[Archived] Chelsea V Rovers Preview

[Tom]

Awful performance but predictable and pathetic over reaction.

- Pedersen , Andrews and Roberts were beyond terrible

- at least Junior and Kalinic got run out (the only positive)

Sacking Sam would be totally the wrong decision for me although he has to take a big chunk of the blame today, I'll accept batterings at the big four if we do well in the rest.

If you offered me the last 4 results before the games I would have been more than happy with that.

[ABBEY]

WHAT ABOUT THE 11 GOALS IN THE LAST TWO AWAY GAMES?

[Plastic Head]

Bit confused by those praising Robbo so much here, yes he pulled out a couple of good saves but he also shouldve done a lot better for two of the goals.

Agree. It's like blaming a waiter for the Titanic going down.

He isn't to blame for our complete ineptitude in the middle of the park.

We simply can't compete against the best clubs away from home. Today has meant we have lost on our last 9 visits to a 'big four club' and that we haven't taken a solitary point since the 15th September 2007. That doesn't tell the story - 30 goals conceeded in those 9 defeats which is absolutely shocking. Why can't we find a formula that will make us difficult to beat away from home? Hull, Newcastle and Sunderland all came below us last season and they still took at least a point from one of their visits to the top four. Why can't we? Or why can't we lose with dignity and pride intact?

Rovers' Recent Away Record against the 'Big Four'

Chelsea 0-0 Rovers

Man United 2-0 Rovers

Arsenal 2-0 Rovers

Liverpool 3-1 Rovers

Man Utd 2-1 Rovers

Arsenal 4-0 Rovers

Liverpool 4-0 Rovers

Chelsea 2-0 Rovers

Arsenal 6-2 Rovers

Chelsea 5-0 Rovers

We haven't played any of these at home since Allardyce arrived.

It will be interesting....

[LeChuck]

And you could do better?

What kind of answer is that? I'd be disappointed if a 6 year old said that.

[BOAVISTA]

Inept and SPINELESS. Defeat was in the players minds before they had even stepped onto the pitch.

[Amo]

Once again, after the euphoria of the previous result, the fans are tying the noose for Sam in the next defeat. It's our overall form and standing which will decide Sam's fate, not the obligatory matches against the top four.

That said, there needs to be a marked improvement against these sides. We are too quick to capitulate, and there is an obvious lack of grit and invention in our general play. Sam's own ignorance must be called into question. You choose your formation to suit your personnel. There's no use persevering with the 4-4-1-1 when we're without the key cog (Dunny). Why not make use of the strikers we had available and go for it? It couldn't have been any worse than today's result...

[Manc Rover]

Quite ashamed and embarrassed to be a Rovers fan tonight. Not for the defeat but the pathetic attitude, performance, lack of effort and chucking the towel in. Shame on the lot of them and truly feel sorry for the die hards that paid good money to go. I'm going to Utd next week and probably will be just the same.

[onlyoneDuff]

Not sure we stuck a boot in on even one tackle all game...no committment and that starts from the top...even in the worst of struggles Rovers compete, but not this team...Emerton's delivery on set pieces were crap...he's not the answer in midfield...was Diouff on the pitch at all?

[Steve Moss]

The game was distressing. On the other hand, Sam was got to see the writing on the wall as to our away games. A decent definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. At home, Sam is going well. Away, he needs to change his tactics, change his squad, and try something different, especially against the top 4.

McCarthy, Pedersen, Roberts, Andrews, Emerton and Nelsen all need to go in January. And assuming we get any fees for them (a big if at this point), the board needs to let Sam spend ALL of the money.

[G Somerset Rover]

I don't give a crap after splashing out almost 100 quid to watch that shower of sh### I will never go to watch a sam allardyce blackburn rovers away at a top 4 club ever again. Waggy-esque maybe but after having to sit through that I don't really care.

[Stonesrick]

Maybe, we have all got it wrong and that whenever we play a Top 4 side, we talk a good game and con all the pundits, the opposition and media that we are a difficult side to play against and well organised etc etc.

It just could be that Sam realises that we haven't got a 'cat in hells' chance of competing, certainly away from home, against the Top 4, so we give the impression that we are competing but in actual effect, we are only going through the motions and we will see a totally different performance against those teams who we realistically can get something out of, such as our next game at home against Portsmouth.

Let's face it, if we do win 3-0 against Pompey, then everyone will be commenting on this site on how Sam is a master tactician and targeting the realistically winnable games, which will in effect ensure our continued survival in the top division.

Really embarrassing today folks and plenty of criticism about the usual suspects, but not much about Bert who, if there is anyone out there thinking he is the answer to our lack of ability in centre mid - forget it, he was our poorest performer today by a mile.

[Stuart]

Did anyone honestly look at the fixtures when they were release in July and take a look at October and say "Oh crap, that's one win and 3 three 0-0 draws right there"?

No. We all thought "######, what an awful month October is going to be".

Well here we are, it's October, it's pretty dire but so far we have got what we expected. Tonked by Arsenal, beat the Dingles and tonked by Chelsea. Next up is United.

After the Burnley game we were buzzing. Admittedly it's not fun losing but let's start getting upset when we are losing to those teams we expect to get something from.

[PAFELL]

Maybe, we have all got it wrong and that whenever we play a Top 4 side, we talk a good game and con all the pundits, the opposition and media that we are a difficult side to play against and well organised etc etc.

It just could be that Sam realises that we haven't got a 'cat in hells' chance of competing, certainly away from home, against the Top 4, so we give the impression that we are competing but in actual effect, we are only going through the motions and we will see a totally different performance against those teams who we realistically can get something out of, such as our next game at home against Portsmouth.

Let's face it, if we do win 3-0 against Pompey, then everyone will be commenting on this site on how Sam is a master tactician and targeting the realistically winnable games, which will in effect ensure our continued survival in the top division.

Really embarrassing today folks and plenty of criticism about the usual suspects, but not much about Bert who, if there is anyone out there thinking he is the answer to our lack of ability in centre mid - forget it, he was our poorest performer today by a mile.

Sam has come out and said tonight that Rovers second half performance was 'pathetic'. I think he is being generous because it was worse than that. The players had no belief that they could do any good against Chelsea.

My be there was a illness in the rovers camp during the week, which has affected the players performance - but that is the only excuse that can be allowed.

[allanncd]

Emerton showed no effort or application. Utterly awful. Looks like he's scared to make a challenge and just goes through the motions.

[Plastic Head]

Our first 0-5 for nearly 14 years.

That team was Flowers ,Berg ,Le Saux ,Marker ,Sutton ,Batty ,Bohinen (McKinlay,45) ,Sherwood ,Shearer ,Newell, Warhurst,33) ,Ripley.

I think I would just about prefer that team

Incidentally the attendance was 13376. Against?

[Steve Moss]

There is an upside. The squad's pride has to be hurting. They'll need to make amends, pronto. I predict we smash Peterbrough and get something from ManU.

[imy9]

Missing Chimbonda, Samba, Grella, Di Santo and Dunn, FIVE first 11 players out against a top two side.

Lets be clear the performance was DIRE but it simply highlights that the second string at Rovers are simply not good enough. Blaming Sam and asking for his head is ridiculous, which players are Sam signings?

I always thought that this would be a transitional year for us and results are highlighting this, I am not as optimistic as Phillip but reckon we'll draw at Old Trafford.

[G Somerset Rover]

Cheers for the reminder plastic head - I was at our last 5-0 reverse against coventry too. Looking back I'm not sure which was worse. Feeling very let down today, sam has to take the fair share of critisism here, his tactics were truly awful. As soon as Dunn was out he should have switched to 4-4-2. As someone else just said let's just give the top 4 12 points next year because it'll save us fans. If the management and team don't bother then why should we?

[jonv]

the 2nd dreadful defending.

3rd what are the midfield doing giving chelsea so much space? are you INSANE???

5th drogba unchallenged?

wow that was worse than expected. and i was really expecting dreadful

[Mr. E]

lol @ the people thinking we might get something against United. It takes a very vibrant imagination to come up with this stuff.

[Amo]

Emerton showed no effort or application. Utterly awful. Looks like he's scared to make a challenge and just goes through the motions.

Something I feared during his recovery from injury. Might take awhile before Emerton's really back up to speed.

[Dan]

There is an upside. The squad's pride has to be hurting. They'll need to make amends, pronto. I predict we smash Peterbrough and get something from ManU.

No chance, we ARE ###### and we know we are.

[Steve Moss]

We are not crap. The Rovers are actually a very good side. The squad needs confidence and some deadweight needs replaced. We will be solidly mi-table by the end of December and will make some good signings come January. I am predicting 8th.

[tonygreenbank]

Come on guys. This is when the club needs supporters. We had half a team out. Our reserves are poor on todays showing but our season is not about today or next week.Nonzi was our brightest prospect from today and Robinson did well but the others had poor games.Things do appear black tonight but a win against Pompey will work wonders.

Today just showed how far the gulf is now between the Euro earners and the rest. Chelsea used to be a guaranteed win only a few years ago but not any more.

[grizfoot]

The midfield was utterly useless once again. I don't know if this was Big Sam's instruction but the midfield was playing far too deep for my liking almost inviting Chelsea players to take long-range shots on.

Pedersen was rubbish once again.

Andrews just isn't good enough and all the hand waving is really starting to wind me up.

N'Zonzi only young yes, but as a defensive midfielder he's suppose to be putting tackles and blocks in, didn't see either.

Emerton a lot of running about but did nothing of note.

Diouf can hold the ball up but has got no pace to beat a player.

The total lack of tackles was the most concerning thing for me. Remember under Hughes we always use to give the big teams a good game and never allowed them time on the ball. We had the likes of Dickov, Savage, Reid, Todd and Mokoena back then. I'd honestly say in terms of techinical skill player for player our team is probably better now but we lack any sort of aggression that use to once make us hard to beat, you'd never see us shipping three, four, five and six on a regular basis back then.

I can just about recover the will to live after heavy defeats against Chelsea and Arsenal, but if we put in a similiar performance againt the red scum next week I'll be fuming.