Chelsea Vs Portsmouth

[chelsea91]

Portsmouth include summer signings Peter Crouch, Younes Kaboul and Jerome Thomas in their squad for Sunday's Barclays Premier League match at Chelsea.

However manager Harry Redknapp will be without Sean Davis (hip), Glen Little, Noe Pamarot (both thigh), David Nugent, Richard Hughes and Linvoy Primus (all groin). Kanu could feature on the bench after recovering from a thigh injury.

John Utaka and Papa Bouba Diop may both start in midfield while Kaboul may have to settle for a place on the bench as cover for Sol Campbell and Sylvain Distin.


Portugal internationals
Nicolas Anelka will start as Chelsea's lone striker as Didier Drogba is still recovering from a knee injury.

Fellow forward Andriy Shevchenko is still not fully fit following groin surgery and Salomon Kalou is away at the Olympic Games.

The match marks manager Luiz Felipe Scolari's first in charge and he is set to hand debuts to Portugal internationals Jose Bosingwa and Deco.


Squads
Chelsea: Cech, Cudicini, Bosingwa, Belletti, Terry, Carvalho, Alex, A Cole, J Cole, Lampard, Essien, Ballack, Deco, Mikel, Anelka, Wright-Phillips, Malouda, Pizarro, di Santo.

Portsmouth: James, Johnson, Campbell, Distin, Hreidarsson, Utaka, Diop, Diarra, Kranjcar, Defoe, Crouch, Lauren, Cranie, Kaboul, Thomas, Traore, Kanu, Mvuemba, Wilson, Ashdown.

[delfino_1936]

PLAY UP POMPEY

POMPEY PLAY UP

nothing i'd rather see than pompey break the Chelski undefeated home record

[pires7]

can't wait to see Big Phil's first game in charge!

[SpursOnTheRise]

Chelsea 1-2 portsmouth
Deco-----Crouch
----------Kaboul stoppage time winner!!!

[adriano10]

soooo pumped...

come on u blues!!!!

[manU4life]

lol at younes kaboul.....i think hes worse than boulahrouz,bramble and boumsong put together

[totsreds08]

lol at younes kaboul.....i think hes worse than boulahrouz,bramble and boumsong put together

is that possible?

[ronaldo07]

come on porsmouth!! come on crouch !!

[ComeOnYouBlues]

He's here, He's there, He's every fucking where it's Joey Cole! 1-0

[# 9]

anelka!, fuck off chelsea. cmon portsmouth where are ya.

[totsreds08]

wtf

[ronnie.Milan]

Chelsea is looking the goods for this season.

[Rocky10]

HALF TIME

Chelsea [3 - 0] Portsmouth

12' [1 - 0] J. Cole

26' [2 - 0] N. Anelka

45' [3 - 0] F. Lampard (pen.)

45' D. James - Yellow

[pires7]

Holy Deco

[ruud]

chelsea played sexy football

[barbarez01]

chelsea played sexy football

it will be their first and last time.

[FT9]

chelsea played sexy football

it will be their first and last time.

yea no worries buddy chelsea hav the best chance of winning the epl this year
no matter what anyone says they even hav a better chance then man u....

nd for deco wow himself nd scolari they jus compliment the line up chelsea posess

[E. Grant & Co]

What a good start to the new campaign but its only game 1 of 38 league fixtures so lets not get carried away, we haven't done anything yet but it was a great start 4 zip at home, what a fortress.

Just want to congratulate Newcastle Utd, good start for them as well, not too many teams are going to collect points at Old Trafford. Well done Kev!

[E. Grant & Co]

By BBC's Phil McNulty - How good was Chelsea's first display under Scolari?

Scolari surprised by winning margin

Chelsea 4-0 Portsmouth

Luiz Felipe Scolari's reign as Chelsea boss started in style with an impressive win against Portsmouth.

Joe Cole slid home Michael Ballack's pass after 12 minutes and Nicolas Anelka headed in Deco's cross from close range in the 26th minute.

Frank Lampard added the third from the spot on the stroke of half-time after Sylvain Distin handled.

And Deco crowned a superb Chelsea debut with a swerving shot from 25 yards a minute from the end.

Scolari hopes to bring a more attractive brand of football to Stamford Bridge - and his new charges certainly delivered in their first Premier League game.

But the display should also be placed in the context of a truly wretched performance from Harry Redknapp's side, who looked a shadow of the unit that had an impressive campaign last season.

Chelsea took only 12 minutes to score the first goal of the Scolari era, and it was perfectly fashioned as Ballack's pass with the outside of his foot found Joe Cole, who slid a finish beyond James.

Anelka almost added a second when he was denied by James after racing clear - but it was only a temporary reprieve for Portsmouth as the striker was on target after 26 minutes.

Jose Bosingwa's cross was retrieved by Deco, who was having an outstanding first half, and Anelka headed home with James stranded out of position.

Anelka's pace was proving too much for Portsmouth, and he shot narrowly wide after racing clear.

Chelsea lost Ballack to injury after 37 minutes, but his replacement Florent Malouda almost had an instant impact with a driven cross that flashed across the face of goal.

Portsmouth had a half-chance when Petr Cech was forced into a block from Niko Kranjcar, the Chelsea keeper recovering to block another effort from Peter Crouch.

Portsmouth were being totally outclassed, and the scoreline was given a more realistic appearance when Chelsea took a three-goal lead in the dying seconds of the opening period.

How good was Chelsea's first display under Scolari?
Distin handled Joe Cole's cross and Lampard beat James with ease form the spot.

Chelsea continued to press after the break, with both Anelka and Joe Cole only inches away from adding to Portsmouth's misery.

Little had been seen of Portsmouth's new strike force of Crouch and Jermain Defoe, but it finally showed glimpses of promise with 13 minutes left.

Crouch headed a long ball into Defoe's path, but he was stretching and steered his finish wide.

Chelsea deserved a fourth goal, and it was fitting that Deco got it with two minutes to go, firing in from 25 yards via the hands of James, who should have done better.

Owner Roman Abramovich was all smiles at the final whistle as he revelled in the first impressions created by his new manager.

Chelsea boss Luiz Felipe Scolari:
"I think the owner is happy, like the other fans.

"Portsmouth didn't think we would play like we did and we were more aggressive than last season. I think they were surprised by our team.

"I only give the players the freedom to play and allow them to express their style."

Portsmouth boss Harry Redknapp:
"You're not going to break into the top four. No-one is this year.

"Spurs have got a squad and can't even win at Middlesbrough, so you start forgetting about them.

"The top four are on another level. We've improved our standard in the last three or four years but, today, you step up into a different level."

[King Ledley]

Chelsea playing some pretty good looking football with plenty of pressure. Portsmouth midfield couldn't do anything. Well deserved win and if they had taken there chances then there could have been more.

Can't wait to watch Chelsea v Arsenal.


lol @ Mikel's shots and the second one Scolari peaked it

[SPURS18]

Goals?

[getborn]

chelsea played impressive football.

early days i know.

[ozzie owl]

He's here, He's there, He's every fucking where it's Joey Cole! 1-0

Joe Cole was awsome.

[chelsea91]

Two words... BEAUTIFUL FOOTBALL Very very pleased with the win.. but still a long way to go!

[delfino_1936]

fuck me they looked good.
Adriano10 was very very happy.

I look forward to us playing them, but i think Pompey got the tactics totally wrong.
Due to Chelski usually not playing a nice brand of football, Pompey allowed them to play which imo is what killed them

[# 9]

portsmouth were pretty woeful, gave the ball away to many times, got their positioning and marking all wrong. they made chelsea look better. credit to debut deco

[The Waterboy]

I think that Portsmouth have a great team but......
they do not have a great central midfielder like other teams do.
If they buy Elano or Jenas they can go places

[barbarez01]

I think that Portsmouth have a great team but......
they do not have a great central midfielder like other teams do.
If they buy Elano or Jenas they can go places

[delfino_1936]

I think that Portsmouth have a great team but......
they do not have a great central midfielder like other teams do.
If they buy Elano or Jenas they can go places

[nachoman]

finally anelka plays a decent game
lets hope this season is better for him