[Archived] Rovers 0 Chelsea 2

[Neil Weaver]

Good report Scotty, not a lot to disagree with.

Just a couple of comments. Myself and Capt K are going to have to reconsider opinions about Bert at the current rate of progress. In my defence (that was intended) he hasn't had to cope with anyone really running at him yet but from where I'm sitting he looks as though he's starting to believe in his own ability again and I think/hope that'll make a big difference - he seems to be a player who thrives or withers on self-confidence.

Roberts hasn't done anything yet that is anything different to what Kuqi could have (and that's being generous) - have a go at the midfield for not being creative, but if we don't look like scoring then surely a big centre forward has got to be part of the problem.

[tcj_jones]

I think the only thing that I disagree with, and it's only a small thing, is that I thought the forwards worked well enought today, but were completely cut off and isolated from the midfield. I don't think Reid and Savage had bad games, but playing them together limits our attacking options and they lacked vital support from the centre. Often McCarthy tried to do too much by dribbling through a mass of players, trying a killer ball, or a little flick, but there was rarely anyone in 5 miles to help him out. I don't think we need Tugay back as much as we need an attacking midfielder.

[philipl]

Henry Winter's Telegraph report is very upbeat about Rovers' performance.

[Paul]

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?

No you're quite right. Apart from McCarthy's chance we didn't give Cech anything to do apart from take his usual long, slow walks to collect the ball.

We had plenty of good performances yesterday, Emerton (MOTM) - why has it taken three years to discover he's a right back? - Bentley, Neil, Zurab realy deserve mention. We certainly played better than against Everton but created only one chance, however I really enjoyed the game. What worries me is our lack of creativity. It's been said by the manager, and on here, if we continue to perform like this we will win more than we lose. So it's going to be a fantastic strike rate for McCarthy/Roberts, lots of 1-0s and 0-0s? I don't think so, if we don't make more chances we will not score enough goals to win games.

I can't decide if Chelsea were poor, we stopped them playing or Mourinho knew we'd go at them and decided to just frustrate Rovers and wait for the chance which was always bound to come? I'm leaning towards Mourinho knowing exactly what was required to stop us playing.

Am I the only one getting tired of Savage running round like a lunatic until he finally catches up with the ball and makes a challenge? He desn't have a defined role in the team, and needs to be given one.

At 19338 the attendance looks very poor on paper but I think we can be encouraged to say around an extra 2000 turned up. Against Everton I think we had around 15,500 for the home support, yesterday it was probably 17,500, meaning 2000 people thought Chelsea worth £36 but not Everton?

[Alan75]

My feelings on yesterday.

Match Report

[Uddersfelt Blue]

My feelings on yesterday.

Match Report

The more I see Mcarthy the more I think he could be the answer to our creative midfield problem.

He looks to have good vision, passing skills, can shoot from distance and is comfortable on the ball.

Any comments?

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

I disagree about Ooijer's performance. I thought it was an ok debut - against the current champions. He isn't the first centre-half to be out-muscled by Drogba - or cheated by jelly legs Terry (if he was defending in his own area there is no way Terry would have gone down like that - if that isn't cheating I don't know what is).

MGP worked hard - but without his excellent set piece delivery (which seems to have gone to pot) and his goal scoring threat - he is a limited player. I would drop him for Peter or Gallagher. Other than that - same team against Sheffield United (with Nelsen on the bench as he builds up to full match fitness).

[Uddersfelt Blue]

I disagree about Ooijer's performance. I thought it was an ok debut - against the current champions. He isn't the first centre-half to be out-muscled by Drogba - or cheated by jelly legs Terry (if he was defending in his own area there is no way Terry would have gone down like that - if that isn't cheating I don't know what is).

MGP worked hard - but without his excellent set piece delivery (which seems to have gone to pot) and his goal scoring threat - he is a limited player. I would drop him for Peter or Gallagher. Other than that - same team against Sheffield United (with Nelsen on the bench as he builds up to full match fitness).

Quite agree. I defy any player international or not, to come straight into a side playing against Chelsea and have a perfect game. Maybe he should have been on the bench but if Hughes thinks he's good enough to start then thats good enough for me.

As for MGP, well if he'd scored a goal or two everyone would be raving about him. We know what his qualities are and he's never going to be a pacy winger as Duff is. Having said that his shooting and crossing have gone off something terrible.

[roversmum]

Say what you like about Kuqi, at least he doesn't stand around, he's in the thick of the play whichever end of the field it is!

Thoroughly enjoyed the match, shame about the result, disappointed with the refereeing, thought Clattenburg was above favouritism. Think Benni still has to find his way - he seems to have a permanent look of shock on his face as the match rages around him!! Disappointed with Roberts - could do better. Shame the Admiral wasn't around. Baptism of fire for Oojer sadly cost us the match. He'll need to learn quickly. Gamst looked a bit out of sorts and Reid isn't right yet.

Took my eldest son for his first visit to Ewood (well, he is 36 and lives "down South"!) - he's just set off for home with a list of fixtures keen to return for more! He wasn't very impressed with Chelsea at all - but incidentally thought the ticket price good value for money!

Edited August 28, 2006 by roversmum

[Perth_Rover]

Wasn't all doom and gloom the match, bentley and emerton seem to be linking up well, just the strikers need to realise what they are going to do with there crosses as they go into good areas just the strikers are in the wrong spot. The full backs were impressive with them both rarely beaten. Roll on Sheff U

[thenodrog]

I disagree about Ooijer's performance. I thought it was an ok debut - against the current champions. He isn't the first centre-half to be out-muscled by Drogba - or cheated by jelly legs Terry (if he was defending in his own area there is no way Terry would have gone down like that - if that isn't cheating I don't know what is).

DMTP I dont care how easily Terry went to ground it was a foul and a penalty. Indisputable and stupid imo. Tackles like that are only legal in Rugby. The gripe being that that sort of thing goes on in most games with no punishment.

Anyway significant points imo.......

1. Big influence was the early booking of Savage when Essian was prob the most guilty. Savage was walking on eggshells after that and his effectiveness at harrying the Chelsea midfield effectively dulled. imo The ref appeared to tell him that he was going to book him 5 mins earlier and couldn't wait to brandish the yellow no matter how unjustly. Pity that Clattenberg didn't consider booking Makele until he made it absolutely unavoidable as that would have made a similar difference to Chelseas midfield.

2. Without the dropping of Todd we might just have stopped Chelsea scoring. Hindsight is easy but Ooijer had an absolute mare. He obviously is unused to the speed of the prem and it was a taj unfair and definitely cavalier of Hughes to chuck him in the deep end against Chelsea. I dont think he would have rugby tackled Terry and I dont think the impressive Drogba would have out muscled him as he did Ooijer. Guess we'll never know now though.

3. Roberts had a poor game and it was plain the Terry had him in his pocket I would have given Jeffers the last 20 and introduced Kuqi asap after Drogba's goal.

4. What is MGP trying to do with his crosses? I played on the left wing a lot in my youth but I can honestly say that I really am baffled as to his intentions. Clear a couple or times on the wing and absolutely booted em skywards neither direction nor craft. Baffling

[Ozz]

Two nil to Chelsea.

An early goal, followed by loads of Rovers pressure, which will ultimately prove a bit like most kids diets today, fruitless. Then a late 88th minute second, from a deflected Lampard shot, which originally was going wide but, like the majority of heroin in the UK, Ooijers attempt to block it was in vain. Cue mass exodus of the CIS/HSA/Walkerside/Perspex stand.

Wow, I must have had some insight here!

Thought Kuqi should have had the last 20 mins in place of Roberts. I thought that there was no connection between midfield and the front two either.

Their pen was a def pen, Drogbas goal was class. That really was all they needed to do.

If we loose at Bramall Lane then we do have a problem.

[The Gull]

I find the Oijer bashing laughable as Rovers really defended well as unit yesterday.

The penalty was a penalty, but by those rules we should have had one therefore we should feel agrieved it was given. The 2nd goal was an example of how well Drogba can play if he stays on his feat, great strength and a good finish. Any centre half in the premiership would strugle to deal with that.

Overall, I think Rovers were unlucky to get beaten, however if we were playing against a team in form yesterday we would have really struggled as we gave the ball away far too much for my liking and Brad seemed to lack confidence in the men in front of him as well. Maybe because the back four has changed each game?

Not going to repeat everthing everybidy else has said about Emerton, needless to say he was my MOTM by a ciuntry mile yesterday.

PREDICTION LEAGUE

Sorry about the delay in getting the results to you, but I had to go staright to a wedding back in Liverpool after the match yesterday.

So a two week break is upon us with the table looking like this, but don't worry if you are at the bottom as remember we have 35 more games to play!

Position Player Total

1 Mark Atkins'BaldPatch 7

2 SIMON GARNERS 194 7

3 tsnuf 7

4 SharrockDownSouth 7

5 SouthAussieRover 7

6 Revidge Blue 7

7 Rover4ever 7

8 3recurring 5

9 Eddie 5

10 Gareth 5

11 Philly Rover @ 5

12 pick32 5

13 rebelzero 5

14 rover6 5

15 tcj_jones 5

16 The Gull 5

17 percy 5

18 ihatedingles 5

19 ainscough99 5

20 tchocky 5

21 Sambo 5

22 ozzierovers 5

23 Welshrover1981 5

24 Krislu 4

25 Scotty 4

26 Quack 4

27 cn174 4

28 shilito15 4

29 SAS 4

30 American 2

31 bob fleming 2

32 den 2

33 Frosty 2

34 James No. 7 2

35 jansenprsty10@wales 2

36 philipl 2

37 pks1984 2

38 pleasure 2

39 robbojohno 2

40 Shevchenko 2

41 Simon Says 2

42 vyeo 2

43 Hughesy 2

44 Perth Rover 2

45 Jordan 2

46 AggyBlue 2

47 Alamo Rover 2

48 oakland 2

49 Jim J 2

50 laughatthedingles 2

51 FourLaneBlue 2

52 chopperhopper 2

53 blue phil 2

54 Look4me 2

55 Foxxx 2

56 joey_big_nose 2

57 Baz 2

58 steb 2

59 Hannah 2

60 3rdpillar 2

61 DavidMailsTightPerm 2

62 Daren 2

63 emglch 2

64 ScouseRover 2

65 brennanboy 2

66 Billy Castell 2

67 MC 2

68 neekoy 2

69 Adopted Scouser 2

70 Exiled in Toronto 2

71 herbergeeh 2

72 1864roverite 2

73 Al 2

74 bubblerovers 2

75 Duff's Minder 2

76 ROVERS 2

77 Cookiemonster 0

78 ihateburnley 0

79 ManicRover 0

80 nellybc 0

81 salothsar 0

82 starcascade 0

83 sparky12 0

84 andyrovers 0

85 Dude Abides 0

86 Fife Rover 0

87 james198308822 0

88 SD4E 0

89 DownUnderRover 0

90 ozzie jones 0

91 amh_brfc 0

92 schaffy 0

93 LA Rover 0

94 Big A 0

95 Oscar Raven 0

96 Tooting Rover 0

97 roversmum 0

98 Capt Kayos 0

99 Somerset Rover! 0

100 cn_barlow 0

101 oklahoma 0

102 GreggyK 0

103 Mr. E 0

104 Fumofumo 0

105 McClarky 0

106 Manchester Blue 0

107 nissefar 0

108 Bondi-Rover 0

109 Ronin 0

110 rover_groo 0

111 OhmiBRFC 0

112 Simonsays 0

113 Rachrover 0

114 blue/white 0

115 chris 0

116 Nelsta 0

117 Cheshireblue 0

118 Hypo-Luxa 0

119 Nayef 0

120 blueandwhitemike 0

121 Paul 0

122 ad102 0

123 stuwilky 0

124 OJrovers 0

125 azzyb_90 0

126 Al 0

And a two week break for me as well!

[Ozz]

Two nil to Chelsea.

PREDICTION LEAGUE

90 ozzie jones 0

[Al]

It's all been said about the game except that everyone seems to view Kuqi through rose coloured glasses. He isn't in the same class as Roberts and his clumsiness breaks down more attacks than the opposing centre halves.

By the way Mr Gull, I appear twice in your points list, once with two points and once with zero.

I'm not being critical. This job you have taken on must be very time consuming.

[chris]

I find the Oijer bashing laughable as Rovers really defended well as unit yesterday.

You ask Ooijer if he thinks he had a good game, he looked like he wanted to die at the end, nobody is bashing him, he was the reason we lost the game, 2 major errors, these are FACTS, hopefully he will improve, but he was shocking yesterday and i'm sure he is pretty down right now

[Fife Rover]

Wow, I must have had some insight here!

Thought Kuqi should have had the last 20 mins in place of Roberts. I thought that there was no connection between midfield and the front two either.

Their pen was a def pen, Drogbas goal was class. That really was all they needed to do.

If we loose at Bramall Lane then we do have a problem.

I would say if we don't win at Bramall Lane we have a problem!

[greggyk]

You ask Ooijer if he thinks he had a good game, he looked like he wanted to die at the end, nobody is bashing him, he was the reason we lost the game, 2 major errors, these are FACTS, hopefully he will improve, but he was shocking yesterday and i'm sure he is pretty down right now

He was playing very well untill he decided to wrestle John Terry. And that's just something he'll learn not to do in the Prem, its nothing to do with being a bad defender.

I didnt think Zurab had a great game either, he seems unable to actually head the ball.

[OJRovers]

From watching the match yesterday:

- Emerton is CLASS!

- Neill played well at LB considering he was a bit dodgy at Pompey

- Zurab was excellent

- Chelsea are no more entertaining than Bolton, doesn't say much when on the 3rd game of hte season only a few thousand can be bothered making the trip to see £100m+ worth of players.

- The penalty probably was a pen, but what is annoying is that for the rest of the game Clattenberg was telling Terry and Cavaliho not to hold players (on free kicks / corners) but why didn't he say this to Rovers players before giving the pen?

That sort of holding always goes on, but if the ref was going to give a pen he should've warned us too.

- Sav was a marked man again with the booking

- I say start Gally against Shef Utd he was better than Ped

[FourLaneBlue]

Good report from Scotty.

The only really annoying aspect of the game for me is that we handed them their breakthrough on a plate. The first goal was vital...Ooijer made a mistake and that was that.

Overall a heartening performance as we did compete with the champions...but you can't go just giving away penalties to teams like that.

[Hughesy]

Tugay is the heartbeat of our midfield and you will notice that when he returns.

Against Sheff Utd id move Bentley to the left, Reid to the right & Tugs & Savage in midfield.

Emerton was good again.

Referee spoilt the game. Until then we looked ok.

[only2garners]

Mourinho was quoted in the Independent today as follows: -

"The rules are very clear; if a defender pushes or pulls or keeps contact for more than two or three seconds it's a penalty".

Well no wonder Chelsea get penalties and we don't if that's the rules Chelsea are playing to. It explains why Carvalho can grab an opponet's shirt in the penalty area and get away with it twice in week - he just makes sure he lets go before the three seconds is up!

[RevidgeBlue]

You can look at yesterday's game on two levels.

On the one hand you could take Scotty's rose tinted view and yes, it's true we didn't play badly against a Chelsea side that barely seemed to come out of the dressing room.

And yes, their penalty was harsh, the ball was travelling one way and the incident with Terry occurred in a different part of the pitch. And yes, we should undoubtedly have had a penalty which would have given us the princely sum of two points from three games rather than one.

But that's overllooking the bigger picture slightly. After three games (two of which were at home) we're in pretty poor shape. We're generally creating NOTHING, seem unable to convert when on the rare occasions we do actually create a chance, and seem unable to shut the opposition out at the other end. Not a healthy mix.

There just doesn't seem to be any dynamism or vibrancy to our play somehow. As Bryan said, is this really the side that finished 6th last year? Whenever we got the ball just outside the Chelsea area no-one seemed to want to drive into the box and put the defender under a bit of pressure.

With the benefit of hind sight throwing Ooijer straight in for this game backfired horribly. It reminded me very much of Patrik Andesson all those years ago who had a mare in the League Cup semi against Sheffield Wednesday. He never really recovered. Hope Ooijer can.

Just about the only real plus from yesterday apart from Bert was the fact that when Gally came on for MGP we seemed to have a much better shape somehow and looked a more credible proposition going forward.

Overall though we have to improve drastically i.e start creating and converting a few chances and be far meaner defensively otherwise we'll be in real trouble.

Edited August 28, 2006 by RevidgeBlue

[rover6]

Tugay is the heartbeat of our midfield and you will notice that when he returns.

And you will notice that he is 36 years old and in no state to be the heartbeat of any Premiership side.

I have no doubts that the game Tugay returns for, he will be influential and the team will look irresistible with his subtle promptings from the centre.

The big but (resist Matteo jibe...) is that he is not capable of playing consistently over a number of games. If you look back at his best performances in recent years they have come when he has had a spell on the sidelines to recuperate and rest those wearying legs.

His worst performances have come when he's been playing regularly in midfield - think back to the Burnley cup tie where Tugay was sadly anonymous.

I just think that by renewing Tugay's contract, Hughes has papered over a massive gap in midfield that needed dealing with. Souness tried with Barry Ferguson. Hughes is looking at Haestad, apparently, so he is aware of the need to bring in a holding midfielder (although Haestad is a very different type of holding midfielder to Tugay) but the urgency in bringing in such a player doesn't seem to be there.

Edited August 28, 2006 by rover6

[blue phil]

But that's overllooking the bigger picture slightly. After three games (two of which were at home) we're in pretty poor shape. We're generally creating NOTHING, seem unable to convert when on the rare occasions we do actually create a chance, and seem unable to shut the opposition out at the other end. Not a healthy mix.

There just doesn't seem to be any dynamism or vibrancy to our play somehow. As Bryan said, is this really the side that finished 6th last year? Whenever we got the ball just outside the Chelsea area no-one seemed to want to drive into the box and put the defender under a bit of pressure.

The lack of someone with the belief and guts to run at the opposition is sadly lacking in our team at the moment . Reid could be that man but he has to take the responsibility - hopefully he'll regain his sharpness .

The off the ball movement is poor to say the least - on one occasion yesterday , Bentley (I think ) beat his man twice and held the ball up but wasn't given a single option to make a pass . He should have two or three options . On another occasion Pederson laid off a lovely ball to a man going forward and then simply stood still and admired his pass instead of overlapping and threatening Chelsea's defence. This bloke nedds to be put on the bench .

Apart from Savage - who runs himself into the ground closing the oppo down ( that's his job) - our midfield is slow and ponderous and all too predictable . Add that to the two forwards who offered virtually nothing in the means of stretching the defence and we have a worrying picture . Hopefully Tugay can buck us up a bit and provide some fluency to our game .

I came off yesterday with the feeling that this was a game we should have won - if we'd have shown them less respect and really gone for the throat . Chelsea were less threatening than Everton . One more bad display against Sheffield won't be so easy to shrug off . Motivation and self belief seems to be our main problem at the moment .