[Archived] Charlton Athletic 1 0 Rovers

[Nayef]

Don't give up Rovers! When things go tough, I want to see the performance we put in in the second half. Charlton couldn't get the ball back at all for a good 15 minutes.

If rovers keep plugging away like that, lady luck will give way.

Not surprised about the penalty decision. For all those who say it was ball to hand not hand to ball, what the heck was his hand doing that far from his body. He stopped the cross when a number of rovers players were waiting for it (whether any of them would have made contact is another matter but it doesn't deride from the fact that his arm stopped the cross and allowed him to clear it). PENALTY.

Not too disappointed. Which is strange as I'm usually the one that carps on about relegation early on in the season after 4 defeats on only 7 games (ok discounting highbury it's only 3 defeats)

[Duff's Minder]

I don't understand people praising the team spirit, the whole team is just playing with a complete lack of confidence in each other which means they are all playing safety-first football.

The defenders hoof it forward every time, the central midfielders don't trust each other (or Amo and Matteo) enough to make any forward runs (doesn't help that flitcroft and tugay can barely run any more) which means Stead and Dickov just get endless balls pumped up to them that they can't knock down to anyone.

The plus points I took from last night are that Emerton, Jansen and Tugay can all play (even if they are frustrating) and we can hustle when we have to- for the last half hour we looked like the home team. But until we have some pace and mobility in defence and a midfield quartet that understand and trust each other we are not going to get anywhere.

I have only been at two matches this year (Man U & last night) but I am not confident we are going anywhere this season - we have a squad of 25 mediocre players who are pretty much interchangeable (Stead/Gallagher/Bothroyd flitcroft/douglass depedro/mgp) but noone to inspire us.

we have the worst defence in the league (although I thought Gray was man of the match last night) a midfield that act as if they've never met and 4 equally hardworking but goal-shy strikers.

It's going to be a long season...

[Darth Paul]

It's amazing how so many people can see the same 90 minutes of football so differently. Anyway here's my slant.

Rovers were unlucky last night. Fact, as far as I am concerned. We were at least as good as Charlton for pretty much the full game. Rovers should have had a penalty. It was handball, the players arm was out away from his body, it had contact with the ball, it was in the penalty area. Now, being a Rovers fan I cannot profess to actually knowing much about penalties but I have actually seen other teams get them and this looked just like one. You cannot compare it to the Matteo incident as it was a completely different scenario and NOT a penalty. (And I definitely know what a penalty is NOT because I have seen Rovers NOT get loads of them!)

Anyway, penalties do not guarantee goals but even the most hardened Doom and Gloom Merchants on this board (and you lot are a gathering storm) would have to agree that a penalty would have given us a better than even chance of a goal and therefore a better chance of a share of the points.

I want to try and avert the claims of the those on this board who seem to take pleasure in Rovers failure because it gives them something to moan about, that I am wearing blue tinted spectacles. I don't think I am. By no means would a penalty last night have guaranteed anything in truth because of the time left in the game for things to change. However the incorrect penalty descision at St Mary's DID rob us of a point. The goal in "Fergie Time" at Ewood robbed us of two more. I can excuse the ref of missing Sahas handball before that because so did I, but the other two descisions were blatantly wrong and bordering on corruption. Refs make mistakes but these two calls have to be beyond the expected level of error.

So barring outside influences we would be comfortably sat mid table, still not world beaters but keeping a lot of the whingers at bay.

This is an average league comprising of 5 big guns, a dozen or so average sides with nothing to separate them, of which every year a couple will over achieve and finish sixth and seventh, and three or four relegation candiadates who are a lot worse than Rovers.

We will get better, dont worry, its not good stuff at the moment but there is potential to be one of the better "average" clubs now, without any personnel changes.

One final thought - there are people on this board who like to tell us how negative things are and who are also disappointed by our low attendances. How do you think your negativity is going to help fill Ewood Park? Try to be more positive, the impression you create as a fan to potential supporters is probably a bigger influence than ticket prices, promotions and anything else the club can do.

[ABBEY]

bravo paul bravo...well said.

im off now watch oout blackpool abbeys on artic training and yesterday nearly took three roundabouts and 4 pedestrians with him.

[CAPT KAYOS]

Just a typical Rovers performance. We were marginally the better of two very bad teams but some shocking defending gifts them a goal and we lack the quality or creativity to get one back. Where have we seen that before?

Yes, we were unlucky with the penalty, yes we could have had a bit more luck in front of goal, yes we had lots of possession and controlled the game for large periods, but these things mask the fact that we are a poor team who will be battling at the wrong end of the league for a good while yet.

I thought Gray, Neill and Ferguson were terrible tonight. Flitcroft did more bad things than good, Emerton flattered to deceive, Stead showed some good moments but more poor ones. I thought Jansen did ok and there were signs that he might be improving. Dickov was probably our man of the match - yet he wasn't particularly good.

There's nothing wrong with our attitude or committment. We just don't have enough quality to beat teams. Hopefully Hughes and his staff can at least organise us enough to stop losing games like this, and then in January we add some much needed class to the squad. Every point between now and January will be extremely welcome because I don't see us getting many.

Have to agree with you again here Scotty.

Personally, I thought last night was one of the worst games of football I have ever seen in my life. Call themselves two premier teams - Premier League you 're aving a laugh.

I don't know whether to laugh or cry as it is a game we could easily have won yet no team actually deserved to win - but yet again we got beat.

Its quite obvious from last night the dross that Souness has left us but the one thing I noticed nobody has really picked up on, is that this was really only Hughes 2nd proper game (forget Bournemouth) and he will be able to see what is obviously clear to the rest of us and sort it (hopefully )

What I find comical though are some of the comments on here : -

We need a genuine goalscorer - we already have!! the problem (Jansen/Stead/Dickov) may not be as prolific as some but if used properly and the service is given all are quite capable of poaching in the area and scoring from outside.

Jansen still doesn't look right - ###### he looks to me like he is getting better every game and he is not a LEFT WINGER - I repeat - NOT A LEFT WINGER - so Hughes please play him up front where he belongs - we have two left wingers so use them - if not give Gresko a chance there and tell him to play as such.

Philipl - Your posts are normally of good report but quoting from these papers means nothing as they only report on what they saw last night well most of us saw what we have seen on far too many occasions - dross.

January - As I have said when Hughes was appointed - forget about January until it arrives - we may or may not have any money to spend - what is important is sorting out the debacle we have at the moment - as come January we could already be in the mire (if we aren't already)

Friedal - how can anybody blame him for the goal - the ball was going away from goal and he had plenty of defenders in front of him to cover - only one person at fault for the goal - any guesses

Observations :-

Matteo has shown exactly what he is - a First Division player

Amaruso - needs somebody better at his side and also a kick up the backside to stop is momentarily laspses of madness and slack defending.

Flitcroft - Not good enough - had his time now get rid - only one way he is going and that is backwards - like all his passes.

Ferguson - What was it TND said about sticky fingers? At the moment no way a 7.5m player.

Neill - the liability has now become a debt - no idea about positioning and lives in .................. ( insert your own thoughts)

Emerton - without doubt our best player again (spooky) but crossing yet again let him down.

Concentration and Anticipation - We looked like startled rabbits in' t headlights - our response to passes ( when made) and flick ons is nil , nada, zero - Jansen wins alot of headers but the pickup by the midfield or forwards is never there. Nobody ever attacks a header or cross with any anticipation or determination from the front to the back.

Stead and Dickov - are not a good combination - what is clearly obvious is that we need a different pairing - personally for me it would be Jansen and Stead but take your pick bar S & D together.

Corners/throw ins/Freekicks /penalties (if we get one) - why are we so crap? Can somebody please take them off Emerton - even a junior schoolboy can reach the penalty spot - where's the fight to attack the ball and will to score a goal aaaarrrgggh.....

As you can see its not all bad but I can only take two positives out of last night - one I have said re at least hughes will be able to see the problems facing him and secondly as a formation we do look like we have more of a stable structure, even if some of the parts need tightening up and oiling.

[Duff's Minder]

I don't think anyone thinks we should be challenging the top 5 and I agree that but for a bit of bad luck we would be 4 or 5 points better off and comfortable in mid-table (which is where we will probably end up).

But what depresses me is that we are not going to do it in any style and there is no chance that we will be one of the teams that over-achieves. In seasons past we've had some players that made you proud to be a Rover. I remember watching Cole smash home Tugay's world class pass at Fulham last year and it was worthy of any team - with this current lot we're all hoping the ball might go in off Stead's arse!

[philipl]

Personally, I thought last night was one of the worst games of football I have ever seen in my life. Call themselves two premier teams - Premier League you 're aving a laugh.

Captain you are a very lucky boy if last night's game was one of the worst you have ever seen.

I thought the match was always interesting and as always in an English Prem game, the players for the most part showed outstanding skill and speed of reaction in reacting to challenges. Of course there were far too many misplaced passes and wrong selections of attempted pass but there will be far worse games than that in the Prem this season.

For the worst games I have ever watched involving the Rovers, I hope never to have to endure the likes of Oldham and Bolton at home over easter 1982 ever again. Those games were DIRE!

Swindon 1-2 away in Div 1 in 1999 was the worst performance by a Rovers team I have ever seen- even the 0-6 at City and 0-5 at Coventry were honourable defeats in comparison (although I did not see the 1-5 at Barnsley).

As for quoting the press, I was only trying to show that the normally hostile football press did not see the Rovers performnce as that bleak.

[Blueboy Downunder]

i aint seen a more definate penalty for a long time. the guy's arm came away from his body and prevented a cross from coming in, a penalty if ever i have seen one. if it had been anywhere else on the park other than the penalty area, it would have been given as a free kick for handball....so why not a penalty for in the area??? i'll tell you why...cause it is a conspiracy against rovers!!!!

[RovertheHill]

Feels like the relegation season a few years ago did to me. Last season we were at least scoring and now we don't seem to be a threat at all. Everybody keeps harping on about the defence being poor, and it's true, they aren't great. But defence starts further up the field, in the minds of the opposition. When we had Dunn, Duff, Cole and Jansen all firing, with Tugay picking them out, the opposition full-backs and midfield were always mindful about not committing too much - which made our defence seem better. The problem now is that we have no cutting edge or inspiration - there's nobody to put the fear of God in the opposition.

Compare last night's performance to the one at Celtic Park a couple of years back. We got beat 1-0 but for 80-odd minutes we played them off the park. People came up to me the next day in genuine awe at the quality of that football. We are a million miles away from that and the worry is that we are reduced to long balls to possibly the shortest striker in the premier league.

Depressed myself now - sorry

[Darth Paul]

I certainly dont have the skills to do it but could someone not take say, the footage available from Roversworld or elsewhere and splice together a small film showing all our rejected penalty claims/bad descisions we have been on the receiving end of, and show it on here. (unless it is some form of copyright infringement)?

One, it would be amusing/interesting to see/depressing and two could be sent to the FA or whoever, just to get a reaction. It would look really good set to an appropriate piece of music.

Also does anyone know what the record is for games without a penalty in the Premiership/Football League/World football?

[jim mk2]

Emerton – Star man on the night. That’s 4 good performances in a row. Keep up the work

Which doesn't say alot for the rest.

Emerton is unable to beat his man and get to the byline; he is a poor passer of the ball, both in the timing of his passes and direction; and, for a so-called "wide" player, a terrible crosser of the ball. His crosses are either too long or too short or (8 times out of 10) he hits it straight at the man in front of him. Why he is given the job of taking corner kicks beats me.

It all begs the question, why does Emerton exist?

[thenodrog]

We, on the other hand, line up between the 6-yard box and penalty spot and wait for the ball to come over - which means that even when a good ball is played in (about 25% of the time with Emerton) we're standing still and therefore unable to get the kind of power you need to be able to score.

Exactly! And the same with crosses. For ages I've wished that the players be given instructions when supplied by soft airey type crosses from deep to head the ball down for their teammates rather than continually nodding it tamely into the keepers hands.

[thenodrog]

Theno, as much sense as you talk, you obviously can't judge a player. Have you forgotten the performances of Fergie before the injury?

TDi..... I seem to rem you spending ages proclaiming the abilities and defending criticism of Senore Grabbi!

[T4E]

Emerton – Star man on the night. That’s 4 good performances in a row. Keep up the work

Which doesn't say alot for the rest.

Emerton is unable to beat his man and get to the byline; he is a poor passer of the ball, both in the timing of his passes and direction; and, for a so-called "wide" player, a terrible crosser of the ball. His crosses are either too long or too short or (8 times out of 10) he hits it straight at the man in front of him. Why he is given the job of taking corner kicks beats me.

It all begs the question, why does Emerton exist?

Totally agree. Emerton was good last night - by his usual standards. It still isnt close to being good enough. The fact that he is now more regularly showing vague glimpses of his talent only adds to the frustration that he doesnt do it more often.

Fair play to him for the improvement, but there's still some way to go.

[jim mk2]

]

Exactly!  And the same with crosses.  For ages I've wished that the players be given instructions when supplied by soft airey type crosses from deep to head the ball down for their teammates rather than continually nodding it tamely into the keepers hands.

Quite right. Anyone who has played football would know that airy crosses are easier to defend against than a driven cross. Delivered from deep, like Emerton's pathetic attempts, and they will never trouble top-class defenders.

The ideal cross is delivered from within ten yards of the byline and driven across the goal (Beckham is a brilliant at it and so were Wilcox and Ripley). How many times did we manage that last night? Not once that I can recall.

[mjs]

No mjs, you are over reacting and enjoying wallowing in negativity. Read my post about four pages back.

Believe me, if we were "very very poor", the Evening Standard (which is produced even closeer to Charlton's ground than the LET is to Ewood) would have said so loud and clear.

Listen mate you know naf all about me because if you did then you would know that I am not 'enjoying wallowing in negativity'.

I can just see the current team for what it is, and believe me that gives me no pleasure whatsoever.

[T4E]

The ideal cross is delivered from within ten yards of the byline and driven across the goal (Beckham is a brilliant at it and so were Wilcox and Ripley). How many times did we manage that last night? Not once that I can recall.

Lucas did it once. First half.

[Rich]

Last night was not bad performance over all, but i am still worried about a few things....

1. Fergie, this guy better show that he can perform against prem quality oposition, 'cause for me, he just hasnt cut it. past exploits at rangers mean nothing to me.

2. grey. i know they guy can defend. i know the majority of the messageboard like him. but when ever he gets the ball - 90% of the time he just hoofs it. you can tell he played for peter reid.

if you look at all rovers long balls last night, i'd put money on over 50% of them comming from micky grey. this has to stop. its not like matt wasnt supporting him last night.

3. stead so low on confidence its untrue, his control suffering cause of this, badly needs a goal, and in my opinion, and partner who can lookup. dont get me wrong i love dicko's endevoiur and running, but he just doesnt look to forge a partnership. thats one thing i think matty and gally excel at.

On the upside.

Is it only me that thought Amo was good last night? i really do think he had a good game, lisbey only exposed him once, and i dont really think that was his fault. it was more the whole defnese failed to deal with the situation. he seemed over all very commanding. his distrobution by and large is excellent very few hoofs out of defense from amo.

again emerton was showing progress and proved once again he is our most creative midfield player.

excuse the english, busy at work but wanted to gas about last night

Rich.

[CAPT KAYOS]

Personally, I thought last night was one of the worst games of football I have ever seen in my life. Call themselves two premier teams - Premier League you 're aving a laugh.

Captain you are a very lucky boy if last night's game was one of the worst you have ever seen.

For the worst games I have ever watched involving the Rovers, I hope never to have to endure the likes of Oldham and Bolton at home over easter 1982 ever again. Those games were DIRE!

Swindon 1-2 away in Div 1 in 1999 was the worst performance by a Rovers team I have ever seen- even the 0-6 at City and 0-5 at Coventry were honourable defeats in comparison (although I did not see the 1-5 at Barnsley).

As for quoting the press, I was only trying to show that the normally hostile football press did not see the Rovers performnce as that bleak.

I did say one Phililpl but then again I have seen a few - as to some of them mentioned the matches in theirself weren't that bad -bad for us in terms of scoreline but I meant both teams last night.

Fair do's on the media reports but I feel they would have been different if they had seen the last 3 away games.

Something I forgot to mention earlier - yet again we managed to give a first to a opposition team/player - so much for the foreign players needing time to adapt - or is that just for us?

[T4E]

Is it only me that thought Amo was good last night? i really do think he had a good game, lisbey only exposed him once, and i dont really think that was his fault. it was more the whole defnese failed to deal with the situation. he seemed over all very commanding. his distrobution by and large is excellent very few hoofs out of defense from amo.

I thought he was decent too. Amo gets unfairly treated, even by the so called experts. Last night at one point he superbly Cruyff turned in his own half, beautifully away from the forward and offloaded the ball. The commentator stated that Amo was "taking a chance" and had been "lucky".

The previous week Rio Ferdinand did exactly the same in his own penalty area no less against Liverpool. The commentators lamented the achievement, stating that Ferdinand was "back".

Amoruso is a steady influence that our defence should be built around in my opinion.

[arrodblue]

Feels like the relegation season a few years ago did to me. Last season we were at least scoring and now we don't seem to be a threat at all. Everybody keeps harping on about the defence being poor, and it's true, they aren't great. But defence starts further up the field, in the minds of the opposition. When we had Dunn, Duff, Cole and Jansen all firing, with Tugay picking them out, the opposition full-backs and midfield were always mindful about not committing too much - which made our defence seem better. The problem now is that we have no cutting edge or inspiration - there's nobody to put the fear of God in the opposition.

Compare last night's performance to the one at Celtic Park a couple of years back. We got beat 1-0 but for 80-odd minutes we played them off the park. People came up to me the next day in genuine awe at the quality of that football. We are a million miles away from that and the worry is that we are reduced to long balls to possibly the shortest striker in the premier league.

Depressed myself now - sorry

Agree with you wholeheartedly there RovertheHill.

The over-riding feeling watching last night was that we have completely lost the 'cutting edge'. Even despite all our defensive problems, at least last season it felt as though Rovers would score once or twice per game.

Last night, for all the possession, team spirit, battling qualities and other positives raised here, I still felt that, if we scored, it would be more by 'accident rather than design'

Five goals in seven games tells its own story.

I'll take the Djorkaeff signing if it comes off because, at the moment, we are stripped of any creativity in the team.

But (ending on a positive note !) I know that, given time, Hughes will get it right - we won't be in the relegation fight April/May this year !

[CAPT KAYOS]

we won't be in the relegation fight April/May this year !

No - we'll be in it by December if we carry on as we are

Agreed though - I feel Hughes will sort it out

[benhben]

Why on earth was stead subbed? He was playin well, holding the ball up superbly and his distribution was excellent, despite not scoring his all round play is excellent, when brought off, the pressure we were putting Charlton under lifted as the subs didnt help.

[American]

f me with a cactus ...

[roversfan1]

I too thought that Amo had an ok game, nothing superb but I feel better when he is there as he is a centre half, not a 'convert' to one (Nissa).

Stead was doing ok but he didnt look sharp and needs a goal. An incident on the edge of the box when he and Dickov both went down injured summed that up. Wanted 5 touches rather than just hitting it - things arent going for him at the moment but they will do as he is a very good player.

Emerton put in lots of work for little end product and Im not convinced he has the ability to be the creative player he wants to be. At the time we bought him alot of clubs had had a look and decided against him - why ? What did they see that the clown who managed us didnt ?

Fergusson - dont get me started. At no point has he looked like a premiership player and the sooner someone else comes in for him the better. It is an insult that this man captains our side given the complete lack of effort that he puts in.

My nominations for man of the match were either Grey or Dickov with the latter edging it for his workrate and never giving up.

I thought it mad that we kept buying centre midfielders but last night showed how much we need them. The reason Grey was hitting long balls, and Amo too, was that the midfield werent coming and collecting it. There was work rate there last night and it wasnt a bad performance but we didnt play football and are relying on grinding a win out of teams rather than outplaying them !

Oh to have the mid 90's back again !!!

Edited September 28, 2004 by roversfan1