Archive for 'Chelsea FC' Category
Six point gap
14 March 2007Chelsea closed the gap between it and the League leaders to six after a win at The City of Manchester Stadium. Stuart Pearce’s team has been under immense pressure in recent weeks for its loss of form which has seen Man City getting cut up in a relegation infested zone.
The Blues however continued their unrelentless march towards a third consecutive Premiership title by seeing of a hard fighting Man City.
John Terry returned from injury to captain the team and although he had his own fair share of knocks and bruises from a gruelling encounter, he saw his team through to get all three points
The Reds and Blues of Manchester Unite!
14 March 2007Chelsea take on Man City hoping to reduce Man Utd’s lead at the top of the Premiership.
The Reds and Blues of Manchester are not the best of friends but I would be no witch doctor to say that Man Utd fans will be routing for City as they know that just one blip could see them tumbling.
Under fire City Manager needs a win to assure City’s fans that he is still the man to take them to great things; though am sure he knows that this is not feasible. But just like they say, “Football is not Mathematics” and anything is possible.
Chelsea hope to put our defensive nightmares behind as we seek to pile pressure on Man Utd.
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.
DROG - African Footballer of the year
2 March 2007Didier Drogba has been named the 2006 CAF African Footballer of the year edging out Barcelona’s Cameroonian striker Samuel Eto’o and his Chelsea team mate Ghanian Michael Essien. The 28 year old player from the Ivory Coast captained his country in the 2006 African Nations Cup and played in the world Cup finals as well as helping Chelsea win two Premiership titles.
Transfer news
28 February 2007The France born highly-rated Portuguese defender Manuel da Costa who plays for PSV Eindhoven is hopefully going to be headed for Stamford Bridge any time in the near future. Jose Mourinho “The Special One” certainly does not want a repeat of what has unfolded in this present campaign where we were short of adequate defensive cover to repeat itself.
Manuel can play anywhere in the backline and will definitely be put to good use if any of our regular players in the back is unable to take part in any match. I hope the Portuguese stopper’s move to Chelsea becomes a reality and that he quickly finds his feet in England.
John Terry discharged from hospital
25 February 2007John Terry has been discharged from hospital allaying any serious injury scare. The Chelsea and England defender was rushed to hospital after he was knocked unconscious following a kick to the head from Abou Diaby of Arsenal’s frantic effort to clear the ball from Arsenal’s danger area.
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