[Archived] Rovers v Blackpool: 1st Feb......3pm.......must win?

[USABlue]

Its funny because whenever one plays without the other they seem to have a good game...when lowe was suspended willo had a brill game against leeds because he had cairney to pass to today it was lowe who had a brilliant game...makes you wonder

Lets hope it makes GB wonder.

[dingles staying down 4ever]

The thing about the flares is that the police were handing out leaflets to the Lasher fans before the game about not using Fireworks. Strange that bag searches etc weren't carried out.

Poor game was hardly surprising considering the conditions but good to get 3 points.

Blackpool looked like a pub team so Goodwillie will fit in.

[Mike Graham]

The chap,sat next to me yesterday was a fan of 50+ years and a ST holder for 30 years until the Venloons screwed us over. He came on a borrowed ST for the first time for 2 seasons. Bloke said:

"God this is absolute sh!te, if it is like this every week no way am I coming back". Everyone around said "yes it is this bad but at least it is an improvement on last season".

[perthblue02]

The thing about the flares is that the police were handing out leaflets to the Lasher fans before the game about not using Fireworks. Strange that bag searches etc weren't carried out.

Is kean's Kung fu Panda still head of security ? Certainly landed on his wallet for services to the syndicate.

[matt83]

Thought we'd slip on this banana skin but all in all was a solid win. Felt we needed more width in second half to stretch the game as really felt another Barnsley, derby was one the cards then when he eventually brought off Taylor/Dunn for king/Conway felt we'd win.

Normally I think Lowe generally just fills a shirt with no purpose but thought he was excellent yesterday my man of the match. In fact only 2 who were largely anonymous were Rhodes and Taylor and perhaps Taylor struggled to play in that narrow system being a winger. Also may have been a blessing in disguise that Williamson was out as every time that Lowe/Williamson partnership broken we've looked better for it.

In the bigger picture of football at large seems Leeds have taken the "football laughing stock" hot potato off us which came back to them fairly quickly.

[Wing Wizard Windy Miller]

Major thing for me with Killa is that he doesn't lump it like Dann. His long balls look like they're actually aimed up the pitch to one of the strikers (usually Rudy) and I suspect it's a big reason Rudy can flick-on so well. Certainly today he won every ball that he could imo!

Killa's passing also highlighted in that goal last week vs Derby. Tremendous pass to Rhodes.

Dann wasn't missed at all yesterday because he never brought anything to the table. Bit worried about the back up should Hanley or Killa get injured as we don't want to rely on Lowe or Spurr back there but hopefully a loan might cover that.

Kilgallon's range of passing is streets ahead of Dann, one cross field ball in the first half was sublime. He also brought the ball out and caused Blackpool problems with his forward runs. Granted Blackpool were poor, but I thought Kilgallon was outstanding.

[Ricky]

We still have o'connell and songo'o as back up. Hooefully we have a recall clause in their loan deals.

[rigger]

The chap,sat next to me yesterday was a fan of 50+ years and a ST holder for 30 years until the Venloons screwed us over. He came on a borrowed ST for the first time for 2 seasons. Bloke said:

"God this is absolute sh!te, if it is like this every week no way am I coming back". Everyone around said "yes it is this bad but at least it is an improvement on last season".

Absolute @#/?, in comparison to what? To Barcelona, yes. To Elgin city, no.

[gumboots]

Precisely. You have to adjust your expectations according to the league you're in and the players available. And the conditions on the day, because I'd have defied anyone to play attractive free flowing stuff on that pitch in those conditions yesterday.. What we got was effort and teamwork and occasional moments of skill. They are mostly young, they are trying and learning and especially good was to see the smile back on robinsons face.

[Darwen Rover 007]

My view of the game was as follows:

Robbo - 7 solid and reliable when called upon

Kane - 8 gives us much needed drive when pushing up

Kilgallon - 8 played very well

Hanley - 8 dominating in defence

Spurr - 6 average at best

Taylor - 5 worst iv seen of him

Cairney - 7 class shows through but not his best game

Lowe - 9 best iv seen him play, all over the pitch and used the ball well (moving it forward)

Dunny - 7 ability to do the magical but in and out the game

Gestede - 7 solid performance, did what was asked of him

Rhodes - 6 worked hard but needs to anticipate better

Subs

King - 6 frustrating

Conway - 8 looks class

Ollson - 6

Bowyer - 7 much more positive more of please

[bob fleming]

The chap,sat next to me yesterday was a fan of 50+ years and a ST holder for 30 years until the Venloons screwed us over. He came on a borrowed ST for the first time for 2 seasons. Bloke said:

"God this is absolute sh!te, if it is like this every week no way am I coming back". Everyone around said "yes it is this bad but at least it is an improvement on last season".

What does he want? A pat on the back? A round of applause? A badge? Or was it just he's way of justifying his decision to no longer support Blackburn Rovers?

[Stuart]

What does he want? A pat on the back? A round of applause? A badge? Or was it just he's way of justifying his decision to no longer support Blackburn Rovers?

You leave Gordon alone!

[Stuart]

I was glad to see Bowyer change the midfield up yesterday. But from a match perspective, it felt like more of the same. We had so much possession in Blackpool's half during the first 45 it was embarrassing. Second half though, we sat back more, as per usual. How much of that was Blackpool 'going for it' after a rollicking, and how much was a Rovers edict to sit deep and weather the storm (and Blackpool), I'm not sure. For almost all of the second half it was business as usual and we were all sat waiting for them to score as the pressure mounted. Fortunately, we got a break for a change and that all important second did for the Tangerines (and Blackpool).

I was 'pleased' with the referee yesterday too. Gave us most of the 50:50s and then some. Does he have family from Darwen?

Maybe Dunny had a quiet word with Mike Dean on Thursday evening and he put a good word in.

[Parsonblue]

The chap,sat next to me yesterday was a fan of 50+ years and a ST holder for 30 years until the Venloons screwed us over. He came on a borrowed ST for the first time for 2 seasons. Bloke said:

"God this is absolute sh!te, if it is like this every week no way am I coming back". Everyone around said "yes it is this bad but at least it is an improvement on last season".

If he's been a fan of 50+ years he's witnessed, like many of us of a certain age, a lot worse than what we are delivering at the moment!

[jim mk2]

The chap,sat next to me yesterday was a fan of 50+ years and a ST holder for 30 years until the Venloons screwed us over. He came on a borrowed ST for the first time for 2 seasons. Bloke said:

"God this is absolute sh!te, if it is like this every week no way am I coming back". Everyone around said "yes it is this bad but at least it is an improvement on last season".

I would defy any team to play really well in yesterday's conditions. It was one of those games where you are grateful to win and you move on to the next one. And he didn't even pay either - the club does not need supporters like him any more.

[K-Hod]

Why are people so intent on whingeing? We won 2-0 at home.

[Gav]

The chap,sat next to me yesterday was a fan of 50+ years and a ST holder for 30 years until the Venloons screwed us over. He came on a borrowed ST for the first time for 2 seasons. Bloke said:

"God this is absolute sh!te, if it is like this every week no way am I coming back". Everyone around said "yes it is this bad but at least it is an improvement on last season".

You seem to be getting a bit of a savaging here Preston blue, but I can take the chaps point fully, I felt the same after the Forest home game first game of the season, that was absolute garbage and I thought I'd never go back!

[bob fleming]

You seem to be getting a bit of a savaging here Preston blue, but I can take the chaps point fully, I felt the same after the Forest home game first game of the season, that was absolute garbage and I thought I'd never go back!

PB isn't getting any savaging at all Gav, rather the guy he refers to in his post. And even then I'd hardly call it a savaging! There are obviously thousands of people like him he don't go anymore - there are thousands of reasons / excuses to not go as well. So fair play him, 50 years a fan but now no more. Each to their own. I'm not sure what he was looking for by proclaiming Rovers were "sh1te" yesterday, maybe an acceptance from fellow fans and a mass exodus never to return? Maybe that would have brightened his day.

[Shabani]

Maybe the supporter wasn't referring specifically to the football but rather to a plethora of things that were grim

half empty ground, freezing cold day, not exactly scintillating football, average atmosphere, and a team of decent but unspectacular footballers

[dingles staying down 4ever]

How did he manage before the Walker years if he's basing this on the quality of football? I can't remember what it was like but given we were in lower leagues before that point I'm guessing the football has been worse.

Maybe it is because we never feasted on premiership football for over a decade and didn't have live football to watch everyday, but in the early 80s the football I remember was more exciting than now. We had wingers how dribbled or sprinted down the wing. we had proper tackling so yes in comparision the football served yesterday was sh*te.

Generally football has changed and not neccessarily for the better. Sure there was rubbish served up.

But compared to what I witnessed last season it was brilliant.

[pk1875]

Is kean's Kung fu Panda still head of security ? Certainly landed on his wallet for services to the syndicate.

Yep he is still there week in week out

[thenodrog]

One other negative - The stupid thing with the mobile phone lights. Not sure what thats all about but its embarrassing

Hardly embarrassing. Harmless enough isn't it?

Just a pity those led phones didn't give off any heat.

.................. It's harmless unlike those blooming dangerous flares among the away fans

Not dangerous to me if thats the only place they are.

[thenodrog]

Poor game of football today. At least we got three points from a very poor Blackpool side.

My MOM was Jason Lowe. I thought he played far better than I have ever seen. Someone said it was because he didn't have Dann shouting at him all the time. Maybe; maybe not.

Kane was an improvement on a hesitant Henley. Kilgallon is such a cool customer. I like him.

Dunny was his usual creative self.

We seem to have the basics of a good team but don't seem to co-ordinate properly yet. It will come.

Awful match but we must lay any blame on the conditions I feel. Strong, blustery wind with almost freezing rain is horrible.

Lowe did have a good game but I chose Kane as MoM. Taylor had an off day, Dunny would have slept like a log last night after putting in what for him was a double shift. King got kicked and deserved it for being either greedy or extremely slow of thought, I hope he is OK though cos he really looked abjectly miserable as he came off. Hanley and Kilagannon did what they had to do as did Robinson, Cairney and Spurr were just adequate, Gestede poorest match I have seen him play and as for Jordan Rhodes. JR can never be classed as a strong centre forward but these days he is a shadow of his former self. 'Scores when he wants' is in danger of becoming his epitaph cos when he doesn't score (and he isn't doing at the moment) he is imo a liability to his teammates.

Oh and that new lad reminded me so much of Marshall.

[the original david brent]

First time we have won by a margin of more than 1 goal for 4 months. Tells its own story about Bowyers negative tactics. Albeit yesterday we set out with a more positive outlook. More of the same for the rest of the season please

[thenodrog]

This is an annoyance to me, Gestedes flick ons are a dream for a goal scorer yet Rhodes isn't getting on the end of them

However lets be fair and say Rhodes hasn't had any help at all up front for 18 months now so it will take time to gel into a different system, there's signs of a real partnership there let's hope they kick on and really gel

JR ran the wrong way all afternoon. I seem to rem him making Dunny and either Cairney or Taylor look foolish. If we want to maximise Gestede's flick ons then we need to produce a hybrid player with Rhodes finishing and King's speed and strength.

The thing about the flares is that the police were handing out leaflets to the Lasher fans before the game about not using Fireworks. Strange that bag searches etc weren't carried out.

I saw a little lad getting his rucksack searched before they let him in the JW.