Independent:
Chelsea's northern strife puts dent in title prospects
Blackburn Rovers 1 Chelsea 1
By Phil Shaw
Should Chelsea fail to win the Premier League title for a fourth consecutive year, they are sure to look back ruefully on their performances in the north-west. Carlo Ancelotti's first trips to Wigan, Everton and Manchester City all ended in defeat, and yesterday Blackburn shrugged off the setback of Didier Drogba's early goal to restrict them to a single point in the Ewood Park drizzle.
El-Hadji Diouf headed Blackburn's second-half equaliser, and for all that Chelsea piled forward in pursuit of a winner in the final minutes, they struggled to recapture the fluidity of their football during a first half in which a three-goal advantage would not have flattered them.
Chelsea now visit Portsmouth on Wednesday – even an anticipated victory over Avram Grant's doomed team would leave them a point adrift of United – before a visit to Old Trafford on 3 April and the penultimate fixture at Liverpool.
Ironically, Blackburn's strength at home, where they have lost only twice this season, could yet help Chelsea to finish ahead of United and Arsenal, who are both due at Ewood during the final weeks. Sam Allardyce's side also eliminated Chelsea from the Carling Cup on penalties before Christmas and there is a doggedness about them which means the title contenders will underestimate them at their peril.
Chelsea were possibly guilty of doing so here; in the second half, however, Ancellotti admitted Chelsea's composure went AWOL.
"We started well but it was more difficult on this pitch for us to play on the floor," the Chelsea manager said. "In the second half we lost a bit of composure and conceded a goal. After that we had another strong spell but it was too late and we have lost two important points."
Asked whether the second-half display was a hangover from the Champions League exit at the hands of Jose Mourinho's Internazionale, or if the pressure of the John Terry affair affected Chelsea's equilibrium, Ancelotti played a straight bat. "We tried to win this game and for an hour we did well. It will be more difficult now to win the title, but not impossible.
"We have to leave this moment as soon as possible. We have to look forward and to win [on Wednesday] is the only solution to do that. We have less probability to win the title, but we need to stay compact and work together at this moment."
Allardyce, who was disinclined to revise his prediction that Chelsea may win the League and FA Cup double, felt the performance of his 18-year-old, debutant central defender Phil Jones epitomised Blackburn's effort. "We think he has the look of John Terry about him," he said without any apparent irony. "He had one hell of a debut and we think he's got a bright future."
The Blackburn manager is, of course, a friend of Sir Alex Ferguson's, yet he played down the suggestion that he would be pleased to have done United a favour. "This was for us, not for Sir Alex. The most important thing is that it's another point towards safety."
In the opening stages, however, Chelsea looked anything but a team in crisis, oozing confidence and scoring early. Frank Lampard's pass down the right-hand side picked out a run by Nicolas Anelka, who ghosted through two challenges before showing impressive composure by cutting the ball back to a yard beyond the penalty mark. Drogba took it with his left foot, side-footing home his 28th goal of the season as if taking a spot-kick.
Chelsea had several opportunities to kill off Blackburn. Salomon Kalou headed narrowly over, an Alex volley thudded into Martin Olsson's midriff, flooring him and Florent Malouda, taking a pass by the lively Kalou and gliding past two challenges, fired straight at Brown.
Chelsea's lack of ruthlessness encouraged Blackburn to raise their tempo after half-time, although Allardyce may have been unduly conservative in sticking to a single striker throughout. Even when he sent on Jason Roberts, it was to replace lone striker Nikola Kalinic.
A hint of the kind of vulnerability Chelsea might demonstrate under pressure emerged moments after half-time when Yury Zhirkov, who had replaced the injured Branislav Ivanovic in first-half stoppage time, headed off the line from a header by Christopher Samba.
There was no such reprieve after Michel Salgado swung in a deep cross from the right. When it reached the far post, Paulo Ferreira was beaten in the air by the conspicuously peroxide-topped head of Diouf. At the final whistle, Allardyce punched the air, while Ancelotti's grey, grizzled countenance was furrowed with anxiety.
Chelsea's northern strife puts dent in title prospects
Blackburn Rovers 1 Chelsea 1
By Phil Shaw
Should Chelsea fail to win the Premier League title for a fourth consecutive year, they are sure to look back ruefully on their performances in the north-west. Carlo Ancelotti's first trips to Wigan, Everton and Manchester City all ended in defeat, and yesterday Blackburn shrugged off the setback of Didier Drogba's early goal to restrict them to a single point in the Ewood Park drizzle.
El-Hadji Diouf headed Blackburn's second-half equaliser, and for all that Chelsea piled forward in pursuit of a winner in the final minutes, they struggled to recapture the fluidity of their football during a first half in which a three-goal advantage would not have flattered them.
Chelsea now visit Portsmouth on Wednesday – even an anticipated victory over Avram Grant's doomed team would leave them a point adrift of United – before a visit to Old Trafford on 3 April and the penultimate fixture at Liverpool.
Ironically, Blackburn's strength at home, where they have lost only twice this season, could yet help Chelsea to finish ahead of United and Arsenal, who are both due at Ewood during the final weeks. Sam Allardyce's side also eliminated Chelsea from the Carling Cup on penalties before Christmas and there is a doggedness about them which means the title contenders will underestimate them at their peril.
Chelsea were possibly guilty of doing so here; in the second half, however, Ancellotti admitted Chelsea's composure went AWOL.
"We started well but it was more difficult on this pitch for us to play on the floor," the Chelsea manager said. "In the second half we lost a bit of composure and conceded a goal. After that we had another strong spell but it was too late and we have lost two important points."
Asked whether the second-half display was a hangover from the Champions League exit at the hands of Jose Mourinho's Internazionale, or if the pressure of the John Terry affair affected Chelsea's equilibrium, Ancelotti played a straight bat. "We tried to win this game and for an hour we did well. It will be more difficult now to win the title, but not impossible.
"We have to leave this moment as soon as possible. We have to look forward and to win [on Wednesday] is the only solution to do that. We have less probability to win the title, but we need to stay compact and work together at this moment."
Allardyce, who was disinclined to revise his prediction that Chelsea may win the League and FA Cup double, felt the performance of his 18-year-old, debutant central defender Phil Jones epitomised Blackburn's effort. "We think he has the look of John Terry about him," he said without any apparent irony. "He had one hell of a debut and we think he's got a bright future."
The Blackburn manager is, of course, a friend of Sir Alex Ferguson's, yet he played down the suggestion that he would be pleased to have done United a favour. "This was for us, not for Sir Alex. The most important thing is that it's another point towards safety."
In the opening stages, however, Chelsea looked anything but a team in crisis, oozing confidence and scoring early. Frank Lampard's pass down the right-hand side picked out a run by Nicolas Anelka, who ghosted through two challenges before showing impressive composure by cutting the ball back to a yard beyond the penalty mark. Drogba took it with his left foot, side-footing home his 28th goal of the season as if taking a spot-kick.
Chelsea had several opportunities to kill off Blackburn. Salomon Kalou headed narrowly over, an Alex volley thudded into Martin Olsson's midriff, flooring him and Florent Malouda, taking a pass by the lively Kalou and gliding past two challenges, fired straight at Brown.
Chelsea's lack of ruthlessness encouraged Blackburn to raise their tempo after half-time, although Allardyce may have been unduly conservative in sticking to a single striker throughout. Even when he sent on Jason Roberts, it was to replace lone striker Nikola Kalinic.
A hint of the kind of vulnerability Chelsea might demonstrate under pressure emerged moments after half-time when Yury Zhirkov, who had replaced the injured Branislav Ivanovic in first-half stoppage time, headed off the line from a header by Christopher Samba.
There was no such reprieve after Michel Salgado swung in a deep cross from the right. When it reached the far post, Paulo Ferreira was beaten in the air by the conspicuously peroxide-topped head of Diouf. At the final whistle, Allardyce punched the air, while Ancelotti's grey, grizzled countenance was furrowed with anxiety.
Blackburn Rovers (4-4-1-1): Brown; Salgado, Samba, Jones, Olsson; Pedersen, Andrews, Nzonzi (Hoillet, 90), Diouf; Dunn (Emerton, 56); Kalinic (Roberts, 63). Substitutes not used: Bunn (gk), Jacobsen, Linganzi, Chimbonda.
Chelsea (4-3-3): Turnbull; Ivanovic (Zhirkov, 45), Alex, Terry, Ferreira; Lampard, Mikel, Malouda; Anelka (Sturridge, 90), Drogba, Kalou (Deco, 73). Substitutes not used: Sebek (gk), Cole, Matic, Bruma.
Referee: S Bennett (Kent).
Booked: Chelsea Zhirkov.
Man of the match: Jones.
Attendance: 25,554.
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Guardian:
Chelsea's confidence dims after Blackburn are let off the hook
Blackburn Rovers 1 Diouf 70 Chelsea 1 Drogba 6
Joe Lovejoy at Ewood Park
Do Chelsea have the best players in the country, or merely the best paid? The question with which Roman Abramovich is said to have confronted his team after their elimination from the Champions League is manna from heaven for media studies classes and pub knowalls everywhere and their verdicts will be even more damning after this latest disappointment.
Arsenal won on Saturday to take over pole position in the title race and Manchester United displaced them at lunchtime today, and it was up to Chelsea to respond. But for the second time in six days they were found wanting.
Before this, they took comfort in the fact that if they won all their remaining games they would be champions, regardless of what the others could accomplish. That no longer applies, and Carlo Ancelotti's expression was more hangdog than ever tonight when, pointedly, the Italian did not gainsay the suggestion that United were now favourites to retain their Premier League crown.
If the result against Internazionale was job-threatening, this one will not have improved the Chelsea manager's standing with Abramovich and company. The statistics are beginning to look ominous. Of their last 11 matches in all competitions, starting with an unimpressive 1-1 draw at Hull City, Chelsea have won five and lost four, and of their last eight away games in the Premier League they have won just two. By Ancelotti's own admission, they have lost their confidence. "It's not an easy moment for us and we have to maintain our confidence and our composure," he said.
The Italian eschewed wholesale changes after Internazionale, dropping only his left-back, Yury Zhirkov, in favour of Paolo Ferreira. If the Russian suspected he had been made a scapegoat, he did not have long to let the feeling fester. Branislav Ivanovic, injured in a collision with El-Hadji Diouf, had to go off just before half-time and Zhirkov came on, with Ferreira switching to the right.
The other absentee from last Tuesday, Michael Ballack, was said to be "not 100% fit" and gave way to Salomon Kalou. Neither Petr Cech nor Hilario were deemed ready to return, so Ross Turnbull, the third-choice keeper, was in goal for his third game in succession.
Blackburn were well below optimum strength, injuries depriving them of their England goalkeeper, Paul Robinson, the captain, Ryan Nelsen, and another centre-back, Gaël Givet, among others. There was a Premier League debut in central defence for the 18-year-old Phil Jones, who could be well satisfied with a steady, no-frills introduction to the big time which brought him the man of the match award and ridiculously premature comparisons with John Terry.
Chelsea were glad to see the back of Robinson, whose shoot-out heroics put them out of the Carling Cup in the quarter-finals in December. His understudy, Jason Brown, was picking the ball out of the back of his net after only six minutes.
Nicolas Anelka motored down the right before delivering a left-footed cutback which Didier Drogba coolly passed low inside the near post, also with his left foot, from 13 yards for his 28th goal of the season.
Slicing through Rovers almost at will, Chelsea should have had the issue settled by half-time, but Kalou met Frank Lampard's right-wing cross with a feeble header and Florent Malouda shot straight at Brown when a yard to either side would surely have produced a goal.
The possibility that Chelsea might rue such opportunities spurned was underlined at the start of the second half, when it took a goal-line clearance by Zhirkov to prevent Christopher Samba from equalising with a close-range header. It proved to be the case after 70 minutes, with another header. The finish was applied from six yards by Diouf, who climbed above Ferreira at the far post to nod home Michel Salgado's inviting cross from the right for only his third goal of the season.
So comfortable and assured before the interval, Chelsea had lost their shape and composure. Drogba, attacking a Deco corner, brought a noteworthy save from Brown near the end, but Rovers had the better of the second half and deserved a result which keeps them ahead of the relegation pack.
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Telegraph:
Blackburn Rovers 1 Chelsea 1
Booked: Chelsea Zhirkov.
Man of the match: Jones.
Attendance: 25,554.
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Guardian:
Chelsea's confidence dims after Blackburn are let off the hook
Blackburn Rovers 1 Diouf 70 Chelsea 1 Drogba 6
Joe Lovejoy at Ewood Park
Do Chelsea have the best players in the country, or merely the best paid? The question with which Roman Abramovich is said to have confronted his team after their elimination from the Champions League is manna from heaven for media studies classes and pub knowalls everywhere and their verdicts will be even more damning after this latest disappointment.
Arsenal won on Saturday to take over pole position in the title race and Manchester United displaced them at lunchtime today, and it was up to Chelsea to respond. But for the second time in six days they were found wanting.
Before this, they took comfort in the fact that if they won all their remaining games they would be champions, regardless of what the others could accomplish. That no longer applies, and Carlo Ancelotti's expression was more hangdog than ever tonight when, pointedly, the Italian did not gainsay the suggestion that United were now favourites to retain their Premier League crown.
If the result against Internazionale was job-threatening, this one will not have improved the Chelsea manager's standing with Abramovich and company. The statistics are beginning to look ominous. Of their last 11 matches in all competitions, starting with an unimpressive 1-1 draw at Hull City, Chelsea have won five and lost four, and of their last eight away games in the Premier League they have won just two. By Ancelotti's own admission, they have lost their confidence. "It's not an easy moment for us and we have to maintain our confidence and our composure," he said.
The Italian eschewed wholesale changes after Internazionale, dropping only his left-back, Yury Zhirkov, in favour of Paolo Ferreira. If the Russian suspected he had been made a scapegoat, he did not have long to let the feeling fester. Branislav Ivanovic, injured in a collision with El-Hadji Diouf, had to go off just before half-time and Zhirkov came on, with Ferreira switching to the right.
The other absentee from last Tuesday, Michael Ballack, was said to be "not 100% fit" and gave way to Salomon Kalou. Neither Petr Cech nor Hilario were deemed ready to return, so Ross Turnbull, the third-choice keeper, was in goal for his third game in succession.
Blackburn were well below optimum strength, injuries depriving them of their England goalkeeper, Paul Robinson, the captain, Ryan Nelsen, and another centre-back, Gaël Givet, among others. There was a Premier League debut in central defence for the 18-year-old Phil Jones, who could be well satisfied with a steady, no-frills introduction to the big time which brought him the man of the match award and ridiculously premature comparisons with John Terry.
Chelsea were glad to see the back of Robinson, whose shoot-out heroics put them out of the Carling Cup in the quarter-finals in December. His understudy, Jason Brown, was picking the ball out of the back of his net after only six minutes.
Nicolas Anelka motored down the right before delivering a left-footed cutback which Didier Drogba coolly passed low inside the near post, also with his left foot, from 13 yards for his 28th goal of the season.
Slicing through Rovers almost at will, Chelsea should have had the issue settled by half-time, but Kalou met Frank Lampard's right-wing cross with a feeble header and Florent Malouda shot straight at Brown when a yard to either side would surely have produced a goal.
The possibility that Chelsea might rue such opportunities spurned was underlined at the start of the second half, when it took a goal-line clearance by Zhirkov to prevent Christopher Samba from equalising with a close-range header. It proved to be the case after 70 minutes, with another header. The finish was applied from six yards by Diouf, who climbed above Ferreira at the far post to nod home Michel Salgado's inviting cross from the right for only his third goal of the season.
So comfortable and assured before the interval, Chelsea had lost their shape and composure. Drogba, attacking a Deco corner, brought a noteworthy save from Brown near the end, but Rovers had the better of the second half and deserved a result which keeps them ahead of the relegation pack.
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Telegraph:
Blackburn Rovers 1 Chelsea 1
By Jason Burt
El-Hadji Diouf’s powerful second-half header piled the pressure on Carlo Ancelotti with Chelsea dropping vital points in the Premier League title race.
After taking an early lead, through Didier Drogba, with his 28th goal of the season, Chelsea appeared set to reduce Manchester United’s lead at the top of the table but fell away dramatically.
With John Terry and Frank Lampard struggling to impose themselves this is a worrying time for Ancelotti who spoke before this match of his desire to win a league and FA Cup double after crashing out of the Champions League in midweek.
Blackburn were bolstered by an outstanding Premier League debut by 18-year-old central defender Phil Jones who was, in the driving rain, the man-of-the-match against stellar opponents.
Nevertheless Chelsea drew ahead with Drogba side-footing home after just five minutes, after superb build-up play by Nicolas Anelka, and appeared to be cruising to victory.
Salomon Kalou headed over a corner and Anelka was wayward with a volley as Chelsea comfortably controlled the match while another by Alex struck Martin Ollson and goalkeeper Jason Brown beat out Florent Malouda’s drive. For Blackburn, Morten Gamst Pedersen’s free-kick was easily stopped by Ross Turnbull but they threatened little until after the break.
The home side’s best chance of scoring appeared to be Pedersen’s long-throws and substitute Yuri Zhirkov had to scramble off the line as Chris Samba headed on with Turnbull stranded. It encouraged Blackburn who raised the tempo and started to press.
Pedersen collected an angled cross from Steven Nzonzi and, with Paulo Ferreira distracted, he rounded the full-back only to lift his shot across goal. Chelsea didn’t heed the warning and so when substitute Brett Emerton crossed deep, Diouf rose brilliantly, with Ferreira rooted, to head firmly into the net.
There was a frantic finish. Chelsea pushed forward, desperate for the winning goal, with a series of half-chances cleared, by Samba in particular.
The Blackburn captain flung himself to deflect Drogba’s goal-bound half-volley while Pedersen brilliantly tackled Lampard and Jones, appropriately, denied Terry. What a debut.
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The Times
Chelsea's weakness exposed by El-Hadji Diouf and Blackburn
Blackburn 1 Chelsea 1
Matt Hughes, Deputy Football Correspondent
It scarcely needs saying that this was a match José Mourinho would have won.Carlo Ancelotti’s side were one up and cruising towards a much-needed victory at Ewood Park yesterday, but they lost their way after half-time and never looked like recovering.
Chelsea’s hopes of regaining the Barclays Premier League crown had suffered a shattering blow on the ground where they gained the self-belief to win a first title in50 years five years ago.
All is not yet lost — they can move to within a point of Manchester United by winning their game in hand away to Portsmouth on Wednesday — but a calamitous few days has left them playing catch-up in every sense.
After being knocked out of the Champions League, they find themselves outside the Premier League’s top two for the first time since the middle of August.
After the recriminations that resulted from defeat by Inter Milan, what Chelsea need now is a demonstration of unity. Roman Abramovich, the owner, would be advised to resist the temptation to launch another investigation, Ancelotti, the manager, should be given a public show of support and the players must stop bickering among themselves and begin fighting for a common cause.
The early signs were not encouraging, however, because after El-Hadji Diouf’s 70th-minute equaliser, the visiting team accepted their fate meekly.
Chelsea have been a dysfunctional club since Abramovich paid £140 million for a new plaything in the summer of 2003, but in recent years the malaise has spread to an unusually powerful dressing room. Of Mourinho’s successors, only Guus Hiddink gained the true loyalty and respect of his players and the short length of his tenure meant that the Dutchman was never confronted with a period of reckoning such as that facing Ancelotti.
The Italian’s ability to raise his side from their gloom will reveal a great deal about his character, and that of his players.
Ancelotti believes the rot that has led to a run of two wins from six matches set in with the remarkable 4-2 home defeat by Manchester City last month, but in many ways this game can be seen as a microcosm of their season. Chelsea began brightly and took the lead as the result of an attractive goal from Didier Drogba, but ran out of steam before being undone by familiar defensive shortcomings.
Such vulnerability at the back has been a recurring problem all season, but even more worrying is the dip in form suffered by many of their leading players. John Terry’s mobility appears more restricted with every passing week, Frank Lampard is lacking his usual energy and only Drogba and Florent Malouda are performing anywhere near their best.
Abramovich had attempted to rouse his employees from their lethargy with a reminder of the demands that accompany their huge pay packets last week, and initially the message seemed to have got through as they took a sixth-minute lead. Nicolas Anelka’s pace took him away from Martin Olsson and Phil Jones down the right and he had the presence of mind to delay his cross, with Drogba taking full advantage to score with a first-time left-foot finish.
Chelsea have relied on Drogba and Lampard for goals for several seasons, leading to an occasionally one-dimensional attacking style that Blackburn coped with comfortably as their opponents lost their way. Ancelotti blamed a pitch that has taken sustained punishment during this harsh winter, but as well as the poor quality of Chelsea’s passing, the home side’s resilience was deserving of considerable praise, particularly that of Jones, an 18-year-old centre back making his Premier League debut.
Blackburn were so comfortable that they began to push for an equaliser after half-time and it was no surprise when it arrived. Yuri Zhirkov had already cleared a header by Christopher Samba off the line when Michel Salgado slung another deep cross into the penalty area. Diouf took full advantage, rising above Paulo Ferreira to head in his third goal of the season.
Ferreira was only stationed at the far post because Branislav Ivanovic had limped off before half-time with a knee injury that further illustrates Chelsea’s mounting woes, but they do not have the time to waste in feeling sorry for themselves.
Blackburn (4-4-1-1): J Brown 6 M Salgado 6 C Samba 6 P Jones 6 M Olsson 5 M G Pedersen 6 K Andrews 6 S N’Zonzi5 E-H Diouf 6 D Dunn 5 N Kalinic 6. Substitutes: B Emerton 5 (for Dunn, 55min), J Roberts 5 (for Kalinic, 62), D Hoilett (for N’Zonzi, 90).Not used: M Bunn, L Jacobsen, A Linganzi, P Chimbonda. Next: Birmingham City (h).
Chelsea (4-3-3): R Turnbull 6 B Ivanovic 5 Alex 6 J Terry 5 P Ferreira 5 F Lampard 6 J O Mikel 5 F Malouda 6 N Anelka 6 D Drogba 6 S Kalou 5 Substitutes: Y Zhirkov 5 (for Ivanovic, 44min), Deco (for Kalou, 74), D Sturridge (for Anelka, 90). Not used: J Sebek, J Cole, N Matic, J Bruma.
Next: Portsmouth (a).
Referee: S Bennett. Attendance: 25,554
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Mail:
Referee: S Bennett. Attendance: 25,554
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Mail:
Blackburn 1 Chelsea 1: Big Sam swings it to keep Carlo Ancelotti on the slide
By Ian Ladyman
Chelsea's season is in danger of becoming characterised by missed opportunities. Sunday’s draw at Ewood Park was symptomatic.
Competing for the Barclays Premier League title against a Manchester United side weakened by the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo and an Arsenal team who have played most of the season without a dependable forward, Chelsea will ask themselves why they are outside the top two for the first time since August.
Here, during 94 frenetic minutes in Lancashire, were some of the answers. Deprived of key players such as Petr Cech — expected back for Wednesday’s game against Birmingham — Ashley Cole, Michael Ballack and Ricardo Carvalho, Chelsea are sliding.
Carlo Ancelotti’s team really needed to win here to reintroduce momentum in the wake of Wednesday’s numbing Champions League defeat at home to Inter Milan. That they didn’t was telling.
Chelsea were so superior to Blackburn in the first half it was almost embarrassing. They should have been three or four goals to the good by the break.
But their failure to convert these chances cost them by the time Sam Allardyce’s team found a little belief and tempo in the second period. When the intensity of Blackburn’s play was turned up, Chelsea could not cope.
Perhaps it is down to confidence. It can come and go very quickly, even at this level. But equally worrying for Chelsea is that they look a tired team. Frank Lampard — for the second game on the trot — looked to be running in sand.
Given the state of Blackburn’s pitch — Allardyce’s team have had to train on it this winter — Lampard and his team-mates were indeed playing on a peculiar surface.
Their opening goal was superb, though. Only five minutes had passed when Nicolas Anelka romped down the right, turned inside Keith Andrews and laid the ball into the path of Didier Drogba who scored from 12 yards with his left instep.
After United’s win over Liverpool earlier in the day, this was the start Chelsea would have wished for. Unfortunately for them, they could not capitalise on it.
With Salomon Kalou so effective at the point of their midfield diamond, Ancelotti’s team were vibrant early on.
But Anelka volleyed carelessly over in the 21st minute, Alex struck a chance into the midriff of Martin Olsson and Florent Malouda drew a save from Jason Brown with a shot so well struck that it would have brought the second goal had it not been directed straight at the Rovers goalkeeper.
Blackburn were toothless, with striker Nikola Kalinic too often left isolated at the top of Allardyce’s 4-2-3-1 formation.
But Chelsea lost right back Branislav Ivanovic with a knee injury just before half-time and Allardyce rejigged his team during the interval. From then on, it was a different game.
Blackburn improved vastly after the break as their wide players, Brett Emerton and El Hadji Diouf, pushed hard on to Chelsea’s full backs. Nevertheless, the manner in which Chelsea allowed themselves to concede ground was surprising.
Substitute Yury Zhirkov had already headed a Chris Samba flick off the goal-line and Pedersen had ballooned an effort over when Blackburn hauled themselves level in the 69th minute. It was a simple goal but brilliantly executed.
Michel Salgado — who had endured a difficult game at full back — hit a deep cross from right to left and Diouf rose above defender Paulo Ferreira to head down and in past Ross Turnbull at his right-hand post.
Diouf would certainly not have got above the taller Ivanovic and news that the Serb has a ‘traumatic’ knee injury will worry Ancelotti ahead of the scan the defender has on Monday.
For the final 20 minutes everything turned rather hectic. Rain began to fall and tempers flared.
Predictably, Chelsea threw everything they had at Blackburn and Drogba almost scored the winner, only for Brown to turn his shot aside from close range with three minutes to go.
As Chelsea poured forward, Blackburn stood firm. Holding midfielder David Nzonzi was impressive but young central defender Phil Jones stood above everybody else.
Making his debut at 18, Jones is a product of Blackburn’s youth system and looks a terrific prospect.
‘We have high hopes for him,’ said Allardyce. ‘He is from down the road in Chorley and he will be very proud of himself in the morning. He could be the next John Terry.’
This morning, Jones will be feeling a damn sight happier than the Chelsea skipper.
Terry is believed to be under investigation by UEFA following comments he made in the wake of the 1-0 defeat by Inter at Stamford Bridge.
For Chelsea, it has not been a great week.
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