Chelsea FC - Supporters' Rally

[old_yet_horny]

LONDON, Aug 6 (Reuters) -

Chelsea midfielder Michael Ballack has dismissed media reports of a possible transfer to Real Madrid by underlining his desire to be a success at Stamford Bridge.


'I am totally committed to Chelsea,' the Germany captain told the club's official website on Monday. 'I came here to win trophies and be successful in English football, I want to assure the Chelsea fans of that.


'I am very happy in London professionally and for my family. The speculation about me leaving is not true. I have no interest in leaving Chelsea and I have had no contact with Real Madrid whatsoever.'

Ballack, who endured a difficult first year in English football last season, missed Sunday's Community Shield defeat by Manchester United as he continues his recovery from a recent ankle operation.

He scored four Premier League goals before sustaining his ankle injury at Newcastle United on April 22.

'I am frustrated by my injury at the moment but I am working hard to be fit and hope to be back very soon to join my team mates,' said Ballack.

[JWNY]

Have you guys joined?

JWNY

[no_faith]

before the start of the first match...we would like to welcome the 3 new blues...

glen2712
old_yet_horny
wins88(although not sure he is or not, still welcome him)

[JWNY]

Originally Posted by no_faith

before the start of the first match...we would like to welcome the 3 new blues...

glen2712
old_yet_horny
wins88(although not sure he is or not, still welcome him)

Confirm bro wins88 is a big Chelsea fan...my good bro OceanEleven has verified

Welcome all to the Chelsea family

JWNY

[no_faith]

Alves reveals Blues offer
Sevilla ace wants club to let him leave

Daniel Alves insists that Chelsea have made an offer for his services and
he is now waiting for Sevilla to accept.

The Brazilian is desperate to seal a move to Stamford Bridge, but Chelsea cannot find an agreement with his club Sevilla.
Alves has returned to pre-season training with the Uefa Cup winners, but the wing-back is adamant that a move to West London is what he wants.

[Glen2712]

Originally Posted by no_faith

before the start of the first match...we would like to welcome the 3 new blues...

glen2712
old_yet_horny
wins88(although not sure he is or not, still welcome him)

A Big Thank You To Bro no_faith & Bro JWNY For Welcoming Me With Wide Open Arms. Cheers!

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Appreciate the PM, Bro David_Ginola!

[Glen2712]

To Further Add On What Bro no_faith Had Mentioned. Let Us, The Blues Fans Take A Look @ This Month's Fixtures:

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Appreciate the PM, Bro David_Ginola!

[old_yet_horny]

Thanks to Bro JWNY and Bro No Faith for the warm welcome...

Honoured to be in the CFC Family.

Lets rally best support for the Blues this coming season!

[old_yet_horny]

Pizarro determined to win starting place

Claudio Pizarro has set his sights on becoming the 'number one striker at Chelsea'.


With last season's leading goalscorer Didier Drogba currently sidelined because of a knee problem, the summer signing from Bayern Munich could be in line to lead the attack against Birmingham when the new campaign kicks off.


Peruvian hitman Pizarro played during the second half of the Blues' FA Community Shield clash with Manchester United at Wembley, which they lost on penalties.

Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho has described the 28-year-old as a 'typical British striker' and the former Werder Bremen player does not intend to disappoint, should opportunity come his way.

'I am not in England to be a substitute for Drogba,' Pizarro said. 'He and Andriy Shevchenko are superstars but Claudio Pizarro is not lame and I will compete with them.

'My dream is to be the number one striker at Chelsea. I am not scared about having rivals for my place.'

The Blues coaching staff have pledged to be more expansive, having recruited fresh faces over the summer which Mourinho feels can adapt to a 4-4-2 formation as well as their trusted diamond which proved so successful in recent years.

However, given the number of injuries to the Chelsea squad, just who will be on the team sheet for the opening of the new Barclays Premier League season remains to be seen.

Full-back Ashley Cole is the latest player to have picked up a knock, reportedly a calf problem, adding to Mourinho's defensive headache with captain John Terry already sidelined for around a month because of his knee injury.

Mourinho feels whomever he puts into the side must be flexible, rather than just looking to slot into a traditional English formation with two widemen and two strikers in front of the back four.

The Chelsea manager maintains that can be beneficial in Europe.

'We can see a lot of teams playing a very good possession game, we can see a lot of teams playing with players between the lines, a lot of teams thinking tactically from game to game and not playing always the typical 4-4-2 they used to play every game,' he said.

'A lot of teams are playing with three midfielders and sometimes with five at the back.

'I think the game is more tactical it's become more tactical thinking.

'In my opinion globally about the game, it prepares English teams better to play in Europe.'

Chelsea, meanwhile, have yet to officially comment on reports Arjen Robben is set to join Real Madrid.

Robben's father and agent Hans has indicated negotiations were at a delicate stage. The winger told Spanish daily AS: 'Of course Madrid's interest makes me happy.

'But for now I cannot say much more because Chelsea will not let me tell you more until there is an agreement between the two clubs.

'It's better that they talk about it and solve this.'

[Glen2712]

ALEX SIGNS

Alex Rodrigo Dias Da Coasta today passed a medical and signed a three-year contract with Chelsea Football Club.




"Please Sevilla, Let Alves Come To Chelsea.... Pleeeaaseeeee...."

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[Glen2712]

PRE-MATCH BRIEFING: CHELSEA V BIRMINGHAM CITY

After three months away, it is everyone back to the Bridge for the opening league encounter. Historian Rick Glanvill and statistician Paul Dutton prepare for the next nine months of intense competition.


Rick previews a potentially historic afternoon on Sunday:


A new football league season arrives without 'the Premiership' - now formalised as the Premier League - stripped of Gay Meadow, Shrewsbury's dismantled stomping ground, and missing the three-card tricks of referee Graham Poll, as well as his easy-going colleague Dermot Gallacher, both retired.


For technological novelty there is the testing of a Hawk-Eye system to see whether a ball crosses a line. And there are suddenly new owners at the likes of Manchester City, Newcastle and Sunday's opponents, with their majority shareholder Mr Carson Ka-Shing Yeung, a wealthy former hairdresser from Hong Kong already dubbed 'Ker-ching'.


And how does Chelsea look in the blink of this brave new dawn? A new training complex, harmony all round, and some astute trading on the international footballer exchange. All the new boys have had their moments in preparation matches disrupted by widespread injury - that blight we thought would be shaken off last season.


The casualty list means that there will be an immediate test not just of the freshmen's defensive solidity: Birmingham would be delighted with a draw and will need some breaking down. Two seasons ago they battled behind the ball and hit a post and the top of the net in the first 25 minutes, before Chelsea undid them with goals from Arjen Robben and Hernán Crespo. City have also strengthened substantially across the back in the summer but may be missing key figures themselves through injury.


Still, there is also the matter of history to be made with this match. Avoiding defeat would set us ahead of Liverpool '78-'81 with a new all-time English home record. Proof that this is our club's golden age, and that far from having no history, Chelsea are rewriting it.


No way José Mourinho and his team will be thinking of a draw, mind. It creates an unusual hunger, the loss of a title, as well as a steely-eyed post-mortem. Last season his side's one defeat (at Boro) and one draw (at home to Villa) in the first seven games was matched stride for stride by eventual champions Manchester Utd.


But while the Reds kicked on, the Blues foundered on 5 November at White Hart Lane. The injuries came and devastated Mourinho's men and Sir Alex Ferguson's squad never really faltered again.


The basis of the Mancunians' success, though, was Ferguson's determination not to allow Chelsea to build a rapid lead as we had in 2004 and 2005. The metaphorical bar has been raised again.


Steve Clarke has already said as much this week, and that, whatever the missing personnel, the relentlessness of those two title wins must instantly show itself.


Without the height, quality, spirit and leadership of John Terry and Didier Drogba, there will anyway be more pressure on Sunday's debutants than usual. So we must make sure we are especially nice to them. It may well help that so many season ticket holders have switched to the Shed End; even when the likes of Joe Allon and Tony Cascarino made less than inspirational starts, the Shed instantly fell for them.


Oh, and I know what we'll miss most about this coming season: being able to sing, 'That's why we're champions'. Damn.

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[Glen2712]

PRE-MATCH BRIEFING: CHELSEA V BIRMINGHAM CITY End


CHELSEA V BIRMINGHAM CITY - Paul Dutton surveys a healthy records on the opening day and against Sunday's rivals.


If Chelsea avoid defeat on Sunday we will extend our unbeaten league record at Stamford Bridge to 64 games beating the English top flight sequence of 63 games set by Liverpool at Anfield between February 1978 and January 1981. Our last defeat was on Saturday 21 February 2004 when Arsenal edged us 2-1. Since then we have played 63, won 48, drawn 14, lost none; goals scored 131, against 29. Liverpool's record was set at 63 games, with 49 wins, 14 draws, none lost, with 142 goals scored and 26 against. Our undefeated home run is as follows:



2003/04

1 Sat Mar 20 Fulham 2-1

2 Sat Mar 27 Wolves 5-2

3 Sat Apr 10 Middlesbrough 0-0

4 Sat Apr 17 Everton 0-0

5 Sat May 1 Southampton 4-0

6 Sat May 15 Leeds 1-0


2004/05

7 Sun Aug 15 Man Utd 1-0

8 Sat Aug 28 Southampton 2-1

9 Sun Sep 19 Tottenham 0-0

10 Sun Oct 3 Liverpool 1-0

11 Sat Oct 23 Blackburn 4-0

12 Sat Nov 6 Everton 1-0

13 Sat Nov 20 Bolton 2-2

14 Sat Dec 4 Newcastle 4-0

15 Sat Dec 18 Norwich 4-0

16 Sun Dec 26 Aston Villa 1-0

17 Tue Jan 4 Middlesbrough 2-0

18 Sat Jan 22 Portsmouth 3-0

19 Sun Feb 6 Man City 0-0

20 Tue Mar 15 West Brom 1-0

21 Sat Mar 19 Crystal Palace 4-1

22 Sat Apr 9 Birmingham 1-1

23 Wed Apr 20 Arsenal 0-0

24 Sat Apr 23 Fulham 3-1

25 Sat May 7 Charlton 1-0


2005/06

26 Sun Aug 21 Arsenal 1-0

27 Wed Aug 24 West Brom 4-0

28 Sat Sep 10 Sunderland 2-0

29 Sat Sep 24 Aston Villa 2-1

30 Sat Oct 15 Bolton 5-1

31 Sat Oct 29 Blackburn 4-2

32 Sat Nov 19 Newcastle 3-0

33 Sat Dec 3 Middlesbrough 1-0

34 Sat Dec 10 Wigan 1-0

35 Mon Dec 26 Fulham 3-2

36 Sat Dec 31 Birmingham 2-0

37 Sun Jan 22 Charlton 1-1

38 Sun Feb 5 Liverpool 2-0

39 Sat Feb 25 Portsmouth 2-0

40 Sat Mar 11 Tottenham 2-1

41 Sat Mar 25 Man City 2-0

42 Sun Apr 9 West Ham 4-1

43 Mon Apr 17 Everton 3-0

44 Sat Apr 29 Man Utd 3-0


2006/07

45 Sun Aug 20 Man City 3-0

46 Sat Sep 9 Charlton 2-1

47 Sun Sep 17 Liverpool 1-0

48 Sat Sep 30 Aston Villa 1-1

49 Sat Oct 21 Portsmouth 2-1

50 Sat Nov 11 Watford 4-0

51 Sat Nov 18 West Ham 1-0

52 Sun Dec 10 Arsenal 1-1

53 Wed Dec 13 Newcastle 1-0

54 Tue Dec 26 Reading 2-2

55 Sat Dec 30 Fulham 2-2

56 Sat Jan 13 Wigan 4-0

57 Wed Jan 31 Blackburn 3-0

58 Sat Feb 10 Middlesbrough 3-0

59 Sat Mar 17 Sheffield Utd 3-0

60 Sat Apr 7 Tottenham 1-0

61 Sat Apr 28 Bolton 2-2

62 Wed May 9 Man Utd 0-0

63 Sun May 13 Everton 1-1



Providing he is fit today, we welcome Mikael Forssell back to Stamford Bridge. He has had an impressive pre-season after missing most of last season with a knee injury. He played 53 games (41 as substitute) and scored 12 goals in his spell here between 1999 and 2005. He scored a goal in four successive substitute appearances in April 2002 which is still a club record.


Chelsea are looking to extend our unbeaten record against Birmingham, home and away, to 14 games over 27 years. Birmingham's last win was in March 1980 when Alan Curbishley, Colin Todd, Frank Worthington and Archie Gemmill helped them to a 5-1 win at St Andrews in the old Second Division and leapfrog Chelsea into first position on goal difference. Geoff Hurst was our manager of a side containing Clive Walker and scorer Tommy Langley.



The unbeaten record against Birmingham is played 13, won nine, drawn four, lost none, goals scored 23, against five.



Aug 24 1985

Chelsea 2 (Rougvie, K Jones), Birmingham 0

Dec 21 1985

Birmingham 1 (Platneaur) Chelsea 2 (Hagan og, Nevin)

Dec 16 1988

Birmingham 1 (Whitton) Chelsea 4 (Durie 2, Dixon 2)

Apr 4 1989

Chelsea 3 (Dixon, Roberts, K Wilson) Birmingham 1 (Richards)

Nov 9 2002

Chelsea 3 (Gudjohnsen 2, Zola) Birmingham 0

Feb 8 2003

Birmingham 1 (Savage pen) Chelsea 3 (Zola, Gudjohnsen, Hasselbaink pen)

Oct 14 2003

Birmingham 0 Chelsea 0

Jan 18 2004

Chelsea 0 Birmingham 0

Aug 21 2004

Birmingham 0 Chelsea 1 (J Cole)

Jan 30 2005

Chelsea 2 (Huth, Terry) Birmingham 0

Apr 9 2005

Chelsea 1 (Drogba) Birmingham 1 (Pandiani)

Dec 31 2005

Chelsea 2 (Crespo, Robben) Birmingham 0

Apr 1 2006

Birmingham 0 Chelsea 0



If this game is drawn it will be our sixth successive in the Premier League (Apr 22 Newcastle a 0-0, Apr 28 Bolton h 2-2, May 6 Arsenal a 1-1, May 9 Man Utd h 0-0, May 13 Everton h 1-1) and will equal our club record set in August and September 1969.


José Mourinho has not been defeated at home in the league since Beira Mar beat Porto 3-2 on February 23rd 2002. In the five years since with Porto and Chelsea he has managed 95 games, won 80, and drawn 15. His teams have scored 213 goals and conceded 48.


In the 15 seasons since 1992 Birmingham City have won seven opening day fixtures, lost four and drawn four including 10 seasons in a lower division. Their last away win on the first day was in 1990 against Cambridge United in the third division.


Chelsea have won our last five opening day games, and seven of the last eight. The only blip was the 1-1 draw against Newcastle in 2001. Overall since 1992 there have been eight wins, three defeats and four draws.


Chelsea and Birmingham have met on two previous occasions on the opening day. 1922 saw a 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge and a 3-0 Chelsea win at St Andrews in 1949.



Birmingham's last six games

Apr 9 Barnsley (a) L 0-1

Apr 14 Southampton (h) W 2-1

Apr 17 Leicester (a) W 2-1

Apr 22 Wolves (a) W 3-2

Apr 28 Sheffield Wed (h) W 2-0

May 6 Preston (a) L 0-1



Birmingham's top league scorers last season were Gary McSheffrey 13 and Nicklas Bendtner (on loan from Arsenal) 11.


Birmingham were promoted from the Championship last season finishing second with 86 points, two behind champions Sunderland. Their away record was: won 11, drawn three, lost nine.


Bruce's Blues have been busy in the transfer market. Liam Ridgewell became the first player for 23 years to move from arch-rivals Aston Villa to Birmingham. Daniel de Ridder won the UEFA under-21 tournament in the summer with Holland. Their moves to date are:


Ins Garry O'Connor (Lokomotiv Moscow, £2.7m), Stuart Parnaby (Middlesbrough, free), Fabrice Muamba (Arsenal, £2m), Olivier Kapo (Juventus, £3m), Daniel de Ridder (Celta Vigo, free), Richard Kingston (Antalyaspor, free), Rafael Schmitz (Lille, season-long loan), Franck Queudrue (Fulham, £2.5m), Liam Ridgewell (Aston Villa £2m).

Outs Bruno N'Gotty (Leicester, free), Stephen Clemence (Leicester, £750,000), DJ Campbell (Leicester, £1.6m), Julian Gray (Coventry, free), Neil Kilkenny (Oldham, loan)



This will be Birmingham's fifth season in the Premier League. Their previous four have been:



2002/03, finished 13th

2003/04, 10th

2004/05, 12th

2005/06, 18th



Birmingham have never won the top flight. They achieved the double over champions Chelsea in their best season in 1955/6 when they finished sixth. Their last piece of silverware was the Auto Windscreen Trophy in 1995.


There are no suspensions on either side. Birmingham captain Damien Johnson is out with a torn hamstring.


The referee is Steve Bennett, who was in charge of last May's FA Cup Final.


Chelsea's overall record against Birmingham in all competitions is: played 87, won 39, drawn 24, lost 24


Head to head in the league at Stamford Bridge: played 38, won 20, drawn 12, lost 6



OUR LAST MEETING AT STAMFORD BRIDGE

Chelsea 2 Birmingham 0

Barclays Premiership, Saturday December 31, 2005.

Chelsea(4-3-3): Cech Ferreira, Carvalho, Terry (c), Gallas; Gudjohnsen, Essien (Makelele 75), Lampard; J Cole, Crespo (Drogba 69), Robben (Wright-Phillips 60).

Scorers: Crespo (24), Robben (42)

Booked: Essien

Birmingham(4-4-2): Maik Taylor Cunningham (c), Martin Taylor, Upson (Tebily 11), Gray; Johnson, Butt, Clemence (Kilkenny 59), Pennant; Pandiani, Heskey (Birley 64).

Sent off: Carsley.

Crowd: 40,652.

Referee: Mike Dean.

The victory meant Chelsea had 101 points from 38 League games in 2005.

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[Peter_North]

I'm glad Robben is going to Real. He was good during his first season, as other teams' defenders simply could not adjust to Robben's dribbling. However, Robben had not been that effective during the second season, not to mention his injury prone records. Malouda has more power. We saw that in Charity Shield, how he powered past Rio Ferdinand.

Brazilian Alex is a damn good header of the ball. Another powerful player in the mould of Essien.

Frank Lampard has never been the same after he fractured his wrist late last season. John Terry too hasn't been like what he was in the first season during which he scored many crucial goals. Actually, Chelski can do without these two jokers.

I am a bit worried for Chelski with the news that Tevez's deal is sealed. Man U certainly has more firepower this year - Rooney, Tevez, Ronaldo, Anderson, Nani....wow !!!

[Glen2712]

ALEX READY TO GO

Friday's new arrival Alex believes he is in a good condition to start competing for a place in the Chelsea side straight away.



The player, whose full name is Alex Rodrigo Dias Da Costa and is pictured here with club secretary David Barnard, has taken only a short break from the game after summer international activity and told Chelsea TV after signing a three-year contract at Stamford Bridge:



'I had one week without training at all and once I have talked with the coach, I am going to see when I can start training,' he said, speaking in Portuguese through an interpreter. 'But if it depends, I will start straight away, even today.



'I hope to start very soon and to do a good job in this wonderful club.



'I am happy for the opportunity Chelsea have given me. It's a wonderful club, I sometimes watch the games and I hear about the club and I hope everything goes well.



'I hope to adapt myself very quickly because Ricardo Carvalho and the coaches are Portuguese and they will help me with the language barrier,' he explained. I hope I won't have any problem to be on the team.'



Chief executive Peter Kenyon welcomed the latest addition to the squad, stating:



'It seems like a long time coming this one. We had it agreed a long time ago but with the Copa America, he has joined us at the start of the season literally.



'He has kept fit over the summer and he is a good addition to the squad. He has got to be our biggest player and he could be quite intimidating.



'Last season we lost out when there was that crucial period where we had injuries around central defence. I think we've definitely strengthened in that position and Tal (Ben-Haim) has got other positions he can play so I think we are very well covered and with very good quality as well.'



The Brazilian international defender is 25-years-old and joins Chelsea after three years playing in Holland at PSV Eindhoven. Chelsea had the first option to sign him.



Prior to PSV, Alex played in his homeland at Santos, the São Paulo club made famous around the globe by Pelé.



After moving to Europe, Alex was part of a side that won three consecutive Dutch league titles with a domestic double completed in 2004-5. In the Champions League last season he made the headlines by heading the goal that knocked Arsenal out at the first knockout stage.



Having made his international debut in 2003, he was part of the Brazil side that won the Copa America this summer, playing in the 3-0 defeat of Argentina in the Final. He has 14 caps to his name.

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[Dhornyboy]

really lor.. I think Chelsea will do well. but honestly.. dont u guys think mourinho thinks too highly of Pizarro meh?

I prefer to place my bet on Shevy.. I think his lethal and will regain his form this season ! When his on top... no one is more deadly than him...