With fifteen shots on target according to the Chelsea official website this was the most one sided game Chelsea have played in for ten years


As normal David James makes a habit of playing like England's best goalkeeper when he comes to Stamford Bridge. Without his heroics and some great saves Portsmouth would have been on the end of a real drubbing from the Blues. Shevchenko scored his third goal of the season but his first at Stamford Bridge, having earlier seen a goal disallowed for goalkeeper infringment by Drogba and a wonder save from James. Robben could have scored a hatrick in the first half alone as he carved up the Portsmouth defence as Chelsea employed a 4-3-3 formation for a change.


After Drogba was robbed of the third goal for offside just after Ballack had made it 2-0 it relly looked like Chelsea were going to run riot. Benjani scored a consolation goal for Portsmouth who were flattered by the scoreline. Chelsea again created but did not execute. They are beginning to gel as a team after a slow start and I have to agree with John Terry who is predicting that some unlucky team are going to be on the end of a serious drubbing in the very near future - and with Sheffield United, Watford and West Ham being three of the next four teams any one or all of them could be the cannon fodder.


Next up is Blackburn in the Carling Cup - which is not going to be easy. Chelsea will experiment for sure with players on the fringe of the first team and recovering from injury being given a chance to prove their worth. most of Bridge, Joe Cole, Obi Mikel, Kalou, Wright Phillips will be given their chance to star. But Blackburn are no pushovers so this game will be close - could go to extra time or penalties and maybe one of the big guns will rescue Chelsea from a potential early exit. The weekend sees Sheffield United in the lunchtime game - expect Chelsea to score three or more goals against the struggling Yorkshire outfit.

Super Chelsea, Super Chelsea FC, we’re by far the greatest team the world has ever seen….yes that was a sweet sweet victory against the reigning European Champions Barcelona.


The result could easily have been 2-0 or 3-0 if Chelsea had been a bit sharper in front of goal but a great performance form the Blues. Barcelona in reality really missing Samual Eto’o to give them some bite up front ? they just are not the same side without him. Don’t get me wrong they are still a tremendous side who in the first half broke with incredible speed on the counter attack. Lionel Messi looked particularly dangerous on the right hand side tormenting Ashley Cole repeatedly. But at the end of the day they just did not produce and Hilario making his goalkeeping debut really had little to do all night and had safe hands when called into action.


Kahlid “the Cannibal” Bouhlarouz had an outstanding game, keeping Ronaldihno very quiet most of the night. Essien was majestic with his driving runs from midfield ? playing like the superstar he was at the world cup (if only had had not been suspended for the Brazil game). Lampard too was excellent spraying perfectly weighted passes across the pitch. Ballack and Makelele helped ensure that Chelsea dominated the midfield. Drogba’s goal was masterclass, a striker right on top of his game, and Robben tormented the stretched Barcelona defence after coming on as sub.


Chelsea will fancy their chances of at least a draw in the return fixture ? that is if they can avoid having a player sent off!! Barcelona should still qualify with a home fixture against Werder Bremen to complete their fixtures ? hopefully Chelsea can get points from their next two away games at Barcelona and Werder Bremen and finish top avoiding the better sides in the round of sixteen. Hopefully with the best yet to come from this Chelsea side we can look forward to Athens in May, the same city where Chelsea beat Real Madrid back in the 1971 Cup winners cup final.

American Football of the gridiron type was the order of the day as Reading resorted to voilence and knocked out not one but two Goalkeepers.


I have to wholeheartedly agree with Mourinho about the first challenge on Petr Cech by Reading's Hunt. The player deliberately slid in to connect with the goalkeeper and while he may not have meant to have Petr Cech carried off - he certainly wanted Cech to know he existed and as such needs to be awarded a red card by the FA. It may not have been as malicious as Ben Thatchers challenge a few weeks ago - but maliciuos it was and needs to be dealt with by the authorities.


Reading were lucky not to have three men sent off - while "on your Bikey" may have been unfortunate in his sending off accidently clipping Drogba's legs - the referee was unable to distinguish the intent and pulled a second yellow for the foul. Sonko should have joined him for his foul which saw Cudicini stretchered off - even if it was clumsy it was more like an American Football full contact block - and Cudicini is not built like an American Footballer so was stretcherd off having an oxygen mask applied to his face. And obviouly Hunt should have gone in the first minute. Quite honestly Mike Riley the referee had an atrocious game, lost control from the moment he failed to take action against Hunt.


Obi Mikel obviously deserved his red card which was the result of two stupid and rash challenges, the second of which would have graced again the Gridiron game or Rugby pitch with a great two armed tackle from behind.


The game was pretty much controlled by Chelsea up until the point Mikel was sent off after 62 minutes - after which Reading played with real spirit even after they too were reduced to ten men in the 83rd minute. Realistically while a nervous Chelsea supporter like myself went through some moments of anxiety, Reading never really looked like scoring.


The atmosphere at the ground was amazing, and the Chelsea away support was vocal througout. There is never a dull moment these days being a Chelsea supporter and at the end of the day this was a good game of English football with a ton of incidents that is already the focus of hundreds of articles across the world and lived up to the billing as match of the day.


Chelsea now turn their focus to Barcelona on wednesday with third choice Hilario looking like he may have a tough debut for the English champions - hopefully if Chelsea can avoid having someone sent off we will still beat the European and Spanish Champions - according to articles I have read even Catalan lover Johann Cruyff is slating their performances this year and of course they are without the menace of Samuel Eto'o. So a 2-0 win for Chelsea is on the cards.

I'm sure at the beginning of the season that this was considered three points in the bag - but Reading have been dubbed this years' Wigan and have made a great start to their first ever season in the top flight.


Reading have a fond place in my heart being my home town during my childhood years. Most people in Reading back then supported either one of the London clubs or Liverpool, Leeds or Man Utd. As a pre teen I used to spend quite a few afternoons drinking Bovil on the terraces at Elm Park in what was usually either a fourth division promotion push or a third division relegation clash. The town has completely transformed itself over the past twenty years and is now the heartbeat of the Thames "Silicon" Valley, very affluent,wealthy & bustling city. The move to the Madjeski stadium allowed reading to tap into a much wider fan base - whereas Elm Park was inaccessible (you really had to make an effort to get there) - The new stadium is right off the motorway allowing easy access to the large population (500,000 plus)living within 15 miles of the ground. Returning to Reading where my parents still live it is very noticeable that the whole town is a buzz and very proud of the Reading team - pubs adorn the blue and white hoops and youngsters everywhere have the latest first team shirts. My old friends who still live in the area have changed their allegience to Reading and are season ticket holders (especially the ones who supported Leeds). Kerry Dixon who was the king at Stamford Bridge during the 80's was purchased from Reading. This game is the biggest in Reading's history to date. Chelsea are considered a derby match with only 30 miles seperating the two grounds. Reading have even produced a special souvenier program for the hosting of the Champions with Chelsea's host of World top players (10 in the top 55 (FifPro), 6 in the top 30 (FIFA)). With the exception of Real madrid - probably the most expensive collection of players ever hosted. A big day for the town of Reading no doubt.


However my allegience is first and foremost with Chelsea and any other result than a Chelsea victory will not sit well with me. Reading in any other match - but not this one. It is over 70 years since Chelsea have played Reading in the league and only three times have Chelsea played Reading in my lifetime - all in the Carling Cup. Statistically Reading have a good record against Chelsea - but all of those players are now long gone & buried - literally.


Chelsea will obviously have one eye on the Barcelona game for wednesday and have again little time to regroup after the International break. With Ashley Cole injured, Wayne Bridge should be recalled to the team. Michael Ballack serves his last suspension match and will be fit for the Barcelona game. Reading seem to have some injuries with Doyle, Murty & Seol all fighting to get fit. Unlike Chelsea, Reading do not have as much talent in depth - although their reserve team did actually beat Chelsea reserves 2-1 (not too much to be read into this as Chelsea reserves do not include first team squad players unless they are recovering from injury or need a run out).


So a real fight is on the cards - this is the biggest match for Reading and a chance for the players to measure up against the worlds best - but if Chelsea score first this will be a stroll in the park. Chelsea have enough talent and depth to put away Reading - with one eye on wednesdays game the score will remain close either 1-0 or 2-0 to Chelsea.

The Spanish are now running scared that English clubs are about to take over Europe like they did in the 70's and 80's. This has lead to Real Madrid complaining that Chelsea are "unfairly funded" and Barcelona already making excuses about the state of Chelsea's pitch.


Real Madrid perennial big spenders and subsidied by the Spanish Governement for years have amazingly started throwing stones in their glass house. Real Madrid themselves have spent almost as much as Chelsea in the transfer market over the past five years (including GBP47m for Zidane)and have little or no silverware to back up their excesses.


Barcelona who can only beat English teams after the referee sends off a player to give Barcelona an advantage (Drogba 2005, Carvahlo 2006, Lehmann 2006)are already stacking up the excuse of the pitch - as they are running scared of Chelsea. The last three time they have been to Chelsea they have been outplayed - in 2000 they lost 3-1 to the Blues, in 2005 they lost 4-2 to the Blues - and while Chelsea lost the match last year 2-1 - they were reduced to ten men early on in the first half and still scared the shit out of the Catalonians with a brave attacking ten man performance.


The pitch scandal is a load of crap - the pitch looked much worse than it actually was last year and this year has been in excellent condition. I suppose the spainards will complain next that the pitch was dug up to bury Osgoods ashes next (god rest his soul) and that is why Ronaldihno didn't play to his worlds best billing. Spain lost to Northern Ireland and Sweeden and are are presently a declining force in world football.


The English clubs have all started strongly in Europe with the "big four" all top of their champions league groups. If they avoid each other in the draw there is a strong chance Hampden Park will be overrun by the English in May with Chelsea taking on one of the other three.


Chelsea to beat Barcelona 2-0 next week and grab a draw in the return match - putting Barcelona under severe pressure needing to beat Werder Bremen in the last match to qualify. Hopefully they will play Arsenal in the round of sixteen and Arsenal will get revenge (with eleven players on the park!!).