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Chelsea : More than a point


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by OutByEaster?

There shouldn't be any glory in a nil-nil draw at home, but something about the nature of our performance against Chelsea leads me to think that better times are ahead.

What's the collective noun for a group of young lions?

You see, sometimes it's more important that you regain some of the properties you had that had been slipping away than get three points.

I thought our young side played will real pride, heart and spirit tonight against an excellent Chelsea side.

It's not always something to celebrate when you set up for a draw a home and get it, regardless of who your opponents are, but the manner of our resistance was as much a cause for celebration as watching 4,000 unhappy cockneys and one Portuguese slope off back to the smoke in a pall of misery,

There were notable performances all over the pitch.

Our two young centre halves were excellent; they work really well as a pair and fear absolutely no one. Drogba has a habit of leaving defenders bruised, battered and unhappy. He limped off tonight a wounded man.

Bouma was a revelation, man-marking SWP out of the game so effectively that he'll be sleeping with the light on for a fortnight. A tour de force from our often-criticised Dutch pocket battleship.

Gardner, Petrov, Osbourne, and particularly Davis were industry personified and seemed to be all over the pitch, outnumbering Chelsea when it appeared they would be out gunned.

Angel performed his lonely task well; it can't be easy trying to hold up the ball with Carvalho behind you and Makalele in front. It never looked great, but he did an important job tonight.

Collectively, they had a force that seemed to take Chelsea by surprise. Chelsea are the archetypal playground bully, and when they don't get their own way, they start to look a little lost, a little confused and a little temperamental.

The moment that typified the game for me was Agbonlahor roaring back to take the ball from Drogba on one of the rare occasions that he'd out muscled Mellberg. It earned him a round of applause from his manager that spread around the ground; its echo can probably still be heard on Chelsea's team bus.

So, lets not focus on our own negativity, or lack of ambition, for the height of our ambitions must surely be to create a team full of spirit and belief, ready to work and battle for one another and for our cause. Rest assured that these qualities now reawakened will bring us points in the weeks to come.

The pride is back. Hope follows.

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I agree with most of that OBE but must add 2 things.

1. Chelsea brought less than 3000. Obviously the gloryhunters who go to Stamford Bridge do not support them away.

2. You have not mentioned McCann who was absolutely outstanding.

Keep grafting boys the results will follow.

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personally i thought ridgewell had one of his poorer performances, i felt he didnt show the form he has been showing the rest of the season of far. I aint having a pop at him there i just felt hes better than what he showed last night, maybe it was just my view from the holte? maybe i'm just expecting too much of the poor lad?

Bouma was fantastic last night, glad he had a good game as for some reason or another i like the chap!

I think in general tonight showed we are not far away, we just need some one to create some chances for us and for gabby to work on his final ball.

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So, lets not focus on our own negativity, or lack of ambition, for the height of our ambitions must surely be to create a team full of spirit and belief, ready to work and battle for one another and for our cause. Rest assured that these qualities now reawakened will bring us points in the weeks to come.

And that is a superb ending to an article, if you don't mind me saying so.

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