If Jordan Rhodes is the savior of Scottish football then gawd help Scotland. T'was involved in the build up to their goal but that was it all game. In Morro and Cort's pockets all afternoon
Excellent tactical plan, 4-5-1 with Hollands sitting deep to occupy the space where Nuno Gomes operates and we nullified their pattern of play, but for one lapse when Nuno Gomes was able to set up Etuhu.
This was a very good team performance both on & off the ball. We dominated in midfield with the extra man in the central areas, had good spells of possession, passed it really well and got at their full backs. Green was MoM and was very unlucky not to score. Kerker wasn't far behind with some good play on the left. Just a shame we couldn't capitalise on some excellent build-up play and get the second goal, because they may have caved in. Robinson made some good saves to keep us out.
Excellent job by the manager & his staff, who must have worked hard on the training ground this week to put this game-plan together.
I came home really surprised, as when I saw the team sheets, I feared a battering. a Green was awesome, and dare I say it I like the way he and Wilson look on the right.
Will be interesting to see the team we put out for Watford (or can put out). I hope Kerkar was no more than a kick in the leg.
Bizarrely the injuries forced a formation on us that just may suit this division. How about the following for Watford:
Hamer Wilson Solly Morrison Cort Green Stephens Razak Hollands Kerkar Fuller
Approx. 1900 Blackburn. Not partying as much as you would think. Rhodes missed a big chance through poor control. Blackburn got lucky a few times but I didn't think the ball crossed the line.
It sounds like we played good, on the ground football. For those who went, do you think it helped not having a big lump up there to hoof it up to?
Possibly. Seemed to be a deliberate policy to find a man, unless in danger. Amazing how Solly can still do this comfortably even with his left foot.
It was really enjoyable and refreshing to watch today. That said, Blackburn did not press too much/battle in the middle as much as Palace. Our Midfield looked cracking today. Final killer pass not quite there though.
It seems fate is helping CP to pick his lineups. Good news that the 5 across midfield seemed to work as I would hope that he employs this more defensive system away from home a bit more. Blackburn were below par, think it was a good time to play them, just sad we couldn't capitalise and take 3 points.
First game of this season for me, it's long way to come!!
I Really enjoyed today. I thought the first 10 minutes was a little sloppy from both teams, no one taking control. We had a couple of half chances, then with Blackburn's first real smart passage of play, we go 1 down. What pleased me was the response, firstly from the crowd, the levels lifted, and the team lifted also. From then on in, for the first half, we played them off the park. Simple sharp football, finding space down both wings to attack their fullbacks. Kerkar and Solly seemed to enjoy themselves, Kerkar likes to take on his man, and Solly was always looking to get his head down and hit the line when he could, they worked well together, with Stephens coming across and the 3 of them playing through B'burns Midfield and fall back. Simple, basic football that produced opportunities time and again.
Green well up for it and does have a lovely foot on him. Wilson, who I've read has taken some stick on here, I thought looked very comfortable and assured. Was hardly troubled, and was willing to get stuck in with the tackles. I can see why CP bought him in. He was a stand out for me.
I've read on here that JJ has been struggling on the left, well, he has found his feet in the middle of the park. A great captains performance, bar missing the penalty, ( wasn't a convincing strike at all) however made amends straight away by grabbing the equaliser. Not shy with the tackles either.
Hollands doesn't seem to make an impression, but that does not mean he doesn't do a great job. He cleans up, lays it off to JJ or dale and they are the impact players, the creators. He played well today as did the whole midfield. Blackburn didnt get a sniff at all, and were closed quickly when in possession. We won a lot of 50/50 balls in the middle of the park due to our commitment.
BWP worked hard and I thought done well with the role he was asked to play, Yann or Ricardo would of been a better option for the lone forward, if they were fit, and I wonder If CP would of gone with that formation if Ricardo wasn't ill. By the way, why would a player, who could not play due to illness go home? It must of been a terrible case of the squirts! But I thought Bradders done well ,and worked hard. Great attempt to win it at the death!!! He deserved a goal today.
Morro is a beast isn't he! Sent one of there boys into orbit with one challenge! He and Cort done the job well, Rhodes got inbetween them twice, and done nothing with it. Morro could do with a touch more composer with clearances, but he makes sure the ball stays away from the goalmouth, and you cant argue with that!
Hamer had sod all to do to be fair, he likes to take his time sometimes with his kicking, but he probably wanted to feel a part of the game, so he hung on to it a touch to long a couple of times!
To a man, we were a team, if that makes sense. We didn't have the premiership class players, but we made Blackburn look awful. And that's what pleased me the most!
Sorry for such a long post, It's not often I get to write in the post match views!!
Blackburn were very disapointing - Quality passing move for their goal but but after that they couldn't string two passes together. We probably deserved to win that by a couple but when you consider our injuries, we have nothing to fear in this league. The stand outs for me were Cort, Green, Wilson and Solly - simply because he has adapted so well to left back. He will always be a better right back but he is very decent on the other side -he is going to be some player.
I'm a bit down now. Before the game a point seemed a good result but we should have won. It doesn't help that pretty much all yesterdays results did us no favours. I think Ricardo was a big loss. I hope the rumours aren't true and that he recovers quickly. Watford will be on a high from winning so Tuesday could be tough. We need that win.
Well there you have it then - proof positive that you just can't tell from behind the goal (and that the ref gave a goal kick)
Not sure Off_it...which, I suppose, says it all...take a look at Robinson's feet. Both well behind the goal-line when he pushes the ball away. The sooner the techies come in, the better!!
A bit of the tippy tappy stuff here and there and a good game in which I think we deserved to have taken all three points. I had expected Blackburn to be better than they were. All the squad seemed to have caught up with the demands of the Championship and were working well together. Especially pleased that Wilson and Kerkar had good games. Now all we need is a new scapegoat ;-)
Just looked again and wonder whether our corner taker walks across the linesman's view just at the wrong time!
Thought we played really well yesterday. Cort is immense, Green is going to get a few goals with those shots and puts some great crosses in. Wilson is definitely benefitting from having a few games under his belt & BWP worked his socks off, won loads of headers but no-one up quick enough to feed off them. So unlucky with the overhead. Oh...and loved Morrison's tackle that put their lad up & over! Getting the hang of this division and looking forward to seeing Razak as well.
Comments
This was a very good team performance both on & off the ball. We dominated in midfield with the extra man in the central areas, had good spells of possession, passed it really well and got at their full backs. Green was MoM and was very unlucky not to score. Kerker wasn't far behind with some good play on the left. Just a shame we couldn't capitalise on some excellent build-up play and get the second goal, because they may have caved in. Robinson made some good saves to keep us out.
Excellent job by the manager & his staff, who must have worked hard on the training ground this week to put this game-plan together.
Will be interesting to see the team we put out for Watford (or can put out). I hope Kerkar was no more than a kick in the leg.
Bizarrely the injuries forced a formation on us that just may suit this division. How about the following for Watford:
Hamer
Wilson
Solly
Morrison
Cort
Green
Stephens
Razak
Hollands
Kerkar
Fuller
Subs: Button, Evina, Dervite, Pritchard, BWP, Waggy, Cook
Rhodes missed a big chance through poor control.
Blackburn got lucky a few times but I didn't think the ball crossed the line.
natural left back would have prevented their goal (not knocking Solly)
we would have won that if Fuller had been playing.
BWP very isloated at times, through no fault of his own.
Hollands was excellent first half.
expect something from Green every time he gets the ball (compliment, he looks dangerous in forward positions)
Kerkar only realised 15 mins from the end that he had the beating of his man.
they did not threaten in the 2nd half at all.
enjoyed the Murphy taunts.
It was really enjoyable and refreshing to watch today. That said, Blackburn did not press too much/battle in the middle as much as Palace. Our Midfield looked cracking today. Final killer pass not quite there though.
Good news that the 5 across midfield seemed to work as I would hope that he employs this more defensive system away from home a bit more.
Blackburn were below par, think it was a good time to play them, just sad we couldn't capitalise and take 3 points.
I Really enjoyed today. I thought the first 10 minutes was a little sloppy from both teams, no one taking control. We had a couple of half chances, then with Blackburn's first real smart passage of play, we go 1 down.
What pleased me was the response, firstly from the crowd, the levels lifted, and the team lifted also. From then on in, for the first half, we played them off the park. Simple sharp football, finding space down both wings to attack their fullbacks.
Kerkar and Solly seemed to enjoy themselves, Kerkar likes to take on his man, and Solly was always looking to get his head down and hit the line when he could, they worked well together, with Stephens coming across and the 3 of them playing through B'burns Midfield and fall back. Simple, basic football that produced opportunities time and again.
Green well up for it and does have a lovely foot on him. Wilson, who I've read has taken some stick on here, I thought looked very comfortable and assured. Was hardly troubled, and was willing to get stuck in with the tackles. I can see why CP bought him in. He was a stand out for me.
I've read on here that JJ has been struggling on the left, well, he has found his feet in the middle of the park. A great captains performance, bar missing the penalty, ( wasn't a convincing strike at all) however made amends straight away by grabbing the equaliser. Not shy with the tackles either.
Hollands doesn't seem to make an impression, but that does not mean he doesn't do a great job. He cleans up, lays it off to JJ or dale and they are the impact players, the creators. He played well today as did the whole midfield. Blackburn didnt get a sniff at all, and were closed quickly when in possession. We won a lot of 50/50 balls in the middle of the park due to our commitment.
BWP worked hard and I thought done well with the role he was asked to play, Yann or Ricardo would of been a better option for the lone forward, if they were fit, and I wonder If CP would of gone with that formation if Ricardo wasn't ill. By the way, why would a player, who could not play due to illness go home? It must of been a terrible case of the squirts! But I thought Bradders done well ,and worked hard. Great attempt to win it at the death!!! He deserved a goal today.
Morro is a beast isn't he! Sent one of there boys into orbit with one challenge! He and Cort done the job well, Rhodes got inbetween them twice, and done nothing with it. Morro could do with a touch more composer with clearances, but he makes sure the ball stays away from the goalmouth, and you cant argue with that!
Hamer had sod all to do to be fair, he likes to take his time sometimes with his kicking, but he probably wanted to feel a part of the game, so he hung on to it a touch to long a couple of times!
To a man, we were a team, if that makes sense. We didn't have the premiership class players, but we made Blackburn look awful. And that's what pleased me the most!
Sorry for such a long post, It's not often I get to write in the post match views!!
More of my views to come tomorrow I just can't believe we didn't get a 2nd goal and win.
And was it over the line?:
It doesn't help that pretty much all yesterdays results did us no favours.
I think Ricardo was a big loss. I hope the rumours aren't true and that he recovers quickly.
Watford will be on a high from winning so Tuesday could be tough.
We need that win.
Thought we played really well yesterday. Cort is immense, Green is going to get a few goals with those shots and puts some great crosses in. Wilson is definitely benefitting from having a few games under his belt & BWP worked his socks off, won loads of headers but no-one up quick enough to feed off them. So unlucky with the overhead. Oh...and loved Morrison's tackle that put their lad up & over! Getting the hang of this division and looking forward to seeing Razak as well.
Thought we played well and was the better team.