Cryptecks

I don't want to be too harsh, but Ballack and Deco are pretty awful, why not sell both, use the money to pick up a good, younger central midfielder, and play Mikel for one of them? Ballack and Deco are old, lazy, and mostly ineffectual. Sure they have their little sparks where they create something, but wouldn't a younger, better player do the same, even more often. Call me the pessimist, but the more I see of them this season, the less I want to see.

STEV3O just a shot in the dark here, but if you have ESPN on your cable, check out espn360.com and see if your provider has the game showing on there. Great quality stream for me since in the US they're only showing the Scouse game.

After looking back on it all, maybe Hiddink has some tactical poise that I didn't give him credit for. On the winning goal: Belletti (a sub) crossed deep to Ballack (who played very inconsistently and had the home support all over him) who flicked on for Lampard to finish with the header. Some managers might never have put Belletti in at all and might have taken Ballack off, Hiddink knows who wants the result it seems.

I think this is Hiddink 'forcing' them to play 90 because he thinks a good portion of the team are unfit. Push them every game, and every day on the training ground, and they will become fit very fast, which is what Hiddink needs as he has 11 PL games to not drop any points.

I'll take it. It was ugly, but I fucking love to see the team put it together just to get the points.

LAMPARD!

Honestly, Hiddink MUST stay through the summer. Let him sell off all of these overpaid, lazy bastards and buy a team that will/can play a full 90 minutes with some conviction. This isn't the manager's fault, it's the team not finishing. EDIT: Posted this just as Lamps got the goal. Keep him and JT

FUCKING HELL Chelsea

Quaresma coming on very soon, that'd be great. Beletti to right back, Quaresma on for Mancienne. Great move in my eyes.

Belleti?! Hiddink wants to be like Mourinho and just get a ton of 1-0 finishes, because Belleti on means Hiddink doesn't want another goal, just to get the 3 points.

Because JT jumped and didn't get touched at all, and Scharner was curled into a pull to put his legs up near his body. Basically, he tried to pull out of the tackle, and Terry wasn't touched, so the ref made a good no-call, as Terry didn't roll around like an ass *cough* Ronaldo.

As much as I like him, Ballack is playing like crap today, he should probably come out for Quaresma instead of Kalou. Either way, some sort of jolt is needed here, the match is stagnating and I'm getting this terrible feeling that we're going to get hit on the break.

Quaresma for Kalou, PLEASE. How can Hiddink not see that we need a bigger, flashier winger right now, Quaresma could tear Wigan to shreds right now as they're so worried about Drogba and Anelka.

John Terry, I LOVE YOU. [/not gay]

I love "pretty", "exciting" football as much as the next, but getting a great goal, then holding on for 75 minutes is something I don't think we really could ever do under Scolari, so this is a good start for a manager who only had 5 days to train the team his way. Great result Chels, now let's take Juve.

Someone needs to tell Drogba to pass the ball when he's in possession.

We're looking pretty awful right now, really need to slow the game down a bit and gain some control.

This one doesn't require any outside software: http://www.atdhe.net/live-tv-3790.html

I was thinking the same thing, but possibly he didn't train well under Hiddink's first week? He's one of many players who might be put off by the loss of LFS, so it's possible that Hiddink is waiting to see where he fits in this modified 4-3-3. I agree that he should come on, but I think it should be for Kalou-less, who - minus one good inside run - has looked, well, just that, clueless. Let Quaresma run the right flank or drop back behind Anelka and Drogba if they go up together, and we should be able to see this game out.

Very nice work by Lampard, another perfect finish by Villa.

Yeah I have to agree with what most people have been saying. The switch from 4-5-1 to 4-4-2 by Wilkins was LETHAL, and it makes me wonder if he had been asking Scolari to do so for quite a while, but never been heard. Or possibly Hiddink had a word with him beforehand and said that if the team got into to trouble, switch to the 4-4-2. If either of those were the case, I have a feeling this Hiddink reign could do a world of good for the team.

Great show Chels, making my day yet again. Now let's take it to Villa next week after Hiddink has time to set his methods on the players.

Why in the fuck are we not putting 10 behind the ball?

Ballack off for Belletti, I like that, as Ballack has been a load of shit for this game. Bring in Quaresma for Kalou or Drogba if either is tired and see the game out.

YES! ANELKA!!