Reading v Chelsea
FA Barclaycard Premier League
Wednesday 15th August, 20.00 kick off
Madejski Stadium.
The 2007-2008 home season starts with aplomb against the club that caused Reading the most angst last season, dragging our name through the mud in every way they could. Jose Mourinho, Frank Lampard and John Terry hardly endeared themselves to the Reading public, and should expect a welcome as warm as Hunt's was cold at Stamford Bridge.
Last time out we drew 2-2, on a Boxing day game that saw Lita and Micheal Essien put the ball in the back of the net, to equal Didier Drogba's efforts for the home team. Read all about it here
We all know what happened at the home game, but if you want to read over it again, here is is...
Reading v Chelsea
If you want to see Hunty's knee drop again, Click Here
The Referee
Mike Dean is taking charge.
Recent Squad News
Reading
Lita is out, with a strain endured while stretching in his bed - 3-4 weeks.
Hahnemann's broken hand appears to have recovered.
Convey played for the reserves against QPR, and needs managing
Glen Little is having Achilles problems and will not be taking part
Sonko will return in September.
All others are available.
Chelsea
I believe that Chelsea will be severely depleted, with John Terry, Didier Drogba, Claude Makelele, Salomon Kalou, Michael Ballack, Andriy Shevchenko, Wayne Bridge and Paolo Ferreira all missing. Lovely jubbly.
History
Chelsea were reasonably average until the Russian turned up and bought the club from another well known crook, Ken Bates. They have since turned quite good, through the spending of lots of roubles.
Fan views.
I asked Chelsea's opinions on CFC Net.
I got the following answers.
1 - Last years game was a messy affair, and many believe that Cech and Cudicini's injuries were catalysts for Chelsea's submission of the Title. What is your take on this?
-One of the worst things I've ever seen on a football pitch, and there is absolutly no doubt that Petr and Carlo's absence really harmed us in the League (Mehrino)
-Losing Carlo and Cech was obviously a huge part of us losing the title. Losing a keeper is slightly different to losing a midfielder or a striker, and especially losing someone of the quality of Petr. Having said that, Hilario came in and played 9 league games, and to be fair, didn't do alot wrong. However, we missed Petr at Christmas, and if he had been there, perhaps we would have beaten Fulham and Reading. You can see that is so vital for us, because when he returned, excluding the 2-0 defeat to Liverpool, he went a number of games without conceding. (DP89)
- I beleive Cech's injury cost us the title. If he'd been fit all season then we wouldn't have had the problems in the air we had over Christmas/New Year and would have collected more points than we did. JT being injured didn't help, but I lay blame for our title defeat at the hands of Stephen Hunt more than anyone else. (James Prescott)
- Well I think loosing Cech was the main reason we lost the title, and loosing Cudicini also contributed to our downfall. Numerous other injuries didn't help either! (Chelsea Boy)
- Cech's injury definitely was. If we had him the entire season we'd be Champions, you only have to look at the questionable defending around Christmas time and the numerous points dropped to know he'd have made a decisive difference. (Juni)
-Undoubtedly they were catalysts. I don't think they were the sole reason though. We hear a lot of Man Utd fans talking about their injuries but I don't ever recall them having 2 goalkeepers injured for a lengthy period of time. Hilario simply wasn't up to scratch, and unless last season was not indicative of his abilities, he's just not a very good goalkeeper.(Poyple)
-The injuries significantly damaged our title chances, especially with the dropped points around Christmas. I felt both challenges were cynical and bordering on disgraceful.(mlpjam)
- Hilario covered well for Cudicini. Cech would have made a difference though. Our draw against you was a key result too.(Hanuma)
- The injuries to both played a huge impact to our title defence. We could have managed without one of them + Carlo subsequent injury. At the time I was more concerned about Carlo as we were right near the tunnel when he was taken out – I really did fear for his long term health. I felt the challenge on Cech was premeditated – I do not believe there was the intention to cause as much damage as what occurred but to ensure Cech knew the player ‘was there’ . The performance of the referee ‘encouraged’ both sets of players to lose control which lead to the assault on Carlo.(WPAULWIN)
- Clearly those two missing key games had an effect. Once Petr returned we went on another recird breaking run of clean sheets. Did it cost us the tilte? We'll never know. (Bridge Junky)
- Yes they were stats prove this,hilario played ok but was never going to be a Cech. (has anyone seen sp)
- The result - 2 points dropped - was more important. (Droy was my hero) [Was he watching the same game as us?]
- They certainly were. Were it not for Cech we would be the Champions today. We really sufferred during the festive period when we drew three games in a row. But that's football.(bonoz)
- We had a lot of other problems, and Hilario did OK, but there's no doubt in my mind we would have won at least a couple more games had we had Cech the entire season. And if we'd kept in closer touch with Man U over the Christmas period, lots of other things might have changed. (aprevost)
-Although our little manc friend would believe otherwise, I believe the loss of Cech and Carlo had a definite impact on the season. Sure, we didn't concede many more but a lot of it depends on your football beliefs in general. Cech is a major part of the spine of out team. Without him he still kept goals out but the confidence was never there. I don't believe many fans were ever 100% comfortable when a cross came over with Hilario underneath it. In fairness, after Cech then even Carlo doesn't inspire as much confidence as he used to. Allied to losing Cech, the loss of Terry really compounded the problem.(Khobar)
-Losing Cech and Cudicini at the same time was bad for our chances because there were goals that were scored in their absence that Petr and Carlo would have saved. Their presence also gives the defence stability and Hilario did not convey that same confidence.(CFC Old Timer)
2 - Stephen Hunt got a rather unpleasant reception by Chelsea fans on Boxing Day, due to his part in Cech's injury. To what extent is this likely to continue?
-I hope it all ends from our fans know. What's important is that Petr's back, and I don't think he wants to any sort of reprisals or animosty from the fans.
-It will continue, because the majority of Chelsea fans believe the incident was on purpose, and the fact he was only booked, and walked off laughing about it afterwards was disgraceful.
-The whole thing was an accident that could have been avoided had Hunt not been so reckless. But he's never apologise or admitted his mistake. Until he does, he will not be forgiven by many, and even then in may continue.
-Well, I'm not going to stop giving him stick and I'm sure he won't be on many Chelsea fans' christmas card lists. What a oxf*rd.
- From me, not much, although I expect he'll still get a fair bit.
-Long may it continue. If there's anyone that deserves abuse in the game it's him. Regardless of whether he caused Cech's injury on purpose (I believe he meant to hit Cech although not cause that much damage of course) he's shown no remorse for his actions and as was stated, Cech is still awaiting an apology that he clearly deserves. The incident was 100% avoidable and he made no effort to do so.
-He got a much better reception than he deserved. It appears to me that he was quite deliberate in his actions but hasn’t had the integrity to admit it.
- Forever. I thought he was rather unrepentant for such a wreckless piece of play. Cech almost died and the best he could come up with was basically a version of 'shit happens'...much like the rest of his club, and the small army of moronic apologists that say it was nothing more than a fair challeng "in the English game".
- Whenever or wherever he plays against Chelsea he will get the same.
- Well you know football fans so you'll probably agree that it's bound to.
- I hope it continues until the player gets enough guts to come out and admit he meant it
- I don't like it but if anyone deserves it, he does. 999 players out of 1000 would have jumped over Cech. He probably just wanted to give him a bump but ithere are plenty of safer opportunities to do that in a match.
-I hope it stops. Whether it was intentional or unintentional we will never know; I hope that it was unintentional I don't like to think anybody could do that on purpose. This is football and injuries happen. Some are more serious than others. The important thing is that Cech is okay and he's just as good, if not better, as he was before the injury.
-Hopefully it'll be louder and more unpleasant.
Whilst I don't believe Hunt went in to injure Cech, he certainly had the idea that he was going to 'let him know he was there'. That the injury was so severe was undoubtedly an unpleasant and unplanned outcome, the smirk on his face as he trotted away certainly seemed to suggest that it was a case of 'mission completed'. I also can't believe that Steve Coppell, whom I greatly admire, didn't give the order to put it about early on to unsettle the opponents.
- And you are surprised he did? He will to get a bad reception from me, much like Dean Saunders still does. A particularly unpleasant character and, regardless of what he continues to bleat on about, he meant to hit Cech. Maybe not as bad as it turned out to be but he dropped his knee and meant to hurt.
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More Q&A's to come..
