[Archived] Blackburn Vs Portsmouth. Ewood Park, 7Th November.

[Plastic Head]

My Team:

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

-------- Samba ---- Nelsen ---- Givet -------

Emerton --------------------------- Chimbonda

-------- Grella ---- Dunn ---- N'Zonzi ------

---------- Di Santo ----- McCarthy ----------

Maybe Reid for Grella.

The Experts Team:

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

Andrews ---- Andrews ---- Andrews --- Andrews

Andrews ---- Andrews ---- Andrews --- Andrews

---------- Andrews ------ Andrews -----------

[Amo]

Robinson

Chimbonda --- Samba --- Givet --- Olsson

Emerton --- Salgado --- N'Zonzi

Dunn

Kalinic --- Di Santo

Give Chimbonda & Olsson license to attack the flanks, with Emerton & N'Zonzi covering, and Salgado holding the middle. Dunn would also drop back into midfield when we're on the backfoot.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Robinson

Chimbonda --- Samba --- Givet --- Olsson

Emerton --- Salgado --- N'Zonzi

Dunn

Kalinic --- Di Santo

Give Chimbonda & Olsson license to attack the flanks, with Emerton & N'Zonzi covering, and Salgado holding the middle. Dunn would also drop back into midfield when we're on the backfoot.

What have you seen in Salgado's performances this season ( or any season) that leads you to think he would be sucessful in that position ?

[Amo]

What have you seen in Salgado's performances this season ( or any season) that leads you to think he would be sucessful in that position ?

Salgado is a tenacious player, but not as lively as he used to be. In theory, a holding midfield role could be ideal for him. Now's as good a time as ever to try it out, and he needs to start earning his keep.

[Tom]

We have to be winning games like these, excuses simple wont do

Robbo

Chimbonda Samba Nelsen Givet

Hoilett Dunn Emerton Pedersen

Kalinic McCarthy

Have Di Santo come off the bench to give them something different to worry about

2-0 Kalinic and Benni with the goals

Incidentally, lambast him as we did I'd still rather have the axe in midfield than our Keith.

[magicalmortensleftpeg]

I think Andrews is a better player then the Axe. I dont think either are particularly good but Andrews can occasionally pick a pass and drives forward more often then the Axe ever did. Neither are really up to this division, at least on a regular basis, but i think Andrews is a useful squad player to have, whereas Mokoena was a liability half the time he played.

[Steve Moss]

Portsmouth won't be able to compete with us at home. Heck, I expect the top 4 to struggle against the Rovers at home. We'll get some of our own back and "put them to the sword" (a phrase I've heard too often in relation to our club).

Rovers 4-0 Portsmouth.

[alexanders]

My Team:

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

-------- Samba ---- Nelsen ---- Givet -------

Emerton --------------------------- Chimbonda

-------- Grella ---- Dunn ---- N'Zonzi ------

---------- Di Santo ----- McCarthy ----------

Maybe Reid for Grella.

I think you are on to something here PH.

My local Norwegian team have had success by playing 3-5-2 and is the finalist in the Norwegian Cup.

I think with both Emerton and Chimbonda bombing forward and Grella and N'Zonzi laying deep we will have the PERFECT BALANCE to be both pacy forward and stable defensively.

We will have Di Santo/Dunn Mccarthy to make use of our counter-attacks and we will be able to double on the wings with mccarthy and Di Santo drifting.

[dingles staying down 4ever]

Cannot see Sam gambling too much, he'll stick with what he knows so I'd expect to see a similar 11 to last Saturday but with Grella in for Andrews.

The only game plan will be to achieve something not done very often this season. Do not concede Pompey cannot win if they don't score. Attacking we'll play around the Axe who is prone to give away Free Kicks in dangerous places.

Prdiction - 1-0 to Rovers

[roversfan1]

Pompey have been playing alot better than their results suggest - the 1-0 defeat to Everton being a good example I think the main person to watch is O'Hara in midfield, a decent player that Spuds didnt want to let go and he is playing well and makes Portsmouth tick.

I think Sam will play it cautious and go with the one up front in Di Santo and Dunn behind. I would like to see Junior get a game as his pace may well trouble the Portsmouth back line.

Rovers 2-0

[Hughesy]

All I ask of the Home fans on saturday is 'be patient'. We will win if we go about it like professionals, simple as that.

We have more quality... we just need to ensure we keep it tight, dont concede an early goal and then ensure we take our chances when they come.

[4ever&ever]

2-0 Rovers, Sam will consider this a must win game and from memory I feel that he has only lost one of the games which were crutial imo (Stoke Away.) He knows how to beat struggling teams and teams near the bottom so I have faith in him for this one.

The vital games we have won

Stoke at home

Hull away

Fulham away

Wigan home

Pompey home

...............

Wolves home

Dingles home

Villa home (bonus)

[ABBEY]

Portsmouth won't be able to compete with us at home. Heck, I expect the top 4 to struggle against the Rovers at home. We'll get some of our own back and "put them to the sword" (a phrase I've heard too often in relation to our club).

Rovers 4-0 Portsmouth.

the top 4 will struggle at ewood pmsl,based on what exactly? put to the sword ,the scum were there to put to the sword but we didnt.

[Stuart]

the top 4 will struggle at ewood pmsl,based on what exactly? put to the sword ,the scum were there to put to the sword but we didnt.

As were West Ham. And Wolves to an extent.

Sam will play not to concede and nick a couple. Then he'll make some subs and shut up shop and put us under pressure if we concede one.

I appreciate the opposition aren't the same level but I hope we can play a bit more like the second half against Posh if we get a goal or two clear.

[Roost]

Robinson

Chimbonda --- Samba --- Givet --- Olsson

Emerton --- Salgado --- N'Zonzi

Dunn

Kalinic --- Di Santo

Give Chimbonda & Olsson license to attack the flanks, with Emerton & N'Zonzi covering, and Salgado holding the middle. Dunn would also drop back into midfield when we're on the backfoot.

Bloody 'ell, you should be on Sky Sports with that amount of cliches in one sentence

[Wild Irish Rover]

Shame preview didn't include this:

But otherwise very good work RR.

Wow! I'd forgotten what a headbanging bunch of psychos we used to be. After I stopped laughing out loud at this, I remembered the good old days when Rovers were Rovers, real men didn't shirk tackles and blokes called Lil Fucillo blanched white at the very thought of a trip to Ewood Park.

If you think about it, in some ways, Jimmy Hill is responsible for the deep seated southern softy hatred of all things Blue and White and if he isn't gone yet, he deserves to be damned for being to football punditry and responsible television journalism what Cyril Smith used to be to hang-gliding..

2-0 to Rovers on Saturday if we score first. Difficult if they get their noses in front first.. Overall, I'm going for a bad tempered 1-1 draw. They score first, we equalise with nothing left on the clock, at least 8 bookings and neither side to finish with 11 on the pitch.

Bring it on

[JAL]

I have met Mr Westwood, he is a simple lad LITERALLY, he just supports his team and doesnt half annoy his fellow Pompy fans.

Massive 6 pointer for Sam and the team.

MUST WIN it is

Rovers 2-0

He runs a book shop that sells books to the royal family, some simpleton ?

[Steve Moss]

the top 4 will struggle at ewood pmsl,based on what exactly?

Worse case scenario, wishful thinking.

As to the best case, the Rovers are not a bad club. They are capable of taking on the top 6 and getting something from it. The Rovers ahve proved that against Aston Villa, the first hour at Arsenal, and ManU away. The Rovers who played that hard are more likely to make an appearance at home than they do away. And they are not as likely to throw in the town at home as they do away. So yes, IMO we will give the top 4, including Chelsea at the end of the month, heart attacks at Ewood.

[joey_big_nose]

Robinson

Chimbonda --- Samba --- Givet --- Olsson

Emerton --- Salgado --- N'Zonzi

Dunn

Kalinic --- Di Santo

Give Chimbonda & Olsson license to attack the flanks, with Emerton & N'Zonzi covering, and Salgado holding the middle. Dunn would also drop back into midfield when we're on the backfoot.

You are onto something here. I would play this formation in the second half if we are chasing the game. I don't think we will start so open.

Also I think NZonzi would anchor and Pedersen or Grella play narrow on the left side.

[sweet]

What has happened to Doran? I thought he was part of Sam's plan, and more youthful vision. He doesn't seem to have been involved at all lately.

[CrazyIvan]

What has happened to Doran? I thought he was part of Sam's plan, and more youthful vision. He doesn't seem to have been involved at all lately.

Out on loan at MK Dons for a month. He might be back from loan tomorrow actually.

[Hughesy]

What has happened to Doran? I thought he was part of Sam's plan, and more youthful vision. He doesn't seem to have been involved at all lately.

Out on loan.

An update on his progress: (From the independent)

Technically, creatively and physically the young winger, who has already made three Premier League appearances for Rovers, was the best player on the pitch by a distance, and it was down to his influence that the Dons came away with three points.

[TimmyJimmy]

Robinson

Chimbonda --- Samba --- Givet --- Olsson

Emerton --- Salgado --- N'Zonzi

Dunn

Kalinic --- Di Santo

Strong line up and pretty much in line with my thinking, I would probably swap Salgado for Grella but that's only based on the fact I've seen Grella play there, Salgado may turn out to be brilliant in that new position but I haven't seen him there yet. Givet at left back for me and Nelson in the centre though.

Agree with everything else, especially the no wings, Diouf and Peds on the bench please, big two up front young and full of energy, Dunny playing through the channels. LIKE IT Could be our strongest line up? Bit of a risk but we need to try something radical IMO to make people sit up and take notice again. Junior and Olsson on the bench plus the old academy boys on the fringes, could be a new golden age. Give it a try Sam.

For me then :

Robinson

Chimbonda --- Samba --- Nelson--- Givet

N'Zonzi --- Grella --- Emerton

Dunn

Di Santo --- Kalinic

[T4E]

There's no reason to change anything at home in my opinion. Let Dunny go out there and rip them apart, Di Santo doing his usual shift.

If we're in a decent position for 30 mins to go we MUST get Kalinic on. There will hardly be a game or scenario this season that he has more chance of scoring in.

[cletus]

Sadly i won`t be able to attend the game, as four of us are off to Dublin tomorrow & won`t be back til late Saturday night.

WE`ll be praying for a healthy Rovers victory!!!......failing that, a scrappy 1-0 win will suffice