[Archived] Rovers V Hull

[arbitro]

The bottom line Abbey is that Rhodes didn't want to play for Blackburn Rovers. Leaving the night before the cup-tie at Oxford and leaving his team mates in the lurch suggested his commitment to the club was questionable to say the least. He wanted away, the manager was happy to let him leave and so the club moves on.

And that is the most pertinent point in the whole saga. If Lambert dug his heels in and wouldn't let him what would we have had? Another unhappy player earning a kings ransom?

Rhodes has gone and we have to move on without him. Lambert knows he has to come up with a plan to replace his goals and it will be a heavy price if he doesn't.

I can't help thinking though that the Blackburn Rovers nil situation pleases some people to justify their argument and support of Rhodes.

[den]

I expected a reaction from the Rhodies but where is the evidence that his inclusion yesterday would have made any difference at all?

His contribution in recent months?

There is no evidence 47er. If we were making chances right left and centre yesterday, then there might - and only might be an argument to going back to the position we were in, when we sold him. some of our posters would have you believe that Rhodes was actually powering us up the league. We needed to change the way we were playing. As to whether the players brought in - and let's not forget there should still be money available in the summer - are good enough, or will be good enough, is a different argument.

[tomphil]

I don't think we'll get tubbed by Fulham if we have everyone available. It'll just be more of the same laboured huffing and puffing whilst creating nothing. They'll score either from one of our regular mistakes or maybe a pearler from Cairney or someone. We'll lose one nil.

There doesn't seem enough fight in our lot now, even Bowyer used to get the right good go in the last 10 mins regularly when we were losing. No sign of that these days yet.

[den]

Daft question. Rhodes isn't worth £9m (or £8m for that matter).

But we got shut of our main only goalscorer. Only people who don't want to acknowledge that are a small section of Rovers fans: the ones who said he was a one-trick-pony while was banging the goals in and who are now saying 'he's gone, get over it'.

You'll have to get over it. He would have made no difference yesterday. We were outplayed, just as we always were when we had him. We can only improve by becoming a better footballing side and matching the likes of Hull.

[chaddyrovers]

I expected a reaction from the Rhodies but where is the evidence that his inclusion yesterday would have made any difference at all?

His contribution in recent months?

he wouldn't have done.

The Rhodes fan club seemed to have all forgotten that he wanted to leave Rovers for the past 18 months. Rhodes went public with his desired to leave Rovers last summer

[Stuart]

And that is the most pertinent point in the whole saga. If Lambert dug his heels in and wouldn't let him what would we have had? Another unhappy player earning a kings ransom?

You do him a disservice. We are led to believe that he wanted out the previous two windows. Yet he got his head down after each refusal, and continued to score goals. You may have a different opinion about his ability but please don't pretend that he wasn't a consummate professional.

[McClarky]

Whatever the Rhodes situation he's gone now and we have just got to get on with it. My main concern s thatPL has bought in a load of new players and they have to start playing soon or it could be too late. This is when we have to start winning games and we just don't look like doing that.

[Tardyrover]

Our problem is most of our players can't beat a man. It's frustrating to watch the constant side passing when everyone in the stadium can see WE NEED TO MOVE FORWARD!

[Stuart]

You'll have to get over it. He would have made no difference yesterday. We were outplayed, just as we always were when we had him. We can only improve by becoming a better footballing side and matching the likes of Hull.

Ironically Hull under Bruce long coveted Jordan Rhodes himself. Another team who see him as the finishing touch. Meanwhile we had the finishing touch without the service - because we couldn't afford both. Yet other teams seem to be able to.

FUP plus Venkys equals excuses not to compete multiplied by zero value left in our squad.

[arbitro]

You do him a disservice. We are led to believe that he wanted out the previous two windows. Yet he got his head down after each refusal, and continued to score goals. You may have a different opinion about his ability but please don't pretend that he wasn't a consummate professional.

I would have hoped that it wouldn't have affected his professionalism but how many times would he have been knocked back before it did. Consummate professional or not it would only have happened so many times.

[tomphil]

he wouldn't have done.

The Rhodes fan club seemed to have all forgotten that he wanted to leave Rovers for the past 18 months. Rhodes went public with his desired to leave Rovers last summer

The Rhodes fan club ? I would imagine you were a fully paid up member of that until it suited you to switch tack again.

The fact is we are a weaker team without a 20 goal a season striker whichever way people try and dress it up. I will acknowledge though that we and he were caught in a no win situation.

[Amo]

Yes I would .

You need goals to win games and Rhodes provides that .

Rhodes v current strikers ?

Is this your last, last, LAST post?

[Stuart]

The Rhodes fan club ? I would imagine you were a fully paid up member of that until it suited you to switch tack again.

The fact is we are a weaker team without a 20 goal a season striker whichever way people try and dress it up. I will acknowledge though that we and he were caught in a no win situation.

It's funny that chaddy's big brothers conveniently forget/ignore these digs that he makes - which usually get a reaction. Then it's "Poor Old Simple Chaddy - stop bullying him!"

I actually don't mind him making such comments, providing he can take it when he gets some stick back - sadly he can't.

[chaddyrovers]

The Rhodes fan club ? I would imagine you were a fully paid up member of that until it suited you to switch tack again.

The fact is we are a weaker team without a 20 goal a season striker whichever way people try and dress it up. I will acknowledge though that we and he were caught in a no win situation.

Its not about switching tack.

its about what we need to get promote and having a good all round team.

I look at Hull and they have a good all round team and not build around 1 player. same about Sheffield Wednesday.

the teams I have mention have been the best 2 teams I've seen all season in this league

at the end of the day I want promotion to the PL whether it was Rhodes in the team or not. I support Blackburn Rovers not Jordan Rhodes or any other players. the team is more important than any other player

[Al]

Yes Chaddy was a big fan of Gary Bowyer and now Lambert can do no wrong. You change your mind at the drop of a hat. The current management is always wonderful. Why do you think your opinions are laughed at?

[tomphil]

Its not about switching tack.

its about what we need to get promote and having a good all round team.

I look at Hull and they have a good all round team and not build around 1 player. same about Sheffield Wednesday.

the teams I have mention have been the best 2 teams I've seen all season in this league

Ironically both wanted but could not afford ?........yes Jordan Rhodes !

[A cup of beans]

You just cant leave me alone can you abbey.

I am Blackburn Rovers fan through the good and bad times. That will NEVER change at any time!!!

On Rhodes, let's not FORGET that he wanted out in the summer and want public with his desired to join Boro. Some fans have forgetten!

Plus Lambert's comments in the public are that Rhodes wanted out for the last 18 months.

At times I wonder whether keep Rhodes at Rovers means more to some fans than us getting promote and backing an experience proven manager in Lambert and his judgement.

You don't half talk some deluded nonsense at times.

"Some fans would rather see Rhodes goals than promotion" !!!!

Stop!

You worshipped Rhodes when he was here too.

Stop being so shape - shifting and righteous.

To develope A less confrontational and condescending tone, may be of benefit to you.

[Dean]

Talking about Rhodes again? Really?

If he's so good, why can't he get a game for Scotland? Work that out and you'll work out why we are a better team without him.

Hull are a very good team at this level, it's no surprise that we lost.

[A cup of beans]

Hull have a Premier League squad. I've no problem losing to them, but the manner of it left me bewildered.

No leaders to be seen. Nobody of real captain material.

[grizfoot]

A football game may last 90 minutes but this one was over after 63 when Hull broke away to score their second. You only needed to look at our strikeforce of Simeon Jackson & Chris Brown to realise there wasn't much hope of us getting back into the game up against the best side to visit Ewood all season. We are in for a real struggle if we are going to be relying on those two to get us the goals we need to stay up. Chris Brown last scored on 12th April 2014, a penalty for Doncaster against Ipswich, a grand total of 672 Days ago. Simeon Jackson, last scored on 20th December 2014 for Coventry in a League One game against Fleetwood, a mere 420 days ago. In fairness to Jackson you can't doubt his work-rate, he did look lively and was probably one our better players on the day, that being said he never looked liked scoring. You could make an argument to say these two are probably only our 4th and 5th choice strikers, presumably when everyone is fit they'd be impact subs at best. That being said that strikeforce looks more League One than Championship. I know they shouldn't be but maybe the rest of the players were thinking the exact same thing I was. It was galling seeing a well organised, disciplined side with a strong defensive spine with the likes of Dawson/Davies and Huddlestone/Livermore up against our current crop of players. To compound things even further chasing the game we bring Jackson off and switch to a lone striker, Chris Brown. Other than being totally ripped open defensively on numerous occasions the worrying thing was the lack of urgency in our response to going behind. You expect at least some late wave of pressure, being the home side chasing the game but it never arrived. The switch to a more defensive formation may be more of an indication of Lambert keeping half an eye on our goal difference, but for a wonderful save from Steele Hull would have made it three.

I do have to give some credit to Hull, if some of our players look more League One, some of theirs definitely look more Premier League than Championship, they managed to keep their side intact after relegation and you can see that a lot of their players are simply a class above in this division. Looking down their side in comparison to ours from position to position I think it's fair to say they have a superior player in every role. Even the three subs they brought on would probably walk into our starting line-up at the moment. It hasn't happened often since we've been in The Championship, the last time we lost by more than one goal at home was the capitulation against Cardiff in December '12 under Berg. But it's fair to say in that second half today we got outclassed in a very similar way (defensive mistakes and quick counter-attacks) by a far better side. One small crumb of comfort was that we got to see some quality play from the away side, Diame's run in the first half was superb, nutmegs two of our players before firing over. A Livermore long diagonal pass on the half volley which can only be described as Tugayesque.

It was a real shame we couldn't start with the same side that played so well away at Middlesbrough. Hanley & Akpan for me are probably the two likely contenders for player of the season and both missed the game. Graham missing was also another blow, he looks a more suited partner for Watt than Jackson does. We still operated the same 4-3-1-2 formation but the different personnel meant it never looked like working as effectively as it did in the previous game. Every game we fail to score the obvious Rhodes question is going to be brought up, why sell your only goalscorer when relegation is a realistic threat? That being said even with him on the pitch I don't think the result today would have been any different, we simply didn't create enough goalscoring opportunities. The worry is that when we do create the chance who can we rely on to score them?

Suddenly the game against Fulham on Tuesday becomes a vital one, lose that and the alarm bells will well and truly be ringing. The enthusiasm I felt last week as quickly turned to despair. The only consolation I can take from this defeat is that we won't be playing a team as good as that every week.

[roversfan99]

Its not about switching tack.

its about what we need to get promote and having a good all round team.

I look at Hull and they have a good all round team and not build around 1 player. same about Sheffield Wednesday.

the teams I have mention have been the best 2 teams I've seen all season in this league

at the end of the day I want promotion to the PL whether it was Rhodes in the team or not. I support Blackburn Rovers not Jordan Rhodes or any other players. the team is more important than any other player

You say good all round team but Rhodes was our only good player bar Hanley. And you can slag off his commitment but he was still way out in front as our top scorer and will finish the season as our top scorer despite injuries and not being here for 4 months.

Promotions a long way off, relegation is miles more likely. We have a manager who has seemingly no plan, our squad is full of loan players who are nowhere near the man who we let go.

Going forward, we have no pace, very little flair, no urgency even when we go behind, and now weve lost the one man who always popped up with a goal from nowhere.

We ended the game yesterday with a strikeforce of Simeon Jackson(absolute crap, recently released by Barnsley, thanks for this Lambert) and Chris Brown (still yet to score for us).

Our squad is littered with players playing in a league above what they should be. Tommy Spurr, Hope Akpan, Lenihan, Elliott Bennett, Jackson, Brown, Taylor. Our main attacking players, 1 is playing at right back and the other 3 are on loan.

The only players we own with any ability are Hanley, then theres players like Marshall, Conway, Steele, Ward, maybe Evans, who put in 1 good performance and 3 bad. We are lucky that Rhodes has already scored 10 for us to help build up a deficit of additional points. Next season on the other hand...

[yorkblues]

Rhodes zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

[T J Hooker]

offs

[chaddyrovers]

You say good all round team but Rhodes was our only good player bar Hanley. And you can slag off his commitment but he was still way out in front as our top scorer and will finish the season as our top scorer despite injuries and not being here for 4 months.

Promotions a long way off, relegation is miles more likely. We have a manager who has seemingly no plan, our squad is full of loan players who are nowhere near the man who we let go.

Going forward, we have no pace, very little flair, no urgency even when we go behind, and now weve lost the one man who always popped up with a goal from nowhere.

We ended the game yesterday with a strikeforce of Simeon Jackson(absolute crap, recently released by Barnsley, thanks for this Lambert) and Chris Brown (still yet to score for us).

Our squad is littered with players playing in a league above what they should be. Tommy Spurr, Hope Akpan, Lenihan, Elliott Bennett, Jackson, Brown, Taylor. Our main attacking players, 1 is playing at right back and the other 3 are on loan.

The only players we own with any ability are Hanley, then theres players like Marshall, Conway, Steele, Ward, maybe Evans, who put in 1 good performance and 3 bad. We are lucky that Rhodes has already scored 10 for us to help build up a deficit of additional points. Next season on the other hand...

I feel that Hanley isn't our ONLY good player. feel that Marshall, Steele, Evans are good players. Conway is massive off form.

we actually ended the game with Brown as the lone front man with Bennett and Conway wide and Gomez in the hole.

Like I said before I felt we missed Graham as the focus point and Watt playing off that. don't feel that Watt and Jackson are a natural partnership tbh. Also we missed Akpan in midfield and Hanley at the back.

[Athlete]

Chaddyrovers you do yourself no favours.. Just try taking those blue tinted glasses off once in a while

Yesterday there were players on that field who imo aren't fit to wear the blue white half's including two so called strikers whom neither have scored since 2014 as for Elliot Bennett what does he contribute ?

We really need to win Tuesday how I don't know?? Hopefully a gomez freekick or something