The Official Thread of Chelsea FC

[A Quinn Martin Production]

Musings on the season.

So Chelsea win the double for the first time in their history.  It's the eleventh double of all time and Chelsea become the seventh club to complete this feat, still behind Man Utd and Arsenal's 3 but now level with Liverpool.  Yet the media response seems quite muted.  There are maybe five reasons for this.  1) England win some tin pot cricket tournament in the Caribbean.  2)  Some slapper sets out to catch somebody called Triesman with his kecks down and ends up with a more interesting story.  3)  While not easier in any sense a double is now more likely and more common due to the dominance of a small number of clubs.  4) Some sections of the print media especially cannot stand Chelsea.

But the main reason may be the quality of the football of the season that has just passed.  While the league at some stages was described as unpredictable and competitive, the only major surprise was the performance of Liverpool who had they played the way the played last season would have walked the league.  Teams like Man City, Aston Vila, and Spurs may look back on 2009-2010 as the season they should have made a breakthrough.

However it did feel like a season in which no team got a rhythm going.  Chelsea's season was split broadly into three.  They actually started quite well and for by hiccups against Wigan and Aston Villa and an apparent inability to defend set pieces, by the time they overwhelmed Arsenal 0-3 on 29 Nov they had already also beaten Man Utd and Liverpool without conceding a goal as well as being unbeaten in the CL and were looking good bets for the league.  However there began the second part of their season and they won only one of their next seven games (that being a penalty assisted win over Pompey).  Chelsea played poorly right up until the end of February despite a win over Arsenal and a few half decent wins in the Cup.  During this period Man City completed the double over Chelsea who managed 1 point over the two games with Everton.

By St Patrick's Day they were out of the Champions League, hammered by Inter over the two games, and there followed a poor performance against Blackburn.  The third part of the season began on Wed 24th March with a 5-0 away drubbing of Portsmouth.  Despite a blip (again a poor display) against Spurs, Chelsea beat Man Utd and Liverpool away and hit seven goals twice and 8 goals once.  Chelsea played their best football since the early weeks of Sept and Oct and won the league on the last day.

Yet despite this Chelsea scored the most goals by a league winning team and had the best goal difference ever (I think...back in the day it was goal average and not goal difference that counted).  They took 18 points off the other members of the so called Big Four conceding one goal over the six games.  Drogba and Lampard scored 51 Prem goals between them (one fewer than the entire Aston Villa side who finished 6th!!).  They had to cope without players like Essien, Bosingwa, both Coles, Carvalho etc for large parts of the season and with Terry underperforming (on the pitch at least)

Chelsea will not get the credit for the double due in part to the media's fawning over Man Utd (they're afraid of Ferguson) and a love-in with Arsenal (well we all wet ourselves watching that tippy-tappy five a side stuff).  Well, I couldn't leave the conspiracy theories out!  Man Utd relied this season on playing averagely and winning, and the goals of Rooney. 

But while the record books will not say "2009-2010 Chelsea did the double (shit season)", I must say that's how it feels at the moment.

[Rossie11]

Ballack out of WC
From the Beeb

Germany captain Michael Ballack has been ruled out of this summer's World Cup because of the right ankle injury he suffered in Saturday's FA Cup final.

The 33-year-old Chelsea midfielder has made 98 appearances for his country and played in the last two World Cups.

A scan revealed a partially torn ligament but it is expected to be eight weeks before he can resume training and Germany's first match is on 13 June.

He was injured after a challenge by Portsmouth's Kevin-Prince Boateng.

Ironically, Boateng could be part of the Ghana squad that will face Germany in Group D at the finals in South Africa.

More to follow

[AZOffaly]

Ballack out of WC
From the Beeb

Germany captain Michael Ballack has been ruled out of this summer's World Cup because of the right ankle injury he suffered in Saturday's FA Cup final.

The 33-year-old Chelsea midfielder has made 98 appearances for his country and played in the last two World Cups.

A scan revealed a partially torn ligament but it is expected to be eight weeks before he can resume training and Germany's first match is on 13 June.

He was injured after a challenge by Portsmouth's Kevin-Prince Boateng.

Ironically, Boateng could be part of the Ghana squad that will face Germany in Group D at the finals in South Africa.

More to follow

That was a brutal tackle, could easily have been red. And maybe I'm cynical, but I didn't think it was 'Ironic' at all.

[Doogie Browser]

I have to say it was a spiteful tackle, gutted for Ballack as I always enjoy cheering on the Jerries at World Cups.

[Main Street]

The extent of the injury is tough on Ballack, but that has nothing to do with Boateng.
The hard tackle had to made on that bollix, it was worth an obligatory yellow card, no more no less.


Meanwhile it just gets better and better for JT -  Captain, Leader, Legend

[A Quinn Martin Production]

The extent of the injury is tough on Ballack, but that has nothing to do with Boateng.
The hard tackle had to made on that bollix, it was worth an obligatory yellow card, no more no less.

Apart from the fact he made the late, studs up, tackle nowhere near the ball...no

[Main Street]

An intent to hurt Ballack, sure. He deserved some retribution.
The ball was there when Boateng made his plunge, Ballack had kicked it away before 'contact' was made.
Didn't Chelsea score from the free kick. 
Ballack took one for the team but only goes on whining afterwards like a little boy whose lost his toy.

[A Quinn Martin Production]

So a studs up challenge deliberately intending to injure the opponent is not a red card

Retribution ...for what

It's clear you didn't see the match Main Street.  Ballack was injured in the first half Chelsea scored in the second...apart from that..spot on

[Main Street]

So a studs up challenge deliberately intending to injure the opponent is not a red card

Retribution ...for what

It's clear you didn't see the match Main Street.  Ballack was injured in the first half Chelsea scored in the second...apart from that..spot on

A mere detail,  Ballack is still a whiner.

You appear to determine intent to cripple Ballack, I don't.  It was  a poor tackle from a forward, but did the job nonetheless.
Ballack had been at Boateng earlier.
Regrettable that Ballack's WC is over but that's an occasional effect of the game.
You wouldn't hear Giles or Irwin whining in public about getting injured in a game.
Ballack has no class.

[A Quinn Martin Production]

So a studs up challenge deliberately intending to injure the opponent is not a red card

Retribution ...for what

It's clear you didn't see the match Main Street.  Ballack was injured in the first half Chelsea scored in the second...apart from that..spot on

A mere detail,  Ballack is still a whiner.

You appear to determine intent to cripple Ballack, I don't.  It was  a poor tackle from a forward, but did the job nonetheless.
Ballack had been at Boateng earlier.
Regrettable that Ballack's WC is over but that's an occasional effect of the game.
You wouldn't hear Giles or Irwin whining in public about getting injured in a game.
Ballack has no class.

[fearbrags]

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=787982&sec=transfers&cc=5901

[A Quinn Martin Production]

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=787982&sec=transfers&cc=5901

If true...complete and utter madness

[Capt Pat]

Ballack slapped Boateng in the face earlier in the game and later Boateng nearly crippled him and knocked him out of the world cup. Both should have got red cards.

[ross4life]

Musings on the season.

So Chelsea win the double for the first time in their history.  It's the eleventh double of all time and Chelsea become the seventh club to complete this feat, still behind Man Utd and Arsenal's 3 but now level with Liverpool.  Yet the media response seems quite muted.  There are maybe five reasons for this.  1) England win some tin pot cricket tournament in the Caribbean.  2)  Some slapper sets out to catch somebody called Triesman with his kecks down and ends up with a more interesting story.  3)  While not easier in any sense a double is now more likely and more common due to the dominance of a small number of clubs.  4) Some sections of the print media especially cannot stand Chelsea.

But the main reason may be the quality of the football of the season that has just passed.  While the league at some stages was described as unpredictable and competitive, the only major surprise was the performance of Liverpool who had they played the way the played last season would have walked the league.  Teams like Man City, Aston Vila, and Spurs may look back on 2009-2010 as the season they should have made a breakthrough.

However it did feel like a season in which no team got a rhythm going.  Chelsea's season was split broadly into three.  They actually started quite well and for by hiccups against Wigan and Aston Villa and an apparent inability to defend set pieces, by the time they overwhelmed Arsenal 0-3 on 29 Nov they had already also beaten Man Utd and Liverpool without conceding a goal as well as being unbeaten in the CL and were looking good bets for the league.  However there began the second part of their season and they won only one of their next seven games (that being a penalty assisted win over Pompey).  Chelsea played poorly right up until the end of February despite a win over Arsenal and a few half decent wins in the Cup.  During this period Man City completed the double over Chelsea who managed 1 point over the two games with Everton.

By St Patrick's Day they were out of the Champions League, hammered by Inter over the two games, and there followed a poor performance against Blackburn.  The third part of the season began on Wed 24th March with a 5-0 away drubbing of Portsmouth.  Despite a blip (again a poor display) against Spurs, Chelsea beat Man Utd and Liverpool away and hit seven goals twice and 8 goals once.  Chelsea played their best football since the early weeks of Sept and Oct and won the league on the last day.

Yet despite this Chelsea scored the most goals by a league winning team and had the best goal difference ever (I think...back in the day it was goal average and not goal difference that counted).  They took 18 points off the other members of the so called Big Four conceding one goal over the six games.  Drogba and Lampard scored 51 Prem goals between them (one fewer than the entire Aston Villa side who finished 6th!!).  They had to cope without players like Essien, Bosingwa, both Coles, Carvalho etc for large parts of the season and with Terry underperforming (on the pitch at least)

Chelsea will not get the credit for the double due in part to the media's fawning over Man Utd (they're afraid of Ferguson) and a love-in with Arsenal (well we all wet ourselves watching that tippy-tappy five a side stuff).  Well, I couldn't leave the conspiracy theories out!  Man Utd relied this season on playing averagely and winning, and the goals of Rooney. 

But while the record books will not say "2009-2010 Chelsea did the double (shit season)", I must say that's how it feels at the moment.

less reaction when the double becomes more common, when United won the double in 1994 (there 1st) it was only the 2nd double for 20 years & less media attention to Chelsea in Ireland for obvious reasons

[Main Street]

Ballack slapped Boateng in the face earlier in the game and later Boateng nearly crippled him and knocked him out of the world cup. Both should have got red cards.

Ballack will have plenty of time to reflect on his behaviour, he wound up the wrong guy at the wrong time and got injured in the inevitable act of retribution.
Meanwhile, Boateng has a World Cup to enjoy.