Chelsea qualified for the knockout stage of the Champions League with a second-half demolition of Spartak Moscow at Stamford Bridge.
After a lacklustre opening half, Chelsea made it four straight wins in Group F thanks to goals from Nicolas Anelka, two from Branislav Ivanovic and a penalty from Didier Drogba.
Substitute Nikita Bazhenov scored a late consolation goal for the Russians in the 86th minute.
Chelsea, requiring a win for automatic qualification to the knockout stage, were slow to get into their stride and could have conceded a goal as early as the seventh minute.
John Obi Mikel was guilty of losing possession and when Chelsea failed to clear the ball, Aiden McGeady fired just wide of Petr Cech's right-hand upright.
Moments later, Spartak goalkeeper Andriy Dykan required lengthy treatment after a collision with Drogba.
Chelsea responded with their first real attack of the game and Yury Zhirkov won a corner after some fine attacking play on the left-flank.
But they failed to make their advantage pay and Spartak once again took the game to the English champions.
However, the Chelsea defence ensured that Spartak were limited to long-range shots and Welliton's effort in the 12th minute was well wide.
Two minutes later, Chelsea's France international Nicolas Anelka cut inside from the left win and curled a stunning shot just beyond the far post from 20 yards.
In the 22nd minute, Drogba collected a pass from Ramires and forced Dykan into a fine save at the near post as Chelsea increased the pressure.
Spartak were beginning to push Chelsea deeper towards their own goal but they failed to create a clear-cut opening.
In the 31st minute though Chelsea engineered another opportunity to open the scoring.
A corner from Yury Zhirkov was met by the head of Drogba but the Ivory Coast striker, captain in the absence of rested John Terry, could not hit the target.
But moments later Cech had to be at his best to punch away a dipping shot from Spartak captain Alex.
The Brazilian's low effort was destined for the bottom corner until Cech intervened.
The Russian were on top now with Chelsea chasing shadows for a change.
Dmitri Kombarov should have done better in the 40th minute when he was supplied by Alex on the edge of the penalty area, but his shot far too high to trouble Cech.
But Chelsea's Brazilian defender Alex should have put the home side ahead moments later when Branislav Ivanovic headed on Zhirkov's corner.
However the Chelsea player put the ball over the crossbar from point-blank range.
HT: Chelsea 0 Spartak Moscow 0
Chelsea broke the deadlock in the 48th minute when Salomon Kalou put Anelka in the clear and the France international made no mistake from an acute angle.
It was Anelka's fifth goal of the current European campaign and his 10th of the season.
But Spartak hit back immediately and Alex's deflected 20-yard shot had to be pushed away for a corner.
Chelsea made it two in the 61st minute after Evgeni Makeev brought down Drogba inside the penalty area.
The Ivory Coast striker picked himself up and planted a low spot-kick into the right corner of the net.
It was Drogba's first goal in Europe this season and put the Blues in total control of the game.
Chelsea sealed the victory in the 66th minute after Andrei Ivanov hauled down Kalou on the right-hand edge of the penalty area.
Drogba sent over the free-kick and Ivanovic got ahead of his marker to plant a firm header beyond Dykan.
The game was halted momentarily when a Russian fan ran on to the pitch before he was escorted off by Chelsea stewards.
Kalou should have added a fourth in the 75th minute but he sent a 20-yard rising drive over the bar.
The Chelsea striker then forced Dykan into a fine save in the 78th minute with a low drive from the edge of the penalty area.
Substitute Daniel Sturridge then missed a sitter from two yards before Nikita Bazhenov scored a consolation goal for the Russians, which looked distinctly offside.
However, Chelsea had the last word when Ivanovic scored his second in injury-time.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Blackburn 1v2 Chelsea
Scorer: Mwaruwari (21) Scorer: Anelka (39)
Scorer: Ivanovic (83)
Attendance: 25,836 FT (16:54)
Match Reports
Chelsea maintained a five-point gap at the top of the league with a battling if unspectacular victory at Ewood Park.
Goals in either half from Nicolas Anelka and Branislav Ivanovic were enough to overturn a deficit brought about by Benjani's early header, providing a win that for long stages had looked in doubt.
Blackburn had started the brighter and deservedly went in front midway through the first half with the Blues struggling to find any rhythm, but Carlo Ancelotti's men know how to scrap, and return unbeaten from Ewood Park for the fifth league game in a row.
Chelsea arrived in the north-west unbeaten, and un-breached, in five Premier League games with a five-point lead to match, but without a goal to show in either of our previous two Premier League outings on the road.
The major team news was the return of Alex to central defence after a four-week absence, the Brazilian replacing Jose Bosingwa who was rested for this tricky trip. Ivanovic moved out to right-back.
As has become customary for a Chelsea trip to Blackburn, the heavens opened around 15 minutes before kick-off and continued into the game, though it would put no dampener on what would become a bright Blue away day.
Blackburn are known for their battling abilities though and it was they who registered the first effort of the game, Morten Gamst Pedersen's sweetly struck half-volley stinging John Terry's thigh as the defender blocked the shot.
The captain had to be quick off the mark shortly afterwards to deflect Mame Biram Diouf's effort behind as Rovers forced the first corner.
Diouf then sent an innocuous chip straight at Petr Cech, but the goalkeeper slipped at a critical moment, and had to quickly recover his footing to tip it behind, then preventing Benjani's low toe-poke with his legs.
The home side were clearly on top, some would argue dominant, and they deservedly took the lead after 21 minutes, when El-Hadji Diouf was afforded space on the left to cross, and picked out Benjani, making his first league start for Rovers, to head home from six yards.
Chelsea responded well, forcing a corner, but then allowed Blackburn to break, and El-Hadji Diouf's cross looked like it would provide a second goal in a matter of four minutes only for Cech to tip it away to safety.
At the other end Yury Zhirkov had a shot blocked by a flying Christopher Samba, and Michael Essien bent one just the wrong side of the post, but the away side still did not look so threatening.
Time to revert to Plan B then, rather than trying to pass it through a rigid Rovers defence, Florent Malouda opted for the more direct route, slinging over a cross from deep on the left towards Drogba, who nodded down into Nicolas Anelka's path for the Frenchman to level the scores.
It was his ninth of the season and set Chelsea up for an improved second period.
At half-time Blackburn manager Sam Alllardyce replaced his goalscorer with Jason Roberts, who would provide a more physical presence.
Ten minutes in, Ashley Cole passed up a great chance to give Chelsea the lead, slicing wide after Malouda had crossed from the right, where he had taken up residence since the break.
On the hour, Zhirkov was the beneficiary of a deflection which threw the ball into his path inside the Blackburn area, but his shot was tame enough for Paul Robinson to parry, and then Samba's gangly frame was just too short to slide Rovers back in front after the ball had bounced around the Chelsea area towards the far post.
Eight minutes later there were more Chelsea chances, first Anelka and then Drogba firing at home defenders.
Carlo Ancelotti was by now thinking about changes, and Daniel Sturridge replaced Malouda for the final 19 minutes.
It took the 21-year-old just two minutes to make an impact, beating two men before firing hard and high into the side netting from distance. Much of the travelling support thought it had gone in.
Ivanovic was booked for a tug on Phil Jones after surrendering possession inside the Blackburn half, and then Ryan Nelsen joined him for the same crime on Drogba, in almost exactly the same position on the pitch - that it was only a yellow for the Kiwi might be seen as fortuitous.
Either side of this Rovers had two golden opportunities, first Mame Biram Diouf, now the only Diouf left on the field, headed straight at Cech, and then Roberts slotted past the keeper but wide of the post after beating Cole.
Just as you were beginning to think the win might prove elusive, the winner arrived, and from an unlikely source.
Ivanovic only seems to score against sides from this part of the world, Liverpool, Bolton, and now Blackburn, popping up at the far post to nod home, unmarked, after some patient build-up had resulted in Zhirkov chipping across the box from a tight angle.
What timing from the Serbian, just how important these three points prove to be remains to be seen, but Blackburn is no easy place to come, and this will be one of our harder fought wins of the season.
Scorer: Ivanovic (83)
Attendance: 25,836 FT (16:54)
Match Reports
Chelsea maintained a five-point gap at the top of the league with a battling if unspectacular victory at Ewood Park.
Goals in either half from Nicolas Anelka and Branislav Ivanovic were enough to overturn a deficit brought about by Benjani's early header, providing a win that for long stages had looked in doubt.
Blackburn had started the brighter and deservedly went in front midway through the first half with the Blues struggling to find any rhythm, but Carlo Ancelotti's men know how to scrap, and return unbeaten from Ewood Park for the fifth league game in a row.
Chelsea arrived in the north-west unbeaten, and un-breached, in five Premier League games with a five-point lead to match, but without a goal to show in either of our previous two Premier League outings on the road.
The major team news was the return of Alex to central defence after a four-week absence, the Brazilian replacing Jose Bosingwa who was rested for this tricky trip. Ivanovic moved out to right-back.
As has become customary for a Chelsea trip to Blackburn, the heavens opened around 15 minutes before kick-off and continued into the game, though it would put no dampener on what would become a bright Blue away day.
Blackburn are known for their battling abilities though and it was they who registered the first effort of the game, Morten Gamst Pedersen's sweetly struck half-volley stinging John Terry's thigh as the defender blocked the shot.
The captain had to be quick off the mark shortly afterwards to deflect Mame Biram Diouf's effort behind as Rovers forced the first corner.
Diouf then sent an innocuous chip straight at Petr Cech, but the goalkeeper slipped at a critical moment, and had to quickly recover his footing to tip it behind, then preventing Benjani's low toe-poke with his legs.
The home side were clearly on top, some would argue dominant, and they deservedly took the lead after 21 minutes, when El-Hadji Diouf was afforded space on the left to cross, and picked out Benjani, making his first league start for Rovers, to head home from six yards.
Chelsea responded well, forcing a corner, but then allowed Blackburn to break, and El-Hadji Diouf's cross looked like it would provide a second goal in a matter of four minutes only for Cech to tip it away to safety.
At the other end Yury Zhirkov had a shot blocked by a flying Christopher Samba, and Michael Essien bent one just the wrong side of the post, but the away side still did not look so threatening.
Time to revert to Plan B then, rather than trying to pass it through a rigid Rovers defence, Florent Malouda opted for the more direct route, slinging over a cross from deep on the left towards Drogba, who nodded down into Nicolas Anelka's path for the Frenchman to level the scores.
It was his ninth of the season and set Chelsea up for an improved second period.
At half-time Blackburn manager Sam Alllardyce replaced his goalscorer with Jason Roberts, who would provide a more physical presence.
Ten minutes in, Ashley Cole passed up a great chance to give Chelsea the lead, slicing wide after Malouda had crossed from the right, where he had taken up residence since the break.
On the hour, Zhirkov was the beneficiary of a deflection which threw the ball into his path inside the Blackburn area, but his shot was tame enough for Paul Robinson to parry, and then Samba's gangly frame was just too short to slide Rovers back in front after the ball had bounced around the Chelsea area towards the far post.
Eight minutes later there were more Chelsea chances, first Anelka and then Drogba firing at home defenders.
Carlo Ancelotti was by now thinking about changes, and Daniel Sturridge replaced Malouda for the final 19 minutes.
It took the 21-year-old just two minutes to make an impact, beating two men before firing hard and high into the side netting from distance. Much of the travelling support thought it had gone in.
Ivanovic was booked for a tug on Phil Jones after surrendering possession inside the Blackburn half, and then Ryan Nelsen joined him for the same crime on Drogba, in almost exactly the same position on the pitch - that it was only a yellow for the Kiwi might be seen as fortuitous.
Either side of this Rovers had two golden opportunities, first Mame Biram Diouf, now the only Diouf left on the field, headed straight at Cech, and then Roberts slotted past the keeper but wide of the post after beating Cole.
Just as you were beginning to think the win might prove elusive, the winner arrived, and from an unlikely source.
Ivanovic only seems to score against sides from this part of the world, Liverpool, Bolton, and now Blackburn, popping up at the far post to nod home, unmarked, after some patient build-up had resulted in Zhirkov chipping across the box from a tight angle.
What timing from the Serbian, just how important these three points prove to be remains to be seen, but Blackburn is no easy place to come, and this will be one of our harder fought wins of the season.
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Chelsea 2 - 0 Wolverhampton
Malouda has now scored seven league in a blistering start to the season
Premier League pacesetters Chelsea stretched their lead to five points with a hard-fought victory over Wolves.
The visitors created several chances in an open game with David Edwards and Kevin Doyle both going close.
But Chelsea's attacking quality told and Florent Malouda calmly sidefooted them ahead from Yuri Zhirkov's pass.
The champions wasted a number of chances but sealed the win late on when substitute Salomon Kalou slid the ball home after a sweet move.
Kalou's late clinching second, after a glorious piece of interplay involving Michael Essien and Didier Drogba, was probably deserved but Mick McCarthy's men played a full part in an entertaining game.
And although they were out-chanced, they could point to several good opportunities and were unlucky not to score the first away league goal at Stamford Bridge since March.
That said, the Blues, who are now eight points clear of both Manchester United and Arsenal and five ahead of Manchester City, played with supreme confidence and total fluency and could and should have added to their tally.
Wolves made a promising start, winning three corners and they looked eager not to sit back and allow Chelsea to dominate possession.
The pace of Matthew Jarvis posed more than a few problems down the right flank in the first 30 minutes and Mick McCarthy's men were happy to commit men forward despite their solid 4-5-1 line-up.
David Edwards failed to get a meaty connection on one teasing Jarvis cross and headed tamely at Petr Cech. And both Jelle Van Damme and Doyle should have done better with headed chances from Jarvis centres.
But after a slow first 10 minutes, Chelsea started playing with supreme confidence in attack and their willingness to let full-backs Ashley Cole and Jose Bosingwa bomb forward led to a raft of chances.
One such raid saw Bosingwa - making his first start in 13 months after a knee injury - race into the box but his sweet strike was brilliantly diverted wide of the post by Marcus Hahnemann.
Bosingwa and Cole were virtually playing as wingers.
And although the attacking approach did leave them exposed on a couple of occasions it led to the opening goal when the pace and movement of Drogba, Nicolas Anelka, the impressive Zhirkov and Malouda finally proved too much for the Black Country side.
Anelka showed speed of mind and speed of foot to work the ball into Zhirkov and the Russian's astute pull-back was easily turned in by the goal-hungry Malouda
But home fans' hopes of another goal-fest following the Frenchman's seventh goal in the league in nine games this season were not met.
Wolves replied with a couple of Nenad Milijas shots as they started to commit more men forward which inevitably led to Chelsea carving out chances on the break.
Cole failed to make the most of a two-on-one break from a Wolves set-piece and a glorious pass from Zhirkov teed up the rampaging Bosingwa but Hahnemann saved with his feet at the front post.
Wolves introduced Stephen Hunt for his Premier League debut after the interval and the winger - who was booed by Blues fans throughout for his involvement in Petr Cech's terrible injury in 2006 - almost scored with a header within moments of coming on but his header was cleared off the line by Michael Essien.
Quick feet and a fine low shot from Kevin Doyle then forced Cech into action at his near post and Doyle also had a close-range header saved by the Chelsea keeper.
At the other end Drogba wasted a glorious one-on-one opening as Hahnemann flew out of area to tackle the Ivorian and Essien curled an 18-yard strike over the bar.
But Chelsea finally sealed their fifth home win in five games when Kalou slotted home
Premier League pacesetters Chelsea stretched their lead to five points with a hard-fought victory over Wolves.
The visitors created several chances in an open game with David Edwards and Kevin Doyle both going close.
But Chelsea's attacking quality told and Florent Malouda calmly sidefooted them ahead from Yuri Zhirkov's pass.
The champions wasted a number of chances but sealed the win late on when substitute Salomon Kalou slid the ball home after a sweet move.
Kalou's late clinching second, after a glorious piece of interplay involving Michael Essien and Didier Drogba, was probably deserved but Mick McCarthy's men played a full part in an entertaining game.
And although they were out-chanced, they could point to several good opportunities and were unlucky not to score the first away league goal at Stamford Bridge since March.
That said, the Blues, who are now eight points clear of both Manchester United and Arsenal and five ahead of Manchester City, played with supreme confidence and total fluency and could and should have added to their tally.
Wolves made a promising start, winning three corners and they looked eager not to sit back and allow Chelsea to dominate possession.
The pace of Matthew Jarvis posed more than a few problems down the right flank in the first 30 minutes and Mick McCarthy's men were happy to commit men forward despite their solid 4-5-1 line-up.
David Edwards failed to get a meaty connection on one teasing Jarvis cross and headed tamely at Petr Cech. And both Jelle Van Damme and Doyle should have done better with headed chances from Jarvis centres.
But after a slow first 10 minutes, Chelsea started playing with supreme confidence in attack and their willingness to let full-backs Ashley Cole and Jose Bosingwa bomb forward led to a raft of chances.
One such raid saw Bosingwa - making his first start in 13 months after a knee injury - race into the box but his sweet strike was brilliantly diverted wide of the post by Marcus Hahnemann.
Bosingwa and Cole were virtually playing as wingers.
And although the attacking approach did leave them exposed on a couple of occasions it led to the opening goal when the pace and movement of Drogba, Nicolas Anelka, the impressive Zhirkov and Malouda finally proved too much for the Black Country side.
Anelka showed speed of mind and speed of foot to work the ball into Zhirkov and the Russian's astute pull-back was easily turned in by the goal-hungry Malouda
But home fans' hopes of another goal-fest following the Frenchman's seventh goal in the league in nine games this season were not met.
Wolves replied with a couple of Nenad Milijas shots as they started to commit more men forward which inevitably led to Chelsea carving out chances on the break.
Cole failed to make the most of a two-on-one break from a Wolves set-piece and a glorious pass from Zhirkov teed up the rampaging Bosingwa but Hahnemann saved with his feet at the front post.
Wolves introduced Stephen Hunt for his Premier League debut after the interval and the winger - who was booed by Blues fans throughout for his involvement in Petr Cech's terrible injury in 2006 - almost scored with a header within moments of coming on but his header was cleared off the line by Michael Essien.
Quick feet and a fine low shot from Kevin Doyle then forced Cech into action at his near post and Doyle also had a close-range header saved by the Chelsea keeper.
At the other end Drogba wasted a glorious one-on-one opening as Hahnemann flew out of area to tackle the Ivorian and Essien curled an 18-yard strike over the bar.
But Chelsea finally sealed their fifth home win in five games when Kalou slotted home
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Chelsea 3v4 Newcastle
Match Reports
Plenty of entertainment but plenty of mistakes at Stamford Bridge as a much-changed Chelsea side suffered a first home domestic cup defeat for two years.
Patrick van Aanholt, one of the four young starters revealed yesterday by Carlo Ancelotti, gave the Blues an early lead against the club he represented on loan last season, but we were 2-1 down by half-time.
Matters got decidedly worse after the break as Newcastle quickly scored a third and then two senior squad players were forced off through injury. Salomon Kalou's departure had required a third sub used as two changes were made at the break so when Yossi Benayoun was also forced off, Chelsea were down to 10 men for the final half-hour.
Still they fought back and first Anelka finished well from a good move before he converted the calmest of penalties inside the final five minutes.
Yet Newcastle, who had proved a physical test all game, finally won it from a set-piece, Shola Ameobi heading in a corner with two minutes on the clock.
There were mixed fortunes for young and old on the pitch, Ancelotti selecting juniors in defence and attack but an experienced midfield of Ramires, Benayoun and Zhirkov. It was Josh McEachran, a second-half sub, who impressed more.
Among the unused subs for the first time were 17-year-old right-back/right midfielder Billy Clifford and 15-year-old central defender/midfielder Nathaniel Chalobah who would, had he come on, have taken Ian 'Chico' Hamilton's record as Chelsea's youngest player.
Zhirkov's was the first shot of the game, after three minutes, hooked wide. The second Chelsea attempt gave Van Aanholt his first Chelsea goal.
Continuing the recent happy habit of early Chelsea goals, this one took just five minutes. Of all the young players starting tonight, the 20-year-old Dutch left-back was probably the least fancied to score but he robbed a dozing Nile Ranger, exchanged passes with Kakuta, and although shooting close to fellow Dutchman Krul, the Newcastle keeper's save was a weak one and the ball was diverted high into the net with Van Aanholt leaping away in triumph.
That should have settled some nerves but Sol Campbell from a corner wasn't too far away from a rapid equaliser.
Ryan Taylor, who would later make a more positive contribution to his team, was the game's first booking on 10 minutes when he sent Kakuta flying with a chop across the shins.
Chelsea's passing in the final third wasn't quite reaching its targets with Kakuta, perhaps trying too hard to impress, failing with a couple of difficult passes.
However on 24 minutes the 19-year-old struck the delivery of the game so far, from wide on the left and fired in with such velocity that Krul did well to push it away, Anelka poised to capitalise.
Newcastle equalised two minutes later in what was proving an open first half. It was a goal of several Chelsea mistakes, Ferguson allowed to advance from left back and hit a cross unchallenged that Terry couldn't head away. Van Aanholt was there at the far post but was unaware of Ranger just behind him, the young Englishman turning the ball in.
Ranger could have had a rapid second from a near identical position but kicked air. The Tynesiders needed only wait until the 32nd minute to take the lead.
Bruma was being tested by Ameobi and was booked for pulling back the striker. The free-kick was in a dangerous location and Taylor's strike was sweet and wide of the wall, although not heading for the very corner. Turnbull was beaten and Newcastle were suddenly looking strong.
Van Aanholt did well to slide and save a cross reaching near-certain scorers after Ameobi had powered away from Bruma and beaten Turnbull with his ball across.
The Newcastle man was then the next name in to the book for a wild challenge, his on Ferreira.
The Blues improved in stoppage time but were lacking control in midfield. Ancelotti had some work to do.
One of his changes was a planned one - Alex for Terry; Kalou for Kakuta was due a back injury obtained in Taylor's early foul challenge.
The response was not the one wanted as the Blues went 3-1 down just three minutes into the second half. This time it was the experienced Ferreira first at fault, carelessly passing inside. Ameobi latched on to it and although the shot was low, it was no rocket but still it beat Turnbull.
The bad news kept coming. Kalou, sprinting into the area clutched his thigh and dropped to the floor. It was a muscle injury bad enough for him to be carried off on a stretcher. Seventeen-year-old McEachran was the sub for the sub, and soon launched a 20-yard shot at the keeper.
On 62 minutes it was Benayoun's turn to go down, the Israeli instantly signalling his night was up. Chelsea would play on with 10 men.
Sturridge had earlier hit a free-kick into the wall and when another was won, Bruma had a go with the same result but Alex cracked the rebound and Krul had to save well.
Lovenkrands should have made it 4-1 after the Chelsea defence was outmanoeuvred but the former Rangers man shot wide and then Nile Ranger scooped over as Turnbull dived at his feet.
Chelsea's second, scored on 69 minutes was the goal of the game so far, the ball played down the left to Van Aanholt, a willing forward runner all game, who swept it to Anelka for a perfectly placed shot across the keeper.
Now it was the Blues on the front foot. McEachran, comfortable with the ball at his feet and making himself available, had given the team something they had been missing in the centre of the park.
Into the final 10 minutes and there was still much to play for, Sturridge slipped unfortunately as he chased a Ferreira pass into the area and then Turnbull blocked and then grabbed a Ranger header.
Anelka was next to show, drifting in from the left and testing Krul with a thunderous shot. How different that was from his penalty that levelled scores with five minutes to play. Alex, to Newcastle disgust, was judged to have been fouled by Williamson as he turned away from goal. Anelka simply rolled the spot kick gently into the bottom corner.
Extra-time looked inevitable but with 88 minutes played the Geordies won a corner and Ameobi, one of the few players who could beat Alex to the ball, did so to power a header in.
McEachran, with tight control, worked a shooting opportunity in the six minutes stoppage time played, but his effort went wide, although the real hearts-in-mouth moment came from a howitzer volley from of all people, Paulo Ferreira before Newcastle's winner.
Last year in this competition at Blackburn, the Portuguese was on-target late on to send a 10-men Chelsea (after another Kalou injury) into extra-time. This time it bounced off the outside of the post and we would go out of the Carling Cup.
Plenty of entertainment but plenty of mistakes at Stamford Bridge as a much-changed Chelsea side suffered a first home domestic cup defeat for two years.
Patrick van Aanholt, one of the four young starters revealed yesterday by Carlo Ancelotti, gave the Blues an early lead against the club he represented on loan last season, but we were 2-1 down by half-time.
Matters got decidedly worse after the break as Newcastle quickly scored a third and then two senior squad players were forced off through injury. Salomon Kalou's departure had required a third sub used as two changes were made at the break so when Yossi Benayoun was also forced off, Chelsea were down to 10 men for the final half-hour.
Still they fought back and first Anelka finished well from a good move before he converted the calmest of penalties inside the final five minutes.
Yet Newcastle, who had proved a physical test all game, finally won it from a set-piece, Shola Ameobi heading in a corner with two minutes on the clock.
There were mixed fortunes for young and old on the pitch, Ancelotti selecting juniors in defence and attack but an experienced midfield of Ramires, Benayoun and Zhirkov. It was Josh McEachran, a second-half sub, who impressed more.
Among the unused subs for the first time were 17-year-old right-back/right midfielder Billy Clifford and 15-year-old central defender/midfielder Nathaniel Chalobah who would, had he come on, have taken Ian 'Chico' Hamilton's record as Chelsea's youngest player.
Zhirkov's was the first shot of the game, after three minutes, hooked wide. The second Chelsea attempt gave Van Aanholt his first Chelsea goal.
Continuing the recent happy habit of early Chelsea goals, this one took just five minutes. Of all the young players starting tonight, the 20-year-old Dutch left-back was probably the least fancied to score but he robbed a dozing Nile Ranger, exchanged passes with Kakuta, and although shooting close to fellow Dutchman Krul, the Newcastle keeper's save was a weak one and the ball was diverted high into the net with Van Aanholt leaping away in triumph.
That should have settled some nerves but Sol Campbell from a corner wasn't too far away from a rapid equaliser.
Ryan Taylor, who would later make a more positive contribution to his team, was the game's first booking on 10 minutes when he sent Kakuta flying with a chop across the shins.
Chelsea's passing in the final third wasn't quite reaching its targets with Kakuta, perhaps trying too hard to impress, failing with a couple of difficult passes.
However on 24 minutes the 19-year-old struck the delivery of the game so far, from wide on the left and fired in with such velocity that Krul did well to push it away, Anelka poised to capitalise.
Newcastle equalised two minutes later in what was proving an open first half. It was a goal of several Chelsea mistakes, Ferguson allowed to advance from left back and hit a cross unchallenged that Terry couldn't head away. Van Aanholt was there at the far post but was unaware of Ranger just behind him, the young Englishman turning the ball in.
Ranger could have had a rapid second from a near identical position but kicked air. The Tynesiders needed only wait until the 32nd minute to take the lead.
Bruma was being tested by Ameobi and was booked for pulling back the striker. The free-kick was in a dangerous location and Taylor's strike was sweet and wide of the wall, although not heading for the very corner. Turnbull was beaten and Newcastle were suddenly looking strong.
Van Aanholt did well to slide and save a cross reaching near-certain scorers after Ameobi had powered away from Bruma and beaten Turnbull with his ball across.
The Newcastle man was then the next name in to the book for a wild challenge, his on Ferreira.
The Blues improved in stoppage time but were lacking control in midfield. Ancelotti had some work to do.
One of his changes was a planned one - Alex for Terry; Kalou for Kakuta was due a back injury obtained in Taylor's early foul challenge.
The response was not the one wanted as the Blues went 3-1 down just three minutes into the second half. This time it was the experienced Ferreira first at fault, carelessly passing inside. Ameobi latched on to it and although the shot was low, it was no rocket but still it beat Turnbull.
The bad news kept coming. Kalou, sprinting into the area clutched his thigh and dropped to the floor. It was a muscle injury bad enough for him to be carried off on a stretcher. Seventeen-year-old McEachran was the sub for the sub, and soon launched a 20-yard shot at the keeper.
On 62 minutes it was Benayoun's turn to go down, the Israeli instantly signalling his night was up. Chelsea would play on with 10 men.
Sturridge had earlier hit a free-kick into the wall and when another was won, Bruma had a go with the same result but Alex cracked the rebound and Krul had to save well.
Lovenkrands should have made it 4-1 after the Chelsea defence was outmanoeuvred but the former Rangers man shot wide and then Nile Ranger scooped over as Turnbull dived at his feet.
Chelsea's second, scored on 69 minutes was the goal of the game so far, the ball played down the left to Van Aanholt, a willing forward runner all game, who swept it to Anelka for a perfectly placed shot across the keeper.
Now it was the Blues on the front foot. McEachran, comfortable with the ball at his feet and making himself available, had given the team something they had been missing in the centre of the park.
Into the final 10 minutes and there was still much to play for, Sturridge slipped unfortunately as he chased a Ferreira pass into the area and then Turnbull blocked and then grabbed a Ranger header.
Anelka was next to show, drifting in from the left and testing Krul with a thunderous shot. How different that was from his penalty that levelled scores with five minutes to play. Alex, to Newcastle disgust, was judged to have been fouled by Williamson as he turned away from goal. Anelka simply rolled the spot kick gently into the bottom corner.
Extra-time looked inevitable but with 88 minutes played the Geordies won a corner and Ameobi, one of the few players who could beat Alex to the ball, did so to power a header in.
McEachran, with tight control, worked a shooting opportunity in the six minutes stoppage time played, but his effort went wide, although the real hearts-in-mouth moment came from a howitzer volley from of all people, Paulo Ferreira before Newcastle's winner.
Last year in this competition at Blackburn, the Portuguese was on-target late on to send a 10-men Chelsea (after another Kalou injury) into extra-time. This time it bounced off the outside of the post and we would go out of the Carling Cup.
Chelsea 2v0 Arsenal
Chelsea 2v0 Arsenal
Match Reports
The inspirational finishing of Didier Drogba and the power of Alex produced the goals that decided the London derby and made it five straight wins over Arsenal.
They know all about him, they heard all the talk before the game but still they can't stop him. A first-half when both sides found space in the opposition half and saw chances come and go was drawing to an end when Didier Drogba converted an Ashley Cole ball from close range to score his 13th goal in 11 starts against the Gunners.
However if Stamford Bridge was expecting more of the same, even contest between the sides in the second-half it was disappointed as the away side took greater control of the game in a way that will have Arsene Wenger, if true to past form, claiming some sort of moral victory but their Achilles heel was exposed and they couldn't finish the pressure off.
Chelsea missed the chance to extend our lead near the hour-mark when Nicolas Anelka missed the type of chance you would put your house on him scoring but the Blues weren't made to pay, and we also suffered a couple of erroneous offside calls that prevented further goals.
Alex smashed in a free-kick with five minutes left on the clock and then it was the home team's turn to spurn openings. It was a Chelsea-Arsenal game with so much familiar about it, even with new players in both sides.
Carlo Ancelotti kept faith with the 11 that had started the defeat at Man City so Ramires tasted this London derby for the first time. Arsene Wenger made one change from his setback against West Brom the same day, Jack WIlshere returning to midfield with Emmanuel Eboue making way, and in a tactical tweak he pushed Abou Diaby into an attacking midfield role, and not without an impact.
Arsenal soon showed Chelsea would have to work hard for the three points by issuing a vigorous wake-up call after just 28 seconds.
Sagna crossed towards the penalty spot and Chamakh dived in front of Alex to head just wide. It didn't get any more secure for the Blues when the corner that followed flicked off Malouda and was headed over from just two yards out by Koscielny.
Drogba left Sagna on the seat of his shorts in his first physical contest and then fired a second-minute free kick well over.
Chelsea wee testing the new-look Arsenal rearguard with aerial balls. Malouda looped a shot over after their central defence dithered in dealing with a JT punt upfield.
It was true end-to-end stuff in the opening stages with Cech asked to save down low from Arshavin on seven minutes.
Drogba was looking very lively and popping up on the right, he skinned Clichy and belted the ball across to where Malouda lost out to Koscielny.
Then the Ivorian was only a yard or so away from finishing off a scintillating counter attack that was begun by Essien charging away from a foul challenge by Wilshere.
On 18 minutes the Essien-Drogba corner combination could have paid off again when the Ghanaian met the delivery with a thumping header but he diverted it wide.
A run of Chelsea chances came to an end on 27 minutes when Arshavin was afforded space to shoot from wide out on the left and Cech executed one of his saves of the season so far to tip the ball away from the top corner.Then Nasri cut inside Ramires and let fly as Terry slid in, but this time the attempt was off target.
On 34 minutes Essien and Drogba combined in open player, Drogba leaving his marker on the floor as he burst away onto a pass down the right-hand side of the area. The shot was accurate but a good height for Fabianski to save.
The breakthrough came on 39 minutes and goes down as Ramires's finest moment in a Chelsea shirt so far.
He won the ball deep inside the Arsenal half and after receiving it back off Mikel, drove a perfectly weighted ball through the Arsenal defence for Cole to run on to and strike a first-time ball in towards the near post.
There was only one way for Drogba to score and he delivered. Diverting it off his heel, where fortune had favoured Carlos Tevez last week, so it did Chelsea this time as the ball bounced off the inside of the post and in.
Drogba after running away behind the Shed End goal in celebration, pointed to the sky, presumably a sign of sympathy for his manager's bereavement. Ashley Cole in the Shed End/East Stand corner enjoyed the goal too.
Chamakh tried to con the ref into awarding a penalty as he fell over Cech's stationary body early in the second half, and Arsenal caught Chelsea napping and won a corner on the break, one of three in quick succession as they again were sharpest out of the dressing room.
The pressure kept coming as a Diaby shot deflected off Cole and dropped wide of the Chelsea goal.
There then came a tale of two penalty decisions. Koscielny won the benefit of the doubt when he took the ball and Drogba at the same time in the area and then Ramires made a goal-saving challenge on Chamakh and again referee Mike Dean waved play on.
Arsenal were well on top yet ironically this was the spell when Chelsea could have gone a long way to putting the game to bed.
Squillaci dawdled as he ran the ball back towards his own goal, Anelka picked the pocket of his compatriot and went wide of Fabianski in text-book style but then with the goal gaping rolled his shot just wide.
On 69 minutes, Ashley Cole rifled Anelka's pass into the net but the whistle had gone for offside. Replays showed the Chelsea left-back was level with the last Arsenal defender.
On 72 minutes there was a direct swap of Ferreira on for Ivanovic and shortly after Chelsea finally broke the shackles to threaten the Arsenal goal once more.
Mikel it was who brought the ball under control and then the excellent Essien found the run of Anelka. This time his aim was true and although Fabianski could only push the ball back into play, it evaded Drogba's charge into the box.
Referee Dean had allowed the game to ebb and flow by showing restraint with his whistle and let at least two fouls go without a booking that many refs would have punished, but finally brought out the yellow when Ferreira brought down an attacking Rosicky.
Chelsea had a big escape when Rosicky sent over a cross soon after and Chamakh headed wide from six yards before the home team had every right to feel aggrieved over an offside flag when Ramires was played clean through. He had been a yard behind the defensive line.
Arsenal were looking stretched at the back when the Blues could push forward and Kosceinly was booked after he dragged Anelka to the ground 30 yards out.
Alex and Drogba lined up behind it but it always looked likely to be the Brazilian's turn. On Tuesday he hit the post, today he first found the gap left by Malouda pulling out the wall and then the top corner with an absolute screamer.
There were 85 minutes played. That was the game won, and Essien should have made Arsenal suffer further but their keeper saved one-on-one as the Ghanaian tried to chip over him.
The Pole had flapped once in the first half when he somehow pushed a ball from out wide back in front of his goal, but he did well again before the close when saving a powerful Malouda drive.
Stamford Bridge warmed up for one of those 'One Step Beyond' dances that follow our biggest home wins, but if there was anything that could put a slight dampener on the day it was more injuries.
A feature of the first half had been Arsenal players requiring treatment after seemingly routine challenges with some of Chelsea' strong men. But now it was Blues shirts leaving the pitch with neither Mikel nor Alex finishing the game. We were down to 10 men during stoppage time.
At least there is now a two-week international break for recovery, an interval we enter four points clear of the pack.
Match Reports
The inspirational finishing of Didier Drogba and the power of Alex produced the goals that decided the London derby and made it five straight wins over Arsenal.
They know all about him, they heard all the talk before the game but still they can't stop him. A first-half when both sides found space in the opposition half and saw chances come and go was drawing to an end when Didier Drogba converted an Ashley Cole ball from close range to score his 13th goal in 11 starts against the Gunners.
However if Stamford Bridge was expecting more of the same, even contest between the sides in the second-half it was disappointed as the away side took greater control of the game in a way that will have Arsene Wenger, if true to past form, claiming some sort of moral victory but their Achilles heel was exposed and they couldn't finish the pressure off.
Chelsea missed the chance to extend our lead near the hour-mark when Nicolas Anelka missed the type of chance you would put your house on him scoring but the Blues weren't made to pay, and we also suffered a couple of erroneous offside calls that prevented further goals.
Alex smashed in a free-kick with five minutes left on the clock and then it was the home team's turn to spurn openings. It was a Chelsea-Arsenal game with so much familiar about it, even with new players in both sides.
Carlo Ancelotti kept faith with the 11 that had started the defeat at Man City so Ramires tasted this London derby for the first time. Arsene Wenger made one change from his setback against West Brom the same day, Jack WIlshere returning to midfield with Emmanuel Eboue making way, and in a tactical tweak he pushed Abou Diaby into an attacking midfield role, and not without an impact.
Arsenal soon showed Chelsea would have to work hard for the three points by issuing a vigorous wake-up call after just 28 seconds.
Sagna crossed towards the penalty spot and Chamakh dived in front of Alex to head just wide. It didn't get any more secure for the Blues when the corner that followed flicked off Malouda and was headed over from just two yards out by Koscielny.
Drogba left Sagna on the seat of his shorts in his first physical contest and then fired a second-minute free kick well over.
Chelsea wee testing the new-look Arsenal rearguard with aerial balls. Malouda looped a shot over after their central defence dithered in dealing with a JT punt upfield.
It was true end-to-end stuff in the opening stages with Cech asked to save down low from Arshavin on seven minutes.
Drogba was looking very lively and popping up on the right, he skinned Clichy and belted the ball across to where Malouda lost out to Koscielny.
Then the Ivorian was only a yard or so away from finishing off a scintillating counter attack that was begun by Essien charging away from a foul challenge by Wilshere.
On 18 minutes the Essien-Drogba corner combination could have paid off again when the Ghanaian met the delivery with a thumping header but he diverted it wide.
A run of Chelsea chances came to an end on 27 minutes when Arshavin was afforded space to shoot from wide out on the left and Cech executed one of his saves of the season so far to tip the ball away from the top corner.Then Nasri cut inside Ramires and let fly as Terry slid in, but this time the attempt was off target.
On 34 minutes Essien and Drogba combined in open player, Drogba leaving his marker on the floor as he burst away onto a pass down the right-hand side of the area. The shot was accurate but a good height for Fabianski to save.
The breakthrough came on 39 minutes and goes down as Ramires's finest moment in a Chelsea shirt so far.
He won the ball deep inside the Arsenal half and after receiving it back off Mikel, drove a perfectly weighted ball through the Arsenal defence for Cole to run on to and strike a first-time ball in towards the near post.
There was only one way for Drogba to score and he delivered. Diverting it off his heel, where fortune had favoured Carlos Tevez last week, so it did Chelsea this time as the ball bounced off the inside of the post and in.
Drogba after running away behind the Shed End goal in celebration, pointed to the sky, presumably a sign of sympathy for his manager's bereavement. Ashley Cole in the Shed End/East Stand corner enjoyed the goal too.
Chamakh tried to con the ref into awarding a penalty as he fell over Cech's stationary body early in the second half, and Arsenal caught Chelsea napping and won a corner on the break, one of three in quick succession as they again were sharpest out of the dressing room.
The pressure kept coming as a Diaby shot deflected off Cole and dropped wide of the Chelsea goal.
There then came a tale of two penalty decisions. Koscielny won the benefit of the doubt when he took the ball and Drogba at the same time in the area and then Ramires made a goal-saving challenge on Chamakh and again referee Mike Dean waved play on.
Arsenal were well on top yet ironically this was the spell when Chelsea could have gone a long way to putting the game to bed.
Squillaci dawdled as he ran the ball back towards his own goal, Anelka picked the pocket of his compatriot and went wide of Fabianski in text-book style but then with the goal gaping rolled his shot just wide.
On 69 minutes, Ashley Cole rifled Anelka's pass into the net but the whistle had gone for offside. Replays showed the Chelsea left-back was level with the last Arsenal defender.
On 72 minutes there was a direct swap of Ferreira on for Ivanovic and shortly after Chelsea finally broke the shackles to threaten the Arsenal goal once more.
Mikel it was who brought the ball under control and then the excellent Essien found the run of Anelka. This time his aim was true and although Fabianski could only push the ball back into play, it evaded Drogba's charge into the box.
Referee Dean had allowed the game to ebb and flow by showing restraint with his whistle and let at least two fouls go without a booking that many refs would have punished, but finally brought out the yellow when Ferreira brought down an attacking Rosicky.
Chelsea had a big escape when Rosicky sent over a cross soon after and Chamakh headed wide from six yards before the home team had every right to feel aggrieved over an offside flag when Ramires was played clean through. He had been a yard behind the defensive line.
Arsenal were looking stretched at the back when the Blues could push forward and Kosceinly was booked after he dragged Anelka to the ground 30 yards out.
Alex and Drogba lined up behind it but it always looked likely to be the Brazilian's turn. On Tuesday he hit the post, today he first found the gap left by Malouda pulling out the wall and then the top corner with an absolute screamer.
There were 85 minutes played. That was the game won, and Essien should have made Arsenal suffer further but their keeper saved one-on-one as the Ghanaian tried to chip over him.
The Pole had flapped once in the first half when he somehow pushed a ball from out wide back in front of his goal, but he did well again before the close when saving a powerful Malouda drive.
Stamford Bridge warmed up for one of those 'One Step Beyond' dances that follow our biggest home wins, but if there was anything that could put a slight dampener on the day it was more injuries.
A feature of the first half had been Arsenal players requiring treatment after seemingly routine challenges with some of Chelsea' strong men. But now it was Blues shirts leaving the pitch with neither Mikel nor Alex finishing the game. We were down to 10 men during stoppage time.
At least there is now a two-week international break for recovery, an interval we enter four points clear of the pack.
Spartak Moscow 0v2 Chelsea
Match Reports
Yury Zhirkov's first Chelsea goal and Nicolas Anelka's 50th put the Blues on the verge of qualifying for the knockout stage of this season's Champions League.
The better side in a first half that yielded both goals, the visitors soaked up plenty of pressure after the break without ever truly looking like conceding and now sit clear at the top of Group F with a perfect nine points from three games.
The team made light of any concerns about the artificial surface and it was pretty much business as usual.
Carlo Ancelotti decided Ashley Cole and Michael Essien suffered no significant reaction to training on the pitch yesterday so started them both.
He brought fit-again Salomon Kalou into the front three in place of Gael Kakuta and having spoken glowingly about Zhirkov yesterday, asked him to take the place left in midfield by injured Ramires.
And what a reward the Italian was given by the Russian who lashed in the opener from outside the area midway through the opening period, followed by a typical Anelka finish shortly before the break.
The Blues had been the more dangerous but then showed our ability at the back after the interval with Petr Cech the busier of the two keepers, although Michael Essien should have added a third near the end.
Back at the start of the game, that was played in below-zero conditions, Kalou looped a shot over after four minutes and a quick-thinking combination between Malouda and Zhirkov threatened to put Anelka through. There was plenty of early possession for Chelsea.
The first injection of attacking pace however came from Spartak's right-back, Parshivlyuk, steaming from his own half past several blue shirts into the area. The ball moved square as Cole challenged and fell to unmarked Kombarov who fortunately blasted over.
The home side were finding their rhythm and Cech had to save with his feet at the near post after Kombarov was allowed to find Welliton who turned Ivanovic and shot.
Chelsea responded through Malouda who beat his man but shot wide from outside the area and through Cole who won the first corner of the game which was well defended.
Malouda took a second corner on 18 minutes but Essien headed tamely wide.
There was nothing tame about Zhirkov's contribution five minutes later as he picked out the top corner of the Spartak net from 25 yards, Mikel's pass headed back to the Russian by the home defence for a sweet strike of a bouncing ball.
Stunned silence in the packed Luzhniki was followed by a cacophony of whistles, but the former CSKA man was too busy celebrating with his team mates to notice.
Chelsea were looking good. Essien almost saw his cross deflected goalwards by a covering defender, and then Anelka raced away after a defensive mistake but took a touch too strong and the keeper intervened. The ball ran loose but Anelka, back in possession, failed to find a team mate.
The Blues centre-forward made no such mistake when given a second bite at the one-on-one cherry three minutes before half-time. Cutting inside chasing defender Parshivlyuk, this time he slotted expertly.
The Cech save apart, Spartak hadn't mounted a serious strike on target as the teams went down the tunnel at the break. Terry was enjoying physical superiority over Welliton, even if he did suffer one painful kick along the way.
The opening few minutes of the second half were lively. Welliton shot over, much to the home fans' derision and Anelka was dispossessed in the Spartak six-yard box.Then a goalbound shot from the Russian side was deflected over off the back of Terry.
Cech was much more busy than in the opening 45 minutes but was confidently catching every cross or shot.
He was properly extended by McGeady on 63 minutes however but tipped over and then punched another shot over the bar when the corner was played deep to Ibson.
There was a loose moment from the Chelsea keeper on an otherwise good night when he cleared with his feet straight to McGeady but the Blues survived.
The chance to put the game totally safe came Essien's way with 20 minutes left to play after Kalou slipped past his man out wide and Malouda helped the pass on, but the Ghanaian missed when well placed.
That build-up play was the last action for Kalou who was replaced by McEachran for the game's first substitution. Malouda made way for Kakuta with 10 minutes to play.
Before the end the only outfield player on the Chelsea bench out of his teens, Van Aanholt, was given some time on the pitch. The Dutch left-back is as old as 20!
The home crowd was given the chance to whistle Zhirkov further when he became the game's only booking for fouling Suchy, but by that stage many wearing red and white were heading for the exits, knowing their side had been well beaten.
Yury Zhirkov's first Chelsea goal and Nicolas Anelka's 50th put the Blues on the verge of qualifying for the knockout stage of this season's Champions League.
The better side in a first half that yielded both goals, the visitors soaked up plenty of pressure after the break without ever truly looking like conceding and now sit clear at the top of Group F with a perfect nine points from three games.
The team made light of any concerns about the artificial surface and it was pretty much business as usual.
Carlo Ancelotti decided Ashley Cole and Michael Essien suffered no significant reaction to training on the pitch yesterday so started them both.
He brought fit-again Salomon Kalou into the front three in place of Gael Kakuta and having spoken glowingly about Zhirkov yesterday, asked him to take the place left in midfield by injured Ramires.
And what a reward the Italian was given by the Russian who lashed in the opener from outside the area midway through the opening period, followed by a typical Anelka finish shortly before the break.
The Blues had been the more dangerous but then showed our ability at the back after the interval with Petr Cech the busier of the two keepers, although Michael Essien should have added a third near the end.
Back at the start of the game, that was played in below-zero conditions, Kalou looped a shot over after four minutes and a quick-thinking combination between Malouda and Zhirkov threatened to put Anelka through. There was plenty of early possession for Chelsea.
The first injection of attacking pace however came from Spartak's right-back, Parshivlyuk, steaming from his own half past several blue shirts into the area. The ball moved square as Cole challenged and fell to unmarked Kombarov who fortunately blasted over.
The home side were finding their rhythm and Cech had to save with his feet at the near post after Kombarov was allowed to find Welliton who turned Ivanovic and shot.
Chelsea responded through Malouda who beat his man but shot wide from outside the area and through Cole who won the first corner of the game which was well defended.
Malouda took a second corner on 18 minutes but Essien headed tamely wide.
There was nothing tame about Zhirkov's contribution five minutes later as he picked out the top corner of the Spartak net from 25 yards, Mikel's pass headed back to the Russian by the home defence for a sweet strike of a bouncing ball.
Stunned silence in the packed Luzhniki was followed by a cacophony of whistles, but the former CSKA man was too busy celebrating with his team mates to notice.
Chelsea were looking good. Essien almost saw his cross deflected goalwards by a covering defender, and then Anelka raced away after a defensive mistake but took a touch too strong and the keeper intervened. The ball ran loose but Anelka, back in possession, failed to find a team mate.
The Blues centre-forward made no such mistake when given a second bite at the one-on-one cherry three minutes before half-time. Cutting inside chasing defender Parshivlyuk, this time he slotted expertly.
The Cech save apart, Spartak hadn't mounted a serious strike on target as the teams went down the tunnel at the break. Terry was enjoying physical superiority over Welliton, even if he did suffer one painful kick along the way.
The opening few minutes of the second half were lively. Welliton shot over, much to the home fans' derision and Anelka was dispossessed in the Spartak six-yard box.Then a goalbound shot from the Russian side was deflected over off the back of Terry.
Cech was much more busy than in the opening 45 minutes but was confidently catching every cross or shot.
He was properly extended by McGeady on 63 minutes however but tipped over and then punched another shot over the bar when the corner was played deep to Ibson.
There was a loose moment from the Chelsea keeper on an otherwise good night when he cleared with his feet straight to McGeady but the Blues survived.
The chance to put the game totally safe came Essien's way with 20 minutes left to play after Kalou slipped past his man out wide and Malouda helped the pass on, but the Ghanaian missed when well placed.
That build-up play was the last action for Kalou who was replaced by McEachran for the game's first substitution. Malouda made way for Kakuta with 10 minutes to play.
Before the end the only outfield player on the Chelsea bench out of his teens, Van Aanholt, was given some time on the pitch. The Dutch left-back is as old as 20!
The home crowd was given the chance to whistle Zhirkov further when he became the game's only booking for fouling Suchy, but by that stage many wearing red and white were heading for the exits, knowing their side had been well beaten.
Saturday, October 16, 2010
MATCH REPORT: MANCHESTER CITY 1 CHELSEA 0
Chelsea's first League loss of the campaign came in a tense, close encounter decided by a second-half Carlos Tevez goal.
In a goalless first half with few chances at either end, Carlo Ancelotti's side did hit woodwork, and Nicolas Anelka tested Joe Hart early in the second half, but this was not the potent attacking machine seen in every game this season up to this point.
Trailing in the second-half, the Chelsea manager was not afraid to take off some of his major players this season who were underperforming on the day. Didier Drogba and John Mikel Obi were two to make way, and there was a late Premier League debut for Josh McEachran.
There were two changes to the side which lined-up against Blackpool, with Branislav Ivanovic returning to right-back instead of Paulo Ferreira and Anelka back instead of Salomon Kalou.
Michael Essien and John Mikel Obi were back in midfield following a midweek rest against Newcastle, while a young contingent of Josh McEachran, Gael Kakuta, Patrick van Aanholt and Daniel Sturridge took their positions on the bench.
Ancelotti selected his main attacking trio, with Didier Drogba flanked by Florent Malouda on the left. Anelka took up his position on the right.
Ramires started in midfield and was involved from the off, dispossessing David Silva with a neat tackle from the side before feeding Malouda on the left flank.
But it was the hosts who had the first shot when Carlos Tevez broke down the centre and drilled goal-ward, only for the ball to skim across the face of Cech's goal and go wide.
Our keeper was then forced to collect a hanging Silva cross, intended for Tevez, as City made a break down the left, and soon Zabaleta won a free-kick after colliding with Ivanovic.
The resultant free-kick went nowhere but Manchester City could boast the better of the opening exchanges.
The tables began to turn when Anelka twice sent searching balls into the box, the first landed for Drogba who couldn't find space to shoot, while the second was deflected from danger.
It was the Frenchman who would produce Chelsea's first real chance on goal when he curled a shot inches past the top right from just outside the box. That was with 18 minutes gone.
City retaliated well, hindered only by the accuracy of their final ball, but when Alex nodded a Malouda cross on for Ivanovic to head off the bar, the tempo of the game changed.
City continued to pressure but Chelsea looked a lot more threatening on the attack, and soon Ivanovic won a free-kick for which Zabaleta was shown a yellow 30 yards out from goal.
Drogba took the set piece, which was cleared from danger before City broke down Chelsea's right once more and Cole coolly put the ball out for a throw.
With 35 minutes gone the game was still 0-0. It was end-to-end football with Cech the more tested keeper.
After shots from Malouda and Essien both went astray, a tense first half ended 0-0 but City fans would not have been blamed for feeling optimistic.
Ancelotti made no changes before the second half and within minutes Chelsea were showing their intent once more when Anelka forced Hart into an acrobatic save to tip his 25-yard shot away for a corner.
Chelsea had control in the early stages of the second half, although Cech's quick reactions did come into play when Silva's left-footed strike towards the near post was pushed away for a corner.
But with 58 minutes gone, the hosts took the lead. When Tevez collected a Yaya Toure ball, he ran deep into Chelsea's half of the pitch, cut outside Cole and drilled into the far corner via the inside of the post.
It was against the run of the play for the second half and a well-taken goal by the Argentine, although he was gifted space as the Blues failed to close him down. It was the first time Chelsea had conceded the opening goal this season.
The visitors immediately tired to pull one back, with Ramires latching onto a Malouda through ball before being denied by Nigel De Jong.
Frustrations began to show as Gareth Barry collided with Ivanovic before Mikel was shown yellow for a late challenge on Tevez, resulting in the goalscorer briefly receiving treatment on his ankle.
Despite the deficit, and the noise from a buoyant home crowd, Chelsea continued the hunt for an equaliser, as Ramires edged further and further forward with each move. He wanted a debut goal.
Lifted by the support, City began to threaten further, while Mikel made way for Yury Zhirkov in midfield after 68 minutes on the pitch.
Essien then sent a ball screaming past the post from 25 yards before Drogba was replaced by Sturridge in the 74th minute. Anelka moved into the centre and the young number 23 moved out on the right.
Referee Andre Marriner then brandished yellow at Ramires for knocking Yaya Toure to the ground. It was the last thing he'd do in the game as McEachran came into midfield.
Emmanuel Adebayor was next to make an appearance, replacing Tevez while Yaya Toure took the armband for City. Jerome Boateng then replaced Dedryck Boyata with two minutes left.
City's changes made little difference to the remainder of the game. Sturridge looked bright on the right and teamed up well with Anelka but the host's tight defence denied Chelsea a path through.
In a goalless first half with few chances at either end, Carlo Ancelotti's side did hit woodwork, and Nicolas Anelka tested Joe Hart early in the second half, but this was not the potent attacking machine seen in every game this season up to this point.
Trailing in the second-half, the Chelsea manager was not afraid to take off some of his major players this season who were underperforming on the day. Didier Drogba and John Mikel Obi were two to make way, and there was a late Premier League debut for Josh McEachran.
There were two changes to the side which lined-up against Blackpool, with Branislav Ivanovic returning to right-back instead of Paulo Ferreira and Anelka back instead of Salomon Kalou.
Michael Essien and John Mikel Obi were back in midfield following a midweek rest against Newcastle, while a young contingent of Josh McEachran, Gael Kakuta, Patrick van Aanholt and Daniel Sturridge took their positions on the bench.
Ancelotti selected his main attacking trio, with Didier Drogba flanked by Florent Malouda on the left. Anelka took up his position on the right.
Ramires started in midfield and was involved from the off, dispossessing David Silva with a neat tackle from the side before feeding Malouda on the left flank.
But it was the hosts who had the first shot when Carlos Tevez broke down the centre and drilled goal-ward, only for the ball to skim across the face of Cech's goal and go wide.
Our keeper was then forced to collect a hanging Silva cross, intended for Tevez, as City made a break down the left, and soon Zabaleta won a free-kick after colliding with Ivanovic.
The resultant free-kick went nowhere but Manchester City could boast the better of the opening exchanges.
The tables began to turn when Anelka twice sent searching balls into the box, the first landed for Drogba who couldn't find space to shoot, while the second was deflected from danger.
It was the Frenchman who would produce Chelsea's first real chance on goal when he curled a shot inches past the top right from just outside the box. That was with 18 minutes gone.
City retaliated well, hindered only by the accuracy of their final ball, but when Alex nodded a Malouda cross on for Ivanovic to head off the bar, the tempo of the game changed.
City continued to pressure but Chelsea looked a lot more threatening on the attack, and soon Ivanovic won a free-kick for which Zabaleta was shown a yellow 30 yards out from goal.
Drogba took the set piece, which was cleared from danger before City broke down Chelsea's right once more and Cole coolly put the ball out for a throw.
With 35 minutes gone the game was still 0-0. It was end-to-end football with Cech the more tested keeper.
After shots from Malouda and Essien both went astray, a tense first half ended 0-0 but City fans would not have been blamed for feeling optimistic.
Ancelotti made no changes before the second half and within minutes Chelsea were showing their intent once more when Anelka forced Hart into an acrobatic save to tip his 25-yard shot away for a corner.
Chelsea had control in the early stages of the second half, although Cech's quick reactions did come into play when Silva's left-footed strike towards the near post was pushed away for a corner.
But with 58 minutes gone, the hosts took the lead. When Tevez collected a Yaya Toure ball, he ran deep into Chelsea's half of the pitch, cut outside Cole and drilled into the far corner via the inside of the post.
It was against the run of the play for the second half and a well-taken goal by the Argentine, although he was gifted space as the Blues failed to close him down. It was the first time Chelsea had conceded the opening goal this season.
The visitors immediately tired to pull one back, with Ramires latching onto a Malouda through ball before being denied by Nigel De Jong.
Frustrations began to show as Gareth Barry collided with Ivanovic before Mikel was shown yellow for a late challenge on Tevez, resulting in the goalscorer briefly receiving treatment on his ankle.
Despite the deficit, and the noise from a buoyant home crowd, Chelsea continued the hunt for an equaliser, as Ramires edged further and further forward with each move. He wanted a debut goal.
Lifted by the support, City began to threaten further, while Mikel made way for Yury Zhirkov in midfield after 68 minutes on the pitch.
Essien then sent a ball screaming past the post from 25 yards before Drogba was replaced by Sturridge in the 74th minute. Anelka moved into the centre and the young number 23 moved out on the right.
Referee Andre Marriner then brandished yellow at Ramires for knocking Yaya Toure to the ground. It was the last thing he'd do in the game as McEachran came into midfield.
Emmanuel Adebayor was next to make an appearance, replacing Tevez while Yaya Toure took the armband for City. Jerome Boateng then replaced Dedryck Boyata with two minutes left.
City's changes made little difference to the remainder of the game. Sturridge looked bright on the right and teamed up well with Anelka but the host's tight defence denied Chelsea a path through.
MATCH REPORT: ASTON VILLA 0 CHELSEA 0
Chelsea failed to score for the second away league game running but did hit the woodwork twice in the second half.
Branislav Ivanovic and Nicolas Anelka were the players denied, the Frenchman in the 88th minute, however the home side also struck the post as the second-half warmed up following a stagnant opening 45 minutes at a chilly Villa Park.
Chelsea often cope admirably without Didier Drogba but in the first half today clearly missed the Ivorian who was recovering from illness.
Villa Park is the ground that has given Chelsea the fewest average points per game in the Abramovich era and the home side began this game well.
However Chelsea improved greatly in the second half, Carlo Ancelotti making changes from a bench which had an average age of 21 years. The big chances for the away team came late on although Villa missed a sitter in stoppage time, as they had in the opening two minutes.
The manager sprung no late surprises with his team selection. The side was the one he named on Friday so Gael Kakuta made his first league start and the 19-year-old made a confident couple of early touches.
However but for a glaring miss by Stephen Ireland, Chelsea would have been behind within two minutes of the start.
Opened up by a counter-attack down our left, the Blues defence failed to pick up the run of the Republic of Ireland international who took Downing's pass but with only Cech to beat, chipped his shot wide.
Ireland was playing behind Carew in a changed Villa attack which was missing injured Heskey. Gerard Houllier for his first Premier League home game in charge of Villa moved Ashley Young back out onto the left wing.
The Villa fans screamed their displeasure at the early waste of a chance and they were howling again before five minutes were up when Cech hit the floor and tipped wide a Carew shot. Kakuta losing the ball in his own half was the source of the danger on this occasion.
It was a strong start by the home side but they went down to 10 men when Dunne went off for treatment and the centre-half was replaced by Clark after only 12 minutes.
There was a sign that pressure on referees following the ongoing dangerous-tackle debate is clouding judgment when Essien was booked for a very ordinary foul on Petrov.
The Drogba-less Chelsea were finding it hard to keep the ball down the Villa end although we were winning our fair share of corners.
At the other end of the pitch, Cech survived when the ball slipped from his grasp in a physical contest with Carew, grabbing it again on the floor.
Essien sliced a 29th minute shot wide, as Kakuta had done earlier on. On 33 minutes Essien was found by Mikel during one of Chelsea's better attacking spells but didn't find the power to beat Friedel. That was the Blues' first shot on target.
Seven minutes from the break, Ivanovic brilliantly charged and blocked Ireland's goalbound shot after Ramires had only cleared to a Villa shirt in the area. The Serbian had been the pick of the Chelsea players in his central defensive role, enjoying some tussles with the like of Reo-Coker and Carew and not coming off second best.
Ramires has blocked an earlier shot, his major contribution to an opening half that had left no-one in doubt this was another difficult day at Villa Park. Looking for positives at half-time, the home side's early pressure had at least slackened off.
Ancelotti swapped Zhirkov for Kakuta at the break, Malouda switching over to the right. The two of them almost created a goal within two minutes of the restart, Collins not too far away from putting through his own net after Malouda had crossed hard and low.
There was far more purpose to Chelsea in these opening stages of the second half. The ball was being moved quicker and some link-up play was working smoothly. On 53 minutes Friedel saved with his legs from Anelka after the centre-forward was found by a lovely Mikel long pass.
Zhirkov had the legs on the right side of the Villa defence and slipped past Beye to nearly set up Anelka in the six-yard box.
Terry became the game's second booking for a foul on Ashley Young in the centre-circle. Warnock soon became Villa's first cautioned player for chopping Anelka in a promising position, but a stretching Zhirkov couldn't direct Malouda's free-kick on target.
On 67 minutes Anelka should have done better than fire over after a lightning fast break from deep in our half. Malouda did superbly to take the ball past three opponents (Ireland booked for his failed attempt to stop the Frenchman) and Zhirkov burnt his lungs to support and draw defenders but cutting inside, Anelka's attempt didn't do justice to the move.
With 15 minutes remaining Chelsea made two subs. Bosingwa made his first appearance since his injury on this ground a year ago, and McEachran came on for Ramires.
Ivanovic saw off Carew who limped off to be replaced by Delfouneso.
Chelsea won a 77th minute corner, drilled near post to Ivanovic who was denied the goal his performance warranted when his header struck the upright.
Within two minutes Villa levelled the woodwork count. A disputed free-kick was fired across by Young and looked to have flicked off Downing before beating the diving Cech but bouncing back off the far post.
The bookings were coming fast now - Young for dissent and McEachran for a foul on fellow sub Delfouneso.
It was all Chelsea in the final five minutes. Cole and McEachran both wormed away in the Villa area without delivering the killer blow before the true chance to win it came.
With two minutes left on the clock the ball was delivered in from Cole where a stretched Villa defence couldn't prevent an Anelka header but he directed it too far down and it bounced up onto the crossbar with Friedel for once beaten. Where Ivanovic had been unfortunate, Anelka had been wasteful. Ancelotti looked frustrated on the touchline.
He was feeling relieved however in stoppage time when Reo-Coker missed the target after chipping over Cech when given a clear run at the goal. McEachran had been caught in possession.
So the Blues drop points for the second away game running, although do improve on the result here last season.
Branislav Ivanovic and Nicolas Anelka were the players denied, the Frenchman in the 88th minute, however the home side also struck the post as the second-half warmed up following a stagnant opening 45 minutes at a chilly Villa Park.
Chelsea often cope admirably without Didier Drogba but in the first half today clearly missed the Ivorian who was recovering from illness.
Villa Park is the ground that has given Chelsea the fewest average points per game in the Abramovich era and the home side began this game well.
However Chelsea improved greatly in the second half, Carlo Ancelotti making changes from a bench which had an average age of 21 years. The big chances for the away team came late on although Villa missed a sitter in stoppage time, as they had in the opening two minutes.
The manager sprung no late surprises with his team selection. The side was the one he named on Friday so Gael Kakuta made his first league start and the 19-year-old made a confident couple of early touches.
However but for a glaring miss by Stephen Ireland, Chelsea would have been behind within two minutes of the start.
Opened up by a counter-attack down our left, the Blues defence failed to pick up the run of the Republic of Ireland international who took Downing's pass but with only Cech to beat, chipped his shot wide.
Ireland was playing behind Carew in a changed Villa attack which was missing injured Heskey. Gerard Houllier for his first Premier League home game in charge of Villa moved Ashley Young back out onto the left wing.
The Villa fans screamed their displeasure at the early waste of a chance and they were howling again before five minutes were up when Cech hit the floor and tipped wide a Carew shot. Kakuta losing the ball in his own half was the source of the danger on this occasion.
It was a strong start by the home side but they went down to 10 men when Dunne went off for treatment and the centre-half was replaced by Clark after only 12 minutes.
There was a sign that pressure on referees following the ongoing dangerous-tackle debate is clouding judgment when Essien was booked for a very ordinary foul on Petrov.
The Drogba-less Chelsea were finding it hard to keep the ball down the Villa end although we were winning our fair share of corners.
At the other end of the pitch, Cech survived when the ball slipped from his grasp in a physical contest with Carew, grabbing it again on the floor.
Essien sliced a 29th minute shot wide, as Kakuta had done earlier on. On 33 minutes Essien was found by Mikel during one of Chelsea's better attacking spells but didn't find the power to beat Friedel. That was the Blues' first shot on target.
Seven minutes from the break, Ivanovic brilliantly charged and blocked Ireland's goalbound shot after Ramires had only cleared to a Villa shirt in the area. The Serbian had been the pick of the Chelsea players in his central defensive role, enjoying some tussles with the like of Reo-Coker and Carew and not coming off second best.
Ramires has blocked an earlier shot, his major contribution to an opening half that had left no-one in doubt this was another difficult day at Villa Park. Looking for positives at half-time, the home side's early pressure had at least slackened off.
Ancelotti swapped Zhirkov for Kakuta at the break, Malouda switching over to the right. The two of them almost created a goal within two minutes of the restart, Collins not too far away from putting through his own net after Malouda had crossed hard and low.
There was far more purpose to Chelsea in these opening stages of the second half. The ball was being moved quicker and some link-up play was working smoothly. On 53 minutes Friedel saved with his legs from Anelka after the centre-forward was found by a lovely Mikel long pass.
Zhirkov had the legs on the right side of the Villa defence and slipped past Beye to nearly set up Anelka in the six-yard box.
Terry became the game's second booking for a foul on Ashley Young in the centre-circle. Warnock soon became Villa's first cautioned player for chopping Anelka in a promising position, but a stretching Zhirkov couldn't direct Malouda's free-kick on target.
On 67 minutes Anelka should have done better than fire over after a lightning fast break from deep in our half. Malouda did superbly to take the ball past three opponents (Ireland booked for his failed attempt to stop the Frenchman) and Zhirkov burnt his lungs to support and draw defenders but cutting inside, Anelka's attempt didn't do justice to the move.
With 15 minutes remaining Chelsea made two subs. Bosingwa made his first appearance since his injury on this ground a year ago, and McEachran came on for Ramires.
Ivanovic saw off Carew who limped off to be replaced by Delfouneso.
Chelsea won a 77th minute corner, drilled near post to Ivanovic who was denied the goal his performance warranted when his header struck the upright.
Within two minutes Villa levelled the woodwork count. A disputed free-kick was fired across by Young and looked to have flicked off Downing before beating the diving Cech but bouncing back off the far post.
The bookings were coming fast now - Young for dissent and McEachran for a foul on fellow sub Delfouneso.
It was all Chelsea in the final five minutes. Cole and McEachran both wormed away in the Villa area without delivering the killer blow before the true chance to win it came.
With two minutes left on the clock the ball was delivered in from Cole where a stretched Villa defence couldn't prevent an Anelka header but he directed it too far down and it bounced up onto the crossbar with Friedel for once beaten. Where Ivanovic had been unfortunate, Anelka had been wasteful. Ancelotti looked frustrated on the touchline.
He was feeling relieved however in stoppage time when Reo-Coker missed the target after chipping over Cech when given a clear run at the goal. McEachran had been caught in possession.
So the Blues drop points for the second away game running, although do improve on the result here last season.
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Didier Drogba and Chelsea put West Brom to the sword
When you have scored 103 goals and set a scoring record in your last season, it is generosity beyond the call of duty for your first opponents of this term to be doling out gifts. Scott Carson continued the fine traditions of post-modern England goalkeepers by panicking and spilling with all the grace of a Laurel and Hardy sketch. The season was only five minutes old and Chelsea were back in the old routine. The goal machine clicked back into gear.
Carlo Ancelotti wants his team to target a quadruple, and it spoke volumes for their capacity to focus that they cruised to a high-scoring victory and still had two or three gears in reserve. They were 3-0 up inside an hour without breaking sweat. Five up with more than 20 minutes to go. Didier Drogba helped himself to a hat-trick and two of the regular scorers, Frank Lampard and Florent Malouda, slipped back into the groove.
Ancelotti suggested it was less of a sign to the rest of the league than it was to the Chelsea squad themselves. "We had a difficult pre-season so it was a message to us. We did our job. Nothing special," noted the Italian master of understatement, apparently oblivious to the fact it is not every season that a team wins 6-0 on day one.
World Cup? What World Cup? For the likes of Drogba, Lampard and Malouda, all of whom endured grim disappointment of one kind or another in South Africa, the bad memories are blotted out by a return to winning ways, to cheerful supporters, to a much-loved coach and a style that they love and that loves them.
For Roberto Di Matteo, returning to his old stamping ground, it was frustrating to make his debut as a Premier League manager by watching his team do themselves no favours with slack defending. It took a mere five minutes for Chelsea to carry on where they left off, with a hell of a nose for sniffing out a goal. After Malouda had been tripped on the cusp of the area, Drogba sized up the free-kick in his white and luminous orange boots. He floated his set-piece ball over the wall and straight enough at the goalkeeper, but Carson looked shell- shocked as he parried meekly into the path of Mikel John Obi. A dinked pass invited Malouda to snaffle the season's opener for his club.
Six minutes before the break, Carson was again under the cosh from a free kick. This time, Lampard crashed the ball straight through the wall, he threw his hands in front of his face to block, and Malouda was first to the rebound. He headed over. Just before half-time, Drogba hovered over another dead ball, and the Chelsea fans in the Shed End started chanting "dodgy keeper".
There was not a huge amount Carson could do, however, as the wall crumbled. The shot slithered through a gap. Drogba celebrated.
West Brom could hardly have spent half-time talking about anything other than damage limitation. But Chelsea were able to puncture them again 10 minutes into the second half. Another set-piece – this time a corner – unnerved the West Brom rearguard. Although John Terry's glancing header was shuffled off the line by Youssouf Mulumbu, Anelka helped to scramble the ball to Drogba, who finished like all hungry strikers should. "The first three goals were bad," said Di Matteo. "We made mistakes at set pieces and we'll have to learn very quickly and improve very quickly. It was too easy."
Lampard gave Chelsea their first goal from open play. Anelka and Ashley Cole combined down the left to tee him up, and he slotted in neatly at the near post.
Five minutes later Drogba's arms were aloft to acclaim a hat-trick. A crashing drive ricocheted off Gabriel Tamas's head and Carson was plucking the ball out of his net once more. Malouda added a sixth with a crisp finish off the post in the last minute.
And with that flourish Chelsea won on the opening day for the ninth time in succession. Ominous? Naturally. Having finished 2009-10 with an 8-0 victory, Chelsea have scored 14 in two games.
As for West Brom, they have been involved in promotion or relegation in seven of the past nine seasons. You wouldn't bet on another change of scenery come May. Although, to give it some perspective, everyone in the Premier League knows Chelsea are capable of inflicting this damage routinely.
West Brom could hardly have endured a more testing opening game back among the big boys. The fixture computer has not been generous, throwing up visits to Stamford Bridge, Anfield, the Emirates and Old Trafford, as well as a home game against top-four newcomers Tottenham, in their first eight outings.
"It doesn't get tougher than that," said Di Matteo. "It would be tough for any club, never mind a newly promoted team like us. We have a home game next Saturday and hopefully we can bounce back and get our first points. Tomorrow is another day."
Carlo Ancelotti wants his team to target a quadruple, and it spoke volumes for their capacity to focus that they cruised to a high-scoring victory and still had two or three gears in reserve. They were 3-0 up inside an hour without breaking sweat. Five up with more than 20 minutes to go. Didier Drogba helped himself to a hat-trick and two of the regular scorers, Frank Lampard and Florent Malouda, slipped back into the groove.
Ancelotti suggested it was less of a sign to the rest of the league than it was to the Chelsea squad themselves. "We had a difficult pre-season so it was a message to us. We did our job. Nothing special," noted the Italian master of understatement, apparently oblivious to the fact it is not every season that a team wins 6-0 on day one.
World Cup? What World Cup? For the likes of Drogba, Lampard and Malouda, all of whom endured grim disappointment of one kind or another in South Africa, the bad memories are blotted out by a return to winning ways, to cheerful supporters, to a much-loved coach and a style that they love and that loves them.
For Roberto Di Matteo, returning to his old stamping ground, it was frustrating to make his debut as a Premier League manager by watching his team do themselves no favours with slack defending. It took a mere five minutes for Chelsea to carry on where they left off, with a hell of a nose for sniffing out a goal. After Malouda had been tripped on the cusp of the area, Drogba sized up the free-kick in his white and luminous orange boots. He floated his set-piece ball over the wall and straight enough at the goalkeeper, but Carson looked shell- shocked as he parried meekly into the path of Mikel John Obi. A dinked pass invited Malouda to snaffle the season's opener for his club.
Six minutes before the break, Carson was again under the cosh from a free kick. This time, Lampard crashed the ball straight through the wall, he threw his hands in front of his face to block, and Malouda was first to the rebound. He headed over. Just before half-time, Drogba hovered over another dead ball, and the Chelsea fans in the Shed End started chanting "dodgy keeper".
There was not a huge amount Carson could do, however, as the wall crumbled. The shot slithered through a gap. Drogba celebrated.
West Brom could hardly have spent half-time talking about anything other than damage limitation. But Chelsea were able to puncture them again 10 minutes into the second half. Another set-piece – this time a corner – unnerved the West Brom rearguard. Although John Terry's glancing header was shuffled off the line by Youssouf Mulumbu, Anelka helped to scramble the ball to Drogba, who finished like all hungry strikers should. "The first three goals were bad," said Di Matteo. "We made mistakes at set pieces and we'll have to learn very quickly and improve very quickly. It was too easy."
Lampard gave Chelsea their first goal from open play. Anelka and Ashley Cole combined down the left to tee him up, and he slotted in neatly at the near post.
Five minutes later Drogba's arms were aloft to acclaim a hat-trick. A crashing drive ricocheted off Gabriel Tamas's head and Carson was plucking the ball out of his net once more. Malouda added a sixth with a crisp finish off the post in the last minute.
And with that flourish Chelsea won on the opening day for the ninth time in succession. Ominous? Naturally. Having finished 2009-10 with an 8-0 victory, Chelsea have scored 14 in two games.
As for West Brom, they have been involved in promotion or relegation in seven of the past nine seasons. You wouldn't bet on another change of scenery come May. Although, to give it some perspective, everyone in the Premier League knows Chelsea are capable of inflicting this damage routinely.
West Brom could hardly have endured a more testing opening game back among the big boys. The fixture computer has not been generous, throwing up visits to Stamford Bridge, Anfield, the Emirates and Old Trafford, as well as a home game against top-four newcomers Tottenham, in their first eight outings.
"It doesn't get tougher than that," said Di Matteo. "It would be tough for any club, never mind a newly promoted team like us. We have a home game next Saturday and hopefully we can bounce back and get our first points. Tomorrow is another day."
Wigan Athletic 0-6 Chelsea
Like Blackpool, Chelsea probably wish they could play Wigan every week, though unlike Ian Holloway's team, the London club's supporters would soon become bored of such an arrangement. This was another six-goal mismatch for the Blues, and even if it only turned into a rout in the final minutes, the fact that Chelsea are in double figures for goals after only two matches gives the lie to the idea that there are no easy games in the Premier League. There are certainly easy starts, and they don't come much less demanding than West Brom at home followed by Wigan away.
Chelsea must have returned home wondering how on earth they managed to lose here last season. Wigan's support drifted off fearing the worst about the trip to Spurs next weekend, scene of a 9-1 mauling last season. People have been asking what is the point of Wigan Athletic, to which one of their own supporters claimed in a webchat last week that they were proud to sit at the bottom of the Premier League like an unflushable turd in a lavatory. Much more of this, one feels, and the U-bend beckons.
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"The result was painful, but you need to be realistic," Roberto Martínez said. "We were unlucky to go behind in the first half, but once we were two or three goals down against Chelsea it was too difficult mentally for us to come back. The mental side is very important, and we need to react to setbacks better. We were very naive in the second half, there were too many cheap goals. I want us to be brave without being stupid."
Martínez says he cannot wait for the transfer window to shut, though at this rate he may have trouble lasting longer at the club than Charles N'Zogbia. Yet the side taken apart by Blackpool last weekend, causing more mirth at Wigan's expense than George Formby used to manage and prompting bookmakers to offer an astonishing 15-1 on a home victory here, actually kept the champions pinned in their own half for the first half-hour. That was just about all they did, Petr Cech made three comfortable saves from Maynor Figueroa and (twice) Hugo Rodallega, but they were three more saves than Chris Kirkland needed to make. Without ever looking seriously threatening Wigan gave Chelsea a few things to think about, with Mohammed Diamé and N'Zogbia working the ball up the right wing well and James McCarthy bristling with intent in central midfield.
John Terry, booed along with Chelsea's other England players, even made a couple of mistakes while the scores were still level, though Wigan being Wigan he was allowed to get away with them. Mauro Boselli, the home side's new record signing at £6.5m from Estudiantes, was not in the game enough to exude any menace as the spearhead of the attack, and neither was McCarthy quick enough to find him when Terry gave away the ball.
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All too predictably, Wigan were left regretting this when Chelsea almost casually put a move together just past the half-hour mark and took the lead without too much trouble. Didier Drogba began the attack, before Ashley Cole combined with Frank Lampard on the left to remind the sparse Wigan crowd that booing decent players is not such a clever idea. Lampard only flicked a shot in Chris Kirkland's direction but the Wigan goalkeeper still had to dive full length to get a hand to it, and with no defenders on hand to help him out it was a simple matter for Florent Malouda to roll the loose ball over the line.
The question now was whether Wigan would retain enough self-belief to keep taking the game to Chelsea, or whether they would allow their heads to drop and suffer another heavy defeat. At the same stage last week Blackpool were three up. Unfortunately for Martínez, Chelsea needed only three second-half minutes to extend their lead and put Wigan into damage limitation mode.
Hugo Rodallega had a half-chance at the other end but could not make anything of it, and when Mikel John Obi played in Nicolas Anelka a minute later the man who blows his nose in the face of French football showed how a real finisher goes about his work, slotting the ball past Kirkland from a narrow angle.
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That was all too clearly game over, though old habits die hard and Wigan characteristically conceded a third just four minutes later. Malouda's cross from the left was turned back across goal by Drogba, a couple of defenders on the line did nothing to address the situation and Anelka was allowed to get his head to the ball. One thing Martínez must sort out, if he is to keep his job and prevent any more embarrassing scorelines, is who takes responsibility at the back. Steve Bruce made Wigan hard to beat, if occasionally hard to watch. Martínez appears to have loftier ideals, but no amount of passing and moving can overcome three- or four- goal deficits.
Wigan played some of their best football after going three down, with N'Zogbia twice denied by Alex blocks, McCarthy seeing a shot touched onto the post and Boselli being denied his first goal by a raised offside flag, though by that stage Chelsea were easing up and thinking of their next game, even if Terry was fortunate not to see a second yellow card for a sly lunge at N'Zogbia's ankle. "I have never had such a start to a season before but the mentality is different in England than Italy," Carlo Ancelotti said, perhaps a little generously. "At three goals down Wigan kept trying to win the game. The first half was tough, they made it hard for us, but maybe that cost them a lot of energy."
Chelsea on economy setting were still too much for Wigan to handle, and once Drogba's run from halfway set up a goal for Salomon Kalou, there was always the chance that more would arrive. They duly did, with the excellent Drogba making another for Kalou and Yossi Benayoun notching his first for his new club at the end. Whatever it is that Wigan are good at, it isn't damage limitation.
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Chelsea must have returned home wondering how on earth they managed to lose here last season. Wigan's support drifted off fearing the worst about the trip to Spurs next weekend, scene of a 9-1 mauling last season. People have been asking what is the point of Wigan Athletic, to which one of their own supporters claimed in a webchat last week that they were proud to sit at the bottom of the Premier League like an unflushable turd in a lavatory. Much more of this, one feels, and the U-bend beckons.
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"The result was painful, but you need to be realistic," Roberto Martínez said. "We were unlucky to go behind in the first half, but once we were two or three goals down against Chelsea it was too difficult mentally for us to come back. The mental side is very important, and we need to react to setbacks better. We were very naive in the second half, there were too many cheap goals. I want us to be brave without being stupid."
Martínez says he cannot wait for the transfer window to shut, though at this rate he may have trouble lasting longer at the club than Charles N'Zogbia. Yet the side taken apart by Blackpool last weekend, causing more mirth at Wigan's expense than George Formby used to manage and prompting bookmakers to offer an astonishing 15-1 on a home victory here, actually kept the champions pinned in their own half for the first half-hour. That was just about all they did, Petr Cech made three comfortable saves from Maynor Figueroa and (twice) Hugo Rodallega, but they were three more saves than Chris Kirkland needed to make. Without ever looking seriously threatening Wigan gave Chelsea a few things to think about, with Mohammed Diamé and N'Zogbia working the ball up the right wing well and James McCarthy bristling with intent in central midfield.
John Terry, booed along with Chelsea's other England players, even made a couple of mistakes while the scores were still level, though Wigan being Wigan he was allowed to get away with them. Mauro Boselli, the home side's new record signing at £6.5m from Estudiantes, was not in the game enough to exude any menace as the spearhead of the attack, and neither was McCarthy quick enough to find him when Terry gave away the ball.
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All too predictably, Wigan were left regretting this when Chelsea almost casually put a move together just past the half-hour mark and took the lead without too much trouble. Didier Drogba began the attack, before Ashley Cole combined with Frank Lampard on the left to remind the sparse Wigan crowd that booing decent players is not such a clever idea. Lampard only flicked a shot in Chris Kirkland's direction but the Wigan goalkeeper still had to dive full length to get a hand to it, and with no defenders on hand to help him out it was a simple matter for Florent Malouda to roll the loose ball over the line.
The question now was whether Wigan would retain enough self-belief to keep taking the game to Chelsea, or whether they would allow their heads to drop and suffer another heavy defeat. At the same stage last week Blackpool were three up. Unfortunately for Martínez, Chelsea needed only three second-half minutes to extend their lead and put Wigan into damage limitation mode.
Hugo Rodallega had a half-chance at the other end but could not make anything of it, and when Mikel John Obi played in Nicolas Anelka a minute later the man who blows his nose in the face of French football showed how a real finisher goes about his work, slotting the ball past Kirkland from a narrow angle.
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That was all too clearly game over, though old habits die hard and Wigan characteristically conceded a third just four minutes later. Malouda's cross from the left was turned back across goal by Drogba, a couple of defenders on the line did nothing to address the situation and Anelka was allowed to get his head to the ball. One thing Martínez must sort out, if he is to keep his job and prevent any more embarrassing scorelines, is who takes responsibility at the back. Steve Bruce made Wigan hard to beat, if occasionally hard to watch. Martínez appears to have loftier ideals, but no amount of passing and moving can overcome three- or four- goal deficits.
Wigan played some of their best football after going three down, with N'Zogbia twice denied by Alex blocks, McCarthy seeing a shot touched onto the post and Boselli being denied his first goal by a raised offside flag, though by that stage Chelsea were easing up and thinking of their next game, even if Terry was fortunate not to see a second yellow card for a sly lunge at N'Zogbia's ankle. "I have never had such a start to a season before but the mentality is different in England than Italy," Carlo Ancelotti said, perhaps a little generously. "At three goals down Wigan kept trying to win the game. The first half was tough, they made it hard for us, but maybe that cost them a lot of energy."
Chelsea on economy setting were still too much for Wigan to handle, and once Drogba's run from halfway set up a goal for Salomon Kalou, there was always the chance that more would arrive. They duly did, with the excellent Drogba making another for Kalou and Yossi Benayoun notching his first for his new club at the end. Whatever it is that Wigan are good at, it isn't damage limitation.
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'I'm a person who likes being lonely'
Chelsea's midfield dynamo is grateful to be back after walking a long and lonely road to recovery
For Michael Essien, memories of the monotony persist. Back when the English summer was sun-drenched he had rarely deviated from a set daily routine. He would arrive at Chelsea's near deserted training centre in Cobham for 10am, then gain what little variety he could by mixing and matching between exercise bikes, cross trainers, treadmills, weights and lengths of the swimming pool. The work-out, prolonged and painful, ended at 5pm with another energy sapping pigeon step taken on the road to recovery.
By early evening he would be back at home in front of the television to watch team-mates and compatriots participate in the World Cup finals, a stage that might have been his. The drudgery of life in rehabilitation might have left others numbed, the loneliness of intensive fitness work when denied the camaraderie of pre-season training affecting their state of mind, but Essien is stronger than that. "John Mikel Obi would be in doing his own work, and a couple of the reserve team players, but that was it, though it was not a problem for me," he says. "I'm the kind of person who likes to be lonely. I got my head down and focused on getting fit. To be back playing now makes the hard work well worth it."
There is a purring enthusiasm to the Ghanaian that suggests he is now intent upon making up for lost time. Essien has endured lengthy spells on the sidelines in the past two seasons, the serious injuries serving to nullify his impact. He ripped his anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee two seasons ago while playing for Ghana, damage that excluded him for more than five months and, therefore, virtually the entirety of Luiz Felipe Scolari's tenure at the club. In January, when concern had centred more on the state of a hamstring torn a month earlier, he wrecked the cartilage and meniscus in the same joint while training at the African Cup of Nations in Angola.
The loud click heard by all present that day had signalled the end of his participation in a season that yielded the club's first Premier League and FA Cup Double. He scheduled a 10-day break at the end of the season ahead of the anticipated hefty working summer and promptly succumbed to a nasty bout of tonsillitis that dragged on for a week. In that sorry context, his glee at a return to first-team football is utterly understandable.
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The midfielder, along with Mikel, played in all five of the champions' pre-season friendlies and West Bromwich Albion faced a familiar rampaging figure last Saturday in Chelsea's 6-0 opening-day win. "It was great to be back," says Essien. "There's relief there, too, of course. It was so frustrating to be back in that position, out of the team and in the treatment room, but these things happen. The knee is fine. There has been no reaction, either after training or after games. If anything, it feels stronger than before. I'm not scared to go into tackles with it. Not at all.
"I suppose I knew what to expect. I'd been injured the previous year, and I'm a strong guy mentally. I've learned to be. I just got working hard to get myself fit. There are times when it is hard, when you're on the outside, but I can honestly say that winning the Premier League last season meant as much to me as it did in my first season at the club. I still managed to enjoy the occasion with everyone, feel part of it, and was on the pitch after the Wigan game in May celebrating with everyone. The emotion was just the same as winning it that first year under José [Mourinho], when I'd played more of a part in the season. I have a medal and it means as much to me. Sure, you wish you could be out on the pitch, or going up to pick up the FA Cup, but you have to be realistic: everything was about keeping focused, getting over the injury and getting fit again."
Essien played 14 league games last season, and a meagre 11 the season before, but was still offered a contract extension this summer that should extend his stay at Stamford Bridge to a decade. Carlo Ancelotti will be rejoicing to have his midfield dynamo restored to the fold, with the 27-year-old offering him rare options. He was employed in a familiar position on the right of a narrow midfield three against West Brom, with licence to spring forward and unsettle nervous opponents. Yet he retains the ability to anchor that central trio – a role offered to Mikel last Saturday – and, unlike a more conventional Claude Makélelé clone, can still boast that explosive thrust through the middle.
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At his best, the midfielder is irrepressible, his energy infectious and driving his team-mates on. Ancelotti can use him as a lynchpin as he seeks to integrate the £18.2m Brazilian Ramires into the set-up in the weeks and months ahead. The options available to the manager appear mouthwatering. "People are saying I'm one of the new signings this year, and I am looking forward to playing more consistently after missing so much of the last two seasons," says Essien, speaking at a Barclays Spaces for Sports event. "This can be a big season. I don't think I've still got things to show Carlo Ancelotti. He has seen me play a lot, even before he was our manager, and he knows what I can do. It's not as if I have anything to prove to him. He knows I will go out there and work really hard for the team every week.
"It is an exciting time. Some players have left but Ramires has come in, a player I haven't seen much of but getting into the Brazilian team is not easy, so he must be good. I hope I can work well with him. It will be up to the manager where we all play. I've always enjoyed getting forward, pushing up-field to help us in our attacks, but I think you can still do that from a central position too. You don't have to sit deep all the time. But, wherever I play, it is joyful being in a team that's playing like this at the moment. We're scoring goals and there's freedom in our play.
"The manager asks us to get forward more often and create problems for opponents. People said he was a defensive coach at Milan, but maybe he has a different kind of player here than he had in Italy. You can see how he wants us to play every week. Teams struggle when they come to Stamford Bridge and, if we score one or two, everything seems to open up for us. We need to work hard to get into that position in the first place, but you can see what happens once we are ahead."
Chelsea have been untouchable in their most recent Premier League contests. This is a team who have plundered 47 goals in their 10 games at Stamford Bridge since the turn of the year, and 21 in their last three. There have been regular avalanches after half-time as desperate opponents seek a route back into contests. Wigan will tremble at the prospect of confronting the champions this afternoon having shipped eight to them on the final day of last season in south-west London and four on the opening afternoon to unfancied Blackpool. Ancelotti's team, though, were defeated at the DW Stadium early last season – their first loss under the Italian – and will be wary of enduring a repeat. "But that was last season, that is gone now," adds Essien. Everything about this player is forward thinking.
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For Michael Essien, memories of the monotony persist. Back when the English summer was sun-drenched he had rarely deviated from a set daily routine. He would arrive at Chelsea's near deserted training centre in Cobham for 10am, then gain what little variety he could by mixing and matching between exercise bikes, cross trainers, treadmills, weights and lengths of the swimming pool. The work-out, prolonged and painful, ended at 5pm with another energy sapping pigeon step taken on the road to recovery.
By early evening he would be back at home in front of the television to watch team-mates and compatriots participate in the World Cup finals, a stage that might have been his. The drudgery of life in rehabilitation might have left others numbed, the loneliness of intensive fitness work when denied the camaraderie of pre-season training affecting their state of mind, but Essien is stronger than that. "John Mikel Obi would be in doing his own work, and a couple of the reserve team players, but that was it, though it was not a problem for me," he says. "I'm the kind of person who likes to be lonely. I got my head down and focused on getting fit. To be back playing now makes the hard work well worth it."
There is a purring enthusiasm to the Ghanaian that suggests he is now intent upon making up for lost time. Essien has endured lengthy spells on the sidelines in the past two seasons, the serious injuries serving to nullify his impact. He ripped his anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee two seasons ago while playing for Ghana, damage that excluded him for more than five months and, therefore, virtually the entirety of Luiz Felipe Scolari's tenure at the club. In January, when concern had centred more on the state of a hamstring torn a month earlier, he wrecked the cartilage and meniscus in the same joint while training at the African Cup of Nations in Angola.
The loud click heard by all present that day had signalled the end of his participation in a season that yielded the club's first Premier League and FA Cup Double. He scheduled a 10-day break at the end of the season ahead of the anticipated hefty working summer and promptly succumbed to a nasty bout of tonsillitis that dragged on for a week. In that sorry context, his glee at a return to first-team football is utterly understandable.
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The midfielder, along with Mikel, played in all five of the champions' pre-season friendlies and West Bromwich Albion faced a familiar rampaging figure last Saturday in Chelsea's 6-0 opening-day win. "It was great to be back," says Essien. "There's relief there, too, of course. It was so frustrating to be back in that position, out of the team and in the treatment room, but these things happen. The knee is fine. There has been no reaction, either after training or after games. If anything, it feels stronger than before. I'm not scared to go into tackles with it. Not at all.
"I suppose I knew what to expect. I'd been injured the previous year, and I'm a strong guy mentally. I've learned to be. I just got working hard to get myself fit. There are times when it is hard, when you're on the outside, but I can honestly say that winning the Premier League last season meant as much to me as it did in my first season at the club. I still managed to enjoy the occasion with everyone, feel part of it, and was on the pitch after the Wigan game in May celebrating with everyone. The emotion was just the same as winning it that first year under José [Mourinho], when I'd played more of a part in the season. I have a medal and it means as much to me. Sure, you wish you could be out on the pitch, or going up to pick up the FA Cup, but you have to be realistic: everything was about keeping focused, getting over the injury and getting fit again."
Essien played 14 league games last season, and a meagre 11 the season before, but was still offered a contract extension this summer that should extend his stay at Stamford Bridge to a decade. Carlo Ancelotti will be rejoicing to have his midfield dynamo restored to the fold, with the 27-year-old offering him rare options. He was employed in a familiar position on the right of a narrow midfield three against West Brom, with licence to spring forward and unsettle nervous opponents. Yet he retains the ability to anchor that central trio – a role offered to Mikel last Saturday – and, unlike a more conventional Claude Makélelé clone, can still boast that explosive thrust through the middle.
href="http://paypermails.com/pages/index.php?refid=rerute">paypermails.com
At his best, the midfielder is irrepressible, his energy infectious and driving his team-mates on. Ancelotti can use him as a lynchpin as he seeks to integrate the £18.2m Brazilian Ramires into the set-up in the weeks and months ahead. The options available to the manager appear mouthwatering. "People are saying I'm one of the new signings this year, and I am looking forward to playing more consistently after missing so much of the last two seasons," says Essien, speaking at a Barclays Spaces for Sports event. "This can be a big season. I don't think I've still got things to show Carlo Ancelotti. He has seen me play a lot, even before he was our manager, and he knows what I can do. It's not as if I have anything to prove to him. He knows I will go out there and work really hard for the team every week.
"It is an exciting time. Some players have left but Ramires has come in, a player I haven't seen much of but getting into the Brazilian team is not easy, so he must be good. I hope I can work well with him. It will be up to the manager where we all play. I've always enjoyed getting forward, pushing up-field to help us in our attacks, but I think you can still do that from a central position too. You don't have to sit deep all the time. But, wherever I play, it is joyful being in a team that's playing like this at the moment. We're scoring goals and there's freedom in our play.
"The manager asks us to get forward more often and create problems for opponents. People said he was a defensive coach at Milan, but maybe he has a different kind of player here than he had in Italy. You can see how he wants us to play every week. Teams struggle when they come to Stamford Bridge and, if we score one or two, everything seems to open up for us. We need to work hard to get into that position in the first place, but you can see what happens once we are ahead."
Chelsea have been untouchable in their most recent Premier League contests. This is a team who have plundered 47 goals in their 10 games at Stamford Bridge since the turn of the year, and 21 in their last three. There have been regular avalanches after half-time as desperate opponents seek a route back into contests. Wigan will tremble at the prospect of confronting the champions this afternoon having shipped eight to them on the final day of last season in south-west London and four on the opening afternoon to unfancied Blackpool. Ancelotti's team, though, were defeated at the DW Stadium early last season – their first loss under the Italian – and will be wary of enduring a repeat. "But that was last season, that is gone now," adds Essien. Everything about this player is forward thinking.
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THE WORLD CUP 2010 WHICH TOOK PLACE IN SOUTH AFRICA HAS ENDED, HERE’S ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY. THE ENGLISH PREMIERSHIP WILL BE STARTING THIS AUGUST
Hello pals,
The world cup has come and gone but will come alive again in Brazil in 2014. Despite unbelievable losses (from big teams), incredible wins (from small teams), unfathomable decisions by referees, and even some players leaving their camp because of rifts between them and their coaches………….. the world cup ended well and SPAIN are the world champions till 2014. Wow!
Think about this,
• The players got paid
• The coaching crew got paid
• The organizers got paid
• The countries’ FAs got paid
And the most surprising part is that even when they failed in their duties and didn’t play up to expectations, they all got whooping sums of money.
But here we are, some people fighting and some even committing suicide because of their passion- “football” yet nothing to show for it financially. Unbelievable
Let’s talk about money and football……….. it’s very necessary because it’s no use having passion for a thing when you don’t gain from it. Ha ha ha
The system I am about to introduce to you will get you hundreds of dollars. Yes, I mean it because despite all the ups and down at the just concluded world cup, I made $310 and you too can make even more money depending on how calculative you are.
“GOOD NEWS, THE ENGLISH PREMIERSHIP IS STARTING THIS AUGUST. SO THE EARLIER, THE BETTER”
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE BUSINESS-
• An online payment processor like a liberty reserve account (to fund the sportsbook you are going to work with). It doesn’t take long to set up. Click here- http://www.libertyreserve.com/?ref=U5750018 to create a free account today and get an additional $1.25 free on your first funding
• An online currency exchanger like http://www.goldnairaexchange.com, they will help to change your Naira to U.S Dollars.
• You will need to register with a sportsbook where you will place your bets. For easy registration, check http://www.b4u24.com/default.aspx?RID=259525
After creating your liberty reserve account, you fund it through GoldNairaExchange. That’s all.
If after creating your liberty reserve account and you are having challenges with funding your account, you could write me: rerute_rerute@yahoo.com
FOR MORE INFORMATION AND OTHER LEGAL MONEY MAKING OPPORTUNITIES ONLINE, VISIT:
http://www.online-income-generation.blogspot.com
The world cup has come and gone but will come alive again in Brazil in 2014. Despite unbelievable losses (from big teams), incredible wins (from small teams), unfathomable decisions by referees, and even some players leaving their camp because of rifts between them and their coaches………….. the world cup ended well and SPAIN are the world champions till 2014. Wow!
Think about this,
• The players got paid
• The coaching crew got paid
• The organizers got paid
• The countries’ FAs got paid
And the most surprising part is that even when they failed in their duties and didn’t play up to expectations, they all got whooping sums of money.
But here we are, some people fighting and some even committing suicide because of their passion- “football” yet nothing to show for it financially. Unbelievable
Let’s talk about money and football……….. it’s very necessary because it’s no use having passion for a thing when you don’t gain from it. Ha ha ha
The system I am about to introduce to you will get you hundreds of dollars. Yes, I mean it because despite all the ups and down at the just concluded world cup, I made $310 and you too can make even more money depending on how calculative you are.
“GOOD NEWS, THE ENGLISH PREMIERSHIP IS STARTING THIS AUGUST. SO THE EARLIER, THE BETTER”
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE BUSINESS-
• An online payment processor like a liberty reserve account (to fund the sportsbook you are going to work with). It doesn’t take long to set up. Click here- http://www.libertyreserve.com/?ref=U5750018 to create a free account today and get an additional $1.25 free on your first funding
• An online currency exchanger like http://www.goldnairaexchange.com, they will help to change your Naira to U.S Dollars.
• You will need to register with a sportsbook where you will place your bets. For easy registration, check http://www.b4u24.com/default.aspx?RID=259525
After creating your liberty reserve account, you fund it through GoldNairaExchange. That’s all.
If after creating your liberty reserve account and you are having challenges with funding your account, you could write me: rerute_rerute@yahoo.com
FOR MORE INFORMATION AND OTHER LEGAL MONEY MAKING OPPORTUNITIES ONLINE, VISIT:
http://www.online-income-generation.blogspot.com
IS FIFA FAIR PLAY CODE REALLY FAIR?
“If FIFA had invoked its fair play code in the match between Uruguay and Ghana, Ghana would have been declared winner at the instance when Suarez prevented the ball from crossing the goal line and Uruguay should have been sent parking with a heavier punishment for Suarez. Ghana should not have been made to play a penalty when obviously they had scored a goal if not for that ‘hand of Esau’ which prevented the ball from crossing the goal line.”
This poser has become necessary in view of the fact that the year 2010 FIFA world cup has generated a lot of controversies than any other of such competitions in recent times. One of such controversies was the unfortunate incident that made it possible for Uruguay to advance to the semi finals at the expense of Ghana. In the final minutes of that match, Uruguay’s striker Luis Suarez cheated openly at the very last minute of extra time with a blatant and deliberate handball right on the goal line. At the end, he was given a red card but Ghana missed the resulting penalty and Uruguay eventually won the match on penalty shootout at the expense of Ghana.
The first paragraph of FIFA 10-paragraph Fair Play Code for football reads “Winning is without value if victory has been achieved unfairly or dishonestly. Cheating is easy but it brings no pleasure. Playing fair requires courage and character. It’s also more satisfying. Fair play always has its rewards even when the game is lost…………. Remember: it is only a game. And games are pointless unless played fairly”.
FACTS
• There is a difference between committing a foul against a player that is goal-bound in the box 18 and unlawfully preventing a ball from crossing the goal line
• In situations where an attacking player is unlawfully prevented from taking a goal scoring opportunity in the box18, it is fair play to award a penalty to such a team.
ARGUABLE POINTS
• The goal was as good as scored already since without that unlawful blockage by Suarez on the goal line nothing else was preventing the ball from crossing the goal line.
• Therefore, awarding a penalty kick in favor of Ghana was in bad taste since it was the ball that was prevented unlawfully from crossing the goal line and not a Ghanaian player.
This poser has become necessary in view of the fact that the year 2010 FIFA world cup has generated a lot of controversies than any other of such competitions in recent times. One of such controversies was the unfortunate incident that made it possible for Uruguay to advance to the semi finals at the expense of Ghana. In the final minutes of that match, Uruguay’s striker Luis Suarez cheated openly at the very last minute of extra time with a blatant and deliberate handball right on the goal line. At the end, he was given a red card but Ghana missed the resulting penalty and Uruguay eventually won the match on penalty shootout at the expense of Ghana.
The first paragraph of FIFA 10-paragraph Fair Play Code for football reads “Winning is without value if victory has been achieved unfairly or dishonestly. Cheating is easy but it brings no pleasure. Playing fair requires courage and character. It’s also more satisfying. Fair play always has its rewards even when the game is lost…………. Remember: it is only a game. And games are pointless unless played fairly”.
FACTS
• There is a difference between committing a foul against a player that is goal-bound in the box 18 and unlawfully preventing a ball from crossing the goal line
• In situations where an attacking player is unlawfully prevented from taking a goal scoring opportunity in the box18, it is fair play to award a penalty to such a team.
ARGUABLE POINTS
• The goal was as good as scored already since without that unlawful blockage by Suarez on the goal line nothing else was preventing the ball from crossing the goal line.
• Therefore, awarding a penalty kick in favor of Ghana was in bad taste since it was the ball that was prevented unlawfully from crossing the goal line and not a Ghanaian player.
Saturday, January 30, 2010
ACHIEVEMENTS AND FACTS ABOUT CHELSEA FC
• Chelsea Football Club was founded on March 14th 1905• Chelsea Football Club is owned by Russian billionaire- Roman Abramovich
• Chelsea Football Club's chairman is Bruce Buck from the United States of America
• Chelsea Football Club's manager is Carlo Ancelotti From Italy
• Chelsea Football Club's home is the 42, 055 capacity Stamford Bridge
• Chelsea Football Club is also nicknamed "The Blues"
• Chelsea has sustained the fifth highest average all-time attendance in English football and regularly attract over 40,000 fans to Stamford Bridge
• Chelsea have been English champions three times, and have won the FA Cup five times, the League Cup four times and the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup twice
• In 2008, Avram Grant led Chelsea to their first UEFA Champions League final
• In June 2003, Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich bought Chelsea for £140 million
• Chelsea's highest appearance-maker is Ex-captain Ron Harris, who played in 795 first-class games for the club between 1961 and 1980
• The record for a Chelsea goalkeeper is held by Peter Bonetti, who made 729 appearances (1959–79).
• Bobby Tambling is Chelsea's all-time top goalscorer, with 202 goals in 370 games (1959–70)
• Jimmy Greaves holds the record of the most goals scored in one season (43 in 1960–61) for chelsea
• Chelsea holds the record for the highest ever points total for a league season (95), the fewest goals conceded during a league season (15), the highest number of Premier League victories in a season (29), the highest number of clean sheets overall in a Premier League season (25) (all set during the 2004–05 season), and the most consecutive clean sheets from the start of a league season (6).
• Chelsea hold the record for the longest streak of unbeaten matches at home in the English top-flight, which lasted 86 matches from 20 March 2004 to 26 October 2008
• Chelsea were the first English side to travel by aeroplane to a domestic away match, when they visited Newcastle United on 19 April 1957
• On 26 December 1999, Chelsea became the first British side to field an entirely foreign starting line-up (no British or Irish players) in a Premier League match against Southampton
• On 19 May 2007, Chelsea became the first team to win the FA Cup at the new Wembley Stadium, having also been the last to win it at the old Wembley
HISTORY OF CHELSEA FOOTBALL CLUB
Founded on march 14th, 1905 at the rising pub (now the butcher’s hook). Chelsea Football Club was elected into the second division on may 25th, 1905. Not long afterwards, they were promoted to the top flight but the club’s early years brought little success- no trophies. Their best moments came when they reached the FA cup finals in 1915, but unfortunately, they lost to sheffield united.
Despite the fact that they were not wining trophies, they constantly attracted large crowds of fans and viewers during their games (77, 952 fans attended the fourth round FA cup tie against Swindon on April 13th, 1911 and 82,905 attended the league game against Arsenal on October 12th, 1935).
In 1952, Ted Drake was appointed as Chelsea's coach and the team won the First division (league title) in the 1954-55 season with a total of 52 points (the lowest points till date that a team held to secure the English League Title) but due to objections from the Football League and the FA, chelsea were made to withdraw from the European Champions Cup (inaugurated in the 1955-56 season) before it started. Despite their success that season, they were unable to inspire their fans in the succeeding seasons as the always ended mid table. This continued for sometime and they were relegated from the First division in 1962 and Ted Drake was replaced by player-coach Tommy Docherty.
Docherty led Chelsea back to the top flight in his first season. The following decade saw a young talented chelsea full of great charisma but could not win any major trophy except when they won the League cup in 1965 (chelsea’s first league cup). They then lost to Tottenham Hotspur in the FA cup finals in 1967. The early 70’s saw a very nice and talented Chelsea squad (including Ron chopper Harris, Ian Hutchinson, Charlie Cooke and Peter Osgreat) beating Leeds 2-1 in the FA cup final replay at Old Trafford, and were crowned UEFA cup winners the following year (chelsea’s first European honour). In 1972, they reached the League cup final but lost to stoke city.
Unfortunately, the overall discipline of the team de-generated and an over- ambitious re-development of the stadium- Stamford Bridge threatened the financial stability of the club and this led to the sales of star players and they were eventually relegated. And one of the things that led to the increased difficulties in the club was the behavior of the supporters- No one could tell if it was red hot passion or football hooliganism but this had a negative effect on the club both on and off the pitch. Another problem then was the sale of the freehold rights of the stadium site to property developers meaning they could be sent packing from stamford bridge any time but in the mid 90’s, their future at stamford bridge was secured thanks to victory in a long ensued legal battle between ken bates (former chairman who bought chelsea from the Mears family for £1m) and the property developers in 1992.
Chelsea were promoted as champions of the Second division in 1984, and they finished in the top six in the next two consecutive seasons. Again, they were relegated in 1988-89 season but they only stayed in the Second division for a season as they were again promoted to the top flight in 1989-90 season and since then “The blues” have continually remained in the top flight of English Football.
Back in the top flight again, Coach Bobby Campbell guided a Chelsea side that lacked noteable players coupled with an un-inspiring performance to an amazing fifth place in the League table but missed out on a UEFA cup place as Aston villa were runners up that year. Campbell resigned that year and was replaced by Ian Porterfield who helped chelsea qualify for the Newly-Reformed-First-Ever Premier League but he quit halfway through the season and was replaced by David Webb who helped chelsea finish 11th in the League table. David Webb was replaced by former England midfielder Glenn Hoddle at the end of the season as his leadership was only on a caretaker basis. In Hoddle’s first season in charge of Chelsea, he led Chelsea to the FA cup final but lost to Manchester United (who were awarded two penalties) 4-0 but still qualified for the 1994-95 Europe cup as only Manchester United qualified for the Champions League that year. They were knocked out the competition through a lone goal loss to eventual winners- Real Zaragoza.
Chelsea were now in top form and they had a couple of world class players including captain Dennis Wise, Ruud Gullit (free transfer from Sampdoria) and Manchester United ’s high scoring striker Mark Hughes. Chelsea again finished 11th in the 1995-96 season under Coach Hoddle who later quit chelsea to become Coach of England squad.
Ruud Gullit was appointed player-coach for the 1996-97 season, he won the FA cup and also helped chelsea finish sixth in the premiership. In febuary 1998, Gullit was sacked and was replaced by Gianluca Vialli and he won the UEFA cup and the League cup that year. He also helped Chelsea finish 3rd in the premiership in the 1998- 99 season making them qualify for their First-Ever Champions League. Gullit also guided Chelsea to another FA cup victory in 2000.
At this time, Chelsea squad included the likes of Gianfranco Zola, Goal Keeper Ed de Goey, Nigerian Celestine babayaro, Roberto di Matteo (Italian midfielder) and Frank Leboeuf (French center-half).Happy moments came again as Vialli was replaced by Claudio Ranieri in September 2000. Ranieri guided the team to the FA cup Final in 2002 but lost to Arsenal.
Roman Abramovich, the Russian Billionaire bought Chelsea from Ken Bates in June 2003. During the pre-season tour, Abramovich spent over £100million on players like Claude Makalele, Damien Duff, Glen Johnson and Joe Cole. This brought great success as chelsea finished 2nd in the premiership and reached the Champions League semifinals after beating Arsenal in the quarterfinal, but Ranieri was sacked at the end of the season for not winning any trophy despite the large sum of money spent on players.
Afterwards, Jose Mourinho- The Special One was appointed as the new coach. He lived up to his name as “the special one” by bringing the Barclays Premiership Title to Stamford bridge in style, setting new records and also retained the title the following year along side other cups. During Mourinho’s time, Chelsea became widely known as a tough side both on and off the pitch as there was virtually no week that Mourinho kept quiet. He always draws the attention of the English FA by the remarks he makes.
Surprisingly, Mourinho left Chelsea in 2007 causing a lot of side talks and Avram Grant was appointed as caretaker coach.
Avram Grant will never be forgotten in the history of Chelsea fc as he led the team to the finals of the UEFA champions league in 2008- the closest they have ever came to lifting the crown. At the end of that seaaon, he was replaced by “The Big Phil”.
At the start of the new season, it looked all rosy for the blues, but midway into the season, Philip Scolari was replaced as he was found wanting.
Then, Gus Hiddink was appointed coach to manage the team till the end of that season. Gus Hiddink could be regarded as a saviour for Chelsea that season as he guided them to a third place finish in the premier league and finally waved Chelsea bye-bye after helping them lift the FA cup beating Everton 2-1.
Carlo Ancelotti was then appointed and is still the 1st team coach of Chelsea fc.
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