Chelsea v Charlton
Liverpool won’t get the chance to avenge last year’s defeat in the League Cup final as they were humbled by Crystal Palace last night. Since we put them in their place at Anfield a few weeks back, they have recorded two lucky 1-0 wins against Blackburn Rovers and Anderlecht (both goals were scored by a player Rafael Benitez doesn’t want in his squad, Djibril Cisse); lost 2-0 at Fulham at the weekend; and now been humiliated by a Championship side. That Benitez fellow is a tactical genius you know.
Charlton on the other hand are a good side with a good manager (Alan Curbishley is often spoke of as a future England manager). They currently lie second in the Premiership and, if they can avoid their customary ‘collapse’ in form during the latter half of the season, have as good a chance as any of staying there (Charlton in the Champions League anyone?). One thing that’s definite is that they are a big danger at this early stage of the League Cup.
We played them in the Premiership at the Valley in September and recorded a 2-0 win; two great goals from Hernan Crespo and Arjen Robben during the second half finally put paid to a spirited Addicks performance. Danny Murphy, a player Liverpool probably wish they could take back, played a good game that day. He has been in fine form all season and was unlucky not to get into the England squad for the recent World Cup qualifiers; he certainly deserved to be chosen ahead of a couple of midfielders who shall remain nameless.
Many pundits have put Murphy’s improved form this season down to the presence of on-loan Blue, Alexei Smertin. The Russian international, who has spent two of the last three seasons away from the Bridge, gives Murphy more freedom to get forward. Combine Smertin and Murphy with Jerome Thomas and an in-form Dennis Rommedahl and you have a potent midfield. The only problem for Curbishley is that Smertin is not allowed to play tonight under the terms of his loan deal. Unlucky.
Whatever can be said of Charlton’s current midfield, one thing is certain: it’s not a patch on ours. The trio of Frank Lampard, Michael Essien and Claude Makelele combined with two of Damien Duff, Arjen Robben, Joe Cole or Shaun Wright-Phillips is close to being the world’s most formidable. However the trio will be broken up tonight as Makelele is rested; Geremi is expected to replace him, although Lassana Diarra could also be in contention.
Other team news is the return of Wayne Bridge to the squad. The England international left-back has been out injured since February, when a rash challenge by Alan ‘Elbows’ Shearer in an FA Cup tie at St. James’s fractured his ankle in several places. Jose Mourinho has since strengthened the left-back berth with the purchase of the impressive Asier Del Horno, meaning Bridge has got his work cut out to get back into the starting eleven. But with William Gallas expected to be rested, and Ricardo Carvalho out with a concussion sustained in training, tonight is a good opportunity. It’ll be great to see him back in the first team.
Paulo Ferreira is expected to be recalled to the right-back position, while Damien Duff is still out with a knee injury. Carlo Cudicini will replace Petr Cech in goal, in a continuation of last season’s League Cup policy.
Prediction: Both managers are expected to field strong sides; Mourinho is taking this competition as seriously as he did last season, while Curbishley probably sees it as a good opportunity to get some silverware. Whilst we won’t be at full strength, the depth of our squad ensures that the players being rested will not be overly missed.
Considering that we’ve gone behind in our last two domestic matches and the Addicks have an in-form striker in Darren Bent, there’s a good chance that we’ll concede a goal. But the Addicks have struggled in the League Cup in recent seasons, and had to come from behind to beat Hartlepool 3-1 in the previous round. Therefore it’s hard to envisage us not winning. A 2-1 Blues victory.
Related links:
- Bridge set for return as Chelsea reshuffle
- Loan vigil ideal for Smertin
- Chelsea/Hammers await Cup verdict
- Chelsea looking for successful defence of Carling Cup
- Bridge reveals ankle injury pain
Chelsea 1 - 1 Charlton [AET] (Charlton win 5 - 4 on penalties) · Update
An enjoyable game… until the penalty shootout!
The only thing I want to say about Robert Huth is that I just cannot see the errors he routinely commits disappearing from his game; he’ll always make them and some are bound to cost us dear. Mourinho pointed out after the match that human beings make mistakes — but to my mind, Huth makes more than most.
Anyway… good luck to Charlton. Their great season continues.
Match reports: BBC Sport; Sky Sports; ESPNSoccernet; Sporting Life; Official Chelsea FC Website; Official Charlton Athletic Website; The Times; The Independent; The Guardian; Daily Telegraph; The Sun.
Related links:
- Mourinho and Curbishley reflect on ‘a game played by humans’
- Mourinho blames defeat on ‘luck’
- Jose disappointed at cup exit
- Alan Curbs enthusiasm
- Curbishley’s fire-fighting proves Chelsea are mortal. But how did he do it, and can others?
- Terry content to focus on Europe
- Posted at 03:59 PM · Permalink · 3079 views · Last indexed by Google on the 20th May 2008
- Tags: League Cup, Matches
“Football has a habit of making you look foolish”
Certainly does. I should think that we ought put away our needless slander of other sides (see the opening paragraph of this article) before we can no longer speak for sake of the feet in our mouth.
What a surprise. The first gloater to come out of the virtual woodwork is not an Addick, but a Liverpool fan… or someone who gives the impression of being one.
I suggest you look up the meaning of slander. As I understand it, slander is ‘a false and malicious statement’. The first paragraph is neither false nor malicious.
I apologise, slander was a poor word to choose. As a Chelsea supporter, I simply think that it would be best not to make fun of other teams misgivings. It may be fun to do so, especially since we have been far superior to most clubs this campaign. However there will always be a time when the refuse that is spewed is shoved right back into the face of the spewer. I would just like to spare Chelsea that mess, as well as preserve a bit of class that other clubs’ supporters may lack.
“Making fun” of rivals, especially rivals who suffer from delusions of grandeur (believing themselves to be among the country’s best when all the evidence is to the contrary) is what being a football supporter’s all about… well, it is to me. I can take being made to look foolish, thank you.
You want to “spare Chelsea that mess” and “preserve a bit of class”? Give me a break. A bit of banter never hurt anyone, apart from you I guess.
If you think that this site “spews refuse” then go find another Chelsea site to peruse.
Ha ha ha
So we finally lost.
But guys i think thats fine, well not the end of the world (like say for the Pool :)).
Ok Pool fans are not supposed to get ruffled by that.
We lost but i think it was more of luck than anythg, as u say not all days are sunday. There were games whr we were worse than this and yet we won, Thats football.
Hope we get over this soon, i’m sure jose will do somethg abt it.
BTW congrats to the charlton lads, I think they played really well, to be frank this contest was more like a contest between the top two teams.
Somehow I felt this was a game to lose. But the way we lost this one was not impressive. |I have never held Huth as the reliable defensive wall and I never think he will become one.
True he has a presence but in the game today it takes more than size to do your stuff. Timing Skill etc and Boy Huth has limited of these. The excuse that he is still young will not do for me as am very bitter at this loss. Not that we lost to a weak opponent on the contrary no hard feelings towards Charlton. Mourinho please note the back passes our last man made…Hey and the non focused passes ahead.
It is true that we do have world class players but in the last two games the team work we’ve been having has some what exited. Robben, Lampard, Joe Cole…Everyone seems to be pushing all the wrong buttons trying to “own the show”. If these boys eyes could be opened like how Drogba is playing we would be putting teams to rest in the first half. Our build up play is so unbelievable to watch sometimes but the problem is in the last quarter of the field. Releasing the last ball to an open player who usually are many.
Robben….I do not know what is happeining to this player. Shooting erratic…sorry so so so so so erratic. I see SWP is even doing a better job while playing in the team. Gud not really the Gud we knew…Lacking a spark. Essien may have problems shooting at goal but there is no way I would play Gud before our “Bison”
The rear gaurd is not doing bad save for my Question about the validity of Huth at the back. Luckily we have not had to play the combination of Huth and Glen…Now that is like pairing Silvester and Wes in Manure or Carragher and Toure in losers or Cygan and Senderos in Airlines. Please Please Coach do not ever combine that.
My only consolation is that we did not field our A team - with Maka, Gallas, Del and Duff out…But the loss is still in our faces. BLOODY HELL
I leave now for a day I would love not to have lived.
Come On Chelsea cOME ON CHELSEA
And I always thought that you could rely on Germans in penalty shootouts - bloody Chelsea, no respect for history and tradition!
Always disappointing to exit a cup, especially early on and through the lottery of penalties. But I think I can take the pain of missing out on the delights of the M4 and Cardiff in February in exchange for a few less fixtures in the New Year and a better chance of a trip to Paris in May.
Fair play to Charlton - they punished a bad mistake in same way that we normally do, hung on in there and kept their nerve when it mattered (how many footballing cliches in one sentence?!) A good bet for a cup this season? If Darren Bent keeps scoring and they can continue their excellent form away from home, there won’t be too many teams that will fancy pulling Curbishley’s men out of the hat in the next round.
As for this Saturday and Blackburn’s visit to the Bridge - Savage, Dickov, Bellamy and Co. will undoubtedly make Everton’s approach look stylish but it’s time for us to tighten up at the back and get back to our miserly ways in terms of goals conceded. The JT / Billy Gallas combination in the middle gives us more confidence and a better chance of a clean sheet which is needed just to steady the ship a little after what has been a comparatively bad week by our now very high standards.
Jose will know what to do…
Well mourinho should accept defeat in good fate and stop being a caward.He should commend chalton and not make derogatory comment about them.Finally what does Mourinho have to say about Daren bent he Underestimated.
I has happen and there is no way we can make any noise about the game. Why is so hard for us ‘chelsea fans’ to accept defeat?
why is that chelsea players don’t play game of entertainment? they believe is all about scoring five goals in a match that is not the best of football. Mourinho should try and make us happy.
Regarding the early exit, well said Jonathan.
Yes, less games are good for the greater cause. I also feel this is a good game to lose (If there is such a thing). I think it’s fair to say that Chelsea players, fans, coaching staff and owner would prefer to win the Premiership, FA cup or Champions League. Some of the players (.v. Everton & last night) needed a kick up the backside as their performances have been lacking the passion shown last season (or even Bolton, Liverpool & Betis). And I have a sneaking suspicion this result will be it.
But lets not be over critical. We were the better team last night after all. Better than the second placed team in England, who we have duffed up at on their own turf only 5 and a half weeks ago.
Let’s keep our heads and the blue flag flying high.