The Sunday TimesFebruary 18, 2007

Chelsea in different class

Chelsea 4 Norwich 0Joe Lovejoy at Stamford Bridge

Chelsea are widely deemed to be having a disappointing season, but
they could still win the lot, having set themselves up nicely for the
big week ahead with this comfortable passage into the last eight of
the FA Cup.

A rare goal from Shaun Wright-Phillips and a routine one from Didier
Drogba accounted for Norwich, who knew it wasn't going to be their day
at Stamford Bridge from the 11th minute, when their goalkeeper, David
Marshall, was carried off with an ankle injury.

Jose Mourinho was able to rest important players with one eye on the
Champions League trip to his old club, Porto, on Wednesday and next
Sunday's Carling Cup final against London rivals Arsenal at the
Millennium stadium and still win with plenty to spare.

Norwich competed gallantly, in the fashion of underdogs everywhere,
and had a good first half, during which Dickson Etuhu shot against
Petr Cech's right-hand post.

But the outcome was not in doubt for Peter Grant's side from the 39th
minute, when Wright-Phillips beat the substitute goalkeeper, Paul
Gallacher, for only his third goal in 26 appearances this season.

Drogba tucked away his 26th early in the second half, then went off to
save his energies for the bigger tests that lie ahead in the next few
days, against Porto and Arsenal, leaving Michael Essien and Andriy
Shevchenko to complete the job in stoppage time.

Norwich are left to concentrate on preserving their Championship
status which, on this evidence, should not be beyond them.

They had their chances yesterday, but without prolific striker Robbie
Earnshaw, who was injured, they were not quite good enough to take
them.

For Chelsea, the only downside was the loss of the luckless Khalid
Boulahrouz, who had just returned from a spell on the sidelines, with
a dislocated shoulder which is expected to keep the Dutchman out for a
matter of weeks, rather than days. The cup may be a great leveller,
but the Chelsea groundsman is certainly not, and the relaid pitch was
horribly uneven, cutting up badly from the outset.

A conspicuous absentee for the last six games, Roman Abramovich, the
Blues owner, was back at the Bridge for this one.

As if to prove a point, Mourinho omitted his boss's favourite,
Shevchenko, from the starting lineup. The £30m man spent most of the
match on the bench, where he was kept company by Essien and Wayne
Bridge, with Claude Makelele not even in the 16.

All four were left out with the Champions League in mind, but Essien's
rest lasted only 44 minutes. Just before half-time the Ghana
international was called on to replace Boulahrouz, hurt defending a
corner.

Without Bridge, and with Ashley Cole convalescent, Chelsea already had
Paulo Ferreira out of position, at left-back.

Norwich, from the wrong end of the Championship and fighting a
desperate battle against relegation, were not in a position to rest
anybody and, apart from poor Marshall, they could ill afford the loss
of Earnshaw, their principal goalscorer, missing with a groin injury.

Dion Dublin, 37 years young, had the thankless task of marking Drogba,
the Premiership's top striker. The former Manchester United and Aston
Villa striker was not found wanting and distinguished himself with a
tackle from the top drawer to dispossess Arjen Robben and threatening
late on with a header to evoke memories of his halcyon days.

To nobody's surprise, the first threat came from Chelsea, Frank
Lampard testing Marshall with a 25-yard free kick which had the
ill-starred goalkeeper plunging low to his left for his one and only
save.

To their credit, Norwich showed no loss of morale after Marshall's
premature withdrawal. On the contrary, they were desperately close to
taking the lead after 17 minutes, when Etuhu's shot from distance
rebounded out off Cech's right-hand post and Lee Croft, following in,
seemed certain to score until Boulahrouz charged in, like the cavalry
coming over the hill, to effect a last-ditch clearance. The Dutch
defender then showed the other side of his inconsistent form with a
miscued clearance which would have let in Darren Huckerby at close
range but for John Terry's timely intervention.

For Chelsea, Robben and Lampard tested Gallacher with shots which had
the substitute goalkeeper at full stretch, delaying the opening goal
until the 39th minute.

Then Lampard's 25-yard drive was blocked by Andy Hughes and ran to
Wright-Phillips who, from the 18-yard line, fired high past Marshall's
flailing left hand. There would have been a second before half-time,
but for the chase and tackle with which saw Youssef Safri dispossess
Robben in the penalty area. Norwich's reprieve was brief.

Six minutes into the second half Chris Brown made a fearful hash of
dealing with a corner from Lampard, his maladroit touch presenting
possession to Drogba who, from three yards, gratefully accepted the
gift.

His job done, the talismanic striker was promptly withdrawn, to save
his energies for Wednesday's trip to Mourinho's former club. Norwich
rallied well and Hughes and Jason Shackell, with back to back shots,
both demanded notable saves from Cech late on, but Chelsea had the
last word, with those two late goals. First Essien scored from close
range, from Shevchenko's cut-back, then the Ukrainian helped himself
to his 10th goal of the season, a header from Salomon Kalou's
left-wing cross.

Star man: Lassana Diarra (Chelsea)

Player Ratings: Chelsea: Cech 6, Geremi 6, Terry 7, Boulahrouz 5
(Essien 44min, 6), Ferreira 5, Diarra 8, Mikel 6, Lampard 7
(Shevchenko 69min, 5), Wright-Phillips 6, Drogba 7 (Kalou 56min, 6),
Robben 6

Norwich: Marshall 6 (Gallacher 11min, 6), Hughes 6, Dublin 6, Shackell
6, Drury 5, Croft 6, Safri 6, Etuhu 6 (Fotheringham 59min, 5), Lappin
5 (Martin 79min, 4), Huckerby 7, Brown 5

Referee: R Styles

Attendance: 41,537

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------\
-------------------------------------------
Telegraph:

Blues keep powder dry for big fish
By Colin Malam at Stamford Bridge, Sunday Telegraph

Chelsea (1) 4 Norwich (0) 0

Classic, and much-needed, upsets continue to elude this season's FA Cup.

Here was the promise of one, with the team 18th in the Championship
taking on the only Premiership club still with a chance of winning
four major trophies this season. But giant-killing was not on the menu
for Norwich owner Delia Smith yesterday.

Although the visitors had their chances to score early in the first
half and late in the second, there was never any real prospect they
would win.

Chelsea moved comfortably into the last eight of the FA Cup without
having to exert themselves unduly. Goals by Shaun Wright-Phillips,
only the third of his Chelsea career, Didier Drogba, Michael Essien
and Andrei Shevchenko proved more than enough.

Peter Grant, Norwich's manager, said afterwards he was pleased with
his team's performance and thought they were always in the game. "I'm
very disappointed with the result, but the players' general play was
excellent," he said defiantly before reminding us they had been
without injured top scorer Robert Earnshaw.

Jose Mourinho, the Chelsea manager, talked more interestingly about
his supposedly strained relationship with owner Roman Abramovich and
the dreadful state of the Stamford Bridge pitch than about this
routine victory.

"This is his club, he can come and go as he pleases," said the Chelsea
manager of Abramovich's reappearance yesterday after missing six
matches.

As for the troublesome pitch, which claimed a victim yesterday when
Norwich goalkeeper David Marshall twisted his ankle on it and had to
be carried off, that is to be dug up today and re-laid. "Our next home
game is against Porto in the Champions League," Mourinho said of the
March 6 tie, "and for a game at that level, we need a proper pitch."

Chelsea's next away game is also against Porto, and the first leg of
that knock-out tie on Wednesday is followed next Sunday by the Carling
Cup final against Arsenal. So it was perfectly understandable that
Mourinho should rest players by making five changes against opponents
priced at 250-1 to win the FA Cup.

Norwich's odds hardly improved with 12 minutes gone, when they were
compelled to change their goalkeeper. Paul Gallacher had to come off
the bench when Marshall turned his ankle as he prepared to go for an
Arjen Robben cross.

The setback seemed to inspire the East Anglians and Chelsea were
extremely lucky not to fall behind in the 18th minute. A Dickson Etuku
strike rebounded off a post to allow Lee Croft a chance, but he shot
so weakly at an open goal that Khalid Boulahrouz was able to get back
and clear off the line.

Boulahrouz, on his first start after six weeks out with a knee
ligament injury, later dislocated a shoulder, an injury that the club
said would keep him out for several more weeks.

Chelsea offered little threat until the half-hour mark and, after two
good saves, Gallacher could do little to stop Wright-Phillips's
deflected shot that gave Chelsea the lead. Drogba scored the second,
with a poacher's instinct. A corner was accidentally knocked back
towards his own goal by Chris Brown, and Drogba reacted quickest to
swivel and hook in his 26th goal of the season.

Seemingly satisfied the game was won and mindful of the taxing week to
come, Mourinho called off Drogba in the 56th minute and Lampard 13
minutes later. Petr Cech had to make one miraculous save, to tip a
Croft shot on to the crossbar, and then stop a low shot from Jason
Shackell, but with a late flurry the home side scored twice in
stoppage time.

Essien first turned in Shevchenko's low centre from close range. Then
Shevchenko completed the rout with a fine, firm header. Upset? That
was just Grant and the Norwich fans over the result.

Match summary

Man of the Match: Lassana Diarra: The rested Claude Makele was hardly
missed yesterday as his young replacement proved the midfield
heartbeat of the side
Moment of the Match: There were two. First, when Petr Cech turned Lee
Croft's volley against the bar. Then when Andriy Shevchenko headed
home Chelsea's fourth goal
Rating: 7/10
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------\
-------------------------------------------
Indy:

Chelsea 4 Norwich City 0: Roman returns for a Blues cruise

Collector's item for Wright-Phillips as opening goal and full 90
minutes help see off Norwich
By Ronald Atkin at Stamford Bridge

The margin of defeat was rough on Norwich City, with half of the goals
coming in added time from substitutes Michael Essien and Andriy
Shevchenko. But there was no denying the merit of this Chelsea
performance which keeps them running strongly for four trophies.

In view of upcoming battles away to Porto on Wednesday and against
Arsenal in next Sunday's Carling Cup final, the Chelsea manager Jose
Mourinho stuck some of his big names on the bench and left others out
altogether, but it was a measure of Norwich's performance that it was
two of those who came off the bench, Essien and Shevchenko, who
guaranteed progress into the FA Cup quarter-finals.

In fact, Norwich should have gone in front, Lee Croft failing to bury
the ball into a gaping net in the 17th minute before Shaun
Wright-Phillips, revelling in the rare opportunity of a full 90
minutes, scored just before the interval and Didier Drogba added a
second soon afterwards.

All this was watched impassively by Chelsea's owner, Roman Abramovich,
appearing after a five-week absence which had the purveyors of rumour
buzzing. Mourinho was at pains to discount them afterwards. "Roman
comes and goes as he pleases. He does not have to give explanations
why he is not here. This is his club and we work for him, he does not
work for us."

Neither Abramovich nor his manager will have been over-impressed by
the fashion in which Chelsea were made to battle until they scored.
The pitch was a thorough mess, and it is being dug up yet again today
in readiness for the home leg against Porto in the Champions' League.
As Norwich manager Peter Grant claimed, poor pitch or not, "We were
always in the game and if we had scored with 10 minutes to go we could
have got another".

They should have gone in front early on. The burly Dickson Etuhu
unleashed a thunderbolt from distance which struck the base of Petr
Cech's right-hand upright and rebounded to the feet of Croft. The time
Croft required to steady himself was fatal. His shot caught Cech
heading the wrong way but Khalid Boulahrouz came across to stab it
behind for a corner. What happened subsequently was tough on the Dutch
defender, who dislocated his shoulder just before half-time.

This levelled up the bad-luck stakes, since Norwich had lost their
goalkeeper, David Marshall, after a dozen minutes when he landed
awkwardly on his left ankle, damaging ligaments, and was replaced by
Paul Gallagher. The new man performed creditably, repelling an Arjen
Robben left-footer and then thrusting away Frank Lampard's swerver.

He could do nothing about the goal which sent Wright-Phillips capering
with delight to the sidelines for a cuddle with assorted Chelsea
coaches. Lampard, charging forward yet again, saw another rocket
blocked, and when the rebound came the way of Wright-Phillips, the
shot, delivered with the outside of his foot, was imparted added
swerve off the body of Andy Hughes.

A trademark Robben tumble in the penalty box, bringing a squalid end
to a fine run, was rightly given the thumbs down by referee Rob
Styles, but Chelsea did not have long to wait for their second.

Six minutes into the second half, the 37-year-old Dion Dublin was
guilty of poor judgement. First, he almost turned a shot into his own
net, conceding a corner. Then Dublin was nowhere near Drogba when the
ball arrived at his feet almost on the line. Chelsea's top scorer can
be relied on not to mess about from that distance.

Job done, Drogba then went off, to be replaced, not by Abramovich's
mate, Shevchenko, but Salomon Kalou. Eyebrows were not raised for
long, however, with the Ukrainian coming on for Lampard. But it was
Norwich who cheered their massed fans behind the goal by assaulting
it, forcing Cech into a couple of excellent stops.

Then, with the seconds ticking away in added time, Essien tapped in a
low cross by Shevchenko, who then headed a fourth seconds later. Rough
luck, Norwich.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------\
--------------------------------------------

Four still the magic number for Chelsea


Jamie Jackson at Stamford Bridge
Sunday February 18, 2007
The Observer


The quadruple is still on. And although that feat is unprecedented and
highly unlikely, Chelsea might just feel that as their bleak midwinter
of form came when key figures were missing, it was timed to
perfection. This was a convincing, easy win and with only Joe and
Ashley Cole of their major players still absent, the prospect of
winning the Premiership, Champions League, FA Cup and Carling Cup -
they meet Arsenal in Cardiff next Sunday - must now excite, rather
than daunt them.

Especially as there will be a new pitch at Stamford Bridge, a subject
Jose Mourinho was keen to expand on. 'I said some time ago the pitch
was no good,' he said of a surface that will be dug up and may have
caused the 11th-minute injury to Norwich keeper David Marshall. 'He
twisted his ankle and there were no players near him, but we can't
blame the pitch,' said Peter Grant. The visiting manager was, however,
disappointed at the scoreline. 'It looks a gubbing, but it wasn't,' he
added, yet the champions had suggested throughout that they would
finish the stronger. 'There were tired minds for the last two goals,'
Grant said. Those late strikes came from substitutes Michael Essien
and Andriy Shevchenko, the latter of whom also created the Ghanaian's
goal with his movement beyond a static Norwich defence.
Until then, Grant's assessment was understandable. Chelsea, employing
the 4-3-3 of last season with Shaun Wright- Phillips and Arjen Robben
flanking Didier Drogba, might have gone behind after 17 minutes.
Dickson Etuhu's shot beat Petr Cech and rebounded off a post to Lee
Croft. For a moment, a hushed Bridge anticipated how the right-winger
would deal with an empty goal. The answer was a pause that allowed
Khalid Boulahrouz - who would be replaced by Essien at half time after
dislocating a shoulder - to clear. 'We did lack that quality in front
of goal,' admitted Grant.

Marshall's replacement Paul Gallacher made two sharp saves from Robben
and Frank Lampard, but could do little to prevent Wright-Phillips'
opener six minutes before the break. Another Lampard effort this time
rebounded to the England winger, whose shot took a telling deflection
off Andy Hughes that sent it beyond Gallacher. It was Wright-Phillips'
second goal in the FA Cup and third for the club, and all have come in
what he must hope will prove to be his breakthrough season in west
London.

Minutes after the restart Roman Abramovich, back watching his club
after missing their previous six matches, saw Didier Drogba claim his
26th goal of the season. From Lampard's corner Chris Brown's
disastrous touch showed the defensive instincts of a striker and the
ball went straight to Drogba, who finished from close range.

That was match over for the Ivorian striker, whom Mourinho felt
confident enough to rest ahead of the Champions League trip to Porto
on Wednesday. At that point, the coach chose to bring on Salomon Kalou
rather than Shevchenko, but when Lampard came off, Shevchenko emerged
to provide a memorable cameo, teeing up Essien's goal and heading home
the fourth.

To the question of whether Abramovich's absence meant anything
following the reported rift between the Russian and Mourinho, the
Portuguese coach said: 'It's his club, so he does not have to give
explanations. We work for him, not the other way round. He gives us a
good feeling now he is back.'

It could yet be some finish to the season for owner, manager and club.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------\
-------------------------------------------
Mail:

Happy return for Roman
Chelsea boss Abramovich sees favourite Andriy score to top off Cup rout

By DANIEL KING
Chelsea 4 Norwich 0

Whisper it quietly around Old Trafford, but could this be the day
Chelsea began a charge towards an unprecedented clean sweep to eclipse
Manchester United's famous treble of 1999?

The long-awaited return of Roman Abramovich to Stamford Bridge ended
with him applauding enthusiastically after Andriy Shevchenko, the
symbol of all that is said to have gone wrong, had scored the final
goal.

Shevchenko's header and Michael Essien's goal in stoppage time put an
undeserved gloss on a decent, but hardly imperious performance by the
home team.

Now through to the last eight of the FA Cup, Chelsea have a last-16
Champions League match and the Carling Cup final to play in the next
eight days before they resume their assault on a third consecutive
Premiership title, which is by no means beyond their reach.

Not a crisis yet, then, whatever the state of relations between
Abramovich and manager Jose Mourinho.

"He doesn't have to give explanations when he comes or when he is not
here," said Mourinho of his boss. "We work for him. When he's back,
he's back in his house.

"When he's back in our dressing room, he's very welcome. If he can be
here with the players after the game, it's good.

"We are in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup. Confidence is still
there. We have two finals this week — the first game in Porto is like
a final — and we are looking forward to it."

Mourinho's team will have to play better than this to be crowned
European and domestic champions, but they may be starting to believe
their name is on the FA Cup.

Despite a late Norwich flurry, the result was never in doubt after
Shaun Wright-Phillips and Didier Drogba scored either side of
half-time.

Mourinho conceded that the scoreline flattered his team and Norwich
manager Peter Grant had every right to be proud of a team which is
struggling in the Championship.

"Four-nil looks like a drubbing, but it was far from that," said
Grant. "We want to be playing at places like this week in, week out,
and I think the players have shown they could do that."

Mourinho rested a number of players with Wednesday's assignment in
Porto in mind, but the most significant change came off the pitch.
After a six-game absence because of business commitments — or a sulk,
according to some — Abramovich was back in his executive box. Standing
in front of its door in jeans and a black jacket, with his arms
folded, the billionaire benefactor had little reason to be glad he
made the effort until Wright-Phillips put his team ahead.

A poor pitch, being used for the last time, played its part in
reducing the quality of the football and caused the twisted ankle
which forced the departure of Norwich goalkeeper David Marshall after
11 minutes.

Losing your keeper is hardly the best start to a game against the
champions, but Norwich acquitted themselves well. Without the
powerhouse that is Michael Essien, rested for only the second time in
42 games this season, Chelsea lacked the muscle and drive to force
back the committed and well-organised visitors.

Dickson Etuhu outshone £16 million John Obi Mikel with his athleticism
and came close to giving Norwich the lead in the 18th minute.

His shot from just outside the area beat Petr Cech but hit a post and
Khalid Boulahrouz made good ground to block Lee Croft's shot from the
rebound.

It took a stroke of luck for Chelsea to score in the 39th minute.
Lassana Diarra won the ball, Frank Lampard's charge ended with the
ball in Wright-Phillips' path and his shot was helped past substitutre
goalkeeper Paul Gallacher by the thigh of a defender.

Chelsea looked home and hosed early in the second half when Drogba
fired home after Norwich striker Chris Brown deflected Lampard's
corner towards his own goal and so confident was Mourinho that Norwich
would not find a way back, he gave Shevchenko a 20- minute run in
place of Lampard.

And, sure enough, the Ukraine striker was involved in the two late
goals which flattered Chelsea.

After Cech had made four good saves in Norwich's best period of the
game, including one which pushed Croft's shot on to the bar,
Shevchenko selflessly cut the ball back for Essien to tap in and then
headed in Robben's cross at the near post.

The perfect end to a less than perfect day, and perhaps an omen for
what could yet be the greatest season in the history of Chelsea or any
other English club.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------\
---------------------------------------------