Chelsea LOSE - No Way!!!
By 40 Years A Blue
October 27 2005
I just can't see what all the fuss is about. Since about 10.30pm last night all and sundry have been crying out so loud that the World can hear, Chelsea have been beaten for the first time in a year, one week and a few days.
Beaten in what? A football match. Nope that ended in a 1-1 draw. Where Chelsea were beaten was in a secondary competition, where it was decided by the rulers of our game, that League Cup matches no longer constitute validity of a replay unlike its Sister and more popular competition, the FA Cup but an on the night penalty shoot-out. Fair enough. A draw after ninety-minutes plus extra-time and if the result is undecided five penalties from each team, and if needed a sudden-death shoot-out to determine the winner. No problem there. Completely understood Mr Rule Maker. Obviously Chelsea's long term critics (media and rival fans), certainly since the days of RA's takeover, seem not to have grasp the concept of a one 'forced' competition that is embedded within another. Last night in the Carling Cup third round at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea and Charlton Athletic drew 1-1 after extra-time. After an exciting penalty shoot-out Chartlon prevailed and won the PENALTY SHOOT-OUT competition 5-4. Fair play to them, full credit. The credit is due to Charlton 'cos they scored 5 and Chelsea scored 4. Good Luck to them in as they progress in the competition. Chelsea's downfall in the shoot-out was that they scored one penalty less than their opponents. As Jose Mourinho, who some are now 'doubting' that he is 'The Special One' LOL said ' My players are only human.' I did read somewhere Jose, that Huthie took eight penalties in training prior to the game and scored eight against THREE different goalkeepers. Perhaps you let him take one too many. (Only Joking!!. Stop it ed). At the end of the day. The Carling Cup is a trophy that Chelsea now cannot win. So what. There are bigger fish to fry and perhaps this 'penalty shoot-out' defeat may have become a blessing in disguise in terms of the number of the total of games now not to be played. Although the club and fans would like to have won them all - FA, Carling, League, CL - it ain't gonna happen. Am I going to lose sleep? Are Chelsea going to become a bad-team overnight? Get out of here!!!! Ask me again, when Chelsea have lost the same amount of League matches as Arsenal (3 is it as it stands?) or who are in the same League position as Liverpool (who incidentially got knocked out in the same competition, but to inferior League opposition). Oh and one point to end on. Chelsea may have lost on a penalty shoot-out, but AT LEAST OUR PENALTY WAS SAVED. 40 YEARS A BLUE