Chelsea V Blackburn 15 September 2007

[andrew92]

i can promise one thing... we wont get a "Hammering" as some of you are saying, one thing you cant fault savage and dunn especially for this season is commitment.. i dnt think lampard will get enough time on the ball and i hope samba will do a good job with drogba and that leaves cech... and with mccarthy and santa cruz im confident that quality strikers like them we will score goals... yes it will be a hard game but we will surprise a few people this season and i think this is a game where we might just do that

[BlueMonday]

Prepare for Arsenalesque type tactics to take place and the Ref to swallow it hook, line and sinker!

[roversmum]

What? You mean it hasn't started already?

Nice preview, Jan. Hope little 'un enjoys the match and is forever henceforth a blue and white!

Reckon this match should be a good one!

[Hypo-Luxa]

All I can say is, I cannot WAIT! When the fixture list came out and I saw what my very first game to see Rovers was going to be I was ecstatic! Never mind that they were actually going to be in London when I was, but to play the powerhouse of Chelsea made it even more sweet.

I think with the way both clubs have been performing I can see a hard hard fought draw. Barring any antics from the ref, I can see a point if not a win.

Nice preview, Jan. Hope the little one sees which team plays football and which likes to parade around and cash a paycheck and chooses wisely.

[philipl]

Chelsea injury update

It might be more accurate/knowledgeable than Blackburn's version of Vital Football.

[trueblue]

Nice preview Jan

Like yourself, I don't usually predict results... but I would like to think we can get something from this match

COME ON YOU ROVERS !!!!

[1864roverite]

Further update from Chelsea on the injury front

bridge is out

bollock is out

lampard very doubtful

drogba very doubtful but is having a scan today and if it looks okay he will face a fitnes test Friday

cech is having treatment on a hand injury and is rated 70/30 to play

carvalho is rated 50/50

alex rated 50/50

My view is that chelsea have 67 games undefeated at the bridge. I recall the manner that Arsenal used to go about their business as they reached 50 games unbeaten then got destroyed at a then below par manure at mould triffid.

I really think that moanalot is not fancying a visit from the Rovers this weekend and with that in mind he may decide not to risk any of his stars who are carrying as he will feel any team he puts out from his squad is capable of beating us. Rovers are playing good positive football, are more tactically aware defensively and have firepower up front.

Looking at the fixed odds Rovers a worth a punt, micky done is offering a nice 4-1.

it all points to the normal Rovers hammering but me thinks Rovers just might get something positive. Chelseas run has to end sometime and why not on Saturday ?

[BlueMonday]

No doubt Maureen will come out with some well timed comment stating he is expecting a 'tough' game and hopes the referee will be strong enough, blah, blah, blah.

[Ricky]

Skybet are offering 8-1 on a Rovers win.

I hate betting on Rovers but feel it may be worth a tenner

[Daremz]

6 mins. - A very good chance for Rovers goes begging. Dunn passes the ball to Bentley, who's one-time-cross is flicked on by Santa Cruz. Benni, at 6 yards out, can't make the most of it. Great opportunity...

17 mins. - Savage gets cautioned by Howard Hebb with a yellow card after what looked like a tackle for the ball on Shawn Wright-Phillips, who didn't even got down.

22 mins. - Another foul and Savage is off with his second yellow. Again, I don't think much happened, but the blatant dive that Didier Drogba made after Savage's challenge probably does it. Rovers down to 10.

60 mins. - So close. Santa Cruz rises to a Pedersen corner only to see his bullet-header denied by the underside of the bar. Rover players claiming a goal, replays showing the ball did actually cross the line.

71 mins. - GOAL! Chelsea take the lead. Frank Lampard twists and turns David Dunn before firing in a shot that bounces of Warnock and rolls into the empty net, leaving Friedel stranded. Chelsea 1 - Rovers 0

88 mins. - That should have been a penalty to Rovers. Dunn shoots on goal from the edge of the box, the shot looks to be bound for the left corner only to be denied by a John Terry hand. Rovers are furious with the referee.

89 mins. - GOAL! It's all over. Substitute Claudio Pizarro cuts in from the left and his low drive gives Friedel no chance. Chelsea 2 - Rovers 0.

90 mins. - FULL TIME: Hard fought performance, but as usually against a top-team, we just hadn't luck on our side, to say it in a nice way.

[roversmum]

I was looking forward to this match until your 'report'. Cheers, Daremz

[Daremz]

I was looking forward to this match until your 'report'. Cheers, Daremz

Sorry mum. But I have the idea that if I have this scenario covered, it won't happen. Bit of superstition. Sorry

[roversmum]

Trouble is, looks all too familiar..........

Never mind

[Mr Maureen]

No doubt Maureen will come out with some well timed comment stating he is expecting a 'tough' game and hopes the referee will be strong enough, blah, blah, blah.

Maureen who ?

[Mozzer]

for chelsea this a a must win game-they have man utd the following week away, so its vital they pick points up for our game..

if lampard and drogba are out, id say we have a chance, but im not getting my hopes up..

plus chelsea will be wanting to bounce back from their defeat to aston villa, so for me i see a defeat..

[Presty On Tour]

Maureen who ?

JOSE MOURINHO i thinks they mean chief

[G Somerset Rover]

No doubt Maureen will come out with some well timed comment stating he is expecting a 'tough' game and hopes the referee will be strong enough, blah, blah, blah.

I think a couple of seasons ago this would have been the case. However ever since we went to Stamford and "Had a go of it" as I think he put it, he has had respect for our team and Hughes. I remember he was very complimentary after the FA Cup game - as he should of been as Chelsea got a got out of jail. It would appear to be only Wenger who cannot see that we are a quality outfit capable of giving anyone a good game of football.

I honestly think we can get a draw here so I'll go for 2-2.

[Hughesy]

For the 1st time in ages against Chelsea, I actually cant wait for our game, as i believe we can get something if we are on top of our game. Now we are really in a position to challenge them and with Dunn improving and now the addition of Roque, i think we can cause them much more trouble than previously.

Im going 2-1 Rovers - Roque & Peds with the goals.

[Driftpeasant]

What? You mean it hasn't started already?

Nice preview, Jan. Hope little 'un enjoys the match and is forever henceforth a blue and white!

Reckon this match should be a good one!

Mum, I'm not sure merely henceforth supporting "Blue and White" is enough against Chelsea. The young 'un needs to be a Rover!

[roversmum]

Threatening to withdraw his half-time hot-dog should do the trick

How anyone can want to support that bunch of mercenaries, whiners and divers is beyond me.

[b12_simon]

Great preview Jan.

I feel stupidly confident about this one, confidence I didn't feel about any game vs Chelsea last season.

They've a few injuries, we're playing as well as we've done in ages and we almost gave them a bloody nose at OT last season (a game I expected to see us get a right pasting).

Chelsea 0 - Rovers 1, some grudging admiration from the press, another world-class Roman sulk and a continuing unbeaten run.

[Plastic Head]

Chelsea 1 Rovers 2

Drogba 44 Santa Cruz 31 Terry (og) 88

[deftangel]

Is there a decent pub lined up for away fans before the game? Will be my first of this season, never been to the Bridge before either

[Presty On Tour]

Is there a decent pub lined up for away fans before the game? Will be my first of this season, never been to the Bridge before either

The 8 Bells at Putney Bridge and i think if i remember correctly the snail and lettice? on fulham braodway somewhere.

from the outside, stamford bridge looks a set of office blocks, hotels, dinner outlets or sky scrapers from a landscape view. You wouldn't have thought it was a staduim, nevermind a football pitch inside all that.

[Finch]

Good review

I’ve been to Stamford Bridge on a number of occasions with Rovers now. Mostly we’ve not won and we’ve had to sit in that horrid stand behind the dugouts where you can’t see and you get thrown out if you stand up to try to see (yes, REALLY). Oh and lest I forget, pay upwards of £40 for the privilege.

Two reasons I don't go down to the Bridge anymore

I wish I were wrong about this, but Chelsea beat us four time last season and I don't see that changing.

2-0 Chelsea