20 hours ago, Nuttall is lost said:

2nd?  3rd? 4th?  5th?  6th?  other?

We have taken about 11pts from the 54 so far from the top 6 clubs, from those statistics it could be touch and go if we make the play offs with the pack closing in.

42 minutes ago, rigger said:

9 if you count Wigan.

7 without the cup game.

It's a worry BBD hasn't found the net since Barnsley 8 games ago. Some fans reckon Nyambe was man of the match last night at the hawthorns. I have always praised his work rate and strong tackles. Some fans criticise him when things go wrong.

5 minutes ago, rovers11 said:

The players that got us into second place are largely available. The only one missing is Pickering from that winning run. 

Edun and Gallagher are back up players, Dack hasn't played for 2 years, Markanday has only played 20 mins, and Poveda had one good game. 

Edun is out injured, Mowbray might not risk Gallagher could have done with him for Giles crosses, and Dolan reckons it's to soon to play them.

On 06/02/2022 at 17:24, dallydally said:

Watching Forest destroy Leicester in the FA Cup. If they play like this on Wednesday we will be in deep trouble!

If rovers are at full strength and give it 100% forest might be in deep trouble.

5 hours ago, Ossydave said:

Not sure they fully deserve to be labelled in form forest. They've won 3 and lost 3 of their last 6 league games. Granted they played well in the cup game but so did the likes or Boreham Wood, totally different. 

We need to make the fans believe again and there's no better place than Ewood under the lights for that..  

Rovers have beat 3 of the last four forest have played. They have yet to play millwall.

1 hour ago, AllRoverAsia said:

Our shot shy crew need more specialised practice.

I am surprised how poor they are, side foots, leaning back etc.

Get the head over and hit it hard, try on target and see what happens. Basic stuff.

 

 

I agree we can't depend on BBD finding the net every game, others need to chip in and make it a team effort. If you have a chance on goal take it with open arms. Other top clubs have 4 or 5 players chipping in with goals.

On 06/02/2022 at 18:37, rigger said:

Which ticket are you going to get ? 

For me it's got to be the play-offs

Your cheering them on early in February, the second half of the season is always more difficult, teams improve and have the play offs in mind, and bottom teams improve for survival. Hopefully we will end this mini slump over the last month and get back to our best.

On 06/02/2022 at 17:24, dallydally said:

Watching Forest destroy Leicester in the FA Cup. If they play like this on Wednesday we will be in deep trouble!

Forest have beat 3 lower half of the championship table teams before losing to cardiff. I think they were 200% up for it in the local derby cup tie against leicster. Rovers have beaten the same teams earlier in the season, not forgetting cardiff twice.

I think Johnson should be seen by the police again for his accusation about Mr Stairmer and Jimmy Saville. If a women cries rape and it's not true they are interviewed by the police. He's a dead man walking after this latest episode.

On 07/02/2022 at 11:01, JoeH said:

Such a shame we've had a slip up because Bournemouth will be in panic stations. Poor league form coupled with the FA Cup loss to a non-league side. Take the lead and we'll win the game, concede first and I think it could be another February loss.

It's not Bournemouth i am worried about, Q.P.R have games in hand and Huddersfield are in a healthy position. Great to hear Dolans not far off returning, he gives the team a bit more pace.

10 hours ago, rigger said:

Diaz and Khadra should have started, if they can't last the full game that is when you make a change, not at the start of the game. I still do not have trust in  Mowbray as our manager. 

Diaz has just got back from international duty, but it's a few games since his last goal. Needs to find the net to get his momentum going. Khadra can be a bright spark when he's on form. Let's hope our strikers can make the most of any Giles crosses into the box. When is Dolan fit again, adds a bit of pace to the team.

On 06/02/2022 at 23:41, jim mk2 said:

Forest looked very impressive on MoD and Cooper has clearly got a good team spirit going. A difficult game and a draw would be a good result on our current form

A draw might have the chasing pack breathing down our necks, I think rovers will get it together. I predict 3-1 rovers.

20 hours ago, dallydally said:

Watching Forest destroy Leicester in the FA Cup. If they play like this on Wednesday we will be in deep trouble!

Why turn up if you've no faith in Blackburn Rovers. Another game or two we will see the best of the new signings and BBD back from international duty. We can beat Forest if we give it 100%.

6 hours ago, tonyoz said:

PLAYER WATCH v Swansea City

Each incident in the match was rated on the following scale: 

+5 GOAL 

+4 Excellent play 

+3 Very good play 

+2 Pleasing/good play 

+1 Decent play 

  0 Routine stuff 

 -1 Sloppy play 

 -2 Disappointing/poor play 

 -3 Very poor play 

 -4 Terrible play 

 -5 Own goal 

The ratings for each player were then combined to produce a measure of the players overall contribution to the match. 

 
Ratings       

Key incidents per player = coloured stars              Overall contribution = numbers

Kaminski                        **     2                               

Nyambe (68)                 **********  *     15     

Lenihan                          ******************   **********     14

Wharton                        **************  ****     20

van Hecke                     **********  ***      10

Zeefuik (59)                   ************  ****     14

Travis                             ****************  *****     18     

Buckley                         *****  ********    -8        

Rothwell                        ***************  ****     13     

Hedges                          **** ***     1

Giles                              ****************** ***     27 

  

 

Diaz (59)                     0    

Khadra (59)                   **** *****   -2

R- Costello (68)            ** *     0

                                                                        

Highlights and Lowlights 

(A justification for the main ratings given above)

 

A big match today; it’s time to get our mojo back after a string of poor performances. New boys Zeefuik, Giles and Hedges start with Diaz and Khadra on the bench.

 

00 A pass straight into touch from Buckley. Giles and Hedges are playing up front.

01 Nyambe wins the ball on halfway and heads towards the box, he squares to Buckley near the penalty spot but his shot is blocked and bounces harmlessly to the goalie.

03 Some nice play down the left wing. Giles slots the ball down the line for Zeefuik to run on to. Giles keeps running and Zeefuik slips it back to him into the box and his cross is square about 4 yards out but the defender does enough to muscle Nyambe away from connecting. At least Nyambe did well to get in position! There are forlorn claims for a penalty but Lenihan picks it up on the right wing and puts in a decent cross. Again Nyambe can’t get to it but he was offside I think.

05 Hedges and Travis combine to win the ball and Buckley takes over. He slides the ball through to Hedges running into the D but it’s not accurate enough and Cabango gets there first and his sliding interception bounces back off Hedges to the goalie. 

08 Buckley draws a foul 35 yards out but Rothwell’s delivery is disappointing and Swansea clear.

09 Hedges fouls Cabango on halfway. Buckley takes a pot shot at the Swansea goal and is lucky to avoid a yellow card!

11 Swansea attack down their left and Nyambe jockeys well allowing van Hecke to run the ball confidently out of our half and he wins a throw.

15 Swansea are strolling around with  the ball near the halfway line, then it’s passed forward to a totally unmarked Paterson on their left wing. He moves forward, cuts inside Giles, and launches the ball into the box where it’s 2 v 2 but they’re all spread out. Lenihan and van Hecke are out of the game. Obafemi strolls in between Wharton and Zeefuik and has a free header past Kaminski from 6 yards. The whole of the backline (bar Nyambe) was at fault there I think. A terrible goal to concede….and we don’t do well when we go behind! The Swansea fans are loud.

18 Swansea are knocking the ball around with more confidence and Wharton steps in to make an important interception.

19 Zeefuik does a good job of shielding the ball out for a goal-kick.

21 Some nice football from City down their right wing and the ball is squared to an unmarked Paterson just outside the D but his first-time shot goes over the bar. We were opened up too easily there! He could have taken a touch really but it’s a small let-off.

22 More sloppy defending from Lenihan and van Hecke and we’re fortunate that the pass to Paterson, in the box, was too heavy! Rothwell is playing very deep. There’s a nice 1-2 between Hedges and Rothwell and Hedges slips it to Buckley on the D but he falls over under challenge, claiming a free kick. The ref ignores him.

24 Nice pressing from Zeefuik deep in the City half and Giles dispossesses the defender before drawing a foul. Giles takes it himself and finds Lenihan on the penalty spot but his header comes back off the post. It goes straight to Buckley but, leaning back, he side-foots it over the bar with the goal gaping wide! That should have been the equaliser.

30 Nice chasing back by Zeefuik to rescue the ball and slide it to Kaminski. He’s fouled for his efforts.

32 Zeefuik slides the ball forward to Buckley just inside the box. He’s trying to hold off 2 defenders but he loses possession and goes down and looks for a penalty. He should have released the ball to a teammate. He’s booked for diving! That’s his 8th!

34 Rothwell intercepts in the City half and he’s off. Giles goes with him and Rothwell slips it to him on the left side of the box. He fires in a decent shot but it’s a fairly narrow angle and Fisher saves at his near post.

37 Good persistent play deep in the Swansea half by Nyambe and he draws the foul. Rothwell and Giles stand over the ball but Giles curls it into the box where a defender clears 2 yards from the line near the far post. No Rovers players are near enough to challenge though. I like the look of the lad so far.

44 Rothwell gives the ball away dangerously, deep in our half, but fortunately the Swansea man’s through ball isn’t good enough and it goes for a goal kick.

45 Travis picks up the ball on halfway and slides the ball through for Hedges to run on into the box. His shot runs harmlessly across the face of goal. A good run but the end was a bit disappointing.

46 A nice ball inside from Lenihan to Buckley but he miscontrols and loses the ball.

 

46 Giles arcs another teasing ball, from the left wing, into the 6 yard box but Hedges can’t get near it.

47 Wharton puts a nice ball through for Buckley to chase but he’s offside.

49 Nice wing work from Swansea stretches our defence; Lenihan and Travis are beaten and it’s dangerous. Cabango 30 yards out and central slips it to the edge of the box where Obafemi touches it perfectly to the feet of Piroe who only has Kaminski to beat. That is until a sensational, goal-saving challenge comes in from Lenihan near the penalty spot. Kaminski collects.

51 Wharton wins the ball in the centre-circle and Rothwell drives it on into the box but there’s too many defenders and his shot is blocked out for a corner. Rothwell’s cross leads to a foul on the keeper.

52 Lenihan rushes in to head clear and Manning catches him with a high boot. It’s his second yellow and he’s off. Lenihan is holding his head but the contact was on the forearm and chest area!

56 Another decent Giles cross. We need a big lad in there! The Swansea fans are giving Lenihan the bird.

58 A poor Rothwell pass goes straight out for a goal-kick.

59 Diaz and Khadra on, Zeefuik and Hedges off.

61 Van Hecke slides a lovely ball into the box for Nyambe to chase and we win a corner. Rothwell takes it and Swansea head away to Travis running into the edge of the D. He hits it first time but it’s just wide by a yard or so. 67 games since Travis last scored apparently.

64 We’re struggling to break down a packed 10 man defence. No counter-attacking today!

65 That’s another juicy cross from Giles and it has the defender turning the ball out for a corner. All 3 centre-backs are up for it. It’s a bit disappointing from Giles this time as it fails to go past the near post.

67 We’re devoid of ideas around the box. So van Hecke thinks he’ll have a go himself. He pushes the ball forward and takes a shot from 20 yards but it’s high and wide!

68 Nyambe off, Rankin Costello on. Oh! He passes a secret note to his captain. “Please score” maybe?

69 It must have been more complicated than that because Darragh is reading it again!

74 It’s slow, tedious, approach play from Rovers until Giles wins a corner. It comes to nothing though.

77 We’ve got too many players crowding together on the wings. Here we’ve got 4 players stood where the ball has just gone out for a throw! Now Buckley doesn’t seem to know what to do as he receives a throw in the Swansea half and allows himself to be dispossessed before he can make up his mind.

78 Another tempting ball into the box by Giles is brought down nicely by JRC and he tries to put it back across goal but a defender blocks and it bounces up on to his arm. Rovers claim a penalty but it would have been harsh. Giles wins another corner. Khadra whips in a wicked cross under the crossbar and Fisher punches away but he gets the foul anyway. On the replay it’s a really dumb, blatant push by JRC on the keeper. What a waste!

81 By the way, Diaz has done nothing so far!

84 Travis is beaten by Wolf on their right wing and it looks dangerous but Wharton steps in with a robust challenge to put an end to it.

85 Giles is 18 yards out to the left of the box and he curves a delicious ball behind every defender and in front of the keeper. JRC can’t reach it but Lenihan is there, only 4 yards out and he blazes it over the bar. Big miss, Darragh buries his head in the turf!

86 Good grief! Giles bends in another cross, not quite as delicious as the last one but van Hecke gets up and loops a header towards goal and Fisher tips it over. Giles takes and it’s out for another corner. This time he takes it short to Diaz who loops in a cross. Wharton just manages to get his head on it at the far post and Travis does well to shepherd the ball back to Wharton. He rolls it perfectly to the feet of Lenihan on the penalty spot and his side-footed shot is a foot over the bar. Where is a forward when you need one?

89 Paterson fires a long ball forward and Kaminski, well out of his goal, has to fling himself sideways to head the ball clear!

90 Another cross from Giles finds Wharton, central and 10 yards out. He’s on target with his header but it’s too close to Fisher who gathers. 

91 Buckley tries a shot from outside the box and it’s deflected for yet another corner. It fizzles out.

94 Another Rovers corner. Kaminski comes up for it. It’s pointlessly short to Khadra who crosses from the corner flag anyway. It bobbles about in the 6 yard box but eventually comes to nothing.

The final whistle goes and the slide continues. 

One thing Tony’s got to do immediately in training………ensure we work on how to get the best out of Giles’s deliveries. It’s been many a long while since we’ve had anybody who can cross like that. Lenihan could have given him a hat-trick of assists but we needed some proper forwards on the end of them!

Just to note: the subs, in combination, contributed less than nothing!

I have said this on other rovers sites a few times, we need a decent winger to supply the ammo for Diaz and Gallagher Giles looks like a decent prospect. I agree with your practice things on the training pitch theory. Get things right and it's a new dimension for our strikers. It won't just be rovers who find things tough against teams like Swansea, they have improved and need the points.We should have got something out of the game if we had our scoring boots on. Another team on form Wednesday Forest, win this one and were back on track.

11 hours ago, Mercer said:

Nicko is a character.

I think he's old school and part of the 'run it up a flag pole and see who salutes' brigade.

Actually, very good company and an entertaining guy.

Ashley Phillips is a tremendous prospect, arguably the best Rovers have EVER had coming through.

At 16 he's remarkable, and if the likes of Juve, Barca, Real, Bayern. City, Chelsea, Liverpool weren't keeping tabs on him then I'd sack their feckin scouting departments.  

Ash my well be the nearest thing to Duncan Edwards we've ever seen.

I have heard rave reviews about Philips from other supporters and local newspapers. Pele was 16 when he made his debut, I am not comparing him to Pele at the moment, it's a big step up from under 23s to first team, but talented players deserve a chance.Let's hope Rovers can get back that winning mentality, they have had a bit of a wobble since the new year came along.We need to keep a gap between Rovers and 7th place in the Championship. Personally I think they will come good with the new talent in a game or two.

1 hour ago, Darrenbot said:

After the atmosphere and performance from today i'm hoping Forest struggle to get up for the league game on Wed,hopefully its an after the Lord mayors show game for them.Get BBD in from the start and get Giles to ping the crosses at him and it'll be 2-0 to us.

I would treat them with respect, forest are one of the improving teams in the championship. Rovers need turn up Wednesday.

On 01/01/2022 at 13:27, Mattyblue said:

Do you know another thing that’s been great about this season… a load of different chants, but hardly any of them are now banging on about this lot, which makes a bloody welcome change!

We were becoming as small time as they were when they spent years obsessed with us…
 

I agree the we hate Burnley b----rds chants are becoming very boring, let's go forward with new chants for Rovers promotion push, and not dwell in the 70s and 80s when these chants on the terraces were first heard. Come on you Rovers.

.

On 29/01/2022 at 18:56, 1864roverite said:

Lost all respect for him sadly

It's comments like this that can derail promotion challenges, he's staying and is an important part of Blackburn Rovers.

On 28/01/2022 at 14:47, rigger said:

Show your true love how much they mean to you. Get to the Hawthorns on the 14th.

Let's hope it's not a valantines day massacre with there new manager Steve Bruce.

On 03/02/2020 at 10:59, sympatheticclaret said:

   My Dad is going through a similar thing, albeit in his early eighties, and it's so sad to see ... Tony should be so proud of his daughter !

  Watching things like this puts all the " silliness " around local rivalries in it's true perspective. All Clubs have their legends and favorite sons, and Tony Parkes truly is one of Blackburn Rover's finest. The " Up the Clarets " board has a post about Tony this morning, and there's much best wishes and sympathy being expressed, to which I should like to add my own.

 Good luck, fella ! 

   

I am always saying this to rovers supporters, let's concentrate on our own club and matches and put local rivalry behind us. Let's face it some of the abusive chants go way back to the 70s and 80s. I wish your dad well and thanks for the Tony Parkes comments. It shows not all rovers and burnley supporters go to chant abuse at each other.

On 03/02/2020 at 07:46, oldjamfan1 said:

Really sorry to hear this. It’s a cruel and devastating disease that many families will have direct experience of.

Thoughts are with Tony and his family. The word legend is bandied about a bit too much these days but who would deny that Tony Parkes is “Mr Blackburn Rovers”?

 

My first trip to watch rovers were the Parkes Garner days, solid defender and he also took over as caretaker manager when rovers needed him. I wish him all the best.

6 hours ago, roversfan99 said:

Has to be the team, fitness permitting.

Giles has to start, Zeefuik looked uncomfortable on his wrong side at Luton. Rothwell needs to come back in.

The questions perhaps come up front. Khadra had a hamstring injury, if there is any risk then it makes no sense for him to play, Hedges should then start.

Brereton is obviously the key, I wish he wasn't playing for Chile tonight. I also wonder if Gallagher will be ok, last time he was coughing up blood he came back almost instantly. 

I would play them all at some stage, the latest signings need a game or two to prove themselves. I can't wait for the forest game to see them in action. I can't afford away matches.

14 hours ago, darrenrover said:

Swansea away, 5.30pm kick off (thanks to Sky) but it's imperative that there are as many Rovers fans at Vetch Field (or what ever the fuck it's called these days?!) on Saturday.

February is one hell of a tough month and we all need to galvanise as one and get behind this brave bunch of young lads in the cause of the both the red rose, BRFC and do our utmost to see us back where we belong....Bournemouth, QPR, who the fuck are ya?!

I'll be in Swansea with my pals as normal, (another long day) I really hope that a couple of thousand of you at least, join us in South Wales.....

COYB!!!

WE ARE The Rovers!!!

 

I wouldn't mock Bournemouth or Q.P.R serious promotion contenders,

14 hours ago, darrenrover said:

Swansea away, 5.30pm kick off (thanks to Sky) but it's imperative that there are as many Rovers fans at Vetch Field (or what ever the fuck it's called these days?!) on Saturday.

February is one hell of a tough month and we all need to galvanise as one and get behind this brave bunch of young lads in the cause of the both the red rose, BRFC and do our utmost to see us back where we belong....Bournemouth, QPR, who the fuck are ya?!

I'll be in Swansea with my pals as normal, (another long day) I really hope that a couple of thousand of you at least, join us in South Wales.....

COYB!!!

WE ARE The Rovers!!!

 

Swansea play at the Liberty stadium these days.