[Archived] Rovers 0 Chelsea 1

[Lathund]

                Friedel

   Neill   Todd   Mokoena   Johansson
               Savage 
          Tugay      Thompson 
Emerton                         Pedersen
               Jansen

Subs: Enckelman, Matteo, Reid, Flitty, Stead

I actually agree with this

Although I'd have Nelsen on the bench instead of Matteo, and I'm not sure which striker to put on the bench. This could easily be changed to a 4-4-2 with Pedersen playing a more attacking role and Thommo moving to the wing.

We have improved a lot since the last time we met Chelsea. Unfortunately, so have they.

2-0 Chelsea.

[Tris]

Morning all...

Morning indeed.

Quite a few people I know give up drinking, or chocolate, for the month of January.

You gave up the messageboard.

How strange!!

But welcome back.

[daheri]

According to Canal+, MGP has been told by Hughes, that he will play striker tonight.

[Nuclearsox]

According to Canal+, MGP has been told by Hughes, that he will play striker tonight.

Nah, I can't believe that! You must have misheard. Maybe they said "Streaker" - It could be Sparky's masterplan to put Chelsea off their game. He's sure to get booked for removing his shirt but it just might work!

[joey_big_nose]

According to Canal+, MGP has been told by Hughes, that he will play striker tonight.

Told you all

Seriously I dont think it is such a bad idea. Reid/Thompson and Emerton on the wings will provide more defensive awareness while Pedersen has shown suprising versitility in the air and on the deck. I imagine Flitcroft will return alongside Savage as Tugay has been a complete liability giving us one hell of a tough tackling midfield.

I hope Pedersen can make a go of it as, to be brutally honest, none of our 'real' strikers (bar Dickov) have. If he looks good then I am more than happy to have Emerton back on the left as he has been good there.

If Dickov fails his fitness test it will be interesting to see who Hughes partners with the Norweigen. I would guess Johnson, but Gallagher could be a good shout. It is amazing how the running order of strikers changes each week but this is how I think it is at the moment.

1. Dickov

2. Pedersen

3. Johnson

4. Gallagher

5. Stead

6. Bothroyd

7. Jansen

Their have been murmurs about Jansen playing but I just cannot see it.

Edited February 2, 2005 by joey_big_nose

[bellamy11]

I don't like the idea of MGP up front. Terry will bully him without a problem.

However it does free up a place on the wing for a more solid defensive player. Our flanks will need to be very disciplined when it comes to tracking Robben and Duff.

[philipl]

The BBC preview:

"Chelsea are without Scott Parker (broken foot), Ricardo Carvalho (broken toe) and Robert Huth (knee ligaments).

Didier Drogba, Petr Cech, William Gallas, Arjen Robben, Paulo Ferreira, Tiago and Claude Makelele all return."

gulp

[Ozz]

Morning all...

It's a good question that. That's a very good question. While Dickov has many qualities I don't think we should have 100 Dickovs.

For one, the squad would be far too big. Too many strikers. And all called Dickov. How would Hughes know which one to pick? One of the Dickov's might do something brilliant in training and Hughes would want to pick him for the next match, only for one of the other sneaky Dickov's to take the other Dickov's place. How would Hughes know the difference? I tell you, he wouldn't.

I don't like the sound of 100 Dickov's. No thank you. But I would take a hand full of Dickov's instead of just the one Drogba. So long as the hand full of Dickov's don't mind having their squad number tatooing on their forehead to avoid confusion. They'd have to have different numbers mind or it's still going to be confusing.

Besides it'll never happen anyway now that the transfer window has shut. I blame FIFA.

Chelsea have conceded just 8 league goals this season. Time for them to concede another tonight. Heaven knows how or who. 1 - 1. Let's say MGP for us and Lampard for them.

BOB!

Where have you been?

I have had to play the role of inane rambler on my own all year, and thats not easy. The old 4-5-1 situation. The others have been looking at me funny, and I need someone else to lighten the load.

[Jan]

Maybe if we held up their team bus so they were late, they'd be fined and we'd be given three points?? Isn't that happening to Swindon or someone??

[Hughesy]

Rovers to sneak a win! 2-1 Savage to score 1st. The odds on that according to bet 365 are 331/1

[James No. 7]

With the rest of the footballer followers in my household ardent Chelsea fans, I did the following question and answer session for my own curiosity, more than anything else.

Here it is...

----------

Question & answer session, with Chelsea-supporting Joe King, from eplchat.banterboard.com:

Do you think you will win the league this season, now that you are eight points above Manchester United with 14 games remaining?

Eight points is a large gap and it can be extended to eleven provided we can get over the Rovers in this match. In the next fourteen games, anything can happen and I can't say it's in the bag just yet. Man Utd are in pretty good form and they will be hungry to try and catch up to us. Having said that, we are in sensational form ourselves. We have won our last seven Premier League fixtures and undefeated for the last fifteen games, and funnily enough, we beat Blackburn in the match after our first loss of the season against Man City. We haven't lost since. Only Arsenal will be kicking themselves right now, having dropped so many games and wont be happy with the 4-2 defeat at the hands of Man Utd yesterday. Provided we can keep our team morale high and continue with the good form, we should be lifting that trophy at the end of the season, and i can't wait.

What is your impression of new manager Jose Mourinho, and how has he performed?

Jose has been fantastic for Chelsea this season. He's such a tactical master and knows how to get the win. You can see this with our performances on the pitch. We have such a solid defence but also a devastating attack and our goal difference of 40 shows this. He has won many trophies with Porto, (the Champions League last seaosn being the one that stands out most) and Chelsea could see he had the title winning credentials. I was actually quite sad to hear the dismissal of Ranieri. Although, whatever doubts i had about Jose before the start of the season are all now out the window. The results he has been getting have been great. He can be extremely arrogant at times, (but nowhere near as arrogant as Sir Alex Ferguson) he backs up his comments on match day. I'm looking forward to him being at the helm for many years to come.

Jose Mourinho has bought several new signings in his time at Chelsea, and a couple of Ranieri signings have also joined during his managerial reign. Who has impressed you the most?

Arjen Robben and Petr Cech. And These players were both signed by Claudio Ranieri! Arjen Robben basically turned our season around after many unimpressive performances. We were accused of playing too defensive and playing boring football. With Robben's pre-season injury ruling him out for the first few weeks of the new season, we didn't have much flair going down both wings. That was considered our problem concerning our lack of goals and with the sheer class and creativeness of Robben down the left wing, the goals starting coming in. Robben has really made a good teaming with Duff on the left and right side of midfield.

I feel so comfortable watching matches when Cech is in goal. You just know that there won't be too many goals conceded in the match whilst he's in goal. The stats just show what a great season he is having. He has produced 18 clean sheets out of 24 matches and only conceded a total of 8 goals. I have never seen stats like that, it's incredible. I'm hoping he can continue this great form and at 23 years old, he can only improve. I just feel sorry for Carlo Cudicini. You just cannot drop Cech.

So thank you Claudio, excellent signings!

Looking at signings from Jose, Drogba has been the stand out. Can become a real goal machine, but the long injury earlier in the season has set him back. The likes of Ferriera and Carvalho have been solid in defence as well. And quite frankly, i don't even want to say anthing about Kezman.

Damien Duff was a product of the Blackburn youth system who has figured in Chelsea's plans ever since Ranieri bought him before the start of last season. How has he performed?

To describe 'Duffers' in one word... sensational! We all know Blackburn have a fantastic youth system and Duff is just a great player. All his skills have been developed at Blackburn and Chelsea are very fortunate to have a player of his calibre playing for us. With his spot in the first team threatened by Robben, it was dountful as to wheather we would see much of him this season. But Mourinho has used him well down the right wing and it looks like he enjoying it. An overall of 9 goals really shows how well he is linking up with Robben. Has been an essential member of the team this year, no doubt.

Which player do you think Chelsea will have to look out for when you visit us at Ewood Park?

Paul Dickov for sure. Blackburns leading goalscorer with 7 goals overall. Very good striker. Gallas and Terry will have to be careful back there. Savage should also a player to watch out for in midfield. And of course you can't forget Emerton.

What are your impressions of Blackburn this season?

I'm actually quite surprised at where Blackburn is sitting at this current moment. I was expecting them to be at least around the middle of the table or slightly higher. Blackburn have made some good signings and have enough potential to be in the top half of the table in my opinion. The signing of Craig Bellamy would have been terrific and would have helped the team a lot.

Souness was not the man. Hughes, given time, will do some good things with this team.

What is your prediction for the Blackburn-Chelsea stand-off?

I am never usually confident in matches like these. Blackburn have really tested us in previous matches. I mean, we won our first match against the Rovers at Stamford Bridge for the first time since 1984 earlier this season! I think our form will get us over the line. We will be wanted to really increase our lead on top, especially with Man Utd now chasing us. We wont to kill off that threat.

I predict a 19th clean sheet of the season to Cech in a hard fought 2-0 victory to Chelsea. Drogba to bag the first and Robben with the second. And a penalty shout to Blackburn but not given yet again.

[Nayef]

The amount of optimists we seem to have on this thread is nothing short of staggering.

We are playing against Chelsea. CHELSEA.

Those who bet on a Rovers win - your money would still be with you if you kept it in your pockets!!

[Izzitnot]

2-0 to chelsea

robben and duff

savage also to have a quiet game which he usually does against quality teams

[1864roverite]

I wonder if we put all 11 players across the goal mouth and allow chelseas to costantly shoot that we could keep a clean sheet ?

[CAPT KAYOS]

2-0 to chelsea

robben and duff

savage also to have a quiet game which he usually does against quality teams

Should have an outstanding game against you lot then

[Nayef]

In order to cut down on parking costs in one of the more expensive parts of London, Mark Hughes has alerted his team coach driver of a new parking spot available for the night.

right behind Friedal in front of the goal.

[SuperStella]

Shame its at Ewood

[Cocker]

In order to cut down on parking costs in one of the more expensive parts of London, Mark Hughes has alerted his team coach driver of a new parking spot available for the night.

right behind Friedal in front of the goal.

What good would that be? The games at Ewood and the coach would be in front of the goal in London

[Nayef]

Shame its at Ewood

Oh yeah.

Duhhhh...

[S15]

2-0 to chelsea

robben and duff

savage also to have a quiet game which he usually does against quality teams

Are you still here.

[waggy]

rovers 0 v 4 chelski

this is the match i have waited for all season the return off duffer,in a way i hope he plays brilliant- but i hope he finishes on the losing team,looking forward to seeing drogba and robben,in fact all of them

[Teemu]

I just hope Rovers would look like a proper football team tonight. At Chelsea they didn't. Everything else gained from the game would come as a bonus.

What comes to tactics, I'd perhaps also try to tough them out (especially Duff,Robben and Drogba) and try to use the pace of Jemal Johnson. I haven't yet seen much of Jemal but his pace could be one of the things we could have a very slight adventage against them. He could also bring in a bit of a surprise factor.

[T4E]

Enjoyable read Bryan. I like the concept that Dickov has "diminutive shoulders"

[Kennys Magic Hat]

Team should be:

Friedel

Neill Todd Mokoena Johansson

Savage Flitcroft Thompson

Reid Emerton

Dickov

I've got a good feeling about this one but any success we have in this game depends on Dickov being fit - we need a striker up there who can hold up the ball when played into feet so we can get the midfield involved. Pedersen has done well but I dont think he's strong enough or has enough stamina like Emerton and Reid to compete with Robben and Duff.

Any weaknesses they do have are down their right side and with crosses into the box so maybe Emerton on the left can do well. Also Makelele is susceptible to pressure when on the ball so Thommo needs to put pressure on him. I think Todd and Mokoena can control Drogba as a combinination but Lampard is the danger man and whoever plays defensive midfield (probably Tugay or Flitty) needs to be on their game.

I think how well our full backs play will be essential, Johansson should play as he reads the game better, has more pace and is far cooler on the ball that Matteo who should be dropped. Neill has to improve!

I'm confident that if we can defend well then we have a chance. Chelsea have been far from free scoring against sides who defend solidly against them. Like others have said I fancy Savage for a late free kick winner or a Todd bullet header.

Looking forward to seeing Duff back at Ewood for what promises to be a tight but entertaining match!

Rovers 1 - 0 Chelsea

[krislu]

I'm sure Reid will play today, leaving MGP up front as some people have said before...