[Archived] Boro Match Thread

[Steve Moss]

Rovers to win, 4-0.

[ABBEY]

It's raining out there harder than Christmas!!!

[mac]

Been like that most of the night

[VinjayV4]

Hope they put the bloody pitch cover on then! Middlesbrough would be incredibly annoyed if they haven't and the game gets called off again.

[Madon]

Just drove over Haslingden Old Road, the road is flooded worse than it was in January and it's forecast to rain for most of the day.

The game is surely in doubt if they didn't have the big covers on.

[VinjayV4]

Just drove over Haslingden Old Road, the road is flooded worse than it was in January and it's forecast to rain for most of the day.

The game is surely in doubt if they didn't have the big covers on.

If they haven't then the club will probably face a hefty fine from the Football League. Couldn't blame them either as Middlesbrough would certainly complain. Plus the annoyance caused to Rovers fans of course especially those travelling considerable distances.

No answer from @onerovers yet which is poor. Yes its only 8:20 but have a quick look before getting to Ewood! Marketing dept run it (not Lee Grooby) I was told a few years ago. There should always be someone up early to check general queries. Rovers should have someone on call 24/7 especially since what happened with Roy Keane when staff left early.

Asked the groundsman on twitter as well.

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

Play the best settled side and try and get the points on board as a priority or swap about with an unsettled team and possibly struggle for points. Why take the chance IMO, try and get some points gathered by playing our best available side in the next 2 games against two top sides instead of rolling over. Give em a rest at Ipswich away and play a changed side.

The arguments must surely be along the lines of :-

1. Which is better, a half fit Evans or a fully fit Apkan

2. Would you risk a player which may see him out for weeks

The way PL wants us to play is very high tempo - these players haven't had a pre-season to prepare them for this approach. Also - the tactics won't work if some of the team's energy levels are low (for whatever reason).

So best team doesn't necessarily mean the best players at this stage of the season.

[VinjayV4]

Would go with this lineup...

STEELE

WARD

DUFFY

HANLEY

SPURR

GRIMES

GOMEZ

LENIHAN

BENNETT

GRAHAM

JACKSON

Can Ward or Duffy play out of usual position? Still be better options than Henley I reckon.

[arbitro]

Just drove over Haslingden Old Road, the road is flooded worse than it was in January and it's forecast to rain for most of the day.

The game is surely in doubt if they didn't have the big covers on.

I was looking at the River Darwen late last week and the levels were normal after the dry week or so we have had. I was under the impression that the problem on Boxing Day was that the water that usually drains off Ewood into the River Darwen couldn't as the levels were so high.

As a belt and braces exercise though the pitch should be covered.

[VinjayV4]

I was looking at the River Darwen late last week and the levels were normal after the dry week or so we have had. I was under the impression that the problem on Boxing Day was that the water that usually drains off Ewood into the River Darwen couldn't as the levels were so high.

As a belt and braces exercise though the pitch should be covered.

Kamy has said the following to me...

"Even with the cover on, if the river running adjacent to Ewood rises above a certain level then we have no where to pump water too. So even if we had a cover on it wouldn't make any difference. Sometimes we have to accept that nature just wins."

[VinjayV4]

Still no answer really quite unacceptable considering its after 9am. No wonder people think amateurs and lazy staff are out in force at Ewood. Can someone call the club perhaps and enquire about pitch cover plus the matter Kamy has mentioned? Haven't got any credit before the obvious question is asked.

[ABBEY]

Unacceptable? Really? So rovers have not answered a tweet immediately from a crackpot ? #deluded

[JHRover]

What's changed at Ewood?

The river has never been an issue over the last 20 years. How many games have been called off since Ewood was redeveloped due to high rainfall/flooding?

Yes its rained very hard this morning but didn't rain yesterday/Sunday so unless something drastic has changed with the drainage system in that part of the world I can't see why there would be a risk of the game being off.

[Tom]

Chris Brown will play some part:

http://m.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/14310531._I___ve_not_heard_fans_booing_their_own_player_before____Blackburn_Rovers_boss_backs_striker_Chris_Brown/

Lambert reminds me of Allaradyce in that he won't be swayed by the crowds, he'd probably stop short of saying he's the expert but I think he couldn't care less what the fans want - respect him for that to be honest.

[Giant]

The manager is absolutely right to defend Brown, the treatment he gets from some supporters is appalling. By the same token, the applause that Taylor got for his sending off was laughable. In both cases, silence as they walked off would have been far more appropriate.

[JHRover]

Its quite clear that Lambert, and probably the majority of the team, are appalled by the treatment given to Brown on Saturday. We face a tough enough job convincing our better players to stay at the club and decent new ones to join (Gomez). Listening to that diatribe on Saturday will have done the club no favours whatsoever going forward.

Lambert is probably wondering what the hell he has got himself in for.

Who could blame someone like Gomez if he turned round and said 'thanks for the offer of a permanent stay, but I'd prefer to play somewhere where the fans get behind all the team and don't target one player for individual abuse during the game'. I certainly wouldn't blame him.

[BlueMonday]

We don't have the luxury of being able to rotate players. Surely we want a morale-boosting performance ahead of the Burnley game? That isn't likely to come from fielding a weakened side.

That's my view. We're not Barcalona and hardly in a position to squad rotate. I say, best 11, play to win and go to the Dingle Dome with our tails up.

Also points on the board means we're not looking behind us and free's us play without fear.

[chor808]

Its quite clear that Lambert, and probably the majority of the team, are appalled by the treatment given to Brown on Saturday. We face a tough enough job convincing our better players to stay at the club and decent new ones to join (Gomez). Listening to that diatribe on Saturday will have done the club no favours whatsoever going forward.

Lambert is probably wondering what the hell he has got himself in for.

Who could blame someone like Gomez if he turned round and said 'thanks for the offer of a permanent stay, but I'd prefer to play somewhere where the fans get behind all the team and don't target one player for individual abuse during the game'. I certainly wouldn't blame him.

With respect JHRover that's rubbish. Gomez would spend the rest of his career looking for a club then, it is the same everywhere, just ask Graham.

Way too much drama on here about a bit of cheering of a player when he is subbed, it happens all the time. What is the world coming to when you can express what you feel about a player at football. Start thinking about the fans feelings for the last five years sitting their freezing watching rubbish week in week out, and guess what we get to pay for the privilege too.

Anyway going for a win tonight if it is on. 2-1 Rovers.

[tomphil]

The arguments must surely be along the lines of :-

1. Which is better, a half fit Evans or a fully fit Apkan

2. Would you risk a player which may see him out for weeks

The way PL wants us to play is very high tempo - these players haven't had a pre-season to prepare them for this approach. Also - the tactics won't work if some of the team's energy levels are low (for whatever reason).

So best team doesn't necessarily mean the best players at this stage of the season.

Agreed and that's why I said best available, if they are carrying a knock or whatever then they aren't available in my eyes. Some seem to be alluding to resting/rotating for the sake of it. That's a big no from me, play em then rest them when they need resting.

[JHRover]

With respect JHRover that's rubbish. Gomez would spend the rest of his career looking for a club then, it is the same everywhere, just ask Graham.

Way too much drama on here about a bit of cheering of a player when he is subbed, it happens all the time. What is the world coming to when you can express what you feel about a player at football. Start thinking about the fans feelings for the last five years sitting their freezing watching rubbish week in week out, and guess what we get to pay for the privilege too.

Anyway going for a win tonight if it is on. 2-1 Rovers.

If its the same everywhere then surely Lambert would have said that its something he's encountered many times at other clubs and is a common part of the game. The fact he has gone into the Lancashire Telegraph to say that it is the first time in his long and varied career he has experienced it suggests it isn't something that happens all the time, and that he wasn't impressed by it.

I've no problem whatsoever with a player getting stick if he clearly isn't putting the effort in, I've no problem with the team as a whole getting stick at half time/end of a game if results/performances are unacceptable, but I believe that Brown is now being made into a scapegoat for the teams problems in much the same way as Williamson/Lowe etc in previous seasons. We have now reached a stage where he is the outlet for the fans frustrations and the minute he steps onto the pitch a huge chunk of the Ewood support are waiting for him to make a mistake so that it can be leapt upon and criticised. Its gone past the point of no return now.

The problem is that it isn't limited to Brown, and once he's sidelined attentions will turn to someone else to be the focal point of the team's failures. My guess would be Henley or Spurr.

I'm not saying Brown should be immune to criticism or that he is in any form good enough for this club. If it was my decision he wouldn't play for us again, but whilst the manager picks him he should be supported by Rovers fans, and not jeered or sarcastically applauded off the pitch.

All I know is that it will have done no good to team morale whatsoever, Lambert won't have been impressed by it, and potentially it could be far more damaging than people think. The consensus appears to be that Brown is a good lad who gives it his all, so his friends and teammates will not be happy to see him singled out for that treatment. Danny Graham's non-celebration on Saturday could be down to that.

[chor808]

If its the same everywhere then surely Lambert would have said that its something he's encountered many times at other clubs and is a common part of the game. The fact he has gone into the Lancashire Telegraph to say that it is the first time in his long and varied career he has experienced it suggests it isn't something that happens all the time, and that he wasn't impressed by it.

I've no problem whatsoever with a player getting stick if he clearly isn't putting the effort in, I've no problem with the team as a whole getting stick at half time/end of a game if results/performances are unacceptable, but I believe that Brown is now being made into a scapegoat for the teams problems in much the same way as Williamson/Lowe etc in previous seasons. We have now reached a stage where he is the outlet for the fans frustrations and the minute he steps onto the pitch a huge chunk of the Ewood support are waiting for him to make a mistake so that it can be leapt upon and criticised. Its gone past the point of no return now.

The problem is that it isn't limited to Brown, and once he's sidelined attentions will turn to someone else to be the focal point of the team's failures. My guess would be Henley or Spurr.

I'm not saying Brown should be immune to criticism or that he is in any form good enough for this club. If it was my decision he wouldn't play for us again, but whilst the manager picks him he should be supported by Rovers fans, and not jeered or sarcastically applauded off the pitch.

All I know is that it will have done no good to team morale whatsoever, Lambert won't have been impressed by it, and potentially it could be far more damaging than people think. The consensus appears to be that Brown is a good lad who gives it his all, so his friends and teammates will not be happy to see him singled out for that treatment. Danny Graham's non-celebration on Saturday could be down to that.

Good points JHrover. I don't think Lambert can say anything else really, he has to defend the players he has right now, I guess the test will be if he offers him a new contract, not doing could be seen as worse than a bit of booing or cheering him off. I agree Brown is a trier 100%. We like all clubs always have a scape goat and at the moment it is brown, we have had a few for sure I remember Wilcox getting some stick. From where I was at the Fulham match Brown was cheering plenty of times for great work and getting stuck in, he is a professional and should take the rough with the smooth. I think if one of his chances had gone in he would have been lifted to cult hero levels..

I think there is too much 'shock' and headline making about the fact that most, if not all, where glad he was removed from the match on Saturday and some, not all, decided to cheer that. It has been made out as worse than the coin throwing at West Brom a few weeks back. Lambert knows what he has joined, we are a damaged club and only results will turn that around, he should be explaining that to the team.

Let's not bore anyone further with the whole thing.

[tomphil]

It does happen at other clubs and always has although it's rare. Wolves fans used to roast Roger Johnson, West Brom fans coining one of their own. Anyone remember that Villa player spitting at his own fans in the Darwen end when he was getting stick nearly causing a riot ?

As far as I know Brown has had stick at a lot of clubs he's been at although maybe not on a level it can become at Ewood. Problem for us is when you don't get behind the team in the first place then in some outside eyes it doesn't earn you the right to dish out verbals. Wolves being an example, a horrible lot but they are vocal both ways so people put it down to them just being over passionate. We seem to only really find our voices to moan these days

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

Good points JHrover. I don't think Lambert can say anything else really, he has to defend the players he has right now, I guess the test will be if he offers him a new contract, not doing could be seen as worse than a bit of booing or cheering him off. I agree Brown is a trier 100%. We like all clubs always have a scape goat and at the moment it is brown, we have had a few for sure I remember Wilcox getting some stick. From where I was at the Fulham match Brown was cheering plenty of times for great work and getting stuck in, he is a professional and should take the rough with the smooth. I think if one of his chances had gone in he would have been lifted to cult hero levels..

I think there is too much 'shock' and headline making about the fact that most, if not all, where glad he was removed from the match on Saturday and some, not all, decided to cheer that. It has been made out as worse than the coin throwing at West Brom a few weeks back. Lambert knows what he has joined, we are a damaged club and only results will turn that around, he should be explaining that to the team.

Let's not bore anyone further with the whole thing.

The big problem with Brown (and to be fair most strikers) he isn't going to score if his confidence in front of goal is gone. The fans getting on his back won't in anyway help him next time he gets a chance.

[oldjamfan1]

The big problem with Brown (and to be fair most strikers) he isn't going to score if his confidence in front of goal is gone. The fans getting on his back won't in anyway help him next time he gets a chance.

Exactly!!

[chor808]

The big problem with Brown (and to be fair most strikers) he isn't going to score if his confidence in front of goal is gone. The fans getting on his back won't in anyway help him next time he gets a chance.

Not sure if you where there or not on Saturday but the crowd where really really willing him to score, the place would have erupted . You can see the T-Shirts being printed now.

I promise I will only cheer him from now on (and not if subbed!). Let's see if it makes a difference.