Chelsea Bounces Back After Two Defeats

A youthful Chelsea FC side needed a late winner from Florent Malouda to secure a fifth consecutive UEFA Champions League victory as they finished top of Group F.

Second-half goals from Daniel Sturridge and Florent Malouda came to the rescue of Carlo Ancelotti's reshuffled side, who fell behind to Babatounde Bello's fine 19th-minute strike for MŠK Žilina. The visitors were unrecognisable from the side that suffered a record 7-0 home defeat against Olympique de Marseille on Matchday 4, and looked set to earn their first point of the campaign despite Sturridge's equaliser six minutes after half-time, only for Malouda to pounce with four minutes of regulation time remaining.

Ancelotti made seven changes to the side that beat FC Spartak Moskva 4-1 on Matchday 4, notably handing a full debut to 17-year-old midfielder Josh McEachran and giving starts to defenders Patrick van Aanholt and Jeffrey Bruma, with Ross Turnbull between the posts. There was an understandable lack of the usual fluidity from the hosts in the opening stages, and the visitors took full advantage to snatch an unexpected advantage. Picking up the ball outside the area, Bello twice swapped passes neatly with Róbert Jež before steering a shot past Turnbull with his right foot.

It was just what the game needed, giving Tomáš Majtán the confidence to ghost past two Chelsea defenders before unleashing a vicious angled shot which Turnbull did well to block at his near post. At the other end, Sturridge and Malouda both tested Martin Dúbravka and the latter was particularly unlucky to see a thunderous 20-metre effort deflected away for a corner.

Ancelotti replaced Gaël Kakuta with Salomon Kalou at the interval and the Ivorian only needed six minutes to make an impact, his cross from the left somehow finding its way through for Sturridge to rifle in from an acute angle at the far post. With pressure mounting, Chelsea promptly set about looking for a winner and very nearly found it a few minutes later.

Dúbravka was at full stretch to tip Didier Drogba's angled free-kick from the left on to the crossbar and Branislav Ivanović could only head over when Bruma pulled the ball back.
Van Aanholt had no better luck when his rasping shot hit the post, but Chelsea's experienced heads secured the points with time running out. Substitute Nicolas Anelka sent over the cross from the left, Drogba headed firmly down and Malouda stuck out a leg to guide the ball in.

 Finally, this victory is a relief for Coach Anceloti.

Latest Injury Concern To Terry and Alex

Chelsea captain John Terry and defender Alex have been ruled out of actions for the next two months as a result of new injuries. Terry limped out during the last match against sunderland but scans have shown that the injury will take some weeks to heal alongside his counterpart Alex.

Though, terry is expected to see Italian specialists concerning his fitness level just as he is committed to help Chelsea will their first champions league trophy.

Can Chelsea go the way without this two key players?

Only Time Will Tell

Chelsea Vs Liverpool Today

Liverpool will be on fire today as chelsea plans to shoot them down in the clash of the english premier league this weekend.

Watch out

Chelsea Vs Wolves Report

Flourient Malouda and Solomon Kalou produced two goals, one in each half respectively as chelsea defeated a stubborn and hard fighting Wolves in Todays English primier league match decided at stamford bridge.

John Obi Mikel saw yellow in the dying minutes of the encounter but could not stop chelsea from winning the game while Bera And Stearman also saw yellow cards for wolves.

Kudos Blues

Chelsea push over Stoke

Chelsea produced a below performance when they defeated stoke city 2 -0 in the English primier league Week three feature decided at stamford bridge.
Florient Malouda opened the scoring in the first half as Frank Lampard missed a penalty in the first half.
Didier Drogba converted the second penalty that was awarded in the second half as Nicolas Anelka was brought down in the area in the second half.
Final score is Chelsea 2 Stoke 0

Wigan 0 Chelsea 6

Chelsea bounced back to the top of the table as they defeated wigan six nil.

Chelsea produced the same superb performance as they produced last by smashing six good goals against a helpless wigan athletic in front of their home fans at JJB stadium.

Florient Malouda started the showas he did last week by scoring the first just as Nicholas Anelka scored the second and third goals respectively.

Solomon Kalou added the fourth and fifth before the new signing Benanyon scored the sixth to complete the route.

Kudos the Blues

Welcome Back Blues

Drogba produced the first hattrick of 2010 / 2011season as chelsea white washed west brom 6 -0 in the opening day game at the stamford bridge. Malouda opened scoring in 6th minute and also added the second in the injury time while Lampard scored the other goal to complete the sixth goal of the game.

Man of the Match: Didier Drogba

Exits, Are they proper for Our team

Joe Cole and Michael Ballack on the brink of their Chelsea exit.

Blues, are these exits in our best interest.

Please comment

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MAN U 1 CHELSEA 2

Man Utd   1 - 2   Chelsea

Drogba fires in the crucial second as the United defence look for the offside flag

By Phil McNulty Chief football writer

Chelsea regained control of the title race as victory at Old Trafford saw them leapfrog Manchester United at the Premier League summit.
Didier Drogba's contentious strike - scored from a clearly offside position with 11 minutes remaining - was the decisive moment as Chelsea established a two-point lead at the top of the table.
Drogba only emerged as a late substitute after being left on the bench in favour of Nicolas Anelka, but his priceless strike was a moment of triumph for coach Carlo Ancelotti and perfect reward for his bold tactical move.
Joe Cole's clever flick gave Chelsea a well-merited lead after 20 minutes as Sir Alex Ferguson's champions struggled for creativity with injured inspiration Wayne Rooney watching in frustration from the sidelines.

Battling victory delights Ancelotti

Drogba's goal looked to have sealed Chelsea's win, but Federico Macheda's scrambled effort - which also had a hint of handball - set up a grandstand finish in which Rooney's replacement Dimitar Berbatov wasted a glorious chance to equalise.
Chelsea, who had the game's outstanding performer in Florent Malouda, have produced the perfect response to their Champions League exit against Inter Milan and a tame draw at Blackburn. Twelve goals against Portsmouth and Aston Villa provided the platform and confidence for what could prove to be a pivotal victory.
United looked jaded after their midweek exertions in the Champions League defeat at Bayern Munich and they will rightly be furious at the manner of Drogba's debatable goal, but Chelsea were the more impressive team for long periods and have been swiftly reinstalled as title favourites.
Ancelotti created a stir with his starting line-up by keeping Drogba on the bench and retaining the team that thrashed Aston Villa 7-1. He saw his faith reap rich dividends as Chelsea dominated the first 45 minutes.

FOOTBALL BLOG Ancelotti put his reputation on the line by keeping Drogba under wraps at the start, no doubt well aware of where the finger of blame would point had Chelsea failed to secure the win they needed Phil McNulty

Chelsea were the sharper team in the early exchanges and it was no surprise when they took the lead with a goal that typified their approach.
Malouda, a player transformed from the struggles at the start of his Chelsea career, drove deep into United's penalty area and his low cross was cleverly flicked past Edwin van der Sar by Cole.
United, with Berbatov isolated, were left frustrated and this was illustrated by Paul Scholes, who was lucky to still be on the pitch after escaping with a late tackle from behind on Deco before being booked for a foul on Malouda.
Referee Mike Dean, at the centre of controversy after wrongly awarding Blackburn a penalty at Burnley last Sunday, was in the spotlight again as he waved away spot-kick appeals from both sides.

Officials got the big decisions wrong - Phelan

United felt Ji-Sung Park had been fouled by Yuri Zhirkov, while Chelsea believed Anelka had been bundled over by Gary Neville. Dean ignored the appeals, and, in his defence, both incidents were inconclusive.
Chelsea were inches away from a second goal shortly after the interval when Cole's perfectly weighted pass played in Paulo Ferreira, but the defender was indecisive in an attacking position and his half-hit effort rolled inches wide.
United finally managed to build momentum as the hour approached, and Berbatov stretched to direct Ryan Giggs' cross just off target.
Ancelotti responded by shuffling his resources in attack with 20 minutes left, replacing Anelka with Drogba, who was being watched from the stands by new Ivory Coast coach Sven-Goran Eriksson.
And he demonstrated what he is all about within 10 minutes of entering the action, albeit in controversial circumstances. He raced on to Salomon Kalou's pass and buried a finish past Van der Sar, but he was at least a yard offside when he received the pass.

Cole confident of helping Chelsea to title

If Chelsea thought this would pave the way to a comfortable conclusion, they were thinking again inside two minutes as Macheda pulled a goal back for United. He bundled a finish over the line after Petr Cech half-cleared from Nani, although there was a suggestion of handball from the Italian.
In a predictably hectic finale, Berbatov should have levelled for United, only to volley Neville's cross straight at Cech.
It was the final act of the drama - and the Chelsea celebrations illustrated the significance of these three points.

Blues Bounces Back

Lampard hits four in rout
Yury Zhirkov, James Collins
GettyImages
Yury Zhirkov is brought down by James Collins
Scoring Summary
Chelsea Aston Villa
Frank Lampard (15) John Carew (29)
Frank Lampard (pen 44)
Florent Malouda (57)
Frank Lampard (pen 62)
Florent Malouda (68)
Salomon Kalou (83)
Frank Lampard (90)
Match Stats
Chelsea Aston Villa
Shots (on Goal) 17(9) 10(2)
Fouls 13 9
Corner Kicks 8 6
Offsides 4 3
Time of Possession 61% 39%
Yellow Cards 3 2
Red Cards 0 0
Saves 1 2
Match Information
Stadium: Stamford Bridge, England
Attendance: 41,825
Match Time: 15:00 UK
Official(s):
Peter Walton (Referee)

Teams
Chelsea Aston Villa
1 Petr Cech 1 Brad Friedel
26 John Terry 5 Richard Dunne
33 Alex 29 James Collins
18 Yuri Zhirkov 25 Stephen Warnock
19 Paulo Ferreira 2 Luke Young
12 John Mikel Obi 4 Steve Sidwell
8 Frank Lampard 19 Stiliyan Petrov
20 Deco 7 Ashley Young
15 Florent Malouda 8 James Milner
39 Nicolas Anelka 11 Gabriel Agbonlahor
10 Joe Cole 10 John Carew

Substitutes
13 Michael Ballack Stewart Downing 6
11 Didier Drogba Habib Beye 23
22 Ross Turnbull Carlos Jimenez Cuellar 24
21 Salomon Kalou Moustapha Salifou 17
23 Daniel Sturridge Curtis Davies 15
52 Patrick Van Aanholt Brad Guzan 22
43 Jeffrey Bruma Nathan Delfouneso 14
Substitutions

Michael Ballack for Deco (72)
Nathan Delfouneso for John Carew (63)
Salomon Kalou for Joe Cole (76)
Stewart Downing for Stiliyan Petrov (63)
Patrick Van Aanholt for Yuri Zhirkov (77)
Habib Beye for Gabriel Agbonlahor (72)
Yellow Cards
Yuri Zhirkov (31)
Stiliyan Petrov (28)
Deco (39)
Richard Dunne (61)
Paulo Ferreira (48)

· Club Squads: Chelsea | Aston Villa

Updated: March 27, 2010, 7:04 AM UK
Frank Lampard grabbed four as Chelsea demolished Aston Villa to soar back to the top of the Premier League table.

• Wilkins confident for United test

Lampard's quartet made him third-highest scorer in the club's history - eclipsing legends Roy Bentley and Peter Osgood with 151 goals.

Lampard was assisted by a double from Florent Malouda and another from substitute Salomon Kalou as Carlo Ancelotti's side smashed in 12 goals in four days.

Chelsea have now scored 82 goals so far this season and apart from John Carew's first-half equaliser, the Blues were in cruise control for long periods.

The victory put them back in front of Manchester United by two points although Sir Alex Ferguson's side play Bolton in the early evening kick-off.

Chelsea, who left 30-goal top scorer Didier Drogba on the bench, started brightly enough with Deco finding Nicolas Anelka inside the Villa penalty area in the third minute.

But the France international, given the task of leading the attack in place of Drogba, shot into the arms of Brad Friedel at his near post.

Drogba, who scored twice in the 5-0 midweek demolition of Portsmouth, was rested according to the club's assistant coach Ray Wilkins.

Lampard tried to surprise Friedel in the 14th minute with a low drive from 30 yards but the American goalkeeper was untroubled by the bounce.

But Chelsea went ahead a minute later when Malouda's low cross was turned home at the far post by Lampard.

It was the England midfielder's 18th goal of the season in all competitions.

Villa's Stephen Warnock required treatment to a head injury after a collision with Joe Cole in the 23rd minute.

Controversy erupted in the 27th minute when John Mikel Obi appeared to elbow James Milner.

But referee Peter Walton booked Villa captain Stiliyan Petrov for protesting about Mikel's challenge and took no action against the Chelsea midfielder.

However, Villa were jubilant in the 29th minute when they equalised through Carew.

He converted a superb curling cross from Ashley Young at the far post to score his ninth goal in eight games.

Moments later Yury Zhirkov, who was clearly at fault for allowing Carew to ghost into space at the far post for Villa's goal, was booked for a foul Gabriel Agbonlahor.

Deco followed his Chelsea team-mate in the book moments later for a foul on Milner in the 40th minute.

But Chelsea restored their lead in the 44th minute through a Lampard penalty.

Referee Walton adjudged Zhirkov had been fouled by Villa defender James Collins as he burst into the penalty area and Lampard converted the spot-kick with ease.

Chelsea went 3-1 up in the 57th minute when Malouda finished off a sweeping move by the hosts.

Deco's clever ball inside the full-back found Zhirkov in space and his cross was met perfectly by Malouda for the France international to score his 12th of the season.

Chelsea gave away a dangerous free-kick on the edge of the penalty area seconds later when Paulo Ferreira fouled Agbonlahor.

But Milner's effort was straight into the defensive wall to the dismay of the Villa fans.

Chelsea made Villa pay in the 62nd minute when Lampard grabbed his hat-trick, and his 20th of the season, with his second penalty of the game.

Zhirkov was again fouled, this time by Richard Dunne, and Lampard beat Friedel to become the joint third-highest scorer in the club's history.

It was a game of landmarks for the Blues with John Terry becoming the club's all-time record captain. His 325th appearance eclipsed former great Ron Harris and it was also Terry's 450th outing for the club.

In the 68th minute, rampant Chelsea made it 5-1 when Ferreira and Lampard combined to set-up Malouda for his second of the game and his 13th of the season.

In the 82nd minute substitute Kalou sent a curling shot around Friedel's right-hand post but he found the target a minute later when he drilled the ball past Friedel from 18 yards.

Lampard then made it 7-1 with his fourth of the game in added time as Villa's 10-match unbeaten run came to a crashing halt.

It also made the midfielder the third-highest scorer in the club's history with 151 goals - only Kerry Dixon and Bobby Tambling are now ahead of him.

# Wilkins confident for United test

Assistant coach Ray Wilkins says Chelsea will go to Manchester United next weekend brimming with confidence after taking their goal tally to 82 for the season and 12 in their last two outings since shaking off their Champions League exit.

"We will go to Manchester United with the utmost confidence because we are playing good football, defending well and attacking with pace and power," he said. "We are looking a good side again.

"I am not sure what message it sends out but, as far as we are concerned in the camp, we are delighted with the way things are going.

"We are playing some very good football and the work ethic is absolutely top drawer. We have a group of winners. The goal difference is in our favour but I still think there are many more twists and turns to come and I think it will go to the wire.

"The guys were first class today. They played some lovely football and scored some very good goals and their work ethic was first class. The winning is the most important part but is always nice to score lots of goals."

Lampard is now the third-highest goalscorer in the history of the club, with his quartet taking him to 151 goals, beyond Chelsea legends Roy Bentley and Peter Osgood. Only Kerry Dixon and Bobby Tambling now lie ahead of him.

"What a performance as well," Wilkins said. "It is no fluke. The fella works extremely had week-in, week-out in training and he just takes that out on to the pitch and performs as he did today.

"Frank is world class. When you consistently score goals and play to the level he has over the years, you would have to say he is world class.

"He is invaluable to us. He has the ability to get forward but also the ability to get back and defend as well. He just loves playing football. He trains as he plays."

Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill admitted the defeat been one of the worst days of his managerial career.

Villa, who face Chelsea in the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley in a fortnight, were given a real lesson by the Blues.

"We were well beaten," said O'Neill. "At 3-1 we capitulated which is unlike us. It was a tough lesson to take. We have not conceded too many goals this season. We have been well and truly hammered today.

"We have the same opposition in a fortnight and we will need to do an awful lot better. I would not have seen it coming at half-time. Despite the concession of a late penalty, we were well and truly in the game."

Villa's chances of finishing in fourth spot now look slim as they languish seven points behind Tottenham.

"We have to fight back and we intend to do so, but we have to put some things in perspective and we were well beaten by a top quality team," he said. "But from our own view point, that was not good enough. In terms of finishing fourth? On that performance we would not finish 44th.

"It's as devastating as I have felt in the game. I have been in the game as a player and manager for some considerable time and you get taught quite a few lessons along the way, but that was as tough as any.

"We did not compete and that is something I could not level at the team too many times this season."

CHELSEA BACK TO THE TOP

Chelsea stormed back to the top of the Premier League with another superb home performance as they ended Birmingham's 15-match unbeaten run in fine style.

Florent Malouda got the ball rolling with the simplest of headers after some good work down the right by Joe Cole.
And Frank Lampard grabbed the second with a typically pin-point 20-yarder.
Birmingham had only two shots on goal, Petr Cech saving the best from Keith Fahey, and Lampard slammed in a third late on to wrap up a comprehensive win.
The results means the Londoners, thanks in part to rivals Arsenal's failure to beat Aston Villa at Villa Park, return to the top of the table after falling off the number one spot last weekend for the first time in three months.

McLeish deflated after defeat by Chelsea

And with key striker Didier Drogba due to return to the squad this weekend following the Ivory Coast's exit from the Africa Cup of Nations, the Blues' title rivals could not possibly underestimate the challenge Chelsea pose in such apparently irrepressible form.
Not that Chelsea have missed the frontman's presence, as they have scored 17 goals in the four matches they have played without him.
This, too, was a performance full of intent from the hosts, and against one of the most in-form sides in the Premier League.
Had they held out against Carlo Ancelotti's side, Birmingham would have equalled Nottingham Forest's record of of 13 matches unbeaten for a newly-promoted side in the top flight - set in 1994-95 season.
But resisting a Chelsea outfit that has won 31 out of 33 points available at Stamford Bridge this season, including a 7-2 rout of Sunderland last time out, was always going to be a difficult proposition.


The visitors simply had no answer to Chelsea's passing and movement. With Deco the fulcrum, Lampard typically effervescent, and Joe Cole always inventive, Birmingham were given barely a glimpse of the football all night.
And the visitors' task was made all the more difficult by Malouda's early goal.
Joe Cole, in arguably his best performance since his return from a knee injury, created it, beating Lee Bowyer for pace down the right and then crossing to present Malouda with the easiest task of heading home unmarked from six yards out.
Cameron Jerome saw his shot deflected narrowly over the Chelsea crossbar off his strike partner Chucho Benitez at the other end, but the hosts' dominance was otherwise complete.
Joe Cole twice went close with long range efforts, Ballack stung the palms of keeper Joe Hart, and Ricardo Carvalho slammed a header against the post from a Malouda corner as the Londoners toyed with Birmingham at times.
So it was no surprise when Chelsea doubled their lead, Lampard finding plenty of room on the edge of the box, taking a touch, and then slamming precisely into the far corner.
It prompted a slight relaxation in the hosts' approach, allowing Birmingham a rare spell in possession, but Ancelotti's men were back on their mettle at the start of the second half and Ballack, twice, threatened a third.
First he brought a smart stop from Hart with a neat header from Ashley Cole's cross and then his clever flick from Malouda's corner drifted narrowly over.
Birmingham, though, have been nothing if not resolute this season, and twice in a couple of minutes they forged chances out of nothing with the minutes ticking down.
James McFadden should have done better when he dragged wide of Cech's goal from inside the box, before substitute Fahey brought a flying save from the Czech keeper moments later when his toe-poke looked to be heading into the top corner.
It was an admirable, albeit brief, rally from the visitors but it served only in focusing the Chelsea players as they entered the closing stages.
And few could argue that Chelsea did not deserve the third when it came, Lampard striding on to Malouda's pass and firing low past Hart with barely a minute left on the clock.
It means Birmingham stay eighth in the table, though they need feel no shame in succumbing to a superb Chelsea performance.
As for the hosts, an 11th clean sheet of the season only added to a fine night at Stamford Bridge as they march forward in their attempts to win the league title for the first time since 2006.

---

Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti:
"We use all the pitch to attack and so Frank is able to run into the box to score. I think he's the best running midfielder in the world. He has this fantastic quality to time his run into the box.
"It's good we are back at the top. We have one more point with a game in hand on United and two points more than Arsenal.
"That's important because on Sunday United play Arsenal. Maybe we can improve our position on Saturday."
Birmingham boss Alex McLeish:
"I don't think anyone has won here this season and they have battered better teams than us.
"I'm not disappointed with the players at all. They deserve tremendous credit for the run they have been on and they have the character to bounce back.
"Chelsea are a good side. They have the foreign flavour, the keep-ball and movement is excellent. They are one of the favourites for the Champions League, let alone the Premier League.
"We have kept the ball better than that and were wasteful in possession, but I'll forgive the players this one. There's no disgrace losing here."

CHELSEA 7 SUNDERLAND 2

Sunday, January 17, 2010
Anelka Inspires Magnificent Seven
Nicolas Anelka led the way as Chelsea smashed seven past hapless Sunderland to cement their lead at the top of the Barclays Premier League table.
The leaders swept the injury-plagued Black Cats aside, racing into a 4-0 lead inside 34 minutes despite the absence of African Nations Cup quartet Didier Drogba, Michael Essien, John Obi Mikel and Salomon Kalou.
Anelka set the ball rolling with just eight minutes gone, rounding keeper Marton Fulop to make it 1-0, and Florent Malouda doubled his side's advantage with a superb solo effort nine minutes later.
Full-back Ashley Cole had the Stamford Bridge crowd on their feet once again with 22 minutes gone when he controlled John Terry's pass and dummied the covering Daryl Murphy before beating Fulop. That was the Premier League's 18,000th goal.
Cole then set up Lampard to volley home a fourth 11 minutes before the break.
Michael Ballack added a fifth seven minutes after the restart, and although substitute Bolo Zenden pulled one back against his former club four minutes later, Anelka helped himself to his second when he made the most of Fulop's misdirected 65th-minute punch.
Lampard wrapped up the rout at the death and Darren Bent's injury-time strike proved scant consolation.

Postponement

Hull Vs Chelsea has been postponed today due to weather reasons.

Advantage for Nations Cup Participants.