The Rovers Return

Obviously, if they’re good enough and their country is participating in the World Cup, they are in South Africa, but what about those that are not?

I recently came across a blog belonging to a certain Norwegian named Morten Gamst Pedersen.

It doesn’t say much at the moment, and looks as though it may be reasonably new, but I’ve stuck it in my links section and hopefully he’ll be blogging throughout the season.

Here is a recent post he’s done about a tour of Northern Norway …

In early May me, Stig and Marchello went on a tour around northern Norway. Stig is from Finnmark, so he was helping me guide our English friend Marchello. Marchello has been in Bodø once before but he has never seen Finnmark. So I was really looking forward to show him where I come from. We started in Vadsø where I come from. Marchello is half English and half Italian, so he is accustomed to slightly warmer temperatures in early May than Vadsø can offer. But he was undaunted by 5 degrees and a bit rain from the east, so we started with a tour of the capital of Finnmark. Marchello owns several restaurants, including my favorite, the San Carlo in Manchester which is the restaurant that I eat in almost every day, so it was exciting to offer him some of the local delicacies. My cousin Jarno had prepared some seagull eggs, whale meat, reindeer meat, seal meat, king crab and smoked salmon. Read more »

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Nelsen in action for NZ against Italy

Over the course of Saturday and Sunday, three of Rovers four World Cup stars were in action. Unfortunately, I hardly saw any of it.

Ghana 1-1 Australia

Brett Emerton played the full 90 minutes as the Aussies put their disappointing 4-0 spanking at the hands of Germany behind them with a solid performance and a good result against Ghana.

A side considered by many to be one of the best African teams at the World Cup, Ghana could have been expected to give Australia a lesson or two, but Australia showed they aren’t at this tournament just to make up the numbers.

They even had the audacity to take the lead, Brett Holman somewhat fortuitously hitting home after Mark Bresciano’s free kick was fumbled by Ghana keeper Richard Kingson.

Unfortunately for Australia, Harry Kewell handled the ball off the line, landing himself with a red card and Ghana with a penalty which Asamoah Gyan scored, precipitating the ridiculously over-exuberant celebrations that also took place in their first game against Serbia.

I’m all for goal celebrations, but only if the goal deserves it, and, in my humble opinion, scoring a penalty does not merit a 25-minute celebration.

Ghana dominated the shot count – often a deceptive figure if you ask me – but it was Australia who had the best chances, their best coming when Luke Wilkshire fired straight at Kingson when through on goal.

A draw was not ideal for Australia, but Brett Emerton and Vince Grella’s side do still harbour hopes of a place in the second round, although that requires them beating Serbia and Ghana beating Germany. Read more »

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England fans were left in shock on Saturday night as the unthinkable happened. We didn’t beat the Yanks.

Over-the-top expectations once again meant that the opening to our World Cup campaign is a disaster and all Brits have a sour taste in their mouths.

Yes it was a disappointing result, but with Algeria and Slovenia to play, surely we’ll finish the group with seven points?

Put it this way, if England don’t qualify then they’re definitely not as good as everyone thinks they are.

The States has gone overboard, as you can see from the front cover of the New York Post, pictured.

Back to the match itself, and it was a particularly disappointing display from England. I’m not going in for all this guff about America performing well and holding us to a draw.

We held ourselves to a draw, throwing away two vital points and making qualification that little bit more difficult.

Rob Green made an error. Fact. And I could go back to the Paul Robinson debate again here, but I won’t. I could say something about how Rob Green made more unforced errors than any other English keeper in the Premier League last season. But I won’t. And I definitely won’t mention, again, that Paul Robinson kept more clean sheets than any other English keeper in the Premier League last season. Read more »

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The only picture I can find of Emerton in the match

It was a disappointing end to the first World Cup game involving a Rovers player as Brett Emerton’s Australia went down 4-0 to an impressive Germany.

Socceroos boss Pim Verbeek has been roundly criticised for opting to take a defensive approach, a tactic his side are not really used to, and the critics could be right.

Brett Emerton suffered as a result of this negative style, being subbed in the second half to make way for the more defensive Mile Jedinak in a move that could only be described as damage limitation.

I’ll be honest, having been out for a curry with a friend in London, we missed much of this match. Then, when we did finally get back and put the telly on, that substitution was made so I never actually saw Emerton touch the ball.

For that reason, I won’t insult you by talking about his individual performance, only that, from what I’ve read, he was about the best of a bad bunch.

What I will say about the match is that I cannot understand all the fuss over Tim Cahill’s red card. The Everton midfielder could have broken Schweinsteiger’s leg with a very clumsy challenge and deserved to go.

However, it certainly isn’t over for Australia. This was as much a fantastic performance from Germany as it was a disaster for the Socceroos.

If Germany have slapped Australia 4-0, they have the potential to smash Ghana and Serbia, while Australia have the group’s most difficult tie out of the way and can concentrate on trying to win their next two matches.

I’m not saying those games will be easy, but it’s no use thinking it’s all over after one setback.

Watch this space for a look at Lars Jacobsen’s efforts for Denmark against Holland, which is just kicking off as I write this

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Before we get on with the real football that is next year’s Premier League season, there’s an international tournament to get out of the way.

No one really cares about it, but a few of the Rovers squad are involved, merely as a keep-fit exercise I presume, so it’s worth giving it a mention.

I do, of course, mean the football World Cup, and everyone’s excited.

Unfortunately for Rovers, a lot of our players haven’t quite made it. Keith Andrews’s Ireland, Morten Pedersen’s Norway and Zurab Khizanishvilli’s Georgia, among others, all failed to qualify, while Paul Robinson was not chosen for England and Pascal Chimbonda missed out on the France squad – no real surprise there.

Youngsters Martin Olsson and Niko Kalinic are both still in their national youth teams, Sweden and Croatia respectively, and Michel Salgado can’t find his walking stick.

However, four (soon to be three) Rovers stars will be hoping to bring glory to their nations.

Captain and centre back Ryan Nelsen will captain massive underdogs New Zealand, while Brett Emerton and soon-to-be-in-Turkey Vince Grella are in action for Australia and Lars Jacobsen will feature for Denmark.

New Zealand

Nelsen will have a job on trying to keep New Zealand in the competition beyond the group stages. Group E has pitched them against Paraguay, Slovakia and Italy, and as a realist you can’t see them progressing.

The lack of optimism isn’t helped by the fact their two best players are Nelsen and Plymouth striker Rory Fallon …

Still, every World Cup has a surprise package, and a couple of surprise results could see New Zealand surprise everyone. I doubt it, though. Read more »

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A sight we'll probably never see again

Now that I’ve finally stopped foaming at the mouth, I can finally put my dismay at Paul Robinson’s World Cup exclusion into words.

Fabio Capello has said, on numerous occasions, that he will make his selections for the English national team based on form.

Is that right, Mr Capello?

Let’s look at the form books then shall we.

Paul Robinson has been extremely safe for Rovers this season, pulling off numerous quality saves and has been a crucial part of a solid defensive back-line.

He has also kept 13 clean sheets. That’s more than any other English goalkeeper in the Premier League.

I’m not saying he’s perfect, and some argue he is prone to mistakes when playing for England.

Yes, he cocked up once against Russia, but he made 41 appearances for his country, and you don’t get that many through making mistakes.

In the 2006 World Cup, he kept four clean sheets, so don’t try telling me he’s not good enough.

He also plays for a team that finished 10th in the Premier League. Not one that finished bottom of the league – and would have still been bottom had they not been deducted points, don’t give me any of that romantic Pompey bollocks, they weren’t good enough whether they were skint or not – or five points clear of the relegation zone.

I’m not arguing with the inclusion of Joe Hart. He’s proved himself to be a good goalkeeper this year and could represent the future of England goalkeeping. Read more »

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Fingers crossed these don’t all get taken down for whatever reason. Thanks to those responsible for the videos. What a day!

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Fleet Street’s inability to differentiate between Rovers and Bolton is now becoming tiresome. This is the third time I can recall seeing us being referred to as them this season.

This effort by the Daily Star has confused Bolton’s shite left back with our crocked keeper.

Absolutely shameful.

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Steven N'Zonzi celebrates scoring at Arsenal, chased by, among others, fellow youth star Martin Olsson.

Most successful teams of the past are assembled around a core group of established, senior and experienced team members, while bringing in top quality youth players to learn from said core senior players and, eventually, carry on in their place when they move on.

Sam Allardyce, somewhat covertly, is doing this now. It’s been a bit more than a year since he took the reins at Ewood and, having spent his first season concentrating on avoiding the drop, he was then able to begin moulding the side as he wants it.

Over the course of this season, we’ve seen the emergence of some great young players. Martin Olsson, Steven N’Zonzi, Junior Hoilett and Nikola Kalinic are the four main stars.

All of whom have played, I think, a much bigger role than they were expected to at the start of the season. N’Zonzi was brought in to play the odd game while developing into a better player. In the end, through a succession of injured midfielders and his own solid performances in that role, he has become a first team regular. 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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