Champions League: Chelsea 2 - 0 Fenerbahce (agg 3 - 2)

Dare to Dream, boys and girls, Dare to Dream........

An opportunity to avenge previous results ( please feel free to insert your own obligatory joke about being robbed by Scousers here) and with a better chance now the 2nd leg is at home.

The Bison was back at his rampaging best tonight and he didn't seem too disappointed at the booking...... Perhaps the plan was to get it out of the way and have him fresh for the 2nd leg, rather than walk a tight rope during the 1st leg.

We even seemed to defend quite well tonight, and I think the comparisons with the Boro game are a little unfair. Fener were always going to give it everything they had and the lads coped very well on the whole.

As for Carlo's injury.... why does he always get injured when he gets a chance of a run in the side? Still, Hilario isn't a bad 3rd choice at all and is an excellent shot stopper. (In fact we have won all of the 6 games he has played so far this year, according to the broadcast tonight). Hopefully he will learn to kick soon too!

So get your pockets sewn up, because it's Anfield (and Moscow!)here we come.

What is it about that fucking kop end? Liverpool seem to be able to do anything at that end to get to the CL final - the goal that never was, eidur missing from 1 yard out in the last minute and tonight a penalty despite an obvious lack of any tug on babel. I feel sorry for Wenger as without that decision and if they had got a pen at the emirates they would have sailed through and we would have had a much better chance against them than Liverpool. Arsenal can't stand our long ball football to Drogba but Hyypia and Skrtel seem to like heading the ball for a whole game.

As for how it will go... 1st leg i can't see us scoring in any way. Liverpool will most certainly score early (like every semi-final) and i wouldn't be surprised if its a free kick routine akin to last year (Avram probably hasn't seen that game). Avram will go up there and 'keep it tight' hoping for an own goal as our football at present seems hugely impressive for 6 mins and then it deteriorates into a pile of utter shit over the next 84. It is almost worse if we go up there and score early ourselves as our football will worsen and we will awaken that famous 'Kop' probably resulting in a heavy defeat as unlike Afonso Alves, Benjani or Kezman, Torres will be able to finish the chances we seem to be gifting opponents at the moment against a hapless Hilario running out to miss a cross (remember Everton). 2nd leg seems more optimistic. If we are still in the tie at 0-0 or 1-0 down we'll need to have a two gaol lead as again i don't think we can keep a clean sheet. But hey what is specualtion and if it gets to penalties then fuck that. We are probalby the worst team in the football league at penalties. Our keepers can't save them and only Ballack knows how to take one. Look out for Reina ruining the Bridge in a couple of weeks (he maybe a shit keeper but he does his research for pens unlike our lot).

Back to tonight. Lovely header from the classy Ballack but again we seem to think that scraping by for the next hour at 1-0 and inviting presssure onto ourselves is a worthwhile tactic (thanks Avram for this free flowing attacking football - we haven't hear you say that for ages, how we miss it). Still some problems:

1. GK crisis - Hilario can't kick or judge crosses. If liverpool play crouch and use crosses then we are in the shit.
2. Performance - Why can't we score more than 1 in the first half and why don't we close down shots anymore? Jose wouldn't have accepted letting Daveid or let alone 'Stevie fucking G' shoot without a challenge. Our midfield with Maka, Ballack and Lamps has an average age of 32 and a distinct lack of mobility. We need Mikel against Liverpool just so that he can close down and maybe pass the ball (some of the basics being lost form Maka's game in his old age). Drogba's selfishness. I thought in the first leg he may just have been blinkered but seeing him, Essien and an unmarked Lamps run through on goal and him rejecting a pass only to shoot into the defenders legs made me want to sell him now. Replace him with a younger striker who seems interested (he was nearly asleep in the stands against City) and willing to be a team player.
3. Avram - That should sum it up but his subs are baffling. Switching from a 4-3-3 to a 4-1-3-1-2 was strange with the team not knowing what to do for the next 15 mins. In that time Fenerbahce whould have scored and he got away with it again. We hardly touched the ball and Lamps goal had nothing to do with his tactics. And why does he continue to sub on Belletti whilst leaving Paulo in the stands? Belletti is a pile of shit who is slow, can't tackle or defend and seems to enjoy giving away freekicks. At best he desered a 1/10 tonight. Utter bollocks.
4. Belletti!

Oh well the annual Liverpool tie is coming up and it is the end for some. By then we may have lost the league and if we go out then it is goodbye to Avram (hooray). But there are more scenarios: We could go through to the final and win it (oh shit Avram somehow did it) and we have to sit through the next 3 years of him and i even believe that if we get to Moscow and lose, Roman will keep him, just happy that he will appear in his homeland final and that will be then end of the fans dreams to see hime go. For the next few weeks the fans, Avram or both will lose out. Oh joy!

Blimey Habs....

That's a seriously pessimistic opinion of the next few weeks.

Cheer up buddy.... It could be worse, we could be Scousers!

I think there's been a consistency developing lately, start brightly, get an early goal, then let the opposition come back into it and struggle to close out the game with a nervy final period. Tony, I always read your reports and think you've got it about right, and this one is no exception, particularly Frank's disappearing trick till his late goal, which I'd thought along with some stray touches meant an average game for him. I was only able to watch the match on tv with no sound, so it made for an interesting perspective, no biased commentary, and no (muted) crowd noise. It just looks like the team don't really now each other that well at the moment, the fluidity and cohesion is gone, and DD seems bent on a shoot rather than pass mission.

How the hell can I *not* be looking forward to a champion's league semi-final? I so wish it had been the Arse, a gooner friend has admitted that lately they seem to play their passing game but if they're desperate to win then for the last 10 mins revert to the long ball, but the recent league match at the Bridge was a far better match than I expect either of the semis to be. Still, it'll be a sweet moment if we knock them out.

Well here come the positives:

1. Defence - 3 of the back four seem secure with Ricky, J.T and Cole peaking at the right moment.
2. Home record - Still fucking unbeaten. It may be psychological it maybe something else but our home record will get us through against Liverpool and we could even beat ronaldo and his lot.
3. Lamps - He may have been quiet but he still got a gaol and without him look what happens - Barnsely, Boro...
4. Essien - He must be on drugs. Where has this power come from? Turning into a pretty good right winger, if only he could score more.
5. Ballack - He has seemed tired in the league but with some rotation he can be rested and ready to go for Man Utd and Anfield. He is our best free kick taker by a mile (listen up Drogba) and with JT seemingly marked by two men, is our most threatening header of a ball.
6. Kalou - Still can't find consistency but when he is on form he is one of our most dangerous players. 11 goals and 12 assists - if that's kalouless then i'd like to see him when he improves next year.
7. Pitch - Stuggling a bit now but seems amazing compared to the beach we used to have. Maybe it will benefit our free flowing football! rather than Liverpool whose tactic is to lump it forward to Stevie G and Torres hoping for a goal.
8. Another semi-final - we must be the undisputed no. 1 side in London whatever Arsene says.
9. Pretty flags - i've run out of ideas now.

Anyway pretty good on the whole but we can't stop now. Despite getting this far, there are no prizes for coming second - we all know that but i hope AG and RA do.

I think you're being a bit harsh on Makelele! I thought he played quite well, and certainly better than Lampard. Maka also bailed out Carvalho on at least two occasions when Riccy was caught out.

I thought Lampsy was our worst player (until Belletti came on-that was shocking defending). His passing was off all night, and when it wasn't he was totally invisible! Obviously his goal at the end deserves some credit, but I wasn't impressed by him at all. Still a bit sick maybe?

Mmm.. Agree with Habs..

The future is not bright, and I am not burning with optimism's flames when considering the likely outcomes for the CL or Prem - Everton and Newcastle away on respective current form don't look like wins for us, but, I think that will at least force AG out as an impostor, and I look forward to that, getting a proper coach for a true new era at the club.

Agree with Habs..

More so the first one than the second =)

Ummm...Thierry "The tit" Henry is for sale and we are apparently in business!
LINK

Tony- I agree about Joe. Just like Ballackhas played better with the long hair, Joe's never gonna find his form unless he grows it out. Play Malouda until he grows out those beautiful locks! (I mean what...?)

I have to confess I kept my eye more on Arse than I did on our game after Ballack's goal. The only real thing I saw worth noting was Avram's final substitution: Malouda for Joe. Why? At that point we were 1-0 so either take off Joe for Anelka (and push forward for the 2nd to kill it off) or, more likely, bring on Mikel to shore up the midfield for the last few minutes. What in god's name does Malouda bring at that point?

To Anfield we go.

Saw about 2/3 game after the fact which is just as well because watching it live would have done for me. Agree that Essien was terrific, and for once, I was impressed by Kalou who may turn out to be a really good player, but probably won't. I wish we would play more of Mikel for even he doesn't tackle as badly as Makalele does at the moment, and his distribution is far superior.

We used to turn off under JM too. I think all sides do it - look at Arsenal today who were totally dominating for the first 30 mins. However, we are making something of a habit of it, and once turned off, we have the devil of a job to turn back on. We didn't even snap out of it after the break. One wonders what Grant says to them (or rather does not) to fire them up for the second half. At least, Liverpool are not a dominating side like ManU and Stevie G was totally anonymous until his PK - even more so than Frank. They have one really good player - Torres - and if we can close him down, we have a good chance against them. Of course, Hilario against Crouch does tend to even that up but I guess we'll see, but Cech could wear a mask as well as his helmet so maybe that particular battle may not take place. We really might limp to the CL final, and also the Premiership title which even a week ago I could not have thought possible. Sadly that would probably install AG forever. What the heck. if he can win one of the two, I'll not scream for his removal, though I would not be unhappy if he threw in the towel.

We are in the semi-finals of the CL yet again, so realistically we really can't complain too much about this season though some silverware would be nice.

The last time we had Hilario in defence, we were missing JT and some other players i suppose. If we can continue to have our back 4 intact, i think damage can be reduced alot. I just hope that Carlo can be ready for the Everton game at least.

Spot on post from Habs. It is so odd, and depressing we are in such a good position in the two big competitions, but there is no sense of excitement.
It it because:
a) It's the prospect of another 180 minutes of utter tedium against those screeching thieves.
b) We're all quite honest, and know that we've not been a patch on the 2004/05 and 05/06 teams, so are no way good enough to win either.
c) Knowing that a win in either win mean years of Grant and the club doing a Leeds-like nosedive, so it's just too painful to watch.
d) Checking moss growth on the front lawn is more inspiring than our manager's tactical acumen, so many have gone to do that instead.

As a fan in exile, it's very odd. But reports of such a terrible home atmosphere, in even games like this, show a deep undercurrent of unhappiness and anger. Luca lost the players and got sacked. Grant has done that, and the fans too.

Lol. Amusing match report.

I watched this match and I don't think we were that bad. A bit disjointed and sloppy in passing, true, but I tuned into radio fivelive afterwards and everyone was going on about how Chelsea played like a "team of individuals" tonight and I was just like huh? Did anyone seen Arsenal or Manchester Utd at the weekend, after Bendtner and Shrek's equalisers, they each had ONE player come up and celebrate with them. That would never happen at Chelsea, because the players actually like one another.

The Cudicini injury was poop. WHY oh WHY do Cech and Cudicini always have to get injured together? As you said, Hilario's not actually bad at all, but I just don't feel confident with him in goal.

And oh God, another semi with the Scousers. As if the nation didn't hate us enough, there'll be more people boarding the anti-Chelsea bandwagon after both legs, going on about how "boring" we are, and, if we lose, there'll be more than enough gloats about how "money can't buy success" blah blah blah blah.

Anyway. I'm happy with our result yesterday, and hope Arsenal does us a favour this weekend against ManUre,

Happy with the result, even though the game seemed a bit slow. Sick to death that we've got the Scum again in the semi's but at least we go to Anfield first..change of fortune maybe? (hopefully!). Perhaps it WILL be boring but i can cope with that if we beat them, this has got to be our year..surely!

No-one had a particularly amazing game last night but i think J.T was MOTM.

@ BANGO

Lamps our worst player?! How'd you work that one out?! Ok, he produced a few miss kicks but i seen Joey do the same thing more than once. The fella could't stay vertical all night! (i prefer to blame his boots though, rather than a bad game).Frankie set up the first goal beautifully and flawlessly into Ballack, then did what he does best...got another goal! When you look at it that way, we wouldn't even be IN the semi's without him there last night. Think again..WHO was the worst player?..

Great result Chels xxx

And here's to thrashing the Scum!!

I don't see why there's so much pessimism. We've mastered the art of winning unconvincingly.

Our problem is if we score early we struggle to score again within the 90 minutes. I can relate to that.

I thought Kalou was our best player and was disappointed he got substituted.

Having dug deep for the Everton game I've now got to splash out for another trip to Merseyside.

Extremely pleased with the result. I didn't think we were great but we did the job and that's all that matters. Our passing was poor and we kept giving the ball away needlessly in the second half. Of course, that was partly because of Avram's idiotic tactic of switching to a 4-5-1 formation in the middle of the game.

The good?

I think Carvalho was amazing yesterday. He did not look like he was ever going to get beat. The back three of Cole, Terry and Carvalho look really assuring. And like all of you have said, Essien and Ballack were outstanding yesterday. Ballack's passing in the first half was world class and his goal was so timely and oh so crucial. It help settle us I feel. Essien was a live wire. He never stopped running and created so much. And I actually think Malouda helped us a lot when he came on. And Frank, no matter what we say about him, he will still get us 20 goals a season.

The fact that we're in another semi-final is good enough. Hopefully we'll win this time. And it makes me so happy we beat Fenerbahce after all their trash talking about us. Fucking bastards.

The bad?

1. BELLETTI! He had an absolute horrow show! I think I nearly died of a heart attack with his persistent fouling. Thank god Alex' delivery was uncharacteristically poor.

2. The Toad. Switching to a 4-5-1 totally took the momentum away from us and only left us with one outlet up front, Drogba, who in my opinion, did not have a good game. We just kept hoofing it up field but there was nobody there. We kept losing possesion easily and Fenerbahce looked like they were going to get an equaliser. Idiot.

3. Keeper crisis. I dont understand why we are the only football club on this globe whose goalkeepers keep on getting injured. I mean, Hilario had a good game except for one miskick but still, I dont think he inspires confidence into our defence. On the bright side, at least our defence is intact at the moment. Touch wood.

That's pretty much it.

You know what? I feel sad for Wenger cuz Arsenal should have won that tie but I'm glad we Liverpool won it. It's payback time. The key to this tie is that the second leg is at the Bridge. I mean, I'm sick of us having to go to Shitfield in the second leg in the past years. That's why we've lost those semi-finals, especially last years one in the penalty shootout. It's about time we beat them in the Champions League and get to the final at their expense, not vice versa. And who knows, third time lucky?

Personally, I'm pretty confident bout this tie. I mean, the players will really want to get one back on Liverpool. And I think they will be absolutely up for it. Hopefully the Toad does not screw this up. But as I said, with Avram in charge, I live in hope, not expectation.

Hope we win our upcoming games, especially the tricky one against Everton at Goodison.

KEEP THE BLUE FLAG FLYING HIGH

I'm not going to enjoy the next 180 plus mins against Liverpool (unless we win) but surely the law of averages and all that!
As I mentioned earlier perhaps AG's unpredictability in his tactics or lack of, and substitutions, could just throw Rafa. The first leg is the key to this tie, a score draw, or win for us might just do it, when you consider that Liverpool under Senor Tubby have not scored against at the Bridge, can give us some hope.
Of course a penalty shoot out if it comes to that, will have me watching from behind the sofa probably from a neighbours house!

I'll start by saying - Michael Essien is a d*ckhead. What a pointless booking. How petulant.

Performance-wise, same as the others of late. Dull, dull, dross, dull, unispiring, boring, turgid (repeat to fade).

Kalou (I can't believe I'm about to type this) was our best player. He'll be back to normal soon I guess ;-). He was injured, hence coming off, by why on Gods green Earth did AG decide to bring Belletti on at that stage ?? He should have done a straight swap and put Malouda on then, and gone for the second goal, then when the time came for his traditional removal of Joe Cole (seriously, what has Joe done to upset AG that much ??) he should have put Belletti or, in hindsight, anyone else at right back.

To me the right players ended up coming on, but in the wrong order at the wrong time. But maybe that's because I actually have an idea what to do......

I have zero confidence in Hilario. Can't kick, can't punch, he flapped at turning that shot round the post in the second half. The defence will need to perform out of their skin with him behind them (not sure how long Carlo is likely to be out for???).

And so the Scousers again. And another Champions League semi-final. And I'm not excited by it one bit. Being the eternal pessimist, we're going to be the forth best team in the semi finals based on how we're playing. If by some minor act from him upstairs we progress past Liverpool, chances are we'll face Man USA. It would hurt less to lose in the semi's than in the final. IMO we've never been further away from winning it.....

Lamps and JC were tired late in the game and AG had to pull one out...perhaps it was the right decision to take out JC cos Lamps ended up giving us the killer goal...

I was shouting for AG to replace DD with Anelka (as if he could have heard me) 'cos of the latter's selfishness which was putting the team under stress, dont know why DD lasted the whole game, cos he could have cost us the game again with his selfishness...dont think Lamps was fully fit cos he faded into thin air for the major part of the game...was missing when we needed the midfielders to close up space against the marauding turks...

where my ratings differ are:

Essien - 9 (cos he practically carried the team those periods when we went to sleep, he was all over the place and created the 2nd goal)

Drogba - 5 (cos on different occassions he was just plain selfish with the ball when he had players in better positions to pass to)

JT - 8 (cos with the rest of the defence, we were able to shield the keeper from clear 1-on-1 situations)

Lamps - 6 (cos he was virtually anonymous during the match, unlike ballack and he seems to drop his head and shoulders when he loses the ball rather than close up the opponent immediately. Good goal though, cos he could have stamped the ball on the keeper but didnt)

One match at a time...lets just hope the arse would take or share the spoils at old trafford, come this weekend.

Always Blue!

I’ll start by saying - Michael Essien is a d*ckhead. What a pointless booking. How petulant.

@Fifty
I think his booking could well be a blessing in disguise, better it happened now, rather than the second leg of the tie or possibly even the final. As someone else pointed out Stevie Me and Carragher are also on yellows, so a booking for either puts them out for the second leg, so how committed going into the tackles will they be?

Clive,

Maybe. Although he'll probably be replaced by Mikel who wins the 'Worse tackler than Scholes' award, so Essien may replace a suspended Mikel for the second leg I guess.

Riccy tried his best to get sent off with one of his usual kamikaze runs forward, chipping the ball over two players before slightly over-running it and scything the defender down.

Stevie Me and Carragher aren't likely to get booked in the first leg. It would take a referee with sizeable'cajones' to book a home player at Anfield.

Anyone else notice our skipper depart the pitch rather hastily at full-time?? He didn't look too happy for some reason.

Still in two competitions (just). Unlike the Gooners. Seriously, how does that bloke keep his job? Anyone would think that just being 'The Best Young Players in the World TM' was good enough for them. No trophies required.

Stevie Me and Carragher aren’t likely to get booked in the first leg. It would take a referee with sizeable’cajones’ to book a home player at Anfield.

Fifty
I also think that as lucky as Liverpoo are when it comes to the CL, perhaps these two controversial penalty incidents might just work against them. After all UEFA review ref performances and the one picked for our game might not be so generous towards them. And also the other plus is, AG hasn't wound up the powers to be with his remarks before or after games unlike JM, so perhaps just perhaps decisions might just go our way.
Am I clutching at straws? maybe but I'm sure all of us will gratefully accept whatever it takes to beat them.

Tony, think the "we're supposed to be at home" chant was aimed at the manager and players, for sitting back in the second half. Some of the players didn't look that up for it (drogba especially, but Lampard and J Cole also lackadaisical) and Fenerbache were quicker to the ball, though not that dangerous up front. Atmosphere was average, not particularly bad, but not amazing either.

Other interesting chant was when Ballack and Drogba had a tiff about who was going to take a free kick, whole of the Matthew Harding sang "there's only one Michael Ballack". Drogba's the type of player whose sheer vanity may help us win the CL or the PL, but he's difficult to love at times.

Another observation is after belleti came on, everyone seemed baffled about how we were meant to play. After two unsuccessful attempts at an explanation by Avi G (Herbert Lom), I think Steve Clarke or Ten Cate finally told Essien what he was meant to be doing.

I still suspect if we win anything this year it will be down to the sheer bloody-mindedness and will-to-win of the players (including Drogba, but also Ballack, Essien, Lamps, A Cole, Carvallho, Terry, Maka and the rest). Organisationally, unless playing the tried and tested 4-3-3 we really look all over the place - no-one showing for the ball in midfield, etc.

Still, finger's crossed. In a way, I'm glad we've got the mickeys (though sure the rest of the neutral footballing world could have done without it). Hope it doesn't come back to haunt me, but we owe them one.

expect a fewe surprises at OT tonight

Utd can't afford to sit back, even if they rush a half-fit Rio back.
Roma have nothing to lose, and for all their comparative lack of consistency, on the odd occasion they can be very dangerous, even Totti-less. This (and not the first leg) is the game they 're ready to roll their sleeves up for.

I'm pretty confident utd will leak a goal in the first half. Then anything can happen.

I wouldn't be that confident if i was a Barca supporter too.

Remember AG's luck of the Isr-ish :)

He'll get the easiest opponent

We're gonna go through: 1-0 Poo at Anfield; 2-0 us at SB (early goal, crap performance, late Kalou decider)

Jimbo,

"Drogba’s the type of player whose sheer vanity may help us win the CL or the PL, but he’s difficult to love at times."

There was an occassion late in the second half when we broke 3 on 3 and DD was running with the ball. Lampard to the left, and Essien to the right and he chose to try and do it on his own, unsurprisingly losing the ball. He's getting more and more selfish. Almost as if he knows his games in a blue shirt are running out, and he's got to show what we'll miss.

I'm more worried about Riccy's booking tonight than Essien missing the first leg, as Mikel is a more than capable replacement. (Unfortunately, I can't see Avram replacing Maka for him in the first leg. :()

Our defence is getting pretty solid now, as has been pointed out; only our right-back position is up to debate. In my opinion, it should be Ferreira's. However, Riccy is our only centre-back with genuine pace anymore. JT and Alex are fine, but I really don't want to see how they cope against the speed of Fernando Torres, or Ronaldo and Messi in the final.

It's imperative, therefore, that Lord Percy is on his best behaviour from here on in, as I really do not want to watch three hours of dire football just to see us knocked out on penalties to that filth ever again.

What killed us in this competition last year appears to be our same key flaw this year - after going one up, we struggle to deliver the final blow. We should have ended the home leg last season with a two or three-nil lead; we didn't and it ultimately cost us. We've managed to accomplish it against Olympiakos and Fenerbahce - now is our chance to put right three years of previous wrongs in cup competition. I really hope we can do it.

I do not want to see Drogba in Chelsea shirt no more until he is "ready to brake his leg" for the club again

I agree with all the comments about Drogba having a weak game. It was not just that he was selfish, he was also lazy. I counted at least three occasions when players passed the ball into space expecting him to be there, and he had just stopped.

@ Jimbo and Fifty

Yeah, that chant came over clearly on TV. There's obviously no love lost between them and for me Ballack is a much better free kick taker than Drogs, as is Lampard. For me this is Drogba in the shop window stuff. And AG's treatment of Anelka is rubbish - we all know the debate but for me Drogba should be thanked and then sold. and not just him demanding a transfer, put him on the list now and build for the future with Anelka,Villa, Huntelaar and Bentley.

@ Jimbo,

The Herbert Lom comparison is priceless! Can't wait for him to develop a nervous tic and the giggle that goes with it a la Pink Panther...

Again, I cannot understand what Lom's issue with Anelka is. Whenever Nic plays he holds up the ball, terrifies defenders and is totally unselfish PLUS he has a great rapport with the rest of the team. Essien played as though he had a "fuck it" moment and decided to play how he wanted, not as Lom wanted.
His subs, as usual, were hard to fathom and as Fifty said "the right players ended up coming on, but in the wrong order at the wrong time."

I find it hard to criticize our 3rd string keeper - he has always performed decently (just remember last year when Cech & Cudicini were out) and he is THIRD in the hierarchy! Obviously, I would want to have to rely on him but them's the breaks.

And as for playing Liverpool again...there is something wrong with our karma. Can't shake this feeling of dread seeing the semis coming up.

I have come to the conclusion that AG is in fact an unheralded tactical genius. He is so far ahead of his time, that Grand Master Rafa will struggle to decipher the complex mind that is indeed our own Mossad agent.
In addition his deliberate hands off man management policy is a new revolutionary HR strategy designed to accomodate the whims of over paid football players.
Gone is the ethos of teamwork. In, is the new strategy of indivualism & improvisdation, based on the core value of greed. This approach is so contrary to modern day coaching manuals the opposition have failed to counter it. Unless of course the opposition are perennial plodders like Barnsley who have yet to read a Coaching Manual.
Friends, Roman & Chelsea fans hail the Genius of Grant!

Graham - "What the heck. if he can win one of the two, I’ll not scream for his removal, though I would not be unhappy if he threw in the towel."

I never thought of that before. Just maybe that is where this is heading. Win or lose, Grant "voluntarily" steps aside, having "helped out in time of crisis".

Previously I suspected RA would do the volunteering on his behalf, saying "this was my holding pattern all along". But AG throwing in the towel is much tidier, especially if we win something.

I'm still certain he will go, win or lose, because if 40,000 fans at the Bridge can see he's not up to it, RA must be able to.

Graham,

"What the heck. if he can win one of the two, I’ll not scream for his removal, though I would not be unhappy if he threw in the towel."

Interesting one that, although I tend to think if Chelsea win anything this year it will be in spite of AG (maybe more his tactics) and not because of him.

But him 'voluntarily stepping aside' (no doubt with a few million stuffed under the table) is probably the most likely scenario.

Fifty,

Absolutely agree it would be in spite of him. You can't help feel that we've been hanging on by our fingernails and it can't go on, unless player power somehow sees us through. If 40,000 + RA can see it, hopefully Avram can too.

Last night smacked of "I gotta get my sub on *before* they equalise this week" - it was at 57 min (!!). Kalou wasn't injured, seconds before he came off he'd just sprinted down to the far corner chasing a lost cause.

HTC - on your bike too. Bring in Sparky.

guys...
what a heck will we do with goalkeeper?!
how long is cudicini injured.

If we look at things rationally, and take away this "four leaf clover effect" Liverpoo have in the CL, are they a team we should be worrying about? Are they going to worry us on an attacking front, apart from Torres who can be mostly be kept quiet by the top teams perhaps we should look at what Rio and Vidic did to him.
Stevie Me was apparently anonymous again last night as per usual against the top teams, and defensively they're not as solid has they have been in previous years. I don't think any of their current back four would get into our team, even at right back. So as nervous as most of us are with regard yet another possible dumping out at the semi stage, perhaps our boys might want this one a bit more, and spill blood to do it.

The only other alternative is we put up with more high pitched bleating and bragging from our scouser friends about history and class etc etc...

What I hate is that almost nobody seems to think we have a chance against the scum, I recall Clive Tyldsley (Twat) screaming at the top of his voice "ITS LIVERPOOL IN THIS YEARS FINAL OF THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE" What a tool, There is no team that I hate more than Liverpoo and It would be great to see all the scousers that I know after (If) We knocked them out, The injury to Carlo was a shock, I hope he will be back for Everton, It was a decent performence from some, Despite the Middlesborough like situations that Tony claims we were in, I think that they didnt threaten us too much and we had several great moments/Chances ourselves such as when Joe hit the post, Good game, Praying that the home advantage will count against the scum in the CL!

Jack, Fifty: even when Grant took over from JM, it seemed inconceivable to me that he was destined as the 'permanent' manager. Lack of pedigree for one, and the fact he had a board seat and was stepping down rather than up for another. To find a half-way decent replacement in the middle of the season is well-nigh impossible - basically one is looking at a lot of rejects who have already proven their lack of worth (JM is the exception rather than the rule). Much easier to spend the remainder of the season looking for the right man (this does rather assume some degree of intelligence at the highest levels in the club). Of course, one has to go through the motions of making the deal permanent if only to convince the players. Once a team knows that the manager's life is limited, they tend to go to the dogs - on reflection, a bit like Chels is playing at the moment, though the case of Kevin K at Man City a couple of years ago is a better example.

What a story will be if Grant is to succeed where JM failed 2 times. That will be IRONY and not a funny one. And he’s got every chance of doing that

Afternoon all,

Bit late today - the tedium of work...

Reasonable performance overall which (generally) showed that Fenerbahce were really no better than average. The win ugly / unconvincingly thing is fine, but there is a time rapidly approaching - a week in April when we face two fairly shrewd cookies in Fergie and Benitez - when we'll have to be far better than we have been of late.

The delights of another Liverpool semi await - the lack of baggage between the two managers will be a refreshing change, if nothing else, and it might weigh in our favour; Spanish Tubby fancies himself as a bit of a mind games master (he isn't) but Grant seems to have little concern with what anyone else says on that front. The United game in between the home and away legs poses an interesting conundrum if we're still in the PL hunt (Ten Cate will probably be in goal by then given our keeper luck recently). Who knows - maybe we can do it this time? (Sound of breath not being held)

I'm no fan of Grant, but his motivation for the games will be second to none; you've blagged your way into one of the biggest jobs in world football and have an opportunity to stay there in pretty spectacular fashion. Three games and you could be virtually immortal. And it's our best chance to win it since...

*desperately tries to block the Ranieri / Monaco debacle out of his mind*

The Scum may have history CLIVE...class? They lack that in abundance!! S***head Stevie is always anonymous, unless there's a relatively easy free kick or penalty going, then he'll step up to the marker..just to get his name on the scoresheet, see his own name up in lights and to hear the crowd cheering him on. W****r!! Bit like Horse face at Utd really. Just watch that t**t tonight..i HATE him with a passion!! I wish he'd sod off and die!

@ JIMBO

That's it!!!!!!!!!! I've been saying to friends for ages that A.G reminds me of someone and i couldn't think who it was. Herbert Lom! Ha! Ha! Ha! Absolute classic!!!

@ TONY

Totally agree about Anelka. Why did we buy him just to sit on the bench? He's so talented and is a proven, natural goalscorer, yet isn't being given a chance to prove himself to us. (not that he needs to) I personally would've played him last night and admit to being disappointed not to see him in the starting line-up. AGAIN!! What a shame. I feel so sorry for him..

Jonathan - "Three games and you could be virtually immortal."

You think so? I'm not so sure.

A European Cup is one hell of a tick on a football CV - and would Roman get rid of him after that? Unlikely.

Hi all,
What is your general opinion about AG taking both titles? Stay? Leave?

Lolly, Totally agree about Gerrard, Hes anonymous in most big games, But remember the last time we beat the scum, 2-0 in the cup without him then they are completely useless, Hopefully CC will be back for the game against them and our great (at the moment) Center Backs will be able to silence that Girl Torres!

@ JK

I don't rate Gerro at all, never have done. He's the most over-rated player in the Prem and i get sick to death of hearing how he's the best midfielder in the world. Unless ther's a free kick/penalty up for grabs, you don't hear from him. Watch him when he gets the ball..that's the "key word" there..WHEN..(because he's shite at tackles as well), he gives it straight to the opposition. Useless!! And to think a few seasons ago that there were rumours of him possibly coming to Stamford Bridge!! NO THANKYOU!!!!!!!!!!

I only rate Torres. can't stand him but respect him as a player. As i commented in an earlier article though, i wouldn't be upset if i ever saw him wearing a blue shirt! Or Fabregas for that matter.

For the record, can't stand him either!

@ BLUE FROM THE OTHER SIDE

I STILL and always have thought we will win the prem..albeit by a narrow margin.

NO WAY we'll win the Champs.

Herbert will still be here next season.

This will be our finest hour against the scousers!!

Watch Grant destroy them with his tactical genius and awesome motivational skills.

We will be like arsenal on steroids with all the movement and exciting play yet we will have the stamina of max mosely at an orgy.

0-0 at anfield and 3-1 at the bridge.

@ MUNKEY

Are you on drugs?!!!

Hes joking!

@ JK

You never know with him!!!

Apparently, we've been given permission to sign an emergency goalkeeper..

Well, voluntarily going out at the top has it's attractions ....everybody looks good from the board to the dressing room, and everybody is happy from the board to the dressing room to the fans.

For Avram - it would be a case of quitting while you're ahead and going back to the quiet life before those chickens come home to roost.

We've probably got the best squad in the universe and they're pulling us through, but if it breaks up in the summer RA has got £568m on the line, and he's not stupid.

I think it would take a series of blinding tactical masterstrokes to win over the fans - not seen one yet just plenty of the opposite. But no question, now's the time - Everton (a), Liverpool (a), Man Utd (h), Liverpool (h) in 13 days.

Interesting comments from Joe Cole about the CL,

"We should have won it by now," he claimed. "That's what I believe.

"There's no point splitting hairs over things that have happened in the past but the semi-final against Monaco was particularly disappointing - especially the away leg.

"We got beaten by a side we should have overcome. Then you've got the Liverpool game the following season where we were let down by a dubious goal.

"But, as I said, you can't split hairs about this kind of thing. It's all in the past. I believe we've had a final place taken off us on three occasions.

"But the margins between winning and losing at this level are minimal and we really need to focus on how we perform in each game.

"The way I see it, the Champions League is a work in progress at Chelsea. We haven't won it but our record over the last four years stands up against that of any club in Europe in terms of consistency and getting within spitting distance of the final.

"But no-one remembers semi-finalists or losing finalists. They won't remember dodgy goals at Anfield or bad decisions in Monaco."

Cole admits the semi-final stage has been tough on Chelsea in the past, but he is determined to turn-around the stuck record.

"Losing a semi is much worse than losing a final," he said.

"After the final, it is over. Lose a semi and you have to watch the other two teams in the final.

"It is heartbreaking, but that thought also drives us on to get there."

"We've had a lot of injuries this year so to be in the position we're in, to have this kind of run-in, is a remarkable achievement in itself," he added.

"The players who have missed games are still fresh - you've got Michael Ballack, who missed the first half of the season, Frank missed a lot of football, as has JT and Didier.

"They're big players for us and they're fresh, ready and hungry. I think that will give us an edge."

The upside of yet another coma inducing CL semi against Liverpool rather than a very watchable one against Les Arse, is that they now have only the PL title to play for (Ha! Some hope!), so they're gonna give the Mancs one hell of a game on Sunday!

We could well be going to Wigan on Monday with the very real possibility of going joint top, points wise. Then it's just a simple matter of winning ALL our remaining games. :-)

C'MON YOU GOONERS!

What makes you think that Arsenal will do us a favour on sunday? They have absolutley nothing to play for and just got thrashed by the biggest bunch of overrated scumbags on the face of the earth! I dont see them winning, Saying we have nothing to play for in the CL? We have everything to play for, like JD pointed out the next few games are crucial because if Grant can win them then he could stay (I hope he doesnt but if he wins the CL then whos gonna get rid of him) Also we have the advantage of playing them at home, You must be either
1. High or 2. A Liverscum supporter!

I am living in hope that we might just put together 3 great performances during our Big Week of games. Somehow though I don't see it. It struck me that the turgid nature of a lot of our performances are because the players know little else and there's no-one there to show them a different way. What we appear to be seeing are highly talented group of professionals who are playing on auto-pilot and are not thinking creatively about what could be done. It might be a lack of in depth opponent knowledge, something that Mourinho was famous for. Mourinho was renowned for the high level of detail he would give about opponents, which meant that a group of efficient if not creative players worked to a system that produced a highly efficient team ethos and unit. It's almost Germanic in its simplicity but effectiveness. it just seems to me that a ,lot of our team are playing according to memory and not much else.

I just find it baffling how a shite team like the Scum can keep getting to the final (know they haven't got there yet!) of the CL when they can't keep a definite grip on 4th place in the Premiership! How the hell do they do it?! It's not even like they're any good! You can't honestly watch a full Liverscum match without going to sleep or switching the TV over to watch something more interesting! They're so boring! And predictable.

It's so frustrating how the Champs eludes us, is our Holy Grail, yet them scumbags have been there, done that and nicked the bloody t-shirt! More than once as well!

Their squad is nowhere near as classy as ours, has nowhere near our talent, so WHY and WHERE do we keep going wrong?

That's the $60,000 question.....

i don't believe we can progress past liverpool in a cup tie. fa cup and curling cup, anyone...?
i'm still hoping, nevertheless.

Wow! I see Duck Bill's foot is a lot better for the game against Roma tonight. Wasn't that an amazing stroke of good fortune?!

The lying git! There was never anything wrong with him in the first place!!

Until the second goal went in, the mood in the stadium was pretty ugly last night. Having controlled the game perfectly for 25 minutes or so, we somehow dropped the attacking tempo and stopped trying to get round them, despite their defenders being visibly slow, creaky and weak-tackling. The crowd got more and more antsy, and with about 15 minutes to go everyone around me was convinced Fenerwotsit were going to nick one. Despite their obvious inability to get through our defence, we couldn't keep possession, we were letting them come on to us all the time, and it just felt bad. Hence the "we're supposed to be at home" chants: the team was obviously sitting on a 1-0 lead. In the José days we'd have accepted that, and not worried about it because we knew how hard we were to score against. The 4-4s this season, plus the recent unpleasantnesses whenever a set piece ball is hoofed our way, have made us lose that confidence.

I think it was was a worse performance than people here are saying. I'm usually a Kalou supporter but I don't think he was good last night at all. Frank looked very tired, though he defended with a lot of concentration. Belletti was fantastic when he arrived but since the Carling Cup final he's looked awful (my guess is someone told him to stop getting forward and overlapping so much, and he went into a sulk.) Cashley and Riccy both had terrific games, albeit without being tested much. I didn't think Maka was so bad: his ability to pop up in exactly the right place *all* the time really is quite uncanny, even if he no longer guarantees possession the way he did a couple of seasons ago. But apart from the first 20 minutes we were very stale and slow and predictable in attack.

As for facing Liverpoo again -- I'll just sit there in resignation and hope for the best. It would be fab to beat them, but although we're definitely a better team than they are (as the league shows), they match up well against us: Mascherano and Gerrard are tough and energetic midfielders who can pass, which will make it hard for us to control that area, and I'm afraid Crouch is custom-built to exploit our current "issues" with crosses/corners/free kicks; and Torres is just a bloody good player, alas.

Anyway, it's another 90 (plus grimly plausible extra time) of listening to "Fuuuuuuuuuuck off, Chelsea FC, yer ain't got ner 'is-ter-y" again, oh joy oh joy. Oh yes, and the "we woon it faghve taghmes" one, no doubt we'll get plenty of that too, lucky lucky us. It's like that Sartre play about hell where three people are locked in a room together for ever, bitching and sniping at each other, with no way out. I'm not sure I can stand it.

oh forgot to say -- great report, Tony. And your comment above (57) hits the nail on the head, for me. That's just what it looks like.

@ JK.

I assume you're talking to me?...If so, has it sunk in yet, what an utter fool you just made yourself look?

Where the fuck did I say we have nothing to play for in the CL?

You're gonna have to learn to fully understand what you read before you start flaming people, 'cause you're shit at it!

A fit, aggressive and mobile midfield...thats what we need against liverpool...and we should play to WIN in ANTfield!

Thats why i have my fears with the likes of Lamps and Ballack (both are not fighters, especially Lamps...cant see him going for any crunch tackles or winning many 50-50 balls)

They'll likely play us tight...not giving us time on the ball, a strategy thats always worked well when applied against us cos we dont play the quick-pass, mobile game...To beat them, we may have to play the high tempo game or play the tight midfield game with the intent of fast counter attacking play...

Its a tough call, but very much achievable if we approach the game with the right attitude...Tubby does not fight for away goals like most other managers do...he fights for the away win, and that is what we too must do...anything short may not see us through...

I think we'll do them this time...

Always Blue!

LOLLI, I am equally baffled as to why the scum seem to get lucky in the CL, I think they prefer midweek games because they dont look parituarly match fit in the games ive been watching, How many times have you seen them play well for a few succesive games? I hate them with ALL my strength

ALEX I agree about them not really being "fighters" but I think Ballack can play like that if needed, I feel his understanding with Lamps isnt what I could be, Seeing as how Obi will proberbly play in that one or possibly Claude (Only the big games) Makelele Lamps and Ze German may have to do their fair share of tracking back,

I see that McFergie hasnt played that twat Ronaldo or Rooney, maybe hes taking the game against The Arse seriously after all, KTBFFH

I think the key to the Liverpool game would be controlling the midfield. Should we go with Makalele for his experience or Mikel for his physical attributes and basic ball distributions? Or should we use a diamond and play cat and mouse with Shitpool? My vote goes to Makalele for the first leg. If we need to make a change, we can throw everything including the kitchen sink at Stamford Bridge. Right now, we need to rest alot of players and make sure they are all fit. Getting 6 points next week without any injury is key. Time to rotate and make full use of the squad.

play Ricci, terry, A.cole at 3 back, Ballack on the left, lampard, Obi mikel play as a difensive role, essien and Joe Cole, Kalou and Anelka as a striker.. they'll cause a real treat to liverpool... MOSCOW!! here we come.. rise the blue flags!!!!

This is the team I would play against the scum

Cudicini (If fit)

Ferreira Riccy JT A.Cole

Ballack Obi Mikel John (lol) Super Franky

Joe Cole Drogba Nicolas (Big Club) Anelka

I hope we play the following team:

Cech (our doctors are very good and seeing him in a mask akin to Hannibal Lecter would be hilarious. Watch out for that scouse bastard carragher to elbow him in the face).

Paulo (best right back at club) Ricky JT Cole (these 3 are guarenteed their places)

Mikel (take a risk on his mobility and save maka for at home to protect a lead if we have one)
Lamps Ballack

J Cole Anelka Kalou (Away from home we need pace and at the moment drogba doesn't seem able to pass the ball believing that he has the ability to run down the whole field and score - selfish twat).

At home we'll have essien back and if we are losing 2-1 (most likely we will be) then we can go to a 4-4-2 to chase the game.

I still think that Drogba is our big game player. He tend to score in big games like the CC final and the Arsenal game. Had Grant devised a 4-4-2 featuring both Drogba and Anelka, there would be no problem. I say we leave Anelka on the bench and act according to the situation. If its nessecary to play with 1 more striker, bring on Anelka.

Grant is starting to measure up to jose with every game... I will give grant benefit of the doubt that it will take time before we can get to sexy and dominating football.
i actually dont know how we got this far..and in all fairness when TSO won the title Manutd were in crisis(losing beckham and having many youngsters that still needed to mature)
Well done grant you have coped well with your inherited team and the alterations that you have made...okay only anelka have been good.
Lets stop the the grant bashing cause lets face it the man is doing okay

Who agrees that this goal keeper crisis that we have every year must be resolved in next season. I say buy high potential keeper for the future...loan him out and recall him when we get these injuries again.

lets dare to believe that we can win the double this year

According to Sky Sports News, Real Madrid sporting director Predrag Mijatovic was at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday to watch Didier Drogba and after the game it is believed that he spoke to DDs representatives to register their interest!

I hope this is not true but im almost sure it is

Those advocating dropping Drogba for the Semis have completely lost their marbles.

Selfish twat he may be, however he scores goals in big games, time after time! I too like Anelka, but when he has had the opportunities, he hasn't taken his chances to get on the scoresheet. Games like these are made for an ego the size of DD's!

While I will always what Chelsea to win after spending years wishing it was my team in these positions, but it is actually excruciating to watch the way we play under Grant. It is plainly obvious the manager has no idea and is out of touch when he brings on Belletti who has been playing the worst football of any chelsea for a long time.

If by some change the players manage to beat Loserpool over two legs and Man U at the Bridge in the league then amazingly despite Grant's total ineptitude as a manager, team will be in with a chance of a questionable double. I also agree Steve Clarke looks like is working out is travel plans than considering tactics during the game and I am sure Grant doesn't know what the word tactics actually means.

In my opinion it is a testamount to the professional ability of the current crop of players (Dogba aside) and playing on memory from Jose's tactics that is keeping us in these games and getting the scrappy results.

I will still be happy if we make the final and we beat Man U and stay in the race for the league, but these wins won't feel truly deserved and I won't have that buzz and emotional upwelling of pride for the way we won as a team under Jose.

All said and done lets keep the blue flag flying high !

This could be a stroke of luck!..... Grant may be forced to excuse himself from management duties for the 2nd leg Semi against the 'Mickies'

LINK

Steve Clarke, step right up.

Seriously though, whilst I appreciate the sentiments of everyone involved, it cannot even be considered by the board, to allow our manager to sit out the biggest game of the year.

If the date is so important to Avram, it should have been considered before he accepted the job.

If he screws up the semi finals, it will be a triple onslaught from both the isreali and english media. Last but not least, the Chelsea faithfuls.

@ HABS

I like the look of your team choice, that's who i would've chose. As you say Essien will be back for the 2nd leg. That can only be a good thing. Maybe rotate Anelka for Drogba on the return leg at the Bridge? It's plain to see now that Herbert isn't going to play Didier and Nicky together, so i think rotation between those 2 is the best option.

@ JK

Just seen on Sky Sports News that Real have spoken to Didier's reps. They say they've put in an offer of £20million for him. As you say, i think he'll go too. I so hope he doesn't though, i adore him. I find it unbelievable when you hear/read stories of him being unhappy with us (apparently, if rumours are true, he's NEVER been happy with us!), then when you see him on the pitch and post match talks, it always looks the complete opposite..he seems really settled. I don't know what to believe. £20million though? Will that be too good an offer to refuse?....

Good Article from the official website, re Hilario

LINK

You have to love the line describing Liverpool as 'the weakest team in the competition - The Cardiff of the Champions League'. There would be some seriuos high pitched squeaking going on, if their fans happen to stumble across that line!

Yes you have to love that line from Giles, but how accurate it is! We're playing the fourth best team currently (come on Everton) in the Premier League, so hardly the best team in the country. The only real advantage they have is... they will rest key players between now and the tie, which is the norm for a team that is out of the title race by Xmas, or just after.

How I would love Mr Platini to reduce the CL to the top two qualifying only, and then we only have to put up with Liverpool playing their historic European football in the UEFA Cup, that would nearly be as good as us winning silverware every season.

If Madrid want DD, then let him go.

He has been amazing for us, but approaching 30, it needs to be time for someone younger (Huntelaar, Aguero, whatshisface from Valencia). £20m and bye-bye, thanks very much Didier.

I think the outcome of the 'Big 3TM' or whatever Sky will label our games will depend on our goalkeeper. Sky reported last night that we would be able to make an emergency loan signing, which is all well and good, but who the hell is there good enough ?? We wouldn't be able to have anyone who's played in Europe.

A few days off now until the Wigan game on Sultana TV. Another one I wont be able to watch. Fingers crossed for a miracle Cudicini recovery.

I was joking Lolli but i do beleive that Grant is slowly turning a corner and before i get rediculed - lets just wait and see how this turns out.

If he wants to win over the faithful bridge supporters then he has to beat liverpool - people will then give him time.

I want 4-4-2 but we dont have the wingers for this - only cole is consistant - we need a left winger, a right back and a less selfish big man ala torres to play with anelka (on the pitch clive!!)

I hope DD goes - he has been great but mainly if you are happy to play route one - whilst it gave us many points and made defenses play deep we need a striker who can mix it up and that we dont completely rely on for goals. Villa, the dutch chap, torres are these types, comfy playing in a football capacity but can also change it up to play the ugly stuff when needed. The amount of goals we could have scored if DD actually looked up rather than trying to keep curling it into the top corner isnt funny and invites pressure and causes frustration.

I still believe this will be our finest 180 minutes.

Come on the chels

grant is going to be on the pitch for the second leg. the holocaust memorial day is a normal working day in israel, so it's not a reason to stay at home. the times article about "pressure" on grant, from israel is bollocks. as usual, when he is concerned.

If you think we have problems, go here...

LINK

and laugh your socks off!!!

I thot we got the easiest draw in the quarter finals but i changed my mind after seeing Roma over 2 legs...

Fernabahce would have given manure a far better game than that bunch of jokers did!

Interesting...

LINK

The word 'wanker' immediately springs to mind

A Totti-less Roma is generally a far inferior version. The ghost of Jaap Stam clearly haunted their penalty though.

Don't you love Peter Kenyon - whatever I think of Grant, this is exactly the sort of thing that shouldn't be happening; keep your gob shut baldy, and let the man get on with his job.

Tony,

Many other words also spring to mind.

I've never liked the guy. Attracted to our club by his own greed, motivated now he's here by his own greed, football is the furthest thing from his thoughts.

In that sense, a bit like AG.

JD,

Penalty was a cracker. Seriously, you'd have to try really hard to miss the target that badly.

On the keeper front, Sorenson from Villa wouldn't be all bad. Isaaksson from Man City would.

To be honest, I'd take another eight scrappy 2-0 wins this season. We can worry about entertainment next year. But how unlucky are we having to go into the run-in with our third choice keeper. It's crazy.

Talking about 'playing the right way', check out this cracker from the Times.

Is it a parody?

LINK

The penalty was bad, but I really rate De Rossi. If we didn't already have four million tigerish midfielders I'd put him on our 'to do' list.

# 89. Peter · 10th April · 10:27 AM
I really rate De Rossi

rightfully so. the boy's a Roman version of our maka, but

unlike maka, he wears an even uglier face after an ugly foul
unlike maka, he takes (and usually converts) pens
unlike maka, he's young

Sign the elbow-happy rascal and have Maka teach him how to avoid punishment.

88. Peter · 10th April · 10:26 AM
Is it a parody?

More no than yes, it seems

re link on 88

Its good to see someone keeping a sense of proportion in a media world given to hyperbole at the drop of a hat. (Laugh I thought my trousers would never dry)

I found the following info on the hack who wrote it.

Two points stand out. One is that the award may have gone to his head. The second is why did I laugh at the bit about his table tennis medals (Commonwealth no less)? After all I've never won anything


From The Times 19 March 2008 re: The Sports Journalism Awards

"Matthew Syed won the award for Feature Writer of the Year, for articles including his remarkable interview with Zhuang Zedong, the Chinese table-tennis hero who was exiled after finding himself at the forefront of the Cultural Revolution, and his examination of the sanitising revisionism surrounding Muhammad Ali.

Syed, who also holds three Commonwealth Games gold medals for men's singles table tennis, was praised for producing articles that did not conform to the mainstream. “His highly original, investigative journalism throws much new light on world sport, the major players and the everincreasing involvement of high politics and commerce,” one judge said.

This post made me smile :

"Excellent piece. The results will come in time, to reward the manager's devotion to his ideal. Football should be entertaining, and Arsenal provide entertainment (almost) every time they play."

Too right mate. Sod actual success by winning trophies (like us, ManUSA, Liverpool and Pompey / Cardiff soon), as long as the media tell you you're playing attractive football that's all that matters.

"...and Arsenal provide entertainment (almost) every time they play". They sure do. Just look at Gallas' strop at Birmingham. Priceless.

On the De Rossi front, he'd cost loads, and havent we already spent £12m on JOM to become the next Maka. Essien could play there too. We need Van Der Vaart or Modric more than De Rossi.

Fifty, agreed. I just think De Rossi would be a cracking player to have in the Premiership. But a creative midfielder, a winger and two strikers are the priorities

Are we going to get the Mikel money back now we know we've been diddled by the fraudster in Norway? Should never have paid United - it looked like an admission of guilt.

Arsenal's chief groundsman was seen planting potatoes at the Emirates stadium yesterday.

A spokesman for the Gunners said; "It's so we have something to lift at the end of the season"

c/o Fifty Snr.

JD (86), don't you think that punctures the prospects of immortality?

I wonder why PK says this now - we have a PR blitz simultaneously pushing the Holocaust, then AG saying Chelsea were shit and he's saved us, then PK saying AG hasn't improved the style, then Lampard saying in the Guardian that the results are down to the squad and their togetherness while things off the pitch were out of their control.

Shake all that up, tip it out, and what have you got? Don't know really, but you could argue that it resembles ground preparation for AGs departure.

Somehow i think that theres more to Mikel's abilities. He started off as an offensive midfielder. If we can get him to improve his passing range and be more creative, he can become as cultured as Pirlo. If Mikel can pass and distribute the ball like he used to for the U-17 team a few years back, we dont need Van Der Vaart, Modric or Diego. He's something like a defensive playmaker who sits deep and spray passes. I hope the coaching staff can work on that. Mikel should also take the initiative and show how good his creativity can get.

For me, we need a left/right winger and a right back (Rafinha, Lahm, Bosingwa and Dani Alves). The entire right flank is in a crisis!

Sounds like a typical day at the Chelsea big top of cock-ups, back-stabbing and arse-covering.

I think Mikel is learning the defensive role and will add a more progressive passing range when he's comfortable playing so deep. He has a lot to offer - remember the Cup final where he dominated the United midfield of Scholes and Carrick and caused havoc when he started to move further up the pitch.

He's a completely different sort of player to Maka and there's no point trying to turn him into a carbon copy. The only player comparable to Maka in the Prem is Mascherano; Mikel is more like a better Alonso or Carrick.

I think the main culprit for all these disputes since last season is the continental structure of the management and Roman's inteference. We have 'too many' people to run the club from the first team to the youth academy.

But i believe about 33.333% of all these nonsense will stop if we can get a decent and proven manager who is big enough for Chelsea on paper at least.

#98

Does that mean we will only see him pass like Pirlo until he learns to tackle like Makalele? LOL

# 96. Jang · 10th April · 12:21 PM
For me, we need a right back

Lazio's Behrami is growing up nice. Lazio being in financial doldrums would possibly result in a reasonably low price tag too.

The word ‘wanker’ immediately springs to mind

@Tony
Is that aimed at PK or AG, because as much as I think PK is a devious bastard, he is only RA's mouthpiece at the end of the day. I'll stick up for him here and state he knew all along AG wasn't going to take the club forward, his demeanour on the day of AG'S appointment spoke volumes about what he really thought. He may be a money grabbing mercenary, and who wouldn't be in his position, but he's not stupid.

Bluetone i agree Behrami is a very good prospect.

We need 3 strikers!! If we sell DD then Pizarro and Shev (who looks on his way out) are all we have to play with anelka. We need a big'un and a poacher so we can mix it up depending on the opposition and then a very good youngster although di santos might cover that - i dont know how he is playing for the reserves.

We then require a left winger - j cole is fine on the right and can play either side - so one more as cover is needed although again scott sinclair could take that role.

Right back is the hole - we havent got it right for a while, ferrera, belletti, johnson!

Then, once that is complete we can go for a sexy playmaker to work with lamps or ballack (whoever is on form).

All that is left is a manager then.

I think gobshite (kenyon) needs to get to work now as that is one big list if we are going to battle man u next year. If the rumours are true and Dubai take over then Liverpool will spend and arsenal will be in the market for a few good young players having not won anything for 3 years.

Sidwell, Ben haim, Pizzarro, malouda, wright-phillips, belletti, AG and kalou can all go!!

I think Kalou is going to mature into a very good player. He's showing signs of it this season. Plus, he can play either wing and is a menace as a striker. Anyone see his goal against Nigeria in the AFC?

I'd hang on to Sidwell, Malouda, Belletti and Kalou, and shift Shevchenko. All are good players to have in the squad at the very least. If we can get 10m for SWP take it, we don't need Ben Haim and we should try and trade up on Pizarro and Shevchenko.

Why's Ferreira fallen out of favour again? He's been fine this season.

Re: Ferreira.

Todays gossip column on the BBC site mentions Rangers fans in Lisbon helping with medical treatment as he passed out. I havent seen any other mention of it, but doesn't sound too good.

A lot of the movement in and out this summer will depend on who is in charge. If it's still AG, I can see a lot of people going, and not many coming.

I think Pizarro and Sheva are definites to leave, and maybe DD. I'd honestly give Sinclair a chance, maybe Di Santo, but we definitely need to be in the market for Villa / Huntelaar / Aguero etc - someone of that stature.

Striker has to be priority, then a winger or creative midfielder. And then Philip Lahm at RB.

Jack (97)

It probably does - but this was my main issue with the Mourinho departure; it's the ridiculously poor way in which the club handles things that does us no favours. Kenyon cropping up and making "of course, we need to win the European Cup / we need to play stylishly blah de blah..." statements, stories which hardly help the manager 'appearing' in the press etc. Whoever is in charge, leave the poor f**ker to get on with his job.

JD - maybe the first out the door in the summer should be Simon Greenberg ...

JD - maybe the first out the door in the summer should be Simon Greenberg …

No disagreement from me there. Although the narrative around Chelsea won't be healthy whilst we continue to act like we do and the hacks will feed off it - very little Greenberg (or anyone else) can do in terms of the way we are portrayed in the media all the while Kenyon keeps feeding them the way he does.

I agree with JD. Kenyon appearing to give a speech to the press every now and then only results in belitting the Manager. Why does he do it? Is it to show how much authority he has? Tosser!

There's too many chiefs at Chelsea, not enough Indians..

Definitely get rid of Sick note Sheva..he HAS to be the first one to get the boot. Can't believe how excited AC Milan and their fans are at the prospect of getting him back! They're welcome to the waste of space! Mind you, he did play well for them, getting over 125 goals in the 7 years he was there..he's been totally useless here though...i'll quickly forget him. In fact, i already have!!

Also send Pizarro, Sidwell, (MAYBE) Malouda and TBH packing..not sure about getting rid of SWP, Kalou or Belleti though as some have suggested. SWP and Kalou in particular have each given us sparks of brilliance at times. I believe we should play SWP more but perhaps in midfield to get the best out of him. Give him a break guys! Kalou...i can't say that much bad about him and he scores goals which is what matters. Belleti's had a few bad games recently but should we write everyone off because they have a few bad games?

Those 3 (SWP, Belleti and Kalou) don't get enough playing time to improve their game IMO...

P.S Has anyone seen the story in today's papers about someone hiring "gangsters" in Liverpool(?!) to do a kneecap job on Stevie G?

I'm not guilty....

Which one of you lot is it?!....

Lolli,

You know for a fact that as soon as Sheva pulls on that Milan jersey he'll be banging them in. We all do. He's been absolute bobbins in his time at Chelsea (admittedly, with limited opportunities at times) but he'll soon rediscover his form.

As will Pizarro wherever he goes.

Maybe we should get Eidur back. I'd welcome that as a signing.

Fifty,
judging by Milan, Inter and Roma's performances in this year's CL, that says more about about Serie A than it does about Sheva.

I agree, but there is something so characteristically clumsy about these things that makes it all look orchestrated by the hapless SG (mind you, I suppose he is being forced to work with a nigh on impossible mandate).

Every press conference it used to be the same bollocks - "we played good football" - patently untrue but designed to sever the link with JM. After months of that, they finally realise nobody believes them so they switch to "how far we have come under AG because he took over with the club in a mess". Cover is provided by the sympathetic Holocaust stuff, and PK puts his hands up and says OK, OK the football is crap after all.

It smells a bit like a change of direction is in the offing, and they need to cover their arses if AG actually does the incredible and oversees the winning of a trophy.

#109

Spot on mate. We need a right back as good as Phillip Lahm. I think Dani Alves is overpriced so he's out of the question. I suggest we go for the cheaper alternatives yet can yield almost the same effects:

1) Phillip Lahm
2) Marcio Rafihna
3) Jose Bosingwa
4) Behrami??? The lads just mentioned

Outs: Belletti, TBH - Is worrying that both of them can't defend for defenders
Sidwell, SWP, Malouda (All of them too slow and technically poor)
Maka to retire? (Will give Mikel a chance)
Pizarro, Sheva, Drogba (All of them don't seem interested and Drogba seems to be losing his pace like Sheva did. If we can get 25m then accept the deal)
Avram!

Ins: A right back is a must: Alves, Lahm, Richards (all attacking RBs who can also tackle unlike Belletti)
A more mobile and creative midfield as our average age is getting near 30 now: Van der Vaart, Modric, Bentley
Some pacy wingers to return to the days of robben: ashley young, scott sinclair, samir nasri
We need technically gifted strikers to replace the 3 leaving: benzema, huntelaar, villa, aguero (he's good enough to replace zola)
Dream signing: If RA wants to appease the fans and MIlan don't get Mourinho then why not Kaka. Stranger things have happened (e.g. hiring Avram)
Manager: Anyone with a presence who can make a good sub: Laudrup, Rijkaard, M Hughes

And forgot to mention how we'll have Ivanovic to replace TBH. He'll either be the next Vidic or the next Boulahrouz.

@ HABS

Not the next Vidic, its Carvalho's Clone. =)

I dont see SWP as a chelsea player - he hasnt got the consistency to be at our level - he has tried to knuckle down and get there under both TSO and AG but just hasnt cut it.

Belletti - he is long in the tooth and cant defend, all he can do is shoot!! He has to go - to keep him is pointless - lets be honest if he was that good why did barca let him go!!

Kalou - yes he COULD become good but for me he hasnt made the strides forward that we need. He cant shoot and he isnt that great a crosser so for those reasons i dont see why we should keep him - maybe as a sub but he is not first team calibre.

We should have bought tevez. Di Santos, Anelka, Tevez and one of Villa / Huntelaar / Aguero / Benzema would be great.

Emergency loan keepers: Ben Foster would be a better bet than Sorensen. Maybe Kenyon can use his Man U links to get him.

Also maybe we should take a punt on Mickey Owen. If all we need is a guarenteed finisher i hate to say it but he seems to score wherever he goes, he seems to peaking now for Newcastle just in time for our visit. Oh joy.

Interesting point about Owen, Habs, although you never know when those knees of his are going to give way again. Amazed at the stat about his recent Newcastle form though - scored for 4 games in a row for the first time since 2001 - you forget just how long he's been around for and he's still only 28. Although it would presumably be a Sheva-esque wage packet too.

LINK

I wonder why Lenny is an 'ex' Chelsea player.

Oh, 10 Jagermeisters in a row. Legend. Chanelle and Chantelle from Big Brother ??? Did we let Ashley pick the women ???

Habs,

Could you really see Fergie agreeing to us borrowing a Man U keeper to then keep them at bay in a Champs League final? Didn't think so.

Frank Lampard talks about just getting to the final, and says that the players aren't thinking about 'revenge'. Not so on this board, where everyone is almost as hostile towards Liverpool as they are towards Avram Grant.

Lets just say this. We won fair and square. It wasn't pretty but its better to be here talking about another CL semi-final that to not be here.
Ditto Liverpool, who scored 5 goals against Arsenal over too legs. not bad stuff.

None of Liverpools fans will be complaining that they didn't play Arsenals 'exquisite' football. Little passing triangles get you nowhere. You need to score goals and not concede. Thats football, and Grant is doing a bloody good job.

Lets get behind him and the team. The semi might not have as much free-flowing football as the Mancs-Barca game, but if it has got as much excitement, intrigue and controversy as our previosu semis then once again football will eb the winner.

Lets just hope Chelsea are the winners too.

Munkeyfeet, Kalou has over 12 goals and 13 assists, Selling him would be just about the dumbest thing since replaced The Special One with Avram Grant!

Lets just hope Chelsea are the winners too.

I think everyone wants us to beat the Poo, and to coin that famous supermarket phrase, "Every little helps"

LINK

what happen to ivanovic?? i would loved to see him play alongside terry/riccy/alex instead of ben haim

JK - I wouldnt go that far!!

That is better than i thought in all honesty. I still dont think he is first team calibre right now though! With him on the pitch you dont think to yourself "oh the other team are in trouble now" - i guess my point is that there are better wingers and better forwards out there.


Chelsea
Apps As sub Goals Yellow Red
Total (Club) 42 (13) 11 1 0
League 27 (6) 7 1 0
FA Cup 3 (1) 1 0 0
League Cup 4 (2) 2 0 0
European/Others 8 (4) 1 0 0

He is the same age as ronaldo, 2 years older than messi, 1 year older then Nani.