[Archived] Rovers 0 Chelsea 2

[greggyk]

Not to upset. We played quite well expect Ooijer and Zurab

Oh, and did Steven Reid actually play today?

Edited August 27, 2006 by greggyk

[robborover]

i think we need some midfielders pretty soonish. our bench is probably as poor as sheff utd's right now!

neill at lb? something wrong there.

get in some signings sparky!

[West Sussex Rover]

Zurab had a good one??? Neill was good at Lb, wonder what happened to Gray though, could it be time for a replacement for him (i hope).

It was Reid and Oojer that let us down!!

Edited August 27, 2006 by Rover The Moon

[Lathund]

Well losing to Chelsea isn't the end of the world. We played well in the first half, and it wasn't like Chelsea dominated the second either. Ooijer didn't have a great debut, but he looked a threat at corners and looking at Emerton we know that the debut performance doesn't mean much Not gonna judge him based on just one game.

On the plus side, Bentley and Emerton were both good on the right, and Neill had a decent game as well. Reid's passing was all over the place, Tugay is still needed in the centre.

Edited August 27, 2006 by Lathund

[Mr. E]

Absolutely sick to the stomach. Chelsea were there to be beaten, and yet they slithered away with the 3 points. I won't comment on the penalty because I feel a rant coming up. Ooijer - he's gonna need a few games to settle in. And if we're going to try shooting from afar, maybe we should actually practise those shots. Nowhere neat the target any one of 'em. And we need to get the ball and create chances for the forwards, dammit.

1 point out of 3 games. Speaks for itself really. Terrible shame.

edit: oh, and we're dead bottom of the league.

Edited August 27, 2006 by Mr. E

[Shevchenko]

Ready for fighting for our premiership place? Our standard is very very far away from Chelsea. Stilll want to fight in europe? please forget it. Loss 6 goal in 3 match. Do anyone think that our defence is good enough?

So what game were you watching? Chelsea were far from impressive today but they got a penalty (which was fair enough) at the right time. Drogbra's goal was unlucky but we needed to come forward to get something from the game, they hit us on the break. These things happen.

We need to get better in the final third. The final ball isn't good enough at the moment. MGP is starting to show his faults now. He's been rubbish for Norway for the last two years while chipping in with important goals for Rovers. Well, he's done nothing so far...Sergio should walk into the side now, if only he was fit.

[LA Rover]

An appalling game from mr clattenburg who is normally very good for us.

Ooijer didn't have a great debut but he has only been with us a short time. IMO if they get that penalty then we should get the roberts one. Very good first half performance and the use of emerton and bentley on the right was magic and fantastic to watch.

Annoying not to get anything from that but a world class save and poor reffing cost us!

Bring on Sheff Utd please!

Agree with most of this...Emerton looks like he has found his place. Whether he likes it or not, he's a right back, and he should be happy, 'cos if he plays that way all the time, he'll be in the side every week. I think Lucas should replace Gray at LB.

Ooijer looks like he has no answer for physically imposing players (Terry, Drogba). His reading of the game is okay, he' just not that physically gifted. Nelsen wouldn't have conceded either of those two goals.

Our final ball, and most of our play in the final third was sheer crap all day. With Reid and Savage in the middle, we just don't create anything. If we are gonna lump balls into the box like that, why didn't he bring Kuqi on? And why wasn't Peter even on the bench? When we spread the play wide, we were more effective, and Peter can at least beat someone and put a decent cross in.

[kevinyip]

Zurab had a good one??? It was Reid and Oojer that let us down!!

I think the problem is Ooijer and Gamst and roberts. They play very bad.

Of course I don't expect that we will play very good in this game. But I think that if we are going to challenge in Europe, at least we should play like a strong team. I don't think we play good in this game or we play like a "strong team". After the starting of game I have already guessed that we won't win this one. Roberts cannot control ball and why don't hughes replace him by kuqi? Gamst is not Gamst last season. Lucas help chelsea to clear the ball. We just know how to hit long ball from bently to their 12 yards. How do you win game if you have just one method in attacking?

In hong kong there is not much chance to see blackburn game, I can see this game this time. But when comparing this time with what I have seen last year, honestly, we play very bad. Of course you can tell me that I am too negative or we are just 3rd game in season ... But I cannot tell lie to myself. My heart tell me that we are not better than last year.

Edited August 27, 2006 by kevinyip

[tchocky]

We have got some serious issues that need sorting asap:

- Strikers don't know where to run

- Midfielders don't know where to pass (unless it's backwards or sideways)

- Someone please wake up Gamst and Reid! Holidays over!! Cuckooo!

[West Sussex Rover]

Im gonna make this simple:

Referee was pants, yes to there penalty, but would love to know why we werent given a similar penalty, some terrible decisions, e.g. Ballack not allowing Savage to take a fast free kick.

Bridge, Cech and Makelele (sp) had a cracking game for Chelski, they would have lost without them...

We went back to fuzzing long balls towards goal, Reid and Oojer were woeful and Gamst looked dissheartened.

We deserved at least a point, they no way deserved 3...

Conclusion: We need a new creative midfielder, Sergio Peter to come back for when Gamst is having a poor game and we need Nelsen back in place of Oojer!!

[Biddy]

Not too sure what to make of that game. On the one hand, I'm pleased that we palyed well enough against Chelsea and they really didn't look like troubling us. On the other I'm really, really annoyed that we didn't make more of this opportunity. Chelsea were well below par yet we still didn't look like troubling them up front.

Most had good games today I feel. Emerton was excellent at right back and deserved his MOTM award.

Reid was anonymous and Gamst didn't even bother turning up. Also, Roberts seemed completely out of his depth up front. Didn't see him for most of the match.

It's a shame for Ooijer, it can't be easy being thrown into a game against Chelsea with no prior Premiership football behind you. He was quite poor today but hopefully he'll come good with a few games under his belt.

Not too disheartened but it could have been so much better.

Edited August 27, 2006 by Biddy

[vyeo]

i dont know how to feel right now. no complaints about the penalty, it was clearcut for me. Ooijer must have held onto terry for a good 6-7 seconds. As usual however, when our players get held/tugged in the box as roberts was, no call. CONSISTENCY REFS. URGH. yes i'm disappointed with the result, but i feel that we can take some positives from the match as well.

lets start with the depressing however:

1.) Ooijer had a shocker; welcome to the premiership, you'd better adapt QUICK! (todd might be quietly pleased)

2.) Reid - nowhere near as effective as he was last season; thought he looked a yard off the pace.

3.) Roberts - An upgrade from dickov; more pace, and doesnt irk referees as much and hence does not give away fouls everytime he makes a challenge. However, doesnt look good enough to be first choice.

4.) Peds - Largely ineffective. Some nice touches, but was either offside or no end product.

Positives were:

1.) EMO! he had a blinder. whatever guus hiddink did to him, we owe him one for making emo accept that he's a right back. the way he played today, he could well be the premiership's best right back. hopefully he will be able to maintain this form, but the signs are certainly encouraging.

2.) Bentley - at the heart of our every attack. Yes he drifted in and out of the game, but his crosses were sublime, often finding the edge of the six yard box. Unfortunately, no predator to feed on them.

3.) Mccarthy - Looks the part, very skilful, strong, good awareness. however, doesnt seem like an out and out striker. Like someone else mentioned after the NZ game, plays more like yorke, the man u version. Would have been awesome with bellamy. Damn.

4.) Ooijer again - Provided he finds his feet defensively, he might be the threat we need from attacking set pieces. Does seem to have a knack of getting to the end of crosses, although he didnt finish them off.

To conclude, and in true rovers fan fashion, another negative observation. Despite both emo and bentley having good games individually, it seemed to me that there wasnt much co-operation from them. Perhaps this will improve as they get used to operating with each other down the right. Gally too didnt really excite; he just doesnt seem the winger we're looking for.

In the next few days, we must really push the boat out and strengthen though. I have joined the camp calling for a new striker, and an attacking midfielder will not go amiss. I still think that we should look at murphy, who's really not doing anything at spurs. Striker wise, i dont know who we can realistically get, but its telling that we do need someone better than roberts, and at the same level as benni, for them to operate effective.

[Exiled in Toronto]

We were very much in the game for 80mins which boded well I thought. The Bentley Emerton combo looked very good, as did Neill at LB and Gally when he came on. Hard to judge the front two against such high class opposition, but I was impressed how McCarthy controlled the ball for his chance. Theirs was a blatant penalty wheras ours was just a penalty, so that was the difference for me. Not fair by the bok, but then we don't want to see 20 penalties a game either.

Need to start winning though; while being bottom after 3 games doesn't make us relegation favourites, it's still bottom.

[Flopsy]

I was screaming for Kuqi to come on for the last 20 minutes - he would have caused chaos in the Chelsea defence.

Disappointed we lost - a soft free kick leads to a soft penalty - then a world class save kept us out.

Bugger

[Drakefyre]

I think Peter is injured, and welcome back Tugay!

[B.R.F.C]

Simple today lads. The whole team bar MGP and Oojier played very well IMO and the referee completely screwed us over...

The pen we should have had for Roberts

The booking Savage got meaning he couldn't be so committed (he got the ball and didnt touch Essien ffs)

After crying out for a creative right hand midfielder I take it all back because Bentley was superb today as was Emerton. An additional creative midfielder in the middle before the deadline will suffice.

[bringdunnback]

Its a shame we have to wait two weeks for our next match.

[James No. 7]

Three player analysis and rating time.

Friedel - Did quite well. 7/10

Emerton - Best player, almost. 8/10

Ooijer - Give him time. 5/10

Khizanishvili - A mixed performance. 6/10

Neill - Terrific on left. 7/10

Bentley - Best player, amazingly. 8/10

Reid - He went missing. 5/10

Savage - Ran all day. 6/10

Pedersen - Turned up today. 6/10

Roberts - Communication needs improvement. 6/10

McCarthy - Has nice touches. 6/10

Gallagher - Boy done good. 7/10

Hughes - Tactics mostly right. 7/10

Clattenburg - Overawed by Chelsea. 3/10

[Biddy]

I don't blame the ref at all today.

It was a blatant penalty for the first Chelsea goal and Drogbas was and excellent goal. Both defended poorly.

Yes, we should have had a penalty for the shirt tugging but a) Roberts didn't go down and B ) the replays show that Makelele I think it was, blocked the refs view of it.

And why is that one decision the refs fault that we lost the game?

Edited August 27, 2006 by Biddy

[Pål Pot]

Referee was pants, yes to there penalty, but would love to know why we werent given a similar penalty, some terrible decisions, e.g. Ballack not allowing Savage to take a fast free kick.

I think Makelele just managed to block ref's view on Carvalho's shirt-pulling. Also the ref was pointing to a different spot for the freekick to be taken when Ballack didn't allow Savage to take it. And that's why he wasn't shown yellow card.

Gutted!

[B.R.F.C]

And why is that one decision the refs fault that we lost the game?

Simply because had we got the pen and scored the game was at 1-1 and we wouldnt have had to leave huge gaps at the back which led to the 2nd.

However good we play we cannot beat the likes of Chelsea if the referee makes terrible basic errors like that.

[joey_big_nose]

I thought we played well ultimately. Emerton and Bentlry were superb and McCarthy looks very good. Zurab didn't put a foot wrong and Niell looked comfortable at rightback.

Ooijer had a nightmare but he did, to be fair, look composed and in control for most of the game except the two goals. However in two weeks time he is going to be on the bench, I don't think there is a doubt about that.

Roberts seemed pretty poor allround, but I have confidence that he is a better player, just that Chelsea could cope with him in a way Sheff Utd will not.

The season starts with the next game. WIth Nelsen and Tugay back we will be an even better side.

Edited August 27, 2006 by joey_big_nose

[modes98]

Biddy the ref, whom i rate as a good ref, didn't have a good game. He got the little decisions wrong and showed a lack of balls to book chelsea players, when he had no such problem booking rovers players for the same thing.

As for roberts not going down, that is an outdated point as liverpool's pen against sheff utd showed.

McCarthy also showed a lack of willingness to get into the box, as picked up on by andy gray and with bentley putting in world class balls he should have been running his heart out to get in the box.

All in all happy with the performance but not with the ref or the outcome!

[Biddy]

Biddy the ref, whom i rate as a good ref, didn't have a good game. He got the little decisions wrong and showed a lack of balls to book chelsea players, when he had no such problem booking rovers players for the same thing.

As for roberts not going down, that is an outdated point as liverpool's pen against sheff utd showed.

McCarthy also showed a lack of willingness to get into the box, as picked up on by andy gray and with bentley putting in world class balls he should have been running his heart out to get in the box.

All in all happy with the performance but not with the ref or the outcome!

I'm not actually saying the ref had an overly good game, more that I'm not blaming him for us losing.

I agree about Roberts, but with the referee unsighted, going down might have actually got him something( or a booking!)

Edited August 27, 2006 by Biddy

[tchocky]

We didn't play WELL! We played OK, but we didn't create any chances (ok so there was ONE). A worrying trend that is developing. Am I the only one to see this?

Oh and Roberts so far looks like a Kuqi v.2+ Faster and a better header of the ball, but pretty much equal in passing/shooting and controlling the ball.

Edited August 27, 2006 by tchocky