coming off a weak performance vs Villa, Rovers with their second straight at home...gotta pick up some points here...
* * *I'm William, and this is the news round-up* * * Text updates from the likes of Soccernet, the BBC, sportinglife.com, etc., the best way to stay in touch for this match, I'd believe. Not aware of any TV plans to air this game in the USA, and the live streaming audio webcasts are of the pay-subscription variety. And now, the news round-up... [*]Match preview & form guides -- Soccernet Injuries still a worry for Blackburn... [*]Team news -- sportinglife.com [*]Souness: Rovers ready for Boro test -- sportinglife.com [*]Sounes eyes new faces for new year -- sportinglife.com [*]'Angry' Rovers to put things right -- sportinglife.com [*]Match preview -- skysports.com [*]McBride deal dead -- skysports.com [*]Souness wants a winger -- skysports.com Ummm, Graeme, wouldn't better defenders be a higher priority? [*]Match preview -- premierleague.com [*]We need to show passion: Souness -- Rovers' official site, rovers.premiumtv.co.uk [*]Barry (Ferguson): We'll put it right -- Rovers' official site, rovers.premiumtv.co.uk [*]Mahon returns to Rovers -- Rovers' official site, rovers.premiumtv.co.uk [*]Souness calls on players' character -- Yahoo's UK site, via TeamTalk [*]Souness set to plunge into January sales -- Yahoo's UK site, via AFP [*]Match preview, complete with facts and figures -- The BBC [*]Souness hints at gamble -- The BBC [*]Match preview -- 4thegame.com [*]Show me it was a one-off: Souey -- Lancashire Evening Telegraph
Rovers took an early 1-0 lead through Marcus Babbel, in the third minute, already making a quick start to breach Boro's fantastic defensive record of late... From sportinglife.com's match-tracker... 3rd min. -- Outswinging corner from right by-line taken right-footed by Brett Emerton (Blackburn) to centre, headed goal by Markus Babbel (Blackburn) (top-left of goal) from centre of penalty area (18 yards).Blackburn 1-0 Middlesbrough. Assist (cross) by Brett Emerton (Blackburn) from right by-line.
Catching up here-- so far, the best of Brad... 21st min. -- Cross by Stewart Downing (Middlesbrough), brilliant header by Michael Ricketts (Middlesbrough) from centre of penalty area (18 yards), save (parried) by Brad Friedel (Blackburn).
Boro just equalised, through Juninho... 32nd min. -- Cross by Michael Ricketts (Middlesbrough), goal by Osvaldo Juninho Paulista (Middlesbrough) right-footed (bottom-left of goal) from centre of penalty area (18 yards).Blackburn 1-1 Middlesbrough.
Second half starts, with two subs for Rovers... Blackburn substitution: Nils-Eric Johansson replaced by Alan Mahon (tactical). Blackburn substitution: Dwight Yorke replaced by Andy Cole (tactical).
50th min. -- Rovers go close... Shot by Andy Cole (Blackburn) drilled left-footed from left side of penalty area (18 yards), blocked by Colin Cooper (Middlesbrough). Inswinging corner from left by-line taken right-footed by Brett Emerton (Blackburn) to far post, save (caught) by Mark Schwarzer (Middlesbrough). 51st min. -- Boro legend Juninho scores his second on the day... Goal by Osvaldo Juninho Paulista (Middlesbrough) curled left-footed (bottom-left of goal) from right channel (20 yards).Blackburn 1-2 Middlesbrough. 2-1, Boro... 52nd min. -- Gallagher forces Socceroo 'keeper Schwartzer into a save... Shot by Paul Gallagher (Blackburn) volleyed right-footed from left channel (20 yards), save (caught) by Mark Schwarzer (Middlesbrough).
58th min. -- Looks like Mahon went really close for Rovers... Cross by Alan Mahon (Blackburn), clearance by Colin Cooper (Middlesbrough). Pass corner from right by-line taken by Brett Emerton (Blackburn) to short, resulting in open play. Fantastic shot by Alan Mahon (Blackburn) drilled left-footed from left channel (25 yards), missed right.
Cole goes close again... 67th min. -- Foul by Colin Cooper (Middlesbrough) on Andy Cole (Blackburn). Free kick taken right-footed by Brett Emerton (Blackburn) from left wing, header by Andy Cole (Blackburn) from centre of penalty area (18 yards), save (caught) by Mark Schwarzer (Middlesbrough).
70th min. -- Rovers keep going close, but not close enough... Outswinging corner from right by-line taken right-footed by Brett Emerton (Blackburn) to centre, clearance by Michael Ricketts (Middlesbrough). Cross by Alan Mahon (Blackburn), clearance by Stewart Downing (Middlesbrough). Shot by Kerimoglu Tugay (Blackburn) volleyed right-footed from left channel (30 yards), over the bar. Goal kick taken long by Mark Schwarzer (Middlesbrough). 73rd min. -- Boro sub, Juninho off in favour of Greening.
Rovers all square at 2-2-- Babbel gets 'em a point at the death... 90th min. -- Cross by Andy Todd (Blackburn), blocked by George Boateng (Middlesbrough). Outswinging corner from right by-line taken left-footed by Brett Emerton (Blackburn) to centre, headed goal by Markus Babbel (Blackburn) (bottom-left of goal) from left side of six-yard box (6 yards).Blackburn 2-2 Middlesbrough. Assist by Brett Emerton (Blackburn) from right by-line.
grrr I'm partially pissed and partially relieved with the result today; to go down 2-1 after having the early lead and what seemed like the better part of play had me thinking today was going to be yet another step towards the foot of the table, but give Rovers credit for getting a point at the death. With that said, it's going to be hard to get very many three point days if they keep letting in two a game. Something has to be done come January to tighten things up in the back, and it goes with out saying that the left wing must be addressed. As bad as it's been this season, a few positive results could put them back in contention for a spot in Europe, but once again this all hinges on what happens in the back.
Jeeze...the back? Aren't you listening to Souness? He says he needs help at left mid and striker. I think he just needs help. When Blackburn played the friendly against DC United their defense was very porous. Things haven't gotten any better. But Souey knows best...
You'd think Graeme would know that games of the 1-0 variety can be easier to get results from than the 3-2 come from behind ones, but maybe that's just my opinion.....and the opinion of several managers....... I'd like to see more out of Cole, Yorke, and Jansen, but when you look at the goal tally as compared to some other teams, I'd say scoring is not a glaring weakness. Hopefully amidst all of the striker and winger talk he is looking for some help in the back. If not, Souey may have really lost the plot on this one. Could it be that he is betting on Amoruso coming back after the new year to be the catalyst? Judging by some of his early season performances, I'm not so sure that's very safe. Maybe Bocanegra needs to give BRFC a call, he'd definitely have a place.
Re: grrr With the Big Three being so far out in front, the line between Europe and relegation is just freakishly thin. It's like the NFL right now.
All the above is true, but Blackburn's first need is for a left midfielder, and second need is for a striker. A lot of managers now have the philosophy that you defend from the front, ie that if you have good attackers, this maintains pressure on the other team and relieves pressure from your own defenders. Blackburn definitely need a left midfielder, because they have not replaced Damien Duff at all. At the start of the year they thought that David Thompson (a right winger who can play on the left) would do a job there, but he was disappointing there and then suffered a serious injury and is out for the season. Since his injury they have been playing guys there out of position (L Neill, N-E Johansson, P Gallagher to give three examples). They also need a striker since their strikers are struggling. Yorke and Cole are not on the same level as they were at Man Utd (and this is not just because they are playing with less good players), Grabbi was a complete bust and Matt Jansen has not fully recovered from his serious motorised accident in May 2002. Arguably their most effective attacker lately has been the youngster Paul Gallagher. But they need a centre forward who they can rely on for the rest of the year, until he fully develops and they can find longer term options. At the back, they are relatively deep in numbers, although these players have weaknesses.
Can't wait til the day when Rovers are in a similar position, and it's Brad who's the one that heads in the equaliser.
I was doing fine with this until I thought of what a Friedel goal celebration would look like.... the horror, the horror.
Just saw the highlight show over here, and Brad's run was right at the near post from a corner. And a deep run, too. Drew two, maybe three defenders to him, thus leaving Babbel open for a relatively free header. Friedel does play larger than life sometimes... case in point, his role in this equaliser.