Month: February 2014

Chelsea were pegged back by Turkish side Galatasaray with a second half goal from Aurelien Chedjou enough to earn the home side a 1-1 draw and keep them in the tie. The Blues will be confident of finishing the job on home soil but after having started brightly they will be disappointed to have only come away from Istanbul with a draw.

Of course, avoiding defeat and scoring an away goal would have been two of Chelsea’s main objectives but Jose Mourinho was left once more to rue the inefficiency of his strikers. The game was billed as a battle between Didier Drogba and his former club and how Mourinho must have longed for a player of the quality the Ivorian displayed during his peak years with the Pensioners.

Fernando Torres started the game brightly, linking play and looking sharp and the Spaniard got his reward after just 10 minutes when he silenced the home crowd with the opener. The hosts were far too open in the early stages, committing men forward and maintaining a high defensive line and when an attack broke down Cesar Azpilicueta – improving with every game – countered quickly before squaring for Torres who had an easy finish.

However, rather than serving to boost his confidence, Torres reverted to recent form after the goal and any hope that he might put in a really dominant performance was quashed when he wasted a good chance early in the second half. Fernando Muslera made a solid save but Torres should have done better from 15 yards after fine work by Eden Hazard. In a game of few real chances such profligacy was shown to be costly when Gala equalised not long after.

Unbeaten in 16 games at the Turk Telecom Arena, Roberto Mancini’s side had struck the post moments before they scored. Skipper Selcuk Inan saw his effort after a Drogba header rebound off the woodwork but his frustration was short-lived as soon after Chedjou converted Wesley Sneijder’s corner to keep the home side firmly in the game.

All in all it was a disappointing game and Mancini may feel he got the better of Mourinho, the man that replaced him at Inter Milan and with whom there is little love lost, as the game turned on a tactical change made by the Italian after just 31 minutes. Mancini, aware that the Chelsea full backs were getting too much space on the break, replaced winger Izet Hajrovic and switched to 4-5-1 with central midfielder Yekta Kurtulus providing more cover against the visitors’ attacks.

Whilst Mourinho bemoaned his team’s lack of cutting edge, on this occasion he may have to accept that a draw was not such a bad result at an intimidating ground. The Blues undoubtedly lack that X factor in the final third but it is not so much the strikers missing chances as the side – for whatever reason – not creating enough really good openings.

Tactical musings aside, however, at 1-1 John Terry – rarely troubled here – and co will be highly confident of progression, with a win or a clean sheet enough to see them through to the quarters, possibly as sole English representatives.

Chelsea earned a crucial 1-0 victory over Everton at Stamford Bridge in the early kick off on Saturday to maintain their position at the top of the Premier League table. Jose Mourinho’s men left it very late in the day after some exceptional defending from Everton’s back four kept them at bay for most of the game. In the end it well into injury time before John Terry – who returned after an injury lay-off – bundled in a Frank Lampard free kick, leaving the visitors dejected and pointless.

Despite Roberto Martinez’s men having the slight edge in terms of possession (53% to 47%), it was the home side who created the best chances in the match. Eden Hazard, Samuel Eto’o, Lampard and Branislav Ivanovic were all denied by the impressive Everton keeper, Tim Howard, and – in all fairness – the Blues were the better side over the 90 minutes.

That is not to say Everton didn’t perform well, with Seamus Coleman, Phil Jagielka, Sylvain Distin and Leighton Baines looking solid for the vast majority of the match. But with Romelu Lukaku ineligible to play against his parent club despite having returned to fitness, Martinez had to rely on Steven Naismith to lead the line. The Scot is not a bad player, but he simply does not possess the ability, pace or power to get the better of Terry and Gary Cahill. As such Everton lacked that cutting edge in the final third and the home side were rarely threatened.

Chelsea were not overly impressive in the first period, with Oscar in particular looking out of sorts. The Brazilian was subbed for countryman Ramires at the break and Mourinho’s men looked all the more dangerous for the change.

The victory for the Pensioners moves them on to 60 points from their 27 games and extends their unbeaten home record in the league under Mourinho to an astounding 74 matches. For Everton, it was the fourth loss on the road to teams above them in the table (their one point when visiting a top five club came at Arsenal in December). It leaves the Toffees with a mountain to climb if they are to finish in the top four, with Liverpool and Spurs both above them and playing well.

The Blues face a potentially tricky trip to Istanbul to face Galatasaray in the Champions League in midweek, followed by league matches against Fulham then Spurs, and wins from those three will give Mourinho’s men a great deal of momentum as the season approaches its crescendo.

Chelsea have the best defensive record in the Premier League having conceded just 21 goals from their 27 games – six fewer than Arsenal. It is just as well they are tight at the back given the lack of potency up front. But with plenty of matches to go and Arsenal and Man City promising to challenge Chelsea all the way, it promises to be as exciting a title battle as we’ve seen in years!

Manchester City exacted sweet revenge over Chelsea on Saturday as their 2-0 victory in the FA Cup afforded them passage to the quarter-finals and eased the pain of their recent defeat to the Blues in the league. Goals from Stevan Jovetic and second half substitute Samir Nasri were the difference in a game in which Chelsea created little from an attacking point of view, not managing a single shot on target.

Manuel Pellegrini’s men face Barcelona in midweek and as such the Chilean coach opted to leave Joe Hart, Alvaro Negredo, Nasri and one or two others on the bench, bringing in James Milner and Jovetic to the starting line-up. Chelsea were not playing until the following Saturday as their own Champions League Round of 16 match against Galatasaray is not until the following week, so Jose Mourinho was able to field a full strength side. Having said that, having played against West Brom last Tuesday may have made some difference given City’s own midweek match was postponed due to the high winds.

Chelsea’s downfall in the match was due in no small part to the excellent job James Milner and Pablo Zabaleta did on the visitors’ player of the season so far, Eden Hazard. The Belgian didn’t have the time or space he’s enjoyed in other matches and things that would usually flow for him stuttered and failed to come off.

The win marks only the second victory for Pellegrini over Mourinho, and he certainly won the tactical battle with his enigmatic Portuguese counterpart on this occasion, giving the visitors no space in the final third and also offering the wherewithal to nullify Chelsea’s main attacking threat of hitting the home side on the break. Indeed, the Blues were limited to just three shots from distance in the whole match, none of which required a save from Costel Pantilimon.

The goal from Jovetic – in the 16th minute – put the writing on the wall for Mourinho’s men, who knew they needed to keep City at bay for as long as possible if they were to be in with a real chance of repeating their recent success at the Etihad. The Montenegrin struck low and true after good work from Edin Dzeko and David Silva to give Pellegrini’s team the lead.

Despite no little effort from the Blues, they lacked the spark and intensity they had shown on their last visit to City and that – combined with the home side being wise to their visitors’ tactics – meant there was only ever going to be one result after the Citizens had taken the lead. And so it proved, with Nasri’s goal in the 67th minute coming just minutes after being introduced to the match after a five-week injury layoff and giving the home side an unassailable 2-0 lead.

After the match Mourinho was – for him – magnanimous in defeat, admitting City were the better side. He then went on to say the referee was rubbish and that the second goal was offside… but then that’s Jose for you. Everton are up next in the Premier League, a crucial game – as if any aren’t at this stage of the season.

Chelsea missed the opportunity to cement their position at the top of the Premier League table on Tuesday evening as they let the lead slip when drawing 1-1 with West Brom at the Hawthorns. Jose Mourinho’s men dominated for much of the game but it took until almost the stroke of half time for them to turn that superiority into a goal, Branislav Ivanovic knocking it in after a David Luiz flick from a corner, only for a late Victor Anichebe equaliser to stun the travelling Chelsea fans and add yet another twist to the race for the title.

In the early stages of the second half Chelsea looked comfortable as Pepe Mel’s men found it difficult to fashion any meaningful chances. But, as has been the case on a number of occasions this season, the Blues were unable to convert territorial advantage into the clear cut chances they needed. The Baggies realised that Eden Hazard was Chelsea’s main danger man (the Belgian’s hat-trick against Newcastle giving Mel and his staff all the evidence they needed for such an assertion) and the creative midfielder was marshalled well for much of the game, the home side often doubling up to limit his options and space.

Chelsea’s main issue this season (as we continue to mention on this site) has been their lack of an effective striker. Samuel Eto’o, Fernando Torres and Demba Ba have mustered just 11 league goals between them this season, just one more than Arsenal’s Olivier Giroud and four less than Man City’s Sergio Aguero. Eto’o started the match at the Hawthorns but couldn’t find the space he enjoyed against Newcastle (when he set up one of Hazard’s goals and won the penalty for another). He was eventually replaced by Torres in the 69th minute, but the Spaniard also looked ineffectual and unlikely to force the second goal.

The home side increased in confidence as the second half wore on and, as the Blues looked to tire in the latter stages, created some chances of their own. Captain Chris Brunt and James Morrison both had chances to level but fluffed their lines, but it was left to former Everton striker Anichebe to get the crucial goal in the 87th minute as he nipped in front of David Luiz to head in a cross from Saido Berahino.

The point moved the Baggies out of the bottom three (prior to the Wednesday matches at least) and moved Chelsea two clear of second-placed Arsenal and three ahead of Man City, both of whom would leapfrog Mourinho’s men if they win on Wednesday.

After the match, Portuguese boss Mourinho suggested his side lacked “personality” when letting the Baggies back into the game by inviting the pressure in the latter stages of the game. But given the Special One always suggested his side wouldn’t win the title this year, perhaps his players are just trying to prove him right. Next up is another trip to Man City (in the FA Cup) followed by a tough home match against Everton. Are Chelsea good enough to win the title? We have our doubts after this match.

Chelsea gave their title credentials a massive boost on Saturday as they comfortably beat Newcastle 3-0 at Stamford Bridge. With Arsenal getting hammered 5-1 by Liverpool at Anfield and Manchester City being held to a goalless draw by Norwich at Carrow Road, the victory for Jose Mourinho’s side moves them to the top of the Premier League table and – despite the Portuguese boss suggesting otherwise – they are now in pole position for the title.

The Blues now have amassed a total of 56 points from their 25 games with a goal difference of plus 27; Arsenal are in second on 55 points with a plus 22 goal difference and City are third on 54 with the best goal difference in the division of plus 41. While it is almost certainly a race between the current top three, Liverpool still have an outside chance of sneaking into contention as they are on 50 points with a goal difference of plus 33. But we think it’s going to be between Chelsea and City (Arsenal are showing signs of their annual crumble so might do well to hold on to a top three finish).

Saturday’s win over Newcastle was Chelsea’s seventh victory in their last eight top flight games and was thanks to a fine hat-trick from Belgian genius Eden Hazard. A fine drive into the bottom corner for the opener set the ball rolling for the home side after 27 minutes, but it was the second goal which impressed the most: Hazard passed to Samuel Eto’o and the Cameroonian back-heeled into the Belgian’s path before a cool finish gave Tim Krul no chance.

Hazard’s third goal – in the 63rd minute – came from the penalty spot after Eto’o was rugby tackled in the area by Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa at a corner, and it capped off a solid display that will please Mourinho no end, not least because his side were able to take a good proportion of the chances they created, which has not been the case too often this season.

Alan Pardew bemoaned the fact that some of his key players were missing through injury, but his men put up a reasonable fight at the Bridge, creating 12 goal-scoring opportunities (to Chelsea’s 18) with six shots on target (to the home side’s eight). The difference was that Chelsea took their chances and Newcastle stuttered and lacked composure in the final third.

Mourinho is almost certainly playing mind games or attempting to keep the pressure off his players when suggesting City are still favourites for the title. Given the Blues have done the double over Manuel Pellegrini’s men this season and also have the easier run-in, we are confident the Special One not only knows his side have a great chance of winning the title but that he fully expects they will do so. If they continue to put in commanding performances such as the one they exhibited on Saturday we are inclined to agree.