[Archived] Rovers vs Forest - match thread

[LDRover]

Great win and full credit to Bowyer et al for recognising our shortcomings and changing to 4-4-2 at half time.

Rhodes' goal was excellent and the third was the icing on the cake.

No Hendry with the managerial set up (such as it is), well I couldn't see him anyway. Makes one wonder why he wasn't potted with the rest of them, especially as he's a staunch Keanite on huge money.

[majorstyre]

Great performance today from the lads - more than glad i made the journey from merseyside via public transport following many beers last nite

Gotta say that must be the best performance of the season (perhaps rose tinted)

We closed them down all game , with players actually wanting to make that extra yard or challenge

Obviously lucky first , but second goal was well worked ( peds run was from the good old days ) - class finish from Rhodes , and a belter of a third proving we don't have to walk it in

If we can keep this up those play offs may yet be possible

On a side note , expected more from forest but I ain't complaining

[sambo]

Delighted with the win today. First half was pretty dour, we struggled to get going and find our passes.

Second half saw the side look really up for it, closing Forest down all over the pitch and getting dug in with some good challenges. As a result we looked a bit more threatening as we got on the ball more.

Jake Kean was superb. Man of the match for me - he looked commanding and made some impressive saves.

Also enjoyed Kazim Richards' reaction at the end - he looked delighted (although for some reason didn't celebrate the 2nd goal?) and threw his shirt into the Darwen End.

Anyway, we saw glimmers of our potential today. Over the moon with the win, the league table is starting to look a lot healthier.

[Hasta]

Well that's put to bed the tin-pot theory that the players aren't good enough for this division. They just need organising and motivating. Berg and Kean were usless at that. Well done Gary Bowyer.

Please please please, a sensible managerial appointment. 6th place is not out of the question with the attacking options we have. Rhodes, CKR, Rochina, Vukc and King should be the envy of every manager in this league. The defenders aren't bad either IF organised.

They are good enough for this division. They probably aren't good enough to get out of it though.

[Beta Ray Bill]

Nice start to the new year.

Has Morten ever run as fast as he did to get to the ball for the 2nd goal?

[blueboy3333]

They are good enough for this division. They probably aren't good enough to get out of it though.

They most definately are. Hull are where they are through good management. Not because they've better players than us. Ditto Millwall, Boro. We have more than our fair share of quality players.

We'll look back at the end of the season at just what a disastrous appointment Berg was.

[Hasta]

They most definately are. Hull are where they are through good management. Not because they've better players than us. Ditto Millwall, Boro. We have more than our fair share of quality players.

We'll look back at the end of the season at just what a disastrous appointment Berg was.

Ok you believe that like you probably have all season. Just because you've never heard of the Millwall / Boro players doesn't make them worse than ours.

We played well today but lets not get carried away - Murphy is still past it and Jason Lowe is still never going to be a Premiership standard midfielder. I still reckon 3 or 4 first team signings are needed to give us a chance of the play offs.

[Tom]

Enjoyed that

The first half was dull but steady enough, King was the stand out player with some nice flicks and obvious pace

Second half started with real class and directness from king to get from our own half to set up Rochina on the run who himself showed pace that he doesn't normally. Once again maybe dwelled on the ball too long but when it goes in who cares

The second was superb by Rhodes but equally so by Pedersen and the third a class finish, was it Pedersen again with the assist?

Kean looked good in the air and his save was superb, the players seemed made up for him and there was a real spirit shown when Murphy cleared off the line. I was so glad that stayed out so we could continue abusing Fatty Reid.

Good performances all round today and a great win

When these players play like they can we are among the best in this league, getting them playing like that seems to be the problem

[punerover]

It would seem Shebby did not pick the team today

[blueboy3333]

Ok you believe that like you probably have all season. Just because you've never heard of the Millwall / Boro players doesn't make them worse than ours.

We played well today but lets not get carried away - Murphy is still past it and Jason Lowe is still never going to be a Premiership standard midfielder. I still reckon 3 or 4 first team signings are needed to give us a chance of the play offs.

I've heard of all of Millwalls players and Boro's, i could also tell you where most of them were signed from. I'm just well informed when it comes to football. You aren't.

[Waggy76]

Good 2nd half this afternoon.

Kean looked promisimg , didn;t have much to do but made one stunning save !

Henley played very well was my man of the match ..

Rhodes excellent goal a definate goal poacher ...

Shame about KIng going back to Man u, showing promise , it is probably not a good place to be at the moment for young loanee ...

[JAL]

Went to see how the new coaches would fair, and to see if the players that had been running past Barnsley defenders for fun could they do the same in this game, and to a point they did.

After wondering what on earth Josh King was doing here after a disappointing performance against Bolton, it would seem now that hes going to be a big loss to the team if he goes back to Man U. He always looked a threat had a nice roll over the ball trick which can only get better if hes playing regularly with the Rovers.

Danny Murphy having been far from impressed with him, today though thought he was fit, on his toes, sprinting,closing down and always there or there abouts. What he needs, or the team needs, is, a good midfield partner to compliment him rather than the hapless Jason Lowe. What does this lad bring to the table except simply make up the numbers.

The two centre halves worry me when high balls are played into their area as they simply aren't dominant enough, fortunately today Forest had a smallish forward and didnt seem to want to play that way.

Overall a lucky first goal, but two excellent ones after that, aided by a Danny Murphy goaline clearance, made it a thoroughly deserved victory for Rovers.

Lets hope they can keep King on for longer and bomb the extremely slow Formica out of the club along with a few others.

Most impressive player for me was right back Henley, twice under pressure he kicked the ball upfield and turned the team from defence into attack not once but twice.

[ABBEY]

I've heard of all of Millwalls players and Boro's, i could also tell you where most of them were signed from. I'm just well informed when it comes to football. You aren't.

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLEEEEEEEEEEEEEE ROX

[Amo]

You were saying.

I love tempting fate.

[Ianrally]

Saw the crowd given as 15490 on SSN.

More like 11500 from where I was standing.

[RevidgeBlue]

What a great result, who would have thought Gary Bowyer would come in and inspire us to 3-1 and 3-0 wins after the week we've had? He really can't be praised highly enough, regardless of whether he gets it full time or not.

Funnily enough I didn't think we played that well today, I thought we played better against Birmingham in particular and even Millwall when we didn't get the results. Such is football I guess.

First half was ordinary, the first goal was a fluke even though Rochina earnt his huge slice of fortune with a surging run. Prior to that I thought the Spaniard was at the heart of anything good we did manage to produce, no-one else looked likely to create anything at all. I was mortified when he was withdrawn with fully half an hour to go but presumably that was down to injury. Accordingly after he was withdrawn I thought we lost all impetus for a while and it was a dour battle to cling on until we caught Forest on the break with a superb counter attack.

MGP who had come on on the "wrong side" as sub yet looked more up for it than in many a long while produced a superb run leading up to Rhodes instinctive finish from a near impossible angle. That lad is sheer gold. He can be starved of service and completely out of the game for 89 minutes but you still know he is capable of a moment of brilliance to swing the game at any time.

After that it was showboating and exhibition time and the move and finish leading up to CKR's third goal was the best I've seen at Ewood for a long time.

Negatives, we indulged in too many aimless high punts and bouts of head tennis instead of keeping the ball on the deck at times.

Positives:

1) Jake Kean. My mom. Turned the game on its head imo with an unbelievable reflex save with the score at 1-0. Also what a refreshing change to see a keeper indulge in what I would term some proper old school goalkeeping and actually catch crosses as opposed to the modern fad of flapping at crosses trying to puch them away. I've said for a couple of years that I was very impressed with Kean when I'd seen him for the reserves, much better imo than the likes of Fielding and arguably Bunn who were released. If he can keep this up, much as I like Robbo, he wouldn't be unduly missed.

2) Henley. best game for a while

3) Hanley and Dann. Rather more agricultural than we've seen up to now, not standing about on ceremony so much and seemingly not afraid to put in in row Z if needed. What's needed at times.

4) Rochina. Still a work in progress but an unbelieveable talent. Can receive the ball in a difficult position when we and the team are under pressure and 99% of players would either be forced to give the ball away or play an ordinary pass. He can somehow turn and squirm and wriggle and put us on the offensive again.

5) Wait for this one............. Pedersen ..............very good cameo.

6) Gary Bowyer. When CKR scored he ran over to greet Bowyer when he scored it wasn't just for show, there seemed to be real warmth between the two. The players seem to have taken to him and I would hate for him to be removed just to make way for a non entity like MacDonald or Peter Taylor. We might as well stick with our own coach as someone else's.

All in all a very good day. We need to add at least another couple of back to back wins to the two we've just got and let's see how things are looking.

[Hasta]

I've heard of all of Millwalls players and Boro's, i could also tell you where most of them were signed from. I'm just well informed when it comes to football. You aren't.

Do you think Murphy and Lowe are a good enough pairing to get us out of this league?

[cn174]

Was that Wally Hendry in the dugout today?

Hendry was in the stands on the computer.

Really enjoyed today, makes a nice change to go to Blues after a game when we've won!!

First half was tedious apart from Lee Camps comedy backpass

First goal came with a bit of luck, but we dont normally get them kind of goals - normally bounce the other way. Excellent goal from Rhodes, that was my favourite one.

[JAL]

A great win - truly under the circumstances.

It makes you wonder if we had just had a 'normal' manager over the past too tears where we'd be - I suspect we'd still have gone down due to the players we lost.

BUT would we have lost them with a normal manager?

For all the supporters who didnt go today, the feel of the game was one of when we used to play an early round coca cola cup games against lower league opposition when a few reserves or youngsters would be played. Thats how it felt today.

[LDRover]

Hendry was in the stands on the computer.

Was he playing FM2013 with Shebby?

[DE.]

Was he playing FM2013 with Shebby?

Think they were playing CM 01/02.

[ABBEY]

Was he playing FM2013 with Shebby?

1999

[Hasta]

Was he playing FM2013 with Shebby?

Nah. He was on a $500 buy-in table trying to win back his neighbours cash in order to get the Colinhendrylies website taken down.

[JAL]

Rhodes excellent goal a definate goal poacher ...

.

It was an excellent goal but hes not very good when it comes to linking up play. But whats the point in wasting time and energy improving this side of his game when hes got natural ability to put the ball into the net in various ways.

An absolutely top class finish today for me.

When fans talk about team formations they should base it on ten men and not eleven, with Jordan Rhodes always being that free eleventh man.

[PAFELL]

Saw the crowd given as 15490 on SSN.

More like 11500 from where I was standing.

Somebody commented on twitter that hardly anybody was there.