[Archived] Fa Cup Semi-final .

[modes98]

Got back about an hour ago. Still stunned. Rovers played top quality football and are getting the respect we deserve.

A couple of points: Roberts was amazing today, such a great player to have if he plays like that. The fans were out of this world and nothing got us down, compare us to chelsea and you can see what success does to your support. Benni was not at the game at all and that leads me into the last point which was Hughes Subs, they were awful. It left us with no width and took away the only danger we had all match which was Bentley & MGP's crosses.

[Roar of the Rover]

:ph34r:

he lost the ball so many times it was unbelievable.

Which game were you watching mate?

Jason Roberts kept John Terry on his toes all throughout the game, he won us the freekick and not only that he scored the equalizing goal, he was holding the ball up great, my man of the match today.

[colin]

So what do we think of Cech's antics in the last two minutes? In my book he was cheating. It will be interesting to see what the papers have to say on it.

Ooooh, in my book he went up for a high ball. Got his feet knocked away and landed on his body from quite a height. No complaints from me on that one really.

His team-mates are a bunch of thesbians though.

[Roar of the Rover]

Jose Mourinho - "They Fought Like Heroes And All Of Them - The Manager, The Crowd, The Players - Deserve All My Respect Because They Were Amazing''.

That just shows how well we did today, not only on the pitch but off it too.

[Fife Rover]

Ooooh, in my book he went up for a high ball. Got his feet knocked away and landed on his body from quite a height. No complaints from me on that one really.

His team-mates are a bunch of thesbians though.

You got your "p" upside down Colin. At least I hope you did, and you are not printing with a lispe.

[Nayef]

Just got back to London after a 4 hour train journey where not one Chelsea fan was smiling or celebrating. Perhaps the realisation that if a small town team can almost pull it off against them, they're going to be taken to the cleaners by Man Utd.

Such a bittersweet feeling after the game. Perhaps Champions Elect of the Champions League and Rovers reduced them to frightened mice running around. Well almost.

1) First half refereeing had me utterly convinced he wanted Chelsea to win. If say the Semi-final draw was indeed rigged to keep the big two apart, wouldn't someone suggest to the referee with a wink that a Man Utd-Chelsea final would be great? There's so much money in football these days, I wouldn't be surprised. Although the second half the referee could hide behind the guise of "I was conned by the falling over of the Chelsea players". One light touch and they fell to the ground. Booking for MGP - I would say it was a joke but laughing wasn't what I was actually doing.

2) From where I was sat in the lower Tier of the North stand, I couldn't see what happened or who scored for us but it didn't stop me from going mental.

3) Oh that header...

4) Why did the linesman flag for our throw-in at the end? OK, we should have returned the ball after it was rolled out by Cech but it was clear to everyone he was faking it and only playing for time. What better way than to punish them? but instead, as soon as the the throw-in was taken, he flagged. Why?

5) Next season we should have Reid, Ooijer and Savage back. We could be a very solid team. Who'd still lose to the small teams.

6) Jose Mourinho - nice of you to say "kind words" about our efforts but I suspect you only say things like that when your team wins. Undeservedly.

7) Incidentally I found the people of Manchester to be a very friendly and welcoming bunch. Perhaps I've lived too long in London.

8) And where were the Rovers fans in the Lass O-Gowrie? I was the only person there in blue and white and only met one other Rover in there from this mB.

Going to sleep now a very proud Blackburn Rovers supporter.

[USABlue]

No, it wasn't Warnock.

Nelsen can talk about people 'not putting in a shift' all he wants, he's not asked to run around the field. He has one job; defend. Today, for the first goal he was three yards deeper than everyone else, therefore playing everyone onside. Not only that, he lunged at Lampard when should have been concentrating on standing his ground. For the second, he lets Wright-Phillips get a cross in relatively unchallenged (ironically standing his ground when he should have thrown his body at it). I'm not doubting his talent or what he's done for us in the past, but today he has cost us a place in the FA Cup Final.

Oh yeah let's just forget all about the two superbly timied tackles in the box in the second half. He's cost us nowt.

[RevidgeBlue]

The game was won and lost for me in the first 25 mins.

We looked like rabbits caught in the headlights during that period and you can't really afford to give Chelsea (as dour as they are) a goal's start.

For the next 65 mins we were excellent and if only Pedersen had have got that header with 6 mins to go between the posts we'd we going to Wembley in a month's time.

We didn't really perform in extra time, I was really surprised given the heat when both Derbyshire nor Tugay were not introduced at the end of normal time.

Also I thought the substitution of Dunn (who I thought had a good game) for Peter was a strange one.

Nevertheless it was a great day out in the sun and our support was magnificent.

[joey_big_nose]

To be honest I am a bit shocked at the cussing of the referee and some of the comments about our players. I thought everybody played well, save the full backs in the first half, and the referee gave us a good shift. Dunn could have been sent off on another day.

We were excellent. Roberts particularly amazed me with his improvement and Dunn was a tireless worker in midfield. Bentley didn't have one of his best games but all in all things are looking good for next year. Solid team, 2 top midfielders to come back and around 10 million of skys extra money for transfers.

Disappointed we lost but very proud. Lets finish the season with a bang.

[modes98]

4) Why did the linesman flag for our throw-in at the end? OK, we should have returned the ball after it was rolled out by Cech but it was clear to everyone he was faking it and only playing for time. What better way than to punish them? but instead, as soon as the the throw-in was taken, he flagged. Why?

It was a foul throw, his foot was over the line. I didn't get why MGP didn't take the throw though, he is so good at them.

To be honest I am a bit shocked at the cussing of the referee and the referee gave us a good shift.

Mr Whiley was consistantly bad, he made some awful decisions against both sides. His use of his cards left much to be desired, seems someone told him that he couldn't book chelsea players for taking players out when they may break but he could for anything rovers players did. A different ref wouldn't have helped, it was just the lack of an extra on form striker to play with roberts.

[neekoy]

Jose Mourinho - "They Fought Like Heroes And All Of Them - The Manager, The Crowd, The Players - Deserve All My Respect Because They Were Amazing''.

That just shows how well we did today, not only on the pitch but off it too.

He is just trying to smooth everything over for when Sparky gets poached by Chelski and he comes here.....

[LeChuck]

Oh yeah let's just forget all about the two superbly timied tackles in the box in the second half. He's cost us nowt.

Nelsen is one of my favourite players, honestly. Today though he has cost us. I've perhaps been a little harsh on the second goal, although I still feel he should have done more to block the cross.

The first is terrible defending though. What excuse does he have for being three yards behind everyone else? You could have forgiven him if he'd stood his ground against Lampard, the only thing that tackle was ever going to achieve was a red card. If that was Drogba going round him and not Lampard you can be certain it would have been 11 v 10 for the rest of the game.

[Blueboy Downunder]

i was gutted by the result, after i thought we more than matched them the entire game. ok, first half we seemed a little over awed by the situation, but we held them to 1-0 an dthen 2nd half when the lads realised that this was an fa cup semi final, they started to come out and bossed that 2nd half. it is abosultely frustrating that a bloke can go totally AWOL for an hr and a half, and make somebody think "######, is he playing....i didn't realsie he was out there", in michael ballack. as for our 2 strikers, well apart from the goal, jason roberts added to the totally awful game by benni....i was shocked by how bad he was.

i thnought tuges should have been on the pitch at some part of the game. i mean as good as i thought aaron mokoena was, and he was very good....when we really needed some brilliance, tuges was our guy but we never got to see that.

murphys law that when i go to my bed after the game, i had a dream that we won with a penalty at wembley...###### happens doesn't it!!!!

i hope northern rover didn't get aggressive.

[Paul]

Nelsen is one of my favourite players, honestly. Today though he has cost us. I've perhaps been a little harsh on the second goal, although I still feel he should have done more to block the cross.

The first is terrible defending though. What excuse does he have for being three yards behind everyone else? You could have forgiven him if he'd stood his ground against Lampard, the only thing that tackle was ever going to achieve was a red card. If that was Drogba going round him and not Lampard you can be certain it would have been 11 v 10 for the rest of the game.

At the game I thought Nelsen was at fault for the first goal. Now I've seen it three times on TV I think Lampard did superbly to knock it round him which is why Nelsen was made to look at fault. I don't know if he was three yards behind everyone else but he only missed the tackle because lampard did so well to go by him.

[RevidgeBlue]

Nelsen is one of my favourite players, honestly. Today though he has cost us. I've perhaps been a little harsh on the second goal, although I still feel he should have done more to block the cross.

The first is terrible defending though. What excuse does he have for being three yards behind everyone else? You could have forgiven him if he'd stood his ground against Lampard, the only thing that tackle was ever going to achieve was a red card. If that was Drogba going round him and not Lampard you can be certain it would have been 11 v 10 for the rest of the game.

I have got to admit that imo Nelsen is nowhere near the player he was prior to injury. Although that's not at all surprising given the severity of the problem and the fact he was rushed back at the earliest possible opportunity.

A full Hughes pre seaon might sort it?

[tcj_jones]

I'll say more tomorrow, but the second half was the best Rovers display that I myself have seen.

Every player on the pitch played out of their skins today. It was so pleasing to see Dunn rise to the occasion - in the second half, he and Mokoena looked world class.

Also nice to see Roberts have an exceptional game as well after a long time out.

Absolutely gutting to lose that game. I thought we deserved the win, and at the very least to go to penalties.

[RevidgeBlue]

At the game I thought Nelsen was at fault for the first goal. Now I've seen it three times on TV I think Lampard did superbly to knock it round him which is why Nelsen was made to look at fault. I don't know if he was three yards behind everyone else but he only missed the tackle because lampard did so well to go by him.

I thought it looked even worse on the TV replays.

Mentally wasn't alive enough to the possible danger and physically wasnt quick enough to snuff it out.

[mattyc2422]

Shattered but extremely proud.

[USABlue]

I thought it looked even worse on the TV replays.

Mentally wasn't alive enough to the possible danger and physically wasnt quick enough to snuff it out.

Oh ok then I guess it was just me that saw the two challenges he put in that stopped Chelsea from getting what would have been almost certain goal attempts. That or we just have a need to dwell on the negative. You wins some you loses some. I thought he was off the pace a bit with the Lampard challenge also but chances are you get a foot in he goes down, nailed on penalty.

[-foreverrovers-]

ok then what about the two 'world class' tacles/blocks the admiral put in today?

the admiral got stuck in and was a leader 2day,lampard did a great skin,shame the litle prick cant do thatv for england!...il let u kids in 2 a secret in 2 y he cant do it 4 england....£130,000 a week is your answer!!!).

first 40 mins we wernt at the races,the next 50 mins the boys put tears in my eyes.absolutley 1st class,and every single 1 of them deserves a slap on the back....one question tho....y were vwe wearing black armbands?.

[American]

I think it was a great team effort. The only player I was disappointed in was McCarthy (and I'm usually a fan). In a straw poll after the match, there were many choices for MoM, Dunn and Emerton tying for top spot.

All in all a great day out, got to meet many members of the board (and guys, the tram opens on the other side at that stop, so it's a left, then a right!), saw a great performance that fell thatmuch short and was proud of the support.

[Italian Rover]

I didn't get why MGP didn't take the throw though, he is so good at them.

Because it was a bit controversial not to give it back, can't remember who had the ball, but he seemed a bit unsure what to do so Mokoena grabbed the ball from him and took it.

[Italian Rover]

Anybody notice Tugay went straight down the tunnel at full time, obviously annoyed he didnt get in but not like him to applaud the fans.

In the first half the cameras closed in on him and he gestured by zipping up his mouth as if to say I'm saying nothing or I can't believe I'm not starting. Should've come on at beginning of ET for Dunn.

Did anyone else notice for our goal, before taking the kick MGP had a quick word with Roberts. The whole thing was planned.. brilliant. Still gutted this morning.

[Rover Down Under]

1) First half refereeing had me utterly convinced he wanted Chelsea to win. If say the Semi-final draw was indeed rigged to keep the big two apart, wouldn't someone suggest to the referee with a wink that a Man Utd-Chelsea final would be great? There's so much money in football these days, I wouldn't be surprised.

I reckon the pick should be done by one of those Blackpool arcade machines with the grabbers - it is all too easy to rig the draw with heated or different textured / weighted balls when they are picked BY HAND. I'd love to see the old FA farts trying that, the draw would be about 18 hours long as some geriatric fuddles around trying to pick up a ball with the grabber...

Anyways, everyone has talked about MGP's header but there was one incident that was a "defining moment of the season" thing. When he picked the ball up and was about to throw it in the refs(?) face for giving Chelski a free-kick. It shocked me so much - MGP is such a calm guy, he always laughs off silly decisions / bookings. You might say it was big game passion but he mirrored on the pitch what most Rovers fans have got so used to putting up with off the pitch - the frustration of refs giving 90% of decisions to the other team. Like the "moneybags Rovers" tags of the 90's the "dirty Rovers" tags of the 2000's are still haunting us although it is far from true nowadays, yet we are still bottom of the fair-play league. When playing big-clubs this PLUS the big-club favouring of refs makes it very difficult for us to get fair decisions. For me that was up there with Batty / Le Saux in most shocking Rovers moments...

I'm still numb and tearful...and proud...

[des]

Has the old saying goes so near yet so far.

a bad first half a great second half. Has for blaming nelsen for the first goal,its very hard to defend against a midfield player who is running at you in the box, also sambi failed to win the first ball however we win or lose as a team.

We need to push on now and get as high as we can to give MH more money for next season