[Archived] Rovers V Chelsea Match Preview

[chileandude]

Didn't see the match...but can't say I'm not surprised Blackburn lost to Chelsea, the EPL is a very predictable league. So does this mean Blackburn already have Man U, Arsenal and Chelsea out of the way for a while?

[brfcs5359]

having watched Mark Hughes get totally thumped by Chelsea at home that was the best Rovers performance in this fixture in a long time EASILY. Listening to the anti-Ince brigade we should not only have got beat (like under Hughes) out played (like under Hughes) but trounced 5-0 (Like under Ince). WHAT A LOAD OF RUBBISH.

The lads played really well today. Took the game to Chelsea for long periods. Out passed, out manouvered. The only problem Rovers had today was the same as last week. JASON ROBERTS It's not fair to blame one player but he was abysmal AGAIN> With Bellamy and RSC up top we could easily have won.

I am so glad Hughes as gone and all the reasons why were on view today.

The manager got the line up exactly right given the availability of players. We looked organised throughout. Never lost our composure or shape.

Again we look organised defending set pieces. Gone is the shambles that was Hughes.

The defence pushed out and squeezed Chelsea. Under Hughes it would have been the ALAMO. Every man disorganised in out box. The defence is lot closer to the strikers and we are pushing up as a team. (Warnock goal at Villa classic example of this season)

We actually understand that players wearing the same shirt are on the same team instead of hoofing it long - under Hughes the strikers would 50 yards up on their own.

Pederson who I admit I have criticised was magnificent. Villenueva and Warnock at time embarrassed Chelsea in the midfield. Warnocks best position is CM because he is very fit and athletic and gets on top of his rival player. Robinson was class. Nelsen and Zurab looked more organised. I think the manager again got it right dropping Samba.

After last week's debacle at West Brom this was back to how we should be playing.

Robinson 9 - Friedlesque

Simpson 6 - Some dodgy distribution but some great tackles and 110% effort. Didn't really get beat

Olson 8 - Proving a superb fullback - maturing. Tried to skin him for pace and lost out every time. Pushed up to support the attack.

Zurab 7 - Steady. Lots of shouting, good positional play, pushed the defence out.

Nelsen 8 - Battled - won virtually everthing in front of him. Pusehd the defence out

Grella 6 - like last week - gets around a lot but not as string as we were led to believe. Gives the ball away

Warnock 8 - played Lampard out of the game.

Andrews 6 - weak in the tackle. Game passed him by a bit. Some lose passes, some good ones

Pederson 8 - best game in two years - great touch - took players on, rarely give the ball away - always a threat, especially in the air.

Villeneuva 7 - fantastic footwork, won tackes, held onto the ball, great twists and turns opened the midfield up for Rovers and had Chelsea chasing shadows at times with subtle passes. nearly a threaded some killer balls in but poor on a couple of set pieces.

Roberts 3 - enough said. Easy chance, 1-1. Couldn't trap a bag of cement.

Subs

Mokeona 7 - looked effective and got stuck in. Good touch, passed it simply. Did a better job all round than Grella.

Derbyshire 6 - out wide and out of position - struggled lightweight.

Given that we have had to concede 3 of our first 6 homes games to defeats by the big 4 makes the table look not so good. Had we been defeated o the road by them and won our home games we would be looking good. As it is only West Ham besides the top 4 have beaten us.

Verdict: Best performance against Chelsea in a while. Dominated long spells. Only an impoverished attack and some poor luck at the back is holding Rovers back.

Proud to be Rover tonight even though we lost.

[1864roverite]

Graham, your points are valid and similar to those already posted HOWEVER you cant blame Roberts.

His supply line was poor, and you cannot in anyway pin the defeat on him.

If he had some support and played poorly yes, but today he ran the line alone with a 40yard gap between him and the midfield.

Considering he was also against Terry and Alex as wellas Mikel at times, I think he did okay.

You dont score goals playing 4-5-1 with no one supporting the front man.

[brfcs5359]

Oh Jeez! Great points Graham.

OK, I'll try and find a common point that we could share, - Paul Robinson was excellent.

Are you feeling alright Den!!!!!!!????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Paul Robinson played well

Didn't you mean Robsinson 'for a championship player' was ok today for once but we'll never replace Freidal.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

The lads played really well today. Took the game to Chelsea for long periods. Out passed, out manouvered.

Come off it Graham please,despite a slighly better performance than the Utd and Arsenal surrender debacles Chelsea never got out of second gear.Out pass or out manouver 'em?

[imy9]

1 point above the relegation zone and 2 points above the bottom of the league.

CORRECT BUT WE ALSO ONE POINT FROM 10TH.

3 goals in 6 home games, still it's lovely watching this attractive, attacking football isn't it?

WHEN WE HAVE OUR TWO BIGGEST GOAL THREATS MISSING ARE YOU SURPRISED?

Today's game highlights the, to some of us, obvious. Tactically awful. Again Rovers playing one man up front, at home.

WHO WOULD YOU PLAY WHEN RSC AND BENNI ARE MISSING AGAINST ARGUABLY THE BEST SIDE IN THE LEAGUE AT THE MOMENT? WE HAVE MORE INJURIES THAN ANY OTHER SIDE IN THE LEAGUE AND HAVE NOT MANAGED TWO GAMES WITH THE SAME LINE UP BECAUSE OF THIS, WHO DO YOU BLAME FOR THAT INCE? GOD?

The truth is that a lot of our players today wouldn't be shining in the Championship.

LIKE WHO? INTERESTED TO SEE WHICH ARE HUGHES SIGNINGS.

[brfcs5359]

If you noticed I may like Ince but I gave the lowest rating like last week to Ince's signings. I am not biased. It concerns me but I am willing to give Andrews, Grella and Simpson time.

I wrote all last season (check the threads) that Dunn and Bentley saved a team going backwards. They are both not there now and Ince is having to repair the faults that Hughes was allowing to develop. If I am honest Hughes would have been read the riot act if I had been chairman. What happenned last season at times was unacceptable and Ince is paying the price of that.

[tony gale's mic]

I am so glad Hughes as gone and all the reasons why were on view today.

The manager got the line up exactly right given the availability of players. We looked organised throughout. Never lost our composure or shape.

Again we look organised defending set pieces. Gone is the shambles that was Hughes.

Christ on a bike.

We shall see where things stand at the end of the season, if being 1 point away from the drop zone, two points from the bottom and the worst defensive record in the league wasn't telling enough.

[Mc Love]

It's the way I would expect a fourth division outfit to play against Chelsea.

The thing is Den, a fourth division outfit would have played with more heart to be quiet honest

[brfcs5359]

QUOTE (den @ Nov 9 2008, 18:22 )

1 point above the relegation zone and 2 points above the bottom of the league.

CORRECT BUT WE ALSO ONE POINT FROM 10TH.

3 goals in 6 home games, still it's lovely watching this attractive, attacking football isn't it?

WHEN WE HAVE OUR TWO BIGGEST GOAL THREATS MISSING ARE YOU SURPRISED?

Today's game highlights the, to some of us, obvious. Tactically awful. Again Rovers playing one man up front, at home.

WHO WOULD YOU PLAY WHEN RSC AND BENNI ARE MISSING AGAINST ARGUABLY THE BEST SIDE IN THE LEAGUE AT THE MOMENT? WE HAVE MORE INJURIES THAN ANY OTHER SIDE IN THE LEAGUE AND HAVE NOT MANAGED TWO GAMES WITH THE SAME LINE UP BECAUSE OF THIS, WHO DO YOU BLAME FOR THAT INCE? GOD?

The truth is that a lot of our players today wouldn't be shining in the Championship.

LIKE WHO? INTERESTED TO SEE WHICH ARE HUGHES SIGNINGS.

END QUOTE

And when Hughes went 4-5-1 at the start everyone thought that was right???? Funny how people have more tunes than Liberace

[ebenrocks]

Ok, plus points:

We played some lovely football in the second half and really should have got an equaliser, had them on the back foot totally but unfortunatly couldnt take chances.

Robinson looks back to his old self (pre breakdown), played absolutly amazingly today and there was very little he could have done about either goal really.

Chelsea first goal still looks like a handball to me. Robinson seemed adamant and he had a much better view than the ref. I know its in his interest to complain about it even if it wasnt a handball, but its not in his interest to go on about it after the game has finished. If we had been drawing at half time, and come out with the same performance as we did after the interval, i think we wouldhave had more confidence and the chance of us getting a goal would have been higher.

negatives:

Team selection... i know we have alot of injury problems, but bloody hell. There isnt another manager on earth who would put two inexperienced full backs up against any top four team. Warnock should have been reinstated at left back for the game and Tugay used in his place. The persistant use of Olsson is very worrying. Its good that young players are getting a chance and all, but the amount of goals we are letting in because defensivly we are nowhere near strong enought is more important at the moment.

Grella is a mess, how much did we pay for this waste of space? Too much.

gotta go so i'll leave it there, but not happy at the moment and something needs to change tactically soon or we're going to be fighting a relegation battle

[patrickvalery]

The thing is Den, a fourth division outfit would have played with more heart to be quiet honest

By 'heart' do you mean throwing yourself infront of a shot? Last ditch tackle? etc... That isn't a sign of a good side. I don't want my team to be described as having heart. Cos usually having heart means they've got sod all else. In the 2nd half today we did ok against one of the best sides in the world. That cannot be disputed.

[imy9]

The thing is Den, a fourth division outfit would have played with more heart to be quiet honest

Could you define playing with heart as I saw a team running around, chasing the ball, tackles going in and attempting to go forward, I would also add that the 3 performances against Arsenal, Man Utd and Chelsea there has been an improvement each time.

[den]

Graham, why keep comparing Hughes and Ince when it doesn't do your case any good?

As for playing 4-5-1, we've played that in the past, at home against some of the better sides with some [a little] success. However, we didn't have a 40 yard gap between the lone striker and the rest. To play that system, you must also have pace in your team. It can't be done with our current squad.

[Mc Love]

By 'heart' do you mean throwing yourself infront of a shot? Last ditch tackle? etc... That isn't a sign of a good side. I don't want my team to be described as having heart. Cos usually having heart means they've got sod all else. In the 2nd half today we did ok against one of the best sides in the world. That cannot be disputed.

yeah well thats they way the should be playing at the moment, it looked to me and a few of my friends that team is lacking in the determination and motivation departments.

And yes at the moment we have got sod all else apart from a keeper that just kept us in this game time and time again.

Could you define playing with heart as I saw a team running around, chasing the ball, tackles going in and attempting to go forward, I would also add that the 3 performances against Arsenal, Man Utd and Chelsea there has been an improvement each time.

I saw a team running around like headless chickens, if you can say they performed well you are living in some bubble. Chelsea were poor today and they won the game, it isnt the fact we played brilliant.

[imy9]

yeah well thats they way the should be playing at the moment, it looked to me and a few of my friends that team is lacking in the determination and motivation departments.

And yes at the moment we have got sod all else apart from a keeper that just kept us in this game time and time again.

I saw a team running around like headless chickens, if you can say they performed well you are living in some bubble. Chelsea were poor today and they won the game, it isnt the fact we played brilliant.

I did not say they performed brilliantly, I made the obseravtion that in the 3 games we have played against the top 4, each time our performance has gotten better.

Chelsea were most certainly not poor, biggest exaggeration of the day goes to you!

[den]

It's fair to say though, that the conditions were to rovers benefit. It stopped Chelsea from playing as well as they can and evened the game out.

[RovertheHill]

I thought we were poor first half and very good second half. The league table doesn't make pleasant viewing at the moment and frankly I'm worried when the "cavalry" is Robbie Fowler. Grella looks like the new sicknote but I think Carlos is very good, and if Warnock is not currently the best left-sided English midfielder then I don't know who is.

TBH though, this thread sums up why I don't come on here half as much as I used to. You have the Ince fans pretending everything is okay, and the anti-Ince brigade seeming to actively revel in the fact that we are struggling. If nothing else, it's more depressing than the result most of the time. Thing is, I have a sneaking suspicion we would have been in the same trouble if we'd have managed to hang onto the old management regime. The signs were certainly all there. Irrelevant? Probably, except to say that if you have a single polarised view then you see everything through that view, and there are two groups on here that need a sense of perspective

[Exiled in Toronto]

I thought this was a similar kind of performance against a top 4 team that we used to get under Hughes. Remember last season's draw against Man Yoo where Friedel made FIVE 1-on-1 saves in the 2nd half? No different to the first half today. I watched the game with my cousin, and she reminded me that the last time we watched a game together was 18 months ago witnessing a 4-0 spineless defeat at OT - the sort that apparently we never used to have under Hughes.

By the 2nd half, it was largely a reserve team for us against a somewhat weakened Chelsea. While their first team might be twice as good as ours, their 2nd team must be 10 times better, so I think we did well considering. Fact is that if Roberts could finish, or even strike a shot cleanly, we would have been 1-1 and on top. Anelka's 2nd was a far more difficult chance, though similar in nature, and that's what you get for paying 15 million.

As to all the girlies crying about the league position in November, teams always slide down the league when on a bad run. We've not won in 6 and are still not in the bottom 3. It's when you have won a couple and are still in the mire that you need to worry. Bolton were bottom just over a week ago and are now 11th, but no safer than us.

Ince out? Maybe he's not good enough, but Hodgson out at this time of year didn't exactly work did it?

[Majiball]

It's fair to say though, that the conditions were to rovers benefit. It stopped Chelsea from playing as well as they can and evened the game out.

Definitely, but I would still have put my money on Chelsea.

We need the three points next Saturday...

Without doubt now the Sunderland game is a must win. We played quite similarly to Roma today, they kept the defence and the midfield close together when not in possession and it worked. You don't get many chances against the better teams in the league and we didn't take them, its a habit we need to break quickly. Hopefully against Keane's team and you know Ince will be up for this, we will start to take them. A football man once said "good performances breed good results" lets hope our maturation comes in the next game.

[patrickvalery]

TBH though, this thread sums up why I don't come on here half as much as I used to. You have the Ince fans pretending everything is okay, and the anti-Ince brigade seeming to actively revel in the fact that we are struggling. If nothing else, it's more depressing than the result most of the time. Thing is, I have a sneaking suspicion we would have been in the same trouble if we'd have managed to hang onto the old management regime. The signs were certainly all there. Irrelevant? Probably, except to say that if you have a single polarised view then you see everything through that view, and there are two groups on here that need a sense of perspective

Some sense from someone at last. Perspective is key, especially for today's result. 1st half we played as most other sides have been doing against Chelsea. 2nd half we improved. Given our list of key players out and run of results, a decent 2nd half reply to the 1st half onslaught was as much as we could hope for. I doubt the miracle man Hughes would have fared any better at all.

[gazsimm]

good game at Rovers today very entertaining, i was expecting us to loose today against the best chelsea side i have seen in the prem league.

Overall i thought Rovers put in a very good performance. Robinson , MGP, AXE,Zurab and Olsen were all very good today.

Big game for Rovers now next saturday against the Mackems, hopefully we will have Benni and RSC back for this one. The table does not look good at the moment. but one win and we will be back up to mid table again.

[tony gale's mic]

We played quite similarly to Roma today, they kept the defence and the midfield close together when not in possession and it worked.

???

[RoyRover]

I don't think that we played well at all today. In the first half, it was all Chelsea and if it hadn't been for some great saves from Robinson, we would have been three or four down. In the second half we did ok for the first 15 minutes or so and by ok I mean that we weren't nearly as bad as we were in the first half. We kept the ball better and managed to string a few passes together, but for all that we only managed to create one clear chance. I'm quite worried about how things are going. We can't score, we can't stop conceding and that is costing us points. Other teams down the bottom are all picking up points and we aren't. If this continues, we will be a relegation fight. If we can get our strongest 11 on the pitch we have the ability to win games, but at the moment that isn't the case.

[Paul]

I felt we played reasonably well in periods, the problem being none of that play lead to a decent chance. People keep talking about the Roberts and Villanueva chances? Well I must have been asleep because I can't recall us threatening the Chelsea goal once, let alone twice. We play pretty football in a lot of games this seaon but it completely lacks any cutting edge, we are not creating chances and we are not scoring goals. We lack creativity and the gap between midfield and attack is huge so our strikers are constantly outnumbered and lacking support.

I think we'll lose to Sunderland and Spurs and then we really will be in the sh!t. Sadly I don't think Paul Ince knows what to do about it and the team doesn't seem to have the spirit for a battle. I'm not anti Ince but have yet to be convinced he's the right manager for Rovers.