Chelsea Look to Extend Victorious Run
By BlueBlood
January 4 2005
Chelsea take on Middlesbrough tonight at Stamford Bridge in the last part of this season's 'Squeaky Bum' mini-season. With victories over Villa, Portsmouth and Liverpool so far and WITHOUT conceding a goal, Chelsea look to complete their Xmas and New Year programme with another victory.
The press are having a field day this morning announcing that SAF and AW INSIST that the great one Jose Mourinho and his all conquering Chelsea team will crack up before the season has ended. If it is a psychological war you want SAF and AW then JM will give it to you with both barrels. So get back to your own little clubs and leave the 'New Kids on the Block' to get on with their business. Both SAF and AW commenting the amount of luck the Chelsea got at Liverpool on New Year's Day. No argument there. Blatant handball from Tiago, about as blatant as Cole's was against Newcastle. All the criticism has been directed at Old Mother Riley, but what Is interesting, what was the Asst Referee doing. He must have had a more clearer view than anybody else. If you are at the top and get the luck then you deserve that luck, but what SAF and AW have seem to forgot is about ALL the luck that their respectitive teams have had over the last few years. It is about time Lady Luck came our way. Chelsea welcome back Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink for the first time since his summer move to The 'Boro' and although he his an extremely dangerous player he his also very moody. Chelsea hope that JFH is in his moody mood tonight. 'Boro are in the middle of an injury crisis with Cooper, Zenden and Parlour struggling with knee injuries. Riggot and Viduka have hamstring injuries. Boateng with a broken toe and Mendieta out with cruciate ligament. Chelsea however appear to be none the worse from their exertions at Anfield. The only injuries to report are those to Parker, Huth and Carvalho. Expect the following line-up tonight: Cech, Johnson, Gallas, Terry, Ferreira, Makelele, Duff, Lampard, Tiago, Robben, Gudjohnsen Chelsea and Middlesbrough have met nine times at Stamford Bridge in the Premiership with Chelsea winning six and the other three ending in draws. Just like last season in front of a crowd of 40,873 the game ended 0-0. In these nine games Chelsea have scored eighteen goals and conceded only four. Chelsea's biggest Premiership victory over Middlesbrough was in 1996 beating them 5-0. Gavin Peacock scored a hat-trick with the other goals from John Spencer and Paul Furlong. In front of a crowd of 21,060 and Sky's TV cameras. A repeat of that tonight would be very welcomed. After this evening's game, attention turns to the FA Cup with the home tie against Scunthorpe (What do you know about Scunthorpe?), and then the Carling Cup Semi-Final 1st Leg against Man Utd, then we get back into Premiership action against Tottenham at 'Three Point Lane.' JOSE'S 30TH (Before Middlesbrough) PREMIERSHIP P21 W16 D4 L1 F41 A8 PTS 52 CHAMPIONS LEAGUE P6 W4 D1 L1 F9 A3 PTS 13 CARLING CUP P3 W3 D0 L0 F5 A1 -- FA CUP -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- TOTAL P30 W23 D5 L2 F55 A12 -- v Man Utd (L) W1-0 v Birmingham (L) W1-0 v C Palace (L) W2-0 v Southampton (L) W2-1 v Aston Villa (L) D0-0 v PSG (CL) W3-0 v Spurs (L) D0-0 v Middlesbrough (L) W1-0 v Porto (CL) W3-1 v Liverpool (L) W1-0 v Man City (L) L0-1 v CSKA Moscow (CL) W2-0 v Blackburn Rovers (L) W4-0 v West Ham Utd (CC) W1-0 v WBA (L) W4-1 v CSKA Moscow (CL) W1-0 v Everton (L) W1-0 v Newcastle Utd (CC) W2-0 v Fulham (L) W4-1 v Bolton (L) D2-2 v PSG (CL) D0-0 v Charlton Athletic (L) W4-0 v Fulham (CC) W2-1 v Newcastle Utd (L) W4-0 v Porto (CL) L1-2 v Arsenal (L) D2-2 v Norwich City (L) W4-0 v Aston Villa (L) W1-0 v Portsmouth (L) W2-0 v Liverpool (L) W1-0