[Archived] Chelsea 4 - 0 Rovers

[Andy_f]

Alan Hansons comments on MOTD just round my day off

[RevidgeBlue]

Watched the game on Norwegian. Am prepared to back Hughes as Souness got us squarely into this mess but Souness can't be blamed for the nature of todays showing which was totally unacceptable.

This was one of the worst performances I have seen from us in the top flight, we showed no ambition, no desire to play our own game, no willingness to take the fight to Chelsea. On the flip side we didn't even succeed in our limited aim of making it awkward for them. It was almost as if we had decided beforehand we weren't going to take anything out of the game and therefore went through the motions instead.

Tactically Dickov and Djorkaeff are never going to work as a pairing, the ex Bolton man is surely better playing behind two front men.

Don't get me started on Flitcroft who should be as far away from first team action as is possible. Snap Wigan's hand off.

What was gutting as a fan today was hearing mealy mouthed platitudes from the players all week about training under Hughes being "different class" yet they go through the motions on the Saturday.

What is also deeply worrying is that the same players who didn't perform for Souness are now not performing for Hughes. Moreover several new players brought in for this season aren't performing either.

What is it about Ewood in recent times? Does the job description on the players' contract say "Come to Ewood and put your feet up?"

Edited October 23, 2004 by RevidgeBlue

[grizfoot]

We've all got to put into consideration that Chelsea are a top notch team and no one really expect to get anything from there did they.

I don't know what to say at the moment, God help us against Liverpool

EDIT: Also didn't a certain left-footed Ex Rovers left winger score today

Edited October 23, 2004 by grizfoot

[Ewood Dream]

Why was Matteo such a muppet for the first goal? The guy is useless.

[grizfoot]

Why was Matteo such a muppet for the first goal? The guy is useless.

Only Just relised

[Shevchenko]

Watched the game on Norwegian. Am prepared to back Hughes as Souness got us squarely into this mess but Souness can't be blamed for the nature of todays showing which was totally unacceptable.

This was one of the worst performances I have seen from us in the top flight, we showed no ambition, no desire to play our own game, no willingness to take the fight to Chelsea. On the flip side we didn't even succeed in our limited aim of making it awkward for them. It was almost as if we had decided beforehand we weren't going to take anything out of the game and therefore went through the motions instead.

Tactically Dickov and Djorkaeff are never going to work as a pairing, the ex Bolton man is surely better playing behind two front men.

Don't get me started on Flitcroft who should be as far away from first team action as is possible. Snap Wigan's hand off.

What was gutting as a fan today was hearing mealy mouthed platitudes from the players all week about training under Hughes being "different class" yet they go through the motions on the Saturday.

What is also deeply worrying is that the same players who didn't perform for Souness are now not performing for Hughes. Moreover several new players brought in for this season aren't performing either.

What is it about Ewood in recent times? Does the job description on the players' contract say "Come to Ewood and put your feet up?"

Nail. On. Head.

Good post.

[trawdenblue]

Just remember.......

This is the FIRST time Chelsea have beaten us at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League.

It had to happen some time.

.....Mark Hughes has to work with what he's got until January. He's now got to aim for 17th place, but the fans (us), soon run out of patience.

We have been spoiled since 1992 - learn to take the rough with the smooth and support the team/club we love.

Up until 1995, my best memory of Rovers was winning the old division 3 in 1975.... so today's dilemma is a nice one to be in.

We'll get out of it - have faith; and if we go down - so what?

[tcj_jones]

What scares me almost as much as our own dire team is that liverpool could have beaten Charlton by 6 or 7 today. They are going to give us the run around in midfield and batter us upfront. Thats presuming they don't just rest half their team...

Edited October 23, 2004 by tcj_jones

[tashor]

Tactically Dickov and Djorkaeff are never going to work as a pairing, the ex Bolton man is surely better playing behind two front men.

Probably the most important thing that Hughes has to decide on. It should be the defence but as there is next to no choice then it is not.

But how on earth can you suggest we play the non tackling frenchman behind a front two??

This would leave a single central midfielder to protect our pathetic defence and seeing as you think Flitty is beyond the pale ( I agree ) then we only have Douglas who could possibly play the role as Ferguson is not exactly a ball winner.

Plainly we are simply not good enough to have the luxury of what would be a 4:3:3 unless we did without any wingers and as Emerton has been one of only a few decent performers this season then we surely must play him.

Maybe three at the back to enable a 3:5:2 - yeh! right!! - we cannot defend with a back four!!

We must stick with a 4:4:2

This surely excludes playing Djorky behind a front two unless you know something that would refute everything we have seen this season.

So what should we do?? Play without Djork?

As he is the best we have to open up defenses I would say it is essential to start with him - at least for home games.

And this also is why we cannot afford to play MGP until we sign the likes of Savage or play without Emerton, who at least can defend a little bit.

I would therefore play a 4:4:2 at home ( but probably 4:5:1 away ) with Djorkaeff playing behind a front man who runs themselves ragged before being subbed - Dickov/Matty/Stead/Bothroyd - who the hell knows?

........After reading my post so far I have realised that non of the above four strikers are good enough to play up front on their own.

This means that we cannot afford to play Djorkaeff behind one after all and as it would be suicidal to play him behind two strikers for the reasons above then if he is to play in a side with two other strikers then he must fit into a wide midfield role.

Not ideal I agree - but we are in desperate straits at least until we can bring in new players ( if it is already not too late ) in January.

So against Liverpool at home next week I would start with -

Brad

Neill Short Todd Gray

Emerton Ferguson Douglas Djorky

Dickov Matty

.....although I feel that when Thommo is fit then he may be the best for the midfield terrier role.

The whole exercise has made me realise what a poorly balanced squad we have and for this we can only blame Souness. He would've motivated us better than Hughes recently and we wouldn't have lost as heavily in our last two games but he alone is responsible for our present squad and the fact that we have such a slow aged defense and lack the only premiership level striker we have had in recent years. HOW WE MISS ANDY COLE. HOW STUPID WERE THOSE HERE THAT SLAGGED HIM OFF.

As a wise poster has already pointed out the best we can hope for is to pick up an average point a game for the rest of the year and then to balance the squad with the likes of Henchoz, Hartson, Gabby etc...

If we do not stay up then we will be on a par with the dingles within two years and will look back on the glory years when we had the likes of Matteo, Amoruso, Dickov and De Pedro on our books.......

[emglch]

weekend games are becoming more demoralising than anything.

except the first twenty odd minutes, defence is crap. just isn't premiership class.

without a covering midfielder it's even more crap. After flitcroft was booked, didn't see much of him.

midfield is virtually non-exisitent. chelsea run the midfield at will. souness must have suggested to hughes, emerton could play on the left.' yesterday night's midfield formation looks like souness' idea.

can't expect any decent attack when the rest of the team is so poor. i thought fergie's long range effort straight to the gk was the only rovers shot on target.

to lose 0-4 back-to-back is just too...

6 points from 10 games...we need 34 points from 28 games.

Edited October 24, 2004 by emglch

[American]

What bothers people, myself included, isn't the losses, it's the nature of the losses. Almost like as soon as the first goal goes in, the team gives up. Back to back 4-0 is a disgrace and an embarrassment.

[bubblerrovers]

Just remember.......

This is the FIRST time Chelsea have beaten us at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League.

It had to happen some time.

.....Mark Hughes has to work with what he's got until January. He's now got to aim for 17th place, but the fans (us), soon run out of patience.

We have been spoiled since 1992 - learn to take the rough with the smooth and support the team/club we love.

Up until 1995, my best memory of Rovers was winning the old division 3 in 1975.... so today's dilemma is a nice one to be in.

We'll get out of it - have faith; and if we go down - so what?

If we go down so what??? have you gone mad??? if we go down i don't think we'd come back up for a long time, only quality players would be sold on the cheap and im sure the crowds at ewood would be under 15000 every week. Have to say agreed with your post completly before that. We were never guna get anything outa that game. I really fear for the season now as we just don't battle we're week as pi@@

[JAL]

Did anybody notice the argueing going on between our players during the match especiallly second half.

1. Barry Ferguson with Bothroyd and referee had to call them both together.

2. Emmerton and Gray started slagging one another off - Hughes then substituted Gray and put Matteo in his place.

Very worrying and we obviously dont have the team spirit required to get us out of this mess along with the lack of talent.

[Ricky]

Tashor, spot on. We need to play 2 up front and we need to hae Djotkaeff to unlock defences. The only way we can do it is to play him out wide on the left. Playing one up front just doesn't work for us.

[trawdenblue]

Just remember.......

This is the FIRST time Chelsea have beaten us at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League.

It had to happen some time.

.....Mark Hughes has to work with what he's got until January. He's now got to aim for 17th place, but the fans (us), soon run out of patience.

We have been spoiled since 1992 - learn to take the rough with the smooth and support the team/club we love.

Up until 1995, my best memory of Rovers was winning the old division 3 in 1975.... so today's dilemma is a nice one to be in.

We'll get out of it - have faith; and if we go down - so what?

If we go down so what??? have you gone mad??? if we go down i don't think we'd come back up for a long time, only quality players would be sold on the cheap and im sure the crowds at ewood would be under 15000 every week. Have to say agreed with your post completly before that. We were never guna get anything outa that game. I really fear for the season now as we just don't battle we're week as pi@@

...........I meant there are more important things in life.

[Laurence]

Tashor, spot on. We need to play 2 up front and we need to hae Djotkaeff to unlock defences. The only way we can do it is to play him out wide on the left. Playing one up front just doesn't work for us.

Interesting point R - I'm sure Notlob used to play him there sometimes - definately worth a go, with Emmo on the right, Dickov & a.n.other up front

Edited October 24, 2004 by Laurence

[Ozz]

What are the odds on another 4 goal bashing next week? gotta be worth a flim.

For the first time in my memory, i didn`t want to see the highlights on telly. Its that bad.

How many Rovers fans paid the £40 to get in yesterday, what was the atmosphere like? Away at Liverpool last season was similar but at least we had a good sing song.

Also, how much were the pies? more than £2.70?

[Andy_f]

What are the odds on another 4 goal bashing next week? gotta be worth a flim.

For the first time in my memory, i didn`t want to see the highlights on telly. Its that bad.

How many Rovers fans paid the £40 to get in yesterday, what was the atmosphere like? Away at Liverpool last season was similar but at least we had a good sing song.

Also, how much were the pies? more than £2.70?

The atmosphere was awful - hardly any of our fans singing, and it was like that from KO. I was suprised at how loud the Chelsea fans were.

Not to sure how much the pies were, but a cheeseburger cost me £3.00!

[BRFC4EVA]

I went y'sday and the atmosphere was dreadful. Ive honestly never been to a worse away atmosphere from our fans (that includes the 1-1 draw at pompey in league cup in front of 2,000 in 00/01 when we had won the 1st leg 4-0 and about 150 rovers travelled). Normally for away games you enjoy the atmosphere and singing when your losing etc. However there wasnt 1 chant y'sday and thats no exageration!!!! £40, riduclus catering prices (80p for a bag of crisps ) meant an all round crap day. We were dreadful, djorkieff behind Dickov DOESNT work and stead and boythrod looked miles bettr. Negating our best attacking threat in emerton to the left wing to make way for the average reid wasnt exactly tactical genius either.

[FourLaneBlue]

Watched the game on Norwegian. Am prepared to back Hughes as Souness got us squarely into this mess but Souness can't be blamed for the nature of todays showing which was totally unacceptable.

Exactly. While the squad that Souness has left us with is not exactly the 'Bee's Knee's' it is still capable of staying up. We can blame Souness all season if we wish but what's the point? The man is gone...history at Rovers. How many Premiership games did we lose by four goals under Souness? None, if I remember correctly. Yet when he leaves and we lose by four goals twice in a row it is his fault? Nope, sorry. There is a choice. The club, manager and the players either all stand together and fight their way out of this position or they all feel sorry for themselves and blame Souness. They can do that all the way to relegation if they wish...

Hughes needs more time but as he is now the manager he has to lead the team to (immediately) improved performances and (more long-term) regularly picking up enough points to see us out of trouble. That's what he was brought in for, that's his job. It's not Souness' responsibility. Sod him, whatever he does. Just let's move on.

As for Hughes...the team needs something new, something to jazz things up. If he finds it then we have the right man for the job. If not...a visit to Turf Moor next year it is. We can still be blaming it all on Souness then if we wish. Much good that it'll do us.

Edited October 24, 2004 by FourLaneBlue

[broadsword]

Hmmmm ... a manager that the players wanted, someone who doesn't raise his voice.

"Brian Kidd syndrome" by the sound of it.

I hope this is proved not to be the case!

[Rovermatt]

United just won. What a horrible, horrible weekend.

[sumps]

Listening to Century FM was sickening, it's the worst pro Utd station ever. ' And Arsenal are acting like babies as usual when they lose a game!'

[Rovermatt]

Listening to Century FM was sickening, it's the worst pro Utd station ever. ' And Arsenal are acting like babies as usual when they lose a game!'

Surely that's a contradiction. When was the last time Arsenal lost a game?

[sumps]

I didn't say it. That's what one of the commentators said after the final whistle had gone.