CHEERS AVRAM

By Since66
December 17 2009

It was pleasing to see and be involved in the warm reception that Avram Grant was given last night prior to the kick-off against bottom club Portsmouth at Stamford Bridge. And why not? A decent man who took over when BIG Phil was given his marching orders. Grant brought stability back to the club and became the first Chelsea coach to get us to a Champions League final. Cheers Avram.

I have no doubt Chelsea will miss Didier when he trots off to Africa next month for the Cup of Nations.

How we could have done with him last night... his power, presence and goalscoring prowess to convert one or two of the abundance of chances Chelsea created, especially in the first-half.

The worse miss of the night which sticks in the mind was Kalou's eyeball contact three yards out as he managed to put the ball over the bar.

The media do make me laugh about the four goals Chelsea have conceded in the last five days.

All were lucky for the opposition and unlucky for Chelsea, none more so than Portsmouth's equaliser.

From a free-kick blasted into the wall, the ball shot out directly to Ashley Cole then hit him in the face and fell right in front of Piquionne's boot who rifled the ball high into the net.

Poor defending PAH.... This unfair criticism and the inability to write the truth just shows that Chelsea are still the club that the press love to hate!!

Anelka had put Chelsea ahead with a close-range tap-in after a sweet build-up and when Chelsea were awarded their second-half penalty after Marc Wilson up ended Ivanovic, I had no doubts that Super Frank would despatch the kick with aplomb. He did - with a lot of power and straight down the middle.

Next up is West Ham, away on Sunday, kick-off 4pm.


Chelsea: Cech, Ivanovic, Alex, Terry (c), A Cole, Mikel, Ballack (Malouda 63), Lampard, Deco (J Cole 58), Kalou (Borini 71), Anelka

Goals: Anelka 23, Lampard pen 78


Portsmouth: Begovic, Finnan, Ben-Haim, Wilson, Hreidarsson, Diop (Hughes 59), Mokoena (Utaka 85),  Mullins, Boateng, O'Hara, Piquionne

Goals: Piquionne 50