| Blackburn Reflection 17:41 - Feb 14 with 17524 views | bluenwhite10 |
A really bad performance against a really poor side.
Started well and played some lovely football for the 1st 10-15 mins, maybe overplayed a bit for the perfect goal, but unfortunately it is a 90mins games and the rest was poor.
All the goals came from mistakes and poor goals to let in.
Saito, Dunne, very poor, with Bennie looking maybe unfairly out of his depth, but the injury crisis dictates the options and the line up and the changes as the bench looked weak today.
Ending up with a midfield 4 of Vale, Smyth, Morgan, Saito is not going to win you games but it is what it is.
Surprised Stephen did not change it earlier, by bringing in Kolli earlier and go for 2 up to top.
Smyth needs to stop giving away cheap fouls.
Another strange one today was against Coventry when they had a corner we kept 3 up, but when we went 3-1 down we brought everybody back which baffled me a bit
In summary poor performance and a missed opportunity to push for the play offs against a really poor side.
Hope Madsen injury is not serious as that will be a massive miss as most good things go through him.
MOM …can’t honestly pick one.
Up the R’s |  | | |  |
| Blackburn Reflection on 15:48 - Feb 15 with 1982 views | corse |
gaps gaps and more gaps. good defenders and manager usually do notice if they are playing too wide and tighten up. especially if you are caught once. but these two clowns dunne and cook were caught not once not twice but three times. cook has had one excellent game this season couple of good ones and the rest have been below average. same goes for dunne.
there is a reason why we are conceding so much goals this season and the reason is cook and dunne. if we are going for the play offs next season it wont happen with these two but replacing them both with better ones in the summer. where does the money come from is a mystery to me. |  | | |
| Blackburn Reflection on 15:51 - Feb 15 with 1977 views | KensalT |
| Blackburn Reflection on 15:15 - Feb 15 by 1JD |
Competent is an interesting word. 6/10 hold up yes. But no more and no less. It’s why Dykes is not here any longer because competent hold up doesn’t cut it. Losing the ball 5 out of 10 or 6 out of 10 - which both Dykes and Kone do - is a big difference from 8/9-10 like Gallen and Furlong. Helguson another one excellent at it.
That is what this team badly needs and has been crying out for for years now. Most teams play one up top, so it’s not an excuse to require a striking partner to help you hold onto it.
Would be interested to see how many clubs think 6 goals in 30 league games (1 goal in 5 games) is of interest, given other weaknesses in his game. Not sure there would be many takers above what we paid for him. |
Both Furlong and Helguson made very ropey starts for us and took a while to settle.
And all three players you mention were a lot older and more experienced than Kone is now and Dykes was when he played for us.
What I would say about Dykes is he's not a natural footballer.
But Dykes is a very athletic Australian. Apparently we're very big on them now - make of that what you will. | | | |
| Blackburn Reflection on 15:51 - Feb 15 with 1976 views | Pindarus |
Dunne was so statuesque I thought he was posing for Rodin.
Edwards and JCS in central defence next match? | | | |
| Blackburn Reflection on 16:00 - Feb 15 with 1925 views | dmm |
| Blackburn Reflection on 15:02 - Feb 15 by daveB |
The money we got for Kelman basically paid for Kone |
Yes, and I think you could say most of Poku's fee as well.
I have it that the Kelman deal was £3.5m plus £1.5m add ons. Poku cost £900k and Kone was £2.75m plus £2.25m add-ons. The add ons would not be paid up front. |  | | |
| Blackburn Reflection on 16:28 - Feb 15 with 1776 views | Wilkinswatercarrier |
| Blackburn Reflection on 14:44 - Feb 15 by KensalT |
Dunne and Cook have been getting a lot of praise for the recent clean sheets. I can see why we stuck with that but after Saturday I expect Ronnie will either get his chance at CB or be moved into midfield. |
We're at home against a struggling Blackburn, surely it was the game to put Ronnie to CB and get Mbengue back in at RB to support Bennie?
JS seems to be going full negative Marti mode. At least put out your best players. | |
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| Blackburn Reflection on 17:36 - Feb 15 with 1627 views | Ned_Kennedys |
| Blackburn Reflection on 14:58 - Feb 15 by Logman |
Kolli has to play. Even if he doesn't have the power of say, Kone, or the speed of Saito. The technical quality between the front four yesterday was very low for a front four - balls bouncing off their shins, mis-placed passes, not getting heads up. Even if he doesn't have the pace of a winger or the power of a number nine, you need a player up there who can control the ball and make a telling pass. Kolli has to play. |
But Kolli was pretty dreadful when he came on. Certainly wouldn’t start him instead of Kone and he’s shown nothing to suggest he’d do anything on either wing. So you’d have to play him as part of a two up front. Think the new guy will start ahead of him when fit as well. |  | | |
| Blackburn Reflection on 17:59 - Feb 15 with 1565 views | corse |
Not that impressed about Kolli that he should start. Kone is far far better than him. | | | |
| Blackburn Reflection on 18:00 - Feb 15 with 1566 views | francisbowles |
| Blackburn Reflection on 16:28 - Feb 15 by Wilkinswatercarrier |
We're at home against a struggling Blackburn, surely it was the game to put Ronnie to CB and get Mbengue back in at RB to support Bennie?
JS seems to be going full negative Marti mode. At least put out your best players. |
That should have been at change at HT, at 1-2 before it got worse. | | | |
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| Blackburn Reflection on 18:16 - Feb 15 with 1523 views | Northernr |
| Blackburn Reflection on 18:00 - Feb 15 by francisbowles |
That should have been at change at HT, at 1-2 before it got worse. |
Yeh, I remember early in the season we were losing 1-0 at Sheff Wed and we were fcking awful. Stephan made three changes at half time, we came back and got a point, and should have won. That was a huge positive for me. A proactive manager willing to make a big change, early, when necessary.
He's got steadily more cautious and reserved since. While complaining about the schedule and the fatigue and injuries, he's frequently not used his whole bench, and often used it only very late in games.
Watching those three subs yesterday stripped and ready to go for a good ten minutes on the side, while the game drifted away, oh no just wait for this, actually no you sit down, actually maybe we'll bring him off instead, wait another minute they;ve got a free kick, not yet let's just see what's happening here... intensely frustrating. It was obvious we were in the sht, it was obvious it wasn't working, and we basically pissed away 45-70 mins thinking about what we might do about that. |  | | |
| Blackburn Reflection on 19:03 - Feb 15 with 1385 views | rbee |
I don't know if you read the match thread Clive but you will find plenty of frustration on there! I wasn't bothered about the subs waiting to come on for so long because the game was already lost.
We got a couple warnings before their second goal. At half time most of us knew that changes were needed but we also knew that Julien was highly unlikely to do anything. No surprise that they got a third after five minutes of the second half.
Make those substitutions at half time and we might, might, have got something out of the game. The injuries to Kone and Madsen would not happen.
I am still leaning towards us losing the game rather than Blackburn winning it. Julien is doing himself no favours, making changes too late when we are on the back foot and his lack of decisiveness is there for everyone to see. |  | | |
| Blackburn Reflection on 19:16 - Feb 15 with 1342 views | BklynRanger |
I'm always in agreement with the delayed subs issue but I think the first delay was are we replacing Kone or getting him help, and the second was can Madsen continue. |  | | |
| Blackburn Reflection on 19:31 - Feb 15 with 1300 views | BrianMcCarthy |
| Blackburn Reflection on 19:16 - Feb 15 by BklynRanger |
I'm always in agreement with the delayed subs issue but I think the first delay was are we replacing Kone or getting him help, and the second was can Madsen continue. |
100% agree, Bklyn, and I posted as much this morning (or last night, who knows, I'm on Lemsip No. 9 and lovin' it Baby!).
And maybe, just maybe, confidence is lower now than earlier in the season so hauling players off at half-time might affect their confidence and their future performances.
Also, we just don't have as many options on the bench as we did earlier in the season.
They're all getting sunburned under the pitch lamps.
But Clive also has a point.
Who's Clive?
Which Clive?
Where's Clive?
Are those my feet? |  |
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| Blackburn Reflection on 19:34 - Feb 15 with 1298 views | davman |
| Blackburn Reflection on 18:16 - Feb 15 by Northernr |
Yeh, I remember early in the season we were losing 1-0 at Sheff Wed and we were fcking awful. Stephan made three changes at half time, we came back and got a point, and should have won. That was a huge positive for me. A proactive manager willing to make a big change, early, when necessary.
He's got steadily more cautious and reserved since. While complaining about the schedule and the fatigue and injuries, he's frequently not used his whole bench, and often used it only very late in games.
Watching those three subs yesterday stripped and ready to go for a good ten minutes on the side, while the game drifted away, oh no just wait for this, actually no you sit down, actually maybe we'll bring him off instead, wait another minute they;ve got a free kick, not yet let's just see what's happening here... intensely frustrating. It was obvious we were in the sht, it was obvious it wasn't working, and we basically pissed away 45-70 mins thinking about what we might do about that. |
Could also to be with the fact that earlier in the season he had some players on the bench that he could rely on unlike yesterday - Smyth, M'Bengue (who I am SURE Stephan is quite rightly cautious about). kids (who I wouldn't trust) and JCS - absolutely 'kin hilarious that they felt the need to put him on the bench. There was more likelihood of me getting on the pitch than him with Cook, Dunne, Edwards and M'Bengue as options.
I am genuinely shocked about people's opinion of Kolli on here. Maybe one good game and a few good cameos turning round abject performances (eg: Sheff W (h)) - agree that there is something there, but he needs to be showing Bolton, Orient or Wycombe that before being a regular in our first team.
We really are ballsing our development up - a path to the first team is one thing, but there is no shame in that path involving half a season or a full season loan getting REGULAR football somewhere else. The problem is we have a ridiculously light squad with most of them out long term, so the kids HAVE to stay and HAVE to play.
Whatever way you dress it up, since Xmas our bench has been really telling.
The ONLY person who thinks our kids are up to much is Nourry; Stephan doesn't appear to rate them... |  |
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| Blackburn Reflection on 19:39 - Feb 15 with 1278 views | jtuck |
Except Bennie for Smyth, think there were no surprises in line-up. Dunne and Cook are not 'clowns' as said earlier in this thread. They have been two of our best players in recent weeks but they were caught out badly here and reason looks more tactical than anything else with Blackburn pressing high and playing with spirit.
Blackburn were no Oxford or even Charlton and will now survive quite easily. Loved Warburton and his dismissal is sliding doors moment in recent Rangers history but worry we are in 'no Plan B ever' territory. 3 in midfield is not heresy you will get burned at the stake for and if you do not rate Sam Field as is the case with Stephan and Twitterati, you don't understand Championship football fully yet.
While we're at it, people should be sticking up for Mbengue. He makes us better on the field. I like him as a player not because he is a nutter but despite that. He is a f-ing good footballer who, um, has some 'judgement' issues. He races forward. Don't get me wrong, he did cost us Wrexham game. But Saito cost us Blackburn game with his first half hero turned villain act. | |
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| Blackburn Reflection on 19:52 - Feb 15 with 1228 views | Logman |
| Blackburn Reflection on 17:36 - Feb 15 by Ned_Kennedys |
But Kolli was pretty dreadful when he came on. Certainly wouldn’t start him instead of Kone and he’s shown nothing to suggest he’d do anything on either wing. So you’d have to play him as part of a two up front. Think the new guy will start ahead of him when fit as well. |
I disagree. His first touch was imminently better than Saito's, Bennie's and Smyth's and his footballing brain is better than any those of those three and Kone's. I thought he played better than all the aforementioned when he came on and should have started. In fact, I'd basically put him in the Chair role in the starting line up, be that centrally or on the left. [Post edited 15 Feb 19:53]
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| Blackburn Reflection on 19:52 - Feb 15 with 1230 views | Harbour |
Given the injury situation letting Field go looks like a mistake.i might be in the minority but I thought he was better than Hayden and Morgan. He was reliable not injured and provided some much needed steel in the middle. Hopefully we will get a few back in March but no guarantees. We are really missing Chair . | | | |
| Blackburn Reflection on 20:21 - Feb 15 with 1141 views | mart_Goblin |
| Blackburn Reflection on 19:52 - Feb 15 by Harbour |
Given the injury situation letting Field go looks like a mistake.i might be in the minority but I thought he was better than Hayden and Morgan. He was reliable not injured and provided some much needed steel in the middle. Hopefully we will get a few back in March but no guarantees. We are really missing Chair . |
Well, seeing him on social media being pushed forward by the rest of the Norwich squad to do the fist pump nonsense , really makes it feel like we’ve yet again dropped a b*llock.
They love him there .
So what’s happened here ? |  | | |
| Blackburn Reflection on 20:25 - Feb 15 with 1132 views | loftboy |
| Blackburn Reflection on 13:58 - Feb 15 by Northernr |
Seconded. |
Just downvoted that when I meant to upvote |  |
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| Blackburn Reflection on 20:36 - Feb 15 with 1094 views | BrianMcCarthy |
| Blackburn Reflection on 19:39 - Feb 15 by jtuck |
Except Bennie for Smyth, think there were no surprises in line-up. Dunne and Cook are not 'clowns' as said earlier in this thread. They have been two of our best players in recent weeks but they were caught out badly here and reason looks more tactical than anything else with Blackburn pressing high and playing with spirit.
Blackburn were no Oxford or even Charlton and will now survive quite easily. Loved Warburton and his dismissal is sliding doors moment in recent Rangers history but worry we are in 'no Plan B ever' territory. 3 in midfield is not heresy you will get burned at the stake for and if you do not rate Sam Field as is the case with Stephan and Twitterati, you don't understand Championship football fully yet.
While we're at it, people should be sticking up for Mbengue. He makes us better on the field. I like him as a player not because he is a nutter but despite that. He is a f-ing good footballer who, um, has some 'judgement' issues. He races forward. Don't get me wrong, he did cost us Wrexham game. But Saito cost us Blackburn game with his first half hero turned villain act. |
Cracking post, jtuck, especially on Mbengue.
Agree on all points.
Mbengue's discipline had improved massively before the regression against Wrexham, and even then I think we should have closed the game out. He put us in jeopardy, which the management and team should address with him, but they should also know that his sending-off was no excuse for some of the poor play that followed. [Post edited 15 Feb 20:43]
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| Blackburn Reflection on 21:06 - Feb 15 with 989 views | Paddyhoops |
Dunne and Cook were poor yesterday but they’ve been outstanding for weeks and we would have lost a lot more games especially away from home if we’re not for them .
They’re entitled to the odd bad game. | | | |
| Blackburn Reflection on 21:06 - Feb 15 with 989 views | Ned_Kennedys |
| Blackburn Reflection on 19:52 - Feb 15 by Logman |
I disagree. His first touch was imminently better than Saito's, Bennie's and Smyth's and his footballing brain is better than any those of those three and Kone's. I thought he played better than all the aforementioned when he came on and should have started. In fact, I'd basically put him in the Chair role in the starting line up, be that centrally or on the left. [Post edited 15 Feb 19:53]
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Come on: he gave the ball away a number of times and was no better than any of the other ‘attacking’ players. The lad can finish so if he plays it has to be up front: shoehorning another player out of position into the team is the last thing we need.
Also he is literally the only other forward in the building until we get Burrell etc fit so he needs to cover for Kone. | | | |
| Blackburn Reflection on 21:41 - Feb 15 with 889 views | stainrods_elbow |
| Blackburn Reflection on 14:20 - Feb 15 by KensalT |
I agree with you completely about the performance.
But (with respect) I think we would be kidding ourselves if we think we were going to sustain a playoffs push.
To my mind that ship sailed when Burrell (top scorer) joined Chair (top creator) on the long term injured list.
Not to mention all the other injuries we're carrying.
I think the win against Coventry is masking the fact that we are fairly toothless right now.
As Burnleyhoop said on the Blackburn preview thread:
"Whether or where Edwards plays is largely irrelevant for me, it’s who’s leading the line and whether they can hold the ball up and “get us the pitch”. That is our Achilles heel at the moment. 33 clearances by the Dunne/Cook barrier tells you everything. We clear it, it comes straight back."
It's time for the board to take a long hard look at our injury situation and be honest enough to admit that it isn't good enough. |
No, it's time for the board to take one hard look at what's happening (and not happening) on the PITCH, and tell the manager that IT'S not good enough. |  |
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| Blackburn Reflection on 22:21 - Feb 15 with 829 views | Loyalitat |
| Blackburn Reflection on 19:52 - Feb 15 by Harbour |
Given the injury situation letting Field go looks like a mistake.i might be in the minority but I thought he was better than Hayden and Morgan. He was reliable not injured and provided some much needed steel in the middle. Hopefully we will get a few back in March but no guarantees. We are really missing Chair . |
I doubt that you're in the minority.
A very good defensive midfield player at this level has been allowed to go out on loan to further strengthen a side that was already strong in that area. Contrary to many misconceptions, he doesn't look out of place in a team that is far better in possession than we are.
Suspect that he shall continue to reliably play his part in Norwich moving above us by the end of this month or early next. [Post edited 15 Feb 22:34]
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| Blackburn Reflection on 22:43 - Feb 15 with 777 views | Wilkinswatercarrier |
| Blackburn Reflection on 18:16 - Feb 15 by Northernr |
Yeh, I remember early in the season we were losing 1-0 at Sheff Wed and we were fcking awful. Stephan made three changes at half time, we came back and got a point, and should have won. That was a huge positive for me. A proactive manager willing to make a big change, early, when necessary.
He's got steadily more cautious and reserved since. While complaining about the schedule and the fatigue and injuries, he's frequently not used his whole bench, and often used it only very late in games.
Watching those three subs yesterday stripped and ready to go for a good ten minutes on the side, while the game drifted away, oh no just wait for this, actually no you sit down, actually maybe we'll bring him off instead, wait another minute they;ve got a free kick, not yet let's just see what's happening here... intensely frustrating. It was obvious we were in the sht, it was obvious it wasn't working, and we basically pissed away 45-70 mins thinking about what we might do about that. |
Well JS has backed himself into a corner now. All those games gone where he could of brought Morgan & Kolli on to get them more minutes, and rest others have been wasted.
He now needs these two, yet they have barely kicked a ball all season. | |
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| Blackburn Reflection on 03:11 - Feb 16 with 563 views | VancouverHoop |
| Blackburn Reflection on 19:52 - Feb 15 by Harbour |
Given the injury situation letting Field go looks like a mistake.i might be in the minority but I thought he was better than Hayden and Morgan. He was reliable not injured and provided some much needed steel in the middle. Hopefully we will get a few back in March but no guarantees. We are really missing Chair . |
This. Absolutely.
We need two reliable, effective, fit, midfielders who can drive the game. One — Madsen — isn't enough. The two of them will enable both the defence and forwards to do their jobs. Our other midfielders are either too young (Varane, Morgan, Vale) or journeymen at best (Hayden, Field, who's a defender anyway IMHO) [Post edited 16 Feb 3:14]
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