By dixon9
January 3 2009

Big Phil Scolari was left opened mouthed like a guppy at feeding time by the “magic of the cup” as Peter Clarke headed home from a long throw-in to harvest a unexpected little earner of a replay for Southend against Chelsea at Roots Hall. The Blues missed a hatful of chances and were punished yet again by conceding a late goal from set-piece play.

'It was not very good, but on the pitch, what can you say to my players, they have 15 chances to score a goal, and they don't score,' said Scolari. 

'I need to understand that if they had 15 chances, it is because they played very well, but in the last shot to score a goal they didn't score.' 

'Carlo didn't make a save. Our mistake is not scoring a second goal. This is our mistake, because we did not score,' 

'Now, after tomorrow, we have training, we have meetings, and we have to discuss the mistakes we made. 

'We won all the balls [defensively], only one ball we didn't win, what can you say to the players, we win 99 and you lose one ball, this is football! 

'This happens in football. I have these players, I believe in these players, and now we need to train.' 

Chelsea had in truth played well and enjoyed the majority of the possession but rather frustratingly youngsters were given virtually no chance to shine.   Mancienne and Sawyer were left on the bench and Sinclair and Di Santo brought on only during the last few minutes with Di Santo himself almost putting the tie beyond the reach with a chance almost at the death. 

Southend manager Steve Tilson had netted a superb result for the Essex men employing similar tactics that the likes of Newcastle and West Ham had also used at Stamford Bridge. 

'It is great for us, the only way we were going to get anything out of the game was to ride our luck and stay in the game as long as we can and go for it at the death,' 

'There was a time when we could have been three or four down, but we kept in it. 

'You need a bit of luck on the day, which we got. The players worked their socks off, but on another day we could have lost four or five nil. 

'So this is a fantastic day for the football club, the crowd and everyone who has been involved today. 

'At the end of the day we have had a good cup run, whatever happens now,' 

It’s fair to say that many Chelsea fans are more than beginning to question Scolari´s approach and tactics although I’m not sure you can put this result down to anything other than just plain bad luck (or as Scolari insinuates, horrendous finishing).  Nevertheless, the stubborn refusal to play Drogba and Anelka together in given situations is beginning to wear away at the faith of Chelsea fans in their new manager. 

Salomon Kalou scored from a corner on the half-hour mark to give the Blues the expected lead and the home side looked set to romp home. 

Didier Drogba missed two chances when clean through (one thwarted by ex-Chelsea youngster Anthony Grant), Juliano Belletti had a header cleared off the line and Ashley Cole saw his effort saved brilliantly by Mildenhall. 

John Terry looked on from the stands and it is notable that he has been absent from the recent Chelsea rearguard cock-ups through suspension when the Fulham and Southend set-piece goals have been conceded. 

Confidence could be eroding in our players but  Chelsea (and particularly Scolari) now have a thorough examination and an opportunity to prove their credentials away to Manchester United at Old Trafford next weekend.

"Next week I will have [Michael] Ballack, Deco and Terry back, so it is better for me. 

'I know we have drawn many times at Stamford Bridge, but I also know we are better when we are away. 

'I need to teach my players more concentration in the final minutes of the game.' 

Chelsea: Cudicini, Ferreira, Carvalho, Ivanovic, Ashley Cole, Belletti, Lampard, Mikel, Joe Cole (Di Santo 84), Kalou (Sinclair 87), Drogba.
Subs Not Used: Hilario, Mineiro, Anelka, Mancienne, Sawyer.

Booked: Mikel, Carvalho. Goals: Kalou 31.  

Southend: Mildenhall, Sankofa, Clarke, Barrett, Herd, Grant, Christophe (Moussa 74), McCormack, Stanislas, Barnard (Freedman 75), Revell (Laurent 75).
Subs Not Used: Joyce, Francis, Betsy, O'Keefe.  

Booked: McCormack, Grant. Goals: Clarke 90.

Att: 41,090

Ref: Stuart Attwell (Warwickshire).

Shrimpers Leave Scolari all at Sea

Discussion started by 50 Years Over 100 Years , 03/01/2009 19:41

50 Years Over 100 Years
03/01/2009 19:41

What do you think? You can have your say by posting below.

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carefree
03/01/2009 20:44

We are going backwards.I didn't go to the game because of my broken ankle and i am glad i didn't because i would have been so pi55ed off.Yet again we concede in the last minuets of the game.Scolari said they had this meeting and looked at the fulham game in depth to see where they went wrong.And there was me looking at the southend game and only seeing a win,how wrong was i.There is a problem and it has to be sorted.Not looking forward to the mancs game i think we will get turned over pretty bad.

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PKGooner
03/01/2009 20:57

^ Hope you get better mate


Have you got a season ticket?

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carefree
03/01/2009 21:04

Yes pk got a season ticket but not missing anything at the moment,at home we have been so sh*t.Good result in the end for your boys,i thought you was gonna f*ck it up when i saw nil nil at half time,but you did the biz in the end and i bet your please.

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carefree
03/01/2009 21:06

P.S THANKS PK i am doing ok at the moment another three weeks in plaster.

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PKGooner
03/01/2009 21:33

Why do you reckon your lot are struggling at home?

You'd be well clear if your home form was as it should've been.

I was glad Wenger played a strong team today, knew we'd do the business though to be fair to Plymouth they did well too and by the sounds of it the 9,000 they brought over were really loud.


Must be well annoying in that plaster for another 3 weeks! How long have you been wearing one?

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carefree
04/01/2009 12:09

To be honest pk i think it started when our home record was broken by Liverpool.
Because of our superior home record teams used to turn up thinking that they are gonna get turned over even before they step out onto the turf and Chelsea could see the fear in their eyes when they come out,we were simply unbeatable and the players knew it.It was like the Liverpool of old home or away they had this psychological advantage over everybody else.
But now i think the roles have been reversed,we come out onto the pitch thinking that we could get turned over and teams are not afraid anymore.It makes it harder to get a result,admit teams have been sitting back for the duration of the game and hoping for a breakaway or a set piece to get something out of the game,but its not an excuse,we should be winning more at home.
We need Essien back sharpish,forget Deco or Ballack,Essien is the man we need in the middle full stop.He can break the play,split defences with his runs and he can score goals as you have found out in the past.
Still not convinced with Deco at the moment but we have to give him time.Mikel has improved,plays his role well but not gonna get you any goals.Ballack well this is a big year for him,he was outstanding last year and scored some very important goals and we missed him when he wasn't playing,when he is fit he is some player but we are yet to see it.

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dixon9
04/01/2009 14:13

I would agree with Carefree´s post above.

I would add that a good performance at Old Trafford next weekend and perhaps a little injection of a new player that Scolari wants in would help us.

All teams have a "dodgy" period during the season. I´m hoping that we´re on the end of ours now.




.



"It is born out of hypocrisy and fundamental insecurity. There have been two kids on the block for the past 12 years. Suddenly, there is a third and that one is threatening to be more successful than the others and they don’t like it." P Kenyon.

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carefree
04/01/2009 18:40

Lets hope so dixon because yes we have got some monster games coming up,i would take a draw at old trafford but a win,well that would spring our season back to life.

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PKGooner
05/01/2009 21:55

Quote:

carefree2008
Mikel has improved,plays his role well but not gonna get you any goals.

Mikel doesnt seem to be good enough dont you reckon.

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dixon9
05/01/2009 21:59

Probably been our best player so far this season.




.



"It is born out of hypocrisy and fundamental insecurity. There have been two kids on the block for the past 12 years. Suddenly, there is a third and that one is threatening to be more successful than the others and they don’t like it." P Kenyon.

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carefree
06/01/2009 17:58

Just been voted player of the month.Like i said he his playing his role very well holding the midfield.He has improved so much because he is getting regular games now with with Essien being out,so the future is good for the kid and yes he has been our best player so far this season.

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