Rovers v Bolton - Match Report

Well, that was as bad as anything we've seen down at Ewood in the last few seasons. We were just inept today. Ferguson didn't even make the bench which I guess means he'll be off soon. Good riddance to him. Savage replaced him in midfield and Bothroyd came in for the suspended Dickov. Otherwise it was the same team that played so badly against Cardiff. We managed to play worse tonight. We just couldn't pass the ball. It's easy to say we missed Ferguson, and we definately did, but that doesn't excuse the amount of shocking passing that was on display today. Bolton, in contrast, kept the ball well in the first half but failed to threaten Friedel's goal. In fact, in what was possibly the dullest half of football I've seen for a long time, the only shot of note was a decent effort from Neill that their keeper did well to palm round the post. The only other notable events in the half were bookings for Diouf and Savage. Half-time was a welcome relief. The second half wasn't much better. Again, we couldn't pass the ball, we created nothing, and the game carried on in its scrappy, dull manner. We did at least defend fairly well and snuffed out what little threat Bolton possessed. Right up until they scored that is. A good ball saw Diouf running clear one-on-one against Friedel. Friedel dived for the ball, missed, but also didn't make contact with the player either. Diouf ran on another pace and then fell as if a sniper had just taken him out from the back of the Riverside stand. Surely a sending off we all thought? But no, the ref thought differently and awarded Bolton the softest of penaltys. We thought justice had been done when Friedel saved Diouf's spotkick but sadly the ball rebounded straight back to the theatrical gobber who finished clinically into the roof of the net. We hadn't looked like scoring all night and this didn't change once we fell behind. Both Bothroyd and Gallagher had been replaced by Stead and Johnson early in the second half but nothing changed. The game petered out and Bolton got a completely undeserved three points. Let's start at the front. Tonight Bothroyd put in one of the worst centre-forward performances it's ever been my misfortune to see from a Rovers player. He looked lazy, he didn't compete for a single ball, his first touch was pathetic, he didn't make a single run into space, and I can't remember him winning a header. He was simply disgraceful. Gallagher wasn't much better but at least he looked like he was trying. Stead came on and showed the first touch of a brick wall. Only JJ showed any sort of touch and quality on the ball - he could be a player that lad. Our midfield worked hard but were terrible in possession. Savage put himself about, ran his socks off to close Bolton down, walked a tightrope with the referee, but didn't do anything spectacular with the ball. Thompson looked lost at times, he never has been, and he never will be, a central midfielder. He just doesn't have the necessary discipline, strength or passing ability. Emerton looked dangerous but didn't supply many final balls. MGP didn't look dangerous and didn't supply any final balls. He did compete a lot better than he has in the past though. Defensively we were sound, Todd stood out as usual, but both full-backs were awful going forward. Friedel was unlucky with the penalty and had nothing else to do. All in all that was as bad as we've been under Hughes and we were back to relegation form. We need to replace Ferguson, we desperately need new forwards, and we need Dickov back. Match report written by Scotty

Blackburn: Friedel, Neill, Todd, Mokoena, Matteo, Emerton, Savage, Thompson, Pedersen, Bothroyd (Johnson 62), Gallagher (Stead 62). Subs Not Used: Enckelman, Johansson, Reid. Booked: Savage. Bolton: Jaaskelainen, Hunt, Ben Haim, N'Gotty, Gardner, Nolan, Okocha (Davies 52), Campo, Speed, Giannakopoulos (Pedersen 67), Diouf (Fadiga 78). Subs Not Used: Poole, Hierro. Booked: Diouf, Giannakopoulos, Nolan, Davies. Goals: Diouf 77. Att: 20,056 Ref: S Bennett (Kent).

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