Down to the wire
Last updated: 4th May 2008
I'm still not convinced the players want to do it for Avram Grant but you've still got to say that he has got to take some credit for how Chelsea are doing.
Shaun Custis, The Supplement
Quotes of the week
Sundays, Sky Sports 1
Shaun Custis told The Supplement that Chelsea will beat Newcastle on Monday and take the title race to the wire.
Custis, a staunch Geordie, believes that Chelsea will beat his team and take Manchester United all the way to the final day of the season.
With Chelsea powering forward having defeated Arsenal and United in the Premier League recently and made it to Moscow for the Champions League final, Custis feels they will have enough for a resurgent Newcastle at St James' Park.
"With Newcastle being involved in the title race that's very good!" Said Custis.
"I think it will go all the way to the wire, Chelsea are finishing very strongly - like a train. I think Chelsea can win at Newcastle and take it to the last day.
"And they probably deserve to take it to the last day because they have shown an exceptional strength of character."
Custis is unsure whether Avram Grant will keep his job for next season but believes that he must be acknowledged for the job that he has done at Stamford Bridge.
"Whatever it is that's binding them together - whether its all the team wanting to do it for themselves or as some have suggested they still want to do it for Jose...
"Goodness knows maybe they are, or they want to do it for Steve Clark to show that he's a great coach, I'm still not convinced they want to do it for Avram Grant but you've still got to say that he has got to take some credit for how Chelsea are doing.
"He must get credit because I cannot believe that if you had a manager that's hated buy the side he wouldn't be in this position.
"If players run the club it's a recipe for disaster, and at Chelsea it's the players who pretty much run the club."
To the fore
The Telegraph's Henry Winter feels more that Chelsea's fine form is largely down to the big game players coming through at the business end of the season.
Winter said: "Their big name players have all come to the fore at an important stage in the season - Drogba now is like a heavyweight who has come off the canvas, still throwing punches and each of them is connecting.
"John Terry is a fantastic leader and you just look for strong spines at this stage in the season. Chelsea do have this incredibly strong spine with Petr Cech, Terry, Ricardo Carvalho, Claude Makelele, Michael Essien, Drogba and Michael Ballack as well!
"I thought Ballack and Lampard couldn't play together but they certainly can.
"John Terry id the most important individual at Stamford Bridge after Abramovich. He has been absolutely vital because when they have been moments of uncertainty Terry has been the leader who has had words (with the players) and has organised things to boost morale like paintball."
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