Battle cry for Blackburn Rovers ahead of cup clash (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Battle cry for Blackburn Rovers ahead of cup clash

9:24am Monday 30th November 2009 in

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BRETT EMERTON has roared ‘let’s be positive’ as he bids to lift a frustrated Ewood Park by preserving Rovers’ Wembley dreams on Wednesday night.

Blackburn Rovers’ Australian, one of the few ‘sparks’ in Saturday’s drab 0-0 draw with Stoke City, insists Rovers can upset Chelsea to keep their Carling Cup bid on track in Wednesday’s quarter final and give him the chance to erase some person cup heartbreak.

Emerton has been on a losing Rovers’ side in three semi-finals already and is desperate for the chance to finally break his hoodoo and exact revenge on Chelsea.

He said: “Definitely, everyone realises the importance of Wednesday’s game.

"If we can get a positive result there, excitement will build and the players will start to believe we can win something.

“Some of our cup runs have been very enjoyable. We’d love to go on another one again.

“To get to Wembley would be something special. I’ve had a couple of semi finals but you’re in football to win things and hopefully this is our chance.

“I don’t think we’ll need to mention that defeat in the changing rooms.

"It’s still fresh in our minds and we must not let it happen again."

Emerton accepts they have a huge task on their hands, especially after being drubbed 5-0 at Stamford Bridge in October.

But he is confident Rovers can be a different proposition this time round as they look to continue their remarkable run of results at Ewood Park during Sam Allardyce’s 11 and half-month tenure.

Emerton said: “"Obviously they're a world-class team, one of the best in Europe. We'll see what kind of team they put out.

"We'll have to see whether they rotate or if we do. But all we can do is prepare the best way possible.

"We have to approach it in a positive manner. If you try and defend against that sort of quality then eventually they'll break you down.

"Hopefully we can try to be on the front foot and cause them some problems.

"They pass and move the ball very well. On that day we sat back too deeply.

"Hopefully we can get on the front foot and force some mistakes.”

Blackburn Rovers assistant boss Neil McDonald added: “It is important because we are in the quarter final and we are two or three games from Wembley.

“It is vitally important that we give a good account of ourselves whether that be against Chelsea or anybody else.

"The teams left in are all very very strong and we are one of them strong teams so we have a chance.

“This means everything to everybody, not just the manage,r but the whole of the football club and the supporters.

"They want a trip to Wembley to see if we can win a cup and we have done it before so why shouldn’t we do it again.”