Southend Utd 1 Chelsea 4

Luiz-Felipe Scolari lives to fight another day after Chelsea avoided embarrassment in an FA Cup tie against Southend but the result, a 4-1 victory, could not hide all his team's problems.
Goals from Michael Ballack, Salomon Kalou, Nicolas Anelka and Frank Lampard earned the Blues victory in the 3rd round replay at Roots Hall after they had astonishingly gone behind to a team that play in the third tier of English football.
The relief on Scolari's face was clear as the final whistle blew, not least because a meeting of the club's board tomorrow could have proved very uncomfortable if the result had been any different.
But the shaky nature of our first-half display, especially in defence, leaves his critics with plenty of ammunition for the future.
Make no mistake, this was a crucial match in Chelsea's season even though it was played out at a tiny 12,000-capacity ground in the backwaters of Essex and against a team currently sitting half-way down League One.
Chelsea went into the game after Southend had produced a shock 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge two weeks ago and under the glare of the media spotlight following an horrendous run of form which culminated in a 3-0 defeat at title rivals Manchester United on Sunday.
Rumours of off-field rows have also added to the pressure on Scolari, the latest involving striker Didier Drogba who was not included in the squad for this match following rumours he tried to engineer a January move to his former club Marseille.
The fact that Drogba produced such a poor performance at Old Trafford surely influenced Scolari's decision-making, too. But his absence from the bench suggests there could be more to it than that.
Certainly, Scolari, who is one of the most respected coaches in the world and a former World Cup winner with Brazil, is being made to look hapless by some of his recent decisions.
Having seen his side concede so many goals from set pieces, including two in the 3-0 drubbing at United, Scolari made a big fuss of letting everyone know he was changing from a man-to-man system to a zonal one for this match.
Whichever system was used looked totally ineffective when Southend were handed their first corner of the match after only 15 minutes.
The kick was flapped to safety by goalkeeper Petr Cech but when Junior Stanislas took a second corner from the opposite flank Southend defender Adam Barrett rose completely unmarked to head home past a static defence.
The embarrassment in the Chelsea ranks was evident and as Southend supporters begun chants of 'You're getting sacked in the morning', it seemed the consequences our Brazilian manager could be far more significant than just the end of another cup dream.
Thankfully for him the team found an escape clause with an assured display in the second half but it wasn't always easy.
Southend could have gone further ahead when Alex Revell thundered in a flying header from an excellent Stanislas cross but Cech's point-blank save proved a turning point for the Blues.
Chelsea, who had created a string of chances but been denied by last-ditch defending, eventually found a breakthrough a minute before half-time when goalkeeper Steve Mildenhall punched a clearance straight to Ballack, whose half-volley from the edge of the area provided Scolari some respite.
In the end Premier League class did tell, however. And when Kalou drilled home an angled shot for 2-1 after an hour the threat of the sack seemed to be easing for Scolari, even if the glint of knives could still be seen glittering behind him.
Kalou then set up Anelka to finish smartly for 3-1 after 78 minutes and Lampard curled home from the edge of the area in the last minute to underline the superiority the team had belatedly displayed.

Man Utd 3 Chelsea 0

Jose Mourinho's return to the Premier League did not do Chelsea much good as Manchester United turned the heat up under Luiz Felipe Scolari with a thumping 3-0 win.
Chelsea suffered their worst Old Trafford defeat in 15 years as United eased to a thoroughly deserved success after Nemanja Vidic had broken the deadlock in first-half stoppage time.
Wayne Rooney added another just after the hour mark before Dimitar Berbatov completed victory for Sir Alex Ferguson's men near the end.
With Mourinho looking down from the stands in judgment on his old club, this would have been the perfect time for Scolari to start proving his doubters wrong.
The decision not to start with Nicolas Anelka, especially with Rio Ferdinand's back injury ruling him out, seemed strange.
But Chelsea seemed more incisive in midfield, even if its hosts had more possession.
Frank Lampard and Michael Ballack both had chances and a more natural offensive player than Ashley Cole would surely have profited from Deco's inspired pass instead of allowing it to bounce through to Edwin van der Sar.
In return a viciously curling Giggs free-kick caused Petr Cech a problem, more so than Berbatov's scuffed shot after being invited to shoot by Rooney.
But, with Cristiano Ronaldo and Ballack also having penalty claims turned down, a hotly contested scrap was still waiting for its switch to be triggered as it entered the last couple of first-half minutes.
Ronaldo might have flicked it but he mis-hit a shot that bounced into Rooney. Then Darren Fletcher had a penalty appeal turned down when his effort struck John Terry on the arm.
Instead, United got the corner which will still be debated years from now.
Rooney seemed to know exactly what he was doing when he rolled the ball into, then out of the quadrant. Giggs ambled over, crossed and Ronaldo powered home a near-post header.
Referee Howard Webb said no. United reacted with fury at the perceived injustice of it all, surrounding the linesman who had made the decision. Chelsea was merely bemused.

The fact that Rooney rolled the ball into then out of the quadrant is the key to the goal being disallowed. If he had taken his foot off the ball while it was in the quadrant it would've been okay. As it was the ball didn't stop moving and it was disallowed for this reason the same as a moving ball at a free kick has to be retaken.
Amazingly, Chelsea were still trying to take it in as Giggs swung over the re-take. This time Berbatov got there first, flicking the ball on towards the far post where Vidic arrived to power home.
This prompted Scolari into a half-time reshuffle, with Anelka replacing Deco.
The move worked to the extent that Chelsea was able to enjoy more sustained spells with the ball.
However, the double negative for the visitors was that their finishing was poor and their need to attack played to United's strengths.
Nevertheless, Chelsea's goal should not have been under threat once Patrice Evra exchanged passes with Ronaldo but then skimmed Berbatov's head with the left-wing cross.
Cole seemed to be in control of the situation but Rooney had other ideas as he pushed his leg between the England full-back's and got enough power into a shot to divert it past a startled Cech.
And when Ronaldo picked out Berbatov with a low free-kick four minutes from time that gave the Bulgarian an easy finish, Scolari could probably feel Mourinho's eyes burning into him from above.
But this is a different team to the one Mourinho crafted. Some of the names may be the same but their power has waned.
Once the most feared Premier League striker, Didier Drogba hit one shot so wide he conceded a throw-in, another skidded off the side of his foot and missed the target by 20 yards.
United are now a single point adrift of the us with two matches in hand. And if they win the first of them, against Wigan on Wednesday, they will only trail Liverpool by two.
Given those statistics, it is maybe little wonder Rafael Benitez went for Ferguson's jugular earlier in the week. It might be the best chance he gets.

Ref watch:

It is well worth noting that Frank Lampard, not a dirty player by any means, was booked in the 4th minute for accidently catching Ronaldo innocuously on the shin, the Portugese prat rolling over about ten times to emphasise the point.

Shrek, however, viciously lashed at and made contact with the back of Bosingwa's legs and then gesticulated at the referee when the free kick was given against him. Did he get booked for it? Of course not.

Consistent refereeing. I don't think so. And this prat Howard Webb is supposed to be the best.

Incidentally, towards the end of the game, Ronaldo went through the back of Frank's legs, giving away a free kick. As Mr. Webb started to walk towards the spotty show pony with his hand in his pocket, Frank asked the referee not to give him a second yellow card. What a gentleman. Pity though, it would've been nice to see that twat get sent off again.

Wayne Bridge Moves To City

Chelsea have sold Wayne Bridge to Manchester City for a reported £12 million.

The England international completed his move over the weekend.

Bridge joins the club at a difficult time, having been embarrassingly dumped out of the FA Cup by Championship strugglers Nottingham Forest, while they are currently lying just two points above the relegation zone after winning just once in their last six games.

But the 28-year-old is confident he will enjoy success at Eastlands.

"Most importantly, I want to show the fans here and everyone around that I can do well at Manchester City," he told the club's website."I'd like to think I'm coming into my prime but I like to keep myself fit anyway and I've got a good engine and a good left foot so I'll be looking forward to showing that on the pitch."

Personally I think we were mad to sell Wayne, being one of the best crossers of a ball at the club.

Big Phil is already bemoaning his lack of left sided players.

Is it all going pear shaped?

Chelsea 1 Southend Utd. 1

League One minnows Southend stunned Chelsea with a stoppage-time equaliser to earn a deserved 1-1 draw and a third-round replay.
Salomon Kalou's first-half goal looked to have earned Chelsea a place in the next round until Peter Clarke headed an equaliser from close range in the 90th minute.
Chelsea had dominated the game but paid for a host of squandered chances by allowing an unmarked Clarke to beat Carlo Cudicini with a close-range header.
It was just reward for the Shrimpers who valiantly kept out Chelsea's wave of attacks in a pulsating second half.
But Chelsea's need for a first-class finisher was further underlined after an afternoon when they failed to kill off their lowly opponents.
Chelsea's first attempt in the fifth minute was lamentable with Frank Lampard sending a 30-yard free-kick well wide of the target.
Drogba should then have put the Blues ahead in the 10th minute but he waited too long to shoot and former Chelsea youngster Anthony Grant managed to get in a superb tackle to deny the Ivorian.
Lampard then fed Joe Cole inside the penalty area but the England international's shot fizzed across the face of the goal and beyond the far post.
In the 14th minute, another Lampard effort from the edge of the penalty area was deflected to safety but the Shrimpers were living dangerously.
But despite their possession, Chelsea were unable to find a chink in the Southend rearguard.
United defender Clarke had to be alert to stop a low cross from Ashley Cole reaching Drogba in the 20th minute and Kalou wasted a clear chance by shooting over from 20 yards seconds later.
Chelsea continued to pile on the pressure and when Lampard found the rampaging Ashley Cole in the 22nd minute, a goal seemed the only eventuality.
However, the England left-back's right-foot shot from 12 yards was saved by Steve Mildenhall and moments later Drogba placed a shot wide with just the United goalkeeper to beat.
Chelsea continued to dominate and eventually opened the scoring in the 31st minute when Kalou rose unmarked to head home a corner from Lampard.
Three minutes later Drogba could not find the power to beat Mildenhall with a close range header after Ashley Cole had set him up with a cross to the near post.
The goal had enabled Chelsea to with go about their work with calmness but their attempts to increase the scoreline from set pieces were woeful in the extreme.
Juliano Belletti decided it was his turn to try his luck from long-range in the 38th minute but his effort was caught by a surprised onlooker in the second tier of the 'Shed' stand.
Southend had enjoyed little success in attack but a cross from Jean-Francois Christophe had to be turned over his own crossbar by Branislav Ivanovic in the 39th minute.
It was a rare moment of panic in the Chelsea defence and moments later they were back in attack.
But once again their finishing lacked the required quality and Belletti was again guilty of sending his 20-yard effort high and wide.
Southend were unlucky two minutes before the interval when Junior Stanislas made Paulo Ferreira look distinctly ordinary with a great run down the left flank.
However, his low cross into the six-yard box was cleared by a relieved Chelsea defence.
In the 52nd minute Drogba brought a fine save out of Mildenhall when he met a cross from John Obi Mikel.
Chelsea continued to push for a second and Mildenhall was forced to punch clear off the head of Ricardo Carvalho in the 63rd minute.
There was little respite for Steve Tilson's side but they continued to defend valiantly inside their own penalty area.
In the 66th minute Belletti saw his header cleared off the goal-line as the Premier League side searched in vain for a second.
Southend were beginning to show some attacking desire as the game wore on but they were restricted to the odd counter-attack.
The Premier League side pushed the ball around with confidence but their cutting edge was well below par.
In the 82nd minute, Lampard endeavoured to put the game beyond Southend but his 20-yard lob was straight at Mildenhall.
Chelsea then had a narrow escape a minute later when a cross from Johnny Herd was met by Clarke under pressure from Cudicini. The United defender got to the ball first but his header bounced off the top of the crossbar to Chelsea's relief.
But worse was to follow when defender Clarke stunned Chelsea with a 90th-minute equaliser from close range.
Chelsea were denied a late winner by Mildenhall when he somehow kept out a header from substitute Franco Di Santo.
Scolari wants more concentration from Blues
Chelsea boss Luiz Felipe Scolari hinted that his players were suffering a crisis of confidence in front of goal after League One minnows Southend snatched a last-gasp draw at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea's front three of Joe Cole, Didier Drogba and goalscorer Salomon Kalou cost almost £40million to assemble and yet they squandered another hatful of chances to kill off their lowly opponents.
The Blues were guilty of the same offences when Championship side Burnley bundled them out of the Carling Cup on penalties and the Brazilian's post-match lament is becoming all-too familiar.
''I need to teach to my players more concentration when they arrive in front of goal,'' said a disappointed Scolari.
''This is my job every day.
''Maybe it is confidence when they arrive in front of goal, maybe pressure. They need to score more goals and get more confidence. Only this.
''If they are not together, they would not create 15 chances. We played very well and created 15 chances but only one goal.
''Southend played hard and very spirited for a draw. They got a draw but only had one shot on goal.
''Carlo Cudicini didn't make one save. Not scoring is our mistake. All the players feel the same as me.''
But Scolari reiterated that he will not buy a new striker and pledged to work harder on the training ground instead.
''We need to follow the same ideas - train, train, train,'' said Scolari. ''I don't need another striker. I have a good squad, good players.
''We are still in the cup. Other teams that lost today are out, we are not out. We were better than Southend but didn't score a second goal.''
Southend rejoiced in Clarke's equaliser and will now look forward to another pay-day in the replay at Roots Hall.
United boss Steve Tilson was understandably delighted with the outcome.
''It's a fantastic day for the club and fans,'' said Tilson.
''We had to ride our luck and we got the chance at the death.
''Our goalkeeper made a great save at the end to keep us in it but the idea was to stay in the game for as long as we could.
''We had to get a lot of bodies behind the ball and it is not how we normally play. But it worked wonders.
''But whatever happens, we have had a good cup run. Beating Crewe at home in the league in our next game is more important than Chelsea.
''We have not worked on the long throws from the right-hand side so that was a bonus.
''Peter does get in good positions and that is his second goal this season. But on another day we could have lost by four or five goals.
''If they had scored early on then we would have had to open up and possibly got beaten by a hatful.
''But it is a great result for us against a team that will finish in the top two of the Premier League I'm sure.''

Fulham 2 Chelsea 2

Clint Dempsey's last-minute header dented Chelsea's Premier League title challenge as Fulham earned a battling 2-2 draw at Craven Cottage.
Chelsea, who, thanks in part to bad refereeing decisions, have now taken only 10 points from their last 21, had been on course for a west London derby win after two second-half strikes from Frank Lampard.
But Dempsey, who had given Fulham the lead after 10 minutes, popped up with seconds remaining to extend the Cottagers' unbeaten run to nine games.
Chelsea now head into the new year three points behind the Scousers, who had signed off 2008 earlier in the day with an easy 5-1 win at Newcastle (did they turn up?).
Fulham may not challenge for the title this season, but are determined to have a major say in its eventual destination having now beaten Arsenal and taken points off Liverpool and Chelsea.
It is some turnaround in the space of 12 months under manager Roy Hodgson, who took charge a year ago when the club seemed bound for relegation.
Chelsea manager Luiz Felipe Scolari decided to start with Nicolas Anelka on the bench and Didier Drogba caused Fulham all sorts of problems in the opening stages.
Florent Malouda fed the Ivorian striker with a delicate reverse ball but Drogba drove his shot into the side-netting, wide of the near post.
Chelsea full-back Jose Bosingwa was frustrated to concede a free-kick for a foul on Andrew Johnson and Fulham took full advantage to take a 10th-minute lead.
John Mikel Obi failed to deal with Simon Davies' curling free-kick as it bounced at the far post and Dempsey controlled the ball on his chest before flicking it past Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech.
Drogba worked space in the Fulham box with a neat turn past Aaron Hughes to slide his shot between Mark Schwarzer's legs and was unfortunate to see the ball roll agonisingly wide.
Chelsea were laying siege to the Fulham box. Hughes did well to shepherd the ball out for a corner when Drogba latched onto a knock-down from Malouda.
Malouda was replaced by Anelka after half an hour and his first touch teed up a stinging drive from 25 yards that Schwarzer could only parry clear off his thigh.
Chelsea's reshuffle saw Joe Cole pushed into a more advanced role on the right and they continued to dominate possession but Fulham were bright on the ball and Cech needed to intercept a low cross from Bobby Zamora before Dempsey could pounce again.
Chelsea then made a second change with Alex replaced after 36 minutes by Ricardo Carvalho, who returned to action after nearly three months out with a knee injury.
Bosingwa teed up Lampard for another strike from outside the box and Schwarzer did well to scramble across and push it behind for a corner.
Fulham was under pressure right from the restart with Brede Hangeland and then Dickson Etuhu forced into vital rearguard action as Drogba linked with Cole down the left flank.
Branislav Ivanovic unleashed a fierce volley from outside the Chelsea box which Schwarzer appeared to have covered, though he was saved the bother as the ball slammed straight into Anelka's midriff.
Four minutes into the second half the pressure finally told as Lampard pounced on a mix-up between Hughes and Schwarzer to put Chelsea level.
Hughes, retreating towards his own goal to deal with Deco's lofted ball and under pressure from Drogba, collided with Schwarzer and Lampard was able to slot the loose ball home.
Chelsea ramped up the pressure further. Lampard's pin-point 50-yard ball bisected Hughes and John Pantsil to find Drogba who took one touch but then rifled his shot over the bar.
Chelsea switched their point of attack to Cole, who forced Schwarzer to make two sharp saves in the space of a minute as Fulham continued to be stretched.
But there was no hint of Fulham, driven by the industrious Dempsey and Danny Murphy in midfield, trying to hold on for the draw and when Pantsil cut inside his left-foot shot flew just wide of Cech's near post.
Chelsea fans booed the substitution of Cole but it was soon cheered as Lampard rifled a 25-yard free-kick through a gap in the Fulham wall and under Schwarzer's dive to put Chelsea 2-1 up.
But Fulham refused to roll over and with the clock ticking down earned one final chance and once again Chelsea were found wanting at a set-piece.
Dempsey rose highest to meet the corner and directed his header inside the unguarded far post.
There was more drama to come as Chelsea piled forward in search of an injury-time winner but Schwarzer pulled off a brilliant double save to deny Cole and then Lampard to seal the draw.

Just to change the subject slightly.
Referees decisions continue to have a bearing on where the Premier League trophy might end up this season.
On Boxing Day Manchester United got a late winner against Stoke after thr Potters had a man sent off for a second yellow card, the first of which was given for a very innocuous challenge.
In the same game, that spoilt brat Ronaldo kicked out at an opponent reminiscent of David Beckham against Argentina but of course none of the officials saw it so, as usual, he got away with it.
Before that, Shrek Rooney elbowed an opponent in the face right in front of the linesman but again no one saw it and no action was taken. He also got away with stamping on an opponent in a Champions League game a couple of weeks ago.
The saying about these things evening themselves up over the season is rubbish. United always get away with it.