Didier Drogba's flying header gave Roman Abramovich something to celebrate on his 41st birthday - but boring Chelsea fell way short of seven-up Arsenal as London's entertainers.
Drogba's flying header sealed a comfortable Champions League win over Schalke last night - just a week after he claimed the club was "broken" and he was certain to leave.
But the Blues display was so humdrum the biggest cheer was reserved for when Liverpool's defeat in Istanbul was flashed up on the big screen.
Drogba's brilliant nearpost header and French winger Florent Malouda's early present from blundering German keeper Manuel Neuer, kept Chelsea on course to qualify for the last 16.
But they fell short of fulfilling new manager Avram Grant's pledge to produce "entertaining winning football" - in that order - and they were light years behind Arsenal's seven-goal demolition of Slavia Prague 24 hours earlier.
Grant has now overseen five wins in six matches, but he promised owner Abramovich there was more entertainment to come and said: "I don't want to look at the sky and say that's the limit, but tonight we played good, positive football and we can play even better. I respect Arsenal, and Arsene Wenger is a good friend of mine, but we are not going to use other teams as an example for the way we want to play. I'm not saying our style of play was no good in the past, but we are trying to change and we are on the way to achieving the way I want this team to play. It may not happen overnight, but tonight's result was a present for the owner because he has done so much for the club, so much for the fans and he is such a positive guy."
22 10 2007
Italy are dominating the Golden Ball list of 50 candidates with eight players, while Spanish giants Real Madrid and Barcelona each contributed seven names on the list.
- Golden Ball 2007 nominees:
Éric Abidal (Olympique Lyon, FC Barcelona)
Daniel Alves (FC Sevilla)
David Beckham (Real Madrid, Los Angeles Galaxy)
Dimitar Berbatov (Tottenham)
Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus Turin)
Fabio Cannavaro (Real Madrid)
Iker Casillas (Real Madrid)
Petr Cech (Chelsea)
Rogerio Ceni (Sao Paulo)
Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United)
Deco (FC Barcelona)
Mahamadou Diarra (Real Madrid)
Diego (Werder Bremen)
Didier Drogba (Chelsea)
Michael Essien (Chelsea)
Samuel Eto'o (FC Barcelona)
Francesc Fabregas (Arsenal)
Gennaro Gattuso (Milan)
Steven Gerrard (Liverpool)
Ryan Giggs (Manchester United)
Thierry Henry (Arsenal, FC Barcelona)
Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Inter)
Filippo Inzaghi (Milan)
Kaka (Milan)
Frederic Kanoute (FC Sevilla)
Miroslav Klose (Werder Bremen, Bayern Munchen)
Younis Mahmoud (Algharafa)
Paolo Maldini (Milan)
Florent Malouda (Olympique Lyon, Chelsea)
Lionel Messi (FC Barcelona)
Shunsuke Nakamura (Celtic Glasgow)
Guillermo Ochoa (America Mexico)
Andrea Pirlo (Milan),
Ricardo Quaresma (FC Porto),
Raul (Real Madrid)
Franck Ribery (Olympique Marseille, Bayern Munchen),
Juan Roman Riquelme (Boca Juniors, Villarreal)
Robinho (Real Madrid)
Ronaldinho (FC Barcelona)
Wayne Rooney (Manchester United)
Paul Scholes (Manchester United)
Clarence Seedorf (Milan)
Carlos Tevez (West Ham, Manchester United)
Luca Toni (Fiorentina, Bayern Munchen)
Kolo Toure (Arsenal)
Jose Fernando Torres (Atletico Madrid, Liverpool)
Francesco Totti (AS Roma)
Ruud van Nistelrooy (Real Madrid)
Robin van Persie (Arsenal)
David Villa (Valencia)
02 10 2007
Chelsea forward Florent Malouda says he is finding it difficult to adapt to the style of the English game.
The Blues shelled out some £14 million to lure him to London from Lyon, but he has so far failed to justify his hefty price tag.
Malouda has shown flashes of quality, but he has admitted to finding it tough to adapt to the rigours of The Premier League.
"The only aspect of adapting I am having difficulties with is in the style of English football," Malouda told Spanish magazine Don Balon.
"It's been difficult for me to change leagues since the game over here has nothing to do with what I played in France. The main difference is that there is a lot more expectation around football and the pressure is that much more intense. And when you are attacking everyone gets involved, whereas in France all of the players pass more in a more rigid system."
01 10 2007
Striker Jean-Claude Darcheville feels Rangers' Champions League visit to Lyon is a perfect opportunity for the Ibrox side to progress in Group E.
"Lyon lost a lot of players during the summer and are trying to rebuild their squad," Darcheville told BBC Sport.
"Their defeat to Barcelona was a very important result for Rangers, as I think the defeat will have affected their confidence a little. There is a lot of pressure on Lyon so it is a good time to be playing them."
The 32-year-old Frenchman - an injury doubt for Matchday Two - has been an instant hit with the Light Blues' support since his summer arrival to Scotland.
And the former Bordeaux forward hopes he can make a contribution at the Stade Gerland, a stadium he has thus far failed to score in.
"I have had good results in my career against them, although I have not scored at the Stade Gerland before so hopefully we can get the right result."
Walter Smith's side travel to France on a positve note, having defeated German champions VfB Stuttgart 2-1 at Ibrox, with Barcelona easing past Les Gones 3-0 at the Camp Nou.
"We have a good spirit after the win against Stuttgart," added Darcheville.
"We are all working hard and we showed a lot of character to come from a goal behind to beat them. Even though some of Lyon's best players like Eric Abidal, Tiago Mendes, Claudio Cacapa and Florent Malouda have left, they are still a very good side."
The tie against Alain Perrin's Ligue 1 holders will be Rangers' thirteenth European tie in France and, if fit and available, Darcheville - known as 'The Rocket' - is ready for another lone role up front.
"It can be hard to play up front on my own but I played that position in Montenegro and in Serbia, so whatever the manager wants you don't say no. The team is very confident - I will always try my best for the team whatever role I am asked to play."
