If You Know Your History

Saturday, October 28, 2006

Thats Why We're Champions!! Sheff Utd 0-2 Chelsea


What have Barcelona, Portsmouth, Blackburn Rovers and Sheff Utd in common with each other?

They failed to SEVERELY test Chelsea's third choice goalkeeper Henrique Hilario.

Imagine you are the manager of any of the above clubs surely you tell your players 'get in and get yourself amongst him.'

But no-one has and Hilario has played four games, won all four and conceded one goal and EVEN saved a penalty, a poorly taken penalty at that but a penalty save nonetheless.

This lunchtime at Bramall Lane Chelsea strolled to an easy 2-0 win over new-boys Sheffield United.

The goals came in a six minute period either side of half-time through from a 35 yard free-kick from Frank Lampard and the second from a Michael Ballack header from a super Frank cross down Chelsea's left.

Sheffied Utd's Danny Webber missed a penalty in the 17th minute when his poor effort was easily saved by Hilario as Hilario dived to his left.

I do miss travelling to away games. I would have loved to have gone to this game simply because I have been to Sheffield many times on business and it is such an easy place to get to and the scenery along the M1 through Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire and even the South Yorkshire countryside before Sheffield is a joy to behold.

If you are a fan of Robin Hood and Pride and Prejudice written by Jane Austen - you will know what I mean!!

Friday, October 27, 2006

Carlo back in Squad


Carlo Cudicini who was knocked unconscious at Reading two weeks ago is back in the Chelsea squad and has travelled North before Chelsea play Sheffield United at Bramall Lane on Saturday.

The match kicks off 12.45pm UK time.

Also in the travelling party is Andriy Shevchenko who didn't travel for the Carling Cup tie at Balckburn.

Chelsea can expect a tough time against Utd managed by the no nonsense tough talking Neil Warnock and they will also have to feel the effect of a 26,000 partisan home crowd.

A win will put Chelsea back to the top of the Premiership for a few hours and with Man Utd having to travel to Bolton, who knows the stay at the top could be for much longer.

Thursday, October 26, 2006

Blackburn Rovers 0-2 Chelsea

After Chelsea beat Blackburn away at Ewood Park on Wednesday evening, 2-0, the goals scored by Joe Cole and Salamon Kalou, Chelsea was drawn at home to Aston Villa in the 4th Round of the Carling Cup.

The game will be played on Wednesday 8th November at Stamford Bridge.

Next up for the Premiership Champions is a Premiership game at new-boys Sheffield United on Saturday.

The game kicks off at 12.45pm

And then (hasn't it come round quickly?) on Tuesday night (Halloween Night) Chelsea play Barcelona in the Champions League at the Nou Camp.

Wednesday, October 25, 2006

Blackburn Rovers v Chelsea



Chelsea start the road to Cardiff tonight when they take on Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park in the third round of the Carling Cup.

What type of team will Jose start with?

All I can tell you is that Jose declared 'All outfield players are fit.'

COME ON CHELSEA!

Monday, October 23, 2006

Shevchenko's 1st Chelsea Home Goal v Portsmouth

Sunday, October 22, 2006

Chelsea 2-1 Portsmouth


Here is the moment that Chelsea fans have been waiting for. Andriy Shevchenko celebrating his first HOME goal at Stamford Bridge.

Lets not forget that Andriy has already scored twice for Chelsea this season. His first came in the Community Shield and his second was against Middlesbrough in the 2-1 defeat at The Riverside.

Andriy was unlucky not to have scored earlier in the game, when in the first half Portsmouth's David James pulled off a wonderful save as Andriy hit a shot that was heading into the top left hand corner from fully twenty yards. Andriy also had a first half goal disallowed for offside.

Michael Ballack scored Chelsea's second two minutes after and it was his FIRST home goal in the Premiership. He had already scored from the penalty spot against Werder Bremen in the Champions League.

I had said in a previous post that Chelsea would need to take their Barcelona form into this game... and they did. Although the final score was 2-1, the score could have been a lot more had it not been for the heroics of David James in the Portsmouth goal.

Friday, October 20, 2006

A Memorable Night




It was a memorable night. Not because the Champions beat the Champions League Champions, not because of Drogba's sensational goal, but because of the way the players showed their collectiveness and togetherness after the bad injuries sustained by Pter and Carlo last Saturday at Reading.

The pictures here show the crest on the shirt that I was wearing on Wednesday night (you can just make out the small pin badge of the late great Peter Osgood which I wear eveytime Chelsea play), one of the flags that were handed out by Chelsea (35,000 in total), one of two match tickets and lastly the matchday programme.

If Chelsea can take their Barcelona form back into the Premiership starting with Portsmouth at home on Saturday, BEWARE the rest of yer!!!

COME ON CHELSEA

GET WELL PETR

Wednesday, October 18, 2006

Chelsea Team v Barca



Chelsea team:

Hilario

Boulahrouz

Terry (c)

Carvalho

A Cole

Makelele

Essien

Lampard

Ballack

Shevchenko

Drogba

subs: Ma Kalamby, Ferreira, Bridge, J Cole, Robben, Kalou, Geremi

Eider starts for Barca

COME ON CHELSEA!!

Sunday, October 15, 2006

Peter Cech Update

I did think about posting pics of Cech's incident from yesterday's game at Reading but after thinking long and hard about it, the pics are too horrific to show.

Petr Cech was transferred to the Neuro unit at the world famous John Radcliffe Infirmary in Oxford last night (Saturday) and underwent an operation for a depressed skull fracture.

Chelsea has announced that is too early to assess Petr's condition but the chances are that Petr COULD miss the rest of the season.

Carlo, also injured at Reading, was discharged from hospital late last night and is now resting at home.

Chelsea has not said how long Carlo will be out of action but it is unlikely that he will return for a couple of weeks.

Hilario will be given the responsibility of the gloves for the challenge of Barcelona on Wednesday and may get an extended run of games for the rest of October.

Weds: Barcelona
Sat: Portsmouth
Weds: Blackburn (away) Carling Cup
Sat: Sheff Utd (away)
Tuesday: Barcelona (away)
Sunday: Tottenham (away)

Get Well Petr and Get Well Carlo

l8ter

Update on Petr and Carlo

Chelsea FC has announced this evening that Carlo Cudicini has been discharged from hospital and is now resting at home.

Petr Cech is still in hospital and will remain overnight for observation.

Chelsea Football Club expect to release further details during Sunday 15th October.

L8ter

Saturday, October 14, 2006

Brutal Reading and Barcelona


After the thuggery Reading dished out to Chelsea's goalkeepers tonight, Reading have no doubt severely dented the CHAMPIONS hopes of rapid progression to the knockout stages of the Champions League.

Wednesday October 18th could see Chelsea playing Barcelona with third choice Portuguese goalkeeper Hilario between the sticks after both Petr Cech and substitute goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini were victims of thuggish and brutal challenges by Hunt and Sonko this evening at the Madjeski Stadium, Reading.

For me the result a 1-0 win for the CHAMPIONS is irrelevant against the health of the Best Goalkeeper in the World and the Second Best Goalkeeper in the Premiership.

The game wasn't even 30 seconds old when Cech dived to smother the ball at the feet of Reading's Stephen Hunt, making his first start for the Royals in the Premiership. Instead of attempting to jump over Cech's body as attackers try to do, Hunt decided to continue on his path and the full roundness of his kneecap caught Cech flush on the side of his head.
Cech was left out cold. He was treated for a full five minutes before being stretchered off and eventually replaced by Carlo.

A minute before full-time (in injury-time) Carlo came out to punch away the ball from a dangerous Reading corner and Sonko the thug from Brentford (schooled by 'mad dog Martin Allen') clattered into Carlo after the ball was punched away.
TV pictures proved that Sonko deliberately put Carlo out of the game because his eyes WERE NOT on the ball, in fact they were not focussed on anyone.

As a side issue, the CHAMPIONS won 1-0 after a Frank Lampard free-kick was deflected into his own net by Igmarrsson just before half-time.

Didier Drogba gave a perfect lesson in GK and striker etiquette when on two occasions challenging Reading's 'keeper Hahnemann he jumped over the 'keeper after Hahnemann grabbed the ball.

After what happened to Cech I am sure 'The Dids' would loved to have left a boot in!!?!?!?!?!?!?

There were two red cards - one of each side - first Mikel was sent off on his Premiership start for two bookable offences and incidentally Mikel ONLY made two tackles all game.

Reading's Andre 'The Pikey' Bikey was sent off for the same. His second yellow card came after he pulled and tugged on Drogba's shirt in the second-half.

I hope Reading's fans are feeling really HARD and good about themselves tonight. Chanting Barcelona, Barcelona and with Chelsea losing TWO goalkeepers due to the thuggery of two of their players, Wednesday night COULD WELL be Barcelona's night.

COME ON CHELSEA

GET WELL PETR AND CARLO SOON - REAL SOON

Wednesday, October 11, 2006

Don't Blame The Bobble!!!

The Premiership season gets shut down for two weeks for the second time in five and England's reward for such a closure is a miserable 1 point from 6, or a 0-0 draw at home to Macedonia and a 2-0 defeat away to Croatia.

A home win to Macedonia followed by a defeat in Croatia would have been hard enough to accept, but a 0-0 and a 2-0 defeat is JUST NOT ACCEPTABLE. Not acceptable considering the quality of players that are available to the NEW England manager.

I always give any new man in charge of England the benefit of the doubt and that doubt was extended to the 'Gormless' One Sven Goran Eriksson when he first took charge.

Ex-Middlesbrough man Steve McClaren was extended the same courtesy from my point of view, now that his record in FOUR Euro qualifiers reads P4, W2, D1, L1 and not scored in two matches, for me he is not the man for the England job.

SO BEFORE THINGS GET ANY WORSE, GET RID OF HIM!!!!

A victory tonight in Zagreb would have had the England folk forget about the two dropped points at Old Trafford last Saturday and would have put England in a strong position at the top of their group and clear of Israel and Macedonia (who beat Andorra 3-0).

As it is all three countries are level.

Steve McClaren's record as a club manager at Middlesbrough wasn't that great to be fair. OK he could get great results at the Riverside against the top clubs ie Man U, Arsenal, Chelsea and of course he had those remarkable and sensational results in the UEFA Cup last season, except for the final of course!!!!

But after the last two England games I think Steve McClaren's shortcomings have been severely and cruelly exposed.

The first was dropping David Beckham after Beckham decided that he wanted to resign the England Captaincy. Brave decision and a decision he should certainly stick by.

JT has done a marvellous job so far as England Captain.

His second was picking one of his old boys, Stewart Downing for the game against Macedonia. Downing isn't England class, but what can you do on the left when Joe Cole is injured.

Well play Shaun Wright-Phillips. For twenty minutes on Saturday Shaunie terrorised the Macedonians and thats despite not starting regularly for Chelsea!!!

Rooney is out of sorts. Crouch played like the 'Freak' he is and McClaren opted for a 3-5-2 formation in Zagreb which wouldn't have been too bad had the formation been offensive and not defensive.

We had Ferdinand, Terry, Carragher, Cole, Neville, Parker, Lampard and Carrick as thethree and the five and then Rooney and Crouch was picked as the two.

How the hell can you have a 3-5-2 that was so defensively minded?? Picked in hope of the draw and in eternity picked for a salvation thank you and the becoming of the Lord for nicking a win.

Instead we got England conceding two goals in the second half. The first, a header sandwiched between JT and Ashley Cole and then the second a Gary Neville own goal after he laid a back pass to Paul Robinson who completely missed his kick, AFTER THE BALL HIT A MASSIVE BOBBLE on the pitch and the ball nestled quietly and gently in the England net!!!

So. Don't blame Robinson, don't blame the bobble JUST BLAME McClaren he is not England CLASS even with Terry Venables!!!!

l8ter

Saturday, October 07, 2006

Twenty-Two Players on International Duty

Including Reserve and Academy team players there are an amazing 22 (Twenty-Two) Chelsea players on International duty this week.

England:
John Terry (c), Wayne Bridge, Ashley Cole, Frank Lampard and Shaun Wright-Phillips

Portugal:
Ricardo Carvalho and Paulo Ferreira

Holland:
Arjen Robben and Khalid Boulahrouz

Germany:
Michael Ballack

Czech Republic:
Petr Cech

France:
Claude Makele

Ukraine:
Andriy Shevchenko

Ivory Coast:
Didier Drogba

Nigeria:
Jon Obi Mikel

France U21:
Lassana Diarra

Israel U21:
Ben Sahar

England U19:
Ryan Bertrand and Michael Mancienne

Cameroon:
Geremi

Ghana:
Michael Essien

Switzerland U19:
Jonas Elmer

COME ON CHELSEA!

Monday, October 02, 2006

Peter Osgood 1947 - 2006





















The ashes of the King of Stamford Bridge, Peter Osgood, were brought home to Stamford Bridge yesterday and were laid to rest under the penalty spot at The Shed End of the ground.

In a memorial service held at Stamford Bridge in front of over 3,000 fans, Ossie's family and friends and famous famous names that Ossie played for, played with and played to, Peter Osgood was finally laid to rest.

I was unable to get a ticket for yesterday's event and since Peter died back in March, aged 59, March 1st to be precise, I have not worn a Chelsea shirt to any game.

Because of what Peter Osgood meant to me I symbolically wear a small Peter Osgood badge because he is King! The King of Stamford Bridge always was and always will be.

I am not going to write about Peter Osgood and his life and his Chelsea career because if you are a REAL Chelsea supporter you would know all about him anyway!!

John Terry, Frank Lampard and Joe Cole were amongst the congregation as were Chelsea players of the past which included John Dempsey, David Webb, Marvin Hinton, John Hollins, Tommy Baldwin, John Boyle, Allan Harris, Ron Harris, Terry Venables, Barry Bridges, Joe Fascione, Steve Finneston, Tommy Langley, Garry Stanley, Ray Wilkins and Kerry Dixon.

From Southampton came manager Lawrie McMenemy, and former colleagues Jim Steele, Peter Rodriguez and Brian O’Neill.

Peter Osgood died suddenly on March 1st aged 59. He scored 150 goals in 380 games for Chelsea, winning the FA Cup in 1970 when he scored in every round (still the last man to achieve that), and the European Cup Winners’ Cup in 1971 when he scored in the Final and the Replay. He also scored in the League Cup Finl of 1972.

Although I was unable to attend yesterday please enjoy the pictures taken when Chelsea allowed fans to pay their tributes at the first home game after Peter Osgood died.

PETER OSGOOD

RESTING IN PEACE BENEATH THE PENALTY SPOT, AT THE SHED END STAMFORD BRIDGE.

1947 - 2006

l8ter

Sunday, October 01, 2006

Chelsea v Aston Villa Matchday Programme


It was a major disappointment that Chelsea drew 1-1 after taking such an early lead and creating and wasting a hatful of chances.

But it is still early days and by the time the Premiership resumes in TWO weeks, Joe Cole should be ready to return and give us that extra craft, skill and the creation of more chances to win matches like this one that Chelsea should have won by a country mile!!

l8ter

COME ON CHELSEA!!