[Archived] Rovers 0 V 4 Middlesbrough review

[Rovermatt]

Indeed, the optimists should stay optimistic, we're going to need it. I'm off now to fill my half-empty tea before watching MOTD's coverage of a league we're barely participating in.

[1864roverite]

yes it could be far worse

we could be real madrid !

we could all change allegience and support the dingles !

as for filling the mug and settling down to MOTD ? Well I dont have the will to watch that crud again

[Blue blood]

You can normally find a bit of optimism in any game, even a defeat, but other than the season finishing in May I'm not sure what positives can be taken from today's games.

With regards to the referee I thought he was poor, Tugay's first was harsh and several boro players should've been booked. However this does not disguise what was a truely abismal performance.

I had a feeling that Reid would feature soon after his display for the reserves. At the expense of Emerton at right midfield however, easily our best outfield player at the moment, was a mistake by the manager. I think a lot of Emerton's below par performance today was due to him playing on the wrong wing. I thought that nonsense had left with our last manager. Last season we said we needed a left midfielder on the left, IMO either Jansen or Pederson. Granted it'll take a few games for them to get up to scratch but we cannot afford not to get a proper left footer aclimatised to that position.

To me there was little in the first thirty minutes, it had 0-0 draw written all over it. Then Tugay got sent off, and from that moment on you knew what was going to happen. For a player who seems to give his all for the club his challenge was petty and irrisponsible. That's the type of event you cannot afford to happen in a relegation battle.

Our "defending" was a joke. To last 3 minutes after half time is pathetic. As soon as we were reduced to ten men you had a fair idea that the defence would come under a fair amount of pressure in the second half. I'm sure Hughes will have told them to sit tight and fustrate boro early on in the second half, and see what we can get on the break. Alternatively he might have said let them score three early on to kill the game in which case they followed their instructions flawlessly. What was most disappointing about our defending was having got caught out once early on there was no rolling up of the sleaves and attempt to keep it at 1-0 where we could possibly get a point. Almost immediately after we let in a second. Nor was there any attempt at damage limitation as the third went in pretty soon after. You'd have thought that after one of those three goals they'd have learnt to tighten things up.

Our defending as a team is poor and from our centre backs none existant. Surely there cannot be two worse centre backs than Amo and Matteo. Amoruso's pass for the second goal was criminal, an error of the most basic kind unacceptable at conference level let alone premiership. Both need to be dropped if we're to get any decent run going. Brad deserves a medal for bravery playing with those two in front of him.

Up front again we looked lacking. I know it was difficult circumstances but the team offered very little on the break. I don't think Dickov up front alone, or with Djorkeaff (sp) doesn't have enough presence to bother the opposition. Dickov IMO isn't strong enough to hold up the ball and should not be our target man. I'd much rather see us aiming for someone good in the air like Jansen, with Dickov running onto the flick ons and making a nuscance of himself. Last season despite our woefull defending we were scoring regularly. This season we don't look up to much at the front or back.

January and a few new faces can't come quickly enough.

[Ewood Dream]

I must say I am very dissapointed with the result, well a bit of an understatement really. It was a performance that has really upset us all But we have the right management team and now Sparky will be totally focused on the rovers job.

Tugay really let us down and you would of thought a player of his experience would of known better. I won't be the first to highlight how intriguing it was to see Steven Reid ahead of Matty Jansen or Morten Gamst-Pedersen. Did Reid particularly shine in the recent reserve match or something?

As the transfer market is still closed, I think we will have to resort to Andy Todd as our inspiration in defence. Amoruso and Matteo have been of bad-standard (put nicely) and they just cannot be relied upon as a pairing for the centre-back slots. The sooner a fully match-fit Short is back the better.

[Blue blood]

I won't be the first to highlight how intriguing it was to see Steven Reid ahead of Matty Jansen or Morten Gamst-Pedersen. Did Reid particularly shine in the recent reserve match or something?

Yes he had a good game against Leeds reserves and to be fair deserved to play some part today. Wasn't good enough to warrent swaping our best outfield player's position around to accomodate him. Based on Tuesday I thought he may be best suited to playing centre mid with Ferguson - which was what he seemed to be doing at times.

[Rovermatt]

Rovers in 1st goal shocker!

Boateng had never scored for Boro before. It's nice to see the tradition being maintained. I'm sure some of the more studious members of the board could dredge up the ridiculous amount of debut and first goals we've given up over the years...

Kezman hasn't scored for Chelsea yet. Oh dear.

Edited October 16, 2004 by Rovermatt

[Ewood Dream]

Also, I forget to mention about Stewart Downing he was brilliant today for 'Boro. To think we came close to possibly signing him.

But I still believe we have a good left-midfielder in Morten-Gamst, just he needs a consistent run in the side.

[92er]

I'm not sure JFH has scored at Ewood before.

[Scotty]

The only change from our last game was a surprising one - Reid in for Jansen. This forced a reshuffle with Emerton playing on the left and Reid taking Emerton's position on the right. The one thing I couldn't work out was why Short was on the bench. If you're fit enough to be sub surely you're fit enough to start, and Short should start every game he can.

Anyway, we started with more or less the same formation as we played against Villa, except that Djorkaeff was maybe pushed a bit further forward today. Boro lined up like-for-like, playing JFH up front on his own.

The first half was just a battle. Both teams cancelled each other out, Boro showed no ambition at all and we weren't much better, and both teams were guilty of making late tackles and leaving a foot in. In what was a niggly first half, it became clear fairly early on that someone might get sent off, and Tugay duely did.

In the book of stupid sending offs, Tugay's name has got to be close to the top. His first booking was for a needless deliberate handball - his second was for a ridiculous two-footed lunge. Both cards were fully deserved. He cost us the game.

Almost immediately Boro looked more threatening but we kept them out until half time. There's the old cliche in football that it's hard to play against ten men - not aginst Rovers it isn't. We were simply pathetic in the second half.

Boro changed things tactically at half time. They replaced a full back with a striker and switched to 3-5-2, with their wide men almost playing up front in what was virtually a 3-3-4. It paid off immediately.

Boro's first goal, less than three minutes into the half, saw a good pass play JFH clean through with only Gray for company. If someone can explain to me why Gray, our left back, was the only player tracking Hasslebaink on the right side of the area then I'd appreciate it. Anyway, Jimmy turned Gray inside out and scored like the class striker he is.

A few minutes later the second goal came. Amoruso carelessly gave the ball away, Boro carved our defence open straight down the middle, and Boeteng scored his first goal for Boro. It was that easy.

Before we'd really taken it all in Boro got a third. A good cross from their left saw JFH react quicker than any of our defence to pounce at our near post.

Djorkaeff had a chance in between Boro's second and third goals, and he also had a goal rightly ruled out for offside after Boro's third goal, but we never really looked like getting back into the game and were soundly beaten in the end. Hasslebaink's hat-trick goal in the dying minutes confirmed it - and also confirmed what a class striker he is.

We were solid in the first half and the game had 0-0 written all over it until the sending off, but we were awful after that. Our midfield failed to close down, our defence looked completely unorganised, and our forwards failed to hold the ball up and retain possession. We showed no fight, no passion, no pride, and no organisation at all in the second half and we were nothing short of pathetic.

Our back four were awful again. Amoruso and Matteo have to be far and away the worst centre back partnership in the Premiership. They'd struggle in the Championship to be honest. Neill is just awful, as ever. Gray looks a threat going forward but gets caught out at the back too often.

The biggest problem I feel though is in midfield. A central midfield of Ferguson, Tugay and Djorkaeff are just not competitive enough. None of them can tackle and, as good as they may be on the ball, that's not much use when the opposition have it. I thought Ferguson flattered to deceive today. He showed good touches and played some good passes but he didn't track back or cover like a proper central midfielder should. Djorkaeff was class when he had the ball but anonymous when he hadn't, and the less said about Tugay the better.

I'm surprised to see the general slating of Reid's performance today. I thought he did well and was probably man of the match. He was easily our most competitive midfielder and he frequently left his right wing to cover for the inadequacies of his fellow midfielders. I also thought he looked composed on the ball and provided most of the little drive and determination we had. Emerton was again one of our better players but he lacked the sharpness he's shown in the last few games.

Up front, I thought Dickov was fairly awful. His first touch was diabolical today and Southgate marked him out of the match easily. Stead came on and looked slightly better but Boro were going through the motions by then.

All in all we were shocking today in the second half. But we've got to remember that we had a man sent off and, before that, we looked at least the equal of Boro. Also we had some key men away on international duty which won't have helped. However, there's some obvious problems defensively throughout the team, but Short coming back and Flitcroft coming in for the suspended Tugay should help.

Sadly, our next two fixtures aren't exactly encouraging. We've got big problems and I suspect we're going to be scrapping down at the bottom for most of the season. Whether we can climb up the table depends on what our manager can do during the January transfer window.

Edited October 16, 2004 by Scotty

[The1mattjansen]

I think after all that's been said about today's game should be laid to rest now, as its even turning me pesimistic

Anyway, here's how we need to line-up at Stamford Bridge, according to my footballing-genius self:

Friedel

Neill Short Matteo/Todd Gray

Emerton Flitcroft Ferguson

_________________________________________Djorkaeff

Stead Gallacher

We must be adventorous and take the game too Chelsea, otherwise we will receive the on-slought that Mourinho will instill after the City game, and we all know our defence can't cope with that.

Does anyone know what has happened to Gallacher, he has featured under Hughes in the cup tie, and having scored after playing only 30 minuites I would have thought that would warrant a least a place on Hughesy's bench?

Edited October 16, 2004 by The1mattjansen

[92er]

We thought Reid had a decent game and didn't lack confidence as he usually does. Gave the ball away a couple of times at the end.

[cuidado]

We thought Reid had a decent game and didn't lack confidence as he usually does. Gave the ball away a couple of times at the end.

reid sucked, admit it. what did he do, offensively?!?!?!

[Paul Mellelieu]

I thought Reid's performance was one (the only?) positive thing about yesterday's game. he looked sharp, quick and apart from late on his passing was good. One 60 yard ball was superb.

The defence was very poor, as others have pointed out, however i think we made a tactical mistake by only playing three midfield players once Tugay had got himself sent off. Our three of Ferguson, Reid and Emerton were swamped by Boro, putting the defence under constant pressure. Countless times, as Boro attacked Emerton was still in the opponents half, leaving Reid, in his first game, and a leg weary Ferguson effectively playing against 4 or 5 Boro midfielders.

Hughes should have brought Reid into central midfield, put Djorkieff onto the left and Emerton onto the right.

Avoiding trouble in the Blackburn End is simple: don't stand up!

[Paul]

Last season after nine games we had nine points, this year we have six. By Christmas we had 22 points (after Newcastle away). There is no reason why we cannot play our way out of the current position, just three points worse off than last year.

The lessons from last season - we all know it, let's hope the players and management know it - we must beat the other rubbish teams in the Premier League. Palace, WBA, Norwich, Southampton, Portsmouth, Birmingham, Fulham must be beaten when they come to Ewood. I know it's being unbelievably optimistic but to win at home and draw away in those games is far more important than a result against a top six side. Get those results and we are bound to pick up a few more on the way and things will probably work out OK.

The club is in a downward spiral and to look at Boro yesterday demonstrates how far we have fallen. I've never had any thought for Boro before but yesterday they turned up with a side packed full of house-hold names and real talent. Frankly outside of Lancashire you'd be hard pressed to know who most of our team are.

[Alan75]

Frankly outside of Lancashire you'd be hard pressed to know who most of our team are.

They know

Dickov at Leicester - relegated

Matteo at Leeds - relegated

Neill at Millwall - 1st div

Reid at Millwall - 1st div

Gray at Sunderland - 1st div

Amoruso at Post Office - pension counter

[waggy]

funny thing is when souness signed these players everyone was positive

[Sparky Marky]

My worry is the manager.

OK, we go down to ten ment early doors at 0-0......We don't have to chase the match as we're drawing......And a 0-0 wouldn't be a bad result considering we had ten men for most of the game......

Why didn't we shut the shop up...play 11 behind the ball if need be....

I am slightly worried that the manager hasn't got the experience for this type of fight.....

We should still have competed, if only to stop them scoring......

I am very worried....

[Manchester Blue]

The club is in a downward spiral and to look at Boro yesterday demonstrates how far we have fallen. I've never had any thought for Boro before but yesterday they turned up with a side packed full of house-hold names and real talent. Frankly outside of Lancashire you'd be hard pressed to know who most of our team are.

The biggest difference is a fella by the name of Steve Gibson. We used to have a similar benefactor by the name of Jack Walker but those days are gone. I'd love to see the likes of JFH, Viduka, Mendieta etc playing for us but how can we afford them. We can only hope that Hughes is able to get the best out of our players like Fat Sam or Moyse is doing. When are our fans going to realise that the days of big names have gone now.

[Paul]

I know, I know......just leaves me feeling very low

[Eddie]

Our team is actually quite well known, we just don't think of it as that because they aren't playing that well and they are our own players.

All the time, even here in France, I get people coming up and asking me about Stead, how he is doing this season, and where did we get him from, things like that.

In Friedel we have one of the best keepers in the Premiership.

Emerton was well sought after, and is finally living up to that.

Ferguson is Scotland captain, and another well respected premiership player.

Tugay is well known throughout the world for his exploits for Turkey, and also a couple of seasons ago many regarded him as the best at what he did in the premiership (yes that was passing to a totally unmanned area of the field )

True, after that you are probably talking about players who most know, but they don't stick out, the likes of Dickov, Flitrcroft, Amo... The team isn't all that bad though, if we are still down here in 6-10 games time, then I'll be worried, but for now, I don't mind. Every once in a while you are going to get thumped, it happens.

[SamDingle]

http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/town/park/yfh45/brighton.htm

Hope this helps.

[Alan75]

Typical Dingle, posting in the wrong thread.

should have been posted in the Away Travel Guide

[thenodrog]

do not blame the ref. Tugay was a complete and utter pillock and this was a sending off tackle never mind the earlier yellow and it was 2 or 3 meters from the ref.

I cannot see where the next point, never mind win will come from. Perhaps the site should have a betting page with any profit going to pay off the contracts of Reid, Tugay, Amo Neil etc.

Also does anyone have the email address for Bob Coar or Williams so they can can understand what the fans really think and home much we really care.

Time for a bucket of ale.

Certainly Tugay was ultimately to blame for unprofessionalism (posh way of saying stupidity), but Riley is a nobhead and imo comfortably the worst ref in the Prem. My heart dropped when I saw the incompetent berger before the match. I have lost count on the number of games that his amateurish inflexibility has spoiled for the spectator through unecessary dismissals. He needs to rem that the main event is the game and not him!

Riley had no optin but to send Tugay off after making a rod for his own back by booking Tugay unecessarily for the handball incident, all the worse when they had 3 handball offences with no hint of a booking for their players! If I were Hughes I'd have a word with my old Barca mucker Linekar asking him to highlight the decisions on TV.

Interestingly Roy Keane was penalised at Brum for handball and his reaction was to run 10 yards to the ref and scream abuse in his face............. Result no booking! It really makes me want to weep.

[thenodrog]

1864, that was very well put.

but how do we get the Club to listen?

Are they interested, do they care, when should we stop bothering to flog ourselves and our wallets?

You need to be more rational and less emotional mate.

1. The club have totally supported their manager whoever it has been.

2 The club (wrongly in my view but its too late now) appointed the overwheming choice of the fans (and players ffs ) as the new manager.*

You really need to find somebody else to blame.

* btw my preferred choice's team btw are currently occupying 3rd place in the Prem! They wont stay there mind, but it shows what good motivation and tactics can achieve.

Edited October 17, 2004 by thenodrog

[herbergeehh]

Didn't bother to read through all the posts here, just wanted to say that I think slating Steven Reid after last nights match is undeserved. IMO, Reid was one of the better players in blue/white last night, he worked his socks off and got involved, both defensively and in attack. He was always the one player in the box when we had the ball down the left flank, and that is actually a very underestimated quality in a footballer, the ability to get into scoring positions. This is the same thing all over again, you dislike Reid because he hasn't made an impact at all for us yet, just like you slated Emerton in matches where he actually did allright. Both two wingers were forced into a central midfield position when Tugay got sent off (very uneccessary, silly tackle!) and I think Reid did well.

A midfield of Gamst Pedersen, Ferguson, Reid and Emerton would be interesting IMO, I think he can do a job!

Not much point in discussing our defence though, c r a p !

Thought Lucas Neill did allright, he's a solid defender. The two central "defenders" on the other hand...

EDIT: Agree with 92, as you can see..

Edited October 17, 2004 by herbergeehh