Chelsea 3 - 0 Burnley
Played four, won four is not a bad start to the season , by anybody's standards, and there are a lot of fans who consider 'The Blues' to be a good bet to take top honours this season. Initially there were those who doubted whether the partnership between Drogba and Anelka would work, but they have been proved wrong with a vengeance. However, Chelsea are not a team of two and seem to have as good, if not better a squad, than any other side in the Premiership.
Please Click Here to visit the Worldsoccer-Online Web Site
This was a magnificent display of football by the home side, but it was Burnley who wasted the first chance when Martin Paterson missed an early opportunity. Against a team of Chelsea's stature you rarely get second chances, and sure enough Nicolas Anelka fired his side into the lead just before half time. Frank Lampard combined with Michael Ballack who headed in the second, and then Ashley Cole sealed it with a might volley to bag a third goal, and poor old Burnley didn't know what had hit them, or perhaps they did!
It should be remembered that newly promoted Burnley had disposed of Everton, and Premier league Champions Manchester United already this season, but this was a different matter and you would have to say that sheer class did tell. Despite a couple of early opportunities falling to McCann and Paterson, the visitors seemed a little overawed in the presence of their illustrious hosts. In fact their goalkeeper was as good as any on their side otherwise the score line could have been more emphatic.
It would be hard to fault any of the Chelsea players for consistency, and they started the second half as they had finished the first. The icing on the cake was provided by Ashley Cole, whose reputation has not come from scoring goals. His volley was set up by Lampard and fairly exploded into the net, to his own and everyone else's delight except Burnley's!
Please Click Here to visit the Worldsoccer-Online Web Site
Make no mistake about it, this really was a top drawer performance by Chelsea. They are going to be very hard to beat this season, especially as Manchester United and Liverpool have got off to a fairly inauspicious start. Arsenal are a bit of a dark horse, and there are pretenders like Manchester City, but if the Londoners can maintain this level of form, and they have both the firepower and the defence to do it, club owner Roman Abramovich will continue to smile, and may even end up laughing!
Tags:
Chelsea 3-0 Burnley
soccer and football
Chelsea 3-0 Burnley
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Monday, August 17, 2009
Man Utd 1 - 0 Birmingham
Wayne Rooney approaches a ton as Manchester United beat Birmingham in their opening Premiership game. He tapped his 99th goal home, when his header from a cross from Nani, rebounded back to him in the 34th minute. It was not an easy victory as Ben Foster was at full stretch to save from Christian Benitez in the 77th minute. However, Michael Owen could have extended his side's lead but missed a good chance in stoppage time.
Please Click Here to visit the Worldsoccer-Online Web Site
Rooney seemed to be enjoying himself, but United didn't look as sharp without the services of Cristiano Ronaldo. However, Birmingham's defensive intentions were undermined by the persistence of the striker, who was rewarded when he scored what was to be the only goal of the match. It's a good job he put the ball away as Fletcher missed what looked like a good chance to secure maximum points before the break.
Nani was replaced ,with the veteran but able Ryan Giggs, at the beginning of the second half. However, it was that man Rooney ,who again forced a reasonable save from goalkeeper Hart.
Birmingham were not yet done with, and Barry Ferguson was prominent in midfield. Both Fahey and McFadden had chances to level the score but it was not to be. Then Berbatov was denied at the opposite end, when Carsley cleared his shot off the line. It was followed by a penalty appeal from the Bulgarian when Carr appeared to stamp on his foot. Shortly afterwards he was replaced with Michael Owen, who is very much the new boy at Old Trafford.
Please Click Here to visit the Worldsoccer-Online Web Site
Foster made a good save from recent Birmingham signing Benitez, and then Rooney came close to making his 100. But it was the unpredictable Owen who should have put the game beyond dispute for a dream start that didn't materialize, as his shot hit the goalkeeper. It was not the greatest start for the Champions, considering what was happening elsewhere, but they bagged maximum points so nobody was complaining.
Tags:
Man Utd 1 - 0 Birmingham
soccer and football
Man Utd 1 - 0 Birmingham
Please Click Here to visit the Worldsoccer-Online Web Site
Rooney seemed to be enjoying himself, but United didn't look as sharp without the services of Cristiano Ronaldo. However, Birmingham's defensive intentions were undermined by the persistence of the striker, who was rewarded when he scored what was to be the only goal of the match. It's a good job he put the ball away as Fletcher missed what looked like a good chance to secure maximum points before the break.
Nani was replaced ,with the veteran but able Ryan Giggs, at the beginning of the second half. However, it was that man Rooney ,who again forced a reasonable save from goalkeeper Hart.
Birmingham were not yet done with, and Barry Ferguson was prominent in midfield. Both Fahey and McFadden had chances to level the score but it was not to be. Then Berbatov was denied at the opposite end, when Carsley cleared his shot off the line. It was followed by a penalty appeal from the Bulgarian when Carr appeared to stamp on his foot. Shortly afterwards he was replaced with Michael Owen, who is very much the new boy at Old Trafford.
Please Click Here to visit the Worldsoccer-Online Web Site
Foster made a good save from recent Birmingham signing Benitez, and then Rooney came close to making his 100. But it was the unpredictable Owen who should have put the game beyond dispute for a dream start that didn't materialize, as his shot hit the goalkeeper. It was not the greatest start for the Champions, considering what was happening elsewhere, but they bagged maximum points so nobody was complaining.
Tags:
Man Utd 1 - 0 Birmingham
soccer and football
Man Utd 1 - 0 Birmingham
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Netherlands 2 - 2 England
This was a game in which England's defence started of in an almost unbelievably sloppy fashion and they got punished accordingly.
It was a case of England's back four leaving the door open. After 10 minutes, Rio Ferdinand's back pass was woefully short and allowed Dirk Kuyt to enhance his reputation as Liverpool and Holland's Flying Dutchman. He pounced on the short ball, and from a tight angle he fired it into the net, despite a desperate attempt by John Terry to stop it.
Please Click Here to visit the Worldsoccer-Online Web Site
Astonishingly, about half an hour later in the 38th minute there was an almost copycat version of the earlier goal. This time it was Gareth Barry who was the culprit as his back pass found Arjen Robben. His shot was blocked by goalkeeper Green, but only as far as Van der Vaart, who easily drove the ball home. Holland appeared to be much superior to their tired England opponents.
With a two goal deficit at half time England had it all to do. They had their chances and hadn't played a particularly bad game up front. Beckham, Rooney and Lampard all played well enough, but they had the stuffing knocked out of them by defensive errors.
Of course the game was a friendly, but should never be thought of as only a friendly because it was still a test of England's mettle. Capello made changes at half time substituting Heskey, Beckham and the hapless Barry, with Defoe, Wright-Phillips and Carrick.
Strangely, Holland wilted in the second half and a smart Jermain Defoe took full advantage. He raced clear after 49 minutes, from a Frank Lampard pass, and drove the ball home off an upright. England were back in the game and beginning to threaten.
Milner came on for Young after 67 minutes and was something of a revelation. Together with Defoe his presence changed the game as he determinedly and strongly pressed forward. He crossed the ball to Defoe, who narrowly missed his second goal when he headed over. It was the same combination that put England level after 77 minutes. This time Milner again found Defoe who made no mistake bagged his second. With 13 minutes to go you would not have bet against him getting a hat trick.
Please Click Here to visit the Worldsoccer-Online Web Site
So, the match was a draw with a pathetic England defence in the first half, being followed by them dominating the second. Holland are a good side but they seemed to run out of steam, and it would seem that both sides have some work to do before they measure up for the World Cup.
Tags:
Netherlands 2 - 2 England
soccer and football
Netherlands 2 - 2 England
It was a case of England's back four leaving the door open. After 10 minutes, Rio Ferdinand's back pass was woefully short and allowed Dirk Kuyt to enhance his reputation as Liverpool and Holland's Flying Dutchman. He pounced on the short ball, and from a tight angle he fired it into the net, despite a desperate attempt by John Terry to stop it.
Please Click Here to visit the Worldsoccer-Online Web Site
Astonishingly, about half an hour later in the 38th minute there was an almost copycat version of the earlier goal. This time it was Gareth Barry who was the culprit as his back pass found Arjen Robben. His shot was blocked by goalkeeper Green, but only as far as Van der Vaart, who easily drove the ball home. Holland appeared to be much superior to their tired England opponents.
With a two goal deficit at half time England had it all to do. They had their chances and hadn't played a particularly bad game up front. Beckham, Rooney and Lampard all played well enough, but they had the stuffing knocked out of them by defensive errors.
Of course the game was a friendly, but should never be thought of as only a friendly because it was still a test of England's mettle. Capello made changes at half time substituting Heskey, Beckham and the hapless Barry, with Defoe, Wright-Phillips and Carrick.
Strangely, Holland wilted in the second half and a smart Jermain Defoe took full advantage. He raced clear after 49 minutes, from a Frank Lampard pass, and drove the ball home off an upright. England were back in the game and beginning to threaten.
Milner came on for Young after 67 minutes and was something of a revelation. Together with Defoe his presence changed the game as he determinedly and strongly pressed forward. He crossed the ball to Defoe, who narrowly missed his second goal when he headed over. It was the same combination that put England level after 77 minutes. This time Milner again found Defoe who made no mistake bagged his second. With 13 minutes to go you would not have bet against him getting a hat trick.
Please Click Here to visit the Worldsoccer-Online Web Site
So, the match was a draw with a pathetic England defence in the first half, being followed by them dominating the second. Holland are a good side but they seemed to run out of steam, and it would seem that both sides have some work to do before they measure up for the World Cup.
Tags:
Netherlands 2 - 2 England
soccer and football
Netherlands 2 - 2 England
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
