Archive for 'Champions League' Category
Chelsea through to Champions league semi-final
9 April 2008Ballack and Lampard shot Chelsea FC into the semi-finals of the 2007/2008 champions league over turning the first leg 2-1 deficit. It is Liverpool again and I feel it is going to be third time lucky.
Chelsea stumble
23 April 2007The Blues were unable to take maximum advantage of Man U’s stumble by closing the gap on the league leaders to one point. Chelsea managed an unconvincing draw at St. James Park against Newcastle United after Middlesbrough did the champions a favour by holding Manchester United to a draw at Old Trafford the day before. The game ended in a drab goalless draw with Chelsea not even having any goal attempt worthy of the name.
John Terry and his merry band of blue men looked a bit lacklustre and heavy in the feet. It was as if they were stuck in second gear and could not really get a head of steam to get underway. They seemed to have their minds in other places. I hope that the upcoming clash against Liverpool in the Champions League semi-finals is not taking its toll on the players psyche.
Chelsea overcome Valencia threat
10 April 2007Chelsea booked a place in the semi-finals of the Champions League by defeating Valencia on their home turf. The Blues showed their class and pedigree by playing with plenty of character and dominating the game in front of a voiciferous and hostile crowd.
Jose Mourinho’s men went behind in the first half from a goal by Spanish veteran Morientes who tucked in a cross from close range. They drew even in the second half with the help of its own veteran in its ranks Shevchenko who also scored from close range.
Michael Essien made the game safe for the English team at the stroke of full time with a low drive to beat the Spanish goalkeeper Canizares who had been magnificent until then and had kept all of Chelsea’s efforts out until then.
Didier to the rescue
5 April 2007Didier Drogba reached the milestone of 30 goals in a single season when he helped Chelsea secure a draw against Valencia in the Champions League first leg quarter final tie played at Stamford Bridge.
The Blues came from behind to get an equalizer which leaves them surprisingly second best to advance into the semi-finals of the competition. Write off Chelsea at your peril though Valencia. We will go to Spain next week and beat the Spaniards in their own backyard.
Chelsea Still On Track
7 March 2007It was a nervy start for Jose Mourhino’s men in the first half of the encounter with Porto FC. The visitors drew the first blood in the 15th minute when they beat Chelsea’s offside trap.
Chelsea was nervy in possession especially in the last third. You would be forgiven for wondering where the goal was going to come from. Chelsea continued to miss their inspirational captain. The visitors were more than content with their lead and were willing to just knock the ball around rather than go for the jugler, thank God for little mercies!
After the break, it looked like a different Chelsea with Robben equalising from a kick that should have ended as a corner at best. That goes to tell you that in football anything is possible as Porto’s Keeper helped the ball into his own net.
The Match appeared to be heading into extra time with only one likely winner, Chelsea! The Blues were getting stronger with every kick especially after the introduction of Mikel Obi.
Dangerous balls kept being knocked into Porto’s area with most of the chances going begging. Not so when Shevchenko knocked one into Ballack with his head. The former Bayern man made no mistake hooking the ball beyond the Keeper.
This made for a nervy end as extra time was definitely out and a goal for Porto would mean that Chelsea would need to score again. We need not have been scared as the Blues Millionaires were more than capable of seeing out the Match.
Jose said that at half time he challenged the Blues to enjoy the Match as they were at that moment out of the Competition. I really like that as being scared tightens you up and Chelsea would certainly have crumbled! But not when you start to enjoy something, you find you start doing things well and My God, how it worked.
The Bridge was a sight to behold, the Supporters were fantastic. Roman, everybody played a part in the big, big victory that put us in the quarter finals.
All hail “The Blues”. We are still on track!
Liverpool also lost 1-0 at the KOP but progressed thanks to a superior away goal aggregate against Barcelona with former Chelsea player Eidur Gudjonsson scoring the only goal of the night.
Chelsea 2 Porto 1
6 March 2007Chelsea came from one goal behind to beat FC Porto 2-1 and advance to the last eight of the Champions League. Well played Chelsea. We were booed off the field after the first half when we were still one goal down but The Mighty Blues showed the stuff they were made of by coming back to win.
Carling Cup Final
25 February 2007The Blues have picked up their first silverware of the 2006/2007 season by running over the Arsenal young Gunners. Experience always triumphs over youthful exuberance.
Arsenal went ahead with a goal from Theo Walcott but strikes from our Ivorian stalwart didier Drogba gave Chelsea the game. John Terry picked up a horrendous injury which may see him sidelined for the rest of the season adding to Chelsea and Jose Mourinho’s injury woes.
The game boiled over with a fracas which led to dismissals of two of Arsenal’s players Kolo Toure and Emmanuel Adebayor while John Mikel Obi received his second matching orders of the season. The scoreline will have definitely been more with efforts from Frank Lampard and Andriy Shevchenko hitting the woodwork.
With our first trophy in the kitty, our sights are now set on the other three trophies which we still have a chance on winning this season The FA Cup, The Champions League and of course the English Premiership.
Manchester United you can look over your shoulders with trepidation. We are coming for you
Porto 1 Chelsea 1
23 February 2007Chelsea’s journey to Porto in a Champions League encounter has brought about new obstacles and hurdles for the Premiership Champions. Captain John Terry had to be stretchered of yet again to continue adding to The Blues injury worries.
The master Andriy Shevchenko has started finding the target more often though as he helped Chelsea draw level. I hope this helps build his confidence which has been severely battered since his move to Stamford Bridge
The Defining Moment: Chelsea V Porto
21 February 2007Chelsea go into this tie still competing on four fronts. Hopefully we will win our first throphy this season in the Carling cup tie against Arsenal.
I have no fears going into this tie against Jose’s old club that he won his European throphies with.
We are going into this cracker with both Terry and Cech back in action. Terry had to be strapped to finish a training session earlier though he is expected to start this match.
This match could be described as a defining moment in Chelsea’s season. My prediction? Porto 0 chelsea 2
Joe Cole still in crutches
5 February 2007Joe Cole’s season ended before it even began in the 2006/2007 footballing season. An injury he picked up in a pre-season friendly match in the United States of America. The Chelsea midfield maestro has not kicked a football since the horrendous injury which has seen him sidelined for all of the season. He is still hobbling around on crutches.
Without the extra option of Joe Cole foraging from either of the wings, The Blues have been forced to play more central midfielders in a diamond formation which lacks width and pace. We are now left with players like Michael Ballack, Frank Lampard, Claude Makalele, Michael Essien and John Mikel Obi who are all central midfielders. No wonder Chelsea sometimes find it difficult to unlock the most astute defences.