The Rovers Return

Benni McCarthy looks set for West Ham

EDIT: BENNI MCCARTHY HAS NOW APPARENTLY AGREED PERSONAL TERMS WITH WEST HAM

It’s been an extremely quiet transfer window so far. Not just at Rovers, but across the Premier League as a whole.

But a few snippets of speculation have emerged recently as the window enters its final week.

It was always expected to be pretty movement-free, particularly at Ewood, where no secret’s been made of the fact that funds are tight and Big Sam has to sell before he can even think about buying.

The only deals that have gone through are those of youth players Andy Haworth (Rochdale) and Marcus Marshall and Gavin Gunning (Rotherham) who have all gone out on loan.

Rovers have been linked quite regularly with Eidur Gudjohnsen and  Valdiray Basturk (Daily Mail) throughout the window. But no move is likely unless certain players leave the club.

McCarthy is being linked with a move to West Ham as new owners Gold and Sullivan look to strengthen the Hammers’ squad. Alan Nixon wrote in The Mirror that he may have to go on loan until his contract with Rovers finishes in 18 months as his recent lack of international caps means he would not get a new work permit. Read more »

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McCarthy celebrates giving Rovers the lead at Wigan.

It’s not been a festive period full of cheer for the Rovers faithful. More a dreaded sense of uncertainty as Rovers bumbled their way through a month that should have been so much more successful.

2-0 defeat at home against Spurs – a game I was 40 minutes late for due to the previous nights festivities in Scunthorpe – was a game we didn’t deserve to lose. Spurs did what we can’t do and took their chances.

Wigan away on Boxing Day was a lot of fun until the match. I went on the coach with the Darwen Blues from the Craven Heifer – cheers guys – and, full of beer and festive cheer, watched a drab encounter between two poor sides.

We should have won, but our inability to convert chances into goals cost us dear as we left the DW Stadium with just a point.

I couldn’t get to the Sunderland match as I was stuck at work, and I haven’t seen the highlights, but from the radio commentary I listened to we should have won this one as well. An awful first half, from both sides it would appear, followed by a half of yet more missed Rovers chances while Sunderland took theirs. Luckily, we were able to take two of our chances to avoid a second consecutive home defeat. Read more »

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Benni McCarthy scores against Bolton at Ewood in January.

As we continue to run, as fast as we can, from the perilous month that was October, tomorrow’s televised derby at Bolton is absolutely huge.

As well as local bragging rights, this match represents a real opportunity for us to take massive strides towards a safe position in the league.

Three points will see us rise from 15th (we’ve dropped a place today by not playing) to 11th, level on points with Stoke, who we see at Ewood next weekend.

On the flip side, a win for Bolton would see them move above us by a point, Rovers dropping to 16th in the table, just two points above the relegation zone – but let’s not think about that!

The form book reflects very favourably on us. Unbeaten in five against the Wanderers, and unbeaten since the last eight visits to the Breezeblock… Read more »

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Jason Roberts slots home Rovers' third.

Credit where it’s due. I, along with a large majority of Rovers fans, was having a right go at Sam Allardyce while huddling for warmth at half time at Ewood on Saturday.

One up front and 1-0 down while playing absolutely terribly, things were looking bleak.

Then Big Sam made one of the most attacking tactical changes he’s probably ever made. Removing the very much below par Pedersen and Diouf and throwing on Jason Roberts and Benni McCarthy proved to be a master stroke as Rovers dominated the second half having been extremely poor in the first.

Jason Roberts has come in for plenty of stick this season and he answered his critics in the best possible way. Yes, they were easy finishes, but he got himself into the right positions to give Rovers the equaliser and then sealed the win with the third after a wonderful link up with Benni. Read more »

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Benni McCarthy could be heading for the exit.

I like Benni McCarthy, but I do think he’s past his best. Unfortunately, when Franco Di Santo leaves, he’s about the best we’ve got, unless Nikola Kalinic turns out to be any good…

In spite of this, it appears Big Sam doesn’t rate him and will allow him to leave in January, that’s if anyone will stump up the £3.5m we want for him!

I don’t mind him going. He deserves first team football and he’s not looking likely to get that at Ewood. However, I don’t him to end up at Burnley, Bolton or Wigan.

As long as he disappears to a side that doesn’t have any local rivalry with Rovers, I’ll be satisfied. Hopefully Sam will be able to use the cash to bring in some sort of replacement, which we will definitely need if Di Santo does go back to Chelsea.

In other. slightly more distressing news. As Aston Villa continue to prove they aren’t actually that great yet, they threw away another game in the dying moments, losing 2-1 to West Ham at Upton Park.

That result sees The Irons climb out of the relegation zone and above us in the table, pushing us down to 18th!

This adds to the importance of Pompey on Saturday. Three points are desperately needed!

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Michel Salgado celebrates his first goal for Rovers.

Headline copyright Richard Boardman (2009)

Rovers showed their class by brushing aside Championship strugglers Peterborough to avoid any cup embarrassment and progress through to the League Cup quarter finals.

Despite having players quarantined because of the swine flu illness that swept through the side, goals from Pedersen, Reid, Salgado, McCarthy and Kalinic ensured an entertaining cup tie ended in success for Rovers.

It’s great to see all of those names on the scoresheet.

Pedersen finally reminding us what he’s capable of from a dead ball situation. Reidy grabbing himself one, despite it being a penalty, after all that has been said in the press recently. Salgado has been far from impressive so far, but his goal that restored Rovers lead after we’d been pegged back twice was a lovely finish from a tight angle. Benni hasn’t featured much this season but his goal showed he’s still got the finishing touch. While £6-million future of Croatian football Nikola Kalinic finally got on the scoresheet (yes, another penalty) which should work wonders for his confidence!

It was also good to throw all those smug comments from Fergie Jnr well-and-truly back in his face.

On top of that, Sam was able to run the rule over a number of fringe players, whether he wanted to or not. Jason Brown, Michel Salgado, Phil Jones, Martin Olsson, Junior Hoilett, Brett Emerton, Steven Reid, Benni McCarthy and Nikola Kalinic all started the game. Read more »

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Benni McCarthy could return.

Rovers travel to Everton needing an away win against a side that has struggled so far this season.

Only one win on the board for the Toffees means David Moyes’ side will be going all out for victory against a Rovers team that is seen to be struggling, purely based on results, and not performances.

This could give us a bit of an advantage. A home game against us is ideal for Everton. A game they really should win, is what they will be saying, but we could give them a surprise.

The omens are alright for Rovers. Even Paul Ince managed a win at Goodison, a 3-2 victory on the opening day last season, capped by a last minute winner from Andre Ooijer. We want a defender’s influence today, and if Lars Jacobsen can continue his superb start to life at Rovers, then a goal against the club that let us have him would be the cherry on the cake!

I’m not sure when the last time I was able to say this was, but Rovers are at full strength! Unbelieveable. With Benni and N’Zonzi back from injury, Big Sam has a full strength squad to choose from. It will be interesting to see if he sticks with one up front…

Sam’s recently come out and said that he wants to ditch the scrappy long ball style that teams under his management become accustomed to, I wait to see if that’s true, but we do have the players capable of playing attractive football.

Looking at Everton and Phil Neville’s missing, while Lucas ‘One Greedy Bastard’ Neill is unlikely to figure. Good. Read more »

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What a fantastic performance!

To a man, everybody at Ewood Park can take some credit for today’s vital win over Wigan.

In defence, Paul Robinson was unbeatable. An absolute wall in the Rovers goal. I saw some stupid article, probably written by some twat from America who’s never actually witnessed a real football match, which ranked Robbo as the third worst signing this season, he has surely answered any critics today, and with the England goalkeeping situation as it is he’s surely worth a chance, isn’t he? Very unlucky not to get Sky Sports’ man of the match in my opinion, although McCarthy did play well!

The rest of the defence was very solid. Givet and Nelsen never lost anything, Ooijer and Warnock at full back as reliable as ever. Special mention must go to Nelsen for scoring the best goal I have ever seen… What a time to score your first goal for the club! Read more »

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Tomorrow’s game against Wigan is massive.

Results today have gone our way and the onus is now on ourselves to go out and win tomorrow, a result which I reckon would all but guarantee our safety.

West Brom’s 3-0 win over Sunderland gives them a glimmer of hope, but I can’t see them making up the remaining six points between us, what that win does do is drag Sunderland right back into the mire.

Hull were beaten 3-1 at home by Liverpool meaning we move above them on goal difference without even playing.

There’s still a three point gap between us and Middlesbrough (in 18th) which I don’t foresee being reduced with Gareth Southgate’s side taking on Arsenal tomorrow.

If that does happen, a win over the Latics would move us six points clear of relegation with only four games left to play!

Newcastle take on Portsmouth on Monday and that game is a crucial one, a Newcastle defeat would be a massive blow to their survival hopes, Portsmouth, I feel, are just about out of it. Read more »

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Yes, Liverpool were awesome yesterday, but there wasn’t enough fight in our boys to satisfy me.

As I said in my previous post, I wasn’t expecting anything in terms of a result, but when we just turn up and allow ourselves to get pasted like that it really annoys me.

Samba up front was the best player for us, although as he was on his own it was impossible for him to do anything. I have no idea what Benni McCarthy has done but Sam seems to have fallen out with him.

If it was up to me yesterday, the South African would have been introduced at half time to replace a midfielder (preferably Treacy with Dunn pushing out to the left hand side) to give us a chance of scoring, which would have put some pressure on the home side.

Outside of Rovers I got the impression yesterday we were never supposed to surprise our hosts and take anything. Indeed, if we had, we’d have spoiled their Hillsborough memorial.

This may sound harsh but the Scousers do like to revel in everybody’s sympathy when it comes to this time of year, and if we came in and nicked a result it would have been what nobody wanted on the 20th anniversary of the disaster. Read more »

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