[Archived] Rovers v Chelsea

[braddock]

the thing is when we play good we lose, when we play bad we lose, when we play mediocre we lose. Or pick up draws against lesser teams. We're getting nothing for our efforts.

however, no, we can't play like this every game. For the most part Chelsea sat back and allowed us to do what we wanted. They knew they only needed 1-2 flashes of brilliance to win them the game, and that's what happened. Other teams press us to death and we can't play this type of football, which is why we play the long ball.

When have we played well this season and lost? Chelsea and Arsenal games. No shame in defeats to those teams. How many of the bottom twelve teams will not play counter football at Ewood this season? We can't play like that every game, but it can at least be an option.

[thenodrog]

4 goals on the bounce from players who haven't been marked. God knows where our defence was for the winner, Jones came in and picked up one in the middle but who was tracking back with the right back?

I was exited until I realised it was Roberts who had that chance. I can't believe he missed it, Cech had shown him exactly where he was going and all he had to do was his usual straight down the middle. Disappointing to get nothing from a game where we deserved at least a point and probably all 3. Wigan becomes a must win.

Diouff had just been subbed (by Dunn who brought absolutely diddly squat to the party) so it should have been him really. BUT God only knows why Walton gave a free kick in the first place! He had had a decent game until the final 15 when someone seemed to flick a switch and he gave every decision to Chelsea.

Bitter pill to swallow cos we deserved at least a point. However we all know what invariably happens when you scorn chances in the Prem... you will invariably get beaten.... Today we scorned 3 or 4!

[92er]

There's one thing I'm not sure I understand about today's game. Or more, the crowd. Dave Whelan was in the crowd even though Wigan were playing at the same time. My only guess is, he came to pay his respects for Ronnie?

.

There has been a quote in the press-probably the LT-of DW's appreciation of Ronnie.

[thenodrog]

Bitter pill to swallow today. It wasn't that they dominated us into submission we simply stopped playing after we scored and let them come at us.

First 25 mins was as good as nearly any team around then we reverted to type.

Thought Dunn was at fault for the winner it looked an easy headed clearance and he missed it.

Pedersen was gash and I thought Emerton was frustrating why didn't he have a shot when given the chance early?Benjani and both Dioufs had great games.

Bloody annoying this football lark! Especially sitting near to their fans

The Forest Gump of the Premier league. He runs all day but he does my head in!!! Either he doesn't have the brains or he doesn't have the balls. I suspect a bit of both.

Don't forget M Diouf had a good chance at the back post.

Harder to miss than score from my vantage point. The ball missed and he ended up in the net! I'm still not sure how he managed it.

[speeeeeeedie]

Gutted. A very good performance with absolutely nothing to show for it.

Both goals came from our left back spot. Would they have happened if Givet had stayed on? Drogba peeled away for the first, it matters not what Olsson and Nelsen did Drogba would have got it anyway. Our other centre half was nowhere to be seen.

The less said about Roberts' miss the better, but we've all seen it before.

Pedersen's ball delivery was rank.

However, me played football and ran all over them at times. Very similar to the Arsenal game

[Brfcrule1]

I have one major question we played according to radio rovers good slick on the deck passing football so one major gripe why did we not do the same against Liverpool?. I am convinced if we played like that at Anfield we would have destroyed them & from that performance you could see Liverpool were vulnerable & nervous. I have to say though where credit is due we changed it round today & have to wsay I am proud the boys have at least had a go & were desperately unlucky not to take anything from that game I also felt their 1st goal was the turning point as in the first 35 mins they were s****. I hope we now take this forward into the home game at Wigan make sure our midfield gets closer to the striker and if we play like that we will destroy Wigan. I must admit after the shambles that was the Liverpool game I was calling for Sam's head but I am now prepared to give him a chance if he can learn by how we played today and continue with these tactics hopefully from next week we can match performances with wins and points on the board. Also just to clear up Benjani came off due to a tightening of his hamstring just a precaution but should be ok for Wigan as per his interview on radio rovers afterwards. Also special word of praise for MB Diouf who was magnificent today on the wing really caused them problems & unlucky not to score early on thought he slotted into his new wing role well & hope he starts next week as he has the ability to embarrass Wigan. Well done Sam keep up the good work and positive vibes from this performance from now on & hopefully a win next week.

[RIML]

Whoever was in the centre was at fault, I thought it was Nelsen but maybe I was wrong, they were caught ball watching and ran straight into the other Rovers player instead of tracking the run of Anelka, if it was Olsson he was well out of position.

No one was in the centre and Phil Jones was supposedly tracking the run of Anelka. Olsson was near Drogba but from what it looked like he tripped Nelsen or Nelsen slipped and tripped Olsson.

[thenodrog]

Olsson took Nelson out? If Nelson had stayed where he should have been any header back would have been cut out by him and not into a gaping Nelson-shaped hole in the middle of our box!

The rest of it I agree with

I can only assume that Olsson didn't shout that it was his ball, but from the body language of the players I tend to think he did and Nelsen chose not to leave it. Shame cos it was such a cheap goal to give away after all the effort that we had put in in that 1st half.

[beerwins]

No one was in the centre and Phil Jones was supposedly tracking the run of Anelka. Olsson was near Drogba but from what it looked like he tripped Nelsen or Nelsen slipped and tripped Olsson.

Nelsen was watching the ball and did'nt see Olsson was marking him , he ran into him from what I can make out.

see highlight

More of a defensive mix up between two players than one to blame, samba should'nt have had to pull so far wide but Salgado was out of position.

[DE.]

So, so frustrated. I can't believe we've come away with absolutely nothing. The first half we were superb - last week against Liverpool was the worst first half I've ever seen from a Rovers team, this week it was one of the best. We were confident, energetic, skilful! and when our goal went in it was no surprise. They didn't really deserve their goal to level it, and I think that goal just before half-time really affected us.

Second half there was less of the skill and confidence, but the same effort and guile which made us difficult to break down and difficult to play against. We limited Chelsea to very few chances, then Roberts gets his one-on-one... and duly misses. Leopards can't change their spots, etc. Their goal was a sucker punch and a real sickener. We could have had them today.

Roberts will take the brunt of criticism for his miss but i'm so-so over it. The miss itself was, as usual, horrendous, but Roberts played very well when he came on. He was effective in his role, but when he misses such easy chances he throws away all his otherwise good work. He's one of the worst finishers I've ever seen, and whilst I appreciate his effort, his misses will cost us more points than we can afford if we continue to rely on him.

If the Venky's brothers were at the game then they will have seen that whilst the team has a lot of heart, it's going to take more than 5M of investment to significantly improve us. Our left hand side, particularly Olsson and MGP, were poor today and have been poor the majority of the season. Olsson needs to play further up the pitch, he'll never make it as a top defender IMO, whilst Gamst is back to his worst now that he's got his new contract. His set-pieces today were comedic. The other obvious place that needs investment is up front, as today we had a crock, a loanee and a striker who couldn't score to save his life playing in our attacking positions. Our only other option is a young Croatian lad who spends more time sitting down than standing up when he plays (not saying it's his fault or casting judgement on his ability, but that's how he's been this season).

Getting very nervous about this season. This performance cannot be the exception to the norm, because worse teams than Chelsea will come here and play better. Chelsea were poor today, and we should have punished them. Sadly, the lack of quality made itself evident and we couldn't even hang on to a draw. Next week's game against Wigan is huge now, make no mistake. If we draw or lose that one we really are looking at a serious threat of relegation.

Still, well done to the lads today. They played their hearts out, and we can't ask for much more than that. But for a little more real quality we'd have won that.

[RIML]

Nelsen was watching the ball and did'nt see Olsson was marking him , he ran into him from what I can make out.

see highlight

More of a defensive mix up between two players than one to blame, samba should'nt have had to pull so far wide but Salgado was out of position.

But was Olsson supposed to be marking Drogba in the box. There's only going to be one winner when it's 5' 7" against 6' 2"

[philipl]

Superb performance but those were two horrible goals we gifted to Chelsea.

[Paul]

Edit

[beerwins]

But was Olsson supposed to be marking Drogba in the box. There's only going to be one winner when it's 5' 7" against 6' 2"

Doesnt matter who was marking who, they are both to blame for not calling out.

First rule of making a defensive header is you call out your name loud, for what its worth Olsson should'nt even be used at left back, Chimbonda should be playing there if Givet is out, Olsson is way more effective going forward and a total liability in defence.

[RIML]

Doesnt matter who was marking who, they are both to blame for not calling out.

First rule of making a defensive header is you call out your name loud, for what its worth Olsson should'nt even be used at left back, Chimbonda should be playing there if Givet is out, Olsson is way more effective going forward and a total liability in defence.

How do you know they didn't call out their names loud?

[brian_gallagher85]

Regardless of who was fault for the first goal we sorely missed Givet today, I thought he was excellent up until he went off. I also thought that Nelsen really stabalised the entire backline today and we looked a lot solider than we have in the last few games. I also think that Samba plays so much better along side him.

Olsson is a really weird one. Unlike some I don't think he is brilliant on the wing, well not against the best teams anyway. His defending isn't good enough at times, but he is learning. I think that he is at his best when he can get on the ball and cut inside against some of the better teams, or as a LWB in a 5 man defence.

Overall a much better showing today and the first time that we've played some really good stuff since the first half against Arsenal.

We have now proved that when we get in teams faces and get it on the deck that we can create things. I thought that Emerton offered us quite a bit today in midfield and that Benjani was a breathe of fresh air up front.

EH Diouf is still my player of the season by a country mile, he's playing some of the best football of his career right now

[beerwins]

How do you know they didn't call out their names loud?

Because I was hiding in Drogba's pocket and I heard nothing

If your trying to protect Nelsen your wasting your time, it was BOTH defenders fault for not being stronger and not communicating with each as it was also Jones's fault for not tracking the run of Anelka, also Samba's fault for not being in the middle, also Salgado's fault for being out of position, also Robbos fault for not saving it.

It doesn'nt matter who you point the finger at our last 4 goals conceded could have been stopped with better defending and that must get better.

[FourLaneBlue]

This is a reply on The Indpendent's match review about Rovers...

This is the problem with English football. How could what Blackburn did be called football and the way it is meant to be played; kick long balls and run like doped horses. Then will the national team have a chance of winning the world cup. Which team did you see do that during the world cup? Kaiser said it and English were punished by a youthful German team. Keep playing like that and the Royal Marines will be the better bet of winning the world cup. I can't wait for the likes of Josh, wilshere etc to emerge.

For once we do not play hoofball and some prat still slags us off!

Independent - Rovers 1 Chelsea 2

[booth]

Edited, misdirected anger towards the writer of the above article

[Hughesy]

Superb delivery by Diouf today too - forgot to mention that...His ball to Benjani was quality.

Mame's ball to Roberts was also very good.....Id like us to sign him if the price is right.

[Amo]

Mark Staniforth, obviously a man with so little intelligence he cannot be taken seriously.

He's talking about the comment section, not the article itself.

[dopper69]

Kalinic on the bench next 3 games please Sam. Jase / Benjani to start!

[Tim Southampton Rover]

Do you think the reason why we never played our usual hoof and hope football was for Sam to show the owners that he can adapt to different systems and that his teams can play good attractive football?

[booth]

He's talking about the comment section, not the article itself.

Whoops, in that case an apology to Mr Staniforth (not that he reads this but just putting it out there).

[super_arran]

But was Olsson supposed to be marking Drogba in the box. There's only going to be one winner when it's 5' 7" against 6' 2"

Olsson was tracking Drogba's run. Nelsen ran straight across watching the ball and ran right in to Olsson.

That's what it looked like from where I was sitting anyway. (directly infront of them)