sunday papers fulham

Observer:
Lampard leads lap of honour as Blues close in on crowning glory
Ian Ridley at Stamford Bridge Sunday April 24, 2005The Observer
At first, on the fiftieth anniversary of Chelsea last becoming champions of England, Stamford Bridge seemed unsure how to behave or what to believe. José Mourinho could have sent out 11 chickens and only the referee would have counted them. At the final whistle, bets were off. All stood for the champions elect; they did think it was all over. After a weary, hard-fought victory over their west London neighbours in an absorbing game to which Fulham contributed much, it will indeed be done tomorrow night, should Arsenal fail to defeat Tottenham across town at Highbury. Otherwise, one more win from four matches will do for Chelsea, the first chance being away to Bolton on Saturday.
'I am with Arsenal. I don't want to win it on Monday,' said Mourinho, ever perverse, ever eyebrow-raising. 'Maybe then we lose at Bolton and I don't want to lose at Bolton.' Neither would he want his players suffering from premature elation, with Liverpool to face in a Champions League semi-final on Wednesday. As Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger has graciously conceded, Chelsea will be worthy champions when formalities are complete. From the towering influence of Petr Cech in goal, through their English-born spine of John Terry and Frank Lampard - who led afterwards what amounted virtually to a lap of honour - to the inventive Damien Duff wide on the left, they have been mean in defence, a mixture of moody and magnificent farther forward.
Yesterday, they exhibited another hallmark of champions - the ability to eke out a result when fatigued, when attitude, as much as ability, is needed. Mourinho was unhappy with a lunchtime kick-off after the epic struggle against Arsenal in midweek, but such are the hurdles, when overcome, that render the achievement the more admirable. 'We won this game just because of character,' said Mourinho. 'Because we had not the physical condition to do it.'
Initially, the game plan seemed to be to kill off Fulham early, then perhaps take their ease and but for Didier Drogba's wastefulness they might have done. First he headed over, then he shot narrowly wide on the turn. But Joe Cole was giving Liam Rosenoir a torrid time and duly opened the scoring. Maurice Volz could only knock down Glen Johnson's crossfield pass to Drogba, who fed Cole for a splendid shot home on the turn from 20 yards.
Gradually a well-organised Fulham gained a grip on midfield and thus a foothold in the game. Even Claude Makelele's quietly authoritative ability to break up attacks was not quite enough now. Brian McBride clipped Rosenoir's low cross just over the bar as a warning and the equaliser came when Luis Boa Morte slid a perceptive pass between Johnson and Ricardo Carvalho to Collins John, who tucked the ball neatly past Cech.
'I do not lie to my players. I always want them to face the reality,' said Mourinho. 'At half-time I told them they were in a difficult position. Fulham are fresher and faster than us. This is just about today. One win.' Outside the dressing room could be seen the legendary status that was on offer as reward as Roy Bentley, captain of the 1955 team, was basking in the crowd's applause.
Duff moved to left-back to replace the fish-out-of-water Robert Huth, on came Arjen Robben for his first meaningful contribution since breaking his foot at the beginning of February in place of the ailing Cole. The next goal in the game was all important. 'If they had scored it, we were in no condition to react,' said Mourinho.
It came via Robben, his new injection of pace decisive. Terry broke up a Fulham attack and fed Duff for a pass wide to the Dutchman, who was quickly past Volz before cutting the ball back for Lampard to sidefoot home his tenth Premiership goal of the season, his sixteenth in total - a remarkable return for a midfield player.
Now Mourinho tightened up by taking off Drogba and sending on Tiago. Cech kept Chelsea ahead by tipping over Tomasz Radzinski's shot and finally Eidur Gudjohnsen sealed it. Tiago robbed Steed Malbranque and sent the Icelander racing clear, his shot steered clinically past Edwin Van der Sar.
Cech saved brilliantly John's free-kick in added time, but the deed was done. Or almost. 'We have been dreaming of the title since the first day,' said Mourinho before the match. The last day nears.
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NotW :
Chelsea suffer a'Paula moment' but race is won
Pooh, what a scorcher
From Martin Samuel at Stamford Bridge
THIS was Chelsea's Paula Radcliffe moment — an unscheduled and highly embarrassing pit-stop before charging away from the field and on to the finishing line.
For Paula's toilet break in last Sunday's London Marathon, read Fulham's equaliser just before half-time.
They both had the same shock value, leaving the punters mystified but, ultimately, of no significance.
Indeed, Chelsea may end up echoing Paula's exchange with the BBC's Sue Barker. The runner asked: "Who came second?"
Ms Barker replied: "I don't know, they haven't finished running yet."
Chelsea's domestic season could be over by tomorrow night if Arsenal fail to beat Tottenham.
Even if the Gunners win, victory for Chelsea at Bolton next Saturday will seal it.
The maximum requirement for Jose Mourinho's side is two points from four matches — and as one of them is at home to Charlton, who appear to declare their season over at the first ray of spring sunshine, nobody is expecting the unexpected.
Impossible
Fifty years ago yesterday Chelsea last lifted the title — April 23, 1955 — and captain Roy Bentley, now 81, returned to mark the occasion.
So much has changed of late that it is almost impossible to compare Chelsea through the last 12 months let alone across half a century.
But some things have never altered, like results against Fulham when they meet at Stamford Bridge — 26 games producing only two wins for the away team, and the last in 1979.
Chris Coleman's side could not have played better yesterday, yet there was inevitability about Chelsea's second-half resurgence once Arjen Robben had been introduced.
The Dutchman destroyed Fulham in the game at Craven Cottage earlier in the season — and while his first appearance since becoming collateral damage at Blackburn on February 2 was not as mesmerising, it was certainly match winning.
Robben created Chelsea's vital second goal — scored by Frank Lampard, who else? — and put Fulham on the back-foot at a time when an equaliser from Collins John had placed them in the ascendancy.
Chelsea were labouring until Robben arrived, replacing the slightly injured Joe Cole while Damien Duff moved to left-back for Robert Huth.
This change proved the difference. They went on the offensive, Robben on the rampage down the left flank, and Fulham surrendered.
Mourinho said the visitors deserved more and they certainly showed there are better ways for a small club to perform than by kicking the big boys off the park — like playing them at football.
Petr Cech needed to make a stunning save to prevent a second equaliser, when a Tomasz Radzinski shot was tipped over, while Brian McBride and striking partner John sent opportunities narrowly wide.
Fulham's goal on 41 minutes was evidence of their success in rattling what could well prove the best defence the Premiership has seen — one more clean sheet will beat Arsenal's record of 23.
Luis Boa Morte played the ball to John and Ricardo Carvalho attempted to shepherd him away.
The result? Carvalho on the floor, John through and the ball tucked past a stranded Cech. Having taken the lead through a Joe Cole shot when Moritz Volz dealt poorly with a Lampard pass on 17 minutes, this was clearly not in Chelsea's script.
For a while, they appeared to lose their way — before Robben trumped Fulham with 26 minutes remaining.
Fed by Duff, now employed dutifully as a defender, he skipped inside the hapless Volz and pulled back the perfect pass, met by Lampard with a shot so precise Edwin van der Sar did not get a chance.
When the third went in, it put distance between the teams that did not reflect Fulham's contribution.
Faith
The goal was worth it for the pass, though. A grandstand through-ball from Tiago that caught Fulham unaware, leaving Gudjohnsen racing clear before beating Van der Sar.
And so to Highbury on Monday.
Chelsea's half-lap of honour at the end suggests greater faith in Spurs than many have. But more probably, it is what they know about themselves that breeds such confidence.
Look at the league table. Look at what they are up against. Like Paula Radcliffe, they've pee'd it.
GAMES TO GO: Chelsea: Wed v Liverpool (h) Champions League; Sat v Bolton (a); May 3 v Liverpool (a) Champions League; May 7 Charlton (h); May 15 v Newcastle (a). Fulham: Sat v Everton (h); May 4 v Newcastle (h); May 7 v Blackburn (a); May 15 v Norwich (h). ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Telegraph :
Chelsea get carried away as Mourinho continues carpingBy Roy Collins at Stamford Bridge (Filed: 24/04/2005)
Chelsea (1) 3 Fulham (1) 1
Chelsea's players celebrated like champions at the end, taking curtain calls at each corner of the ground and exchanging high fives not just with one another but with any member of the back-room staff who happened to wander out on to the touchline to share the glory. For a second, one even feared that the players would run into the crowd to drag out their children for one of those ghastly creche moments, reminiscent of when Chelsea won the FA Cup five years ago.Manager Jose Mourinho had instructed players and supporters alike to savour the title-winning moment but Chelsea, technically, still need two more points to wrap up the Premiership crown.
Fifty years after their only other triumph, their champagne moment was a bit premature. They may, of course, have already done enough, which will be the case if Arsenal fail to beat Tottenham at Highbury tomorrow night.
Mourinho is the only man at Stamford Bridge who will not become a Tottenham fan for a day, insisting that he wants Arsenal to win so that his players can concentrate on their Champions League semi-final first leg against Liverpool here on Wednesday before trying to clinch the title at Bolton Wanderers on Saturday. He was also the only person to ignore his own advice about savouring the moment, ludicrously complaining that it was impossible for his side to play at lunchtime three days after playing a night match against Arsenal.
It is clearly being so cheerful that keeps him going as he complained: "I told the players at half time that they were dead. Having played a big game against Arsenal on Wednesday, we needed supermen to win today and that's what we had. It was all down to our character."
If Chelsea's players never lost the faith, their fans were so nervous and quiet after Collins John's fine goal just before half-time brought the scores level that if Roman Abramovich had been more demonstrative he might have gone on to the pitch to demand: "Let's be 'aving you."
Instead, that demand was made to the players by Mourinho, who had to play Damien Duff at left-back after the break in place of the injured Robert Huth, though the good news was that Duff's spot on the wing went to Arjen Robben, fit again after breaking a foot against Blackburn on Feb 2.
His first touch, after falling on his backside and clambering up again, found Eidur Gudjohnsen, who slipped the ball into the net, only to be flagged offside.
That did nothing to lessen the finger-chewing of the Chelsea fans, who have seen their side throw away so many chances over the years that, even with the Holy Grail within touching distance, they still seem unable to believe that the Premiership trophy will be theirs. In cricketing terms, for the past few weeks Chelsea have been like a batsman in the nervous nineties looking for a couple of streaky tickles to third man to bring up the century.
The footballing equivalent is a far-post tap in, something Frank Lampard would not bother dirtying his boots for. Instead, when the talismanic Robben pulled back a ball from the left, Lampard lashed a trademark right-footer into the corner.
Mourinho and his famous coat took another leap into the air, starting his victory celebrations even earlier than his players. Fulham still looked capable of scoring a second equaliser but, three minutes from time, Gudjohnsen ran on to substitute Tiago's through ball to tuck away the ball and the points.
Apart from an early mistake by full-back Moritz Volz that allowed Didier Drogba to set up a goal for Joe Cole, Fulham manager Chris Coleman could be proud of his team. He was also full of praise for Chelsea. "They are worthy champions," he said. "They've got the best players and a great sense of togetherness. They all play for each other and there is nothing to stop them winning the Champions League as well."
With the title all but won, Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon was keen to douse talk that it is a chequebook championship, saying: "I think it would be unjust to Jose and the players to say we've won this on the back of money because we took some real pain and grief in reducing the squad size this season and this has been about a group of players who have come together and whatever we end up with is not about money, it's about a lot of players who have improved.
"The players are better than they were 12 months ago and that is about their personal development."
Cole, who went off with a half-time injury but should be fit to face Liverpool, said: "I've had more ups and down than most players in my career, but now I feel that I am playing where I belong, at the highest level. It was a fantastic feeling to win the Carling Cup but now we can add the title and Champions League. It is what dreams are made of."
Bolton next Saturday night are what nightmares are made of. But Chelsea have come too far to blow it now and yesterday's post-match antics are nothing to what we can expect in their final home game in a fortnight's time, when we can expect more baby-kissing than on the hustings.
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Independent:
Lap of honour in paradise postponedChelsea 3 - Fulham 1Steve Tongue at Stamford Bridge24 April 2005
St George's Day goals by two Englishmen propelled Chelsea closer towards the title yesterday, before Eidur Gudjohnsen wrapped up three more points and prompted the first chants of the day for San Jose. Mourinho knows the way to win trophies and his substitutions, a typical mixture of the shrewd and quirky, had significant influence here.
With Wednesday's Champions' League semi-final at home to Liverpool in mind, the most important of them was the arrival at half-time of Arjen Robben, whose pace added a new dimension as the replacement for Joe Cole. His freshness contrasted with the weariness of many team-mates, which Mourinho believed was responsible for the comparatively modest quality of his team's performance. They were sluggish until Cole scored with a beautifully struck shot in the 17th minute, and even then Ricardo Carvalho allowed Collins John in to equalise. Midway through the second half, Robben set up Frank Lampard for the second goal and Tiago, another substitute, eventually sent Gudjohnsen through for the third.
Fulham, with Tomasz Radzinski and Luis Boa Morte wide, might have been outnumbered in the middle of the pitch, but Mark Pembridge and Lee Clark kept them competitive, even in the absence of Papa Bouba Diop's physical strength, and Boa Morte's trickery was always a threat. Mourinho admitted that the visitors were unfortunate to lose on the day, claiming they were fresher after having an extra day's rest since their midweek match. He will not be able to apply the same excuse against Liverpool.
At least there are no fresh injuries, and William Gallas, rested here, will be ready to return on Wednesday. If there are any weaknesses to be exploited, full-back would be an area Rafael Benitez and his coaches should concentrate on, for Glen Johnson was again shaky, which encouraged Fulham to feed Boa Morte down his flank.
The perfect scenario for Chelsea, of course, would have been to have beaten Arsenal in midweek and then win yesterday, sewing things up 50 years to the day after the club's only previous title. Watched by Roy Bentley, the captain of the 1955 team, they seemed to be suffering not so much a hangover from Wednesday's exertions as the sort of torpor that often seems to surround these lunchtime kick-offs. Damien Duff's mastery of Moritz Volz down the Chelsea left was the most encouraging feature early on, Didier Drogba heading one peach of a cross over the bar.
The unfortunate Volz was at fault for the opening goal, allowing the ball to bounce off him to Drogba, who laid it square for Cole to bend past Edwin van der Sar from 20 yards. Racing to the dug-out to receive congratulations, Cole was told to swap wings with Duff, who immediately set up Drogba for a swivel and left-footed shot past a post. Careless defending then allowed Cole to break on to John Terry's long header before missing his kick, and Lampard was not picked up as he took Cole's pass and fed Drogba, whose control betrayed him.
Only after almost half an hour, did the pattern begin to change and Fulham come into the game. Liam Rosenior forced his way to the byline and cut a cross back to Brian McBride, who hooked it too high from the edge of the six-yard box. Pembridge then dispossessed Lampard and set off to shoot wide from 25 yards, and Robert Huth, standing in at left-back, did well to beat Zat Knight at the far post.
The equaliser four minutes before the interval was nevertheless unexpected, not least because of the identity of the Chelsea defender at fault. Carvalho seemed to be well placed to see off John as he received from Boa Morte, but a badly mistimed tackle that might in any case have led to a penalty allowed the Dutchman to steer the ball smartly past Petr Cech into the far corner of the net. Terry's yellow card for a late tackle and John's drive wide as the ball sat up nicely from Radzinski's cross illustrated that the champions-elect were stalling.
Mourinho reacted as decisively as ever. Having told his charges at the interval that they would need all their character to see them through, he added Robben and Jiri Jarosik to the mix, removing Cole and Huth while dropping Duff back to an unfamiliar full-back role. As his substitutions do, it worked rather well. Instead of Radzinski taking advantage of Duff's defensive inexperience, Fulham found themselves being pushed towards their own goal.
Robben, who has not started a match since a crude tackle at Blackburn crocked him two months ago, looked like a man desperate to make up for lost time. With almost his first touch he crossed for Gudjohnsen to beat Van der Sar, only to be denied by a linesman's flag. In the 64th minute, however, Duff advanced to a more natural position and found Robben, who in turn supplied Lampard for a smart finish. It was the supposedly conservative Chelsea's 100th goal of the season.
Another one eventually followed, Tiago sending Gudjohnsen clear with Alain Goma caught badly out of position, though Cech was required to make excellent saves on either side of that, from first Radzinski, cutting inside, and then John's deflected free-kick.
"It was a very good performance," said Fulham's manager Chris Coleman, who blames inconsistency and great expectations for a disappointing season after finishing ninth last time. "We had a go at the best team in the League and troubled them, so there are a lot of positives. Chelsea have the best players and are well organised, with a great sense of togetherness." It was that quality that pleased Mourinho as much as anything.
"The group is fantastic," he said. "The reason why we won was character. If Fulham had scored the second goal, they would have won the game. But I don't want to win the title on Monday and then lose at Bolton." The perfectionist, as ever. He will demand greater quality, nevertheless, when Liverpool come to town in three days' time.
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Times:
Chelsea 3 Fulham 1: Chelsea two points from titleJoe Lovejoy at Stamford Bridge FIFTY years to the day since they last won the title, Chelsea advanced to within one result of repeating the feat yesterday with their 26th win in 34 League games. They will be crowned as deserved, runaway champions tomorrow night if second-placed Arsenal fail to beat Tottenham at home. The celebrations at Stamford Bridge, which included a lap of honour by the players, smacked of counting chickens, but with a 14-point lead the ifs and buts are of the notional variety only, and if Spurs cannot do them a favour, they will be confident of finishing the job at Bolton next Saturday.
Before that, of course, they play the first leg of their Champions League semi-final, at home to Liverpool on Wednesday, and the manager, Jose Mourinho, said he would have preferred to have the title sewn up before then. The requirement to win next weekend would be a distraction at a time when Chelsea needed to focus their full attention on European matters.
The failure to beat Arsenal in midweek meant the championship could not be settled here, which spoiled the historical symmetry of the occasion. It was on April 23, 1955, that Chelsea last won it, beating Sheffield Wednesday at home, and the captain that day, Roy Bentley, was guest of honour and took a bow on the pitch at half-time yesterday. His latest heir, John Terry, will not collect the trophy at the Reebok stadium on Saturday, regardless of results in the interim. The presentation is always made at a home fixture, which presumably means Charlton’s visit on May 7.
Mourinho leapt upon a familiar hobby horse last night when he complained at length about the demands of television schedules, which required Chelsea to kick-off at 12.45 yesterday. His players were tired after their exertions in midweek, and somebody else should have played at lunchtime, he said. Why were Arsenal allowed an extra day to recover? It was a strange red herring on a day when there was no need for one, the man of the moment conveniently overlooking the fact that Sky television pay a Russian’s ransom for the right to show the best team in the country, and that Chelsea’s cast of thousands should be big enough to cope. Knackered or not, Chelsea won by a convincing margin, which might have been even wider and could afford to rest William Gallas and leave Arjen Robben on the bench for half the game. Fulham huffed and puffed, but were never good enough to exploit their neighbours’ alleged fatigue.
Their manager, Chris Coleman, says he cannot wait for the season to end, and admits the remote threat of relegation is giving him sleepless nights, but they should be all right. Their home form is good, and three of their last four matches are at Craven Cottage. Chelsea were well below their best in the first half, giving some credence to managerial talk of exhaustion, but such is their strength in depth that they were able to field new personnel, in a new formation after the interval, when Robben made an invigorating comeback.
Jaded or not, the champions-elect took the lead in the 17th minute with a smartly-taken goal. The ever-improving Joe Cole was the scorer, beating Edwin van der Sar from the edge of the D after Moritz Volz had carelessly conceded possession to Didier Drogba. Cole, the player most obviously threatened by Robben’s recovery, was delighted to have improved his prospects of continued selection with his seventh goal in 24 Premiership games.
Drogba was a useful provider on this occasion, but not for the first time the £24m man from Marseille was found wanting when it came to the job he was bought to do — score goals. He failed to make the best of an inviting cross from Damien Duff, hooked another chance wide and was muscled out of it too easily by Volz as they went for another cross, from Frank Lampard.
Reprieved, Fulham hit back, and Brian McBride might have equalised before Collins John did so, after 41 minutes. Luis Boa Morte’s through pass should have been cut out by Ricardo Carvalho, but the defender was shouldered out of it and went to ground, leaving John to steer the ball in. At half-time, Mourinho was worried. “We had to face reality,” he said. “I told the players we were in a difficult situation. Their team was fresher than ours, but we had to win. I told them I didn’t know how, but we had to do it.” He knew all right. He gambled on all-out attack, moving Duff to left-back in place of Robert Huth and introducing Robben on the left wing.
One could only pity Volz with these two running at him, and in the 64th minute they combined to spread-eagle the Fulham defence. Duff supplied the Dutchman, who nutmegged poor Volz before setting up Lampard for his 16th goal of the season from 16 yards. Another substitution by Mourinho produced Chelsea’s third. Drogba was hauled off to be replaced by Tiago, and with three minutes of normal time left Eidur Gudjohnsen raced on to the midfielder’s bisecting through-pass and beat Van der Sar with a composed finish from near the penalty spot.
Asked about his players’ celebrations at the final whistle, Mourinho said: “They were magnificent, and at the end they felt they deserved to be champions.” They will be.
STAR MAN: Arjen Robben (Chelsea)
Player ratings. Chelsea: Cech 7, Johnson 5, Carvalho 6, Terry 7, Huth 5 (Jarosik h-t 6), Makelele 7, Lampard 7, Cole 7 (Robben h-t 8), Duff 7, Drogba 5 (Tiago 74min,6), Gudjohnsen 7
Fulham: Van der Sar 7, Volz 5, Knight 6, Goma 6, Rosenior 7, Boa Morte 7, Pembridge 7 (Malbranque 84min,6), Clark 7, Radzinski 7, McBride 6, John 7
Scorers: Chelsea: Cole 17, Lampard 64, Gudjohnsen 87
Fulham: John 41
Referee: A Wiley
Attendance: 42,081 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------