The Times

Arsene Wenger loses his grip on reality as Chelsea crush Arsenal
Arsenal 1 Chelsea 4
Matt Hughes at the Emirates Stadium


Such is Arsène Wenger’s endless optimism that he sees the heaviest of
grey skies as a dark shade of blue, but after this second humiliating
home defeat in five days even the Arsenal manager must sense the storm
clouds gathering over the club. If not, then the loud booing that rang
around the half-empty Emirates Stadium after the final whistle will
surely have altered even his sunny disposition.

The world as viewed by Wenger must be a beautiful place in which to
live, because he sees no problems, only solutions. To him, the
recession is probably a good thing that forces us all to go back to
basics, swine flu should be welcomed for advancing the cause of
vegetarianism and Mikaël Silvestre remains a top-class central
defender. Then again, even Wenger’s optimism has its limits.

In keeping with the Frenchman’s relentless positivity it is almost
possible to view Arsenal’s heaviest home defeat since 1977 as a good
thing, if only for revealing the extent of rebuilding required before
they are capable of challenging for trophies again. All of Arsenal’s
biggest faults were in evidence, with a combination of woeful
finishing and comical defending enabling Chelsea to stroll to their
biggest victory in this part of North London since 1960 and secure a
top-three finish in the Premier League.

The first step to recovery in any failing enterprise is an honest
recognition of your faults, however, which has never been a Wenger
strength, as was demonstrated by his postmatch analysis. He was once
mocked for being myopic, but his condition is now gripped by delusion.

“It was not a 4-1 defeat today,” Wenger said. “You can be very
positive or very negative. It’s a major disappointment to lose 4-1,
but going forward we had a very interesting game and created plenty of
chances. That was never a 4-1 game.

“We should have been 2-0 up before they scored. We made a mistake and
were one down, but we missed seven or eight clear-cut chances and
every mistake we made was punished because we were playing a team of
quality. Three months ago everybody said we’d finish tenth and they’d
have been happy to have finished fourth.”

In his programme notes Wenger had been even more indulgent, describing
the two early goals his side conceded against Manchester United last
week as an “accident” that should be disregarded, and arguing that
Arsenal showed themselves to be equals to the champions over the two
legs. Such a claim was eye-catching in print and was made to look
utterly ludicrous out on the pitch, as the home side imploded.

Arsenal did start the stronger, as Wenger had claimed, with Theo
Walcott missing four good chances in the first 20 minutes, but then
proceeded to self-destruct in a manner that only they can.

Accident-prone does not even come close to describing recent defensive
efforts of a side that have conceded 11 goals in three matches against
Liverpool, United and Chelsea.

Many of Arsenal’s problems stem from the knee injury that ended
William Gallas’s season against Villarreal last month, not least
because it facilitated the return of Silvestre to the side. The French
defender was culpable for Chelsea’s first two goals, being outjumped
by Alex at a free kick controversially won by Didier Drogba and
failing to close down Nicolas Anelka after he had skipped past Samir
Nasri, although Lukasz Fabianski should have done better with his
shot.

Chelsea’s third was the kind of aberration that seems only to happen
to teams that are struggling, with Kolo Touré diverting Ashley Cole’s
cross into his own net, while they were also hopelessly exposed for
the fourth as Florent Malouda tapped in after Anelka had hit the post.
Wenger must sign an experienced central defender as a matter of
urgency this summer, particularly as Touré remains unsettled, although
the same situation faced him last summer and all he came up with was
Silvestre.

“At the moment I don’t know what funds will be available,” Wenger
said. “I will be told by the club. I believe we need to continue to
improve. Things are not as doom and gloom as everybody wants to make
it after a defeat.

“We play in a strong league with opponents who are top quality. We
have to continue to improve, but the areas where it is right. It’s not
about quantity of money, necessarily. You wouldn’t like to come out
and say we’ll buy four defenders. I feel we have quality defenders.
It’s more a question of balance.”

To linger so long on Arsenal’s deficiencies is an injustice to
Chelsea, who demonstrated impressive resilience to respond to their
own Champions League exit by sealing qualification for next season’s
group stage. Drogba was a menace for the right reasons, Malouda
continued his recent upsurge in form and it is difficult to see them
failing to provide Guus Hiddink with the silverware his outstanding
work as interim manager clearly merits by winning the FA Cup.

It is equally hard to envisage a trophy of any description ending up
in the hands of Arsenal, whose best hope of success lies with their
women’s team, who claimed another title yesterday. The four years that
have passed since the men’s last triumph is testing fans’ patience,
although Wenger risked being accused of rudeness when he snapped that
“everybody is free to leave the stadium when he wants” in response to
a query about the mass walkout.

Not even Wenger can look on the bright side all of the time.

Arsenal (4-2-3-1): L Fabianski 6 - B Sagna 6, K Touré 5, M Silvestre
4, K Gibbs 5 - A Song 5, A Diaby 6 - T Walcott 6, C Fàbregas 6, S
Nasri 5 - R van Persie 6. Substitutes: N Bendtner 6 (for Diaby,
59min), Denilson 5 (for Song, 67), E Adebayor 6 (for Walcott, 68). Not
used: A Ramsey, J Djourou, V Mannone, E Eboué. Next: Man Utd (a)

Chelsea: (4-2-3-1): P Cech 6 - J Bosingwa 6, Alex 6, J Terry 6, A Cole
7 - M Essien 6, J O Mikel 6 - N Anelka 6, F Lampard 7, F Malouda 7 - D
Drogba 7. Substitutes: B Ivanovic (for Bosingwa, 77min), M Ballack
(for Malouda, 88). Not used: F Di Santo, S Kalou, J Belletti, Hilário,
M Mancienne. Next: Blackburn (h)

Referee: P Dowd Attendance: 60,075



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Telegraph:


Arsenal v Chelsea: Arsenal lack leadership as Chelsea secure third

The last time Arsenal lost a home league game this badly the nation
was recovering from someone swearing live on television – and Didier
Drogba was not even born.

By Henry Winter at The Emirates



Not since the Sex Pistols were at their blaspheming peak in the
Seventies have Arsenal been this embarrassed. Never mind the
ball-users, here's why they need ball-winners.

Forget the Beautiful Game, Arsenal must acquire some ugly traits:
tracking back, closing down, not being turned, marking tighter, making
tackles, making the loose ball theirs, defending more doggedly. Arsene
Wenger is famous for not seeing his players' mistakes or misdemeanours
but he must surely now detect the flaws bedevilling Arsenal.

No leadership; his captain, Cesc Fabregas, could have been dismissed.
No toughness at centre-half; Kolo Toure and Mikael Silvestre were
constantly outmanoeuvred. No defensive nous in midfield; Samir Nasri,
in alarmingly polite "after you Claude'' mood, failed to stick with
Nicolas Anelka who was presented with the freedom of the Emirates to
score. If Wenger is going to win a trophy with his promising
collection of players, and the potential of individuals like Cesc
Fabregas, Theo Walcott and Robin van Persie is there, Arsenal's
manager must make his side harder to beat. He must think Keown not
Kaka.

The three teams above Arsenal in the Premier League all possess a
better balance between defence and attack. In thumping Arsenal,
Chelsea rubbed in the importance of power and resolve, bouncing back
from their Champions League distress against Barcelona with real
character.

Having turned the air blue on their last outing, Chelsea focused
brilliantly on having the blue flag flying proudly again. John Terry
dominated at the back, Anelka, Frank Lampard and the excellent Florent
Malouda raided forward persistently while Drogba was on his best
behaviour, minding his Ps and Qs and most definitely his Fs.
Disciplined and dynamic, Chelsea swept into the group stage of next
season's Champions League, leaving fourth-placed Arsenal to battle
through a qualifier first.

The only swearing flowed from Chelsea fans eager to voice their
verdict on last Wednesday's contentious Champions League exit. "****
Uefa; we should be in Rome,'' was chorused for much of the second
half. Uefa's president, Michel Platini, certainly did not escape with
a ribald re-working of The Clash's Rock the Kasbah. Nearby, an Arsenal
banner declaring "Keep The Faith'' hung rather limply by the end.

Wenger is an accomplished manager who has some serious decisions to
make, not only in the transfer market. The Frenchman must establish
whether he is going to switch Theo Walcott into the centre. The
England flier started on the right of Wenger's 4-2-3-1 system but was
swiftly cutting inside. During a recent meeting, Walcott is believed
to have discussed with Wenger his desire to operate more centrally. He
deserves to be unleashed.

Walcott was certainly lively early on, even imposing himself
physically on defenders, bowling Ashley Cole over to the delight of
the Arsenal fans. He also tested Petr Cech with a flicked, near-post
shot that the Chelsea keeper pushed away. Arrowing into the box,
Walcott then cut the ball back but Abou Diaby sliced the ball woefully
wide.

Walcott's pace is a strength Arsenal do not exploit enough; a couple
of Fabregas balls over the top released the whippet-like No 14 down
the channels and, although the threat dissipated, the lesson was
clear. Walcott can do damage through the middle.

These early moments brought smiles to Arsenal faces, particularly when
Kolo Toure went through the back of Drogba. When Fabregas caught
Drogba on the left foot, the muscular striker went down a little too
cheaply. As Phil Dowd brandished a yellow card at Fabregas, Arsenal's
captain delivered his own verdict, indicating diving. Arsenal fans
also responded, "same old Drogba always cheating''.

Drogba ignored all this, lifting in a free-kick and suddenly all
Arsenal's flaws were highlighted. Alex outjumped Mikael Silvestre,
steering a header past Lukasz Fabianski, who almost waved it into the
net like a lollipop lady ushering kids across a road.

Arsenal sympathisers will point out that this was the first league
goal conceded at home in 13 hours and 16 minutes, an impressive streak
of obduracy obliterated yesterday. Arsenal's fragility was seen again.
Fabregas was dicing with oblivion, lunging in on Malouda, grateful to
Dowd's largesse. "The referee's from Norway,'' speculated the Chelsea
fans. Staffordshire actually.

Arsenal went back to their passing football, Van Persie denied by Jose
Bosingwa's goal-line clearance, before Chelsea went through the gears
again, exposing Arsenal's soft centre when Anelka turned away from
Nasri, raced through the middle and fired past Fabianski as Silvestre
debated whether to challenge.

Arsenal's back-four was a mess. Anelka accelerated past Silvestre
again. Drogba held the ball up well, taking another clattering without
demur, this time from Toure. Arsenal's pain deepened after the break.
The defence was in such tatters that Toure, sliding in a vainful
attempt to intercept Ashley Cole's cross, merely diverted it past
Fabianski. Confidence is always an issue with Toure's and his
self-belief was now shot to pieces; he even conceded a corner under no
pressure.

Facing a rout, Wenger had to send for the cavalry, however disgraced.
Nicklas Bendtner dashed on, exuding an eagerness to atone for letting
the side, and his trousers down on a recent night out. He delivered
more than a belts-and-braces performance, hard work spiced with a good
goal, heading in Bacara Sagna's fine cross.

Emmanuel Adebayor, missing against Manchester United in the Champions
League, had arrived by then, to a flurry of boos. Arsenal briefly
perked up, Van Persie testing Cech but worse was to come, Malouda
poaching a fourth. Wenger has a lot of work to do.



-----------------------------------------------------------


Mail:


Arsenal 1 Chelsea 4: Rampant Blues power past Arsene’s  lightweights
By NEIL ASHTON



By the time Florent Malouda got the goal his fabulous performance
deserved, Arsenal's supporters were already streaming for the exits,
finished off for another season after finally losing the faith.
They were beaten by a team assembled for magic money, Arsene Wenger's
latest barb at their big-spending neighbours after Chelsea handed out
the mother of all beatings in Arsenal's backyard.
Gone backwards? More like gone at all levels.

Key battles were not lost, they never even started. Mikael Silvestre
versus Didier Drogba? No contest. Cesc Fabregas versus Frank Lampard?
Forget it. Robin van Persie versus John Terry? An embarrassment.
It was a humbling experience for Wenger and his team, five days since
Manchester United marched on to their territory and trampled all over
them in the Champions League semi-final second leg.

Once Alex scored with a header in the 29th minute, they were done for,
the shattered confidence draining the life out of their tired little
limbs, barely able to string a pass together as Nicolas Anelka, an own
goal by Kolo Toure and Malouda's 86th-minute strike saw them off.

They have not lost this badly in a home league game since 1977, when
an emerging Ipswich side turned over Terry Neill's team at Highbury,
crashing four past the Gunners as the glory years began under Bobby
Robson.
Judging by events of the past five days, Arsenal's golden era has also
gone, consigned to the time capsule that was buried under the main
entrance when Arsenal made the ?350million move to the Emirates in
August 2006.
They occupy fourth position in the Barclays Premier League this
morning, where they will remain until the final ball of the season is
kicked against Stoke City on May 24, readying themselves for what is
becoming an annual date with the Champions League qualifiers.

After this they need a summer to recover, to recharge the batteries
and remind themselves that playing for Arsenal remains a great
privilege. Their supporters deserve better, certainly better than
this.
For 25 minutes they gave it a go, with Theo Walcott the most
threatening Arsenal player, bounding his way past Chelsea's defenders
and even poking his England team-mate Ashley Cole in the eye, much to
the delight of the home support.
With a new ?50,000-a-week contract in the post, he needed to show more
composure in the opening minute, blasting his effort over Petr Cech's
crossbar when Robin van Persie put him through.
So far so good as Arsenal peppered Cech's goal, with Abou Diaby
sending another effort wide and Walcott steering an inviting chance to
the right of the post. It appeared to be game on until Fabregas
clipped Drogba's heels, earning an inevitable booking after motioning
to referee Phil Dowd that the most unpopular striker in the history of
English football had taken yet another dive.
From Drogba's subtle free-kick, Chelsea took the lead when Alex rose
above the pathetic challenge of Silvestre to plant an excellent header
beyond the reach of Lukasz Fabianski in the 29th minute.
Arsenal looked for a leader, someone who could drag them back into the
game but Chelsea, inspired by the mazy dribbles and the ghosting runs
of Malouda, were unstoppable.
Anelka scored their second just before half-time. It was too easy for
the former Arsenal striker as he set himself up on the edge of the
penalty area, fizzing a shot with the outside of his toe which spun
away from Fabianski and into his bottom left corner.

Chelsea's supporters, still hurting from the perceived injustice
against Barcelona on Wednesday evening, lapped it up, reminding the
opposition-of last month's mismatch at Wembley when they met in the FA
Cup semi-final.
It got to Arsenal's players, notably Toure when he sent Cole's cross
at the start of the second half beyond the stranded figure of
Fabianski, a pitiful sight for this once great defender.
The believers, the survivors still in the stands, were given hope when
Nicklas Bendtner's header in the 70th minute beat Cech, a well-taken
effort which met with the approval of Arsenal's dwindling support.


Moments later their hopes of a comeback were destroyed when Anelka's
angled effort rebounded off the post and Malouda restored Chelsea's
three-goal advantage.
That was the signal for Arsenal's supporters to desert the stadium,
turning their backs on the team as Chelsea's interim manager Guus
Hiddink showed a playful side to his character by blowing kisses at
them as they left.
After this, it might as well have been the kiss of death.



---------------------------------------------------------



Independent:

Drogba is a diver, says humbled Wenger

Arsenal......... 1 Chelsea......... 4

By Mark Fleming



The integrity of several Chelsea players has been questioned in recent
days, but no one can doubt their resilience. The sense of injustice at
the nature of their Champions League elimination to Barcelona last
week burns deeply, and instead of ranting at a referee this time they
took out their frustrations in devastating fashion.

Chelsea shrugged off the disappointment and the controversy to condemn
Arsenal to their second humiliating home defeat in five days. Almost
inevitably, it was Didier Drogba who was once again cast as the
villain, accused of diving by Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger. Guus
Hiddink showed his intention not to buckle to public opinion by
selecting Drogba for his starting XI. The Chelsea striker has become
public enemy No 1 for his furious blast at referee Tom Henning Ovrebo
after Wednesday's 1-1 draw with Barça. Drogba has divided opinion
since that tie, into those who loathe him and those who only hate him.

The Ivorian did not score, which is unusual for him against Arsenal.
But he led the line with his trademark aggression and energy as
Chelsea inflicted on Arsenal their heaviest home league defeat since
they lost 4-1 to Ipswich in 1977. After an opening spell which Arsenal
totally dominated, Chelsea took the lead on 28 minutes, and Drogba had
a key role to play.

He won a free-kick, drawing a foul from Cesc Fabregas who was booked
by referee Phil Dowd for moaning too much that the Chelsea man had
dived. Drogba arced the free-kick to the shaved head of Chelsea's
Brazilian defender Alex, who rose above a static Mikaël Silvestre to
force his header in via the underside of the bar. Wenger was furious
at the decision. Asked if it was a dive, he replied: "It was. We live
in a league where divers are rewarded. It's not right but it's like
that." Whether he is wearing flip-flops or football boots, Drogba
cannot take a step without treading in some kind of controversy.

Chelsea manager Hiddink paid tribute to his side's character after a
victory in which the club guaranteed at least finishing third in the
Premier League. "I felt the injustice, not being in the European Cup
final," he said.

"That felt like a huge injustice for everyone in the team. Then we
have this reaction against Arsenal. It's been a long time since
Chelsea have made such a big victory against Arsenal. That's why I'm
very proud of the boys in the way they reacted, tactically and
mentally." It was the first league goal conceded at home by Arsenal
since 21 December last year, and triggered something of an avalanche.
Nicolas Anelka, who should have scored in first-half stoppage time,
doubled Chelsea's advantage six minutes before the break.

The former Arsenal striker picked the ball up in midfield and, as
Samir Nasri and Silvestre left it to each other to make a challenge,
he drove at the Arsenal goal. His powerful shot from 25 yards had pace
and swerve, but Lukasz Fabianski in the Arsenal goal, one of three
changes from the team that lost 3-1 to Manchester United in midweek,
should have done better.

Chelsea again exposed the cracks in the Arsenal defence with their
third shortly after the interval. The excellent Florent Malouda
released an overlapping Ashley Cole, whose dangerous cross was met by
Arsenal defender Kolo Touré who steered the ball into the bottom
corner of the goal.

Wenger responded by bringing on Nicklas Bendtner and Emmanuel
Adebayor, the latter's arrival greeted by boos from disgruntled
Arsenal fans. The response was swift. Bacary Sagna's hanging cross
invited a finish, which Bendtner applied with his head from close
range. The combination worked again moments later, but this time Petr
Cech was on hand to save.

Arsenal only had themselves to blame as they should really have been a
couple of goals up inside 20 minutes. Theo Walcott gave Cole almost as
torrid a time as the home support.

The Arsenal supporters jeered Drogba's every touch, but the loudest
abuse was reserved for Cole who had been excellent in midweek in
defusing the danger posed by Barcelona's Lionel Messi but found
Walcott a far trickier proposition. Walcott had four good chances to
score in the first quarter of the game, but he missed the target three
times and when he did find his range he could not beat the imposing
form of Cech.

With 15 minutes left Arsenal were denied a penalty when Jose Bosingwa
challenged Adebayor but referee Dowd waved play on. The decision
effectively ended Arsenal's brief rally as within moments Malouda
fired in a fourth to mark the Blues' biggest league win at Arsenal
since 1960.

Wenger remained typically positive despite the scoreline. He said: "I
do not believe this was a bad performance. It was not a 4-1 game. We
are very disappointed. This is now an opportunity for us to show our
mental strength."

Arsenal (4-1-4-1): Fabianski; Sagna, Touré, Silvestre, Gibbs; Song
(Denilson, 67); Walcott (Adebayor, 67), Fabregas, Nasri, Diaby
(Bendtner, 60); Van Persie. Substitutes not used: Mannone (gk),
Ramsey, Djourou, Eboué.

Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Cech; Bosingwa (Ivanovic, 77), Alex, Terry, A Cole;
Essien, Mikel; Anelka, Lampard, Malouda (Ballack, 88); Drogba.
Substitutes not used: Hilario (gk), Di Santo, Kalou, Belletti,
Mancienne.

Referee: P Dowd (Staffs).

Booked: Arsenal Fabregas.

Man of the match: Malouda.

Attendance: 60,075.



----------------------------------------------------------



Guardian:


Chelsea exorcism hands Arsenal a devilish reminder

Arsenal 1 Bendtner 70  Chelsea 4 Alex 28, Anelka 39, Toure (og) 49, Malouda 86

Dominic Fifield at The Emirates



There were pockets of chorused defiance at the end from those who
remained amid swathes of empty seats, but Arsenal's fans must be
growing weary of brutal reminders that their team are so painfully off
the pace. Arsène Wenger suffered his heaviest home league defeat as
this club's manager here yesterday. What made it all the more
humiliating was that Chelsea hardly had to break into a sweat to
inflict it.

Wenger remains committed to his vision of the club's future but his
insistence that this was far from a poor performance, and that all
remains essentially rosy, did seem delusional. The past week has been
so chastening that another summer of prudence and youthful
acquisitions geared at the long term will surely not be tolerated by
those who were grumbling their way from the arena long before the end.
Manchester United had arrived in north London last Tuesday with the
Champions League semi-final apparently in the balance, only to breeze
to comfortable success. Chelsea, a side still smarting from their own
elimination from Europe, took time to find their feet but, once their
hangovers had cleared, ran riot.

Arsenal had actually excelled against other members of the elite
quartet this season until the run-in but this suggested the top three
remain some way distant. They had not lost a league game this heavily
at home since 1977, with defeat bringing a shuddering halt to a
21-game unbeaten run which had inflated ­optimism after a sloppy start
to the campaign. That sequence, if admirable, has now been put into
context. Wenger's team will finish fourth, and their opponents in
August's qualifier for next season's Champions League could
­potentially be awkward.

Their defence has disintegrated in the last week, William Gallas's
absence with a knee injury keenly felt and Manuel Almunia's ankle
complaint ruling him out here. Mikaël Silvestre is a shadow of his
former self, and the sight of Kolo Touré wearily running the ball out
of play for a corner betrayed his lack of belief. This group is
horribly fallible. Wenger attempted to deflect attention from their
vulnerability by pointing to errors in midfield, though the blame
could have been justifiably spread throughout his line-up.

Cesc Fabregas put Arsenal on the back foot by wasting possession,
whereas Frank Lampard kept Chelsea ticking over

Chelsea wavered only twice, first through a sluggish opening and then
once the game was won. The home ­support clung to hope in each brief
period, but their team lacked the teeth to tear a hole in the
visitors' rearguard. Nicklas Bendtner was summoned from the bench to
head in Bacary Sagna's cross, his 15th goal of the season, but that
proved scant consolation. Theo Walcott, all excellent approach play
but little bite, Silvestre, Abou Diaby and Robin van Persie all failed
to convert from close-range. Emmanuel Adebayor, who entered to a
smattering of boos, tumbled too easily over Jose Bosingwa and Petr
Cech when offered sights at goal. His ­confidence has anchored and
faith in his ability is waning. Bendtner suddenly seems the better
option, though that is not necessarily reason for encouragement.

Guus Hiddink's side revelled in their hosts' deficiencies. Chelsea
were ­excellent – rugged, ruthless, imposing – and some of the
nightmarish memories of Andrés Iniesta, Tom Henning Ovrebo and
­Barcelona have been exorcised. Didier Drogba, who will be charged by
Uefa this week for his post-match abuse of the Norwegian official,
played with the sense of a man who knew his every move was being
scrutinised. He was a colossus helping his defenders at set-pieces,
and a nuisance at the other end. Cesc Fábregas caught him just before
the half-hour and, even if the Ivorian tumbled too eagerly, the
free-kick awarded was legitimate. Drogba's delivery saw Alex thump a
header in off the ­crossbar and Arsenal were sunk.

It became a procession thereafter, with the home side befuddled and
prone. Nicolas Anelka, swerving away from Samir Nasri, belted in from
distance beyond a shellshocked Lukasz Fabianski. The former Arsenal
striker refused to celebrate, but he might have added a third before
the interval – the Pole making amends – before Touré, stretching to
reach Ashley Cole's cross, inadvertently settled the contest four
minutes into the second half. The home support had heckled their own
from the field at the interval. The three-goal deficit sparked a
steady stream up the aisles towards the exits, just as it had in
midweek.

Briefly, as Hiddink's team sat back, it appeared Arsenal might eke out
more unmerited reward though Chelsea only had to generate interest to
re-establish their comfortable lead. Michael Essien and the excellent
Frank Lampard combined to liberate Florent Malouda and, after
­Fabianski had saved and Anelka hit a post, the winger tapped in the
fourth. This was their best league win across the capital since 1960,
with Roman Abram­ovich joining his players in the dressing room
post-match to revel in the victory.

Hiddink has achieved the objective set him upon his appointment back
in February, a third-place finish assured and qualification for the
Champions League secured. For Arsenal, the reality is less
comfortable. United can claim the title against them at Old Trafford
on Saturday. Another galling afternoon potentially lies ahead.

Man of the match Ashley Cole (Chelsea)



---------------------------------------------------------



Star:


SORRY GUNS ARE LEFT TO SING BLUES
By David Woods

Arsenal 1 Chelsea 4

IT WAS deja blue for Arsenal as they were humiliated by opponents
wearing that colour for the second time in five days.

On Tuesday Arsene Wenger saw his young team put in their place in the
Champions League semi-final against Manchester United.

Yesterday they were put in their place again – literally this time, as
now they are sure to finish fourth – as Guus Hiddink’s Chelsea
consigned them to a first defeat in 22 Premier League games.

A difficult play-off for Champ-ions League qualification, poss-ibly
against another big-name club, now awaits the Gunners.

As for Chelsea, they are sure to play in Europe’s top competition
again and this convincing victory also kept alive their tiny hopes of
the title.

And, of course, there is the small matter of the FA Cup still to go
for, having beaten Arsenal in the semi-finals.

There was no repetition of the bad behaviour following their
controversial Champions League exit to Barcelona on Wednesday. Having
said that, it is easy to let your football do the talking when you are
3-0 up after 47 minutes!

This had been billed as the battle of the Champions League bridesmaids.

On this evidence, the Gunners are never going to be the ones to catch
the bouquet and go on to win the trophy.

They were outplayed in every department by the Blues, just as they had
been when United were the visitors.

At least yesterday they were on top until the 28th minute when the
Blues scored against the run of play.

Arsenal were bright from the very start. Theo Walcott’s burst from the
kick-off saw him hook over the bar after just 19 seconds.

And they should have scored in the 13th minute when Nasri turned
Michael Essien before playing in Walcott, whose low cross was
side-footed wide by a stretching Abou Diaby.

Walcott had another great opportunity in the 19th minute when Ashley
Cole missed Diaby’s cross from the left, but the right-winger’s
instant sidefoot flashed wide.

In the 21st minute a superb run down the left by Cole, after a slick
one-two with Didier Drogba, saw him charge into the box and square to
Florent Malouda, whose weak left-foot shot from 10 yards was blocked
by Kieron Gibbs.

Cesc Fabregas made diving actions in the 27th minute after a little
tap on Drogba’s left ankle saw the Ivory Coast striker collapse to the
deck.It led to Fabregas being booked, home fans chanting ‘cheat’ and
the Blues scoring.

Drogba took the free-kick and Alex rose superbly above Mikael
Silvestre 12 yards out to power a header in off the underside of the
bar. It was the first league goal conceded at the Emirates in more
than 13 hours. Two minutes later Kolo Toure had to lunge in to stop
Drogba scoring from close range after another impressive Malouda
charge.

Fabregas was lucky to escape a second yellow and a sending-off when
Phil Dowd let him off with a lecture following a wild lunge on
Malouda.

Another snappy Arsenal move ended with a driven Fabregas cross being
flicked on by Robin van Persie near the line, but again there was no
end product.

That wasn’t an accusation you could level at the Blues, who went
further ahead in the 39th minute. Ex-Arsenal star Nicolas Anelka was
allowed to power straight through the heart of the home defence, then
avoid a flimsy challenge from Silvestre before bending a 20-yard drive
past Lukasz Fabianski.

Walcott, who has just signed a new contract, had yet another
first-half chance, but snatched at Van Persie’s pass. Anelka should
have made it three in first-half stoppage-time but fired at
Fabianski’s legs.

But it was only a temporary respite as in the 49th minute Cole – booed
throughout by fans of his former club – dashed on to a flicked pass
from John Obi Mikel and his cross was turned into his own net by
Toure.

Walcott’s awful afternoon continued in the 58th minute when he
controlled Alex Song’s pass then shot wide.

Arsenal claimed one back in the 70th minute when substitute Nicklas
Bendtner climbed above Essien to head in Bacary Sagna’s cross.

But Arsenal’s horror day was complete in the 87th minute when
Malouda’s shot was kept out by Fabianski’s feet, but Anelka drove the
rebound against the post, allowing his fellow Frenchman to tap in.

At least one Arsenal man was happy. Arsenal Ladies coach Vic Akers saw
his team wrap up the league title again yesterday and he has now won
10 trophies in the same time Wenger has managed just the FA Cup.



--------------------------------------------------------


Sun:

Arsenal 1 Chelsea 4

From MARK IRWIN at the Emirates



IT is so long since Arsenal printed a league table in their matchday
programme that supporters as near-sighted as Arsene Wenger might not
be aware of their team’s current position.

So for Gunners of a nervous disposition... look away now.

For the stark truth is that your team are currently 15 points behind
leaders Manchester United — and have played a game more.

If, as expected, they lose at Old Trafford on Saturday, the likelihood
is they will finish the season a frightening 21 points adrift of the
Premier League champions.

When striker Emmanuel Adebayor dared to suggest the team have gone
backwards this season, he was slapped down by manager Wenger and
relegated to the bench.

But even the famously blinkered boss can no longer close his eyes to
harsh reality as his young team were brutally dismantled in their
back-yard for the second time in five days.

Just like United in last week’s Champions League semi, Chelsea took
full advantage of Arsenal’s shortcomings to win at a stroll.

Guus Hiddink’s men might have been nursing a king-sized hangover from
their own European KO but that did not stop them from inflicting
Arsenal’s heaviest home league defeat since 1977.

Champions League third-place play-off, the battle for London pride,
the right to avoid the Euro qualifiers — no matter how they dressed it
up, this was very much a case of after the Lord Mayor’s Show.

For Chelsea, though, it was also the opportunity to restore their
battered reputation following their controversial exit to Barcelona.

The visitors took such a mauling over their appalling midweek
behaviour that you half expected them to turn up in a new sackcloth
strip.

Hiddink hinted he was going to withdraw Didier Drogba from the firing
line for his own safety.

But there was to be no rest for the wicked as football’s public enemy
No 1 began his rehabilitation in style.

In fact, the whole Chelsea team were on their best behaviour as they
seized the chance to rub Arsenal’s noses in their own inferiority.

They didn’t even protest when Cesc Fabregas escaped a second yellow
for scything down Florent Malouda.

Mind you, they really didn’t need the added advantage of an extra man.

It was only a month ago that Chelsea had overpowered Wenger’s kids in
the FA Cup semi-final.

This was more emphatic as Arsenal’s 21-match unbeaten league run went
the way of all their other dreams.

Yet, for the first 25 minutes, there was no hint of what was to
follow. Arsenal took the game to their rivals with their customary
neat passing.

Theo Walcott’s early shot was beaten round the near post by Petr Cech
and Abou Diaby sliced a glorious chance wide after pinching the ball
off the toes of Fabregas.

Alex Song hooked another good chance wide and Walcott wastefully fired
three more wide of the far post. It was only a matter of time before
Chelsea made them pay so it came as no surprise when Alex headed in
Drogba’s 28th-minute free-kick.

Now was the time for Arsenal’s kids to show their famous mental
strength which Wenger is banging on about. Instead, they simply caved
in at the first sign of adversity.

Nicolas Anelka doubled Chelsea’s lead seven minutes before the break
when he ran unchallenged from the halfway line before smashing home a
fierce right-footer from 25 yards.

True, the ball moved alarmingly in the air, but Arsenal were still
entitled to expect keeper Lukasz Fabianski to have done more to keep
the shot out.

Any thoughts of a second-half fightback were dismissed within three
minutes of the restart.

Ashley Cole — mercilessly abused by the home fans — fired a low cross
into the danger zone. Kolo Toure slid in to keep out Drogba but turned
the ball into his own net.

Arsenal sub Nicklas Bendtner nodded in Bacary Sagna’s 70th-minute
cross to pull one back but Malouda gained the reward he deserved by
poking home after Anelka’s 86th-minute shot hit a post.

Hiddink, beaten in only one of his 19 league matches in charge of
Chelsea, is going out in a blaze of glory.

He is in the FA Cup final and this win guarantees third place and
automatic entry to next season’s Champions League. Arsenal will start
the term early in the qualifiers.

Still, it wasn’t all bad news at the Emirates as the stadium announcer
declared that Arsenal’s Ladies have won the Women’s Premier League.

Maybe Wenger can borrow a few of the girls to teach his boys how to
win a trophy.

Match press kit:


http://www.uefa.com/printoutfiles/competitions/ucl/2009/e/e_302812_pk.pdf


Match preview:


http://www.uefa.com/printoutfiles/competitions/ucl/2009/e/e_302812_pr.pdf

Sunday Times

Chelsea keep the heat on Liverpool
Chelsea 3 Fulham 1

John Aizlewood at Stamford Bridge


How to enable Chelsea’s Nicolas Anelka and Didier Drogba to
effectively combine their myriad gifts was a riddle that both Avram
Grant and Luiz Felipe Scolari failed to solve and one that contributed
to the demise of both. Now, Guus Hiddink might have just cracked it.

Against a doughty, game Fulham, Drogba, theoretically the lone
striker, and Anelka, floating menacingly behind him, tore their
neighbours apart. The two were intimately involved in all three
Chelsea goals, but the instinctive, aesthetically delightful
understanding they showed until Drogba was withdrawn to a standing
ovation was that of blood brothers, rather than the strangers of the
recent past.

“We practised this,” noted Hiddink. “They’re strong, they’re fast and
their performance was good to see.”

The newly deadly duo were not the afternoon’s only surprise. “It’s a
strong team,” said the PA announcer, with scarcely concealed
disbelief, as he prepared to read out Chelsea’s starting XI, which
included nine of those who refused to pay homage in Catalonia last
Tuesday.

And what did those footballing Rolls-Royces offer us on a day when
only an unlikely five-goal victory would enable them to steal
Liverpool’s second place, at least until Newcastle United travel to
Anfield this lunchtime? Lest we forget, this was a derby between teams
just 1.9 miles, and four Premier League places, apart.

Seconds after kick-off we had an inchoate answer. Chelsea swept
downfield gracefully. Florent Malouda and Anelka played a magical
one-two and Malouda crossed from the left, Drogba laid off and Anelka
took advantage of Brede Hangeland’s poor first touch to prod the
opener past Mark Schwarzer.

Three minutes later, Fulham were level. The competition was fierce,
but nobody seemed more surprised than those in white shirts. With
Ashley Cole caught overlapping, Murphy played a magnificent ball into
space, which John Terry and Alex seemed unsure who was to take
responsibility for.

The Norwegian Erik Nevland sped through and shot across a rather
slow-to-drop Petr Cech. Even without the injured Andrew Johnson and
Simon Davies, the visitors were level, but only for six heady minutes.

Then, down the right this time, Anelka fed Drogba who crossed low to
the back post. John Pantsil obligingly stretched and missed and
Malouda sidefooted home.

What now? Not entirely what we thought. These days, Fulham are rarely
shaken, but often stirred. Nevland — who would limp off with a dead
leg before half-time, crucially disrupting Fulham’s rhythm — and Bobby
Zamora went close and only a manly Terry block sent Zoltan Gera’s
goalbound drive spinning over Cech’s bar.

But before the break, Chelsea began to look more like themselves and
soon Frank Lampard and Michael Essien were foiled by a combination of
brave defending and fortuitous ricochets. Hiddink juggled at
half-time, changes more, you suspected, to do with swatting Fulham
than waiting for Barcelona. The visitors still punched above their
weight and soon Branislav Ivanovic was called upon to thwart Diomansy
Kamara, who seemed certain to poke home Gera’s cross, but at the other
end Pantsil’s expertly timed penalty-area tackle robbed Lampard at the
death.

Yet, Chelsea’s third goal was so utterly exquisite, the linkage
between Drogba and Anelka so telepathic. Anelka ambled forwards and
played the ball into space. Appearing seemingly from nowhere
(certainly the backtracking Fulham defence had lost him) Drogba
collected, took one touch to steady himself and a second to fire past
Schwarzer. This, by any yardstick, was a world-class goal.

This time, Fulham, understood the game was finally beyond them. “A
good result,” noted Hiddink, “but there were areas where I was
unhappy, where we were sloppy.” Schwarzer reacted brilliantly to tip
over a Lampard free kick on the hour and from there the Premier
League’s natural order asserted itself.

“We weren’t at our best,” lamented Fulham’s Roy Hodgson, “but
Barcelona will bring more on Wednesday than we were able to.”

Star man: Nicolas Anelka (Chelsea)

Yellow card: Fulham: Murphy

Referee: A Wiley

Attendance: 41,801.

CHELSEA: Cech 6, Alex 5 (Ivanovic 46min, 7) Terry 6, Cole 6, Bosingwa
6, Malouda 7, Mikel 7, Essien 6 (Ballack 46min, 6), Lampard 7, Drogba
9, (Di Santo 84min), Anelka 9.

FULHAM: Schwarzer 7, Pantsil 7, Hughes 6, Hangeland 5, Konchesky 6,
Gera 7, Etuhu 6, Murphy 7, Dempsey 5, Zamora 6 (Dacxourt 76min)
Nevland 7 (Kamara 35min, 6).




---------------------------------------------------


Telegraph:


Chelsea beat Fulham as fans focus on the what-ifs

An air of indolence pervaded Stamford Bridge on Saturday, even in
victory, as Chelsea adapted to the near certainty that Manchester
United's lunchtime stroll on Teesside had taken the title beyond their
grasp.

By Oliver Brown at Stamford Bridge


"It's so quiet at the Bridge," rose the chant from the Fulham end, a
familiar piece of west London goading but accurate on this occasion,
for neither three goals in a manic first 10 minutes nor an emphatic
final scoreline could rouse the brooding home supporters from their
torpor.

They had much on which to brood. The hypotheticals hung heavy in the
still summer air: what if Chelsea had not fallen to a goalless draw
here against Everton last month, what if they had not shipped two
points with the same result at home to Hull in February, the result
that triggered the exit of Luiz Felipe Scolari? Maybe then, without
such carelessness, the goals for Nicolas Anelka, Florent Malouda and
Didier Drogba could have been of more consequence, allowing Chelsea to
reduce cut a six-point deficit to United rather than shoring up the
same margin over Arsenal.

The stakes were not as high as Chelsea would have wished. But still
Hiddink fielded a remarkablly strong line-up, such linchpins as John
Terry, Frank Lampard and Michael Essien all present and correct amid
the manager's anxieties about holding on to third place in the Premier
League. It was an audacious gesture, only four days before a decisive
Champions League confrontation with Barcelona, where Hiddink promised
to "take more initiative." He admitted to some reservations about this
half-paced win over Fulham, saying: "We are happy with the result, but
I do not want to shut my eyes to moments when we let them play."

If the atmosphere here, due to the one-sided rivalry, was a touch
laid-back, some of the defending was positively horizontal. It needed
only 51 seconds for Anelka, executing the deftest one-two with Drogba,
to produce a consummate clipped finish for Chelsea's first goal and so
lay to rest any lingering murmurs about their negative tactics at the
Nou Camp last Tuesday night. True, Chelsea do not and probably will
never have the attacking flamboyance of Barcelona, but all three of
their strikers had been involved in a silky first-minute move, Malouda
supplying the initial ball for Anelka. One for those cantankerous
Catalans, clearly.

A pity, then, that Chelsea were too distracted to pay the same
attention at the back. The masterclass - a kind way of describing it,
admittedly - in bloody-minded resilience that they had given in
Barcelona was but a distant memory as they found themselves unpicked
by Fulham's less feted forwards. A harmless-looking pass by Danny
Murphy was sufficient to split the defence, Erik Nevland, later
removed from the field with a dead leg, surging clear on the right to
angle a fierce shot across the face of Petr Cech, the goalkeeper
showing fresh signs of vulnerability.

The lapse did not cost Chelsea. Their waves of attack were crashing
over Fulham with increasing frequency and it was scant surprise when
Malouda, enjoying a revival from his abject form earlier this season,
lashed in Drogba's low cross to restore a lead they more than merited.
As Roy Hodgson, the Fulham manager, put it: "When you're playing
against a team as accomplished as Chelsea, you know that you're going
to have major problems on the counter-attack." The trouble was that it
was only the 10th minute; Chelsea were in danger of exhausting all
their energies for when they would really need them, back here on
Wednesday evening against Messi and his merry men.

Drogba, naturally, was pivotal to Chelsea's confident play. The
Ivorian, rejuvenated under Hiddink like Malouda, is the figure in whom
the team's hopes of a decisive goal against Barcelona are invested,
and he he displayed some of his most lethal form in this game while
hardly slipping out of third gear. Having had a goal ruled out for
offside, when television replays proved that it should have counted,
he felt he had earned a penalty when Paul Konchesky brought him down
inside the area. No sooner had Alan Wiley, dismissed the appeals, than
Drogba was forcing another last-gasp intervention when clear on goal,
this time from John Pantsil.

The striker's reward had to wait until the second half, when a superb
counter-punch by Anelka culminated in Drogba, seizing the perfect
cross from the Frenchman, steering his shot beyond the onrushing Mark
Schwarzer. Lush, lazy skill; it was a combination with all the languor
that defined the afternoon.



---------------------------------------------------


Mail:


Chelsea 3 Fulham 1:
Now for the main event as Blues prove they are ready for Barcelona return
by IAN RIDLEY

It was as if Chelsea had taken all that criticism to heart about being
so beastly to Barcelona by defending stoutly in the Nou Camp and
refusing to play the expansive game that everyone wanted and expected.
Back they came to Stamford Bridge and indulged themselves in an open,
entertaining London derby by passing the ball fluently, finishing
emphatically and even allowing their opponents room to play. And that
was just in a first 10 minutes that yielded three goals.
After the industrious and unselfish Nicolas Anelka - yes, industrious
and unselfish - had given Chelsea a lead in only 50 seconds, Erik
Nevland poached a swift equaliser before Florent Malouda restored the
home side's advantage. The win was confirmed in the second half by the
hungry Didier Drogba.

With it was sealed qualification for the group stages of next season's
Champions League, something that looked dubious when Guus Hiddink took
over as manager in February.
The Dutchman picked a strong side for that reason, with John Terry
making his 400th appearance for the club, Ashley Cole returning after
suspension and Drogba and Anelka forming a forceful pairing.

Barcelona will clearly offer stiffer and more inventive opposition on
Wednesday in that Champions League semi-final second leg, but
Chelsea's leading lights at least got the feel for attacking football
and scoring goals again.
Hiddink said: 'I'm happy with the result but I don't want to shut my
eyes to some moments when we let them play. Playing at home we will
take more initiative but if you are not disciplined and concentrated
you can give away chances and at the highest European level you will
be exposed and punished.'

Not, though, by strangely subdued Fulham, who had come into the game
on a good run that had taken them up to seventh and unbeaten in four
away games. Andy Johnson may have been missing but his deputy Nevland
scored the winner against Stoke last weekend. After the Norwegian had
departed with an injury before half-time, Fulham lost their cutting
edge.
'We were nowhere near our best either offensively or defensively,'
admitted Fulham manager Roy Hodgson.
'We were beaten but not embarrassed.'
Before the game Fulham boasted the fourth-best defensive record in the
league, Chelsea having the best, but both sides made a nonsense of the
statistic in an explosive start to the game which saw the Blues go
ahead inside a minute.

John Obi Mikel fed Malouda, who crossed low for Drogba to touch the
ball into the path of Anelka. It was a simple task for the Frenchman
to tuck the ball past Mark Schwarzer from eight yards.
Fulham were level within three minutes, however. Danny Murphy pierced
the Chelsea back line, where Alex and Terry had been pulled out of
position, and Nevland strode on to shoot across Petr Cech and into the
far corner.
Chelsea responded swiftly when Malouda steered Drogba's cross home
from close range after Anelka had found the Ivorian wide on the right.
Having created both goals, Drogba might have scored the third himself
when he was sent clear by Frank Lampard and shot past Schwarzer but
was ruled offside, a replay revealing him to have been level.
He had his goal within eight minutes of the second-half restart,
however. Anelka played a delicious through-ball - John Pantsil lagging
behind to ensure no offside flag would save his side - and Drogba
rounded Schwarzer before tucking the ball home.
It was fitting reward for his energy and partnership with Anelka. The
movement of both was clever and sharp, a rebuff to those - including
Luiz Felipe Scolari - who did not see them as a pairing.
'It was good to see,' said Hiddink, who sounded a warning to Barcelona
that he might just play both strikers against the Catalans.
'I hope central defenders will be worried after seeing that, because
they are strong and fast.'


----------------------------------------------------


Independent:


Anelka sparkles as Chelsea put on flair show

Chelsea 3 Fulham 1: French striker inspires Hiddink's men to throw off
their shackles and send warning to Barcelona

By Mark Fleming at Stamford Bridge


Chelsea, accused of kicking Barcelona off the park in midweek,
produced the kind of football that might have impressed even the most
devout of Catalan purists.

Guus Hiddink's side have been castigated for their stonewall defence
in the 0-0 draw in the first leg of the Champions League semi-final in
the Nou Camp on Tuesday night. But given licence to spread their wings
against neighbours Fulham, Chelsea at times were a joy to witness.

There was even a piece of history for the club – strikers Didier
Drogba and Nicolas Anelka scored in the same game for the first time.
Many have said they cannot play together, but they combined
brilliantly here to suggest Barcelona will have their hands full if
they can repeat the trick in Wednesday's second leg.

Hiddink said: "If you have to play them as a central defender, you are
worried because they are both so strong and fast. This certainly gives
us options. We had a good result but I don't want to shut my eyes from
the moments in the game when we were sloppy and made mistakes."

Fulham were in many respects the ideal sparring partners for Chelsea
before Wednesday's clash. Roy Hodgson's side are top of the fair play
league and there was hardly a bad tackle all afternoon. This has to be
the blandest local derby in football, not exactly the El Classico
clash with Real Madrid that faced Barcelona last night.

Hiddink has the utmost respect for Fulham's manager Hodgson, and
showed it by selecting a powerful side, including John Terry, who was
making his 400th appearance for the club.

Chelsea's leading lights made their presence felt with startling
speed. In the first minute of the match they had the Fulham defence in
a whirl of confusion with a superb one-touch move. Freed of the
shackles worn so doggedly at the Nou Camp in midweek, Anelka, Florent
Malouda and Drogba combined instinctively and Anelka applied the
finish for his 22nd goal of the season.

But while the attack was free-flowing, Chelsea forgot the basics of
defending, and a mistake by Alex after four minutes was punished by
Fulham. The excellent Danny Murphy passed to Erik Nevland, who was
played onside by Chelsea's dozing Brazilian, and the Norwegian powered
a low shot through the fingers of Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech. Sadly
for Fulham Nevland soon had to leave the game, after a crunching
challenge by Terry. His replacement Diomansy Kamara was virtually
anonymous.

The Fulham goal was merely a blip for Chelsea. Their front three,
showing the invention and flair missing in midweek, created Chelsea's
second after 10 minutes. Drogba passed to Anelka and the Frenchman
centred for his countryman Malouda to apply an extravagant finish.

Drogba had a goal ruled out by a narrow offside decision, and Lampard
twice went close with shots from distance as Chelsea continued to flex
their muscles.

Anelka was irresistible. Left out of the side that started in
Barcelona, he seized his opportunity in impressive style. The
much-travelled striker created Chelsea's third goal eight minutes
after the interval, with a beautifully weighted pass to Drogba, who
jinked past Fulham keeper Mark Schwarzer to score.

Attendance: 41,801

Referee: Alan Wiley

Man of the match: Anelka

Match rating: 8/10



----------------------------------------------------



Observer:


Drogba seals a derby triumph as Chelsea send out warning to Barça

Chelsea 3 Anelka 1, Malouda 10, Drogba 53
Fulham 1 Nevland 4

Amy Lawrence at Stamford Bridge



Memo to Pep Guardiola: It looks as if Barcelona may not have an
anti-football match on their hands after all. Chelsea produced an
alluring answer to Camp Nou's holy trinity, Didier Drogba, Nicolas
Anelka and Florent Malouda warming up nicely with a goal each and
enough sweet moves to suggest Barça's under-strength defence will have
plenty to worry about between now and Wednesday night.

Drogba was at his terrifying best, Anelka had one of his classiest
displays for Chelsea and Malouda showed exactly why he was brought to
London at great expense two years ago. The three of them looked hungry
and sharp. Their combination play and clinical finishing was so
stylish even Barça loyalists would be forced to admit it was easy on
the eye.

Typically of Guus Hiddink, though, the manager also felt it necessary
to point out afterwards that he was unhappy with one or two "sloppy"
moments. He is not a man who tolerates an ounce of complacency. His
message here was no tinkering, no rotating, no messing.

Sandwiched between the two parts of their semi-final epic, such
boldness defied Champions League convention as Hiddink chose a team
with finishing second in the Premier League in mind. He picked
arguably a stronger starting side than at Camp Nou, with Ashley Cole
and Anelka reinstated.

Most intriguingly, this allowed the manager to try out a tactical
adjustment and Anelka and Drogba for once relished the opportunity to
link into a fearsome front two. "We do it in practice, but it is
useful to see how it worked in a real game," Hiddink noted. It worked
marvellously. Although he may not start this way against Barça, it is
another card he will now feel confident to throw down if need be. "We
like to have some options, some flexibility in the team," he added.

A full-strength Chelsea duly scored straight from the kick-off with a
mesmerising passing move transported from the Surrey training pitch.
Malouda, Anelka and Drogba did the geometry, tippy-tapping down the
left until Anelka was in front of Mark Schwarzer. He steered past the
goalkeeper with routine simplicity. A mere 50 seconds were on the
clock. Fulham's reply was swift, though, as Erik Nevland equalised in
the fourth minute. He pounced on a fine Danny Murphy pass, veered away
from the last defender Alex, and drilled across the face of Petr
Cech's goal and into the far corner before the keeper had steadied
himself.

Back flowed Chelsea, the same trio of players ripping through Fulham's
defence to leave Malouda with the goal at his mercy. He finished with
a classy crack of the left boot. Drogba found the net soon after, only
to be dubiously ruled offside. Then he claimed a penalty after being
dispossessed by Paul Konchesky. The referee, Alan Wiley, correctly
waved play on. The Ivorien did get on the scoresheet shortly after
half-time and a peach it was, too. Anelka's curling pass was perfect
and Drogba clipped impudently under Schwarzer's dive.

Fulham contributed some stylish football of their own, but once
Nevland limped off in the 35th minute with a dead leg they missed a
cutting edge, leaving their manager, Roy Hodgson, far from impressed.
"The only thing to say positively is that we kept going. We were
beaten but maybe not embarrassed."

Hiddink confirmed that while Alex and Michael Essien came off at
half-time with niggles he had no injury concerns. Chelsea are raring
to go.



-----------------------------------------------------


NOTW:


Nicolas Anelka leads the Three Musketeers

From ROB BEASLEY at Craven Cottage, 02/05/2009

THE Three Musketeers put Fulham to the sword with a swashbuckling
display - and now they're sharpening their blades for a night of
destiny with Barcelona. And, on this form, the Spaniards had better
beware.

Barca were quick to blast Chelsea for the way they defended at the Nou
Camp in midweek but, here, the Blues showed they can be just as mean
in attack, cutting Fulham to pieces.

Leading the charge were Nicolas Anelka, Didier Drogba and Florent
Malouda. All three have had tempestuous seasons but, yesterday, the
trio were in absolute harmony and Fulham simply could not cope.

Anelka scored the first, was involved in the other two and just edged
the man-of-the-match accolade from a revitalised Drogba.

It was probably the Frenchman's best game for Chelsea and it provided
a powerful argument for a place in the Champions League starting
line-up on Wednesday night.

Alongside the rampant Drogba who was again a constant threat and
menace. He actually scored one, had two assists and a "goal" wrongly
ruled out for offside.

But Anelka's all-round play, his control, his pace and his
intelligence put him out in front on the day.

Which was also tough on the re-awakened Malouda who scored one and had
a hand in another.

Anelka needed just 50 seconds to give Chelsea the lead . . . and what a goal.

OK, the Anelka part was easy enough - a simple tap-in from close
range. But the build-up was a thing of beauty. Quick, slick and
reminiscent of a certain Spanish side from the Nou Camp.

John Obi Mikel started it all, claiming possession 10 yards into his
own half and then quickly spreading the ball wide to free Malouda for
a raid down the left flank.

In a flash, the French international was playing a neat one-two with
compatriot Anelka before picking out Drogba in the middle.

Drogba didn't dwell either, laying it off with a deft touch to the
still advancing Anelka who finished nonchalantly to claim his 22nd
goal of the season and his 16th in the league.

It was the perfect start especially with Chelsea hoping to keep
something in reserve for the challenge of Barcelona. But any idea of
coasting through the rest of the game disappeared within three
minutes.

Erik Nevland saw to that, sneaking in behind John Terry and Ashley
Cole to race on to a fine ball from Danny Murphy.

The Fulham striker finished superbly with a low, driven shot across Petr Cech.

The keeper got a hand to it but it was not enough to keep it out and
suddenly Chelsea's neighbours were level. That didn't last long either
as the game's explosive start continued.

There were still only 10 minutes on the clock when Guus Hiddink's men
reclaimed the advantage.

Anelka was again involved, combining with strike partner Drogba to tee
up the vastly-improved Malouda, who sent Schwarzer the wrong way.

Again, Fulham tried to respond. Nevland flashed a volley over, while
Bobby Zamora headed wide.

Frank Lampard's slide-rule pass then sent Drogba clear and he beat
Schwarzer, only to see his effort ruled out for offside - wrongly as
TV replays proved moments later.

On the half-hour, Drogba went down under a challenge from Paul
Konchesky and the Stamford Bridge crowd bayed for a penalty.

But, again, referee Alan Wiley gave Fulham a lifeline and probably
this time he was right.

Mind you, the Cottagers almost rubbed salt into the wound by
counter-attacking instantly and only a last-ditch challenge by a
back-to-his-best Terry saved the Blues.

Fulham were still in the game, though, and substitute Diomansy Kamara
- on for the injured Nevland - robbed Terry by the touchline and
picked out Zoltan Gera on a surge from midfield.

But the England skipper recovered well to deflect the ball over the
top and protect Chelsea's lead going into the interval. Hiddink's men
came out for the second half in a rush to put the game to bed.

Michael Ballack replaced Michael Essien, Branislav Ivanovic took over
from Alex and, within eight minutes, the Blues were 3-1 up.

The Anelka-Drogba partnership flourished again with the former picking
out the latter in the penalty box with a sublime pass. The Drog needed
one touch to bring the ball under control and one more to despatch it
beyond the helpless Schwarzer. That looked enough to seal the points.

Lampard saw a fierce free-kick touched over by Schwarzer, while Drogba
hit the side-netting from another Anelka pass.

In between, a poor backpass from Ivanovic rolled straight to Zamora in
the Chelsea box and Cech had to be at his best to smother the danger
at the forward's feet.

It was another alarming lapse by Chelsea and one that cannot be
repeated against Barca.

Gifting Zamora a one-on-one with Cech is one thing. Repeating the
folly for a Messi, Henry or Eto'o is another matter altogether.

The Czech international keeper is good, very good. And after a dodgy
spell he is nearly back to his brilliant best.

But those Barca boys will be ruthless not toothless, especially after
hammering La Liga rivals Real Madrid 6-2 on Saturday night, and
Chelsea will be made to pay.

One thing's for sure, it won't be goalless on Wednesday night - but
it's certain to be dramatic.

The Times

Guus Hiddink's tactics frustrate Catalan giants

Barcelona 0 Chelsea 0

Oliver Kay, Football Correspondent

Hiddink's tactics frustrate Catalan giants I Cascarino on negative
Chelsea I Chelsea dig in to blunt Barcelona brilliance I How Chelsea
rated I How Barcelona rated I Hiddink shows he has all the answers I
Graphic: How Chelsea kept Barca out

Amid all the eulogies to this Barcelona team of many talents, it was
overlooked that they, like everyone else in Europe these days,
struggle to find a way past the English. Throughout a compelling clash
of cultures, skill against will, craft against graft, Chelsea never
strayed from Guus Hiddink's battle plan and, after riding their luck
at times, they are now 90 minutes away from a second consecutive
Champions League final against Barclays Premier League opposition.

It is unlikely to be as straightforward as all that, since a goalless
draw away from home is not quite as positive a result as it can often
seem in the knockout stages of the Champions League, but Hiddink is
entitled to feel that Chelsea can finish the job at Stamford Bridge a
week today.

They survived a series of onslaughts at the Nou Camp, with Petr Cech
emerging among the heroes on a night when his stock rose once more,
and John Terry and his team-mates will feel that they earned their
luck through perspiration.

There were catcalls for Chelsea's players at the final whistle, much
as there were for Manchester United here last season and Liverpool the
year before. Barcelona's supporters and indeed their players will
never comprehend how a team can come to the Nou Camp and be content to
defend, but England's recent success in European competition has been
based on such performances.

Barcelona will bitterly testify to that. This was the fifth
consecutive match in which they have failed to overcome English
opposition here in the Champions League and, for all the majesty of
Lionel Messi's footwork and the passing of Xavi Hernández and Andrés
Iniesta, they did not truly carve Chelsea open until Bojan Krkic and
Alexander Hleb, the substitutes, missed clear chances in stoppage
time.

Hiddink's blueprint involved trying to deny Barcelona the space they
thrive on, but it is easier said than done. Even with John Obi Mikel
and Michael Ballack stationed in deep central midfield positions, just
in front of the back four, Chelsea frequently found Xavi and Iniesta
playing neat triangles around them in the opening stages, with Messi
and Thierry Henry seeing more of the ball than Hiddink would have
liked.

Henry was certainly up for it, trying to whip the crowd into a frenzy,
much as he used to in his Highbury pomp. For all the talk of Messi, it
was Henry, along with Xavi and Iniesta, who carried the greatest
threat in the early stages. The former Arsenal forward skated around
the outside of Branislav Ivanovic twice in the opening half-hour, each
time prompting the Chelsea defender to bring him to the ground. Alex
was shown a yellow card for a crude block on Messi and the visiting
defence was being stretched.

The half-time statistics showed that Barcelona had enjoyed 70 per cent
of the possession, but they did not fashion a clear goalscoring
opportunity. Samuel Eto'o flashed a header across goal from Messi's
free kick in the second minute, with Cech nowhere, and Cech made a
good save low down to his right to save Henry's shot in the 34th
minute, after a typical link-up between Messi and Iniesta, but, if not
quite comfortable, Terry and his colleagues reached the interval with
their clean sheet intact.

Indeed the half-time scoreline could have been even better for
Chelsea, with the best chance falling to Didier Drogba six minutes
before the break. The forward had been chasing shadows to that point,
but, when Rafael Márquez hit a weak and far too casual pass, he was on
to it like a shot. Opportunity knocked, but Drogba's shot lacked the
required power or accuracy to beat Víctor Valdés, the goalkeeper, who
blocked the first effort and recovered to stop the forward putting
away the rebound. Moments later Frank Lampard tackled Gerard Piqué and
almost sent Drogba away again. It was as if light was appearing at the
end of the tunnel.

The start of the second half also brought signs of encouragement.
Daniel Alves, an extravagantly gifted full back who was targeted,
unsuccessfully, by José Mourinho in the summer of 2007, personified
Barcelona's frustration, carping at the referee and sneering at
opponents when he was having trouble enough dealing with Florent
Malouda. A foul by Alves on Malouda led to a free kick, whipped in by
Drogba, from which Ballack sent a header just over the crossbar.

Messi was, if not quiet, then a little less menacing than might have
been feared. José Bosingwa's decent shift as a makeshift left back, in
Ashley Cole's absence, was enhancing the theory that a right-footer
might in fact be better equipped to handle Messi, whose instinct is to
drift inside rather than down the touchline. But Messi was still a
threat. On the hour, he was picked out 20 yards out from a corner by
Xavi. The ball was on his wrong side, but a rasping left-foot volley
whistled just over the crossbar. Two minutes later, Alves burst past
Michael Essien and hit another powerful shot that Cech, his nervous
opening now forgotten, beat away.

Barcelona were turning the screw once more. Eto'o span around Alex and
forced his way past Terry before his shot was saved by Cech. Something
needed to be done and Hiddink made the bold decision to take off
Lampard, sending on Juliano Belletti, the Barcelona old boy, so that
Essien, hitherto marginalised on the right, could beef up the centre
of midfield.

Then came the penalty shout, Henry falling under slight pressure from
Bosingwa, and the misses from Bojan and Hleb in stoppage time. Chelsea
had survived. Now they must finish the job.



--------------------------------------------------------


Telegraph:


John Terry is Chelsea's hero as Barcelona are kept out

For all the breath-taking beauty of Barcelona’s football, for all that
Catalan pulses were set racing by Andres Iniesta and Lionel Messi,
Camp Nou was reminded on Tuesday night that football is about
defending, as well as attacking and John Terry gave the locals a
master-class. For the first time this season Barcelona had failed to
score at home.

By Henry Winter at the Nou Camp

Terry was immense, a captain leading by example, the rock on which
Barcelona’s celebrated attacking ambition foundered. He kept clearing
danger in the air and on the ground and his example inspired all his
team-mates. Alex impressed alongside him while Petr Cech made vital
saves from Dani Alves and Alexander Hleb.

Chelsea would have loved an away goal, and will be aware that a
mistake at the Bridge next week would leave them a mountain to climb.
Yet such was Barcelona’s dominance of possession last night that
Chelsea were entitled to a deep satisfaction for keeping Iniesta and
Messi at bay.

Drogba finds sweet end to sour nightThe Catalans had not been short of
confidence, their fans whistling derision at the visitors before
kick-off while holding up a massive banner showing a map of Europe,
their ports of call in this season’s Champions League and saluting
"all the victories carry us to Rome".

Barcelona’s belief was rooted in the abilities of attackers like
Thierry Henry, whose pace and control had embarrassed Branislav
Ivanovic within 70 seconds of a chastening first half for Chelsea.
Ivanovic simply could not live with the speed of the former Arsenal
striker, and hauled him to the ground. Chelsea survived that scare but
the warning was clear. Menace came in many forms here.

Barcelona’s technical class, their joie de vivre and quicksilver
movement were all on parade. Andres Iniesta, outstanding in central
midfield, glided around Michael Ballack and Alex in swift, elegant
succession. Camp Nou almost gasped in disbelief when Lionel Messi
miscontrolled the ball. He was human after all. Soon, though, the
little Argentinian, prematurely compared to Diego Maradona but exuding
the potential to reach such heights one day, began to live up to his
billing.

Soon he was displaying remarkable acceleration to race away from Jose
Bosingwa, who emulated Ivanovic, fighting flair with fire, introducing
Messi to the floor. The ball seemed almost intoxicated with Messi’s
company, almost beseeching to be placed permanently under the No 10’s
cultured command. One pass from Messi to Dani Alves, squeezed through
a thicket of thicket of yellow shirts, defied geometry, let alone
belief.

Messi was mesmerising, joining Iniesta in running the show, delighting
Barcelona fans and all who love the Beautiful Game. Here was an
exhibition of how football should be played: with hunger, energy and
sumptuous skill, taking on an opponent with a feint here, a flick
there and no end of dribbles. Camp Nou was a canvas and Messi’s vivid
brush-strokes were all over it.

His starting position on the left was merely a base camp for scaling
the heights. Messi kept cutting inside, playing one-twos with Henry,
then Samuel Eto’o, creating shooting opportunities, none taken.

The local prints had predicted a culture clash along the lines, make
that headlines of "Beauty and the Beast’’. Chelsea had little
compunction in using physics to combat the arts of Barcelona. Florent
Malouda, usually as hard as Camembert, followed through on Victor
Valdes. John Obi Mikel, starting ahead of Nicolas Anelka as Hiddink
flooded midfield, clattered Xavi. Camp Nou was incensed, screaming for
the experienced German referee, Wolfgang Stark, to clamp down on the
visitors’ nihilistic streak.

Stark, commendably, was keen to play advantage, an approach that
helped Barcelona, and started reaching for the yellow card only when
the challenges increased in spite, particularly when Henry was
targeted. First Alex poleaxed Henry, who was then caught nastily by
Michael Ballack, another venomous incident for the Germany-France
scrap-book.

While Stark reached for the book, Barcelona reached for the stars.
Iniesta was putting on a glittering display, full of fine passing and
surges through the middle. Iniesta has this neat way of rolling away
from a marker, dragging the ball with him, so confident in his
technique that he never fears losing possession. As the half wore on,
as Barcelona dominated, Iniesta linked instinctively with Henry, whose
shot was saved. Then Iniesta went himself, bringing a save from Cech.

Chelsea were in danger of being passed to death, their mettle and
mobility tested by Barcelona’s pass masters. As the siege intensified,
John Terry and Alex stood firm at the heart of Chelsea’s defence,
heading away danger – but it soon returned.

Set up in 4-2-3-1 formation, Chelsea broke out only infrequently in
the first half. Early on, Malouda and Michael Essien combined to set
up Frank Lampard, whose shot curled wide. Seven minutes before the
break, Drogba was gifted a magnificent opportunity. Rafael Marquez
squared the ball across his box far too lazily, imparting insufficient
power in the ball. Drogba scented blood, chasing down the ball, and
sending it flying goalwards.

Sadly for Chelsea, Valdes was alive to the danger, rushing out and
saving. Drogba was first to the loose ball, which he attempted to lift
over the Barcelona keeper, who again impressed by clawing the ball
away.

Chelsea supporters were finding their voice. They had failed to take
up their full allocation, sending back 1600 tickets, but made
themselves heard as the second half unfolded, particularly when
Ballack headed a Drogba free-kick just wide.

Barcelona came calling again, re-examining Chelsea’s character. Dani
Alves lacks exceptional defensive qualities but the Brazilian is
formidable going forward, and unleashed a shot that Cech did well to
see, let alone stop. For all the talk of Chelsea sweeping into town,
attacking relentlessly, they had known the storm blowing towards them.

Hiddink’s centre-halves were outstanding. Terry slid in to nick the
ball ahead of Xavi with Cech exposed. Then Alex leapt high to head
clear an Eric Abidal cross. Alex was then outpaced by Eto’o, who would
have scored but for a magnificent save from Cech.

The giant Czech Republic keeper has come in for criticism in recent
times, but he was a towering figure here. With Barcelona sweeping
forward in ever increasing waves, Hiddink made a defensive move,
withdrawing Lampard, who had seen little of the ball, and sent on
Juliano Belletti, who had scored for Barcelona in a Champions League
final but was now charged with frustrating his erstwhile colleagues.

With Drogba increasingly isolated, barring occasional breaks from
Malouda, Chelsea were living dangerously and Bosingwa was incredibly
lucky that Stark did not spot his tug at Henry’s shirt, a ruse that
knocked the French international off-balance. Worst offences have
scarred elite fields this season but it was still a penalty. Chelsea
had escaped.

Chelsea’s defending was awesome. Terry stooped in ahead of Messi to
clear. Lady Luck then smiled on Chelsea, Bojan heading over when
unmarked and Alexander Hleb denied by Cech and then firing wide. The
Bridge promises to be tense.



----------------------------------------------------------


Mail:


Barcelona 0 Chelsea 0:

Guus's yellow brick wall - Pep's stars can’t find way past Hiddink
By Matt Lawton Chief Football Correspondent in Barcelona

So this was what Guus Hiddink had in mind when he visualised this
Champions League encounter.
A plan that was plucked from the darkest recesses of his tactical
brain. A plan that betrayed the natural attacking instincts of a coach
from Holland but a plan that, against this brilliant Barcelona side,
worked impressively well.
This, presumably, was what Hiddink meant when he said that reality can
sometimes be cruel on the eve of this intriguing tie.

It was cruel on those who came here anticipating a gran clasico of a
contest and cruel
on a team who, for all their efforts to demonstrate their considerable
style and skill, ran into an impenetrable yellow brick wall.
When Hiddink was asked just before kick-off how he planned to survive
when no team had left the Nou Camp this season having stopped
Barcelona from scoring, his
response was short and to the point. ‘By becoming the first.’

He might have declared an intention to fight fire with fire at his
pre-match press conference and he might have insisted Chelsea knew
only one way to play. But the deployment of a five-man midfield
exposed a touch of mischief in those declarations
and proved that Lionel Messi and his colleagues can be stopped.
Hiddink met Barcelona’s artistry with attrition, and attrition escaped
with a goalless
draw that gives Chelsea a fighting chance of progressing to a second
successive Champions League final.

He even took off Frank Lampard last night, adding further steel to a
midfield already including John Obi Mikel and the magnificent Michael
Essien by sending on another
defender in Juliano Belletti.
Reaching Rome on May 27 will not be easy. Not when Barcelona enjoyed
so much of the ball and not when Petr Cech had to make the kind of
saves that might just convince him that he remains among the finest
goalkeepers in the world.
And not when a more ambitious performance at Stamford Bridge next week
may leave Chelsea vulnerable to an away goal.

Even in this match the Catalans proved how dangerous they can be given
a bit of space.
Hiddink will, however, be heartened not just by Manchester United’s
result against them in last season’s semi-final but by the more recent
history of the competition.
United reached the final after following a goalless draw here with a
1-0 win at Old Trafford and, since 1999, 10 of the 14 teams who
secured a goalless draw away from home in the knockout stages went on
to win their tie.
There were further sources of encouragement, not least the loss of
Rafael Marquez to what looked like a nasty injury and Carles Puyol to
suspension.
Such setbacks leave Barca coach Pep Guardiola with something of a
defensive crisis and a situation that Didier Drogba and his teammates
could yet exploit.
Drogba actually enjoyed the best chance in this first leg, seizing on
an underhit backpass from Marquez but then failing to beat Victor
Valdes not once but twice.
Still, he went closer than Samuel Eto’o and Thierry Henry, who were
both substituted by Guardiola as he went in desperate search of a
goal.
That said, Henry did appear to have a decent shout for a penalty in
the second half when he was pulled down by Jose Bosingwa.
In coping with Messi, Bosingwa nevertheless did well and so did the
rest of the Chelsea defence in the absence of the suspended Ashley
Cole and the injured Ricardo Carvalho. John Terry was a rock at centre
half, while Alex was also outstanding.

With Barcelona enjoying more than 70 per cent possession, there were
times when the pressure almost proved too much. Not least in the
opening two minutes when a surging run from Henry forced Branislav
Ivanovic to concede a foul deep in Chelsea’s half.
Xavi swung in the free-kick, Cech flapped hopelessly and Eto’o sent a
header bouncing dangerously across the face of the goal before Marquez
saw his shot
deflected over the crossbar.
The sight of Messi then failing to trap a simple ball must have eased
the sense of anxiety in Chelsea’s ranks. As did a neatly executed move
which ended with a shot that Lampard curled wide of Valdes’s left hand
post.
On that occasion Malouda did well to beat Dani Alves down the left
flank before delivering the ball to the feet of Essien.
For Messi the night was a little disappointing. He dazzled
occasionally, not least when he combined with Alves down Barcelona’s
right.
One ball, in particular, that was delivered between Malouda and
Bosingwa to the feet of a fast-advancing Alves was sublime. And he
looked just as threatening when completing a rapidly-executed one-two
with Eto’o with a blistering left-foot shot.
After the break and still the home side dominated, Messi going close
when meeting a corner from Xavi with an audacious left-foot volley.

When Alves then unleashed another thumping effort, Cech did well to
parry, as he did when Eto’o muscled past Alex and had his shot
deflected wide by the Czech goalkeeper’s left leg.
He did it again when he denied Aleksandr Hleb the opportunity to step
off the bench and score.
Xavi and Andres Iniesta continued to create in midfield. Iniesta was
wonderful at times.
And when Alves sent in a teasing cross from the right in the final few
minutes, Bojan Krkic probably should have scored what amounted to
Barcelona’s best chance. As it was, he directed his close-range header
over Cech’s bar.



----------------------------------------------------------


Indy:

Hiddink's special spirit is too much for Barça party

Chelsea 0 Barcelona 0

By Sam Wallace at the Nou Camp

Not the beautiful symphony of attacking football we expected, instead
the jarring clang of Catalan invention on Guus Hiddink's implacable,
unrelenting defence. No one spoils a party like Chelsea and last night
at here they stopped European football's biggest carnival in its
tracks.

Their performance was proof that Hiddink can play the Jose Mourinho
way when the situation requires. Chelsea can stifle, defend and
frustrate with the best of them and, come this morning, most of
European football will hate them for the manner in which they stopped
Lionel Messi and his men. But if you looked hard enough at this
performance there was much to admire in Chelsea, chiefly the spirit of
a team that refuses to lie down no matter who the opposition.

His weapon of choice is aggression, he provides 90 minutes of sheer
irritation for the opposition but Didier Drogba is astonishingly
effective. He led the line on his own, isolated from a Chelsea
midfield that defended in their own half. John Terry and Alex were
indefatigable and the star of the show was Petr Cech. Even Florent
Malouda put in a shift that severely curtailed the attacking threat of
Daniel Alves.

It will win Chelsea no friends, but it might just win them this
Champions League semi-final when they meet Barcelona in the second leg
a week today. As for Josep Guardiola's team, they were exhilarating to
watch at times but they played far too much of their football in front
of Chelsea rather than behind them. They have the Arsenal syndrome of
over-elaboration and it cost them at times last night.

The other problem that looms for Barcelona is the booking for Carles
Puyol that rules him out of the return leg, compounded by the injury
to Rafael Marquez that looks certain to keep him out too. Without two
of their centre-halves this will be a tall order for Barcelona in west
London, where they will surely be tested in defence rather more than
they were last night. In seven days' time Chelsea will have to
demonstrate they can create as efficiently as they can destroy.

What happened to Messi? He flickered more than once in the first half,
especially when he held off Drogba to play in Alves for a shot that
Cech saved. Then gradually the Argentine was edged to the margins, his
partnership with Alves broken up by Jose Bosingwa and Malouda and he
drifted out of the game. Samuel Eto'o and Thierry Henry, the two other
parts of that lavish attacking force, were both substituted. It was
that kind of a night for Barcelona.

Only on three previous occasions this season have Barcelona failed to
score and yet they so nearly did in five tense minutes of added time.
The substitute Bojan headed over from four yards out when Alves
crossed. Then Cech saved brilliantly when Alexander Hleb, another
substitute, was played onside by the prostrate Michael Ballack. It was
the last of four crucial saves made by the Chelsea goalkeeper.

Henry made some early inroads in the space behind Branislav Ivanovic
at right-back but by the time he was substituted the Frenchman was
exhibiting the familiar signs of frustration that were his trademark
at Arsenal. He, like the largely ineffective Eto'o, found himself
chased and harried in his every move. Hiddink's strategy was that
Barcelona should never be permitted to express the rhythm of their
football and that in turn enraged the Nou Camp.

The home crowd called out for more bookings for the men in yellow
shirts, and wanted a penalty when Henry and Ivanovic clashed in the
area on 74 minutes – a request that looked borderline at best. This
stadium is not accustomed, in recent years, to not getting things
their own way and they will have bleak memories of last night.
Manchester United eliminated Barcelona in similar circumstances in
last year's semi-final with a goalless draw in the Nou Camp.

Never has Terry cleared, Peter Kay-style, as far as he could upfield
to no one in particular. Rarely have so many Premier League
luminaries, like Frank Lampard and Ballack, been content to occupy
secondary roles as tacklers and spoilers. When Hiddink claimed that he
was minded to go for the throat of Barcelona on the flight to Spain he
was evidently bluffing. That or he lost his nerve somewhere on the
drive from the airport to the hotel.

He dropped Nicolas Anelka and brought in John Obi Mikel to play
alongside Ballack in a holding midfield pair in front of the back four
that made Chelsea's formation look more similar to that favoured by
Rafael Benitez at Liverpool. In the first flurry of attacks that
rolled towards Chelsea you had to wonder if the line of yellow Chelsea
shirts – sometimes 11 behind the ball, never less than 10 – would
hold. But gradually they wore down Barcelona's spirit.

Alex took a crafty booking to bring Messi down in mid-run in the first
half. Alves at right-back became preoccupied with a row with Malouda
that spilt over into an argument with Drogba. It all served to
distract the home team from the job in hand. To top it all, Drogba
almost scored with six minutes left of the half which would have been
the ultimate indignity to a Barcelona team who had 70 per cent of the
first-half possession.

The chance came from a terrible back pass from Marquez which allowed
Drogba to run at goal through the left channel. He snapped in his shot
low and Victor Valdes saved. Marquez was later carried off in the
second half, his knee giving way with no one around him.

Eto'o slipped the ball through Terry's legs at one point and got away
from Alex but his shot was saved by Cech. Hiddink substituted Lampard
for Juliano Belletti and switched Michael Essien from the right wing
to the centre of midfield for the last few minutes of the game. It was
clever stuff designed to give fresh impetus to Chelsea's defensive
action.

It can take a lot of effort to appreciate Chelsea: you have to be a
connoisseur of grim defending and rigid tactical discipline. But you
also have to respect a team that can come to a stadium as intimidating
as this one and stick so unflinchingly to the plan. The first part of
their mission is complete but next week they will have to show us
there is also some beauty in the beast.

Barcelona (4-3-3): Valdes; Alves, Marquez (Puyol, 52), Pique, Abidal;
Xavi, Touré, Iniesta; Messi, Eto'o (Bojan, 82), Henry (Hleb, 87).
Substitutes not used: Jorquera (gk), Gudjohnsen, Keita, Sylvinho.

Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Cech; Ivanovic, Terry, Alex, Bosingwa; Mikel,
Ballack (Anelka, 90); Essien, Lampard (Belletti, 71), Malouda; Drogba.
Substitutes not used: Hilario (gk), Di Santo, Kalou, Mancienne, Stoch.

Referee: W Stark (Germany).

Att: 95,000

Man for man marking

Barcelona

Victor Valdes

Believed to be suspect on crosses but given few to deal with. Good
save from Drogba 7/10

Daniel Alves

Charged forward as usual, only to cross poorly until late on. Kept
Malouda quiet 6

Gerard Pique

Former Man United man was mostly solid and produced fine pass to give
Alves a chance 7

Rafael Marquez

Bad error let Drogba in for his double chance before twisting his knee 4

Eric Abidal

The France international offered some good support to Henry down the left 6

Yaya Toure

Kolo's younger brother was more than a holding man. Saw plenty of ball
and used it well 6

Xavi

Always in the mix, playing little passes to Messi and Iniesta, with
great success 6

Andres Iniesta

Under-rated midfielder kept his team ticking as ever and got some
shots in. Much fouled 8

Lionel Messi

Frequent changes of position but in the end, threatened more than he produced 7

Samuel Eto'o

Man City fans will have loved one early turn and shot. Denied by Cech
when through 7

Thierry Henry

Reborn after a difficult first season, he worried Ivanovic and could
have had a penalty 7

Substitutes

Carles Puyol 6; Bojan Krkic: Missed Barça's best chance late on; Alex Hleb.

Chelsea

Petr Cech

Missed his first cross, dropped second, but recovered to make
important saves 7/10

Branislav Ivanovic

A difficult night against Henry for the hero of Anfield, who barely
held his own 6

Alex

Booked early on for a foul on Messi and had to tread carefully thereafter 7

John Terry

Lost Eto'o once but took no other chances. Went up for set pieces
without success 7

Jose Bosingwa

Did reasonably. Unsure sometimes whether to go with Messi when he
nipped inside 6

John Obi Mikel

Unexpected selection, too often found Barça's midfield technicians
playing past him 5

Michael Ballack

Played behind Essien with little attack scope. Booked and could have
been sent off 5

Michael Essien

Few opportunities to forage forward until moved centrally after
Lampard went off 6

Frank Lampard

Forced too deep by the home team's surfeit of possession, so couldn't
make or take chances 5

Florent Malouda

Drawn into a feud with Alves which did nothing to help him maintain
improvement 5

Didier Drogba

Had too little support. Thwarted by Valdes when presented with a good chance 6

Substitutes

Juliano Belletti (70): On to help Ivanovic n/a

Nicolas Anelka (90): Came on too late to make impact n/a

Steve Tongue


----------------------------------------------------------


Guardian:


Cech holds the line for Chelsea to blunt Barça's blades

Barcelona 0  Chelsea 0

Kevin McCarra at the Camp Nou


The resilience of Chelsea was formidable and it has protected their
hopes of a return to the Champions League final. A minor yet telling
honour was collected here since they are the first visitors to keep a
clean sheet at the Camp Nou this season. Chelsea survived one vigorous
penalty appeal and saw the substitute Bojan Krkic head over in
stoppage time. After that, Petr Cech still had to block at the feet of
another ­substitute, Alexander Hleb.

The Chelsea goalkeeper was critical to the tie and the night would
have had a wholly different character had he not thwarted Samuel Eto'o
after 70 minutes. This was, all the same, a highly practical exercise
by the visitors, with no compunction shown by the manager, Guus
Hiddink, in taking off Frank Lampard when the need was for fresh
energy.

The value of the result remains, ­however, a matter of guesswork. No
one, for instance, will have too much difficulty envisaging a goal for
Pep Guardiola's side at Stamford Bridge next Wednesday. ­Containing
Chelsea could be a ­different matter. The Barcelona centre-half Rafael
Márquez suffered a freak left knee injury and had to be replaced by
Carles Puyol. Introducing him exposed the clubcaptain to the risk of
suspension and he duly collected the yellow card that rules him out of
the return leg.

Chelsea understand all the perils they will still face after being
unable to notch an away goal, but the scope barely existed to mount
the counter-attacks at the Camp Nou that Hiddink had envisaged. While
Víctor Valdés did pull off an outstanding double save from Didier
Drogba, it would be absurd to pretend that the Premier League club had
ever taken the fight to Barcelona.

That, in itself, will be a cause of ­discomfort to Guardiola. In this
campaign he must have come to believe that no opponents could secure a
draw here ­simply by stifling Barcelona. Now the team has learned that
its verve is not irresistible after all. Even in the absence of the
suspended Ashley Cole, Chelsea stopped Lionel Messi from doing
­terminal harm. Jose Bosingwa, an emergency ­left-back, had enough
helpers to erect a barrier, even if it was fragile at times.

For the most part, they mustered the numbers to stop Messi from making
inroads. There is no cause for suggesting that Hiddink had come up
with a gleaming masterplan. He did what he could, but it is not
feasible to stop Barcelona from ­making games here an ordeal.

Chelsea were under stress almost from the kick-off and it was their
well-known durability that narrowly kept them in the match during the
first half. Hiddink had implied that his side must take the fight to
these opponents. Chelsea's scheme was visible in the formation the
manager had devised but not in the execution.

Michael Essien, Lampard and Florent Malouda were a bank of attacking
­midfielders who were supposed to assist the lone forward Drogba. In
reality, they were compelled to back-pedal until they stood shoulder
to shoulder with Michael Ballack and Mikel John Obi. That still had
some benefit in creating a throng in ­midfield to prevent the
opposition ­achieving fluidity.

Before the interval the best opening was, against all odds, Chelsea's.
­Márquez underhit a back-pass and released Drogba. The first attempt
by the Ivorian was blocked by Valdés and the goalkeeper then threw up
a hand to parry as the attacker attempted to convert the rebound. A
goal for the visitors would have mocked the logic of this game.

Thierry Henry, as if invigorated by a whiff of old Premier League
rivalries from his Arsenal days, was full of vigour. A foul on him in
the second minute ­provided Barcelona with one of their best
­opportunities. Xavi took it from the left and Eto'o, stationed beyond
the far post headed it back in the middle, where ­Márquez was close to
converting.

Room remains for debate about how good Barcelona truly are. A year
ago, before the appointment of Guardiola, it was possible to keep
Barcelona in check and Manchester United, scoring at Old Trafford,
went through to the final on a 1–0 aggregate. Chelsea have earned the
right to envisage themselves repeating that exercise.

Even before Márquez had to be ­withdrawn, there was at least a
­suggestion that the tempo set by Barcelona was ­dipping a little. The
visitors were far from serene, but their opponents did show signs of
vexation. Even by Messi's ­standards, for instance, it was optimistic
to attempt a ­volley from distance after a corner dropped to him. The
ball flew high.

Yet Barcelona's menace was not wholly ­stifled. Eto'o beat John Terry
to run free from halfway in the 70th minute and after he had evaded a
recovery challenge by Alex, it was the boot of Cech that kept his
finish out of the net. Barcelona then had strong claims for a penalty
rejected as Bosingwa grabbed at Henry.

Chelsea, undistracted, made their ­tortuous way to the clean sheet
that had been their principal ambition.


--------------------------------------------------------


Sun:


Barcelona 0 Chelsea 0

From SHAUN CUSTIS at the Nou Camp

So gus Hiddink was having us all on, the wily old fox.

The Dutchman said Chelsea would fight fire with fire, that they would
take the game to free-flowing Barca.

We were promised thrills and skills and a feast of attacking football.

Instead, Chelsea dug the trenches, put their bodies on the line and,
with goalkeeper Petr Cech back to his best, they frustrated the life
out of their illustrious opponents.

Barcelona’s ‘Holy Trinity’ of Lionel Messi, Thierry Henry and Samuel
Eto’o, who had rattled in 90 goals between them since September,
suddenly forgot where the net was.

It was the first time all season that Barca had failed to score at the
Nou Camp and the Blues deserve enormous credit for getting back to
London with a 0-0 draw.

It was a tall order for the Blues given their defence has not looked
the most solid in recent weeks — conceding four against Liverpool in
the quarter-final second leg at Stamford Bridge before scrambling home
7-5 on aggregate.

But you still would not like to bet which one of these two will make
the Champions League final.

A goalless draw in the first leg is one of those scores which often
leaves the home side vulnerable in the return, knowing they cannot
afford to concede an away goal.

And, as Barca have so many attacking options, Chelsea will find it
tough keeping them out again.

They can take heart, though, from the fact Manchester United drew 0-0
here in last year’s semi-final and went through.

Chelsea sailed pretty close to the wind at the end, however.

As the game went into stoppage time, Dani Alves swung over a cross
from the right and teenage substitute Bojan headed over from a couple
of yards. It was an absolute sitter.

Ex-Arsenal midfielder Alex Hleb could still have given his team the
advantage after that as he broke down the left but Cech came out well
to block his shot and Hleb then blasted the rebound into the
side-netting.

Chelsea had only one clear-cut opportunity all night and Didier Drogba
will feel he should have taken it, having seized on a woeful Rafael
Marquez backpass late in the first half.

His first effort was saved by the diving Victor Valdes and, when the
rebound fell at the Ivorian’s feet again, he tried to chip the ball
over the keeper — only for Valdes to get both hands to it to thwart
the danger.

Chelsea also had a chance with a flick header by Michael Ballack which
went just over the bar.

It became obvious from the moment Hiddink handed in the teamsheet that
he had conned us about his approach to the game.

He employed two holding midfielders in Ballack and John Obi Mikel and
had the defensively-minded Michael Essien on the right of the three
supporting Drogba.

The effect was to stifle the creativity of star man Messi.

The Argentinian never got a grip on the game and full marks to Jose
Bosingwa, who had to fill in as an emergency left-back because of the
suspension of Ashley Cole.

Maybe if Bosingwa had been booked when he took out Messi early on, it
might have been a different story because he could not have afforded
another lunge. But the Portuguese escaped and went on to do a
commendable job.

Messi could not find space down the flank and, when he cut inside, he
just ran into a wall of Chelsea players.

Henry meanwhile struggled to create any room on the left and was
restricted to shots from outside the box which Cech saved well.

The Frenchman was, however, pretty miffed at not getting a 74th-minute
penalty as he turned in the box and had his shirt tugged by Bosingwa.

It was one of those which defenders get away with most of the time
but, just occasionally, a ref spots it. Fortunately for the visitors,
German official Wolfgang Stark did not.

Striker supreme Eto’o was also well snuffed out by skipper John Terry
and his Brazilian partner Alex.

Cameroon international Eto’o did get past Terry once in the second
half when he nutmegged him just inside the halfway line and also
evaded the challenge of Alex — but Cech again got down well to save
with his legs.

At times it was all very untidy — and Barca players spent a lot of
time rolling around on the ground claiming various forms of assault.
Alves had a running battle with Drogba but Chelsea did no more than
apply a little bit of muscle in all areas of the park, which did not
allow those with the twinkle toes to work their magic.

The irony was that it was actually Barca who were punished most when
sub Carles Puyol, on for the injured Marquez, fouled Ballack. The
shaggy-haired defender was shown a yellow card and is now out of the
second leg.

In the event they only had themselves to blame for failing to take
those late chances which might just have opened the door to a second
successive final for Chelsea.



----------------------------------------------------------


Star:

HIDDINK HEROES HOLD ON

Barcelona 0-0 Chelsea

DIDIER Drogba was inches away from becoming a record-breaker last
night. Guus Hiddink had warned Barcelona about the threat of the
Chelsea striker.

The Ivory Coast hitman would have scored as well if it had not been
for a brilliant double save by Victor Valdes.

The chance was completely against the run of play – but it was the
closest the two sides came to a goal in the first half of this
Champions League semi-final.

In the 39th minute he chased down what looked like a lost cause until
Rafael Marquez under-hit his backpass to Valdes.

Drogba pounced on the loose ball only to shoot straight at Valdes. As
it bounced up, and with Drogba trying to nudge it goalwards, the Barca
keeper swiped it away from the Chelsea striker at the vital moment to
complete an impressive double save.

You would have put your house on Drogba scoring given that he had
equalled the record against Liverpool of getting goals in five
consecutive Champions League games.

Hiddink’s message to his team was to be bold and brave in the Nou
Camp. He wanted Chelsea to show the courage to attack and over-power
their illustrious opponents.

The Dutchman knew only too well that his team would need to go toe to
toe with a Barca side which in Spain is being compared to Johan
Cruyff’s Dream Team of the early 1990s when they won four titles and
their first European Cup.

Current manager Pep Guardiola was part of that team, so it is no
surprise that he has created such an attacking force. Barca have been
unstoppable this season.

Thierry Henry, Lionel Messi and Samuel Eto’o have scored more goals
than the whole of the Chelsea team together.

They have scored 90 times between them this season in all
competitions, which is more than any other side in Europe’s grand
total.

They have found the net in every one of their previous 50 games with
136 in total this year. In the Champions League alone they have scored
29, which is a staggering 10 more than Chelsea have managed.

And in the previous two European ties at the Nou Camp they have scored
nine, putting four past Bayern Munich in the quarter-final during 43
blistering first-half minutes, and five past Lyon in the last 16.

Yet they couldn’t score against Chelsea last night. But then again
Chelsea are no mugs. This was their fifth semi-final in the last six
years.

They also have the drive and hunger to try and make up for the pain of
last season when they lost the final on penalties to Manchester
United.

Chelsea’s temporary manager Hiddink has already guaranteed a great end
to his spell in charge with his side reaching the FA Cup Final, but
this is the one they want most.

He is known for his tactical nous, so it was no surprise that he made
a shock selection by playing Michael Essien wide right.

In a 4-2-3-1 system, he obviously felt the midfield man would give
more protection to the side than Salomon Kalou or Nicolas Anelka.

Jose Bosingwa also faced a huge challenge playing out of position at
left-back due to Ashley Cole’s suspension, with the job of trying to
control Messi.

The little Argentine has recently been described as being like Luis
Figo and Rivaldo mixed together because he provides the goals and the
assists.

The first half was all about Barcelona trying to squeeze the life out
of Hiddink’s side. Chelsea were on the back foot and, at times,
disorientated by Barca’s intricate football.

But they held their nerve for the first 45 minutes, with great resolve
in defence. Apart from Drogba’s shot, and a curled effort by Frank
Lampard, Hiddink’s tactics were not working with Essien almost a
passenger.

Eto’o, Messi and Andres Iniesta all created shooting chances only to
miss the target at the vital moment as Petr Cech’s goal came under
pressure. Iniesta and Henry again shot wide as more and more chances
fell to Barca.

The former Arsenal striker then saw Cech pull off a great save from 12
yards as the Frenchman thought he had scored.

Chelsea at times were left chasing shadows with first Alex getting
booked for fouling Messi, and then Michael Ballack for a lunge on
Henry.

But Guardiola’s side, so used to blowing teams away, were becoming
frustrated and Yaya Toure – brother of Arsenal’s Kolo – got himself
booked for dissent as the Spanish side thought Chelsea were kicking
them off the park.

At the start of the second half Chelsea had another great chance from
a free-kick which was floated in by Drogba, only for Ballack to head
over the bar from the penalty spot.

Rafael Marquez was then carried off after his knee locked up and was
replaced by Carles Puyol.

Barca’s rhythm had been interrupted, but Messi was soon causing
problems only for the 21-year-old to volley over the bar.

Cech was again in action in the 61st minute when he had to make a save
from Dani Alves.

Chelsea had an escape in the 74th minute when Bosingwa pulled back
Henry by his shirt in the area but ref Wolfgang Stark amazingly waved
play on. And in stoppage time Cech made a great save from Alexander
Hleb.

The Times

April 23, 2009

Chelsea left chasing shadows as challenge comes grinding to halt
Chelsea 0 Everton 0

Matt Hughes, Deputy Football Correspondent

Guus Hiddink may be the ultimate managerial mercenary, but the
well-travelled Dutchman is no miracle-worker. Chelsea’s interim
manager has conjured a magic act of sorts in transforming a
demoralised squad and keeping them fighting on three fronts, but even
he conceded last night that the biggest domestic prize is now beyond
them. At this stage of the season, Manchester United’s lead of six
points over them — with a game in hand on both their main rivals — is
less of a gap, more a yawning chasm.

The Champions League still looms on the horizon like a tantalising
dream, but on this evidence winning the FA Cup will not be as
straightforward as many imagined. An Everton team missing several key
players gave as good as they got and not until stoppage time, when
Didier Drogba turned in the penalty area before lashing a shot against
the crossbar, did Chelsea look like finding a winner. Indeed, without
a series of outstanding saves from the Petr Cech, they would have been
beaten long before.

Chelsea’s title hopes last season were effectively killed off at
Stamford Bridge 53 weeks ago by Wigan Athletic’s injury-time equaliser
and although this setback lacked such drama, the feeling of anticlimax
was familiar. There were a few isolated boos from some supporters at
the final whistle, but in the main Chelsea fans were as lacking in
energy as their players.

Chelsea recovered from dropping points against Wigan last year to earn
one last chance by beating United at Stamford Bridge, but another
twist looks unlikely in the coming weeks. David Moyes, the Everton
manager, suggested that they may have been distracted by the prospect
of facing Barcelona on Tuesday and Hiddink could be forgiven for
resting players against West Ham United on Saturday.

The Dutchman took the opposite approach last night, sticking with the
team who beat Arsenal in the FA Cup semi-finals, a gamble that
backfired as many of his players were short of sharpness. Nicolas
Anelka has not scored for 11 matches, while even Michael Essien was
lacking his customary boundless energy.

Just like last season, Chelsea came up short in the Barclays Premier
League when it mattered most, — although a glance at a bench featuring
Jacob Mellis, an unknown teenager, for the first time revealed that
Hiddink had few options. Their lack of depth has been evident all
season, particularly on the flanks, a problem that they will try to
solve with an extensive recruitment drive in the summer.

Everton’s squad, by contrast, stood up to the task of two matches in
the space of four days and created more chances than they managed
against United on Sunday. The front two of Tim Cahill and Jô were
particularly potent, each playing the other through on goal in the
first half only to be denied by good saves from Cech, and the Brazil
forward contriving later to lose his footing with the goal at his
mercy. They could also have had a penalty for Alex’s challenge on
Leighton Baines.

For the second successive week, Hiddink was required to utter an
expletive-strewn half-time team-talk at Stamford Bridge, although it
failed to have the same effect as during last week’s 4-4 draw with
Liverpool. There was a noticeable increase in Chelsea’s intensity, but
they still needed Cech to keep them in the game. The goalkeeper made a
smart save from a header by Cahill and dived in head-first at the feet
of Jô, a remarkable show of bravery given that he suffered a fractured
skull 2½ years ago.

Chelsea’s best chance was wasted by Anelka, whose form has dipped just
as Drogba’s has revived, suggesting that Luiz Felipe Scolari may have
been right about their incompatibility. Hiddink appeared to think so,
bringing on Salomon Kalou for the France striker after an hour, but
his finishing was equally erratic as he shot straight at Tim Howard.
The Everton goalkeeper is likely to be equally difficult to beat at
Wembley next month.

Chelsea (4-2-3-1): P Cech — B Ivanovic, Alex, J Terry, A Cole — M
Essien (sub: J O Mikel, 61min), M Ballack — N Anelka (sub: S Kalou,
61), F Lampard, F Malouda (sub: F Di Santo, 77) — D Drogba.
Substitutes not used: Hilário, J Belletti, M Mancienne, J Mellis.

Everton (4-4-1-1): T Howard — L Jacobsen (sub: P Jagielka, 88), J
Yobo, J Lescott, L Baines — L Osman (sub: J Rodwell, 89), P Neville, S
Castillo, S Pienaar — T Cahill — Jô (sub: L Saha, 90). Substitutes not
used: C Nash, A Hibbert, J Vaughan, D Gosling. Booked: Neville.

Referee: M Halsey.



--------------------------------------------------------------



Telegraph:


Everton get better of Chelsea stalemate
As a dress rehearsal for the FA Cup Final, it was Chelsea who forgot
their glad rags. And their lines. A draw against Everton, the other
victorious team in last weekend’s semi-finals, Wednesday night pretty
much ended any pretensions, however faint, that they could win the
Premier League title leaving them surely too far adrift of Manchester
United.

By Jason Burt at Stamford Bridge

As a dress rehearsal for the FA Cup Final, it was Chelsea who forgot
their glad rags. And their lines. A draw against Everton, the other
victorious team in last weekend’s semi-finals, Wednesday night pretty
much ended any pretensions, however faint, that they could win the
Premier League title leaving them surely too far adrift of Manchester
United.One trophy gone but still two to play for. However this was
probably the worst performance they have delivered since Guus
Hiddink’s arrival in February with the interim manager failing with
that fabled golden touch even if Didier Drogba struck the bar with a
powerful shot on the turn in injury-time.

Indeed Everton will rue not collecting all three points. Tim Cahill
and Steven Pienaar missed glorious chances in the dying minutes while
Petr Cech suffered a clash of heads with Jo as he bravely denied the
striker. It would have earned their first win against Chelsea for nine
years and, more relevantly, propelled them into fifth place in the
league.

Hiddink had promised no rotation. And, good to his word, it was an
unchanged line-up. Given the goals that Chelsea are chasing, the
stakes and intensity, this in itself was remarkable. But the power
players were, again, asked to increase the wattage with Frank Lampard
racking up his 50th appearance of the season.

Their opponents, who had stayed down in London since Sunday’s FA Cup
semi-final victory over Manchester United, succumbed to the need to
make alterations with manager David Moyes introducing four changes,
including the return of the cup-tied striker, Jo. He was afforded the
first opportunity. Inside seven minutes, Segundo Castillo released the
Brazilian but, clear on goal, his low shot was blocked by Petr Cech
with his legs.

It provoked a response. Michael Ballack’s shot was deflected, but Tim
Howard held on and Chelsea poured forward with Florent Malouda
stealing the ball away from a hesitant Lars Jacobsen and Lampard
eventually firing over from distance. The pressure grew but so did
Everton’s resistance with Joseph Yobo, twice, denying Didier Drogba
the chance to strike and Howard clutching a cross before the Ivorian
could head home.

After Steven Pienaar had jumped into a tackle on Michael Essien,
provoking another free-kick, Ballack curled the ball over and then
Lampard, harried by Tim Cahill, ballooned his shot into the crowd.
Still Chelsea attacked. John Terry joined the charge but was ignored
by Nicolas Anelka, whose effort was blocked. It inevitably meant they
were vulnerable to the counter-attack and when Jo broke, again, the
ball was eventually squared to Cahill who turned quickly and sent in a
low shot that was alertly held by Cech.

Both sides continued to size each other up. Chelsea probed and pushed,
Everton held firm and threatened with the odd, dangerous jab. Cahill
and Leon Osman buzzed in support of Jo. The latter turned the ball to
Leighton Baines whose speculative shot looped off a Chelsea defender,
had Cech in a momentary panic but then dropped over. From the corner,
Chelsea countered. Anelka tore away but with Malouda waiting,
unmarked, his cross was picked out by Howard. A waste.

But then Everton were wasteful also. Pienaar threaded a pass through
to Jo. With Terry closing him down the striker still had a sight on
goal but slipped as he shot and the ball bobbled away. In truth
Chelsea were, to Hiddink’s obvious frustration, labouring. Maybe he
would need to administer another team-talk in which harsh words were
spoken.

Everton had also been denied what appeared to have been a penalty when
Alex caught Baines’ leg. There were few appeals and referee Mark
Halsey waved play on but replays appeared to show the defender had
been fouled.

Still Hiddink didn’t make any half-time changes. Nor did he, this
time, send his players out early. But they were almost caught cold.
Another burst forward by Baines led to Osman crossing, Cahill diving
to head towards goal and Cech making another accomplished save.

At the other end and Baines did well to hold off Lampard, as he almost
wriggled through. Anelka then did, from Drogba’s flick, but dragged
his shot disappointingly across Howard. Hiddink had seen enough and
ordered a double change. On came the younger pair of John Obi Mikel
and Salomon Kalou. Immediately Howard had to turn away a fierce shot
from Terry.

Chelsea’s frustrations grew and then boiled over as Yobo brought down
Malouda. Lampard’s shot was blocked, Kalou headed over, when he should
have scored but still there was an Everton threat. Jo was relentless
in his desire to create chances. But consistent in his ability not to
take them and, once more, he shot wildly and wide when teed up.

Again Howard saved, turning away Kalou’s shot from another corner
before Drogba came closest of all after being released by Mikel. But
Chelsea couldn’t break through.




-------------------------------------------------------------



Mail:


Chelsea 0 Everton 0: Halsey fouls up as Chelsea fall short in FA Cup
final dress rehearsal
By NEIL ASHTON

They were queuing up to take a penalty after their FA Cup semi-final
heroics at Wembley last weekend, yet this time Everton’s players were
denied the chance to salute another spot-kick king.

Quite how will remain a mystery after referee Mark Halsey waved play
on following Alex’s clumsy challenge, which flattened Everton left
back Leighton Baines towards the end of the first half.

‘He definitely touched me, he clipped me when I was in the box, but
the ball was out of my control,’ said Baines, but Everton’s impressive
full back was being charitable.

After their 4-2 shootout victory over Manchester United on Sunday, any
number of players would have fancied their chances of scoring from the
spot, using the opportunity to draw first blood on their FA Cup final
opponents and end their ambition of winning the title.

They were denied the opportunity to do both, although a draw at
Stamford Bridge has almost ended Chelsea’s ambitions to win a third
Barclays Premier League title.

This morning, just 24 hours after temporary manager Guus Hiddink
challenged his Chelsea players to win the treble, they are six points
behind leaders United with five games to play. Sir Alex Ferguson’s
team still have a game in hand.

They will not give up, not while Hiddink remains in charge, but the
Champions League and the FA Cup are the realistic targets after
Everton’s third successive draw at Stamford Bridge.

David Moyes has hit upon a successful system against the muscle men,
something Everton’s manager will surely take into the FA Cup final on
May 30, the showpiece at the end of the season for two successful
teams. This was not a goalfest like Chelsea’s 4-4 draw against
Liverpool in the Champions League last week or anywhere near the
quality of Arsenal’s 4-4 draw at Anfield on Tuesday. This was more
like a goal quest.

Chelsea will point to their second-half chances, when Frank Lampard
skewed wide, when substitute Salomon Kalou’s effort soared into the
stand and Didier Drogba’s tight turn and shot cannoned off the bar in
the final minute.

In Moyes’s mitigation he made four changes to the team who finally
overcame United in the FA Cup semi-final, sparing Marouane Fellaini
from duty and naming Phil Jagielka, Tony Hibbert and Louis Saha on the
substitutes’ bench.

That is not the way at Chelsea, where the same 11 players who lined up
at the start of their semi-final against Arsenal on Saturday were
pressed into action again, sent out to try to maintain their 100 per
cent record at home under Hiddink in the Premier League.

They fancied their chances of overhauling Liverpool after the game of
the season at Anfield on Tuesday, yet failed to break down a seemingly
impregnable defence. Chelsea survived a scare when Petr Cech rescued
them with his legs as Jo, still searching for his first goal away from
Goodison Park since he left Manchester City on loan in January, raced
clear.

Ashley Cole was electric in the opening spell, underlining his
terrific form with several bursts down the wing, latching on to Frank
Lampard’s curved ball or tuning into the same frequency as Florent
Malouda.

The Chelsea forward is showing signs that he has come of age at the
club. He is certainly in the best form since his move from Lyon for
£13.5million in July 2007, scoring the equaliser against Arsenal on
Saturday with a well-taken strike from the edge of the area.

But now Malouda and his teammates will be looking more for success in
the Champions League, starting with the first leg of the semi-final
against Barcelona next week and the FA Cup, in which Hiddink will make
his final salute in the Wembley final, rather than the Premier League.

Hiddink will be out of town after the FA Cup final, on his way back to
Russia to prepare the national team for two World Cup qualifiers at
the end of the season.

But his present club side remain determined to win their first trophy
since the 2007 FA Cup final. Such has been their confidence under the
temporary manager that they always fancy their chances of scoring, and
they were taking pot shots from all over last night as they attempted
to break the resolve of Everton keeper Tim Howard.

Michael Ballack’s deflected effort was easily gathered, Lampard’s
attempt to follow in the footsteps of Andrey Arshavin’s third goal
against Liverpool on Tuesday drifted wide of the upright and Michael
Essien’s strike followed a similar path.

They needed to feed Drogba, loving life at the Bridge again after
scoring nine goals in his previous 11 games, a considerably better
return than he gave Luiz Felipe Scolari during the Brazilian’s
troubled six-month spell in charge.

For the most part Drogba was shackled by the imposing presence of
Joseph Yobo, who shadowed the Chelsea striker’s every move during a
considered first-half display after being thrust into the side in
place of Jagielka. Defensively Everton were sound again, with Phil
Neville crunching into tackles in the centre of midfield, earning a
booking when he overstepped the mark and clattered into Lampard.

This was nowhere near Chelsea at their very best — their supporters
have to go back to the 2-0 victory over Aston Villa last October for
that — but they still have the belief that they can build on their
short-term success.

Somehow Chelsea survived their streaky moments, such as Alex’s clumsy
challenge on Baines, but this result will serve as a warning to
Hiddink’s team. Not for the rest of the Premier League season, but for
the FA Cup Final.



----------------------------------------------------------


Independent:


Chelsea call off chase as Moyes' men stand firm

Chelsea 0 Everton 0

By Mark Fleming

The Chelsea juggernaut hit the Everton brick wall with a thud. David
Moyes' team were probably the last side Chelsea wanted to meet after
their epic endeavours of recent weeks. Few outfits work as hard for
their points as Everton which was not good news for Treble-chasing
Chelsea, contesting their sixth game in 18 days.

At the final whistle the Chelsea manager, Guus Hiddink, accepted his
side are now out of the title race. "I said before we could not afford
to drop any points but the fact is we lost two points tonight so we
have to be realistic," he admitted. "Mathematically there is a chance
but you cannot afford to waste points. It is difficult. Now we have to
focus on our other two roads, the Champions League and the FA Cup
final with Everton."

Hiddink said he may now start resting his star players, starting with
Saturday's trip to West Ham, with an eye on the Champions League
semi-final with Barcelona next week. "We will see the analysis after
the game," he said. "Some players may be in the overload zone. We have
to focus more on the Champions League games, that's for sure."

Chelsea's effort could not be faulted. They threw everything at the
visitors, particularly in a frantic second half, but the closest
Chelsea came to scoring was when Didier Drogba hit the Everton bar in
stoppage time.

Moyes' side in fact created by far the better chances, although they
were on the back-foot for much of the match, and were it not for an
inspired performance by Chelsea keeper Petr Cech the Merseysiders
could have snatched a famous win.

Cech had come under fire for leaking eight goals in his previous three
games before last night. But the towering keeper responded with a
flawless performance and a string of saves that ensured Chelsea
managed to avoid an embarrassing defeat to the team they will meet in
the FA Cup final on 30 May at Wembley.

Twice in the opening 10 minutes Cech denied Everton's Brazilian
striker Jo. The £17m striker, on loan from Manchester City, went close
with a glancing header but should have done better than to shoot at
Cech's legs when put clean through on goal.

Chelsea dominated possession but Everton maintained their
concentration and defended with purpose to frustrate their hosts, a
foretaste perhaps for what to expect from their Wembley encounter at
the end of next month. Chelsea have profited from their height and
power in recent games by scoring vital goals from set plays. But
Everton stood firm and kept Chelsea' six-foot marauders at arm's
length.

As the match started slipping from the home side's grasp captain John
Terry decided to take matters into his own hands with a rasping effort
from fully 40 yards that Everton keeper Tim Howard tipped round the
post at full stretch.

Chelsea increased the tempo, but still it was beyond them to create
clear chances. One of the best fell to substitute Salomon Kalou who
headed over from six yards. The home side's desperation to score left
them vulnerable to counter-attack, and Chelsea were fortunate to
escape when first Tim Cahill and then Leon Osman fired shots wide late
in the game.

In the final minute Cech showed tremendous bravery to dive in and head
the ball away from Jo. The Chelsea bench feared the worst as Cech, who
suffered a fractured skull at Reading in October 2006, fell to his
knees. But fortunately the keeper was quickly on his feet and was able
to resume.

For Everton the satisfaction came in stopping Chelsea's powerful side
in its tracks. Moyes said: "It's another clean sheet, after 120
minutes against Manchester United on Sunday and now Chelsea. We can't
afford to rest players. We have to keep ploughing away.".

Chelsea (4-3-3): Cech; Ivanovic, Alex, Terry, A Cole; Ballack, Essien
(Mikel, 60), Lampard; Malouda (Di Santo, 76), Drogba, Anelka (Kalou,
60). Substitutes not used: Hilario (gk), Belletti, Mancienne, Mellis.

Everton (4-4-2): Howard; Jacobsen (Jagielka, 86), Lescott, Yobo,
Baines; Osman (Rodwell, 88), Castillo, Neville, Pienaar; Cahill, Jo
(Saha, 90). Substitutes not used: Nash (gk), Hibbert, Vaughan,
Gosling.

Referee: M Halsey (Lancashire).

Booked: Everton Neville.

Man of the match: Cech.

Attendance: 41,556.



------------------------------------------------------------



Guardian:


Lethargic Chelsea fail to awaken title hopes
Chelsea 0  Everton 0

Dominic Fifield

Chelsea's title challenge may just have run aground at last. Talk of
securing an unlikely treble, aired briefly and rather reluctantly by
Guus Hiddink in the build-up to this occasion, was choked last night
by a wonderfully rugged and committed Everton team to leave the hosts
frustrated and forlorn. Manchester United perch six points clear of
the Londoners this morning with a game still in hand. Even Hiddink's
ability to eke the best from this squad may struggle to bridge that
chasm.

The home side's was a leggy display which only rallied in the closing
stages once desperation had set in, and even then most of the best
chances fell to the visitors. There can be few opponents a team would
wish to confront less for a sixth game in 18 days than David Moyes'
workaholic Everton. Their energy may have been draining by the end,
but their tenacity remained and Tim Cahill, thrashing a shot into the
side-netting, and Steven Pienaar might still have earned a first win
over these opponents in nine years.

There had been a lengthy exchange prior to kick-off between the two
managers, their conversation littered no doubt with congratulations at
the other's achievement in steering his team to the FA Cup final next
month. This had duly become a dress rehearsal for that show-piece, a
chance for players on both sides to size up direct opponents even if
the visitors' selection had rather hinted at a team keeping their
powder dry.

Everton had opted against returning triumphantly to Merseyside
following Sunday's FA Cup semi-final victory over Manchester United,
staying instead in a plush Kensington hotel ahead of this fixture.

The quartet of changes made last night reflected an energy-sapping
season rather than any lingering hangovers from the post-Wembley
celebrations. Yet the momentum generated by that success in the
penalty shoot-out was carried by the altered line-up.

The visitors were the slicker team initially here, the smouldering
frustration that pursued Moyes, down the tunnel at the break a
reflection that his loanee forward Jo, cup-tied at the weekend, had
missed two glorious opportunities to force his team ahead. Chelsea,
notorious slow starters in recent weeks, breathed easier where they
might have been buried.

The chances were both neatly created, if reliant upon the hosts'
uncharacteristically ragged back-line. Michael Essien was sprawled on
the turf at the other end early on when Segundo Castillo put Cahill
through on goal in the inside left channel, only for his shot to
strike the on-rushing Petr Cech. That served to calm the goalkeeper's
early nerves though, two minutes before the interval and with
Everton's rearguard having rarely been tested, he might still have
been beaten. The hosts surrendered possession too readily in midfield
and Pienaar liberated Jo down the right, only for the striker to slip
under vague pressure from John Terry as he prepared to shoot.

Moyes cursed such profligacy, though there was encouragement to be
drawn from the home side's lethargy. Cahill, gathering Jo's cross
before spinning and spitting a shot at goal that Cech did well to
save, and Pienaar had also come close while Chelsea laboured. Alex,
too, may have been fortunate to escape conceding a penalty to Leighton
Baines' darting run, which ended abruptly with what might have been
deemed a trip. Confirmation that United led Portsmouth at Old Trafford
did little to up the Londoners' tempo.

Yet Everton had cause to fear the revival. A little over a week
previously, an equally lacklustre – and increasingly jittery –
first-half performance from Chelsea had seen them trail comfortably at
home to Liverpool in the Champions League to threaten their apparently
serene progress into the competition's last four. The rat-a-tat of
goals thereafter reflected the furious reaction of Hiddink and some of
his more senior players in the dressing-room. This team may start
sloppily under the Dutchman, but they have rarely remained becalmed
for long.

The best they had mustered were efforts from distance from Essien and
Frank Lampard, though there was more fizz to Chelsea's approach once
Cahill had provided yet another wake-up call early in the second
period, the Australian flicking a header which was gathered by a
diving Cech. Anelka dragged a shot wide of the far post after
scurrying through and, once the striker had been replaced, even Terry
ventured up-field to force Tim Howard into a wonderful save.

Yet, for all the home side's sudden desperate urgency and Everton's
own weariness, there remains such resilience and purpose to Moyes'
team that the visitors simply would not yield. Joleon Lescott's block
on Lampard's shot, smothered just as the net gaped, summed up the
effort and endeavour that might have merited more than a point. Didier
Drogba might have denied them when his shot struck the bar at the
death. Chelsea's title challenge may just have gone with it.



----------------------------------------------------------



Sun;


Chelsea 0 Everton 0

By IAN McGARRY

Published: 22 Apr 2009

WELL, the party had to end sometime.

That all-singing, all-dancing advert for English football that has
dominated the past week was brought back to earth with a crash last
night.

And what a crash it was. Chelsea and Everton defied the goalfest of
the past few days to serve up a game that was absolutely worthless.

No goals. No winner. And no entertainment.

At least Liverpool’s Premier League challenge ended with a 4-4 bang of
a game against Arsenal. Chelsea opted for a whimper as they handed the
title to Manchester United on a night of drab nothingness at Stamford
Bridge.

The Guus Hiddink revolution was brought to a grinding halt in a match
devoid of any spark.

Billed as the FA Cup Final dress rehearsal, the best this match did
was to scare the hell out of anyone thinking of going to Wembley
Stadium next month. OK, both sides were a bit tired after the
weekend’s exertions getting themselves into the showpiece game on May
30.

But given what was at stake, for the home side at least, the fans who
turned up had every right to expect more than was delivered.

Hiddink has won every league match in his charge at home but his team
showed very little ambition to make this a repeat performance.

In fact, this match became something akin to torture — the longer it
went on the more painful it got.

And no one was willing to surrender. The nearest anyone got to
threatening the stalemate was in the final minutes.

Chelsea’s best chance of goal came from Didier Drogba in the closing
moments and the striker capped a frustrating evening with a shot which
almost broke the crossbar.

Other than that, there was, well, not much at all really.

It was Frank Lampard who warned against the Blues’ habit of not waking
up until they were a goal down.

There was little danger of needing to react here even though his words
went completely unheeded in the eighth minute when Jo was allowed to
bear down on goal. Petr Cech raced from his line and blocked the
Brazilian’s shot with a leg.

In reply Drogba tracked to the halfway line only to wish he had not
bothered when Phil Neville hacked him down. The Toffees skipper was
booked. In fact, it took 33 minutes for the first serious danger when
Jo broke on the right and crossed for Tim Cahill to swivel and get a
shot off.

Cech was more than up to the task of blocking the effort but the sense
of malaise which was prevalent in the opening period never lifted.

Lampard was the only Chelsea player willing to have a pop from
distance and it took until three minutes from time before they really
threatened.

Nicolas Anelka broke directly when an Everton corner was cleared but
Tim Howard anticipated his cross.

Two minutes later Jo again found himself in the kind of space strikers
usually only get in training matches.

IN keeping with the general standard of play he tripped and sliced an
embarrassing effort wide.

At least the visitors looked more serious about the match after the
break. Leighton Baines fed Leon Osman who cleverly evaded everyone on
the right and pinged in a great cross.

Cahill did enough to direct the ball goalward but Cech was just as
wary and made the save look easy. Chelsea slowly began to look like a
team who realised there was a game and points to be won.

Michael Essien was willing to carry the ball and also the attack to
Everton. He laid off wide to Anelka whose ball in was within a hair’s
breadth of setting Lampard free on goal.

That flurry was just about as good as it got for the home support who
had turned up with genuine hope of seeing their team power on in the
league.

Hiddink effectively threw in the towel afterwards and no one was in a
mood to argue.

Even the Chelsea boss recognised it is futile to pretend you are
fighting on three fronts when no one else believes you.

So one down and two to go for the Chelsea and their flying Dutchman.
It is all about knockouts now the marathon has been won by United.

Chelsea, though, will look on this match as an example of how to lose
trophies rather than win them.

Sunday Times

Chelsea stay in the hunt

West Ham 0 Chelsea 1

Nick Townsend at Upton Park

SOME personnel you confine to camp at times like this. Others you call
to arms, whatever the mission. Guus Hiddink had unhesitatingly placed
Frank Lampard in the latter contingent. “Even if I had suggested to
Frank that he would be rested today, he would have given me the look
that said, ‘Boss, don’t do that’. He wanted to play”.

You could understand the Chelsea manager’s rationale – even at the
conclusion of this of all weeks, and with the prospect of Tuesday’s
hostile terrain of the Camp Nou three days away. Lampard, criticised
on a London radio show on Friday over comments made by his estranged
partner, phoned in himself and took the presenter to task.
Coincidentally, it had also happened to be the first anniversary of
the death of his mother, Pat.

Some, mindful that this was a return to his former club, where there
exists residual hostility at his departure, may have been content to
join those who were rested. In the circumstances, the tasteless abuse
from followers of a club he left eight years ago won’t have unduly
perturbed him. And at the conclusion, “Fat boy”, as they still refer
to him here, thrust both arms high in a victory salute, in the
direction of the occupants of the Bobby Moore stand, before striding
to the tunnel, grinning ear to ear, and gaining a hug from West Ham
manager and former Chelsea teammate, Gianfranco Zola.

“They haven’t forgiven him,” reflected Zola sadly. “To see him have a
problem with the crowd makes me sorry.”

Lampard had responded with one of those typical performances, of
diligence and vision, that made one question the wisdom of his peers
not to shortlist him at least for the player of the year award. His
display reached its peak 10 minutes after the break. He sent up a
tantalising ball from near the byline. Robert Green flapped at it and
just did enough to propel the ball towards Salomon Kalou, who netted
easily.

As a rehearsal for Tuesday, Hiddink cannot have asked any more. The
Dutchman had left Didier Drogba, Michael Ballack and Michael Essien on
the bench. Ashley Cole’s enforced absence on Tuesday night had
prompted Hiddink to deploy Jose Bosingwa, naturally a right-back,
whose forte is attack rather defense, to prepare for the task ahead.
It didn’t actually prove too much. As a sparring partner, even Luis
Boa Morte’s fiercest advocates would place him some way short of
Lionel Messi. He rarely troubled the Portugal defender as West Ham
performed as though in awe of their fellow Londoners.

The additional benefit for Hiddink was that Petr Cech has swallowed a
confidence restorative in the past week. Clean sheets in successive
games was achieved with a fine penalty save from Mark Noble.

Chelsea began as though suffering from a certain ambivalence. However,
one expected rather more from the Hammers. Zola, who has signed a new
four-year contract with the club, said beforehand that he regarded
yesterday’s confrontation with Hiddink as “a privilege”. It’s a bit
like Sir Edmund Hilary being confronted by a climber delighted with
himself for having successfully ascended a Brecon Beacon. One is a
world adventurer of more than 25 years’ standing as a distinguished
coach at club and national level. The other still consults his route
map, harbouring a belief that the career in front of him will prove
equally rewarding.

The Europa League will suffice for now, even though that eventuality
would make it likely that the Hammers would enjoy a congested season.
The Hyacinth Buckets of football may have given the old Uefa Cup a
posh new title, but for the seventh-placed Premier League qualifying
team it will still require 19 games to win the trophy. Such foreign
adventures look good in a manager’s portfolio, but its effects on a
club can be decidedly double-edged.

Here the Hammers did precious little to demonstrate that they will
secure that place. Admittely, Cech denied Kieron Dyer, who was
starting his first game since August 2007, in an opening half in which
John Mikel Obi also cleared off the line from Diego Tristan, who
immediately after the interval spurned another promising opening.

Chelsea had seen Florent Malouda and Nicolas Anelka go close before
the break. But Lampard finally provided the breakthrough. If Green was
partly culpable for that, at least he atoned with a fine block from
Nicolas Anelka, as Chelsea looked to secure victory while Cole’s
venomous drive was just over. The Blues could have lived to rue those
missed chances when Kalou felled Herita Ilunga in the area with 20
minutes remaining. But it was the Chelsea goalkeeper who guessed
correctly and made the decisive move. And, where his critics are
concerned: Cech mate.

WEST HAM: Green 5, Neill 6, Tomkins 6, Upson 6, Ilunga 7, Boa Morte 5
(Nsereko 72min), Noble 7, Dyer 6 (Sears 61min), Stanislas 6, Tristan
6, Di Michele 5 (Kovac 61min)

CHELSEA: Cech 7, Mancienne 6 (Ballack 82min), Ivanovic 7, Terry 7,
Bosingwa 6 (A Cole 58min, 6), Belletti 6, Mikel 6, Lampard 8, Kalou 6
(Essien 73min), Malouda 6, Anelka 7

Star man: Frank Lampard (Chelsea)

Yellow card: West Ham: Stanislas

Referee: M Dean

Attendance: 34,749



----------------------------------------------------



Telegraph:


Chelsea warm up for Champions League with an easy win at West Ham

As Frank Lampard swaggered off the pitch, the last to leave, milking
the adulation of the Chelsea supporters it marked a canter ahead of
Catalonia. Chelsea didn’t so much as defeat West Ham as stroll past
them.

By Jason Burt at Upton Park

As a precursor for Tuesday’s Champions League semi-final trip to
Barcelona it was perfect. As, for Lampard, a contest to follow-on from
his radio rant over the crude dissection of his private life it was a
riposte that showed a defiant strength of character. The abuse bounced
off him.

For Chelsea, there was even a fine penalty save by Petr Cech, to cap
his rehabilitation and preserve the points although West Ham didn’t
deserve a share. Lampard threw his shirt to a West Ham fan at the end.
It was the closest anyone with claret and blue sympathies had come to
getting hold off him all afternoon.

Guus Hiddink has guile to sort out Chelsea?s defensive problems“Big
guys, big personalities want to play every game,” Chelsea’s interim
manager Guus Hiddink declared. “He especially wanted to play here.”

It’s so quiet sang the Chelsea supporters. And it was. At a stadium,
and in a fixture, that can be such a cauldron the pot barely bubbled
beyond the predictable, tasteless baiting.

The only flashpoint came as Lampard and John Terry, who had suffered
even more abuse that the former West Ham midfielder, because of the
police caution for his mother following allegations of shop-lifting,
ostentatiously celebrated Chelsea’s goal in front of the home
supporters. A few plastic bottles were thrown on but they were as
wayward as the West Ham players.

This was supposed to be a day of East End jubilation. Tilting for
seventh place in the Premier League and celebrating the announcement
of new four-year contracts for their management team of Gianfranco
Zola and Steve Clarke.

“I have just signed a contract and I’m delighted to have signed it. We
have a project here that we are taking forward,” Zola said afterwards,
explaining the long delay before he attended his media conferences.

But West Ham, as they had feared, were also hit by the harsh reality
that beyond their first-choice, strongest line-up they are scrabbling
around. “I’m sorry for the supporters as probably they expected more,”
Zola said. Not that this was a first-choice Chelsea. As promised
Hiddink rang the changes.

“We have a very difficult, huge clash against the team I think is the
best in the world,” he said while trying out, with limited success,
Jose Bosingwa at left-back, with Ashley Cole suspended for the first
leg, ahead of the Barca game. But they quickly took control.

Fresh legs added fresh impetus and soon West Ham were being stretched
with Florent Malouda, in particular, prominent as Zola’s side were
pegged back and the French winger dragged the first chance wide.

West Ham needed a foothold and almost got more than that when Diego
Tristan looped a pass between Terry and Branislav Ivanovic for Kieron
Dyer to run through. But with a clear sight of goal his shot lacked
conviction and was easily saved by Cech. It looked like an effort from
a man who, like Dyer, was making his first start since August 2007.

West Ham, improbably, gained another chance. A corner was won, Matthew
Upson evaded John Terry to head goalwards, Tristan flicked out a boot
and allowing John Obi Mikel to hack the ball off the line.

Finally there was a breakthrough. Again Lampard, inevitably, was
involved, collecting Malouda’s pass, surging forward and then clipping
a cross which evaded Robert Green’s fingertips and was poked into the
net by Salomon Kalou.

West Ham struggled to rally and after Juliano Belletti released Anelka
it was only a fine block by Green that prevented the score being added
to before Ashley Cole, on for Boswinga, clipped a cross-shot against
the top of the cross-bar.

The home side, drifting to defeat, needed a lifeline and appeared to
have been thrown it when Kalou inexplicably pulled back Ilunga, as he
ran on to Tristan’s back-heel, Mark Noble took the penalty but placed
it too deliberately and Cech parried.



-------------------------------------------------------



Independent:


Inspirational Lampard has the last word

West Ham United 0 Chelsea 1: England midfielder is savagely abused by
the home crowd but sets up Chelsea's winner and gets an apology from
Zola

By Mark Fleming at Upton Park

Frank Lampard expresses himself well on the radio, but nothing like as
eloquently as he does on the football pitch. Lampard's emotional
outburst on a little-known radio chat-show concerning his split with
his partner had left eyebrows raised at his state of mind ahead of
Chelsea's journey to Barcelona for the Champions' League semi-final
first leg.

But any thoughts that he might not be fully focused on Chelsea's
priorities were dispelled in eye-catching fashion at the ground he
used to call home. Lampard was given the predictable vitriolic abuse
by the Upton Park crowd, who cannot forgive him for crossing London in
2001. His response was a mature display of precision and control. The
only times he gave his emotions away were after he set up the game's
only goal for Salomon Kalou and at the final whistle. Lampard was the
last player to leave the pitch after enjoying the victory with the
travelling Chelsea fans, and first to greet him in the tunnel was West
Ham's manager, Gianfranco Zola, his former Chelsea team-mate.

Lampard was outstanding as he ran the show in the first half, without
a Chelsea goal to show for his efforts. Ten minutes into the second
half he put that right. Florent Malouda pierced the West Ham rearguard
to release Lampard down the left flank. The midfielder took a moment
before crossing to Kalou, who scored from close range.

Chelsea's captain, John Terry, who had also been subjected to
unpleasant chants from the home fans about his mother's recent arrest
for shop-lifting, ran over to join Lampard to celebrate before the
massed Hammers fans in the Bobby Moore Stand, incurring a warning from
referee Mike Dean.

Chelsea's manager, Guus Hiddink, said: "I rested players but I never
thought of resting Frank. He would have accepted it but would have
looked at me to say, 'Boss, don't do that'. He got some abuse but he
is used to it."

Shortly after the goal, Chelsea conceded a penalty when Kalou tugged
Herita Ilunga's shirt. West Ham could hardly credit their good
fortune, but Petr Cech produced a save of world class to keep out Mark
Noble's spot- kick. There was little wrong with the shot, which was
hit hard and heading for the bottom corner, but Cech was up to the
task. Hiddink immediately replaced Kalou with Michael Essien and gave
the young Ivorian a lecture on the sidelines. Jose Bosingwa appeared
to pass his personal test, in the side at left-back in place of Ashley
Cole, who is suspended for the Barcelona game. He coped well, apart
from a couple of hairy moments, and was replaced by Cole after 59
minutes. However, dealing with Luis Boa Morte is one thing, attempting
to shackle Lionel Messi something else.

West Ham, urged on by the energetic Noble, had their chances despite
chasing the ball for most of the game. Kieron Dyer, making his first
start since a double fracture of his leg in August 2007, had a chance
to mark his comeback with a goal after 20 minutes. Diego Tristan
turned Terry and supplied the perfect diagonal pass to Dyer. But Cech,
back at his best after a wobbly spell, was just too imposing and
Dyer's shot was saved. Tristan almost scored just before half-time;
Matthew Upson jumped high to win the ball from Noble's corner and
Tristan flicked out a boot, but John Obi Mikel was on the Chelsea line
to clear.

Chelsea's dominance was total after the break, and following Kalou's
goal they had two chances to put the result beyond doubt. Juliano
Belletti put Nicolas Anelka through on goal, but his shot was saved by
West Ham's goalkeeper, Robert Green. Moments later Cole clipped the
top of the bar, after a crisp exchange with Malouda.

Hiddink said: "We dominated but we made some errors in concentration.
It is always hard to prepare for a game like this when you have such a
big game as Barcelona coming up."

After the final whistle, Zola signed a four-year contract extension
worth £1.6 million a year. "I have four more years after this one, so
you are going to get fed up with me," he said. Zola also apologised
for the abuse directed by fans at Lampard. "Frank has always been a
good professional and a good boy. It's sad to see he has a problem
with this crowd. It makes me sorry."

Attendance: 34,749

Referee: Mike Dean

Man of the match: Lampard

Match rating: 6/10


----------------------------------------------------



Observer:


Petr Cech saves Chelsea's blushes at Upton Park

West Ham United 0  Chelsea 1 Kalou 55

Amy Lawrence at Upton Park

As much as this meant to the two East London boys in Chelsea's team —
and didn't the inhabitants of the Bobby Moore Stand test the eardrums
of Frank Lampard and John Terry with some pitiless serenades — the man
whose heart was most warmed by this routine win was Petr Cech.

The Czech goalkeeper, so twitchy of late, gave his confidence a boost
with a classy penalty save. It was an action equally significant to
the touch of the goalscorer, Salomon Kalou, and helped to give Chelsea
the perfect warm-up for the Champions League semi-final. Not overly
strenuous, a few rested bodies, and one happy goalkeeper. What more
could Guus Hiddink have wanted?

His team was picked with bigger fish in mind. A particularly makeshift
defence was built with Barcelona in mind. No Alex, no protection from
Michael Essien until a late substitute's job, and — most tellingly of
all — José Bosingwa had an hour stationed at left-back to gain some
much-needed practice before he covers for the suspended Ashley Cole in
the Camp Nou on Tuesday night.

"With all due respect it is different to play West Ham than Lionel
Messi," confessed Hiddink. "It is a huge task but Bosingwa is
confident. If he can neutralise Messi it would be perfect."
Indeed.Here they could largely control uncharacteristically flat
opponents. West Ham were not at their sparkiest, and relinquished pole
position for next season's Europa League.

Gianfranco Zola apologised to the supporters, who he reckoned
"expected more", but claimed not to be too disappointed personally.
After the game he signed a four-year contract extension. "I am
delighted," he enthused. "I am very thankful to the club, which has
been looking after me. We have a project here that we are taking
forward, and we will try everything to make it happen."

West Ham did muster a couple of chances in the first half, without
being clinical enough to disturb Chelsea. When Diego Tristán split
Chelsea's defence with a peach of a pass, Kieron Dyer, his first start
for the best part of two seasons, clipped his shot straight at Cech.

Just before half time West Ham won a corner, and made a point of
crowding around Cech. Matthew Upson won the ball and nodded to
Tristán, but his dink was featherlight, and easily cleared by John Obi
Mikel. Glimpses of goal aside, West Ham looked a bit inhibited by
Chelsea, and allowed the visitors plenty of possession. Florent
Malouda, Frank Lampard and Nicolas Anelka all peppered in first-half
shots. All fell wide.

Not so after the break, as nine minutes into the second half West Ham
were punished for untidy defending when Lampard hooked a cross over
the goalmouth for an unmarked Kalou to tap in. Dyer responded with an
angled drive on the break, which Cech tipped away.

Chelsea were ominous though. They looked comfortable, yet ready to
pounce if an invitation presented itself. Anelka was blocked by Green,
and substitute Cole skimmed the crossbar.

Typically of West Ham's afternoon, they couldn't bite at the carrot
that came their way 20 minutes from the end. Referee Mike Dean pointed
eagerly to the penalty spot when Kalou tugged back Herita Ilunga. Mark
Noble struck his spot-kick firmly towards the corner, but Cech
sprawled to his left to claw away superbly. This was by no means a
penalty miss. It was a points-winning, point-making save, and Cech's
roaring celebration suggests he knew it.

Hiddink was pleased. "We don't deny he had some difficult times
before. When a goalie makes decisive actions it is good for him. But
it wasn't just this game — he showed some good saves against Everton
as well." Hiddink is adamant there is one way to avoid an onslaught at
Barcelona. "What we must not do is drop back and wait until the storm
is coming. If we can, we must try to harm them as well."

All the experienced hands, well rested and full of beans, will be at the pump.


---------------------------------------------------


Mail:


West Ham 0 Chelsea 1: Kalou goal gifts Hiddink's side three points as
Hammers left to rue penalty miss PATRICK COLLINS

As Chelsea celebrated a bland and bloodless victory, Frank Lampard
raised his arms to the Bobby Moore Stand.

The West Ham fans rewarded their old boy with a screech of abuse.
Lampard shrugged and trotted away.

In the course of a dreary afternoon, he had made all the points he
needed to make.

For Lampard had dominated much of this uninspiring game without ever
touching the form which has distinguished his season.

So mundane was Chelsea's performance that Guus Hiddink felt obliged to
insist that his team had been taking things seriously. Nobody believed
him.

Chelsea had played with much of their attention on Tuesday's European
semi-final with Barcelona.

They prized a clean bill of health above league points which now seem
almost irrelevant.

And yet, even in their distracted mood, they came through with
something to spare.

West Ham were miserably disappointing. Indeed, Gianfranco Zola
appeared a touch embarrassed when he announced he had signed a
four-year contract, which will keep him at Upton Park until 2013.

He praised his players for their season's efforts, apologised to his
supporters for an indifferent day and said that he 'fancied Chelsea
very much' against Barcelona.

But he knows that a massive chasm separates the first four or five
clubs from the rest of the Premier League, and this match simply
reinforced that reality.

The first half was mediocre beyond tolerance. Chelsea were listless
and predictable; West Ham incoherent, careless, unfocused. And yet
they created the two chances which should have carried them clear.

On 21 minutes, Diego Tristan played Kieron Dyer clear, Petr Cech
spread himself hopefully in the Chelsea goal and Dyer struck the
keeper with a vapid shot.

Two minutes from the interval, Mark Noble's corner dropped at the feet
of Tristan two yards out. He prodded feebly at the chance and John
Mikel Obi knocked it gratefully off the line.

In truth, Noble's full-hearted contribution was one of West Ham's few
consolations. He covered vast tracts of ground, used the ball simply
and, after 26 minutes, flung himself successfully to block Lampard's
drive.

But Lampard was patiently exerting his influence, despite the jeers
which attended his every movement. It has been this way ever since he
had the temerity to leave West Ham some eight years ago.

Abusing Lampard has become something of a West Ham tradition, like
singing 'Bubbles'. But it is nothing like so appealing. As Zola
remarked: 'To see that Frank has a problem with this club makes me
sorry.'

We must hope that his hint is taken. John Terry was another who
incurred Upton Park's displeasure, for no special reason. Terry is not
a man who often inspires sympathy, but this chanting was unacceptably
ugly.

And so the afternoon passed, slowly and soporifically, with whimsical
interest centred on Jose Bosingwa preparing to face Lionel Messi by
marking Luis Boa Morte. With all respect to the West Ham player, it
was rather like preparing to face the young Mike Tyson by going six
rounds with Melvyn Bragg.

But Chelsea raised their pace after the interval and within nine
minutes they were rewarded.

It was a simple goal, with Lampard infiltrating down the left and
chipping a cross in full stride. Robert Green's grope was insufficient
and Salomon Kalou scored with ease.

Lampard threw a dismissive glance at the home crowd. Somebody flung a
West Ham scarf at him. The jeers rang out once more. But Chelsea had
the lead and looked likely to hold it.

Yet West Ham continued to create little and live in hope. Came the
70th minute, and their hopes were on the brink of fulfilment. Herita
Ilunga made a hopeful run into the box, where he was witlessly tripped
by Kalou.

The penalty award was a formality, the execution a mess. Noble, who
had missed his previous penalty for West Ham, struck this one
nervously to Cech's left, and the keeper plunged to a confident save.

Upton Park fell strangely silent and Hiddink sent on some of his
bigger guns for a spot of light exercise: Michael Essien, Michael
Ballack. West Ham could not disturb them.
Chelsea were home. Now they could raise their eyes above this corner
of East London and start to think of Barcelona.

Hiddink confessed that it would be 'very difficult against the best
team in Europe, or in the world.'

He said that his team 'should not drop back and wait for Barcelona to
come at us. We must set out to do them some harm as well.'

He thought Lampard would have an important part to play. Lampard had
been the last to leave the pitch.

He paused to embrace Zola, then tugged off his shirt and threw it to a
fan. Another supporter disputed ownership and a policeman intervened.

The officer tossed a coin to end the standoff.

Lampard was long gone, leaving behind the curious cameo. A pity. He
might have found it rather more diverting than the rest of the
afternoon.

WEST HAM (4-4-2): Green; Neil, Tomkins, Upson, Ilunga; Boa Morte
(Savio 72min), Dyer (Sears 61), Noble, Stanislas; Di Michele (Kovac
61), Tristan. Subs (not used): Lastuvka, Lopez, Spector, Payne.
Booked: Stanislas.
CHELSEA (4-3-2-1): Cech; Mancienne (Ballack 83), Ivanovic, Terry,
Bosingwa (A Cole 58); Belletti, Mikel, Lampard; Kalou (Essien 73),
Malouda; Anelka. Subs (not used): Hilario, Di Santo, Drogba, Stoch.
Referee: M Dean (Wirral).

Uefa match presskit:

http://www.uefa.com/printoutfiles/competitions/ucl/2009/e/e_302809_pk.pdf

Uefa match preview:

http://www.uefa.com/printoutfiles/competitions/ucl/2009/e/e_302809_pr.pdf

Uefa matchweek stats pack:

http://www.uefa.com/printoutfiles/competitions/ucl/2009/e/e_11_md.pdf

Sunday Times

Didier Drogba makes the difference
Arsenal 1 Chelsea 2
Jonathan Northcroft at Wembley

FAREWELLS do not have to be sombre and Guus Hiddink has a happy vision
of how his leave-taking of Chelsea will be. A beautiful sunny day,
Wembley, drenched in ticker-tape, a magnum of bubbly clutched in his
mitt. Wealth is there to allow those who have it to enjoy the finer
things in life and the billions of Roman Abramovich have made him the
most deluxe caretaker in football. Chelsea are in the FA Cup final and
Hiddink will be with them for the maximum timespan possible, until
this competition’s showpiece brings an end to the club season on May
30.

Hiddink could only ever commit himself to Chelsea for the remainder of
the 2008-09 campaign, after which he will return to coaching Russia
full-time. By extending Chelsea’s fixture list by one more match he
inevitably provoked further “why-don’t-you-stay?” questions in his
press conference, which he answered with his customary twinkle and
good grace.

“On May 30 I say, with a nice bottle of champagne, goodbye. Well, not
goodbye because I will be back at the club in the future in a friendly
way,” he said.

Chelsea might yet also have Champions League final in the season’s
final week and Arsenal could be their opponents. Should these teams
meet in Rome, its Olympic Stadium would be glad to showcase a
red-corner-blue-corner slugfest, the kind of which Wembley staged. The
biggest crowd to attend a match at this stage of the competition saw
one of the FA Cup’s best recent semi-finals.

Sir Alex Ferguson noted Chelsea’s 4-4 draw with Liverpool had dollops
of an ingredient often key to making classic football games, mistakes.
This was similar. Flaws were what perfected the entertainment and,
just as in midweek, after swings of initiative and having come from
behind, Chelsea ensured the result went in their favour.

The errors came from their midfielders in the early stages, Arsenal’s
defenders in the later ones, and both goalkeepers throughout the
match. The last blooper, made by Lukasz Fabianski, decided things.
Didier Drogba had scored four times in his previous two appearances
against Arsenal and hardly needed the help Fabianski offered him. He
is tipped for big things but, deputising for Manuel Almunia, the
magnitude of the occasion snapped the young Pole. Six minutes from
time, a long, volleyed pass by Frank Lampard landed outside Arsenal’s
box and Fabianski raced hare-brained out to meet it. Drogba outmuscled
Mikael Silvestre in a lion-versus-antelope battle of strength and will
and reached the ball first, taking it past the Arsenal keeper and
retaining balance and composure to squeeze home from an angle. The
Ivorian crossed himself repeatedly and smooched the blue

No 11 shirt he had ripped from his chest and the Chelsea end cavorted.
Arsenal’s fans were distraught and in the neutral sections there was
bewilderment. Had Fabianski learnt nothing? Drogba had so nearly
punished him for an identical error in the opening moments of the
game.

Arsenal had won the previous seven FA Cup ties between these sides but
Hiddink has a knack for inspiring teams to achieve that of which they
were formerly incapable and self-belief is the key. It seeps from him
and gets into his players. After conceding a goal to Theo Walcott
after 18 minutes, Chelsea had the conviction to assert themselves in
the game, equalise through Florent Malouda and use their greater
muscle to wear down Arsenal’s resistance before it was broken by
Drogba.

Hiddink felt Lampard, Michael Essien and Michael Ballack sat too deep
at the outset and Cesc Fabregas, abetted by Denilson, was quickly able
to establish a rhythm for Arsenal. Walcott was their outlet, his pace
and nimble feet tormenting Ashley Cole and Cole — literally — lent him
a hand with his goal.

In those initial stages Arsenal were taking far more care than their
opponents in possession. When Emmanuel Adebayor received the ball to
the left of Chelsea’s area he held it, toying with Branislav Ivanovic
until Kieran Gibbs overlapped. With a smooth pass, he fed his young
colleague. From the touchline, the defender clipped a pass back to
where Walcott was arriving and Walcott, these days calm and classy in
his finishing, did not attempt to blast a shot but simply ensured his
foot came right through the centre of the ball. It struck Cole’s
outstretched hand and was pushed into the net by Petr Cech,
leaden-footed and slow to dive. The form of the former
best-goalkeeper-in-the world appears to be collapsing like an
Icelandic bank.

But Fabianski’s problems overshadowed his counterpart’s. After three
minutes he charged from his box towards a John Terry clearance that
was always dropping short of him and Drogba reached it first, heading
the ball beyond Fabianski, who was bailed out when Gibbs, racing back,
scooped the ball to safety within a yard of the line.

Gibbs was the only member of Wenger’s defensive corps to play well.
Without William Gallas co-ordinating it, Arsenal’s offside trap kept
failing to spring at the proper moment and Malouda, who had already
gone close after beating it, eluded it again to score. Lampard, who
was increasingly imposing himself on the game, played a long diagonal
pass and the Frenchman just about held his line to collect the ball
and cut inside Emmanuel Eboue, who was evaded too easily, it seemed.
From 18 yards out Malouda, with a low and powerful shot, beat
Fabianski, who had failed to cover his near post.

The Arsenal underbelly was further exposed when, inside their area,
Malouda hounded Abou Diaby out of possession and Nicolas Anelka struck
the post. Essien knocked

Robin van Persie off the ball with the force of a charging rhinoceros
and power began to tell. A lovely exchange between Lampard and Drogba
ended with Lampard volleying close, though Walcott’s speed and
enterprise meant Chelsea could never relax.

Wenger was unhappy about the playing surface but Hiddink cannot wait
to walk on the green grass of Wembley again for one last time in the
service of Chelsea.

LESS than nine weeks after Guus Hiddink answered the call from his
friend, the Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, to take control of
Chelsea following the dismissal of Luiz Felipe Scolari, he has
dramatically changed the club’s fortunes.

The experienced Dutch coach took them into the semi-finals of the
Champions League last week, and now, with yesterday’s victory over
London rivals Arsenal, he has led them into the final of the FA Cup.
So emphatic has the turnaround been that the Blues, who are only four
points behind Manchester United in the Premier League — albeit having
played one more match — are still in contention for the Treble this
season.

Hiddink’s victory denied Arsène Wenger, inset, the Arsenal manager,
the chance of appearing in his sixth FA Cup final and his first since
2005.

Significantly, it was Chelsea’s first FA Cup victory over Arsenal for
62 years, and it will be their ninth appearance in the final. Hiddink,
who is also the Russia international manager, has remained steadfast
in his decision to walk away in the summer — and still has ambitions
of taking them to the 2010 World Cup finals in South Africa.

But should Chelsea finish the season with one, maybe even two or three
trophies, he could well reconsider his position

Cech slips starting to show

Would the Petr Cech of two years ago have saved Theo Walcott’s
first-half effort in yesterday’s semi-final? Before he sustained a
serious head injury in a collision with Reading’s Stephen Hunt in
October 2006, the keeper had conceded just 54 goals in 107 Chelsea
games at a miserly rate of 0.51 goals per match. Coincidence or not,
his post-injury statistics provide evidence of a shot-stopper in
decline. Since conceding twice on his return to action against
Liverpool in January 2007, Cech, inset, has let in 74 goals in 112
games at a rate of 0.66 goals per game. Before his injury, the
26-year-old Czech keeper carried an air of invincibility as he lifted
successive Premier League titles in his first two seasons in England;
but over the past 14 months, he has become injury-prone and, as his
catalogue of costly blunders suggests, accident-prone as well. His
mistakes over the past year include the clanger that sent his country
crashing out of Euro 2008.



----------------------------------------------------------


Telegraph:


Chelsea beat Arsenal to reach FA Cup final

In the build up to the FA Cup semi-final between Chelsea and Arsenal,
Didier Drogba had spoken ominously about a return to the imperious
form that made him the most feared striker in the world. This was no
empty rhetoric – the Ivorian was back to his distinctive best in
scoring the winner here, taking Guus Hiddink's Chelsea to the FA Cup
final.

By Duncan White at Wembley

The winner, coming just six minutes from the end was vintage Drogba.
Frank Lampard’s volleyed ball over the top looked harmless enough
until Drogba started pounding across the turf. Mikael Silvestre was
shrugged off with ease en route, as the Chelsea striker shifted the
ball around the on-rushing Lukasz Fabianski with his right foot before
steering it into the empty net with his left.

Wenger had adapted his team selection to try and prevent the Chelsea
midfield triumvirate of Lampard-Essien-Ballack from dominating the
middle of the park.

Ballack looking forward to Wembley From the side that had so elegantly
dismissed Villarreal, the Frenchman made two changes, dropping Alex
Song and Samir Nasri to the bench and playing Denilson and Abou Diaby
alongside Casc Fabregas in the centre of midfield, with Robin van
Persie moving out to the left flank. It was a valiant effort from the
Arsenal manager - the two sides were evenly matched for much of this
game - but there is no tactic for taming Drogba in full flight.

Just as the game had begun to settle, Arsenal took the lead. Getting
little change out of Alex and John Terry through the middle Emmanuel
Adebayor pulled out to the left. Kieran Gibbs took advantage of
Nicolas Anelka’s defensive inattention to nip down to the by-line
where Adebayor passed him the ball.

The 19-year-old left-back crossed to the far post where Theo Walcott
had been left in loads of room by Ashley Cole. To cap Cole’s
embarrassment Walcott’s soft volley hit his hand and the subsequent
deflection was enough to fool Petr Cech in the Chelsea goal.

Until then, it had been Chelsea who had come closest to scoring.
Lukasz Fabianski, continuing to deputise for the injured Manuel
Almunia, had made begun the game in a nervous state, practically
handing Chelsea the lead when he came hurtling out of his box to try
and deal with Terry’s speculative chip.

Misjudging the bounce, Fabianski froze and Didier Drogba headed the
ball towards the open goal – the alert Gibbs sprinted back and hooked
the ball to safety. Gibbs played impressively and his maturity will
not have gone unnoticed by the watching Fabio Capello.

The Polish goalkeeper did not look any more settled even after Arsenal
had taken the lead, letting a Malouda cross-shot rifle under his body
and only just wide of the far post. So it was unsurprising that he was
in part culpable for Chelsea’s equaliser.

Lampard hit a superb crossfield ball to Malouda who had the ball in
the net with three touches – trap, shift and shot. Emmanuel Eboue was
too easily evaded but even so, Fabianski should not have been so
easily beaten at his near post.

The Frenchman has been in good form after struggling for much of the
season and he evidently likes the ground, having scored a memorable
goal on debut here in the 2007 Charity Shield.

Having levelled matters, Chelsea were ascendant. Anelka hit the post
with a whipped shot with Abou Diaby vainly appealing for a foul after
giving the ball away on the edge of the box. Hiddink’s side were doing
their best to intimidate Arsenal’s youthful team - Branislav Ivanovic
and Michael Ballack were both cautioned for hefty sliding challenges,
the first on Van Persie, the second on Fabregas.

There was improvement form Arsenal after the break and Wenger’s side’s
fortunes seemed directly correlate with how often Walcott got on the
ball. The England winger has been excellent since his return from his
latest injury and enjoyed a compelling duel with Cole all game.

Just before the hour his curving cross was just too far ahead of Van
Persie for the Dutchman to convert and five minutes later his crossed
forced Alex into an acrobatic overhead clearance.

Chelsea punched back, a slick passing move – a rarity on this poor
Wembley surface – culminated in Lampard volleying a Drogba cross wide.
Then Arsenal were fortunate not to concede a penalty after Mikael
Silvestre handled in the box while challenging Drogba for the ball.
Referee Martin Atkinson was certainly in lenient mood – Denilson,
frustrated at having a foul awarded against him, should have been sent
off for pushing the referee. Atkinson merely cautioned him.

Extra-time seemed inevitable as both sides grew increasingly cautious
until Drogba’s explosive intervention with just six minutes to go.
Arsenal tried desperately to rescue the game after that – substitute
Andrei Arshavin panicking Cech with some expert deliveries – but their
first visit to the new Wembley was to end in disappointment.

Arsenal (4-5-1): Fabianski; Eboue, Toure, Silvestre, Gibbs; Walcott,
Fabregas, Denilson, Diaby, Van Persie (Arshavin 76); Adebayor
(Bendtner 83). Subs: Mannone (g), Nasri, Vela, Ramsey, Song. Booked:
Denilson.

Chelsea: (4-3-2-1): Cech; Ivanovic, Alex, Terry, A Cole; Ballack,
Essien, Lampard; Anelka (Kalou 82), Malouda; Drogba. Subs: Hilario
(g), Carvalho, Di Santo, Mikel, Belletti, Mancienne. Booked: Ivanovic,
Ballack.

Referee: M Atkinson


CHELSEA

Petr Cech 5
Patently not the impassable presence he once was. Even with Cole's
deflection for the Arsenal opener, Walcott's shot looked to be eluding
him.

Branislav Ivanovic 5
Guilty of a clattering, clumsy challenge on Van Persie, and dithered
as Adebayor put Gibbs through in build-up to Arsenal goal. Booked.

Alex 6
Shepherded Adebayor well. Even tried to push his luck up front with a
(fairly useless) 40-yard daisy-cutter.

John Terry 7
Fell awkwardly after an aerial challenge with Silvestre but his
understanding with Alex ensured Arsenal could not mount a late
comeback.

Ashley Cole 6
Weathered merciless vitriol from Arsenal fans and was effective in his
squirming running on left. Provided unfortunate deflection for Arsenal
goal.

Michael Ballack 7
Arguably Chelsea's most important player, such was the way he limited
Fabregas. Guilty of a mistimed challenge from behind on Fabregas.
Booked.

Frank Lampard 7
Beaten by Walcott in opening minutes but then restored himself,
producing a splendid crossfield pass to pick out Malouda.

Michael Essien 6
A frustrating afternoon for the Ghanaian, as he was repeatedly nudged
off the ball, but partnership with Lampard in central midfield stood
strong.

Florent Malouda 7
Gave lie to image as a passenger in Chelsea team. Drilled shot from
left sneaked under Fabianski, then he showed poise to control and
dispatch Lampard's cross.

Nicolas Anelka 6
Could have done better defensively, but he outmuscled Diaby to hit the
post with Fabianski beaten.

Didier Drogba 7
Muscular in his running throughout, he was relatively anonymous until
the 84th minute, when he showed all his power to round Fabianski for
the winner. 7

Manager: Guus Hiddink 7
His major accomplishment was to plug the leaks for Chelsea, after
seven goals conceded in two games. Drogba continued his revival, while
Ballack snuffed out Fabregas' influence.


------------------------------------------------------------


Independent:

Drogba leaves it late but gives Chelsea final say

Arsenal 1 Chelsea 2: Fabianski's failures leave Arsenal high and dry

By Steve Tongue at Wembley

Lightning, and Didier Drogba, struck twice here as Chelsea repeated
their victory from behind over Arsenal in the Carling Cup final of two
years ago. Once again the excellent Theo Walcott scored the opening
goal, only for his club's Nemesis to defeat them in the last 10
minutes. It was the Ivorian's eighth goal in nine games against
Arsenal, climaxing another of his outstanding performances under Guus
Hiddink, who has found the means of motivating him denied to some of
his predecessors.

It is easily forgotten amid all the talk of Manchester United
quadruples and quintuples that Chelsea can still achieve a notable
treble. They will now meet United or Everton when this year's FA Cup
final comes around on 30 May; a possible repeat of the disappointing
final of two years ago, three days after what could conceivably be a
Chelsea-United climax to the Champions' League.

Arsenal can have few complaints, Arsène Wenger's moans being confined
to fatigue, which afflicted both sides equally, and the pitch, of
which the same could be said even if he felt his side's passing game
was affected more than Chelsea's approach. "Building a stadium with
that kind of money and having no pitch is laughable," he said. "It's
not flat." As long as Wembley has to be paid for with lucrative rock
concerts – several of which are planned this summer – the problem will
remain.

Not that Hiddink felt there was anything wrong with the surface.
Speaking from a position of strength and victory, he said: "The pitch
was good. I think it was a highly deserved victory. We started a
little bit sloppy but after the one-nil we got hold of the midfield."

That was achieved by dropping Michael Ballack deeper and freeing
Michael Essien to rampage further forward with Frank Lampard, who made
both goals. Arsenal's midfield, with Abou Diaby's physical presence
preferred to the subtlety of Samir Nasri or Andrey Arshavin, was
eventually outplayed. Chelsea admittedly benefited by some poor
goalkeeping, which they nevertheless exploited by raining in twice as
many shots after being pushed back at the start of each half.

Arsenal had no fewer than four defenders unavailable, as well –
crucially – as their first-choice goalkeeper Manuel Almunia. The
teenaged left-back Kieran Gibbs was, however, passed fit, for which
they would soon have reason to be grateful.

In only the fourth minute Lukasz Fabianski completely misjudged a punt
down the middle and Drogba's header would have gone in had the alert
Gibbs not raced back, risking an injury from the post as he just
managed to divert the ball wide of it. After that Arsenal settled, and
were playing the more composed football when they took the lead in the
17th minute. Emmanuel Adebayor, moving to the left, played Gibbs in
towards the byline for a pull-back that Walcott met with his weaker
left foot. A touch off Ashley Cole's hand may have hampered Petr Cech
but the goalkeeper still appeared to go down too quickly and was
beaten.

The wake-up call that often seems necessary for Chelsea did the trick
again. They improved and there was a warning for Arsenal when
Fabianski dived over a low cross-shot from Florent Malouda that
skimmed the far post. Just after the half-hour the Frenchman received
a diagonal pass from Lampard and sensibly decided to test the
goalkeeper again, cutting inside and beating him at the near post:
shades of Bob Wilson at Wembley against Steve Heighway in the 1971 Cup
final.

Before half-time Nicolas Anelka, as committed as Drogba, won the ball
back and struck the far post with a fine left-footed shot. Three
Arsenal substitutes were warming up from the start of the second half,
with a touchline view as Robin van Persie just failed to reach
Walcott's tempting cross and Drogba screamed with some justification
for a penalty when Mikaël Silvestre held him and handled in the same
movement.

It was high time for Arshavin, who replaced Van Persie, but before he
could do anything to influence the game, Chelsea were back in the
ascendant, and seven minutes from extra-time they scored. Lampard was
once more the provider, another accurate long pass tempting Fabianski
from his goal, too slowly again to prevent Drogba reaching it first,
slipping round him and calmly placing the ball into an empty net.
Arshavin's late effort was deflected to safety by the solid Alex and
Chelsea were through, allowing Hiddink to dream of a potentially
wonderful last week in charge of the club; which is what he continues
to insist the final week of May will be.

Attendance: 88,103

Referee: Martin Atkinson

Man of the match: Drogba

Match rating: 7/10

Man for man: Chelsea

Petr Cech 6/10

Had looked surprisingly vulnerable in recent matches, but was
unfortunate when Cole's hand deflected Walcott's shot for the Arsenal
goal. Otherwise, not a busy day as Arsenal could not get close enough
to his goal to test susceptibility until the final minutes.

Branislav Ivanovic 7/10

A better performance than of late from the right-back but Arsenal
offered little consistent threat from their left flank. Comfortable as
his side began to dominate.

Alex 7/10

Preferred to Ricardo Carvalho as Terry's partner at centre-back,
shored up a defence that has seemed untypically nervous in the past
few weeks. Kept it simple.

John Terry 7/10

Forceful in defence, gradually got on top of some none-too-testing
Arsenal movement and, like his partner, took the straightforward route
when clearing. Simply too strong for the opposition.

Ashley Cole 7/10

Against his former and, he once felt, miserly employers, the full-back
had the better of an interesting battle with Arsenal's right- winger
Walcott, but deflected in the latter's shot for the Arsenal goal. Yet
thereafter he got on top of the England winger.

Michael Essien 7/10

The mighty holding midfielder gradually got to grips with the Gunners'
midfield and broke up most incursions into the Blues' danger areas,
and in the second half gradually began to join Chelsea attacks.

Frank Lampard 8/10

Long ball played up to Malouda, which set up the Chelsea equaliser,
changed the flow of the first half and, indeed, the match. Then
another long ball later in the match sent Drogba away for Chelsea's
second goal. Might have had a goal himself as well.

Michael Ballack 7/10

Combative in finding time and space and combined well with Lampard and
Essien to give Chelsea the platform to push on to victory. In midfield
it did indeed slowly start to look like men against boys.

Nicolas Anelka 6/10

Although at times looking ill at ease on the right, he was still a
simmering threat but did not do enough to force himself into the
match. Also at fault for Arsenal's goal.

Didier Drogba 8/10

Unlucky not to score in the first half, proved a handful for Touré and
Silvestre with his strength, power and no little courage and duly
reaped his reward, rounding Fabianski for Chelsea's well-taken second
goal near the end.

Florent Malouda 7/10

Suddenly realised his defender was not wholly focused on defending
when collecting Lampard's long ball out of defence to turn past Eboué
and beat a poorly positioned Fabianski.

Substitutes:

Salomon Kalou on for Anelka with just eight minutes to go.


-------------------------------------------------------


Observer:

Drogba scores late to put Chelsea into FA Cup final
Arsenal 1 Walcott 18
Chelsea 2 Malouda 33, Drogba 84

Paul Wilson at Wembley

Arsenal's supposed resurgencewas put into perspective when they were
faced down by more determined opponents and clobbered by a late Didier
Drogba strike that took Chelsea to the FA Cup final. This was the
first time in over 60 years that Chelsea had prevailed against Arsenal
in the Cup, but the losers only had themselves to blame, and not just
for passing up the chance to sign Drogba for £100,000 when he played
for Le Mans. "He's a winner, he never stops," Arsène Wenger admitted.

About as streetwise as the royal family and far too fair-minded for
their own good, Arsenal failed to take advantage of the nervousness of
Petr Cech, hardly testing him with a shot or a cross and never putting
him under any pressure. Bolton showed them the way last Saturday, and
Arsenal must have seen Liverpool turn the goalkeeper to jelly in the
Champions League, yet Wenger's side remained aloof and paid the price.
Perhaps Wenger would never stoop to copying Bolton tactics, though
ironically nervousness on the part of their own goalkeeper had a major
bearing on the result. Lukasz Fabianski was at fault for both Chelsea
goals.

"We will have to lift his confidence, he will feel guilty," Wenger
said. Chelsea's confidence, now they do not have to play Bolton again,
currently knows no bounds. "We always take this competition seriously
and I think you saw that," Frank Lampard, the man of the match, said.
"As long as we don't get ahead of ourselves, we could have a
successful end to the season."

Cech was given the nod, Guus Hiddink having more faith in his No1's
shattered confidence than belief in Henrique Hilario, though Fabianski
was the first goalkeeper in the spotlight. Out of his area after three
minutes, Fabianski was beaten to a header by Drogba and Kieran Gibbs
had to use his pace to prevent the ball rolling into the goal.
Fabianski was in action again when Arsenal gave the ball away in
midfield and Michael Ballack sent Drogba racing towards goal, though
textbook cover work by Kolo Touré meant his eventual shot did not
contain much of a sting.

Cech had not had a save of note to make by this stage, and retrieving
the ball from the back of the net before joining the game will have
done little to settle his nerves. He probably would not have had much
chance from Theo Walcott's crisp left-foot volley anyway, even had the
ball not taken a deflection off Ashley Cole's hand, though dashing
across goal and having to attempt a handbrake turn when Gibbs' neat
cross was sent back in the direction from which it came was another
madcap moment in a hectic week. It was the eighth time Cech had been
beaten in as many days, and several of the goals were highly
preventable.

When Cech made his first save it was an easy one, Robin van Persie
fluffing a decent opportunity from Abou Diaby's run after Florent
Malouda had gone close at the other end with a cross that went through
Fabianski and rolled across the goal. If that was a warning to Arsenal
to keep their eye on the French winger, they ignored it. While there
was nothing they could do about Lampard's superb 45-yard pass to set
up the equaliser, there was too much time for Malouda to pluck the
ball from the sky, turn inside Emmanuel Eboué and tuck a right-foot
shot past Fabianski. The goalkeeper could not have been expecting the
full-back to be turned so easily. Even so he should have covered his
near post better.

The game was more open than anticipated – perhaps a side effect of
being overshadowed by the Champions League is a carefree attitude
towards the Cup – and Chelsea were unlucky not to take the lead five
minutes later when Nicolas Anelka bundled Diaby off the ball in his
own area and struck a shot on the turn that rebounded from the foot of
the post. Motivated against his first English club, Anelka did the
same thing to Denílson at the end of the first half. Only a corner
came, but having come from behind Chelsea ended the half doing most of
the attacking.

That pattern continued in the second half, despite Emmanuel Adebayor
threatening the corner flag with the first chance after the break.
Arsenal were finding Chelsea difficult to break down and were unable
to impose their preferred tempo on the game. One buccaneering run by
Touré was stopped by John Terry but other­wise it was Chelsea,
building slowly and breaking quickly, who gradually began to dictate.
When Anelka headed over from Ballack's cross he should have left it
for a better-placed colleague, though it was significant that Chelsea
had players queuing up for the ball. By the midway point in the second
half Chelsea were being ­positively wasteful with their chances.

Adebayor was ploughing a lonely furrow at the other end, yet still
Wenger waited until the 75th minute to send on Andrey Arshavin. And
still Cech was allowed to enjoy an unruffled evening. Arsenal had
taken off Adebayor by the time Drogba scored the winner, running on to
another sumptuous pass from Lampard and having no difficulty in
out-muscling Mikaël Silvestre and rounding Fabianski, to score with a
confident shot from a narrow angle. "It's nothing personal," Drogba
said of his eighth goal in nine matches against Arsenal. Arsenal were
never going to come back from it despite a late effort from Arshavin
that Alex managed to block.


--------------------------------------------------------

Mail:

Arsenal 1 Chelsea 2: Didier the top Drog as he books final date

Didier Drogba, the man whose form has been transformed most
spectacularly by Hiddink's arrival, delivered again by scoring the
late goal that ensured Chelsea's continued supremacy over Arsenal. It
was his eighth in nine games against the London rivals and his task
was made easier by birthday-boy Lukasz Fabianski, who endured a
wretched afternoon in goal.
Drogba has seen off a succession of Arsenal centre-halves in recent
years, his previous victims including Philippe Senderos, William
Gallas and Kolo Toure.
But yesterday it was Mikael Silvestre who was outmuscled and
outsprinted by the formidable Ivorian when Frank Lampard delivered a
hooked long pass for his team-mate to chase just six minutes from
time.
Drogba bullied and barged his way past the former Manchester United
defender and the striker's task was made all too easy as Fabianski
raced out of goal unnecessarily. He never seemed likely to be beat the
advancing Chelsea forward to the ball and Drogba duly rounded him and
struck decisively into the net before galloping bare-chested towards
the adoring Chelsea fans.

'It's nothing personal against Arsenal,' said Drogba, while lauding
the pass Lampard provided for the winning goal.
'He's done it again against us because he's a winner and he scores in
big games,' said Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, who had the chance to
sign a young, raw Drogba for just £100,000 10 years ago when he played
for Le Mans.
'It's amazing that every week, every game he delivers,' said Hiddink.
'Of course the team are delivering for him, but he's on the end of
what they produce.'
For Arsenal it was hard to take but they paid the price for excessive
caution. Wenger started with Abou Diaby instead of the impish Andrey
Arshavin, justifiably citing Chelsea's strength at set-pieces and
physicality as the reason. Yet as his key men Robin van Persie, Cesc
Fabregas and Emmanuel Adebayor tired, he only introduced Arshavin on
75 minutes and Samir Nasri on 86 minutes.

Wenger suspected extra-time was looming, which was why he delayed his
changes for, in truth, this was a match short on the excitement of the
midweek Champions League ties. Indeed, it was a game principally
characterised by poor goalkeeping.
Fabianski, celebrating his 24th birthday, is but a novice and reminded
his team-mates of the fact with a string of misjudgments. His first
came after four minutes, when he rushed out and was beaten by Drogba,
only for the excellent Kieran Gibbs to clear off the line. It set the
standard for a woeful afternoon.
Had Petr Cech been similarly tested he, too, might have buckled, for
he had conceded seven goals in his previous two games. And when Theo
Walcott aimed a shot at him on 18 minutes, Cech failed the test.

Emmanuel Adebayor had released Gibbs with a delightfully timed pass
and the young left-back pulled the ball back for Walcott. His
sidefooted shot brushed Ashley Cole's hand but should have presented
no special problems for Cech, who was slow to react and only helped
the ball into the net and Arsenal into the lead.
Yet there was little sense of permanence about the advantage. Minutes
later Fabianski misjudged a shot from Florent Malouda and though on
this occasion it continued harmlessly wide, Chelsea would come again.
Lampard was the instigator, with a superb lifted ball from deep
midfield which landed at the feet of Malouda, who turned inside
Emmanuel Eboue and shot hard from the edge of the box to beat diving
Fabianski at his near post. Chelsea slowly began to assert their
physical presence and Denilson and Cesc Fabregas were dwarfed by the
overpowering trio of Lampard, Michael Essien and Michael Ballack.

Arsenal enjoyed a brief renaissance on the hour when Diaby bundled his
way downfield and released Walcott, whose cross fell agonisingly short
of the outstretched Van Persie. Then Fabregas's delightful backheel on
66 minutes again freed a racing Walcott down the right and his cross
dropped just short of Diaby. Chelsea merely bided their time.
They might have had a secondhalf penalty when Silvestre appeared to
handle. Anelka - who had earlier hit a post - headed over from a
Ballack cross on 67 minutes and on 69 minutes Lampard struck low, hard
but just wide from Drogba's pull-back.
For all their attacking bravado, Hiddink's teams have a relentless
quality, too. While Arsenal tired and ran short of imagination,
Chelsea simply ground onwards, never abandoning their task until those
perennial heroes, Lampard and Drogba, finally fashioned the victory.



--------------------------------------------------------


NOTW:

ARSENAL 1, CHELSEA 2


Didier Drogba's back on form

From ANDY DUNN at Wembley, 18/04/2009

ONCE upon a time not so long ago, two very distinct schools of thought
existed when it came to Didier Drogba.

One school hated him, the other simply disliked him.

He was the muscular embodiment of the plagues brought to these shores
by foreign players.

He collapsed quicker than the pound in a credit crunch, feigned injury
like a child looking for sympathy.

Click here for more great pictures from Arsenal v Chelsea

Click here for Rob Shepherd's verdict on a troubled goalkeeper

Guus Hiddink plans sparkling farewell - click here for the full story

And he whinged. Boy, did he whinge. He made Nicolas Anelka look like
Little Mr Sunshine.

Pilloried by even his own fans earlier in the season, ridiculed
nationwide, a symbol of all that was wrong with pre-Guus Chelsea.

Luiz Felipe Scolari wanted to make an example of him, Chelsea were
prepared to bank the first decent cheque that came their way for him.

But redemption for Drogba followed a pace behind Hiddink into the
Stamford Bridge dressing room.

And when he slid towards the hoardings, ripped off his jersey, kissed
it and crossed his torso, that redemption was complete.

Drogba's journey has been a simple one. From folk hero to phoney and
back to folk hero.

His swashbuckling displays against Liverpool carried Chelsea to a
Champions League semi-final with Barcelona . . . now his opportunism
and dynamism have opened the way to an FA Cup final meeting with
Manchester United or Everton.

His late strike clinched triumph for Chelsea after Florent Malouda had
cancelled out Theo Walcott's early volley. And in the scorer of the
first goal and the scorer of the final goal of a beautiful evening,
you have the contrast that sums up this game.

Walcott - 20 years of age, reed-thin and rose-petal delicate.

Drogba - 31 years of age, ebony-tough and bursting with Ivory power.

Arsene Wenger believes the former can already compete with the latter.

He is wrong. Sure, in the same fashion as many of Wenger's youthful
projects, Walcott is developing. Witness his goal. Not spectacular but
symptomatic of his creeping progress.

Emmanuel Adebayor surprised everyone with a simple pass, Kieran Gibbs
crossed cutely and Walcott's well of confidence was brimming full
enough to try a first-time left-foot volley.

A couple of years ago, first time and left foot were concepts as alien
to Walcott as shaving and voting.

His effort was not struck with shoelace sweetness but it still had
enough forward momentum to brush Ashley Cole's hand and find a way
past Petr Cech's palm.

Not that it takes a shot of unerring accuracy or gun-barrel velocity
to elude Cech nowadays. However, the hapless helmet could at least
take comfort and confidence from watching his opposite number.

For a while there has been a growing consensus that Fabianski will
soon change the debate from whether Manuel Almunia should play for
England to whether Manuel Almunia should play for Arsenal.

And if you still think that, you've been on the same birthday juice as
Fabianski. He set the tone before Walcott's opener - the Pole so far
north that Drogba was able to loop a header goalwards from expedition
distance.

Gibbs spared his blushes but was unable to help in the closing stages
when Frank Lampard hoisted hopefully and Drogba flicked Mikael
Silvestre aside as though the French defender was a spent Gauloises.

Fabianski was on another mad charge, bypassing Drogba in a bizarre
blur and the Chelsea striker rolled the winner into an unguarded net.

At least Fabianski should not shoulder all the blame for Malouda's
first-half equaliser. Merely a generous portion of it.

Emmanuel Eboue's idea of marking is to be within javelin distance of
his man and it was hardly a chore for Malouda to pull a Lampard pass
from the sky and turn inside the right-back.

Even so, Fabianski left a gap the width of Wembley's arch for Malouda
to drag in the leveller.

Lampard's contribution, by the way, was much more than a couple of
assists and, with every imperious late-season display, he makes a
mockery of PFA voting deadlines.

Hiddink can take no credit for his form but the coach must be
applauded for his impact. And Malouda might well turn out to be one of
his most persuasive adverts. He actually looks interested under the
Dutchman.

Ditto Anelka, who stepped in when Abou Diaby bizarrely tried to slalom
his way out of his own area and curled a post-kisser with his left
foot.

Yet it seemed increasingly likely it would take the special or the
silly to prevent the tie heading towards dusk. The special nearly
arrived with a Lampard volley that fizzed wide and the silly almost
followed when Silvestre flipped the ball away with his hand.

Arsenal's discipline seemed to be disintegrating when Denilson
appeared to lay his hands on the referee after a booking. The
Brazilian was a lucky lad to last the distance.

Which is more than Adebayor and Robin van Persie did. With those pair
hooked, Chelsea always looked the likeliest. Fabianski's rush of blood
and Drogba's ice-cool blood made sure they did.

Quite simply, big-game quality told. And none had it more than
Chelsea's immense centre-forward.

Ten years ago, Wenger refused to pay £100,000 for Drogba.

This morning, the Ivorian is back to what he once was and always
should be for Chelsea . . . priceless.

If you are going to the game and have somehow got 4 tickets together in the
Arsenal area, email me direct.

ie if you'd like to swap for 4 (which i have) all together in block 124 Chelsea
area.

May swap 2 pairs or 1 pair and 2 singles.

Jon

The Times

Benítez gamble nearly pays off after Liverpool come up shy in eight-goal feast

Chelsea 4 Liverpool 4 (Chelsea win 7-5 on agg)

Patrick Barclay, Chief Football Commentator

Blunders by goalkeepers with reputations that rank them among Europe’s
finest conspired to heighten the drama at Stamford Bridge. First a
crashing error of positioning by Petr Cech lifted Liverpool. Then José
Manuel Reina’s fateful fumble of a Didier Drogba flick invited Chelsea
to seize the tie and this they did — the ultimate irony —
substantially through the efforts of a man who would not even have
been playing but for John Terry’s suspension.

That he, Alex, stepped out of defence to score his team’s crucial
second goal with an irresistible free kick was characteristic of a
great occasion. Liverpool did much to make it and to prolong the
excitement until two minutes from the end, when Frank Lampard’s second
goal let everyone pause and start to savour an event so intoxicating
it numbed the mind.

It is, though, Chelsea who stride on to their fifth Champions League
semi-final in six years. Deservedly. Whatever Liverpool, craftily
arranged by Rafael Benítez to cater for the absence of Steven Gerrard,
threw at them — and at times we wondered if this was almost literally
to become a kitchen-sink drama — they hurled back.

It was — to use a Brazilian’s phrase — football for adults. With
Brazilians to the fore: not just Alex but Fábio Aurélio, the Liverpool
left back, who got the party going with a cute free kick. Even Lucas
Leiva scored, with a deflected shot towards the end as once again the
flames were fanned and a header from Dirk Kuyt kept the outcome in
doubt almost to the final whistle. Now, on Tuesday week, Chelsea will
visit Barcelona, old foes from the José Mourinho era who are to pit
their mouthwatering technique against Chelsea’s awesome power. But for
much of last night it looked possible that the Catalan club would be
facing Liverpool instead.

Liverpool were level on aggregate through Aurélio’s enterprise and a
Xabi Alonso penalty but still needed another goal to progress when
Nicolas Anelka, the substitute with whom Guus Hiddink had replaced the
bewildering Salomon Kalou, crossed and Drogba’s skilful glance induced
Reina to divert the ball over the line.

When Alex, taking advantage of Jamie Carragher’s foul on Drogba, sent
the ball raging past Reina in the 57th minute to level the scores, it
seemed over. Until we remembered that Liverpool were involved. We
should have known better than to write off Benítez’s men in the mood
they had fashioned from the wreckage of the defeat away to
Middlesbrough in February. In the five matches that followed, all won,
Liverpool scored 16 goals, conceding one. And to lead 2-0 last night
was an achievement in itself, a throwback to Istanbul, if
insufficient.

Benítez should not be second-guessed over Gerrard. On the face of it,
the pre-match issue had been devilishly tricky for him. Should he take
a gamble on Gerrard or save the captain for the more realistic
aspiration that is represented by the English title?

If Benítez erred on the side of patience, he was right. Liverpool have
six Barclays Premier League matches left, but there is plenty of
danger in Manchester United’s seven; the champions play three matches
in seven days next month and Liverpool will want to have all their
attacking options — including Gerrard, who also missed Saturday’s 4-0
win over Blackburn Rovers at Anfield because of a groin injury — ready
to exploit any slip.

The surprising aspect was that Benítez replaced Gerrard with Lucas.
From what we have seen of the young Brazilian, he is nothing if not a
holding player, an obstacle to opponents’ attacks rather than a
creative force behind his own team’s. Yet here he was roaming behind
Fernando Torres.

Maybe the intention was to keep Michael Essien occupied so Yossi
Benayoun, given Albert Riera’s starting position on the left, could
drift inside and fashion opportunities — such as the one he made for
Torres in the thirteenth minute. The Spain striker was confident
enough to shoot with his left foot, but sliced the ball into the
Matthew Harding Stand (lower tier, to be fair). How the Chelsea fans
chortled.

But soon the smile left their faces. Lampard’s push on Kuyt gave
Liverpool a free kick wide on their right, about 40 yards from a goal
Cech left all but vacant. As the goalkeeper prepared to deal with a
swirler to the far post — a reasonable assumption, recklessly applied
— Aurélio whipped the ball inside the near. Now that was Brazilian.
And Chelsea started to panic.

Branislav Ivanovic, the two-goal hero of Anfield, wrestled Alonso in
the penalty area as a more orthodox free kick from Aurélio floated in
and, although there were no discernible appeals, Luis Medina
Cantalejo, the Spanish referee, awarded a penalty that Alonso smacked
home.

From Alonso’s cross, Kuyt had a header unconvincingly slapped away by
Cech, who then missed Aurélio’s cross with impunity. Chelsea were
lucky to go in for the interval in a winning position on aggregate.

Meanwhile, their fans pondered the wisdom of chants. “Stuff your
history,” they had sneered at the visitors (or words to that effect).
“We’re going to Rome.” Getting as far as Barcelona seemed a tall order
until Anelka sent the ball to the near post for the increasingly
influential Drogba.

Next was Alex. All Lampard did, in giving Chelsea the lead from
Drogba’s cross in the 76th minute, was to make Liverpool shed all
inhibition and somehow retrieve the lead, which Lampard promptly
denied them. From afar, their fans watched Chelsea’s celebrations.
They had witnessed a failure so glorious only Hillsborough could drive
it from their minds.

Chelsea (4-1-2-2-1): P Cech — B Ivanovic, Alex, R Carvalho, A Cole — M
Essien — M Ballack, F Lampard — S Kalou (sub: N Anelka, 36min), F
Malouda — D Drogba (sub: F Di Santo, 90). Substitutes not used:
Hilário, J O Mikel, J Belletti, Deco, M Mancienne. Booked: Ivanovic,
Carvalho, Cole.

Liverpool (4-3-2-1): J M Reina — Á Arbeloa (sub: R Babel, 85), J
Carragher, M Skrtel, F Aurélio — Lucas Leiva, J Mascherano (sub: A
Riera, 69), X Alonso — D Kuyt, Y Benayoun — F Torres (sub: D Ngog,
80). Substitutes not used: D Cavalieri, A Dossena, S Hyypia, D Agger.
Booked: Benayoun, Arbeloa.

Referee: L Medina Cantalejo (Spain).



----------------------------------------------------


Telegraph:

Chelsea survive early Liverpool scare to blast route into Champions
League semi-finals

Whatever Michel Platini may think of too many English teams spoiling
his Continental bouillabaisse, the Uefa president surely cannot now
doubt the high-octane excitement the Premier League ambassadors bring
to his beloved Champions League.

By Henry Winter at Stamford Bridge

This was epic stuff, one of the most memorable, fluctuating games in
the history of the European Cup.

Only when Frank Lampard struck his second, making it 4-4 with a minute
remaining could Chelsea fans finally relax. Liverpool had been that
determined, that dangerous in front of goal. Once again Chelsea were
grateful to the exceptional Lampard and to their canny manager, Guus
Hiddink, who guided his players through a real Merseyside storm with
his tactical tweaks, notably the introduction of Nicolas Anelka, and
some rousing half-time rhetoric with Liverpool leading 2-0.

Chelsea captain John Terry upset with booking against LiverpoolIn
keeping with an insane night, the Bridge DJ span some Madness at the
final whistle. Chelsea had gone one step beyond, one step closer to
the final in Rome but they must first negotiate Barcelona in the
semis. Ashley Cole will be suspended for the Camp Nou leg, an absence
Lionel Messi could exploit.

Lacking Steven Gerrard, trailing 3-1 from the first leg, Benitez’s
players had initially responded superbly, taking the game to Chelsea
in a thrilling first half, scoring through Aurelio and Alonso before
Hiddink steadied their nerves and Drogba, Alex and Lampard turned a
magnificent game on its head again. But then came Lucas and Kuyt,
leaving Liverpool to need one goal, setting up a frantic finale.

By half-time the "alarm bells’’ Hiddink had talked about should have
rung loudly in his players’ ears when Fernando Torres threatened
early. Strangely, Chelsea were subdued for a half, allowing Liverpool
to dictate the rhythm. Chelsea fans sought to the raise the tempo and
the temperature, willing the team and vilifying Liverpool’s support,
who responded in spiky kind.

The belief clearly flowing from the visitor’s section found an echo in
the hearts of the Liverpool players, who tore into a Chelsea defender
patently missing John Terry. One banner in the stands read: "JT,
Captain, Leader, Legend’’ to which could be added "Spectator’’ last
night. Chelsea’s most vocal force, their Trojan defender, was
suspended and how they struggled without him in an astonishing first
period.

Defensive lapses cost Chelsea dear. It seemed as if the Spanish
referee, Luis Medina Cantalejo, was in town on missionary work,
cleaning up all the nudges and shirt-pulling so often endemic in
English football. When Ricardo Carvalho pulled Dirk Kuyt’s shirt after
19 minutes, Aurelio lined up the free-kick.

Petr Cech seemed to anticipate a lifted ball to the far-post. So he
organised the construction of the wall to that side yet it soon
transpired that the Czech keeper would make a lousy surveyor. It was
too far to the right, giving Aurelio a sight of goal. Cech forgot
another thing. Aurelio is Brazilian. With Chelsea’s keeper too far
towards the too far-post, Aurelio could not resist the temptation,
swerving the ball into the untended near-post. The legend of Cech’s
infallibility took another knock.

Mistakes littered Chelsea’s first-half performance. Nine minutes
later, Aurelio swept in a free-kick and Cantalejo again reprised his
impersonation of Robert de Niro in "Taxi Driver’’, cleaning up the
mean streets of the inner city.

As a blur of red and blue shirts threw themselves at Aurelio’s ball,
Branislav Ivanovic hauled down Alonso. Cantalejo pointed to the spot,
despite no Liverpool player appealing, despite Martin Skrtel tugging
at Ivanovic’s shirt.

As Chelsea went into meltdown, Alonso kept calm, placing the ball on
the spot, and then emphatically drilling to Cech’s right. The noise
pouring out of the Liverpool corner of the ground nearly rocked
Stamford Bridge on its foundations. One banner waved vigorously by the
away fans said it all - "Defiance’’.

Liverpool were running on adrenalin, on the emotion of recent days,
building up to today’s Hillsborough memorial service at Anfield.
Liverpool played with the head as well as the head. Alonso was
outstanding, breaking up play, spraying passes and converting that
spot-kick.

Mascherano was having a storming game, charging between the boxes,
taking the sight of the ball at Chelsea feet as a personal insult.
Such was his hunger for possession that the Argentinian even tackled
Ashley Cole when the pair were off the pitch, both having overrun the
ball.

Here was a test of Chelsea’s character and, at last, they began to
stir. They are made of strong stuff under Hiddink. The Bridge screamed
for Cantalejo to continue his angry head master routine and penalise
Carragher for wrestling down Ivanovic in the box. Hiddink was livid at
the Spaniard’s refusal, railing at the officials and clearly
unimpressed with certain players who simply froze. When Salomon Kalou
ducked out of one challenge too many, the ever-decisive Hiddink
replaced him with Nicolas Anelka. It was to prove an inspired move.

Still Liverpool pressured, Kuyt bringing a good save from Cech.
Hiddink had to work some magic, to inspire his players. He sent them
out early for the second half, setting the tone of a team eager for a
new start. Now it was Chelsea making all the moves, making it 2-2 on
the night within 12 minutes.

Now it was Liverpool making stupid mistakes. When Frank Lampard sent
Anelka down the right, the Frenchman’s cross was low and hard and met
athletically by Drogba. He seemed merely to have helped the ball
across but Reina, in a moment that will haunt his sleep, fumbled the
ball into his goal. How the Bridge crowed, their chants of "are you
Riise in disguise?’’ providing a painful reminder of the Norwegian
full-back’s damaging own goal last year.

The Blues were now in the mood, confidence now apparent in their every
touch. When Carragher fouled Florent Malouda 30 yards out, Alex
responded magnificently, driving an unstoppable free-kick through a
crowd of players and past a startled Reina.

Liverpool required a miracle, snookers, a great escape plotted by
Gerrard but he was absent. Their dream ended when Drogba crossed from
the left with 14 minutes remaining and Lampard applied the coup de
grace.

Benitez’s passion-players refused to surrender. Drawing on the very
greatest traditions of the club, Liverpool responded, riddling the
Chelsea fans with nerves. First came Lucas, his shot deflecting in off
Michael Essien. Then Albert Riera crossed for Kuyt’s header to beat
Cech: one goal would send Liverpool through.

Instead it was Chelsea who struck, Lampard grabbing his second, making
it 4-4 on the night and leaving Liverpool requiring two goals. Mission
impossible. What a game. Platini take note.




----------------------------------------------------------


Mail:

Chelsea 4 Liverpool 4: Lampard seals night of thrills as Liverpool
take tie to wire
(Chelsea win 7-5 on aggregate)
By Matt Lawton Chief Football Correspondent

This was a Champions League tie played not by modern millionaire
footballers but by maniacs with what appeared to be a mutual desire to
push the self-destruct button.
A tie as memorable for the madness as the moments of pure brilliance
was settled by a quite superb Frank Lampard goal but almost won by a
Liverpool side who dared to ignore their manager’s decision to throw
in the towel.
Rafa Benitez called time on this epic contest when he replaced the
finest striker in the world with David Ngog. Only 10 minutes remained
and, with Liverpool still needing three goals to reach the
semi-finals, the Spaniard thought it prudent to save Fernando Torres
for another day.
But two goals, the first a deflected strike from Lucas and then a
thumping header from Dirk Kuyt, in two astonishing minutes suddenly
left Benitez looking foolish and his team within touching distance of
a comeback more extraordinary than Istanbul.

That Chelsea fought back again said much for their spirit as well as
the quality of Lampard, who struck his second of the night finally to
stop this remarkable Liverpool side.

But after so nearly blowing a four-goal lead against Bolton last
weekend, even Roman Abramovich will be requesting that they sacrifice
some of the entertainment for a rather more efficient display. A bit
more of the spirit of Jose Mourinho, dare it be said, before they meet
a Barcelona team who will watch repeats of this with a sense of
amazement as well as excitement.
These two clubs might be owned by Russians and Americans but last
night Dr Strangelove appeared to be in charge. The lunatics had
finally taken charge of the asylum, with no leadership on the field
and what appeared to be little guidance coming from the bench,
probably because Benitez and Guus Hiddink were too busy bickering with
each other.

Amid the chaos, mistakes were made and eight goals were scored. The
kind of chaos that proved torturous for the spectators and almost
unwatchable for the suspended John Terry and the injured Steven
Gerrard. The kind of chaos that, at times, actually had you wondering
exactly what the score was.
If ever a game demonstrated the importance of two hugely influential
captains, this was it. Chelsea collapsed in the absence of Terry,
while Liverpool lacked the composure to build on the two-goal lead
they so sensationally secured in the first half.
At times it was not so much a battle of wits as a battle of half-wits,
a game when tactical planning was discarded for naked, irrational,
ambition.
The goalkeeping errors that first handed the momentum to Liverpool but
then back to Chelsea were almost forgotten by the final whistle.
But it was Petr Cech’s initial blunder that set the tone for this
incredible match and unsettled a back four already nervous without
Terry at their side. Once considered
alongside Gianluigi Buffon as the finest goalkeeper in the world, it
was a calamitous display from the Czech No 1, from the manner in which
he allowed Fabio Aurelio to score the first goal to the general sense
of panic that spread through the Chelsea defence because of his
apparent uncertainty.

It would be unfair to blame Cech for the penalty that followed when
Branislav Ivanovic fouled Xabi Alonso, but his own problems with
decision-making probably clouded the judgment of his colleagues.
Aurelio made a fool out of Cech after 18 minutes, spotting the fact
that he was still busy organising a poorly-positioned wall and beating
him with a free-kick that took one bounce before squeezing inside the
left-hand post. Cech, his confidence already damaged by Saturday’s
reckless display against Bolton, got nowhere near it.
He got nowhere near the penalty that followed 10 minutes later either,
one which stunned Stamford Bridge and suddenly made the impossible
look possible.

It was another Aurelio free-kick that caused the problem and Ivanovic,
who emerged with so much credit at Anfield, who committed the offence.
Referee Luis Medina Cantalejo did not hesitate in pointing to the spot
when he saw Ivanovic wrestle Alonso to the ground and the Spanish
midfielder dished out the appropriate punishment with an unstoppable
strike.
They could sense the anxiety in Chelsea’s ranks and they could smell
the fear, from Hiddink’s bench to a back four choosing to defend
deeper and deeper.
But that all changed when Pepe Reina made a mistake every bit as
ridiculous as Cech’s six minutes into a second half that Liverpool
again seemed to be dominating.
Even if Didier Drogba got the slightest of touches to a cross from
Nicolas Anelka, who had been sent on after 35 minutes as a replacement
for Salomon Kalou, the ball was going wide until Reina contrived to
turn it into his own net.

It proved to be yet another turning point, Alex levelling the scores
on the night six minutes later with a thunderbolt of a free-kick
before Lampard completed a super move started by Michael Ballack and
continued by Drogba with the first of two excellent first-time strikes
14 minutes from the end. Game over?

Benitez certainly seemed to think so, removing Torres from the battle
with next week’s Barclays Premier League meeting with Arsenal in mind.
In the minds of Liverpool’s players, however, there was still time
enough to turn this around again. First came from the shot from Lucas
that flew past Cech via Michael Essien’s knee, then the cross from
Albert Riera that was met by a terrific header from Kuyt.
Who would score next was anybody’s guess. That it was Lampard, who
made the best of a fine ball from Anelka with a wonderful strike that
flew in off Reina’s right-hand post, was probably fair enough after
the manner of Chelsea’s victory at Anfield last week.
They lost Ashley Cole for the first leg of the semis thanks to a
yellow card, but last night the relief of simply getting there would
have made up for any such loss.


* Barcelona moved into the semi-finals on Tuesday, where they will
meet Chelsea in an eagerly awaited showdown.
Leading 4-0 in their quarter-final tie with Bayern Munich after a
crushing victory in the Nou Camp last week, they drew 1-1 in the
second leg to seal a 5-1 aggregate victory.
Franck Ribery gave Bayern the lead in the 47th minute, but the Spanish
giants hit back in the 73rd minute through Seydou Keita.
The forthcoming semi-final throws together a rematch of knockout
matches in 2000, 2005 and 2006, with Barcelona winning twice and
Chelsea once.



--------------------------------------------------


Independent:

Lampard adds final twist to quell Reds' resistance

Chelsea 4 Liverpool 4 (Chelsea win 7-5 on aggregate)

Sam Wallace, Football Correspondent

If this match represents the tired, predictable English domination of
the Champions League, then let's have it every week. Let's have eight
goals, four comebacks and a match that could justifiably be called one
of the greatest ever. Let's have entertainment and every assumption
you ever made about the destiny of a football match challenged in one
evening.

Defenders scored free-kicks, two great goalkeepers lost their heads
and no one could quite remember a game played with such reckless
abandon. Even Rafael Benitez lost his cool, raging against the Spanish
fourth official, raging against a game he could scarcely comprehend.
He substituted Fernando Torres and then Liverpool scored two goals to
get right back in it. Even Benitez, the master strategist, had thought
the game was lost. No shame in that: we all did.

Steven Gerrard? He was not even playing. The Anfield
miracle-worker-in-chief was absent as his team rolled Chelsea back in
the first half, with two goals and an utterly dominant performance
that went some way to healing the pain of the 3-1 defeat in the first
leg of this Champions' League quarter-final. But there was more than
just a recovery of pride: with two goals Liverpool were back in this
tie and Chelsea's defence was as chaotic as Benitez's had been one
week earlier. Would it have been any different with Gerrard?

But there was no time to think about those not playing, so absorbing,
so rapidly changing were the events on the pitch. Petr Cech's first
half was a disaster, the second barely any better, and you had to
wonder what the hell would happen if Chelsea play the same way against
Barcelona in the semi-final. Liverpool attacked with none of the
inhibition that has blighted them in the past and in the second half
Chelsea did exactly the same.

What will be remembered from this night was the sheer courage of both
teams to take the game by the throat, however unpromising the
circumstances. After Fabio Aurelio and Xabi Alonso's goals – and a
half-time bollocking from the most laid-back Dutchman this side of the
North Sea – Chelsea responded with their very best. However unlovable
this team might have been at times during the Roman Abramovich years,
their spirit has never been in question.

Didier Drogba, Alex Da Costa and Frank Lampard brought the score to
3-2 on the night and that, surely, was that. Benitez, ever the
pragmatist, thought so and summoned Torres to the bench with the
intention of keeping him fresh for Tuesday's game against Arsenal. It
was basically a surrender and you could understand why. Then within
three minutes Lucas Leiva and Dirk Kuyt scored the goals that made the
game 4-3 to Liverpool and suddenly Torres was exactly the man
Liverpool needed on the pitch.

There are not many games which require you to glance up at the
scoreboard to double-check the score, not many when every attack
matters so much. Even when Lampard equalised with his second goal to
make it 4-4 no one was certain it was over: David Ngog had a shot
cleared off the line by Michael Essien. This was reckless,
breathtaking stuff that disturbed even the inner calm of Benitez and
Hiddink. At times both these two modern giants of management got it
wrong tactically.

It will be no consolation to Liverpool, and it may not matter to
Chelsea, but the post-match conduct of their two managers befitted a
fabulous evening. There was enough in this game to spark a thousand
arguments, enough for a lifetime of grudges, but Hiddink and Benitez,
in particular, chose to let a wonderful game speak for itself. This
was the kind of night which must make a manager question his own
effectiveness. No matter, they both kept their dignity.

Perhaps it was the release of emotion after the game, perhaps it was
the glass of wine that Hiddink had promised himself, but he virtually
admitted that Cech was in a crisis of confidence that had begun with
the three goals he had conceded against Bolton on Saturday. It is
unlikely that the goalkeeper will be dropped for Saturday's FA Cup
semi-final against Arsenal, but after his five seasons as a fixture in
this team nothing is certain any longer.

A needless shove by Ricardo Carvalho on Torres gave Liverpool the
free-kick from which they scored on 19 minutes. Only Fabio Aurelio, on
the right wing, noticed that Cech had shuffled far enough to the far
side of his goal to expose an area of the net worth shooting at. As
soon as the Brazilian hit it, everyone in the ground knew it was in.
Cech tried to recover but Aurelio had placed it beautifully, just
inside the post and the goalkeeper was never even close.

It was not just the goal that lifted Liverpool, it was the sheer
inventiveness of it. Alonso was running the match, Lampard was
stranded too far forward and Liverpool looked fitter and stronger in
every area. Branislav Ivanovic misjudged disastrously for the second
goal, grappling Alonso so blatantly that the Spanish referee had no
choice but to award a penalty. Alonso scored, Chelsea were collapsing.

With John Terry in the dugout and reduced to haranguing the fourth
official, Chelsea were in chaos and the score was 3-3 on aggregate.
The back four sat deeper and deeper, Cech came for a cross and missed.
Half-time was Chelsea's salvation. Two minutes into the new half, Cech
chased Lucas to the edge of the area and did not get the ball. He
looked a liability. Then Chelsea got a break.

Nicolas Anelka, brought on for Salomon Kalou in the first half,
crossed, Drogba seemed to get a touch and Pepe Reina pushed the ball
into his own net. Back came Chelsea. A piledriver of a free-kick from
Alex and a third goal from Lampard from Anelka's cross. The game was
relentless. Ashley Cole was booked and misses the semi-final first leg
against Barcelona. Torres came off and Liverpool came back.

Lucas's shot deflected in off Essien; Kuyt headed in a cross from the
substitute Albert Riera: 4-3 to Liverpool. Mayhem. One goal would do
it for Liverpool but it was Lampard who beat Reina brilliantly from
the edge of the area from Anelka's lay-off to make the score 4-4. Was
it over? It was not possible to take anything for granted until the
final whistle. This was a benchmark for English football, the kind of
night that – for all the nonsense in our game – deserves to be
treasured.

Chelsea (4-1-4-1): Cech; Ivanovic, Alex, Carvalho, A Cole; Essien;
Kalou (Anelka, 36), Ballack, Lampard, Malouda; Drogba (Di Santo, 90).
Substitutes not used: Hilario (gk), Mikel, Deco, Belletti, Mancienne.

Liverpool (4-3-2-1): Reina; Arbeloa (Babel, 85), Carragher, Skrtel,
Aurelio; Lucas, Mascherano (Riera, 69), Alonso; Kuyt, Benayoun; Torres
(Ngog, 80). Substitutes not used: Cavalieri (gk), Dossena, Hyypia,
Agger.

Referee: L M Cantalejo (Spain).

Man for man marking by Steve Tongue

Chelsea

Petr Cech Caught out for opening goal and it seemed to affect him for
the rest of night 4/10

Branislav Ivanovic Unlikely hero of first leg quickly became a villain
with his penalty area wrestling 6

Alex Man who once knocked Arsenal out did for Liverpool with his
swerving free-kick 7

Ricardo Carvalho Back for suspended John Terry, he recovered, like his
team, from testing first half 6

Ashley Cole Given difficult night by Dirk Kuyt and misses the next
game after a yellow card 6

Michael Ballack More leadership might have been expected in Terry's
absence but he set up third goal well 6

Michael Essien No Steven Gerrard to subdue, but was unable to
influence game further forward 6

Frank Lampard Umpteenth episode of his long-running duel with Alonso
and his goals gave him edge 7

Salomon Kalou After better game at Anfield was anonymous and replaced
before half-time 3

Didier Drogba Fought harder than some despite taking early knock and
deserved his goal 8

Florent Malouda Another Chelsea player incapable of reprising his
performance from the first leg 6

Substitutes

Nicolas Anelka (for Kalou, 36) Great cross for goal 7; Di Santo (for
Drogba, 90) n/a


--------------------------------------------------


Guardian:

Lampard double sees off gallant Liverpool

Chelsea 4 Drogba 51, Alex 57, Lampard 76, Lampard 89
Liverpool 4 Aurelio 19, Alonso (pen) 28, Leiva 81, Kuyt 83

Kevin McCarra at Stamford Bridge

Chelsea maintained their hopes of landing the greatest prize of all,
but only after they risked searing ignominy. There were moments when
Liverpool, leading 2-0 and then 4-3, were a goal short of a triumph in
the second leg of this Champions League tie. Barcelona could well be
gleeful about their prospects against Chelsea in the semi-final, but
it is most unlikely that those matches will bear any resemblance to
this one. Few games ever have.

The victors missed their captain, the suspended John Terry, far more
than ­Liverpool did Steven Gerrard, who was ruled out by his groin
injury. Chelsea will now lack Ashley Cole, booked here, in Camp Nou.
His side was irresolute and plain baffled in defence, where the
goalkeeper Petr Cech lost all faith in himself. He can give thanks to
the uncontainable Didier Drogba, who was ready to atone for every
lapse.

Had it not been for the blazing drama, this might have been a comedy.
Here were two managers who are masters of their craft, yet their
schemes were swamped by all the blunders. Guus Hiddink and Rafael
Benítez may have wondered if it would have been as well to take the
night off.

The Dutchman, however, must now deliberate. Cech was so hapless that
the issue will have to be addressed. With Carlo Cudicini gone to
Tottenham, Hilario is the realistic alternative. It is an option
Hiddink cannot wish to take but Cech cut a distressed figure.

The urgency of that topic did not recede until the 89th minute, when
Frank Lampard took his second goal of the night impeccably from a low
ball by the substitute Nicolas Anelka.

By then, Liverpool were beyond reach of discouragement and still
compelled Michael Essien to clear from the goalline after one last
thrust. This bold display will be recalled almost as often as the
comeback from 3-0 down to beat Milan in the 2005 final.

They were irrepressible, whether establishing a 2-0 advantage or
rallying from 3-2 to go ahead in this fixture. Liverpool traumatised
Chelsea during that spell. A drive by Lucas deflected from Essien to
reach the net in the 81st minute and one minute later the visitors had
the lead here as Dirk Kuyt nodded in a delivery from the substitute
Albert Riera.

Chelsea had invited such a crisis. They initially acted as if they
felt they ought to have had the right to declare after posting a 3-1
score at Anfield. A muted team planted thoughts of rumbustious triumph
in the minds of Benítez's squad.

Chelsea were 2-0 down before a half-hour had elapsed. A position of
near hopelessness liberates people. It did Liverpool a power of good,
too, that Chelsea failed to put an obstacle in their path after 19
minutes. Facing a free-kick from 30 yards out on the visitors' right
wing, Cech was much too far towards the centre and exposed a wide gap
at his near post. Fabio Aurelio found it with his left-footed shot
from the set-piece.

Procedures went awry once more for Liverpool's next goal. Aurelio
again delivered a set-piece from the right. It was directed towards
Martin Skrtel, but the Spanish referee Luis Medina Cantalejo saw
Branislav Ivanovic, the scorer of two goals at Anfield, making his
impact here with a foul on midfielder Xabi Alonso. He correctly
awarded a penalty that was dispatched powerfully by Alonso after 28
minutes.

Chelsea were in a panic of powerlessness. Hiddink had to react,
adopting a positive stance by bringing on a recognised goalscorer in
Anelka for Salomon Kalou. That had scant impact at first. Liverpool
seemed ready to rewrite records that continue to show that no team has
come here and scored three times or more in a victory since Arsenal's
3-1 success in an FA Cup replay six years ago.

The impact of Benítez's men is of no use to them, but misgivings have
again been raised about Chelsea. The side let Bolton rally before
losing 4-3 in the Premier League last weekend. That was put down as an
aberration yet it is not so simple to brush aside any longer,
particularly since Terry was present then.

Cech continued to encourage Liverpool, charging from his box in
pursuit of a ball he could never reach. With the Czech stranded,
Aurelio's long cross from the left narrowly drifted out of play. The
relief for a disoriented goalkeeper came with the lapse by his
opposite number. Pepe Reina was not wholly to blame, but he was at
fault. Anelka crossed low from the right and although the touch by
Drogba added menace it was bewildering that the Spaniard should manage
only to push the ball into his own net.

The mistake devastated Liverpool and elevated Chelsea, who struck with
a brutally hit set-piece from a central position. After Florent
Malouda had been brought down by Alvaro Arbeloa, Drogba smashed the
free-kick high but wide past the left hand of Reina in the 55th
minute. But two minutes later, a further foul, by Jamie ­Carragher on
Drogba, allowed the Brazilian Alex to hit the back of the net with
great power.

Chelsea were level and 5-3 ahead on aggregate. It had become one of
those nights when a match has a mind of its own. Lampard scored from
close range after Drogba presented him with an easy chance 14 minutes
from the end. ­Ultimately, the victors in this tie would only have
felt secure when the referee released them from this titanic, if
blunder-strewn, spectacle.


----------------------------------------------


Sun:


Chelsea 4 Liverpool 4
Chelsea win 7-5 on aggregate

SHAUN CUSTIS

FOR anyone who needed proof football is the most fantastic,
entertaining, dramatic, nerve-shredding game ever given to the world,
this was it.

Last night’s epic will go down in Champions League history as one of
the greatest matches ever.

At times it threatened to rival Liverpool’s amazing comeback from 3-0
down in Istanbul when they won the tournament in 2005.

Chelsea skipper John Terry was emotionally drained by the end — and he
suspended.

The changing face of Terry as he sat behind the subs’ bench told the
story of an incredible battle.

Chelsea were 3-1 up from the first leg, supposedly sitting pretty and
comfortably on course for a semi-final date with Barcelona.

Yet you would not have bet against Guus Hiddink’s men going out as
they were booed off at half-time, trailing 2-0 to Fabio Aurelio’s
outrageous free-kick and Xabi Alonso’s penalty.

By the 57th minute they were back in control when Pepe Reina turned
Didier Drogba’s touch into his own net and Alex crashed home a
spectacular free-kick.

Frank Lampard’s goal to make it 3-2 on the night seemed to be extra
insurance and Liverpool’s withdrawal of striker Fernando Torres with
10 minutes left looked to be confirmation of the white flag.

But Lucas’ deflected shot gave a flicker of hope and when Dirk Kuyt
headed in Albert Riera’s cross, Chelsea were wobbling all over again.

Liverpool were 4-3 up on the night and one behind on aggregate with
eight minutes remaining.

Had they scored again, Chelsea would have gone out. But Lampard struck
again to end an unbelievable encounter.

The talk beforehand had been about Rafa Benitez gambling on his
inspirational captain Steven Gerrard.

But Gerrard did not even make the bench because of his injured groin.

Kop boss Rafa had called for an early goal to shake Chelsea up and,
after Torres curled a good chance over the top, the visitors grabbed
the advantage they wanted.

Aurelio lined up to curl a free-kick into the middle of the box but,
at the last moment, he spotted Petr Cech straying too far across his
goal and whipped a low shot from all of 30 yards into the bottom
corner.

Cech, who let in three late goals against Bolton on Saturday, was left
sprawling on the turf in embarrassment.

Cech’s fragile confidence unsettled his team-mates and they were edgy
every time a ball came into the area.

Aurelio put one into the mixer on 28 minutes from another free-kick
and Spanish referee Luis Medina Cantalejo surprisingly pointed to the
spot for a tug by the two-goal hero of the first-leg, Branislav
Ivanovic, on Alonso.

It was one of those which are rarely given but Alonso did not argue as
he smashed the ball in.

Hiddink decided it was time for drastic action and threw on Nicolas
Anelka in place of Salomon Kalou.

Dutch boss Hiddink has been round the block in his career but he
needed all his experience to sort this one out and dished out a few
harsh truths.

The effect was almost immediate as, seven minutes after the restart,
Anelka went down the right and hit in a magnificent low cross which
Drogba got a faint touch to and Pepe Reina, suffering from Cech
disease, pushed it into his net.

Then, after Drogba hit the side-netting from a free-kick, Alex showed
him how it was done unleashing an absolute screamer which swerved
beyond Reina’s despairing dive.

Terry was hugging anyone he could get his arms around and it seemed
the crisis was over, especially when Lampard converted Drogba’s cross
on 76 minutes to put the home side 3-2 ahead on the night.

Chelsea had a three-goal aggregate lead and there were only 14 minutes
left so it was merely a case of playing out time...

In the 81st minute, Lucas took a chance from 20 yards and his shot
deflected off Michael Essien, leaving Cech no hope of changing
direction.

A minute later, Kuyt headed in a cross from close range and it was
game on again.

Terry was biting his nails but, typically, Lamps put those worries to
bed with his decisive 89th-minute strike.

Essien still had to perform a miracle as he dived to head Kuyt’s shot
off the line but Liverpool could not come back again.

What a night.


-------------------------------------------------



Star:

IT'S A FREE FOUR-ALL!
By Danny Fullbrook

Chelsea 4-4 Liverpool (Chelsea win 7-5 on aggregate)

FRANK LAMPARD struck twice late on as Chelsea marched into the
Champions League semi-finals after an eight-goal thriller.

Alarm bells were ringing again for Chelsea as Liverpool scored two
shock first-half goals to suggest an amazing comeback was on the
cards.

But then Chelsea produced their own magic to put them back in control
of a dramatic, seesawing quarter-final.

Fabio Aurelio scored an audacious goal on 19 minutes, while Xabi
Alonso converted a 28th-minute penalty to put the skids under Chelsea.

Their second-half response, though, was emphatic as an own-goal from
Pepe Reina, a thunderbolt by Alex and a tap-in from Lampard got
Chelsea’s campaign back on track before Lucas scored Liverpool’s third
after 81 minutes.

But the goal rush wasn’t over. Dirk Kuyt made it 4-3 to Liverpool
before Lampard levelled the scores with a minute left to send them
through to face Barcelona 7-5 on aggregate.

The Blues thought they were home and dry after securing a stunning 3-1
lead from that amazing night at Anfield six days before. But Liverpool
obviously had other ideas.

It was no surprise that the memory of that breathtaking night in
Istanbul was invoked ahead of this game.

Four years ago Liverpool were faced with having to score three times
in the second half of the Champions League final against AC Milan –
and pulled it off.

Rafa Benitez was right when he said that effort would never be matched
given it was the final, but he claimed it proved that the ‘Impossible
job’ could be done.

This time they had 90 minutes to score three goals. It was still a
tall order, but the first half went some way towards achieving it.

Guus Hiddink talked about alarm bells after Chelsea let a 4-0 lead
against Bolton at the weekend become 4-3 at the final whistle.

But Liverpool again exposed those defensive frailties, made worse by
the absence of Chelsea skipper John Terry, who was suspended after
being booked at Anfield.

Petr Cech ended Saturday’s game looking like a bowl of jelly in front
of goal, and he continued like that.

His produced an incredible cock-up for Liverpool’s opener, but it was
also a brilliant piece of improvisation by Aurelio.

Ashley Cole’s push on Dirk Kuyt won Liverpool a free-kick. Cech fully
expected a cross into the area so he moved out of his goal in
preparation.

Instead the Liverpool defender, who has been a wizard with free-kicks
this season, screwed his effort to the near post where the net was
criminally unguarded by Cech, who saw the ball embarrassingly bounce
into the goal.

It was exactly what Liverpool needed to spark their comeback into
life. The fact they were attempting to pull this off without Steven
Gerrard made it an even harder job.

The injured Liverpool skipper did not even make the bench.

The Anfield captain had trained the night before at Stamford Bridge,
but obviously there must have been major concerns over his stomach and
groin strain, despite the fact they have not got a game for another
week.

Lucas, who came in for Gerrard, was a pale imitation of the normally
inspirational Kop talisman. But this did not seem to matter to
Liverpool as Chelsea’s nerves started to fray and Benitez’s team took
full advantage.

From another set-piece a long ball was floated into the now chaotic
Chelsea box. Branislav Ivanovic, who scored those two bullet headers
at Anfield in the first leg, was the villain this time.

He pulled Alonso to the ground, admittedly while being tugged himself
by Martin Skrtel, and ref Luis Cantalejo pointed to the penalty spot.

Gerrard would have taken it if he had been on the pitch instead of in
the stands, but Alonso turned out to be a worthwhile deputy as he
stepped forward to blast the ball home.

Together with the goals Chelsea conceded against Bolton it meant they
had let in five in 48 minutes of dreadful football.

Hiddink’s response before half-time was to replace Salomon Kalou with
Nicolas Anelka, but a half-time rollicking must have worked.

Chelsea hit back immediately and decisively after the break and it was
the unlucky Reina to be caught out this time.

Anelka raced down the left and produced a low, vicious cross which
Didier Drogba helped on.

Liverpool’s Spanish goalkeeper was down low at his near-post, but
Drogba’s slight touch caught him out and he palmed the ball over the
line.

Worse followed in the 57th minute when Alex hit a 30-yard missile past
the Liverpool keeper. Chelsea could have settled the tie through
Michael Ballack, but he shot straight at Reina.

The game looked over when Lampard scored Chelsea’s third in the 76th minute.

He and Drogba played a one-two and Lampard side-footed home from eight
yards. Despite Torres going off, Liverpool scored twice again to set
up an amazing finish with two quick goals.

Lucas took a pot shot from 25 yards, but the ball took a wicked
deflection off Michael Essien and beat Cech.

Chelsea crumbled again in the 82nd minute when sub Albert Riera found
Kuyt unmarked for the Dutchman to head home – but Lampard had the last
word and Chelsea were through.


-----------------------------------------------------

Mail:

Anfield stages perfect riposte to Senor Jorge, as hammer and tongs
replace cat and mouse when Liverpool meet Chelsea
By MARTIN SAMUEL, chief sports writer

To think this was the fixture that Jorge Valdano, former sporting
director of Real Madrid, once compared to something odorous on a
stick. When these teams reconvene at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday it
will be to play the only game in town, so pathetic was Bayern Munichs
resistance to Barcelona.

That tie is over and while this one may be clinging to the edge of a
cliff by its fingertips, there is still something about Liverpool in
Europe that argues against writing them off until the final whistle
blows even though they will face a doubly difficult task if Steven
Gerrard has suffered a re-occurrence of his groin problems.
As for Valdanos assessment, the world has moved on. He got the bullet
at Real Madrid and the remnants of the team he left behind were last
seen on these shores getting their backsides kicked by the losers of
last nights game.
If football is going the way Chelsea and Liverpool are taking it, we
had better be ready to wave goodbye to any expression of the
cleverness and talent we have enjoyed for a century, Valdano sneered
after one of their early encounters.
Shows how wrong you can be. These days, Chelsea and Liverpool have
replaced cat and mouse with hammer and tongs and it is Madrid who have
come to represent major team mediocrity.

The irony is that Liverpool intended to set about Chelsea in exactly
the same manner that had reduced Madrid to quivering wrecks at Anfield
last month, but Chelsea were too good for that.
The midfield was bossed by Michael Essien, Frank Lampard and Michael
Ballack and, had Didier Drogba taken all the chances that fell his
way, there would be no contest remaining. If there is any mystery left
in this quarter-final it is there because Liverpool once came back
from three goals down in 45 minutes in the Champions League final
against AC Milan, and that a harsh decision by Claus Bo Larsen, the
Danish referee, has denied Chelsea the presence of their captain, John
Terry, who will miss the return leg through suspension.
Terry was guilty of nothing more than a robust challenge for the ball
when he clattered into Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina midway through
the second-half. He led with his head, true, but in the circumstances
with the ball in the air, what else could he have stuck in first? An
elbow? A boot?
Larsen interpreted a thunderous 50-50, in which Terry came out worse,
as dangerous play and now Chelsea must play without their spiritual
leader.
That Liverpool need to win 3-0 to progress is some consolation but an
early goal could still make for a nervous night with Fernando Torres
on the prowl.
Not that there is ever much danger of a damp squib between these teams
nowadays.
Indeed, Rafael Benitez, the Liverpool manager, may come to look back
fondly on the years when the pairing of red and blue in Europe was
footballs equivalent of whale song, a warm duvet and Moroccan roll-up
before retiring.
Yet it was not Liverpools new attacking gameplan that was their
undoing, but some uncharacteristically poor marking from set-pieces
that gifted two goals to an unlikely hero, Branislav Ivanovic, a
player who would not even had started were it not for injury to Jose
Bosingwa.
Somehow, Liverpool contrived to throw away an early lead and the
mental impetus that came with it.

A goal up after six minutes, Liverpool were looking every inch the
form team in England, if not Europe. That fantasy was dismantled by
Chelsea before half-time, when they could have been several goals
clear.
By the end they had recorded a truly magnificent result and Anfields
famous cacophony had faded to mute observance. When Benitezs players
came out for their traditional warm-down after the game it was with
heads bowed, as if somebody had given them some bad news about a
beloved family pet.
They went through their exercises as if in a daze. That is what a
result such as this will do, even to a good team. Liverpool put a
marker down at Old Trafford in the league last month and we all know
what happened next to Manchester United.
If Sir Alex Fergusons appraisal is right, Chelsea are about to deliver
a fatal blow to Liverpools title ambitions by knocking their
confidence at an important time. Benitez said Ferguson would want
Liverpool to win because he would wish his great rivals distracted.
If Ferguson is to be believed, though, this result will have suited
him perfectly, Liverpool left to concentrate not on the league title,
but their own pain. What should be celebrated is that Liverpool versus
Chelsea is now a game in which the football lives up to the hype.
Before this tie, Benitez needled his old adversary, Jose Mourinho, by
claiming he did not miss his stifling style of football at Chelsea,
but it took two to tango, or to produce matches as mind-numbingly
cautious as the early Champions League clashes between these teams.
This was different. Liverpool and Chelsea typically play in the
frenzied atmosphere of a Beatles concert but with all the edge on the
field of a Forties tea dance. The teams tiptoe around each other
tactically while beyond the boundaries of the pitch the supporters
rage and rave.
These days it is as much as those watching can do to draw breath
between waves of attacking play, end to end, the accelerator flat to
the floor and the twin engines screaming under the strain. It will
definitely be that way at Stamford Bridge next week. No time for chess
moves, unless it is the one that gets the queen out and on the attack,
charging through a line of defensive pawns.
But anything could still happen. Anything exciting, that is. We can
look forward to Tuesday night confident the days when these teams took
lectures on entertainment from employees of Real Madrid are long gone.

----------------------------------------------------

Mirror:

Liverpool 1-3 Chelsea: Branislav Ivanovic double puts Blues in control
By Mirror.co.uk 8/04/2009


Liverpool were hammered in their own back-yard in the Champions League
tonight as Chelsea took a huge step on the road to a possible Rome
final.

Chelsea produced a performance of great quality and strength to leave
Liverpool's dreams in tatters after this quarter-final first leg.

Next Tuesday's second leg at Stamford Bridge may not be a mere
formality just yet, but Liverpool will need an exceptional performance
to stay in the competition.

It all started so well for Liverpool when Fernando Torres scored in
the sixth minute. But Chelsea gradually took over, and two headed
goals from Branislav Ivanovic - both poorly-defended set-pieces - and
a close-range Didier Drogba strike stunned the Reds.

Steven Gerrard appeared to be struggling for full fitness - and with
their captain's powers compromised, Liverpool saw a 14-month and
32-match unbeaten home record destroyed.

The side that has of late battered Real Madrid and Manchester United
into submission was nowhere to be seen as Chelsea reigned supreme.

Liverpool had Albert Riera and Fabio Aurelio back after being rested
on Saturday at Fulham, while Lucas was in for the suspended Javier
Mascherano.

Chelsea had Drogba back up front, and Ivanovic continued as the
injured Jose Bosingwa's replacement.

For the 23rd meeting between these bitter rivals in five years - nine
in the Champions League - the atmosphere was electric, the noise
deafening and the stakes so high.

Liverpool could not have got off to a better start.

Dirk Kuyt had already seen a shot deflected inches wide, before he
produced a clever backheel on the edge of the box to set up Alvaro
Arbeloa for a laid-back cross which was clinically driven past Petr
Cech by Torres from 12 yards.

Yet that just served to galvanise Chelsea into sustained possession
and pressure and a performance of growing assertiveness.

The alarm bells should have been ringing within two minutes of their
goal for Liverpool when Salomon Kalou pounced on an Aurelio error to
send Drogba clear - only for Jose Reina to make a fine, blocking save.

Michael Ballack and Michael Essien slowly but surely took over in
midfield, and Liverpool were forced back. Florent Malouda flashed one
effort wide of the far post, before Drogba blasted over from close
range.

Liverpool were rattled, Torres isolated and Gerrard denied time and space.

Drogba, all menace and muscle, gave Martin Skrtel a hard time - while
Kalou was equally dangerous on the right against Aurelio.

Torres curled one effort wide, and Arbeloa missed with a left-footer.
But they were rare breaks from Liverpool, Chelsea already moving
relentlessly towards an equaliser.

It came after 38 minutes when Malouda's right-wing corner was met with
a firm header by Ivanovic, having evaded three defenders in the box as
he darted and twisted into space to beat Reina from six yards.

Chelsea went for the throat straight after the break, and only Jamie
Carragher's plunging clearance off the line from Drogba's angled
effort stopped them going ahead after 51 minutes.

The game had taken a nasty turn by now.

Torres took a painful crack on the ankle from Alex seconds after
firing over, and Essien looked to be caught by Skrtel's shoulder in
one shuddering aerial collision - before John Terry clattered into
Reina in mid air and was booked.

That yellow card will put Terry out of next week's second leg, but
Chelsea annoyance was soon replaced by more elation.

A 62nd-minute corner from Frank Lampard was again met by Ivanovic,
again unmarked, as he powered another header past Reina to put the
Blues ahead.

It soon got even better for Chelsea, and horribly worse for Liverpool.

Five minutes after their second, Drogba arrived in the six-yard box to
finish off a low cross from Malouda on the left.

Liverpool's fans fell silent, and the replacement of Riera with Yossi
Benayoun before the re-start seemed of little consequence.

Liverpool sent on Ryan Babel for Lucas and Andrea Dossena for an
out-of-touch Aurelio, who had just been booked. Drogba went off to a
great ovation from the travelling support, allowing Nicolas Anelka
into the fray.

The game, though, was already well won by the Blues and up for the Reds.




Champions League: Chelsea have learned to walk on through the storm.

  By Oliver Holt

Champions League quarter-final 1st leg: Liverpool 1-3 Chelsea


Someone who didn't know better sat in Tommy Smith's seat in the press
box last night.

The old Anfield Iron, one of the game's great hard men, gave him a tap
on the shoulder.

As his victim began the search for a new place, the strains of You'll
Never Walk Alone began to fill the stadium.

Any football fan with a heart and a feel for the game can't help but
wear a stupid grin when they look around Anfield, hear that music and
see the bank of scarves raised aloft.

In the Kop, a giant likeness of Bob Paisley, the manager who led
Liverpool to three European Cup victories, loomed large behind the
goal, next to a banner in tribute to Kenny Dalglish.

History itself seemed to be pulling Liverpool back to Rome where the
Champions League final will take place next month and where Liverpool
won two of their five European Cups.

The Chelsea players stood in the tunnel as all this unfolded.

They had walked beneath the "This is Anfield" sign on the wall above
the stairs down from the changing rooms.

They knew that Anfield on nights like this is as intimidating a place
as any in football, a journey into the beating heart of a city as well
as a club.

Five years ago, when Chelsea paid their first Champions League visit
here for the second leg of a semi-final, their legs turned to jelly.

The record books say they lost to what Jose Mourinho still insists was
a ghost goal from Luis Garcia. But the reality was that they lost to
Bill Shankly's old heroes in the Kop. They were beaten before they
came out.

The atmosphere was the same last night. But something else has changed
- Chelsea have learned to live with it. Maybe it was John Arne Riise's
own goal last year that broke the spell and made Chelsea believe they
could withstand whatever Liverpool and their crowd threw at them on
nights like this.

Maybe it was just the accumulated experience of being forced to endure
this cauldron of a ground so often.

Maybe it was just that they felt liberated by no longer being
considered overwhelming favourites to win.

In previous years, Liverpool victories have been greeted almost as
sorcery, so sure were most neutrals that Chelsea in the Mourinho era
would emerge as winners.

But Liverpool beat Chelsea home and away in the Premier League this
season and so, if anything, Rafa Benitez's team were favourites.

There is another thing too.

Chelsea have been driven this season by a burning desire to make up
for the pain of their penalty shoot-out defeat to Manchester United in
last season's Champions League final.

Men like captain John Terry and Didier Drogba, sent off for a churlish
slap in Moscow, have been gripped by the search for redemption.

Terry, who missed a crucial kick in the shoot-out, spoke about the
desire the team harbours to make amends.

Terry is a brave man but you could see the manic determination when he
flung himself into a challenge with Pepe Reina after an hour.

That challenge was always going to hurt but it was a gesture of
defiance from Terry.

When he was berated by Steven Gerrard afterwards, Terry gave him a
verbal blast back.

Seconds later, Branislav Ivanovic scored Chelsea's second goal.

Chelsea had done the hard work by then. They had suffered what could
have been a crushing early setback and fought back.

They did not panic when Fernando Torres put Liverpool ahead in the
sixth minute.

They did not become dispirited when Drogba missed two clear chances.
They did not let Liverpool's intensity break them.

And when Ivanovic scored his first goal, also direct from a corner,
Chelsea knew they had weathered the storm.

They knew they had survived the worst Liverpool could throw at them.
From then on, the force of nature that is the Anfield crowd was
quietened and so was their team.

The home supporters grew restless, berating the referee. Their team
began to fall apart.

Drogba should have put Chelsea ahead five minutes after the break but
Jamie Carragher made a brilliant goal-line clearance.

It was just a stay of execution. Ivanovic scored his second and when
Drogba scored a brilliant third midway through the half, the game, and
probably the tie, was over.

Anfield was muted. The destruction of Real Madrid in the last round
seemed suddenly devalued.

In the hush, the Chelsea fans in the corner finally made themselves heard.

"F*** your history," they sang. "We're going to Rome."

The Times

Liverpool left on ropes by Hiddink's mastery
Liverpool 1 Chelsea 3

Oliver Kay Football Correspondent

The resident disc jockey opted for a Beatles classic at the final
whistle. We Can Work It Out sounded like wishful thinking on
Liverpool’s part at the end of an evening when the fortress of Anfield
was not just stormed but ransacked, but, to put it in another context,
who can possibly work out the remarkable transformation that Guus
Hiddink has managed in only two months in charge of Chelsea?

It cannot be rocket science, just a case of restoring some much-needed
confidence and tactical discipline to a team who had lost their way
under Luiz Felipe Scolari. Given the way that Chelsea capitulated at
the same venue just before his arrival, though, the Hiddink effect is
looking like something close to alchemy. Only not alchemy, since
Chelsea, after crowning a superb performance with two goals from
Branislav Ivanovic and one from Didier Drogba, are dreaming not of
gold but of silver and, specifically, the European Cup that has proved
elusive during the Roman Abramovich era.

Hiddink called Chelsea’s performance “perfect”, at least after they
had recovered from the blow of conceding a sixth-minute goal to
Fernando Torres. At that point it seemed as though Liverpool’s
momentum was propelling them towards yet another Champions League
semi-final, but as Michael Essien began to relish his man-marking
assignment against Steven Gerrard and, as Frank Lampard, Michael
Ballack, Drogba and the rest warmed to their task, it became a quite
outstanding Chelsea display on an evening when they finally cast aside
the caution of the José Mourinho era.

Chelsea’s performance contained certain parallels with Liverpool’s
tactical masterclass in winning 4-1 away to Manchester United last
month, a result that stripped the losers of their aura of
invincibility. It remains to be seen whether this result will have
such a demoralising effect on Liverpool in their bid for the Barclays
Premier League title, but, as Drogba tormented Martin Skrtel and Jamie
Carragher much as Torres had given the runaround to Rio Ferdinand and
Nemanja Vidic, it was easy to see why Sir Alex Ferguson had suggested
that the winners of this tie would pose a far greater threat to United
on the domestic front than the losers.

With three away goals to his team’s name, Hiddink was even asked
afterwards whether John Terry’s suspension for the second leg, after
he was booked for an overzealous challenge on José Manuel Reina, might
now be regarded as a blessing in that it would free him up for a
semi-final against, one presumes, Barcelona. Hiddink was not too keen
to follow that particular line of inquiry, but, given the manner in
which Terry exchanged barbs with Gerrard, his England team-mate, in
the heat of the battle, the Chelsea captain might just be able to see
the logic behind that argument.

It was a glorious night for Terry and his team-mates. They have
suffered at Liverpool’s hands in the Champions League in recent years,
as well as tasting two defeats in the Premier League this season, but
they dealt with everything that Rafael Benítez’s team could throw at
them. By the end, Gerrard and Torres looked frustrated and the fervour
of the home crowd had been reduced to a whimper — a far cry from the
opening minutes, when Torres seemed to have lit the fuse for another
of those Anfield glory nights.

Hiddink had identified Gerrard as the main threat to Chelsea, but the
Liverpool captain had only a fleeting involvement in the goal that
gave his team the lead. It was his lung-busting run into the penalty
area that forced Alex into a wild clearance, but then came a
surprisingly deft piece of control from Dirk Kuyt and an even better
reverse pass into the path of Álvaro Arbeloa on the overlap. Arbeloa
surged into the penalty area and picked out Torres, who, neglected by
Alex, had the time and the space to steer a cool shot past Petr Cech.

For Chelsea, it was the nightmare start, but their recovery was almost
immediate. Within 60 seconds Salomon Kalou harried Fábio Aurélio into
a mistake and set up Drogba, who should have scored but shot straight
at the advancing Reina.

Drogba then squandered an even better chance on the half-hour,
shooting high into the Kop after a perfect first touch, from Ballack’s
cross, had taken him away from Jamie Carragher in the penalty area.
Drogba’s moment would arrive, but first came not one but two goals
from a player who could not get close to the Chelsea teamsheet 12
months ago, let alone the scoresheet.

For the first eight months of his Chelsea career, after his arrival
from Lokomotiv Moscow in January 2008, Ivanovic looked destined to go
down as the new Winston Bogarde, but his contribution last night will
not be forgotten. Five minutes before half-time Florent Malouda swung
in a corner from the right and the Serbia defender escaped the
attentions of Xabi Alonso and then rose between Skrtel and Albert
Riera to beat Reina with a firm header. In the 62nd minute he repeated
the act, this time getting between Gerrard and Arbeloa to score again.

Questions will be asked about Liverpool’s zonal marking from
set-pieces, as they are on every occasion that they concede from such
situations, but Benítez will be more concerned by the way that Chelsea
outmuscled and outplayed his team. The third goal was a classic,
Ballack releasing Malouda, who hit a superb cross into the six-yard
box, where Drogba, attacking the ball ahead of Carragher and Sktel,
slammed the ball past Reina.

The closing stages were played out to near-silence until the home
supporters responded to questions about the atmosphere by asking
“where’s your European Cups?” — note the plural. The Chelsea fans had
no answer, but more of this and their players may soon be able to
provide the perfect riposte, Barcelona notwithstanding.

Liverpool (4-2-3-1): J M Reina — Á Arbeloa, M Skrtel, J Carragher, F
Aurélio (sub: A Dossena, 75min) — X Alonso, Lucas Leiva (sub: R Babel,
80) — D Kuyt, S Gerrard, A Riera (sub: Y Benayoun, 68) — F Torres.
Substitutes not used: D Cavalieri, S Hyypia, D Agger, D Ngog. Booked:
Aurélio.

Chelsea (4-2-3-1): P Cech — B Ivanovic, Alex, J Terry, A Cole — M
Ballack, M Essien, — S Kalou, F Lampard, F Malouda — D Drogba (sub: N
Anelka, 80). Substitutes not used: Hilário, R Carvalho, M Mancienne, J
Belletti, J O Mikel, Deco. Booked: Kalou, Terry.

Referee: C B Larsen (Denmark)



-------------------------------------------------------------------


Telegraph:


Branislav Ivanovic heads Chelsea towards last four

A dream start descended into the darkest of nightmares for Liverpool
on Wednesday night.
Fernando Torres’ early strike had asked real questions of Chelsea’s
character and they answered them in emphatic fashion. Goals from
Branislav Ivanovic, twice, and Didier Drogba pushed Chelsea to within
touching distance of the Champions League semi-finals where they
should meet Barcelona.

By Henry Winter at Anfield

None of Chelsea’s starting XI had ever won the European Cup, a
contrast to their bench that contained four men who possess winner’s
medals, and the craving of Guus Hiddink’s chosen ones was inescapable.
Frank Lampard, Michael Ballack and Michael Essien bossed midfield.

Essien’s marking job on Steven Gerrard drained the life out of
Liverpool while Martin Skrtel chose the worst moment to have a shocker
in defence. Rafa Benitez’s zonal marking system was also ripped to
shreds. The only down side for Chelsea was the booking for their
captain John Terry, which rules him out of next Tuesday’s meeting at
the Bridge. A tie that had begun so promisingly for Liverpool now
looks set for disappointment.

Chelsea back into second place after victory over Manchester CityThe
Champions League anthem never stood a chance before kick-off, the Kop
launching into the 12-inch version of "You’ll Never Walk Alone", and
nor did Alex and John Terry when Gerrard and Torres, Liverpool’s big
noises on the pitch, came calling after only four minutes.

Riddled with panic as Gerrard lurked, Alex skied a clearance over
Chelsea’s box. Anfield sensed early blood. Dirk Kuyt was first to the
loose ball, initially running away from Petr Cech’s area before
brilliantly reversing the direction, sending the ball spinning down
the inside-right channel for the overlapping Alvaro Arbeloa.

Those Liverpool supporters not already standing leapt to their feet in
anticipation. Chelsea’s defence was ragged, the famed organisation
patently absent. Vulnerability was in the air, and Liverpool had
emerged from the tunnel in merciless mood.

Liverpool’s prominence in recent weeks has partly been rooted in the
buccaneering spirit of their full-backs, Arbeloa and Fabio Aurelio.
Arbeloa’s response was superb, drilling the ball to Torres, whose
finish was perfection, the ball struck hard and fast and sent flying
past Cech. Chelsea’s keeper had no chance. His defence had let him
down. And when presented with a chance in front of goal, Torres rarely
lets Liverpool down.

The tie remained evenly balanced, Chelsea knowing that an equaliser
immediately secured them the initiative. A classic game unfolded,
Chelsea opening up and pouring forward. Opportunity started knocking
in front of a concerned Kop.

Didier Drogba, the spearhead of Hiddink’s 4-1-2-2-1 formation,
squandered two good chances to level before the break. When Salomon
Kalou ushered Drogba through, Pepe Reina stood firm, making a good
save. Then when Michael Ballack swept the ball in from the left,
Drogba lost Jamie Carragher but his finish was poor, hammered into a
relieved Kop.

The waves of blue rolled with increasing frequency towards Reina’s
goal. Ballack started to reveal his true class, although he was
deceived by a wonderful piece of skill from Alonso, who needed only a
cape and a shout of "ole’’ to complete the matador’s touch. Behind
Alonso, Martin Skrtel rose to the aerial challenge.

Until seven minutes from the break, Liverpool repelled everything that
came their way. Chelsea would not be denied. When Gerrard slid in to
block a cross from Kalou, Chelsea had a corner and their big guns
moved up. All eyes were on Terry and Alex, Ballack and Drogba.
Mistake.

No Liverpool player paid enough attention to Ivanovic. As Florent
Malouda’s corner swirled in, Ivanovic made his move, brushing aside
Alonso and jumping between Skytel and Albert Riera. Muscling opponents
out of the way, the Serbian had eyes only for the ball, which he sent
powering past Reina.

Liverpool rallied. Roared on by fans who made this another
unforgettable European night at Anfield, Liverpool stormed forward,
looking to regain the lead. Kuyt went close as the half concluded, his
strong shot pushed away by Cech.

Now attacking the Kop in the second half, Liverpool still had to
escape the assorted traps Hiddink had set them, notably Michael Essien
shadowing Gerrard. As Chelsea gained in confidence, the bouts of abuse
towards Lampard and Terry quickened. Lampard’s weight, Terry’s mother:
the merits of both were discussed at length.

Chelsea took the barbs in their stride, not losing their composure,
rarely giving away possession. Lampard, wearing a tribute to his
mother stitched into his boots, a remembrance of the anniversary of
her tragic death, delivered a superb display in front of his proud
father, who sat in the directors’ box admiring his son’s work-rate.

Lampard was everywhere, clearing in front of his defence one moment,
then powering forward to send Drogba through on goal. Having beaten
Skrtel, Drogba placed his shot past Reina but there was the
indefatigable Carragher covering back to clear off the line.

Chelsea were seeing more of the ball, Liverpool being restricted to
counter-attacks. In the Kop, a large banner reading "FEARLESS" was
raised. Yet the fears were found in Liverpool’s defence, Skrtel
enduring a particularly awkward evening.

On the hour, Reina was caught by Terry, hardly maliciously but deeply
unnecessarily as the Liverpool keeper clearly had the ball safely in
his clutches before Chelsea’s captain came wading in. Claus Bo Larsen,
the Danish referee, brandished a yellow card that triggered outrage in
the blue ranks as it ruled Terry out of the second leg.

Anger swept through Hiddink in particular. Chelsea’s coach charged
down the line to protest, a rare display of dissent from a manager who
has seen it all before in a long, distinguished career. The sense of
injustice stirred something deep within Chelsea, something that
triggered an astonishing reaction.

Within seven minutes they were leading 3-1. Liverpool had failed to
learn from Chelsea’s corners. Again their zonal marking was vulnerable
to runners arriving late, as Ivanovic did again. Speeding on to a
Lampard corner, the mystery man of Chelsea FC really made a name for
himself with another emphatic header.

Liverpool were stunned, their defence a shambles when the ball was
whipped in from the flanks. Three minutes later, Ballack teased a fine
pass down the inside-left channel and Malouda was off and running,
hurtling towards the byeline before crossing. Drogba, sliding in ahead
of Carragher, made it 3-1. Anfield was momentarily silenced, all the
noise now coming from Chelsea throats. Crowing was not the least of
it.



-------------------------------------------------------------------



Indy:

Hiddink stifles Gerrard in the storming of Anfield

Liverpool 1 Chelsea 3

Sam Wallace, Football Correspondent

In the tightly controlled, meticulously planned, strategy-obsessed
world which Rafael Benitez inhabits, this was an utter meltdown for
his team. The great Liverpool dynasty created by Benitez, the team
that refuses to be beaten however mighty the opposition, met their
match in a coach every bit as crafty as the famous bearded Spaniard.

That, of course, was Guus Hiddink who last night appeared to have
unlocked the secrets to a Liverpool team that have overachieved in
Europe ever since they embarked on that unlikely journey to the
Champions League final in 2005. Branislav Ivanovic scored the two
goals that put his side on their way, but it was Hiddink whose tactics
dealt with the threat of Steven Gerrard and Hiddink's tactics that
exploited Liverpool's confusion at set pieces.

The epitaph to Liverpool's Champions League campaign should it end, as
expected, at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday will read simply: they marked
zonally. It was the spectre of zonal marking that haunted the old Luiz
Felipe Scolari regime at Chelsea earlier this season and it proved
just as debilitating to Liverpool last night when at corners they
twice lost Ivanovic, the hitherto uncelebrated Serb, who scored two
identical goals for Chelsea.

To compound Benitez's frustration, Michael Essien, the brilliantly
athletic midfielder, followed Gerrard around all night, hustling and
dispossessing English football's most in-form player. When Hiddink
described the job he had asked Essien to do upon Gerrard he spoke
about the necessity of Chelsea "disarming" Liverpool's "main weapon"
and so for one night at least the gunpowder was removed from a team
that have rampaged through English football of late.

Although it will be of scant consolation to Anfield, this game was by
much more absorbing than the eight Champions League encounters that
have preceded it between these two teams in the last five seasons.
Fernando Torres opened the scoring in the third minute and when it
looked like Liverpool might run amok on another famous reputation,
Chelsea found it in their deep reserves to come back and change the
course of the game.

The scoreline equalled Liverpool's heaviest home defeat in European
competition, the 3-1 margin by which Barcelona triumphed in 2001. In
terms of the Benitez years' low points, it was just as demoralising as
the FA Cup defeat away at Burnley in 2005, Chelsea's 4-1 win at
Anfield later that year and any one of a few defeats to Manchester
United. It reminded the home crowd of something they have not had to
witness all season: the vulnerability of Benitez's teams.

Chief among those having a dreadful night was Martin Skrtel, bullied
out of it by Didier Drogba, who scored the third. The defender would
have had an even worse time had Jamie Carragher not kicked another one
of the Chelsea striker's shots off the line. At corners Skrtel –
off-colour since he featured in Slovakia's collapse to England at
Wembley – had to shoulder most of the blame for Ivanovic running free.

There was no Roman Abramovich among the Chelsea entourage, although it
is difficult to imagine what could possibly be more important to do on
a night such as this, even for a Russian oligarch. Installing Hiddink
as manager was Abramovich's masterstroke, so why he does not show up
to enjoy the results is a mystery. There would have been many more
goals had Drogba been on the kind of finishing form he has been in
previous seasons.

John Terry's booking in the second half means that he will be
suspended for the game in London, but even so it is hard to see
Chelsea making a mess of this one. For the first time in a long while
they have two in-form wingers in Salomon Kalou and Florent Malouda,
who were effective last night. They could also afford to leave
England's top goalscorer, Nicolas Anelka, on the bench until the
closing stages.

There was some needle in this game too, notably from Gerrard when
Terry chose a break in play to complain about his booking to the
Danish referee Claus Bo Larsen. For those without allegiance it added
up to first-class entertainment wherever you looked.

Torres' goal was an unusual one, in the sense that Chelsea's defence
gave him 10 times as much space as he usually needs to score a goal.
They had not recovered their positions from an earlier phase of play
when Alex had done well to clear the ball off the toe of Gerrard. From
there Dirk Kuyt did wonderfully well to control the ball and set
Alvaro Arbeloa free from whose cross Torres scored.

Very soon it was the away side who had taken the game by the throat
and, had it not been for Drogba's hopeless finishing, they would have
reached half-time in the lead. Clean through five minutes after
Liverpool's goal, Drogba hit his shot straight at Pepe Reina. When he
shot over after Michael Ballack had played him in on 29 minutes,
Eugene Tenenbaum, Abramovich's closest lieutenant, buried his face in
his hands.

Ivanovic's first goal was a simple affair as he twisted and turned in
the area to lose Xabi Alonso before meeting Malouda's corner firmly.
Liverpool went in for half-time facing a stark choice. They either had
to settle for taking a 1-1 drawn to Stamford Bridge, where they would
have to score at the very least, or try to improve their position.
Benitez opted for the latter and Liverpool were taken apart.

Carragher cleared off the line from Drogba; Torres missed the target
when Gerrard cushioned a header down into his path and then shortly
after the hour, Liverpool collapsed. The second Chelsea goal was
preposterously similar to their first: a corner, this time from Frank
Lampard, and Ivanovic met the ball firmly but under no pressure from
any Chelsea marker.

Chelsea's third goal came four minutes later. Malouda was released
down the left and when he hit his cross into the centre, Drogba
muscled Skrtel out of the way to score from close range. The
substitutes at Benitez's disposal – Yossi Benayoun and Ryan Babel –
made no difference while Chelsea had Anelka to call upon. They are the
new emergent force in English football and if Benitez wants to turn
this tie, the plan will have to be a cunning one.

Liverpool (4-2-3-1): Reina; Arbeloa, Carragher, Skrtel, Aurelio
(Dossena, 75); Lucas (Babel, 79), Alonso; Kuyt, Gerrard, Riera
(Benayoun, 68); Torres. Substitutes not used: Cavalieri, Hyypia,
Agger, Ngog.

Chelsea (4-1-4-1): Cech; Ivanovic, Terry, Alex, A Cole; Essien; Kalou,
Ballack, Lampard, Malouda; Drogba (Anelka, 80). Substitutes not used:
Hilario (gk), Carvalho, Mikel, Deco, Belletti, Mancienne.

Referee: C Larsen (Denmark).


------------------------------------------------------------------


Observer:


Irresistible Chelsea take complete control over Liverpool

Liverpool 1 Torres 6
Chelsea 3 Ivanovic 39, Ivanovic 62, Drogba 67

Kevin McCarra at Anfield

Liverpool's disbelief must be very nearly as great as their despair.
It can only be dwarfed by the exultation of Chelsea, who have surely
reduced next week's return leg of the Champions League quarter-final
to a statutory obligation. So confounding is this outcome that it
converted John Terry's booking into a blessing. A ban will be served
when the teams meet again and he can go into the remainder of the
tournament with a clean disciplinary record.

That is the least of the wonders for Guus Hiddink, a manager whose
interim status at Stamford Bridge is in even deeper doubt. How could
the owner Roman Abramovich bear to watch him return full-time to his
post with Russia now? The Dutchman shone in all areas and his
preparation of the set-pieces exposed unsuspected defects in
Liverpool's zonal marking at corners. The Serbian right-back Branislav
Ivanovic struck twice, his first goals for the club.

Until this, the only time Chelsea had scored at Anfield over four
Champions League fixtures was when John Arne ­Riise put the ball in
his own net last year. The ­victors were irresistible. Everything
worked and Michael Essien's re-emergence after extended injury has
profound resonance now that his close attention has left Steven
Gerrard looking like a commonplace footballer.

This is as heavy a margin of defeat at Anfield as Liverpool have ever
known in European competition. It is a statistic that also underlines
how potent they almost always are at their stronghold. Chelsea, all
the same, were buoyant and nothing could unsettle them for long, not
even the loss of the evening's first goal.

Liverpool broke the deadlock in the sixth minute and, giving a
misleading ­impression of what was to come, did so with scant
hindrance. Dirk Kuyt passed to Alvaro Arbeloa on the right and his
cross was dispatched with the efficiency expected of Fernando Torres.

Chelsea had suffered a collective malfunction then, but the ensuing
lapses were all Liverpool's. Salomon Kalou was soon dispossessing
Fabio Aurelio to ­release ­Didier Drogba and, while the Ivorian's shot
was saved, it was a sign of things to come from Kalou on the right.
Hiddink preferred him to Nicolas Anelka and he reacted with an impact
that is at odds with past unobtrusiveness. There was proof everywhere
of a fresh start. Liverpool had won both Premier League games with
Chelsea in this campaign, but Hiddink had not been in the post then.

Rafael Benítez, for once, did not have a credible battleplan, although
he also ­suffered because too much rests with Gerrard's fortunes. When
the equaliser did arrive it seemed unfeasibly overdue. The oddity was
enhanced by the fact that a Benítez team should be so confused while
defending a set-piece.

Seven minutes from half-time, Ivanovic ran free of his marker Xabi
Alonso, got in front of Martin Skrtel and headed home a corner from
the unexpectedly excellent Florent Malouda. The defender had displayed
elusive movement then and would do so again, but might have had no
role if the regular right full-back, Jose Bosingwa, had not been
injured.

Falling behind on the score sheet proved to be a liberation for an
adventurous Chelsea. Drogba continued to be provided with openings,
but wasted them for a while, as when he rammed a drive high after
Michael Ballack had located him meticulously. Before that, the
visitors' centre-forward had been disappointed when his build-up work
was not brought to fruition.

For a while, there was an erratic streak to this clash. Untypically,
Frank Lampard, for instance, had let himself be robbed by Torres in
the 26th minute and the dipping, bending attempt that ensued from the
Spaniard came close to establishing a 2–0 advantage. That was
virtually the last glimmer of menace from Liverpool.

Benítez's words must have been roundly ignored in the dressing room.
His side were scatty in the 52nd minute as Drogba linked with Lampard
and burst clear. After the earlier impetuousness, the striker was
studied and eased a shot ­beyond Reina, only to see Jamie Carragher
clear from near the goal-line.

The openness of the action was ­bewildering and it led to brief
mayhem. In one of many slipshod moments, Skrtl ­neglected to clear and
Reina came haring out for the loose ball. Terry also pursued it and
collided with the Spaniard. There was a minor melee before the referee
Claus Bo Larsen, who had been no disciplinarian in England's win over
Ukraine last week, ­cautioned him.

Chelsea had too much command to dwell on that and kept punishing a
Liverpool team that had unravelled. Gerrard omitted to mark Ivanovic
as he climbed to take his second goal from a ­corner after 62 minutes,
sending Lampard's delivery past Reina.

Hiddink's team made the opposition look demoralised at their third
goal. Malouda, who had by far his best game for Chelsea since signing
in 2007, broke loose on the left and his low ball was ­converted by
Drogba for the goal he deserved. The win will be relished at Chelsea,
but the promise it held must be more stirring still.


---------------------------------------------------------------------


Sun:

IVANFIELD !

Liverpool 1 Chelsea 3

From SHAUN CUSTIS at Anfield

CHELSEA are back. This was the night they signalled their return as a
European football force.

The pain of the Champions League final defeat against Manchester
United in Moscow last May has been eating away all season.

But this destruction of Liverpool, masterminded by tactically-astute
boss Guus Hiddink, has got Chelsea and their fans believing they can
win the trophy in Rome.

Even the might of Barcelona in a likely semi-final will not scare them.

Hiddink is apparently known as Lucky Guus in his native Holland but
there was nothing fortunate about this.

The wily Dutchman stuck the outstanding Michael Essien on Steven
Gerrard and cut out Liverpool’s supply line.

Gerrard has never been so quiet. He usually rules the roost but he
barely got a kick.

And two of Chelsea’s goals came from cleverly-worked set-pieces scored
by a man who Liverpool would never have singled out as a major threat
— defender Branislav Ivanovic.

The Serb had not netted for Chelsea since his £8million move 15 months
ago but he twice headed in from corners as the visitors recovered from
going behind to a Fernando Torres strike.

Didier Drogba provided the Blues with an extra cushion, sliding home
the third after failing to convert three good chances.

So many times Liverpool have flourished on European nights at Anfield.
There is a special atmosphere about these occasions which brings the
best out of their players.

But they were blown away and it will take a miracle to turn this around now.

Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez claimed if his side lost this tie it would
be a worry for Manchester United because they could concentrate on
trying to beat them in the Premier League title race.

But this defeat was so comprehensive you feel Liverpool’s confidence
must have taken a significant hit. These two were meeting for a fifth
successive year in the competition and not many before had been
classics.

But the game was surprisingly entertaining and it was the home side
who took an early grip, taking the lead after panic in the Chelsea
defence.

Alex was forced into a high clearance and Dirk Kuyt seized on the
loose ball before feeding it wide to Alvaro Arbeloa.

The cross picked out Torres in acres of space and he crisply swept it
in with his right foot for his 12th goal of an injury-hit season.

However, Chelsea were almost back on level terms when Drogba
squandered the first of his openings as his shot was blocked by Pepe
Reina.

Then, when Drogba found Florent Malouda, the Frenchman’s drive was inches wide.

Drogba was a handful but he was cursing himself on 29 minutes. He
collected a pass from Michael Ballack, slipped yet still recovered
quickly enough to shrug off Jamie Carragher.

But, with the goal in his sights, Drogba volleyed over.

It was difficult to imagine this finishing 1-0 with it being so open
and, on 39 minutes, Chelsea finally equalised.

Malouda’s corner floated to the edge of the six-yard box and Ivanovic
made a run from deep to head in unchallenged.

Petr Cech immediately denied Kuyt but Drogba was never out of the
action and he capitalised on Aurelio’s loose ball in the 51st minute
to burst into the box and shoot past Reina, only for Carragher to
brilliantly clear off the line.

On the hour, Blues skipper John Terry challenged for a 50-50 ball with
Reina and both ended up on the ground.

Terry was adjudged to have fouled and collected a yellow to rule him
out of the return.

As the man who missed the penalty which would have won Chelsea the
Champions League a year ago, Terry wants to make amends more than
anyone but his absence should not matter.

The amazing Ivanovic story continued as he climbed unchallenged to
head in Lampard’s corner and give Chelsea a crucial second on 62
minutes.

Then, five minutes later, Drogba got the goal his industry fully
deserved as he slid in to convert Malouda’s low cross.

This was the Chelsea that owner Roman Abramovich has always wanted,
not just effective but a pleasure to watch.

If only he could work out a way to keep Hiddink.


CHELSEA enjoyed one of their finest European nights with a stunning
3-1 success at Anfield. Here's how their players rated:

PETR CECH

UNUSUALLY busy time for the keeper in the opening 15 minutes of the
game. Had no chance with the Reds goal but did well on three occasions
soon afterwards. Once Chelsea were ahead he looked a comfortable man
in every situation and was rarely troubled. Rating: 6

BRANISLAV IVANOVIC

PREFERRED to Michael Mancienne for his performance at right-back
against Newcastle last weekend. Looked very comfortable in defensive
mode but made his name with a winding run and leap to head the
equaliser in the first half before scoring a second to silence Reds
fans. Rating: 8

ALEX

MADE a mistake with a poor clearance early on which set up the Torres
goal and he then failed to close down the space on the striker. Looked
shaky at set-pieces after that but tried his best to atone at the
other end, making a nuisance of himself at corners. Rating: 5

JOHN TERRY

FOUND himself covering for Alex when the Brazilian was caught out of
position. Held the line well though. Exposed when Kuyt found a way
round him before the break but recovered his composure. Unfairly
booked and misses second leg. Rating: 7

ASHLEY COLE

STRANGE performance from the left-back, who looked in two minds for
much of the game. From the outset he seemed unable to decide whether
he would attack or defend. Went missing on a few occasions when Kuyt
got in behind him but steadied as the game wore on. Rating: 6

MICHAEL BALLACK

SHOULD have put his stamp on a game that was played mostly through the
centre but failed to get a grip in the first half. That changed after
the break and he supplied the wide balls for Kalou and Malouda which
then resulted in the third goal. Rating: 6

FRANK LAMPARD

RAN himself into the ground carrying, passing and making his team play
to the tempo the game needed. It was his corner to Ivanovic which
provided the crucial second goal but his superb all-round play was the
key to this stunning Blues performance. Rating: 8

MICHAEL ESSIEN

THE unsung hero. Was asked to keep Gerrard quiet but silenced him
completely. Even when the Liverpool skipper went wide Essien was his
shadow. And when Blues had the ball he tried to get a shot in. Rating:
9 (DREAM TEAM STAR MAN)

FLORENT MALOUDA

RARELY in the game before the 22nd minute when Drogba set him up and
his shot went just wide of Reina’s goal. He was quiet for spells but
when it mattered he showed and it was his bullet cross which set up
the Drog for the third goal to kill the game off. Rating: 7


DIDIER DROGBA

LOOKED sharper than he has all season and was desperately unlucky not
to get on the scoresheet in the first half. He never lost confidence
and kept putting himself in the line of fire before he did score a
brilliant third to cap a great night. Rating: 8

SALOMAN KALOU

STUTTERED through the match, collecting the ball and running at
Liverpool from the right. There were moments when he looked dangerous
and others when he was just ineffective. But he stretched play when
needed and provided a threat when the space opened up. Rating: 6

SUBSTITUTES:

NICOLAS ANELKA (for Drogba)

USED to give the Drog a rest as the Blues looked to close the game out
and held the ball up well enough for the short time he was on the
pitch. Rating: 6

NOT USED: Hilario, Carvalho, Belletti, Mancienne, Mikel, Deco.

BOOKED: Kalou, Terry.


--------------------------------------------------------------------

Match press kit:

http://www.uefa.com/printoutfiles/competitions/ucl/2009/e/e_302803_pk.pdf

Match preview:

http://www.uefa.com/printoutfiles/competitions/ucl/2009/e/e_302803_pr.pdf

Sunday Times

Midas touch eludes messiah

Newcastle United 0 Chelsea 2

Jonathan Northcroft at St James’ Park

THE Messiah moment came and went at around half past four. With a
triangular passing move of sudden quality - far better than anything
they managed during the rest of the afternoon - Newcastle played
Michael Owen into a scoring position and his shot cannoned off Alex,
struck John Mikel Obi, and dropped beyond Petr Cech.

The ball was a foot over the line when Ashley Cole volleyed it away. A
goal. Resurrection’s start. There were 52,112 disciples and their
Saviour looked to Rob Styles’ assistant for confirmation, as did the
referee himself, but his flag hung idle, limp. If Alan Shearer is to
take the long walk across water that would end with Newcastle
achieving safety, he can do without fate’s hand thrusting from beneath
the surface and pulling him under.

As a player little stood between Shearer and miracles. His talent was
rare, his body strong, his willpower supreme. But managers are at the
mercy of so many other variables, among which refereeing decisions are
included. The greatest ones are footballers, your own and the
opposition’s, and both had made a winning start to dugout life
unlikely long before the linesman’s mistake. Chelsea’s were too good,
Newcastle’s not good enough. It was 2-0 to the visitors when Owen
“scored” and a comeback would have still been surprising at 2-1.

Mon Mome had just won the Grand National and lightning was unlikely to
strike sport twice in a day, as far as fairy-tales were concerned.

St James’ Park seemed to know it. Hype said it would be a cauldron of
seething Geordie noise but reality dictated that Newcastle’s plight,
and abysmal run, which now stands at one win in 12 league games,
spawned a nervous pessimism around the stadium. Keegan has been and
gone, and been and gone again. Sir Bobby Robson had his time.

Once an initial burst of hymns for Shearer was over, they watched in
silence as these 90 minutes offered fresh perspective on their club’s
problems. The stadium grew even more sullen when news of Stoke winning
at West Brom came through. Newcastle are now six points adrift of the
Potteries side, who they play next week, and their best hope of
survival might lie in Sunderland suffering a further collapse.

“It was a hard task when I took over and now it’s harder. The linesman
made a mistake but it’s not his fault that we lost today,” Shearer
said. “We had a chat in the dressing room and we know what needs to be
done but knowing and doing are different things.” He had strode from
the tunnel, cool suit, hands in pockets, chewing gum, with the swagger
of an older brother back to sort out a family mess, but certain
problems are insoluble. The ability level of Newcastle’s squad is
probably lower than at any time since Keegan took them into the
Premier League in 1993 and they look like relegation fighters.
Shearer’s match analysis was accurate: “Effort-wise there were no
complaints but we could step up our quality.”

Owen is this club’s remaining marquee name but he was starved of
supply, Newcastle unable to achieve sustained possession in forward
areas and never likely to receive gifts from a top defence in top
form. The support for Owen from Obafemi Martins, Jonas Gutierrez,
Peter Lovenkrands and Damien Duff - who replaced Lovenkrands when the
Dane was taken to hospital with breathing difficulties - was scatty.
Shearer went for a back-to-basics 4-4-2 framework, but football is
more complicated than when he played and Chelsea’s formation was
multi-tiered and gave them an extra man in central midfield. From
there they controlled the game.

For a while Newcastle staved off the worst via sweat. Shearer had
invigorated his players sufficiently for them to contest every ball
full-bloodedly and hunt in packs when there was an opponent to be
pressed. Florent Malouda forced a reflex save from Steve Harper at the
end of a flashing Chelsea counter-attack, but the response was
immediate. Gutierrez played Jose Enrique down the line, the Spaniard
drilled a low cross to the near post and Martins, improvising as the
ball bounced in front of him, directed it close using his chest.

Frank Lampard was booked for diving, but hope was draining rapidly and
dread was flooding in. Nicolas Anelka went through and seemed certain
to score but Harper denied him and the goalkeeper defied Malouda when
the Frenchman turned and shot from close range. Then, on 55 minutes,
Chelsea scored, confirming that nothing had changed in Newcastle’s
error-strewn defence. Duff put Fabricio Coloccini under pressure with
a pass, Anelka caught the Argentine in possession, the ball ran free
and both Lampard and Malouda got to it ahead of Coloccini and Anelka
was through again. Harper charged out and partially blocked Anelka’s
shot but the ball spun and hit the junction between post and bar and
Lampard, with a diving header, converted the rebound.

One-nil became 2-0 so quickly and so easily. Cech sent a long kick
down the field, Anelka beat Habib Beye to win a flick on, and Lampard
gathered before sending Malouda beyond Ryan Taylor with a weighted
pass. Malouda finished well, shooting under Harper as the goalkeeper
dived. Shearer spent the remainder of the action chuntering to Iain
Dowie, his assistant, about the officiating and Newcastle’s play. It
could have been worse. Salomon Kalou had a one-on-one with Harper in
stoppage time but Harper made an outstanding block with his legs and
there was a further chance for a third for Chelsea, which Lampard
missed.

Not one of Newcastle’s remaining fixtures looks easy but Shearer is
determined to stay positive. “We don’t have to play Chelsea every
week,” he pointed out. But when he went back down the tunnel at
full-time the swagger had gone. There was a pinch of the nose, shake
of the head, and quick march to the dressing room.

NEWCASTLE: Harper 8, Ryan Taylor 5, Beye 6, Coloccini 5, Jose Enrique
6, Gutierrez, Nolan 5 (Guthrie 69min), Butt 6, Lovenkrands 4 (Duff 4,
44min), Owen 5, Martins 4 (Carroll 81min)

CHELSEA: Cech 7, Ivanovic 6, Alex 7, Terry 7, Ashley Cole 7, Essien 6
(Ballack 6, 57min), Mikel 7, Lampard 8, Malouda, Anelka 7 (Di Santo
67min), Kalou 6

Yellow cards: Chelsea: Lampard, Malouda, Mikel

Star man: Frank Lampard (Chelsea)

Referee: R Styles Attendance:52,112


-----------------------------------------------------------------



Telegraph:


Alan Shearer given a reality check as below-par Chelsea sink Newcastle

There are some messes beyond even a messiah.

Those among the throng gathered for Alan Shearer’s rapture who
believed their prayers had been answered can now be sure the real test
of faith is yet to come.

By Rory Smith at St James’ Park

The second coming briefly, brightly burned away the gloom which had
shrouded St James’ Park ever since Kevin Keegan’s road to Damascus
moment last year. Paeans to Shearer’s passion and iron will greeted
the prodigal’s return. Limp defeat to a
sub-par Chelsea proved that belief alone will not be enough.

In Nicky Butt’s endless, fierce tackling, in Obafemi Martins’ energy
and power, there was evidence enough that Shearer has conveyed to his
players the urgency of Newcastle’s plight, the dire straits that
convinced the head to listen to the call of the heart.

Miracles elude Shearer But by the time goals from Frank Lampard and
Florent Malouda had condemned Shearer to a defeat in his first outing
and cut Newcastle three points adrift in the relegation zone, it was
clear that the club’s directionless apathy was only part of the
problem. Whatever the names on the payroll suggest, Newcastle are not
too good to go down, not too good at all.

Kevin Nolan looks a shadow of the player he was. It is hard to believe
Damien Duff, an ineffective substitute, was once one of Chelsea’s best
players. Michael Owen, admittedly returning from injury, again made
Fabio Capello’s judgment look sound. The defence is bordering on the
shambolic.

For a crowd supposed to be in the throes of joy, the fans were
subdued. When Keegan returned, the atmosphere was celebratory. Aside
from the first 10 minutes, when every attacking throw-in was greeted
with the fervour of a winning goal in a Cup final, wearied cynicism
set in.

Shearer’s charges gave them precious little to cheer, Martins scuffing
their one clear-cut chance of the opening period wide.

Chelsea should have been ahead by that stage anyway, Salomon Kalou
weakly heading straight at Steve Harper after Ashley Cole found him 12
yards out and free of the attentions – periodic at best throughout the
afternoon – of what passes for Newcastle’s defence.

The visitors barely shifted out of second gear and for much of the
game gave the impression of a side simply determined not to risk
injury ahead of their annual Champions League clash at Anfield. For a
side who were not conspicuously trying, though, their supremacy over
hosts with Shearer’s inspiration supposedly coursing through their
veins was embarrassing.

Nicolas Anelka wasted the best chance of the first half, racing on to
Lampard’s through ball, holding off Habib Beye but finding only the
side netting.

Guus Hiddink’s side are hardly football’s great romantics. He admitted
their plan was to drain the spirit from the crowd and then from the
team. Once jubilation had been replaced by dread, they went about
their business of spoiling the occasion with ruthless efficiency.

Malouda shot straight at Harper and Anelka should have done better
than a weak header after more good work from his French international
team-mate before the two combined to allow Lampard to put the hosts
out of their misery. Malouda closed down Fabricio Coloccini, the ball
ran to Anelka, his chip came back off the bar and the England man was
on hand to roll the ball home.

The resistance crumbled. Seven minutes later, it was two, another goal
of stunning simplicity as Lampard, collecting Anelka’s flick, fed
Malouda and the winger slotted home.

Newcastle could have conceded more as they chased the game, Lampard
twice testing Harper, Michael Ballack going close and Kalou wasting
one clear-cut opportunity.

Newcastle should at least have had a consolation they scarcely
deserved, Owen’s shot from Butt’s through ball seemingly squirming
over the line via John Obi Mikel’s chest, but Rob Styles, hoodwinked
by Ashley Cole’s desperate lunge, waved Newcastle’s appeals away.

All hope gone, Shearer’s faithful began to depart. He has not lost his
flock yet, but he has just seven games to save them.



------------------------------------------------------------------



Mail:


Newcastle 0 Chelsea 2:
Hiddink's masters highlight Shear task of reviving the Toon
By Rob Draper


St James' Park was bathed in spring sunshine, Sir Bobby Robson and
Paul Gascoigne were back in town and throughout the city centre
black-and-white striped shirts were sported in defiant hope. It was
like a gathering of the clans and in these circumstances this stadium
is as inspiring as any, towering above players, fans and the city of
Newcastle itself.
And yet Newcastle United FC must begin acquainting themselves with the
prospect of relegation to the Championship. Alan Shearer, it
transpires, cannot produce instant makeovers of poor players or craft
immediate victories from a failing team.

Games at fellow strugglers Stoke and Tottenham and against Portsmouth
back here in the next three weeks will likely decide the issue, but
for now Newcastle remain three points adrift of safety with just seven
games to play.
'It was always a hard task and it still is,' said Shearer. 'There are
seven games now instead of eight but I'm optimistic. I'm confident
and, more importantly, my players are confident that we can avoid the
drop.

'One game is a hell of a long time in football and we have seven left.
Results have gone against us today but we already knew we were in a
fight.'
It was almost inevitable that the anticipation which preceded the
match would exceed the event itself, but no one quite expected as tame
a surrender as this, even though Shearer had done his best to temper
the understandable excitement.

Though he was last of all the coaching staff and players to emerge
from the tunnel to a predictable roar from the stands, there was to be
no indulging the cult of the local hero, despite the musical prompt.
He was submerged by photographers but made no effort to fight his way
out to acknowledge the crowd, nor was he tempted to encroach on to the
pitch for a cursory wave.
Even when he did first emerge from the dugout after 11 minutes to roar
instructions to his team, he still declined to respond to the chorus
requesting a wave. The louder they roared his name, the more intensely
his steely eyes focused on the match in hand. 'I was determined to
keep it as low key as possible,' he acknowledged. 'I'll try to do
anything to deflect it away from me.'

Early on, he laughed and joked with the linesman and fourth
officonfidencecial, yet soon he wore the creased frown of frustration.
Free-kicks had been wasted by Ryan Taylor, chances spurned by Obafemi
Martins, possession ceded and defence abandoned.
There was no shortage of endeavour, yet there is more than a lack of
at Newcastle; there is a scarcity of quality.
Granted, Newcastle were unfortunate to lose Peter Lovenkrands on 44
minutes to a back injury that saw him rushed to hospital with
breathing difficulties. Happily, he had stabilisedby the final whistle
but his departure was a heavy blow.
Lost amid all this was a revival of sorts, but not the one the
faithful had come to witness.

Chelsea recovered some of the ground they had lost when losing to
Tottenham two weeks ago and now stand again on the threshold of the
title race. 'Now we regret even more the points we lost at Spurs, but
until it is over we will keep fighting and putting pressure on both of
the teams at the top,' said Guus Hiddink.
The visitors' break came on 55 minutes and Fabricio Coloccini's
defending could not have been worse. It was his poor clearance that
allowed Chelsea to launch their attack. Then, as he stooped to clear
again, he dithered and touched the ball towards Steve Harper, allowing
Nicolas Anelka to pounce.
Harper bravely deflected that shot but it looped upwards and on to the
bar before falling kindly on to the head of Frank Lampard, who nodded
home from a few yards out. Shearer turned to his bench, arms
outstretched, incredulous.

Yet there was more. On 64 minutes, Newcastle's central defenders
failed to deal with a goal-kick from Petr Cech. Anelka won the header
and Lampard touched the ball to the onrushing Florent Malouda, who
finished calmly from eight yards out.
Only briefly were the home fans animated thereafter, when Owen weaved
his way through the penalty are and unleashed a shot which deflected
off John Obi Mikel. It seemed to travel well over the line before
Ashley Cole hooked clear, but referee Rob Styles waved play on.
It was an injustice, yet by the end even that seemed to be a footnote
and commendably Shearer acknowledged as much. 'The linesman made a
mistake but that's not an excuse. He's not the reason why we lost.'
So, there was to be no heroic homecoming. As Newcastle fans know
better than most, it takes more than a charismatic personality to
reverse a decade of mismanagement.

NEWCASTLE (4-4-2): Harper; Taylor, Beye, Coloccini, Enrique;
Gutierrez, Nolan (Guthrie 69min), Butt, Lovenkrands (Duff 44); Martins
(Carroll 81), Owen. Subs (not used): Smith, Geremi, Edgar, Forster.
CHELSEA (4-3-3): Cech; Ivanovic, Alex, Terry, A Cole; Essien (Ballack
57), Mikel, Lampard; Kalou, Anelka (Di Santo 67), Malouda. Subs (not
used): Carvalho, Deco, Belletti, Hilario, Mancienne.
Booked: Lampard, Mikel.
Referee: R Styles (Hampshire).


-----------------------------------------------------------------



Independent:


Chelsea give Shearer brutal reality check

Newcastle United 0 Chelsea 2

By Michael Walker at St James' Park

His head shaking, the swear words tumbling forth, his body taut with
repressed anger as he surely wondered about the decision he made last
Monday, Alan Shearer endured his introduction to the brutal trade of
football management yesterday. Looking emasculated as his beloved
Newcastle United crumbled before his eyes, Shearer was as powerless as
any of his predecessors to prevent one of Newcastle's essential
characteristics – dismal defending – from kicking in. Chelsea won with
too much to spare.

Some might think that in taking 56 minutes to self-destruct, Newcastle
had put in some sort of shift but it is no time for even gallows
humour. Newcastle will be relegated if they play like this and it
would not matter if they had Jock Stein, Brian Clough and Matt Busby
on the bench.

That Dennis Wise is attributed with a clinching role in the £12m
purchase of Fabricio Coloccini last summer from Deportivo La Coruña is
an unappealing irony. It was Coloccini's basic error that led to Frank
Lampard's opener, while there was an absence of any Newcastle
challenge when Florent Malouda made it 2-0 nine minutes later.

There was some controversy in that Michael Owen had a deflected shot
cleared from behind the goalline by Ashley Cole eight minutes on which
would at least have altered a surprisingly subdued atmosphere – but
the ease with which Chelsea won was reminiscent of their 2-0 win here
at the end of last season.

Chelsea were heading off to Moscow then, now they go to Anfield on
Wednesday with another away clean sheet – their 11th in the Premier
League. Newcastle, however, have one win in 13 now and they travel to
Stoke next Saturday. It feels bleak indeed.

Yesterday never really took off for Shearer. As fans unfurled a
'Welcome Home' banner outside the Gallowgate End, inside the stadium
the screens were broadcasting events at Ewood Park. The two late goals
scored by Blackburn Rovers, Shearer's old club, were not the favour he
was looking for. At kick-off that meant the gap between Newcastle and
safety had gone up a point from two to three.

This was getting harder by the minute. There was no huddle by the
Newcastle players before the first whistle, which was a change of
practice, but it was just five minutes before Shearer was shaking his
head. That was not. Encouraging a better performance from the team is
one thing, but transforming individuals in the space of two training
sessions is another. And Jose Enrique has had more established
Newcastle managers than Shearer frustrated.

Not long after, at a Chelsea free-kick, Shearer looked at his defence
and swivelled round to his coaching staff to ask with bewilderment:
"Who's marking John Terry?"

That alarm passed but there were others in a first half that rammed
home to Shearer the deficiencies he has to conquer. Steve Harper made
a 19th-minute block from Malouda's header and only a last-ditch Habib
Beye tackle on Nicolas Anelka on 31 minutes prevented the Chelsea man
from getting in a direct strike.

Injuries meant Shearer had placed Ryan Taylor at right back and moved
Beye across to centre-half. It was makeshift defending and the absence
of Didier Drogba was a blessing. But the Chelsea midfield triangle of
Lampard, John Obi Mikel and Michael Essien were comfortable
throughout, though Chelsea's failing in the first half was that they
were too cautious, with not enough pressure exerted on Newcastle's
fragile back four.

That approach changed in the second half. Chelsea's increased urgency
was obvious as Malouda exchanged passes with Anelka to rattle the
chest of Harper on 51 minutes and then four later Anelka closed down
the dallying Coloccini.

That is not the hardest of forward tasks admittedly, and the panic
that ensued thereafter was predictable. It was scramble time as
Newcastle defenders dispersed; Lampard won a 50/50 with Coloccini,
Anelka went toe-to-toe with Harper and the ball was scooped on to the
bar. Waiting for it two yards out as it dropped was Lampard who nodded
the ball in. Coloccini slapped his sides.

Eight minutes later Jonas Gutierrez had a headed chance, one Shearer
would have buried. Gutierrez is still to score for Newcastle. Regret
came fast. From a Petr Cech goal-kick in the next minute, the ball
travelled 70 yards in the air. Anelka won it and there was Lampard to
collect. A simple short pass freed Malouda and his diagonal shot went
under Harper's outstretched left arm and into the far corner.



-----------------------------------------------------------------


Observer:


No happy homecoming for Shearer as Chelsea revive their title challenge

Newcastle United 0  Chelsea 2 Lampard 56, Malouda 65

Paul Wilson at St James' Park


What a surprise this was. Not that Alan Shearer failed to have an
instant galvanising effect on the Newcastle players – no one actually
believes he is capable of miracles – but that the famous Geordie crowd
did not manage much of a response to the return of a favourite son.

There were no party hats à la King Kev, there was no great fanfare
from a stadium announcer who announced Shearer as "the" new manager
rather than "our" new manager, and most surprising of all there was
not so much as a hint of Walking in a Shearer Wonderland from the
crowd.

In point of fact there was nothing from the crowd. No bounce, no
noise, no emotional welcome. The occasion was flat. Perhaps Newcastle
are all messiahed out, and who could blame them?

Taking their lead from the terraces the teams duly served up a tepid,
forgettable first half. You would never have guessed Chelsea were
supposed to be challenging for the title, it looked a lot more like
they were keeping their powder dry for Wednesday night at Anfield,
when they will find a crowd capable of creating an atmosphere. In an
almost featureless 45 minutes before the interval, only Salomon Kalou
bringing a save from Steve Harper and Nicolas Anelka seeing a shot
blocked by Habib Beye's cover tackle were worthy of note. Newcastle
produced even less, just a half chance for Obafemi Martins from a José
Enrique cross that the striker was not quite sharp enough to accept.

Martins also shot high and wide early in the second half when a
misjudgment by John Terry allowed him a run at goal. It was already
beginning to look as though a scrappy game would only produce a goal
through a defensive mistake and that is how it proved, though the
error was Newcastle's and the beneficiaries Chelsea. Fabricio
Coloccini was too ponderous on the edge of his own area, allowing
Anelka first to block his clearance then beat him to the loose ball,
Anelka's shot over the advancing Harper bounced up off the crossbar
and Frank Lampard followed up for an easy header into an unguarded
net.

That might have been enough to see off Newcastle, who had never looked
much like scoring, though just to make sure Chelsea scored a second
nine minutes later. Anelka was involved again, heading on an upfield
clearance that came all the way from Petr Cech for Florent Malouda to
easily turn Ryan Taylor and shoot past an exposed Harper.

Newcastle were possibly unlucky when Ashley Cole cleared Michael
Owen's shot from a position the striker spent some time insisting was
at least a foot behind the line. Replays suggested Owen might have had
a point, though it would have been a difficult decision for the
assistant to award, and Rob Styles did check before waving play on.
Shearer had a moan about it too when he checked his monitor but, being
powerless to do anything about it, had to revert to striking a
succession of macho poses in the technical area and occasionally
appealing for free kicks. A bit like his final days as a player, in
fact. Losing to Chelsea is no disgrace, though it is the powerless
feeling Shearer is going to have to come to terms with, and quickly.



----------------------------------------------------------------



NOTW:

NEWCASTLE 0, CHELSEA 2

It's car-crash football for Shearer

From ANDY DUNN at St James' Park

SNAKING along 10 miles of A1 tarmac, a traffic queue inched slowly
towards Newcastle yesterday morning.

"Shearer? St James' Park?" I asked a traffic cop. "No, car crash," he
replied. And never a truer word was said.

Brand new Messiah, same old mess.

If he hadn't sussed it from five-minute highlights packages on Match
of the Day, Shearer knows it now. His beloved club is a footballing
pile-up.

Collision

A sad collision of nostalgia, boadroom comedy and amateur technique.

Gazza shambled around in the stands, Mike Ashley sat with that
familiar bemused look, Shearer spent most of his managerial debut
turning to his bench and asking what the hell was going on - in
language no TV channel would broadcast.

On the field, his team were swatted away by a Chelsea side on a
glorified training exercise ahead of Wednesday's Champions League game
at Anfield. If Shearer's mind is already drifting to a sofa in West
London, who would blame him?

Defensively, Newcastle were a calamity waiting to happen. In midfield,
they were lumpen, leaden-footed and loose with possession. Up front,
Michael Owen merely loaded the gun for his critics and Obafemi Martins
lives in a blind alley. Apart from that...

Drinking

They like drinking in Shearer's Bar before the game. After goals from
Frank Lampard - easily the game's most accomplished player - and
Florent Malouda it should be renamed the Last Chance Saloon.

And there was nothing here to suggest that Shearer will help Newcastle
take that chance. Not even the fervent backing we all expected. They
gave Shearer a decent reception but they were hardly laying garlands
at his feet. Some almost smelt it for the gimmick it could well turn
out to be.

For his part, Shearer looked to the dugout born. A suit sharp enough
to slice a half-time orange, the tie-knot a work of precision. And he
slipped effortlessly into banter/berating role-play with the fourth
official, the inanely grinning Mark Halsey.

That was before Shearer saw at shopfloor level the tools he has to
work with. From then on, he was spinning on his heels with increasing
frequency, mouthing his exasperation into the dugout.

Rare

"That was a ****** chance," he declared to Iain Dowie and company as
Martins slashed one towards the Tyne.

If it was, it was a rare one.

There were a couple of Martins moments and Owen was wrongly denied
when Ashley Cole hooked away a deflected shot which was so far over
the line it almost lifted the net-pegs out of the ground.

It would have reduced the arrears to one and perhaps given Chelsea an
uncomfortable final 20 minutes.

It might even have forced them to break sweat. To take their eyes from
the task on Merseyside and concentrate on matters in hand.

Flame

This was meant to be a stern examination, an assault on their senses.
Instead, it turned into a saunter.

And amidst the Shearer hullabaloo, it is worth remembering that this
is a result that keeps Chelsea's Premier League flame flickering.

And. as usual, the torch-bearer is Lampard.

Which leads me to a word about Rob Styles. Terrible.

None of the blue-chip blunders that have dotted his career - just a
steady trickle of tedious mistakes and misjudgements.

Lampard took a dive, fact. But it was a delayed reaction to a familiar
Nicky Butt ankle-clip.

Grandstanding, Styles flourished a yellow. Fine.

But just a few minutes earlier, he had allowed Butt to go uncautioned
for a challenge on Malouda that was half hack, half half-nelson.

But I suppose it was one point of interest in a truly lousy first half.

Errors

Guus Hiddink clearly turned up the revs a touch at half-time and
Chelsea soon pulled clear.

Lampard's nod into an empty net was the culmination of a comedy of
errors - with Fabricio Coloccini the star turn.

The Argentinian's half-blocked clearance and his half-hearted tackle
led to Nicolas Anelka's shot looping off Habib Beye, onto the crossbar
and down onto Frank's head.

It was a goal Lampard's performance deserved but I'm not quite sure it
warranted his taunting celebrations towards all sides of the ground.
Everything else was class about Lampard yesterday, but not that.

His pass for the second was certainly class, releasing Malouda with
Rolex timing for the Frenchman to slide it beneath Steve Harper.

Anelka was then withdrawn to prepare for his Champions League duties
and Chelsea eased down to a canter.

They would have been punished had FIFA introduced goalline technology
when they had the chance a couple of years ago.

Issue

But, to his credit, Shearer refused to apportion any responsibility
for his first managerial defeat to the officials.

He knew that to do so would have deflected attention away from the
real issue at St James' Park.

A supply of confidence that is matched in its shortage only by the
supply of quality.

To make matters worse, Peter Lovenkrands - lively for some while -
ended up in hospital with a nasty-looking back injury.

This, of course, was a game that Shearer really didn't expect to win,
even allowing for the euphoria effect (which actually never
materialised).

The full week's training and the trip to the Britannia Stadium, Stoke,
is what was probably on his mind when the flashbulbs popped on
Thursday.

During his time as a striker here, Shearer always found a way to
score. Any way would do. Head, feet, arms, backside.

Somehow, he has got to find a way to keep this wreck afloat.

"You're getting sacked in the morning," chanted the Chelsea supporters.

And Shearer might have been forgiven if, for a brief moment, he
thought... "If only".

The Sunday Times

Luka Modric gives Hiddink first Chelsea defeat

Tottenham 1 Chelsea 0: Chelsea fail to capitalise on Man Utd defeat as
they slump to a Luka Modric winner at Tottenham

Nick Townsend at White Hart Lane

IN RECENT days Chelsea have reminded you of the rogue truck driver in
Steven Spielberg’s film Duel. They have promised a relentless pursuit,
driving their quarry to distraction and constant glances in his
wing-mirror. That image stayed in the mind yesterday as events across
London at Craven Cottage filtered through. Yet despite the rare act of
neighbourliness from Fulham, who subjected Manchester United to a
second consecutive league defeat, Chelsea failed to capitalise. And
like the denouement of the movie, you suspect that the Blues’ title
aspirations crashed and burnt here.

In theory, Chelsea are still battling on three fronts for trophies.
But interim manager Guus Hiddink, who had overseen a 100% league
record since arriving at Stamford Bridge, knew in his heart that this
was an opportunity spurned. As he conceded, before departing to
Amsterdam to visit his sick father, followed by the journey to Russia
to oversee the national team’s World Cup qualification programme: “If
Manchester United are losing, those are the moments when you have to
strike, and we didn’t do that. That’s why we said beforehand that the
pressure was not just on Manchester United. It was on us as well.”

The portents had not been auspicious for Tottenham. Not with one
league victory over their London rivals in 37 attempts. Worse, Spurs
manager Harry Redknapp had not enjoyed a victory over Chelsea since
his West Ham team beat them a decade ago.

How he will have enjoyed this, although at the final whistle a
remarkably composed Redknapp’s only show of emotion was a high-five
with Luka Modric, the diminutive Croatian who was accorded a standing
ovation when he was substituted late on after a performance of vision
and industry. “He really is an amazing footballer,” said Redknapp.
“And he’s not a lightweight. Physically, he’s not afraid to mix it
with the big boys.”

This run of only one defeat in 16 at home under Redknapp means Spurs
are aiming for Europe — seventh place should be sufficient — rather
than preparing for the Championship. Not that relegation was ever
likely, given their plethora of talent.

Things are looking up for Spurs, who announced record profits of
£39.8m for the last six months of 2008, though that was not so much
financial prudence; more a consequence of the £50m-plus sale of
Dimitar Berbatov and Robbie Keane. Keane has returned from Liverpool
to a team no longer encumbered by relegation fears, and they took the
game to Chelsea.

Early on, it was Michael Essien, determined to make up for lost time,
who caught the eye. The Ghanaian has been instrumental in Chelsea
recently producing the style of football for which their owner has
yearned.

His captain, John Terry, has described Essien as “part-man,
part-machine” in recognition of the way he had launched himself body
and soul into his previous three league games after a cruciate
ligament injury. Not just a powerhouse in himself, but a catalyst, in
the manner he has released the potential in others, such as Michael
Ballack.

Inevitably, it was Essien who produced the first threat to the home
goal, with a fierce drive. Juliano Belletti, who did not have the best
of halves, following in, caught Tottenham goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes.
Thereafter, however, it was Spurs, the beneficiaries of Modric’s
driving presence, who seized the initiative.

Jermaine Jenas’s mighty drive flew just over the angle, and Petr Cech
had to stand firm to repel Keane’s volley after Alex allowed a long
clearance to bounce through to the Irishman. Keane again tested Cech
after Vedran Corluka had thrust into the Chelsea heart and switched
the ball to him. Then Keane broke, but despite support, made the save
easy for Cech. At the other end, Nicolas Anelka brought Gomes into
action, but otherwise Chelsea’s attack looked impotent.

The visitors’ indifferent first half was exemplified by the lack of
presence of Didier Drogba, who had got little return from his
confrontation with Jonathan Woodgate and Ledley King. The Ivorian had
to be helped off just before the interval after a collision with King.
The manner in which he staggered off, you feared for his health. But
he duly returned after the break. After four minutes of the second
period, the striker was angrily demanding more from his teammates
after Chelsea had fallen behind.

The goal was fashioned by Aaron Lennon, who has signed a new five-year
deal with Tottenham. Although his final ball is sometimes found
wanting, this time his low cross dissected two defenders, allowing
Modric to steal in and opt for accuracy rather than power to beat
Cech. The Croatian failed to connect cleanly with another chance that
would have settled matters. And in the final 20 minutes Chelsea were
fuelled by hope as Spurs retreated.

Drogba brought a fine save from Gomes, who also denied Ricardo
Quaresma. One powerful downward header from Terry was brilliantly
turned away. Then, from a Frank Lampard corner, an Alex header bounced
up and struck the bar.

Chelsea “will fight to the bitter end”, Hiddink had promised in the
week. He knows that if his men continue to succumb so readily, there
can be only one conclusion.

Star man: Luca Modric (Tottenham)

Yellow cards: Tottenham: Palacios, Modric Chelsea: Belletti, Ballack

Referee: M Dean

Attendance:36,034

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR: Gomes 7, Corluka 6, Woodgate 7, King 7,
Assou-Ekotto 6, Lennon 7 (Zokora 90min), Jenas 6, Palacios 6, Modric 8
(O’Hara 86min), Bent 5, Keane 6

CHELSEA: Cech 6, Bosingwa 6, Alex 6, Terry 7, A Cole 6, Essien 7
(Malouda 75min), Ballack 5, Lampard 6, Belletti 5 (Quaresma 60 min,
5), Drogba 6, Anelka 5



-------------------------------------------------------------------------


Telegraph:


Defeat costs Chelsea title chances at Tottenham Hotspur
It was set up beautifully for them, to coin one of Guus Hiddink’s
favourite words.

By Trevor Haylett at White Hart Lane

With Manchester United’s capitulaton there was the opportunity to
reduce the gap at the top of the Premier League to a single point but
in a manner that had the home faithful crowing all the way down
Tottenham High Road, Chelsea also met defeat and that could prove
crucial in the final reckoning.

It was Chelsea’s first reverse in eight games under their Dutch
interim manager and they could have no complaints. Tottenham harried
them from the first whistle, created the better goalscoring
opportunities and after Luka Modric shot them ahead at the start of
the second half they proved they had the resilience to shut out the
threat from Drogba & Co.

Chelsea were ragged late on, Frank Lampard over-hitting a free-kick
into the stands while Ricardo Quaresma did the same with a crossing
opportunity. Nevertheless it took a tremendous save from Heurelho
Gomes to deny John Terry and then fortune favoured the hosts in added
time as Alex’s header came back off the bar for the goalkeeper to flap
away.

Hiddink is too experienced a manager to know though that Chelsea
deserved nothing more. “With Manchester United losing these are the
moments that you have to strike and we couldn’t do it,” he said. “It
was a missed opportunity but we said before that there’s not only
pressure on United but on those chasing them as well.”

A 30-minute delay following a security scare put both sets of
supporters in good voice at the start and Spurs responded to the
urgings of their followers by hounding their opponents. Darren Bent
and Jermaine Jenas were particularly aggressive in the early stages
and denied Chelsea the foothold they wanted.

A couple of tricky runs from Aaron Lennon kept the expectancy levels
high but it was Chelsea who threatened first when Gomes needed two
attempts to grasp Michael Essien’s low effort.

Spurs responded with a Jenas drive that only narrowly cleared the
angle of bar and upright. A Robbie Keane volley after Alex had
misjudged the bounce of the ball brought Petr Cech into action and he
remained the busier of the two goalkeepers as Keane and Modric
continued to probe away with intelligence.

Didier Drogba took a whack to the head from Ledley King as they
challenged for a high ball and, left groggy, chose to make an early
exit for the dressing-room near the end of the first half.

He was there at the restart but it was to witness his side falling
behind. Chelsea will look back at two contributory factors to the
goal. A moment’s complacency by Michael Ballack meant they didn’t
clear their lines cleanly and then they switched off to allow two
Spurs players to ghost into space on the edge of the area as Lennon
cut the ball back.

Either Keane or Luka Modric could have taken advantage and for a
moment it looked as if they were going to get in each other’s way.
Keane backed off, leaving the Croatian to sweep home his second league
goal of the campaign.

“It was sloppy defending,” said Hiddink, “and we had told them to get
through the first 10 minutes of the second half and then we could take
control. Sometimes with gifted players they look to make the perfect
pass but they just have to clear it. When you’re in the kitchen and
it’s steaming you have to extinguish the fire.”

An identical move might have brought a second but this time Modric
shot into the ground. At the other end Spurs needed Gomes to be fully
alert when Drogba tried to blast one in at the near post. His reflexes
were never better demonstrated that when he kept out Terry as all
Chelsea’s late endeavours came to nought, pushing Spurs up into the
top half of the table.

“It was well deserved over the 90 minutes,” said Harry Redknapp. “The
only time they got at us was in the last 15 minutes when they started
launching it.”



--------------------------------------------------------------------------


Mail:


Tottenham 1 Chelsea 0: Guus Hiddink knows the score but can't close the gap

By IAN RIDLEY

The strains of Glory, Glory Tottenham Hotspur broke out as the final
whistle sounded at White Hart Lane, but down in the King's Road last
night the old Ian Dury classic What a Waste might have been more
appropriate.
With kick-off delayed for 30 minutes by a security scare outside the
ground, Chelsea began the game knowing that Manchester United were
losing at Fulham, a defeat confirmed midway through the second half
here. The carrot could hardly have been bigger.

Instead, there is merely stick for a lame and limp Chelsea who blew
their big opportunity.

Only belatedly did they stir themselves, with Spurs goalkeeper
Heurelho Gomes proving himself a hero as the home side clung on to the
outstanding Luka Modric's goal from early in the second half.
Chelsea remain four points behind United when the gap could have been
just one. 'If it is steamy in the kitchen, you have got to put out the
fire,' lamented the Chelsea manager Guus Hiddink.

'We talked at half-time about them coming at us in the first 10
minutes and after that we could control the game. But it was sloppy
defence to let them score their goal. Then the team woke up.'
But the wake-up call was from a recurring bad dream. It was this very
week last year when they were held 4-4 by Spurs, after being 3-1 up,
and their title challenge began its list towards the rocks.

Their stumble this time around was all the more baffling, given their
dominance over their north London rivals. They went into the game
having lost only once against them in 17 Premier League seasons. In
addition, they had won all four league games since Hiddink replaced
Luiz Felipe Scolari.
Chelsea met Spurs, though, at a bad time, with Harry Redknapp's
managerial manoeuvres now beginning to pay off. They have lost only
once at home in 17 games under him, and have taken 14 points from
their last six unbeaten games.
'Well-deserved,' was his verdict. 'They only got at us in the last 15
minutes when they started launching it. We are playing as good as
anybody in the country. We worked them hard and everybody stuck to
their job.'
The UEFA Cup - the Europa League next season - could even be a target.
'You've got to fancy it,' said Redknapp. 'We've got to start looking
upwards now.'
Chelsea have not beaten a London club in the league this season and it
was easy to see why in the first half.

They were slow to start and although Michael Essien, whose return has
galvanised Chelsea, got in a low shot that Gomes saved well, it took
almost another half hour for the Tottenham goalkeeper to be troubled
again, saving from Nicolas Anelka.
In between, a bubbly Tottenham created the better openings, with
Robbie Keane looking especially bouncy.

After Jermaine Jenas had sent a fierce shot just over the angle of
Petr Cech's post and crossbar, Keane forced a good save from the
goalkeeper with a powerful drive. The Irish striker should have done
better, though, when set up by Vedran Corluka for a shot from the edge
of penalty area but hit it at Cech.
Surely Hiddink would instil more urgency into his side for the second
half? Instead, it was Tottenham who showed greater eagerness and
claimed the lead. Aaron Lennon teased Ashley Cole out on the right
before sending in a low cross, which was met sweetly by Modric,
sweeping the ball in from 12 yards past an uncharacteristically
languid Cech.
'Modric is a special footballer,' said Redknapp. 'And he's definitely
not a lightweight. He's much stronger than that.'

Chelsea did improve with the arrival of Ricardo Quaresma. First he
supplied Frank Lampard for a header that Corluka blocked then, after
Drogba had seen a shot saved by Gomes, the Portuguese curled in
another that the goalkeeper clutched. The Brazilian did even better
with a late save from John Terry's pointblank header.
'I brought him from Brazil to PSV Eindhoven,' said Hiddink of Gomes.
'It was the same there. In the first weeks he had a difficult time but
I know that he is a great athlete and will save Tottenham points.'
Now Chelsea can only hope that theirs was an aberration, while
Manchester United's almost unheard of consecutive defeats constitute a
proper blip.

TOTTENHAM (4-4-2): Gomes; Corluka, Woodgate, King, Assou-Ekotto;
Lennon (Zokora 90min), Palacios, Jenas, Modric (O'Hara 87); Bent,
Keane.
Subs (not used): Cudicini, Bentley, Huddlestone, Pavlyuchenko, Dawson.
Booked: Palacios, Modric.

CHELSEA (4-4-2): Cech; Bosingwa, Alex, Terry, A Cole; Belletti
(Quaresma 61), Essien (Malouda 76), Lampard, Ballack; Drogba, Anelka.
Subs (not used): Hilario, Ivanovic, Di Santo, Kalou, Mancienne.
Booked: Belletti, Ballack.



------------------------------------------------------------------------


Independent:


Modric halts Hiddink's run as Chelsea fail to narrow gap

Tottenham Hotspur 1 Chelsea 0

By Jason Burt at White Hart Lane

As Guus Hiddink boarded his plane back to Amsterdam last night for the
international break that then takes him on to Russia, he will have
reflected on this, the one that got away and with it, perhaps, the
slim hopes of the Premier League title also. Sloppy, wasteful and, for
the first time under him, an intimation from the Chelsea manager,
interim or permanent, that "gifted players" at his disposal had
perhaps believed the hype a bit too much. Again. They let him, and
Chelsea, down.

"It was a huge opportunity missed, knowing that United were 2-0 down,"
Hiddink said, containing his rage. Just. "By the time the team had
woken up they were down." But that opportunity to close the gap at the
top to a single point was tossed away, and the Dutchman's eighth game
in charge ended with a first defeat. "These are the moments to
strike," Hiddink added.

Because of a delayed start – a suspect vehicle meant the match kicked
off at 3.30pm – Chelsea knew what had happened at Craven Cottage. It
made it all the more annoying for Hiddink, whose ire must have been
directed at lacklustre displays by Michael Ballack and Nicolas Anelka
in particular. Still, Spurs were indebted to two outstanding saves
late on from Heurelho Gomes – palming away John Terry's point-blank
header from a free-kick and tipping another header, this time from
Alex, on to the crossbar in injury time. Not that Spurs, bold and
positive, didn't deserve their victory, courtesy of a fine strike from
the impressive Luka Modric even if, for his intelligence, his calm in
the eye of a raging storm of a London derby, Robbie Keane was the
stand-out presence.

Spurs are resurgent under Harry Redknapp, who boldly claimed that his
team were playing as well as any in the League and that all fear of
relegation was now banished. Instead it is onwards and upwards and a
tilt at grabbing that seventh spot, and Europa League football next
season.

Qualifying for next year's World Cup is, for the next 10 days at
least, Hiddink's primary concern after he visits his sick, elderly
father today before flying to Moscow for two games – Russia at home to
Azerbaijan and away to Liechtenstein. It may be somewhat different to
the white heat and fury of this encounter.

How Chelsea missed Ricardo Carvalho. A swollen ankle ruled out the
defender and soon Spurs were stretching their opponents, with Jermaine
Jenas's drive narrowly clearing the bar and, twice, Keane being
presented with opportunities, forcing a parry from Petr Cech with a
half-volley after Alex's error, and then wasting an opportunity with a
side-footed shot, held by the goalkeeper, following a barrelling run
by Vedran Corluka.

From Chelsea, there was no threat. And then they fell behind. Ballack
was to blame, firstly by surrendering possession and then by failing
to track Modric. Ballack's loose clearance eventually led to Jonathan
Woodgate heading the ball out to Aaron Lennon, watched by England's
manager, Fabio Capello. He ran at Ashley Cole. For once Lennon's
delivery was clever and precise as he pulled his cross back for Modric
to shoot low and powerfully and beyond Cech for only his fourth goal
of a burgeoning season.

Hiddink talked of Chelsea's failure "in the kitchen" to put out Spurs'
fire and Modric, in almost a carbon copy of the goal, threatened to
add a second when Keane's superb cross-field pass instigated another
attack.

Chelsea had to respond. On came Ricardo Quaresma, for the defensive
Juliano Belletti, and they poured forward. Ledley King brilliantly
blocked Anelka, Gomes parried Drogba's low shot and then the Brazilian
made his two outstanding saves to preserve an outstanding victory.

Attendance: 36,034

Referee: Mike Dean

Man of the match: Keane

Match rating: 7/10



---------------------------------------------------------------------------



Observer


Chelsea left reeling as Modric spikes their challenge

Tottenham Hotspur 1 Modric 50
Chelsea 0

Duncan Castles at White Hart Lane


Well might Harry Redknapp have smiled as the whistle ended this
compelling derby. Rare are the days when Tottenham do serious damage
to fellow Londoners. Precious was the pleasure of inflicting the first
setback upon a storied foreign coach's entry into the English game.

Guus Hiddink had been making a habit out of the sturdy single-goal
victory as Chelsea manager, gradually ratcheting up the pressure on
Manchester United at the summit of the Premier League. A run of six
domestic victories ended at White Hart Lane as the Dutchman fell to a
1-0 defeat – his frustration increased by the knowledge of United's
aberration at Fulham a few miles south-west.

"We missed a huge opportunity," ­Hiddink said. "These are the days in
such a tough league when you have to be right at the key moments. If
Man United is losing those are the moments to strike, but we didn't do
it."

For Spurs it was an afternoon of reassurance as they near the end of
an oft-fretful season. Relegation now avoided in all but the
arithmetic, their fans will use ­performances such as this as fuel for
dreams of what might be next term – imagining the scorer Luka Modric
and the creator Aaron Lennon undoing more than just Chelsea. "Well
deserved," argued Redknapp with justification. "I think that's 18
points from nine games. The way we're playing I think we are as good
as anybody in the country at the moment. We've just got to keep that
going."

Criticised both inside and outside the club for deciding to scrap
Tottenham's Uefa Cup campaign, Redknapp's reward has been a
one-game-a-week schedule and a consistent line-up. Fielding Ledley
King at centre-back every match has been an obvious advantage; using
the same midfield four has brought a creative understanding. With
three trophies to play for and a fragile squad to handle, Hiddink has
shuffled both personnel and formation. Here, Alex covered for Ricardo
Carvalho's newly strained ankle, while Juliano Belletti replaced Deco
on the right of a midfield unusually anchored by Michael Ballack.

Kick-off delayed half an hour as police removed a suspect van from
outside the South Stand, Chelsea began scrappily, misplacing passes as
the home side rushed bodies behind the ball in their own half and
pressed lustily in the other. If Michael Essien pulled an early save
from Heurelho Gomes, Belletti caused more pain by ­falling on his
compatriot's head.

Hiddink redirected Nicolas Anelka to the left wing as he tried to take
a grip on possession, but it was Tottenham coming closer to goal.
Jermaine Jenas curled a shot just over; a long ball put Robbie Keane
in for a spectacular volley, spectacularly saved by Petr Cech. Corners
were a threat and the captain strained Cech again after Vedran Corluka
sprinted away from two markers to manufacture another opening.

Chelsea were struggling, their only other first-half chance coming
when Didier Drogba optimistically attempted a tight-angled volley that
flew across the area for Anelka to shoot on target. The Ivorian was
forced to take his half-time break early, unintentionally clattered by
King as they contested a high ball.

Drogba returned after the interval, but so did Chelsea's troubles.
Applying the game sense Redknapp has been teaching him, Lennon shifted
Ashley Cole left and right, then clipped a pass low and square into
the area. Devoid of a marker, Modric swivelled directly into a shot
that angled wide enough of Cech to find the net.

Soon the pair almost repeated the dose, Lennon crossing and Modric
shooting higher as Cech scrambled away. ­Hiddink added a genuine
winger in Ricardo Quaresma, but his team's chances came from distance
and Gomes's hesitation on a cross. When Florent Malouda joined him and
Chelsea went to 4-2-4, John Terry had a close-range header gloriously
saved by Gomes. From the subsequent corner Lennon demonstrated there
is still some polishing to be done as he broke away and chose the sky
over three team-mates.

As Chelsea pushed even their centre-backs up, Tottenham grew
agonisingly looser. King saved them from Anelka with a lunging block,
Alex headed on to the underside of the bar, and Ballack's shot in the
dying seconds was cleared from the line. It was a defeat, said
Hiddink, that came from "sloppy defending" and a poor start to both
halves. Only because Chelsea lost was he even speaking to the media,
having a flight to catch to Amsterdam to visit his ill father: "There
are more important things in life."




-----------------------------------------------------------------------



NOTW:


TOTTENHAM 1, CHELSEA 0

Capital punishment for Hiddink

From ROB SHEPHERD at White Hart Lane, 21/03/2009

GUUS HIDDINK offered a dose of double Dutch after Chelsea failed to
re-assert themselves as credible title challengers.

“When you are in the kitchen and it’s steaming, you have to learn to
extinguish the fire,” Hiddink reflected enigmatically following Luka
Modric’s winner for Tottenham.

But Hiddink’s underlying message was crystal clear. Chelsea blew a
massive chance on a day when Manchester United invited them back into
the title race.

“That was a huge opportunity missed,” he agreed.

“We knew that Manchester United were losing and this was a chance for
us to make ground — and when the right opportunity comes along you
have to take the key moments and turn them to your advantage.

“But we didn’t do that and it’s not just about us not making ground up
on United but also letting Liverpool in. This was a moment to strike
and we didn’t do that.”

Quite what the fire was referring to was not quite so obvious.

And Hiddink was in too much of a hurry to elaborate as he rushed off
to catch a flight to see his ill father in Amsterdam before joining up
with Russia.

It could have been the opportunity presented by United’s failure at
Fulham, or when Tottenham stepped up a gear just after the break.

More particularly, though, it seemed a reference to the failure of
Michael Ballack to use his experience in the 50th minute and quell a
Tottenham attack which eventually led to Modric’s goal.

After the first wave was broken up, Ballack had the chance to clear
but mis-hit the ball. Jonathan Woodgate nodded out wide to Aaron
Lennon, who teased Ashley Cole before pulling back a precise cross
into the path of Modric. The Croatian midfielder then slotted an
emphatic shot from the edge of the box beyond Petr Cech.

It was only Modric’s second league goal since his £15million summer
move from Dinamo Zagreb. But it was just what his outstanding display
deserved.

Clearly, Hiddink felt the strike could have been prevented as he
complained: “We were very sloppy on their goal. Big internationals
with lots of caps should know you can’t always look for the perfect
pass.”

One suspects Ballack suffered a rather more graphic rollicking than
that and the rest of the team a plain rebuke about this opportunity
missed.

Yet with the very last kick, Ballack was desperately unlucky not to
have redeemed himself when his snap-shot from the edge of the box was
chested off the line by Benoit Assou- Ekotto.

Indeed, in the last phase of the game, Chelsea went close to an
equaliser on three occasions. Spurs keeper Heurelho Gomes, no longer a
clown-like figure, pulled off a stunning reaction save at the foot of
his post to keep out a John Terry header in the 79th minute.

Then in stoppage time, after an Alex header had bounced up from the
turf and hit the bar, the Brazilian keeper displayed great reflexes to
claw the ball away. Moments before, Ledley King made a mighty block to
prevent Nicolas Anelka slotting home.

For all the spirit Chelsea displayed in the closing stages, Spurs
manager Harry Redknapp was right in his assertion that his side
deserved it. They never let Chelsea settle into a rhythm and displayed
far more attacking invention.

Spurs are surely now safe, being closer to a Europa Cup spot than the
Plimsoll line. That is great credit to how Redknapp has turned the
club’s fortunes around since inheriting a dispirited squad from Juande
Ramos in October when they were bottom with two points from eight
games.

“We have to make certain we are safe, but the time now is to start
looking upwards,” said Redknapp.

“We can’t think of ourselves as safe quite yet but we’re playing as
well as anybody in the country at the moment.”

Given the way things have suddenly altered at the top, Chelsea will
not throw in the towel. But one suspects, just like last season, they
will reflected they lost the league at White Hart Lane.

It was precisely this time last year when Chelsea started to allow
their title challenge to slip when they surrendered a 3-1 lead,
eventually being held to a 4-4 draw.

So even the 30-minute delay to kick-off after a stranded vehicle near
the ground caused a security alert did not take any sting out of the
start.

It was fast and furious from the off but that was more down to Spurs
than Chelsea. Redknapp’s side showed the greater tempo and urgency
with Robbie Keane leading the way.

Offered the freedom of expression denied to him in that short stint at
Liverpool, Keane was a constant menace, dropping into the hole to
create openings and keep Ballack occupied in the holding role.

He was also a goal threat, forcing Cech into a fine save in the 17th
minute from a well-hit volley then making the Chelsea keeper react
sharply with another effort from the edge of the area.

The Blues struggled to create any sort of threat before the break as
they lacked attacking width. With Anelka playing to the left of Didier
Drogba rather than wide on the left and Cole pegged back by Lennon,
the visitors could not make inroads down that side.

The same applied to the right where Juliano Belletti was out of his
depth as a winger. Even when Chelsea got the ball forward, Woodgate
and King were in command until that late bombardment.

In contrast, Tottenham were full of menace — especially Modric who is
revelling in a role which allows him to roam around the front line
from the left. Eventually the adrenalin rush of a new manager had to
run out.

Incredibly, this defeat means the Blues have yet to win a London derby
this season. That is what you call capital punishment — and it would
seem this defeat has killed off Chelsea’s title hopes.

The Times

Michael Essien continues impressive comeback to send Chelsea into second place
Chelsea 1 Manchester City 0

Matt Hughes at Stamford Bridge


Manchester City’s owners are discovering the hard way that the most
important ingredients in a team are those that money cannot buy.
Commitment, teamwork and organisation were all displayed by Chelsea
yesterday as they reestablished their foothold in the title race, but
for the visiting team such qualities were nowhere to be seen.

Such characteristics should be instilled by a manager, which is why
City may give serious thought to replacing Mark Hughes in the summer.
Hughes deserves some sympathy for being saddled with players who
appear to have little sense of professional pride, but the buck for
failing to motivate them stops with him.

One of the most talented groups of players in the club’s history, who
were good enough to beat Arsenal 3-0 in November, have become
something of an embarrassment. City could go on to win the Uefa Cup
and even qualify for next season’s competition via their league
position, but such success should not be allowed to disguise a series
of dismal away performances that have brought only one league win this
season. Hughes featured on the shortlist when Chelsea were looking for
a new manager last summer, but he may have to seek employment at a
smaller club in the event that he loses his job Oddly, given the
frequency with which they wield the axe, Chelsea stand as exemplars of
the model managerial switch, as the side have been transformed since
Guus Hiddink took over last month.

The Dutchman has given his players a renewed appetite and self-belief
to engineer a run of six wins from seven matches and, given their
sense of purpose, it is conceivable that they could go unbeaten for
the remainder of the season. Manchester United cannot rest easy on
their four-point lead yet, with Chelsea determined to pursue them
vigorously.

If Michael Ballack can be successfully converted into a holding
midfield player, as Hiddink achieved yesterday, with the Germany
captain sitting deep to allow Michael Essien and Frank Lampard to
rampage forward at will, anything is possible.

Without leaving second gear Chelsea had far too much for City, who
deserved to return to the North West having suffered a repeat of the
6-0 hiding they experienced on their previous visit to Stamford
Bridge. If anything, Chelsea’s dominance was even more pronounced than
on that occasion and with better finishing they could have moved a
long way ahead of United’s goal difference, rather than drawing level
on plus 33.

Lampard had the ball in the net in the third minute only to be
adjudged offside and the sole surprise when Chelsea took the lead 15
minutes later was the identity of the scorer. One of Essien’s many
nicknames is “The Train” - he is also known to his teammates as “The
Bison” and, less charitably, “Mummy’s Boy” - and as well as powerful
locomotive qualities he also shares the railway network’s occasionally
erratic sense of timing, arriving to score for a second time in as
many matches after being missing because of injury for most of the
season.

To mark his first home appearance since August, City gave Essien the
freedom of their penalty area, allowing him to swing wildly at
Lampard’s free kick, the ball flying off his shin beyond Shay Given.

If Essien’s goal was fortuitous, then the luck deserted Chelsea for
the remainder of the afternoon, particularly in the second half as
they pushed to add to their tally. Didier Drogba, Nicolas Anelka and
Juliano Belletti went close, while their dominance was such that even
Florent Malouda got in on the act, with the substitute having a shot
cleared off the line by Richard Dunne.

City offered nothing in return, to leave Hughes searching for excuses,
with the Welshman claiming that the bright spring sunshine had
adversely affected his players. That may explain why Robinho and Elano
sought sanctuary in the dressing-room when they were removed in the
second half. Sheikh Mansour, the City owner, may wish to consider
installing a retractable roof at the City of Manchester Stadium just
in case, as well as signing some players with character.

Chelsea (4-1-4-1): P Cech 5 - J Bosingwa 6, R Carvalho 6, J Terry 6, A
Cole 6 - M Ballack 6 - N Anelka 6, F Lampard 7, M Essien 7, Deco 5 - D
Drogba 7. Substitutes: J Belletti 6 (for Deco, 41min), F Malouda (for
Drogba, 71). Not used: Hilário, J O Mikel, R Quaresma, S Kalou, Alex.
Next: Tottenham (a).

Manchester City (4-1-3-2): S Given 6 - M Richards 5, R Dunne 5, N
Onuoha 5, W Bridge 5 - P Zabaleta 4 - S Wright-Phillips 5, S Ireland
5, Robinho 4 - F Caicedo 3, Elano 4. Substitutes: C Evans 4 (for
Caicedo, 55min), K Etuhu 4 (for Elano, 66), V Bojinov (for Robinho,
81). Not used: J Hart, J Garrido, G Fernandes, G Berti. Next:
Sunderland (h).

Referee: M Riley Attendance: 41,810


--------------------------------------------------------------------------


Telegraph:


Chelsea leapfrog Liverpool to second spot

Liverpool might have ensured there will be no automatic coronation of
Manchester United this season, yet it is Chelsea who are emerging as
the most convincing heirs to Sir Alex Ferguson’s Premier League
throne.

By Jeremy Wilson at Stamford Bidge

Having finished in the top two in each of the past four seasons, they
look rejuvenated under Guus Hiddink and their performance in Sunday’s
'Battle of the Billionaires’ against Manchester City suggested a
further rediscovery of the resilience and consistency that carried
them to five trophies under Jose Mourinho.

A gap of four points and one game to Manchester United may still prove
decisive but, unlike Liverpool, Chelsea have an abundance of players
with the experience of winning a Premier League title. In Hiddink,
they also have a manager with the stature to rival Ferguson and the
Dutchman was canny enough yesterday to cast himself as the underdog
while deflecting any pressure in the direction of Old Trafford. “It’s
clear that after Saturday’s unexpected result that the tension has
come back in the league,” said Hiddink. “It gives a blow. It depends
on their calmness if it goes on. When you are in the driver’s seat and
someone else is coming, you can get a little bit nervous. The door is
a little bit open.

Of course [they are vulnerable]. In the Premier League, many teams
have the capacity to win there. It’s not a battle between the
managers. It’s a battle between the players. Rafael is experienced,
Sir Alex is very experienced. Let me, as a schoolboy, chase them.”

The schoolboy, though, may have to do without Deco for the rest of the
season after the Portugal midfielder limped off yesterday with a
hamstring injury. Hiddink is more confident about Didier Drogba’s
ability to quickly recover from a knock to his knee and can draw
particular confidence from the return of Michael Essien.

The contrasting performances of Essien, who scored Chelsea’s winning
goal after 18 minutes, and Robinho, who was virtually anonymous,
certainly supported Hiddink’s pre-match theory that it is not the size
of a club’s bank account that counts, but the way they utilise their
resources.

Luiz-Felipe Scolari previously declared that a fit Essien would be
like having “five new players” and, in the space of just six days, the
Ghanaian has gone some way to proving his theory.

Against Juventus, he scored the pivotal goal in Chelsea’s progression
to the Champions League quarter-finals and his presence yesterday
again inspired fresh midfield urgency.

Sensibly, he was not wasted at right-back or utilised as a holding
midfield but instructed to burst forward alongside Frank Lampard.

His goal, though, owed most to quick-thinking and a dash of good
fortune. With Lampard lining up a free-kick just inside the Manchester
City half, Essien drifted into space on the edge of the penalty area
and hooked a first-time volley off his shin beyond Shay Given.

Stephen Ireland was perhaps guilty of some slack marking, though it
was not the only time that City were unable to nullify Chelsea’s
variety of passing.

Lampard was particularly outstanding and a precise through-ball split
the City defence after 36 minutes, with Drogba back-heeling into the
path of Michael Ballack, who shot narrowly over.

Chelsea were also denied a convincing penalty claim shortly before
half-time when Nedum Onouha appeared to tug at Nicolas Anelka’s shirt
and then trip his former team-mate. City could give further thanks for
conceding just one goal after Juliano Belletti’s 25-yard shot flew
beyond Given but cannoned to safety off the inside of the post.

On the back of just one away league victory this season, there were no
real positives from a flat City performance. Robinho’s most memorable
contribution involved arguing with Mike Riley over perceived
injustices, while Elano headed straight for the tunnel after being
substituted. After initially sitting in the dugout, Robinho also
reacted to his substitution by heading in the direction of the away
dressing-room before the match had finished. “It was difficult to get
Robinho into the game,” said Hughes. “But all our attackers struggled.
You can’t just expect one player to carry the team. We have other
players who have to stand up to the plate.

“All is fine [with Elano]. No problem. With 10 minutes to go, he
[Robinho] is getting recovery strategies, fluids down him, so it’s not
an issue. The sunshine affected both teams in a negative way. We had
to try and put some extra legs and energy on the pitch in the end.”

The boos and chants of “what a waste of money” that accompanied
Robinho’s departure, however, suggested that the Chelsea supporters
did not share Scolari’s regret over the way Manchester City hijacked
his signing. Indeed, after six wins and a draw from seven matches, it
is the judgment of Hiddink in which Chelsea can increasingly trust.



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


Mail:


Chelsea 1 Manchester City 0:

Blues jump into second as Robinho flops again By NEIL ASHTON Football
News Correspondent

What a result for Chelsea. Not just the victory that leaves them four
points behind Manchester United, but their failure to sign Robinho
last August is the save of the season.
It certainly looked that way when Roman Abramovich walked across the
pitch at the final whistle, heading into the home dressing room to
slap Guus Hiddink on the back after Chelsea's fourth successive
victory in the Barclays Premier League.
There were no thumb-sucking celebrations at Stamford Bridge from the
Brazilians, just a good old-fashioned strop from two of Manchester
City's potential match-winners.

Elano was at it first, feigning surprise when he was substituted in
the 65th minute and then heading straight down the tunnel towards the
dressing room. A dressing down, more like.
He was followed shortly afterwards by Robinho, swapping shirts with
Salomon Kalou on his way down the steps and no doubt wishing he had
held his nerve last August to wait for Chelsea to improve their offer.

'Don't make anything of it,' pleaded City's manager Mark Hughes after
they slipped pathetically to their ninth defeat of the season on the
road.
Hard not to when two of the Premier League's most talented players
wandered aimlessly across the pitch until Hughes plucked up the
courage to haul them off.
'You can't expect one player to carry a team. We have other players
who have to stand up and be counted. It wasn't Robbie's day.'

Even when the sun is shining, as it was at Stamford Bridge, their
team-mates could not convince them to come out to play - they were
shirking their responsibilities and hiding in the shade.
'The sun affected both teams,' claimed Hughes.
'It certainly didn't shine too kindly on us.'
No kidding. Robinho's sole contribution to the game was to repeatedly
tell Michael Ballack to '**** off' as Shaun Wright-Phillips scampered
away with the ball after he failed to retreat the full 10 yards when
the Chelsea midfielder took a first-half free-kick.
This team had 10th written all over them when Robinho scored on his
debut in a 3-1 defeat at Eastlands last September and yet apparently
they are making great strides.
Where are they this morning? Tenth. They are eight places and 26
points behind Chelsea, a team with a sniff - and it is no more than
that at the moment - of a third Premier League title.

Chelsea were always comfortable. Not convincing by any means, but
there is a resilient look about them. They seem ready for a battle in
the remaining nine games and will believe they are back in the hunt,
ready to overhaul Manchester United in the run-in if Sir Alex
Ferguson's team somehow slip up.
This morning they will scan the fixture list again - Tottenham,
Newcastle, Bolton, Everton, West Ham, Fulham, Arsenal, Blackburn and
Sunderland, believing they are capable of winning every one of those
games.
Hiddink even changed his formation to accommodate Deco, who limped off
with a hamstring injury after just 41 minutes of his first start since
they lost 3-0 at Manchester United in January, and that bulldozer
Michael Essien.
They lined up 4-4-2, highly unusual for Chelsea, with Essien on the
right until he unexpectedly popped up inside the area to divert Frank
Lampard's 17th-minute freekick beyond Shay Given.
Essien's game was explosive, giving a barnstorming performance and
reminding John Mikel Obi, easily Chelsea's weakest link, how to
dictate matches.
His goal, his second in less than a week after his equaliser against
Juventus last Tuesday, was supposed to be the catalyst to go on and
score two, three or four past their second-rate opponents.

Instead they played within themselves, always ready to tap their foot
on the gas if City threatened to turn this into a contest.

They never looked likely to. Valeri Bojinov's effort, shortly after he
came on as Robinho's replacement, was their only shot, an embarrassing
footnote in this embarrassingly one-sided game.
'Sometimes it is difficult when we play away because Robbie is
obviously a threat and opponents know that,' added Hughes.
'We couldn't get him in the game, we're an attack-minded team but we
didn't have the sharpness we need when we come up against the
top-class teams.'
Chelsea threatened to be top class, picking holes in City's defence
whenever the mood took them. Ballack read Didier Drogba's mind by
running on to his delicious back-heel in the first half but clipping
his effort wide of the target.
Drogba and Frank Lampard then took it in turns to shoot wide and
Juliano Belletti, on as a substitute for Deco, rattled Given's post
after the break.
Hiddink has overseen this impressive transformation, turning Chelsea
into a football force again and laying the foundations for the future.
His (allegedly) short stay in England will not cost anything like that
£34m City paid for Robinho, but at least Chelsea are on to a winner.

MATCH FACTS
CHELSEA (4-4-2): Cech 6; Bosingwa 6, Carvalho 7, Terry 7, A Cole 6;
Essien 8, Lampard 6, Ballack 6, Deco 5 (Belletti 42min, 6); Anelka 6,
Drogba 5 (Malouda 70, 6).
MANCHESTER CITY (4-4-1-1): Given 6; Richards 5, Dunne 7, Onuoha 6,
Bridge 6; Wright-Phillips 6, Zabaleta 6, Elano 4 (Etuhu 65, 6),
Ireland 6; Robinho 4 (Bojinov 81); Caicedo 5 (Evans 53, 5). Booked:
Elano, Evans.
Man of the match: Michael Essien.
Referee: Mike Riley.


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------


Independent:


Essien gives flicker of hope to Blues' title bid

Chelsea 1 Manchester City 0

By Sam Wallace

Guus Hiddink's way of describing Chelsea's pursuit of Manchester
United in the title race was to declare yesterday that Sir Alex
Ferguson was in the driver's seat but that he must be "nervous"
someone was behind him. To extend the metaphor a little further, let
us imagine that in Ferguson's rear-view mirror he can see a portly yet
composed Dutchman, astride his beloved Harley-Davidson and
accelerating gently.

Hiddink really does have a Harley motorcycle back in Amsterdam but for
now it gathers dust while he goes about rejuvenating Chelsea's season.
Let no-one get too carried away, Hiddink's team are still four points
behind United, whose game in hand means that they are still very much
in control of this title race but at least Chelsea have regained some
credibility. Michael Essien's goal yesterday gave them hope, albeit
slim, that the race is not over.

Undefeated since he took over last month, this was Hiddink's sixth win
out of seven in all competitions and suddenly Chelsea have something
of that old indomitable attitude about them. He played down the
suggestions that his team might overhaul United, comparing himself to
a "schoolboy" in relation to Ferguson and Rafael Benitez, but do not
be fooled. No-one quite knows how United will respond to Saturday's
result but if they stumble again, Chelsea look very well placed to
take advantage.

Hiddink's side are in second place now, ahead of Liverpool on goal
difference and revving up nicely. "It is clear that after Saturday's
unexpected result that the tension has come back in the league," he
said. "It's a boost. But if we want to track them, we have to keep on
winning. That will create tension to the end of the season, which is
good for everyone."

Hiddink was not yet ready to call it on with Ferguson although you can
be assured that the Chelsea manager has an ego to compare with the
best of them, however humble he is currently playing it. "It's a
battle between the players," he said. "They [Benitez and Ferguson] are
both very experienced – Rafael is experienced. Sir Alex is very
experienced. Let me, as a schoolboy, chase them. At the end, it's
about the players.

"I don't know if you can compare the two clubs or how they will react
to this. But it gives United a blow. It depends on their calmness if
it goes on. But they have experience. I don't know what their reaction
will be. Let's hope for everyone [that United struggle]. When you are
in the driver's seat and someone else is coming, you can get a little
bit nervous."

The impact of Essien, whose goal came in just his second start since
his return from injury, is exactly the little bit of good fortune that
every new manager needs.

Hiddink may already have proved himself with his initial impact upon
this Chelsea team but Essien's return has been his reward. The player
they call "The Train" played as if he had never been away, a full 90
minutes of match-winning commitment that embodied the Chelsea of Jose
Mourinho.

Essien was everything Mourinho wanted in a footballer, a supreme
athlete who scored crucial goals. He was a major factor in Mourinho's
second title-winning season and then he scored the goal against
Valencia in 2007 that gave Avram Grant his first big win as Chelsea
manager.

Yesterday, Essien was the force in Hiddink's side. It says everything
about the player who has recovered from the cruciate knee ligament
injury sustained in August, playing for Ghana in Tripoli, to make a
difference to Chelsea's season.

To take the true value of Essien you only had to see how ambivalent
Hiddink was about the strong possibility that Deco will not play again
this season.

The Portuguese midfielder came off after 41 minutes complaining of the
hamstring problem that has troubled him this season. Would he be
playing again? "I have my doubts to be honest," Hiddink said, "but
let's see what happens." He did not sound like a manager for whom the
world has just caved in. Deco out, Essien in. It seems like a good
deal for Chelsea. Whether Deco ever plays again for the club is also
debatable, he is strongly connected to the Scolari regime and has not
been able to sustain the early promise he showed this season.

In contrast, Essien is just about the most saleable asset Chelsea
have. He took his goal brilliantly, volleying in Frank Lampard's
clever free-kick to him on the edge of the box after 18 minutes.

After that, Chelsea had a good shout for a penalty when Nedum Onuoha
dragged down Nicolas Anelka on 32 minutes but they were hardly
stretched. Manchester City were predictably dreadful away from home
where they have won just twice in their last 20 games.

The real embarrassment for Mark Hughes was a desperate performance
from his moody Brazilians, Elano and Robinho, both of whom were
substituted long after they had effectively given up.

It is a mystery why Hughes bothers to pat these players on the back as
they leave the field, the assumption being that he is just keeping
them happy until the end of the season when, at the very least, Elano
can be offloaded. The City manager deserves better than this. It is
rare for the Chelsea fans to be able to sing "what a waste of money"
at an opposing player without a hint of irony but it was justified in
Robinho's case.

Richard Dunne kicked substitute Florent Malouda's shot off the line in
the closing stages to keep the difference down to one goal but in
reality this was a hammering for City in everything but the scoreline.

Hiddink's greatest regret must be that – Chelsea having played their
two games against United before he arrived – he must leave it to
others to try to beat the champions. On current form he would fancy
his chances against United.

Goal: Essien (18) 1-0.

Chelsea (4-1-4-1): Cech; Bosingwa, Terry, Carvalho, A Cole; Ballack;
Anelka, Essien, Lampard, Deco (Belletti, 41); Drogba (Malouda, 72).
Substitutes not used: Hilario (gk), Mikel, Quaresma, Kalou, Alex.

Manchester City (4-2-3-1): Given; Richards, Dunne, Onuoha, Bridge;
Zabaleta, Ireland; Wright-Phillips, Elano (Etuhu, 68), Robinho
(Bojinov, 82); Caicedo (Evans, 55). Substitutes not used: Hart (gk),
Garrido, Fernandes, Berti.

Referee: M Riley (West Yorkshire).

Booked: Manchester City: Elano, Evans.

Man of the match: Essien.

Attendance: 41,810.


-------------------------------------------------------------------------


Guardian:


Essien provides spark as Chelsea stay in the chase

Chelsea 1 Essien 18
Manchester City 0

Kevin McCarra at Stamford Bridge

It was a luxury to amble into closer contention for the Premier League
title. Chelsea will not yet be utterly convinced that they can track
down the leaders Manchester United, who are four points clear with a
game in hand, but at least they will feel rested after this simple
victory. Mark Hughes, the visitors' manager, referred to missing
players and a weariness in the wake of a Uefa Cup win over Aalborg on
Thursday.

The Danes, however, had hardly tested City and if the club is to
achieve a status that corresponds with its wealth they will have to
develop a different mentality. Chelsea's lead was narrow in theory,
but of oceanic breadth to City. While Michael Essien's goal delivered
the win, it was his sheer vigour that counted for more. The Ghanaian
had appetite and influence in his first league start since sustaining
cruciate ligament damage while with his country in September.

City were despondent long before he tired. With a single away victory
in the league, the subdued tone of Hughes' team is not without cause.
They are six points clear of the relegation zone. That margin makes it
highly unlikely that they will be demoted, but it is galling even to
have to contemplate such a possibility. It is appropriate to
sympathise for a manager under pressure following the arrival of new
owners, but Hughes would have been feeling ill-at-ease no matter who
held the shares.

Though even-tempered afterwards, it must have infuriated the Welshman
that City had a single attempt on target, from the substitute Valeri
Bojinov, that hardly troubled Petr Cech. Essien's effort was never
likely to be overhauled. It was taken with his shin, but the true
untidiness lay in the visitors' defending after 18 minutes. Frank
Lampard had no trouble finding Essien with a free-kick struck from the
middle of the pitch. The midfielder connected first-time and the ball
flew past the left hand of Shay Given.

That contact contained its element of luck, but there was nothing
haphazard about Essien's influence overall. If he has been absent for
much of the campaign, that at least makes him a footballer whose
dynamism will also make a deep impression on wearying rivals. City had
certainly lost sight of him when he headed off-target from a Lampard
delivery in the 39th minute.

Earlier Lampard had been at the heart of an exquisite move that
Ballack started and then sought to finish. Stepping onto the backheel
by Drogba the German fired wide. There was an abundance of
opportunities and Chelsea will be reproached for spurning them. City
did at least persist and Richard Dunne, for instance, kicked clear an
effort by the substitute Florent Malouda with three minutes remaining.

Damage limitation cannot satisfy a club of such means. The crowd
jeered the eventual substitution of the ineffectual Robinho. Had
Chelsea succeeded in signing him before City stepped in he would have
been idolised here. On this occasion, the Brazilian was far advanced
on the left but that was largely a ploy to check the trademark surges
of the Chelsea full-back Jose Bosingwa. Of Robinho's dozen goals for
City, just two have come in away games and he has not scored at all
since December 28.

The statistics, of course, must reflect the help he is given and there
was little impact at Stamford Bridge from, for example, Stephen
Ireland, who had been enjoying an excellent campaign. Chelsea could
afford to be unflustered even when they might, for instance, have
railed against the referee Mike Riley when Nicolas Anelka was denied a
penalty after appearing to be fouled by Nedum Onuoha in the 32nd
minute.

If Guus Hiddink broods at all it will be over the pernicious hamstring
injury that curtailed Deco's afternoon. The manager suggested
afterwards that the Portuguese international might even have come to
the end of his involvement for this season. Chelsea's means are not
extensive in certain areas and it suits them that the main priority
must lie in the Champions League, a tournament in which just five
further games have to be negotiated by the eventual winners.

The caretaker Hiddink continues to be unbeaten with the club. This
latest success could have been resounding even though Chelsea did not
have to push themselves to the limits. It did not, for instance, feel
like a turning point had been reached when the substitute Juliano
Belletti hit the post with a long-range effort after 62 minutes. Any
uncertainty lay in the eventual margin of City's loss.

Hughes impresses with the calmness shown in a trying campaign, yet he
does need to galvanise his squad. Chelsea, for their part, might enjoy
living in what is relative seclusion following the hullabaloo of the
Mourinho era. The league may well be out of reach but the side is now
going about its work with quiet effectiveness.



-----------------------------------------------------------------------------


Sun:

Chelsea 1 Man City 0

MICHAEL ESSIEN'S stunner helped Chelsea keep up the pressure on Man Utd

By IAN McGARRY


GUUS HIDDINK has got everything right since he joined Chelsea.

Attitude, decisions, results.

Yesterday was no exception as his team won their fourth consecutive
league match to close the gap at the top to four points.

Michael Essien is nicknamed The Train by team-mates for the
unstoppable way he plays the game.

If events of the past six days are anything to go by, however, maybe
they should rename him the Goal Machine.

His strike made the difference against Manchester City yesterday just
as it did when he struck against Juventus last Tuesday.

This was only his third league start of the season and his first in six months.

On this form, though, it is not hard to see why the Blues struggled so
much when he was out with damaged cruciate ligaments.

The Ghana international takes the game to opponents, moving the ball
from one part of the pitch to another in the blink of an eye.

That frees up Frank Lampard to take up positions further forward and
receive a pass rather than make it.

Consequently, a team which has too often gone off the rails recently
is suddenly running like a dream.

The same cannot be said of their opponents yesterday.

Manchester City were desperate against Chelsea.

Desperate at the back, desperate in midfield and totally devoid of any
desperation to win.

And while Chelsea chase Manchester United, the day when the Red
Devils’ neighbours are considered proper rivals remains a distant
dream.

Hiddink actually called that one too. Last Friday he said he thought
it was ‘unlikely’ that City could win the Premier League in the
foreseeable future. In reality, their performance at Stamford Bridge
suggested they would struggle to win a pub league.

The clash of football’s richest clubs turned out to be a contest
between the haves and have nots.

Forget City’s trillions versus Chelsea’s billions.

It was something much less expensive but more valuable which separated
the two teams at Stamford Bridge — heart.

The score said it was 1-0 to Chelsea but if you calculated the score
based on effort and desire it would have been much, much more.

Even Hiddink said: “We really weren’t under any threat from City for
the whole game.”

As a player, Mark Hughes was the epitome of ambition and hunger.

At United and Chelsea, he was always up for a fight and the last to give up.

Sparky by name, explosive by nature — that was the best way to sum up
Hughes the player.

Which makes it all the more puzzling why he sits placidly on the
sidelines while his team does even less on the pitch. Even worse, when
he hooked two of the worst offenders — Elano and Robinho — he
applauded them off the pitch.

For what? Their amazing contribution, tireless work-rate and
commitment to the team?

Or was he just humouring them because, having tried criticising them
before, he realises it only makes them moan and play worse.

In that sense, you have to have some sympathy for Hughes.

He knows it is a matter of weeks before he loses his job, so why go to
war with his players.

Well, one reason would be to improve his job prospects after City,
assuming his payoff will not be so great to allow him to retire.
Hiddink, on the other hand, looks more and more likely to walk out of
Chelsea in the summer a hero.

This game was a microcosm of how he has turned around the team’s
fortunes since replacing Phil Scolari.

Chelsea continue to defend as if their lives depend on it and attack
like there’s no tomorrow.

They should have been three up by half-time in this contest but for
some poor finishing and a worse decision by ref Mike Riley.

Michael Ballack should have scored from Didier Drogba’s brilliant
backheel, while Nicolas Anelka was hauled back and hacked down by
Nedum Onuoha. It should have been a penalty but amazingly, it was not
given. It did not matter.

After 18 minutes, Lampard played a fiendish pass from a free-kick
which Essien simply lobbed over Shay Given.

A move rehearsed on the training ground last week, neither midfielder
could quite believe they had been allowed the space to make it work.

City players, however, seem allergic to work. Pablo Zabaleta was
supposed to mark Essien, while Stephen Ireland just looked on.

Despite losing Drogba and Deco to injury — the Ivorian should not be
out for long, but the prognosis is not so optimistic on the Portuguese
international — Chelsea look to be in rude health.

On the other hand, City’s condition continues to decline — and even
money cannot cure it.

The Times

Michael Essien helps Chelsea see off Claudio Ranieri and Juventus
Juventus 2 Chelsea 2 (Chelsea win 3-2 on aggregate)

Matt Hughes, Deputy Football Correspondent, Turin

On the eve of this match Guus Hiddink offered only platitudes when
asked what qualities a team required to win the Champions League, but
his players provided a far more eloquent answer. In a performance of
bravery, resilience and no little luck, Chelsea booked their place in
the quarter-finals by doing just enough to draw a spellbinding match,
in doing so demonstrating that they have what it takes to return to
Italy for the final on Wednesday, May 27.

Chelsea have become experts in navigating their way through the latter
stages of this competition, reaching the semi-finals in four of the
past five years, and this latest group of players have shown that they
are equally tournament-savvy.

As with Liverpool, Chelsea’s main men seem to raise their games on the
biggest of European nights, with Petr Cech, the goalkeeper,
outstanding and Didier Drogba arriving in the nick of time to score
the 83rd-minute goal that sealed their passage. Even those boys in
blue short of their best, such as Michael Ballack, dug in to
contribute when it mattered, the sign of a side who have yet to peak.

Chelsea were second best for long spells against a Juventus team whose
energy belied their advancing years, but such is the self-belief
instilled by Hiddink that they never looked like losing, even when the
home side were laying siege to their goal midway through the second
half. The transformation since that supine surrender at Old Trafford
two months ago has been simply extraordinary. What a difference a
manager makes.

Chelsea’s modus operandi does them few favours, though any lingering
doubts that the club were correct to dispense with Luiz Felipe Scolari
can now be dispelled. It is certainly difficult to imagine that these
players would have absorbed so much pressure before striking on the
counter-attack under the likeable Brazilian, but they are a different
proposition under Hiddink. Were it not for the fact that he made such
a spectacularly bad appointment in the first place, it would be time
to lavish some praise upon Roman Abramovich, the owner.

In a little more than a month, Hiddink has turned a collection of
unhappy, self-centred individuals into a team. Before last night his
main contribution had been hard work and organisation, but even
allowing for a perfectly good goal from Drogba being disallowed,
another ingredient was added to the mix — luck. The Dutchman rolled
the dice with an outrageously bold team selection and his numbers came
up.

Hiddink’s gamble on Michael Essien’s fitness initially backfired as
Chelsea were overrun in the first half, but it was eventually
vindicated as the Ghana midfield player showed remarkable stamina to
follow up Frank Lampard’s shot to tap in an equaliser on the stroke of
half-time. Essien’s brain may have been scrambled by being played out
of position on the right of midfield, but his legs, lungs and heart
remain strong.

Hiddink’s removal of Essien just after an hour was also well judged,
as by that stage even he was tiring and his replacement, Juliano
Belletti, played a crucial part in seeing Chelsea over the line. The
Brazil player was one of few players to distinguish himself under
Scolari and he confirmed his status as an invaluable squad player,
shoring up the midfield and getting into an advanced possession to
square the ball for Drogba to score his team’s second equaliser of the
night.

Chelsea would have gone through on away goals even without Drogba’s
fourth goal in five matches, but were never comfortable and several
obvious weaknesses remain. Given the lack of creativity elsewhere in
his squad, Hiddink has little option but to persevere with Drogba and
Nicolas Anelka up front, leaving them vulnerable against opposition
able to attack with width.

Juventus did just that in an opening 45 minutes in which they
dominated, Cristian Molinaro providing José Bosingwa and Essien with
all sorts of problems down the left before Vincenzo Iaquinta gave the
home side a deserved lead. The Italy striker, playing in a midfield
role, drifted in from the left to play a beautifully judged one-two
with David Trezeguet, bisecting Alex and John Terry with his run to
shoot past Cech. Three minutes later, Ballack gave the ball away to
Alessandro Del Piero, whose shot was tipped over.

Cech also had to be at his best during the second half as Juventus
pushed for a second, even after being reduced to ten men when Giorgio
Chiellini was sent off for a second booking. The Czech Republic
goalkeeper denied Trezeguet from point-blank range, but he was
powerless to prevent Del Piero giving Juventus the lead for a second
time, from the penalty spot, to set up a thrilling finish. The return
of Ricardo Carvalho from a hamstring injury should solve some
defensive problems, as Cech cannot always be relied upon to save them.

Chelsea somehow found an extra gear to leave the Old Lady lamenting
their fate as the fat lady sang, but will need to add greater quality
to undoubted character if they are to take part in the Roman carnival
in May.

Juventus (4-4-2): G Buffon — Z Grygera, O Mellberg, G Chiellini, C
Molinaro — V Iaquinta (sub: S Giovinco, 61min), Tiago, C Marchisio, P
Nedved (sub: H Salihamidzic, 45) — D Trezeguet (sub: Amauri, 78), A
Del Piero. Substitutes not used: A Manninger, J Zebina, C Poulsen, L
Ariaudo. Booked: Salihamidzic, Chiellini, Del Piero. Sent off:
Chiellini.

Chelsea (4-1-3-2): P Cech — J Bosingwa, Alex (sub: R Carvalho, 89), J
Terry, A Cole — J Obi Mikel — M Essien (sub: J Belletti, 66), M
Ballack, F Lampard — D Drogba, N Anelka. Substitutes not used:
Hilário, F Malouda, Deco, S Kalou, M Mancienne. Booked: Cech, Drogba,
Cole, Anelka.

Referee: A Mallenco Undiano (Spain).


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Telegraph:



Chelsea beat Juventus to reach Champions League quarter-finals
Juventus (1) 2 Chelsea (1) 2: Agg: 2-3

By John Ley in Turin

Michael Essien made a triumphant return in Italy last night, the
midfielder scoring the goal that takes Chelsea into the quarter-finals
of the Champions League in his first start for six months following
knee surgery.

Guus Hiddink decided to gamble by recalling Essien, but if it was a
risk, then Essien did not disappoint, his lungs and legs lasting
admirably before being substituted midway through the second half.
Once again, the Dutchman displayed an ability to do no wrong. He may
be insistent that his tenure at Chelsea will last only until the end
of the season but, with each success, he is making it increasingly
harder for Roman Abramovich not to offer him the world to stay at
Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea look to Roberto Mancini and Frank Rijkaard to replace Luiz
Felipe ScolariIt was not all plain sailing here, however. When
Vincenzo Iaquinta gave Juventus an early lead, restoring aggregate
parity, Chelsea were under pressure highlighting a poor first half
performance. However, Didier Drogba, whose goal in the first leg was
to prove so important, saw an effort clearly cross the line just
before the 45th minute goal, but referee Alberto Mallenco, unaided by
his assistant, failed to give it.

Essien responded seconds later to regain the aggregate lead but drama
followed with Juventus reduced to ten men, Giorgio Chiellini walking
for two yellow cards before Alessandro Del Piero converted a
controversial 70th minute penalty to make for a nervous ending.
Chelsea were heading for the last eight on the away goals rule but
Drogba, with his fourth goal in five games, ensured a numerical
advantage.

Perhaps it was the full moon that affected the poor performance of the
Spanish referee, but Chelsea can feel happy with a job well done. It
was no frills football, but a performance, nethertheless, of
determination and intelligence. And it gives England a 1-0 advantage
in a three-game rubber, with Manchester United and Arsenal now charged
with completing what could be a memorable hat-trick of successes over
Italian opposition.

When the first chance was created it came from a blue shirt, with
Michael Ballack venturing forward strongly before unleashing a half
volley off target. And then Anelka was only narrowly offside as he
tested Juve’s defence.

But just when Chelsea appeared to be settling, Juventus restored
aggregate parity with a masterclass in finishing. Iaquinta fed
Trezeguet then continued his run, accepting the return pass and
finishing with style, right-footed into the bottom corner.

The goal was designed to measure Chelsea’s resolve but when Del Piero
tested Petr Cech, his swerving effort had to be punched over by the
goalkeeper. Another Del Piero attempt, a dipping free kick, was held
comfortably by Cech.

Chelsea’s formation meant that they effectively lacked a presence on
the left side of midfield, though Anelka did drift wide, as shown
shortly before half time when the Frenchman delivered a healthy cross,
only for the Juventus defence to clear easily.

But a poor attempt from Anelka only highlighted the poor first half
performance, easily the worst during Hiddink’s tenure.

But with just 30 seconds of normal time remaining Chelsea appeared to
have a perfectly good goal ruled out. Former Chelsea player Tiago
handled and Drogba’s free-kick was met by Gianluigi Buffon, but
unconvincingly, and the ball appeared to cross the line.

Chelsea’s players were clearly furious but within seconds they did
score and this time it counted. Frank Lampard shot from 25 yards, it
took a slight deflection and was pushed onto the cross bar but Essien
was on hand to bundle the ball home, right on the stroke of half time.

Television replays confirmed Drogba’s attempt did cross the line so
the value of Essien’s goal could not be over-stated. The away goal
meant that Juventus now needed to score twice to halt Chelsea’s
passage but with Buffon looking erratic – he had to punch clear
another Lampard effort early in the second half – is was the Italians
who seemed more vulnerable.

Chelsea were now in control, frustrating both Juventus and their
boisterous fans with good, sensible possession. This was no frills
football, engineered by strong defending, good running off the ball
and a solid midfield.

When Chelsea did come under pressure, Terry made a telling clearance
from Salihamidzic, while Cech saved easily from Del Piero. Cech then
saved well was Trezeguet on a night when he produced one of his finest
performances for some time.

The referee, who had a poor game, created confusion in the 72nd
minute. Play was halted by more than a minute as Chelsea argued with
the Spaniard as it became apparent that he had awarded a penalty,
against Chelsea, after spotting a handball in the defensive wall, with
Belletti guilty of illegally halting Trezeguet’s free kick.

When play resumed, Del Piero converted the kick, almost nonchalantly,
to the left of Cech.

But to make their task harder, Juve were reduced to 10 men for the
final 20 minutes when Giorgio Chiellini, already cautioned, received a
second yellow card for shoving Drogba in the back.

The referee was losing control and caused confusion when he halted
play before awarding Juventus a penalty, converted by Del Piero. That
made the remaining 20 minutes nervous, for Chelsea at least. However,
Drogba converted Belletti’s cross in the 83rd minute to make certain
of their passage.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------


Independent:


Drogba seals Chelsea passage

Juventus 2 Chelsea 2 (Chelsea win 3-2 on aggregate)

By Glenn Moore at Stadio Olimpico

Didier Drogba, whose disaffection was symbolic of Chelsea's mood under
Luiz Felipe Scolari, underlined his rejuvenation, and subsequent
status as the key player in Guus Hiddink's successful start, with the
crucial goal in Piedmont last night.

Two-one down on the night Chelsea were in jeopardy of an early
departure from the Champions League when Drogba, whose goal separated
the sides in the first leg, stole his fourth in five games with seven
minutes of the game remaining.

That finally killed off a brave performance from Claudio Ranieri's
Juventus who had drawn level on aggregate after just 18 minutes
through Vincenzo Iaquinta. Chelsea struggled to assert themselves but
Michael Essien, making his first start after six months out with
injury, scored a precious away goal in first-half stoppage time. That
seemed enough, especially when Giorgio Chiellini was dismissed with 20
minutes left, but the evergreen Alessandro del Piero converted a
penalty four minutes later to put the tie in doubt once again. Drogba,
however, had the last word, stealing a goal which will make his
31st-birthday today all the sweeter.

"Drogba's form is very important to us," said Hiddink. "What is
important for us is he shows his commitment and is always busy. He
does not give a central defender an easy night, and it is even better
when he scores. He is doing very well, the goal showed he is sharp."

As well as the jolt of conceding early Chelsea also had what looked a
good goal ruled out though the ball had crossed the goalline. Chelsea
did score almost immediately after, and their response to such
adversity cheered Hiddink who added: "A team which shows a reaction
like that can win seven or eight times out of 10."

The Dutchman had approached the tie cautiously, dropping Salomon Kalou
in favour of Essien and deploying a four-man midfield in which John
Obi Mikel was in the anchor role and the left side was left unstaffed.

It was Essien's first start since suffering a knee injury playing for
Ghana in September and it soon became apparent his role was to stifle
Pavel Nedved. This quickly became irrelevant as Nedved suffered a knee
injury. Ranieri must have despaired. He already had four midfielders
injured, which was one reason for playing Iaquinta alongside David
Trezeguet with Del Piero, a veteran of four Champions League finals,
three of them lost, in the hole.

Nedved's departure seemed to unsettle Chelsea more for Iaquinta struck
as they adjusted to Juve's new shape. It was a poor goal to concede.
The Italian international played a simple pass into Trezeguet and kept
going, Trezeguet flicking the ball into his path for Iaquinta to drive
past Petr Cech's left hand.

The crowd erupted. Suddenly the banner they unfurled before the match,
which copied Barack Obama's slogan, "Yes we can", seemed realistic.
Yet Juventus failed to build on their advantage, Chelsea stifling them
before striking back.

In the circumstances the equaliser was richly deserved. The
circumstances were that two minutes from the break Tiago handled and
Drogba's free-kick appeared to be clawed back from behind the line by
Gianluigi Buffon. The goal was not given, prompting both managers to
add their voices to the clamour for the introduction of goalline
technology, but it mattered not. Within two minutes Buffon was again
stretching for the ball after Frank Lampard tried his luck from 30
yards. Buffon pushed the shot against the bar, it bounced down,
possibly over the line. Essien settled all arguments by winning the
foot race with two defenders to stab the ball in. The Ghanaian had not
looked match-fit, but he was sharp enough when it mattered.

"We started sloppily," added Hiddink. "We lost too many duels and they
could play easy passes into our defence. We were not marking well and
they scored. But we knew we must not panic as we can score at any
moment, which we did. In the second half we controlled the game more."

Juve's frustration at Chelsea's control, of the tie and of the play,
manifested itself on the pitch, where Chiellini was booked for
ploughing through the back of Michael Ballack, and off it as the crowd
were moved to jeer both a mis-directed pass, and Ranieri's decision to
withdraw Iaquinta.

However, the game was not yet safe and Chelsea's own nerves were
exposed when Cech got in a scramble on the edge of his box, and
handled outside it. He was booked and though the free-kick came to
naught Juventus were encouraged.

The Italians then pressed again and Cech redeemed himself by tipping
over a Trezeguet header following a Del Piero cross. Hiddink's
response was to replace the tiring Essien with Juliano Belletti. More
significantly Anelka was moved to wide left in a 4-5-1 formation.

Juventus' task became mountainous when Chielli was dismissed with 20
minutes to go for scything down Drogba from behind, his second yellow
card. But the drama was not finished. Belletti handled a Trezeguet
free-kick in the area. After what seemed an age, with the Spanish
referee besieged by Chelsea protests, Del Piero calmly rolled in the
spot-kick.

Juve, roared on, pushed forward, leaving gaps which Chelsea exploited
when the tireless Ballack released Belletti on the right and Drogba
slid in to convert the cross. Chelsea are through to their fifth
quarter-final in six years but they will have to play better if they
are to finally realise Roman Abramovich's dream.

Juventus (4-3-1-2): Buffon; Grygera, Mellberg, Chiellini, Molinaro;
Marchisio, Tiago, Nedved (Salihamidzic, 13); Del Piero; Iaquinta
(Giovinco, 61), Trezeguet (Amauri, 79). Substitutes not used:
Manninger (gk), Zebina, Poulsen, Ariaudo.

Chelsea (4-1-3-2): Cech; Bosingwa, Alex (Carvalho, 88), Terry, A Cole;
Mikel; Essien (Belletti, 65), Ballack, Lampard; Drogba, Anelka.
Substitutes not used: Hilario (gk), Deco, Kalou, Malouda, Mancienne.

Referee: A Undiano Mallenco (Spain).


----------------------------------------------------------------------

Guardian:

Essien and Drogba draw the sting from 10-man Juve
Juventus 2 Iaquinta 19, Del Piero (pen) 74
Chelsea 2 Essien 45, Drogba 83

Dominic Fifield at the Stadio Olimpico

Chelsea have their quarter-final and scars aplenty to show for this
skirmish with the Old Lady. A frenzied evening marked by a flurry of
goals and cards, a timely reward for a player whose season had
appeared wrecked by injury, and some bizarre decisions from the
officials ended with Guus Hiddink's side safely ensconced in the last
eight. They may not have sent shockwaves across Europe, but at least
there is evidence that the resilience is back.

It took a goal against 10 men finally to deflate Claudio Ranieri's
side. Juliano Belletti, whose handball had presented Juventus with an
unlikely late lead, eked out space down the right and crossed low for
Didier Drogba, capitalising on the space left by the dismissed Giorgio
Chiellini, to slide in the second equaliser. That was fine reward for
the Ivorian, though it was Michael Essien's name that was chorused at
the end, the midfielder having scored on his first start in over six
months. There is more to come from the Ghanaian, and the same might be
said of this team.

Chelsea had known this was likely to prove an uncomfortable occasion.
Juve had overcome first-leg deficits to force progress in the
knock-out phase of this competition four times in the past, and had
shown flashes of class in thrusting the home side back in the first
leg despite conceding an early goal. Hiddink must have feared seeing
his side subjected to a scorching start and his selection was nothing
if not bold, handing Essien a first start since August and with
Nicolas Anelka, absent from training all last week nursing a toe
injury, beginning up front.

The pair had an immediate impact, if not in the way their manager had
envisaged. Both clattered Pavel Nedved in the early exchanges, forcing
the Czech from the field before the quarter-hour mark clutching his
ribs and leaving Juve apparently shorn of creativity. Even so they had
forged level in the tie before, with the interval approaching, Essien
proved his worth in more legitimate manner.

The visitors were still coming to terms with a linesman's insistence
that Drogba's near-post free-kick, bent round the wall, had not
crossed the line when, within seconds, Frank Lampard emerged from the
midfield stodge to crash a shot from distance on to the underside of
the crossbar via Buffon's touch. The ball cannoned down near the
goal-line again with Buffon prone for Essien, marauding through the
centre, to knock it into the net.

The Ghanaian has been through so much on the sidelines this season
that he deserved the reward – celebrated with gusto and the coaching
staff – and it was a dagger to Juve's hopes. For so long they had
appeared destined to prosper, their midfield runners disturbing
Chelsea's rhythm and the clever inter-play of their front trio
threatening to expose the frailties which had surfaced too often
before Hiddink's arrival.

The game had taken almost 20 minutes to erupt. Then David Trezeguet
collected Vincenzo Iaquinta's pass and flicked an exquisite ball
inside John Terry and Ashley Cole for the Italy forward to gather. His
finish was emphatic and the Premier League team quivered.

In the aftermath of that goal the contest had appeared Juve's for the
taking. Alessandro Del Piero, losing Mikel John Obi at will, had
prompted and provided to make up for Nedved's absence. It was the
veteran's free-kick that had Petr Cech palming up and away with little
conviction, the goalkeeper gathering another swerving attempt as the
home side, sensing vulnerability, toyed with befuddled opponents. Yet
the manner of the riposte just before the interval knocked the belief
from the Italians' approach.

Thereafter it was Chelsea who threatened further reward, conceding
possession in the centre and waiting for Juventus's frantic players to
over-elaborate before pouncing on the counter. Lampard, his influence
restored, glided into dangerous areas. There was outrage in the Curva
Sud when Cech handled outside his area, sliding out near the touchline
to gather but was shown only yellow, the locals taking their ire out
on the officials who had denied Drogba the first-half goal.

The tone of the tie had been transformed, the urgency all Italian but
Chelsea restored to their dogged best, though the officials were not
done influencing affairs just yet. Chiellini's second yellow card,
this one for dissent, had appeared to have settled matters, but the
Spanish official penalised Belletti for handball as Del Piero's
free-kick veered into the area to present the Italians with an
unlikely route back into the game. Del Piero calmly stroked in the
penalty and Chelsea, so dominant, were fretting again.


-------------------------------------------------------------------------


Mail:


Juventus 2 Chelsea 2: The Train is on time with vital goal as Juve fall

Chelsea win 3-2 on aggreagate
By Matt Lawton from Turin

Amid the chaos and confusion of an enthralling Champions League
encounter, Michael Essien, known to his team-mates as The Train,
arrived on time and so, more crucially, did a goal from Didier Drogba.
Chelsea are through to yet another Champions League quarter-final but
they made hard work of it here, almost contriving at one stage to
succumb to a spirited Juventus side that had actually been reduced to
10 men.
It was absorbing stuff. A bumptiously-executed penalty from the
forever-young Alessandro Del Piero and suddenly the Italians had 16
minutes to score what would have been a decisive goal.

  But from Juliano Belletti came a cross that made amends for the
needless handball that had led to Del Piero's spot-kick; and from a
rejuvenated Drogba came the goal that had Guus Hiddink shaking his
fist in celebration at the final whistle.
In fairness to the Old Lady, she probably felt as if she had been
mugged, given how she dominated much of this contest. Chelsea were
disappointing last night, as even Ray Wilkins admitted in his
half-time verdict to the television cameras. 'We were poor,' he said.
In fairness to Chelsea they did, however, have what replays suggested
was a perfectly good goal disallowed when Gianluigi Buffon failed to
stop Drogba's bullet free-kick from crossing the line in the 43rd
minute.

Chelsea, down to what amounted to a wonderful opening goal from
Vincenzo Iaquinta in the 19th minute, were struggling and the sight of
the match officials signalling for play to continue in the wake of
Buffon's controversial save only worsened their mood.
Little more than three minutes later, though, in first-half added
time, and Essien had demonstrated why his comparison to a locomotive
goes beyond that awesome combination of pace and power.

Mussolini once made the trains run on time in Italy and even he would
have admired the sheer perfection of Essien's arrival after seeing
Buffon push a deflected effort from Frank Lampard against the bar.
In the second or so Buffon spent trying desperately to regain his
balance and possession of the ball, Essien had pounced ahead of Juve's
central defenders to mark his long-awaited return to Champions League
football in style.
It must have been tough for Claudio Ranieri to take, especially when
he had proved to his former employers that his tinkering is sometimes
based on sound tactical thinking.
The loss of Pavel Nedved to injury after only 13 minutes amounted to a
major disruption but Ranieri reshuffled his side impressively,
deploying Del Piero in Nedved's playmaker role, pushing Iaquinta
alongside David Trezeguet in attack and sending on the excellent Hasan
Salihamidzic to sit in central midfield.

Only six minutes later and the switch had produced a goal. A backheel
from Iaquinta was followed by a great pass from Trezeguet that in turn
was rewarded with a sublime finish from his new partner. If they made
John Terry and Ashley Cole look rather foolish, it was as much down to
the sheer quality of their football as it was the static nature of
Chelsea's defending.
It was exactly what both sides deserved, Juve for their invention and
industry, Chelsea for naively believing they could sit back and
protect the one-goal advantage they had brought from Stamford Bridge.
Hiddink said it would be dangerous to sit so deep but that was exactly
the approach his side employed, inviting Juve to extend their lead,
forcing Petr Cech to make the first of a series of fine saves to deny
Del Piero.
Not once in those previous five games under Hiddink had Chelsea gone a
goal behind but here they were in such a position and they appeared to
be in trouble, albeit in a tie that was now perfectly balanced.
Frustration began to surge through those blue Chelsea veins. Essien
was incensed when a decision was given against him. Michael Ballack
shook his head when a pass went astray. They seemed bereft of ideas.
Sadly lacking in inspiration. Until, that is, they suddenly earned a
free-kick shortly before the interval. A free-kick that would lead to
a goal that would not be given but would succeed in injecting some
life into this stuttering Chelsea side.

Hiddink said they might need a bit of good fortune as well as good
football and it did eventually come in the form of the deflection that
suddenly made Lampard's shot that much more difficult for the
brilliant Buffon.
A goal for Essien. Disaster for Juve. Thanks to the away-goal rule,
Juve now needed to score twice to progress to the last eight but my
how hard they worked in trying to trying to perform what appeared the
impossible. After the break and the fluent football had given way to a
more frantic approach but one that in some ways was more effective.
Cech had to produce a world-class save to guide a Trezeguet header to
safety and the Chelsea goalkeeper excelled again when he held a
searching free-kick from Sebastian Giovinco.
When Giorgio Chiellini was then dismissed in the 71st minute for a
second yellow card for what seemed to be dissent, Chelsea must have
thought they were home and dry.
That, however, was before Belletti - on as a replacement for the
exhausted Essien - decided in a moment of madness to raise a hand in
stopping a free -kick from Trezeguet. This Del Piero did not miss,
ignoring the disgraceful protests of an angry Chelsea mob and inviting
Juve to make the final 16 minutes all the more compelling.



---------------------------------------------------------------------

Sunday Times

Chelsea on a Sky Blues cruise
Coventry 0 Chelsea 2

Joe Lovejoy at Ricoh Arena

CHELSEA moved routinely into the semi-finals of the FA Cup with their
fifth win in as many matches under Guus Hiddink, but the new manager’s
100% record is sure to come in for a much sterner test than this in
Tuesday’s Champions League tie against Juventus. Nicolas Anelka,
absent yesterday with a foot injury, may be fit for the trip to Turin.

Coventry’s Chris Coleman said beforehand that the Premier League team
would need to be at their best to win at the Ricoh Arena, which was
sold out for the first time since it was opened in 2005. He was wrong.

Chelsea hardly had to change out of second gear to dispose of
disappointingly poor opposition, whose performance reflected their
status in the bottom half of the Championship. Coleman’s post-match
complaint that the referee, Steve Bennett, had been “too smug and
friendly” with the Chelsea players and had “talked down” to the home
team had the sour-grapes taste of a bad loser.

Coventry have lost to Sheffield United, Derby and Cardiff recently,
and how they accounted for Blackburn in the last round of the Cup is a
mystery after this performance. Hiddink was spot on when he spoke of
“a very good end to a normal day’s work”. He added: “I thought we
controlled the game well and made a beautiful second goal which killed
it.”

The outcome was never in doubt from the 15th minute, when Scott Dann,
Coventry’s centre-half and captain, feebly surrendered possession to
the resurgent Didier Drogba, whose powerful, driven finish provided
him with his third goal in the last four matches.

Drogba immediately ran to Michael Essien, whose return, after a
six-month absence, was Chelsea’s post-match focus. Essien, who
replaced John Obi Mikel after 64 minutes, is a more accomplished
option for the midfield anchor role, and Hiddink intends to restore
him to the starting line-up sooner rather than later. Chelsea’s second
goal, which removed any lingering hopes the home crowd may have
entertained, came in the 72nd minute when Ricardo Quaresma’s break and
cross from the right enabled the charging Alex to score with an
emphatic finish at the far post.

Coventry were tediously reliant on the long ball and their most
dangerous weapon was Aron Gunnarsson’s long throw, so it was not
without irony that the second goal started from one of these howitzer
hurls from the Icelander, cleared by Michael Ballack for Quaresma to
break away and centre to the onrushing Alex. Much was made by Coleman
of the fact that Alex and Drogba had been off the field receiving
treatment for a clash of heads and were allowed back on too early when
Gunnarsson took the throw. It was a moot point, and not one of major
consequence.

The two goals apart, the best chance saw Frank Lampard’s dipping free
kick from distance tipped over the bar by Kieran Westwood for the save
of the match. Coventry’s outstanding opportunity came midway through
the first half when Leon Best, playing in a protective mask, left Alex
on his backside and evaded John Terry, only to shoot as if the mask
was a blindfold. Clinton Morrison’s finishing was similarly woeful
late on.

Hiddink said that he had fined Ashley Cole for being drunk and
disorderly in the early hours of Thursday morning but, after
“assessing all the facts”, he had not considered dropping him. It had
been “a little thing we had to cope with” and the issue was now
closed. The manager preferred to discuss the return of Essien and
Ricardo Carvalho, who was an unused substitute here, which had brought
his squad back up to something approaching full strength. Of Drogba’s
improved form, Hiddink said: “From the first day, when I saw him in
our Cup tie at Watford, and after that in training, he has been
working very hard. I don’t know what happened before I came, but I
haven’t had any complaints about his attitude or his commitment.

“I have devised a specific programme for him to work on his
positioning. I don’t have to force him to do that extra work, he does
it willingly.”

Last night, Hiddink had already turned his attention to Tuesday
evening, arriving back at his west London home in time to watch the
Turin derby between Juventus and Torino. No doubt he was pondering a
starting role return for Essien. “I have many hours between now and
the start of the Juve game to make a decision,” he said. “It is very
good to have him back. You could see today he played 30 minutes but he
has to pick up the game rhythm. The other players in the team you can
see have the game rhythm.”

Coleman said: “This was the biggest game for the club at this new
stadium, but we need to move on. It is going to be difficult against
Bristol City on Tuesday, but we’ve got to get back on it. We will have
to get back to reality.”

COVENTRY: Westwood 6, Wright 5, Dann 4, Turner 5, Hall 5, Henderson 6,
Doyle 5 (Beuzelin 59min, 5), Gunnarsson 7, Eastwood 5, Best 5,
Morrison 5

CHELSEA: Cech 6, Bosingwa 6, Alex 6, Terry 6, A Cole 6, Ballack 6,
Mikel 5 (Essien 64min), Lampard 6, Kalou 5 (Quaresma h-t, 6), Drogba 7
(Di Santo 80min), Malouda 4



------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Telegraph:


Chelsea too strong for Coventry and ease in to FA Cup semi-finals

Never mind Cardiff’s heroics last year, when the cream of the Premier
League take the FA Cup seriously there can, sadly, only be one
outcome. Hence, there was never much likelihood of Coventry upsetting
Chelsea, let alone threaten the class of ’87’s unrivalled place in Sky
Blues history.

By Clive White

Now it’s back to the long shot of Championship promotion and a match
at Ashton Gate for Chris Coleman’s side while Guus Hiddink’s team
moves on to the San Siro on Tuesday, dreaming of European glory. As a
preparation for their match with Juventus this tie was next to useless
– unless, of course, Claudio Ranieri is of a mind to get his Italian
all-stars to start pumping it long like Coventry.

The ingredients for an upset yesterday were all there on Coventry’s
side: they have been in good form at home recently, beating the
Championship’s top two Wolves and Birmingham, not to mention Blackburn
Rovers in the previous round. Coleman was confident and it wasn’t
difficult to see how the Ricoh Arena could become a cauldron for the
opposition if Coventry’s tails were up. Perhaps they just needed a
lucky break, say, a deflection into Petr Cech’s goal off someone’s
knee, a la Gary Mabbutt in ’87. No, on second thoughts, perhaps not.

Chelsea were just too good, which is not to say they were great, even
if Hiddink did punctuate his post-match comments with liberal use of
the word “beautiful”, as the Dutch tend to do. They gave the
impression they had an extra engine in reserve never mind extra gears
had Coventry come up with something special. Coleman admitted as much,
but did have one or two gripes afterwards.

Firstly, he criticised referee Steve Bennett’s decision to allow two
Chelsea players – Didier Drogba and Alex – back onto the field of play
prematurely after sustaining injury, from which point Chelsea broke
upfield and scored the match-clinching second goal – through Alex -
and secondly, he objected to what he saw as Bennett’s smugness.

“He was too smug towards us,” said Coleman. “Talking to my players –
my senior players – they were saying he was very, very friendly with
some of the Chelsea boys. I understand it’s Chelsea and sometimes you
can be in awe of great players – and they are great players – but he
had to do a job. They [the Coventry players] weren’t happy with him,
they weren’t happy with his attitude.”

Instead of the flying start, which City so desperately needed, they
got a false one. A backward header by Ben Turner to Scott Dann after
15 minutes should have presented no difficulty to the Coventry
captain, but instead of dealing with it emphatically, he dallied and
was dispossessed by Drogba. The Chelsea striker is in the mood these
to make his own chances without being handed one on a plate and he
nonchalantly took the ball wide of Keiren Westwood in goal before
wellying home his sixth goal of the season.

“He is dangerous,” said Hiddink, who does a nice line in
understatement, “and it is good for the whole group that we have him
back. He still makes little mistakes, but he can improve. For me he is
a guy who has been working hard from day one. I don’t want to judge
what happened before.”

Coventry’s back four never really recovered from that and the insides
of an old central defender like Coleman must have been churning on the
touchline. Coventry didn’t want for effort but the quality just wasn’t
there. Once in the first half Leon Best, the hero of their win over
Blackburn, went on a winding run that his namesake would have been
proud but then finished with a shot that was more Clyde Best than
George Best.

At times in the first half it was as much as Coventry could do to get
out of their own half never mind threaten Cech’s goal; perhaps it was
his lurid orange outfit that repelled them. About the closest Coventry
came to making a game of it was when Clinton Morrison came within
inches of connecting with a speculative overhead kick to a long throw
from Aron Gunarsson after 66 minutes.

Four minutes later the game was up for them. Drogba and Alex banged
heads in the Chelsea area – not that they needed to – and had to wait
on the touchline for permission to return to the fray after treatment,
which they did a little too promptly for Coleman’s liking. To make
matters worse, Drogba was the one who sent substitute Ricardo Quaresma
on his way with a right-wing break and from his cross Alex powered
home like the goalscorer he isn’t.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------


Mail:


Coventry 0 Chelsea 2: Coventry give up without a fight as Hiddink's
men stay on the trophy trail
By PATRICK COLLINS

A few moments after the final whistle, Guus Hiddink was asked for his
reaction to reaching an FA Cup semi-final. He said he was pleased with
the result and satisfied with the performance. He added: 'Coventry are
not a difficult team to play.'
The Chelsea coach realised his error immediately. He winced,
apologised for his English and insisted that Coventry had, in fact,
been extremely difficult opponents. And although Hiddink seems an
honest man, nobody believed him.
For Chelsea's progress to the last four was almost indecently simple.
They went through their paces, ticked their boxes, completed their
chores and accepted their reward without spilling a drop of surplus
sweat.

The anticipated gap in class was revealed as a chasm. They have surely
experienced more arduous examinations on the training ground. Even
those of us who still detect a dusting of magic in the oldest Cup
competition in the world cannot begin to defend such palpable
mismatches at the quarter-final stage.
It is traditional to console the underdogs by claiming that they gave
it a real go, never conceded an inch, did themselves proud. In
reality, none of those cliches rings particularly true.

Coventry were unduly cautious, indifferently organised and utterly
devoid of guile. Take away the odd, vaguely neanderthal long throw
from Aron Gunnarsson and they offered nothing to hurt Chelsea.
Not until the game was dead and buried in the last 15 minutes did they
even contemplate genuine enterprise as opposed to dour containment.

Coventry's manager Chris Coleman, while admitting that his men had
been beaten out of sight by a vastly superior football team, erected a
daft little smokescreen by suggesting that the referee Steve Bennett
had been on overly friendly terms with the Chelsea stars, that he had
spoken dismissively to the honest yeomen of Coventry.
In short, that he had been a trifle 'smug'. It was a curious
distraction, almost Warnockian in its paranoia, and the best we can
say is that his heart was not really in it.
He had been rather more frank in his programme notes, where he
announced: 'We have always said that the League is the most important
thing.' Which is rather sad, if undeniably true.
The Coventry public were rather more enthusiastic. They maintained the
noise from start to finish, bawling their support for a lost cause and
cheerfully abusing their Chelsea player of choice.

Frank Lampard was lightly burned and Didier Drogba energetically
derided. But, inevitably, the heaviest flak was reserved for Ashley
Cole. Throughout the 90 minutes, his every touch was greeted with a
barrage of boos.
He affected indifference, but on occasion he looked quite hurt. For
Ashley knows, better than most, just what boos can do to a man.
Yet these diverting sideshows could not divert the inevitable course
of the game. Within two minutes of a dire first half, Drogba was
whipping a self-made opportunity past the far post.
After 15 soporific minutes, an innocuous ball came drifting towards
the Coventry back line. Scott Dann had two chances to clear, and
declined both. Drogba seized the subsequent chance with punitive
efficiency.

From there on, it became a lesson in pass and move, with Chelsea
possession secure beyond challenge and the odd half-chance emerging
from their total domination.
The wonder was that half-time arrived with only a goal's difference
between the sides, the more so since Coventry's central defenders were
the football equivalent of 'walking wickets'.
Chelsea brought on Ricardo Quaresma for Salomon Kalou at the interval,
and later felt sufficiently at ease to involve the massively
influential Michael Essien for the last 25 minutes. Six minutes later,
the game was put to bed.
It was a curiously assembled goal. Drogba and his central defender
team-mate Alex clashed heads inside the Chelsea box. After treatment,
they demanded to return as Gunnarsson wound himself up for yet another
throw.

Referee Bennett held them back, then waved them on as the ball was
contested. It was knocked clear to Quaresma, who made urgent strides
down the right, saw the pass early and played it perfectly.
Alex, careering forward, met the cross with a striker's precision.
Poor old Coleman worked hard to find something sinister in Bennett's
conduct at that throw but, once again, his heart was not in it.
So Chelsea came sauntering home, with a Wembley semi-final secure and
Juventus appearing on their radar for a Champions League collision on
Tuesday.
Their season could yet be memorable, as they continue to fight on
several fronts. But one thing is certain: the next few weeks will
offer all manner of tests. And every one will be infinitely more
demanding than yesterday's gentle stroll in the Warwickshire sunshine.

COVENTRY (4-3-1-2): Westwood; Wright, Dann, Turner, Hall; Henderson,
Doyle (Beuzelin 59min), Gunnarsson; Eastwood; Morrison, Best. Subs
(not used): Marshall, Ward, Osbourne, McPake, Simpson, Thornton.
Booked: Beuzelin.
CHELSEA (4-3-3): Cech; Bosingwa, Alex, Terry, A Cole; Ballack, Mikel
(Essien 65), Lampard; Kalou (Quaresma 46), Drogba (Di Santo 80),
Malouda.
Subs (not used): Hilario, Carvalho, Quaresma, Belletti, Mancienne.
Referee: S Bennett (Kent).



-------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Indy:


No romance for Coventry as Hiddink's honeymoon goes on

Coventry City 0 Chelsea 2

By James Corrigan at the Ricoh Arena

Five out of five and at least one visit to Wembley booked in for the
fans. Guus Hiddink's first four weeks in charge must now be credited
as being the start of dreams. Of a billionaire's dream at that. In
truth, though, anything but advancement from this rather dull FA Cup
quarter-final would have been disappointing for Guy the Gorilla, never
mind Guus the Genius; particularly as Hiddink fielded his strongest
XI. With the Champions' League return leg at Juventus looming on
Tuesday, it was, as the Coventry manager, Chris Coleman, called it,
"the greatest compliment".

Perhaps Hiddink was thinking back to the club's humiliating exit at
the same stage against Barnsley last year; or perhaps he was expecting
rather more from a Coventry side who never truly managed to raise
themselves above their Championship standing. Then again, maybe
Hiddink truly does hold the old competition in such high esteem. "We
don't have priority for the Champions' League," he said. "The FA Cup
is not just respected in England but worldwide."

Certainly it would have been no surprise to see him "rest" Ashley Cole
after his arrest outside a West End nightspot in the early hours of
Thursday morning. Hiddink maintained that after "addressing the issue"
with the England defender he did not think about dropping him – "not
for a single moment". As it was, Cole's performance was both sober and
orderly; a description that neatly summed up Chelsea.

Coleman billed it as "the biggest game in the history of this
stadium", which seeing as it has been in use since August 2005 was not
the grandest of statements. Nevertheless, this was the first time the
Ricoh Arena had been at capacity. Well, that is not strictly true, as
Oasis had also managed to raise the sold-out signs. Coleman was
certainly looking back in anger about the referee's display.

"I was disappointed with [Steve] Bennett," said the Welshman. "He was
too smug towards us. Some of my players said he was very friendly to
the Chelsea players. They weren't happy with his attitude."

Coleman admitted Coventry did not exactly help themselves; especially
with the first goal. Just 15 minutes had gone when a boot upfield was
first allowed towards their area by Ben Turner, where it was then
miscontrolled by Scott Dann as the bulk of Didier Drogba was bearing
down on him. The Ivorian's finish from a rapidly diminishing angle –
Drogba's third goal in four games – was one of the game's two moments
of class.

The other came with the lightning-swift break which led to a second
goal that Coleman was to dispute vehemently and Hiddink was to label
"beautiful". Alas, in between the fare was all too ugly as Chelsea
struggled to find the killer ball and Coventry embarked on their wild
Guus chase.

Leon Best created the home side's finest chance with a jinking run
before shooting over, and Frank Lampard and the rejuvenated Drogba
both went close. The game was made to wait until the 72nd minute for
the second goal. Coleman's ire was again directed towards Bennett,
whom he believed waved on Alex and Drogba too quickly when the pair
had been forced to leave the pitch after receiving treatment for a
clash of heads.

Chelsea were down to nine men as they tried to defend one of many Aron
Gunnarsson long throw-ins. But before the ball had bounced the two
Blues were running back on, and within 30 seconds Alex had side-footed
into the net up at the other end following a cross by the substitute
Ricardo Quaresma. It was a bizarre passage, which probably stemmed
from a bizarre law. Even Hiddink admitted: "That rule needs to be
reconsidered."

For now he has more pressing concerns. Nicolas Anelka is doubtful to
figure in Turin, where Chelsea will seek to convert their 1-0
advantage, while he has a quandary about whether to start Michael
Essien. Yesterday the midfielder came on with 25 minutes remaining for
his first action in six months following an anterior cruciate ligament
injury. It was a pleasing sight for the Blues. Indeed, everything
looks that much rosier now.

Attendance: 31,407.

Referee: Steve Bennett.

Man of the match: Drogba.

Match rating: 5/10.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Observer:


Drogba strikes as Coventry go out with a whimper

Coventry City 0
Chelsea 2 Drogba 15, Alex 72

Paul Wilson at the Ricoh Arena

Didier Drogba scored, Ashley Cole was booed, Michael Essien made his
first appearance for six months and Alex rounded things off with one
of the stranger goals of the season. Oh... and Chelsea ended up in the
FA Cup semi-finals. This was another occasion when the fabled drama
and romance of the competition were somewhere else. ITV might have had
more luck screening a Tic Tac commercial.

Perhaps that is a little harsh on Coventry City, who tried hard
without ever looking remotely in Chelsea's class, though the underdogs
hardly helped themselves by conceding a soft early goal that allowed
the Premier League side to take it easy. "Chelsea are good enough to
make their own goals," Chris Coleman said. "They don't need any help
from us. That was a bit of nerves on our part."

The Coventry manager had promised he did not want to go out of the Cup
with a whimper and felt his team might be able to match their
opponents if one or two of the Chelsea players had an off-day, but
whimper it was and it was the City ­players who had the off-day,
­particularly the centre-back pairing of Scott Dann and Ben Turner.
Dann had already had a lucky escape as early as the second minute when
he let the ball bounce and saw Drogba whisk past him to shoot wide.
But when he repeated the error 13 minutes later the Ivorian striker
was less forgiving.

Turner put his fellow defender under pressure with a weak and
misdirected clearing header, yet even so Dann had time to deal with
the situation but instead allowed Drogba to push him off the ball.
Once goalside the rejuvenated striker expertly rounded Keiren Westwood
and scored from a narrow angle.

That goal killed the game as a contest. Leon Best put Coventry's best
chance of the first half high over the bar and Chelsea came close to
another goal when ­Westwood had to tip over Frank ­Lampard's 25-yard
free-kick. Chelsea operated at half pace for the rest of the game,
perhaps with an eye on their Champions League game in Turin on
Tuesday, and felt comfortable enough to send on Essien for the last
half hour, to feel his way back to match fitness after knee-­ligament
surgery. According to Guus Hiddink, the Ghanaian is unlikely to start
against Juventus and Nicolas Anelka is rated doubtful as well.

By that stage of the second half Coventry were pinning most of their
attacking hopes on long throws from Aron Gunnarsson, rather an odd
sight to behold as the tight sidelines of the Ricoh Arena necessitate
a round-the-corner run-up, a bit like a high jumper approaching the
bar. When Gunnarsson reached the touchline one did not quite know
whether to expect a throw or a Fosbury flop, though one of his lobs
was almost turned in by Clinton Morrison after 70 minutes. His next
one led directly to Chelsea's second goal.

The visitors were forced to defend it with Drogba and Alex off the
field receiving treatment after an accidental collision. Referee Steve
Bennett waved them on as the throw came in, Michael Ballack cleared,
Florent Malouda made space in the middle and found Ricardo Quaresma on
the right, and when the cross came in Alex was on the end after
running the length of the pitch. More bizarre still was Coleman
moaning about it.

"The referee shouldn't have let them back on the pitch so quickly," he
said. "He's supposed to see where the ball bounces first. But my
players weren't very happy with his attitude. He was on very friendly
terms with the Chelsea players and smug towards us."

Unsurprisingly, Hiddink failed to see the logic in that argument. "We
scored a beautiful goal on the counter," he said. "But I do think the
rule needs looking at. We were at a disadvantage, having to defend a
throw with two of our tallest players off the field. Referees should
be able to wait until the teams are equal."

On this evidence, even Coleman must accept that might be a very long wait.


---------------------------------------------------------------------------



NOTW:


COVENTRY 0, CHELSEA 2

Didier Drogba is cooking for Guus

From ROB BEASLEY at the Ricoh Arena, 07/03/2009

WHO let the Drog out? Guus Hiddink of course — and Chelsea are now
reaping the richest of rewards.

It’s five wins in row for the Dutch boss and three goals in four for
the infuriating Ivorian. Drogba has been reborn under Chelsea’s
‘interim coach’. The sulky, brooding, malcontent has become a silky,
barn-storming, marauder.

He’s scored as many goals in the last fortnight as he had all season
under the axed Big Phil Scolari. A cynic would say he’s playing to get
away — and Drogba’s certainly hinted at it often enough in recent
times.

But it might just be that a bit of love and comfort from Hiddink has
done far more than the hardline approach of the Brazilian, who
famously banished the Blues striker to train with the youth team after
a 3-0 thrashing at Manchester United.

At the Ricoh arena the ‘old’ Drogba turned up and there’s no doubting
that, at his brilliant best, Drogba is a massive asset for Chelsea, a
tormentor of even the best of defences. Which is why he had so much
fun here in the Midlands.

Because, on this performance, Coventry skipper Scott Dann and poor old
Ben Turner could never be described as top-drawer defenders.

There they were with one man to mark between them and still City’s
centre-backs couldn’t cope. Turner was in turmoil as early as the
second minute when Drogba taunted and teased him to escape in the area
before dragging his shot disappointingly wide. But Drogba was not so
wasteful with 15 minutes gone.

Again he terrorised Turner before committing keeper Kieren Westwood
with a clever feint followed by a fearsome left-foot shot to convert
an early goal and dampen the excitement and expectation of the first
full house at the Ricoh for a football match.

There were 31,407 packed into the ground, including 5,500 travelling
Chelsea fans, who noisily contributed to the atmosphere.That
attendance has been topped only by a concert here by American rockers
Bon Jovi last summer.

Drogba was delighted with his second goal in a week and he ran down
the touchline to the Chelsea bench to share the moment with fit-again
team-mate Michael Essien.

The Ghana international, who has played just two games for the Blues
this season, was back in the squad for the first time since rupturing
knee ligaments playing for his country way back in early September.

It was a demonstration of team togetherness and unity, something
Chelsea have been accused of lacking this term. But the Blues now look
back in business for the business end of the season.

Not that Coventry rolled over and lay down. Boss Chris Coleman would
not allow that. In fact, masked raider Leon Best embarrassed Alex and
Chelsea captain John Terry with a searing 24th-minute run into the box
but then ruined it all by blazing wildly over.

Frank Lampard’s free-kick 10 minutes later was a better lesson in
accuracy. The England star’s drive was arrowing for the top corner
when highly-rated City goalkeeper Westwood threw himself full-length
to his left to touch it past the angle with his fingertips.

That let-off sparked an instant reaction from City — with Freddie
Eastwood smashing a fierce shot. It was Coventry's first on target but
it flew straight into the arms of Petr Cech. Mind you, Chelsea were
labouring to add to their early lead, with Drogba and Salomon Kalou
both off target just before the break.

After the interval City began to hope they could rescue the game. They
began to get a territorial foothold in the Chelsea half and the long
throws of Aron Gunnarsson were the biggest danger to a Chelsea defence
that’s had trouble this term dealing with high balls into the middle.
It raised the noise to unprecedented levels that even Bon Jovi would
have struggled to match but it was from one such long throw that
Chelsea actually killed the game.

Both sides were unhappy with events in the lead-up to the Londoners’
crucial second goal.

Chelsea’s Alex and Drogba clashed heads trying to clear an aerial
assault and crashed to the turf. It looked serious enough for both
Chelsea and Coventry’s physios to race on to the pitch to offer first
aid to the stricken pair. But once they were recovered, referee Steve
Bennett ordered them off the pitch. That left Chelsea to defend a
Gunnarsson special with only nine men — and they were not happy about
it.

But it was soon City’s turn to moan as Chelsea had the last laugh.
Michael Ballack won a towering header to clear the throw and
impressive sub Ricardo Quaresma scampered away down the right to lead
a telling counter-attack.

The on-loan winger then clipped over a superb ball into the middle
where, of all people, Alex was on hand to finish off.

He and Drogba had raced back on to the pitch as soon as Gunnarsson had
launched his latest missile and moments later the Brazilian
centre-back was charging forward to seal an April trip to Wembley for
Chelsea’s third FA Cup semi-final in four years. And with Essien and
Ricardo Carvalho back again they could just be coming good at the
right time.

Both could feature against Juventus in Turin on Tuesday as Hiddink
hunts down silverware on a second front.

Smug

But Chris Coleman accused ref Bennett of being too “friendly” with
Chelsea’s stars and complained: “I was disappointed with Bennett. He
was too smug. My senior players said he was very friendly with the
Chelsea boys.

“I know people respect great players and sometimes they can be in awe of them.”

Coleman was angry over the build-up to Chelsea’s second goal. Drogba
and Alex clashed heads and Bennett ordered the pair off the pitch
while City’s Gunnarsson launched a long throw-in.

But as soon as the ball had left Gunnarsson’s hands they stormed back
on to the pitch as the visitors broke away to score.

Coleman moaned: “I was not happy with the way Alex and Drogba
re-entered the field after treatment. Then who scores Chelsea’s second
goal? Alex!”

Chelsea boss Guus Hiddink was also unhappy. He said: “We had two of
our best headers of the ball off the field when we had to defend a
dangerous situation.”


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

match press kit:

http://www.uefa.com/printoutfiles/competitions/ucl/2009/e/e_302797_pk.pdf

match preview:

http://www.uefa.com/printoutfiles/competitions/ucl/2009/e/e_302797_pr.pdf

ITV4 tomorrow Big Match Revisited Liverpool Home 1978/1979 on at 12pm and 4pm

The Times

Chelsea embrace new work ethic to break the resistance of Hart’s men

Portsmouth 0 Chelsea 1

Matt Hughes, Deputy Football Correspondent

Like his fabled young compatriot who stuck his finger in the dyke,
Guus Hiddink does not shirk from seemingly impossible tasks. On his
first day at Chelsea, the interim manager boldly announced that his
side could catch Manchester United at the top of the Barclays Premier
League and three weeks later they are hovering on their shoulder after
three successive wins.

Sir Alex Ferguson will not have been too perturbed as he watched this
stuttering Chelsea performance at a hotel in Newcastle before this
evening’s engagement at St James’ Park, but the United manager will
have recognised their fighting spirit. Like the Scot, Hiddink has the
ability to imbue his players with an indomitable will to win and they
needed it in dreadful conditions on a sodden South Coast, Didier
Drogba settling a match that appeared to be slipping away from them
with a 79th-minute goal to close United’s lead to four points.

“They’re an experienced team, but it’s good for everyone in this
championship to have the pressure on the side at the top,” Hiddink
said. “Four points gives me more pressure to put on them.”

Hiddink has a reputation for being a tactical genius, a deep thinker
on the game with more theories than Pythagoras, but his impressive
start at Chelsea has been based on something far more straightforward.
By challenging his players to take greater responsibility, they are
working harder and producing more for themselves and their team-mates.
The Brazilian samba school has been replaced by a Dutch labour camp.

Ironically, the previously workshy Drogba has been the biggest
beneficiary, with the Ivory Coast striker relishing the new regime.
Drogba celebrated only his second Premier League goal of the season as
if it had secured the title, but he retained enough energy to head
clear a free kick from Niko Kranjcar in added time. A transformation
indeed.

“Didier is making the difference in the last few games,” Hiddink said.
“As long as he is so committed then he will make those goals as well.
He was very happy with his goal. That was an emotional explosion.”

Drogba is not the only player to have exploded into life, as several
of his team-mates have raised their game. Michael Ballack flew into
tackles, Salomon Kalou threatened down the right and Petr Cech showed
signs of regaining his best form, making a superb save from Sean Davis
in the first half and denying David Nugent from close range in the
second.

Frank Lampard has been a hard worker since the days when he stayed out
until dusk practising free kicks on his own as a trainee at West Ham
United, and the England midfield player was a class apart last night.
Since signing a new contract last summer, Lampard has matured into the
ultimate team player, alive to every situation and passing where he
would previously have shot. In the first half alone, the 30-year-old
released Kalou down the right with a great through-pass, picked out
Ballack with a pinpoint corner that he headed over the bar and brought
a good save from David James with a powerful left-foot shot.

Portsmouth, too, had their moments, and they have improved
dramatically under Paul Hart, the interim manager, who deserves the
opportunity that he has been given to keep them up. Hart’s secret has
been to speak to the players in a language that they understand and,
after being befuddled by Tony Adams, they have responded. With better
finishing from Nugent and Kranjcar, they would have claimed a point,
although if they can reproduce this performance regularly, they should
clamber to safety.

Chelsea should not get too carried away, because all four wins under
Hiddink have come by a single goal, but they have an outside chance of
achieving their mission impossible.

— Portsmouth confirmed the appointment of Paul Hart as their interim
manager last night, with Brian Kidd as his assistant. The club held a
board meeting yesterday afternoon, attended by Alexandre Gaydamak, the
owner, at which Hart’s appointment until the end of the season was
ratified. Portsmouth had hoped to recruit Sven-Göran Eriksson, but he
has stayed with Mexico, so Hart has been rewarded for steadying the
ship since replacing Tony Adams last month.

Portsmouth (4-3-3): D James — G Johnson, S Campbell, S Distin, H
Hreidarsson — H Mullins, N Kranjcar, S Davis — J Pennant (sub: J
Utaka, 70min), P Crouch, D Nugent. Substitutes not used: A Begovic, Y
Kaboul, N Pamarot, Kanu, A Basinas, N Belhadj.

Chelsea (4-1-2-3): P Cech — J Bosingwa, Alex, J Terry, A Cole — J O
Mikel (sub: J Belletti, 57) — M Ballack (sub: M Mancienne, 90), F
Lampard — S Kalou (sub: R Quaresma, 60), D Drogba, F Malouda.
Substitutes not used: Hilário, B Ivanovic, F Di Santo, P Ferreira.

Referee: P Dowd.


------------------------------------------------------------------------


Telegraph:


Didier Drogba keeps Chelsea hoping of miracle

Didier Drogba maintained Chelsea’s outside chances of upsetting
Manchester United’s march to five trophies with a goal 11 minutes from
the end of a game played in a storm, the victory taking Chelsea to
within four points of the leaders.

By John Ley at Fratton Park

United may have two games in hand – one on Wednesday night at
Newcastle – but the intentions from a battling performance in
difficult conditions were apparent, that Chelsea are refusing to give
up the title lightly, with Drogba claiming his first League goal of
2009 and only his second in the Premier League this season.

Torrential rain fell before and during the game, making the Fratton
Park pitch heavy in some places. And with the wind blowing off the
Solent, it made for difficult conditions. The gusts were so strong
early on, that players had trouble in keeping the ball steady at
set-piece kicks.

Before the game, FA Cup holders Portsmouth, with help from four
soldiers from the Royal Artillery, paraded the trophy around the
stadium, with the PA announcer admitting it was the home fans’ last
chance to see the Cup.

Chelsea fans butted in with cries of “cheerio, cheerio”, knowing that
their name could be next of the trophy, particularly if they beat
Coventry on Saturday to progress to the semi-finals.

Guus Hiddink, their interim manager, made two changes from the side
that plucked a late victory off Wigan on Saturday. Leading scorer
Nicolas Anelka, who has scored 21 goals so far, was ruled out with a
toe injury, so for the first time under the Dutchman, his partnership
with Didier Drogba had to be broken up.

Hiddink brought in Florent Malouda for his first start for more than a
month while, in defence, Jose Bosingwa returned from suspension to
replace youngster Michael Mancienne.

Paul Hart, Portsmouth’s caretaker manager, made only one change from
the side that drew 2-2 at Stoke 10 days previously, with Hayden
Mullins in for Greek international Angelis Basinas.

Chelsea went into the game boasting a 100 per cent record since the
shock departure of Luiz Felipe Scolari. Under Ray Wilkins they beat
Watford in the FA Cup with Hiddink watching from the stands and, since
taking over, Hiddink has presided over two Premier League wins and a
1-0 victory over Juventus in the Champions League.

The conditions made for an enterprising if not always controlled start
from both sides, with Portsmouth adopting an attacking 4-3-3 formation
when going forward and threatening to open the scoring. Hermann
Hreidarsson won an early corner for Portsmouth but Sean Davis sent the
resultant effort over before David Nugent, named the club’s player of
the month before hand, setting up Mullins, but he completely
miss-kicked in the South Coast wind.

Chelsea responded with a Salomon Kalou cross, held easily by David
James, and a wayward drive from Frank Lampard. They went closer in the
16th minute when John Mikel Obi’s persistence allowed Ashley Cole to
cross from the left but the ball was a foot to far for the incoming
Drogba.

Hreidarsson made a timely interception as Chelsea threatened again,
while Malouda sent another attempt wide as the visitors increased
their hold on the game. And in the 22nd minute, with the blustery
conditions clearly having an influence, Malouda’s cross was spilled by
James but Chelsea could not take advantage.

Portsmouth fans called for a penalty midway through the first half
when, with Nugent and Peter Crouch pushing forward the ball appeared
to catch Alex’s arm and then followed the best chance so far when, in
the 28th minute Davis’s strong shot was pushed aside by the athletic
Petr Cech.

But, in keeping with the unpredictable nature of this game Chelsea
responded when Lampard produced a marvellous half volley out of
nothing and it took all of James’ goalkeeping skills to block the
effort on the line.

And with three minutes of the half remaining Chelsea survived a
goalmouth scramble with Hreidrasson and Nugent failing to nudge the
ball home before Cech made a desperate save, hugging the ball on the
line.

Chelsea made an early second half change with Mikel replaced by
Juliano Belletti but soon afterwards Nugent chased a ball knocked-down
by Crouch but Cech made another outstanding save, stretching to his
right.

Chelsea immediately made another alteration, with Ricardo Quaresma on
for Kalou, but with the gusts now reaching gale-force strength, the
visitors looked as if they were struggling to weather the storm.

Both sides squandered chances mid-way though the second half:
Quaresma’s right-wing cross was met by Drogba, the striker beating Sol
Campbell to the ball but sending a headed chance dipping just over.
And at the other end, Crouch was found in a surprising amount of
space, drove down the right and then crossed for Niko Kranjcar, but
the Croatian shot wide when he could have scored.

But Chelsea stole the winning goal in the 79th minute when Drogba, who
scored the winner against Juventus, met a cross from Bosingwa’s cross
and found the bottom right hand corner with a masterclass in
finishing.



-------------------------------------------------------------------------


Mail;


Portsmouth 0 Chelsea 1: Drogba fires late winner to keep Blues in title hunt
By Neil Ashton

Didier Drogba's late strike settled the match at Fratton Park, a
reminder for the new Portsmouth manager Paul Hart that the beautiful
game can still bring the most brutal results.
Portsmouth did not deserve this, rough justice on a team who fought
for Hart and fought for every inch of the windswept, rain-sodden turf
against high-calibre opposition.

They were beaten by a strike of the highest quality, curled beyond the
unsighted Portsmouth keeper David James 11 minutes from time by a
player with a point to prove.

Tough luck on a team fighting for their lives near the foot of the
table. Hart will stay until the end of the season, attempting to plot
the path to another season in the Premier League, with the help of his
astute assistant Brian Kidd.
They remain 16th in the table after Drogba’s strike, staring up at
Chelsea this morning and wondering how they failed to finish off
Stamford Bridge title ambitions.
It was cup-tie stuff, with Pompey’s supporters crackling into life as
they sensed an upset, a win that would be their first over Chelsea
since 1957.
Drogba’s strike illustrated the narrow margin between success and
failure as Pompey fought to within touching distance of ending
Chelsea’s ambitious plans to overhaul
the best team on the planet, Manchester United.

Chelsea fancy their chances, with Drogba scoring only his second
League goal this season and taking off on a remarkable celebration
before being stopped by swathes
of yellow-shirted team-mates.
Guus Hiddink, soaked on the sidelines, barely flinched, reminding his
players that their fourth straight victory, three in the Premier
League, was not yet secure.
He sent on Michael Mancienne towards the end to replace Michael
Ballack, closing the game out in a style reminiscent of a certain
managerial predecessor.

One-nil to the Chelsea is enough to keep them in it, enough for the
players to march towards the hordes of supporters stationed behind the
goal and throw their muddied shirts into the baying mob.
They want more of this and Hiddink’s team are promising to provide it
as they chase the impossible dream of catching Manchester United at
the top of the table and the more realistic targets, the Champions
League and FA Cup.
Anything is possible after this streaky victory. Somehow they are
still in the hunt for the title, ensuring another agonising week for
Chelsea’s supporters, but Portsmouth deserved more than this. Much
more.
They were beaten 4-0 at Stamford Bridge on the first day of the
season, ripped apart by Deco, Frank Lampard, Joe Cole and Nicolas
Anelka, but that was never likely to happen last night.
Hart has this team organised, scrambling towards safety with a victory
over Manchester City on Valentine’s Day.

They matched Chelsea man for man, warriors all, as they chased a
momentous victory.
They should have won this, denied by the brilliance of Petr Cech in
Chelsea’s goal, turning Sean Davis’s long-range effort over the bar in
the first half and then palming David Nugent’s effort around the post
after the break.
Pompey paraded the FA Cup for the last time ahead of kick-off before
it was spirited back to Soho Square after the game in an armoured
vehicle.
It is safe to say it will not been seen at Fratton Park for a while so
it was given a fitting send-off by 20,000 Portsmouth supporters
setting their sights on another season in the Premier League.
That is the target for Hart and Kidd, popular with the players after
the confusing thoughts of Tony Adams, as they prepare the team to
power their way from the foot of the table.
But this was a visit from a team energised by the arrival of Hiddink
with three wins on the spin under the new manager and intent on
securing a fourth.

They were missing Nicolas Anelka, given the evening off after stubbing
his toe in training on Monday and told to use the recovery time to
prepare for Saturday’s trip to Coventry’s Ricoh Arena.
Instead, Drogba shouldered responsibility, throwing himself into
challenges and reminding owner Roman Abramovich of some of the reasons
why he spent £24million to sign him from Marseille in the summer of
2004.
Only the conditions at Fratton Park prevented him scoring in the first
half when he mistimed his run when Ashley Cole prodded the ball across
the penalty area.
No-one could blame him, sliding across the face of James’ goalmouth as
he attempted to connect with Cole’s cross, but his reward for this
impressive, diligent
and disciplined performance was the winning goal.
He got it when Jose Bosingwa’s cross fell to him invitingly inside the
area, taking a touch to set himself and then sweeping his effort
beyond James.
It was a goal of stunning quality, not enough to turn the title in
their favour, but enough to suggest Chelsea will take this to the
bitter end.



------------------------------------------------------------------------


Guardian:

Drogba the difference as Pompey put faith in Hart
Portsmouth 0
Chelsea 1 Drogba 79

Dominic Fifield at Fratton Park

Portsmouth are on the verge of confirming Paul Hart as their manager
until the end of the season, though the caretaker-turned-firefighter
will be grateful he will not be visited again before the end of the
campaign by the likes of Chelsea. This contest had threatened to be a
soggy stalemate, the hosts eking out the better opportunities and
ready to celebrate their point, until one flash of genuine quality
amid the downpour wrecked the locals' mood.

Hart has his first experience of cruel defeat at the helm of this
club. Didier Drogba, so anaemic for much of this campaign but
resurgent in recent weeks, provided the game's pivotal moment only 11
minutes from time, gathering Jose Bosingwa's cross and cushioning a
curled finish low and beyond David James to squeeze out the advantage.
Guus Hiddink has overseen narrow victories in each of his four games
in charge, all by a single goal, yet he retains the magic touch. How
Portsmouth, still only two points clear of the cut-off, crave such
inspiration. The four points accrued by Hart and Brian Kidd in their
two previous games in charge had constituted something of a revival at
this club given the ignominy endured too often over Tony Adams' brief
reign. Portsmouth had teetered on the brink, poor luck failing to
disguise a lack of cohesion in their performances to undermine the
former Arsenal centre-half. The club's owner, Sacha Gaydamak, and
executive chairman Peter Storrie had been seeking "stability" in
granting Hart, previously the director of youth development, some
permanence in the role. Theirs had been a pursuit of "continuity" in
turning to Adams, Harry Redknapp's No2, back in October.

There is certainly more belief in these parts at present that disaster
can be staved off. Chelsea had not lost in the league to these
opponents since 1957 but they were stretched at times as this arena
was drenched in a deluge. Hermann Hreidarsson and David Nugent, both
revived in recent times, should have tested Petr Cech in the opening
jousts. Sean Davis did, skimming a shot from distance, only for the
goalkeeper to save wonderfully. Cech was merely relieved to choke
Hreidarsson's subsequent stabbed attempt from close range on his
goal-line as Nugent and Niko Kranjcar threatened to convert.

Yet, while those opportunities unsettled Chelsea, they did rather
puncture long periods of the visitors' possession. Hiddink, like Hart,
has had an immediate effect since assuming the reins, hoisting a team
that had been threatening to stall under Luiz Felipe Scolari back into
second place with narrow wins in his first two league games. He had
cited plenty of aspects to his team's play still in need of
improvement ahead of the visit to the south coast. That work is still
to be implemented, but there was promise to be had in Drogba's
bustling energy and Frank Lampard's class through the centre.

With Nicolas Anelka absent nursing a toe injury, Drogba was a man
possessed, tearing at the home side's back-line as if he was competing
for a Jose Mourinho side once again. The Ivorian was agonisingly close
to tapping in Ashley Cole's fizzed centre as it careered across the
goal-line. Lampard, taking up the baton, forced James to save from
distance. The veteran England goalkeeper broke a record here, with
this his 538th Premier League appearance, and excelled in denying
Alex's free-kick in first half stoppage time. His spill from Florent
Malouda's slippery cross was less to the hosts' liking.

Chelsea had threatened reward but delivered none, their approach play
running aground too often on Pompey's stubborn and hugely experienced
back-line. Frustration welled up, Ricardo Quaresma replacing an
ineffective Salomon Kalou, but the visitors' growing desperation to
force an advantage occasionally leaving them vulnerable on the
counter-attack. Jermaine Pennant was a nuisance down the right. When
Nugent rolled away from John Terry and wriggled in on goal there was a
collective in-take of breath around this arena, only for Cech once
again to palm away the former Preston striker's attempt.

The Londoners had been warned, though they did not learn. Chelsea
over-committed at a Lampard free-kick, with Sol Campbell eventually
clearing for Peter Crouch, alone near the halfway line, to charge down
the right flank. Kranjcar was the only Portsmouth player in support
but, when the England forward's cross reached the Croatian, there was
only a scuffed shot wide to show for the opportunity.

The miss felt wasteful at the time but critical once Drogba had forced
Chelsea ahead. The frantic late pressure, with crosses flung towards
Crouch and massed scrambles inside the visitors' penalty area, rarely
threatened to yield an equaliser. Hart most hope this misfortune is
not a sign of things to come.



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


Independent:


Drogba fires to resurrect Chelsea title ambitions

Portsmouth 0 Chelsea 1

By Sam Wallace, Football correspondent

Another case of deadly Didier and golden Guus, a double-act that is
turning into a beautiful friendship. The moodiest striker at Chelsea
has now rescued his new manager twice in the space of a week and last
night Drogba kept alive any fading hopes his club might have of the
title.

Not only that, but he keeps intact Hiddink's impressive start at
Chelsea, a record that is four games, four wins and a revival that has
kept the club in touch with Manchester United at the top of the
Premier League. In the mud and rain of a Tuesday night at Fratton Park
there were times when you had to wonder whether this was where
Chelsea's challenge was going to end, but they had just enough resolve
to win a crucial game.

Or rather they had a match-winner in Drogba, whose goal meant that the
gap to United at the top is four points, although the champions have
two games in hand. You could not help thinking that Sir Alex
Ferguson's team would not have left it until the 78th minute to beat
Portsmouth last night. Neither do United look as pedestrian and
predictable as Chelsea do at times, but with Drogba on this form it
looks like they will always have a chance.

Hiddink (below) is just about hanging in there and he knows it. "I
have to face the facts that we had two difficult games," he said. "I
haven't shut my eyes to [problems] in the Wigan game as well, but we
must improve. What is good in this team is that they react when there
are difficulties. This team is not happy when things are not going
well. Then you see they get rewards."

The Chelsea coach is not so daft that he is calling it on with United,
but he is keen on reminding Ferguson that his side have not given up.
"[A gap of] four points means there is more pressure on them, but they
still have two games in hand," Hiddink said. "They're an experienced
team. But it's good, for everyone in this championship to have the
pressure on the side at the top."

Hiddink called it right when he brought on the Portuguese winger
Ricardo Quaresma for the final stages, he was lively and contributed
to the pressure that led to the goal. The problem for Hiddink is that
there are just so few options available. Salomon Kalou and Florent
Malouda's contribution was negligible but with Nicolas Anelka out with
a bruised toe there was little else he could do. He praised his team's
reaction to adversity, their imagination was less impressive.

Petr Cech kept them in the match when he saved from Sean Davis and
David Nugent, but come the end of the game there was some desperate
defending. Peter Crouch had broken free on 69 minutes and crossed for
Niko Kranjcar who got his touch wrong and put the ball wide. Pompey
had their chances, but Chelsea are at last running into a bit of luck.

Portsmouth announced after the match that Paul Hart will be coach
until the end of the season and last night you could see why he has
the board's confidence. They look much more disciplined under Hart and
Brian Kidd and, despite being 16th, there are definitely signs of
life. David James was excellent again, and Sol Campbell and Sylvain
Distin solid, but for the one moment they let Drogba in.

Hart said: "I'm very pleased to be here until the end of the season.
It's good for the club and players that there's been a decision made.
You don't want to speak too soon – it's been three games, but in those
matches the players have shown magnificent determination and a
response to what we've asked. If we maintain that spirit, we'll be a
difficult side to beat. We deserved to get a point, and we could have
won."

This was James's 538th Premier League appearance and he clearly still
lives for evenings like these in the rainwith, as Pompey have found of
late, backs against the wall. James saved brilliantly from Alex's
free-kick at the end of the first half. But when Drogba got the ball
from Jose Bosingwa's cross, the ball was past James before he could
react.

In the period at the start of the second half, when Nugent and
Kranjcar should have scored, Pompey were on top. If they could have
supported Crouch more they might have won. At the end Drogba even
threw his shirt into the crowd. There was a time when it might have
come straight back at him but things are different now.

Goals: Drogba (78) 0-1.

Portsmouth (4-4-1-1): James; Johnson, Campbell, Distin, Hreidarsson;
Pennant (Utaka, 70), Mullins, Davis, Nugent; Kranjcar; Crouch.
Substitutes not used: Begovic (gk), Kaboul, Pamarot, Kanu, Basinas,
Belhadj.

Chelsea (4-1-4-1): Cech; Bosingwa, Terry, Alex, A Cole; Mikel
(Belletti, 56); Kalou (Quaresma, 60), Ballack (Mancienne, 90),
Lampard, Malouda; Drogba. Substitutes not used: Hilario (gk),
Ivanovic, Di Santo, Ferreira.

Referee: P Dowd (Staffordshire).

Man of the match: Drogba.

Attendance: 20, 326.


---------------------------------------------------------------------------


Mirror:

Portsmouth 0-1 Chelsea: Blues still second thanks to late Didier Drogba winner

By Martin Lipton

Barclays Premier League

Grind them out, scratch them out, dig them out.

But keep on winning, keep on fighting, never give in - and who knows
what might happen.

Last night, to the despair of Fratton Park, Didier Drogba struck
unerringly into the bottom corner of David James' net to continue Guus
Hiddink's winning start and Chelsea's pursuit of the unlikely.

And it wouldn't be a huge surprise if the absent Roman Abramovich was
left wondering what the season could have brought if he had ditched
Luiz Felipe Scolari a month earlier.

Hiddink has not wrought miracles at Stamford Bridge, not changed that
much, even essentially picked Scolari's team, although getting Drogba
back onside was perhaps the most significant move of all.

What he has done, though, is make them start believing in themselves
again, make them want to play for the shirt and find a way to win
games they would have lost few short weeks ago.

This, unquestionably, was one of those, Paul Hart's side justifying
the club's decision to hand him the reins for the rest of the season
with a display of commitment and conviction that deserved better.

They would have got it too, had it not been for Petr Cech, another of
those who fell out with Scolari.

Cech's displays in the last days of the Brazilian's reign led to a
whispering campaign suggesting the Czech had lost his aura of
impregnability.

But the keeper, like Drogba and the rest, has been rejuvenated by
Hiddink's gentle touch and harder training regime.

And if there was any doubt on that score, it must have been ended with
two moments in which Cech saved his side to create the platform for
Drogba's late heroics.

The first came just before the half hour, after Chelsea's dominance,
orchestrated by Frank Lampard, had brought them precisely zero reward.

Loose play on the edge of their own box allowed Sean Davis room for a
screaming strike which had the home fans already celebrating before
Cech flung himself to his right to turn the ball up and over the bar.

Then just before the hour, the keeper was equally, and perhaps even
more crucially agile as he thwarted David Nugent when the former
England man turned John Terry from Peter Crouch's flick and let fly
from 16 yards.

On such moments can matches, even seasons change, although Nico
Krancjar, found by Crouch when Sol Campbell's defensive hoof caught
all 10 Chelsea outfield players in the Portsmouth half, glided another
opening wide.

At that stage Chelsea might have been happy with a point.

Yes, they had created the best openings in the first half, with Drogba
inches away from converting Ashley Cole's driven cross, before being
blocked by James after racing onto a Lampard through-ball.

James, too, struck lucky when he fumbled a cross by Florent Malouda
and Lampard's shot, bailed out by a back-line led by Campbell and
Sylvain Distin.

But while Michael Ballack and then Alex went close before the break
and Drogba headed over from substitute Ricardo Quaresma after the
interval, Portsmouth had looked the more likely to reap the benefits
of their sunshine break in Dubai as Chelsea looked like a side playing
their third game in eight days.

Enter Drogba. A week ago, his goal against Juventus had given Cheksea
the precious advantage to take to Turin.

Last night, when Jose Bosingwa's cross flicked off Campbell's knee and
into Drogba's path 12 yards out, the ball was only ever going to
finish up in one place.

Drogba ran to celebrate in front of Hiddink and at the end, after
withstanding a late siege which saw James take residence in the other
box, the Chelsea players' clenched fists were a statement of intent.

The odds still, vastly, favour United. But it is not all over yet.


---------------------------------------------------------------------------


Sun:

Portsm'th 0 Chelsea 1

By SHAUN CUSTIS


GUUS HIDDINK has become a Drog addict.

Chelsea’s Dutch boss has got moody striker Didier Drogba smoking again
and his winner kept the Blues just about hanging on to Manchester
United’s coat-tails in the title race.


The hitman scored the goal that beat Juventus in the Champions League
last week.


And last night he fired home Ricardo Quaresma’s 78th-minute cross to
take Chelsea to within four points of Alex Ferguson’s Premier League
kings.


Hiddink’s record as Chelsea caretaker manager is now four wins out of four.


The Dutchman had done a Kevin Keegan in the pre-match build-up and
spoken about how he would ‘love it’ if Chelsea could put a spanner in
the United works


But the Blues machine ran far from smoothly and they had to dig in to
emerge with three points from this one.


For most of an awful night in which the wind howled and the rain
pelted down it seemed the best Chelsea could hope for was a draw,
which was no good at all.


A point, however, would have been invaluable to Portsmouth in their
relegation fight.


They will take heart from this performance, which showed bags of
character. And after the game caretaker boss Paul Hart was named
manager for the rest of the season, with Brian Kidd as his assistant.


Slipping all over

But Pompey paid for failing to take their chances and found Chelsea
keeper Petr Cech back to his best.


It was an evening for battlers and the conditions made quality football tricky.


But Chelsea were lacklustre and seemed content to soak up pressure
rather than take the game to Portsmouth.


Players were slipping all over the place and Drogba could not quite
slide far enough to connect with Ashley Cole’s cross on 10 minutes
with the goal gaping in front of him.


Had Drogba got any touch Chelsea would have been ahead and life might
have been a lot easier.


The keepers performed exceptionally well in the circumstances and
Pompey veteran David James, 38, came skidding out superbly to block
from Drogba.


He acknowledged the England keeper’s excellence with a respectful thumbs-up.


Cech showed he was equally adept when he palmed a screaming low drive
from Sean Davis, which was heading for the bottom corner, over the
bar.


Holding on to the ball was difficult though and James could only
bundle a Frank Lampard free-kick back into his own six-yard box where
former Chelsea defender Glen Johnson cleared before Michael Ballack
could finish it off.


Ballack headed just over from Lampard’s corner then, with the last
kick of the first half, Alex’s rocket of a free-kick from 35 yards
beat the wall but not James who got firm hands on it diving to his
right.



Hiddink’s men needed to step it up and take the game to the opposition
and the manager withdrew defensive midfielder Jon Obi Mikel and
replaced him with the more attack-minded Juliano Belletti.


But the Blues were almost caught out on 58 minutes after an
uncharacteristic mistake by Terry.


The skipper failed to deal with a routine through ball and David
Nugent was clear on goal.


He got his shot in but it was a nice height for Cech who flew to his
right to beat it away.


The man who changed the game was on-loan Quaresma who replaced Salomon
Kalou on the hour and livened things up immediately.


He burst down the right and crossed for Drogba who headed over and
another dangerous ball into the area from the Portuguese winger was
scrambled behind by Sol Campbell.


It reminded us of what once made Quaresma one of the most sought-after
creators in European football.


He lost his way having been bought then dumped by Jose Mourinho at
Inter Milan but maybe he and Chelsea will be good for each other.


For all Chelsea’s pressure, Portsmouth suddenly broke as the ball
rebounded to Crouch who was all alone on the halfway line.


His first touch was not a good one, taking him too far wide but he
still had plenty of room to work in and crossed for Nico Kranjcar who
controlled and shot wide.


The rain came down harder and the wind got stronger but Quaresma’s
influence on Chelsea was growing and it was his cross which found its
way through the Pompey defence for Drogba’s winner.


The strike from 12 yards was clean and true and it was job done.


Absolutely spliffing!

The Times

Frank Lampard lights up Chelsea

Joe Lovejoy at Stamford Bridge

CHELSEA celebrated their victory in stoppage time as if they had won
the Premier League, and who knows? Frank Lampard’s decisive header,
with 91 minutes on the clock, lifted his team into second place in the
table, and they could trim Manchester United’s lead at the top to four
points if they win again at Portsmouth on Tuesday.

At the final whistle Didier Drogba gleefully booted the ball into the
crowd and Lampard and John Terry, the Chelsea goalscorers, embraced in
recognition of another restorative result which makes it three wins
out of three under Guus Hiddink’s revivalist management. Would it have
spelled the end of Chelsea’s title hopes if it had finished 1-1?
Smiling, Hiddink said: “I’m glad it’s an if and not a fact.”

Wigan thought they had gained a draw, which would not have flattered
them, when Olivier Kapo equalised in the 82nd minute, but Lampard
exemplified Chelsea’s never-say-die spirit in looping a header over
Chris Kirkland after Michael Ballack had set him up from Terry’s long
punt. The midfielder has now scored five times in his past seven
league games and, with 15 in all, is set to pass the 20 mark in the
season yet again.

Terry is no less important to the Blues’ cause, and talk of the
captain leaving for Manchester City, in exchange for Robinho, was
ridiculed after his opening goal, in the 25th minute, made him the
highest scoring defender in Chelsea’s history, with 35.

Luiz Felipe Scolari, sacked last month, might have countenanced such a
swap. The new regime most certainly would not. The fans would lynch
anybody who dared to part them from their hero. Wigan, who have been
punching above their weight under Steve Bruce, contributed in full to
a competitive match, and continue to reflect great credit on their
manager, who has had to cope with the sale of his two best players,
Emile Heskey and Wilson Palacios, and was without the influential
Antonio Valencia here. They had not conceded for over five hours when
Terry finally beat Kirkland with a left-footed volley from 18 yards.

For most of the first half Wigan were the better team, and they would
have had a commanding lead after 20 minutes but for a notable save by
Petr Cech from Paul Scharner, and goalline clearances by Ashley Cole
and Terry to thwart Titus Bramble and Kapo.

It was against the run of play when Chelsea took the lead, Terry
scissor-kicking home from a central position on the edge of the
penalty area for a goal that was an embarrassment for Emmerson Boyce.
First he headed Lampard’s corner straight to his opposite number, then
Terry’s shot parted his hair on the way in.

Chelsea then enjoyed a purple patch. Lampard, who was outstanding,
might have scored twice before half-time. Drogba, who created the
second of these, has been invigorated by the change of management and
is back to something approaching his powerful, intimidating best.

In the second half he demanded a last-ditch clearance from Wigan’s
best player, Bramble, with a crisp shot, then out-muscled both
centre-halves in the same belligerent run. Inspirational stuff from
the big man. It had the look of Hiddink’s third successive 1-0 win
until, with 10 minutes left, Maynor Figueroa’s left-wing cross enabled
Kapo to dart in front of Nicolas Anelka at the near post and steer the
ball home at nudging range.

Roman Abramovich looked on, stony-faced, as time ticked away, then
joined in the cavorting when Lampard, after holding off Mario Melchiot
with what Bruce insisted was a foul, nodded the ball over Kirkland
from eight yards. The Wigan manager was unhappy with the referee, Lee
Probert, and entered the time-honoured plea that the big decisions
always favoured the big clubs, but it was a classic case of poacher
turned gamekeeper.

Bruce the Bruiser routinely got away with much worse in his playing
days. “We deserved something and we didn’t get it,” he said. “The same
thing happened to us at Old Trafford and Liverpool.” The £1m bonus
question for Hiddink was: Can you still win the title? With a
mischievous look, he said: “I’m rather realistic. We have to win our
games — preferably more comfortably than we did today — and then ask
my Dutch friend, Edwin Van der Sar, if he’ll have the ball in the back
of his net to help us. I know him well, and I don’t think he will.

“Manchester United are in a good seat, but as long as there is the
possibility for us, as long as it’s not decided, we’ll keep going. We
showed that at Aston Villa last week and again today.” Ominously for
Hiddink and Chelsea, Van der Sar is obliging nobody, having kept 16
clean sheets this season.

CHELSEA: Cech 6, Mancienne 5 (Quaresma 81min), Alex 6, Terry 8, A Cole
6, Kalou 5 (Belletti 75min), Mikel 6, Ballack 5, Lampard 9, Drogba 7,
Anelka 6

WIGAN: Kirkland 6, Melchiot 6, Boyce 5, Bramble 8, Figueroa 6, Kapo 6,
Scharner 6, Brown 5, Cattermole 6 (Rodallega 69min), N’Zogbia 6, Zaki
6 (Sibierski 90min)



-----------------------------------------------------


Telegraph:

Chelsea show last-gasp resilience again at Stamford Bridge

Chelsea (1) 2 Wigan Athletic (0) 1

By Jonathan Wilson at Stamford Bridge

Three games played, three games won by a single goal, and Chelsea are
up to second. It would be deeply misleading, though, to suggest that
Guus Hiddink has transformed his side. There was, rather, a deeply
familiar feel about yesterday afternoon, as Chelsea huffed and puffed
unconvincingly.

To their credit, they showed the character, having conceded late, to
go on and steal a last-minute winner through Frank Lampard, but then
his previous goal for the club had also been a last-minute winner
against opposition they would have expected to brush aside, against
Stoke in January.

The winner was not without controversy, with Steve Bruce, the Wigan
manager, angered that the referee Lee Probert had not penalised
Lampard for a supposed push on Mario Melchiot as he looped his header
over Chris Kirkland. “The referee made a poor decision,” he said.

“Frank’s obviously got his hand on Mario’s back and turned him round
as he’s gone to head it. He’s got that one wrong and it’s gone against
us. We played very very well. But you need the referee to be strong
and see what he sees and not get influenced, but it doesn’t seem to
happen for little Wigan, which is very frustrating.”

“Not a lot of contact,” was Hiddink’s verdict, and he pointed out that
Ballack had probably taken just as much of a shove as he flicked the
ball on for Lampard. He was more concerned with praising the “fighting
spirit” of his side. “We reacted well,” he said. “But what I like to
see is when you are dominating, to have the game killed.” It’s not
entirely clear, though, when that period of domination was.

Chelsea certainly had the bulk of the chances, but it took them a
while to assert themselves, and a five-minute spell of Wigan pressure
in the middle of the first half suggested Chelsea’s problems run too
deep to be solved in a week, even by a manager as charismatic as
Hiddink. First Paul Scharner, laid through by a deft touch from Amr
Zaki, saw his finish touched wide by Petr Cech. Then, more troublingly
for Chelsea, the familiar fallibility defending dead-balls re-emerged.

An unmarked Titus Bramble was denied on the line only by a stretching
Ashley Cole, and then it took a combination of Cech and Terry to deny
Maynor Figueroa.

Given time, the anxiety might have germinated, but within three
minutes Terry had scored his first league goal of the season. His
leaping scissors-kick to meet Emerson Boyce’s headed clearance may
have been uncharacteristic, but there was typical force behind the
shot, and Boyce’s attempt to clear succeeded only in diverting the
ball past Chris Kirkland.

Wigan remained bright, particularly down their left, where Figueroa
and Charles N’Zogbia combined well, but it seemed they would be
frustrated when Hiddink chose to withdraw Michael Mancienne. Juliano
Belletti dropped in to right-back, but he hadn’t even touched the ball
in his new position when he allowed Figueroa to cross, and Olivier
Kapo stole across the near post to jab in.

It would be unfair to say it was undeserved, for Wigan’s enterprise
had been impressive, and Titus Bramble, in particular, had been
outstanding in an exemplary defensive display, but equally Chelsea
would have felt deeply aggrieved had they not gone on to win. Bramble
had made one stunning block from Didier Drogba, and Kirkland had
pulled off excellent first-half saves from Mikel Jon Obi and Lampard.

In the end, though, the goalkeeper was caught in no-man’s land for
Lampard’s winner. A win salvaged, and their title challenge still —
just about — alive, but the more relevant fact for Chelsea is probably
that they now look rather more secure in the Champions League places.


-------------------------------------------------------


Independent:

Lampard shows perfect sense of timing for Blues

Chelsea 2 Wigan Athletic 1: Last-gasp goal breaks Wigan hearts and
moves Chelsea above Liverpool

By Steve Tongue at Stamford Bridge

Last April Emile Heskey stunned Stamford Bridge with an equalising
goal for Wigan in the final minute that effectively ended Chelsea's
hopes of winning the Premier League. Yesterday, although Heskey is
long gone, they appeared to have pulled off a similar trick when
Olivier Kapo scored nine minutes from the end, only for Frank Lampard
to defeat them with a header right at the start of added time.

So Guus Hiddink, having overseen 1-0 victories against Aston Villa and
Juventus, watched his new team produce something altogether more
dramatic and move into second place in the table ahead of Liverpool.
He has placed the necessary rocket underneath Didier Drogba, who has
often looked jet-propelled in those three matches. Nicolas Anelka
unselfishly worked the left flank again and behind that pair, Lampard
was once again exemplary. Michael Mancienne, deputising for Jose
Bosingwa in only his second start at this level, endured a difficult
first 20 minutes like the rest of his team but settled down
thereafter, even though he regards central defence and not right-back
as his best position.

Wigan, 18th at the end of October, have risen to seventh place and are
among the small group no longer worried by relegation. After losing
Heskey and Wilson Palacios in the transfer window, they are
nevertheless facing a tricky period and Kapo's goal was only the
second in seven games, none of them won. Steve Bruce was delighted
with the performance here and felt Lampard's goal should have been
disallowed for a push on his former Chelsea team-mate Mario Melchiot.
"You need the referee to be strong and not be influenced," he said.
"We've seen it happen all the time against little Wigan."

Hiddink, who felt a penalty might just as easily have been given to
Chelsea in the build-up, said: "We reacted well after the equaliser.
Playing after a Wednesday game in Europe is always difficult and Wigan
are a hard-working team who played decent football." They certainly
did so in that early period, and the home side had to overcome a muted
atmosphere and then a series of Wigan chances before exerting any
control and taking an undeserved lead.

It was symbolic of the pressure they came under that both
centre-halves, Alex and John Terry, received yellow cards in the first
20 minutes for heavy tackles and had to tread carefully thereafter.
Florescent lime shirts flooded forward in a manner not expected of a
team who had just played three successive goalless draws. Petr Cech
saved from Paul Scharner, who was clear on goal, and from one of
several corners Titus Bramble placed a firm header past the goalkeeper
that Ashley Cole hacked off the line. Before the ball was cleared
Maynor Figueroa forced Cech to save with his foot.

A surprising game was midway through its first half before Chelsea,
and with them the crowd, suddenly came to life. In the 24th minute
Wigan were caught out by a short corner on the left that allowed
Lampard to take Cole's pass and cross into a crowded penalty area.
Emmerson Boyce headed out straight to Terry, whose smart left-footed
volley took a slight deflection off the unfortunate Boyce on its way
past Chris Kirkland. OPT CUTThe captain will claim it as his 35th goal
for the club, not least because that takes him past Peter Sillett's
record as the highest scoring defender in Chelsea's history.

Before half-time the increasingly busy Kirkland saved from Alex,
Drogba and Lampard. Bramble cleared off the line from Ballack, who was
given offside, and then again from Drogba, who had made a fine run
onto Lampard's pass. There were no clear chances for a long spell
after that, which made the dramatic denouement all the less
predictable as Wigan found a second wind. Scharner at the far post
headed Figueroa's cross over the bar and Amr Zaki curled a 20 yard
shot wide. Then Figueroa crossed from the left and Anelka, tracking
back, was unable to prevent Kapo stealing in to score from close
range.

There was still time for further heroics from Chelsea's England
contingent, who have served them so well this season. Terry lofted the
ball upfield and Lampard was far enough forward to send his header
from Ballack's flick arcing gently over poor Kirkland.



----------------------------------------------------

Observer :

Last-gasp Lampard proves Chelsea mean business again
Chelsea 2 Terry 25, Lampard 90
Wigan Athletic 1 Kapo 82

Amy Lawrence at Stamford Bridge

Guus Hiddink has been around enough blocks to know that football can
just as easily warm your heart as rip your guts out. In a gripping
finale, Chelsea surrendered a lead delivered in breathtaking style by
John Terry, and then wrestled back the points with a 90th-minute Frank
Lampard header.

It was a compelling way for Hiddink to familiarise himself with
Chelsea's penchant for late flourishes. "If the boys give me that
guarantee, I can suffer on the bench for 90 minutes," he said. "But no
one can give that guarantee in sport. I am satisfied for the win, but
the way we gave away control in the second half was not super
satisfying."

And there, in that typically shrewd response, was the difference
between Hiddink and his predecessor. Not so long ago Luiz Felipe
Scolari's blushes were saved by a stoppage-time Lampard strike against
Stoke City. The Brazilian was happy and a bit of an emotional wreck.
The Dutchman was analytical and cool.

Aside from results, he has made a notable difference in Chelsea's
willingness to express themselves. Consider the way the captain was
transformed into a strange and wonderful amalgam of himself and
Robinho on a good day. No wonder Manchester City are reportedly so
keen on buying him. They would, it seems, get two players for the
price of one.

Terry gave Chelsea the lead in the 25th minute with a balletic,
scissor-kick volley that was stunning in more ways than one.
Centre-halves are not meant to play quite so prettily, and he was
mobbed by his team-mates. Not many of them would dare to mention that
his goal took a crucial nick off Emmerson Boyce, without which Chris
Kirkland was well placed for the catch. The watching Roman Abramovich
allowed himself a jovial laugh.

But in fairness, Wigan could have been 2-0 up by then. Paul Scharner,
having got into a splendid position, shot too tamely to trouble Petr
Cech. Then a double-chance at a corner saw Titus Bramble's powerful
header hooked off the line by Ashley Cole, and a cross shot from
Maynor Figueroa cleared up by Cech and Terry.

Chelsea had that air of confidence for most of the second half, and a
re-motivated Didier Drogba would have caused some damage but for
crucial tackles from the excellent Bramble and his accomplice Boyce.
But Wigan's equaliser exposed a chink in Hiddink's tactical approach.
Chelsea appeared confident of closing out their third successive 1-0
win, when Hiddink substituted his right-back to give Ricardo Quaresma
10 minutes' playing time.

Immediately Chelsea were exposed where their right-back should have
been covering. Figueroa breezed past Quaresma and whipped in a
delicious cross, Olivier Kapo appeared unmarked to strike, and Wigan
thought that they had upset their more illustrious hosts for the
second season in succession.

Steve Bruce complained that Lampard had climbed on Mario Melchiot to
gain leverage for his winner. "The referee was 15 yards away and made
a poor decision," he lamented. "It was a big shame because the team
deserved to get something out of the match."

Naturally Hiddink was unperturbed, suggesting the referee could have
given multiple penalties for both sides during a passionate
conclusion, and preferring to concentrate on his players' reaction to
a disappointing leveller.

Lampard ensured Stamford Bridge emptied in celebratory mood. They
roared their approval as news flashed down of Liverpool's slip at
Middlesbrough, which means they eased into second place on goal
difference ahead of Rafa Benítez's side. Chelsea mean business again.

And what of the title? "It's rather realistic," mused Hiddink. "We
have to win our games – hopefully more comfortably than this – and ask
Edwin van der Sar if he'd like to have the ball in the back of his
net. I know him and I don't think he is willing to do so. But as long
as we have the possibility, we will keep going."


-----------------------------------------------------


Mail:

Chelsea 2 Wigan 1: Lampard's winner isn't kidding Hiddink
By Rob Draper

All around him, fans were celebrating and his staff were ecstatic. Yet
Guus Hiddink, Chelsea's new manager, stood impassive, arms folded and
grimfaced, a pose that has become familiar in the past 10 days.
He is Sir Alf Ramsey reincarnated, in temperament at least, keeping
his head when all round are losing theirs. Frank Lampard had just
headed home a winner over Wigan in the 90th minute and Stamford Bridge
had erupted in sheer relief.
Not Hiddink, however. He makes encouraging noises about the commitment
and the reaction of his players but he knows this Chelsea side need to
improve - and quickly. 'I'm happy and satisfied for the win but the
way we gave away control in the second half is not super-satisfying,'
said Hiddink.

'I have to be happy but also critical. We have to improve tactically
when we are on and off the ball. 'If the boys can always guarantee a
last-minute win, then I can suffer for 90 minutes on the bench. But no
one can give me that guarantee. What I like to see is that the game is
killed when you're dominating in the first period.'
Yesterday his side were labouring, stumbling towards another draw at
home, the kind that became familiar under Luiz Felipe Scolari. Chelsea
had the better of the game, the pick of the chances but had allowed
themselves to be caught out in the final 10 minutes, thanks to slack
defending.
Yet as the fourth official held up the board that indicated three
minutes of added time, John Terry played a long ball, hoping for once
to outwit Wigan's excellent defensive partnership of Emmerson Boyce
and Titus Bramble.
Michael Ballack flicked the ball on and Lampard directed a header home
to lift Chelsea to second in the table. But Chelsea were fortunate
that referee Lee Probert did not rule out the goal because Lampard
held Mario Melchiot.

Wigan manager Steve Bruce was right to be utterly dismayed, for his
team deserved better after a fine performance. As for the title race,
Manchester United remain seven points clear with a game in hand and
Hiddink is no romantic dreamer.
'I'm rather realistic,' he said. 'That's to say we have first to win
our games - and hopefully a little bit more comfortably than we did
today. And second, we have to ask Edwin van der Sar if he would like
to let the ball in the back of his net. I don't think he would be
willing to do so.
'A stable team like Manchester United are in a good seat. But as long
as we have a possibility, and as long as it's not decided, we will aim
for it and that's what the team showed last week at Villa Park and
today.'
Wigan had the best of the opening chances and Paul Scharner should
have put them ahead on 18 minutes when clear through on goal. A minute
later Ashley Cole headed off the line from Bramble's header.
'Two chances in two minutes!' reflected Bruce. 'I don't think I've had
two chances in the last two years here! But we didn't take them and we
needed to.'

Chelsea then awoke, John Mikel Obi forcing an excellent save from
Chris Kirkland before the goal came on 25 minutes.

Lampard crossed into the six-yard area, Boyce headed the ball away but
only to Terry on the edge of the area. The Chelsea captain's
leftfooted volley was impressive but it was the deflection by Boyce
that beat Kirkland.

The goal will go down as Terry's and his 35th for the club takes him
past Peter Sillett, from the Fifties, as the club's highest-scoring
defender. Lampard forced another sharp save from Kirkland in the 37th
minute and Bramble was again required to clear off the line when
Drogba finally managed to get past the Wigan keeper.

Yet Wigan kept coming and Scharner should have scored with a diving
header after Maynor Figueroa provided an excellent looping cross. Four
minutes later it seemed they had a point for their travails. Figueroa
again provided the cross and Olivier Kapo stuck out a leg to deflect
it in. They celebrated in the corner in front of their fans, though it
turned out to be premature.


-----------------------------------------------------


NOTW:

CHELSEA 2, WIGAN 1

Frank Lampard lights up Blues

From ROB SHEPHERD at Stamford Bridge, 28/02/2009

THINGS you expect to read: Frank Lampard pops up to grab a last-minute
winner and all the glory.

Things you thought you’d never read: Titus Bramble was brilliant and
deserved to be the hero.


By his standards Lampard had a nightmare, Titus Bramble played like a
dream by his. Yet, as so often in sport, there are those who seem
permanently blessed even on an off-day, while others are cursed when
they have barely put a foot wrong.


Lampard is one of those who has that unerring capacity to deliver when
the game seems up.


His last goal at the Bridge six weeks ago was a stoppage-time winner
against Stoke which gave Phil Scolari a brief stay of execution.


Yesterday, just after the board had been raised displaying three added
minutes, Lampard headed home to win the game and maintain the new
momentum under Guus Hiddink.


It seemed Lampard got away with shoving Mario Melchiot in the process
but them’s the breaks when you have the Midas touch.


Fears that Chelsea might slip out of the top four and so fail to
qualify for the Champions League — unless they win it — have now
eased.


These three points lifted the Blues into second place above Liverpool
on goal difference and established more breathing space between
themselves, Aston Villa and Arsenal.


Hiddink’s claim that Chelsea can catch Manchester United seems
optimistic but it’s still not out of the question, as it surely would
have been had Wigan held on to the draw having equalised in the 82nd
minute.


It’s not as if Chelsea are suddenly playing so much better than in the
last days of Scolari but the spirit and drive has returned. That has
much to do with Didier Drogba, who was ridiculously cold-shouldered by
Scolari.


But ultimately it was Lampard and John Terry, the players who carried
the side when Scolari lost the support of others, that made the
difference — spoiling what should have been a memorable day for poor
old Bramble.


As a youngster at Ipswich, the burly centre-half was regarded as a top
prospect. But he became a figure of ridicule during his time at
Newcastle when he was branded Titus Shambles.


Yesterday he was more like a Titan, clearing one off the line, getting
in block after block, winning most of the aerial battles and making
sure the revived Drogba didn’t run Wigan ragged.


It was indeed tough on a Latics side who deserved a draw but now,
according to boss Steve Bruce, will have their season defined over the
next three games.


They are certainly not out of the relegation woods and the club may
yet rue the decision to let Emile Heskey and Wilson Palacios leave.


The visitors’ start was as bright as their luminous lime-green shirts
and they really should have capitalised on Chelsea’s early lethargy.


It was as if the euphoria of beating Juventus in midweek had sapped
the sharpness that has returned since the arrival of boss Hiddink.
Wigan striker Amr Zaki was quick to exploit the time and space on
offer.


In the 15th minute, the Egyptian pounced on indecision by Alex and
unleashed a fierce shot which was deflected just wide.


Three minutes later, Zaki produced an inspired back-flick to guide
Melchiot’s pass into the path of Paul Scharner. In the clear, Scharner
strode on with purpose but his confidence disappeared as Petr Cech
rushed out and saved his feeble attempt. Then, in the 21st minute,
Ashley Cole cleared an Emmerson Boyce effort off the line before Cech
and Terry combined to keep out Maynor Figueroa’s cross-shot.


That scare seemed to wake up Chelsea and in the 25th minute they went
in front. Lampard, who had barely had a decent touch and whose
free-kicks would prove wayward all afternoon, suddenly created danger
when he sent over a cross.


Boyce headed away but the ball fell to Terry on the edge of the area
and he conjured up a Samba-style finish, lashing it home with a
left-footed scissor kick.


Chelsea should have seized full control by the interval but Lampard
wasted two great chances. Wigan kept plugging away, though, and they
eventually got their reward eight minutes from time when Olivier Kapo
outsmarted Nicolas Anelka at the near post and converted Figueroa’s
low cross with a side-foot finish.

Muscles

But, once again, Lampard stole the show. Michael Ballack nodded on a
long ball from Juliano Belletti, Lamps outmuscled Melchiot then
strained the neck muscles to arc his header over Chris Kirkland.


Bruce complained: “I thought at the time Frank shoved Mario in the
back and the replay confirms it. In those situations you need the ref
to be strong but this sort of thing always seems to happen when you
come to the big clubs.”


Bruce had a point but memorably he once scored two controversial
headers during SEVEN minutes of stoppage time which enabled Manchester
United to clinch their first title under Alex Ferguson.


Lampard’s lavish celebrations were as if Chelsea had actually won
something. They may yet do under this regime — especially when you
have a talisman like Lamps.


For Bramble, the only prize was Terry’s promise to swap shirts in the
tunnel. But at least he can feel fit enough to wear it.

The Times

Didier Drogba has calming touch for edgy Chelsea
Chelsea 1 Juventus 0

Oliver Kay

The two men on the touchline barely exchanged a glance, two men bound
by nothing more than a common mistress. It always seems to end in
tears for a manager who engages with Roman Abramovich, but Guus
Hiddink is quickly building the impression of a man who can control
and perhaps ultimately tame the Chelsea beast, having insisted that
their short-term relationship will be on his own terms.

Claudio Ranieri, who now seems like a distant predecessor, will have
other ideas, feeling that Juventus can overturn a slender deficit when
his former club travel to Turin for the second leg of the Champions
League first knockout round tie on March 10. But for now, after
victories by a single goal in his first two games in charge, Chelsea
under Hiddink no longer seem like the soft touch they were becoming.

These are still early days and their lead over Juventus, courtesy of
Didier Drogba’s twelfth-minute goal, is fragile, but if Hiddink’s
brief is simply to stabilise Chelsea and to make them competitive
between now and May, the progress over the past fortnight is
encouraging.

The quality of Chelsea’s performance should not be overstated — they
peaked in the first 20 minutes and had badly run out of steam by the
end, looking susceptible to what would have been a damaging away goal
— but Hiddink has already done the difficult part, injecting some
vigour and self-belief into a squad who looked crestfallen in the dark
final weeks of the ill-fated Luiz Felipe Scolari regime.

Petr Cech looks assured once more, John Terry and Frank Lampard are
leading by example and, most encouragingly of all, Drogba looks like a
centre forward who wants to play football, having spent too long
feeling sorry for himself since José Mourinho left Stamford Bridge in
September 2007.

It will take something a little more sustained before Drogba can start
proclaiming that he is back to the form of the 2006-07 campaign, when
at times he was unplayable, but this was much more like it. From the
very start he was up for it and, having done the hard work for Nicolas
Anelka at Villa Park on Saturday, this time he was quick to claim his
reward, running on to a delightful reverse pass from Salomon Kalou,
moving in for the kill and bouncing a shot past Gianluigi Buffon to
spark heady celebrations among his team-mates, Michael Ballack being
the first to join him.

For the next ten minutes or so, it seemed that this could be a special
night at Stamford Bridge, with the feel-good factor of Hiddink’s
nascent reign blowing away the sense of nostalgia that accompanied
Ranieri’s return.

Chelsea performed impressively in the opening quarter of the game,
with Drogba unfortunate not to score a second goal when he sent a
header wide from Lampard’s inswinging corner, but Juventus, showing
far more spirit and a little more quality than either Roma or Inter
Milan produced in the Anglo-Italian encounters on Tuesday, slowly
established some kind of foothold. Tiago, another Chelsea old boy, and
Mohamed Sissoko, once of Liverpool, were doing their best to assert
themselves against the home team’s midfield trio of Ballack, Lampard
and John Obi Mikel.

Midway through the first half, Tiago, an underrated member of
Mourinho’s first title-winning Chelsea squad in 2005, slipped a clever
pass behind the home defence to set up Alessandro Del Piero, but the
striker’s shot was well saved by Cech, diving to his right.

Juventus were not out of it by any means, but at that stage they had
the look of a well-organised side in the top eight of the Barclays
Premier League rather than a team befitting one of the proudest clubs
in Europe. That much was reflected by some of the names in their squad
— Olof Mellberg at right back, Sissoko and Tiago in midfield and Alex
Manninger, the former Arsenal goalkeeper, on the substitutes’ bench,
all of them rejected or passed over by some of English football’s
elite.

A rasping shot by Anelka apart, the second half belonged — or at least
should have belonged — to Juventus, who came back into the game around
the hour mark. Despite losing Mauro Camoranesi and Tiago to thigh and
facial injuries respectively, Ranieri’s team surged forward in search
of the away goal they craved, Marco Marchionni, a substitute, sending
a shot just over the crossbar from the edge of the penalty area.

With Ballack, Kalou and others tiring, Chelsea began to retreat, but
while this was a problem in a collective sense, it was encouraging in
the case of Drogba, who could be seen filling in on the left wing and
even, on one notable occasion, in a deep midfield role when his
team-mates were caught out of position in the closing stages.

Hiddink surveyed his options on the substitutes’ bench. They were not
appealing, which is one reason why Scolari was often so reluctant to
stray beyond plan A. But the Dutchman sent on Florent Malouda in place
of Kalou on the right wing and then Michael Mancienne, the England
Under-21 defender, to great acclaim in an unfamiliar midfield role in
place of Ballack.

It was all hands to the pump in the closing stages and while it did
not make for pretty or in any way convincing football, it was pleasing
to see Chelsea performing as a team again, battling through potential
adversity, with Drogba as eager as anyone to put in a shift.

Stoppage time was tense, with Pavel Nedved cutting inside and sending
a fierce shot just wide of Cech’s left-hand post from 25 yards.
Ranieri felt that Juventus had merited the away goal that would have
changed the complexion of the tie, but Chelsea just about held firm
against the nerves that were setting in.

At the end, finally, there was a smile, a handshake and a slap on the
back for Hiddink from the Juventus coach, but Ranieri will cling to
the hope that his ultimate revenge over Chelsea and Abramovich, that
ruthless, unforgiving mistress, is still to come.

Chelsea (4-3-3): P Cech — J Bosingwa, Alex, J Terry, A Cole — M
Ballack (sub: M Mancienne, 81min), J O Mikel, F Lampard — S Kalou
(sub: F Malouda, 72), D Drogba, N Anelka. Substitutes not used:
Hilário, B Ivanovic, P Ferreira, M Stoch, F Di Santo. Booked: Ballack.

Juventus (4-4-2): G Buffon — O Mellberg, N Legrottaglie, G Chiellini,
C Molinaro — M Camoranesi (sub: M Marchionni, 52), M Sissoko (sub: D
Trezeguet, 86), Tiago (sub: C Marchisio, 62), P Nedved — A Del Piero,
Amauri. Substitutes not used: A Manninger, Z Grygera, C Poulsen, V
Iaquinta. Booked: Molinaro, Sissoko, Marchisio.

Referee: O Benquerença (Portugal).


-------------------------------------------


Telegraph :


Didier Drogba repays Guus Hiddink's faith
Chelsea (1) 1 Juventus (0) 0

By Henry Winter at Stamford Bridge


Didier Drogba has gone from training with the kids to frightening the
living daylights out of the Old Lady of Juventus, from being frozen
out under Luiz Felipe Scolari to giving the returning Claudio Ranieri
the heat treatment.

Drogba scored one, but deserved more for his marauding attacking,
particularly in the first half largely dominated by Chelsea. Juventus
raised their game after the break, and Ranieri's team may believe they
can over-turn Chelsea's slender advantage before their passionate
support in a fortnight, but there is a resilience to this team
reinvigorated by Guus Hiddink.

The Dutchman's arrival has lifted Drogba in particular, and the Ivory
Coast international was terrific here, although Nicolas Anelka was
slightly subdued in his left-wing role of Hiddink's attacking trident.

Hiddink had wanted good movement from his front three, for Drogba,
Nicolas Anelka and Salomon Kalou to lose their markers, smashing holes
in Juventus' defence. If Anelka occasionally looked frustrated on the
left, Drogba was in his element through the middle. Clearly in the
mood, Drogba could have had a hat-trick in the first 15 minutes,
rather than his one expertly-taken finish.

Here was the striker who had been such a barnstorming presence in
Chelsea's title sides, who had drawn admiring glances from Europe's
leading clubs until losing fitness, form and particularly focus.
Rejuvenated by Luiz Felipe Scolari's departure, Drogba exuded
heavyweight class against Juventus' middleweight defence.

Chelsea's No 11 began setting his sights early, meeting Jose
Bosingwa's cross with a powerful header that flashed wide. He then
appealed for a penalty after a gentle push from Cristian Molinaro.
Reward for his persistence arrived after 12 minutes, Drogba capping a
quickfire attack that tore Juventus to little golden ribbons.

The goal came out of Africa, out of the Ivory Coast to be exact. Kalou
made it, moving in from his right-station to collect possession in the
centre. Turning cleverly, Kalou delivered a superb reverse-pass
through the middle, releasing his compatriot.

These are the situations Drogba loves, the ball slightly in front of
him and the keeper left exposed. Drogba's left foot controlled the
ball, and his right did the rest, drilling it low past Gianluigi
Buffon. It takes something to beat Italy's No 1, a keeper who is
considered the main challenger to Spain's Iker Casillas as the world's
best, but Drogba managed it with ease.

As Roma and Inter Milan discovered this week, Juventus struggled
against the pace of Premier League opponents. Serie A resembles a
chess game compared to the ice hockey of English football. David
Beckham certainly picked the right European league to return to.

Some of the visitors had the energy levels to live with Chelsea.
Amauri ran hard in attack, supporting Alessandro del Piero. Hiddink's
team had known they would not have it all their own way in midfield
when little Mauro Camoranesi began flying into challenges, flattening
Ashley Cole and Michael Ballack in quick succession. With a short
pony-tail straight out of St Trinian's, Camoranesi needed only a
lacrosse stick to complete a bloodthirsty image.

The Italian international can play as well, making a few busy runs,
and soon receiving the compliment of a robust challenge from Frank
Lampard which left him smeared across the grass, rubbing his bruised
back and hamstring. Camoranesi dragged his battered body back into the
fray, although he was to last only a few minutes of the second period.

Inspired by their right-winger and their boisterous supporters,
Juventus responded brightly before the interval, finishing the half
strongly. A flick from Tiago, a midfielder who should know his way
around Chelsea's pitch, found Del Piero, who chugged forward and
unleashed a shot that Petr Cech pushed wide. Del Piero, the darling of
Juventus, ended the half with a free-kick into Chelsea's wall after
Drogba, tracking back over-enthusiastically, had handled.

Some full-force tackles kept going in, and when Alex and Giorgio
Chiellini contested a loose ball fiercely enough to burst it, a rare
occurrence and not a great moment for the manufacturers. Drogba kept
charging around, looking like he was ready to rupture Juventus'
defence again. Lampard also went close, testing Buffon with a shot
after Michael Ballack had done well to work the ball to the England
midfielder. Ballack was certainly not holding back in the tackle,
taking out Pavel Nedved.

Chelsea craved a second goal, so Hiddink switched his strikers around,
moving Anelka over to the right, removing Kalou and inserting Florent
Malouda on the left. Chelsea were still defending stoutly, Nedved
bouncing off the rock-like John Obi Mikel and then Alex swatting away
Amauri.

As Juventus pushed on in pursuit of an away goal, a wave of anxiety
swept through Chelsea fans who responded by raising the volume,
seeking to lift their players. Juventus' players sensed an
opportunity, and Molinaro asked permission from Ranieri to push up
from his left-back berth but his coach waved hi back.

Chelsea reacted, Bosingwa raiding down the right, eluding Molinaro and
bringing a block from Chiellini. Hiddink again rang the changes,
introducing Michael Mancienne into central midfield, bringing the
youngster his European debut.

With seven minutes left, the blue hordes screamed for a penalty when
Chiellini appeared to use an arm to knock Drogba off the ball as they
ran into the box, stride for stride.

Deep into stoppage time, Juventus almost equalised when Nedved rolled
back the years, accelerating forward, flaxen locks flowing behind him
and meeting the ball firmly. His shot squirted just wide, bringing
sighs of relief around the Bridge and cheers when the final whistle
blew moments later.


----------------------------------------------


Independent:


Drogba strikes but limp Chelsea fail to convince

Chelsea 1 Juventus 0

By Sam Wallace, Football Correspondent


When it falls to Didier Drogba to make the difference for Chelsea in
the Champions League, you can tell that not much has changed in Guus
Hiddink's brave new world at Stamford Bridge. Still Chelsea await
their transformation at the hands of their Dutch coach and, in the
meantime, the job of winning the big matches falls to the moody
striker with the suspect attitude.

Drogba scored the first-half goal last night that meant Chelsea go to
Turin for the second leg on 10 March with an advantage, although it
was far more slender than the one they might have hoped for having
dominated the beginning of the game. While, in years past, Chelsea
might have been expected to flatten a vulnerable opponent, now they
seem to drift aimlessly for long periods unable to focus on what once
made them such an implacable opponent in Europe.

At the end of the match, as he walked across the pitch in an empty
stadium, Roman Abramovich's entourage was swelled by two new celebrity
friends: Bono and the Edge off-duty from U2 and finally hanging out
with someone who has more money than them. Abramovich might have
acquired a new manager but as far as a Chelsea team that might win the
Champions League, the Russian – as Bono himself would no doubt say –
still hasn't found what he is looking for.

In the first 15 minutes Chelsea threatened to do some serious damage
to the reputation of a once-great European club. Juventus, with their
mixture of Premier League rejects and golden-oldies, should have been
easy pickings for a Chelsea team that once thrived on muscular
performances at home and a relentless bombardment of their opposition.
Yet by the end of the game Chelsea were hanging on and the best player
on the pitch was a 36-year-old – that's older than Ryan Giggs.

Pavel Nedved was the driving force in getting Juventus to the 2003
Champions League final although he had to sit out the game itself, a
match played at Old Trafford at which – according to the official
Abramovich history – the Russian oligarch fell in love with football.
In 2003, Nedved, then the European footballer of the year, was exactly
the kind of player Abramovich would have tried to buy. After last
night he might try again.

Having established their lead early on Chelsea could not build on it.
In midfield the pairing of Tiago Mendes and Momo Sissoko – never more
than short-term solutions when they played at Chelsea and Liverpool –
held their own against Michael Ballack and Frank Lampard. Nicolas
Anelka found himself switched from the left to the right. Whatever
winning formula Hiddink is edging towards it will have to be better
than this.

Considering Abramovich has invested £679.6m in Chelsea over six years
he should have a squad much stronger than that of Juventus who, during
the chaos of their Moggi-gate scandal demotion to Serie B, have barely
been able to renew their ageing players. The likes of Alessandro Del
Piero (34 years old), Mauro Camoranesi (32), Nedved (36) and Nicola
Legrottaglie (32) are still integral. At 31, Olof Mellberg and
Gianluigi Buffon are relative youngsters. Yet Juventus gave Chelsea a
run for their money.

Claudio Ranieri was given a much warmer reception when he was
introduced to the Chelsea crowd than Hiddink and the Italian manager
will take some credit for his team's second half performance. Juventus
were better organised than the Chelsea side he managed in his last
Champions League game at this club in that infamous semi-final against
Monaco.

Drogba had already headed one chance wide when he scored on 12
minutes. His goal, only his fourth this season, was beautifully worked
by Salomon Kalou. Ballack won the ball out on the right and Kalou, 30
yards from goal, played an instinctive ball through the Juventus' back
four. It was an ideal pass for Lampard or Drogba and the England man,
in a rare show of generosity in front of goal, allowed Drogba to take
it on and score.

From that point on it looked like it should be simple for Chelsea but
they could not keep up the fluency of their game. While Manchester
United continued attacking Internazionale right up until the final
whistle on Tuesday, never allowing the opposition off the hook,
Chelsea failed to get a grip. John Obi Mikel allowed Del Piero to run
off him and force a save out of Petr Cech. Camoranesi missed a chance
at the back post. As Ballack, Kalou and Anelka drifted out of the game
in the second half it was hard not to return to Luiz Felipe Scolari's
theory that Chelsea desperately lack someone exciting. A player, like
Arjen Robben and Damien Duff, who were once capable of injecting
something unpredictable and magical into a game. Kalou was the only
recognised winger in the first XI and when Florent Malouda came on he
seemed unwilling to take on the full-back which rather defeats the
object for a man in his position.

Seizing the reprieve, Juventus came back into the game. Cech flapped
after a cross that he could not grasp just before the hour. Ballack
committed a dreadful foul, catching Nedved around the knees, and in
the last 15 minutes it was Juventus who pressed forward, the striker
Amauri looking dangerous for the first time. The last action was a
shot from Nedved that flew just inches wide of the post. As Hiddink is
doubtless aware, the Chelsea conundrum will take more than
re-arranging the existing personnel on the pitch. This is the weakest
team with which they have tried to win this competition in the last
four years and it would be remarkable if they were to be successful
this season. Before that they have to get past Juventus.

Chelsea (4-3-3): Cech; Bosingwa, Alex, Terry, A Cole; Lampard, Mikel,
Ballack (Mancienne, 81); Kalou (Malouda, 72), Drogba, Anelka.
Substitutes not used: Hilario (gk), Ivanovic, Ferreira, Di Santo,
Stoch.

Juventus (4-4-2): Buffon; Mellberg, Chiellini, Legrottaglie, Molinaro;
Camoranesi (Marchionni, 51), Sissoko (Trezeguet, 86), Tiago
(Marchisio, 62), Nedved; Del Piero, Amauri. Substitutes not used:
Manninger (gk), Grygera, Poulsen, Iaquinta.

Referee: O Benquerenca (Portugal).

10

Didier Drogba's opening goal last night was his first for Chelsea in
his last 10 matches.



-----------------------------------------------------------


Observer:


Drogba delivers as Chelsea display resistance of old

Champions Lge KO Rnd 1, Leg 1

Chelsea 1 Drogba 12
Juventus 0

Kevin McCarra at Stamford Bridge

A 1–0 win will make Stamford Bridge misty-eyed with reminiscences of
the hardiness shown in days gone by, but this was no grinding success.
Chelsea are fairly well-placed to reach the Champions League
quarter-finals because they both attacked with verve, particularly at
Didier Drogba's splendid goal, and resisted efficiently to see out the
victory in the closing 20 minutes.

Juventus, all the same, cannot be discounted in the tie because there
was endeavour and menace from them here with Pavel Nedved narrowly
failing to equalise when he let fly in stoppage time. Recognition of
the fact that this victory was hard-earned will be valuable to
footballers seeking to re-establish themselves.

There is a perception that Chelsea are an old team. This is much
exaggerated and here they began the match with three players in their
thirties while Juventus had half a dozen. The real mission for Guus
Hiddink is to purge the staleness that has gradually taken hold of the
team since the departure of Jose Mourinho. The problem is more
psychological than physical and it is being addressed vigorously.

The sheer beauty of the Nicolas Anelka goal that defeated Aston Villa,
with its origins in Frank Lampard's marvellous footwork, was certainly
heartening. The mood of the volatile Drogba has also improved
remarkably. The Ivorian had been so eager to deny there is any
disadvantage to having the first leg at home that he said: "Why can't
we go out and prove the theory wrong by sticking four past Juve?"

It is quite an ambition to have against opponents of this renown, yet
the real significance of Drogba's remark lay in the tone of
excitement. Moody as he can be, that volatility leads him to periods
of intensity. This was one of them. The striker was beyond the
visitors' control even before he had established the early lead.
Cristian Molinaro, the left-back was frantic enough to barge the
striker in the back when a cross came over in the 11th minute and was
fortunate that the referee, Olegario Benquerenca, did not award a
penalty.

There was no further reprieve, though, as Chelsea took the lead with
an admirable goal. Salomon Kalou threaded a fine pass through the
centre of the defence when it looked impossible to find the correct
angle and Drogba swept the ball into the corner of the net. Despite
the seeming air of conservatism in Hiddink's 4–1–4–1 system, there was
actually plenty of licence to drive into the attack. Juventus,
accordingly, had scope for daring of their own.

Tiago, a Chelsea midfielder when the Premier League title came to
Stamford Bridge, set up Alessandro Del Piero for a drive in the 22nd
minute that was turned behind excellently by Petr Cech. There was
nothing here of the tedious prudence that might have been anticipated.
The Juventus manager, Claudio Ranieri, used, of course, to be in
charge of Chelsea and his boldness even went out of control when he
attempted to settle the 2004 Champions League semi-final with Monaco
in the first, away leg by taking ultimately ruinous decisions.

He must have been seeking to impress the new Chelsea owner Roman
Abramovich then, but instead made sure that he would lose his post. It
is all the more impressive therefore that Ranieri has done so much at
Juventus to enhance his reputation. Some of the credit may be due him
for the continued commitment of men such as Del Piero and Pavel
Nedved, who are 34 and 36 respectively.

This match did not suffer from the overwrought tone that generally
afflicts occasions of such importance. It may not have been the most
refined of games but the enterprise and energy were compelling. Drogba
continued to show dynamism although he went down far too readily in
the penalty area when Giorgio Chiellini challenged after 55 minutes.

Unflappability is no longer to be taken for granted in the Chelsea
defence and Cech, for instance, floundered in a couple of attempts to
claim the ball and end a Juventus attack. The substitute Marco
Marchionni also came close with an angled effort that went marginally
wide. The tempo stayed high and the visitors seemed to find the energy
to pin down Chelsea.

Hiddink could still be glad that someone like Salomon Kalou, too often
peripheral in the past, took such heart from his sublime part in the
opener. He had been an important contributor before he faded slightly
and was replaced by Florent Malouda.

If Chelsea had shed a little of their adventure as the game entered
the closing 20 minutes it could have been because the score was to
their satisfaction. All the same, with Ricardo Carvalho injured, the
side cannot be impregnable, as it often looked under Mourinho, and
Juventus were far from fatalistic.

John Terry has not always been in peak condition during this campaign
but he constantly dominated here. Chelsea had a steadiness here that
suggested Hiddink can lead a recovery at Stamford Bridge.



-----------------------------------------------------------------


Mail:


Chelsea 1 Juventus 0: Drogba delivers shattering blow to Claudio’s old men

By Matt Lawton

Even if the Old Lady is heading for the geriatric ward, she still
managed to finish strongly against a tiring Chelsea last night — and
that will concern Guus Hiddink.

On the face of it, Hiddink should be fairly satisfied. His first
appearance as manager at Stamford Bridge did not just end in victory
but one that spared him the embarrassment of losing to former Chelsea
boss Claudio Ranieri.

But he must have winced at the sight of a 36-year-old Pavel Nedved
sending a shot whistling past Petr Cech’s left-hand post deep into
stoppage time. Just as he must have watched anxiously, if rather
admiringly, as Didier Drogba took it upon himself to drop deep into
midfield and defend against an Italian side growing in stature.

After 20 minutes, Chelsea looked like they were going to make
mincemeat of the opposition. Ahead thanks to a super goal from Drogba,
they appeared so superior. So much so that even Big Phil Scolari would
have backed himself to guide his former charges past ageing Juve.

In Alessandro Del Piero, and in Pavel Nedved and Gianluigi Buffon,
some of the old magic does, however, remain and they must now consider
themselves capable of performing an escape act that would even impress
David Blaine.

Common sense says Chelsea have probably done enough. They have the
advantage of a goal and Juve’s failure to score here makes the
Italians more vulnerable in Turin.

But for Hiddink there remains much work to be done, on Chelsea’s
fitness as well as the quality of their football.

If they were ruthlessly efficient in winning at Villa Park last
weekend, they lacked much of the fluency of that performance on this
occasion. Juve are not that good. They are a million miles from the
team Manchester United only conquered because of a super-human
performance from Roy Keane.

Light-years away from the days when Del Piero, Nedved and Buffon
struck fear across Europe. They are a team of once great players and
nearly men, with the old guard supported by players who never quite
succeeded in the Barclays Premier League. Tiago, once of Chelsea, and
Mohamed Sissoko, formerly of Liverpool.

In his honest assessment of Chelsea’s display, Hiddink identified
flaws for the 70 minutes that followed that early promise.

They made hard work of this Champions League encounter, losing the
momentum and almost losing the plot when the increasingly error-prone
Petr Cech fumbled dangerously in his area. He also pulled off one or
two excellent saves, not least in denying Del Piero in the first half,
but if he was once Buffon’s equal as the finest keeper in the world,
he no longer is now.

Confidence could be the key in Turin and the Italians may be short of
it after the last 48 hours. Italian football is not what it was, as
Manchester United discovered against Inter Milan and Arsenal did
against Roma. The force is with the English trio and they should have
no difficulty forcing their way past Italian opponents and into the
quarter-finals.

Two more weeks with Hiddink will favour Chelsea. While Juve continue
to work under the tinkering Ranieri, Chelsea have an astute tactician
in Hiddink and someone starting to again get the best out of Drogba.

The striker could have had an early goal when Cristian Molinaro
collided with him but no sooner had he dusted himself down than he was
celebrating that terrific 13th minute goal. It was a beauty, from the
quality of Salomon Kalou’s pass to the manner in which Drogba first
left Nicola Legrottaglie standing and then lifted the ball over Buffon
with a calmly-executed finish. He could have scored again three
minutes later but headed wide. Chelsea were playing with real energy,
their strength, power and relative youth seemingly too much for the
Italians.

In Del Piero, though, Juve found inspiration. He tested Cech with a
vicious strike and used a combination of intelligence and skill to at
times dazzle defenders. Ashley Cole responded in frustration and took
him out with a crunching challenge.

Further opportunities fell to both sides. Olof Mellberg threatened
with a header; Mauro Camoranesi with a shot. Kalou tried his luck for
Chelsea, as did the ambitious Cole.

A little tinkering from Ranieri in the second half — off went
Camoranesi and on went Marco Marchionni — and Juve looked better
still, limiting Chelsea to long-range efforts from Frank Lampard and
Michael Ballack. That said, Drogba perhaps should have scored with
another header.

Most impressive, however, was the sight of Alex bursting the ball in a
thumping challenge that echoed around the stadium. A sign, at least,
of Chelsea’s commitment.

Drogba then adopted an almost talismanic role, standing alongside John
Mikel Obi as a second holding midfielder and using his ability in the
air to deflect the danger.

The Old Lady could sense the anxiety and my, how she tried to force an
equaliser, mustering attack after attack from those brittle bones. In
Nedved, once a winner of the Ballon d’Or, they almost had their
saviour before Hiddink realised a shot that appeared to finish in the
net had, in fact, flown wide.



--------------------------------------------------------------


Sun:


Chelsea 1 Juventus 0

From SHAUN CUSTIS at Stamford Bridge


THE Drog is barking again and Chelsea have a slender one-goal
advantage to take to Turin.

Didier Drogba has spent the last 18 months with his tail between his
legs, pining for his old master Jose Mourinho.


He hated life under Avram Grant and it did not get any better when Big
Felipe Scolari took over.


But the arrival of stand-in boss Guus Hiddink has given him a new
lease of life and he is fighting to make amends for the penalty
shoot-out defeat to Manchester United in last season’s Champions
League final.


Drogba was sent off on that fateful night in Moscow but if he keeps
this form going, the Blues might turn those tears into cheers.


It remains a tall order, of course. Chelsea are still not firing as
they should and Juve have hope of overturning the deficit in 12 days.


Hiddink, who has seen it all, done it and won the European Cup in 1988
with PSV Eindhoven, will know that better than anyone. But a bustling,
battling Drogba, who provided the clinical finish on 13 minutes, could
be the key man who makes the difference.


It needs two defenders to shackle him when he is in this mood and his
ability to hold the ball up takes the pressure off his own side and
allows the team to regroup.


Drogba is talking like a player who wants it, too.


In his pre-game battle cry he said: “I can assure the fans there is a
real hunger within our players to succeed where we failed last
season.”


That is the sort of talk Blues supporters want to hear and not the
“Get me out of here” which had become Drogba’s mantra.


This was Hiddink’s first home game as boss but his reception paled
compared to the one ex-Blues manager Claudio Ranieri received.


Ranieri was given the boot by Roman Abramovich in 2004 to make way for
Jose Mourinho but the Stamford Bridge faithful still have a lot of
affection for The Tinkerman.


Ranieri applauded all sides of the ground and then watched with some
trepidation as Chelsea began by pulling his team apart.


Juve are not what they once were and are well off the pace in Serie A.


The Old Lady includes a number of ageing stars and a few Premier
League rejects.


One-time European Footballer of the Year Pavel Nedved, who is now 36,
lined up with striker Alessandro Del Piero, now 34.


Meanwhile, in central midfield there was former Chelsea squad player
Tiago and Liverpool cast-off Mohamed Sissoko.


Hiddink has been preaching a pressing game since his arrival, a style
that requires high levels of fitness and for the first half, Chelsea
were right at it.


But they visibly tired late on and were fortunate not to concede an equaliser.


Drogba was a real menace throughout, heading just over from a Jose
Bosingwa cross before bagging the all-important goal.


A cracking ball from the under-rated Kalou threaded its way between
three defenders to put Drogba in on goal and, after one touch with his
left foot, he buried it with his right.


It was the Drogba of old — ruthless, effective and enjoying his
football. The goal was only his fourth of a frustrating season but the
most significant so far. It was also his 20th European goal in his
50th Champions League game.


And he should have got another on 16 minutes when Frank Lampard’s
corner presented him with a free header but he got a bit eager and put
it wide from close range.


Juve did manage to get out of their own half — briefly.


Tiago played Del Piero in down the right and the veteran striker’s
turn-and-shot brought an excellent save out of Petr Cech.


Chelsea needed that second goal and Drogba almost provided it again on
49 minutes.


The 6ft 2in powerhouse rose to crash in a header at the near post from
Bosingwa’s cross but was just off target.


Another burst into the area saw Drogba go down under Giorgio
Chiellini’s challenge but it was never a penalty.


The Ivory Coast striker did not make an issue of it but the fans
behind the goal got excited. As long as Juve kept it to one-nil
Chelsea had to push on for a second and there was a danger of the
Italians scoring on the break.


Marco Marchionni gave them a scare with a dipping strike that just
cleared the angle of post and bar as Hiddink sat twitching in his
seat.


In injury time Nedved, who was still full of running despite his
advanced years, fizzed a 25- yard shot just wide of the post.


Relieved owner Abramovich marched across the pitch at the final
whistle, chatting with Bono and The Edge from U2.


Perhaps he was explaining that, in Hiddink, he’s got the right manager.


But as far as a ruthless team unit goes, he still hasn’t found what
he’s looking for.


-----------------------------------------------------------


Mirror:


Chelsea 1-0 Juventus: Didier Drogba puts Blues in charge

Uefa Champions League


Didier Drogba rekindled Chelsea's Champions League ambitions with a
first-half matchwinner against Juventus.

It gives Guus Hiddink's side a slender advantage ahead of their
last-16 second leg in Turin in a fortnight.

Drogba, his season hampered by injury, suspension and a fallout with
axed coach Luiz Felipe Scolari, looked back to his predatory best when
he took a pass from Salomon Kalou and despatched the ball beyond
Gianluigi Buffon in the 12th minute.

Former Chelsea coach Claudio Ranieri, now in charge of Juve, was given
a warm reception by the home fans before the game.

Ranieri is still held in high esteem by Chelsea fans even though he
failed to win a single trophy during his four-year stint at Stamford
Bridge.

Ranieri's welcome was reciprocated by the home fans for their new
interim coach Guus Hiddink moments later.

Hiddink was taking charge of a Chelsea side at home for the first time
since his temporary appointment.

It was the English side who made the first inroads towards goal with
Jose Bosingwa forcing Gianluigi Buffon into a save with a left-foot
shot from the edge of the penalty area in the fourth minute.

Four minutes later Drogba almost opened the scoring when he got ahead
of his marker to turn a cross from Bosingwa just over the crossbar.

But the Ivorian put the home side in front in the 12th minute when a
superb through ball from Salomon Kalou provided him with a clear-cut
shooting opportunity and Drogba supplied the required finish in style.

It was the perfect start for the English side although Juventus
claimed Drogba was offside before he fired the ball home from 10
yards.

In the 15th minute, Drogba should have made it two when he met a
corner from Frank Lampard inside the six-yard box.

But the Ivorian inexplicably headed the ball wide of Buffon's
right-hand upright.

It required a fine save from Petr Cech to preserve Chelsea's lead in
the 21st minute, when Alessandro Del Piero tried to find the corner
with an angled drive that was tipped round the post.

Juventus were enjoying their best spell of the game with Del Piero
always a threat.

In the 31st minute, Ashley Cole saw a 30-yard shot deflected wide of
the target with Buffon flatfooted.

The Serie A side were struggling to match Chelsea's determination and
the English team's passion was underlined by two bone-crunching
tackles from John Terry in space of a few seconds.

The second one left Mohamed Sissoko requiring treatment before being
classed as able to resume his duties.

In the 41st minute, Pavel Nedved tested Cech with a 20-yard low drive
that the Chelsea goalkeeper dealt with adequately enough.

Juventus were finding it hard to cope with the physical side of the
game and Mauro Camoranesi also required lengthy treatment before
continuing.

Two minutes before the interval a handball by Drogba gave Del Piero
the chance to level the scores but his free-kick was hit straight at
Cole.

It could have been worse for the visitors had Kalou not slipped as he
tried to get on the end of Cech's long clearance.

Chelsea continued their high tempo at the start of the second half.

Some fine work by Lampard on the edge of the penalty area culminated
in a shot from Michael Ballack that was wide of the target.

An away goal would have tipped the tie in favour of the Italians and
Nedved again tried to outwit Cech with a long-range effort but the
Chelsea keeper was at his most alert to deal with the threat.

Drogba, a constant threat, almost scored his second of the night when
he got ahead of Nicola Legrottaglie to head a cross from Bosingwa just
wide.

In the 50th minute Juventus lost the services of Camoranesi with a
hamstring injury. He was replaced by Marco Marchionni.

Moments later John Mikel Obi was the recipient of a bad challenge by
Cristian Molinaro and the Juve player was justifiably booked.

Chelsea felt they should have had a penalty when Drogba was brought
down by Legrottaglie in the 53rd minute but Portuguese referee
Olegario Benquerenca rejected their appeals.

It was all Chelsea now with a sustained spell of pressure ending in a
20-yard shot by Lampard straight at Buffon's midriff.

In the 57th minute, Ballack was yellow-carded for a foul on Nedved.

Cech was in trouble with a free-kick from Del Piero in the 59th
minute. The Czech Republic international twice failed to gather the
ball before it was eventually cleared by Terry.

Marchionni then gave Cech a scare with an angled 25-yard drive that
flashed just over the bar. Juventus piled on the pressure as the game
entered the last 15 minutes but Chelsea's rearguard admirably stuck to
its task.

Indeed, they prevented the Italian side from engineering a clear-cut
chance despite having the lion's share of possession in the closing
stages.

But it was Anelka who almost gave Chelsea the cushion of a second goal
when his 20-yard effort flashed inches wide of an upright in the 87th
minute.

Nedved was wide by a similar margin in stoppage time but Chelsea held
on for a deserved victory.


----------------------------------------------------------------------

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Observer:

Early Anelka strike sinks Villa as Hiddink opens with a win
Aston Villa 0 
Chelsea 1 Anelka 19 

Paul Wilson at Villa Park

Guus Hiddink could hardly have wished for a better start to his Chelsea stewardship. Three points took his new team back above Aston Villa to third in the table (why all the fuss about failing to qualify for the Champions League?) while victory at Villa Park is an achievement that even José Mourinho never managed to supervise.

This fixture, if you recall, was the scene of the first public rift between Mourinho and Roman Abramovich two years ago, when the owner left his seat before the end of a 2-0 defeat. The last time Chelsea won here in the league was 1999, when the two sides were respectively managed by John Gregory and Gianluca Vialli. That's a long time in Chelsea years.

So Hiddink has stopped the rot and seems well on his way to restoring confidence to a still-talented collection of players, even if this result only underlined what we already knew. Chelsea are not playing as well as they were when they blew Villa away at Stamford Bridge back in October, and while Martin O'Neill's side are considerably better than they appeared that day, they still appear likely to disappoint anyone who expects them to put a bomb under the top four any time soon.

Chelsea were clinically efficient here, though not sufficiently so totally to impress a new manager who complained his players were too static in the second half. Villa suffered from stage fright, appearing either nervous or reluctant to believe they could see off a team of Chelsea's stature, though O'Neill blamed it on tiredness.

Nicolas Anelka's goal was good enough to settle any encounter, though Villa made enough chances to get back on terms and missed them all. Absent too was the searing pace that has undone so many teams in their 13-match unbeaten run, yet perhaps credit should go to Chelsea for effectively shutting down the flanks and keeping an organised back line. In the final 15 minutes Chelsea created enough opportunities to win three games and missed them all, so Villa could have no complaints.

"I was pleased with the way we played in the first half," Hiddink said. "With our extra man in midfield we found we could get into their box quite easily and that is how the goal came about. I would have liked to dominate the second half too, but we became too static. We needed more movement. I feel we can improve on that a little bit, but it was not easy when Villa threw on their huge guys. There was always the threat of an air force."

O'Neill thought his players looked leggy after their midweek exertions against CSKA Moscow, and admitted the difficulty of chasing a top-four place is making him reevaluate the Uefa Cup, but did not disagree with Hiddink's conclusions. "They passed it around better than we did. They have been playing that midfield system for years, they keep three men close together and do it very well," the Villa manager said.

"We have strengths in other areas, we can be more explosive, but we couldn't turn it round today. We're disappointed, we felt we could win; even at half time we felt we could win, but we'll bounce back.

"We must have been doing something right because José Boswinga was time-wasting with half an hour to go. That's only a small crumb of comfort to take, but I'll still take it."

Chelsea again left themselves vulnerable to criticism that they lack width by playing without recognised wingers or marauding full-backs, yet they came up with the neatest of answers to take the lead after 19 minutes. When you can split defences through the middle as deftly as Frank Lampard did to create Anelka's opportunity you don't really need to use the flanks.

Lampard shuffled the ball between his feet and turned expertly past Curtis Davies's rushed challenge, then took Zat Knight out of the equation with a clever ball into the space between goalkeeper and back line. Brad Friedel knew he had to leave his goal but even as he did so Anelka darted in to lift the ball over him.

Friedel made a good save to deny John Terry from a corner on the half hour, but the next 30 minutes was about Villa fluffing their lines and missing a succession of chances. Emile Heskey headed comically wide after Ashley Young had rattled Cech's bar with a free-kick, and Gabriel Agbonlahor failed to get a crucial touch when Young's cross from the left picked him out in front of goal. Agbonlahor missed an even better chance at the start of the second half when a mistake by Alex left him free in the area; but he chose to shoot early from an unfavourable angle when he had time to get closer to goal.

After further misses from Gareth Barry and Agbonlahor, O'Neill sent on John Carew with 20 minutes remaining but it was Chelsea who finished the stronger side, with Deco and Didier Drogba missing decent chances and Friedel producing a save when Boswinga looked certain to score, then acrobatically denying Michael Ballack at the death.

"We could have scored one or two more, but overall I am pleased," Hiddink concluded. "After getting to know Frank Lampard as an opponent I enjoyed having him on my side. He made the goal and played well. And, as you English say, he's a good lad too."

-------------------------------------------------------

Mail :

Aston Villa 0 Chelsea 1: Anelka ushers in new era with a winner that jolts Villa fans
By Rob Draper

In the end, fans were leaving Villa Park as the fourth official raised the board that indicated four more minutes to be played. That, in itself, told its own damning story.
This corner of Birmingham had been full of excitement a few hours previously, anticipation that has perhaps not been felt since Ron Atkinson's team chased Manchester United down to the first Premier League title.
Yet, even with the score standing at 1-0, it seemed pointless for many to stay. Having surveyed the previous 90 minutes, it was clear there was not to be a late rally.

Potentially, it had been a historic day for the club. Victory would have been a huge step towards Villa qualifying for the Champions League and breaking up the cosy foursome that dominates the game.
Chelsea, under new management, should have been vulnerable, but yesterday was merely a re-establishment of the old order.
Villa are made in England, both in personnel and style, and how it showed. In fact, it was rather like watching one of those dreary England games, when they try to break down more intelligent and technical foreign opposition with long balls, crosses and set-pieces.

But Ashley Young is no David Beckham. Then again, Emile Heskey was no, well, Emile Heskey. 'We've all been around too long to draws lots on conclusions from one game,' argued Martin O'Neill.
'Sometimes you can read an incredible amount into a game just because of a result. I don't see it. I see it as a setback and disappointment.
'If I want to take a positive, it's Jose Bosingwa taking about four days to take a throw in with half an hour to go. I don't mind in the last few minutes. I've done it myself. But with half an hour left! I drew some small comfort from that.
'We're not a long way away. There is absolutely no dent in belief. Absolutely not! We thought we could win today, at half-time we thought we could. We were beaten on the day, but we are still in there.'

Still, Guus Hiddink's Chelsea side played the part of the continental sophisticates extremely well. There were few innovations in formation and personnel, but the team looked more disciplined in midfield, less porous in defence and more potent up front, with Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka both on the pitch. That said, a better side might have exposed the deficiencies of Alex and Paulo Ferreira.
In short, Hiddink could pronounce himself pleased, announce that Frank Lampard was a 'good lad' as well as a great player, yet concede that there might need to be some improvement to beat Juventus this week.
'I'm very satisfied with the result, especially as we were coming here with Villa setting records at the moment. In the first half we could be very pleased, we had a good attacking way of football and were rather dominant,' said Hiddink. 'The only critical thing is that we did not finish it off. In the second half we were a little bit static in possession.
'We forgot to move when we had the ball, so we can improve a little bit, but we are satisfied to get this game in our pocket.'

Hiddink claims that he sees no evidence of the personality clashes in the Chelsea team but nevertheless spent his first week reminding his players of the professionalism that is required from them.
'We asked them, "Why are you in a big club?",' he said. 'But I didn't have to push them towards that attitude, they were there already.
'How long will it take to get them back to their potential? I would like to do it in three or four days. When you are playing top football you have to be intelligent as a player, and open-minded and this week we have worked very well.
'I was surprised, because there were these rumours about divisions but I was pleased with the attitude.' Principally he was pleased with Anelka and Lampard, who contrived to win the match with a superb combination of passing and finishing in the 19th minute.
Lampard won the ball in midfield and, as Curtis Davies over committed himself in defence, he slid a delightful ball through for Anelka, who simply guided it home to take his tally to 21 for the season. 'I have been an opponent of Lampard on a few occasions and was always frightened of his performance,' said Hiddink.
'He was impressive how he prepared this goal. He's a very good lad, as they say here.' It was not that Villa did not have chances. Ashley Young's superb free-kick on 34 minutes hit the underside of the bar and spun back as goalkeeper Petr Cech stood rooted to his line.

Gabriel Agbonlahor's pace and power rushed Alex into a mistake on 54 minutes and took the England man into a one-on-one with Cech, but the Chelsea keeper pulled off a smart save.
And had Heskey pulled the ball back with greater accuracy after 69 minutes, Agbonlahor would surely have scored.
Yet, there were as many occasions when Brad Friedel had to rescue his team-mates, not least from John Terry's header in the first half and Michael Ballack's shot after 90 minutes.
For, in reality, the home supporters who left to beat the jams had it right. Villa are not in this class just yet.

---------------------------------------------------------

Telegraph:

Chelsea give Guus Hiddink the perfect start
Aston Villa 0 Chelsea 1
 
By Patrick Barclay at Villa Park
 
To the neutral, the attraction of this match was the opportunity it afforded Aston Villa to embed themselves in the top four at the possible expense of Chelsea. But it was evident, even in the 18 minutes before Nicolas Anelka scored the only goal, that the away team were the better equipped. And we should have been able to predict it.

It was not just that class told (though it did) or that Chelsea benefited from new management (who knows?); both of these sides, the faded former champions and the Champions League aspirants, have obtained a majority of their points on their travels this season. This is especially true of Villa, who have now won only five of 13 home matches while winning 10 of 13 away. They do struggle to open defences here and visitors come aware that, if they blunt Ashley Young's threat from the left flank, there is little else to worry about.

Seldom has Young been as quiet as on this occasion. Chelsea's right-back, Jose Bosingwa, gave a masterly display of attack as the best form of defence, forcing Young on to his back foot with elegant forays. Towards the end Bosingwa might even have scored when he sprinted, executed a sweet one-two with Didier Drogba, and made Brad Friedel save sharply. Only Frank Lampard contributed more to Guus Hiddink's satisfactory initiation as caretaker-manager. The England midfielder offered skill - most delightfully the turn, dart and pass that made the goal - and sweat in equal measure.

"I've been an opponent of his a few times," said Hiddink, "so it's good to have him on my side. He made the goal very impressively and Frank's a good lad - as they say here - for the team." The first-half performance, Hiddink added, had been especially pleasing, with its accent on attack. Afterwards, he conceded, Chelsea had shown that passing entails movement. "We were static - and that gave us a problem. Aston Villa came at us with these big guys, their air force. But it was good to get away with the points."

They were secured, as it turned out, by the most handsome move of the match, in which Lampard wheeled and spurted between Curtis Davies and Stilian Petrov before laying a perfect ball into the path of Anelka. The Frenchman deserved credit too; he times those runs almost by instinct. He also knows to shoot early and so, while Friedel got a touch to the ball, it was not decisive enough to prevent Anelka from celebrating his 15th Premier League goal of the season (he has 21 in all).

A five save by Friedel from John Terry's header kept Villa in the match and they almost equalised when Ashley Young, from a free-kick Emile Heskey had dubiously earned, struck the crossbar. Terry was again dangerous in the air, Gareth Barry being obliged the head his effort off the goal-line, but Chelsea lost momentum. Hiddink ascribed it to a lack of movement rather than complacency, but it did invite Villa to try again and Petr Cech had to parry a full-blooded drive from Barry. There was, however, a shortage of subtlety in both their approach play and the movement of Heskey and Gabriel Agbonlahor.

The notion that the end of their Champions League dream is nigh was pooh-poohed by Martin O'Neill, who cited his players' heavy programme of late (they lost in the FA Cup at Everton last Sunday and drew at home to CSKA Moscow in the Uefa Cup on Wednesday) and said: ''On other days, other teams will have to cope with that. We'll bounce back.'' Unfavourable comparison of his team with Chelsea need not be conclusive. ''They have been playing for a number of years with a style in which three midfield players operate close together, and it works well. That's why we were outnumbered in there at times today. But we hope to make a difference in other areas of the field and to be explosive.''

Among those who have encountered their explosions are that fine footballing side Arsenal, but that was at the Emirates Stadium. Here Villa have fired too many blanks. It cannot, however, be stressed often enough that they have travelled far under O'Neill in a relatively short time. Less than a year after we were congratulating them on finishing sixth in the Premier League, it is a bit premature to be demanding they break up the cosy dominance of the top four. Yet it could still happen. There is plenty of life in Villa's season - as, with O'Neill around, you would expect.

-----------------------------------------------------------

The Sunday Times

February 22, 2009

Guus Hiddink passes special test for Chelsea
Aston Villa 0 Chelsea 1

Joe Lovejoy at Villa Park

HERE'S to the new boss — same as the old boss. Guus Hiddink had the victory he and his team needed in his first match in charge but the new Chelsea, as they were billed, looked much like the model that got Jose Mourinho sacked in September 2007, grinding out an amply deserved but uninspiring 1-0 victory to leapfrog Villa and take third place in the table.

Roman Abramovich, who tired of Mourinho's pragmatism and yearned for something more flamboyant, seemed happy enough at the final whistle, applauding with his phalanx of lieutenants and hailing Hiddink as the new "Special One".

Chelsea's self-satisfaction was excusable. Hiddink, having had only a week in which to work the Dutch oracle with his new charges, has at least got them playing like a united team rather than some clique-ridden collection of sulky prima donnas. Their form had dipped in the weeks before Luiz Felipe Scolari was dismissed but they were the powerfully effective machine of old throughout the first half and should have won by a more convincing margin, John Terry having a header cleared off the line by Gareth Barry with Brad Friedel well beaten.

Martin O'Neill said on Friday that this was a match Chelsea could not afford to lose but made no mention of any pressures on his own team, which was taken as a tacit admission that Villa were not genuine title contenders. At no stage did they threaten to disabuse their manager here. Faced with their third match in seven days, one of the smallest squads in the Premier League was found wanting. Their England players in particular had been to the well once too often and looked desperately tired.

That 13-match unbeaten run ended with more of an exhausted whimper than a bang. They have another Uefa Cup match on Thursday in Moscow and the challenge of regaining their lost momentum is bound to be mentally and physically demanding. The fourth Champions League place is probably the best they can hope for.

Beyond the West Midlands, interest focused on Chelsea and the latest manager to try to fill Mourinho's shiny size nines. The cast were entirely familiar, but the line-up less so. Scolari maintained that Chelsea did not have the right players for a 4-4-2 formation and tended to use only one striker — either Nicolas Anelka or Didier Drogba. The new broom swept out the old thinking and picked both. The result was instantly impressive, Frank Lampard's neat turn and bisecting through-pass inviting Anelka to run on and beat Friedel from 12 yards with the cool expertise of a born finisher. That's 21 goals and counting for the reborn French striker.

With Chelsea's midfield dominant, it would have been 2-0 after half an hour but for the flying, one-handed save with which Friedel repelled Terry's header from a Lampard corner.

The wingers on whom Villa's attacking tactics depend made little worthwhile progress and when they did their crossing was poor. That said, they did have Petr Cech's heart in his mouth once in the first half, when Ashley Young shivered the crossbar with a an impressive 20-yard free kick and Emile Heskey nodded the rebound horribly wide.

Barry made his goalline clearance from Terry early in the second half but the lack of the second goal that Chelsea always threatened kept Villa in with a shout and they began to fashion chances of their own. Gabriel Agbonlahor demanded a decent save from Cech, as did Barry from 20 yards, and suddenly Chelsea were reduced to familiar time-wasting ploys. They still came closer to scoring, however, with Jose Bosingwa and Ballack testing Friedel in the last 10 minutes.

Hiddink pronounced himself "very pleased and very satisfied". Invited to elaborate, he said: "Villa had not been beaten for a long time, so it is pleasing to get the points. In the first half we played in a good, attacking way and were dominant in midfield, where we always had the extra man. The only thing wrong was that we didn't do well enough in their box. In the second half they came at us with their air force and sometimes we were a bit too static in possession. As a principle, when you have the ball, you have to move — if you don't, you ask for trouble. The movements don't have to be big but they do have to be smart."

In his first week, he said he had worked his players hard "not just physically but strategically". The attitude in the dressing room was a pleasant surprise but he had seen fit to tell all and sundry "why you're at a big club and what is expected". Juventus at home on Wednesday in the Champions League will come as another reminder.

ASTON VILLA: Friedel 6, Cuellar 5, Knight 6, Davies 5 (Carew 70min), L Young 7, Milner 6, Petrov 5, Barry 6, A Young 6, Agbonlahor 6, Heskey 6

CHELSEA: Cech 6, Bosingwa 6, Alex 6, Terry 7, Ferreira 6, Mikel 6, Kalou 5 (Deco 55min, 5), Ballack 7, Lampard 8, Drogba 6 (Belletti 90min), Anelka 7

---------------------------------------------------------

Independent:

Hiddink does his homework to expose Villa

Aston Villa 0 Chelsea 1: Anelka goal earns debut win for Chelsea's new manager as O'Neill's men begin to look weary

By Steve Tongue at Villa Park

It was the week in which Aston Villa, keen to establish a position among the big beasts, bared their teeth and failed to frighten anyone. Put to the test in the space of seven admittedly arduous days, they lost against Everton in the FA Cup, surrendered third place in the Premier League to Chelsea and were held at home in the Uefa Cup by CSKA Moscow, a result that must be improved on in the second leg on Thursday.

There can be no second chance against Guus Hiddink's new charges, however. Well beaten 2-0 at Stamford Bridge on Luiz Felipe Scolari's best day in charge in October, Villa were found wanting again yesterday and for all their undoubted progress in the past 12 months have now won only one of a dozen games against the big four English clubs they are attempting to match. Hiddink had done his homework and knew Martin O'Neill's team are essentially a counter-attacking side reliant on the pace of Gabriel Agbonlahor and Ashley Young. Yesterday that pair were allowed little scope, while Emile Heskey, just back from injury, looked nothing like the frightening figure who had once terrorised Hiddink's Russia at Wembley.

Five other Englishmen started in claret and blue yesterday in front of Fabio Capello, but Chelsea's patriotic pair Frank Lampard and John Terry were their team's best players, as they have often been in this troubled season. Troubled though hardly hopeless; Hiddink has taken over a side that is about to meet Juventus in the Champions' League, should reach the FA Cup semi-final and has the momentum to continue pursuing Liverpool and Manchester United in the League. Already the wily old Dutchman has a notch on his gun that even Jose Mourinho never achieved with Chelsea: a win at Villa Park, where the London side had not succeeded for almost exactly 10 years.

His first game in charge, after watching the 3-1 victory at Watford last weekend, saw Michael Ballack and Didier Drogba more committed, the latter happy to take a turn out on the left occasionally and allow Nicolas Anelka more space down the middle where they both prefer to operate. There was much neat and confident passing in midfield, although Paulo Ferreira offered less of an attacking option from left-back than the suspended Ashley Cole would have done.

Villa, even after 13 unbeaten League matches, needed a bright start for extra self-belief, but found themselves trailing to a lovely goal after 19 minutes. Lampard's quick feet confounded two defenders before a perfect pass found Anelka moving into the inside-right slot to chip over the advancing Brad Friedel. It was his 21st goal of the season but first in nine League games. Hiddink jumped to his feet for the first time before resuming his seat and stony expression, as if admonishing himself for this outburst of emotion.

There could easily have been a second goal 15 minutes later. Lampard took a corner from in front of adoring Chelsea fans on the right and his England colleague and captain Terry rose above everyone for a header that Friedel had to be at his best to paw away. It would have been an injustice had Villa equalised just after that, not least because Heskey merely slipped over to win them a free-kick from Mark Halsey. From 20 yards Ashley Young curled it against the bar, Heskey heading the rebound feebly wide. The near miss did enliven the home crowd, however, and Villa had plenty of possession from then on. Agbonlahor was gifted a glorious chance when Alex failed to deal with Luke Young's hopeful punt down the touchline, but Petr Cech, slowly returning to form, saved well, before holding two strong shots from Gareth Barry. Chelsea's potential at set-pieces through Terry, Alex, Drogba and Ballack was evident again following another excellent delivery by Lampard. Once again Terry headed powerfully at goal and Stilian Petrov had to clear off the line. Hiddink's first substitution as manager then brought Deco into the game for Salomon Kalou, sitting a little deeper and unable to exert much influence on the game.

Villa went for broke by introducing big John Carew alongside Heskey, but Terry and Alex are not a pair to be intimidated by physical power. Carew glanced his one chance wide and at the other end Drogba, shooting too high, and then the right-back Jose Bosingwa, and Ballack, both thwarted by Friedel, could have allowed Hiddink to relax.

Villa's manager Martin O'Neill felt that not too much should be read into one result. The two defeats by Chelsea this season nevertheless say something about where his team stand in relation to their admirable ambitions.

Attendance: 42,585

Referee: Mark Halsey

Man of the match: Lampard

Match rating: 6/10

---------------------------------------------------------------

NOTW:

ASTON VILLA 0, CHELSEA 1
 
Frank Lampard gets new boss Hiddink off to a flier
 
From ANDY DUNN at Villa Park

"WHERE'S your missus gone?" enquired the Holte End. In response, Frank Lampard gave them only trouble 'n strife.

And he was still out there when that huge stand had emptied into the streets of Aston. Co-ordinating the group hug, high-fiving more sheepish-looking team-mates, wrapping an arm around the bare shoulders of John Terry.

And he was still out there when Roman Abramovich was working his way through underground pathways, seeking out his latest managerial plaything, Guus Hiddink.

And he was still out there after everyone else had disappeared down the tunnel. It was symbolic.

By example, Lampard had led from the front. Now he wanted to bring them home from the rear. And as he finally ducked under the tunnel canopy, Lampard let out a final screech of triumph.

The brave, new world of Hiddink turned out to be the brave, old world of Chelsea. The one symbolised by Lampard and Terry, stood bicep-to-bicep in front of the travelling fans, screaming out their unity.

It will take more than an orchestrated show of chumminess to prove there are no splits in the Stamford Bridge dressing room. But this was a start.

It was not so much that the players reacted to Hiddink's arrival with a determination to convince us that, even though they are unlikely to catch United, they are united.

It was that they reacted to the embarrassment of losing a World Cup-winning manager his job. It was that they reacted to being labelled a hotch-potch of moaning minnies. Hangdog millionaires.

Lampard was inspirational, his work for the goal sublime and one late defensive chore earning the fist of approval from Deco. Terry, if not exactly foot-sure, was wildly determined, unlucky not to net.

Didier Drogba was on his best behaviour, diligent, bustling and not a single toy leaving the pram. And Nicolas Anelka's finesse won the game, all silk and no sulk.

Hell, even Michael Ballack tried. And Petr Cech looked as safe as I've seen him for a while, apart from when he turned frozen orange as Ashley Young's free-kick sent the crossbar into convulsions.

Cech fielded a couple of heartily-hit Gareth Barry efforts in the second half but this was the performance of a Villa side who have jumped a string of fences only to see Becher's Brook looming in the distance as their breathing gets harder.

Even the odd injury exposes Martin O'Neill's squad. With Martin Laursen missing after knee surgery, Zat Knight and Curtis Davies form an unconvincing partnership at the heart of the defence. They are too similarly gangly, with rash interventions their speciality.

Lifting
 
So it was when Davies hurriedly advanced on Lampard only to see the England midfielder's quick feet take him clear and gently persuade a pass into the path of Anelka.

The Frenchman — now with 21 goals in a tantrum-free season — did not have to interrupt his thoroughbred stride before delicately lifting his finish over Brad Friedel.

He may be hard to take to but he is one class act. And Anelka was as enthusiastic as anyone in the post-match love-in . . . maybe he's beginning to buy into this team thing.

There has never been any doubting Villa's team ethic and, after an insipid first-half display, they at least brought a touch of vibrancy after the interval.

Gabriel Agbonlahor annexed Alex to leave himself alone with Cech but struck straight at the Chelsea keeper. And Barry connected well with his attempts but sent them both into Cech's comfort zone.

The Villa captain was again the source of most things promising but even he looked a little laboured as Lampard loped remorselessly from box to box.

With Fabio Capello joining the rich and, er, even richer in the directors' box, the man who must have impressed him most was a man he knows an awful lot about. And a man to whom he preferred Barry and Manchester United's Michael Carrick the last time out.

England captain Terry must also have pleased Capello, even though he looks increasingly liable to take a gamble (and I'm not talking parking the roller outside Ladbrokes).

In fact, Terry was more eye-catching in the opposite area — his first effort a thumping header that brought a wonderful reaction save out of Friedel, his second a looping little number that was cleared off the line by Stiliyan Petrov.

The main criticism of Chelsea yesterday was that they did not quell doubts after Anelka's beautiful finish.

Even when Deco entered proceedings and promptly beat more men in a minute than he has all season, his pass was wasted by Ballack — the German's shot bringing out a posturing save that Friedel should not have been allowed to make.

The inability to brush Villa aside niggled at Hiddink and brought him into the technical area, although not with O'Neill's inimitable style.

But there was little on which to judge the Dutchman yesterday. He looks tidy, organised, stern, determined, tough to crack. Presumably, that is what he wants his side to look like.

Grinning
 
And that is what Chelsea always used to look like. The Chelsea Abramovich used to love under Jose Mourinho. And then didn't . . . most notably when he slunk away early from the self-same Villa Park when Mourinho's mediocrity finally became too much to bear.

Gazing down at Guus and grinning, Roman was there again yesterday. You don't see him for two months and then, all of a sudden, he's stalking you.

So was Randy Lerner, who had to be prodded when the Holte End stopped taunting Frank about his missus and chanted the owner's name. But despite the presence of the uber-rich and the uber-coach, this day was about old values on the pitch.

About Chelsea — led by Frank's imperious example — going back to the basics and proving that, sadly unlike the Lampard household, there are no splits.

-------------------------------------------------------

match press kit

http://www.uefa.com/printoutfiles/competitions/ucl/2009/e/e_302785_pk.pdf

match preview

http://www.uefa.com/printoutfiles/competitions/ucl/2009/e/e_302785_pr.pdf

Sunday Times

Nicolas Anelka lifts Chelsea spirits
Watford 1 Chelsea 3

Joe Lovejoy at Vicarage Road

HE HAD only one match in charge but Ray Wilkins showed the tactical
appreciation that Luiz Felipe Scolari was deemed to have lacked to
turn around this FA Cup tie and instal Chelsea safely in the
quarter-finals. Watford were leading through Tamas Priskin and a bad
week was turning worse for their Premier League opponents until
Wilkins switched to a 4-4-2 formation and Nicolas Anelka rattled in a
hat-trick in the space of 15 second-half minutes.

Scolari, sacked last Monday, said Chelsea lacked the playing resources
for the Plan B used here. Top tactical marks then to Wilkins, then,
for moving Anelka from the right into the middle, alongside Didier
Drogba, where the Frenchman's technical skills and finishing expertise
proved devastating against Championship defenders.

Chelsea were much the better side and deserved their win, but for a
long time they made hard work of it. Guus Hiddink, the new coach,
watched, stone-faced, flanked by Roman Abramovich and Peter Kenyon.
What will the Dutchman have made of it all?

Before yesterday he knew the worst. The briefing he sought from his
predecessor will have told him that the squad is not as "special" as
some would have us believe. He will have heard that Petr Cech had
dropped well below the form that once made him the world's best
goalkeeper, that John Terry and Ricardo Carvalho were missing more
games than they once did — both were absent again here — that John Obi
Mikel had been found wanting as Claude Makelele's replacement and that
Florent Malouda and Salomon Kalou were not up to the standard
required. There was no Arjen Robben to unlock defences with a pacy
dribble and the most potent weapon, Drogba, was sulking instead of
scoring these days.

Enough bad news? Not quite. The club's newly published accounts
revealed that they lost another £65m in the financial year. There will
be no money for new players at the end of the season if Hiddink does
stay on beyond the summer.

Welcome to the Roman empire. It is his unenviable, if
well-remunerated, task to halt its fall. Wilkins was left in charge
yesterday, a decision that prompted cynics to suggest that Chelsea
couldn't risk having their knight in shining armour embarrassed by
Watford's Brendan Rodgers, who was reserve team coach at Stamford
Bridge until November.

Hiddink starts officially tomorrow and his first match is the Premier
League tussle for third place at Aston Villa on Saturday. Given the
respective form of the two teams, it promises to be a baptism of fire.
It will certainly be a lot tougher than this.

Watford were without Jack Cork, their England under-21 midfielder, who
is on loan from Chelsea and unable to play against his parent club.
Michael Mancienne, the young centre-half who got into the England
squad before he had played first-team football for Chelsea, was
finally given his debut last night, but at right-back, with Branislav
Ivanovic preferred as Alex's partner in central defence. Mancienne had
a curate's egg of a match, giving the ball away too easily at times,
but showing good pace in recovery. Whether Hiddink will risk his
inexperience against Villa, and Ashley Young, remains to be seen.

Rodgers' team hover precariously above the Championship's bottom
three. They are a pretty ordinary bunch, as that position would
suggest and, given the quality of the opposition, Chelsea were again
disappointing, their passing telegraphed, their attacking play for a
long time too predictable.

They started in promising fashion, Drogba bringing a save from Scott
Loach with a rasping 25-yarder and Alex threatening with a header from
Lampard's corner, but then became laboured. Kalou misdirected a header
to waste an inviting chance set up by Lampard.

The best chance of an undistinguished first half saw Anelka exchange
passes with Drogba before firing in a shot from the right that bounced
off the far post, with Loach stranded.

After the interval, Drogba demanded a flying save from Loach and
Lampard was only a foot or so away with a shot from distance. Chelsea
again had the initiative, but needed to make better use of their
overwhelming territorial advantage. Fairly typical of their work was
Drogba's failure from close range after another cross from Lampard.

They ought to have had the goal they needed after 61 minutes, when
Anelka nodded the ball down to Drogba, whose shot was goalbound until
it hit Ashley Cole. The rebound fell for Ballack, who shot over from
three yards out. Hiddink looked on, horrified. Abramovich, at whose
behest Chelsea are paying the German £130,000 a week, laughed.

Anelka shot wide, Ballack was similarly inaccurate with his head.
Watford were hanging on when substitute Priskin accelerated away from
Ballack and beat Cech, who was unable to keep out a shot that hit him
on the head before looping up and under the bar.

Chelsea were in danger of humiliation but turned deficit into profit
in the space of seven minutes. Wilkins took off Mikel and went 4-4-2.
Eureka! Equality was restored when Lampard's corner from the left was
flicked goalwards by Ivanovic for Anelka to score with an overhead
kick from three yards. Then Ballack delivered a long crossfield ball
to Drogba, who controlled it on his chest before backheeling to Cole,
on the overlap. The England full-back's clever, dinked pass was met
Anelka, ghosting in front of his marker to make it 2-1 with a
deliberately placed downward header. He completed his hat-trick with a
neat turn and shot from 16 yards. Hiddink left without a word but
there is one name, at least, on his first teamsheet.

WATFORD: Loach 8, Hoyte 6, Mariappa 7, DeMerit 6, Doyley 6, Smith 6,
Jenkins 6, L Williamson 6 (Cowie 67min), McAnuff 7, Rasiak 6 (Priskin
66min), Hoskins 6 (O'Toole 76min)

CHELSEA: Cech 6, Mancienne 6, Alex 6, Ivanovic 6, A Cole 6, Lampard 7,
Ballack 6 (Belletti 83min), Mikel 5 (Stoch 73min), Kalou 5, Anelka 8,
Drogba 6



-------------------------------------------------------


Telegraph:


Nicolas Anelka to the rescue as Chelsea labour to victory
Watford (0) 1 Chelsea (0) 3

By Duncan White at Vicarage Road

It was impossible to watch this game without imagining how it must
look through the gold-rimmed spectacles of Guus Hiddink. The Dutchman,
perched in the stands, remained inscrutable behind the glint of those
glasses, but he cannot have failed to pass harsh judgement on his new
charges.

It's going to be a tough week at Chelsea' Cobham training ground and
Hiddink must draw deep on his well of football wisdom if he is to turn
this Chelsea side into a team capable of securing silverware. Nicolas
Anelka scored twice within a minute to save Chelsea an embarrassing
elimination in front of their new coach.

Having gone one down with just over 20 minutes left it was looking
grim for Chelsea before the Frenchman scored with an acrobatic
overhead kick to equalise, and then squeezed a glancing downward
header in at the near post to secure progress into the next round.

Ray Wilkins was in charge of picking the team and decided to try and
find the width that Chelsea have so desperately lacked all season by
switching to a 4-3-3. That meant Nicolas Anelka and Salomon Kalou
playing as wingers with Didier Drogba as the spearhead.

Luiz Felipe Scolari had largely refused to play Anelka and Drogba
together, claiming incompatibility. On this evidence the Brazilian was
in the right – although the French striker did hit the post in the
first half when Drogba played him in.

That was one of the few highlights in an uninspired first half from
Chelsea. Frank Lampard did have Scott Loach, the Watford goalkeeper,
in a fluster with a swerving free kick and Kalou inexplicably headed
the ball away from his waiting team-mates when the home offside trap
failed. To be fair to Frank Lampard and Michael Ballack, their
attempts to play crisp passing football were undermined by a pitch
worthy of an Antiguan outfield.

Brendan Rogers, the Watford coach who was part of the Chelsea coaching
staff last season, was evidently targeting setpieces, seeking to
exploit the visitors' vulnerability to the cross. Both Adrian Mariappa
and Grzegorz Rasiak forced Petr Cech to save from firm far post
headers, while Jobi McAnuff came close to winning a penalty, luring
Alex into a foul on the very edge pf the area.

Pleasingly, Wilkins had decided to give a debut to Michael Mancienne
at right back. The 21-year-old has been with the club since the age of
nine and got into Fabio Capello's England squad before even making an
appearance for his club so it was about time he got his chance. His
dynamic, penetrative runs from deep cannot but have impressed Hiddink,
especially when one of those bursts was punctuated by a crisply struck
left-footer that went just over the bar. The jaded Bosingwa might well
fear for his place.

Drogba, while not quite the brutal bully he used to be, was certainly
sharper than of late. Early in the second half he rolled his man and
shot left-footed and powerfully across the goal, Loach saving well. It
was the kind of undefendable effort he thrived on two years ago. The
embarrassing air kick, from Lamaprd's cross moments, later, was a
reminder of his more recent form, though.

Ballack, another of the supposed architects of Scolari's sacking (Cech
was the other who apparently briefed Roman Abramovich about the
Brazilian's failings), had a dreadful afternoon, culminating in the
miss of the game. When Drogba's snapshot was saved, the German hooked
the rebound way over the empty goal.

It was the same old story for Chelsea – huge amounts of possession but
an inability to kill off mediocre opposition. Watford worked
tremendously hard and kept their shape in the face of wave on wave of
attacks but their attacking contribution was negligible until
Priskin's remarkable intervention.

The Hungarian had only been on the field a few minutes when Lloyd
Doyley sent him scampering down the left channel. Cech came hurtling
out and Priskin bravely took on the chip, his clever effort clipping
the advancing goalkeeper and looping into the net.

The delirium of the Watford fans did not last. Anelka's cobra-quick
finishing undid all the home side's valiant defensive work in two
rapid strikes. His third, in added time, from Kalou's pass, put
further gloss on the result.

Anelka's goalmouth expertise could not deflect the wider problems of
his team though. Hiddink will go into start work tomorrow knowing this
is no sinecure.



-------------------------------------------------------


Mirror:

Rudderless Chelsea still too good for Watford
Watford 1 - 3 Chelsea

Nicolas Anelka put Chelsea into the last eight of the FA Cup with a
superb hat-trick after struggling Watford had given them a massive
fright.

The Coca-Cola Championship side stung the Blues in the 69th minute
when substitute Tamas Priskin raced clear to put them ahead.

But with Chelsea's domestic season on the brink of collapse, Anelka
hooked home the equaliser in the 75th minute and nodded them in front
two minutes later.

Petr Cech then denied Jobi McAnuff an equaliser in stoppage time and
Watford's hopes were finished off seconds later when Anelka claimed
his 20th of the season.

Assistant boss Ray Wilkins had challenged his side to prove their
spirit was still intact following last Monday's sacking of Luiz Felipe
Scolari.

The club's new interim coach Guus Hiddink takes charge on Monday and
he watched from a seat in the main stand at Vicarage Road as Chelsea
were made to fight all the way by the home side.

The Blues began tentatively but in the seventh minute Didier Drogba
brought a fine save from Scott Loach with a 30-yard half-volley that
looked destined for the top corner.

Chelsea goalkeeper Cech was largely untroubled until the 11th minute
when he was forced to collect a header from Adrian Mariappa.

Chelsea's Ashley Cole was booked for a foul on Tommy Smith in the 18th
minute but Watford could not punish the Premier League side from the
resultant free-kick.

Moments later Grzegorz Rasiak held back John Obi Mikel but Frank
Lampard's 20-yard free-kick was kept out by Watford's defensive wall.

The Coca-Cola Championship side were matching Chelsea in every
department and when Michael Mancienne hopefully despatched a cross
into the Watford penalty area, Loach was quick to see the danger and
deal with it.

Loach then pulled off another super save from Lampard's free-kick
after Drogba had been fouled 25-yards from goal.

Drogba was beginning to find space and time among the Watford
rearguard and in the 28th minute he tested Loach again with a low
20-yard drive.

In the 33rd minute Alex brought down McAnuff on the edge of the
Chelsea penalty area but Watford wasted the resultant free-kick when
McAnuff's effort was blocked by Mikel.

Chelsea almost broke the deadlock in the 35th minute when Drogba set up Anelka.

The France striker's shot eluded the outstretched hands of Loach in
the Watford goal but the ball bounced off the outside of his
right-hand post.

It was a real let-off for the home side who had previously restricted
Chelsea to long-range efforts.

Smith gave Chelsea's defence some anxious moments when he weaved his
way into the penalty area but the Watford striker was eventually
crowded out.

Chelsea had the lion's share of possession but apart from Anelka's
shot against the post, the home side had managed to hold them at bay
quite comfortably.

In the 43rd minute, Watford almost went ahead when a cross from
McAnuff was met at the far post by Rasiak.

But the Watford striker was thwarted by a fine save from Cech who
managed to keep the ball out at the second attempt.

Watford immediately set about Chelsea from the restart and Will
Hoskins brought Cech into action with an angled drive which the
goalkeeper held comfortably.

Loach denied Drogba again in the 49th minute with a fine save at his
near post. Branislav Ivanovic had put the Ivorian clear and his
left-foot shot was heading for the net until Loach intervened with a
one-handed stop.

Moments later, Lampard was a foot wide with a trademark 25-yard drive.

The Championship strugglers were now having to defend in numbers as
Chelsea increased the tempo.

In the 55th minute, Drogba just failed to get on the end of a
delightfully chipped cross from Lampard.

Mancienne, who had enjoyed a fine debut for Chelsea at right-back,
decided to try his luck in the 60th minute but his 20-yard effort was
just too high to trouble Loach.

In the 62nd minute, Chelsea wasted another chance to go in front.
Anelka nodded a long cross from Salomon Kalou back to Drogba but his
shot was blocked by Ashley Cole.

However, the ball fell into the path of Germany international Michael
Ballack who somehow contrived to send the ball high over the crossbar
from point-blank range.

But Watford stunned Chelsea when substitute Tamas Priskin, on for
Rasiak in the 65th minute, put them in front four minutes later. The
striker ran clear of the visitors' defence to lift the ball over the
advancing Cech.

But Anelka then sealed an amazing Chelsea comeback with a hat-trick.
He levelled the scores in the 75th minute by hooking the ball home
from close range.

Two minutes the France international headed home a cross from Cole and
then, after Cech had saved superbly from McAnuff in stoppage time, he
drove Kalou's pass beyond Loach for his 20th of the season



-----------------------------------------------------


Mail:


Watford 1 Chelsea 3: Anelka treble steals it as Hornets are denied
famous victory
By Rob Draper

Roman Abramovich sat in the stands with his pet manager Guus Hiddink
on one side and girlfriend Daria Zhukova on the other and looked to be
happy in love again.
Why, he even laughed when Michael Ballack missed from three yards out,
grinned when Didier Drogba struck a shot and cheered when Nicolas
Anelka rescued his side from ignominy with a 15-minute, match-saving
hat-trick.
In short, it was a thumbs-up from The Emperor this week as Chelsea
progressed to the FA Cup quarterfinals, eventually running out
comfortable winners against an impressively workmanlike Watford side.

But alongside the Chelsea owner, Hiddink, a man with a lifetime's
experience in football, struggled to raise a smile. Called in from
Moscow like International Rescue to salvage the season after Luiz
Felipe Scolari was judged to have failed, the Dutchman sat grim-faced
as he absorbed all before him.
Perhaps he knows better than his paymaster the size of the task ahead
and probably he is aware that changing the manager every six months is
no way to run a football club.
Doubtless, these are thoughts he will keep to himself for the moment
as, for now, The Emperor is happy and another bright, new era is under
way; the third in 18 months. This one may even last beyond the summer.
Yesterday, Hiddink confined himself to a brief visit to the dressing
room before and after the game to wish his new players well and then
congratulate them. Tomorrow, he will begin planning for season
defining games against Aston Villa and Juventus.
At least he will do so with a victory on which to build, for a poor
season looked to have taken a turn for the worse when Watford
substitute Tamas Priskin sprinted past a flat Chelsea defensive line
on 69 minutes and lifted the ball over Petr Cech and into the net.

Lloyd Doyley provided the decisive pass and Praskin looked
suspiciously offside, but that would have been a footnote had Watford
managed to hang on to their lead and further dismantle the expensively
assembled Chelsea machine.
Another year, another £66million subsidy from the owner and still
Chelsea look like they are going backwards.

Perhaps Hiddink will regain the momentum, but they possess a fragility
about them at present, and the invincible aura of Jose Mourinho is
long gone, even if it did require some minor heroics from 20-year-old
Scott Loach in goal to keep Watford in the game.
'People say it's been a difficult season, but we're through to the
next round of the FA Cup, we're in the hunt in the league and and
still in the Champions League,' said coach Ray Wilkins. 'And we
haven't seen our best yet. I think we'll get better.'

The manager for the day had left his mark on the side. Jose Bosingwa
was 'rested' and Michael Mancienne was given a start, as was Drogba,
who curiously seems to have thrown off the fatigue which bedevilled
him when Luiz Felipe Scolari was at the helm.
'I had no doubts about him,' said Wilkins, who went on to laud Drogba
as a great influence in the dressing room. 'I had a little one-to-one
with Didier in the week,' he said.
'He's had a difficult season and been in and out, but I felt he was
the type of guy who will do better from the start than coming off the
bench and it was nice to see the big man back.'

Brendan Rogers, the Watford manager, was mildly upset that in the six
minutes in which his side held the lead he had been unable to bring on
substitute John-Joe O'Toole because the earpiece of referee Mike Dean
was not working.
But the former Chelsea man acknowledged that with players of the
quality of Anelka on the pitch it probably would have made little
difference. The Frenchman scored his 18th, 19th and 20th goals of the
season in a 15-minute spell which underlined the quality gap between
the sides.
The pick was the first, on 75 minutes, an overhead kick which he
managed to collect from a loose header with his back to goal and a
crowd of players around him. Few could have executed such skill.

His second, two minutes later, was a more routine header from an
Ashley Cole cross and the third, in injury-time, came after good work
from Salomon Kalou allowed him to guide the ball into the net from
just inside the area.
It was an emphatic display and Anelka has been a rare bright spark in
a dark season for Chelsea. Alongside Drogba and playing as a front two
for the final 15 minutes, Anelka may well have resolved the endless
debate over whether the two strikers can be paired together.

Watford persevered despite having allowed their lead to slip. Indeed,
with 90 minutes up and the score still at 2-1, Jobi McAnuff was clean
through on goal.
Cech was off his line smartly this time and managed to save when,
really, the Watford winger should have equalised. It was to be
Watford's last stand.
Seconds later, Anelka added the third and the natural order had been restored.

WATFORD (4-4-2): Loach; Hoyte, DeMerit, Mariappa, Doyley; Smith,
Williamson (Cowie 67min), Jenkins, McAnuff; Rasiak (Priskin 66),
Hoskins (O'Toole 76).
Subs: Lee, Sadler, Harley, Parkes. Booked: O'Toole.
CHELSEA (4-3-3): Cech; Mancienne, Alex, Ivanovic, A Cole; Lampard,
Mikel (Stoch 73), Ballack (Belletti 83); Anelka, Drogba, Kalou.
Subs: Hilario, Di Santo, Quaresma, Ferreira, Deco.
Booked: A Cole.
Referee: M Dean (Wirral).


-------------------------------------------------------


Indy:

Anelka papers over cracks in front of Hiddink

Watford 1 Chelsea 3: French forward's hat-trick strikes positive note
but Dutchman has work cut out to turn around Chelsea

By Steve Tongue at Vicarage Road

A Watford side in danger of relegation to League One gave Chelsea's
temporary manager Guus Hiddink plenty to ponder before a hat-trick in
15 minutes from Nicolas Anelka guided his team into the FA Cup quarter
final for a fourth successive season. Watching from the directors' box
alongside his patron Roman Abramovich, Hiddink saw the home side take
an unlikely lead with only 21 minutes to play before the Frenchman's
dramatic intervention.

Three clinical strikes, taking Anelka's total to 20 this season, were
in contrast to many of their previously profligate efforts. The
turnaround also came after little Miroslav Stoch was brought on with
Chelsea one-nil down, changing the formation to the 4-4-2 that Luiz
Felipe Scolari believed was impractical because their wide players
lack of defensive nous.

Before that Anelka and Didier Drogba had alternated between their best
position in the centre and a berth wide on the right that suits
neither. There is still much for Hiddink to sort out and he will
presumably believe that the FA Cup offers a more realistic prospect of
a trophy than either the Premier League or European Cup. Hiddink
visited Chelsea's dressing room before and after the game but Ray
Wilkins picked the team, as well as making the crucial tactical change
when Watford scored.

"I thought we were outstanding against a world-class squad," said
Brendan Rodgers, who has made a good impression since leaving his
position as Chelsea's reserve-team manager to succeed Aidy Boothroyd
at Watford. "I'm very proud of the club tonight. With 20 minutes left,
I thought, 'Here we go', but I should have known better because I've
worked with these guys." So it proved.

Losing to a struggling Championship side (Barnsley) in the FA Cup last
season effectively cost Avram Grant his job, even though he was
allowed to carry on all the way to the Champions' League final.
Scolari was not allowed either opportunity and his goose might have
been cooked even earlier had Petr Cech not brought off a stunning save
to prevent Chelsea falling two goals behind in the third-round replay
at Southend.

The London side survived that day and Cech was back from injury here
to take his place behind an unfamiliar back four. Michael Mancienne
was at right-back – where he was caught out for the goal – with
Branislav Ivanovic partnering Alex in the centre because of John
Terry's suspension. Frank Lampard was outstanding in front of a father
who as a Watford consultant was in the rare position of wanting his
son to lose. Further forward, it took Drogba and Anelka 35 minutes to
link up effectively but when they did, Anelka struck a post.

Before that Watford's goalkeeper Scott Loach twice had to fist away
fierce drives by Drogba and Lampard, and Alex headed a corner just
over the bar. Rodgers might have been forgiven for packing his
midfield to combat the players he knows so well but to his credit he
went with two forwards, pushing Will Hoskins up alongside Grzegorz
Rasiak. Watford were pleased to reach the interval on level terms,
having competed well but found it difficult to put the makeshift
visiting defence under pressure. Their best moments until the goal
were headers by Adrian Mariappa and then Rasiak.

For 25 minutes in the second half Chelsea camped in opposition
territory, so that it was all the more of a shock when Watford scored.
Drogba, latching on to Ivanovic's long pass, drew a fine one-handed
save from Loach, and then Lampard flashed a shot just past the post.
In the nextattack Ashley Cole of all people blocked a shot by Drogba,
the ball rebounding to the ineffective Michael Ballack, who from six
yards hit it too high.

In the 69th minute, however, Vicarage Road was given reason to dream.
It was just about their team's first serious attack since the interval
when the Hungarian striker Tamas Priskin, only just on as a
substitute, raced on to a pass down the left from Lloyd Doyley and
dinked it over Cech.

The dream lasted only six minutes. From Chelsea's 15th corner, the
substitute Stoch flicked on and Anelka produced an equalising overhead
kick and within 90 seconds he headed in a cross from Cole, who had
been set up by Drogba. Still Watford were not done and Jobi McAnuff
would have brought the score level again but for Cech's save at
close-range. It was added time before Anelka completed hishat-trick
from Salomon Kalou's pass.

Attendance: 16,851

Referee: Mike Dean

Man of the match: Anelka

Match rating: 7/10


------------------------------------------------------


Observer:

Anelka keeps Chelsea fighting in the FA Cup after sinking Watford
Watford 1 Priskin 69
Chelsea 3 Anelka 75, Anelka 77, Anelka 90

Paul Wilson at Vicarage Road

There was no St Valentine's Day ­massacre, either of Watford's Cup
hopes or in Chelsea's attempts to reinvent themselves under the gaze
of a new boss, though there was a Sapphic proposal of marriage at
half-time. To Linda from Jackie: "You make me complete." Exactly what
a manager sent from Russia with love is supposed to do for the Blues.

A second-half hat-trick from Nicolas Anelka helped Chelsea progress
easily enough in the end, as they ought to have done against opponents
from the ­bottom three of the Championship, though it took the Premier
League side over an hour to make their class tell. Guus ­Hiddink will
have observed that Anelka and Didier Drogba can play together after
all and he will also have formed a fair impression of what has been
going wrong with Chelsea. It took an opening goal from the home side
to force any urgency into Chelsea and while Frank Lampard was his
usual industrious self Michael Ballack and Salomon Kalou once again
had a game to forget.

"I don't think you've seen the best of us yet," Ray Wilkins said,
rather missing the point of the week's upheavals. "People keep saying
we've had a difficult season, but we are now in the FA Cup
quarter-finals and still in the hunt for the league and the Champions
League. All we need is a bit more luck in front of goal."

A promising Cup tie when it came out of the hat, this game had already
been overshadowed by all the managerial machinations of the preceding
week, and that was before José Mourinho announced today in Milan his
intention one day to be manager of Chelsea again. That would be
popular with ­supporters, most of whom are of the opinion he should
never have been removed in the first place, though whether he gets the
chance possibly depends on what sort of job Hiddink does in the next
four months.

The Dutchman watched the proceedings from the stands in the company of
Roman Abramovich, Peter Kenyon and Bruce Buck, the club chairman –
some sort of three-line whip obviously having been applied for the
welcoming committee. While Wilkins enjoyed a relatively low profile in
the dugout, he did claim sole responsibility to rest the "tired" José
Bosingwa in favour of Michael Mancienne.

The most noticeable difference in Chelsea on the pitch was that Drogba
looked far more interested than of late. Played on his own at the
point of the attack with Anelka and Kalou just behind, Drogba brought
a save from Scott Loach as early as the eighth minute. Kalou should
have done better than that when Lampard's free-kick found him for a
free header in front of goal six minutes later, yet inexplicably he
opted to knock the ball down to a non-existent colleague rather than
give Loach anything to worry about. As Watford had little to offer in
attack and were not making much progress down the flanks, it was
inexplicable when ­Ashley Cole picked up a needless booking midway
through the first half for kicking Tommy Smith up in the air.

Lampard livened up matters just before the half-hour with a powerfully
struck free-kick that Loach had to leap to punch away. But while
Chelsea were applying most of the pressure there was a marked lack of
excitement or end product. Watford's best hope of scoring for most of
the first half, apart from a Smith dribble into the box that promised
much yet came to nothing, was when Alex tripped Jobi McAnuff on the
edge of the area. It was clearly outside the area, but it still
amounted to Watford's best attacking position and McAnuff wasted it
with a feeble free-kick.

Happily there was a flurry of excitement at either end just before the
interval. Drogba and Anelka combined effectively for once, only for
the Frenchman to see his shot rebound off an upright, then McAnuff,
who at least remained Watford's liveliest attacker, looped a diagonal
ball to the far post, where Grzegorz Rasiak tested Petr Cech with a
header.

Chelsea stepped up their efforts in the second half. Drogba brought a
sharp save from Loach, while Lampard found only the side netting with
a 25-yard drive that most people thought had gone in. When Drogba next
received the ball, he was unlucky enough to see his shot blocked by
Cole, which gives a good indication of how many men the visitors were
getting forward. The rebound fell to Ballack, who managed to scoop
over the bar from two or three yards. It was knockabout stuff for a
while, with Chelsea doing everything except force the ball over the
line. At one point, even Abramovich was laughing, though beside him
Hiddink maintained a straight face.

It must have turned even straighter when Tamas Priskin came on with 23
minutes remaining and scored with his first touch. Even though there
was a suggestion of offside, it was far from convincing defending by a
Chelsea side caught hopelessly on the break. Alex was out of position
to deal with Lloyd Doyley's ball forward from half-way and while
Priskin gleefully ran on to it in the absence of any flag, Ballack did
not even offer the pretence of a chase. Priskin ended up with only
Cech to beat and although the goalkeeper got a hand to the shot he
could not keep it out of the net.

It turned out to be exactly what Chelsea needed to wake them up. They
were level inside five minutes, when Branislav Ivanovic got his head
to a Lampard corner and Anelka hooked the ball in despite having his
back to goal, and in the lead just seconds later when Drogba and Cole
combined to give Anelka his second. After the huffing and puffing that
had gone before, the striker made scoring look ridiculously easy, his
downward header bouncing before going past Loach. If Anelka's third in
stoppage time made the whole afternoon look like a breeze, it was
never quite that. Just seconds earlier Cech had made an outstanding
save to deny McAnuff an equaliser.

"We had a chance for 2-2, but they showed a wee bit of quality at the
end," the Watford manager Brendan Rodgers said. "I'm still proud of
the technical discipline we showed against world-class players,
though. We showed we can play with our brain. Football's not all about
heart – that's one of the things I learned at Chelsea." (He was
Chelsea reserve coach from 2006-08.)

Chelsea were not flattered when Anelka made it three from Kalou's run
into the box, just relieved. Wilkins ­completely blew his air of
studied indifference on the touchline to punch the air in delight –
and he will not even be manager this time next week. "Guus was
delighted," Wilkins was able to confirm. "He came into the dressing
room afterwards and he knows he's got a wonderful group of players to
work with."


------------------------------------------------------


NOTW:


WATFORD 1, CHELSEA 3

It's love at first sight thanks to Nicolas Anelka

From ANDY DUNN/ROB BEASLEY

ON Valentine's Day Nicolas Anelka at least guaranteed there was some
love at first sight for Guus Hiddink. Whether it will turn into a
fully-blown affair is anybody's guess.

At times, Hiddink looked like he was on a date from Hell. But as he
strolled purposefully around the perimeter of this homely stadium
after the match — Roman Abramovich and a posse of flunkies trailing in
his wake — he had the cut of a man who means business. Business made
easier by Anelka.

Relationships are normally fleeting for Nicolas. Nine clubs in the
career of a 29-year-old are testament to that.

Hiddink would earn his eye-watering amount of corn if he keeps Anelka
happy and in this form. And he will go the way of Big Phil Scolari if
he doesn't use the Frenchman in a conventional central striking role.

With Salomon Kalou employed as a left-sided attacking midfielder,
Anelka often found himself isolated on the right flank. Coaches too
clever for their own good — that's what formations like this are all
about.

You might have thought Ray Wilkins would know better. He was the
temporary boss and his one-night stand looked to be heading for a
million regrets when substitute Tamas Priskin put Watford ahead.

But to be fair to Wilkins, wide-eyed bemusement turned into tactical
genius when he sent on Miroslav Stoch and moved Anelka into a more
central role.

Even he might not have guessed it would turn into a 15-minute
hat-trick. But credit to Wilkins should be tempered by the fact that
he started with a holding midfielder, Jon Obi Mikel, against a
mediocre Watford side in the first place.

Boasts

At least he has handed on the FA Cup baton to Hiddink, who will have
plenty of raw material to work on when he rolls his sleeves up at the
Cobham training complex today. And no one boasts more raw material
than Didier Drogba.

He went through the full repertoire yesterday — a fizzing 25-yard shot
that stretched impressive Watford keeper Scott Loach to the limit, a
Beckham-esque Hollywood pass to Kalou and a bullying header — all
inside the opening half-hour.

And, of course, a good old whinge — at Kalou, after he misguided a
free header from formality territory.

Oh, nearly forgot — there was also the obligatory dive as he almost
screwed himself into the ground when Jobi McAnuff brushed his sleeve.

Thankfully, in the interests of justice, Loach just about managed to
keep out Frank Lampard's dipping free-kick. But Drogba also looked
more comfortable in a regulation attacking pairing and Hiddink will
surely keep this pair in harness for as long as they remain fit in
body and mind. And on recent evidence, the latter could be more prone
to injury.

Michael Ballack certainly needs to get his head right. One passage in
the second half was particularly illustrative of the task facing
Hiddink's man-management skills.

Sloppy

First he was sloppy, then he was slovenly. In a farcical few seconds,
Ashley Cole contrived to block a goal-bound shot from Drogba and the
loose ball was an embossed goal invitation. Ballack turned it down,
instead sending it into the rafters.

The reaction in the posh seats was intriguing. Abramovich laughed
heartily, Hiddink stared coldly ahead.

And coldly became icily when Priskin made the most of Ballack's abject
refusal to track back and raced on to a Lloyd Doyley pass.

Petr Cech was quickly and bravely out but his helmet only helped guide
Priskin's dink into the net. Ballack was the culpable figure until
Anelka dug his German friend out of very dark hole.

Anelka's natural predatory instincts saw him turn a Branislav Ivanovic
back-header into an equaliser courtesy of an overhead kick and then
steal between two static defenders to head in Cole's cross.

It was enough to have Blues owner Roman chuckling again but still
Hiddink wore a grim look.

At least the stone features cracked into something resembling a smile
when Kalou's injury-time pass found Anelka in the box and his turn and
shot was Premier League class against Championship mediocrity.

There was plenty of chat of the score being unflattering to Brendan
Rodgers' Hornets. But, quite honestly, it wasn't. Loach had to be
outstanding to keep out Drogba on three occasions and Lampard on two
while, going forward, they offered precious little.

McAnuff was their most inventive player and actually had a chance to
level the scores before Chelsea's third but Cech denied him.

And the fact that a Blues defence — albeit a very makeshift one —
allowed a sluggish Watford to break through on a handful of occasions
will seriously worry new boss Hiddink.

John Terry will be back from suspension but there remains a new,
hitherto uncertainty in the Blues' rearguard. Cech is still not back
to his authoritative best.

But the spring in his step on that walk around the cinder track and
his grinning entrance into the post-match dressing room reflected a
man who knows that there is still plenty of talent at Stamford Bridge.

That talent has become lazy, sulky, moody. The sort of words that you
used to associate with Anelka.

Not any more. And if he can become diligent, determined and dedicated,
then there's no reason why Hiddink cannot get a few more to convert to
the cause.


-----------------------------------------------------

Sunday Times

Phil Scolari booed as Blues flop

Chelsea 0 Hull City 0

Joe Lovejoy at Stamford Bridge

THEY were not about to admit it, but Chelsea tumbled out of the title
race with this bankrupt performance against a team without a win in
nine Premier League matches. Hull had some outstanding chances,
especially in the second half, and with decent finishing would have
won against more celebrated opponents, whose increasingly
disillusioned supporters chorused "You don't know what you're doing"
at Luiz Felipe Scolari as their team stumbled from bad to worse.

Ominously for the Chelsea manager, there was a banner unfurled bearing
the legend "Scolari out, Zola/Di Matteo Chelsea Legends." Against this
background, Chelsea dropped to fourth in the table, behind Aston
Villa, who are their next opponents in the Premier League.

Before that they travel to play Watford in the FA Cup on Saturday and
on this evidence the Championship side cannot be written off.

Hull, without a win since December 6, travelled as no-hopers after
sliding into free-fall, but defended assiduously when required to do
so, then hit back hard and fully deserved their point.

Chelsea fans were left shaking their heads, unable to come to terms
with their team's decline since coming so close to a clean sweep of
honours last season. Scolari swerved to avoid the customary postmatch
press conference, leaving it to assistant Ray Wilkins to admit that
paying spectators were entitled to express their disapproval.

"Second best is never good enough for Chelsea", he said. "Whenever
someone manages a side like ours, there will always be pressure on
them, but it wasn't very pleasant to hear the booing. It came from a
minority. Phil clearly does know what he's doing, having won a lot of
trophies, and it was a tad out of order. I don't think he understood
what was being said, and I won't be telling him."

Chelsea gave a debut to Ricardo Quaresma, signed on loan from Jose
Mourinho's Interna-zionale, but played him on the left where, as a
right-footer, he was never likely to be at his best. He was more
effective than Salomon Kalou, on the opposite flank, but most are.

Kalou had two decent opportunities in the first half, but made a hash
of both. Frank Lampard, Quaresma and Michael Ballack also threatened,
but Michael Turner and Kamil Zayatte were rock-solid in central
defence for Hull, who had the best chance before the interval, when
Kevin Kilbane's header shaved Henrique Hilario's left-hand upright. In
the second half Hull's artisans were the better team.

They might have scored when Geovanni's header was blocked and should
have done so when the Brazilian broke away and exchanged passes with
Craig Fagan, who chose to chip and lofted the ball straight at Hilario
when Geovanni was free, in a much better position. Scolari ran through
the gamut of substitutions – Belletti, Drogba and Deco – to no avail,
and midway through the second half Dean Marney, set up by Geovanni,
was tantalisingly close with a shot from left to right.

Kalou tested Matt Duke in the closing stages, but in the 90th minute
Ian Ashbee might have won it with a volley after Marney's corner.

After six successive defeats and a draw with West Brom last week, Phil
Brown was "ecstatic", and praised his players for their "outstanding"
work rate. He said: "We could have won it after turning the tide with
sheer hard work in the second half. On a good day, Craig Fagan might
have had a hat-trick. I thought Geovanni was excellent. I don't worry
about his football, it's his all-round effort that impressed me
today."

Wilkins tried to sound defiant but was unconvincing when he said:
"Every game now is going to be a challenge. We won't give up the fight
for the title until it's mathematically impossible."

Booed Phil was conspicuous by his absence. Yesterday, it was Hull's
Brown who was the "Big Phil" at Stamford Bridge.

CHELSEA:Hilario 6, Bosingwa 6, Alex 6, Terry 6,A Cole 6, Mikel 5
(Belletti 57min, 5), Ballack 5 (Deco 73min), Lampard 7, Kalou 5,
Anelka 5, Quaresma 6 (Drogba 63min)

HULL:Duke 6, Ricketts 6, Turner 8, Zayatte 8, Daw-son 7, Garcia 6,
Ashbee 6, Marney 6, Kilbane 6, Geovanni 7 (France 81min), Fagan 5

MOURINHO TEAM SCORED MORE

If ever there was a game that guaranteed goals then it was this one
between the Premier League's top scorers, Chelsea, and its worst
defence, Hull City. Ooops! Despite their so-called more expansive
football, Chelsea twice under Jose Mourinho had more goals at this
stage of the season than they have at the moment. In his first
campaign, 2004-05, they had 49 goals, while in 2005-06 they had scored
52 goals after 25 matches. In 2006-07, his only other full season,
they had hit 44 goals, the same as now



-------------------------------------------------------------


Telegraph:


Chelsea's title hopes left in tatters as fans taunt Luiz Felipe Scolari
Chelsea (0) 0 Hull City (0) 0

By Jonathan Wilson at Stamford Bridge

Their title hopes are surely gone, and the challenge for Chelsea now
is to finish in the top four this season and secure Champions League
qualification. There may not have been a fire, but as a rogue alarm
drowned out the majority of Ray Wilkins's post-match press conference,
the sense of emergency at Stamford Bridge was real enough. Arsenal
will be just three points behind if they win at Tottenham, and with
Aston Villa two clear in third, Chelsea's match at Villa Park in a
fortnight is looking increasingly vital.

"You'll see second, third and fourth change a lot," said Wilkins - a
tacit admission, perhaps, that the title has gone, although he did his
best to cover for the slip. "Second is not at any time good enough for
Chelsea, and you can't give up on the title when you look at the
quality we have."

Chants of "You don't know what you're doing" rang around Stamford
Bridge for much of the second half and if, as Wilkins said, such
claims are "a tad out of order" when Luiz Felipe Scolari has a record
of success, a certain frustration is readily understandable. Chelsea
have dropped 16 points at home this season, and even the usual excuse
about opponents who park the bus — as though good defending were
somehow a faux pas — didn't wash.

"When the fans are chanting things like that, I'm not sure managers
from foreign countries understand," Wilkins said. "I won't tell him.

It's unnecessary and I don't think it should be heard round our
stands. It's a minority who start it and others join in. People pay a
lot of money and they want to boo that's up to them." Dissent may be
limited, but it is growing. "Scolari out," shrieked one banner. "Zola
- Di Matteo Chelsea legends."

Hull have gone nine league games without a victory, and yet by the end
they looked the likelier to score. Perhaps they would have folded had
John Terry stabbed in from three yards after the Hull goalkeeper Matt
Duke had fumbled a Frank Lampard free-kick in the second minute, but
he didn't and they didn't, instead looking increasingly like the
vibrant Hull of the early part of the season. Phil Brown, their
manager, even felt confident enough to exchange a joke with Didier
Drogba before he went on for his customary ineffectual cameo midway
through the second half. "I asked him to take it easy," Brown said.

These days, you probably don't have to ask.

Ricardo Quaresma, brought in on loan from Internazionale to add width
and creative flair, was fleetingly impressive, although his obvious
preference for his right foot — even to the extent of awkwardly
scooping in crosses with the outside of his boot — was baffling for a
player deployed on the left.

Still, it took a stretching, fingertip save from Matt Duke to deny him
a debut goal as he capitalised on Salomon Kalou's rapid break. It was
Quaresma, though, who was withdrawn after 64 minutes for Drogba, in
the familiar switch to 4-4-2 that only seems to make Chelsea ;look
more disjointed. It's not just that he and Anelka show little sign of
striking up an understanding; they barely seem to acknowledge they're
wearing the same colour shirt.

Wilkins insisted that Chelsea's problems are to do with anxiety in
front of goal, but other flaws are all too obvious. The crossed ball
causes Chelsea palpitations, and Kevin Kilbane was unfortunate, having
met a Sam Ricketts cross five minutes before half-time, to see his
header clip the outside of the post. And then there were the unforced
errors — passes carelessly misplaced and possession cheaply
squandered.

Individual errors, perhaps, can be attributed to a dearth of
confidence, but there systemic failings in Chelsea's back four as
well. The onus Scolari places on his full-backs to provide attacking
width is clearly a contributory factor, but with passing game credence
is added to the theory that the departure of Steve Clarke, the
assistant coach, for West Ham has had a deleterious effect. Chelsea
may talk about missed chances, but the truth is that Craig Fagan, Dean
Marney and Ian Ashbee all went home last night thinking they had
wasted chances to win it.


-----------------------------------------------------------


Mirror:


Chelsea fans boo off the Blues as title hopes suffer blow from Hull

Chelsea 0 - 0 Hull

Chelsea's fading title aspirations sustained another massive blow as
they failed to overcome hard-working Hull and were booed off by their
own fans at Stamford Bridge.

Luiz Felipe Scolari's side have now dropped 16 points at home this
season and after Aston Villa's win at Blackburn, they slipped into
fourth place in the Barclays Premier League.

Hull, without a win in nine league games, became the latest side to
frustrate Chelsea on their home turf and with some more composed
finishing in front of goal, City may well have taken all three points.

Perhaps the omens were there for Chelsea as early as the second minute
when a free-kick from Frank Lampard found John Terry inside the
six-yard box.

The Chelsea captain's first instinctive effort was saved by Matt Duke
but when the ball rebounded back to him just two yards out, he somehow
contrived to send his second shot over the bar.

New boy Ricardo Quaresma, on loan from Inter Milan for the remainder
of the season, showed some nice early touches.

Hull were kept relatively quiet in the opening moments but Geovanni
was just off target with an angled volley from 20 yards in the 10th
minute.

Eight minutes later another quick Hull break allowed Geovanni to try
his luck again from 20 yards but his shot was deflected off Terry for
a corner.

But the resultant free-kick was cleared and Quaresma almost opened the
scoring when Chelsea broke on the counter.

The home side's quick attack had been led by the galloping Salomon
Kalou and his pass allowed Quaresma to try and curl the ball around
Duke, but the winger's shot was tipped round the post by the Hull
goalkeeper.

It was all Chelsea and Michael Ballack was narrowly wide with an
angled drive as the Blues stepped up the pace.

Hull were defending valiantly as another Chelsea attack saw a shot
from Kalou cleared superbly by Kevin Kilbane.

But Hull responded bravely and John Obi Mikel was booked for a
bringing down Geovanni after the City striker had made him look quite
pedestrian.

Geovanni could not punish Chelsea from the free-kick which he sent
over Hilario's crossbar from 20 yards.

On the half-hour mark, Ballack was sent sprawling by Kamil Zayatte 20
yards from the Hull goal but referee Lee Mason did not produced a card
to the fury of the home fans.

Ballack almost made the visitors pay with his free-kick which he
curled around the City wall only for it to hit the side netting.

It was the spark for another sustained spell of Chelsea pressure.
First Kalou caused panic in the Hull defence when he danced into the
area only to see his pass to Anelka intercepted by Michael Turner.

Then a corner from Lampard found the head of Terry but his effort was
well saved by Duke.

Another free-kick from Lampard in the 34th minute smashed straight
into the groin of the unfortunate Zayatte, who was unsurprisingly left
pole axed on the ground.

The Hull player returned to the fray after a spell of treatment and
the visitors almost stunned the home side in the 40th minute when
Kilbane headed a cross from Samuel Ricketts just inches wide of an
upright.

Hull captain Ian Ashbee was booked in the 47th minute for his latest
niggling foul on Ballack.

A free-kick by Hull's Dean Marney four minutes later had Chelsea's
defence in trouble until Alex managed to clear the danger.

Moments later Craig Fagan beat Mikel to the ball and sped clear of the
Chelsea defence but the City midfielder's attempted chip was caught
easily by Hilario.

There was little to indicate that Chelsea had the guile to break the
deadlock and the home fans were beginning to vent their frustration.

Scolari replaced the ineffective Mikel with Juliano Belletti in the
56th minute, but the initial change did nothing to spark Chelsea and
so Scolari opted to replace Quaresma with Didier Drogba in the 63rd
minute.

In the 67th minute Hull wasted a gilt-edged chance to open the scoring
when Geovanni carved open the Chelsea defence with a perfect through
ball for Marney.

The Hull player probably did not realise how much time he had as he
screwed his shot just beyond the far post.

Referee Mason waved away penalty appeals from Chelsea when Andy Dawson
appeared to handle the ball inside the penalty area.

Chelsea's last change of the afternoon was to replace Ballack with
Deco in the 72nd minute.

In the 78th minute, Duke dived low to his left to keep out a shot from Kalou.

Four minutes from time Drogba sent a free-kick wide of the target to
complete a miserable afternoon for the Blues.


------------------------------------------------------------


Mail:


Chelsea 0 Hull City 0: Scolari in the firing line as Chelsea flop again

  By IAN RIDLEY

The mood is turning at Stamford Bridge. For most of the season so far,
Luiz Felipe Scolari has received the backing of the home support
through some transitional times, but on Saturday he was forced to
endure a chorus from a corner of the ground that insisted he did not
know what he was doing and, at the final whistle, the jeers of more.
The Brazilian could hardly be blamed, though, for the wayward
finishing of his labouring side, nor the liveliness of a Hull City
side beginning to recapture their inspiring form of early season.
Still, Chelsea's title challenge is fading, a debut for the Portuguese
loan signing Ricardo Quaresma from Inter Milan failing to add the
immediate width and cutting edge they were seeking.
Hull will care little. With Geovanni showing neat touches ahead of a
resolute defence, they prised a precious point and might even have
taken all three had they hit the target, with Hilario looking unsure
in the home goal in the absence of the injured Petr Cech.

Who would have thought it - the team with the best goals-for record
against the one with the worst goals-against record before kickoff
producing a goalless draw!
Certainly it looked a foregone conclusion on paper. Prior to last
Sunday's defeat at Liverpool, Chelsea had won four in a row while
Hull's point against West Bromwich last weekend was their first in
seven games, a run that saw them bottom of the form table and in the
bottom half of the real table for the first time this season. That win
at Arsenal in early season was beginning to look a long time ago.
It looked as if it would be even more remote as Chelsea tore at them
in seeking to restore quickly any confidence that had drained after
Anfield. They should have had a lead inside 90 seconds, indeed, when
Frank Lampard swung in a corner from the left which eluded all and
forced Hull goalkeeper Matt Duke into a hasty save. From the rebound,
John Terry fired the ball over the bar from no more than three yards.

For a while it looked as if it would not matter, that it was only a
matter of time before Chelsea took the lead. Quaresma was showing some
neat touches, notably in crossing from the left with the outside of
his right boot, and saw a curling shot tipped just wide by Duke.
Gradually, having survived an early onslaught, Hull became emboldened.
In the absence of the injured Daniel Cousin, Craig Fagan was holding
the ball well up front and supplying Geovanni, who was replacing the
suspended Bernard Mendy, with some decent opportunities. On one
occasion the Brazilian flashed a cross-shot just wide before seeing
another deflected.
Hull also looked dangerous in the air and from set-pieces, with
Chelsea still uncertain about their marking system at the back.

Michael Turner got in a header from Dean Marney's corner that was
scrambled away before Kevin Kilbane went even closer, his downward
header from Sam Ricketts' cross finishing narrowly wide. Chelsea were
close when Michael Ballack curled a free-kick into the side-netting
but they grew edgier, less composed in front of goal as the half
progressed. They needed a goal to quell an anxiety going around
Stamford Bridge.
It was Hull, though, who went the closer early in the second half.
Breaking from a Chelsea corner, Geovanni sent Fagan racing clear but,
instead of playing in Marney at the far post, he tried a chip that
merely sailed into Hilario's hands.

Marney did get the ball at his feet soon after with just Hilario to
beat, from a piercing through-ball by Geovanni. He dragged it across
goal, however, with the goalkeeper stranded.
Scolari's response to the growing tension had been to send on Didier
Drogba for Quaresma to prompt the home support's discontent and then
he introduced Deco for Ballack. Nothing was doing, though. Scolari was
left shaking his head, the home support shouting the odds.
CHELSEA (4-3-3): Hilario; Bosingwa, Alex, Terry, A Cole; Ballack (Deco
73min), Mikel (Belletti 57), Lampard; Quaresma (Drogba 63), Anelka,
Kalou. Subs (not used): Taylor, Ivanovic, Di Santo, Stoch. Booked:
Ashbee, Garcia.
HULL (4-4-1-1): Duke; Ricketts, Turner, Zayatte, Dawson; Garcia,
Ashbee, Marney, Kilbane; Geovanni (France 81); Fagan. Subs (not used):
Myhill, Doyle, Barmby, Hughes, Halmosi, Manucho. Booked: Ashbee,
Garcia.
Referee: L Mason (Lancashire).


----------------------------------------------------------


Indy:


Fans turn on Scolari as Chelsea settle for less

Chelsea 0 Hull City 0

By Glenn Moore at Stamford Bridge

An hour into this match, with Chelsea labouring against the team with
the worst defensive record in the Premier League, a team who had won
one point in 21, Luiz Felipe Scolari made a substitution. When it
became clear that Ricardo Quaresma was going to have his debut
curtailed, the mutiny began.

"You don't know what you're doing," came the accusation from the
Matthew Harding Stand, where Chelsea's most dedicated fans sit.

Whether he saw the match on television, or simply reads the result in
Pravda, the again-absent Roman Abramovich may himself ask the same
question. Unless West Ham do them a rare favour at Upton Park today
Chelsea's title challenge must be regarded as all but over. Their
failure to beat a Hull team who arrived on an apparently unstoppable
downward spiral leaves them four points adrift of Manchester United,
who have two games in hand. The issue now is ensuring that they
qualify for one of the three automatic Champions' League places, for
Chelsea now trail third-placed Aston Villa.

Does Scolari know what he is doing? As it happens, he did in the case
in point. Quaresma has hardly played in recent months, having been
estranged at Internazionale, from whom he is loaned, and after a
bright start had faded. It was risking injury to keep him on.

However, the continued omission of Didier Drogba, and the refusal to
adapt his system, invites the question. Scolari refused to answer
himself but Ray Wilkins, his assistant, mounted a vigorous defence.

"He does know what he is doing," said Wilkins. "He has been in the
game a long time and when you look at what he has won [World Cup,
World Club Championship, etc] it is a tad out of order. It is
unnecessary and not very pleasant to hear. I don't think it should be
heard in our stadium."

All through Wilkins' press conference the fire alarm was ringing. "Is
it an emergency, Ray?" he was asked. Acknowledging the question
referred to the prospect of Chelsea's season going up in flames rather
than the ground, he insisted it was not.

But then he added, in reference to Chelsea dropping to fourth: "You
will see a lot of changes between positions two, three and four
between now and the end of the season."

What about first? "It will be tough to catch [Manchester United] – but
we will give it a go. Second is never good enough for a club of
Chelsea's standing. There is no way we will give up with the talent we
have in the club."

That talent, however, is not performing. Chelsea have taken 17 points
from 12 matches. Mid-table form, at best. Inevitably confidence is
fragile, Wilkins admitted the team looked "anxious". They needed a
good start, and should have had one.

In the first minute Frank Lampard curled in a free-kick, Michael
Ballack flicked on, and Matt Duke parried. The ball fell to John
Terry, unchallenged, three yards from goal. Somehow he scooped it
over.

"Had that gone in I'm sure we would have gone on and won comfortably,"
said Wilkins. "We would have come back and won 2-1," said Phil Brown,
tongue rather more in cheek.

Hull could have easily won their first match here in more than a
century of trying – they were Chelsea's first visitors in 1905 –
having made and missed the best chances. Five minutes before the break
Kevin Kilbane rose to head a Sam Ricketts cross against the outside of
the post. Five minutes after the interval Alex cleared a goalbound
header from Geovanni after a Dean Marney free-kick.

Next, from a breakaway, the busy Craig Fagan beat John Obi Mikel to
the ball, but, withonly Hilario to beat, chipped weakly into the
keeper's arms. Then Marney, after a flowing move between himself and
Geovanni, shot just wide.

And what of Chelsea? Quaresma, having unveiled his trademark
outside-of-the-foot cross early on, drew a fine save from Duke after
19 minutes following a counterattack.

Ballack hit the side-netting with a free-kick then JohnTerry had a
dangerous headerblocked. There was also a penalty appeal after Salomon
Kalou's thumping shot had struck Andy Dawson's arm. Finally, with fans
making an early exit, Chelsea won a well-placed free-kick.

Drogba and Lampard stood over it, then Drogba thumped well wide.
Lampard looked pensive. So too, when the final whistle went soon after
to a crescendo of boos and he headed sharpish for the tunnel, did
Scolari.

Attendance: 41,802

Referee: Lee Mason

Man of the match: Zayatte

Match rating: 5/10


--------------------------------------------------------------


NOTW:

CHELSEA 0, HULL CITY 0

BRIDGE TOO FAR - Phil Scolari is under increasing pressure at Chelsea

From ROB SHEPHERD

WHEN supporters start taunting the manager with chants of "You don't
know what you are doing", then he is on a slippery slope.

Luis Felipe Scolari most certainly is — even if the snow has cleared
from West London. Chelsea's title hopes have now disappeared from the
landscape, too.

This dire display has surely all but ended their championship
challenge. And, once again this season, Big Phil looked on from the
sidelines seemingly unable to influence the game in the way Stamford
Bridge had become accustomed to under Jose Mourinho.

When Scolari decided in the 63rd minute it should have been Ricardo
Quaresma rather than Salomon Kalou, Michael Ballack or even Nicolas
Anelka to make way for Didier Drogba, a hard core cluster of fans in
the Matthew Harding Stand let rip.

Someone had obviously anticipated another afternoon of angst for
Chelsea and had even brought along a "Scolari Out . . . Zola/ Di
Matteo Chelsea legends" banner.

It may all seem a bit previous and another sign of the almost
impossible impatience of fans who have gorged on success in recent
years.

Do real fans turn on a manager quite so soon in his first season?

Or do the taunts — there was also a brief round of boos all around the
stadium at the final whistle — come from those supporters who glaze
over when you talk about the pre- Abramovich cash-rich era and are
totally ignorant of the days when old Second Division leaders
Chelsea's home meeting with Hull in 1989 attracted just 11,289.

Maybe but it will not be long before the protests really start to
snowball if there is more of this — especially over the next three
games which really will define Chelsea's season.

The FA Cup trip to Watford, a Premier League journey to Aston Villa
then Juventus here in the Champions League. If any of those results go
badly wrong then the pressure from the stands on Scolari will be just
like it was on predecessor Avram Grant.

Too much for the board to withstand, especially as the owner no longer
seems that keen to pump in any more money.

The clamour will grow for Gianfranco Zola and Roberto di Matteo to
take over, even if the more experienced Roberto Mancini is a more
likely appointment. That is if Chelsea could still afford a manager of
his stature . . .

Scolari ducked the post-match Press conference so it was left for
assistant Ray Wilkins to face the music.

He said: "Fans pay their money so they have a right to boo but to say
'You don't know what you are doing' given all what he has achieved as
a manager is a tad out of order."

Given Wilkins' genial demeanour, "a tad out of order" amounts to him
blasting the crowd. But this goalless draw means Chelsea have now
dropped 16 points.

Big Phil still has not come up with a plan when things don't go right.
The time has come to change the system and go with 4-4-2 but Scolari
will not make the switch. Yes, he won the World Cup with Brazil but he
has never managed a club side in Europe — and it is starting to show.

His vendetta against Drogba, starting on the bench again, is
self-defeating. When you are up against it, Anelka cannot operate as a
lone striker and the team cannot afford for Ballack to keep prancing
around.

If Frank Lampard is not pulling out all the stops — he was nowhere
near his best yesterday — then Chelsea become pretty ordinary as an
attacking force and are increasingly suspect at the back.

Even if Hull were on the back foot for a lot of the game, their
striker Craig Fagan had two decent chances to have picked the home
side's pockets.

Blues had plenty of possession in the first half and created a string
of chances but a lack of conviction around the box and some stoic
defending kept them at bay.

After just two minutes, John Terry posted a miss of the season
contender when he scooped over after Hull keeper Matt Duke had beaten
down a deflected Lampard free-kick.

Soon after, Quaresma cut in stylishly enough from the left but his
curled shot to the far post was tame and predictable and Duke pushed
the ball around the far post. After that Quaresma, who flitted from
flank to flank, showed a few decent touches and a poor final ball but
had sufficient charisma to warm the Blues fans.

Hull, who ended a run of six straight defeats with a point against
West Brom last week, were understandably in cautious mode.

But it was not merely a case of parking a bus in front of their
18-yard box. With Geovanni tucked in behind lively lone striker Fagan,
they offered a threat on the break. Just before the interval, Hull's
Kevin Kilbane went close with a header that shaved a post.

As the game wore on, the Tigers looked the likelier to score but Fagan
pulled a shot wide then chipped weakly at Henrique Hilario.

Chelsea made a desperate shout for a penalty late on when a Kalou shot
hit Andy Dawson's arm. But it would have been harsh.

Three weeks ago, Chelsea came from behind to beat Stoke 2-1 in the
final few minutes in a spirited fightback. But the towel was thrown in
far too early yesterday.

The Blues have dropped to fourth and now face a battle to secure
Champions League qualification. Such failure really will be a sacking
offence for Scolari.


----------------------------------------------------------


Observer:


Chelsea held at home by resistant Hull
Chelsea 0
Hull City 0

Jamie Jackson at Stamford Bridge

Chelsea's debutant Ricardo Quaresma battles with Hull City's Dean
Marney during the scrappy goalless draw at Stamford Bridge.
Photograph: Rebecca Naden/PA

In the end, Chelsea were a touch fortunate not to lose. Their problem
is the one which has arrived this season of finding themselves
incapable of alchemising dominance into the scintillating stuff which
leads to swaggering or indeed regulation victory.

They went into the break having had nearly all the half their way. And
they came off at the end having again enjoyed the better 45 minutes,
yet with only a point added to their title challenge.

In fact, to listen to Ray Wilkins in the ensuing press conference it
was easy to gain an impression that the league might have already,
privately at least, been ­conceded. "I think you'll find 4th, 3rd and
2nd will change places a lot," he said, when asked about the fact that
Chelsea now occupy only the final Champions League spot.

The assistant coach went into a swift about-turn when asked if this
was an acknowledgement that they cannot be champions come May. "It's
difficult to catch Manchester United, but we'll be trying – though
they do have a game in hand and points in hand. But we'll give it a
damn good go," he insisted.

Until 4pm this afternoon, when they visit West Ham, United actually
have two matches in hand. These could yield six points to place
sweetly on top of the four they are already ahead of Chelsea. "We have
been a power in the Premier League and so we strive to be number one,"
Wilkins said.

Publicly, of course, that is always a given. But Luiz Felipe Scolari's
decision to allow his assistant to do the explaining placed an extra
layer on the perception that Chelsea are in serious ­disarray. Again,
Wilkins denied there was anything conclusive in a no-show. But whether
it showed strong leadership is one for a bar-room argument.

Clearer was a moment that arrived after 63 minutes. "You don't know
what you're doing," came the sing-song abuse thrown at the manager
when Scolari swapped debutant Ricardo Quaresma – there were flashes of
promise, nothing else – for the one-time ultimate golden boy, Didier
Drogba.

What did Wilkins think of that? "It's never very pleasant. It was a
minority. They pay their money and if they want to boo they can, but
given the manager's record, it was a tad out of order."

Also in disorder are the on-field issues facing Scolari. These would
include an increasingly hesitant John Terry, who let Kevin Kilbane in
after 18 minutes when the winger might have scored; a midfield in
which only Frank ­Lampard is ­producing and which had Scolari yanking
a half-hearted John Obi Mikel off after the break; and that most
troubling of all maladies, an ever-decreasing return of goals.

The head coach, it seems, can no longer rely on his men consistently
to play Nicolas Anelka into the areas where before the year's turn he
was enjoying his own, private free-for-all. Nearly two months have
passed since the Frenchman struck in the Premier League.

Instead, he was starved. And it was the visitors who might have
gobbled the three points. "We could've indeed," their manager, Phil
Brown, said. While Craig Fagan and Dean Marney both came close for
Hull, Salomon Kalou had his own stab at glory 11 minutes from time.
But his shot was straight and had City's fans singing deliriously that
"This is the best trip I've ever been on".

Scolari might now be wondering about what is fast becoming a
depressing sojourn. The boos at the end will echo across the rest of
his weekend.



-------------------------------------------------------------


Express:

SCRAPPING TIGERS PUT THE BITE ON BIG PHIL

By Tony Stenson at Stamford Bridge
Chelsea 0 Hull City 0

CHELSEA fans finally turned on manager Felipe Scolari last night.

They chanted 'You don't know what you're doing' after he took off new
signing Ricardo Quaresma and replaced him with Didier Drogba.

They vented their anger on the Brazilian after once again watching
their world class players fail to produce. Enough was enough.

How come, they asked, was there no Plan B after long periods of their
side dictating the game without result?

Why didn't their stars come to the rescue? Why was controversial
striker Didier Drogba not introduced much earlier as again Nicolas
Anelka showed he can only produce when the river flows in his
direction?

The bitter chants from Chelsea supporters will no doubt be heard on
owner Roman Abramovich's floating palace.

He has lost billions in the credit crunch and he doesn't want to lose
face, but his side are going nowhere fast.

Scolari has won a World Cup, but we all have sell-by dates.

Chelsea dominated all the game, yet Hull were unlucky not to win when
former Spurs player Dean Marney went close near the end.

Scolari stalked the touchline and looked a sorrowful soul sending on
A-list players to try to break down a workmanlike side.

Skipper John Terry's pre-match Churchillian speech fell on deaf ears.

He sounded like Winston in the dressing room in his pre-match talk,
telling his failing team-mates: "We need a result, we need a
performance, we need a clean sheet – we need a lot of things today."

Clearly, no one listened.

Chelsea should have had a hatful, restoring pride and showing new boy
Quaresma what they were all about.

Instead, we saw the same old fare with long periods of possession but
little to show for it.

Mikel is not a midfield creator, while Michael Ballack – good at free
kicks but performing only when he wants to – continues to nose-dive.

Frank Lampard can only do so much.

Chelsea are missing a direct, dominant striker. Anelka heads the ball
mostly in his own half.

When they attack and cross, there usually aren't many players in the
opposition's box.

They haven't learnt the Manchester United lesson – release Cristiano
Ronaldo and then thunder forward.

Instead, they have talented stars who simply do not possess the
ability to break down a group of decent journeymen.

Chelsea insiders claim the club has not been the same since
long-serving No 2 Steve Clarke was allowed to leave to join Gianfranco
Zola at West Ham. Hull, meanwhile, were like annoying gnats – buzzing,
stinging and refusing to give up lost causes. They could well have won
it.

You had to admire the Tigers. They arrived knowing they had been the
opposition in the first-ever competitive game at Stamford Bridge way
back in 1905. They lost that encounter 5-1 in front of 6,000
supporters. Crowds change. So do results.

Hull gave hope of a new dawn, a former lower league club ready to
wrestle with the big boys and bite the noses of distinguished
opposition.

They started the season by taking points when they were not expected
to do so, and encouraging headlines were written. Then reality kicked
in. Now they seem to have turned the corner once more.

Quaresma marked his debut with a 20th minute 18-yard curler, then
Lampard's 25th minute shot was deflected after Hull failed to clear
Quaresma's corner.

But it was a tale of what might have been for Chelsea and Scolari.