[Archived] Chelsea 4 - 0 Rovers

[roversmum]

The official website says Hughes has a midfield dilemma for Saturday.

Of course the big question is will "midfield enforcer" Garry Flitcroft be fit.

Sleepness nights all round.*

*In case he is.......

[Quack]

3 - 0 to Chelsea, Kezman to score a hat trick, each one from a precision cross from Duff.

[John]

I should not really be slating Flitty. Ok he may be a sleazy git off the park but that is his business.

I think he is loyal to the cause but previous injuries now make him not upto the physical task of playing in the Premiership.

Hughes will still be in the mode of thinking that he can play a big part of our midfield due to his playing time here. However it will soon appear obvious that he is not upto the task anymore. He did ok in our first season back but his performances have been inconsistent and deteriorating since.

Lawro Prediction

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/e...rem/3727644.stm

Edited October 21, 2004 by John

[vyeo]

trying hard not to be cynical, but can't see anything other than a chelsea win though i hope dearly for the opposite to happen.

prediction: at least 2-0 chelski.

scorers: no idea who else, but kezman is bound to score (he hasn't scored for chelski yet, has he?) therefore he will like everyone else break a dire run against us.

and i don't see how we're gonna find a way past petr cech.

and just two seasons ago, we won there 2-1.

[greggyk]

My first post since saturday.

And it will please you all Im sure:

Chelsea 0-1 Rovers (Matteo 90+2)

[WaffleWag]

my hope is that duff scores a couple for us, just for the old times

[Ozz]

Apparently The Bridge was like a morgue last night V CSKA, and there were loads of empty seats. They are either saving their money for Saturday(???!!!), or even the millionaires are struggling to poney up the dough for the priveledge of watching something vaguely resembling what I used to affectionately refer to as Association Football.

It will all end in tears you know, all end in tears.

By the way, can anyone check how much a pie is on Saturday, I want to know if it beats Arsenals £2.70 for a chicken balti (current highest in my Premiership Pie Price league)(I know, they`re unbeatable even at the scran hut).

There`s a Golden Crust award at the end of the season for the dearest.

[Ozz]

stop them clearing their lines,

Carefull Bob, thats the last thing they want to do.

[Jordan]

Will also be interesting to see what you get if you go to the snackl bar and ask for a coke at half time.

Probably a black eye and a broken nose.

There stuards are bl00dy yobs.

2-1 Chelsea

[Nayef]

Forget dancefloor, it's gonna be murder on the pitch.

I'll be in goteborg this weekend and will no doubt get a text at precisely 5:45pm from my evertonian buddy (he always sends texts everytime we lose...something about rovers mugging everton for their prem place 2 seasons in a row...)

[92er]

Premiership clubs are increasingly finding it difficult to sell their seats for all matches-and it's not just us. There was an interesting article on this subject in yesterday's Daily Telegraph.

[philipl]

I cannot see our fine record at Stamford Bridge surviving this encounter.

However, whether we lose by one or a bag full, I will be looking for:

- signs of character and leadership. The lack of these from what I have seen of that abject second half last week was the most worrying aspect. This was what Amo was supposed to provide at the back wasn't it?

- signs that there is some more class in the team. I hope Stead and MGP get a chance to perform against one of the best in Europe. If these two guys come good we could have the nucleus of a team which can compete in the Prem this season in terms of player quality

- a reduction in cautions/ sending offs. The disciplinary record is horrible yet its not made us any more difficult to play against.

[Nuclearsox]

You know what you’re going to get from Rovers (Lots of huff and puff, dodgy defending, Infuriating wing play, mis-placed passing, no shots on target and a Dickov penalty appeal) so it depends which Chelsea turns up as to how this match goes.

If it’s the Chelsea we know they can be – full of pace and flair, creating (and taking) numerous chances and easily snuffing out our futile long-ball attacks then I can only see us taking a drubbing. 5-0. Duff, Terry, Lampard 2 and Kezman.

If it’s the defensive, goal shy Chelsea that we seem to see most often, more pre-occupied with keeping the opposition out than pressing forward to score goals then I can only see us taking a drubbing. 4-0 Duff, Terry, Lampard and Kezman.

If it’s Chelsea the drunken, buck-toothed daughter of former US president Bill Clinton then we might scrape a draw. 1-1. Flitty to score early on and round off a good day for himself by putting Rovers into the lead midway through the second half. Only for Chelsea to equalize from the spot in injury time, when she goes down far too easily after being nudged in the box by Dickov.

If it’s Chelsea the tabby cat from next door, it will be a goalless draw. Despite having the majority of possession, Dickov, Stead and co. can find no way past Chelsea “The Cat” the cat.

[John]

Team News- Todd back in squad. Flitty should return. Amo is a doubt with a heel injury.

[SuperStella]

Lorenzo Amoruso has been ruled out of Blackburn's trip to Chelsea with a heel injury which may require surgery.

Andy Todd and Craig Short are set to be paired in central defence as Rovers look to drag themselves out of the bottom three.

Turkish midfielder Tugay is suspended following his dismissal against Middlesbrough last week so Garry Flitcroft should return.

Blackburn (from): Friedel, Enckelman, Dickov, Short, Douglas, Emerton, Ferguson, Flitcroft, De Pedro, Gresko, Gray, Jansen, Johansson, Matteo, Neill, Stead, Pedersen, Bothroyd, Gallagher, Djorkaeff, Reid, Todd.

My team: -

FRIEDEL

NEILL

MATTEO

TODD

GRAY

EMERTON

FERGUSON

DOUGLAS

DJORKAEFF

STEAD

DICKOV

[bazza]

This is the ideal game for Sparky to experiment with the younger lads.

We're going to lose anyway so why not let them have a go.

No point experimenting against the likes of Norwich City. Those points are too precious to lose.

[CAPT KAYOS]

If Short and Todd (?) are back I feel we will be alot better at the back and I don't expect a drubbing, however I can't see us getting anything from the game, and all I can see us doing is going out to frustrate the Russian Druggies to a draw rather than trying to win the game.

Chelsea the masters thus far this season of the 1-0 and us looking like a candle about to be blown out up front - I can see nothing else bar this very predictable scoreline.

1 v 0 Chelsea - with a late goal yet again in the game due to liability neil losing his man again from a corner or giving away a penalty.

[broadsword]

Chelsea have yet to beat us at home in the Premiership.

Oh dear, bang goes that one!

[MCMC1875]

Chelsea have yet to beat us at home in the Premiership.

Oh dear, bang goes that one!

Away - they beat us at home when we went down!

[broadsword]

That was what I meant.

And they should not have beaten us that year at Ewood, that was a right travesty.

Edited October 22, 2004 by Bryan

[joey_big_nose]

We are really suffering from having very little defensive bite in midfield...... goddammit.

If we put out our best attacking eleven we would look quite good:

                  Stead  Gallagher 

Reid/MGP    Djorkaeff  Ferguson  Emerton

            Gray  Short    Todd      Niell

                          Freidel

Unfortuately, as some will know, away at Chelsea we would be torn to shreds extremely easily with a midfield like that. This neccesitates the inclusion of either Douglas, Flitcroft or, uh, Matteo to pair with Ferguson.

I tell you, one quality player to partner Ferguson in the middle would transform the side- fair enough we need a striker on form and a decent defence but I honestly think that is the most crucial problem.

I think it is likely Hughes will elect for a side looking more like this:

               

                Stead/Dickov

Reid    Djorkaeff      Ferguson    Emerton

                      Flitcroft

      Gray    Todd      Short    Niell

                     

                        Friedel

More defensively solid but I cant see us being able to hold the ball up at all. We could well get stuffed.

[broadsword]

We are really suffering from having very little defensive bite in midfield...... goddammit.

and a toothless attack ... and a porous defence ...

In fact, we're cr@p just about all over and need some very astute horse-trading in Jan to stop us going under!

[American]

Why would I want to buy and sell Jan?

[Lathund]

According to reports on here, Douglas was awful in central midfield vs BOURNEMOUTH. And now people want to play him there against Chelsea?

My team:

Friedel

Neill

Todd

Short

Gray

Emerton

Reid

Ferguson

Djorkaeff

Dickov

Jansen/Stead

Or possibly play MGP/De Pedro on the left ofcourse, but I'd like to have a player with decent heading ability upfront too. De Pedros free kicks and corners could be a real asset, although IIRC Djorkaeff is a decent dead ball taker too, no?

Edited October 22, 2004 by Lathund

[daviemac]

We are really poor at the moment, and bereft of confidence. This alone signals a severe tubbing for the Rovers.

However we also have the fact that Chelsea have never beaten us at Stamford Bridge in the Prem. So a poor Rovers team and our amazing knack of giving players/teams there first win/goal/clean sheet/throw in............(you know where I'm going ) ensures a heavy defeat.