Chelsea vs Blackburn Rovers: It’s going to be a Blue day for Rovers fans

Third place at least is in the bag for Chelsea while Blackburn Rovers’ win over Portsmouth last weekend ensured that they will be in the top flight for another season at least, so this has all the makings of a typical end of season game.

Chelsea blasted four past Arsenal last weekend, although the score doesn’t tell the whole story of the game, to book their place in the group stages of the Champions League and the players will now surely be looking forward to the FA Cup final against Everton.

Meanwhile, Blackburn Rovers fans and players will be relieved to have their future sorted out with two games to go after one of their most gruelling seasons in a long while. Big Sam will no doubt be planning for life in the top flight already and he’ll be keen to show his intention for next season by thwarting Chelsea’s attacking threat this weekend.

However, Blackburn have only stopped Chelsea scoring twice in the past 15 league and cup encounters and have only triumphed at the Bridge once this decade (2003). I remember the days when Blackburn Rovers used to turn over Chelsea on a regular basis but all that changed following a seven-goal thriller at Ewood Park in 1998, when Tore-Andre Flo came off the bench to nab two late goals to seal a 4-3 victory. Those were the days, but I’m afraid the only goals I see on Sunday will be for Chelsea.

The FA Cup finalists haven’t lost at home since Arsenal beat them in November and have only failed to find the back of the net twice at home since then. Blackburn Rovers meanwhile have lost their last four away games on the bounce and nobody can foresee the boys from Lancashire rectifying that record this weekend.

Chelsea’s Salomon Kalou is predicted to miss the game through injury, Michael Ballack and Juliano Belletti both have flu while Deco and Ricardo Carvalho have hamstring troubles. Blackburn Rovers will be without strikers Roque Santa Cruz and Jason Roberts but defender Andre Ooijer is available for selection after overcoming a hamstring injury.

Blackburn Rovers didn’t want to travel to the Bridge with their Premiership status still under threat. Now that it is secure, they will play with much more freedom. Unfortunately that will be music to Chelsea’s ears and if Hiddink’s men don’t score more than two on Sunday then it will be a miracle.

Chelsea vs Blackburn Rovers; Kick Off 4:00pm 17 May 2009

Prediction Panel
Our panel contains both Squarefootball writers and readers, the writers are marked: (sqf).

Tony Bellew : 4 - 0
Dave Blackburn : 3 - 0
Sue Gardener : 3 - 1
Chris Goodwin : TBC - TBC
Paul Grech (sqf) : 3 - 0
Colin Illingworth (sqf) : 3 - 1
Hugh Larkin (sqf) : 3 - 0
Peter Lee : 3 - 0
Don McMahon : 3 - 1
Antony Melvin (sqf) : 3 - 0
Stephen Orford (sqf) : 2 - 1
Tony Ratton : 3 - 1
Peter Rendle : 2 - 0
Dan Taylor : 3 - 0
Bill Urban (sqf) : TBC - TBC
Andy Wakeman : 2 - 0
Isaac Williams : TBC - TBC
Mark Williams : TBC - TBC

Panel Verdict
The panel is expecting a big Chelsea win by three or four goals.

Home: 14; Draw: 0; Away: 0; TBC: 4.

* Do we have it right, or do you know better? Please don't bother with derisory comments on the predictions after the match - unless you also pulled us up before it!