The Official Thread of Chelsea FC

[A Quinn Martin Production]

What!!?!?? I thougt AC had signed him permenantly!!

Shevchenko expects Chelsea return at season end
30.03.09 | tribalfootball.com
AC Milan striker Andriy Shevchenko expects to return to parent club Chelsea at the end of the season.

"I don't regret anything," he said. "I needed to refresh myself physically and that's what I've done at Milan.

"I haven't been used but I have made myself available. When I returned I said that I would have accepted anything.

"I knew no-one would do me any favours, and I knew that I would be the last striker in the team.

"I'll behave as a professional until the end, then I'll return to London.

"I'll live in London but I don't know where football will take me next season. I'll speak to Chelsea and we'll make a decision.

"I have confidence in myself."

I don't see the problem Norf...he'll be a great addition to the thirds!!

[Norf Tyrone]

Probably the worst time to go to the Toon tomorrow. The Geordies will be up for it, and there players will improve 20% on where they've been. I think Hiddink has 'almost' give up on the league, so we will have one eye on Wednesday.
In addition Drogba and Bosingwa have got injured, and Anelka is doubtful!

[Norf Tyrone]

A very professional performance by Chelsea on Saturday who bagged a couple of well earned points, as the anticapated Toon atmosphere evaporated in the air.

So to Wednesday. Is it just me or is there a distinct lack of hype about this game this season. It's probably because Liverpool, and to a lesser degree Chelsea are still involved in the League and this has not give the game a chance to build up a head of steam, but more likely due to the fact that this fixture now has a bit of a tired look about it. In reality it needs Benitez to slag someone off, or Drogba to denounce all Scousers. Something to get the blood boiling.

However I'd take a guess that come Wednesday night the nerves will be frayed as normal. Liverpool go into this one on a real crest, albeit the Premier League form guide has them behind Chelsea. The quandry for Rafa and Guus is how to approach it.

I'd like to see Chelsea keep a tight reign on Gerard, but be positive at the same time. Going into the game the Blues will field without Joey Cole, and have big doubts over Carvalho, Bosingwa and Drogba. Out of that lot, Drogba and Carvalho would be big losses. Alex has done well this season, but he is prone to the odd slip or error. At RB IVanovic would provide a more defensive cover to Bosingwa and might by default be the better option for an away leg game regardless. In addition I'd perhaps employ Essien to follow Gerard everywhere. Up top, I just hope that Drogba is fit. Last season the Liverpool defence could not handle him, and this could cause Skertl and Carragher to drop a wee bit off him, and allow the big lad to turn on the ball. Malouda and Kalou have been poor again this year, however no real alternative exists. Malouda coincidentally had one of his better games on Saturday past.... but we've been here before.

Rafa no doubt will draw strength from Liverpool's two victories over Chelsea this season, and there is no doubt that over the games they were the better side. However hopefully canny Hiddink will get the bones of those two results into the player's psyche. Liverpool's winner at Stamford Br was an own goal, and the late Torres double came after Chelsea had Lampard wrongly sent off, with Gerard lucky to be still on the field.

My team would be:

                                     Cech
Ivanovic              JT              Carvalho or Alex      Ashley Cole

                                   Mikel

                        Essien           Lampard

             Kalou            Drogba               Malouda       

[Norf Tyrone]

More stats than you can shake a stick at...

http://www.uefa.com/printoutfiles/competitions/ucl/2009/e/e_302803_pk.pdf

[Norf Tyrone]

       Cech

Ivan Terry Alex Cole

Ballack Essien Lampard

Kalou Drogba Malouda

[AZOffaly]

Congrats tonight Norf. Well deserved, and could have been much more. No complaints at all.

Hopefully Liverpool can do an Old Trafford on ye in the second leg, but ye are deserving favourites now. Top notch.

[brokencrossbar1]

Gutted but the best team by far on the night won.  Hiddink outsmarted Rafa and the workrate of Chelsea was unreal.  Miracles sometimes happen but I reckon that the CL is over for this season.

[A Quinn Martin Production]

Chelsea's best 90 mins since the halcyon days under The Special One (actually the best 80 mins as in the first 10 mins we were all over the shop).  We did not panic after the first goal (great play by Kuyt but Torres had 2 free yards in the middle of the box!) but managed to play our way back into the match, helped it has to be said by Liverpool constantly giving the ball away and/or being caught in possession in the midfield (Lucas was woeful)  If Drogba had've taken his chances we could have scored six.  Credit to Malouda who I've ripped apart all season but he played his best match for us last night.  I know Ivanovic isn't our best known player but there was no need for Liverpool to totally ignore him at corners.  Back four were really good, to use an old fashioned phrase they fairly let Torres "know they were there". Essien totally had the "legendary" $tevie Me in his pocket, Drogba looked liked the player he was two seasons ago (albeit he missed a couple of sitters).  Lampard made a couple of uncharacteristic errors but other than that he was Lampard.  Even Ballack looked interested though a passenger liner could still turn quicker than him.  It's not over yet but we're definitely in the driving seat with a full tank of diesel and clear road ahead of us....Barca looked scary though

[Doogie Browser]

Did anyone else get the impression Andy Gray cannot stand Drogba?  Seemed to be on him all night until he scored that is.

[A Quinn Martin Production]

Did anyone else get the impression Andy Gray cannot stand Drogba?  Seemed to be on him all night until he scored that is.

That's strange as I think Drogba speaks very highly of Andy

[The GAA]

Hats off to chelsea - fantastic performance. i'd disagree abot the reference to JM's halcion days - i don't believe mourinho's teams ever played like that, full throttle for 90 minutes. the pressure chelsea pressed onto the liverpool defensive midfielders was the key. they weren't allowed set anything up and two key things followed from there: 1) gerarrd never got a pass in a decent position the whole night, and 2) the back 4 had to play too much football and proved they weren't capable. The blueprint is simple to knock liverpool out of their stride.

[Minder]

Hats off to chelsea - fantastic performance. i'd disagree abot the reference to JM's halcion days - i don't believe mourinho's teams ever played like that, full throttle for 90 minutes. the pressure chelsea pressed onto the liverpool defensive midfielders was the key. they weren't allowed set anything up and two key things followed from there: 1) gerarrd never got a pass in a decent position the whole night, and 2) the back 4 had to play too much football and proved they weren't capable. The blueprint is simple to knock liverpool out of their stride.

Is there another player in the EPL that would be able to man mark Gerrard with the success Essien did?

[A Quinn Martin Production]

Hats off to chelsea - fantastic performance. i'd disagree abot the reference to JM's halcion days - i don't believe mourinho's teams ever played like that, full throttle for 90 minutes. the pressure chelsea pressed onto the liverpool defensive midfielders was the key. they weren't allowed set anything up and two key things followed from there: 1) gerarrd never got a pass in a decent position the whole night, and 2) the back 4 had to play too much football and proved they weren't capable. The blueprint is simple to knock liverpool out of their stride.

In Mourinho's first year in charge we played some great stuff.  But I will agree from then on it was downhill.  Managed to win a second league paying some mediocre stuff.

Second point I will agree.  Expect to see Sam Allardyce learn something for Saturday!  Nullify Gerrard and Torres and Liverpool are a mid table side.

The best part for me was hearing the voices of all the Chelsea hating, Liverpool supporting 5Live commentators!!  This morning Mike Ingham sounded like the world was about to end.

[new devil]

Hargreaves had him in his pocket twice last year

[Minder]

Hats off to chelsea - fantastic performance. i'd disagree abot the reference to JM's halcion days - i don't believe mourinho's teams ever played like that, full throttle for 90 minutes. the pressure chelsea pressed onto the liverpool defensive midfielders was the key. they weren't allowed set anything up and two key things followed from there: 1) gerarrd never got a pass in a decent position the whole night, and 2) the back 4 had to play too much football and proved they weren't capable. The blueprint is simple to knock liverpool out of their stride.

In Mourinho's first year in charge we played some great stuff.  But I will agree from then on it was downhill.  Managed to win a second league paying some mediocre stuff.

Second point I will agree.  Expect to see Sam Allardyce learn something for Saturday!  Nullify Gerrard and Torres and Liverpool are a mid table side.

The best part for me was hearing the voices of all the Chelsea hating, Liverpool supporting 5Live commentators!!  This morning Mike Ingham sounded like the world was about to end.

Is this a new phenomenom, the importance of Torres and Gerrard? It is one thing knowing that you have to stop a player and actually doing it. As for Torres they won plenty of games this year when he was injured. i remember beating United without either of them.