[Archived] City Away - Monday 11 January 2010

[bob fleming]

The current situation was nicely summed up when two of our players tried knocking themselves out in the final minute, leaving us with nine on the pitch.

Still, roll on Thursday. I couldn't be any less enthusiastic for a Cup Semi Final. In fact I'd be looking forward to it more if I was going and two other teams were playing.

Too many crap performances and too much negativity from the manager. We'd lost that match before they'd even kicked off.

[Rovermatt]

Tevez had never scored a league hat-trick before. Blackburn Rovers will soon sort out that kind of duck.

Tonight was an embarrassment from beginning to end, Richards's goal in particular was worst of the bunch. Citeh's quick, agile, skillful players cut through our lightweight, deadwood-ridden side at will. We are so ugly, so powderpuff and so downright useless that we never once looked like getting anything from this. The likes of Pedersen and Andrews have long since passed their use and the defence wasn't much better. Kalinic's signing appears more baffling as each week passes, though not quite as baffling as Allardyce's tactics.

We are headed for the Championship at this rate. Our woeful side will struggle there too.

[JAL]

No desire,no passion,no nouce,no tactics,no skill,no creativity and no balls (apart from the ones in our net)

We are capitulating without fighting and thats what makes it worse. I thought Ince was the worst we had suffered since Jim Iley but now I'm not so sure.

The vast majority of fans didnt want either INCE, OR ALLARDYCE, yet our board chose them both, absolute quality judgment.

The problems with Rovers seems to stem from the boardroom.

[ultrablue]

The thing that gets me the most is the amount of substitutions. It clearly shows to me that Allardyce can only play one way - Hoofball. Instead of changing the tactics of the team HE thought was good enough to start, he just changes the players within those tactics, hoping for the best.

Forget the lack of quality we have on the field, some of these players can play a lot better, however, they are being lead by completely the wrong man for the job.

[MarkBRFC71]

Im sorry, thats wrong. Individually we're shocking. Lets look at it. Robinson, Samba, Dunn. The only 3 who could probably stand a chance in another prem team. The rest wouldnt get a look in. Diouf, Andrews, Gamst, Roberts, Kalinic, Nelsen, Jacobsen, Nzonzi, Olsson... how many of these would walk into Stoke's or Brum's team?

The Andrews debate is fair enough. He is the worst player ive ever seen in the blue and white. Ince's reign and the bringing in of Andrews and Grella is still haunting us.

Robinson, Samba, Nelsen, Givet, Dunn, Benni, Emerton, Di Santo, and probably Kalinic would all probably walk into their teams. That's 9 straight away. My point is that McLeish and Pulis would get the best out of them - something that Allardyce appears to be completely incapable of doing.

I notice you are from Brighton, and while I don't mean this as an "I'm a bigger fan than you" debate, the fact is I go to most games at home at least and I'm assuming you don't. Watching the games live gives you a far better perspective than on TV/internet, and believe me we are not getting the best out of our players and the blame for that lies only with the manager.

Oh, and if you think Andrews is the worst player you've seen then you've forgotten Mokoena who was infinitely worse. And you're proving that you've probably only been a fan in the last few years because you obviously can't remember the likes of John Lowey, Ronnie Hildersley, Paul McKinnon and Tony Finnigan which sadly I can. To name only 4 ....

[magicalmortensleftpeg]

Andrews was no worse and no better than any other Rovers player tonight. Get off the man's back! Stop the bullying!

He was the worst player out there. And considering the competition for that particular honour he really needed a shocking display to take away the trophy, which he then converted in a 45 error strewn minute horror show. He is everything that is wrong. I have nothing against him as a human being, but as a player he is useless. Even Mokoena has his uses. Andrews cannot attack, which not all midfielders can so fair enough, but he cannot also defend or break up play. You need to be able to do at least ONE of those three things.

[joey_big_nose]

The vast majority of fans didnt want either INCE, OR ALLARDYCE, yet our board chose them both, absolute quality judgment.

The problems with Rovers seems to stem from the boardroom.

I don't think thats true.

Out of the candidates available and who wanted the job at the time Ince and Allardyce were at the top end of the list at the respective times they were appointed. There was no real standout favourite apart from Shearer who turned down the job.

[magicalmortensleftpeg]

Robinson, Samba, Nelsen, Givet, Dunn, Benni, Emerton, Di Santo, and probably Kalinic would all probably walk into their teams. That's 9 straight away. My point is that McLeish and Pulis would get the best out of them - something that Allardyce appears to be completely incapable of doing.

I notice you are from Brighton, and while I don't mean this as an "I'm a bigger fan than you" debate, the fact is I go to most games at home at least and I'm assuming you don't. Watching the games live gives you a far better perspective than on TV/internet, and believe me we are not getting the best out of our players and the blame for that lies only with the manager.

Oh, and if you think Andrews is the worst player you've seen then you've forgotten Mokoena who was infinitely worse. And you're proving that you've probably only been a fan in the last few years because you obviously can't remember the likes of John Lowey, Ronnie Hildersley, Paul McKinnon and Tony Finnigan which sadly I can. To name only 4 ....

I admitted that Robinson/Samba/Dunn would prob get into a nother team. Nelsen/Givet? there are better full backs than Givet and better centre halves then Nelsen in similar sides to ours. Shawcross at Stoke and Carr at Brum for example. Benni/Di Santo/Kalinic - Have scored a total of, what 3 in the league so far?? I understand your point about getting the most out of players but its not like these players have that much more to offer. Emerton possibly from that list could move on to another team.

From the players ive seen in this division (admittedly the past 8/9 years) Andrews is the worst. Mokoena could at least break up play. Andrews offers nothing. I hate to slate our own players but he was terrible tonight and has been on so many occasions ive seen him.

[hi-jaq]

Mokoena could actually win the ball though, in Hughes' first season, he was instumental in keeping us up. I remember him playing against Arsenal at Ewood & along with Andy Todd, they took Henry out of the game, I think that was the game we beat them 1-0.

Mokoena, s*1t footballer, physical, great tackle, and worked his socks off.

Andrews, s*1t footballer, powderpuff, cant tackle, runs around pointing his finger trying to look like hes putting a shift in... he also looks remarkably like a crack head.

Out of those two I'd have 'The Axe' all day long... "daaaa daaa daa da... Mokoena's gonna break your legs"

[Guest Kamy100]

Sam Allardyce was once again left to rue defensive errors as Rovers slipped to a 4-1 defeat to Manchester City.

It was a game where defensive mistakes saw both sides take advantage and score, but it was the visitors Rovers who made the majority of them and were made to pay the heavy price as Carlos Tevez bagged a hat-trick.

"Except for the last goal, all of the goals were avoidable," said the Rovers boss. "It was really poor from our point of view, rather than Manchester City's outstanding players using their outstanding abilities.

"We've got to look at ourselves and say that we haven't done our job defensively today to make sure we stayed in the game to try and get a result out of this one."

"It started badly when we went and gifted them the first goal," said Allardyce.

"After that there's no problem and Manchester City aren't as creative as they were in the first ten minutes.

"The game was looking a little bit more of an even contest then lo and behold instead of keeping it at 1-0 going in at half-time, we let the second goal go in.

"We go again, and what do we do? Let Manchester City score with their first attack of the second half.

"Yes we came back and looked good from their on when we got the goal back and had other chances we didn't quite take, but it is too late by then, the game is effectively over."

Source: www.rovers.co.uk

[bazza]

He was the worst player out there. And considering the competition for that particular honour he really needed a shocking display to take away the trophy, which he then converted in a 45 error strewn minute horror show. He is everything that is wrong. I have nothing against him as a human being, but as a player he is useless. Even Mokoena has his uses. Andrews cannot attack, which not all midfielders can so fair enough, but he cannot also defend or break up play. You need to be able to do at least ONE of those three things.

You obviously didn't watch the same game as I did. That is the biggest load of cobblers I've read tonight.

Still, this board is all about opinions.

[BuckyRover]

Can't remember who posted it but I think they're spot on - it will take a good couple of seasons with Sam in charge to find our feet with him.

AAAAARGH !!!

[sparkspakespoke]

Sam Allardyce was once again left to rue defensive errors as Rovers slipped to a 4-1 defeat to Manchester City.

It was a game where defensive mistakes saw both sides take advantage and score, but it was the visitors Rovers who made the majority of them and were made to pay the heavy price as Carlos Tevez bagged a hat-trick.

"Except for the last goal, all of the goals were avoidable," said the Rovers boss. "It was really poor from our point of view, rather than Manchester City's outstanding players using their outstanding abilities.

"We've got to look at ourselves and say that we haven't done our job defensively today to make sure we stayed in the game to try and get a result out of this one."

"It started badly when we went and gifted them the first goal," said Allardyce.

"After that there's no problem and Manchester City aren't as creative as they were in the first ten minutes.

"The game was looking a little bit more of an even contest then lo and behold instead of keeping it at 1-0 going in at half-time, we let the second goal go in.

"We go again, and what do we do? Let Manchester City score with their first attack of the second half.

"Yes we came back and looked good from their on when we got the goal back and had other chances we didn't quite take, but it is too late by then, the game is effectively over."

Source: www.rovers.co.uk

Thats what ###### me off most about sam, he's all about staying in games and trying to eek out a point. If we go a goal or two down then maybe the team are allowed to have a go. He's a manager that changes his tatics and reacts to games to try and save a point, Hughes used to put put a team out that other managers had to react to.

[JAL]

I don't think thats true.

Out of the candidates available and who wanted the job at the time Ince and Allardyce were at the top end of the list at the respective times they were appointed. There was no real standout favourite apart from Shearer who turned down the job.

Top of the boards selective or preferable list that is.

The board is the problem, shrunk down in size several years ago, seems this selective few have'nt done their homework very well regarding appointments.

[JAL]

Totally unfair regarding Allardyce. At that point our priority was Premier League survival for that season. It worked. Well.

Long term, appointing Sam is a different ball game. Can't remember who posted it but I think they're spot on - it will take a good couple of seasons with Sam in charge to find our feet with him.

I'm going back to when Mark Hughes left and the facebook petition against Sam when our board caved in and appointed Ince.

[RevidgeBlue]

I hope the sam interview is the diplomatic version for public consumption and that he doesn't actually believe that load of old rubbish he's come out with. If he does we've had it.

You'd be forgiven for thinking we played well apart from the defensive errors.

[G Somerset Rover]

In sam's post match interview with the LET he says 'I don't know what the players were upto in the first half'. Isn't that your job then Sam? To change things if players aren't obeying your instructions?

[Heinz]

I'd have to say Givet, Jacobsen or Robinson were the worst three out there tonight. Closely followed by Andrews and then... sort of nothingness but averageness.

Yeah thank God Nelsen and Samba did awesome marking in the box not handing the goals out like candy to a baby.

seriously sack our whole back line and get a creative midfielder.

[Kelbo]

Andrews was no worse and no better than any other Rovers player tonight. Get off the man's back! Stop the bullying!

I will stand up for Andrews tonight, like the rest he was poor, no worse, trouble is he cant play any better!!

cant pass, cant head, no vision, no pace, cant read the game!!

Now what else is there, oh yes, he can point!!

[Hughesy]

Too many under-performing or poor players.

Givet - SH!TE against pace

Nelsen - Ditto

Robbo - Lets too many in

Andrews - W@nk - CHampionship player at best

Diouf - poor this season

MGP - Poor although to be fair he has shown improvements lately

Roberts - Championship player

Tonight I couldnt understand why Chimbonda (probably our quickest defender) didnt play?

We rely on Dunn too much & the supply to our forwards is shocking.

For me the next 2 league home games decide Sams future - we must take a minimum of 4 points from those 2 games, ideally 6. If not then he is walking a very fine line.

[OJRovers]

If the players tonight gave half as much effort as the few hundred fans that made the trip we would've got the points.

Seems to be an acceptance of our poor performance level and lack of goals so much so that every shot was cheered like a goal in the second half.

Only Robinson and Nelsen actually clapped the fans at the end too. Not sure if the rest of the players care that we have forked out to watch the last few dire games whilst they pick up their thousands a week, and that's half the problem.

Credit to Ollson he was good when he came on.

[RoyRover]

A complete shambles from beginning to end. All four goals were shocking on our behalf, with Robinson being at fault for the first one, nobody bothering to go near Richards for the second one, failing to clear properly for the third and defenders standing off Tevez for the fourth. We are so light weight and ineffectual going forward, that we are unable to sustain any period of quality pressure on the opposition. I was all in favour of getting Sam in last season, but this was based on him keeping us up. My initial reaction is that he should be under pressure to keep his job. But then I think that managers can be cut loose too often, when clubs start panicking and don't give him the chance to build something. It's a natural reaction of fans to want a new man in charge, when their team is doing poorly. I'm no different. But when you think that the club has been starved of any serious investment for so long and that any money that is made from transfers is funneled off somewhere else, then it makes more sense that we are struggling. I think that we will stay up and hopefully in the summer, Sam can have a major clear out, getting rid of the likes of Andrews, Diouf, Pedersen, Roberts, Zurab and Treacy and start building for the future. Our performance tonight is one that Man City would have been well capable of producing a few years ago, but then some zillionaire comes in, ploughs billions into them and now look where they are. You just wish an investor, with a fraction of the money that your man at City has, would put some money into Blackburn now.

[LDRover]

Too many under-performing or poor players.

Givet - SH!TE against pace

Nelsen - Ditto

Robbo - Lets too many in

Andrews - W@nk - CHampionship player at best

Diouf - poor this season

MGP - Poor although to be fair he has shown improvements lately

Roberts - Championship player

Tonight I couldnt understand why Chimbonda (probably our quickest defender) didnt play?

We rely on Dunn too much & the supply to our forwards is shocking.

For me the next 2 league home games decide Sams future - we must take a minimum of 4 points from those 2 games, ideally 6. If not then he is walking a very fine line.

Christ, that's some departure on your 'Sam's taking us forward' line that you peddled only last week.

Much the same as your U turn on Ince just over 12 months ago that you keep conveniently forgetting.

[cn174]

If the players tonight gave half as much effort as the few hundred fans that made the trip we would've got the points.

Seems to be an acceptance of our poor performance level and lack of goals so much so that every shot was cheered like a goal in the second half.

"A goal, we nearly scored a goal, we nearly scored a goal...."

That is how bad we've become when we're singing about nearly scoring

[JAL]

Those who signed up to that stupid Facebook petition were sad people with chips on their shoulders and nothing better to do. More importantly, they put their sad chips on their sad shoulders before the plight the club faced at the time. Like it or not, Sam was by far the best suited man for the job at the time.

Meow.

Thats you opinion El Tombro, but for many thousands of us here in Blackburn, it definitely wasnt the case. The ground swell of opinion now, against Rovers current style of play will be there for all to see come the semi final.

Right now, I'd go as so far as to say, Ince had more support than Allardyce.