morning papers sunderland away

Guardian:
Chelsea put on red alert after late wake-up call
Kevin McCarra Stadium of LightMonday January 16, 2006The Guardian
Arjen Robben's joy was interrupted by a red card. He had just scored a lucky winner that deflected off Dean Whitehead in the 69th minute and was revelling with the Chelsea support behind the goal when Chris Foy showed him a second yellow card of the match. The referee's decision had a puritanical tone. Here was an occasion where Chelsea, pushed to their limits by Sunderland, deserved to be chastised for feeling at all pleased with themselves.
Jose Mourinho was in a comparatively subdued mood afterwards. "He did well," the Chelsea manager said sincerely of Foy. His own preference would be to see another minute added to stoppage-time for elongated, off-field celebrations such as Robben's. Despite that, Mourinho believed that the rules had been properly applied and, presumably, was not aware that officials are explicitly instructed to show common sense in such situations.As Robben made for the tunnel, Mourinho embraced the player "to show I am with him". Acerbity, for all that, is never far away and Mourinho prophesied that the attacker will never repeat the offence. The manager also remarked blithely that Robben's suspension will let Damien Duff or Shaun Wright-Phillips start a game. The Premiership is not too demanding a test but life at Stamford Bridge will always be a rat race while Mourinho is there.
Robben's best defence of his conduct would be that he acted with the spontaneity of a relieved man. This was an unjust loss for Sunderland, despite their inevitably inferior technique. It may have needed several second-half saves from the much-maligned Kelvin Davis to keep them on equal terms, but Robben's goal came just as the visitors were beginning to grow frustrated.
While Sunderland may sometimes have wished there were no cameras to record their haplessness, this was an afternoon where the videotapes will prove that they are not as bad as the derisory league total of six points suggests. Chelsea were no longer above the fray, even if it has to be recognised that the onslaught they mounted immediately after the interval showed determination. "Our team has some qualities that money can't buy," said Mourinho to widespread amazement. "How many clubs in the world, with top players, can fight as Chelsea do?"
The grappling was close to going too far and as the game whirled towards the full-time whistle Ricardo Carvalho's grappling with opponents risked a penalty. As is so often the case on these occasions the defender was spared punishment because the opponent with whom he was dealing had probably been committing offences of his own.
There was bound to be friction since conditions prohibited slick play. The pitch was in poor condition and the Chelsea players, warming up before the game, seemed to be rehearsing volleyed passes, as if extra-terrestrial football might be a possibility. In the fixture itself, though, they were most definitely brought down to earth.
Asier Del Horno, who has already been warned that he will have to improve fast if he is to survive, was utterly unreliable at left-back. His deficiencies had their inspiring effect on Liam Lawrence. When the accurate Julio Arca sent over one of his testing crosses in the 11th minute John Terry ought to have helped the ball on its way the flank but instead headed it down into an area of danger. Lawrence scored ravenously with a first-time finish as Del Horno was too slow to close on him.
Mourinho grumbled that Chelsea had been asleep, but added: "You know that we will wake up and react." They did so, but only spasmodically and the 28th minute equaliser was rather unexpected. William Gallas, moving the ball on to his left foot, crossed deep from the right and Joe Cole, standing beside the far post, nodded across goal for Hernan Crespo to head home.
The Argentinian was not the ideal individual for an occasion that called for the muscle of Didier Drogba, who has gone to the African Cup of Nations, or of the injured Michael Essien. Mourinho waved away questions about Crespo's pang for the Italian scene he knows best. "If he is homesick and scores goals like he does I want more of our players to be homesick," said Mourinho.
Sunderland had their opportunity to regain the lead in first-half stoppage time but Anthony Le Tallec's header was sent too close to Petr Cech. Mick McCarthy's side were never so incisive again and it was Chelsea, raising the tempo to sustain the pressure even though the surface regularly broke up moves, who besieged Davis. The goalkeeper twice thwarted Crespo as well as parrying efforts from other players.
Sunderland flagged a little, crucially, allowed Robben to come in off the right flank and put the ball on to his left foot for the shot that decided the outcome. Chelsea, in consequence, are 16 points in front of Manchester United, but Mourinho preferred to note that Liverpool, with games in hand, can get to within 11.
This difficult trip to the North-East will have dispelled Chelsea complacency even if it was the Stamford Bridge club's 10th consecutive Premiership win.
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Independent:
Sunderland 1 Chelsea 2: Mourinho backs ref over Robben sending off Published: 16 January 2006 Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho admitted referee Chris Foy had no option but to send off match-winner Arjen Robben in a pulsating encounter at Sunderland.
The Dutchman was dismissed after over-celebrating his decisive 69th-minute strike after being booked for a first-half foul as the Barclays Premiership leaders came from behind to see off a spirited Black Cats side. Robben was devastated to receive his marching orders, but Mourinho, who offered him a consoling handshake as he left the pitch, said the official had no choice with the second yellow card, if believing the first was harsh.
"I don't like a yellow card card when a player celebrates with the fans, but it's the rule and you have to adapt to it," he said. "I think it would be easy for a referee to give one more minute extra time instead of the second yellow card.
"The player celebrates with the fans, it takes a little bit more time - instead of three minutes extra time, he gives four or five and it's done. But I think Foy did well because he did what the rule says he had to do. "The first yellow card is not a yellow card - it was just in front of me - but again, referees can make these little mistakes, so of course I'm disappointed. "But it's a chance for (Damien) Duff and Shaun Wright-Phillips to play the next game because Arjen will be suspended. "Next time, he will not do it again. He will remember for (the rest of) his career because he has had a yellow card that he cannot celebrate with the fans when he scores a goal. "I'm happy with the result and the result is the most important thing for a football team."
The win - Hernan Crespo had cancelled out Liam Lawrence's 12th-minute opener before Dean Whitehead deflected Robben's shot past goalkeeper Kelvin Davis - took Chelsea 16 points clear of Manchester United in second place, although Mourinho is taking nothing for granted. "It's 16 from Manchester United, but Liverpool can get it down to 11 if they win the two matches they have to play," he said. "And there are a lot of matches too, I think 16, eight at home, eight away. "We are confident, we are strong, we will play when we have to play, we will fight when we have to fight like today, and I think we are in a very good situation. "But in football, you have to go until mathematically it is over."
The league leaders now enjoy a 55-point gap over the side they left rooted to the foot of the table, but Sunderland boss Mick McCarthy was able to take plenty of positives out of a battling display. "I'm sick we have lost, but pleased at the way we played and proud of the performance, actually," he said. "I guess it's indicative of where the two teams are that despite the fact that they had some chances and Kelvin played really well, it's a deflection that has won the game for them. "I'm full of admiration for (his players) because I don't know any other group of players that could keep having the disappointments they have had, having played well, and just keep their heads up and keep going and keep fighting like they are doing. "They can take a lot of credit for it. Individually, there have been some really good performances of late. Overall individually, they are getting better and better. "It might prove to be a little bit too late, but for their own development and the development of the team if the worst does happen and we get relegated, the players will be better for it, no question."
Meanwhile, Mourinho confirmed he will be making no further signings during the January transfer window, but may be persuaded to allow one member of his squad to leave Stamford Bridge. "It's open until the end of January, and until the end of January, anything can happen," he said. "New players, no, but one player to leave and try to find a better situation until the end of the season is possible if - I repeat, if - the player is very, very interested in that, not because we want it." However, the Portuguese declined to comment on England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson's reported comments on the fee he paid for Wright-Phillips.
Goals: Lawrence (12) 1-0, Crespo (28) 1-1, Robben (69) 1-2.
Sunderland (4-4-2): Davis; Hoyte, Caldwell, Breen, D Collins; Lawrence, Whitehead, Miller, Arca; Le Tallec (Gray, 81), Stead (Murphy, 81). Substitutes not used: Alnwick (gk), Nosworthy, Bassila.
Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Cech; Gallas, Terry, Carvalho, Del Horno; Lampard, Makelele; J Cole (Duff, 63), Gudjohnsen (Huth, 83), Robben; Crespo (C Cole, 72). Substitutes not used: Cudicini (gk), Diarra.
Referee: C Foy (Merseyside).
Booked: Sunderland Stead; Chelsea Robben.
Sent off: Robben (70).
Man of the match: Arca.
Attendance: 32,420.
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Telegraph:
Robben inspires Chelsea to set new standardBy Rob Stewart Sunderland (1) 1 Chelsea (1) 2
The prospect of Jose Mourinho's most embarrassing result at Chelsea - and arguably the greatest upset in the history of the Premiership - evidently focused his players' minds.
Supply and demand: Joe Cole congratulates Hernan Crespo Sunderland had the temerity to take a first-half lead over England's foremost team, and a huge shock was on the cards as the gap between the top and bottom of the Premiership was rendered insignificant by a team whose efforts belied their lowly status against a side whose advantage at the summit has stretched to 16 points and who set a club record with their 10th successive Premiership victory.
Briefly, Mick McCarthy's team were more than a match for their lofty visitors until Mourinho's charges were shaken out of their slumber, running out easy winners despite the dismissal of match-winner Arjen Robben, who struck in fortuitous fashion after Hernan Crespo cancelled out Liam Lawrence's opener.
"I was concerned when Sunderland took the lead but at the same time I knew that goal would wake up a team that was sleeping," Mourinho said. "The game wasn't beautiful. It was a tough game for us because a lot of players produce the game of their lives against Chelsea.
"Our team have qualities money can't buy: team spirit, organisation, mentality. People sometimes don't give us credit for our work because they don't understand the world we're in. How many big teams in the world can fight like Chelsea?"
Jonathan Stead set the tone for an exciting game when he tested Petr Cech with a low, angled shot in the third minute. Lawrence raised hopes that Sunderland could give the bookmakers a day to forget in the 12th minute, punishing Chelsea captain John Terry's uncharacteristic mistake.
Julio Arca floated a cross deep into enemy territory and Terry responded with a weak header straight to Stead, who drove the ball past Cech from just inside the penalty area. For someone once known as the David Beckham of Field Mill during his Mansfield days, it seemed appropriate.
Crespo spared Terry's blushes when he equalised with his 10th goal of the season in the 28th minute, rounding off a swift attack by his colleagues. Arjen Robben sent William Gallas away down the wing and the stand-in right-back dummied Arca on the by-line before delivering a curling cross just beyond the far post. Joe Cole nodded the ball back into the six-yard area, where the supposedly homesick Crespo reacted quickest, stooping to head past Kelvin Davis.
"If Hernan is homesick and scores like he has been doing I want more players who are homesick," said Mourinho.
Normally, this sort of setback has been enough to kill off Sunderland, but not this time. With Lawrence regularly getting the better of left-back Asier del Horno, they even looked capable of regaining the lead.
Indeed, Anthony Le Tallec had a glorious chance to restore his team's advantage two minutes into first-half stoppage time when he was left unmarked by Terry et al but his header from 12 yards out lacked direction and was comfortably saved.
After that fortunate escape, Mourinho saw his team raise their game and the Sunderland goal was placed under unbearable pressure.
Only a series of fine saves by Kelvin Davis, most notably when he repelled Crespo's header, kept the defending champions at bay in a charge spearheaded by Eidur Gudjohnsen and Lampard, but the keeper's resistance crumbled in the 70th minute in unfortunate circumstances.
Robben took aim just outside the penalty area and his goalbound effort was deflected beyond Davis when Dean Whitehead tried to nod the Dutchman's shot clear.
The excitement was clearly too much for Robben, who hurdled the advertising hoarding to celebrate with visiting supporters and received his second caution of the afternoon from referee Chris Foy, bringing his day's work to a premature end.
"I don't like a yellow card when players celebrate with fans but it is the rule," Mourinho said. "You have to adapt but it would be easy to give a minute's extra time instead of a yellow card."
Despite that setback, Chelsea continued to dominate and Davis had to deny the impressive Gudjohnsen and Carlton Cole, while Lampard sent a shot soaring narrowly over the crossbar.
Sunderland ran out of steam in the latter stages and never looked likely to make use of their numerical advantage, with the Chelsea defence comfortably equal to their opponents' endeavours. "I'm sick we lost but full of admiration for my players," McCarthy said. "especially Kelvin, because he's winning people over."
• Man of the match: Kelvin Davis (Sunderland).
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Times:
Chelsea summon champions' spiritBy George CaulkinSunderland 1 Chelsea 2
CHELSEA ARE A TEAM WHO REJECT easy excuses. A goal behind after 12 minutes, insipid and tentative, they ground through the gears, pummelled Sunderland and grasped the lead. A man down after 70 minutes, they shut up shop, clawed at every clearance and held on. “That’s why we’re champions,” their supporters crowed. Where Arsenal are capable of humiliating opponents, Liverpool eke out victories and Manchester United show fleeting signs of their former brilliance, Chelsea combine all of their rivals’ strengths with none of their frailties. Sixteen points clear at the head of the table, they are brutal in their efficiency, even when caught cold, as they were yesterday. “Our team has qualities that money can’t buy,” José Mourinho said. “How many other big teams in the world can fight like Chelsea does, have the same team spirit, organisation or mentality?” For a few blissful moments in the second half, Chelsea played what their manager called “unbelievable football”, but their tenth league victory in succession — a club record in the Premiership — was based on tenacity. They showed it when Julio Arca pumped a long pass forward, John Terry made an ineffectual clearance and Liam Lawrence struck an early shot. They showed it again when Arjen Robben was sent off for a second booking.
Never knowingly predictable, Mourinho was unconcerned about Robben’s departure, for leaping into the crowd after striking a deflected winner. “I don’t like seeing a yellow card when a player celebrates with the fans,” he said, “but if that’s the rule we have to adapt to it.”
Having burnt themselves out, Sunderland were powerless to seize the advantage. Mick McCarthy’s side had begun ferociously and their attitude did not dim. “I don’t know any other group of players who could suffer as many disappointments as they have and still keep fighting,” McCarthy said. Their relegation is surely guaranteed, but this was an optimistic afternoon and a spirited performance. Even so, the chairman refused to offer McCarthy security. “At a club that’s struggling as badly as this one is, there’s going to be speculation as to the manager and the way forward and I don’t want to add to that situation,” Bob Murray said.
What Sunderland lacked in quality, they made up in sweat and perseverance. Those qualities are not unknown to Chelsea, but they did not appreciate being confronted by them. They had equalised in the 28th minute, when William Gallas spread a deep cross to the far post, Joe Cole narrowly kept the ball in play and Hernán Crespo nodded in his eighth league goal of the season, but it was not until later that the giant roused itself.
Kelvin Davis had repelled a driven shot and point-blank header from Crespo and dived at full stretch to tip away a fierce effort from Frank Lampard, but the goalkeeper could not stem the tide indefinitely. Robben ensured the win, lurking at the edge of the penalty area; the winger’s decision to shoot might have been selfish had Dean Whitehead not stooped to meet it. The ball looped above Davis, Robben ran towards the Chelsea fans, leapt over the advertising hoardings and was booked for the exuberance of his celebration. Cautioned for an earlier foul on Lawrence, he was promptly sent off.
Even with reduced personnel, Chelsea barely wavered. McCarthy was incandescent that two penalty appeals found no favour — the first, when Ricardo Carvalho tugged the shirt of Andy Gray, was a worthy claim — but Mourinho’s side held firm. “We are strong, we play when we have to play and fight when we have to fight,” Mourinho said. “We’re in a very good situation.” Nobody debated it.
CALM DOWN
A PLAYER MUST BE cautioned when he climbs on to a perimeter fence to celebrate a goal. It is considered that fans may be endangered in a rush forward. Arjen Robben was perhaps unlucky that the Stadium of Light has an advertising board several yards from the fans, one that thus needs to be hurdled to reach the crowd. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------