Tuesday 31st October

Champions League preview: FC Barcelona v. Chelsea FC

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Tuesday. It must Barcelona then. Some eight hundred miles and several stratospheres in football terms separate the cities of Sheffield and tonight’s destination: while the gung-ho graft of Jagielka and Montgomery presented one kind of test, the guile of Deco and Messi will pose another entirely. Hilario may have made light work of Danny Webber’s tepid spot kick, but his record is far more likely to be tarnished when — sorry, if — he faces Ronaldinho from twelve yards. And if we’re being brutally honest, Frank Rijkaard is certainly no Neil Warnock.

Saturday’s third gear 2-0 win over Sheffield United was typically business-like and clearly played with one eye on this evening. Ashley Cole was given a day off to contemplate a meeting with Messi and Khalid Boulahrouz, arguably the best player in the corresponding game at Stamford Bridge two weeks...

Monday 30th October

Premiership: Sheffield United 0 - 2 Chelsea

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Match reports

The Observer, Jamie Jackson: "'We played last time against Barcelona without two keepers. Maybe on Tuesday we play without any strikers. So I take the bus there,' joked Jose Mourinho, after what were, ultimately, three regulation points for Chelsea. There are, though, signs that the champions can be worried if a side are willing to go at them. Sheffield United had a first-half penalty saved during a period when their opponents played like mugs, but overall could not match the underlying excellence of the visitors."

Sunday Telegraph, James Mossop: "United were fired up by their eccentric manager Neil Warnock, the...

Saturday 28th October

Premiership: Sheffield United v. Chelsea

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Chelsea play newly promoted Sheffield United at lunchtime today.

Jose Mourinho expects United to be tough opponents.

"When a team rests 11 players and gives up a competition like the [League] Cup to play against Chelsea it is because they are motivated for this game," he said.

Carlo Cudicini is set to return two weeks after he was knocked unconscious at Reading, while all outfield players are fully fit and available for selection.

The Blades are set to make wholesale changes from their League Cup defeat by Birmingham.

The Blues have not won at Bramall Lane in 15 years, since a 0-1 top flight triumph on 3rd September 1991. Two subsequent Premiership fixtures ended 4-2 and 1-0 in United's favour.

Thursday 26th October

League Cup: Kalou scores first Blues goal

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Salomon Kalou scored his first goal for the club as Chelsea progressed to the fourth round of the League Cup with a 2-0 win over Blackburn Rovers at a wet Ewood Park.

Joe Cole, making his first start of the season, opened the scoring on 53 minutes when he turned the ball in from close range after good work on the right by Kalou.

Shaun Wright-Phillips replaced Cole with 11 minutes to go and had an immediate impact, seeing an effort parried by Brad Friedel a few seconds after coming on.

Kalou capped a fine performance by firing home the rebound.

Chelsea will play Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge in the next round on Wednesday 8th November, kick-off 7.45pm.

Full match reports:

Wednesday 25th October

League Cup: Blackburn Rovers v. Chelsea

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Chelsea's League Cup campaign kicks off later this evening with a third round tie against Mark Hughes' Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park.

Jose Mourinho insists he will be going all out to repeat 2005's success in this competition, his first trophy as Chelsea manager.

"The Carling Cup is important. It's not The Premiership or the Champions League or the FA Cup but it's a cup and a competition we respect. We won it two years ago and we want to repeat that if possible," said Mourinho.

In team news, Joe Cole is expected to make his first start of the season as he continues his comeback from a knee injury, while Jon Obi Mikel is available after a one-match ban. Andriy Shevchenko is likely to be rested.

Carlo Cudicini is back in training after recovering from concussion but won't be risked, so Hilario is expected to continue in goal.

Mark Hughes is certain to be...

Wednesday 25th October

Chelsea 2-1 Portsmouth: Why Chelsea will be the death of me

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Last week I ventured off to my local doctor's surgery for my annual MOT with the clinic nurse. As an asthmatic this involves merely blowing into a contraption that feels like it's been made by the Blue Peter team from old toilet rolls and Smartie tubes to ensure that I’m still breathing and that my lungs haven’t turned into lumps of strawberry jelly. I also have an annual flu jab because you can never be too careful with silly old middle-aged asthmatics and their capacity for apparently being super-susceptible to every media “superbug” scare story that shifts a bit more print. Being a normal person I don’t usually inform work of the jab just in case I need to chuck in a “man flu” sickie in order to keep the golf handicap in place.

So what’s this to do with Chelsea you may ask? Simple — after this I have a blood pressure reading taken and in one year my blood pressure has gone from 134/88 (good) to 177/116...

Tuesday 24th October

Goalkeeper Porato on trial

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Stephane Porato has been given a trial at the club as Jose Mourinho seeks a third choice goalkeeper following the injury to Petr Cech, who may not play again this season.

Former Monaco and Marseille keeper Porato is a free agent. The 33-year-old Frenchman has been without a club since he left Corsican outfit Ajaccio in the summer.

Tuesday 24th October

Letter from America: Chelsea's star in the ascendant

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I'm a regular reader of the Chelsea Blog - I wait patiently after every game to get the blog team's views. I live in Portland, Oregon, and though a long time fan, sadly confess to having seen the Blues in the flesh only once since 1975 or thereabouts (in Seattle when they played Celtic a few years ago). Luckily, since moving to the US from France (now there is a footballing desert) about 10 years ago, I have found that there is a whole cable channel devoted to soccer as they call it here, and indeed I now get to see many Chelsea games, often live though it sometimes means getting up at the crack of dawn.

The reason I'm writing is that the other day I was watching some random cable channel (A&E or USA perhaps) and up popped the adverts (every few minutes is the norm here), and I switched off mentally as usual. Imagine my shock therefore when I suddenly caught a glimpse of a familiar blue and an image or two of some dynamic footballers terminated by a figure with the name...

Tuesday 24th October

Premiership: Chelsea 2 - 1 Portsmouth

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Match reports

The Observer, Amy Lawrence: "Emerging from the considerable shadow cast by Didier Drogba's excellence this season, Shevchenko eradicated some of the doubts over his condition by giving Chelsea the leg up they needed in a match where they must have wondered how they struggled to knock a hatful past David James."

Sunday Telegraph, Roy Collins: "For Shevchenko, nine games without a goal was a drought worthy of attracting the attention of world aid organisations. But a man many pilloried as over-the-hill looked as though he did not have a care in the world as he swept home a cut-back from Arjen Robben...

Monday 23rd October

FA to consider Cech complaint

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The Football Association will look into complaints made by Chelsea following the Premiership game at Reading during which Petr Cech sustained a fractured skull.

An FA spokesman said: "We have received a letter and will respond in due course to address their concerns."

A Premier League spokesman added: "We will ask Reading for their observations and the issue will be discussed in due course by the board."

Saturday 21st October

Premiership: Shevchenko scores!

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Andriy Shevchenko scored his second goal of the season as Chelsea moved to the top of the Premiership with a 2-1 victory over Portsmouth at Stamford Bridge.

Portsmouth started brightly but were soon under pressure as Chelsea took control. Despite dominating the first half, the Blues couldn't find a way past Pompey goalkeeper David James who made a string of good saves.

The breakthrough came on 55 minutes when Shevchenko stroked in Arjen Robben's cut back, the ball appearing to take a slight deflection off Sol Campbell.

Two minutes later Michael Ballack nodded home Didier Drogba's headed pass and the game was all but over. Both Ballack and Shevchenko received yellow cards for their exuberant but entirely justified...

Saturday 21st October

Premiership: Chelsea v. Portsmouth

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Fourth-placed Portsmouth are today's visitors to Stamford Bridge.

After Wednesday's superb defeat of Barcelona, Jose Mourinho has told the players they must up the team’s goals-per-chance ratio.

"[A]gainst Aston Villa and Barcelona, the two last games at home, we had so many chances to score but at the end of these 120 minutes, we had scored twice. We have to try to put our level of scoring goals better. We have to score more goals with less chances."

What price an Andriy Shevchenko hat-trick?

In team news, Jon Obi Mikel is suspended after his sending off at Reading, but his absence is offset by the return of Michael Ballack who has completed a three-match ban. Carlo Cudicini...

Friday 20th October

Champions League: Chelsea 1 - 0 Barcelona

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Match reports

The Guardian, Kevin McCarra: "Despite talk of Ronaldinho's return to form, the Brazilian came as close as is conceivable to being cowed. Khalid Boulahrouz, at right-back, forced him deep and when he attempted to slip into the middle he was stepping into congestion and eager challenges. Michael Essien, with his new-found composure, showed that he offers a hope of improvement for Chelsea, who have been not quite good enough in this tournament."

The Times, Matt Dickinson: "While Drogba epitomised a second-half performance of unremitting power from Chelsea, scoring a wonderful goal and leading his team to a deserved victory, Shevchenko’s nightmare...

Thursday 19th October

Champions League: Barcelona hammered - 1-0!

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There are few better feelings in football than pure, cold blooded, revenge. Okay, we didn’t knock them out of the competition. They could easily still win it. When we play them in just under two weeks' time they could easily beat us. I know all that. But what a feeling. Barcelona beaten at Stamford Bridge. Again. Marvellous.

They really missed Eto’o, without him their attack lacked a focal point. Eidur — much as I love him — has the pace of an Icelandic tortoise. Possibly less, I could beat him in a straight sprint, no problem at all. He laboured to even take the ball up to our last defender. When Eto’o would have been past the last defender and in on goal. And Hilario. Don’t think about that.

Actually Hilario did okay. He made a very decent save from the motor-mouthed Messi that kept us in the game. His goal kicking is atrocious. In the end I think JT took the goal kicks. But no one was complaining. The crowd certainly played...

Thursday 19th October

No FA action against Reading

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The Football Association have confirmed they will take no action against Stephen Hunt for the challenge which left Petr Cech with a fractured skull.

The FA reached the same decision about Ibrahima Sonko's challenge on Carlo Cudicini who was knocked unconscious later in the game.

You can read the FA statement in full here.

Thursday 19th October

Champions League: Drogba does it again

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A sublime second-half strike by Didier Drogba gave Chelsea a 1-0 victory over holders Barcelona at a jumping Stamford Bridge.

The big Ivorian, who is in the form of his life, collected an Ashley Cole cross on the edge of the area and swivelled round to smash a great shot past Barcelona 'keeper Victor Valdes in the 47th minute. It was a goal reminiscent of his spectacular volley against Liverpool last month.

Chelsea were full value for their win which keeps them top of Group A with a maximum nine points from three games. Barcelona remain on four points with Werder Bremen, who beat Levski Sofia 2-0 in tonight's other game.

It was Barcelona's first defeat in...

Wednesday 18th October

Champions League: Chelsea v. Barcelona

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Chelsea's annual dalliance with Barcelona in the Champions League kicks off at Stamford Bridge later this evening.

The appalling injury to Petr Cech at the weekend has overshadowed the build-up to this game. The press has tried their utmost to stir the pot but Jose Mourinho expects this latest meeting to be less intense than previous clashes.

“It is different from the match last year,” Mourinho said. “We are talking about a group stage game, so there is the opportunity to see some calmer football and to see the quality shine...

Tuesday 17th October

Premiership: Reading 0-1 Chelsea

4 Comments

Match reports

The Observer, Amy Lawrence: "It was not just Reading who lost it. On the occasion when their 14-month unbeaten home record was put to the sword, Chelsea's composure was rattled as John Obi Mikel was dismissed, Frank Lampard accused of diving and John Terry trod on thin ice with persistent dissent before completing the game in goal. It is as if the mere thought of Barcelona raises Chelsea's hackles sufficiently to put them in a foul mood."

Sunday Telegraph, Colin Malam: "On a nice quiet night at the Madejski Stadium, Chelsea gained three more points, lost two goalkeepers, had a man sent off and...

Monday 16th October

You stupid Stephen Hunt

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At first I thought Jose Mourinho was overreacting, and of course I knew immediately that his line about Petr Cech being "lucky" was the one the press would zero in on. Whether Mourinho knew, at the time of the interview, that Cech had a fractured skull I couldn't say. It was a good two hours after the collision, Cech was already in hospital, so it's not impossible Mourinho knew how serious the injury was - or at least how serious it was likely to be. Of course Mourinho is no stranger to giving a slanted view if he thinks it will help Chelsea (Frisk, Cole, Messi, the Fat Bloke who manages Liverpool), but we'd already beaten Reading, the points were ours. This wasn't game playing, Mourinho was...

Saturday 14th October

Premiership: Reading v. Chelsea

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Seventeen Chelsea players were on international duty during the week and Jose Mourinho is likely to rest one or two as he prepares for Wednesday's Champions League group game against Barcelona.

Ashley Cole returned from England's Euro 2008 qualifying debacle with an ankle injury which rules him out, while Michael Ballack will complete a three-match ban. Joe Cole came through 90 minutes of a behind-closed-doors friendly in midweek and is available for selection.

Andriy Shevchenko recovered from a virus in time to play for Ukraine...

Monday 9th October

Shevchenko: form is temporary; class is permanent

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If sections of the media are to be believed, £31m of Roman Abramovich's hard earned cash might just as well have been flushed down the Stamford Bridge plumbing this summer.

Why? Because one of European football's greatest ever strikers can't hit the proverbial cow's arse with a banjo now that he's wearing the blue of Chelsea.

Andriy Shevchenko's goal scoring travails have become the latest hot topic - or another stick with which to bash the Blues, depending on your point of view.

"[Shevchenko's] impact on the English game will be minimal and we'll all come to see his time spent at Chelsea as a great player picking up one last, well-deserved paycheck," writes ITV Sport's Justin Zehmke.

Shevchenko scored 173 goals in 296 appearances for AC Milan, the majority in a league notorious for its focus on the defensive aspects of the beautiful...

Tuesday 3rd October

Premiership: Chelsea 1 - 1 Aston Villa

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Match reports

The Observer, Amy Lawrence: "Just for a moment as this compelling battle of wits was intensifying towards the top end of the footballing pressure gauge, Jose Mourinho and Martin O'Neill glared at each other like raging bulls. These two winners suddenly changed tack and fell into an embrace. They might have felt ill will in the past, notably when they locked horns at the Uefa Cup final three years ago. But they now regard each other with respect."

Sunday Telegraph, Roy Collins: "Chelsea are still struggling to be the well-oiled machine that rolled all opposition into the ground, especially at...

Monday 2nd October

The Return of The Jack

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Yes, I know I’ve been conspicuous by my absence over the summer, and there are very good reasons for this. First there was the annual family sojourn to the South of France for the whole of August and alongside this was the utter sense of deflation I got from England’s pathetic and dismal World Cup showing, a situation I blame Sven Boring Eriksson for entirely. The milk of football was soured by the whole debacle and consequently I decided to take a complete break from the game in order to try and rejuvenate my enthusiasm using the “absence makes the heart grow fonder” philosophical approach.

However, Saturday morning saw the return, after four long months, of the strange ritualistic “match day” regime in the Jack household. The ritual of getting up earlier than normal after a big night out on the Guinness; the ritual of choosing exactly the right branded Chelsea shirt to wear, the choice being between the new Adidas shirt or a fine...

Monday 2nd October

Osgood ashes laid to rest at Stamford Bridge

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The ashes of Chelsea legend Peter Osgood were laid to rest under the penalty spot at the Shed end of Stamford Bridge at the conclusion of a memorial service this lunchtime. 2,700 fans, former stars, current players, family and friends gathered to pay their tribute.

Peter Osgood died suddenly on March 1st aged 59. He scored 150 goals in 380 games for Chelsea, winning the FA Cup in 1970 when he scored in every round (a record yet to be equalled), and the European Cup Winners’ Cup in 1971 when he scored in the Final and the Replay.

He...