Chelsea FC Training - Carson, CA (Jul 16,07)

Video of Chelsea training a day before the series vs. Suwon & LA Galaxy. Practice was open to the public.

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Valencia (vs) Chelsea: Champions League Pre-Match Analysis

This is a video analysis of the Champions league game tonight between Valencia and Chelsea FC! I discuss the general tactics and formations that we can expect to see in tonight's game. I'm no expert, but I always try to put in my best effort! I hope you find it helpful! This video is a part of my blog www.cfcempire.wordpress.com. For more Chelsea news, pre and post match analysis and transfer news talk from the past, please visit my blog! I've dedicated my work to Chelsea Football Club and its millions of fans all over the globe! KTBFFH

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Preview of the 2008-2009 season, Chelsea

Chelsea last campaign offered a telling comment, the high stakes of modern top-class football and the narrowness of the margin between success and failure experienced with. For the Blues, it was a season led by an unpopular attempt to general manager of the team also dominated, where his predecessors loved to take her.

After Jose Mourinho at Stamford Bridge was always of the highest order, but anyone other than Avram Grant, Roman head with any otherAbramovich, Chelsea would probably be up for grabs as close to triple glory praised. had collected beaten in extra time of the Carling Cup final, in the Premier League title race by two points edges notwithstanding, the accumulation of 85 points (the first time that a team so much, without securing the title), and beaten in a penalty shootout after extra time in the final of Champions League - Grant Pierce football immortality with the Blues was heroic.

But it was still contain errors, and his reward- After being questioned, mocked and soft with honors convicted - was the bag in a few days ago John Terry kick to the posts in the shoot-out in Moscow to hand Manchester United the coveted European crown.

Chelsea had lost just two Premier League games under Grant 32 - the first against United at Old Trafford, and then against Arsenal at Ashburton Grove. In the critical later stages of the season the Blues both the Gunners and United play at Stamford Bridge - andShe kept the title race against Sir Alex Ferguson side of life until the last days of the campaign, much to their determination and consistency said.

They were catching up in their search for the title Relentless, overhaul Arsenal at the end of March, and the second within a whisker of the title holder. But two points dropped into a tie at home against Wigan, for whom Emile Heskey 91st an equalizer on 14 minutes Published April, proved to be expensive, although the Unitedsignificantly better goal difference was always worth an extra point if push came to around scrolling.

This reflects the Achilles heel of the hand of Grant: they played without the attacking flair and verve of United or Arsenal and scored the fewest goals certainly among the top four. Although they kept clean sheets a remarkable 21 on the other hand, Abramovich had demanded 'expansive' Mourinho after football, but I'm more of the same sober, pragmatic, under Grants. Without the possibilityPeaks, silver, or a home crowd to win was always skeptical Grant on borrowed time. Speculation about his future, the Fever Pitch after the Carling Cup final defeat against London rivals Tottenham and an embarrassing FA Cup quarter-finals of Barnsley was reached, a constant companion to govern Grant.

His team showed character and resilience, especially defensively, but often to fight for creativity and goals, with Didier Drogba netting only eight in the league,Import and Nicolas Anelka in January the management of only one, though he usually played out of position. Dynamic midfielder Michael Essien also spent much time to fill in right-back, while the manager is no such thing as getting the best of the summer to buy expensive Florent Malouda. There was a resulting over-reliance on midfielder Frank Lampard (who had his own injuries and personal problems last season) and Michael Ballack (as the Blues' most influential players in the lastThird of the campaign). were your objectives and the dynamics contributed to Chelsea so close on the brilliant prices, although symptomatic that the experts and many fans felt that despite their contribution is not so much because of the leadership of Grant. That was the burden of the alleged lack of charisma of Israel saddled with him.

Summer Activity

The management soap at Stamford Bridge was completed, was summarily dismissed as Grant and announced that his successor, during the Euro 2008 in Portugal bossLuiz Felipe Scolari. The Brazilian comes with everything that was missing, Grant: gravitas, a very impressive CV, charisma, the authority that a reputation as a disciplinarian guides, and the respect of the players. Scolari is at least one World Cup winner, twice won the Copa Libertadores.

If they have reservations, since he was seven years of club football, the risk seems small. The 59-year-old has done it before and it, and dealing with theEnglish tabloid press is one aspect of his new role, which probably has not decreased, it will hardly find it uncomfortable when dealing with the media in his native Brazil.

Scolari is the fourth coach of the Chelsea Abrasmovich era and the previous three - Claudio Ranieri, Mourinho and Grant - were all rejected, which would give, although most clubs share for the relative success. Sun Scolari knows what to expect and what is expected: in the Premier League title from Germany and the recapture ofWinning the Champions League for the first time in history, Chelsea. The other imperative is to reach the mark, either through an exciting entertaining, attacking football. It's easy. The crucial question is: Can Scolari to the demands of club football and effective enough to quickly offer, which provides that the face in his first season back in the coal?

He lost to a good start. Drogba and Lampard, both far tipped to join Inter Milan Mourinho stillat the bridge and also counts for at least the next season. Portuguese defender Jose Bosingwa, well-known to Scolari, was stopped and waited for him to arrive and another familiar face, creative and motivated Deco since. Speculation continues that Robinho can still come along, and that would certainly step up their offensive options and increase the goal threat, which the Blues were deficient last season. The fans would probably feel happier that an extra qualityStriker on board, he is experienced in the form of Andriy Shevchenko and Claudio Pizarro a dramatic change in the course of the summer.

As for the departure, Claude Makelele returns to France should be adequately covered by the emergence of John Obi Mikel in the holding midfield, while Steve Sidwell, a good player he is, was never used, are not left out. Even the transition from Tal Ben Haim (Manchester City), Khalid Boulahrouz (Stuttgart) leave gaping holes inScolari forces.

Pre-season has proven useful as tiring: the goodwill trip to China and Malaysia has an excellent PR, but perhaps only of limited value in terms of preparation for Scolari. But go to Moscow for the Railways Cup offered a more relevant test and lose a shoot-out at the Russian capital side to Chelsea last weekend, with satisfaction. The emphatic 5-0 demolition of AC Milan will have caused many to sit and see how the four goals AnelkaVolley on the run.

Scolari said he was more or less clear now in my head about what his starting line-up for the Premier League opener against Portsmouth, so least one of the main objectives of the season is reached.

Analysis & Forecast

There is great interest in how well and how quickly Scolari fits into his new job. He will be the benefit of the doubt, something Grant never enjoyed, but it's still the ghost of Mourinho, who obtainedPremier League and League Cup in his first season at the Bridge after arriving from Portugal. The parallels are there for a direct comparison. His press conferences promise to be entertaining, but it's on the field, where most of the entertainment quotient will be examined.

The addition of Bosingwa should add real right-sided quality of an already formidable defense, behind Petr Cech for a bit of luck after a miserable spell, so Chelsea is again one of the hardestTeams to score against.

And in midfield, they have a real cornucopia of riches. With Essien in the middle, where he is at his best, Ballack in the form he showed during the latter stages of last season and at Euro 2008, Deco restored vision of a new creative dimension to the game adding and Chelsea Lampard fit and focused, offer expires Mikel and muscle strength and the will of Joe Cole, Shaun Wright-Phillips and Malouda and width to provide pace on the flanks, ScolariChallenge will be to the right mix and balance to hold, while all his stars happy.

Anelka fired a warning in Moscow and Scolari could be ready to play on its strengths through the middle to bring its costs in a way Drogba Grant hesitated. The fact that Drogba was probably the start of the campaign to miss through injury to make this choice. Solomon Kalkou impressed last season, but decided too often the wrong option with his last ball, we can expect an improvementthere.

Scolari indicated that Shevchenko was not on the grid, at least initially, but the Ukrainian has said he is committed to an impact at Chelsea to do and if he, rather reserved as a shot came from the bank he has "born manager a sensible option.

Chelsea are certainly difficult challenge for the title, and their team in the depth and strength seemingly impregnable to take home, they are probably in the top few spots for the mostCampaign. You've got the resources and now they hope to win back the right managers to honor. But much will also depend United Arsenal Liverpool, and, at least, as Scolari responded to a challenge for the Big Four, and as he plots his tactics in head-to-head, could prove crucial as.

I expect the Blues a major challenge on all fronts until the last stages of collecting and maybe a cup, but winning the Premier League title on the first attempt after Scolariof the club game for a long time, may prove just a bridge too far. A top-three finish but not first.

Coach: Luiz Felipe Scolari

Stadium: Stamford Bridge (42,055)

2007-08 Position: 2nd

2007-08 Record: P-38 W-25 D-10 L-3 GF-GA GD Pts 65-26 39-85

Players in:

Jose Bosingwa (FC Porto, £ 16,200,000), Deco (Barcelona, £ 8m).

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Growing Up With Michigan Football

Let me first I am an avid sports fan. I must admit, I'm more interested in some sports than others. How many of you remember back to when you first became interested in something related to sports. Try to think about thinking through your pin on your age at the time to go. In my case, I noticed I was 10 when I first with Michigan football. I remember especially Bob Timberlake lead Michigan to a Rose Bowl victory over Oregon Statein 1965.

These were certainly simpler times then. Picture of a child playing soccer with his friends on the lawn in his neighborhood. Dropping to return, that I always want the quarterback to tell the voice in my head: "Timberlake throw back ..... Touchdown!" That is how I bind my earliest memory of that time.

This is not a story about the great things about me. To be honest I just parks and recreation soccer for one years onCYO football for 7 to 8 class. At the time I was in high school, my personal efforts are to hockey and baseball. Yet I followed Michigan football.

Said I was not interested when Michigan State played Notre Dame to be the famous 10/10 game in 1966, is a lie. I will be honest with you, I watched with great interest. The real interest rate was, however, Michigan. Until 1968, the boy thought he was Ron Johnson in the game, played in hisMind. High school memories of Bo Schembechler, and come against Ohio State in its first years. I was not in a game is still on the "Big House". I remember high school friends go off telling me how cool it was. Can you imagine that child knows that this time he was missing something special.

In 1974, I had become of the school and with a great group of guys I met through hockey and softball know. We were all Michigan fans and then decided to purchaseSubscriptions. Our conditions of purchase is important to us in paragraphs 8 and 11 there were 12 of us, 6 in each section. I probably going to play the next 16 years. During this time the boy grew away grass football with a man throwing the ball around the golf course, we tail gated for the games.

He would probably think that the name of Rob Lytle, Rick Leach, Anthony Carter and Jim Harbaugh, John Kolesar, and Jamie Morris. But as an old man, times are changing at a certain point. OtherThings are now in a family picture. The interest shall not diminish. It comes only with a different perspective. The child of that time would now like to see Michigan football indirectly by the children of today.

Last year, in 2008, was a difficult one to see Michigan play. It was the beginning of the season, but hopefully just could not successfully complete. Through my life, I know, there are always hills valleys. I know that the children of today, the neighborhood lawnsor school grounds will soon be held with the successful Michigan football players of tomorrow.

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