[Archived] Chelsea 4 - 0 Rovers

[Ewood Dream]

I find the build-up this week as ridiculous, with 'Sir' Alex stating that the fracas Arsenal caused during last year's draw at Old Trafford was one of the most disgraceful things he had seen in football....

Appears 'Sir' Alex conveniently forgot..

* Cantona's assault on the Palace fan

* Keane snapping Alf-Inge's leg

* Aggressive hassling by his players on the ref during a match against 'Boro.

Knob..

[1864roverite]

distraught after another poor result.

Am really really looking forward to the thieves from Liverpool who will no doubt nick the points as well as a few cars

[John]

Flitcroft seemed to have a problem with giving the ball away yesterday. He really has gone off the boil.

Wonder if Hughes knows that Reid played on the left for Millwall....

Edited October 24, 2004 by John

[rik]

The Worst defence in the Premiership and without a doubt the worst attack!! gd: -15 . i hate to say it but im embaressed to be a rovers fan, souness has bought us soooo many lackluster players eg, reid we have the worst squad in the league and if we dont spend money then we will lose it nxt year, im very worried!!

[chris]

The Worst defence in the Premiership and without a doubt the worst attack!! gd: -15 . i hate to say it but im embaressed to be a rovers fan, souness has bought us soooo many lackluster players eg, reid we have the worst squad in the league and if we dont spend money then we will lose it nxt year, im very worried!!

yeah It's hard to admit but the current team is embarrassing, I have not felt so low as a blackburn fan when I saw useless Dickov upfront on his own on Saturday since 99-00 season, he sums up to me why we are bottom of the league.

[roversWASmylife]

The highlights that I watched last night was poor.

We did seem to play well up until Gudjohnsen's two goals in a short space of time before half time.

The defence needs to be sorted out however I feel it could be too late.

We can't buy any new players to address the problem, unless we get them on a free. The defenders that we have currently, our one of the worst group of defenders I've seen at the club.

Chelsea's first two goals, the defence isn't together. All of them are all over the place, the key is communication with each other.

The Djorkaeff - Dickov thing isn't working, change it. You can't leave a player of his size up front on his own, fighting for scraps, all be it he gives his all.

I really dread the Liverpool game, with the pace of Baros and Cisse running through our defence...

[Tris]

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

£2.50.

But you got a free piece of polystyrene so as not to get burned by the metal pie case.

The atmosphere was abysmal, but to be fair most people would have been in shock due to the cost of the tickets.

Some of the London branch footy team retired to a certain sort of bar last night. For the second time in one day we were treated to a bunch of c****s sliding down the greasy pole. At least in the evening they were fit.

[tashor]

Some of the London branch footy team retired to a certain sort of bar last night.  For the second time in one day we were treated to a bunch of c****s sliding down the greasy pole.  At least in the evening they were fit.

I am utterly intrigued by that Tris, mate...

I now HAVE to know what c****s stands for as I am a connoisseur in bizarre sexual practises and I am struggling with that one ( phnarr!! phnarr!! )

"Colins" is the best I can come up with, but why the liberal messageboard pedant should be sliding down a greasy pole I have no idea.

Hope it wasn't Jerzy Dudek as I feel that even he doesn't deserve that.....

[92er]

We lost at Liverpool last season 0-4.

[92er]

The improvement towards the end of last season was because the midfield became a lot more defensive, Tugay played well in an attacking sense and Andrew Cole played well and made chances for Stead.

Flitcroft played on the right of midfield, Douglas on the left and we had a youngish central midfield player to complement Tugay.

Could Youri play the Cole role? I really don't know but I feel we have to remember the lessons from last season.

[Anti Euro Smiths Fan]

Julian Alsop needs to be invited up to Ewood Park to shove - not a banana - but a stick of dynamite up the backside of Michael Gray.

Less than a minute after Gudjohnsen put Chelsea in front, Gray scandalously allowed the Icelandic the time and space to score again from almost the exact same spot on the field.

It was disgracefully bad marking. Coming just seconds after Chelsea opened the scoring, you would have thought that lessons would have been learned.

Gray stupidly stuck his hand up in the air like an idiot - instead of doing the job that he's paid to do.

This was one of the worst performances I have seen from us in the top flight.

One of the worst defensive displays I've seen, Simon.

It was atrocious, shameful and embarrasing.

Alan Hansons comments on MOTD just round my day off 

Personally I couldn't disagree with anything that Hansen said about us.

For anyone who didn't see MOTD on Saturday, Hansen said:

"Blackburn were appalling. No fight, no commitment, no quality... no anything. A simple ball over the top from Lampard - and you've got three defenders with their hands up in the air. Appalling defending. Mark Hughes has got a massive job there."

For Chelsea's first goal the lumbering Matteo was at fault, their second goal, as I said, was scandalous defending from Michael Gray, and Lucas Neill was at fault for the final goal.

The following paragraph in today's Sunday Telegraph sums up our current predicament:

Blackburn have conceded 22 goals in their 10 league games this season and unless Hughes can stem the flow quickly, he is facing a long and difficult battle to keep his side from relegation.

These are worrying times...

[92er]

I think all real Rovers fans are worried.

[philipl]

I haven't seen a newspaper report this morning which does not assume we will be relegated.

[Alan75]

On an optimistic note.

23 October 1994, Rovers also conceded 4 goals.

From there they went from strength to strength not loosing a game until the 22 January 1995.

[cn174]

On an optimistic note.

23 October 1994, Rovers also conceded 4 goals.

From there they went from strength to strength not loosing a game until the 22 January 1995.

However, that team that conceeded four goals included the likes of Shearer, Sutton, Sherwood, Berg, LeSaux etc. Unfortunately this time round we dont have even a quarter of that kind of quality in our team

[Rovermatt]

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

I didn't say you did.

Anyway...

[CAPT KAYOS]

Hope those that went enjoyed there vfm £40 tickets

What is quite obvious is that these players are not good enough to help us stay up - now is the time to ring the changes. We cannot continue with the lacklustre inept displays of players who clearly aren't upto the task nor in the least bit interested.

442 - Is a must

Dickov - I have said it previously we can't carry on with him up front - for all his running it comes to nothing (reminds me an awful lot of Ward and we know what happened there)

Jansen - needs putting back up front with Stead/Bothroyd - offers us more there and is still better than most in the air

Matteo - as much as what was suspected by the less gullible - he is nothing more than a first division player.

Flitcroft - not good enough nor mobile enough - has had his time. Tugay /Thompson has to play there and either one and Ferguson play as a unit - forget all the bollux about a defensive midfielder they should be professional enough to sort that out between themselves.

Emerton - As everybody else can see - no way is this guy a left handed sided player - stick him back on the right where he was beginning to look a least a bit decent.

Neill - Needs dropping - Stick Reid there

Gray - what has happened to this guy is it because of the rest of the defence is sheite????????

Friedal - Confidence with defence shattered - obvious decisions clouded by the useless pile of manure in front of him. Can we afford to drop him for Enckleman?

Central Defence - Regardless of what happened need Todd back sooner rather than later - Says it all when Short is our best defender - Pair these two and we might get abit more organisation - use Johansson as a back up and if he's not good enough use one of the youngsters.

Djorkaeff -Without doubt need to keep him in the side but needs the rest of the team to perform and be on his level - play him on the left if needed if not use him in midfield or as a striker but in a 442 formation.

Left hand side - if not using Djorkaeff, we have to get one of left footers we have playing there - give them a chance ffs!!!!

We have nothing to lose as we are bottom anyway and heading further down if we don't sort ourselves out.

[Ricky]

Agree with some of your points Capt. I probably wouldnt make quite so many changes, just these:

Todd in for Matteo

2 up front (not sure which two, jansen and Stead possibly)

Emo to the right

Djorkaeff or Pederson on the left

Ferguson and Tugay / Thommo or possibly Reid in the middle

I think the full backs will be ok with a more solid centre back pairing. I still think Reid could play in the middle of the park. He has a good engine and can tackle a bit. I'm sure he'd do better there than Flitcroft.

One thing is for sure, we cannot afford to play one up front this weekend.

[stegraham]

Well, I left t'bridge feeling very depressed on Saturday. Not so long ago it was said that Rovers would raise their games for the "better" teams and play crap against the lesser sides, it seems we can't even do that anymore. Not only was the perormance on the pitch poor, but the Rovers supporters were terrible too. Not wanting to sterotype people (FFS, we need all the support we can get) but you could tell the sort of atmosphere it was going to be by the type of people going though the gates. It looked more like a party political conference than a football game (I sorry about saying that , football fans shouldn't have to look a certain way, but I'm sick of being sat amongst middle class zombies). No doubt the 40 pound price tag put alot of people off - I was very tempted not to go but couldn't resist.

I agree that we can't keep playing 4-4-2. I thought our midfield was terrible. Emmerton was played on the left - WTF? Once Fliitcroft had been booked he disappeared. Reid was useless, and Ferguson - well, I was suprised because people have been saying that he's been improving, but I thought he was terrible on Saturday. He's suposed to be our captain!!!

I remember our first season back in the Premiership when when had a terrible Christmas run - losing 3-0 to Sunderland at home, 1-0 to Derby, 1-0 to Spurs .We even got beat 2-1 at Leicester just after the WC final. I think Derby, Sunderland and Leicester all got relegated that season.(?) We still finished 10th that season!! There still is hope. We need to get a point on Saturday against Liverpool and carry on from here.

BTW, what was all the fuss about at Chelsea on Saturday - there seemed to be quite a few people getting thrown out at the back. I think I'd be even more depressed if I had been thrown out after travelling all that way and spending 40 quiid!

Ste

[CAPT KAYOS]

but you could tell the sort of atmosphere it was going to be by the type of people going though the gates. It looked more like a party political conference than a football game (I sorry about saying that , football fans shouldn't  have to look a certain way,

Oh no... you've done it now Ste G

Await the Tris Political Party speech

Anyway - what's happened to Orville? - surely you are not referring him to be an upstanding (mercenary) of the members of Parliament?

Edited October 25, 2004 by CAPT KAYOS

[BRFC4EVA]

I think that we must go back to straight 4-4-2 vs l'pool and play Emerton on the right with either mgp or Jansen on the left with Stead and Bothroyd ( i like 2 see him given a go). Dickov on his own up front is a joke and at his age just cant work.

[NewburyRover]

Living in the South I don't get to see many home games, normally just a couple a year, but I try to go and see them away. This season I've been to Southampton, Arsenal and on Saturday, Chelski (all of which we've lost - hope I'm not bad luck!).

After the 1st 2 defeats I at least left having seen some promising play. Second half v Southampton we were the better team and in the 1st half v Arsenal we could have gone in ahead at the break.

However, Saturday was the most disappointing display I've seen from Rovers for a long, long time. What struck me most was the lack of ideas and confidence this side has. There seemed to be panic whenever we got the ball, especially in defence, and we'd just hack it clear, straight to a Chelsea player. We didn't create a single chance of note in the game, and seemed to have no ideas once we went behind.

To be honest, I didn't expect much from the game, I know Chelsea have far better players and we’re on a poor run. But it was so disappointing to see the level of performance we gave, and it has me feeling very worried for our future. I'm hoping Hughes can bring some player in during the transfer window, but that's 2 months away yet, so he has to work with what he's got. We're now bottom, and as any pundit will tell you, the team who is bottom at Christmas always goes down.

So many of our player just don't look Premiership class, and that's what has got me worried, form is temporary, class is permanent.

I'm hoping Hughes can turn things around, but I'm getting more worried every time he mentions January, as the way things are going, it could be too late by then.

Edited October 25, 2004 by NewburyRover

[chris]

you may get in trouble for not posting in the current Chelsea thread

[bob fleming]

Those of you slagging Hughes off would do well to remember that old Chinese proverb - "You can't polish a turd".

Roll on January. It's quite simple. Get rid of the crap brought in by the last manager and replace with better players. Nothing to it.   

"rover6 is right" - oh yes. He's the ###### dogs that lad. I bet Wenger is ###### himself with him about.

I'm sorry that I don't adhere to the Bob Fleming doctrine. Which states that the incumbent manager is always above any sort of criticism. However, as soon as he leaves, you can bollock him all you like and pretend that you always knew he was losing the plot.

Sorry about this - I feel I must comment....

rover6 - Don't get me wrong, no manager is above criticism. Hughes has a lot to do and he certainly can't afford to lose 4-0 every week or it will be a very short reign (just thought I'd state the obvious).

BUT...

Be honest, ever since you've posted on this messageboard you've been nothing but hyper critical of the manager of Blackburn Rovers. Whether it's tactics, substitutions, signings, the scouting network, you name it, you always have an answer and apparently a better way of doing things. That's what rankles. Give it a rest.

"But I'm only voicing my opinion, that's what messageboards are all about" etc etc etc. How's about, just for once, you try showing some humility? How's about behaving like a supporter for a change instead of a critic?

99% of football managers get the sack eventually (or the Newcastle job) just because you like to criticise them before anyone else doesn't make it clever.

As for.... "Pretend that you always knew he was losing the plot" - Good one. No, I never saw it coming. Never even commented on it on here. Good job you were here to point it out for me.

Finally, let me apologise for aiming those "######"s in your direction on Saturday. Now is not the time to turn on each other. That can wait for another day.

[Blackpool_Rover]

Well, i see everyone had a fun weekend. Thank god i didnt go to chelsea and spent the weekend in glasgow, listened to the game, had to endure lots of stick. The highlight of the weekend was taking my ewood park jinx to Ibrox and watching dundee utd equalise in 89th min against rangers! haha

Still havent seen the highlights. Just think back to all the pre-season optimism