Home to the 'Boro and its the same line up as Saturday except that Alex comes in for Ricky who's out with a hamstring problem. The Drog is still warming the bench. ts a lively opening though from the Blues with loads of possession but as has been the case so far at home, no end product. Boro have 10 men behind the ball and we just aren't moving the ball quick enough or wide enough to be effective. Ash goes close with a header from a Bozzy cross but as the half goes on so the frustration grows. Lamps wastes 3 free kicks and as many corners and as we approach half time I can only remember the keeper making one save. As the whistle goes for half time the boos ring out and its not surprising - 75% possession and only 2 attempts on target.
For the second half, its the Drog on for Malouda but will it be 4-4-2 ? No such luck as Anelka drifts wide with his head bowed. Within 2mins Drogba is free but his shot goes out for a throw - yes a throw ! This game has the stench of a 0 - 0 about it. Boro loose the ball on the edge of our box and it takes 6 walking pace passes to reach the centre circle by which time there's 10 men behind the ball again - pathetic. On 54mins we finally swing in a threatening corner which is headed on by Ballack only for Kalou to head over from 3yrds out. Alex has a free kick on 56mins deflected for a corner which again is well delivered and the ball fall to Kalou who buries the loose ball to make up for the earlier miss. Now can we push on but not concede ? Southgate throws on Alves and Tungay in response.On 72mins, Lamps drive a free kick from 35yrds out which is spilled at the feet of Kalou who promptly slips over and the ball runs out for a goal kick. Bozzy cuts in and finds Lamps on 77mins but the shot is wide. With 10mins to go, its 2-0 as Kalou heads home unmarked from a Lamps corner and his reward is to be replaced by Deco. A huge cheer goes up as the news comes in that Wigan have equalised against Liverpool and that's the end of the excitement despite the introduction of Stoch and a late free kick from Deco.
Now on to Anfield - Come on U Blues
Wednesday, 28 January 2009
Saturday, 24 January 2009
Chelsea 3 - 1 Ipswich (FA Cup 4th Round)
A home FA cup tie and I'm depending on the BBC for some coverage. Its a strong side to face Ipswich but no Jedi (through suspension) or JT (through back injury) so Belletti holds the midfield and Alex continues alongside Rickey. The Drog is only on the bench prompting more speculation.
Its a bright opening from the Blues and on 8 mins Anelka finds Ballack 10yrds out but his effort is woefully tame and wide. It only takes another 8mins to go ahead as Lamps finds Ash out wide and his cushioned cross is stroked in by Ballack. That's 1-0 and lets hope we press on. Unfortunately that's not the case though as we've taken our foot off the gas and just past the half hour, defending from dead balls lets us down again. Rickey chooses to chest down a ball that should have been cleared and Alex Bruce (Steve's boy) nips in and drives home an equaliser. We simply can't defend any more !! Just appalling !! Now we're in for a tough battle. Maybe the Drog is needed for the second half.
No changes at half time and is depressingly similar. Kalou is charging around like a headless chicken and taking too many touches, Belletti is pushing up and leaving acres of space behind whilst Anelka looks completely disinterested. Malouda is giving the ball away every 5mins but finally the Drog is warming up. Its Drogba for Malouda on 58mins so Anelka needs to go wide right and, surprise surprise, he's having a bit of a strop. It might have woken him up though as 2mins later he breaks forward and is brought down on the edge of the box. Up steps Michael Ballack to drill home the free kick and its 2 - 1. Its a bit better as Kalou and Lamps combine on the edge of the box but Kalous shot is well saved. Rickey has a problem and is replaced by Ivanovich with 20mins to go. Kalou misses an absolute sitter from 3 yards out as Lamps stands a ball up from Anelka that even I could have headed home. If we keep wasting chances like that, we'll be made to pay. With 10mins to go, Deco comes on for Ballack but we're looking sloppy again and its nearly 2 -2 as Kevin Lisbie connects with a deep cross but fortunately he heads wide. Straight up the other end and the Drog looses the ball in the box and then charges back to win the ball. He wins a free kick which Lamps rockets home off and that's 3 - 1 but the scoreline masks a poor performance.
So we're into the last 16 but in very unconvincing fashion - I'll be back at the Bridge on Wed for the Boro game - Come on U Blues
Its a bright opening from the Blues and on 8 mins Anelka finds Ballack 10yrds out but his effort is woefully tame and wide. It only takes another 8mins to go ahead as Lamps finds Ash out wide and his cushioned cross is stroked in by Ballack. That's 1-0 and lets hope we press on. Unfortunately that's not the case though as we've taken our foot off the gas and just past the half hour, defending from dead balls lets us down again. Rickey chooses to chest down a ball that should have been cleared and Alex Bruce (Steve's boy) nips in and drives home an equaliser. We simply can't defend any more !! Just appalling !! Now we're in for a tough battle. Maybe the Drog is needed for the second half.
No changes at half time and is depressingly similar. Kalou is charging around like a headless chicken and taking too many touches, Belletti is pushing up and leaving acres of space behind whilst Anelka looks completely disinterested. Malouda is giving the ball away every 5mins but finally the Drog is warming up. Its Drogba for Malouda on 58mins so Anelka needs to go wide right and, surprise surprise, he's having a bit of a strop. It might have woken him up though as 2mins later he breaks forward and is brought down on the edge of the box. Up steps Michael Ballack to drill home the free kick and its 2 - 1. Its a bit better as Kalou and Lamps combine on the edge of the box but Kalous shot is well saved. Rickey has a problem and is replaced by Ivanovich with 20mins to go. Kalou misses an absolute sitter from 3 yards out as Lamps stands a ball up from Anelka that even I could have headed home. If we keep wasting chances like that, we'll be made to pay. With 10mins to go, Deco comes on for Ballack but we're looking sloppy again and its nearly 2 -2 as Kevin Lisbie connects with a deep cross but fortunately he heads wide. Straight up the other end and the Drog looses the ball in the box and then charges back to win the ball. He wins a free kick which Lamps rockets home off and that's 3 - 1 but the scoreline masks a poor performance.
So we're into the last 16 but in very unconvincing fashion - I'll be back at the Bridge on Wed for the Boro game - Come on U Blues
Saturday, 17 January 2009
Chelsea 0 - 0 Stoke
Looking to build on the midweek FA cup victory so again no Drogba (he's not even on the bench) but the really bad news comes as we hear that Joe Cole had an operation on his knee this morning and will be out for the rest of the season. Worse still is that JT limped off during the warm up and is replaced by Alex. So its up to Malouda and Kalou to provide width for Anelka. No Deco either (calf strain) so its a very young bench with Di Santo, Mancienne, Stoch, Kakuta as 4 teens from the possible 7 subs.
Its a nervy start as an early Delap throw causes havoc in a strange zone come man-to-man hybrid. But from then on its all Chelsea as they park in the Stoke half. Lots of possession and half chances - Ballack hits a free kick straight at Sorensen and on 23mins Lamps whips in a free kick which beats the entire Stoke defence but Kalou knocks the chance over the bar. Kalou is brought down in the box 2mins later but the ref is having none of it. On 32mins, a lovely exchange of passes on the edge of the box breaks to Anelka but his snap shot is well saved by Sorensen. You believe a goal must be coming but again the Blues are denied on 42mins as a goal bound Ashley Cole strike is deflected over. In the last 2mins Lamps twice lets rip from the edge of the box but both times Sorensen gets his gloves behind the ball. Its been all Chelsea but the first half ends goalless.
No changes at half time and its the same pattern - first a driven free kick from Lamps and the Bozzy drives over. On 50mins a flowing move ends with Malouda floating a simple cross which Ballack somehow heads wide when completely unmarked. Apart from one Beattie effort its been all Chelsea but on the hour Beattie feeds Delap whop works his way into the box and lifts the ball over Cech. We're loosing at home to the team with the worst away record in the league and the response is to swap Malouda with Di Santo. With 63 mins its nearly 2-0 as Cech comes and flaps at a Delap throw but its scrambled away. A lovely exchange with Anelka a minute later sets Lamps free but he drags his shot wide. On 69mins the ball is fed out to Ash and his cross / shot eludes everyone. This is not our day (or season ?). Jedi, Ballack and Alex all blast over and this is looking desperate as first Belletti and then Stoch come on for Bozzy and Jedi respectively with 5mins to go and finally Belletti connects with a knock down from Di Santo and its 1-1.
So we celebrate an equaliser against the team with the worst away record in the league - hardly acceptable but ..... on 90mins Kalou picks up the ball in his own half and runs at Stoke only to be brought down on the edge of the box. The free kick is tailor made for Lamps but for some reason Belletti flicks it wastefully into the Stoke wall. On 92mins a fabulous cross field pass from Lamps finds Stoch and his drive is parried by Sorensen. With 30seconds to go and a shot from Anelka breaks on the edge of the box to Lamps whop drives it home - What a turn around. !! Unbelievable scenes as the team and bench go wild....
OK so its a well overdue home win but ....... it was against Stoke and incredibly lucky - just hope this is that start of something better. COME ON U BLUES
Its a nervy start as an early Delap throw causes havoc in a strange zone come man-to-man hybrid. But from then on its all Chelsea as they park in the Stoke half. Lots of possession and half chances - Ballack hits a free kick straight at Sorensen and on 23mins Lamps whips in a free kick which beats the entire Stoke defence but Kalou knocks the chance over the bar. Kalou is brought down in the box 2mins later but the ref is having none of it. On 32mins, a lovely exchange of passes on the edge of the box breaks to Anelka but his snap shot is well saved by Sorensen. You believe a goal must be coming but again the Blues are denied on 42mins as a goal bound Ashley Cole strike is deflected over. In the last 2mins Lamps twice lets rip from the edge of the box but both times Sorensen gets his gloves behind the ball. Its been all Chelsea but the first half ends goalless.
No changes at half time and its the same pattern - first a driven free kick from Lamps and the Bozzy drives over. On 50mins a flowing move ends with Malouda floating a simple cross which Ballack somehow heads wide when completely unmarked. Apart from one Beattie effort its been all Chelsea but on the hour Beattie feeds Delap whop works his way into the box and lifts the ball over Cech. We're loosing at home to the team with the worst away record in the league and the response is to swap Malouda with Di Santo. With 63 mins its nearly 2-0 as Cech comes and flaps at a Delap throw but its scrambled away. A lovely exchange with Anelka a minute later sets Lamps free but he drags his shot wide. On 69mins the ball is fed out to Ash and his cross / shot eludes everyone. This is not our day (or season ?). Jedi, Ballack and Alex all blast over and this is looking desperate as first Belletti and then Stoch come on for Bozzy and Jedi respectively with 5mins to go and finally Belletti connects with a knock down from Di Santo and its 1-1.
So we celebrate an equaliser against the team with the worst away record in the league - hardly acceptable but ..... on 90mins Kalou picks up the ball in his own half and runs at Stoke only to be brought down on the edge of the box. The free kick is tailor made for Lamps but for some reason Belletti flicks it wastefully into the Stoke wall. On 92mins a fabulous cross field pass from Lamps finds Stoch and his drive is parried by Sorensen. With 30seconds to go and a shot from Anelka breaks on the edge of the box to Lamps whop drives it home - What a turn around. !! Unbelievable scenes as the team and bench go wild....
OK so its a well overdue home win but ....... it was against Stoke and incredibly lucky - just hope this is that start of something better. COME ON U BLUES
Sunday, 11 January 2009
Wednesday, 7 January 2009
Go Spotify...
A friend recently told me about a music service called Spotify .... and I love it !!
Spotify is an online and growing library of music which is streamed incredibly quickly and with excellent audio quality (160Kbps Ogg - equivalent to 192Kbps MP3). If you use the free service (why wouldn't you ??) you are interrupted every 20mins or so, but between tracks, by adverts, coming in the form of banners around the player, short audio clips etc You can pay £9.99 / month to go ad free but .......
Currently the service is supported by major labels like Universal, Sony BMG, EMI and Warner Music so there's plenty of content but perhaps the most surprising thing about Spotify is its performance. Its like bl**dy lightning. Compared to iTunes (yuk), its often quicker to play music on Spotify than it is to access and play music on your PC.
Try it - your ears will love you forever.
Spotify is an online and growing library of music which is streamed incredibly quickly and with excellent audio quality (160Kbps Ogg - equivalent to 192Kbps MP3). If you use the free service (why wouldn't you ??) you are interrupted every 20mins or so, but between tracks, by adverts, coming in the form of banners around the player, short audio clips etc You can pay £9.99 / month to go ad free but .......
Currently the service is supported by major labels like Universal, Sony BMG, EMI and Warner Music so there's plenty of content but perhaps the most surprising thing about Spotify is its performance. Its like bl**dy lightning. Compared to iTunes (yuk), its often quicker to play music on Spotify than it is to access and play music on your PC.
Try it - your ears will love you forever.
Sunday, 4 January 2009
FA Cup 3rd Round Chelsea 1 - 1 Southend
Another home game, another catalog of missed chances, heroic defending from the opposition and finally another victory thrown away in the dying minutes.
This is starting to occur with alarming regularity. We need a new plan (or 3) and maybe some finishing practise
Read it here > Southend Snatch Chelsea Draw
and here > Scolari rues goal-shy Chelsea
I just cant bring myself to comment further
This is starting to occur with alarming regularity. We need a new plan (or 3) and maybe some finishing practise
Read it here > Southend Snatch Chelsea Draw
and here > Scolari rues goal-shy Chelsea
I just cant bring myself to comment further
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