Author: zhaoyun770
Date: Jul 24, 08 3:11pm (PT)
Subject: Blackburn Rovers - Arte Et Labore... Reclaiming their place...
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Last Year, in August 2007, Blackburn Rovers announced that veteran manager Mark Hughes' contract had been terminated with immediate effect and that the now vacated post as Blackburn Manager would be filled by a previously unheard of Australian Manager named Ben Thompson. Many were quite shocked and an equal number were angry by the board's decision, but Thompson nevertheless quietly set about putting the pieces in place for a revolution. He immediately let several players know where they stood. He quickly negotiated a 3.9 million pound deal for Brett Emerton to Middlesborough, un-needed by the club, his position solidly filled by the upcoming star, David Bentley. He followed by selling Sergio Peter to Queens Park Rangers and Jason Brown to Crystal Palace for 1.9 mil and 1.4 mil respectively, with Scott Flinders coming into the squad as part of the Brown deal. Eddie Nolan then headed for Southend in exchange for Southend's Nicky Bailey, a promising prospect who could benefit from Premiership youth facilities. Tony Kane, Raffaele De Vita and Bryan Hodge were loaned off season long to Darlington, Shrewsbury and Walsall and Thompson then, at long last to the delight of the Blackburn faithful, turned his eyes towards purchasing. With his newfound budget, Thompson had plenty of cash to fling around, but nevertheless aimed away from big money signings initially, buying Gonzalo Zarate from Grasshopper for a mere 85k, and acquiring Hossain Kaebi on a free. The money then started to flow with the purchase of central defender, Dickson Choto for a price tag of 800k. Rene Mihelic, Maribor's 19 year old starlet followed for 500k before Thompson splased out on Derek Boateng for One million pounds. Renan followed from Fluminense for 9k, before Thompson revealed a stunning coup, in the form of Palermo's out of favour marksman, Fabrizio Miccoli.
Blackburn started shakily however, with some poor results outside of the Euro Vase slaughtering of Ekranas. The draws were getting to Blackburn and they were nothing above mid-table by the end of the first month. The most irritating thing for Thompson and the fans was the player's inability to retain their nerve in the latter moments of a match, letting a lead slip no fewer than four times in the last ten minutes, remarkably going ahead twice to Everton within the dieing moments, spurning the chance to win.
Match of the Month:
The team were mid-table, suffering seemingly from the manager's lack of experience and the crowd's dwindling support. Blackburn started the month in a similar fashion, conceding a 68th minute goal to again miss the chance to win. However, Fabrizio Miccoli's brace against Middlesborough showed the team and the fans his intentions, and that, or something similar, spurred the team on into a fantastic 4-1 demolition of Newcastle United, led by a Miccoli hat-trick. The rest of the month fell perfectly into place, and Blackburn even picked up a crucial lead against Rennais in the European Cup's 1st round match, the only let-down being a foolish moment by Hosain Kaebi against Portsmouth letting Bouba Diop salage a late point for Pompey in the 86th minute. Blackburn however, picked up the pace for the remainder of the month, and ended the month hovering around in a Euro Cup spot.
Match Of The Month:
More to come soon...
Comments more than welcome
Author: bcfc1875
Date: Jul 24, 08 3:29pm (PT)
Subject: re: Blackburn Rovers - Arte Et Labore... Reclaiming their place...
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Fantastic results but its way too much to read, you should highlight something important in each paragraph such as who youve signed, and its all very cramped, this could be successful if you sort out the layout
but the results are gr8
Author: TheSkyBlueArmy
Date: Jul 24, 08 3:38pm (PT)
Subject: re: Blackburn Rovers - Arte Et Labore... Reclaiming their place...
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Good results there. As Bcfc1875 said, shorten it abit and it could be a decent story.
Could you comment on my TNS story please.
Author: Gary_Rosconie
Date: Jul 24, 08 3:46pm (PT)
Subject: re: Blackburn Rovers - Arte Et Labore... Reclaiming their place...
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Nice start, people prefer the one that get right into it...
Will keep reading
One question. Did you keep Sergio Peter?
Edit: Just seen you sold him to QPR
- I think on the other Blackburn SOMS he got sold to the same club lol...Just asked because I alwasy buy him and he always averages 7 & 8's for me, but everyone seems to sell him...
Author: The Rock 13
Date: Jul 24, 08 10:57pm (PT)
Subject: re: Blackburn Rovers - Arte Et Labore... Reclaiming their place...
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Good start there Zhao, first months was a bit iffy but I reckon you could possibly challenge the top four if you keep it up. I don't think it needs shortening but the layout could use perhaps a bit of a tweaking.
But overall good start, a few risky signings though? You seems to know what you're doing though.
Author: zhaoyun770
Date: Jul 28, 08 3:37am (PT)
Subject: re: Blackburn Rovers - Let's get going then!
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October.
Before the month, Ben Thompson decided changes were needed. New signing Hosain Kaebi had been given his chance, but his performances were dropping in class rapidly, so the manager swapped Kaebi out of the team, replacing him with Dickson Choto. And the results were:
A great month for Blackburn overall, despite two small setbacks. The loss to Rennais away saw an abrupt and somewhat premature end to their European dreams for the season, and the 3-3 draw against Liverpool could easily have been a win, but nonetheless, Blackburn were starting to show true ability and class, just what Ben Thompson was looking for from the team.
Match of the Month:
Great performance from everyone involved, particularly the effervescent Fabrizio Miccoli, who made sure that he was becoming the first name on the team sheet almost every match with his current run of form, also cementing a potential hold on the Golden Boot for the season, already several goals clear of nearest rival, Afonso Alves.
November.
Blackburn's good form continued throughout the whole of November, recording three good wins, in particular against two of the big four, albeit by one goal margins. The fans and board were starting to come together behind Thompson, despite the european defeat, and were enthralled by the football over the month.
Match of the month(2):
Manchester United were just inches away from dealing Blackburn their first defeat of the season, before Thompson went for broke, bringing on Jason Roberts, for his first match of the season, immediately allowing Miccoli to pounce in the 67th minute to equalise. Miccoli scored in the 80th minute, his second of the match, to bring the scores to 3-2 Blackburn, before Scholes scored a volley in the 86th minutes, leading to the tensest moment of the season, where Jason Roberts scored in injury time to claim the match...
&...
Arsenal also came close to achieving what must be considered the more probable result, but they also fell to the mighty Blackburn and their newfound form.. Despite going ahead thanks to a penalty early on, Arsenal capitulated and eventually were defeated thanks to a Gael Clichy own goal..
A great month for Blackburn saw them having defeated three of the top four within just over a month, leaving just Chelsea, who Blackburn conveniently drew in the league cup quarter final... The only drawback was the long term injury to David Bentley, which would leave him out for over a month, but Thompson was confident the team, significantly Bentley's replacement, Steven Reid, could cope.
December.
A large month, full of important games at important times left Blackburn in the best position possible: Top. The league cup's thrashing of Chelsea was a clear sign that Blackburn weren't messing about this year, and the few remaining doubters were well and truly put to bed when they repeated the result in the leagues weeks later.
Match of the Month:
The late setbacks, in the form of the Ooijer sending off and the Nicolas Anelka last minute brace couldn't spoil the mood for a victorious Blackburn, who had done what no team had done for years. Defeated the top four of English football within half a season.
Author: TheSkyBlueArmy
Date: Jul 28, 08 4:37am (PT)
Subject: re: Blackburn Rovers - Arte Et Labore... Reclaiming their place...
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WOW, you beat all of the top 4. Your doing great, keep this up, it could turn into a really good SOMS.
Author: Cydonia
Date: Jul 28, 08 11:44am (PT)
Subject: re: Blackburn Rovers - Arte Et Labore... Reclaiming their place...
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Miccoli is cheating tbh, Middlesbrough will beat you next time you play them Ben.
Author: zhaoyun770
Date: Jul 28, 08 11:58am (PT)
Subject: re: Blackburn Rovers - Arte Et Labore... Reclaiming their place...
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Heh... Stupid Alves is stupid... How over-rated can you get?
He scored more than everyone cept Miccoli.. Imagine that.. A 'Boro player getting the Golden Boot.. Aaaah!
Author: The Rock 13
Date: Jul 28, 08 11:52pm (PT)
Subject: re: Blackburn Rovers - Arte Et Labore... Reclaiming their place...
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How the hell do you do it lol? Good update, where are you in the league? Must be top surely. Your strikers are scoring bucket loads, who's top scorer Miccoli?
Author: Aaronccfc
Date: Jul 29, 08 1:26am (PT)
Subject: re: Blackburn Rovers - Arte Et Labore... Reclaiming their place...
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Good read and youve spent really well
Great results against the top 4
KUTGW
Author: zhaoyun770
Date: Jul 29, 08 3:28am (PT)
Subject: re: Blackburn Rovers - Arte Et Labore... Reclaiming their place...
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quote The Rock 13Miccoli's top, yeah...How the hell do you do it lol? Good update, where are you in the league? Must be top surely. Your strikers are scoring bucket loads, who's top scorer Miccoli?
And I can't provide screenies of the league until the end, I'm already upto next year, so I'll just post the final league table
Author: GabboUK
Date: Jul 29, 08 12:17pm (PT)
Subject: re: Blackburn Rovers - Arte Et Labore... Reclaiming their place...
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Wow, you're doing very well. Some great results against the top 4 there.
If Micolli keeps up his rich vein of form, I expect to see the title back at Ewood Park for the first time in 13 years.
KUTGW, mate.