Leon Best in frame for Blackburn Rovers cup start (From Lancashire Telegraph)
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Leon Best in frame for Blackburn Rovers cup start
10:06am Thursday 7th March 2013 in Sport
By Andy Cryer, Blackburn Rovers reporter
Leon Best
MICHAEL Appleton expects Leon Best to be ‘banging his door down’ in pursuit of an FA Cup quarter final start – as the Rovers boss considers turning to him to fire them to Wembley.
Rovers’ powerful striker made his long-awaited debut for the club as a second half substitute in Tuesday’s 1-0 defeat at Bolton and is now pushing for his first start for the club after spending the season on the sidelines.
Hopes were high following Best’s circa £3million move to Ewood Park from Newcastle United in the summer but, after suffering a cruciate knee ligament injury in pre-season, the 26-year-old has been left frustrated.
Now, back in the frame, Best will be bidding for a place alongside Jordan Rhodes in attack for Sunday’s trip to Millwall, with QPR loanee DJ Campbell cup-tied for the clash.
Appleton said: “You look at the situation we are in, in terms of people being cup-tied for the weekend, and it is one of them. I have no doubts whatsoever he will be banging on my door, trying to get a place in the starting line up.
“Obviously that is a decision between myself and the staff. If it is right to start him and he is up for it and ready for it then we will do.
“If not, then it will be a gradual thing from our point of view.”
Best came on with 10 minutes in Tuesday night’s late defeat at the Reebok Stadium, having played in two reserve matches since his injury.
And Appleton admits the sight of Best in a Blackburn Rovers shirt was a huge boost to the club.
He said: “It will be massive – not just for him, but for the whole squad and supporters. To see him with his shirt on and on the pitch is a good feeling from my point of view.
“The thought of having him available week-in and week-out certainly whets the appetite, gives me options, and he is a player opposition players and managers won’t fancy coming up against.”
Meanwhile, the Rovers boss praised his side’s display in Tuesday night’s defeat to Bolton, despite seeing Chris Eagles’ injury time strike inflict their fourth league defeat in six games.
He said: “I asked the players to be true to themselves more than anything. I am glad I got the performance I got tonight because that is what I am like as a person. What you see is what you get.
“We were 100 per cent committed, never say die and never gave in and the players showed that tonight. I think we will need that on Sunday.
“They could have taken my criticism of them on Saturday the wrong way, but if they did take it the wrong way they are kidding themselves and cheating everyone.
“Luckily for me I got the response I wanted and they look a group of people who are going to be good to work with in the coming months and years. The more honest performances we have like that the better.
“It is going to be one hell of a cup tie against Millwall on their own patch.”
Meanwhile, Millwall have been dealt a blow ahead of Sunday’s game with Blackburn Rovers after winger James Henry was ruled out for the rest of the season with a serious knee injury.
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Comments (69)
10:26am Thu 7 Mar 13
vicn1956 says...
It'slike hearing the trumpet call as the cavary rideover the hill to save us!
I don't think.
10:43am Thu 7 Mar 13
fitz808 says...
hopefully he can make a positive difference on sunday and for the rest of the season.
10:45am Thu 7 Mar 13
The Super Blues says...
10:45am Thu 7 Mar 13
Riverside 7 says...
I don't think Campbell has had a shot in 7 games never mind scoring.
10:55am Thu 7 Mar 13
StLedge says...
10:55am Thu 7 Mar 13
Crow27 says...
Be postive MA and we will score a hatful with the strikers we have!
11:17am Thu 7 Mar 13
Riverside 7 says...
After his first half display against Peterborogh I hope not - he showed no desire to compete / will to win whatsoever.
He's only here for the money!
P.S. Is Dunny fit yet?
It's the derby game in 10 days time and he usually tries to make an effort for that.
He's made just 6 or 7 appearances this season in all competitions.
Most of them were cameo appearances and he never plays the full 90 minutes.
He appears to be content to pick up his £2M pa - what a disgrace!
And he calls himself a fan.
11:19am Thu 7 Mar 13
GAZHAY says...
11:40am Thu 7 Mar 13
fanny.tickler. says...
11:41am Thu 7 Mar 13
PersianRover says...
11:42am Thu 7 Mar 13
A Rover 45 years and over says...
11:45am Thu 7 Mar 13
A Rover 45 years and over says...
11:50am Thu 7 Mar 13
Sherwoodforest says...
I'd play Gomes behind Rhodes tbh or even give Badf@nny a run out, saying that playing 2 up top hasn't really worked for MA, it might be wiser to stick a extra body in midfield.
Back to Best, he needs to be reintroduced via the subs bench for the next few games. We don't want him injured agin!
11:51am Thu 7 Mar 13
1952 rover says...
12:03pm Thu 7 Mar 13
chegwin says...
Scraped a win at bottom of league Barnsely
Beat a disjointed Forrest " big eck"
Nows he's a world beater?
Must admit though the football under Berg was way ahead of the football now.
Thought Berg was a very unlucky manager.
34YRS 34 yrs 34yrs 34 yrs
12:56pm Thu 7 Mar 13
uber blue and white says...
1:13pm Thu 7 Mar 13
alfa111 says...
1:14pm Thu 7 Mar 13
Rovers till I die says...
1:20pm Thu 7 Mar 13
owd nick says...
It isn't only Appy who isn't picking Goodwillie, none of the other four managers we have had this season picked him either, why? But apart from the fact that he and Rhodes might get in each others way, they are pretty similar players, I would give him a chance on Sunday.
OK Best cannot be match fit but don't forget he was banging them in last season for Newcastle, 10 in about 15 games in the PL until Demba Ba or the other guy (Cisse?) came along and took his place.
Best is proven class, as long as the injury hasn't took his pace off him, best to bring him on slowly for next season.
Stating the bleeding obvious it's midfield where we are struggling, doesn't matter if we have four strikers on the pitch if we can't get the ball to them.
1:39pm Thu 7 Mar 13
French Rover says...
Burnley = Right Charlie Austin
5-1
And that Mr. FT will probably be the score we beat you by at Ewood!
1:46pm Thu 7 Mar 13
The Super Blues says...
1:47pm Thu 7 Mar 13
fanny.tickler. says...
1:53pm Thu 7 Mar 13
flyingv1 says...
2:07pm Thu 7 Mar 13
benal13 says...
!!!!!!
2:24pm Thu 7 Mar 13
fanny.tickler. says...
2:34pm Thu 7 Mar 13
RoversMCMLXXV says...
2:37pm Thu 7 Mar 13
French Rover says...
2:38pm Thu 7 Mar 13
French Rover says...
2:55pm Thu 7 Mar 13
Riverside 7 says...
You say that he is desperate to be involved then why has he not featured under Bowyer or Appleton?
Is it still the calf strain injury that has kept him out of the team for months?
Surely to God he is better than some of the crap that have been playing in midfield.
Interestingly, if you log onto the Rovers web site / stats / appearances - David Dunn does not appear.
I then tried again on the Rovers web site / first team / player profiles and guess what - again no David Dunn.
Does this mean he is no longer at the club?
Perhaps someone could enlighten us?
Is David Dunn still a player at Blackburn Rovers Football Club?
2:57pm Thu 7 Mar 13
noddy57 says...
3:01pm Thu 7 Mar 13
ghost of sceptic says...
3:07pm Thu 7 Mar 13
MxMave says...
Appleton - Loose vs Milwall and loose vs Burnley and the happy clappers will soon change thier minds about you. Your on borrowed time barring an absolute miracle. 7 points off the drop now, can we stay in the championship with this dreadful manager?
3:09pm Thu 7 Mar 13
benal13 says...
?
3:11pm Thu 7 Mar 13
MxMave says...
3:14pm Thu 7 Mar 13
MxMave says...
3:24pm Thu 7 Mar 13
Iiii1111 says...
3:27pm Thu 7 Mar 13
GAZHAY says...
3:35pm Thu 7 Mar 13
fanny.tickler. says...
3:57pm Thu 7 Mar 13
greenscreener says...
4:16pm Thu 7 Mar 13
French Rover says...
4:27pm Thu 7 Mar 13
greenscreener says...
4:47pm Thu 7 Mar 13
willhelmrover98 says...
4:52pm Thu 7 Mar 13
Angry From Accrington says...
4:58pm Thu 7 Mar 13
fanny.tickler. says...
5:45pm Thu 7 Mar 13
vicn1956 says...
You have a quality striker in Rhodes and starve him of chances. What a waste!
5:57pm Thu 7 Mar 13
Sherwoodforest says...
7:16pm Thu 7 Mar 13
peely says...
7:27pm Thu 7 Mar 13
passingfootball says...
sitting back and counter-attacking is Ok if you have a very solid defence and quick pacy attackers, rovers dont, they are shaky in both aspects, against certain teams it is a great tool to nuliify their strengths, but it shouldnt be necessary in every single game, it makes it far easy to set up against. add to that the lack of awareness of players that supposed to be providing the service in the final third, means what few little chances they have are wasted when they are missed altogether in their desperate attempts to score a goal
7:45pm Thu 7 Mar 13
passingfootball says...
7:46pm Thu 7 Mar 13
merlinrabbit says...
7:50pm Thu 7 Mar 13
modan says...
One Billionire called Venkys of India worth £2 Billion owner of BRFC.
There are more than 200 Billionaires in India with 100 or so private Billionaires.
There are nine Indian Dollar Billionaires living in UK like
Laxmi Mittal worth £17.5 Billion UK's richst man owner of QPR FC
Hinduja Brothers £8.5 Billion
Anil Agarwal worth £2.250
Ravi Ruia £2 Billion
Ajay Kalsi worth £1.5 Billion
Lord Paul Caparo $1.2 Billion
Jatania Brothers $1 Billion
Ranjit Boparan $1 Billion
Yusuf Hamied $1 Billion
Inians are the second wealthiest groups in UK after the JEWS .
There are 50,000 Indian Business in UK ,Small ,medium and large Business lit TATA , Arcelor Mittal Steel,Reliance ,M&M and Infosys and medium like Venkys and Northern Foods.
Indians contribute £60 Billion to UKS economy and India is the second largest investors in UK worth £24 Billion a year.
India is a rising superpower Dave Cameron UK'S Prime Minister
www india skyscrapercity.com
7:50pm Thu 7 Mar 13
merlinrabbit says...
8:32pm Thu 7 Mar 13
gleechy says...
Their wealth is worth nothing if they choose to let their own die. Someone who idolises such ignorance has got to be a heck of a lot worse, go crawl back into your hole it's not loony hour yet.
8:43pm Thu 7 Mar 13
champs95 says...
9:11pm Thu 7 Mar 13
stick to football says...
Millwall are on a poor run so we should fear nothing-
The non appearance of players such as Robinson Dunn Givet males one think there are still issues behind the scenes at Ewood the fans dont know about
I would settle for survival over semi final at this point in time
9:18pm Thu 7 Mar 13
silverstan says...
9:21pm Thu 7 Mar 13
silverstan says...
9:24pm Thu 7 Mar 13
Wild Rover says...
Nothing to say that makes sense, just Dingles trolling
Last laughs to come at Ewood methinks...
9:42pm Thu 7 Mar 13
RoversMCMLXXV says...
All that money in India and not one of them has the first f*cking clue how to run a football club.
You're a c*nt modan.
10:06pm Thu 7 Mar 13
M.DANNY says...
They have ruined my beloved BRFC and made it into a laughing stock .
Venkys should sell go back home to India and feed the hungry people of India.
Modan is loving Indian Billionaires the same people who are exploiting the poor masses in India.There are 350 million people in India on poverty and go to bed hungry and the richest 200 Billionares modan says have enormous wealth like kings with palaces rolls royces and private jets .There is wealth in India but the unequal distribution of wealth have devided the rich and poor on a scale not seen anywhere in the world except in India.India has 400 millon middle class and some 1 million dollar millionaires and some estimate of around 300 dollar Billionaires.Then there unbelievable poverty the people on lowest level on planet earth the people who live on bare survival level.
India is the second fastest growing economy in the world and set to become economic superpower in 2030 but can India tackle the terrible poverty where more than 350 million people who live in squalor and go to bed hungry.
10:13pm Thu 7 Mar 13
BlueSkies says...
10:25pm Thu 7 Mar 13
modan says...
Venkys of Pune India none of the other 1426 Billionaires around the world wanted buy a small club.Count yourself lucky a club in debt of £25 million and loosing even today that this family do not walk out and leave you with BRAG and administration will follow like LEEDS and Rangers.
Don't blame Venkys it was Walker family and Robert Coar sold your family silver .
Look at the other clubs too that many top clubs in England are owned by foreign billionaires like man city Man utd Liverpool Cardiff Nottingham Forest,Arsenal,Chels
ea QPR Fulham Sunderland and many others.
None of these Americans Arabs Chinese and Indian Billionaires have any clue on how to run a football club but football clubs are a rich man's toys to play with in their spare time.
10:30pm Thu 7 Mar 13
RoversMCMLXXV says...
10:31pm Thu 7 Mar 13
CasBRFC says...
10:44pm Thu 7 Mar 13
Angry From Accrington says...
10:48pm Thu 7 Mar 13
Angry From Accrington says...
11:04pm Thu 7 Mar 13
Melblue says...
8:03am Fri 8 Mar 13
greenscreener says...
There's also a lack of belief in the team right now that creates a vicious circle. it's evident when you see how often the man on the ball turns back because he's being closed down and there is little or no movement ahead of him. But the guys stop making the runs because they don't believe they will get the ball they want and probably find themselves offside or out of position.
I really don't like it, but I can see why its difficult to deliver confident flowing football at the moment.
9:02pm Fri 8 Mar 13
modan says...
Throwing snowballs at owners of BRFC a Billionaire family fom India some morons here in the town who have no class.