Michael Ballack: The Unluckiest Player Going?

The end of last night’s Euro 2008 final saw one very subdued German standing in the semi-circle whilst red shirts jumped up and down in celebration around him.  Little wonder, given his increasing frustration during the game was pretty evident, that his manager and team mates seemed to give him a wide berth for a [...]

Chelsea’s Ballack To Miss Euro Final?

How unlucky can a player get? Chelsea midfielder and Germany captain Michael Ballack, having worked so hard to help Germany to the Euro 2008 final could now end up missing out through injury.
Ballack not only scored one of the goals of the tournament against Austria, banging in a free-kick from 30 yards out, but as [...]

Champions League: A Time For Pride?

I wouldn’t flatter myself by even imagining I’m the only Chelsea supporter who feels like their heart’s been ripped out right now, but maybe I’ll be the only one owning up to another emotion following last night’s game – shame, that I didn’t give the players enough credit going into it. It’s been a long [...]

Chelsea v Utd: Taking Moscow By Storm?

It’s finally arrived, the day of the first all-English final the UEFA Champions League has seen and tonight, all eyes will be on the Premier League’s top two teams – albeit in Moscow where neither side has the home advantage – unless you count the Abramovich connection.
Grant’s future is still rumoured to be hanging [...]

Chelsea v Utd: How Do They Measure Up?

As the ‘Big One’ gets nearer, obviously talk in the press of who’ll come out on top and why goes into overdrive. Personally, I haven’t tried to think too hard about this one, I’m still trying to get my head round actually making it to the final in the first place if I’m honest. Not [...]

Chelsea v Liverpool: Rafa Ultimately Does Drogba a Favour

Shove that in your overactive cakehole Rafa!
 
Still pretty stunned here if I’m honest. Not just have we finally beaten the dippers in the Champions League, and got to out first final, but on the night we actually deserved it. Actually, stunned really doesn’t cover it. Take every expletive you can imagine, roll them into [...]

Chelsea v Liverpool: Benitez Feeling The Pressure?

It’s funny how Benitez’s tongue seems to have loosened a lot lately. Maybe it’s because he thinks Grant’s more likely to crumble under the pressure than his old adversary? Then again, maybe it’s because he himself is starting to feel the strain this year? But whatever the reason, Rafa just doesn’t seem to be able [...]

Liverpool Confident Despite Lack of Ambition

This weekend saw a tale of two games, two very different games and two teams with very different levels of ambition. Even though our actual chances of winning the league appeared slimmer than a size 0 on a diet, Grant chose to field a full-strength squad for the home game against Manchester United.  Benitez’s ambition, [...]

Luck Finally Running Out For Liverpool?

Isn’t irony great?
Having squeezed past us without actually scoring a goal in 2005, lady luck turned the tables in style last night as we also failed to score and yet come away from Anfield with an away goal.
A typical Liverpool v Chelsea encounter without too much to get excited about, particularly during a [...]

Third time of asking?

I can’t remember the last time I dreaded a game quite as much as tomorrow’s CL semi-final at Anfield. Albeit only the first leg, the thought of coming away without a good enough result fills me with absolute horror - I swear there are survivors of major disasters less traumatised by flashbacks than me. From [...]