Cesc Fabregas reveals why N'Golo Kante was once late for training

N'Golo Kante is a good egg

Cesc Fabregas has once again re-affirmed N'Golo Kante's nice guy status, not that it was ever in doubt. Throughout Euro 2020 the Spaniard has been sharing training ground stories and has revealed why Kante was once late to an important Chelsea team meeting.

Chelsea vs The Transfer Window: The One that needs Hazard to stay

Ooohh... football friends 

It’s rare that anything about the upcoming season can truly be gleaned from whatever we are witnessing in the marketing project that is pre-season. But here we are anyways, ready to speculate and draw inferences that may or may not be true once actual competitive football rears its head — this includes Big Plate match this weekend.

Chelsea vs Everton: The one that Rooney sweated through his Spanx

'You call this hot?! Pffftt'

Hot fun in the summertime. Or if you were in the East stand or Gate 15 more like melt your face off fun in the summertime. And come away blind like you’re Donald Trump staring straight into an eclipse kind of fun. Despite the sweat stains cropping up where sweat stains should never be - it was a fun day out at Stamford Bridge, especially after Chelsea’s last outing there.

Less so if you’re a team that’s already played SEVEN competitive matches this season — including three in the last week. A maddening schedule at the best of times. This kind of fixture congestion is usually saved for Christmas. I’m not convinced that Ronaldo Koeman feels like Christmas came early for his side.

Chelsea vs Burnley: The one that only nine survived

My face most of this week

If things aren’t going to go right, they might as well go spectacularly wrong. And Chelsea’s start to the campaign to defend their title was very much the latter. And while the doom and gloom mongers might not want anyone to know, I’m here to share a little secret — there’s still actually another 37 matches before the Premier League season is done and dusted. So there might just be hope for those plucky little upstarts yet.

So just how did Chelsea end up on the wrong side of a 3-0 scoreline just 45 minutes into their new season? There were a few factors before anyone even kicked a ball that they were forced to overcome. 

Stoke vs Chelsea: The One Conte did on a cold, windy afternoon in Stoke

Loving Life

Over the course of ninety minutes on Saturday afternoon, Mark Hughes undid much of the good work he's done at Stoke. While they've been longstanding and reputed bullies over the years, Hughes has attempted to bring a new style of play to the cold, wet pitch in the Bet365iseum. He has introduced unexpected players like Bojan and Xherdan Shaqiri to the squad in an effort to make Stoke's brand of football a little more palatable and a little less pugnacious.

Chelsea vs Hull: The One Where Results Went Chelsea's Way

Costa tries to bring back the chicken dance

I will fully hold my hands up - my cynical side reared its ugly head on the weekend. You know the part of you that says if it seems too good to be true, it probably is? Saturday’s results all seemed to fall suspiciously in Chelsea’s favour and I was having none of it. Secret agent Paul Clement getting the job done early at Anfield. Little Juan Mata sacrificing himself and his budding relationship with Jose Mourinho for two points dropped at Stoke. Manchester City giving Claudio Bravo a two goal head start.

Burnley were seconds away from claiming their second away point of the season. But it wasn’t to be. Arsenal’s late win may just have been the black mark on opposition results falling oddly in Chelsea’s favour that we needed. Or at least I needed. Until that moment I thought Chelsea would waste their opportunity to widen the gap at the top. So once again, cheers Arsenal.

Man City vs Chelsea: The One That Had Everything (Except a Cat)

Defending his man

Is there anything that could have made Saturday’s lunch time fixture more fun? Goals, tackles flying in, dodgy calls, indignation and outrage, a little bust up at the end. I mean, I wouldn’t have said no to an animal pitch invader having a little scamper around the pitch. But for all intents and purposes this game had it all. The task here is basically futile. Words just aren’t as fun - go watch it if you somehow missed it. And not just the highlights!

Over the last two months, Antonio Conte has made this Premier League lark look pretty easy. But Chelsea haven’t faced a serious threat to their system until this weekend. It was definitely set to be a clash for the FM lovers out there. While its typical that the hype surrounding these fixtures is better than the game itself, Saturday turned out to be the opposite. Sure those ‘systems’ were dispatched, but frustration won in the end - which really was a victory for us all. 

As its been ages since the actual game - or may just feel like ages since watching the game on a loop for the last four days - I thought it prudent to just break down the best moments …

Watford vs Chelsea: The One With the Super Subs

Phwoar 

Chelsea have only gone and won another match this season. That’s two whole wins from two whole attempts. And while it doesn’t seem like much, it took them the first EIGHT games last season to get those two wins. So I will revel in this minor achievement. 

Revel!

Chelsea vs Liverpool: The One That Wasn't So Friendly

Criminals Always Return to the Scene of the Crime

Anyone who managed to get up at 4.30 this morning for Chelsea’s opening match of this meaningless tournament the International Champions Cup should be applauded. Or their sanity should be immediately called into question. I'm leaning towards the latter. Thanks to the magic of the interweb, I managed to watch the match in full when I woke up at a respectable hour. At this moment, I could not tell you why I thought that would be better than just watching the extended highlights.

Supporters making their way to the Rose Bowl must have been chuffed to witness this mid-table Premier League clash. 8th v 10th is quite a coup for the organisers of this prestigious tournament. As for those supporters, kudos to whoever got in a smoke bomb. However, you erased all of your credit the moment you partook in a Mexican wave. 

Chelsea vs Spurs: The One Where Spurs Did Not Win The League

Oh haaaiiiiii 

While considered by many to be ‘small club mentality’ or a ‘cup final’ to celebrate a victory draw to the extent Chelsea did against Tottenham on Monday night - I’m not sure it really counts when a) it’s against Spurs and b) said team has had a few fair actual cup finals to celebrate. But most of the teams bemoaning that wouldn’t know about or remember their own club’s achievements.

And let’s be honest, Chelsea fans have had literally nothing to celebrate since lifting the league trophy a year ago. The post-season / pre-season hijinks. The transfer window - incomings and a certain scrum-capped outgoing. And then the season itself. The list goes on. The Chelsea faithful deserved to have a bit of fun at least once this season to celebrate a beloved former manager and get one over on a fierce rival.

Aston Villa vs Chelsea: The One We Saw Duck, Duck, Guus

What scoring your first PL goal should look like!

The only takeaways anyone can truly have from Saturday are the curries they picked up after the match. A result against an Aston Villa team, who could see themselves relegated from the Championship next season, is about as meaningful as Falcao’s signing.

So, it’s no surprise that Guus Hiddink used the opportunity to select Saturday’s lineup by throwing darts at a team sheet against the wall. Because why not. It was Aston Villa (sorry Villains) and Chelsea have nothing left to play for. Aside from that alluring Europa League spot that is well within reach.

Saints vs Chelsea: The One Fraser Forster Conceded A Goal & Another Goal

Man On!!!!

Chelsea’s most recent encounters with Southampton have been overshadowed with a bit of controversy. Last year’s trip to St. Mary’s saw the penalty that wasn’t against Cesc Fàbregas which led to *those* comments about a campaign against Chelsea. Impossible to forget as it was trudged out at any given opportunity. The reverse fixture this season saw Jose Mourinho respond to a single question with a 7 minute rant which stopped just short of him daring the club to sack him.

And we all know how that eventually ended.

Arsenal vs Chelsea: The One That Was Chelsea's Second Win in a Month

Say my name, say my name ...

The first 5 month’s of Chelsea’s title defence can pretty much be summed up like this:

• August - 1 win
• September - 1 win
• October - 1 win
• November - 1 win
• December - 1 win

Looking ahead to January’s games - with Palace, West Brom, Everton and Arsenal all on the horizon, I would have put good money on January’s solitary win to come at The Emirates. But Palace tossed a spanner in the works to kick off the new year and only went and lost in spectacular fashion to Chelsea. They had a number of injuries and not a striker in sight, but it was a resounding loss to Chelsea nonetheless. So what of the Arsenal match? Could Chelsea manage two actual wins in a single month? Based on the 22 matches that preceded Sunday’s late fixture - it seemed like a big ask.

Chelsea vs Everton: The One That Was Offside

Carnage

The insistence of playing John Obi Mikel and Nemanja Matic together reminds me of Rachel’s trifle from Friends. Just because meat is good* and jam is good does not mean they should co-exist in the same dish or on the same pitch.

In theory, the pairing should work to create a glorious fortress of solitude in front of the back four, but for whatever reason it just makes a mess of any semblance of shape and a disconnectedness between the attack and everyone else. They are trying to do the same job, but seemingly in the same place at the same time rather than spreading their considerable size across the pitch. In other words they leave a massive gaping hole for anyone just to have a leisurely stroll through. Which is exactly what Everton did for large expanses of Saturday’s little slice of chaos.

Chelsea vs Sunderland: The First One Without JoMo 2.0

Man Love

And here we are again ….

Obviously it’s impossible to say we didn’t see this coming - the end of JoMo 2.0. Of course, the chancers who were constantly speculating week in and week out claiming that *this* game or *that* game was definitely going to be Jose Mourinho’s final one helped - or hurt depending on how you look at it. Either way, we all knew our time together was coming to a dramatic and disappointing end.

At whatever point this season you accepted it had become a matter of when and not if, Chelsea’s conscious uncoupling with Jose Mourinho felt horrendous. I cannot confirm nor deny some of us cried like babies and skipped their company Christmas dos. It was like Michael Emenalo and co. had ruined Christmas — and then some.

PSG v Chelsea: The One Where the Result Didn't Matter

Diego Costa doesn't do friendlies

Chelsea had the opportunity to take revenge for their Champions League exit! Or so the buildup to last night’s pre-season friendly would have you believe. But a pre-season friendly in America doesn’t quite hold the same gravitas amongst fans as say the actual Champions League. Shocking revelations, I know.

Aside from the obvious shirt sale extravaganzas, the matches are meant to prepare the team for games that actually matter. Or pseudo competitions like next week’s big plate competition - otherwise known as the first time Chelsea have to see Petr Cech in the wrong kit. The oh so very wrong kit.

Hull vs Chelsea: The One That Took an Unexpected Turn

McGregor realising he's the third wheel

After Chelsea's unceremonious departure from Big Cup competition, they were left with just the league to focus all of their love and attention on. All future opponents would be quaking at the prospect at being steamrolled, right? Right. Chelsea being Chelsea were never going to make things easy on themselves or on the delicate constitutions of some of their supporters.

Last week’s league match followed 120 minutes of physical European competition and was against an opponent that were more than up to the task. Southampton have been a difficult side for just about everyone to face this season. Apologies for the forthcoming cliché here … but it was genuinely a good point. This week, Chelsea had 8 days to prepare to face the  relegation fodder that is Steve Bruce's Hull City Thunder Cats.

Chelsea vs Southampton: The One Where Fans Looked for a Scapegoat

Fabregas: 24 goals+assists in 38 games. Everyone calm down

If the overreactions at the final whistle on Sunday were anything to go by, anyone would have thought Chelsea’s 1-1 draw against the best defence in the country saw the West London side receive a points deduction that saw them slip into mid-table obscurity. An excellent second half performance was met with actual booing and Twitter outrage. For any fan out there, if you genuinely expect to win every game 5-0 - do everyone a favour and just stay home.

After Manchester City’s embarrassing defeat to Burnley, Sunday’s early kick-off was the perfect opportunity for Chelsea to pull that much further ahead in the title race. So the draw may have felt a little more like a loss than it should have. But it wasn’t exactly the worst thing to ever happen in the history of time. The discontent was palpable - and isn’t going to do the players any favours in the lead up to the end of the season.

SAFC v CFC: The One Where Chelsea Remembered It Was November

Black Friday Sale on Cahills!

Off the back of two outstanding performances, West Brom and Schalke for those of you who's memories are fragile from a night out in Newcastle, the Sunderland match was anything but. It wasn't fun. It wasn't a tactical masterclass. It wasn't a win. But it wasn't really  the worst result.

Chelsea vs Maribor: The one where Drogba scored a CL penalty (again)

Before all those goals - the view from the press box

With no sign of Diego Costa or his hamstring anywhere near the pitch last night, Loïc Remy got the call to start up front. However, within minutes of the game kicking off it was evident that Costa was not the only one carrying an injury. Remy’s understudy on the night, Didier Drogba, began warming up after just 10 minutes. Nevertheless the Frenchman wasn’t going to let any underlying pain stop him from finding the back of the net. Remy scored from a through ball from John Terry that would have made Cesc Fàbregas proud. But that would be Remy’s sole contribution on the night as he winced his way down the tunnel.

As Chelsea continued with a wave of attacks upon the Slovenian champions, Ales Mertelj thought he should just scoop the ball out of his own 18 yard box and in doing so gave the home side a penalty. Although Eden Hazard has an outstanding record from the spot, Drogba stepped up to take this one, scoring 886 days after his last goal for Chelsea.