Match reports
The Observer, Jamie Jackson: “Chelsea deserve a little of the stuff they sometimes lack - goodwill - for at least keeping the Premier League title race alive with this victory, which maintains the pressure on Manchester United. They deserved this win, though their performance was, like the match, hardly vintage. Still, with Arsène Wenger [...]
Match reports
Independent on Sunday, Ronald Atkin: “Though they duly headed back north empty-handed, Huddersfield, players and supporters alike, had the traditional grand day out in London beloved of FA Cup minnows and for a gloriously unbelievable quarter of an hour at the start of the second half, were actually holding the world’s richest team 1-1. [...]
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 [...]
- by Nick Benfield · Permalink · 3494 views · 139 comments
- Tagged: Alex, Avram Grant, Chelsea, Fulham, Jon Obi Mikel, Jose Mourinho, Juliano Belletti, Michael Ballack, Michael Essien, Premier League, Salomon Kalou, Shaun Wright-Phillips, Tal Ben Haim
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 [...]
- by Nick Benfield · Permalink · 2293 views · 61 comments
- Tagged: Avram Grant, Blackburn Rovers, Chelsea, Joe Cole, Jose Mourinho, Michael Ballack, Michael Essien, Newcastle United, Premier League, Salomon Kalou, Scott Sinclair, Shaun Wright-Phillips, Wayne Bridge
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 [...]
- by Tony Glover · Permalink · 2647 views · 65 comments
- Tagged: Alex, Andriy Shevchenko, Ashley Cole, Aston Villa, Avram Grant, Chelsea, Claudio Pizarro, Frank Lampard, Gabriel Agbonlahor, Gareth Barry, Joe Cole, Jon Obi Mikel, Martin Laursen, Michael Ballack, Michael Essien, Paulo Ferreira, Petr Cech, Phil Dowd, Premier League, Ricardo Carvalho, Roman Abramovich, Salomon Kalou, Shaun Maloney
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 [...]
- by Nick Benfield · Permalink · 1875 views · 59 comments
- Tagged: Andriy Shevchenko, Arsenal, Champions League, Chelsea, Claudio Pizarro, Frank Lampard, Joe Cole, Jose Mourinho, Petr Cech, Salomon Kalou, Santiago Canizares, Shaun Wright-Phillips, Steve Clarke, Valencia, Wayne Bridge
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 Tony Glover · Permalink · 1808 views · 82 comments
- Tagged: Alex, Andriy Shevchenko, Avram Grant, Chelsea, Claudio Pizarro, Didier Drogba, Joe Cole, John Terry, Jon Obi Mikel, Peter Walton, Salomon Kalou, Sunderland
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 [...]
- by Tony Glover · Permalink · 2413 views · 55 comments
- Tagged: Alex, Avram Grant, Carlo Cudicini, Chelsea, Didier Drogba, Frank Lampard, Howard Webb, Joe Cole, John Terry, Jon Obi Mikel, Jose Mourinho, Premier League, Roman Abramovich, Salomon Kalou, Scott Parker, Shaun Wright-Phillips, Steve Sidwell, West Ham United
Match reports
The Guardian, Dominic Fifield: “The Champions League was supposed to have done away with mismatches like this. Chelsea won Group B at a canter last night, ripping a floundering Rosenborg to shreds and ensuring that, when this competition resumes for the knockout phase, they will be paired with a runner-up rather than a group [...]
Match reports
The Observer, Jamie Jackson: “Chelsea will take the three easy points from this outing against dire opposition, but will be cursing the straight arm that late substitute Michael Essien offered Kenny Miller in added time. The Ghana midfielder was sent off and Avram Grant faces the loss of a key player for three games. [...]
- by Nick Benfield · Permalink · 2103 views · 68 comments
- Tagged: Andriy Shevchenko, Arsenal, Avram Grant, Chelsea, Derby County, Frank Lampard, John Terry, Jon Obi Mikel, Manchester United, Michael Essien, Premier League, Ricardo Carvalho, Salomon Kalou, Shaun Wright-Phillips, Stephen Hunt, Steve Sidwell, Tal Ben Haim