Champions League - Team news: Blues depleted

[E. Grant & Co]

Eurosport - Tue, 15 Sept: 2009


Chelsea will be without banned duo Didier Drogba and Jose Bosingwa and a host of injured stars as they host Porto in their Champions League Group D opener.

Ivory Coast striker Drogba and Portugal right-back Bosingwa were suspended for their misconduct after the semi-final defeat to Barcelona last season and will miss the first three and two games of this term's competition respectively.

They will also have to make do without injured midfielders Joe Cole, Yuri Zhirkov (both knee) and Deco (calf), while defenders Paulo Ferreira (knee) and Alex (groin) are also absent.

Striker Nicolas Anelka will probably be partnered by Salomon Kalou after the latter started in the 2-1 win at Stoke, while Branislav Ivanovic is set to play right-back.

Their injury and suspension problems mean defenders Sam Hutchinson and Jeffrey Bruma have been called into Carlo Ancelotti's squad along with Italian U19 international striker Fabio Borini.

"We know Porto well; they have good quality, their forwards are very quick and we must pay attention," Ancelotti (pictured) told UEFA.

"There's a real possibility we can do very well this season. The first objective should be to reach the final, not to win. We want to get there, it's not easy, but I think we have a possibility to do this."

Porto have no injuries or suspensions.

New striker Radmael Falcao has scored four goals in four league games this season after being drafted in to replace Lucho Gonzalez and will partner Hulk.

"I don't know why we can't beat English teams (having failed to win in 12 attempts in England)," Porto coach Jesualdo Ferreira said.

"I hope this will change under my management, but I don't have an explanation. I can't say why and hopefully the situation will change soon."

If Chelsea are going to lose any match this is the most likely one.

[ozzie owl]

Gee having to use academy players now that is a first at Chelsea

[E. Grant & Co]

Gee having to use academy players now that is a first at Chelsea

I think you should go back and do some research about their history.........you may find that they have over the course of many years brought many fine young players through their ranks.

But that won't mean anything to you because no matter what they do you will heap s hit upon them............

[ozzie owl]

Gee having to use academy players now that is a first at Chelsea

I think you should go back and do some research about their history.........you may find that they have over the course of many years brought many fine young players through their ranks.

But that won't mean anything to you because no matter what they do you will heap s hit upon them............

They have in past but with an owner who has ploughed hundreds of millions into the club, the priority has been to buy players for instant success. I have the same fears for Man City which has a fine academy but the new owners may not have the patience to develope players.
It is not just having a go at Chelsea but is symptomatic of many big clubs.

[E. Grant & Co]

I agree with you that it some times appears that clubs want/need instant success to keep up with the expense of being a top club, hence they go out and buy players who can play first team football straight away, but hasn't Chelsea just been banned from the transfer market for grabbing hold of a kid, who won't play first team football for a couple of years?

All of the big clubs HAVE to go out and get regular first team players every year and balance that with a development program that also brings some young players along. It's a catch 22 situation for them really, they have to go out and get first team footballers so they can stay at the top and use money to develop younger players.

I can't see the problem! I want my club to be successful and to be competing for trophies every year. I'm glad Roman came along.

[El Pibe D'Oro]

what games and what times are on sbs??

[E. Grant & Co]

what games and what times are on sbs??

4:30am Marseille v AC Milan - Live to Eastern States only. (Sport)
7:00am Zurich v Real Madrid - Delayed to all centres.

[Le King]

espn need viewers choice lol
cnt wait 2 wake up in the mornin n watch the weather channel lol wonda wat cd they will b advertising

[TOPGUNJIMMYAUFC]

well, i watched that tonite, an boy, did he ever!!

man thats a 4 weeks min!!

deliberate kik in face!!

[Juventino]

what games and what times are on sbs??

4:30am Marseille v AC Milan - Live to Eastern States only. (Sport)
7:00am Zurich v Real Madrid - Delayed to all centres.

Marseille-Milan is on SBSTWO, Zurich vs Real is SBSONE.

[TOPGUNJIMMYAUFC]

sbs 2 not 1.....

an the man united game on 7am isn''t it......just making sure....

[TOPGUNJIMMYAUFC]

Adebayor charged

September 15, 2009 01:18am
Manchester City striker Emmanuel Adebayor has been charged with violent and improper conduct by the Football Association for his alleged stamp on Robin van Persie and for his goal celebration in Saturday's 4-2 victory over Arsenal.

Van Persie, Adebayor's former Arsenal teammate, was left with a cut on his face.

The FA has also charged the Togo striker in relation to running the length of the field to celebrate his goal against his former club in front of the Arsenal fans, who reacted violently and had to be keep under control by police and stewards.

[ozzie owl]

I agree with you that it some times appears that clubs want/need instant success to keep up with the expense of being a top club, hence they go out and buy players who can play first team football straight away, but hasn't Chelsea just been banned from the transfer market for grabbing hold of a kid, who won't play first team football for a couple of years?

All of the big clubs HAVE to go out and get regular first team players every year and balance that with a development program that also brings some young players along. It's a catch 22 situation for them really, they have to go out and get first team footballers so they can stay at the top and use money to develop younger players.

I can't see the problem! I want my club to be successful and to be competing for trophies every year. I'm glad Roman came along.

I think deep down most supporters of unsuccessful clubs woulfd love another Roman or Oil Sheik to buy them.Given the Owls lack of success I would probably love it as well.

[TOPGUNJIMMYAUFC]

Battling Chelsea reigns in rain


ROB HARRIS
September 16, 2009 09:00am
NICOLAS Anelka gave Chelsea a winning start to its Champions League campaign by clinching a 1-0 victory over Porto in the Group D opener overnight.

On a rain-soaked Stamford Bridge pitch, the France forward struck three minutes into the second half to see off the Portuguese champions on an unimpressive night for Chelsea.

"It was a great result, we weren't at our best tonight but it was a difficult night and we got the win," midfielder Frank Lampard said.

"You can't always play top, top football. The ball was skidding about, some of our passing went astray, but we've had to stay strong and win the game - and that's what we did."

So persistent was the rain in west London that a second-tier English league match at nearby Queens Park Rangers was postponed.

Given the goal-scoring opportunities presented to the Blues, Carlo Ancelotti's first European match in charge of the London club should have produced a greater margin of victory.

Ancelotti, a two-time European Cup winner as a player and a coach, has been hired to deliver the one trophy that continues to elude Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich.

Champions League football returned to Stamford Bridge for the first time since a last-minute Barcelona goal kept Chelsea out of May's final.

The effects of that hot-tempered night were still being felt last night as Ancelotti was denied the services of both Didier Drogba and Jose Bosingwa, who were serving UEFA suspensions as punishment for their postmatch outbursts.

Drogba, who will miss another two Champions League games in the six-match group stage, was sorely missed as Chelsea squandered a succession of chances and lacked the cutting edge to comfortably collect three points.

Lampard came close for Chelsea twice in the opening seven minutes, seeing one shot pushed wide by Helton and a free header blocked a point-blank range.

There was an early scare when Chelsea captain John Terry – voted the competition's best defender last year – went down after Bruno Alves' elbow crashed into his face while they went for an aerial ball.

The England international was knocked out for 10 seconds, but recovered to finish the match.

"I went out for a little bit, but managed to come round," Terry said. "It's a little bit sore still."

Alves escaped punishment, but two Chelsea players were booked by referee Konrad Plautz: Michael Essien for a sliding challenge on Hulk and Florent Malouda for fouling Fredy Guarin.

With Joe Cole recovering from a knee injury and yet to make his first appearance since January, Chelsea lacked the width to overwhelm the visitors.

Porto's main threat came from Hulk, who had a 25m strike blocked by Petr Cech's knees. From the resulting corner, Cristian Rodriguez headed over.

Fredy Guarin and Raul Meireles also tried to beat Cech with their heads.

"We had it difficult because we wanted to pass the ball in the center and Porto was very close in the center," said Ancelotti, who has now won his first six matches at Chelsea.

"We can't always play our best and we have won without playing well. This is an important thing for the team to win with our character.

"Our attacking play was good in the first half, but we had a problem in the second half to maintain the control of the play."

That is apart from the opening minutes when Chelsea made its decisive breakthrough.

Salomon Kalou fed Anelka, whose initial shot was parried by Helton before the forward blasted the rebound into the net from a tight angle.

"Conceding a goal so quickly made us try too hard," Porto coach Jesualdo Ferreira said through a translator.

"We showed good quality and played our game, but it's very difficult to come to Chelsea and face very attacking football and open up gaps without leaving ourselves exposed."

A Chelsea second goal should have come soon after the opener when Ashley Cole provided an inviting cross that Malouda could only head into the side netting.

Helton, though, pulled off a superb save to keep out a flash header from Kalou.

Porto had Fernando sent off for a second booking after a sliding challenging in stoppage time on Ashley Cole, who had been key to Chelsea capturing the three points.

[Chelsea4thewin]

espn is so gay

commentators are CHITTTTT