guus-hiddink

I’m very anxious and excited. Anxious because we’re playing Juve at Turin in a make or break match. Excited because the match would be telecast live instead of the Liverpool match. You might have read it a thousand times in the last few days – this is Hiddink’s biggest test. His Chelsea has won 6 consecutive matches in all competitions which included a home scalp of Juve themselves. A 1-0 result in the first leg at home is never enough. Our away form in the champions league has been pathetic. I see that the last away win in champions league was the 4-0 against Rosenborg in 2007. We’re now in 2009.

Hiddink’s actions have spoken more than his words. Both his words and actions have confirmed what his priorities are. He wants Chelsea to win. He wants Chelsea to control the games. He does not talk anything about the playing style and all that owner-friendly stuff. He talks like a astute tactician and his Chelsea has certainly improved since Scolari’s tactic-free days. Still we don’t control the game as much as we should. After we start controlling the games, we must start dominating the games. So we’re not there yet. There’s some more work to do. But there’s no denial that Hiddink has rejuvenated the team.

Sometimes, a significant change works. It worked in Real Madrid when Ramos stepped in. In Tottenham, it was the same Ramos who had to step out. Harry Redknapp even admitted that the change itself played a bigger role than himself in the short unbeaten run just after Ramo’s removal. The change has done wonders at Chelsea. It has brought back Drogba. It has stopped the leaking set pieces. It has brought back smiles to the faces of players and fans. Unlike the Harry Redknapp situation, I’d give a bigger credit to Hiddink because I see too big an improvement in the way we attack not to give the manager any credit for it.

Tomorrow’s match at Juve is way too significant to not progress. Sometimes, I even think that Roman sacked Scolari and at that time because he saw the risk of getting eliminated in the first knock out round in champions league. For him, progressing to the next round is very crucial. It’s now a matter of pride. The last time Chelsea were eliminated in the first knock out round was in 05-06 to eventual champions Barcelona, but Chelsea won the premier league then. This time, having won the first leg at home, we must consider ourselves favourites. The big question is, can we keep a clean sheet?

If I understand Hiddink well enough, he must expect a 0-0 at half time. That must put some pressure on the Juve players, make them impatient and nervous. Chelsea might look just for counter attacks, which fine by me. The counter attack that we made against Coventry City is a classic one. Just shows how dangerous we can be in counters. I think Chelsea would play a bit deep but apply full pressure on Juve to win the ball. When we don’t have the ball, every single player must work for the team. That’s when we’ll see the best of those players with all round capabilities. If Juve were to take a 1-0 lead, I won’t be surprised to see them take the tie to shoot outs where the result of Buffon vs Cech is written on the wall.

I guess Hiddink would play a 4-5-1. It’s a little too early for team news. I think Essien will be on the bench. The back four must be Terry, Alex, Cole and Bosingwa. I think we can even start with Belletti. Anelka is still unfit and that’s not the only reason why Drogba would start. Like Hiddink said ‘a happy Drogba is a dangerous Drogba’. Now Drogba feels fully fit too.

Thank god I feel 100 per cent physically. Now I have to work a little bit more to improve my chances in scoring goals in games. It is good when you score goals, your confidence gets higher. I’m feeling good and it is important to get games, because the more you play the more you score. I was out from injury and then when I came back it was really difficult for me, but that’s football. When things are going well nobody speaks but when you have some bad or difficult moments everybody is asking why, this is football. I work and work. When you work and want to improve something good will happen to you. I kept working hard and scoring and now people will forget the last few months.

It’s very difficult to predict champions league matches. Any result is possible. Chelsea are good enough to beat Juve. Likewise Juve are capable of beating Chelsea. Chelsea can get a clean sheet or Juve can win with a two goal margin. Anything is possible. My guess is it could be 1-1. I don’t see Chelsea getting eliminated. 0-0 at worst.

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