CHAMPIONS LEAGUE - CHELSEA - TERRY AIMING FOR KNOCKOUT STAGES

Chelsea captain John Terry wants the Blues to bounce back from their Roma mauling to make sure of a place in the knockout stages of the Champions League.

The club head to Bordeaux on Wednesday looking for a victory to erase the nightmare 3-1 defeat in Rome.

Chelsea gave the French side a 4-0 hammering at Stamford Bridge and Terry is confident they can bounce back from the disappointment of the Rome game.

"The lads bounced back from the disappointment of Rome with everyone showing a great attitude to give a great performance in Blackburn (a 2-0 win)," said the England skipper.

"Blackburn is a notoriously tough place to go but with the bad weather and Rome behind us, it was an even tougher fixture.

"Rome apart we are not conceding many goals and Nicolas Anelka is on fire, not just with his goalscoring but in his all-round link-up play.

"It is tight at the top both in the Premier and the Champions League, so we cannot afford to slip up.

"The defeat in Rome put a little bit of a bad taste in our mouths and was a bitter reminder that we have to keep on winning until the other teams crumble around us.

"It is not just the management who can be important after a result like the one in Rome, it is all the backroom staff.

"They play a big part in getting us right. Darren, the young chef, brings his guitar along now and sings a few songs. There were a few Elvis Presley numbers played before the Blackburn game."

Although Anelka is in the best form of his Chelsea career, Luiz Felipe Scolari will have Didier Drogba available for the Bordeaux match even though he is serving a domestic suspension.

But it is the timely return of Germany midfielder Michael Ballack that has team-mate Deco drooling.

Ballack played half-an-hour as a substitute in the 3-0 win over West Brom last week and is set to start against the French side.

"It is good for us to have him back because he is a great, great player," said Deco.

"We need more players because we are playing many games and have some injuries.

"It is difficult to play against him because he is a strong player, very competitive and experienced. I have played against him three or four times for Portugal."

The Drog Returns Again!

Didier Drogba is set to return to the Chelsea side as they prepare to face Champions League opponents Bordeaux on Wednesday. The Ivorian has missed the first match in a three game ban that was imposed after he threw a coin into the crowd during the Carling Cup match at Stamford Bridge in which Chelsea were beaten by Burnley.

However, the ban does not apply to European matches and, after Chelsea could only stutter to a goal-less draw last Saturday against Newcastle, manager Phil Scolari will be hoping that Drogba will give his attack the bite that they lacked in the league game.

His team mate Florent Malouda has spoken in support of Drogba's return saying: It will be a good thing for us because with what is happening now. I think he will be angry and show he has things to do for the team."

The French winger continued: "Didier is the type of player who can find a solution when you play these teams but as you can see Nicolas Anelka is doing well at this moment."

He added: "We had the players and the mentality to reach victory against Newcastle but we have to keep on trying and we hope the next game at home will find the solution."

Chelsea VS Newcastle United

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Chelsea face Newcastle at home on Saturday with some of the injured players making a comeback this weekend, while others still sit and wait. Cole and Cech are confirmed, Lampard is a very slight doubt. Ballack is back, but the newly returned Drogba is banned for 3 matches and won't be making an appearance until December.

With 6 players still out with injuries, the bench line is looking rather sparse. But the squad is full of talent.

So what will the starting line look like? Here's my prediction.


Cech
Bosingwa - Ivanovic - Terry - Bridge
Mikel
Lampard - Deco
Cole - Anelka - Malouda


Bench: Cudicini, Ferreira, Mineiro, Sinclair, Ballack, Kalou, Woods

Newcastle at times has proven difficult, and Chelsea has struggled at home at times, although the last Premier League match at Stamford Bridge had a fantastic result. So here's hoping that the boys can keep the momentum going.

My Verdict: A win of course

EPL 2008-09 Season: English life suits Scolari but Chelsea come first

LONDON: Luiz Felipe Scolari has quickly grown to love life in England but the Chelsea manager has put sight-seeing to the back of his mind as he tries to keep the Londoners on top of the English Premier League.
Scolari and his family have settled well in their new home near Chelsea's training ground in leafy Cobham, south of London, but the Brazilian has made only a handful of trips into the capital because he is so focused on winning silverware this season.

Like Arsene Wenger, who once claimed he only knew the way to Arsenal's stadium, training ground and Heathrow airport, Scolari is too consumed by success to worry about trips to Big Ben and the Tower of London.

That didn't change this week ahead of Newcastle's visit to Stamford Bridge today, even though he had only a handful of players to work with due to the international friendlies.

"My life in England is a normal life as a coach. I have more time for the club, for training, and I spend some time with the family when I have time for this," he said.
"My family like to stay in England, my son is studying at a beautiful, big school and he visited some more places than me and has more friends.

"London? No, I have visited three or four times when I was free with my family, but when I go to London it is to play at Stamford Bridge!"

Scolari has more pressing concerns as he waits to see whether Frank Lampard and goalkeeper Petr Cech can shakes off their injuries.

Seven other first team players are expected to be out of action too, as Alex, Joe Cole, Juliano Belletti, Ricardo Carvalho, Michael Essien, Ashley Cole and Franco Di Santo are all still struggling.

With a third of the season now played, the signs are looking good for the Blues.

Didier Drogba was wrong, but blame the fan

Chelsea striker deserves to be punished but whoever threw coin at Stamford Bridge is real villain of the piece

All the talk is about how long Didier Drogba's ban should be and that's taking the focus away from the person who started the whole thing - the fan who threw the coin at him.

There's no doubt Drogba was irresponsible and deserves to be punished by the FA, though not in my opinion the police. But it would be ridiculous if he paid a heavier penalty than David Norris, the Ipswich Town player who made the “handcuffs” sign in support of Luke McCormick, the goalkeeper who was sent to prison for causing the deaths of two kids in a car accident. That idiotic gesture must have been premeditated on some level while Drogba's was spontaneous. To me, Norris's behaviour was worse.

Incidents of players abusing fans, as the Chelsea striker did, are very rare while week in, week out, footballers are on the receiving end of disgusting abuse. It's human nature that occasionally some will crack. I certainly did a couple of times in my playing days. When Eric Cantona karate-kicked that Crystal Palace fan, a lot of players thought: “Good on you, Eric.” No player runs on to the pitch planning to start trouble with supporters, but at every game a percentage of fans turn up intending to dish out verbal abuse or worse.

In my Millwall days in the 1980s, I remember warming up at Upton Park and fans in the Chicken Run terrace were calling out my name for ages until I finally looked round - and 30 of them chorused “w***er”. Apparently they used to do it to someone every week, like it was their hobby. Grown men.

During a game at The Den, David Byrne, our winger, told a Millwall fan who was running along the terrace and giving him stick to “f*** off”. The fan took out a knife and said he was going to “do him” after the match. David went as white as a ghost.

Footballers don't worry about security arrangements at stadiums, but deep down they know that if a fan really wants to invade the pitch and get at them, he will. It is a shame that Aston Villa were not able to catch the supporter who threw a coin at Harry Redknapp last month and hit an assistant referee. A heavy punishment for that might have made the Burnley supporter think twice.

Drogba is not a popular player. He's done and said some daft things, but he wasn't trying to wind up the Burnley fans - he scored and in the adrenalin rush that followed he probably didn't realise where he was celebrating. He's got a big ego, so he's not the kind of character to laugh off having something chucked at him, spoiling his moment of glory. He reacted because he felt insulted.

Drogba must be held accountable, but he's not the main villain here. Stop fans abusing players and you stop the problem of players being pushed past breaking point.

Old foes Germany and England are in friendly mode - Feature

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Berlin - Neither Germany nor England will be at full strength when they meet on Wednesday in a match both coaches will use to test some new players. However a meeting between the two old foes is never one to dismiss even though the friendly nature of the international will be more pronounced than previous meetings.

"Everyone has told me that it is not a friendly game against Germany, but I think this will be a friendly game," England manager Fabio Capello said. "We will do some experiments and after this game I will know better some different players."Germany coach Joachim Loew has some experimentation of his own planned, with new caps likely for some or all of the three players called up for the first time.

England will be without Liverpool's Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard in midfield, who has a rib injury, as well as the Manchester United pair Wayne Rooney and Rio Ferdinand. Captain John Terry, who was a doubt, is now expected to play, but Chelsea teammates Ashley and Joe Cole are missing with hamstring injuries, while Manchester United defender Wes Brown and Wigan striker Emile Heskey are among others absent.

There was no place in Capello's squad for former captain David Beckham, who is one cap away from equalling Bobby Moore's tally of 108 caps, and striker Michael Owen has again been overlooked. The injuries prompted Capello to call up Fulham's Jimmy Bullard and Scott Parker of West Ham United on Monday. Germany meanwhile are without captain Michael Ballack and defender Philipp Lahm, whose recoveries from injuries have come too late for Wednesday's match at the Berlin Olympic Stadium.

Loew also left out Werder Bremen midfielder Torsten Frings, and there were some surprises when the names of Hoffenheim pair Marvin Compper and Tobias Weis along with Wolfsburg's Marcel Schaefer appeared on the roster. Schaefer, who could fill in for Lahm at left-back, is seen as having the best chance of starting. The Werder Bremen goalkeeper Tim Wiese, who had featured in recent squads but has yet to make his debut, can also hope for some action at some stage. "It is important that all our energy is focused on this match. I haven't seen an England team as strong as this for several years," Loew said.

"England are the team of the moment. They have made an incredibly strong impression. They are compact, get forward quickly and are technically very good."Loew is using the occasion to lay down the law at a team meeting on how he expects his players to behave from now on. It follows a turbulent time for the coach in which he has had to meet Ballack and Frings over critical media interviews, and deal with the walk-out of striker Kevin Kuranyi. The Schalke forward will not be returning as long as Loew is in charge, the coach confirmed Monday.

There will be "no new rules" but some guidelines set down on what Loew expects from his players from now on. "I will say that we are gladly prepared to talk about possible problems internally but not via the media," he said. Germany have never beaten England in Berlin in seven previous attempts but Loew is convinced his side will end the year on a positive note. "To play against England in such a large stadium is always something special," he said.

Although England will be without several first-choice players "they have a team which has not been as strong for a long time," he said. Having started the World Cup qualifying campaign with four wins, Capello sees the match as an ideal opportunity to test some fresh faces. The decision to call up Chelsea defender Michael Mancienne - who has yet to play for the Blues and is currently on loan at Championship side Wolves - was a surprise.

Uncapped Aston Villa duo Curtis Davies, 23, and Gabriel Agbonlahor, 22, also add to the youthful nature of the England squad which also features Tottenham Hotspur striker Darren Bent and Manchester City's Micah Richards. Capello will be hoping the newcomers can tap into the new-found confidence in the England camp. "I think the confidence of the players is different now," he said. "I remember the first time we played against Switzerland and we played without confidence. "But now we have played and won four qualifiers for the World Cup, and I can see the confidence in the players. This is the most important thing."

Liverpool midfielder Steven Gerrard out of England’s friendly match with Germany

The midfielder has been ruled out for seven to 10 days and so should be available to feature in Liverpool’s next game - the meeting with Fulham at Anfield the following weekend.

Liverpool spokesman Ian Cotton said: “Steven picked up an injury in yesterday’s game at Bolton.

“A scan this morning has confirmed a tear in the adductor magnus muscle in his right leg, and he is expected to be out between seven to 10 days.”

The central midfield places are likely to be taken in his absence by Gareth Barry and the in-form Frank Lampard. David Beckham was left out of the squad due to his lack of recent competitive action.

Manchester United pair Wayne Rooney and Rio Ferdinand, neither of whom featured in the weekend’s victory over Stoke City, have already been forced to withdraw from the squad due to illness and injury respectively and John Terry, too, is only rated as 50-50 at best to start the game.

“Rio did his back in training on Friday and Wayne has a chest infection and a calf strain so we have pulled them out,” said United manager Sir Alex Ferguson.

Terry still hopes to be available, despite needing a scan to asses the damage done to his foot during Chelsea’s 3-0 win over West Brom.

“I got shoved in the air and landed awkwardly,” said Terry.

“It felt like a sharp pain in the bottom of my foot which is throbbing at the moment. But I will have a scan and hopefully it will give me the all clear.

“I am desperate to go away with England for the game with Germany as I’ve missed our last two matches. I have not been ruled out.”

Robinho: Big Things Ahead For Man City

Robinho insists Manchester City can become one of the best clubs in the world and has set his sights on winning silverware in his first season at Eastlands.

The 32.5-million-pound ($AU 75,512,423) Brazilian star has settled well to life in the English Premier League, scoring seven goals since his arrival on transfer deadline day, and has lofty ambitions for both himself and his new team.

Mark Hughes' troops have nevertheless been a disappointment so far this season, winning just four times in 13 games to sit 12th in the English top flight, well below the aspirations of the club's new owners, the Abu Dhabi United Group.

But the 24-year-old Robinho is remaining upbeat about his new life in Manchester.

He said: "I have great ambitions for the team and myself. I want to be the best player in the world and for City to be one of the best teams."

"The rest of the players and myself admire the ambitions of the owners of this club."

"We all want to strive to make it one of the best in the world. I like the way the game is played here. You still get great goals and great movement."

"It is a physical game here in England but I can cope with it."

"I am adapting well to life here. I get on well with my team-mates, they are good players, and I am learning the language."

"I am in a very good phase and hope this will continue. The best form of my career? Maybe."

While City's league form might leave something to be desired, their exploits in Europe have been more encouraging, and reaching the group stages of the UEFA Cup raised hopes of a successful season at Eastlands.

A win against Steve McClaren's FC Twente in their opening Group A game has further boosted confidence in the camp, and Robinho believes there is quality enough within the camp to go all the way to the final - and to one day become as big as his former employers Real Madrid.

"We can win the UEFA Cup, it is one of our targets for this season," he said.

"We know we are a side that is developing and growing but we also know we are capable of great things when we play well."

"I want to stay here for many years and make history at City and become one of the great heroes. Doing well in the UEFA Cup would be a great start."

"I came to Manchester City because I see them growing and getting bigger. Can they be as big as Real Madrid? Yes, I hope so."

CHELSEA VS BURNLEY - Match Result.

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Burnley caused the biggest upset of the round as they ensure Chelsea leave Stamford Bridge with a case of the blues as the visiting Clarets claim victory through a sudden death penalty shoot out. Both teams ended the affair with ten men. Chelsea 1-1 Burnley (Burnley win 5-4 on pens)

Lower league Burnley traveled to west London this evening looking to cause an upset in an old fashioned English cup tie. The league cup threw up some interesting results last night, and the 6,000 fans making the trip down from Lancashire would have been hoping for another this evening.

Chelsea are the only member of the top four that do not treat the tournament as an opportunity to test out either their youth players or their younger squad players, and the Blues had two time Champions League winner Deco; three Brazilian internationals: Alex, Belletti, and Mineiro; and two Ivorians, Kalou and Drogba, all making the starting eleven.


FIRST HALF

It took both teams a long time to settle into the fixture, and neither goalkeeper had a save to make for the opening stages of the game.

The most considerable piece of action arrived in the 20th minute when Salomon Kalou was clean through on goal but Burnley's Jensen was there to deflect the ball clear. Drogba then pounced on the rebound but Jensen stayed strong to ensure Chelsea's scoreline remained at zero.

The Blues got off the mark seven minutes later, though, when Didier Drogba, who has an arduous task knocking Nicolas Anelka off pole position considering the Frenchman's form, burst into the penalty box and slotted a right foot shot over the line and into the net.

Frank Lampard, who came on in place of Belletti, was largely responsible for Chelsea's improved passing play.

Burnley did not roll over after the Blues' opener, but lacked creation and vision in the final third despite playing with an increased pace and urgency.


SECOND HALF

Burnley's reaction after the break was in a similar vein to their play in the first half. They were lively and eager for the ball, but Chelsea dominated possession.

The visiting Clarets desperately tried to level the scoreline but the home side were, in typical Chelsea fashion, solid in defense.

Burnley's efforts were finally rewarded in the 70th minute, though, as Christopher Eagles, formerly of Manchester United, sent a low drive toward Cudicini, who couldn't claim the ball cleanly and spilled the shot.

Akinbiyi, with a true goal-poaching instinct, pounced on the rebound and made no mistake in thrashing the ball into the net.

The Blues could have won the game moments before the whistle for the full 90 when Di Santo was teed up an opportune strike but sent his shot wide of the marker.


EXTRA TIME

Franco di Santo injured his hamstring during extra time and because Luiz Felipe Scolari had used all three substitutes the Blues were forced to play the rest of the fixture with ten men.

Lampard had the ball in the net within four minutes of the restart, but he was flagged for offside and any celebrations in the crowd were premature.

Both sides have chances to score, with Lampard firing a shot high and wide after being set up by Malouda, and Elliot for Burnley had a volley saved by Cudicini.

In the second half of extra time it appeared as though both sides were content to play for penalties as Chelsea kept the ball around the midfield areas, and the initial energy that Burnley showed in normal time had taken an understandable back seat.

Relentless drama ensued in the closing stages of added time. Chelsea may have rued their spurned efforts as Wayne Bridge sent in a well-weighted cross only for Alex to miss the target from inside the six yard box.

Then, a minute later, Clarets captain Caldwell was sent for an early bath for a second bookable offense. Due to the earlier limping off of di Santo for Chelsea, the game finished ten against ten.


PENALTIES

Burnley - Graham Alexander - GOAL 1-0

Chelsea - Frank Lampard - GOAL 1-1

Burnley - Alan Mahon - GOAL 2-1

Chelsea - Wayne Bridge - MISS 2-1

Burnley - Chris Eagles - GOAL 3-1

Chelsea - Salomon Kalou - GOAL 3-2

Burnley - Alex Macdonald - GOAL 4-2

Chelsea - Paulo Ferreira - GOAL 4-3

Burnley - Wade Elliott - MISS 4-3

Chelsea - Florent Malouda - GOAL 4-4

Sudden death

Burnley - Michael Duff - GOAL 5-4

Chelsea - John Obi Mikel - MISS 5-4


LINE UPS

Chelsea: Cudicini, Ferreira, Alex, Ivanovic, Bridge, Mineiro, Kalou, Deco, Belletti, Malouda, Drogba.

Burnley: Jensen, Alexander, Duff, Caldwell, Jordan; Elliott, Gudjonsson, McCann, Eagles, Blake, Paterson.

CHELSEA : Scolari plays down Chelsea's greatness

By Jason Burt in Rome
Tuesday, 4 November 2008

He wrinkled his nose at one invitation to sing his own praises – after Luciano Spaletti, Roma's coach, said Chelsea were currently the "best side in the world" – by declaring there were maybe "10 or even 50" top sides but Luiz Felipe Scolari decided, with a smile, to accept a second opportunity.

Did he, he was asked, like the team hotel that Chelsea were using ahead of tonight's Champions League tie and would he like to book it – now – for the final next May which is also to be played in the cavernous bowl that is the Stadio Olimpico? "If the hotel accepts, we'll book it for me," Scolari said. "If they accept, we'll do that."

The Cavalieri Hotel – a cool £776 a night for a standard room – is indeed one of the most beautiful in this most beautiful of cities and even though Scolari was in playful mood and even though, in truth, it is Uefa, the European governing body, which selects the team hotels for its showpiece game, there is a hard-edged belief to the comment by the Brazilian – of Italian descent, of course, with his father Benjamin hailing from Venice – in wanting to emulate the achievement of reaching last season's final in Moscow.

That was Avram Grant's last match in charge and although Spaletti was touted by some agents as a possible successor, the Italian was never really in the running to pip Scolari to the post. His star, however, has waned. Now Spaletti, after Roma's worst start to a league season in 45 years, and with four consecutive Serie A defeats leaving them fourth from bottom, is clinging to his job. He took time yesterday to praise Chelsea – and perhaps defuse expectation with his players struggling so wretchedly – by lauding the advances that Scolari has made with this talented squad.

"It [Chelsea] is one of the best 10 teams in the world, but not the best. We are one," Scolari said quickly as he anticipated the potential for hubris although there was also a little boast when he declared that he was "more beautiful" than his predecessor. That was in jest, of course, designed to relax Salomon Kalou who was sitting next to him and had been asked how Chelsea this season compared to last. "I was joking with Kalou, because he is shy," Scolari said when urged to expand upon his comment on looks. "I try to make him more free, only this."

Liberation, and a lighter touch, has been his aim so far and despite, by his own admission "one or two games [in which] we haven't played well and we paid for this" it has been a success. "We are playing very well," Scolari said. "But we need to get into more finals, win more finals."

The big one is this one and a victory this evening in Group A would probably see Chelsea through to the knock-out stages although they will have to perform without Ashley Cole. After a scan the left-back has been diagnosed with a small tear to his calf, which also rules him out of Sunday's league meeting with Blackburn Rovers. Injuries have had to be accepted by Scolari, who has coped brilliantly with depleted resources and will continue with Nicolas Anelka in attack this evening as Didier Drogba is still some way short of match sharpness with the suspicion lingering that he is not central to Scolari's plans.

For so long he was Chelsea's talisman and Roma may well spring a surprise by including their own, Francesco Totti, who trained yesterday and declared himself fit despite fears that the inflammation on his knee, a legacy of surgery last season, would rule him out. Roma need him.

Chelsea's last visit to this city came in the first flush of Roman Abramovich's ownership when they thrillingly brushed aside Lazio, who share the stadium, 4-0. Such is Chelsea's prowess that they could easily repeat that scoreline tonight as they attempt to give themselves the chance to book a place – if not yet a hotel – for the Eternal City next May.

Roma (4-1-4-1, probable): Doni; Cicinho, Panucci, Mexes, Riise; De Rossi; Taddei, Brighi, Pizarro, Vucinic; Totti.

Chelsea (4-1-4-1, probable): Cech; Bosingwa, Alex, Terry, Bridge; Mikel; J Cole, Deco, Lampard, Malouda; Anelka.

Referee: L Medina Cantalejo (Spain).