3 wins 1 draw 0 losses 10pts. and still top of the BPL

0-0 was the result of our latest match versus QPR. Chances by both teams and Chelsea still should have come out the victor. It did seem a bit lackluster to me and also I didn't like Lampard's play. He is usually great in possession and a tidy passer of the ball. This game looked a little sloppy from him. Giving the ball away on simple passes and getting caught in possession. I was wasn't impressed as I usually am with Lamps. Hazard was another that I was surprised with. Just a few days before he was talking about how he doesn't like to show off but that if needed he can take over and win a game... Where was he?! He had one breakaway chance in the first half and a wide open sitter in the second with minutes left to play and the first was saved expertly by Julio Cesar and the second needed no parry because it was fired clear over the bar. Victor Moses was impressive in his first debut with Chelsea. Smart and controlled in his attacking movement. I also like Ramires and where he played in second half with Mikel as a defensive mid. Bertrand was, in my mind, a little hesitant and almost nervous about playing in this game. His touch and possession seemed a little off to me. David Luiz is becoming a great player in defense and he is always eager to show that is also yet another attacking force to be reckoned with. On a different subject Anton Ferdinand is a twat. The ruling was handed down. Get on with it. I don't care whether JT said anything or not. Play the game. If he doesn't want to do that then try to become a commentator. My guess is nobody wants him because he is a worse player than his older twat brother Rio. Get on with the game. Be a professional. I've been called names on the field but guess what...I get them back on the field and get on with the game. Afterwards, they'll know they were wrong, if they aren't in the hospital already. Next match is home to Juventus for the Champions League. We need to start off the defense campaign with a win against a great side who had a great Serie A campaign last season. KTBFFH

My philosophy on the beautiful game

I have four simple rules: Number one...Keep possession of the ball. Number two...Keep possession of the ball. Number three...Have fun and keep possession of the ball. Number four...Be more physical than the other team and keep possession of the ball. I am an American. I think that I was raised in the wrong country. I call it football and not soccer. The teams that I have played on that I have fun playing with are teams that understand that you only need to score once and it is much easier when you have the ball in your teams' possession for much of the match. Here is some history about my career so far; -Started playing at 3 and 1/2 years of age -Played on my older brothers team(he is ten years older than I) for two years -My dad forced me to play in every position imaginable(keeper, defense, midfield, and forward) -In junior high there are virtually no football teams in Texas(only American football) -Once in high school I tried out for the "soccer" team my junior year and made Varsity -Scored the only goal in our semi final match in the playoffs in which we lost 2-1 -I didn't go back to play my senior year because of the lack of heart I saw in that game as well as the off field antics that some of the players were involved in. -Went to college and played American football for 2 years -Started playing REAL football again after I quit -Wondered why I ever stopped playing the beautiful game in the first place and still do -Got into AMSA(Austin Mens Soccer Association) -Learned a lot from an over 30's team (Waterloo) around this time I am 24 years of age -Moved back to Houston and joined the Galveston Pirates SC an NPSL team I can contribute a vast majority of my playing style and growth to when I played with the Waterloo club. That was the only club I have played for where I never started a match for. I was forced to sit and watch and observe how they wanted me to play. Their style is very much a style of ease and pleasure. Communication is standard on that team. You can tell that those guys know each other very well. The passing is what sets them apart from every other team out there. The passing and the physicality of the defense. I learned that I may be the fastest guy on the field but that doesn't mean I need to run with the ball every time I get it. They make the ball do the work and they aren't nearly as worn out as their opponents because they choose not to chase the ball around. Waterloo want the ball for the entire match and will slowly build up to gain momentum in the attack and refuse to go blindly into an attack with no edge. The next team that I saw great strides with was O4 Lounge. Younger guys who know the game well. My favorite game was when we were light years beyond our opponents. I believe the score was 3 or 4 nil for us so far and about 20min left in the game. We were holding onto the ball for long periods of time and the other team had all 11 back on their side of the pitch to help defend. I was playing in the center of defense and saw that they had most of their team my left trying to win the ball back. Now before I tell you what happened I would like to tell you that we hung out together and had parties and ran together and practiced together as much as we could, so we all had a great understanding of each other on and off the field. Now, from what I saw there was no way through the defense on the left side. Our guys were moving and trying to create space but it was just too clogged. I called for the ball to be switched. One pass back down the line to the left back. One touch and a pass to me. One touch and a pass straight in front which was simply flicked onto the path of the right wing who calmly slotted into the net. Four passes and a goal from a simple understanding that you trust the guy who is talking to you to do the right thing. A simple unspoken way of saying, "It's not working that way, let's try something different". The ball was not forced into a position that was not beneficial for the team in keeping possession and eventually scoring. That brings a smile to my face and I will never condemn that style of play. That is how I want every team I play on to play. Possession over out and out attack. A calculated plan of execution of your opposition. Make them frustrated and crush their souls on the pitch then shake their hands and offer to play them again with a smile.

Good showings and not so good showings

Deep breath... First off, I'm glad that we got our asses handed to us in a non league match for two reasons. Number one, it wasn't a league match. Number two, it showed us what we need to work on. From what I saw, we let Athletico dribble down to our 18 and take their time in where they were going to pass or shoot. Our relying on Hazard was shown that it cannot keep on that way. We need to be able to quickly move and keep possession of the ball. I am wondering why Bertrand didn't start this game. If we knew that our opposition like to possess the ball I think that having an defender in the field would help our cause. Maybe... But I do have concerns with our general lack of defensive prowess during that game and the almost non existent lack of fight. I have concerns but I do have more faith in Di Matteo than not. Falcao was a great performance that night and he certainly showed his skills on the big stage against a big team. I do hope that we can sign him in January. Moving forward we need to be the force that can shutdown Barcelona, and the certainly deadly duo of Cisse and Ba as well as the new kid Lambert from Southampton. Watching that game (Southampton v. Man Utd.) Lambert showed why he is a big name player. He dominated Vidic and Ferdinand. When he left the game they were pleased they could bully the smaller forward put in his place. I'm sure that if Southampton are leading or tying a big name club or any club for that matter, Lambert will not be coming out of the game. He was able to hold up the ball so his teammates could join in the attack. Great games to watch will be... Swansea v. Arsenal or Swansea v. Man City or Southampton v. Arsenal On to the international break and the forthcoming BPL games! KTBFFH!