Chelsea F.C [2009-2010]

[Pogba4Now]

I'm not referring to you alone, I'm referring to the Utd contingent that came to whinge about the challenge here as a whole.

In fact there's nowhere else where we could discuss about this challenge. There's no Villa thread thats why we posted here. No point using the "EPL thread" since no one visits it and chances are that it would go unnoticed.

Anyways, back on topic: United drew. The title is yours almost for sure now.

 

[MikeyM]

In fact there's nowhere else where we could discuss about this challenge. There's no Villa thread thats why we posted here. No point using the "EPL thread" since no one visits it and chances are that it would go unnoticed.

Anyways, back on topic: United drew. The title is yours almost for sure now.

Congratulations - United clearly don't fancy the fight - or indeed have it in them to fight anymore.

 

[Zakov]

Well, I don't care. Even with Terry suspended we'd still have Ivanovic back to play as CB.

The challenge was already dealt with so no matter how we discuss about it nothing would change since the FA can't do anything if the ref dealt with it on the spot. If Webb decides to include it in his report its a different matter. But I doubt it since even Martin O'Neil and Milner haven't said anything about the challenge.

Blackburn decided to give us back two points they took from us. Good week all around.

 

[Zakov]

Scratch that, looks like M. O'Neil is asking for Terry to apologize to Milner, instead of asking a ban on him(some managers would), but I'm sure JT will do just that. To be fair, I remember JT sprinted back to check on Milner after the tackle, don't think there was any intent. He was sliding a long way and the ball was there to be won.

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=769595&sec=england&cc=4716

I wouldn't rule out the FA to look at this, there's a possibility Fergie will be commenting this issue in the papers tomorrow. Nevertheless, I'm not worried. The Bane is back.

 

[Mandieta6]

We're facing Grant again, in the FA final. It's a shame to have to face them. It's the 2nd consecutive year when we face a club that I feel like I would root for if it wasn't us in the final. But I think that despite their fairytale campaign and my desire to see Grant and Ben-Haim succeed, we should win this. They'll be pumped for it, but we're far too good to really contemplate a loss.

If we don't get the double, I'd be shocked and VERY disappointed. Both titles are being handed to us on a platter, pretty much. Only a pessmist can seriously imagine a different result, and we need to live up to the expectation and win both titles.

Let's Go Chelsea.

 

[Zakov]

We've never won the double before, so regardless of who the opposition are, that's what we should be aiming at as a club. If we manage that we'll be among the 6 teams that have achieved it in the top flight.

Its nice to see Pompey in the final, but I want us to beat them all the way.

 

[pede54]

Fu<k Martin O'Neil. He's always looking to take the heat off himself by talking about other sh!t. He should worry about his job after getting hammered by us twice in the last fortnight. Lightweight twat.

We see tackles like that all the time in EPL. It's called a "SLIDING TACKLE" for any of you kids that haven't seen one before, and what you do is this.

You slide along the pitch with one leg folded under you and your other leg, or more accurately your other foot, stretched out and focused on intercepting the ball from the opposing player.

If you make contact with the standing leg of the player with the ball, this has the potential to badly injure a player and would usually result in a red card for the player who made the tackle, as it should be. To make a bad tackle like that is either because you are a crap tackler, or you meant to get the man and not the ball, so the red card could be shown.

However, if the defender makes contact with the ball before making contact with the player, then this is adjudged as a fair tackle, unless there was intent shown by one player to deliberately injure another player, after the ball had been played. That was not the case here.

Intent is something that the ref decides at the time of the incident, and the ref decided there was NO INTENT. Which is why I question the yellow card. If there was no intent to injure and JT got the ball first, then what was the yellow for?

If you don't agree with the refs decision, then you can whinge about it all you like, because that's just how it is. It's done. It's over.

Great news about United dropping 2 points. I hope the lads keep focused and don't make the last few weeks of the season too painful to live through. We need to win every game. We do that and the title is ours again.

Glad we have Pompey in the final. I think Spurs were cheated out of it today though. The sh!te pitch was the reason for Portsmouth's first goal, Spurs had a perfectly good goal disallowed, and I don't think Pompeys penalty was deserved either.

The officials are getting worse every season.

C'MON U BLUES

 

[Mus]

you can also tackle with excessive force and it makes no difference as to whether you get the ball or not you still get booked

 

[Zakov]

Bolton up next. They've been a bit of a bogey team over the years but we've had some fond memories playing against them recently.

This to consolidate our lead at the top.

C'MON CHELS!!

 

[Mandieta6]

1-0 at halftime, Anelka goal from a Drogba cross and we've been quite on top. Both Terry and Zhirkov have required treatment, which is bad. Terry looks like he's shaken his off, but Zhirkov's head got cut open and he had to leave the pitch several times because he was constantly bleeding. Despite of it, he's been our best man on the pitch. Making good runs, cutting inside, and he had a hand in the goal. A very good player on the attack, and he's done alright in defense so far. If he can keep playing like this, he'd make a fantastic backup for Cole, would be a good choice against smaller teams, as well.

Anyway, Anelka has been quite good, I really can't think of anyone to fault. Ballack has been a bit absent. I know that he generally does the work that's hardest to appreciate, but he's been more invisible than usual. Lampard has been slow in making decisions, which is odd. I watched the Villa replay, and he's lost a few balls in both matches. I'd consider giving him a rest and playing Deco with Ballack once.

All in all, we're on top, and I expect that to stay that way, we should be able to settle this, and as soon as that happens I'd take Zhirkov off and give Aanholt some minutes.

EDIT: Just rewatched the goal. My word, what a beautiful cross from Drogs.

EDIT: Oh Kalou, Kalou. He had such a lovely chance now, it wasn't that hard. Had he rounded Jussi, he would've scored, he was already going to the ground. He's so quick, and he's strong, and intelligent enough to make chances for himself, that it's a shame he doesn't put more of them in. Slightly better finishing and he'd make a case for himself to be a starter. Looking at the team on the field, other than Mikel, everyone in midfield and attack are better finishers than 'My-natural-position-is-striker' Kalou. Love the guy, though, give him a year, and he very well could be our (deserved) starter.

EDIT: Zhirkov with a fantastic 1-2 speeds into the box and excellent reflexes from the keeper keep his shot out. Bolton had a penalty shout when a cross allegedly hit Terry's arm. Haven't seen a clear replay, but had he not touched it, it wasn't a goalscoring chance, I think. Looks like he went to stop it with his chest, and the linesman said he did.

EDIT: Malou for Anelka, Cole for Kalou, and Cole has been good since coming on. Jumped over the ball (I think it was him) to allow Lamps to shoot and hit the post, and later burst into the box and put in a good cross, but Jussi caught the header. Sign him up Roman, sign him up!

EDIT: Zhirkov with another run is definitely our bast man on the field, Cole should've done better to finish that chance. That said, he's been quite good since coming on, taking players on, finishing moves, and being lively. No real productivity in all of those chances, but on another day, he could've been man of the match.

So, 1-0, we should've put this game to bed much earlier, but a win is a win. Jussi probably man of the match, kept us out the entire match.

 

[pede54]

Nice one Az

Carlo was obviously expecting a physical game from Bolton, which was why he started with players who could take a few knocks, and left our more flair players on the bench.

Good job too, because I thought Bolton were a disgrace tonight. 22 fouls (most of them very nasty), 4 yellow cards ( should have seen 2 red cards too for Robinson and Davies), and a manager who thought they played well???

If you call kicking the sh!t out of the opposing team "playing well", then Owen Coyle can p!ss off to the SPL where he belongs. Thug football.

Yeah thats 3 more points in the bag, which puts us 4 points clear at the top, with FOUR games to go.

Yuri was magnificent, as he has been all season when given the chance. Deserved M.O.M. Great cross from Drogs for the goal, and well done to Nico for scoring it. The whole team did well tonight when you consider Boltons questionable "gameplan".

....and if anyone thinks those two penalty shouts were genuine, watch them again. Watch how the Bolton player charges Drogs left shoulder, which sends his arm flying out to make contact with the ball. Did you miss that? Well the referee didn't.

As for the desperate claim for the second penalty shout. Show me the view the linesman had and I will give you an opinion. The view from behind was impossible to judge.

Not that I give a crap of course. We have been denied more certain penalties than any other team that I know of, so why should I care if anyone else is dissapointed by tonights decisions. People will just have to live with it, like we have to.

C'MON U BLUES

 

[Zakov]

yeah, sour grapes by the most of Arse and Utd fans around me. Keep banging on about how its a conspiracy against Utd or Arsenal. Give me a break. Instead of relying on other teams to get good calls against us why don't they focus on their teams getting the results first. What a load of bollocks.

Bolton didn't create ANY clear cut chance against us, same as Villa, and they, plus all the Chelsea haters think that Villa and Bolton deserve something out of both games against us. Watch the whole match instead of the highlights, if you don't trouble the keeper you're never gonna get within a sniff of scoring against us. Alex and JT have been solid. So too Paulo and Yuri.

 

[pede54]

Bolton did not have one shot on target last night. Not one solitary shot on target. They were so bad that even if they were given a penalty, I doubt they would have scored from it. They were absolute pants.

Bolton got what they deserved last night, and that was nothing. Same goes for Villa.

Take a look at next seasons home kit.

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/stand...lseas-blues-will-be-in-the-red-next-season.do

And here

http://www.chelseamegastore.com/stores/chelsea/products/kit_selector.aspx?pid=69520

 

[Mandieta6]

I like our current kit more, although I'm sure it'll grow on me. Looks more oldschool, though.

 

[pede54]

Thats Arsenal out of it after losing 2-1 to Spurs tonight. Five years and counting gooners

We are looking good. Lets keep our fingers crossed that the rest of the season goes our way too.

 

[Filipower]

So all I have to do is manage Chelsea and I'll win the EPL on my first year? Come on, that's too easy...

 

[pede54]

Only if you're special Fili.

If you have followed Chelsea this season Fili, you will know that this season has been anything but easy for us. We've had our ups and downs like the rest of the teams, and we've had our fair share of injuries too. Long term injuries at that.

JT has been the only constant across our back four. We have been missing Bosingwa, Carvalho, Ivanovich, Alex and Ashley Cole throughout the season. We have been without Essien since before the ACN, and Drogba after the ACN. Joe Cole has been out all season only returning recently. Petr Cech was out injured for a good while too.

So Carlo has played around with a squad this season that he hardly knew. He gambled on players, formations and tactics. Sometimes it worked and sometimes it failed. When it failed it was Carlo's job to make sure that the next game would be a different story. It was his job to motivate the players through the good periods and the bad.

Sure he had a squad of proper footballers to choose from. Players with skill, experience, spirit, and the will to win, but that didn't mean that he didn't have one hell of a job on his hands to get us to the top of the league and 4 points clear.

But hey, if you think that it's easy mate, then next time there's a vacancy for a manager at the Bridge, it might be a good idea to apply for the job.

 

[Filipower]

Oh I'll definitely will, I hear the pay's quite nice

 

[pede54]

Yeah it is mate. Even if you manage for one season and flop, and get sacked, you will leave the Bridge a millionaire. I'll put in a good word to Roman for you Fili.

Ashley Cole is on the bench for the Spurs game. Joe Cole, Deco and Malouda will start.

We beat the spuds 3-0 back in September at the Bridge, so I'd like to see us do the double over another North London club this season.

Because of injuries and suspensions, Spurs are a weaker side right now than when we last met, and although they will be galvanised towards beating us by the thought of attaining 4th place in the league, I really feel that for all their huffing and puffing, we will have the result that we want.
We are almost back to our very best right now, and that will make a difference tomorrow.

I'm not saying it'll be easy, (No game is easy any more. OK then, apart from playing Arsenal, no game is easy any more ), because it will be a battle as all Chelsea/Spurs games are, but we are not going to allow anyone to spoil our season for us. The guys can almost smell the title now, so motivation will not be a problem I'm sure.

So lets hope for a City win and a Spurs loss, and we will be even nearer to lifting that trophy again.

C'MON U BLUES

 

[Mandieta6]

I dunno how today could've gone worse. Red card to the only first choice defender we have left, we're probably gonna lose, another injury and ManU hace cut back to a point behind us. They will face Spurs, although at OT, and we will face Pool away.