[Archived] Best Rovers Squad Of 18.

[Mike E]

An interesting idea that cropped up on Facebook (makes a change, eh?):

Pick your best Rovers X1, plus 7 subs. Nothing unusual in this BUT, you must pick your best X1 and best bench that allows for tactical flexibility in the whole 18. Makes you think a bit! I've only been attending matches since 1996 (dammit!), but would be interested to see what squads people put out!

The hardest part was trying to put a logical matchday squad together, leaving out some of my real favourites in certain positions such as Warnock, Bentley, Short, Todd, Jansen, SantaCruz, Cole, Gillespie, the list goes on and on!

Mine would be a 3232 starting formation:

Freidel; Berg, Nelsen, Givet; Flitcroft, Savage; Thompson, Tugay, Duff; Bellamy, McCarthy.

Subs:

Robbo - keeper.

Samba - cb or emergency targetman

Givet - cb or lb

Emerton - rb or rm

Dunn - in the hole, cm

Pedersen - any midfield position

Yakubu - poacher or targetman or both.

[K-Hod]

Friedel, Berg, Hendry, Nelsen, Le Saux, Ripley, Sherwood, Tugay, Duff, Shearer, Bellamy (LOL at those 2 together)

Subs: Robbo- keeper,

Samba- same reasons as Mike

Givet- can play in more than one position at the back

Savage if we need some energy in midfield!

Bentley-set pieces

Dunn link up with strikers

Yakubu- poacher

[sambo]

Born in 1992 so sadly didn't see much of the title winning team - will only go off players I watched regularly in the flesh.

Friedel (GK with an eye for goal )

Neill (can be trusted anywhere in defence)

Nelsen

Hendry (I could be wrong but think he played up top in his younger days) (I didn't see him much but he was my hero back then and gets the nod!)

Warnock (could be an emergency winger - could even do an Ince and play him in CM )

Bentley (can do a job across midfield, set piece taker as well)

Tugay

Dunn (could play behind the striker as well)

Duff (would trust him on either wing, or even behind the striker in a Mourinho-esque formation)

McCarthy

Bellamy (at a risk of him kicking off, he COULD do a job on the wing, but I'd much prefer him up top)

Team is perhaps a bit lightweight through the middle on paper, but I'm referring more to the 'younger' Dunny. He had a real engine!

Subs:

Robinson - keeper

Emerton - can play RB, RM and even CM.

Samba - as said above, CB or target man!

David Thompson - a real scrapper who can play anywhere in midfield

Pedersen - can do a job anywhere in midfield.

Savage - can come on and do the dirty work.

Jansen - striker or as a (very attacking) winger.

[beanie]

Friedel, le saux berg Hendry samba Duff Bentley tugay batty bellamy shearer

Flowers

Sutton cb cf and I'm sure he played cm for Celtic

Nelsen

Dunn

Jansen right up top or dropping deeper

Emerton

[Scotty]

Friedel

Neill, Hendry, Nelsen, Le Saux

Ripley, Batty, Tugay, Duff

Shearer, Bellamy

Subs: Flowers, Berg, Olsson, Dunn, Sherwood, Jansen, Sutton

Manager: Hughes

[BlueMonday]

First XI : Friedel,

Berg. Hendry. Le Saux.

Clayton

Douglas Sherwood Tugay Sellars

Shearer Garner

Subs: Flowers. Nelsen. Samba, Flitcroft, Batty. Cowans, Sutton.

I never had the pleasure of seeing, Douglas and Clayton playing live, but have seen you tube footage and innumerable match reports of their class, so they are in for me. Wasn't sure where to put Ronnie as he is described as a wing back, but thought he could link mid and defence. Happy to take advice on that.

I feel there is flexibility in the subs to cover different positions.

Substitution!

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Brad Friedel, No one else comes near. Worth a goal start every game.

Keith Newton, Classy and elegant right back. Rapid and clinical in the tackle. 6 ft tall so high balls to his wing were easily dealt with. As good going forward as he was going backwards.

Mike England, A colossus of a centre half with the ball skills of a top midfielder. The best all round player we've ever produced. For the younger fans think a much bigger, better Paul Warhurst.

Colin Hendrey, Epitomised our rise to the top of the Premier league, brave, never say die, uncompromising defender.

Graham Le Saux. Great attacking full back who could also defend tenaciously when required. Super crosser of the ball.

Mike Ferguson. Mercurial, tricky right winger who could bamboozle the best of full backs. In the mood he could win games on his own . His song was - " As long as we've got Fergie, we don't give a ---- about Burnley ".

Ronnie Clayton. Mr. Blackburn Rovers. A great attacking midfielder who drifted back through the team to eventually play at centre half. Never ever gave less than 100 % for the club. A grafting, driving presence in midfield , box to box with an eye for goal. Good enough to captain England when that mattered a lot more than it does now.

Bryan Douglas. The poker faced genius. The one Rovers player who made me smile more than any other. The little guy who's mastery of the ball had to be seen to be believed. The heartbeat of the 1963-64 goal scoring machine that was Rovers. I lost count of the goals he laid on a plate for Pickering and McEvoy. A pal of mine played against him when he was winding down his career at Great Harwood. He said " Tyrone, you couldn't get near him, he could beat you stood still ! "

Damian Duff. Tremendously pacey left winger who could terrorise teams. Scored his share of goals as well.

Fred Pickering. Well built striker who really came to the fore up front after starting out at full back. Big, strong and fast with a tremendous shot it either foot. For a big guy he was really quick on his feet and liked to lure centre halves out towards the left wing then dance around them with a change of pace and direction. Good header of the ball also.

Alan Shearer. Brilliantly direct goal scoring machine who could lead the line equally well. Cannon ball shot in a hammer of a right foot and a good header of the ball for his size.

Subs.

Tim Flowers. Second to Big Brad but that's no disgrace.

Henning Berg. Very calm and cool defender. Capable of playing all along the back four.

Chris Samba. Man mountain of a centre half who dominated the penalty area. One man defence at times.

Tugay. The maestro of the midfield. The best passer of the ball I've ever seen. Every goal he scored was unforgettable.

Andy McEvoy. Goal poacher supreme. Partner in crime to Fred Pickering. They fired the bullets that Bryan Douglas made.

Chris Sutton. Superb all round player. Good finisher who also made goals for other players. Could fill in at centre half in a pinch.

Craig Bellamy. Gifted little striker with tremendous pace and a real will to win. A terrier of a player who didn't give the opposition a minutes rest.

I've left some terrific players out there. Matt Woods, Peter Dobing, Roy Vernon, of the old era up to Matt Jansen , Roque Santa Cruz, Yakubu in the modern era.

[oldjamfan1]

Brad Friedel, No one else comes near. Worth a goal start every game.

Keith Newton, Classy elegant right back. Rapid and clinical in the tackle. 6 ft tall so balls to his wing were easily dealt with. As good going forward as he was going backwards.

Mike England, A colossus of a centre half with the ball skills of a top midfielder. The best all round player we've ever produced. For the younger fans think a much bigger, better Paul Warhurst.

Colin Hendrey, Epitomised our rise to the top of the Premier league, brave, never say die, uncompromising defender.

Graham Le Saux. Great attacking full back who could also defend tenaciously when required. Super crosser of the ball.

Mike Ferguson. Mercurial, tricky right winger who could bamboozle the best of full backs. In the mood he could win games on his own . His song was - " As long as we've got Fergie, we don't give a ---- about Burnley ".

Ronnie Clayton. Mr. Blackburn Rovers. A great attacking midfielder who drifted back to through the team to eventually play at centre half. Never ever gave less than 100 % for the club. A grafting, driving presence in midfield , box to box with an eye for goal. Good enough to captain England when that mattered a lot more than it does now.

Bryan Douglas. The poker faced genius. The one Rovers player who made me smile more than any other. The little guy who's mastery of the ball had to be seen to be believed. The heartbeat of the 1963-64 goal scoring machine that was Rovers. I lost count of the goals he laid on a plate for Pickering and McEvoy. A pal of mine played against him when he was winding down his career at Great Harwood. He said " Tyrone, you couldn't get near him, he could beat you stood still ! "

Damian Duff. Tremendously pacey left winger who could terrorise teams. Scored his share of goals as well.

Fred Pickering. Well built striker who came to the fore up front after starting out at full back. Big, strong and fast with a tremendous shot it either foot. For a big guy he was really quick on his feet and liked to lure centre halves out towards the left wing then dance around them with a change of pace and direction. Good header of the ball also.

Alan Shearer. Brilliantly direct goal scoring machine who could lead the line equally well. Cannon ball shoot in his right foot and a good header of the ball for his size.

Subs.

Tim Flowers. Second to Big Brad but that's no disgrace.

Henning Berg. Very calm and cool defender. Capable of playing all along the back four.

Chris Samba. Man mountain of a centre half who dominated the penalty area. One man defence at times.

Tugay. The maestro of the midfield. The best passer of the ball I've ever seen. Every goal he scored was unforgettable.

Andy McEvoy. Goal poacher supreme. Partner in crime to Fred Pickering. They fired the bullets that Bryan Douglas made.

Chris Sutton. Superb all round player. Good finisher who also made goals for other players. Could fill in at centre half in a pinch.

Craig Bellamy. Gifted little striker with tremendous pace and a real will to win. A terrier of a player who didn't give the opposition a minutes rest.

I've left some terrific players out there. Matt Woods, Peter Dobing, Roy Vernon, of the old era up to Matt Jansen , Roque Santa Cruz, Yakubu in the modern era.

I don't think this one will be bettered. Unless anyone on here is aged about 150 and saw every Rovers player of all time!

[old darwen blue]

I fully agree.

[bazza]

When Blue Monday brought in Clayton and Douglas my immediate thoughts went to Mike England and Keith Newton.

Tyrone, I'm glad you mentioned Warhurst because I also thought of him. The teams of the mid nineties included only two players who I considered to be world class in terms of footballing ability, Shearer and Warhurst.

[jim mk2]

Great stuff Tyrone; honourable mentions to David Bentley and Ryan Nelsen, who I thought were wonderful players for us; David Speedie, who almost singlehandedly won us promotion, and Kevin Hird and John Bailey 2 of my favourites from the 1970s.

[Cherry Blue]

Like you say makes you think and feel a right wolly for the legands I've missed.

Friedel

Newton, England, Clayton ©, Le Saux,

Douglas, Sherwood, Tugay, Duff.

Shearer, Warhurst

Bench: Flowers, Berg, Samba, Nelson, Atkins, Jansen, Sutton

Manager: Dalglish

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

When Blue Monday brought in Clayton and Douglas my immediate thoughts went to Mike England and Keith Newton.

Tyrone, I'm glad you mentioned Warhurst because I also thought of him. The teams of the mid nineties included only two players who I considered to be world class in terms of footballing ability, Shearer and Warhurst.

Yeah, Warhurst getting injured was a massive blow. A superb all round player who could honestly play anywhere on the pitch and look a natural.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Great stuff Tyrone; honourable mentions to David Bentley and Ryan Nelsen, who I thought were wonderful players for us; David Speedie, who almost singlehandedly won us promotion, and Kevin Hird and John Bailey 2 of my favourites from the 1970s.

I agree Jim, honourable mentions for all those players. Speedie a little dynamo and a winner. Ryan Nelsen, awesome player before the injury robbed him of a yard of pace. Anybody else remember the sliding tackle he pulled off at Old Trafford to help us get a 0-0 draw when we needed all the points we could get. Possibly the best flying , sliding tackle I've ever seen. Bentley I never rated him at first but he proved me wrong in a big way. He really missed his way when he left us. Hird and Bailey, what a good pair of full backs, both went for big money later on.

There are lots of top players we've missed out - Kevin Moran, Eyal Berkovic, David Batty, Mick McGrath, John Mac Namee. The list goes on and on.

[Pedro]

I'm surprised by how many include Robinson. I never rated him at Rovers (it didn't help as he followed Brad) but he was far inferior to Friedel, Flowers and Filan.

[oldjamfan1]

I'm surprised by how many include Robinson. I never rated him at Rovers (it didn't help as he followed Brad) but he was far inferior to Friedel, Flowers and Filan.

I actually thought Gennoe was also better than Robbo (in a Rovers shirt)

[LWX]

From who I've seen play...

Friedel

Berg

Hendry

Nelsen

Le Saux

Bentley

Batty

Tugay

Duff

Shearer

Garner

Flowers

Samba

Warhurst

Sherwood

Cole

Jansen

[Wing Wizard Windy Miller]

Can't comment on pre 80's Rovers so would go for

Friedel (Kean)

Neil (Orr)

Hendry (Myles Anderson)

Warhurst (Nuno Henrique)

Le saux (Morris)

Ripley (Murphy)

Kendall (Andrews)

Tugay (Williamson)

Duff (Goulon)

Cole (Chris Brown)

Shearer (Edinho Junior)

Subs:

Gennoe (Usai)

Bellamy (Slew)

Batty (Etuhu)

Dunn (Marrow)

Jansen (Best)

Samba (Rigters)

Berg (Ribeiro)

Hells teeth that was difficult. Very cathartic though!

We really have had some quality at Ewood over the last 30 years.........and some absolute **** over the last 5 years!

Watching the team on the left play the team on the right would be like watching Madrid play Vallecano!

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Interesting Windy. Neil at right back and on the bench ? Have you started Xmas early this year.

Andy Cole instead of Jansen ?

[Wing Wizard Windy Miller]

Interesting Windy. Neil at right back and on the bench ? Have you started Xmas early this year.

Andy Cole instead of Jansen ?

Well spotted Sir. Edited!

Tough call on Jansen. Bags of ability but career cut short. Could have been a great but for the accident. I was surprised by how good Andy Cole's all round game actually was and his career eclipsed Jansen's by some way. Similarly, Bellamy gets the nod ahead of Jansen on the bench.

If Carlsberg did January windows eh!

[Wing Wizard Windy Miller]

Brad Friedel, No one else comes near. Worth a goal start every game.

Keith Newton, Classy and elegant right back. Rapid and clinical in the tackle. 6 ft tall so high balls to his wing were easily dealt with. As good going forward as he was going backwards.

Mike England, A colossus of a centre half with the ball skills of a top midfielder. The best all round player we've ever produced. For the younger fans think a much bigger, better Paul Warhurst.

Colin Hendrey, Epitomised our rise to the top of the Premier league, brave, never say die, uncompromising defender.

Graham Le Saux. Great attacking full back who could also defend tenaciously when required. Super crosser of the ball.

Mike Ferguson. Mercurial, tricky right winger who could bamboozle the best of full backs. In the mood he could win games on his own . His song was - " As long as we've got Fergie, we don't give a ---- about Burnley ".

Ronnie Clayton. Mr. Blackburn Rovers. A great attacking midfielder who drifted back through the team to eventually play at centre half. Never ever gave less than 100 % for the club. A grafting, driving presence in midfield , box to box with an eye for goal. Good enough to captain England when that mattered a lot more than it does now.

Bryan Douglas. The poker faced genius. The one Rovers player who made me smile more than any other. The little guy who's mastery of the ball had to be seen to be believed. The heartbeat of the 1963-64 goal scoring machine that was Rovers. I lost count of the goals he laid on a plate for Pickering and McEvoy. A pal of mine played against him when he was winding down his career at Great Harwood. He said " Tyrone, you couldn't get near him, he could beat you stood still ! "

Damian Duff. Tremendously pacey left winger who could terrorise teams. Scored his share of goals as well.

Fred Pickering. Well built striker who really came to the fore up front after starting out at full back. Big, strong and fast with a tremendous shot it either foot. For a big guy he was really quick on his feet and liked to lure centre halves out towards the left wing then dance around them with a change of pace and direction. Good header of the ball also.

Alan Shearer. Brilliantly direct goal scoring machine who could lead the line equally well. Cannon ball shot in a hammer of a right foot and a good header of the ball for his size.

Subs.

Tim Flowers. Second to Big Brad but that's no disgrace.

Henning Berg. Very calm and cool defender. Capable of playing all along the back four.

Chris Samba. Man mountain of a centre half who dominated the penalty area. One man defence at times.

Tugay. The maestro of the midfield. The best passer of the ball I've ever seen. Every goal he scored was unforgettable.

Andy McEvoy. Goal poacher supreme. Partner in crime to Fred Pickering. They fired the bullets that Bryan Douglas made.

Chris Sutton. Superb all round player. Good finisher who also made goals for other players. Could fill in at centre half in a pinch.

Craig Bellamy. Gifted little striker with tremendous pace and a real will to win. A terrier of a player who didn't give the opposition a minutes rest.

I've left some terrific players out there. Matt Woods, Peter Dobing, Roy Vernon, of the old era up to Matt Jansen , Roque Santa Cruz, Yakubu in the modern era.

I would have loved to have seen players such as Clayton, Douglas, Pickering, England etc in the Blue and White.

A good thread this one, highlights the peaks and troughs of football eras!

I'm surprised by how many include Robinson. I never rated him at Rovers (it didn't help as he followed Brad) but he was far inferior to Friedel, Flowers and Filan.

Agree, would add Jim Arnold and Terry Gennoe to that list ahead of him as well.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Me too, I think Robbo's best years were in the past when he came to a Rovers.

All those other keepers mentioned were better. I'm wasn't a big Fred Else fan but he was better than Robbo. If that 1962 to 1965 set of players would have had a bit of money to strengthen just one or two positions we would have walked the league.

Add Henning Berg at right back with Keith Newton at left back. David Batty in for Mick McGrath with Freidel in goal and we would have been un stoppable.

I thought the world of Jansen,a great player, but Bellamy was better.

[roverandout]

Friedel, le saux, hendry, samba, Berg, Ripley, tugay, Sherwood, Duff, Jansen, shearer subs: flowers, henchoz, dunn, Cole, emerton, Sutton, wilcox

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

I rated Henchoz as well. A very good centre half. We've been well blessed with centre halves over the years

[riverside returns]

Am surprised no one mentions Sir Roger Jones, Duncan Mckenzie just for the entertainment, graham Hawkins, Andy Crawford, Simon garner.