Chelsea Vs Aston Villa

[Elliott 7]

Not very good positive things about Sheva and Ballack really. Sheva's shit overall, and Ballack hardly ever gets a game.

Don't know if you've noticed, but Ballack hardly ever gets a game because he's been injured. He's fit now and in good form, so he'll be playing a lot more, as will Shevchenko.

Well, what a game. Entertaining, and we didn't deserve to win. We were absolutely shite in the first half, terrible. Villa were all over us, and whilst their second goal was purely a goalkeeping error, it's not like they didn't deserve to be 2-0 up. What an amazing lifeline for us for Zat Knight to be sent off and Sheva to knock that penalty in just before half time. Had that not happened, we would have lost this game 3 or 4 nil I'm sure, what an embarrassment that would have been! Looking at half time, I think we can be happy with a draw as a result, even though we have to be angry about the performance. I'll be glued to match of the day to see all the refereeing decisions, many of them were awful. The bald linesman running along the east stand was particularly awful, but it seemed in the first half as if the ref was giving all the decisions to Villa, eg Essien getting booked for a bookable tackle and then Reo-Coker not, and him ignoring the constant fouling of their wingers.

Second half we came out well, and a fantastic goal from Sheva. And fantastic work again from him to set Alex through, great finish by him as well. Everything looked great, and then Villa step up with a superbly perfect freekick and awful defending from us, Laursen was totally clear. And then Riccy, what the fuck are you doing? What an awful tackle, it wasn't a surprise to see him walk and he totally deserved it. But we were still on level with them in terms of men so it was game on. Ballack duly struck a fantastic freekick and all we had to do was sit the game out... but no, we concede a penalty. I've no idea what happened, but it looked like whoever shot should have been the goalscorer, and I can only guess Ashley stuck his hand out to stop the ball going in. Blue Lion said this shouldn't have been a sending off, but if he blocked a shot into an open goal like I thought he had, a red card is the only option.

I think this game has single handedly destroyed out title ambitions. Not because of the result, but because we have lost two defenders for three more games in an incredibly important period, along with a multitude of injured players... Makelele (apparently), Shevchenko, Lampard, Drogba, Malouda, Cudicini and Terry. And the African Nations men, Essien, Mikel and Kalou. And with Essien, my dad was saying that was his 5th yellow card of the season... is that right? If so, we've lost him for Newcastle as well.

Jeez. Well, let's settle for 3rd place, and try and win a cup or two, eh?

Player ratings:

Cech: 6 - bad mistake, could do nowt about the other goals though and commanded his area well in the air

Ferreira: 5 - had a bad game

Ashley Cole: 5 - had a poor game and got sent off

Carvalho: 5 - some of his passing was awful at times and then dropped us in the shit by making a stupid tackle and getting sent off

Alex: 7 - He seemed to do ok defensively today and scored a good goal

Essien: 7 - Did okay, got about a lot

Lampard: 5 - He was poor today even for the short time he was on the pitch. He's the central cog in our machine, and he didn't perform so neither did we.

Joe Cole: 6 - Just wasn't effective today, was very well marshalled by Bouma

Kalou: 6 - All running and no end product

Pizarro: 5 - Pretty poor, had no real effect on the game

Shevchenko: 9 - Fantastic contribution, worked hard, tucked away the penalty, scored a fantastic goal and made a third. Best performance in a Chelsea shirt for him.

Subs:

Ballack: 9 - He drove our game in the second half, massive performance and a great freekick to add one more to his rating

Wright-Phillips: 6 - Didn't really have the chance to do much

Mikel: 6 - Didn't have the time to assert himself on the game.

Man of the match for me is Shevchenko with Ballack a close second. Everyone else was poor to slightly above average.

[chrismada9 1,948]

Isnt it just a fantastic time in your life right now to be supporting Chelsea

It's not a question of that, it's something more along the lines of...

"Don't you just love the Christmas period?"

[SuperSheva7 0]

does anyone have the goals? i missed the whole match...thank god.

[Elliott 7]

Pff, thank God. It was a brilliant match!

[Layla 0]

Just arg!!so close and yet so far.But hey least we got back into it at least,thats one thing,shows we still have that mentality.Shame Grant did an McClaren with his subs.

Seriously though kinda worrying the fact we played attacking footie against B'Ham and that ended 3-2 and then dropped points agsinst Villa and Everton by again playing 'attacking footie'.We cant attack and defend well it seems so either one or the other.

Xmas period eeek hate it!We luck we can hit back against Newcastle otherwise just a repeat of last xmas coming through

[Guest Lampards Bitch]

Hilario may as well of been in goal! I only heard Cech made a howler on the second goal. I have yet to watch it. Kiss good bye to out title hopes people. The gap is too much now. We will need Pompey to beat Arsenal now or Arsenal to have an absolute all time low along with Man you.

Lampard being injured is a massive blow to us. The team is crumbling now. Well tbh I'm use to this more than us winning lol!

I'll give my full view once I have watched the game.

[True_Blue 469]

I was watching until the 30th minute when we were 1-0 down,and Ballack got in.Then i went to work and told my dad to give me a call when the game ends.He called and said you finished 4-4 and 2 sent off's i was like:

Jesus Fuckin Christ wtf happened!

We are out of the title race i am really always optimistic but we cant get back into this.

[Layla 0]

Cant see it happening.Though never know stranger things have but as long as we stay third,wont mind so much.Maybe can focus on Champs league now hmmmm.

Yeh havent seen the highlights either but it was a bad mistake,let it roll but hey 9/10 the saves he makes are just woha.Needs his confidence and JT back

Shame Lampsie have to wait longer for his 100th :huh:

Liverpool messed today up for me defo.Sodding Gerrard!!Would've been able to cope with our crazy result had that not happened in the last min as well grrrrrr

Edited December 26, 2007 by Layla

[Guest Lampards Bitch]

we wont win anything this year

[Layla 0]

Lol postive thinking!

[Guest Lampards Bitch]

i'm a realist of course my support will always be there but ya kidding ya self if you think we will win anything lol

[Layla 0]

Lol Carling cup...maybe...depends who we get if (and big if) we get to the finals...though we'd still be missing big players ahhhh.

The prems defo gone unless Arsenal and Man you have a crazy period..Arsenal seem to be doing that now to be honest,Dont mind so much as long as Livscum dont win and we come third fairly close and go another season unbeaten at home.

FA cup...erm we'll see lol

Champs league...if we escape Barca might get somewhere and if we dont go out not on penatlies would be nice

And plus we aint won against Villa in donks it seems.Least we can score without Droggie...shame we cant defend without JT though

[Guest Lampards Bitch]

no point being able to score when we cant keep the ball out of our own net. It's a shambles. I could do a better job than fuck wit Grant. There is no inspiration from him at all.

We will be out of all competitions soon if Grant doesnt get his fucking arse in gear.

[Layla 0]

Or Clake should leave.As said Jose tried attacking football,saw the fact we couldnt defend and dropped it.Roman wants trophies yet wants attacking football and its just arg its one or the other sorry.Grant just stands there thats the annoying thing.I cant see him going mental like Jose would in the changing room,JT or someone else no doubt has to do it.We've taken leaps backwards and yeh we dropped 6 last season at xmas but that was at the end,this is with 2 more games to go and neither are that easy.

Poo trust Arsenal to mess up when we mess up would've been 4 behind.Oh well.Hope yet...slightly

Edited December 26, 2007 by Layla

[James 5,322]

Just saw the goals, what the hell is Kalou doing for the 1st Villa goal? Shocking to say the least.

Great goals from Sheva and Ballack though.

[CFC-Lloydy 38]

Agreed ^^

Just been watching it on MOTD

I can say in the first half we weren't very good to say the least

Great goals from Ballack and Sheva

Horrid tackle from Riccy

But Ash Cole did not deserve to be sent off

But a Quality game!

How long is Lamps out for??

Edited December 26, 2007 by CFC-Lloydy

[Steve 10,227]

i just woke up and watched the highlights it was so frustrating to watch im still so annoyed we should of won

[Guest Lampards Bitch]

Just watched the game. No way should Ashley been sent off! He tried to header it away, that was not deliberate hand ball. With Riccy I think it was so so. Yellow yes, red i'm not sure. He did keep his feet down. Knight didnt deserve to be sent off imo either. It was a penalty but a sending off was harsh.

Ballack was great. Brilliant free kick and played very well I feel. Cech made a howler for the second goal. Unbeliveable. Sheva was cool but I can guarentee next game he will be shit. BTW what the hell is up with Mikel? He has been dire last few games. Running around like a headless chicken.

Their 3rd goal buy Laursen was quality, lovely free kick taken by Young aswell. This game could of gone either way with both teams chances. 1st half we were poor and 2nd half we were ok. We invite too much pressure on our selves and thats when the rash silly tackles happen which cost us.

Edited December 26, 2007 by Lampards Bitch

[Steve 10,227]

Sheva was cool but I can guarentee next game he will be shit.

lets hope not we need him in form

[Guest Lampards Bitch]

in form? he has never been in form for us and I dont think he ever will be. We cant afford for him to be inconsistant