ALL POSTS TAGGED "Michael Essien"
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/ 5596 days agoChelsea Face A Crucial Month
October ended with Chelsea looking imperious and pulling away from the chasing pack at the top of the Premiership. The side seemed to playing with such verve and spirit that I simply couldn't see where any worthy challenge could come from. Manchester United were struggling to hit any real form, but continued to pick up […]
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/ 5598 days agoChelsea Title Challenge Continues To Cool With Draw Against Newcastle
The problems at Chelsea continue to mount as a draw in the North East allowed Manchester United to overhaul the champions at the top of the table for the first time this season. With an important month in the title race about to begin injuries, backroom drama and poor performances have left confidence shattered at a club that has only collected four points from a possible fifteen.
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/ 5650 days agoChelsea v Arsenal, December 2006: The Brilliant Strike of Michael Essien
Reflecting on Chelsea v Arsenal's match this past Sunday at Stamford Bridge, I was immediately reminded of one of the most amazing goals I have ever seen. The date was December 10, 2006. Chelsea desperately need points as they hosted Arsenal in order to keep pace with a runaway Manchester United at the top of […]
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/ 5774 days agoFlurry of Premier League Stars' Injuries Could Tarnish World Cup
Just as the hype and excitement for the World Cup is building to a feverish pitch, over the last two days we have had to read devastating headlines about star players (most of them Premier League stalwarts or ex-EPL stars) going down to injury in exhibition warm-up matches. Devastating because in the World Cup you […]
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/ 5912 days agoAfrican Cup Of Nations Round Up: Days 5-9
Now that's what I call a tournament mascot. I don't need modern interpretations of peace, harmony and good will like the dreadful trio that South Korea and Japan gave us in 2002. Dreadful mascots and a dreadful tournament. I want giant animals or characters that can play football or playing football. This is Palanquina, who […]
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/ 5926 days agoAfrican Cup Of Nations Begins The Year With A Bang in Angola
So, if the only time you've ever come across this tournament is when certain Premiership managers whine about it, let me welcome to you to one of World Football's best kept secrets. Over the years, the African Cup Of Nations has grown and grown to be one of the most respected tournaments in World Football. […]
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/ 6028 days agoWhat Is Wrong With Villarreal?
After another underwhelming performance in a 0-2 loss to Real Madrid at El Madrigal on Wednesday evening, Villarreal currently sits in 18th place with only two points from four La Liga matches. In their defense for their showing against Madrid, Villarreal played with one less man for 65+ minutes after Gonzalo Rodríguez received his second […]
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/ 6059 days agoDiamonds Are Back In Fashion At Stamford Bridge
Carlo Ancelotti has certainly stamped his mark on Chelsea early in the season so far. A Community Shield victory, coupled with 3 Premiership wins on the bounce has seen Chelsea rise to the top end of the table. So far, so what then? Nothing surprising in that in itself, would we expect the any of […]
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/ 6191 days agoChelsea's Biggest Enemy Tonight Is Complacency
So Chelsea have one foot in the semi-finals of the Champions League after the marvellous 3-1 win at Anfield last week and Saturdays 4-3 win against Bolton was probably the kick up the backside the Blues needed. It's easy to fall for the fallacy that Liverpool can't overturn the deficit that they've given themselves from […]

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/ 6213 days agoJason Davis soccer column: Guus Hiddink at Chelsea
In the first article from the Jason Davis soccer column, the US soccer fan shares his thoughts on Hiddink's time at Chelsea's Stamford Bridge: Guus Hiddink and Chelsea saw the magic come to a deflating end against Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday, as a Luka Modric's strike in the 50th minute put a serious dent in […]
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/ 6220 days agoEssien Returns As Chelsea's Fulcrum
Why is Michael Essien so underrated is a mystery to me. I must admit that I was nonplussed about him as a player, knowing next to nothing about him when he signed for Chelsea from Lyon in August 2005 for £24 million. That was in the dark days before I had Setanta and could immerse […]
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/ 6245 days agoSir Alex Ferguson Adds to Chelsea Misery
I wonder why Sir Alex Ferguson waited until tonight to say what he said, when he had every opportunity to do so last week. Then again, he always has had a knack for waiting until the points were in the bag before opening his mouth (see Kevin Keegan and Rafa Benitez). Fergie waited to damn […]
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/ 6248 days agoWho Will Cash-Strapped Chelsea Sell This Summer?
Chelsea announced a £65.7m loss for last year, a staggering sum, particularly as it marks an improvement over the loose-pursed past. Though the tangible sum is less, the impact will be felt more, after Roman Abramovich as billionaire Roman Abramovich potentially lost the bulk of his fortune. Abramovich’s woes have already affected Chelsea. The Russian […]
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/ 6296 days agoOnly Manchester United Can Stop Liverpool Winning The Premier League
Well they'll be dancing in the red half of Manchester this morning after the fantastic day December 29th turned out to be for the Red Devils. Firstly, I awoke to discover that Steven Gerrard had been arrested after a night out in the Liverpudlian Rivera, or Southport as it's really known, apparently after having an […]