BlueLion.

Turnbull, I'm hoping, will not let us down. He's come to a big club with ambitions to be our number one. This is his first opportunity to impress and I'm sure he will take it. Best of luck to him.

Thank fuck Zhirkov's back.

Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti is absolutely certain that midfielder Joe Cole will be at the club next season. Cole has failed to hold down a regular starting berth since returning from a serious knee injury and his contract is due to expire this summer. The 28-year-old has been linked with a move to Manchester United after talks over a new deal stalled. But when Ancelotti was asked to rate the chances of Cole being a Chelsea player next season, he replied "100%". Cole and his representatives are thought to have infuriated Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich with their hard-line stance over wages during contract negotiations. The midfielder is believed to be chasing wages in excess of £100,000 a week. From the BBC http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/Chelsea/8565428.stm

Donated $2 cos I'm well generous xD

Rhys Taylor.

And on his birthday, he is named Africa's player of the year.

LMAO at that article about them being 'outraged' at there being red on a Chelsea shirt. Have people not seen the club crest any time recently?

I want what is best for Cole, and that means a move elsewhere to restart his career.

I only said I liked it, not that we might have something similar.

I would too.

I love the design for the Germany shirt.

A TC shirt would be fucking awesome actually.

Frank Lampard and John Terry scored to set up a Wembley showdown with Aston Villa in the FA Cup. Having surrendered their lead at the top of the Premier League thanks to wins for Arsenal and Manchester United yesterday afternoon, Chelsea have added another Wembley date to their fixture list pile-up thanks to goals from Frank Lampard and under-fire captain John Terry. The Blues - having lost their last two games - were in clinical mood and another efficient-if-unspectacular victory for Carlo Ancelotti's side sets up a semi final occasion with Martin O'Neill's in-form Aston Villa in mid-April. They took the lead ten minutes before half-time when Terry teed up Lampard on the edge of the box, and it was roles reversed after the interval when Terry headed home his third goal of the season from his England colleague's corner. The margin of victory might have been greater, but Ancelotti will be pleased with the performance of his team after their humiliating thumping at the hands of Manchester City the previous weekend, during which the hosts lost their superb 37-game unbeaten run at Stamford Bridge. However Chelsea were not in charitable mood, and Stoke were outclassed and outplayed by their hosts, who looked as comfortable as ever - including their skipper and stand-in goalkeeper. Whilst allegations of Terry's private life have been spread across the news, Henrique Hilario, the understudy to the crocked Petr Cech, has suffered scrutiny for an unconvincing display against City. But an excellent late save from Ricardo Fuller to preserve a confidence-aiding clean sheet will do the Portuguese goalkeeper - who earned his first international cap in midweek - a world of good. The match was always likely to be a match-up of Chelsea's guile and Stoke's brute strength and physicality, but the Blues demonstrated a second string to their bow with a dominating defensive performance - although they nearly fell behind with less than six minutes on the clock. Mamady Sidibe headed over from Robert Huth's flick, before having a second effort blocked by Alex, who replaced the rested Ricardo Carvalho. But it was Dean Whitehead who came closest for Stoke, forcing a brilliant clearance off the line by John Mikel Obi after smashing a loose ball towards goal. Nicolas Anelka, arguably Chelsea's best player on the day, was enjoying freedom out wide due to Stoke's narrow midfield, and it was he who had the most presentable of Chelsea's early chances; the first forcing a good save from Thomas Sorensen. John Terry celebrates his game-clinching header. He should have scored moments later when pouncing on a Whitehead mistake, but flashed a shot well wide with his left boot. However, the opening goal would come from Chelsea's next attack. Florent Malouda's corner caused all sorts of problems in the Stoke box, allowing Terry to feed the ball to Lampard who lashed home beyond the despairing dive of Sorensen thanks to the slightest of deflections off of Stoke's captain Faye. But Lampard's 16th of the season could not have been better-timed, and the goal was deserved from Chelsea's point of view with the hosts clearly the more creative side. It could have been 2-0 before the whistle was blown for the interval but Didier Drogba's volley from Paulo Ferreira's smart cross from the left was stupendously saved by Sorenson at his near post to keep his side in the tie. Branislav Ivanovic had a shot deflected wide as Chelsea continued to press. And it was little surprise when they doubled their advantage twenty minutes into the second half. Andy Wilkinson made two brilliant blocks to deny first Nicolas Anelka from close range after an excellent Chelsea counter-attack, but heading Alex's rocket header over his own crossbar. However the Stoke defender was less fortunate when Terry's header flicked off his chest and beyond his own goalkeeper - and how did the Chelsea captain celebrate; showing his armband to the euphoric Chelsea supporters behind the goal. It was little more than Chelsea deserved and the Blues seemed to grow in confidence following the game-clinching goal. Stoke were having to come out of their shell leaving space to be exploited by Chelsea's forwards, and only a better touch from Kalou might have increased the score before he was blocked at source by Sorenson, who was enjoying a fine game between the posts for the Potters. Anelka had a shot smartly blocked before Lampard's long-range effort brought a top-drawer save from the Dane to order to preserve a crumb of credibility to the scoreline. But in truth, Tony Pulis' side were well and truly beaten, and a last-minute save from Hilario following a decent effort from Ricardo Carvalho confirmed the victory as Chelsea celebrated reaching their 19th FA Cup semi-final - and a Wembley date with Aston Villa. ___________________________________________________________________ Chelsea: Hilario; Ivanovic, Alex, Terry ©, Ferreira; Lampard, Mikel, Malouda; Anelka, Kalou; Drogba Stoke: Sorensen; Wilkinson, Faye, Huth ©, Collins; Delap, Whelan (Pugh), Whitehead, Tuncay (Lawrence); Sidibe (Kitson), Fuller The TalkChelsea.net Man of the Match was Chelsea's number 39, NICOLAS ANELKA

Chelsea vs West Ham FA Cup, Saturday 13th March 2010, Stamford Bridge, 1500 KO MATCH CHAT HERE

Blues draw Villa in Wembley showdown Chelsea have drawn Martin O'Neill's Aston Villa in the semi finals of the FA Cup. The Blues overcame Stoke City 2-0 at Stamford Bridge in the previous round thanks to goals from Frank Lampard and John Terry, whilst Villa came from 2-0 down to triumph over the conquerors of Liverpool and Burnley; Reading. The Royals took a 2-0 half-time lead thanks to a Simon Church brace but Ashley Young and a John Carew hat-trick ensured a stunning turn-around for the Midlands side. Chelsea's path to the final was more straightforward and the club's fans will have their talismanic English duo to thanks for goals in each half in a relatively comfortable encounter with Stoke. In the other semi final, Avram Grant's Portsmouth - who progress after a stunning quickfire brace from on-loan French star Frederic Piquionne - will play the victors of the Fulham-Tottenham match, which will go to a replay to be played at White Hart Lane. The draw means there is potential for an all-London final, but Carlo Ancelotti's side have no doubt drawn the toughest possible team left in the draw. Chelsea's last encounter with Villa saw them lose 2-1 at Villa Park despite taking an early lead, but the match will be an interesting replay of the upcoming Premier League showdown between the two sides at Stamford Bridge in March.

The balance of the team is restored after playing a FULLBACK in the FULLBACK role rather than a WINGER. Glad Carlo has been practising on FIFA.

Erm. No.

Decent performance considering last week's horror show. Come on you Blues

I agree. He normally is reliable, but that doesn't excuse him from having a bad game. However like you say, everyone was moreorless shite against City, and we just have to have confidence in Hilario. He's the best option we have between the posts, and we know he can do a very good job.

It's a couple of weeks. Nothing major but still a massive blow.

I hope Ancelotti plays the strongest possible eleven - we don't have a game until next weekend so there is no excuse for Drogba, Lampard, Terry et al not to play.

All we can do is stick by him. Cech can't get back soon enough, but for the meantime we have to support him.

He's been close to absolutely brilliant for Bayern this season. Well, at least what little I've seen of him. Decent scoring record this year as well, his end product seems to have improved greatly but the Bundesliga is a little different to the Premier League. Savvy bit of business selling him for the amount we did; I think we made £14 million or so on him.

Assistant manager Ray Wilkins insists Chelsea are standing by Hilario following his role in their defeat to Manchester City. The experienced Portuguese keeper was blamed for Carlos Tevez's equaliser and it had been thought he could be dropped. While Wilkins has acknowledged Petr Cech's deputy did not have the best of games, he believes he will respond positively. Hilario is expected to keep his place ahead of Ross Turnbull for the visit of Stoke in the FA Cup on Sunday with Cech still on the sidelines. "He is an experienced player and he won't have a problem," said Wilkins. Unfortunately "Unfortunately things didn't go quite right for him last Saturday. "Supporters nowadays will always have a pop at the errors and as a keeper you make a ricket and you've lost a goal." He added: "We'll play a lot worse than we did against Manchester City and win. "We are top of the table in the first week in March - 19 other Premiership sides would sooner be in our position than their own. "We're top of the league, playing in the quarter-finals of the cup and still in the Champions League." From SkySports

Haha, fucking mega.