[Archived] **Leicester City v Rovers** Tuesday 26th February

[DE.]

Still struggling to believe he said that. They were his actual comments? Legitimately? "Just don't lose by 5 or 6."

Just don't lose by 5 or 6.

Right.

[den]

Got to admit those comments come as a shocker.

[Rover_Shaun]

http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/blackburn_rovers/news/10253264.Dismal_Rovers_out_foxed/

“It was not great," said Rovers boss Appleton. "Leicester played ever
so well. They made us work very hard from the start the most
disappointing thing was the manner with which we conceded the goals.

"Hopefully we get a reaction. That is the biggest think we will be
looking for on Saturday. At half time I said to the lads don’t get
thumped by five or six. I said let’s make sure we don’t get beat in the
second half and we wouldn’t have been had it not been for their 93rd
minute goal."

[G Somerset Rover]

A couple of people are right, if you didn't see Appleton's name next to those quotes then you'd have sworn they'd have come from Kean's mouth. "Don't lose by 5 or 6", "we didn't lose the second half until the 90th minute" etc etc.

My word, those quotes have got my back up and I'm guessing thousands of other Rovers fans.

[JAL]

You have to ask with those kind of comments and the manner of the teams performance has Appleton taken his foot off the pedal and thus in turn so have the players.

[Bluemonday BRFC]

We showed a distinctive lack of ambition (again) which was then reiterated in Appleton's post-match interview (again).

He seems happy with losing 3-0 at such a critical stage of the season. Why are we sitting back waiting for a lucky break. Where's our fight? Not encouraging stuff. Personally, I'm going from not convinced to concerned...

At least he recognises the table doesn't lie and we are where we are. We're @#/? and we know we are I suppose.

[Rover_Shaun]

At least he recognises the table doesn't lie and we are where we are.

Ahem

Appleton__Rovers_can_still_make_play_offs

[roverandout]

was his biggest supporter. now it seems the wheels are starting to fall off, still need to give him next season as i think he will come good, hopefully!!!

[Rover_Shaun]

Actual interview without the paraphrasing and misquoting - audio

http://audioboo.fm/boos/1235373-audio-leicester-3-blackburn-0-michael-appleton-bbclancashire-rovers-brfc

[jim mk2]

For a team that still had a chance of the play-offs those quotes are totally unacceptable.

Hate to say it but the horrible realisation is sinking in that we may have yet another dud of a manager.

[DE.]

"A weaker side would have got turned over big time tonight."

Well, thank goodness for that.

[tomphil]

Fact remains that besides the injuries and mostly underperforming - not good enough players we have yet again a bunch of relative novices in the dugout. It's going to take time or more likely a keaning miracle. But we all knew that really so it's back to square one, for about the 6th time this season !

[onlyonejackwalker]

Many a team has been 2 zip down and come back to win! What's going on? Very disappointed and unimpressed by those comments if accurate. I am not impressed playing 4.4.2 either and conceeding midfield. Crackers.

Let's face it, it's not just central midfield were we are lacking. The lack of quality, pace, presence and courage throughout the team has been apparent all season. Disastrous waste of money.

The Rovers are a big club and the managerial position is the key job. Relegation made the job so much harder. So many other reasons made it harder still.

A huge task, which we have compounded with our stupidity. We have wasted an absolute fortune on rubbish from top to bottom and somehow managed to make this season one of the biggest farces in our proud history.

I'm not adverse to more money being wasted if ultimately they get it right. On the criteria set this season, MA has badly under performed. I respect the lad and he needs much more time, just like Berg before him, but we don't have time to waste. A cultural change is required at the club and an experienced, proven manager for me is key.

[TurkishDelightFan]

I went to the game. Rovers were poor, they played negative and didn't really look like they wanted to score. Murphy was rubbish. I though Leicester played very well, good movement and constant attack. I enjoyed my first visit to Leicesters stadium even though rovers were awful.

[rovermagic]

We drove to match. Looked about 400 of us. Not great turnout. It was close to the worst we've seen Rovers play in 20 years. Peds and Murphy the worst of the lot. We do badly miss Rochina. Bentley moved to centre in second half. A bit better. He was our least bad player. Really needs to be our centre mid or number 10 playmaker. We very badly missed Olsson I, King, Best, CKM and Williamson. If Venkys do pull the plug next year we could face two bankruptcies and a League Two future. Worrying if J Kean did not come for one or more of the headed goals. Leicester did take foot off gas second half and Olsson II and Henley not nearly as dire as Peds & Rekik. There was no attack at all tonite and little defence. Secret of Arsenal victory: no Murphy. And Campbell was dire. Tiny little guy with no strength who does nothing.

[thenodrog]

No surprise really our mid table plodders position is it? Just two from our current squad would have got into Souness's squad which achieved promotion last time around and none would have made the starting eleven.

[AggyBlue]

The mc on the pitch at half time said to the home fans 'Did you enjoy that first half, we haven't played that good in a very, very long time'

Leicester played well because we kept giving them the ball.

[DE.]

Indeed, it isn't hard to play well when the opposition are a shower of sh1te.

[Paul]

If we are losing 1/2M a week the owners would have to put an extra 25M in if we were to mount a challenge next season without some series cost cutting and no-one in their right mind would do that....then again it is the Venky's were talking about so maybe they will continue to fund this circus of extravegence and wastefullness. Surely the sensible option would be to try and get shot of all the high earners and try our luck with a decent group of young players and bring some championship experience from other clubs who aren't wanting 30K a week. First step is to put a stop to any talk of bringing in players this month, it would be a total waste of money at this stage.

The response to this is Venkys appear to already have put the 25m into the club. VLL recently issued 24,388,000 shares at 1 each. Presumably this is to cover current operating losses. How next season will be dealt with is anyone's guess.

I'd agree we need to clear out many highly paid players but this realistically means paying up their contracts. How many on here would accept a 50% or more pay cut to leave Ewood?

The REALLY BIG question which needs answering is where has the 24m come from?

The Raos own pockets?

Outside investors? A new shareholder would have to be registered

Mortgaging the parachute payments?

http://m.guardian.co.uk/sport/2011/mar/04/football-league-premier-league-payments

I believe this is our situation. I think we have borrowed against the next two years parachute payments, 24m as it happens, to fund the current operating losses.

Rhodes will be sold this summer to begin funding next season's operating losses.

Happy days. Forget sorting out the midfield, the bank account needs fettling first.

[Paul]

For some reason £ didn't work in the above post. Hope it's still clear?

[arbitro]

Having got in an 12.30 from the game and just got up for work I am seething after reading those defeatist and almost cowardly comments from Appleton. From afar last night it could have been Kean on the touchline as this impassive, motionless figure stood with his hands in his pockets seemingly way out of his depth. Why on earth Murphy played a full game yesterday along with the hapless Campbell I will never know. When Appleton brought Gomez on for Rhodes that was the final straw for the majority of Rovers fans and I fear that serious doubts have emerged about Appletons ability. Once again we were completely outfought, out thought and were a distinct second best in midfield as Leicester ran us ragged. Kean kept us in the game in the first half with some decent saves as both full backs allowed cross after cross to be sent in without hardly any pressure.

I know we are short of players in certain areas but after last night I would be looking at some of the kids who, without a shadow of a doubt could not do worse that some of our under achieving, big money earning wasters. Is there not a better left back at the club than Rekik? He was so out of his depth in the first half I felt embarrassed for him. Surely one of our own kids cannot be as bad?

[Mike Graham]

Having got in an 12.30 from the game and just got up for work I am seething after reading those defeatist and almost cowardly comments from Appleton. From afar last night it could have been Kean on the touchline as this impassive, motionless figure stood with his hands in his pockets seemingly way out of his depth. Why on earth Murphy played a full game yesterday along with the hapless Campbell I will never know. When Appleton brought Gomez on for Rhodes that was the final straw for the majority of Rovers fans and I fear that serious doubts have emerged about Appletons ability. Once again we were completely outfought, out thought and were a distinct second best in midfield as Leicester ran us ragged. Kean kept us in the game in the first half with some decent saves as both full backs allowed cross after cross to be sent in without hardly any pressure.

I know we are short of players in certain areas but after last night I would be looking at some of the kids who, without a shadow of a doubt could not do worse that some of our under achieving, big money earning wasters. Is there not a better left back at the club than Rekik? He was so out of his depth in the first half I felt embarrassed for him. Surely one of our own kids cannot be as bad?

+100 top post

"A weaker side would have got turned over big time tonight."

Well, thank goodness for that.

Sounds like that prat Kean. He even looked like Kean (without the weight) for the last couple of games.

[yoda's brother]

has chaddy done a runner

[Proudtobeblue&white]

He has options - Givet was on the bench, is he not a better option at left back? Is he his own man? Murphy has underachieved all season, he should be dropped. Seems to me the dark forces aren't too far away. Time to shake it up on Saturday - nowt to lose now. His comments are pathetic and not worthy of someone managing our team.

[Parsonblue]

This was a dreadful performance by a bunch of players who have clearly given up on the season in terms of the League. We look a million miles away from potential Premier League challengers. Quite frankly he could have replaced all ten outfield players at half-time such was the level of the display. The travelling fans, and there weren't that many of us, had clearly had enough and turned on the players who quite frankly never looked remotely interested. At half-time we looked like we were happy to leave with a 0-2 defeat and the second half was played out with the home side having to do very little to retain their lead. The third goal at the end was the very least that Leicester deserved to make the score look respectable. Without Jake Kean I dread to think what the score might have been.

There is a massive rebuiding job needed at this club because at the moment we are light years away from having a promotion challenging squad. With the play-offs now a distant memory surely it's time to try some of the kids and see who is worth keeping and who can be released rather than bringing more players in on loan.