We’re on a high. At least some of us. This drug called hope is doing its trick. From a hopeless situation a month back, we seem to have a sniff of the title now. We haven’t even managed a decent winning run to deserve this. We are still inconsistent but lucky us, our rivals choose to be more inconsistent. That’s not our problem. The league title goes to the best of the lot. We only need to get more points than the rest – consistency or otherwise doesn’t matter. No matter who wins the title this season – I don’t think they can be called ‘good champions’. No team has played like real champions this season. Of course we did in the first couple of months but then we also ended up with the form of a relegation battler in the months to come. Bottomline is, no team has played like real champions this season. This gives me more confidence.
We are 9 points below Man Utd. We have a game on hand. We need to play Man Utd at Old Trafford. Man Utd and Arsenal need to play each other. If we win all our games, if Man Utd and Arsenal end in a draw and if they drop points which they look like they will, we will be champions. Did we ever think we’ll get this close to the title again? It’s bloody incredible. I must thank Man Utd and Arsenal profusely for letting us back into the race.
Even in the worst case scenario, we might look for a second place finish. It’s that time of the season where Arsenal get into their routine of getting eliminated from the competitions one by one. And then this is the part where the meltdown begins and they start totally losing the plot. Of the top 4 teams as it stands now, expect Arsenal to drop more points than anyone else. That’s what can propel us to No.2. Remember, this season, we need to be at least No.2 to get a champions league spot without qualifiers.
Anyways, all these dreams don’t come true if we don’t win our games. We’ve got some challenging games but the interesting point is 6 out of our 10 games are at Stamford Bridge. Man Utd play 5 of their 9 matches at home. And, Arsenal play only 4 out of their 10 matches at home. Don’t you think we are odds on favourites to take over Arsenal that’s on an annual freefall?
Nani, Anderson, Park, Valencia, Evans and Ferdinand – The players that are out for Man Utd due to injury. Some of these are already out for a long time. Fabregas, Szczesny (copied and pasted his name), Song, Walcott, Fabianski and Vermaelen – The players that are out for Arsenal due to injury. These are some real big names for the respective clubs. In comparison, our injury situation this season of missing Lampard, Benayoun and Alex is very very manageable. Anyways, add this to the mix Benayoun, the man who forged a great partnership with Torres, will be back for us soon.
I believe in miracles. If we try harder and do our best, that miracle could just happen. I remember Chelsea going on a very long winning run in 05-06. We just need something similar now. I hope our players and manager realise that the momentum is with us. Man Utd have been beaten twice in a week and realise they are under pressure. Arsenal have lost the league cup final to Birmingham and are eliminated by Barcelona in the champions league match where they couldn’t get even one shot on or off target (check my tweets to know how much I enjoyed it). Both Man Utd and Arsenal are under tremendous pressure. Let’s do our very best and wait for other things to unfold. Let’s remember, the momentum is with us!
LOL, the funny thing about that Arsenal vs barca match is that , arsenal did manage to shoot the ball once in the match and they got a red card in reward for it… :P . i enjoyed it a lot too.
BC, I agree with most of this post, but I have some disagreements.
First of all, I hate Barcelona much more than I hate the gooners. They are a team that we have not yet gotten back, and it’s in the cards, when for once the referees will not be their 12th, 13th, and 14th players… As much as I hate Arsenal, I prefer them to win than Barca. My enemy’s enemy is my friend, I guess…
Second of all, I really want to believe that Chelsea can win the championship (I think it will be the sweetest one of all, for the epic comeback that would have been staged) but I just can’t get myself to believe it. I don’t think we have been good enough this year to come close to a run of 12 wins in a row. And United just need a draw at Old Trafford to stay 6 points clear.
I agree with the whole injury situation favoring us, but our forwards might as well have been injured! I don’t remember Drogba scoring last. Anelka was great in Copenhagen, but the last couple of months, below average. Kalou is… Kalou. And Torres, despite being very impressive in moments, he has not shone in what he was bought for–goal scoring–but in connecting play and playmaking. Benayoun could not return quickly enough, as our creativity is a complete joke; Malouda and Zhirkov are a woeful combination on the left, and Ramires, as much as I love him, is not the creative solution for the right. So our 4-4-2 is severely hampered and our players aren’t playing to their strengths.
Based on form, I would revert to the diamond, with something like this:
1
2-4-26-3
12
7-5
8
39-9
Maybe Kalou could be tried out as the left winger instead of Zhirkov or Malouda, or perhaps McEachran in the hole?!
Anyway. Here’s to hope!
But I would not be unhappy with a second place finish.
There’s a big difference between what I hope will happen, and what I think will happen.
There’s a chance Manchester United will continue to slide. I hope Giggs continues to feel his age, that Ferdinand can’t play and that the midfield and central defence continue to struggle. Meanwhile Chelsea will soon welcome back Alex and Benayoun.
So obviously I hope Chelsea can catch them.
But I don’t think they can. United’s schedule is not fearsome. It’s easier than Chelsea’s. And it’s not just United that Chelsea have to outpoint, it’s two other clubs as well. Also, while Chelsea are definitely over the “bad moment” in my mind, that doesn’t mean this is a good squad or a smoothly-functioning team.
There are problems with the unproductive strikers, the absence of a midfield playmaker, Frank Lampard’s shaky form and the continuing saga of right back. And as we’ve seen with Lampard and Essien and Bosingwa (and even Drogba, in his own way) players take a long time to find their form after a long injury layoff — so I don’t expect great things from Alex and Benayoun.
So first place is unlikely, second place would be a huge success and third place seems like a reasonable possibility.
i would gladly give up the title to focus on the champions league
Man City just lost 0-2 away to Kiev. Conceded a poor second goal.
Couldn’t score with Dzeko, Silva and Tevez on the pitch.
But guess who did score? Begins and “s”, ends in “o” and is spelled Shevchenko.
I love the think that chelsea can still win the title! … Blue… Warrior … Hope…History … Chelsea can win only if Torres & Drogba are aligned and both score
May I remind you, we ARE Champions
And to me, so you are you. :-)
DanaBlue, Good one there! Of course we are but you know what I mean!
Haven’t I stressed this enough. Whenever you play with an anchor in midfield, if he isn’t on form then you won’t dominate/win. Josh can play there as seen in the Marseille match, first half poor due to poor passes and late tackles but second half was a HUGE improvement. He needs training there and I don’t want to see my Lampard v2 turned into my Makalele v2. In case you didn’t notice, Chelsea love to train players to different postions. Mikel (AM) to a DM. Ivanovic (CB) to RB. Anelka (ST) to RW. Kalou (ST) to LW.
Listen, forget the 4-3-3s and 4-1-2-1-2s for the rest of the season. Focus on the currently working 4-4-2.
To say Torres is a waste is madness. Please read ChelseaDaft’s posts and watch Torres closely. When you watch football you have to focus on EVERYTHING. Not just on the ball but off the ball as well. When you start to do that you will realise we need to thread some killer balls to Torres like Kuyt, Gerrard, Alonso, Mascherano, Xavi, Iniesta, Fabregas, Busquets and Benayoun do.
Also please don’t expect so much from a person returning from injury.
Please don’t expect Chelsea to gel with Torres immediately as well.
Chelsea is a team known for it’s attackers to come get the ball and muscle their way through defenders.
Torres is one who makes runs similar to Lampard’s except the defender can actually see him because he is on their shoulders. His dribbling, his speed, his finishing, that is why Benitez and Ancelotti bought him.
Benayoun isn’t going to make an impact like bham! But he can help us to unlock the beast we paid 50 million pounds for. That’s guaranteed, I bet it’s even in the contract.
On to the DLP topic some more
If your DLP is off form then the AM’s have to come back and do his job because they can’t rely on his shaky ass to cover their backs. When he is on form, they can surge up unmarked, untimed and unleash hell on defenders. That is the 4-3-3 JM created and CA perfected last season. When RW left, the motivator left and hence the team’s age factor kicked in because the motivation to cure it went away.
Ramires is a tool we can use to make the LB pee themselves. Immense amounts of pace, Scott Parker like tackles, a damn good right foot.
Zhirkov is inconsistent, Robben is gone, Duff is gone, Malouda needs a challenge. I really wanted Josh here but he needs time to adapt. If Stevie G can play on RW, damn sure Josh can play LW. I mean he already has a proper range, can cross well, takes good FK’s, can dribble, Scholes like first touch and is left footed.
Anelka and Torres is the shiznet but we need rotation to keep morale up and strikers fit. I wish Carlo could rotate the midfield when Yossi comes back and Josh can start soon. If he doesn’t start next season, SEND HIM TO OWEN COYLE!. That way he can play Europa League and get some good first team action like Jack did 2 years ago.
Rotation of CB’s is coming up very soon with Alex on his way. Also please, don’t get mad when someone goes past Bosingwa. He can’t defend, simple as that. He was like imitation Daniel Alves before he got injured so what do you expect now. The man is scared to run extremely fast, cross properly and lunge into tackles because he was injured for a damn year. Deal with it, buy GVDW and sell him to Milan who desperately needed a RB since Cafu left.
All I want in the summer is:
GVDV
Begovic
Too many strikers to consider getting Sanchez/Neymar or Lukaku. Expect Roman to get Sanchez if someone shows extreme interest though.
That’s an interesting thought at this point. Why do you think our chances in champions league is better than in premier league? Is that because it’s all in our hands, unlike premier league? Or is that because Carlo is a champs league specialist?
Seriously if we face Barca in the champion league we might end up like Arsenal. Maybe.
Barca is just too strong for us now.
So my thought is focus on the Premier League. Get a 2nd place atleast.
Ken, I would politely disagree. I think we would play Barcelona very well, as we always have. If there’s one team that can beat Barca this champions league, that’s Chelsea.
It will be a question of which team performs better in their respective home game of the tie. Chelsea can get more out of the Stamford Bridge game than Barca can get out of the Camp Nou game. I’d love to play them and pay them back.
My friend. We are already champions and do you know what champions do my friend? The cream of the crop shall rise to the top. The final two months will be a battle but we have the talent to rise up and take control of our destiny.
We need to regain control of the middle of the field to feed the scorers up front. I believe once one of the three strikers regain their shooters touch there will be no stopping the boys in blue.
Contrary to other posts here, now may be the prime time to play Barca in the champs league because the expectations for the Blues are not yet to the levels of the past 4-5 Seasons. Keep up the singing and help lift the boys morale. KTBFFH
well as much as I would like to see us win again..I think the mathematics of it look a touch grim as we need to win every game and manure need to lose 2 for us to then be only tied …which then goes to goal difference…yes anything is possible…yes it all depends on how much of a wobble manure are going to have and if they can out do “our bad moment” where “we didn’t play with confidence”…in the CL if we get a kind draw…..again we could have a chance at getting the final as the closeness of one more final fpr these boys could really spur them onto bigger things…as for some it’s their possible last shot at glory..let’s take it won step at a time and focus on the right frigin tactics to win our next game!
Bring on Barca ! I would like to meet the old enemy …… head on face to face …… there is a score to settle….a debt of immense portion to be repaid…….
all of the Chelsea team will be like demons for that game…….. Howling murderous maniacal demons…..
And thaz what Barca dear don’t like …… a foe with will and strength…. usually they want patsies like Arsenal …..
Bring on that epic battle ….. if the UEFA ref… is blind and undignified and be for the Barca dog …… then …..
I voted 3rd place for us and i think we would extremely be lucky to get any where above that. Don’t forget that Arsenal have easier opponents, but yes the so called ‘easy opponents’ have surprised everyone this season.
BC, i know how much you hate Arsenal and i also know that you know i hate them equally as you, but given the choice i would like them to pip manure to the title if at all it is going to either one of them!
Regarding barks versus Arsenal, i was praying for Arsenal to win because that would mean that their concentration in EPL will be divided. I hate both the teams, but barks more! And i am bewildered in UEFA’s success in being able to find a referee (referee?!) who had never been heard of but successful in being barks’ 12th man all the time!
I want to invoke the devil in me and pray that may the likes of cesc, nasri, hernandez, vidic, evra, ashravin and rooney all get seriously injured tomorrow! YIHAHAHAHAHAHAhahahahahHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
KarmaCw….
YIHAHAHAHAHAHAhahahahahHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
A very good rendition of ” evil laughter ” , the best ever textually-represented demonic mirth ever that I have come upon on the web !
JoseHoliday,
I am sure that you got it the exact way i meant it!
I think we would do okay vs. Barcelona but ultimately I can’t see us winning given our form. I would relish the opportunity, however. We were robbed two years ago and deserve some revenge. However, I’d rather meet them later in the competition; let some other team(s) take them on for now as we recover our form and welcome back Alex and Benayoun from injuries. Outside of Barca, I’d want to avoid United and Shaktar. Real are overrated – a total win-trick pony with Ronaldo. If you disagree, go on ESPN Soccernet and check out his statistics. He not only scores virtually all their goals but he takes virtually all of their shots. Keep him under wraps and we’re fine. Bayern are dangerous but very beatable. Inter would be tough if they manage to get through. Not too worried about Schalke. Spurs – eh, don’t know about them. They blow hot and cold but to their credit they seem to do well in the big games. On another note, here’s hoping Man U. and Arsenal draw this weekend in the FA Cup. It’ll bog them down with another physically/emotionally exhausting game via a replay.
I hope that :
1. the match between manUre and arsey goes into full over-time and ends in penalties
2. they batter each over and both sides get 2 short-term and 1 long-term injuries
3. the two sides fight and red cards are shown and bans awarded
4. a media war between the two sides erupts and engrosses them wholly
YIHAHAHAHAHAHAhahahahahHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
We will never end up like arsenal .
What happened to arsenal is as simple as ,
“we play like barca , we play attacking football and we’re the best in the league. and it ended up
0 shots on target (obviously 0 shots totally) , only shot and persie is out of the game. ”
the only team to stop barca will be Chelsea , or mourinho club (even real should ) .
JoseHoliday,
Sorry mate, I can’t cheer injuries of any kind.
We’re talking about men’s careers here. Once I realized the difference between fantasy (which is what supporting a sports team is) and reality (which is what a broken leg or torn knee ligament is) I stopped hoping opposing players would get injured.
JoseHoliday,
That one is better! YIHAHAHAHAHAHAhahahahahHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Wxwax,
Glad that you are so compassionate but don’t tell me that your hatred towards Carregher had now immensely reduced! ;)
OK OK . Wxmax….. I hope that they don’t have injuries that jeopardize their careers or resale value…. just enough knocks and niggles (and malaria )….. until the end of season… that enable Chels to overtake them….. and even better I hope they get emotional drain and strain ….. stress of notwinning … the pressure of being also-rans eternally… or a delibitating hideous fear of reliving the pain of losing the league by a point like manUre last year…..
I have this weird feeling we’ll lose out on it by a point or so.
ManU vs Ars will end as a draw, bringing us 2 points closer.
Then over the rest of the games, we’ll drop 3 points less than one of Ars or ManU.
Weird gut feeling. Hope it’s wrong, although I’ll take 2nd place easily.
I would be happy to finish top 3, to avoid next season’s CL qualifier. Whatever plus is a bonus for the current situation..
We still have to play Manu, Spurs, Arsenal and Everton where we have never won for last couple of years. So, I expect we will also drop points.
If we are lucky with draws, we may reach to the final in CL. I really hope we can get Schalke or Shakhtar in the next draw…
Interesting to see that more than 50prcent think we can still be champions..
I agree with WXWAX, one’s injury doesnt make me happy.
Wouldn’t that be a glorious sight?
I wouldn’t be able to sleep for a week if Alex Ferguson’s side choked and lost the title to Chelsea. It would immediately become one of the great moments in Premier League history.
Chelsea are lining up a move for Real Madrid and Brazilian superstar Kaka with a club source at Stamford Bridge saying: “There is a strong chance it will happen.”
well I hope we don’t pay a bucket load of rubles for him as he has risk written all over him…what we do need are younger players in the lewey mould who are already producing the goods elsewhere…hope we do city and manure and arse drop more points..in maures case we need another penalty decision as red nose is on the verge of totally losing it as he has his mouth tapped at present by club officials!
whats happening to you guys and why do you hope ppl to get injured… remember We ARE Champions and champions dont like to feed on carcasses … let the enemies be in good health and we need to win all the remaining games to give them a scare.
just to higlight here, the clubs in relegation battle will be tougher to play than those sitting on the top at this time of the year… so you might want to see if anyone is playing WWW’s then expect them to lose a few points… these clubs have been better than usual this season and i am sure the relegation is going down to the wire…
I sure hope this Kaka talk is baseless rumors.
I see no value in a broken-down player who will be 20 years old next season.
I will start believing if we beat Man City (which is more or less our bogie team the past 2-3 seasons) convincingly or otherwise !!
I will start believing if we beat Man City (which is more or less our bogie team the past 2-3 seasons) convincingly next week !!
yes maure blue have been our bogey team even before our “bad moment”…..so i hope we can put them in their place and show they are just pretenders…one thing for sure mancini will have them sitting back and hoping to get 1 counter going for a sucker goal as we get more desperate for a goal if things remain scoreless……that’s his style…so carlo do your homework!
We can easily dismantle Manchester CIty. How? Look at their past 3 matches. 0 confidence and the manager is in no control whatsoever. I can easily predict Mourhino in and Mancini out at the end of the season. In fact Mourhino is currently the Man City coach on my FM save. On to the topic again though. Man CIty last 3 games = Chelsea last 4 months.
I can not dream of any title until we win home matches against City and Spurs, Those are very important and that will surely sail us through. We dont need a point each from those matches but full 6points from them. I can then guarantee 2nd place finish or winning the league.
You mean 30 years old. Kaka is way to old to be a sound investment. We need a 23-25 years old playmaker with durability for the next 5-8 years. After that I’m sure McE will become the natural replacement.
Bastian Schweinsteiger (26 yrs), Marek Hamšík (23 yrs) or Luka Modri? (25 yrs) would all be much better options that Kaka.
DanaBlue,
Actually, I meant to type 29 years old. Fat fingered!
yep we need young players who are already producing good football on the world stage…if we have to play crazy money then it gets even more stupid…on the other hand if we get him on the cheap then we might be getting a bargain and worth the gamble…but then it comes down to his injury situation as well and whether he would survive in the premier league…I think we need to now build a team which is going to grow and be around as a core as a team for the 3 – 5 years with tweaking each year…as mourinho wisely built on a core we now to re-build that core…with some of the old core taking a much lesser role in the future…I would bring mourinho back as I think for both the club and him it seems at the end of the road for both their current situations…we need to rebuild and he wants to get back to the premier league where both professionally and for his family he would be much happier..if we go off reports..smash them boys!
trisdin,
It seems you have been reading my posts.
Any of you watch the manUre-potties and gunned -areses’ match last night ? I did.
My findings…. 1. both sides were lethargic 2. arsey look shell-shocked and more and more like bottlers extrordinaire 3. scholes is a bastard of titanic proportions but red cards for him are gonna come soon in the run-in and cost manure matches/points 4. arsey’s back line and midfiled is shite and will be breached by all…..coming in second may be even hard now…… the belief is certainly shattered………… therefore Chels have a good crack at title if can overcome manure,citeh and spurz.
DanaBlue,
I agree with you in totality! NO KAKA!
Let’s not jinx it mates, yes it’s possible but highly unlikely. Let’s take it a game at a time. i am not hopeful we will win any trophy this season. The Champions League winner requires a huge slice of luck to do that and u can’t guarantee luck. As for the league we r too far behind and i dont realistically think we will win all our matches till the end of the season, we can ,but will we? i doubt it.