FA CUP SEMI-FINAL: Blackburn Preview
THE FA CUP
By
April 18 2007
Chelsea would like to go down in history as the last club to win the FA Cup at the old Wembley and the first to win at the new state of the art stadium – Blackburn and Manchester United stand in our way.
Blackburn were drawn first and so are the “home” team at Old Trafford “Theatre of Prawns” and
Much has been said about the FA´s choice of time and venue for this semi-final and the ticket allocations given to the four clubs - In my view, the FA´s handling can only be described as inept.
Chelsea fans have to travel long distance on a Sunday and many are resigned to not making it back for work on Monday because of the late weekend traffic jams or lack of adequate public transport – ticket sales were at 27,000 on Friday of the 31,000 allocated whilst Blackburn fans who have to travel
The FA argues that even with Old Trafford at reduced capacity due to segregation issues it still means more fans can attend the game than if the match would have been staged anywhere else (and there is the nub – more money for them);
"The crowd will be bigger than at any other ground we could have staged the game and we want to make these occasions accessible to the fans. We feel the ticket prices are fair, and are appropriate to staging a big semi-final."
Anyway……..on to the football:
With an opportunity to seize a UEFA place
Blackburn had a fairly arduous path to reach this stage of the cup beating Everton, Luton, Arsenal and
We seem to be injury free for a change with the only blow being the still missing Robben with his knee injury although the comeback of an effervescent Joe Cole does go some way to compensate for this. The Londoner is in surprisingly excellent form for someone who has been out for 4 months and will probably be as important in this match as he was at
Chelsea have reached the semi-finals 17 times now and won the competition 3 times which is surprising considering we are supposed to have no “history” (in glory hunter speak, history = trophies).
Mourinho has been making it clear that this match will be no easy task:
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"I want my group to realise that it is possible - in football that is possible. That can help us to be focused and ready for a very difficult game.”
"If this means a lot for us, it means a lot for Blackburn too, because it is a club with a group of good players - a club with not many chances to be, year after year, in finals."
Hughes is guarded but optimistic:
"We will be starting as underdogs and that is to be expected but that will not lessen our chances.”
"We will go there with the right attitude and make a hell of a game of it. We need to get to the final as it could open the door to
"People like Benni McCarthy can produce moments of magic. So too can the likes of David Bentley and Morten Gamst Pedersen, especially from set pieces. It only takes a second to score a goal and we have players to do that.”
"Everyone acknowledges now that we are a decent football team and a team that can cause you problems."
Blackburn (from): Friedel, Emerton, Samba, Nelsen, Warnock, Bentley, Tugay, Mokoena, Pedersen, Derbyshire, McCarthy, Nonda, Khizanishvili, Dunn, Henchoz, Roberts, Peter, Enckelman, Gallagher, Brown.
Chelsea (from): Cech, Cudicini, Hilario, Ferreira, Geremi, Carvalho, Terry, Boulahrouz, A Cole, Bridge, J Cole, Makelele, Ballack, Lampard, Essien, Diarra, Obi, Shevchenko, Drogba, Kalou, Wright-Phillips.
I’m expecting Mourinho to make minimal changes for this match but we may begin with 1-2 normal starters being rested and on the bench for later use if required – we have a tough away against relegation fighters West Ham on Wednesday evening.
Cech, Diarra, Carvalho, Terry, A Cole, Obi, Lampard, Ballack Essien, Kalou and Shevchenko. Expect Joe Cole and Drogba to come on in the second half along with Bridge.
Prediction? 3-1