2008
12
May
- by Tony Glover · Permalink · 1994 views · 117 comments
- Tagged: Avram Grant, Bolton Wanderers, Chelsea, Joe Cole, Manchester United, Michael Ballack, Michael Essien, Petr Cech
Match reports
The Guardian, Dominic Fifield: “Any sense of choking anti-climax which might normally have strangled Chelsea appeared to have eased by the time this squad strolled through their post-match lap of honour in the sunshine. The likelihood of their pursuit of Manchester United yielding the Premier League title had always been slim. In the end [...]
Match reports
The Guardian, Kevin McCarra: “Chelsea yet again paced themselves beautifully to stay in step with Manchester United. The reigning champions cannot exactly dread Sunday’s trip to Wigan Athletic when a victory will secure the title on goal difference, but they will go there with a discomfiting sense of claustrophobia because of Avram Grant’s team. [...]
2008
6
May
Match reports
The Guardian, Kevin McCarra: “The road to the final against Manchester United in Moscow on May 21 was as long and hard as Chelsea expected. In their third Champions League semi-final against Liverpool since 2005 the Stamford Bridge team have vanquished Rafael Benítez’s side at last.”
Daily Telegraph, Henry Winter: “Frank Lampard last night struck [...]
2008
1
May
Match reports
The Observer, Duncan Castles: “First, let us applaud Chelsea. Victory essential, their long, proud unbeaten home record on the line against a team almost every critic considers superior, and deprived of one of their driving forces by the death of his mother, this was a team that rose to the occasion.”
Sunday Times, Joe Lovejoy: [...]
2008
27
Apr
Match reports
The Guardian, Stuart James: “It is now 60 matches unbeaten in all competitions for Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, a record that the Greek champions were never in danger of troubling on an evening when the chasm between the two sides was so great it felt like a trick of the mind that this was [...]
2008
5
Mar
- by Tony Glover · Permalink · 2919 views · 174 comments
- Tagged: Avram Grant, Champions League, Chelsea, Didier Drogba, Michael Ballack, Olympiakos
Match reports
Sunday Times: “Three goals up within 22 minutes, reduced to 10 men after 34, Chelsea rose from the ashes of their Carling Cup final defeat to crush a disorganised West Ham.”
The Observer, Duncan Castles: “Grant’s first Premier League victory since January keeps his team nominally in contention for the title and may go some [...]
2008
1
Mar
- by Mark · Permalink · 3490 views · 184 comments
- Tagged: Ashley Cole, Avram Grant, Chelsea, Frank Lampard, Joe Cole, Michael Ballack, Premier League, West Ham
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 [...]
2008
3
Feb
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 [...]
2008
31
Jan
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 [...]
2008
25
Jan
- by Tony Glover · Permalink · 1248 views · 14 comments
- Tagged: Audux Italiano, Chelsea, FA Cup, Franco Di Santos, Frank Lampard, John Terry, Michael Ballack, Steve Bruce, Wigan Athletic
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 [...]
2008
20
Jan
