Liverpool FC Forum

[L-type]

Chelsea suit themselves for League Cup final
Thu 17 Feb, 7:55 PM


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LONDON (AFP) - Chelsea are set to break with tradition after the Blues' manager Jose Mourinho reportedly decreed players will not wear specially-made suits for next week's League Cup final against Liverpool.

According to the London Evening Standard, Mourinho, whose side are chasing an unprecedented four major trophies in one season, wants the London club to treat the February 27 Millennium Stadium clash like any other match.

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It is certainly not a question of money with Chelsea's Russian oil billionaire owner Roman Abramovich having catapulted the Londoners into 10th place in a 'rich list' of the world's biggest football clubs released Thursday by accountants Deloitte and Touche.

But Mourinho doesn't want his players to be distracted from their pursuit of the Champions League, Premiership and FA Cup crowns. So he has ordered his players and staff to make sure the build-up to the match is low key.

Usually, clubs make a show of participating in a major final by fitting out their stars in identical designer outfits

When Chelsea last reached a final, their 2-0 defeat by Arsenal in the FA Cup three years ago, they turned-up before kick-off in blue pinstriped suits designed by Italian fashion icon Giorgio Armani.

But this time the players will use the normal Hugo Boss club suits the Chelsea squad wear to away matches.

Mourinho too is unlikely to change his match-day attire either. This season he has taken to wearing a grey trench coat his wife bought him to games since the winter weather began because he believes it brings him luck.

Now just re-read that last paragraph, now all we have to do is to find a way to steal the mans trench coat, and with them already hit by an injury crisis, it'd be like playing monkeys.   

[Ciggy]

I think we have a good chance of winning one piece of silverware this season I know it doesnt bring great stauts with it the Carling Cup, but its better than nothing and would be Rafas first trophey and for a few of our newer players there first cup also.
They have Newcastle at 4.00 on saturday afternoon, then they are away to Barca on wednesday then to Cardiff on the sunday, there will be some tired legs in that team plus all that travelling, we have a very good chance of winning this and get some pride back in our club.

Oh yer and will someone nick Mourinhos grey coat at Cardiff please

[Dalglish]

Cast your mind back 2 Seasons and the run up to teh Carling Cup Final against Man Spew......Very few people , our own fans included gave us much of a chance. United were flying and we were spluttering along yet produced a classic performance on the day against Man u's strongest 11 (it was only AFTER they lost they called it a Mickey mouse trophy ) so take heart and believe that on the day we can win any game.

Jan 1st this season reminded us that Chelsea are mere mortals when for the large part of the game LFC outplayed Chelsea and before you say that was with Alonso we played the last hour without him due to Lampard's recklessness

Walk on ......

[supersub]

I take umbridge at the use of the word recklessness when descibing the deliberate and most definitely intentional act of breaking Xabi Alonso's ankle.The scumbag was given strict instruction by the assassinator to cripple the midfield man pulling all the strings.

[Dalglish]

No one truly knows whether the intent was deliberate or not and I'm not stooping to their level SS but victory will be sweet revenge for the Reds and Alonso in particular

[supersub]

Watched the act of violence again today...it still makes my blood boil.I put that one incident down as a big turning point in our season.

[Dalglish]

Time will tell if that is true Supersub but I suspect your right. It was startng to come together for Xabi and the team. It looked intentional to me and no amount of phone calls after the match to the the Alonso from Lampard  can disguise the possibility it was done to order

What is FACt is up till that point in the game Alonso was bossing the middle of the park and Lampard was being shown for what he is , over rated !

[supersub]

I found it interesting that Mourinho suggested Blackburn were sent out with an agenda to crock his players.Why would any manager have such a thought in his mind unless said manager uses same tactics when required.I can't think of any other manager that has ever come out and proclaimed the opposition were given instruction to injure players.

[jonnymac1979]

Lampard was being shown for what he is , over rated !

The only reason Lampard has his ar$e kissed is because Chelsea are the darlings of the media.  It's all propaganda.  He is vastly over-rated. 

And he also believes his own hype.

[Dalglish]

Spot that picture of Lampard and John Terry (the Hoofer ) swapping shirts with the opposition and showing of their waxed chests ! Tommy Smitth would turn in his grave if he wasn't still alive !

[LiverpoolMadman]

How to win ?
By breaking their leg ... to show them what they did to alonso . But I think chelsea will win . They have their latest signing . Mike Riley .

[L-type]

I'm still not convinced that Lampard did it on purpose.  I mean tackles fly in, there were much harder tackles flying in.  Just unlucky... and if he hadn't been injured Joe Cole would have been marked because ironically (if not a secret motive exploited by mourinho) enough Joe Cole scored from the top of the box, the same area that Alonso had been covering, so when Nunez replaced him it was blown coverage up top....... Any manager that knew this would be able to exploit it.

[A.B.]

Whether he did it on purpose or not he has injured our key player. Yes Alonso has become our key player, his vision,football brain and passing ability has been missed greatly. He unlike Gerrard can control the passing game very well.

[laza]

Watched the act of violence again today...it still makes my blood boil.I put that one incident down as a big turning point in our season.

Not sure if it was intentional or not but i certainly agree it has been the turning point. In a season full of  major injuries its the most bitter one

Just as long as we dont wear those FA cup suits from 90s we will have a chance

[LiverpoolMadman]

It's all in their plan . They know Alonso and SG are the best players that we have. We control the game so well until we almost beat them but their plan is to "get one of these two players out of the game".