[Archived] Blackburn Rovers vs. Blackpool **Updated with Colourful Graphs!*

[den]

Roger Jones

Mick Heaton

Andy Burgin

Stuart Metcalfe

Graham Hawkins

Derek Fazackerley

Ken Beamish

Graham Oates

Mike Hickman

Tony Parkes

Don Martin

One or two of those would get into our current team.

Thanks Tyrone, reliable as usual. If I could have either that squad, or the present one, I would have to go for that one. Never thought I would be thinking that two seasons ago.

[Steve Kean's Hypnotoad]

Humour has died at Ewood it seems.

Actually that story is garbage. The guy was just moved away from the home fans and made to sit at the front. He was there pratting about in his suit for the entire rest of the game. Which is a relief because its such an original and hilarious joke.

[thenodrog]

I bought a ticket late on......and wished I had stayed at home.

What dreadful dreadful dreadful game that was, God we are the pits Two dire teams, Blackpool edged us. Rovers fans like a morgue, except for the Darren End....have the BBE given up?

I've been thinking the same thing. The Blackburn End did once provide atmosphere but it seems that belongs to the history books now. Least I expected was a chorus of 'shoot.... shoot' whenever Ince appeared on the touchline. Seems there is a desperate lack of imagination and humour... again.

[47er]

It's still massively in our hands as

Same games played as the bottom three but 5 points ahead with a better goal difference, it would take a pretty disastrous run in to see us relegated

But we are on one!

[the original david brent]

When josh king was replaced by Ckr, we had 11 British born players on the field. Probably have to go back to circa 1992 for when that last happened.

[thenodrog]

Pretty much how I saw it. First half we were poor but held out. Second half improved.

It was still better than what we've watched under Appleton in my opinion.

Indeed so. First 30 mins the team appeared unsure with the 4-1-3-1 formation with Dunny allowed a free role but after that they grew in confidance and had the edge on a very poor Blackpool side. Second half continued in the same way but we paid for Jones and King missing simple match winning chances and our defence needing half a dozen chances to clear the ball and relieve pressure....... seemingly because we have at least 3 players who can't kick a ball out of defence with either foot.

[adopted scouser]

Got out of the car with my daughter on Dawlish Close (mum's 71 today) massive roar at the bottom of the hill. Was it another from Blackpool ? An equaliser ? Thank god for 1-1

[neophox]

okay result today but Bowyer unbeaten as manager....Could be an interesting game on monday, maybe put CKR and Best for Dunn and King?

[Giant]

Oates was the bet player in that 11. Just what seems to be required at the moment.

Disagree, Stuart Metcalfe best player by a country mile. Parkes was gash, carried by Metcalfe. Jones a great keeper. Both would be premier league players today.

[wampam]

first half the only positive rovers football came from dunny. he messed up a few times for sure, but i felt he had the right idea. two or three like him would be very good. basically two poor sides,poor ref,poor pitch,poor support.reminds me so much of the seventies(early). still like going though. am i mad ?murphy didn't make too manymistakes today,well done. tough league

[Amo]

Get Ince get an easy ride from the crowd?

[Paul Mellelieu]

Indeed so. First 30 mins the team appeared unsure with the 4-1-3-1 formation with Dunny allowed a free role but after that they grew in confidance and had the edge on a very poor Blackpool side. Second half continued in the same way but we paid for Jones and King missing simple match winning chances and our defence needing half a dozen chances to clear the ball and relieve pressure....... seemingly because we have at least 3 players who can't kick a ball out of defence with either foot.

4 -1-4-1

[Josh]

first half the only positive rovers football came from dunny. he messed up a few times for sure, but i felt he had the right idea. two or three like him would be very good. basically two poor sides,poor ref,poor pitch,poor support.reminds me so much of the seventies(early). still like going though. am i mad ?murphy didn't make too manymistakes today,well done. tough league

Murphy?

[Giant]

What our players have never come to terms with in this league is the speed with which opposition players close them down. There is no time to dwell on the ball which is why our midfield have been caught in possession so easily and why we give the ball away so often. Get that sorted and we might get somewhere.

[Steve Kean's Hypnotoad]

Get Ince get an easy ride from the crowd?

Yep, no stick at all. The crowd were rubbish for the most part. Too many waiting with baited breath for a chance to have a good old protest probably.

[thenodrog]

4 -1-4-1

Dunn being the extra man as I pointed out.

Disagree, Stuart Metcalfe best player by a country mile. Parkes was gash, carried by Metcalfe. Jones a great keeper. Both would be premier league players today.

I very much doubt that. Misty eyed nostalgia on your part giant. They couldn't get in the 1st Div back then and now 60% of the Prem are imported players they would have no chance.

btw Mekky was unbelievably good. One footed or not. I played against him many times and I was bigger, stronger, faster etc yet he skinned me time and time again. Real quality Mekky had.

[jim mk2]

Oates was the bet player in that 11. Just what seems to be required at the moment.

Blimey, I remember Oates as a donkey in midfield. Couldn't control a ball to save his life. Metcalfe and Roger Jones were the best players in that 1970s team

[Giant]

Dunn being the extra man as I pointed out.

I very much doubt that. Misty eyed nostalgia on your part giant. They couldn't get in the 1st Div back then and now 60% of the Prem are imported players they would have no chance.

btw Mekky was unbelievably good. One footed or not. I played against him many times and I was bigger, stronger, faster etc yet he skinned me time and time again. Real quality Mekky had.

Not being misty eyed, just think both were class compared to some of the dross on show today in the Prem. Judging by your comments about your talents Thenodrog, you could probably have been in the current Rovers team, especially from the speed point of view.

[RevidgeBlue]

Whilst not brilliant yesterday, it was still a huge improvement on what we witnessed under Appleton. There was some thought to our play and at least players were attempting to pass to one another and there seemed to be a concerted effort to play the ball along the ground to feet instead of hoofing it aimlessly in the air.

Excellent performances from Williamson and Kane, who I liked even in his first loan spell here which makes it even more baffling as to why MA recalled Orr.

One or two poor performances from players you'd expect better from, particularly Jones. Also thought Dunny was particularly wasteful in possession squandering decent opportunities time after time. His general fitness levels seemed ok by his standards though. Still can't see anything in King. One or two flashy moments but no end product yesterday. Morris looked somewhat out of his depth at LB imo.

If there was anything you could criticise Bowyer for yesterday it was that with the benefit of hindsight we set up too cautiously at the start against a very poor Blackpool side. When CKR, Rhodes and Best were on the pitch at the same time we looked quite potent. However given the car crash Bowyer inherited off Appleton it's perhaps not surprising he wanted to steady the ship a little to start with.

Overall though not too bad, in my view if we take one of the two opportunities before Blackpool scored, we go on to win comfortably. I was of the view that the possibility of relegation had lessened considerably with the sacking of Appleton and the reinstatement of Bowyer and yesterday's match reaffirmed my opinion.

[Stuart]

Get Ince get an easy ride from the crowd?

Pretty much, although he drew plenty of jeers when a fan threw the ball back on to the pitch from the JW lower.

I*** was facing the pitch and the ball looped through the air before landing, *donk*, right on top of his head. Dead centre!

I*** should be public enemy number 1 at our club but there have been so many proper villains here since he left that he's now almost fondly remembered as a bit of a harmless fool.

[USABlue]

Especially Roger Jones , Faz ,Hawkins , Metcalfe and probably Parkes ..

Graham Oates for sure.

Parkes was so underrated as a player.

When he wasn't playing, you realised how good he was because we missed him so much.

His broken leg probably cost us promo that season.

Errr we are referring to the 3rd Div CHAMPIONSHIP side are we not?

[Paul Mellelieu]

Whilst not brilliant yesterday, it was still a huge improvement on what we witnessed under Appleton. There was some thought to our play and at least players were attempting to pass to one another and there seemed to be a concerted effort to play the ball along the ground to feet instead of hoofing it aimlessly in the air.

Excellent performances from Williamson and Kane, who I liked even in his first loan spell here which makes it even more baffling as to why MA recalled Orr.

One or two poor performances from players you'd expect better from, particularly Jones. Also thought Dunny was particularly wasteful in possession squandering decent opportunities time after time. His general fitness levels seemed ok by his standards though. Still can't see anything in King. One or two flashy moments but no end product yesterday. Morris looked somewhat out of his depth at LB imo.

If there was anything you could criticise Bowyer for yesterday it was that with the benefit of hindsight we set up too cautiously at the start against a very poor Blackpool side. When CKR, Rhodes and Best were on the pitch at the same time we looked quite potent. However given the car crash Bowyer inherited off Appleton it's perhaps not surprising he wanted to steady the ship a little to start with.

Overall though not too bad, in my view if we take one of the two opportunities before Blackpool scored, we go on to win comfortably. I was of the view that the possibility of relegation had lessened considerably with the sacking of Appleton and the reinstatement of Bowyer and yesterday's match reaffirmed my opinion.

My thoughts exactly. Why Appleton played the long-ball stuff is a mystery.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Dunn being the extra man as I pointed out.

I very much doubt that. Misty eyed nostalgia on your part giant. They couldn't get in the 1st Div back then and now 60% of the Prem are imported players they would have no chance.

btw Mekky was unbelievably good. One footed or not. I played against him many times and I was bigger, stronger, faster etc yet he skinned me time and time again. Real quality Mekky had.

Jones played in the old first division and Metcalfe was an England U-23 International. I think they could have played at the top level now. Apart from Jimmy Johnstone I think Metcalfe was the most one footed right foot player I've ever seen but that right foot was pretty good. He never became the next Bryan Douglas as many thought he would but he was still a handfull especially in his early days.

On another point, that team more or less played all season with a couple of players coming in and out as the season progressed. We had a settled team and a way of playing that suited the players. We've not had that ever since the chicken chokers came in.

[Ianrally]

King is pants. How the hell he got into Old Trafford is a mystery to me. I seem to remember that he might have been recommend to Fergie by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer when he spotted him at one of his soccer schools in Norway.

Bet old old whisky nose was glad to get rid.

I was impressed by Williamson and to some extent, Kane, but Morris got himself into trouble with his reliance solely on his left peg.

Worried about Cardiff but who knows? I would rather watch a Bowyer team than an Appleton one.

[Mercer]

Disagree, Stuart Metcalfe best player by a country mile. Parkes was gash, carried by Metcalfe. Jones a great keeper. Both would be premier league players today.

Metcalfe was decent but he constantly 'drilled himself into the ground' going around in circles.

When Parkes didn't play, neither did the Rovers.