[Archived] Middlesbrough Preview

[den]

Part of the reason we were so ineffective was because Boro were playing so deep.

The main reason was that we don't have a second striker anywhere near Prem standard. Rocky's going to be a very busy boy this season.

[OscarRaven]

Decent enough performance, but I am left wondering what could have been with proper left and right wingers. Why is he playing Derbs on the left? he is one footed - RIGHT footed.

Sound enough performance though.

[Blue n White Rover]

Thenodrog:"I KNOW WHAT YOU ARE TRYING TO SAY GRIZFOOT. MR E'S POST IS LUDICROUS IN PLACES BUT I THINK YOU MUST HAVE FORGOTEN THAT BORO DID HIT THE BAR AND HAVE A GOOD GOAL DISALLOWED IN THE FIRST HALF. OR WERE YOU NOT WATCHING THE GAME EITHER?"

Did you forget that we also hit the post and had a clear shout for a Penalty?

[RevidgeBlue]

Currently we're playing some nice football, but as highlighted yesterday it doesn't get nearly the same results as Hughes did.

What result did Hughes get against Boro at home last season exactly?

Don't understand the point you're making there. Hughes accumulated 36points from the final twenty eight games of last season which is almost exactly the same as our points ratio currently.

[RevidgeBlue]

So many negative posts on here just puts me further in the gloom; after listening to the national and international news and the weather forecast. If I had a gas oven I'd stick my head in it.

You people who watched it on TV must have seen a different game to me.

Rovers and Boro were evenly matched and the result was a fair one in the end.

I know that Olsson was weak and Derbs was playing out of position but there were so many positive things to be drawn from todays game.

Grella is a terrific midfielder who can only improve as he gains more experience in English football. Carlos is a superb little player and the same applies to him as to Grella.

Benny McCarthy looks leaner and fitter and back to his old self. Roque is superb.

I thought Rovers showed the makings of something exciting in the way they TRIED to play football.

Mr Ince is still finding his feet with a new club, new staff, new players. He cannot wave a magic wand!

I like the way in which we are moving.

Quite soon, (maybe a few months) you will see a total footballing Blackburn Rovers.

I am so looking forward to the good times.

Broadly in agreement with that post bazza. Ince is clearly trying to implement a different style of passing play to the high tempo physically intense style favoured by Hughes and at times yesterday in the first half it led to some very attractive passages of play.

The only reservation is that whilst the transition takes place, we look slightly toothless up front. Hopefully the players can adapt fully to the new style of play in time combining both attractive football with a real cutting edge in the final third of the field.

Only thing I would disagree with you on is (and I might be in a minority of one) that I don't think RSC is looking as sharp or dangerous as last season. Niggling Injury problems might be a factor in that respect.

[thenodrog]

Thenodrog:"I KNOW WHAT YOU ARE TRYING TO SAY GRIZFOOT. MR E'S POST IS LUDICROUS IN PLACES BUT I THINK YOU MUST HAVE FORGOTEN THAT BORO DID HIT THE BAR AND HAVE A GOOD GOAL DISALLOWED IN THE FIRST HALF. OR WERE YOU NOT WATCHING THE GAME EITHER?"

Did you forget that we also hit the post and had a clear shout for a Penalty?

Nope but that wasn't the issue. Grizfoot thought that we should have been 3 or 4 -0 up by half time. I merely pointed out that Boro could so easily have scored two themselves.

[thenodrog]

For me, the problem is not Ince not being confident of himself - given the footballing world's knowledge of him and his persona, self-confidence is clearly a trait of his. But the problem is it appears that Ince has no confidence in the club. This is the biggest difference between Ince and Hughes - Hughes believed that Rovers was top six material, Ince does not. This is reflected in the rhetoric - we all knew Hughes had nothing to spend, but when was it before he started complaining publicly? a few seasons on would be the answer. When Hughes took over and we were in the doldrums, did Hughes ever mention relegation or tried to make any excuses? Again, no. Compare this with Ince, who has whined publicly on at least two occasions that he has no money to spend, and who is desperately getting his excuses in already.

Hughes was a leader and his attitude rubbed off on the players by giving them self belief and confidence. It's a precious commodity. imo Ince does not carry anywhere near the same bearing or presence.

[Ozz]

The main reason was that we don't have a second striker anywhere near Prem standard. Rocky's going to be a very busy boy this season.

What about Benni?

[thenodrog]

Warnock and Derbyshire both being played out of position and consequently failing to do what they do best,

I had Warnock down as 2nd behind Grella in my personal MoM rating. For what it's worth Nicko gave warnock MoM in his People report too.

Wierd but I must say yestedays match has brought the most varied comments on here that I can ever remember.

It matters not cos as usual mine are bang on.

[den]

What about Benni?

Not yet Ozz. If he can recapture the form of his first season, then that's two Prem quality strikers. Even that's not really enough.

[RevidgeBlue]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2008/oc...eague-blackburn

"Simon Leigh, Observer reader It was a huge relief to get the equaliser so late on."

I bet you nearly spilled your pint when that goal went in eh Rev?

Ouch! Below the belt that kind sir!

I finished 6th by the way. Thanks for asking.

[LDRover]

I think the truth is that the anti Ince go too far one way and the Pro Ince too far the other.

My 2 pennorth is that the result was about right, we played pretty well first 30 minutes and OK for the remainder but we are creating very little in the way of chances. Grella looked good as did Carlos in patches but the game was crying out for a Tugay intervention in the last half hour to unlock the door.

We're at least two, probably three players short at the moment, both wings desperately need sorting and we need someone with pace up front (and possibly a creative central midfielder).

I think we need to nail the myth that it's exciting stuff played out at Ewood though, it's not, it's just OK, and don't just take my word for it, ask the empty seats.

[thenodrog]

and don't just take my word for it, ask the empty seats.

err do you expect an answer LD?

[LDRover]

err do you expect an answer LD?

[roversmum]

I think Paul was right in his post. Thought some of the passing was brilliant but we need to take our chances and get that ball in the net. Someone has pointed out - indeed more than once - the lack of movement, i.e. pass and stand still and wonder rather than getting into spaces ready to receive the ball back again. I don't understand how none of the coaching staff pick it up and`do something about it. How many times does a pass fly past a player standing stock still when if he was moving and ready he could have got to it.

Miss Roversmum was most annoyed having travelled from London for the weekend, and finding no Morten in the line-up. However she was quite enthralled by Carlos's skill and thought Grella did well.

Simpson and Bert got themselves in spaces and were crying out for the ball but Ooijer more often then not booted it down the left hand side.

Morten was missed in that he can lurk around the far post for Bert's crosses and get them back in again, and he also links up well with Benni. Pleased to see our old Benni back and he now needs a start I feel.

I don't blame folks for not turning out to be honest. We had a soaking for a previous home match and it wasn't nice. I noticed quite a few season ticket holders round us had not come and there were few buying tickets before the game.

[AndyC]

Hughes was a leader and his attitude rubbed off on the players by giving them self belief and confidence. It's a precious commodity. imo Ince does not carry anywhere near the same bearing or presence.

oh please.

captain of liverpool

captain of man u

captain of inter milan

captain of england

captain of boro

saved macclesfield in 1 season

won promotion and cup with MK dons in 1 season

not a leader? no presence?

get a grip.

[Exiled in Toronto]

I don't blame folks for not turning out to be honest. We had a soaking for a previous home match and it wasn't nice. I noticed quite a few season ticket holders round us had not come and there were few buying tickets before the game.

Sample of two, but my season ticket-holding dad and his pal didn't go, not in protest at Ince's tactics, but because it was peeing down, cold, dark, on telly and would have meant missing his tea.

When will the powers that be realise that fans, even long-standing stalwarts, are not compelled to attend. He wouldn't have turned out to meet the Queen in those circumtances

[philipl]

Y'know, Ince has a very poor presence compared with Hughes, y'know.

[joey_big_nose]

Sorry Joey but that's simply not true. Boro were playing quite high up the pitch because they knew we have absolutely no pace. How many headers/knock downs did Santa Cruz make near the half way line?

No tthe way I saw it. It was Cuz dropping deep to knock on the ball rather than Boro pushing up. In the second half in particular they were very very deep for 30-35 of the 45 minutes.

[vintageadidas]

Robinson - had little to do but i thought his positioning for the goal was a little poor.

Ooijer - Played well but his distribution is shocking

Nelsen - Had another decent game

Olsson - Did okay - rough diamond

Simpson - Did okay, he needs to stop just booting the ball anywhere though

Grella - MOM, very good performance

Warnock - I personally like him in that position. Did more in that one game than Reid has since his injury.

Bert - Typical all action display

Derbyshire - Very poor, better when switched to the right. He is better coming off the bench to play upfront.

Carlos - At the centre of most moves in the first half. Fitness needs working on but he has that little something about him. 65 mins is enough for him.

Santa - Played well after being out injured. We are relegation fodder without him in the team (Bolton away is a glimpse)

Benni - i think he will come back like his old self.

Treacy - Did nothing

Crowd - Poor, but we were all soaked AGAIN!

[joey_big_nose]

In some ways I wasn't surprised - I think Grella and Tugay would get in each others way. Like him or loathe him - Andrews is probably a better pairing with Grella.

Having said all that - Carlos is a far better player - with Tugay in the team.

Fair point. If we stayed in 4231 I think Grella and Tugay could partner but if we went to 442 I don't think they would be able to for just that reason.

[BuckyRover]

Y'know, Ince has a very poor presence compared with Hughes, y'know.

Hughes captained how many teams?

Hughes won how many cups as a manager?

[AggyBlue]

Y'know, Ince has a very poor presence compared with Hughes, y'know.

Would that, err, be Mart, err, Mark Hughes?

[47er]

I think the truth is that the anti Ince go too far one way and the Pro Ince too far the other.

My 2 pennorth is that the result was about right, we played pretty well first 30 minutes and OK for the remainder but we are creating very little in the way of chances. Grella looked good as did Carlos in patches but the game was crying out for a Tugay intervention in the last half hour to unlock the door.

We're at least two, probably three players short at the moment, both wings desperately need sorting and we need someone with pace up front (and possibly a creative central midfielder).

I think we need to nail the myth that it's exciting stuff played out at Ewood though, it's not, it's just OK, and don't just take my word for it, ask the empty seats.

Agree. Further,in future years we will put this sort of game into a wider perspective where its not about 1 game or 1 manager succeeding another or what team started or who should have been signed but about the bigger picture.. What we see almost every week from teams like ourselves and Boro is "fear football" played with little imagination and not a lot of skill. We aren't playing exciting stuff this season and we hardly played any last season though we did get results. The best players are simply beyond our reach so how are we ever to be exciting?

Games that don't feature the"big four" are increasingly only of interest to the committed fans of both clubs and I'll bet they are a worry to Sky.How long can this go on?

[neekoy]

Agree. Further,in future years we will put this sort of game into a wider perspective where its not about 1 game or 1 manager succeeding another or what team started or who should have been signed but about the bigger picture.. What we see almost every week from teams like ourselves and Boro is "fear football" played with little imagination and not a lot of skill. We aren't playing exciting stuff this season and we hardly played any last season though we did get results. The best players are simply beyond our reach so how are we ever to be exciting?

Games that don't feature the"big four" are increasingly only of interest to the committed fans of both clubs and I'll bet they are a worry to Sky.How long can this go on?

Even the big four don't always turn out a top game. Generally boring as tripe.