better.

+1000000

[McClarky]

It was men against boys in the first half,I don"t think I"ve ever seen us so outclassed by anyone at any level. Could easily have been 0-3 by ht so not sure how the score flattered Cardiff. I couldn't"t understand how they had so much space and room on the ball while we were rushed and pressured and were always either giving it away or hoofing it. We were better in second half but all their goals were bad defensively from us. There are so many problems at the moment, don"t have a clue what we can do with current players though.

[jim mk2]

I haven't seen enough of Ipswich's squad Mercerman, but he wouldn't do that here. He wouldn't take this squad into the Prem.

Given his track record he would have had a much better chance than Berg.

[Waggy76]

Bloody 'ell Steve! Worse than Jim Iley's team of the late 70's? Or the team that went down in 79?

That was the same team , Iley was sacked in October to be replaced by Pickering , relegation soon followed ..

There are similarities Radford ,Aston , Birchenall . all passed it !!!

The goals scored by Rhodes will keep us up this season (if he doesn't move in Jan ) but only just !

[Lancs Rover]

Berg or not Berg? Whose fault is it?

First of all, stats about other managers apparent 'success' is a highly selective to the point of obscuring the issue. Any point can be made by quoting them. Teams can have next to none of the ball and still win. Reading have won a game without having one recorded shot on target.

Second, even to my untutored professional eye, it is absolutely obvious and has been for ages that Rhodes can't play up front on his own. This doesn't make him a poor player as some have suggested. Jason Roberts, anyone? I just don't know why Berg persists. Opposition managers must feel like the cat that's got the cream. Basically, crowd him out and we can't score. In fact, we can't create anything because there is no-one to find up front.

I could go on for ever. But, lastly, some of the simple passing and deadball play last night was atrocious. Again. Berg can't honestly be blamed for some player decisions, lack of honest effort, thinking they had loads of time on the ball etc. Some of that play can only be described as professionally naive.

I can only conclude we are watching Steve Kean's players in Henning Berg's team. There seems to be no professional pride in working for him. Only Henning can put that right. If they don't perform, get 'em out. A team full of reserves might at least have played for the shirt.

For me, the team vs Blackpool will show us where Henning is taking us.

[Clitherover]

You can't blame him for throwing his hat in the ring and I'm not going to call for his head, but this was the time to appoint an experienced manager at this level.

Completely agree. We could/should have had Holloway as manager but Venkys/Singh fluffed it up. I don't think Berg is the right man for the job but he's here and he needs at least one transfer window to try to prove us wrong.

What would really upset me though is if Berg refuses to walk away from the club if it all goes tits up like Kean did, it would be very sad to see such a thing from a Rovers legend.

[rovermagic]

Blackburn:

Shots 13

On target 7

Possession 49%

Corners 7

Fouls 18

Cardiff:

Shots 9

On target 4

Possession 51%

Corners 2

Fouls 11

Cardiff 4 shots on target. 4 goals. In the Prem too, year after year Robbo had lowest percentage of shots on target saved. Makes a few great saves, but not a lot of others.

[RevidgeBlue]

Not read this thread in detail but surprised to see a comment above saying Lowe is the best of a bad bunch. In my view he was the worst of a bad bunch last night. He has done OK at right back in the past but is absolutely atrocious in midfield, every time the ball comes to him, the move either breaks down by him playing a pointless ball sideways or backwards, he gives it away or he commits a foul. Shouldn't play again. Has to be Dunn or Murphy + Etuhu lack of pace notwithstanding.

On the right wing Formica has gone back to being completely ineffective and anonymous after having a couple of better games a few weeks ago. Vuckevic needs to come in there.

Hanley looked quite good in the second half of last season in the Premiership but has been dreadful in the Championship this. Givet has to come in or new centre half required. Dann has been a lot better this season but unfortunately last night it was back to the desperate Dann of last season not the more polished performer of this season.

King, I know he scored, but I am not overly impressed with him, too greedy and no better than a number of our other offensive players imo. Kazim Richards was our stand out performer last night imo showing once again he can look half decent when his mind is on it. Martin Olsson was the only other player to have a half decent game imo.

Not sure what Berg is trying to do at the moment. A few weks ago he seemed to have a fixed and preferred style of play and the players seemed to be responding. Now he seems to have kicked that into touch and seems to be throwing different players in in a random and haphazard fashion hoping something will click. For me Rochina absolutely has to start just behind Rhodes or Rhodes and Kazim Richards. He's our best player if you take out Rhodes goalscoring contributions and without him in the team we have very little creativity indeed.

Most worryingly is the fact Berg has only been here what eight games and the players haven't shown any real appetite or desire whatsoever in the last two or three games. Dann should have flattened the Cardiff centre half trying to win the ball for their first goal and that lack of hunger showed itself throughout the first half. At least two of the other four goals were avoidable if we'd defended like we'd meant it as well. Things seem to be reverting back to the type of last season and it's like I've been saying for a while, Berg should have been allowed to bring his own backroom team in. The players failed to respond to Kean and Black as we slumped towards relegation with barely a whimper in the latter part of last season, and they're failing to respond to Berg and Black at the moment this season.

[Majiball]

Amongst all the disappointment - lets not forget we were playing the current league leaders - and IF some decisions had gone our way it could have been a different result. At the end of the days two goals were conceded when we were pushing for an equaliser.

The biggest worry - the longer Berg has been in a job the worse the performances - though I think some of that is due to draining confidence.

When you sit there saying if only things could have been different then the facts are simple in football, you're not good enough. every team always gets decisions against them and poor refs you have to be good enough to ensure they don't matter. We can't string 5 passes together are playing constant long balls to a player who can do nothing other than shoot and we move the ball and ourselves about as much as statues. People can say training was good but simply we are not good enough for this league and have some seriously poor players. Hanley a big lump who can't even head the ball, christ he can't even pass it 10 yards to a rovers player, need to replace him asap. Givet must play his lavck of height is no issue as Hanley can't win a header for toffee and is better at creating goals for the opposition than defending. Dann can't mark or forgets he's meant to be doing it, again he's not a leader in defence and needs one alongside him ala Johnson. Etuhu well he makes Vinny Jones look like Pele enough said I'm a better player than him and I'm knackered. We're just not good enough and even our better players are lacking in crucial attributes like industry.

Berg has to be given time.

He'll know rubbish defenders when he sees them. I fully expect movement in that area come January. King has helped address our lack of goal scoring threat and pace on the wings, so I'm hopeful Berg knows what he's doing in the transfer market.

I'm just not convinced so far that he has what we need. Not one change to the back-room team, despite no lead sports scientist and a coaching made up of youth coaches. I've been told Henning has cart blanch on staffing and yet nothing has changed???? I know they've been offered people and even some for free and yet??? It's not right and I struggle to remember only a manager joining at another club before. Performances are not good enough, we still can't play and tactically look devoid of enthusiasm, our press is a s quick as an 8 year old team we don't do it as a team and we move off the ball like statues. Lump it forward as no-one moves up front and even if they do, Rhodes is as likely to keep the ball as I am to pop out a kid tomorrow. King is another Rochina, runs into trouble for fun and makes silly choices. We're in trouble and he had time to get in what we needed and didn't.

Not impressed at all so far with Hennings rein, nothing appears to have changed at rovers, just the figurehead and even he looks like Kean at times.

Circus Ewood still open for business with new ring leader BERG.

Same old rubbish, new wrapper for me, I hope I'm proven wrong.

[jim mk2]

The players failed to respond to Kean and Black as we slumped towards relegation with barely a whimper in the latter part of last season, and they're failing to respond to Berg and Black at the moment this season.

Are you suggesting Black is the common denominator here ? Perhaps you've forgotten that when Black was given a short period in charge the team responded by suddenly looking a stronger defensive unit and we stopped conceding goals at an alarming rate. Perhaps also, Berg doesn't want to bring his own backroom team in and is happy with the coaches he has. Still, it's not all doom and gloom as the England cricket team is on its way to a superb Test victory in India.

[Ossydave]

I've got to the point now where I hate half our fans. What went on in the concourse last night was embarrassing. If you read this u fat clown who was shouting at women, yes it was me that barged into you and I will happily rip your head off outside the ground.

[BigUts]

Bored. Might leave my season ticket in the kitchen drawer for a while...