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Guardian:
Liverpool see red over Essien challenge
Jon Brodkin at Stamford BridgeWednesday December 7, 2005The Guardian
Liverpool may have beaten Chelsea to win the group last night and showed how far they have come defensively since October's 4-1 league defeat by these opponents at Anfield but few departed discussing those matters. More lively debate surrounded the dangerous tackle with which Michael Essien hit Dietmar Hamann in the first half. Somehow the Chelsea midfielder escaped a red card but then he has a history in that department.
Just as Essien avoided expulsion for a bad challenge on Bolton's Tal Ben Haim, with the incident not seen in its full ugliness by the officials, he got away with similar here. The Ghanaian's studs raked into Hamann just below the knee as he went over the top for a loose ball and Hamann did not hide his disappointment afterwards. "That is the worst tackle I have ever received," he said, "and he has not apologised either." Liverpool's manager Rafael Benítez called on Uefa to take action on video evidence but Essien looks set to escape punishment because the governing body tends to act retrospectively only on off-the-ball incidents such as spitting, elbowing and headbutts that have been missed by officials. It seems the nearby linesman believed he had seen the tackle clearly because he waved away protests from Liverpool's coaching staff. How neither he nor the German referee saw fit to take action is a mystery.
Jose Mourinho responded to protests by Liverpool's bench with gestures and words and Chelsea's fitness coach Rui Faria appeared to offer the use of his glasses. Later Mourinho showed a rare affinity with Arsène Wenger by saying he had not seen the tackle, though that had not stopped him getting involved, with the Liverpool coach Alex Miller bearing the brunt of his feelings. "In a good way," the Chelsea manager insisted. "I was telling him: 'You are crying all game, you are crying all the time.' I was telling him 'it's enough, sit down a little bit.'"
He felt it was fair to make his feelings known. "Because referees to me are always very direct and very strong to put me in my place but other managers can do what they want," he said. "You can imagine if I did in the Premiership what Stuart Pearce did against Blackburn [running on to the pitch to hurry the opponents along]. 'Jose Mourinho should get a three-month ban', so I cannot do a few things. I think it gives them status."
Benítez kept his true feelings to himself but said of Mourinho: "I think he talks a lot, it's true." Of the challenge itself he offered: "If you see the video you can decide. I don't want to talk about things that are so clear. I could see the tackle, it was in front of the bench but I could see the [scarred] leg of Dietmar Hamann, too."
Hamann went on to play his part in a strong Liverpool defensive performance as they restricted Chelsea to few chances despite the home team's growing control in the second half. Chelsea had begun the game poorly but, even when their passing improved, they found it hard to break down opponents who have now prevented them from scoring in four successive Champions League games.
Jamie Carragher and Sami Hyypia were impressive at centre-back for Liverpool, with Hyypia winning plenty of high balls and Carragher reading the play well to make potentially difficult moments look comfortable. Ahead of them Mohamed Sissoko was assured with his defensive work and simple passing.
Liverpool were increasingly content after the interval to sit back, close the space and play on the break, where they created little. Throughout Chelsea failed to make significant headway in wide areas, with Arjen Robben and Damien Duff kept in check by Djimi Traoré and Steve Finnan, and Shaun Wright-Phillips made no impact when he came on as a substitute.
This was also an occasion on which Didier Drogba looked anything but a £24m striker, even if he set up his team's best chance with a knock-back from which Robben hit the side-netting. In a poor game of few openings, Jose< Reina's only testing save came in the seventh minute from an effort by Frank Lampard, who had a rare off night with his passing.
Liverpool enjoyed their best period shortly after that when Steven Gerrard had his most influential spell of the match, shooting narrowly wide and then setting up John Arne Riise to bring Petr Cech into rare action.
In the second half they seemed content to eke out a draw which guaranteed them first place and a knock-out game against a group runner-up, with the second leg at Anfield. Mourinho insisted he was not bothered to have ended as runners-up. "For me it's the same to finish second or first," he said, "but I'm not happy because we didn't win the game."
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Independent:
Chelsea 0 Liverpool 0: Liverpool rely on defensive power to win phoney war By Sam Wallace Published: 07 December 2005 The mood was malevolent at times but with their Champions' League lives ensured, all Liverpool and Chelsea could conjure was a phoney war to close out three months of living dangerously in Group H. Michael Essien's appalling first-half tackle on Dietmar Hamann was the moment the match threatened to spark into life, but in the end this felt much more like a prelude to the far more serious business that awaits them both in the knock-out rounds.
The result, however, makes Chelsea vulnerable as the group's second-placed team. In next Friday's draw they could, for instance, be paired with Barcelona, Milan or Internazionale.
They have scored just one goal between them in four Champions' League encounters since May and, on the occasion of their eighth meeting in 16 months, they wrestled each other into a third, unlovely draw. Rafael Benitez was the only manager on his feet when this match finally ended and his team's fifth consecutive clean sheet will be some source of pride -- precious little else will survive in the memory.
The competition to be the Chelsea squad's PlayStation Pro Evolution champion came to a climax at John Terry's house in Surrey this week and during the build-up to last night's Champions' League match you could be forgiven for wondering which contest had more at stake. December promises to be a decisive month in the Premiership for both these teams and the prospect of a dead rubber in the Champions' League offered some respite from a long, hard winter.
But on the occasion of their eighth meeting in English football since they arrived in the summer of last year, the team selection of Benitez and Jose Mourinho did nothing to suggest that these managers were prepared to give more than an inch. Injuries may have denied Chelsea of Joe Cole and Claude Makelele, and Benitez was without Xabi Alonso, but none of the fit front-line troops were spared duty.
In the first-half action, Frank Lampard forced Jose Reina to throw himself at a shot after a poor clearance from the goalkeeper on seven minutes and there was plenty more of the mutual loathing from the stands to remind both sets of players of the recent history this match carries. Arjen Robben, desperately ineffectual in the first half, gave the ball away to Luis Garcia outside his own area and when the slight Spanish striker tumbled along with John Terry, Stamford Bridge feared the award of a penalty.
Chelsea escaped that punishment but they were much more fortunate in the judgement of the referee, Herbert Fandel, on 23 minutes when Michael Essien ground his studs into the shin of Dietmar Hamann just yards from the two dug-outs. It was an assault rather than anything like a legitimate tackle and the Liverpool bench emptied immediately in protest. Mourinho gestured at Benitez and Rui Faria, the Chelsea fitness coach with an opinion for every occasion, began his own round of finger-pointing.
It leant the contest a proper edge and the mood changed then. Essien did not earn even a yellow card for a foul that was comfortably as bad as the lunge at Bolton's Tal Ben Haim in October that mysteriously earned him nothing more than a booking. Fandel could not have seen anything of this incident to have allowed the Ghanaian to stay on the pitch and Hamann, television replays showed, had red marks on his leg.
John Arne Riise, fed the ball by Steven Gerrard, had his shot saved by the legs of Petr Cech and Mohamed Sissoko, in winning the ball, caught the ankle of Eidur Gudjohnsen painfully.
Whether half-time allowed the sting of Essien's tackle to fade, or Liverpool to forget, the fire in the contest waned after the interval. Peter Crouch competed as gamely as any striker but was eventually replaced by Fernando Morientes. Mourinho did not gamble upon a new formation until the 73rd minute when he sent on Carlton Cole and Shaun Wright-Phillips, who was immediately cut down by Djimi Traoré.
Traoré was booked and so too Lampard, for protesting too strongly against an offside decision. The England midfielder had come to the touchline in the first half to be administered what appeared to be a pill by the club doctor, Brian English, but looked out of sorts for most of the game. One promising free-kick was blazed wildly off-target.
The Fifa world player of the year nominee did little better when presented with a shot at the end of one of Chelsea's best moves on 67 minutes. Robben's ball out left was directed by Gudjohnsen on to Damien Duff, whose cut-back to Lampard was lifted carelessly over the bar.
Liverpool finished on the back foot and William Gallas would have rued a late miss had he not been flagged offside. The European champions have the dubious honour of first place in Group H - but whether that protects them from the most dangerous predators in the next round is anything but certain.
Chelsea (4-1-4-1): Cech; Ferreira (Del Horno, h-t), Terry, Carvalho, Gallas; Essien; Robben (C Cole, 73), Gudjohnsen, Lampard, Duff (Wright-Phillips, 73); Drogba. Substitutes not used: Cudicini (gk), Geremi, Diarra, Huth.
Liverpool (4-4-1-1): Reina; Finnan, Carragher, Hyypia, Traoré; Gerrard, Sissoko, Hamann, Riise (Kewell, 60); Luis Garcia (Sinama-Pongolle, 79); Crouch (Morientes, 68). Substitutes not used: Carson (gk), Cissé, Josemi, Warnock.
Referee: H Fandel (Germany). ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Telegraph:
Essien excess turns up heat By Henry Winter at Stamford Bridge
Chelsea (0) 0 Liverpool (0) 0
Full of blood and blunder, a match of little significance will be remembered primarily for a horrendous challenge by Michael Essien on Didi Hamann, which almost broke the German's leg. The Lancet will be kicking themselves for not sending a reporter, such was the amount of cuts and bruises on view.
Going flat out: Chelsea’s Eidur Gudjohnsen fails to evade Mohammed Sissoko of Liverpool
Little entertainment should really have been anticipated, as both sides have now managed only one goal in their four Champions League ties against each other in 2005. Liverpool finish as Group G winners while Chelsea follow them into the Dec 16 draw. Sadly, the two Premiership sides progress with bad blood existing between the champions of England and the champions of Europe.
A largely featureless first half still contained the 22nd-minute horror show that was Essien's in-depth examination of the bone structure of Hamann's knee. The ball was loose, running free between Essien, Gerrard and Hamann, a convention of strong hearts and minds. And, mercifully, strong legs in Hamann's case.
Essien's tackle, his studs hurtling into the German's right knee, was filthy, an instant stain on relations between two leading clubs. Luis Garcia was livid, a player not known for showing aggression sprinting across to remonstrate with Essien. Liverpool's manager, Rafa Benitez, was similarly incensed, signalling to the linesman that the Chelsea No 5 had deliberately gone over the top on Hamann.
Benitez's assistant, Alex Miller, was also up out of the dug-out, only to be waved away dismissively by Jose Mourinho, who told him to "sit down". Liverpool's consternation was understandable: as Hamann was helped to his feet, the raw, red marks from Essien's tattoo work were easily in evidence.
Shocking.
Nicknamed the Bison, Chelsea's Ghanaian midfielder has previous, having caught Bolton Wanderers' Tal Ben Haim badly earlier this season. Essien was cautioned by Rob Styles on that occasion, and the English referee was subsequently willing to upgrade the card after watching the video. Fifa forbade him.
Remarkably, last night's referee, Herbert Fandel, failed even to punish Essien with a caution. Uefa will take no action because they respond only to violent acts, like elbowing. Under Mourinho, and before him Claudio Ranieri, Chelsea have been noted for being largely a clean side, but Essien threatens to damage that reputation.
Fandel's inexcusable refusal to sanction Essien inevitably raised the temperature. Liverpool's players, by nature and managerial guidance, are not the type to charge around seeking retribution from those who have wronged them. They prefer to exact revenge with goals. Yet the mood had darkened. Momo Sissoko caught Eidur Gudjohnsen, who in turn clattered into Steve Finnan as the half concluded on a fractious note.
The few positive moments had inevitably flowed for Chelsea from Frank Lampard, who twice tested Jose Reina's reflexes from range. For Liverpool, Garcia pleaded for a penalty after tangling with John Terry - both were equally culpable of pushing and pulling -while John Arne Riise let fly with a trademark left-footer that Petr Cech was forced to push away.
Chelsea are renowned for their second-half shows of counter-attacking expertise and they immediately tore into Liverpool. Didier Drogba teed up Arjen Robben, whose left-footed strike swerved just wide.
Feeling the tide was turning against Liverpool, Benitez sought to shake up his midfield, though Riise was hardly impressed at being replaced by Harry Kewell and threw a water bottle across the dug-out in frustration.
Still Chelsea came, not with their usual machine-like inexorability but containing danger. A fine link-up between Robben, Gudjohnsen and Damien Duff created a chance for Lampard but the England midfielder fired wastefully over, admittedly under strong pressure from Jamie Carragher.
Benitez attempted to give his team a greater cutting edge by withdrawing Peter Crouch, who had been ridiculed constantly by Chelsea's fans. Fernando Morientes glided on, soon followed by two Chelsea subs, Shaun Wright-Phillips and Carlton Cole. Wright-Phillips was immediately scythed down by Djimi Traore.
At last, Fandel located his book, the name of Traore followed by Lampard, who had thrown the ball away in disgust at a completely correct offside decision.
The mercury continued to bubble higher, this time when Kewell complained that William Gallas had sliced open his leg. Blood flowed from Kewell's ankle, staunched only through the appliance of a bandage by the overworked medical men.
Match detailsChelsea (4-1-2-2-1): Cech; Ferreira (Del Horno, h-t), Carvalho, Terry, Gallas; Essien; Gudjohnsen, Lampard; Robben (C Cole, 73), Duff (Wright-Phillips, 73); Drogba. Subs: Cudicini (g), Geremi, Diarra, Huth. Booked: Lampard, Carvalho. Liverpool (4-4-2): Reina; Finnan, Carragher, Hyypia, Traore; Gerrard, Hamann, Sissoko, Riise (Kewell, 60); Luis Garcia (Sinama Pongolle, 80), Crouch (Morientes, 69). Subs: Carson (g), Cisse, Josemi, Warnock. Booked: Traore. Referee: H Fandel (Germany).
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Times:
Essien makes his mark in wildest wayBy Matt DickinsonChelsea 0 Liverpool 0
THE MEMORIES WILL NOT LAST AS long as some of the bruises. The only significant impression was left on Dietmar Hamann’s shin, courtesy of a terrible challenge from Michael Essien, but Liverpool will have felt that the pain was worth it as they left with leadership of Champions League group G, their modest prize.
A goalless draw that kept the European champions above Chelsea was celebrated like a victory by the visiting team’s supporters and, given that they had seen only one win in seven previous encounters with José Mourinho’s team, they were entitled to their triumphant roar.
Mourinho is not used to finishing second best and his substitutions, throwing on attacking players, suggested that he was more eager for victory than he had admitted 24 hours earlier. His players will have been irritated not to have beaten opponents who have competed with them for trophies and the affections of Steven Gerrard in the past 18 months, but they did not create nearly enough chances to argue that they deserved victory. And when Essien escaped sanction midway through the first half, they forfeited any claims to bad luck.
No amount of rivalry between these clubs could excuse the studs-bared assault on Hamann’s upper shin. Missed by Herbert Fandel, the German referee, it was only ten yards from the Liverpool bench. Rafael Benítez leapt to his feet and he was entitled to his fury, given that no punishment was being administered for a red-card offence.
As Hamann lay on the ground, both sets of coaches became embroiled in a slanging match. Mourinho bluntly told Alex Miller, one of Benítez’s assistants, to return to his seat, but this was not the first time that the Chelsea manager had sought to defend Essien for leaving an unwelcome calling card.
The Ghana midfield player has been a fine addition to Mourinho’s squad, impressing when bursting from midfield or, as last night, standing in for Claude Makelele in the holding role, but his lunge on Tal Ben Haim, the Bolton Wanderers defender, in October was equally crude. The FA was powerless to intervene, despite calls for a yellow card to be upgraded, so Essien can regard himself as doubly fortunate.
Remarkably, Hamann managed to complete the game. Not so Peter Crouch, who appeared to be complaining about seeing two of everything after a blow to the head — an affliction that some may say could explain a few things — but Benítez will have been pleased that his players showed more of the resolve that has characterised their recent charge up the Barclays Premiership table.
A patternless match mostly fought out between congested midfields, it was probably more feisty than anyone had a right to expect. With Mohamed Sissoko catching Eidur Gudjohnsen’s ankle and the latter raising a foot for a challenge on Steve Finnan, it was evident that appearances are not deceptive. Despite the mutual respect between Mourinho and Benítez, these teams do not like each other.
There have been plenty of opportunities to fall out and the two sets of fans were engaged in their own battle for supremacy. Liverpool’s travelling army taunted Chelsea for having "no history", a jibe that was met with cries of "champions". With a fifth European Cup sitting in the Anfield trophy cabinet, the Scousers clearly felt that they were entitled to the last word.
Finishing top of the group would hardly be a significant addition to either club’s boasts, but with two strong XIs on the field, there was intent from both sides. José Manuel Reina saved smartly from a Frank Lampard shot as Chelsea exerted early pressure, but it was Liverpool who created the best chance of the first half when Gerrard slipped the ball to John Arne Riise, who shot crisply but too close to Petr Cech.
Aside from the knowledge that they should have been playing against ten men, Liverpool also felt that they had been deprived of a penalty, but the referee judged, probably correctly, that John Terry had simply won a shoulder-barging contest with the lightweight Luis García. Like the game, it was too close to call.
Chances were being strictly rationed, which will have suited Liverpool after their 4-1 humbling at Anfield in the Premiership two months ago. Defensive resilience has been the cornerstone of their surge up the table and, with Sissoko, Hamann and Gerrard snapping away in midfield, they mostly succeeded in restraining Mourinho’s men, although, inevitably, there were times when Chelsea’s greater possession looked as though it might count.
When Didier Drogba chested the ball down to Arjen Robben, the winger should have done better than hit the side-netting and Mourinho threw on Carlton Cole and Shaun Wright-Phillips in search of the elusive goal. It was a measure of their frustration when mild-mannered, polite Lampard was booked for dissent after complaining about an offside decision. More frustratingly still, his judgment had been right.
With Gudjohnsen subdued and neither starting winger dominating their opponent, Chelsea had lacked penetration and they were reduced to pumping long passes down the middle in the final ten minutes.
Mourinho may rue their failure to score if they are drawn against Barcelona and lose to the form team in Europe, but if he had regrets, he was hiding them well. He knows that other teams will want to avoid Chelsea every bit as much as Ronaldinho’s cavaliers.
Chelsea (4-3-3): P Cech — P Ferreira, R Carvalho, J Terry, W Gallas — E Gudjohnsen, M Essien, F Lampard — D Duff (sub: S Wright-Phillips, 73min), D Drogba, A Robben (sub: C Cole, 73). Substitutes not used: C Cudicini, A Del Horno, Geremi, L Diarra, R Huth. Booked: Lampard, Carvalho
Liverpool (4-4-2): J M Reina — S Finnan, J Carragher, S Hyypia, D Traoré — S Gerrard, M Sissoko, D Hamann, J A Riise (sub: H Kewell, 61) — L García (sub: F Sinama Pongolle, 80), P Crouch (sub: F Morientes, 68). Substitutes not used: S Carson, D Cissé, Josemi, S Warnock. Booked: Traoré
Referee: H Fandel (Germany)
GROUP G
Anderlecht salvaged some pride from a miserable campaign when they took their first points with a 1-0 win at Real Betis. Vincent Kompany, the defender, spared his team the embarrassment of becoming only the second side to end a group stage without scoring when he drilled home the winner a minute before the break.
MIDFIELD PLAYER LEAVES STAMP OF DISAPPROVAL
Michael Essien has made an immediate impact on English football since his £24.4 million move from Lyons, but he has also made a mark with his studs. The Ghana midfield player must include referees on his Christmas card list. Last night’s let-off, when Herbert Fandel failed to notice a foul, that Dietmar Hamann rated the worst of his lengthy career, is not the first time Essien has been reprieved. During a Barclays Premiership match against Bolton Wanderers in October, an horrific challenge on Tal Ben Haim, right, was punished with a yellow card and, after consultation with Fifa, was not upgraded by the FA, to the fury of Sam Allardyce, the Bolton manager. Matt Hughes ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------