Solomon Malcolm

Sheff Wed. - Vicenza (h) - Spurs

Chelsea 1 Sheff Wed 0 ..... "Bring on the Steaker!"

What a bore, the game against the Owls yesterday turned out to be.
all together the worse Chelsea peroformance I have seen this season.
Those not there did not miss much, and the game was watched by one of
our lowest gates of the season. Maybe our minds was on the final and
not the game. Even the club staff were thinking ahead or back at last
Thursday. When the scoreboasd came on it still had the scores of that
historic game on Thursday, which brought some chuckles from the
crowd, and jeers from the Wednedsay fans untill it was sorted.

We kept giving the ball away spent too much time on it
when we had it and lacked creativity and ideas in thelast third of
the box. Wednesday were unlucky not to get anything out of the game.
At least they hit the woodwork from open play, whilst our goal came
from a debatable spot kick. They should have scored when Kharine
messed up in the box and failed to clear or collect a loose ball. But
poor finishing or bad luck for them led to us being grateful. The
jeers at them missing the sitter which came of the bar was more
irony than in scorn.

The atmosphere was dead as well. No there was one half hearted
attempt of "One Man went to Mow". Maybe the lack of passion was
reflected by the goings on on the pitch. However there was a new
chant" Bring On The Streaker!" during one mundane spell.

The way we played any half decent side would have buried us. A
typical anti climax after a fine result in Europe, perhaps we nedded
it to bring us down to earth. But Wednesday were a poor side and it
showed. All the times we gave the ball away they in turn did little.
We did not deserve to get anything and in truth they did not either
as they let us of the hook. The poorness of the Owls was summed up
when one of the subs forgot to put his shirt on under his tracksuit,
so Big Ron sent the other one on instead who was more mentally
prepared. We were so crap I was still surprised we actually won.


Hughes did have the diesire, Newton played one of his worse games for
us and had the crowd on his back. Doobs kept getting hit on the head,
and Steve Clarke's massaging of his bald head bruoght roars of
laughter. Twinkle toes played well and his substitution was greeted
by boos, as the crowd's favorite was brought off.

Well one fan enjoyed himself. Whenever beefy had the ball even in our
own half he kept shouting out "shoot!" , "Have a dig!". When the
penalty was awarded and the fans kept singing Beefy's theme tune he
was going mental. He apparnetly backed him to be first to score at
16-1 and earned himself 70 quid in the process. He was the only happy
fan that game and was jubilant through out. He even got up to do a
dance when the fans had a got at Pressman with the "Who ate all the
pies song", as he was on the large side. Well at least it was worth
his while coming to the game.


Finally a word on Ken's progaramme notes on Ruud. The more he makes
his 'catty' remarks about play boy manager manager with extensive off
field contracts, the more I want to puke, and believe there was and
is more to the sacking than Ruud's excessive wage demands. I think
Ken has made more personally out of the club than wage demands of the
all playing staff.

Chelsea 3 Vicenza 1 ..... "One Team in Europe!"

What a night, what a night, what a night!!
Yep the atmosphere at those Euro nights at Stamford Bridge sure takes
some beating. As for sheer excitement and drama this game IMHO ranks
alongside our victory over Arsenal in the fizzy cup which incidentally
had the same score.

I reached the ground around 6.15 and even then the fans milling around
appear to be buzzing and confident and in an upbeat mood.”It’s a gonna
be a blue day, mate” appeared to be the standard greeting. After meeting
listees in the Rat and The White Horse we made our way to the ground. I
was with Ian and Jag who I must thank for sorting me out the ticket.

It was good to see Poyet in the starting line up, I would have thought
Twinkle Flo would be in as well, but as we were playing an Italian side
our two available to play Vialli and Zola had to be in.

Vicenza had an early effort which we did well to block judging from the
half time pictures. Following that I believe we looked and played
scrappy giving the ball away too often and very slack in defending.The
crowd was getting impattient and Lesaux was the scape goat, for a few in
the Matthew harding Upper behind us. However Vialli had a good chance
with a header which brought a fine save. However disaster struck when
Vicenza took the lead from what would appear to be slack defending. Well
it did seemed like our luck had run out when the ball went in. It took
some time for the Chelsea crowd to regain their voices as we all
probably feared the worse. One bloke behind us “kept shouting out Come
on my life!” (not wife). Perhaps that did the trick and after a strong
fightback the one and only Poyet levelled the score on the night after
the keeper had parried a shot from Vialli. Yes we were in the game.
However just before half time Lebeouf raced back to clear shot off the
line when the defence was caught flat footed waiting for the off side
flag which never came. That was the turning point and Beefy’s clearance
saved us.

In the second half we showed more purpose and tightened up our defence.
That was important as I dont believe they created any clear cut chances
after the interval. After Zola headed us ahead to make it 2-1 we all
knew just one more goal was needed. Hughes was brought on with Charvet,
when I and many thoutht TwinkleFlo would be used to run at them. Well
Graham Rix’s decision proved a masterstroke when Hughies scored from a
trade mark volley on the turn. From that angle I was not expecting a
goal and went mental like everyone else when it went in. Yes we made,
we were home and dry. That brought a chorus of “Your not singing
anymore!” as the vistitors were bid ciao! Well I suppose that song was
better than the “Where were you in ‘44!” Which was heard in the first
half. I can speak for myself as I was not even born then. I could not
see Vicenza scoring as long as we kept our nerve and did not any foolish
mistakes. The last seven or eight minutes seemed like an eternity which
was probably delayed by the streaker which I missed. “One team in
Europe!” and “Engerlern,Engerlern, Engerlern!” Then rang out as it was
clear we prevented Italy from having finalists in all three European
competitions, and Chelsea now carried the Country’s hopes. When the
referee blew for time it took me for surprise as I anticipated he would
have added on more time. who cares we are through.

A word about the Vicenza fans who were very noisey and lively untill we
went ahead in the tie. I noticed they had a bloke with a megaphone
leading the singing. which seemed odd. Also I noticed a Jamaican ‘reggae
boyz’ flag in their section as well. Were they part of Frank Sinclair’s
barmy army as well?

Afterwards I was back in the Sporting Rat with the others and almost
went hoarse re living the memories. Everyone was jubilant and I drank
for the fist time since leaving the TA some years ago! Sticking to coke
and mineral water as one guiness made my headache worse. Maybe I got
taken in by the almost orgasmic like euphoria of the seeing us win. One
bird in the pub (a mate of Tony’s) asmitted she had multiple orgasms
watching the goals go in, on the pub’s screen! Well I suppose everyone
has their own way of celebrating. We’ll be going to Stockholm I wonder
if she’ll be coming? The mind boggles. Yes Stockholm. I’ve got so many
videos from Sweden it’s about time I went there to see that pleasant
country in the flesh. Looks like I'll have to sell my entire collection
to pay for the fear :-) I can’t wait. Chelsea for the Cup!!!

"We never lose to Totnum!"

This fixture on paper was supposed to be a six pointer for the blues
bearing in mind our fine record against them. I got to the ground early
and was surprised by the lack of away fans. Perhaps they were not in
colours. Maybe Spurs are doing so badly that no one wants to be visibly
associated with them. Who knows?

Through out much of the first spell the game was bogged down in
midfeild. To be honest the game had nil nil written all over it. Maybe
Spurs only hope or success was by following Andy Gray's advice on
closing down chelsea and not letting them play. well maybe they sussed
us out like Leeds and Wimbledon et al during the first spell. They set
up shop to get a point no doubt. Young Harley did well down the wing and
it will be soon they will be singing a song about him. I dont know maybe
something rhyming with Harley Davidson motor bikes?


The only time during the first spell when the whole ground erupted into
cheers was when Poyet warmed up down the touch line. A large roar
greeted his first touch of the ball, when he kicked it back to Lan after
it went out of play. He waved and a chorus of: "Poyet, there's only one
Poyet!" reverberated around the ground. I am glad he is back as much
needed replacement for Robbie who is suspended for the Vicenza home leg.

Well the first half was dire both on and off the pitch and the
atmosphere was at time akin to the graveyard behind the ground bearing
in mind our relished visitors from N17. There were chants of 'We hate
totnum', and 'going down with the Palace' but they soon mooted out. The
spurs fans as I mentioned before were not in colours, and a large size
of them were standing. This led to tannoy announcements for them to sit
down as they were blocking the view of the disabled fans. This provoked
more to stand and wave their hands singing 'Stand up for Totnum' or
something of that nature.Perhaps they were singing Stand up For Alan
Sugar. One thing though this hotly contested fixture would normally sell
out but Spurs only had one half of the 3000 Away allocation. This was
due to Mr Sugar only agreeing to take half the allocation as he was
planning a live beam back to White Hart Lane which he was charging
tenner a head. I understood this upset some of their fans.

In the second half the game came to life with the boys in blue putting
on the pressure. Moreso the crowd found their lost voices as well and
one could sense a goal coming. 'Super' Dan Petrescu missed a sitter
which went wide. Maybe Spurs could have had a penalty when Klinnsmann
was felled by Doobs. (He had to put up with a chorus of "We hate
Germans" at corners). Being in the Matthew Harding stand I could not see
the incident. What I do recall is the ref and physio giving the German
dive bomber the last rites before the pall bearers and undertakers
arrived to take him to the nearby cemetary. Maybe Jurgen was inspired by
the Cat, Peter Bonnetti, has he showed he also has nine lives and made a
miraculous recovery from the dead. Dracula in disguise no doubt. Maybe
that is why the Shed used to sing: "Let him die!" to any players out
injured after being seen to by the Chopper.

Later in the game Vialli was tripped right in front us where Patrick and
myself were sitting. The ref did not give a penalty, probably to make
amends for not giving Spurs one earlier. Having said that our manager
did not do himself any favours for the theatrics when he went down.

The deadlock was broken when "old Twinkle toes", (what a fan behind us
kept calling Flo) fired in when put through by Vialli's clever back heel
flick. so much for Spurs revival. That brought the predicted response
from the crowd: "We never lose to Totnum!". Spurs looked dispirited and
defeated even before scored the second minutes from the end. Ian Walker
did his familiar routine of collecting the ball out of the back of the
net. However he did not do his trademark laugh when he let the goals in.
Poor bloke he had to put up with a lot of taunts and my chorus of
"Walker is a Wa*ker!" did not catch on. He grinned and laughed at the
fans in the Mathew harding sTand, at final whistle as he slowly
collected his towel from the net.Would you have him as an England keeper
someone who laughs when he lets in a goal?

Spurs in general were poor all round. Maybe they can do better or they
just bottled it on the day who knows. They did not create any clear
chances despite having rated internationals like Ferdinand and
Klinnsmann. The latter was supposed to be good at losing his markers,
making space and finding openings but he did little all day. Just as
the announcer said - when reading out the scores during our recent
away game at West Ham - "things are not looking to good for Tottenham!"