sunday papers blackburn home

The Sunday Times October 30, 2005
Chelsea 4 Blackburn 2: Lampard is world's best brags JoseDavid Walsh at Stamford Bridge JOSE MOURINHO walks into a press conference as John Wayne once ambled into a saloon. Within seconds, something happens. All it took yesterday was a straightforward question about Frank Lampard and his value to the Premiership leaders. It was an opportunity for the Chelsea gunslinger to lay down the law: “The player,” he said of Lampard, “is the best player in the world.”
Forget Ronaldinho, Robinho, Ronaldo, Shevchenko, Zidane and all the others. Mourinho knows better. Being Jose, he couldn’t offer the opinion without a touch of insolence. “You have to ask these top people of world football,” he said of those who dish out prestigious awards to the game’s finest, “what they’re doing on weekends?” Mourinho made sense. He wasn’t saying Lampard was more skilful than Ronaldinho or more powerful than Ronaldo but that he did more for Chelsea than the annual winners of world awards do for their clubs. Who can argue? Think of an afternoon, September 16, 2001 at White Hart Lane and the occasion of Lampard’s fourth game in Chelsea’s blue.
He went down in the penalty box, appeals for a penalty were turned down and after getting up, he accidentally collided with Spurs goalkeeper Neil Sullivan. Wrongly, he was given a yellow card, his second, and the dismissal brought the one-match ban that caused him to miss a game away to Fulham two weeks later. Now in his fifth season at Chelsea, that was the only Premiership game he didn’t start in almost four-and-a-half seasons with the Stamford Bridge club.
Yesterday was Lampard’s 157th consecutive game for the Blues. “There are some great players in the world,” added Mourinho, “no doubt about it, but they play one game every month or one day they are man of the match, the next day they don’t get a touch. This player is top in every game.”
If Lampard was a horse he would be sent to stud and made to reproduce but, for Mourinho, the Chelsea midfielder reproduces every week. Yesterday’s performance was typical; he provided the cross for the first and scored the second and third, and from midfield, he is the Premiership’s leading scorer.
Somebody asked Mourinho afterwards if he agreed this victory put Chelsea back on track. Nobody exaggerates the sense of being insulted better than “The Special One”. He shrugged his shoulders, raised his eyebrows and the body language screamed indignation. “Back on track? Back on track? Mama mia! Back on track. This was game No 40 without a defeat. This season, 10 wins and a draw: what do you say to Arsène Wenger after his team draws 1-1 with Tottenham? Back on track. Mama mia.”
Yet this was an important victory and when Joe Cole’s shot took a vicious deflection off Zurab Khizanishvili to wrong-foot Brad Friedel and put Chelsea 4-2 in front, Mourinho’s vibrant acclamation told us how the manager actually felt. Blackburn offered serious and organised opposition. On another day they might have got something but Chelsea were too good.
The leaders’ cause was helped by the dismissal from the dugout of Mark Hughes. Nine minutes into the second half, the Blackburn manager’s irritation with a few decisions by referee Mike Riley reached boiling point. After Tugay was harshly penalised for a foul on Michael Essien, Hughes tried but failed to get Riley’s attention.
Irritation turning to downright anger, he belted a kitbag with his right foot. It was not a day to reach boiling point because the fourth official was called Kettle, Steve Kettle, and he reported Hughes.
“I am a little bit confused why he sent me to the stands,” Hughes said. “I shouted three times to get the referee’s attention, couldn’t do it and then kicked the bag.”
So Hughes went backstage as Chelsea moved centre stage but it was his team’s refusal to lie down that gave us such a good match. Chelsea, too, produced a fine performance, epitomised by their fiercely positive start. The first goal came on 10 minutes. John Terry surged to reach Lampard’s corner and when the ball was cleared back to the England midfielder Blackburn’s defence was at sixes and sevens.
So much so that they left Didier Drogba alone in the six yards from goal and he comfortably scored with his head. The advantage was doubled four minutes later and, again, the goal was created from a corner. Terry again caused panic by going for the ball with such conviction that Andy Todd wrestled him illegally. Lampard belted the penalty into the corner of the net.
That kind of start would have killed off most teams at Stamford Bridge, not Blackburn. They inched their way back into the game and when Petr Cech failed to properly clear Morten Pedersen’s corner, Ricardo Carvalho was judged to have fouled Khizanishvili. Craig Bellamy scored easily from the spot.
Blackburn continued to improve and two minutes before the break, they equalised. An innocuous cross came Asier Del Horno’s way but instead of clearing, the Spaniard lazily turned a ball back to his goalkeeper.
Cech screwed his clearance five yards forward and into the air. Blackburn’s Shefki Kuqi then showed commendable composure in rising above Terry and intelligently directing his header to Bellamy, who stooped and scored decisively. Two-two and Chelsea were rattled.
They recovered, though. Lampard put his team back in front with an outstanding free kick. The ball swung dramatically from right to left, missed Terry’s head by inches and still flew into the corner of the net. Cole’s late goal gave Chelsea a margin of victory that might have been marginally flattering.
STAR MAN: Frank Lampard (Chelsea)
Player ratings: Chelsea: Cech 5, Gallas 6, Carvalho 6, Terry 7, Del Horno 5, Makelele 6, Wright-Phillips 5 (Robben 68min, 6), Lampard 8, Essien 7, Cole 7 (Gudjohnsen 78min, 6), Drogba 7 (Crespo 80min, 6)
Blackburn Rovers: Friedel 6, Neill 6, Khizanishvili 6, Todd 6, Gray 6, Emerton 5, Savage 6 (Mokoena 77min, 6), Tugay 7 (Reid 72min, 6), Pedersen 5, Bellamy 6, Kuqi 6 (Dickov 75min, 5)
Scorers: Chelsea: Drogba 10, Lampard 14 pen, 62, Cole 74
Blackburn Rovers: Bellamy 18 pen, 44
Referee: M Riley
Attendance: 41,553 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------People:
LAMPS' TON OF DE-LIGHT! CENTURY BOY FRANK SHOWS HE'S GOT A HEART OF GOALS CHELSEA 4 BLACKBURN 2Neil Silver
FRANK LAMPARD was told by a doctor at the beginning of the season that his heart was larger than normal. Chelsea fans already knew that.
The 27-year-old midfielder showed why he has been short-listed for the European Footballer of the Year award with another inspirational performance at Stamford Bridge which steadied the Chelsea ship and nipped any talk of a "crisis" firmly in the bud.
Lampard can now also add the name "centurion" to his many accolades, as he scored the two goals he needed to clock up a ton in club football.
Spirited Blackburn gave Chelsea a run for their money until they fell apart early in the second half after manager Mark Hughes was sent from the bench as a result of petty officialdom.
Lampard steered his team to three more points towards what is looking like a comfortable defence of their Premiership crown.
Chelsea looked to be home and dry as they raced into a two-goal lead inside the first 13 minutes courtesy of a Didier Drogba header and Lampard's penalty, but Craig Bellamy cut short the celebrations when he converted a penalty of his own after 18 minutes, then used his head to equalise two minutes before half-time.
That was the first time a Premiership team had put two goals past Chelsea this season and Jose Mourinho's men were temporarily rocking.
It all went pear-shaped for Hughes when the former Chelsea favourite was banished from the bench for kicking a kit bag.
Lampard stepped up to the plate yet again with a 30-yard free kick after 62 minutes which sailed over everyone and into the net, before Joe Cole wrapped up the win with a deflected shot after 75 minutes. Chelsea stated their intention after only 10 minutes when Lampard's left-wing corner was headed straight back to him by the Blackburn defence. When he whipped in another cross Drogba guided a header inside the far post.
It was just the start Chelsea needed at the end of a week under the microscope which saw them drop their first points of the season by drawing at Everton, then lose on penalties to Charlton in the Carling Cup.
Life got even rosier for the Blues when they were awarded a penalty three minutes later after Rovers skipper Andy Todd bundled over his opposite number John Terry. Lampard, who started the day as the Premiership's joint leading scorer with Ruud van Nistelrooy of Manchester United on eight goals, stroked the spot kick.
The landmarks continue to come for Lampard as this was his 157th consecutive League appearance - a Premiership record for an outfield player.
Having put five goals past Bolton in their previous league game at Stamford Bridge, it looked as if we might be about to witness another mauling, but Blackburn are pretty resilient these days and pulled a goal back after 18 minutes.
Referee Mike Riley pointed to the spot for the second time when Ricardo Carvalho caught Zuran Khizanishvili with a clumsy lunge.
Bellamy checked on his run-up to wrong-foot Petr Cech before slotting the ball in the bottom left corner. It wasn't as cheeky as a Robert Pires-Thierry Henry plot, but it clearly upset Chelsea's Czech goalkeeper.
That meant there was no repeat for Cech of a penalty save, which he did in the bitter Ewood Park clash last season.
Hughes was unhappy that Mourinho had accused his team of resorting to a "nasty" brand of football, so it would have been a sweet sensation watching Bellamy equalise two minutes before the break.
Asier Del Horno's header back toward Cech bounced at an awkward height which resulted in him slicing his attempted clearance into the air.
Shefki Kuqi reacted quicker than Terry to head the ball sideways and Bellamy kept his cool as he planted a downward header past the flailing Cech.
By letting in a second goal Cech and Chelsea had doubled the number they had conceded all season in just one half.
But normal service was resumed after the break. In the 54th minute, when Hughes was so angered by a decision which went against Rovers that he kicked the kit bag. Unfortunately, the fourth official ran to teacher by calling over Riley to tell him, and the referee banished Hughes.
Tugay caught Cole to concede a free kick 30 yards from goal on the Chelsea left, and when Lampard curled it towards the far post it missed everyone and crept into the net.
Cole tried his luck from 20 yards and the ball was deflected beyond Brad Freidel to seal another Chelsea win.
That is 40 matches unbeaten, and Arsenal's record of 49 is firmly in their sights.
CHELSEA: Cech 6 - Gallas 6, Terry 6, Carvalho 5, Del Horno 5 - Wright-Phillips 4 (Robben, 68mins, 6), Makelele 6, *LAMPARD 8, Essien 5, J Cole 7 (Gudjohnsen, 78mins, 6) - Drogba 7 (Crespo, 80mins).
BLACKBURN: Friedel 6 - Neill 6, Khizanishvili 6, Todd 6, Gray 6 - Emerton 6, Tugay 6 (Reid 72mins, 6), Savage 6 (Mokoena 77mins, 6), Pedersen 6 - *BELLAMY 8, Kuqi 6 (Dickov 75mins, 6). Ref: M Riley 6.
SHINER LAMPARD Who else could it be, after he scored twice to notch a ton of goals SHOCKER TREVOR KETTLEThe fourth official squealed on Mark Hughes, getting him sent from the dug-out MAGIC MOMENT Jose Mourinho ridiculed a suggestion after the game that this result meant Chelsea were back on track. They were never off it.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mirror:
GENIE OF THE LAMP Magic Frank's a class act CHELSEA...............4 Drogba, 10, Lampard (pen) 14, 62, Joe Cole 74 BLACKBURN.........2 Bellamy (pen) 18, 44 Anthony Clavane
WITH ten minutes to go Frank Lampard appeared to embark on a lap of honour - and the Chelsea faithful stood as one to salute another match-winning display by the England star.
In fact, Lamps had bizarrely assumed he was being subbed and the red-faced midfielder had to run back on to the pitch much to the amusement of both sets of fans.
But Lampard deserved his standing ovation. Jose Mourinho sarcastically claimed a national holiday would be declared when Chelsea finally lost a league game, such is the anti-Blues feeling in the country.
But the Portuguese coach should himself call for a "National Frank Lampard Day" to be celebrated in West London after the player almost single-handedly ensured the Chelsea juggernaut kept on rolling.
No wonder he's in the running for the coveted Ballon D'Or award. He scored twice yesterday, and made a third, to stake his claim for the best player in the world prize. To be Frank, if it wasn't for Lamps there might well have been rejoicing throughout the land as the big blue machine crashed, or at least got a bit of a prang, against Mark Hughes' men.
There was a 15-minute spell just after the interval when the visitors, who had come back from 2-0 down to draw level, looked up for a shock win.
But VC Day (Victory over Chelsea) will have to be postponed after normal business was resumed by the billionaire superstars - inspired by the brilliant Lampard, who chalked up his 100th goal of his Blues career in the process. At least the rest of the top flight know there are chinks in the the armour.
After drawing at Goodison last week and getting knocked out of the Carling Cup by Charlton they again showed signs of weakness yesterday.
But you can't accuse them of not being up for a fight. Prior to this clash, James Beattie claimed the best way to unsettle Chelsea was to rough them up a little.
This might have been true in the past but it's hard to bully the Blues out of their stride these days when they boast such tough nuts as Michael Essien and Didier Drogba.
It was in fact Joe Cole, of all people, who demonstrated this new steely side almost immediately after kick-off, hacking down hardman Lucas Neill - and being booked by referee Mike Riley.
Drogba was clearly relishing his aerial battle with Andy Todd and it came as no surprise when he left his marker to glance Lampard's left-flank cross past Brad Friedel to give the Champions an early lead. When Lamps himself sent Friedel the wrong way from the penalty spot minutes later - after Todd bundled over John Terry - it looked like game over.
But Rovers, who had won five of their previous six games, were not at the Bridge simply to make up the numbers.
They hit back immediately with another spot-kick, coolly converted by Craig Bellamy, after Ricardo Carvalho had brought down Zurab Khizanishvili in the box. Mourinho believes the only way to do well against Chelsea is through luck - and the visitors certainly made the most of theirs just before half-time.
It was a comedy of errors unworthy of Chelsea's reputation as the stingiest rearguard in the Premiership.
A terrible pass-back by Carvalho put Cech in all sorts of trouble but the keeper's attempted clearance was even more inept. Cech's woeful miskick was adroitly headed across goal by Shefki Kuqi for Bellamy to nod the ball over the line.
The Welshman has had a dramatic impact in the last few games. Since coming back from injury he's scored three times in as many games - and made all three Blackburn goals against Leeds in midweek.
The Blues were kicking themselves going in level at half-time because they really should have killed off their opponents at 2-0.
First Essien tried to pass the ball into the net from 15 yards out and Asier Del Horno botched a completely free header in front of goal.
Talking of kicking, Hughes was sent off by the over-fussy Riley after striking out at a bag on the touchline when Tugay was unfairly penalised in a clash with Essien.
But Lampard came to the rescue just after an hour's play with a free-kick which evaded every player and curled into the net. Another lucky goal - a Cole shot which deflected off Todd - made it 4-2 and then Lamps fully-deserved his ovation.
Between August 1992 and August 2003 Chelsea failed to beat Blackburn in 10 Premiership matches at Stamford Bridge. Blackburn won five, while the others were drawn.
MAN OF THE MATCH FRANK LAMPARD Who else? The England midfielder had another superb game, scoring two and crossing for Drogba to score another. RATINGS
CHELSEA: Cech 6, Gallas 6, Carvalho 6, Terry 7, Del Horno 7, Makelele 7, Essien 7, LAMPARD 9, Wright-Phillips 6 (Robben 6), Cole 8 (Gudjohnsen 6), Drogba 6 (Crespo 6).
BLACKBURN: Friedel 7, Gray 7, Todd 6, Khizanishvili 8, Neill 7, Pedersen 6, Kuqi 6 (Dickov 5), Tugay 6 (Reid 6), Savage 6 (Mokoena 6), Emerton 5, Bellamy 8.
MANAGERS: Mourinho 8; Hughes 7 REFEREE: M Riley 5
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Observer:
Mourinho bluster fails to disguise Chelsea's fallibility
Jamie Jackson at Stamford BridgeSunday October 30, 2005The Observer
Frank Lampard is the best player in the world and Blackburn had just one shot on goal. So reckoned Jose Mourinho after a sloppy display ended with a margin that should fool no-one. Yes, Chelsea deserved the win, but as Mark Hughes said, 'they couldn't work us out' in the first half. Blackburn were a threat because having conceded early they continued to sniff and took their opportunities. Two of them resulted in goals and the Chelsea boss, inevitably yet disrespectfully, claimed that by the break 'we had scored four goals'.
Hughes will feel there was a missed opportunity to turn Chelsea over. Having gone two behind early, his side deserved to have the happier half-time break. Yet once the players returned the Welshman took just eight minutes to get himself sent from the bench. It was needless.
'I don't know if that had any input on the game,' he said, before admitting: 'It doesn't make my job easier.' Blackburn conceded minutes later through Lampard's free-kick, which missed John Terry and goalkeeper Brad Friedel but not the goal.
Hughes viewed that from the stands because frustration at a challenge on Shefki Kuqi was followed by a convincing right-foot connection with a physio bag. The fourth official, Trevor Kettle, had already been arguing with the Blackburn manager and proved his jobsworthness by calling Mike Riley over. Hughes grabbed his mobile phone and disappeared.
Last week's results represented the closest Mourinho has come to a wobble, with the two dropped points at Everton last Sunday preceding the champions' exit from the Carling Cup on penalties. As in all things, this was relative of course. But a draw at Everton then defeat - however Mourinho dressed up the Charlton reverse in his programme notes - was the biggest domestic question asked of Chelsea since Claudio Ranieri left. Here, playing the side they faced following their sole Premiership defeat a year ago, the response, initially, was positive with an opening 15 minutes that gained them their advantage.
Joe Cole now seems to have consistent sharpness and end product - 'he had a great game' agreed Mourinho - and it was his intelligent running that posed Chelsea's early threat down the left as a sublime stretch ensued with Didier Drogba's opener.
First Lampard's corner was returned to him and this time he found the striker who finished easily. Then Ricardo Carvalho broke up a Blackburn attack on the edge of his area. Asier Del Horno fed it out and when Lampard played a sliding pass along the turf, it eventually came to Michael Essien. His shot disappointed but Chelsea quickly had a penalty.
Terry was grounded by Andy Todd and Lampard converted. 'He is the best player in the world. But only in this country is that recognised,' insisted his manager. Although that may be debatable, Lampard was the player who ensured Chelsea turned this around.
But before that came casualness not usually associated with Mourinho's side. They were culpable by the break of failing to kill Blackburn off. Correct, Jose? 'No. I had nothing to say at half-time. Just keep playing the same way.' The logic was questionable but away from the dictaphones Mourinho will surely work on defending of set-pieces that was again problematic here: Blackburn's first corner became a penalty when poor defending resulted in Carvalho impeding Zurab Khizanishvili. Craig Bellamy calmly said thank you. And then repeated that two minutes from half-time following a Petr Cech mis-kick.
Hughes' side received five yellow cards and his own ejection. came in a period when Stamford Bridge teemed with boos as a series of Blackburn players, including that reliable pantomime villain Robbie Savage, fell to the ground. Cole followed Lampard's hundredth league strike with a deserved goal but Hughes will feel a point at least was lost. Dickov and Kuqi should have scored.
'Back on track? Back on track?' Mourinho indignantly responded when asked about the week's end. 'There is ten points difference. Ten games with one draw. Back on track?'
The gap is actually nine but with Manchester United a further four back Mourinho may now add more value to his opening-day win over second-placed Wigan.
Man of the match: Frank Lampard - Rescued his side with crucial third goal following Chelsea's wobble and, throughout, provided the requisite calm added to the class of his passing and clever runs. Looked to be coming off for Crespo but his importance was underlined by Mourinho going to the touchline to ensure he stayed on.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Independent:
Peerless Lampard at the double to thwart Blackburn fightback Chelsea 4 Blackburn Rovers 2 By Nick Townsend at Stamford Bridge Published: 30 October 2005 "When we fail, there will be a national holiday in the country," Jose Mourinho had mischievously declared beforehand, and just for a moment Blackburn Rovers sensed they were on the cusp of inspiring happiness and rejoicing throughout the land.
Chelsea, champions and champions-elect, had first swaggered into a two-goal lead, then staggered, felled by a brace of Craig Bellamy sling-shots in a first half in which Rovers had, according to their manager Mark Hughes, "dominated the game and caused them problems". It required Frank Lampard to unsheath his blade of deadly intent and set about these audacious interlopers.
A goal direct from a free-kick just after the hour - a 10th of the season for the Premiership's leading scorer - was the most tangible evidence of his impact. Yet those goals merely encapsulated a performance of great maturity, vision and tenacity, one for which his manager will have been mightily grateful.
Asked for an estimation of the midfielder who has illuminated most of his 157 consecutive Premiership games (only two short of David James's record), Mourinho retorted sharply: "You should ask the top people in world football, responsible for these beautiful trophies, the Golden Boot and the Gold Ball [Ballon D'Or] what they're doing at weekends, because Frank Lampard wins nothing."
The Chelsea manager added: "There are some great players in the world of football, no doubt. But other players may have one good game a month, are man of the match in one game then don't get a touch in the next. Lampard is the best in every game. He is the best in the world."
By the time he had established a 3-2 advantage, Chelsea's cause had been aided by the dismissal to the stands of Hughes. There is history, of course, between these sides. Mourinho had described Blackburn in his programme notes as being "very aggressive ... they try to control the pace and emotion of the game". Not exactly the most placatory of language.
Hughes, who understandably professed himself "very encouraged" by his team's first-half display, was ordered out of the dug-out by referee Mike Riley after engaging in a contretemps with the fourth official, Trevor Kettle, as his side were pulled up for successive free-kicks. Eventually Hughes vented his anger on a nearby kitbag. Kettle summoned Riley, and after the manager's dismissal his side swiftly capitulated, sustaining a defeat which extends Chelsea's unbeaten Premiership run to 40 games.
"I don't know whether it [the sending-off] had any influence, but it doesn't make it easy when you're sent to the stand," Hughes said. "I'm still confused why. I wasn't happy with a couple of decisions. The ref ignored me, so I kicked the bag. We had five bookings, and it was never that kind of game. Maybe his views were shaped by the comments in the programme."
Chelsea were rampant in the first few minutes. Lampard's cross after a corner was played back to him, found the head of the poorly marked Didier Drogba and he steered the ball across Brad Friedel for the opener.
By the 13th minute, Chelsea had increased their advantage. Andy Todd held John Terry in the area as a cross was delivered and Riley was left with no option but to award the spot kick.
Lampard drove the penalty past Friedel with a ferocity which demonstrated his desire to put the game quickly beyond Blackburn, particularly with Tuesday's away Champions' League game against Real Betis in mind.
He was foiled in that endeavour four minutes later when Ricardo Carvalho caught Zurab Khizanishvili in the area, Craig Bellamy deceiving Petr Cech from the spot. Heartened, Rovers provoked uncertainty within the home back-line, and one inventive move ended with Brett Emerton forcing a diving save.
As half-time beckoned, Rovers equalised. From Chelsea, the team who once prided themselves on their secure defence, it was an horrendous aberration. It appeared innocuous when Asier Del Horno attempted a headed back-pass but Cech sliced his clearance. Shefki Kuqi outjumped Terry to head the ball back across the goal and Bellamy nodded it into the net.
Only for Lampard to flex his muscles. After his free-kick curled past Friedel, Joe Cole's long-range attempt was deflected off Khizanishvili for the fourth.
So, what constitutes a crisis here? Well, clearly not an away draw to the then bottom side followed by a Carling Cup exit on penalties. Both must now be considered minor blemishes on the features of a newly emboldened Chelsea as they march on, Lampard in the vanguard. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Telegraph:
Lampard double ends talk of Chelsea 'crisis'
By Patrick BarclayChelsea (2) 4 Blackburn (2) 2
Crisis? What crisis? Held at Everton last weekend, knocked out of the Carling Cup at Charlton in midweek, Chelsea reacquainted themselves with the pleasure of victory at the expense of a far-from-disgraced Blackburn, whose recovery from a two-goal deficit made for terrific entertainment. Matches like this, in which the leaders can take nothing for granted, are what the Premiership is supposed to be about.
There might even have been a tense finish but for a chance spurned by Craig Bellamy - it would have given him a hat-trick - a couple of minutes after Joe Cole had somewhat fortunately obtained Chelsea's fourth with the aid of a deflection. As it was, a more significant pair of goals were those from Frank Lampard; with a penalty and a free-kick he advanced his total for the season to 11, all but one of them in the Premiership. And we are not even out of October.
Claudio Ranieri, who signed him, was here to watch another man-of-the-match display by the England midfielder - after confiding to friends that he would not be the next manager of Hearts. Despite the enthusiasm with which Ranieri had been talking about the job on Friday, it is understood that the Scottish Premier League leaders were not impressed enough with the Italian to consider meeting his high financial aspirations. So, on his way home, he paid a second visit in as many weeks to the club who replaced him with Jose Mourinho some 17 months ago.
On the previous occasion when Ranieri dropped in, Chelsea beat Bolton 5-1, and given that yesterday's visitors were also from Lancashire they may have taken his presence as ominous. But it was a different sort of afternoon. While Bolton had the thrill of enjoying a lead before they were thrashed, Chelsea took Rovers by the scruff of the neck and refused to let go until they thought superiority had been established. Prematurely, it transpired. For 13 minutes, during which Chelsea scored twice, Blackburn were penned in their own half. The pressure was ferocious. Even conceding a corner - statistics have proved this is not a very hazardous thing to do, for all the excitement it produces - proved lethal. First the ball was returned to Lampard near the flag and, when he crossed, Didier Drogba did not even have to jump as he glanced a header wide of Brad Friedel, so flimsy was the challenge of Lucas Neill. Andy Todd, by contrast, did too much when John Terry advanced for another corner, holding down the Chelsea captain; Lampard drove home the penalty.
Shortly afterwards, and less satisfyingly for Mourinho, Chelsea themselves failed to deal with a corner and gave away a penalty. Zurab Khizanishvili contested a loose ball and was fouled by Ricardo Carvalho, leaving Bellamy to do the rest. We then saw a reprise of Chelsea's magnificent early spell: high-speed attacks orchestrated by Lampard, Claude Makelele and Michael Essien. But they no longer subjugated Blackburn, for whom Brett Emerton raised morale by thrusting forward, playing an accidental one-two with Makelele and making Petr Cech drop sharply on a low shot.
It all went wrong for Cech, however, when, endeavouring to hoof clear Asier Del Horno's pass back, he sliced the ball horribly into the air. Shefki Kuqi got the better of Terry and laid the ball across goal for Bellamy to nod past the scrambling goalkeeper. Chelsea had been breached twice in a Premiership match for the first time since they visited Arsenal nearly 11 months ago. And the atmosphere engendered was sustained into the second half, which was only a few minutes old when Mark Hughes, who had been protesting furiously at Mike Riley's decisions, was ordered up the tunnel by the referee on the advice of the fourth official, Trevor Kettle.
Chelsea regained their advantage after Tugay had become the second Blackburn player cautioned in a minute (Morten Gamst Pedersen was the other). Lampard whipped in the free-kick and it soared over a thicket of keen heads before nestling in the far corner of Friedel's net.
When Cole, receiving from Makelele, strode on, shot and saw the ball veer off Todd past a flat-footed Friedel, it seemed all over. But that would not have been the case had Bellamy, served the ball by Emerton only with only Cech to beat, made proper contact; instead his effort bobbled over the bar. Still Chelsea could not relax, but they kept working and might even have got another through substitute Eidur Gudjohnsen, who was just off target.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------