Needless to say, just as you would expect from a genuinely big Club, the Liverpool end was predictably banged out, but despite this the total crowd at the Millennium Stadium was only 56,275.
So it would appear that the penniless Chavs were all saving their Roubles for the opening game at the Bridge against Manchester City. A game which will be their opening defence of the title, always a guaranteed sell out at places like Highbury, Old Trafford or Anfield. But wait, what's this we hear? Despite some rather dubious claims emanating from Chelsea's spin doctors that a record number of memberships have been taken up this season, the tickets for the City game have now gone on general sale and will have to be widely advertised rather than merely announced. So now Chelsea have just four days to sell out for the opening game of the season despite buying two of the biggest names in world football in the close season. Had any other Club in England purchased either Ballack or Shevchenko that in itself would have been sufficient to guarantee a sell out crowd.
Can you name me any other Club in the Premiership who would fail to sell out for the opening game of the season if they were defending their title? Can't think of one? No neither can I! The likes of Arsenal, Manchester United, Liverpool, Everton, Aston Villa, Tottenham, Watford, Reading and the rest would all have been massively oversubscribed for such a game.
Chelsea a big Club? My arse! Just how embarrassing must this be for their few genuine supporters rather than all their new wannabes? So bearing this in mind, whatever you do, on no account should you take the piss out of any Chelski fans you may be unfortunate enough to know, just because their support is so pitiful. As Jens Lehmann very recently said in an interview 'Chelsea are not a big club'. Jens may be a nutter, but he is a very astute nutter.
So it would appear that the penniless Chavs were all saving their Roubles for the opening game at the Bridge against Manchester City. A game which will be their opening defence of the title, always a guaranteed sell out at places like Highbury, Old Trafford or Anfield. But wait, what's this we hear? Despite some rather dubious claims emanating from Chelsea's spin doctors that a record number of memberships have been taken up this season, the tickets for the City game have now gone on general sale and will have to be widely advertised rather than merely announced. So now Chelsea have just four days to sell out for the opening game of the season despite buying two of the biggest names in world football in the close season. Had any other Club in England purchased either Ballack or Shevchenko that in itself would have been sufficient to guarantee a sell out crowd.
Can you name me any other Club in the Premiership who would fail to sell out for the opening game of the season if they were defending their title? Can't think of one? No neither can I! The likes of Arsenal, Manchester United, Liverpool, Everton, Aston Villa, Tottenham, Watford, Reading and the rest would all have been massively oversubscribed for such a game.
Chelsea a big Club? My arse! Just how embarrassing must this be for their few genuine supporters rather than all their new wannabes? So bearing this in mind, whatever you do, on no account should you take the piss out of any Chelski fans you may be unfortunate enough to know, just because their support is so pitiful. As Jens Lehmann very recently said in an interview 'Chelsea are not a big club'. Jens may be a nutter, but he is a very astute nutter.