BlueLion.

Malouda to Marseille, and Ben Arfa to Chelsea would suit me

I'd be all for that, actually. I'm sure I'm not the only one aware of how brilliant he actually is. Probably bullshit anyway.

To make us all feel better, Gerrard's been arrested... http://www.talkchelsea.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=3310

Aguero would cost over £60 million. Not an option it would appear. Zaki or Fabiano are my options. Can't we recall Pizarro?

Our form is very worrying at the moment. We've taken 9 from the last 18, whilst Wigan have won five of their last six!

Sorry to hear that Vedran. Keep the blue flag flying high, mate

Exactly how I'm feeling. There's a lot of football to be played yet.

Fulham 2 - 2 Chelsea FC December 28 2008, Premier League, Craven Cottage, London Frank Lampard scored twice, but Chelsea lost further ground in the Premier League title race. Liverpool threw down the gauntlet after demolishing Newcastle 5-1 at Saint James’ Park, with captain Steven Gerrard finding the net twice. Four points behind their Merseyside rivals at kick-off, Chelsea’s second successive draw away from home means the Blues are now three points off top spot, and with three games in hand, Manchester United will surely close the gap between themselves and the top two teams. The result is a frustrating one for Luiz Felipe Scolari’s men, who conceded twice to set pieces – first from a Simon Davies free kick, before Clint Dempsey scored his second of the match from a corner in the dying seconds. Frank Lampard’s poacher’s finish, followed by a low free kick had put the visitors 2-1 up, and having come from behind, a repeat scoreline of last season’s corresponding clash look odds-on. Chelsea remain unbeaten away from home this season and have not tasted defeat away in the league since December 15, 2007, when they succumbed to a 1-0 defeat against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium, but will feel aggrieved not to have taken three points from this London derby. Perhaps more concerning for Scolari, is the fact he has yet to triumph against a London club during his tenure at Stamford Bridge, and with Manchester United the club’s next league fixture, he will need a more assured defensive performance if the club is to challenge for the title. The opening exchanges belonged to Chelsea, with Lampard, Bosingwa and Didier Drogba all fashioning chances. The Ivorian’s chance was perhaps the best, but after spinning away from his marker, his shot fizzed wide of the goal. Lampard stung Schwarzer’s hands with a dipping effort, and Bosingwa too brought the keeper into play, but his shot lacked conviction. Typically, against the run of play, it was Fulham who opened the scoring. Dempsey collected Davies’ free kick, and poked it beyond Cech at his near post to put the home side ahead. Craven Cottage erupted; the home support jubilant, but Chelsea were not prepared to go down without a fight, as Bosingwa shot wide. Drogba then shot across the face of goal after brilliantly making his way into the Fulham box, but his effort from a tight angle went wide. Anelka – introduced as a substitute due to an injury sustained by Florent Malouda early on – looked to make an immediate impression as his drive stung Schwarzer’s palms. Moments later, the Fulham goalkeeper, signed from Middlesbrough in the summer, tipped Lampard’s goal-bound strike over. The effort was viciously struck, and the Australian did well to stop the Chelsea midfielder’s shot. Lampard again struck from distance, after Ricardo Carvalho returned from injury to replace Brazilian centre back Alex, who went off injured. Carvalho – out of action since October – immediately acquainted himself with Fulham’s forward line, as he tenaciously tackled and rushed the hosts. Chelsea went in behind at the break, but with Scolari’s half time team talk still ringing in their ears, Lampard restored parity. Drogba burst into the box, causing a sense of confusion, and Lampard stroked home from close range to score his second goal in two games. Drogba then demonstrated his class when he rolled his marker before entering the area, and his fierce left footed drive left the Chelsea fans inhaling sharply, but his effort was well over the bar. Craven Cottage sighed in relief as one, but Chelsea were clearly dominating the game. Joe Cole wasted an excellent chance to put his side in the lead, but his volley from just inside the area was too close to Schwarzer, who collected with ease, but on 73 minutes, captain Frank Lampard stepped up to take a free kick. 30 yards out. Just left of centre. The result? Bottom corner. Coolly dispatching the set piece, Lampard wheeled away to celebrate with the Chelsea fans. It was a brilliant free kick that deceived Schwarzer with its low trajectory, and the bend and dip on the ball took it beyond the Fulham keeper. In a matter of moments, Chelsea had turned the game on its head. But despite some excellent defending, Fulham’s late pressure paid off as Dempsey brilliantly headed home beyond Cech from the home side’s first corner of the game. With no defender at the far post, the American steered his effort to Cech’s right and into the net, sending the stadium into a frenzy of delight. At the away end, the noise had soon died down. Denied at the last by Schwarzer, who palmed away Cole’s shot before Lampard’s follow up was cleared off the line, Chelsea had been held, for the sixth time this season. Carefree, wherever we may be. ___________________________________________________________________ Fulham: Schwarzer, Pantsil, Hangeland, Hughes, Konchesky, Davies, Etuhu (Andreasen), Murphy (Baird), Dempsey, Johnson, Zamora (Nevland) Chelsea: Cech, Bosingwa, Ivanovic, Alex (Carvalho 37), Ashley Cole, Deco, Mikel, Lampard, Joe Cole (Kalou 72), Drogba, Malouda (Anelka 30) Attendance: 25,462 The TalkChelsea.net Man of the Match was Frank Lampard

Yeah, West side of the Shed Hah, love singing that bit

Because we are Chelsea Football Club, a team that is expected to challenge for titles. Beating teams like Fulham is essential in the long run - if you can't beat teams that are weaker than you, how can you beat the stronger ones? I agree that Fulham are on a good run, but we cannot deem anything other than 3 points to be satisfactory.

Personally I'd rather go for a striker that is proven in the EPL. Amr Zaki fits the bill, and he's only 25.

I've got that as a late present from my aunt, apparently

And if we can then surely that's the beginning of a good run - 3 wins and a draw would be almost perfect for us, heading into the United game, and a win in the FA Cup wouldn't be bad for morale, either.

Agree with you on that, Ballack has been poor the last few games. Joe was top too, as you say, Lampard's goal just tipped it for me, but both were awesome.

To me it looked more like a 4-4-2 with a diamond midfield, with Joe sitting behind the two forwards, but Anelka was playing off Drogba to the left, sort of in a 4-3-3 with Joe sitting in the centre. Basically, Anelka and Cole had free roles.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/e...res/default.stm Sunday, 1 February 2009 Liverpool v Chelsea, 16:00 Newcastle v Sunderland, 13:30

Click here for the full match report!

Chelsea F.C. 2 - 0 West Bromwich Albion December 26 2008, English Premier League, Stamford Bridge, West London Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard scored as Chelsea recorded their fourth home win of the season against West Brom. The Blues put three past Scott Carson at the Hawthorns in November, with Nicolas Anelka grabbing a brace after full-back Jose Bosingwa had hammered a shot into the top corner from range, and Luiz Felipe Scolari was hoping before the match that a similar result could be just what his team needed to spur them on to another spectacular home run. And from the moment Drogba put the home side ahead with a beautiful header from Joe Cole's cross with such admirable, effortless ease, the Chelsea boss had even more reason to smile about. Suffering an injury-blighted season, the Ivorian demonstrated his deadly brilliance as he started up front alongside Nicolas Anelka for the first time in their Chelsea careers. Frank Lampard cutely chipped Carson in first-half stoppage time as the home side wrapped up the win without stepping out of first gear, and the England international was joined in midfield by the ever-imperious John Mikel Obi, the industrial working machine of Germany captain Michael Ballack, and the creative ingenuity of Joe Cole, who featured in an attacking role behind the forward pair. There was talk that the Blues would be left vulnerable at the back with captain John Terry serving the first of his three-game suspension, and with Ricardo Carvalho also out through injury. However, Brazilian Alex and Serbia star Branislav Ivanovic were in dominating form, and joined by Ashley Cole, Jose Bosingwa and goalkeeper Petr Cech, the Chelsea crowd were treated to something that hadn't been seen at Stamford Bridge in a while - a performance. Drogba's goal was an early indication that Chelsea meant business in this Boxing Day fixture, as the Ivorian quite brilliantly steered his header beyond Carson. Joe Cole's cross-field ball found the Ivorian who planted his header into the top corner to send Stamford Bridge into a cauldron of noise - despite the fact many spectators were still finding their seats! Frank Lampard - with an excellent scoring record against the Midlands side - was next to test the former Liverpool and Aston Villa goalkeeper, but his dipping free kick from all of 30 yards lacked the accuracy to seriously test the man between the posts, as Carson collected the ball in his midriff. Lampard had done well to beat the wall, but the almost-flat trajectory of the ball's flight made it a simple stop for the Albion shot-stopper. Lampard later shot wide from Ashley Cole's pass as the Blues looked for a quick second against their opponents. Jose Bosingwa - provider of more than one important goal this season - was next to test the solidity of the West Brom backline, but his clever burst of pace and deft touch beyond Paul Robinson left the away side's rearguard with much to be desired. His low cross into the penalty area was met by Lampard, but the England man had had to slow his run to make contact with the ball, and could only poke wide. Little more than a half chance, but the home side's attacking excellence was a Christmas feast for all to enjoy. Carson then made a stunning save from Ashley Cole, after the full-back had been fed brilliantly by Lampard. Taking a touch, Cole unleashed a swerving shot that Carson did excellently to flick onto the post with his fingertips, before his weak rebound fell straight to the West Brom goalkeeper. It was an excellent parry onto the upright, and Chelsea were edging closer and closer to the second goal their performance warranted. And they got that goal in first half stoppage time as Lampard converted from close range. Joe and Ashley Cole combined to tee up the Chelsea captain, who calmly stroked the ball over the rushing Carson, and into the net. It was a trademark, composed finish from the Blues number 8, and his eighth goal of the season couldn't have been better-timed. Juliano Belletti replaced the rampaging figure of Bosingwa at the interval as Scolari looked to rest his key players, and Drogba and Joe Cole were later taken off to standing ovations, with Fulham at Carven Cottage next on the agenda; on Sunday afternoon. And the Brazilian full-back could have been on the score sheet straight away. Breaking down the right, he cut inside his marker, but rather than unleashing a typical Belletti rocket into the top corner with the outside of his right boot, he instead attempted a rather audacious lob that was a couple of yards wide of Carson's goal. A glorious opportunity for 3-0 was wasted. Drogba then fired straight at Carson after majestically taking the ball down and beating two markers, but the finish lacked the necessary aim to force the England goalkeeper into making a more difficult save, as the Blues were restricted by a more-confident Albion side. Lampard then dashed into the penalty area hoping to net his second, but his attempted chip was gathered by Carson who did well to stay big and deny the midfielder. The game was becoming more stretched as Albion looked for a goal that would get them back into the game, which suited Chelsea's counter-attacking tactic. It certainly was an entertaining encounter, but the enjoyment of the Chelsea fans would have been even greater had Drogba's follow-up shot not been blocked by a brilliant sliding challenge by Paul Robinson. The Ivorian was soon hauled off, as Florent Malouda returned from injury. Ballack was later booked for a push on Brunt after the Northern Ireland star had pulled his hair - meaning Ballack will miss the FA Cup home tie against Southend in the third round. With minutes remaining, Deco came on for Cole as Chelsea looked to give their Portuguese star a run-out, and he had a hand in a flowing move that saw Anelka denied by a decent Carson save. At the other end of the field, as the game entered stoppage time, Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech began his stretching routine to keep warm. It really had been that sort of the day for the Czech, whose 11th clean sheet of the season was confirmed by the blow of Rob Styles' whistle for full-time. 3 points at home, with Fulham on Sunday at Craven Cottage. Another three points would be most welcome. ___________________________________________________________________ Chelsea: Cech, Bosingwa (Belletti), Ivanovic, Alex, Ashley Cole, Ballack, Mikel, Lampard, Joe Cole (Deco), Drogba (Malouda), Anelka West Brom: Carson, Zuiverloon, Meite (Barnett), Olsson, Robinson, Morrison, Koren, Greening, Kim (Bednar), Brunt, Beattie (Moore) Attendance: 41,417 Star Man Frank Lampard

Right, as a spectacular festive gift to you all, I'm off to draft the match report, which I'm sure you are all dying to read Merry Christmas, Chelsea fans.

Yeah, talking of Defoe, he fluffed a penalty in the first half to make it 2-1, put it wide

Full-time. Pretty much routine.

GOAL Portsmouth 1-4 West Ham

Full-time Stoke 0-1 Manchester United

Alex with a brilliant block from Robinson's shot.

Deco on for Joe Cole.