Premier League preview: Manchester City v. Chelsea
Friday, 04 April 08, 01:11 PM · Comments (58)
Well, just three days after an outing to the sun drenched city of Istanbul where our brave/courageous or apathetic/arrogant boys (delete as appropriate) suffered a setback in the Euro Big Cup first quarter-final play-off against Fenn Her Barchy (as spelt in the subtitles I inadvertently activated during the game and couldn’t work out how to get rid of) we travel to the small provincial town of Manchester for a super soccer game against the lesser famed football club in the area. No, not Bury, but Manchester City.
It was just a couple of years ago when quite a few of us Chelsea fans were aghast to find out that the bald, spherical-headed mannequin (no - not Tubby Benitez) who masquerades as the Chief Executive of our beloved club, had allegedly accepted an invitation to spend the evening (ahem) with a swarthy dark haired ‘oldie but goodie’ (in my eyes anyway) called Nancy Del’ Ollio but ended up with the silky voiced serial shagger that is Sven-Goran Eriksson. Despite all denials it did look for all the world that we were looking at him as a manager, despite having just employed The Special One. What utter madness it appeared to be at the time... but... how many of us would accept the human Rampant Rabbit now if it meant that Avram Grant would return to his plush office in the executive suite of Stamford Bridge?
In many ways, Citeh are very similar to us, or at least were. Like us, they played football in the shadow of a far more successful club, and like us were perennial underachievers. Whilst their more famed neighbours racked up trophies like Kerry Katona collects invoices from The Priory, Citeh have had to live off of memories of distant FA Cup victories and even more distant top division honours. Until recently our honours records were strikingly similar. Of course things changed with the dramatic intervention of the Silently Smiling Oligarch, Roman Abramovich, with his allegedly, yet consistently unproved, dodgy history. Citeh now find themselves owned similarly by a man with very deep pockets and an equally allegedly dodgy history. Thaksin Shinawatra despatched Stuart Pearce as we did Claudio Ranieri and set about funding an almost completely new team. The result... mid table obscurity. But most Citeh fans would concede that progress has been made and that The Shagger has started to build something for the future. Having said that, anything for them is better than the regular relegation battle scenarios they’ve suffered for as long as I can remember.
So which Chelsea will turn up? The sad truth is that under The Fat Controller, no-one, least of all the team, seems to have any idea. Will we be spurred and stung by the midweek reverse, or will we slide into title oblivion with a display similar to the rubbish served up last week, or against Liverpool? The result is wide open in my view, because despite hitting a poor patch, Citeh are still capable of delivering body blows... just look at the double they’ve done this year over United. One thing is for sure, our earlier 6-0 hammering of them will be something they want to rectify, and despite the obvious disdain they and their supporters will have for yet another bout of triumphalism from their neighbours they will still want to win this game and gain position in the Premier League.
From our perspective I expect Grant to tick the big player boxes again, with Michael Ballack maybe sacrificed to appease Frank Lampard and our clone of Michael Essien with one of our off the peg right-backs, probably Paulo Ferreira getting the nod. Didier Drogba will probably be the lone striker as Grant dishes out yet more appeasement sweeteners in the faint hope that the big Ivorian won’t jump (a floundering?) ship this summer. As for the rest... well have fun guessing folks.
My prediction? A good chance of rain with temperatures dropping... oops, sorry... try again... Doctor Who will make a steady start despite the earlier start time... oops... sorry again... my match prediction... a dour game settled by a single goal will be the best outcome, but in my heart I feel this could be a 1-1.
There’s a shed load of information and stats on the BBC match preview page.
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OMG! There's an article on the daily mail website sports section, an interview with Roberto Di Matteo saying he's in talks with Chelsea to return to the club as Coach. It's not clear whether he'd be working under A.G though.
What's everyone think? I heard something on Sky Sports News last night but didn't get the gist of it, as we had visitors round.
I SO HOPE IT'S TRUE!
Di Matteo was my fave when he was with us!
Aaaah....the old recruiting of ex-players to quell the fans discontent ploy !
@ TONY
I want it to happen so much, he was and still is an absolute GOD in my eyes.
I remember thinking when i saw him score against Boro on his debut; "yup, he'll do!" His passing and long range shots were superb, he was wicked in midfield with Wisey, Poyet and Petrescu. Oh, the memories! Happy days!
Who can forget the fastest ever goal in a Wembley Cup Final as well? Was it 40 seconds or something like that?
I was gutted when he left through injury.
One word...LEGEND!!!
Petrescu was right back!?
I thought albert ferrer was right back then?
Petrescu was signed as a wing back but ended up playing right side of midfield in a diamond with Ferrer behind. Good thing too, cos I don't think I ever saw Dan make a tackle (and Chappy became one of my favourite ever players).
Scored some amazing goals did Dan. One against Wimbledon in the FA Cup at Selhurst, and a cracker against the Gooners in Vialli's first game.
58 Comments · Add yours
Loving your work Tony, I too am a bit worried about this - AG is just useless and its getting worse so i am never again going to say give him time or hey its football.....hmmm where have i heard that before.
We need to be brave - 4-4-2 with drogs and anelka up front. Put mikel and lamps in the middle with j cole on the left and essien on the right. Play our normal back four and lets dominate the middle. Have ze german on the bench with shaun, florent and kalou so if we need to change it we can.
With the lack of discipline in the team - with regards to no mistakes and knowing your role - we seriously lack the world class play makers to come on and damage a team.
Hopefully with a few new signings ala messi, villa, van der vaart and a new manager we can call this a transition year, all attend hypnotherapy and erase this misable time from our memory.
Great review Tony, as always you're right.
I also see Paulo starting on the weekend and Nicky on the bench. Also have a feeling SWP will make an appearance- don't know why, just do..would like to see Ballack, Frank and Maka in midfield. Cech could also be back from injury which should make you happy, TONY!
Micah Richards is injured, which i'm happy about. I think he's a great defender. Regarding Man City, they've only scored in 2 of their last 6 games and have won just once since they beat Man Ure in Febuary.
On the other hand, the Chels have only lost 2 of their last 18 league games at Maine Road AND we have the best away record in the Prem.
I'm both optimistic AND confident of a win, even though as Tony says, i think there will only be 1 goal in it. Who cares how many there are, as long as we win?