Chelsea FC - Supporters' Rally

[Glen2712]

PRE-MATCH BRIEFING: CHELSEA V MANCHESTER UTD


Here we go again! Club historian Rick Glanvill and statistician Paul Dutton look forward to Sunday's rematch of last season's FA Cup Finalists.


Rick is ready for a battle of minds on the bench and boots on the pitch.


Are you ready to part the season's curtains and raise the roof on Sunday? It doesn't seem two months ago that Didier Drogba played a one-two with Frank Lampard and brilliantly chipped the United keeper to settle the first final at the new Wembley. But nine months of uplifting, nail-biting battles is about to be joined again, and two of the Barclays Premier League's great generals square up to each other again.


Sunday's game will be the twelfth occasion José Mourinho has faced the elderly gum-chewing Scottish knight who opposes him at the weekend. Sir Alex Ferguson has triumphed in just one of the previous 11 encounters.


Of course the first two meetings happened while Chelsea's most successful manager was still at Porto, battling towards the last eight of the 2003/4 Champions League. Back then the Portuguese bantams edged the self-styled 'cock of the north' 2-1 at home and scored a last minute equaliser to secure the 1-1 draw at Old Trafford that saw them through in dramatic fashion.


José ran half the length of the pitch to celebrate his underdogs' success. Ferguson must have sensed their paths would cross again.


Since then the Chelsea boss has edged him out of the Premiership title, twice, the League Cup and, still vivid in the memory, the FA Cup final at the same venue as Sunday's game. He's also crossed swords in psychological warfare more successfully than anyone in the United boss's career.


Never the less there is mutual respect. When in pre-season Mourinho rightly directed the media's gaze towards the pressure that should be felt by this summer's big spenders, he emphasised Liverpool more than United.


Ferguson 'welcomed' Mourinho's suggestion that his presence in 2007/8 would be a mellower, quieter one, but there is no doubt the Portuguese's suggestions about United's fortunate last campaign got under the United man's skin.


Naturally, sparring masterminds can only have so much influence. The outcome this weekend will mostly be down to the players. Despite being the top two by a distance last campaign, United and Chelsea have both strengthened in the close season.


The Reds captured headlines with the early and expensive acquisition of creative youngsters Nani and Anderson, followed by Owen Hargreaves - the latest solution to their relative weakness in defensive midfield - and now the protracted negotiation for Tevez.


But the germ of the team that took the title away from Chelsea will remain the same. Nani and Anderson will almost certainly be introduced gradually to the Premier League.


Chelsea's new recruits are designed to plug weaknesses exposed by an exceptional injury list last season - a problem that has extended into pre-season.


The thought of fit-again Joe and Ashley Cole, Petr Cech, John Terry and the rest being available should be enough to inspire confidence for the League and Champions League.


And in the warm-up matches so far Steve Sidwell, Tal Ben-Haim and especially Florent Malouda and Claudio Pizarro have all impressed, as has the returning loanee Glen Johnson. The exciting Scott Sinclair has been awarded a first team squad place.


A full house in the national stadium and the meeting of the two best teams in England, if not Europe, will ensure that this is a competitive affair, even though defeat is pretty meaningless to the losing side.


We know well enough from previous results that no conclusions as to success over the season should be drawn either way.


But there's still nothing like beating your biggest rival when the rest of the nation is looking on.




FA COMMUNITY SHIELD - Paul Dutton lists the curtain raiser facts and figures.


The nine meetings between José Mourinho and Sir Alex Ferguson since August 2004 are:

15/8/04 PL Chelsea 1 (Gudjohnsen) Man Utd 0

12/1/05 LCSF Chelsea 0 Man Utd 0

26/1/05 LCSF Man Utd (Giggs) 1 Chelsea 2 (Lampard, Duff)

10/5/05 PL Man Utd (van Nistelrooy) 1 Chelsea 3 (Tiago, Gudjohnsen, J Cole)

6/11/05 PL Man Utd 1 (Fletcher) Chelsea 0

29/4/06 PL Chelsea 3 (Gallas, J Cole, Carvalho) Man Utd 0

26/11/06 PL Man Utd (Saha) 1 Chelsea 1 (Carvalho)

9/5/07 PL Chelsea 0 Man Utd 0

19/5/07 FACF Chelsea 1 (Drogba) Man Utd 0


Chelsea and Manchester United are meeting for the third time in both our last four competitive fixtures. We meet again in eight games time at Old Trafford on Sunday 23 September.


United have won more Charity/Community Shields than any other team with 11 wins and four shared: 1908, 1911, 1952, 1956, 1957, 1965 (shared with Liverpool), 1967 (shared with Tottenham), 1977 (shared with Liverpool), 1983, 1990 (shared with Liverpool), 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997 (against Chelsea) and 2003.


Chelsea have won the Shield on three occasions. In 1955 we won 3-0 over Newcastle at Stamford Bridge, in 2000 we beat Man Utd 2-0 at Wembley and in 2005 Arsenal were seen off 2-1 at the Millennium Stadium.


Our two previous Shield encounters with Manchester Utd were at Wembley:


Aug 3, 1997 - Man Utd won 4-2 on penalties after a 1-1 draw.

Chelsea: De Goey; Sinclair, Leb?uf, Clarke, Granville; Morris (Petrescu); Wise (c), Di Matteo; Poyet; M Hughes (Vialli), Zola.

Scorer: M Hughes. Penalty shoot out scorers: Zola, Leb?uf.

Man Utd: Schmeichel; Irwin, Johnsen, Pallister, P Neville; Scholes, Butt, Keane (c), Giggs (Beckham); Cole, Sheringham (Cruyff).

Scorer: Johnsen.Penalty shoot out scorers: Scholes, Irwin, Keane, Butt.

Crowd: 73,636

Referee: Peter Jones


Aug 13, 2000 - Chelsea won 2-0.

Chelsea: De Goey; Melchiot, Leb?uf, Desailly, Babayaro; Stanic, Wise (c), Di Matteo (Morris), Poyet (Le Saux); Hasselbaink, Zola (Gudjohnsen).

Scorers: Hasselbaink, Melchiot.

Man Utd: Barthez; G Neville, Johnsen, Silvestre (Stam), Irwin; Beckham, Keane (c), Scholes, Giggs (Fortune); Sheringham (Yorke), Solskjaer (Cole).

Crowd: 65,148

Referee: Mike Riley


The Shield was played at Wembley for the first time in 1974 and 67,000 witnessed Liverpool beat Leeds 6-5 on penalties after a 1-1 draw. Billy Bremner and Kevin Keegan were both sent off in a famously bad tempered affair.


The FA Charity Shield, as it was formally known, was first staged in 1908 and on the majority of occasions has featured the reigning English Champions and the FA Cup holders. Since 2002 it has been known as the FA Community Shield. The first fixture was played at Stamford Bridge between the Football League champions Manchester United and the Southern League champions QPR. United won 4-0 after a replay, also at Stamford Bridge. No Shield match has been replayed since then.


Stamford Bridge hosted Charity Shield matches on 11 occasions between 1908 and 1970.


Either Chelsea or Man Utd have featured in the last four Community Shields.


2003 Man Utd beat Arsenal on penalties after a 1-1 draw.

2004 Arsenal beat Man Utd 3-1.

2005 Chelsea beat Arsenal 2-1.

2006 Liverpool beat Chelsea 2-1.


United have spent heavily in the summer. Their moves to date are:

IN Owen Hargeaves (Bayern Munich), £16.8m rising to £20.2m, Anderson (Porto), £8m rising to £20.4m, Nani (Sporting Lisbon), £8m rising to £17.3m, Tomasz Kuszczak West Brom) undisclosed.


Congratulations to Salomon Kalou (22) and Wayne Bridge (27) who celebrate birthdays on Sunday.


Neither Chelsea nor Man Utd are missing players through suspension.


A similar format to the Community Shield is arranged in other European countries but is generally called the Super Cup. Chelsea players to have won such a trophy before coming to Stamford Bridge are Michael Ballack 2004 (Bayern Munich), Ashley Cole 2002 and 2004 (Arsenal), Ricardo Carvalho 2001 and 2003 (Porto), Michael Essien 2003 and 2004 (Lyon), Paulo Ferreira 2003 (Porto), Claude Makelele 2001 and 2003 (Real Madrid), Florent Malouda 2003, 2004 and 2005 (Lyon), Arjen Robben 2003 (PSV) and Andriy Shevchenko 2004 (AC Milan).


From our current squad, Carvalho, Cech, J Cole, Cudicini, Drogba, Ferreira, Lampard, Makelele, Robben, Terry and Wright-Phillips have won a 2005 Community Shield winner's medal and Cudicini also in 2000, as an unused substitute.


If the scores are level after 90 minutes, the winner will be decided on penalties. No extra time will be played.


Chelsea's overall record against Manchester Utd in all competitions is played 147, won 40, drawn 43, lost 64.




LAST SEASON'S COMMUNITY SHIELD

Liverpool 2 Chelsea 1

Sunday August 13th 2006, Millennium Stadium.

Liverpool: Reina, Finnan, Carragher, Agger, Riise; Pennant (Gerrard), Sissoko, Zenden (Alonso), Gonzalez (Aurelio); Luis Garcia (Bellamy); Crouch (Sinama-Pongolle).

Scorers: Riise, Crouch

Chelsea: Cudicini. Gérémi (Bridge), Carvalho, Terry (c), Ferreira (Mikel); Ballack (Kalou), Essien, Lampard; Shevchenko, Drogba (Wright-Phillips), Robben (Diarra).

Scorer: Shevchenko.

Crowd: 56,275

Referee: Martin Atkinson

[Glen2712]

CLARKE: WE WANT TO WIN


Steve Clarke has played down the importance of Sunday's Community Shield, but understands that playing Manchester United gives the game an extra edge.


Speaking ahead of training on Friday, Clarke said: 'It won't have any bearing on the season, it's still a pre-season match. The season starts with the Premier League, but when you play someone like Man United, one of our rivals for all the trophies next season obviously it gives the match an extra meaning.


'We want to win it and obviously they want to win it as well.'


The assistant manager was keeping his cards close to his chest regarding the team's tactics for Sunday, believing we have plenty of options for outfoxing our opponents.


'We have to wait and see, I'm not going to tell you how we're going to play against Man United at the weekend. The 4-4-2 with the wingers is a new system for us, one we haven't used before. We've worked on it extensively in pre-season training, the 4-3-3 system we know inside out, so I think next year it gives us good options,' he said.


Clarke also confirmed that Salomon Kalou won't be fit for the game, along with Wayne Bridge and Michael Ballack, but is hopeful that Kalou will be ready for the start of the Barclays Premier League season.


Clarke confirmed that Frank Lampard has a minor injury, but will be able to face Manchester United.


'Obviously he's fine for Sunday, he has got a small problem with his toe, but when you think his injury was caused four weeks ago, he hasn't missed a session and he hasn't missed a game. So that tells you it isn't a major injury, but it's a little bit uncomfortable for Frank,' explained the Scot.


With things hotting up before the league season starts next Saturday, Clarke is expecting a fight to regain the title, but is adamant it won't just be a two-horse race.


'We're the team that's chasing them, we'll enjoy the chase. They've strengthened the squad over the summer, we've strengthened our squad. We look forward to a good battle with them, but not only with them.


'Liverpool have strengthened, Arsenal are a good side, Tottenham are looking strong, so there's a lot of teams spending a lot of money on players this summer, so I think the league will be very competitive.'


New signings could be the key for which team prevails come May, with all of the top five investing in new talent. Clarke is happy with how our new additions have settled into life at Stamford Bridge.


'They've all settled in very well. We've had a good spirit in the club for a few years now, the boys that are here make it very comfortable and very easy for players to come in and settle in. You can see for yourself the facilities
here and the environment here makes it easy for them to settle,' he said.

[JWNY]

Chelsea is gonna win...Chelsea is gonna win

My Chelsea bros, if i do not come home to post at SBF after midnight tomorrow from E8...dial S.W.A.T

JWNY

[JWNY]

Blue Flag

Flying high, up in the sky,
We'll keep the blue flag flying high
From Stamford Bridge to Wembley
We'll keep the blue flag flying high

[Glen2712]

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: PETR CECH

If anyone should be looking forward to the new season, it's our man between the sticks, Petr Cech.


Following his nightmare injury at Reading last autumn, Cech went through a torrid time, missing several months of the season nursing a serious head injury.


Although he returned for the run in, the season ultimately ended in disappointment, despite the consolation of an FA Cup win at Wembley in May.


Cech is more than aware that he has some catching up do in 2007/8, and he's looking forward to the challenges ahead.


Speaking exclusively to www.chelseafc.com, he said: 'I went through a bad time last year, two surgeries is quite enough, so I hope it's all over for me and I can keep fit.


'It's been a good pre-season, we've been going to the States for four years and knew exactly what it was going to be all about, and now we need to prove it on the pitch. I feel well, I've been working hard, so lets see what happens on Sunday.'


Sunday is of course the Community Shield clash with Manchester United, the third time we have met them in four competitive games, and Cech is very familiar with what he is up against, especially their goalkeepers.


'Ben Foster is injured, really unlucky, so I think Edwin Van Der Sar, who had a great season last year, would have started anyway. We will see how they are, they played a few games, and they've been winning so far, but it's a first competitive game so you never know.


'You can play well the whole of pre-season but it doesn't mean you're going to start well in the competition.'


This too works the other way, with many admitting the Blues are yet to fire on all cylinders in the run up to the season.


This though doesn't apply to the goalkeepers, who have all been in fine form, producing top drawer saves, particularly Carlo Cudicini, who was man of the match against Feyenoord in Rotterdam.


'I think it's very good when you've got the competition between us, and if something happens with me then the other two guys, Carlo and Hilario have been working very well so it's good for the team,' said Petr, who is also conscious that at a top club, goalkeepers don't always get the same opportunities to impress as their outfield counterparts.


'I think you've got only the credit when you keep clean sheets and play well, and are decisive during the game. It's all you need to do, you've got one or two saves during the whole game - if you save you're successful, if you don't you're in trouble, so that's the goalkeeper's life in the big clubs.'


His own life at this particular big club is approaching 100 league games, and already he holds the record for the longest 'dry spell' for a goalkeeper in the league, at 1,024 minutes, but Cech isn't without further aims this year.


'My personal aims are to fulfil the club's wishes, the Champions League or the Premier League title again. For me personally it's important to keep playing at my standard, I hope I can reach it again and keep going on the same high I finished last season.


'I'm happy here and if they keep the same ambitions, winning, winning, winning, that's what I'm looking for. I'm happy with the people around and I'd like to stay.'


Clearly, we're not alone in the hunt for trophies, with José Mourinho suggesting there are five clubs challenging for the title, and Cech also believes it will be an open race for the championship.


'I think there's going to be more teams this year. I think there are still four favourites but everyone has been buying all summer, everyone good players. This year the Premiership will be much stronger, and hopefully for the supporters there will be more teams neck and neck. They've all bought good players, Newcastle, Portsmouth, Villa too.'


Before the bread and butter of the Premiership though, there is the Community Shield to play for, and Petr considers it the perfect opener to the new season.


'There will be a great atmosphere, sold out. We played at Wembley in the FA Cup, and I'm looking forward to the game again, 90,000 people, it's great.


'Chelsea and Manchester United, you can't ask for more.'

[no_faith]

Originally Posted by JWNY

Chelsea is gonna win...Chelsea is gonna win
My Chelsea bros, if i do not come home to post at SBF after midnight tomorrow from E8...dial S.W.A.T
JWNY

May the BLUE FORCE be with you.
tonite ur outing is to celebrate chelsea victory.

[Glen2712]

Chelsea, Chelsea Chelsea Chelsea (x3)
Chelsea, Chelsea Chelsea Chelsea (x3)
Chelsea, Chelsea Chelsea Chelsea (x3)
Chelsea, Chelsea Chelsea Chelsea (x3)
Chelsea, Chelsea Chelsea Chelsea (x3)
Chelsea, Chelsea Chelsea Chelsea (x3)

[Glen2712]

Community Shield


MATCH REPORT: CHELSEA 1 MANCHESTER UNITED 1 (0-3 ON PENS)


It was a repeat of 1997 as we went down on penalties in the Community Shield at Wembley, after we had come from behind against Manchester United.


It had been a frustrating game to watch, with both teams intent on not letting the other in, rather than going all out for a win, and so penalties were little surprise on the culmination of 90 minutes.


The game had been billed as a prologue to the season ahead, with the team coming out on top today possibly edging ahead in the title race.


The deadlock suggests the teams are neck and neck as we now enter the Premier League season, and manager José Mourinho will be hoping to come out on top after the narrowest of defeats.


The early stages of the game were particularly tight, with Ashley Cole catching the eye, several times looking to get forward beyond Ronaldo, but it was Shaun Wright-Phillips on the other flank who created the first opening, losing Evra before crossing low into the box.


Missing an out-and-out centre forward though, there were not enough blue shirts in the box and United were able to clear.


The diminutive winger looked dangerous each time he was given the ball, and was afforded space to run at his marker.


The first real chance of the game fell after 20 minutes, Ronaldo, having switched to the left ran intently towards goal, but was tackled by a blue defender, only to see the ball ricochet square across the box to the oncoming Giggs.


The United captain shot first time, forcing a world-class save from Petr Cech, as Ashley Cole dived in to block the shot.


This seemed to galvanise the Red Devils, and within a minute Carrick had shot just wide, but still no goals.


After 26 minutes we registered out first goal attempt, and were within inches of taking the lead.


Malouda's whipped free kick was flicked on by Essien, but was heading wide, and then John Obi Mikel, stretching as far as possible could only divert the ball marginally towards the net, as it crept a whisker wide.


The game was beginning to heat up, with Ronaldo again providing a United chance, his low cross just cleared as Silvestre slid in to finish.


At the other end, Malouda made another contribution, his long-range shot finding the target, but also the safe hands of Van der Sar.


After half an hour, on a hot day inside a near-to capacity Wembley, the game was really getting going. Chelsea had had more of the play, but, lacking a proven goalscorer to lead the line, were behind on chances.


Ben-Haim received a caution on his competitive debut, stepping across Rooney who was in full flow. From the resulting free kick 30 yards from goal, Ronaldo fired hard into the wall.


United regained the ball, and as the Portuguese winger combined with Patrice Evra, Giggs was given too much space 12 yards out and was able to steer the Frenchman's cross into Cech's top left corner, awarding United a lead they probably didn't deserve.


It didn't take long to level up though, as just before the break Ashley Cole's searching pass over the United defence found debutant Malouda.


The Frenchman outmuscled Rio Ferdinand, and amid shouts for a penalty, he calmly dinked the ball over Van der Sar into the bottom corner, reminiscent of Didier Drogba's finish in the FA Cup final.


Following that there was just time for Wayne Rooney to be booked by referee Mark Halsey for a challenge on Cech before the half-time whistle sounded.


With no changes at the break, the teams resumed, but there was no slow start this time. Within minutes United had created several chances, Ronaldo and Carrick finding no way past Cech and then Glen Johnson who blocked on the line.


Pizarro entered the fray soon after, replacing Malouda who had taken a knock in scoring the equaliser, with Joe Cole moving out to operate on the left flank.


Just after the hour Giggs' cross was bravely headed behind by Johnson, who was rising well to the challenge up against him.


Carvalho was booked for taking away the legs of Evra, and suddenly Manchester United were back in the ascendancy, but Ronaldo's cross-shot was comfortably held by Cech.


Ashley Cole, still gaining match fitness, was replaced by Lassana Diarra three quarters of the way through the game, with José Mourinho pushing Essien to left back, Diarra tucking into midfield alongside Lampard and Mikel.


Mikel soon found Pizarro, who cut inside and shot, forcing Van der Sar into a dive as the ball narrowly missed the target.


It was impossible to separate the sides with both threatening without creating clear opportunities. For Chelsea Wright-Phillips still looked dangerous on the right, tormenting Evra, while for United it was Ronaldo who had the crowd on their feet each time he gained possession.


With seven minutes to go it was Ronaldo who forced Cech into action, breaking down the left and cutting inside towards goal after dispossessing Mikel.


Ben-Haim forced him wide, and Cech was able to block his toe-poked effort, diverting it behind for a corner.


In the heat, which was up over the 30 degree mark, it seemed as though both sides had settled for a draw, prepared to try their luck in a penalty shootout, and so it was that the game ended all square, with nothing between the two sides.


With a toss of a coin to decide at which end the penalties were taken, luck was on Chelsea as the goalkeepers made their way towards the sea of blue at the west end of the stadium.


Chelsea were to take first, and up stepped Claudio Pizarro, whose kick was too straight, allowing Van der Sar to stretch up and push it out.


It was advantage United, and Rio Ferdinand made it 1-0, calmly despatching his spot-kick low to Cech's right.


Blues captain Frank Lampard was next, but again Van der Sar came out on top, diving to his right to beat the ball away.


Carrick was able to double the lead sending Cech the wrong way, and at 2-0 the writing was on the wall.


Van der Sar completed a hat-trick of saves, pushing out Shaun Wright-Phillips' effort, leaving Wayne Rooney the opportunity to seal the game, which he did, expertly finding Cech's top left corner.


So it was a repeat of the 1997 Charity Shield, as we lost out again to United on penalties, but the closeness of the match suggests there will be a very interesting season ahead.




Chelsea (4-3-3): Cech; Johnson (Sidwell 77), Ben-Haim, Carvalho, A Cole (Diarra 67); Mikel, Essien, Lampard (c); Wright-Phillips, J Cole (Sinclair 81), Malouda (Pizarro 51).

Goals Malouda 44

Booked Ben-Haim, Carvalho, Mikel

Manchester United (4-4-1-1): Van der Sar; Brown, Ferdinand, Vidic, Silvestre (Nani 67); Ronaldo, Carrick, O' Shea; Evra; Giggs (c) (Fletcher 80); Rooney.

Goals Giggs 34

Booked Rooney

P.S: List Of UPPEES is not in full due to the capacity limitation of the signature function (not be longer than 300 characters excluding BB Code markup). Rest assured I've all ur nicks n u'll be awarded. If I do missed u, kindly PM me.

[no_faith]

we are nvr gd at taking penalties.
we seems got curse in penaltiy shoot out.

yes, we lost but bro jwny came home in 1 pcs

'Man of the Match': Obi Mikel
totally lost sheep.
undecisive.
take too much time to make a pass.
sub many players but not him.

[Glen2712]

The Obi today was a total fluke, like a totally different Obi we witness @ the FA Cup from 3 months ago and the entire of last season. I do hope he could hit form once more..... :hopeful:


SWP's pretty decent and Malouda has shown what's his capable of, (hopeful he won't end up with below-par performance a la Sheva's first goal @ the Community Shield)


Bloody Damn! JT's out for about a month! :frustrating: Now it's time for Big Ben to step up to the plate. :hopeful:


I'm kinda worried about the right side of defence though........

P.S: List Of UPPEES is not in full due to the capacity limitation of the signature function (not be longer than 300 characters excluding BB Code markup). Rest assured I've all ur nicks n u'll be awarded. If I do missed u, kindly PM me.

[Glen2712]

You can't be right all the time


The Insider



Those of you who placed a large wager on Jose Mourinho starting this season as Chelsea manager were doubtless otherwise engaged as the 'special one' took up his place on the Wembley bench for this Community Shield game against Manchester United.


Maybe you were sunning yourself on a sun-kissed beach, or possibly taking your new convertible car out for a spin as there can be little doubt that you deserved to gloat with your cash windfall.


It will come as little surprise that each and every member of Her Majesty's press pack were assembled under 'the arch' as not one of us present on a sweltering day in North London can absolve ourselves of blame for leading the world astray. Suffice to say, none of us placed even 50p that Jose would still be here on this day.


I lost count of the amount of times I reported from Stamford Bridge last season in a tone that may have left you wondering whether Mourinho was about to pass away, not just lose his job. And Soccernet's Insider was not alone in writing obituaries to a coach whose position at Stamford Bridge apparently became untenable many months ago, with back page headlines on a daily basis suggesting Chelsea were actively looking for his replacement.


Guus Hiddink, Jurgen Klinsmann and Mark Hughes were among those said to be in the frame to fill his boots, with Mourinho himself almost accepting he would not be Blues manager beyond May. Indeed, his press conferences around February and March of this year were conducted with a knowing understanding from all present that the manager who gives us so much to write about every week would soon be a former employee of Chelsea Football Club.


Each and every one of us hacks have been proved wrong in our assessments of Mourinho's future, yet the truth is owner Roman Abramovich was intent on sacking his manager for much of last season and only a change of heart from the Russian billionaire has allowed him to stay for now.


Quite how long the cease-fire in hostilities between Abramovich and Mourinho will hold is open to debate because the latter is still reluctant to have too much contact with either youth development chief Frank Arnesen or newly appointed Director of Football, Avram Grant.


As those two are close allies of Abramovich, the Portuguese maverick knows his each and every move is now being watched, with Grant's position directly behind Mourinho on the bench at Wembley a reminder that big brother was in attendance. It was telling that despite several opportunities, he rarely engaged in meaningful conversation with his Israeli 'colleague'.


Apparently Abramovich wants to see a Chelsea team playing with much more fantasy this season, so if Chelsea stumble in the next few months and fail to inspire his demanding Russian mind, rumours of Mourinho's demise will start all over again. Still, for now, we can be thankful that the coach whose press conferences are so much more interesting than the football he promotes is still in a job he still relishes.


Mourinho's team selection for this clash altered the world to the problems he is already suffering this season with skipper John Terry nursing an injury that will keep him out of action for a month and star striker Didier Drogba was also unfit to start, though he was able to hand a start to £13.5m summer capture Florent Malouda. We were also given further evidence that he intends to revert back to the 4-3-3 formation that served him so well in his first two years at Chelsea.


As you might expect with the Premiership's top-two going head to head, this pre-season game was played with a real competitive edge and United took a deserved 34th minute lead as Ryan Giggs finished off a flowing move with a well placed shot into the top corner.


Other than the odd set-play, Chelsea were second best for much of the opening 45 minutes, so it was something of a surprise to see them snatch an equaliser 60 seconds from the break and Mourinho will have been pleased to see Malouda scoring on what may be described as his first competitive start for the club.


There was still time for Wayne Rooney to remind anyone who had forgotten that he still has the capacity to self destruct at any moment and his innocuous tussle with Chelsea keeper Cech saw him pick up a booking from referee Mark Halsey. Clearly feeling hard done by, Rooney pursued the official around for a good two minutes and then had a less than pleasant exchange with the linesman he saw as being complicit in the miscarriage of justice. This talented boy seems reluctant to grow up.


United identified Glen Johnson as the weak link in the Chelsea line-up and attacking the right-back at will and it so nearly reaped rewards at the start of the second half as Patrice Evra burst in behind the lightweight defender to created presentable chances for Rooney or Giggs, but with the on-pitch temperature being recorded at well over 100 degrees, the pace began to die as legs began to tire.


The appearances of Chelsea new-boys Claudio Pizarro and Steve Sidwell, along with United's summer buy Nani, provided interesting side-shows for the 80,731 fans in attendance, but it predictably needed a penalty shoot-out to separate the sides, which turned into an embarrassing affair from Chelsea's perspective.


Pizarro, Frank Lampard and the ever woeful Shaun Wright-Phillips saw their spot kicks saved by Edwin van der Sar and United were left to wonder what might have been had they held on for penalties in the FA Cup final a few weeks ago.


Mourinho's current paranoia was confirmed as his press conference was restricted to 'questions about the match', clearly blocking an awkward debate about Grant's contribution. Indeed, he wouldn't even talk about how long Terry or Drogba will be on the sidelines as we got an unusually bland briefing from our Portuguese friend.


'This is the first time I ever started a match without a striker, so I have to be happy with the performance,' said an agitated Mourinho. 'Pizarro wasn't fit to play for 90 minutes, so I asked Joe Cole, Wright-Phillips and Malouda to do a job for me. I felt we controlled the game comfortably, but the detail that matters is their keeper saved more penalties.'


United boss Sir Alex Ferguson made a rare appearance in front of the London media, with much of his thoughts centring on the imminent debut of Carlos Tevez in a United shirt. 'He will play for us on Wednesday night and it would be nice to think he will be available to play against Reading next Saturday,' said Ferguson.


'Carlos trained with us on Friday for the first time and I was very impressed. He looked in good shape. The boy has the ability to be one of the best strikers in the world and I can see him clicking with Wayne Rooney very quickly.'


So the phoney war is nearly over and the real action is set to get underway next weekend, but as all of us in the media peel egg off our faces over Mourinho's continued presence at Chelsea, I'm sure you won't be relying on us to tell you what is happening in this great game over the course of the next ten months.


• MAN OF THE MATCH: Edwin van der Sar - For some reason, the match sponsors game this award to Ashley Cole, but United's big Dutch keeper deserves the plaudits for his three fine saves in the shoot-out.


• AVRAM GRANT WATCH: The new Chelsea Director of Football must have been a lonely man on the Blues bench as no one spoke to him all day. He looked relieved to speak with compatriot Tal Ben Haim on the pitch before the spot kicks were taken.


• INSIDER MOAN: Chelsea's new bright yellow away shirt has clearly been bought up by their fans with gusto, but it is an ugly piece of fashion that gave the impression that a few thousand extra police had infiltrated their support at Wembley.


• YOU HAD TO LAUGH: Ronaldo raced over the half-way line with real intent mid-way through the first half and then proceeded to trip over the ball. He then did a very good impression of trying to pretend his mistake was all planned.


• FOOD WATCH: The beef stew and rice offering were very tasty, so it was something of a shame that the portion would not have been enough to satisfy a one-year old child. Wembley's press facilities are second to none, but penny pinching on the beef must stop.


• VERDICT: Chelsea's injury crisis is beginning to reach epidemic levels and they cannot afford to crawl out of the blocks at the start of this season. As for United, they look set fair to start their title defence in style.




To sum up: It does looks worrying; some causes for concern. But hey, the Blues have been through that path of adversities. I'm sure the Blues will prevail. Go Blues Go!!!!!

P.S: List Of UPPEES is not in full due to the capacity limitation of the signature function (not be longer than 300 characters excluding BB Code markup). Rest assured I've all ur nicks n u'll be awarded. If I do missed u, kindly PM me.

[JWNY]

Originally Posted by no_faith

yes, we lost but bro jwny came home in 1 pcs

Hehe yes i did...i think it was a fair result overall for Manchester to win..."but today the better team lost"

JWNY

[Cum_Luver]

although i am not an Blues fan....
i must say i am impress with your new boy - Malouda....

[Wins88]

Man u drew with Chelsea after 90 mins! Man U fielded their strongest ever line-up in a long while (only Scholes was missing!) while Chelsea fielded a team devoid of Drogba, Terry, Makelele, Sheva, etc.. No need to guess which team is better! CHELSEA CHELSEA!

[old_yet_horny]

Ballack firm in staying at Stamford Bridge..

His move to Real Madrid claimed to be a untrue speculation..