[Archived] Birmingham City At Home

[Speedie Dived]

This is light years away from Gary Bowyers Rovers at the moment we are no longer mere participants in a game but now we can control a game.

Good things could be ahead if a few things fall into place, see this season out then give him some money to spend.

That is true. But if rumours are to be believed Lambert was allowed to do what Bowyer wasn't. Once again our owners sticking their noses in things they don't understand..... Football.

[donnermeat]

Great performance tonight, when your forward works as hard as that, it sets the tone for the rest of the team and leaves them no excuse but to do the same. Not that Lambert would stand for any less mind! Whatever list (yes another one of the infamous lists) is being made up for targets, then there has to be star next to Danny Graham's name, double underlined too!

Deserved MOM for him but it could easily have gone to either Evans or Hanley too. They both read the play superbly tonight on the whole and must have made about a dozen or so interceptions.

We certainly have a player on our hands in Lenihan and the last couple of performances are the best I've seen Watt play for any club. He wasn't great by any stretch but there's a player in there somehwere, I think it's just a question of fitness with him.

MASSIVE summer for our club. None of us know what Venky's have in mind but I really hope that they have taken heart with recent performances and realised that, given a decent budget, they finally have a man in charge that can get us in play-off contention.

[Speedie Dived]

The thing I am enjoying about our new team is we know what level and type of performance we are going to get before the game.

Loved tonight, and think there are positives everywhere. Must say though that Graham is key to it all, he must be signed.

Was impressed by Fabrini when he came on too, even if he did look like the Boston bomber.

[arbitro]

I'm not 100% sure but I think Darragh Lenihans caution tonight was his tenth. If that is the case he will be looking at a two match suspension.

[Leonard Venkhater]

Nobody feared coming to Ewood in that time. Get stuck into us and the points were there to be taken. Looks like things are changing now.

I did!

[den]

Considering the amount of games recently, I thought the work rate was absolutely immense. Lambert has got 'em all logged in to what he wants. I imagine the Brum players haven't been put under such consistent pressure like that for a long time. We were strong at the back - and with the front two getting onto everything coming their way and laying the ball off, it makes us a far more fluid team than we were. The gap between strikers and midfield isn't there any more. Individually, I don't think there was a poor performance from any of the starting eleven.

The transformation in the last few weeks shows what a good manager can do, even at the shambles that we were. Onwards and upwards. Venkys, it's now up to you.

[DE.]

I'm not 100% sure but I think Darragh Lenihans caution tonight was his tenth. If that is the case he will be looking at a two match suspension.

Unfortunate, but it's great to see Lenihan making a place for himself in the team. The first homegrown player to come through properly and actually look the part since Hanley and Lowe, if I'm not mistaken?

[patrickvalery]

The Lenihan story is quite telling really. Of course I could be well off the mark. But it seems to me that he wasn't far from being sold on. Certainly in the same bracket as O'Sullivan in terms of promise I'd say. Yet here we are a few months later and he's being considered to be a mainstay of our midfield. In a real shyte of a season he's the real golden nugget. It's great we've got a youth product who's looking like he can make the step up and excel. Been a good while since that happened.

[chaddyrovers]

really good performance tonight.

Impressed by Graham and Watt up front. work rate was excellent and never stop all game.

Hanley, Steele, Evans and Lenihan were very good.

Also Lambert was very quick to get Gomez off second half and clever But I thought a bit slow taking Graham off who looked shattered after 70 mins and kept looking over to the bench.

But really impressed by Lambert since he joined Rovers as manager and he now backing in the transfer market this summer and his first decision should by signing Danny Graham permanent this summer. Very pleased that he has proved people on here wrong who wrote him off before he even played for us.

[patrickvalery]

I'll admit I was one of them chaddy. But I'm happy to be proved wrong. He's got a lot more to his game than I had seen. I'd like to see us push the boat out to sign him permanently.

[oldjamfan1]

I'll admit I was one of them chaddy. But I'm happy to be proved wrong. He's got a lot more to his game than I had seen. I'd like to see us push the boat out to sign him permanently.

Takes a big man to post something like this. Well played PV

[tomphil]

The Lenihan story is quite telling really. Of course I could be well off the mark. But it seems to me that he wasn't far from being sold on. Certainly in the same bracket as O'Sullivan in terms of promise I'd say. Yet here we are a few months later and he's being considered to be a mainstay of our midfield. In a real shyte of a season he's the real golden nugget. It's great we've got a youth product who's looking like he can make the step up and excel. Been a good while since that happened.

It is a bit strange how the so called young player spotter didn't seem to fancy him at all, certainly not in midfield which was a bit crazy. Still early days but fair play to the lad though he seems to have something about him that just suits the way we play at the min. It's a good thing having a player growing into your style rather than trying to mould one who's more set in his ways.

[den]

I'll admit I was one of them chaddy. But I'm happy to be proved wrong. He's got a lot more to his game than I had seen. I'd like to see us push the boat out to sign him permanently.

With Lambert wanting to change the way we played the game, Graham was/is the right man at the right time.

[DE.]

Graham is leading the line better than anticipated, and he's probably still got two or three decent years left in him. The only question is how far he's willing to drop from his current £35k p/w. If he continues to impress here some of the clubs coming down may be very interested in taking him on and able to afford a much better wage than we can offer.

[patrickvalery]

Takes a big man to post something like this. Well played PV

Haha. You don't know me very well oldjamfan1. I'm the perennial coward!

My big worry about Graham was his hunger. But that's been first class. I'm absolutely delighted too. When Lambert said we needed a street fighter and we got Graham I was scratching my head. But he's shown he's not only up for the fight, but he seems to enjoy it. Lovely stuff.

[Mike E]

Only just realised the ref was Stuart Attwell. Explains that abysmal performance tonight.

[had.e.nuff]

I'm not 100% sure but I think Darragh Lenihans caution tonight was his tenth. If that is the case he will be looking at a two match suspension.

I think we only have evans who is close to a suspension just has to not get booked this saturday as sundayis cut off date for 10 bookings then they have to get 15 for a suspension

[the original david brent]

Surprised it hasn't been mentioned more but were we lucky not to be down to 10 and 1-1 shortly before Graham scored? From my vantage point in the jack walker I expected the penalty to be given and Marshall to be shown a red.

Some very good performances tonight. However I will single out Steele. He looked a real assured keeper tonight. Commanded his box, some great catches under pressure and kicked well, including an assist. Also pulled off a great save in the second half. I hope he keeps performing like this.

[arbitro]

Surprised it hasn't been mentioned more but were we lucky not to be down to 10 and 1-1 shortly before Graham scored? From my vantage point in the jack walker I expected the penalty to be given and Marshall to be shown a red.

Some very good performances tonight. However I will single out Steele. He looked a real assured keeper tonight. Commanded his box, some great catches under pressure and kicked well, including an assist. Also pulled off a great save in the second half. I hope he keeps performing like this.

I agree. Penalty and red card for me. I have just heard Rowetts interview and he is blazing. Swings and roundabouts after some of the recent travesties we have seen.

[Pedro]

I held off going on that Lambert thread, I once went on and saw some plain ridiculous name calling of him that made my blood boil... What are these people saying now? You know who you are. I'm not trying to poison the mood or anything but i think it's only right that people get called out for acting like impatient school children and then not giving the manager praise when the team is performing well and getting points.

PLBWA

Graham was written off by too many before even pulling on the shirt too. We have to sign him, he's a class act, strong, quick and a bloody handful.

We are finally getting our Rovers back.

[VinjayV4]

Surprised it hasn't been mentioned more but were we lucky not to be down to 10 and 1-1 shortly before Graham scored? From my vantage point in the jack walker I expected the penalty to be given and Marshall to be shown a red.

Some very good performances tonight. However I will single out Steele. He looked a real assured keeper tonight. Commanded his box, some great catches under pressure and kicked well, including an assist. Also pulled off a great save in the second half. I hope he keeps performing like this.

Looked like he went down easily from the Riverside. Rowett did ask the question though of why would he do that when clean through on goal. Presumably the ref just thought the challenge knocked him off balance (but fairly) since there was no booking for simulation.

Thought Birmingham certainly got lucky just before half time not to have one of their players sent off. After the 2nd goal and Birmingham's clear frustration thought it was only a matter of time until tempers flared over. Calmed down in 2nd half though.

What a bargain that 3 game deal was! Club should remind people if they do it again next season!

[Mike E]

Surprised it hasn't been mentioned more but were we lucky not to be down to 10 and 1-1 shortly before Graham scored? From my vantage point in the jack walker I expected the penalty to be given and Marshall to be shown a red.

Some very good performances tonight. However I will single out Steele. He looked a real assured keeper tonight. Commanded his box, some great catches under pressure and kicked well, including an assist. Also pulled off a great save in the second half. I hope he keeps performing like this.

Makes up for Saturday's equally baffling penalty decision

[Pedro]

Was impressed by Fabrini when he came on too, even if he did look like the Boston bomber.

He looked a class act, cut straight through us at times and sprayed the ball about.

Hanley was solid today, I thought he should've been MOM but obviously didn't expect it.

[Neal]

Thought it looked like a pen for Brum but would like to look from another angle. Good finish from Graham, reminded me very much of Rhodes that goal... You know... When he used to score goals. Class goal from Watt, great piece of individual skill it's good to know we have a player like Graham that can make a back 4 work and get hard working goals and players like Watt that can get a goal our of nothing.

I'd certainly be looking at Fabrini, very surprised Boro let him go seeing how they look to be lacking creativity. Lambert seemed to take note of Watt when playing well against us and was out of favour at his parent club... Could well do the same with Fabrini, seems quite a switched on manager and will surely be asking his scouting team about him i think.

[oldjamfan1]

Watt's goal reminded me of Matt Jansen. Wonderful feet and a smashing finish.