just

It's such an obvious pairing to me. If we fall behind on Wednesday night we'll be seeing it for sure then Loz. Might be too late then though! I still can't get over the decision of Grant to stick Anelka on the wing against Tottenham and leave him there the entire game! Looked like a fish out of water.

I see it exactly the same as that Barak.

We still haven't seen Anelka and Drogba played together through the middle up front. That is the way to go IMO and something Grant has to try at some point.

I didn't know that. I always thought he was c*nt.

Brian M said "it's the best hat-trick I've ever seen"

Here we go again Bri. You ask a question: "Who do you consider the 5 best and the 5 worst strikers we've had since the Premier League kicked off?" And someone gives you an answer you don't like and you get all arsey. Things George Weah, ex-World Player of The Year, ex-European Player of the Year, 3 times African Player of The Year, did better than Jimbo during his time with Chelsea. 1. Head the ball - Weah is one the greatest there has ever been in the air. Witness his goal against Tottenham. 2. Run with the ball at his feet. 3. Pass the ball accurately with either foot 4. Dribble around an opponent. 5. Flair - witness his back heel flick over his own head in the cup final - what an outrageous display of skill 6. Hold the ball up. Had the strength of an ox, even at 33 years old. 7. Tackle To even compare Jimmy and Weah technically, is just laughable. And you don't think Weah showed any of these things during his short time at Stamford Bridge? "Wonder Weah drives Blues on ENGLISH PREMIERSHIP CHELSEA 2 COVENTRY 1 Cool Chelsea climbed to fourth in the Premiership with a second-half comeback that washed Coventry away at Stamford Bridge last night. George Weah and Gianfranco Zola rescued Chelsea just as it looked like their heroics of last week in Europe and at Wembley would be submerged in a downpour on a skid-pan pitch. The Champions League glory against Barcelona and the FA Cup semi-final triumph over Newcastle looked a world away as Gary McAllister gave Coventry an 18th minute lead with a splendidly-contrived goal and Chelsea's passing game was bogged down on a rain-soaked morass. But manager Gianluca Vialli, who made five changes from Sunday's semi-final starters with Chelsea fielding just as many Englishmen as Coventry Dennis Wise, Jody Morris, who surprisingly wore the captain's armband, and Jon Harley added a trio of substitutes to the muddy mix after the break and his team never looked back. Just eight minutes after the interval, Weah, replacing Tore Andre Flo, set up winger Gabriele Ambrosetti for a drilled low cross which Colin Hendry turned into his own net. Four minutes later, Weah, galloping down the left after the cloying conditions confounded Richard Shaw's attempt at a routine clearance, laid on another perfect pass, this time for Zola to slot home. Coventry, having looked likely to come away with a surprise success, finished only with an extension to their miserable away record, still without a win outside Highfield Road for a year. It was anguish especially for Hendry who had been so instrumental in their early goal and battled with true Scottish grit to repel Chelsea's charge. But once loan-star Weah got into the action, there was little doubt about Chelsea extending their unbeaten Premiership run to a 16th match. He is ineligible for the European Cup, having already played in it for AC Milan this season, but the gifted Liberian is having a major say in Chelsea's bid to finish in the top three. That's vital because although they will start favourites to make the semi-finals against Barcelona in the Nou Camp on Tuesday, they may still have to win it to be in it again. Without injured Belgian goalscorer Cedric Roussel, Coventry appeared to carry little threat to Vialli's multi-national heroes. But persistent rain had had turned the pitch into a midweek lottery, with the players raising spray with every kick and passes stopping short of their targets with frustrating regularity. And it was Coventry, adapting much better to the dreadful conditions. Their persistence brought them a goal inside the first 20 minutes. Centre-back Hendry, revelling in the mud, started it by robbing Flo just inside the Coventry half and kept running after funnelling the ball forward to Noel Whelan. When the striker's low cross came in the big defender applied a marvellously delicate touch which set up fellow Scot McAllister to coolly tuck the chance away for his 10th goal of the season". Taken from The Independent

Don't sell him short Loz. He had moments of unforgettable magic with us, the team he supported as a boy. The Chelsea 4 Liverpool 2 second half. His effect in that game coming on as a sub was incredible. You wouldn't have believed it if you hadn't seen with your own eyes. And the winning goal against Vicenza to get us into the ECWC final. Simply one of the greatest Chelsea goals ever. I'd say he's the best "hold and pass" forward I've ever seen.

He scored 4 goals in 11 matches for us. That's one more than Chris Sutton. So what the?!?! And yes, I know one of Weah's goals was a winner against Sp*rs, so that counts double. But really, the fact that you put Weah on your list rather than Jimmy 'a goal every two games for Chelsea' FH shows once again that you have a myopic inability to judge strikers on their goals (what they're bought to do) but rather prefer to judge them on how much they 'try' or how much you like them. Me, I judge them on goals more than anything (and assists), not on how much I like them. For example, horseface for Manure was a fantastic striker. Don't know how many goals he got while he was under Sir, but you can be damn sure it was a truck load. Personally I couldn't stand the c*nt. But if you ask me was he a great striker, I will nod my head and say, 'you bet your arse he was'. And JFH, a player who by your own admission formed 'the best ever Chelsea strike partnership' with Guddy, doesn't get a look in with you just because he moaned a lot and didn't track back enough. Typical. God you're such a knob sometimes Brian. There is so much wrong with that post it's hard to know where to start. Firstly, when have I ever said Cocktail and Guddy were the greatest ever Chelsea partnership? Another figment of your control freak imagination I'm afraid Bri. Dixon/Speedie, Osgood/Hutch, Hughes/Zola ever heard of them? And this: "once again that you have a myopic inability to judge strikers on their goals (what they're bought to do)" Zola was never a prolific goal-scorer. Or Hughsie. Or Guddy. Obviously then none of those will be making your top 5 list. Not enough goals you see. Ergo, in Brian M World = crap strikers. George Weah won World Player of The Year and The European Player of the Year. Jimbo ever do that? He played for one of the biggest in clubs in world football ? Jimbo ever do that? And guess what? He led our frontline when we won an FA Cup Final. Jimbo ever do that? So, I repeat just for it to sink in properly Brian. An amazingly talented all-round player. One that Jimmy, even on his best day, never got even remotely close to. It was a pleasure to watch him in a Blue shirt, even if it was at the end of his career and only for 11 games. PS. Bri I know you like movies. Here's one for you. Watch the second goal on the clip then get your vaseline and tissue and spend some time in the bog picturing Jimmy trying to do that............. as if! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWJQjPjCNV8

Top five in the Premiership 1. Zola - Everything you could ever want in a forward, a footballer, and a man 2. Drogba - The best in the world right now and hugely influential in our two title wins 3. Hughsie - Loved him. Brave as a lion. Would die for the cause. 4. Crespo - Why Ranieri ever left him out for Mr Cocktail Cabinet is a bigger mystery than what happened to Lord Lucan. 5. Weah - Not with us a very long but still a top class act.

dkw one of my mates, has said exactly the same thing from day one of Grant's reign. He is 110% convinced Grant is a temporary appointment by Roman. A stop gap. Only there to hold the chair until a top name manager comes in the summer. Personally I don't share that belief, but a lot can happen between now and the summer.

Are you suggesting we keep Drogba for 26 more years? No. I'm suggesting you need to spend a few trophyless years, a lot of money, and many Saturdays watching the likes of Alan Mays, Dave Mitchell and Steve Livingstone.

Difference in the quality of their playing personnel has something to do with it. Five different players in their line-up for the final. Two of them signed by him in the transfer window. Personally, I'm not convinced Ramos has the "it" factor despite his record in La Liga. However, the Sperts players and fans believe he has. Their squad has nowhere near the depth ours has and if you go through the starting line-ups and subs from Sunday ours is miles stronger. However, that counted for nothing. The y*ds were the better side from first to final whistle.

People seem to have missed Bridge pushing up late and playing Zakora onside for his one on one with Cech. Fortunately Big Pete saved it with his face. And of course the penalty. Bridge was no more MOTM than I was.

I was going to try and ignore threads like this because yesterday hurt so much and today is probably even worse. But I can't. Some people on here deserve to go 26 years without winning anything.

"it". Very hard thing to define, "it". Hard to explain. Some managers have "it". Jose did. Ruud G did. Fergie does. John Neal did. Ranieri didn't. Ian Porterfield most definately didn't. Capello has had "it" for a long time but now he has the England job he may find the "it" disappears very quickly. Robbie Keane bawling his eyes out on the Wembley turf yesterday, (and I thought Pikeys were supposed to be tough ), was asked this: "What has Ramos given the Tottenham players?" Robbie Side-netting replied: "belief. Self-belief". And that is what managers who have "it" can do. They instill a mental attitude. An edge. They give fans and, much more importantly, players that self-belief. And make no mistake, having a manager with the "it" factor also scares the sh*t out of opposing fans and players. They know they are winners. It's not "we might, or we could". It's "we will". We will triumph. We will be winners. And more often than not, they are. Managers who have "it" have players believing they have won before they even step onto the pitch. And those players will run through brick walls for a manager who has "it". I'm not as down on Avram as a great many on here. Even after yesterday, which was undoubtedly one of the worst days of my Chelsea supporting life. But I'm now 100% certain Avram doesn't have "it". And for those who think he has. Well my friends, you can make excuses and spin it how you want, please feel free to continue. But the cold fact is he has had four geniunely BIG games since he took over. Man U, Arsenal, Liverpool and yesterday. And.......................................... he hasn't won a single one. And, trust me, the players have spotted "it".

Right this it. 18 of us going up very early. In all the years I've been following Chelsea, I don't think I've ever been this nervous or pumped before a game. This is f**king massive today because of who it's against. f**king com'on Chelsea. Com'on!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Phil Thompson. Old Big Nose Tommo. Gawd bless him. Consider him a fair and balanced adjudicator of all things Liverplod. Well he is compared to Terry Christian and his views on ManUre. Terry, (yes, that w**ky Manky knob from the Tube), Christian is absolutely the most smug, condescending, opinionated, biased pundit in the history of the game. I listened to him on Talksport tonight, head in hands, as he berated Arsenal's lack of discipline and when presented with the obvious, stated Roy Mental's tackle on Alf Inge Haaland had bugger all to do with finishing Alf's career as a professional footballer!!!!!!! And that voice! Jesus. I bet even his mother wants to kick the living sh*te out of him.

Chatting with a few other Chelsea boys today and I'm in interested in how many on here have actually been able to get a ticket for the Final. I'd like to know if you're ST holder, club member, got a corporate seat or obtained one by any other means.

Your a Chelsea fan it is in your blood and part of your make up as a Chelsea fan !! It is part of our history which everyone in the family should embrace , foster , nuture feel it . It's what make's us Chelsea fans Short and succinct but possibly the greatest post ever written on either this forum or the old CSR.

[youtube:26q3nju2] [/youtube:26q3nju2][youtube:26q3nju2] [/youtube:26q3nju2]10am ? On Sunday?

Are you havin a laugh? Malouda on average gives us less defensively than even Robben did! I've lost count of the times this season he has lost posession and simply stood around like he's waiting for a bus to come and pick him up! I agree it's definately too early to say he is a flop. But defensively good? Leave it out.

I'm gutted to hear this news. I love the bloke. I know several people who have met him personally and none have a bad word to say about him. And he was an astounding footballer at his peak. A natural talent. However, sad to say, I've been telling my missus for years Gazza will not see old bones. The fact is he needed the game more than the game needed him. It was his outlet. His passion. I think the only thing in his life that gave him a sense of purpose. When he finished playing he should have been given a chance at some club. Not at managing, he was never made for that. But at full-time coaching. It would have kept him in daily contact with the game he loved. I really believe football could have been his saviour.

Glory boy new fan ! These prawn sarnies are lovely.

But the type of shadow that still helped us win two consecutive EPL titles, whilst mostly playing up front on his own. OK Drogs didn't have the level of consistency and confidence he has now, but this "Drogba was total pants for the first two seasons" is probably the biggest Chelsea myth of the last decade. Drogba had games where he was absolutely magnificent in that period. Bayern, Liverpool and West Ham spring instantly to mind. Malouda has shown nothing of that quality yet.

Guess what I voted?