Chelsea News

The club has not covered itself in glory in the latest changing of the managerial guard, however, the arrival of Gianfranco Zola brings a smile to the face of Chelsea fans.

The departure of Antonio Conte was as inevitable as a MoPlay Bonus Code but the situation became farcical when the club left a title and FA Cup winning manager hanging on through the entire summer.

Conte even took charge of some early pre-season training sessions despite the open secret that Maurizo Sarri was being lined up to replace him.

Eventually, Conte was sacked and Sarri was installed and Chelsea fans were generally lukewarm to his arrival and not sure quite how to take the next step of the Chelsea managerial rollercoaster.

Club Legend Zola Returns

One thing that has energised fans is the return of Gianfranco Zola as assistant manager, as a player, he was idolised as one of the most gifted players to wear Blue.

Already we have seen that Zola has not lost his touch, being filmed performing the rabona during a practical training session.

His status to Chelsea fans is beyond reproach, he has been voted the club’s greatest ever player in 2003.

After joining in 1996 he spent 7 years lighting up the Premier League winning player of the year 1996/1997 despite only playing half a season. He is the most technically gifted players of the game, let alone players to have played for Chelsea and he was idolised by Chelsea fans.

Although not a guaranteed starter for his entire Chelsea career he made more than 300 appearances for Chelsea, scoring 80 goals.

Sadly, he left without a proper goodbye in the dying days of the Ken Bates era and despite the offer of a contract extension by Roman Abramovich honoured his word to return to Caligari.

He spent three years at Caligari before retiring

Zola The Manager

Post-retirement Zola went into management, however, as a manager, he did not quite hit the same levels with spells at Watford and Birmingham.

A good number two does not have to be a great manager but he does need to be respected by the players. Great Chelsea no.2’s such as Steve Clarke and Ray Wilkins failed at management but were recognised as key parts of Chelsea’s success in the back-room.

Something that someone as talented and respected in football as Zola undoubtedly will be.

We look forward to welcoming him back and reminding him just how loved he is by Chelsea fans for his role in a transformational time in the club’s history.

 

Michy Batshuayi World Cup celebration in the England v Belgium game almost knocked him out cold. The sheer hilarity highlights that outside of his contribution to the game he cannot help but be hilarious.

For months he has been one of the more genuine and entertaining players on social media and he did not disappoint after my personal highlight of the World Cup.

I think its worth giving him another season at Chelsea just for this alone.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T49d_y8z3h0

 

 

 

The

There will be 14 Chelsea World Cup players on the plane to Russia for their respective national team squads, find out who made it and who is staying at home.

If you are thinking of having a bet world cup then you might be better off following the fortunes of Antonio Rudiger, Eden Hazard or Willian than Denmark’s Andreas Christensen.

The award for best dressed Chelsea players on the plane to Russia will probably go to Victor Moses and Kenneth Omeruo.

The Nigerian kit is something that really has to be admired for its boldness. Apparently, the kits are selling out rapidly outside of Nigeria having caught the imagination of the entire world.

Back to the football, it was great during the warm up to see Moses teaching Harry Kane a lesson with a quick turn that left the Spurs striker poleaxed.

This was also a game that saw Gary Cahill on the scoresheet, a moment that clearly meant a lot to Cahill given his up and down season that nearly cost him his place in the England squad.

Hopefully, his experience will see him selected for England and help the Three Lions avoid the embarrassment of the European Championships. The other Chelsea player in the England squad is Ruben Loftus-Cheek who had an impressive season out on loan.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93YF9VtcDrM

There will be high hopes for Eden Hazard and Thibaut Courtois and the talent-filled Belgium squad who will be hoping that their golden generation will finally come good in a major tournament.

Chelsea’s player of the season will also be at the World Cup with N’Golo Kante giving the French team a solidity that could lead to them being a surprise package during the tournament.

He will be joined in the French squad by Chelsea new boy Oliver Giroud, who after a slow start found a bit of form for Chelsea both starting and coming from the bench.

A bit part player for Chelsea Willy Callabero will also be in Russia, an injury to Manchester United’s Sergio Romero means that he could actually be Argentina’s number one goalkeeper for the tournament.

Chelsea’s sole Spanish representative will be Cesar Azpilicueta who had a solid season despite our troubles.

Chelsea World Cup Absentees

A poor season means that a number of established Chelsea first-team players will miss out on the World Cup. Notably, Alvaro Morata, Marcus Alonso, and Cesc Fabregas have been snubbed by Spain.

This is surprising for Fabregas as he has been talismanic to the Spanish team for a number of years and would have brought some talent to the squad even if not given a starting berth.

The England players to miss out were new signings Danny Drinkwater and Ross Barkley. Both barely featured for Chelsea during the season and would not have high hopes of getting a call from Gareth Southgate.

Another unsurprising omission was Tiemoue Bakayoko who had an underwhelming season and was overlooked by France.

Finally, David Luiz will not be representing Brazil as his injuries and lack of game time have seen him fall out of contention.

Chelsea World Cup Players On The Plane To Russia

Argentina – Wily Callabero

Belgium – Eden Hazard, Thibaut Courtois, Michy Batshayui

Brazil – Willian

Denmark – Andreas Christensen

England – Gary Cahill and Ruben Loftus Cheek

France – Oliver Giroud, N’Golo Kante

Germany – Antonio Rudiger

Nigeria – Kenneth Omerou, Victor Moses

Spain – Cesar Azpilicueta

After Southampton defeated Swansea there is now only one relegation place yet to be decided and Chelsea could play a big role in who faces the drop at the end of the campaign.

Tonight Chelsea play Huddersfield in a game that we need to win but Huddersfield only need to draw.

This is because they are 3 points ahead of Swansea who sit in the final relegation place and have only one game left to play. If Huddersfield can get a point against Chelsea or Arsenal in their final games then they will book their place in the Premier League for another season.

If they lose both games (which is the most likely outcome) then the door is open for Swansea who are at home against Stoke on the final day. There is no scenario where goal difference comes into play as Huddersfield already trail on this and it would worsen automatically should they lose both games.

How Will This Affect Tonight

It will be interesting to see if Huddersfield come out of their shell and try and get something to defend or whether they are on the back foot the whole time.

Most teams in the bottom half of the table come to Stamford Bridge looking to waste time and delay things, I think this will be the case even more so tonight. Expect plenty of goal kicks that take forever and the ball to be out of play ALOT.

I won’t blame Huddersfield though, they are scrapping for their lives and if they were not playing us I’d be rooting for them. One of my childhood friends was a Huddersfield fan when they were in League One so it would be great if they could stay up this season as I have a soft spot for them.

Tonight though I am hoping they get hammered!

Although beating Liverpool has gotten some fans and pundits excited about the prospect of Chelsea finding a way of sneaking into the top four, it is not very likely.

It does, however, remind us that it is the hope that kills us.

I had got my head around not playing in the Champions League and then Antonio Conte with an assist from Liverpool and Tottenham’s tepid form reels us back in.

The victory over Liverpool was particularly enjoyable and nerve-wracking at the same time, it is great to beat the pundits’ favourites this season and apply pressure.

The nerves are back and its a little bit cruel as our hopes are quite slim. We need to win our last two games and HOPE Liverpool or Tottenham to lose relatively easy games to qualify.

I simply do not see that happening.

Do We Deserve The Top Four

We have not been the most exciting team this season, at times it has looked like the team has forgotten how to shoot or form a meaningful attack from tons of possession. However, Conte has ground out enough results that a miracle could still happen.

This season we have been poor, a high level of quality across the pitch has not been delivered consistently throughout the campaign with results against Watford, Bournemouth and West Ham, in particular, haunting us.

A lack of attacking talent is one of the reasons we need a mulligan to qualify, both Tottenham and Liverpool have better goal differences, which means they are technically an extra point ahead of us in the race to qualify

It would be great if we were somehow able to pull a rabbit out of the hat, but we are trying to keep our expectations to Thursday night football rather than dreaming too much of anything bigger.

 

In a surprise announcement ahead of the Royal wedding it has been announced that Harry Kane will be knighted for “services to putting the pressure on”

The 24 year old striker who was not even born the last time that Spurs beat Chelsea at Stamford Bridge is being recognised for his glorious achievements of the last two years.

Years in which he rose to the challenge of putting the pressure on the Premier League Champions to great adulation before his side ultimately won nothing more than a packet of quavers and hot air from football pundits.

Firstly Spurs were able to make things tough for the Cinderella story of Leicester winning the league before their hopes were ended with a 2-2 draw against Chelsea who came back from 2 goals down to spoil the party.

The next year he had the same role as Antonio Conte’s side went on to win the league in some style in the Italian’s first season in charge.

29 and 30 Premier League goals may have won him a golden boot but Kane’s medal case currently limited to a League Cup runners up medal from the 2014/2015. The FA devastated at this sorry state of affairs have stepped up and taken action by lobbying Meghan Markle directly.

The American not understanding the game and her husband an Aston Villa fan (same issue) were keen to help recognise the Prince’s namesake.

Sir Harry Kane of the PressureDome has thus far been unavailable for comment, however Spurs fans have risen in honour of one of their own.

“Harry Kane is a living legend, his ability to the pressure on has really boosted our annual VHS season review sales and we hope one day to see him put the pressure on at a higher level with England”

*This is a terribly written and not very funny April fool*

There’s no way of dressing up Chelsea’s current form. Especially away from home where the Blues have lost 5 of their last 6 away games.

The lack of victories on the road has cost Chelsea dearly this season. Sunday’s quarter-final win against Leicester had to go down to extra-time. In the end, it may prove to be the most important win of the season.

Chelsea have managed to avoid both Spurs and Manchester United in the semi-finals. A struggling Southampton is the only obstacle in the way of an FA Cup final.

FULL-TIME: LEICESTER CITY 1-2 CHELSEA! (AET)

WE’RE THROUGH TO THE SEMI-FINALS! #LEICHE pic.twitter.com/ruRkdvPnR7

— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) March 18, 2018

Despite Chelsea’s poor form, there have been moments that have gone against them. Situations where they didn’t get the rub of the green.

The Carabao Cup semi-final against Arsenal was cruel on Chelsea, as the fixture at the Emirates showed how costly a bad bounce of the ball can be.

There’s no way of dressing up Chelsea’s current form. Especially away from home where the Blues have lost 5 of their last 6 away games.

The lack of victories on the road has cost Chelsea dearly this season. Sunday’s quarter-final win against Leicester had to go down to extra-time. In the end, it may prove to be the most important win of the season. Chelsea have managed to avoid both Spurs and Manchester United in the semi-finals. A struggling Southampton is the only obstacle in the way of an FA Cup final.

It was as a similar story against Barcelona over the two legs. The Catalans weren’t at their fluid best but still came away with a 4-1 aggregate win. Largely thanks to Messi and his ability to sniff out the slightest chance.

In a flash, the Argentinian would have the ball in the back of the net. No team had hit the post more in the Champions League than Chelsea. Chelsea were to be denied by the woodwork three times on the night.

Lionel Messi’s goal 2:08 into Barcelona vs. Chelsea is the quickest goal he has ever scored in his career for club or country…

Via @ESPNStatsInfo. #BARCHE pic.twitter.com/HLXabwObze

— ESPN UK (@ESPNUK) March 14, 2018

There was a strong shout for a penalty on Marcos Alonso after Pique brought him down, too. Instead, Alonso was asked to get to his feet by the ref as play carried on. All of these fine margins went against Chelsea. The individual errors of the players were punished by a lurking Messi.

The performance at the Nou Camp was a terrific one in truth, with lots of running and quick passing. There was a frightening tempo across the field when changing play.

On another night, Chelsea may have progressed. Barca now head through to the quarter-finals as favourites to win the Champions League at odds of 5/2.

This type of misfortune can’t and won’t carry on forever. When the chances come, the Blues have to make the absolute most of them.

They could well arrive in the FA Cup. Chelsea are at odds of 13/8 to win the event outright. Punters who think Conte’s men are able to win the FA Cup can protect themselves from these fine margins by using an introductory offer. Those who bet with the best UK Bookmaker betting sites can claim a £20 free bet from Paddy Power, protecting their investment.

Overcoming Southampton looks an easier task. Southampton are at odds of 5/1 to beat Chelsea in the semi-final. With Spurs beginning to disappear into the distance, Chelsea will need a strong showing in the FA Cup. It will be all hands to the pump to try and win it. Hopes of a top-four finish are fading with the Blues at odds of 5/2.

Chelsea enter a crucial part of the season on the back of some poor form. This sub-standard form has been compounded by their luck deserting them. There is reason to be optimistic that the season can still end well. A few more performances like the one against Barcelona and a change in fortunes will put an end to a dismal run. It may even propel Chelsea to some silverware or a top-four finish.

After the highs of 2016-17, this season has been a huge let-down for Chelsea fans, from the opening-day defeat to Burnley to crashing out of the Champions League at the hands of Barcelona.

Along the way, Antonio Conte’s side have managed some good performances, including victories over Tottenham and Manchester United and a solid draw in the first leg of their Champions League tie with Barcelona, but the positives have been balanced with negatives.

Losses to Watford, Bournemouth, Crystal Palace and West Ham have led to Chelsea slipping out of the top four, with the FA Cup their only remaining route to silverware.

Perhaps most significantly for Conte’s own future, he was forced to acknowledge in February that the club may not finish in a Champions League qualification spot.

Most bookies seem to agree with that assessment, rating Manchester United, Liverpool and Tottenham as stronger bets to finish in the top four, but it may not have gone down well with the Chelsea owner.

The roots of this season’s struggles lie in last summer’s transfer business.

Instead of building on a Premier League-winning side, Chelsea ended up releasing two of their most important players in Nemanja Matić and Diego Costa.

Where Conte had hoped to be adding to the squad, he spent much of his time trying to replace two big holes in the first team, and worse still, has failed to do so, leaving the front line less potent than last year and putting additional pressure on N’Golo Kanté at the heart of the Chelsea midfield.

With a squad that is probably weaker than last year’s, Conte has had to campaign on four fronts this season. Last time around, he had the luxury of being able to rest his best players while Chelsea’s rivals were busy playing in Europe, but this season the fixtures have come thick and fast and the lack of depth in the squad has been revealed.

The final problem has been the failure to adapt tactically. Last year, Chelsea set the tactical agenda, thanks to Conte’s 3-4-3 formation, which offered both defensive solidity and creativity.

However, this season, opponents have found ways to negate that tactical advantage, by overloading the weakened Chelsea midfield or by targeting the space behind the wing-backs. Conte’s response – to switch to a 3-5-1-1 formation – has been only partially effective and is in any case a reactive move rather than a positive change.

To what extent can Conte be blamed for Chelsea’s current situation? The fact that they have had more fixtures to play this season is not a failing, but the inadequate transfer dealings were largely down to him, and the inability to develop a tactical Plan B is most certainly his failure.

His managerial record entitles him to respect and it would be premature to dispense with his services without giving him the chance to put things right – but whether he gets that chance will probably depend on finishing in the top four of the Premier League in May.