Blackburn Match report

It's really very simple Brian... Just judge players on their performances. You're the biggest culprit of judging players on their fee, nationality, shoe size or whatever other criteria you've decided is important all of a sudden.

Criteria I've decided is important all of a sudden ?...mmm..yeah that's me I guess - random, unfiltered and with a high degree of nonsense content....because I've just remembered Surridge can't be that good otherwise he would have played more games for longer periods ...silly ,silly old me!

Here's me thinking too, that you had been a wee bit quiet of late...:ROFLMAO:...thank God that was a false notion!
 
Criteria I've decided is important all of a sudden ?...mmm..yeah that's me I guess - random, unfiltered and with a high degree of nonsense content....because I've just remembered Surridge can't be that good otherwise he would have played more games for longer periods ...silly ,silly old me!

Here's me thinking too, that you had been a wee bit quiet of late...:ROFLMAO:...thank God that was a false notion!

Surridge did well today, fair play to him. He's not been that great most of the season though and this is one of the few times he's given the manager a decision to make about selecting him. Too often he's not done enough. This team vastly improved when Solanke came back.
 
Surridge did well today, fair play to him. He's not been that great most of the season though and this is one of the few times he's given the manager a decision to make about selecting him. Too often he's not done enough. This team vastly improved when Solanke came back.
Agreed, was very good when he came on. Solanke not at his best today but sometimes I feel as though we don’t get enough bodies close enough to him to get the best out of him.
 
Agreed, was very good when he came on. Solanke not at his best today but sometimes I feel as though we don’t get enough bodies close enough to him to get the best out of him.

Yeah I didn't think it was Solanke's fault that we struggled to get him in the game tbf. It's a tough job when we allow them to become isolated and both Surridge and Solanke have had quiet games when up front on their own. Dom still starts for me but it's good that Surridge came on and did well. It will be a real benefit to the team if Surridge can put some pressure on Dom's place in the side for the run in.
 
Good result, good enough performance to get the win.
Bit like a rugby league match where after 5 passes the possession is given over to the other team.
Solid enough at the back and smith found his forward gear for the first goal.

On to the next must win.
 
The ref may have left his cards in the dressing room in the first half, but there were quick bookings for Lerma and Solanke, and a very soft free-kick for Pearson on Johnson, perhaps he was feeling pressured by the cardboard cut-outs in the stand. We had a step-over corner that Billing skied, but the pressure was mounting, when Carter Vickers performed a brilliant bloke (although Cook was diving in too) in a near replica of the chance Billing had put away. We were playing on the counter, and a sloppy pass from Brooks to Billing when it seemed easier to find the Dane brought groans of frustration. Almost immediately Stacey came on for Brooks although this was probably pre-planned. The game was scrappy, which is always worrying if you are only one-up. Then two pieces of skill had looked to have sealed it. First, a great drag-back turn from Pearson who has chopped down, with the ball running to Danjuma, with the ref either playing a good advantage or continuing not to award AFCB standard free-kicks. The Dutchman nutmegged the defender and coolly slotted it in the corner. 2-0. There were a surprising six minutes added which were more eventful than we would have liked. Smith brought down Gallagher for a clear penalty. Armstrong thumped it down the middle and Begovic diving to his right kicked it out. With his heartbeat racing, Begovic then came disastrously for a freekick approaching the halfway line and was stranded with a flick on, but Cook cleared off the line. We hung on, but the last few minutes were worrying, particularly when rivals were winning. That’s 3 wins on the spin and effectively only 7 teams can make the playoffs. With Barnsley and Reading having tougher games (on paper) than us in the next round, we may break back into the top six next week.



Scores.

Begovic: 7. A mixed display, he had little to do, but saved a penalty, but over-excitement immediately after almost cost us a goal

Kelly: 8. Hardly put a foot wrong all game. I’m still surprised by those that don’t rate him; he is firmly established as our first-choice left back.

Carter-Vickers: 8. One exceptional block and generally had Armstrong in his pocket most of the game

Cook: 8. A no-nonsense performance and a goal-line clearance. The Carter-Vickers / Cook partnership is blossoming at the right time.

Smith: 7. Did well for the first goal, but a rash tackle for the penalty put us under pressure

Pearson: 8. Was quiet in the first half, but the drag-back turn brought a smile to my face and resulted in a goal. Suitably irritated opponents too.

Lerma: 7. Did his job well. Patrolled in front of the back four, and presumably was told not to break forward too often

Billing: 7. Continuing his goal-scoring run, but became a little more anonymous in the second half. It’s credit to him that we didn’t have a better replacement in the ‘10’ role even when he was fading.

Danjuma: 8 (MOTM). A close call between Arnie and Kelly / Carter-Vickers / Cook for the MOTM but the second goal clinched it and it was the type of skill you pay to watch.

Brooks: 5. Was largely missing for a lot of the game, and is still coming up to speed. Needs that extra bit of match fitness to bring back the spark, but the embers flashed a little. The 70 minutes he got into his legs will help

Solanke: 6. A whole-hearted performance from Solanke, but didn’t get a chance all game.

Harsh on Dom. Actually credited with an assist although not sure he knew much about it. The phrase “ whole hearted performance” suggests the kid in the U9’s who runs around a lot but just isn’t very good. We are poorer side without him in the team and much of his work goes unnoticed. The fact he has to plough a lone furrow for much of the game isn’t his fault. There is a reason he starts before both Long and Sam.
 
Harsh on Dom. Actually credited with an assist although not sure he knew much about it. The phrase “ whole hearted performance” suggests the kid in the U9’s who runs around a lot but just isn’t very good. We are poorer side without him in the team and much of his work goes unnoticed. The fact he has to plough a lone furrow for much of the game isn’t his fault. There is a reason he starts before both Long and Sam.
Yes agreed, I think what Sam showed today is that he should be coming on ahead of long
 
Harsh on Dom. Actually credited with an assist although not sure he knew much about it. The phrase “ whole hearted performance” suggests the kid in the U9’s who runs around a lot but just isn’t very good. We are poorer side without him in the team and much of his work goes unnoticed. The fact he has to plough a lone furrow for much of the game isn’t his fault. There is a reason he starts before both Long and Sam.

I'm a big Solanke fan, (see the report re Boro) but I'm trying to not let any prejudices (good and bad) affect my marks. Not much came off for him yesterday and overall, I thought it was one of his less-effective performances for us. The phrase wasn't meant to be derogatory, maybe 'didn't drop his head despite little service' may have been more accurate. I'd start him every game when fit, although have written off my each-way bet on him to be Championship top scorer.

Football is certainly subjective, and if I'd read a report where he got a 7 I wouldn't have thought it was unreasonable. Same with a 6. IMO, a 5 would have been too harsh, given he was isolated and an 8 would have overstated the impact he had.

Nobody should take my scores as definitive! My only 'quality' is that I'm probably unlikely to overreact and to give outlier marks. (4s and 10s). There are certainly more knowledgeable posters on the forum than me.
 

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