[Archived] Middlesbrough Vs Rovers Preview

[joey_big_nose]

Are we really sure that Diouff can play right wing though? I have a feeling he is not going to do the defensive side of stuff as well as Emerton out there so it could screw with our shape a bit and leave us exposed.

Potentially we could get away with it if we go down this route (assuming Emrton is injured):

----------------McCarthy

-----------------Roberts

---Pedersen-----Dunn-------Diouff

------------------Grella

Warnock---Nelsen--Samba---Ooijer (Zoro?)

-----------------Robinson

I think Roberts needs to play with one out of McCarthy and Cruz - I would personally go for Benni - as he drops deep and helps the defence, plus creates a lot of space through his pace and direct running. McCarthy and Cruz get very compressed as a striking combination. Crucially Jason's extra solidarity could compensate for the defensive shortcomings of Diouff.

It is funny that in Santa we have a £15 pound rated player who will find it hard to get in the team!

It would be a huge advantage if Zoro comes in and is a decent player as Ooijer some time struggles as a full back as does Emerton. However the signs do not seem too good.

[LDRover]

If Grella and Andrews is the central midfeld pairing in the majority of the games for the rest of the season we're in big trouble. Our safety pretty much depends on the fitness and form of Dunn and Tugay for the next 4 months as far as I'm concerned.

[thenodrog]

If Grella and Andrews is the central midfeld pairing in the majority of the games for the rest of the season we're in big trouble. Our safety pretty much depends on the fitness and form of Dunn and Tugay for the next 4 months as far as I'm concerned.

You don't rate Grella?

[LDRover]

You don't rate Grella?

No , not really. Doesn't last out the 90 minutes and doesn't put the opposition under enough pressure for me.

Just my opinion, could well be proved wrong...wouldn't be the first time.

[Exiled_Rover]

I rate Grella quite highly as a defensive midfielder. He can't play with Andrews though - he's a nothing man. He'd struggle to play with Tugay too as they both like to sit deep.

[thenodrog]

I rate Grella quite highly as a defensive midfielder. He can't play with Andrews though - he's a nothing man. He'd struggle to play with Tugay too as they both like to sit deep.

Thats about how I judge him. We are short of a quality attacking midfielder if Dunny gets crocked as is likely. It appears that SA must think the same way as he wanted Bullard so I wonder if the reported shipping out of Mokoena is to make way for a more attack minded / creative midfielder? One out one in has been the pattern now for some time.

[RevidgeBlue]

You don't rate Grella?

Imo strangely he has alternated between looking very good and pretty awful in equal measure thus far. Very inconsistent.

And he only looks effective alongside Dunn out of the present playing staff.

[tony gale's mic]

I'm still not too worried, surely Pompey, Newcastle, Boro and West Brom are in a worse state than us? And Stoke although they've looked good recently aren't as good as us either.

[thenodrog]

And he only looks effective alongside Dunn out of the present playing staff.

The reason for that is in my last post Simon. Dunny is our only attacking midfielder of Prem quality.

[dave birch]

Imo strangely he has alternated between looking very good and pretty awful in equal measure thus far. Very inconsistent.

And he only looks effective alongside Dunn out of the present playing staff.

That sums up Vince for me. (I'd have much preferred Bresciano)

To help him along, I'd consider Bert alongside/close to him.

I've never thought of Bert as a winger/wingback, always seen him at his best when running the inside channel.

[thenodrog]

That sums up Vince for me. (I'd have much preferred Bresciano)

To help him along, I'd consider Bert alongside/close to him.

I've never thought of Bert as a winger/wingback, always seen him at his best when running the inside channel.

Yeah well thats not going to happen now for some considerable time unfortunately.

btw I cannot imagine Ince buying a player whose name he couldn't smell!

[Blue blood]

From the reviews on here and the papers whilst it's worrying rovers are still in the bottom 3 and haven't made the most of their opportunities to win games there are several positives to take:

Firstly at least we are having the opportunity to finish games off. Under Ince, I can't remember the last time I thought we should have won that based on a performance.

Second: there are a lot of clubs struggling - in Portsmouth, Hull and West Brom's case the situation looks FAR more serious than ours.

Third: we are hard to beat. You don't let in goals you don't loose. Ok we need a few wins, but these extra points we're gaining from our draws (and denying 3 pts to our rivals) could well be the difference maker.

Fourth: at least we have one quality midfielder in Grella. We've needed a holding player for a while, since savage, and I think in Grella we have that. I'm willing, and also think, a lot of his poor performances was down to injury and think with a decent attacking midfielder we'll once again have a strong midfield.

Overall i'm a lot more positive about things these days, but there is a lot of work still to be done. And this transfer window could make or break us.

[Ronin]

I'm just worried that after our next two league games (Villa & Manure), that we'll lose ground on our rivals. In a way, I'm just glad it's so tight at the bottom just now.

[thenodrog]

Just suprised that we haven't tried to find a replacement for Bert.

[brfcs5359]

allardyce got it right. Tight at the back, enough about us in midfield, blank up front when it matters. Roberts is aplater who promises so much but actually is a player who gets teams relegated because strenth us no substitute for theonly part of the match that matters. Ball in net. He's the worst striker a Ewood since Norman Bell for the same reason. Or Grabbi. Benny is blowing all game and running is not his forte any more. His best days well and truly gone. He can be effective in the hole.

In the end goals will save a decent team which is what Rovers are. Allardyce is right. Blunt in attack equals unneccessarily the bottom 3. Roberts miss v Boro just another is a season of them that you could sell as a horror DVD. Must be dropped ad sold.

[waggy]

the 2 points we dropped on saturday may define our season,we had boro on the rack all the game and could not finish,same old story