Well What Can I Say?!?!!?

Last update 18/3/07

Seriously where has the days and time gone too!!!

I can't believe that it has been almost a month since I last entered a post. And what an exciting time we as fans of Chelsea Football Club have had!!!

Reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup
Reached the semi-finals of the Champions League
ONLY three points behind the Ure of ManUre

and there is a distinct possibility of THREE, yes THREE meaningful meetings with ManUre in the space of 14 days which could see the Premiership title decided and two major Cup-Finals contested - one at Wembley and one in Athens.

So lets recap and get back up to date.

March 18th I posted goals of our victory of Sheff Utd at the Bridge, then on Monday 19th March we went to Tottenham and won 2-1 with two fantastic strikes by the Shev and SWP.

After International break we played Watford at Vicarage Road and won 1-0 with a last gasp Salomon Kalou goal, then on the following Wednesday we played our first leg at home to Valencia in the Champions League and drew 1-1, then just a few days after, on Saturday at home beat Tottenham AGAIN in the Premiership 1-0 and with ManUre losing later on that afternoon, Chelsea's deficit at the top of the Premiership was cut to just THREE points.

Then Tuesday just gone. Probably Chelsea's finest performance under Jose Mourinho, especially in the second-half saw us defeat a Valencia side 2-1, who hadn't been beaten at home in the Mestalla by an English team for 40 years. (As long as I have been a Chelsea fan).

And that is about it at the moment.

Sunday I am off to Old Trafford for the FA Cup semi-final against Blackburn, but before then I am sure there is lots to write about, especially now we have to play Liverpool in the Champions League semi-final to which the title of this blog is dedicated too!!!

More later

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Valencia in the Champions League

We avoided the Manure of Man Utd and the Scum of Liverpool and we got Valencia of Spain, after the massacre in the Mestilla from Tuesday night.

But first we need to concentrate on the FA Cup against hopefully a tired Spurs side on Sunday at Stamford Bridge.

And if there are any Americans visiting this site - ITS FOOTBALL - not SOCCER

More to come later

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Chelsea Flag Waving B4 Porto

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Chelsea 2-1 Porto

A great night at Stamford Bridge saw Chelsea overcome the challenge of FC Porto to reach the quarter-finals of the Champions League for the third time in as many years.

On current form, THE MOST unlikeliest hero was Michael Ballack who volleyed Chelsea through with eleven minutes to go. This after Porto had taken an early lead.

Three minutes into the second-half, after a dismal first half, Arjen Robben equalised for Chelsea.

Below enjoy the goals again

COME ON CHELSEA!!

Who do you want in the draw which takes place on Friday or who do you think Chelsea will get in the quarter-final draw?

Robben makes it 1-1



Ballack 'The Hero' volleys for 2-1



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Portsmouth 0-2 Chelsea

Whether Chelsea retain their title and win it for a third successive year remains to be seen, but the CHAMPIONS are not giving up their title without a fight.

Goals by Didier Drogba and Salomon Kalou gave the boys a 2-0 at Portsmouth's Fratton Park, a game that Chelsea HAD to win after ManUre's 'lucky' result at Anfield earlier in the day.

Fratton Park is quite a happy hunting ground for Kalou. Earlier in the season he scored a memorable hat-trick for the reserves as they thumped Portsmouth reserves 5-0.

The star of the show and Chelsea's saviour was goalkeeper Petr Cech. Cech made two fabulous saves in a five minute spell late in the second-half when Portsmouth were at their most dangerous. First Cech parried and clawed the ball away from a Cole header whilst diving the 'wrong' way and then minutes later Cech swooped down low to his right to keep another header from Kanu from crossing the line.

After, in the post match conference Jose made the point that having Petr Cech about would earn Chelsea the right to ten to fifteen points a season.

Jose said "WIth Petr Cech in the goal all season, how many more points would Chelsea have?" He carried on by saying, "They (Portsmouth) have two good chances and Petr Cech has to say I am here and I am the best."

On pressure Jose said "The belief is there. We know how football is. When we were top of the league last season and everybody was saying there is pressure on Chelsea. I was saying no there is no pressure on Chelsea. There is pressure on second place because the second place cannot lose points."

"This season I think that too, the second cannot lose points. We are second because we are second. We cannot afford to make mistakes."

For Tuesday's Champions League return against Porto at Stamford Bridge, Jose confirm that Captain John Terry would not play. JT is under strict orders to rest following the kick in the head in last week's Carling Cup final. JT is expected to have another precautionary scan either Monday or Tuesday.

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Chelsea v Arsenal - Carling Cup Final

Well the weekend hasn't got off to the best start. ManUre has just beaten Fulham after being a goal down, with Ronaldo scoring the winner in the 88th minute.

So the Champions are nine points behind and have to win the game in hand against Man City in two weeks time - but thats for another day.

What a week Chelsea have had. Beating Norwich in the Cup, drawing Tottenham in the next round, drawing with Porto in the Champions League and the 'kids' that are Jose and Wenger starting the off the field mind games, typical in the build up to a mjor cup meeting between the two sides.

As for the game itself. Well there is no John Terry. Robben looks like he will be fit and Essien will start as centre-half as he has done so magnificently in recent months.

I am not going to the game. Simply because I just can't be bothered to put up with all the difficulties of travelling to Wales along with 70,000 plus other people.

So if you are going to the game - then I wish you a safe journey.

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OK £80million loss, BUT

the but is.. Chelsea has frozen ticket prices for next season for Premier League matches which include season tickets, members, OAPs and children. (Chelsea say that the freeze equates to a 6% in terms of inflation). Only the corporate will suffer price increases.. well they can afford it can't they and do they sing???

Nah course they don't. They spend all their time eating and drinking all they can to get their money's worth whilst watching the game 'through beerglasses.'

Chelsea has also announced that they will introduce reductions for the Champions League group games and will continue substantial reductions for FA Cup and Carling Cup home games, subject to away team approval.

In the draw for the Quarter-Final of the FA Cup, Chelsea got a home draw against Tottenham to be played on Saturday 10th March or Sunday 11th March.

Way before then Chelsea travel to Portugal to play Porto on Wednesday in the Champions League and then on Sunday, Chelsea play Arsenal in the final of the Carling Cup in Cardiff.

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Chelsea Times 17/02/07

Its been a quiet week on the Chelsea front but starting today the action starts to hot up with Chelsea taking on Norwich City at Stamford Bridge in the FA Cup and then on Wednesday, Chelsea travel to Portugal to face Jose's old club Porto in the Champions League.

Then next Sunday Chelsea face the Gooners from Cashburton Grove in the final of the Carling Cup in Cardiff. By the time Chelsea play their next Premiership match at 5.15pm on Saturday 3/3/07 at Fratton Park, Portsmouth, the boys COULD BE and I say again COULD BE, 12 points behind League leaders Man Utd.

The only bit of news to report is that Chelsea Football Club have teamed up with YOU TUBE to provide an internet platform for ALL fans Chelsea.

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Right Result Today!!

Firstly lets get the bouquets out for a really special person who during her lunch hour today went off to Stamford Bridge and got me a ticket for the Champions League game against Porto at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday March 6th.

With my season ticket in hand she was politely told that due to the demands of UEFA, my seat was not available and that I would have to move to a different part of the ground.

Taking no regard to calling me before purchasing said ticket she opted for the 'Shed End Upper tier' without hesitation. When she called me after she had my ticket in her hand, my immediate reaction was YES!!!

Back in the SHED!!! The Shed where I had spent most of my life supporting the Blue Boys and now I am going to back in the SHED (albeit in its all-seater form) cheering on the boys for an extremely important 2nd Leg of the Champions League round of the last 16.

Why get so excited you may ask? Well practically the 'Shed End' isn't open to season ticket holders!!!

And the 'Shed End' should be the home of Chelsea fans ALL Chelsea fans and not be part of the away end for visiting fans!!

Now this is where it gets good. Many unofficial fan sites have been calling for the atmosphere at Stamford Bridge to be increased to a level where the opposition team basically 'shits' themselves for the duration of the time they are on the pitch.

One of the ideas that have been circulated amongst fans who want to sing, chant and basically get on the nerves of the 'JCLs' (Johnny Come Latelys) and the 'Plastics' is to buy their tickets in the first instance for the Shed End LOwer and the Shed End Upper.

Chelsea do have the 'hardcore' in the Matthew Harding Stand, which is the stand that houses season ticket holders and singers primarily, but by orchestrating this campaign to get 'singers' in the Shed, can only do wonders for building and sustaining a match atmosphere at Stamford Bridge, just like the old days (crowds of 8,000 LOL).

So be warned. Any reader that is going to the Porto game and is seated in the 'Shed End Upper or Lower' that does not sing or chant is a PLASTIC, JCL and you will feel my wrath on this blog until the day you die and go to hell!!!!!

To read the latest on the 'Shed' Update.


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Chelsea 3-0 Blackburn Rovers

Although Chelsea were convincing winners over Blackburn Rovers this evening at Stamford Bridge, there is one major concern which has overshadowed the team's continued chase of leaders ManUre.

Ashley Cole was stretchered off in the 2nd half after appearing to have trodden on the ball whilst making a flying empasse down the left wing. Early reports suggest that Cole's injury is serious as Jose said in his post match interview that Cole could not walk on his injured leg. Jose also added that it was too early to make a concrete diagnosis and the full extent of the damage will not be known for a couple of days.

Another area of concern is that the crowd this evening fell way short of a sellout - 38,000 against 42,250.

Granted Blackburn would not have been expected to have sold their full allocation of tickets, especially for a midweek visit to London.

Chelsea fans excuses could be Blackburn are not that big enough attraction for a Wednesday night, Porto tickets for the Champions League start to go on sale for the home leg on Monday. Carling Cup final tickets are currently on sale until a few days before the final, and there is the travel to Cardiff and the additional expenditure of accommodation (if required), food and drink and the rest of it all that goes with the toll of a Cup Final day. Oh yeah toll. Well to get into Wales from England, you have to pay a toll fee, which I gather is not cheap, even for a normal car.

At least you don't have to pay to get out of Wales LOL LOL LOL!!! Although I think I would rather pay to GET OUT then pay to get in!!!

Talking of availability of Carling Cup Final tickets, Chelsea has announced that season-ticket holders have a five day window (which ends on Friday 2/2/07) to secure their seat.

Ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous. Season ticket holders should be given at least TWO WEEKS to buy their tickets and the remaining tickets and period should be equally divided for the members.

Sometimes it really grates me how long season ticket holders get to obtain their additional match tickets, Chelsea really do not give enough consideration to the financial implications of season tickets holders trying to juggle finances to obtain these tickets for the 'extra' games. And Chelsea DO sell tickets way way too early!!!

I mean. Porto in the Champions League is not until the 6th March and we have only just reached the 1st day of February!!!!

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Fortunately.......

.... when Chelsea play their next League game against Aston Villa at Villa Park on Tuesday 2 Jan 2007, Michael Ballack will NOT be playing as he will be suspended after collecting five yellow cards (the fifth being collected on Boxing Day against Reading).

Why do I say fortunately?? Well if Jose (Our Special One) won't drop him, the only way out of the team for Ballack is either suspension or injury!!!

Although Ballack has scored a Champions League goal (albeit from a penalty) and the odd goal or two or three in the Premiership, what has the man contributed to the team?

Well apart from conceding needless free-kicks, which have generated goals for the opposition (Reading and Fulham) spring to mind - I would say absolutely nothing!!

I have said in a previous post that Ballack strolls around like someone taking their dog for a walk in the park, now (courtesy of my son) I say that Ballack strolls around the football pitch like he owns it and has the divine right to be on it.

Maybe he has a case if he was playing for Germany or his old club Bayern Munich, but this is Chelsea and this is the Premiership and Chelsea are the CHAMPIONS!!!

Ballack HAS NO comprehension of the Blue shirt, the history, the Blue badge and the fans (plastic or not) that support and follow the club, the badge, the shirt. For a man of his supposed class and calibre, his performances in the Chelsea shirt have been nothing short of disgraceful.

I can name a whole list of players that were rubbish playing for Chelsea FC down the years, but rubbish or not, these players gave their all for the shirt, the club, the badge and the fans which pales Ballack's contribution completely into oblivion.

Not so long ago Jose said that Ballack was one of his untouchables. Now unless Jose can see something different from the rest of us - did Jose mean that the ball doesn't touch Ballack? Somehow I doubt it!!!

So what does Jose mean exactly???

I don't know, you tell me!!

REMEMBER - I WAS THERE WHEN WE WERE SHIT!!!!!!

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Porto in Champions League

In Friday's Champions League draw in Nyon, Switzerland Jose Mourinho and Chelsea were drawn against Jose's old club Porto FC.

As Chelsea won Group A, they also won the right to play the second leg at home. I believe in a two legged competition it is much better to play the first leg away first!!

It won't be the first time that Jose will face his old club. Soon after Jose joined Chelsea after leaving Porto, both team were drawn in the Champions League group stage. Chelsea won 3-1 at Stamford Bridge and in the return Porto prevailed 2-1.

A similar set of results will see Chelsea in the last eight of the Champions League competition.

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Chelsea 2-0 Levski Sofia

Chelsea comfortably confirmed their Champions League Group A top spot with a 2-0 win over Bulgaria's Levski Sofia on Tuesday night at Stamford Bridge.


Two firsts became two goals as Andriy Shevchenko scored his first European goal in the Chelsea Blue and Shaun Wright-Phillips scored his FIRST ever goal for Chelsea too, after some 17 months and fifty plus appearances.


Credit where credit is due. Levski had lost ALL of their previous Champions League group games, after becoming the first team from Bulgaria to qualify for the Champions League, an achievement in itself!! But they came to Stamford Bridge and helped to contribute to an entertaining game of football and Levski was unlucky on a couple of occasions not to have scored a consolation goal for themselves; scant reward for their entertaining and enterprising endeavour.


The draw for the Champions League knockout stage is on Friday 15th December and the Champions League competition resumes matchday in February 2007. Given that the Champions can now focus on catching Man Utd at the top of the Premiership, the Carling Cup Quarter-Final against Newcastle two weeks today and the small matter of the FA Cup which begins on Saturday 6th January 2007.


Before that is the small matter of Chelsea v Arsenal this Sunday at Stamford Bridge. Hopefully a positive result against Emirates XI will finally end their hopes of Premiership ambitions for this season.

Countdown to the big match starts soon!!!


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Shaun Wright-Phillips FIRST Ever Chelsea Goal v Levski Sofia

Shaunie's first EVER Chelsea goal and didn't he take it well!!!!

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Sheva's First Chelsea European Goal v Levski Sofia

Enjoy the goal again and again. Sheva's first in Europe for Chelsea and lets hope it will not be his last.

This was Chelsea's first goal in Tuesday night's 2-0 over Levski Sofia.

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Chelsea Team v Levski Sofia

Chelsea's team has just been announced and it is quite a shocker. A shocker to the extent that there is no Carlo Cudicini in the starting line-up and not even on the bench.

In fact THERE is no goalkeeper on the bench!!

Now since the rule change for substitiutes (5 for Domestic games and 7 for European games) I CANNOT remember Chelsea never having a substitute goalkeeper on the bench.

As you know Petr Cech is injured and new signing Magnus Hedman is ineligible for the Champions League until January.

Chelsea's Team:

Hilario

Ferreira
Carvalho
Boulahrouz
Bridge

Ballack
Essien
Lampard

Shevchenko
Drogba
Robben

Subs: A. Cole, Geremi, Diarra, Kalou, Wright-Phillips, Morais, Mikel


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Champions League Time!!!

Chelsea look set to win Group A in the Champions League tonight against Levski Sofia at Stamford Bridge. A win will guarantee top spot that is for certain, but if Chelsea lose and Werder Bremen win in Barcelona then Chelsea will finish 2nd, as they did last season when Liverpool won their group.

If both games end in a draw Chelsea will still top the group.

I can't see any other result than a Chelsea win simply because Levski have lost ALL of their previous five Champions League games this season plus Chelsea won comprehensively 3-1 in Sofia earlier on in the group.

Levski will be without their international goalkeeper Georgi Petkov who is recovering from knee surgery and Levski's coach, Stanimir Stoliov, has to choose between 18 year old and 19 year old goalkeepers, Nikolai Mihailov and Bozhidar Mitrev respectively.

Captain John Terry is suspended and Jose Mourinho has already stated that Makelele will be rested and Ashley Cole will be on the bench. So straight away you know that Wayne Bridge, who recently signed a new four year contract, will start the game.

COME BACK SHORTLY FOR THE FIRST NEWS OF CHELSEA'S STARTING LINE-UP!!

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Getting in the Mood for Levski Sofia

Enjoy once again Didier Drogba's hat-trick against Levski Sofia in Bulgaria from the Group A Champions League game played in September.

More of the same tomorrow Didier, if you please!!



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