[Archived] IT'S A BAD DAY!

[yoda]

Either that or chaddy will say it's bullying .

Your learning dude ha

Think I will get a T shirt,

I made it to ABBEY's sig,

can I get it on your web site?

Anyone see the news item on BBC NW news tonight?

They showed a video that a Burnley fan had made about trying to take the heat out of the Derby, then the journalist basically said recent derbys have been blighted by fans fighting. With the police bubble in place the fans really havent had chance to get close, the only thing i can remember is the pre-arranged fight in Cherry Tree hours after one game, and that dingle who ran on the pitch in his mittens that was in someones signature on here for ages. Im not saying there would be no trouble without the bubble, there probably would be some, but i feel like we are being tarred as hooligans without either evidence or right of reply.

was it this

http://www.brfcs.com/mb/index.php/topic/30189-we-are-these-people-blackburnburnley-short-film/

[Baz]

was it this

http://www.brfcs.com/mb/index.php/topic/30189-we-are-these-people-blackburnburnley-short-film/

Aye, that was the video, but it was the journo who wound me up.

[ABBEY]

Think I will get a T shirt,

I made it to ABBEY's sig,

can I get it on your web site?

was it this

http://www.brfcs.com/mb/index.php/topic/30189-we-are-these-people-blackburnburnley-short-film/

Will get one set up this weekend lol

[bazza]

Burnley are riding high. We are fair to middling with most of our key players carrying injury.

On paper Burnley should win this game by a considerable margin. They are flying and we have given an abject display in our last game and got tonked.

Jimmy Greaves repeated the age-old saying, "Football is a funny old game".

I expect us to lose but the "funny old game" may see us as winners.

[tomphil]

Despite this being a derby when form books and league position go out the window anyway we need to remember this is still the mad league that is the championship. Anybody can beat anybody on the day and good a team as they are this is Burnley ffs not Man City. Get it right on the day and everyone performs to their best plus the extra 10% that derbies bring then we can get something.

2-2 ( Dunn, Rhodes)

21,342

[roverandout]

rovers are definitely a bigger club than burnley but that counts for nothing on sunday, probably end as a draw which most people will probably be happy with, from all sides, can see burnley going up and then hanging around the premier for a while as long as they keep dyche, so our 'big derby' will be against Bolton for the foreseeable!!!

[West Yorks Rover]

rovers are definitely a bigger club than burnley but that counts for nothing on sunday, probably end as a draw which most people will probably be happy with, from all sides, can see burnley going up and then hanging around the premier for a while as long as they keep dyche, so our 'big derby' will be against Bolton for the foreseeable!!!

If/when the Dingles get promoted, I really can't see them splashing enough cash to stay in the Prem longer than 1 season, I think

they'll be quite happy to pick up those large parachute payments for 4 more years.

If their directors really care about the club and the fans, perhaps they could at least spend some of that money on the stadium.

[CAPT KAYOS]

They haven't been outstanding in the few games I've seen them in thus season. Granted their league position is no fluke though. They're talking themselves up something rotten this time though.

Possibly not but we have hardly been outstanding at all. Bunleh fans I know are not seeing it as a forgone conclusion and seem to be of the same opinion of LS on here - not had any grief from them - but do you blame them for talking themselves up given they were written off before the season started and have proved everybody wrong ( including themselves really) week in week out, which as much as being our bitter rivals as a football fan you need to admire in some respect.

As much as I want to see Rovers win, I think that some are seeing defeat as some sort of armageddon.

It's not uncommon to lose a game at home nor is it to lose to your rival. We've been spoilt by being the better side for 30 years but to all intents and purposes we are the same size of club as Burnley.

We are lucky to have a meaningful derby which most clubs don't have and therefore need to get used to the idea that you sometimes get beat (actually it might do some of us some good). I'll be holding my head high, irrespective of the result - I'm a Roverite wahtever happens. Saying that though, I'm not discounting self harm!

Agree - although I don't want to lose and its nice to have 'that bragging right' and even though if it does happen it will be dejection for a while it won't be the be all and end all - its the performance and 3 pts that matter more.

Despite this being a derby when form books and league position go out the window anyway we need to remember this is still the mad league that is the championship. Anybody can beat anybody on the day and good a team as they are this is Burnley ffs not Man City. Get it right on the day and everyone performs to their best plus the extra 10% that derbies bring then we can get something.

This is the worry as I have mentioned before - do these players actually really understand the significance of a Derby ( especially this one) going of the performance at notlob.

As we all know Derbies are great levellers, but as we have seen to our advantage a team on the crest tends to be victorius and I just don't feel we have the backbone to contend with it - especially if we fall behind again this time, as there has been many times we needed this to be 'right' this season and kick on and we have failed miserably every time (exception maybe Citeh at home)

[den]

We've just got to let them know they're in a game and that they'll take that record away from us, over our dead body.

In other words, if our attitude is positive for the whole 90+ injury time! rather than the usual 45, I would make us favourites. While it's all about players, the manager has a huge part to play here. He has to get us up for the game.

[Blue blood]

To me this game - as many have said - is a fight. The team that battles hardest will win.

For once Burnley go in as favorites - due to our injuries and their high flying form. Having said that whilst Burnley are at the best they've ever been under any derby I've seen, we for one are not at our worst. Frustrations aside Bowyer is NOT as bad as Appleton or Berg, nowhere near in fact. And the team - despite it's injuries - is NOT as bad as last season's. Gestede, Cairney, Evans are all a cut above what we had last season and could be real difference makers.

Bowyer's caution I feel may really help us in this game - no way will he want to lose. And as I've said on other threads he knows the importance of this one for the fans, if he want's them onside he cannot lose this one - and that's what I bet he'll set out to do: not lose. Which against a high flying Burnley team, with possible weaknesses in the center of defense for us is not a bad tactic. If we can stifle them, and out fight them. then I think that we can win this one. We're capable of it. However, overall, caution against a high flying team is no bad thing - and it's worked vs. QPR, Reading, Watford and an in form Boro this season. These type of games I think Bowyer specializes in, and we have an encouraging record against teams at the top at home.

Added to which there seems to be a huge mental block on Burnley - the manager and players, as well as the fans seem obsessed with the record. Which coupled with 2 very soft equalizers for Rovers in the past couple of games, suggests when it comes to the derby, they're bottling it. I don't see anything this season that suggests they won't continue to bottle it and going in as favorites for the first time ever - that's bound to ramp the pressure up even further.

Overall: advantage Rovers - we're not in as bad a position as previous years, Bowyer has done well for us in these games, and Burnley are bottlers.

BUT my only worry is the center back situation. I'm assuming with the lack of activity both must be fit. If not this is the real equalizer. Going in with just one or no fit center backs could destroy us. Both their strikers are in great form and will give any defense a challenge. A new partnership of only several days old or the likes of Henley, Lowe or Spurr in the center would give them a field day. Volkes power and Ings movement would cause them nightmares.

I really hope that both guys are fit because if this isn't the case, the advantage fully swings back the other way to Burnley. You simply cannot go into a match so handicapped. I'd find it really hard to forgive Bowyer if we lost the record due to inadequate squad provision, a mistake that a 12 year old on football manager wouldn't make. Losing with fight I could cope with. Losing due to stupidity would be very hard to stomach.

As I said though, I'm guessing that both will be fit, leaving me confident of at least a draw.

[Clitherover]

rovers are definitely a bigger club than burnley but that counts for nothing on sunday, probably end as a draw which most people will probably be happy with, from all sides, can see burnley going up and then hanging around the premier for a while as long as they keep dyche, so our 'big derby' will be against Bolton for the foreseeable!!!

Bolton will only ever be a big derby for Bolton fans, never for us.

[JAL]

Burnleys central midfield two of Jones and Marney seem far more experienced than our players, which asks.

Do Rovers have the players capable of dominating these two ? We already know that Jlowe and Williamson arent upto it and with Corry Evans not fully match fit, which two midfield terriers can Gary Bowyer call on that can put Rovers on the offensive rather than be stuck on the defensive come sunday.

Trimming wage bills is all well and fine reducing the quality at the same time though isnt.

[Blue blood]

Burnleys central midfield two of Jones and Marney seem far more experienced than our players, which asks.

Do Rovers have the players capable of dominating these two ? We already know that Jlowe and Williamson arent upto it and with Corry Evans not fully match fit, which two midfield terriers can Gary Bowyer call on that can put Rovers on the offensive rather than be stuck on the defensive come sunday.

Trimming wage bills is all well and fine reducing the quality at the same time though isnt.

imo:

1) Play a midfield 3 of Cairney, Lowe, Evans. This should have enough ball retention in it - especially with Cairney there - to help us defensively, as well as cause some problems. Lowe can do what he does best and has no pressure to do any of the extra stuff, which would make him quite an asset, and Evans is pretty good both getting forward and going back. Even if not fully match fit and he could only do 60 minutes or so of this hopefully by then we have a stranglehold on the game.

2) If Evans can't start, I'd be tempted to do the same, but with Taylor in the center, alongside Cairney and Lowe. He's lots of energy, gets stuck in, and again bombs forward so would support the lone target man. If this is done then there are more question marks about who goes on the wing, but if the central midfield battle is more important, it may be better having Taylor's energy in there and a weaker player out wide. In both Gestede would be my 1 up front, to fight for it, and hold the ball up to bring others in to play.

3) Possibly have Dunn (if fit) in a 4-4-1-1 and see if his being in the hole between the defense and midfield causes them problems. If he drops back into midfield again, it may outnumber Jones and Marney, or perhaps it'll force one of them to drop back to mark him. A bit riskier imo.

Ordinarily with everyone fit and in form I'd put out a team of:

Robbo, Henley, Hanley, Kilgallon, Spurr, Evans, Cairney, Marshall, King, Dunn, Rhodes in a 4-5-1 formation which I feel could crush Burnley - player for player it is so much stronger. However, injuries, lack of form and fitness make this not a possibility whatsoever.

I bet we line up something like:

Robbo, Henley, Spurr, Kilgallon, Olsson, Williamson, Lowe, Cairney, Conway, Gestede, Rhodes, in a 4-4-2 which has some horribly big weaknesses in it.

[Jimmy612]

imo:

1) Play a midfield 3 of Cairney, Lowe, Evans. This should have enough ball retention in it - especially with Cairney there - to help us defensively, as well as cause some problems. Lowe can do what he does best and has no pressure to do any of the extra stuff, which would make him quite an asset, and Evans is pretty good both getting forward and going back. Even if not fully match fit and he could only do 60 minutes or so of this hopefully by then we have a stranglehold on the game.

2) If Evans can't start, I'd be tempted to do the same, but with Taylor in the center, alongside Cairney and Lowe. He's lots of energy, gets stuck in, and again bombs forward so would support the lone target man. If this is done then there are more question marks about who goes on the wing, but if the central midfield battle is more important, it may be better having Taylor's energy in there and a weaker player out wide. In both Gestede would be my 1 up front, to fight for it, and hold the ball up to bring others in to play.

3) Possibly have Dunn (if fit) in a 4-4-1-1 and see if his being in the hole between the defense and midfield causes them problems. If he drops back into midfield again, it may outnumber Jones and Marney, or perhaps it'll force one of them to drop back to mark him. A bit riskier imo.

Ordinarily with everyone fit and in form I'd put out a team of:

Robbo, Henley, Hanley, Kilgallon, Spurr, Evans, Cairney, Marshall, King, Dunn, Rhodes in a 4-5-1 formation which I feel could crush Burnley - player for player it is so much stronger. However, injuries, lack of form and fitness make this not a possibility whatsoever.

I bet we line up something like:

Robbo, Henley, Spurr, Kilgallon, Olsson, Williamson, Lowe, Cairney, Conway, Gestede, Rhodes, in a 4-4-2 which has some horribly big weaknesses in it.

If we play 4-4-2 we'll get murdered.

Robbo

Kane Hangallon Spurr

Evans Lowe

Cairney Dunn Conway

Gestede

[CAPT KAYOS]

As a couple of us have seen - alot of their danger comes down the wings and especially through Tripper - nullify this and try to play to wherever our strengths lie (??) and we have a least a chance IMO.

Attack has to be the major operative IMO as we will more than likely concede anyway.

[Blue blood]

As a couple of us have seen - alot of their danger comes down the wings and especially through Tripper - nullify this and try to play to wherever our strengths lie (??) and we have a least a chance IMO.

Attack has to be the major operative IMO as we will more than likely concede anyway.

If that's the case perhaps Taylor will be needed out wide, as he offers a lot of cover for the full back. Not sure if Conway likewise would offer support?

Perhaps the question is are Burnley better down the flanks, or is the Will-Lowe combination in cm more damaging, and which of these do we counter?

[CAPT KAYOS]

If that's the case perhaps Taylor will be needed out wide, as he offers a lot of cover for the full back. Not sure if Conway likewise would offer support?

Perhaps the question is are Burnley better down the flanks, or is the Will-Lowe combination in cm more damaging, and which of these do we counter?

The more damaging to which team though - or is that what you mean ?

[McClarky]

Really looking forward to this 1. Our defence is the key for me. If Killer and Hanley are fit I can see us being prety solid but if both are out it could be a nightmare. Don't want to be playing 4 full backs against the best strike force in the division. Evans has been fit for weeks and yet hasn't started a game yet, surely he's ready now, get him in the blimmin side Bowyer. I would go with Lowe, Cairney and Evans in midfield with Conway and Taylor out wide and Rhodes in the middle. Dunny and Gestede can come off the bench and win it late on.

[LondonRovers]

Michael Keane has joined on loan in time to play on Sunday. Straight into the team if either Hanley or kilgallon aren't fit to start. Or do we go with someone who has been at the club more than a few days?

It infuriates me that everyone on this forum, and most of Blackburn knew that we needed to sign a CB during January, yet Bowyer has waited until 2 days before the biggest game of the season to get someone on loan. Why Gary?! WHY?

[barry_]

Blackburn Rovers sign Manchester United defender Michael Keane on loan

10:54am Friday 7th March 2014 in News By Paul Wheelock, Blackburn Rovers reporter

Micheal Keane

BLACKBURN Rovers have signed young Manchester United centre-back Micheal Keane on loan until the end of the season.

With Rovers having injury concerns over their two sole senior centre-backs Grant Hanley and Matt Kilgallon, Keane could make his debut in Sunday's East Lancashire derby at home to Burnley.

The England U21s international, 21, has had experience of the Championship having previously enjoyed loan spells at Derby County and Leicester City.

Keane said: "I'm delighted to finally join. It has been a rumour for a while now so I'm just glad to get it all sorted.

"I've got a bit of experience now in the Championship and I know what it takes to play well in these games so I'm looking to play well on Sunday and hit the ground running and keep that form up.

"I'm sure it will be a tough game but I'm confident we can get a result. I'm really looking forward to it. I hope it is my debut and I'll make sure I'm ready to do well."

Rovers boss Gary Bowyer said: "He is highly sought-after, an England international at U21s level.

"He has had a good education with Manchester United and he has got experience already in the Championship with his time on loan at Leicester and Derby - two top clubs.

"We are delighted to have been able to secure his services until the end of the season."

[ABBEY]

Keane .. Has been good in my FIFA team

Ffs dingle at work just said we are bad as QPR for signing players ... Just told him to go f himself!! Glad I'm off Monday one way or other .

[adsfortheblues]

This is a big test for Bowyer. A 4-5-1 formation is tempting and could be the way to go, within something like - Taylor-Lowe-Dunn-Evans-Cairney. However that then leaves the question, who plays as the lone man? Gestede with his aerial ability and strength, of which will trouble the Burnley defence. Or do we go with Rhodes, our goalscorer and who unquestionably, has performed well in that role before, if not better than he has with a strike partner.

However if he was to play with the 4-4-2 formation, who would he go for? Taylor-Lowe-Evans-Cairney, as he surely can't play Williamson, as he has been so poor.

It's a tough one this for Bowyer and his team selection could literally decide the outcome of this game.

[J*B]

Tommy Spurr HAS to play left back, no centre back. He will be key stopping the right wing attack, Kightly and Trippier which is so successful.

I hope Keane is a big guy, he will have his hands full with Vokes.

If Williamson AND Lowe start I'll see it as a sign of surrender. Evans MUST be capable of at least the first hour. Neither of their central midfielders are notably brilliant, but both work hard and play their role well. If we can start Cairney, Lowe and Evans in a midfield 5, I'll be confident.

If we do play a midfield 5, Gedeste has to be the one that is dropped. Can't risk not playing Jordan Rhodes in a game of little chances.

Warm Dunn up whenever we are under pressure. Bring him on if we are down.

[darrenrover]

I've a sneaking feeling both Kilgallon and Hanley will be fit, play Lowe and Spurr as full backs. (Henley is like a rabbit in headlights currently and Kane not good enough)

Midfield of Cairney, Evans, Dunn, Taylor, Conway and Rhodes/Gestede up top.

I feel that would give us more options in an attacking sense, allow us to press higher up the pitch and be more competitive in midfield.

Take the game to them and I think we'll win, sit back and they'll roll us over comfortably. As most other lesser teams have done or come close after we've taken the lead so far this season after we've sat back.

Cometh the hour, cometh the man. FFS Rovers stand up and be counted!

COYB!!

[tomphil]

Agree on the Spurr thing, he's a steady left back but boy he struggled like #### at centre half. Too risky to try it again. It would have to be Lowe for me if we have no one else available. I say that with much trepidation as well