[Archived] Southampton 3 - 2 Rovers

[Jan]

Can we just close the Matt Jansen topic?

He's gone. Forget him. You could loan him to whoever you wanted (and no-one in their right mind above Division 2- yes the new one- would want him) and he'd NEVER get back to being a footballer.

[trueblue]

Can we just close the Matt Jansen topic?

He's gone. Forget him. You could loan him to whoever you wanted (and no-one in their right mind above Division 2- yes the new one- would want him) and he'd NEVER get back to being a footballer.

(Please don't use that word again) off Jan you negative bitch

[Manchester Blue]

For once Jan isn't being negative just telling it as it is. People can say all they like that he needs games but he doesn't even look anywhere near being a premiership footballer. Sad but true.

[92er]

I'm looking forward to Scotty's report.

[Radagast]

Your not even a real blackburn fan so dont talk utter pants. Living in oslo, you just dont think or have the same feelings as people in this country.

Why you're absolutely correct - quite obviously, passion and football knowledege are distinctly English phenomena. You arsehole.

On to the game. Well I'm one of the last ones to say it, but Souness seems to be doing his very best to shake my confidence in him. The team was a complete mystery again. Hopefully (*hopefully*) we'll get a proper side out next week.

Edited August 21, 2004 by Radagast

[Scotty]

I'm afraid I'm not doing one. I didn't go to the match and everyone seems to have watched it anyway.

For what it's worth though, I thought we were poor in the first half but probably the better team until they scored. I then thought we played well in the second half after the inevitable tactical reshuffle. We were just undermined by some shocking defending and a terrible refereeing decision at the end.

As for Souness's tactics at the start, others have said it all far better than I could. For those who still think Souness is the man for the job - how many more games does he have to pick terrible teams and formations before you change your mind? Seriously, I want to know.

Edited August 21, 2004 by Scotty

[Jan]

Scotty

I'm afraid for far too many, the answer is - until we're actually relegated. And they're in such denial they probably wouldn't even believe it had happened then!

[mjs]

Stead, far from looking out of his depth, looks a class above those around him - I really do think he's going to score every time he gets the ball

Not too sure about that but i hope your right!!

Am I the only one who thinks that???? He provided most of our relatively few class moments today.

I thought his first shot was in; then when he robbed the defender, turned him and shot; his run to make the space for Fergie's goal; his ball over the top for Emerton - the boy is our most exciting young forward I've seen for years.

I agree with you about Stead.

I think his all round game is getting better all the time. I just hope Rovers fans don't get on his back if he goes a few games without scoring because sometimes you have to look beyond the goals scored column.

My only worry for him and the other strikers is that we are not going to create enough chances for them.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Strange team formations and selections aside,why do we consistently play so badly in the first half of games?

How many times did this happen last season?,infact,its been like this for a few seasons now.....its almost like the players cant be bloody bothered!

1995 posts!.....I wish that was the year right now

Edited August 21, 2004 by SIMON GARNERS 194

[RoverDrake]

With Friedel apparantly not looking ready and Enckleman as our only reliable back-up, I was a little dissapointed we didn't try and get Chelea's Jurgen Macho on a loan deal before he joined Rapid Vienna. Quality 'keeper..

As for the result...dissapointing and definitely robbed by a diabolical referee. One question though, why on Earth is Garry Flitcroft still featuring? I personally think he offers us little now, I mean Bazza is obviously his long-term replacement. Flog him off to Leeds and trim the wage-bill.

Am I right in thinking Matteo played left-midfield at one point? I would rather see Gresko out there. But not Douglas..hehe..

[Blackpool_Rover]

Your not even a real blackburn fan so dont talk utter pants. Living in oslo, you just dont think or have the same feelings as people in this country.

Sorry greg but that was one of the most pathetically immature comments ive ever read.

[Paul]

For those who still think Souness is the man for the job - how many more games does he have to pick terrible teams and formations before you change your mind?  Seriously, I want to know.

No more for me Scotty. This can't wait till Christmas, Souness should go while we still have a season ahead of us. The team and the club are going nowhere under his direction. If I were not an ST holder I doubt very much if I'd be going again till he leaves.

Anyone know about him calling the fans "smart arses" at lunchtime? A lot of very unhappy callers on Radio Lancs tonight. As one of them so succinctly put it "Souness can dish out the criticism but he can't take it."

Who would I bring in? If he'll come, Mark Hughes.

[1864roverite]

that comment appeared to be directed towards Southampton fans and in particular their chairman Rupert Lowe.

In the context it was said I think you would have to be a bit extreme if one thought it was directed at his own fans !

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Heard the same comments from the fed up 'about to do himself in' Rovers fan Paul and I couldn't have agreed more.I do believe it WAS aimed at Rovers 'smart arse' fans

ONLY NOW we are starting to see the not so pleasant Souness many players have fallen foul of

Edited August 21, 2004 by SIMON GARNERS 194

[krislu]

Having seen the match live on telly I must admit it was not a pleasant game to watch. It seems to me like Souness has lost the plot completely, I mean the man is always talking about entertaining and "giveing our supporters a happy saturday" and so on...what a load of c**p!

At the moment we are playing a really destructive style of football, and I dont like it one bit.!! Where is the attacking mentality, the determination the willingness to win??

Dont get me wrong though, I'm mainly having a go at Souness which IMO has lost it. I cant really blame Matteo that he didnt run down the wing and dribble past a few players, before hitting a perfect cross..

My opinion on why we did not get a result today (tactical):

* Playing a centre back with no pace, no flair, no technique and no crossing ability as a left winger, worst thing I have ever seen!

* Do we even have an atticking plan in our play? We are very poor going forward, and whenever we seem to get a chance it seems like it was just a coincidence or a bit of luck. And sice we are playing with practicaly no wingers the long ball is also often used, with NO success of course.

* Why oh why is Flitcroft playing right wing? Yeah, I know we did manage to scrap together a few points last season with him playing there. But when you have a SHOCKING poor right back in Emerton and a decent one sitting on the bench, I cant see why we have to use flitty on the right wing! Must be better to use Neill on the back and Emerton on the right, atleast untill Thommo gets back.

* Why are we plying with a GK who is clearly injured and can't kick the bloody ball?

On the individual performances:

Fredel - shouldn't be playing IMO, cant kick the ball right and never looked comfortable

Gray - Fernandes was turning him inside out a couple of times, shouldn't have let Beattie get past him that easily - which lead to the goal. Otherwise a decent performance

Johanssen - Had at least two horrible passes back to friedel, and his allround passing was a joke!

Short - Our best defender IMO, nice tackle on Phillips in the second half.

Emerton - Never seen him as bad as this, his passing was awful, and why didnt you mark Phillips when our two other donkey defenders decided they both had to mark out Beattie?!

Matteo - won't comment as he was more out of position than Jan would be at Souness' birthday party!

Tugay - did ok, had a few decent passes

Ferguson - the same, nothing spesial, great taken goal though!

Flitcroft - didnt see him once, just when they shock hands with the soton players before the match

Yorke - in fact I though he did well, had a few good passes and good first touches

Stead - you can see that he has great potential, but he had to do everything on his own, think he misses Cole, dont blame him..

With the next three games being:

Arsenal

ManU

Newcastle

Cant see us getting anything from those games based on todays performace...Surely we will be among the bottom three at the end of August, start of September

Edited August 21, 2004 by krislu

[krislu]

Your not even a real blackburn fan so dont talk utter pants. Living in oslo, you just dont think or have the same feelings as people in this country.

Sorry greg but that was one of the most pathetically immature comments ive ever read.

Couldnt agree more, what a load of crap!!

[Manchester Blue]

I'm afraid I'm not doing one.  I didn't go to the match and everyone seems to have watched it anyway.

For what it's worth though, I thought we were poor in the first half but probably the better team until they scored.  I then thought we played well in the second half after the inevitable tactical reshuffle.  We were just undermined by some shocking defending and a terrible refereeing decision at the end.

As for Souness's tactics at the start, others have said it all far better than I could.  For those who still think Souness is the man for the job - how many more games does he have to pick terrible teams and formations before you change your mind?  Seriously, I want to know.

I disagree with you about the tactics. I actually think he knows what he wants the team to do and in some respects it is working. In both of the 2 games we were probably the better team until we gave away a crap goal. The problem was though that I couldn't really see us scoring.

When we change the formation we instantly look more like scoring but then also look more likely to concede. My gripe is that whilst Souness clearly wants us to be harder to beat we are more or less the same as last season but more boring.

I would put up with boring and picking up points for a while but boring and not winning is obviously not good enough. The silly thing is that my main reason for being a Souness fan has been the football we have played. Now he is going against that and I think against what he believes in. I can see this formation working at times in picking up more points if we can cut out the mistakes but I don't think i'll enjoy it.

I can't see the point in getting rid now because Strachan apart I've not seen any decent suggestions to replace him and I think there is more risk of us going down with some of those. However if we are going to play boring football then whilst I don't want him out then I can't say i'd be upset if he goes.

Meant to add that at times today in the first half I really did think that things just seem a bit stale now and maybe a change, any change wouldn't be a bad thing.

Edited August 21, 2004 by Manchester Blue

[Jan]

Also meant to say that I sat next to strachan on a flight down to London after the Scottish Cup final. I spoke to him about Rovers and he was VERY complimentary about the club and our setup.

Maybe we could get him- pretty please- as an early Christmas present to the fans (and players).

[Robin]

I hope we play with two wingers who wants(and can play) to pass the ball and try to do some things with the ball in the next match.......

Matteo is an awfull player in any position if you ask me.....dont know why we signed him.......

After watching todays game Dickov can be our new hero(i might be drunk now but he works really hard)!

Nissa was the best center back today, i hope he will play against arsenal....

I hope Sounness saw in the second half that Emerton raised his head a bit when he played right winger and was much better the the invisible Flitcroft...I hope he will improve!

I cant understand why De Pedro didnt get a chance in the second half as a left winger when Matteo was way poor!

One thing to say, Tugay still shows class.......

But what do i know! im from sweden! I only watch the matches on TV, mabye im not a real fan.........i hope ill get to Ewood Park soon to watch a match live.....

I really get dissapointed by people who say that were not supporters because were not british!!!!

Sweden have showed the english league since the 1970!!!!

Thats why some people supports the english national team in sweden......

I´ll support Rovers to my dying day

Hope everybody dont get me wrong! I Love rovers!!!! We will fight untill the end and the we will fight more!!!!

Edited August 21, 2004 by den

[G Somerset Rover]

Some good points there Krislu, especially regarding our attacking play. Apart from the first part of the second half we hardly created anything, especially during the 1st half. I know it's good to play reasonably defensive away from home, and then grab a goal on the counter, but I can't see our defensive minded 1st half team hitting a barn door. For the past two games souey's had to change things completely at half time, of which not many managers do, unless forced, which shows that he's been tactically naive. Our team just doesn't perform to it's capabilities attacking wise in 1st half's-it was the same last season. (It isn't much better after the break!). As I've said in another thread Soueys said that the pressures now "off Sturrock and on him" so fingers crossed that for the next few games he plays a basic 4-4-2 with players in the right positions. I also wonder whether De Pedro's going to play left wing much this season, so maybe there is some truth in the new Gamst rumours? I really hope there is, because that would not only give us more options in the middle (If that's where Javier might play?) it would also give us that creative spark down the left. With a new signing and Thommo's return I'm hopefull that Souness can get it right, but please no more tactical howlers Souey!!

[G Somerset Rover]

Soz, but forgot to mention, where was big Amo today? Surely he has a knock or something?

[Paul]

Heard the same comments from the fed up 'about to do himself in' Rovers fan Paul and I couldn't have agreed more.I do believe it WAS aimed at Rovers 'smart arse' fans

ONLY NOW we are starting to see the not so pleasant Souness many players have fallen foul of

That's the man, watched Rovers for 54 years, he was being very reasonable. When people like this starting calling Radio Lancs it's serious.

[BRFC4EVA]

Wow, what a supprise, has anyone else heard of something similar happening before? ie Rovers dominate should win the game and are robbed either by the ref or crap defending.

Against wba their goal came from a wrongly given free-kick and today a last minute pen that was a joke.

We should have 4 points at this stage, instead, cos of inept ref's we have just 1 point

[greggyk]

Your not even a real blackburn fan so dont talk utter pants. Living in oslo, you just dont think or have the same feelings as people in this country.

Sorry greg but that was one of the most pathetically immature comments ive ever read.

maybe so and I apologies as I was, and still am very angry. But I do not like it when people who only see rovers play once a season slagg the team off when they have not seen the match and go on people opinions and not their own.

so i apologies for that statement and to the ppl it offended.

[BRFC4EVA]

The Rovers fans who live in Norway or other parts of scandinavia and perhaps make the excellent effort to get to Ewood Pk once or twice a season are in my opinion much more loyal than the Rovers fan who lives in Blackburn but only turns up to 5 games a yr - against manure, arsenal, l'pool, chelsea and newcastle. The oslo fans who make the effort to post on a foreign language mb for Rovers deserve far higher praise then what you (greggy) have given them.

We can't afford to lose any fans so why take the ###### outa some our very most loyal fans. Btw, they watch the games on tv which is often better (in terms of viewing) in forming your opinon

Edited August 21, 2004 by BRFC4EVA