Archive for February, 2011

Can Torres Deliver In Copenhagen and Save Our Season?

Tonight Chelsea travel to Denmark to face FC Copenhagen looking to book a place in the Champions League quarter finals.   

When the draw was made following the group stages, few could have predicted the fall from grace which has so catastrophically derailed Chelsea’s season. With just 7 wins in 21 matches, tonight could be something of a last chance to salvage something from one of the most baffling slumps in the club’s history. 

On paper, the tie looks straight forward. Chelsea boast a squad full of superstars, while their opponents have few players English fans will have heard of. However, coach Stale Solbakken has managed to craft a well organised unit which relies on a solid defence (and the goals of Dame N’Doye) to get results.

In fact his side held all-conquering FC Barcelona to a 1-1 draw in November, as well as defeating Panathinaikos both home and away in the group stage. Chelsea must be warned against complacency against a team which will take some beating.

Since the 3-1 win over Panathinaikos in December, Copenhagen have not played a minute of competitive football. The Danish Superliga has a lengthy winter break between December and March, meaning that Solbakken’s side have had to make do with friendly matches and warm weather training camps to prepare for tonight’s game.

It remains to be seen what affect the break will have on the hosts. They may find the high tempo of a fully match-fit Chelsea team too difficult to deal with. While the visitors could be feeling the affects of the weekend having had to endure extra time in their FA Cup tie against Everton on Saturday. 

The worry for Carlo Ancelotti is that his team have scored just one goal in the last 300 minutes of football they have played, having lacked the cutting edge to score against either Liverpool or Fulham in the league recently.

Fernando Torres is eligible to play and will make his first Champions League start for the Blues, partnering Nicolas Anelka up front. This will be the first time the two have played without Didier Drogba, who is likely to miss the game due to injury.

 For Torres, the pressure is immense. Having set Roman Abramovich back a huge £50 million on deadline day, the former Liverpool man has in under scrutiny from the British media.

Chelsea Finally Relinquish FA Cup After Two Years of Domination

So after yesterday’s defeat to Everton we are out of the FA Cup having lost an FA Cup tie for the first time in almost three years, an unbeaten record that spanned thirteen rounds of competition resulting in four trips to Wembley and two trophies.

Yesterday’s defeat is dissapointing particulary as it represents yet another penalty shoot out defeat, as a side that scored 103 goals this season failed to outscore an opponent from twelve yards.

It has been so long since we had experienced defeat in the competition we could be all be forgiven for seeing today’s FA Cup quarter final draw and thinking the FA had made a mistake by omitting the Blues and I must admit the draw looks odd without our name in it.

However the run had to come to an end at some point and has given me and I am sure every Chelsea fan some great memories.

In the first of our back to back victories against Everton in the 2009 final the trophy was the highlight of a turbulent season providing the perfect send off for caretaker manager Guus Huddink in his final game of a short but memorable few months in charge.

In contrast the final against Portsmouth last season put the finishing touches to a record breaking season, securing the double for the first time in the club’s history.

The FA Cup is our competition and I would be lying if I said that I was not gutted that we could not retain the trophy but I would rather remember the positives and will be doing some follow up pieces later in the week.

David Luiz Stars on Full Debut Despite Penalty

It is not often that my Chelsea man of the match concedes an injury time penalty that almost costs the club the match however the Fulham game was the exception to the rule.

Whilst the football world ponders the astuteness of the Fernando Torres the signing of Luiz passed seemingly unnoticed despite the Portuguese defenders continental reputation and price tag.

Luiz made his first start against Fulham and was generally magnificent, powerful and composed he was not only composed at the back but a real menace going forward as well at times operating as an additional striker as we tried to turn the screw in a game that by all rights we should have won.

He displayed a range of passing that reminded me of the early days of Frank Leboeuf’s time at the club when the Frenchman used to spray balls forward 40-50 yards to feet at whim. Back in the present day Luiz should have an assist to his name as on most days Torres would have slammed home his shot when put through by Luiz late in the first half.

The display was tempered by the clumsy penalty and he is certainly rough around the edges ( the penalty was not his only dubious tackle in the penalty area) but the early signs are that we let one world class defender go in the summer window and bought his replacement in the winter window.
May his good start continue!

All fart and no… *?!# – The Chelsea Football FanCast #147

The boys are in grumpy mood after the big letdown of Liverpool raining on Torres parade, but they stoically attempt to lighten the mood with the ‘Fannies’, some songs old and new and ‘Dear Mart’, aided and abetted by the return of ‘Big’ Phil Norman!

With the best strike force in world football the FanCast crew bemoan the lack of any creative flair and service in a painful defeat to the Scousers. An all round damp squib with no one covering themselves in glory, apart from a good cameo from Luiz, now known as ‘Sideshow Bob’!

As well as an analysis of the game punctuated by the usual moan and rant, we also award our Man and Chant of the Match and Guinness and Celery moments from the game – a difficult task this week, although we had some excellent chants to go with a good atmosphere at the Bridge for a change. ‘Big’ Phil Norman on his return to the show has some hilarious suggestions for both the Guinness and Celery moments (one being a stroke of Charlie Cooke genius from 1969, the other being a ‘proper Chels’ pub!!)

In ‘We’re out to show the world the way to sing’ we give a second airing to a Steve Gerrard song penned by Dave D’Brass one of our listeners, prompted by a reversion of the song posted by the Stone Island Singer on YouTube this week.

As a special treat ‘Big’ Phil talks about following Chelsea since the 1950’s and relives some memories of his favourite players and eras and talks about how supporting Chelsea has changed over the years, not to mention giving  us a rendition of some long forgotten songs…

In “Don’t Look Back in Anger” we look back with fond memories on another Chelsea player from the past – this week Petar Borota,

Dr Mart is back in the surgery this week to answer your Chelsea questions in Dear Mart and finally, we read out the best posts of the week in You’re on CFFC.

The Chelsea Football FanCast: All fart and no… *?!#

View From Corner of Matthew Harding Upper