The Torture Continues

At least we don't support this crap.

Just as you start packing your hope and dreams away for a season something happens that makes you reconsider. Fresh off the back of 2 consecutive defeats to the only teams above us in the table, our title ambition seemed to be unrealistic and over. A game at home to Liverpool is hardly an inviting opportunity to restart what you've thrown away, but against all odds the boys have done exactly that. Admittedly I was stuck in a gas station with a dead car battery so was unable to watch but the results speak for themselves. A 75th minute header (!) from Abou Diaby was enough to separate us from the scousers and take us within 6 points of Chelsea, who contrived to lose a lead and the game at Goodison Park. A clean sheet and a save from Almunia kept us in the race at the end when Babel hit the bar and Gerrard had a free kick saved by Cesc in injury time. The latter event proving quite lucky as the referee would have had to send off our captain and possibly award a penalty (although it was outside the box, you never know).

One can not understate the import of this victory. Three consecutive defeats would have given us serious questions to answer about the final position we would land in May. Instead we are allowed a moment of grandiosity in which we get to harbor dreams of silverware. Someone said before the Aston Villa game that he would be happy with 5 points and I tended to agree with him. We were two moments of madness away from that target on Sunday. With the FA Cup being played this Sunday we are allowed a bit of respite, hopefully allowing some of those fitness problems to be dealt with.

The only slight blemish on an otherwise spectacular night was the inability of Aston Villa to break down United, despite having a man advantage for more than an hour. But I'm being a bit picky to be honest. Chelsea should have been beaten by two goals had it not been for a poor penalty by Saha. As an American it is nice to see Donavan making himself to be so useful after so many failed attempts in the Bundesliga. His touch that brought him inside of Caravlho to win the penalty was top class. Chelsea will drop more points, we just have to be sure we take full advantage like today. The icing on the cake had to be Wolves doing the double over the lily-white Seven Sisters Pretenders. Two 1-0 victories by a shit team with a shit manager shines a different light on the 6th placed team.

So now we get 7 days to prepare for Porto. Let's be honest we got quite lucky with the draw. I still think that the Champions League is the best chance this season. I want 6-0. All to be scored off of Arshavin's head. Joking aside, with only the one other competition it is important to win all of our games now, if only for momentum. But for now lets bask in the greatness and fortune of today.

SFGoon

Our Fears Realized

Stay On The Fucking Post!

So in the end it was exactly as we thought it might be. Two careless goals have brought our title campaign to a grinding halt. While the result may be devastating, the manner in which we conceded advantage to our Russian friends was a far cry better than seven days previously. At home we rolled over and took it in the twins, but at the Bridge we dominated possession, probed and Arshavin had two gilt edged chances to tie the match. The best of the two came moments after Chelsea opened, Cesc floated in a ball between their defense. Arshavin volleyed from point blank range but found the foot of Cech instead of the goal. One could feel from that moment on we we're simply not going to score, thus it wasn't much of a surprise when we found the post later. Chelsea scored first off of a corner, a rather tame cross came in and Clichy inexplicably left the far post to deal with it. Needless to say he didn't get to it, it found its way to Drogba who slotted it in the space where Clichy would have been. Elementary mistakes are being made that have cost us dear, and most of them have come from Clichy. The man needs to be dropped and possibly sold, he has never convinced and clearly is on the wane. As we tried to find the equalizer Chelsea waited, sat deep, and kept the field narrow waiting to break. Drogba's second was pure comedy from a defending aspect. Never mind the fact that he strode unchallenged to the six yard box, he could have passed to the top of the box where a Chelsea man sat unmarked. Game over and season over on February 7th. Too bad really, had we come through this with some pride and points I would have tipped us for a nice charge to the summit. But as it stands we have to be concentrate on securing a Champions League spot as both Man City and Liverpool are now 5 points away from third.
There really isn't much to say, we have all summer to bitch and moan. Now we have to get behind the team and accentuate the positives. Consider 8 months ago all the pundits predicted we would struggle just to stay in the top 4. To be so bitterly disappointed with such a capitulation speaks well for this young team. I don't think anyone really thought we would be the last ones standing, but we're not far away. The difference this season has been the points lost on United and Chelsea, those margins can easily remedied in a year. This is Chelsea's year, probably their last considering how old they all are. We just have to bide our time and I have no doubt the title is in our imminent future. Just not this year.

Bring on those Scousers.

It's The End of The World

More of this please.

The end of the week seems to have brightened up a little as Chelsea failed to punish our inept display on Sunday with a victory at Hull. The draw puts them six points clear of us and still all to play for at Stamford Bridge. A victory would take us within touching distance and one would have to give us the advantage in the run in.
Hypothetical scenarios are nice to play around with in the mind but the fact remains that we are still without a match fit striker. Eduardo's injury has kept him out of the game, while questions remain over playing Bendtner after him being out for 3 months. That leaves us with the possiblity we will field a team similar to the one last weekend. If Manchester United could out muscle us on own patch, certainly Terry and Co will dispatch us with ease. In my mind Wenger has to take the gamble of playing Bendtner. The height will give us the option of going to the air if our slick passing is found wanting again. We'll be able to hold up the ball giving our rather talented midfielders the chance to weave their patterns we know they can. Most importantly it will give John Terry a bigger mental test. While Wenger refused to be drawn into the furor today regarding the sacking of Terry as the England captain, it would be foolish to assume it won't play a part. Pairing Terry with someone who will challenge every cross forces him to stay in the game, Arshavin up front will be a huge let off for the philanderer.
Elsewhere the team is fairly unchanged. Diaby has a minor chance of playing, I'd readily welcome him back over out of form Denilson. In the back we seem to have everyone fit and ready, hopefully the extra days off have given them a bit more energy than was on display against the Mancs. I have a suspicion that Manuel Almunia will play which would be a bit of a shame. If there was ever a man to be sacked from his job for poor performances its him. His flap at Nani's cross still irritates me and if he was sold to Leeds it would be too kind to him. Fabianski please!
Predictions? I'd rather not. Sunday is without a doubt the marker in which we can judge our season. Any defeat will be the end of it in terms of the title and I'm not sure this team can take any more of that.