Chapter 11 - Southampton, Chelsea, Southampton. FA cup and Premiership.
The third round of the FA cup was upon us, Gareth Thomas wanted to win, to keep team spirit high, and the return of David Dunn boosted the teams morale. Gareth Thomas named his squad 18 hours before the kick-off. Something he has never done before.
Code:
Sukur
Duff Thompson
flitcroft Dunn
Hignitt Tugay Neil
Curtis Berg
Friedel
Matt Jansen made way for David Dunn. Southampton had not won a match in their last 5. Strachan was under fire. Hakan Sukur scored his 30th goal in 31 games with a goal from nothing. It only took 22 minutes for Dunn's presence to be recognized. An excellently timed pass into the feet of Duff, who took it well and put it past the stranded Paul Jones. With Chelsea in mid-week. Gareth decided to rest some of his key players. Sukur made way for Cole, and Thompson moved to right back as Jansen was stuck out of position on the right wing as he came on for Lucas Neil. However, James Beattie made matters worse, 2 goals on 71 and 74' levelled the scores up at 2 a piece. The game was really on now. It finished 2-2, a horrible result. A replay at St Mary's was due. If The Rovers got through that, then they would face Division 2 strugglers, Crewe.
Chelsea were playing a 5-3-2, inform Forsell led the attack with Hasselbaink, and Zola playing in the hole. Gareth kept the same formation, however, injured Andy Cole, was replaced on the bench by Dwight Yorke. The game got underway, and from the kick off, Chelsea just did not stop attacking. This gave me the chance to counter and sit back, suck it up, then lash a ball out wide to the wingers. This worked perfect, Sukur scored in the 28th as Thompson got down the line and crossed for a Sukur volley, Forssell was injured on the 28th also, his replacement, Carlton Cole. 3 minutes later, Dunn proved what an asset he is and scored from Cudicini's parry. 2-0 up, and determined not to make any changes, Gareth left the team alone. No action for 15 minutes, out of the blue yet again, a Sukur volley from 25 yards and a possible contender for goal of the month sees 6th place Chelsea sink as Blackburn go 3-0 up. On the 78th, Zola got a consolation goal, but nothing more than that.
Manchester United beat 4th place Spurs 2-1 to move into second. Meanwhile, Arsenal, again, lost to Fulham 3-1to slip down into third.
Blackburn - Played: 22 - Points: 46
Man Utd - Played: 21 - Points: 45
Arsenal - Played: 20 - Points: 44
Looking good again for Blackburn, Arsenal's recent inconsistant may have cost them the title. Rovers still have to be aware of Manchester United, they are there biggest threat. Again, the board delighted with the peformance shown by the team.
Gareth Thomas decided to bring in a player. 16 year old Dean Shiels. Nobody knows much about Dean Shiels, however, Gareth Thomas, being from Belfast, knows the Northern Irish born striker well. Gareth said "On a free transfer you can't go wrong, this young man has potential, and he is an excellent long term investment, he will get the odd game, with Grabbi, Yorke, Ostenstad, Dean Saunders, Yorke, Cole and Sukur all ahead of him, he should be excellent with all the experience around him.
As Blackburn travel to the south coast to face Southampton in the premiership, Thomas booked in a hotel for 5 days, seeing as they would be playing here again in an FA cup replay. It only took 4 minutes for David Thompson to score, skimming accross the slippery surface into the bottom corner. 11 minutes later Hakan Sukur made it 2-0 with a header, and Duff on the 19th made it 3-0. However, Gareth was not willing to take a chance and substitute again. Gareth told his men to just knock the ball about, dont attack, just keep a balance to your defence and attack, and for 45 minutes, Blackburn did ever so well, and ended up winning 3-0.
Arsenal, yet again, slipped up, being held to a 2-2 draw by Everton at Highbury. Arsenal have not won in 4 matches. Also, the FA wrote to me confirming Flitcrofts one match ban for picking up 5 yellow cards. The following day, an 80th minute goal by John Terry rescued Chelsea a single point as they drew 1-1 with Manchester United at Old Trafford. With the crowd fully behind Blackburn, Thomas was determined nothing was to get in his way of silverware.