Chelsea 2 FC Cluj 1

Luiz Felipe Scolari hailed Didier Drogba as "one of the best strikers in the world" after Chelsea reached the Champions League knockout stages, reports Teamtalk.com.
Substitute Drogba climbed off the bench to grab the Blues' winner in a 2-1 victory over CFR Cluj, and Scolari believes he must now find a way to accommodate both the Ivorian and Nicolas Anelka in his side.
Anelka has bagged 15 goals so far this season, while Drogba's campaign has been hampered by a knee injury and suspension.
But the Ivorian upstaged Anelka against Cluj by coming on in the 65th minute and firing the winner six minutes later.
It enabled Chelsea to finish second in Group A behind Roma, but while Drogba took all the plaudits, Scolari insisted he still had to find a place in his side for both of them.
"Drogba is one of the best strikers in the world," said Scolari. "I have more options now he is fit. But he didn't have a pre-season build-up because of injury and when he came back he got injured again.
"Then he was suspended and now he is back again. But it gives me a chance to play a different system sometimes. Before he was fit, I could not do that.
"He is important but don't forget we are second in the Champions League group and second in the Premier League because our top scorer is Nicolas Anelka.
"Drogba is one of the best in the world but I need to think about Anelka. He is as important as Drogba. After this, it is my job to put the two together."
Chelsea's second place in the group means they will have to play the second leg of their knockout tie away from home.
But Scolari, who says he feels 'zero pressure' as Chelsea coach, insists he does not fear anyone.
"I don't get to choose," said Scolari. "For me it is not difficult if we play Barcelona, Real Madrid or any team because they are the best.
"If we want to arrive in the final games, we need to win."
Chelsea took the lead in the 40th minute through Salomon Kalou but Cluj shocked the Blues with a 55th minute leveller from Yssouf Kone.
But Scolari's blushes were spared when Drogba, who refused to speak after the game, scored the vital winner.
"I think we played well, but not very well," said Scolari. "We had more of the ball but they did well on the counter-attack.
"They have a very good group and good spirit and I like some of the Cluj players.
"We played with spirit and fight. Maybe some of my players made mistakes but the others helped them. All of my players are important not just one. We played as a team today."
Cluj coach Maurizio Trombetta was disappointed that his side could not go on to beat Chelsea after giving them an almighty scare.
Cluj finished bottom of Group A, but Trombetta insisted their first campaign in the competition had given them much valuable experience.
"Unfortunately Chelsea managed to score again after we had equalised," said Trombetta.
"Maybe Chelsea were a little bit nervous and when we scored maybe there was little less in their playing capacity but in the end they managed to get another goal and win.
"But obviously playing in the Champions League has been a very useful experience for the players and the club."

Bolton Wanderers 0 Chelsea 2

Nicolas Anelka struck the 99th goal of his Premier League career to help Chelsea to a place in the record books during its 2-0 win over Bolton.
On his old Bolton stamping ground 11 months after a £15million move, a diving header from Anelka gave the Blues an 11th consecutive away win in the league, with eight this season.
Deco's sumptuous scissor-kick 12 minutes later sealed the victory as Chelsea eclipsed the mark set 48 years ago by Bill Nicholson's Tottenham side.
With leaders Liverpool winning at Blackburn, the win keeps perfect-on-the-road Chelsea hot on the heels of the Merseyside club at the top of the table.
In fairness, the first half was all too easy for Chelsea once Anelka set it on its way.
But shortly before that there was one a chance for Bolton that would undoubtedly have put a different complexion on the game.
Despite Chelsea's frightening away record coming into this game, and its dominance over Bolton as it has now won its last six at the Reebok Stadium without conceding a goal, the home side came into the match on a roll themselves with four wins in five games.
Salomon Kalou had cleared the crossbar by inches with a deft flick with the outside of his right foot from the edge of the area in the fifth minute.
But three minutes later came an opportunity for Kevin Davies to at least put Chelsea on the back foot.
However, despite being given a free header from six yards in latching onto an inswinging corner from Gavin McCann, he shaved the crossbar instead of putting Petr Cech under pressure.
Chelsea's relief was evident, and Davies' dismay intensified just a minute later when Anelka found the back of the net.
Switching the play from left wing to right, Deco fed an unmarked Jose Bosingwa who then produced a measured cross into the six-yard box.
Anelka drifted off the back of Andy O'Brien and planted a home diving header off Jussi Jaaskelainen's right-hand post.
It was the Frenchman's 15th goal in all competitions this season and his ninth in his last seven Premier League games.
It was a simple chance for an on-song Anelka to take, in particular in light of Bolton's recent upturn in form and new-found resilience.
Yet just 12 minutes later boss Gary Megson's side were left chasing shadows as Chelsea doubled their advantage, even if the visitors enjoyed a touch of fortune into the bargain.
There can be no doubting the clinical nature of Chelsea's attack, culminating in Deco and Michael Ballack teeing up Bosingwa for a fearsome drive that cannoned off Jaaskelainen's legs.
Then came the luck as the ball ballooned up in the air straight to Ballack who instinctively nodded on for Deco.
The finish from the unmarked Portuguese, though, was exquisite as he beat Jaaskelainen inside his right-hand post with a right-foot scissor-kick from 15 yards.
It was a fine way for Deco to end a personal 14-match drought after scoring in his opening two matches for the Blues following his move from Barcelona in the summer.
If Anelka had made it 3-0 midway through the half then a rout would have been on the cards, but instead he sidefooted an angled effort wide after Jaaskelainen had fisted clear a Frank Lampard free-kick.
But Bolton dug in for the remainder of the half, and for the majority of the second period, without thereward its character and attitude deserved.
They were fortunate, though, not to have conceded a third in the 56th minute when Deco was sent scampering clear from the edge of the centre circle.
But with only Jaaskelainen to beat, and although making the right choice in lifting the ball over Bolton's number one as he went to ground, he somehow contrived to send his flick wide.
If Chelsea felt it should have been out of sight, Bolton will have felt aggrieved at being denied a nailed-on penalty on the hour.
Replays showed Johan Elmander's half-volley clearly struck Terry on his upper-left arm, but a possibly unsighted Howard Webb turned aside the vociferous appeals.
Cech then produced a superb point-blank reaction save 10 minutes later to block Gary Cahill's diving header inside the six-yard box as Bolton fought desperately for a foothold in the game.
But it never came, and instead Luiz Felipe Scolari's side are now record-breakers, but that will matter little to the Blues boss unless this season ends with the title in his grasp.

Arsenal Forget To Pay Linesnman Shock

The Goners were knocked out of the Carling Cup by Burnley last night, losing 2-0.
The only possible reason is that they forgot to pay off the linesman or referee, or both, as is their custom.
Blame the accounts dept.

Chelsea 1 Arsenal 2

Arsenal striker Robin van Persie put Arsenal back into the Premier League title race with a superb second-half double to beat Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
Van Persie struck twice in three minutes after the Blues had taken a first-half lead through a fortuitous Johan Djourou own goal. But while the Dutch striker's second goal was sheer class, his equaliser was clearly scored from an offside position.
Chelsea remain top on goal difference from Liverpool but the Merseysiders will replace them if they get at least a point from their home clash with West Ham on Monday night. The victory helped Arsenal to move back into the top four and cut the gap between them and Chelsea to seven points.
There was no hint of an Arsenal revival after a first half which saw them largely outplayed by the league leaders. Arsenal's season, dogged by dressing-room unrest and five league defeats, looked in danger of imploding completely.
The opening 45 minutes was typically frenetic for a London derby and although Chelsea started brightly, the visitors almost snatched the lead in the 13th minute. A cross to the far post from Emmanuel Adebayor was expertly controlled by Samir Nasri at the far post. His drilled shot was only kept out by the outstretched arm of the giant Petr Cech in the Chelsea goal.
But Chelsea weathered Arsenal's early fire and almost opened the scoring themselves in the 23rd minute when a cross from Jose Bosingwa was met by the unmarked Frank Lampard. The England midfielder sent his header goalwards only for Manuel Almunia to grasp it with both hands.
But Chelsea went ahead in the 29th minute thanks to some comedy football from Arsenal. Almunia threw the ball straight to Bosingwa and when the Portugal right-back had exchanged passes with Nicolas Anelka, he sent over a dangerous low cross that Djourou could only turn into his own net from six yards. But the first portent of an Arsenal revival arrived in the 32nd minute when Van Persie forced Cech into another fine save after the Arsenal midfielder had got the better of Branislav Ivanovic and unleashed a low drive towards the bottom corner.
Arsenal could have gone further behind five minutes before the interval but Almunia denied Salomon Kalou after Lampard's audacious flicked header had put him clear. He was given offside but subsequent replays showed that he wsan't.
Chelsea had not conceded a second-half goal all season and so any chance of an Arsenal fightback was deemed remote at best.
The home side should have gone two in front four minutes after the restart but Lampard saw his shot flash just wide of Almunia's left-hand upright. It was the last Chelsea attempt before Arsenal, against all the odds, turned the game on its head with two goals in three minutes.
The first was a controversial one as Van Persie was clearly yards offside when Denilson found him on the edge of the penalty area. But with no whistle from referee Mike Dean, the Arsenal midfielder smashed the ball into the net for a 59th-minute equaliser.
Three minutes later the Dutchman put Arsenal in front. There seemed little danger as Van Persie shielded the ball on the edge of the penalty area with his back to Cech's goal. But a superb shot on the turn sent the ball through the legs of Lampard and beyond the surprised Cech and into the bottom corner to the delight of the Arsenal fans. It was his ninth of the season.
Chelsea were stunned but the introductions of both Florent Malouda and Miroslav Stoch in place of John Obi Mikel and Deco, proved fruitless for Luiz Felipe Scolari.
Chelsea have not won at home now for three games and the flowing football that allowed them to destroy Sunderland 5-0 at the start of the month has deserted them.
Scolari's side ran out of ideas as the game wore on and even when they fashioned a rare chance to get back in the game, it was squandered by poor finishing. Malouda sent a shot high into the crowd with four minutes remaining when the Frenchman should have at least hit the target. Arsenal were clearly in no mood to allow Chelsea to get back in the game and despite a spell of injury-time pressure, Wenger's side clung on to defy the critics and keep themselves in the hunt for the title.
So, well done officials. Two key mistakes in one game, both favouring the Goners. Yes, only one 'o'. Well, they're not called 'Lucky' Arsenal for nothing.
When will the officials of the game learn the rules and concentrate on the job in hand? They're paid enough.

Bordeaux 1 Chelsea 1

Chelsea must wait on a seventh straight appearance in the knock-out phase of the Champions League after Bordeaux held them 1-1 while the Blues also had Frank Lampard sent off on a night of European drama yesterday.

Alou Diarra headed home from a corner with seven minutes remaining to cancel out Nicolas Anelka's opener as the French side carved out a well-deserved point to send Group A down to the final round of action on December 9 and 10.

Chelsea keeper Petr Cech said Chelsea should not have dropped points. "The moment we scored the goal I thought it was over. I think we should have done better. We should have closed the door," Cech told Sky Sports.

It was not a virtuoso performance from last season's finalists and they were somewhat fortunate to escape with a point despite taking the lead on the hour mark. The West Londoners had to wait until the 60th minute for their first shot on goal but when it came, Anelka made Bordeaux pay for all their wasted first half opportunities in the most clinical fashion.