Premier League preview: Chelsea vs Blackburn

koclokindoblog, 11 Mei 2012, The turbulent league seasons of Chelsea and Blackburn will come to a close when they square off at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.

The game is effectively a dead rubber, as Rovers will finish 19th and be relegated to the Championship, and Chelsea will end the season in sixth irrespective of the result.

However, Chelsea manager Roberto Di Matteo will use the game as a chance to fine-tune his side before the Champions League final on May 19.

The Blues will be missing both John Terry and Branislav Ivanovic through suspension in Munich, and Di Matteo may rush back defenders David Luiz and Gary Cahill against Blackburn in a race to be fit for the final.

"We are working towards their fitness and trying to get them back as soon as we can," Di Matteo said.

"They were not available for Liverpool so we will have to see (when they could return)."

Other absentees from Wednesday morning's game at Anfield were Didier Drogba, Peter Cech and John Obi Mikel, who were all nursing injuries.

Di Matteo is likely to use the trio sparingly, and may resort to several reserve and youth team players to fill the line-up on Saturday.

It may be the final time Chelsea fans see Drogba at home, if recent reports linking the striker to Chinese club Shanghai have any basis.

Meanwhile at Ewood Park, fans will be eager to finish a season that has delivered few positives.

The one-time Premier League champions have experienced a slow and painful road to relegation that has seen fans turn their back on the club's owners Venky's and manager Steve Kean.

The 'Kean Out' chants have been sung by Rovers fans since pre-Christmas, yet Kean himself maintains he is going nowhere.

"We have the basis of a good young side, we just have to add more experience," Kean said.

"I said a number of weeks ago, it is a changing time for the club.

"The owners are not going anywhere, I'm not going anywhere."

 

Premier League preview: Blackburn vs Wigan

koclokindoblog, 4 Mei 2012, Blackburn's bid to avoid relegation from the Premier League could be decided on Monday when they host Wigan Athletic.

The Ewood Park clash pits the 19th-placed Rovers, who sit three points from safety, against a resurgent Wigan side.

Roberto Martinez's men defeated Manchester United, Arsenal and Newcastle United, who are second, third and fifth on the table respectively, last month and have moved to 16th on the table as a result, three points above the relegation zone.

But despite relegation looming around the corner, Blackburn manager Steve Kean said no one at the club is thinking about what failure will mean over the next two weeks.

"We don't want to think about (relegation), we want to be positive and make sure we are focused – and that means beating Wigan and then beating Chelsea," Kean said.

"We're not thinking about going down. It's not even crossing our minds."

Blackburn failed to register a shot in Sunday's 2-0 defeat to Tottenham and Kean has not shied away from his side's lacklustre performance.

"We were poor against Spurs, especially with the ball," Kean said.

"Normally our passing is good and we get good service to the front but it wasn't up to standard."

Based on each EPL club's record in the last six matches, Wigan are the fourth-best performed side in the league with 12 points only behind Newcastle, Manchester City and Fulham.

Wigan's return to form has coincided with an improved defensive effort.

Martinez's side have conceded just five goals in their past six games.

In more bad news for Blackburn, Wigan go into the game fresh, as one of the few EPL teams not to have played mid-week.

Their last match was a 4-0 home win over Newcastle on Saturday thanks to two strikes to Victor Moses, plus goals to Shaun Maloney and Franco Di Santo.

 

soccerway.com

Premier League preview: Blackburn vs Norwich

koclokindoblog, 19 April 2012, Blackburn Rovers boss Steve Kean has conceded anything but a win at home to Norwich on Saturday could seal his side's Premier League fate.

Rovers are three points adrift of Premier League safety with four games remaining and host Norwich on the back of five straight losses.

With away trips to Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea to come, Kean believes Blackburn needs seven more points for a realistic shot at top flight survival.

"We have to win the next game because I think we need two wins and a draw," Kean told the Lancashire Telegraph.

"That is the minimum requirement.

"People will say you get on a good run and that breeds confidence, but you can breed confidence by looking at what you have done before.

"We have to look at what we did well against Norwich and get out of the position we are in."

Rovers are one of only four teams to win the Premier League, along with Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United, but face relegation from the division for the second time.

Norwich were thumped 6-1 by title contenders Manchester City last weekend and occupy 11th in the Premier League standings.

"It's a bit of a knock but you've got to try and take some positives out of it," Norwich midfielder Andrew Surman told BBC Radio Norfolk.

"It's difficult to do that when it's 6-1 at home but we can take positives out of large parts of the game and I'm sure it will keep us going for the rest of the season."

Norwich have won 11 games in their first season in the Premier League since 2004-05 and could still finish as high as seventh.

Norwich and Blackburn played out a thrilling 3-3 draw last time the two teams met in November Carrow Road, with Bradley Johnson and Grant Holt scoring late on to secure a point for the home side.

Disgruntled Rovers supporters will again take to the streets in protest before Saturday's game, calling for owners Venky's to sell the club and Kean's sacking.

 

soccerway.com

Premier League preview : Swansea City vs Blackburn Rovers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

koclokindoblog, 14 April 2012,
Blackburn's relegation battle will see them cross territorial lines to Wales on Saturday, as they visit an out-of-form Swansea City.

However, the two sides are equally out of form as one another, as they have both lost four matches on the trot - with at least one side assured of ending their poor run at Liberty Stadium.

It is of more importance to Rovers, though, as they remain in 19th spot on the Premier League table, some three points from safety.

Steve Kean's men were also left devastated after a late winner from Liverpool striker Andy Carroll denied them a point at their last start, while Swansea were never a show as they were routed 3-0 by relegation candidates QPR.

In their first-ever head-to-head clash, Rovers defeated the Swans 4-2 in December, with Nigerian Yakubu scoring all four of Blackburn's goals in a devastating performance.

The striker now has 16 for the season, and in danger signs for Rodgers' men, two of those came in Blackburn's 3-2 loss to Liverpool in their last start.

Swansea have no fresh injury concerns with both Kemy Agustien and Ferrie Bodde out for the season.

Rovers are still without Michel Salgado and Vinnie Grella through injury, while striker Anthony Modeste is suspended.

 

soccerway.com