The Official Thread of Chelsea FC

[AZOffaly]

Hey, if they're doing the right thing, they're doing the right thing. PR or not, it's a good idea and it emphasises their opposition to the switch. i just hope they beat the sh1te out of Everton

[Norf Tyrone]

Last night was another Avram debacle, not aided by certain players.

It all started so well! Malouda, a surprise in the starting side, had his best 45 minutes to date for us, and Chelsea's first was well deserved. After that it was just a case of get a second and put it to bed...and they tried...and tried. Essien hit the bar, Ballack had a drive, as did Drogba. Several breaks floundered, but Chelsea were sooooo comfortable.

Then the players went to sleep! Fenerbache, with Richards excelling, bounced back and stunned Chelsea with a pair of strikes.

What should have been a cruise, will now turn into a nervy night at the Bridge next week. Still confidernt we'll advance, but Monaco and Barnsley cross my mind.

Drogba...
....the big lad was a disgrace last night. Several times in both halfs Chelsea broke with men over, and as soon as he picked up posession he tried an impossible shot. He was having pot shots with every free kick he had, and was playing so much as an individual it was untrue. If, as the rumours are true, he is playing for a move then last night confirmed it. Great as he is at times, he can also be greatly frustrating.

The only other point of note from last night was the ref. Top class. Hardly made a wrong decision, and waas in no way intimidated by the Turkish crowd. When a player went down, he was straight over telling them to get up and get on with it, and did not go looking for his cards at the drop of a hat. Best refereeing performance I have seen in a while.

[AZOffaly]

Was there any cards given out in Turkey Norf? there was none at the Emirates, and it's the first time I think I've ever watched a Champions League game without one.

[Norf Tyrone]

None at all AZ

The ref was Claus Bo Larsen...a Dane.

[Norf Tyrone]

Youth cup final first leg: Chelsea 1 (Kakuta) Man City 1 (Sturridge).

In injury time at present.

[Norf Tyrone]

Chelsea TV is usually propoganda city, with only positive 'I love Grant', 'Peter Kenyon's a genius' and 'up the brand' type callers.

Tonight....it was all Anti Grant.

His days are numbered....

[Norf Tyrone]

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/european_football/article3702029.ece

Ouch...Big loss is Mr Cech, who ash been really unlucky these last two seasons. Cudicini is a good number 2, but doesn't give the defence the aura and confidence big Petr does.



Avram Grant's preparations for the biggest match of his career have been interrupted by an horrific facial injury to Petr Cech that has brought a premature end to the Czech Republic goalkeeper's season.

Cech had plastic surgery that involved 50 stitches at the St John and St Elizabeth Hospital in North London on Sunday after having his face ripped apart during a freak collision in training with Tal Ben-Haim.

Cech was on course to return after five weeks out with an ankle injury in the Champions League quarter-final, second leg at home to Fenerbahçe this evening, but will miss the rest of the season and could be out for as long as six months. Ben-Haim, the Israel defender, got one of his studs caught in Cech's bottom lip, causing a 1-inch rip down to the bottom of his chin.

The wound required 30 stitches at its deepest point and 20 more to the rest of Cech's face.

The goalkeeper's absence will be keenly felt by Grant, who must rely on Carlo Cudicini for a match in which, already 2-1 down, the concession of an away goal could prove costly, as well as representing a huge setback to Cech. The 25-year-old has endured a torrid time with injuries, missing 22 matches this season with a series of groin, hip and ankle problems, though such niggles pale in comparison to the fractured skull he suffered in a Barclays Premier League match against Reading 18 months ago that has left him wearing a protective helmet in matches and training.

Chelsea suffered another setback last night, with Michael Essien limping out of training with a back injury that makes him a doubt. Paulo Ferreira is on standby to replace the Ghanaian at right back.

"I don't feel good about it and every player injured does not make me happy," Grant said. "Cech was more than a bit unlucky this year already and he was great in training."

The first-team coach must hope that such ill-fortune is not a sign of things to come before a match that neatly encapsulates the rollercoaster nature of life at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea remain in contention for a Premier League and Champions League double, but a disappointing performance this evening could deliver an unwanted hat-trick of shock cup exits. After defeats by Tottenham Hotspur in the Carling Cup and Barnsley in the FA Cup, Grant would need to win the league to keep his job if Chelsea suffer elimination to Fenerbahçe, with Michael Ballack conceding that Chelsea would use the painful memories of those setbacks to spur them on.

"We went out of two competitions because we didn't play when it mattered," the Germany midfield player said. "We went to a final and shouldn't have lost it. It was our fault, it wasn't that Tottenham played fantastic football. The same against Barnsley, it was our fault, and against Fenerbahçe it was our fault. When we play our best football we can win every competition, but we didn't do this in the FA Cup and the Carling Cup and we went out. It's our motivation for [the Fenerbahçe match]."

Grant has reminded his players in no uncertain terms that they let themselves down by failing to kill off the tie after taking a first-half lead in Istanbul. Didier Drogba has been the main target of Grant's ire, with the Israeli accusing the Ivory Coast striker of playing for himself rather than the team, though Drogba will be given a final chance to make amends.

"We have thought a lot about last Wednesday's game, but tomorrow it will be different," Grant said. "We had a good performance with a bad result and there are things we can do better. We lost concentration, but sometimes this happens in football. It's not the first time it has happened to us this season and we must learn from our mistakes.

"We need to dominate the game[], which will not be easy and then hopefully take control from there."

Fenerbahçe have travelled with hope allied to expectation, with Colin Kazim-Richards, the former Sheffield United forward, summing up their nothing-to-lose mentality. Roberto Carlos remains doubtful despite returning to training after a shin injury, though Gönül Gökhan will return from suspension.

"Zico [the Fenerbahçe coach] says to us that we've got to go out and score goals," Kazim-Richards said. "It doesn't matter about the name that's on the back of the shirts, it's the way we play on the day."

[Norf Tyrone]

                            Cudicini

Essien             JT                Carvalho       Ashley Cole


                             Maka

                   Ballack          Lampard

Joe Cole                                                    Kalou

                             Drogba

[Aaron Boone]

On paper, they are much much better quality than Fenerbahce.

[Norf Tyrone]

A strange, strange night at the Bridge. Chelsea leaped from the blocks and after the early goal, I hoped we would kick on and cruise 2 or 3 nil. However as we have a tendancy to do, we retreated badly into our shell, and invited a limited Fenerbache side on us.
The game plan wasn't helped by the injury to Cudicini (Chelsea's luck with keepers is shocking), which saw a 'protect Hilario' mind set adopted.

The second half resulted in the curious scenario of a team heading towards the CL semi finals, second in the league and leading one nil, getting jeered by their own fans. Well at least someone was getting jeered, probably the hapless Grant!
Something's not right down at SW6 and on full time, JT ran straight for the tunnel tossing his armband aside. One theory is that he was peeved at the fan's reaction during the game. That fecking Drogba hoor as well..... His ego is beginnin to out grow himself. Last night again he broke and should've squared to Lampard for a tap in but blazed selfishley wide. On another occasion him and Ballack stood over a free kick, with both debating who to take it. The big African fecker took it, and ballsed it up! The rumour is that his popularity is tumbling fast...

For me it's not always about playing fancy football, it's about playing with assurance, and being in control. We almost always had that under Mourinho, we don't now. Some of the football this season has looked sharp - but only for about 10-20 minutes at a time. A lot of the time we appear to be rudderless. And that's what's getting the fans pissed. The results have been as good as we could have expected, or better. The quality of the football has certainly not improved, but probably isn't much worse than last season. But the control, the bossing the game? That's gone. And that's a bad thing. It scares me for starters!

However...it's a 4th semi final in 5 years, but with a few different scenarios, this time it's the home leg second, and Liverpool for the first time go into the contest as favourites. In addition the old Scouser champion's league luck is starting to gather pace already....





Avram's dilema


Grant faces Israeli criticism over match on memorial day

Avram Grant's satisfaction at steering Chelsea to the semi-finals of the Champions League was tempered yesterday by the realisation that the fixture calendar has placed him in an invidious position.


The second-leg tie against Liverpool, which is to be played at Stamford Bridge on 30 April, clashes with the eve of Yom Hashoah, Israel's Holocaust memorial day. Ordinarily Grant, the son of a Holocaust survivor, and grandson of Holocaust victims, would expect to observe the day which begins at sundown the night before.

Chelsea said yesterday they were aware of the situation, that it was a personal issue for Grant, and they would support him whatever decision he made. Early indications are that he will be in the technical area, as usual.

Such a choice is sure to bring forth condemnation in Israel where all forms of public entertainment are banned. Chelsea's match will not be televised for this reason. However, the situation is not as clear-cut outside Israel.

When Yom Hashoah falls on a Friday, as it does this year, observance within Israel is brought forward a day (to Thursday). But in the Jewish Diaspora observance generally remains on the Friday. Grant is understood to have reasoned that since he is outside Israel he can work. Moreover, Yom Hashoah, while an important day in the Jewish year, is not as significant as Yom Kippur when Israel effectively closes; at Yom Hashoah shops remain open and many people work.

[Norf Tyrone]

Sometimes things are inevitable...

The fat lady is currently having an encore I believe.

The excuses first....SKY's decision to 'force' Chelsea to play 2 games in such a short space had an effect tonight, as Avram rested Drogba, Ashley and Joe Cole, and Carvalho. Lampard's late withdrawal at 19:30 (Family death I believe?) did not help, but I firmly believe in picking your best side, and winning the game, and resting later if possible.

However....we should not be dreaming of excuses against Wigan.

The first half tonight was pure s**t. Chelsea showed no spark, nor imagination and although dominant in posession never really threatened Kirkland's goal. Anytime the ball came into the box Anelka was trodding over the half way line, rendering us toothless!!

Joe Cole came on for the inept Malouda, and changed the game. The wee man could've scored 15 seconds after coming on, and completely changed the game. Essien's drive put Chelsea ahead, and then....and then....and then....we waited for the second...and waited...and waited.
The lesson that we got away with against Middlesboro, and got punished for against Villa and Spurs came back with a bite tonight. Instead of killing the game off we invited Wigan back at us. Admitedly Kirkland made two wonder saves, and Terry hit the bar, but you MUST be more clinical at this stage.

The inevitable happened and Wigan introduced Sibierski, and his physical presence alongside Heskey rattled Chelsea a wee bit. The ball to the back post was top notch, and Heskey did what Heskey does.

I don't like conceeding until mathamatically possible, but I'd put the reserves out on Thursday.


Game over.

[TacadoirArdMhacha]

The excuses first....SKY's decision to 'force' Chelsea to play 2 games in such a short space had an effect tonight, as Avram rested Drogba, Ashley and Joe Cole, and Carvalho.

Teams play Saturday - Tuesday all the time. No difference to what Chelsea had to do.

[stevo-08]

The excuses first....SKY's decision to 'force' Chelsea to play 2 games in such a short space had an effect tonight, as Avram rested Drogba, Ashley and Joe Cole, and Carvalho.

Teams play Saturday - Tuesday all the time. No difference to what Chelsea had to do.

In fairness, I think Norf was talking about the away trip to Everton on thursday.

[Norf Tyrone]

The excuses first....SKY's decision to 'force' Chelsea to play 2 games in such a short space had an effect tonight, as Avram rested Drogba, Ashley and Joe Cole, and Carvalho.

Teams play Saturday - Tuesday all the time. No difference to what Chelsea had to do.

In fairness, I think Norf was talking about the away trip to Everton on thursday.

Yip that's it. It was fairly unprecedanted that a team had there game brought forward from a Saturday to a Thursday for no real reason.

[TacadoirArdMhacha]

Yip that's it. It was fairly unprecedanted that a team had there game brought forward from a Saturday to a Thursday for no real reason.

That's what i was comparing it to though. Monday to Thursday gives a 2 day break, same as Saturday to Tuesday. Fair enough, it is unprecedented.