Ten Cate Sacked

SPECULATION continued to mount as to who would become the next manager of Chelsea last night after the Blues took the surprising step of sacking assistant coach Hen ten Cate.
Two days ago, the former Ajax chief insisted his position was unaffected by the dismissal of manager Avram Grant last weekend and committed himself to the club until at least 2010.
But the Blues announced yesterday that the Dutchman was to follow Grant out of the exit door at Stamford Bridge after just eight months in the job.
Ten Cate’s departure has now sent the rumour mill into overdrive — it was suggested he was the pawn to bring Frank Rijkaard to Stamford Bridge, as the pair had worked together at Barcelona. This now seems unlikely.
The tale took a further twist last night when it was confirmed that Roberto Mancini, another of Chelsea’s reported targets, had been sacked as manager as Inter Milan — as had been widely expected. Former boss Jose Mourinho is tipped to replace him at the helm of the Serie A champions.
As a result, Mancini is now the red-hot favourite to take over the top job, while one-time favourite Rijkaard has drifted out.
A club statement read: “Chelsea FC can confirm that it terminated Henk ten Cate’s contract today. This follows a meeting this morning. “As a result of the team management changes at Chelsea FC, and in the light of any forthcoming appointment, it was clear this was the correct decision for all parties.”
Mancini is one of several names strongly linked to the managerial vacancy with Mark Hughes, Luis Felipe Scolari and now AC Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti among them.

I've now got a funny feeling that Jose might be on his way back, encouraged by the fact that Steve Clarke, Jose's number two, is still in his position and the reports that Roman bought him a £2 million Ferrari back in March, which could be seen as a sweetener and a 'let's make up and be friendly' move. Myself, and most of the club's fanbase I believe, would love this to happen, but unfortuneately, I'll probably be proved wrong.

Failing that, I think we should go for Big Phil or Sparky. I don't think Mancini is the man for the job and, please God, not Sven.

What do you think?

Chelsea go for £15M Van der Vaart

Chelsea are moving for Hamburg midfielder Rafael van der Vaart.
The Mirror says sacked Chelsea boss Avram Grant is believed to have had Van der Vaart on his radar before being sacked at Stamford Bridge last weekend.
Now the Blues will press ahead with signing the players the Israeli had earmarked for this summer.
The £15million-rated HSV skipper has so far refused all offers to sign an extension to his current deal, which runs out in 2010.

Avram Grant Sacked

This is the first time I have been able to see, hear or indeed write anything to do with The Blues after the painful events of Wednesday night.
I think Grant has been sacked because of his tactical ineptitude.
If he had had the confidence to make a big decision and drop one of the big players on Wednesday, we wouldn't have had Michael Essien playing out of position at right back, but either Belletti or Ferreira, who hopefully would have stopped Ronaldo scoring.
End of another era.
Onwards and upwards.

Alcides Heading Back To Bridge

Chelsea's Brazilian defender Alcides will return from PSV Eindhoven this summer after the Dutch club decided not to renew his loan deal.

Alcides, who has played 30 games for PSV and scored two goals, has spent the past 14 months with the Eredivisie champions but will now return to Stamford Bridge.

Alcides joined Chelsea in 2004, but was immediately shipped out on loan, first to Benfica before moving to Holland two years later.

The 23-year-old has played for Vitoria and Santos in his home country as well as enjoying a brief spell at Bundesliga side Schalke.

Carvalho considers future

Ricardo Carvalho has revealed he expects a number of big-name exits at Chelsea this summer - and he could be among them.

Carvalho, Chelsea players' Player of the Year for the second season running, has been linked with moves to both Milan clubs.

Striker Didier Drogba has already revealed that he is keen to leave the Blues in the summer and he could be followed by players Carvalho, Wayne Bridge, Juliano Belletti and even Frank Lampard, who has only 12 months left on his contract.

Carvalho said: "You have to be prepared for the team to change after the final because people go, people stay and people come in. I don't know yet if I'm staying. I have a contract."

The defender has played a major role in Chelsea's recent success and is keen to emulate his former side next week by beating Manchester United to lift the Champions League title.

Carvalho added: "Nobody was expecting Porto to win the Champions League. Now everyone says Chelsea have to win it. We have big players here.

"Everyone has known each other here for a long time and we enjoy each other's company. We have to try to win this last game. We didn't win the Premier League so we have to get a medal."

Steve Bennett awarded Premier League Winner's Medal

Rumours abound that referee Steve Bennett was awarded a Premier League Winner's Medal for his match winning performance for Man. Utd. against Wigan yesterday. Indeed, if it wasn't for his black kit you could've been excused for thinking that he'd been named on the United team sheet.
Meanwhile, at the Bridge, Chris Foy was doing everything he could to stop us getting an advantage and giving Bolton one. It was only down to their total disinterest in mounting any form of attack that they didn't profit from Mr. Foy's totally biased display.

Another display of the favouritism United seem to receive from referees and which we seldom do. We've done very well to finish where we have despite referees' performances this season.

Still, I'm not bitter.

As it happened, it made no difference to the crowning of the champions as we managed to let in another late goal and drop two more points to go with those dropped against Wigan, Tottenham, Villa and Everton.

Roll on 21st May.

Chelsea 1 Bolton 1

Chelsea needed to win and hope United dropped points and when substitute Andriy Shevchenko netted on 62 minutes, the dream was on with the Old Trafford club winning just 1-0.
But Chelsea failed once again to kill off a game and fell to the sucker punch which left them in second place in the league with 85 points with United clear with 87 points.
But the game opened brightly for the home side and on eight minutes Didier Drogba missed a sitter at the near post, shooting wide from three yards out following an excellent pass by Michael Ballack.
On 10 minutes, John Terry's match was over after he dislocated his left elbow in a clash between Kevin Davies and Petr Cech.
He was taken to hospital for an X-ray before returning to the ground and declaring himself fit for the Champions League Final on May 21
Juliano Belletti replaced the skipper, who went to right-back with Michael Essien moving into the centre-back position.
Drogba almost made amends with a 25-yard free-kick, but it inched wide of Bolton keeper Ali Al-Habsi's right-hand post.
Drogba was denied again when he was dispossessed of the ball by a last-ditch tackle by Gretar Steinsson on 26 minutes.
Taylor's long-range effort on 29 minutes, which went wide of Cech's post, was Bolton's first effort on goal.
Joe Cole had a shot on target on 36 minutes, but it was held comfortably by Al-Habsi
The heat was getting to Bolton boss Gary Megson who resorted to borrowing a Chelsea baseball cap to protect his head, but he tapped over the Chelsea crest before wearing it.
Claude Makelele was replaced with Shevchenko at half-time.
Within seconds of the restart, Florent Malouda hit a 20-yard right footer which Al-Habsi tipped onto the crossbar and the ball was cleared.
Chelsea piled on the pressure with first Belletti and the Joe Cole having shots on target which were deflected for corners.
Al-Habsi produced a marvellous save from Drogba on 61 minutes after the Ivory Coast striker had sliced through the Bolton defence and left fly with a vicious left footer.
But 50 seconds later and Chelsea took the lead. Frank Lampard shot into the penalty area and Shevchenko popped up to slot the ball home from six yards.
Bolton almost equalised immediately but Cech was quick to snuff out El Hadji Diouf's close-range effort from three yards out.
Joe Cole had a great chance to put the game beyond doubt as he raced into the penalty area on 75 minutes, but he shot directly at Al-Habsi who punched the ball clear.
Chelsea escaped on 79 minutes when a punch out by Cech fell to Taylor, who headed towards the Chelsea goal.
The ball rebounded off the crossbar to Stelios, whose effort was cleared off the line by Ashley Cole. But with seconds remaining, Cech let the ball from Taylor's left boot slip through his legs to give battling Bolton the point which ensured a season which almost ended in relegation finished on a high.

Joe Cole was unanimously voted Player of the Year last night by Chelsea supporters.
The honour was presented at Stamford Bridge yesterday evening by former Chelsea and France defender Marcel Desailly.
Earlier this season, Joe was informed that a supporter's sister, who had been diagnosed with a terminal illness, hadn't long left to live.
He left the training ground at Cobham and rushed straight to the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital to be with her, holding her hand and talking to her although she was in a coma.
He frequently helps those less fortunate than himself, arranging for several terminally ill children to come to Stamford Bridge to watch Chelsea, paying the expenses himself.
He is a footballer who has not let the fame or financial rewards go to his head. Our best wishes go to Joe and we hope that this particular accolade will not be the last time he receives it.

The Player's Player of the Year was named as Portuguese defender Ricardo Carvalho, who was my choice for Player of the Year, voted for by the Chelsea coaches and players unanimously. The award was presented to him by former Captain and England star Ray Wilkins and club sponsors Samsung’s president Kim.

Supporters then voted Juliano Belletti’s piledriver against Spurs at Stamford Bridge as the Goal of the Season. It's a shame the accolade might come as scant reward for the Brazilian, after the national press hinted that the player may well be on his way at the end of the season. I think he's a class act.

Young Player of the Year was presented to the entire Chelsea U18 side who recently battled their way to the FA Youth Cup Final. Presented by Graeme le Saux, the award was collected by team Captain Nana Ofori Twumasi and manager Paul Clement.

England rugby star Lawrence Dallaglio presented Frank Lampard with a Special Achievement Award for scoring 100 goals for Chelsea, while John Terry gave former Chelsea defender John Dempsey a Special Recognition Award for nine years he spent at the Bridge between 1969 and 1978 and his work in a children’s home that he helped set up himself.

Newcastle Utd 0 Chelsea 2

The race for the Premier League title will be decided on the final day of the season after Chelsea beat Newcastle United 2-0 today.

Michael Ballack, who scored both goals when Chelsea beat United 2-1 on April 26 to open up the championship race, glanced in a header after an hour and fellow midfielder Florent Malouda made it safe late on.

The result sets up a grandstand finish next Sunday - 10 days before Chelsea and Manchester United meet in the Champions League final in Moscow.

United, 4-1 home winners over West Ham United on Saturday, and Chelsea both have 84 points but United have a goal difference advantage of 17.

Man U visit Wigan Athletic on Sunday and will retain the title if they at least match Chelsea's result against Bolton Wanderers at Stamford Bridge.

"We know we are always chasing after Manchester United,'' Chelsea manager Avram Grant said.

"They are a great team but we will give them a good battle and challenge until the end.''

It was by no means plain sailing for Chelsea at St James' Park, a ground where they had not won in the league since 2001.

Newcastle went into the game in great form and looked the more enterprising team in a tight first half with Michael Owen having a shot cleared off the line by John Terry.

Chelsea looked short of invention throughout the half but took control after the break, with skipper Terry smacking a header against the bar as they camped in the home side's half.

The breakthrough came when Didier Drogba chipped in a free kick from the right and Ballack, who built his reputation in Germany as a regular scorer of important, late goals, rose six yards out to direct his header beyond keeper Steve Harper.

Chelsea then sat back and suffered some nervous moments as Nigerian forward Obafemi Martins and Owen both went close.

But the tension eased after 82 minutes when some slick passing ended with substitute Frank Lampard slipping a through-ball to Malouda, who slotted home calmly.

Grant had particular praise for Ballack, whom he described as ``an intelligent player''.

"I believe in intelligent football and that needs a player like him," said the Israeli.

"He's in good form now, but all the team played well."

Terry said Grant had torn into the players at halftime and that they had responded in the second half with a "great professional job".

Looking ahead to next week's games, he added: "Wigan are on a great run, they came to the Bridge and put on a great performance and I think they will do the Premiership justice.

"We've still got a tough game against Bolton but if we pick up three points we've got a very good chance.''

Finally we're there

We've made it to the Champions League Final at long last.
Now perhaps we can lay to rest our previous bad semi-final memories.
Of Ranieri's tactical naivety against Monaco.
Of 'the goal that never was' three years ago.
Of the tragic penalty shoot out last year.
Now let's go on and win it in Roman's home town and become the first London club to win it.
Perhaps then the cry baby from Dubaibury and all our other detractors would shut up for good.
All we need now is for the 'Ammers to do us a favour on Saturday and us to beat the Barcodes on Monday.
Happy days.

Chelsea 3 Liverpool 2 aet (4-3 agg.)

Frank Lampard controlled his inner turmoil and scored with a brilliantly taken penalty to put Chelsea within sight of their first Champions League final on Wednesday.

The 29-year-old England midfielder, whose mother Pat died at 58 from pneumonia last Thursday, then let his guard down and wept with emotion while his celebrating team mates swamped him.

The goal, after 98 minutes of a pulsating Champions League semi-final second leg against Liverpool, turned the match Chelsea's way, put them 2-1 ahead and in sight of the final in Moscow.

Seven minutes later Didier Drogba scored his second goal of the night to make it 3-1 and although Liverpool hit back through Ryan Babel, Chelsea survived to win 4-3 on aggregate and set up an all-English final against Manchester United on May 21.

Lampard, so often Chelsea's driving force and saviour, had a night to remember. Television pictures showed his father Frank senior, the former West Ham United player, looking on with proud satisfaction after the penalty.

His son had not only put Chelsea ahead but also played a major role in Chelsea's opening goal, setting up the move that led to Drogba scoring after 33 minutes. He was crucial to much of Chelsea's midfield superiority on a heavy pitch lashed by rain for almost all the 120 minutes of the match.

Although he had not trained as much as usual since his mother's death, Lampard still had the physical and mental strength to influence the game hugely until he came off to a standing ovation close to the end.

Chelsea manager Avram Grant said he had decided to select Lampard on Tuesday.

"He's a very brave man. He was very close to his mother," Grant said. "It was his decision to return to training."

Drogba paid tribute to his team mate.

"It was very special penalty," he said. "Only Frank Lampard could do that. It was a difficult moment for him but he knew the whole club was behind him."