Chelsea v Man City = Class fans. And Bolton.

Chelsea's away game at Man City was one of those rare games in football. One of the few times I've seen my team concede an important goal, yet still somehow managed to smile about it. One - nil up in what was probably on paper our hardest away game of the season, and then with five minutes left, Super Frank, on loan at Man City, scores against the team he served so great for 13 years to win his current team a point. Talk getting a taste of our own medicine! But what do the Chelsea fans do? Well, they were cheering and singing name before, after the goal and even after the game as he went to applaud them. Top class. And who says our fans our scum?

The game didn't start as well as the corresponding fixture last year when a Mourinho Monday Masterclass undone City at the Etihad. Although there were no clear cut chances, City looked the better team in the first half, although we mainly restricted them to long range shots. The same came in the second half, and prompted Mourinho to make changes, bringing Obi Mikel and Schurrle on for Ramires and William. Chelsea were given an advantage when Zabaleta was sent off for City for a second yellow card after a bad foul on Costa. With the amount of yellow cards the referee was dishing in the first half, it was inevitable that someone would get dismissed. Then the impact of the substitutions took effect as a Chelsea counter attack saw Hazard break away and supply a low cross for Schurrle to side foot home at the far post. Chelsea lead in what at that point would have been a serious case of smash and grab, but they do say the sign of a good team is a team that can win without playing well. Shortly after, Lampard came on against, it was so weird seeing him in a City shirt, playing against yes. So weird. The Chelsea fans gave him a great reception as he came on and sang his name, and rightly so of course. Back to the game and chelsea almost wrapped up the points as Costa hit the post. Shortly after he was replaced by Drogba ending his scoring run. Then with five minutes to go, enter an old friend. Lampard latching onto Millers pull back to volley home the equaliser. As the commentator said 'Well I don't know what Lampard makes of it!' and that pretty much summed up his reaction. Apologetic to his former team mates and respect to the Chelsea fans by refusing to celebrate. The look on his face summed it all up as he looked to the heavens almost in tears. What I personally loved though was, even after the goal and after the game, the reception Lampard continued to get from the travelling Chelsea support was top class. After the game the image of him going to the Chelsea fans and receiving a standing ovation with the fans singing his name was one the best moments in football I've ever seen and made me most proud to be a Chelsea fan. Van Persie signs for Man Utd and Arsenal fans burn his shirt. Mata signs for them and Chelsea fans wish him all the best and hold make banners at the next Chelsea game saying 'Thank you Mata'. Fabregas signs for Chelsea and Arsenal fans call him scum and traitor. Lampard plays and scores against Chelsea and still gets a superb reaction.

You can't buy class :)

The next match saw me and my brother attend our first match of the season against Bolton in the league cup, and a chance encounter with Paul Merson in the Broadway pub before the match! After three FA youth cups and once a runner up in the last five years, I was hoping for more of our kids to get a game, as I really want Chelsea to start bringing their youngsters through more and more, but then this is Chelsea. The standards and expectation for success now are so high, it seems very difficult for kids to get a look in these days, although we did start promising youngster Nathan Ake. Last season brought no trophies, and Mourinho Roman won't let him get away with that too often, so it should really have been a surprise to see a strong team but out of mainly fringe players. One of them, young defender kurt Zouma, actually signed in January but then sent back on loan to St Etienne before permanently joining us in the summer, gave us the lead early on, stabbing home from close range following a corner in front of the Shed Lower where me and my brother were sitting. The lead though only last five minutes and Mills glanced home a header from a free kick to equalise for Bolton. Chelsea did spurn a number of chances throughout the first half, mainly though Schurrle, who hit the bar from a free kick. Ake himself also came close with a blistering shot that the keeper pushed around for a corner. The second half saw a daisy cutter (I think thats what they call that kind of shot!) from Oscar who fired low and hard into the bottom corner past the keepers right to give Chelsea the lead again. Then followed more missed chances from Schurrle, who hit the wood work again in this half, later on the post. Despite a late surge from Bolton as they tried to force extra time, Chelsea ran out deserved winners and will now face Shrewsbury away in the next round.

Onward and upwards!

Chelsea v Swansea and Schalke

Fantastic game against Swansea - we look really good at the moment! At least thats what I thought until the momentum halted slightly against Schalke, a game we dominated but were maybe too complacent. Swansea once again saw Costa take centre stage, scoring a hat trick and delighting everyone who had him as their fantasy football captain everywhere (me included). It wasn't a great start though - John Terry scoring an early own goal to give Swansea the lead. I'm just wondering if maybe we're still Terry on the wane a little, as he diverted a cross past Courtois - although if he had left it maybe Dave (Azpilicueta) would have cleared it, but then maybe Dave didn't shout at him that he had it covered. After the goal, Swansea seemed to have slightly more of the possession although they were restricted to long range shots. Routledge for them seemed lively and looked likeliest to make something happen. Right on half time though - Chelsea pulled level which changed the game I think. A close range header from a Fabregas corner - another assist for the spaniard. Chelsea came out firing in the second half - I always feel confident in Jose making changes at half time if things aren't quite going well, tactical or personnel. I can imagine him slapping a few under - performing players in their faces or splashing hot tea at them. If that's what he did on Saturday it certainly had the desired effect as Costa put Chelsea ahead early in the second half, side-footing home from a Fabregas pull back (another Fab assist). He completed his hat trick on 67 minutes, tucking the ball away inside the six yard box as a Ramires (a half time substitute for an ineffective Schurrle) ball somehow found its way through a statuesque Swansea defence. A new king of Stamford Bridge being born? Seven goals in his first four games is certainly a phenomenal start, only the second player in the premier league to score in his first four games. If Costa can keep this up he will definitely stake a claim for Stamford Bridge royalty. The Brazilian/Spaniard received a standing ovation as he was subbed for another new Chelsea striker, Loic Remy making his debut. Within no time at all - Remy himself got on the scoresheet. So Arsenal passed on Remy to sign Welbeck for more money? Ok then....

Anyway Shelvey scored a late consolation goal, and Chelsea won the game 4-2, top of the league and a blistering start. Going into the champions league against Schalke, I think there was a fair bit of complacency at hand as to why we didn't win. We dominated the game, but couldn't bury our chances, although in the long run (hope I don't regret saying this) I don't think it will matter. Costa was dropped in favour of returning Champions league hero Drogba, playing his first game since the famous night in Munich .... "He's done iiiitttt!!'

Mourinho would then go on to say Costa is 'not fit yet to play twice a week', possibly a worry as he did have a few hamstring injuries at the end of last season, but then it could be Jose cooking up a storm as he loves doing. I still think our team was good enough to win the game, Luis made his debut at left back and made a solid start. Chelsea started well too, Fabregas playing a one too with Hazard (and possibly fouling in the build up) and slotting home his first Chelsea goal. Hazard himself had made a very lively start to this game, forcing openings and running at defenders, he certainly looked up for it. It could have been 2-0 but Fabregas side-footed over when it looked easier to score, and Drogba saw a planted header easily saved by the keeper. Schalke themselves fashioed  a few attempts on goal towards the end of the first half, with the lively Draxler and Prince Boateng coming close. The second half started as well as it started in the first, but again Chelsea failed to take their chances, Drogba failing to connect with a low cross and then firing wide from a Hazard through ball. Not long after the second miss, Huntelaar scored an impressive equaliser for the Germans. Just before it went in, it was starting to remind me of the Basle game last season.... although unlike that game, the score stayed 1-1. Remy came on and had a late shot cleared off the line but Chelsea were set to remain punished for not taking their chances. So a break in momentum ahead of the City game on Sunday, arguably our first true test, I just the break in momentum doesn't affect us too much. Anyways - come on the Chels!

Chelsea 14-15 first 3 games

                                                           Chelsea 2014-15

So three games into the new season and so far - things look good. Top of the table clash on Saturday sees Chelsea welcome Swansea who occupy a surprisingly comfortable second place (theres always one team that gets off to a great start against all the odds). Chelsea have had 3 wins from 3 - can't ask anymore than that. But the new signings that Jose made over the summer all look like they're set to make a big impact season, although Luis and Zouma have yet to shine in a competitive match this season. But Costa and Fabregas have got off to a great start, while the returning Courtois has so far justified Jose's decision to uproot fan favourite Cech as the Chelsea number one. Personally I think that was the correct decision and reminds me of the similar dilemma Jose had exactly 10 years when he had the old-but-favoured number one Carlo Cudicini and the one for the future, a younger Petr Cech. He went with Cech then - he had to really. And now he's gone with the younger one again - an Courtois has been impressive. So has Costa - blimey! What a beast! Four goals in three games! A fantastic start! In fact looking at Chelsea's front line this season, Jose has definitely upgraded - from Ba, Torres and Eto' to Costa, Remy and the returning legend Drogba. Torres of course went on loan to Milan paving the way for Remy to join, the spaniard leaving Chelsea with a record of a goal every 4 games. Pretty poor to say the least. Considering Jose's constant bemoaning at our 'lack of a striker' last season, his intention to rectify this has definitely been reflected in the upgraded strike force. Lets also not forget Fabregas, some Chelsea fans were unsure about signing a former Arsenal and Barcelona legend, but in the first games Fabregas has provided 4 assists and is looking like the final piece of the puzzle. Somebody whose through balls and creativity can unlock defences in tight games, like the ones that cost us points last season. Overall, I'd say Chelsea did the best business in the transfer window, filling all the holes that were so gaping last year and basically only buying what they needed. Unlike Man Utd who neglected their creaky defence to sign seemingly every attacker under the sun. Or Arsenal who instead of signing a defender and defensive, went and signed the highly OVERRATED Danny Welbeck .... tut tut!

Our first game against Burnley live on Monday night football against promoted burnley could have been a banana skin, but turned out to be an efficient performance that caught everyones attention. We went 1-0 down early on but came storming back before the 35th minute without reply. Costa getting off the mark with a close range finish hardly any time after Arfield had scored for Burnley, and then a sublime goal by Schurrle, brilliantly assisted by Fabregas. The former Barca deftly sidefooting a cleverly disguised pass through the baffled Burnley defence putting the german through to score. Then a Fabregas corner set up Ivanovic to score. The second half filtered out as you'd expect under Mourinho as Chelsea took their foot off the gas. A home game against Leicester, a game Chelsea were expected to win at a canter, proved more difficult possibly out of complacency. From this game I only remember a fantastic one on one save by Courtois from Nugent with the score deadlocked at 0-0, followed by two late goals from Costa and Hazard. The next game though was..... seriously something else.

Everton 3 Chelsea 6. Absolutely ridiculous. Mourinho once said of a 5-4 win by Arsenal over Spurs was 'not a football result, but a hockey score'. He must have felt the same about this game. Entertaining enough but not good for my heart, really don't want too many games like this, would much rather boring 3-0 or 4-0 wins haha. 2-0 up after 3 minutes, Fabregas setting up Costa and (a slightly offside, oops) Invanovic set Chelsea on their way. Howard should have been given a red card for handling outside the area and, annoyingly, the media went way to soft on the incident. Had it been the other way round, they would have replayed the incident and been talking about it for ages. Then once Mirallas scored on half time it was 'game on' and the Howard handball was long forgotten. I had an annoying feeling we'd concede on half time for some reason, just like last seasons corresponding fixture. Don't know why I think things like that. Anyway, the game seemed to waiting to explode in the first 20 minutes of the second half and then all of a sudden, it did. A fine run and dribble by Hazard produced an own goal by Coleman, which produced a little dig from Costa (as they'd earlier had a run in), which then produced an angry reaction from Howard (forgetting he shouldn't have been on the pitch at all). Game a safe I thought. No - a couple of minutes later Naismith pulled one back. Game on again. Five minutes later, a fine shot by Matic in off the post gave Chelsea that comfortable two goal cushion again. Good game I thought. But two minutes later I literally screamed as Eto' glanced home a header just a few minutes after coming on as a sub. I knew Eto' would score against us, or rather against Mourinho following his 'old man' remark last year, but at this point I was just aghast at the crazy game before me - 4-3 now. Ridiculous. Even more ridiculous as Ramires (who admittedly I'd been criticising all game) scored a minute later - I screamed again but more delightfully this time. What the hell was going on?? It should have even been 5-4 as Courtois made a fine fingertip save onto the post from Mirallas. Unbelievable drama (and torture for my heart) came to an end as Costa, who opened the scoring int he first minute, finished the scoring in the final minute after a brilliant back - heel assist by Obi Mikel like a rabbit out of the hat, and a debut blunder by Besic who had only been on for Everton a few minutes. Lukaku, once of Chelsea's books had a quiet game. Through the world cup to this season he seems to justify Mourinho not rating him every time he has a quiet game.

This season I will try and do more frequent and fruitful blogs. In fact I will try and do one after the Swansea game, where the player of the month for August (Costa) take son the manager of the month, in Swansea's Gary Monk. Should be good!