Chelseafc.com continues a look back over another eventful year at the club with the words reported at the time. Mixed fortunes in March.

Prior to travelling to Coventry for the FA Cup quarter-final tie, there came news that the popular Paulo Ferreira would miss the rest of the season after becoming the latest Chelsea cruciate ligament victim.

The Portuguese defender's misfortune perhaps forced Hiddink's hand in his team selection at the Ricoh Arena, with Ashley Cole picked to play despite a midweek arrest. That meant the Dutchman picked an unchanged 11 from the side that won at Portsmouth, though Essien and Carvalho were on the bench.

The Ghanaian was afforded 30 minutes after a six-month layoff, the icing on the cake in a straightforward win.

Coventry had their odd moment but marshalled by a superb John Terry display, the defence never looked likely to be breached.

At the other end, Drogba's opener came early with the second added midway through the second half, just as the home team were working up a head of steam.

Drogba's third in four games came after he rounded the home goalkeeper and smashed into the far corner. From then onwards the result looked a formality, Alex's second on the breakaway rounding it off nicely after Quaresma had sent in a pinpoint low cross.

'Congratulations to Chelsea, a quality team. It was a complement to us that they played their full team,' said Coventry manager Chris Coleman.

'My players maxed out and we were hoping they would have an off-day - but they were bang on.'

Arsenal would await in the semi-finals, but attention now had to be on Turin.

Coventry 0-2 Chelsea at Ricoh Arena on 07-03-2009
Chelsea (4-3-3): Cech; Bosingwa, Alex, Terry (c), A Cole; Ballack, Mikel (Essien 64), Lampard; Kalou (Quaresma h-t), Drogba (Di Santo 79), Malouda.
Scorers Drogba 14, Alex 72.
Coventry (4-4-2): Westwood; Wright, Dann (c), Turner, Hall; Henderson, Gunnarsson, Doyle (Beuzelin 59), Eastwood; Morrison, Best.

In the build-up to our decisive Champions League game at Juventus, Guus Hiddink insisted we would not be sitting back to defend the slender one-goal lead, and there was encouraging news on the injury front.

'Carvalho is okay, he played a recent game, not at the highest level but he is fit to join,' said the temporary coach. 'Anelka also started to practice yesterday [Sunday] and a bit the day before. After training we will see what his reaction is.

'It is very important from now until the end of the season to have a very big squad in quality and with Essien coming back you get even more depth in quality. He can make his contribution as he did in the past.'

Handed a start on the right of a front three, the Bison certainly did make his contribution out in Turin.

His dream moment came seconds before half-time, bundling in a rebound to alter the complexion of a contest that had been going against Chelsea following Juventus's 14th minute opener.

The Blues had been second best but after the break were well on course until a penalty award put the pressure back on. Happily Drogba's fourth goal in five games tied up a 3-2 aggregate win and kept Hiddink's steady ship sailing on in three competitions.
In truth it had been a disjointed Chelsea performance, and the first game not won under the 62-year-old, but it was enough to see off former boss Claudio Ranieri and set up a last eight tie with perennial European opponents Liverpool.

Juventus 2-2 Chelsea at Stadio Olimpico di Torino on 10-03-2009
Chelsea (4-3-3): Cech; Bosingwa, Alex (Carvalho 88), Terry (c), A Cole; Ballack, Mikel, Lampard; Essien (Belletti 65), Drogba, Anelka.
Scorers Essien 45, Drogba 82.
Booked Cech 62, Drogba 68, Cole 87, Anelka 90.
Juventus (4-3-3): Buffon; Grygera, Mellberg, Chiellini, Molinaro; Tiago, Marchisio, Nedved (Salihamidzic 12); Del Piero, Iaquinta (Giovinco 60), Trezeguet (Amauri 78).
Scorers Iaquinta 18, Del Piero 72 pen.
Booked Salihamidzic 45+1, Chiellini 53, Del Piero 90.
Sent-off Chiellini 69

The rest of March would now allow for clear Premier League focus, with just two games to play before the extended international break.

Hiddink indicated there would be changes in order to get players lacking match fitness up to speed, the likes of Essien, Carvalho and Deco expected to take on greater roles for the run in.

'I am satisfied with the attitude of all the players and I am also happy we have broadened the squad. I can now use some options but not to rest a lot of players, I don't like to do that, but to get some players game-fit for the final period of whatever is to come,' Hiddink said.

Our next opponent was Manchester City on March 15. Earlier in the season we had ruined their party by winning well at Eastlands, this time we were expected to take the three points, and we did thanks again to Essien.

The midfielder's looping mishit was enough to gift us a fourth 1-0 win under Hiddink, and keep the pressure on Manchester United and Liverpool after the Merseysiders had won 4-1 at Old Trafford. We were now four points behind Sir Alex Ferguson's men, though they retained a game in hand.

Frank Lampard, Michael Ballack and Florent Malouda were all close to extending the narrow lead, but in the end one goal was enough on Essien's first league start since August. He was joined by Carvalho and Deco, neither of whom had started in the Premier League since January's thrashing at United.

Unfortunately for Deco, his afternoon was cut short before half-time, with what looked to be a recurrence of the same hamstring problem.

'He was fit, he worked hard the last weeks and played his games. After 20, 25 minutes he got his problem again and I think he will be out for a while,' Hiddink said of his playmaker.

'That's a pity, I think when he starts now he has to be very long and intense after his recovery medically to be very fit, so I have my doubts to be honest [about the rest of the season] but let's see in the upcoming time.'

And what of Robinho's involvement at Stamford Bridge? Chelseafc.com reported: 'The winger had a miserable afternoon, compounded by a heavy challenge from Lampard, which left him limping.' He was replaced by Valeri Bojinov.

Chelsea 1- 0 Man City at Stamford Bridge on 15-03-2009
Chelsea (4-3-3): Cech; Bosingwa, Carvalho, Terry (c), A Cole; Essien, Ballack, Lampard; Anelka, Drogba (Malouda 70), Deco (Belletti 40).
Goal Essien 17
Manchester City (4-1-4-1): Given; Richards, Dunne (c), Onuoha, Bridge; Zabaleta; Wright-Phillips, Elano (Etuhu 65), Ireland, Robinho (Bojinov 80); Caicedo (Evans 54).
Booked Elano 28, Evans 74

So confidence was high as we prepared to win a first London derby of the season at Tottenham, who had escaped Stamford Bridge back in August with a point.

Harry Redknapp was now in charge at White Hart Lane and had overseen something of a revival since they sat bottom of the table with two points from eight games, but with the title still to play for, Chelsea were favourites.

There was more disruption to Hiddink's side though as again Carvalho was forced out, this time with an ankle injury, and so Alex would deputise. There was no Mikel in midfield so the triumvirate of Ballack, Essien and Lampard continued. Belletti started on the right wing, possibly to combat the threat of Spurs playmaker Luka Modric.

What followed is best described as a bad day at the office.

Hiddink suffered his first defeat in charge as his team failed to spark in attack, on an afternoon of huge frustration, with Man United suffering consecutive defeats long before this delayed kick-off was over.

Petr Cech was arguably the top Chelsea performer and it took until midway into the second-half for Heurelho Gomes in the home goal to make a truly difficult save, and that from a John Terry set-piece header.

The game's only goal came shortly after half-time, scored by Modric, following some negligent defending and an opening period in which neither side threatened much.

Quaresma replaced the peripheral Belletti and we began to threaten. Lampard supplied Drogba for an angled drive which Gomes did well to keep out at the near post. The Spurs keeper then caught an outside-of-the-boot shot from Quaresma that threatened to creep under the bar.

Effort was not lacking towards the end as we attempted to batter a way through. Anelka had a shot from the right saved and Ballack on the turn saw an effort blocked on the line.

Between those moments it looked to everyone as if Alex had headed an equaliser until the bar intervened and Gomes scooped away. With it looked to go our Premier League title ambitions, further slips from both United and Liverpool too unlikely a thought to entertain.

Tottenham 1-0 Chelsea at White Hart Lane on 21-03-2009
Chelsea (4-3-3): Cech; Bosingwa, Alex, Terry (c), A Cole; Essien (Malouda 76), Ballack, Lampard; Belletti (Quaresma 60), Drogba, Anelka.
Booked Belletti 45+1, Ballack 83.
Tottenham (4-4-2): Gomes; Corluka, Woodgate, King (c), Assou-Ekotto; (Lennon 90+3) Zokora, Jenas, Palacios, Modric (O'Hara 86); Bent, Keane (c).
Scorer Modric 49
Booked Palacios 77, Modric 78.

Hiddink's assessment was metaphorical but clear. 'The way we lost 10 minutes after half-time, as professionals with so many international games, you must know when there is heat in the kitchen and extinguish the fire.

'We lost a great opportunity. These are the typical days at the top of the league, the key moments and if Man United are losing, those are the moments to strike and we didn't,' he lamented.

Now the players, and coach, would troop off to international duty in disappointed mood after this painful defeat.

To be continued…