geminisquest

Lampard penalty ends Man City's unbeaten run!

2011-12-13T10:02:00.002+02:00

Lampard penalty ends Man City's unbeaten run

Frank Lampard came off the bench to convert a late penalty as Chelsea beat Manchester City 2-1 on Monday to inflict the Premier League leaders' first defeat of the season. City, reduced to 10 men for the last half hour, had wasted no time getting off the mark when Mario Balotelli netted in the second minute after a delightful through-ball from Sergio Aguero.

Chelsea then weathered a literal and metaphorical storm as City dominated the opening period at a rainy Stamford Bridge and were lucky not to concede a penalty before levelling through a Raul Meireles volley in the 34th minute. That goal and the 58th-minute sending off of City left back Gael Clichy raised the home side's spirits and when Joleon Lescott handled Daniel Sturridge's shot, substitute Lampard fired home from the penalty spot on 83 minutes.

City's first defeat in 15 matches opened up the title race. They have 38 points, two ahead of champions Manchester United and seven clear of third-placed Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur. "We needed to win really to stay in the race," Lampard told Sky Sports. "I was very relieved when it (the penalty) hit the back of the net."

City had sought to give a quick answer to questions over what effect last week's Champions League exit might have on their domestic campaign as they raced into an early lead. Aguero saw the space in the Chelsea defence to send a pin-point pass from the outside of his right foot to Balotelli, who rounded keeper Petr Cech and calmly slotted the ball in.

The Italian striker greeted his goal with something much closer to a celebration than his usual nonchalance, half raising his arms as a flicker of a smile crossed his lips. The visitors proceeded to dominate with Aguero shooting just wide before City had a good shout for a penalty when David Silva was caught on the knee by Jose Bosingwa's shin in the area in an action-packed opening spell.

Chelsea could only watch on as City patiently put together a series of fluid passing moves but somehow managed to contain their visitors and stay in the game. They had to wait until midway through the first half for their first chance which came when Didier Drogba forced City keeper Joe Hart to make a low save.

The Londoners drew level when former City forward Daniel Sturridge cut the ball back from a tight angle for a charging Meireles to smash home. Chelsea looked sharper after the break with Juan Mata making some dangerous moves and were further boosted with their man advantage.

Clichy, shown his first yellow card just after the break for a challenge on Sturridge, was given his marching orders after a badly timed lunge on Ramires. That forced City into sacrificing one of their main attacking options by taking off Aguero to bring on defender Kolo Toure and Chelsea capitalised.

Lampard had been patiently watching from the bench before manager Andre Villas-Boas sent him on in the 73rd minute. Ten minutes later the 33-year-old midfielder was celebrating after stepping up to smash home from the penalty spot and his team mates mobbed him at the final whistle with Chelsea firmly back in the title race.

AVB claims media persecution!

2011-12-07T10:31:00.006+02:00

AVB claims media persecution

Drogba 1st goal
Ramires 1st goal
Drogba 2nd goal

In the wake of progressing to the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League, Andre Villas-Boas launched a scathing attack on the media for what he perceives as an 'out of this world' persecution of Chelsea.

In his post-match press conference following Tuesday's win over Valencia, the Stamford Bridge manager claimed his side are the subject of 'continuous aggressiveness' from reporters. Chelsea booked a place in the knockout stages with a 3-0 victory which also ensured they won Group E and Villas-Boas had already described the result as a 'slap in the face' to critics.

But the 34-year-old, whose position as boss has been questioned, continued to rant in the wake of the match and claimed Premier League leaders Manchester City have an easy ride in comparison to Chelsea. "This is continuous persecution of Chelsea. Continuous aggressiveness towards one club. We have become your target, we accept that."

Villas-Boas' team could have been knocked out of the Champions League had results not gone their way on Tuesday night and the Portuguese thinks City have been let off lightly given the fact they too are facing elimination going into their final group match. "I hope they qualify, sincerely," said Villas-Boas, who is now preparing to host Premier League leaders City at Stamford Bridge next Monday and had previously accused the media of a premeditated agenda in Saturday's win at Newcastle.

"But the approach to Manchester City is basically, 'if they qualify, they qualify. If they don't qualify, they don't qualify'. We don't get that margin, basically, from you guys (the media). "I will never criticise your editorial choices, but it is a reality. People take a perspective that is out of this world.

."We see a Manchester United defender (Gary Neville) today say in the preparations for the game and says things like, 'I don't want to be one of the Chelsea players today', 'I couldn't play this game' and 'It is a difficult game for them'. "This is out of this world, for me. I don't believe this.

"This is continuous persecution of Chelsea. Continuous aggressiveness towards one club. We have become your target, we accept that. "But you have to accept that today was a brilliant win. And tomorrow, it is unfortunate for you guys, because you have to report on a brilliant win for Chelsea and qualifying first. "It is difficult for everybody and tomorrow is difficult for you guys."

Newcastle United manager Alan Pardew baffled by yellow card for David Luiz foul!

2011-12-05T10:19:00.004+02:00

Newcastle United manager Alan Pardew baffled by yellow card for David Luiz foul

Newcastle manager Alan Pardew is to examine the rule book after admitting he was baffled as to why Chelsea's David Luiz was not sent off today. In the fourth minute and with the score 0-0, the Brazilian brought down Demba Ba with only goalkeeper Petr Cech standing between him and the opening goal. But referee Mike Dean decided only to show a yellow card.

Pardew told Sky Sports that Dean had told him Ba did not have "control of the ball" so it was not a red-card offence. "I am going to have to look at the rule book," said Pardew. "It's a sending-off, it's as simple as that. It changed the game." Goals from Didier Drogba, Salomon Kalou and Daniel Sturridge ensured Chelsea return to Stamford Bridge with three points.

Pardew continued: "He's in on goal and he brings him down. I do not understand the logic of referees when that happens. I genuinely believe that the referee got that wrong." Chelsea manager André Villa-Boas said the 3-0 victory was a "massive result". But he admitted the Blues were lucky to keep 11 men on the field.

"We have been treated unfairly for quite some time as well and maybe today the decision fell our way," Villas-Boas said. "I'm sure Alan will not be happy." Drogba admitted it was important to go into next week's must-win Champions League clash against Valencia with a victory. He said: "Even if we had a bad result we still have to win the game in the Champions League. "It's good to approach the game with three points."

Newcastle 0 - Chelsea 3 highlights

Chelsea need an anxiety cure, admits Villas-Boas!

2011-11-30T10:13:00.001+02:00

Chelsea need an anxiety cure, admits Villas-Boas

CHELSEA 0 vs LIVERPOOL 2

UNDER-FIRE Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas admits there’s no quick remedy to his side’s alarming slump which gathered unwanted momentum following last night’s Carling Cup defeat against Liverpool

Second half goals from Maxi Rodriguez and Martin Kelly inflicted on Chelsea a third defeat in their last four games at Stamford Bridge, a result which prompted their Portuguese manager to concede “I’m not a wizard”.

Already 12 points off the pace set by Premier League leaders Manchester City, Chelsea will crash out of the Champions League should they lose against Valencia next Tuesday.

“This standard won’t be enough – we need to up the tempo and play that game with the ultimate desire,” said Villas-Boas. “At the moment, at home we’ve just not been good enough. I think we need to get our fans behind us at home and we need to get the emotions right.

“I know, and you can feel, Stamford Bridge has become anxious about Chelsea playing at home, but we need their full support. That’s the only way you can build the atmosphere to take us through this period.”

Andy Carroll missed the best chance of the first half when his penalty was blocked by Ross Turnbull, but Liverpool took a deserved lead in the 58th minute when Maxi Rodriguez finished off a slick passing move. And the visitors moved to within 180 minutes of their first trip to Wembley since 1996 when Martin Kelly headed home Craig Bellamy’s free-kick five minutes later.

KEY MOMENT

Phil Dowd’s failure to spot the most blatant of trips by Sebastian Coates on David Luiz inside the penalty area was an astonishing error. Had Chelsea gone ahead from the penalty they should have received, it may have all been different.

DUGOUT VIEW

Unfortunately, Lucas has damaged his knee, we don’t know what the problem is. We’ll get it looked at and take it from there.

Liverpool manager, Kenny Dalglish

TALKING POINT

Defeat in the Carling Cup is unlikely to represent the straw that broke the camel’s back, but upcoming matches against Valencia, Manchester City and Spurs could be make or break for Andre Villas-Boas.

Alex penalty saved by Turnball

Chelsea manager André Villas-Boas knows victory over Valencia is more crucial than beating Wolves!

2011-11-28T10:25:00.005+02:00

Chelsea manager André Villas-Boas knows victory over Valencia is more crucial than beating Wolves

“Wait and see.” It is unlikely André Villas-Boas will utter three wiser words this season than those he used after Chelsea had dispatched a woeful Wolves with ease. Sure, the victory ended an embarrassing sequence of defeats for the Londoners. Yes, it closed the gap on others higher up the Premier League who engaged in stalemate at Old Trafford. Indeed, the game may have given intriguing glimpse of the shape and personnel he wishes to develop at the club. But there was no triumphalism from the manager, no noisy berating of those who claimed he was losing grip of the dressing room. Just a curt reminder that greater challenges lie ahead.

“It was not a game of life-or-death,” he said. “That game will come against Valencia in the Champions League when the team who wins will qualify. We were expected to get three points.” The word “expected” qualifies as the understatement of the season. If ever there were a set of guests to welcome in the midst of a crisis it was this Wolverhampton Wanderers side. Missing four regulars to injury and suspension, Wolves were generous to a fault. Within the first five minutes, Ashley Cole was left isolated in so much space on the left wing he was in danger of succumbing to agoraphobia. Meanwhile John Terry and David Luiz, a centre-back pairing that has shown all the solidity of a half-set blancmange, were gifted an untroubled afternoon.

It was a perfect opportunity for Villas-Boas to give a Premier League debut to Oriel Romeu. The young Spaniard responded with a faultless performance in the holding midfield position, doing several things – tackling, maintaining the line, passing the ball to a team mate – which have recently seemed beyond the usual incumbent, John Obi Mikel. With Ramires and Raul Meireles joining Romeu in the greedy seizure of possession, allowing Juan Mata and Daniel Sturridge to run the visiting defence ragged, this had the shape and look of a Villas-Boas side. “Wait and see” what this lot might do in the future was the manager’s implied message.

Still, as a sense of superiority was restored to the Bridge, what would have made the crowd’s day was for Fernando Torres to be promoted from the bench, sensing opponents this supine offered the perfect opportunity for the £50 million misfit to restore his scoring mojo. But Villas-Boas, however, was not one to be swayed. “I heard them,” said his manager of the crowd’s insistence. “But I make the decisions here.” And he decided to give Torres no more than a 15-minute cameo which proved entirely fruitless. For this manager, the collective is all. Unlike certain of his predecessors, even the man in charge is but a cog in the machine.

“It’s not about me personally,” he insisted, when asked if the result eased the pressure on him. “It’s about this club, and at the moment this club is fifth in the table. We just have to continue our work,” he said. “We trust these players to take us to four trophies and I believe in them.” Belief, he said, “will be the last thing to die at this club.” That and an open invitation to Wolves. If only Chelsea could play them every week, then Villas-Boas’s job would be a doddle.

John Terry goal

Sturridge goal

Mata goal

match highlights

'Everything seems to be happening to us' - Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas rues late defeat to Bayer Leverkusen!

2011-11-24T10:13:00.003+02:00

'Everything seems to be happening to us' - Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas rues late defeat to Bayer Leverkusen

Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas has rued his side's misfortune after a last-minute goal saw the Blues defeated 2-1 by Bayer Leverkusen. The Londoners now face an uphill battle to qualify for the Champions League knockout stages, needing to at least avoid defeat against Valencia - a side who hit seven to beat Genk - in their final Group E match.

"Everything seems to be happening to us," Villas-Boas told ITV after the loss in Germany. "We scored first and were compact through the whole game and we had a big chance to go 2-0 up with Florent Malouda through on goal. "It is tough for the English clubs at the moment in the Champions League, but we have to put a brave face on and get back to winning ways.

"We have been conceding a lot of goals, but conceding from a corner is something we have not done for quite some time. We were compact and disciplined from set plays until the very last moment. "One small detail makes a big difference and in this competition you pay heavily."

The Portuguese coach went on to dismiss the importance of a Didier Drogba penalty claim just minutes before Leverkusen scored their winner from a corner. "It is pointless to focus on it now," he continued. "Our focus must be on Valencia - we are still in front of Valencia, it will be a good battle and a decisive one because we expect Leverkusen to do their job in Belgium against Genk."

The former Porto boss also insisted his side must improve their concentration even further if they are to turn their current poor run of form around. He added: "Today we were concentrated and focused but there are no perfect organisations. "If that is the case we need to get the focus and concentration up again because at the moment everything is happening to us. "No excuses, if we need to go one more step up, that is what we have to do."

When asked if the result had affected his resolve to turn around Chelsea's stuttering form, Villas Boas later told Sky Sports: "No, because it is nothing to do with what we do. "We believe in the talent of these players a lot. That is why we decided to take all the competitions with these players. "We believe in them and their talent. It is their talent that is going to take us through this qualification phase."

Villas-Boas also expressed his confidence that his side could defeat Valencia in a winner-takes-all clash to reach the knockout stages. "A draw is sufficient but we are looking for a win against Valencia," he said. "We expect Bayer Leverkusen to do their job against Genk, but we must do everything in our power to win that game. We need Stamford Bridge to be behind us."

Bayer Lverkusen 2 Chelsea 1 highlights

AVB: The owner did not spend millions bringing me here, just to pay another fortune to get me out... WANT TO BET?

2011-11-21T10:18:00.003+02:00

AVB: The owner did not spend millions bringing me here, just to pay another fortune to get me out... WANT TO BET?

Under pressure: But Villas-Boas is confident he won't be axed

Andre Villas-Boas reacted defiantly to another Chelsea defeat and insisted he is not about to become the next victim of Roman Abramovich's trigger finger. Liverpool won 2-1 at Stamford Bridge on Sunday after a brilliant late goal by Glen Johnson which condemned his former club to their third defeat in four Barclays Premier League games.

Chelsea are 12 points adrift of Manchester City and manager Villas-Boas conceded it was a 'bad blow'. But he vowed to fight and refused to accept that his job might be under threat if the slide goes on.

'It is not a question of the owner having patience,' he said. 'We have set out to build something new. The owner didn't pay €15million to get me here form Porto only to pay another fortune to get me out. Our commitment is towards the club and what we are doing in the future. We have enough talent to compete in all competitions, and that's the perspective we take at the moment.

'The situation in the Premier League is not good for us. It's not impossible to turn it around but it's not the brightest of starts for Chelsea in the Premier League in the last 10 years. 'With the dimension of our club, you cannot forget that your fans expect you to win titles. Our responsibility is to win trophies. We're in four still, and we still have the possibility to win them.

'The number of goals we are conceding is something that worries me but we trust our defensive organisation. We believe in their talent to solve these situations. 'It doesn't look good being 12 points behind strong leaders but the December fixtures give us hope if we're able to make the most of them. 'There is no running away from responsibilities. There is no calling this a transitional period. We're not calling for time to work.'

Villas-Boas was unimpressed by remarks made by former Manchester United captain Gary Neville in his new role as an analyst for Sky Sports. Neville said Chelsea's Brazilian defender David Luiz seemed like he was being controlled by a 10-year-old playing on his PlayStation. The Chelsea manager said: 'It's a stupid approach to an opinion but if that's the way he wants to take the game, that's ridiculous.'

Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish said any pressure on Villas-Boas was premature, saying: 'Nobody in the football profession will be questioning him. 'I don't know the lad, but he had a fantastic c.v. at Porto. 'There's huge respect for him in the football profession.' But Ladbrokes slashed their odds on Villas-Boas becoming the first Premier League manager to be sacked this season from 33-1 before kick-off to 10-1 after the game.

Sturridge goal

Chelsea 1 - Liverpool 2 : match highlights

'Ugly win' suits Frank Lampard in Chelsea's fight to stay with leaders!

2011-11-07T13:20:00.001+02:00

Blackburn Rovers 0 Chelsea 1

André Villas-Boas greeted the final whistle with almost as much delight as Roberto Mancini celebrating a late winner against Villarreal. The relief was almost tangible. Not only had Chelsea avoided falling to three successive league defeats for the first time under the Abramovich regime and its money moved in, the three points courtesy of Frank Lampard's stooping header allowed them to stay in the top four within sight of the leaders.

"We have to keep our challenge right on track," the Chelsea manager said. "We have two games at home now and then we have all December with just Premier League fixtures where we have to go and get the most amount of points as possible. It might be a decisive month."

Villas-Boas is no stranger to English football, having worked at Chelsea under José Mourinho, but he feels the Premier League is more competitive than ever. Not just compared with the Portuguese league, which Porto were able to win by 21 points last season, but compared with what has gone before in England.

"At the moment I think there are five teams with enough talent to win the title," he said. "The two Manchester clubs, Arsenal, Liverpool and us. But then Tottenham are on a fantastic run with a game in hand. Newcastle are on a fantastic run and in the top three. I have always said this is the most competitive league in the world but I've never seen it so competitive as this year. Winning every game is almost impossible and it puts more of a price on the fact that [Arsenal's] Arsène Wenger once won this league undefeated."

The Chelsea goalscorer can second that. "The competition at the top is so fierce you can't afford to lose too many points," Lampard said. "We knew after two defeats that this was a must-win game in terms of keeping up with the leading gang, so it was big. It wasn't pretty but wins like this mean as much as the four- or five-nils when we play beautiful football. We don't mind winning ugly. Last season we climbed back into contention after being 15 points behind but you have to look at how well other teams are doing, particularly City. Experience tells us there's still a long way to go but we don't want to give ourselves too much of a mountain to climb."

Blackburn's marking was at fault when Branislav Ivanovic's cross reached Lampard at the start of the second half, though they had been unlucky to lose Chris Samba with a hamstring pull just before the interval and ended up playing with two makeshift centre-backs in Gaël Givet and Grant Hanley. "I'm not renowned for my heading but I was committed and when the ball dipped I ended up heading it almost off the floor," Lampard said.

Given that the inexperienced Hanley went on to miss the best chance of the game at the other end and Ivanovic headed against his own bar in the closing minutes Blackburn were unlucky all round, although Yakubu Ayegbeni might have been expected to finish more expertly from at least one of his two chances.

It was another strange day at Ewood, with Blackburn fans flouting the terrace ban on anti-Steve Kean slogans by hiring a light aircraft to buzz the ground trailing a streamer calling for his removal. The majority inside the stadium showed deserved appreciation for a gutsy performance before a couple of hundred stayed behind to mount the usual demonstration against owners and manager. How this unhappy relationship will end is anyone's guess, though Kean is right about one thing: Blackburn are not playing badly.

"We minimised Chelsea's chances and made quite a few of our own," the Rovers manager said. "That's against one of the most expensively assembled sides around and we had seven lads under the age of 23. All we can do is accept that protests are likely to be part of matchdays but the players are probably becoming disappointed with them and they don't deserve that. If we weren't playing well or working hard, then OK. But we are, and the players are not enjoying the negativity."

Chelsea's defensive sloppiness exposed by resurgent Genk!

2011-11-02T10:24:00.004+02:00

Chelsea's defensive sloppiness exposed by resurgent Genk

Rameris and Luiz celebration dance

Chelsea's recent stutter has spread over into Europe. André Villas-Boas was always likely to contest that a draw secured away from home in this competition should ever constitute the extension of a blip, but his side suffered the same lapses of concentration and outbreaks of sloppiness in Belgium that have afflicted them domestically. After what the manager had described as "a disastrous week", there was to be no real respite in Genk.

The visitors could be thankful that the home side proved considerably less ruthless than Arsenal had on Saturday but there will be realisation, too, that better sides than the Belgians would have prospered when confronted with this performance. Chelsea's are familiar problems: they can be open defensively, while too many chances are being fluffed at the other end. David Luiz missed a penalty, maintaining the trend set last week by Nicolas Anelka at Everton. Yet, even from the top of Group E, this whole occasion felt like an opportunity missed.

Genk were more organised here than they had been in succumbing 5-0 at Stamford Bridge two weeks ago, with Daniel Tozser restored to defensive midfield and more resolve instilled across their back line. But they still should have been comfortably beaten. Chelsea's lax start had been salvaged by a fine Ramires goal, the Brazilian exchanging passes with Fernando Torres before shooting through Laszlo Koteles's grasp from a tight angle, and they should have built an unassailable lead thereafter. Yet conviction waned as chances were spurned and, after the interval, the hosts made their own impression.

This defence, with John Terry an unused substitute, felt exposed too often. Kevin de Bruyne, a long-standing Chelsea target, revelled in the space behind José Bosingwa while Fabien Camus, more than once, bulldozed through the gap between Branislav Ivanovic and David Luiz. Kennedy Nwanganga might have restored parity only for Cech to block his close-range attempt with his legs. Jelle Vossen duly did, converting Camus's pull-back through a cluttered six-yard box.

That was Genk's first goal in this group, and reward for their refusal to be left demoralised by their chastening experience in London last month. "We played even better than Chelsea in that second half," said their coach, Mario Been. "I know how people spoke about us in England after that first game. Maybe we'll buy the papers tomorrow and see that people talk about us a little bit better."

The side who sit sixth in the Belgian league might still have been finished off in the frantic last half-hour, with Chelsea's cavalry – Frank Lampard, Juan Mata and Daniel Sturridge – summoned from the bench, but the Londoners continue to flounder where they would expect to flourish. This team are capable of running up cricket scores but they are contriving to choke in front of goal.

David Luiz's penalty attempt had rather summed that up. The Brazil defender had taken the responsibility after Thomas Buffel's handball, with Anelka accepting the decision following his own miss at Goodison Park last Wedneday, only for Koteles to dive to his right and paw the ball away. That miss felt wasteful but not critical at the time, yet the flurry of late opportunities that also went begging reflected greater anxiety. Lampard from a yard out could not contort his body to convert Sturridge's centre, while Raul Meireles – who had earlier struck the angle of post and bar from distance – planted a header straight at Koteles.

When Anele Ngongca comically battered a clearance from the goalline into Nadson, the ball dribbling just wide of the post, Chelsea knew this would not be their night. "We created enough opportunities to win the game, but it's just not happening for us in terms of efficiency," said Villas-Boas. "We hit the post, missed a penalty, had chances in front of the posts. It seems we need to focus in terms of that efficiency. It's not a bad result away from home, but it's a game we expected to win."

This group feels trickier as a result, with Valencia sensing a reprieve and Chelsea facing an awkward trip to Bayer Leverkusen in a fortnight. Even so, four points in their last two games would be enough to win the section. "It gets a little bit tighter, but our responsibilities do not change," added the Portuguese. "Our job is to qualify first and that's what we'd like to do. When you get a bad run of results you have to get a win straight away to take you out of that run, but we're playing difficult games. At the moment, we're still trying to chase that win."

Their pursuit will be carried to Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park on Saturday with improvement clearly still required. At the moment, there is angst and anxiety where Chelsea would hope to be cruising.

Andre Villas-Boas has no case for his Chelsea defence!

2011-10-31T13:25:00.003+02:00

Andre Villas-Boas has no case for his Chelsea defence

If it goes on like this, he'll be known as AVB4 — A Vulnerable Back Four. Andre Villas-Boas was bought in to brighten the place up and get Chelsea playing the attacking football Roman Abramovich craves. Sadly, the stable door is not so much ajar as wide open with a galeforce wind whipping up off the Thames and blowing right through it.

There were always going to be unfavourable comparisons with Jose Mourinho if things went wrong for his Portuguese protege at Stamford Bridge. And after the shambolic 5-3 defeat by Arsenal, the stats are growing increasingly grim. In 10 league games this term, Chelsea have conceded 15 goals — as many as Mourinho's team let in winning the title in the ENTIRE 2004-2005 campaign.

In fact, the five shipped against Arsenal was just one less than the six surrendered in all 19 home league games that season. In terms of league defeats — three in the first 10 games — it's the worst start by ANY Blues boss under Abramovich. It took Claudio Ranieri 18 games before he lost three. It took Mourinho an extraordinary 64. Yes, SIXTY-FOUR. Avram Grant was beaten in just two of his first 32 — including his first at Old Trafford — and still vacated his post.
Phil Scolari lost three of 21, four of 25 and was fired. And, finally, Carlo Ancelotti. He lost three of the opening 15 — and six in all — but still won the Double. Even in his second season, there was only one defeat in the first 10 though this would rise to four in 14 and six in 21. And we all know what happened there.

Under Villas-Boas, Chelsea have failed to keep a clean sheet in nine league games, their worst run for a decade.
OK, we know statistics don't tell the whole story but there is some damning evidence here. We also know a young manager should be given time. Even Abramovich, with his notoriously itchy trigger-finger, must appreciate this. Yet Chelsea fans trooping disconsolately away from Stamford Bridge on Saturday must be seriously concerned.

Incredibly, their own defence was as poor after the break as Arsenal's had been before it. And this is taking into account the lumbering, out of position Per Mertesacker — at fault for both of Chelsea's opening two goals — and Andre Santos, who for 45 minutes gave one of the poorest full-back displays seen this season. And yet after half-time Chelsea turned into a carbon copy of their north London rivals.

Sure, Arsene Wenger's side are quick on the break and have Robin van Persie in the form of his life. But it was still a shock to see how easily unhinged the Chelsea back four became, as slow on the turn as waxworks, a veritable defensive chamber of horrors. Then, again, this has been creeping up on them. Jose Bosingwa is as good going forward as Santos appeared after the break. But he is as equally a liability when it comes to positional play — totally exposed by Arsenal's Brazilian full-back for the Gunners' second equaliser.

And then we come to the heart of the problem — central defence. Under Mourinho, John Terry and Ricardo Carvalho formed a near impenetrable barrier. Carvalho allowed Terry to play, covered for him and the England skipper did the same.
Terry, of course, is now five years older. But he is not helped by a lack of a regular partner. Alex isn't rated by Villas- Boas and could well be sold in January while David Luiz, despite a great touch and easy, languid movement going forward, is another with defensive weak link. To discover this after forking out £21million is a high price to pay.

Which leaves Branislav Ivanovic. Athletic, powerful, he is the best of the three though too similar to Terry and, like his captain, susceptible to a quick-turning player as we saw when both were left for dead by Theo Walcott for Arsenal's third.
Only now are people realising just what an accomplished defender Carvalho was. And, finally, Petr Cech. To be beaten three times at your near post is a worrying sign of increasing vulnerability.

As was Chelsea's lack of midfield bite and another anonymous showing from the allegedly revitalised Fernando Torres. That this was also, supposedly, Chelsea's best side leaves AVB4 with much work to do.

Toffees come unstuck in cup!

2011-10-27T10:19:00.006+02:00

Toffees come unstuck in cup

Everton 1 - Chelsea 2 match highlights

Daniel Sturridge struck late in extra time as 10-man Chelsea edged out 10-man Everton 2-1 in the Carling Cup fourth round at Goodison Park. Chelsea went ahead through Salomon Kalou after a dreadful error by Everton goalkeeper Jan Mucha, but were pegged back by Louis Saha after goalkeeper Ross Turnbull was sent off. But Everton wasted numerous chances to win it in normal time at Goodison Park and, after Royston Drenthe also saw red in extra time, Sturridge settled the fourth-round tie after 116 minutes.

It was a remarkable contest in which both sides missed a penalty, Nicolas Anelka firing wide early on and Petr Cech, on after Turnbull's indiscretion, saving from Leighton Baines. Chelsea made 10 changes as they fielded a largely second-string team, but manager Andre Villas-Boas packed his bench with senior players as insurance. Cech may have been the least likely of them to play, but he ended up contributing more than most as the Londoners reached the last eight.

While the likes of Frank Lampard, Fernando Torres and Juan Mata were also on the bench, captain John Terry did not travel. Terry is currently the subject of a racism investigation but his absence was down to the fact he has been booked four times this season. A fifth yellow card at Goodison would have put him out of the weekend clash with Arsenal. Everton fielded a side that would not have looked out of place in the Premier League, aside from the inclusion of regular cup goalkeeper Mucha in place of number one Tim Howard.

Chelsea went close to taking the lead in the first minute when Romelu Lukaku broke into the box and fired just wide. Everton responded quickly as Diniyar Bilyaletdinov pulled the ball back for Saha but Turnbull just got down quick enough to block. Saha then made another good run and tried his luck from 25 yards but Turnbull saved more impressively.

Chelsea should have taken the lead after John Heitinga conceded a penalty by hacking down Josh McEachran.

But Anelka lacked conviction as he plodded up to the spot and side-footed wide. Chelsea wanted another penalty moments later when Anelka appeared to be bundled over by Sylvain Distin. It was possibly outside the box, but nothing was given anyway. After Lukaku shot wide again, Everton briefly threatened when Drenthe reached the byline but Bilyaletdinov's shot from the edge of the area did not worry Turnbull.

Mucha, by contrast, was inexplicably troubled by an innocuous shot as Chelsea were gifted the lead after 38 minutes. The Slovakian seemed in little danger as Kalou gently lobbed the ball at him from 18 yards, but he somehow allowed it to squirm through his grasp and his frantic effort to recover proved in vain. Kalou almost seemed embarrassed to celebrate as he attempted to pull his shirt over his head.

Everton were almost caught napping early in the second half as Anelka found space only to shoot at Mucha, but Turnbull then suffered his moment of horror to allow Everton back into the game. David Luiz failed to cut out Tim Cahill's flick and Saha instinctively touched the ball past Turnbull, who chopped him down. Referee Lee Mason pointed to the spot and brandished a red card, but Cech immediately made amends for his team-mate with a brilliant double save.

The Czech, brought on as Lukaku was sacrificed, parried Baines' penalty and then blocked the left-back's second attempt before Cahill headed wide. Cech saved again moments later from a Bilyaletdinov header and Everton suffered further frustration as Drenthe flashed a free-kick inches over. Despite Cech's heroics, the tide had turned and Everton's pressure finally paid off as they equalised with seven minutes remaining when Saha met a cross from substitute Seamus Coleman with a perfect header at the near post.

Cech was well beaten, as he was moments later when Drenthe flashed a shot across the face of goal. Everton maintained the tempo with another substitute, Denis Stracqualursi, heading over and Coleman making a mazy run into the area which Alex eventually cut out. Saha saw another low shot roll agonisingly wide as Chelsea survived five additional minutes to reach extra time. The break allowed Chelsea to regroup and the numbers were evened up when Drenthe was dismissed for a second bookable offence after sending Ryan Bertrand sprawling. Anelka's misery continued as his fierce shot struck Baines on the line, hit the post and rebounded to safety, but Chelsea were not to be denied. The winner came five minutes from the end as Mucha beat out a Florent Malouda shot but could do little to prevent Sturridge following in.

Villas-Boas furious at referee as Drogba and Bosingwa see red!

2011-10-24T07:52:00.005+02:00

Villas-Boas furious at referee as Drogba and Bosingwa see red

Andre Villas-Boas, the Chelsea manager, criticised Chris Foy, the referee, after seeing two players sent off in a 1-0 defeat to QPR which saw his side miss the chance to overtake Manchester United and move second in the table.

Jose Bosingwa and Didier Drogba were both dismissed as Chelsea pressed in the first half. David Luiz also conceded a needless penalty to gift the home side a first victory over their London rivals for more than 16 years, and their first Premier League home win of the season.

“I have to praise the players because they were amazing,” Villas-Boas told Sky Sports.

“For 45 minutes we played with nine men and that takes courage, it shows the strength and commitment of squad. It’s the third time in row where a referee has directly influenced the result for us and we’re not happy with this. In three games there have been blatant refereeing mistakes.”

Heidar Helguson had scored from the penalty spot before Foy controversially dismissed Bosingwa, who was judged to be last man when he hauled down Shaun Wright-Phillips.

Drogba then gave Foy no choice but to brandish the red card for a second time with a two-footed challenge on Adel Taarabt.

“I’m very disappointed with Chris’s performance,” said Villas-Boas. “With nine players we kept our emotions very well. Chris and his team managed to play an emotional game and they conceded to the crowd and committed tremendous mistakes.”

Chelsea also received seven yellow cards at Loftus Road.

It looked a lost cause for the nine men of Chelsea in the second half, but they went close to levelling straight away when Frank Lampard was just beaten to Raul Meireles’s brilliant cross.

QPR could not find a second goal and Chelsea should have capitalised with just over 10 minutes left when Nicolas Anelka headed the ball straight at Paddy Kenny, the goalkeeper, from four yards.

Chelsea then wasted another great chance to level when Lampard deflected Luiz’s overhead kick over the crossbar.

Shaun Derry, the QPR midfielder, said: “I think we’ve put a few smiles on people’s faces today, it means everything to us.

There were times in the second half when it looked like they had 11 men and we had nine.

“But we don’t care. We’re 1-0 winners over our rivals and that means everything to the club.

Neil Warnock disagreed with his Chelsea counterpart Villas-Boas over the performance of Foy.

“I don’t think the referee’s done much wrong today,” he said.

Songs of praise for Fernando as Torres scores first Champions League goals for Chelsea!

2011-10-20T10:10:00.011+02:00

Songs of praise for Fernando as Torres scores first Champions League goals for Chelsea

Fernando Torres's prayers were answered as he scored his first Champions League goals for Chelsea in a thrashing of Genk.

The Spain striker, who was pictured before the game joining Brazilian team-mate David Luiz in apparent meditation, scored twice as Andre Villas-Boas’ team brushed aside their Belgian opponents to spark songs of praise at Stamford Bridge. Contented manager Villas-Boas believes he now has Europe’s top strikeforce, declaring: ‘We are able to choose from the best up front. The choice fell with Torres and he responded pretty well.’

Torres had not scored in 875 minutes in the competition since netting for Liverpool against Chelsea more than two years ago. Raul Meireles, Branislav Ivanovic and Salomon Kalou scored Chelsea’s other goals as Villas-Boas’ side continued their unbeaten start and equalled their biggest home win in the competition. The Chelsea manager admitted he is spoilt for choice with Torres, Didier Drogba, Nicolas Anelka, Daniel Sturridge and Romelu Lukaku to pick from. ‘I’m pretty pleased with the way the team played,’ said the Portuguese coach, who was able to select Torres for the first time since the striker’s sending-off against Swansea three weeks ago.

‘It would have been a long period off (if Torres hadn’t played). It’s important players feel confident. Villas-Boas, who has seen his side score 13 times in their last three matches, was happy to come through a match that he feels could have been a potential banana skin. 'To score two goals in the first 15 minutes, this put us in a very comfortable position," he said. "It was a good display from everybody. I'm very happy with the performance, not only the way we played but the commitment of the team.

"This was a game that everyone expected us to win, and that's when surprises lie just round the corner. But we had the focus and put in a good performance.' Another three points in Belgium next month would all but guarantee the club's qualification, but Villas-Boas is not getting carried away with talk of his team challenging for the Champions League trophy that Blues owner Roman Abramovich craves. He said: 'With seven points, we go to Genk and the three over there would put us in a good position to qualify but this group could become very tight depending on what happens in Leverkusen with Valencia.

'The most important months for us will be the last three of the season, when you finally win or don't win trophies. 'For now, we're just aiming at our objectives. We want the best results as possible to get qualification through, and keep on track for going as far as we can in the competition.' Genk boss Mario Been admitted Chelsea were a class apart from what his team could offer. 'They were on totally another level,' Been said. 'We gave them the goals too easily. We needed to keep a clean sheet for the first 20 minutes, but we were two down after 10 minutes.' Meanwhile, goalkeeper Petr Cech hailed Chelsea's 'brilliant mentality'. Cech told Sky Sports: 'We were very good, we put them under pressure, created chances and converted them clinically.

'From 2-0 we controlled the game and with a few more mistakes from them under pressure, we scored more goals and 5-0 is a good result. 'We knew it was not going to be easy if the mentality was not right and the mentality was brilliant, that's why we made the game look easy. 'At 5-0 up and controlling the game, we didn't allow them to come into the game and score a goal. It is always important to kill the game off and keep a clean sheet.' The win took Andre Villas-Boas' side top of Group E on seven points, and a win in the return fixture in two weeks will all but ensure their qualification for the knock-out stages with two games to spare. 'It's always the aim,' said Cech. 'The games are coming thick and fast now in the Premier League and Carling Cup and as soon as we are qualified we can concentrate on the other competitions. 'We made a step forward, we need another away and then that will be it for us.'

David Luiz prays for Fernando Torres
Chelsea 5 - Genk 0 match highlights

Bonnievale Springbokke pt 2!

2011-10-19T13:01:00.004+02:00

Bonnievale Springbokke!

2011-10-17T13:12:00.011+02:00

Chelsea manager André Villas-Boas pleased with his side's ruthless streak!

2011-10-17T07:58:00.003+02:00

Chelsea manager André Villas-Boas pleased with his side's ruthless streak

Andre Villas-Boas tonight urged Chelsea to continue to pounce on slip-ups from Manchester United and Manchester City after watching them move to within a point of the former in the Premier League.

Chelsea emphatically ended their Everton hoodoo on Saturday evening with a 3-1 win at Stamford Bridge, taking full advantage of United's lunchtime draw at Liverpool and staying within three points of new leaders Manchester City.

Next Sunday's Manchester derby will give Chelsea another chance to close the gap at the top, providing they win their own match at QPR. Villas-Boas said: "It's important for us to get three points, particularly on a day where two title contenders played against each other. "Man United got an important point at Anfield but at least it makes us recover some points and get closer to second position." Today's win maintained Villas-Boas' 100 per cent home record since his summer appointment as Chelsea manager, the Portuguese making Stamford Bridge the fortress it was under former mentor Jose Mourinho.

But Juan Mata once again proved Chelsea's inspiration, the £23million man starting the move that saw Daniel Sturridge break the deadlock and also laying on the third goal for Ramires either side of a John Terry header. "We have not done anything special. "We just have to continue to win until we find a position of comfort at the top of the Premier League, because that's what we want." Chelsea went into Saturday night's game having not beaten Everton since the 2009 FA Cup final. Everton were also undefeated on their previous five visits to Stamford Bridge and looked like making it six in the first half hour.

Villas-Boas refused to single out Mata for special praise, saying: "It's all interrelated with his colleagues. "The talent in this squad is so immense and the technical staff's job is just to free the players. "When they play with freedom of choice, they can express themselves a little bit better." Instead, Villas-Boas hailed the patience of his entire team. "We managed to be very, very patient in our build-up, playing a lot from the back, tiring the strikers of Everton a little bit," he said. "When Everton got the ball, they couldn't respond with the usual aggressiveness that they have. "It was decisive to get the second goal just before half time"

"The 3-0 gave us the comfort we needed to take the game through." That third goal saw Ramires suffer a knee injury that makes him a doubt for Wednesday night's Champions League game with Genk. Everton boss David Moyes was left to rue his side's "terrible" defending for the opening two goals. "I think we've been here to Chelsea and they've caused us more problems at times and we've had to defend harder," said Moyes, whose side scored a late consolation through substitute Apostolos Vellios. "Today, we gave them, certainly, the first two goals. I thought our defending on the first one and second one was terrible and they didn't really have to work particularly hard. "The ball didn't run awfully kindly for us a couple of times in the box. "We might have needed it to run a little bit easier. "The second goal was a killer because we've been 1-0 down several times coming here and we've always been in the game, given ourselves a chance.

"To lose a goal just before half-time made it a mountain to climb." Moyes was unhappy with at least one decision made by referee Mike Jones and had words with fourth official Peter Walton, but he refused to elaborate otherwise. And in a slight dig at Chelsea's riches, he added: "Maybe that £400million difference might have showed up after 15-20 minutes, eh?" The Toffees boss was effusive about Mata, however, saying: "If he improves like David Silva's improved for Manchester City, I think they'll have a player. "I think Mata's giving them a different dimension at the moment. They're more flexible, Chelsea, than they've been in the past."

Sturridge goal
Ramires goal
Chelsea 3 - Everton 1 all goal higlights

Lampard shows his worth!

2011-10-03T10:16:00.002+02:00

Lampard shows his worth

Frank Lampard underlined his importance to Chelsea with a hat-trick at the Reebok Stadium as the Blues closed the gap at the top of the Premier League by winning 5-1 on an afternoon to forget for Bolton goalkeeper Adam Bogdan.

With the hosts cutting through their opponents' defence at will, Lampard and Daniel Sturridge - scorer of eight goals in 12 games during a loan spell with Wanderers last season - both netted twice in the first half, two errors in quick succession by Bogdan allowing each player their second.

Dedryck Boyata scored his first Bolton goal soon after the restart, but it counted for little as Lampard dispatched his third of the day in the 59th minute. It means the London side go back up to third in the table and are once again three points away from joint-leaders Manchester United and Manchester City. Bolton, meanwhile, stay rock bottom, with their losing streak in the league extending to six games.

While Bogdan - in the Trotters team for the injured Jussi Jaaskelainen - endured a nightmare, it was a dream performance from Lampard, who followed up his midweek goal in the Champions League draw at Valencia in style and made it clear that after a recent spell on the bench, he still has plenty to offer. Chelsea boss Andre Villas-Boas also handed Didier Drogba a start, the Ivorian taking the place of the suspended Fernando Torres, while Sturridge returned as well having recovered from a knee problem.

The hosts' line-up showed five changes from last weekend's 3-0 defeat at Arsenal, with Bogdan, Boyata, Gary Cahill, Ricardo Gardner and skipper Kevin Davies the men coming into the first XI. Bolton were looking for a positive result to lift them out of the relegation zone, but having been defeated the last eight times they had hosted Chelsea, the omens were not good and within two minutes, they were behind.

Jose Bosingwa's cross was intercepted by Boyata to earn the Blues a corner and when Juan Mata swung it in, Sturridge rose unmarked to convert, the forward abruptly halting his celebration against his former club. Moments later Sturridge fired narrowly wide as the visitors threatened to run riot. At the other end, David Ngog skewed an effort high and wide, catching John Terry with his boot in the process, and Martin Petrov hit a free-kick into the wall after Raul Meireles had brought down Darren Pratley.

It was not long before Chelsea were back on the attack, though, and on the quarter-hour mark it was 2-0 as Sturridge squared in the box for Lampard, who had the space to slot the ball past Bogdan. Almost immediately, Bogdan was called upon to stop Lampard scoring another and Mata then skied his attempt from Sturridge's cross. Bolton needed a response but were unable to make much of a couple of corners before two howlers in two minutes by Bogdan saw the game effectively end as a contest.

First the young Hungarian let Sturridge's shot from the edge of the box loop in off him in the 25th minute when he should have saved. He then parried David Luiz's strike straight at the feet of Lampard, who tucked it away gleefully. The shell-shocked hosts managed to wrestle back some possession, but were unable to produce much going forward. Davies saw a shot deflect wide and the resulting corner came to nothing.

The Wanderers captain and Cahill then got in each other's way while jumping to meet a free-kick, and after Bogdan's save from Mata had been greeted by ironic cheers, referee Peter Walton blew for half-time with boos ringing out around the stadium. Bolton manager Owen Coyle replaced Gretar Steinsson with Zat Knight at the interval and having started the second half positively, Wanderers pulled a goal back a minute in when Boyata nodded in Petrov's free-kick. The hosts did their utmost to sustain the pressure, but it took a great tackle by Knight to halt Drogba's progress and Ramires then shot over after Bogdan had made another mistake, flapping at a corner.

Drogba flashed an effort across the face of goal and was the provider when Chelsea added to their lead soon after, laying the ball across the area for Lampard to sweep in. Bolton refused to give up and thought they had scored again when Davies prodded in Petrov's cross. But although replays appeared to show the ball had crossed the line before substitute Branislav Ivanovic's clearance, Walton ruled it was no goal. Sturridge then dragged a chance to complete his own treble wide before Wanderers substitute Chris Eagles saw his effort come back off the post.

Sturridge 1st goal
Lampard 1st goal
Sturridge 2nd goal
Lampard 2nd goal
Sturridge 3rd goal

Valencia 1 Chelsea 1

2011-09-29T13:15:00.004+02:00

Valencia 1 Chelsea 1

Andre Villas-Boas had lauded Frank Lampard’s worth, his magnificence even, having not used him from the start of three of Chelsea’s last four matches, but there was a rich dividend on Wednesday night for the manager and for the player.

Lampard scored his 20th Champions League goal in his 78th appearance in the competition — but was not on the pitch by the time Chelsea conceded a late equaliser, via a penalty foolishly given away by substitute Salomon Kalou.

Kalou, as fortune would have it, replaced Lampard and it was the striker, also, who had lost possession to concede the corner from which he was then penalised for an inexplicable handball. Roberto Soldado stroked home the spot-kick.

At the end there was all sorts of madness with Ashley Cole cautioned for ironically applauding referee Nicola Rizzoli, and Juan Mata booked also, on his return to his former club, for throwing the ball away in frustration.

Villas-Boas was on the pitch, also, to shepherd away his players and laud the visiting supporters but there will be a pang of anger this morning at surrendering an advantage to take total control of Group E.

Valencia rallied strongly but, by then, Chelsea should have been out of sight having squandered chance after chance and also being denied by an inspired display by Valencia goalkeeper Diego Alves. He even stopped Nicolas Anelka, deep into injury time, with yet another one-on-one save, and Chelsea will recount those misses with irritation.

That will be compounded by the sense that Fernando Torres should, perhaps, have been awarded a penalty in the opening minutes as he was barged over running through on goal – even though his first touch was heavy. That Chelsea will be so disappointed will speak volumes of their dominance and the kind of relentlessly attacking football that Villas-Boas is advocating.

This is fast becoming his squad, his team, his style and the players have to fit into it. Lampard might feel he has become a casualty at times, and there was something pointed about his muted celebrations as he scored, and his firm handshake as he walked off, substituted. He made his point also and in doing so he won a precious point for his team.

His finish was emphatic, using the time and space afforded to him as he ran onto Florent Malouda’s cross to shoot low past Alves. It was a trademark finish, a vintage finish in fact from the 33 year-old.

His inclusion had been a pre-match debating point that had irked Villas-Boas. He has wrongly misread debate over Lampard’s future as a dramatic attempt to phase out the 30-somethings rather than a long overdue examination of the strength of his squad.

For a while each side, the strongest two in this group with Valencia bolstered by an impressive 2-2 draw with Barcelona last week, cancelled each other out with Sergio Canales the only elusive participant.

Valencia’s passing was, nevertheless, wayward, Chelsea were unable to exploit, while the home side probed a perceived weakness down their opponents’ right side which Pablo Hernández almost exploited with a near-post shot into the side-netting.

It changed at half-time. Chelsea came out of the blocks quickly. Immediately Jose Bosingwa, bursting inside, offered Torres the chance to out-sprint Adil Rami but he could not do so.

Then, moments later, Bosingwa crossed deep and Torres met it with a header which was superbly turned away by Alves. Stung into action, Valencia immediately broke with Pablo chipping the ball up for

Soldado who, somehow, completely missed it with his head when he had a clear goal to aim at.

More chances came. This time Ramires was through but as he bore down on goal his shot lacked conviction and Alves blocked. Then Lampard and Torres exchanged passes and the latter’s point-blank shot was also turned away by the now inspired Alves, who clawed away Ruiz’s goalbound deflection from the corner.

Finally Lampard did score and, now behind, Valencia attacked and attacked.

Petr Cech had to rush from goal to block and suddenly his defenders were pushed back around him and there was a moment’s panic as he again hurtled off his line, to misjudge, only for John Terry to hack clear.

As Valencia pushed, substitute Pablo Piatti was picked out, only for his shot to be forced over for a corner.

Chelsea were pinned back into their half with Villas-Boas ringing the changes to try and shore things up, although Cech had to save smartly from Jonas’s curling shot. But the pressure told. From that corner, Kalou hand-balled and Soldado took advantage.

Lampard goal
Roberto Saldado penalty

Paula Radcliffe takes long-term view as third place in Berlin Marathon seals her Olympic ticket!

2011-09-26T15:01:00.000+02:00

Paula Radcliffe takes long-term view as third place in Berlin Marathon seals her Olympic ticket

Paula Radcliffe admitted she had to put aside her ego and think of the bigger picture as she made sure of her place at next summer’s London Olympics in her first marathon race in two years.

Radcliffe’s time of 2hr 23min 46sec in Sunday’s Berlin Marathon was more than seven minutes inside UK Athletics’ Olympic qualifying standard, which means she will have another chance to win the one medal that is missing from her trophy cabinet in the city where she has never been beaten over 26.2 miles. The downside is that her time on Sunday was good enough only for third place in a race won with ominous ease by Kenya’s Florence Kiplagat, though Radcliffe said she had made a conscious decision to curb her competitive instincts and concentrate on getting through it in one piece.

Ian Stewart, UK Athletics’ head of endurance, had implored her on the eve of the race not to get too carried away with trying to win and to concentrate on securing the qualifying standard of 2hr 31min without risking her health.

It was a piece of advice Radcliffe remembered when, having broken away from the rest of the field with Kiplagat, she began to struggle with the pace shortly before the nine-mile mark and took the decision to “put the ego to the back”.

“I had to swallow my pride a little bit because I wanted to do better than that, but at least it is ticked off,” she said. “I’m qualified and now I just need to race more.”

Kiplagat crossed the line more than four minutes ahead of Radcliffe in 2hr 19min 44sec, with Germany’s Irina Mikitenko taking second place in 2hr 22min 18sec, but Radcliffe can take plenty of satisfaction from her performance after a debilitating thyroid problem played havoc with her preparations. After suffering from a back injury earlier in the year, Radcliffe had been so depressed by her latest health issues that she had even contemplated quitting the sport, describing the last 12 months as “her hardest year”. She has only been free of problems since mid-August. The hope is that the world record holder, who has been cursed by injury and illness over the last five years, can now enjoy a trouble-free build-up to 2012 and that, for once, she can go to the starting line of an Olympic marathon in peak physical condition. “I still think that anyone healthy on the start line is in with a shot,” she said. “I need to get away and get fit and healthy. After the training this summer, it has been very up and down.”

Wrapping herself in cotton wool is not an option for a woman who runs in excess of 130 miles a week but Radcliffe plans to minimise the risk of serious injury by training at the British high-altitude camp in Kenya in November and January to take advantage of the on-site medical and physiotherapy support. The performance on Sunday of Kiplagat, whose only previous experience of the marathon was when she failed to finish in Boston in April, is a reminder that Radcliffe will need to be at the top of her game if she is to challenge the new generation of road runners in London. Kiplagat is only 24 while fellow Kenyan Mary Keitany, who announced herself as the new force in women’s marathon running with her runaway victory in London in April, is 29. Radcliffe will be 38 in November, though she remains undaunted.

“I can only give it my best shot and I can’t beat myself up worrying about anyone else,” she said. “I just have to focus on getting myself into the best shape that I can. “At this stage, however much you may want to, you can’t magic yourself back 10 years. You just have to keep working hard.”

Mixed day for Torres

2011-09-26T13:03:00.009+02:00

Mixed day for Torres

Fernando Torres' mixed fortunes continued as he found the net before seeing red for an ugly challenge in Chelsea's comfortable Premier League victory over Swansea.

Sunday's defeat at Manchester United had seen £50 million man Torres score for only the second time in his Blues career before producing one of the worst open-goal gaffes in Premier League history.

He scored today with another fine finish before seeing red for inexplicably diving in studs first on Mark Gower in between a Ramires brace, which was followed by Ashley Williams' consolation and a comeback goal for Didier Drogba.

But being down to 10 men for more than half a game for the second time in four days - Chelsea suffered the same fate in their midweek Carling Cup win over Fulham - was hardly ideal preparation for Wednesday's Champions League showdown in Valencia.

Torres' dismissal also meant a three-match domestic ban and ensured he would once again make headlines for the wrong reasons, despite beginning to repay his record-breaking transfer fee in earnest.

Frank Lampard starting on the bench today was also a talking point, although the midfielder played 76 minutes on Wednesday night.

He looked certain to start at Valencia, emphasising that, at 33, he was being held back more and more for the big games.

Chelsea's bid to close the five-point gap to United did not begin well, with the hosts outplayed by the visitors in the opening 15 minutes.

Raul Meireles volleyed over when well-placed and Ramires had a close-range shot blocked but Chelsea were failing to replicate the beautiful game Villas-Boas insisted they had produced last weekend.

Torres was also struggling to repeat his Old Trafford exploits, where his horror miss marred what was otherwise his best performance in a Chelsea shirt.

That changed in dramatic fashion in the 29th minute when Juan Mata chipped a ball over the top and Angel Rangel played Torres onside, allowing him to swivel and find the bottom corner.

Mata was needlessly booked for hauling back Rangel, with Williams close to converting the resultant free-kick.

But Chelsea's scintillating football finally arrived nine minutes from half-time when a sweeping breakaway saw Ashley Cole pick out Ramires, who drilled the ball through Michael Vorm's legs.

But Torres then undid all his good work when he was sent off three minutes later for a shocking tackle on Gower.

Referee Mike Dean had no choice but to show red for the challenge, despite it appearing more clumsy than malicious.

Swansea boss Brendan Rodgers, who enjoyed a pre-match ovation on his return to the club where he was reserve-team boss for four years, threw on Wayne Routledge for Leon Britton during the interval.

The visitors laid siege to the Chelsea goal after the restart as Meireles almost slid the ball into his own net, the livewire Nathan Dyer saw his shot deflect off John Obi Mikel and loop onto the crossbar, and Williams misdirected a header from the resultant corner.

A desperate challenge from Mikel prevented Leroy Lita converting Rangel's cross and the subsequent corner was headed goalward by Williams, only for Jose Bosingwa to clear off the line.

Dyer was booked for felling Anelka as Chelsea broke and Ramires also volleyed wide before Mata was withdrawn for Florent Malouda and the fit-again Danny Graham came on for Lita just before the hour mark.

Anelka almost scored a superb individual goal after being allowed to carry the ball 25 yards before unleashing a piledriver against the bar.

Chelsea began to cope with their man disadvantage, as they had against Fulham on Wednesday, forcing Swansea to introduce Stephen Dobbie for Dyer.

Garry Monk was booked for tripping Anelka 15 minutes from time and the 10 men made it 3-0 a minute later, Ramires too easily cutting inside Williams before passing the ball beyond Vorm.

Drogba made his long-awaited return from his sickening head injury for the final 11 minutes as Anelka was withdrawn.

Josh McEachran also replaced Ramires before Swansea finally netted in the 86th minute, the unmarked Williams heading home his first Premier League goal from Gower's free-kick.

Vorm saved well from Malouda, Williams went close to nodding in his second in stoppage time and Ramires dragged a hat-trick chance wide before Drogba turned on Malouda's pass and steered the ball beyond Vorm to add gloss to the scoreline.

Fernando Torres 1st goal
Ramires goal
Chelsea 4 - Swansea 1 video highlights

10-man Chelsea hold nerve to win shoot-out!

2011-09-22T07:51:00.008+02:00

10-man Chelsea hold nerve to win shoot-out

Ten-man Chelsea rode their luck to reach the fourth round of the League Cup with a 4-3 penalty shoot-out win over Fulham after a 0-0 draw following extra time at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday.

Andre Villas-Boas’s side looked in trouble when Brazilian defender Alex was sent off two minutes into the second half for conceding a penalty with a professional foul.

But Pajtim Kasami hit the crossbar with the spot-kick and Chelsea managed to hold on to force a shoot-out.

Frank Lampard missed the Blues’ first penalty but Moussa Dembele squandered his kick and Bryan Ruiz did the same, with replays inconclusive as to whether the ball crossed the line, as Chelsea scraped through.

“Everybody was looking at each other wondering if it was celebration time. The linesman was there so maybe, this time, the decision is good,” Villas-Boas said in reference to his belief Chelsea were harshly treated by the officials in their defeat at Manchester United on Sunday.

Fulham boss Martin Jol added: “To be fair, I haven’t seen it.

“Somebody was standing in front of me and then I saw him (Ruiz) go towards the goalkeeper and I knew that he’d missed.”

Chelsea’s win improved their miserable record of seven penalty shoot-out defeats from their previous eight attempts.

Salomon Kalou had fired narrowly off-target early on after Belgian striker Romelu Lukaku saw his shot saved from a lightning breakaway.

With half-time looming, Josh McEachran brilliantly burst into the box in what was his first appearance of the season and beat Fulham goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer, with Daniel Sturridge poking home only to be flagged offside.

Injury was added to insult as Sturridge was forced from the field and, before Lampard could come on to replace him, Petr Cech was hurt colliding with Orlando Sa and failed to re-emerge for the second half.

Ross Turnbull came on and it got worse for Chelsea in an extraordinary opening two minutes after the restart.

Kalou fired into the side-netting after being released by Lampard and moments later Fulham won the penalty that saw Alex dismissed.

Ruiz’s clever back-heel freed debutant Kerim Frei, who was brought down by Alex.

Referee Chris Foy deemed the Brazilian the last man and produced a red card, but Kasami failed to capitalise, smashing the penalty against the crossbar.

Foy denied the visitors a second spot-kick when Oriol Romeu - who was having a mixed full debut - shoved over Sa before Villas-Boas threw on John Terry for McEachran.

Turnbull pulled off a brilliant reaction stop to deny Kasami but then flapped at the resultant corner, which Chris Baird fired wide.

Frei and Kasami cleared off the line from a corner before the former’s finish sailed wide at the other end under pressure from Turnbull.

In the shoot-out, Lampard’s penalty was immediately saved by Schwarzer, with Bobby Zamora, David Luiz, Steve Sidwell and Terry all scoring before Turnbull’s save from Dembele levelled matters.

Kalou, Baird and Florent Malouda then netted before Ruiz smashed Fulham’s fifth against the crossbar.

Penalty shootout 4-3

Man United were unlucky not have another penalty but two goals were offside!

2011-09-19T10:04:00.026+02:00

Man United were unlucky not have another penalty but two goals were offside

Man United were deprived of a penalty when Ashley Cole was cautioned for a poor challenge on Hernandez.

It must have been felt that the ball had left play before Cole caught the United front man, otherwise a spot-kick would have been awarded. On reflection, this was an instance of United being unlucky.

Other refereeing decisions had a huge influence on the result.

Chris Smalling was standing offside as the United free-kick was taken before he headed the first goal, and Nani ran back from an offside position to play the ball and score the stunning second goal.

The penalty was also strange. If Phil Dowd felt Jose Bosingwa fouled Nani, he should have sent him off. I thought the Chelsea man played the ball.

Manchester United 3 Chelsea 1: Champions pull clear at summit after dismantling rivals

It was, as Andre Villas- Boas said, a 'crazy, chaotic' game. As torturous for some as it was tremendous for others, and for Chelsea's manager a rather more memorable meeting with Sir Alex Ferguson than that brief encounter at a coaching conference.

Inside the tortured mind of Fernando Torres it probably amounts to a nightmare. His miss, seven minutes before the end, is sure to haunt him and will only feed what Villas-Boas already considered an 'obsession' with the most expensive player in the history of English football.

But this is one of the reasons why this contest was so utterly insane, because it was the Spaniard's finest performances in a Chelsea shirt and the most compelling evidence yet that he is on the way to returning to his best.

The miss and another squandered opportunity aside, Torres was excellent. Strong, sharp and athletic, he took the goal he did score beautifully and created a couple of chances that his colleagues really should have converted, too. But Sunday was about so much more than Torres. It was about Manchester United being clinical enough to emerge from such a fiercely contested first half with a three-goal lead; the fact that they would have scored a fourth had Wayne Rooney not slipped to send his penalty kick wide.

It was about the sight of Nani not only scoring a brilliant goal but also destroying Ashley Cole in a manner Cristiano Ronaldo never quite managed. Cole was such a chastened figure that his frustration was manifested in a shocking challenge on Javier Hernandez, who was as lucky not to leave the field with a broken ankle as Cole was to escape with a yellow card from Phil Dowd.

There were marvellous performances and some miserable ones.

Phil Jones was magnificent alongside the similarly impressive Jonny Evans. For Frank Lampard, however, it was nothing like as satisfying. Hooked during the interval after a difficult first half that included his failure to track Chris Smalling for the opening goal, you have to wonder if the 33-year-old will occupy the role of spectator more and more.

It was a day when records tumbled. As well as matching United's best start to a league campaign since 1985, it was also the club's 18th successive home league win - equalling a record that dates back to the 1904-05 season. For Villas-Boas it marked the end of an astonishing run. This was his first league defeat in 37 matches, dating back to April 2010 when his Academica side lost 3-2 at home to Benfica.

Victory for United owed much to Chelsea's defensive fragility. Villas-Boas wants his team to play with more intensity, further up the field, but a midfield three of Ramires, Lampard and Raul Meireles did little to protect a back four that was particularly vulnerable to Nani and Ashley Young down the flanks. That said, Chelsea played pretty well at Old Trafford and the first real chance certainly fell to them: Ramires met a cross from Cole with a volley that David de Gea did well to block with his right foot. It made Smalling's controversial opener all the more painful. The England defender seized not only on some poor defending but some poor officiating to meet Young's free-kick in an offside position and guide a header beyond the reach of Petr Cech.

After receiving a loose pass from Anderson, Torres might have levelled. He did well to accelerate between Anderson and Evans but then scuffed his shot wide. Yet it did not compare to the miss that followed from Ramires, Torres ran on to a delightful pass from Juan Mata and inviting the Brazilian to score only to see him shoot meekly at United's goalkeeper.

Further punishment followed. Nani, controlling a long, diagonal ball from Evans before skipping past Mata, unleashed a 25-yard missile that flew beyond Cech and into the top corner. Villas-Boas can again bemoan that Nani had been in an offside position, but he will also be angry with his midfielders for backing off as much as they did. United's third, scored by Rooney just before the break, exposed yet more defensive indiscipline. A surging run from Jones ended with John Terry's attempted clearance rebounding off Nani and rolling into the path of an unmarked Rooney.

Villas-Boas responded by replacing Lampard with Nicolas Anelka and what a smart move it proved. The France striker produced the pass that enabled Torres to lift the ball over an advancing De Gea with what was a superb finish after less than 30 seconds of the restart.

That there were no more goals was perhaps the most astonishing aspect of this game. Rooney failed to capitalise on Jose Bosingwa's foul on Nani by missing the penalty in the 56th minute and then saw Dimitar Berbatov squander a chance he provided moments before the end.

For Torres, though, it was a touch more painful. First he blasted over from close range after seeing his initial effort parried by De Gea and then came the miss of the match - the former Liverpool striker bursting clear in pursuit of a pass from Bosingwa and rounding De Gea only to send his left-foot shot wide.

All Villas-Boas has to do now is convince Torres he still had a good game.

Smalling 1st offide goal
Ramires misses goal
Nani 2nd offside goal
Rooney goal ... 3rd video
Torres goal ... 4th video
Rooney penalty miss
Torres misses open goal
All 4 goals for Manchester 3 Chelsea 1

Although Torres missed watch these champions league highlights again :

Bayer Leverkusen

Chelsea boss Andre Villas-Boas defends Fernando Torres after miss

Andre Villas-Boas defended his team selection after his rejigged Chelsea side beat Bayer Leverkusen 2-0!

2011-09-14T10:06:00.006+02:00

Andre Villas-Boas defended his team selection after his rejigged Chelsea side beat Bayer Leverkusen 2-0 to get their UEFA Champions League campaign off to a winning start.

The Portuguese boss rested captain John Terry for the Group E opener while Frank Lampard started on the bench, with Sunday's Premier League clash against Manchester United evidently in the manager's mind.

But any doubts over whether the Blues could prevail without that veteran pair in their starting XI were extinguished when David Luiz and Juan Mata scored to seal the win.

Villas-Boas justified his selection by highlighting the competitive nature of his squad and commended his reshuffled line-up for their display.

And the boss insists omitting key duo Terry and Lampard was not a risk, telling Sky Sports HD2: "I don't see things like that. I think you are trying to look at the negative when there are so many positives.

"We have a very, very competitive squad and a tremendous calendar in front of us.

"I think this decision has to be taken bearing in mind the amount of minutes people collect internationally and the amount of talent that we have at our disposal.

"The team that we selected today was a team that gave us comfort to win the game and that's what we did."

He added: "Everybody has been amazing in this effort to absorb all of these new ideas. I've very happy with everyone.

"Excellent work from everybody, excellent effort. Tremendous work rate, tremendous amount of possession. Good attacking fluency and a game well played. So I'm very happy and pleased with the group."

The Blues could not break the deadlock until Luiz struck from a Fernando Torres assist in the 67th minute and it was not until the dying seconds of stoppage time that Mata added the second.

Villas-Boas admits he would have preferred the second goal to have come earlier but insists there was no doubt that his side deserved the win.

"It's a shame the second (goal) took a while to arrive because it would have given us a little bit more comfort," he added.

"I think it was a game for us to win and we had a lot of chances. A fair result would be Chelsea winning it and I'm glad it came."

David Luiz 1st goal
Juan Mata 2nd goal
Match highlights

Sunderland 1 Chelsea 2

2011-09-12T13:05:00.007+02:00

Sunderland 1 Chelsea 2: Daniel Sturridge turns on the magic as Chelsea cruise past Sunderland

Chelsea's Daniel Sturridge backheels the ball past the Sunderland goalkeeper Simon Mignolet to score their second goal. Another uncomfortable evening at his local restaurant awaits for Fernando Torres, after the out-of-sorts Spaniard was perhaps given a glimpse of Chelsea's future that will have made for less than pleasant viewing.

Torres, now with one goal in 22 appearances for the club, was dropped to the substitutes' bench, and the decision by André Villas-Boas to discard the club's £50m record signing was fully vindicated, as Daniel Sturridge scored a sublime goal. His strike, added to John Terry's opener, gave the visitors their seventh consecutive victory at the Stadium of Light, against a Sunderland team who remain without a victory this season and who have lost eight of their last nine games at home.

"Someone asked me if it was a brave decision to go with Fernando on the bench," Villas-Boas said. "I don't feel brave, no. This situation is nothing to do with that." The Chelsea manager claimed he opted to go with Nicolas Anelka due to the French forward's under-employment during the international break – though Torres was hardly rushed off his feet with Spain.

Villas-Boas added: "We have four wonderful strikers and they all compete for the forward positions. They all offer a different threat and today the choice fell to Anelka. There's nothing special about that."

Torres has admitted to hearing whispers from fellow diners discussing his problems in front of goal since his move from Liverpool at the start of the year. Given his demotion, he can expect rather more small talk at his expense on the menu this week. He at least made it on for the final 15 minutes, but by then the visitors were simply going through the motions, conserving valuable energy for tougher tests to come as they comfortably stretched their unbeaten start to the season.

If anyone can match Torres for their troubles at present, it is Steve Bruce. If he thought the sudden departure of Asamoah Gyan, despatched on a season's loan to cash-rich Al Ain of the United Arab Emirates, was the low point of his day – the move coming just 24 hours after the Sunderland manager insisted his record signing was staying put – then it plumbed new depths in the ensuing 90 minutes of this utterly one-sided encounter.

The substitute Ji Dong-won swept home an injury-time consolation from Seb Larsson's cross, but a second goal of the season from his side was scant consolation for Bruce. "For a player to leave the Premier League to go over there? No disrespect to the UAE, but I'll leave you to make your own conclusions about his motives," he said. "I can't see him coming back."

Chelsea rarely looked back once Terry had been afforded two bites at the cherry from a narrow angle to open the scoring after 18 minutes. Sunderland collectively froze when a Juan Mata free-kick came off the post and Sturridge picked out his unmarked captain in the area.

Anelka came close to doubling the advantage when his shot grazed the bar before the interval. Sunderland bookended the first half with their two clearest openings, the debutant forward Nicklas Bendtner heading wastefully wide from another inviting Larsson free-kick, then returning goalkeeper Petr Cech doing well to beat out a shot from Stéphane Sessègnon, but they were rare forays from the hosts.

Sturridge sealed victory shortly after the interval, outsmarting Wes Brown to meet a pass from Anelka, before cheekily backheeling the ball past the advancing keeper Simon Mignolet. Asked what Torres must do to force his way back into the side, the reply from Villas-Boas was succinct. "Nothing special," he insisted. Given Sturridge's special moment here, Torres will have do more than that.

John Terry 1st goal
Daniel Sturridge 2nd goal

Chelsea's Didier Drogba in hospital after Norwich knockout• Striker given all-clear after collision in 3-1 home win!

2011-08-29T09:57:00.013+02:00

Chelsea's Didier Drogba in hospital after Norwich knockout• Striker given all-clear after collision in 3-1 home win

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Chelsea's Didier Drogba falls heavily after the Norwich City goalkeeper John Ruddy, below, inadvertently struck the striker in the face at Stamford Bridge. Didier Drogba was taken to hospital after being knocked unconscious in a collision with the Norwich City goalkeeper John Ruddy during Chelsea's 3-1 victory at Stamford Bridge. The striker was carried off on a stretcher and into a waiting ambulance midway through the second half but scans later revealed no serious damage and the 33-year-old was given the all-clear.

The incident happened when Drogba and Ruddy jumped to challenge for a cross from the left in the 65th minute and the goalkeeper inadvertently struck the striker in the face. The impact was so forceful that the Ivorian appeared to have lost consciousness even before he landed head-first on the ground.

Players from both teams immediately called for medical assistance and Drogba was treated on the pitch for eight minutes before being carried off amid grave concern for his well-being. He was out cold for "quite some time", according to the Chelsea manager, André Villas-Boas, who praised the speedy reaction of the players and medical staff.

"Didier is showing signs of recovery," said a relieved Villas-Boas. "He lost consciousness completely on the pitch and I have to be very, very grateful to my players, the Norwich players and the medical staff for reacting so quickly to a potentially dangerous situation. Happily they arrived on time to bring Didier back to consciousness. We're awaiting the full exams on his concussions but hopefully nothing is wrong."

Villas-Boas did not blame Ruddy for the clash. "You expect physical contact from any game and things can happen," he said.

There was physical contact off the pitch, too, as the Norwich manager, Paul Lambert, shoved the Chelsea fitness coach, José Mário Rocha, as the latter celebrated in front of the visitors' bench after Chelsea won an 81st-minute penalty. A kerfuffle involving staff from both sides ensued. Lambert suggested it was Rocha – or "the guy with the stopwatch around his neck, I don't know who he is" – who sparked the melee. "He was disrespectful, going into my technical area. I don't understand Portuguese but if he understands Glaswegian, he'll know what I said to him."

Villas-Boas replied: "It would find it very strange if any of my staff were disrespectful of Norwich – they were just showing joy: if Paul can't handle that, I'm sorry. Unlucky."

The contentious penalty was awarded after Ruddy rushed off his line to intercept a through-ball before Ramires, but the Brazilian arrived first and went down under the goalkeeper's challenge. Ruddy was sent off and Frank Lampard scored the spot-kick to put Chelsea 2-1 up. That only added to Lambert's sense of grievance. "[Ramires] has lost control of the ball. He's going to ground before he got it. The referee has only one take on it but I thought it was harsh. It was the turning point of the game. I certainly can't fault my players' performance because we were excellent."

Norwich looked as likely as the home team to win the match after Grant Holt struck in the 63rd minute to cancel out José Bosingwa's fifth-minute opener. Juan Mata, the Spain midfielder signed from Valencia for £23.5m in midweek, added much-needed ingenuity to Chelsea's play after coming on as 67th-minute substitute and crowned a promising performance with a neatly taken goal in the 11th minute of stoppage time. Chelsea also announced the signing of another attacking midfielder, the Mexico Under-20 international Ulises Dávila from Chivas.

Villas-Boas insisted this was still their best display of the season. "We looked better overall on a 90-minute performance," he said. "We had two good second halves against Stoke and West Bromwich Albion but here we had a good solid 90-minute performance. Not excellent, of course, but it can give you some indications for the future."

Chelsea 3 - Norwich 1 Video Highlights
Didier Drogba collision with goalkeeper

Florent Malouda eases the pressure on sluggish Chelsea with winner against West Bromwich Albion!

2011-08-22T10:16:00.012+02:00

Florent Malouda eases the pressure on sluggish Chelsea with winner against West Bromwich Albion

Chelsea 2 West Brom Albion 1 : Match highlights

Chelsea 2 West Brom Albion 1 : Andre Villa Boas interview

Such is Andre Villas-Boas’s unshakeable self-belief that he was able to brush off the half-time boos of the Chelsea supporters and blame it on the trophyless disappointments of last season.

Asked why his team were the subject of cat-calls after an indifferent opening 45 minutes against an organised, vibrant West Bromwich Albion, Villas-Boas shot back that it was due to, “the anxiety and demands of the public regarding what happened last year and the demands that they want from this year.

“We want to respond to those demands and we want to be champions. We need support and tranquillity. We suffered a goal in the fourth minute and people need to be behind us all the time.

“Last year I was whistled at Porto and the season ended with four trophies and no more boos. It’s just a natural reaction from a demanding public. What I would say is that empathy can be decisive because you have to put your opponents under pressure and you do that by raising your voices and supporting your team.”

In other words Chelsea fans should stop criticising and get behind the players. They did once Villas-Boas changed his tactics and his team shifted up a gear to show the kind of mental strength that has been their hallmark. But this victory was extremely fortunate. It also, crazily, had the feel of a must-win match.

And it was earned with a squad of 18 that contained no new players — a situation that will be remedied this week with the expected arrival of Juan Mata for £27 million to add more creativity and, finally, a new bid of £30 million to try to prise Luka Modric from Tottenham Hotspur.

Villas-Boas has other irons in the fire, most notably enquiries have been made for the Porto pair of Joao Moutinho and Alvaro Pereira. They have also asked about Raul Meireles, although Liverpool do not want to sell to Chelsea.

With Romelu Lukaku and Oriol Romeu unveiled at a press conference tomorrow, there is hope that fresh blood will be pumped into a squad desperately in need of a transfusion.

Certainly the level of attempted activity — there will be players out too, with Yossi Benayoun promising an announcement on his future by Wednesday - runs contrary to the statement made by chairman Bruce Buck in his programme notes that: “We need not feel an overwhelming need to bring in any new players.”

This clash had echoes of Carlo Ancelotti’s first match in charge, a ropey 2-1 home win over Hull City, in a season that ended with a league and FA Cup double. But for all Villas-Boas’s undoubted ability and self-belief, he is highly unlikely to emulate that without making changes.

Alex, culpable for West Brom’s goal through his careless control, may be one of those sacrificed and maybe his mind was elsewhere as he was out-muscled by Shane Long, who has scored in both games for his new club following his £7 million arrival from Reading.

Manager Roy Hodgson said there are grounds to expect even more. “If he continues to improve and make the same semi-meteoric rise that he has made since coming from Ireland to Reading over the next two or three years, I wouldn’t be surprised if bigger clubs aren’t knocking on our door,” he said.

Long should have teed up Somen Tchoyi to double West Brom’s advantage but his cross was astray, and that proved to be the contest’s pivotal moment. Two down and Chelsea would have been out of it. Instead they rallied, with Villas-Boas switching to a 4-4-2 formation and Nicolas Anelka coming to life as a central striker, and his low deflected shot drew his side level.

Florent Malouda then swept in the winning goal in the 83rd minute to floods of relief from Villas-Boas.

It was desperately cruel on West Brom who have started with back-to-back defeats against Manchester United and Chelsea in the toughest possible opening sequence. They are far too good to struggle for long under Hodgson, who set the target of simply staying in the division this season.

Villas-Boas has much bigger ambitions but even with that self-belief and the fans behind his team, it is difficult to see him realising them without some of new faces to fill the creative deficit.

Stoke 0 Chelsea 0: New manager but same old troubles for the Blues!

2011-08-15T10:11:00.005+02:00

Stoke 0 Chelsea 0: New manager but same old troubles for the Blues By Matt Lawton

It was all so terribly familiar. A pouting Portuguese manager in the technical area and a Chelsea team faced with exactly the kind of problems that led to the departure of Carlo Ancelotti.

How does he accommodate Fernando Torres, Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka in the same team? And how does he do so while trying to remain on the right side of Roman Abramovich?

Fortunately for Andre Villas-Boas, Chelsea’s Russian owner gave this game a swerve and missed his new man wrestling with the conundrum. He started his first Premier League encounter with Torres but in his desperate search for a goal ended up with all three on the pitch after 75 minutes, and to no avail against a Stoke side that deserved their point from a predictably physical contest.

Rather like a certain predecessor, Villas-Boas did have a whinge afterwards. Stoke, he said, were guilty of some serious ‘pushing and grabbing’ in the penalty area. ‘It was out of this world,’ he declared, to which someone quite rightly pointed out that it was not a great deal different to tactics that were often employed by you-know-who.

As a central defensive partnership, John Terry and Ricardo Carvalho were masters of the art and Stoke’s defenders — in particular Jonathan Woodgate and Robert Huth — deserve credit for the way they played here.

But it was all rather fascinating. Villas-Boas is just as animated as the other guy but a touch more unusual. He sank into a squat every time he got excited — which was so often he is in danger of wearing out his knee joints before he reaches 40 — and waved his arms around in a manner that made him look ever so slightly metrosexual alongside the Man at Sports Direct, Tony Pulis.

Stoke’s affable manager even played up to the contrast. ‘I know you all want to speak to the other bloke so I’ll be off,’ he said after answering the first question of his post-match press conference. Villas-Boas does seem to possess a certain aura though and there is no doubt Torres has responded well to his arrival. Stoke did not make life easy for the Spanish striker, in the way they handled him directly as well as the way they cut off his supply, but he looked the sharpest he’s been since he joined Chelsea from Liverpool in January.

Villas-Boas will take some encouragement from that and when he watches a tape of the game he will see that his side not only created the best of the chances but could have also had two penalties; first when Ryan Shawcross brought down Torres and then when Marc Wilson planted a boot in front of an advancing Frank Lampard. While there was a drop of the leg that convinced Mark Halsey that Lampard might have dived, Wilson will not want to make a habit of doing that. Had Abramovich been at the Britannia Stadium, he would have also appreciated the improvement Chelsea made after the break; the fact that their football was more fluid and purposeful and the fact that Asmir Begovic had to make some excellent saves to keep his side in the game. They are moving in the right direction even if Villas-Boas was so disappointed with the draw that doesn’t quite stand up to the defeat of Manchester United that marked one predecessor’s introduction to English football’s top flight.

This was always likely to be a tough game, though, and so it proved. Stoke lost out in the battle for possession — Chelsea enjoyed 66 per cent of the ball yesterday — but made the kind of advances that created real problems for their visitors. In dealing, in particular, with those long throws from Rory Delap, Petr Cech, Terry and Alex had to be as alert as they were athletic. Torres threatened a couple of times in the opening half, at one stage beating two players only to then scuff his shot. But the touch was assured and the movement was excellent, and at times there were even flashes of the old acceleration. He was pulling clear of Woodgate at one stage until the centre half dragged him back by the shirt.

It was after the break that Chelsea could have had a penalty or two. There was another incident when Torres felt he had been dragged down by Woodgate, and again he had a point. It was moments after Lampard went crashing to the ground that John Mikel Obi forced a fine save from Begovic with a super volley. And it was soon after Anelka came on that the Frenchman so nearly beat Stoke’s goalkeeper with a delightful chip. A further opportunity then fell to Salomon Kalou. Torres planted the ball on his head with a perfect delivery but the striker directed his effort straight at Begovic.

Villas-Boas responded to that by replacing Kalou with Drogba, which gave Chelsea more of a physical presence in the box but did not give his side the width they really needed. ‘I was happy with the width,’ their manager said afterwards but he also said enough to suggest he is looking to bring in some new players before the transfer window closes. Yesterday, there was not one new face in Chelsea’s ranks — just on the bench — and until that changes there might be only so much Villas-Boas can do. He needs to put his own signature on this Chelsea team; he needs a player like Luka Modric in midfield; and he needs Torres to continue his current rate of improvement to justify Drogba’s presence on the bench. A win against West Bromwich next weekend would obviously help, too.

10 years of Chelsea TV!

2011-08-10T14:01:00.007+02:00

10 years of Chelsea TV!

The Abramovich Era 2003-2011 Part 1

The Abramovich Era 2003-2011 Part 2

Champions League misfortune and mistakes of the referees we suffered during the years.

It's the Tour de Carnage as car knocks over two and seven retire!

2011-07-11T13:28:00.005+02:00

It's the Tour de Carnage as car knocks over two and seven retire

Dangerous, this cycling lark. As if the Tour de France riders weren't enough danger to themselves, a car yesterday knocked two of them off their bikes, sending Johnny Hoogerland hurtling into a barbed wire fence.
The car, belonging to TV station France 2, veered suddenly to its right as it passed a five-strong breakaway group along a narrow country road 22 miles from the finish of a stage which had already been littered with broken bones.

As it did so, Team Sky rider Juan Antonio Flecha was sent tumbling to the ground, colliding with Hoogerland, catapulting the Dutchman into the wire and causing ugly lacerations to his skin. Both men eventually re-mounted their bikes but their dreams of a stage victory were gone and they finished in severe discomfort a long way behind the peloton. Hoogerland said: 'I did what felt like a few somersaults. I don't know where the car came from. I landed on the fence, looked at my legs and thought: "Is this what cycling is about?" 'I have the polka-dot jersey but I'm going to spend the rest day in a lot of pain. I have three cuts about seven centimetres long and quite deep. I'm going to hospital and I think I'll need 30 stitches at least. But we can be happy we're still alive.'

Team Sky principal Dave Brailsford was unsure if Flecha would be able to continue in the race, he said: 'He's not the best to be honest. He's got a very nasty cut and laceration to his knee. His elbow is not good. 'He's got a lot of whiplash. A bit like being in a car crash really and so whether he can continue or not we don't know yet. 'Obviously there is a lot of emotion amongst the team but we've decided that the best thing to do in these situations is to remain calm and assess the situation. 'I'm in contact with the race organisers and we're deciding on the action we're going to take and we will comment further on Monday.'

It emerged that the car driver had been ordered by race control not to pass the riders. He and the vehicle have been thrown off the race. A tricky descent on a mountain road made slippery by the rain in the Massif Central caused the earlier carnage with Alexandre Vinokourov breaking his right femur after being thrown over a barrier into a tree.

In the same incident, one of the pre-race favourites, Jurgen van den Broeck fractured ribs and his shoulder blade, while Omega-Lotto team-mate and fellow Belgian Frederik Willems suffered a broken collar bone and David Zabriskie a suspected broken wrist. Saxobank rider Stuart O'Grady, whose team-mate Nicki Sorensen was clipped by a photographer's motorbike and crashed into a ditch in Brittany on Stage 5, fiercely criticised the Tour organisers. He said: 'Crashes are always going be part of the game. It just seems that this year we are going down goat tracks. 'It's one thing to say it's all for the spectacle, but we don't want to see more people lose their life.'

Chelsea boss appoints Di Matteo as his No 2!

2011-06-29T13:19:00.002+02:00

I know I must deliver trophies, admits Villas-Boas as Chelsea boss appoints
Di Matteo as his No 2

The Group One: From left, Jose Mario Rocha, Roberto Di Matteo, Andre Villas-Boas, Steve Holland and Daniel Costa line up on the Stamford Bridge pitch

The Portuguese spoke to the media for the first time since taking over and outlined his vision for the London giants. And Villas-Boas, who has appointed former West Bromwich manager Roberto Di Matteo as his No 2, knows Roman Abramovich wants success - and quick. Carlo Ancelotti was sacked just a year after he had guided the club to their first league and cup double, while not even Mourinho - who had Villas-Boas in his Chelsea backroom team - could deliver the Champions League.

He said: 'The expectations are for the maximum. We want to win trophies, that is the challenge we face day by day in any business. 'Everyone wants to be the best and win something and the challenge is to win as soon as possible and to build a platform for the future. 'This is nothing different from any other club, the challenge in your everyday life is to be successful in what you do and that is the challenge I face here.' Fans' favourite Di Matteo, who famously scored the fastest ever FA Cup final goal after just 43 seconds against Middlesbrough in 1997, arrives as his No 2 after being sacked by West Bromwich midway through last season as they dipped after an initial bright start to life back in the Barclays Premier League.

Villas-Boas spoke of the appointment when asked about what brand of football he hoped to bring to the club.
He said: 'If you see the technical staff in front of me, and my appointment of Roberto, these are people who like the quality of the game and have a philosophy. 'It's not just a case of winning it's a case of flair. Everyone likes attacking football and the Premier League has a certain amount of goals in every game and it should be an entertaining game for the fans and that is what we will look to do.' He has already brought in Jose Mario Rocha as fitness expert, while Daniel Sousa will the role Villas-Boas previously filled under Jose Mourinho as head opposition scout. Reserve coach Steve Holland will also step up to work with the senior squad.

Villas-Boas refused to repeat the hyperbole of mentor Mourinho as he branded himself the 'Group One'.
Mourinho famously dubbed himself as the 'Special One' when he was introduced to the media for the first time as Blues boss, but Villas-Boas opted for a different approach.

When asked what title he would like the media to give him, he replied: 'The title... I will wait for you guys to give it me when I am successful. I hope I am and you can give me a good title. 'This is not a one-man show, this is about creating empathy, ambition and motivation in everybody. Maybe I should be called the Group One as I want to group people together and be successful.' The 33-year-old also side-stepped questions about how he may look to take on established Premier League managers such as Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson, who is 36 years older. 'It's not just a question of me taking on Sir Alex, it's a top club like Chelsea challenging for the title,' he said.

'We need to be up there from the beginning and it is not one man against the other, it's about trying to build something that can make us powerful, and help us threaten for the title as we have in the past.' Villas-Boas also spoke of how tough a decision it was for him to leave Porto after securing four trophies in his first season in charge, and revealed that they had been prepared to match Chelsea's financial offer in an effort to keep him.
He added: 'It was a difficult separation and there are a lot of Portuguese press in this room who know the extent of my move and the impact it had.

'It was felt very hard in Portugal but my commitment to them was 100 per cent. Porto is my club and always will be, I felt good there and we had a successful year. 'It was difficult but everybody in this room will have felt the need for a new challenge and I felt it. We had a crazy year of success but I felt that I could challenge myself (more at Chelsea). 'It was a lucrative move and I can assure you Porto were able to beat their offer. They were to make an offer for me to stay but I took the (Chelsea) offer, against the will of my family.'

Andre's remarkable rise... just what has Villas-Boas done to get to Chelsea aged 33?

2011-06-22T13:05:00.006+02:00

VIDEO: Andre Villas Boas - The Chosen One

Andre's remarkable rise... just what has Villas-Boas done to get to Chelsea aged 33?

There are very few managers in the professional game that can claim to have had an upward trajectory as steep as Andre Villas-Boas has in recent years.

Only in 2009 the Portuguese coach was still just a member of Jose Mourinho's back-room staff at Inter Milan with minimal coaching experience. But within two years the ex-Porto boss is set to be confirmed manager of Chelsea, where he will be expected to wrestle back the Premier League title and more importantly deliver the holy grail of the Champions League trophy.

It's not just the last two years where Villas-Boas has starred though. Sportsmail looks at the rapid rise of the 33-year-old.

Porto hero: Sir Bobby Robson kick-started Villas-Boas's career while boss of the Portuguese giants

Aged 16, Villas-Boas had long given up on a football career where he never made it beyond schoolboy level, but he had developed a tactical love for the game.

The die-hard Porto fan stunned the club's boss Sir Bobby Robson by writing a letter criticising him for leaving out striker Domingos Paciencia. He didn't have far to send it as he lived in the same apartment block as Robson, but he was too shy to deliver it personally and instead slipped it under the door.

Porto were a winning machine at the time but interested, Robson challenged the teenager to back up his claim. Much to the former England manager's surprise, Villas-Boas did with a vast range of statistics.

So impressed was Robson he instantly offered him a place on the club's youth coaching staff.

1995 - Learning at Lilleshall
Robson sensed the 17-year-old's love for the game and, via his contacts at the FA, managed to get Villas-Boas a place at Lilleshall academy in England to achieve his coaching badges – despite being underage. As one of the youngest on the course, he would pick up his UEFA C licence.

1996-2000 – First steps in coaching
An advantage to the youngster was his English grandmother, Margaret Kendall, who had taught him to speak fluent English.

Robson continued to branch out to his contacts to help build up experience for his protege. He approached his former club Ipswich and persuaded manager George Burley to take Villas-Boas on board for a few days. There he would observe the coaching methods of the Scot who at the time had his Portman Road side battling for promotion to the Premier League – not a bad place to start.

He went on to learn more of his trade in Scotland at the SFA's Inverclyde training base, where he gained his Pro-Licence coaching badge, before returning to Porto.

2000-2001 – Leading a World Cup charge…sort of
Clearly not shy of ambition, the 21-year-old took the Director of Football position at the British Virgin Islands for their 2002 World Cup qualifying campaign… a campaign that lasted two games.

Villas-Boas never stood a chance as in the only two matches he saw over in 18 months they lost 14-1 on aggregate to Bermuda. With the country ranked 161 in the world he was realistically never going to qualify and in 2001 he departed, only telling his bosses his true age on the day he left fearing it would have undermined his chances of landing the role.

2002 – Joining Jose's army
After dipping his toes at international level, Villas-Boas was offered a job by Jose Mourinho back at his beloved Porto to coach the Under 19 squad. So impressed by his eye for detail though, Jose soon promoted him to opposition scout where he took his role to the max by sneaking into opponents training grounds.
Villas-Boas said of his role: 'It takes me four days to put an entire file together, it is very comprehensive. The reports are given to all the players as well as the manager.

'The idea is that when the players go out on the pitch, they are totally prepared, so there can be very few surprises during the game.'

2003-2004 – Conquering Europe
Instant success followed as under Mourinho, Porto won the treble consisting of the league title, Portuguese Cup and the UEFA Cup. They went one better the next year by winning the Champions League, defeating Manchester United en route to the final.
By now Mourinho was hot property and after he moved to Chelsea in the summer of 2004 he took his successful back-room staff with him, including Villas-Boas.

2004-2007 – Chelsea, part I
Villas-Boas adopted the same scouting role at Stamford Bridge. His typical contact with the likes of John Terry, Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba revolved handing out coaching DVDs of their direct opponents for an upcoming match.

Jose's team: Mourinho with his Chelsea backroom team, including Villas-Boas (third left)
Despite his behind-the-scenes role he was an important figure, with players taking well to his methods but he would not hide from controversy.

During a Champions League clash, he once had a bust-up with Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard that nearly came to blows. He even claimed he had spotted the Dutchman approach referee Anders Frisk three times at half-time, an allegation that when repeated by Mourinho, saw the Chelsea boss banned for the return leg.

Villas-Boas departed Chelsea along with Mourinho in 2007.

2008-2009 – The Italian Job
Having described Villas-Boas as his 'eyes and ears,' it was no surprise when Mourinho took his loyal coaching staff with him when he returned to management with Inter Milan.

But by now, Villas-Boas had management ambitions himself and after just one year at the San Siro departed his long-time mentor, much to the anger of Mourinho, to return to Portugal and take control of Academica.

2009-2010 – Excelling academically
He threw himself right in the deep end. Academica were bottom of the league without a win when Villas-Boas took over in October, but by the end of the year he had completely turned their fortunes around, leading them to a comfortable mid-table finish and a Portuguese Cup semi-final.

So successful was he that just two months into his club management career, Sporting Lisbon tried to poach him. He declined but with his boyhood heroes suffering their worst season for eight years, he couldn't resist the lure of a return to Porto at the end of the season.

2010-2011 – Record breaker
Questions were raised about bringing an inexperienced manger into a giant club in turmoil. But right from the off Villas-Boas was a success at Porto.

The 32-year-old won the league title, going undefeated all season and drawing just three games. The margin of victory was an incredible 21 points that separated Porto from runners-up Benfica, the rough equivalent of Manchester United's gap to sixth placed Liverpool last season.

On top of Europe: Porto players hoist Villas-Boas aloft after their Europa League triumph
The Portuguese Cup would follow and just like Mourinho, the Europa League was also delivered in his first full season, making Porto the first team to win a European treble twice.

As fate would have it, Porto's opponents in the Europa League final were Domingos Paciencia's Braga. With the background info he already had on his ex-idol was it any surprise he secured a 1-0 win in Dublin?

His single year at Porto could not have gone any better. Winning the league at the start of April in tandem with achieving numerous domestic records gained him continental attention which would only increase over the summer.

2011 – Chelsea, part II
By now the youngest manager to win a European trophy was on the radar of top clubs all around Europe. But Porto had installed a £13.2million release clause in his contract which took teams including Juventus and Roma off his trail.

Roman Abramovich was convinced he was worth it though and as a result persuaded Villas-Boas to once again leave Porto for Chelsea.

Villas-Boas is quick to point out he is a different type of manager to the 'Special One.' But as he prepares to take one of the most demanding jobs in club football, he knows he has to better Mourinho at the Blues to fully emerge from his shadow.

As a result only a Champions League title will do. Don't write him off though, Villas-Boas has already proven he loves a challenge and he's also proven no stranger to springing a surprise.

Chelsea 2 Newcastle 2: Carlo heads for the exit as Blues fall to a new low!

2011-05-16T13:09:00.003+02:00

Chelsea 2 Newcastle 2: Carlo heads for the exit as Blues fall to a new low

The latest episode in what appears to be the slow death of Carlo Ancelotti somehow epitomised his second campaign. A lead surrendered, an indifferent performance and a manager looking on, glazed and isolated.

Steven Taylor scrambled Newcastle a deserved equaliser in stoppage time, a goal which condemns Chelsea to their worst haul of Barclays Premier League points since Roman Abramovich took over.

Ancelotti stood at the mouth of the tunnel, staring into the middle distance, as the teams left the pitch. Four of his players trudged past - no eye contact, no handshake - before the Italian spun on his heels and disappeared towards the dressing rooms.

He reappeared half an hour later, trundling reluctantly behind the players and their children on an end-of-season lap of appreciation as Branislav Ivanovic's son Stefan stole the show by bundling a couple of goals into an empty net in front of the Matthew Harding Stand.

Most fans had drained from Stamford Bridge by this point. Perhaps there were 10,000 left inside the stadium and they applauded the squad and sang the manager's name. Ever dignified, Ancelotti offered a gentle wave, lengthened his stride, cut a few corners and was the first back down the tunnel.

Last year, he was Chelsea's first Double winning manager and led a mass choir of supporters from an open-top bus. Last night, he made his way home from the Bridge, unsure whether he will be back in charge of the team and unaware of any hard facts.

'I don't know what will happen,' said Ancelotti. 'Everyone can give an opinion about my job here. It is the club who have to judge. If my job was good, I will stay. If they think it was not good, I will have to go. In my opinion, sometimes I did a good job, sometimes I could do better.

'We have to wait just one week. A week is not a long period. You're asking questions I'm not able to answer. You have to propose this question to the club, not to me. I cannot give an answer.'

Manchester United 2 Chelsea 1: Sir Alex laps it up after Hernandez and Vidic hand boss the glory!

2011-05-09T10:05:00.003+02:00

Manchester United 2 Chelsea 1: Sir Alex laps it up after Hernandez and Vidic hand boss the glory

Take a bow, Manchester United. Sir Alex Ferguson did so before the Stretford End moments after the final whistle and rightly so given how impressive his side were on Sunday.

Not for the first time this season, they have proved themselves players who rise to the occasion. A team who now sit within touching distance of the 19th league title they so desperately crave because they possess a spirit that has too often been missing in their main rivals.

They destroyed Chelsea on every level here at Old Trafford: technically and tactically, but also mentally. They were strong where Chelsea were weak, focused where Chelsea suffered fatal lapses in concentration. A group of players, once they secure the point they need from their remaining two games, who will be worthy champions of the Barclays Premier League.

Ferguson will obviously take enormous satisfaction from knocking Liverpool off their perch but he will also derive great pleasure from the way they have taken the title off Chelsea, too. The margin of victory might have been bigger had Howard Webb awarded a penalty, possibly even two.

Are United inferior to some of the teams Ferguson has created in the past? Quite possibly, but it is time to move on from such comparisons and instead recognise the qualities this group possess.
Qualities that have not only allowed them to all but land Ferguson’s 12th championship but gain a place in their third Champions League final in four years, too. Never mind a 17th win in 18 home league games.

Chelsea 2 Tottenham 1: Kalou scrambles winner as Blues scrape controversial win!

2011-05-01T07:54:00.003+02:00

Chelsea 2 Tottenham 1: Kalou scrambles winner as Blues scrape controversial win

Chelsea, the beneficiaries of some outrageous fortune and even worse officiating on Saturday, refuse to surrender their Premier League trophy lightly.

Fifteen points behind Manchester United two months ago, Carlo Ancelotti's team moved to within three on Saturday before next week's title showdown at Old Trafford.

Unexpectedly, this most bizarre of title races continues to enthrall right to the end. Sir Alex Ferguson, who was at Stamford Bridge but left before the 89th-minute winning goal, will not be overly concerned, but he will undoubtedly recall that it was just over a year ago at Old Trafford that a Chelsea victory turned last year's title run-in.

As then, Chelsea have drawn upon deep reserves of mental strength to revive their season.

The difference on Saturday was that abysmal officiating in their favour was added to that mix, which is an unbeatable combination.
Though they deserved neither their equalising goal from Frank Lampard, which was awarded despite not crossing the line, nor their winner from Salomon Kalou, which was offside, they produced a rampaging performance in a pulsating London derby.

They refused to capitulate, ekeing out three points to maintain their unlikely dream of retaining their title.

Chelsea do make the most of their opportunities. Few will dwell on the continuing renaissance of Didier Drogba, the strength of John Obi Mikel or the indefatigability of Lampard when assessing this game.

More shamefully, little will be made of an opening strike from Sandro that would be a contender for goal of the season had Wayne Rooney not already appropriated that title.

Saturday was all about referee Andre Marriner, or more pertinently, his assistants Mike Cairns and Martin Yerby, who made two big calls and got both wrong.

Admirably, both managers maintained their dignity in the wake of the decisions. Harry Redknapp should take most praise, given that a Champions League spot is now slipping away from his club.

'The linesman has made an honest judgment and made a mistake but he hasn't gone into the game wanting to give a wrong decision or done it because he doesn't want us to win,' he said.

'We were lucky,' said Ancelotti. 'I have to be honest. The decision was wrong but it was a difficult decision.'

Watch and learn, Jose Mourinho, Sir Alex Ferguson and numerous cheap imitations. How to exercise free speech and maintain your integrity.

Having opted to restore Fernando Torres to the apex of his attack, with Drogba sacrificed to a right-hand berth, Ancelotti could feel initially justified with a flurry of chances, none better than the Ivorian's superb 40-yard dipping free-kick on 14 minutes which appeared to be touched on to the bar by Heurelho Gomes.

Just four minutes later, his effort was surpassed by Sandro.

Much of this game was scintillating, yet nothing topped the opening goal.

A delightful overhead pass from Rafael van der Vaart fell invitingly into the Brazilian's path 30 yards from goal.

He took a touch and unleashed a swerving, dipping strike high into the net and raced to the bench, anticipating a gleeful reception but ran into a lecture from Redknapp on the importance of tracking Lampard.

Chelsea's early ascendancy thereafter withered, which made what transpired all the more crucial.

When Lampard struck the ball from 30 yards out on 45 minutes, there was little danger as Gomes collected. But then came a fumble, followed by a squirm and suddenly the goalkeeper was scrambling to pull the ball back from the line. Marriner and his assistant Cairns appeared to be playing on as confusion reigned and Ancelotti and Redknapp exchanged friendly banter on the touchline.

Somehow, a good 20 seconds after the incident, a decision was taken to award a goal, wrongly as it turned out.

'He's had a guess,' surmised Redknapp correctly.

Cairns should have followed what appeared to be his instincts, when his body language was unconvincing: if in doubt, award nothing. Lampard, denied in Bloemfontein with England when his shot bounced beyond the Germany line, was the beneficiary of a decision made without the benefit of TV replays.

Chelsea were revived, yet when Drogba let fly again on 53 minutes, Gomes parried well.

The striker remains Chelsea's best hope, the focal point of their attack for now, if not for long, a fact acknowledged by the withdrawal of Torres for Kalou just past the hour.

Relishing his restoration, Drogba thundered a free-kick at Gomes and the nervous Brazilian goalkeeper pushed the ball away weakly to the feet of Kalou, who miscued wide.

It did, though, appear Chelsea would receive no further favours from the officials when Ramires played in Florent Malouda on 69 minutes.

The Frenchman collapsed under the weight of Younes Kaboul's tackle, but Marriner was unmoved and Spurs mightily relieved.

Thus it remained until the 89th minute when Lampard played in Drogba, who turned Kaboul and mishit his shot.

It fell for Kalou, three yards out and significantly offside. Unlike the officials, he made no mistake. On such details are titles won, or so Chelsea would like to believe.

We can still win it! Ancelotti sounds rallying cry as Chelsea climb into second!

2011-04-21T13:35:00.003+02:00

Thursday 21/04/2011

We can still win it! Ancelotti sounds rallying cry as Chelsea climb into second

Carlo Ancelotti declared Chelsea could complete a sensational late comeback in the Barclays Premier League title race if Manchester United lose two more matches before the end of the season. But the Blues boss admitted his own side also needed to win all five of their remaining games to retain their crown. Chelsea took a small step towards the most improbable of late surges by beating Birmingham 3-1 at Stamford Bridge to leapfrog ailing Arsenal into second place and close to within six points of United. The leaders are still firm favourites to finish top, but have to play both of their closest challengers in the next three games.

Ancelotti said: 'To win the title we'll need less points than last season. We won it with 86 last season. Now, with 80 points, United can win the title. They need 10 points.' He added: 'In football, I learned that everything can happen in the game right up to the final whistle. You can win the title in the last minute and you can lose the title in the last minute. Benched, again: Fernando Torres made little impact as a second half substitute 'If we thought that one month ago we'd have a little chance to come back to fight for the title, I think that everyone could have said we were crazy.

'Now we are happy tonight because we've reached second place. We await to see what happens in the next five games.' Haven't got a Kalou how to deal with him: Birmingham sturggled to contain Salomon Kalou, who scored a stunning second goal However, Ancelotti refused to look too far ahead, saying: 'Our aim is to try and win every game. After that, we can see our results and our position in the table.

'Six points at this stage with five games to go will not be easy, but we don't have to think we can or can't do this.'

Didier Drogba showed misfiring Chelsea team-mate Fernando Torres the route to goal!

2011-04-18T13:07:00.006+02:00

Monday 18/04/2011

Didier Drogba showed misfiring Chelsea team-mate Fernando Torres the route to goal as he spearheaded a dominant Blues side to victory at West Brom.

Peter Odemwingie raced clear and dinked the ball over Petr Cech for the Baggies before Drogba drove in a shot to level.

Home keeper Scott Carson could only parry a Drogba strike to Salomon Kalou, who sidefooted in a second for Chelsea.

And Frank Lampard guided in a third for the visitors, who also hit the crossbar through a deflected Kalou shot.

Torres came on for Drogba after 82 minutes but his goalscoring drought continued as he had a goal ruled out for offside, as well as mistiming a shot when unmarked 15 yards out.

Drogba had played a part in each of Chelsea's goals and the striker's performance will only heighten the belief that Blues boss Carlo Ancelotti made the wrong decision in preferring Torres to him in the Champions League defeat at Manchester United in midweek.

Carlo Ancelotti's decision to axe Didier Drogba in favour of Fernando Torres backfired at Old Trafford!

2011-04-13T10:15:00.001+02:00

Wednesday 13/04/2011

Manchester United sealed a place in the Champions League semi-finals with victory over Chelsea as Carlo Ancelotti's decision to axe Didier Drogba in favour of Fernando Torres backfired at Old Trafford.

Ancelotti took the gamble of favouring the British record £50m capture from Liverpool ahead of Drogba in an attempt to overhaul the one-goal advantage United were protecting from the first leg at Stamford Bridge.

The striker's struggles continued, however, and he was hauled off at half-time after Javier Hernandez doubled United's lead in the tie moments before the break.

Drogba underlined the error of his coach's ways with an outstanding second-half show that even brought Chelsea hope when he scored with 13 minutes left as Ancelotti's side struggled under the handicap of being reduced to 10 men when Ramires was sent off for a second yellow card after fouling Nani.

PHIL McNULTY'S BLOG
Hernandez was full of movement and menace - in sharp contrast to Torres, who played in a fog of lost confidence, a pale shadow of his former quicksilver and predatory self

If Chelsea harboured any ambition of turning the game on its head, it was short-lived as Park Ji-sung restored United's lead seconds later to clinch a meeting with either holders Inter Milan or Schalke 04 in the last four.

As Old Trafford celebrated at the final whistle, Ancelotti cut a predictably disconsolate figure with only the very faint prospect of challenging United for the title left in his attempts to follow up the Premier League and FA Cup Double he claimed in his first season.

And while his decision to go with Torres ahead of Drogba showed commendable courage, as did his decision to take the Spaniard off after only 45 minutes, he now faces the prospect of the selection potentially starting the credits rolling on his Chelsea career following the exit from the tournament owner Roman Abramovich is desperate to claim.

If Torres is looking an expensive misfit at £50m, United's swoop for Hernandez can already be regarded as one of the great bargains with another prime example of the goal-poaching instincts that came with only a £6m price tag attached.

United can now turn their attentions to Saturday's FA Cup semi-final against neighbours Manchester City at Wembley as their charge for a repeat of their 1999 Treble remains firmly on course.

Ancelotti made the big call in selecting Torres ahead of Drogba and the early signs looked good for Chelsea as they took the game to United with ambition and purpose in pursuit of the goal they required.

Ferguson has no guilt as penalty decision goes United way!

2011-04-07T13:59:00.006+02:00

Thursday 07/04/2011

Ferguson has no guilt as penalty decision goes United way

Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson felt no guilt when the referee failed to award Chelsea a penalty on Wednesday, saying this team had waited years to "get a decision" at Stamford Bridge. The incident came as the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final on Wednesday moved into stoppage time with United holding a 1-0 lead. United defender Patrice Evra appeared to hook his leg around Chelsea midfielder Ramires but Spanish referee Alberto Undiano Mallenco waved play on and the Manchester club will take a 1-0 lead into the second leg next week. "Someone said it could have been a penalty but if it was, it was the first decision we have got here in seven years, so I don't feel guilty about it at all," Ferguson told a news conference. "From where I was it looked a 50-50, I don't know if there was contact." Ferguson got into trouble with the FA for comments he made about the referee when United lost 2-1 to Chelsea in the Premier League at Stamford Bridge last month, earning him a five-match ban from the touchline in domestic matches. Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti was more critical of the referee.

"It was a clear penalty and everyone knows it. The problem was that it came in the last minute and sometimes it's not easy for the referee to give a penalty in the last minute of the game," Ancelotti said. "You need to have personality, courage and so on, and not always do referees in general have these kind of skills. "I'm disappointed, this is the result, it's past, if you ask me for my opinion I will give it. It wasn't just the referee but the linesman -- he was in the right position to see if it was a penalty. "I told the referee afterwards it was a penalty and he should have whistled. He didn't say anything back to me." Evra said United had had a lot of bad decisions against Chelsea in recent years. "I did not fear the worst, I tried to go for the ball, but I touched the ball and the player as well and I was not scared he was going to give a penalty," the French fullback said.

Ancelotti's position at Chelsea to be reviewed in May!

2011-03-22T10:07:00.004+02:00

Tuesday 22/03/2011

Carlo Ancelotti says he is lucky still to be Chelsea manager

Carlo Ancelotti has admitted he was fortunate to survive Chelsea's mid‑season slump after fielding questions over his future at the club in the wake of suggestions from the chief executive, Ron Gourlay, that the manager's position will be reviewed in May.

Victory over Manchester City leaves the reigning champions in third place, some nine points from Manchester United at the top with a game in hand and a trip to Old Trafford to come. Chelsea have now won three league games in succession, though Ancelotti found his position back under scrutiny after Gourlay's pre‑match comments.

The chief executive, speaking on BBC 5 Live, had offered a glowing appraisal of the Italian's impact last season when the club secured their first league and cup double. "Carlo is a world‑class coach," he said. "His record speaks for itself, and his record at Chelsea in a short time – winning the Double in his first season in a new league, coming from Italy – is a great feat." Yet, when asked about the manager's future, he tempered that praise by adding: "Carlo has a contract until end of 2012. Let's see where we are at the end of May, then we'll judge the coach and other people at the football club."

Ancelotti remains committed to Chelsea and hopeful of seeing out the final year of his contract, admitted if either side wished to terminate their relationship then that would herald a parting of the ways. "I'm happy to work here, and you know my contract finishes in 2012 so there is a year to run," he said. "Then we will take a decision. I'm happy in this moment. So I think we will continue. If one party – the club or myself – is not happy to continue, I think we'll have to split. "But I know very well that this team slept for two months and, in that moment, I had fantastic support from the team. A lot of coaches that sleep for two months, at this moment, are at home watching the game on television. I am here. Fortunately."

That admission was made with Chelsea showing signs of recovery after their mid-winter stutter had seen 10 points taken from 11 games. This team feel upwardly mobile again, despite the continuing toils of their £50m forward, Fernando Torres. The Spaniard endured a seventh game for the Londoners without a goal – he has now been scoreless for 498 minutes at the club – before being replaced with this contest goalless and 20 minutes to play.

His substitution prompted some sections of the crowd to boo, with the owner, Roman Abramovich, merely mustering a wry smile. "It doesn't matter," said Ancelotti when asked about the pressure that is building on the club's record signing to open his account. "With Fernando in the team, other than in the Liverpool game, we've won all our matches. I hope [Didier] Drogba, [Nicolas] Anelka and [Salomon] Kalou also start to score, but Torres just has to keep going. He shouldn't lose confidence. I haven't asked him to score. I've asked him to move well, and he has given us good movement. We have to be patient, and so does he. The goal will arrive.

"We have nine games left to play and we have to try our best. United won on Saturday, so the gap's the same. The most important thing is to remain focused game by game, and I want to see the same spirit and attitude. In my opinion, this return to form has come too late. If it had come earlier ... well, our moment is good now."

Chelsea were reliant upon two Brazilians signed from Benfica for their goals here, the outstanding David Luiz opening the scoring with 12 minutes remaining as City tired before Ramires scored in stoppage time at the end. The visitors, their efforts undermined by fatigue after their midweek Europa League elimination to Dynamo Kyiv – when they had played for 54 minutes with 10 men – had been denied Carlos Tevez with a groin injury. The striker, whose energy was sorely missed, will return to Argentina during the international break, but has not been selected by his country.

1/4 final draw : Chelsea vs Manchester United!

2011-03-18T13:00:00.003+02:00

A result none of the English teams wanted?

Real Madrid vs Tottenham
Not quite the worst draw possible for Spurs - but not far short. Jose Mourinho versus Harry, the Special One against the man dreaming the Impossible Dream, Bale and Van der Vaart against Ronaldo and Ozil. It'll take something truly magical for Tottenham to get through this one, although at least they play the second leg at White Hart Lane. It does look like the end of the European road, though with Mourinho already plotting for Barcelona in the semis.

Chelsea vs Manchester United
A draw neither Ancelotti nor Fergie would have wanted could have a huge psychological effect on the Premier League title race. A month ago, United would have been odds-on favourites but last month's defeat at the Bridge may have altered the balance. There'll be no cup-tied Luiz for Chelsea but United are injury-hit and the Blues will believe it is time to gain vengeance for the heartbreak of Moscow. The winners will believe the door to Wembley is wide open. No Martin Atkinson this time, either.

Barcelona vs Shakhtar Donetsk
Surely only one outcome in this one, although the Ukrainians did beat Barca at home in the group phase a couple of years ago. Shakhtar's Brazilian legion will have plenty to discuss with Alves and Adriano, but Messi, Villa, Xavi, Pedro and Iniesta look to have far too much fire-power. The Ukrainians need to keep the tie alive for the second leg in their intimidating Donbass lair, but it's hard to see that happening.

Inter Milan vs Schalke
The Italians are not the side they were but even so, Schalke, under new management as of yesterday, should not prevent the holders reaching the last four again. Tuesday's remarkable comeback from the dead in Munich mean there will be no fears over another trip to Germany for Leonardo and his side, who have class acts in Sneijder and Eto'o. Chelsea and United will see them as the easiest of the likely last four opponents, though.

Ancelotti unfazed by mis-firing Torres!

2011-03-17T13:22:00.004+02:00

Thursday 17/03/2011

Ancelotti unfazed by mis-firing Torres

At every Chelsea news conference these days the matter of Fernando Torres's inability to find the net is duly raised and on every occasion Carlo Ancelotti insists he is unconcerned about the Spain striker.

So, after Wednesday's goalless home draw with FC Copenhagen that sent the Londoners into the quarter-finals of the Champions League 2-0 on aggregate, it did not take long for the issue to come up.

Torres began the night on the bench, where he cut a miserable-looking figure, before replacing and equally-morose Nicolas Anelka for the last 22 minutes.

"I'm not worried (about Torres) said Ancelotti, explaining that he had rested the 50 million pounds ($80.37 million) Spaniard to ensure he was fresh for Sunday's Premier League game against Manchester City.

"He was excited, he had some opportunities, his movement was good. At the end we lost a little bit of precision because we wanted to score but I'm happy."

Torres has now played six matches since his move from Liverpool, failing to score and rarely looking like doing so.

Ancelotti's first-choice partnership seems to be the Spaniard alongside Anelka, though Didier Drogba put in a good shift on Wednesday, working hard and unselfishly and causing the Copenhagen defenders to stay alert throughout.

Torres had a couple of snap-shots, one deflected that looped just wide, but also snatched at one chance horribly and sent the ball ballooning high, wide and not at all handsome.

Pressed to talk more about Torres, Ancelotti initially had the tabloid reporters twitching in excitement when he said: "Torres was very upset before the game because he wanted to play. We had a big argument because he wanted to write his name on the teamsheet. It was an unbelievable situation."

It was, literally, as the Italian allowed a grin to cross his face and added: "Is that enough for tomorrow? You can say if I'm joking or not."

Ancelotti knows he has a class act on his hands who will eventually come good and he will need him to if they are to win the Champions League after so many near misses in recent years.

Having lost to the eventual winners in each of the last three seasons it would be typical for Chelsea to be paired with favourites Barcelona in Friday's draw.

However, Copenhagen boss Stale Solbakken, who has seen both sides close up in the Champions League this season, said the Londoners should have nothing to fear should the draw throw up a repeat of 2009 semi-final.

"Barcelona are a little bit stronger at this moment but Chelsea have that advantage of having that great physique in the team," he said.

"They've strangled them here before when they were unlucky with (Andres) Iniesta's goal and they can outpower them, that can be their advantage.

"So if they can handle them at Nou Camp I think they have a better chance than Arsenal because of their strength."

Caster Semenya wins 400m in Bellville!

2011-03-11T13:10:00.006+02:00

Friday 11/03/2011

We spent the evening watching SA's top athletes strut their stuff in Bellville last night, the likes of Chris Haremse, Rene Kalmer, Janice Josephs, Khotsa Mkwenya, Zintle Xiniwe, Steven Mokoka, etc but the late entrant Caster Semenya stole the show!

Semenya searching for pace

World 800m champion Caster Semenya eased her way to victory in her first 400m race at the third event of the Yellow Pages Series athletics meeting in Bellville, Cape Town, on Thursday evening.

On a cold and windy autumn evening, it was star attraction Semenya that the crowd had come to watch. Semenya ran a time of 54.03 to finish ahead of second-placed Namibian Tjipekapora Herunga.

“I'm working on speed at the moment, so that's why I changed to the shorter 400m this week,” said Semenya. “I'm ready for SA nationals 800m, because I'm able to do times around 54 for 400m so it's important I keep working on my speed.”

Semenya is looking to defend her title at the World Championships in Daegu, South Korea in August. To qualify she will have to run a time under 1:59.8 seconds before July 14. Her world record mark of 1:55.45 set in Berlin 2009 means Semenya is confident to make it to the event.

In one of the other big races of the evening, it was the 5000m Women's race that provided the excitement. Zintle Xiniwe was the surprise winner in a field including long distance specialists Rene Kalmer and Irvette Van Blerk. - Sapa

Carlo Ancelotti wanted to ensure that Chelsea remain as underdogs in the Premier League title race despite Monday night's 3-1 win at Blackpool!

2011-03-08T10:07:00.005+02:00

Tuesday 08/03/2011

Carlo Ancelotti wanted to ensure that Chelsea remain as underdogs in the Premier League title race despite Monday night's 3-1 win at Blackpool

The defending champions followed last week's thrilling victory over current leaders Manchester United with another success to cut the gap on Sir Alex Ferguson's side to nine points with a game in hand.

Fourth-placed Chelsea's next league task is an appetising match with Roberto Mancini's Manchester City, who sit third and are desperate to finish in the UEFA Champions League positions.

But Ancelotti still believes that the dreadful run of one win in nine matches between mid-November and early January means that last season's Double winners will fail in their league defence.

Asked about the title race on Sky Sports 1, the Italian said: "I maintain the same idea because we are too far and now we have to continue, obviously, because it is a good moment for us and we have to prepare for the next game."

John Terry's first-half header against relegation-threatened Blackpool was followed by second-half goals Frank Lampard, with the England midfielder's first coming from the penalty spot, while Jason Puncheon responded in the 86th minute.

Strength and character
Chelsea have now won three successive matches, including their Champions League first-leg victory at Copenhagen, and Ancelotti thinks his side are getting back towards their best.

The former AC Milan boss said: "I think that we have definitely come back to playing our football with power, with strength and character.

"But it was not an easy game. Until the penalty, the game was in the balance.

"I think that we played well. I am a little disappointed because we conceded the goal. We were too relaxed and so we have to stay in focus for the whole 90 minutes."

Click Fernando photo for 50 Torres goals while at Liverpool!

Fernando Torres and Didier Drogba started together for Chelsea, but they again failed to click and the former has still to score since his £50million January move from Liverpool, while the latter came off in the second half with a hip injury.

But Ancelotti said: "I am very happy because he is working hard, supporting the team, also defensively. I think that he has very good behaviour on the pitch."

Fergie's haunted face told the tale. Just how did this happen?

2011-03-02T13:11:00.003+02:00

Wednesday 02/03/2011

Fergie's haunted face told the tale. Just how did this happen?

Sir Alex Ferguson spun around, his head in his hands. He had an expression rarely witnessed. Haunted, disbelieving. How did this happen, he seemed to wordlessly implore.

That was before Frank Lampard buried a spectacular penalty to confirm Chelsea's victory against the odds. That was before Nemanja Vidic had been sent off, missing Sunday's visit to Liverpool. That was before Chelsea turned the title race around. Maybe not in their favour, but certainly in Arsenal's and, beyond that, who knows?

This was one of the matches of the season and may yet be a pivotal moment. And to think at half-time there was only one team in it: the eventual losers.

The spirit of Chelsea's victory must have come from a truly special place because, until David Luiz equalised, it was all but invisible. Stamford Bridge had the atmosphere of a wake, and Manchester United the swagger of champions. They had taken the game to Chelsea and it had worked. Wayne Rooney scored a deserved goal and every attack threatened a second.

Ferguson had already decreed Chelsea out of the title race but this result would confirm it. Carlo Ancelotti would be left with only the Champions League to save his skin, and on this form it looked a more remote goal than ever; on this form, few would be tipping Chelsea to even be in the Champions League next season.

Yet in a week dominated by misfiring air rifles and allegations of brutality, here was a reminder of why so many remain in thrall to the sheer thrill of Premier League football, for all its faults. This was truly a stunning game, a brawling monster of a contest, a heavyweight title fight from the days when combatants slugged it out, rather than waited for the opponent to die of boredom.
In the second half, Chelsea made the game a battle of wills and Manchester United were over-run. Maybe that is why Ferguson looked so startled. He thought he had the scrappers here, he thought he had the tough nuts. Yet as Chelsea grew in stature, so Paul Scholes and Michael Carrick faded. It still needed two strokes of good fortune to get Chelsea back in the game but that does not detract from the importance of this result or the determination on display.

The first significant event was that David Luiz stayed on the field after what was clearly a foul on Wayne Rooney, worthy of a second yellow card. It would not have been enough to prevent Luiz scoring - that horse had bolted - but it would have rattled Chelsea and stopped their attacking impetus.

The biggest break, though, was that referee Martin Atkinson gave his 11th penalty of the season when to most eyes it looked as if Manchester United defender Chris Smalling simply could not get out of the path of the onrushing Yury Zhirkov. It was at that point that the roof fell in on Ferguson and the unlikeliest revival became a reality.

With a return at Old Trafford to come, Chelsea may decide the destination of the league title, even if it is not to remain in west London.

Earlier, it was Ancelotti who appeared to be suffering a thousand agonies. As the ball was fed out to Patrice Evra once more, and nobody covered him, the Chelsea manager threw his hands in the air despairingly. It made no difference. It happened just the same the next time and Ancelotti looked in disbelief at his staff on the bench as, inch by inch, Chelsea's season slipped away. How could they, he seemed to be saying. How could they be so careless?

United's goal, for which Rooney was left in space which, considering the area, must have a market value measured in millions, was further proof of a sloppiness that was simply not present in the Jose Mourinho era.

The Special One would have eviscerated the players who failed to close down Rooney; maybe Ancelotti did, too. Behind that genial facade is a man fighting for his career and, to a lesser extent, his reputation. He does not want to go from Double winner to fifth place in the space of a year. Certainly, Chelsea emerged for the second half with renewed purpose.

From a stroke of luck to a stroke of genius in one stride, and the signing of centre-back Luiz is already looking to be one of the most incisive moves of the season. That he should get on the score sheet before Fernando Torres will be taken by some as a negative, but Luiz's form has been the real positive for Chelsea over of the last month.

Here he finished with tremendous skill and certainty; had Torres replicated the moment, onlookers would have purred and considered him to be justifying his £50million transfer fee. It was a classy goal, the most impressive strike of the night, although Frank Lampard's penalty also went in as if jet-propelled.

The goals typified the power of Chelsea's second-half performance, a certainty that was missing from their early play. Indeed, the performance posed as many questions as it provided answers. Optimists will now feverishly picture retaining the title in astonishing circumstances, yet equally qualification for the Champions League next season is far from guaranteed. It will depend which Chelsea turns up.

Their fading fortunes were distilled in 90 minutes here. There were strong reminders of the capability of this team, yet they were also at times sloppy, slow to get forward and aimless. They exploded into life only having given Manchester United a head start and while, at their best, they looked a match for anybody, at their worst, they reminded one of those dull Italian sides, easily dismissed by spirited Englishmen. They displayed incredible potential, but also the potential to disappoint.

Early on, gallows humour took the place of raw energy. 'Shoooot,' the crowd cried when Ashley Cole got the ball but the team, like Cole's cursed air rifle, misfired haplessly.

Ancelotti, hands plunged deep into the pockets of his tailored rain coat, looked on ashen-faced, much as he had appeared on Monday when trying to convince a sceptical world of the good in the trigger happy Cole. By the end, the roles were reversed, the season perhaps turned on its head, Ferguson a picture of impotent frustration, his captain gone for one match at least, Evra limping off injured.

This was a game Chelsea had to win, and they did, preserving their season in the process. They turned it around when all seemed lost, and maybe the season will turn, too. Game on, as they say. Maybe not for Chelsea, but for someone.

FC Copenhagen v Chelsea: Carlo Ancelotti admits that his future hinges on whether club wins Champions League!

2011-02-21T10:13:00.003+02:00

Monday 21/02/2011

FC Copenhagen v Chelsea: Carlo Ancelotti admits that his future hinges on whether club wins Champions League

Carlo Ancelotti has admitted that Chelsea’s season and possibly his own fate hinges on the outcome of their Champions League clash with FC Copenhagen.

As Ancelotti takes his side to Denmark for Tuesday’s first leg of their last-16 tie, he is pondering his position at a club whose fortunes have taken a turn for the worst since November.

No-one is certain whether it was the sacking of his assistant, Ray Wilkins, or the loss of form and fitness of a clutch of key players that started the rot, but it is clear that things have changed dramatically.

From a position at the top of the Premier League and talk of an unprecedented quadruple back then, Chelsea’s last hope of a trophy is in the Champions League, and the way they are playing it is hard to see them seeing off Europe’s finest.

Saturday’s dramatic defeat to Everton put them out of the FA Cup, and Ancelotti admitted that they are unlikely to make up the 12-point gap between them and league leaders Manchester United.

Even more worrying for him and Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich is the prospect that Chelsea will fail to supplant Tottenham or Manchester City in the top four.

So Tuesday’s match in Copenhagen, and the return leg three weeks later, have taken on added importance. Asked if Chelsea need to win to keep their season alive, he answered: “Yes.We’re not having good results and we have to do better. Maybe this will be a good moment to take a result in Denmark. We need to have the right pressure and play well against Copenhagen. We have 180 minutes to win this game.”

He is remarkably bullish considering Chelsea’s form since November, which has brought them only six victories in the 19 games since Wilkins left.

“We have the possibility to win against Copenhagen,” he said. “The Champions League is not easy, but it will bring a lot of motivation for everyone, especially because we are not doing well in the Premier League and are out of the FA Cup.”

The defeat against Everton was symptomatic of Chelsea’s current malaise. They did not play as a cohesive unit, they struggled to score and some of their biggest names played some way below their best.

Didier Drogba, Florent Malouda, Michael Essien and John Obi Mikel looked like shadows of the players who inspired Chelsea to the league and cup double last season, and Ancelotti is painfully aware that only two or three of his team are playing at their usual level.

“At this moment there is [Branislav] Ivanovic and [John] Terry, and [Frank] Lampard played well. We have a problem at this moment with Mikel and Essien. They’re not 100 per cent fit. I said a lot of times that we lost confidence in our play and it’s difficult to move on. The results are not good.”

What makes Chelsea’s decline all the more remarkable is that they started the season so strongly, with six straight wins in the first month, scoring 25 goals and conceding two.

But Drogba contracted malaria, which appears to have sapped his strength, Lampard missed four months through injury, and Malouda faded badly. Lampard’s goal in extra-time against Everton was Chelsea’s first in almost five hours of football, even though they created plenty of chances.

They have scored just 18 goals and conceded 17 in the 14 league games since the departure of Wilkins, and it was soon after that point when Ancelotti realised he had a problem.

“We have to keep going, create chances and hopefully have more shots converted,” he said. “Against Everton, we worked hard for 120 minutes, we didn’t play fantastic but we created 10 chances and scored just one goal. We didn’t have any luck, but I hope the lucky moment we didn’t get will happen on Tuesday.”

While quick to point out that he will not walk away from Chelsea, the Italian is aware that Abramovich must be looking at his options. It seems fanciful that the Russian would consider bringing back Jose Mourinho, but Ancelotti knows his time will surely be up if he fails to deliver the Champions League this term.

“I don’t have to consider my position. It is the owner that has to consider my position, not me. I have to work and try my best. This is football. You have to be able to manage this moment,” he said.

Chelsea's Premier League run-in: will Carlo Ancelotti's side finish in the top four?

2011-02-14T13:14:00.001+02:00

Monday 14/02/2011

Chelsea's Premier League run-in: will Carlo Ancelotti's side finish in the top four?

Chelsea have 12 fixtures to secure a top-four finish and Champions League football next season. Telegraph Sport looks at where things could go wrong for Carlo Ancelotti between now and May 22.

Where's it going wrong? Chelsea's draw with Fulham leaves the in fifth place and 12 points behind Manchester United Photo: PABy Emily Benammar 2:25PM GMT 15 Feb 2011
February 26 Chelsea v Birmingham City
A fixture that pre-slump would have been written-off as a guaranteed three points for Chelsea but they lost 1-0 at St Andrews in November and will go into the match off the back of a midweek trip to Denmark.

March 1 Chelsea v Manchester United
The fixture is yet to be confirmed on this date due to an FA Cup re-match on Chelsea's part and if moved would likely set up a Manchester United double-header in May. Either way it will be one of Chelsea's biggest obstacles to Champions League football next season and the result will have a significant impact on the squad's mentality.

March 7 Blackpool v Chelsea
Should be three points for Chelsea but you just never can tell with Blackpool. They've beaten Liverpool twice this season and came close against Manchester United and City.

March 20 Chelsea v Manchester City
Four days after they host Copenhagen, Chelsea must secure points against fellow top-four contenders Manchester City. Having already lost against Roberto Mancini's side this game is about as pivotal as it comes.

April 2 Stoke City v Chelsea
Currently just four places behind Chelsea, Stoke should not be under-estimated particularly on home turf. Chelsea are likely to rest key players if they have reached the Champions League quarter-finals, the first leg of which would take place three or four days later.

Related Articles

Ancelotti forced to defend Torres display 15 Feb 2011
Chelsea's winter of discontent 15 Feb 2011
Mourinho watches Chelsea struggle 15 Feb 2011
Fernando Torres flops again 15 Feb 2011
Jury still out on Torres at Chelsea 14 Feb 2011
April 9 Chelsea v Wigan Athletic
The first of what should be three simple wins for Ancelotti's squad. They beat Wigan 6-0 in their second game of the season.

April 16 West Bromwich Albion v Chelsea
Another team put to the sword earlier in the season but as with Wigan the week before and West Ham to come, Chelsea will do well to beware of clubs threatened with relegation. Fixture may well be rescheduled depending on FA Cup commitments meaning May risks becoming even more packed.

April 23 Chelsea v West Ham
Another straight-forward fixture on paper but, should they have made it, Ancelotti's thoughts may well be on a looming Champions League semi-final and therefore the need to rest key players.

April 30 Chelsea v Tottenham
Another chance to take points off top four rivals and a tricky game, especially off the back of possible mid-week action in Europe but Spurs could find themselves in the same boat. Harry Redknapp's side will also be fighting for a top four finish.

May 7 Manchester United v Chelsea
At the start of the season it was earmarked the title decider. It now seems that Chelsea's Champions League fate will come down to this clash. Whether each side remains in the 2010-11 Champions League at this stage will carry great significance on squad availability and morale with the fixture coming days after a possible away trip for the semi-finals second-leg.

May 14 Chelsea v Newcastle United
Despite the departure of Andy Carroll. Newcastle have proven themselves a side to be taken seriously. Chelsea should win this one. Fixture could move if Chelsea reach FA Cup final.

May 22 Everton v Chelsea
A tougher end to the season for Chelsea than Tottenham and Manchester City, who play Birmingham and Bolton respectively on the final day. Chelsea will want to be safely in the elite group before this one. Though in truth they may well already be coming to terms with Thursday nights on Five next season.

First race in 12 months ends with Chelsea losing over the weekend!

2011-02-07T10:26:00.005+02:00

Monday 07/02/2011

It was good making a return to running after 12 months. 2010 is a year I want to forget as it was bad on all levels. Work, my health, my personal life .... but it's a new year, with better prospects!

CHELSEA 0 LIVERPOOL 1

An afternoon that heralded two Chelsea debuts fell flat as mistakes at the back allowed Liverpool a second-half winner.

It was a match typical of many league games between these two sides in recent years - a tactical stalemate for much of the afternoon. Chelsea failed to function as an attacking unit, either with Fernando Torres on the pitch or without him, and the visitors came closest to scoring in a goalless first half when they wastefully struck woodwork.

When Chelsea did go close it was with shots from distance in the second half prior to Raul Meireles's 68th minute winner. That came when a defendable cross was not dealt with by goalkeeper or central defence. It was symptomatic of problems at the back as well during the course of the game, while at the other end, Pepe Reina remained untested throughout.

Before the match was the most eagerly awaited team news for many a month and when Carlo Ancelotti handed in his 18 names, Torres was one of the 11 to start with David Luiz among the seven subs. The Brazilian would come on for the final quarter-of-an-hour.

Kalou made way for our new record signing with Anelka taking up the position behind the front two where he had pulled plenty of strings at Sunderland on Tuesday night. That was the only change to the starting line-up. Ramires was not available.

There was a questionable booking with just 30 seconds of the match gone - Mikel cautioned for a run-of-the-mill trip on Gerrard in the centre of the park, accompanied by a few rolls from the Liverpool captain.

A minute later came the first chance for Torres, presented by a careless Maxi Rodriguez pass. Opting to take it early and from distance, Chelsea's number 9 fired over.

There was a big atmosphere inside the Bridge for a big game and there were misplaced passes from both sides in the early stages.

Drogba picked up the pace and drove towards goal on 15 minutes but his shot deflected wide off Lampard.

There was possible danger for Chelsea soon after as Terry's attempt to find Drogba went wrong and Liverpool broke via Kuyt. Meireles was free in the middle but fortunately the cross was struck at the covering Lampard.

Liverpool's three-man central defence allowed Martin Kelly on the right and Glen Johnson on the left to push up as wing backs and as a consequence, Cole and Bosingwa were receiving passes closer to halfway than in many games.

It took a great Lampard pass out to Cole, who was charging into the area, to find width in the danger zone. The Chelsea left-back pulled the ball out of the air and hooked it across into the area but Skrtel was able to clear.

Agger was guilty of an arm-up block on Torres and from the free-kick, Chelsea won a 26th-minute corner. Ivanovic, a thorn in Liverpool's side in this situation in the past, back-headed Lampard's delivery not too far wide.

The pressure was all Chelsea's at this stage. On 30 minutes Drogba barged Lucas off the ball and slipped a pass through to Torres whose shot looked on-target, but Carragher did very well to anticipate the move, slide across and block.

There had been next to nothing from Liverpool but on 31 minutes Rodriguez was guilty of an incredible miss. Gerrard picked up possession after a Johnson cross was blocked and drove it hard across the six-yard box. Rodriguez, in behind Cole at the far post, was only three yards out as he rammed his shot high onto the bar.

An error-strewn first half that was more notable for its tension than its football was summed up by two moments shortly before the interval. First Drogba and Lampard messed up a free-kick routine and then Cech and Ivanovic exchanged angry words after they went for the same cross.

The opening 45 minutes had not gone too well for Torres when the ball made it his way but he was not the only one, although Terry had been a strong and steadying influence when red shirts pushed towards Cech's goal.

The first effort of the second-half was Johnson's. The former Chelsea man shot powerfully but wide. Lampard then reversed a pass to Cole who was tackled in the box with Drogba's follow-up shot deflected wide.

It had long looked like an error rather than an inspired moment of play would break the deadlock and Reina was very lucky it wasn't his as his 55th minute clearance hit Drogba and rebounded wide.

On 64 minutes Anelka flashed a 20-yard shot a yard wide before Ancelotti made his first change. It was the end of Torres's debut. Kalou came on and the team returned to 4-3-3.

There had been little from Essien in an attacking sense in this game but he came close to adding to his collection of special goals when he struck a shot sweetly as he slid on the turf. It flew inches over the bar.

Then came the Liverpool goal. Gerrard was over by the corner flag as he crossed a ball that had no immediate menace about it but in a replay of their first-half miscommunication, Cech and Ivanovic watched it go past and Meireles was able to shoot inside the far post. There were 68 minutes gone.

Ancelotti rung two quick changes - Malouda for Mikel and then a debut for Luiz as he replaced Bosingwa. Ivanovic went to right-back.

Luiz struck a good early note with two strong block tackles and Cech began to redeem himself with strong hands as he saved from Aurelio. Before that Liverpool survived a penalty appeal when referee Marriner decided Lucas could do nothing to prevent the ball hitting his hand.

He also turned down a later penalty shout when Ivanovic, watching a high ball over his shoulder, ran into Johnson. Chelsea were unable to threaten the Matthew Harding End goal in the four minutes of stoppage time played.

The defeat meant Liverpool had completed a league double over the Blues and on a weekend when Manchester United and Arsenal had dropped points, Stamford Bridge was left suffering from a significant sense of anticlimax.

Chelsea (4-1-2-1-2): Cech; Bosingwa (Luiz 72), Ivanovic, Terry (c), Cole; Mikel (Malouda 71); Essien, Lampard; Anelka; Torres (Kalou 65), Drogba.
Unused subs Turnbull, Ferreira, McEachran, Sala.
Booked Mikel 30 secs.

Liverpool (3-4-2-1): Reina; Carragher, Skrtel , Agger; Kelly, Lucas, Rodriguez (Aurelio 74), Johnson; Gerrard (c), Meireles (Poulsen 83); Kuyt.
Unused subs Gulacsi, Kyrgiakos, Jovanovic, Ngog, Suarez.
Scorer Meireles 68
Booked Lucas 73.

Referee Andre Marriner
Crowd 41,829.

Shots on Chelsea 0 Liverpool 3
Corners Chelsea 4 Liverpool 3
Fouls Chelsea 11 Liverpool 10
Offsides Chelsea 3 Liverpool 1

Are Chelsea paying a price for dragging their feet?

2011-01-12T10:25:00.001+02:00

Wednesday 12/11/2011

Are Chelsea paying a price for dragging their feet?

What are Chelsea doing in the transfer market? Nothing seems to be the answer. There I sat, Monday morning listening to the usual garbage from tabloid men of Britain in the latest Sunday Supplement podcast. Very rare that the podcast manages to grab my attention, but this week it did. Rob Beasley, amongst all the other crap, managed to hit the right note.

When Abramovich arrived we spent big, and it worked. Nothing’s wrong with that. If you want to catch up with the big boys, you need to spend big, this league is yet to show otherwise. What we haven’t done though, is maintain the spending, not the stratospheric spending, but replacing one or two players with players of similar quality. This season is proof of that, Deco and Ballack, players of massive quality have gone and what did we get? Ramires and Benayoun. Whether you like the players or not, there is no question they are nowhere near of the same quality.

What good clubs do, is sell. They know the perfect time to sell the players. Man Utd and Fergie have done that in the past, Beckham, Van Nistelrooy, Keane – they’ve all been sold just before their sell-by-date. Barcelona have done it as well, selling Ronaldinho, Deco. Chelsea however always fail to sell at the right time. Bayern Munich were keen on Bosingwa a season ago, were willing to splash out. We didn’t sell and now his contract is running out and he is worth nothing. Joe Cole, now don’t get me wrong, he was no longer good enough to represent us, but we lost out on resale value of about £10 million at least.

So we’re left with an egg on our face. A small squad with a few ageing stars, untested youngsters and a load of rubbish in between. People, who have no clue about running a football club, are making football decisions. Chelsea were offered van der Vaart for £10 million in the summer, well before Spurs signed him, yet we politely declined and instead spent £24 million on Benayoun and Ramires. Ramires may well turn out to be a decent acquisition yet, although it’s hard to see what role he plays on the football pitch. But you have to question what ‘wise man’ turned down van der Vaart for £10 mil, and then sanctioned a move to spend £18 million on Ramires. Sure seems like it wasn’t Ancelotti.

I keep being asked who Chelsea are after in this transfer window, a new centre back it seems – the one position that doesn’t need strengthening, in my opinion. The situation will become clearer after we get an update on Alex’s fitness.

This is no longer a dip. All the signs are that Chelsea are in decline!

2010-12-28T12:17:00.004+02:00

Tuesday 28/12/2010

This is no longer a dip. All the signs are that Chelsea are in decline

While Arsenal celebrate a victory which Arsène Wenger will offer as proof that this is a team whose moment has come at last, Chelsea will be wondering if last night was the moment at which a dip turned into a decline. A return of six points from a possible 24 in their last eight Premier League games, and no wins in the last six matches, suggest that something has gone badly wrong for the champions in recent weeks.

The effort was certainly there, verging on the frenetic in the final half-hour, but it was not accompanied by a demonstration of the kind of focused power that they learnt to deploy under José Mourinho's tutelage. Rather than relying on a series of carefully drilled responses, they were reduced to making it up as they went along, and never achieved sustained coherence.

Roman Abramovich will not have been impressed and the result will do little for Carlo Ancelotti's standing. It may be that even last season's league and cup double will not be enough to save him if there is a continuation of the team's present disjointed form, such a contrast with the imperious manner in which they began their defence of the championship.

Ancelotti was in a self-critical mood afterwards. "We have gone to sleep," he kept saying. "We have to wake up. Maybe I have to be the first to wake up." But if the team and their manager could not rouse themselves for a trip to the Emirates in their present position it is hard to see from where the wake-up call will come.

The manager could point to injuries to key players in recent weeks – John Terry, Frank Lampard, Didier Drogba, Alex, Michael Essien, José Bosingwa and Yuri Zhirkov among them – but so well resourced a club must expect to ride such losses without forfeiting their ability to maintain a challenge at the top. More worrying is the loss of a sense of structure within the team.
When Ancelotti referred to the inability of the players to build on their solid defensive work in the first half by making a solid transition from defence to attack, he was emphasising the extent of the team's fall from grace. This was the dimension of the game in which Mourinho made them so formidable, as he had done with Porto and would do with Internazionale. They retained the habit through other men's brief reigns, and even through Ancelotti's own first season, but the patterns are starting to look threadbare.

Most of the big names are now restored to fitness. Lampard was making his first start for Chelsea since 28 August, hoping to rekindle some of the qualities of imagination and unpredictability that have been so clearly lacking. Ancelotti should be concerned that the team leans so heavily on a 32-year-old, albeit one whose 317 league games in the blue shirt have produced 106 goals.

One day the 17-year-old Josh McEachran will inherit Lampard's role. But were McEachran an Arsenal player, no doubt he would already be making regular starts in big games. Last night Wenger sent out a side including no player over the age of 27, and with an average of 23 and a half. Ancelotti, by contrast, picked six players in their thirties in a team averaging three years older than their opponents. There was never a sense that youthful zest would be forced to bow to guile and experience.

When Lampard began his prolonged period on the treatment table, he had started Chelsea's first three Premier League matches of the season, after which the defending champions' record made fine reading: played three, won three, 14 goals scored and none conceded. At that stage, as Wenger remarked in his programme notes for last night's match, they looked unbeatable.

Any side would notice the absence of a midfielder whose habit is to score 20 goals a season, and the midfield trio of Michael Essien, Mikel John Obi and the Brazilian newcomer Ramires certainly missed Lampard's contribution, notably his knack of timing his arrival on the edge of the opposition penalty area to maximum advantage and the way he unobtrusively lubricates the movement of others. Last night, however, Lampard's priorities were elsewhere.

As Arsenal set out to swamp the visitors' rearguard with fast, fluid, one-touch passing moves, he was often occupied in helping Ashley Cole to resist the incursions of Theo Walcott. Only when that duty had been fulfilled was he able to turn his attention to breaking forward and supporting Chelsea's three forwards.

But it was too much to expect that, after only one brief appearance as a substitute at White Hart Lane a fortnight ago, he would be back to top form. One sumptuous pass out to Salomon Kalou in the opening 10 minutes apart, he had little to offer in the attacking areas and ended up in the referee's notebook for a scruffy foul on Alex Song shortly after Branislav Ivanovic had pulled a goal back. That was how it went for him, and for a Chelsea side whose chance of retaining their title, even in this unusually volatile season, may already have gone.

Chelsea's run of poor form is over, says Carlo Ancelotti despite frustrating Tottenham draw!

2010-12-13T13:56:00.004+02:00

Monday 13/12/2010

Carlo Ancelotti believes Chelsea's alarming slump was behind them, despite watching Didier Drogba blow the chance to send them back to the top of the Premier League.

The champions looked certain to end their miserable four-match winless run in the league when Drogba stood over a stoppage-time penalty at Tottenham but the striker's poor effort was saved by Heurelho Gomes as the game ended in a 1-1 draw leaving Chelsea fourth, level on points with Manchester United, who have two games in hand.

Ancelotti shrugged off Drogba's miss, claiming ''it doesn't matter'' because his side had played well enough to win.

He said: ''I think that we deserved to win; we were very close to winning. We missed a penalty but it doesn't matter. I think that we played well and I think that our bad moment is behind us.''

He added: ''It would be a problem if you are in fourth at the end of the season.''

Chelsea's performance was certainly an improvement to that served up in the past month, although there were signs of the defensive frailties they have shown in that time.

After a bright start, an awful lapse saw them fall behind to a Roman Pavlyuchenko goal and although they had plenty of chances to level, their equaliser was gifted to them when Gomes spilt Drogba's shot into his own net.

Ancelotti said: ''We showed good confidence, we showed good football, we didn't lose confidence after the first half. There was a good reaction.

''We wanted to play more defensively and use the counter attack but, after Tottenham scored, we played differently and second half was really better.

''We put more strain, more pressure, more determination and the performance was good.''

Drogba had been controversially left out of the starting line-up and Ancelotti revealed his star striker was far from happy with the decision.

''He was not happy obviously but he showed a good reaction in the second half,'' he said. ''He played a fantastic game and was very important for us.''

Justifying Drogba's omission for Nicolas Anelka, the Italian added: ''I wanted to play more counter-attacks; I wanted to use the speed on Anelka to create opportunities to score.''

The game also witnessed the surprise return of Frank Lampard from the bench after three and a half months out injured.

''We spoke yesterday; he wanted to be involved in the squad, to start from the bench, and this is very good news for us,'' said Ancelotti, who revealed Lampard would play a friendly match on Thursday in order to be fit for next Sunday's clash with United.

Explaining why the midfielder did not take the stoppage-time penalty, he added: ''Lampard was not able to shoot because he did not have a lot of confidence because he was out for a long time.

''Drogba took the responsibility to shoot.''

Silva is City's most important player

David Silva spent most of his debut for Manchester City being buffeted about the pitch by Tottenham's Tom Huddlestone on the opening day of the season. Then it seemed like City's big summer signing was not made for English football, where praise from pundits generally centres on a player's pace, power and drive, rather than his vision or ball skills. We routinely hear Premier League tub-thumpers prattling on about how they would like to see how Lionel Messi would fare against Stoke City, an argument with more holes in it than West Ham's defence.

This is not something to be proud of and it is, of course, why English players struggle at international level, where possession is key, but in the Premier League, a small, skilful player is often viewed as a wanton luxury and Silva must have wondered what he had let himself in for as 21 headless chickens charged around him while he struggled to dictate play.

Since then his rapid rise has been remarkable. If Carlos Tevez has been portrayed as City's heart, then Silva is the brains. Tevez was missing through suspension against West Ham – and may be on his way out of Eastlands for good – but City did not suffer in his absence. Much was made before the game of City's inability to win without Tevez, but Silva would be a bigger loss. Indeed, if he maintains this level of performance, Roberto Mancini might not be too disappointed to see Tevez go. While it is true to say Tevez is City's captain, it is Silva who is their leader.

He was a delight to watch, constantly on the ball, teasing his opponents with his soft, shuffling footwork, keeping City ticking over with the intelligent economy of his movement. He looks like a small woodland creature and plays with the impish mischievous glint of one too. Everything went through Silva. He is the thinking man's footballer. His assist for Adam Johnson's goal, an impossibly brilliant through-ball, was outstanding and something no other player on the pitch could have done. Silva's work has largely gone unnoticed outside of Manchester, but judging by the way he spent the afternoon quietly winning a game of hide-and-seek with Scott Parker, one imagines that's just the way he likes it.

Never write off a top side

Chelsea are fourth, one point off the league leaders, Arsenal. They have qualified for the knockout stages of the Champions League. Frank Lampard is back and Didier Drogba is scoring again. And this is a crisis? Of course, all that fails to tell the whole story. With a defence leakier than a US diplomat, Chelsea had been appalling for weeks and Tottenham found themselves cast in the unlikely role of favourites yesterday. Favourites against a side that won the Double last season. Initially that feeling was justified after Roman Pavlyuchenko's clever goal again exposed the flaws in Chelsea's back four, but in the end, Tottenham were reliant on Heurelho Gomes's save from Drogba's stoppage-time penalty to earn them a point.

While only managing to draw the match extended Chelsea's winless streak to five league games, their performance yesterday hinted at a return to their swashbuckling form at the start of the season. Against a very good side, Chelsea were excellent at times and should have scored more than once. Given their atrocious run, the manner of their comeback after Pavlyuchenko's goal was highly impressive and reveals a dressing room that is very much united. It was a game reminiscent of Guus Hiddink's first in charge in February 2009. Chelsea, in turmoil after sacking Luiz Felipe Scolari, travelled to Villa, cocky upstarts in fourth place, with few people expecting them to win. Chelsea swaggered to a 1-0 victory. As Manchester United have already demonstrated this season, it never pays to write off a top side. Even when they have been as bad as Chelsea in recent weeks. In the long run, they will end up proving you wrong.

OPPORTUNITY LOST!

2010-12-09T13:35:00.005+02:00

Thursday 09/12/2010

OPPORTUNITY LOST

Carlo Ancelotti has called upon his players not to lose faith as they saw important decisions go against them during the defeat away to Marseille.

The 1-0 defeat in the final Champions League group game left Chelsea with one win in six matches in all competitions - but it could have been very different had two penalties been awarded against the French champions with the game goalless.

Salomon Kalou appeared to be fouled in the area shortly before half-time and earlier in the game the referee seemed to point to the spot when Florent Malouda was chopped down but then indicated a corner.

'I think the linesmen took the decision but I think it was a clear penalty,' observed Ancelotti after the game.

'But you have to know this is football, this is the life of the sportsman. Sometimes you don't take what you deserve but you don't have to lose composure, you don't have to lose character, you don't have to lose ability. We must maintain confidence and optimism for the future.

'The bad moment continues and we have lost confidence in our play now but we have to come back and keep going.

'The performance was not so bad defensively where we had a good control of the game but we could do better up front. We had a lot of opportunities to do counter attack but we didn't do so well with the final pass or the final shot.'

The manager noted that Didier Drogba's return to the Stade Velodrome was not a good game for the striker and suggested the emotion might have been a factor.

He took the player off after an hour and later replaced John Terry too. The captain had taken a knock to the ankle but nothing of concern, unlike Jose Bosingwa who will miss the Tottenham game due a hamstring injury suffered late in the game. Ancelotti will make a late decision on the availability of Frank Lampard who continues to train well.

'Against Marseille was a good opportunity to move on from this period but we lost this opportunity,' the manager said, 'but now we have another good opportunity, against Tottenham.

'It will be a difficult game to win away against a strong team but we have to think of this as a good opportunity to move on.

'Now everybody thinks we will lose this game but because if this we need to prepare well. Tottenham are very near the top of the table, they are doing well and we have to consider this a great opportunity, not a problem.

'I am worried just because we are not doing our best, but I would like the team just to move on from this moment. I am strong and I am focused on my job, and I am sure my players are the same.'

Arsenal are a bigger threat to the title race than Chelsea, says Manchester United's Nani

Manchester United winger Nani believes Arsenal will be the biggest threat in the title race this season after Chelsea's run of poor form continued against Marseille in the Champions League.

Arsenal visit Old Trafford on Monday looking to consolidate top spot in the Premier League table, and for their part, Manchester United know a home win would allow them to jump back to the summit, while retaining a match in hand following the postponement of last week's visit to Blackpool.

It promises to be a feast of football, with Nani believing it represents the acid test of United's trophy ambitions.

''Arsenal are a bigger threat than Chelsea now,'' he said. ''Chelsea have lost a few games and drawn some and their confidence looks a bit low.

"But Arsenal have been winning and being top of the league gives you great confidence.''

The north London club have lost three times on home soil this season, but have been a formidable force away from the Emirates with managing recent victories over Manchester City, Everton and Aston Villa, none of whom United were able to beat on their own travels.

''Arsenal have been doing well. They are growing up in the way we are,'' the Portugal international added.

''Nasri is the most important player in the Arsenal team. He is a very big danger for us and we have to take care of him.''

Arsenal might well feel the same way about United's confident winger.

It was Nani's direct running that got Arsène Wenger's side into a flap on their most recent meeting in January as United extended an unbeaten run against Arsenal to four games in very impressive style.

''I like to play against Arsenal,'' he said. ''It is good playing against any big team but I have done well against them in the past.

''The way they play gives you a chance to show your quality.''

It will represent the first time United have engaged in league combat since putting seven past Blackburn almost a fortnight ago, a result Nani feels signifies they have returned to top form.

''Our momentum is growing,'' he said. ''Players like Wayne Rooney and Anderson are starting to play fantastically again.

''It is great because our next two games are going to be very important for us. If we win against Arsenal and Chelsea we will be in a very good position to win the league.''

Twilight 2010!

2010-12-08T07:46:00.006+02:00

Disappointing Chelsea drop points again!

2010-12-06T13:20:00.003+02:00

Monday 06/12/2010

Disappointing Chelsea drop points again

Chelsea 1-1 Everton

Another insipid Chelsea display saw Everton score a late equaliser to deny the Blues victory at Stamford Bridge.

It was an ultimately deserved point for David Moyes’ side, who showed the greater effort and commitment throughout. Having earned the Toffees a share of the spoils with an 86th minute strike, former Chelsea youth player Jermaine Beckford will no doubt be a new hero on Merseyside, and his team incidentally had the chances to win the match following the former Leeds man’s late leveller.

Their performance – full of character, resilience and vigour – was the polar opposite of yet another lackadaisical Chelsea team display, with the Blues leaving the field to a chorus of boos from the home faithful following the disappointments of a fourth Premier League match without victory. The Blues have taken a mere five points from their last six matches, which happens to be no better than the three teams occupying the relegation zone.

If Chelsea are to turn this rot around and at least put up some sort of fight in the defence of their Premier League crown, much work must be done on the training ground and an entire reversal in fortune is needed also. On the pitch, players are putting in woeful performances where inspiration is needed, and Carlo Ancelotti’s plight has not been aided by goings-on at boardroom level at the club.

Even the return of captain John Terry and influential midfielder Michael Essien could do little to prevent the Chelsea slump from continuing – though it must be noted that Ancelotti’s men have a clear case of injustice after a myriad of questionable decisions from referee Lee Probert. The official might have awarded Chelsea penalties for a Sylvain Distin handball early on and a blatant challenge on Ashley Cole by full-back Coleman, but the Blues simply did not deserve to win the game.

For the one penalty that was awarded to the Blues – a challenge worthy of a rugby match by Tim Howard on Nicolas Anelka – the referee should surely have sent off the goalkeeper for a professional foul as he had denied a goalscoring opportunity.

That being said, Chelsea were themselves massively fortunate to have eleven men on the field at the end of the game because of a flailing arm by Florent Malouda that caught Tim Cahill, and there was also an injury scare to goalkeeper Petr Cech after a collision between the Czech and Cahill left the Blues custodian requiring stitches to a cut above the eye. Cech will now no doubt be an injury concern ahead of a midweek trip to Marseille.

And with consecutive matches against Tottenham, Manchester United, Arsenal and in-form Bolton coming up for the Blues, their current position of third might soon seem a satisfactory achievement considering the possibility of more disappointing results that seem destined to come unless Ancelotti can instil confidence and belief into his team once again. Chelsea’s problem stems from a lack of energy and commitment to the cause, and the shock dismissal of Ray Wilkins has clearly affected the mindset of the previously-imperious West London outfit.

But whilst Chelsea can scratch their heads after another below-par showing, Everton will rightfully be lauded with deserved praise after a magnificent second half performance that continues their excellent form away from Goodison Park – the Toffees are unbeaten on the road since August and might have taken all three points against a shell-shocked Chelsea side who were second-best for large periods.

Indications of how difficult the day would be came early on as Louis Saha forced a smart save from Petr Cech inside the first minute, whilst the excellent Leighton Baines fired over after a marauding run from deep. Chelsea’s response was to go equally close – first Phil Jagielka showed his defensive steel to block an Anelka effort before John Terry’s intelligent effort came back off the crossbar. The Chelsea captain had seen his first effort blocked by the magnificent Dystin – who, minutes earlier, had escaped what would have been a harsh penalty after handling inside the box – before turning his second effort against the visitors’ woodwork.

Chelsea continued to turn the screw and Kalou went close when he headed across the face of goal from Florent Malouda’s corner kick, but the Blues were finding clear-cut opportunities few and far-between.

Either side of half-time it was a tale of two back-passes as first Nicolas Anelka latched on to Phil Neville’s shockingly-underhit pass to Tim Howard and won a penalty after being hurled to the ground by the American. Up stepped Drogba to score his first goal in six games and give the Blues what was perhaps a lead deserved on the balance of attacking play, but Everton rallied and ensured Chelsea ensured a torrid climax following the interval.

The second woeful back-pass of the afternoon came from the boot of John Mikel Obi, who saw Jermaine Beckford try and beat Cech from 45 yards – it was the right idea from the former Chelsea youngster but the execution was lacking. Meanwhile, news of a second Arsenal goal against Fulham – giving them a 2-1 lead – filtered through and was met by a wave of grumbles across all four stands of the ground.

Everton came desperately close to a levelling goal when Jack Rodwell’s header beat Cech but came off the inside of the goalkeeper’s left post before being cleared by Branislav Ivanovic, whilst the same player was inches away from connecting to a Jagielka flick-on as Baines’ left-footed deliveries continued to cause problems for the Chelsea backline.

Cahill and Cech then collided as the Blues keeper bravely collected the ball at the Australian’s feet only to be met by a facefull of studs, leaving the Chelsea goalkeeper with a cut above the eye. Stitches were required but the Czech Republic number one showed no ill-effects of the challenge as he kept out a glanced effort from Beckford; the ex-Leeds man keen to prove a point against the team that had not offered him a professional contract in 2003.

Then came a moment the game seemed to pivot on, as Ashley Cole was brutally hacked down inside the area by Seamus Coleman. Paulo Ferreira – a late substitute – had burst forward and crossed into the six yard box for Cole to tap home, only to see the England international blatantly chopped down. No penalty was rewarded and a snapshot by Malouda was saved by Howard seconds later as Everton survived what would have been a game-winning goalscoring opportunity.

Kalou was then guilty of dithering inside the area and allowing Everton to clear, and it would prove costly. It came as no surprise that any route back into the game from a Toffees’ perspective would come from Leighton Baines, and it saw the Englishman cross to Cahill who in turned knocked the ball down to Beckford who duly converted. It was the inevitable Everton equaliser that was absolutely deserved for their second half showing, who, to a man, had been absolutely brilliant and their performance had warranted a reward.

Even seven minutes of injury time was inadequate time for the Blues to fashion what would have been a cruel winner. Full-time was met by a chorus of boos from a host of supporters inside Stamford Bridge as another woeful Blues performance had cost them points in the title race. Arsenal now top the table and are two points clear of Chelsea in third – but the gap will be four points should Manchester United win their rearranged fixture at Blackpool.

Defeat at Spurs next weekend, coupled with wins for Manchester City and Manchester United, will see Chelsea drop down to fourth place – a previously incomprehensible situation for the defending Premier League champions, but one that now looks increasingly likely. Chelsea supporters may not have much to cheer on a football front this Christmas.

Ancelotti isn't calling the shots at Chelsea... it's Abramovich holding the smoking gun!

2010-11-29T10:01:00.005+02:00

Monday 29/11/2010

Ancelotti isn't calling the shots at Chelsea... it's Abramovich holding the smoking gun

It is not the fault of John Terry that Chelsea decided to go into this season with two central defenders, one of whom was injured. Considering the direction in which the club is headed it may not be the fault of Carlo Ancelotti, either.

When a manager is no longer able to select his right-hand man, who knows what other decisions have been taken from him? Seeking to retain supremacy in the most physically challenging major league in Europe and to win the Champions League for the first time, Chelsea have gambled massively in a crucial position.

This is agony: Alex takes a tumble on Saturday ahead of his delayed op
Terry and Alex were the only first-team central defenders going into this campaign, following the sale of Ricardo Carvalho to Real Madrid, and Terry was carrying a significant injury that had not cleared up from the previous season. Branislav Ivanovic, who is a right back, was to be the cover and, at a pinch, Paulo Ferreira, another full back, whose brief appearances in central roles were often the unsuccessful response to extreme circumstances.

Anyone who saw his performance as a centre-half at Liverpool under Jose Mourinho in 2007 would know he was not the answer in a crisis; a fact confirmed by his performance against Sunderland a week ago. Meanwhile, Michael Mancienne was allowed to stay at Wolverhampton Wanderers, on loan.

This does not read like the work of a manager with Ancelotti's reputation. The most successful coaches take risks to win, but they do not leave a year of careful stewardship to chance, as Chelsea have done. It adds to the impression that the club now dance to the beat of a different drummer, that the same person who summarily decided Ray Wilkins was not a suitable member of staff is also behind a chain of events that forced Alex to delay knee surgery to play one last game on Saturday.

Now Terry will feel pressure to end his quest to permanently resolve the nerve pain in his right leg, by rushing his return to first-team action, perhaps as early as next weekend.

True, Terry was buoyed by treatment he received from a London-based physiotherapist, Kevin Lidlow, at the end of last week, but after so many years of playing through pain - he estimates he was less than 50 per cent fit for the match with Aston Villa on October 16 - he deserves the opportunity to put his wellbeing first, for once.

Ancelotti also talked up good news from Jean-Pierre Meersseman, the Milan-based specialist he recommended to Terry, but the player must return to Italy this week and there is no permanent resolution to the problem as yet.

In the same breath that Ancelotti talked of having Terry back to play Newcastle on Saturday, which seems incredibly hasty in the circumstances, he also admitted he may have to buy in January if Terry's problems do not ease.

And if Roman Abramovich, the owner, lets him. It is plain who calls the shots at Chelsea these days. In the same week that Michael Ballack claimed Ancelotti opposed his release in the summer, it was announced that the manager had a new assistant, Michael Emenalo, and that it was an appointment made at executive, not management, level. Ancelotti said he would not be letting Emenalo coach the first team, yet he sat by his side on the bench at Birmingham City on Saturday as Chelsea lost again, this time to a Lee Bowyer goal.

Emenalo may be very good at his job, scouting the opposition, and is said to have a winning personality, but his sudden elevation will raise suspicions he is nothing more than Abramovich's nark. This may be unfair, but when a figure is clumsily imposed in this way, it is human nature to be suspicious. Mourinho's regime took a dim view when Abramovich's over-promoted friend, Avram Grant, was appointed director of football; not unreasonably, considering how events unfolded.

What is plain is that the dismissal of Wilkins and the weakness in central defence has exposed growing fissures at Stamford Bridge. Terry has given too much to the club to be the victim of a disturbing lack of foresight. Ancelotti has more than earned the right to discuss team matters without wondering how far those private thoughts travel beyond the walls of his office. No wonder the Chelsea manager was considering his future last night.

REACTION: WE NEED TO CONVERT OUR CHANCES

It was another frustrating game for fans and Carlo Ancelotti today as his side drew with Newcastle away from home despite dominating the second half.

The Italian admitted his side started poorly, gifting Newcastle a goal with defensive errors after only five minutes, but was more concerned with the team's finishing after we began to control the match in the second half.

'We are not happy, we are happy for the performance but we didn't start well, we conceded a goal too early, this made our game difficult but we reacted well,' explained the Chelsea manager.

'In the second half we had total control, we created a lot of chances but we needed to convert our chances to win this game.

'Now we need to keep going, stay focused, prepare for the next game and try to win. We play good football and we have the opportunity to win games. We are a little bit unlucky sometimes and we need to stay more focused on our shooting.'

The second half mirrored our performance against Birmingham in our last league outing. There was an improvement from that fixture with this week's draw but the Blues dominated the latter stages of that clash as well.

Today Chelsea's 13 shots on target, compared to Newcastle's three, should have seen the score sway in our favour.

'It was absolutely the same [as the game against Birmingham],' added Ancelotti, 'but we didn't lose, this is an important thing, we were able to draw. We deserved to win but obviously to concede at the start of a game is not good behaviour.

'We could find a lot of reasons to explain this moment but now it is important to train well, we need the players ready and fit and in a good condition to play.

'We have to stay focused on our training, on our matches, experience says that during a season these moments happen, we have to be strong, move quickly and keep going forward.

'It is an opportunity to show our character, our personality and it will be a good motivation to do better. I am disappointed obviously, the last four games away, to score one goal is not enough.'

Chelsea did face a defensive Newcastle side, who played nine men behind the ball once they'd scored while threatening on the counter-attack.

'The team was outstanding defensively today; you had to be against the quality Chelsea showed,' said Newcastle manager Chris Hughton. 'Chelsea is a top-class team and they would have wanted to bounce back after recent results and the game was as tough as we thought; they have great quality and attack with great ferocity.'

Roman Abramovich's meddling risks widespread implications at Chelsea!

2010-11-23T13:18:00.005+02:00

Tuesday 23/11/2010

Roman Abramovich's meddling risks widespread implications at Chelsea, according to Peter Fraser, The Insider

"He wasn't the monster that the papers painted him to be. The first thing I noticed was his timidity," Carlo Ancelotti wrote in his autobiography of Roman Abramovich. But, if reports are correct, the Chelsea manager has drastically reconsidered an assessment of the man who pays his salary.

A weekend of speculation has plunged new darkness over a black November at Stamford Bridge and what seemed to be a club resembling an unrelenting juggernaut at the start of the season now appears a quivering wreck.

Stories that Ancelotti was set to resign have been described as 'total nonsense' and the man himself has denied that he offered to quit on Sunday night. But there is no smoke without fire. Is the former AC Milan boss frustrated with apparent meddling from Abramovich, who he once lauded in Preferisco La Coppa? Has he simply had enough of life at Stamford Bridge? Either way, Chelsea have threatened a huge mistake.

Ancelotti is better suited to Chelsea than Jose Mourinho. He has brought success without any of the attention-seeking pantomime of his most-famous predecessor, he is a universally likeable character, he favours a more attacking brand of football and he has started to show a commitment to developing the youth ranks. The 51-year-old represents the best hope for Abramovich to fulfil his dream of winning the UEFA Champions League and the current breakdown therefore has significant ramifications.

Conjecture regarding the Italian's future escalated on Saturday after he confessed in the wake of defeat at Birmingham that he did not have total control of his team. However, the cracks have been appearing amid the shabby sacking of former assistant manager Ray Wilkins and three defeats in the last four league matches.

Man of morals

The theory when Ancelotti arrived at Chelsea was that he was a man who was happy to deal with a hands-on hierarchy after working under Milan owner Silvio Berlusconi. But it seems that line of thought is significantly wide of the mark.

Fallout from Wilkins' unsavoury exit has highlighted Ancelotti as a man of morals, a man concerned by his own image and standing in European football. Wrangles over compensation for his former assistant have left a bad taste in the mouth and have shown that the previously assumed 'timidity' of Abramovich is more of a crocodile smile. You do not become the 10th richest person in the world, according to the 2010 Forbes list, without an entirely ruthless and objective approach.

The treatment of Ancelotti is a repeat of that which led to the exit of Mourinho in 2007, when Avram Grant's arrival at Stamford Bridge was seen to undermine the egotistical Portuguese. The recent promotion of former chief scout Michael Emenalo to assistant coach is almost an echo of those events. Ancelotti's contract expires in 2012, but the debate over his future is set to continue despite his assurances that he does not plan to resign.

Why unsettle a man who secured a Premier League and FA Cup Double in his debut season in England? That Chelsea have brought this situation upon themselves is ludicrous.

As if not content with denying Ancelotti the assistance of Wilkins, the promotion of Emenalo, who was ironically an appointment during Grant's tenure and is a close associate to Abramovich, is another twist of the knife. The body language between Ancelotti and Emenalo in the dugout at Birmingham on Saturday made for excruciating viewing.

Winning formula

Having forced a breakdown with Mourinho, you would have thought that Abramovich, director Eugene Tenenbaum, who let it not be forgotten allegedly sacked former boss Claudio Ranieri by telephone, chief executive director Ron Gourlay, who gave Wilkins the bullet, and sporting director Frank Arnesen had learnt a lesson. But it appears they are incapable of leaving alone a winning formula. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

It is no coincidence that defeats to Liverpool, Sunderland and Birmingham have come at a time when Ancelotti, who has also been incredibly unfortunate with injuries, is feeling uncomfortable. Now what was set to be a low-key Champions League group meeting with MSK Zilina on Tuesday has earned gigantic importance, despite a place in the knockout stages having already been secured.

Losing Ancelotti would cause greater damage to Chelsea than the departure of Mourinho and, although Guus Hiddink was installed by bookmakers as a 2/1 favourite to return to the club, the choice of big-name replacements looks a little thin following years of managerial merry-go-round in West London. Who would want the job given the influence of Abramovich? Another change in the hot-seat would cause irrevocable damage to the atmosphere at the club and disgruntled fans.
The Russian needs to stop interfering in football matters and realise that Ancelotti is the perfect manager. If not, Chelsea risk losing a lot more than just the chance to win the Champions League.

Is this the end for Carlo Ancelotti?

Carlo Ancelotti's long-term future at Chelsea is in doubt, with the Doublewinning manager unlikely to commit to a new contract at Stamford Bridge - and the club's board continuing to make cutbacks.

Ancelotti's friend and trusted adviser, Ray Wilkins, has been sacked as assistant manager on the orders of Chelsea's owner, Roman Abramovich, and is now taking legal advice over his dismissal.

And with the man who has replaced the popular Wilkins, Michael Emenalo, lacking the coaching qualifications for the job and perceived by some players as a favourite of Abramovich, the fault lines in Chelsea's management structure are in danger of resembling the turbulent final year of Jose Mourinho's reign.

Then Avram Grant, who, coincidentally, is Emenalo's mentor and the man responsible for taking him to the club as head opposition scout in 2007, was brought in as director of football. Grant was immediately seen as the eyes and the ears of the owner and Emenalo, a former Nigeria international and Notts County player, is in danger of being cast in the same role by Chelsea's players after his rapid rise in recent years.

Ancelotti appeared to give his new assistant the cold shoulder at Birmingham yesterday as Chelsea suffered back-to-back league defeats for the first time since the end of the 2005-2006 season.

The Wilkins issue is likely to reverberate at the club over the coming weeks. Yesterday, in his first public statement on the affair, Wilkins indicated that he felt his dismissal was arbitrary.

'The League Managers' Association's legal advisers are assisting me in obtaining answers to a number of questions arising from my undoubtedly unfair dismissal, and all efforts are being made to reach an amicable solution,' he said. Yet the composition of the new backroom staff is just one of the challenges Ancelotti has to surmount.

Despite having won the Double last season, scoring a Premier League record 103 goals, the Italian has not yet been offered a new deal yet by Chelsea, even though he has only another 19 months to run on his contract.

However, The Mail on Sunday understands that Ancelotti would be reluctant to commit beyond his current deal because of cutbacks being made as Chelsea attempt to meet their goal of breaking even and staying on the right side of Europe's financial strictures.

UEFA's new Financial Fair Play regulations mean clubs must break even over a rolling three-year period or they will not be allowed to compete in the highly lucrative Champions League.

Ancelotti is not the type to voice discontent publicly. He also attends meetings in which the club's financial direction is discussed and so can be expected to understand the need to work within the financial constraints.

But, nonetheless, he is said to be frustrated by his inability to provide back-up within his squad.
Five players have joined Chelsea since Ancelotti took over in the summer of 2009: Yuri Zhirkov, Daniel Sturridge, Ross Turnbull, Yossi Benayoun and Ramires.

Ancelotti was involved in the recruitment of Ramires but ever since Mourinho fell out with Abramovich over the transfer policy in 2007, the manager has become a more marginal figure at Chelsea when it comes to deciding who to buy. While Ancelotti's opinion is respected, sporting director Frank Arnesen helps to select candidates, while the board, which is dominated by Abramovich's right-hand man Eugene Tenenbaum, and which also includes chairman Bruce Buck and chief executive Ron Gourlay, take the final decision, with Emenalo's view seemingly increasingly influential in that group.

Certainly there has been a change in strategy to the early days of the Abramovich era, when £230million was spent in two years.

Sturridge's fee of £3.5m was set by a tribunal while Turnbull joined as a free signing and Benayoun cost £5.5m, all reflecting the new demands of Chelsea's age of austerity.

Zhirkov and Ramires were reported to have cost £18m each, harking back to the good old days of spend, spend, spend.

Ancelotti's personal preference last June is said to have been to bid for Fernando Torres up front and one of Daniele de Rossi, Bastian Schweinsteiger or Mesut Ozil in midfield.

But once inquiries were made it was clear none of those players fit with the goal of ensuring Chelsea meet UEFA's new rules by 2012. Ancelotti's concerns about the strength of his squad surfaced when he wanted to retain Michael Ballack - last week the German said he was under the impression Ancelotti wanted him to stay - only for the board to determine the player should leave to help cut costs. Other experienced players such as Joe Cole, Deco, Ricardo Carvalho and Juliano Belletti were also allowed to leave, meaning that around £19.8m was removed from Chelsea's wage bill.

The cost, though, is that Ancelotti's current squad are considerably weaker than the one who won the Double last season and, despite Chelsea's good start to the season, Ancelotti has constantly warned that the bad times would come.

Young players raised in the academy have been drafted in. Patrick van Aanholt, Jeffrey Bruma, Gael Kakuta, Fabio Borini and Josh McEachran are all scheduled to play a prominent part in backing up the first team this year, with McEachran expected to start in the Champions League game against MSK Zilina on Tuesday. But their youth means they cannot be counted on to be as reliable as the older players they have replaced.

Last weekend, despite an injury crisis in the centre of their defence, 19-year-old Bruma remained on the bench while right-back Paulo Ferreira, 31, filled in, albeit with disastrous consequences, in the 3-0 defeat by Sunderland.

It was an indication the young players are not thought ready to play a major role in a title challenge.

The spectre that looms over Chelsea is UEFA's new rules for financial fair play. From 2012, Europe's governing body will permit clubs to incur losses of only around £38.5m in the two years running up to the 2013-14 season, in which the new rules will be applied.

Failure to comply will result in exclusion from the Champions League, which would be a financial catastrophe for most clubs. Chelsea have made a staggering £493m of losses since Abramovich took over in 2003, including a record loss of £140.2m in 2005.

Since then they have reduced spending. The 2009 accounts showed losses of £44.4m but this year's results, due next month, seem unlikely to report much of a dent in that deficit, given last year's wage bill.

Gourlay completed a £160m deal with adidas last month and if he can clinch a naming rights contract for Stamford Bridge, which might bring in £15m a year, Chelsea could be confident meeting UEFA's requirements by 2012.

That, however, is only one part of the equation. The more challenging test will be to convince Ancelotti, who could yet surpass Mourinho as the club's greatest, that it is worth his while remaining to oversee the task.

Birmingham 1 vs 0 Chelsea!

2010-11-22T13:39:00.003+02:00

Monday 22/10/2010

Birmingham 1 vs 0 Chelsea

Chelsea have suffered successive league defeats for the first time since 2006, despite dominating for all but a few minutes of Saturday's game at St. Andrew's.

Carlo Ancelotti's men fell behind to an early Lee Bowyer strike but having passed up several opportunities prior to that moment, there was no cause to panic.

A man of the match display from Ben Foster however ensured that Didier Drogba, Nicolas Anelka, Ashley Cole and Branislav Ivanovic would all be left scratching their heads at how we did not claim at least a point from such a one-sided game.

The last time we lost two in a row was at the end of the 2005/06 season, by which time we had already been crowned champions, and while we still sit atop the table thanks to Arsenal's lunchtime defeat to Spurs, further ground has now been lost to Manchester United, comfortable victors over Wigan today.

Chelsea's injury problems coming into this game were well documented, but there was good news on Friday with the announcement that Alex could start in central defence despite requiring knee surgery - his presence would make a huge difference following last weekend's capitulation against Sunderland.

Cole had recovered from a knock picked up in that game, but Yury Zhirkov was the latest added to the injury list, a tight calf following international duty had ruled him out, so Florent Malouda dropped back into midfield and Salomon Kalou started down the left.

It was the 25-year-old Ivorian who had Chelsea's first chance of the game, slipping between Birmingham defenders Roger Johnson and Stephen Carr after captain Drogba had chested into his path, but the connection was poor and the shot bobbled into the side netting.

Moments later, with four minutes still not on the clock, Ramires was allowed to creep unnoticed to the far post and meet Malouda's cross, but again it lacked power, and England's Foster could gather.

Just over a minute later it was Drogba's chance to pass up a glorious opportunity. Malouda was the provider with a precise through ball, but Foster was out sharply to narrow the angle and block the shot.

Thirteen minutes in the same player headed over from Anelka's left-wing cross, and while there may have been frustration that we were yet to hit the net, there at least looked to be no signs of the malaria that had troubled Drogba's star striker.

Those frustrations were to increase on 17 minutes when Birmingham took the lead with their first effort on target.

Sebastian Larsson's cross from the right was met by Cameron Jerome, who nodded down into a gaping space inside the Chelsea area, and Bowyer promptly ran on unmarked and slotted neatly beyond Petr Cech.

Lessons, perhaps, had still not been learned.

Back on the attack Drogba warmed Foster's palms with another powerful low drive before forcing the keeper into an exceptional stop with a decent close-range header which the former Manchester United stopper somehow managed to fist around the post.

Alex and Nikola Zigic were involved in a clash of heads that held play up for a few minutes before Chelsea's dominance continued, Cole and Anelka the next to work Foster either side of a high Branislav Ivanovic header.

Alex headed yards wide from another corner and Foster tipped a deflected Drogba free-kick around the post as Chelsea cranked up the pressure still further in the closing stages of the first half.

On 37 minutes Cole's cross to Drogba saw the forward's header beat the goalkeeper, but not the crossbar, as the ball rebounded to the off-target Ramires.

Even when Foster made a hash of things, as he did with his footwork under pressure from Anelka, he managed to get away with it, mishitting his clearance straight to a team-mate.

In truth there was very little more Chelsea could do, other than hope that in the second half Birmingham's goal would not be so charmed.

The urgency that had been so evident in the first period did not emerge in the second, and for the first time Birmingham began to play with the confidence of a side that was a goal up at home.

But more Chelsea chances were to follow. Ramires was tackled inside the area by Johnson, fairly, and then Kalou shot over in a crowded area and Drogba sent a free-kick straight at Foster as Chelsea looked to come back once more.

By now Jose Bosingwa was on in place of Paulo Ferreira as a more attacking right-back and he was to be joined on 71 minutes by Daniel Sturridge, who replaced Ramires.

Immediately Chelsea were presented with another chance, Liam Ridgewell's backpass cut out by Kalou, but Foster was enjoying one of those days, and he managed to execute a perfect sliding challenge on the forward before sticking out an arm to send the ball behind for a corner - Chelsea's 13th of the season. From the 14th, Foster made another great save, this time from Ivanovic's header.

Birmingham were sitting ever deeper and inviting Chelsea on. Even Alex was getting in on the act in open play, slamming Malouda's low cross over the bar as we continued to search in vain for an equaliser.

For Chelsea's 15th corner, every Birmingham player was in his own box, Cech the only man not within 30 yards of the home goal, but still no breakthrough. Alex was employed as a makeshift striker, one of five, but Foster would not be tested again despite four minutes of injury time.

It means the gap at the top of the table is now gone, but with Champions League action in midweek, it will be nice to focus elsewhere.

Birmingham (4-4-2): Foster; Carr (c), Johnson, Dann, Ridgewell; Larsson, Ferguson, Bowyer, Fahey; Jerome, Zigic (Hleb 71).
Scorers Bowyer 17
Booked Ridgewell 77, Fahey 84

Chelsea(4-3-3): Cech; Ferreira (Bosingwa 64), Alex, Ivanovic, Cole; Ramires (Sturridge 72), Mikel, Malouda; Kalou, Drogba (c), Anelka.
Scorers
Booked

Stats
Shots on target Birmingham 1 Chelsea 8
Corners Birmingham 4 Chelsea 16
Fouls Birmingham 10 Chelsea 4
Offsides Birmingham 0 Chelsea 0

Attendance 24,357
Referee Mark Halsey

See the full 90 minutes from 6pm Sunday on Chelsea TV.