skip to content
football.co.uk
FULL-TIME CHELSEA 0-0 BLACKBURN: It's all over at Stamford Bridge and Blackburn survive a late onslaught and a dubious offside goal to maintain their unbeaten start and heap more misery on Jose Mourinho's side who have made a poor start to the season
Andre Ooijer makes a last-ditch tackle to keep Blackburn on terms as they are under severe pressure in these dying moments as Chelsea win another corner.
Outstanding run by Joe Cole as he runs into the area but Blackburn defending for their lives hack it out for a corner.
It's all Chelsea with Florent Malouda putting in a great ball but Joe Cole cannot direct his header on target.
Blackburn make the change with Andre Ooijer coming on the field in place of Christopher Samba who is stretchered away.
It's a long stoppage here and there will be plenty of time to add on as Samba continues to be treated for that worrying head knock.
Chelsea make a late change here with Tal Ben Haim coming on in place of Ashley Cole.
The stretcher is out here as Christopher Samba looks to have suffered a nasty head injury from Andriy Shevchenko during that chance.
Andriy Shevchenko almost gets the elusive goal at the back post with a header on target which Brad Friedel gets behind and makes another excellent stop.
Robbie Savage stupidly kicks the ball away and earns himself a booking too.
Blackburn put the ball behind for a corner which Joe Cole takes and Brad Friedel punches clear and Ryan Nelsen completes the clerance.
Blackburn get their first booking of the game with Stephen Warnock fouling Salomon Kalou.
Chelsea may have enjoyed the lion share of possession but they must be careful not to get caught on the break.
David Dunn is replaced for the final few minutes by Aaron Mokoena for Blackburn.
Blackburn break well through a number of players and David Bentley's ball into the area is cut out by John Terry.
David Dunn gets himself into trouble and Chelsea break with Salomon Kalou shaving the post with his effort.
Chelsea escape as Florent Malouda is caught in possession by Robbie Savage whose effort is brilliantly tipped over the top by Petr Cech.
Rovers pile forward for the free kick into the area and as Chelsea struggle to clear Christopher Samba fires an effort just wide.
Juliano Belletti immediately follows his team-mate into the book as well for another foul on Morten Gamst Pedersen.
Joe Cole gets the first booking of the match for a foul on Stephen Warnock.
A rare foray upfield by Rovers through Robbie Savage but his ball knocked forward is cut out before it can reach Jason Roberts.
The possession is with Chelsea at the moment as Blackburn concede it as soon as they get hold of the ball as they struggle to get out of their own half.
Jason Roberts is brought on in place of Benni McCarthy for Blackburn who have barely strung an attack together so far.
More anger from the home fans as Christopher Samba looks to have clambered all over Joe Cole yet referee Howard Webb waves play on.
We are up and running again after the delay with Chelsea attacking and Andriy Shevchenko just failing to keep the ball in play and the move breaks down.
Christopher Samba is holding up proceedings as he gets treatment for a knock much to the anger of the Chelsea fans.
The poor decision has certainly helped lift the atmosphere as the Chelsea fans are raising the volume to try and get their side in front and correct the perceived injustice.
It looks like a tight decision and Jose Mourinho and his backroom team don't look too happy on the touchline after seeing the replay.
Juliano Belletti puts a low ball into the area and Salomon Kalou thinks he has grabbed his first goal of the season but an offside flag denies the striker.
Steven Sidwell and Shaun Wright-Phillips are replaced by Florent Malouda and John Obi Mikel as Jose Mourinho finally reacts to a lacklustre display.
Good build up play by Chelsea but Joe Cole blasts his effort wide from distance.
Brave play by Ryan Nelsen to block John Terry's attempt to get on the end of a Shaun Wright-Phillips ball and gives away a corner which Blackburn again clear.
David Dunn gets a rare effort in for Blackburn but his half volley does not trouble Petr Cech.
Chelsea again are struggling to break down Blackburn as the second half has started where the first ended here. Jose Mourinho will surely make some changes before too long?
Andriy Shevchenko gets a sight on goal and as he is about to pull the trigger with his left foot Christopher Samba gets in a timely block to scupper him.
Rodrigo da Costa Alex fouls Roque Santa Cruz and gives away a free kick but play is held up as Stephen Warnock is down and needs treatment.
Neither manager has opted to make any changes so the 22 which started the game will continue in this second half for now.
We are up and running again at Stamford Bridge as Chelsea will look to try and break down a resolute Rovers side, while the visitors might fancy themselves to nick one the longer the game goes on goalless.
HALF-TIME CHELSEA 0-0 BLACKBURN: A disappointing first half comes to an end which Chelsea have slightly edged without troubling a well organised Blackburn defence on too many occasions.
Blackburn make a rare attack and almost grab a shock goal but the offside flag saves Juliano Belletti whose error almost let in Morten Gamst Pedersen.
Blackburn might feel like they have taken the sting out of Chelsea's spell in charge as we approach the half time interval.
Joe Cole chips the ball over a defender but it runs away from Ashley Cole and Brad Friedel races out to gather.
Mark Hughes' Rovers have shown little as an attacking force but will be pleased with the way they have kept out Chelsea so far.
More Chelsea pressure with first Juliano Belletti and then Michael Essien putting balls into the area as they win a corner. Brad Friedel punches out and then has to react well to save Joe Cole's shot.
Despite looking the slightly better side there is no doubt Jose Mourinho's men are missing the influence of Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard.
It's all Chelsea at the moment with most of the danger coming from down the right through Juliano Belletti and Shaun Wright-Phillips.
Chelsea come back again with Michael Essien playing through Andriy Shevchenko who is through on goal but Brad Friedel again makes the save as the Chelsea man just tried to lift the ball over him.
Juliano Belletti gets another shot in on goal but this one is comfortable for Brad Friedel who gathers easily.
Chelsea are stepping up a gear as Joe Cole tries to put a ball in for Salomon Kalou but the Blues' hitman is flagged offside.
Brad Friedel makes an outstanding save as Blackburn can only clear a Joe Cole ball to Michael Essien whose effort is tippe dbehind for a corner which Rovers then clear.
Chelsea try to build an attack with Juliano Belletti racing away but his ball into the middle is too close to Brad Friedel.
Brett Emerton attempts to find Roque Santa Cruz but his head down is hacked away to the centre of the park by Steve Sidwell.
Juliano Belletti crosses the ball in from the left and Andriy Shevchenko can't direct his header on target in what has been the first chance of the game.
Christopher Samba slices the ball out for a corner which Joe Cole plays in. It is poor and Robbie Savage hacks it clear for Blackburn and another opportunity comes to nothing.
It's been an open first 20 minutes and end-to-end but there has been no goalscoring chances to speak of so far.
Ryan Nelsen brings down Andriy Shevchenko as he tried to break away just over the halfway line and Chelsea win a free kick.
Blackburn win a free kick as Robbie Savage is fouled in the middle of the park as this game is end-to-end at the moment.
John Terry does well to put a Robbie Savage pass into Benni McCarthy behind for a corner. David Bentley plays it in towards Roque Santa Cruz but Ashley Cole clears.
Chelsea win a corner which is played in by Joe Cole, Blackburn can't clear and Brad Friedel is forced to come and punch away the next cross into the box.
Shaun Wright-Phillips tries to burst through on goal after Blackburn gave the ball away in midfield but an offside flag against Andriy Shevchenko denies him.
It has been a lively opening 10 minutes but neither side have managed to keep possession long enough to build anything constructive attack-wise.
Andriy Shevchenko looks a little slow off the pace as Micahel Essien attempts to play him through on the Blackburn goal.
Morten Gamst Pedersen tries his luck from around 30 yards out but Michael Essien gets his body in the way to deny him.
Shaun Wright-Phillips makes a break at the Rovers goal but Stephen Warnock does well to get in a block and Rovers clear the danger.
Nothing to report in the opening exchanges as neither side have managed to strike up a decent attack on goal.
A bright early start for Chelsea as Joe Cole aims to break down the left flank but his progress is halted by David Bentley who gives away a free kick.
The later Saturday evening game is underway at Stamford Bridge as Chelsea look to hit back from their 2-0 defeat at Aston Villa and extend the 65-game unbeaten home run against an in-form Blackburn side.
Blackburns starting XI: Friedel, Emerton, Samba, Nelsen, Warnock, Bentley, Savage, Dunn, Pedersen, McCarthy, Santa Cruz.
Blackburn boss Mark Hughes names the same side that won 1-0 against Manchester City in their last Premiership match after Robbie Savage recovered from an injury picked up in that game.
Chelsea starting XI: Cech, Belletti, Alex, Terry, Ashley Cole, Wright-Phillips, Sidwell, Essien, Joe Cole, Kalou, Shevchenko.
Joe Cole also starts on the left side of midfield with Florent Malouda dropped to the bench.
Andriy Shevchenko secures his first start of the season in place of the injured Didier Drogba for Chelsea. Steve Sidwell is preferred in midfield to Mikel Jon Obi, while Alex lines up alongside John Terry in defence, replacing Tal Ben Haim.
Chelsea are looking to put their title challenge back on track when Blackburn Rovers visit Stamford Bridge in Saturday's late kick-off. The Blues suffered their first defeat of the new season when they went down 2-0 at Aston Villa on their last outing before the international break two weeks ago. However, Jose Mourinho could be without some key members of his starting line-up for the visit of Rovers as Frank Lampard remains sidelined with the thigh injury which forced him to miss both of England's Euro 2008 qualifiers, while defender Ricardo Carvalho's sprained ankle continues to be a cause for concern. But by far the biggest worry surrounds Didier Drogba, who limped out of the Villa Park defeat with a knee injury and was immediately withdrawn from the Ivory Coast squad for an African Cup of Nations qualifier. Should Drogba fail to prove his fitness then Claudio Pizarro is likely to return to the starting line-up, despite racking up plenty of air miles while away on international duty with Peru during the past two weeks. Chelsea though have not lost two games in a row since the closing weeks of the 2005-06 campaign and beat Blackburn on four separate occasions in all competitions last season. Rovers arrive at Stamford Bridge full of confidence following an impressive start to the new season. Mark Hughes' side are unbeaten in all eight of their matches in all competitions so far this season and defeated Manchester City 1-0 in their last outing before the international break. Benni McCarthy continued his already prolific striker partnership with Roque Santa Cruz by scoring the winner against Sven-Goran Eriksson's side and the pair will once again join forces on Saturday. Tugay will be missing through suspension following his dismissal two weeks ago as a first-half substitute for Robbie Savage.
Blackburn Rovers frustrated Chelsea with a gritty and disciplined defensive display as they came away from Stamford Bridge with a well-earned point. A disallowed goal added to Chelsea's sense of injustice but undefeated Rovers were undeterred and stuck to their rigid game-plan. The opening exchanges were fast and furious with little quality football on display. However, Chelsea created the first opening in the 22nd minute when a misplaced header from Andriy Shevchenko sailed high and wide of the Blackburn goal after good set-up play on the right by Juilano Belletti. Belletti then foraged down the right wing four minutes later and fired in a low drive, but Brad Friedel was quick to snuff out the danger. Seconds later Friedel rose acrobatically to tip Michael Essien's 20-yard pile-driver over the bar with his left hand to deny Chelsea an almost certain goal. Friedel was called into action again on 30 minutes, this time to smother a left-foot strike by Shevchenko from eight yards out. Shaun Wright-Phillips decided to shoot from long-range two minutes later, but the on-form England wideman was wayward with his drive. With Chelsea dominant, Joe Cole, on 34 minutes, arrowed in a curling right-footer from just outside the Blackburn area, but once again Friedel was equal to the task. It took Blackburn until four minutes from the end of the half to have their first attack on goal when David Bentley, wide on the right, sent over a deep cross and Morten Gamst Pedersen volleyed the ball into Petr Cech's side-netting. A blistering left-footed drive by David Dunn on 53 minutes enlivened a slow start to the second half. Jose Mourinho had seen enough by then and replaced Wright-Phillips with Florent Malouda and Steve Sidwell with John Obi Mikel on 56 minutes. Chelsea thought they had scored immediately through Salomon Kalou but the linesman adjudged him to be offside from Belletti's low cross. Mourinho jumped off his bench having seen a replay of the incident that suggested Kalou was behind the ball and remonstrated with the official only to be told to sit down by referee Howard Webb. Frustration got the better of Chelsea and two yellow cards for silly fouls in quick succession saw Joe Cole and Belletti go into Webb's book. Blackburn took advantage of the lack of concentration and on 78 minutes Cech was forced into a fine save from Robbie Savage's left-foot volley. Kalou dragged a right-footer wide on 79 minutes to add to Chelsea's woes. With five minutes remaining Friedel produced another match-saving effort to deny Shevchenko's point-blank header from Malouda's deep cross. Blackburn held on during the nine minutes of stoppage time to deny Chelsea a return to top spot in the Premier League.
Corners
Fouls
Goal attempts
Shots off target
Offsides
advertisement
football.co.uk web