Premier League: Portsmouth 1 - 1 Chelsea
Match reports
The Observer, Stuart Barnes: “Delight for Jermain Defoe, disappointment for Chelsea and another twist in a fascinating Premier League championship race from a match that ebbed and flowed entertainingly throughout.”
Independent on Sunday, Ronald Atkin: “In a midfield containing the world-renowned likes of Michael Ballack and Claude Makelele, Lassana Diarra shone like a Portsmouth harbour light, forever prompting, setting up attacks at one end and closing them down at the other. It was the sort of performance which covered up weaknesses such as the slowness of Sol Campbell and the errors of Glen Johnson.”
Sunday Times, Andrew Longmore: “With Avram Grant, his former technical director at Fratton Park, alongside him, Redknapp laid down Chelsea’s title credentials rather more forcefully than the quietly spoken Israeli. “No Lampard, no Terry, no Drogba, no Essien and they won nine on the spin,” said the Portsmouth manager. “Carvalho was out today. When they all come back, they’ll get stronger and stronger. This championship is a long way from being over.””
Sunday Telegraph, Duncan White: “Chelsea are six points behind leaders Arsenal but have reinforcements on the horizon. Either Michael Essien or John Obi Mikel will be back after Ghana play Nigeria in the Africa Cup of Nations, while Frank Lampard is fit and ready. The influential Ricardo Carvalho, who is suspended, will also return.”
Official Chelsea FC Website: “Portsmouth took their first Premier League point from Chelsea at the tenth attempt.”
The highlights
We travelled down to Portsmouth hoping to see an historic victory, ten straight wins setting a new record, but unfortunately the only historic Victory was moored up at the naval museum.
Pre-match amusement was provided by the on pitch interview with Portsmouth’s oldest fan. He was only asked two questions.
Question: “How long have you supported Portsmouth?” Answer: “Pardon?” Question: “Who’s your favourite player?” Answer “I can’t remember.”
So the moral is never work with children, animal or old people.
The only point of note in the first half was a Michael Ballack header, which all the Chelsea fans at the far end thought was going in so were disappointed to see it headed off the line.
Half time entertainment was the lottery draw prize. It was announced that the winner would receive 30,000 Holiday Inn bonus points. Well 30,000 sounded great but this was put into context when we were told this would purchase one night in any UK Holiday Inn or two nights in a Holiday Inn Express. Wow, people in Portsmouth really know how to live.
The second half was entertaining end to end stuff.
The good
- Our goal was fantastic. Out of defence, Florent Malouda racing down the wing and a perfect cross to Joe Cole, who unselfishly played the ball back to Nicolas Anelka for a classy tap in.
- Away support. The home fans didn’t sound that loud.
The bad
- Portsmouth equaliser.
- Arsenal winning.
- Fratton Park. The place could be used as an entrance to a time tunnel in Doctor Who and walking up the steps took me back a few years to the Shed terracing. The toilets are a joke and unlike the Reading match review there was no sign of a Royal Flush. I think it’s time a battleship in the harbour turned its guns towards land and dropped a few shells.
- Portsmouth traffic. Took ages to get away. Is it always this bad or just on match days?
Is it Good or Bad?
The result. Portsmouth, who have drawn at home with Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool this season, are a good team and no pushovers. Still I can’t pretend I’m not disappointed!
Player ratings
- Petr Cech: Reasonable game but could he have done better with the goal? - 7/10.
- Juliano Belletti: Good defending, good attacking - 7/10.
- Alex: Could be an 8 but I partially blame him for the goal because he got nudged out of the way too easily - 7/10.
- Ashley Cole: Stood up well all things considered. While the Portsmouth fans sang “Where’s your Cheryl gone” (to a tune by Middle of the Road I think but I wait to be corrected) Chelsea fans provided moral support with “He’s here, he’s there, he’s shagging everywhere, Ashley Cole, Ashley Cole” - 7/10.
- Tal Ben Haim: Excellent. My fear was that losing Ricardo Carvalho would be our weak spot but Ben Haim defended well, stuck his head in at the right times and didn’t weaken the team - 8/10.
- Claude Makelele: Still the best at the Makelele role. Lot’s of great interceptions and a nicely timed tackle on Milan Baros, or should that be Baros’s tackle - 8/10.
- Michael Ballack: Played well and you could see he is committed to our cause as he put himself about. The head bandage was a great impersonation of Basil from Fawlty Towers, ironically from the Germans episode - 8/10.
- Joe Cole: Also a great contribution to our goal but has Joe ever heard the term “early ball”? If there were no players to beat Joe would turn away from goal to try and find one - 7/10.
- Florent Malouda: A great contribution to our goal but otherwise lightweight. After the Community Shield game I thought we’d found a tough winger who could take some knocks, unlike Arjen Robben. Unfortunately since then he’s either been injured or played and been too easily knocked off the ball. Plus he completely bottled one challenge with Sol Campbell - 6/10.
- Shaun Wright-Phillips: Not as good as recent games - 7/10.
- Nicolas Anelka: Got the goal but didn’t do much else. In the last three seasons we’ve got used to all players chasing every ball. Well clearly “chase back” doesn’t translate easily into French. Still, if Anelka continues to score 1 in every 2 games I guess we won’t be complaining - 7/10.
- Claudio Pizarro (sub): Ran around a bit like a headless chicken but amazingly he seemed to stumble through defenders and still retain the ball - 7/10.
Man of the Match
Claude Makelele.
Final thoughts
Is there anything more satisfying than sitting on the loo with the Chelsea programme studying the season’s results so far: W W D W W W W W W W W W D. It’s an amazing run and in years gone by I’d be ecstatic if I could find two ‘W’s’ side by side.
Also there’s an argument that we’ve now got through our sticky patch and, week by week, our squad is going to get strong and stronger. Some sticky patch - 11 wins and 2 draws. The title is far from over, unless of course Emmanuel Adebayor scores two every week and Arsenal keep on winning.
Related links
- Posted at 02:23 PM · Permalink · Print · 2838 views · Last indexed by Google on the 14th May 2008
- Tags: Arsenal, Ashley Cole, Avram Grant, Chelsea, Claude Makelele, Florent Malouda, Fratton Park, Harry Redknapp, Jermain Defoe, Lassana Diarra, Michael Ballack, Portsmouth, Premier League
fair result,but still disappointing.a chance 2 close the gap n we let it slip.tis a street fight from here on n we must dig deep,n impose ourselves
I don’t think Petr could have done any more with that goal, Defoe had been played onside by Beletti and could have taken the shot either side. Petr guessed right and dropped down to stop the ball but he was unlucky. He did everything he could, the defence was at fault for the goal.
I’m quite annoyed at Chelsea. It’s not like us to squander a lead and with ManUre dropping points we could have closed the gap between us and them to 2 and kept on the heels of Arsenal. Now the gap between us and the top is 6.
Also:
- anyone watching the QF tonight between Ivory Coast and Guinea? Allez Les Éléphants!
- I was matching Chelsea on MOTD last night at a party, and this gimp next to me kept refering to Petr Cech as “the ponce with the helmet” which REALLY ticked me off. Some people.
I’ve seen enough of the highlights to confirm my view that 1-1 wasn’t bad at all. One point though…Makelele’s tackle? Is he auditioning for Kill Bill 3 as the last remaining previously unseen member of the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad?
@ Mark - it was a song called Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep by Middle of the Road. I bought it aged 11, which gives my age away somewhat. I think today it is one of the best “utility” multi-role footie chants around - example “Where’s your caravan” sang at West Ham fans.
@ Mark again -= I’ve been in the Milton End at Fratton twice now and to be honest it’s like stepping back to the 30’s. All it needs is a wizened old fellow outside selling The Evening Standard and loads of leathery faced old men in flat caps, grey overcoats, with wooden rattles and wearing ties inside and you’d have the perfect set for a Dr Who story.
@ Mark again - I live quite near Pompey and yes, the traffic on a Saturday is always bad coming out of Portsmouth. The shopping centre could be easily re-named Chav Mall such is the sea of Burberry and large red faced 19 year old women puffing on rollups whilst pushing their newborns around in faux Silver Cross prams. Lets put it this way…Boris Johnson wasn’t far wrong in his description of Portsmouth.
@Tony
Plus Portsmouth women don’t have sense of humour. None of them laughed when I asked “are you Mary Rose?”
Hmmmm, Tony, I live quite close to Pompey too …… just 10 miles or so up the A3
@ Austin - I’m also 10 miles north of Portsmouth..off the A3.
@ Mark - yes humour is a bit thin at times. And it wouldn’t be wise to refer to the blokes as “Skates” (a….ahem…. “popular” nickname for sailors).
And if any Pompey fans are offended…well I suggest they take another look around…..
@Emma
I’m watching Ghana vs Nigeria now on BBCi.
Defoe looked like offside to me when he scored, but I’m reasonably happy with the point at Portsmouth while so many first team players were missing.
I felt that Belletti and Ben Haim were at fault for the goal, Belletti for playing Defoe onside and Ben Haim for not marking him. I was pleased with the defending though.
Here are my awards:
Diarra get the award for Former Chelsea Player Who I Wish Was Still on the Team, Glen Johnson gets the award for Best Hair By Anyone On the Pitch. Ballack gets the award for Silliest Looking Player, a category formerly dominated by Cech. Maka gets the Worst Passing, Best Tackling award.
Good piece Mark…You’re right, compared to days of yore, when two wins on the bounce constituted a decent run, This Chelsea are on a totally different planet.
Drawing is the new losing to us now…You only have to see our opponents celebrations when they scramble a draw against us…You’d think they’d just won the Champions League!
Pitiful really.
What was missing from Chelsea’s performace was someone to take the game by the scruff of the neck and shake it until it was won. JT, Frank, and Drogs have that quality, but no one on show yesterday really seemed to want to win more than anything else in their lives. Watching the game, I really felt that we would lose it in the last quarter. Sure we had chances to win, but we are not taking them, nor have we recently. Pompey had lots of chances to win though over the whole game, it would have been something of a travesty..
Terrible defending for the goal, though mostly, I thought the defense played well. If Belletti is weak it is defending and he often seems to be out of position. Still he is the only one on the team capable of putting in a decent cross.
Midfield looked weak at times and we really need Essien back in to strengthen things there. At least we’ll have one of Essien and Mikel back next week for Liverpool. Maybe Frank too though he won’t be match fit. We really need to score more goals if we are to stay in the race for the PL.
Yeah, we need the Warrior Essien… What a powerful header against Nigeria! I’m torn between having him and Drogba back soon or possibly seeing them playing in the ACN Final.
@ SimonT:
It’s currently Essien Vs. Mikel!
Good match so far, can’t wait for the other one.
Hmm there’s no Michael Ballack in the player ratings.I think he was one of our best players yesterday
Edit: My fault. I’ve added Ballack to the ratings. - Nick
@Mark
We were watching different games to some extent. Ben Haim had an excellent game? You are deluding your self and those who have not seen the game. Making mistake in keeper’s box and handling ball to opposite number does not qualify, in my mind, as an excellent game. Portsmouth goal clearly defense mistake, may be not only Ben-Haim’s, though. Now A.G. when will he learn the art of reading the game? Did he hear about slowing game, closing the shop, changing tactics?
Our midfield is weak without Essien and Jon Mikel. They say White man can’t jump. I think in our case it is white man can’t run.
Nigeria lost, John Mikel Obi going home and should definitely feature the next game.
@Yohar
You’ll be awarded 10 million Holiday Inn bonus points for spotting that error! ;-)
@Simon T
Really?WOW!;-)
Ivory Coast faces Guinea in 1 hour from now.We want Guinea to win…right???
I covered the game for work and considering the way the match unfolded, a draw was more than a fair result.
In the first half we never really got going, Ballack’s header being the only real plus point of the opening 45 minutes and Portsmouth had a really good shout for a penalty which somehow was not spotted by the ref or his assistants.
Second half I think it was a much more balanced half and either side could have come away from Fratton Park with the three points. SWP should have scored late on and there were many more chances that we failed to convert, reminds me of day’s gone by back in the 90’s.
The only real test that we have in the coming weeks is Liverpool and if we can grab victory in that match the momentum will be with us for the last surge I think.
@Yohar
I’d be selfish if I want Guinea to win and break Drogba’s heart; I’m just sitting on the fence then…(actually on my sofa!)
@Simon T
Well yeah but he broke our hearts in the past right?Remember his comments about his move to us?
@Yohar
Whatever, I love Drogba!… I have tears in my eyes when I say this.
i was very dissapointed right after the game, because i felt we lost two points in the title race…but, manu lost two pts as well, and…there is still lot to play for. plus we’re getting some of our best players back soon, so - the fat lady still has some chords in her.
my 2p’s on drogba: i have seen discussions here on pizarro, ben haim, boulahruz, ferreira, cole…you name it, but only one who was quoted more than once that he hates it at chelsea and hated it from start is drogba. well, as far as i am concenced didier (i never liked the french anyway, except The Rock) drogba can go fornicate under consent of king of(f) spain anytime he choses. don’t like it at chelsea - good riddance my friend, and close the door when you leave. we’re ridiculing ashley for shagging a hairdresser( as if we never did something like that) but drogba is potential match winner so we keep quiet about his moaning.
i’d like to know, if/when we winn PL or CL this year will his desire to leave increase…
sad man.
I am just outside Steep, Mr Glover …….. now I AM worried lol
Drogs looked very very tired when he came off with 15 to go in that game against Guinea. It’s a good thing they’re stampeding their way through that tournament like … er…. elephants — if he had to play 90 minutes each game he’d need a two month rest when he got back here.
He’s been a fantastic player for us for two seasons and more now, and he’s played himself into the ground every game, defending corners like it was his job, geeing up the crowd, pulling the team along behind him. If his heart’s not really at Chelsea then all we can do is salute his professionalism, because he’s doing a damn good impression of someone giving their all for the club. If he goes, he deserves to go with all our thanks and good wishes, and when he comes back to the Bridge with whichever team José is managing (as will surely happen) and scores against us, it’s going to be hard not to applaud.
limetreebower-
couldn’t agree more. interesting to see how things go when droggles returns. how the relationship with anelka will work. personally i’m hoping anelka keeps on scoring and droggles gets a bit jealous- this is my team, i score the goals syndrome. sort of like when you plan on leaving a girl and then you see others flirting with her.. all of a sudden, you kinda wanna give it another crack. maybe i’m just a dreamer(but then again so were the beatles and they were somewhat succesful…..)
southside bucky, CFC website said that it was the first point pompy have taken from us in 10 PL attempts, plus the result meant that they have taken points off all 4 (3) big teams in the league. fair reason for celebrating me thinks.
obviously a massive game coming up…
Mark are you serious? Are we watching the same game? Was Tal Ben Haim that good? I thought he and Belletti were playing offside against Defoe, and the fact that the flag was not up, so there went the goal. IMO, it wasn’t even Cech’s fault.
Makalele is the MOTM? He gave the ball away in front of Pompey lads. It nearly cost us another goal. Seriously, he sucked.
Malouda. Simply pathetic. The biggest mistake was to sell Arjen for him. He shouldn’t have cost like 13.5 million pounds. Despite he set up for Anelka’s goal, he did nothing decent.
Pompey played well, esp. ex Blue Diarra. How come we never get to see the best of him like we did this match? He was awesome, quick and smart. They deserved their point. Hope the return of Mikel would lessen the pressure on our recent “wingers”.
Always Blues.
Oh btw, why don’t we play Belletti as a right winger instead. Then move Ivanovic to cover up for right back. That might be better.
I thought TBH looked poor, lost out to Baros for the header for Defoes - albeit offside - goal. Belletti losing all mobility and forgetting to step up didn’t help either….
I dont think we’ll be any better with JOM back, so it’s good news that Lampard should return for the Scousers game. Can’t see that Essien or Drogs (and Kalou) will be back this week - the two form teams are Ghana and Ivory Coast and it’s headed for them in the final - let’s hope Essien keeps his rash-tackling in check when faced with the Chelsea boys (although a little number on Kolo Toure and Emanuel Eboue - particularly after his assault on JT - wouldn’t hurt Michael…..)
Saturdays result and performance looked as if the fact we’re missing so many players finally caught up with us. I thought we looked tired and lacked any real drive and creativity. Joe Cole running up his own ar5e a lot again. Let’s hope it’s not a sign of things to come, as a win on Sunday will keep us right in the hunt.
Arsenal have to falter at some stage, surely….
Just tg aloud are missing Kalou or what???? I know with him at least in the team yesterday against Glen we should have been up and about near ManU…
Licking my wounds but we are still in it though 6 points adrift…
Interesting layout by the way…You guys never cease to impress!!!
i never clarified this. After the red card right before Mikel left for the ACN, is he available for the Liverpoo game?
ai am shocked by what all you bloggers dream about!!!!! i dont think there is any formation that can can incoorporate both anelka and drogba in mordern day football most teams employ a second striker who doubles as a midfielder (attacking) arsenal manu etc have done it ,unless we are trailing we can gamble on such a formation .malouda is a waste of space and the sooner we realize the faster we will cut off our loses,its very rare for him to beat a defender robben was millions of miles better swp seems to be slipping back to his old ways … for heavens sake cant we get a descent winger and a resonable attacking midfielder (iniesta , luka modric , diego ,quincy owusu, keita, karim benzema ) n sell sidwell pizarro(50,000+++) sheva(120,000++) malouda swp(really lacks footballing intelligence) we needy a speedy creative midfielder /winger who can atleast change a game ..GOD I REALLY WISH ROBBEN HAD NOT LEFT HE MAY BE A LOUD MOUTH BUT HE REALLY MADE A BIG DIFFERENCE WHEN FIT ENOUGH
@ProDicky
I’m pretty sure we have two decent attacking mid-fielders in Lamps and Ballack. They both attack, create and score goals, lets not forget Essien. Only if one of these guys leave do we need to think of another attacking mid-fielder.
As for strikers Drogs and Anelka will work. Think Rooney and tevez, both out-an-out forwards and play well together. Having an exceptional winger down the right would help alot. Joe and Malouda are decnt for the left and always cause problems. Give Malouda a chance; when Tierry Henry was a winger Malouda would keep him out of the starting line up.
As for the rear; Mikel is perfect to replace Maka. The sooner Ben Hiem leaves the better, between ferrera and Belletti the right of defence is reasonably tight. Other then that i think we couldn’t do much better.
Bringing in new unessisary players could disrupt the squad i think and maybe our playing ways.
THE GAME
It’s good to get a draw at Pompey, they play some decent football and have a very good manager. I’m now coming around to Avram Grant simply beacuse if he was a crap manager we would be out of the title race ala Liverpool. He’s kept us winning and playing in our Chelsea style. I’m also releaved he’s stopped groaning on about ’sexy’ football which we weren’t playing. i think we play very smartly and cleaver.
K.T.B.F.F.H
P.S. Re Malouda; he kept Henry out of the France line up.
P.S.S. Well done with the layout. As always simple and elegant.
I think when everyone is back and fit our best line-up would be Cech in goal, Belletti right back, Terry and Riccy in the centre, Bridgey left back with Lamps, Essien and Ballack in the centre, Joey Cole on his own out wide swapping flanks during the game and Dids and Anelka up-front.
On the subject of signings I think Avram has brought in the players we needed. I’m really excited about Ivanovic’s debut and Anelka looks great so far, haven’t heard much about this Franco Di Santo fella - does anyone else have any info? - but the future does seem to be bright for us right now.
Can’t remember where I read it but there was an article on Di Santo that suggested he would need to bulk up a bit before taking on the rigours of English football, so possibly next season.
Boy!!!!!
This layout sure excites the senses…splendid job here, pls keep it up
I think the guys had a very good game….played better than some other games that they ended up winning…just disappointing that the end result was a draw…
SWP needs talking to again…’cos of his pace and size, and the new role he’s found himself playing, he’s likely to get more ‘1-on-1′ chances in matches to come hence he should work on his composure and finishing…each opportunity counts!!!
The 3 points against loserpool is key…we cant afford to drop it if we want to remain in contention for the title…if Ballack is rested and fit, i’d prefer him to play in the match and not Lamps…my real worry is in the left back position, where i think pennant may get the better of AC or WB (both guys usually retreat when run at by fast wingers)…
Lets keep our fingers crossed and hope for the best…
Always Blue!!!
If I have to hear someone moan about Robben one more time…
In my estimation, this season SWP has been as good as Robben ever was. Definitely in the game more, works harder, doesn’t flop and pout like a portuguese winger, and nearly as exciting/effective. Malouda needs to step up a bit, but I think once he gets acclimated to the english game he will be great.
I suspect Chelsea will buy a young attacking mid in the next two years, but not this year. Essien and Ballack and Lampard are luxuries few teams can compare with, but the latter two are getting a bit old.
Wow, can’t believe I missed the Basil irony there - brilliant!
ESPN is reporting that Drogs did not get the African Player of the Year award because he would not fly to Togo in the middle of the ANC to collect it. Kanouté was apparently more flexible. Seems like The Drog is a little pissed off.
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/n.....mp;cc=5901
Oh bugger! Why does Arsene Wenger play all the young lads so comfortably, and not us? I thought we might give Di Santo a go against Huddersfield next Sat. He should give it a go for what’s English football is all about.
I’d like to see Ivanovic against the same match as well. Try them out and let’s see how the two can cooperate with the team.
Not sure if Lamps really is fit for Loserfool. And one thing I doubt is if Rafa is keen on chasing the PL this year. Its all about his attitude and preference. But the question is, how about us? PL? CL? FA? C Cup all in a row?
The good news from the Drogba story is that when he insults Chelsea we shouldn’t take it personally. Clearly he insults everyone.
James H,
Good point, but with DD’s return closing in, and Sheva (possibly) recovering from injury, I reckon Di Santo’s well down the list this season. I can see Pizarro playing against Huddersfield, with the likes of Sinclair being involved too. Maybe Di Santo on the bench.
Regarding Drogba,
I think he did the right thing there. Two days until he’s countries semi final and they want to to go flying around for a so-so award. He did what was best for his national team, very admirable.
Agreed, fair play to Drogs - surely a spot of ‘joined-up’ thinking amongst the African football authorities would have led to the two events being combined?
mark - i really like the subtle irony in your post regarding drogba ;)
@Biggs
My wife says I’m not very subtle and my daughter claims I don’t know the difference between irony and a paradox, so if there was subtle irony in my post it was accidental.
Paradox? That’s weedkiller, innit?
Well if there is one thing certain about Dids it’s that he is his own man and he’ll do what he wants. I don’t think we should keep any player at the club who doesn’t want to be here and comments by Didier over the past few months have clearly pointed towards his desire to move on but if the cub can persuade him to stay I think we should do it, he is arguably the best striker we have ever had at the club and we need a guy like him to fire us forward.
With regards to Di Santo, I reckon that he should at least get a run-out against Huddersfield, after all if he’s fit a game against a lower league side as James says will give him a firm understanding about what the English game is all about. Plus what’s to say he will get a game before the Carling Cup third round next season?
Really, the Award should be delivered to the winner who cannot attend, and then a video of the winner is beamed back to the base. That’s how things should be done.
SimonT,
That’s what I said to the PFA when they told me I’d been voted player of the year last year.
Trouble was, I wasn’t prepared to miss my Norwich and South Norfolk Primary Cup Semi Final, so they gave it to some Portugese fella……
I agree Simon, after all, how much is the postage from Africa to Barcelona?
@Fifty
Sorry mate, actually it was me not PFA that called you to say you had won. You can feel better now. ;-)
I just wanted to see my name come up in big print, it should save me a few quid by not going to Specsavers! On a a footballing note, this looks a little more promising if you can believe what you read and hear these days…
http://www.skysports.com/story.....18,00.html
Well if you believe what’s printed and you interpret “Today, working in a good atmosphere with a common goal is fantastic.” the way I do then it’s seems to confirm we’re better off without the Special One.
This should generate a few hundred counter posts :-)
I’m not rising to the bait Mark ;-)
sorry - poor italics
Well if you believe what’s printed and you interpret “Today, working in a good atmosphere with a common goal is fantastic.” the way I do then it’s seems to confirm we’re better off without the Special One.
This should generate a few hundred counter posts :-)
@Clive
Well how would you interpret it?
@Mark
He reacted at the time like most, he was upset. The grass isn’t always greener, perhaps he’s just realised that.
I don’t think Drogba knows what he wants. He’s impulsive and his interviews with the press show that he has good and bad days like the rest of us, and it all depends on what day you catch him. I hate Chelsea… I love Chelsea… I hate Chelsea… I love Chelsea…
Not sure how to interpret his latest comments - perhaps Anelka’s had a word in his ear and told him not to be too hasty. He’s at one of the richest clubs in the world with a chance of winning silverware every season, he’s loved by the majority of fans despite his past comments, and let’s not forget that racism in Spain is as rife as ever. Drogba wouldn’t stand for the treatment metered out to Lewis Hamilton in recent days.
Perhaps Grant et al were more forgiving about Drogba’s intention to play for his country at every opportunity. He had his knee operation at an inopportune time for Chelsea but his recovery coincided with the start of the Africa Cup of Nations.
I hope he stays for at least two more seasons, then finishes his career in Italy or Spain or wherever he wants to go.
Here’s another link to the same story I’ve just come across…
http://www.myfootballnews.co.u.....ory=798365
I agree with you Nick it all depends on wind direction as to what he comes out with next. But I hope he stays he always seems to give his best in a Blue Shirt.
Well that last link says that Drogba isn’t better off without TSO but that he’s got over the shock of his departure and kissed and made up.
so, i guess drogba reads the blog and is now coming back to his senses.;) it would be great if he finally decides that he does want to play for chelski, although i doubt it somehow. but, the prospect of him and anelka playing together upfront is something to look up to. if only we could get luka modrić to supply them with balls…
oh, and mark - you should better start working on a son, my son. seems to me you’re outgunned and outnumbered in your own kingdom. i’m speaking from experience, my domestic situation is equal to yours.;)
The wind is blowing in the opposite direction today.
http://www.goal.com/en/Articol.....oId=575829
Yes looks like an easterly today
i rest my case.
Let’s just refuse to sell him and get him to clean Sheva’s boots.
Cleaning Sheva’s boots is too easy, he doesn’t play enough to get them dirty.
Good point - better make it Sheva’s golf clubs
I have been following this blog for a while and think you guys do a fantastic job maintaining this site. I only get to check out the site every now and again when at the library, so if I don’t follow up a comment it’s because I’ve left the library and not because I’m ignorant.
I hope I’m wrong, but I think JT’s chances of retaining the England captaincy when fit have been reduced by the fact that McClaren has been quoted in the papers recently as endorsing the idea of JT remaining captain. ‘Butch’ Wilkins has also been quoted along similar lines.
http://www.sportinglife.com/fo.....lkins.html
I don’t know whether Capello will want to be associated with having an idea identical to McClaren. i.e. JT as captain. Thankfully the qualifiers are a long way off.
In the meantime and stating the bleedin’ obvious, if we get all 9 points against the top two and that team in fifth place, and keep up the pace, then I think we might sneak it.
Ps. The library is in a building surrounded by Her Majesty’s bricks. ;(
Only 4 minutes till ‘lights out’
Hi guys!!
Just want to point out your attention on the Thursday African cup nations semi’s. When I look at the fixtures I think there is a big chance to see Drogba and Kalou versus Essien in the final.
Welcome Gee - good to see our blog is providing some light relief whilst you occupy some time at Her Majesty’s…..ahem….pleasure. It must be interesting being inside when the big boys play each other. Is it well spirited or does it get a bit tense? Frankly I could live with Mancs, Gooners and at a push Spuds….but Red Scousers? I think I’d be doing enough to get some solitary rather than listen to their constant whining about 5 CL’s, our lack of history blah blah blah.
Do tell us…are their beds propped up on bricks?
And here’s me thinking that only Scousers filled our prisons Gee, damn there goes that myth. ;-) I’m sure there was a miscarriage of justice in your case, and I’m sure Tony will be displaying the appropriate free Gee banner at the next game, keep an eye open for it in the Matthew Harding Lower!
I’m seeing rumours that Torres got himself injured, so he and his hair won’t be on display this weekend.
Torres rumours will be a smoke-screen. He’ll be there Sunday.
Interesting to note that David Blunkett was at Wembley picking MOTM last night………..
We have another wind direction change today, or could it just be the fantastic media we have blowing yet more hot air!
http://www.myfootballnews.co.u.....ory=798862
ok - so Sheva can clean Drogs boots
Hi guys,
Here is a news today about an agreed new signing: Annana – Essien’s partner in midfield with Gana, for about 1 m.
It looks like one more no nonsense signing for the “new regimeâ€. Could it be that Frank is going in the summer? Grant is slowly but surely making his mark, don’t you think?
Not entirely sure we need another central midfielder unless someone leaves.
Nice of Gerrard to get MOTM last night - needed something to remind us he was actually on the pitch for 90 minutes.
Thought Gerrard did okay when he moved out to the left, but was nonexistant first half. Joe Cole has been in cracking form for the past couple of weeks and was excellent yesterday. Wasn’t hugely impressed with anybody else - Bentley was okay, Rooney looked busy and showed some great touches. Crouch continues to be a victim of the way he looks cos he has the best first touch and football brain of any English forward since Sheringham.
But England fans - chanting for Beckham after 20mins, booing the whole team after half-an-hour. Who are these cretins?
I thought Bentley was average at best, the BBC pundits seemed to love him, but he just looked like a younger David Beckam. No real pace, no desire to take on the defender, one or two decent set pieces and far too many attempts at all things Hollywood. Would rather have seen SWP (or Lennon if picked) injecting pace on the wing.
Joe Cole has been Englands best performer for ages, probably back to the World Cup. According to Motson last night, Stevie Me has been voted England Fans player of the year as well. How ??? He’s been anonymous more times than the authors of Waterstones Fiction Top 100.
Rooney isn’t disciplined enough to play as the only striker, his tendency to drop deeper and deeper to get the ball (he picked it up from the back four on numerous occasions) left us with nothing up front.
Upson looked shaky (come back JT), Wes Brown is a howler waiting to happen (clearly Fabio isn’t a fan of roasts eh Micah ???) and save for his goal, Jenas made us realise Lamps is still the only option in midfield.
Still, nothing wrong with chucking £6m a year at one bloke and asking him to rescue a nation is there ???
Fifty
Rooney isn’t disciplined enough
you could have stopped the sentence there and it would have said everything you needed to…
For all the references to Herr Ballack as being a purring BMW/Rolls Royce… looks like our intrepid blog reporters are going to have to change car manufacturer .
http://www.myfootballnews.co.u.....ory=798908
@Jiko
I don’t think we should sign any more Africans until the timing of the ACN is resolved.
@ Peter
“But England fans - chanting for Beckham after 20mins, booing the whole team after half-an-hour. Who are these cretins?”
A different breed to the week in week out club fans for sure. I mean…god Save the Queeen…what the fuck has that got to do with football? It’s not a football chant in any way shape or form, it’s just jingoistic rubbish being pumped up by an abomination of a band, who frankly should be locked up for a very long time. I mean…be honest there were 3 songs last night…”Come on England”…the poxy theme tune from The Dambusters and God Save the Bloody Queen. Not one chant of Hallo Hallo We are the England Boys, or even a Your support is fucking shit? Nope just three pathetic songs backed by an out of tune bunch of musical fuckwits. It’s not just our national team that’s a laughing stock.
As for Gerrard - or as I prefer to call him Captain Dunce - I had to check several times to see if he had even started such was the depth of his anonymity. Obviously there was a large bunch of red scousers in London yesterday on a hub cap and alloy wheel cruise. Gerrard? MoTM? My arse as Jim Royle would undoubtedly say.
Good to see Joe Cole put in a good display. If Ronaldo had laid that goal on what d’ya think the press would be saying today? Possibly not much as most of them would be washing the communal flood of ejaculate from their pants.
@Mark&JD-Agree with the point you made, hopefully the date for ACN will be changed, also who knows how many African players will be at Chelsea for the next ACN, or for that matter how many central midfielders come the summer. For 1 million it is a still and judging by the reaction of the others (Ars, MU) looks good piece of business :)
If true
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/h.....232157.stm
Oh dear. Never Mind, What a pity.
*walks away laughing his cock off*
Tony,
He’ll be there. Max is attempting - albeit very poorly - some mind games. It’s a shame for him; he’s forgotten JM loved mind games and AG probably doesn’t know what they are.
Your point about songs is valid but then, what exactly is there to sing about ?? Maybe “We’re not very, say we’re not very good”.
Still, would have made me chuckle has the Swiss started singing something about them and not us being in a summer tournament……
He’s back in..
http://www.skysports.com/story.....96,00.html
Oh wait a minute he’s out again…
http://www.itv-football.co.uk/.....08,00.html
I need a lay down!
Wes had a nightmare, as it were. Quite why a player of his caliber is in the sqaud only Fabio knows. And Jenas? Do me a favour. I agree that Joey was the best of a bad bunch.
‘You can stick your Toblerone up your arse!’ was the best humour the fans could come up with.
Torres will play on Sunday. I’d stake money on it. I wouldn’t trust Rafa as far as I could throw him - getting him off the ground would be a struggle.
This has made me laugh out loud, perhaps those rascally scousers are planning a kidnapping.
http://www.myfootballnews.co.u.....ory=798927
Click on the Cole and Liverpool link
The best bit there of course is the suggestion that Joe “wants to play for a club that will be in the Champions League.”
Arf arf. Come on you toffees.
I guess this is one way the scousers can guarantee a game in Europe
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/h.....232390.stm
@ Mark
I think this is a more likely route to Europe for Liverpool….
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/eurovision/2007/
Interesting to read on another of those ‘myfootballnews.com’ stories that Sidwell and Pizarro have been axed from our Champs League squad to accomodate Ballack and Anelka (pretty obvious I guess).
I’m guessing they may not be in our squad at all next season……
Any predictions for today semi’s: Cameroon – Ghana & Egypt- Iv. C
Will we be getting players back?
@Jiko
No because the losers have to stay for the meaningless 3rd v 4th playoff
i am back comrades! my attention has been fixed on Africa’s current obsession now, the African Cup of Nations. i come back to see the new funky layout, big up fellas, it looks great. whats happening right now?
m watching Ghana and Cameroon, typical African football, end-to-end, no mid-field, tight defence, fast paced but mistake-riddled attacking. Muscle everywhere. These West Africans are big, you should see Essien fighting for the ball with Eto’o. excellent stuff. one thing i hate is that there was an Angolan kid here called Manucho, apparently Manure has signed him, my goodness, the kid is a future problem child. he made the Egyptian goalkeeper (one of the top three rated in Africa) look very ordinary. from outside the box, just past the center, he send a thunderbolt that the goalkeeper did not see, he just jumped, but that thing hit the net just under the crossbar.
the boy is lanky and looks elegant on the ball.
i think Avram should sign another kid, Ghanaian named Pele Ayew Jnr. he is Abedi Pele Ayew’s son. he is a teenager, and he looks menacing.
i would love to see that kid in blue.
Yes Senor Torres is certainly out for Sunday, Rafa doesn’t have anything between his ears for mind games.
http://www.skysports.com/story.....18,00.html
just wacthing ANC and looks like drogba and kalou will be back for saturday! Essien and makalele are back already and Torres is out so hopefully we will put the nail in the coffin of Liverpool this year!!!! I really hate them and the media luvvies who lap all their shit up!!! I may not be a Grant fan but he better do this business in this match if nothing else!
Dio… Unfortunately not….. Unless we get very lucky and their countries let them come home, Drogba, Essien and Kalou will need to stay for the 3rd place play off.
And for what it’s worth, I think Rafa will probably pick Torres against us on Sunday… He has cocked everything else up this season, so why not play a one legged striker and injure him for the rest of the season!
Oh god! that means a 10 man defence from benitez and the whole media says nothing but if we even play one match defencively, were boring! thats why I hate liverpool and the media. All through Mourinho reign thats what we were supposedly evevn though in JM’s first year we got a premiership record of 95 goals and benitez did it all through his reign and they get hardly a mention in the press about it. and then the media say JM and Chelsea are the ones to say everyone else is against us! Well, thaty because it’s true.
Ok — did you see how the Ivory Coast fell to bits when they took Kalou off?
For the first fifteen minutes of the second half they were totally in control. Then Kalou goes off, they start thrashing around like headless chickens, and the team that actually bothers to play in a way that starts from the defence (Mourinho-style, dare one say) wins easily.
No one talks about Egypt because they don’t have premiership players so obviously they can’t be any good because we’re The Best League In The Multiverse. Ooops.
Drogba and Essien… Welcome home! :-)
Torres is the only decent player Liverscum have. I don`t think he`ll play on Sunday, he won`t play a full 9o minutes if he does. Personally though, i DON`T want to see him making an appearance, no matter how injured he may or may not be. Really unconvincing England win last night and was livid to see the usual w****r get MOTM, agree with everyone here, he was practically invisible for the whole game, gave the ball away on more than one ocasion. What is it about that fella that seems to be so marvellous because i can`t see it for the life of me?! If ANYONE can point it out to me, then i`d be very grateful.I hate him with a passion. He made a shite Captain as well!! joe Cole was the OBVIOUS MOTM to anyone watching the game with eyes in their heads, thank God him and SWP were there last night, would`ve been another home defeat otherwise i think. Leave it to the Chelsea boys…as usual!!! Back to Sunday, it`s gonna be a win for us, 2-1 if not more. P.S. Anyone know if SuperFrank will be playing??
Up the Chels xxx
Frankie should be fit, although JT isn’t going to make it. In all likelihood, Mikel will be back in the first team as well, so our midfield will look something like first choice!
It’s a shame about the 3rd/4th place playoffs in the ACN. I doubt Ghana and the Ivory Coast will give us our players back in time for Sunday, but we should be able to cope with Liverpool without them and hopefully wreck their lofty fourth place ambitions even more. :) Everyone will be back for Olympiakos at least. My optimism is high at the moment, it has to be said.
Thanks Chris, know Lamps won`t play a full game if he is back, he`ll probably only manage 20 minutes or so but am happy to hear he`s on his way back all the same. don`t expect J.T to be back for another couple of weeks yet but will be equally pleased to see him in the line-up. I`m feeling very optimistic too but i have been all season so far. Glad to hear Mikel may be back also. The boys have been amazing considering what we`ve had to put up with ..injuries, Africa cup etc, they haven`t screwed up in any way/shape/form like everyone predicted WOULD happen. They`ve done us all proud, so i hope the doubters all choke on their words. Must admit, however, to being more than a little excited at the thought of seeing J.T, Lamps, Essien, Mikel, Kalou all back at the Bridge..not to mention (hopefully) Drogs and Anelka up front together. In fact…i think i`ve just wet my pants!! Ha! Ha!
i hear both Drogba and Kalou may be back in time, but that is the rumour down here in southern Africa.
I hear via the Chelsea website that JT is finally back in full training and should be featuring some time soon, hopefully getting a few minutes against Huddersfield.
With regards to Drogba and Kalou they should both be back in time for the Liverpool game, not totally sure about Essien though, it would be great to have him controlling the midfield for us against the Scousers.
With regards to aforementioned Liverpool, Torres looks like he is going to be missing from their team against us which I’m sure we’ll all agree is a massive bonus for us!