[Archived] 5th Nov Blackburn V Chelsea Preview

[sijoco]

Though I don't agree with having a go at fellow fans for having opposing opinions - it isn't any different to the reaction that anyone on this message board gets that says anything that could be construed to be in any way pro-Kean (ask Roversmum).

There's a difference between Pro-Kean and being a Venky's mouthpiece just ask Roversmum

[Rovermatt]

aargh! MoTD seem to have the Kean bug, everythings positive, we can go on a run, really unlucky..

We still keep losing though!!

The press doesn't know what Kean's record is and they don't care what Kean's record is. We're deserving of nothing more than light analysis.

[booth]

The press doesn't know what Kean's record is and they don't care what Kean's record is. We're deserving of nothing more than light analysis.

They are also seemingly unaware of the ban on banners, the forced cancellation of the protest march and the fact that people had to go and retrieve their banners from another area of the club, before they could protest later on - so subduing the whole thing which made many fans give in and not bother.

The media doesn't know this and just thinks the protests are dwindling, when in fact it's an effort by the club to keep the fans quiet.

http://www.blackburnweb.co.uk/SilenceoftheFans.jpg

[USABlue]

To be honest the snarky comments are a bit unneeded, I've long said Kean has to go but today we played great, he still has to go but its pointless moaning about the manager today IMO. He made an error in bringing off Rochina for me but otherwise hard to complain.

My main feeling tonight is just one of impending doom, even when the manager gets it right things just aren't going for us.

A few notes on players:

+Givet was fantastic, real warrior

+Pedersen really good again, shirked one tackle but otherwise solid with good set pieces

+Rochina looked lively

+Nzonzi again played well

- Hoilett looked uninterested and even lazy at times

Saw a few people kicking off and a lot of people were moaning around me about the plane.

Oh and for my weekly referee moan, he did well for the most part but missed a blatant second booking for Merelies late on

Kean still has to go I have no doubt of that but today has done nothing to strengthen that notion.

He did not miss it at all he chose not to give it. JUst more evidence of the ###### that is the big club favouritism. He should have walked.

[Ricky]

Just one thing. Everyone seems to be picking up on the fact that lampard got an easy header but it all came from one of the worse pieces of defending I've ever seen at this level, hoilett let's ivanovic basically walk past him, it was woeful. I could understand if he was undone by a tricky winger or something.

[Waggy76]

There's desire and fight because we have a decent team, not because of Kean. With a half decent manager we'd be mid-table right now.

I am not convinced about the decent team bit , cannot see who is going to score the goals and make the midfield tackles....A decent manager ,one hopes wouldn't have signed most of the players Kean as ...

We could go bottom today , it is November ..The league table doesn't lie , we have a poor manager and players , who cannot win , when the opposition play poorly ..

[Alan75]

Just one thing. Everyone seems to be picking up on the fact that lampard got an easy header but it all came from one of the worse pieces of defending I've ever seen at this level, hoilett let's ivanovic basically walk past him, it was woeful. I could understand if he was undone by a tricky winger or something.

Im giving Hoilett the benifit of doubt at the moment - he is a raw talent that needs to develop his game.

Going forward he is like a breath of fresh air and an asset to the team, but as for reading the game, tracking back and helping the defence hes a liability.

At least hes improved on last season when, he was selfish, didnt look up, or didnt think of players in better positions around him.

[bestierover]

Just one thing. Everyone seems to be picking up on the fact that lampard got an easy header but it all came from one of the worse pieces of defending I've ever seen at this level, hoilett let's ivanovic basically walk past him, it was woeful. I could understand if he was undone by a tricky winger or something.

I agree wholeheartedly. Very lazy defending on Hoilet's part. Deserving of a hairdrier moment post match, possibly even an early substitution. I imagine Kean just gave him a pat on the back however.

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

There's a difference between Pro-Kean and being a Venky's mouthpiece just ask Roversmum

No - it is just a difference in opinion. She has met the owners - believes in what they are trying to achieve - and that they are genuine. For the rest of us we have seen little proof - and will just have to wait to see how things pan out.

[des]

all thje top team play well or badly but still manage to win, all the botton teams play badly or well but still lose. Thats is where we are now.

We need to start to win, not play well and lose, at this moment in time points are everthing, play well and losing is not.

Has many have said its beyyer to be luckly and win and umluckly and lose

[47er]

Has many have said its beyyer to be luckly and win and umluckly and lose

Bit early Des!

[K-Hod]

Same sh1t different day.

[Commondore]

We played well but lost... Again. First things first though, this really didn't look like a typical game against Chelsea. They never had us pinned down in our own half, we always looked comfortable in possession, and when we were forced to put on a young and inexperienced central defender he almost never got tested defensively. It's also worth noting that 3/4 of our defenders during the whole second half were academy products. That being said, Chelsea defended so good that we rarely threatened them, we needed set pieces or individual mistakes from their defenders to get close to Cech. It reminded me of the stereotypical picture of how Italian teams play; first lock up the defense and then do what's necessary in offense without sweating too much. I'm not saying that we couldn't have got something from this, but I think we flattered to deceive and were further from a point than one might first think.

*Hoilett had his worst game in ages, he looked disinterested and showed none of his usual speed and flair. He should have been subbed for Vukcevic in the 2nd half, but I can still understand how Kean would keep this seasons best Rover on the pitch for as long as possible.

*Pedersen looked good in central midfield for once, he helped out Nzonzi enough defensively to play even with Lampard and Mikel.

*If Nzonzi would be just a bit better in his passing and controlling the ball he would be a fantastic player, but as of now he's "just" a good tenacious defensive midfielder. He's still one of our most important players though, and we would be extremely frail without him.

*It feels harsh to say that Formica and Rochina had bad games, but they need to succeed with more dribbles and passes if we are to penetrate defenses as good as Chelsea's. They are on the pitch to break down defenses, and they didn't do that today.

*I don't think Kean could have done that much different today, and that Rovers played well against superior opposition. His record speaks for itself and has done so for a long time though, playing well but loosing doesn't change that.

[mogster]

What's worrying me is -

No matter how well we play, we can't win.

etc etc

[sharpysharps]

Does anybody know why Venky's weren't there yesterday after all the build up to them coming to this game? I know the opfficial owner of Man City doesn't attend the games but could our very own Chuckle brothers not get up off their arses and get to the home games? As far as I know they have attended 2 games this season, 1 of which was the Carling cup 2nd round (I think) and the other being the Arsenal game. Will we ever see Mrs Desai at Ewood again for a home game or will it be when they open their Venky's superstore over where Ewood Park used to be?

[DE.]

Does anybody know why Venky's weren't there yesterday after all the build up to them coming to this game? I know the opfficial owner of Man City doesn't attend the games but could our very own Chuckle brothers not get up off their arses and get to the home games? As far as I know they have attended 2 games this season, 1 of which was the Carling cup 2nd round (I think) and the other being the Arsenal game. Will we ever see Mrs Desai at Ewood again for a home game or will it be when they open their Venky's superstore over where Ewood Park used to be?

Seems it was due to the protests.

Although if the match was on SKY TV and broadcast as part of Super Sunday they may have shown their faces.

[thenodrog]

But if we were looking at things from an outsiders view point then things do look different. We were robbed last week and this week we were desperately unlucky not to get a point. The players did have some desire and fight. Surely even the biggest Kean haters will admit that?

I think Kean should have gone weeks ago. But it would seem the players are happy enough to play for him. All the rumours and hearsay to the contrary seem null and void when you see the actual performances. The next 6 games are huge. I firmly believe that if we continue our recent performance level we might just have enough to get through this puddle of sh!te we find ourselves in.

On a side note, if Samba is out for a few weeks it might just be the tonic Scott Dann needs. A chance to become a leader in place of our captain and current leader. Step up to the mark my son! Show us you're worth the money.

Despite the mess we are in i still believe we are not far off being a half decent side. A couple of wins and the resulting confidence would do this bunch the world of good.

If we are to play Dann instead of Samba I think the midfield needs fortifying. He isn't as good or dominant as Samba so one of the ballerina's will have to make way for a grafter in order to offer more protection for the defence.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

If we are to play Dann instead of Samba I think the midfield needs fortifying. He isn't as good or dominant as Samba so one of the ballerina's will have to make way for a grafter in order to offer more protection for the defence.

What grafter have you got in mind ? This is where Emmo would have been handy.

[thenodrog]

I think Kean should have gone weeks ago. But it would seem the players are happy enough to play for him. All the rumours and hearsay to the contrary seem null and void when you see the actual performances. The next 6 games are huge. I firmly believe that if we continue our recent performance level we might just have enough to get through this puddle of sh!te we find ourselves in.

The best managers that I can recall in my lifetime weren't necessarily liked by the players, nor feared either but they were certainly respected.

[1864roverite]

Yesterday I expected us to be pummelled by Chelsea, the fact is we weren't. In fact, Rovers played a Chelsea team that were really out of sort, were calamatous at the back and are clearly struggling up fronty, I mean NO Anelka, No Drogba and a £50m striker on te bench who cant even score from 6 yards ! That sort of sums up what Chelsea team came to Ewood Park.

I didnt expect the type of display from the 11 Rovers players who started the game.

I accept Rovers do appear to be playing better football but it does not bely the fact that we are firmly esconced in the bottom three positions of the league. The table does not lie, it tells a story. We are facing the drop.

I am sick to death of hearing lines like " we will take the positives and go back and work on them", I am sick to death of hearing the little whining Scottish muppet say how good we played. how the players played for him, how much support he gets from the owners, how he didnt see the plane, how its only a minority and that the majority of fans are behind him.

In fact Mr Kean, the MAJORITY of fans are sick to death of seeing you destroy our club.

I am positive about the following things.

We are going down.

The crowds are dwindling faster and faster because of you and your lack of basic football nouse.

Venky's are facing a fire sale in January because by then we will be cast adrift and the only way to recoup some money will be to sell players such as Hoilett and Samba.

There is no plan B, or C or D in fact there really isnt any plan at all.

The fans are behind the players they are just not behind you.

Yesterday we saw Chelsea have 2 shots on target and they scored from one of them.Rovers couldnt hit a barn door from 3 yards evidenced by that horrendous miss by young Hanley. Its not a good sign that when we have the second biggest club at Ewood in such a poor state and we get 5 good quality chances yet fail to take one of them. That my fellow Rovers fans is relegation form its not turnaround form and we will be ok form.

I dont buy the suggestion that we lost it when Samba went off. Injuries are part and parcel of the game. Poor defending cost us.

Hoilett has had his head turned big time, he cant be arsed in all reality. The lamest of efforts in trying to stop Inanivic cost us a point because up until then Chelsea may have had all the midfield but they hadnt exaclty put Robinson under a lot of pressure. The covering in the middle was non existant.

Pederson is a new born player. NZonzio is showing class beyond his years. Rochina improves every game whilst I do like the look of Formica. Ollsen is great and Givet is a god like central defender who wears his heart on his sleeve. Robinson will forever be a solid keeper. You need 11 players to be at their best and yesterday we saw only half a team wanting to play and the other half just doing sufficient.

The subs, I mean Dunny is well past it so why bother, he is overweight and unfit. Why bring him on when we needed a goal is beyond me.

I was surprised by the lack of protest in the ground. The odd turn out of KEAN OUT was heard but this isnt going to send the right message becasue Venky's have shown ignorance beyond comprehension. If Kean didnt see that plane then he must have been sat with us iun the Upper JW stand because this is the only place in the ground you couldnt see it. You could certainly hear it.

Wigan away in 2 weeks will onc eagain be a pivotal point in a Rovers season. The only result that is an option is a win. A draw or loss is unacceptable because this will cement us in the bottom 3. Rovers have to get at least 20 points on the board before the New Year and that looks mission impossible to me. Wigan will also be the very last away game in the Premiership for me because I desperately feel that when we drop we wont ever come back. I have grown tired of spending my money on the travel, tickets and treats. I am fortunate that money is not an issue with me and my love of football and once this season has gone I will no longer feel the need to urgently renew my season ticket.

Kean just needs a reality check and believe me its coming.

The excuses have worn thin and do not wash anymore, the explanations, the lies and the ignorance have destroyed the infrastructure of the club, it has diminished the views that Ewood Park is a friendly homely club and when we see complete clowns like Mark Lawrenson calling Rovers fans NUMPTIES it epitomises everything that Steve Kean and Venky's are about.

KEAN OUT !

[thenodrog]

While I think Rovers performances have improved in recent weeks (actually since Paul Clement arrived I think - not sure how much it has to do with him though)

A point noticed by many. For me our very worst form of the Kean era coincidede with Jensen being installed (by Delboy) at the end of January. That was when our real malaise on the pitch began.

Another thing the Venkeymob might like to consider are the post match words of Villas Boas. Along the lines of 'Blackburn away is difficult, every set piece is aimed into your penalty area'. Despite all the bullshit from Pune it seems the heart of Sam is alive and well and beating within the squad doesn't it?

[booth]

I am not convinced about the decent team bit , cannot see who is going to score the goals and make the midfield tackles....A decent manager ,one hopes wouldn't have signed most of the players Kean as ...

We could go bottom today , it is November ..The league table doesn't lie , we have a poor manager and players , who cannot win , when the opposition play poorly ..

Well I think the problem lies in that we didn't sign a decent striker in the transfer window. Whose fault is that I don't know but I really can't see Steve Kean attracting any names - and who knows if he had the budget to anyway.

The rest of the team under a different manager would be doing better for me. Hoilett for example would benefit from someone helping him to work on his overall game. Yesterday he was terrible.

And I can't see why we don't play Rochina up front, and why he keeps being subbed. For two matches he's been quite brilliant. And even against Newcastle when he wasn't as good he scored. He's the current top scorer and supposed to be a striker so why not play him as one.

[thenodrog]

They are also seemingly unaware of the ban on banners, the forced cancellation of the protest march and the fact that people had to go and retrieve their banners from another area of the club, before they could protest later on - so subduing the whole thing which made many fans give in and not bother.

The media doesn't know this and just thinks the protests are dwindling, when in fact it's an effort by the club to keep the fans quiet.

http://www.blackburnweb.co.uk/SilenceoftheFans.jpg

All too predictable. As I've said since May the best message are empty seats.

A little bit of imagination costs nowt so for those who still choose to go for their fortnightly cup of misery but want to vent their feelings without having banners confiscated etc by the club then.......

1. Use the example set by all the grumpy anti Glaser Mancs. They all wear Newton Heath green and yellow scarves don't they so why don't we have different coloured scarves printed? Hindu's l;ike lots of colour don't they BUT From t'internet....."Though white symbolizes a sense of purity, it is also a color of mourning. Widows in India, unlike in their western counterparts, retire to a white-only dress code. And while black is considered ugly, evil, and undesirable, it is relied upon heavily to ward off evil, as is evident in the ceremony of putting a black dot on a new-born babys face to ward off the evil eye."

So black scarves with a white pin stripe it is then.

Also why not have XXXL plain black cheap T'Shirts with 'Kean Out' printed on the front and 'Venkey's Out' on the back in large white lettering. They could be carried in in carrier bags and quickly and easily be slipped over outdoor clothing at HT, FT or whenever.

Cheap and effective.

[John]

A point noticed by many. For me our very worst form of the Kean era coincidede with Jensen being installed (by Delboy) at the end of January. That was when our real malaise on the pitch began.

I am still surprised, to this day, how many people firstly do no think appointing Kean in the first place was an odd decision. Secondly, the appointment of Jensen was crazy, remember the debate after he was appointed.

Some need to wake up and realise what has been going on - manager and chairman are the most important positions at a football club and due to a conflict of interest we have now a coach as manager and no chairman.

[thenodrog]

I agree wholeheartedly. Very lazy defending on Hoilet's part. Deserving of a hairdrier moment post match, possibly even an early substitution. I imagine Kean just gave him a pat on the back however.

imo thats why Allardyce did not give him the time on the pitch that we all craved. He would have been trying to instill a bit of defensive duty discipline into him. Battle of wits and Hoiletts attacking talents are mega but a bit of defensive responsibilty instilled could make him truly top class.

What grafter have you got in mind ? This is where Emmo would have been handy.

Indeed. But he's gone so Petrovic with N'Zonzi in the deep middle with MGP wide left and one of the 3 violinists benched.