BlueLion.

Soon our backline will be: Anelka, Mikel, Joe Cole, Hilario !!!

I think that's a very unfair statement since they haven't won it yet.

Winning any trophy is a success. It doesn't go down in the history books as having won the FA Cup, 'but only because of being bankrolled by billions.' Money does not come into it; it doesn't automatically earn you success. The immediate examples of Real Madrid and Manchester City are examples of this. Expectations have risen, but so has the attitude and arrogance of Chelsea fans. Other teams would give anything to be in an FA Cup semi final and be one point off the top of the Premier League. When I began supporting this club, a mid-table finish would be fantastic. And we're hardly top three in Europe. I wouldn't fancy us against Bordeaux, let alone Bayern Munchen or Barcelona. However it depends on how much you respect the FA Cup as a competition. I rate it as important as the Champions League, personally, because its a trophy that has given us more success than any other piece of silverware. My memories of a Chelsea fan are dominated by great FA Cup moments. A reason why I chose to support Chelsea in the first place was partly because of their success in 96/97 - and that included the FA Cup.

It is, essentially, a matter of confidence rather than form. As you say these games are like finals. I know it was only Portsmouth we beat yesterday but the second half was incredibly positive. I even hasten to say we looked as good as we did in January when we beat Sunderland 7-2.

If we were to win the FA Cup this season, would that be a disappointment? To say we've "only" won a cup competition - would you class that as a wasted season? I wouldn't. I think with the success of recent years Chelsea fans have become spoilt. Mourinho came here and lifted six trophies in three seasons, and all of a sudden Chelsea were one of the powerhouses of European football, able to rival Milan and Barcelona. Yet I've been a Chelsea fan for a relatively long time now - I've worn the blue of this club since 1997 and went to see my first match (at Stamford Bridge, anyway) a couple of years later against Newcastle. Back then - just ten years ago - supporters would have bitten your arm off to win the FA Cup. It would represent a magnificent season for this club. Those who remember those years - and those who remember even further back - will look back on this season with nothing but pride if we win the FA Cup. It'll be yet another trophy-winning year; not bad for a club that has ever been in the shadow of Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester United. I appreciate now that we're a 'big club.' I admit I hate that phrase, but I also concede that we are a team with winning ambitions. Back in 2000, a top half finish would be excellent. Now, only a top two finish is acceptable. I appreciate with the money that has been invested in the team since 2003 that we should be winning trophies - but what if we don't? There have been some magical moments at Chelsea Football Club this season. Terry heading the winner against United, Malouda's last-minute winner at Stoke, Drogba's freekick at the Emirates, that goal that Ashley Cole scored against Sunderland and Terry winning it for us against Burnley. The FA Cup remains our best hope of winning something this season. Yes, we are back in the hunt for the title, and yes, the pressure will be on United and Arsenal as they have the easier run-in (or on paper, at least). There is no now pressure on Chelsea; a huge weight of expectation has been removed as other contenders now look to be in more favourable positions. But what if we win neither? What if we're knocked out in the semi-finals by Villa, or even worse, beaten by Tottenham under the Wembley arch? What if we're hammered at Old Trafford, thrashed at Anfield and Bolton give us another good kicking at home? Well, we can at least give it one last go. And we can get behind the team. I admit that times have changed, but I haven't. Win, lose or draw, I'm still Chelsea. Title, FA Cup or nothing, I'm still Chelsea. I will look back on this season with pride and say that we at least gave it our best shot. We can curse and moan about dropped points at Hull, Everton and Blackburn, how City somehow did a double over us and how the hell we didn't at least get an equaliser at Villa Park. But at the end of the day, trophy or no trophy, this has been a memorable season in the history of this club. Let's just make sure it isn't another case, á la 2008, of 'so near, yet so far.' We can win the FA Cup. We're 180 winning minutes away from retaining a trophy that has brought success to this club on five occasions. I have been alive for all but one - 1970 - and every time I see Dennis Wise or John Terry lift that trophy my heart is filled with pride. But we can also win the Premier League. We're one point behind. Go to Old Trafford and win, and we can beat anybody. We're seven wins away from history. Don't you dare tell me that isn't achievable. There's still some glory to be found this season - just make sure you don't become too greedy! Win, lose or draw, I'm still Chelsea. Keep the faith. It's not over until it's over.

United have to go to Citeh yet.

Maybe this was not such a bad result. Blackburn have now won five and drew one of their last six home games - a record better than any other team in the league bar Manchester United and Everton.

Didier Drogba and Florent Malouda both scored braces as Chelsea moved to within a point of league leaders Manchester United. In a game played in abysmal conditions on the south coast, the Blues took a first half lead when Didier Drogba capitalised on a David James error to give Chelsea a crucial lead heading into the interval. Florent Malouda then scored a quick-fire brace before Drogba and Frank Lampard completed the rout to send Chelsea back to second in the table. Chelsea are now just a point behind league leaders Manchester United and will find this victory a welcome tonic to a poor run of form that has seen Carlo Ancelotti's side knocked out of the Champions League and lose ground in the title hunt. But the team's biggest away win of the season ensures that Chelsea are back in the chase for the Premier League crown, with a crunch clash with Sir Alex Ferguson's side in early April looming ever closer. Ancelotti will have raised several eyebrows with his team selection, selecting Deco and Daniel Sturridge ahead of Joe Cole and Nicolas Anelka respectively, but the Blues boss will be happy to see his side return to winning ways in what is their thirteenth triumph over Portsmouth in fourteen attempts. With Arsenal and United in fine form it was absolutely paramount that Chelsea took three points from this game as they sought to preserve their faltering title ambitions, but they were not aided by a saturated pitch and a resolute Portsmouth backline. But a superb night for the Blues saw them not only make up the ground on the league leaders but also match their northern rivals' goal difference - and only two points now separates the top three, though Chelsea can now boast the Premier League's best attack having netted 75 league goals this term. Chelsea were the first to apply pressure and Ricardo Carvalho missed a chance to head home before Drogba had fired two snapshots wide of David James' goal. James then made a smart save from a long-range shot from Lampard before bravely collecting a Yuri Zhirkov cross with Drogba looking to pounce. The England keeper then got down quickly to deny Lampard a second time with a good low parry. Moments later, however, an error in judgement by James saw him kick nothing but air after the ball took a slight bobble, allowing Drogba to stroll home and score. Drogba was in lethal form as he scored his 15th goal in 14 Premier League games. The end of the first half was soured by a number of injuries, however, that first saw Ricardo Carvalho forced to withdraw and Alex replacing him. Portmouth's Ricardo Rocha was then stretchered off the field after suffering a broken cheekbone after a collision with Malouda. But the worst of the injuries saw Tommy Smith's nose and eye socket fractured due to a stray elbow by Sturridge - and replays suggest the arm movement was deliberate. Moments after the interval Chelsea stretched their lead when Malouda rifled home from close range after being fed by Lampard, and the in-form former Lyonnais man was in the right place at the right time ten minutes later when he fired home a rebound after James had denied Lampard yet again. The England keeper's personal battle with his international colleague continued when he made a stunning diving save to keep out a Lampard thunderbolt from the edge of the area, but was being seriously let down by his defenders. Joe Cole, in the meantime, had come on and seen a shot well-saved by James though he should have done better with his initial touch on second viewing. Patrick van Aanholt then came on for his Chelsea début on 71 minutes as Ancelotti looked to rest key men - Zhirkov was the man replaced. Drogba then scored his thirtieth of the season after latching on to a sublime through-ball from Mikel, holding off Hermann Hreidarsson before lashing past a beleaguered James. And matters went from bad to worse for Portsmouth as Lampard headed home his seventeenth goal of the season to continue his good form in front of goal and eradicate the advantage of Manchester United's previously superior goal difference. ___________________________________________________________________ Chelsea: Cech; Ferreira, Carvalho (Alex 36), Terry ©, Zhirkov (Van Aanholt 69); Mikel, Lampard; Sturridge (J Cole 54), Deco, Malouda; Drogba Portsmouth: James ©; Mullins, Rocha (Basinas 45), Hreidarsson, Finnan; Mokoena (Kanu 69), Wilson, Hughes; O'Hara, Smith (Owusu-Abeyie 46); Piquionne The TalkChelsea.net Man of the Match was Chelsea's number 15, FLORENT MALOUDA

Cech to get a hat-trick.

CITY 0-2 EVERTON

Patch has looked very good since coming on.

Blackburn 2-1 Birmingham City 0-1 Everton Aston Villa 1-1 Sunderland

DROGBAAAAAAAAAAA 4-0

Fuck, its Kanu.

Van Aanholt on for his debut.

Used to play in midfield so I have experience from that range

3-1 to Spurs Chelsea-Spurs final?

MAGNIFICENT save by James.

I'd have fucking buried it

MALOUDAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA 3-0

Cole should have scored.

2-1 to Spuds

23 Sturridge off 10 Cole on Danny's been awful tbh.

MALOUDAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Rocha has a fractured cheekbone, and Tommy Smith has a broken nose and eye injury after being elbowed by Sturridge.