Chelsea Thread

Sod all has happened while I've been away then!?

Not sad to miss out on Robinho, we need a genuine out and out winger.
 
a bit harsh on what SAF said about chels ageing team in their 30`s (Doesn`t chels have any young coming up players...surly w/ the new 7 subs)
 
I won't be losing any sleep over it. His 'mind games' are all a bit tired now. If he's more worried about Arsenal and Liverpool next season then he is obviously expecting to finish 2nd.

As for new players, we have Di Santo (19) and Ivanovic (20ish?) who have joined the squad. The rest are still too young or out on loan. We do need some more options in attack (ie. a winger) and by their nature they will need to be about 20-25 age range, but it's quality we need first and foremost.
 
GUANGZHOU PHARMACEUTICAL 0 CHELSEA 4

Felipe Scolari will be pleased with a vibrant start to his first Chelsea pre-season game, an injury toJosé Bosingwa apart. All of his available touring squad were given significant match action Chelsea's first ever game in China and there were well taken goals for Salomon Kalou, Frank Lampard, fresh-faced Franco Di Santo and Shaun Wright-Phillips. The woodwork took a battering as well. Scolari's first line-up had a distinctly Brazilian flavour to it. Resembling the 4-2-2-2 shape with flying full-backs that his nation had enjoyed so much success with over the decades, Ashley Cole and José Bosingwa, in his first Chelsea game, were the two asked to supply plenty off attacking width.

In attack were Nicolas Anelka and Salomon Kalou, Andriy Shevchenko unavailable with a small injury, as was Joe Cole. Two minutes were on the clock when the first full-back foray forward was made. Cole played the ball low into the box to where Lampard was making a typical run. With his first effort of the pre-season, he scooped over. Anelka was on-target three minutes later but from an angle, he struck the keeper. That was a penalty area effort - but Essien fired the trigger from considerably further out as the first quarter-of-an-hour approached. The bright light of this start had been Deco who nominally playing high in midfield with Lampard but coming deep to fetch, didn't waste a ball and played several incisive passes with out hesitation. Bosingwa was nearly camped near the opposition area but unfortunately there was a potential disruption to the pattern of play when he appeared to suffer a muscle strain.

However, before the Portuguese had even gone down the tunnel, the Blues took the lead with 10 men, Deco feeding Lampard well whose pass found Kalou on the right for a confident finish across the keeper. There were 19 minutes gone Guangzhou worked Cech properly for the first time on 20 minutes, the keeper covering his near post area when Xu Liang shot low from close range. Soon play was back down the other end and Kalou very nearly had a second, a good block by the keeper denying him after Essien had threaded a ball through. The same player fired over on 28 minute after an Essien burst and a Deco touch sideways.

Essien was enjoying his role as one of two deeper midfielders with Mikel, finding space for his trademark surges as the opponents understandably worried about Lampard and Deco's movement. The tall single striker Luis Alfredo apart, the Guangzhou forward-running players were of the low-centre of gravity, scuttling type. The Chinese side had lined-up in a 5-4-1 shape and wing-back Xu Liang had their second best effort of the half when he volleyed over just from 20-yards out.
The attempt had Cech watchful but his opposite number was by far the more busy, saving a powerful Essien grasscutter just past the half-hour. The Chelsea advances had been very much about team movement in this opening period but two minutes before the break, Anelka generated his own opening, twisting the defence into submission before cracking a shot low against the post. Not to be outdone, the local side won a free-kick just outside the area to the left, expertly curled in by Xu Liang. It looked all the world a goal until somehow Cech reacted and pushed it onto the post and out.

That close shave apart, it had been a promising opening 45 minutes of the pre-season, especially given the stifling heat and humidity in the Guangdong Olympic Stadium, evidenced by the Chelsea team as one striping off their sodden shirts the second the half-time whistle went. Scolari made five changes at half-time and went 4-3-3 with Franco Di Santo, the 19-year-old Argentine striker who scored seven goals in eight reserve appearances last seasonmaking his first appearance in a Chelsea. And Chelsea were soon back in business. First the keeper saving from Ferreira and in the follow-up action, Bridge striking the post with a low-shot across the keeper. Neither Li Shuai nor the woodwork could do anything about a piece of Lampard brilliance on 50 minutes. The Blues went 2-0 up as he lobbed over the keeper with perfection from outside the area.

 The game continued with Chelsea on the front foot and before the hour was up, the final two changes were made. Wright-Phillips replacing Kalou on the right and Branislav Ivanovic enjoying his maiden first team action, the Serb commencing at right-back, Ferreira moving into midfield. Wright-Phillips was only a whisker away from making a rapid impact, turning onto another pin-point Lampard long-ranger and firing just wide from 20 yards. The local team's posts continued to take punishment a minute later when Di Santo burst through and shot past the keeper, only to see it rebound back. Carlo, a near spectator until quarter-of-an-hour to go, was stretched by Xu De'en's speculative lob but punched it over competently.
Three minutes later the third was added, Di Santo sliding into convert at the far post after Malouda had attacked on the left and drilled the ball across.

Two second-half subs got in on the act with three minutes remaining, Wright-Phillips rifling in the fourth from a Bridge cross. By the final whistle, our opponents were feeling the run around they had been given in the second-half. For Chelsea, some important miles run and some confidence boosting play had been deposited into the bank.

Chelsea
First-half (4-2-2-2): Cech, Bosingwa (Ferreira 19), Carvalho, Terry (c), A Cole; Mikel, Essien; Deco, Lampard; Kalou, Anelka.
Second-half (4-3-3): Cudicini, Ferreira, Alex, Carvalho, Bridge; Lampard, Mikel, Deco (Ivanovic 62); Kalou (Wright-Phillips 57), Di Santo, Malouda.
 
Doesn't matter if your squad is old, it doesnt really require pace or agility to work. Chelsea have players with ability and flair, and only really need pace on the flanks, which you've got. The age thing is usually a load of shit.
 
I think Scolari should talk Roberto Di Matteo out of retirement for you guys, he was a solid quality player for you back a few years ago.
 
Milanista said:
Doesn't matter if your squad is old, it doesnt really require pace or agility to work. Chelsea have players with ability and flair, and only really need pace on the flanks, which you've got. The age thing is usually a load of shit.
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:whistle:
 
c'mon, guys... don't think about aneka as a starter. i don't especially like chelsea, but i think it's sad and i feel for all the fans :( - they deserve better than that mishap!
 
Milanista said:
Seems he's (Robinho) staying now! They doubled his wage apparently.
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Seems that it's still on - Kenyon talking last night.



"Meanwhile, Kenyon has confirmed that Chelsea will make only one more signing this summer, with Robinho the favoured choice. He said: 'There is still a long way to go on that one (Robinho), but we are very, very interested and the clubs are in dialogue.'"
 
beboq said:
a bit harsh on what SAF said about chels ageing team in their 30`s (Doesn`t chels have any young coming up players...surly w/ the new 7 subs)
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Oh, come on! You don't believe him, do you? It's his typical mind games taking place again. He knows that Chelsea will be our strongest opponents this season, which is why he's trying to play mind games with the new manager, Scolari, just like he did to Mourinho, Wenger, Keegan etc in the past.
 
I can't see what all the fuss about these 'mind games' is. It seems that every little thing that's said these days has a motive behind it when it's usually just a comment.
I honestly think SAF was paying Mourinho's Chelsea a compliment by saying he's not as worried about Chelsea as he used to be. The players from that team are not getting any younger and were not as good last year as they were a couple of seasons ago when they were almost unbeatable. That team was awesome and would be very dificult if not impossible to replicate.
 
T Butcher fan said:
I think the fuss is because he was very obviously talking shit. That's all.
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In a sense, yes. But he's obviously said it for a reason, which is that he is trying to gain a mental edge against Scolari, trying to wind him up, like he did to Keegan all those years ago. :)) It's part and parcel of football, like sledging is in cricket.
 
Aboutreika18 said:
In a sense, yes. But he's obviously said it for a reason, which is that he is trying to gain a mental edge against Scolari, trying to wind him up, like he did to Keegan all those years ago. :)) It's part and parcel of football, like sledging is in cricket.
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Yes - but it is so transparent and lame! Scolari brushed it aside without batting an eyelid.
 
the funny part is when Alex said "I don`t even know if he speaks English" surprise...surprise he speaks it better than Ronaldo :DD I was impress ,but I remember at the WC`02 he spoke it better then
 
Aboutreika18 said:
In a sense, yes. But he's obviously said it for a reason, which is that he is trying to gain a mental edge against Scolari, trying to wind him up, like he did to Keegan all those years ago. :)) It's part and parcel of football, like sledging is in cricket.
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Those kind of comments are just ammunition for scolari. He will motivate his players even more.
 
Watched our game v Gangzhou last night. The most striking aspect I think was the movement between Essien, Deco, Lampard, Anelka and Kalou. Also the willingness of the full backs to get forward. All very, very encouraging.

Lampard really impressed, and to be honest he looked like he was really enjoying playing with Deco. Will he want to go back to attritional football with José? I doubt it now, but we'll see. Essien was another who looked like he was having fun. Joe Cole and Ballack will be itching to get in the side judging by this.

Anelka and Kalou looked lively, but both wasted 3 good chances each. Di Santo looks certain to get a good run out this season too. Interesting to see how Sheva plays in pre-season - this set-up might suit him. If Drogba stays, I think it will be Drogba + 1 up front.

Wayne Bridge was superb, Ashley Cole was poor. Bosingwa was playing great until the injury, and Paolo gave a very Paolo performance. Ivanovic might be overtaking him soon enough. The CB's were all solid.

All in all, a productive first game. I still think we could do with 3 additions (DM, LW or RW and an ST who can finish - although I hope this is Sheva) but the early signs are very positive.
 
Do you think you were playing different to how you played under Grant and Jose? or is there not much change?
 
Yes, quite different. As I said before, the movement around the box was terrific, and obviously having the full backs in support. It wasn't gung ho football, but it was very pleasing.
 
I saw the game til the 6-0, i was sorry for the poor chinese team lol, they were being crushed, and when Joe Cole was sent in, the game was over for the Chinese.
 
Do you think Drogba will stay? Also seems Malouda may be off to Roma, I think SWP may get more first team footie next season.
 
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