Chelsea FC - Supporters' Rally

[no_faith]

BLUES KEEN ON CROATIA ACE


Croatia playmaker Luka Modric is heading to Chelsea in the summer, according to his club Dinamo Zagreb.

There has never been any doubt about the pint-sized schemer's talent but his diminutive frame is thought to have put off a number of Europe's bigger clubs.

Modric has impressed for both Zagreb and his country over the past few years, but as yet no big-money offer has sufficiently tempted Dinamo to sell.

However, it has now been reported that Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has started negotiations for his signature, with speculation suggesting Dinamo's vice-president Zdravko Mamic visited England this week.

And now a member of the club's management committee, Tomislav Marcinko, has confirmed Abramovich is vying for their prized asset.

"Abramovich is ready to pay for every one of Modric's kilos," he told The Observer.

Modric will be handed opportunity to prove his has the physical attributes to handle the demands of English football, when he travels with the rest of Croatia's squad for Wednesday's crucial Euro 2008 qualifier at Wembley.

[JWNY]

The Chelsea FC Supporters Club (S) wishes to inform all members and Chelsea fans that the Nokia Football Crazy team will be holding a photo-taking session of Chelsea memorabilia before our home game against West Ham on the 1 December at 7:30pm, venue the Alps Cafe, 38 Prinsep Street.

Those who wish to show off their collection of Chelsea memorabilia and appear on the Nokia Football Crazy Show, are kindly requested to bring their stuff to the Alps Cafe. As this show is hosted by Nokia, please do not bringing along any products that bear the name Samsung.

http://alpscafe-sg.com/

[Glen2712]

Well Done, Chelsea Lads! Extending their unbeaten home run to 70 games with this 1-0 win over the Hammers.

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[Glen2712]

Chelsea Close On Starlet
Teenager closes on big move


Chelsea are closing in on the capture of Swedish starlet Marko Mitrovic, according to the player's father.


The 15-year-old impressed during a trial spell with the Premier League giants and is now set to seal a move to West London.


The likes of Arsenal, Blackburn, Internazionale, Feyenoord and PSV Eindhoven have all shown an interest.


But Chelsea have seemingly won the race to sign him, according to Boban Mitrovic.


Mitrovic snr told Expressen: "There are negotiations going on. I believe it will be solved."

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[Glen2712]

Ajax Make Modric Move
Dutch giants eye Croatian starlet

Ajax are set to step up their bid to sign Croatian starlet Luka Modric.


The 22-year-old, who is also believed to be interesting Chelsea and Arsenal, is one of the hottest properties in Europe.


Dinamo Zagreb are now bracing themselves for a bid and Ajax are reportedly readying a 15million euro offer to land him.


Bid

It is claimed that Ajax's sporting director Martin van Geel has made the trip to Croatia to open negotiations.


Dinamo have refused to comment on the most recent reports, although they have previously stated they want to keep him until the end of the season.

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[Glen2712]

Shevchenko Rewarded For Chelsea's Hard Shift

The Observer

Andriy Shevchenko would be the first to admit that his time at Chelsea has been a big disappointment, falling far short of what he hoped for and what the club expected in return for a £30million transfer fee. Appearances have been sporadic, match-winning performances even less so. But for once he has delivered, and now has the chance to play a significant role in his team's season.


Didier Drogba, the player who has overshadowed him, has undergone an operation on his knee. Manager Avram Grant says the extent of Drogba's lay-off will become clear 'in the next two or three days'. But the likelihood is that he will miss several games. That leaves Shevchenko the opportunity to lead the attack, and if he can reproduce the performance that went a long way to winning this match, then Chelsea's bid for domestic honours could survive the absence of their leading scorer.


The Ukrainian delivered the breakthrough with a diving header and throughout showed some of the technique and touches so conspicuous by their absence at Chelsea so far. 'I wouldn't mind him in my team,' said Roy Keane after overworked Sunderland stayed in touch until Frank Lampard's second from the penalty spot.


'It is not easy to play without so many key players,' said Grant, who had to contend with injuries all season, before the loss of Drogba, who wanted the trouble cleared up in time for the African Cup of Nations.


'Shevchenko came in and did well for us. It was not easy against a side defending so well, but we dominated the game, moved the ball well and showed patience.'


Keane took a philosophical view of the penalty, conceded for shirt-pulling, and the late sending-off of Liam Miller for pushing Claudio Pizarro in the face after the substitute and John Terry had reacted to a Miller tackle.


'When the ball comes into the box like that there is every chance of the decision going for the home team,' he said. 'The penalty killed the game for us. At 1-0 you are always in with a chance.


'Raising your hands doesn't give the referee much choice. I just felt it could have been avoided if he had acted five or six seconds earlier before Terry and Pizarro got involved.


'We were a lot more solid than in the last away game, although that was probably not hard. I'm not sure Chelsea got out of second gear, but we know that anything we achieve against the top sides is a bonus. It's how we do against the others that matters.'


Keane, who dropped his £9m record goalkeeper Craig Gordon after the 7-1 drubbing at Everton, persisted here with Darren Ward and was grateful for the fact that Ward stood up well to the barrage of pressure that Chelsea mounted from the start.


Ward made two authoritative punched clearances as Shevchenko instigated early attacks that brought three corners in quick succession. From the third, delivered by Joe Cole, Salomon Kalou rose above defenders to send a header crashing against the face of the crossbar.


The pressure, however, had to tell and with 23 minutes gone the ball was worked out wide to the left for Kalou to cross and Shevchenko to connect with a diving header for his second goal of the season. Soon after, a 25-yard angled volley from Juliano Belletti thudded into the chest of Ward, who did well to hold on to it.


At last there was work for Chelsea's Carlo Cudicini, who smothered a low shot from Kenwyne Jones, who had engineered himself a position on the edge of the penalty box. It was an isolated Sunderland threat.


Shevchenko got on the end of another Kalou cross. This time the position was difficult and the pressure from defenders considerable, and he had to be satisfied with a corner after his header was deflected behind. When Ward failed to clear Belletti's cross, Shevchenko was in the thick of it again, hooking a volley wide.


Increasingly heavy rain meant that the ball was beginning to hold up on the sodden surface. This, together with Sunderland coming forward with more ambition, threatened to frustrate their opponents further.


Instead, Peter Walton ruled that Alex had his shirt pulled by Danny Higginbotham as Lampard played the ball in, and Lampard struck the spot-kick with his customary confidence.


The goal took the wind out of Sunderland's sails and they were reduced to 10 men near the end when the red mist descended on Miller.


There was still some action to come, and Lampard almost added a third for Chelsea in stoppage time, but his shot hit the post.

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[Glen2712]

PAT NEVIN: SERVING SUGGESTIONS

Blues legend Pat Nevin has spent the past week studying strikers. In his latest weekly column he shares his findings.


The story on Saturday against Sunderland was all about Andriy Shevchenko, as I exclusively revealed it would be four days previously in this column.


OK, so if you get it wrong as often as I do then the law of averages starts working for you instead of against you.


Anyway the bold Ukrainian was in the right place at the right time to bullet in the vital opener to take the heat off the team. In his illustrious past he has scored all sorts of goals, but there are three types that are his stock in trade.


Firstly, the classic hanging on the last defender's shoulder, timing it perfectly to run into space and on to a through ball, before firing it past the advancing keeper. This type of finish will almost certainly become more rare the older he gets and the less able he is to streak clear of fitter, younger men.


His second most memorable style of goal used to come from those vicious long shots from outside the box. He still has a kick like a mule but Frank Lampard generally expertly patrols that area at Chelsea.


The third specialism for Sheva were those simple six-yard box finishes, just like Saturday's. They look easy enough, but the real talent is having the knack of being there at the right time. I have no doubt that this natural striking instinct is still 'in his locker' but it hasn't really been the style expected from a Chelsea centre forward over the past couple of years.


Didier Drogba is of course the complete centre forward, actually he is the complete one-man forward line, but he is also one of a kind in the modern game. Chelsea have played to the Ivorian's strengths for the past few years but an adaptation to that style may be necessary in his absence, however long it turns out to be.


There are great teams around the world whose entire raison d'etre is to get the ball across the six yard line, so that their natural striker has little more to do than make sure he is between the posts and able to divert the ball, with any part of his body, towards the goal.


Last week I witnessed the masters of this game plan at first hand and surprise, surprise it was Sheva's old outfit AC Milan. The man playing in the position of goal hanger at the San Siro on the night was Filippo Inzaghi.


I watched him closely to see what I could learn about the dark art of hanging around the six-yard line, waiting to pounce at the first momentary lapse from a defender. I learned a great deal.


First of all, when he is outside the penalty box he controls the ball further than I used to be able to kick it. He was hopeless, almost to the point of being funny. His balance was so bad, he appeared to be wearing roller skates and the whole aura of ineptitude was only brought into clearer focus by almost balletic movement of Kaká behind him.


Then after 70 minutes of ineptitude he popped up to score the winner against an aghast Celtic defence, though not before missing the worst sitter I have ever seen in my entire life. Have a look at that one on YouTube if you haven't seen it! The goal that he did score propelled the Italian to the very top of the all time Uefa competitions scoring charts.


How could this be? Think of all the great players he has left behind in his wake? The answer is in his very specific style being perfectly suited to his team.


Kaká, Pirlo, Cafu and a myriad of others have spent years getting into positions to deliver the right kind of ball across that six-yard box. From that sort of range with a goal in front of him, Inzaghi suddenly develops an impeccable touch - most of the time.


Sheva is still a far better player than the Italian and I am sure if Chelsea decided to major on getting behind the opposition full backs over the period when Didier is out, then Sheva is perfectly capable of ensuring that he takes up the right positions at the right time. With the resulting goals we may well be able to keep up with United and Arsenal in DD's absence.


Tomorrow against Valencia should be a fine opportunity to work on some new ideas with the group already won. It also gives a chance of resting a few who have had a gruelling time internationally.


What would be a shame would be the surrendering of our incredible home record of no defeats since? Well almost since I was playing. (A bit of an exaggeration, but it does feel that way.)


Another Sheva goal would help and remember the system and style that Milan play was pretty successful for them in the Champions League last season. You never know, it just might work.

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[JWNY]

Sheva,

some of the Chelsea fans might shun you...but you are still my favourite

JWNY

[Glen2712]

Chelsea FC - Valencia CF
MATCH PREVIEW
Stamford Bridge, London
Tuesday 11 December 2007 - 20.45 CET
Group B - Matchday 6


Valencia CF go looking for the win that only one visiting team has managed in 23 UEFA Champions League matches at Stamford Bridge to give themselves a fighting chance of qualifying for the UEFA Cup. And, despite a poor run of form, coach Ronald Koeman believes they can do it.


English experience
Victory away to Liverpool FC as SL Benfica coach, and a draw at Arsenal FC while in charge of PSV Eindhoven, give the Dutchman confidence as he prepares his side to try to dismantle the Chelsea FC fortress. "It's a pleasure to play in England against English teams because it's always a good atmosphere," he said. "You do get opportunities in these games and I am confident we can take something out of the game."


Rosenborg defeats
After 20 minutes on Matchday 2 it looked as if it was all falling into place for the Spanish club. After winning their Group B opener at FC Schalke 04, they were leading Chelsea 1-0. But that was as good as it got as Valencia eventually succumbed to the London visitors, and then lost back-to-back fixtures with Rosenborg BK, before an uninspiring 0-0 draw at home to Schalke two weeks ago. That put paid to their hopes of reaching the next stage and leaves them needing to better Schalke's result against the Norwegian team to continue their European adventure. "It is very important for the club that we go into the UEFA Cup," Koeman added.


Weekend tests
Both sides have crucial games looming at the weekend. Valencia, in seventh position in the Primera División, ten points adrift of Real Madrid CF, play host to FC Barcelona; Chelsea, who lie third in the Premier League, visit leaders Arsenal FC hoping to claw back a three-point deficit. The difference on Tuesday is that Chelsea have already guaranteed their progress as group winners while Valencia have it all to do – their task a sizeable one considering they are without captain David Albelda after his red card against Schalke, and given they have failed to score in their last four outings.


Drogba out
Chelsea are missing Didier Drogba, who has had a knee operation and is expected to be out for around three weeks, and Petr Čech, although the goalkeeper returns to full training this week following a calf injury. Other senior players are likely to sit this one out as energies are conserved. Grant admits the weekend fixture is the most important on the club's immediate agenda, saying of Tuesday's match: "It's not so important because of what we have done in the group, qualifying with one game to go. But it's the Champions League and we want to perform well."


Unbeaten run
Grant pinpoints the victory at the Mestalla in October as crucial in their run of 14 unbeaten games, Chelsea having suffered just a single loss since the departure of José Mourinho. "Everybody thought Chelsea were a little bit down and would continue to be down after we lost to Manchester United [FC]," he said. "But we won in Valencia, played very well and our attitude was very good. Now we can see how important that game was."


Villa spurred by UEFA Cup goal
Any meeting with Chelsea FC inevitably reawakens transfer speculation surrounding Valencia CF striker David Villa; the London club's interest in the dynamic Spanish international is well documented.


All on the line
However, Villa's return to England finds him intent only on impressing to give his club the opportunity to continue their European campaign in the UEFA Cup. In their final UEFA Champions League fixture, Valencia have to engineer a better result than FC Schalke 04 manage at home to Rosenborg BK, and they need a big performance from Villa and their other star performers.


Morale low
A victory would be especially sweet as it would also exact revenge for Los Che's home defeat by the same opponent on Matchday 2. That result appeared to have a devastating effect on morale at the Mestalla: Valencia lost their next two UEFA Champions League games (and their coach as Quique Sánchez Flores paid the price for their poor form against Rosenborg) and then could only draw with Schalke. Not once in those three matches could Valencia get on the scoresheet.


UEFA Cup focus
"It was a very tough night for us against Chelsea," said Villa. "We knew if we had won that game we would have had a 100 per cent record from our first two games. Things might have gone differently for us if we had managed to beat Chelsea but there's no point mulling over it now. It's in the past and all we are concentrating on is getting into the UEFA Cup.


'Right attitude'
"We are bound to be a little bit down because we are out of the Champions League, but we have to be positive and see this as an opportunity for us to turn things around. The UEFA Cup is important to the club and important to us as players. We know it's a tough place to come and Chelsea are a difficult side to play against, but we have to go out there with the right attitude."


'No pressure'
Responding to the transfer conjecture and the possibility of him displaying his goalscoring talents in the Premier League in the future, the 26-year-old added: "I don't feel under any more pressure because of something mentioned on TV or on the radio or in the papers. All I am thinking about at the moment is how we as a club can move forward and improve our performances."

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[Glen2712]

Chelsea FC - Valencia CF
MATCH PRESS KIT
Stamford Bridge, London
Tuesday 11 December 2007 - 20.45 CET
Group B - Matchday 6

Match background

In their sixth UEFA Champions League campaign, Chelsea FC have maintained their record of always qualifying for the knockout rounds and for the fifth time in six attempts they will finish as group winners. They are in the fortunate position of completing the first phase without pressure while Valencia CF have to hope they can win in London and the result in the section's other game goes their way to enable the Spanish side to claim third place and a ticket to the UEFA Cup.


• The way Chelsea sealed qualification two weeks ago – a 4-0 victory in Trondheim courtesy of two early goals from Didier Drogba and further strikes from Alex and Joe Cole – was in contrast to their first game in Group B. It ended 1-1 at home to Rosenborg BK, a match that was to be José Mourinho's last in charge. The London club have subsequently mended the damage in impressive fashion, winning three of their games and drawing the other, 0-0 away to FC Schalke 04.


• In this game they will be defending an outstanding home record in the group stage of Europe's premier club competition. In 13 games in their own stadium since 1 October 2003 they have only dropped eight points having drawn four games. In last season's competition they failed to win only one of their six games at Stamford Bridge – the quarter-final first leg at home to Valencia. In the last 23 UEFA Champions League matches on their own soil they
have lost just once and have conceded in only four of the last 13.


• That lone defeat came against FC Barcelona in the first knockout round of the 2005/06 season and it was also Chelsea's first home reverse against Spanish opponents in UEFA competition; their record now reads P9 W6 D2 L1.


• Two significant victories against Spanish opponents came on neutral soil. Chelsea played Real Madrid CF in the 1970/71 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup final in Athens and prevailed in the replay 2-1 after a 1-1 draw. The teams also met in the 1998 UEFA Super Cup in Monaco, Chelsea winning 1-0.


• Valencia bowed out of contention for the knockout rounds following a 0-0 draw against Schalke at the Mestalla Stadium on 28 November. It was an improvement on their previous three results – all defeats – but it left them at the foot of the table with four points from five games. A win at Stamford Bridge would ensure they finish in third place and enter the UEFA Cup as long as Schalke do not beat Rosenborg at home. A draw would also suffice should Schalke lose because of a superior head-to-head record with the German side.


• Los Che won their opening away fixture in this season's competition, 1-0 at Schalke, but their second proved a disaster as Rosenborg beat them 2-0, a result which was followed by the departure of coach Quique Sánchez Flores.


• On their visit to London last season, a breathtaking strike from David Silva put the Spanish side ahead before Drogba equalised early in the second half. In the return leg Fernando Morientes scored to give Valencia the aggregate lead but back came Mourinho's side again with goals from Andriy Shevchenko and Michael Essien booking Chelsea's place in the semi-finals for the third time in four years.


• In the first game between the sides in this season's campaign, Valencia again took the lead on the night, this time through an early strike from David Villa. But the power of Chelsea's recovery proved irresistible once more as Joe Cole and Drogba found the net.


• Last season's draw at Stamford Bridge continued the pattern of Valencia's visits to England. Of the 12 trips they have made in UEFA competition, seven have ended all-square. They have tasted victory on only one occasion, winning 1-0 at Liverpool FC in the 2002/03 UEFA Champions League first group stage. They were back in England for the second group stage when they drew 0-0 away to Arsenal FC.


• Two seasons previously they had drawn 0-0 at the home of Leeds United AFC in the UEFA Champions League semi-final before winning the home leg 3-0. Leeds were Valencia's third English opponents in that campaign. They had drawn 1-1 away to Manchester United FC in the second group stage before losing 2-1 away to Arsenal in the quarter-finals, a result which did not impair their progress as they won the home leg 1-0 to go through on away goals.


• Valencia owed their first two European trophies – the 1979/80 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup and the UEFA Super Cup the following season – to victories against English opposition, seeing off Arsenal in the first instance following a penalty shoot-out, and then triumphing on away goals against Nottingham Forest FC.

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[Glen2712]

Chelsea FC - Valencia CF
MATCH PRESS KIT
Stamford Bridge, London
Tuesday 11 December 2007 - 20.45 CET
Group B - Matchday 6

Match Facts

Chelsea

• Claudio Pizarro made his European debut for Chelsea on Matchday 5, his 50th game in the UEFA Champions League.


• John Terry celebrated his 27th birthday on 7 December while Steve Sidwell is 25 on 14 December, three days after the visit of Valencia.


• Michael Essien's next booking will incur a one-match ban.


• Chelsea have collected just three yellow cards to date, the lowest total in the competition.


• Chelsea are expected to be without Didier Drogba for at least a month after the striker underwent surgery on a persistent knee injury on Saturday. The Ivory Coast forward damaged the meniscus in his left knee on international duty last month and, although he was initially able to carry on playing, Chelsea decided to operate after the 29-year-old suffered a recurrence of the injury in training on Friday. "Didier's knee locked [on Friday] afternoon and the decision was taken to have the operation immediately in the medical interests of the player," said club doctor Bryan English. "The procedure went well and he will begin his rehabilitation as soon as possible."


• Drogba's replacement against Sunderland AFC, Andriy Shevchenko, scored the opening goal at Stamford Bridge on Saturday afternoon in the 23rd minute as Chelsea recorded a 2-0 win. Frank Lampard added a second from the penalty spot with 15 minutes remaining after Alex had been fouled and the visitors ended the match with ten men as Liam Miller was sent off for violent conduct two minutes from time.


• "We dominated but could not kill the game off as early as we would have liked," said manager Avram Grant. "It was not easy to play against Sunderland because they defended cleverly with a lot of men. It was a very mature performance because we looked for opportunities to find the second goal which we got in the second half with a penalty."


• Florent Malouda (knee), Michael Ballack (ankle), Ricardo Carvalho (back), Paulo Ferreira (ankle) and Petr Čech (calf) were all absent, as was the suspended Essien. Ashley Cole replaced Wayne Bridge at left-back and Shaun Wright-Phillips came into midfield at the expense of Sidwell.


• Čech is expected to return to training in the week of the Valencia game with Carlo Cudicini continuing to deputise in goal against Sunderland.


• Chelsea are now unbeaten in 71 Premier League matches at Stamford Bridge. Arsenal FC were the last side to win at Chelsea in the league, on 21 February 2004. They are also unbeaten in 49 home matches in all competitions since a 2-1 UEFA Champions League loss to FC Barcelona on 22 February 2006.


• Grant's side are now unbeaten in 15 matches in all competitions and nine league matches. Chelsea have kept ten clean sheets in the Premier League this season, more than any other side.


• Chelsea had extended their unbeaten run to 14 matches in all competitions with a 1-0 win against West Ham United FC at Stamford Bridge on 1 December, former West Ham player Joe Cole scoring the only goal of the game 14 minutes from time.


• Bridge replaced Ashley Cole at left-back while Cudicini and Alex continued to deputise for the injured Čech and Carvalho. Essien started a three-match suspension.


• "We are on a fantastic run and more importantly we are playing good, positive football," said Grant. "It was not a great game but we had the ball most of the time and that's good. We played against a team that came to defend and did very well, but all the players were busy and we had the ball for 70 or 80 per cent of the time. The first half was aggressive, which we expected. In the second half we played our game and won, that's what's important. We knew it would be a tough game and we had to concentrate on the chances we had. We didn't create a lot but enough to win more than one-nil."


• Drogba finished fourth in the poll for the Ballon d'Or, which was won by AC Milan's Kaká. Čech was joint-19th in the voting. Essien and Malouda were also nominated.


• Holders Chelsea will play Queen's Park Rangers FC in the third round of the English FA Cup, with the tie to take place on 5 January.


• Čech and Drogba have been voted world goalkeeper and striker of the year respectively by the International Sports Press Association, which comprises 10,500 members in 150 countries worldwide. "It's always nice to receive awards, but this one is really special as it shows that our performances here at Chelsea, both in the Premier League and Champions League, are having a global impact," said Čech. Drogba added: "This is fantastic! To be recognised by the world's media really is an honour, especially as they can be the hardest to please and the toughest critics."


Valencia

• Three Valencia players have appeared in all seven UEFA Champions League games so far this season, including qualifying: Joaquín, Fernando Morientes and David Silva.


• David Albelda made his 75th appearance in UEFA club competition on Matchday 5.


• Albelda is suspended against Chelsea following his red card against Schalke, while Carlos Marchena is within one booking of a ban.


• Santiago Cañizares celebrates his 38th birthday on 18 December.


• Valencia have scored only twice to date, with Schalke the joint-lowest total in the competition.


• Valencia failed to score for the fourth game in succession on Saturday as they were held to a goalless Primera División draw at CA Osasuna. Javier Portillo might have headed the home side in front midway through the first half but failed to beat Cañizares when unmarked while Jaroslav Plašil's long-range effort grazed the post. Valencia's best opportunities came in the first half with home goalkeeper Ricardo keeping out shots from Sunny and Silva.


• "Neither team created much going forward but we were very secure at the back," said coach Ronald Koeman. "We did well in a positional sense and we fought hard. We have to improve up front but I'm very happy, not only with the players individually but with the team in general."


• Valencia last found the net in a 3-0 home win against Real Murcia CF on 10 November. They have subsequently failed to score against Real Racing Club Santander (0-1), Schalke (0-0), Athletic Club Bilbao (0-3) and Osasuna.


• Joaquín will miss the Chelsea game after sprained his left ankle at Osasuna, and was replaced by Vicente Rodríguez 17 minutes from time.


• Valencia travelled to Pamplona without goalkeeper Timo Hildebrand who was suffering back problems while a groin injury kept Miguel Ángel Angulo on the sidelines. Albelda failed to recover from a bout of gastroenteritis in time for the game.


• Marco Caneira is continuing his recovery from a thigh injury suffered against Schalke on Matchday 5 while Rubén Baraja is still out of action with a torn quad muscle having not played since 10 November. Alexis is expected to be out for three more months with knee ligament damage suffered against RCD Mallorca on 3 November.


• Valencia had followed up their UEFA Champions League elimination on Matchday 5 with a 3-0 defeat at home to Athletic on 2 December. Fernando Llorente (61, 90) scored twice after Francisco Yeste (33) had broken the deadlock.


• Koeman said: "If you look at the league table we haven't hit rock bottom yet. However, in terms of our performance and mentality, I think we have. During my four weeks here I've seen a team with quality players who are not at their best. We're missing courage and aggression. I felt that Athletic were much more involved in the game than we were."


• Joaquín remains optimistic, however, adding: "It's not a good situation but we're getting closer to our objectives. There are several games left before the winter break and after that we have the entire second half of the season to focus on. It's the players who have to go out on to the pitch and win games. The criticism will help us to improve."


• Marco Caneira, Baraja and Alexis all miss the game through injury.


• Valencia have won just one of their seven previous games in all competitions at Mestalla, five of which ended in defeat.


• Valencia's Mestalla home is one of five stadiums vying to host the 2010 and 2011 UEFA Champions League finals: the Fußball Arena München in Munich, Berlin's Olympiastadion, the Santiago Bernabéu in Madrid and London's Wembley Stadium are the other venues in contention. A final decision is expected to be made by the UEFA Executive Committee at its meeting in Liechtenstein in March.

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[Glen2712]

Valencia sign off with Chelsea stalemate

Chelsea FC made it 50 home games without defeat in all competitions but this was a frustrating night for the Group B winners as they missed a hatful of chances against a Valencia CF side whose failure to win meant they failed to qualify for the UEFA Cup.


Woodwork struck

It was the first time in ten UEFA Champions League games at Stamford Bridge that the London club failed to find the net, allthough it was not for want of trying as they carved out a succession of presentable opportunities and struck the woodwork three times late on through Salomon Kalou, Claudio Pizarro and Joe Cole. Valencia, meanwhile, needed to win to have any chance of claiming third place in the section, but their inability to do so condemned them to an early exit from Europe this season.


Chelsea take control

Chelsea were in forceful mood at the start and as early as the fourth minute Frank Lampard crossed and Andriy Shevchenko forced a save from Santiago Cañizares, John Terry heading the corner wide. Sunny then failed to deal with Wayne Bridge's cross after a strong run from the Chelsea left-back but Lampard was unable to capitalise, while Cañizares had to hurry to keep out a fierce Shaun Wright-Phillips drive at his near post.


Lampard involved

Twenty-five minutes had elapsed before Petr Čech, surprisingly recalled after his calf injury, was called into serious action but the shot from David Villa demanded little even from a goalkeeper feeling his way back into the action. Pizarro came within centimetres of connecting with Paulo Ferreira's cross and Lampard then unleashed a tasty effort which Cañizares kept out one-handed. There were still possibilities as the ball rolled loose but Kalou's follow-up struck another blue shirt and spun wide.


Valencia threat

Valencia came more into the game as half-time approached but they largely failed to trouble the Chelsea defence with Villa seemingly struggling for his best form and Vicente Rodríguez held in check by the impressive Bridge, although Villa did cleverly engineer an opening that forced Čech to save at his near post. Chelsea responded and the persistent Shevchenko was unlucky to be thwarted before Pizarro forced Cañizares in action.


Changes made

Chelsea coach Avram Grant introduced Claude Makelele for Shevchenko at the break, and only five minutes of the second half had elapsed when Villa hobbled off. The pace had now dropped significantly and neither defence was seriously troubled, Pizarro twice wasting promising openings by straying offside before Lampard was withdrawn two minutes past the hour as Chelsea's thoughts began to turn to Sunday's trip to Arsenal FC.


Late excitement

The home team continued to press forward, however. Pizarro's header found the lurking Kalou but the Ivorian striker could only side-foot against the crossbar. Two minutes later Kalou played in Pizarro but this time the Peruvian's effort was palmed on to the post by Cañizares. Chelsea's night was summed up six minutes from time as Cole drove forward but again the Valencia goalkeeper touched the ball on to the post to ensure the match finished goalless, leaving both teams ruing their luck.

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bro glen2712, thx for all the updates on Chelsea!!

[Glen2712]

Tomas in no doubt

The Observer

But Chelsea are boring,' says Tomas Rosicky, in stitches at his own daring. Most players content themselves with a general comment about the opposition, but Rosicky is adamant on this point. 'If you were going to choose whether to watch us or Chelsea I think you'd choose us,' he says, confidently. 'Everyone knows how Chelsea play. We want to play something else.'


You can tell an Arsene Wenger player when they talk, unprompted, about aesthetics. This may be Arsenal's biggest game of the season so far, but winning, losing, bagging a point and playing beautiful football are still so bound up in the same context as to be inseparable.


Against a backdrop of Sky's 'Grand Slam' hyperbole and Avram Grant's assertions that his team can rival Wenger's Arsenal for the connoisseur's entertainment football of choice, the significance of this match could be lost on football neutrals weary of the unrelenting 'Big Four' hype.


But in real terms this is an important game for Arsenal. Having threatened to run away with the League in the first four months of the season, a draw at Newcastle, followed by defeat at Middlesbrough, have dampened the fires and closed the gap at the top of the table to just one point - and not even a signature game in hand for comfort. An already depleted squad has been stretched further by injuries to key midfield players Cesc Fabregas, Aleksandr Hleb and Mathieu Flamini. Whether any of them will make it on to the teamsheet this afternoon will be decided as late as this morning. Just when it looked as though Arsenal could be back in the frame for winning this season, the fans are once again understandably concerned.


So, too, are the players. 'We have been very unhappy,' says Rosicky of the points dropped over the past two games. 'That wasn't us against Middlesbrough, we wanted to play something else and that wasn't our football. We played too many long balls. Sometimes I had the feeling that we were hiding. It was poor and we deserved to lose. They played aggressive against us, yes, but we know how to play against those kinds of teams. We did it at the start of the season but this time we couldn't respond. Now our response will come on Sunday.'


Quite how Rosicky himself responds will be eyed expectantly by the fans. The consensus in the chatrooms is that, although bursting with talent, the Czech midfielder has yet to deliver the goods. The emphatic goalscoring display that so marked Rosicky's 2006 World Cup campaign, just one month after Arsenal had signed him, had Gooners watering at the mouth.


Since then, however, several criticisms have been levelled at him, not least regarding his tendency to get injured. The diminutive midfielder, dubbed 'The Little Mozart' in his native Czech Republic because of his prodigious talent and baby-faced appearance, has endured plenty of nicknames stemming from his slight frame. While playing for Borussia Dortmund the fans called him knödel (dumpling) and schnitzel, suggesting he should eat more to grow stronger and more robust. But knödel alone was never going to fix his problems.


'Hamstrings and groin,' says Rosicky with a knowing roll of the eyes. 'It's very frustrating and I try to work on this to prevent it from happening again. I don't want to say it's bad luck because I don't believe in that. It looks good now, though.' Making a fist, Rosicky knocks his teeth. 'As we say in Czech,' he explains, 'knock teeth - or wood. You can't get depressed about it. If you let yourself get down things get even worse.'


Rosicky's older brother, Jiri, who was once thought to be the better footballer, had serious injury problems of his own. Tomas says he was only signed to his first club on the back of his brother's reputation.


'Sparta Prague came to our house to ask my father if Jiri would be available to play for them. He said, "If you want Jiri then you have to take my younger son, Tomas, as well."'


Jiri went on to play for Atletico Madrid but in spite of his talent was forced to retire aged 29 after undergoing half a dozen operations on his knees. Does injury run deep in the Rosicky family gene pool? 'No, my brother's case was very different. The Rosickys are not cursed. It's not something that we have in the family. My father played for Sparta Prague and won the championship, and he was OK.'


Injury concerns aside, fans have expressed frustration at a lack of goals from the Czech, that too often he snaps up the innocuous chances just before the whistle. The criticism seems unfair. Last season Rosicky's five domestic goals represented four wins, including his brace in the 3-1 away win in the FA Cup third round at Anfield. Over two seasons, only the home goal against Portsmouth and last week's away goal against Middlesbrough could be seen as non-critical. And even then, doesn't every fan wish their team would keep trying until the final whistle?


This season Rosicky has already collected four in the League from 12 games, only two goals fewer than Fabregas, who has been hailed as Arsenal's renaissance kid after his goalscoring turnaround. Perhaps the fans' patience is wearing thin at Wenger's player development policy, each new arrival seemingly tagged with a 'needs two years to mature' label. They may be surprised to hear the manager's verdict: Wenger says the kids are ready.


'How many years will it take us to reach our peak? Zero,' the manager says. 'I believe we are ready. We can always improve, but I don't think we want to be patient. We want to challenge for the championship now and I believe we can do it. The winner of this year will have a big satisfaction because you cannot say it was a bad year for Arsenal, Manchester United, Chelsea or Liverpool. Everybody is here, they are all in the race for this marathon, and with 20 miles to go who knows who will be the winner.'


It has been three seasons since Arsenal last beat Chelsea in the League - since they last beat Chelsea at all in fact. Then it was the 2003-4 unbeaten season, and the Arsenal Invincibles show twice rolled Chelsea out of the picture, 2-1. Chelsea finished second that year, but lagged 11 points behind the men in red.


Much has changed since. Chelsea are on their third manager in three seasons, and Arsenal's 2003 home win teamsheet looks very different from the side that will line up today. Only Jens Lehmann, Kolo Toure and Gilberto Silva remain from those days, and of those three only Toure still makes the first-choice line-up.


Did Wenger find it infuriating to lose the title to Chelsea in the interim; a rival London team, so brazen in their spending as to be accused of buying their silverware? 'No, I find it interesting to win it back with less money,' he quipped, '[and] I think we've moved upwards since then.'


Attention will inevitably be drawn to the players who 'swapped' clubs, Ashley Cole and William Gallas. But Rosicky will encounter a mini rivalry of his own when he attempts to triumph over his national team-mate Petr Cech. 'This will be my first game against Chelsea, and my first game against Petr,' says Rosicky. 'We're good friends, but I'm not the type to send him a text before the game. I never like to provoke someone.' The two almost ended up at Chelsea together when Claudio Ranieri scouted the Czech Republic players in 2004, but Rosicky is happy to brush that memory aside.


Rosicky says today's game will be tactical. 'It will look like chess when you watch it from the stands; whoever makes the mistake loses.' In the stands his family will be watching their 'Little Mozart'. What will a brother and a father who are former footballers expect? Rosicky laughs: 'My family have supported me all my career - but now they want to see what is possible.' The pressure may be on, but the baby-faced one won't shirk the responsibility.

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[Glen2712]

MATCH REPORT: ARSENAL 1 CHELSEA 0

Chelsea lost this London derby to a Gallas goal having lost John Terry to injury following a bad foul by Eboué.


A game that saw little to choose between the two sides was in the end decided by that rarest of moments, a misjudgement from Petr Cech.


He would later make a string of important saves to keep the game alive and Chelsea can draw strength for the rest of the season in the way we pushed the league leaders hard in the second-half without the like of Drogba, Essien and Carvalho, plus the captain.


There was little surprise before kick-off when Wenger's three injury maybes made the starting line-up - Fabregas, Flamini and Hleb all returning, the third name to play behind Adebayor in home side's favoured 4-4-1-1 shape this season.


Avram Grant too went for his most regular formation - the 4-3-3 back after the use of 4-2-3-1 against Valencia.


Wright-Phillips kept his place to patrol the right flank with Joe Cole on the left of Shevchenko. Makelele came in for suspended Essien and Ferreira was preferred to Belletti at right-back.


The most newsworthy selection however was that of Ashley Cole, returning to his old club for the first time since leaving 16 months ago.


After a slow opening to the game on a bitter early evening, matters began to heat up a little when Flamini's surge into the Chelsea half was policed well by Mikel, the Chelsea man overtaking and then being fouled by the Arsenal midfielder.


Then on eight minutes, Lampard tripped Eboué who was heading towards the Chelsea area and was a little fortunate not to be booked.


Shevchenko was sharp in catching Gallas in possession soon after but the move petered out and then on 12 minutes, Alex put too much height on a back header and cleared Cech. With Chelsea hearts in mouths, he fortunately cleared the goal too, the ball bouncing five yards wide.


The Blues went straight up the other end after Joe Cole nicked possession and Wright-Phillips saw the first on-target shot of the game deflect off a defender but it was saved by Almunia.


Ashley Cole responded to the high decibel booing in the best way possible, winning a crunching but fair tackle on Sagna.


The same could not be said for Adebayor who on 24 minutes caught the Chelsea left-back high on the knee with his studs and became the game's first booking.


Arsenal were on top territorially but Chelsea were stretching them at times on the break. This was so far an even derby contest. It was also a contest that had a competitive edge to it - evidenced when Terry sprung forward to hack clear a ball that had escaped Fabregas, taking out team-mate Makelele in the process.


The fiery Arsenal midfielder reacted angrily and players closed round but incredibly, referee Wiley chose to book the Chelsea skipper when no foul had occurred, plus Lampard for an earlier foul on Hleb. Fabregas escaped without a caution.


Out of the blue, Shevchenko unleashed a 20-yarder that dipped and Almunia hurriedly it palmed down. On 34 minutes Eboué became the home side's second booking after leaving his foot high and going through on Terry's foot, the ref indicating the punishment was for an accumulation of offences.


Rosicky was the next player to shoot, towards Chelsea's near post but it flew wide with Cech none-too-worried.


On 38 minutes, Terry dropped to the turf, the effects of the Eboué foul lingering. He could not continue. Ben-Haim was called upon to fill the skipper's boots.


The game was heading for stalemate at the break when the goal no Chelsea fan ever wished to see was scored.


Arsenal won a corner in stoppage time after Cech's low clearance bounced away from Mikel. Fabregas swung it over, Cech came but for once misjudged the flight. The ball fell beyond Ben-Haim and Gallas had simple task of heading in.


Undeterred, Chelsea pressed well in the opening minutes of the second-half and a testing near-post cross by Ferreira was not too far from the reach of Joe Cole.


Wright-Phillips swung a cross-cum-shot across goal on 59 minutes, and then Mikel fired in a much more convincing effort that Almunia dived to save, Shevchenko's follow-up too tame to beat the keeper.


The second Chelsea substitution was made on 64 minutes, Makelele sacrificed for Pizarro as the formation switch to 4-2-3-1.


The undercurrent of strong challenges continued. Joe Cole caught Eboué from behind, the Arsenal player turning somersaults and Mikel checked Fabregas on the wing. The ref booked Joe for the first and missed the second foul totally.


Eboué was carried off to even up the injuries. He was replaced by Van Persie who was soon in the action, shooting low for Cech to save.


Ben-Haim became the next booking for a foul on Fabregas and then on 74 minutes came the Blues' golden chance to equalise.


Pizarro chipped into the area, the ball skimmed off Gallas but from point blank range, Wright-Phillips skewed the ball across goal. He was instantly replaced by Kalou.


Then it was Arsenal's turn to waste a great opening, Van Persie blasting over from in front of goal after Adebayor and Hleb had carved Chelsea open.


Suddenly it was end to end, Kalou flashing a shot wide. Mikel was booked on 83 minutes for catching Flamini late.


Arsenal thought they had killed the game with five minutes remaining when Van Persie finished off a quick break but the offside flag had long been up.


Chelsea were driving Arsenal back impressively during these late stages, the pattern for this fixture last season, however Arsenal were needless to say, threatening on the counter. It needed an incredible double save by Cech from Fabregas to keep the deficit down to one goal.


This was breathless action. Chelsea were awarded free-kick 25 yards out. All were expecting an Alex strike but Shevchenko caught the ball sweetly and Almunia at full-stretch just reacted quickly enough to tip over.


Into the last minute of normal time and Shevchenko got on the end of a chip forward but his downward header was stopped by the keeper.


The game came to a messy conclusion when Fabregas saw another shot blocked before he clashed with Ashley Cole. The ref dealt with it by finally booking the Arsenal midfielder and then blowing the final whistle. Our ten game unbeaten run against Arsenal was at an end.


Chelsea (4-3-3): Cech; Ferreira, Alex, Terry (c) (Ben-Haim 38), A Cole; Mikel, Makelele (Pizarro 64), Lampard; Wright-Phillips (Kalou 74), Shevchenko, J Cole.

Booked Lampard 32, Terry 32, J Cole 66, Ben-Haim 73, Mikel 83.


Arsenal (4-4-1-1): Almunia; Sagna, Touré, Gallas (c), Clichy; Eboué (Van Persie 69), Flamini, Fabregas, Rosicky; Helb (Gilberto 77); Adebayor (Bendtner 90+3).

Scorer Gallas 45+1.

Booked Adebayor 24, Eboué 34, Toure 62, Fabregas 90+4.

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