BlueLion.

Not a chance, although it's been a disappointing start to his Chelsea career because of injuries, he hasn't played even half as much as he would have liked.

Carlo Ancelotti has been rewarded for a November in which Chelsea beat Manchester United and Arsenal without conceding a goal with the Barclays Manager of the Month award. With the month also containing the 4-0 win over Wolves, the Blues recorded three wins and three clean sheets to stay top of the Barclays Premier League. This is the first time that Ancelotti has won the accolade and he becomes the second Italian to collect it. The first was a familiar name - Claudio Ranieri, who won the award as Chelsea manager in March 2004. 'I am happy to win the award and I would like to win in December as well,' said Ancelotti on receiving the trophy. 'We started the season very well and in November we played very good matches, including the win against Arsenal which was a fantastic match. For now the team is in a good moment and we have to maintain this.' From the official website.

TEAM NEWS Manchester City's Shaun Wright-Phillips faces a fitness test after picking up an ankle knock against Arsenal. Craig Bellamy and Stephen Ireland are rated as extremely doubful with knee injuries and Vladimir Weiss has been laid low by tonsillitis. Salomon Kalou joins Jose Bosingwa and Alex on Chelsea's injury list after the forward suffered a thigh strain against Blackburn in the Carling Cup. Those injuries aside, Carlo Ancelotti has a fully-fit squad. Man City Suspended: None Doubtful: Bellamy, Ireland & Petrov (all knee), Weiss (tonsillitis), Wright-Phillips (ankle) Injured: None Chelsea Suspended: None Doubtful: None Injured: Alex (hip), Bosingwa (knee), Kalou (thigh) And what a shit stat this is: Chelsea have conceded the highest percentage of goals from set plays this season (75%) and 50% of the goals they have conceded have been headers - the highest percentage in the top flight. Maybe because we've only let in 8 goals?

I just think in those three games we've been beaten by the better team on the day.

The perfect opportunity to get Wednesnday's result out of the system. With his team selection on Wednesday you could see he was clearly prioritising this game, so the players have to respond tonight. The way City have been playing would make us favourites to win, but in front of their home crowd they're as good as anyone else in the division. The first goal is very important. If we get it, it'll truly knock the stuffing out of them. If they get it, then we're going to need to step up and put in a shift. Anelka will be key for us today; he's been sensational recently and its highly likely that he'll be granted more space than usual as the defence focus on Didier "Fifteen Goals Already This Season" Drogba. Whoever plays in the attacking midfield role at the tip of the diamond needs to step up their game as well; neither Joe Cole or Deco covered themselves in glory in midweek.

Pretty sure Steve was being sarcastic. Hence why I said it was a friendly match. At the end of the day, its purely coincidental... we played alright on Wednesday night but Rovers were better. No excuses at all.

At the end of the day, that save from Ballack by Robinson was absolutely outstanding.

Love the lion Jim, looks ace

Wed 2 Dec 09, Carling Cup Quarter-Final, Ewood Park, Blackburn Two penalty saves from Paul Robinson ensured Blackburn progressed to the semi-finals of the Carling Cup at Chelsea's expense. Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti made a host of changes to the side that demolished Arsenal 3-0 at the Emirates Stadium, with the Blues boss clearly prioritising Saturday's crunch clash with Mark Hughes' Manchester City. Blackburn took an early lead through Croatian Nikola Kalinic to give them a half-time lead, but a goal from substitute Didier Drogba, and a second through Salomon Kalou put the visitors in a commanding position. Brett Emerton's cross inexplicably deceived Hilario to force extra-time and Benedict McCarthy’s penalty looked to have won the game for Rovers, only for Paul Robinson to flap at a cross; allowing Paulo Ferreira to score. The victory will be sweet revenge for Rovers who suffered a 5-0 drubbing at Stamford Bridge in November, and a welcome tonic for manager Sam Allardyce as he recovers from heart surgery. Ferreira and Branislav Ivanovic formed an unorthodox centre back pairing. Yuri Zhirkov replaced the injured Ashley Cole, whilst a change in formation saw wingers Florent Malouda and Joe Cole playing alongside Kalou. In-form Didier Drogba was on the bench along with youth team star Gael Kakuta. The home side took the lead through a well-worked goal; Morten Gamst Pedersen combined with Pascal Chimbonda, who teed up Kalinic who fired beyond Hilario from close range. It was a goal Blackburn deserved for a positive start to the match, but Chelsea came back into the contest with a number of good opportunities. The best of which was headed wide by Kalou, who couldn't convert an inviting cross from Belletti. Zhirkov and Malouda disappointingly shot straight at goalkeeper Paul Robinson, and Joe Cole was disappointingly quiet. In response, Ancelotti chose to make a tripe substitution; Kakuta and Drogba replaced Cole and the ineffective Deco, as the team resorted to their typical 4-4-2 formation. Young defender Jeffrey Bruma also joined the fray in place of Belletti. And the changes had an immediate effect as Chelsea turned the game on its head. Drogba powered home a stunning header and then Kalou latched on to a through-ball from Zhirkov before slotting beyond the goalkeeper. Kalou should have added a third to Chelsea's tally but he was soon forced to retire from the action after tearing his thigh - the Blues were down to just ten men. Blackburn levelled when Emerton's cross evaded Hilario who misjudged the flight of the ball as Kalinic rose to meet it, and Rovers continued to pile the pressure on their opponents, but the Chelsea goalkeeper saved well from Kalinic. Junior Hoilett, who had missed two decent chances in normal time, was then fouled by Zhirkov in the area as the game entered extra time; McCarthy sent Hilario the wrong way but Chelsea equalised through Ferreira when he poked home from a tight angle after Malouda's free kick was missed by Robinson. But the Blackburn goalkeeper made amends with a stunning penalty save from Michael Ballack. Chelsea converted their next three spot-kicks and Hilario denied Kalinic, but Robinson saved Gael Kakuta's powered effort to send Blackburn through, and deservedly so. ___________________________________________________________________ Blackburn Rovers (4-4-2): Robinson; Salgado, Samba, Nelsen ©, Chimbonda; Emerton, Nzonzi (Van Heerden 91), McCarthy, Pedersen (Grella 61); Kalinic, Roberts (Hoilett 69). Chelsea (4-3-3): Hilario; Belletti (Bruma 46), Ferreira, Ivanovic, Zhirkov; Mikel, Ballack, Malouda; Deco (Drogba 46), J Cole (Kakuta 46); Kalou The TalkChelsea.net Man of the Match was Blackburn's number 10 - Benedict McCarthy

Its certainly a coincidence we haven't won a competitive match in the new away kit, although we did beat Milan.

Normal time highlights - http://www.101greatgoals.com/videodisplay/4082561/

You're happy we've lost? Twisted logic I suppose... like I said it could benefit us in the long run since United will have two gruelling games against their fiercest rivals.

Probably good for us in the long run, the first semi would have been during the ACON.

4-3 to Rovers. Kakuta to take it. Saved. LOL!!

The fourth penalty taker still needs to score this though. Zhirkov!!!! 3-3

HILARIOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Malouda scores, 3-2. LET FERREIRA HAVE ONE

3-1 to Blackburn.

2-1, great penalty by Drogba.

2-0. Game over?

Twat of a commentator says "German's never miss." What a cunt.

Michael Ballack takes Chelsea's first penalty. 0-1. Saved.

McCarthy scores the first Blackburn penalty. 1-0

Whether we win the shoot-out or not, we've shown some fucking amazing character.

PAULO FERREIRA WHAT THE FUCK?!?!?!