Sunday 30th December

Premier League: Chelsea 2 - 1 Newcastle United

61 Comments

Match reports

The Observer, Stuart Barnes: "After the Boxing Day goalfest against Aston Villa, Avram Grant's side had lived on the edge again. Another draw would have been damaging to their chances of making up ground in the title race. Instead, this result, coupled with Manchester United's defeat at West Ham, means they retain a strong interest in proceedings at the top going into the New Year."

Sunday Times, Joe Lovejoy: "It was supposed to be Sam Allardyce whose job was on the line, but instead the home crowd told Avram Grant: “You don’t know what you’re doing”, and chanted Jose Mourinho’s name

Thursday 27th December

Premier League: Chelsea 4 - 4 Aston Villa

65 Comments

Match reports

The Guardian, Kevin McCarra: "The score, with a penalty for the visitors in the last minute, may have been tied up but this was a match in which logic unravelled to joyous effect. Only those with a vested interest can be immune to the delight of such a game. As the sides demolished one another's defences there was debris everywhere and reconstruction work lies ahead for each manager now that two of Chelsea's players and one of Aston Villa's will be suspended after each being sent off with a straight red card."

Daily Telegraph, Henry Winter: "Compelling entertainment from first whistle to last, thi

Monday 24th December

Premier League: Blackburn Rovers 0 - 1 Chelsea

21 Comments

Match reports

The Times, Matt Hughes: "If he could bring himself to tune into a freezing English winter from the sunshine in Setúbal, even José Mourinho would have been impressed with the resilience that Chelsea showed in holding out for three points against Blackburn Rovers yesterday. However, they will need even more fortitude in the coming weeks as a hard-fought win came at a huge cost."

Daily Telegraph, Mark Ogden: "Having lost John Terry and Didier Drogba to injuries that will sideline them until well into the new year, Chelsea will wait to discover whether goalkeeper Petr Cech faces an equally costly spell o

Thursday 20th December

League Cup: Chelsea 2 - 0 Liverpool

47 Comments

I asked a friend who watched the game to sum it up in one sentence. Here's his somewhat festive response:

"You struggled to score against a 10-man Liverpool reserve side; your attack is as toothless as Shane MacGowan."

He also said something about Rafael Benitez being deluded. Nothing gets past him.

Nobody was interested in doing a report so use the comments to discuss what was good and bad about the game. I've only seen the goals and sending off. A red card tackle if ever I saw one.

Monday 17th December

Premier League: Arsenal 1 - 0 Chelsea

108 Comments

Match reports

The Independent, Jason Burt: "Big games define big teams, Arsène Wenger reminded us before this encounter. They also define big players and Chelsea may have to again cope without John Terry after their captain suffered suspected ankle ligament damage in a spiteful challenge by Emmanuel Eboué as his side lost to Arsenal for the first time since February 2004."

The Times, Martin Samuel: "Emmanuel Eboué kicked John Terry out of the game before Joe Cole avenged his team-mate by doing the same to Eboué. Even Arsenal’s winner, scored by William Gallas, the Arsenal captain and former Che

Wednesday 12th December

Champions League: Chelsea 0 - 0 Valencia

59 Comments

Match reports

Daily Telegraph, John Ley: "Chelsea achieved another milestone last night when they extended their unbeaten Stamford Bridge record in all competitions to 50. Already assured of their place in next week's Champions League knockout draw, and against a sadly inept Valencia showing nothing of their past brilliance, this was a canter and the result was predictable."

The Guardian, David Hytner: "If Avram Grant's reign as Chelsea manager took flight against Valencia at the Mestalla in early October, then there were more prosaic qualities on show in the Stamford Bridge return, and certainly less excitement. Consolidati

Monday 10th December

Premier League: Chelsea 2 - 0 Sunderland

82 Comments

Match reports

Sunday Times, Brian Glanville: "Chelsea, deprived of Didier Drogba, beat a passive Sunderland team without panache or excessive difficulty."

Independent on Sunday, Nick Townsend: "Ultimately, it was a comfortable enough home victory, though there had been a period after the interval when Sunderland had suggested they may just fashion an equaliser."

Sunday Telegraph, Duncan White: "Rattled by the news of Didier Drogba's

Sunday 2nd December

Premier League: Chelsea 1 - 0 West Ham United

55 Comments

Match reports

The Observer, Paul Wilson: "Inevitably this west-east London derby was a bad-tempered bearpit, and inevitably it was won for Chelsea by a goal from a former West Ham player."

Sunday Times, Joe Lovejoy: "Chelsea are now unbeaten in their last 70 league matches at Stamford Bridge, and Grant has not been on the losing side in his last 14 in all competitions. Now the reality. Grant’s style of play is no better than Mourinho’s was, and he was left trotting out the old cliche that ugly wins are the ones that win you championships. For a long time, Curbishley’s game plan worked, frustrating Chelsea to the c