joey_big_nose

well said prof but you better duck I think thats unfair. While I appreciate what you say about Dickov, Stead should certainly get another shot at the lone role up front, Savage deserves to come back into the team. He has been one of our best players in recent weeksand as far as playing a more attractive game goes his passing and distribution is a massive improvement over Flitcroft. Also he gets forward more.

Just to echo other poeople I anticipate that next seson the remainders from our squad will be: Freidel, Enckleman Niell, Gresko, Nelsen, Todd, Johansson?, McEveley, Matteo, Reid, Savage, Thompson, Pedersen, Mokeona (I see him as a midfielder really), Flitcroft, Emerton. Stead, Gallagher (possibly play on right wing/in the hole?), Dickov, Johnson. 18 outfield and 2 goalkeepers if Nissa stays. Realistically for the Prem we need around 21 outfield players and must be careful too as there is no certainty that Gresko, McEveley, Gallagher, Stead and Matteo (should be sold, but Sparky likes him) can really perform for us consistently enough to play. Also I would be wary of Flitcroft and Dickov as they will be on their last legs I am sure. Anyway, for the new signings I would say, in decending amount of importance and therfore money speant upon: First rate Striker-Left Back*-Creative Midfielder-Right Back-Central Defender (this should be made irrelevent by Nissa staying, hopefully). *The reason I put for Left Back over a midfielder is that hopefully Reid, Thomspon or Savage will be able to fit into this role. I do not think we have the money to purchase genuine class in this area if we also buy a striker. The only way we could finance a good central midfielder is if one of Emerton, Reid or Thompson left for decent fees. I would like to see the Aussie go, but I am not sure we can get the 3 million for him needed for some decent quality. I think we could get a good left back for a bit of cash and then get in a promising midfileder from the Championship, or someone like Koumas, for a small amount of cash.

Dickov's injury isn't serious and he will be fit for Sunday. I think we'll be back to 4-4-2. Thats actually quite problamatic. I cant see Hughes changing the shape as you suggest. He might need to make a choice between Dickov and Stead.

Well, he well deserves it. Our team looks transformed from a side with some talnted individuals who frequently lose concentration to a solid unit who are extremely hard to beat. The quality of football we are playing is improving to- we a re pinging it around a bit more. Looking on Everton websites last night and the general consensus was that Rovers looked like a team that should be the opposite end of the table. The only real difference between us and Everton in terms of league position has not been talent but organisation and work rate. Hopefully under Hughes we can keep up these high levels. Add a quality striker, a creative midfielder (if Reid does not fill that role....) and a left back over the summer and we could really be in business. Top man.

I will be amazed if Hughes does not use the exact same team against Leicester with only two alterations- Savage (if fit) in for Flitcroft and Stead in as a lone striker for Dickov who looks like a long lay off. Thompson adds a little guile to the side and is much more of a goal threat than Emerton. I cannot see how the Australian can come back in unless Thompson goes missing again. Hughes was delighted by yesterdays performance and will not upset the balance. Emerton could be in for a while on the bench.

That was true but only in the second half. He had four decent oppertunities to trap the ball in the first half and he misjudged them all. Still Im not complaining, heres to a resurgent Stead!

The problem is that when he was getting balls in the box, there wasn't anyone to get onto them. This was his best match of the season, and it was one of the few times I saw a Rovers player consistently putting balls in the box. One time he put a perfect one in, if we only had someone a little taller on the pitch. I was wondering if this was one of the smallest starting lineups we've ever had. I wouldnt say that at all! Johansson, Nelsen, Todd, Pedersen, Friedel, Moko and Stead are all over six foot. In fact I would say it was one of the tallest lineups we have had in recent years. Reid, Niell and Flitcroft are hardly tiny either We have put out a side where every player bar the goal keeper and the centre backs has been under six foot at the start of the season (Niell, Gray, Ferguson, Tugay, Thompson, Emerton- might be over six, Gallagher, Dickov). This is from memory so I might be wrong but I do remember noting it. As for Thompson he had some good moment s today, especiallywhen he got ot the by line only to step on the ball. If he could have cut it backit would of been a real oppertunity. What I particularly enjoyed about yesterdays game was how fluid every thing was. Reid and Thomspon would interchange a bit, Pedersen drive up front, Flitcroft drift out to the left. One advantage of 451 I suppose, more leeway to do this sort of thing with Moko holding things together.

Seems a bit unfair on Todd, fair enough he dosnt say alot but he leads by example. However, It is absolutely guaranteed, barring some calamity, that come next season Nelsen will be the new regular captain.

I think he will be able to make a good career in the Championship. He might even come back to haunt us.... Still, he has been poor for too long now and he wont be going broke, thats for sure. Sad to see him go but it is time to look to free up money for a new signing.

The difference today was made by Reid and Thompson. Previously we have failed to turn posession into teritorial advantage due to two factors in a 451 formation. Firstly Ferguson liked to slow the game down and ping passes through which our strikers could not take advantage of. Reid played the opposite side of the game driving forward at every oppertunity running with the ball at feet. That created the goal and seriously worried the defence. Secondly Thompson did the same wide on the right, not cutting back and playing it square like Emerton which allowed Reid to break through. If I was the Australian winger I would suddenly become very worried about my place in the team.... Having an excellent defensive set up helped to instill confidnce too, but by way of warning it is worth remembering that Everton looked to attack at home. Against more conservative side at Ewood it might be harder to make an impression using the 451 formation, but I do not see why we should not try. We can always count on Pedersen to link up upfront and help out.

Right, I am going to defend myself. In the first half Stead genuinely looked like a third division player. All his basics were wrong- not retaining the ball, not winning itin the air, poor movement etc. After the break he looked much better, well before the goal, winning flick ons and so on and managing to beat a few players with his feet. He looked like a good premiershp forward. The goal was an excellent finish and he ran around the pitch non stop- something noticably absent in the first 45. I am delighted, I have always wanted Stead to do well (hence the avater) but frankly he put in (along with Gallagher at Burnley) one of the worst performances I have seen in a Rovers shirt in the first half. This is excellent stuff, if he keeps up what he was achieving in the second half I think we might start to hope to hurt teams. It is a massive boost for the side if there is someone who can hold up the ball and finish- especially as it looks like Dickov could have a long lay off. My assessment is that Reid especially, Thompson and Moko have played themselves into serious contention- Stead obviously too. Nelsen, Todd, Niell, Brad and Pedersen all looked extremely good. Johansson was appalling going forward but reasonably (remember the flick on....) decent at the back. The formation for Leicester seems pretty straight forward now if Dickov is ruled out and Savage back in.: That team looked solid and if Stead can maintain a cutting edge we should have no problem staying up, and even might be able to give the cup a run for its money. pps. how much better di our wideplay look without Emerton.....

I think we have been playing quite well, moving around the ball and dominating possession in the first half hour. Things got a bit ropey towards the ends but they have only had two real chances- A Carsley free kick and bents 1 on 1. What is a real problem is that Stead looks awful. I mean really awful. Looks like a rabbit in the headlights and hasnt managed to trap a ball and make a sucessful pass in four attempts. He ducked out of a header too. I know he is short of confidence and I really want him to play well but I can evisage him being substiturted around the hour mark if things dont improve. Hope he comes to life in the second half.... ps. Thomspon, Pedersen, Moko, Todd, Reid, Brad and Nelsen have all looked good. Johansson is a bit weak and Niell has not had much to do. Flitcorfot has been decent. The only real issue seems to be Johansson going forward and everything about Stead.

I have never seen an established player been sent home due to work permit problems. It seems very much a situation of "when youre in youre in". I hope so anyway.

Interesting. Lets see how we play without Emerton.... Losing Savage is a real blow and it has just occoured to me tat the midfield four is completely different from the one that has played our last fourgames and so. Not a man left. Well Moko and Flitty should rough them up a bit, lets hope Thommo and Reid can do something with the ball.

Um, if I was going to say one thing about Cole it would be he can create his own chances. He misses alot but he can sure create them. Look at him this season at Fulham! We need a player like him at the moment IMHO. I dont miss him getting caught offside eight times a match however!

Well I'm excited! We have all seen what Stead (last season), Reid (very briefly), Thompson (pre-injuries) and Jansen (fleeting glimpses post-Rome) can do at their best. All four have it in them to be top performers in the Premiership. With MGP and Nelsen having pushed past previous first team certainties to nail their names in the starting XI, the challenge and example is there for that quartet to do the same when fitness and opportunity comes along. Nelsen is a simply awesome addition. Interesting points those. I think it really does look like there will be a massive clearout in the summer. Defo out the door (if we can shift them) are: Bothroyd (Hughes only uses him cause everyone else is awful), Gray, Amo, Tugay (retired), Jansen (cannot see him getting a contract extension), Short (retired), Douglas Players I can see Hughes letting go: Stead (on loan probaby, Sparky not a fan), Thompson (if a decent offer comes in, again sparky not too keen), Johansson, Emerton (really think he might play his way out of the door now, I can see him being dropped in the next couple of weeks and him just fading away) That leaves us with a pretty minimal squad: Freidal, Enckleman, Moko, Todd, The Admiral, Matteo (I think he should go but Sparky seems to like him), Niell, Gresko (Hughes might give him a chance as he has not seen him yet), Pedersen, Savage, Reid, Flitcroft (see Matteo), Dickov, Gallagher, McEveley, Johnson. Even if Emerton and Thompson stay, which is very possible I admit, that is a squad of only 18, six of whichare a bit dodgy/unproven to say the least (Matteo, Gallagher, Johnson, McEveley, Flitcroft, Gresko). Niell and Dickov have their critics too.......... It will be a summer of wheeling and dealing t'be sure.

Well- here's my team....... Thomspon and Stead have done little to warrent inclusion but I think changing things up as Emerton and Gally have been so poor. I cannot see how Thompson would be less of a threat than Emerton. I have a suspicion however that neither Thompson or Stead will even get on the bench if recent selections hare any guide. Bothroyd should be hounded back to italy. 2-1 Rovers MGP, Stead (I wish....)

Fantastic result although the performance was a bit worrying. Our only real attacking threat remains MGP, even Dickov did not have much about him. Good to see a bit of decent banter between the fans on the message board rather than a slagging match (including the burnley site which I had a look at, a couple of morons giving Rovers a bad name but most had the decency to acknowledge a good Clarets performance). Leicester should be a winnable game but it is a shame to be in such a good position but so bereft of attacking talent. We need a late resurgence of form from all of Stead, Emerton, Thompson, Tugay, Reid, Dickov and Gallagher if we are ever going to hope to make an impression on the semis (should we get there!). Anyhow, we have a very important run of league matches where our forward players should get a bit more room. Lets try and build on this! ps. Defence was excellent. Amazed at just how good Nelsen is. Oh for a decent left back..... pps. Everybody else left in the cup looks vulnerable apart from Man Utd. Praying for Southampton to pull a suprise and open it right up.

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Just noticed that Thompson is not even on the bench..... with Emerton playing so poorly I would of had him arounfd to change things up. Still, I suppose we have Reid.

The game looks like it will sell out at just under 29,000 (due to security arrangements) making it the biggest crowd of the season so far apart from the Newcastle boxing day clash. Does anybody knw when the last true sell out occoured since the new stadium was built- ie. +31,000?

The team I would go for if Dickov fails his fitness test: I suspect Hughes might prefer Reid or Tugay to Thompson and maybe work Johnson in therer somewhere too. I still think Stead and Gallagher deserve a shot as a partnership.

Ferguson might just end up wishing he stayed to the end of the season. We could have done with him yesterday and the draw we got means we have a decent crack at a semi final. It would be an experience I think you would agree, bigger than Bolton-Rovers anyway and even the Old Firm derby in its own way. Well, good luck to him. I am not bitter but surely six more months would of been worth it to see if something like this would of happend.

Obvious question, suprised no one has explicitly asked it- I could not quite decipher Phillips cryptic comment in the report. What is a decent guesstimate for the summer's transfer budget if we exclude unknown factors (dont factor in Dahlin money, Assume Finishing at 17th- it cant be any lower! etc.)? Does the Walker funds intervention have a huge impact on this or a tny one? Will we see Shevchenko and Ronaldinho sign in the summer? Or Nicky Barmby and a one legged chimp?

Its a funny old game..... We do not really deserve to get such an easy route to the semis but we cannot look a gift horse in the mouth. Our defence is meaner then my gran and in the likes of Savage, Pedersen and Dickov we should have sufficient tenacity and a tiny bit of quality to be favourites against both Burnley and Leicester (should we get there). Getting to the semis would be great but that is as far as we can possibly get unless somebody finds their shooting boots. We were woeful up front against Burnley. It is unfortunate in its own way that our team which is so inferior to the 2002-2003 vintage should be so blessed. A draw like that handed out to the likes of Duff, Berg, a top form tugay, Dunn and Cole and we would be laughing. Oh well, all ifs and buts.