[Archived] Cardiff City v. Blackburn Rovers, preview

[K-Hod]

Yep, the one that also just got beaten by Peterbrough and who are on an indifferent run of form themselves in the Championship. Ridiculous to compare them to Arsenal.

Perhaps, can't really call them an average side if they're top of the league though....

[chaddyrovers]

Blackburn Rovers‏@OneRovers2m

Illness in the camp means Lee Williamson, Nuno Gomes and Josh King all absent

Rhodes is shattered and has been for few weeks.

strong team for rovers.

will it 4-4-2 or 4-3-3.

Lowe is rested.

[Majiball]

Thanks Rovers11.

Today will be a battle as they are physical so I can understand why he's not playing. To be fair he might be best off coming on fresh in this with 30 to go. Hopefully we can hold them till then.

[RevidgeBlue]

Rovers: Kean, Kane, Dann, Hanley, Morris, Bentley, Murphy, Jones, Pedersen, Best, Kazim-Richards.

Subs: Sandomierski, Givet, Dunn, Rhodes, Rekik, Goodwillie, Stewart

Pedersen? Bentley? No Rhodes?

Do I not like that line up. Bowyer really is a genius if he can pull off a win with that team. Presumably he's trying to take advantage of our big squad and play players who are rested.

Pedersen's been rested for the last 5 years or so.

[Kie_BRFC]

Furious with that team selection! Far too negative, Best and CKR have never been prolific, no pace in midfield. And to top it off Danny Murphy is back FFS!!

[Mike Graham]

Pedersen? Bentley? No Rhodes?

Pedersen's been rested for the last 5 years or so.

Very funny re Peds, love it.

[Ossydave]

Best and CKR will cause them problems, I actually think dropping Rhodes could pay off and surprise a few today....

[rovers11]

Hopefully GB can prove us wrong and show he picked the right team. Best will lead the line better than Rhodes and will provide more of a physical threat alongside Kaz.

[Giant]

Now we know why Murphy wasn't anywhere to be seen on Friday, saved for Monday so not as many fans to boo him. Our midfield is slower than a set of tortoises today. It'll be interesting to see how often, if at all, Bentley, Murphy and Peds cross the half way line. I think we will see a lot of long ball played up to Best/CKR.

[den]

Best and CKR will cause them problems, I actually think dropping Rhodes could pay off and surprise a few today....

Yep.

[ABBEY]

murphy? no rhodes ( injured ?) ...JESUS CHRIST WE REALLY DO WANT TO GO DOWN !!! JUST SEEN A TWEET RHODES IS SHATTERED!!! AH BLESS 40 GRAND A FRIGGING WEEK AND HES SHATTERED !!!!! HOW CAN HE BE TIRED ..HE PALYS FOOTBALL ITS NOT EVEN A REAL JOB ,GOD HELP HIM IF HE HAD TO DO 12 HOUR NIGHT SHIFTS OR 60 HOURS A WEEK ...

[chaddyrovers]

Think we will see 4-3-3 with Jones, Murphy and Peds in midfield 3 with Bentley and Kaz on the wings and Best up front on his own.

Best can hold the ball up better than Rhodes.

Cant believe how negative people are on here. ffs

Bowyer has made the changes he wants.

Bowyer has a gameplan, lets see how it work out.

[Mike Graham]

murphy? no rhodes ( injured ?) ...JESUS CHRIST WE REALLY DO WANT TO GO DOWN !!! JUST SEEN A TWEET RHODES IS SHATTERED!!! AH BLESS 40 GRAND A FRIGGING WEEK AND HES SHATTERED !!!!! HOW CAN HE BE TIRED ..HE PALYS FOOTBALL ITS NOT EVEN A REAL JOB ,GOD HELP HIM IF HE HAD TO DO 12 HOUR NIGHT SHIFTS OR 60 HOURS A WEEK ...

too much running backwards towards the opposition goal

[Ossydave]

Now we know why Murphy wasn't anywhere to be seen on Friday, saved for Monday so not as many fans to boo him. Our midfield is slower than a set of tortoises today. It'll be interesting to see how often, if at all, Bentley, Murphy and Peds cross the half way line. I think we will see a lot of long ball played up to Best/CKR.

I actually think he will ask Best/CKR to hold the ball up and invite the midfielders into play to be honest, I could have course be very wrong though.

[rovers11]

Campbell and Bellamy start up front for Cardiff. They will cause us lots of problems.

Happy to see Noone and Whittingham not starting though. We need to stop them passing in midfield and force them to play long balls up to the front men. Dann and Hanley will deal with those kind of balls, it's pace in behind they struggle with.

[ABBEY]

Think we will see 4-3-3 with Jones, Murphy and Peds in midfield 3 with Bentley and Kaz on the wings and Best up front on his own.

Best can hold the ball up better than Rhodes.

Cant believe how negative people are on here. ffs

Bowyer has made the changes he wants.

Bowyer has a gameplan, lets see how it work out.

NEGATIVE ..? BLOODY NEGATIVE ....? IS IT ANY BLOODY WONDER ..2 POINTS OF BOTTOM 3 AND THAT TURD MURPHY AND DROPPING YOUR HIGHEST SCORER ....CHADDY SOMETIMES I THINK YOU LIVE IN A BLUE BUBBLE.

[chaddyrovers]

people/fans moaned that Appleton didnt make changes with short breaks between, now Bowyer has made changes, fans still moan

[Mike Graham]

Best and CKR will cause them problems, I actually think dropping Rhodes could pay off and surprise a few today....

I think that GB has made the right call. Every team marks JR out of the game and he has nothing but scraps to feed on. At least CKR will track back and will put a tackle in (which JR is incapable of). I just hope Best remembers to look up and pass the ball, he got himself in some great positions v Blackpool but them forgot that football is a team game.

[Dunnfc]

Moan if you wish after the game.

Rhodes needs a rest, squad rotation. My only concern is Josh Frickin Morris at Left Back.

[JWUpper]

To be fair I think with the illness/injuries we've got it's a sensible team. Would rather have Williamson in Centre mid, but having a striker that can play the lone role starting means if we do get forced into playing long balls he can hold it up instead of watching Rhodes getting bullied off the ball and drift in/out of the game because we don't play to his strengths.

Kaz and Bentley also mean we can attack 4-3-3 but defend 4-5-1, so should make midfield a lot more solid if they do their tracking back. Also, we can always throw on our best finisher and technically gifted midfielder at any point once the opposition tire, and have them fresh given the amount of effort/running they've put in recently. Also, we're playing top of the league away, despite their (and our) recent form...

[den]

Moan if you wish after the game.

Rhodes needs a rest, squad rotation. My only concern is Josh Frickin Morris at Left Back.

Yeah, we'll see today how weak he is. Hope Bellamy isn't up against him.

[Majiball]

people/fans moaned that Appleton didnt make changes with short breaks between, now Bowyer has made changes, fans still moan

[chaddyrovers]

NEGATIVE ..? BLOODY NEGATIVE ....? IS IT ANY BLOODY WONDER ..2 POINTS OF BOTTOM 3 AND THAT TURD MURPHY AND DROPPING YOUR HIGHEST SCORER ....CHADDY SOMETIMES I THINK YOU LIVE IN A BLUE BUBBLE.

Rhodes is shattered. and should have been rested way before this. FA cup games that should have happen.

Wouldnt have played Murphy but with Lowe rested, Dunn on bench and Williamson ill.

so lets see. hope to see you on here after we draw or win today, to say you were wrong.

[ABBEY]

people/fans moaned that Appleton didnt make changes with short breaks between, now Bowyer has made changes, fans still moan

SO DROPPING LEADING GOALSCORER ON 40 ODD GRAND A WEEK IS RIGHT ? MOAN DONT YOU THINK THINK WE HAVE A RIGHT TO MOAN ....NO REALLY DO YOU?

[RevidgeBlue]

murphy? no rhodes ( injured ?) ...JESUS CHRIST WE REALLY DO WANT TO GO DOWN !!! JUST SEEN A TWEET RHODES IS SHATTERED!!! AH BLESS 40 GRAND A FRIGGING WEEK AND HES SHATTERED !!!!! HOW CAN HE BE TIRED ..HE PALYS FOOTBALL ITS NOT EVEN A REAL JOB ,GOD HELP HIM IF HE HAD TO DO 12 HOUR NIGHT SHIFTS OR 60 HOURS A WEEK ...

To be fair we only have a tweet from an unknown? source claiming Rhodes is "shattered". We have no evidence at all the player himself is claiming that.

The changes could well be tactical on the manager's part or Rhodes could be carrying a knock.

I do hope we're not going down the Allardyce route of prioritising games as being winnable and less winnable though.