Blackburn Rovers boss Kean: We missed pass master Nzonzi at the Etihad

10:05am Monday 27th February 2012 in Sport Photograph of the Author By Andy Cryer, Blackburn Rovers reporter

OUCH Rovers defender Grant Hanley delivers a crunching tackle on Mario Balotelli on Saturday OUCH Rovers defender Grant Hanley delivers a crunching tackle on Mario Balotelli on Saturday

STEVE Kean admits Blackburn Rovers badly missed Steven Nzonzi on Saturday night – after accusing his side of giving the ball away too easily.

A frustrated Rovers boss was forced to leave midfielder Nzonzi on the substitutes bench, due to a bout of tonsilitis, as his side crashed 3-0 at Premier League leaders Manchester City.

Nzonzi did make a second half appearance from the bench but, by then, Rovers were dead and buried having spent the majority of the game chasing City's shadows.

Kean said: “It was disappointing.

“We’ve gone to other tough grounds like Man United and Liverpool and done better than that.

“Our defensive organisation was good but as soon you win the ball, if we give it away as cheaply as we did at times today then it’s going to be tough and the other team is going to keep knocking it about and it’s going to be hard to get it back.

“That’s a factor we’re going to be trying to improve on and I do think a factor of that was not having Nzonzi, probably our best passer.

“If you look at the stats, Steven normally gets 100 passes a game and he then gives service to Morten and Junior, the wide areas and we found it difficult to get into those little pockets today because in the middle third we never really kept it enough.”

While the defeat moves Rovers back into the relegation zone, Manchester City stretched their winning home run to 18 matches as they dominated throughout.

Rovers were only able to get one shot on target, a weak strike from Yakubu in the dying seconds, and Kean believes travelling to Manchester City is now one of the toughest Premier League tests.

“I certainly think this is now up there as one of the toughest places to come as I don’t think they’ve dropped any points here,” said Kean.

“It is a tough ground for anybody to come.

“A big factor of that is when they rotate the squad, it’s the standard of players they bring in.

“They left Clichy out today, Micah Richards out and the two lads that came in are very expensive, experienced players.

“When they do rotate, I don’t think the quality diminishes any, it stays the same – it might even rise. That’s what an expensive squad does when you do rotate and can get a freshness it is going to be difficult for anyone.”

Comments(45)

Jansen_10 says...
10:16am Mon 27 Feb 12

you're right steve we did miss Nzonzi...

We also missed an entire defence, any creativity and an inspirational & tactically aware manager.

We were an utter disgrace on Saturday - regardless of the opposition and how much it cost to assemble their team, we were a complete joke, devoid of ideas and scared to play against a better team. It's the single worst performance I've ever seen from a Rovers team...even worse than against Arsenal a few weeks ago.

Venky's I hate you. Open your eyes and see what you're doing.

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hasslem hasslem says...
10:17am Mon 27 Feb 12

more inane ramblings from a madman.
.
about time the LT stopped printing this rubbish - or if it is to continue to do so, then at least question it.
.
nothing yey from our steve on how nelsen has made a miraculous recovery to join spuds or the departure of "no way is samba going anywhere".
.
i like eric black - but was this another "exceptional" defensive performance.
.
rovers now create a premier league record of number of games without a clean sheet.
.
maybe we could be the reverse of that arsenal "unbeatable" side and become the "beatables"

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Keep Darwen Green says...
10:19am Mon 27 Feb 12

My sentiments exactly, if you rotate your squad a bit it keeps everyone fresh and on their toes, so lets roatate our centre halves, we'll send one to tottenham for free and sell another to the siberian salt mines and then oh dear, we haven't got enough for the run in. But never mind we have 11 million- 15% to spend in the championship when we arrive. Even west ham signed george john, total embarrassment to be outdone by the d1ldo sellers

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bypass06 says...
10:20am Mon 27 Feb 12

Q. What other manager would sit back and watch his best players being sold without complaining.

A. None. Unless they are in it up to their necks with the owners.

Reports today say they have contacted Aston Villa, to see if they want to buy Scott Dann.

We really need to show this scum, That we are not prepared to lie back, and do nothing.

If, in your lifetime, you only ever go on one protest march,
Make sure it is the one happening this Saturday. R.T.W.D.............
..http://brfcactiong
roup.org.uk/images/p
df/marchPosterVillaV
2A4.pdf

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bypass06 says...
10:25am Mon 27 Feb 12

http://brfcactiong
roup.org.uk/images/p

df/marchPosterVillaV

2A4.pdf

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RobbyRover says...
10:31am Mon 27 Feb 12

When Kean claims someone is injured I just don't believe him. Wouldn't surprise me if he'd agreed with Petrovic that he had to start a certain number of games.

May be being a bit over-cynical here, but Marcus Olssen was a free, now played a Premiership game so whatever he was worth has now increased... "Points aren't the only way to judge success. I am making this team more valuable" Kean, S (2011). Is this a factor in his team selection?

Now we're apparently 'encouraging bids for Scott Dann'. I'll admit he's been below average (being kind there), but can we really afford to lose another centre half?! We'll end up with N'Zonzi playing there again soon, which has the added negative of playing Petrovic on the pitch.

Now, that's all a bit negative, so to balance it out... Paul Robinson - what a performance!

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juanbbien says...
10:32am Mon 27 Feb 12

There is always some excuse from Keane,this player,that player,this injury,we did that when we should have done this,by all accounts the performance was abysmal on Saturday,never mind stats etc,they don't win matches it's bloody guts and effort that win matches in our situation,I just despair with this set up and at a loss with it all,we are Knackered big time and it's going to get even worse

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Rishtonian says...
10:32am Mon 27 Feb 12

only 500 of Keans loyal supporters went to this match
Just shows how many of Rovers supporters back him
Kean Out
Venky's Out

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RobbyRover says...
10:36am Mon 27 Feb 12

Quote from the MEN;

"The superlatives have to be tempered by the poverty of Blackburn. It is unlikely that, in the remaining 12 games of this season, the Blues will come up against such a lack of ambition married to such resignation to defeat."

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Rishtonian says...
10:39am Mon 27 Feb 12

My wife loves Kean
Till he and Venky's have gone she has got her week-ends back and she does not need to arrange life round Rovers , but I am a lost soul and miss going to Ewood

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carlmc says...
10:40am Mon 27 Feb 12

If Nzonzi was really ill, then no way would he be on the bench. If any manager thought he was fit enough to play a part in the game, then surely you would start him and take him off, if it wasn't working out for him.

A previous posting has eluded to this already and I am convinced, that the players are chosen, based on what it costs to get them on the pitch or on the bench. I reckon certain players have a contract and if they start a match the get a certain amount, less if they are on the bench and come on, even less if they are on the bench and don't come on and basic wage only if left out of the squad completely.

This sounds fanciful, but it makes sense when you look at how often the substiutions, starting line up and squad make no sense.

I went to the game on Saturday and it was as bad as I have ever seen.

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trinepigen says...
10:52am Mon 27 Feb 12

Again a very bad game from Rovers-- yes I know it was Man City, but still we need a better tactic. I dont think Kean know what tactic is, it is time for a new manager!

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French Rover says...
10:54am Mon 27 Feb 12

I don't think anyone expected anything but a hiding for us at City....I thought it would be another seven up - but I think we all expected a better performance from the Rovers.

It was abysmal, we posed no threat at all, nothing all match to get excited about and not even sure if we even got a corner?

Today is a new day of a new week and what do we wake-up to - media reports that we will sell Dann at the end of the season. Just when you think things cannot get any more sorry for our poor club, we have to read this latest self defeating news...

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Sherwoodforest says...
10:56am Mon 27 Feb 12

Absolute garbage, why oh why do we have to put up with watching the club we love take a mammoth shaft ing?

Its is disgraceful what venkys and kean are doing to the club, and its about time someone put a stop to it.

Blatantly shaft ing right in front of our very eyes.

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hasslem hasslem says...
11:07am Mon 27 Feb 12

French Rover wrote:
I don't think anyone expected anything but a hiding for us at City....I thought it would be another seven up - but I think we all expected a better performance from the Rovers.

It was abysmal, we posed no threat at all, nothing all match to get excited about and not even sure if we even got a corner?

Today is a new day of a new week and what do we wake-up to - media reports that we will sell Dann at the end of the season. Just when you think things cannot get any more sorry for our poor club, we have to read this latest self defeating news...
even frenchrover sounds desperate and resigned - christ, how low have we sunk?

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Armchair Warrior says...
11:12am Mon 27 Feb 12

Went to the game Saturday - The only highlight of the day was the hamburger and onion sandwich I purchased outside the ground just before the game. All the fans who paid £38 for this game should be refunded for the embarrassment I and my fellow fans had to endure watching this game - Yakubu (as good a player he is) on his own up front against the whole city defence was as much use as a chocolate fireguard.

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stefjam says...
11:15am Mon 27 Feb 12

either boycott the next game OR go on one of the marches. Even the mass media seem to realise what a con this has all been by those loverly Venkys. Do they have a London office? When you look on the Venkys website it shows a map with an office in London, but it is in Spain Portugal area!!!!!!!! Aholes!!!

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davemal says...
11:17am Mon 27 Feb 12

There will be more than Scot Dann going at the end of the season, any player worth his salt will go, they won't want to play in the championship.

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Tuo Neak says...
11:18am Mon 27 Feb 12

Armchair Warrior wrote:
Went to the game Saturday - The only highlight of the day was the hamburger and onion sandwich I purchased outside the ground just before the game. All the fans who paid £38 for this game should be refunded for the embarrassment I and my fellow fans had to endure watching this game - Yakubu (as good a player he is) on his own up front against the whole city defence was as much use as a chocolate fireguard.
Gutted I didn't buy the sandwich then, it wasnt the low point of the season. The Arsenal and Cardiff away matches were probably more depressing. Just have to hope the manager resigns at some point in the future, unlikely as that may be.

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Tuo Neak says...
11:20am Mon 27 Feb 12

hasslem hasslem wrote:
more inane ramblings from a madman.
.
about time the LT stopped printing this rubbish - or if it is to continue to do so, then at least question it.
.
nothing yey from our steve on how nelsen has made a miraculous recovery to join spuds or the departure of "no way is samba going anywhere".
.
i like eric black - but was this another "exceptional" defensive performance.
.
rovers now create a premier league record of number of games without a clean sheet.
.
maybe we could be the reverse of that arsenal "unbeatable" side and become the "beatables"
Got to agree with the first bit, I know the LT has to fill a newspaper but it is going to stop me buying it soon the amount of times we have to listen to the next few matches are cup finals or other such "Positive" Kean speak.

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A Darener says...
11:30am Mon 27 Feb 12

How a team can capitulate before even getting on the pitch is unbelievable. We all know that we cannot get clean sheets, so what do we do? We put ten men behind the ball and wait for the first goal, which inevitably comes. Then we come out a bit for five minutes and press up the field. Then Kean says get back in defence we are in danger of getting in the opposition's half. So back they go waiting for the second/third/fourth goals, fortunately the fourth goal didn't arrive, but that was more due to Man City's bad finishing than our defending. I bet Bolton won't lay down and die at City's next home match.

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Dukes says...
12:19pm Mon 27 Feb 12

kean you put him on bench on purpose get the hell out of our club you tosser.

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makaveli96 says...
12:34pm Mon 27 Feb 12

Its good to hear Steve Kean is refunding all away fans who went out his own pocket (ticket, travel, time and a small admin fee).

Nice gesture....

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bburnrover says...
12:35pm Mon 27 Feb 12

The reason we cannot retain the ball is basically due to the erosion of our skill base purchasing players from other leagues who cannot cope in the Premiership and firing off or selling the players who we know can cope.The systematic assett stripping goes on unabated and there is nothing at all we can do to prevent it.

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French Rover says...
12:46pm Mon 27 Feb 12

hasslem hasslem wrote:
French Rover wrote:
I don't think anyone expected anything but a hiding for us at City....I thought it would be another seven up - but I think we all expected a better performance from the Rovers.

It was abysmal, we posed no threat at all, nothing all match to get excited about and not even sure if we even got a corner?

Today is a new day of a new week and what do we wake-up to - media reports that we will sell Dann at the end of the season. Just when you think things cannot get any more sorry for our poor club, we have to read this latest self defeating news...
even frenchrover sounds desperate and resigned - christ, how low have we sunk?
I am fighting the desperation Hass but its a tough call.....I am running on empty almost after the weekend but probably still have just enough dregs of 'positivity' to get me through most of March.

Seeing as we have Villa and Sunderland at home and the Bolton and Wolves away. then we MUST get a min of 8 points from those four games to stand any possible chance of still being in the mix to stay up as we go into the April fixtures, as that is a really tough month for us.

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bypass06 says...
12:46pm Mon 27 Feb 12

Blackburn Rovers have promoted young defender Anthony O'Connor to the senior squad.

Republic of Ireland under 19 international O'Connor joined up with the seniors for the first time for the defeat to Manchester City.

The 19-year-old has been given squad number 30. This makes the situation with Myles and Bruno both laughable and criminal.

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100%ROVERS says...
2:16pm Mon 27 Feb 12

A VISITING SCOUT'S REPORT ON ROVERS @ CITY ...

DANN - Legend in his own interviews. "Im off if Samba goes" - well go on then Johnny Bigbollocks ("No really - Im not rubbush really - my ball's got scratched) ..
HANLEY - cant pick up or get tight to save his life.
ORR - weakest link. Nervy & not good enough.Target him with pace.
OLSSON - great going forward but cant defend full stop
FORMICA - South American rat boy on the run masquerading as a footballer (even Formica cant believe he keeps getting picked in front of Rochina !!!)
PEDERSON - Longest serving Rovers player. Failed to do a job as the Senior Pro in midfield. Not a winner.
HOILETT - Only responds to the words "LINKS / RECHTS / SCHNELL / VORWARTS / VERKAUF / GELD.
OLSSON 2 - Out of contract from Swedish 2nd Division. Says it all really. Scared on the ball.
YAKUBU - Woeful. Trapped nothing all game. Offer him MARS BARS from side of the pitch to distract him. Mmmm Food yesss yesss
KEAN - Allows his subs only 2 mins to warm up.. and then after 70 mins uses them in last ditch attempts. No strategic awareness. No Press training. Rovers has NO shots on target for 80 minutes.

Summary : WOEFUL MANAGEMENT. NO QUALITY. Easy 3 points against this lot.

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Tuo Neak says...
3:34pm Mon 27 Feb 12

100% Rovers - I think Kean doesn't need any more Press Training he has them all listening and hanging on for his every word. Most importantly they publish them in stories like this.

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Morst The 88th Min Heartbreaker of Dingles! says...
3:42pm Mon 27 Feb 12

Got the solution - We need Arnie from the Terminator movies.
.
Send him back in time to stop Jerome Anderson and Venkys ever meeting? Or to visit Mrs K at the birth of the Clown!
.
I really can't believe there is a Rovers fan left who can think anything else matters other that cutting these cancers out of our club before recovery can commence.
.
Matters not which league until they are gone - starve them of cash and empty the seats for the TV games against Man U and Liverpool to be shown worldwide!
.
33rd..........

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Morst The 88th Min Heartbreaker of Dingles! says...
3:46pm Mon 27 Feb 12

Continuos Chant ......

We-Are-The-Rovers,
We-Want-Kean-Out,
We-Are-The-Rovers,
We-Want-Kean-Out,
We-Are-The-Rovers,
We-Want-Kean-Out,
We-Are-The-Rovers,
We-Want-Kean-Out,
We-Are-The-Rovers,
We-Want-Kean-Out,
We-Are-The-Rovers,
We-Want-Kean-Out,
.
33rd.........

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makaveli96 says...
3:50pm Mon 27 Feb 12

Bought some crocodile shoes the other day.

They didn't fit him.

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reiko082 says...
5:04pm Mon 27 Feb 12

Didn't expect anything to begin with, but also did not expect to be publicly humiliated. I believe a conference club would have given more of a fight.

Tactically INEPT manager and owners that are blatantly asset stripping. It's depressing.

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TamesideBlue says...
5:13pm Mon 27 Feb 12

No offence boys but you were playing City
Took a while to break you down at Ewood but once the first went in, it was only time that stopped it being many more
At the moment, City are just getting back to form after a blip. Think yourselves lucky you don't have to play us in mid March !!!

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dangerous dave says...
6:04pm Mon 27 Feb 12

Absolute disgrace two atempts on goal and back in bottom three - same old comments from Kean but no longer any mention of top ten position - bloody idiot
out with Kean out with Venkys

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lancs1985 says...
6:15pm Mon 27 Feb 12

the golden cup
the havelock
uncle jacks

saturday
3 way march, everyone to be there please before 2pm!!!

We want our rovers back, thats the message for march

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guiderover says...
6:49pm Mon 27 Feb 12

I was on the march from the Brown Cow the last time and was well attended.Why are they not going from their this time?

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dg666 says...
7:25pm Mon 27 Feb 12

Hi all,

Seriously down at present it just kills me to see my club being raped before our very eyes and us being able to do next to nothing about it. Unfortunately no amount of protesting will change a thing, it is apparently clear what these guys want to do to our club!!

Anybody heard the rumour the Samba deal was done in Jan and the owners insisted that it didn't get completed until now? Why you may ask? Simply because they would then not to reinvest in the squad during our window, giving them the opportunity to well, you know what I am getting at. I must state this is a rumour!!

I will always love my club, but I fear we are going to go through much worse and tougher times before we all smile and march together again as one club!!!

Best Wishes

DG666

Report this post »

dg666 says...
7:26pm Mon 27 Feb 12

Hi all,

Seriously down at present it just kills me to see my club being raped before our very eyes and us being able to do next to nothing about it. Unfortunately no amount of protesting will change a thing, it is apparently clear what these guys want to do to our club!!

Anybody heard the rumour the Samba deal was done in Jan and the owners insisted that it didn't get completed until now? Why you may ask? Simply because they would then not to reinvest in the squad during our window, giving them the opportunity to well, you know what I am getting at. I must state this is a rumour!!

I will always love my club, but I fear we are going to go through much worse and tougher times before we all smile and march together again as one club!!!

Best Wishes

DG666

Report this post »

carlmc says...
8:22pm Mon 27 Feb 12

dg666 wrote:
Hi all, Seriously down at present it just kills me to see my club being raped before our very eyes and us being able to do next to nothing about it. Unfortunately no amount of protesting will change a thing, it is apparently clear what these guys want to do to our club!! Anybody heard the rumour the Samba deal was done in Jan and the owners insisted that it didn't get completed until now? Why you may ask? Simply because they would then not to reinvest in the squad during our window, giving them the opportunity to well, you know what I am getting at. I must state this is a rumour!! I will always love my club, but I fear we are going to go through much worse and tougher times before we all smile and march together again as one club!!! Best Wishes DG666
Yes the deal was done in January, he had his squad number and fee agreed 4 weeks ago!

By the way if Nzonzi is being described as a pass master by our manager, guess who will be the first transfer out of the summer?

Answers on a postcard please!

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Bluegoose says...
11:37pm Mon 27 Feb 12

At least the 500 rovers fans saw the fantastic talents of Aguero
Ballotelli Yaya Toure Silva Hart Kompany Dzecko well worth £38

Report this post »

craftandgraft says...
11:52pm Mon 27 Feb 12

' i think i saw some £pound notes ( a very lot of them ) from
blackburn lancashire in the bermuda triangle '

jaques cousteau.

ultra international blackburn rovers olympic rescue.

wez.

s o f u ltd.

ps the relevant authorities have bbeen informed.

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Stone Island. says...
12:43am Tue 28 Feb 12

Kean: We missed pass master Nzonzi.

The only master around here Kean, is YOU; a MASTER BATER!

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Ralph Jones says...
1:47am Tue 28 Feb 12

This was a diabolical display, to plan a game without any sort of attacking plan is totaly un acceptable, we have one of the leading goal scorers in the Premiorship just going it alone without support. He threw any chance of a result away, just like the Cardiff game, You got to think there is something not right at the club, the league should complete an investigation as to whats going on behind the scenes.How this guy is still employed is a mystery to me, it is not fair on the loyal supporters to have nothing but silence coming from the club.

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davea345 says...
10:49pm Tue 28 Feb 12

if Nzzzzzonzi is the pass master then Stuart Metcalfe and Tugay are Xzavi and Iniesta in disguise

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davea345 says...
10:52pm Tue 28 Feb 12

I suppose Dunny is the "Burger" Master !!!!

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