The Race For Santa's Sack - Blackburn v Bolton - SSHD1 - 20:00

ctrl-alt-delete

The most significant Lancashire derby in years takes place tonight in the form of a massive bottom of the table clash. The team that loses this match will be bottom of the table for Christmas, a position from which only one team in the history of the Premiership has survived.

Should make for entertaining viewing!

Live on Sky Sports HD from 7:30pm, kicking off at 8:00pm

Jesus Wept

Maybe neither team will lose the match.

ConorBF1

Blackburn win for me. They've been unlucky in quite a few matches recently, where Bolton have just been thrashed.

3-1 to Blackburn with the Yak grabbing a brace.

First post here! :pac:

Big Pussy Bonpensiero

Blackburn for me too, Bolton are pathetic atm. Hopefully it'll be a good game.

ConorBF1

Should see plenty of goals too. Two sides who can't defend at all...

ctrl-alt-delete

The-Rigger wrote: »

Maybe neither team will lose the match.

True, but I'm basing it on Bolton not having drawn any games this season, all or nothing for them

Interesting to note, on Sky Sports earlier they had managerial records of both Kean and Coyle since Kean took charge of Blackburn, Kean has actually managed to win more points than Coyle in that period :eek:

cson

Wasn't Coyle held in very high regard prior to his switch to Bolton?

Bombed!

ConorBF1

cson wrote: »

Wasn't Coyle held in very high regard prior to his switch to Bolton?

Bombed!

He was... but even now he doesn't seem to be getting much negative media attention, despite Bolton's horrendous season.

cson

Also, cracking thread title OP.

Fuhrer

cson wrote: »

Wasn't Coyle held in very high regard prior to his switch to Bolton?

Bombed!

He was held in very high regard until the start of this season too apparently.

ConorBF1

Blackburn sacked manager Sam Allardyce after their 17th PL game last season – a 2-1 defeat against Bolton. It's their 17th match tonight....

:pac:

Iang87

ConorBF1 wrote: »

Blackburn sacked manager Sam Allardyce after their 17th PL game last season – a 2-1 defeat against Bolton. It's their 17th match tonight....

:pac:

but then they hired Kean so who knows what'll happen after this game

Glico Man

Iang87 wrote: »

but then they hired Kean so who knows what'll happen after this game

Knowing their owners, Blackburn will sack Kean and say they're interested in bringing Mourinho or Guardiola to Ewood Park

Iang87

then bring back Kean no doubt

Professional Griefer

Bolton - Jaaskelainen, Steinsson, Cahill, Knight, Alonso, M Davies, Reo-Coker, Muamba, Petrov, Klasnic, Ngog

Blackburn - Robinson; Lowe Samba Hanley Pedersen; Formica Dunn Nzonzi Vukcevic Hoillett; Yakubu

Should be a cracking match. Hopefully Bolton will win this, can't see it with N'gog playing though:p

sundula

Big Sam on the Sky panel, I wonder who he'll be supporting tonight?

Raskolnikov

So often these "must-win" Premier League relegation games end in a draw.

By the way, Bolton haven't drawn in 26 games now :eek:

The_Kew_Tour

Two Axe Factor Finalists go head to head.

Going for Blackburn 2-1.

sundula

They're both rubbish, most likely a draw but there will be more pressure on Kean and Rovers as there home and fans are not friendly at the moment. Bolton to edge it and Kean to be sacked by morning.

ctrl-alt-delete

Schoolboy defending from Blackburn, Robinson poor too.

Big Pussy Bonpensiero

Bolton 1-0. Atrocious defending altogether from Blackburn. Has the makings of a good match.

everdead.ie

Samba was atrocious there

ctrl-alt-delete

Pedersen at left back is not going to work, as we saw Hanley or Samba will get drawn out everytime he gets skinned like that, leaving punishable space. Going to be a long night as a Blackburn fan.

Raskolnikov

Yakubu moves well for a fat lad :pac:

Big Pussy Bonpensiero

Shocking challenge from Formica.

ctrl-alt-delete

Ref is a bit card happy early on here!

ctrl-alt-delete

Shocking free kick decision there from the ref, nothing wrong with that from Samba.

sundula

Blackburn have'nt settled at all. Over twenty minutes gone and they have created nothing, could see Bolton go two up

Big Pussy Bonpensiero

Ref does seem harsh on Blackburn here. Bolton are bossing it though and are full value for their lead.

Raskolnikov

Game has turned to crap.

UnitedIrishman

Bolton far better off without Davies TBH. Even if it is N'Gog that's playing. They're not just lumping it in from wide positions hopelessly when they get into the final third of the pitch - constantly looking to feet for Klasnic/N'Gog.

ctrl-alt-delete

Pedersen's pace is non existant, Bolton will exploit that more.

Blackburn as with their last few games have an isolated Yakubu.

sundula

A win here could really turn Boltons season around, Blackburn have'nt a hope, no midfield, unorganised defence ans the Yak hoping for a panicy punt from Rovers defence to fall right. Defence has some excuse given injuries.

Big Pussy Bonpensiero

Very good goal, well deserved.

Blackburn defence should get the sack along with Kean.

sundula

Great goal from the only team trying to play football.

ctrl-alt-delete

Bolton with far too much pace on the counter, lucky with the finish, but well deserved.
Can't even say the Blackburn defense were awol, they were all there, they have no organisation whatsoever.

Professional Griefer

Brilliant from Reo-Coker there.

Raskolnikov

Blackburn simply couldn't give a toss here.

sundula

If Kean has anything in him he will resign, fans are going mental, they'll never take to him.

Big Pussy Bonpensiero

sundula wrote: »

If Kean has anything in him he will resign, fans are going mental, they'll never take to him.

+1, you rarely see fans this animated. Unless he wins this game he should hand in his letter of resignation tonight.

sundula

They havent a hope, Kean wouldnt know how to go about winning this or any other game. He is out of his depth. He is a easy scape goat for some of our more experienced players who havent put a decent shift in this season - Robinson, Dunn, Pederson spring to mind.

Raskolnikov

Yep, Dunn has been completely anonymous, and quite frankly, it looks like Pedersen is past it.

sundula

Dunn has been poor all season, he is not cut out for this league anymore, far to slow and ponderous, he is a luxury a team like Blackburn can not afford. Pederson just looks like he couldnt give a sh1t and Robinson is far from as good as he thinks he is, similar to Dunn he is unathletic, has heavy feet and is unresponsive, I also think Samba is poor this season, I was never a massive fan and would have been happy to see him go for big bucks and it appears he's mind is else where. The club should have let him go when he put in request. Thse experienced guys are killing Lowe, Hanley and Hoilett.

ctrl-alt-delete

Raskolnikov wrote: »

Yep, Dunn has been completely anonymous, and quite frankly, it looks like Pedersen is past it.

Pedersen hasn't really been effective for a good while now, these days he plays his best football from the centre of the park. He does not have the legs for left midfield, and obviously he doesn't have them for left back, coupled with the fact he has no defensive mind, he is a disaster at left back.

Samba and Hanley are the only recognised defenders in the starting line up, and Henley the only one on the bench, Hanley is 20 and Henley is only 17/18. They really are being thrown in at the deep end.

Lowe is a midfielder, and has being playing somewhere along the back four all season.

The problems are all in defense.

ctrl-alt-delete

sundula wrote: »

Dunn has been poor all season, he is not cut out for this league anymore, far to slow and ponderous, he is a luxury a team like Blackburn can not afford. Pederson just looks like he couldnt give a sh1t and Robinson is far from as good as he thinks he is, similar to Dunn he is unathletic, has heavy feet and is unresponsive, I also think Samba is poor this season, I was never a massive fan and would have been happy to see him go for big bucks and it appears he's mind is else where. The club should have let him go when he put in request. Thse experienced guys are killing Lowe, Hanley and Hoilett.

You are being a little harsh on Dunn, he is continually being thrown in unfit but his best days are long gone. Hoilett is another who is being asked to play when clearly not fully fit.

That is totally unfair on Samba who has been a rock whenever he has played this season, he was immense against Sunderland. He is carrying the other 3 players around him, there is only so much one man can do in that situation.

sundula

ctrl-alt-delete wrote: »

Pedersen hasn't really been effective for a good while now, these days he plays his best football from the centre of the park. He does not have the legs for left midfield, and obviously he doesn't have them for left back, coupled with the fact he has no defensive mind, he is a disaster at left back.

Samba and Hanley are the only recognised defenders in the starting line up, and Henley the only one on the bench, Hanley is 20 and Henley is only 17/18. They really are being thrown in at the deep end.

Lowe is a midfielder, and has being playing somewhere along the back four all season.

The problems are all in defense.

I agree with everything except that the problems are all in defence - the midfield is and has been a diaster and even with a first choice back four the defence would struggle when the midfield arent winning, keeping or passing the ball.

Big Pussy Bonpensiero

Smashing game, really starting to open out. Hope Blackburn score next.

sundula

Bolton look more like scoring

ctrl-alt-delete

Brilliant tackle from Hanley that time.

Raskolnikov

N'Gog absolutely gash. Ridiculous a player who has some decent enough ability like him could be so completely useless infront of goal.

sundula

Dunn is lucky to be staying on.