Rovers gift City win

I have a funny feeling that this report could give me a headache and I have the missus to deal with later so that could make it even worse.

There are many reasons why we came a cropper last night. The primary one is this... City are a talented side but they didn't even need to show that they were. Sloppy defending and poor ball retention allowed City to win without them even needing to turn on the charm. That is just unacceptable.

Sam will shoulder the blame and as the manager he should as I believe he was at fault with the tactics we used away from home and for the players he selected to take on the up and coming side in the league.


He also feel into the trap of believing if we just hung in the game long enough we may get something - when really the lack of ambition and support for Franco Di Santo and Dave Dunn up front simply gave City the ball back too easily and the came back at us. Poor work from the Big Guy.

Fair enough we can always point to the fact that Carlos Tevez and his hat-trick were superb and that City would have beaten most teams in that sort of form and at home but it WAS avoidable.

Man City have showed this season that as good as they are going forward they can be upset going at them and unsettling their defence - heck even we proved that with some incisive attacking play, BUT AT 3-0 DOWN!!! Before that we just tried to hang about and stay in the game - Big Sam must recognise that wasn't the way to go.

Paul Robinson was at fault for the first goal as a corner was drifted over in the first ten minutes and instead of either punching or catching he decided to do both (patching?!) and bumped into Keith Andrews, the ball dropped to Benjani who skewed the ball wide - but Carlos Tevez deflected into the net with his knee.

For the rest of the first half Rovers played damage limitation which is amazing when you are 2-0 up but not when you are 1-0 down. We put no pressure on City and they grew in confidence and as a result we suffered.

The Rovers midfield were being over ran by the City one but the second goal they were trampled by one man without even putting a foot in. Micah Richards burst forward from his own half, ran the length of the field to collect a rebound off the post and scored.

The goal looked great but in truth we offered nothing to stop it. Half-time saw two changes as Nikola Kalinic came on for the service starved Franco Di Santo and Junior Hoilett cameon for the totally inept and bumbling Keith Andrews.

But just as Rovers set about to get into the game, more poor defending saw us three goals down. Tevez's finish on 49 minutes was again quality but in the build up, Gael Givet, Ryan Nelsen and Morten Pedersen could have stopped the momentum. Typical of the night we were enduring... none of them did.

Amazingly, Rovers then decided to PLAY!!!! We got on the ball and ran at City. Junior Hoilett was looking lively and gave Richards a tough time. Kalinic when given the ball was moving well and Morten was looking threatening on the ball... he even provided the highlight of the night for the Blue and White, well the only one anyway.

Shay Given was pressurised into a poor kick out and as a City defender slipped, Pedersen pounced and hit a gorgeous shot round two defenders and Given to restore a little pride. Top finish.

Rovers then could have pulled some more back but a weak header from Junior and a pulled shot from Kalinic were the best of the efforts that we mustered for some, at times, promising build up play.

Tevez completed his hat-trick with another good finish but by then City were able to pick us off due to us having to commit men forward, we were well beaten in the end.

This is where Sam earns his money now. We have a MASSIVE game on Thursday against Villa and now we will see how good he is... there is no point in getting rid of Big Sam as some suggest.

Yes he made an error last night but he has a chance to atone, but if he fails on Thursday and Sunday against Fulham then those axe calls will get a little louder.

As fans lets get behind the team and we can get through this together - and save Big Sam from more abuse.

Junior Hoilett. On the pitch for 45 minutes but he was more of an attacking threat in that half of football than everyone else put together during the whole 90.

One of the few bright sparksof the evening.
At fault for the first goal and could have looked a bit more commanding in general play but he wasn't receiving and help from in front of him.

He couldn't do anything about the other three goals as the defence just parted like the red sea. Has had better evenings. Best of a bad bunch at the back.

He was committed to the cause and stuck to his task manfully. However we can safely say our best defender on current form was sat on the bench. (Hint: he wears gloves and is not popular in Wigan) All over the freaking place.

Looked out of sorts and got lost when ran at. He was as strong as ever and won plenty of headers but City's slick movement unhinged him and he wasn't sure whether to attack the ball or stick with his man, which brings us onto... Failed in his leadership role for a change. He didn't organise like he has over the last few months.

He like Samba, didn't decide who was going to the man and who was hanging with the runner and as a result it was a long and annoying evening for the Kiwi. Understrength showing from the Frenchman.

He does look composed and classy on the ball but often when asked to play at left back he struggles with the pace of a Premiership winger. Was given a rough ride by Petrov as well.

Clashed heads with N'Zonzi in injury time just to complete our misery, both are now a doubt for Thursday. Looked nervous.

He was a willing runner and did look to make things happen but everything he tried lacked the verve that it normally possesses.

Wll be better off for his first match back but it wasn't his night. Again working for two in the middle and did his best.

Was an aerial threat as usual and did look to shift things when on the ball but he had his work cut out by a certain Irishman. Good grief.

Trotted about the pitch and closed down space... that was it.

No decisive tackling, no forward passes, no threat to the City axis. Totally out of his depth. Great goal and is genuinely looking more purposeful out on the left.

Yes people will moan that it is contract year and he is now looking to get a new deal but why not use that to our advantage?

I never though I would have said this a few games ago but if everyone played like Morten last night we would have had a better night of things. Tried and tried and tried to get things going.

But the lack of support and bad luck robbed him of any meaningful influence. Was often crowded out of space to create by City's wily defence/midfield. Didn't have a good night but it wasn't his fault.

He was charged with trying to head down long balls into the path of a Rovers player - but there was no-one about within 20 yards.

Remember that film Mission Impossible? Poor guy. Was actually not bad at all.

He looked confident which a lot of the Blackburn didn't. When on the ball he regaularly found his man and looked for the return pass consistently as well.

Can take a little heart. As an impact sub this guy has the tools to do some damage.

In the second half he ran with pace and with an aware ness of what was around him and put the City defence on the back foot (fancy that hey?!).

He was often ploughing a lone furrow but he did so with pride. Should now start on Thursday. Fell into the Di Santo bracket of not having much support but at least when on the ball he looked to make things happen.

Showed hold up play skills and brought Hoilett into the game as well. But he again was fighting a losing battle. Lets rally behind the side and give them our full backing. This poor showing doesn't change the fact that we can still do something positive on Thursday. Sam won't be getting the sack no matter how much kicking and screaming some of you do.

Lets make a difference... the time is now.

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