By 40 Years A Blue
March 31 2006

Have to face it - with Man Ure winning their game in hand in midweek and compiling a club record of seven consecutive wins - Chelsea's lead (nine points) at the top of the Premiership don't look that invincible now as it did at any point during this current season.

Are we heading for 'squeaky bum' time for the first time this season? The reason I ask the question it isn't to do without having the faith, but there is that SMALL possibilty that by the end of the weekend, Chelsea's lead could be cut even further to SIX points (with Man Ure to play at home, at the home of football - Stamford Bridge).

Let's face it. Brum are fighting for their Premiership lives. Chelsea have already lost three times away this season and two of those games were to lower teams in the league than ourselves. And interestingly enough in the three defeats received we HAVEN'T scored a goal.

Expectations are that on Easter Monday, 17th April after the home game against Everton, Chelsea will be crowned Premiership Champions for the second season on the trot. But for that to happen, Brum, West Ham, Bolton and Everton have to be defeated unless the Ure can help by dropping points of their own, somehow with the form they are in at the moment, it seems unlikely.

So Chelsea are going to have to do it the hard way and on their own!!!!

COME ON CHELSEA!

Brum do have their problems with injuries and the following have been ruled out for tomorrow; Sutton, Izzet, Dunn, Clapham, Gray, Upson and Steve Bruce's son Alex. Melchiot and Lazaridis remain doubtful and Jarosik (who has socred most of Birmingham's goals this season) is out due to his loan option from Chelsea.

Steve Bruce, a toughie and from the Man Ure old school remains defiant. He said, "A team can play against the top teams and beat them. Can we pull off an almighty shock? With all the problems we’ve got can we go and play to our maximum and get the crowd right behind us?

"We gave Chelsea one hell of a game last time they were here and were unlucky to lose to a Joe Cole deflected goal. We will be looking for a similar type of performance this weekend."

Chelsea welcome back winger Arjen Robben after his four match suspension (Willie G is still suspended). The only player out with an injury is Glenn Johnson who has flown to Germany for a hernia operation.

Probable Chelsea:

Cech, Ferreira, Terry, Carvalho, Del Horno, Makelele, Essien, Lampard, J Cole, Crespo, Robben

 

COME ON CHELSEA!!

40 YEARS A BLUE