Chelsea Thread - Home of the EPL Champions 04/05

[TheBlueBalla]

Virgo, you could see Geremi's effectiveness tonight. I agree, on the right side, he can be truly excellent, and he was especially good, i thought, at being able to work the ball up through the middle, rather than Gallas who opted alot of times just to go up the left himself, and try to cross. That, plus his ability with freekicks (i was kinda pissed he didnt get one crack at one)
and i think he should be staying on...hopefully

is it through that chelsea have made an offer for robinho and he will play for psv for 2 years like alex

I wouldnt put too much creedence in it. Many of the Madrid fans believe he is already bound for them, and then there was the "confirmed" news that he was headed for Benfica, etc etc.

Thanks se7en for the lineup. Im not really sure I wouldve gone with the arrangement they lost with tonight, namely putting Eidur up front and giving Tiago the midfield spot, but necesscity, as they say, is the mother of invention, so its not like it didnt work that badly. Its worrying, though, because it shows how toothless, again, Chelsea can be, without deadly wingplay. If thats the case, the blackburns of the world will just break robben and duffers legs, watch them get carted off, and beat the 4-4-2 or whatever formation comes about. This 4-3-3 was a little silly, i thought, as it marginalzied a striker on the wing, which is always a shame, but like i said, it didnt work too bad. Chelsea should just give inter 10 million, tell them to keep veron, and bring over van der meyde and emre. Ok, maybe not

By the way, Rob, can i go ahead and borrow your little trophy there to go alongside my sig? It just looks so snazzy in yours Im thinking we need to get one of those team banners for Chelsea, too. Anyone with me???

Edit: excellent, thanks

 

[Rob]

Go ahead

 

[TheBlueBalla]

Thanks Rob, the sig looks spiffier already

Anyway, some good news after yesterday's heartbreak:
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/headlinenews?id=332534&cc=5901

Guess all those people hoping he'd get mad with the club and sod off will have to find a new wet dream :P Great news, too, coming after yesterdays heartbreaker. Eventhough Drogba was slammed as worthless and Kezza was called every expletive in the book, i was still proud of the performance. Go on you blues. Now, the season is more or less over, and the 2 billion transfer rumors about the club can come pouring in

 

[Deisler]

Extending Mourinhos contract one day after the debacle shows profetionalism and makes him confortable.
Watching him shake each and every one of Pools players hands was classy and a nice way to shut some mouths.
Although the Reds deserved every single bit of it. This is football guyz. i Remember in 2000 Bayern beat Real Madrid 3 times (2 in the group stages and one of the semifinals 2-1) and the only game won by Real 2-0 costs us the elemination. A kinda similar situation happened to you guyz. 3 times victoriuous over them and it took a draw and a lost one to get you out.
Nwayz i hoppe Roman gets very little of his cash to buy a super striker. AInt it so Blueballa?

 

[TheBlueBalla]

Yah Deisler, it was great to hear that Jose was staying even further, but like you say, the loss was just what happens in football. As far as a new striker, well, thats a tough subject. I, personally, think the team should play a wait and see with the crop they have now. Most chelsea fans that ive seen, though, are calling for drogba and kezman's brass ones on a platter. Cant keep everyone happy, but i just hope the team doesnt go out and waste 30 million on Mutu/Crespo mk III. Be it Fernando Torres, Gilardino, or (god forbid, the pricetag would be massive) Adriano, id much rather see a premiership tested guy come in. For some, that means michael owen, and though he lacks size, hes a proven quality. As hes one of my alltime favs, that would be my wet dream come true. Truth be told, I wouldnt mind Makaay either

But on the other hand, Drogba and Kezman are proven to have talent. Its just a matter of showing it, and this dangerous pattern of buying and tossing players after a single season is laughable: I dont want to see Chelsea resort to it at all, and this team, with a backup left back, is clearly good enough to do serious damage. Why the need to add more world class players??? Anyway, speaking of Kezman:
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/headlinenews?id=332594&cc=5901

What does he seriously expect? When he is given the chance to come off that bench, he cant score the goals he promises. Im glad he recognizes the supporters behind him, but if you cant demonstrate your class in the time your given, what makes the team obliged to give you more? If he's really in that much of a funk, send him back to PSV or loan him there, as it makes the most sense, unless he wants to be rid of both clubs Anyway, i hope it doesnt end like this for drogba, too maybe the last few, meaningless weeks of the season will get them finding some form, meaningless as it will be, but i dont want to see another 32 million flushed down the toilet for that great goalscorer that wont come

 

[pede54]

We should have kept Jimmy Floyd for another season IMO.Also,all the players brought in at the start of the season should have bedded in nicely by now considering the extensive program of games that we have played.Unfortunately some of them still look well shy of the class that we need.Kezman might have been used sparingly but if he's as good as he thinks he is,then he should prove that when he is given a game.The trouble is that he hasn't proved anything at all this season apart from convincing me that he will never be a success in the Prem.The same can be said of Drogba to be honest.Although his goal rate aint bad for his first season,i think i can recall maybe only a couple of incidents when he looked ok,but most of the time he has been dire,and thats after taking his injuries into account.Chelsea have never played with such confidence as they have in this championship winning season,and you can see what a difference this has made to some players,not least of all Joe Cole.Drogba and Kezman just don't seem to have picked up on that confidence.I think the same can be said of Tiago too.I doubt that Jose will disgard these players though,they will get another chance next season to try to show us that they are the real deal.In the meantime Roman can go out and spend as much as he wants,its his money after all.We need a class striker for the opening day of the season,but i mean class not a five minute wonder.Someone who has proved himself season after season,and to be honest,if we dont find the right one,then lets just keep buying until we do.Saying that ,i hope Jose ,Kenyon and Roman have learned a lesson from the bad buys they have made so far and dont get us another lame duck.This might sound pretty negative after such a great season but i dont think we can afford to wait around for these players to come right....they might never come right.When the whole team is performing at its best,we look amazing but,its always the strikers (apart from Eider) that lets us down.This cannot continue.

 

[Virgo]

you obviously need a pure playmaker which Lampard just isn't. That was pretty obvious in the game against Liverpool. You got no one to think the game and with enough creativity to try different things in there when things aren't going your way, the usual way. Tiago is a good player but he's an utility midfielder, he's just not what you need. Signing a player like Gerrard won't solve this problem either because he's not what you need. This is why Mourinho is rumoured to be looking to Xavi who is a great passer and a very creative midfielder. You should have gotten Deco, he picked Barça over Chelsea when he had the chance but you could have always tossed him a bigger check.

 

[pede54]

yeah we do need a more creative mid.We have some great players who are all capable themselves of beating players and scoring goals,and when Robben and Duff are both fit,it seems that we have all we need for ideas,but this hides the fact that we need more creativity because sometimes we can be too predictable in our play.Although with our midfield on fire we can beat anyone on the day.As i said its our strikers who are a dead loss.We dont expect them to create situations for other players ,we expect them to score and they dont do that often enough or easily enough.I would never call any player crap though.Its just that he might not be suited to the Premiership or to Chelsea.The list of Prem rejects is endless....Veron,Crespo,mutu and probably Kezman and Drogba......and thats just from Chelsea.The management really need to think about what they are doing when they buy our next players.We need the real deal now.This is a football club and not an academy,if players still need to learn how to do the job then they do not belong here.Let them learn to play football somewhere else.I'm sure they would be happier doing that.I know i damn well would.

 

[Deisler]

I think what you guyz lack in the middle is s certain Ronaldinho or Ballack.
But what Chlesea really needs to straighten is the fact that they don't need to through money like that on strikers such as Drogba, Kezman and Duff when they can get just one dominant difference maker and a bunch of strikers that are lets say normal.
Makaay is untouchable plus i think at almost 30 he can't open a new cyce for you. What i think would be a huge investment is Gilardino. He is quick and has a lethal sense of scoring. Take him and let Duffy fool around the offence and Chelsea will be fit. They can't afford to have Lampard and Joe Cole save their games always.

 

[Rob]

a] Jimmy Floyd, as good as he was in tempormental, selfish and would hate anything but starting, its never his fault and he is a poor passer and poor in the air. Not the kind of player Mourinho would want in this team.

b] We have plenty of creative players. Cole, Duff and Robben are all creative players and some had an off night. Chances were made in both legs, and chances weren't taken. We need striker, someone like Adriano would do me fine because he has all the attributes needed for the EPL while Gilardino, as good as he is does not.

c] We need a left back, someone. Because when Bridge is injured everything has to be shuffled. Gallas and Terry is our best centre pairing, they have the best understand although RC is class while PF on the right is as solid as always.

 

[TheBlueBalla]

I agree with most assessments about the team here: A new playmaker probably is needed, but only really because Robben has proven to be so fragile sometimes, and its unfair to put the burden on Cole, Duffer and particularly Frank in every match. Then again, I dont know who that is to come, because most of the names that readily come to mind and have been mentioned here are virtually off limits. About Gilardino, im just frankly not sure. Hes got class, of course, that much is undeniable. I just dont want to see another phenom come from Italy to have his career put in the mud in west london, and then watch him limp out 30 million and 12 months later. But I hope Pede's first post is right: I hope the guys who people want gone after the liverpool match, namely Drogba, Kezman, Tiago, etc, are given another chance after this year. Kezman may not even want it, but I doubt Jose is silly enough to bin them just like that. Oh, and yah, the cover for Bridge is a must, but please please no cole or zambrotta to replace him Hes a modern legend in my eyes after the highbury goal, and one of my favorites out there. In fact, it would just be better to curb spending in general as this team clearly doesnt need too much improvement

Now, theres this crap:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/chelsea/4520503.stm

Uefa has launched a new attack on Jose Mourinho after he criticised linesman Roman Slysko in the wake of Chelsea's Champions League defeat by Liverpool.
Slysko allowed Luis Garcia's winner and Mourinho claimed "the linesman scored".

Earlier this season the Chelsea boss got a two-match Uefa touchline ban for criticising referee Anders Frisk.

Uefa referees' committee vice-chairman Lars-Ake Bjorck, said: "It's unbelievable he hasn't got the brain to learn from his mistake last time."

Garcia's goal gave Liverpool a 1-0 win and sent them into the Champions League final, where they will play AC Milan on 25 May in Istanbul.

Mourinho said: "Liverpool scored, if you can say that they scored, because maybe you should say the linesman scored."

He was in trouble with Uefa following the 2-1 defeat in Barcelona in the last 16 after claiming coach Frank Rijkaard was seen leaving referee Anders Frisk's dressing room during the interval of their clash at the Nou Camp in February.

Frisk quickly retired from football after revealing he received death threats.

Bjorck added: "It's incredible, especially when you put in mind he recently was punished hard with both suspension and payment charges.

"If Uefa gets a report we will treat it rapidly. This kind of statement damages football and everything around football."

Swedish head of referees Bo Karlsson hopes Slysko does not suffer a similar fate as Frisk.

"I hope with all my heart this linesman will not get the same terrible threats Anders got," said Karlsson.

"We can only hope Mourinho's words will not bring the same, bad, sad consequences as last time."

The hate him, personally, and its more than a little obvious. After the vindication of Rijkaard, the boot is on the other foot: UEFA shouldve shut its frivilous, corrupt, sorry mouth about Jose, especially now that hes out of their precious competition for another year, and yet they cant. Rather, they have to bust his ass, again, over something a manager does all the time. Now, this fanciful video technology has vindicated Jose yet again after the fact, and yet they still want a piece of him. Pathetic

 

[theo]

News!

LAMPARD LANDS FWA AWARD

Chelsea and England midfielder Frank Lampard has held off the challenge of team-mate John Terry to land the Football Writers' Association vote as Footballer of the Year.

The Chelsea and England midfielder becomes only the second Englishman since Alan Shearer in 1994 to win football’s oldest and most prestigious individual award. Teddy Sheringham was the other in 2001.

Lampard and Terry polled more than 90 per cent of the votes, with Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher finishing in third.

Gerry Cox, chairman of the FWA, said: “It was a close-run thing between the two Chelsea team-mates until a fortnight ago, but Frank Lampard ended up winning by a substantial margin.

“John Terry has been a huge player for Chelsea in what has been a fantastic season for the Blues, but Lampard has clearly convinced our members that he is the best player in the country and right up there with the world’s leading players.

“His all-round game is superb, his fitness phenomenal and the fact that he has weighed in with 18 goals this season makes him something special for any team.”

Lampard was runner-up to Thierry Henry in last year’s Footballer of the Year award, as well as coming second for two years running in the Professional Footballers’ Association Player of the Year award, which was won by Terry last month.

He becomes only the second Chelsea player to be named Footballer of the Year, after Gianfranco Zola in 1997.

Lampard will collect his award at the Footballer of the Year dinner in London on May 19.

This just prooves FL's class

 

[Rob]

Today, the day we get the EPL Trophy and accomplish Matthew Hardings dream I just want to say that this day should be dedicated to Matthew for his work, and his heart and soul he put into the club.

RIP Matthew Harding
Today is for you.

 

[jani]

honestly, reading this thread makes me dizzy so I dont know wether this has been posted or not

"If they want to keep him they will have to pay a lot of money. He is scoring goals, playing well and is in the European Cup Final. We would like to have him back or change him with Andriy Shevchenko.” Jose Maurinho on Hernan Jorge Crespo



Yeah, right, Sheva to Chelsea for Crespo.

Gilardino to Milan, 100% sure if Crespo rejoins Chelsea.

 

[Rob]

We have no chance with Shevchenko.

We have money, you don't need money and Shevchenko loves Milan.



I can't see Crespo in London. He will stay in Milan, be it one of the two clubs. Ethier some sought of deal + clash for Adriano or a swap bewteen Milan and Chelsea for Crespo and Kaladze.

 

[jani]

Kaladze will only leave Milan if Jankulovski joins (Chelsea want to hijack Milan's bid)

I like the lad, hope he doesnt leave but if he can get more money and playing time at Chelsea, then he should go.


Crespo will return to Chelsea. Drogba would be loaned out somewhere instead

 

[Voltaic Borusse]

1-0 Makalele [90th minute penalty]

Saved, then rebounded.

 

[Rob]

Haha

Finally!

Makelele Scores!

 

[houston3721]

The kids' jerseys are interesting, GUD 22, FRANKIE 10...

and those medals look like chocolates

Finally Chelsea will lift the trophy and Congratulations!

 

[$teauA]

I had forgotten how a real trophy presentation is done, without all the stupid interviewers on stage and without the owner lifting the trophy .

Once again CONGRATS CHELSEA