Sandwiched in between this week’s marquee double-header against Manchester United in the Champions League is the first leg of another significant knockout tie against the Red Devils. On Sunday lunchtime, Stamford Bridge will host the first leg of this year’s FA Youth Cup Semi Final, as Chelsea seek to defend the crown they won eleven months ago. Standing in their way are as tough an opponent as the young Blues…
The Happiness Index
As a Chelsea fan, how happy are you? I ask this now because, after the hugely-awaited Champions League game against Manchester Utd, I’m not happy. The world’s most rubbish pre-match meal, combined with an extortionately priced vodka and lemonade, a log-jam at the turnstiles causing me not only to not get to the loo beforehand but to miss the first five minutes of the match and a hugely disappointing result…
Defeat Leaves Season In The Balance
As expected, no team came out of the game and say that they were the head and shoulders ahead of the other. Chelsea started in a slow, sluggish manner and were hit hard when Wayne Rooney gave United the lead in the first half, founding it hard to get that elusive equaliser for the rest of the game. Carlo Ancelotti earlier said in his press conference that he has decided…
Travels With The Chels – Porto
Chels have been dining consistently at the top table of European football for nearly eight years now. Those hideously short, turn of the century, UEFA Cup campaigns are largely forgotten by all but the most masochistic of our fans. And there are a couple of teams that we seem to keep bumping into on our travels. One of them is Porto. Therefore, when discussing European trips there with friends we…
The Loan Report: April 1-3
This issue of The Loan Report takes a quick look at the weekend action amongst Chelsea’s young loanees, as clubs returned to domestic action after a fortnight of international jaunts. It was a case of maintaining the status quo in the Premier League, with Daniel Sturridge impressing whilst Gael Kakuta and Michael Mancienne saw no playing time. Sturridge had an excellent first half against Birmingham City for Bolton Wanderers, and…
Title Hopes Fade After Stoke Draw
A spirited Stoke side brought to halt the Chelsea revival, as an impressive first half showing was followed by an abject second half performance which made us work hard to earn a point from the game. Jon Walters had given Stoke City the lead inside the first 10 minutes, but a Didier Drogba strike, his first in almost two months, levelled things up. Chelsea started with their standard 4-4-2 formation,…
Had Scolari Completely Lost It?
Recently Luiz Filipe Scolari finally broke his silence on his time as Chelsea manager, a silence that many must feel really didn’t need to be broken. He released an attack on the dressing room culture that was present during his time in charge, saying how “it was difficult to control the dressing room” as players like Didier Drogba and Michael Ballack caused him problems due to rivalry for places in…
The Loan (and International) Report: March 21-31
With the last fortnight seeing the football calendar largely taken over by international commitments, the latest instalment of The Loan Report will also catch up on how Chelsea’s youngsters have been doing on their travels. Starting at home, the international break meant no action in the Premier League and The Championship, but there was selected activity in Leagues One and Two. Conor Clifford was an unused substitute for Notts County…
Mike Bassett Chelsea Manager
For those who have seen the film featuring Ricky Tomlinson as Mike Bassett the England manager, you will remember a quote from the film during a press conference, he states; “This country will be playing Four Four F***ing Two” and leaves. This got me thinking; should Carlo raise an eyebrow at this quote and get his thinking cap on and the clogs inside turning at a pace? Does he stick…
This Is A Man’s World. Really?
As long as I’ve been a football enthusiast I have been mocked by men for getting into a ‘men’s sport’ that I could possibly not understand, and I’m sure I’m not the only girl who has experienced it. Women are stereotypically ignorant about sports, which I can agree with. Most women really aren’t interested in masculine sports, including football. But things are changing and we can spot more women wearing football shirts…