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Chelsea 2-0 Middlesbrough | Better poised for Sunday!

Posted by: BlueChampion on January 29, 2009 in Match Day 38 Comments 3,309 views

So that’s four in a row! A cleansheet, finally. I’m laughing at all those Kalou-bashers. 8 goals and 7 assists in 16 starts this season. He simply rocks. Too sad that he’ll remain to be an unsung hero among Chelsea fans. Credit to Scolari for playing Kalou ahead of Deco. That’s a very good move. I hope I don’t get to hear that Deco was dropped because he was injured or something. I’d like to think that Scolari dropped Deco for his poor performance and played Kalou because of his form. One thing though. I’m not sure how those 2 mins in the end would help Stoch’s career or Chelsea’s cause.

At half time, Chelsea were reportedly booed off. Which sums up the way we playing in the first half. It’s a shameful thing though, this booing off. There are various other ways to express your feelings. Second half was lot better and things did improve with Drogba coming in. Did anyone else notice that the Boro defending for the second goal was very similar to our defending against that Southend equaliser?

This was still not the most convincing performance against one of the worst teams of this season of the premier league. We had to get a win and we got it. There was nothing too stylish or efficient about the way we achieved it, though we improved after the first goal. I think we should drop this slow build-up style against the lesser teams. When we play high tempo, we can so threatening with the quality we have in the team.

Liverpool and Arsenal drew. I’d be too greedy to ask for more tonight. Goddamn goners nicked one in the last minute for the 100th time this season. Everton deserved a win. Something tells me that Everton will surely overtake Arsenal to leave them fight with Wigan. Nice. Liverpool’s fourth successive draw of the month puts us in the second place in the league table.

It’s a good set of results ahead of the Sunday match. Liverpool getting their fourth consecutive draw and Chelsea getting their fourth consecutive win. No doubts on who the form team is. Also, both Scolari and Benitez cannot afford to play for a draw. If Chelsea and Liverpool split points on Sunday, Man Utd would be flying high. So, to go into such an important match with a morale better than that of the opponent is indeed good.

table1

It’s late already and I’m busy tomorrow morning. So, please help yourself! Cheers!

P.S: Check out Beckham’s freekick for Milan against Genoa. Capello was in the stands then!

BlueChampion

What I am? Uber football addict, optimistic Chelsea fan, casual gamer and long time blogger with views and opinions rather than stats and data. What I'm not? Expert, analyst, pundit or self-proclaimed guru of anything. I choose when to be biased and when not to be. Views and opinions are all mine and not what you always might want to see.

38 comments - Please Click Here To Add Your Comment

IwasMissingJose
January 28, 2009 at 10:53 pm

So we are in a winning streak guys. Lets hope on saturday everton beats Manu and we beat Liverpool!!!
kuhulai
January 28, 2009 at 10:59 pm

Hej guys
I just saw the game ended.
I was missing jose, did you watch the game? how was it? Kalou is heating up lol. way to go boy

… aite waiting to read more about todays game.

oh yea lpool 1 wigan 1=) and ars draw away agains everton

/k
IwasMissingJose
January 28, 2009 at 11:16 pm

yea, i watched it. Well first half was as usual, even the commentators were ranting on your lack of penetration. But things changed in second half as Drogba came in. Its difficult to explain, but to say Drogba makes Anelka go wild (in good sense). Its when Drogba came in team started to show more energy. Although Drogba wasted all of his chances, our level of penetration increased. the defenders were focused in Drogba and Anelka. These things left Kalou bit unmarked and he exploited it to its fullest to score 2 goals in the second half. First goal was a superb volley in the crowded D-Area and the second-one was a headed goal from the corner by frank lampard. Anelka showed lots of pace and skill in the second half. To cut short, poor first half, but excellent second half.
kuhulai
January 28, 2009 at 11:24 pm

TX mate
I never found a link to watch the game so I went on to se liverpool game. it wasnt much to se though. lets kill them this upcoming weekend.

Drog gives a team great energi when he plays. LFS needs to get the best out not only him but the allt he players. So now we are on a winning spree, lets keep it up blues.

/k
denver
January 29, 2009 at 12:32 am

guys 2-0 on our way to retake you clean sheet title!! 11 more to go!! o guys…. by the way I think we need to win 15 out of 17 matches to go
since66
January 29, 2009 at 12:58 am

Yes BC the team got booed off at half-time. Drogba came on, rolled up his sleeves and got down to business and I mean business. Two goals from Super Frank’s corners and three points in the bag. I just got in from the game. very wet night – you know that fine rain that ends up in all sorts of places if you havent got the right protection. As for Sunday I am really confident we can go to Anfield and get a result. To a degree we are the team in form. 4 wins from 4 games since the ManUre humiliation and Liverpool cannot stop drawing, and The Kop are starting to turn into nervous wrecks.

ATM – The future is bright, the future is Blue

KTBFFH
cfc
January 29, 2009 at 1:44 am

Looking at the table – Man U home form – 28 points out of 30 . Last season it was 52/57 , only Man city was able to win there and Reading got a draw in the first game.. We definitely need some more team to park the bus at old trafford.

We go to Anfield level on points with Liverpool.
Last October, it was the battle for the first place, battle of the unbeatens and Now we are fighting for the second place.In the PL, Liverpool have not lost at Anfield for more than a year now . Their last defeat in PL was against Man U some time in dec 2007.

It is not going to be easy, but I think both the team have to win if we have to stay in touch with Man U ( who may be 5 points considering a game in hand at Old Trafford) or should I say be above Villa, who play Wigan on Saturday.

The month of Feb will decide Scolari future – Away games to Liverpool and Villa , CL home game against Juventus.
cfc
January 29, 2009 at 3:07 am

[quote comment="70138"]guys 2-0 on our way to retake you clean sheet title!! 11 more to go!! o guys…. by the way I think we need to win 15 out of 17 matches to go[/quote]

only 15 more games to go.
moyo
January 29, 2009 at 3:20 am

I haven’t been in this blog for a while now… I’ve been so busy immersed into my country’s politics and our new president.
BACK 2 CHELSEA:
It’s great to see us have a clean sheet after a long time…. and it’s even better the two goals were from kalou…. even way better that liverpool drew their game.

PS: Scolari MUST be sacked if we draw at Anfield.
heyjose
January 29, 2009 at 6:55 am

we must beat liverpool and dent thier hopes now no deco on sunday either cheers 4 blues
Grevin
January 29, 2009 at 7:40 am

I think for the recent matches Scolary has realised how he wastes kalou by leaving him on the bench for either Malouda or Deco coz quality has brought out itself between the three players.DROGBA MUST BE RETURNED to the first eleven becouse when he inspires team morale and that is what we need in our do or die clash against LIVERPOOL on sunday .scolary must watch out on how he starts his first eleven on that day.I also want to comment on poor defending from chelsea`s defence which is letting PETR ZCECH down as he is the best goal keeper in europe as far as goalkeeping is concerned. Let them improve abit to avoid all this embarassment of loosing or settling for a draw easily.
True Blue in L.A.
January 29, 2009 at 9:05 am

Liverpool have not won a match in 2009 yet, now is the best time if we are to go into Anfield and steal a victory, while they are struggling. I think we should start with an attacking third of Drogba, Anelka and Kalou in a 4-3-3. We should attack from the start and not take the foot off the gas pedal. Neither team can afford even a draw, if they want a realistic chance at the title.

I predicted a Chelsea win at Old Trafford, and I felt like the dumbest person in the world. So I won’t get carried away this time, it should be a close match.. but all I ask out of my boys is that they fight.
vovka
January 29, 2009 at 11:48 am

All hail Kalou! Finally he decided a match again… I hope to see him regularly in the squad, he is a mile better than Deco and Malouda together.

As for Miroslav Stoch, I don’t doubt that move in this match… when he came in against Arsenal, 2 minutes go and Chelsea 1 goal down, I ate walls, cause it didn’t make sense. But when we are up, it can only help his self-confidence – to share a win as part of the team is good, to be on the pitch is even better. Moreover, he could substitute exhausted Drogba and be of use as a fresh blood, especially on the counterattacks. And finally, his substitution also spared several seconds in the late part of the game.

As for substitutions, I can only praise Scolari for this match. No goals till half-time = Drogs comes for Malouda, which really sharpened our attack. Two-goal lead = Deco comes for Kalou to calm down the play, strengthen midfield and hold the ball. 2 minutes from time – Stoch comes for Anelka, to make our attack fresh and also to hold some time. I believe Scolari is slowly getting better in this.
cfc
January 29, 2009 at 1:21 pm

http://www.goal.com/en-us/news/85/england/2009/01/29/1083127/giggs-chelsea–liverpool-missed-their-chance
Naveed Zafar Kiani
January 29, 2009 at 2:18 pm

Last time Liverpool came to stamford bridge, no 1 gave them a chance because of the form chelsea was in. 4 straight wins against 2 tier teams is what we are considering as the “team in form!”..comon gimme a break..lets be realistic here..3 loses and a draw is what we have achieved against big 4 this season with 15 games to play..I suggest keeping our feet on the ground would be the best thing. Please do not create a hype so much that if things dont go our way then we start criticizing r team from all corners..lets just hope we get our results better against big 4 for remaining fixtures and ManU slipping at some stage…I wish I can see chelsea emerging winners on sunday because that would be the biggest thing for chelsea in a while
kuhulai
January 29, 2009 at 2:56 pm

WE most definitely got a great chance of winning the EPL title this season. YEA I agree man u are looking good but it’s still along way to go. They are still in all the competitions so that will take its tale on the team. I had been saying all along that the team that are above man u after the last game in the season will win the title. And I can picture us being that team.

Liverpool away isn’t the easiest road games, but we got to believe in ourselves. If we execute well and play good defense we will get a “W”.

Am glad drogba is playing. We need him, ehh n some of you get of his off nutz. Kalou, sorry for bashing u most of the season, Am glad he is proving his worth now. I can’t believe I have missed The Blues last two games. Now I can’t wait for the game on Sunday.
Jaz
January 29, 2009 at 3:13 pm

The only positive I can take from this game was the fact that we “WON UGLY” something that we always had under JM and completely lost under the so called “Beautiful Football” under LFS. I watched match of the day and Gary Linekar & Co were critising Chelsea for not being able to break down the Boro defense and having to settle in for 2 set peices and I was honestly like WTF ?? Man Utd got a 1-0 win against Boro and that too in the last minute with a full healthy squad and they call it a beautiful win and we do the same and we get criticised ?? This is exactly what I find frustrating about Football, no matter what, people just love to hate Chelsea just because we made the most out of the situation. It’s not like if Lpool, Arsneal or Utd would of said no we will not spend a single penny if they were given the option to spend millons, so why do these journalists and football figures bash Chelsea all the time ?? It is really annoying and ridiculous to see Utd and other big teams almost always get away with everything (just because they have a history). Im not getting carried away I know that we were in 3rd devision but that is all in the past, we live in the present not what happened 50 years ago, that’s exactly what is wrong with every Lpool, Utd and Arsenal fan, they simply bring out the history (I don’t give a monkey’s a$$). Just learn to live with the fact that Chelsea are up their, and they were flourishing even before RA took over. Neway gettin back to the point lol, we got an ugly win y’day but a win is a win and as long as we get the 3 points that’s all that really matters at the end of the day. The game on sunday won’t be easy, fair enough we have won our last 4 games and Lpool have drawn their last 4 but this will make them ever the more hungrier for the win, so we can’t let our guard down and we have to go to Anfeild with a point to prove, that’s if we want to stay in the title race!!
IwasMissingJose
January 29, 2009 at 3:53 pm

Replying to Jaz:

i agree 100% on this. Why do referee, press and commentators hate chelsea so much? Are they jealous of our success?
TruePlatinum
January 29, 2009 at 4:10 pm

if there is something i desire this season, its to see liverpool miss champions league football next season, lets destroy them this weekend
special one
January 29, 2009 at 9:22 pm

http://www.interfanclub.com/post/sarajlija-mou/
IwasMissingJose
January 29, 2009 at 10:59 pm

Replying to special one:

whoever he is, he must have gone fcuking crazy. But i think he´s just blowing it out. anyway Good luck to you whoever you are, may your wish be fulfilled!
special one
January 29, 2009 at 11:18 pm

http://aeiou.expresso.pt/jovem_bosnio_ameaca_matarse_se_nao_conhecer_mourinho=f494625
xerxesk
January 30, 2009 at 12:13 am

should we buy N’zogbia for Castle? He wants a move.
heyjose
January 30, 2009 at 5:12 am

no way we should not buy n zombia as he is not a chelsea material
Joseisgone
January 30, 2009 at 9:54 am

Hey BC this article you wrote is incomplete, you forgot to bash Anelka and mention that Scolari should be sacked
k.drogba
January 30, 2009 at 11:30 am

Liverpool vs Chelsea :

= =Cech= =
=Bosingwa=Terry=Carvalho=A.Cole=
===Lampard=Mikel=Ballack===
==Anelka==Drogba==Kalou==

SUB:Ivanovic,Alex,Hilario,Deco,Malouda,DI Santo, Gael Kakuta
BlueChampion
January 30, 2009 at 1:26 pm

[quote comment="70188"]Hey BC this article you wrote is incomplete, you forgot to bash Anelka and mention that Scolari should be sacked [/quote]

Oh yes I forgot about Anelka. Do you think he won’t give me another chance?

By the way, I have never said ‘Scolari should be sacked’. Please quote me.
serbinRS
January 30, 2009 at 6:52 pm

Joseisgone you must have confused BC with me:) . Only I am persistent and direct in my claims that Scolari should be sacked. But its normal that BC wants the man who ” has not improved in any aspects” and who ” he has no sympathy for” to be sacked”. Well, unless he is a masochist
johnarejr
January 30, 2009 at 10:55 pm

Just read on the BBC that Chelsea signed a 17 year old attacking midfielder, Gokhan Tore. Has anyone heard anything of this kid?
Wishing for the best against Liverpool. The best could very well happen.
cfc
January 31, 2009 at 1:17 am

[quote comment="70208"]Just read on the BBC that Chelsea signed a 17 year old attacking midfielder, Gokhan Tore. Has anyone heard anything of this kid?
Wishing for the best against Liverpool. The best could very well happen.[/quote]

Read about him, he is joining the youth academy. One defender from the academy has left chelsea. Looks like Ivanovic has agreed a 5 year deal with Fiorentina and Manuel da costa , Portuguese defender is coming in the opposite direction

I thought Stotari would be the first non brazialian/portuguese signing for scolari , but now he has asked for 5 dvds of the player to review..
Joseisgone
January 31, 2009 at 3:36 am

[quote comment="70194"][quote comment="70188"]Hey BC this article you wrote is incomplete, you forgot to bash Anelka and mention that Scolari should be sacked [/quote]

Oh yes I forgot about Anelka. Do you think he won’t give me another chance?

By the way, I have never said ‘Scolari should be sacked’. Please quote me.[/quote]

Who pissed in your cornflakes this morning? Grumpy as hell you are. You have alluded to scolari being sacked plenty of times. Perhaps read your own posts? And the crusade you’ve declared against Anelka is quite frankly pathetic. I hope he scores on sunday to shut you up for good.
cosanostra
January 31, 2009 at 6:22 am

Replying to Joseisgone: chill man… we’re all hoping for the best..
Go Chels!!
ish
January 31, 2009 at 7:14 am

also just a quick thing on zonal marking that every1 is pissed about. Liverpool do zonal marking, their players are very similar to ours and look at their stats for conceding on set pieces, when benitez came in they switched styles and started off conceding a bit more then normal from man marking but since they have got used to it the amount of set piece goals given away is the lowest in the prem league. Even chelsea during their record season still gave away more set piece goals then liverpool.
Man marking is easier but only if the players are well matched up in terms of height, speed and so on and generally the attacker always has the advantage since the defender has to react which takes millseconds longer but is enough to cause a goal. Zonal marking stops that but it has flaws in that if every player doesnt do their stuff it falls on its arse. At least scolari is trying to sort out the mess that is set pieces for us, we had the same troubles last year and man marking didnt help then either, the problem is a disjointed defense, the defense needs to be stable for it to be concrete and so far the two CB’s have been switching places constantly.
BlueChampion
January 31, 2009 at 8:11 am

Replying to Joseisgone:

That’s exactly where you cross the limit! What do you mean by I have ‘alluded’. I have explicitly said that Scolari should stay but it’s just that he needs to get settled soon enough. He needs to understand his players better, his best eleven, his formation and his opponents. All this needs to happen soon.

A crusade against Anelka? Nonsense. Anelka is yet to score in an important game or against a quality opponent. It’s a fact. When he screws up, he gets criticised. When he plays well he gets credit. Why is it so difficult for you to understand such a simple thing.

And now, respond with logic and rationale without resorting to cheap abuse. Thanks.
Heart of Blue
January 31, 2009 at 12:11 pm

I think the match this Sunday is gonna be a tough one, but we can certainly prevail. Like what Jaz said, we need to go to Anfield with something to prove. Let’s hope we cut through all the bull and play like we played at the start of the season.
cfc
January 31, 2009 at 2:31 pm

It was a clean sheet against Middlesborough, but thinking over – did they have a set piece may be couple of them . But it will be different at Anfield.

Can’t believe, we did not sign even one player, when even Newcastle, Hull have spend.. did you guys read Scolari accusing referees ??

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/premierleague/chelsea/4399187/Chelsea-manager-Luiz-Felipe-Scolari-backs-Rafael-Benitezs-rant-at-Sir-Alex-Ferguson.html
Diana
April 20, 2012 at 1:53 pm

, he didnt get enought uppsort from the club, even thought they flew him to africa wit private jet I dont know if its true or not but this is what >I read in some of the online-sites.Personaly I think he needs to shut up and let his game do all the talking. for the record am probably one if his biggest fan on this planet. but I think since things havent gone his way lately he needs to let his football talk. I know he gets missunderstood alot, specialy at first when he wasnt good enought wit his english. plus lately he havent been doing much noise on the pitch so he should put all his energy on the trainingground to get back to the MVP season (of 2007). One more thing, since he been around for soo long he should know how things work and what he can say and not say in public. since gallas is his buddy shouldnt he have learned from his mistakes about speaking out from ur heart??????????About him possibly leaving? that would be the worst scenario for CFC first and for all us fans. I dont care about all them cats out there, no one can do what drogs can. ok maybe ibra.but longterm ofcourse we will need to replace him but am not to concerned wit that right now. I bet the club are both tired of him bein outspoken and out of shap /not drog-fit, and they are trynna trade him or get rid of him. I think maybe thats why LFS havent been playing him much, cause they have decided they want to get rid of the drogs. Or maybe they want to state an example. am clueless like everyone else to why coach cant start him and the french Blur Nic? Hope am way off wit this one thought. one more thing, Drog is a emotional person from what I understand and that is one of his best asset and one of his biggest weaknesses also. So the Coach, LFS, should try to please him to the best of his ability and its not about giving any special treatment 2 drogs, but what LFS needs to do to get the best out of his players. hope the new year started out well for everyone out there, hope we can get on wit the season wit our current squad!!!Come on chelsea 14