It’s a trip to Old Trafford for us this weekend, so ahead of the game TheChelseaBlog answered a few questions for Scott the Red from the Republik of Mancunia.
STR: Who has been your best player this season?
TCB: I’d say that’s been changeable this season really. Earlier in the season it would’ve been Drogba with the run he was having. More recently though I don’t think there’s any question our most improved player and the one who seems to be having quite a bit of influence on our games is Malouda.
STR: What impact do you think the John Terry/Wayne Bridge incident has had on the team?
TCB: In terms of the ‘team’, I think it rocked us a bit without a doubt. It goes without saying the whole thing just brought even more embarrassment on the club in terms of negative publicity – I mean, he’s the captain ffs, we just really could’ve done without him being led by his dick for once. Still, Bridge made his point, JT paid the price in terms of his England captaincy, his missus was as forgiving as ever and I’m sure it won’t ever happen again……..(kidding obviously).
STR: Which player has surprised you the most this season?
TCB: I suppose most Chelsea supporters would happily say Malouda because he really has turned his game around although in all fairness, that started at the back-end of last season anyway. For me though, sadly the player who has surprised me most is Joe Cole – and not in a good way. I just can’t work out what’s happened to him. He’s always been a player who has had to prove himself season after season and he’s never truly been appreciated at Chelsea as far as I’m concerned. Having said that, no matter what’s going on behind the scenes, he has always produced the goods on the pitch. This season though, it just hasn’t been happening for him and together with the lack of a contract, that worries me a lot.
STR: Has Carlo Ancelotti done a good job?
TCB: Not especially no. I didn’t want him at the club and still don’t really. In terms of our football, I think he’s got it right for parts of the season and it doesn’t drain me quite so much to watch as it has under previous managers but having said that, it took him too long to suss that sometimes his favoured formation just won’t work. Not to mention Avram bloody Grant getting us further in the Champions League than Carlo’s managed!
STR: What are your aspirations for next season?
TCB: Treble? Right now, I don’t know. We need to dispense with the zimmer frames and bring in younger players, that’s for sure and maybe against my better judgement, hang onto a manager through a second season?
STR: Which team would you like to see claim 4th spot and why?
TCB: Obviously I’ll laugh my arse off as much as everyone else if Liverpool miss out and I think we could all do without City getting into the top four for obvious reasons. I don’t mind Everton or Villa, I think they’re both decent sides with manager’s who’ve genuinely worked their arses off and deserve that recognition.
STR: What are your feelings on Zola struggling so much with local rivals West Ham?
TCB: Really not bothered to be honest. I idolised him at Chelsea and whilst I still have total respect for him, he chose to make that particular bed so he’ll just have to lie in it now.
STR: After thrashing Aston Villa are you confident of a result against United?
TCB: Not at all. I was stunned with our result against Villa, probably even more stunned that we actually deserved it as well. This is a completely different game though.
STR: Rooney or Drogba?
TCB: Drogba, Rooney’s injured.
STR: Vidic or Terry?
TCB: Didn’t Vidic play for United once? Seriously, I’m not going to pretend JT has had a good season because he hasn’t. There’s been too much personal shit going on, he’s been off his game and losing his focus but at least he’s played.
STR: Valencia or Malouda?
TCB: Haven’t seen enough of Valencia to make that much of a comparison but I’m really impressed with Malouda for us lately.
STR: Cech or Van der Sar?
TCB: Tight call, again, Cech hasn’t been completely back to his best although he’s had a better season than he did in the last campaign and Van der Sar has had the sicknote out a fair bit. So,I’ll go for the Chelsea man.
STR: Anelka or Berbatov?
TCB: Anelka for me. I like Berbatov, he’s a class player but I’m not so sure he works as hard for United as Anelka does for us. I think Nic’s often underrated for us because he isn’t banging in the goals but his contribution is about much more than that for Chelsea.
STR: What do you think about Joe Cole leaving Chelsea for United?
TCB: He hasn’t done it yet.
STR: How do you feel about your CL exit?
TCB: Gutted.
STR: Chelsea picked up three points against us after scoring a goal which should have been ruled out on three counts. If Mike Dean hands us a victory in similar fashion will you just take it on the chin?
TCB: I’m one of these people who think these things happen in football, particularly with the page on ‘consistency’ blatantly missing from the officials handbook, but that usually works both ways and ’shit happens’ as they say. If it happens against us though, naturally I’ll whinge like a bitch 🙂
STR: Thanks for the chat and I would wish you luck but then I would have to wash my mouth out with soap and water. So, here’s to Chelsea finishing second!
Blue is the colour
