Thursday 31st January

Premier League: Chelsea 1 - 0 Reading

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Match reports

The Times, Matt Hughes: "Grant’s team continued their dogged pursuit of Manchester United and Arsenal with a ninth successive victory in all competitions that equals the club record. Michael Ballack’s first-half header was all that separated the teams on the scoresheet, although in terms of ability the gap was wider than the grandest of canyons."

The Guardian, David Hytner: "The win was Chelsea's sixth in seven league matches and it featured examples of the free-flowing football that is craved by Roman Abramovich. The three points were the bottom line but Shaun Wright-Phillips' a

Tuesday 29th January

The week at Chelsea: Cole to Newcastle (we hope) and welcoming Stephen Hunt...

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It’s not often you see the world’s all-time greatest footballer loitering down at Chelsea’s training ground (Andy Myers left before we moved there, after all). Argentine legend Diego Maradona popped in to see the boys at Cobham this week, possibly keeping an eye on new signing Franco Di Santo, the latest of Maradona’s countrymen to be dubbed his heir apparent. Andriy Shevchenko apparently took some time off his busy golfing schedule to meet El Diego, which was jolly good of him.

Given the rather kind fifth round draw, one might wonder whether the ‘Hand of God’ played its part in pulling another decent tie for the Blues (the Hand of Butch Wilkins doesn’t quite have the same ring to it, I suppose). Huddersfield visit the Bridge as they did two years ago; Avram’s good fortun

Sunday 27th January

FA Cup: Wigan Athletic 1 - 2 Chelsea

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Match reports

The Observer, Paul Wilson: "[A] masterful contribution from Nicolas Anelka, who scored one goal, made another and added some much needed finesse to Chelsea's workmanlike win."

Sunday Telegraph, William Johnson: "Anelka, predatory in the North West while wearing the colours of Liverpool, Manchester City and Bolton, showed all of the sharpness he displayed as an Arsenal youngster to propel the holders into the last 16."

Sunday Times, Jonathan Northcro

Friday 25th January

FA Cup preview: Wigan Athletic v. Chelsea

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The Premier League interlude continues this weekend with our second cup game of the week after the excellent victory over Everton on Wednesday that sees us back at Wembley for the third time since it re-opened. Get used to it because I have a feeling the next few years might see us building a nearby lodge for the team to stay in such could be the frequency of our visits.

The fourth round of the FA Cup is up next for our gallant patched up heroes to defend a trophy that has become something of an old friend since the days when the dreadlocked Dear Leader, Ruud Gullitt, finally ended a trophy drought (trophies of note I hasten to add so the Full Members Cup is omitted!) dating back 27 years. He was the first foreign manager to coach a side to FA Cup glory and it seems he may have opened a door because other than Alex Ferguson I can’t think of any Brits who’ve won it since. F

Thursday 24th January

League Cup: Everton 0 - 1 Chelsea (1 - 3 agg)

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Match reports

Daily Telegraph, Tim Rich: "Avram Grant's attempt to convince the world that Chelsea were not especially bothered by the Carling Cup sounded false from the moment it left his lips. Not since Don Revie constructed his all-white machine at Leeds has there been a club who have set out so remorselessly to win everything. 'The Special One' did not get his name by picking and choosing his trophies and nor, it seems, will his successor."

The Independent, Ian Herbert

Tuesday 22nd January

League Cup preview: Everton v. Chelsea

49 Comments

If a week is a long time in politics, then three months in football is surely an eternity (including tea breaks). Back in September, Jose departed the Bridge after a lover’s tiff too many with Roman and a new sheriff that no-one really wanted arrived in town.

Avram Grant’s appointment was generally greeted with the same kind of shock and derision that Cleavon Little’s Bart suffered in ‘Blazing Saddles’; the stunned Blue faithful gathered themselves like the residents of Rock Ridge and sung “Now is a time of great decision / Are we to stay or up and quit? / There's no avoiding this conclusion: / Our club is turning into shit. Amen.” Or at least that’s what it sounded like at the time.

Sunday 20th January

Premier League: Birmingham City 0 - 1 Chelsea

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Match reports

Independent on Sunday, Guy Hodgson: "Claudio Pizarro, the striker who Chelsea supporters feared might never score in the Premier League again, confounded doubters yesterday to maintain the push towards the top of the table. He might find goals hard to come by against everyone else, but against Birmingham City he is deadly."

Sunday Telegraph, Duncan White: "The Peruvian marksman had been dropped to accommodate Anelka but when Shaun Wright-Phillips was forced off with a worrying ankle injury, Pizarro came on to play as a deep-lying striker. He hadn't scored in the Premier Lea

Friday 18th January

Premier League preview: Birmingham City v. Chelsea

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This weekend sees us visit St. Andrews for the first time in two years to play the other team that likes to call itself The Blues. For those with short memories, Birmingham City were our first game of this so far very interesting season. We won 3-2 on that day back in August and all I could do was keep up with it by text as I sunned myself in the balmy temperatures of Southern France.

The season promised much after that game. It was a day that sealed Glen Johnson's fate after yet another defensive howler, and built hopes with two of our newbies, Claudio Pizarro and Florent Malouda getting themselves on the score sheet. Little did we realise just how ineffective both would be after that. Malouda showed some more desire and hunger against Spurs, but Pizarro, despite being better in the

Sunday 13th January

Premier League: Chelsea 2 - 0 Tottenham Hotspur

152 Comments

Match reports

Independent on Sunday, Nick Townsend: "After a match comfortably won with goals in each half, from Juliano Belletti and Wright-Phillips, who is thriving in a more central midfield role, no one should rule out Chelsea's claim to the championship."

Sunday Telegraph, Patrick Barclay: "In attack ... Grant had devised an interesting formation which was almost like the old W-shaped forward line, with Claudio Pizarro (later Anelka) at centre forward, Joe Cole and Florent Malouda on the wings and Shaun Wright-Phillips and Michael Ballack acting as so

Wednesday 9th January

League Cup: Chelsea 2 - 1 Everton

128 Comments

Match reports

Daily Telegraph, Henry Winter: "After Shaun Wright-Phillips and Ayegbeni Yakubu had exchanged fine goals, this semi-final first leg appeared destined for a draw. But under pressure from the outstanding Wright-Phillips, Lescott headed into his own net and Chelsea, who had lost John Obi Mikel to a red card, celebrated as if they had won the trophy again."

The Times, Matt Hughes: "Both clubs were desperate to win for different reasons, with Everton’s desire to reach their first cup final for 12 years heightened by their FA Cup third-round defeat by Oldham Athletic

Sunday 6th January

FA Cup: Chelsea 1 - 0 Queens Park Rangers

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Match reports

The Observer, Duncan Castles: "QPR, taken over in September by two Formula One money men and refinanced last month by an Indian billionaire, are on their way back to the top tier of English football. Their half-rebuilt team may still be one of Championship stalwarts and Premier League fringe players, their football not yet astute enough to undo even a weakened Chelsea and the club's uncertain manager, but they still managed to set a few home pulses racing."

Sunday Times, Brian Glanville: "Queens Park Rangers, with their regiment of newly-signed players, gave Chelsea a thorough run for their money in this London derby, going down to a s

Wednesday 2nd January

Premier League: Fulham 1 - 2 Chelsea

139 Comments

Match reports

The Times, Matt Dickinson: "It is as difficult to imagine Avram Grant in a fury as it is to picture a raging Bruce Forsyth, but the Chelsea first-team coach did blow his top at half-time yesterday. At the very least, he got quite cross. “When the players are sleeping you need to wake them up,” he said, and the late alarm call had the desired effect as Chelsea came from behind to record what was, ultimately, an easy victory."

The Guardian, Dominic Fifield: "Chelsea continue to feature in the title race and that, in itself, is remarkable - they have won 10 points over the festive period