Chelsea 2-1 Stoke: Abramovich NOT Selling Chelsea
Super Super Frank
By Since66
January 17 2009
It has been a truly remarkable day in the history of Chelsea Football Club (oh silly me Chelsea haven't got any history)!! One particular red-top gleefully published that JT wants to captain Money Citeh and that Scolari desperately wants Robinho SO much that he wants to offer Money Citeh £15m, plus Anelka, Kalou, Malouda and a defender. (Video highlights also below)
Inside the ground we were told by the pitch announcer and Chelsea TV presenter Neil Barnett (and stop trying to be the funny man..... cos simply you aint), that John Terry was withdrawn due to picking up an injury in the warm-up and the sad news that Joey Cole would be out for the rest of the season because of a cruciate ligament, which was operated on successfully Saturday morning. JT's withdrawal meant that Alex came in at centre-half from the bench and young Gael Kakuta with the No.48 shirt would take his place on the bench instead. Prior to the kick-off, everybody in the ground including Stoke fans joined in the minute's appreciation for Chelsea goalkeeper Chic Thomson who was part of the 1955 Championship winning side, who sadly passed away a week ago last Tuesday. Well done Stoke. As for the game itself. Chelsea's defence had to wait less than a minute before they faced up to the first of many Rory Delap's long-throws. With the exception of this one which caused a lot of concern after the ball skimmed off the top of Alex's head and went for a corner, the others were dealt with very well by Cechie boy and the rest of the defence. Just like Wednesday night, Chelsea had so much possession and created so many chances, but the finishing touch on many occasions was sadly lacking. In addition Stoke's 'keeper Thomas Sorensen pulled off a series of fine saves, notably one from a shot from Ashley Cole which took a deflection on the way, before Sorensen tipped the effort off the bar. Sorensen saved from Lampard and Anelka. Ballack sent an easy header glaringly wide and shots went high and wide. On the hour, Stoke's only decent attack all afternoon resulted in Rory Delap giving the visitors the lead. (Delap.... isn't he the one with the long throw, Chelsea were wary of!). James Beattie controlled the ball on his chest, before playing in Delap. Delap controlled and raced into the area with Ashley Cole by his side, along came Alex to help out but somehow though Delap managed to chip the ball over Cech and the ball sailed into the empty net. On came Di Santo, followed by Belletti, then by Miroslav Stoch. Eight minutes from time, Stoke fans started to sing 'Sacked in the morning......' and quite of few Chelsea fans joined in too!! Five minutes later Chelsea were level. Kalou put up a cross, young Di Santo knocked it across the area and substitute and cult hero Belletti headed the ball home from close range. Chelsea went after the winner with the home fans on a roll and deep into injury time, Super Frank the 400 Chelsea appearance milestone man, crashed home the winner which sent Stamford Bridge into total raptures and ecstacy and broke the hearts of the men from The Potteries. After the game, I discovered that Peter Kenyon had attended the latest Fans Forum meeting and declared that Mr A, has no intention of quitting Chelsea or selling Chelsea and that media reports are completely without foundation. Kenyon said, "I can assure you on his behalf that this is totally unfounded and anything else you might read about this is rubbish. Chelsea is not for sale. The owner has not and is not looking to sell his interest in the club and he remains as committed as ever." Chelsea: Cech, Bosingwa (Belletti 77), Alex, Carvalho, A Cole, Ballack, Mikel (Stoch 82), Lampard (c), Kalou, Anelka, Malouda (Di Santo 59) Goals: Belletti 87, Lampard 90 +2 Stoke City: Sorensen, Wilkinson, Shawcross, Ab Faye (c), Higginbotham (Griffin 33), Delap, Whelan, Am Faye (Pugh 28), Etherington (Kitson 83), Beattie, Cresswell. Goal: Delap 60 Booked: Amdy Faye 14, Kitson 88, Whelan 89 Video Highlights: http://www.lovefooty.net/chelsea-vs-stoke-city-highlights-video-epl-highlights/
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Fair enough, a lot of teams will come and pack out their own penalty area to thwart attacking play and gain a point but it always makes me smile when these teams aren´t slated in the media for playing boring football - we were under Mourinho when we were scoring lots of goals in the process - the double standard is sickening.
Still...
When Delap scored it was like someone had suddenly poued a bucket of cold water over me. After all our effort how did we deserve to be 1 down?!
What stood out for me as excellent positives:
(1) Kalou - he´s doing it again! He plays really well, adding something important to the side or he frustrates like hell. Today and at Southend he made a difference. Please please please mature at last - we´ve been patient with you Kalou - now is the time to come of age.
(2) Stoch and Di Santo - full of confidence and totally unfazed. A breath of fresh air! They MADE THE DIFFERENCE and isn´t it nice when it´s a one of the kids?! Di Santo made Belletti´s goal and Stoch looked dangerous and made decent crosses in the short time he was on. The likes of them and Kakuta warm the cockles!
(3) Our perserverence. The spirit and never say die attitude of the team as a whole was excellent. Really impressed.
Now I can´t wait for the youth match this week and the cup tie against Ipswich!
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"It is born out of hypocrisy and fundamental insecurity. There have been two kids on the block for the past 12 years. Suddenly, there is a third and that one is threatening to be more successful than the others and they don’t like it." P Kenyon.
The Academy suffered today at Pompey - got beat 4-0
Reserves on Monday at Villa and then the Tractor Boys and dont it make a change to score late late late goals, dont want it everytime mind, but what an afternoon!!!
Don't Gamble, Bet Risk Free
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"It is born out of hypocrisy and fundamental insecurity. There have been two kids on the block for the past 12 years. Suddenly, there is a third and that one is threatening to be more successful than the others and they don’t like it." P Kenyon.
BBC Video Link
(Scroll down for Video)
(also, Scolari, in the second video hints that Drogba might return against Ipswich).
"It is born out of hypocrisy and fundamental insecurity. There have been two kids on the block for the past 12 years. Suddenly, there is a third and that one is threatening to be more successful than the others and they don’t like it." P Kenyon.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2009:01:18:00:30:06 by dixon9.
"It is born out of hypocrisy and fundamental insecurity. There have been two kids on the block for the past 12 years. Suddenly, there is a third and that one is threatening to be more successful than the others and they don’t like it." P Kenyon.
">SKY ON END OF MATCH
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"It is born out of hypocrisy and fundamental insecurity. There have been two kids on the block for the past 12 years. Suddenly, there is a third and that one is threatening to be more successful than the others and they don’t like it." P Kenyon.
Credit to Tommo and Jeff Stelling
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Lampard...to Stoch...a really stirring finale from Chelsea ... Stoch.....and here’s Anelka.....and Lammmmpaaaaaaaaaaaaaaard!
Game 400 and game to Chelsea!........What character for Scolaris Chelsea......extremes of emotion here...an astonishing goal from an astonishing player!
(tug tug!)
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"It is born out of hypocrisy and fundamental insecurity. There have been two kids on the block for the past 12 years. Suddenly, there is a third and that one is threatening to be more successful than the others and they don’t like it." P Kenyon.
Bit out of order Ballack running off and pointing to himself after the ball went in.
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"It is born out of hypocrisy and fundamental insecurity. There have been two kids on the block for the past 12 years. Suddenly, there is a third and that one is threatening to be more successful than the others and they don’t like it." P Kenyon.
The worst is when he pontificates about a foul not being a foul (or vice versa) and as the slow motion plays, it quite clearly shows that its the opposite to what he has just said ...but what does he do? He carries on with his verdict, pretending that the millions watching might not notice that he´s full of it!
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"It is born out of hypocrisy and fundamental insecurity. There have been two kids on the block for the past 12 years. Suddenly, there is a third and that one is threatening to be more successful than the others and they don’t like it." P Kenyon.
It is down to the club to say who the goal belongs to.
The ball definitely hit Ballack on the way in.
Super Frank says he isn't fussed, because the goal won the game, which he said was more important.
What a shot though
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Is a tough one though. The flight of the ball did change slightly...Sorensen did say that he would have saved it if it hadn´t of been deflected (but then he would say that I suppose)...
If I was Ballack I´d give it to Lampard.
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"It is born out of hypocrisy and fundamental insecurity. There have been two kids on the block for the past 12 years. Suddenly, there is a third and that one is threatening to be more successful than the others and they don’t like it." P Kenyon.