By Since66
October 2 2008

Chelsea's injury crisis deepened in Translyvania last night as Didier Drogba was stretchered off with a badly injured leg. Early reports suggested that there was a fracture along with ligament damage, but this morning it is being reported that Dids has badly twisted his knee.

Still it means that Dids will be out for a fair period of time joining Deco, Carvalho, Essien and Joe Cole in the treatment room.

Ashley Cole didn't start due to a back problem and JT and Alex have also reported problems with their backs and Big Phil said that both played the last fifteen minutes with these problems.

As for the game itself, well it wasn't much of a game until the introduction of Anelka for Kalou at the start of the second-half.

Chelsea looked like they were going to make inroads to the stubborn resistance of a well organised Cluj side - until Dids injury.

What I don't understand is why replace Didier with a defensive midfielder Belletti, when there was an adequate replacement in Argentinian youngster Franco Di Santo on the bench waiting for his chance!!

Bring on Di Santo and keep the same system who knows what would have happened.

Ironically when Di Santo did come on his first touch from a header almost embarrassed Cluj's 'keeper.

Chelsea had a scare in the last minutes when Cluj's Perreira broke through after Bosingwa got tangled round on his own long legs, Cech made a wonderful save at his near post.

In Scolari's post match conference, he concentrated on the scale of Chelsea's injury crisis by saying, "I know nothing about Drogba, I just came into the room and he is with the doctor. Alex said he had a problem and can't move. John Terry is hurt in the back.

"Ashley felt his back before yesterday and it was impossible to play. For Sunday, he is ready.

"I have a few days to build the team again. One player is better than another for the game Sunday. I don't know now what the possibilities I have for Sunday are, maybe after tomorrow I have a chance to say something more."

On the match itself, Scolari said, "We played not very well, not the same as the other games, but in the end I am happy with one point because Didier is out, Terry for 15 minutes played with problems, Alex played 15 minutes with problems. It's okay.

"It's difficult for us to make something more than this. One point is very well, but I know and the players know that we didn't play very well. I am happy with all of my players, they tried. We had some injuries, the pitch was normal, not bad, but some injuries came during training and during the game. Injuries come sometimes and we need to inspect this as we play."

For the first time this season I am glad we haven't got a 'proper o'clock' kick-off this weekend.