So this is the new year, what have we achieved?
2009 has not been a classic year in the life of Blackburn Rovers Football Club. We started the year drifting away in the relegation zone, scrapped back into contention before the season was out (mainly due to the forward thinking board deciding to just get the fans in), lost our two best players in the summer, turned out some good shows at home, were frankly awful away, and ended the year without a win in about 10 games. So, whilst not terrible it wasn’t great. I’m glad to see the back of 2009.
So what does this year hold? We’ve still got the Carling Cup to play for, though not just yet. That we are in a semi final is damned exciting, and more that most football fans can hope for in a season. I just worry about the league form, especially away from home. Given that we apparently have nothing at all to spend in January we will have to make the most of our squad. Let’s have a quick look at who they are and how they are doing at the moment.
GK – Paul Robinson – One of the few players to achieve anything over 2009. Robinson has got his confidence back, and is proving himself to be a fantastic shot stopper. He still looks a little lost when coming for a cross, which is probably the biggest fault in his game. This season has also seen him come to the fore as our best dead ball taker – if he could get back in time I’d stick him on corner duty as no-one else can take one. I’d like to see him given another chance in the national side, as he is one of the most in-form English keepers at the moment.
RB – Pascal Chimbonda / Lars Jacobsen / Michel Salgado – No-one has really made this spot their own, though for the time being it is Chimbonda (right back signed to play left back but forced to play at right back again due to a left back doing better at left back than him) who has got the nod. He is probably the most mobile of the three, and by far the best attacking option – his cross for Diouf against Sunderland was a great ball. Jacobsen is a very solid defender, and has a no nonsense style that I really like. The loser in all of this is Michel ‘Champions League Winner’ Salgado who looks out of his depth even in our team. He doesn’t have the pace to keep up with the English game, and that isn’t something that is going to come back to him any time soon.
CB – Ryan Nelsen / Chris Samba / Phil Jones – I can’t fault either of these players. They are solid at the back, great in the air, and at times are the driving force when a bit of spark is required as they can both carry the ball out of the back. I’m delighted that Nelsen is going to get the chance to play in the World Cup during the summer, a great reward for a fantastic player. Phil Jones is a teenager who has started making big steps towards the first team squad this season, and it is great to see him coming through.
LB – Gael Givet / Martin Olson – This guy was a revelation whilst on loan at the end of last season, and was rightly snapped up in the summer. Quite recently I have decided that if we make it to Wembley I will be buying this season’s shirt with his name on the back – the first time I have had a name on shirt since 94/95 (when I had Shearer home, Batty away, Sutton third, Flowers goalie top). Mush like Jacobsen he is a solid defender, but has more confidence/creativity/vision/ability. I’m a big fan. Martin Olson has been ‘that youngster on the verge of breaking through’ for a couple of years now, and it seems that he is a more than capable back up at left back now.
RM – Brett Emerton / El Hadji Diouf – There is only one option in this position for me, as Diouf is a liability. His energy fired us up towards the end of last season, but I don’t like him in the team. Emerton on the other hand has gone from being the expected disappointment for years to now being David Dunn’s understudy as Mr Blackburn Rovers.
CM – David Dunn / Vince Grella / Steven Nzonzi / Keith Andrews / Steven Reid – After a fantastic start to the season all Rovers fans were hoping that this would be the year that Dunny stayed fit and proved his potential. Hopefully on returning from energy he will be the much needed spark in midfield to get us going again. Vince Grella gets better with every game he plays, and to my mind should be first choice alongside Dunn in the centre of the park. Nzonzi is one of the best prospects we’ve had in years, and was a fantastic bit of business by Big Sam – I just hope we can both protect him and keep hold of him. The much maligned Keith Andrews (myself included in his critics) is starting to show himself. I don’t think he has the ability to steer the team like Dunn or Grella, but he’s getting there. Then comes the great enigma – Steven Reid. Will this guy ever be fit to play at Premiership level again? At the moment I think he’d have to do a lot to get a chance in the team.
LM – Morten Gamst Pedersen / Junior Hoilett / Elrio Van Heerden – Pedersen is by far and away the biggest disappointment of the year. He doesn’t take men on, he can’t cross, hopeless on corners, never tracks back and when he is in the team any throw in the opposition half has to be one of his long ones which usually result in just giving the ball away. If anyone wants him in January I’d be tempted to get shut of him. Junior Hoilett on the other hand looks like a really exciting prospect. He is still rough around the edges (he got tackled by a divot at least twice at Wigan on Boxing Day) but he looks fairly confident on the ball and has a bit of creative spark. Who is Elrio Van Heerden I hear you cry. No idea, he’s not played. Pointless signing, probably just made to keep Benni McCarthy on side in a Julio Santa Cruz style-e.
CF – Benni McCarthy / Franco Di Santo / Niko Kalinic / Jason Roberts MBE – Now we move onto the front four, all of whom have worked hard, got a few goals, but not really impressed. Both Benni and Jason Roberts MBE are making noises about wanting more first team football – easy solution chaps, start scoring goals. You can’t drop a goalscorer. Franco Di Santo runs his legs off every game, but still looks a bit scared when it comes to shooting. My biggest criticism upfront is the lack of action that Niko Kalinic has seen. I really like the look of this guy, and feel that he’s at the stage where one goal will set him off. He nicked one at Villa on Saturday, and with any luck this will set him off.
So, a lot of room to improve. I think if my first choice XI (Robbo, Chimbonda, Nelsen, Samba, Givet, Emerton, Dunn, Grella, Hoilett, McCarthy, Kalinic) could stay fit and gel as a team then I’d be confident of us staying clear of relegation. I don’t particularly feel like we need great changes over January, as long as we can keep hold of McCarthy and Roberts we won’t need to buy. My ideal for the rest of this year? A win at Wembley and top half finish. My expectations? A trip to Wembley and 15th.
