QPR and Man Utd - almost there ...

So we're nearly there ... after two hard fought wins in two hard games. Classic Jose at a time we needed it most. Against QPR - a team we usual drop points against and at a ground where we've only won once in the last 32 years, the only real question was who steps in for the injured Costa, and the answer was Drogba - but only because Remy picked up an injury the day before. Elsewhere Ramires came in for Oscar. The game overall was not a lively one, the QPR crowd did their best to intimidate Chelsea and in particular John Terry. Ivanovic brought an early save from Green before Willians return cross struck a post. QPR's danger man Charlie Austin tested Courtois from 25 yards out with a fierce drive that the Belgian keeper parried away. Then right on half time came Chelsea's best chance as an Ivanovic cross was missed by Drogba at the near post only for Fabregas to head over from close range. The second half was more the same, Chelsea keeping it tight and QPR knocking at the door. Clint Hill had a close range turn and shot pushed around the post by Courtios and Charlie Austin had two late efforts from a corner, the second easily saved by Courtious. Time was running out and the game looked set for 0-0 which to be fair, would have been the right result. However with 3 minutes left, Green's sliced kick out didn't go as far up the pitch as he would have liked and landed straight at Hazards feet about 3 yards from goal. He dribbled the ball down the left and advanced into the penalty area where he played a one-two with half time sub Oscar. He then teed up Fabregas who slotted the ball through a crowd of players into the bottom corner - and the Chelsea fans at the other end of the ground went wild. Wearing a Zorro-like mask from when Charlie Adam elbowed him last week, he then threw the mask down in celebration as he went to celebrate near the QPR fans - que loads of lighters, coins and programmes and flyers being launched disgracefully at the Chelsea players. Their fans should rightfully get fined for it, although the suggestion that Chelsea players 'incited' the crowd by celebrating a goal in front of them is ludicrous. Footballers are humans like you and I and regardless of how much money they make, they should be allowed to give some back if they get any stick from the crowd and some of the do get an awful amount of stick - take John Terry in this game for example. It reminds me of when Adebayor ran the length of the pitch to celebrate in front of the Arsenal fans after he scored against them for Man City and the camera panned to the Arsenal fans looking like they wanted to run onto the pitch to fight him! Why?? All he's done is run on his knees and and hold his arms out outstretched after they had been singing obscene songs about him. I think there's nothing wrong with footballers giving it back to the crowd, celebrating a goal (and nothing else) does not warrant having coins and lighters and glass bottles thrown at you. Anyway, Chelsea saw out the game 1-0 and the most satisfying shot of the day (apart from the one from Fabregas!) was Terry celebrating in front of the Chelsea fans at the end. In fact judging by the reaction of all the Chelsea players at the end, it looked like this game, after some difficult performances of late had given them a real psychological lift ahead of our nest two games against the two in-form teams of the Premier league, starting with a home game against Man Utd ...

Mourinho announced a surprise to the starting line up with Kurt Zouma starting in midfield, obviously to silence the in-form Fellaini. Oscar coming in for Willian was the other change, while 37 year old Drogba kept his place up front due to Remy not recovering from his muscle injury. During this game and the last game - I feel his age really showed. His pace and part of his strength and prescision appears long gone, but he could still do a job, although I think Jose has used him more than he would liked to have this season. There was a comical moment at the start when another striker - Man Utd striker Wayne Rooney, put Luke Shaw's pull back wide with a left foot shot but some sections of the Utd crowd cheered as the thought from their angle the ball had gone in, even De Gea celebrated! Aside from an unmarked Drogba header that went wide, neither side tested the keepers much prior to the goal on 38 minutes. Before that though, there was some debate as to whether De gea should have been given a red card for a handball outside the penalty area, although its easy to understand how it was missed with a Utd defender blocking the linesman's path. Then on 38 minutes a sublime goal put Chelsea ahead - Fabregas found Oscar whose back-heel pass put Hazard through who charged in on goal and slotted under De Gea from close range. Chelsea almost doubled their lead in the second half as Matic send Drogba through early on - but the Ivorians lack of pace showed as Smalling was able to catch up and almost block Drogba's eventual shot. The ball deflected onto the Utd defender and looked set to be going out for a corner but Hazard popped up at the far post and hit the post of an open goal albeit from a seemingly impossible angle. The rest of the match was really Utd soaking up the possession but not really created any clear chances, McNair came closest to testing Courtois with a 25 yard shot that the Belgian keeper parried, while a long range from Falcao also drifted wide. Falcao then saw a shot brilliantly blocked by Cahil before the Colombian striker - the bane of Chelsea's Super cup final in 2012 - wasted Utd best chance of the game as on 76 minutes he took advantage of a rare lapse in the defence and raced clear only to hit the outside of the post. Chelsea though always looked comfortable although there was a scare in stoppage time as Herrera dived to win a penalty and was rightly booked. Interesting that no issue was made of Utd players surrounding the referee to complain despite their colleagues blatant cheating attempt. Mourinho even said afterwards if a Chelsea player had done that, they would be talking about it for weeks.
So Chelsea held out for a second successive 1-0 win against one of the in form teams. Big result!
If Chelsea beat Arsenal away in their next match (tall ask in fairness) then they could win the title against Leicester on Wednesday night. If they take four points from those two games or if they beat Arsenal but lose to Leicester they could win the title against Palace on 3rd May. If they lose to Arsenal their earliest attempt to win the title would be Liverpool on 10th May.

We're almost there ... come on the Chels!

Stopped by Southampton, almost held by Hull, stuttering past Stoke

In the days that followed our defeat to PSG, much was said in the press about Chelsea, so typical of Jose to come out and boldly say we 'would definitely win the title this season'. Not sure what I made of that, he's already jinxed us once this season against Bradford. Anyway, Southampton next and given their good form this season, this wouldn't be easy but a win was essential to get back on track, and we were given a boost with City losing to Burnley the day before. Willian in for Ramires was the one change made from midweek. Chelsea started brightly and took an early lead when good work by Hazard saw him feed Ivanovic whose cross was surprisingly easily headed in by Costa, breaking his Premiership goal drought. The visitors almost pulled level, with Mane denied by Courtois from Tadic's pull back. On 19 minutes though, Southampton did draw level, as Matic fouled Mane in the penalty area and a penalty was correctly awarded. Tadic put the penalty straight through the middle with the ball hitting Coutois' diving legs, but the Belgian was unable to keep it out. Chelsea though were denied a penalty of their own as Ivanovic was clipped, while Southampton started to to look dangerous as a low Tadic drive required Courois into action, and a Mane shot late in the half also brought the Belgian keeper at full stretch. Southampton definitely finished the first half the better team. They even started the second half as they left the first with a fierce 25 yard free kick from Alderweireld pushed away by Courtois. On 53 mins Matic, on a yellow card, was subbed for Ramires and Chelsea finally started to regain some control in their search to retake the lead again. A Willian shot was diverted against the post by Costa, while Southampton reminded us they were still a threat when a shot from Long was blocked. Not long after that, Costa rose high to meet a Willian cross only to see Forster save his header. With time running out, it became the Forster show as the Southampton keeper saved well from a left footed Oscar shot. Mane and substitute Cuadrado both exchanged wide shots, while Azpilecueta saw a curling shot from distance tipped around the post from Forster. From the resulting corner, another sub Remy had a header cleared off the line, Terry's following shot was then blocked before firing the rebound wide. So 1-1 was probably a fair result, now 6 points ahead of City but we are seemingly starting to stutter and look tired at the wrong time of the season, I personally thought our next game against Hull was a massive one.

For some reason, I was really nervous about this game. City along with now Arsenal only a point behind City, had won the day before and with our stuttering form, getting back to winning ways in a winnable game on paper was essential. Filipe Luis was preferred to Azpilecueta and Ramires came in for Oscar. After two minutes though, I wondered why I was so worried as Hazard gave us the lead with a superb finish, picking up the ball in midfield he ran towards the retreating Hull defence before unleashing a left foot shot 25 yards out. Hull though easily carved out an opening some minutes later as Hernandez went through on goal only for Courtois to block him. Then on nine minutes Chelsea doubled their lead with another great goal, Fabregas found Costa with a through pass in acres of space on the left, and the striker weaved his way to the edge of the penalty area and from an acute angle, bent a right for shot beyond McGregor and into the far side of the net. Another great finish. However we still looked shaky at the back, as Courtios was called into action again saving a N'doye free kick. Costa then missed with a header before Hull changed to a back four, and then it went pear shaped in the space of two minutes. First Robertson skipped a bit too easily past Ivanovic on the left and crossed for Elmohamady to score to score at the far post. Just two minutes later, Hull equalised with one of the most shambolic goals I've ever seen. Ivanovic partly at fault again, played a close back pass to Courtois in a packed penalty area and the Belgian keeper, instead of whacking it clear, tried to dribble it out and gave to Hernandez who slid the ball into the empty net. I was shocked, the Chelsea fans at the game were stunned into silence. Poor defensive performance from Chelsea in the first half. Second half started and we seemed tighter, Fabregas shooting wide early on before midway through the half, Courtois redeemed himself with a stunning triple save from Elmohamady, Livermore and Ramirez. Chelsea were then forced into a change, as Costa was forced off with looked like a potential hamstring injury and Remy came on. The impact was instant as Remy scored what turned out to be the winner after two minutes. William dribbled down the right and found Remy in the centre, whose left foot shot hit McGregor and squirmed in. So the game was won but defensively I thought we were a horror show, not the right time of the season to show kind of form, especially with in form Arsenal only a point behind City now. I felt the two week international break was welcomed for once.

So two weeks later and Stoke came to the bridge, another big game ( they all are at this stage). Costa not fit enough to start, despite scans all showing as cleared, he started on the bench. Remy started up front, Oscar and Azpilecueta returned in place of Filipe Luis and Ramires and Terry played his first game since signing a one year contract extension - good decision Jose, and well earned John! Chelsea started brightly and Remy had an early shot that took a wicked deflection brilliantly saved by Begovic. The French striker looked lively and had a right foot shot fizzle wide soon afterwards as well as forcing Begivic into another save albeit from a difficult angle. Stoke then had their first effort of the game, as N'zonzi picked up a poor clearance from Matic and fired inches wide. A warning sign then. Hazard then went on one of his mazy runs only for his shot to be saved by Begovic, and shortly after that, a fine move was finished by Oscar poorly dragging his shot wide. Chelsea were finding a breakthrough hard and it was inevitable the first goal came from a penalty. Fabregas, having been put through by Willian, invited the challenge by Wollscheid who brought the Spaniard down with a rash tackle. Penalty, Hazard stepped up and Cooley does what he does best. Chelsea's lead didn't last long though, what happened next was out of this world. Firstly though, Charlie Adam caught Fabregas with an elbow, but nothing was done, Next minute, Adam picks up the ball 60 yards from goal inside his own half and lobs Courtois for 1-1. Yes Courtois was standing a bit too far off his line but who could have expected that? Sometimes you just have to take your hat off and say well done. What a goal. We had played well but the score line was disappointing, regardless though I didn't like hearing boos at half time. Mourinho felt the need to change it and brought Costa on for the poor Oscar at half time. Still felt a bit of panicky move if I'm honest - and didn't pay off. Eight minutes later, Costa's troublesome hamstring flared up again and he had to be replaced by Drogba. Just before that happened though, Begivoc had tipped a Hazard strike over the bar so we were keeping up the tempo. It took until the 60th minute for us to retake the lead though, and Begovic, who'd had a good game, found himself at fault. His throw out was intercepted by Willian who then fed Hazard to bear down on goal, only for the Belgian to set up Remy for an open goal. Stoke almost pulled level again just minutes later though as N'zonzi hit the post with a long range strike ! Nerves getting seriously tested here. Chelsea held firm though and the only incident of note for the rest of the game was when January signing Cuadrado was denied by a double save from Begovic. I have to say, I can't see the improvement in swapping Shurrle for him. Anyway, it's another win to stay top but crikey we look more jittery every game, I'm still quite worried and not convinced the title race is completely over. Costa as well might be out for a while, so Remy after scoring the winning goal in the last two games, will get more of a chance now which I'm happy about, starting with his old club on Sunday. We always seem to lose once a season to QPR as it is their cup final after all. The way we're playing at the moment I'm not confident if I'm being honest. Anyway up the Chels!