BlueLion.

The game against United in December dictates my reaction to that.

In the 2002/03 season, Manchester United won the title despite losing five games before the end of December (they lost the fifth on Boxing Day 2002).

That's actually a good point - we'd be second if they'd have won!

Kalou could have realistically had a hat-trick today.

If we'd have been well and truly humped, á la Sunderland all over again, I'd tend to agree with some of the comments I'm seeing. The fact of the matter is we were unlucky today. I believe today was 'one of those days' and we were desparately unfortunate not to get something from the game. We deserved at least a point today and were totally dominant. That's the best I've seen us play away from home since the Wigan match, but we've been undone by the shot they had. Crisis talk is premature. It's still only November. So anyone saying that today we have just lost the title ought to stop before they make themselves look stupid. I'm not denying how bad results have been recently. Three losses in four games - equating to three points from twelve - is relegation form. But the performance today was very good in my eyes, all we've done is fail to score. Drogba hit the post and forced the save of the season so far out of Foster, plus numerous other saves he made. We were simply unlucky today, and regardless of their defensive display and all the plaudits they will get from the United- and Arsenal-loving BBC, the better team lost today. Only one side tried to attack all game and that quite clearly was us. Put it this way - we've been fucking shite over the last month or so yet we're still top of the league. A couple of back-to-back wins and we can put this shit month behind us. Now its time to stop feeling sorry for ourselves, beat Zilina into submission, and then go to Newcastle and win. This last week will be one to forget, that's for sure. But premature talk of United winning the title and us having thrown it away is incredible in my opinion! This is a blip - we had one last December, remember? Keep the faith and everything will come good again.

Birmingham 1-0 Chelsea Saturday 20 November, Premier League, St Andrew's. Lee Bowyer's first half strike condemned Chelsea to their second successive Premier League defeat to leave the champions top of the table merely on goal difference. Against the run of play, the former Newcastle United midfielder superbly fired beyond Petr Cech from Cameron Jerome's downwards header to give the hosts the lead and ultimately the three points which will move them out of the relegation zone and give them their first victory over Chelsea for thirty years and only their second win of the season. Conversely for Carlo Ancelotti's side, it is a third defeat in four Premier League games and the fourth successive match away from home where they have failed to register a goal - worrying signs for the West London outfit who are now ahead of Manchester United (themselves 2-0 victors over Wigan at Old Trafford) by the virtue of their superior goal difference only. Not even an Arsenal defeat at the hands of Tottenham will comfort the Chelsea team or their manager, who will find themselves incredibly unlucky not to have left St Andrew's with at least a point for their travails considering their absolute dominance of the game. Chelsea had nearly 30 shots compared to Birmingham's solitary effort - though these are the margins of victory and defeat at Premier League level. The defeat means that for the first time since May 2006 when the Blues suffered back-to-back defeats at the hands of Blackburn and Newcastle, Chelsea have lost successive Premier League matches - and considering the improving form of Sir Alex Ferguson's unbeaten Manchester United, today may be seen as a significant day in the title race come May. But credit where it is due; Birmingham defended manfully with their centre-back pairing of Scott Dann and Roger Johnson imperious in defence, and Ben Foster infallible between the posts. Foster was excellent and the hosts owe their victory to the former Manchester United star after he made a string of important saves. Salomon Kalou was the beneficiary of a Yuri Zhirkov ailment which granted him a starting place, and the Ivorian nearly opened the scoring early on as his shot rippled into the side netting after super play by stand-in captain Didier Drogba. Ramires was then guilty for lacking conviction inside the penalty area as his effort moments later barely troubled Foster. Nevertheless, Chelsea were the brighter of the two teams during the opening exchanges and demonstrating the sort of response Ancelotti will have demanded. Florent Malouda then carved Birmingham open to send Drogba through on goal but Foster did well to block and the same player then headed over from a Nicolas Anelka cross as Chelsea looked to capitalise on their early dominance. However Bowyer supplied the sucker punch mere moments later - Seb Larsson's cross was knocked down by Cameron Jerome and the midfielder sublimely lifted the ball over Cech. The Blues looked for an instant reply and only Foster's stunning save denied Drogba's brilliant header - it looked for all the world that the Ivorian would score his first goal away from Stamford Bridge since May but for Foster's intervention. Meanwhile a stoppage in play came about after Alex and Nikola Zigic were involved in a sickening clash of heads before Chelsea's automatic response; Cole and Anelka the next to work Foster, whilst Branislav Ivanovic should perhaps have done better with a headed chance. A game of fine margins then saw Drogba head against the post as the first half drew to a disappointing close from Chelsea's perspective. But more Chelsea chances were to follow in the second half, as Ramires was denied only by a superb challenge by Johnson as he looked to shoot beyond Foster, whilst Kalou shot over in a crowded area and Drogba sent a free-kick straight at Foster as Chelsea looked to continue the pressure that suggested a goal was imminent. Foster was then alert to rescue his side after Dann's woeful back-pass was seized by Kalou, only for the goalkeeper to make a perfect sliding challenge before being able to smuggle the ball behind for a corner. From the subsequent delivery, Ivanovic forced another excellent save out of the England international, who was enjoying an inspired display and demonstrating all the confidence a player recently called up to represent his country. Ancelotti seemed at his wit's end, as even the deployment of Alex as a third striker behind Anelka and Drogba, with Kalou and substitute Sturridge supplying the width failed to open up the resilient Birmingham defence, whilst the distracting presence of Petr Cech inside Foster's box for Chelsea's final opportunity - a corner taken by Sturridge - failed to break the concentration of a determined Birmingham rearguard. In football terms, this would be defined as the ultimate smash and grab. Chelsea should not be too disheartened - their performance was a massive improvement on anything seen in recent weeks and it was simply 'one of those days.' Unfortunately, they can't afford too many more if they want to win this title. A tough December sees them play Everton, Bolton and Manchester United at home, whilst visits to the Emirates and Tottenham will test Ancelotti's struggling players to the maximum. At least a midweek game against MSK Zilina in the Champions League will help the players respond to their poor recent form and rescue some confidence. ___________________________________________________________________ Birmingham (4-4-2): Foster; Carr ©, Johnson, Dann, Ridgewell; Larsson, Ferguson, Bowyer, Fahey; Jerome, Zigic (Hleb 71) Chelsea (4-3-3): Cech; Ferreira (Bosingwa 64), Alex, Ivanovic, Cole; Ramires (Sturridge 71), Mikel, Malouda; Anelka, Drogba ©, Kalou. The TalkChelsea.net Man of the Match was Birmingham's number 26, B. Foster

Game over. We had 29 shots. Birmingham had one.

4 minutes added on.

Hard to believe this time last week we were four points clear.

As it stands... Position Team P GD PTS 1 Chelsea 14 19 28 2 Man Utd 14 13 28 3 Arsenal 14 13 26

I can see this being 2-0 Brum at full-time

Ben Foster is having a brilliant game.

Why does every chance fall to Clueless?

Amen to that. Sturridge on btw.

Kalou heads inches wide. It isn't going to happen by the looks of things.

Let Alex take this please.

This performance going forward is almost as bad as the kit colour. We've had so much possession but done fuck all with it.

Fuck off Kalou.

This is horrible to watch.

The best team is the one that is currently losing. An equaliser is imminent if we continue this pressure.

I sometimes loathe the way this club is run. Wilkins had done nothing wrong and Ancelotti even testified his importance.

@Jose M - I imagine he'll start against MSK on Tuesday.

It took Malouda nearly two full seasons before he fulfilled his potential. Even Drogba didn't hit the heights until his third season, and Samir Nasri is now doing the same at Arsenal after two inconsistent seasons. Changing from the French Ligue Un or the Portuguese Superliga up to the Premier League is a big, big step due to the competitive nature of the game here. Also the speed the football is played in this division is matched by few. It will take him time but he has had the odd very good game and at least been a consistent 7/10 performer every game.

A fully-fit Drogba, Alex back for at least this game and Terry back sooner than expected? Is that light I can see at the end of the tunnel?

Emenalo will purely be a tactical coach, and won't be involved in training sessions (presumably enabling him to continue his role as chief scout). Clem will take training sessions with Ancelotti.