Premier League: Chelsea 2 - 1 Stoke City

What a nervy game it was!!! However, here we are grinding teams and getting results. Second win and second time we come from goal down.
Many people blame Scolari that he has not got plan B, but let's be honest has he got players to execute any plan B? All of a sudden our subs bench become very short.
From the other side I think Stoch looked very lively today. He has participated in both goals, made a nice volley saved heroically by Sorensen. Hopefully there will be something good out of this guy.

Well said, JD, well said. In the chilly light of post-Mourinho expectancy, we shouldn't really be whooping it up about just squeezing past one of the division's bottom teams. But stuff all that. This was a reminder of when we were grateful for any sort of home win at all.

No, we're not going to win anything this season, as the small but really astonishingly loud band of travelling fans reminded us more than once (-- hey Lolli -- are there a lot of male voice choirs in Stoke or something? -- never in the course of Stamford Bridge history has so much noise been produced by so few -- or at least not since Besiktas). But if we can have a few more afternoons like this, with all the drama, the heroics of one of our best-loved players, and the interesting glimpse of some future talent, then really you can't complain.

There was one run of Kalou's, some time around maybe the 75th minute, when he went box to box at breackneck speed (the one that ended up winning the free kick which belletti took), which really, genuinely made me think of Robben. Okay okay, he never looks totally in control of the ball the way Robben did/does. But crikey he gave it a go today, and he was still going at max speed right at the end.

I eat the Malouda humble pie. He's had some decent games amid the shockers but for me his heart never really looked in it, until today. He was on song from the first seconds and really looked up for it. Ditto Alex, a player I've also been tempted to dump on.

The only player I'd be critical of was Ballack, who misplaced more passes than usual and seemed a bit behind the play sometimes. (And his miss was pretty horrendous.) But I'd still far far rather have him in that position than Deco.

What I really love is the warm glow feeling. Knowing that you're going to have a good week. It's been a while.

@ LTB

What I really love is the warm glow feeling. Knowing that you're going to have a good week. It's been a while.

Yes indeed - nicely put :-)

"Today was doom and gloom, shoulder shrugging acceptance and joyous, cathartic primal scream therapy, all in the space of about three minutes."

I wasn't in my normal seat. I was with ChelseaBob and Mrs ChelseaBob as they seat next to them was empty....it just saves time when leaving the ground to get to the car. Jonathan, with that perfect description above were you sitting behind me or something?

@LTB - I disagree with the Ballack comment, I thought he was superb today. I watched the game again and I think he misplaced two passes and missed a chance I'd put my house on him scoring, but him and Lamps ruled that midfield today and in general I thought he passed well, tackled superbly and really linked front to back. On the other hand most of the people around me were pretty scathing on Malouda and looking at Kalou on the left and Stoch (very impressive) we looked much more dangerous.....in my humble view of course. And if I was choosing the Man of the Match then Ashley Cole would be for me - a superb game from a man who's wife I have a desperate crush on.

Evening TG

Not that I was aware of, although when I finished celebrating the winner I was several seats away from where I usually sit :-) Good to see you, as always.

Malouda isn't my favourite player, but the stick he got today was totally unnecessary - one shot he put a fair way over the bar and a fair few of the knuckle-draggers in the MHU were going ballistic; one shout of "I hope you die in a fucking plane crash" summing up how incredibly thick some of our fans are.

Ballack's miss was a shocker, but otherwise he had a decent game.

I will save my views on the footballing matters 'til later and will now issue a BEWARE MUSHY SENTIMENTAL NONSENSE ALERT.

This afternoon I was slumped on the sofa, earphones in, radio on, Chelsea 0-1 down when my 3 year old girl wandered in.

"What's the matter" she says.
"Chelseaman (for that's what she calls them) are losing", I reply.
"Will Chelseaman win tomorrow."
"They wont play again 'til next week"
"Shall I play Blue is the Colour" (my recent birthday card, which she and her brother have kept plays this when opened)
"No thanks, not now"

She leaves the room. 5 minutes later she's back, my mood hasn't improved, I look even sadder. She comes up to me and puts her face under mine where I sit head in hands.

"Daddy?"
"Yes?"
"You'll always be our Daddy you know"

cue awful guilt about taking football too seriously.

She then proceeds to quietly sit on my lap, head against my chest in a gesture of solidarity. I don't say anything when the Belletti goal goes in.

Imagine then her surprise when a few minutes later she is examining the light fitting at very close quarters as Dad throws her up in the air, loses his earphones and radio, does a jig and just about remembers to catch her on the way down.

Best Ballack moment of the day - getting out of the way as Franks piledriver is goalbound

@ 2. LTB

Yeah, the Stokies certainly are a noisy lot...always have been & always will be..but they have a good heart & spirit, bless 'em! xx

I watched the game earlier on match selection (sky sports) and thought it was a great team performance..exciting to watch, that resulted in 2 VERY welcome goals...

More of the same please boys... :)

Great match report which summed things up perfectly. How nice it was to watch MOTD knowing we'd actually won and that we're slowly building up a bit of momentum on our title charge (we're still in it aren't we).

GOOD:
1. Lamps - I know Messi is playing some superhuman football at the moment but Frank in his own way is just as, if not more important to our side than the little genius at Barca. He seemed to revel in the extra responsibility the captain's armband gave him and i think he realised he had 25 mins to save our season. From then on he never stopped running, closing down or shooting and refused to let Stoke and Rory Delap end our season. A Superman performance which should be put up there with Mr. Beckham's when he saved us against Greece. Now, who was it on here that said he's shit?
2. Ashley - If Lamps got a 10 in my book, then i'd give Ash a 9.9. As i said after the game, he's slowly becoming a Chelsea legend who seems to play with as much passion for the club as JT and Lamps do. He's certainly the best LB in the world and is in my opinion, playing the best football of his career. Seems to be enjoying the responsibility of being our only LB as he never stops running or trying to get that elusive goal his play deserves. Fuckign brilliant.
3. Comeback - Watching Chelsea TV, i was surprised to learn that we'd only won 3 games by 1 goal this season. They were asking whether we'd forgotten how to win close games. Then they asked why we'd suddenly lost the ability to fight back and how embarrassing it was to see us surrender against Utd and Arsenal. Well today whould have put an end to that talk. Nearly 40 attempts on goal and yet we were heading into stoppage time a goal down. The recent Chelsea would have trudged off without offering any sort of a fight but something must have been triggered as the players continued to drive forward. 2-1 was the least we deserved but perhaps that manner of victory will prove more useful than any 5-0 hammering could.

4. Front 3 - I thought with 2 orthadox wingers on the pitch we looked a lot more lively than any ohter recent home game. Malouda may have looked rusty but seeing a left footed winger on the left wing, who was able to actually cross the ball without having to constantly turn inside, was a bit of a revelation. I'm not going to say he's the answer to our problems yet as we all saw what happened after his early season renaissance but whether we like it or not, Kalouda (maybe that name will take off) will be leading us in the run-in for prizes over the next 4 months.
5. Deco, Didier - Their continued absence may have been a gamble especially when we needed a goal with 20 mins to go, but the team seemed to enjoy playing without their egos and it also gave Di Santo and stoch a chance to impress. Who'll be calling for their return any time soon?
6. Set-pieces - What was all the fuss about. Apart from the first minute, Cech came and got virtually everything and we looked a lot more confident using man-to-man marking.
BAD:
1. Finishing - Was it nerves or just a lack of a killer instinct? In the big games when you only get 1/2 chances you can't afford to have 35 shots and only score 2 goals.
2. Alex - I know he was a late call up but his positional play is poor in my opinion and seeing him waddle over to try and stop Delap was embarrassing. He's too low, too cumbersome and i hope Ivanovic doesn't lose interest and constantly being overlooked for this bloke.
3. Injuries - What was it Kenyon said? 1 serious injury would allow us to bring someone in? Well, thanks to the medical department's 'intersting' answer to rupturing your knee ligaments ("just run it off Joe"), we now look a little light up front, especially with Didier being excluded. Over to you Peter, we all expect to see the words Chelsea, £100m and Kaka appearing in the papers on Monday!

I think loosing J.Cole now for the rest of the season is a serious issue. We need a replacement. And not just a short term cover, a long term one due to the amount of quality we can loose in attack Joe provides us with. Lets see how this winter window pends out for us. We need to buy. Theres no 2 ways about it after last night.

This can't be true:

LINK

I've never really thought of us becoming a club associated with Dubai and the Gulf States. Some will tell me that if it gives is an owner with £100Bn instead of £7Bn then great, but i've thought that Chelsea and Roman fit together perfectly. Do any of us really want to be owned by some Sheikh and lose the ruthless, disciplined image that Roman has brought us? Whereas Roman has never come out in the press to tell people how rich he is or how he's going to build a dream team and buy every great player, no matter what their clubs say, City's owners have. They've been tacky, loud and brash and i'd hate for us to turn into that, even if it meant we could compete for players in the £100m bracket.

Great report JD. And in answer to your rhetorical question at the end of it: yes, yes and yes again! And with regard to the future ownership of the club...you know, owners come and they go, they make commitments and they break them, nothing remains permanent except the true fans and that undefinable quality that defines a club. In our case it is most summed up for me by the song 'carefree'. What it says is that we, the fans, remain carefree about material achievement (though we celebrate them like no one else) as long as team play for us with their hearts and deliver the kind of experience we underwent yesterday. With all the changes over the years, especially the past five, that quality of our club, though seriously challenged by the angst of raised expectation, has somehow remained. Thank god!

Ok, ok...I did write 'undefinable quality that defines a club'. I'm sorry, I'm still emotional.

I can not remember when Lampard last made me jump up and hug a stranger...Can not remember as much as I would try... Now that is the kind of Lampard that made me buy the Chelsea shirt 8 shirts (I currently do not have a number on my shirt)

I still want Drogba out.

The booing of Malouda...utterly stupid seems a Haberdashers kind of act would not be suprised if he was in the lot.

Looking forward to a nice week...i.e. after Everton beats liverpool...

On the one hand it was very much like other recent matches with us struggling to overcome an ordinary opponent.

On the other hand there were some positives:

1. We do look better with the width created by Kalou and Malouda. As has been mentioned Malouda is the whipping boy but I’m a believer in round pegs for round holes and square pegs for square holes and currently Malouda is the best square peg we have for that particular hole. My quick analysis of our 32 games so far this season show that when Malouda has played (more than 45 minutes) we have averaged 2.1 points per game and when he hasn’t played 1.77 points per game, an improvement of 20%. I don’t think Malouda is a great player and I fully understand why he frustrates so many but, as Benitez is keen to point out, the facts speak for themselves.

2. Ashley Cole is overtaking Mikel as our best player this season. Cheryl may think he’s a selfish bugger but his performances for us this season are unselfishness personified with continuous runs up and down the left wing.

3. Miroslav Stoch. Having seen him several times on Chelsea TV I’ve been surprised he hasn’t appeared with the big boys sooner and yesterday he didn’t disappoint. He was only on for a few minutes and only had 2 opportunities but he was brilliant in both. Each time he stayed wide to give us width and collected balls from Lampard with a perfect first touch. For his first move he thumped a great shot and his second move was an outstanding cross that that led to our winner. I’m hoping this was noted by Scolari and that Stoch gets a start against Ipswich.

It looks to me like we don't have enough out-and-out quality to win the cup competitions. Personally, I'd rather go out to Juve and be able to concentrate on the Prem than fanny about, scraping through to get knocked out in the semis.

We do however, have enough quality in the curremt squad to go all the way in the Prem. We know Utd can trip up and Benitez looks like he wants to naus up Liverpool's chances single handed.

Atfer Liverpool and Villa we don't have to play another top-four side. With a bit of consistancy, we could easily do it.

Great result against a team many discount. However although Kalou and Malouda played well - they are not consistant enough. We need to play to our strengths - we have world class wing backs and CM's. WE DO NOT HAVE world class wingers.

Therefore I would go with a:

------- Cech ----------
-----JT ---- Riccy ----
Bosingwa ----------- A.Cole
--------Mikel------------
--Lamps ---- Ballack ----
------- Deco ----------
---Anelka --- Drogs

@ TRUEBLUE

We can't rely on our fullbacks to provide our width all the time. The other teams just sit on our fullbacks and then we're fucked. And we need to give them a run in the side or they will never get better. Stoch can also play some games to get experience. And Deco is dead weight anyway.

So What is the best Chelsea Formation? Drop Didier and Art? Cole gone. Essien too. Who do we play??

------------Cech------------
--------Riccy-----JT--------
Jose--------------------Cole
-------------Mikel----------
--------Herr B---Superman---
Kalou---------------Malouda(?)/Stoch(?)
----------Nico--------------

OR

------------Cech------------
--------Riccy-----JT--------
Jose--------------------Cole
---------Mikel--Lamps-------
Kalou----------------Malouda(?)/Stoch(?)
---------Nico---Didier/DiSanto

OR

------------Cech------------
--------Riccy-----JT--------
Jose--------------------Cole
---------Mikel--Lamps-------
Stoch----------------Malouda
------Kalou------Nico-------

OR

------------Cech------------
--------Riccy-----JT--------
Jose--------------------Cole
------Mikel-----Belletti----
----------Lamps-------------
Kalou----------------Malouda/Stoch(?)
-----------Nico-------------


So what do we WANT to see?

We look better when we at least have the option of width and crosses. Which means playing with two proper wingers (i.e. not Deco out wide). With Joe out for the season, I assume Kalouda will be first choice, with Stoch and maybe Sinclair making their cases when they can.

If you guarantee the two proper wingers then you either play one or two men up front in the centre.

The one-man option: If Drogs gets his head right, it's him, but at the moment that looks like a big "if". With Anelka in that position, the wingers are going to be less tempted by crosses, and we'll end up dithering around in front of packed defences trying to slip Nic into non-existent space.

The two-man option means having only two midfielders in the centre. Obi would be dropped to make a straightforward 4-4-2. I doubt that'll ever be our best formation.

Absent Essien, the best midfield is surely Obi behind Frank and Herr B. Both the latter two add goalscoring potential (and Herr B adds height), so I guess that allows the slightly more lightweight Anelka to play at centre-forward.

The problem seems to be that either:

1) you play without proper wingers, or without Obi, to accommodate two forwards;

2) you select Anelka (cue endless attempts to walk the ball into the net);

3) you select Drogba (cue moodiness and possible team instability).

It's tempting to imagine Di Santo as the solution. One can only imagine the depths of the sulk that both Drogs and Nic would descend into if that happened (which of course it won't). The Mariana Trench of sulks.

Well LTB,

You raise an interesting point. What happens when Essien becomes available? Do we drop Obi or Herr B.?

From the official club site:

STATEMENT ON BEHALF OF OWNER
Posted on: Sun 18 Jan 2009
Defamation proceedings will be commenced tomorrow (Monday) in London by Roman Abramovich against the publishers of The Sunday Times.
This follows the publication by them of false claims that he wants to sell his interest in Chelsea FC. Mr Abramovich has already made quite clear, through the directors of Chelsea, that he has no intention of doing so and that neither he nor any of his appointed representatives has been pursuing any such course of action.

I'm pleased about that. Roman's carrying on the fightback started in the 89th minute yesterday. Come on Roman.

When Essien will come back Scolari will have more options in midfield.
He will have to make a choice between him, Obi, Lamps, Ballack and Deco
I think it will depend a lot on form an tactics employed and one thing is nobody knows if Essien will be the same as last season as well !! He'll need to suit our new style of play
However I trust Scolari to learn and adapt our midfield to the opponents we face because each player has differents strenghts and abilities and they are all top players when fit !!

What a fantastic ending. It reminded me why I'm a Chelsea fan, which can be forgotten amongst the dross we've had to suffer - on the pitch and in our interactions with the world. Like Habs, I was excited at watching MOTD again

Whilst I'm trying to stop myself from arguing with all and sundry, and I wish this blog was a little more tolerant of different opinions, plain wrong opinions and trolls trying to irritate the status quo - I have to pick up habs quote (11) about the danger of roman selling to a sheik. Not all Arabs are as 'tacky' as HAbs suggest, and in fact the one person who came out with that noonsense is no longer a spokesman for City - sound like the Sheik-in-charge wasn't to pleased with the bragging. By the way, I'm not convinced is the white knight you seem to imply Habs. Not sure what the evidence is for "the ruthless, disciplined image that Roman has brought us" - personally I think that was Jose, and nothing particularly to do with Roman or the Peters - though they did employ Jose. Also, whilst I appreciate all Roman has done - more to the point, what he has spent and who he has spent it on - I can't forget that Roman himself and his ego is primarily responsible for the mess we've been in for the last 1 1/2 years - no one forced Roman et al to get rid of Jose - that was pretty much their doing

On a final note, it was very touching how the team ran to big phil after Frank scored and hugged him. On MOTD a member of the coaching staff joined them at the end and jumped on top of Big Phil and the players. At first I wondered if it was Ray Wilkins though it does seem out of character!!! Does anyone know who the coach was?

Zoneandonly

Abramovich is probably one of the better owners in the league and I think that Mourinho had a part in the mutual split too.

Not sure whether Scolari's introduction of Stoch and Di Santo which changed the game was inspired or a result of him having no other choice, but bo did we need it.

I still think he is making a mistake by alienating Drogs. For sure, drop him against Southend to make your point, but the whole of this blog knows that Stoke are a big, physical side and Nicolas Anonymous is hardly the man for the job. Hence why no-one has mentioned him in their posts. We still need DD for his presence, attitude or no attitude.

Was realy impressed with Stoch, hope to see more of him with Joe now injured (maybe a recall for Sinclair as well ???) as we clearly wont be buying anyone. Also thought Di Santo again looked fairly tidy from what I saw, although a few paprs this morning gave him 3 out of 10!!!

It definitely is how being a football fan should be, although maybe not against Stoke (no offence). And maybe not being left qite so late, but you can't have it all.

Next week will be interesting, I'm guesing after the debacle of Southend at home we'll be looking at a near first choice 11.

Oh, and welcome back Lolli. Hope all is well, good to see you.

Fiftee

Why doesn't Anybody accept that Mr. Nic has been doing a great job? He has scored 17 goals and Didier has 4(?), Granted Didier has been injured. But still. Anelka Always puts in Effort and sometimes his Laziness(Didier) Just can't be bothered to.
Anelka may not be a Professional Sledgehammer, but he is a world class striker who deserves some recognition. And Nic seemed to be at his best with two wide-men Next to him in a front 3.

I wasn't trying to imply that every single Arab is tacky, loud and brash but instead was trying to say that i couldn't imagine us being owned by anyone else other than Roman. Judging by the circus up at Eastlands, i just wouldn't want an owner like theirs to arrive and completely change our image, no matter how rich they are.

It's also encouraging that Roman responded so quickly to The Times' story of his supposed interest in selling the club. It shows that he still cares when stories are written suggesting he's fallen out of love with Chelsea and just because he likes to run things quietly (take note City), it doesn't mean he's lost interest. He just doesn't like to do all his dealings in public and doesn't talk of a hit list of players he'll buy to create his own dream team. And with £7Bn in the bank, i think he'll be around for a little while yet.

Atfer Liverpool and Villa we don't have to play another top-four side. With a bit of consistancy, we could easily do it.

@CE
You might incur the wrath of every Gooner in the country for that statement.
But bloody hell it does sound good, No Arsenal in the top four. :-)

Hear Hear Habs

Abramovich is hardly skint and 7Bn is enough to run a club on, Right?

Didn't see the game live but watched the full replay yesterday and was reasonably impressed with the performance.

I would also like to declare, that as of this point forwards, I will no longer rise to the bait offered by those utter fools (we all know who you are) that refuse to recognise the qualities of Frank Lampard.

For the final 20 minutes he was involved in just about every move Chelsea had and drives this team forward like no one else in the league (with the possible exception of Stevie GBH...allegedly).

Yesterday was the defining point in our season, and it was great to see a bit of passion return to the side. Continue to play the kids, cut loose the deadwood and the future will soon return to being bright.

I was glad to see the statement from the club threatening to sue The Sunday Times. Really glad, after all these rumours!!!

Good work JD, wish I could have been there.


LINK

Interesting to see LGF in fighting mode and joining Zola and others is calling for a halt to tapping up. (I assume we are whiter than white on this non?).

Hadn't really thought about the level that might go on. I assume it gets worse when they scent any problem at a club. Is it also just used as a tactic?

Also interesting to see that the journo can't resist a few digs.

"Having gone to war with an increasingly perplexed playing staff, Scolari has now targeted other clubs,"

Yeah they looked very perplexed about 16.55pm on Saturday.

"Drogba, who has regularly stated his desire to leave Chelsea, has been particularly perplexed by Scolari's handling of him in the wake of last Sunday's 3-0 Premier League defeat to Manchester United. The striker was left out of the unusually strong squad who defeated Southend in Wednesday's FA Cup tie.."

Err no-one else is perplexed apart from Didier and since when did the press start siding with him?

Have you got a Thesaurus mate? Find another term for perplexed.

Oh and the "unusually strong squad.." thrown in for good measure.

Mike,

I recognise what Anelka's done, just dont think he's the battering-ram type forward that's needed against teams like Stoke.

I fear the bigger problem is that no-one will want him, he'll sulk further and then we're left with Anelka as our first choice, a sulking Drogba and the youthful Di Santo as our only forward options.

I guess if he wants out, whether we want him to go or not, we'll never see the Drogba we really need to.

@BB 33 - I stopped reading articles written by Duncan Castles quite some time ago. He's had it in for us for a while and I wouldn't trust a single word he writes (a complete lack of objectivity). I'm pretty sure the Guardian has had to apologize to the club on at least one occasion because of something he's written.

The apology LINK

"The Observer apologises to Chelsea manager Avram Grant for “making up false news”" LINK

They even removed the original article.

@ Mike12 - I agree. For me Anelka put in 100% yesterday. He tried and tried to break through and his ability to hold the ball up is wonderful. I have been a huge advocate of Drogba in the past, but now he's like Henry in his last season at Arsenal.

Drogba has been a disruptive influence for some time now, since JM left if we're honest, when he could barely wait to go sniping at us in the French press. Then he has a knee op to ensure he can play in the ACN, at the expense of our first team, which is fairly contemptuous in my view as we are the people paying him. Then he returns from the ACN injured again. His sole notable contribution last season was a wonderful game against Liverpool followed by anonymity until an ill judged slap on Vidic in our most crucial game er (arguably). More sniping and whining followed in the summer but no-one came in for him so we get a bealted afterthought of warmth to our club again. He misses the start of the season injured again, comes back for one game (Cluj?) and gets injured again suggesting a longer term problem to me. On his return, when our form was good, he comes back to a game which we lose and gets a ban for coin throwing. When he returns from that we got a fantastic 30 minutes against Cluj and since then? Pretty much fuck all bar an early (and well taken goal) against might West Brom. Considering his salary and reputation thats a fairly shocking 18 months and if I was the owner I'd be thinking that was taking the piss.

If Scolari is alienating him in order to humiliate him and maybe get his back up then good. Frankly good managers can piss on ego's from great heights because they know what is needed. Ferguson has done it with some success for years (Sharpe,Beckham, Stam, Van Nistelrooy) and on this occasion I'm 100% behind Scolari. If Drogba wants his place back I'd make him play in the fucking reserves and play his way back in. You pick players on their form, not on loyalty. Prove you're worth it Didier, or fuck o

Well said Tony. Drogba's attitude has been shocking in the past 12 months and his sudden decision to start 'loving' Chelsea again unsurprisingly came after he realised no other big club in Europe wanted him. He was banking on Jose to come in for him, but Jose decided to stick two fingers up to Didier and instead built his team around Zlatan (not too bad in any case). The real test for Phil will be against Ipswich. He's stayed strong by dropping him for two games but that gamble nearly ended in disaster against Stoke. Many would have blamed him for not having Didier on the bench if we had drawn that game but as we got the victory, Phil was vindicated. However with Ipswich coming up, many are expecting to see the return of Didier. I'd rather see Nico continue getting a run in the side and if Nico needed a rest, why not give Di Santo a chance, instead of shoving him out to the RW? It'd be a great statement if Di Santo was given a place ahead of Didier, with Phil showing that only those who want to play for us will be allowed to play for us. Didier will soon realise that his sluking will get him nowhere and when he does return, probably against Liverpool, i'd bet on a sudden improvement in his attitude and form. Much like Bellamy suddenly had a blistering December in order to earn himself a move to City, i wouldn't be at all surprised if Didier had a brilliant last months in a Chelsea shirt. Then we can tell him thanks for all the good times, but we've just outgrown a screaming baby like you.

Good post by JD, and Blue Bayou's account of watching with his nipper was scarily similar to mine.

Lots of pluses from Saturday.

Balls - we came back from a goal down for the first time in yonks. United, Arsenal and Liverpool have won how many games in the last ten minutes this season? Bout time we had a bit of that.

Lamps - looking superb without Deco getting under his feet.

Wings - Kalou and Malouda give us what we need, or at least the best we can get from the current squad.

Subs - Di Santo, Belletti and Stoch all made a difference.

Kids - Stoch was great, showed skill and tenacity. Di Santo needs a goal, and then will fly. Really promising.

Drogs - he needs to be put in his place.

Luck - we finally got some, and well deserved it was too.

Nick, I think Duncan Castles has had to apologise at least twice, perhaps even three times, for his Chelsea 'scoops' in the past.

To echo what I said on the last thread, this game really could have been 5-0. Lots of players seemed to play well, but just couldn't quite find the net.

If you watch the match again, it really doesn't have the nervy tension it should- instead it really looks like Stoke are being put to the sword. The scoreline just doesn't reflect it.

I thought the young'uns looked quite good. Stoch may find himself a starting place quite quickly with Joe out.

We'll see what happens today with pool, but after this game I don't discount our title chances anymore. I think it is unlikely, but I also think we are the strongest side when we are on form. ManU stutter often, and with Tevez rumored to be coming here next season they seem to be scraping by. Tubby's current contract blow-up can't be helping things for pool... so really, I say- why not us?

'If you watch the match again, it really doesn't have the nervy tension it should- instead it really looks like Stoke are being put to the sword. The scoreline just doesn't reflect it.'

This is true of so many games this season it suggests it can't just be coincidence. See also 'the opposition scored with their only shot on target'.

Morning all

Monday morning (this one supposedly being the most depressing of the year) looks a little better for the first time in a while.

Interesting stat about United and their shots on target / goals ratio over the weekend - can't remember for the life of me where I saw it so if anyone does come across it, post it up. Whilst they're ultimately winning which is where we've struggled, they've been raining shots in to the tune of 20-30 a game but have only scored something like nine in the last 10 games (that may be inaccurate, but you get the idea). Our shortcomings are well documented, but massed midfields and deep-lying defences are as much of a problem for everyone as well as us.

Impressed by Stoch - didn't look overawed by it all, was very effective and hopefully will see some action in the absence of Joe Cole; Di Santo may look 13 but I think he's deceptively powerful - look at the header he won for the first goal. Not the type of challenge for a weedy pigeon that doesn't eat his porridge in the morning. You can't pin your hopes on them, but between them, Mancienne and Kakuta (and possibly Sinclair) we've got some good players knocking on the door which bodes well for the future. Very impressed with how Lamps seemed driven on by the captain's armband - he also did as much as he could to get Stoch into the game which is great to see; much as I like Mikel, he seemed reluctant to pass to Di Santo which won't help the kid's confidence.

Onwards and upwards etc.

On the Drogba subject; big, centre of attention seeking tart that he is - how much would he have HATED to have not been involved in the fun and games on Saturday? If there is any part of him that still has the desire to play perform for us again, it will have been playing merry hell with his conscience over the last day or so... And being told that two nippers are a better option - I'll bet he's raging. If that sends him out of the door, then so be it but if it doesn't we all know how he likes to prove a point to anyone who does him down...

Spot on JD. Bit of controlled crying, as the parents among us would call it.

@ CB #35/36

Thanks for that. His name did ring a bell but strangely I didn't have his picture up in the samll room in the cellar where I put kidnapped journalists and subject them to all kinds of horrendous and demeaning tortures, like giving them a blank sheet of paper and asking them to write 2 paragraphs of nothing other than supportable facts.

Thinking about the game on Saturday, I never felt moved as I have done in recent times to turn the radio off (I never leave the ground early). I was angry, not with the team as they had abviously put in the effort and in contrast to some games created plenty of chances, but with fate. "Those who the Gods would destroy, they first send mad" as they say.

Remembering Liverpool scoring against us with their first shot of the game, I couldn't understand why the scuffed shot of Hope never seemed to deflect of the Buttock of Good Fortune into the Onion Bag of Destiny for us. Unlike last season we don't seem to have had those lucky deflections, dodgy decisions etc. that seem to win you games some times. I know these things even themselves out so one can only wait and hope that Scolari is a "lucky" manager, a vital component in any successful team.

In one sense we weren't lucky on Saturday. Both goals were proper goals if you like, although it did seem as if the instep of fate did kill the ball nicely for Frank, and statistically speaking we just grouped them a little tightly on the distribution curve.

Talking of squeaking through, Manure have won 9 games 1-0 and kept 10 consecutive clean sheets. Correct me if I'm wrong but the last team with that sort of form was always referred to as "grinding out" results and considered to be the "anti-christ" of football. Can't quite remember who they were though.

Cloakroom Moment of the Day

LINK

mmmmm Smells Like Team Spirit (apologies to KC and Nirvanah)

I wonder if Scolari has a naughty step?

'Talking of squeaking through, Manure have won 9 games 1-0 and kept 10 consecutive clean sheets. Correct me if I'm wrong but the last team with that sort of form was always referred to as "grinding out" results and considered to be the "anti-christ" of football. Can't quite remember who they were though.'

I remember being assured by plenty of United fans a couple of years ago that their supporters would never tolerate '1-0 to the United' type performances, and even if they were top of the table, the team would be booed off if that was what they kept producing.

Could they, perhaps, have been talking out of their bottoms? I think we should be told.

I agree PeteW, the words 'pot', 'kettle' and 'black' are attempting to form a sentence in my head as I type..........

So we're back to the old adage of pretty football and no trophies, or efficient football and plenty of trophies. Let me go away, sit down, and think about that one, oops I alreay have, keep me bored with a cabinet full of silverware everyday.

"Correct me if I'm wrong but the last team with that sort of form was always referred to as "grinding out" results and considered to be the "anti-christ" of football. Can't quite remember who they were though.' ",Petew

Utter miseducation that is!
Play FLOWING football and win 1-0.
Score an early goal, play drowsy football, PLEAD for the final whistle,PLEAD for Mercy, straght out of TSO's cookbook. The TSO being a cock that he's always been.
Entertaining is not just about scoring!

Oh, Frank! Him vs. FC Smurfs???, but please not in the same level as Messi. Messi and his ilk; always the same whether slinging David or Goliath. Why is His Highness only picking on the weak ones?

Back to you, er, (...?)!

United are not playing flowing football, you tit.

'Why is His Highness only picking on the weak ones?'

For the millionth time, who scored our goal in the Champions League final?

Wow,

I finally got past the weekend curfew placed on the PC by wife and kids and sat down to attack the keyboard with a 5-5 formation (all fingers blazing). So much to say, so little time, only to find it's already been said and more besides!

I feel privileged to be part of this team, even when sitting on the bench (xx take note).

Delighted to read JD's intro until I stupidly followed the uncertainty link, but in true rollercoaster fashion of recent times, Danny came in at #21 to save the day. Thanks for that - I do feel that Roman has an affinity with the club that's worth far more than a few extra billion.
Back to the game.
Watching from the BBC Cheap Seats, where the view is severely restricted (by about 83 mins), it's hard to comment on individual performances, but did see most of those last few minutes which made not knowing the result, having avoided the news and missing Arse on Setanta, worthwhile, as I really got caught up in the match, all I can say is: That's entertainment!

And don't write us of yet.

It's hard to imagine us getting complacent after the last few weeks/months (I have a theory about this btw), so there's nothing to stop us going on the mother of all runs if we just continue to go from strength to strength.

An advocate of 'results grinding' is taking me on 'flowing football'.

God Save the Queen!

I'm an advocate of a) Chelsea; b) winning. You appear to have very little interest in either.

While I was away...

You guys are back at it I see! But Mo, if you didn't see that Ole Blue Eyes was back to his match winning best, then you really do have a problem.

In order to contribute to some of the more arcane wummery what goes on here, I must buy a random sentence generator. Anyone know how much they're going for on e-bay?

@FSTS #54

Lets have your theory then. Lay it out here for peer review by some of the greatest unsound minds ever assembled for the task :-)

Entertainment or Trophies?
One has to answer to himself what football is: "Sport or Entertainment?!" According to it each one will decide for himself what does he/she want: trophy or entertainment.
Because if football is sport then you have to accept that winning is the major priority. Hence, it does not really matter how the win is achieved, as long as it legal of course. I believe it is sport and winning is the most important part and not the way of winning.
You want entertainment go and watch figure skating.

I've read :

"Oh, Frank! Him vs. FC Smurfs???, but please not in the same level as Messi" about 30 times and it makes no sense to me.

I'll try again..........

No, still nothing. Can anyone enlighten me?

tap-in goals mean nothing(to me). Look at Nugent-I-scored-a-tap-in-for-england!-Where-is-he-now?. even Harry's missus would do those.
btw, i also celebrated the unlikely 3 points. this is 3 days later.

Another notch on the way back to the bad/good old days of "traditional" Chelsea exciting finishes - when our defending and shooting were both of a standard which meant we were often faced with struggling to come from behind in the last ten minutes at home.

An experience we largely forgot about in the Jose era. Without rifling through my Ron Hockings' book for reminders, Gallas scoring in stoppage time to beat Spurs 2-1 in 05-06 is the only one I recall instantly, though I guess there are more.

Read somewhere at the weekend an interesting take on the Kaka to City saga: essentially fuelled by Berlusconi/Galliani to earn them some kudos from their fans when it doesn't happen, while distracting them from the lack of progress in reducing the age of their squad [which makes our 30+ -ers look like galloping teenagers by comparison]. Requires Kaka to be unable to convince himself that God's Special Purpose for Him is joining City - but what happens if Madrid or Barca come in with a reasonable if not City-level bid now Milan have hinted at a willingness to sell is another story?

Write, so Lampard's goal in the Champions League doesn't meet for your 'important goal against big opposition' category because it was a 'tap in'...

Any more qualifiers? How about: no goal Lampard ever scores will count because it is Lampard and I have a bizarre stalker-like obsession with everything he does.

'i also celebrated the unlikely 3 points. this is 3 days later.'

I bet you didn't. I bet you were gutted that Lampard did the good deed once again.

fiftee,,i don't think frank is as good as Messi. Simple. Messi's effectiveness is not selective. Whether its Real, Valencia, or some third division team. And from what I've seen of him, the tougher the opposition the better he tends to be.

No offence to the followers of His Highness, but he is not enough.

An experience we largely forgot about in the Jose era. Without rifling through my Ron Hockings' book for reminders, Gallas scoring in stoppage time to beat Spurs 2-1 in 05-06 is the only one I recall instantly, though I guess there are more.

@BBD
And the ensuing celebrations of the whole bench and players were in a similar vein to Saturdays. Perhaps we can all hope that the never say die attitude of bygone days are returning with a vengance.

'I know Messi is playing some superhuman football at the moment but Frank in his own way is just as, if not more important to our side than the little genius at Barca.'

Moffat, read it again: this does not say Lampard is as good a player as Messi, but that Lampard is more important to our team at the moment.

The clue is in the way the words form the sentence: 'I know Messi is playing some superhuman football at the moment but Frank in his own way is just as, if not more important to our side than the little genius at Barca.'

I wouldn't put it that way. Goals are always goals, and so are 3 points.
We only have plan Frank right now and it doesn't work against tactical oppo.

I hate going into a game knowing who is going to score for you. If you look at Barca, their game is so open that you can't single out just one player as their main danger.

There has to be a reason why we've only scored 1 goal against TOP FOUR.

BB. Knowing that complacency is the greatest enemy of any team that attains a certain level of dominance, great manager's have their own ways of dealing with it.

Jose used his personality and a mastery of PR to keep the preasure on/off as required.
SAF uses whatever underhand means are at his disposal.
Arsewinge can't do it any more, which is why they've stopped winning.
Felipe it seems uses the old 'give em enough rope but give it early' routine, better to drop a few points now than on the run in. He then just stands back and says 'Are you enjoying this? No, then let's not do it again!' Oh, I hope that's it.

#Mikel. I don't recall saying anything about not wanting to win trophies, but I do think that entertainment probably means more to a club that's not been able to measure it's success in terms of silverware until very recently.

I also concede that we probably need success more than most, given our high profile (and wage bill). But as others have noted above, being a team that can turn a home game against Stoke into really a good week, is what Chelsea has always been about.

@ Clive

The Gallas v Spurs one was a bit special, but I have to think back to the Vialli era to remember spectacular last minute winners that are on a par with Saturday; memory has faded somewhat so help me out folks, as follows:

LeBouef v Leicester - 1-0, 30 yard rocket in about the 89th minute, 97-98 season?
Di Matteo v Aston Villa (?) - 2-1, very late winner from the edge of the box, teed up by Wisey (I think), possibly 97-98 or maybe the season after?

Think Robbie did the same against Coventry that season or maybe the one after?

Nothing like a good last minute winner to raise the spirits / shorten the life expectancy a bit...!

@65 - Neither were quite on a par with Saturday, but the two recent (Roman era) late wins outside of Gallas's against Spurs that stick in my mind are Crespo's winner against Wigan (05/06), and Johnson's winner against Blackburn at Ewood Park (03/04 - Gallagher equalized (2-2) in the 87th minute, Johnson scored a corker just 60 seconds later). I watched both games with the same group of Chelsea fans in the same pub; the beer had been flowing and both goals caused a celebration and euphoria that is hard to forget.

@69 - I have vague memories of Flo coming off the bench and scoring a last minute winner against Villa around the same time. Of course there are very few goal videos left on YouTube so I can't find any links to post.

@ FSTS

> I don't recall saying anything about not wanting to win trophies, but I do think that entertainment probably means more to a club that's not been able to measure it's success in terms of silverware until very recently.

Spot on; if memory serves me correctly, Arsenal fans spent far more time gloating about how often they beat us / won silverware until Mourinho turned up and made Arsene his own personal bitch. Then, miraculously, the argument shifted on to aesthetics for some strange reason.

Always been a tough one to marry, the whole great football / winning silverware combination; Fergie is the only one to achieve it regularly but as their current form suggests, he's not too proud (and neither are the fans) to accept a spawny 1-0 win or 10.

Rambled it before on here, but I always look to a certain Mr. Sacchi of AC Milan fame on the subject; first you stop the team losing, then get them winning by whatever means necessary until it becomes a mindset that runs throughout the club - then, and only then, do you worry about winning with style. All the best sides have been the same, certainly at club level - you need to do the basics properly before you worry about the fancy stuff and if you have to revert to step 2 when step 3 isn't working on occasion, then so be it.

(Should also be noted from our own point of view, you certainly don't get there by changing managers every 18 months.)

@ Nick

I have vague memories of Flo coming off the bench and scoring a last minute winner against Villa around the same time.

Think you're right - Di Matteo's was probably Coventry and Flo's was against Villa. Might have both been in the same season, come to think of it.

Is my eyesight failing or has nobody mentioned Wayne Bridge CL against Arse? (88th)

'I have vague memories of Flo coming off the bench and scoring a last minute winner against Villa around the same time. Of course there are very few goal videos left on YouTube so I can't find any links to post.'

Yeah, this was a personal fave. We blitzed them for 90 minutes and then Flo got a late winner.

Lampard v Spurs at WHL, 02?
Stein v Spurs at the Bridge, 95?
Flo v Blackburn (4-3 game), 97

And it wasn't a winner, but there's always Riise v Liverpool (08)

'Is my eyesight failing or has nobody mentioned Wayne Bridge CL against Arse? (88th)'

D'oh!

Is the 83rd minute late enough?

Having come from behind twice to 2-2 with a Lampard goal in the 80th, Matteo put the ball in his own net in the 83rd against the lovely Leeds (under O'Leary) Jan 2003. Joy what joy.

I believe it was my fine demonstration of the Irish jig which saw me invited to join Riverdance shortly afterwards..

'Is my eyesight failing or has nobody mentioned Wayne Bridge CL against Arse? (88th)'

Ah yes. Somewhere in a living room in SW19, there is probably still a dent in a living room ceiling shaped remarkably like my head.

That Blackburn game was on ESPN recently - every time I see it I wonder how Woy Hodgson is still alive, let alone managing - he genuinely looks like he's about to expire when the winner goes in.

(Back in the days when we used to look at Chris Sutton and think - he's a decent player...)

@73 - D'oh indeed.

Jonathan's report on the Spurs game in 05/06 LINK I think I still have a video file of Gallas's winner somewhere on an old backup drive.

Wish I could find a video of Flo's winner against Villa in '98. I'll keep looking.

@ Blue Bayou

against the lovely Leeds (under O'Leary) Jan 2003

Is that the game with Eidur's fantastic overhead kick?

'Is that the game with Eidur's fantastic overhead kick?'

Funnily enough, this was also the game when most of us realised: 'Lampard, he's not just a gobby fat West Ham trundler, is he?'

The Blackburn game was particularly enjoyable because it ended an absolutely shocking run of results against them - don't think we'd beaten them since the play-offs in 88.

Drifting off topic, I notice that WH have agreed a fee for Bellamy.

Is it just me or is that the most bizarre union ever?

It only make some kind of sense if the manky's believe that they may actually get relegated because he'll surely get them a few extra points (both the PL and disciplinary kind).

Maybe Sparky's decided he's off soon he'll have some fun before he goes.

Just wtf will the millionaire superstars make of it all? Do they even know what's coming their way? Somebody picked this up a few days ago in the context of Ireland and Kaka, but this looks like a double in spades...

Aye FSTS, if Kaka does join City, he won't know what's hit him (a short, aggressive Welshman with a golf club, perhaps?)

With Dunne digging his studs into Zaki and Bellamy joining, Europe via the fair play route isn't looking like an option for Sparky at present!

In Sparky's defence he did always get the best out of Bellamy, at Blackburn and for Wales, so he's thinking why not again. On saying that £14 million for a guy who could start an argument in an empty house seems like a lot of cash. Makes me think how good a value Anelka was.

Talking about empty houses, mine's starting to re-populate so I better start looking busy. I don't want to get barred from the TV for tonight's Setanta extravaganza.

Means four opportunities to support the Blues in nine days. 'Give us an E, give us a V...'

Forgot to agree, Clive. Anelka is shaping up to be some kind of bargain!

@ KJII #78

Indeed it was. When trawling for a vid (unsuccessful for the moment) I uncovered the fact that it was El Tel (a man who was orange before David Dickinson made it poular and profitable) who was in charge, Mr O'Leary having collected his coat at some point previously.

I don't want to get barred from the TV for tonight's Setanta extravaganza.

@FSTS
So you're the Setanta subscriber in the UK. ;-)

I see the kids have been treated in the next round of the Youth Cup.

With a trip to Anfield.

Already won at Old Trafford - come away from there with a win and we might as well play the final at the Emirates.

@71 "first you stop the team losing, then get them winning by whatever means necessary until it becomes a mindset that runs throughout the club - then, and only then, do you worry about winning with style. All the best sides have been the same, certainly at club level - you need to do the basics properly before you worry about the fancy stuff and if you have to revert to step 2 when step 3 isn't working on occasion, then so be it. "

Have to agree with this from Kaiser above. I can't help thinking that Jose would have got the team playing with flair eventually, probably once he'd delivered the Champions League trophy with us. It's also why I don't think Big Phil will deliver anything. Essentially he only knows about playing on the front foot, attacking and probing etc, the Brazillian way, with the defence drilled to cope as best it can with keeping goals out when we lose possession. It is not a style and philosophy suited to the Premiership, or to English football in general, where gritty, well-drilled and determined teams can smother it and not get flak from fans who actually value workrate and spirit and can even be suspicious of flare. I hate the idea of bringing new managers all the time, but I'd prefer they fucked him off sooner than later and brought a hungrier guy for the long term. The best thing about Big Phil, who i actually think is an okay guy, is his use of the youngsters. I hope he goes with a few at the weekend.

This jesus boy Káka is doing my nerves now. cant make a decision? just like all strippers i've hired the more you tip her (them) the more confused she gets. are they waiting for the holigans to go to sleep before announcing? i cant stand the idea of seeing vassel on tv again.

You couldn't be more wrong, all opinions irrespective of how rash or daft they might be are welcome here.

@Tony
I know that was your view from a previous blog, and I wholeheartedly agree with it.
But could that be expanded to include Gibberish? just thought I would check.

I was wondering how long it would take until that idiot Moffat returned. First he has some random attack on Lamps by saying he's not as good as Messi and i think implying that he only plays well against lesser sides:

"Oh, Frank! Him vs. FC Smurfs???, but please not in the same level as Messi. Messi and his ilk; always the same whether slinging David or Goliath. Why is His Highness only picking on the weak ones?

Back to you, er, (...?)!"

Well i think that's what he said, it's so hard to tell what he's saying when he can't string a proper sentence together. And then to deflect attention away from the fact that he's made yet another idiotic comment, he follows it up with another random attack on Kaka and Vassel?

"This jesus boy Káka is doing my nerves now. cant make a decision? just like all strippers i've hired the more you tip her (them) the more confused she gets. are they waiting for the holigans to go to sleep before announcing? i cant stand the idea of seeing vassel on tv again."

As Petew so accurately told you, Lamps is just as if not more important to us than Messi because he's one of our 3 most important players alongside JT and Ashley (i would've included Essien but who knows what that broken knee would've done to him). So just to make sure we've drilled it into that atom-sized brain of yours, here's my quote again:

"I know Messi is playing some superhuman football at the moment but Frank in his own way is just as if not more important to our side than the little genius at Barca."

Your comment that Lamps isn't as good as Messi is just meaningless because in terms of skill, no-one can touch Messi. On present form he'll be joining the greats of Pele and Maradona in my opinion. But in terms of importance, who can beat Lamps? Liverpool have shown they can win without Gerrard, Utd can do it without Ronaldo but we struggle to do it without Lamps. I just hate it when idiots like you and Musumba make meaningless and stupid...

In other news, Tony Pulis seems to be really stung with his loss at the Bridge.

LINK

Stoke manager Tony Pulis has accused Chelsea's foreign players of going to ground too easily after his side's last ditch defeat at Stamford Bridge - and singled out Michael Ballack for particular criticism.

"The problem with foreign players is they go down and stay down," he told The Sentinel.

"Our players jump up after a foul. James Beattie went down three minutes after Michael Ballack went down and jumped straight up.

"He doesn't roll around trying to get someone a booking. They try to put pressure on a referee but we have to accept that.

"I was born in Wales, I played my football in England and we are different to them I suppose. I am not having a go at him (Ballack), it is just their culture."

__________________________________

I must say this makes me feel a whole lot better. Much easier to deal with my team being hated for winning, instead of being lauded for "beautiful football."

...statements just because you don't have the intellect to say anything else. Why don't you try and think of something else to say and if that's too much of a struggle, then just fuck off will you?

Aside from that, i'd just like to throw in one more last minute gem. My all time favourite, and there have been many ranging from Bridge at Highbury to Gallas against Spurs, is Didier at the Nou Camp. 2-1 down going into the last minute of injury time, we had 2 men at the back, Essien rampaging down the RW and JT playing at CF. Essien chipped over a ball to JT, who perfectly headed it into Didier's path, who chested it past Marquez and slid it under Valdes. I always remember how JT, Didier and Ashley ran over to the corner flag to try and celebrate with the 1000 or so fans, perched at the top of the Nou Camp and then seeing JT almost exploding with anger and relief that we'd equalised. To top it all off, Jose did a classic slide on his knees past Rijkaard in his dug-out. It summed up everything that was great about Jose's side and for me that was the best last-minute goal we've scored.

Come on guys, these should be fresh in your memories:

Robben vs Wigan (away) - won us the game with the last kick of the game 3-2

Drogba vs Everton (away) - won us the game with a stunning volley - also 3-2

Then there's Essien's wonder strike against the Arse although that was around 85th min.

All these were 2 seasons ago.

Come on guys, these should be fresh in your memories:

I sometimes struggle to remember what I had for breakfast. ;-)

Interesting to see the late winners people remember. It seems all[?] the Jose era ones so far apart from Gallas v Spurs were away rather than at the Bridge. We really are turning back the clock at home now.

Just realised Essien's strike was an equaliser. What a goal though.

Just realised Essien's strike was an equaliser. What a goal though.

@No.9
And he hit the bar in the last minute and Frank hit the post a minute or so after that. Could have been a 3-1 win instead of the draw.

some people have very short memories!! what about Essiens goal in the Champions league against Valencia at the Mestalla with one minute to go? A side who had not been beaten at home by an english side in years!!!! that was magic and Joses celebrations with John terry in the tunnel while he was being interviewed by the journalist! magic!

Cahill scores 87min to make it 1-1 at full time, got to love it!!!

The teams in Blue are fighting back

Fantastic.

Gotta love Tim Cahill..... What a gritty player he is, always involved in the game, and comes up with some really important goals for Everton.

Nice to see the Scousers knocked off their perch.

What a great night. Rafa fucks it up yet again, thanks to his zonal marking (take note Phil) and Kaka has just rejected the Man City deal! All we need now is for some sort of injury or crisis to unfold at Old Trafford and we'll be laughing.

What is it with Scottish managers?

Where would they be if they gave Moyes a budget to work with?

Kaka staying at Milan. Get in. I guess we shouldnt be that bothered but I just felt really strongly about that deal. Berlusconi has bucketloads of money he does not need to sell anyone. Sorry to talk about this guys but its the only thing going on in football today other than Liverpoo dropping points.

I love that City's cash can't buy everyone. They'll have to settle for Vassel and Bellamy to fire them into the Cl spots! It seems almost strange that a player is able to reject £500,000/wk and a £10m payoff for his dad in order to stay at a club he loves. I wonder how Hughes will spin this in his press conference on Friday:

"Oh, it was us who called off the deal. We thought spending £14m on Craig Bellamy is much better value for money. After all, a player who has only scored a handful of goals for West Ham deserves £100,000/wk. It wasn't as if Kaka thought selling his loyalty to Milan for an extra £300,000/wk was shameful and having to play with the likes of Richard Dunne wouldn't turn into the most embarrassing sight seen in the Premiership since Avram Grant's opening press conference alongside Kenyon and Buck trying to justify the sacking of Jose (that was one of the most cringeworthy events in Chelsea history)."

We just need to keep our momentum going, and try and target second place before we head up to Anfield. We should take advantage of City and Rafa grabbing all the headlines and try and quietly string a few victories together.

Yes, looks like sanity returns.

Berlusconi seems to be spinning it that AC didn't want to sell - right...

Not a huge surprise, I suppose, but quite pleasing to know that money sometimes can't buy everything. The guy has everything he wants in Milan and culturally it suits the kind of person he is, so why move?

So, how long before they start stalking David Villa then?

Nice one Cahill - his late equaliser against us last season went some way to scuppering our title bid; wouldn't it be a shame if he's just done the same to Liverpool's?

Apparently Kaka is already earning £200,000 a week net at AC Milan. If City were willing to pay him £500,000 a week, take out the government's cut of 40% and he would have been earning an extra £100,000 (plus all the sign-on fees etc. - but he must already have more than enough money for himself and his family). Would you leave AC Milan for City in their current state and predicament for an extra £100,000 a week. I know I wouldn't. Swap Milan for Manchester. Not on your nelly.

Some of the more intelligent journos in the past week have commented on how crucial this Kaka deal was for City. It was supposed to signal their intent and their ambition to be a serious challenger for titles and CL trophies. If he came, it would show how big a club City have become and it would have enabled fellow great players to follow him to Eastlands. But equally, these journos commented on how damaging a possible Kaka rejection could be. It would tell every other great player in Europe, that City is simply the home of highly paid rejects or highly paid mercenaries and accepting any City deal, no matter how attractive would be an admission that you are willing to sacrifice years of your career in order to make a quick buck.

Kaka was supposed to be City's star January signing which would just be the beginning of the realisation of the City dream. City were hanging their summer transfers on having Kaka and being able to tell potential signings that they would have the opportunity to play with a great player. Now they'll have to change that script:

Hughes: So, Mr. Aguero do you want to come play for us?
Aguero: Who are you?
Hughes: We're the great Man City. Home of amazing players such as Wayne Bridge and Craig Bellamy.
Aguero: Who?
Hughes: How about £500,000/wk. Will that shut you up and persuade you to play for a side battling relegation?
Aguero: Fuck off, i want to sign for Roman, down at Chelsea.

Ok, that last line may not fit in, but the rest of it is pretty accurate. Without Kaka, the likes of Aguero, Pato and Villa will be telling themselves that if i really had to leave the club i'm comfortable at, it'd only be for a great club and not just for the money.

And there are rumours going around that this may have been a huge scam, being staged by Berlusconi. I for one never saw Kaka in a City shirt, and some are saying Berlusconi egged on these rumours until fans started to turn just so he could ride in to the rescue as the hero saving Milan.

Perfectly summed up by Briatore:

"QPR owner Flavio Briatore, the Formula One mnotor-racing magnate speaking in Portugal yesterday at the launch of his Renault team’s new car, joined the widespread criticism of City's transfer policy.

He said: 'If you put (Michael) Schumacher in a Minardi you are going nowhere.

'If you put Kaka in this club it is going nowhere. I think it is completely mad.

'When Robinho arrived it looked like it solved every problem - and now the team is very close to going down."

This story also suggests that we'll try to take advantage of Robinho's unrest and try to poach him from City:

LINK

On the one hand, Robinho must be growing tired of having to constantly play with awful footballers and would definitely be interested in joining us, but on the other hand we've got a budget of £0m.

It really seems like they didn't think the Kaka thing through. Did they think Kaka would just happily leave in the middle of the season for City? At a minimum, I think they needed to work with him for a while to really try to convince him that he would be going to the right place, and would have all of the support necessary.

Instead, this reeks of Calderon-era RM, where he said "I'm going to buy Ronaldo, and Robben, and blah blah blah..." Thankfully, that era of Real is over.

Now, I have no problem with upstart clubs. I also have little problem with tons of money. But the "bigness" of certain clubs is an accepted fact in football, and asking Kaka to leave Milan for Manchester City just seems to be a little much for me.

It would also be another thing if City were in the position of Villa and could say "look, with you the Champions league spot for next year is assured. We'll buy even more over the summer, and win it all." But they aren't. It is a relegation battle. Frankly, MC could go down, and how embarrassing would that be? Meanwhile, Milan have a very winnable league, and are almost assured CL play next year.

We've all seen that money transfers from one contender club to another are often difficult. Why would more money make a transfer to an aspiring club easier?

@ CLIVE & HABS

Spot on. This blog seems to of been invaded by (a) serial k***head(s)..As soon as one disappears another one comes along straight away. The comments are always about the same subject though..ZZzzzzzzzzzzzz...

As HABS says, no-one comes near Messi at the moment in class & brilliance but what has Lamps got to do with that?? He's important to Chelsea & is a regular goalscorer..Someone said above that they hate watching games "knowing who's going to score"..does that really matter?! You can predict who will score for Liverpool & Man U every match (Ronaldo will be a dead cert to go down for a penalty EVERY time!) but their fans don't complain..at the end of the day, i don't care who's scoring as long as we're scoring & winning...

I'd take "predictable" goals over no goals any day of the week!!!

@ 26. FIFTEE

Thanks hunny! xx

Still no need for City players to panic (in their conveniently located training facility in Tenerife) because soon Craig Bellamy will be arriving to quell any dressing room unrest.

But if true, and they do have £100m+ burning a hole in their pocket - I wouldn't mind seeing Kenyon, for the first time this season, if he tries to pimp out some of our 'World class' players.

PK : Kaka, no, you want Malouda. He's got that European mentality, much more suited to the Premiership. And Deco, look at the goals he's scored.
Hughes : Right
PK : And Drogba. Best striker in the World *cough* on his day *cough*
Hughes : Whats that Peter, frog in your throat?
PK : Quite.....

Well we might just get Robinho at a knockdown price plus we pay his airfare back from Brazil. LINK

LINK

Nope the links are not working arte they.

Here's the story anyway according to Sky Sports News he's headed back to Brazil

Brazilian ace Robinho has walked out of Manchester City's training camp in Spain.

City are currently in Tenerife on a mid-season break as they are not in action this weekend due to the FA Cup.

It is believed that Robinho and Mark Hughes have had a falling out, which has seen the player walk out on the rest of the squad.

City have confirmed that Robinho has departed the camp, but would not confirm the reason for the decision - or whether he had permission to do so.

Sky Sports News understands the club's record signing is on his way back to Brazil. Robinho is due to celebrate his 25th birthday on 25th January.

I think we can now see why, whatever the new owners think, Hughes would have a preference for mature, steady, level headed (and relatively cheap) persons of Celtic sensibility as opposed to these hot headed Latino types, such as Robhino and Kaka

A very sad ending to the Káka saga. That leaves the best league in the world without the best player in the world.

Didn't they consult his agent before making such a humiliating move?

Morning all,

As far as Robinho is concerned, fuck him with bells on - he made his decision and has to get on with it; not entirely sure we need someone on £120k a week who flounces off for whatever undisclosed reason when things don't go his way - is this a hissy fit because his mate won't be coming? Could well be. Other factors were involved in terms of him coming here, of course, but you would imagine (and hope) that he's quietly kicking himself for going to a circus rather than a football club. Kaka clearly has more about him and realised that was the choice.

Big wake-up call for Citeh, if the Arabs are smart enough to heed it (which I doubt). Hughes may not be the right man in the long term but he has the right idea - improve the overall quality of the squad and build gradually; no doubt that the likes of Bridge, Bellamy and Santa Cruz are the type of players that will do so if you get everything to click, and worry about the big marquee signings when you're able to offer them what they need (other than piles of cash, obviously). They are 2-3 years away from that level at the very minimum.

Tim Cahill - always liked him... :-)

They are 2-3 years away from that level at the very minimum.

How true JD, it's that old chestnut of running before being able to walk.

I'm glad the Kaka deal failed - it shows a rare form of loyalty these days for a footballer to pledge his loyalty to a club in the face of such ridiculous monetary temptations. Being a confirmed atheist I find Kaka's (and other players) God based ramblings and thanks rather tiresome (especially the paradoxical view that God is looking after each and everyone of them despite them being on different sides and nationalities - the philosophical arguments are far too numerous to go into here) but it does seem that this young man, at least in part due to his faith, does have a sense of responsibility and loyalty way above the likes of the mercenaries we see in the PL (Bellamy, Defoe et al). For this alone he deserves some praise.

As for Robinho, I'm totally with you KJ - fuck him with bells and whistles on. His 'heart was with Chelsea' until the ludicrous money dangled by Citeh when his true greedy nature too control, no doubt aided and abetted by pocket lining agents and relatives. You reap what you sows and you made your bed etc etc.

I've no objection to the Citeh cash, other than previously listed comments regarding our 'filthy' Russian money compared to the 'clean and friendl;y' arab cash argument. After all we're still well placed and have equivalency at the least with Manure/Arse and Poo, so I don't think the money makes that much difference. What it more likely means is far more covert meetings with players and NDA's with agents (non-disclosure agreements) in order to stop spoiling tactics. Ultimately the competition for players could be driven down to youngsters rather than the big clubs transferring in and out. Citeh need to realise that the slow build and then big investment is the platform to future success.

'As far as Robinho is concerned, fuck him with bells on - he made his decision and has to get on with it;'

Bit harsh, the decision was made by Real surely, who took City's money rather than ours. Not sure how much Robinho had to do with it given the corner he'd painted himself into trying to get a move to the Bridge.

@ 126 - I seem to recall Robinho being quite gleeful at his move to Manchester and saying that it was what he'd always wanted. PR spin?

Also @ Pete - I can't help but think Robinho wasn't forced to join Citeh, but that at the very most he's the victim of his agents greed. I still think he got the Pound Notes in Eyes syndrome that so patently afflicts Defoe and Bellamy.

@Tony
No doubting that Bellamy has got the pound sign syndrome if the reported £90k a week is true. That is an obscene ammount of money for gobby shite like him, and no better than being an average to good type of player.

He wanted out of Real and thought it would be at Chelsea, then City came along and pulled the rug from under everybody's feet. Real accepted City's bigger bid, so Robinho never had the chance to reject us but had forced himself into a position where he HAD to leave Real or spend a season playing with the stiffs. Sure, he was greedy, but it was all about Real taking the chnace to get one over Kenyon (remmber the the shirt name fiasco) AND a wantaway player.

'I seem to recall Robinho being quite gleeful at his move to Manchester and saying that it was what he'd always wanted. PR spin?'

That';s not a serious question, surely!?

@130 PeteW - only a serious question, possibly, if you add an implied "united" at the appropriate point of the quoted sentence :-)

I suppose Robinho was simply being greedy one way or another in the way he first angled for the move to us and then took the loot from Citeh; the way he and his agent manouvered themselves into a position where there was no way they could go back if the deal with us went tits up and were 'rescued' by someone with a big pile of cash. Unless Calderon (who unquestionably used everyone involved for his own purposes) held a gun to Robinho's head and forced him to sign the deal, I don't feel a huge amount of sympathy for him.

6 months later the picture looks very different; Citeh are closer to a relegation battle than the Champions League and struggling to keep one ego under control while the owners are probably out waving their fat wallet and hunting for more, Robinho has got the arsehole and walked out, Calderon has quit amidst all sorts of allegations and accusations, having made a complete cock of himself over Ronaldo in the summer after which he used Robinho and Citeh to save face (which ultimately hasn't worked).

Whilst our situation may not be perfect at present, the other parties involved in the summer's fun and games aren't exactly sitting pretty right now.

I think we were right not to get into a bidding war with Citeh, Calderon must of thought all his birthdays had come at once when Citeh got new owners.

He would have loved nothing more than seeing Robinho's price go through the roof. RA to give him credit, along with Kenyon were not going to fall into the trap of lining that slimy turds pocket with extra cash.

If we had of done I suppose the plus side might have been,they could have bid outright for that winker at Old Trafford. ;-)

There are no direct flights from Tenerife to Brazil but Robinho doesn't normally care about the ultimate destination provided he gets away from wherever he's at.

He'll probably end up in Basle thinking it was BraZil.

Anyone else noticed how much better West Ham's defending has got since Steve Clarke arrived there? I can't help feeling letting him go was a much bigger loss than Mourinho long term. Much as I love TSO it was eventually going to go tits up with his personality and RA's wishes; after all, how long would any of us stay in a job if we kept pissing off whoever paid our wages (perhaps by spending far too much time on the internet...)?

Basically, my question is - when will Steve Clarke become our manager? I can't help thinking he needs a smaller club to run himself before being given the hotseat at Stamford Bridge. Perhaps a couple of seasons at Newcastle (he used to coach there?), after everyone realises Joe 'Fuck*ng' Kinnear is useless, and then on to us?

PS. Sorry if I insulted any magpies by calling your club a 'smaller' club than Chelsea... not really, you are all tossers who demand your coach is sacked every six months.

PPS. This blog is strangely cathartic.

He'll probably end up in Basle thinking it was BraZil.

Probably fortunate he didn't say Phuket to the person staffing the ticket desk.

*wheresmyraincoat*

While sitting waiting for a hospital appointment yesterday, I was thinking about Saturday’s unfortunate contretemps on this blog, Clive announcing his departure and Tony Glover’s immortal words, “@ Clive, hope those last few minutes of tension packed drama have made the return to The Wild West a warm and comfy one!”

Out of nowhere, or perhaps the same well of inspiration that Ernie Wise used for the “Plays what I wrote”, came the germ of an idea. So here in the shape of an ‘hommage’ to the late period or modern Western (Hud, Junior Bonner, The Last Picture Show) is a filmic drama in honour of Clive’s return to our warm embrace.

Clooney is already on board, (not playing you I’m afraid Clive): he may even put in some money and the Coen brothers are considering directing it as their next project. If we can work this up to say 2 hours and get some legs under it then it may be out in time for next year’s Oscars.

Apologies for the layout btw

As this is fiction any resemblance to persons living, dead or undead is purely deliberate.

So tune up your best Western twang to read…..

NO COUNTRY FOR OLD BLOGGERS

The Cast

Clive (aka Hoss) – an old, tired and disillusioned blogger – playing himself unless we can get Leonardo Di Caprio.

The Man With No Name – The boss, aka chelseablogger – played by George Clooney subject to final contractual negotiations (he wants a bigger trailer than Clive).

[Close up on an old radio playing - purely for scene setting so don't torture yourself by playing it all if it's not your bag]

LINK

Then pull back to:

The interior of an old wooden bunkhouse, a weatherbeaten moustachioed figure lingers, looking wistfully around, as though for one last time. He pushes his greasy, stained old stetson, to the back of his head, aims an arc of brown tobacco juice into a bucket in the centre of the room, lifts his pack and bedroll, then moves to the open door.

tbc

(Part the second)

The sound of a wheezing, clattering, pick up truck approaches The sound of hard braking and a slamming door as the engine is killed. A shadow falls across the doorway, an imposing silhouette fills the frame, the face hidden by the brim of his stetson.]

T: (quietly) Where you headin’ Hoss?

C: (defensively, still chewing) I dunno, aways from a here a piece anyhow.

T: When you figurin’ on comin’ back?
C: (shifting uneasily) Don’t know’s as I’m ever minded to come back.

T: (cajoling) Heh Hoss! That’s kind o’ serious talkin’ there.

C: (warming to the task) Yeah well it’s kind a how I feel. Just don’t figure I can keep on ridin’, ropin’ and brandin’ forever. There’s younger blood around now and I don’t rightly feel like tryin’ to keep up ‘n all. A man gets to his time and ye can’t push beyond it. Anyhow, I don’t know as I like the way some of these folks round about are carryin’ themselves.

T: But Hoss you been with us through good times ‘n bad. The big drives up to Bolton, Cardiff, Wembley, Stockholm, Moscow. Listen to yerself, you know you’s as good as any o’them fellas out there and a hell of a lot better ‘n most (nodding to outside the bunkouse).

C: (hitting the spittoon with another well aimed arc) That’s as maybe, but a fella can only stand so much o’ the horsin’ around and idlin’ that passes for work round hereabouts these days.

CB: (his voice firmer) Hey now Hoss! This ranch still has plen’y o’ hard workin’ no-nonsense kinda folks and they ‘aint gonna be none too pleased to be hearin’ that kind o’talk from one o’ their own.

C: (sighing) Yeah, your right, but I jess can’t stand by and take no more o’ the brainless horseshit o’ some folks.

(almost done)

(part the third)

CB: (in a conciliatory tone) We all get fed up out there now ‘n agin. But ye jess gotta rub along like you’s always done. Dagnammit, but ‘aint you been in the middle o’ all the horseplay more times than I care to remember. Put your pack down, the only place your goin’ is down town with me to sink a coupla’ hard earned beers.

[They walk outside together climb in to the pickup and head towards the distant setting sun, along the flat prairie road with dust kicking up behind the truck and a flock of birds sitting on the transmission wires strung along beside the road…….

Close up of the radio in the pickup playing - again don't put yourself through too much of it if it hurts

LINK

and fade]

Ladies and gentlemen, I thank you. A draft of my Oscar acceptance speech will be posted shortly

While sitting waiting for a hospital appointment yesterday,

@BB
Nothing trivial I hope ;-)

Excellent script, but I think you could have got someone better than Di Caprio to play me, I always admired Danny Di Vito or was it De Nero? anyway a recast is required.

Its early days but he said he'd come out of retirement for the right project. Whadya think...

LINK

and it is only trivial, I only mentioned the hospital appointment to indicate endless hours stretching away that one could fill with this sort of nonsense, but thanks for caring (cries quietly)

Interesting story about possible replacements for Joe:

LINK

"The Chelsea board have previously insisted no money will be freed up for the January transfer window, claiming the squad is strong enough to make a challenge in the three competitions they remain in.

However, with Cole now out for the rest of the season, Scolari is struggling to field an experienced team.

Valencia, 23, has proven himself more than capable of coping with the pressures of the Premier League this season and may well be tempted by the chance to play in the Champions League with Chelsea.

Scolari faces competition from Manchester United and Real Madrid, but according to the Mirror, the London club remain the front runners as they represent the best opportunity of a regular starting place.

If the deal comes to nothing, Scolari is said to be considering bringing David Bentley or Jermaine Pennant in on loan deals, or making an offer for Benfica winger Angel Di Maria."

Or we could go for some rejects instead:

LINK

"PHIL SCOLARI will today discover how much Chelsea are willing to back him.

The Blues boss is due to meet club officials to discuss a replacement for Joe Cole, with Jermaine Pennant and David Bentley on his radar. Midfielder Cole suffered knee ligament damage last week and will miss the rest of the season.

Scolari had been told funds to bring in new players this month would only be available in the case of a situation such as Cole’s. However, whether the manager is allowed to buy a player depends on the amount of faith the Chelsea board have in him.

That means a loan deal until the end of the season is more likely, with Liverpool’s Pennant and Spurs ace Bentley his targets."

Yeah tough one, lets go for regular Wigan star Valencia, decent propspect Di Maria or Pennant and Bentley who aren't first choice at second rate clubs.

Had it happened a week or so earlier, I'd have said see what Stoch can do, but with 10 days of the window left, do people think we'd be better off looking outside the club for a replacement?

Di Maria would be nice, Valencia has also looked decent if a little overpriced if current valuations are to be believed.

Tricky decision - don't see any point in Bentley on current form (and I quite like him, albeit that he seemed to develop a rather over-inflated opinion of himself after one decent season) and Pennant, whilst he is probably one of the best crossers of the ball in the league, is an obnoxious little shit who only does it about one game in every 6. Give Stoch a chance, but we do need some backup.

I also agree that Di Maria would be a good long term project and being left footed and pacy, would present the first real successor to Duff or Robben on that LW. But i'm not sure whether Roman would sanction another £15m purchase for the second successive January transfer window.

I like the look of Valencia at Wigan but i'm not sure whether he'd turn into the next Ronaldo or the next Kalou. He reminds me a lot of Kalou, lots of potential, lots of pace but he seems to enjoy running with his head down and doesn't always pick the right final ball. He seems a nice kid, if a little naive, and at £15m, seems overpriced.

I also quite like Bentley and on present form we could pick him up for £5m. He hasn't become a bad player overnight and i blame Redknapp for constantly playing him on the LW. He may not be the pacy option we've been looking for on the wings, but he's the best crosser of the ball since Beckham and as a set-piece specialist, could come in handy as a cheap option.

As for Pennant, he can have some great games, like when he tore us apart 2 years ago at Anfield, but as you say, for every good game he has 10 shit ones will follow. His attitude is also questionable and he doesn't seem the most professional of footballers.

The best option would be Di Maria but i suspect we may be seeing the cheaper option of Bentley arriving.

I'm usually not the one who is in support of the youth players but somehow I think it would be worth giving Stoch a run. You know sometimes seeing a new player, it just takes a few seconds to decide whether you like him or not. He started in the former CSSR and his performance reminds me of that school. A good allround player with well balanced skills!

"but he's the best crosser of the ball since Beckham"...!

"and as a set-piece specialist"....Will Frank let him?

Valencia "reminds you of Kalou"...The same valencia that Real and all the big four teams are trying to sign?

Yep, that's right Moffat, he does remind me of Kalou, so what?

What do I remind you of?

So many possible answers, so little time...

The mind boggles at the number of things you remind me of. As Kaiser said:

"So many possible answers, so little time..."

@ MOFFAT

You remind me of...

LINK

Having watched the Obama inauguration this afternoon, in it's entirety, I was bored. Anyway there was a quartet of musicians playing a piece of music which had been specially composed for the event by John Williams.

Well I don't know if my ears were deceiving me but, I could have sworn the middle section of the piece was our footballing anthem of Carefree, did anybody else see/hear it?

LINK

PK Vying for a new job??? Hope so...

@ Clive

Re the 'Carefree' thing - thank Christ, not just me then! I thought I was going mad - definitely bore more than a passing resemblance.

@153 Clive
I am afraid, but it seems are you the only one with masochistic tendencies around. You are admitting that you were bored, but what did you expect in the first place? This is rather strange and weird.

@ Clive and KJ2 153/5

The BBC implied that the piece had been composed by John Williams, but in fact Williams did the adaptation for those particular instruments. The tune is an American folk tune of Shaker origin, called "Simple Gifts". It got translated into a general Protestant hymn tune -- it's best known in this country, I think, as the hymn "Lord of the Dance". [If you thought of Michael Flatley just now, you are an abomination and must be destroyed.] I assume "Carefree" is derived from the general popularity of "Lord of the Dance"; anyway, it is indeed exactly the same tune.

Which proves that despite all that obvious rubbish about West Ham, Obama is a blue.

Excuse me while I look for the exit from my own bottom.

You are all mad people and it looks like till Saturday we shall be exposed to lot of madness.

"But I don’t want to go among mad people," Alice remarked.

"Oh, you can’t help that,' said the Cat. "We’re all mad here. I’m mad. You’re mad."

"How do you know I’m mad?" said Alice.

"You must be,” said the Cat, "or you wouldn’t have come here.”

- Lewis Carroll LINK

@157 - Nice one, LTB.

I wasn't bored during Obama's inauguration, far from it, but I did make liberal use of the mute button during all the God stuff. Great day though.

@159

"I wasn't bored during Obama's inauguration, far from it, but I did make liberal use of the mute button during all the God stuff. Great day though."

Well, if you did that, then you missed perhaps the best part of the whole thing- the end of the benediction.

LINK

"REV LOWERY: Lord, in the memory of all the saints who from their labors rest, and in the joy of a new beginning, we ask you to help us work for that day when black will not be asked to get back, when brown can stick around -- (laughter) -- when yellow will be mellow -- (laughter) -- when the red man can get ahead, man -- (laughter) -- and when white will embrace what is right. Let all those who do justice and love mercy say amen.

AUDIENCE: Amen!

REV. LOWERY: Say amen --

AUDIENCE: Amen!

REV. LOWERY: -- and amen.

AUDIENCE: Amen!"


I also think it would be extremely hard to get Obama to publicly commit to any sports team outside of the US...

@160 - I made sure to listen to Joseph Lowery because of who he is and what he stands for; and I agree, the end of the benediction was the highlight of the day.

I muted Rick Warren's invocation.

@161

Ah. Prudent.

I did not have the luxury of a mute button.

This better be a f*ckin joke.......

LINK

If Carlo joins the 'soon to be relegated pork-dodgers' I think I will cry....... Especially if we give the second best keeper in the league away for 1 million quid.

Dear god....Has nobody in the administration staff at Chelsea got even half a brain?

LINK

Christ, it seems to be true.... I despair at times about the people making the decisions at Chelsea.

Watch for Cech to get injured within the next couple of games leaving us in a right mess.

Roman is fighting!!!
LINK

I muted Rick Warren's invocation.

@Nick
Being a controversial choice I had to listen to what he had to say.

@LTB
Thanks for digging all that out, now can you find out why Aretha Franklin wore that silly hat, and why she changed the words to "God Save the Queen"? ;-)

@Greenlight re Carlo

To be fair every time Carlo has played recently I'm in a state of panic and his kicking of a ball is only marginally better than Peter Bonetti's.

Carlo's been great for us but unfortunately every Cat has his day. (Cat being a little Bonetti joke for those old enough to remember.)

@ LTB #157

Sound work. Thanks for furnishing us with vital info about the Shaker origins of one of our football chants. Any news on "Celery".

And that's the second reference (cf #76) to the work of Michael Flatley in one blog thread. Surely a record and quite worrying?

Ironic that when Obama is striving for inclusivity and tolerance, as detailed in his address, in a nominally secular country where there is a separation between Church and State there is a fair amount of God business, the majority of which (if not all), relates to Protestant Christianity. The invocation is given by the head of an Evangelical Church, which by its very name (and possibly its finances) is driven by the need to convert.

Yet another Chelsea favourite off to the Spuds?

Could be a swap for David Bentley

Oh Carlo, say it ain't so.

Roman v Rupert, then. That's going to help ensure we get lots of positive press this season. Still, fuck 'em in the ear, go for it Roman.

Peter Bonetti was my childhood hero. I never forgave my Dad for the slagging he gave him after the 1970 World Cup QF against West Germany. I've long advocated a new number two keeper as for me Carlo is past his prime and also deserves a chance to see his career out as number 1 elsewhere. Time for Rhys Taylor to be given a chance?

Apparently we have a young German keeper called Niclas Heimann in the academy - he'll need some breaking in first.....(ohh the endless jokes this one brings to mind)

Sounds positive - apparently he hasn't let anyone penetrate his goal yet and he's more determined than most to keep a clean sheet.

Yet another departure from the squad.

Saving money across the club is one thing, but doing it to the detriment of the playing squad is just asking for trouble.

When (and it is when and not if) Cech next gets injured our choices are Hilario who's twice as bad as Carlo, or Rhys Evans who's completely untested.

We're now down to one recognised left back in the senior squad. Two fit, recognised wide men and one-and-a-half recognised strikers.

Someone somewhere has got a lot of faith in us not getting any more injuries....

LINK

"Cook said yesterday that he knew nothing of Chelsea’s interest in Robinho, but he did refer to an interest expressed in certain City players by Peter Kenyon, the London club’s chief executive, during negotiations over the £12 million signing of Wayne Bridge this month. When asked about City’s reported interest in John Terry, the Chelsea captain, Cook said: “I had a meeting with Kenyon but I didn’t bring up his name. He did ask about some of our superstars, but I’m not allowed to ask about his.”

So, wonder which of Man City's *ahem* 'superstars' the illustrious PK was enquiring about. Maybe a return to the Bridge for Tal Ben Haim. Didi Hamman as cover for Essien perhaps. Or Michael Ball at left back as Bridgey went the other way.

Jesus wept Kenyon. It's like having all the cuts of meat from a cow to pick from, and looking at the tongue and arsehole instead of the fillet steak.

Stephen Ireland wouldn't be a bad signing at all.

Bonetti is one of the reasons I'm a Chelsea fan.

Heimann is actually pretty highly rated, better than Evans, I think.

Look, I like Carlo, but I think that's a good piece of business. His contract ends in the summer. Carlo is good, but he's getting older, and if we didn't have plans to re-sign him, then it is £1m of free money.

@168- BB:
"Ironic that when Obama is striving for inclusivity and tolerance, as detailed in his address, in a nominally secular country where there is a separation between Church and State there is a fair amount of God business, the majority of which (if not all), relates to Protestant Christianity. The invocation is given by the head of an Evangelical Church, which by its very name (and possibly its finances) is driven by the need to convert."

Eh, it is par for the course around here. It seems Obama was trying to split the baby. For all of the press and buildup about Rick Warren, the earthshaking news was that he mentioned atheism as legitimate.

LINK

Atheism isn't very politically popular in this country.

Atheism isn't very politically popular in this country.

Then we can all conclude, the US has religious fanatics.
Mmm I wonder what other countires have been accused of that?

Here endeth my limited debate on religion and politics as we all know the potential for cough cough impassioned arguments, a bit like football really. :-)

Rumours are that City are interested in Ivanovic. I would hate to see him leave as i think he's Ricky's natural successor and especially to City of all teams. As for Carlo, going to Spurs isn't the best move as i think he'll be second choice there as well. For all Gomes' gaffes, he has improved under Harry's new GK coach and i don't think any team would plan fo the future with a 35 year old keeper. £1m seems like good business but it doesn't mean anything in terms of Phil's transfer budget so as BeChamps put it, it's sort of like free money.

It's also nice to see another club getting unwanted headlines after last week's battering. Fans are laughing at City, either for thinking they could actually get Kaka or for screwing up the deal when they were so close. Rumours that Robinho isn't happy don't surprise and i do think we'll bid for him this summer. This summer looks to be a turning point for our ageing and slightly average squad and if Phil is stil here i think the club will back him, as long as he looks to bring in younger replacements for some of our rejects. The Times says Di Maria is our main transfer target of the summer, but i'd throw in Robinho and a younger striker. With Didier again proclaiming his love for any other team bar Chelsea, this time Marseille, it must surely be time to draw a line under Jose's awesome at the time yet now a bit useless 4-3-3 with long balls to Didier. He'll definitely go this summer and when he does it'll be the start of a new team and a new formation.

Just got back from taking my freebie Stadium Tour which was on offer to season ticket holders in December. A few points:

1) a stranger on the same tour claimed Mancini had been seen filming an interview outside the ground earlier today and therefore [with a leap in logic worthy of any sports journalist] he must be about to become our next manager. Assuming he really was here, does beg the question what for?

2) No one will be surprised to learn that the cock-up in the Honours Board in the Museum, mentioned on here several months ago still hasn't been corrected -so we still claim to be "1976/77 FA Cup Winners".

3) What purports to be Jose's Armani coat, I was shocked to see, has a frayed lining in its right sleeve - a style faux pas which must surely have happened after Jose auctioned it off!

Lampard: smart cookie.

LINK

@ LTB "2) No one will be surprised to learn that the cock-up in the Honours Board in the Museum, mentioned on here several months ago still hasn't been corrected -so we still claim to be "1976/77 FA Cup Winners"."

That was me! I'll mention it to my colleague - even now he's still wondering if he was hallucinating! Unbelievable - its a museum - doesn't it have a curator? Perhaps a job that Malouda might actually be useful at............

LINK

Maybe Carlo's not going to Spuds after all.

He could to the curator job perhaps?

@Tony
I think Chelsea may have other plans for Malouda, this from the BBC gossip column

Chelsea winger Florent Malouda is being lined up by Spanish club Villarreal who are preparing a £9m bid. (Daily Mirror)

Surely, given his obvious curatorial skills (see #157 above) and penchant for a well tied cravate indicating certain artistic tendencies, the job should be going to our own Limetreebower?

(@LTB we can discuss a finders fee once you have the job sewn up)

What made TSO pay £15m for Malouda?
Anyone?

Ranieri
-----------------------------------------------
Glen Johnson 15/07/03 RB West Ham United 6.0

Geremi 16/07/03 MF Real Madrid 7.02

Wayne Bridge 21/07/03 LB Southampton 7.0

Damien Duff 21/07/03 LW Blackburn Rovers 17.0

Joe Cole 06/08/03 MF West Ham United 6.6

Juan Veron 06/08/03 MF Manchester United 15.0

Adrian Mutu 14/08/03 FW Parma 15.8(*Drug addict)

Alexei Smertin 25/08/03 MF Girondins Bordeaux 3.5

Hernan Crespo 26/08/03 FW Inter Milan 16.8

Neil Sullivan 29/08/03 GK Tottenham Hotspur free

Claude Makelele 01/09/03 MF Real Madrid 16.7

Scott Parker 30/01/04 MF Charlton Athletic 10.0

Petr Cech 01/06/04 GK Rennes 7.0

Arjen Robben 01/07/04 LW PSV Eindhoven 12.0
-------------------------------------------
Jose
------------------------------------------
Paulo Ferreira 22/06/04 RB Porto 13.2

Mateja Kezman 12/07/04 FW PSV Eindhoven 5.0

Didier Drogba 19/07/04 FW Olympique Marseille 24.0

Tiago 20/07/04 MF Benfica 8.0

Ricardo Carvalho 27/07/04 DF Porto 19.85

Nuno Morais 29/08/04 DF Penafiel undisc

Jiri Jarosik 06/01/05 MF CSKA Moscow 3.0

Lassana Diarra 16/07/05 MF Le Harve undisc

Asier Del Horno 21/06/05 DF Athletic Bilbao 8.0

*Shaun Wright-Phillips 18/07/05 MF Manchester City 21.O

Michael Essien August 05 MF Olympique Lyon 25.98
--------------------------------------------------------
Roman
--------------------------------------------------------
Michael Ballack May 06 MF Bayern Munich undisc

Andriy Shevchenko May 06 FW AC Milan undisc
-------------------------------------------------------
Total: 268.45 million pounds(***I thought it £500m!!????)

How about Mikel, Kalou and Ashley Cole? Maybe you forgot that Jose wasn't that bad at buying players. And why did he buy Malouda? Perhaps because he was one of the best players in the French League and when he was being managed by Jose he actually looked like a very good players. Remember those games against Birmingham, Reading and Liverpool?

So all in all, a very insightful posting from you Moffat. You've managed to total up a random selection of some of our signings under Roman. Well done.

Moffat,

Seriously - what are you on about? You don't make any sense whatsoever - either have a point, or take your inane gibberish somewhere else.

@ 180. PeteW

Yes, he's obviously a smart cookie. He's also a premiership footballer, plays for his country, earns more in a week than most earn in a year, has a beautiful wife and kids, owns several upmarket properties and has a fleet of exotic supercars.

But is he happy?

@BB 184

Agents!! -- the scourge of the modern game.

Actually Citeh offered me 50k a week to be curator of their museum, but the deal fell through because a crowd of volunteer museum guides besieged my house holding up handmade signs saying "Hands Off Our Cravat", and I suddenly realised my heart would not permit me to move.

Cripes, we need to lose a game again so everyone can get back to proper bitching and moaning.

@ LTB

Yes, all this cordial nonsense isn't good for the soul. Hate and war, I say!

Splendid work on the 'Carefree' / Obama musical interlude info, by the way. Should the internet ever get deleted, we'll know where to come for US president / CFC trivia... :-)

Well, it seems Ivanovic out, Da Costa in.

LINK

Our Riccy replacement it seems. So, then Mancienne and Da Costa are the future? Hopefully another successful English and Portuguese pairing.

Also- Cash and Anelka for Robinho?

LINK

I can see dumping Kalou and Malouda for him. As much as I think Kalou could be good in the future. Can especially see dumping Alex or Ivanovic for him. But Anelka? I guess if Anelka really isn't in Big Phil's plans for the future... which seems to be a hybrid Portugal/Brazil allstar team. Plus academy kids.

Well, I guess that's not so bad.

An amusing transfer story:

Drogba and City seem like a perfect match:

LINK

"MANCHESTER CITY are targeting Chelsea’s unsettled £15million-rated striker Didier Drogba.
And that could trigger a stunning transfer window swap deal taking Robinho to Stamford Bridge.

City, having failed to land Roque Santa Cruz from Blackburn, are now looking at the alternatives.

Drogba has come on to the radar. But if City make a move, Chelsea boss Phil Scolari will want Robinho as part of the deal.

Ivory Coast star Drogba, 31 in March, has been axed from the squad for Chelsea’s last two games and believes the manager wants to get rid of him.

Meanwhile Scolari has made no secret of his admiration for Robinho, 25 on Sunday, who had a bust-up with manager Mark Hughes at City’s training camp in Tenerife and has gone home to Brazil.

City are determined to keep Robinho. But Scolari is equally firm about signing him, having missed out on a £32m swoop on the final day of last summer’s window.

As Sunsport revealed on Saturday, Scolari has only around £15m to spend and will have to offer other players in exchange to get Robinho. Drogba could be one, along with want-away defender Alex plus Salomon Kalou or Florent Malouda.

There is also a debate about whether Robinho can move this January, because of the FIFA rule which prevents a player turning out for three clubs in a season.

Robinho played for Real Madrid in Spain’s equivalent of the Community Shield in August. But his connections claim that is not a proper match, merely a prestige friendly. That argument would have to be settled by FIFA’s Player Status Committee."

There's very little chance of anything like this happening but it's still nice to read of Robinho's unhappiness at being stuck in the middle of a shit team.

Habs-

As much as I love Drogs, and wish he'd just be happy and become good again this year, I'd take the deal. Drogba is moody. I just chalk it up to French as his first language. He complains, it is what he does. He says it, he feels better, there you go.

But, Drogba returning to form is about winning this year, winning next year. After that, as much as he could possibly give us now, he will greatly diminish in value. Robinho is about to turn 25 (a transfer to Chelsea would make a nice birthday present!) and has proven he can compete at this level, and would be the future of the club.

I'd take it.

Oh, in other news, if you read this far- I used to blog as Groy. Couldn't get that as a login at OleOle, so I chose this one. That said- if you don't watch I'm On Setanta Sports (it is on youtube and their website), you should.

I'm considering referring to Phil from now on as The Gene Hackman.

LINK

This could be an interesting swap.....Essentially Drogba plus others for Robinho.

Would mean a complete break away from the style of play which has been so successful for us, if we are to play Anelka and Robinho up front.

Can't see it happening, but since both seem fed up it makes a lot more sense than many of the other deals on the table,,,, And at least the two clubs involved can both afford the players wages, so they could be open to a move.

Sorry Habs...... I didn't bother to read before placing the link!

Where the hell's the 'edit' feature when you need it?

1. Habs, were you not one of those in favour of that 'reported' £20m bid for Richards a few seasons ago?
He's valued at around £5m nowadays. Would you still have him?

"Wigan and Bolton are chasing Manchester City and England defender Micah Richards for £5m. (The Sun) "
----------------------

2. As a former slander of Drogs I am against selling him. His record against big teams is awsome. I would rid of Anelka instead.
----------------------------
3. And finally the reason behind the animosity between Etoo and Ronaldinho has been revealed: a mango flavoured chewing gum

3. And finally the reason behind the animosity between Etoo and Ronaldinho has been revealed: a mango flavoured chewing gum ...(i can't find the link anymore)

Hello? (unnerving echo in a vast empty space - helloooo, helloooo)

(half expects everyone to jump out throwing streamers, blowing those little curled up papery thingies and shouting surprise, but instead his footfall just echoes on the cold flagstones....)

Anyway, regarding all this Robinho speculation, is he not on a very large wedge at Citeh and if it is close to or exceeds the coinage that Messrs Terry and Lampard in particular trouser every week, won't it create a bit of a hoo ha?

I guess most of the coloumn inches are just filling up the space that would have been filled with ongoing "Kaka comes to town" type nonsense and I'm sure Mr Kenyon working to a sensible finacial plan would not let anything untoward happen to the salary structure. :-S

Words fail me.......

LINK

They want Drogba aswell. Their owners must be retarded

Scolari needs to sit down with Didier and see if he really is motivated to play for Chelsea anymore. The passion, The hunger, I just dont see it.

"Juventus indicated they would be willing to sell Buffon, regarded as the world's best goalkeeper, but only for £100m, while Valencia wanted £135m for Spain duo Villa and Silva."

With the money they have why didnt they sign Villa and Silva. Gary Cook says he is nobodies "fool". Well he had me

Well, is just an example for all those idiots who were saying that our success is only because of money. Bunch of clowns.

"But now I feel in top form. I know what I am capable of doing and the real satisfaction for me is that my knee is 'completely right'.", Drogba LINK

:-) It would be interesting to know what he meant [in French).

Moffat, What the hell are you on about?!

It's very quiet in here, we need some excitement, otherwise I might be tempted to start supporting Citeh.

I've seen a bit of Ivanovic and he looks very capable. Of course I don't know what they see in training, but he's young, seems to have potential so why sell?

Great Nautical Journeys of The World - Part 93

I have lived in London all my 49 years, most of it in North and North East London. Today I went on the Woolwich Ferry for the first time. I couldn't see a thing because my car was stuck between 2 big lorries. However I still feel greatly moved by the experience. For the record I went from south to north.

... well Clive, you wanted excitement, now you got it.

Next: FanSinceTheSixties takes the Waterloo and City Line.

Both ways.

If you think you can handle it.

I've had a look at the websites of the "quailty press" and also the Daily Mail (hee hee) and with the exception of the Times they're knocking lumps out of Citeh and particulary the chief exec the lovely Gary Cook. If the Citeh project is all about doing a Chelsea with knobs on, it would seem that in Cook they're getting the knobs bit sorted early. He certainly seems to be set to give our own Kuddly Kenyon a run for his money.

If things don't pick up activity wise on the blog (i.e we don't lose to Ipswich) then just to keep things rolling I will relate my journey on the Barking to Gospel Oak in it's centenary year......but not just yet.

Perhaps as our West Country representative Clive could explain why they get containers of BMW bikes washed ashore, while we in the poor South East just get this..

LINK

Still maybe I can build that garden shed now.

Night All

Oh I forgot

@LTB #209

LOL

@LTB 209
It's got my attention! it may well prevent me logging into JJB Sports for a new shirt.

@BB
Why would any self respecting person want to own a BMW, we all know that their drivers/riders are of a certain stereotype. (ducks and hides)

And surely dead wood collecting is more fun?

Something that caught my eye which could be interesting and fun amongst fellow bloggers. LINK

Can anyone from our Russian Desk enlighten us as to how Alexander Lebedev views our very own Roman?

How will their relationship (if there is one) affect the London Evening Standard's reporting of Chelsea.

Lets face it, is any paper that gives David Mellor a column:
1. Good for Chelsea?
2. Worth saving?

LINK

Apologies to non-London folks but in the age of the interweb no one is safe and you could end up reading David Mellor's coloumn on line

@214 BB
Well, Alexander Lebedev is an ex KGB colonel, close friend of Michael Gorbachev and serious businessman. He (Lebedev) and Gorbachev own "Novaya Gazeta", which is probably the last newspaper in the modern Russia, which does not afraid to write the truth and critisize government. Some journalists of this newspaper, among them Anna Politkovskaya, have been killed in ordered assassinations. Russian government can not find those who ordered these killings, which is not a surprise as in most cases those investigations were against Putin's government.
I seriously doubt that there are good relationships between Lebedev and Roman, seriously doubt it!!! Roman very close to Putin and current Russian state establishment, while Lebedev seems to be on completely opposite side.

While we're on Russian politics I knew Roman had resigned as Governor of Chukotka but it had passed me by till today that he had been elected to its Parliament soon after:

LINK

Have to agree that City's Gary Cook is making Kenyon look like charm personified by comparison, particularly with his ravings about AC Milan after the Kaka deal went tits up.

Are we treating the latest version of the take-over rumours about us, as perpetrated by the Daily Star today, with contempt - or not risking a writ from Roman by posting the link ;-)

The killer quote which might almost have come from the lips of Gary Cook was this, I thought:

"You don't make money because 11 guys run around the pitch, you make money because of all the other commercial aspects that go with a football club, particularly real estate and television rights."

Is it time to remind them that our "real estate" is a separate entity called Chelsea Pitch Owners?

Hi, all.

I realise that I'm probably talking to myself right now, but that's never stopped me before!

Some week, busy, busy.

Tell me, did they ever get that geezer who invented work?

At least not being on-line meant that I was able to enjoy egg on toast this a.m. rather than eating the harsh words I would otherwise have used about Robinho.

It's not that my opinion of his conduct in the PL has changed, but more the prospect of his coming to the Bridge is more enticing now but only if it's not for cash, which would surely add to our problems, but in exchange for a couple of our malcontents, then I'd be all for it.

Having said that, there's the three teams in a season thing mentioned earlier and news of the Dregs new found enthusiasm, so a long way still to go.

Hopefully if he does arrive, Scolari will forget all that 'building a team around him' nonsense. It maybe OK for focussing small squads but not when everyone's a potential winner.

@BB: Maybe he missed the lesson when they talked about the core activities of a business, like to see how they'd turn relegation into profit.

@215

Blue_MikeL, Thank you for summarizing the most often repeated half-truths and myths about modern Russia. i am quite sad to prove you wrong but here we go.

There are not so many fact published about relations between Levedev and Abramovich but the known facts are:

1. on 8th july 2008 - Lebedev in his online-blog (he is quite modern chap, you know) recommended to assign Abramovich as a mayor of Moscow, citing Abramovich's success in governing remotest and poorest or Russia's provinces - Chukotka.

2. back in 2003 Abramovich sold approx 120 mln USD worth of shares of "Aeroflot" (major Russian airline) to Lebedev.

we can have different opinions about the meaning of those facts, but i doubt that they shows us any animosity between RA and AL.

Same i can tell you about Politkovskaya and "Novaya Gazeta". those who can read in russian have access to more of Politkovskaya musings than it was printed in the Western media. And believe me that even for neutral reader (my feelings toward current government could be compared with my feelings towards (i am a Chelsea supporter) Dagenham Redbridge. quite indifferent.
Politkovskaya diatribes about Putin, even for a neutral reader, leave a feeling of her ...complete disregard to any factual materials to say the least or, if i am honest, her mental instability.

what else... quite recently Lebedev had to close one of his tabloids, because the paper was losing money and because it faced with huge bill for defamation article about Putin’s supposedly upcoming new marriage.

all in all, from what i read about Lebedev - i doubt he will want to influence the football section of ES to appease or aggravate RA.

"Agbonlahor had no team-mates to pass to so he shot himself."
MOTD commentator on a recent Aston Villa game. (Quotesoftheweek) LINK

Same applies to Frank.

Only in your deranged mind, shit for brains.

Frank really is shit, we would be far better dropping him to the bench and let Deco pull the strings in midfield, we then will see how good he is for us. We should also drop JT as his passion seems to have gone, as well as is defending abilities.

Just wanted to be a TROLL for the day to get some insight into the condition

'I've had a look at the websites of the "quailty press" and also the Daily Mail (hee hee)'

Tragically, I am now forced to access the Mail site on a semi-regular basis because this is the new home of the only football journalist worth crossing the road to read: Martin Samuel. I am terrified that soon I may inadvertently stumble on some right-wing middle-class self-entitled whinging and be traumatised for life while nursing a sudden resentment for Poles, anti-racism and the BBC, but so far I am surviving.

Why on earth are Arsenal chasing Arshavin? Doesn't Arsene have enough technically brilliant but somewhat lightweight midfield playmakers? Or is he getting ready for Van Persie and Fabregas's inevitable departures?

@219 Thanks for the heads up, Aleks (or should that be Alex?).

It's not often we get an untainted view of what's going on elsewhere in the world, especially anywhere east of Margate..

@Pete, He's probably hoping that Arsh will have a good game and then City will buy him a week later for an extra £10m.

Or is it that he's really pissed off with being the only one at Arse with an Ars in his name?

@226

always welcome, FSTS. I read Chelsea Blog daily, but hardly write anything as my Chelsea suporting years are counting to mere 7. so if my small contribution helps somebody on here, then even better.

@ FSTS "Tell me, did they ever get that geezer who invented work? "

No but he needs another crime taken into account when they do. The crime of dividing the week in 5 working days and 2 rest days - what sort of rubbish ratio is that. Surely 4:3 is the better ratio?

Tony, to be perfectly honest I do sometimes manage just that split, but keep that under your hat, please.

Tony,

I have been campaigning for a pilot of swapping the working / rest days ratio so we have 2 at work, 5 at home. Shall I add you to my list of supporters?

On Robinho - he 'aint coming. Something to me smells like burnt bridges - as soon as his head was swayed by the ££££ rather than actual success, he died to me.

On Arshavin - not sure. Seems decent, if a little under-whelming at the Euros. However, continually playing above average for one of the best sides in Russia must count in his favour. Just seems a little too much like Rosicky for me. But fully fit.

On tomorrow - no JT. Rumours that Stoch will get a start which is encouraging but it will defo. be a difficult game - hopefully no more knocks before Wonky Nose TM's Teesiders roll into the Big Smoke on Wednesday.

On Moffat - just do one, yeah?

@ Fiftee - yep, count me in on that!

@224 PeteW - worry not about your Daily Mail browsing - it's healthy to get occasional re-assurances that The Enemy are still writing utter crap.

Though in Moffat's case - you can stop, I'm convinced you know nothing.

Just heard a soundbite of Ray Wilkins on BBC Radio London admitting yet again that he has no idea what Felipe has in mind for team selection for tomorrow - No wonder Clarkey left if that's how he was treated too.

@ Aleks (219) - thanks for the insight; always good to hear the another side of the story as opposed to the half truths that tend to crop up in the media over here.

@ Clive (223) - you're not fooling anyone, must try harder...!

@ Pete (224) - stick with the Martin Samuel pages and you can make the rest up with this:

LINK

Not so sure about Arshavin - haven't really seen enough of him but plenty of people who have mostly have a "1 excellent game, 1 decent and 3 piss-poor" type opinion of him. Rather telling that all the hype and supposed big club interest died a fairly swift death after the Euros - tells its own story.

Be nice to see Stoch and one or two others on the fringes get a run out tomorrow, and more than 10 minutes too. No particular need to play JT if he's not 100% as there is plenty of cover.

Terrific syntax there...

Aleks. What about Arshavin, then? Is he likely to come and would he be any good?

I don't know if I'd prefer Arshavin or maybe go the whole hog and get a Brazilian?

Hi Aleks -- also curious about the midfielder/winger who was linked with us earlier: Zhirkov? [over to you on that one Mark]. Whatever happened to that deal, and is he any good?

@219 Aleks
The last thing I want to do is to start political discussion on this blog. Politkovskaya has been killed and those who ordered it have been found it is fact. By the way in democracy people may not like their government and even hate it and they still not getting killed for it. Reading your words about Politkovskaya does not tell anything good about your opinions.
Probably another oligarch son hiding in London from Russian army service.

Damn we need edit back
read have not been found

@237 That would be a close shave between which one I'd prefer to (not) see.

Another thing I've just twigged.

AIG told Manure back in October that their contract wouldn't be renewed. This was presumably kept quiet so Manu could broker another deal without having to disclose that they were in need of the wonga.

LINK

Although they're still talking themselves up, we must conclude that they haven't been able to get another logo for their shirts as quickly as they'd hoped, and AIG just couldn't keep it hidden any longer as the journos were on the case.

While it's an amusing situation to see Manu in, it doesn't bode well for all the other teams lower down in the sponsorship pecking order.

until we(Chelsee) score a goal againgst a big four team I am going to be blogging with a diff. name every day (and as a protest against unjust ridicule).

Here are the names.
Mon-Frank Spencer
Tue-*Betty
Wed- Aaron Lenin
Thu-Chaka Zulu
Fri-Moffat

Betty, at least, wont be sayn anythin bad about frank .clearly. clive make sure you to ignore moffat, the rest are fine.

Moffat
I think you keep this pseudonym thing running till we win against big team and not just score.

"till we win against big team and not just score."

unlike a cat i've only got one life

@236. FSTS

well according to today’s postings on Zenit website forum - Zenit has declined another offer from Arsenal: 12 mnl GBP + 3 mnl more if Arshavins plays more than certain number of games.

on the subject of "will he be any good" - hard for me to say, but i think that the physical demands of Premiership are significantly higher than the ones Russian players are comfortable with. I remember that Pavljuchenko complained this fact to newspapers once. Pathetic.

However, when I spoke once with Alex Hleb (shortly after he joined Arsenal from Germany) he did not mention that as a problem and was quite happy with TLC provided by Arsenal. But then again, Hleb joined from Bundesliga, not from Russian league.


However, when I spoke once with Alex Hleb (shortly after he joined Arsenal from germany) he did not mention that as a problem and was quite happy with TLC provided by Arsenal. But then again, Hleb joined from Bundesliga, not from russian league.

@238 limetreebower

from what i just read, he was selected as russia's best footballer in 2008, which is not too bad. from my own recollection of him during recent Euro games - he seemed to me as most driven and energetic player russian player. certainly, never the one to shy away from physical contact with opponent.

recent rumour on CSKA fans website is that Zhirkov might be sold to Juventus for 15 mln Euro.

@244
I have a good feeling in front of the game with Looser-pool. Do not know why, but somehow I do.
I think after this game you definitely will be able to reveal your true name :-)

Can anybody help me and decipher certain posts above, my mind feels as if it's full of hallucinogenic drugs.

Me.. I'm just a lawnmower you can tell me by the way I walk.

@ 239. Blue_MikeL

certainly, Chelseablog is not a place for political discussions, especially amongst fellow Chelsea supporters.

you have your right to think whatever you want about my political opinions, but allow me to reserve my opinion about your intellectual abilities, basing on the fact that you AGAIN used common myths and false perceptions and described me as "another oligarch son".

Believe me, if i was one, i would not start my life in london 9 years ago working as a labourer and learning English at evening courses in some cheap college (it still shows, hee hee) :)

Clive. I was looking to you to help me on all this!

2 reasons why we should sell drogs.

a. LINK
2.LINK#5127878928440101842

.-)

@ Clive "Me.. I'm just a lawnmower you can tell me by the way I walk. "

I know what I like!

I must be one of the few that prefer the post-Gabriel Genesis to the pre. Mind you this was a cracker as was The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway. But some of Gabriels stuff was more spaced out than anything Syd Barrett managed. However, the Phil Collins warbled 'live' version of The Carpet Crawlers from Seconds Out beats the studio version voiced by Gabriel anytime.

*Takes off hair shirt, sandals and removes flowers from hair*

@ Aleksk

Thanks for taking the time to give us a view on the possible relationship between RA and Lebedev. I was aware they had very differing relationships with Putin but didn't know if they had any dealings with each other.

Thinking about our Russion correspondents is Gleb ( reported on pre season v L. Moscow) still wandering around?

I see we are being sold for £750m whereas Liverpool are going to go for a mere snip at £400m. However they won't get that stadium built for less than £300m to £350m, chuck in another £100m for additional fit out etc. and your looking at the thick end of £900m.

Nearly £1000 million (£1bn) and you don't even get a chi-chi address in one of the world's major cities.....and that's before they start buying a few decent players :-)

@Tony
I've always liked Genesis regradless of who fronted them. But I do agree Gabriel was a level above Syd when it came who "what the fuck was that all about" lyrics.

Although Barret did suffer from genuine mental illness, which should have given him the edge in the spaced out song writing, unlike Gabriel who obviously just enjoyed popping chemicals to get the same effect.

@ 253 BlueBayou

you're welcome, the amount of good reading material, match reports, player ra(n)tings, christmas fairytales and general good fun about our beloved CFC you guys write, i thought, it's time for me to contribute some in return :)

@ Clive - yep Gabriel was certainly pretty unhinged when younger, just look at the outfits he wore. Barrett was a tragic figure when Floyd sacked him, but in the end I think there music reached a much higher plain without him.

@Tony
It appears our musical tastes are quite similar, they don't produce music and bands like they used to ;-)

Other bands from that era apart from the ones we have mentioned, that got my attention were Uriah Heep, Wishbone Ash, Deep Purple, and Yes to name but a few...

And all extremely good. When I get a job presenting on Planet Rock (my dream job!) I'll name check you!

Deep Purple - the live version of Highway Star on Made in Japan is so perfect I can barely listen to the original now. Jimmy Page is a guitar God, but Blackmore was the width of a Rizla behind him in my view.

I have eclectic tastes in music depending on mood, but the genre I always return to is Rock....all I need is guitars, drums, keyboards and I'm away. Plus I'm a bloody good air guitarist and pianist. Not so good on air drums mind.....

I'm off for my Friday Guinness quota under the influence of several anti-cough and cold drugs but just before I leave I always have a blast of music to lift me and tonight was Tuesdays Gone by Lynyrd Skynyrd, Sweet Soul Sister by The Cult, Perfect Strangers by Deep Purple and lastly the truly imperious Long Road Out Of Eden by the Eagles - proof were it needed that the satirical protest song is far from dead and a damning indictment of the Bush years (info there for our politically aware editor Nick!).

Some good choices there Tony, and yes Blackmore was pretty close to Jimmy in the guitar stakes. And you just reminded me of Made In Japan and my favourite track with Ian Gilmour belting out those iconic screams on Sweet Child in Time absolutely fantastic vocals from the guy.

Enjoy your medicinal Liffey liquid tonight. :-)

Chelsea assistant coach Ray Wilkins has said striker Didier Drogba will not be sold in the January transfer window. "Of course every player in world football has his price but he's a massive part of our squad and he won't be going anywhere in the transfer window," said Wilkins. (The Times, 1400 GMT)

What kind of statement is that!!!!!! Doesn't it sound like come and get him, but pay more??!!!

Striker Nicolas Anelka has said only victory at Liverpool next weekend will keep Chelsea in the race to return the Premier League title to Stamford Bridge after three years.

That's the spirit man!!!
Keep the Blue Flag Flying High!!!

Late again, missed the musical musings.

Saw Floyd Summer '69 and they'd already become very serious musicians, so it wasn't hard to see why Syd had to leave but it still rankles that I never got to see the real Pink Floyd.

@260 Yes indeed. Looks like clubs have been coming in way too low, after all, it's only a short while since he was up in the 'Best strikers in the world' category.

@261 Just hope he's not underestimating 'borough, but he's right, we can't afford even draws from now on, especially against the other top sides. What an incentive to go and attack.

@BBD #216

"You don't make money because 11 guys run around the pitch, you make money because of all the other commercial aspects that go with a football club, particularly real estate and television rights."

Is it time to remind them that our "real estate" is a separate entity called Chelsea Pitch Owners?

Somewhere in the back of my mind is a nagging thought that when CPO was set up KB arranged it so that it was loaned a large amount of money by one of the network of Chelsea companies, not necessarily the football club, which undermined the stated aim of making the real estate difficult for speculators to buy. Now I may be wrong but that debt is still oustanding, probably on the basis that not enough money could (or perhaps would ever) be raised by CPO to clear it. The crux is that whoever owns the debt can call it in and CPO goes down the tubes.

No doubt there is someone who can shed light on this.

On the subject of music but at a tangent to the earlier dicussion, I saw a documentary on the superb Seasick Steve, a former Hobo himself who came up with the following hierarchy:

A Hobo - someone who goes travelling and is looking for work
A Tramp - someone who goes travelling but doesn't want to work
A Bum - someone who doesn't want to travel and doesn't want to work

Its useful to know stuff

It made me smile

@Tony
I meant to say Ian Gillan not Gilmour, I'm getting my Pinks and Purples mixed up

Not sure why the last entry was Clive's 264 at 1am - is there a technical error?

If there is a technical error, that might explain why a number of you (stand up Tony and Clive) have been made to look as if they have written errant nonsense about what we had to suffer as music in the 70's. Of course I don't believe for one minute that you meant to praise/mention Deep Purple, The Cult, Lynyrd Skynyrd and The Eagles in one paragraph, or admit in public that you prefer post-Gabriel Genesis to pre (that's akin to saying you'd rather have herpes than an in-grown toenail - all very well but not something anyone else wants to know).

As for the Pink Floyd debate, the only argument in their favour is that lots of great bands have been influenced by them e.g. Flaming Lips, Mercury Rev. Despite seeing them perform Dark Side of the Moon/Wish You Were Here live, I hadn't learnt my lesson and I went to see them at Knebworth. Never again I thought, and I pretty much stuck to that until Live 8. Now Syd Floyd would at least have been far more unpredictable.

As for BluesBayou, as you'd expect, a slightly quirky selection in Seasick Steve. After 15 minutes listening to SS live, having got past the funny intros, facial expressions and style of songs, you're left with the thought that musically, however you dress it up, this is predictable old fashioned blues.

So where does this leave us? With the simple life lesson that a lead guitar as an instrument in pop bands should be avoided at all costs - stick to rhythm guitars (as in Lou and the Velvets). And hence came punk. Punk is a bit like Roman Abramovich, at the time we thought it had shaken the foundations of our beloved pop music/Chelsea and that nothing woulds ever be the same afterwards, but in actual fact life goes on and years later people think what was all that fuss about, the Sex Pistols sound remarkably like a guitar based rock band, and Chelsea are still capable of irritating unreliability.

tbc

All a bit mystifying I guess but we were so much older than we're younger than that now

Oh by the way we beat Ipswich 3 - 1

Scolari must be sacked instantly. If we let this go on then we will be relegated twice this season and sold to a consortium headed by Noel Edmonds. Also the whole first team must be sold before the end of January and replaced by lots of other players who will clearly be much better. Anyone who can't see that this is true is a deluded fool who knows nothing about --

Oh wait. We won?

Ah.

Back to 70s music and the Woolwich ferry, then!

Anyone got a link to the goals? Heard Frank's was a bit special.

@zoneandonly #265

I think there was ageneral abstention form in game comment after things got a bit aeriated last week during the Stoke game.

Its a bit like those films featuring a submarine, where lots of sweaty men in their vests suffer unbearable tension and struggle to maintain complete silence knowing that any minute now a depth charge (or opposition set peice)could blow them to Kingdom come.

"however you dress it up, this is predictable old fashioned blues." put country in front of blues and you've nailed it. Some of us simple folks jess like it that way :-)

@ltb

Sorry mate don't know what your doing here you must be looking for a football blog.

Listened to the game on Radio London, looking forward to the 3 nano seconds of coverage on ITV. The summariser on the radio was none other than Steady Eddie Newton. He did well. Took me back to those days under Guillit where he had a couple of good seasons but then I think it was 2 leg breaks did for him. Shame. But he's doing well at MK Dons with little Bobby M so that's good.

Will be interested to read the report. Did Kalou miss 3 really good chances? Did Drogba do much when he came on? I'm worried about Riccy. Its one injury after another. Suggests a deep seated problem if it's the same leg again.

Sits back in expectation of fulsome praise for the Lampard free kick coming from moffat or whatever his current nim de plim is?

Bit stuttery today, with another set-piece fck-up. Bags of quality though as Lamps free-kick showed. Kalou was his usual self...

The press seem to be giving us a kicking though. It amazes me that you can win a game 3-1 and you're still shit!

'kin Grauniad:

LINK

I used to love Radio London when it was GLR. It was like having your own personal radio station. It felt like there was only half-a-dozen of us listening to it. Even Robert Elms didn't seem so bad back then...