Chelsea Fc Thread

[technocracy]

So are the Chelski boys ready the Mighty Potters this weekend?

Just hope you've been practising your set piece defending!

[Seapok]

So are the Chelski boys ready the Mighty Potters this weekend?

Just hope you've been practising your set piece defending!

I'm sure we are ready mate, the question is are you? I feel a thrashing coming on, we need to boost our confidence and performances so facing Stoke will only be a good thing,

a few of our players need to prove a point to the gaffer so brace yourself for double figures! haha

This policy of zonal marking is ridiculous, it clearly doesn't work, every time we concede a corner or give away a free near our box I'm actually sh*tting it!, put two men on the posts and MARK A MAN!!!

[technocracy]

This policy of zonal marking is ridiculous, it clearly doesn't work, every time we concede a corner or give away a free near our box I'm actually sh*tting it!, put two men on the posts and MARK A MAN!!!

corners or freekicks are easy stuff . . . just wait til an Delap missle is incoming!

Also hopefully we'll have Lawrence playing who had the highest assists in the division from free kicks last season

You were spared the Delap treatment at the Britannia as he picked up a knock the day before . . .

[oldgit]

So are the Chelski boys ready the Mighty Potters this weekend?

Just hope you've been practising your set piece defending!

I'm sure we are ready mate, the question is are you? I feel a thrashing coming on, we need to boost our confidence and performances so facing Stoke will only be a good thing,

a few of our players need to prove a point to the gaffer so brace yourself for double figures! haha

This policy of zonal marking is ridiculous, it clearly doesn't work, every time we concede a corner or give away a free near our box I'm actually sh*tting it!, put two men on the posts and MARK A MAN!!!

We also lack concentration.Players should stop worrying about what their team mates are doing and focus on their own role in the box.I would like Cech to be more dominant,as well.

[technocracy]

All I want to know is how much did you pay the ref?

4 minutes injury time??!? Where in gods name did that come from?

In the second half there was sod all fouls - no injuries but somehow the tosser conjures up 4 minutes!

[technocracy]

Anyway judging by the celebrations you just won your 'Cup Final' . .. . and roused into a bit of a sing song - shame you couldn't do that at 0-0 let a alone at 0-1 .. .. instead many left the ground with 10 minutes to go. . . . .

Plastic fantatics . .. . .

[mrtoad]

So are the Chelski boys ready the Mighty Potters this weekend?

Just hope you've been practising your set piece defending!

I feel a thrashing coming on, we need to boost our confidence and performances so facing Stoke will only be a good thing...

Not exactly a thrashing Seapok, but I guess it's a good result to 'come from behind', a particular speciality of Chelsea, their fans, and shepards from Wales.

Edited January 17, 2009 by mrtoad

[Seapok]

I didn't catch the game so will have to wait until I see it before I can make any comments, no doubt the added on time was justified.

Not a thrashing but a much needed 3 points

Chelsea 2-1 Stoke

Late goals from substitute Juliano Belletti and Frank Lampard spared Chelsea's blushes as they came from behind to beat a belligerent Stoke.

Rory Delap had earlier given City the lead, latching on to a James Beattie pass and chipping over Petr Cech.

With three minutes to go Belletti popped up at the far post to head home a Franco Di Santo cross.

Deep into injury time Lampard lashed in a fierce drive from the edge of the area to give Chelsea the win.

The ecstasy that greeted Lampard's winner, particularly the mobbing of manager Luis Felipe Scolari, was a clear expression of the spirit and unity that the Chelsea boss had called for from his players.

However, prior to the last five minutes it was Stoke who had shown arguably the greater desire and they will be bitterly disappointed to lose out on what would have been a famous result.

Scolari had praised Stoke before the match as "more dangerous than all the teams in England and the world" because of the threat they pose to his side from set-pieces, an aspect of play to which the Blues have been particularly vulnerable of late.

It was certainly looking ominous for Chelsea when skipper John Terry's involvement was ended due to an injury in the warm-up.

Within the first minute the visitors were fulfilling Scolari's prophetic warning, with Delap's long throw requiring a panicked clearance from Ricardo Carvalho as Cech uncharacteristically flapped at the ball.

After this early scare Chelsea settled and, as expected, dominated possession but clear-cut chances were few and far between.

After 22 minutes Lampard floated in a free-kick that Salomon Kalou somehow contrived to side-foot over from inside the six-yard box.

As the half wore on Chelsea's territorial dominance translated into an increase in goalscoring opportunities but Nicolas Anelka, Lampard and Ashley Cole were all denied by an inspired Thomas Sorensen in the Potters goal.

City debutant Beattie worked hard, along with the equally physical Richard Cresswell but they lacked an efficient supply line, particularly after Delap's throw-in radar deserted him later in the half.

The second half continued in the same vein with Chelsea camped in the Stoke half but failing to convert any chances with Michael Ballack's header wide on 50 minutes a particularly glaring example.

It was with Stoke's first opening of any substance, and completely against the run of play, that they scored.

Beattie expertly held up a long ball before turning and feeding Delap who held off the challenge of Cole before chipping superbly over Cech.

A visibly shell-shocked Chelsea took some time to recover, but when they did it was once again to lay siege to the Stoke goal but initially to no avail.

Lampard lashed a shot past the right-hand post in the 65th minute and Cole saw an angled drive flash wide.

With the match seemingly drifting away from them, Chelsea conjured up an equaliser as substitutes Di Santo and Belletti combined, the latter nodding in the former's cross at the far post.

With Stoke rocking, Chelsea delivered the knock-out blow deep into injury time as Lampard latched onto an Anelka pass on the edge of the area to drive home the winner past a flailing Sorensen.

Chelsea: Cech, Bosingwa (Belletti 78), Carvalho, Alex, Ashley Cole, Lampard, Mikel (Stoch 82), Ballack, Malouda (Di Santo 60), Anelka, Kalou.

Subs Not Used: Cudicini, Ivanovic, Mancienne, Kakuta.

Goals: Belletti 88, Lampard 90.

Stoke City: Sorensen, Wilkinson, Shawcross, Abdoulaye Faye, Higginbotham (Griffin 34), Delap, Whelan, Amdy Faye (Pugh 28), Etherington (Kitson 83), Beattie, Cresswell.

Subs Not Used: Simonsen, Olofinjana, Lawrence, Sonko.

Booked: Amdy Faye, Kitson, Whelan.

Goals: Delap 60.

Att: 41,788

Ref: Peter Walton.

[redrus]

How unlike Chelsea to get lucky late in the day....!

redrus

[oldgit]

How unlike Chelsea to get lucky late in the day....!

redrus

We had 42 shots at the bean bag so I think we were entitled to get some reward .Absolute cliffhanger brought about by some poor finishing and great goalkeeping.Delap's goal was poor defending on Chelsea's part culminating in Cech going to ground far to early.

[oldgit]

While I was watching the game on True Sports 1,a message came up Yeah,Man.Utd. and Bolton u c***ts.I was astounded.What did the station think it meant?

[technocracy]

How unlike Chelsea to get lucky late in the day....!

redrus

We had 42 shots at the bean bag so I think we were entitled to get some reward .Absolute cliffhanger brought about by some poor finishing and great goalkeeping.Delap's goal was poor defending on Chelsea's part culminating in Cech going to ground far to early.

hmmm 42 shots of which about only 4 actually force anything other than routine saves from Sorensen - untold amounts of hit and hopes from about 25 yards out none of which actually caused any problems.

Both of your goals were poor defending from our point of view particularly the first.

I saw the Bolton Man U message as well - I just though Redrus was texting the show!

[mrtoad]

While I was watching the game on True Sports 1,a message came up Yeah,Man.Utd. and Bolton u c***ts.I was astounded.What did the station think it meant?

It was one of the better moments of Turdvisions television coverage. As you say, can't beleive thaey didn't pick it. Might hav a go next week myself.

[redrus]

How unlike Chelsea to get lucky late in the day....!

redrus

We had 42 shots at the bean bag so I think we were entitled to get some reward .Absolute cliffhanger brought about by some poor finishing and great goalkeeping.Delap's goal was poor defending on Chelsea's part culminating in Cech going to ground far to early.

I saw the Bolton Man U message as well - I just though Redrus was texting the show!

lol

I don't swear lads, you know that....

redrus

[technocracy]

Well adding to this apparently on the ESPN Asia feed some Stoke fan texted in 'Chelsea are all c**ts' which was duly flashed upon the screen several times!

[Seapok]

Lampard - We're behind Big Phil

Frank Lampard insists that Chelsea's squad are fully behind manager Luiz Felipe Scolari.

The Brazilian coach had been under fire in recent weeks after a poor run of form had seen his side win just once in five Premier League games.

Indeed the Blues looked as if they were heading for defeat against Stoke on Saturday before two strikes in the dieing minutes salvaged an unlikely victory.

Frank Lampard lashed home the winner and celebrated with his other team-mates by mobbing Scolari.

And Lampard insists their celebration demonstrated their support for the manager.

"We are all behind him," said Lampard. "It is difficult when people keep trying to say things to split things up.

"The manager first of all is a very good man and he has been a very successful manager for a long time.

"Hopefully that success is going to come here. The last month has been difficult. We're in a moment where we make one mistake in a game and we are punished every time.

"We have had countless chances, but keepers are making amazing saves. It's one of those moments. We can only get through them together, we are all in it together and I think it showed.

"At Man United we knew we didn't play anywhere near as well as we should have done. We underperformed and everyone went to town on us. But you have to be big enough to handle things like that at Chelsea and as a group we showed a lot of spirit and with the celebrations at the end.

"We deserved to win the game (Stoke). It was another day where we dominated but couldn't score and they scored from one chance.

"You got the bad feeling that we were going to drop points again, but it was a bit different. The character and team spirit we showed shone through in the end and we got what we deserved."

[Seapok]

I'm glad this rumour has been put to bed quickly, I hate when things like this just hang in the air!

Blues launch legal action

Chelsea have launched legal action following reports that Roman Abramovich was looking to sell the club.

The Sunday Times published a report stating that Abramovich's representatives had travelled to both Saudi Arabia and Dubai, to 'elicit' interest in the club.

Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon denied the stories earlier in the weekend that the Blues owner was looking to sell.

Now the club have reacted with anger at the allegations made by the Sunday Times, and they have confirmed that proceedings over legal action will begin on Monday.

A statement from Chelsea stated: "Defamation proceedings will be commenced tomorrow (Monday) in London by Roman Abramovich against the publishers of The Sunday Times.

"This follows the publication by them of false claims that he wants to sell his interest in Chelsea FC.

"Mr Abramovich has already made quite clear, through the directors of Chelsea, that he has no intention of doing so and that neither he nor anyone upon his behalf has been pursuing any such course of action."

[redrus]

All I want to know is how much did you pay the ref?

4 minutes injury time??!? Where in gods name did that come from?

In the second half there was sod all fouls - no injuries but somehow the tosser conjures up 4 minutes!

I didn't watch the game but, how many substitutions were there in that half? The referee will add 30 seconds per substitution made....!

redrus

[Sparkles]

While I was watching the game on True Sports 1,a message came up Yeah,Man.Utd. and Bolton u c***ts.I was astounded.What did the station think it meant?

Well every day in Bangkok there are people walking around wearing t shirts in equally bad taste or worse. I had a student one who rocked up to school wearing at shirt which said. "I'm a good lay" she had no idea what it meant . This is fairly normal in Thailand and staff at True probably had no idea as there might not be the equivalent word in Thai as a swear word but I bet they do now.

[Seapok]

While I was watching the game on True Sports 1,a message came up Yeah,Man.Utd. and Bolton u c***ts.I was astounded.What did the station think it meant?

Well every day in Bangkok there are people walking around wearing t shirts in equally bad taste or worse. I had a student one who rocked up to school wearing at shirt which said. "I'm a good lay" she had no idea what it meant . This is fairly normal in Thailand and staff at True probably had no idea as there might not be the equivalent word in Thai as a swear word but I bet they do now.

And this has what to do with Chelsea?

[redrus]

While I was watching the game on True Sports 1,a message came up Yeah,Man.Utd. and Bolton u c***ts.I was astounded.What did the station think it meant?

Well every day in Bangkok there are people walking around wearing t shirts in equally bad taste or worse. I had a student one who rocked up to school wearing at shirt which said. "I'm a good lay" she had no idea what it meant . This is fairly normal in Thailand and staff at True probably had no idea as there might not be the equivalent word in Thai as a swear word but I bet they do now.

Black T-shirt, White writing, <deleted> Off......! Without the stars, never ever got my head around that one....!

redrus

[Seapok]

Back on topic......

Cech hails fighting spirit

Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech hailed the side's fighting spirit after they came from behind to beat Stoke in stoppage time on Saturday.

Rory Delap had stunned Stamford Bridge when he opened the scoring for the visitors in the 60th minute.

It looked as though Chelsea's recent poor run was set to continue but Juliano Belletti appeared to have salvaged a draw equalising with two minutes to go.

Frank Lampard had other ideas as he fired home the winner in stoppage time to keep Luiz Felipe Scolari's team in the title race.

"I would like to point out our spirit of never giving up in the game and fighting until the very end," Cech said.

"We were having plenty of chances throughout the match but managed to break the scoring record only as late as the final minutes."

Cech also highlighted that the winning goal could be one for the dubious goals panel to decide.

"It was not Frank Lampard who scored the last goal. Michael Ballack did as he deflected Frank's shot into the net," the keeper added.

"Had he not touched it, I think the Stoke goalkeeper might have saved it."

Despite conceding to Delap Chelsea managed to stand firm against Stoke's aerial threat from set-pieces and Cech admitted that the manager dictated how the team defend from dead ball situations.

"The way we defend set pieces, including the organisation, is determined by the main coach," the Chelsea stopper explained.

[mrbojangles]

Hey Chelsea fans. Do you think we have got a good player in signing Wayne Bridge?

Honest opinions please

Yeah you do, he does good runs up the left flank with a decent final ball. Saying that he didn't look fit in his last few chances so looked sloppy at the back. Get him match fit and you will have a bargain.

I thought he played really well on Saturday against Wigan. And as you say he isn't match fit yet. I know it's a bit early to say but it looks like he might turn out to be a good buy.

[Seapok]

Hey Chelsea fans. Do you think we have got a good player in signing Wayne Bridge?

Honest opinions please

Yeah you do, he does good runs up the left flank with a decent final ball. Saying that he didn't look fit in his last few chances so looked sloppy at the back. Get him match fit and you will have a bargain.

I thought he played really well on Saturday against Wigan. And as you say he isn't match fit yet. I know it's a bit early to say but it looks like he might turn out to be a good buy.

I saw highlights of that game, he seemed to play well. Got a clattering in the box but nothing came of it, give him time Mr B and he will turn out to be a little gem,

might even push Ashley to up his game as they will both be pushing for an England start.

[bkkjames]

someone said rumours of a Chelsea sale out to Arabs has been put to bed>>>???

not according to the BBC today

Arab tycoon considers Chelsea bid

Fahim is part of the Abu Dhabi United Group that bought Manchester City

The Arab tycoon who led the takeover of Manchester City has revealed that he and a group of German investors are considering a bid to buy Chelsea.

Blues owner and Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich has insisted that the London club is not for sale.

But Dr Sulaiman al-Fahim said: "It would not be cheap... but through a number of investors, there is money available to put together a deal."

Abramovich has invested around £600m in Chelsea since taking over in July 2003.

Fahim, part of the Abu Dhabi United Group that bought Manchester City, is understood to have drawn up a proposal with Falcon Equity - a Swiss-based private equity partnership.

He added: "Nobody wants to be over-exposed on one deal... first we need to see if we're in a position to buy it."

Even though Abramovich's personal fortune is understood to have been affected by the global economic downturn, Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon insists the club is not for sale.

"Next year we expect our operating profit to break even," he said.

"Our financial accounts for 2007-08 are published in February, and any notions about the owner losing interest are dispelled in that.

"The owner does not have to sell Chelsea and he doesn't want to."

Still, it is believed Fahim and his investors are weighing up a bid.

The chief executive of Abu-Dhabi-based Hydra Properties also chairs Falcon Equity, which is run by Holger Haims, former managing partner of 'DVC' - Deutsche Venture Capital.

Heims said: "I don't believe anything is not for sale if you come up with the right price.

"We have looked at some European clubs to see if the numbers added up, and now we're doing the same with Chelsea.

"I can't go into more details at this stage. It's not about trying about to buy a football club but about a business.

"You don't make money because 11 guys run around the pitch, you make money because of all the other commercial aspects that go with a football club, particularly real estate and television rights."

[StevieH]

thought abramovich is suing sky sports for claiming that he wants to sell the club?

[Sparkles]

thought abramovich is suing sky sports for claiming that he wants to sell the club?

Well maybe its a slow news day and not much happening in the transfer window which is getting awfully close to closing.

What we do know that the TV cameras love to zoom into Romans empty seat at home matches recently. Maybe he has lost interest or is trying to keep his financial empire afloat. What would the club be worth I wonder ? News reports suggest they are still carrying 600 million quid debts but Kenyon says they are at a break even situation. Very difficult for Chelsea with such a small capacity ground and all the players they brought in and sold at a loss over the past couple of years.

[bkkjames]

thought abramovich is suing sky sports for claiming that he wants to sell the club?

maybe he can sue the beeb as well and not have to sell the club

[oldgit]

If this character is part of the Abu Dhabi group that already owns a Premiership club then the F.A wouldn't sanction the deal.

[MSingh]

If this character is part of the Abu Dhabi group that already owns a Premiership club then the F.A wouldn't sanction the deal.

They're all Cousins & Brothers anyway that lot so no one would ever know...