HERTHA BERLIN   V   CHELSEA

7.45pm

Tuesday 21st September 1999

KICK OFF

DATE

AT

Olympic Stadium, Berlin

FIXTURE

Champions League Phase 1 Match 2

SCORE

MAN OF  THE  MATCH

ATTENDENCE

1-2

Gianfranco Zola

55, 541

REFEREE

M. Piraux, Belgium

TEAMS

CHELSEA

Ed De Goey, Graeme Le Saux, Marcel Desailly, Frank Leboeuf, Albert Ferrer, Celestine Babayaro, Dennis Wise, Didier Deschamps, Dan Petrescu, Gianfranco Zola, Tore Andre Flo

SUBSTITUTES

Sutton (Ferrer 61) Ambrosetti (Flo 61) Morris (Le Saux 74) Cudicini, Hogh, Lambourde, Forssell

BOOKED

Desailly, Wise, Babayaro

SCORER

Frank Leboeuf (pen) 86

HERTHA BERLIN

Kiraly, Herzog, Schmidt, Van Burik, Dardai, Sanneh, Deisler, Tretschok, Wosz, Preetz, Daei

SUBSTITUTES

Michalke (Tretshok 12) Veit (Sanneh 67) Helmer (Dardai 80) Fiedler, Roy, Reiss, Aracic

BOOKED

Van Burik

SCORER

Daei 3, 70

MATCH REPORT

I have to be honest and say that I listened to the game on the radio, and was none to impressed on what I was hearing from the commentator.

Chelsea could not get off to a worse start, with Hertha Berlin taking the lead with only 2 minutes showing on the clock.

A simple header from Daei leaving Desailly and Leboeuf cold.

You have to question there marking, and yet again Chelsea showing there same weaknesses in dealing with crosses.

Hertha could of extended there lead in the first half with better finishing, with only Zola testing there goalkeeper.

Too many times Deschamps and Wise were guilty of giving the ball away in the first half and yet again we looked short on fire power upfront, with Flo yet again looking very poor.

The second half saw Chelsea pressing Hertha a lot more and commanding plenty of possestion, but still very innaffective infront  of goal when chances did come our way.

Zola and Babayaro both missing chances, we looked never likely to score, and are failure to score from are recent matches is becoming a big concern for me.

Too many times are strikers have been wanting in front of goal, and if this problem is not sorted out , chances of no silverware coming to the Bridge this season is becoming a distinct possibility.

Hetha's second goal was a complete farce with Leboeuf  miss timing a pass and Daei intercepting the pass and racing on to beat De Goey via the post.

Vialli quickly opted to bring on subs Sutton and Ambrosetti to replace Flo and Ferrer, trying to achieve the impossible task of clawing our way back into the game.

Sutton quickly settled into the game as did Ambrosetti, but yet again Sutton first touch was again poor.

With some 4 minutes remaining and with the addition of Jody Morris replacing the very poor Le Saux, the unthinkable happened, when Sutton was brought down in the box, and the Belgian ref instantly pointing to the spot lifting the spirits of Chelsea's travelling fans, but alas this was only going to be a consolation goal.

Where do we go from here, must be a question on every Chelsea fans lips.

Certain questions have to be asked of Flo, Why is he not used, like he was very effectively used last season, with him coming off the bench when quite clearly the oppositon were tireing.

Why is are defence suddenly looking shaky, and where are our goals going to come from.

We just cant rely on Petrescu and Gus to get us out of trouble.

With Sutton in my mind looking a complete waste of �10 million, we need to sort out are scoring crisis very, very quickly.

To qualify for the next stage of the Champions League it looks all uphill for us now, and a win against Galatasaray at home next Wednesday, a must otherwise we can say goodbye to the Champions League this season.

Viva Vialli