Blue is the Colour...The Chelsea FC Thread!

[richyuppie]

I just wanted to start a thread for all Chelsea FC fans here in PEx.

Chelsea is currently aiming for its own "treble:" The FA Cup, the UEFA Champions League, and the Premier League.

There is only two wins to go for the FA Cup title, one against Arsenal, and (assuming Chelsea wins) the final against either Manchester United or Everton. In the UEFA Champions League, two legs will be played against the mighty and favored FC Barcelona. For the Premier League, it will be difficult but still mathematically possible.

Here are Chelsea's remaining fixtures for the season (Manila day and time):

Sunday 19 April @ 0015 hrs
Arsenal vs. Chelsea (FA Cup) - @ Wembley Stadium

Thursday 23 April @ 0300 hrs
Chelsea vs. Everton (Premier League)

Saturday 25 April @ 2000 hrs
West Ham United vs. Chelsea (Premier League)

Wednesday 29 April @ 0245 hrs
Barcelona vs. Chelsea (Champions League)

Saturday 2 May @ 2000 hrs
Chelsea vs. Fulham (Premier League)

Thursday 7 May @ 0245 hrs
Chelsea vs. Barcelona (Champions League)

Sunday 10 May @ 2300 hrs
Arsenal vs. Chelsea (Premier League)

Sunday 17 May @ 2300 hrs
Chelsea vs. Blackburn Rovers (Premier League)

Sunday 24 May @ 2300 hrs
Sunderland vs. Chelsea (Premier League)


Also, if Chelsea progresses in the FA Cup and/or the Champions League, here are the dates of the Finals:

Thursday 28 May - Champions League (0245 hrs?) - @ Rome

Saturday 30 May - FA Cup (2300 hrs?) - @ Wembley Stadium



Fly High Chelsea! We'll Keep the Blue Flag Flying High!

[Drahow ein Ente]

OH HELL YEAH!!!!
w00t!

[richyuppie]

Chelsea will meet Everton later in the Premier League, which is a preview of the FA Cup Final come May 30. The game will be live at Star Sports later, Thursday, 23rd of April, at 2:55 AM.

It will not be an easy game for Chelsea. For me, Everton is the strongest English team outside the Big Four. But then, with Liverpool's draw this morning, a win for Chelsea will move them closer to second place, a spot that is is very important for an automatic Champions League spot.


We'll Keep the Blue Flag Flying High!

[richyuppie]

Live on Star Sports at 9:55 PM later, Saturday April 25.

[Drahow ein Ente]

that goalless draw hurt our chances

[princessizy]

It's quiet impossible for Chelsea to grab the EPL Trophy. But hey, the F.A and Champions League is still at hand.

[richyuppie]

BARCELONA v CHELSEA
Later, Wednesday, 29 April, 2:45AM, Live!


Facts and figures:


Head-to-head record
Played: 11
Wins: Barcelona 5, Chelsea 4, Draws 2
Goals: Barcelona 22, Chelsea 16

Previous games

Inter Cities Fairs Cup: SF
27.04.66 Barcelona 2 Chelsea 0
11.05.66 Chelsea 2 Barcelona 0
25.05.66 Barcelona 5 Chelsea 0
(play-off in Barcelona)

Champions League: QF
05.04.00 Chelsea 3 Barcelona 1
18.04.00 Barcelona 5 Chelsea 1 (aet)

Champions League: KO
23.02.05 Barcelona 2 Chelsea 1
08.03.05 Chelsea 4 Barcelona 2

Champions League: KO
22.02.06 Chelsea 1 Barcelona 2
07.03.06 Barcelona 1 Chelsea 1

Champions League: GP
18.10.06 Chelsea 1 Barcelona 0
31.10.06 Barcelona 2 Chelsea 2

Champions League 2008-09 record P W D L F A

Barcelona 10 6 3 1 29 12
Chelsea 10 5 4 1 19 12

Most appearances

Barcelona - Lionel Messi, Gerard Pique, Victor Valdes, Xavi 9
Chelsea - Nicolas Anelka, Petr Cech 10

Leading scorers:

Barcelona - Lionel Messi 8, Thierry Henry 5, Samuel Eto'o 3, Bojan 3
Chelsea - Didier Drogba 5, Frank Lampard 3

Champions League overall record P W D L F A

Barcelona 131 73 33 25 253 139
Chelsea 81 40 25 16 124 70

Most appearances

Barcelona - Xavi 85
Chelsea - Frank Lampard 63


Barcelona have failed to score in their last four semi-finals at the Nou Camp, in Champions League including last season when they drew 0-0 before losing 1-0 away to Manchester United. In the 2006 Champions League semis, they drew 0-0 with Milan. They lost 2-0 to Real Madrid four years earlier in the Champions League and in the 2001 UEFA Cup they drew 0-0 with Liverpool.

Barcelona have not won any of their last four home games against English teams but they have lost only one of the last 19 - a 2-1 reverse to Liverpool in the Champions League knockout round two seasons ago.

Barcelona are meeting a British teams for the 12th consecutive season. This match will be their 59th European game against an English club and their 28th in the Champions League.

Since beating Arsenal in the 2006 Champions League final, a pairing which could be repeated this year, Barcelona have been knocked out of Europe twice in a row by English teams - Liverpool and Manchester United.

Chelsea have not won on any of their six previous visits to Barcelona but they did draw the last two.

Chelsea have not lost any of their last seven matches against Spanish Champions League clubs and are unbeaten on their last four visits to Spain.

Chelsea have lost all six semi-final matches they have played outside England, in Champions League including two against Barcelona in the Fairs Cup in 1966 when they went out 5-0 in a play-off in the Spanish city. They have scored just one goal in those six games and conceded 15.

Chelsea keeper Petr Cech is the only player left in the competition who has played every minute of all his team's 10 games to date.

[Bhodi Li]

Gunner fan here but i'm following Chelsea's progress because i'm playing the blues in my new Football Manager 08 save game.

I'll try to watch the game tonight but from the reports it seemed Chelsea played really negative football. I can't say i blame Guus though, after that shootout with Liverpool. I don't think the Blues can win a goal fest against Barca.

[richyuppie]

Just what I've expected, Chelsea will change its formation against Barcelona from their usual 4-3-3 to a defensive formation. Although I predicted a 4-4-2, Guus instead played a 4-5-1.

I'll try to watch the game tonight but from the reports it seemed Chelsea played really negative football.

Well, there are 2 sides of the story. A lot of English press praised Chelsea on how they were able to hold off Barcelona. The Spanish press claimed that they just simply clogged the penalty box with defenders and didn't play football. It's not really that negative, they just played a defensive game. Actually, Barcelona dominated the game, having 65% of the ball possession, with 20 shots against 6 for Chelsea, and 6 shots on target against 1.

I know its really both disappointing and frustrating for a team taking 20 shots and not scoring a goal. Chelsea under Scolari had a game similar to that early in the season, making 23 shots and not scoring any. But then, it is part of the game, and the cons of playing a defensive game is that most of the time, the opponent will have majority of the ball possession, and take more shots, thus more chances of scoring.

The good news for Chelsea is, Ashley Cole is back, and Puyol and Marquez is out. The bad news is, the away goals rule. If Barcelona scores on the second leg, Chelsea cannot settle for a draw. I consider this contest now even at 50-50 (before it was a 60-40 for Barcelona).

Credit should go to Guus Hiddink. For me, he is currently one of the best managers. He has a lot of credentials, but for me, his biggest success is when he led South Korea to an unexpected 4th place finish in FIFA 2002 World Cup, defeating superpowers Portugal, Italy, and Spain.

In Guus We Trust!

[Drahow ein Ente]

Ashley Cole, with all of the pleasure Cheryl Tweedy (er, Cole) is giving ya, you better be good

[Bhodi Li]

Well, there are 2 sides of the story. A lot of English press praised Chelsea on how they were able to hold off Barcelona. The Spanish press claimed that they just simply clogged the penalty box with defenders and didn't play football. It's not really that negative, they just played a defensive game. Actually, Barcelona dominated the game, having 65% of the ball possession, with 20 shots against 6 for Chelsea, and 6 shots on target against 1.

But isn't that just semantics though? Sure they probably didn't clog the box for 90 ninety minutes(still haven't seen the game) but when you assemble a team worth 300 million i expect them to play more positively.
I'm not faulting Guus though. The pressure of the Chelsea job, i think, would require pragmatic tactics to ensure wins. You don't want your Russian sugar daddy losing interest.

[pjayb69]

superb defense against barcelona. chelsea will crush the spaniards in stamford bridge

[richyuppie]

LONDON (AFP) - Chelsea boss Guus Hiddink has hit out at claims Chelsea used "dirty tricks" to secure last week's goalless draw with Barcelona in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final.

The Catalans voiced criticism of what they saw as an overly physical approach to the encounter but Hiddink has no intention of apologising.

"It was a man's match," he said on Friday. "There were some collisions, but from either side. It's a man's game. They were controlling and dominating the game and I'd have liked to have had some more initiatives, but they controlled it.

"I don't like to give in that easily. We were well organised and played well, defensively. I'd like to have taken a little bit more of the initiative, but they are a disciplined team as well.

"Under Pep Guardiola, they know how to defend firmly and their centre-back, too, isn't afraid to make the game tough. On top of that, they can play.

"We would, of course, have liked to play more, but we were playing the best team in their concept of football.

"We didn't want to play 'anti-football'. This team has proved for several months, and at the beginning of the season, that they can play football.

"But we were not able to start a good attacking game in Barcelona - you can blame us for not starting well and they made it difficult.

"We don't like to allow them to take the victory. This team has the character to fight as well."

Hiddink's comments reflected the extent to which Chelsea are preoccupied by Wednesday's second leg. But the Dutchman must first focus on Saturday's clash with local rivals Fulham, who are chasing a place in next season's Europa Cup.

Chelsea cannot afford to be too complacent about their occupation of third place in the Premier League with Arsenal, who they will face at the Emirates on May 10, only six points behind them.

"There might be one or two changes for the Fulham match," Hiddink said. "But it's not that we're going to decrease the quality of the players coming in.

"We have players on the bench with the quality to perform well. Maybe one or two will start tomorrow. We take this game very seriously.

"Roy Hodgson is doing a tremendous job at Fulham. He's one of the older managers, like me, who knows that the job is difficult.

"I respect the job he's doing. He's a man with a lot of experience and dignity.

"They've proved what can be achieved with a small squad for a prolonged period."

[richyuppie]

West London derby later at 10 PM live (?) at ESPN as Chelsea meets Fulham at Stamford Bridge, Fulham Broadway, London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham.

Yes, trivia there for those who don't know, that Stamford Bridge stadium is located within the Moore Park Estate also known as Walham Green in Fulham (not Chelsea) borough, London, although it is in the border area of Chelsea and Fulham boroughs. Stamford Bridge stadium is just 2 kms away from Fulham's own stadium, the Craven Cottage.

[richyuppie]

All the key facts and stats ahead of the Champions League semi-final second leg at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea were the first team to stop Barcelona from scoring at the Nou Camp this season in the first-leg (0-0).

Of the 10 previous CL semi-finals to have finished all square in the first leg, the side at home in the second leg has reached the final on seven occasions.

Chelsea have drawn the first leg of a CL semi final tie on two occasions. In 2004/05, they exited the competition to Liverpool after a 0-0 draw at Stamford Bridge in the first leg - going on to lose 1-0 at Anfield in the second leg. Last season they avenged this defeat with a 3-2 home win in the second leg after a 1-1 draw at Anfield in the first meeting.

Barcelona have only drawn the first leg of a semi-final tie on one occasion - this came last season against Manchester United, which they drew 0-0 at home. United went on to defeat the Spaniard's in the second leg (1-0) at Old Trafford to reach the final.

The last side to defeat Chelsea at home in the Champions League was Barcelona when they won 2-1 in 2006.

This was the London side's only loss to the Blaugrana at home, winning their other three encounters on home soil.

Since then the Blues have won 13 of their 17 European matches at Stamford Bridge

Barcelona have drawn both of the away legs of their Champions League knockout matches 1-1 this season against Lyon and Bayern Munich.

Chelsea have averaged 2.5 goals per game at home in the Champions League since the start of 2008, winning six of these seven matches.

Chelsea have drawn the first leg of a Champions League knockout match on six occasions, winning the next leg five times, and losing once (against Liverpool in 2005).

Barcelona, on the other hand, have lost three of the six CL knockout matches in which they have drawn the first leg.

[JeremyA]

It would have been a sight to see JT redeem himself this year.

[Drahow ein Ente]

sayang na sayang naman

[richyuppie]

CHELSEA are ready to ditch Didier Drogba following his F-word ref rant in Wednesday’s Champions League KO.

What a ****ing disgrace! Seriously, what a waste of talent. I don't know if he takes anger management classes, which he definitely needs.

But then, my honest opinion, Chelsea is an old team, but then, needs new strikers. Out on loan are Sheva (which was a disappointment) and Claudio Pizarro, who made that wonderful goal for Bremen in their own UEFA Cup semis. Pizarro's loan will end this season, and Chelsea must get him back. Di Santo is young and an inexperienced striker, but then he looks promising, as he made 35 goals in 86 games for his former Argentine club.

Anyway, here's what the 2009-10 kit looks like:

[JeremyA]

^ If I'm not mistaken, I think there are several more whose contracts may not be renewed anymore or whose future is up in the air, right? I know Ballack is one of them. Who are the others?

Anyway, I am more concerned about the Rovers game than the one with Arse. Hehehe. But seriously, Chelsea must beat Arsenal this weekend. Chelsea seriously needs to qualify and get back into that God-forsaken CL again next year and get that crown!

Then hopefully they decide on ditching that league forever

[richyuppie]

Interesting match later as two of the UEFA Champions League semi-final losers face each other. (To battle for 3rd place of the UEFA CL??? hehehe)


Match facts: Arsenal v Chelsea


The Gunners have only been able to win two of their last 13 competitive matches against Chelsea.

Didier Drogba has managed seven goals in his last six appearances against Arsene Wenger's side. - but then, Drogba is a doubt with the knee injury that forced him off during the controversial 1-1 draw (yes! draw!) with Barcelona.

Since he made his debut, Andrei Arshavin has been in involved in 11 goals - scoring six, assisting five - more than any other in the Premier League in that period.

Nicolas Anelka has scored six goals in his last eight Premier League starts against Arsenal.

Of the last 17 meetings in all competitions, there have been five draws and 11 have been won by a one-goal margin.

The last three meetings in all competitions have ended 2-1 with the team scoring first going on to lose the match.

In the last seven meetings, the team scoring first has won only once, there have two draws and four comeback wins.

Chelsea have won only one of their 16 Premier League trips to north London to play Arsenal.

Chelsea have taken more points (38) than any other team on the road and have kept 12 clean sheets in 17 away games - a Premier League high.

The Gunners have kept nine clean sheets in their last 10 home league games and it is 12 hours and 48 minutes since Arsenal last conceded a goal at the Emirates.

Arsenal have scored at least twice in each of their last eight league matches.

Chelsea have only lost one game from a winning position this season - versus Arsenal at Stamford Bridge.