[Archived] Leicester City vs Blackburn Rovers: Tuesday 17th September 2013

[Rover_Shaun]

Being picked by kean, Berg, appleton, bowyer and pearce is not a glowing endorsement. 1 was incompetent. 3 are @#/? and the jury is out on the 4th

[thenodrog]

Being picked by kean, Berg, appleton, bowyer and pearce is not a glowing endorsement. 1 was incompetent. 3 are kean and the jury is out on the 4th

As opposed to a management team comprising of Rev Blue and Blue and white army.

Youre having a go at people for unfairly criticizing lowe(a player whos average at vest even at this level) yet you yourself are constantly having a go at rhodes(a player who hasnt stopped scoring since he joined the club)

You have a point...... But only if you dont either want or think JR can improve.

[Doug]

Kane needs dropping, he's just too inexperienced for this league. I think it's unfair to condemn the whole defence when it's blatentley obvious we are playing without a proper RB,

[bazza]

I'd go along with "resting" Kane and playing Lowe at RB. Kane may be better in right midfield.

However, while Rochina and Dunn are out we need someone for the "number 10 in the hole".

King and Cairney have been tried. People say the only other two are Judge and Marshall.

I think the best player for the temporary spot would be Taylor, with King on the left and Judge on the right.

No harm in trying Taylor there. Everyone else has failed so far.

[Sparky Marky]

O'Sullivan is better than the lot of them...amazing that this lad isn't even knocking about getting the odd half hour to get him up to speed. I believe he could step up now.

[T.J.Newton]

Theoretically if we where still in the prem, then last night would have been the equivalent of us going to Liverpool or spurs(or some other top 6 team) and just expecting us to get something from the game in some fans eyes,

its always disappointing to lose, but some losses you just have to take on the chin and move on.

[T.J.Newton]

I'd go along with "resting" Kane and playing Lowe at RB. Kane may be better in right midfield.

However, while Rochina and Dunn are out we need someone for the "number 10 in the hole".

King and Cairney have been tried. People say the only other two are Judge and Marshall.

I think the best player for the temporary spot would be Taylor, with King on the left and Judge on the right.

No harm in trying Taylor there. Everyone else has failed so far.

I know it not a very exciting prospect, but, how about Paul Gallagher for the number 10 role on loan(or free, im not sure what his situation is) as I say not the most exciting prospect, but a very adequate one in the short term.

[Knockaert]

I know it not a very exciting prospect, but, how about Paul Gallagher for the number 10 role on loan(or free, im not sure what his situation is) as I say not the most exciting prospect, but a very adequate one in the short term.

We'd do anything to get Gallagher off our hands, so you're more than welcome but he's on a Sven wage which is always the stumbling block

[Parsonblue]

O'Sullivan is better than the lot of them...amazing that this lad isn't even knocking about getting the odd half hour to get him up to speed. I believe he could step up now.

He picked up a bad injury at Chorley in pre-season and has been out of action since then. I'm not sure when he is due to play again.

[old darwen blue]

Just as an aside, what a refreshing read this post has been now the usual thread spoilers aren't around

[Guest Wen Y Hu]

Parsonblue's match report is now published to the front page here.

[booth]

I don't think a strike partner is what Rhodes needs its more of a Dunn or Rochina type player playing of him, Crainey is more suited playing cm and spraying passes about. We need to try judge out there I think it's his best position with King and Taylor supporting on the wings.

I think we need that option. As someone else said, another player roughing up the opposition, holding the ball and nodding it on could be perfect for some games and for say the last 20 minutes if we're chasing the game. We can't expect our star striker to be isolated every game if we want to get promoted.

[roversR4ever]

He picked up a bad injury at Chorley in pre-season and has been out of action since then. I'm not sure when he is due to play again.

Out of interest what was your opinion on how King did in the number 10 role?

Good match report as always. I must admit I thought Cairney dropped deeper as the game went along, certainly did better when King moved forwards. Evans wasn't great I have to agree with you in fact pretty poor, just hoping as his fitness and sharpness improves we see the type of performances he delivered last year. It could also be he is more comfortable in a 2 man cm.

Taylor for me has to start, I will completely agree with you. He has done well when he has come on. I have to admit it surprised me that Marcus was brought on instead of Judge when chasing the game.

[DE.]

Theoretically if we where still in the prem, then last night would have been the equivalent of us going to Liverpool or spurs(or some other top 6 team) and just expecting us to get something from the game in some fans eyes,

its always disappointing to lose, but some losses you just have to take on the chin and move on.

I think people are still struggling to re-align their expectations of the team against what we used to be. In a way it's understandable as we're still adjusting to life in the Championship - but look at the team and manager and it would be difficult to make a case for anything other than a mid-table Championship club. Our manager is a rookie, our formation doesn't work away from home, our team is made up mostly of outcasts, premiership reserves, freebies and loans.

There's nothing wrong with being disappointed in defeat, but there also needs to be some realism in analysis of what we are now.

[USABlue]

I still think we are making the playoffs

[booth]

I think people are still struggling to re-align their expectations of the team against what we used to be. In a way it's understandable as we're still adjusting to life in the Championship - but look at the team and manager and it would be difficult to make a case for anything other than a mid-table Championship club. Our manager is a rookie, our formation doesn't work away from home, our team is made up mostly of outcasts, premiership reserves, freebies and loans.

There's nothing wrong with being disappointed in defeat, but there also needs to be some realism in analysis of what we are now.

I think there's a bit of that, but there's also the fact that we still have one of the most expensive squads including arguably the best striker in the league, and top flight facilities at Brockhall. Add to that Venky's publicly pushing for us to get back into the Premier League and it's going to raise expectations beyond what they should be.

[Rover_Shaun]

Add to that Venky's publicly pushing for us to get back into the Premier League and it's going to raise expectations beyond what they should be.

I'm sure people are very capable of distinguishing what Venkys say to the grim reality that the squad quality is being eroded window upon window therefore promotion is nothing but a dream in the mind of a madman

[JBiz]

I'm sure people are very capable of distinguishing what Venkys say to the grim reality that the squad quality is being eroded window upon window therefore promotion is nothing but a dream in the mind of a madman

I would argue that we had a less balanced squad pre summer 2013 than we do now. May cost a lot less but we cannot honestly say that losing Morten, Murphy and Gomes can be construed as "eroding" squad quality.

[booth]

I'm sure people are very capable of distinguishing what Venkys say to the grim reality that the squad quality is being eroded window upon window therefore promotion is nothing but a dream in the mind of a madman

Really? You must be browsing the web with your eyes shut if you haven't seen all the people on Facebook, Twitter and the various Rovers forums out there who believe we can get promoted.

[Rover_Shaun]

In that case then it must be true. Though what I have seen of twitter its hardly an endorsement. I have more chance of becomming Ms World

[booth]

I should have just put "the general fanbase". I think you're missing the point, it being that a lot of fans think we have a very good chance of getting promoted. I don't, I think you've got more chance of becoming Ms World too. I think we have too many problems in key areas and we will end up being a comfortable mid-table side unless they sack Bowyer and bring in some stupid appointment.

Edit: Just to clarify, I mean unless they sack Bowyer and bring in some stupid appointment in which case there's a chance we could flirt with relegation again.

[roversR4ever]

I think people are still struggling to re-align their expectations of the team against what we used to be. In a way it's understandable as we're still adjusting to life in the Championship - but look at the team and manager and it would be difficult to make a case for anything other than a mid-table Championship club. Our manager is a rookie, our formation doesn't work away from home, our team is made up mostly of outcasts, premiership reserves, freebies and loans.

There's nothing wrong with being disappointed in defeat, but there also needs to be some realism in analysis of what we are now.

Im not sure Id quite describe the team like that. In fairness yes some were freebies but theres a big difference in freebies these days and many years ago. Increasingly we are seeing players deliberately running down contracts.

I think we should have some expectations. Evans may have been deemed surplus to requirements at Prem level, but he sure wasn't at championship level. He was ever present in a promotion winning team. Millwall didn't want to lose Taylor - one of their better players. Judge was deemed to be one of the best players in the league below so should in theory good enough to the championship. Chelsea must see something in Kane or he would have been sold this summer.

Spurr was well rated by his previous club.

Hanley is well rated. Dann is but I admit im not sure about him in the championship.

Yes I do suspect you might be right about mid table certainly at the moment. It isn't helping us that as of yet we haven't been able to really put out our best team.

It takes time but we have not yet really had Williamson available, Evans is now being involved but he had no preseason, no DJ, Killgallon only just coming back, Henley injured, Rochina out, Dunn out (he really needed that knee op even when he was playing), Robinson out.

Big if I know but what happens if those players are back for the second half of the season or in most cases earlier? Especially if we maintained a mid table position uptil then.

I just think its too early to make any really good predictions in our case. Its just too soon to really know. There have been plenty of teams who have been mid table and made a second half push to get into the play offs.

Lets be blunt if you look at the number of players who have been unavailable so far this season and apply that to most of the top championship teams how would they fair with similar numbers unavailable. The majority not that well.

The point I am making is its such a new team and set of players we cant and don't know if it will really gel, whether some of the players come back into fitness. At the moment we have been playing like a midtable team (well we are if we win our next home game).

Now if this was a settled team without any real injuries, that had played last year and was performing like it is now and hadn't been any better last season then yes only mid table expectations would be a very fair assessment.

[Steve Kean's Hypnotoad]

I would argue that we had a less balanced squad pre summer 2013 than we do now. May cost a lot less but we cannot honestly say that losing Morten, Murphy and Gomes can be construed as "eroding" squad quality.

Pedersen - 74 caps for Norway, over 250 PL appearances, from 2004-08 rated at about £8-10m.

Murphy - 9 caps for England, 170 appearances for Liverpool, winner of 4 major trophies.

Gomes - 79 caps for Portugal, 192 appearances for Benfica, winner of 8 major trophies.

Judge - Nothing

Cairney - Nothing

Campbell - Pretty much nothing

Motivation and age might have improved but quality has got a lot worse. The irritating thing to me is motivation could have been improved with the 2012-13 if it had 1 good manager throughout the season, and a good manager also knows how to get the best out of older players. Quality is a lot harder to improve, those second 3 players will never be anywhere near as good as the first 3 were in their prime.

[DE.]

Im not sure Id quite describe the team like that. In fairness yes some were freebies but theres a big difference in freebies these days and many years ago. Increasingly we are seeing players deliberately running down contracts.

I think we should have some expectations. Evans may have been deemed surplus to requirements at Prem level, but he sure wasn't at championship level. He was ever present in a promotion winning team. Millwall didn't want to lose Taylor - one of their better players. Judge was deemed to be one of the best players in the league below so should in theory good enough to the championship. Chelsea must see something in Kane or he would have been sold this summer.

Spurr was well rated by his previous club.

Hanley is well rated. Dann is but I admit im not sure about him in the championship.

Yes I do suspect you might be right about mid table certainly at the moment. It isn't helping us that as of yet we haven't been able to really put out our best team.

It takes time but we have not yet really had Williamson available, Evans is now being involved but he had no preseason, no DJ, Killgallon only just coming back, Henley injured, Rochina out, Dunn out (he really needed that knee op even when he was playing), Robinson out.

Big if I know but what happens if those players are back for the second half of the season or in most cases earlier? Especially if we maintained a mid table position uptil then.

I just think its too early to make any really good predictions in our case. Its just too soon to really know. There have been plenty of teams who have been mid table and made a second half push to get into the play offs.

Lets be blunt if you look at the number of players who have been unavailable so far this season and apply that to most of the top championship teams how would they fair with similar numbers unavailable. The majority not that well.

The point I am making is its such a new team and set of players we cant and don't know if it will really gel, whether some of the players come back into fitness. At the moment we have been playing like a midtable team (well we are if we win our next home game).

Now if this was a settled team without any real injuries, that had played last year and was performing like it is now and hadn't been any better last season then yes only mid table expectations would be a very fair assessment.

I'd say the need for the team to gel - combined with the undeniable fact that the two players we really need to make our system work properly are crocked fairly regularly - means we'll almost certainly be mid-table at best this year. I'd be shocked if we got anywhere near the playoffs. Our team isn't awful, but neither is it good enough to put together a credible promotion or playoff attempt (imo).

Don't get me wrong, I'd love for us to be up there challenging for the higher positions in the league... I just don't see it happening. If I'm proven wrong, great!

[T.J.Newton]

I still think we are making the playoffs

I still think we have 'the potential' to make the playoffs,

it is still very early in the season and this is a very unpredictable league, it can almost turn on its head in a handful of games.