Featured links for 1st August: Drogba goals, 20 best England defenders
Wednesday, 01 August 07, 03:11 AM · Comments (6)
A few more links that you might enjoy:
- Brondby 0 - 2 Chelsea - Didier Drogba scored twice in what was another unconvincing, tame pre-season game. The first half was dreadful. The majority of the second half wasn't much better. The final 20-25 minutes Chelsea improved and Drogba struck twice, first rising above the Brondby goalkeeper to head in a Glen Johnson cross from the right, then powering a shot past the Danish side's substitute keeper after playing a one-two with Claudio Pizarro. Positives I can recall aside from Drogba: Pizarro gives the impression that he will settle in the Premiership a lot quicker than Andriy Shevchenko (who arguably still hasn't found his feet); and Joe Cole looked sharper. Still, I can't imagine Manchester United are quaking in their boots at the prospect of playing Chelsea in the Charity Shield at Wembley on Sunday.
- The best 20 England defenders - The Daily Telegraph's David Miller picks his 20 best England defenders. John Terry makes it into the list at number 12. "Terry is of that stopper-brand, they-shall-not-pass, occupied by Billy Wright, Maurice Norman, Jack Charlton, Brian Labone, Norman Hunter and Dave Watson. Though not unskilled, and a formidable header of the ball in the opposition's penalty area, Terry lacks, in my opinion, the all-round ability to place him in the top 10."
- Devout followers of managerial cult - An article in the Times newspaper about the cult of fantasy football. "Player lets you down? Sell the bastard, bring in another, selected by means of your managerial gut instinct. You have all the power in the world: until, of course, you start to lose." (If you fancy joining the Chelsea Blog League on the official Chelsea FC Fantasy Football website, the code to join is 2451-185. I'll add a post with more details in the next couple of days.)
- Switch on to the new era of televised football - The Telegraph explains all the options available to UK TV viewers ahead of the new season.
- How to blag being a Chelsea fan - Are you an undercover Sun reporter? Is your name Donal McIntyre? Did you used to support Manchester United but now want to support the Blues as, after all, they are your local team? Are you ignorant of anything about Chelsea before 2002? The Left Back comes to your rescue with a rough guide of what to say so you don't look like a complete ponce at games or in the boozer. "Remember when we had to play in Coventry's kit cos we forgot ours a few seasons back? Yeah, and we lost too and sang, "We're shit, cos we're in your kit"." If you have time read the "Chelsea and Me" section too. It's a great review of life as a Chelsea fan since February 1987.
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Nice work for the second goal against Brondby. Not the most satisfying of pre-season campaigns overall - all the travelling doesn't seem to be a great idea overall.
Not too fussed about Sunday - be nice to put a marker down but we've shown that we're more than a match for United head-to-head when it matters of late. Seem to recall numerous Liverpool "title's ours this season" type taunts after the CS last year - didn't turn out to mean much either way in the big scheme of things - another pre-season friendly in all but name.
Looks like the hideously protracted Carla Tevez saga is nearly over. I hope Kia Joorabchian is cauhgt in Brazil or whereever that arrest warrant is, so he cant peddle his filth in our league again.
And I'd like ManUSA to get dragged into the mire with their involvement in it. Surely the point of a loan is you dont pay - whoever heard of paying £8m to loan a player for 2 years ????
Totally off subject, but something thats brooding within me.
Arjen Robben - here's my verdict - sell him, take the £22m that Real seem happy to pay and go to Valencia and get David Villa.
Any takers?
Not bothered about pre-season games, they're never much of a test really and no-one really plays to the optimum level. Same with Sunday - it's a season opener but means nothing overall and indicates bugger all about the forthcoming year.
If the reports are true and he wants 90k a week to sign a new contract, I can fully understand why Chelsea are reluctant.
Consdidering the possibility that he may well be related to Darren "Sick Note" Anderton, why would Chelsea pay the wages of someone who is likely not to play for over a third of a season.
He gets a lot of money as it is, for spending most of the time getting first class physio and medical treatment.
As much as I like him as a player, exciting and pretty much devastating when fit, and on form, let Real have him.
I think £22 million sounds like we should be biting their hands off!
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Bloody injuries.
I'm not sure who to believe on the current state of JT, but reports are suggesting he'd a big doubt for Sunday, and maybe even the Birmingham game the following week. We're starting the season with a lack of CB's already, with the Alex debacle to continue rolling on.
By all accounts, we lacked a creative spark last night, something that seems to have been missing every game. It's a worry.
I watched the game on Chelsea TV.The 1st half was very poor even by friendly standards.It was eveident that Jose wasn't happy when he pulled off Mikel after 30 mins and replaced him with Pizarro.There was no fluency to the passing,at one point the cameras caught Lampard admonishing himself over yet another bad pass.We were playing better football in America,so is it just a case of "heavy legs"that the pundits on the tv kept stating.Granted Drogba scored two goals but the first one would have been disallowed in the Premier League for contact with the goalie.I'm very concerned that too many of our big players haven't had an even average pre-season.It doesn't bode well for Sunday and if we lose badly it could affect our start to the season and ultimately our challenge for the title.