The Bridge is Falling....

               Come May,Chelsea will not be lifting the Barclays Premier League Title.Period. Now, some cynics (Read United Fans) may even say it was always likely to happen with the "Old" Squad and Chelsea are now not good enough to even finish in Top 4,while some may think it's just a tragic reaction to a Dip in form.Well,it's not.It's just the hard cold reality.Just go and check the recordbooks.Champions don't lose to Sunderland 0-3 at home,Champions don't dominate the whole games versus the likes of Newcastles and Birminghams and Wolves,and still manage to lose.And the Champions most certainly don't play Paulo Ferreira and Ramires,when they have the talented Brumas and Sturridges,in absolutely must-win games.True,there might still be a fightback,I am almost sure there will be a late surge to derail United's title charge,but well,It's just not gonna be good enough.

Dejected Chelsea players after another Defeat

               Having said that,it's not that United are playing so well to lead the League so easily,they are nowhere near the "Invincible" tag they are trying to claim.Go and watch their game vs WestBrom.They were all over the place.Westbrom dominated almost the entire game,should have had a penalty and red card to Neville,which they didn't get (Even Fergie accepted that.Now how many are ready to bet that a 10-men ,dejected United would come back from 1-2 down against an inform West Brom team.But,after that,Baggies did get a Penalty,which they just fluffed away.Now,you just don't do it against United.It was clear from that point,that United would make them cry.And they did.That's where they are so good,United,winning the games even after playing badly for the large chunks of the game.And that's what Chelsea have precisely lacked in last 3 months.United were outplayed at West Brom,and even Wolves,and still got the maximum points.Chelsea,on the other hand,wasted needless points at Birmingham and Newcastle,and Aston Villa.That's the reason that while United are way clear at the Top,while Chelsea languish in the Fifth place,even below City and Spurs.
               There are calls already to sack the Manager,the same one who was hailed as "One of the Best-Ever" after leading Chelsea to a Historic Double.The So-called "Football Pundits" are already claiming Chelsea won't even finish in Top 4.Nonsense. The same people were writing United off at the start of the season,after Chelsea had driven into a 5-point lead at the top.Now,suddenly,Chelsea are No-goers,right? Yes,there have been some Self-destructing decisions,like sacking Ray Wilkins,or not investing in New players to cover up for those who were drafted out.But,let's not forget they have missed their Big players big time.Injuries to Drogba,Lampard (that guy was out for 3 months,for God's sake,the World's best scoring Midfielder.You're bound to miss him,right? ) and Terry,not to mention the long-term layoffs of Alex,Benayoun,Zhirkov have all hurt Chelsea's cause.
                And then there is the problem of in fact HAVING players like Ferreira and Ramires.What it does is that it dents the chances of youngsters like McEachran and Bruma and Sturridge.Just imagine,Vidic and Ferdinand getting injured for United,and Johnny Evans will automatically come in to fill,Ferguson won't try to put Neville or Carrick in that role.But at Chelsea,there will be long discussions about whether to trust Bruma,or to put the "Experienced" Ferreira in that role.In the end,Ferreira will be picked to play in a position he just can't play,Chelsea will get drubbed (remember 0-3 vs Sunderland, don't you?) ,and after all this tragedy,next time similar injury crisis happens,Bruma will be given the task,as if he's being done a huge favour! And after all this,that 18-year old kid is still expected to go and play like John Terry!
Same thing with Ramires.Well,we were trying to cut the costs.So,we let all the Ballacks and Decos and Joe Coles ( don't you think anyone of them would have come in handy in these times?) were all allowed to leave for Free. Apparently,this decreased Chelsea's wage bill by 20 millions.And then they go and spend 18 millions on Ramires.Not a very smart piece of business,is it? When he arrived,we all were made to believe he is the Future of Brazil.That guy is supposed to be a Midfield-enforcer.But,seriously,he can't keep the ball himself,Forget winning it from the Oppositions.I just can't get why Carlo played Ramires and Ferreira vs Aston Villa,when he had Sturridge and Bosingwa.Don't tell me he "Rested" them.You just can't do that in such situations.It's like being stuck in a House on Fire,and saying "oh no,we're tired now.We'll have some rest first,and then try to get out".
               Chelsea's midfield has never looked so fragile.Few years ago,they could claim to have the Best Midfield Unit in the World.Free scoring Lampard,German captain Ballack,the African Superstar in Essien,the Invincible Makelele,all backed up by Deco and Joe Cole.Look at the situation now,with Lampard and Benayoun gone,we're straight into Mikel and Ramires,and there's this thing as well with Young McEachran not being trusted enough.They say he has the talents to match the Messis and Ronaldos,and still fear to put him against Aston Villa!
               But,even having had so many problems,it's still ridiculous to say they won't finish in Top 4.They still have the team to beat Uniteds and Arsenals.The big players are starting to return,The Blues will rise again,with same personnel,I still believe.For they are the men with Courage,the Terrys and Lampards and the Drogbas, they are the team who got heartbroken in Moscow in Champions League Final,and they still returned to win the Premier League in 2 years time,breaking all kinds of records on the way.

Carlo Ancelotii with Malouda in happier times,after winning the Premier League

                 I'll will leave you by refreshing our memories to a similar situation 2 years ago.Chelsea were playing badly( eve worse than they are now),people said they won't finish in Champions League places.Well we all remember what they did,winning the FA Cup,and even though they were beaten in Champions League semis,Don't you remember how they made the Mighty Barcelona,the Best footballing team ever and all that, look like an Impotent Unit at Stamford Bridge?

Of Arsenal's "Mission Impossible" and Spurs' Italian Adventures

Who would get to lay his hands on the Europe's most coveted Trophy,this year?

        
  So,finally the Draws for The Champions League knockout stages are out,and although some of the biggest teams in World Football are involved,there isn't really a Adrenaline-raising,Mouth-watering clash at least in the Last 16s. Manchester United and Chelsea got comparatively easy draws,while Arsenal managed to find the worst draw possible in Barcelona,Real Madrid face Olympique Lyon,the team that knocked them out last year,so that would be an interesting clash too.Here are the 3 best fixtures I thought,came out Yesterday's draw:


3. Inter Milan vs Bayern Munich

with the "Special One" gone,and Diego Millito not emulating his last season's goalscoring heroics,Inter will find the goings hard in Europe's elite competition this year

It's the clash between last year's Finalists,but this doesn't look as exciting as last year.Both teams are struggling in the Domestic Leagues,especially Inter,who have really found it tough to cope with the loss of Jose Mourinho to Real Madrid.Struggling with so many injuries,Inter languish at the sixth place in Serie A ,and if their form doesn't improve soon,we could have a different man from Rafa Benitez in the Dugout by the time they face the German Giants.Although,Bayern themselves are not in the best of forms,the Bavarian Giants would be my pick in this tie.




2. AC Milan vs Tottenham Hotspur


This one promises to be a cracking tie,the Defensive Strength of Milan versus the free flowing Spurs.Although AC Milan would be a different opposition altogether from their neighbours Inter for Spurs,who were impressive against the Defending Champions in the Group Stages,the Londoners do have the talent to compete with the very best of Europe.One thing that could go against them is their inexperience at this stage,although they score goals for fun,keeping clean sheets is so vital in Champions League,especially in the latter stages,and Spurs look like they can concede anytime.Milan are in very good form domestically,on top of the Serie A,and with Ibrahimovic finding his goalscoring form,they would be my favourites in what promises to be a Roller-Coaster ride of a game,but then which game involving Spurs isn't??




1. Arsenal vs Barcelona

Will Fabregas and co. be able to match the Catalans,or will it be a repeat of last year's Messi mania??

This was the fate everyone wanted to avoid,and Arsenal have gone and found it again! Points dropped against Braga and Shakhtar look so costly now,as they find themselves in a tie,which ,at the moment,seems to have only one possible outcome.The Catalan Giants have re-discovered their devastating form,and since Destroying Real Madrid in the "Classico",they haven't bothered to look back.While their dazzling scoring records catch every one's eye,they have silently turned into a Rock-Solid Defensive Unit.6 straight clean sheets in all competitions in a row,and the number only looks set to increase as La Liga action continues.Arsenal haven't been that impressive,although they sit 2nd in the Premier League,they have already lost at home to the likes of West Brom and Newcastle,and unless Someone can produce a Miraculous performance for the Gunners (and of course,there is a condition that no one does it from the Spanish side,which looks unlikely,remember what Messi did last year to them,don't you?) ,This looks a tie heavily tilted towards the "La Blagurana"

Another FIFA Fiasco???

           So According to FIFA,World's current top 3 player come from a same Football team.Just look at their descriptions,one is the pass-master who can control the game the way he wants against any opposition,another has fired the World Cup winner,while the third is almost a "Divine" player,who is supposed to be Light years ahead of any competition.You'd tend to think,the team that has all 3 of these greats would tend to be ,not the world,but atleast the Current Continental Champions,wouldn't you?? Ooops,they aren't!!!
           Welcome to the World of FIFA Ballon'D Or,another pathetic attempt by FIFA to associate itself with the Best of the Club Level football.Wesley Sneijder,the man who took a team like Internazionale to Champions League Glory,and Netherlands to the World Cup Final,isn't even in top 3 players ,according to FIFA! Amazing how they work that out...
        I'm in no way suggesting,that Xavi and Iniesta are not great players,yes,they have been the best midfielders in the world for last few years.But this is the award 2010,and you don't need a genius to tell you that Sneijder's achievements this year far outweigh those of Xavi and Iniesta and even Messi! Yes,we all know Barca play beautiful football like no one else does and all that,but sometimes we just give too much respect to them! Well,if Messi can get to be the favourite just because of 34 goals he scored last season,even after managing to win just the Spanish League last season 9 (that too by only 2 points!),why can't Frank Lamaprd,with his amazing 27 goals from Midfield last season,which lead Chelsea to the League and Cup double be the contender too??? I should just point out that Lampard managed to score more goals than Xavi and Iniesta put together last season!!! And if your argument is England's World Cup debacle,then What great things Messi's Argentina did in World Cup either?? A useless referee,who refused to change his decision,even though the entire stadium,including himself,knew it was wrong,was the reason they went past Mexico,and later got ruthlessly hammered 0-4 by the Germans.If this isn't the blemish on Great Messi's season,then why should it be on Lampard's? (He in fact even managed to score a perfectly legitimate goal vs Germans too,which was not given,if you remember!)
         

Wesley Snijder had an amazing last year,including the triumph over Mighty Barcelona

      I am not trying just to put forward Lampard's case here,but just pointing out that the Xavis and Messis haven't been that great they are made out to be.Barcelona have won just the Spanish League last season.Compare this to Sneijder's haul of the Serie A,Italian Cup,and the Champions League(first time in almost 50 years for Inter),and he did it with Inter Milan,whom nobody had really fancied,let's not forget they slayed the Catalan Giants on their way,with all their Player of the Year contenders!and then he lead the Dutch to the World Cup finals,too,where he didn't have the Torreses and Villas and Puyols and Casillas backing him up,either! My point is that this is an Individual award,and no matter how great Barca are as a team,there are better performers like Diego Forlans and Wesley Sneijders who have taken their teams forward single-handedly.
               But,of course you can't expect much from FIFA these days.Remember the latest controversy,handing the 2022 World Cup to Qatar,a country who has never qualified for the tournament,is currently ranked 113rd in the World,and has temperatures in excess of 40' Celsius in Summer.Taking the Game forward,are we?? Same thing goes for the Club World Cup,another desperate attempt by FIFA to relate itself to Club level Football.For pure financial reasons,it's played in Japan or Middle-East,and it's almost guaranteed that the final would be between European and South American Champions.Who bothers much about it anyways?

            So,come January,we will again be singing the praises of the Great Messis and Iniestas,for being the best players in the world,it might be true too,but the scar on the trophy will always remain,for it didn't have the chance to be nominated for the Lone Warriors like Sneijder and Diego Forlan! 

"Month from Hell"??

Another agonising game to watch,playing just one-half of good Football, well,and then just giving up in the second,Chelsea fans aren't really used to this....But,really these troubled times make you understand what Arsenal and Liverpool fans have to suffer week in week out!!! From 5 points clear at the top,the Champions have plunged downwards in November,seeing Blackpool's home record,we can consider ourselves 4 points off the pace already,and the December fixture list doesn't make it any easier.Tottenham,Manutd,Arsenal all lined up alongside resurgent Bolton Wanderers,Chelsea couldn't have chosen worse times to have got the Lampards and Terrys and Benayouns injured,could they??

Watching the Everton game on Saturday,I couldn't really believe how light-weight Chelsea's midfield looked.Essien looked rusty from injury,Mikel was wasteful,and why Malouda is trying to play in the Centre-midfield more when he excels so well on the wings???

If there was one area,that Chelsea could boast of as being arguably the"World's Best",till last year,it would be their midfield.Lampard,Ballack,Essien,not to mention Makelele,these guys would get into any team in the World,and then we had Joe Coles and Decos and Mikels as cover-ups,couldn't get any better,could it? And suddenly this season,it's all collapsed!! Mikel looks a lost man,the creative force of Benayoun was lost to injury,and Ramires hasn't managed to settle in English Football yet.Chelsea are missing Lampard like hell!!! He gets them those 20-25 invaluable goals each season from Midfield,but its not just the goals,but his forward drive,his ability to get into shooting positions.Watching Mikel and Ramires on Saturday,I really missed Lamps there! Of course,Chelsea wouldn't have missed him so much last season,when Michael Ballack could fill that role efficiently,But this season,with Benayoun out inured,Chelsea have lost that authority in midfield.It was same vs Everton,same vs Sunderland,and same vs Birmingham.They just put the extra guys in midfield,and Mikel and Ramires were simply overwhelmed,Malouda tried to bridge the gap by getting more Central,and it took out Chelsea's sting on that left flank! At the moment,there looks to be no solution other than getting Lampard back as quickly as possible,and with the quality of the teams they're about to face,they have got to do it fast!!!

Manchester Utd are getting back to their normal Fiery "Christmas period form"(not taking into account that dreadful 0-4 to West Ham,of course!!!),Arsenal also look strong,and Spurs seem to be in great spirits following their adventures in European Football,but all the talk of Chelsea's title challenge falling apart still seems far-fetched.Your title challenges are not wiped out in November,guys,well,not unless you are Liverpool fans! But,for the rest of the normal World,it takes April or May for the title challenge to fade off.So let this "Month from Hell" be upon us,we won't give up Hope.

December,here WE come !!!

Doomed in Crisis??? ...Not really!!!

All of a sudden,everyone believes Chelsea are on the way to disaster.Two bad performances in a week,and it's suddenly a crisis,isn't it?? Arsenal have lost 3 times at home already,including twice against Newly-promoted teams,and still Chelsea,after first home defeat of the season are suddenly doomed,aren't they??However convincing the defeat maybe,I should just point out,it came in the absence of Terry,Lampard,Essien and and Alex (Can anyone imagine Liverpool missing Gerrard,Torres and Carragher and even beating Northampton???Not really..)

Same thing with United,those guys have won just 1 game away from home so far,just ONE in one-thirds of the season,and still just a couple of away defeats at Liverpool and Birmingham suddenly mean Chelsea are just not good enough for the title?? Nonsense.

Yes,the sacking of Ray Wilkins came as a rude shock,which wasn't really necessary,with all going so smoothly,but does anyone doubt they are not up for the fight after watching them vs Birmingham?? I don't certainly.It was just a bad day,where nothing seemed to go in for them,and their opponents scored from the only Chance they created in 90 mins (Still,horrible goal to concede,though,watching the replays,I felt John Terry even on a wheelchair,would position himself better!! But,that's the reason he's John Terry though,you can't suddenly expect Ferreira to be like him)

Say anything you want,but Chelsea have badly missed Frank Lampard (All those thinking we're just making excuses,just remember what Manutd or Liverpool keep crying about when Rooney or Gerrard is missing) .Not just his consistent flow of goals,but his ability to drive forward relentlessly,creating more space for the attackers.I should point out,Chelsea were hammering goals for fun,early in the season,when he was playing,they just seemed to have dried now he's missing.We're supposed to have signed the "Future of Brazilian Midfield" for 18 millions,but his attacking skills make Lucas look like Xabi Alonso! And you just can't afford to put 4 fullbacks in defence,not even vs Sunderland,as we found out.But,still there will be better days to come,no?

Huge games coming up for Chelsea now,with Spurs,Arsenal and ManUtd all to be faced,but with the return of Inspirational skipper Terry,along with Super Frank and Essien,talk of whatever crisis as long as you want,Chelsea are still the team to beat if you want that Title !!!!

Stuck in Second Gear???

I'll be honest,it was a total disaster at Stamford Bridge on Sunday!! First home defeat since March,3 goals conceded after not conceding a single one for 9 games at home,and it could've been much worse! What does this do to Chelsea's title challenge?? Huge damage,if you ask me...

When the season began,with the 6-0 thumping of Wigan and West Brom (For all those Man Utd fans dancing with delight,same WestBrom that came to OldTrafford and drew 2-2!!) ,it all looked so good,there didn't seem to be anyone even close to challenging the Champions,another title just seemed a formality,and so even when they were not so dazzling versus Man City and Villa,people always said they still had the upper gears in reserve,to up the ante against the big guns.But apart from versus Arsenal,that doesn't seem to be happening,does it??

Points dropped against Villa and City were ok,but the defeats versus Liverpool and Sunderland were bad,for they were so convincing,even die hard Chelsea fans couldn't say they didn't deserve to lose!! They were plain mediocre ,it never looked like they were coming back,and thoroughly deserved the defeats.

Having said that,picture is not so dark as it's made out to be,ManUtd are still struggling (They were plain lucky to win vs Wolves,and even though draw at Villa Park was good,don't forget they have won only once on the road this season!) ,City don't look good enough,Arsenal can be threatening,but don't forget Chelsea had Lmapard, Terry, Alex and Essien missing on Sunday,yes that can't be an excuse against someone like Sunderland,but you won't say they wouldn't make a difference once they're back!!!

We're heading for an exciting Winter now,with many big games coming up,it starts this weekend itself with the London Derby of the Gunners and the Spurs,so I really hope the Reigning Champions finally switch to the Higher gears!!!

"You-know Who" of Liverpool

Five-time European Champions,18-time English Champions,and yet again finding themselves embarrassingly 0-1 down versus not AC Milan or Juve,but Napoli...rest all, as they say,is History! Steven Gerrard,the charismatic captain,coming off the bench,to score a stunning hattrick,to save Liverpool yet again.How many times more,are we going to say that???

For the last few days,we have been singing about the greatness of Gareth Bale,comparing him already to Ryan Giggs,just after 2 classy performances,against the Defending European champions (But,please don't forget, champions who committed tactical suicide by replacing Jose Mourinho,with "Great" Rafa Benitez!!!)

2 more performances like that,and people may start to say he's better than Messi,possible! Yes,it's great to watch him tear apart World's best fullback to pieces,but let's not forget we have got a man who carries his team on his back week in-week out,He's called Steven Gerrard!

Many friends of mine will be surprised to read this,as they know how die hard Chelsea fan I am,but yes,after watching his heroics yet again in midweek,it's difficult not to praise that guy.Yes,it was only against Napoli,but in the current plight of his team,even that was a mammoth task!

Liverpool have been shambolic this season,no two ways about that,there is no desire to win,even Fernando Torres looks a lost man,but Gerrard is the only reason the Kops still have faith,he has always been there when they have needed him,just as he was on Thursday.Remember,when Liverpool needed a winner versus Olympiakos in stoppage time to avoid humiliation,it was HIM.When they needed a hero in Istanbul for the second half,or in the FA Cup final vs West Ham,he rose to the occasion,I still haven't forgotten his thunderbolt in the 91st min in that final!!

Yes,of course he has flaws,the drunken fight in a bar,and even diving at the smallest touch of a defender for a freekick,but he's only human,and he's one of the few who come closest to be Role models for young footballers.

Gerrard would have been a World-Champion,had he gone to Chelsea or Real Madrid,he even had the opportunities,no one would blame him for being ambitious ,but he chose not to.He chose to stay at the Club,he had dreamed of since his birth,even today,in the mediocrity surrounding Liverpool,still he shines like a beacon.And thats why,although I really hope he flops against Chelsea on Sunday, He is a real Hero in this world of "Ambitious" Rooneys and Ronaldos!!!