News of The Blues: Van der Vaart hoppas på Chelsea-flytt
Mars månad är här och vi inleder en ny News of The Blues. Här samlas alla de senaste nyheterna kring Chelsea.
Van der Vaart hoppas på Chelsea-flytt
28/3 17:54 - Fredrik Temmes
Den holländske playmakern värvades till Real Madrid så sent som i somras av dåvarande tränaren Bernd Schuster. Men sedan Juande Ramos tog över har Van der Vaart fått begränsad speltid, något som han nu verkar ha tröttnat på och ser ut att vilja lämna de regerande spanska mästarna till sommaren. Chelsea är en av de klubbarna som har kopplats ihop med den föredetta Hamburg-spelaren och enligt The Times är det just dit han vill.
"Fortunately for me, Chelsea want me, so I have everything clear," he said.
"If Guus Hiddink remains at the helm of Chelsea, I hope that the signing will be closed soon. I want to leave Real Madrid."
Chelseatalang till Superettan
27/3 11:15 - Oscar Karlström
Chelseas 19-årige anfallare Morten Nielsen kommer att representera Landskrona BoIS under våren. Den danske U19-landslagsmannen har haft svårigheter med att platsa i Chelseas reservlag och prövar nu lyckan i svenska Superettan.
- För mig blir det en spännande utmaning att slå mig in i ett av de intressantaste lagen i den svenska andraligan. Jag behöver matchträning och när detta alternativ dök upp tvekade jag inte en sekund, säger Morten till Landskronas hemsida.
Deco redo att möta Sverige
26/3 17:45 - Mattias Büman
Portugisen som varit skadad och inte kunde delta i senaste matchen mot Tottenham sägs vara spelklar till VM-kvalet mot Sverige på lördag. Rapporterna om att Deco kan spela är dock förbryllande då portugisen sades kunna missa resten av säsongen när han gick sönder mot Manchester City för några veckor sedan. Så här säger Portugals läkare till Aftonbladet.
"There is a very good chance he will be able to play against Sweden," Portugal's doctor Henrique Jones told Aftonbladet.
"He feels good after the training he has done and it looks really promising that he will be fit for Saturday."
Drogba öppnar för nytt kontrakt
25/3 14:31 - Oscar Karlström
Didier Drogba har under ett och ett halvt års tid ryktats vara på väg bort från Chelsea. Den senaste månadens fina prestationer har dock vänt på steken och nu öppnar den ivorianske anfallaren dörren för ett nytt kontrakt.
Drogbas nuvarande kontrakt går ut sommaren 2010 men om Chelsea kommer med ett erbjudande är han villig att diskutera.
"If Chelsea present a new proposition then we will study it and after that he will make a decision on his future," säger Drogbas agent Thierno Seydi, som meddelar att Drogba trivs i Chelsea för tillfället men att det finns intresse från andra klubbar.
"He is happy, playing well and his return to form and scoring goals points to the fact he is enjoying his football.
"It was important for him to return to his best level, without bad injuries, and he has shown he's one of the best players in Europe.
"A lot of big clubs in Europe have asked about him but we will not make any decision until the end of the season.
"There are big opportunities at Chelsea."
Cech: Årets spelare i sitt hemland
24/3 - 10:50 - Mattias Büman
I tuff konkurrans med Pavel Nedved och Tomas Ujfalusi tog Chelseas målvakt hem priset som Tjeckiens bästa fotbollspelare 2008. Det var andra gången vår målvakt fick priset, senast det begav sig var 2005. CSS redaktionen säger Grattis!
"Thanks to everyone who voted for me," sa Cech på sin egna hemsida
"Those people must have rated my performances over the course of the whole year and not just the unlucky match against Turkey."
Cech menar naturligtvis matchen i EM-slutspelet mot Turkiet när han tappade bollen olyckligt och hans lag åkte ur turneringen med buller och bång.
Hiddink involverad i sommarens värvningar
24/3 10:42 - Mattias Büman
Bruce Buck avslöjar idag att Guus Hiddink kommer att fungera som ett bollplank under sommarens silly season för att Chelsea ska kunna locka till sig de bästa spelarna för klubben.
"We are going to solicit his views as we think about summer transfers," sa Buck till Daily Express.
Buck menar att många misstag har gjorts på marknaden men att Chelsea inte har gjort fler felköp än någon annan.
"I don't think we make any more mistakes than any other club," added Buck.
"We did look at this over a five-year period. This is not a perfect science."
Bruce Buck talar även om att rekryteringen av en ny tränare är igång, och den här gången vill ledningen satsa långsiktigt.
"We would like to have managers here for a lengthy period of time," continued Buck. "It is very difficult to do that.
"Each of the managers who has left has done so for a specific reason.
"The board have the exact same objectives as the fans. We are trying to win as many trophies as we can and trying to find a manager who can do that for us in the long term.
"I don't know that the fact that managers have left the club is a mistake, or just a fact of life."
Anelka skadad - missar Liverpool?
23/3 15:07 - Oscar Karlström
Franska fotbollförbundet rapporterar att Nicolas Anelka har lämnat landslagstruppen på grund av en tåskada som kommer att hålla anfallaren ur spel i ungefär tre veckor.
Ligamatchen mot Newcastle 4 april, bortamatchen i Champions League mot Liverpool 8 april och ligamatchen mot Bolton 11 april uppges vara i fara. Vill det sig riktig illa kan Anelka även missa returmatchen mot Liverpool 14 april.
Hiddink: Satsa långsiktigt
23/3 00:05 - Mattias Büman
Chelsea har sparkat fyra tränare sedan Roman Abramovich köpte klubben och nu råder Guus Hiddink sin ryska arbetsgivare tillika vän att satsa långsiktigt i framtiden.
"It's good when a club have continuity and stability in management. You can make the short-term plan and also a little bit for the longer term," sa Hiddink till Daily Mail.
"Whether the strategy or the philosophy is to have the position occupied for a short or a long period is not down to me, but if I'm asked I'll give my opinion.
"If you plan for the long term, you can have a good view on the potential within England and abroad, as well as the academy."
Hiddink: Vi slarvade bort chansen
22/3 19:24 - Oscar Karlström
Efter att Manchester Uniteds förlust mot Fulham hade Chelsea en gyllene chans att ta igen några poäng i ligatoppen borta mot Tottenham. Det blev dock förlust med 0-1 och Guus Hiddink anser att Chelsea slarvade bort chansen i början av andra halvlek
"It was the ideal opportunity to get closer to Man Utd but at the key moments of the game we were very sloppy."
"We talked about it at half-time that they would come in the first 10 minutes (of the second half) but afterwards we were very sloppy," sa Hiddink, som menar att Chelsea kunde ha spelat smartare i vissa pressade lägen.
"Sometimes you must kick away the ball when you are pressured which we didn't; we tried to get a beautiful solution near our own box. There are some moments in the game when you have to read the game and give it a long ball - even into the stands."
Trots förlusten har Hiddink inte get upp ligatiteln, men han medger att Chelsea inte har råd med fler liknande poängtapp.
It is not over but they (Manchester United) have a game in hand and these are those key moment when Man U are losing that we cannot afford to lose two points or three points when you are chasing because you are coming up to the end of the season."
Terry är som en bror
21/3 21:27 - Mattias Büman
Salomon Kalou har haft det tungt på senaste tiden med lite speltid. Nu hyllar ivorianen John Terry och benämner honom som sin bror.
"The Chelsea family is so strong that It feels like the family I have back home,"
"Over the past two years we have had so many problems and there always seems to be a new manager, but as players we have been there for each other.
"John Terry pushes us on. He has great spirit and cares for everyone."
"Every time a manager goes we talk together and sort it out. If you have a captain who leads the team you don't need a manager to put everyone together, the captain does it," Kalou added.
"He always asks you if you are OK and encourages you and says: 'Don't worry, make sure you are right - we need you.' That's what you want to hear from your captain. You know he's counting on you and thinking about you.
"If there is no one there to do that then you have real problems. You need that man between the manager and the players.
"If I have a problem I go to John and I know he will protect me. He is like an older brother.
"We live as family and of course sometimes there are arguments but we resolve them between us. That's how it is."
Startelvor i Tottenham-Chelsea
21/3 16:15 Erik Wikander
Tottenham-Chelsea är framflyttad till 16:30 (svensk tid) då en misstänkt bil som kan innehålla en bilbomb i närheten av White Hart Lane skulle undersökas.
Här följer startelvorna:
Tottenham 4-4-2: Gomes; Corluka, Woodgate, King, Assou-Ekoto; Lennon, Jenas, Palacios, Modric; Bent, Keane.
Chelsea 4-3-3: Cech; Bosingwa, Alex, Terry, A. Cole; Essien, Lampard, Ballack; Belletti, Drogba, Anelka.
Hiddink återvänder i November?
20/3 11:11 - Mattias Büman
Guus Hiddink reser med största sannolikhet till Ryssland efter säsongen. Det finns dock en chans att holländaren återvänder till Chelsea. Skulle Ryssland inte lyckas kvalificera sig till VM-slutspelet i Syd Afrika 2010 har Hiddink en klausul som säger att han är fri att lämna i November, detta bekräftar också Hiddink idag.
"I will focus on Russia after this project but people say, 'Think about it, stay'. I enjoy it with the Russians but I do have a clause that says we can stop in November if Russia don't qualify.
"Then, the Russian FA can choose another direction and I would also be free to go."
Deco uttagen i landslaget
19/3 20:47 - Peter Arvidson
Trots sin skada har Portugals förbundskapten tagit ut Deco till landslagstruppen som ska spela mot Sverige i VM-kvalet och Sydafrika (träningsmatch) i slutet av mars. Uppgifter har tidigare indikerat att Deco är borta en längre tid och att han kanske inte kan spela mer den här säsongen. Men landslagsuttagningen indikerar att Deco kan vara tillbaka redan om två veckor.
Deco intresserar Athletico Madrid
18/3 22:23 - Peter Arvidson
Daily Star rapporterar att 31-årige Deco kan ha gjort sin sista match för Chelsea. Mittfältaren ser ut att vara borta resten av säsongen på grund av skada och Athletico Madrid ska enligt tidningen vilja värva Portugisen för £5 miljoner i sommar. Enligt uppgifter från spansk press ska redan sportchefen Jesus Garcia Pitarch ha varit i kontakt med Decos agent. Huruvida det ligger någon sanning i ryktena får sommaren utvisa.
Daniel Alves aktuell i sommar?
18/3 22:20- Peter Arvidson
Flera tidningar rapporterar idag att Chelsea intresserar sig för Barcelonas 25-åriga högerback Daniel Alves. Enligt de rykten som uppkommit är Chelsea beredda att betala 30 miljoner Euro för hans signatur i sommar.
Men representanter för Alves förnekar att han skulle vara intresserad så en eventuell affär verkar inte bli av.
Arsenal i FA-cupsemin
17/3 23:02 - Oscar Karlström
Chelsea får möta Arsenal i FA-cupsemifinalen. Det står klart efter att The Gunners besegrade Hull med 2-1 på tisdagskvällen. Hull tog ledningen genom Nick Barmby men Arsenal vände i slutet efter mål av Robin van Persie och en offsidestående William Gallas.
Semifinalen spelas lördag 18 april på Wembley. Avspark är 18:15 svensk tid. I den andra semin möts Manchester United och Everton.
Spelarna vägrar ge upp
17/3 15:30 - Oscar Karlström
Efter helgens ligaomgång där Chelsea slog Manchester City medan Manchester United förlorade mot Liverpool har Chelsea avståndet upp till serieledarna krympt. United har fortfarande fyra poängs försprång och en match tillgodo, men Chelseas spelare känner att de kommer närmare.
Michael Ballack säger att avståndet till United fortfarande är långt men att Chelseaspelarna inte ska ge upp. Laget har hittat formen och njuter av att spela fotboll under Hiddink.
"We are not a team that ever give up. It's going to take something big for us to be able to win the league, but in football you never know," säger Ballack till Daily Express.
"We have to enjoy the moment we are in. Right now we are winning games and looking forward to the next one."
José Bosingwa håller med Ballack och hyllar, liksom många av de andra spelarna, Guus Hiddink för hans positiva påverkan på Chelsea.
"After recent results, the spirit in the squad has risen and we are playing much better.
"The mentality of the squad has changed and that is partially due to the arrival of (Guus) Hiddink."
Malouda hyllar Essien
16/3 13:05 - Mattias Büman
Florent Malouda rosar inte marknaden, det gör dock Michael Essien som nu gjort två mål på två matcher sedan sin comeback från skada. Malouda tror att Essien kan vara nyckeln till att Chelsea förhoppningsvis vinner någon titel den här säsongen.
"Of course he can make the difference. We are still trying to win three titles so we know that we will have a lot of games.
"Michael has that spirit, he has worked a lot to come back. I hope he will keep on scoring, help the strikers to score and improve our game.
"It's really important for us to see that after those months he spent working every day, to come back and be fit again is good. You can see his energy, his spirit and commitment to the team.
"He helps the game for the strikers because he keeps on running, gives good balls and yesterday he scored. He has a positive attitude and he gives a lot to the team.
"When you spend five months injured, you want to prove that the time you spent on the sidelines is not lost time. He will help all the players in the squad."
Deco kan bli borta hela säsongen
16/3 09:44 - Oscar Karlström
Söndagens 1-0-seger mot Manchester City var Decos första match från start på över två månader. Trots att Chelsea tog tre poäng var det ingen rolig dag för den portugisiske landslagsmannen som fick bytas ut före paus på grund av skada. Guus Hiddink fruktar nu att Deco missar resten av säsongen.
"He was fit and worked hard, but after 20 or 25 minutes he had this problem again, so he will be out again for a while," säger Hiddink.
"I think Deco will not be recovered very shortly. He'll have to be very fit to come back this season. I have my doubts to be honest, but let's see what happens."
Startelvan mot Manchester City
15/3 14:01 - Fredrik Temmes
Chelsea ställer upp med en 4-3-3-uppställning:
1 Petr Cech
17 José Bosingwa
6 Ricardo Carvalho
26 John Terry (c)
3 Ashley Cole
5 Michael Essien
13 Michael Ballack
8 Frank Lampard
39 Nicolas Anelka
11 Didier Drogba
20 Deco
På bänken: 40 Hilario, 35 Juliano Belletti, 33 Alex, 12 John Mikel Obi, 18 Ricardo Quaresma, 15 Florent Malouda, 21 Salomon Kalou
Hughes ger upp John Terry
15/3 13:46 - Fredrik Temmes
Den 28-årige mittbacken är fostrad i Chelsea och gjorde sin A-lagsdebut 1998 under Gianluca Vialli. Sedan dess har han vid upprepade tillfällen bedyrat att Chelsea är klubben i att hjärta och att han gärna stannar kvar under hela sin karriär. Han gjorde inget undantag han kopplades samman med nyrika Manchester City under januarifönstret och nu verkar City-tränaren Mark Hughes villig att ge upp hoppet om Terry:
"Any manager would be interested in John Terry but I can't see him coming on the market any time soon,"
"John is an outstanding player, someone everyone in football has a great admiration for.
"He's a great guy and commands respect because of his attitude, application and the way he leads his team."
"Swapping Terry for Robinho was never on the agenda,"
"Chelsea had a real interest in Robbie (last summer) but he's our player now, thankfully."
SWP ångrar inte sin tid i Chelsea
14/3 14:06 - Mattias Büman
Shaun Wright-Phillips köptes för dyra pengar från Manchester City sommaren 2005. Den lilla kantspringaren var väldigt uppskattad av både spelare och fans men lyckades aldrig riktigt på planen. I somras tog äventyret i London slut och Wright-Phillips såldes tillbaka till City. Återkomsten till sitt gamla lag har varit upp och ner men engelsmannen har fått betydligt mer speltid den här säsongen vilket var den största anledningen till flytten. I en intervju säger 27 åringen att flytten till Manchester City har gjort honom gott men att han inte ångrar sin tid i Chelsea.
"I just think playing regularly is the key,"
"I just thought, 'I'm coming back home and I have to get back to where I started'. That's what I'm trying to do.
"With the players I'm playing with and the culture of the manager (Mark Hughes), everything else will take care of itself.
"I have no regrets whatsoever. It was all a learning curve and it made me a better player. Now I can just improve again.
"I was given a chance, I took the chance and I learned a lot and now I'm using the tools."
Redaktionen önskar Wright-Phillips all lycka i framtiden!
John Terry stannar på Stamford Bridge
14/3 11:18 - Mattias Büman
Löjliga rykten som att John Terry skulle vara aktuell för Man City cirkulerade under januari månad. Nu har dessa rykten blossat upp igen men Hiddink och klubben försäkrar fansen att John Terry kommer att stanna i Chelsea, och varför skulle vi tro något annat? There's only ONE England captain!
"I'm not in a position to think about that but what was stated very clearly, by the club and by John himself, who made a very clear statement, is that he is a Chelsea man," säger Hiddink
"I'm not the money man here but he made it very clear, and the club made it very clear, that they want to continue forever.
"There are some players who are brought up within this club and it is difficult to sell them. For the economical part you need to speak to the CEO, but there is a kind of history with him - his statement was clear and the club's statement was clear also.
"I can imagine that John Terry will stay until the end of his career. There is more than money there, there is his history with the club, which is important."
Spelarna vill ha kvar Hiddink
14/3 11:10 - Mattias Büman
Guus Hiddinks kontrakt går som vi alla vet ut efter säsongen, då är det tänkt att holländaren ska återvända till sitt uppdrag i Ryssland. Efter succén i Chelsea vill nu spelarna att Hiddink ska stanna kvar i klubben, idag går både Ballack och Cech ut och hyllar honom.
"I would love for him to say he is staying for three years,"
"Everybody in the club and around the club can feel he is a great manager and even in a short time he has had a big influence on the team," säger Michael Ballack.
"He is a very good coach and we want him to stay. But it is a difficult political situation and we will have to wait and see what happens," säger Cech.
En spelare som vill stanna i klubben till nästa säsong är Didier Drogba. Forwarden som återfunnit sin form under Hiddinks regim och som nu alltså är beredd att förbli blå.
"I've said before I'm staying. It's not because I had my knee problems and what happened with the manager, I just really to make it clear again that I'm here"
"Everything I have had since I've been here I can't forget, but the best is yet to come.
"I really want to do something that people will remember here with my mates. We did it before but we want to do it again and so we are working on it a lot," säger Drogba till ChelseaTV
Zico redo att släppa Zhirkov
12/3 13:20 - Mattias Büman
Den ryske kantlöparen Youri Zhirkov ryktas vara på väg till Chelsea. Ryssen som kan spela var som helst längs vänsterkanten är en av Guus Hiddinks nyckelspelare i landslaget och sägs värderas till £15 miljoner. Zhirkov spelar förnärvarande i CSKA Moskva under tränaren Zico som säger att han inte tänker stå i vägen om spelaren vill lämna för spel i London till sommaren.
"Zhirkov is a player of such high level, he would only show all his potential playing in such a strong competition as the English Premier League,"
"He'd easily fit into Chelsea's first-choce team. I don't like to lose him, but I won't stop his move to London."
Lampard tackar Hiddink
12/3 13:26 - Mattias Büman
Frank Lampard tackar idag Guus Hiddink för att han lyckats vända Chelseas negativa trend till något positivit. Chelsea som både är kvar i Champions League och FA-Cupen har verkligen sett till att vi fans fått något att hoppas på under våren.
"He has something special. He commands respect but also has a certain aura," sa Lampard
"All the great coaches I've worked with give you fear and Hiddink is one of them.
"The manager's made quite subtle differences. He's a clever man, he doesn't want to come in mid-season and make huge differences.
"The players have to respond and the players are responding."
Ryssland oroar sig över Hiddink
12/3 08:10 - Mattias Büman
Vitaly Mutko, president i Rysslands fotbollsförbund är orolig att Guus Hiddink ska stanna kvar i London efter säsongen. Holländarens succé med Chelsea går inte att undkomma och risken kan finnas menar Mutko, men han tror och hoppas att Hiddink ändå återvänder när säsongen är slut.
"I don't think he would agree to join any club other than Chelsea, not because of his special relationship with Roman Abramovich, but because Chelsea is the kind of global side that any coach would like to manage," sa Mutko.
"At the moment we have an agreement with Guus Hiddink that he will combine the two posts only until the summer.
"Of course everything can change, but we should take into account that, for Hiddink, it is better to work with a national side. He is not only a coach but also an organiser, a politician - not a club man."
Lampard: Ingen vill möta oss
12/3 08:05 - Mattias Büman
Efter 2-2 i Turin gick Chelsea vidare till kvartsfinal i tisdags och nu tror Lampard att många lag helst slipper möta Chelsea. Lampard låter hoppfull inför framtiden och pratar om att det inte alltid är viktigt att spela fint.
"Maybe no-one will want to face us the way we are playing,"
"When you get to this stage your away performances are important and it is a good sign we scored two against Juventus.
"Away games may not always be the most beautiful of performances and you have to be very strong at certain points of the game. You have to be very clever and we weren't like that in the group games.
"Now is the crunch time and we did very well. We have had quality and spirit in the squad for the past five years but at times this season we didn't have and it showed.
"But against Juventus and the previous five games we have shown we are together and, when we have the spirit combined with our quality, we can do whatever we want."
Inget Barca för Cech
11/3 19:15 - Oscar Karlström
Flera medier har spekulerat i att Chelseas målvakt Petr Cech kan vara på väg till Barcelona. La Liga-ledarna har sagt att de är ute efter en ny målvakt och när nyheten om att Cech tar lektioner i spanska kom ut blossades ryktena upp. Målvaktens agent Pavel Zika säger dock att Cech trivs i Chelsea och att han inte har några som helst planer på att lämna.
Cech och frun Martina väntar sitt andra bran och vill gärna att det växer upp i London. Spanskalektionerna förklarar Zika med att Cech är språkintresserad, några kopplingar till en Barca-flytt finns inte.
"We know of the interest. But Petr is very happy at Chelsea and has one of the best contracts there.
"It (learning Spanish) has nothing to do with Barcelona. Petr loves languages and he is good at them."
Hiddink ger Drogba och Essien beröm
11/3 09:42 - Mattias Büman
Didier Drogba har hyllats stort den senaste tiden efter att återfunnit sin gamla form. Igår slog han till igen och får så klart beröm av Hiddink. En annan som får beröm är Michael Essien som spelade från start för första gången efter sin svåra knäskada i höstas och gjorde mål samt slet hårt på mittfältet. Så här beskrev Hiddink Drogba efter matchen.
"He's very important, how he's showing his commitment and how he's always busy,"
"He doesn't give you, as a central defender, an easy night. When he scores, it's even better.
"He's doing very well. For the second goal, he came just ahead of his marker. That's a sign that he is sharp."
Guus Hiddink pratade vidare om Essiens insats.
"He is fit, although not game-fit for 90 minutes at this high-paced level,"
"But we chose to bring him and play him.
"His contribution to the team was huge, not just with his goal.
"His fuel was out of his tank after an hour. Belletti, though, is a very clever player and provided a very good assist.
"It is good to see Essien back and, by playing these games, he's getting the practice to play a whole 90 minutes."
Hiddink efter matchen mot Juventus
11/3 09:38 - Mattias Büman
Guus Hiddink var mycket nöjd efter att gått vidare till kvartsfinal igår. Så här sa holländaren i korthet efter matchen.
"Sure we started in a bad way and we defended in a poor way for the first goal,"
"The goal scored in the first leg has been decisive. I think Chelsea deserved to go forward. Mathematics say a win and a draw is enough.
"The way we managed the game in the second half was good, so I think we deserved this result."
"We expected Juve to give us a hard game, because they needed to recover the result.
"I can't compare things to what happened before my arrival, but I have tried to lift the spirit of this side and we are doing well."
Ballack: Kämparandan är tillbaka
10/3 15:09 - Fredrik Temmes
Den tyske landslagskaptenen menar att kämparandan som många ansåg saknades i Scolaris Chelsea är tillbaka i och med Guus Hiddinks tillträdande. Men samtidigt vill han inte prata mycket om det som varit.
"I don't want to speak too much about the past,"
"We had a lot of good games under Luiz Felipe Scolari as well but, in the end we were struggling a little bit.
"We weren't having the success everyone expected so the club made a change. The players have to accept we have a new coach."
"It's always difficult to change a coach in the middle of the season but we've come back to winning in the last five games, which is fantastic.
"He (Hiddink) has had great success in the past. He has a lot of experience and great charisma, and he's shown that in this short time with Chelsea.
"We are back winning. Even in a few weeks we came back to one of our biggest strengths which is the power, the fighting spirit of Chelsea.
"We can still play better, but we're on the way up. Everyone can see this and that's important."
Ballack menar vidare att de mer erfarna spelarna har insett att det är de som måste visa vägen i större matcher såsom kvällens mot Juventus.
"If you come to difficult games and situations in a season, it's always about the experienced players who go in front and handle those situations,"
"The young players have to play their part as well, I think they do it here. There's a good balance in the team. In previous seasons we did it well in this competition.
"That's our target now as well. Our target is to win tomorrow, but also to reach the final. It's a long way, a hard way. But we have this balance in the team and we've shown it in the past. I hope we can show it in the future as well."
After a tight and tense affair at Stamford Bridge two weeks ago, with both sides squandering chances, the Germany skipper is expecting more of the same on Tuesday.
"It was tight in the first leg and that is what we expect tonight as well. We started well at Stamford Bridge and scored that early goal, but more important was the fact we didn't concede,"
"We were very happy with the result but we know we've got another tough 90 minutes ahead of us. We're well prepared.
"You could see their strength after the goal. They have a lot of very good players in their team, so we expect another tight game tonight as well."
Lampard fruktar att ligatiteln är förlorad
10/3 14:58 - Fredrik Temmes
Chelsea har sett ligaspelsformen förbättras efter Hiddinks övertagande och har med segrar mot Aston Villa, Wigan och Portsmouth tagit sig ikapp och förbi Liverpool i kampen om andraplatsen. Men efter att Manchester United tillgodosett sig ett sju poängs försprång i kampen om ligatiteln, med en match mindre spelad, kan något bättre än en andraplacering bli svår att uppnå, enligt vice-kaptenen Frank Lampard. Han lovar samtidigt att inte kasta in handduken innan uppgiften blivit "matematiskt omöjlig".
"Our results since the arrival of Hiddink, especially the important victories against Aston Villa and Wigan, have put us back on the rails but there is still work to do,"
"The title is very probably settled, even if we intend to fight all the way. There is no question of us giving the crown to Manchester United and we are going to believe until it is mathematically impossible.
"And then we will do everything to assure ourselves of second place, which would qualify us automatically for the Champions League next season."
Lampard passade även på att hylla den nye tränaren med dessa ord:
"Our performances have been disappointing too many times this season but the new coach has given us a boost," Lampard added.
"He gives off something. Respect, of course, but also a certain aura.
"All the great coaches I have worked with have that fear factor about them and Hiddink is one of those.
"He is a great coach who has experience at great clubs and at international level, and someone who has also picked up good results in all his posts.
"Recently, we have found our old spirit. We have seen in our last two or three matches that our determination and fighting qualities have returned.
"Guus always says the right thing. He knows what needs to be said and when. He is class."
Deco vill bevisa sitt värde
10/3 11:34 - Mattias Büman
Deco som började säsongen briljant har under en lång tid inte fått mycket speltid och många spekulerar att den lilla portugisen kan vara på väg bort i sommar. Spelgeniet är dock redo att bevisa sitt värde och hjälpa Chelsea till framgång.
"Maybe Scolari should have had more time, but in football you don't get it. It's always results,"
"Of course it's difficult when a coach wants you and then he leaves. Yes, I worked with Scolari for many years in the national team, but I also played without him for years.
"I have a contract with Chelsea, not Scolari. I need to prove that Chelsea made a good decision to bring me here."
Hiddink: Vi ska anfalla
10/3 09:45 - Oscar Karlström
Inför kvällens Champions League-retur borta mot Juventus har Chelsea en 1-0-ledning att gå på från hemmamatchen. Det betyder dock inte att Chelsea kommer att ligga på försvar. Guus Hiddink varnar för faran att bara tänka defensivt och säger att hans lag kommer att anfalla.
'Whenever we can, and it is in the character of this team, they like to attack. We are not just coming here to defend because then you are asking for a lot of problems.'
'It is always important to have a clean sheet, that's very important, but if you just wait in the second leg on not conceding and not willing to concede a goal and not having any initiative in the game, then you will be having a lot of problems."
Joe Cole tillbaka tidigare än väntat?
9/3 17:48 - Mattias Büman
Joe Cole såg ut att missa resten av säsongen när han ådrog sig en knäskada tidigare under säsongen. Nu ser Joey ljuset i tunneln och drömmer om en comeback i slutet av säsongen, kanske i en eventuell FA-cup eller Champions Leauge final, men mest troligt är nog ändå att vi inte får se Joey förrens nästa säsong.
"I am ahead of schedule," Cole told the Chelsea TV.
"The physios are really happy with me and how I feel at the moment is how I am supposed to be feeling. There is obviously a bit of muscle wastage in the legs so I am working on that but I am pleased.
"There was always in my head a dream of a possible UEFA Champions League or FA Cup Final but the physios put the kibosh on that every time I mention it.
"So my comeback target is going to be pre-season for the start of next season."
Drogba nöjd med formen
9/3 12:31 Fredrik Temmes
Den ivorianske stjärnan har efter en tung period under första halvan av säsongen kantad av skador och begränsad speltid under Luiz Felipe Scolari verkat komma igång under Guus Hiddink ledning och hittat nätmaskorna tre gånger på fem matcher.
Drogba själv är förklarligen nöjd med sin nuvarande form och menar att den största orsaken till att han hittat tillbaka är att han känner ett förtroende från Hiddink.
"You don't need to speak every day to a player. Just the fact I'm in the team is enough and means a lot. He doesn't need to speak to me,"
"He has picked me in the squad and in the team. Then I know what I have to do.
"When you are scoring goals it's good, your confidence is getting higher."
"When I came back it was very difficult for me. That's football. When everything is going well, nobody speaks. But when you have some bad moments, everyone is asking 'Why?'" he opined.
"I feel 100 per cent now. Physically, I have to work a little bit more to improve my chances of going into the game.
"You just work, work and work and want to improve. If you continue to do that, something good will happen to you. I kept working hard and now people are forgetting what has happened over the past few month"
Ranieri hoppas på vinst
9/3 12:31 Fredrik Temmes
Guus Hiddink har fått en lysande start på sin Chelsea-karriär och har efter fem matcher vid rodret idel segrar i sitt CV, däribland en hemmavinst mot förre Chelsea-tränaren Claudio Ranieris Juventus i Champions Leagues åttondelsfinaler. Italienaren är dock hoppfull om att hans Juventus ska bli det första att besegra Chelsea under Hiddink då lagen möts i den avgörande returmatchen på Stadio Delle Alpi i Turin på tisdag. Så här citeras han i The Sun:
"Sooner or later he has to lose and I want it to be here. We are the underdogs, they are the favourites but we will try and do something special."
"Guus is one of the best coaches in Europe and has done a great job wherever he's been, so it's not surprising he has fitted in well at Chelsea already."
"The coaching organisation may have changed but the system he plays is roughly the same with two wingers."
"It is a huge game not only for Chelsea but ourselves.
"This match will be a duel between a team that is really starting to grow - Chelsea - and a team that is on its way back to the top, Juventus.
"Is this the most important game in my career here? Maybe. But I hope there'll be more Champions League games this season."
Hiddink hyllar Drogba
8/3 22:00 - Mattias Büman
Didier Drogba har fått en nytändning under Guus Hiddink, nu går holländaren ut och hyllar anfallaren efter ännu ett mål mot Coventry i lördags.
"From the first day, when I saw him at Watford in the FA Cup, and after that, for me he has been a guy who has been working hard."
"I have had no complaints about his attitude and commitment and he is working hard in training and in games."
"I don't want to judge what happened before I came here but outside of training sessions with the whole group, we are also doing a specific programme with him and that is paying off.
"He likes to do it. It is not that I have to force him to do extra work. We focus on what is asked and demanded in the game.
"He wants to do it and, when it is paying off like at Coventry, it is perfect."
FA-cupens semifinaler lottade
8/3 20:08 - Fredrik Temmes
För en dryg kvart sedan genomfördes lottningen av FA-cupens semifinaler. Chelsea kommer på Wembley att ställas mot antingen Arsenal eller Hull beroende på utgången i den ännu ospelade kvartsfinalen. Manchester United och Everton duellerar om den andra finalplatsen i den andra semifinalen.
Cole uppläxad av Hiddink
8/3 14:07 - Mattias Büman
Efter onsdagens uppmärksammade händelse utanför en nattklubb i London där Ashley Cole sägs ha svurit åt en polis har nu Guus Hiddink pratat med Chelseas vänsterback och lagt situationen bakom sig.
"I spoke with Ashley this morning in private,"
"He explained the details of what happened.
"I am a disciplinarian, but every case is different. You have to judge what the circumstances were, and that's why I tackled him on his behaviour.
"He said he was, in his opinion, harassed a little bit by the photographers and that is why he reacted. Afterwards, he regretted that.
"At that moment they are out of the rules which are set by the club to a certain extent before a game. I spoke firmly to him and the captain and Michael Mancienne.
"Ashley will be in the squad for tomorrow. He has publicly apologised about his conduct and behaviour to the police officer, and it is a rather private matter.
"We have an internal discipline, and this is to be considered internal. I have spoken firmly with him about his responsibility.
"There are rules inside this club regarding going out and also discipline, so I had a firm talk with him and the rest of the group about this.
"What is normal and good in this is that he apologised for his abusive behaviour to the police officer.
"He went a little bit too far. This is a country where we like to emphasise big things. The truth has to be told and the facts have to be told.
"If he regrets it deeply and makes his apologies directly then we have to close the case."
Anelka & Deco kan missa mötet med Juventus
8/3 11:46 - Mattias Büman
Nicolas Anelka och Deco har missat två matcher i rad på grund av skada. Det är osäkert om duon kommer till spel på tisdag mot Juventus, så här lät rapporterna innan gårdagens match mot Coventry.
"[Anelka] is not in the squad, we tried to get him available for the Juve game, but it will be close. We will see,' said Hiddink.
"Deco made progress in his training, but you have to be careful with muscle injuries. We don't want to take a risk, nor does he, and he is not feeling fully confident to be in the squad.
"We will see how he will react for the upcoming Juve game."
Hiddink efter matchen
7/3 19:43 - Mattias Büman
Chelsea vann övertygande med 2-0 mot Coventry och avancerade till semifinal i FA-cupen. Efter matchen handlade snacket till stor del om Didier Drogbas återfunna form, så här sa Guus Hiddink efter matchen.
'From the first day when I have seen him, Drogba was a guy that was working hard. I didn't have any complaints,' said Hiddink after seeing his side successfully progress to a Wembley semi-final with a 2-0 win. It will be Chelsea's 19th semi in 15 seasons in all competitions and our third FA Cup semi in four.
'What he has been doing in the last weeks, in training with the whole group, is a specific programme on his positioning.
'I don't have to force him to do extra work, he likes to do it. We do some specific work on when he gets deliveries, crosses, passes and his mobility - but focussed on his position and on what is demanded in the game.
'When it is paying off like today, it is perfect.
'This was a very good end to a very normal week of practicing but for one little thing we had to cope with,' sa Hiddink och syftade säkerligen på Ashley Cole.
'That was not dominating. There was something even more important which was the good playing of the team. Today was a consequence of hard work tactically. We were well-organised.
'It was a real atmosphere for the FA Cup. It was not easy to play Coventry because they play long balls and lay off for their strong strikers - but we managed to control them. We tried to have one extra man in midfield or in the attacking full back positions and we scored a beautiful first goal.'
Vi fick även se ett kärt återseende i Michael Essien som kom in i andra halvlek och spelade 30 minuter på mittfältet. Guus Hiddink verkade nöjd med att ha ghananen tillbaka och kanske spelar han från start redan mot Juventus?
'Michael did a very good job after his very heavy injury. He is fit but there is a difference to be game fit. I have time to think if we start with him [on Tuesday] and see how he reacts to today.
'I didn't think about resting players. The FA Cup is well-respected and we are happy with this game and to be in semi-finals.' sa Hiddink
Källa: chelseafc.com
Drogba tror på vinst i Turin
7/3 15:49 - Mattias Büman
Chelsea avancerade till semifinal i FA-cupen under eftermiddagen mot Coventry, nu blickar Chelseas anfallare Didier Drogba framåt mot matchen i Turin på tisdag. Ivorianen som verkar hittat tillbaka till formen och fått förtroende av Guus Hiddink tror på en tuff match men är hoppfull inför mötet mot Juventus.
"We need to score in Juventus or draw, but it is not going to be easy,"
"But I think we have the team to do it. The good thing is we didn't concede at home. In their stadium the game is going to be open so we will have chances to create some goals.
"They have to score, so it will be an open game. Juventus are very special.
"They are a team that really play. I think the Italian league has changed anyway. They still have this reputation for having a strong defence but they attack a lot more now.
Attack
"Italian teams are not afraid to attack - look at the players they have. They are fantastic.
"Maybe we could have scored one or two more goals but the Champions League is a very difficult competition, so we have to be happy with the goal we scored at home."
Drogba erkänner att matchen på Stamford Bridge inte var någon bra match och att Chelsea borde gjort fler mål.
"We felt we should have scored another goal,"
"We should have defended better in the second half and played more as a unit, a block.
"We know what we have to do to go through to the next round - we have to beat the team in front of us.
"That perhaps takes a bit more concentration than in the league because you can afford to make up for a mistake in the next game. In the Champions League, you don't get that."
Chelsea jagar Ricardo Prasel
7/3 14:38 - Mattias Büman
Den 18 åriga Ricardo Prasel väntas besöka Chelsea på söndag för att diskutera ett kontrakt. Rapporter säger att övergången redan är klar och att målvaktstalangen kommer att börja träna med laget redan nästa månad. Prasel som är free agent spelade senast i Club Atletico Juventus of Sao Paulo i Brasilien och rankas högt av Chelsea.
Startelvan mot Coventry
7/3 13:09 - Mattias Büman
Chelsea ställer upp med en 4-3-3 uppställning.
1 Petr Cech
17 José Bosingwa
33 Alex
26 John Terry (c)
3 Ashley Cole
13 Michael Ballack
12 John Mikel Obi
8 Frank Lampard
21 Salomon Kalou
11 Didier Drogba
15 Florent Malouda
Substitutes: 40 Hilario, 35 Juliano Belletti, 42 Michael Mancienne, 6 Ricardo Carvalho, 5 Michael Essien, 18 Ricardo Quaresma, 9 Franco Di Santo.
Ferreria borta resten av säsongen
6/3 15:33 - Mattias Büman
Paulo Ferreira har skadat sitt knä och blir borta resten av säsongen. Portugisen är den tredje i raden av Chelseaspelare som drabbas av liknande skada under säsongen. Tidigare har även Michael Essien och Joe Cole skadat sig på samma sätt.
Positivt är dock att Michael Essien är redo för spel igen och finns med i truppen mot Coventry, detsamma gäller Ricardo Carvalho som är tillbaka efter en tids skada.
Vi får nu hålla tummarna att Ashley Cole förblir skadefri säsongen ut eftersom alternativen på hans position nu inte är särskilt många. Försäljningen av Wayne Bridge kan kosta oss dyrt om något skulle hända Cole nu när inte Ferreira finns tillgänglig.
Ashley Cole om nattklubbsbesöket
5/3 19:30 - Mattias Büman
Ryktet om att Ashley Cole omhändertagits av polis igår spreds sig i tidningarna och på diverse forum idag. Det sägs att Cole var full efter ett nattklubbsbesök och att vänsterbacken skall ha svurit åt polisen, det har även framkommit uppgifter om att Cole fick sitta tre timmar på polisstationen för att nyktra till. Under kvällen har Ashley förklarat sig på Chelsea officiella hemsida där han ber om ursäkt.
'I would like to take this opportunity to apologise to the police officers on duty last night for my language.
'I felt I was being harassed by paparazzi and while complaining to the Police about this at the scene they did warn me to calm down, a warning that I regrettably did not heed.
'I fully appreciate that whatever frustrations I may have had with others that it was completely inappropriate to vent those in conversations with the Police.
'However, I do want to make clear that I swore in frustration at the paparazzi's behaviour. I would never disrespect police officers in anyway.
'I take very seriously my responsibilities as a professional footballer, this includes keeping my body in the best condition. Although I had consumed some alcohol earlier in the evening on a night out with friends it had not been excessive.
'But I accept that the language I used on this occasion was wrong. I regret my actions and how it reflects on myself and Chelsea Football Club.'
Drogba utesluter flytt
5/3 15:11 - Fredrik Temmes
Rykten gällande den ivorianske forwardens vara eller icke vara i Chelsea har cirkulerat i princip ända sedan José Mourinho lämnade klubben i september 2007, och efter en tung säsong med sparsamt med speltid under Scolari och en lika sparsam målskörd har en flytt för många verkat troligare än någonsin. Men uppenbarligen är Drogba själv, som har fått en ny chans av nye tränaren Guus Hiddink, inte intresserad av en ny klubbadress inom en överskådlig framtid. Så här är han citerad i Le 10 Sport:
"I want people to stop saying I will go back to Marseille or join Inter Milan,
I want to stay at Chelsea until the end of my contract."
Ingen Kalou i Arsenal
3/3 19:24 - Mattias Büman
Det har cirkulerat rykten i pressen om att Salomon Kalou skulle vara aktuell för Arsenal i sommar. Detta förnekar nu ivorianen och menar att han blir Chelsea trogen.
"I am very happy at Chelsea,"
"For the moment, I'm playing well and I don't see why I would be leaving.
"There are two years left on my contract and I'm happy at Stamford Bridge. Everyone supports me - the fans, my team-mates and the staff. So I don't see why people have been worried by these rumours."
Chelsea vägrar ge upp
3/3 18:37 - Mattias Büman
Didier Drogba gjorde matchens enda mål på Fratton Park igår och laget tog dämed sin fjärde raka seger. Chelsea som avancerat förbi Liverpool upp på en andra plats har inte gett upp hoppet om att komma ifatt Manchester United i toppen. Guus Hiddink var nöjd efter vinsten mot Pompey.
"What is good in this team, is that they react when there are difficulties,"
"Many players react in a way I normally don't like but this team is not happy when things are not going well and they make an extra effort to get their rewards.
"I notice there is a desire to have success and we have some key players who are demanding a lot from themselves and also from the other ones, which is key for big players with a big status.
"They challenge each other and it is very open. It shows the team is not fed-up and has desire.
"In difficult circumstances, we are satisfied with a win. It was a tough win. The first half was equal and we tried to push on in the second half because we have to win if we want to put pressure on the number one team in the league.
"It didn't happen until late in the game but we have to admit we are very happy. Petr Cech, at the end, when they played all or nothing, made one or two fine saves.
"It was very important to get three points because if we want to keep up the pressure, we have to win.
"United have games in hand and they have a buffer. They are an experienced team but that is why it is good that we keep on winning.
"It keeps the pressure on. It is good for everyone in this championship to keep the pressure on the number one team."
Stora förändringar till sommaren
3/3 10:35 - Mattias Büman
Bruce Buck säger i en intervju att det kommer ske stora förändringar i truppen till sommaren. Upp till fem spelare kan komma att lämna Stamford Bridge och lika många spelare kan komma att köpas in. De nya spelarna ska först och främst finansieras med klubbens pengar men om det behövs är Roman redo att skjuta till kapital, säger Buck.
"We haven't properly got together to talk about summer transfers yet, but I think that we could expect that several players will leave and that several players will come in," Buck told the Daily Mirror.
"I don't know whether that is three, four or five, but something in that kind of neighbourhood, so we can expect a handful to leave.
"We'd like to use internally generated cash to buy new players - and by that I mean sell players and buy new players.
"But of course if an appropriate player comes then money would be made available from the owner to buy him."
Carvalho och Essien i reservlagsmatch
2/3 16:38 - Oscar Karlström
Chelseas reserver möter i kväll Aston Villa på Villa Park. Med i startelvan finns två a-lagsspelare, Michael Essien och Ricardo Carvalho. Essien har varit skadad sedan september medan Carvalho varit ur spel i drygt fem veckor. De viktiga pjäserna borde kunna spela för a-laget i FA-cupmatchen mot Coventry på lördag.
Chelseas startelva: Aldi Haxhia, Nana Ofori-Twumasi, Ricardo Carvalho, Carl Magnay, Patrick van Aanholt, Michael Essien, Jacob Mellis, Liam Bridcutt (c), Miroslav Stoch, Frank Nouble, Lee Sawyer.
Lampard ger inte upp ligan
2/3 16:34 - Oscar Karlström
Trots att Chelsea har sju poäng upp till Manchester United och en mer match spelad än de regerande mästarna tror Frank Lampard att Chelsea fortfarande har chans på ligatiteln. Lampard, matchvinnare mot Wigan i lördags, poängterar att Chelsea tog in en hel del poäng mot slutet av förra säsongen innan laget slutligen föll på målsnöret.
"We closed the gap last year and only fell a little bit short, the gap can close," Lampard told the Evening Standard.
Lampard säger vidare att Manchester Uniteds fina form inte kan fortsätta hur länge som helst och att Chelsea måste fokusera på att vinna matcherna och se hur långt det räcker.
"Considering the crisis everyone says we're having this season, we're still in second position. I know we're a fair distance behind Manchester United, but we'll keep going.
"There are a lot of points still available, although to be fair to Manchester United they have been on a fantastic run, whether that will keep going I don't know.
"We have to believe it might not, worry about ourselves and keep getting as many points as possible.
"They could feel the pressure like they did last year when we were chasing them. You never know what can happen.
"They can't go on winning forever, one day they might start getting some penalty decisions against them at home. The luck can change and do so very quickly."
