Could the Blackburn game be another Bolton game?

[Matt]

Our exit in the FA Cup was, except highly unexpected, perhaps forsaken by the attitude to "Bolton at home on a boring Sunday"... What I mean is that the discussion among the supporters (and perhaps even among the players) was more about how many we were going to put past them and who we were going to face in the next round rather then the fact that Bolton are a tricky opposition with many skillful players who also work good as a team under Coyle. Not many, as it seems, thought that a loss to Bolton at home was possible, we were on the highway storming towards Wembley, right?

What I wonder now, before the Blackburn game, is wheather the same attitude could cost us the three points, that Blackburn with their own style of play should make us a little more cautious about our predictions? When we have a good day we are a better team then Blackburn, but I had the same feeling before the Bolton game and in that game we failed to deliever.

What do you lot think?

We are the Whites!

[TonyGilroy]

They won't be complacent twice if that was the problem.

I think a bigger issue is the state of our pitch. Very heavy and uneven and is of no help to a team trying to play a quick passing game.

[ToodlesMcToot]

For me, Bolton got away from their usual game plan once they got the goal. They played less of their typical ground game, dropped back in numbers and were quick to foul to disrupt the flow of our game.

I didn't think we looked prepared to deal with that ...... at all. Like you imply, we may have been expecting to play the game our usual ground game and have an advantage, but their fouling quickly robbed us of it. I thought it was a pretty ugly game overall.

I predict that a depleted Blackburn will play a very physical match, foul often, pack their defence in and hope to steal a point off us...and pray they can catch us on the break to rob three.

[cebu]

I'm more concerned at the moment about how many injured players we'll have after the match.

I doubt the ref will be quite as generous to the visitors in this game, so think Fulham will win.

[Sheepskin Junior]

I sincerely hope not! Since Diouf went on-loan to Rangers injury will be less of a problem too.

[finnster01]

I sincerely hope not! Since Diouf went on-loan to Rangers injury will be less of a problem too.

Diouf managed to get sent off AFTER the game on top at the last Old Firm so do not think that idiot is an issue

[BillNRoc]

Not long ago Sports Illustrated reported on an analysis of "home-field advantage" in many professional sports, and the key element was how the officials called the game/match, no matter what the sport. That is, the factor most strongly associated with winning at home was favorable treatment by the refs. (See Chelsea vs. Man U on Tuesday.) The two penalty shots and the red card early in the Spurs match were consistent with the rules, but would they have been awarded at White Hart Lane? The Bolton clutch-and-grabathon seems to defy this standard, but I only saw it on the computer. Rovers are stumbling, we should take 3 points, but how will the game be called?