[Archived] Chelsea Vs ROVERS

[Balwer]

If we go behind early we're in a for a long, long day. Still the only team in the league not to get any points once we've gone behind, and I can't see us breaking that duck against Chelsea. Still, some strong returns to the team so we're a chance.

[Tooogs]

Kalinic starts with Roberts and Santa Cruz on the bench... Hoilett starts too.

[Bazrakats]

Kalinic and Robinson in and Benjani Bunn out.

Same team as one against Liverpool.

[Tom]

Harsh on Benjani And Bunn but understandable

[Balwer]

Harsh on Benjani And Bunn but understandable

Bunn is understandable but Roberts instead of Benjani? Not on recent form.

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

Harsh on Benjani And Bunn but understandable

Yes - but given our injury situation is exactly the team I would have chosen. Though Benjani took his goals well against Liverpool - he looked on the whole lazy - though I suppose if he looks lazy and scores two goals a game no one would complain :-)

[RoverMad86]

Roberts will have Terry in his pocket, allowing Kalinic the space to create/score chances. This is the front 2 I have wanted all season!! Hope it works! 2-1 Rovers.

[budha]

Roberts will have Terry in his pocket, allowing Kalinic the space to create/score chances. This is the front 2 I have wanted all season!! Hope it works! 2-1 Rovers.

If it's the same team as against Liverpool with the exception of Robinson and Kalinic coming on for Bunn and Benjani, where do you get Roberts from?

[joey_big_nose]

So.....

--------------Kalinic-----MB Diouf

Olsson----Pedersen-----Dunn----Hoilett

------Givet-----Nelsen----Samba---Salgado

----------------------Robinson

?

So MB Diouf has been dropped? edit - apparently not....

Very attacking side and really a massive risk against Chelsea. Saying that we played a conservative side at Man Utd and still lost 7-0 so who knows what the right idea is?

[Tom]

Wait I thought it was Kalinic and MB Diouf not Roberts, confused now

Edit: as I thought

[Valois]

Wait I thought it was Kalinic and MB Diouf not Roberts, confused now

Edit: as I thought

That was my front 2, dont think Roberts deserve a spot ahead of MB, Kali or Benjani.

[Bobby G]

Why was the line up announced so early? Where is it?

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Does that mean Hoillet- Dunn- Pedersen- Ollsen in the midfield ? We'll either give them a shock or get battered. At least we appear to be trying to win the game and not bore Chelsea to death, I can't knock that.Trying to steal a point would have seen us get beat anyway in my opinion, this wayat least we'll give it a go. A bit of pace on the flanks for once, nobody likes playing against that, we need to get the ball wide every chance we get. It's the centre mids that are the worry.

[CrazyIvan]

Yes - but given our injury situation is exactly the team I would have chosen. Though Benjani took his goals well against Liverpool - he looked on the whole lazy - though I suppose if he looks lazy and scores two goals a game no one would complain :-)

Lazy? Benjani? Not against Liverpool he wasn't. He was absolutely excellent in that match and worked very hard.

I think there's a level of protection that's needed with a player like Benjani. Probably the same as Roque to be honest...

[grizfoot]

We get hammered against the better sides away from home trying to be defensively strong so having a go is surely worth a try. Sunderland took this attitude and won there, not saying we will win but I definitley think we are capable of scoring. I'd rather lose knowing we at least had a try at trying to winning the game.

[chaddyrovers]

Rovers team is:- Robinson; Salgado, Samba, Nelsen, Givet; Hoilett, Dunn, Pedersen, Olsson; M.Diouf, Kalinic.

Subs:- Bunn, Lowe, Hanley, RSC, Roberts, Benjani, ED

Very attacking team

[LeChuck]

Before people got OTT praising the attacking intent of the team, have a quick look at the bench.

This is a selection of out necessity, we simply don't have any other midfielders available. I would bet every penny I have that we would have picked a more solid selection had more players been available.

[Tom]

Very attacking but slightly naive, no need for 3 strikers on the bench would rather Goulon for one of them but I suppose Lowe is an option for CM if needed.

[philipl]

1420: Chelsea v Blackburn line-ups:

Chelsea: Cech, Bosingwa, Ivanovic, Terry, Cole, Essien, Ramires, Lampard, Anelka, Drogba, Malouda.

Subs: Turnbull, Mikel, Ferreira, Kalou, Sturridge, Bruma, McEachran.

Blackburn: Robinson, Salgado, Nelsen, Samba, Givet, Dunn, Olsson, Pedersen, Hoilett, Kalinic, Mame Diouf.

Subs: El-Hadji Diouf, Bunn, Santa Cruz, Mwaruwari, Roberts, Hanley, Lowe.

Referee: Martin Atkinson (W Yorkshire)

So much for Drogba and Essien being rested.

[AHoyle90]

Nothing to loose today, at least Kean is showing he believes in his attacking players to threaten Chelsea.

Everybody moaned on here we were too negative under Sam, now you think we are naive playing 4-4-2 at Chelsea, yes we may get beat but at least were giving it a decent crack and not just playing for a point. Look at Sunderland who went there with a positive attitude. Going 4-5-1 in previous seasons at Chelsea has done us no favours.

Benjani doesn't deserve to be in, his first half showing was poor against Q.P.R. He is too inconsistent, Kalinic is finding form and Mame Diouf will keep defenders busy with his movement and hard work.

[Amo]

Benjani doesn't deserve to be in, his first half showing was poor against Q.P.R. He is too inconsistent, Kalinic is finding form and Mame Diouf will keep defenders busy with his movement and hard work.

Too true. Benjani was blinding against Liverpool, but apart from one game he's been either naff or injured. Someone even said he deserved a new contract, based on that one game. He has some way to go yet.

[LeChuck]

Going 4-5-1 in previous seasons at Chelsea has done us no favours.

Plus you need five fit midfielders to play that formation.

Except for throwing in an inexperienced young player, the only way we could have changed that selection to be more solid is play E. Diouf instead of Hoilett, or perhaps have gone with five at the back.

So credit for Kean to not doing either of those, but let's not get carried away with the statement this selection makes, he had little choice but to pick that sort of line up.

[blue/white]

Are you having a laugh?

Ancellotti needs these three points more than we do! Little wonder those two will start on the pitch -- I just hope their form doesn't return miraculously today.

Just a question.....

What happens if Rovers take all the points today?

[RibbleValleyRover]

Essien and Lampard should dominate one of the worst central midfield pairings in the league in Dunn and Pedersen, but they are out of form so you never know. It's really the only selection Kean could have picked due to injuries, just pointing out it’s a crap pairing and the signing of Jones should help next week.

The main focus has to be on getting the ball out wide and getting Olsson and Hoilett to run at them and keep the ball away as much as possible from their superior central midfield. If one or both play like they did against Liverpool they will cause Chelsea problems.

Looking at that Chelsea side this is pretty much the side that was dominating the league earlier in the season and I just feel if they get a bit of momentum going they will start to click again. Let's hope they don't find their form today.

[Laurence]

The Chelsea bench looks pretty thin...linky