The newspaper reports
The Independent on Sunday, Nick Szczepanik: “Chelsea may be facing a disagreement with some of their own pitch owners over the future of Stamford Bridge, but on the playing surface itself all continues to go smoothly. Their fourth win out of four home games in the Premier League allowed them to keep pace with Manchester City, the leaders, and close to within a point of second-placed Manchester United, who had drawn with Liverpool at lunchtime. Perhaps significantly, they beat opponents who have been a thorn in their side here recently. This was Chelsea’s first home three-point haul against Everton since April 2006, and ended a run of six League matches between the clubs without a Chelsea win – Chelsea’s longest run without a victory against another Premier League club since Roman Abramovich bought them in 2003.”
The Observer, Amy Lawrence: “They may not be in full swing yet but Chelsea are in a very handy position. It must be comforting for Villas-Boas to be able to mould his team – this selection did the business without the suspended Fernando Torres and the rested David Luiz and allowed for another cameo from Oriol Romeu – while maintaining a 100% success rate at home. Three goals poached from inside the six-yard box, three points, thank you and goodnight.”
The Sunday Telegraph, Gerry Cox: “Juan Mata breezed into Stamford Bridge at the same time as Chelsea’s pursuit of Luka Modric was finally stymied by Spurs, but it looks like Andre Villas-Boas has finally found the creative force the club’s supporters have been crying out for. Mata hit the ground running with a goal in his first game, a cameo appearance against Norwich, but the skilful Spaniard is now dictating events to such an extent that Chelsea were able to end Everton’s five-year unbeaten run in the League at Stamford Bridge. Mata set up two goals and brought to mind Tommy Smith’s description of Ossie Ardiles in his prime: “It was like trying to tackle dust.””
The Official Chelsea FC Website: “Chelsea recorded a first home league win at Stamford Bridge against Everton since April 2006, thanks to goals from Daniel Sturridge, John Terry and Ramires. There were only a few glimpses of the awe-inspiring performance that preceded this one against Bolton two weeks ago, but such was Everton’s impotence for long spells that it was never needed.”
The goals
31′ Sturridge 1-0
45′ Terry 2-0
61′ Ramires 3-0
81′ Vellios 3-1
The managers’ reaction
Andre Villas-Boas: “It was a good win for us.
“It is never easy coming back after an international break but it was important to get three points, particularly on a day when two title contenders played against each other.
“Eventually Man United got an important point at Anfield but at least it allows us to get closer to second position at the moment.
“I don’t see it so much as Man United dropping points.
“I see it more as Liverpool dropping points, a point at Anfield is something that any manager takes. It still gives us the opportunity to get closer to them but of course we still need to go to Anfield.
“We have not done anything special. We just have to continue to win until we find a position of comfort at the top of the league.”
David Moyes: “It was a really difficult game but we have been to Chelsea before and we have had to defend harder.
“Today we gave them the first two goals due to terrible defending and they didn’t have to work particularly hard. We made some opportunities but the ball didn’t run kindly, our players stuck at it, and I couldn’t have asked for more except to defend better.”
Can you be sure those are toffees?
They’re not just toffees, but Woolworth’s toffees. Apparently.
[…] ChelseaFCBlog bring us reaction, goals and the boss’ opinion […]
Have we become a confectionery blog?
After yesterday I’m not so sure – maybe they should be known as the Soft Centers?
You could well be right, afterall we were “Quality Streets” ahead, and it certainly was no “Picnic” for them. We know this league is a “Marathon” not a sprint, and our boys were “Heroes” yesterday.
Nice to have the “Bounty” of three points which keeps the Manchester lot from a “Breakaway”.
It certainly will give everyone a “Boost” to keep the 100% home record going, and show we’re no “Flakes”
Shame we conceded our obligatory consolation goal, so no “Terry’s Chocolate Orange” to our captain.
Random thoughts from another EPL Saturday:
Watch the Scousers v Mancs lunchtime game
on the telly as a [very un]-appetising starter – the words “boring” and
“tedious” hardly do justice to the first half in particular.
Deluded TV Pundit of the Week Contender No.
1 – the normally on the money Graeme Souness declares it a fascinating game at
half time though….
Only to be outdone after the game by:
Deluded TV Pundit of the Week Contender No.
2, Gary Neville, who argues with a straight face that his old team-mate was
trying to move the wall further along to stop Stevie G bending his free-kick
around it rather than just “Saving Ryan’s Privates” as at least one wit has it
in today’s papers.
Thankfully it’s an unseasonably warm sunny
day as London Transport and South West Trains are doing their usual bit this
weekend to make it as hard as possible for anyone to get around our fair
capital. So I set out a bit earlier than usual to walk to The Bridge.
Arrive to see no sign of the promised Save
The Bridge protest leaflets but encounter:
Scariest Sight of the Weekend: The heaving
mass of rabid consumerism that is the Megastore on match days 45 minutes before
kick-off as I pick up my freebie Yearbook, while resisting the tempting array
of mugs, shin guards and assorted other tat with Chelsea logos attached.
First half hour not quite in the Scousers v
Mancs class of tedium, but a close run thing, until Mata works his magic and
Sturridge slots in Ashley’s cross. Strolling towards half time now until a
Lamps’ cross is met by JT and a floundering Howard can only help it on its way
in.
AVB’s half time talk seems to have been
good as we markedly step up a gear and start knocking the ball around nicely,
till around the hour mark another bit of Mata magic, plus almost The Drog’s
only significant contribution of the afternoon, set up Ramires for no. 3.
Strolling now against an Everton side
who’ve pretty much accepted their fate, as has Moyes apparently, when he
removes Tim Cahill to bring on Phil Neville. Now that’s how to turn around a
3-goal deficit, not.
Moyes then makes a rather more positive
move replacing the ineffective Saha with his new Greek wonder kid whose name I
refuse to try to spell or look up who scores with his first kick of the game –
or so I’m reliably informed as all I saw was Everton moving down the left wing
followed by the backs of 2 idiots a couple of rows in front of me standing up
to leave very slowly, followed by the ball nestling in our net.
Clean sheet blown again, though AVB did
express a very un-TSO type of attitude to conceding goals at his press
conference on Thursday. Just winning is all that matters for him.
Back home I whizz through my recording of
ESPN’s coverage to catch the goals and pick up:
Deluded TV Pundit of the Week Contender No.
3 – the ever-miserabilist, Chelsea-hating Chris Waddle whinging that “Everton
have dominated the first half” – in his dreams.
A quick flip through the New Yearbook to
spot:
Kremlinology For Beginners Lesson 23 –
Eliminating Those Who have Crossed Us From History:
I see the “Chelsea Goodbyes” section gives Uncle
Carlo a whole half page including photo, which skates through his successful
first season and the downhill progress last year, ending with a paragraph
cataloguing 7 other backroom staff who’ve left right down to opposition scouts
and medical director.
Frank Arnesen gets a section to himself,
but if you want a reminder that Uncle Ray started least season as assistant
first team coach, and was in his third spell with the club dating back to 1973
I’m afraid you’ll need to have kept your copy of last season’s Yearbook as he
gets not a single mention.
Petty or what?
Are you feeling a bit spaced out Blueboydave?
Actually I did see several people handing out ‘NO to CPO move’ leaflets. I asked the girl if she had any ‘YES’ leaflets but don’t think she took to my sense of humour.
Technology is a wonderful thing – but even I don’t think with gaps that size, however.
l hope the edit function has fixed things now 😉
Surprisingly, there were no “I Trust Bruce Buck” badges in the Megastore, either……
Thanks for the impressionistic match description.
Watching it live on FirstRow with no Chris Twaddle commentary so didn’t need to use the mute button.
For the first 30 minutes I thought ‘here we go again against our bogey side’. Everton were parking the bus and trying to catch us on the break as they always do, and doing it well. But never at any point were Everton ‘better’ than us because Cahill looked unfit, Baines hardly ever got forward and John Obi (another premium display from him) kept Fellaini quiet.
But we looked fairly disjointed for that first half hour and were struggling to find a way through the packed bodies in their half. The difference this time is we have Mata (as Moyes pointed out). One bit of magic from him and he sends Ashley away and with our first attempt on target we are 1-0 up.
Didn’t get the impression we were fired up by AVB for the second-half. Coming out 2-0 up gave us the opportunity to play a bit more freely, that’s all. It was really game over at half-time.
Yet more Drogba knockers were out there on Twitter yesterday. Why?
Bad news about Ramires and I hope he gets over that knee injury soonest. Another 400 metre sprint from him to run in the third goal with Drogs setting up Mata to deliver a precision cross in behind their defenders but away from their keeper for Ramires.
Mata – Man of the Match for me.
It seems hard to credit that a double winning Manager should get such perfunctory treatment. One day we’ll get to know why I suppose. It can’t be just about the winning and losing on the pitch methinks.
On your point about Waddle, I notice the Guardian minute by minute stream was equally convinced that Everton were the better team first half. I suppose we’re biased and they’re not…….
In terms of Yearbook space devoted to it Carlo’s departure is on a par with those of Arnesen, Zhirkov and Mancienne [half a page each], which probably accurately reflects our board’s two-a-penny-we’ll-just-get-another-one attitude to managers – though “penny” turns into millions in pay-offs to the discarded.
For me it’s the whitewashing out entirely of Wilkins that sticks in the throat, when household names like Giorgio Ciaschini, Gigi la Sala, Glenn Driscoll and Nick Broad at least get a perfunctory name check.
Does seem extremely petty on the club’s part. Can’t say I’m exactly surprised.
Ah! yes, Chris Waddle the expert pundit, he’s not just in our ” Milky Way” he’s in totally different ” Galaxy”
Ok Ok I’ll stop now I don’t want to get peoples knickers in a “Twix”
And here’s the proof that he made his reputation singing gibberish into the microphone…..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1KEMMfV5-Qg
Good ole Clive. Chocolates and immidiately light shines on your face.
Same way that yours does when you see a turkey…
Nice of you to remember my name Henry, must be difficult with all those mind altering substances you take.
[…] ChelseaFCBlog bring us reaction, goals and the boss’ opinion […]
Marco,
The Drogs bashing was, I guess, based on his fairly ordinary first-half. Out-muscles by both Distin and Jagielka all half , I was disappointed by his display.
I can accept he had a poor first half but it’s the second game running in which has provided the assist for a goal.
To read some of the knockers (not you) clamouring for him to be sold is just insane. It’s only a month ago that he was knocked unconscious going up against the Norwich keeper so to call him ‘lazy’ is ridiculous.
There is another hate campaign on John Obi with some supporters claiming that that he was ‘crap’ on Saturday despite his 93% pass completion rate and his pretty solid tackling.
Mikel was great on Saturday but gets stick unnecessarily from a section of our fanbase irrespective of what he does. Very irritating (and unbelievably thick) woman who sits in front of me will scream “Mikel! You’re useless!” or something similar if he misplaces a pass – doesn’t matter if it’s the only one he puts wrong all game, she’ll still pipe up. Utter f*cking moron, to be precise, and sadly far from alone.
I haven’t seen it verified, but apparently Romeu’s stats were 29/29 passes completed and 4/4 tackles won for his cameo. That’s not bad going!Not the most thrilling game, but breaking our short-term Everton hoodoo was enjoyable. Nice to tick along just below the radar with no-one really passing any comment on our title ambitions etc.; suits me just fine.
Was thinking that John Obi plays a very similar game, nowadays, to Makalele and I don’t recall him attracting match-day trolls Kaiser!
That’s the thing – people make up their minds about players too early on; Makelele was the finished article when he arrived, Mikel wasn’t. Given what the guy went through to play for us, he adapted pretty well. All of the criticisms that the likes of my idiot neighbour levelled at him over time – too many fouls / booked too often / too slow / only passes 5 yards sideways and so on – have been erased from his game or debunked as exaggeration or plain untruth over time. So all they have left is to bellow “You’re shite!” to persuade themselves that they were right about him all along.
The rest of us can just enjoy increasingly impressive performances from a very valuable member of the squad.
The same folk are now currently denying they ever spent a huge chunk of their time slating Ramires during his first 6 months here without giving any consideration to the usual factors; adapting to a new league, filling the boots of someone like Frank and so forth.
It’s one of the things that bugs me most about football – I’m not asking that everyone who enters the ground is fully up to speed on the works of Jonathan Wilson et al, but it would be nice if some of them could try not to be so unbelievably thick and judgmental about players they’ve barely watched for more than half a season.
Wow. New phone likes eating blog posts. I had more than that typed (with proper spelling and everything!) but it’s vanished.
In summary: disappointed by Drogs. Happy with result against recent bogey team. Frustrated at lack of clean sheet. Again. Mata is different class. Studge will be ruined by being taken to the Euro’s next year. Josh and Lukaku both need to go on loan in Jan, we seem to be wasting a squad place including one or both of them each week when inevitably there’ll be no chance to use them.
Finally Chelsea have crushed the toffees in pieces. We ate them like a Mars bar really!
And Sturridge should get picked for England senior squad now; he will save England and save the Queen!
I say go for broke. Rotate Lampard / Josh, and Drog/Nic/Lukaku.
Mata, Sturridge and Ramires pick themselves (and IMO Mikel, though I know how controversial that can be lol).
Ivan at RB when Luiz fully returns.
My preferred first 11
Ivanovic Luiz Terry Cole
Mikel
Ramires Josh/Lampard
Sturridge Drogs/Nic/Lukaku Mata
Over at CERN the scientists playing about with the very large Hadron Collander (I think you strain atoms through it or somesuch) are telling us there may be something that goes faster than the speed of light. I watched a documentary the other night about Dark Flow theory which basically confounds all current theories about the universe and in fact suggests there are many more universes or something like that.
By the first ad break I was bleeding from the eyes through brain strain.
Anyway, all this goes to show that what we believe to be solid facts or at least dependable theories are nothing of the sort.
But there is one immutable and unchanging fact that can be expressed thus:
Y is the substitution by the opponent of an unknown player
X is the chanting, calling out or general derision along the lines of “Who are ya?” by your supporters at this introduction
The inevitable result of such behaviour is a goal scored by said individual, expressed as Oh FFS! No sorry that should be Z.
This is a variable based on the following:
Z1, where the total of your team goals (P) less this goal equals zero P-Z1 =0
Z2, where P less this goal is greater than 0 P-Z2>0
Z3, where P less this goal is less than 0 P-Z3<0
On Saturday the introduction of the substitute Vellios gave us this
X+Y=Z2
This law of nature never changes. I turned to Bayou the Younger at the moment the jeering began and told him Vellios would score. In years to come when he dismisses me as a bumbling old fool, somewhere in the corner of his memory will be the nagging thought that somewhere along the line his Dad was right. Just the once.
A decent performance given the break and so on. The first time I’ve seen us really leave Everton looking devoid of inspiration. Mikel was good. Ramires showed how important his pace breaking forward can be. Drogba was rusty and why players can’t be given a bit of time to get their rhythm back I don’t know. There’s too much impatience around the place. Romeu looked the part again. The way he levered Fellaini off the ball at one point was a marvel as was Mata destroying Neville down on the by-line. Pity about the pass straight after, but those little things make the game.
As usual my only concern was how easily Everton got two on one or 3 on 2 down the flanks. Fellaini in particular did this several times in the first half and it also led to their goal. I don’t know who isn’t covering but you see it building each time and we are slow to react. It’s easy to shout at Bosingwa but he can’t mark everyone. By the way I thought he was decent again.
Sturridge is showing why it was right to keep him. Yes he still makes the wrong choice on occasions but he’s getting goals. Let’s hope he doesn’t suffer like Kalou and gets a good run in the team with opportunities to come in off the wide right.
Hats off to the boy Cunningplan for outstanding use of confectionary.
I would have written a report but I didn’t realise one was required due spending the last few days in a complete state of flappage and thus failure to consult the oracle until today. Count yourselves fortunate.
Looking at Drenthe who came on and did quite well for Everton, he appears to have found that toffee factory and gone a bit mad in there. Or perhaps he was wearing too many layers.
Wasn’t he the one who gained a degree of notoriety at Real Madrid for falling out of nightclubs a lot and crashing expensive automobiles?
Ah I see. Madrid might send a man that way. The Wirral? Well apart from dropping in on Ken Barlow (or whatever the bloke who plays him is called) he’s obviously had to fall back on the Quality Street and watching reruns of Dave TV.
And finally ’cause I have to crack on, this will never happen because we have financial fair play haven’t we eh?
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/oct/17/foreign-owners-premier-league-relegation
My personal opinion this Guardian article is nothing else, but a rude lie. Politicians are looking for any reason to get credit on whatsoever after they f…d everything they could around. This article is just a creation of news, after it they will be saying “haven’t you read Guardian? Didn’t you hear what they want to do with the beautiful game? Of course we have to act and do something”.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/15336398.stm
Just as I said “looking for excuse to invade and nothing else”.
“But the Premier League said relegation and promotion were part of its rules and added to the league’s strength.Bevan hopes that a parliamentary inquiry into football goverance would also help prevent the proposal.”
“A Premier League spokesman said that they did not recognise LMA chief executive Bevan’s claims, which come a week after the government demanded changes to the way that football is run.”
Whatever the reason Bevan said what he said, it is worth taking on board the fact that FFP will, as Bruce Buck has said, preserve the status quo rather than provide an even playing field.
Putting an end to promotion and relegation is another way of achieving the same objective. My guess would be that doing that to the Premier League would be a step too far too quickly. But there have been mutterings for some time about The Championship becoming part of the Premier League with the 2 lowest divisions going regional.
I wouldn’t be surprised to see that idea getting mileage when this review is taking place. The changes to football in the last 20 years have pretty much seen the money go in one direction and that isn’t likely to change.
We have to face the fact that we’re now getting people who operate sports franchises in other parts of the world where a closed league is standard practice. There will also be those who have bought in and want to protect their investment but can’t spend big enough to guarantee a place at the top. They will also be interested in this.
It is fatuous to say that “relegation and promotion were part of its rules” seeing as the Premier League wasn’t part of the FA’s rules 20 odd years ago.
Just like then, if enough clubs want to and the PL wont change, they’ll just form another League. Provided it includes the money boys, UEFA and FIFA wont give a rat’s arse. The Government wont do anything, because that would be interventionist.
I’m afraid that for the same reasons we may up sticks and leave the Bridge, income streams, a 2 Division PL is not that far away. With no trapdoor below, it will allow a bigger spread of parachute payments and other monies between the 2 leagues. Then you’ll start getting playoffs, with say 8 or so going up and down, with a concommitant playoff system at the top, a bit like Rugby League and Union.
It sounds very interesting to me. I am not familiar with closed leagues, although I believe that it might exist, in States for instance for all those american weird sports. However, the principle of relegation is the most important, IMHO, because it allows healthy evolution of the game, otherwise it might simply stagnate.
I’m all for relegation, provided it’s reserved for red shirtie teams only.
I’d somehow missed the bad news about Eidur and his broken leg. Hope he recovers but a double break sounds serious. It’s all about the extend of the tissue damage. It did for DiMatteo. Can only wish him the best.
http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/2011/10/15/2492624/eidur-gudjohnsen-broken-leg-injury
I’m not on twitter.
Never saw the use for it.
Yes I know “the Arab Spring, unrest in Iran, allows speed of communication blah blah” but it has passed me by.
Until today. Now I get it.
It allows grown men, stalwarts of this parish it has to be said, to openly discuss where to buy cake stands, while the world goes to hell in a handcart.
They know who they are……..
The very thought…
*runs off to talk about beer, football and other manly pursuits*
The man is obviously insane. And at least now I know where to get a good ham stand.
Yes, and that individual exposed me to Johnny Halliday through the medium of Twitter. He’s a mine.
You know who you are!
Plus the Good Lord Kaiser has recently joined the Twitterati.
On the subject of Obi I think he doing quite fine for a 32 year old. You dont see that much quality at that age.
No Ramires tomorrow then. A depleted bottom-of-the-group Genk side. Perfect foil for Josh and / or Romeu?
I’ll be keeping an eye on their winger De Bruyne who we have, apparently, got first dibs on.
Going to watch Genk game tonight , should be fun with lot’s of goals.
That’s a relief that you’re going. The Chelsea site is still advertising tickets for groups of 15 or more and there’s 8 loyalty points. I was getting worried I was the only one going. Where are you sitting?
Matthew Harding Upper stand, planning to have a pint or two in Earls court and then move to stadium.
You’ve done it now, it’ll be 0-0
I am not that jinx powerful 🙂 and then again, when I said should be fun I didn’t say we are going to win, so no jinx.
You should see some goals – Genk have most of their defence out injured at the moment. Ideal time for Torres to start filling his boots*
(cue a drab 0-0 then…)
As you could see no jinx at all 🙂
OK, now this is odd. Note the joint favourite to take over as boss of St. Johnstone:
http://www.mcbookie.co.uk/mcbookie?action=GoEvClass&ev_class_id=195
Seriously?
They’d save on his removal expenses as he’s already there. Obviously not a good day for Pickfords (other removal and storage contractors are available) but money’s tight…
What with the propensity for the modern man to have all sorts of “kitchenware” and needless paraphenalia (no names no pack drill) those expenses could be quite hefty.
And no that’s not a reference to the supposed carefulness of our Gaelic bretheren north of the border in matters of a fiscal nature, before you all start.
D’you think Jody has become the kind of renaissance man that possesses a cake (or possibly even a ham) stand?
Stranger things have happened, I suppose. But not many.
I have to believe in a persons’s infinite capacity for redemption.
To do otherwise is to concede the philosophical high ground to those who worship the nameless evil one..
Or Jeremy Clarkson as he’s known on the cocktail circuit.
Personally I think it’s more odd that your spending your afternoon checking the odds on the next boss of St. Johnstone. In tray a bit empty?
Nice to have the odd flutter occasionally. And there are no kabaddi tournaments on at present.
Just been sent this Twitter link to Mario Balotelli’s Tweets
Probably not the real Mario but fucking hilarious all the same
http://twitter.com/#!/45_MBalotelli
Jody Morris now joint favourite. Had high hopes for him, genuinely thought he was England material. Still remember with fondness his nutmeg of, I think, Taibi in the amazing 5-1 against Utd at the Bridge. How wrong I was….
No Josh even on the bench tonight, which is strange. Excited to see Romeu play though. Nailed on 1-0 snore-fest with the winner in the last 5 minutes off Torres’ arse.
So then, subbed or dismissed, how’s Luiz departing to night. Because, as sure as night leads to day, he’s not going to complete 90 minutes after his awful tackling thus far.
Mind you, as far as predictions go, I said boring 1-0, so what do I know.
That De Bruyne does look handy though.
A report is gestating and will soon see the light of day
In the meantime anyone fancy a raspberry sorbet. I don’t know why but I’ve been dreaming about one all night …
That’s why we have slow report writing these days, too many people addicted to Twitter. 😉
I believe it would be a good exercise for one of our match reports sometime soon to be comprised entirely of tweets about the game… useful for the mind to exercise a spot of brevity on occasion 🙂
I’m all for bre