[Archived] Rovers v Chelsea

[SamTheShrew]

Where the hell was Olsson for the goal - INSIDE Nelsen at centre half

[sambo]

Sick of Rovers, the one time all season we play well.

[brfc4ever]

I feel like crying

[RibbleValleyRover]

Gamst and Olsson have been terrible this match...

Let's hope some other people finally realise this. He has been poor all season.

[sweet]

It is paramount that we build and take confidence from this performance irregadless of the result, and take it into our forth coming fixtures.

[sambo]

It is paramount that we build and take confidence from this performance irregadless of the result, and take it into our forth coming fixtures.

Six points from the next two games is paramount

[BRFC1995]

2-1 Chelsea. It was coming.

less than a point per game only goal difference stopping us being 19th, takeover on cards......not a happy halloween for the allardyce family.....that said getting sacked by a premier league club is better financially than winning the lottery.

[Amo]

I just hate how it'll be about Chelsea grinding out a result at a difficult away game, instead of the way we acquitted ourselves today. However, I'm proud of the team today and, contrary to Sam's apologists, this team CAN mix it about and compete with the top teams.

Pedersen was shocking. Set-pieces (which are supposedly his strength) were diabolical. I wish we'd stop accommodating our team for him. He gets away with murder.

Olsson was also poor at the back.

[yellowsubmarine]

Oh dear Jason Robert!

3 points became 0 just like that.

[unclejack28]

Gutted! Thought we played well today. JASON

[magicalmortensleftpeg]

Couldnt ask for any more. We have lack a cutting edge up front but thats not a revelation. The style of play was exactly what we've been screaming out for over the past month or so. If we play like that against the vast majority of teams in this division. That is not much consolation but its such a step in the right direction in comparison to last week.

[Rover Down Under]

Gutted, hard news to swallow at the start of the game with the news about Ronnie and more hurt at the final whistle after a brilliant performance. Thoroughly undeserved win for the money bags, trophy buying with dodgy money tw@s. At least we have proved to ourselves we CAN play it on the deck and play well, I reckon we created more today than in all our previous games put together this season.

[Mr. E]

Losing 3 or 5-0 would have been preferable to another infuriating loss. They give us hope and at the end it's all for nothing.

Roberts...well this is what Roberts does. You can't play him and expect him not to miss 1 on 1 opportunities. It is a fact of life that he can't score in those.

[bigbrandjohn]

Oh dear Jason Robert!

3 points became 0 just like that.

Such a cruel twist. He worked hard today, gave an extra dimension up front, spread the ball around, worried Terry. We had more shots on target than Chelsea. It would have been massive to win the game with his 100th appearance.

[RibbleValleyRover]

We made Chelsea work hard for the win, something many wouldn't have predicted considering the form of both sides and the quality Chelsea possess.

First 35 mins I thought we were brilliant, it was a Rovers of old performance i.e. in your face and telling the opposition if you are to beat us you will have to work really hard for it. But after that we saw less pressing and closing down, less mixed passing and less running forward with the ball.

Emerton and both Diouf's were very good. Benjani had a good game largely due to plenty of support in the first 35 mins- each time he had the ball there was someone near him.

Pedersen has to be singled out I thought he was dire. Olsson was poor again at left back, positionally at fault on numerous occasions especially the goals.

Roberts showed again why you can't rely on him. You get one chance to take a 2-1 lead and the ball falls to Roberts and as usual he doesn't put it away. Who knows that goal could have dented Chelsea's confidence and self belief and secured us the three points.

If Sam can replicate that first 35 minute performance more often and for a longer period I can't see us going down. But I have my doubts he can or will.

[PAFELL]

Gutted! Thought we played well today. JASON

The only thing in his defence is he has hardly played this season. But a feeble excuse. Totally gutted. But there was heart in that team today. Gutted but proud of the effort they put in. If only, if only we had a decent goal scorer.

[yellowsubmarine]

Can we just blindfold Roberts every time he's about to take a shot? at least we know there's a 50/50% chance of scoring.

If he shoots with both eyes open, its 100% he will miss the goal.

[Amo]

Roberts will be singled out for his miss, but that shouldn't detract from his fine performance. He lead the line in the second half and made himself known, which isn't bad considering it's his first game this season. If only he could bloody finish, though!

[JohnD]

Roberts will be singled out for his miss, but that shouldn't detract from his fine performance. He lead the line in the second half and made himself known, which isn't bad considering it's his first game this season. If only he could bloody finish, though!

Too true, he is a far better player man than Kalinic and, given the chance, would score more than him too.

[sambo]

Too true, he is a far better player man than Kalinic and, given the chance, would score more than him too.

Under Sam's 'tactics', yes he is. But I think Kalinic would do a far better job than JR if playing for any other team.

[modes98]

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.

[magicalmortensleftpeg]

Too true, he is a far better player man than Kalinic and, given the chance, would score more than him too.

Disagree. If Roberts could finish he could be a £15m striker. But we've been saying that for 4 seasons. He has never been a finisher. He has had a fair chance in previous seasons and fluffed his lines on numerous occasions. We've been playing Niko in the wrong system so far this season, i think Kalinic is still a good prospect when played in the right system.

Benjani/Diouf/M.Diouf were all great up front. Emerton was also great. So many more positives to come out of this.

[brfc4ever]

Even Ince (sorry!) had 12 points after 10 games...

[joey_big_nose]

Good performance, totally unexpected. We need to play like that against Wigan. Hopefully Givet and Benjani are fit. Benjani and Roberts both looked a million times more effective than Kalinic.

Perhaps we could drop Pedersen for the next one and play 2 up top? MGP is back to his absolute worst. Also I am a total believer in Jones in midfield. He is great for us there and has more technical and passing ability than people give him credit for.

ps. WIgan is an absolute must win.

[booth]

Better team in the first half, overall a much better performance than the usual dross. Thought we missed Givet when he went off.

Benjani taken off for no reason according to him on radio rovers. Diouf had a decent match and was taken off whilst Pederson for me was awful. Poor decisions from the bench.

Roberts... Where I sit that miss was right in front of me. I can't repeat what I said at the time.