Champions League: Bordeaux 1 - 1 Chelsea

ok.. first comment!
curious question here...who do we play in the next round (i mean which group) if we come 1st or 2nd in the group which i know we will?

Anelka DOES seem to score those one on ones every time.

Still, this is two points thrown away.

I know I am likely to be shouted down here, but I am seriously worried about the way we are playing, against any opposition with half an once of backbone.

The team is looking very one dimensional and goals have suddenly become hard to come by. The management need to come up with a plan B, C and D pronto, because everyone knows how we are going to line up, everyone knows to sit on our full backs, everyone knows to keep Anelka as far from goal as possible and unless we can bring back the element of surprise to our game, we will continue to struggle.

The slick passing has at times been wonderful, and we were quick to claim credit when we accused the press of always pointing out how bad the opposition was when the goals were going on..... But perhaps Boro, Sunderlad, WBA were really awful!

The last few comments in the Newcastle report spoke of Mourinho's ability to semmlessly change formations and manipulate the game....... That, my friends, is exactly what we are lacking at the moment.

Sorry to say it, but expect points to be dropped on Sunday against the Goons.

"Sorry to say it, but expect points to be dropped on Sunday against the Goons. "
I wont be surprised either..

That means a game without Frank!!
xmas has come early for me.

LINK

Don't like the look of this either....... He seems to have developed a habit of opening his mouth an sticking his foot in it!

Completely agree with Nick's view, we got what we deserved.

Serious questions need to be asked about why it's now over a year since we won away in the competition - it's not like every game has been at Anfield is it? What scares me (and has been mentioned a few times) is that we're fine against teams in the Premiership who start the game knowing they're going to lose, and we chalk up a regulation 5-0 win. However, if anyone gives themselves a chance, we're fucked. I can take the defeat to Liverpool and draw with ManUSA, but it's the abject nothing-ness of the performances against Cluj, Newcastle, Bordeaux, Roma, Burnley that makes me think there's something a bit deeper. It's almost like TSSO has said as long as you try and play well, the result doesn't matter.

We're not showing the same 'backs against the wall' grit and desire that we did under Jose (or Avram to a degree). Too many players seem to be going through the motions, almost not caring. Take DD's half an hour last night. He knows he's suspended for 2 more league games, ideal opportunity to get a bit of competitive game time under his belt. He looked generally disinterested, flailed his arms about when anyone got near him, took crap free-kicks. Looked to me like his mind was elsewhere.

I can see the sensible 'lets not panic, it's still in our own hands' argument, but we can no longer attribute another away day failure as one of those things. 2 points on our travels in a group we looked favourably on is not good enough.

Whether TSSO's admission of a return to Brazil if we dont qualify was a joke or not, I'm beginning to have serious mis-givings about him. Maybe what we're seeing is all he's got to give. Yes, it's hard to look at last night, 1-0 up, and think about too many tactical changes, but it's becoming a regular theme. We have one way to play, if it doesnt work we can't do anything about it.

To top it off, Joe Cole is injured again. Quelle surprise.

To Greenlight @ 6 ............ I usually like the Mail but that was typical crap reporting .......... on the BBC site is the WHOLE of the quote!

"We need to beat Cluj at home. But if I thought the team did not have the quality to beat Cluj at home, then I had better go back to Brazil."

That makes completely different reading to what the Mail reports.

''Serious questions need to be asked about why it's now over a year since we won away in the competition - it's not like every game has been at Anfield is it? What scares me (and has been mentioned a few times) is that we're fine against teams in the Premiership who start the game knowing they're going to lose, and we chalk up a regulation 5-0 win. However, if anyone gives themselves a chance, we're fucked. I can take the defeat to Liverpool and draw with ManUSA, but it's the abject nothing-ness of the performances against Cluj, Newcastle, Bordeaux, Roma, Burnley that makes me think there's something a bit deeper.''
Couldn't agree more.

@ Thebear......No.8

"We need to beat Cluj at home. But if I thought the team did not have the quality to beat Cluj at home, then I had better go back to Brazil."

So what happens if we don't beat Cluj and home? (and bear in mind, we didn't beat them away!)

Last year, i would have been on here berating grant, the board and everyone else connected with Jm's departure. Having said that, We are still top of the Prem and the knockout stages start in late February so plenty of time to get things sorted out, whatever those things may be. So for the moment, i am still holding back on Scholari although as many have said, and I also, some things do not seem to be going right when they should, given the team we have. Still, i am hoping for a positive outlook in general in the Prem and Cl. Well, at least i hope so...

Morning all

Didn't see a huge amount of the game, but a few things stood out (rather alarmingly at times):

Keep the fecking ball - always important, but especially so away from home in Europe.
As good as Mikel has been this season, he often looks exposed and if he's well marked the supply line is basically knackered - might be an idea to stick Minero next to him to allow him a bit more space and time in games like that.
Defend set peices propery - always important, as above. Ivanovic has done well, but JT and Carvalho is our first choice pairing for good reason.
Questions for Scolari; can you make changes that will actually influence the game? Not seen too much evidence thus far; early days in terms of changing how the team plays and the lack of the right players on the bench might play a part, but we used to do this very well - better than almost anyone - and that seems to have been lost completely.

Squeaky bum time against Cluj at home, but we should make it through; don't see us progressing much further against the bigger sides if we play like that though.

Then there is Sunday to consider...

"might be an idea to stick Minero next to him to allow him a bit more space and time in games like that"

How often have i suggested the same and looked like a festival **nker?

As for Sunday...ok they can't do stoke but they know how to do Big boys.

So how is the board going to discuss sniping big phil, since he's part of
them?

Pinched from the official chat site:


'So let me get this straight...

We want to see attacking defensive football played in a free flowing and cautious style.

Scolari is the greatest manager ever, but is not a patch on Avram Grant. Mourinho was obviously the best we've ever had and the worst.

We want to play with a lone striker in a 442 and he must be Craig Bellamy and black.

We want brilliant wingers who can dribble the ball around anyone playing one touch pass and move football concentrating on scoring goals from all over the pitch and covering the back four and staying deep at all times.

We must score at least 8 goals per game and never concede.

Have I got it?'

I love Goal.com. It nevers fails to cheer me up, particularly after the latest away-day shitstorm in the Champions League :

"Chelsea Want 40m Plus Adriano From Inter For Drogba". Laugh? I'm in hysterics so badly, I've caused myself serious injuries to internal organs that may or may not be vital.

Oh to work for Goal.com and write mad up nonsense all day long.

I'd kind of blotted out how truly awful the referee was last night. Definitely a 'homer' - they were getting away with challenges we were getting booked for.

And I though Ivanovic looked very good. Decent vision for a centre back. On the plus side, no appearance for Kalou which meant my TV was never under the threat of having half a can of San Miguel chucked at it.

Sorry, I probably need to translate. San Miguel is a lager based beverage, native of Espana, drunk by yoofs and commoners such as myself.

None of this 'Chateau neuf de Pape' or the like which you're all accustomed to.

San Miguel? Didn't he play for Valladolid?

(I believe that my butler bathes in it, but I rarely visit his quarters - East Wing; long walk from the drawing room, don't you know...?) ;-)

Have I got it?'

@PeteW
Nearly, you forget to mention that RA needs to buy out Woolies and MFI, and get some Russian friends of his to lean on the Banks to lend money.

@PeteW - Spot on.

The build-up of pressure on Scolari, both from the media and fans, is nutty. What's it going to be like if we lose to Arsenal?

@Fiftee - Just for the record, I know diddly-squat about wine. I agree that Ivanovic had a good game. I considered mentioning his overhead kick which caught the impressive Gourcuff in the face and caused the claret to flow, but thought better of it.

@ Fiftee & Clive

While it's good to have volunteers to fulfil the role of the common man, the man in the street, the man on the clapham omnibus etc. etc. and to stand four square against all this poncy aeriated wine soaked nonsense that passes for intellectual musings on this site, one thing bothers me and it is this.

I regularly read both of your postings and you use punctuation and words of more than one syllable. Your thoughts are usually clear and cogent and follow a logical line of thought. If we are to believe the media and you had any sort of state education then this would be impossible for you to achieve.

I had some experts analyse your work and we think you're a couple of Old Etonian's posing as members of the lower orders. I believe I've unmasked George Osborne and David Cameron.

Deliberatley getting Chateauneuf du Pape wrong didn't throw us off the scent ;-)

One of my biggest nightmares is that George 'Oik' Osborne will one day reveal himself to be a 'lifelong' supporter of Chelsea Football Club. Worse even then Mellor, surely.

Bayou,

Damn, rumbled !

What scares me about my post #15 and yours #19 is that how close I was to getting 'Chateauneuf du Pape' right.

I'm sure it's a lovely vintage. No idea what colour it is / should or could be. In fact no idea where it's from, or if thats a variety of grape.

My vine-related drinking extends to the odd bottle of Black Tower, Blue Nun or Jacobs Creek something-or-other. Normally whatever has a few quid off when I'm doing the shop.

Had a lovely Viognier with a chicken carbonara last Sunday though.

Aaaarrrgghhhhh - look what I'm turning into......

Maybe Osborne thought he was meeting Abramovich on that yacht with a view to blagging a couple of free tickets to the Arsenal game?

David Mellor - what will that poor man do when his looks go...

I regularly read both of your postings

@BB
You can get professional help for that minor ailment, it normally requires a long course of Phenothiazine drugs and some Electro Convulsive Therapy.

I wasn't fooled by the Newcastle Pope wine either Fiftee, I do prefer my Bordeaux to be a Chateau Batailley Pauillac. (and that's only because a friend of mine introduced me to it)

Chelsea Tory sex - first we had to get over the thought of Mellor knobbing away in a Chelsea shirt (bet that doesn't fall into PK's marketing and branding strategy - I believe shirt sales have only recently recovered). Then just as we emerged from hours of therapy we had John Major (a fan if rumours are correct) another Chelsea fan nailing the ever feisty egg woman Edwina Currie.

(brief impersonation of Marlon Brando in Apocalypse Now rubbing his shaven head and muttering "The horror, the horror")

And they talk about neutering the working classes ffs!


@ Fiftee

"Normally whatever has a few quid off when I'm doing the shop."

Fortnum & Masons?

Fortnum & Masons?

Are they two unknown striking talents we should be buying?

Bayou,

"Fortnum & Masons?"

You know it. Foie gras, caviar, magnum of Veuve Cliquot and then Black Tower with £1.50 off.

Because Norwich is the sort of prestigious location that F&M look to.

You know, what with everyone shopping at Aldi, Netto and Lidl's (again - I can translate for those of you that dont understand these names).

Poundland's very popular as well. If you can read the Greek / Arabic labels on everything....

Norwich has definitely got a Waitrose, though...

@Fiftee #26

I know we should be concerning ourselves with the parlous state of Chelsea's season but as we've now inverted the pissing contest I would like to point out that while you live in rural luxury with your pound shops 'n such, in my gritty edgy urban homescape, our farseeing entrepreneurs saw the Credit Crunch coming a long time ago and have had "Everything less than a Pound" shops up and running for some considerable time.

btw, if you are a native of East Anglia (that hotbed of Parliamentarianism in the English Civil War / Revolution) then it would explain your solidly Roundhead, non-conformist, almost Puritan, New Model Army take on the passing world of Cavalier Royalist poncification.

Is your surname Cromwell? Do you get the urge to boot a King Charles Spaniel or slap blokes called Rupert?

Poundland's very popular as well. If you can read the Greek / Arabic labels on everything....

We have a Poundland here in Taunton, I've spent many happy hour in there rummaging through the shelves for those hidden bargains. Alas we don't have a Waitrose, we do have every other supermarket chain, so perhaps we haven't quite made it yet down here in Scrumpyland, unlike the prestigious cosmopolitan status of Norwich.

"Do you get the urge to boot a King Charles Spaniel or slap blokes called Rupert? "

As an atheist man of peace I could object to both. I wouldn't kick a Spaniel unless it was biting me or had laid something on my lawn, but on the second point.......isn't slapping someone called Rupert every mans duty?

Aldi, Lidl, Netto..........do they play for Milan? Of course BB et al, you may all think you live the proletarian lifestyle, but where I live we only see Communion wine, and live such a rustic life that despite being a southerly location it isn't uncommon to see young lads with baggy shorts, long knee length grey flannel socks, collarless shirts and flat caps riding upright bikes with loaves of brown bread to take back t'Muthers.

I know my roots...........

@ Clive

Scrumpyland is one of my favourite theme parks of all time. Or at least it will be when someone decides to build it.

Yeah, we've got a Waitrose. In the posh suburb bit anyway. And a House of Fraser opened in the city a few years back, and Mike Ashley's sports emporium are next door.

And live street entertainment. This guy is amazing, he can cheer me up after the darkest of dark Chelsea performances. If you dont laugh, or at least smile at the videos, you're dead inside :

LINK

@ Fiftee - Larry David's career really has taken a nosedive there.

Aaah, the game last night.

What everyone else said.......

Scrumpyland is one of my favourite theme parks of all time. Or at least it will be when someone decides to build it.

I have to agree Tony; who needs to feel nauseous and then vomit after going on a white knuckle ride, when you can get the same effect from drinking copious ammounts of this wonderful fermented apple drink.

I'm surprised no one down here has thought of such a great idea for a theme park yet.

On saying that this is only 10 mins by car from my house and it's the nearest thing we have to a grown up theme park. LINK

"who needs to feel nauseous and then vomit after going on a white knuckle ride, when you can get the same effect from drinking copious ammounts of this wonderful fermented apple drink."

Quality. You have to be an advertising copywriter - best line since "Go to work on an egg"

Expect calls from Bulmers, Magners et al for their next advertising push

I used to buy my socks in Poundland when I was at university. At the time, I believe you could get as many as six pairs for a pound. It was cheaper than washing them.

I also drank inordinate amounts of cider. /uselessinfo

@Fiftee #32

Good news I'm not dead inside. Sad to see some of the vitriol he attracts in the comments on Youtube.

I like going to Norwich. It was a good away game, pity they're not in the Prem anymore. Went to the cup game a few years back. Train up from Liverpool Street, left out of the station, left again along to a pub which was opposite a Royal Mail depot. In there by 11am, copius infusions of quality stout, good atmosphere, nice mix of fans, stagger to ground, seat at the end of a row, spent most of the afternoon leaning against a fence watching some blurry goings on with blokes kicking a ball about, back to the pub, more beer, train home, shleep...

Ah great days.

For those listening in black and white that should have read "right out of the station then right again"

Difficult to break the old training, where you always had lose any tail, you know, recruited at Cambridge, Moscow desk, Berlin, George Smiley, Man Who Came Home with a Cold etc. etc.

It's nice to see Kaka in England, terrorising little old Pompey. I never knew how much pace he had. Do you think he could make a flying visit to Cobham before he flies back? After all he's not cup-tied :)

so far it tells the story
Disgruntled Chelsea striker Didier Drogba has described the last six months as the worst of his career. The Ivory Coast striker, who has been linked with a switch to join his old Blues boss Jose Mourinho at Inter Milan, was sent off in the Champions League in May, was embroiled in controversy over a coin-throwing incident against Burnley earlier this month, has had persistent injury problems and is yet to score a league goal this season

Nice to see Billy Gallas trying to explain why he left us:

LINK

Milan were knocking on my door. An irony really, this prestigious Italian team were offering me a salary higher than that which I was asking of Chelsea," Gallas claims.

"Straightaway, I was seduced. Not because of the euros but because of the faith a club has in you, the value they put on you.

"The club (Chelsea) came back to me and said: 'We’ll offer you a new contract with a rise but not as much as you’re asking'. Peter Kenyon, the chief executive, was against satisfying my demands. He made our life hell.

"I don’t think either the owners or Kenyon were aware of my contacts with Milan. We let them know and told them of the offer, which was superior to their own and what I was demanding of Chelsea. They wouldn’t stump up.

"Chelsea said, for their part, that they wanted to keep me and their offer was still open. No one knows how laughable their offer was and what I deserved."

Gallas also took a swipe at Chelsea's fans, whom he believes deliberately targeted him for abuse when he faced his old club for the first time in an Arsenal shirt.

"My first match for Arsenal against Chelsea was very difficult. Chelsea’s supporters whistled me every time I got the ball; they really had it in for me. For them, I was a player who would score an own goal, they ignored the truth. I was gutted," the player claims.

So he's upset that we booed him. I'm sure these comments will ensure that he'll get a 'warm' reception on Sunday.

Really unfair comment in a Mail article

LINK

'Anyone would be (nervous), with John Mikel Obi sitting in front of the back four'

I think Obi Mikel has been one of the bright points of the season ( aside from 1 or 2 notable slip-ups, which are always going to happen when you are still learning the role.

@ 43 - Mikel comment aside thats a pretty good article which seems to bring together an awful ot of the views held by commenters here. Plagiarism perhaps!

The laughable bit is where he talks about us getting Ribery and Kaka with RA's unlimited funds but getting neither and having to persevere with Kalou and Malouda. When I say laughable I mean as in laughing instead of drying. Also interesting to note the sudden change in Popeye's mood and demanour...a tetchy pre-match conference against Bordeaux, some scathing comments post match and maybe its just me, but the pitch side demeanour has gone from passionate motivation to frustration. Pressure anyone?

Utter tosh about SWP though, its always easier to be a bigger fish in a smaller pond.

Bayou,

That be the Coach & Horses LINK

Lovely place. One of few round here with Heineken (that's a lager) on tap. Things get messy when we visit.

The Mail story is an interesting read. Agree that it's a bit harsh on Mikel as he's done o.k this season, but I'd much rather play Essien there, his drive in that role would be second to none. Maybe it's Mikels style, he looks very languid, but Essien's more up-and-at-'em and Mikel seems to plod along. And when he has passing off days, he makes sure they're really bad.

I'm nervous about Sunday. Must win for us, no lose situation for them. They're almost out of it already so there'll be little comeback if they lose. Us on the other hand, well, the inquisition will really begin if we dont get 3 points.

They should be there for the taking, but they'll be playing with a, dare I say it, Chelsea-style seige mentality. Every's against them, club in turmoil etc.

Us. Well, we just can't perform against sides of note. TSSO really needs to show what he can do this week. Although we're fighting against injuries again.

Forgot to add. Nice little win for the youth team last night, at Old Trafford.

There's a bit in the Daily Mail, but can't find a link.

"Chelsea said, for their part, that they wanted to keep me and their offer was still open. No one knows how laughable their offer was and what I deserved."

This sounds remarkably similar to Ashley Cole's infamous 'they only offered by 55k, so I almost crashed my Bentley' line.

Great result for the yoooof - 3-2 at Old Trafford. Could this be the crop?

LINK

I turned off the Pompey game at 2-0! What did I miss!?

PeteW,

LINK

The Daily Mail described Frank Nouble as 'a bull of a striker'. If he's 18 / 19 and that's how he's viewed, maybe we've got a ready made battering ram replacement at the club. Didn't think for one minute he'd be English, had just assumed he was French.

Just a shame he's a youth player and thus will never see the first team.

Typically crap piece from the Daily Heil. Even manages to contradict itself with its last line - having already mentioned Huth, Sinclair and Cole further up - in a bid to score a cheap joke.

As usual, I feel dirty for even visiting their website.

Equally crap piece in the Indie obviously written in anticipation of defeat at Old Trafford. Whoops!

LINK

One or two of you might want to avoid the report in the Guardian, it's far too optimistic.

LINK

'With their first team looking down on everyone else at the top of the Premier League, Chelsea's class of 2008 gave a glimpse into the future last night as they eliminated Manchester United from the FA Youth Cup in this third-round match at Old Trafford.'

If this is the future, then Chelsea can look forward with optimism. United's youngsters still have a thing or two to learn.'

Moan! Whinge! Gnash!

The Indy then include a piece on TSSO being 'thrilled' :

LINK

And in true youth football style "United included......Oliver Gill, the 18-year-old son of David, the club's chief executive."

Reminiscent of everyones youth football experience - kids only getting in because their Dad is Chief Exec / manager / physio / linesman / buys the oranges.

"While Chelsea adopt the technological approach instilled at the club by Jose Mourinho, with their youngsters being afforded the same level of medical, dietary and analytical care as the first team squad, United immerse their youngsters in the virtues of tradition."

Rather than focusing on the broken dreams and lack of opportunity of young footballers, what about a piece covering those doe-eyed media graduates who believing they've broken into the glamour world of sports journalism are despatched to Old Trafford on a cold night to cover a youth game rather than watch Milan down at Pompey.

Unable to hide their bitterness they then turn in biased, partial and ill informed bits of tat, their evening made worse by the fact that the evil empire of molly-coddled foreigners triumphs over those brave local boys.

Boys who having just put in an 18 hour shift at the mill, pause briefly to wheel dads bike up the cobbled hill so he doesn't have to walk home after consuming 93 pints of bitter in the pub, grab a crust of stale hovis, pack their boots and live all our boyhood dreams of turning out for United.

Thanks PetwW for keeping us up to date on the Youth front. Interesting how none of them bothered to mention we were finalists last year. Do you think we'll now go out to Port Vale as in years gone by or are they more of the real deal?

Talking of Pompey, I watched the game last night and unless Sheva was caught behind the stand with a large can of accelerant and a box of matches then he didn't light the place up as far as I could see.

I have some sympathy with Gallas in that I beleive there has been a problem in recent years with some players getting ever larger contracts while others are left behind. I seem to remember being somewhat surprised at the gap between Carvalho and Terry in terms of remuneration. That's not to decry JT's contribution, but perceived unfairness in salary can lead to unrest.

Bayou,

On the Sheva front, all I can say is that he seems to have lost a yard of pace SINCE leaving us.

Added to the yard of pace he lost once he joined us, and he now looks as mobile as a tug-boat sailing upstream. Against the wind. In a sea of treacle. Frozen treacle. Covered in concrete. That's set really hard.

You get the picture.

Still, no doubt he and / or Pizarro will be back with avengance next season as we have no money to buy anyone else, and the youth / reserve team options appear some way from TSSO's thoughts.....

Gallas - great defender (a couple of years ago), poor human being. Has engineered his own departure from every club he's been at and Arsenal look like they will suffer the same fate. Salary issue is certainly a point for those in charge to think about in terms of the difference between the likes of JT and others, but can you really expect to be at the top of the earnings pile when you wander off on international duty and bitch about what is wrong with your team with monotonous regularity?

Sheva can't have got any slower, surely? If the tortoises of the Galapagos islands get Serie A / UEFA Cup coverage, they must take the piss out of him for his lack of pace.

@ KJ11

(embarrassed cough) So you wont be contributing to my collection for the "Lets try a bit of spit and polish on the tarnished name that is W Gallas" then......

Yes he was one of the arch exponenets of the mis-quote in the French press syndrome.

(shuffles off, head down, suitably admonished as he leaves the headmaster's study...)

Lazio swoop for Ivanovic Saturday 29 November, 2008

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

There are strong reports that Lazio have struck a deal to bring in Chelsea youngster Branislav Ivanovic in January.

The 24-year-old Serb defender had already been heavily linked with Juventus and Milan over the summer, but has a new Serie A suitor.


According to the Corriere dello Sport, the ‘big signing’ that President Claudio Lotito pledged for the mid-season transfer window is Ivanovic

@ Evillynn 58....

Interesting report.... I would be quite surprised if it is true, but perhaps they feel that the scouting system, which has been under pressure might get a bit more credit if Mancienne returns from loan and becomes part of the first team squad.

Surprising that Ivanovic has been linked with a move away. After all he's had a run in the side and has looked great. Why would we get rid of a young, versatile and quick defender who can play at RB and CB? Wouldn't it be more logical to sell Alex if we wanted to find room for Mancienne?

I am a CFC fan myself but am completely surprised at the way chelsea played and am thankful that we even got a point. Gourcuff's turn and shot were amazing and that summed up how well bordeaux were playing.

Obi alone is not going to suffice against the sleek gunners!
I would stick tackling Alex alongside him.

chech
bosingwa,Terry,Evans,Bridge(i loathe cashly)
Frank,Alex,Obi
Deco,Anelka,Malouda
___________________________________________________________________________
and possible lineups Possible starting XIs: LINK

Chelsea: Cech, Bosingwa, Terry, Alex, A Cole, [Mikel, Ballack, Lampard,]**** Deco, Malouda, Anelka.
***doesn't work!

Arsenal: Almunia, Sagna, Gallas, Silvestre, Clichy, Nasri, Denilson, Fabregas, Diaby, van Persie, Adebayor.
____________________________________________________________________________
Am i the only one against [Mikel, Ballack, Lampard,] ?

well........... yet again we could not hold the score and can not capitalize on our lead.

Yet another abysmal display,am I allowed to start panicking now.Stoch was only on the bench because we had no other fit players.There is something seriously wrong at Chelsea and some of the regular posters on here need to realise it sooner rather than later.I feel sorry for Scolari,he has no options left to him to change any game and it's about time that the smarmy,grinning Kenyon comes out and admits that we need to add some pace and flair to our depleted squad.The EUEFA Cup is starting to loom on the horizon because there is NO guarantee that we will beat CFR Cluj.

Oh how i'm looking forward to tomorrow's headlines. A simple fact: Scolari is simply not good enough in the biggest games. He was outsmarted by Fergie, Rafa, Spaletti and now Wenger. A coincidence that we're awful in every difficult game? No way. His tactics were wrong, again. 1 shot on target the whole match and he decided to sit on a 1-0 lead after half time. We all know that you can't win anything if you can't beat the best sides. It was an awful display but i can take solace from the fact that my opinion of Scolari has been well and truly confirmed.

****. how many shots on goal after arsenal's second goal? none. not even a single decent attempt.

I think people will start thinking about Jose Mourinho
What's about the record?
Scolari's rubbish!!!!!!!!! lol :P

WTF happened there then?????!!!!!! >:((

For those who feel inclined feel free ;-) LINK

Glad some people think it's funny that the club is in a mess both on and off the field.Can someone name one positive thing that happened on the pitch today?

Get a grip Lynn club in a mess? bloody hell I've heard it all now

@LOLLI

As usual the same people will tell us to calm down and all is well,we're top of the league etc,etc.
Anyone with even the slightest knowledge of football can realsie that there's something not right at Chelsea.We can blame injuries of course,but the simple fact is that we haven't got any pace in midfield or attack and everyone refuses to admit it.If this was Grant getting these results and performances,everyone would be calling for his head but I feel sorry for Scolari to some extent because we have no Plan B.That his not his fault,he told Kenyon we needed something different but his request wasn't delivered.
Why can't some of the usual suspect bloggers on here stop trying to ridicule the fans who are genuinely concerned and upset about what is happening at Chelsea.

@CLIVE
If we're not financially in a mess,what happened to the £30 million we had to spend on Robinho?
Somehow now we have no money unless we sell a player or two,so where's that money gone?

God I give up, time to take early retirement I think.

Clive - Have a(nother) glass of wine/beer/whatever, that's what I'm doing. I'm going to cogitate on this result before posting the report - that's if I don't pass out first.

I thought we played really well for the first hour, then the same old problems that have been haunting us all season reared their head. (There's your report - I might leave it at that and drink myself into a post-defeat drunken stupor.)

It's blindingly obvious to all those who aren't eternal optimists that this side will win nothing this season at this rate. Our only 'chance' was an own goal, we had one shot on target the whole match and after they scored twice in 2 minutes we had absolutely no response. As Ruud Gullit said after the game: "Chelsea created nothing the whole game." Scolari was visibly angry and annoyed after the game and he put the blame on the ref and the linesman, but it could be a little insight into how the pressure is getting to him. It's not too early to say that our game against Cluj is vital for Phil to keep his job. That's not an overreaction, because if we go out, Phil will be shown the door.

But on today's performance, i wasn't even shocked that we were awful. I was half expecting a defeat, simply because most managers are able to outsmart Phil in the big games. Defend deep to stop Anelka and have two hard working full backs to counter Bosingwa and Cole. After that and our side has 0 ideas. We saw it today. Can anyone describe a chance we created? Can anyone say when we started the onslaught when we went 2-1 down? Can anyone remember a chance we created against Liverpool? Or Spurs, or Roma away or Utd at home. We are rapidly turning into a side who can easily demolish crap teams yet we are completely stumped against the better teams. It's even got worse lately becasue even bad teams who are well organised can stop us (Newcastle, Bordeaux, Cluj).

People will say i'm panicking. But it's not a panic to say that this side will win nothing whilst playing like this. We shouldn't underestimate how ruthless Roman can be. He gave his best mate Avram a job last year despite our misgivings and yet he sacked him 3 days after losing the CL final. As Phil said in his first press conference, if he doesn't win the CL or the PL this year, he'll be out. And at this rate he should think long and hard about how to get us out of this mess or he'll back to Brazil pretty soon.

@HABERDASHERS
Looks like you right mate. Facts are speaking for themselves, so far he could not win any team from the big four.... It all looks grim, dark and gloom..... And by the way we still did not visit any of the big four, we are loosing at home......

Fire Scolari? Bring back José? Something seriously wrong? Come on, people. You don't actually get to go unbeaten at home forever. You don't get to treat the league as your doormat like we did three seasons ago as a matter of right. It's a competitive league. I personally think this is a good thing.

No one around me was in any doubt who was in charge of the game until the equaliser. In fact some Gooner had ended up in the seat next to me and he agreed with me that they looked flat and we looked comfortable.

Then the first goal ... Ivanovic went down loudly (I heard his grunt from my seat up in the East Upper) and it seemed like everyone stopped. Van Arsehole looked offside too. Crappy goal to give up but that happens. The second goal: free kick, knockdown, terrific finish from Van Arsehole. Fairly crummy defending for both goals but I don't think anyone's going to say that either JT or (especially) Ivanovic had a bad game, so no fundamental crisis there.

The problems appear to be further up the pitch. They're real problems but the idea that they represent a deep fundamental issue seems ridiculous. Deco played many wonderful passes and had some great touches but he gets caught in possession a lot and invariably in bad positions. Frank and Herr B ran the show in the first half and the first 15 minutes of the second. Anelka looked much more centre-forwardy. I just can't see the reason for the general Kalou-bashing. He's lightweight (but so is Anelka). He beat the first couple of men *often* today, and though he couldn't find a way through in the box, neither could anyone else, and if we're going to play that way (rather than swinging high balls in to Drogs) then we have to have players who keep trying to thread it in there and make runs: he did, not brilliantly effectively but certainly no worse than Anelka. He go caught offside a lot; again that's part of the deal.

Tactically I didn't see any problems. Fabregas and Nasri were totally anonymous; they'd been taken out of the game by the 4-man midfield. Ivanovic man-marked Adebayor more or less perfectly. Their chances tended to come from errors of surrendering possession unnecessarily, which is hardly Mr Big's fault.

We were, admittedly, terrible for the last 20 minutes. In fact we were terrible as soon as Mikel came off. With no one to hold up play at the back of midfield, everyone ahead kept getting caught in possession. But one can at least see the logic of an attacking substitution at that stage. Malouda was pretty dismal when he came on. Kalou went further forward and more or less never saw the ball; can't blame him. Stoch barely got a touch because the central midfield had disintegrated, because of Mikel's absence.

I'd say the problems are: a lightweight attack; a somewhat casual attitude; too many samey players (Anelka, Malouda, Kalou, Deco, all trying to do similar things); a tendency to lose possession because of trying too hard for the deft touch and the slide-rule pass. Not at all "fundamentally wrong" : just the flip-side of the way Mr Big wants the team to play, plus the absence of Essien and Drogba and Di Santo (who would surely have come on today if he'd been fit).

Not great of course, but I need to be persuaded that there's a crisis.

79@LIMETREEBLOWER

Do you think Di Santo would have made much difference?

one shot on target against a poor arsenal side smells like some kind of problem to me.

technically we didn't even get the ball in the net

when is drogba back??

Its getting frustrating this period...we cant seem to hold our concentration and fighting power for 90 minutes...we played the last 20 minutes like a team that still had the lead, no drive...no power...no passion....no fight...nothing!

We had chances to bury this match in the 1st half but went about the biz lackadaisically...

Lynn...i feel you on the Grant issue...with results like this against the big 3 one cant help but compare both managers...you can imagine the adjectives that would have been used here on AG if he was still at the helms...Just hope the 'smaller' teams dont start having 'ideas' playing against us

Scolari must work on his tactics properly...we seem lost in the last 10-15mins in matches whenever we'r trailing...and that's not the chelsea we know!

Always Blue!

"Deco played many wonderful passes and had some great touches but he gets caught in possession a lot and invariably in bad positions."

Sorry LTB - Deco was fucking shocking today. He cost us posession too many times and his fuck up down the MH end led to their first goal.

"I just can't see the reason for the general Kalou-bashing. He's lightweight (but so is Anelka). He beat the first couple of men *often* today, and though he couldn't find a way through in the box, neither could anyone else,"

Sorry LTB - Kalou stunk the fucking place out again. When he has the chance to pull the trigger he doesn't and usually plays a poor pass to Anelka or someone who isn't there. He doesn't lift his head to see the options. He's had his fucking chance and Sinclair should at least be given the same.

I have a lot to say, but we did Ok for the first hour, the equaliser killed our spirit. The decision to take Obi off for Malouda when 38,000 Chelsea fans could see what a cunt Deco was, was Ranieri-esque in its utter fuckwittery. Deco is a luxury.

All in all, its not crisis time yet, but its fucking close. This season I been to 5 home games. 2 defeats, 2 draws and 1 win. Against the other top 4 sides we gleaned 1 point from 9 at home and ANYONE who thinks we'll get 9 at those grounds is off their trolley.

I also feel for Popeye a bit as he may have been sold a different situation, but to blame Kenyon for today is a bit rash.

We have players who aren't worthy of our first team. Deco, Malouda and Kalou. Malouda's blatant ignoring of Stoch on 3 occasions was outrageous. If Sheva wasn't good enough then neither are Kalou, Malouda or Deco. Fuck 'em off and buy some talent.

I have to go to Arseblog now as I promised I'd give them credit. Fucking teach me to chat to them on a full tank of Guinness.

Ooo, I'd be unhappy about that too. And I'm sure it'll be even more fun when the Gooners start dropping by to comment. Time to get out the Marcus Aurelius?

Cheer up Tony :)

I hate to go on about our flaws but I feel so annoyed im going to

First of all. Anelka great striker but he is not a lone man and he NEEDS more support from midfield and to play with DROGBA. Didier is the perfect partner for Nic. Yes Anelka can look great on his own up front against teams like West Brom and Sunderland but he is isolated against better sides and sometimes gets 1 or 2 half chances a game.

Playing 4-5-1 and trying to constantly attack a team like Arsenal is very difficult. From now on if Didier isnt fit then play either Anelka and Kalou in a 4-4-2 or someone who can support Nic in a 4-4-1-1 preferebly Ballack.

Florent Malouda. Utterly hopeless and thats not the first nor last time I will say that. He gives away the ball so easily its untrue. How Scott Sinclair hasnt been given a chance over this goon is crazy.

Injuries. We have really been missing Riccy and Didier. Without Carvalho JT is never at his best because he has nobody to atone for his errors and help him out when we are exposed on the counter.

At home we just seem to attack attack attack. I cant believe im saying this but we cant we be more like United against City? More patience because the players look knackered some of the time.

Set pieces. Under JM and even Grant we didnt concede hardly any goals here but man how its different until LGF. He needs to sort this out and fast.

3 home defeats so far this season and games that I couldnt have imagined us losing under JM. Why cant we see out games? We have the players to do so.

Has any team ever failed to beat any of the top 4 and still been league champions?

"We have really been missing Riccy and Didier. Without Carvalho JT is never at his best because he has nobody to atone for his errors and help him out when we are exposed on the counter."

Joe, I think thats a tad unfair on JT who did little wrong today, but more so on Ivanovic who is looking a really classy act. he snuffed Adebayor out every time. Riccy might have his work cut out to get back in automatically. I'd go as far to say that I've rarely seen a player with such sublime tackling skills as Ivanovic, and his commitment is superb. Its not my review this week, but if it was he'd be my Man of the Match from a Chelsea perspective.

Thats 11 goals conceded this season, which is hardly defensive Armageddon. The bigger problem is up front, wasted chances, over elaboration, shocking finishing (Frank missed 2 sitters today), poor decision making and hapless twats like the aforementioned Deco, Malouda and the increasingly awful Kalou. I know Kalou has his fans but I'm going to stand my ground on this. He's not good enough. He's had his chance. Time to sell.

Ditto Deco and Malouda - seriously when you see Malouda coming off the bench, do you really think "Fuck me, now we'll see something" like you may have done with Duff or Robben? Does Kalou, whether staring or coming off the bench really compare to Crespo? And can any really compare Deco to GodZola?

Arseblog punishment now complete.They took it quite well, but then they would wouldn't they.

I have never been more angry than I was today leaving the Bridge ;p

I agree with you Tony about Ivanovic, he was absolute class today. There is a reason Arsene brought Bendtner on for Adebayor. Because Ivanovic had him in his pocket.

Deco is class, but he is a luxury as someone has already said. You almost have to have another player on the pitch to help him out when he loses the ball.

Kalou and Malouda are shit, simply not good enough for this level of the game. We need another winger and Joe back fit. Keep them as they are good squad players, that is it.

Anelka is playing better than I thought he would, I think vs the better sides and at home we need to play 4 4 2 and keep it simple.

1/9 points from home, sorry Phil this is not good enough. Avram was better than you.

The simple fact is other than with a Brazil team involving the 2 best players of the generation he has won essentially nothing and it shows.

From 45-60m we were class from 62m to 94m we bottled it and went to pieces.

We were unlucky, should have taken some half-chances (frank certainly missed a few) and killed the game. But JM would not have lost this match.


Lets get Harry from spurs and see how he does :D

@Joe

"Has any team ever failed to beat any of the top 4 and still been league champions?"

I don't think so and for that reason that's why we won't be Champions. And is becoming even more obvious that Roman's dream of winning the CL will not happen this season. If Scolari has been outwitted by Rafa, Fergie and Wenger what hope do you give him against Jose?

Deco today looked lazy and arrogant. He gave the ball away in the centre circle then sat and watched as Van Persie or Fabregas sprung another attack. Kalou was energetic as always but was of no use in attack. As for Malouda; i've defended him after his September and October renaissance but today was one of the worst performances i've EVER seen from a substitute. He came on, did a few pirouettes then blatently ignored Stoch whenever he got the ball. When Malouda took a swing with his right foot and his volley went 10 miles over the bar whilst Stoch was unmarked in front of goal, it was confirmation that he's gone back to his pointless ways. Utterly shit.

But worst of all was the lack of ideas or fight from the team. We controlled the game for an hour and did what? Passed the ball around in pretty triangles yet created 0 chances. Our goal was scored by an Arsenal player and when Van Persie struck twice the team collapsed. Mikel was taken off and our midfield then went AWOL. But for the last half an hour, the whole side looked as if they didn't care. Only JT and Ivanovic showed some fight with some crunching tackles but the rest of the team just went through the motions. Arsenal looked more likely to score a 3rd and when the game finished there wasn't an air of shock or anger around the ground. It was almost a sense of resignation or realisation that this side is no longer a machine, able to ruthlessly shut up shop and grind out vital wins.

We've flattered to deceive yet again and our next 2 games against an in form Bolton and then Cluj will ultimately decide Scolari's fate.

@Benjami

It's harsh to say but since the 2002 World Cup, what has Phil done?

Absolutely nothing is the answer and his tactical flaws are being exposed.

I wonder how many more poor results it'll take until Jose's name starts getting sung around the Bridge? He would NEVER have lost this game and if the defeats to Liverpool and Roma sparked the end of Scolari's honeymoon, then defeat to Arsenal and the result against Cluj could spark the beginning of a backlash.

"1/9 points from home, sorry Phil this is not good enough. Avram was better than you."

Avram got the piss ripped out of him from us. Lets not forget. Grant lost to Barnlsey. Scolari lost to Burnley. Grant failed at home against Blackburn and Wigan among others but he never lost at home. Something that has happened 3 times this season. Maybe AG wasnt such as fool as we all thought. Either that or the Scolari we have isnt the same guy that won the WC with Brazil and KOd England with Portugal.

I'm unwilling to say that Avram wasn't as big a fool as we all thought. But i do agree that we've appointed the Phil who failed with Portugal rather than the Phil who won the World Cup with Brazil. If we had a side with the talent of Rivaldo, Ronaldo and Ronaldinho, all playing at their peak then he'd probably win us the league and CL but the fact we don't means we have to rely on his questionable tactical ability. And don't forget the reason why Portugal lost in Euro 2008; a total inability to defend set pieces. We're starting to see these flaws so the only solution is to bring in 3 world class attackers! The only problem is we're skint and it's a 1 in 1 out transfer policy. I wonder if we can think of 2 or 3 players we'd happily ditch to bring in some new talent?

"Maybe AG wasnt such as fool as we all thought."

Yes he was.

Scolari needs backing though, but shouldn't be immune to criticism. He needs the board to deliver on the promises they made when he took the job. if they don't then I can see him jumping instead of being pushed. He is no-ones puppet, I think we can all agree on that. The blame for today does lie with Scolari, but it also lies with several piss poor players who have delivered fuck all so far and continue to underachieve. Don't talk to me about Drogba, unless he sorts his head out and shows some willingness and positivity (which he didn't do against WBA or Bordeaux, preferring apathy and sulking it seems). We do miss Essien, but as JD and me agreed, its time for some alleged big players to do a stint in the reserves and let the likes of Stoch, Sinclair, Kakuta and Di Santo have a go. Its hard to see how they could do worse really.

@ Habs - We don't always agree but your Malouda verdict is fucking bang on.

@Tony

Totally agree how Scolari needs backing. He only asked for 2 players: Deco and Robinho and we only delivered the cheap one whilst failing to even give Phil a second option instead of Robinho. And now he has to try and find a Robinho type player on a budget of £0. So how much would you get for Kalou and Malouda? £15m between them? So for £15m who could you get who would be a better bet, who wouldn't be cup-tied and would be allowed to leave their club?

I also agree how Scolari will need to take a lot of the blame for recent failings. His pretty football tactic is pointless when we don't have the players to pull it off. It works perfectly when you have the allstar Brazilian team of 2002 but when your attack consists of Anelka, Kalou and Malouda, it doesn't work.

Is Sinclair injured at the moment? I only ask that because our bench today was: Hilario, Bridge, Alex, Miniero, Malouda, Stoch, Paulo. When our problem has been scoring goals why did we go with 4 defensive players, 1 attack minded player and Malouda? If Sinclair can't even make the bench when we're missing Didier, Joe, Di Santo and Essien, when will he EVER make the squad? I won't be surprised to see him loaned out to Watford with Brendan Rodgers.

After watching the kids win in the Youth Cup, why not give a chance to Kakuta. He has pace, great technical ability and reminds me a little bit of Leo Messi. Barca gave him a chance and even though he's a one off and one of the greatest players in Europe, why shouldn't we follow their example and just give him a go? What could he possibly do that could be less effective than Kalou and Malouda?