Jonathan Wilson: Premier League title far from a formality for early leader Chelsea

[Alex]

No but if we got results we didn't last season that tells me we have improved and how can you guarrentee we won't do the double over Utd and Arsenal again, and your slating me for being confident!!!

Yes you are beating teams 6-0 etc but they are teams near the bottom of the table. Newcastle beat Aston Villa 6-0 at the start of the season. Does this mean they're going to fulfill their pre-season ambitions? Of course not. Whilst I can see your confdent, you have absolutely NO reason to dismiss any challenge from any rivals.

Oh and in 2009-10 you beat Wolves 4-0 at home, this year you beat them 2-0 at home and were lucky not to go a goal down in the first 10 minutes. This must mean that you're getting worse then surely by your logic?

Typical Arsenal fan, just because you have most of the ball dosen't mean you deserve anything from the game. Chelsea let Arsenal have the ball and you could see that because we kept hitting you on the break. You can almost guarrentee that in 95% of Arsenals games in a season that you will have most of the possession because thats how you play your game so your argument dosen't work.

Oh please this is just lunacy. Any man and his dog could see that Arsenal were the better team when you played, and again you could have quite easily been a goal down within a minute.

Cech - Easily playing his best football since his head injury

Ivanovic - Right back of the year last season and is one of the best defenders in the league
Cole - Best left back in the world, playing the best football of his carear without a dout
Terry - Looking very confident this season and hasen't put a foot wrong
Alex - Excellent in the air and again hasen't made a mistake this season
Mikel - Like a new player and i would say most improved in the PL this season
Essien - Like a new signing and not even 100% fit yet
Lampard - Hasen't hardly featured this season so what a boost he will be in a few weeks time
Malouda - Joint top scorer in the PL and every week just immense
Anelka - Clubs top scorer this season and just always a good performer
Drogba - Only played 8 games this season and has 6 goals, i dont need to say much else

Subs
Zhirkov - Looks to have settled and in the last 3 games has been our best performer
Bosingwa - Came back from a year out with a Man of the Match performance
McEachran - Slowly proving he can mix it in the top league
Kalou - Looks very sharp this season and fans are even saying he deserves more starts
Ramires - Settled quite well and i have seen very good things from the lad
Ferriera - Excellent back up, very professional and never dissapoints

Thats why i am confident, the only way i won't be confident is if Cech gets injured and then and only then i will start to worry.

You might as well have just mashed your head on the keyboard here, you would have made as much sense. To say McEachran can mix it with the big boys and then dismiss Berbatov's contribution is a joke. Also Essien is quite clearly 100% having played all of your pre-season games (The only Chelsea player to do so may I add) then the majority of games this season.

Zhirkov has looked good, but mainly in Champions League games. Getting used to the English League again is a whole different ball game.

And yes Lampard has been injured, who's to say he will establish himself as a top performer again and be fully fit? Not exactly a spring chicken anymore is he.

 

[NunoPeixinho]

I think it's the whole how he signed him a couple of months after he went for tuppence to a lower tier Portugeuse team. And they found him from the "Homeless World Cup". If you ask me sounds like a very similar story to us signing Joao Silva, except that was for 1% of Bebe's price. But as we know because United signed him everyone bigs him up, and he gets talked about non-stop. I bet half of you haven't even heard of Joao Silva. Looks very promising btw.

was a lad from Desportivo das aves

 

[CJACKO11]

Why is Essien not 100% fit yet? Hasn't he played virtually every game this season? He has made a massive difference to Chelsea this season, and is probably my favourite premiership player - I'd love him at Utd.

At the end of the day, there's nothing wrong with confidence, but there's a long way to go yet. I think the title may be decided by the 'big' games. Utd proved that they can outplay Chelsea in the charity shield, but if Chelsea beat Utd in their next encounter, then it's going to be a difficult bridge to gap.

Ray Wilkins said before the game that it proberly came a week too early for Chelsea.

Okay lets talk about last season, we have gained points from games we lost in last season. Does that automatically mean we are going to get better.

You seem so sure you get them results again. TBH you had one offside goal and a dodgy free kick against us last time out. Arsenl look better, they actually get stuck in now, I can see them taking at least 2 points off you, more likely 4. So get over it. You havent got it in the bag, Your just being a moron.

Il bet you that Arsenal won't get 4 points off us this season!!

Yes you are beating teams 6-0 etc but they are teams near the bottom of the table. Newcastle beat Aston Villa 6-0 at the start of the season. Does this mean they're going to fulfill their pre-season ambitions? Of course not. Whilst I can see your confdent, you have absolutely NO reason to dismiss any challenge from any rivals.

Oh and in 2009-10 you beat Wolves 4-0 at home, this year you beat them 2-0 at home and were lucky not to go a goal down in the first 10 minutes. This must mean that you're getting worse then surely by your logic?



Oh please this is just lunacy. Any man and his dog could see that Arsenal were the better team when you played, and again you could have quite easily been a goal down within a minute.



You might as well have just mashed your head on the keyboard here, you would have made as much sense. To say McEachran can mix it with the big boys and then dismiss Berbatov's contribution is a joke. Also Essien is quite clearly 100% having played all of your pre-season games (The only Chelsea player to do so may I add) then the majority of games this season.

Zhirkov has looked good, but mainly in Champions League games. Getting used to the English League again is a whole different ball game.

And yes Lampard has been injured, who's to say he will establish himself as a top performer again and be fully fit? Not exactly a spring chicken anymore is he.

1. I never dismissed any challenge from anyone else i just said i was confident.
2. I ment results, we lost to Wigan away last season and beat them this season, we drew to West Ham last season won this year and we lost to Villa away last season and drew this time.
3. Thats how Arsenal play their football, Ancelotti has beaten Arsenal 3 times as Chelsea manager and every time they came away with more attemps. He knows how to beat them simple as that. Just because they had more chances dosen't mean they deserved to win the game.
4. My belief it that Berbatov isen't Utd class nothing wrong with that, also every game he has featured in McEachran has changed the flow of the game, this lad is special. And i still think there is more to come from Essien, he has been out for the best part of 2 years and even he said he still has more to come.
5. Well considering Zhirkov made Chelsea a much better side in the 2nd half against Villa and then put in a excellent display against Wolves, no not just in the Champions League.
6. Lampard will make our side better simple as that. The lad isen't blessed with pace so he can't lose what he never had. His game is about finding that killer ball and ariving late in the box and im pretty sure he will still be able to do them things.

Not once did i say Chelsea would win the league 100% or it would be easy all i said is that i was confident we would win the title again.

 

[Mike.]

point 4 is utter nonsense, he hasnt changed any game, when he has come on, he has looked sharp against tiring legs.

berbatov has been our best player so far, and has been key keeping us in touching distance. To say he not united class merely shows either your contempt for the player, or ingorance of his skill as a player.it has taken him time to find his feet as united, longer than he or the fans would have liked but he is showing just what he is capable of

 

[CJACKO11]

point 4 is utter nonsense, he hasnt changed any came, when he has come on, he has looked sharp against tiring legs.

berbatov has been our best player so far, and has been key keeping in touching distance. To say he not united class merely shows either your contempt for the player, or ingorance of his skill as a player.it has taken him time to find his feet as united, longer than he or the fans would have liked but he is showing just what he is capable of

Look i think hes a decent player but i just think for the money spent Utd could have done better. And for the McEachran point just look at the Newcastle game in the Carling Cup. You know when you see a player with potential and i can guarrentee if this lad was playing at Arsenal everyone would be raving about him.

 

[Mike.]

Look i think hes a decent player but i just think for the money spent Utd could have done better. And for the McEachran point just look at the Newcastle game in the Carling Cup. You know when you see a player with potential and i can guarrentee if this lad was playing at Arsenal everyone would be raving about him.

no they would be saying he has potential, like any other arsenal player. he standsout at chelsea simple becuase you have no young player like him, right now he is nothing but raw and untested talent, ie wilshere of 2 years ago.

no denies that we overspent, and the price tag was a millstone around him, but you said he is not united quality, which is quite frankly rubbish

 

[Alex]

1. I never dismissed any challenge from anyone else i just said i was confident.
2. I ment results, we lost to Wigan away last season and beat them this season, we drew to West Ham last season won this year and we lost to Villa away last season and drew this time.
3. Thats how Arsenal play their football, Ancelotti has beaten Arsenal 3 times as Chelsea manager and every time they came away with more attemps. He knows how to beat them simple as that. Just because they had more chances dosen't mean they deserved to win the game.
4. My belief it that Berbatov isen't Utd class nothing wrong with that, also every game he has featured in McEachran has changed the flow of the game, this lad is special. And i still think there is more to come from Essien, he has been out for the best part of 2 years and even he said he still has more to come.
5. Well considering Zhirkov made Chelsea a much better side in the 2nd half against Villa and then put in a excellent display against Wolves, no not just in the Champions League.
6. Lampard will make our side better simple as that. The lad isen't blessed with pace so he can't lose what he never had. His game is about finding that killer ball and ariving late in the box and im pretty sure he will still be able to do them things.

Not once did i say Chelsea would win the league 100% or it would be easy all i said is that i was confident we would win the title again.

1. With comments like ''why shouldnt I be confident'' ''very confident'' ''only going to improve'' etc then you are prettu much disregarding any challenge.
2. Fair point that, but you're not going to improve on every game this season that you did last. Not sure if you've heard of flukes or hiccups before but blips can/will happen.
3. No, you were lucky. The whole game Arsenal looked more likely like creating something. But now you're going to tell me that this was the game plan etc. No. Arsenal deserved at least something from that game.
4. Utter tosh. I saw on Sky Sports News in the trsnsfer window that United fans wanted him out, now they're chanting his name. Why? Because he is putting in a shift and churning in quality performances week in week out. Changed the flow of the game? You've been in dominant positions when he has come on!!
5. I'll believe that he is a quality player when he is consistenly putting in quality performances week in week out.
6. No he can't but age and injuries take their toll on a player. You never know how he will come back.

 

[CJACKO11]

no they would be saying he has potential, like any other arsenal player. he standsout at chelsea simple becuase you have no young player like him, right now he is nothing but raw and untested talent, ie wilshere of 2 years ago.

no denies that we overspent, and the price tag was a millstone around him, but you said he is not united quality, which is quite frankly rubbish

Our youth acadamy is great at the moment and this lad has gone from the youth team stright to the First team, totaly skipped the reserves. From what i have seen so far i have no douts about the lad at all. And i dout im not the only one that thinks Berba isen't Utd class, even my cousin who is and always has been a Utd fan is still on the fence about the lad.

---------- Post added at 08:48 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:45 PM ----------

1. With comments like ''why shouldnt I be confident'' ''very confident'' ''only going to improve'' etc then you are prettu much disregarding any challenge.
2. Fair point that, but you're not going to improve on every game this season that you did last. Not sure if you've heard of flukes or hiccups before but blips can/will happen.
3. No, you were lucky. The whole game Arsenal looked more likely like creating something. But now you're going to tell me that this was the game plan etc. No. Arsenal deserved at least something from that game.
4. Utter tosh. I saw on Sky Sports News in the trsnsfer window that United fans wanted him out, now they're chanting his name. Why? Because he is putting in a shift and churning in quality performances week in week out. Changed the flow of the game? You've been in dominant positions when he has come on!!
5. I'll believe that he is a quality player when he is consistenly putting in quality performances week in week out.
6. No he can't but age and injuries take their toll on a player. You never know how he will come back.

So we have played Arsenal 3 times under Ancelotti and won the same way on all 3 occasions and its no coincidence??? Just because im very confident dosen't mean i think it will be easy. If i thought it would be easy i would have said we are going to win the league easily this season. And Newcaslte in the cup down to 10 men and trailing 2-1 when McEachran came on!!

 

[Mike.]

Our youth acadamy is great at the moment and this lad has gone from the youth team stright to the First team, totaly skipped the reserves. From what i have seen so far i have no douts about the lad at all. And i dout im not the only one that thinks Berba isen't Utd class, even my cousin who is and always has been a Utd fan is still on the fence about the lad.

---------- Post added at 08:48 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:45 PM ----------



So we have played Arsenal 3 times under Ancelotti and won the same way on all 3 occasions and its no coincidence??? Just because im very confident dosen't mean i think it will be easy. If i thought it would be easy i would have said we are going to win the league easily this season. And Newcaslte in the cup down to 10 men and trailing 2-1 when McEachran came on!!

whatever mate, no point debating with someone as one eyed as you

 

[CJACKO11]

whatever mate, no point debating with someone as one eyed as you

I really don't see how im one eyed just because im confident and i don't rate Berbatov.

 

[CtPauley]

I really don't see how im one eyed just because im confident and i don't rate Berbatov.

Your not the only one who doesn't rate him. ATM he's playing pretty poor as he hasn't scored in 6 and i don't see how fellow united fans can rave about him this season when they were slating him last year.

---------- Post added at 08:59 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:56 PM ----------

Our youth acadamy is great at the moment and this lad has gone from the youth team stright to the First team, totaly skipped the reserves. From what i have seen so far i have no douts about the lad at all. And i dout im not the only one that thinks Berba isen't Utd class, even my cousin who is and always has been a Utd fan is still on the fence about the lad.

---------- Post added at 08:48 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:45 PM ----------


I wouldn't say were acadamy is great at the moment as hardley any of them have broken into your team and that player mceachren (sp). How can people be raving on about how good his is when he's made a few substitute apperances

 

[Alex]

And Newcaslte in the cup down to 10 men and trailing 2-1 when McEachran came on!!

And you lost 4-3... Real game changer that.

 

[Mike.]

I really don't see how im one eyed just because im confident and i don't rate Berbatov.

he has 6 in 8 league games, same striker rate as drogba. the fact is he and scholes have been the creative heartbeat of the side, we have stayed in touch largely because of those two, if he is key to us, how can he not be united quality?

"United quality"is an abstract term which i assume you are assuming means good enough toplay well for united.... which he has been doing

 

[19-11-08]

]Your not the only one who doesn't rate him. ATM he's playing pretty poor as he hasn't scored in 6 and i don't see how fellow united fans can rave about him this season when they were slating him last year

Because he's our top scorer and scored a hattrick vs liverpool? ( first player in 64 years or something like that to score a hattrick for us against liverpool)

Berbatov has always been united class . He's extremely talented but at times in his first two years he wasn't showing it.

 

[CtPauley]

QUOTE]]Your not the only one who doesn't rate him. ATM he's playing pretty poor as he hasn't scored in 6 and i don't see how fellow united fans can rave about him this season when they were slating him last year

Because he's our top scorer and scored a hattrick vs liverpool? ( first player in 64 years or something like that to score a hattrick for us against liverpool)

Berbatov has always been united class . He's extremely talented but at times in his first two years he wasn't showing it.[/QUOTE]

Yeah he is united class but he just doesn't give enough effort

 

[fuelledbypassion]

My belief it that Berbatov isen't Utd class nothing wrong with that, also every game he has featured in McEachran has changed the flow of the game, this lad is special. And i still think there is more to come from Essien, he has been out for the best part of 2 years and even he said he still has more to come.

How has he missed 2 years?

out sept 2008 to march 2009 (6 months)
out jan 2010 to may 2010 (4 months)

 

[Billy]

But you ignored our victory over them in community shield. They played thier strongest team, still we won. So saying outdated evidence is wrong maybe?

Their strongest team?

Hilario, Ferreira and Kalou started that game, in the absence of Cech, Alex and Drogba respectively. Now I'm not sure about your opinion, but I am of the opinion Cech is several hundred years ahead of Hilario (who still carries the nickname 'Hilarious' for a reason, by the way). Alex in CB alongside Terry would have allowed the far superior Ivanovic to play at RB instead of Ferreira. As for Drogba... well, we both know how good he is. He ended up being substituted on late into the game because Chelsea needed to pull a goal back, despite not being 100% after his WC campaign.

How has he missed 2 years?

out sept 2008 to march 2009 (6 months)
out jan 2010 to may 2010 (4 months)

Well, considering he clearly meant in regards to footballing years, i.e. August > May, then a year is the 'best part of' (which means majority of) 2 years (read: 2 seasons).

 

[Cloud~]

Typical Arsenal fan, just because you have most of the ball dosen't mean you deserve anything from the game. Chelsea let Arsenal have the ball and you could see that because we kept hitting you on the break. You can almost guarrentee that in 95% of Arsenals games in a season that you will have most of the possession because thats how you play your game so your argument dosen't work.

And how the **** you can say Chelsea aren't that good lol, none of the top 4-5 beat each other that easily its always tight affairs but starting 11 we have the best team without a dout and this is why i am not just confident but very confident.

Thats why i am confident, the only way i won't be confident is if Cech gets injured and then and only then i will start to worry.

I didn't say because we had most of the ball we should have won, I said we bossed the game and you didn't have that many chances of note (only 2 really stick out in my haed). You're a typical Chelsea fan, claiming it's your tactic to only play on the counter, when most of the time your just forced into playing that tactic. What kind of Champions play defensive and look for the counter at home? I'm sure the game did not go as Ancellotti planned but he was probably happy with the 3 points.

You seemed to have conveniently glossed over my definition of the phrase "that good". I said by "that good" I meant good enough for you to be brimming with confidence that you will go on to win the league from such an early stage. I have to say that your analysis of your team is more or less correct, you have a good side, but not that good.

The last paragraph is ridiculous, it's shockingly obvious that if Chelsea lose Drogba, they're nearly a completely different side.

 

[sunilvk7]

Their strongest team?

Hilario, Ferreira and Kalou started that game, in the absence of Cech, Alex and Drogba respectively. Now I'm not sure about your opinion, but I am of the opinion Cech is several hundred years ahead of Hilario (who still carries the nickname 'Hilarious' for a reason, by the way). Alex in CB alongside Terry would have allowed the far superior Ivanovic to play at RB instead of Ferreira. As for Drogba... well, we both know how good he is. He ended up being substituted on late into the game because Chelsea needed to pull a goal back, despite not being 100% after his WC campaign.
.

You know what was our team? No Rio, Evra, Berba, Fletcher, Nani

Rio and Evra didnt play at all.
Berba came on as second half sub inplace of Rooney (once again our best player who was subbed off, irrespective of form)

Even Nani came on as second half sub and Chicharito inplace of Owen and Fletcher came on as 80th min sub.

Chelsea missed Cech, Alex, Drogba. Malouda
We missed First half, Berba, second half Rooney, Fletcher, First half Nani, Evra, Rio,

Drogba cameon at 60th min when we were leadin only by a goal, after that we scored 2.

We missed most of our first team players still we beat them

**** all this, Mid Field combo of Scholes and Carrick dominated midfield trio of Lampard, Essien, Mikel.

---------- Post added at 06:58 AM ---------- Previous post was at 06:50 AM ----------

My belief it that Berbatov isen't Utd class nothing wrong with that, also every game he has featured in McEachran has changed the flow of the game, this lad is special. And i still think there is more to come from Essien, he has been out for the best part of 2 years and even he said he still has more to come.

1. Well considering Zhirkov made Chelsea a much better side in the 2nd half against Villa and then put in a excellent display against Wolves, no not just in the Champions League.

.

1. Josh has not changed any flow or tempo, few good bribbling skills thats it. He has massive potential, but your opinions are fully biased, to say 17 year old is mixing with big boys.
I dont know whether you watch United games, but your comments on Berba is way off the mark. If anything along with Vidic, Nani, Scholes he is our best player this season. You just cant look at stats, the calmness he brings to our attack is pricelss, best ex, Stoke game. If any player was in Berba's place, he would have gone for goal without having second thought. But Berba played nice one twos, then held up well. then chipped to Scholes, who had a slightest of touch, and Evra assisted. His overall game has been excellent, his work rate has improved leaps and bounds. He is not sulky anymore. He has put lot of efforts during off season running 18 miles per day, now its paying off. He has even gained a yard or 2 pace.

2. If you think Berba is not United class, then i dont know why you rate Zhirkov who has hardly played and had like 2-3 good games till date.

 

[Billy]

I'm well aware your first-choice XI wasn't playing that game either.

Doesn't change the point I was making. Your post about it being their strongest team was wrong, and I've proven it so. End.