[Archived] Rovers v West Ham

[BPF]

I've never seen the concourse so full during the game ... Alcohol only numbed some of the pain of watching that yesterday.

Completely correct. There was a strange, almost aggressive atmosphere down there as well. I've never seen it like that before. I did not enjoy yesterday at all, everything came with a strong sense of impending doom.

[CrazyIvan]

I was angry after that performance yesterday. I still am. It reminded me of Rovers under Paul Ince and I'm not joking. The only difference, and this may be key, is Kean seems to have some tactical nous where Ince had the square root of F all. The issue is we have a team of players who can't pass the ball and gave it away over and over again in midfield.

Yesterday we were unlucky in having three key players injured. That meant Steve Kean had nothing to work with tactically. I'll wait and see what happens in the next match.

[Kelbo]

I was angry after that performance yesterday. I still am. It reminded me of Rovers under Paul Ince and I'm not joking. The only difference, and this may be key, is Kean seems to have some tactical nous where Ince had the square root of F all. The issue is we have a team of players who can't pass the ball and gave it away over and over again in midfield.

Yesterday we were unlucky in having three key players injured. That meant Steve Kean had nothing to work with tactically. I'll wait and see what happens in the next match.

Whilst I mwas critical of yesterdays performance, you do have a valid point there, the bench is there for two reasons, to cover for injuries and tactical substitutions!

[JAL]

Please dont ever, ever let me have to watch Benjani in a Rovers shirt.

A shocking decision by the previous manager to hire this dud, and then hes selected by the current manager = completely UNACCEPTABLE!

Fully expect to see him booted out of Rovers in January, if, these chicken chokers have any desire and ambition for Blackburn Rovers.

[den]

That's true, but at the same time Hoilett & Olsson should have started. I just don't know why Allardyce and now Kean are averse to playing our two quickest wingers in the same team. As I already said today, we don't have anyone who can get behind defences. Diouf just meanders on the ball trying to draw a foul or a corner because he hasn't got it in him to beat his man, and Pedersen, Emerton & Dunn aren't much better. I mean... are we missing something here? Because it just sounds like common sense to me.

I don't know if you were there yesterday Topman, but the problems we have, have very little to do with team selection.

[Yorick]

Was I hearing things a moment ago or is Radio Rovers not allowed to take callers post-match today?

If so then I suspect that our current PR policy is basically to keep a lid on everything everywhere in terms of stifling any opposition to the new situation. Current events remind me of the Cold War in more ways than one and that is not just down to the weather. Following an October revolution a rebellious leader got an ice pick in his brain on Monday for his troubles. The press and media have been fed few pickings most of which are mixed messages. Too late also but by now the owners will have been advised to shut up and even John Wiliams waited three days to come out with a statement which sounded like he was being used as a mouthpiece for somebody else. On top of that it appears that the official BRFC board has been censoring opposition and metaphorically despatching known dissidents to the gulags.

As for the match? Napoleon claimed that given the choice he'd rather have a lucky General than a good one. Unfortunately it was obvious from the start that we didn't have any sort of General at all! I rather think that our hapless piggy-in-the-middle Kean must have been so frightened of consequences that he put performance before result by relying in his starting midfield 4 on a veteran attacking midfielder (who most know should have been put out to grass last season) aided and abetted by three wingers with no holding player capable of putting in any kind of tackle in sight! No wonder the MoTD team were so lavish in their praise of Scott Parker is it? The inevitable lack of sustained attacking and ragged defending resulted in an ineffective performance against the worst West Ham side that I have seen for 30 years and one which was quite obviously devoid of either threat or confidence. No Cole at the start and a 4th choice rookie keeper to match should have seen us sweep them away imperiously on the way to three easy points. The boos that rang out at the end were obviously directed at whatever regime is in charge at the moment (and who knows who that is?) but the effect was watered down as greeting the final whistle with booing seems to be the norm these days whatever the result.

Three very unfortunate injuries (two of which serious and which will see two key players miss much of our relegation battle) prevented the unfortunete Steve Thingy from making the very necessary tactical changes that he needed to. I felt the longer the game went on the more chance we had of losing. Much of this stemmed from the fact that Dunn was dead on his feet from 70 minues on and the fact that the minute we scored Mike Dean's previous impartiallity swayed away from us and very pointedly too. A good goal was subsequently disallowed and the lumbering Dunn was clearly fouled in the lead up to West Hams equaliser. Two awful decisions that were amazingly not contested al all by our players! I couldn't help but think at that stage that the masks that the players were wearing had slipped.

Most credit of all can only go to the groundstaff for their efforts in getting the match underway. Make no mistake though I can't believe that the chill wind blowing around Ewood yesterday will necesarily disappear with the thaw.

[Hughesy]

I've never seen the concourse so full during the game ... Alcohol only numbed some of the pain of watching that yesterday.

No offence but it was freezing. It was snowy on the way into the ground & a bitter wind in the ground. Around me the blokes never stand in the concourse during the game, but due to the weather, not the football - 6 of them retreated there.

[Yorick]

This team has been indoctrinated to play a certain way for over two years, week in, week out, and people expect that to change overnight? There were improvements to be seen in our play but it's going to take some time for any manager to make his impact.

Never mind people the owners do.

Oh Jesus, that is seriously seriously bad news.

January will be interesting.

Horrible news. Searching for positives at least 'interesting' will not now include him being sold to Chelsea or Arsenal.

Only a sad, small minded man like yourself would continually try and use the fact I'm a doctor to make insults against me.

They didn't teach me to read in med school, since they only accepted the very highest achievers I'm pretty sure I needed to read before I got in.

We were a shambles everywhere. We were playing the bottom team in the league, at home, and were lucky to come away with a point.

Simmer down tgm. Intellectual snobbery against lesser intellects is not a nice trait but it's one that you seem to increasingly rely on. I'm sure that a little humility would improve your bedside manner.

[Miker]

Please dont ever, ever let me have to watch Benjani in a Rovers shirt.

A shocking decision by the previous manager to hire this dud, and then hes selected by the current manager = completely UNACCEPTABLE!

Fully expect to see him booted out of Rovers in January, if, these chicken chokers have any desire and ambition for Blackburn Rovers.

To be fair, Benjani did quite well for us prior to his injury and was probably first choice ahead of Roberts and Kalinic. Horrible performance yesterday though, he needs to show a massive improvement in our next game. I am not confident at all with Benjani and Kalinic our only choices to play up front now with Roberts injured...

[Tim Southampton Rover]

I can't help but wonder what everyone would have been talking about on here had that disallowed goal counted.

I just saw 4 or 5 replays of it on Goals on Sunday and there was no foul at all. A perfectly good goal was ruled out for no reason at all. Infact it was a West Ham player who had pushed his own player.

We were robbed the 3 points, a top half position and the back pages of the newspapers would have been filled with positive stories about Blackburn.

Meh!

[alexanders]

I can't help but wonder what everyone would have been talking about on here had that disallowed goal counted.

I just saw 4 or 5 replays of it on Goals on Sunday and there was no foul at all. A perfectly good goal was ruled out for no reason at all. Infact it was a West Ham player who had pushed his own player.

We were robbed the 3 points, a top half position and the back pages of the newspapers would have been filled with positive stories about Blackburn.

Meh!

We were also denied a clear handball.

Bogey!!

[Robbo]

Pedersen & MB Diouf were probably the only players who wanted to make things happen last night.

Dunn was just horrible to watch. Slow, ineffective, can't dribble, loses possession easiy. I was screaming for him to be taken off.

Emerton is back to his worst, headless chicken, thinks he can outruns the ball. The only good thing about him is he can run and run and run and run... and his cross for the goal.

Benjani seemed so uninterested and lazy. Suddenly i miss Roberts.

Nelsen sort of redeemed himself with the goal but his performance at the back wasn't inspiring at all. many misplaced passes.

Diouf/Givet/Salgado were all average.

Sums up my view of the game a well.

I recorded the game and have just finished watching a dire 90 mins of poor quality football. Excluding the back 4 I was having trouble trying to work out who the hell was paying where.

David Dunn...... Rovers fan, or no Rovers fan, it's time he just held his hand up and admitted that he's just not able to play at this level anymore. He is so far off the pace its embarrasing.

Is the plan to play him for 70 mins every week in the knowledge that he's always gooding to get subbed? He's not that good! Yesterday was unfortunate with the injuries but even in the first half he was struggling. I suppose the truth is that he's the best of a bad bunch and something different. We have a crap midfield and against the worst ream in the league we looked poor.

Much respect to all those who made it to Ewood. It looked bloody cold. If only the players had made as much of an effort on the pitch as the 1000's who did getting to the ground.

[SamTheShrew]

Sums up my view of the game a well.

I recorded the game and have just finished watching a dire 90 mins of poor quality football. Excluding the back 4 I was having trouble trying to work out who the hell was paying where.

David Dunn...... Rovers fan, or no Rovers fan, it's time he just held his hand up and admitted that he's just not able to play at this level anymore. He is so far off the pace its embarrasing.

Is the plan to play him for 70 mins every week in the knowledge that he's always gooding to get subbed? He's not that good! Yesterday was unfortunate with the injuries but even in the first half he was struggling. I suppose the truth is that he's the best of a bad bunch and something different. We have a crap midfield and against the worst ream in the league we looked poor.

Much respect to all those who made it to Ewood. It looked bloody cold. If only the players had made as much of an effort on the pitch as the 1000's who did getting to the ground.

you could see it in Dunn's eyes that he knew he had had a shocker. Either that or just a sad reluctant acceptance that he basically appears to be finished

[Paul]

<br />I can't help but wonder what everyone would have been talking about on here had that disallowed goal counted.<br />

<br />

I just saw 4 or 5 replays of it on Goals on Sunday and there was no foul at all. A perfectly good goal was ruled out for no reason at all. Infact it was a West Ham player who had pushed his own player.

Watching MOTD I saw the WHU No. 4 pushed to the ground. I thought it was by a Rovers player.

[Saltysellars]

I've only ever cried at Ewood three times I reckon in the twenty odd years supporting Rovers. Once when Tugay walked off the pitch for the last time against West Brom, after Jack had died against Norwich when they showed the tribute on the big screen, and on the way home after a Mark Atkins own goal had denied us a famous, famous victory against the mighty Liverpool in the 1990-91 FA Cup- damn you ball girl.

I was very close to tears again yesterday, partly due to the cold, which included a six mile hike in the snow and not getting home until 8.00, after leaving at 11.30, but mainly due to the way that the heart, soul, direction and purpose of the club has been ripped out all within the space of six days. The atmposphere yesterday summed it up for me, the fans are frightened of what is going to happen to our proud club. This time last week, I was stood on Chorley train station hoping that a win would send us into the top six, whilst having a quiet chuckle to myself about the soap opera that is Newcastle United, and how, Rovers, as a traditional and family club would never ever sink to the depths that other so called bigger teams have in the pursuit of trophies, or possibly more relevant the cash cow that is the Champions league.

Fast forward six and a bit days, and I'm just about thawed out after yesterday's events, but deeply concerned about where our club goes from here. If the new owners had come in and criticised our chicken burgers for being too dry, then we would have sat up and duly noted the comments made about someone who knows their stuff when it comes to catering etc etc. But for the same people, who have possibly only seen us on the television to sack our manager and then criticise him after the event is arrogance in the extreme. I was never the biggest Sam fan whilst he was here, but acknowledged the fact that he was doing a great job with extremely limited funds. A top ten finish and yet another semi final of a domestic cup competition was a fantastic achievement considering where we were when he took over just over two years ago.

How ironic, that the DVD 'Ten years at the top' not only includes the tribute to Jack Walker, but also the piece shown on the big screen against Everton about his legacy, and that the new owners have already set about destroying that in the three weeks they've been in charge. The only winners from this, will be the managers and supporters of Fulham, Wolves, West Brom, Wigan, West Ham, Birmingham who will now see us as a relegation 'rival' whereas with Allardyce in charge, there is no way we, or the media would even have given two thoughts on the dreaded 'R' word.

Where next? I wasn't overly impressed with Mr Kean's debut as a manger yesterday, but who do we get in, and will he have funds? If the board keep Kean on for two months, then he will do very well to attract any quality during the window, or worse still, he won't have any cash at all.

I love my football club dearly, but something has died within the past week, and I certainly wasn't the only one who felt that yesterday.

P.S Great turn out from West Ham given the circumstances.

[jim mk2]

Referee blew for the foul before the ball went in the net. Rovers players didn't protest over the decision. Would have been an undeserved win anyway.

There was a strange atmosphere at Ewood yesterday, and it wasn't just a result of the bitter cold. I really fear for the future of the club.

[SamTheShrew]

I've only ever cried at Ewood three times I reckon in the twenty odd years supporting Rovers. Once when Tugay walked off the pitch for the last time against West Brom, after Jack had died against Norwich when they showed the tribute on the big screen, and on the way home after a Mark Atkins own goal had denied us a famous, famous victory against the mighty Liverpool in the 1990-91 FA Cup- damn you ball girl.

I was very close to tears again yesterday, partly due to the cold, which included a six mile hike in the snow and not getting home until 8.00, after leaving at 11.30, but mainly due to the way that the heart, soul, direction and purpose of the club has been ripped out all within the space of six days. The atmposphere yesterday summed it up for me, the fans are frightened of what is going to happen to our proud club. This time last week, I was stood on Chorley train station hoping that a win would send us into the top six, whilst having a quiet chuckle to myself about the soap opera that is Newcastle United, and how, Rovers, as a traditional and family club would never ever sink to the depths that other so called bigger teams have in the pursuit of trophies, or possibly more relevant the cash cow that is the Champions league.

Fast forward six and a bit days, and I'm just about thawed out after yesterday's events, but deeply concerned about where our club goes from here. If the new owners had come in and criticised our chicken burgers for being too dry, then we would have sat up and duly noted the comments made about someone who knows their stuff when it comes to catering etc etc. But for the same people, who have possibly only seen us on the television to sack our manager and then criticise him after the event is arrogance in the extreme. I was never the biggest Sam fan whilst he was here, but acknowledged the fact that he was doing a great job with extremely limited funds. A top ten finish and yet another semi final of a domestic cup competition was a fantastic achievement considering where we were when he took over just over two years ago.

How ironic, that the DVD 'Ten years at the top' not only includes the tribute to Jack Walker, but also the piece shown on the big screen against Everton about his legacy, and that the new owners have already set about destroying that in the three weeks they've been in charge. The only winners from this, will be the managers and supporters of Fulham, Wolves, West Brom, Wigan, West Ham, Birmingham who will now see us as a relegation 'rival' whereas with Allardyce in charge, there is no way we, or the media would even have given two thoughts on the dreaded 'R' word.

Where next? I wasn't overly impressed with Mr Kean's debut as a manger yesterday, but who do we get in, and will he have funds? If the board keep Kean on for two months, then he will do very well to attract any quality during the window, or worse still, he won't have any cash at all.

I love my football club dearly, but something has died within the past week, and I certainly wasn't the only one who felt that yesterday.

P.S Great turn out from West Ham given the circumstances.

Great post - probably sums up the situation for a lot of us. The scary thing for me is how quickly this takeover appears to have gone sour. I hadn't even really got into the excitement of what the future could hold with some financial backing, before this feeling begun to turn into dispair/numbness

Hope the journey wasn't too bad for you

[Kelbo]

I've only ever cried at Ewood three times I reckon in the twenty odd years supporting Rovers. Once when Tugay walked off the pitch for the last time against West Brom, after Jack had died against Norwich when they showed the tribute on the big screen, and on the way home after a Mark Atkins own goal had denied us a famous, famous victory against the mighty Liverpool in the 1990-91 FA Cup- damn you ball girl.

I was very close to tears again yesterday, partly due to the cold, which included a six mile hike in the snow and not getting home until 8.00, after leaving at 11.30, but mainly due to the way that the heart, soul, direction and purpose of the club has been ripped out all within the space of six days. The atmposphere yesterday summed it up for me, the fans are frightened of what is going to happen to our proud club. This time last week, I was stood on Chorley train station hoping that a win would send us into the top six, whilst having a quiet chuckle to myself about the soap opera that is Newcastle United, and how, Rovers, as a traditional and family club would never ever sink to the depths that other so called bigger teams have in the pursuit of trophies, or possibly more relevant the cash cow that is the Champions league.

Fast forward six and a bit days, and I'm just about thawed out after yesterday's events, but deeply concerned about where our club goes from here. If the new owners had come in and criticised our chicken burgers for being too dry, then we would have sat up and duly noted the comments made about someone who knows their stuff when it comes to catering etc etc. But for the same people, who have possibly only seen us on the television to sack our manager and then criticise him after the event is arrogance in the extreme. I was never the biggest Sam fan whilst he was here, but acknowledged the fact that he was doing a great job with extremely limited funds. A top ten finish and yet another semi final of a domestic cup competition was a fantastic achievement considering where we were when he took over just over two years ago.

How ironic, that the DVD 'Ten years at the top' not only includes the tribute to Jack Walker, but also the piece shown on the big screen against Everton about his legacy, and that the new owners have already set about destroying that in the three weeks they've been in charge. The only winners from this, will be the managers and supporters of Fulham, Wolves, West Brom, Wigan, West Ham, Birmingham who will now see us as a relegation 'rival' whereas with Allardyce in charge, there is no way we, or the media would even have given two thoughts on the dreaded 'R' word.

Where next? I wasn't overly impressed with Mr Kean's debut as a manger yesterday, but who do we get in, and will he have funds? If the board keep Kean on for two months, then he will do very well to attract any quality during the window, or worse still, he won't have any cash at all.

I love my football club dearly, but something has died within the past week, and I certainly wasn't the only one who felt that yesterday.

P.S Great turn out from West Ham given the circumstances.

What a cracking post, sums up my feelings entirely, you put it much better than I could have done.

More importantly, it came from the heart and echoed the feelings of so many Rovers supporters, some at the game yesterday were saying the heart has been ripped out of the club!

[92er]

David Dunn...... Rovers fan, or no Rovers fan, it's time he just held his hand up and admitted that he's just not able to play at this level anymore. He is so far off the pace its embarrasing.

I really don't know if Dunn is finished at this level or not.

What I do believe is that if he is to be played, there are certain positions where he can be played and certain ones where he can't be played.

He can't be played as a winger-he has neither the pace nor the stamina to do anything worthwhile in that position. I also don't believe he can be played as 1 of a middle 2 in a 4-4-2 set-up.

His most effective role was the one Allardyce came up for him last season. There, he can run at people and either be fouled in a dangerous position or do an efective pass.

I appreciate the Dunn of this season is nothing like the Dunn of last season but I do think that if we are to get anything out of him he must be played in a role where he can be effective, and for the length of time that reflects his match fitness.

[den]

Excellent post Saltysellars.

[Saltysellars]

Great post - probably sums up the situation for a lot of us. The scary thing for me is how quickly this takeover appears to have gone sour. I hadn't even really got into the excitement of what the future could hold with some financial backing, before this feeling begun to turn into dispair/numbness

Hope the journey wasn't too bad for you

Train bang on time setting off on the way home, just about 10 mins late getting into Halifax. Pretty exhausted when I got home, but if you will live up a very big hill!!!

[Amo]

Ignoring all the off-field antics, if that's at all possible, this is the team I'd like to see against Stoke. I'd say it's quite ambitious, by our usual standards, but we're at home and have nothing to lose. We always flounder when we try to beat Stoke at their own game, so let's try something different:

ROBINSON

SALGADO - SAMBA - NELSEN - MORRIS

LINGANZI

EMERTON - PEDERSEN

HOILETT - OLSSON

KALINIC

[alexanders]

Ignoring all the off-field antics, if that's at all possible, this is the team I'd like to see against Stoke. I'd say it's quite ambitious, by our usual standards, but we're at home and have nothing to lose. We always flounder when we try to beat Stoke at their own game, so let's try something different:

ROBINSON

SALGADO - SAMBA - NELSEN - MORRIS

LINGANZI

EMERTON - PEDERSEN

HOILETT - OLSSON

KALINIC

Was thinking exactly the same team. Good engine on Emo and Peds. Pace and flair up top and a stable back four.

I think I would go with Givet though to be honest.

[McClarky]

If we are going to start passing the ball about we need to learn how to do it properly. We gave the ball away so easily it was untrue. I thought West Ham were awful for an hour but as soon as they stepped it up a bit they looked more likely than we did. A draw was a fair result but they were so rank it is 2 points lost. The big problem is still the midfiled, they don't keep possession like they should and it always seems easy for the opposition midfielders to thread passes through our defence because there isn't any pressure on the ball. We missed Roberts as well because Benjani can't keep a hold of the ball. Really hope Kean can bring in a decent ball player in midfield because you can't just get people to play a passing game if they aren't good enough to do it.

[Amo]

Was thinking exactly the same team. Good engine on Emo and Peds. Pace and flair up top and a stable back four.

I think I would go with Givet though to be honest.

I don't know, I think Givet needs a break. Morris would give us that extra pace going forward and perhaps something for the fans to get excited about in these trying times.