Valencia vs Chelsea
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contrasting fortunes for both teams.
i believe valencia will win this match. -
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It may be more than a 1-0 win for Valencia
Joaquin, Morientes, Villa, Canizares, Helguera, Baraja ...
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2-0 Valencia. No Lampard = no goals for Chelsea.
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Valencia to win Terry to injure as he rush back from injury
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Why even risk playing Terry today?
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Oh man... somehow i feel sorry for chelsea right now... Hope they win tonight along with Pool... and all 4 English teams go through...
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Morientes happy to avoid Mourinho
Valencia striker Fernando Morientes has revealed his relief that Jose Mourinho will not be pulling the strings for Chelsea on Wednesday night.
Morientes has come unstuck against the Portuguese coach on more than one occasion in Europe, being part of the Monaco side that lost 3-0 to Mourinho's Porto in the 2004 Champions League final, and then again with Valencia against Chelsea in Europe's elite competition last season.
However, the former Liverpool striker will be spared a similar experience on Wednesday following Mourinho's shock departure from the Chelsea hot-seat last month.
"It is much better that they are coming without Mourinho. Fortunately he is not there, because he is a very big personality," said Morientes.
"He does not play, but from the sidelines he is a very great character.
"Maybe it will be able to affect them (Chelsea), since the squad had confidence in him and continue to have confidence in him.
"He is not a coach what I like to see on the opposition's bench, it is certain that for them it will be something different and the game is not going to be the same as other times."
If Morientes gets the nod to start for Valencia at the Mestalla, he could come up against England centre-half John Terry.
Terry underwent surgery after suffering a broken cheekbone at the weekend, but he could play against Valencia wearing a protective face mask.
Morientes believes that will be a "handicap" for Terry, but insists the Chelsea skipper will still be a formidable opponent.
"He is incredible. It is difficult to get the better of him," said the Spain international on Radio Marca.
"He is a player who competes in every minute of the game. He is a complete player, big and strong but also with quality.
"I am convinced that he is going to give the same as he usually does even wearing the mask. He will put his head in as if nothing has happened," added the striker, who did not limit his praise of Avram Grant's team to just Terry.
"It is not that they just seem very strong, they are very strong," he said.
"The English league, and in particular this team, is one of the strongest in Europe.
"We need to take advantage of their weaknesses and win the game."
The teams have said it! Chelsea's Fear Factor in form of Jose M. is gone!
Every team is taking their shots at the Blues now!
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A win for us! 1-2!
Cheers to TERRY, Carvalho, J.Cole, Drogs!!!
Sorry, Grant, but credit I believe goes to our boys fighting spirit and the team JM's created
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well done chelsea.
congratulations!!!!
drogba again prove his worth. they cant seem to do well without him. -
The team played better without Shev.
It was better for Drogba who has the body strength to hold on to the ball and also to brush aside the defender. that was exactly how the goal was scored. If it was Shev, the defender would probably be able to out-shove him.
Man of the Match : Close call between Makelele and Joe Cole. I would put Cole for that pass that resulted in the goal. As for Makelele, I enjoyed watching him double teaming Valencia's attackers with Ferreira, Carvalho, A Cole and Terry. He was there and everywhere.
I agree with Ms Soojung, it ws the players themselves that made the difference. -
Well done to Grant... I would say going to Valencia wasn't an easy task... And Mourinho couldn't have done it any better... Looks like the team is forgetting jose day by day and fighting for him now... Only Pool suffer a setback in Marseille going down 0 - 1...
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Damm, & i thot Chelsea was a goner in this match.
But they shot up to top of the table now.
Well done Chelsea! -
John Terry (right) and Steve Sidwell salute the Chelsea fans after their 2-1 victory
HE may not be the Special One but this was a special result for Avram Grant.
Six months ago, Mourinho guided the Blues to a magnificent 2-1 victory in the Mestalla in their Champions League quarter-final. Few would have put money on Grant providing the inspiration for a repeat performance in this Group B clash. But the players have been told Grant is here to stay, with the support of incoming coach Henk ten Cate, and the choice is either to shape up or ship out. Blues fans can sing to their heartsÂ’ content about Mourinho but he is not coming back. This is the future and, if it is an example, they might even start to like it.
Skipper John Terry has shown players and supporters the way by battling through the pain barrier to give his all for the cause. Some call it foolhardy. But, for Terry, Chelsea comes first — even at the risk to his own health. He is having injections in a broken toe and wore a mask in the Lone Ranger style last night to protect his broken cheekbone. But he never went hiding. He put his head in when it mattered without fear for his own safety. It is good news for England, too, that he came through so well.
While Chelsea still looked clueless at times, particularly in the first half, they contributed to what was an entertaining game. The mantra seemed to be to attack to keep Mr Abramovich happy. If it meant holes at the back, so be it.
Valencia could not believe the space they had and by the ninth minute David Villa, a player Mourinho was prepared to pay £22million to take to Stamford Bridge, had bagged the opener. The build-up was comedy capers as David Silva played a ball forward, Claude Makelele tried to clear, it came off Villa, hit Michael Essien and rebounded back to Villa. Villa then got the other side of Terry and beat the on-rushing Petr Cech to tuck the ball into the bottom left corner.
Chelsea players stared at one another, unable to explain how it had ended up in the net. For the next 10 minutes or so, Chelsea looked shell-shocked and almost conceded a second from ex- Liverpool striker Fernando Morientes. Cech blocked the effort between his legs. MaloudaÂ’s centre low into the box found Joe Cole and, though it seemed Valencia defender Emiliano Moretti had hammered the ball into his own net, Cole was credited with the final touch.
Valencia thought they were back in front when Villa had the ball in the net on 56 minutes. Yet he was just offside as he collected a Morientes touch. To take the pressure off, Chelsea had to get into the opposing half. But Joe Cole was having one of those infuriating games, where he keeps the ball for too long and fails to release the incisive pass at the right time.
Valencia were probably expecting Cole to dally again when he collected it in his own half with 19 minutes left. But he surprised everyone with the pass of the night for DrogbaÂ’s winner. After a quick look up, Cole delivered the most majestic ball with the outside of his right foot. It took out four home defenders and was perfectly weighted into DrogbaÂ’s run.
Drogba easily shrugged off the last man, Raul Abiola, and finished with customary aplomb as he gave keeper Timo Hildebrand no chance. It was a goal that might never have come under Mourinho, who would have probably had Cole off by then.
Grant may never enjoy the hero worship of Mourinho. But, like his predecessor, he has happily discovered you can always rely on your Drog! -
sheva is a hopeless case.
i hope he returns to milan. -
Sheva not aggressive enough, & don't run really fast.
In EPL, If ppl shove you, you must "Push" back! He don't have this mentality.
Now it's time to see The Blues keep up this winning ways.
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really have to almiring terry still continue to play even though he is injuried.
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Really nice to see people say something nice about Chelsea.
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i was jumping in my hotel room when i saw drogba goal on the highlights on some french television.
