just

I thought Sheva came on in the 79th Minute, Might be mistaken but if so he got about 14 Minutes Did he really? I must have have missed that and I was at the game! He obviously made a real difference. Did he actually manage to touch the ball in those 14 minutes.

You don't look well Gem. Lot of flu going around. Best thing you could do would be to take the day off work and spend it in bed, or in front of your computer hitting the retry button if want to get a ticket for the final.

I see he set up one goal and scored another with two sublime pieces of skill yesterday. But did he run around a lot? That's what the game is all about (oh and winning trophies of course). Jimmy and sublime! Blimey Liam there's two words you've never put together before. Are you sure you dont mean supine? This is good news. I was getting worried about him. Haven't heard anything of him for ages and ages. I had visions of him forgotten and lonely huddled around a two bar electric fire trying to keep warm in a bedsit in Shoreditch. I didn't realise he was still playing football. Well, not actually playing, but you know what I mean. Ian Wright on Talksport this afternoon said it was great goal, but I thought he was a bit harsh on Jimbo when he then said he looked like a fat Eddie Murphy during his days at the Pikeys. Funny though.

Gem, they don't go on sale until 7.00am tomorrow morning. My advice. Start at 6.50am and keep trying. Good luck.

I think Grant missed a trick yesterday against Huddersfield. He could have given Sheva 15 minutes at the end to come on and fill his boots.

Absolutely right dkw. Graham "Beaky" Beecroft even said Liverpool fans, (and he is one himself), should just put it to down as one of those things. Mainly, in his opinion, due to the fact that the Barnsley keeper had the game of his life. While I think the kid Steele made at least two very good saves I don't think it was an astonishing goal-keeping display. Nothing like, for example, Dudek's amazing performance against A.C Milan in Istanbul to win the CL trophy. That truly was the game of his life.

A clear MOTM for me today and it wasn't Frank with his two goals, congratulations though Frankie boy. Jon Obi Mikel was superb. And the lad Collins who got the goal for them, lovely little footballer on what he showed us today.

Brilliant. The biggest FA Cup upset since Ronnie Radford rifled that one for Hereford against the Barcodes in '72. Agree with Essien's Strike though. It just puts our performance last week into perspective. Showed them far, far too much respect. They are there to be beaten at the minute and we didn't even have a go.

The young Mr Shevchenko, BHLHP*, was the fastest white player I had ever seen. Breathtakingly quick. In comparison, made Robben look like he was running through treacle. BHLHP - Before He Lost His Pace

Arsenal get just one injury, Adebeyor, and the wheels could fall off their bus.

Agree about Adebeyor being a revelation this year, but he's not better than a fully fit Drogba. Make no mistake, we've missed Drogba more than other player whilst he has been out. Drogs has only started 10 EPL games this season but in those ten games he has scored 5 goals and made 4 assists. In the CL he's even better. 4 games and 4 goals. And then you've got all the defensive qualities he brings to the team.

I do agree with you here ES. Sunday's was a MUST win game. Especially after ManU dropped those points and we had home advantage, and yet we simply didn't go for it. Alright, I'll accept our bench might not have been at its strongest, but I still think AG could have changed the formation and the personnel earlier. Tried different options. Gambled a little. However, that said, it really reminded me of Barcelona at the Nou Camp in 2006. Remember that game? We needed to win and score twice after losing 2-1 at home in the first leg? I was out there for that one and every Chelsea fan who had travelled really believed Jose was gonna set the team and go for it. After all we had little to lose. But that is not what happened, in fact we gave a sterile, cautious, toothless display with only an injury time Lamp's equaliser from the penalty spot giving us anything to cheer about. I remember being very, very unhappy with the performance of the team and Jose's tactics afterwards. And yet even after the game at the post match press conference, JM seemed more fixated with the fact that Barca hadn't beaten us rather than the fact that we were out of the CL. I understand what you are saying Just. In fact I agree with you about the Barca match. It was really disappointing. But it is a red herring. We know about Mourinho. We know his strengths and weaknesses. But he is gone now. Of course his successors will always have to stand comparison with him and it would be hard for anyone to come in and achieve what he achieved in such a short space of time. But it is irrelevant to assessing whether Grant is up to the job. We just have to asses Grant on what he achieves or doesn't achieve. And on Sunday he was too timid. I think most of us agree on that. And whilst the team has produced good results overall since he took over, he hasn't done so well against the other top teams. Yes, there are a host of extenuating circumstances, but ultimately they don't matter. Against Arsenal we deserved a draw but didn't get it. Against Man U we were undone by Mikel's sending off which was also unjust. Against Liverpool we might have nicked it if Ballack had put his late shot the right side of the post, but he didn't. It smacks of valiant loser rather than ruthless winner. Some people have the winning instinct and others don't. I think Grant is another Ranieri not another Mourinho/Fergie/Capello/Trappatoni. Actually my point about the Barca game was in singular response to this comment in your post: "Any manager worth his salt would have made more of an effort to win that match even if it meant risking losing". Well, Jose was in a similar "sh*t or stick" situation in the Nou Camp and he didn't make the effort. He was more concerned about not losing than actually taking the gamble and going for glory. It's a perfectly valid comparison I think. Like you, I too have a gut feeling Grant is more Ranieri, (nearly man), than Mourinho, (winner). But so far he has done better than I thought he would under the circumstances and I will reserve final judgement until the end of the season. Although, as Tea Bar Boy rightly points out, we lose to Spurts next Sunday then Avi and any player who doesn't perform better be packed and gone by Monday.

I do agree with you here ES. Sunday's was a MUST win game. Especially after ManU dropped those points and we had home advantage, and yet we simply didn't go for it. Alright, I'll accept our bench might not have been at its strongest, but I still think AG could have changed the formation and the personnel earlier. Tried different options. Gambled a little. However, that said, it really reminded me of Barcelona at the Nou Camp in 2006. Remember that game? We needed to win and score twice after losing 2-1 at home in the first leg? I was out there for that one and every Chelsea fan who had travelled really believed Jose was gonna set the team and go for it. After all we had little to lose. But that is not what happened, in fact we gave a sterile, cautious, toothless display with only an injury time Lamp's equaliser from the penalty spot giving us anything to cheer about. I remember being very, very unhappy with the performance of the team and Jose's tactics afterwards. And yet even after the game at the post match press conference, JM seemed more fixated with the fact that Barca hadn't beaten us rather than the fact that we were out of the CL.

Alex is the only contender. Pizzaro, didn't get long but I thought did alright when he came on. When he was pitched in alongside Anelka, it meant Nic finally had some support and we actually looked capable of holding onto the ball in the final third, getting other players forward and creating a bit of pressure on their back four.

Dear God, there's 90 minutes of my life I won't get back! What an anti-climax. And the mood of the fans in the pubs around the ground was so upbeat and expectant after the ManU result. The most boring, dull, passionless display of the season by a country mile. The fans were definately up for it, such a pity the players weren't. I wonder what the pre-match odds would have been on us, over an entire 90 minutes, and at home, creating just one chance? No movement, very few players committed forward into the Liverplod penalty area and sloppy, sloppy passing. I don't think I've ever seen Maka and Lamps give the ball away as cheaply and as regularly as they did today. More exciting football Roman? Not today mate. PS. One day, hopefully within my lifetime, we'll really go for it against the mousers. I dunno, do something radical and daring like starting with two forwards together up front. Take the initiative. Put 'em on the back foot. I wonder how we'll get on?

We hate Tottenham.

Just a pity that the Liverplod fixture couldn't be one week later.

How about all that extra money goes back to the UK fanbase? Reduce ticket prices, get real fans back, try and persuade Boro to sell-out a game for once etc etc. What's the betting it will go into the pockets of players and agents instead? In the words of Dr. McCoy from Star Trek, "it's football Jim, but not as we know it". Mike, just been listening to the debate over this on radio and one of the administrators of the Football Supporter's Association asked if EPL club chairmen will ever see the light and target brand loyalty in terms of history, culture and tradition over increased corporate sponsorship, emerging markets and new sources of revenue?

Announcement on the club website says that members with 46 loyalty points or more can apply for tickets tomorrow, Friday 8th Feb. http://chelsea2.chelseafc.com/popups/ti ... bility.htm

Com'on now EK9. God invented Adam and Eve. Not Adam and Steve.

Gem, I want you you sit down for a moment and stay calm. What I am going to say will hurt. I've been thinking about it alot myself. In fact for over 6 months now and I don't like the thought. But you must remember life goes on. It's not the end of the world. Personally, I don't think he's going to sign that contract. I think he's going. I think he made his mind up a long while ago. If that happens I'll be gutted he wasn't up front with us and openly declared his intentions earlier, but I'll also understand the reasons why. The only way I see him staying is if Barca implode before the end of the season, players leave, and they become a spent force. Unfortunately, I don't forsee that happening. If he leaves he goes with my best wishes and massive thanks for all he has done for us.

Perhaps some British people think some Greeks don't have a very well developed sense of humour?

So, what you're telling us is G4 was at the game tonight then? PS: I don't think Cashley gave a flawless performance.

Andy we've heard The Globe is going to be very heavily policed if it is opened at all. Not suprising really given who we are playing.

This is true. I've seen the outfits. Every fella in cap sleeves and flares. Word of warning mate. If you come to the game looking for trouble, you'll have to deal with Mrs Carberrry. [youtube:93u2khaw] [/youtube:93u2khaw]