Chelsea Fc Thread

[Sunderland]

I thought West Ham were more like the hardworking Trotter boys than chavs.

Well ok, except that those "Trotter Boys" were Sarf London and we East. But you could be forgiven as if I had mistakenly compared Sunderland to those jaunty boys of the Tyne - The Likely Lads.

That's fair comment.

Besides, James Bolam (Terry) was born in Sunderland, so you were half right. Rodney Bewes (Bob) was actually from Yorkshire and sounded nothing like a Geordie or Mackem.

[Penkoprod]

Whoever you are Penkoprod, if you haven't noticed this is a Chelsea thread, which entitles any Chelsea fan to have a moan or gloat about whatever we like that is associated with the Blues. So dont come here and tell me to get over it!

WHHHHOOOOOOO !!!!! someone with their knickers in a knot huh?

I guess the TRUTH does that to some people

And in case YOU havent noticed there is no moderators badge against your nick, so dont tell me where and where not to post

Get over THAT too

Penkoprod

[Seapok]

Keeper Cech laments penalty KO

Petr Cech admits Tuesday night's UEFA Champions League defeat to Liverpool on penalties was one of the most disappointing moments of his career.

Liverpool beat Chelsea 1-0 on the night before winning the shoot-out 4-1, dumping The Blues out of the competition at the semi-final stage for the second time in three seasons, and Cech believes luck was not on Chelsea's side.

"It took 120 minutes and there is still a lot of emotion and stress inside me, so I am very tired," he told CTK. "I have not slept much. I am hugely disappointed.

"We were very close to getting through. We had been on a long and difficult route to the semi-final, but we managed to get there.

"But there, we did not have enough luck. It is one of the biggest disappointments of my career."

Cech has featured in three important penalty shoot-outs in his career, and has been victorious each time.

In 2002, he helped the Czech Republic Under 21 side to win the European Championship gold medal and then twice won out with Rennes in the French Cup, but the Chelsea keeper feels that fortune abandoned him this time.

"In every shoot-out, I have managed to save at least two penalties and win them. I am sorry that this time luck left me. It is a most unpleasant situation."

Daniel Agger's goal came after Liverpool striker Dirk Kuyt blocked the movement of Salomon Kalou from a free-kick, and Cech is frustrated by the way the goal came about.

"We were preparing ourselves for this sort of situation. The decisive moment was when Kuyt blocked Kalou - on TV it even seemed like a foul.

"Therefore, Agger remained there alone and that is hard to defend. I saw the ball very late."

Ahead of the game, there was a lot of talk about the importance of the atmosphere at Anfield but, while those comments appear to be justified following Liverpool's victory, Cech claims his team-mates were unaffected.

"Looking at the way we played, the atmosphere did not get us down. We managed to keep the ball, tried to play short passes and did not rely on defending.

"We conceded only from the set piece."

Despite the disappointment, Cech believes the team will become stronger for the defeat and maintains they will continue to push for domestic honours.

"The season is going on, life is going on. Everybody must cope with it on his own. Once the sadness goes away, we will be even stronger.

"There is no option other than to win our remaining three games and to hope that Manchester United lose points at City or West Ham.

"At this moment, the FA Cup final on 19th May is the important game."

[EastSaxCol]

Oh well. You get the point.

East...East...East London.

[Seapok]

Whoever you are Penkoprod, if you haven't noticed this is a Chelsea thread, which entitles any Chelsea fan to have a moan or gloat about whatever we like that is associated with the Blues. So dont come here and tell me to get over it!

WHHHHOOOOOOO !!!!! someone with their knickers in a knot huh?

I guess the TRUTH does that to some people

And in case YOU havent noticed there is no moderators badge against your nick, so dont tell me where and where not to post

Get over THAT too

Penkoprod

Are you still here? shouldn't you be in bed now? whats a man of your age doing up at this time? let me guess......you've wet the bed again!!

[Penkoprod]

Are you still here? shouldn't you be in bed now? whats a man of your age doing up at this time? let me guess......you've wet the bed again!!

MUUUAHAHAHAHA !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Is THAT what you are reduced to............You sound like Mourinho lol !!!!!!!

(A dry) Penkoprod

[Seapok]

Are you still here? shouldn't you be in bed now? whats a man of your age doing up at this time? let me guess......you've wet the bed again!!

MUUUAHAHAHAHA !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Is THAT what you are reduced to............You sound like Mourinho lol !!!!!!!

(A dry) Penkoprod

Penkoprod, this is a football thread, if you want a slagging match PM me, just cos your on the wagon now go and spend your free time elsewhere!

[Penkoprod]

Penkoprod, this is a football thread, if you want a slagging match PM me, just cos your on the wagon now go and spend your free time elsewhere!

And i wasnt the one that started the slagging match (but am quite prepared to FINISH it !!!!!)

If you look at what i said that seemed to get your back up, you will see that all i said was its time to get over it and move on

The fact is ....Chelsea lost, and no ammount of griping that you have done since the result will change that

They were outgunned in every part of the pitch for the most part of the game. That fact, even you can't deny.

For the record, i hope Chelsea DO stuff the Mancs at Wembley and win the FA Cup (Just like they got stuffed tonight)

Penkoprod

[farangconnection]

Penkoprod, this is a football thread, if you want a slagging match PM me, just cos your on the wagon now go and spend your free time elsewhere!

And i wasnt the one that started the slagging match (but am quite prepared to FINISH it !!!!!)

If you look at what i said that seemed to get your back up, you will see that all i said was its time to get over it and move on

The fact is ....Chelsea lost, and no ammount of griping that you have done since the result will change that

They were outgunned in every part of the pitch for the most part of the game. That fact, even you can't deny.

For the record, i hope Chelsea DO stuff the Mancs at Wembley and win the FA Cup (Just like they got stuffed tonight)

Penkoprod

You mean just like Liverpool were outgunned in every part of the pitch ( except their goalkeeper) in the first leg.

[Prakanong]

I thought West Ham were more like the hardworking Trotter boys than chavs.

Well ok, except that those "Trotter Boys" were Sarf London and we East. But you could be forgiven as if I had mistakenly compared Sunderland to those jaunty boys of the Tyne - The Likely Lads.

That's fair comment.

Besides, James Bolam (Terry) was born in Sunderland, so you were half right. Rodney Bewes (Bob) was actually from Yorkshire and sounded nothing like a Geordie or Mackem.

James Bolams Mam used to live down the bottom of our street with her 2nd husband who was Mr Scott the ortho surgeon and sunderland club Dr I think also

[Seapok]

Chon, surely all this talk about old West Ham & Sunderland connections should be moved to another thread?

Mourinho plans changes

Jose Mourinho plans to make 'two or three' changes to his Chelsea squad during the summer.

Though The Blues failed to reach the UEFA Champions League final, and also look likely to surrender their Premiership crown, Mourinho is not sizing up a major squad overhaul at the end of the campaign.

He again stressed the importance of trying to win the Champions League and will aim to tweak his squad before the start of the new season.

"Next season the group will be a little different to the group we have now, but not very different," said Mourinho in the Daily Star.

"Our intention is to keep a big percentage of these players, making maybe two or three changes, which is normal for a club like us.

"We have to follow up with more silverware and the Champions League is something that's very important to us."

Brazilian defender Alex, on loan at PSV Eindhoven from Chelsea, is rumoured to be one arrival at Stamford Bridge, providing he receives a work permit.

[chonabot]

Ok lads , I've had a few milliseconds to think and I have come up with a cunning plan.

I will open a new thread where the gloaters and the barrackers can say what they like about eachothers teams.

If we can keep the team threads down to results, news and other relevant bits of info we may have a solution.

So in future if i find the likes of irrelevant info that has seeped its way onto the Chelski...ooops Chelsea thread I will dish out warnings and other niceities...

Chon

[marshbags]

From The Independant Newspaper U.K. url:-

http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/this_brit...icle2504635.ece

Quote:-

Chelsea vice-president and son killed in helicopter crash on return from match

By Terri Judd

Published: 03 May 2007 15.55

One of Britain's most successful businessmen and his son are among four people feared dead when their helicopter crashed early yesterday.

Phillip Carter, 44, an honorary vice-president of Chelsea Football Club, his 17-year-old son, Andrew, a family friend, Jonathan Waller, and the pilot, Stephen Holdich, are believed to have died when the Twin Squirrel aircraft came down in woods a few miles from Mr Carter's family estate in Cambridgeshire. They were on their way home from watching Chelsea lose to Liverpool at Anfield in the Champions League semi-final on Tuesday night.

The incident revived memories of the crash that killed the Chelsea vice-chairman Matthew Harding 11 years ago.

Mr Carter and his party set off from John Lennon airport in Liverpool shortly after 11.30pm on Tuesday. But the aircraft disappeared from radar screens before 12.45am and police were alerted an hour later when the group failed to return home.

Search helicopters from RAF Wittering began scouring forests, farmland, quarries and a landfill site at first light and shortly after 10am, police confirmed that the wreckage had been found in woodland in Wansford, Cambridgeshire.

"The wreckage is pretty much intact. There are persons on board and those persons are deceased," said Detective Superintendent John Raine.

Bedford Purlieus Wood was immediately cordoned off as a team from the Air Accidents Investigation Branch and the coroner's office examined the site.

Mr Holdich, 49, co-owner of the Hampshire-based Atlas Helicopters, was described by a friend, Jack Irvine, as a pilot with 20 years' flying experience and said staff were "deeply shocked".

Shirley Waller, 78, said her son Jonathan, 42, a friend of Mr Carter for 20 years, had also been on board his helicopter. She had feared the worst after calling his mobile phone in vain. The self-employed businessman's brothers, Adrian and Robert, said the family were distraught. "Jon was a great father to his daughter Jodie," they said in a statement. "He was also a good son and brother. Jon and Phillip had been friends for many years because they did business together. Jon had his own sporting connection with local sports teams and he and Phillip regularly went to football matches on their own."

Mr Carter, who was recently named Entrepreneur of the Year, started his vocational training business - Carter & Carter - 15 years ago. The training and support services empire was phenomenally successful and had grown to be worth more than £500m. Mr Carter had a 21 per cent stake in the company with shares worth £100m after floating the business on the stock market two years ago. Shares were suspended yesterday, the Financial Services Authority said. He used his wealth to help others and the group launched its own charity in 2004 to support a number of good causes, including Cancer Research.

Mr Carter and his wife, Judith, had recently moved into and renovated Thornhaugh Hall, near Peterborough, with their children, Andrew - who was studying for A-levels at Stamford School in Lincolnshire - and seven-year-old Jodie. Four years ago, the couple bought the Haycock Hotel, a 17th-century coaching inn at Wansford, which Mrs Carter, a former teacher, manages.

In 1996, Matthew Harding and four other men were killed as they returned from a match at Bolton Wanderers. Their Twin Squirrel helicopter crashed in farmland near Middlewich, Cheshire, and burst into flames after a Coca-Cola Cup tie. Mr Harding, 42, Michael Goss, 38, the pilot, Raymond Deane, 43, and Tony Burridge, 39, both businessmen and John Bauldie, 47, a a magazine journalist, were all killed instantly. An inquest jury returned verdicts of accidental death after hearing that the pilot might have become disorientated flying at night with no autopilot, while trying to map-read and talk to air traffic control.

The Twin Squirrel

Despite two high-profile crashes involving wealthy supporters of Chelsea FC, the Twin Squirrel has a good reputation among aviation experts.

One of the most popular helicopters in the world, it is used by police forces and the military in the UK and abroad. Capable of cruising at speeds of up to 160mph, it has a range of more than 400 miles. It is nearly 40ft long and can accommodate a pilot and five passengers. The two-engined version of the original, Ecureuil (French for squirrel), is made by the Franco-German company Eurocopter which is now part of the European plane-making group EADS.

Kieran Daly, editor of the internet news service Air Transport Intelligence, said: "Just like the Boeing 737 is known as the most-used fixed-wing aircraft, the Twin Squirrel is the helicopter workhorse of the skies."

Unquote.

If this is old news please delete it.

May they RIP, Condolences to all concerned, the family and club supporters

marshbags

[Seapok]

Ok lads , I've had a few milliseconds to think and I have come up with a cunning plan.

I will open a new thread where the gloaters and the barrackers can say what they like about eachothers teams.

If we can keep the team threads down to results, news and other relevant bits of info we may have a solution.

So in future if i find the likes of irrelevant info that has seeped its way onto the Chelski...ooops Chelsea thread I will dish out warnings and other niceities...

Chon

Thanks for that Chon, much appreciated.

[scousemouse]

Ok lads , I've had a few milliseconds to think and I have come up with a cunning plan.

I will open a new thread where the gloaters and the barrackers can say what they like about eachothers teams.

If we can keep the team threads down to results, news and other relevant bits of info we may have a solution.

So in future if i find the likes of irrelevant info that has seeped its way onto the Chelski...ooops Chelsea thread I will dish out warnings and other niceities...

Chon

Thanks for that Chon, much appreciated.

sawadee cap seapok , to be honest your team was unlucky but it will happen soon for them in the champions league , but please give us your HONEST opinion on the way mourinho handled the defeat against us and do you think he will be there next season ???? .

[Seapok]

Ok lads , I've had a few milliseconds to think and I have come up with a cunning plan.

I will open a new thread where the gloaters and the barrackers can say what they like about eachothers teams.

If we can keep the team threads down to results, news and other relevant bits of info we may have a solution.

So in future if i find the likes of irrelevant info that has seeped its way onto the Chelski...ooops Chelsea thread I will dish out warnings and other niceities...

Chon

Thanks for that Chon, much appreciated.

sawadee cap seapok , to be honest your team was unlucky but it will happen soon for them in the champions league , but please give us your HONEST opinion on the way mourinho handled the defeat against us and do you think he will be there next season ???? .

Scousemouse, Mourinho will definitely be in charge next season!, to be honest neither team played well in either leg of the Semi's, Gerrard was none exsistant at the Bridge and likewise of Lampard at Anfield. As regards to Mourinho's comments after the game on tuesday, the man isn't used to losing so he was trying to save face (maybe he has a thai background! haha)

[scousemouse]

Ok lads , I've had a few milliseconds to think and I have come up with a cunning plan.

I will open a new thread where the gloaters and the barrackers can say what they like about eachothers teams.

If we can keep the team threads down to results, news and other relevant bits of info we may have a solution.

So in future if i find the likes of irrelevant info that has seeped its way onto the Chelski...ooops Chelsea thread I will dish out warnings and other niceities...

Chon

Thanks for that Chon, much appreciated.

sawadee cap seapok , to be honest your team was unlucky but it will happen soon for them in the champions league , but please give us your HONEST opinion on the way mourinho handled the defeat against us and do you think he will be there next season ???? .

Scousemouse, Mourinho will definitely be in charge next season!, to be honest neither team played well in either leg of the Semi's, Gerrard was none exsistant at the Bridge and likewise of Lampard at Anfield. As regards to Mourinho's comments after the game on tuesday, the man isn't used to losing so he was trying to save face (maybe he has a thai background! haha)

I thought Lampard was the only chelsea player who really looked up for it at Anfield. And as for mourinho being at the brodge next season......... we'll wait and see if you win the F.A cup first !!!!!!

[Seapok]

Lampard was trying but he didn't have any of his trademark shots at goal so he goes unnoticed, the player I did think would break through and get a goal was Essien but not on this occasion. Drogba was too concerned about getting a yellow card that would rule him out of the final, so he was a shadow of what he has been doing this season.

[Seapok]

Sheva to go under the knife

Chelsea have revealed Andrei Shevchenko will undergo a groin operation in the summer but the Ukrainian is unlikely to have played his last match of the season.

Shevchenko has been struggling with the injury which kept him out of The Blues' UEFA Champions League defeat by Liverpool in the week.

Chelsea have confirmed the former Milan star will require an operation to correct the problem but are hopeful of still being able to call on the player.

Defeat to The Reds ended Jose Mourinho's European dream but Chelsea are still competing against Manchester United in league and cup so Shevchenko's availability would come as a boost to the Premiership champions.

The club revealed on their official website: "The injury meant he missed the Liverpool match but we are hopeful he will be available between now and the end of the season."

[lampard10]

I log on to Telegraph UK sport every morning, and after Chelsea's defeat, there was about 1 in 20 posts on the forum that had anything positive to say about the match, from both sides. Most of them were Liverpool fans gloating over Mohrino's downfall. This, to me, shows a sign of utter relief that they did actually get there. Plenty of them also said,

" See. Foreign money gets you no-where." In fact, the same as most Liverpool and Man U fans say on this forum.

Now can any of you die hard Liverpool fans,( or Man U, or Spurs or West Ham or Portsmouth or maybe now Man C) that have been be-moaning Chelski's buying power, and saying it shouldn't be allowed, honestly say that you will not be supporting your beloved club again, if foreign money buys enough super players to win the Premiership. There's probably not one you out there with enough guts to tell the truth, and say " We'd love that" Me, I'm over the moon that we got a rich backer. Just like a supporter from any club in the world would be. And also remember Liverpool were the first team in England to play a match without a single Englishman in the team.(all Jocks,Paddies and Taffs)

There were a few United fans gloating as well, saying " Just watch us tonight against AC, Jose'" For that reason alone I changed my stand on United, and am rather glad they got slaughtered, instead of supporting them like I usually do in Europe.

[Seapok]

Arsenal v Chelsea

Emirates Stadium

Sunday, 6 May

Kick-off: 1600 BST

Coverage on the BBC Sport website, BBC Radio Five Live & highlights on MOTD

Arsenal's Czech midfielder Tomas Rosicky is rated only 50/50 because of a hamstring problem.

Freddie Ljungberg (hamstring) is out, along with Thierry Henry (groin and stomach), Robin van Persie (broken foot) and Theo Walcott (shoulder).

Chelsea have fitness doubts over Ricardo Carvalho (knee) and Andriy Shevchenko (groin).

Michael Ballack is out after ankle ligament surgery, while teenage rookie Scott Sinclair is named in the squad.

Arsenal (from): Lehmann, Eboue, Toure, Gallas, Clichy, Hleb, Fabregas, Gilberto, Diaby, Baptista, Adebayor, Almunia, Denilson, Senderos, Djourou, Hoyte, Aliadiere, Rosicky.

Chelsea (from): Cech, Cudicini, Hilario, Geremi, Ferreira, Diarra, Terry, Essien, A Cole, Bridge, Lampard, Makelele, Mikel, Wright-Phillips, Drogba, Kalou, Shevchenko, J Cole, Morais, Robben.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger:

"I feel you have to respect the desire of the player - and it was Ashley Cole's desire to leave Arsenal.

"But he achieved a lot for the club, you must respect that. I want them (the fans) to remember what he did for the club.

"He was not happy here anymore so he decided to move. That does not take away what he achieved for the club."

Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho:

"We have four matches to play, four matches where we can win two (more) trophies.

"We can win one, or we can win none, but we have four matches to play and I think it is very, very important to show the nature of the players and their mentality.

"Our team is full of winners and you don't become a loser just because you lost an important game or are not as successful as you were in previous seasons.

"Winners are always winners and the mentality is inside. The future is more important than the past, as it is when we win, but when we lose, we have even more reason to say it strongly. And we look forward to the future.

BIG-MATCH FACTS

ARSENAL against Chelsea is the match that could decide the destiny of the Premiership title. If Manchester United beat City in Saturday's Manchester derby at Eastlands, and Chelsea fail to win at the Emirates, Sir Alex Ferguson's side will be crowned champions. Jose Mourinho's side must at least match United's result in their 60th game of the season, to keep the title issue alive.

The Gunners finished outside the top three for the first time in 10 seasons under Arsene Wenger, when they ended in fourth place last year. They are in danger of repeating that this time around despite losing only once at the Emirates Stadium. They've already guaranteed their place in Champions League pre-qualifying next season - their only achievement from a second successive trophy-less campaign.

Arsene Wenger's side have not beaten Chelsea on home soil since a 2-1 triumph on 18 October 2003, when Edu and Thierry Henry were on target.

CHELSEA must lift themselves for this London derby, having seen their hopes of a third successive Premiership title virtually wiped out last weekend, and dreams of a first Champions League final evaporated by Liverpool midweek. They still have a mouth watering FA Cup final against Manchester United to come, and a League meeting with the Red Devils before that - at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday. They will not want the Premiership trophy they have held for the last two seasons to have already been handed over before the midweek clash.

Despite their disappointments, the Blues are still unbeaten in 11 League games and have lost just one of the last 24. They've won eight, drawn two and lost one of their 11 Premiership London derbies this season, gaining 26 points, whereas Arsenal's record in capital clashes is won six, drawn two and lost three (20 points).

The Blues pay an initial visit to the Emirates Stadium, having won for the first time in 16 League trips to Arsenal in last season's corresponding fixture. Arjen Robben and Joe Cole scored in the 0-2 success. Now Mourinho's men are looking to extend their unbeaten Premiership run over the Gunners to six matches.

REFEREE

Alan Wiley (Burntwood, Staffordshire)

SEQUENCES/RECENT FORM

ARSENAL

Going into the weekend: 4th 66 points

(all statistics are ahead of this weekend's round of Premiership fixtures)

1. Unbeaten in five Premiership matches. Won three and drawn two since losing 0-1, home to West Ham on 7 April.

2. Scored 62 goals in the top division, at an average of one every 52 minutes. Only Manchester United (82) have scored more.

3. Won five top tier games from losing positions. Only Manchester United have won that many.

4. The Premiership's most dangerous club when behind. Gained 22 points from losing positions - the best recovery rate in the highest League. Won home to Blackburn, Manchester United, Wigan and Bolton, and away to Charlton. Drawn, home to Aston Villa, Middlesbrough, Everton, Newcastle and Portsmouth, and away to Middlesbrough and Tottenham, having trailed in all 12 fixtures.

5. Scored more goals in the last quarter-hour of Premiership matches than any other club - 21.

6. One of two clubs not to have lost a top flight match from a winning position. Manchester City is the other.

7. One of two clubs to hold an unbeaten record from Premiership matches in which the opening goal was scored - won 14 and drawn one of 15. Manchester City have won 11 and drawn one of the 12 matches in which they've taken the lead.

8. Won the last three at home against Bolton, Manchester City and Fulham.

9. Won as many home games, as Chelsea have managed on the road - 12.

10. The season ends at Portsmouth on Sunday, 13 May.

CHELSEA

Going into the weekend: 2nd 80 points

(all statistics are ahead of this weekend's round of Premiership fixtures)

1. Won nine and drawn two of the last 11 Premiership matches, since losing 2-0, away to Liverpool on 20 January.

2. Won 24 times in the top division so far this season - only Manchester United have gained more victories (27).

3. Lost fewer matches than any other club in the top table (three).

4. Kept clean sheets in nine of the last 11 League games, and in 11 of the last 14.

5. Opened the scoring in more Premiership matches than any other club (27), and failed to score in three. Only Manchester United can beat the latter of those two statistics, failing to find the net in only two matches.

6. Kept 21 clean sheets in the Premiership (won 19, drawn two), and conceded the opening goal in only six top flight games - better than any other club on both counts.

7. Not beaten in six away League games - won five and drawn one on the road since January's defeat at Anfield.

8. Will play 63 matches this season.

9. To meet Manchester United at Stamford Bridge in the Premiership next Wednesday, and Everton on the same ground and in the same competition on the following Sunday, before the FA Cup final against the Red Devils at the new Wembley on Saturday, 19 May.

KEY PLAYER NOTES/POTENTIAL MILESTONES

ARSENAL

Squad profiles

Robin VAN PERSIE is Arsenal's top scorer with 13 goals, 11 in the Premiership.

Cesc FABREGAS is the only remaining player to have participated in at least a part of every one of Arsenal's Premiership matches this season.

If he participates, William GALLAS will be facing his former club. The France international defender made 225 appearances (159 in the Premiership) and scored 14 goals (12 Premiership) in five seasons at Stamford Bridge until his move to Arsenal last August.

CHELSEA

Squad profiles

Didier DROGBA is the highest scoring Premiership player this season with 31 goals, 19 of which are League goals. The Ivory Coast International leads Manchester United's Cristiano RONALDO by three at the top of the table for the Barclays Golden Boot award.

ASHLEY COLE began his professional career with Arsenal, making 228 appearances (156 in the Premiership) and scoring nine goals (eight League) between August 1997 and his £5m move to Stamford Bridge in August 2006.

LAST SEASON'S CORRESPONDING GAME

Arsenal 0-2 Chelsea

18 December 2005 - Ref: Rob Styles

Chelsea scorers: Robben 39, Joe Cole 73

THIS SEASON'S REVERSE FIXTURE

Chelsea 1-1 Arsenal

10 December 2006 - Ref: Alan Wiley

Chelsea scorer: Essien 84

Arsenal scorer: Flamini 78

HEAD TO HEAD TOTALS

Home and away

League: Arsenal 57 wins, Chelsea 39, Draws 43

Prem: Arsenal 14 wins, Chelsea 5, Draws 10

at Arsenal only

League: Arsenal 34 wins, Chelsea 17, Draws 18

Prem: Arsenal 9 wins, Chelsea 1, Draws 4

The "League" figures in these Head to Head totals include all Premiership matches.

[Seapok]

Blues deny Jose meeting

Chelsea have moved to deny a report which claimed Jose Mourinho had held a showdown meeting to discuss the futures of Michael Ballack and Andrei Shevchenko.

A newspaper report on Saturday claimed the Portuguese tactician had met club director Eugene Tenenbaum in a bid to seek approval to axe last summer's major recruits.

The report claimed Tenenbaum is the link man between Mourinho and Blues owner Roman Abramovich and that he was summoned to the club's training ground for a meeting which was also attended by Shevchenko.

The Blues have moved swiftly to deny the talk, saying no such meeting took place.

"Contrary to a media report this morning, there has been no meeting at the training ground or anywhere else between Jose Mourinho and Chelsea FC plc director Eugene Tenenbaum about the futures of Michael Ballack and Andrei Shevchenko," read a Chelsea statement.

[Seapok]

Cole ready for Arsenal return

Ashley Cole insists he is unfazed at the prospect of returning to play at Arsenal for the first time since his controversial summer switch to Chelsea.

The England star was a firm fans' favourite during his time at Highbury, but he will be public enemy number one upon his debut at Emirates Stadium on Sunday - a match you can see live on Sky Sports 1.

Gunners boss Arsene Wenger has asked his own fans not to get at Cole, but his words are unlikely to deter the boos and jeers from the home crowd - who remain angry at the manner in which the left-back departed.

"Sometimes you can't stay somewhere and you have to move on. I've done that now and for me it's for the better," Cole told the Daily Mirror.

"My time at Arsenal was up and now I've started a new challenge, a harder challenge because you're at the champions and everyone wants to beat you.

"But I'm enjoying it. At the Carling Cup final I was getting stick from the Arsenal fans but hopefully I had the last laugh.

"Again, sometimes it's stupid that they are still going on about it. But there's nothing I can do and I'm over it now. I spoke to a few of the players after and to the manager.

"There's no hard feelings and it's down to other people to forget about it and move on with their lives."

[Seapok]

Blues not ready to concede title

Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho is not yet ready to concede the league title to leaders Manchester United as the Blues prepare to face Arsenal on Sunday.

Chelsea must win to keep the title race alive until Wednesday - when they take on United at Stamford Bridge.

"This season is not over," said Mourinho. "We've four matches to play, where we can win two more trophies.

"We can win one or none, but I think it is very important to show the nature of the players and their mentality."

United boss Sir Alex Ferguson will not watch the game between Chelsea and Arsenal.

"I won't be watching the game," said Ferguson, whose side moved eight points clear with a win at Manchester City on Saturday.

"I'll go for a game of golf. Hopefully, Arsenal will get the result we want, but if we have to go to Chelsea to get something we'll look forward to it."

Ferguson also revealed he had planned to go to watch United youngster Gerard Pique, who is on loan at Real Zaragoza in La Liga, but abandoned those plans because of a problem with the flights.

If Chelsea do not beat Arsenal then Ferguson will clinch his ninth Premiership title at the Old Trafford helm.

The Scot praised his players' character after they bounced back from the Champions League exit in Milan with a 1-0 win at Eastlands and Ferguson said: "What you saw today was human courage.

"The players showed great courage to come back from Wednesday and we are happy with 1-0.

"It wasn't a great performance but derby games are like that and in the end we got through it."

Ferguson paid particular tribute to Cristiano Ronaldo, who was stamped on early in the game by City's Michael Ball, but was tripped by the same player to earn the match-winning penalty, which the Portuguese winger dispatched.

"He was a victim of a really bad challenge early in the game and at that point it looked like the referee could have lost control," claimed Ferguson, who remonstrated from the touchline as match official Rob Styles waved play on after the incident.

City boss Stuart Pearce will review video replays of Ball's first challenge before deciding if any punishment is necessary.

"People have mentioned the tackle to me and are not particularly happy with what happened but I have not seen that," said Pearce.

"Certain things happen in games and people pick up on them.

"I will review the incident on video and will make any decision from there. We often leave decisions to referees and officials above them. It may be down to them."

Pearce felt his side's failure to prise a point from the Manchester derby summed up their season.

Darius Vassell saw a penalty saved by United keeper Edwin Van der Sar and Pearce said: "We had a great opportunity to get equal and we missed it.

"Our problem all season has been putting the ball in the net. At the other end, defensively we've looked sound.

"Had we taken that opportunity I think we would definitely have got something out of the game."

Pearce defended his ploy of playing with only one striker, despite City's lack of goals this season.

"The bottom line is that when we chase the game we look vulnerable," he said.

"We stayed in the game right until the last minute, against the team who look as though they are going to be champions."

[MiG16]

my brother said we might be doing the loathed task of handing over the trophy to a certain devil

EDIT: for spelling mistakes due to overexcitement

[Seapok]

Arsenal 1-1 Chelsea

Chelsea's draw with Arsenal handed Manchester United the Premiership title for the first time since 2003.

Champions for the previous two years, Chelsea found themselves a man and a goal down after Khalid Boularouz was sent off for fouling Julio Baptista.

Gilberto Silva put away the penalty as keeper Petr Cech went the wrong way.

Chelsea mounted a spirited rearguard action after the break and with 20 minutes left Michael Essien pulled them level with a courageous diving header.

Chelsea did not relinquish their title easily, but they badly missed Didier Drogba, who was ruled out of the game with an ankle injury.

Salomon Kalou stood in for Drogba, but the former Feyenoord striker struggled to hold the ball to allow Chelsea's midfielders to come into the game.

This was the first time these two sides had met since Chelsea's Carling Cup final win, a match that had ended with a mass brawl.

Sunday's game also proved something of a scrap, though more in the sense of some protracted periods of disjointed play than of the players squaring up to one another.

With the game disrupted by a spate of free-kicks it took nearly near 35 minutes before a goalkeeper had to make a save, Cech comfortably holding an effort from Arsenal striker Emmanuel Adebayor.

Two minutes before the break Boularouz's dismissal left Chelsea in all sorts of problems.

This was the first time Boularouz had played for Chelsea since 17 March and his lack of match practice was evident as he allowed Baptista to nip ahead of him.

Boularouz compounded his error by scything down the Brazilian from behind, in the process earning himself a red card.

Chelsea's goalkeeper Petr Cech had had no success in saving any of Liverpool's penalties in the Champions League semi-final shootout and the Czech proved similarly incapable of stopping Gilberto's spotkick.

In the second half Arsenal failed to capitalise on their numerical supremacy and after William Gallas headed over the bar Essien's flying header revived Chelsea's hopes of a miraculous win.

Wright-Phillips had flitted in and out of the game up to this point, but he made a dramatic entrance when he put in a cross to the near post that was flicked past Jens Lehmann by Essien.

Soon afterwards the former Lyon midfielder volleyed over the bar following a corner, while Frank Lampard forced a good save from Lehmann.

In stoppage time Kalou's shot was somehow tipped over the bar by Lehmann, while Emmanuel Eboue thrashed an effort against the crossbar.

[ThaiPauly]

Unlucky Chelsea..you should have won..even with 10 men

Good luck next year

[Seapok]

Unlucky Chelsea..you should have won..even with 10 men

Good luck next year

Cheers mate, I second that! onwards and upwards! We still have the FA Cup to play so the season isn't quite over yet!

[muckypups]

Here's to the Cup Final Seapok.. no need for either team to rest players now...

I reckon we're on for a great game..and may the best team win

[ThaiPauly]

Here's to the Cup Final Seapok.. no need for either team to rest players now...

I reckon we're on for a great game..and may the best team win

I LOVE to see this kind of spirit between rival fans.

I don't care who wins it really...but Redrus said he would win it for Reading..as they were so lucky to beat us.

So Redrus....I will await my medal

And it would be an appropriate time to make yourself known on this forum again Mate.

G L O A T away Son..anything to get you back here