Premier League: Middlesbrough 0 - 2 Chelsea

I thought there were a few signs of us trying to play a more positive passing game, passing forward rather than sideways across the back.

Plus I prefer to listen to Avram than Jose. I thought Avram dealt with the Drogba questions really well and protected the dignity of the club and the player.

I was impressed with Alex even before that wicked free kick, good in the air and in tackles, if he gets a few games under his belt he could build a good partnership with Carvalho, I agree with those who think JT needs a decent rest and a chance to recover, interesting comment from Deco about pushing the body.

Agree with what you say Nick about the performance generally, still more power than flower in the play at the moment, although Joe Cole seems to have got his license back but I think now that Ten Cate has arrived the changes will begin, we're not going to turn into Barcelona overnight, but if we can keep winning then I can be patient =)

Ha, the man is a snake, and Drogba knows it.

Anyway, arselicking aside that was a decent result against a very poor side. There's still no evidence of a change in style (as many have pointed out, this was a classic Mourinho away performance) but that will hopefully kick in now that Ten Cate has some time to work with the players. Two very important matches this week.

Also interesting that Boro didn't seem too bothered: since the demise of Mourinho our reputation has dipped and we are no longer seen as a scalp - that could work in our favour over the next few weeks because the players still have the winning mentality that's been drummed into them over the past three seasons.

But best performance of the season from Essien, and Lampard looks like he's interested in passing again - his range has improved ever since the cup final. Good signs.

Joe Cole needs to relearn some lessons about discipline, though.

Peter,

Completely agree, the result went almost un-noticed everywhere this weekend, mainly over-shadowed by all the journos wetting themselves about Arsenal winning again (despite not having played a good team yet) and Stevie Me diving for a penalty (again), then getting all grumpy because Max had the audacity to substitute him.

We looked pretty good, I suppose 'safe' would sum it up. Concerned about our frailties at the back, with no JT, Cole or Bridge, we'll certainly have stronger tests in the coming weeks than a Middlesbrough frontline that was about as dangerous as a marshmallow.

Good result given that the Riverside has hardly been the happiest of hunting grounds in recent years. Pleased that Alex seems to be settling well; can be difficult for the team as a whole when the defence keeps changing as it has recently, so it's good to have some decent cover. Seems to have a Huth-esque free kick (with an added sense of direction) on him too, which is pretty handy...

I'd be worried about where the goals are going to come from this season if I were a Boro fan, I have to say. Their forward line isn't one that immediately strikes terror into the opposition back four.

Jeez, when Boro signed Alliadaire and Mido you had to feel for them. I mean, that's not even pretending to be interested.

Bridge should be fit and not suspended for Wednesday, which will give us something close to a decent back four. Grant needs a good home result to set us up for a very winnable run of matches and get us back into the CL places while the other three take points off each other.

I'm quite happy our performances are a bit like the SAS... being effective and efficient and obviously going unnoticed to get what we need (3 points)

I suppose there was sufficient controversy
elsewhere to aid us really, especially at Everton, which I think you would have to say was the most inept display by any referee so far this season. The same ref I might add that failed to give us a blatant penalty when SWP was rugby tackled in the box. He's obviously shagging Rafa's wife or even Rafa himself or both!

Anyway a good win, but as I mentioned previously the run of games we have before we play the Arse should hopefully be giving us maximum points, or am I being too optimistic?

Well said , Nick,
Trying to say almost the same for the last couple of weeks. First this guy Grant comes to the team because he knows how to get the best out of Sheva. Nevertheless,Sheva does not play under him at all. Then he says that he is going to play entertaining football, but football he plays is exactly the same as T.S.O. played. I do believe that Ten Cate can bring something new in our game. Hopefully, Grant will not interfere with him.

Grant got what Mourinho couldn't... victory at Middlesbrough! Good enough for me.
Chelsea got back to winning, which, again, it wasn't doing since December 2006 under Mourinho.
Drogba, while a great footballer, is just an emotional goof and therefore cannot be taken seriously. His been ranting about leaving ever since he arrived. Why would it surprise anyone? As his agent will inform him that no "dream team" would pay close to what Abramovich pays for his services (he's 30 already), he'll realize that the grass is as green as it's going to get right here, at mighty Chelsea.
And I will leave you all with something to ponder.... since you are hearing it here first, right from the "guru": Mourinho will not be hired by any great club, since all great clubs have superstars and he is incapable to work with superstars! Therefore, neither Milan club nor Barca or Real Madrid would hire him! Juve is not a great club any longer... but I can't even see them giving Jose a call. Chelsea was perfect for him because at the time he got in we had no superstars.... He was the superstar! He just miscalculated when choosing to play hard ball with the guy that signs those fat cheques!
Go, Chelsea!

The King is Dead..... Long Live The King!

To my eyes Saturday's performance was as efficient and effective as always over the last 3 years.

The thing that pleases me about our performances of late, is the attitude of the players. No one can deny that with the exception of the Man Utd game, the players look as tight-knit and focussed as ever.

Really impressed by the performance of Alex, and with 3 top line centre halves, we shouldn't suffer the problems of last year in this position.

Drogba continues to impress me more and more, and whilst I feel he will probably go at the ends of the season, I think he will continue to give his all for the team until the day he walks.

Well done Chelsea...

Interesting to see how Robben describes the "Mourinho style"...
Says Robben:
"....But when I think about most of our Champions League matches, I get fed up. We were always playing so defensively, there was no room for me. In the end I had just had enough. I wanted to play football again."

He doesn't really say much bad about TSO but doesn't think it's fair to give all the praise to TSO and forget the PLAYERS!

Read the comments and decide for yourself:
LINK

If you accept the comments of the 'Guru', perhaps the England job is perfect for Jose......

They certainly don't have any superstars to worry about!

I think Alex should be allowed to play more....just as i also think the coaches should give the team some more depth in its approach to set pieces.

If there is one area where chelsea has been quite wasteful in recent times, its been at set pieces. We'v been very direct so far, just hoofing the ball and expecting Terry or someone to make contact which often times fail.

The team usually gets more than a fair share of set pieces every match and should learn to make them count. More guile should be adopted...different variations of techniques too. Its all part of the winning strategy and should not be taken for granted as it seems already.

I'm very much looking forward to seeing Robben in full flight, tearing up defences in the Champions League for Real. Oh, apparently he's injured. Again.

>> Grant got what Mourinho couldn’t… victory at Middlesbrough!

25-09-04 Boro 0-1 Chelsea (Drogba, 81)

Listen to the guru people, he knows the score...

Ah Robben, how we miss those injury updates.

If he'd not declared himself unfit for the first Liverpool CL semi, perhaps we'd have had the flair we needed to win and perhaps JM would have been able to trust him in the big fixtures, or at least the ones he wasn't injured for.

Guru??? In what he is guru?

I agree with mark, i thought we were more positive, and the passing game is becoming more attracive by the day, soon it'll be beautiful. Yes the players are focussed, wish we could have seen that from last season, we'd have reatined the pl, and not started so poorly.

I thought our performance was adequate at boro. A few players were outstanding; the world's number one keeper, Ricky C., and John Obi. The rest have room for improvement. We are certainly about to win the first ever quadruple this season. Up the Blues!

Feb 11, 2006 (05-06 season)
Middlesbrough - Chelsea 3-0

Aug 23, 2006 (06-07 season) Middlesbrough - Chelsea 2-1

I guess "guru" knows the scores!

I am happy with a comfortable 2-0 victory!

>> Grant got what Mourinho couldn’t… victory at Middlesbrough!

Incorrect, as usual. But be assured I will point it out when you get something right guru.

Hey Guru, can you please think about it before you writh here some thing next time. Many Thanks

@ GURU

Gurudev, at least quote a decent source. tribalfootball.com c'mon for how long have u been watching soccer or for that matter assessing sports journalism.

I think save for after we score the first goal we do play alot better than during JMs times. Let me recall...wide men running the wings. Has anyone noticed that we are breaking down teams through the middle?

I still think that for us to play that attractive football Lampard has to leave...He is not a player that plays that brand of football... SO for as long as he controls the midfield no sexy football...But how many of us are willing to listen to this????? Remove Jonathan, foul mouthed Clive(Whom I think is totally a sick person mentally for writing that about the ref) and a host of others...

I think Essien was also being played out of position. He was hacked down and did not know what to do with the ball..either that or I think the French press quoted Drogba erroneously...on the current displays I think he is playing below par... Mikel was brilliant, Carlvalho as always impeccable, ALex was also good...Belleti was below his previous, Cech sensational, Drogs was off the charts, Joe Cole like some one mentioned should reduce on the show boating and play team football...I love his skills but not at the expense of winning... Lampard was not bad but I would prefer him influencing the midfield...Oh sorry he can't...

Arjen was right...about JMs style. I love JM but besides his tactical acumen I find his game plan so "defensive"...

Come on Shalke!!!!

Jose I see you've become a Psychiatrist overnight in diagnosing my mental state.

I wonder who's rattled your cage today?

Remove Jonathan, eh?

You do talk some arrant nonsense Jose. Was our first goal against Boro not 'sexy' enough for you? Did the first title winning season not contain enough attractive football for you? Lampard figured quite heavily in both.

Is it that you have a short memory, or just a very selective one?

"He is not a player that plays that brand of football"

Do you know how ridiculous you sound when you come out with statements like that?

Face it, you have a wildly irrational bugbear about one player whose only sin appears to be that he isn't Arteta or whoever you've watched twice on TV and decided would be the answer to a problem that ISN'T ACTUALLY THERE. And you seem to spend an awful lot of time making up rubbish to justify your rather weak position. But apparently now everyone who disagrees with you should be 'removed'?

The rather hollow sound of someone who has lost an argument, methinks.

Well, as a consumer of the game, I'm off to surf the channel guide to see if I can find some coverage of a team that provides an exciting brand of football. Toodle pip!

well played Mr. Dyer.

i do love this site, because most of the comments are well founded and not utter shite like on some other sites, but like everything in life, there are always more than a few wankers...

i think those who contribute to this blog should be given yellow and red cards, and they should be distributed to people whenever something is utterly outlandish..

for example, jose musumba would get a straight red for his recent(continuous) lampard commments.. (you may not like him, but i think his record indicates he has a fair amount of influence in the midfield...) and thus would be suspended from posting a comment for 3 games...

"i do love this site, because most of the comments are well founded and not utter shite like on some other sites, but like everything in life, there are always more than a few wankers…"

I do hope Dylbo that you don't think of me as being one of the few ;-)

But I certainly agree with your overall sentiments.

Good suggestion Dylbo...

Seriously, I love a good heated exchange about the bootiful game, but I really can't stand the re-writing of history, hypocrisy and the Goebbels-esque "repeat a lie often enough..." gibberish perpetuated by some on here - it drives me round the bend.

It's just so laughable; on the one hand it's "I prefer this brand of football" or "we play a lot better than during JM's times" and "we're breaking teams down the middle more" then in the next breath it's "we'll never play attractive football unless Lampard leaves". So you praise the performance of a team in which FL has played and played well and then damn him in the next bloody sentence.

Jesus, I mean just MAKE UP YOUR F**KING MIND, PLEASE.

All this bollocks about 'sexy football'..... I've just watched Barca 'sexily' draw 0-0 with Rangers and frankly I would rather watch us win, regardless of whether it looks pretty or not.

People forget that their are 2 teams playing in every game. If the opposition turn up determined to defend from the start, it is very hard for the attacking side to break them down, regardless of whether it is Lampard or ...... Arteta (did you watch him tear Liverpool apart at the weekend? No, me neither!)...... in midfield.

I spent the best part of an hour on here last night putting down a few thoughts and observations about the consistent bollocks being posted here recently by the same old trolls after each and every game.

In the end though, I refrained from pressing the submit button...Thought I'd leave 'em to it, 'cause I kinda knew it wouldn't be long before a few of 'em revealed themselves as the utter twats they really are.

We've all got opinions about the game, the team, and the way it's being run, but it's clear that some of the people posting here have as much understanding of football as I do about quantum physics. Shame really, 'cause this is an excellent site but it's starting to put me off posting here.

No great loss in itself, I know, but how many more are starting to feel the same?

I was watching the Everton Liverpool game in a pub with the sound turned down. It was clear the ref favoured Liverpool. And I knew Gerard was going to dive for the penalty rather than attempt a shot on goal. Gerard is a diver and only looks good against poor teams. Liverpool will continue to get refs biased in their favour (Kuyts tackle??). Chelsea will continue to get poor refs and Linesmen descision. This will happen all season again. Oh...and Jose Musumba is Liverpool fan.

Measures have been put in place that will keep the trolls from ruining this blog in the future.

Amen to that Greenlight,
you just said what I've been thinking for a while.

Yes, Barca can play sexy football, but just look at them against a disciplined team that compromises defense with the attacking line, today's game was a good example of that, and generally as a non-English fan, I said it once and I will say it again, the EPL is THE most sophisticated league in terms of mentality and tactics.

By the way, it seems that Jose is the new Henry... where is he? have not heard of him for a while :)

Bring it on Schalke

Glad to hear it Nick with regard the trolls,and I shall try and be less crude in my posts as it obviously offends certain people.

I mentioned in a previous posting that it's quite sad that fellow Chelsea fans (if that's what they are) seem to enjoy verbally abusing someone if they don't agree with their point of view, the posters know who they are!

Southside Bucky is right with regard some of the twaddle that's posted on here. Here's me thinking what game have they just watched, but what bloody sport they're watching, because it's not football.

I tend to agree with 'Southside'... Standards have slipped and I am pleased to see that 'measures have been put in place'....... whatever that means, it sounds pretty impressive!

I find it interesting that when fans of other sides come on this forum they tend to get a rational hearing and a sensible response from most people.... Why do we all get so worked up by the ranting of Chelsea fans, who clearly don't watch the same games as most of us?

Perhaps some 'posters' on here just need a 'bit of a lie down'...

I’m not sure what “Measures have been put in place” means but personally I favour free speech, as I think most of you do since the majority weren’t in favour of TSO being gagged / censored by the board in his comments to the media.

I’m a big fan of Lampard and our performances drop dramatically when’s he’s missing, but if another poster doesn’t like him he’s free to say so and so far it hasn’t altered my view of Lampard.

I rarely agree with Jose Musumba, but I rather think its fun to pull his views to pieces. JD, you've done the job for me, so all I can say is I concur with you...how can you criticise a player after praising the team performance in which he played such an integral part?

There are a few people who contribute to this blog who seem determined to take ludicrous stances, and to freely criticise or abuse those of us who are prepared to deliver tough messages about our club. I've said it before, I am a season ticket holder and this site allows me to express all aspects of my devotion from joy to utter dismay unfettered by blind evangelistic optimism. Long may it continue.

Clive....crude is a subjective point but is always OK with me when it's as funny as the image you painted! I do wonder how people such as Jose Musumba cope with real games when the level of bad language in the ground is so high. Such "crude" humour and language is an integral part of the game and frankly if it's good enough for the Guardian to print such words uncensored then its good enough for me. Just one point Clive.....you mean someone was desperate enough to marry Tubby? And the image of Battenburg enjoying some man-on-man action with Tubby is an unfortunate one that I could have done without. Unfortunate but bloody funny!

"And the image of Battenburg enjoying some man-on-man action with Tubby is an unfortunate one that I could have done without. Unfortunate but bloody funny!"

I do try to be cosmopolitan in my views so nobody can accuse me of being homophobic :-)

But one point you mentioned Tony is quite relevant, how would Mr Musumba cope with actually being at a real game. I feel he would be leaving fairly quickly if bad language or ribald remarks offended him that easily.

I'm much calmer this morning. The ECT worked quite nicely.

I'm all for free speech, but without getting into another diatribe about what is and isn't posted on here, the old Elton John post Sun libel case adage is always worth remembering, (especially with regard to Frank); they can call me a fat talentless old poof, but I won't have them telling lies about me.

And leave the Battenburg / Benitez stuff until I've had my coffee and croissaint, would you? :-)

Different voices are vital to constructive debate. I don't agree with much of what Jose Musamba says, but his opinions about Lampard are valid if confused. My one qualm is similar to Tony's, that some people cannot comprehend that our disappointment at the way Mourinho was treated reflects our huge concerns about the way the club is run, and that results achieved by Grant while appreciated do not reassure us that the cracks are anything other than wallpapered over.

I think this is a definite old fan/new fan split. Perhaps if you weren't here in earlier seasons, you wouldn't appreciate the eerie parallels with previous, foot-shooting regimes and have the innate awareness that this has held us back for so long.

In this context, comparing every result to one achieved by Mourinho, in isolation of his considerable other achievements - most pertinently giving the club a winning mentality that we had NEVER previously exhibited - is a redundant argument. Ditto, copying and pasting quotes from disgruntled former players serves little purpose beyond cheap propaganda.

That said, I don't think this forum has anything like the problems of the official site, where that Danish tool and his dense sidekicks destroy every attempt at intelligent conversation with their rabid distortions.

"Measures have been put in place" just means that some posters will have their comments moderated (NOT edited). We're certainly not opposed to free speech. It's ridiculous to think that a comment won't be published just because it disagrees with our point of view.

Comments judged offensive, irrelevant, repetitive, abusive, threatening, or spam will not be published. Frankly, it's been this way from the beginning.

Of course we have to judge what's what, but that's the way it is on many websites; the internet is too fucked up a place to allow an anything goes policy.

I gave up on the official site long ago - now that is collection of deranged lunatics.

Football coverage is tabloid-ised enough in this country, with the usual falsehoods and ill-informed nonsense trotted out ad infinitum -sadly it seems to inform a large swathe of the public's opinion which (sadly) I doubt will ever change. On the other hand, the club's 'everything is fine' on message propaganda is troubling for exactly the reasons that Peter mentions. But to read a surreal combination of the two - Sun style analysis and Chelsea official party line spin on here, well, suffice to say it gets my goat somewhat.

JD, Nick, great points as usual. It's nice to know we can continue as before and to be honest I'd always thought that what Nick says has always been the way.

On JD's point - the way we are portrayed asa club and as fans will depend on what journal or media platform you want to follow.

ChelseaTV is as you'd expect on a par with Kim Jung Il's communications in North Korea. You'll get their version of the truth, and they may like to portray an "all opinions welcome" view on their debates, but the truth is they will disconnect anyone too dissenting without any qualms. I suppose they don't go quite as far as "disappearing" these very dissenters, but it's a bit like watching a gathering of the biggest Blue-glass tinted evangelist group ever bought together. Heaven knows, i fully expect some Gospel style tribute prhrammes to start soon.

Tabloids as we all know will distort, bend, hide the truth in order to shift copy. If they're right its "we told you first", if they're wrong then it's a miniscule retraction or the other well tried tactic of never mentioning it again. The clue usually lies with the phrase "an inside source said". The broadsheets/berliners are often following the tabs and fall down from time to time because of the egotistical and partisan nature of some of their chief sports writers. But for balance you can get a selection from each of them on occasions.

Fanzines such as CFCNet and B&W Army are generally more objective sites where criticisms and concerns are welcomed, but they miss the interactivity angle that this blog gives. Forums are also a reasonable method but often just turn into "flaming" sessions of "yes you did/no I didn't" type of debates.

The Broadcast media vary between sublimely brilliant to tabloid absurdity - 5Live seem to nurture debate from equal perspectives unless Alan Green is on one of his "good old days of Arsenal and man Utd" rants, as for TalkSport...well Wrighty sometimes seems to be the only voice of sense in a sea of ego puffing wannabe shock jocks.

This blog wins for me because of the collaborative nature of it (apologies for lack of article this year so far from me.....work has a away of interrupting my loafing/writing time!).

I guess my summary is that you pay your money you take your choice and if you don't like one view then don't worry, there'll be another on along shortly. Just one last point for me.......the club is it's own worst PR disaster since Simon Greenberg took the reins. It was bad under Uncle Killer Ken, who didn't care how big or dirty the hole he dug was, he'd still jump in with both feet and wallow in the mire. Sorry was a word not in his vocabulary. I had hopes for things to change when RA came on board, but they only appear to have become more glaring than before. The way the whole JM departure was handled and the subsequent Ag succession was atrocious. The overall feeling as stated in a comment earlier is that what we hear now is the desperate sound of plaster being applied to broken legs, or wallpaper being applied over gaping chasms in the walls. People like me see through this propaganda and as wily old cynics refuse to believe any media news at face value without cross checking or validating the stories across a number of sources. I think this is a trait that belongs more to the more established Chelsea fan than the newer intake because as implied by peter, we've seen this and worse so many times before that we're almost as cynical as the detestable contingent tainting the Fourth estate.

Looking for a 2-0 minimum tonight, if only to stop the outward arse-licking gushings of orgasmic baby-gravy writings in todays papers on that North London and Salford Quays mobs performances last night.

On the subjest of the nonsense on the official site and TV channel - did I read somewhere over the weekend that one of the 'official' reporters has been banned from the training ground because his reporting wasn't always spun in a positive light ???

With regards to tonight, anything that fall's into the 'win' category is good enough at this stage. Neither left back fit, and our imperious leader out as well. Everyone else appears to be available, and I think we'll be too strong for Schalke. Kuranyi is the one to watch.

Tony - I'm afraid we could win 15-0 tonight and the press wouldn't give a monkeys. They'd still be perving over the kids from the Emirates. They played well, granted, but their opposistion ranks alongside the sort of teams I face on a Sunday morning.

I've mentioned it before. They've still not played a decent team. I'll sit up and take note if they destroy Max's boys that way on Sunday, but until then, I'll let the hacks continue to wet themselves.

Fifty

'Tis true - Neil Barnett has been banned from certain interviews as "the club felt they weren't being portrayed in the right light" and his live interviews with fans are now on a phone in basis, where, no doubt, the editing and censoring can be made easier. I can't remember the last critical voice I heard on ChelseaTV. The odious Greenberg, the worlds most inept PR person strikes again!

Nice post Tony,

Exactly my sentiments about the media coverage, although i've never been able to articulate it that well. usually i just say the red tops are shite!

I work in Westminster and i've seen over 10 pissed up Shackle 04 fans wondering around pointing at stuff. They'll be drowning their sorrow tonight no doubt ya!

K/T/B/F/F/H

There are a few Schalke fans wandering around - seen a few up here in deepest Soho. A mate of mine also reported several standing on the wrong side of the escalator at Notting Hill. That must be the subversive element to their support.

Hmmmmm.....when i glanced thru the names of posters above and saw that is was flooded with 'veterans' (Beinfield, JD, Clive, Fifty and Glover), i knew that somebody must have done some goading....

Jose Musumba and any other person should be allowed to air their views here. I dont think the words used on this blog have been utterly abusive. I'v seen some of the 'veterans' use words like 'idiots' when referring to those on the other side of their arguments before....

I think we could all still be civil even though our opinions are diverse. One thing is clear though, the passion for blue success and dominance!

Another 3 points would do just fine by me. If some flair is served in addition to victory, all the better.

Always blue!

Veterans? Cheek!

If I could get out of this bath chair I'd give you what for, young man...

goodluck to the blues. i can taste victory in my tongue though. i would rather watch us collect 3 points and secure our place in the next stage than get all 'sexy' and then yap on about our opponents playing 'anti-football' as Messi suggested about Rangers. i was ticked by it although i am not necessarily a Rangers sympathiser. i just hate the arrogance displayed by some people, and Guardian journalists fan this a lot, who seem to think that their version of a game plan are universally accepted. if Barca wants to play sexy let them do it. But for that crybaby Messi to suggest that Rangers play is somehow anti-football is very annoying. Rangers has the right to play according to their plan. Barca, and they do play beautifully by the way, has to follow its own game plan. Just because Barca failed to beat Rangers does not mean that Rangers were unti-football. football is a big game and the beauty of it is that there are so many schools of it, and not anyone of them is universally accepted. every team and coach chooses which to follow and sometimes this changes from game to game too.

anyway i am off to watch us slaughter some team. bring it on boys!

Quite agree JD these young whippersnappers and there ageist remarks!
If only I could get a new motorised Zimmer frame (if they exist)

Okay been away too long.

Missed quite a bit here but I can see I have ruffled a few feathers.

Because I do not like the way Lampard plays does not mean I have beef with the play nor that I want you lot to think I agree with the "band wagon" thing you have going on.

IMO....Lampard is good but does not rank high right now.He has played better than what is offering. For any blue eyed boy out there if you watched Arsenal rip that Czech team to shreds last night then you would know what am talking about.

WHY CAN WE NOT PLAY LIKE THAT?

If you could answer that question ten we will surely be on the right path of understanding the game.

High on my list is that Lampard...yes again can not control the ball as well as anyone in the Arsenal midfield can.

Yes he is effective but not as effective as a world class player would rank.

Please rank Frank with Cesc for me. That boy is taking on players and passing like a true midfielder is doing and yes he is also scoring lovely goals.

Someone is going to go off shooting that am an Arsenal fan now...Facts are facts...we play shite in the middle...the sooner you lot accept the sooner you will know where the problem is. Oh and the breaking down teams through the middle has got nothing to do with Lampard...I was reffering to the free reign that Joe Cole has been granted...(dah!!!!)

If a manager fails to control his department....fire him...plain simple.

Let us whip Shalke tonight and will be waiting for more of the same...

Jose, I can see where you are coming from. Lampard has not been giving the quality performances we have seen in previous seasons. I don't think you can put him down for not performing as well as Fabregas though. He is one of the best players in the world at the moment. I also feel it is unreasonable to ask why we cannot play football as well as Arsenal, because they probably the best attacking football in the world.

As for tonight, that was a comfortable enough win for me.

Not quite sure how Alex wasn't sent off though..

and that mistake by the keeper for Malouda's first goal was painful.

Happy enough with tonight's performance..... Once again,it was simply more of what we are used to.

If anything, without JT at the back, Cech was kicking the ball long to DD far more than usual... and often it was surrendering possession straight back to Schalke.

Not too sure that Joe Cole has what it takes to be Chelsea's answer to Messi.... He seems to trip over his feet far too much for my liking.

Really pleased with Drogba though... Despite his obvious disappointment at JM's departure, he continues to put in good performances and continues to get goals.

Assisted by Rosenborg's result, I think we should now be safe for the group stages.

Ohhhh..... And the 'Spirit of Istanbul' wasn't enough to get Rafa the Waiter and his team of squeeky voiced muppets over the line tonight. Shame , eh!

I've got nothing against you speaking your mind Jose. I've got a low tolerance of mediocre performances and out of form players myself.

But to CONSTANTLY suggest that Lampard is the culprit for our lack of creativity when recent results with, and without him in the side would totally suggest otherwise, is nonsensical to say the least.

Then you start waxing lyrical about the Arse...A side who haven't won a fucking carrot for over three years now. Yeah, they're playing well, but when you delve a bit deeper into their good form, you realise just how kind the Premier league fixture list has been to them so far this season. Have a look for yourself:

LINK

As for the pub sides they've been drawn against in the Champions League (yet again!), the less said...

Considering we've just been through a pretty traumatic (and hopefully short) transition period, and been affected with constant injury problems, we 'aint doing so bad.

Apologies for calling Jose Musumba a Liverpool fan. Your really and Arsenal fan. Chelsea do not play like Arsenal (yet ) because 1. The Chelsea manager has not been on the job for ten years or been given the time to develop a team on the cheap while paying for a new stadium 2. Chelsea do not play like Arsenal because the fixture list has not given us a run of lesser wuality teams to play. 3 Chelsea do not play like Arsenal because teams do not stand back and give our players acres of space to run around with the ball. Chelsea are a bigger scalp than Arsenal. 4 Chelsea do not play like Arsenal because even if we did , the press would never give the credit (we played sexy football under Ruud and still got hammered in the media). 5 Chelsea do not play like Arsenal because we are under greater pressure from the fans and media to 'win trophies' because of the financial strength of the club. Could the fans go for two or three years without winning something in trying to play like Arsenal. I think not.

Personally I don't give a monkeys how Arsenal play. Jose Musumba should go to the Emirates if he loves Les Arsenal so much.

so Jose, you are really an Arsenal man? i am just curious. but i would concur with Hughie G. You have to understand our circumstances before you can argue against our approach to the game. secondly, who said we aspire to be an Arsenal anyway?

we will win more and play better with time. we are in turmoil right now following the departure of Mourinho but we still grab 3 points each time.

Jose,

Please dont think I'm being condescending when I say this but, to put it simply, Chelsea had a wobble when Lamps was injured.

He comes back.

We win 4 on the spin, and he's been back for the last three.

Is that plain enough ???

Fifty....

Would you apply the same 'logic/analogy' to Mourinho and Grant? As in chelsea having a wobble in JM's last days and Grant having a run now?... and with the same set of players, mind you.

I personally thot chelsea had a smooth flow yesterday...a glimpse of an evolving 'attacking mentality' perhaps...?

Joe Cole should be called to order....if he had served crosses/passes like Paulo did yesterday (instead of playing for the cameras consistently), we may have won by a much wider margin.

Always blue!

Yes, isn't Cesc a great player. Perhaps if we ask Wenger REALLY NICELY he'll let us buy him!

Also, Joe Cole is not as good as Lionel Messi - booooo!!!!!! Sell em all!!!!!! It's not fair!!!!

Anyway, another comfortable, solid, unexceptional performance. Looking much more settled now: clean sheets (anything to do with Carvalho being back?), better possession (anything to do with Lampard being back?) and scoring goals (anything to do with Drogba being back?).

Big game Sat. Another three points and then we should be able to push on through some very winnable fixtures until Arsenal.

Saw a few highlights - a most frustrating evening in terms of Sky packing up on me, spending half an hour on the phone to a call centre faffing about with cables etc. Managed to get it all reconnected to see the last 30 seconds of the game! Sounds like we were relatively comfortable and could have put a couple more away - very careless foul by Alex which could have proved costly on another day though, but no damage done. Valencia dropping points was an unexpected bonus.

I've officially retired from the Lampard debate and the seemingly endless discussion as to whatever he is, isn't or might be. Just too tiresome for words now.

I didn't see the game because being a Virgin media customer I find that Sky, no doubt in an effort to piss off VM customers, decided to show it on Sky One and Sky Sports Extra (HD). So thanks for sod all Sky. If I could get my TV elsewhere I bloody would.

Murdochs Mob are a bunch of shameless robbers with no regard for their customers!

*Takes another Valium*

Tony - why don't you just switch to Sky - I did and haven't regretted it and the HD picture is definitely better.

The media always talking about styles of football have brought about this debate of "everyone should play like Arsenal, it's so beautiful!" As Alex (I think) said they haven;t won a carrot in a few seasons. Doesn't that just mean they're shit?

I know it's attractive and i think they'll win something this year if they continue.

Jose, you can't keep looking over the garden fence at what other teams have. Cesc (what a name) is on top form at the moment, but last season he wasn't anywhere as good. Just as Lamps who i think had a bit of a mare last season was still able to score 20 odd goals and is playing better this season. Frank's consistancey is what counts, he gets way too much abuse from the media and England fans duely follow like sheep.

Lets see how Cesc (ha ha ha...) plays next season. It's the norm for playersfor to be good for two max three seasons then have a dip.

Mash Potato.

K/T/B/F/F/H

Mark

It's a very long story as to why I can't have Sky.

This link explains it all! Replace the asterisks in the URL with the obvious letters though!

LINK**ts.html

I was not wrong...some one out there thinks because I have acknowledged a fact I am an Arsenal fan... How odd do you guys come?????

ANyway, Fact is a fact Hughie with all your analysis forwarded you got nothing spot on for me...

1. The Chelsea manager has not been on the job for ten years or been given the time to develop a team on the cheap while paying for a new stadium. Fact but does being on the job ten years change the team????

2. Chelsea do not play like Arsenal because the fixture list has not given us a run of lesser wuality teams to play. How many times have we beaten teams 4-0, 5-0, 6-0, 7-0???? Lesser teams or not????

3 Chelsea do not play like Arsenal because teams do not stand back and give our players acres of space to run around with the ball. Chelsea are a bigger scalp than Arsenal. Did you actually forward this point???? Please a little more maturity in your points...

4 Chelsea do not play like Arsenal because even if we did , the press would never give the credit (we played sexy football under Ruud and still got hammered in the media). This is another low point...no comment

5 Chelsea do not play like Arsenal because we are under greater pressure from the fans and media to ‘win trophies’ because of the financial strength of the club. Could the fans go for two or three years without winning something in trying to play like Arsenal. I think not. Do I honestly have to discuss this last one???? You could do a lot better....

Arsenal played weak opposition but it is a fact that Arsenal are playing good football.... and because I see this does not mean that I support Arsenal (for those that may be unsettled)

Lovely win by the way...but I think that our passing in the middle was not as effective... To appease a couple out here...my solution to retain Lamps would either to play him as a twin striker or play him in a 442 formation... Happy now????