Blackburn Rovers (16th December) - Preview & Predictions

[Wycombe Royal]

BRFC Prediction: Royals 1 - 2 Rovers. Blackburns mixture of commitment and extra quality up front to prevail.

WOuld that be the commitment and extra quality up fornt that they have shown all season in comparison to us?

[glass half full]

This may seem a bit curmudgeonly after all the 'friendly' posts but I believe that Mark Hughes grumbles too much about refereeing decisions which go against his team. Pedersen's tackle warranted a yellow - maybe even red - card last weekend.

[LoyalRoyal22]

Gutted i will miss my first home game this weekend.

[Stranded]

Gutted i will miss my first home game this weekend.

Same as.

[frenchroyal]

Just looked at the fair play league and whilst we are at the top, look who is at the bottom, hope they dont inflict any injuries through their obviously dirty play this weekend. They have exactly twice as many yellow and twice as many red cards as us so far.

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/stats/fair ... 06&cc=5739

December 11, 2006
Rank Team Yellow Red Points
1 Reading 18 2 22
Aston Villa 22 0 22
3 Man Utd 23 0 23
4 Liverpool 24 0 24
5 Watford 23 1 25
6 Portsmouth 25 1 27
7 Tottenham 22 3 28
8 Fulham 27 1 29
Sheff Utd 27 1 29
10 Charlton 28 2 32
11 Man City 27 3 33
Arsenal 31 1 33
13 Everton 30 2 34
Chelsea 28 3 34
Wigan 34 0 34
16 Newcastle 33 1 35
17 West Ham 36 0 36
18 Bolton 34 2 38
19 Middlesbrough 37 2 41
20 Blackburn 36 4 44
Premiership discipline only

[glass half full]

Interesting comparison between Man Utd. and Chelsea.

[bassavage]

BRFC Prediction: Royals 1 - 2 Rovers. Blackburns mixture of commitment and extra quality up front to prevail.

Double Result: Draw/Rovers.

Is that a Bracknell RFC prediction or a Blackburn Rovers Football Club prediction?

[Mr Angry]

BRFC Prediction: Royals 1 - 2 Rovers. Blackburns mixture of commitment and extra quality up front to prevail.

Double Result: Draw/Rovers.

Extra quality up front??

Do you mean their striker who has scored 8 goals in the Premiership this season?

Oh, hang about...............................................

[Squelchy2507]

Just looked at the fair play league and whilst we are at the top, look who is at the bottom, hope they dont inflict any injuries through their obviously dirty play this weekend. They have exactly twice as many yellow and twice as many red cards as us so far.

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/stats/fair ... 06&cc=5739

December 11, 2006
Rank Team Yellow Red Points
1 Reading 18 2 22
Aston Villa 22 0 22
3 Man Utd 23 0 23
4 Liverpool 24 0 24
5 Watford 23 1 25
6 Portsmouth 25 1 27
7 Tottenham 22 3 28
8 Fulham 27 1 29
Sheff Utd 27 1 29
10 Charlton 28 2 32
11 Man City 27 3 33
Arsenal 31 1 33
13 Everton 30 2 34
Chelsea 28 3 34
Wigan 34 0 34
16 Newcastle 33 1 35
17 West Ham 36 0 36
18 Bolton 34 2 38
19 Middlesbrough 37 2 41
20 Blackburn 36 4 44
Premiership discipline only

Unfortunately, that isn't the 'official' fair play league table that is used to determine who enters the draw for a possible UEFA cup place. There are numerous versions of fair play league tables in the media and on the internet, but the only one that counts is that which conforms to Euefa-set criteria.

The official Fair Play League is based on the number of red and yellow cards, positive play, respect for opponents and the referee, and the behaviour of club officials. Points are awarded from reports made by the Premier League's referees assessors who attend each match.

Unfortuantely, the table on the Premier League web site hasn't been updated since 30th October, so I have no idea where the Royals are (despite most 'unofficial' tables showing them in top place). But this can be very mis-leading as is borne out by circumstances back in 2003 when Arsenal were top of the Fair Play league at a time when they had 6 players facing mis-conduct charges.

The latest published table at 30th October only has Reading in mid-table after 10 games played.

Position Played R/Y P/P R/O R/R B/O Pts Score Avge
1 Watford 10 88 80 62 65 57 352 88.0 8.80
2 Manchester United 10 86 87 60 61 53 347 86.8 8.68
3 Aston Villa 10 89 76 64 65 52 346 86.5 8.65
4 Tottenham Hotspur 10 86 80 61 62 57 346 86.5 8.65
5 Arsenal 9 77 76 55 56 46 310 77.5 8.61
6 West Ham United 10 80 79 65 62 56 342 85.5 8.55
7 Fulham 10 84 72 62 66 57 341 85.3 8.53
8 Sheffield United 10 82 76 64 64 54 340 85.0 8.50
9 Portsmouth 10 86 79 60 63 52 340 85.0 8.50
10 Charlton Athletic 10 79 76 61 62 57 335 83.8 8.38
11 Reading 10 85 74 59 60 50 328 82.0 8.20
12 Liverpool 10 85 75 57 58 50 325 81.3 8.13
13 Chelsea 10 80 76 58 58 50 322 80.5 8.05
14 Wigan Athletic 9 71 63 52 55 47 288 72.0 8.00
15 Everton 10 79 74 57 57 49 316 79.0 7.90
16 Newcastle United 10 81 67 56 56 55 315 78.8 7.88
17 Manchester City 10 77 72 53 58 46 306 76.5 7.65
18 Middlesbrough 10 72 67 55 58 52 304 76.0 7.60
19 Bolton Wanderers 10 71 72 52 55 50 300 75.0 7.50
20 Blackburn Rovers 10 71 71 53 56 42 293 73.3 7.33
Matches up to and including Monday 30th October 2006
Key: - R/Y = Red & Yellow Cards - Maximum 10 pts per Match
(Red 3 pts, Yellow 1 pt)
P/P = Positive Play - Maximum 10 pts per Match
R/O = Respect Towards Opponent - Maximum 7 pts per Match
R/R = Respect Towards Referee - Maximum 7 pts per Match
B/O = Behaviour of Officials - Maximum 6 pts per Match

[Avon Royal]

BRFC Prediction: Royals 1 - 2 Rovers. Blackburns mixture of commitment and extra quality up front to prevail.

Double Result: Draw/Rovers.

Yawn.

[frenchroyal]

Just looked at the fair play league and whilst we are at the top, look who is at the bottom, hope they dont inflict any injuries through their obviously dirty play this weekend. They have exactly twice as many yellow and twice as many red cards as us so far.

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/stats/fair ... 06&cc=5739

December 11, 2006
Rank Team Yellow Red Points
1 Reading 18 2 22
Aston Villa 22 0 22
3 Man Utd 23 0 23
4 Liverpool 24 0 24
5 Watford 23 1 25
6 Portsmouth 25 1 27
7 Tottenham 22 3 28
8 Fulham 27 1 29
Sheff Utd 27 1 29
10 Charlton 28 2 32
11 Man City 27 3 33
Arsenal 31 1 33
13 Everton 30 2 34
Chelsea 28 3 34
Wigan 34 0 34
16 Newcastle 33 1 35
17 West Ham 36 0 36
18 Bolton 34 2 38
19 Middlesbrough 37 2 41
20 Blackburn 36 4 44
Premiership discipline only

Unfortunately, that isn't the 'official' fair play league table that is used to determine who enters the draw for a possible UEFA cup place. There are numerous versions of fair play league tables in the media and on the internet, but the only one that counts is that which conforms to Euefa-set criteria.

The official Fair Play League is based on the number of red and yellow cards, positive play, respect for opponents and the referee, and the behaviour of club officials. Points are awarded from reports made by the Premier League's referees assessors who attend each match.

Unfortuantely, the table on the Premier League web site hasn't been updated since 30th October, so I have no idea where the Royals are (despite most 'unofficial' tables showing them in top place). But this can be very mis-leading as is borne out by circumstances back in 2003 when Arsenal were top of the Fair Play league at a time when they had 6 players facing mis-conduct charges.

The latest published table at 30th October only has Reading in mid-table after 10 games played.

Position Played R/Y P/P R/O R/R B/O Pts Score Avge
1 Watford 10 88 80 62 65 57 352 88.0 8.80
2 Manchester United 10 86 87 60 61 53 347 86.8 8.68
3 Aston Villa 10 89 76 64 65 52 346 86.5 8.65
4 Tottenham Hotspur 10 86 80 61 62 57 346 86.5 8.65
5 Arsenal 9 77 76 55 56 46 310 77.5 8.61
6 West Ham United 10 80 79 65 62 56 342 85.5 8.55
7 Fulham 10 84 72 62 66 57 341 85.3 8.53
8 Sheffield United 10 82 76 64 64 54 340 85.0 8.50
9 Portsmouth 10 86 79 60 63 52 340 85.0 8.50
10 Charlton Athletic 10 79 76 61 62 57 335 83.8 8.38
11 Reading 10 85 74 59 60 50 328 82.0 8.20
12 Liverpool 10 85 75 57 58 50 325 81.3 8.13
13 Chelsea 10 80 76 58 58 50 322 80.5 8.05
14 Wigan Athletic 9 71 63 52 55 47 288 72.0 8.00
15 Everton 10 79 74 57 57 49 316 79.0 7.90
16 Newcastle United 10 81 67 56 56 55 315 78.8 7.88
17 Manchester City 10 77 72 53 58 46 306 76.5 7.65
18 Middlesbrough 10 72 67 55 58 52 304 76.0 7.60
19 Bolton Wanderers 10 71 72 52 55 50 300 75.0 7.50
20 Blackburn Rovers 10 71 71 53 56 42 293 73.3 7.33
Matches up to and including Monday 30th October 2006
Key: - R/Y = Red & Yellow Cards - Maximum 10 pts per Match
(Red 3 pts, Yellow 1 pt)
P/P = Positive Play - Maximum 10 pts per Match
R/O = Respect Towards Opponent - Maximum 7 pts per Match
R/R = Respect Towards Referee - Maximum 7 pts per Match
B/O = Behaviour of Officials - Maximum 6 pts per Match

My point was referring to the fact that in terms of red and yellow cards not only do they have twice as many as we do, they are also the most punished team in the premiership when it comes to bookings. We are therefore, in theory, in danger of being fouled more by them than any other team and the obvious risks that that might entail.

Getting in to Europe through the offical fairplay league is for another posting

[Pool and Darts]

BRFC Prediction: Royals 1 - 2 Rovers. Blackburns mixture of commitment and extra quality up front to prevail.

Double Result: Draw/Rovers.

you are joking, right?

[Joe]

Has this become the official predictions thread as well then?
I'll go for 3-0 to Reading
Doyle (12) Lita (18) and Hunt (89)

And a chant of "why the oxf*rd are you still here? " after about 19 minutes

[Royal Fleet]

Has this become the official predictions thread as well then?

Is has now

[SpaceCruiser]

BRFC Prediction: Royals 1 - 2 Rovers. Blackburns mixture of commitment and extra quality up front to prevail.

Double Result: Draw/Rovers.

you are joking, right?

What do you expect from a cock like BRFC?

[a royal called morty]

I will go for:
Royals 2-1 Blackburn
Lita-------McCarthy
Doyle----

[Farnborough Royal]

I reckon another nervy 1-0 Reading, Sidwell (32)

[royals pete]

These threads of pessimism are real downers.

Or are tipsters trying to prepare for 'I told you so'

If you want to put your hard earned on a result, look at realism and follow the obvious. Who has beaten Reading at the Madejski this season ? Why should Blackburn reach those heights tomorrow ?

Its 2 - 0 Reading as the poss, but bet is a Reading WIN.

[doylefan]

2-1 reading

doyle (as always) and shorey

[mattyougg]

2-1 to Reading; it'll be tough but we'll deserve it.