Sunday 24 August 2008

Off we go... Chelsea 4 - 0 Portsmouth & Wigan 0 - 1 Chelsea

I've been travelling on business quite a bit and now having a well earned holiday so the posts have not been what they should be over recent weeks. With all the Lampard and Robinhio speculation its been another month where the mighty Blues have hardly been out of the press so it ws nice go finally get to the start of the season last week..... and what a start it was, watched on my laptop thanks to the wonders of a slingbox and good wifi connection (if you haven’t tried a slingbox yet you really should - access your set top box anywhere in the world).

Portsmouth were despatched 4-0 with a swagger that came mainly from the boot of Deco who's home debut was outstanding and topped off with the fourth goal. Bosingwa looked very handy as an attacking right back and Lamps looked at home alongside Ballack and Jedi. No Drogba (still recovering from his knee operation) so the line was led by Le Sulk and Joe Cole with Deco floating between midfield and the left side of a front three. Pompey were poor and we'll have tougher tasks - like Wigan away next week.

So 7 days later and its up to the JJB - I'm still on hols and no Sky coverage this time so its over to one of those dodgy free footy sites for a 3" screen experience. Its almost the same line up except for Essien replacing Jedi in the holding role. The start is equally impressive though - Deco curls a superb free kick into the top corner with 4mins on the clock. The mighty Blues are one up and you fear for Wigan though to their credit they respond in fine style and have the better of the rest of the half without really looking loke scoring - so at halftime it remains 0-1.

The second half is much as the first with Wigan pressing and Chelsea playing off the break so its no surprise that Scolari makes a change by bringing on Kalou for the ineffective Joe Cole. Wigan are really making the mighty Blues (in all black today) work for everything - no swagger in the boots this week. Maybe its the after effects of the internationals earlier in the week but its all a bit flat. Last 5mins and Bruce goes 3 at the back, taking off Melchiot and putting Henri Camera on as another striker and its almost a repeat of the Bridge last season as Cech turns a goal bound Capo strike round the post. Anelka off and Malouda on to waste a few more minutes only for Kalou to give away a dangerous free kick about 25yrds out but fortunately it comes to nothing and Chelsea run out the clock.

Champaigne last week and a stale pint of bitter this week but its still six points from six - Come on U Blues