A few notes from around the club today, including the signing of another young talent (as seen
below).
Window shopping
Mikel to be fit for Saturday, Lampard likely
• After some seven weeks on the shelf, John Obi Mikel is finally ready to resurface.
They say a picture is worth a 1,000 words. Case in point:
Road warrior
Battered, bloodied, and fairly rubbish. No matter. Chelsea still manage to hold on for a
much-needed win at Ewood Park, 1-0, over a Blackburn Rovers side that probably deserved a
point.
Nigeria is apparently shit. Thank the sweet lord.
Hanging out in January
Apologies for not getting this up early. Most of us were doing the full-time job thing when the
news broke. Me, I was doing some low-rent promotion at a local mixed martial arts event with a good
friend.
Fernando Torres loses his fucking mind. Chelsea, meanwhile, don't miss a beat.
God dammit, Fernando
The Chels slash four past Swansea at the Bridge despite playing with ten men for the better part
of 50 minutes. It was pretty much an excellent performance aside from the wretchedness that was
Torres' fist-half, studs-up lunge on Mark Gower at midfield.
Argentina disposed of Nigeria 3-1 in Bangladesh on Tuesday. Among the highlights was a certain
Lionel Messi robbing a certain John Obi Mikel at midfield, and turning said theft into a supreme
goal for the La Albiceleste (via Angel Di Maria).
It's all good, John. We still love you.
An unconvincing Chelsea see off a game Norwich City side at Stamford Bridge. A needed win, but
one potentially overshadowed by the condition of Didier Drogba.
Get well soon
The struggle continues. Aside from an impressive start to both halves, and a late spark provided
by a pair of new signings, Chelsea were pedestrian.
I assume that, like us, you've been patiently waiting for some new developments in the abduction
of John Obi Mikel's father. Well, we have received some great news today: Michael Obi has been
recovered, a bit battered but alive and well after police raided the kidnappers' den Monday.
Michael Obi speaks for the first time since his abduction.
The marvelous news is that John Obi Mikel's father, Michael, is indeed alive after several days
missing in his native Nigeria. The bad news: He has in fact been abducted, with a ransom set by
kidnappers on Wednesday.
Michael's abduction was confirmed Tuesday when a pair of calls were made from the kidnappers to
the Mikel family.
All I would say to the people who have him is please let him go. He is an old man. He has
not done any harm to anyone. I am devastated by this situation.
-John Obi Mikel, on his father's disappearance
We are devastated as well.
Chelsea begin the Andre Villas-Boas era with a goalless draw on a not cold non-night at the
Britannia Stadium. Well-earned, but there could have been much more. Still, I, for one, am not
going to complain.
You be the judge
So we start the season with a point.
It is difficult to draw conclusions from a preseason friendly, sure. That's not to suggest
certain impressions cannot be made, however. So, with that being said, let's take a brief look
inside today's exhibition in Bangkok.
Hardware
Following our first two preseason friendlies of 2011-12, in which we were overtly lackluster but
still managed to win, Chelsea awaken somewhat in a 4-0 defeat of a pretty strong group of all-stars
from the Thailand Premier League.
Players returned to Cobham for preseason training today. Say it with me: Finally.
The boys met with the new coaching staff, then got to work. After the jump, check out some
assorted pics of the session. It looks like it went well very well indeed.
El jefe
Twenty-four players surfaced for our first training season of the preseason, after some 44 days
of vacation.
No flying wing in sight, but this is no doubt going to be a back-alley fight. Prepare for a
scrap, people.
As you can see above, there are ways to rattle Nemanja Vidic. Bite that motherfucker.
Who: Manchester United
What: Premier League, Round 37
When: 8 May, 4pm local time (11am EST)
Where: Old Trafford (75,957)
How: Fox Soccer Channel (DirecTV 619, Dish 149)
Why: Why the hell not?
Weren't we right here not a month ago? Weird, unexpected but acceptable. Most acceptable.
These two, again
To quote myself on 11 April, prior to our demise in the Champions League:
We've tackled tactics throughout the season. This time is no different.
He comes from the Ivory Coast - Kalou, Kalou
Fortune favors the brave Brave John Terry that is.
Look, we were gifted a pair of goals. No question. Andre Marriner is, yes, inept.
But at least we showed up. We fought. Clawed and scratched in our pursuit for that result.
El Niño strikes at Stamford Bridge. And that was before Chelsea's No. 9 blew the lid off the
place.
Kisses.
What a damn day in West London.
I was forced to miss today's festivities because of this thing called a full-time job. You know,
fuck work.
Second place, eh? Righteous.
Isn't this just like Chelsea?
Send us all into the blue funk following another listless exit from Champions League. Then, you
know, go out and make things interesting real interesting by climbing into second place in the
league.
Thinking of starting a petition to retain The Mighty One until he can longer walk. Who's in?
Solid, albeit unspectacular, display at The Hawthorns.
Several positives, including the forward movement and our passing best we've looked in that
department in weeks.
There's this match at Old Trafford tomorrow evening, maybe you've read about it around the web.
You know, it may define our season.
Who do you like?
We've tackled tactics throughout the season. This time is no different. However, there's just
one thing: I'm not sure that this side of the game has ever been more critical to our success than
it will be at the Theatre of Dreams.
Better days
Salomon Kalou without a shirt on does not do it for me, no. Still, glancing at that horribly
uncomfortable photograph, I have to ask: Remember that day?
We were on top of the world. Well, not the world Internazionale had a firm grasp on that claim
but we were the toast of England.
Yeah, it was that kind of night. No worries, though, we'll see you in the last eight.
A classic European night at the Bridge this was not.
Those expecting a leaping Terry header 15 minutes from time to secure our advancement to the
next round were let down not on this night but three weeks ago, after 54 minutes in Denmark.
A lot of these type of faces at the Bridge tonight.
Dull, yes. Effective? Certainly.
Most significantly, beyond the profligacy and the lack of home atmosphere, is qualification for
the Champions League quarterfinals. We're into the last eight, my friends. Celebrate that fact.
