[Archived] Rovers vs MAN CITY FA Cup **NO TICKETS AVAILABLE ON DAY**

[darrenrover]

I understand the sentiment, but can actions not speak louder than words?

How many times do people keep saying sorry verbally, but then just continue to do the same thing and not change. I find that more offensive, as it's pretty much lying to my face.

To be fair to Venky's they do appear to have changed most things and learnt from their mistakes - i.e. get rid of the agents/3rd parties/hangers on, make sensible signings, disappear and stfu (as talking certainly wasn't working), get a sensible manager in position.

And if, and it's a big if, they continue to fund the club and it's losses for the next 18 months and perhaps get us back in the Prem by end of next season, could that count in some way?

I am in no way defending them, and alternatively, they could cut and run in March, put us in admin, take whatever money out they could, and basically totally stab and finish us off. And I am sure many owners would. We're gonna have to wait and see.

But for me, if they do what is rumoured, and replace us to where they found us in the Prem, then I 'm not saying forgive and forget, but I don't need to hear anything from them. The actions will say enough to me. In fact, I'm quite happy if I never hear a word from a single one of them again.

I'd be inclined to agree with what you say Silas. Words are cheap and actions speak louder than words. For me the current actions show some degree of remorse and a sense of responsibility to right the many wrongs. It would have been much less expensive to have chucked the keys back twelve months since along with a written apology which would have cost nowt.

I didn't go today out of choice because I thought we'd get stuffed and have to endure a load of hastle from plastic, gloating Manc @#/?s, didn't think my £15 would be missed amongst the Best, Orr, Etuhu financial wastage and chose to watch on TV. (Unlike me btw). Suffice it to say I'll be there against Donny and won't be growing two extra digits!

Sad I missed it, fantastic performance for 90 mins by all the team and really bodes well for the remainder of the season.

Come on Rovers, with Evans to return and hopefully no outgoings, other than those we crave to be rid of, I think we could conceivably pull this off. We appear to be gelling, the squad has options, GB learning and those that know nowt listening and supporting those that do.

[Kenwoo]

Respect why some may still be staying away but hope that today can inspire a few to come back. We've been passing the ball around well of late and today was no different. Playing some cracking stuff and XI men ready to put it on the line with great team spirit on show.

[DE.]

I really hope the club can ride the crest of this wave. Last season that Arsenal result should have given us momentum to mount a challenge on the playoffs. Inexplicably it went the other way. I just hope that todays result can spur us on to go on a good run of form.

I think we're in a much better situation now PV. The win against Arsenal last year was very, very fortunate. We basically got battered and scored with one of our only attacks of the game. Today we matched and I would say outperformed City for periods of the match. We fully deserved our equaliser and the end result of 1-1 was a fair reflection of the game. You can't say that for the Arsenal match last year. We're also a lot more stable and IMO Bowyer is ten times the manager Appleton ever was.

[patrickvalery]

I think we're in a much better situation now PV. The win against Arsenal last year was very, very fortunate. We basically got battered and scored with one of our only attacks of the game. Today we matched and I would say outperformed City for periods of the match. We fully deserved our equaliser and the end result of 1-1 was a fair reflection of the game. You can't say that for the Arsenal match last year. We're also a lot more stable and IMO Bowyer is ten times the manager Appleton ever was.

No doubt about it DE. But i hoped that last season it might have given the side a bit of belief and we might have seen even a short lived upturn in results or just performances. But that side was extremely unispiring and dour. I don't think its coincidence that Appleton has struggled to get a job since. I actually liked a lot of what he came out with and he seemed intent on ridding the club of some the nasty influences behind the scenes. Sadly he was utterly inept as a football manager.

[Mr. E]

Good enough by Robinson for me. He's never a top GK, which we do need, but Kane and the others would have again found a way to concede 2-3 for fun. Keep Robinson as #1.

[DE.]

No doubt about it DE. But i hoped that last season it might have given the side a bit of belief and we might have seen even a short lived upturn in results or just performances. But that side was extremely unispiring and dour. I don't think its coincidence that Appleton has struggled to get a job since. I actually liked a lot of what he came out with and he seemed intent on ridding the club of some the nasty influences behind the scenes. Sadly he was utterly inept as a football manager.

Aye, I had a good feeling about Appleton too at the start. He addressed our defensive frailties and seemed to be saying the right things. Unfortunately he had no clue beyond ultra-defensive counter-attack and his comments became repetitive very quickly. He would have taken us down imo.

The team has changed for the better, too. A lot less toxic influence in the dressing room, players like Spurr, Cairney, Evans, Taylor, etc replacing the likes of Olsson, Murphy, Formica and Orr who didn't have either the quality or the heart to play in this division for us. There may be less "natural" talent in the team now but there is unquestionably a far superior work ethic which easily negates any talent shortage.

[thenodrog]

Magic. Replay at the etihad. Gary will go to Pune with a swing in his step.

Football is all about springs and roundabouts don't you think John?

[rovermagic]

Match v City today should lead to revised opinions.

1) Lowe can tackle. Pity is in many matches he doesn't tackle.

2) Henley was much better at getting forward supporting attack.

3) Bowyer can be VERY good tactically.

4) Cairney is truly a class act. In so many ways a centre mid in the Tugay mould. Though also can be one of he forward players in a 4-2-3-1.

5) Marshall continues to be incisive.

6) Gestede: a mighty leap. But good all round centre forward play.

7) Spurr - throw, goos going forward, some great last ditch defending.

8) Robbo - maybe better than Eastwood. And a genuinely nice man who has suffered such a serious illness.

But seems quite overweight and can't jump very high. Flapped at one cross. Blocked one shot he might have held but pushed out to Negredo. Fumbled another long range shot. Some good moments but I really don't think he is answer to our goalkeeping worries. Save percentage before illness very poor. Yet really happy to see him back.

[Steve Kean's Hypnotoad]

Maybe SKH, but I think it will be my first away game for quite some time. The team deserve that much after today's efforts.

Also whilst I understand where you're coming from, that doesn't exactly tally with Wigan's achievements last season for example.

Hmm well I'd disagree. Wigan's FA Cup win was 1 achievement, they only had 1 tough game. Bournemouth, Macclesfield, Huddersfield and Millwall was their path to the final. Basically they got phenomenally lucky with the draw and then just had to pull of one fluke against a team in the same league as them.

We haven't got the quality of players or manager Wigan had last season and so had to pull off even more of a fluke just to get to the 4th round. Know it sounds negative but like magicalmortensleftpeg said, whats the attraction? Impossible task, almost no reward for managing it. Thats the FA Cup to 72 teams in modern football, a lot more reality and a lot less magic.

[CapeTownRover]

which in all honesty DE, that work ethic and drive by this young group, is just what we need. from management right down to the players, the togetherness shown, is all we can really ask for now, apart from pushing onwards and upwards. one game at a time in the league is whats needed now

[thenodrog]

Have a season ticket and go whenever possible. How do you know what I could and couldn't afford? I've already spent on tickets for the Boxing day game and with 11 mouths to feed instead of the usual 3 for the whole of the Christmas hols or most of the time at least, this is a tight month. Added to which it's the longest month of the year in financial terms because i get paid early for christmas but won't get paid again until the last day of Jan. teachers don't get a regular pay day - last working day of the month except for December when it's early. I didn't say i can't afford it generally - I can, but there is such a thing as a temporary cash flow problem and that's what we're talking about here. Not no money, but no cash.

Couldn't you nick some out of the dinner money tin?

[RevidgeBlue]

Hmm well I'd disagree. Wigan's FA Cup win was 1 achievement, they only had 1 tough game. Bournemouth, Macclesfield, Huddersfield and Millwall was their path to the final. Basically they got phenomenally lucky with the draw and then just had to pull of one fluke against a team in the same league as them.

We haven't got the quality of players or manager Wigan had last season and so had to pull off even more of a fluke just to get to the 4th round. Know it sounds negative but like magicalmortensleftpeg said, whats the attraction? Impossible task, almost no reward for managing it. Thats the FA Cup to 72 teams in modern football, a lot more reality and a lot less magic.

What's the attraction? I bet if you said to most Wigan fans, we'll take your day out at Wembley and FA Cup final win against City off you but you can grind away indefinitely in the bottom 5 of the Premiership, most would choose the FA Cup win.

[DE.]

which in all honesty DE, that work ethic and drive by this young group, is just what we need. from management right down to the players, the togetherness shown, is all we can really ask for now, apart from pushing onwards and upwards. one game at a time in the league is whats needed now

I think in this division work ethic is the most important factor. If you have a team that isn't willing to fight and scrap for every ball you won't get anywhere. Combine a strong work ethic with a little quality and you have every chance of reaching the playoffs. Having a manager who is adept at tactics and rotation is also important though and the difference between automatic promotion and a playoff position imo.

[arbitro]

A really important feature of our play in the last two games has been our ability to keep the ball. For too long we have given the ball away cheaply but with good players like Cairney and Marshall our ball retention has improved markedly. If we can keep doing this in the upcoming games we should keep racking up the points. And the return of Evans will be like a new signing.

The feel good factor is slowly returning and this current bunch of players can restore some pride.

[FGS5635]

What's the attraction? I bet if you said to most Wigan fans, we'll take your day out at Wembley and FA Cup final win against City off you but you can grind away indefinitely in the bottom 5 of the Premiership, most would choose the FA Cup win.

I live in Wigan and most of my mates are wigan fans and none of them would swap that win for anything. Nobody tells their grandkids about the year you finished 15th, but that cup final will be remembered forever.

[arbitro]

What's the attraction? I bet if you said to most Wigan fans, we'll take your day out at Wembley and FA Cup final win against City off you but you can grind away indefinitely in the bottom 5 of the Premiership, most would choose the FA Cup win.

I would take Premier League football over cup success any time. Winning the Worthington Cup was great but I would have swapped that for PL survival in a heartbeat.

[Steve Kean's Hypnotoad]

What's the attraction? I bet if you said to most Wigan fans, we'll take your day out at Wembley and FA Cup final win against City off you but you can grind away indefinitely in the bottom 5 of the Premiership, most would choose the FA Cup win.

Meant what's the attraction for going today. Probably about a 1 in 10 or less chance of going through, and if we won then every chance of getting a PL or Championship team away next round and getting beat. And watching the great opposition players isn't the same as the old days as you can see them on the box every single week.

I dunno, maybe I'm being too negative and over-complicating matters. I didn't go cause I literally can't afford it, for the next 4 weeks until my January paycheck its pretty much daily baked beans, no heating, or missing Rovers home and away in the cup. Tried to justifying it on footballing term because I assumed not all the thousands of other stayaway fans are that skint, but with years of static wages and spiralling living costs maybe they are.

[CapeTownRover]

back when we were relegation, i said at the time, that we needed to think differently. what i meant was that, we should have signed championship players, rather than PL players. if you look at our current squad, majority are well suited to this league. we just need to go on a run now of good results, and we will be set up nicely to gain one of the play off positions

[FGS5635]

Hmm well I'd disagree. Wigan's FA Cup win was 1 achievement, they only had 1 tough game. Bournemouth, Macclesfield, Huddersfield and Millwall was their path to the final. Basically they got phenomenally lucky with the draw and then just had to pull of one fluke against a team in the same league as them.

We haven't got the quality of players or manager Wigan had last season and so had to pull off even more of a fluke just to get to the 4th round. Know it sounds negative but like magicalmortensleftpeg said, whats the attraction? Impossible task, almost no reward for managing it. Thats the FA Cup to 72 teams in modern football, a lot more reality and a lot less magic.

No doubt they had an easy run, but that final win was no fluke, they were the better side that day and deserved the win

[bob fleming]

Can't be bothered reading any other posts, in a nice way! I do hope "blue and white army" enjoyed his fell walking today. What a star. I look forward to his continued justification of non attendance.

Superb today. Loved it.

"Yes but what about Venkys and everything". Stitched up like kippers by scumbags. There's a departure for me. But how else do we explain the massive loan and the continued investment?.............

Thanks Gary Bowyer. Proud.

[RevidgeBlue]

Can't be bothered reading any other posts, in a nice way! I do hope "blue and white army" enjoyed his fell walking today. What a star. I look forward to his continued justification of non attendance.

Superb today. Loved it.

"Yes but what about Venkys and everything". Stitched up like kippers by scumbags. There's a departure for me. But how else do we explain the massive loan and the continued investment?.............

Thanks Gary Bowyer. Proud.

Good post Bob but jeez, don't get onto the subject of non attendance......... Lol.

[thenodrog]

Has anyone mentioned the City goal was offside by the way?

Me.... Int pub afterwards. Not only nigredo but also whoever blocked Robinson.

btw I was having a camp for 10 mins or so with 'lawro' who had been to the match. I was waiting to be served and he struck up a conversation with me. He was with a couple of local lads who he is matey with and David Moyes dad. They left after an hour to go and meet up with another nobender .....shelfy.

I asked him if he could refer to Jr as a 'rolls Royce' on motd like he did with Phil Jones so that we could sell him for 20m too. Surprise surprise Lawro reckoned JR isn't prem material and that he is too slow and not strong enough. Reckoned that gestede is a better front man but he doesn't score enough either. We chatted about ex rovers keepers for long enough too. Despite being unpopular on here he seems very easy company and a good bloke with no airs and graces.

[K-Hod]

Lawro is probably alright as a person, but he's awful on TV imo, and I don't think I'm alone with that viewpoint!!

[FGS5635]

Lawro is probably alright as a person, but he's awful on TV imo, and I don't think I'm alone with that viewpoint!!

Alone you are not. He's a prat.

[thenodrog]

You really have been venkyised.

Tbh abbey I still don't have a ST but I must say going to ewood now post Kean and Anderson is like standing on top of a mountain breathing clean air after being imprisoned in a sewer for three years.

It was, according to my husband. Marginal but offside.

I was marking speaking tests so couldn't watch

I'm sure only a woman could do that with the match live on telly!