[Archived] Preview of ROVERS vs. Blackpool; 19 March 2011.

[Commondore]

Hoilett alongside Kalinic, with Formica in central midfield and M Diouf down the right. Olsson down the left, with Givet at at left back.

Robbo

Emo Samba Nelsen Givet

P Jones

M Diouf Formica Olsson

Kalinic Hoilett

I'd love to see Formica making some appearances from the bench, but starting him without a minute of English football under his belt in a time like this is not the right way to go. If we are to keep playing 4-4-2, our strongest lineup would be:

Robinson, Emerton, Samba, Nelsen, Givet, Hoilett, J. Jones, Nzonzi, Olsson, Kalinic, Santa Cruz.

"I don't think [referee] Howard Webb had a good game today - I think both managers will agree on that. I didn't even think our penalty should have been given."

Ian Holloway after the game. Fair play to him.

[BangkokRover]

A truly awful referreeing performance from H Webb.

Blackpool boss Ian Holloway: "I don't think Howard Webb had a good game today - I think both managers will agree on that. I didn't even think our penalty should have been given."

[Bobby G]

i agree that santa cruz was playing far too deep hoilet played amazing and kept getting to the byline and pulling it back but no one was there. We need a striker who gambles and is good at snatching goals in t he 6yard box, oh wait Kean we have one starts with a K and ends in alanic.

We absolutely had no one in the 6 yard box. Roque was a link man and a key one in the second half. So out of confidence cause we was laying off things when he shouldve been taking them on.

Special praise for Jermaine Jones for me who really worked his socks off and really took the game to them, alongside Junior of course.

[pick32]

My team against arsenal would be

Robinson

Emerton Nelsen Samba Olson

P.Jones N.Zonzi

Hoilet J.Jones Pedersen

Roberts

Go with a solid battling team and hope Hoilet can do something on the counter or get something from a set piece. Id play are two fastest full backs because were going to need them.

[imy9]

We played well today and showed real grit and determination- the players showed that they care and are behind the manager, but what can you say about two shocking decisions by the ref, 2-0 head start against any side is a tough ask, I think this result is a turning point in our season- first time we have got something after going behind.

[HemelRover]

Hoilett alongside Kalinic, with Formica in central midfield and M Diouf down the right. Olsson down the left, with Givet at at left back.

Robbo

Emo Samba Nelsen Givet Banned(I think)

P Jones

M Diouf Crap Formica Injured Olsson

Kalinic Hoilett Not a striker, playing him that far forward negates his positive running from deep

[xtp]

I don't give a toss if we came from behind and it was two bad decisions from the ref. They had two disallowed.

Utter tripe.

The two that were disallowed were both clear offsides. Just because they have a player who didn't seem capable of staying onside, doesn't mean the ref has the right to make up a penalty out of thin air.

Had the referee's decisions been fair, we would have won the game. Simple as, really.

[rebelmswar]

We played well today and showed real grit and determination- the players showed that they care and are behind the manager, but what can you say about two shocking decisions by the ref, 2-0 head start against any side is a tough ask, I think this result is a turning point in our season- first time we have got something after going behind.

Seriously?

How far have we fallen if a draw with relegation team, at home, is a turning point.

The two that were disallowed were both clear offsides. Just because they have a player who didn't seem capable of staying onside, doesn't mean the ref has the right to make up a penalty out of thin air.

Had the referee's decisions been fair, we would have won the game. Simple as, really.

Bullsh!t.

[LeChuck]

Hoilett alongside Kalinic, with Formica in central midfield and M Diouf down the right. Olsson down the left, with Givet at at left back.

Robbo

Emo Samba Nelsen Givet

P Jones

M Diouf Formica Olsson

Kalinic Hoilett

Stop going on about Formica. Have you even seen him play?

If he was ready for the PL then he would have at least been on the bench by now. Why would Kean not play one of his own signings if he was PL ready? Makes no sense.

He looked very skinny in the pictures when he arrived, it's no wonder he needs preparing physically before he can play. He'd get eaten alive in central midfield.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

My team against arsenal would be

Robinson

Emerton Nelsen Samba Olson

P.Jones N.Zonzi

Hoilet J.Jones Pedersen

Roberts

Go with a solid battling team and hope Hoilet can do something on the counter or get something from a set piece. Id play are two fastest full backs because were going to need them.

Battling and Pedersen don't belong in the same sentence. Ollsen will get roasted at full back there, the only asset he's got for playing at full back is pace, he's got none of the other requirements. One look at that team tells me why we're in the position we are now. Not having a go at you Pick 32 that's the hand we've been dealt/dealt ourselves.

[HemelRover]

The two that were disallowed were both clear offsides. Just because they have a player who didn't seem capable of staying onside, doesn't mean the ref has the right to make up a penalty out of thin air.

Had the referee's decisions been fair, we would have won the game. Simple as, really.

I dont think that was what he meant. I think he meant(and what i believe) is that we were a hairsbreadth(in both offside decisions) from being 4-0 down.

[Balwer]

Seriously?

How far have we fallen if a draw with relegation team, at home, is a turning point.

Bullsh!t.

the bar has been lowered, and anyone who draws attention to that, anyone who glorifies the previous regime, be it past managers or owners, is a dissenter with a hidden agenda.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Stop going on about Formica. Have you even seen him play?

If he was ready for the PL then he would have at least been on the bench by now. Why would Kean not play one of his own signings if he was PL ready? Makes no sense.

He looked very skinny in the pictures when he arrived, it's no wonder he needs preparing physically before he can play. He'd get eaten alive in central midfield.

How can anyone advocate playing the guy in this situation, it's just clutching at straws.

[The Gull]

2 points lost people, 2 points lost. A draw is far from acceptable even in the circumstances.

Kean, please do the decent thing and hold your hands up, you are out of your depth, walk away from my club before it is too late.

2-2 is a shocking result, don't let the circumstances blind you.

[Andy]

Been in 10 minutes, not seen any replays or anything and these are my thoughts:

Late equaliser seems to have sent most people at Ewood home happy, completely disregarding the fact that we only took a point out of a must-win game and seemingly oblivious to the fact that we still have an incompetent turd in charge.

Lots of discontent in the first half and one or two 'Kean out' chants as well as the B'burn End joining in with a rendition of 'you're getting sacked in the morning'.

Had the late equaliser not gone in, it's fair to say that the atmosphere would have been a bit cheeky.

We actually started well, but Blackpool had a legit goal disallowed before the ref evened things up with the penalty.

Free-kick was a free-kick all day long to me - Jones (who otherwise had a very good game) just clattered into their lad on the edge of the box.

They then had another goal disallowed which would have put them 3-0 up, which again looked legit from where I sat.

To be fair, I think we deserved a point overall and Hoilett, J.Jones, Samba and Nelsen all had good games.

MGP seems oblivious to urgency and it was good to see P.Jones back.

Overall, it's a point rather than a big loss but I can't help feeling that we're still papering over some ginormous cracks which will only be repaired once Kean is given the boot.

At 90 minutes we were almost certainly looking like giving him the boot.

At 93 minutes, he's still in a job...

[rebelmswar]

I dont think that was what he meant. I think he meant(and what i believe) is that we were a hairsbreadth(in both offside decisions) from being 4-0 down.

Thank you.

AT. HOME. TO. BLACKPOOL.

For the love of God!!!

[Tom]

I imagine the reaction from a lot of us who went to the game will be different than some already posted.

Yes we needed a win but we just stopped Blackpool getting 3 points which could be as important come the end of the season.

We started well then Webb gave one of the worst decisions I've ever seen, after the second we were truly shocking for 10 minutes but then came out in the second on fire.

-Half time was a strange atmosphere, I looked at Stuwilky behind me and just shook my head, there were no words left to say.

-I thought J Jones and Hoilett were both class today

-Santa Cruz was very poor, didn't seem to know how to jump

- Charlie Adam is a complete nob, I'd like to dedicate Hoilett's goal to him.

I'm sorry but I just can't bring myself to be too distraught right after coming away from Ewood after that equaliser, a goal hasn't been celebrated like that for some time, there was nearly a stampede. My hope is that goal will destroy Blackpool's confidence and could be priceless for that reason.

We still look sure to go down but that goal could be all the difference.

[DP]

Oh dear. A bit like watching 2 Brian Kidd sides there.

I don't care how good Adam is (at set pieces anyway), we have better players than Blackpool and should have won that comfortably. It's the lack of discipline that appears to be the problem. It's nothing to do with style of football, just basic common sense when defending.

Even with a spirited 2nd half with some excellent performances in midfield, only when MGP and Roberts came on did we have decent balls into the box and a striker making a real nuisance of himself. Santa Cruz plodded through the game and MB Diouff has never looked like he can cut it at this level. But then Kalinic has been a mystery too.

I think which actually have a decent side on paper now.... so why am I still so worried that we're going down?

[xtp]

I dont think that was what he meant. I think he meant(and what i believe) is that we were a hairsbreadth(in both offside decisions) from being 4-0 down.

I don't think either offside decision was a hairsbreadth. The first was was clear enough and the second one was blindingly obvious. Even the Blackpool players accepted it without protest.

[BangkokRover]

Been in 10 minutes, not seen any replays or anything and these are my thoughts:

Late equaliser seems to have sent most people at Ewood home happy, completely disregarding the fact that we only took a point out of a must-win game and seemingly oblivious to the fact that we still have an incompetent turd in charge.

Lots of discontent in the first half and one or two 'Kean out' chants as well as the B'burn End joining in with a rendition of 'you're getting sacked in the morning'.

Had the late equaliser not gone in, it's fair to say that the atmosphere would have been a bit cheeky.

We actually started well, but Blackpool had a legit goal disallowed before the ref evened things up with the penalty.

Free-kick was a free-kick all day long to me - Jones (who otherwise had a very good game) just clattered into their lad on the edge of the box.

They then had another goal disallowed which would have put them 3-0 up, which again looked legit from where I sat.

To be fair, I think we deserved a point overall and Hoilett, J.Jones, Samba and Nelsen all had good games.

MGP seems oblivious to urgency and it was good to see P.Jones back.

Overall, it's a point rather than a big loss but I can't help feeling that we're still papering over some ginormous cracks which will only be repaired once Kean is given the boot.

At 90 minutes we were almost certainly looking like giving him the boot.

At 93 minutes, he's still in a job...

Excellent post Andy. Like most people who watched the game on TV I think Rovers were appalling in the 1st half and easily the better team in the 2nd half. Oh well only 9 more points to get as Kean said he will get 10.

[Bobby G]

Stop going on about Formica. Have you even seen him play?

If he was ready for the PL then he would have at least been on the bench by now. Why would Kean not play one of his own signings if he was PL ready? Makes no sense.

He looked very skinny in the pictures when he arrived, it's no wonder he needs preparing physically before he can play. He'd get eaten alive in central midfield.

Yet we supposedly paid 4 million Euros approximately for him.

That's why people are mentioning him.

Teams in our position signed players who they are playing. We are bedding him in for the Fizzy Pop league.

[Stuart]

Just got in - and I'm physically exhausted...

[Bobby G]

Look at the bright side, if he's still in the job by Arsenal, a defeat there should send him packing. No way we are coming away from the Emirates with anything even though this is a wobbly Arsenal that hasnt won in a few games.

[LeChuck]

Teams in our position signed players who they are playing.

We signed other players. Two of them started today. Makes that point null.

Furthermore, not a single team started with with more than two players signed in January. Therefore no team did more to attempt to strengthen their starting 11 than we did.

It's nonsense to suggest Formica has to play now purely because he cost money. I struggle to take anyone seriously who suggests it, it's obvious they don't grasp certain things about football. (not including you in here Bobby as I usually enjoy your posts!)

Edit: Apologies for that post being a bit crass, any anger is purely for Kean.

[BangkokRover]

Look at the bright side, if he's still in the job by Arsenal, a defeat there should send him packing. No way we are coming away from the Emirates with anything even though this is a wobbly Arsenal that hasnt won in a few games.

I honestly cant see Kean being sacked.