Chelsea Caribbean

I’ve been playing a helluva lot of fantasy football over the past few years. Way too much. Add to that the fact that I work in a dept of football crazy co-workers (well you have to be crazy to support ‘Pool IMO) and you will begin to see the makings of how/why I became a football enthusiast.

Despite not having a set structure or direction with my regular blog, I somehow just don’t think rantings about football would add much value to my uh… ordered chaos there. So in order to support my new interest, I’ve started this separate blog.

Chelsea Caribbean will be dedicated to tracking the exploits of the club I’ve grown to appreciate the most (Bolton big up u self same way!). The perspective will be distinctly Caribbean though.

I won’t be the only author on there and can’t speak for the others’ intentions but on my part, there wont be too many game (p)reviews per se. You can get those a dime a dozen elsewhere. I think I’m gonna focus on the impact of the club on the fans - the chelsea culture, if you will; acquisitions; business moves (forging into asia, EPL game abroad etc) and how all this ties in with the clubs overall growth and development.

I look forward to seeing and hearing from chelsea fans, neutrals and opposition supporters alike.

Blue is the colour, football is the game.

Congrats to the boys for winning the CL semi-final against Liverpool. I’m sooo surprised. NOOOT!

I expected this.

Drogba celebrates the first of his two goals - espnsoccernet photo

Can’t say I never had a moment or two of pure anxiety though. That Babel goal really did put one or two flashes of a possible loss before my eyes. Whats worse, it happened just as Grant was substituting Shevchenko into the game for Lampard. That is: a forward to replace a midfielder. This could have been a case of very bad timing (well bad luck really). We were already at what could be considered a defensive deficit having started the game with only three out-and-out defenders in Terry, Carvalho and Ashley Cole!

As I shared with a friend, prior to the game, Chelsea have a ‘beast’ mentality about them these days. Thats my way of saying, they are all coming into their own and gelling as a team. They are more aggressive, more confident and more mentally tough going into the final minutes of games. It was this same renewed spirit that saw us through that last extra-time period.

I’ll tell you something else, I suspect it will ManU’s undoing in the final. i say this becase we have just now reached our peak while they have already reached theirs now and their cycle looks to be going back down. To understand more clearly what how important peaking at the right time is, pay attention to Arsenal’s season this year so far.

Having said all that, I now turn my attention to the real man of the moment, Dider Drogba Avram Grant. Despite the flack he’s received from, least of all, Chelsea supporters, he has acquitted himself very well IMO. Some food for thought: If Avram Grant wins the CL and somehow manages to overhaul Manchester United’s lead in the EPL, he’d have outdone the special one. If this comes through, the bakeries of the world will be doing brisk business making humble pie - food shortage or not. There probably won’t even be enough to go around for everyone who deserves a slice.

Come to think of it, Jose did not even make it into the final with Chelsea. That in mind, I’d say Grant has more than proven he’s a worthy successor. More on that some other time though.

Avram Grant

Game Reviews:

ESPN Soccernet

Chelsea Website

I am not impressed

Malouda, Lampard, Kalou and Drogba celebrate the late goal - uefa.com photo

The Kop were stunned, Chelsea delirious, somehow they had achieved the away goal and draw they desperately wanted.

Soccernet match report

Chelsea VS Liverpool @ Anfield - caughtoffside.com photo

Some interesting statistics from the official Chelsea website.

Chelsea and Liverpool meet for an astonishing 19th occasion since October 2004 and the arrival to Liverpool of Rafael Benítez.

Steven Gerrard has played 23 games against Chelsea in all competitions and scored one goal (Oct 2005, Anfield, Chelsea won 4-1). He has won seven, drawn six and lost 10, Liverpool goals 17, Chelsea goals 28. He scored an own goal in the League Cup Final in 2005 and was sent off at Stamford Bridge in the ‘Champions League play off’ game at Stamford Bridge in May 2003.

I am hoping for a win. In fact, I’d go one further and suggest that its our series to lose. Despite all the criticisms leveled at Crazy Eyes so far, He’s certainly shown me enough to be confident in his ability to deliver in the Mourinho mould of score and hold.

For the game at Anfield tonight, I predict a 1-a-piece game. Based on the stats, I dont expect Gerrard to figure much and by extension, the fearsome Torres. Benitez will probably play Crouch by himself upfront.

Lamps is back in training with the squad after being away to tend to sickness in the family. I’m hopeful that Ballack will be back from his kneck injury to lead the attack from the midfield. This is more for him being in my fantasy side at the last minute than me thinking he’s a good starting option. LOL

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