Hillsborough Disaster - 15th April 1989



Today mark the 22nd anniversary of the Hillsborough Disaster where 96 Liverpool fans lost their lives and hundreds more injured, one of the deadliest footballing disaster in British and International history. The tragedy took place during the FA Cup semi finals between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest played at Hillsborough, home of Sheffield Wednesday FC.

This dreadful and terrible incident happen due to massive inflow of supporters from outside of the stadium through the already packed and crowded terrace causing huge crush. The fans entering were unawere of the problem and their weight causing fans infront being pressed up against the front fencing that was placed to barricade supportes from the pitch.

Until today, the controvesy and allegation on what causes the incident and who should be responsible for it is still going on. Calling justice for the 96.

Putting clubs and colours aside, i would like to pay my earnest tribute and sincere sympathy to those who lost their lives and affected by this sad sad tragedy.





v. Man City - Just keep on believing

If Man Utd were deemed and destined to lift the title come the end of the season. So be it. But until that happen, we will try our very best to push them till the end.

It was a huge game against City. A do or die interm of the title hope and an important and significant one interm of securing the top 4 finish. Coming into the game with great momentum after a turn around of fortune the last couple of weeks, we set up to get all three points and it was the case of trying to break City down. It was a cracking atmosphere at the Bridge, with fans trying to to urge the players from the start. But after 78min... a 0-0 scoreline was on the card and the fans was getting more and more frustrated until David Luiz pop up to head the all important goal that erupt Stamford Bridge. Another Brazilian in Ramires who had a good game capped a wonderful night for us to seal the win in injury time.

A very important 3 points for the team and for all the fans, that keep the slim hope of retaining the title alive. United is the favourite to be Champions and may as well be the Champions come May, but not yet... not yet. We will keep fighting and keep believing cause that what Champion do. We are and we still the Champions. KTBFFH



Chelsea's Super Strikers

Chelsea recently broke the bank, club record transfer bringing in Fernando Torres from Liverpool during the 2010/2011 January transfer window. After four games, El Nino still hasn't open his goal scoring account for us and already received a few sticks from the Liverpool fans (we all know what they're like). Still early to tell, and i would prefer waiting for 1 full season before judging him.

For the past decade or so, there are a few strikers that have been sign up by the club, moving to Chelsea with records transfer and huge expectation but failed big time. Not only unable to score as many goals as expected but also failed to settle at the club.

1. Chris Sutton (1999-2000 sign from Blackburn Rovers)
Move to Chelsea for 10mil (quite high at that time) after  Rovers were relegated to the Championship. A prolific goalscorer before moving the club. Top scorer of the Premier League for the 1997/98 season. Couldn't make it with us, struggle to adapt with our play and manage to only score 1 league goal against Man Utd. Move to Celtic after just 1 season for 6mil.

2. Mateja Kezman (2004-2005 sign from PSV Eindhoven)
Not a big transfer signing, moving to the club for 5+mil but certainly bringing in huge reputation and expectation. After excelling at the Dutch League with PSV scoring more than a hundred goals for only 122 appearance, Chelsea's fans were hoping Kezman would continue his fine goalscoring form at the club. But after one season and only 4 goals, Kezman left for Atletico Madrid.

3. Hernan Crespo (2003-2008 sign from Inter)
A great player for club and country. Beg lots of goals in the Serie A (Parma, Lazio, Inter) and for his county Argentina. Was signed by Chelsea in 2003 for 16.8mil. Failed to impress in his first season, and was in and out of the team from 2003-2008. He was loaned to Milan as well as Inter before permanently moving to Inter after 2008 when the club decided not to renew his contract.

4. Andriy Shevchenko (2006-2009 sign from AC Milan)
One of the legends of the game. A true great and among the best strikers of all time. Winning many awards including the Ballon d'Or in 2004. Unfortunately he cannot lived up to expectation with his club record transfer 30.8mil. He only managed to scored 9 goals in his 2 years spell at the club before signing for his former club Dinamo Kiev in 2009.

 
  

CFC Blabs: Just keep on believing

More than a month since i last wrote, and at that time... wasn't at all the best period for Chelsea fans all over the world. Our form just dip, so fast that the unthinkable of dropping out from the champs league spot (top 4) was playing through my mind. We also got knock out of the FA Cup, heartbreaking lost on penalty to an Everton side at home which surely prove that football is a very cruel game. That leave us only to the league (which is very impossible at that time) and the champ league for a chance of any silverware this season.

Pass couple of weeks saw our fortune suddenly turn. A good win against FC Copenhagen  in the 1st leg Champs League Round of 16, follow with back to back win against Man United and Blackpool with contrast to United who lost 2 straight games saw us closing the gap to 9 points with a game in hand. With United and Arsenal wobbling the past few weeks, and optimistically considering we will win the game in hand that will leave only a 6 points gap, anything can happen with all of the top team (including us) performing inconsistently and surely more points will be drop.

I certainly can feel the buzz and I'm sure most of the Blues fans feels the same, thats how fast things can change. A big game against City coming up, if we can turn up and show our best performance and then win our game in hand, surely the pressure will be on United. Hopefully they will drop a few points here and there,  and if we can win all of our game, the match against United at Old Trafford late this season may well be our most important game ever.

There's a lot of hopes and ifs, but what else we can do. Just keep on believing i guess. KTBFFH

CFC Blabs: Bad times

They say form is temporary and class is permanent, but two months is not a short time and the class was no where to be seen. 1 win in the last 9 games saw the club chances of retain the league title is fading or realistically said, gone. The reason for the poor showing and performance of the whole squad is unanswerable, to say all the players and Carlo Ancelotti turning into a bad players or manger is irrelevant and incomprehensible. Certainly the confident is at the minimum and the club is dropping like a stone.

Dont fix it if its not broken... Roman, a good man he is to the club (wouldnt swap him with other owners) for certain didnt learn his lesson. He should learn what happen to the club when we part company with the Special One. It takes us 3 managers and 3 seasons to win back the Premierleague crown after two successive title under Jose. Coincident or not, the bad run started after Ray Wilkins was axed without any firm reason.

Maybe its time to evaluate the situation and lower down the club expectation. Not raising the white flag after only midway through the season, but the gap with United is too big even an optimist wouldnt bet his house on us. A top four finish is all i'm hoping for and seems more realistic. Looking the dreadful time as a blessing in disguise. Maybe the backbone and the likes of JT,FL,DD has reached their peak last term. Hopefully we can get back to our winning ways, secure the top four finish and use this as a sign for us to recruit or prepare the younger players who will have to step up in the near future. KTBFFH



What we've missed 24 Nov 2010 - 15 Dis 2010

The funny thing about football... it will effect what you do at home, at the office or when you're just trying to relax. It certainly effected me. Almost a month since i last wrote something on here, trying to run away from football huh. The pass few weeks see a lot of interesting and some can be said controversial happening  across the football globe and its very hard for me to ignore it, i'll try to express my view on the event in one post.

Chelsea dismal form
3 point from a possible 15, no win in the last 5 matches and averaging 0.6 goal per game certainly not a championship winning form. The goals has dried up, the performance far from inspiring and the pressure is building on Carlo. Coincident or not, the dip of form came after the shocking dismissal of Ray Wilkins by the club. RW for me is a true legend and play a major part in last season triumph, his dismissal was a shocked and until date, the true reason behind this is still unknown. No man is bigger than the club... what ever the reason is, the matter for me should be handle better by the club and RW has been harshly threated. Thank you Ray Wilkins for the pass and we wish you the best for the future.

The injury problems can be the excuse to condone the poor form of late. Yes, we lost JT, Alex, FL, Zhirkov Essien and having to play the not 100% fit DD the last couple of months. The good start certainly help, if not, we may be trailing the leaders by more points. We have a few of these players coming back, the hugely miss FL played a few minutes last weekend against Spurs, finger cross lets hope we can put our season back on track, and what a way to do it by winning against leaders Man Utd this coming weekend. For me, the poor form may be blessing in disguise. We need to spend in the January transfer window and the club should start scouting for replacement for the aging JT, FL and  DD.

2018 and 2022 World Cup host
The host for the 2018 and 2022 has been announced and congratulation to Russia and Qatar for winning the bid. The announcement didn't came without dispute and conspiracy. The English certainly frustrated not winning the bid after putting much effort and i surely can understand their frustration not getting the nod. Having advanced footballing technologies, stadia and facilities... last hosting the event in 1966 and having one of the most passionate and fanatical fans in the world, no wonder most of those who follow the game were leaving scratching their head on the result. Putting aside on bribery, oil money and rich nation, FIFA reason of broadening the game to new countries seems reasonable. Somebody got to lose.

Hughton & Big Sam Shocking Sacking 
Every season the bookies will have the odds on the first manager casualty. After the first 3 month of the season, names of Roy Hodgson, Mancini even Ancelotti has rise and tip to get the axed. After Newcastle achievement to bounce back straight to the Premier League last season and a reasonable start to this one, the termination of Chris Hughton from his position was a surprise to all. One week after that, another shocking dismissal, Big Sam was remove from his position after a good start to the season considering his limited budget. Lost for word on this one, whatever it is, football is certainly a cruel game and having rich, lunatic and insane people like Mike Ashley and the new Blackburn owners in the game certainly doesn't  make it better.

Oppss... too much football for today... i'll write back after we beat United this weekend. KTBFFH

Injury - Overpaid Overplayed Millionaires?

Chelsea manage to secure top spot in their Champions League group last night by beating whipping boys Zilina 2-1. Not the scoreline i expected, although Carlo did ring a few changes with few youngsters given the chance, i do think whoever start for Chelsea we should have beaten Zilina by a more bigger margin and keeping clean sheet. But considering the problems the club face the pass few weeks and the recent poor result in the league, it was still a good win. A much needed victory to build back the confidence.

Missing big players through injury for me was the main reason for the sudden dip of form. I cant recall any other season that we miss so many players due to injuries. An injury crisis that doesn't look to end soon, every week there seem to be a player out. Chelsea with a high average age of players might be a factor that we've had one of the most huge injury list among the other BPL clubs, but that wasnt the case at all. It seems that other team had a few injury problem as well. Rooney, v.Persie, Gerrard, Vermalaen, Fabregas, Torres, v.Der Vaart are just few names from the bigger clubs that had or still have injury concerns this season and its only November, not even halfway through the season.

I don't think its a coincident that the injury trouble facing clubs early this season is due to the summer World Cup in Africa. After a long hard season last term, players then join their respective country for training and a month long of competition. Though they did have their holiday and much needed rest after the tournament, most of them reported back to their clubs late meaning a short pre season to gain full fitness. This raise the issue, are the players overplayed? The early season schedule also not too kind to the players. League matches on weekends, domestic cups, Europeans games and useless international friendlies adding to the hectic list of matches.

Some would say that the players are paid millions a year and ought to be playing as much games as they could whether for their club of country. But certainly if this injuries situation continue and  the summer international tournament proven to be the cause, something should be done at least for the season after the World Cup or Euro. A delayed start to the season, cup competition or abolish the useless international friendlies which i think anyone would agree and can do without. We want to see the best players play every week, the injuries will be a lost to the club as well as the fans. Something to think about. ktbffh