League Cup: Chelsea 4 - 3 Leicester City

Avram has passed the test...

Character
Ambition
Skill
Style
Passion
Heart
Consistency
etc
etc
etc

if you did watch last night's match you would pass him as well... We have never played like this under JM NEVER!

NA NA NA NA
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AVRAM
(CAN'T TOUCH THIS - MC HAMMER)

bUT DO SING IT SLOWLY PLEASE

AM IN HEAVEN!

Fantastic spectacle, fantastic atmosphere. This is how fans are made. Took my daughter again last night, following City on Saturday, and as a young supporter it's games like these that create memories and build your enthusiasm for football.

As for the game it was crazy end to end stuff. We made Leicester look a notch above Man City and it's clear that our depth of squad isn’t all that because some of the 2nd 11 definitely weakened the team.

1. Carlo - didn't come out for crosses and created uncertainty
2. Ben Haim - he ‘aint no Terry or Ricky
3. Sidwell - keeps going backwards not forwards and his hair clashed badly with the Leicester shirts
4. Sinclair – naïve
5. Shevvy – didn’t realize he was playing until he scored. To be fair he took his goal brilliantly and 2 in 2 games is Greavsie type stats
6. SWP – no end product. I find it hard to criticize SWP because you can’t help but like his happy smiley character, work-rate and bravery but Avram is right to leave hime out the first 11

Pizarro was better and was involved in a couple of great moves – deserved a goal.

goals:

LINK

Just noticed this at the end of the Guardian article

"I think 1-0 is a good score, but 4-3 is better." said Avram.

That's an interesting question. Don't know if you can do polls on this blog but it would be interesting to get a vote on this point.

This is exactly what israeli soccer fans are used to seeing from Avram Grant. These Lucky, Crazy, Last minute goals are his trademark and seem to follow him wherever he goes...

It's classic vintage Grant. get used to it... :)

Wenger-style, I can't comment on the game because I didn't see it.

But I'd agree that 4-3 is better than 1-0, at least from a fan's eye view.

As an indication of how good the team is, though, I don't know. It reminds me of Keegan's Newcastle. Everybody loved them but they won nothing and ended up falling to bits. Concede lots, score more is fun to watch, but you feel like the better teams won't let you get away with it.

We have fantastic defenders and in the Makalele role we have ... Makalele. Is it a good idea to accept that letting in two goals a game is normal?

Avram has passed the test…

Character
Ambition
Skill
Style
Passion
Heart
Consistency
etc
etc
etc

Trophies?

Haha Mr. Dyer, quite uncalled for there. I mean a very true comment but then again this season, who has a trophy? Look at it this way, we're still on course for four.......just about!

'We have never played like this under JM NEVER!'

It's certainly true that a Mourinho side would be very unlikely to concede three goals at home to a pisspoor managerless championship side, but personally I'm not sure that's such a good thing.

Of course, if we're talking thrilling end-to-end matches against quality opposition, there was a handful of matches against Barcelona and last year's equally shambolic but pretty entertaining cup game against Spurs and half-a-dozen others besides - but only the terminally stupid or deliberately dishonest would forget about them to try to prove a point, surely?

Good to see Lampard playing so brilliantly - he really is a different class. What kind of fly-by-night, half-hearted, lickspittle supporter would ever have doubted him?

But the Carlo, Alex, Ben Haim combo- shudder... also a shame SWP has had all the confidence he'd regained at the start of the season knocked out of him again.

January shopping list: a new CB and CF - but please not Ronaldinho.

I would rather Avram passed the UEFA Pro test than yours, Jose, I have a feeling it would mean so much more...

I was in the Matthew Harding Lower last night and the atmosphere was absolutely brilliant. The whole game felt like a rollercoaster, with everything in it which modern football has to offer.
Anyway, I was quite disappointed by Cudicini's performance especially by his lack to leave the goal line when necessary.
Ben Haim wasn't really convincing as well, I think he lost nearly every 1on1 in the air against Leicester's tall striker.
Apart from that, Lampard was absolutely fantastic again and Sinclair did a good job but he needs to calm down and use his brain when getting the ball.....reminds me a bit of Kalou.

Anyway, for just 20 quid it was a night to remember. Pure adrenaline!

Re Peters comment "a shame SWP has had all the confidence he’d regained at the start of the season knocked out of him again."

But was he any better when he was confident. Has much ever resulted from his runs down the wing? Apart from his brilliant cross converted by Crespo I can't think of much.

He started the season looking pretty potent and sheer pace always scares the opposition, but now he just looks limp.

Incidentally, on the 'is it better to win 4-3 than 1-0' question, it's interesting to read Lampard's thoughts on the subject in today's Standard. Can't find it online unfortunately.

IT's better to win 4-3 then 1-0!!!

I think it's better to win 4-0! Ben Hiam was glued to the turf, he's so flat footed, hardly got off the ground for the first goal. Carlo played terrible, he looked very indecisive. And the Liecster keeper was terrible aswell! I think he made old man Shevy look good.

K/T/B/F/F/H

I went to the game with my mate, his daughter and friend, both 13/14. Totally agree with everyone who has said that in terms of a great night out and building the support base it was a triumph.

I haven't had such a fun outing to the bridge since, er well, since Jose arrived actually! The kids were on a high when we left and that was great to see.

However.......

Our defence was truly awful without Cech, JT and Carvalho we were Championship standard at the back and Leicester exposed that. If we want to play 'sexy football' then we need more strength in defence otherwise we will get a hiding sooner or later.

SWP was back to his old inconsistent self and I think we either need to play him regularly or sell him. Rotating him just does not work. I also thought Pizarro was pretty ineffectual and I worry about where the goals will come from when Drogs and Kalou are at the African Cup.

On the plus side Lampard was absolutely brilliant in all respects and stood out as the best player on the pitch for the whole game. I have been disappointed in him in the last season but my personal theory is that he plays too much football and his injury layoff may have helped to get his edge back - let's hope he keeps it.

I actually thought Sheva was pretty good and I can't agree with Mark that he was invisible until he scored. As always he worked hard for the team and got a great goal. It would just be nice if he could do that in the EPL and CL as well!

Sinclair did pretty well and was much involved, but he is not the finished article yet by any means. Sidwell also stood out - man, even from the West Upper that hair is lairy!

Didn't get to see or hear any of the match other than through Sky's pundit programme. What worries me about this whole 4-3 vs 1-0 debate is I remember the Keggy Keegle days of Newcastle - they were great to watch and every neutrals favourite....but they won bugger all , and worse than that, when they had a 12 point lead after Xmas, they then imploded as a a team and the trophy cabinet remain a carbon copy of Jade Goody's mind.....empty!

And it can't do much for the blood pressure either!

Lastly, do I detect a hint of gingerism with the comments on Sidwells mop?

Hmmmm.....

Isnt it really funny? looking at the above comments, one will notice that the guys who WENT TO SEE the game are saying that the team did quite well, and that they got enough thrills for the night....Those who did not go near the bridge are the ones pouring out the negative vibes here, looking for the faintest of reasons to cast the team in bad light...

Maybe some people (like the media that they so often chastise) have decided to see only the negative side of the 'new' chelsea....and thats just too bad, for people who call themselves fans 'cos even the media seem to have soft-pedalled a bit...

Wonder what the guys with the negative vibes here would have said if the team had lost...

Saturday is around the corner....another 3 points would do just fine...but if (as seems to be the case these days) the guys decide to serve us another thriller in addition to the 3 points, by all means lets enjoy it!

Always blue!

....maybe 'seeing isnt believing' anymore...

The trouble is with any high scoring games like last night, will only give future opposition confidence. Our home record is the best of any team in the history of the league, and I'd like us to keep it going for as long as possible.

But the fear I have now is that teams no longer feel we're unbeatable, as most of our victories at home were won even before we got onto the pitch.

Having a psychological edge is just as important as having a playing/ability edge over the other teams, and that's something that Jose made damn sure of.

Alex said

...Wonder what the guys with the negative vibes here would have said if the team had lost…

I assume by negative vibes you mean the more realistic, perhaps more cynical contributors? Frankly, if we'd lost I'd have said "great, one less distraction for the CL or the EPL, and one less opportunity for key players top get injured or suspended"

....and I'd have meant it! I know you can't be selective about success but we all know which trophies hold the most prestige and if we won the Carling and nothing else then it's hardly comparable to the last 3 seasons is it?

Alex, the only negative thing I can see is the attempt to rewrite history by certain posters. It's a dishonesty I find infuriate.

I'm delighted that Chelsea are winning, alarmed they conceded three goals at home against a crap team (it brings back lots of bad memories from leaner times) and disgusted at the constant attempts to use any positive result as a way of stabbing our former manager in the back.

Arsenal in the next round will be fun! Fingers crossed.

Tony I agree that the Carling Cup is not going to fill us with satisfaction if it is the only trophy we win - nevertheless in a so-called season of transition I would rather win it than not. The great thing about it is it gives a chance for the likes of Sheva (please don't call him 'Shevy' - he's not a clapped out Yank-mobile!) to play 90 minutes and rediscover some fitness and form, along with great experience for players such as Sinclair. The longer we stay in the competition, the stronger and fitter our squad becomes.

To Peter,

We do not give a toss if you get your panties in a twist over history being re-written...

Damned if you leave in the past! But you can always join the rest of the world that are living...

I wonder were you at the games yesterday? If you were not at the games then how would you possibly know what I am talking about...

Seeing is believing so is often said...I lived the experience which you would not know of...

Yes I know conceding those goals was a bit weak but if any team is going to think they can have one over this team...Man you are having a laugh...

And for the rest of the blokes out there counting trophies at this stage... God help you! Save for the Charity Shield none has been won yet.

It is good to be cautious but some bloggers here are just as pessimistic as pessimistic can be. You would worry even when you were winning but hey what is the use just enjoy the moment that is called having fun.

Try it you might just enjoy it.

Bring on Wigan!

Come Chelsea Come on Chelsea Come on Chelsea....

Na Na Na Na

Na Na

Na Na

AVVVVVRAAAAAMMMMMMMM!!!!!!

Peter....
Didnt see you expressing any 'delight' that we'r winning as u claim...maybe you did that on the wrong blog!...or maybe you did post that in your mind....you would do well to post it in black n white here for a change!

As regards SWP regaining confidence, i wonder how much time it'll take for him to become the dream player that you think he is....if he's really that good, would he take 2 years to blossom under JM? or was JM shackling a 'good' player?....AG has explained that there are limited slots per match (like we all know) and players have to prove themselves when they get the chance to play....What better chance did he need than the so called 'crap' team we played yesterday?...or is it just 2-3 games on the sidelines that has sapped his confidence? (mind you we are talking about 'confidence' of a player who 'actually played' major roles in the recent crucial Euro qualifying matches for england)

Tony...
JM took the carling cup just as seriously as AG is doing now (if not more)...carling trophies account for 40% of the "6 trophies in 3 years" being ascribed to JM....it was the 1st trophy he won in his 1st season and even JM always said it was a special trophy for the club...pls dont deride its importance just to hide negative vibes i mentioned...

The AFC will be here in january, what better way is there to try the peripheral players than at matches like this...and like we all know, these trials of different combo of players sometimes come at a price (like the 3 goals conceded), but its all in the process of developing a strong squad.

Like i said earlier, the guys who saw the match and felt the atmosphere at the bridge said it was great....i'll rather take their words than be pessimistic over lesser things...

Always Blue!

I took the missus (a Brentford fan) to the game yesterday and really enjoyed it (except when she nearly shouted when ex-Bees DJ Campbell scored)
I know Avram is loking to install exciting football, but I didnt think he would mean like this.
My favourite moment of the game was when half the row I was on got up and walked out on 80 minutes. 3 young lads ran back after th crowd erupted following Shevas goal.
I hope those that walked out really regret missing a great end to a crazy ride

If I'm the one living in the past who are the people who have to begin every post with a dishonest dig at Mourinho? What purpose does that serve?

When I read internet boards I can't help but feel that my football club has been hijacked by the sort of people who would have been supporting United five years ago but for a quirk of fate, who'll slag somebody off and then declare them god within five minutes of each other (a certain Frank Lampard perhaps). They remind me of the 'loyal' Liverpool supporters that infested the south London playground when I grew up or the sort of people that can be seen in any pub every time United are on the telly.

They display a complete lack of understanding about the culture of the club and that is incredibly depressing for us old-timers. It's the main reason that I don't go to the Bridge as much as I used to - tourists and out-of-towners who boo the team off at half-time, sing embarrassing songs they've seen on Soccer AM and are generally breathtakingly ignorant about Chelsea's heritage, lacking any sort of respect for even the recent past and failing to even try to comprehend what some of us have had to put up with to get where we are and why we appreciate the people who got us here. Because the past is important; and if you forget it, you're nothing.

I know I sound like a grumpy old man here, but frankly if this is what being a 'big' club means, Kenyon's welcome to you.

Peter Please do tell us what the Chelsea Club is all about...

Is it living in spite and arrogance as our beloved JM portrayed us?

The thing about culture is that it is never ever standing still it evolves and that is why empires thrive or crumble... You my friend have shown remorse to Avram in your own right and feel that the rest of the world is against our beloved JM.

The past is important yes but lets live it there otherwise myfriend you are begining to sound like a scousser...

Chelsea is older than you are and anyone out here and sure will out live you. You will remain but a small(hope not insignificant) part of the history of Chelsea you so hope to desire...

We so called tourists like you put it have travelled far to come support this club. I did not know that there was a ristriction on who would support this club and who would claim superior all knowing status of what the club is and for who it was designed for.

We do not choose whom we walk with but we at least are aware of what we want in life.

As you retain your Chelsea culture please recogonise that you will not always be right - thou of cause you are entitled to your opinion.

JM was here but Avram is here now. My allegiance remains to the club and not the individual....

Oh and on Frank...he was shite until the last two games.

If he can see it then why can't you?

Peter - I'm also a grumpy old fart like you. I saw my first game in the early sixties. Unlike you however I'm delighted to see the back of Mourinho and my best memories of the past don't include the Mourinho era but the 1970 cup winning team, Dixon and Speedie, the Hullit, Vialli, Wise and Zola years. We even named our dog Sparky after Mark Hughes. Rest assured if we get another dog we won't be calling it Jose.

Tony did you actually say that you would rather have us lose out in the carling cup than continue in this cup???

Where is your sense of pride? You ought to be joking! Seriously...

If that is the culture Peter has in mind for us...Then count me out am definately not joining that twisted way of thinking...

Peter. I know what you mean regarding history, heritage and loyalty, and I agree up to a point.

But these days the fickleness of football fans is surpassed only by that of most of the players and managers themselves. So long time supporters shouldn't be too hard on the fairweather fan types...As difficult as it is sometimes.

I think part of the reason Abramovich took the massive risk of allowing our most successful ever manager to walk away, is because he was of the opinion that both Mourinho's style of play and the image of the club with him in charge, were adversely affecting our chances of creating the new (international) fanbase Chelsea needs to be considered a "big club".

In short...We need as many new fans as we can get!

I think 1-0 here means the 1-0 victories under JM. Now those victories might not be full of entertainment but one thg was for sure and it was very well indicated in that '0'.
We might not look like winning or winning in style but in all those 1-0 victories we never looked like loosing. I remember several games, including the ones against Arsenal and ManU (the so called savior of the beautiful game thats football) where teams might have possession but all their chances were restricted to outside the box, which says a lot about our defense in those days. Teams would come to Stamford Bridge and even before the start their minds will be clouded by the thought that the most they can achieve against Chelsea is a 0-0 draw and even that was considered an achievement.
As far as entertainment is concerned, the 3-0 ManU drubbing or 4-1 Pool or 2-0 Arsenal was much more pleasing than 4-3 against a certain Leicester City.
As far as one of the newspaper quoting "best matches at Stamford Bridge in a long time", guess he was sleeping when high flying Barca was brought to earth or when ManU was made to look like Leicester City.

As for Neutrals, well I am not one and for me its more imp that we win rather convincingly than we ended up doing this match.

Jose Musumba..... love your quote

"The past is important yes but lets live it there otherwise myfriend you are begining to sound like a scousser…"

and I am inclined to agree with you, however let's not pretend that it wasn't a fantastic period in Chelsea's history.

You are still totally wrong about Frank Lampard though, and it's time for you to accept that Frank is the engine that keeps Chelsea performing week after week.

what will be the tune that our well balanced Jose Musumba blasts out if, god forbid, we were to be knocked out of a couple of competitions...

I'm certainly enjoying the results.. and the buzz being generated is great for the club. kids love goals so its great for our supporter base...

BUTTT

let's not get too carried away just yet..

since TSO left we have lost to Man U(shit result), beaten Hull(expected), drawn with Fulham(shit result) beaten valencia, (great result) beaten Bolton and Middlesborough..(both expected despite recent years form against middlesborough), beaten Schalke 04,(expected) beaten Man city- (good result given their form) and scraped past Leicester... bloody hell...

Put 4 past liverpool and 4 past the Arse and I'll start to believe we're a chance this year. Until then, Avram still has a lot to prove.

I was at the game and didn't find it exciting at all. Quite desperately poor to be honest. Great that we were able to grab the goals but only after shooting ourselves in the foot. Some of the play was bordering on incompetence. Sheva missed some sitters (header from 3 yards out unchallenged missed by a mile) and one or two good passages show he's still only really comfortable against championship sides and 36 year old defenders (no wonder he did well in Italy). I wouldn't say we looked like Keegan's Newcastle. More like Tottenham under Ardiles.

I can't be arsed with this anymore, but this comment on the official chat site sums up my feelings EXACTLY. Basically, I'm perfectly happy with Grant, but I hate trolls.

'Results have been way beyond expectations, and the guy has done bloody well - SO FAR!

It's the mugs winding it up, that everything is marvellous - Jose was shite that is unacceptable.

Until next May - NOTHING is proven!'

Pete, don't get disillusioned mate, us "grump's" need to stick together! personally I'd rather think of us a pragmatists who grip on reality isn't a multi-coloured collage of utterly fucked up bollocks.

Avram Grant has done Ok thus far, but I still remain sceptical on how much is his influence and how much is sheer bloody mindedness from the players.

Jose, don't twist my words. I am merely saying, that as a pragmatist, and in line with Manure and Airline fans that the Carling Cup is the lowest priority trophy and that IF we had been dumped on our blue arse then it could well, just like Manure and Airline have accepted, serve as a blessing in the quest for greater glories by giving us a less cluttered schedule. it's just my view, of course, but I don't see any team ever doing the quadruple because it's too much for any squad...hence the reason it hasn't been done in the entire history of English football. To summarise Jose, I wasn't hoping we'd lose, I'd never do that - but as a pragmatic, long-standing, pessimistically natured, jaded through bitter experience cynic, if we had lost then I wouldn't be declaring it a disaster either.

Another match with lots of goals and if this is what Grant meant by excitement, then bring it on!

You are all dreamers. Big scores mean poor defences than anything else... Have you ever seen that kind of score during world cup and regularly. NO! Because well-prepared teams don't concede that much. When comes May we will see whether we've progressed or not. Attractive football, that not what we saw on Wednesday. Hockey score yes but look at the way the ball enter the net. Really travails. We've escaped because of luck....
I m not that pessimistic but let's face and don't be carried away too much

I was at the match on Wednesday and have to say that the atmosphere was one that brought back memories for me of times I went down with my dad as a kid, when the atmosphere was electric. Once again those in the SO Bar did their bit to build the pre-match atmosphere and all fans should be green with envy that we have such a passionate group of fans packed inside that watering hole.
As for the match itself, we were by far the more dominant, created chances, hit the woodwork twice and scored for goals.
Fair enough we conceded three but the defence included Ben Haim and Belletti, even Florent Malouda spent a while at wing back.
I would much rather win in this fashion tha absolutely demolish a team, sounds strange but even the Harlem Globe Trotters lose their appeal when you know the outcome.

Peter,
You are perfectly happy with Grant after this small number of games?!
I am pretty sure that these dwarfs who praises Avram right now will spill his blood at the end of the season or even earlier.

After the start he has made in charge as coach his record is rather impressive.
Without including his first match in charge against United, the guys record is without tarnish and we have been playing stylish attacking football.
Another victory today and we have now moved within three points of Arsenal (given, they have a game in hand).
I think it's about time we move on from - notice not forget - Mourinho and support the team for the rest of the season.
Who knows maybe Jose's departure could have signalled the end of the days when a black cloud loomed over SW6?

Well said FBM...I take it you're not a blood thirsty dwarf?

just keep winning...

Another win under the belt...albeit at 2nd gear, and no player managed to break a sweat...

Essien needs to step up his game though, he was virtually anonymous...Malouda drifts from the OL position sometimes, thereby narrowing our attacking options...Good game all the same, especially for SWP who had a look-in yesterday...

A repeat on tuesday, and we'll be in the driver's seat as far as the CL is concerned....

Always Blue!

Ha ha! Far from it SB, I'm just a supporter who believes that we can't continue to live in the shadow of JM and have to accept that things have changed since his departure.
Avram needs to be given time to get the players motivated and playing to his style and I believe that all supporters should give him this time.
I'll be the first to admit that I wasn't exactly over the moon when Jose left but the club hasn't folded and Chelsea has been through much worse than this before. The fans play a key role in building a squad who give their heart and soul for the Blue's and if we don't the precise opposite could occur.