Premier League: Chelsea 1 - 1 Bolton Wanderers

No matter what, im just proud of the lads. Chins up guys and lets stand tall against the red sea for the next few days.

But i wont be for long if we bring the European Cup back to SW6...

I'm fairly certain Adrian wouldn't have said "favor" with a "u"...

I watched some of the Wigan game once we went one up and the good news is they made Man U look very ordinary at times and should have scored. On this form we have a real chance of rubbing Man U's faces in the Moscow dirt.

If I had a choice at the beginning of the season I would have been happy to win the CL and given our form over the season coming second and qualifying for CL automatically is a good result. But like Tony I hate losing and I hate even more conceding goals in the last minute. Yes we still have our home record in tact for another season but the goal really put a damper on a sunny day. However the bright side is we shall never be referred too as the first team to lose the PL on goal difference !

Roll on 21st and a chance to wipe the smile of the Mancs faces!

KTBFFH

Real disappointing night, but in reality nothing anyone but the most optomistic Blue didn't expect.

Funny how different people see it differently though...... For me Joe Cole was incredibly frustrating and I wasn't unhappy to see him hauled off this time.

I got the impression the team were going through the motions, and I expect a much more clinical performance with the Mancs in Moscow. The pub we watched at showed both games at the same time, and Wigan really gave them a shake, so we can have absolutely no complaints about 'Brucie' not trying.

It seems Terry ( he reminds me of the decapitated Knight from Monty Python!) is likely to play in Moscow, which is great firstly because he is a true leader, but moreso because to play there without him would have been very disappointing for him.

Had to wonder if we were watching the last of Didier at the Bridge..... If we were your comment really sums up his entire Chelsea career.. ' Frustrating and brilliant in equal measure".

As for Avram, regardless of what happens in Moscow, I believe he has done enough to be given another year to mould his own side. I wouldn't swap him for Rijkaard, Sven or, at this stage Zola. I would swap him for Jose, but we all know that is never going to happen.

I hate losing and to finish second so many times is a real kick in the teeth. But he does appear to be a fast learner. Let's hope he has learned how to win, before we get to Moscow.

KTBFFH!

Good one Mr. Glover.

I would be great if I could run into you guys some day. Maybe next season.

Anyhow, it was a pretty decent season. Hope to see some more of this, of course with sweeter endings, next season.

Best of luck to the blue lot, all of you, all over the world.
(@ Peter, stock up on your sleep for next season)

Take care, stay safe.

May Moscow be painted blue. May the Kremlin be painted blue.

GO BLUES !!

I expected us and Manu to both win yesterday, so was resigned to the idea of losing out on goal difference, but that last minute equaliser was disappointing, and the respective results showed what has been the real difference this season. I'm NOT resigned to the idea of them doing the double, and us ending up with nothing though!

Whilst I'm still not convinced that AG should stay, I give him credit for what he has achieved. I don't hold the contempt for him that I did intially, partly because results speak for themselves, and partly because I warmed to his understated style once he stopped the party line stuff (we were boring but now we're going to play exciting attacking football etc.) I'd just like to see who might be offered as an alternative, but if he stays, and given a year with players of his choice doesn't improve on this year in terms of trophies, I'll be wanting to see evidence of the flair football he's been given license to create.


I give the players more credit for their performances this year because it seemed like a lot of the time they were just getting on with what they'd already been doing, and kept a good spirit despite various disruptive influences that could have had more impact at the time - ANC/injuries etc. It's been said before that with a squad of this strength it gets harder to improve it, but if as most expect there will be a few departures this summer then I'm looking forward to seeing how the squad will be improved, if Bosingwa is the answer to the right-back conundrum, then I expect the midfield and attack to be strengthened depending on who goes/stays, and whether AG/? decides to stick with 4-3-3.

I'm so looking forward to that night on the big stage in Moscow though, and showing them that on our day we can be the best in the world.

Good review TONY and enjoy yourself in France..

Thought the boys put up a good performance yesterday but God..didn't they struggle to pierce Bolton's defence?!!! I was rarher arrogant in saying we'd slaughter them 3-0. Should've given them more credit because they put up a good, hard fight..

I got a bit agitated to put it mildly when i heard Man Ure got their "token penalty" but felt the pressure ease somewhat when Sheva got his goal..then as TONY said, it was pretty obvious that everyone on the pitch knew that Giggs had got a 2nd goal for Utd because they got sloppy and let in the equaliser..

Would've been fantastic to end the season on equal points with only goal difference between us but it just wasn't to be..and we do still have Moscow to look forward to..

Still gutted this morning but am still really proud of the boys for finishing a very close (painful)2nd..even though i did lose a £100 bet yesterday..
Hope to win it back in Russia!!

Well done Chels for a great season, love you all x x x

Thought Avram was brave to go on the lap of honour because it would have been humiliating for him had he got jeered. In fact he got treated rather well and received a generous round of applause.

I'll now have to add Bolton to the list of teams I hope we'll cause severe damage to at some point in the future, like getting a win that causes them to be relegated, sent into administration and their stadium dismantled to be recycled into a statue of the North West (statue could be Steve Bruce taking it up the tail pipe from Sir Alex). I thought Bolton were niggly and just came to pick a fight and spoil our fun. As for their fans cheering when they heard ManUre were winning proves they were most unpleasant and unwelcome guests; and we didn't even print "Fancy Dress" on the invite!

I'll start with congratulations to Man USA. As Tony mentioned, scored more, conceded less and generally played better football than us.

It was nice having the ability to swap between the games yesterday (although kick off times got a bit out of sync). Once Giggs scored their second, I knew that was it, and for some unexplainable reason, I then wanted Bolton to score. I can't really pin-point exactly why I felt like I did, but there was something almost too painful about finishing second to them on goal difference. By losing by 2 points I dont feel anywhere near as bad. Had it gone to goal difference, I would spend months deliberating over game x or game y and what went wrong. At one stage we were going to finish runners up because of Emile Heskey. When you look at the home draws Tony mentioned, it really shows we just weren't good enough in certain games.

I dont have a great deal to say about the game. For long periods you could tell we were resigned to finishing runners up, and there was little on show to prove other-wise. The injury to JT is a worry, although he'll make it we all know.

If ever you wondered if DD may be on his way, then this was proof. The last 10 minutes he did nothing but act like a petulant child, earning a deserved yellow card for flashing his boot at Gavin McCann. Bye bye DD.

And so to Moscow. 10 days for JT and Riccy to recuperate, 10 days for some sort of bug to hit the Carrington training complex and we'll be all good. Honest.

This could be our first season without a trophy. I feel sick losing out to Manure.

Fifty mate I'm the opposite to you when it comes to the goal difference thing, as the media and Sir Rednose seem to be claiming this could be the best Utd side ever, to lose it on goal difference would carry more kudos in my opinion. But I do agree they deserved it, we let ourselves down with too many late equalisers thus dropping two points, where Utd's late goals against Boro and Blackburn to name but two games where points gained for them.

Having watched Utd's game this morning, they did look shaky and are not in brilliant form, they have a lot of tired legs which may be their downfall in Moscow. Of course lets not forget to congratulate Mr Bennett for getting some key decisions wrong, and fueling further paranoia amongst Liverpoo supporters that he's much happier when booking and sending off their players.

Are this bosingwa rumours really true?? come on chelsea we can do better by signing Eboue(give him good money he will come definately) he may be forced to play as an AMR but he is excellent as a right back.for Bosingwa, to buy him at 20 million i think he is damn too average michar or alves would have been 2nd and third choice respectively.our problem lies in finding a good winger and a good striker ashton would have done a great job he is very versatile likewise aguero messi or petrov(man city) am hoping Big Rom does not waste his money the way he did when buying Anelka and Sheva .Perhaps he should try and borrow some ideas from mark hughes he really knows who to buy strikers

@ 11 - Eboue? That would make every Arsenal fan I know smile because they hate him. Do me a favour, the bloke is a nasty piece of work and useless as well.

'I thought Bolton were niggly and just came to pick a fight and spoil our fun. As for their fans cheering when they heard ManUre were winning proves they were most unpleasant and unwelcome guests; and we didn’t even print “Fancy Dress” on the invite!'

Too bloody right - didn't we once boo a Chelsea goal against them cos it meant they would get relegated? Ungrateful tossers.

Well, for me that was the season in a nutshell: injury to a key player, insipid performance that probably deserved a victory but wasn't really all that convincing, and a shoddy last-minute equaliser. A real shame, given that United are the crappest champions for the past five years, but let's hope the season isn't going to be completely wasted.

Oh, and good to meet you Tony!

@ Peter - yep good to meet you, I'm sure we'll chat over more beers next year as I'm not far from you in the MHU. The build up was perfect for me, supping ice cold 'organic cider' in the blazing sunshine discussing Chelsea and the blog.

"Well, for me that was the season in a nutshell: injury to a key player, insipid performance that probably deserved a victory but wasn’t really all that convincing, and a shoddy last-minute equaliser"

That is the perfect summary!

I'm singing the Arne Riise song at work out loud...is that wrong?

Splendid work TG. Love the hairiest baby image.

Good point about losing. I know I should be gracious in defeat but the lack of a public school education hampers me.

Yesterday's outcome was always the more likely and yet somehow my disappointment caught me unawares. The following may give a clue as to why.

A profile of Roy Hodgson in the Observer ended thus:

The admirable Coppell's weariness with it all is disappointing. He talked candidly and Keeganesquely about the big four clubs having too much of an advantage for the Premier League to be really competitive.

This compared with Hodgson's chipper mood. He even told us that he is reading Schultz, the novel by JP Donleavy. It might just be that he will rally his players today with Schultz's motto: 'Expect the worst and that's what you'll get - only it will be much worse'

So there, perhaps mentally preparing for what seemed the inevitable was the wrong approach.

I will banish all negative thoughts about Moscow.

A last thought, I know it will come back and bite me in the arse but I was pleased Fulham stayed up. More for Hodgson than anything else.

Perhaps there should be a weekly update on what the PL managers are reading every week. One can only imagine......

Tony, you are officially off your rocker! Joe Cole stunk the place out yesterday. You cannot award 8.5/10 and Man of the Match just because he jinked around nicely. He produced precisely zero during the match and was luck not to be subbed off at half time. It is all very well looking dangerous but if you cross the ball behind the byline or over everyone's head every single time then you may as well not be on the field. He made Jesper Gronkaer and SWP look like Beckham. I am guessing you were one of the people that voted for him as Player of the Season? Boy, are you easily pleased. Man of the Match yesterday was between Essien and Malouda with Essien edging it.

Clive,

It's the psychology of it for me. As I said, had we won, I'd be pointing (imaginary) fingers saying so-and-so should have picked up Heskey / Riccy shouldn't have controlled the ball with his back against the Spuds / it was never a hand-ball for Villa's 90th minute pen etc.

This way, (once again) we shit out too early and it cost us. I don't mean it as a slight against Avram or the players, it's just we weren't quite as consistent as we should have been.

But there should be a real sense of achievement for finishing as well as we did. Robbed of our first choice centre backs for a total of three quarters of the season, four players due to ACN, Cech's injury - we only had 2 players who started more than 20 games this season.

I dont think all the red wine in the World would make Old Red Nose believe his lot would have done the same in identical circumstances.

But is all heresay. It's over, and at least we dont have to play a qualifying round for the Champs League like Arsenal and Liverpool do. Again.

Bosingwa signing been confirmed. Lot of money for a right back. is he any good?

Here's the link
LINK

I wouldn't have been able to give Cech a mark, personally - I couldn't look at him for any longer than a nanosecond with that bloody awful kit on!

Roll on Moscow then - might I suggest we all print out a picture of Drogs's iffy knee and agree a time where we touch it and think healing thoughts, Uri Geller style? As our best big game player by some distance, we need him there - badly.

Is this Boswinga thing happening then? Awful lot of money for a full back, in my humble opinion.

Teach me not to refresh the page before posting...!

@jd

Teach me not to refresh the page before posting…!

I think you meant Teach me to refresh the page before posting…!

or did you mean Teaching me to get the words in the right sequence will be refreshing?

Teach me not to combine too much sun and beer over the weekend...

Does the Boswinga deal mean Ricky is more likely to stay since they were together at Porto?

Does the Boswinga deal mean Ricky is more likely to stay since they were together at Porto?

Are you suggesting they're gay Mark? ;-)

Is Bosingwa a full back or right back?! I'm confused :S
Why would we bring yet another full back?
or is he going to play on the right replacing Paulo?

He's certainly one of the better right backs on the Continent. At 25, he's got age on his side, so a 4 or 5 year deal should see his best form played for us.

I'm guessing at £16m-odd, he's going to be a first choice, and not signed as cover. I reckon Belletti will go, leaving Paulo as back up. And hoepfully this will see the end of Essien being wasted out of position.

Now, some bloke from Valencia scored a hat-trick this weekend. How about £15m plus Sheva and Pizarro for him.......

No I'm not suggesting they are gay.

I'm suggesting the following call

Bosingwa Ricky, how you doin

Ricky Hey, Boss, what's up?

Bosingwa I'm about to sign for Chelsea, do you think this is a good idea?

OPTION A

Ricky Man I wouldn't sign for this mob. The whole place is falling apart since Jose left and I'm off in the summer with Lampsie and Drogsie

OPTION B

Ricky Definitely. It's a great club and I'm staying here for the rest of my career so ignore all the bullshit in the press. That drama queen Drogba is going if he can avoid falling over as he boards the plane to Italy. Just one thing; when you're introduced to JT please don't shake his hand, his arm might come off.

@Mark
There has to be an option C.... get thinking. :-)

OPTION C

Ricky Welcome! Just don't tell any of the English lads what you are earning or they'll get antsy.

OPTION D
Ricky;Tony did promise his daughter's hand in marriage, and the plus side is we all get an inside track into what the players are really thinking. Unless of course footyplayer is Riccy!

@ 18. Ethicalstrategy · 10:43 AM · 12th May
You were obviously watching the same game I was, and I have to say that too often that is Joe Cole's normal game. No end product. And I think a few others on this site should recognise that Malouda has played well in the last few weeks and be ready to get behind him when he starts next week. I had Essien and Malouda as our best 2 players yesterday as well. Fully agree with Tony that JMO should have been on the pitch from the start. I thought that as I saw the teams line-up.

10. Zolaaaaaaaa · 9:27 AM · 12th May
"This could be our first season without a trophy."
You're obviously very new to Chelsea. It could be about my fortieth without a trophy. Its just nice that the graph is pointing in the right direction.

@ 30 Mark

"That drama queen Drogba is going if he can avoid falling over as he boards the plane to Italy. Just one thing; when you’re introduced to JT please don’t shake his hand, his arm might come off."

You bastard, you've cost me a keyboard as that made me spit my tea over it with laughter. FFS , think of others when you write hilarious stuff like that!

A bit harsh on Petr Cech I thought. He made some brilliant saves in the Champions League Semi Final against the Red Scousers, and apparently, a major club (Barcelona?) wants him for £30m! Blimey, £30m for a goalee!

I don't see what is the problem with "building a core of the team on African players". It is the same players who have won us 5 trophies in 3 years. Drogba played a major (if not the biggest) part in winning all the 5 trophies with his goals (33 last season), Essien was voted our Player of the Year last season and Mikel and Kalou have done enough to stay at the football club.

Liverpool built their core of the team on Spanish and Spanish-speaking players, speanding around £70m+ this season - they are trophyless for 2 years in a row and Arsenal have done it with French and French-speaking players and they are trophyless for 3 years in a row. Portsmouth have a relatively large number of African-based players and they are in the FA Cup Final and knocked out Manchester United at Old Trafford. Everton also have a few African players and they have qualified for UEFA Cup, including Yakubu (who has scored 20+ goals in every season in Premiership in the last 4-5 years) spending less than Spurs, Newcastle, Man City & West Ham.

We've had terrible injury problems throughout this season and the unavailablity of Terry, Lampard and Drogba for more than half of the season cost us. If Man U had the long-term injuries for Ronaldo, Rooney and Ferdinand, like we did with our "Big Three" it would have been slightly different. After all, they got knocked out by Coventry at home when their big players didn't play at League Cup.

We definitely need JT and Drogs fit for the Champions League Final. JT's leadership is needed when the going gets tough and Drogs' record in big matches is unquestionable, especially in Cup Finals. Fingers crossed...

Come on the Chels!

No problem with an African core to the team, as long as there is decent cover available for the inevitable African Nations exodus every 2 years.

Malouda has improved with a run in the side; not entirely convinced he is truly top class but might warrant another season depending on who else arrives / departs.

@ syed

The rating and criticism was mainly around yesterday, but unless you've got Ray Charles syndrome, in amongst the great saves have been some epic howlers which could have cost us dearly. Whatever you say, he's not been the 'keeper of the previous two seasons and has been comprehensively out-performed for consistency by Reina, Van de Saar, Almunia and David James - none of whom have parked their arse in cock up city as regularly as Big Pete.

I blame Lollichon entirely who seems to esposue the 'lump the ball to the big man mentality' alongside the well versed 'limp-wrist' punch technique. Since Silvino Louro left Pete has declined in all areas.

As for the African core - what JD said! Great players yes, but Europeans and South Americans disappear to competitions during our close season in general. Hence no immediate affect on the team.

Oh, and I knew Joe Cole would be controversial but what I saw was a pain Boltons fat arses who sent defenders into panic. Agree about the final ball and that he should have scored but his work-rate was phenomenal, twice that of Malouda...who if you failed to noticed also didn't deliver a single good ball. Unlucky with his speculative shot though. For me, Malouda is not a patch on Robben in the pace/skill/crossing/scoring stakes and I for one would take the Glassman back tomorrow unless we get Bentley.

Think Peter's "season in a nutshell" comment above sums up my thoughts on yesterday perfectly and sod the "Avram Must Go" petition can we start one to force Cech to abandon that hideous shirt, please.

I was just about to bite the bullet and renew my season ticket online this morning when I noticed an item on the website saying the deadline for non-instalment credit/debit card renewals has been extended from 15th May to 6th June. Has there been some resistance to buying into an uncertain set-up for next season I wonder?

Still it was good to see Roman finally found the time to turn up for a game again at last - despite The Sun claiming he wouldn't be there. I guess that mole they have at the club doesn't know what Roman is really thinking anymore than anybody else.

As for their fans cheering when they heard ManUre were winning proves they were most unpleasant and unwelcome guests;

@Mark
In their defence, perhaps it wasn't just cheering to the fact that Utd were winning and heading towards the title, but their dislike and rivalry against Wigan.

I think the club extended the deadline in response to requests from the Fans Forum - shelling out for Moscow and the s/t renewal in the space of a couple of weeks was pretty tricky for some.

@ Zolaa(+ a few more aaas) [10] -- A fine example of what some journo in the Observer was saying about the Mourinho effect. What José did was to make everyone believe that Chelsea somehow have a natural place among the big clubs that are entitled to trophies all the time. He made the players believe it, the press, us, everyone: for all practical purposes he made it *true*. Historically we're an occasionally glamorous but usually underachieving bunch of wastrels -- and yet here are Chelsea fans in despair because this is "our first season without a trophy".

I assume Belletti will now be on his way, since Paolo signed a long contract during the season and is, Carlo-like, a very dependable and uncomplaining backup. Disappointing to see Belletti go despite his hairy defensive technique, but at his relatively advanced age he was bound to be a stopgap, perhaps. I wonder if he'll swallow his pride and follow Baba/Duffer/Parker/Geremi up to Newcastle.

Keep him as a right winger.
Sheva scored one like that against Valencia. Tempted to say it might be better if he stayed a bit longer... but he is painfully slow as we saw again yesterday.

Newcastle are after St Ettiene Striker Bafe Gomis.
We were linked with him a while back.

LINK

Seems like there's a 'new Drogba' springing up every couple of months...


(All this filling the air with praise for AG. Not beyond impossible that we'll end the season without a trophy. What then?)

OK Cashif I'll bite on that AG comment and say right now that win or lose Big Cup I still think he should be replaced ASAP. Personally I don't care about his lack of stylish dress sense, dull press conferences and certainly not about his religion I just remain unconvinced he can sustain any continued improvement in the team and it will either all rapidly end in tears as he does a "Tony Barton" - see link to Observer article in Newcastle blog @259, or his misfit image with "brand Chelsea" will lead the Board to make him a "Vicente del Bosque".

I'm happy to admit we've had a better season than we could possibly have hoped for when dumping a manager barely a month into the season but I'd rather see us keep most of the current squad together and bring in someone new to aim for next level.

None of which means we should do anything but cheer the lads on next week and hope we stuff ManUre.

Not much talk of anything other than who we can get as manager next season in the ground around me yesterday. Grant still isn't deemed good enough, and with good reason.

Hey TONY, Maybe you guys should do something like the player ratings for the season?

@ 46 - BTBJ

Good call, I'll make sure this features in mine! And to whoever said I voted for JC as PotS - I didn't...I voted for our very own Gilbert O Sullivan.

Criticism of Cech is difficult to hand out due to what he's been through but his dramatic dip in form from the undidputed best keeper in the world under Silvino and JM to an 8/10 good keeper is worrying. Who is to blame? Well it must be AG's appointment of Christophe Lollichon. Cech is still a great shot stopper (well maybe only good after Babel's effort) but is poor against crosses. It seems to be another example of a lack of intensity and concentration which has swept over the club this season. Training and pre-match preparation doesn't seems to be as detailed and our matchplay seems to confirm this. Why can't we just close out a match or score a second goal? When we have to win we appear good enough to scrape through by the odd goal, as seen in the past few weeks against Liverpool, Arsenal and Utd. But against lower opposition we seem lazy and sometimes arrogant, thinking that one will do it. Well as the League has shown, it won't. The lost points in the last minute have made us feel frustrated, angry and sometimes embarrassed in my case when watching Villa or Spurs. I hate to bring up the past but who could have seen us concede 4 in one game, twice in a season under JM? The attitude of the team after scoring or more regularly after an 'inspiring' HT team talk has cost us this title, and even though we seemed to get away with it whilst Utd dipped in form, the lack of concentration at home to Wigan in extra time was most costly.

There are other problems which need to be cleared up as well. Crossing the ball would be a good start. As would be the result of improved crossing training - some goals from set pieces. We were the masters of set pieces under JM with JT scoring 6/7 goals a year, followed by Gallas regularly scoring at the back post (as he did to win us the title against Utd), but now we don't have any free kick routines (remember Didier scoring against Boro away in 2004 from Lamps pull back?) and we can't cross it accurately. Another problem is the quality of our backups - put simply they aren't good enough. Belletti can't defend and will now be sold, as will TBH and Alex needs to learn the art of concentrating for 90 minutes. Our African core makes us the most powerful team in the league but having known about the ANC we should have prepared better than relying on frees to win us trophies this season. We need to clear the squad of the deadwood and the 10 outgoings, they are easy to name, will leave us short:
Cech, Hilario, (New GK)
Paulo, Bosingwa, Ivanovic, Alex, JT, Ricky, Cole, Bridge
Lamps, Ballack, Essien, Mikel (Two creative midfielders needed)
Joe Cole, Kalou (two wingers needed)
(3 new strikers needed).
That will leave us a young and trimmed squad of 24. But what we need to change from is functional to creative. A winning spirit is embedded into our spine of the squad but as seen against Bolton, when a team parks the bus we do not have a Messi to unlock the door. Again i hate praising opposing sides, but Torres' goal against Spurs was world class and no-one in our squad can do that, not even Didier whose fall from grace has been embarrassing. He doesn't seem to care in most games and his diving has returned as if without JM his bad habits have taken over his game. I know he'll want to leave us on a high but it is a time for a change.

We seem to be in the same situation as Barca. Having dominated the PL and La Liga for 3 years both sides have lost direction and apparently interest in most games and both have lost their most inspirational managers in recent history. If we win in Moscow i'll be exstatic but it will only paper over the ever increasing cracks in this team's make-up. I can't wish more for a win but equally defeat will precipitate change from top to bottom.

KTBFFH

@HABS

I hope we can keep Anelka and Drogba. Just one more quality striker will do to give us more options. Like Mario Gomez or Huntelaar.

@Jang

I also hope for them to stay but realistically Drogba will leave and surprisingly Anelka may (well not much of a surprise after 2 goals in 25 games).

Also forgot to add how i agree about the pain of losing. I also hate to lose and hate coming second. There are absolutely no prizes for coming second and if we end up with nothing from Moscow then this season must be deemed a massive failure. Who gives a shit about the second placed side? Last season was saved by 2 cups (which Avram lost us this year) but this year we don't have that security for coming second in the league. It is a win or bust game in Moscow for this side and ultimately for Avram. If we continue to accept coming second then we will soon turn into England in the past 40 years - happy with coming close to success. We demand success and there is no point in saying that wherever we come we should happy after decades of underachievement. We have experienced a revolution under RA and without trophies EVERY year, we would have failed. So over to you Avram in Moscow...

KTBFFH

@ Habs -- I think your analysis is absolutely right (except that I'm sure Anelka won't be dumped, given how much, and how recently, we paid for him). The trouble will really start if some of the names on your list decide they also want to leave. We've all heard rumours that the dressing room isn't happy with AG, and if people like Riccy and Essien decide they'd rather go elsewhere, well ... the cracks will become chasms.

Funny that, just like last season, the difference between a relatively successful season and a rather disappointing one will come down to one final game at a neutral venue against the vile Mancs.

There was something I heard sbout Guardiola wanting to bring in someone who could head the ball as one of his forwards at Barca
Apparently they're pretty keen on Huntelaar.

Two creative midfielders? Are you sure? Where do we fit em all in?
Maka, Mikel, Essien, Lamps, Ballack, Creative midfielder1, Creative midfielder 2... might get more than a little crowded, especially if all that about us playing 2 forwards next year is true.

Couldn't Joe Cole be used as one of our creative midfielders?

Malouda seems to have upped his game recently. Is that him playing for a place in the final, or is that him trying to get some attention from elsewhere? Either way, if he is up for it he is a useful player. Not Robben of course, but useful.

And about Alex - It is his first season in the prem. Think of Vidic and the number of lapses he had before he became as solid as he is now.
Alex is a good defender who'll get better.

We went on a long run of clean sheets with Alex in the team, don't forget.

I know Mario Gomez is supposed to be a goal scorer. I don't get to watch much Bendesliga. Anyone know what sort of layer he is?

Going by the little I've seen he looks big-ish decent in the air, average pace and I've been told he is 2-footed.

Joe Cole must simply be used on top of the diamond if we want to see him at his best consistently. He is not a winger--full stop.

He can not cross the ball if his life depended on it (at the minute anyway).
He also waits on the ball too much even when given time and space down the wing.
I know he's doing his best for us but he is being utilised in the wrong position.

With his incredible talent, we have just got to use him in his right position.

Just look at some of the impressive goals he's scored for us in the past, most have come through the middle. Plain and simple.

@Cashif

I was just thinking that it may be time for Maka to bow out gracefully. His performance against Bolton was very poor (couldn't pass to anyone in blue) and against Liverpool his legs had gone (how can you be outpaced by Benayoun). The final will be his last hoorah and he deserves it for inventing the position but he should retire at the top. If he continues he will cost us points and he wouldn't deserve the inevitable criticism. Anyway with two amazing replacements in Mikel and Essien, two goal scoring midfielders in Lamps and Ballack, i think that Bentley and Van der Vaart would fit perfectly. Bentley could also play on the wing and they would both give us options for a diamond. With Ashley Young and another winger (please Messi just come to London) and a new strike force of Benzema, Aguero and/or Villa the Quad will surely be ours.

...The quad will surely be ours with Laudrup and Zola.

Firstly big fat hairy bollocks. Well done man utd - next year we look forward to the duel as lets face it arse and liverpool wont be there!! :)

Secondly come on the boys for the champs league - i said from the start of the season that puppy would be ours and i can feel it coming to the bridge!!

Lastly thanks to all of you on here - from the arguments with musumba and alex to the banter with lolli, clive, bluetone, jang, tony and JD. Its my first year on here and i have had a blast. a truly great blog site.

I too hope to sink a few pints with you next year - would be good to put a face to the ummm typing!!

Come on Ze German - i know this is your stage - ballack 30 yarder to win us the cup!

I won't congratulate Man Ure for yesterday..sorry!

1) Wigan should've had a penalty after the ball hit Duck Bill's arm..
2) Scholes (great player, have always admired him AND Giggs) should've been sent off..
3) I hate Horse Face with every waking moment and seeing him grinning sarcastically every time he scores from a "token" penalty makes my blood boil over..
4) I lost a £100 bet yesterday..
5) I've had to listen to endless dronong from my Pa, Bro, Man Ure loving buddies about how they're the best team, have the best Manager, etc etc etc in the country if not the world..and i STILL don't believe any of it!!
6) I'm a VERY, VERY, VERY bad loser!!!!

I went to bed with a storming headache last night.. don't know if it was through the stress of the game, too much beer in the afternoon or Petr's migraine inducing strip..who's idea was that?! It's awful!! He looks like a giant smartie!!

Agree with MUNKEY's comment above..this blog is great and so are the guys on here..as i've said before, i may not always agree with certain comments, but i read them all nonetheless and respect everyone's views..It's great that (most of us!) all get along!!

Keep up the great work NICK, JD, TONY, MARK et al..

Mario Gomez is high rated in Germany. Everytime I'm home I watch the VfB Stuttgart matches and he is definitely the best newcomer the Bundesliga has. Podolski had a bad season so I think Gomez will get into Germany's startline lineup for Euro2008. Klose with him up front.
Don't know if Chelsea might be one league too big for him, but he's got pace and very nice technical skills. Also good with headers....but this comes with the pack "German Player" anyway....along with a fabolous way of taking penalties of course. ^^
I would put him on the level of Huntelaar or a bit below. You will see him at the Euro2008 anyway. Hope u all support Germany...:-)

Nine days and counting, it will be a bit of a shit if they do the double.
I suppose if we do lose, the feeling would be similar to your best mate running off with your wife, and we all know how much we would miss our best mate.

Guys, we need better wingers who can play like Duff and Robben used to. For me, thats the final piece of jigsaw since we have Bosingwa already.

Heres the possible new team assuming we can keep Drogba and Anelka after Moscow:

--------------------Cech-----------------------

Bosingwa-----Carvalho---Terry------------A.Cole

J.Cole-------Essien-----Lampard/Ballack-----???

-------------Anelka-----Drogba-----------------

We just need a good and pacy left sided winger or midfielder. I reckon the best player to fit in there is David Silva.

Two possible sides for 2008/9:

Probable:
Cech
Bosingwa JT Ricky A Cole
J Cole Essien Lamps/Ballack Malouda
Anelka Villa

The team i want:
Cech
Bosingwa JT Ricky A Cole
J Cole Essien Lamps/Ballack Young/Messi
Aguero Benzema

@René - Surprised he's having to fight off Podolski for his first team place. (Podolski has been pretty awful everytime I've seen him.)

A big thank you to the gentlemen who've kept this blog running, and letting everyone have their say.

Thanks, and Enjoy your hols.

Habs, glad to see Ashley Young is starting to get mentioned.

LINK

If we could tempt Villa with an offer, and maybe send SWP the other way...

I think we have more or less got our defence sorted out for next season. Heres how it should look like:

Right backs: Ivanovic, Bosingwa and Ferreira
Left backs: A.Cole and Bridge
Center backs: Ivanovic, Carvalho, Terry and Alex

Now we should see Essien being used permanently in midfield. =)

Once again, TG, an excellent and humourous report. I, like others, would like to thank you, Jonathan and the others for the excellent reports throughout this season. Even my sister has this page bookmarked!
Just two(?) more reports to do....... assuming we get a CL Preview as well.
I have no comments to make on the season that haven't been said already except for one.
Who would have thought that when TSO left in September, we would have still been involved at this stage of the season??? As much as we dislike the Hunny Monster (only those of a certain age will know the Hunny Monster), we should remember our season has run longer than the mobs over in North London or the Hub Cap Thieves

I wish sometimes we could take a chance on these english players before they become established premiership stars - it could save us some cash:
Bentley from Arsenal, Young from Watford, Micah Richards 2 years ago, Daniel Sturridge now, Michael Johnson...

And a big thanks to everyone keeping this great blog going. What would we do without an outlet to vent our anger, passion, joy and frustration at the strangest run yet greatest club in the world.

KTBFFH

Some words from our new £16.2m signing

"To improve yourself you need to be playing alongside the best and the Premier League has the best players in the world so that is where I need to be," emphasised the Portuguese international.

"I had some time to think about it and I knew some clubs were interested in me and when I heard one was Chelsea, I thought okay.

"I couldn't speak to [former Porto team-mates Ricardo Carvalho and Paulo Ferreira] before I signed because everything was done in secret, but now I am sure I am going to speak to them and they are going to help me get to know Chelsea better."

"We won the championship five games before the end. We are a team that had been together for three years and we played with a lot of freedom," explained Bosingwa.

"We didn't have any interference from the press and Porto is also the biggest team in Portugal and this is reflected in the results."

"It is difficult because Chelsea is a very experienced team and they put a lot of pressure on you," he continued. "In the first season when Chelsea was with José Mourinho it was more difficult for us. In the second time we played I think we did a little bit better, but it was still difficult."

"They can be sure I am going to work very hard so the team can be very successful with me."

I cant help but think we will buy a winger in the summer but since Malouda has improved Im starting to wonder why? We paid 13m for him and he should keep playing because I think he will rediscover his early season form

Chelsea 4-4-2 2008
GK - Cech/Carlo
RB - Bosingwa/Paulo
CB - Riccy/Alex
CB - JT/Ivanovic
LB - Ashley/Bridge
RM - Joey/SWP
CM - Ballack/Essien
CM - Lampsy/Mikel
LM - Malouda/Sinclair
ST - Anelka/Sheva
ST - Drogba (providing he stays)/New signing/Promoted youth player

Who do we stick with and give a good chance to?
Mancienne, Sinclair, Ben Sahar?
Di Santo?
(I'd mention the name of a certain Peruvian, except it might send people into a fit of swearing.)

BTBJ

RM - Joe Cole / Belletti
LM - Malouda / Kalou
ST - Anelka / (I'd mention the name of a certain Peruvian, except it might send people into a fit of swearing.)

There, now that looks more like it!

I think Di Santo deserves a chance. He has been making all the right noises scoring goals for the reserves.

Strikers for 2008/09 season: Anelka, Drogba, Kalou, Di Santo and ???

??? = new quality striker signing.

Our peruvian, I have to feel very sorry for the guy, Hes been a sub his whole career and when he played in a 4-4-2 at Bayern he looked very good but he hasnt been given a chance (In his real position) and because of that and the fact that he signed only a 1 year contract tells me that he wont be here next year,
I forgot about Kalou for some strange reason, Id still like to see him up front rather than on the wing, As for our youngsters I think Di Santo is ready for the big time, I think he has 7 goals in 8 reserve games? That tells you all that you need to know, Promote him already

Clearly the powers that be at a 'very big European club' do not read the blog TG, since they would be unlikely to bid 32 Million quid for Petr Cech based on your review!

LINK

I hope it isn't true, but he certainly hasn't been at his best this year and there might be some at The Bridge that think it's a good deal.

Any ideas on a replacement keeper? If we are looking for an Englishman, we could do worse than Chris Kirkland, who was blindingly good ( in a footballing, not fluro orange sort of way!) against both us and Utd in the last month.

And it looks like Roman is here to stay...... He has just put in a 50 Million quid bid for Torres too!

LINK

That will piss the Scousers off, no end! Maybe the end for DD though.

I think 32m pounds is as much as we can get for a keeper. But i think Cech is smart enough not to leave us. It was at Chelsea that he gor the stage to display his talents. I hope Kenyon can do something about it and increase his wages alittle more to say 70k per week. A life long deal sounds cool to me too.

I would love it, just love it if we got Torres. Unfortunately, I don't see that happening. Benitez would have to be certifiable to let him go.

Hey no matter what anybody says...I hav loads a respect for Cech. i mean how many surgeries has he had this year? You gotta notice that many of his blunders came after his major surgery...If i was me id probably get a little jittery especially when I see a ball headed for my skull.

As for the blues...
We defied odds this season and despite the problems we had we came in 2nd our most decisive game being the draw to Wigan...
Anyway...
It on to Moscow to take what is really our..

Cheers

The end of season is almost here and the transfer speculation is already ramping up but I wanted to raise a completely different topic to think about and that is the way football is run in Europe. So many things don't make sense...namely:

1. Top clubs and top players clearly play too many games. Clubs have to have '2 teams' to play all these games and players are burning out faster or getting more injuries.
2. The champions league can be won by a team finishing fourth in the league.
3. We have a cup competition where most of the bigger clubs field reserve teams.
4. International games (particularly friendlies) disrupt the club season and increase the likelihood of players getting injured.

It would make more sense to me to have a football structure in europe where:

1. EPL was limited to 16 teams with only 2 relegated thus having a 30 game season. The reality is there are too many average teams in the EPL. Cutting it down to 16 will improve the quality of the teams who remain.
2. All international games were played at the end of the club season, where players could come together at one time of the year to play for their respective countries in both friendlies and qualifying games. IN essence your club form through out the club season will help you be picked for the internation season that follows each year.
3. If a club has qualified to play in europe then they should be excluded from the "league cup". This would further reduce fixture pile up.
4. The CL should be restricted to Champions only and played as a genuine league where each team plays all the other champions and maybe the top two teams then play off in a final. 2nd and 3rd place getters should play in EUFA cup along with cup winners and fair play winners.

All this will never happen of course, but it makes more sense than the shambles for football organisation we have now.

What do others think ?

Some sensible ideas Peter, but as you say, they will never happen.

1) The TV grip on the EPL mean that Sky will never vote for less games and the teams involved will never vote for reducing the size of the league. They both have far too much to lose by reducing things

2) I like this idea, but there are even too many internationals to play them all in 2-3 months every year. There is no way that qualifying and tournaments could be squeezed into such a short period of time.

3) As a Chelsea fan, I have always been a fan of the League Cup. Great chance to get the season off to a winning start in March. If others don't take it seriously, that's not our problem.

4) This is a great idea and let's be honest, it's how the Champions League should be. However, again will never happen, because the 32 teams that currently take part will lose a huge a huge amount of revenue if the comp was cut down to say 10 teams. It will also lead to the gap between the haves and the have-nots growing.

What do others think ?

@Peter
One word, Money

with all the recent talk of playing international EPL gameS, i doubt they will be considering reducing the number of fixtures. If anything they will be trying to sniper ways of playing more games.

As blueclive said,

money

THANK YOU ALL. YOU ARE A MARVALOUS LOT.

The last minute goal and the fact that we didn't lose it on goal difference will serve us well in moscow. The former will serve as a reminder, if any was needed in light of the fact that in 99 the cup was won in injury time, to the players to play till the last whistle, and the later effectively put to bed any prospect of "we lost on goal difference" complaisance. So i think we are fired up for the cup that will make all the pain of this season go away, for me anyway.

@ Blue Peter the Great

Now some of that is common sense.

Unfortunately the FA, UEFA and FIFA don't have the 'common sense' software installed.

Anagrams

Barwick = I want money and I support Liverpool
Platini = I want money and detest English football and English people
Blatter = I'm a fat, sweaty, loathsome, sexist, misogynistic, corrupt wanker

57. BlueLollipop · 8:38 PM · 12th May

I won’t congratulate Man Ure for yesterday..sorry!
1) Wigan should’ve had a penalty .
2) Scholes should’ve been sent off..
3) I hate Horse Face
5) ...endless dronong.....
6) I’m a VERY, VERY, VERY bad loser!!!!

1) bloody right
2) bloody right: 2nd foul was a STRAIGHT red
3) bloody right
5) i misspell the -ing words too :)
6) I am too, especially when i see all the 50/50 decisions going their way. Hell, the 25/75 decisions too

I'll stop for now. too much wrinkling could end up ruining my fake tan :)

Interesting to read about the deal for Bosingwa. £16m-odd is a fair bit for a defender, but I'm surprised he's only signed a 3 year contract.

Yes, these days, they're not worth the paper they're written on but I would have thought we'd have offered a longer contract to start, with a view to change it later on.

I'm hoping that Sinclair, Cork and Di Santo at least will be promoted to the first team squad this season. With Ivanovic and Bosingwa already that would just leave us needing a keeper to replace the outgoing squad players: Carlo, Belletti, Ben Haim, Sidwell, Pizarro, SWP.

The rest very much depends on whether Lampard and Drogba go. I agree with Habs, we need to switch from functional to creative, which probably means we should get rid of Lampard or Ballack and bring in somebody more imaginative, but if we change the focus of our attacking play it's a big gamble in a lot of ways and could take most of the season to bed in.

Some of you might like this link......

It's about time we had a few new songs!

LINK

@Greenlight
Superb!

@Greenlight


sheer poetry

A few thoughts on the discussion on European football organisation above:

1) I recall some years ago someone in UEFA pushing for all top leagues to reduce to no more than 18 clubs to utter resistance from all and sundry - indeed we seem to have gone backwards as I notice Serie A has increased from 18 to 20 at some point since it was last shown on terrestrial TV in this country, joining us,France and Spain at that level.

2) While most other countries have only 1 domestic cup competition that's treated as an irrelevance it's crazy that we insist on having 2 we take with varying degrees of seriousness.

3) As more fine African players become key to clubs in Europe it becomes equally important to sort out the scheduling of ACN. Was it that "fat, sweaty, loathsome, sexist, misogynistic, corrupt wanker" [@ TG] who pledged years ago to sort this out by 2010 or 2012 - and why shouldn't it be only every four years like other major international tournaments?

4) I'm not sure we need to go back to just Champions only in Champions League - would dilute the quality with a lot of mediocre East European sides progressing much further - and wonder if limiting it to 2 or maybe 3 teams from one country would reduce its current bloated form?

@ 87. Peter · 9:39 AM · 13th May
The trouble with promoting them to the first team squad now is whether they then play enough. I would rather see them loaned to another Premiership club where they might get to play regularly, and at a level where we learn whether they are going to make it or not. Of those you named, Cork and Sinclair have shown they can perform at Championship level. Its a very big jump though to Champions League / top 4 Premiership.

I agree with you about Drogba and Lamps. If you want to change the style of play, then replacing them makes a lot of sense as they one who are left are far mmore flexible than those. All of Essien, Obi, Ballack, Kalou, Cole, Malouda etc can be used happilly in different positions in different systems. Our current way of playing to me is built around what gets the most out of Drogba and Lamps.

And in moving from functional to creative, without suggesting targets, lets get some players who are a bit better at kicking a football properly. You'd think that we'd have a few more players who could take decent corners and free kicks. That means being able to kick a stationary football accurately to a spot of your choosing at a controlled pace (if a corner, hopefully the spot at which JT's head will arrive at the same nanosecond). It does not mean being able to regularly pick out the first defender. Unfortunately, the 2 who seem best able to do it, Drogba and Ze German, are generally required to be on the end of indirect free kicks and corners.

Certainly a lot of mileage in getting shot of the Carling Cup (served us well but as EBBBD says above, what is the point?) or possibly making the 3rd or 4th Champions League spot available to the FA Cup winners.

Re point 4, there should be far less Western European teams in the CL - maybe winners and runners up of their respective leagues only; would possibly dilute the quality in the short term, but if some of the Eastern European / Scandinavian teams were at least allowed to compete on a more level playing field in terms of qualification (and more specifically revenue) etc., it might give them a chance to hold on to their better players rather than seeing them vanish to England / Italy / Spain.

Delighted that we're in the final of course, but as a spectacle the vast majority of the CL is a ridiculously dull, self-obsessed carve-up between the dozen or so richest teams in Europe. And without wishing to invite the wrath of any passing Liverpool fans, the fact that they appear constantly in the competition having not made a meaningful title challenge in 20 years is nothing short of farcical (I'm sure they're not the only culprits either).

Scrap the Carling cup and there'll be no quad, no out-doing the treble :(

If I remember rightly when the CL was first set up one of the key determinates of who could be guaranteed places in the CL was audience size, since the money was coming from TV. Audience size is really driven by population size (you don't say) and so the Dutch in particular but also the Belgians, Portugese and god bless 'em the Sweaties all lost out despite having supplied competitive teams and even winners over the years. Hence the suggestion at one time of some sort of North Atlantic League as a way to boost revenue and make up the ground.

Once the gravy train was rolling it followed that these countries and the eastern europeans found it harder and harder to be competitive as they were earning less and less from the competition as it became harder to keep up.

It would be interesting to see how Turkey (lots of people with tv's have fared against Holland - a lot less people even if they all have 2 or 3 tv's).


At the same time within countries TV deals such as that for the Premiership are altering the balance and the good players follow the money so traditionally strong clubs in countries at a disadvantage lose out.

Being by nature indolent I have done no research on this (a habit aquired when trying to get a degree) but I'm sure some of you chaps steeped in football lore can shed more light on this.

It is a more complex subject than my simplistic summary allows but the main point is that as with so much of the rest of modern football TV bangs the drum and the flea bitten, sad eyed old bear that is UEFA dances to their very predictable tune.

Scrap the Carling cup and there'll be no quad, no out-doing the treble :(

"The trouble with promoting them to the first team squad now is whether they then play enough. I would rather see them loaned to another Premiership club where they might get to play regularly, and at a level where we learn whether they are going to make it or not"

My thoughts exactly, Only problem I can think of-- Even in an average/lowish prem side, they'll be quite restricted in terms of playing first team, which leaves you with next season's Derby and the like, where it'll still be quite tough to judge how good they are.

Sunderland, Wigan, Fulham, Bolton. They might get a decent run in one of those.

Letting Cech go?
Getting 'rid' of Lampard
Sounds very harsh IMHO.

Drogba can link up well if there's support close by. Yeah, he's clumsy sometimes, careless, but we've all seen him pull off little one-two's and create goals. We know he CAN hold it up with his back to goal. We know he has a little bit of pace. He's not all about up-in-the-air football.
Personally, I think he can bee part of a 'creative',as you put it, team.

Bosingwa

LINK

Course, the other benefit with putting players on loan to Premiership clubs is that they wouldn't be allowed to field them against us. Are you allowed to loan players to Premiership rivals, though? It only seems to happen with keepers now.

But I do think that if we're getting rid of the likes of Sidwell, SWP and Pizarro there's no harm in bringing in the youngsters - even if they only play half-a-dozen Premier League starts, that's something to start with. We can't keep loaning them out then getting cold feet about actually using them.

That said, apparently Mancienne is getting promoted to the first team squad this season and I really can't see how many games he'll get behind Terry, Carvalho and the mysterious Ivanovic.

Blue Bayou

Pretty much spot on as far as I'm aware; sad old idealist that I am, I'd just like a more level playing field that allows some traditionally strong footballing nations whose luck in recent years has been in short supply (Hungary and so on) be able to at least give the competition a decent crack - sadly money is the key driver, of course, but Platini has made some vaguely promising noises about trying to redress the balance a little. Quite how he'll fare when faced with the mighty revenue drivers of England, Spain, Italy et al is another matter.

Even the likes of Germany, where TV is far less of a cash cow than it is here has struggled in recent years; Bayern aside, you can't see another German side making any kind of meaningful challenge even though the numbers going through the turnstiles in the last 5 years have increased a great deal on the back of the World Cup. Plenty of fans going to games, but they're just not as TV obsessed as other nations.

I certainly think the CL should only have three teams qualify, 1st and 2nd and the winners of the FA cup. That way it possibly might eliminate those rascally scousers ever being in the competition again, and of course the FA cup really takes on a new urgency and meaning.

Peter,

That's interesting to read about Mancienne. He's had a fairly quiet season in the Championship at QPR compared to Jack Cork at Scunthorpe. Yes they got relegated but I read he won something like 4 player of the season awards. And he's just 18.

Not sure how many (should that be few ??) starts Sidwell / Pizarro / SWP and Sheva have between them, but I wouldn't mind the same number being shared out between Sinclair, Di Santo etc next season. Can't do them any harm, and the only way we'll know if they're good enough to play for Chelsea is, well, to let them play for Chelsea.

Pretty obvious really.

I reckon this must be a cut and paste from about 3 years ago and they roll it out at about the same time every season.

LINK

@ JD #99

Good point about Germany. I don't know how it's set up over there but I think pay tv and satellite has certainly brought an inordinatley large amount of money into Italy (Berlusconi), Spain and particularly the English game thereby adding to the distortion brought about by the way the CL is set up.

I have no idea how the economics really work but Sky have been responsible for pumping vast amounts of money into football for a relatively small overall audience in order to grow the business. Without Rupert's willingness to blow any opposition out of the water, having almost come unstuck first time around (lets not forget Sir Alan's famous phone call) the Prem would not have the sort of money we are seeing now.

I suppose without that sort of money German clubs will struggle.

btw
Your comment on Germans not watching much tele conjurs an image of healthy aryans in lederhosen climbing mountains, camping, playing volleyball (mostly in the nude) and genrally engaging in healthy outdoor activities (apologies for the appalling stereotyping its so wrong.

Blue Bayou - having spent a fair bit of time in Deutschland, the stereotype isn't far out; didn't see much of the nudity though, but being based not so far from the Alps in January might have had something to do with that.

But they do football so well - prices ridiculously cheap (you can stand on a terrace at a fair few grounds for about 10 Euros or so), free match day travel on public transport with a ticket for the game is often available, mostly Saturday afternoon KO times - heaven on earth.

JD

Well just like decimalisation and the introduction of the euro, the Taylor report was used as an opprotunity to jack up prices and certainly put paid to cheap football at the top level in England.

I remember going to Bilbao (that's the city not the father of the hairy baby) with the beloved a few years back for the high minded purpose of visiting the Guggenheim. As luck would have it not only was one of the exhibitions 'The Art of the Motorcycle' but the hotel was round the corner from the San Mames stadium.

We were able to walk up to the ticket office and buy a cheap ticket (seated)for the game against Real Mallorca that evening.

The stadium as I experienced it had no frills, no bars to speak of, no food outlets etc., the programme was a folded over A4 sheet but then everyone congregated in the bars and restaurants around the ground in what was a great atmosphere.

A very different experience from England where they are hell bent on the US model with its emphasis on brand, merchandise etc. and no chance is missed for milking the punter at every opportunity.

It will be interesting to see what a combination of straitened economic times and a lack of dedicated young fans steeped in the habit of participating in their club rather than fetching up to be entertained will do to the English game in the next few years.

I think a lot of clubs will already be sensing that they are of a one with retail therapy, eating out and DIY when the money is tight. Once advertisers start cutting budgets there will be less money to splash out on TV rights and so on and so on.

We might see a lot more tacit support for standing areas when stadia can't be filled regularly.

How does Bosingwa fare or stand among the likes of Dani Alves and Phillip Lahm in terms of price and quality?

Your comment on Germans not watching much tele conjurs an image of healthy aryans in lederhosen climbing mountains, camping, playing volleyball (mostly in the nude) and genrally engaging in healthy outdoor activities (apologies for the appalling stereotyping its so wrong.

@ BLUE BAYOU

Let's hope that your German stereotypes ARE wrong and that If they're not, they keep the nudity just for when they're playing volleyball..
I don't think i could cope with the thought (or site) of Herr Ballack running around the pitch like a madman after scoring a goal , exposing his..er..ballacks for all to see. I'm not prepared for that yet, good Lord! You follow me?!

@ BLUETONE

Didn't realise my spelling error until after i'd posted..think it was a merger of the words "droning" and "on"..
That's my excuse anyways!

Get rid of Lamps and Ballack? Without them we wouldve scored 31 less goals this season, Why would we take a risk on a new player when we have 2 proven greats already? Just bring in an attacking midfielder to play on the left, I suggest Van Der Vaart but we CANT get rid of Lamps, No way in hell

Whats with all these arguements? We have 2 strikers who can unsettle most defences in the world. All we need is David Silva on the left.

Then we would have 2 great teams

1st Team
Cech
Bosingwa
JT
Riccy
Ash
Ballack
Lamps
Joey
Silva
Snoop Drog (If he stays)
Anelka

2nd Team
Carlo
Paulo
Ivanovic
Alex
Bridge
SWP
Maka
Mikel
Kalou
Sheva
Di Santo

How the hell did I forget Essien

106, I think that Bosingwa is just the player we needed for the RB spot, Paulo is very defensive and Belletti is very offensive and Jose is the total package, As for Lahm and Alves I think hes a better tackler than both and hes bigger but of course they are very attack minded, I think Bosingwa is a more complete player than both Lahm and Alves and he proberbly costed less than both of they wouldve, (Call me crazy)

#112

Yea, i somehow feel that Bosingwa is in the middle of everyone.

7 more days and counting to Moscow. I feels like 7 years.

I was fortunate enough to be able to go to a few games in the late stages of the 2006 World Cup, and I confess I was actually quite touched by the relationship between the Germans and their team. I was in the stadium when they were knocked out by Iddly with those two very late goals. If that had happened to England in Wembley, the crowd would have split about 50-50 between those going violently hysterical with rage and those slinking glumly back to the Bakerloo Line. The German crowd had about a minute of stunned silence, and then started cheering, louder and louder and louder (this was in Dortmund which is a high-sided metal box of a stadium so it gets very loud very quickly); when the game ended and the team had been knocked out of their own home World Cup, the atmosphere was one of mass joy and gratitude.

I actually think I'm backing the Germans in the forthcoming tourney. Of course that's mostly because I now love Herr B. and want to see him lift the trophy. There aren't too many other options -- Maka is cool but there are too many Gooners and Mancs playing for France as well, and the classical magnificence and all-round awesomeness of Riccy is unfortunately spoiled by the fact that C. Ronaldo also plays for Portugal. Deutschland über Alles!

Jol is the new boss of HSV! Wonder if he will release Van Der Vaart to us...

Apparently, Chelsea have agreed on a contract with Dos Santos from Barca, thoughts?

any links LUCA?
thank you in advance

If it is true, why are Barca letting him go if he's such a hot prospect?

I can't understand why we need Dos Santos, surely one would have been enough?

As far as stereotyping nations, this little news extract from our antipodean cousins, has got those Fosters lager ads just about right.



SYDNEY (AFP) - An Australian driver has been fined for putting a seatbelt around a carton of beer instead of a five-year-old passenger, police said Tuesday.
(Advertisement)

Constable Wayne Burnett told reporters he was "shocked and appalled" to discover the driver's priorities when he pulled a sedan over on the Ross Highway south of the desert town of Alice Springs.

"I haven't ever seen something like this before," he said.

"There were four adults in the car, two in the front seat and two in the back seats and in between those adults there was the carton of beer strapped in with the belt," he said.

"The child was sitting in the lump in the centre, unrestrained."

The driver was fined 750 dollars (707 US) for driving an unregistered and uninsured vehicle and failing to ensure a child was wearing a seatbelt.

@ Mark -- we have to have two. Otherwise it would just be Uno Santos.

My favourite line from Fawlty Towers

Basil There is too much butter on those trays

Manuel No no Mr Fawltee, not too much butter on those trays, it's too much butter uno, dos, tres

Drogba now is going to AC Milan...may be that will lift the curse on Chelsea strikers

@Limetree(115)

Went to Dortmund for Brazil v Ghana during the World Cup; the noise in that place was astonishing - I've been in grounds over here that would have collapsed under such an assault. Amazing place.

And to think you can stand on the those huge terraces behind the goal for less than half what you'd pay for the cheapest ticket at the Bridge...

@ 117/119 - Dos Santos is an amazing player. However this is barca we are talking about - the team that didnt rate messi up until about 6 months ago.

Pre season - Dos santos out played henry, ronnie and messi - he was trying his hardest to prove he was ready - just like "the duck" at AC - however unlike AC, Barca stuck with their galatico practice and played those on reputation and not current form.

If he is pissed and i can understand why - we have to go for him - would be a great option for the wing - prob not a starter but a fantastic bench player - ala Walcott.

Two of my spag cousins ended up in barca for work as journo's and cant understand the rose tinted glasses they have for certain people.

Re #120 Mark

I thought the same thing about Matteo (that is Roberto not Dominic)

Barca obviously rate Bojan over Dos Santos, but it seems odd they're prepared to let him go.

Is it the Champions League final yet? Are we nearly there?

LINK

interesting stat about the long ball!! Only arse play less long balls!!

@limetree.
Yeah the Westfalen Stadion is simply amazing. It has the biggest standing terrace in Europe. More then 40000 people can stand in the South End or what the fans call it: The yellow wall. I think only Olympique de Marseille comes close to this. Oh and just to give a little info....a ticket at Borussia Dortmund costs around 8 quid and u get to enjoy a 74000 stadium. For me as a student, the ticket prices in England are a disgrace and what really pissed me off was when about 2 or 3 months ago it was announced in the Chelsea magazine that they will freeze the prices for next season. Can't believe they are celebrating themselves for that. That's the Premier League as its money-making best ^^

Is it the Champions League final yet? Are we nearly there?

Be quiet back there, don't make me turn this blog around young man!



interesting stat about the long ball!! Only arse play less long balls!!

I've been checking the opta stats for the past few years, well ever since we've been accused of being the only long ball team in the Premiership. And the last three years have basically come up with the same results from the top four.

Is anyone here coming with me to Moscow?

'fraid not for me Mark - either a season ticket renewal or Moscow and I've run out of kidneys to sell to fund my Chelsea habit.

Are you just going for the day?

A very long day!

@129 Bluemunkeyfeet

In amongst those stats I noted that we have scored 7 out of 7 pens, Manure 6/8.

That's 100% against 75% on a very similar number of penalties (I work all this out in my head you know).

Ooooooh I wonder if we can maintain that if it comes down to spot kicks next week?

(I have just had a bad attack of sweaty hand at the thought of it all.... I'm like Bambi on ice trying to type this.... )

Sorry Mark, am skint.

I feel like such a heel. Stockholm was one of the all time greats, until we tried to get home afterwards anyway.

Long ball stuff is funny. I remember on the Guardian website all these bloggers were going on about Chelsea playing long ball and why couldn't hey be more like Reading, who play it on floor. The latter, of course, are the team that regularly play the most long balls in the league, as anybody who knows anything about the record of Steve Coppell should know. Some fans are pretty dense.

Worth taking a look at this if you haven't already Mark - the FSF guide to Moscow and the game.

LINK

As no doubt quite a few of us are in a similarly organ denuded state to that of JD and can't fund a trip to Moscow, I did wonder if we should all organise a day out to somewhere appropriate and bond together in our finest hour.

A brief search has thrown up 2 alternatives

Reed Square in Birmingham or

Reid Square in Dundee

I leave it to your good selves to decide or suggest alternatives..... but be sensible

The Red Bear. Handy for all you Doncaster-based blues.

LINK

Alternatively Red Lion Square near Bloomsbury in London - wasn't it the site of a famous protest in the 60s (the one that wasn't at the US embassy or at the Sorbonne) or alternatively any Cafe Rouge

I did contemplate the idea Mark as the South West Supporters branch have had an allocation of a dozen or so tickets. But the price and of course the journey up to Gatwick or Heathrow to fly to that tourist friendly country, made my decision an easy one to make.

@ Blue Bayou - I thought exactly the same - I hope we can as there is a strong chance this is going all the way to a shoot out!

LOL @ Bambi on ice!

Our natural long ball game means this shouldn't be a worry. (see recent correspondence)

However if Manure are concerned, perhaps we can offer the undoubted excellence of our groundstaff to help out?

LINK

According to sources Chelsea have agreed personal terms with Giovani Dos Santos

#144

From where?

goal.com

Good morning all!
I watched premiership team of the season last night. All the MOST influential players as voted by A. Gray and J. Redknapp.
Not a single Chelsea player made the 11. The reason what they say was, no one had enough games to influence the season. Terry, Ricky, Lampard, Ballack, Peter and so on, all had about 20-24 games each for the season. This kind of made me realise that despite all injuries and other absentees we had a damn good season to push MU all the way.
Also credit to Grant for telling the trough about some refs
Only one more thing – Drogba looks more and more like a slut wife. Will be glad to see him go

Dos Santos

LINK

@ Jiko

Don't you insult Drogba! I'm not surprised Drogba would want to leave because of you so called "Chelsea fan" who does not appreciate how much he has done for the Club.

Bloody typical of these toad-lovers, they worship the Toad but have no respect for our hardworking Chelsea players!

I am sorry to say that i wont shed a tear when DD goes - yes he has been fantastic but fuck me where is the loyalty. I love chelsea and i expect those that don the shirt to do more than their job. How dare he tout himself around to other clubs - where is the professionalism? ask for a request dont go behind peoples back for crying out loud - YOU are under contract - nobody is bigger than the club and he should know that - WE choose to sell him and not the other way around.

If he wants out then you know what - go my friend, thanks for the goals and for helping us win but if your heart isnt here then fine.

Plus how someone so bloody big and strong falls over so much is beyond me - i wont miss the embarassment.

Dear Simon you, Drogba is a moody full of himself crying lady who does not exactly what and when SHE wants. He (she) did it behind the back of your beloved JM as well
Drogba hardworking (in 3 games this season)...give me a brake will you.
Because of fans like you, people have no respect to Chelsea

Goal.com - I thought that site was as bad as Tribalfootball.com.

Without Drogba last year, we would probably have failed to qualify for the Champion's League.

If he is so intent on leaving, I hope we can part company after winning in Moscow. Things stay sweet on all sides, even after all these questionable comments...

Ah, "Tell the Trough" - one of Ray's greatest numbers.

@Jiko

Don't you think he acts that way because we have relied on him so heavily and exclusively to pull us through on so many occasions? He's only 'full of himself' because he is so bloody important to us.

It wasn't so long ago he was beeing jeered and booed by us Chelsea fans.
Maybe those memories, and the eearlier ones of difficult times and scoffing Chelsea fans are still with him...

Cahsif - dont make excuses - many players are BIG and important to their teams but you dont hear them pimping themselves out to other teams.

Ronaldo won Man Utd the title - has he done the same - NO he did the opposite. He got Shit from his supporters after the whole rooney thing but he put his head down and got on with it.

I dont think we would have failed to qualify - that is a bit far fetched and impossible to quantify - but yes he did score many a goal however when you lose a player like that - with all the quality we have - i think we would have coped - just like we did when he went with many others to Africa Cup of Nations.

Lamps scored many a goal in our title winning campaigns - i dont see him doing the same.

I find it staggering that Chelsea fans still can't appreciate what an exceptional and important player Drogba has been over the past four seasons.

The way he's treated by some of them, it's no wonder he wants out.

@ Jiko

You're a bloody disgrace! The things you said about Drogba disgusted me as a Chelsea fan! You're just a bloody Toad worshipper!

@ BlueMunkeyfeet

You should not judge Drogba by what you read in the papers, besides, Drogba has every right to seek employment elsewhere if he's not happy with the Club; he's not a bloody slave to Chelsea!

Not really paid a huge amount of attention to the Drogba stuff in the press, but isn't a great deal of it just old quotes lifted from his book and regurgitated without any real context? Sure, he's capable of a moan, but the media have long since decided on their Drogba narrative and will tend to print what supports their (largely inaccurate) view of him.

@BlueMunkeyfeet.
First off, I'm as pissed off as you are with some of Drogba's behaviour, comments, attitude etc. BUT my appreciation of what he has done for us is far, far greater.

"But yes he did score many a goal however when you lose a player like that - with all the quality we have - i think we would have coped - just like we did when he went with many others to Africa Cup of Nations."

You forget how utterly toothless we were up front without Drogba. Cast your mind back... Last year's team was not as strong as this years. To write off all the things he has done in that little paragraph is unbelievable.

He scored goals, scored match-winning goals, cup-winning goals, goals in European knockout games, scored goals when no-one looked like they could score. He created goals, put defences under pressure, consistently, selflessly, created havoc for defenders. And last season? He carried us last season, the way Gerrard has been carrying Liverscum.

"yes he did score many a goal". Drogba has been not only scoring, he has been key to most of our goals. The way we have played with this 4-5-1/4-3-3 has been as effective as it has been chiefly because of Drogba. Do you think we could have achieved what we did without Drogba?

Can you think of any centre forward in the world who could have done what Drogba has done for us?

There have been games and spells since Drogba's arrival where we have been truly hopeless up front - without him in the team.

It's so easy to forget.

You hear pundits and commentators say things like 'Chelsea without Drogba, is Chelsea at 50%, and you know what? They're not far off.

The Drog is absolutely peerless as far as I'm concerned; his "heart on sleeve" approach clearly confuses / irritates some, but the man is a legend and will be extraordinarily difficult to replace when he does depart SW6.

Favourite Drogba moments; the 4-1 game up at Anfield, CL semi a couple of weeks ago, 35 yard late winner at Everton, Arsenal in the Fizzy Cup final.

If it were your thing, I'd imagine you could still creep up behind Phillipe Senderos, shout "DROGBA!" loudly and watch the disturbing sight of a man simultaneously losing control of all his bodily waste functions.

What a player (Drogba that is, not Senderos).

Ronaldo took shit from everyone and turned it round. So has Drogba. Difference is, Drogba is almost 31 years old and knows time is running out.

Lampard scored many a goal but has not done the same as Drogba. These two men are very different. Drogba is treated almost like a king by an entire nation, and reverred by an entire continent.

(162 -JD you are Hilarious!!!!)

Simon you are brainwashed buddy! Feel sorry for you. No much more to talk to you then
To Peter and Cashif would say according by Drogba's own words he first did not want to join Chelsea at all. Then he wanted to leave every year. Then he wanted to strike...this is not because of the fans this is because he is a “primadonna". And one more thing - football is a TEAM game. If you say that we are what we are because of Drogba you are brainwashed as siomonT. That is way the Red Nose gets rid of Van and Stam and Becks and anyone who does not respect the club. Enough said. I am not bending over for Drog if you are it is your choice! Good luck!

Point of Information Re Worship of the Toad

A quick trawl through the standard Anthropological texts on the subject would seem to indicate that no society past or present has engaged in the worship of the toad as a specific organised religion or belief system, so any Toad Worshippers amongst us are pretty much in their own in terms of dogma, ceremonial etc.

Their is a track called 'Toad Worship' by Canartic. All you youngsters who are up with the latest beat combo's may have come across it but as someone who still looks to Max Bygraves for musical inspiration, it has passed me by.

He feels, he is bigger than the club that is it.
I am sorry we have no manager with big enough balls to put him in his place.
I think Chelsea made his name not the other way around

It is a team game Jiko, which is why we have been so fortunate in having the most selfless striker I've ever seen leading our attack for the past four seasons. Our system quite simply wouldn't work without him because he does the running, jumping, tackling, heading and passing of two players - and takes the punishment of two players for his troubles. That our own fans can't recognise that has always been something of an embarrassment to me.

So if you have any footballing arguments against Drogba, I'd love to hear them, but keep the tabloid gossip for those who care.

Regarding toad worship - has anybody licked the toad? It might explain the behaviour of some of the more evangelical Grant supporters...

LINK

Rumours dating from the 1970s, claimed that groups of "hippies" or teenagers were licking the psychoactive toads to get high.... While it certainly cannot be proven that no one has ever licked a toad in California, there is no documented evidence for toad-licking as a regular practice of any group at any time, nor is there any documented evidence that hallucinatory effects can be achieved in this way.

Always been more of a natterjack toad man, myself. They never seemed to mind too much when you threw them into the first year kids' tents on school trips.

JD,

I'd add his goal against Liverpool at home last season, where he chested, turned and volleyed (no really, he did) it in one motion, as Carragher stood and watched and Pepe Reina make the token gesture of diving a good 30 seconds after the ball hit the net.

Bearing in mind just how terrorised Senderos has looked at times, you could probably just shout 'Man on' or 'Time' near him a get similar results. Was it he who got subbed at half-time in a Gooners game this season in tears ??? Or have I fabricated that whole story.....

Edit : No I havent !!!!

LINK

"Senderos is error-prone and his performance against Liverpool in the Champions League is reported to have left him in tears and unable to take his place in the squad for Old Trafford"

Close enough for me.

I'm afraid we will miss the Drogs when he's gone, however much of a drama queen the man is, he's been immense for us. I have never booed him or any Chelsea player, and if goes and comes back to play against us in the future, he'll get my applause and respect.

Hands up who's nervous about next week?
(Raises both hands and heads for the toilet)

Hands up who’s nervous about next week?

Not yet, though come about 3pm next Wednesday afternoon I've no doubt that I'll need a couple of valium sandwiches to keep me on the straight and narrow.

Cashif - At no point have i said DD is not a great player. But this is my only point - NO man is irreplaceable. That is FACT. In business and in sport.

Time will come when the relationship is severed and both parties need to break - Ronnie at Barca is an obvious case.

Chelsea of old - i dont know how long you have supported the blues - used to be ruled by player power - they had more than the manager and look where it got us - nowhere.

I dont like business being conducted in public - it WAS one of the good things about liverpool - they kept it inhouse. I am sure Joe Cole wasnt happy being subbed, i am sure Anelka wasnt happy on the wing, i am sure Essien didnt want to play right back, i am sure Ballack hated being attacked at 31 for being lazy BUT they all just did their jobs and got on with it.

They dont release a fucking autobiography 1 week before the biggest game in our clubs history saying how he wants to leave and tried before only to fail!!

Yes he has scored goals for us but that is like saying yeah my wife cheats on me and says how rubbish i am in bed but hell i get a good blowjob every week.

When we have bought the skillful players that we need and therefore have less of a reliance on DD you will see that we have moved on - it was all doom and gloom on Jose but yet here we are 2nd in the league and in the CL final. That is not endorsing Avram before you start. I am just saying things progress, they evolve.

If he wants to stay then great - i for one would welcome that but I would want him to just shut up and play. No more whining about leaving or how he hates england or this or that! and also for him to have a cluase that fines him for falling over!

If he cant do that then he can go as that doesnt set a good standard for others to follow - thanks for the years and good luck. We will find a replacement.

Also Cashif you took what i said as an Attack on you - it wasnt, i was merely stating not to excuse him. He is what he is.

@Peter - So if you have any footballing arguments against Drogba, I’d love to hear them, but keep the tabloid gossip for those who care.

No Peter I do not have arguments when he is willing to do it. I have argument against him sticking his finger in S. Clark’s face.

Not nervous about next week just yet. If we play as a TAEM they are no mach for our boys!
4-4-2 or 4-3-3? I would go for 2 stickers, the other system is to DD dependant

'I have argument against him sticking his finger in S. Clark’s face.'

Steve Clarke's a big boy now, I'm sure he can look after himself.

This 4-3-3 system that is too DD dependent, would it be anything like the one that produced this...?

LINK

Never mind, I'm sure United will be changing their system as well, because that's 'too Ronaldo dependent'.

I despair. Truly I do. Can we have an IQ test for people who wish to blog on here Nick?

@171 Blueclive - more to the point is Avram getting nervous - abandoning his usual deadly dull, ignore the mindgames of PurpleNose's approach to press conferences yesterday and criticising English referees for favouring ManUre. He's hardly going to psyche Fergie out at this stage of the game.
I caught a very short clip of the press conference on TV last night when that charming PR maestro Simon Greenberg was threatening to cut the conference short if journalists didn't stop asking questions about Avram's future - how to get the press on our side, obviously!

@167 Peter

Good toad related work. Reading some of the contributions on here I think some of this toad licking is still going on.

@172 JD

Can we all look forward to a Standing on the Edge II?

Further Toad related thoughts

There is of course a rich seam of sublimal toad referencing running through western culture.

One only has to think of such popular songs as

'Yestoaday' by the Beatles

country songs like

'Toaday I started loving you again' by the legendary Merle Haggard

literature throws up such gems as

Krouac's On the Toad and Ian McEwans Atoadment, recently made into a film

I'll leave it there

BlueBoyDave

LINK

Yeah, Samuel wrote about that today. Although he's being more than a bit disingenuous, criticising Chelsea for not being clear about Grant's future given that he's one of the journalists who has been most critical of Grant's ability.

This is a question of Respect and Drogba has no respect for the club or management.
That is the point Peter. I am not interested in your clips I have seen every Chelsea game.
The best are with Roben and Duff in the team. We surviving without them, Chelsea will be after Drogba as well. IQ? Do not talk about things you do not know :)

- Never mind, I’m sure United will be changing their system as well, because that’s ‘too Ronaldo dependent’ .

Well if you trust the player you do not change. I just find it hard to trust Drogba. That is all.
Although he will try to do all he can to promote himself. But it won’t be for the club.
Still if that helps us win it is ok with me! …jeez find it difficult to explain to a people with high IQ, Peter

Jiko, you have already confessed you can't think of a good footballing reason to criticise Drogba so I'm really not interested in whether you personally can or cannot 'trust' the best big-game player in Europe bar none. Please direct your flapping mouth in another direction.

Blue Bayou

There will indeed be a nerve-driven, rabble rousing paragraph or two on the big game next week. I shall be visiting the local off licence to ensure I'm stocked up on the requisite amount of fuel needed to shoehorn psychedelic toads, majestic Germans and Sir Alex's red nose into one article.

And for those requiring something a bit cheesier with their toad-related tunes, there is always "Toadal Eclipse Of The Heart" by Bonnie Tyler, or "Hopelessly Devotoad To You" by Olivia Newton-John.

I shall get my toad. Sorry, coat.

bayou - who is licking toads?

"While it certainly cannot be proven that no one has ever licked a toad in California, there is no documented evidence for toad-licking as a regular practice of any group at any time, nor is there any documented evidence that hallucinatory effects can be achieved in this way"

LINK Seems to be a fan of toad licking

@ Peter 181 - best big game player?!?! THATS ZE GERMAN my dear friend.

:)

And let's not forget that AG has clearly absorbed the lessons of Rinus Michels and the great Dutch teams of the 70s, in producing his own "Toadal Football."

WOW, Theres was only a few posts yesterday, over 35 today

JIKO, Without Drogba we arent the same team, Hes not irreplaceable but it would be very hard to find somebody like him and if we didnt have him then we wouldve struggled a hell of a lot in the last few years

JD

LOL

Like the crowds for the next Harry Potter, we are already queuing around the block, eagerly awaiting publication

@185 LTB

That is quality


@183

I'm going to sit down and read that

That is my fault! Dare to say what I think!

Here is other one. Why is dd insisting to take ALL free kicks if we have Ze German there…and Lampard… is it a self promoting thing again or …?

I find it hard to believe that you are a chelsea fan

BLUE TRUE BLUE JOE HE DID NOT CONTRIBUTE MUCH THIS SEASON AT ALL. STILL WE PUSHED MU TO THE END, SO IS NOT JUST HIM! ON TOP OF THAT JUST HAD ENOUGH OF HIS MUDINESS AND MOANING I GUESS. APOLOGISE TO ALL DD FANS FOR SPIKING MY MIND. BUT THAT IS ME

190 "I find it hard to believe that you are a Chelsea fan" – well to be fan does not mean to be blind, or agree with all every time, is it?

BTBJ - lol - nothing like a bit of bluntness. Brilliant.

I think what Jiko is trying to say is that whilst DD has been phenomenal since coming to the bridge, he risks undermining it with his incessant moaning about being here and that a little loyalty for the club that gave him the platform to show his stuff wouldn’t go amiss. Similarly if DD were a blowjob - he would be a pretty good one, but A) there are others who can perform it just as well, B) They may well have more "finishing" zones allowing for more creative play and C) the others let you rest up afterwards rather than ruining it with talking!

Is that right Jiko or have I miss-read you?

you know everyone, I think we are going to win next week, I really do. I dont feel at all nervous. Not one bit. We are better than Man-u and I believe that. I have not been convinced by Man-U's form over the last 6-8 weeks and let's be honest, if it was'nt for Ronaldos' goals it would not have been down to goal difference. When he does'nt score, the rest really do struggle. And he still has to prove in the big games even Man-u supporters echo that. Scholes goal was a defensive mistake at Barca and so was Roonies against us and the brige! The only two scored at the weekend, was a penalty and they struggled to the end against Wigan!!!! and they were downright lucky as we all know on the decisons. Also, has everyone noticed how quiet it's all gone for MAn-u winning the prem? It's almost as if there are dougbts even from the Man-U media. I think they're thinking the same, that Man-U will lose the Cl! hardly all out attacking football. And Barca outclassed them over both legs. I really belive we will do it. Obviously, I would'nt put my house on it but I think it's our year!!

@ DIO - i bloody hope so mate - to finally get there and lose....well that doesnt bare thinking about to be honest

APOLOGISE TO ALL DD FANS FOR SPIKING MY MIND.

Is that the same as putting Rohypnol in some attractive womans drink?

There is always one!!

There is always one!!

I think you meant to say...... There's only one Didier Drogba!! ;-)

BlueMunkeyfeet spot on :)

BMF 193 That is what I call diplomacy :)

Come on lads, whats with this unnessecary arguements? Drogba is still our main man to lead the line, a big match player. Lets just get behind his back for now and hope he tears those Manure's defence apart eh?

I heard that in AG's new Toadal Football system, he's going to rename our star striker:

Didier Frogba.

[ba-dum tshh]

I heard that in AG’s new Toadal Football system, he’s going to rename our star striker:

Didier Frogba.

That would make him French! and Arsenal would want to sign him.

@Dio,
From your mouth to God's ears!!!
Now about something completely different.
Guys, if you take flight to Moscow please be careful there, particularly after yesterday's events. As you all probably know Scottish fans stabbed Russian fan yesterday. Russian hooligans do not see any difference between Scotland and England for them it is all the same. Please be careful there!!!!

Go away for a day and the blog goes mad

Blue Bayou et al - toad is an anagram of a dot which of course refers to a tab of acid. No surprise to find out about the hallucigenic qualities of the toad then...

Didier Drogba - the only Chelsea player today who can get me shouting at the TV. On his day he is lazy, selfish etc Even my daughter who does not pay much attention to football knows that DD writhing on the ground does not mean much as "he does it at least 3 times a game". But, on form, he is fantastic. Without him last year we would have struggled to get a Champions League place - nor would we have won the FA Cup. Agreed we were useless against Liverpool at Anfield - and that was a match for Drogba-haters, but not in a million years with our present squad could we have beaten Manchester United a couple of weeks ago without DD. You guys will miss him when he's gone

With apologies to LTB

Its a little known fact that Renus Michels favourite book was Wind in the Willows, from where he got his ideas for...... Toad Hall Football.......

Ladies and Gentlemen
I Thank You

@ Jiko(191)... "APOLOGISE TO ALL DD FANS FOR SPIKING MY MIND."

Certainly you have spiked your own mind with too much acid from toad-licking! :-)

Lets hope McFergie criticises DD before the CL final, It really fired him up after Fat Mad Rafa took a shot at him

Just found this video on youtube hahahaha LINK just shows LiverPooPoo are real hipocrites

I cant spell

Liverpoopoo are: hippos + hypocrites = hipocrites! :-)

Many Chelsea players would not put up with the Toad for another season...

Carvalho expects plenty of Chelsea exits after Champions League final.

Please I hope we dont lose half the squad, We have to at least keep the core of the team, Riccy, Essien, Lamps etc

Only if Roman would release the Toad back to the pond...

As Drogba said, Chelsea players will be playing the 'match of their careers'. I'm sure they'll try their best to get the Euro holy grail as a farewell gift for Chelsea fans.

mmmm don't know about toads but there are a few newts and tadpoles on here LOL!

@ 206 Blue Bayou - utter genius sir!

Is there are some sort of drug taking going on in the olde country... ? The 'lively' conversation has been very amusing for me to read on this blog as I count down the minutes until I knock off for the weekend. In case your wondering I live downunder and it is now 4pm on Friday arvo.

For what its worth there are times when I find DD embarrasing with the way he theatrical goes down at the slight puff of wind. I also agree he should pull his considerably large head in with his comments. Then there are time when I am jumping with excitement with the brilliance of the man and the way he can turn games in an instant. I guess that is what you get with some centre forwards.. it goes with the territory of being the prime target man in the team. He is good if not great.. at times.. but he is not indispensible and whether he stays or goes the club will still be there and winning as we will find a replacement.

I will of course be celebrating like every other blues fan if he scores the winner on Wed night.

Haveagoodweekend

KTBFFH

SimonT - I read that - it is scary.

If we lose Riccy - i fear we would struggle to find a replacement. Someone like him is like rocking horse sh*t.

Lets hope Avram gets us the CL - bows out with us thanking him for keeping the ship going and then someone else comes in, Mancini, and we can get back to winning ways and not losing half the squad.

I too am beginning to worry at a possible exodus at the end of the week.

As a Chelsea player, what better way to end an era than to win the Champs League and bow out gracefully.

There are plenty that need to move on but Cech, Essien, Riccy, Frank and DD are in my opinion not amongst them.

I see Deco is now available - - Yes or No?

For me we have enough aging central midfielders and that is the one position we have no need to strengthen..... Unless of course, there is no new contract coming for Frank!

An absolute no to Deco. Instead I would like to see Nasri making a move to us. I'm always watching OM with one eye and I think he's exactly what we need for the future. Apart from that we shud get either Huntelaar or Benzema if Drogba moves and I'm perfectly happy. :-)

In think Essien and Cech will tsya. Carvalho has been pretty loyal to us so far. We need a new striker and winger. Playmaker if Lamps leave.

LINK

Cheeky bid for Micah Richards then ?? I know we've just got Bosingwa, but if Riccy were to leave, at 30 he's approcahing the tail end of his career, Richards is just starting. Ideal replacement at CB I reckon.

Not sure about anyone else though. Corluka has impressed in fits and starts but I'm not sure about him. Petrov has a decent delivery on him but drifts in and out of games. Castillo or Elano maybe for that creativity.

Definitely a no to Deco. We need to be focussing on buying younger players - the mixed success with those who were 30 when we signed them is proof enough. By the time he's 'acclimatised' to the PL he'll probably be half way through his £100,000-a-week 3 year contract.

A few non-amphibian related observations

1. I see Ronaldo is at it now - he's off to Madrid

2. We have built a state of the art training facility - you'd think they'd have included a laundry room so the club didn't have to wash its dirty linen in public. I know its inevitable that the media will always be creating false alarms and generally muck racking but our handling of PR is still poor.

Every season seems to throw up long running sagas that never get put to bed and we are constantly served up senior club figures contradicting themselves and being evasive. Its no wonder the players are engaging in all this end of season speculation when a lack of clear leadership and focus is absent all the way down from the top.

With the exception of JM's first season we seem to be in a constant state of uncertainty. No you cannot predict the future but you can at least lay out a clear sighted plan and I'm talking about the football here not this poxy brand management bo**ocks speak that passes for communication from the likes of Kenyon these days.

Players and agents will always be looking to improve their situation and even when they keep their heads down the press will throw a few quotes together and puff up a story. Look at the Carvalho story. A couple of quotes, no information on when and where he said this, no context and acres of speculation and opinion from the writer.

The Ronaldo story this morning shows that even Manure where Ferguson runs a tight ship are not immune to this sort of thing.

However in a club where there is strong leadership and clear focus there is far less likelyhood of a feeding frenzy and stories can be put to bed because players, staff and supporters feel more secure about the club's future.

See, this is what happens when I have to face reality with out so much as a toad lick. I get all grumpy. And someone has walked off with my ladder so I can't get off this particularly high horse.

This day has not started well.

BlueBayou

I'm not sure this is the case: as you say, United have just had exactly the same with regard to Ronaldo and there was all manner of speculation when Ferdinand was stalling on his new contract and I daresay if I paid attention to United news stories, there would be plenty more. Look at Arsenal at the moment, strong manager, brilliantly run club, but Adeboyer, Hleb and Fabregas are all talking about moving on and there's the regular drip drip whinging of Gallas.

The problem these days is that footballers speak to not just the local or national press, but the international press, and their usually remarkably anodyne quotes (like Carvalho's above) then get translated, mistranslated, retranslated and blown up into massive headlines that have very little relation to what was actually said. Basically, whatever a footballer says this day has to be a STORY, no matter how inconsequential it really is.

I saw one in the Metro yesterday - Joe Cole snubs Ronaldo, says Messi is a better player. He didn't say anything like that, of course, but simply made some inconsequential noises. On another day, the headline would have been Messi: Come to Chelsea urges Cole. That would also have been complete bollocks.

There was a very good piece in the Guardian about it:

LINK

Of course, every now and then a story will be true and the quotes will have some substance, but that's really just pot luck. My advice is to ignore it, otherwise you start to judge footballers on what a third party says they might have said, rather than what they've actually done.

But also, I couldn't give a fuck about players who moan as long as they are performing on the pitch. They're not slaves or soldiers, they are employees and are completely entitled to say whatever they want, whenever they want to whoever they want. If people choose to take it seriously, that's their look out, but really, life's too short.

I hope we can land Richards for the good of our future. We would boast 3 of the first 4 english defenders with Terry and A.Cole alongside. How nice would that be?

@225 Peter

I think we are actually in agreement. One of the points I was trying to make, as you do far more clearly, is that this general background noise from players, agents etc. is unavoidable and all part of the modern set up.

What irks me is that, as the comments on this blog demonstrate, we as Chelsea fans spend far too much time these days picking over what is essentially mindless chaff because we have no idea where we are going from one month to the next.

Speaking solely about the current regime, as the Bates era is now history, we have had uncertainty with CR, then with JM now with AG. And this uncertainty is fed from the very top of the club. As with so many areas of modern life we can't put faith in anything we are told. It is all so much spin whose sole aim is a short term obsession with image, (The Brand etc.).

I agree what the players do on the pitch is what matters. In any group of 30 players you are going to have an array of charactersand temprements and this is essential to the colour and texture of a team and differentiates one from another.

I just happen to think that we wouldn't treat some of the nonsense we read quite so seriously, or let it colour our view of players and the club if we were confident that there was sound leadership and a strategy. Yes United fans will worry about Ronaldo and Arse fans will be concerned about the noises coming out of Highbury. Indeed you could argue that the modern era is finally creeping into the foggy Old Etonion world of Goonerdom, what with outsiders trying to buy in and the wage cap that has lasted so long perhaps finally fraying around the edges.

But I digress.

Like extras on Star Trek, as the Enterprise comes under attack, we stagger from one side of the corridor to the other with the impact of one explosion after another. The problem is we are no longer sure that Kirk, Scotty, Spock et al. are going to get a grip, stabalise the ship and let us sail gracefully off into the outer universe under full warp speed.

That said, the rather shaky scenery and cheap uniforms should lead us to understand that, as you rightly say, we musn't take it all too seriously.

228. Blue Bayou · 10:59 AM · 16th May

Arse fans will be concerned about the noises coming out of Highbury


indeed looks like there's lot of noise coming out of highbury these days

LINK

@ Peter 225

Just read the article. To think J B Priestly nailed it all in the 1950's and said it far more eloquently than I ever could.

I'll shut up now and return to the contemplation of the place of amphibians in organised religion.

Blue Bayou and Peter

I do agree with you both on so, so many points - all the top players will be linked with moves away - real madrid are obviously trying to unsettle and create a storm around Ronaldo so that they can pinch him. They are the masters at doing this.

On DD's part it is rediculously stupid to put it all in an autobiography at this stage - that can't be called media bullsh*t unfortunately.

When you are getting paid over £1,000,000 a year - i would expect a bit of professionalism - a simple...we are under contract...i cant speak of my situation, this would simply end it. yes they could twist it to a "DD wouldnt committ when asked" but those stories would soon become tiresome.

The fact is that when they moan it reaches millions of people - if you or i moaned it would reach 10 maybe 20 people tops.

I agree that the pitch should do the talking but in todays world where they are role models to so many - should they not be forced to act in a more professional way? To set better standards for the younger/aspiring players.

If you kept telling a mate secrets or stories and he either told everyone or twisted them into something that was untrue - would you keep doing it?

Munkeyfeet -

I guess this is what it comes down to - I don't see footballers as role-models, I see them as professional footballers. It's ridiculous to think they should be anything else. Politicians, scientists, human rights workers - these are role models. If a footballer does something nice that's great; if they don't, so what. If they flap their mouth when they probably shouldn't, well that's their fault for being a bit daft but I'm not going to condemn them for it or get heated. It's their mouth, after all.

On specific examples: that Drogba was unhappy when Mourinho left is something I find neither surprising nor alarming, and in many ways am more comfortable with that honesty than some of the Pravda bullshit the other players came out with - and i totally understand why they do that and yes it's very professional, but don't expect me to believe any of it or be impressed at the show of dumb loyalty.

@ 231 BMF

A little upset that you think my moaning on this blog will only reach 20 people!

Am I wasting these pearls of wisdom? I was given to understand this was a widely read blog syndicated across the free west.

I'm off. I can't be wasting my time on small time blogs. I've got a vast public crying out for my every thought.

I'm going to talk to my agent, it can only be a matter of time before the offers start flooding in.

On a serious note, the DD situation is somewhat different as you say. On the one hand, as Peter says everyone has a right to speak their mind but on the other, do we really need to be privy to the mental anguish he is suffering? Is it really so awful? Then again, with the pressure to conform and be anodyne should we welcome the individual who kicks against the traces?

I don't know.

What I do know is that it was mighty convenient to find this fence to sit on when I was struggling to get down from my high horse earlier on.

Better get on with some work.

LINK

this is the sort of thing i'm talking about. Read this waffle and really, honestly, what's the point? It's just self-righteous, speculative, tabloid garbage.

'Can the players be trusted to be focused on next Wednesday night if they are already thinking about parading around in a new strip next season?'

What a stupid question. What a waste of bandwidth.

In that piece in the Guardian the journalist says he hopes the internet will see the demise of the 'quote-based culture', but when so many websites are like the above, regurgitating boring quotes and manufacturing outrage about them, I really don't see how that can be the case.

@ BB 228 ("we as Chelsea fans spend far too much time these days picking over what is essentially mindless chaff...")

*You* may call Rinus Michels's interest in the works of Kenneth Grahame "mindless chaff". But I agree with Tony (217).

peter you are right they are just footballers - well they were. But do you not think it changed when the vast sums of money and huge appeal for sponsorship started. So many kids incl my 3 yr old idolise them - he loves ze german! where he got that from i dont know!! His friend wants to be Torres and his other friend who falls over a lot we nicknamed Drogba but that is a different story.

I agree with you totally and when i break it down to its simplist form - its only football, who really cares what any of them say or where they want to play - just do the job for us. In the grander scheme there are wars, kids starving, chavs stealing cars and killing each other.

But yet it does seem to matter - so much more than it should - is it our tribal nature? Is it mans insessant need to belong to something bigger than themselves, is it a way of escaping the world you live in? I dont know, all i do know is that we spend hours on this site and others spend hours reading our drivvel - well ok my drivvel, we spend vast sums of money following them and as we dedicate a large portion of our lives to the club, stick up for our it against the arse, liver and man u fans I expect my players to do the same.

Maybe i am an idealist - i dont know.

#234

Both of them will end up in Madrid next season with Jose. LOL

I dunno, when I was a kid I loved Kerry Dixon, but that didn't mean I wanted to become addicted to gambling. Surely when we get past, say, seven, we can seperate man from deed and make our own decisions on those aspects of their lives we want to emulate.

The thing is, what you are asking for is footballers who are both loyal and honest - and those two concepts don't always marry.

Bluemunky

Sadly the whole culture of 24 hour media around (specifically) football, showbiz and so forth means we are deluged with quotes (and interpretations thereof) from people who frankly you wouldn't normally give the time of day - and in many cases, I suspect you'd cross the street to avoid them.

How much anyone earns is pretty irrelevant, but it seems the higher the salary, the more creedence (or exposure) their views are given and the more they are deemed to be 'role models'. Why? I just don't get it, I'm afraid.

There is still a huge amount of snobbery about footballers and the amount they earn; it always amuses me that wages are still quoted per week - some sort of throwback to when the average working man was given a brown envelope at the end of the week with his pay in it and how disproportionate it has all become; Lewis Hamilton and Tiger Woods get paid far more for driving a car / thwacking golfballs around than even the very highest earning footballers, but no-one bats an eyelid about it.

We all moan about our jobs from time to time; if I was paid five times what I earn now for doing the same thing there would still be aspects of the job that piss me off - no amount of money changes that. I suspect that the likes of Drogba and co. are very much the same and to expect them not to be is precisely the problem - they're human beings, not faultless paragons of virtue that we should all look to as an example.

Interesting to read todays ('toady's' as part of the theme ??) Telegraph.

It reports that Spuds are to up their interest in Samuel Eto'o and Daniel Levy is to fly out soon to discuss terms as Eto'o has been told he's surplus to requirements next season.

Which begs the question, in their 4-3-3 formation, who's going to be the lone front man ??? Not really an Henry position, maybe they have someone else lined up already.....

Which begs the question, in their 4-3-3 formation, who’s going to be the lone front man ??? Not really an Henry position, maybe they have someone else lined up already…..

David Villa perhaps. ;-)

A slight change of tack (as we say in the world of yacht racing) but on the same course and bearing....

Although Easter may be over I do feel we're like the apostles gathered in the upper room waiting for our dear lord to appear amongst us.

I refer of course to the contributor who claimed to be a member of the Chelsea squad.....

Oh that he would show his hands and his side (to borrow from the Gospels) so that we would know it was him.

Then we could get it all from the horses mouth and not have to content ourselves with this endless speculation and tittle tattle.

Let us all join hands and try to contact the living....

(apologies to those who, lacking a knowledge of the New Testament may not have a clue what I am on about....I'm sure someone will ask you along to Bible classes fairly soon, particularly if you travel the bus routes I do. Its happened to me on more than one occasion... but thats for another day)

Come On CFC!!!!!!!! (just Friday!!!!) Ha

Wow!!! There were a few handbags flying around on here yesterday!! It's made hilarious reading!!

However, i'm definitely in Didier's corner..he's an absolute legend in my eyes. I despair at times with some of the things that i read about him but my view of him doesn't change. He's been a match winner for us on many occasions..

@ BLUE TRUE BLUE JOE

I don't know about McFergie firing up Drogs like Rafa did to get us a win, maybe he should just read some of the comments that were floating around on here yesterday. That should do the job nicely!!!

240, Anelka

Oh I thought you meant in our 4-3-3 not theres but I guess theyd play Henry there because thats his true position, Apolagies

4-4-2 or 4-3-3?

Is this the match we start with Drogba and Anelka as a pair of strikers, or do we wait until we need a goal?

4-4-2 leaves the midfield 4 as Lampard, Ballack, Makelele/Mikel, Cole (assuming Essien is RB).

Otherwise, for 4-3-3, Anelka as a forward should be replaced by Malouda (likely), Shauny (unlikely) or Anelka as a winger (possibly)

I would go for 4-4-2 - why wait until we are losing before we go for it?

4-4-2
Cech
Essien
JT (Bionic Man)
Riccy
Ash
Joey
Maka (Hey its a VERY big game)
Lamps
Ballack (Hes played on the left before)
Anelka
Drogba (LEGEND)

Just in from tribalblogfan.com

"After a day of rumour following his outburst (see #233) Blue Bayou's agent has issued a statement saying

"BB is going nowhere. He has a contract at chelseablog and wants me to make it clear he is happy on this blog, is committed to his future here and is not looking to move. However such a poular figure is bound to attract interest from other blogs"

A somewhat chastened looking BB was quoted as saying "Yes I did understand my agent was talking to a La Liga team blog and I've never hidden the fact that I want to blog in Spain at some point in my career. But for the moment I'm staying here to make sure that chelseablog remains the premier football blog"

He somewhat sheepishly denied rumours that he had almost signed for ABilboblog.com only to storm out when introduced to Sir Ian McKellen, screaming at his agent, "I thought you had got me a top class gig in La Liga not in Middle Earth with f**king Gandalf and a load of f***king hobbits!"


You just couldn't make it up...

Dr JD reaches for a very big needle and syringe, and attempts to calm Blue Bayou before administering a hefty dose of cheap anti psychotic medicine. ;-)

Looks like Avram is turning into Sven with the ladies.

LINK

Hello everyone!!

I know this is very late, but I'd still like to take the chance... I'm a huge Chelsea fan from Moscow and the irony is that we can't get tickets for the final over here, because they're all either distributed between some fan-clubs (I've no idea which) or very, VERY expensive ( > 2000 Euro), and it might be my only chance to ever see Chelsea live.

Is it still possible that one of you going to Moscow from England might buy a ticket for me over there, and I'll give you back the money, show you around town and generally make your stay in Moscow much better than it might be? I'm kind of desperate for a ticket but I would be really glad to just meet a fellow British Chelsea fan and have a nice walk around Moscow before the final, ensuring none of the nasty people (not many, but there are) over here try to fool you (currency exchange, prices, stupid rules etc.). I'd be really grateful and of course I will give back the money.

Please, if anyone going to Moscow reads this, if it's still possible, I'd be really, really grateful!!

P.S. I know I'm pushing it, but two tickets will be even better: my girlfriend would like to go and she's very nice :)

Money's not a problem as long as it's not over 2000 Euros each...

@ Gleb

Just beat up a few ManU hooligans, I'll give you two tickets for the Final! :-)

No, only kidding!... Peace in Moscow!

Does anyone know if the rumour of no alcohol in the fanzones is true?

Definitely no celery and no salads in the fanzones! :-)

Unlike the Toadists, the sinful worshippers of the Toad, I have great respect for our Chelsea lads and I always have faith in them.

Incredibly, Mourinho is still inspiring his former disciples. He said in an interview...

"The Chelsea players know how to beat Manchester United. They know how to beat them. They know why they beat them – they did a few things they did not do in other matches. There's something also in the fact that in those matches against Chelsea Ronaldo did not score. This is a player who normally scores in every game. I think Chelsea players know how to do it."

Let's do it!

Disturbing news (249) about the possibility of losing one of our bloggers over the summer. Looks like a typical case of the agent agitating for a move to a bigger blog.

However, I feel that with Emma, Habs, SimonT and others, we have some good young bloggers coming through from the academy. In the longer term I think this is the way forward for the blog. It'll be hard to replace BB in the "Outrageous Analogies" role, but with a shift of tactical emphasis towards a more traditional English-style blog based on passion, stamina, bile, and one-eyed bias, we'll probably be able to hold our own against the big continental blogs.

@ Simon T

255---- And that's why I shan't be there!! ;-)

@LTB 257

In the top corner as ever....the goalie didn't even move.

@257 Limetreebluer

I feel proud to be named one of your young chelsea bloggers and agree that all our posts are based on extremes of emotion, as youthful, inexperienced, naive...people. A little insight into life as a young chelsea follower over the next week...

The next week is of course the biggest week in all my 18 years as a chelsea fan (yes i was a blue as soon as i arrived into this world). I still can't quite believe we're in the final at Moscow, but sitting here watching the cup final i agree with Harry that i EXPECTED to reach every domestic final and win every league title under Jose, but not in Europe due to the weird aura Liverpool had over us. At school i said to a fellow blue how strange it would feel if i walked away from a season under RA without a trophy! The last time that happened was under Claudio against Monaco, and yes having been at that game i am happy to admit i was in tears, wondering if that debacle would prove to be the last time we would ever be so close to a final. But now looking to Wednesday i am scared, excited and feeling a little bit sick. If we win it then i won't know what to do with myself on Wednesday night. Seeing JT lift 'old big ears', filling it with Champagne would bring tears of joy and pride to my eyes (it seems like i end up crying at anything to do with Chelsea) but if we lose it i will have many many problems:
1. Firstly i'll be distraught looking at Fergie lift yet another trophy. I'll be equally upset that Roman will be in the stands looking at his £600m investment lose in the biggest game of our and his lives. I think he'll be angry and embarrassed and i hope it won't end up in him having another sulk and not spending any more like last year.
2. With defeat my mind goes blank which is not a good thing with a maths A-level on Wednesday afternoon before the match, and another two exams on Thursday and Friday mornings. Defeat could prove very costly as revision will of course be off the menu, but equally with victory, i'll be jumping all night and wanting to see a victory parade on thursday (is it worth rushing out of my exam on thursday morning, jumping into a taxi and getting to Chelsea to see the team bus?).

So as you can see, at the moment my emotions are hust about in check. But by next Wednesday i'll be in pieces (positively and negatively). With victory i'll be so happy but defeat will bring out the irrational, angry hatred i've been holding in under the hope it will all go away with victory in Moscow. If we lose i'll be here on Wednesday night at 9:35 demanding the ehad of Avram. I won't care what anyone else thinks of him, i'll be wanting him out! But that can all wait until Wednesday do for now, come on lads.

KTBFFH

Why is it that Manure players are beating down the door to sign new contracts and it seems like half of our squad are already packed and ready to go after The Champions League Final?

Is it complacency or just arrogance by Kenyon and co.?

Half our squad? Ive heard what Riccy said that our team may break up but I dont think many of our first team players will leave, Just Pizarro, Sidwell, Ben-Haim, Belletti, Maka (Retirement maybe?) and Drogba. But keeping the likes of Lamps, Ballack, Riccy, Essien at SB is essential if we want to win anything next season

@LTB 257

Top corner....the goalie didn't even move.

@Habs 259

Maths A Level????? Its not just the quality of the squad that's been improving..

All those exams, God knows how your going to concentrate...the game needs your full focus so best just put them out of your mind 'til the match is over....

(Apologies to any educational professionals and concerned parents for the quality of advice being handed out above)

@ HABS

Stay optimistic sweetheart. I'll be crying with you when J.T lifts the trophy, so you won't be alone on that score!!!

P.S Good luck on the exams!! x

P.S I wouldn't rush out to see the Chels doing a victory parade on Thursday morning either, because there won't be one!! Apparently, they've been refused and told if they want a parade through London, it'll have to be on Bank Holiday Monday as Thursday will be too much trouble to close off roads because of the traffic..Chelsea FC replied with a "Thursday or nothing". That was on SSN on Monday, so unless it's been changed since HABS, i'd stay and finish your exams!!

Habs, and all of you youngsters, I don't think you will be the only ones in tears if JT lifts Old Big Ears. There is an awful lot of us on here who can remember the bad ole days. Even just thinking of us in this Final is awesome.
I have already arranged with work to be near my sisters on Wednesday evening so we can sit and watch this momentous occasion together.

Giovani Dos Santos scored a hattrick tonight, Pity considering we were in pole position to sign him (They must be having second thoughts now), By the way if Toady leaves at the end of the season then who would you rather have in charge : Rijkaard and HTC or Mancini and Zola?

@ Blue Bayou

If Blue Bayou really wants to move on to bigger and better things let him go! I'm sick of bloggers getting ideas above their station and thinking they are bigger than the blog.

Since English is his first language, he can't even use the " I was misquoted in translation' excuse, whh often confuses the posts of many contributors.

Jog on BB....... This blog is run on a tight budget, and you are already on the same pay as the highest earner on the blog!

Kakuta and Di Santo had better not be going to Le Arse

@ LTB 257, Greenlight 267

Whatever, I think Blue Bayou might decide to bugger off to Qatar for a final few years before his retirement! :-)

Damn. Only Sunday. I'm going back to bed - someone call me when it is Wednesday please...

JD
shall we offer Blue Bayou (hell of a nick, btw) the chance of proving himself by writing the preview column?
-
OR (better)
-

why not you, TG, Nick, Mark, BB, Jose Musumba (HAHA, joking....) all penning down your thoughts ahead of the final?
1) the moment requires it
2) killing time before the big game
3) (most important) heaps o' fun and food for thought for all of us

....let us know...

Bluetone - will be sticking a preview piece up on Monday / Tuesday...

cheers jd. always makes my day

is it monday or tuesday yet?

if, touch wood, we win, i hope the parade is friday or later. i arrive from oz on the friday..... would be devo(devestated) if i missed it

LINK

Carry on lads, keep winding him up...

Any chance a protracted session of badge kissing could salvage my reputation?

BB..... you might be destined for the aussie league at this rate....

If the Toad leaves which i hope, i would go for Rikjaard and HTC no doubt.

I'm so nervous I'm accessing the net via the laptop from the toilet, where I will remain until kickoff. I've also ordered myself a commode and incontinent pads via e-bay so I'll be able to watch the game in the lounge.

And it looks like Vidic is doing the job Rafa did on Drogs.

LINK

Same here Clive. I always take the laptop to the toilet when I've got a large download.

With thousands of Chelsea fans heading to Moscow, what are the odds on there being a Philby, a Burgess and a Mclean? It would be satisfying to think of them all travelling and going through passport control together.

No way of findng out I suppose?

278. Mark · 10:25 PM · 18th May
I always take the laptop to the toilet when I’ve got a large download

It's WC-fi innit? and soon we're gonna have WC-max on our laptops. Ahhh....smell the beauty of technology.......

LINK

Interesting story about Alan Hudson. I wasn't born for the Hudson / Cooke / Osgood era and had a little sympathy when I started reading the article. However it really pisses me off when ex-players who feel slighted by the club start slagging us off in the press.

On the one hand he says 'maybe a Chelsea fan will buy it' and on the other he says ' I couldn't give a toss about Chelsea and they are a Russian club'.

I understand his frustration at not getting a hand from the club when he needed it, but Hudson never had the relationship with Chelsea fans Osgood did, after he left for Stoke. It sounds to me that before the accident, he wanted something for nothing out of the club and Ken Bates told him where to go.

Morning blues fans... less than 3 days to go now to the biggest night in the clubs history. I wonder how the players must be feeling now the ultimate prize in club football is within their reach if they beat Man Ure.

I watched some of the FA Cup final, Pompey just about deserved the cup and it could not have happened to a nicer manager and man as old Harry, particularly after the year he has had personally. We waited 26 years for any trophy and 55 years for a second league title... poor pompey fans waited 69 years for any trophy !

Here's a thought, wouldn't it be interesting to see Harry take over as manager of Chelsea to see if he can weave his particular brand of managerial magic on a group of superstars. Will never happen because RA will want someone 'more high profile'... but Kanu's post match comments suggest pompey's players will walk through walls for Harry. I reckon Frank would sign straight away of is Uncle got the manager's gig at Chelsea.

2 days, 15 hours and 52 minutes until kick-off...

KTBFFH

LINK

First Vidic.... And now it's Shrek's turn to gob off about Drogba! Will these no-brains not learn from the Rafa incident.

Anyone else expecting a barnstorming performance from The Drog? In potentially his last game for Chelsea, in a European Cup Final, slagged off by all and sundry, he will absolutely destroy the Utd defence.... Mark my words!

Rafa experimented with the "let The Drog out" hypothesis. Now those Manures want to reassure that and make it scientifically proven.

Can they prove this new theorem in Moscow? LOL

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As the old song goes, 'We're a right bunch of bastards when we lose...'

Bluetone - Come stai?

Is there much about mancini coming over in the italian press?

LINK - he was very good for Lyon - I would like to see him on top of his game next year - whilst he has been the epitomy of a chocolate tea pot at times i do think he has suffered first season syndrome ala ballack/DD etc.

Greenlight - i thought that - brilliant - wind up the drog as much as you can boys and then watch him gun you down.....although within an hour of winning he will prob be declaring his love for real or inter!! lol - no i cant let it ly!

Arguably the most rounded forward on his day. Young, had his blip - could he be the perfect replacement? With anelka it would be quite a scary front two.

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Before his "blip" i would have put him down as the ideal forward for us.

Thoughts?

"Don't make me angry! You wouldn't like me when I'm angry!"...

Drogba is gonna explode like the Incredible Hulk...

"...although within an hour of winning he will prob be declaring his love for real or inter!!..."

As far as I'm concerned, he could declare his undying love to anyone he wants if we win on Wednesday.

I'm still a bit 'meh' at the moment. Wouldn't say I'm either confident about our chances, nor nervous either. A strange, indecisive sort of mood at the moment that will no doubt resemble a roller-coasted leading up to, and during, the game itself.

Incredible Hulk Vs Shrek - hmmm me thinks there is only one green winner there.