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| Lampard is better than ever - Grant Chelsea boss Avram Grant has heaped praise on Frank Lampard's recent performances amid speculation over his future at Stamford Bridge The former West Ham player has yet to commit himself to a long-term contract and there is growing concern that he will move on in the January transfer window if Chelsea receive the right kind of offer. Grant refused to discuss Lampard's situation when he first replaced Jose Mourinho as manager and on Friday, the 52-year-old Israeli said he had not even thought about the players he may wish to add to his squad. Lampard refused to agree a new deal while Mourinho was in charge and there is even less chance of him doing so after the Portuguese coach's exit. However, the England star is clearly not affected by the speculation surrounding his future and was instrumental in tearing Manchester City apart on Saturday. Grant declared: "Frank's game is better than the game before but he is a player with a great attitude and in the last three games you have seen him produce fantastic assists. "He is very important for us. His passing was excellent against City but also against Middlesbrough and Schalke. We move the ball very well and he is a very clever player. He uses it to make good assists." Lampard was delighted with both his and the team's performance adding: "We are firing right now. It's almost as if he we had to show ourselves what we can do, We showed at Stamford Bridge what we can do when we hit top form. "My performance certainly ranks very highly in my career, it missed a goal but I felt at the top of my game." Lampard made goals for Essien to open the scoring and for Drogba to put Chelsea two in front at the break. |
| QUOTE (farakaka @ Oct 29 2007, 05:16 PM) |
| this thread is especially for you and me, fofy :yes: thanks :hug: |
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| Chelsea defender Ricardo Carvalho has revealed he has no intention of moving to Serie A to sign for Juventus. The Portuguese star is believed to be a transfer target for the Bianconeri as they search for a top-class centre back. Last week, Juventus sporting director Alessio Secco held a series of meetings with Chelsea officials to discuss possible future transfers and one of the names that cropped up was Carvalho. “I have a contract with Chelsea and I have no intention of changing clubs,” the 29-year-old told the Daily Mirror. “I have read that Juventus are interested in me but I have not spoken with anyone. “I have a contract with Chelsea for a number of seasons and I have no plans to leave, even if Mourinho, the man who wanted me in the Premier League is no longer here.” There were reports that Jose Mourinho’s recent departure as Chelsea manager may push Carvalho towards the exit door, however it seems this is not the case. “It is not important who the manager is,” the ex-Porto man explained. “I am a professional and I give everything on the field for Chelsea.” |
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| Frank Lampard is excited at the prospect of becoming the eighth player to score 100 goals for Chelsea. The England midfielder took his tally of goals for the London team to 96 when he bagged a hat-trick in holders Chelsea's 4-3 victory over Leicester City in a thrilling League Cup fourth-round tie on Wednesday. "I am getting near to 100 goals for Chelsea and that will be a real milestone," Lampard told Reuters. "A hundred goals would mean a huge amount. "Where I am now is right up there with a lot of Chelsea greats and I am very proud to be among them. I've been here six and a half seasons and to be anywhere near that figure is very exciting." Only Bobby Tambling (202), Kerry Dixon (193), Peter Osgood (150), Roy Bentley (150), Jimmy Greaves (132), George Mills (123) and George Hilsdon (107) have reached a century of Chelsea goals. Lampard, captain in the absence of the injured John Terry, led from the front after Premier League Chelsea fell 1-0 and 3-2 behind against Championship (second division) side Leicester. His first two goals were typically crisp strikes from inside the penalty area but Lampard's match-winning third in injury time was a scrambled effort that just crossed the line. "(Claudio) Pizarro chipped the ball on to the cross bar and I headed it in," said Lampard. "I thought it was mine and by the time I had fallen down and got back up everyone was celebrating. "The referee also said it was my goal afterwards so I'll take his word on that." Lampard acknowledged the League Cup holders were not at their best against Leicester. "At times we didn't play well and certain parts of our game weren't solid enough," he said. "If we want to win the League Cup we will have to defend better. "The determination we showed proves how seriously we take this competition. The great thing about it is that as soon as you win a couple of games you're not far away from a final. "In contrast the FA Cup is a long haul and the Champions League an even longer one." |
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| Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech may miss the Blues' Premier League game against Everton on Sunday after injuring his calf in last night's Champions League tie in Germany. Petr Cech faces a struggle to be fit in time for Chelsea's next match - against Everton in the Barclays Premier League. The Czech international goalkeeper was forced out of the Blues' goalless draw against Schalke in Gelsenkirchen on Tuesday night. He injured his calf towards the end of the first-half and did not reappear for the second, Carlo Cudicini replacing him. Chelsea manager Avram Grant could not be sure how long Cech might be out of action. But the signs were not good as the keeper left the stadium on crutches. Grant said: "He could not continue in the second-half. How bad the injury is we need to wait and see. It is a calf injury and I asked the doctor if he could continue and he couldn't. But Carlo Cudicini came on and played well." Chelsea uninspiring against Schalke but earned the point that keeps them top of Group B. Now they only need to win one of their remaining two games - against Valencia at home and Rosenborg away - to clinch qualification for the knockout stage. Schalke were unlucky not to win, having twice hit the woodwork in the second-half. At the other end though, Chelsea striker Didier Drogba had chances to snatch all three points for the London club - and victory would have qualified them for the next phase already after Rosenborg unexpectedly beat Valencia in Spain. However, Grant said: "We wanted to win but it was not easy to play Schalke at home. They needed to win because a draw was not good enough. It was not a bad result but not our best game. "After so many good games in a short time we can have one game that is not in the high level. It is also an away game against a team who feel very good playing at home." He added: "The Champions League is not the [Premier] league, it is another competition. You need to fight for the result and it is not easy to play away from home. "We are in first place and everything is in our hands and I am very happy and confident about that. But we need to continue our job because it will not be easy. "I don't think we defended so badly. It was not a bad game. It was not our best performance but not a bad game for us." |
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| Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard has hailed reserve goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini, insisting that the Italian would be a first team regular at any other club. Cudicini impressed after coming on for Petr Cech during Tuesday's goalless draw against Schalke, and has found a lot of support in Lampard. “He is basically a first-team goalkeeper," said the midfielder. "It is only because of the way Petr Cech has played in the last few years that Carlo has not been there. “He’s always been the professional that he is and when he comes on he always performs. “He is one of the best keepers in the league, forgetting the fact he is our second keeper. "It’s very impressive. Even as a goalkeeper, match-play always keeps you that little bit sharper." The Italian is set to feature regularly almost until Christmas given the Cech's calf injury, and will welcome the show of confidence. “Whenever Carlo comes in, even though he has not played for a long time, he always looks just as sharp as anyone.” concluded Lampard. Defender Wayne Bridge also praised Cudicini’s readiness, admitting that he scarcely even noticed it: “I didn’t think about the change of goalkeeper. Carlo is a quality keeper and so is Petr. “For a club to have two keepers like that, three with Hilario, is great for the club. It’s probably not ideal for Carlo but he dealt with it well.” Chelsea are just three points off the pace in the Premiership, and lead Champions League group B after two wins and two draws. |
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| Former Chelsea midfielder Gavin Peacock applauded Carlo Cudicini for his continuous show of professionalism. The Italian shot-stopper performed admirably in midweek when he was unexpectedly called upon to replace the stricken Peter Cech. The first-choice keeper for Chelsea and Czech Republic had to be substituted off mid-way through the Champions League 0-0 draw against Schalke with a calf injury. With the injury now diagnosed as a torn calf muscle, Carlo Cudicini is set for an extended period in-between the sticks fort the Blues. Reflecting on Petr Cech's injury, Gavin Peacock praised the number two keeper Carlo Cudicini for showing great professionalism and loyalty to the club. "As a number two, you still have to prepare as if you're going to play, even though at the back of your mind you know that you're probably not," said the former Stamford Bridge favourite. "In my day it was Kevin Hitchcock who was the reserve behind Dmitri Kharine and he was upbeat all the time, although he knew he was second string - but he always ready to play. "But that's the mentality you have to have as a goalkeeper because it can be a long wait until you're called. And it's the same with Carlo and that's why the fans love him so much." Although Cech’s absence has been the talking point in the Chelsea dressing-room of late, Michael Essien involvement in the launch of the anti-racism single ‘Skin’ has also been doing the rounds. Essien, along with Shaun-Wright Phillips, took to the stage last night in a central London nightclub for the launch of the track. The Ghanaian, along with Didier Drogba, performs a rap on the recorded version of the song, all proceeds from which are going towards Chelsea's national charity partner CLIC Sargent. Last night, he joined the band Wills and the Willing in the spotlight, an act that lead Frontman Ian Wills to sing the plaudits of the two stars, "As I finished the track, Michael, who was stood backstage, came on and the response in the room was just amazing. "The awareness that the single has created, because of the involvement of the Chelsea players, has certainly done its job. That was measured by the amount of interest at the launch. It wasn't just sports journalists there. "The response to Michael and Shaun just being there speaks volumes. They were both absolute stars." |
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| Cech: I am happy at Chelsea Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech has reaffirmed his commitment to the club in the wake of reports suggesting he was keen on a move to Barcelona. The 25-year-old, who is less than two years into a four-year contract at Stamford Bridge, was quoted by several newspapers admitting it "would be worth considering" a switch to the Catalan giants. But the Czech international has moved to clarify his position and insists his words were taken out of context. "There are a few stories that have appeared today in the press quoting me that I was interested in moving in Barcelona," Cech said. "These were taken from an interview I gave back in 2003 when I was at Rennes. "I am very happy at Chelsea and this is where I see my future." Cech limped off at half-time of last week's Champions League stalemate at Schalke and is expected to be out for up to a month. He joined the Blues from French club Rennes for £7million in 2004 and has gone on to establish himself as one of the world's best keepers. |
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| Chelsea star Frank Lampard is desperate for a move to Juventus, according to the Corriere dello Sport. The goalscoring midfielder is ready to quit Stamford Bridge after the recent departure of Jose Mourinho and would like a fresh challenge in a foreign country. Juventus unsuccessfully tried to lure Lampard to Turin last summer but with his contract expiring in 2009, the Bianconeri would only need to fork out around £9m to get their man. The key person in luring Lampard to Turin is Juve Coach Claudio Ranieri. It was the Tinkerman who was responsible for launching the East Londoner’s career when he signed him from West Ham in 2001. The pair have an excellent relationship and Lampard was said to be devastated when Ranieri was axed by Roman Abramovich in 2004. Juventus have made the signing of a top-class centre midfielder a priority as summer signings Tiago Mendes and Sergio Almiron have dreadfully failed to shine. Lampard was in action last night during England’s 3-2 home defeat to Croatia. The 29-year-old scored a penalty but it was not enough as the Three Lions embarrassingly failed to qualify for Euro 2008. |
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| Ballack back in Blues action!!!! Chelsea midfielder Michael Ballack survived 45 minutes of a reserve team match as he prepared to return to first-team action. The Germany international has been out injured for seven months and undergone two operations on his ankle but was watched by manager Avram Grant against Birmingham's second string at Brentford on Monday night. The 31-year-old came off at half-time and will resume training with the first team on Thursday after they have returned from the Champions League trip to Rosenborg. "It's my first 45 minutes for a long time," Ballack told Chelsea TV. "I feel good. It's a long time to wait because of injury so I am happy to be back. "You are a little bit careful. I'll train next week and see how it is, then maybe have another game in the reserves. "I'm looking forward to playing in the first team." |
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| The newly crowned Asian Player of the Year, Yasser Al-Qahtani, has earned himself a chance to train with English Premier League club Chelsea. Saudi Arabia captain Yasser Al-Qahtani, who received the Asian Player of the Year award at a gala dinner in Sydney, Australia on Wednesday, has the option to go to Cobham (Chelsea's training ground in Surrey) as part of his award - because of the partnership between the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and Chelsea. In a club statement Chelsea said that the partnership, "the first of its kind between a global confederation and a top European club, has as its aim the promotion and development of Asian football. "The training offer is subject to the agreement of the players’ club, Al Hilal of Saudi Arabia, the player himself and calendar commitments." The 25-year-old forward played in the 2006 World Cup where he scored a goal against Tunisia and led his team to the 2007 Asian Cup Final. He is currently ranked 6th in The World’s Top Goal Scorers 2007 by the International Federation of Football History and Statistics. Chelsea's statement continued: "Chelsea continues to build good relationships in Asia. The club supports the AFC’s Vision China grass roots development project and recently held meetings in Delhi with the President and senior officials of the All Indian Football Federation." |
| QUOTE (la_nina @ Nov 29 2007, 11:14 PM) |
| haha, it was funny how drogba celebrated his first goal :lol: :P |
| QUOTE (farakaka @ Nov 29 2007, 03:20 PM) | ||
:lol: :lol: :lol: yea he was like shivering or something :cold: :P |
| QUOTE (fofinha @ Nov 29 2007, 07:05 AM) |
| New Asian Player Of The Year To Train With Chelsea |
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| Real Madrid's forgotten man, Royston Drenthe, could be en route to Chelsea in January if Marca is to be believed... Spanish sports daily Marca claims that Chelsea are seriously considering a move for Royston Drenthe (pictured) in January. The former Feyenoord man signed on at Real Madrid this summer, but has yet to truly make an impact: indeed, he's started just four Liga games for the club, and none since September. Chelsea were said to be interested in the 20 year old, left-footed maestro, who broke through to the Feyenoord first team early last season, this summer. However, with Real Madrid bidding 14 million euros for his services - and Drenthe being extremely eager to leave Rotterdam for the Spanish capital - he became a blanquillo in short order. But with his early days at the Bernabeu proving to be far from successful, a loan switch to Stamford Bridge may benefit player and club alike. It is thought that the influence of new assistant manager Henk Ten Cate is at play here, the Dutch master being a huge fan of his young countryman. |
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| Juventus are lining up a bid for unsettled Chelsea striker Andriy Shevchenko, according to Tuttosport. The Ukrainian star signed for the Blues last summer after a hugely successful seven-year spell with AC Milan. However Shevchenko has badly failed to live up to the standard he set himself in Italy, and has been a pale shadow of the once great player. He has scored just five league goals since arriving at the club, with only one of those coming this season. Since Avram Grant took over as Chelsea manager, Shevchenko has barely featured, and many expect the 31-year-old to be transferred in January. Tuttosport is claiming that Juventus want to take Sheva on a six-month loan deal in January, with the option of making the move permanent in the summer. The Bianconeri still have a non-EU place available in their squad, and Chelsea would help pay the forward’s astronomical wages. Shevchenko is still highly-rated in Italy and both Milan and Inter have also been linked with the player recently. However Rossoneri Vice-President Adriano Galliani has now ruled his club out of the running by saying that their non-EU spot in the squad will be taken by Brazilian wonderkid Alexandre Pato. “We cannot take him, as we only have one place for a non-EU player and that will go to Alexandre Pato in January,” he said. “He is the one who wanted to leave and we didn’t sell him willingly. He knew what it was like here, but when you change clubs it is all starting from scratch. Transfers are always dangerous.” |