Sorry
1807: SOUTHEND in/Chelsea out
Chelsea midfielder Anthony Grant, 20, joins League One promotion-chasers Southend on loan until the end of the season.
Finally they are starting to open their eyes on Benitez! If Grant had taken Chelsea on this sort of form we'd have all been shouting for his head and he would probably have been replaced in all honesty. Benitez wrecked their title chase by not picking form players such as Torres at the beginning of the season and sticking with clowns like Kuyt.
Intresting to see a few criticising Carragher and Gerrard as well - maybe they aren't as one eyed as we thought
All this talk about the Liverpool fans backing Rafa may not be as true as we thought!
Yep definitely this will be tough - Portsmouth is not an easy place to go at all. I'd say 2-1 to us. Hopefully Lampard and Shevchenko will return. Maybe a bench spot for Ivanovic.
Yep true he is good as a sub at best but I really can't see how we can accomodate him when Drogba, Shevchenko, Anelka, Kalou and Di Santo are all fit. He won't even get near the bench
Tommy Langley says the lads looked jaded in the second half - I'm worried about this ahead of Portsmouth. Hopefully Ash can make a return and maybe even Shevchenko and Lampard? Belletti has at least been given a rest albeit forced.
and the team is:
Cech
Bridge
Carvalho
Alex
Ferreira
Wright-Phillips
Ballack
Makelele (capt)
Malouda
Anelka
J Cole
Subs:
Cudicini
Ben Haim
Sidwell
Pizarro
Sinclair
Both teams should win tonight - Man Utd have a slightly toguher task than us though. I don't think we are out of it yet but we must assume we will beat the other 3 grand slam sides at SB. Maybe Man Utd could drop points at home to Liverpool as well.
Interviewing with Ballack on Chelsea tv now...
Happy to be back in training. Feels we have to play a waiting game in the league.
He feels Anelka did very well in the past few games and he's a good player with good movements and a good guy.
hmmm nah I don't think it's a dig at Mourinho - Ash is a class player and Grant must realise that. I don't agree with what he has allegedly done but am 100% behind him as a senior Chelsea player.
Yes hopefully Ivanovic will be a hit with the club. Maybe keep Ben Haim as back up only but he will never get past the big 3 central defenders. I think we have the perfect amount of defenders now but if we sign another then someone has to leave.
If you look back to the very beginning of the season I'm sure we were around 5 points clear of Man Utd when they had their injury problems - but since then they have hardly had any problems.
I feel we have huge pressure tonight though - if we go 7 points behind Arsenal at this stage (all games equal) surely the title may be gone?
I think this has to be a good thing to be honest as it doesn't look as if we are going to get another chance to use fringe players (except Huddersfield maybe)
Yeah maybe - I think it would be a shame if Sidwell did go. and also Mikel will be unavailable for an extra week as a result of Nigeria qualifying. What about some of the youngsters going out on loan? Maybe Sahar will? Possibly Sinclair but I'd be inclined to keep him just incase.