The silly season takes it toll on Chelsea

The effects of playing four games in eleven days took its toll on a couple of the teams, especially those with injuries and those who had to resort to playing some of their second stringers. Big losers over this period were Stoke City, Swansea City, Arsenal and Chelsea who incredibly managed to lose at home to bottom club QPR.

Playing without skipper John Terry and Peta Cech (both injured) Juan Mata, Rimires and Hazard, who were benched by Rafa Benitez and no Ashley Cole in the starting eleven, the Blues created enough chances to have scored five but Moses up front was clueless as he continued to miss chance after chance.

Shaun Wright-Phillips got the only goal of a pretty dull affair on 78 minutes and try as they could the Blues could not find an equliser so squandered three valuable points, a result with saw Harry almost crack a smile.

Brendan Rodgers was back on the touchline when Liverpool faced Sunderland at Anfield with Luis Suarez in brilliant form, he ran the Black Cats ragged, scoring two goals and setting up Raheem Sterlings first goal for the club in a 3-0 win that leaves Martin O’Neill’s side just four points above the relegation zone.

In the other match on Wednesday night Newcastle hosted the Toffees at St James Park and despite taking an early lead through a Cisse goal in the second minute they went down 2-1 to Everton.

The Barclays English Premier League takes a break this weekend for the thrid round of the FA Cup which sees the big guns entering the competition, but does it really carry as much weight these days as it used to?  — David Blood, SportsCentral