Chelsea 2-0 Blackburn

[termninja 5,290]

I think we should have gotten Dzeko instead of City =.= he'd replace Drogba nicely I think.

Gotta agree about Sturridge, I think he deserves to start a match, but I think Ancelotti is a bit scared for his job to put young playes to start. If we'd start playing normally and got our confidence back it would be alot easier.

[LDN Blue 7,903]

Lampard - 8 - again, super Frank was indeed super

Malouda - 7 - like Anelka, a far better performance

A bit generous?

Malouda was awful again. A bit improved, but still the same player who's not been performing. He was a 5 or 6 for me today, his frustrations were more obvious when he went 2-footed on M Diouf.

For me, Lampard looked a bit out of it today. He wasn't sharp like last week, his awareness was a bit off and same with his decision making. Fatigue perhaps? A 6 for me.

[eldo 868]

Against the likes of Terry and Lampard?

As long as those 2 stays loyal to Ancelotti I think most the dressing room will. I don't buy into all this Ancelotti being afraid of Drogba crap. I just think Carlo wants Drogba to find his Golden Boot winning form back. Today, IMO, he played a lot better than he has lately - I know that's not saying much, but it does show positive signs. We all know what Drogba's capable of.. If he starts believing in himself more then he'll start performing more.

Him being a ghost on the pitch is no different than last season. He did the exact same thing in fact. We just didn't notice because he scored when he got service, which he hasn't lately. Today he got better, more accurate, service. I still think we can get more out of him before June, as long as we keep giving him the opportunity for.

I agree with this. Drogba is a fucking beast when he is at it.

He needs to get his fitness back. He had beautiful chance, but he was too slow.

And maybe dropping him for a game or two would be a good idea.

A bit generous?

Malouda was awful again. A bit improved, but still the same player who's not been performing. He was a 5 or 6 for me today, his frustrations were more obvious when he went 2-footed on M Diouf.

For me, Lampard looked a bit out of it today. He wasn't sharp like last week, his awareness was a bit off and same with his decision making. Fatigue perhaps? A 6 for me.

But i don't agree with this.

Malouda played well, he definitly improved his performance.

[5354 204]

Disagree with Lampard part. He was avg-good, not the best though. But defintely he provided what Chelsea needed in our midfield. Long and dangerous passes and vision as well!!!

[DYC. 7,542]

Might as well post my ratings

Cech: 6 (Superb save in the first half but didn't have much to do)

Bosingwa: 6.5 (Energetic performance and because of him always a man on the right wing and some danger, poor crossing though)

Ivanovic: 7 (Didn't have much to do at the back but was the matchwinner with a goal and assist)

Terry: 6.5 (Loved how he came forward to help out and made a crucial tackle in the first half. Great assist too)

Cole 6 (Solid performance, got forward well but nothing special)

Essien 6.5 (Solid performance, made some great interceptions and worked well with the defenders and midfielders)

Ramires 7.5 (Great and energetic performance, brought pace in our play and got forward well. But pretty quiet in the second half, unlucky not score)

Lampard 8 (Lampard was fantastic, his passing game together with his vision was spot on and was the main reason our midfield worked so well today. His off the ball movement was great too, best man on the pitch).

Anelka 6.5 (Solid performance with good movement, still taking too long on the ball at times)

Drogba 3.5 (Terrible performance)

Malouda 6 (Okay performance, linked up well with Ash but hardly got past his man and wasn't really threatning. Played better after the 1-0)

[LDN Blue 7,903]

I agree with this. Drogba is a fucking beast when he is at it.

He needs to get his fitness back. He had beautiful chance, but he was too slow.

And maybe dropping him for a game or two would be a good idea.

Yeah he was slow, but he was sharp on that chance too. Salgado had a great game - credit where the credit is due. But until that last ditch tackle Drogba was actually doing well to hold him off, showing the strength we know he has. The idea of dropping him is also something Carlo does need to consider, dropping him for the Ipswich game meant nothing - Because it was a cup game.

But i don't agree with this.

Malouda played well, he definitly improved his performance.

Hmm. I just think he wasn't decisive enough with the ball. I don't think the winger role is for him to be honest, I see more as a second striker. Playing around the middle, gathering the ball and passing it too either the wide men or Drogba. Kind of like that whole "central winger" thing Zonal Marking did an article on. Malouda still need to improve a lot to recapture that form he showed in November.

[Madmax 9,219]

Yet another horrible performance by Drogba. He was invisible for 80 mins and then after we got 2 all of a sudden he starts popping up here and there. Terrible 'leader'.

He needs to be benched to show him his place. Too bad Carlo isn't brave enough to do it.

[LDN Blue 7,903]

Carlo on squad selection

We needed to have more size. I knew Blackburn would use the long ball and set pieces and I wanted to have power in the box so Essien and Drogba started the game.. They are some of the most important players, not because they play every game. Sometimes they can stay out, this doesn't matter. They are very important even if they don't play every game. It is important for us McEachran is able to play, ready to play from the beginning and puts more competition in the squad.

Make sense about McEachran. Not about Sturridge though.

Carlo on Drogba

Last year he scored 40 goals and didn't have so many opportunities like in this moment but this is the life of the strikers. Sometimes you shoot one time and you score and sometimes you have to shoot 10 times to score.

[The Big Drog 1,110]

Id like McEachran and Sturridge to get more game time as much as the next person but we should all be a bit happier that we have picked up an important 3 points to get us back into the top four.

Also Ramires was once again fantastic, Carlo is getting a a lot of criticism here for his exclusion of Sturridge and McEachran but his inclusion of Ramires over Mikel was certainly the right move.

[Madmax 9,219]

Make sense about McEachran. Not about Sturridge though.

I'm convinced he said that stuff before the match (about giving chances to Josh and Studge) just to threaten Essien and Drogba about them being dropped.

Didn't work with Drogba though

[LDN Blue 7,903]

Also Ramires was once again fantastic, Carlo is getting a a lot of criticism here for his exclusion of Sturridge and McEachran but his inclusion of Ramires over Mikel was certainly the right move.

Actually I wanted Mikel in over Essien. But Essien played well too, so you're right. Very good point

[Madmax 9,219]

Love how LDN ignores two quotes in a row from me

[LDN Blue 7,903]

Love how LDN ignores two quotes in a row from me

I didn't ignore them, I was just about to respond.. Honest!

You're probably right about scare tactics though. I rarely believe things Carlo says now like when he said he's not interested in Pienaar - Like hell he's not .. Also benching Drogba achieves nothing - because everytime Carlo's done that, he's just been brought on in the 2nd half

[Ollie 4,400]

Caught the last hour, i thought the 2nd half was excellent and coulda been 3 or 4 easily. For once, the midfield was well passing and quickly and the forwards were moving better and linking better. Although both goals were from corners, it was a much better performance than some we've had lately. Important win.

[Styles 9,790]

Boring, slow football devoid of any creativity. We simply cannot create clear goal scoring opportunities anymore.

Our whole frontline is embarrassingly bad at the moment. Drogba has lost 2 yards of speed, Anelka is playing like a defensive midfielder and Malouda has offered nothing in an attacking sense. There seems to be no end to these three players bad form. It just goes on and on and on and Ancelotti is just happy to let it continue.

[Madmax 9,219]

^Bang on.

[eldo 868]

I already said that Malouda played better than in last few weeks.

[Madmax 9,219]

That's not saying much is it?