morning papers - fulham away

The Guardian Mourinho rails as Chelsea hit the wall
Jon Brodkin at Craven CottageMonday March 20, 2006
Jose Mourinho has enjoyed plenty of memorable days as the Chelsea manager but this is one he would prefer to forget. A Sunday that began with him feeling obliged to deny that he has fallen out with Roman Abramovich and will leave Stamford Bridge over the summer ended with defeat and a red card at a jubilant Craven Cottage that came worrying close to witnessing serious crowd trouble amid the celebrations that followed.
Scores of Fulham supporters invaded the pitch to celebrate a first win over their neighbours for 27 years and matters briefly threatened to turn ugly when Chelsea fans broke from their stand. There were minor skirmishes before police and stewards brought the situation under control. Fulham can expect to be fined by the Football Association for having inadequate security, and there looks set to be disciplinary action against Chelsea for separate matters.Half a dozen or so of their players surrounded one the referee's assistants to protest William Gallas' justified late dismissal for stamping on Heidar Helguson, and the defender could be asked to explain why he walked off giving thumbs downs to the home crowd. Mourinho, meanwhile, may be brought to book for suggesting the authorities are biased against Chelsea.
Chelsea have already been charged by the FA for their players' behaviour at West Bromwich Albion this month, but Mourinho does not expect Fulham to be taken to task for their players rushing to complain to the referee Mike Dean after Didier Drogba scored an "equaliser" that was soon disallowed for handball. Mourinho said the officials cancelled that effort because of "pressure" from Fulham, though the referee denied that.
"You see for Chelsea one measure and for other teams another measure," Mourinho claimed. "There's no doubt about that . . . In West Brom-Chelsea I have the final proof about that. Bryan Robson is Bryan Robson and Jose Mourinho is Jose Mourinho; we are not the same."
Mourinho ought to be more concerned about a third defeat in eight matches. This one to a side who had lost four times in a row. The manager was so upset with the dismal way his players started that he took off Joe Cole and Shaun Wright-Phillips in the 26th minute, blanking both and with Cole throwing tracksuit trousers to the floor in his disappointment.
Drogba's introduction provided two strikers and Ricardo Carvalho then came on at the interval but no amount of tinkering could bring an equaliser. Chelsea dominated the second half and had chances despite lacking invention. Frank Lampard shot over and Mark Crossley saved in stoppage-time from John Terry.
It was difficult to begrudge Fulham this win. They had been the more dangerous team before the interval with an intensity that Chelsea did not initially match. They closed down to deny their opponents time, with Mark Pembridge and Michael Brown impressing, and Steed Malbranque did an excellent job not only in preventing Claude Makelele and others from getting Chelsea moves flowing but with his spurts in attack. Liam Rosenior and Ian Pearce stood up well in defence.
When Drogba thought he had scored, it was disallowed because he had used a hand to move the ball past Zat Knight before sliding it into the net. Fulham players reacted furiously and Mourinho, while acknowledging it was a handball, said: "The referee didn't see it. The linesman didn't see it also, gave a goal and after that they couldn't resist the pressure of Fulham players and that's a big problem."
Dean said the linesman had not indicated an infringement from the far side because he was much further from the incident but had buzzed him. After consultation, a free-kick was awarded. "He was convinced it was handball and I have seen on TV that we got the big decision of the game right," Dean said. "It's good that we have got technology on our arm and I think we should get a bit of credit."
Mourinho insisted he will be at Stamford Bridge next season after a report that he will join Internazionale. "I promise you I will be the Chelsea manager," he said. Chelsea's chief executive Peter Kenyon said that "Jose has our 100% support".
The game's decisive moment came when Malbranque's mis-hit shot deflected off Lampard and through the legs of Huth. Paulo Ferreira struck the ball against Luis Boa Morte, who was in the process of shooting. Chris Coleman was able to laugh off suggestions that he is under pressure. "Not bad for someone who's completely lost the dressing room," he said.
Dean included mention of the crowd scenes in his report and Coleman said: "If one or two idiots were causing trouble, fling them out. There's no room for them at Fulham."
Man of the match - Steed Malbranque
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Independent:Fulham 1 Chelsea 0: Anarchy reigns as Chelsea go down fighting By Glenn Moore Published: 20 March 2006 An afternoon of rapture for Fulham nearly became one of infamy as a pitch battle between supporters of these West London rivals was only narrowly averted.
When Mike Dean blew the final whistle on Fulham's first win over their neighbours in 27 years, home fans invaded the pitch to celebrate. Ineffectual stewarding and an absence of admonishment on the public address led to them cavorting before the away fans. Inevitably some Chelsea supporters reacted angrily and, too, invaded the pitch. Twenty-seven years ago this would certainly have resulted in a pitch battle but, maybe, two decades of strong anti-hooliganism measures, and the gentrification of football, have changed attitudes. A few scuffles broke out but for most, fortunately, posturing was enough.
The Football Association will doubtless investigate and Fulham can expect punishment. The sadness of this is that it will detract from a magnificent victory, secured by a fortuitous but deserved 16th-minute goal from Luis Boa Morte, which ensured their continued survival in the Premiership for another season.
Chelsea, of course, never lose quietly. This time Jose Mourinho was understandably unhappy about the chalking off of what would have been an equaliser by Didier Drogba after the officials appeared to change their minds under pressure from Fulham players. The injury-time dismissal of William Gallas added to Chelsea's disgruntlement.
"If it was handball the decision is correct," said Mourinho, "but I can promise you, the linesman [who was consulted before the referee disallowed the goal] did not see it, his view was the same as mine. They did not [change the decision] because of what they saw, but because of the pressure Fulham players put on them. When Chelsea does this it is the end of the world, we are punished and the FA comes running after us."
Chris Coleman, the Fulham manager was understandably jubilant, more so having been linked with the sack this week. His decision to ask Steed Malbranque to sit on Claude Makelele whenever Chelsea had possession proved a masterstroke. It prompted Mourinho to withdraw Joe Cole and Shaun Wright-Phillips after just 25 minutes, during which Fulham had utterly outplayed the champions.
Such substitutions appear to be done as much for their long-term effect, as for their influence on the match. The message is, "I'm the boss and I expect players to perform all the time."
Mourinho insisted that they made a big difference but Chelsea only stretched Mark Crossley once in the first half - from Damien Duff's shot - and their second-half dominance was in part a consequence of Fulham sitting on their lead.
The last time Fulham played at home Arsenal's manifest superiority reduced them to fighting amongst themselves. This time the angst was Chelsea's. As well as the young Englishmen, Robert Huth was also hauled off early, at half-time. Of Chelsea's other centre-halves Ricardo Carvalho was booked for a reckless tackle on Brian McBride and John Terry was fortunate not to have conceded a fifth-minute penalty when he slid into Moritz Volz. Even with the benefit of several television replays the decision was hard to call but there was no doubt that it was a poor attempt at a tackle from a defender with World Cup pretensions.
There was a general lethargy about Chelsea which was underlined in the approach to Fulham's goal. It all stemmed from a Fulham throw-in at which Michael Essien failed to pick up Mark Pembridge allowing him to feed Boa Morte. He squared to Malbranque then moved into space to receive a neat return.
At this point Fulham received the fortune their performance deserved as Paulo Ferreira's attempted clearance cannoned against Boa Morte's shins and past Petr Cech.
Fulham should have doubled their lead when Mark Pembridge released Collins John. However, he shot tamely at Cech. It seemed significant as one goal never looked like being enough - Fulham's defence had conceded 19 goals in six games.
In the 59th-minute, after Pembridge had hit the post, Chelsea's equaliser seemed to have arrived. Drogba got to a long punt from Carvalho ahead of Knight and, with Crossley making an insane sprint from his goal, was able to roll the ball into an empty net. A goal seemed to have been given but, after long consultation between the officials, Drogba was booked.
Chelsea kept pressing but with Crossley making a superb injury-time save from Terry Coleman was able to savour what he described as the "best win of my management career".
Goal: Boa Morte (16) 1-0.
Fulham (4-4-2): Crossley; Volz, Knight, Pearce, Rosenior; Brown, Pembridge, Malbranque (Christanval, 88), Boa Morte; McBride, John (Helguson, 70). Substitutes not used: Warner (gk), Radzinski, Jensen.
Chelsea (4-1-2-3): Cech; Ferriera, Huth (Carvalho, h-t), Terry, Gallas; Makelele; Essien, Lampard; Wright-Phillips (Drogba, 25), Crespo, Cole (Duff, 25). Substitutes not used: Cudicini (gk), Maniche.
Referee: M Dean (Wirral).
Booked: Fulham Brown; Chelsea Huth, Carvalho, Drogba, Makelele.
Sent off: Chelsea Gallas.
Man of the match: Malbranque.
Attendance: 22,486.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Telegraph:Gallas pays price as neighbourly dispute boils overBy Henry Winter Fulham (1) 1 Chelsea (0) 0
Noted visitors to Cheltenham in midweek, Chelsea were certainly not at the races yesterday. Jose Mourinho's men will still win the Premiership by a length, but they will do so with the crowing of their neighbours resounding in their ears. Fulham's passion-players were magnificent at the Cottage, as if determined to show the world their support for Chris Coleman.
Calm down: Jose Mourinho cannot hide his annoyance Criticised of late in certain quarters, Fulham's engaging manager called yesterday "the best day" of his dugout life. It was Fulham's first victory over their local rivals in 27 years, and goes a long way to securing their Premiership status.
Sadly, this compelling neighbourly dispute will also come to the attention of the Football Association beaks. The officials were harassed by eight Chelsea players after William Gallas was rightly dismissed for a filthy, over-the-top lunge on Heidar Helguson. If Chelsea could not control their players at one point, Fulham had trouble controlling some fans. At the final whistle, there were brief clashes between both sets of supporters who invaded the pitch. "It was disappointing that one or two idiots got on the pitch and we should sling them out," said Coleman.
Mourinho voiced his "happiness" for Coleman, "a great guy and a great manager", and refused to blame his players' subdued, distracted nature on morning speculation about him joining Inter Milan, a story he emphatically dismissed. "I don't think the players were affected because they know I am staying here for next season," stressed Mourinho. "I have given them a lot of information about pre-season and next season. The story is false and shows a lack of respect for me, for [Inter coach Roberto] Mancini, for Chelsea and Inter."
Signs that his champions were not themselves were evident early on, when John Terry slid in at speed on Moritz Volz and somehow emerged without conceding a penalty. Fulham sensed Chelsea's uncertainty and went for the jugular, running with pace and unstinting purpose at Terry and his fellow defenders.
After 17 minutes, they forced a deserved breakthrough, with Steed Malbranque the creative catalyst. Taking a pass off Luis Boa Morte 20 yards out, his return pass panicked Paulo Ferreira into striking the ball against Boa Morte and in.
Chelsea were incensed, Fulham inspired. "We worked very hard - everybody," said Malbranque, who was outstanding at his job of disrupting Claude Makelele's move-building.
All of Coleman's players appeared on a mission. Brian McBride was everywhere, closing Chelsea players down, a beacon of commitment. Michael Brown, diligence personified, hounded Frank Lampard down cul-de-sacs. Volz and Liam Rosenior, Fulham's busy full-backs, strangled the life out of Joe Cole and particularly Shaun Wright-Phillips.
Mourinho had seen enough. "Joe and Shaun weren't having a happy game, bringing in the game from the wings," he said. "After Fulham scored, I looked to see if there was a reaction from the team, but there was no change in intensity, no change in dynamism. We needed a change." Wright-Phillips and Cole were hooked, summoned to the bench like errant schoolboys, with Cole wearing a face of thunder. On sprinted Didier Drogba and Damien Duff, who brought a superb save from Mark Crossley.
Chelsea were growing in influence, but Fulham would not yield a yard, let alone a goal. Collins John should even have added a second, but placed his shot too close to Petr Cech. Evidence of Fulham's belief was everywhere: their mascot, Billy the Badger, even bared his furry behind at Ricardo Carvalho when Mourinho's third sub emerged early for the second half as Chelsea went 3-5-2.
Controversy ensued just before the hour. Drogba nudged the ball on with his right arm before shooting low past Crossley, whose excursion from his line was fraught with danger. Neither Mike Dean nor linesman Paul Norman could have seen the offence, but responded to the pleas of Fulham's players. No goal, said Dean, after consulting Norman.
The journey towards this correct decision aroused surprise. "Paul buzzed me, so he must have seen something," said Dean. "I had a chat with Paul and he was convinced it was handball."
The 'Special One' went into meltdown. "It was a handball - no doubt," began Mourinho. "But I can prove to you the linesman didn't see it. I couldn't see it and I was near him. His flag was down. He had given the goal. But the Fulham players put pressure on the referee and the linesman. What would have happened if Chelsea had done that? The FA would have chased us. It would be the end of the world. We would have been punished."
The tension was unbearable. Chelsea almost equalised, but Crossley belied his rising weight and years to claw Terry's header over. Then the Blues saw red, as Gallas almost broke Helguson's leg.
When the heat and dust-ups had settled, Coleman observed: "Chelsea are beatable but if I were a betting man, I would still put money on them winning the Premiership by a margin." Just don't mention Devon Loch to Chelsea's race-goers.
• Man of the match: Steed Malbranque (Fulham).
Match details
Fulham (4-2-3-1): Crossley; Volz, Knight, Pearce, Rosenior; Brown, Pembridge; McBride (Christanval, 88), Malbranque, Boa Morte; John (Helguson, 70). Subs: Warner (g), Radzinski, Jensen. Booked: Brown. Goal: Boa Morte 17Chelsea (4-1-2-2-1): Cech; Ferreira, Huth (Carvalho h-t), Terry, Gallas; Makelele; Essien, Lampard; Wright-Phillips (Drogba 25), J Cole (Duff 25); Crespo. Subs: Cudicini (g), Maniche. Booked: Huth, Carvalho, Makelele. Off: Gallas. Referee: M Dean (Wirral).
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Times:
Shaken, rattled and rolled overLacklustre champions go down close to home, reports Matt Dickinson THAT IS ALL WE NEED — José Mourinho being given grounds for his persecution complex. But while the Chelsea manager saw evidence of more dark plots against him, the Portuguese could hardly fail to acknowledge his team's contribution to a defeat that prompted chaotic post-match scenes. Rattled and ultimately rolled over by their wonderfully committed local rivals, Chelsea made a lot of people happy by not only losing the match but also their tempers. It was an indisciplined performance long before William Gallas was sent off, but before Manchester United get too excited, it would take another three similarly bad displays for the title race to become anything other than a procession — and they normally come about twice a year.
And while Mourinho may have been upset after the game, his bottom lip was hardly quivering à la Kevin Keegan. By his standards he was pretty restrained, although, even in a composed press conference, he managed to say that English football had one rule for 19 of the Premiership's managers and one for him.
His anger was aimed at Mike Dean, the referee, and Paul Norman, one of his assistants, who combined to disallow an equaliser from Drogba in the 58th minute. Replays showed that the Ivory Coast forward had used a hand to control the ball before rolling it into a net foolishly vacated by the onrushing Mark Crossley, but neither official appeared to have detected the illegal touch until Fulham players reacted furiously. "Everybody says and I can see that it is handball," Mourinho said. "The decision is correct. But I can promise you that the linesman did not see it because he was where I was and I couldn't see. His flag was down. The Fulham players put pressure on the referee and linesman. When Chelsea do that, it's the end of the world and the FA rush after us but when the opposition do it . . ."
The referee's assistant later claimed that he had used his buzzer to signal the handball and Dean said that "you should give the linesman and the offiicials more praise because the big decision in the game was the correct one. At no point did I point to the centre circle to signal a goal. I went to speak to my assistant voluntarily."
Perhaps the most succinct appraisal of the incident came from Chris Coleman, the Fulham manager, for whom this was a hugely relieving victory after four consecutive defeats had put his team's Premiership status, and his job, in jeopardy. "To be honest," he said, "I don't give a b*****ks." His joy was unbounded and, for the success of his tactics, he was entitled to his broad grin.
Deploying Steed Malbranque to buzz around Claude Makelele turned out to be an inspired decision. The Fulham midfield player was outstanding, although there were also superb supporting performances at the heart of midfield from Michael Brown and Mark Pembridge.
In comparison, Chelsea were remarkably subdued, so much so that Mourinho hauled Shaun Wright-Phillips, deservedly, and Joe Cole, harshly, to the bench after only 26 minutes. Already trailing to Luis Boa Morte's seventeenth-minute goal, the Portuguese was seething at his team's lack of drive and determination.
"Normally when we concede a goal, there is an immediate reaction," he said. "But there was no change in the intensity of the pace or dynamism. Normally I wait until half-time to make the changes but there was no reaction from the team."
Robert Huth, fortunate to last until half-time after a terrible challenge on Boa Morte, was also taken off at the interval and, while Mourinho was entitled to claim that all the changes were vindicated by an improved performance in the second period, Chelsea were never able to find any fluency. Even Frank Lampard was looking thoroughly ill-tempered. Mourinho messed around with the formation, switching to 3-5-2 and then throwing John Terry up front, but a terrible afternoon was compounded when Gallas stamped on Heidur Helguson as players competed for the ball by the touchline.
It was Chelsea's fifth red card in two months and they should be relieved if no more FA charges follow, given that at least half the team surrounded the officials. Terry had to drag Makelele physically over to the referee to receive a booking.
Fulham had to endure some nervous moments late in the game, with Lampard blasting over the bar after a mistake by Zat Knight, but a compelling afternoon was soon to come to a close with more mayhem after the final whistle.
"Although I am disappointed, I can feel some pleasure for Chris Coleman, who is a good manager," Mourinho said, but the Fulham supporters were far less magnanimous in their moment of triumph.
"You're not special any more," the Fulham fans crowed before hundreds of them came charging on to the pitch. Chelsea losing self-controlSupporters of Chelsea and Fulham had to be separated by police and stewards on the pitch at Craven Cottage, writes Matt Dickinson, Chief Football Correspondent SUPPORTERS of Chelsea and Fulham had to be separated by police and stewards on the pitch at Craven Cottage yesterday; scenes certain to be investigated by the Football Association. Although large-scale clashes were prevented, the governing body will want an explanation as to how hundreds of supporters made it on to the pitch. The trouble, which spread into a local park, followed Fulham's 1-0 victory in the Barclays Premiership. It was only the fourth defeat for José Mourinho in 68 league matches and it sparked wild scenes of celebrations from the home supporters.
While many seemed happy simply to mob their own players, some gestures towards the away end incited some Chelsea supporters to come on to the pitch and there were isolated fights that will be reported to the FA by Mike Dean, the referee. Several fans were led away by police officers, although there were no reports of arrests, and the general feeling of the constabulary was probably relief that it was not far worse.
"If there were one or two idiots causing trouble, sling them out," Chris Coleman, the Fulham manager, said. "There is no room for them at Fulham but I thought there were a lot more positives than negatives today."
His team were excellent but their victory was overshadowed by the sort of controversy that seems to come with every Chelsea defeat. Mourinho was furious that an equalising goal from Didier Drogba was disallowed, although he did not dispute that the forward had committed handball.
His anger was directed at Dean and Paul Norman, one of the referee's assistants, who gave the free kick against Drogba even though neither seemed to have a clear view of the incident. It prompted Mourinho to make more wild allegations about the injustices visited upon Chelsea and his mood was hardly helped by William Gallas's late dismissal.
Referring back to the stormy match away to West Bromwich Albion, when Arjen Robben was sent off and Chelsea charged by the FA with intimidating the referee, the Portuguese saw more evidence of conspiracy.
"In this league there are 19 managers plus one, 19 on one side of the table and one on the other side," he said. "At West Brom against Chelsea, I had the final proof about that. But Bryan Robson is Bryan Robson and José Mourinho is José Mourinho. We are not the same.
"Fulham players put pressure on the referee and linesman today. When Chelsea does that, it is the end of the world and the FA run after us."
Despite the defeat, Chelsea remained 12 points clear at the top of the Premiership. Manchester United have one game in hand and the sides meet on April 29 but it would still take a collapse of Devon Loch proportions for Chelsea to throw away a second successive championship.
On another day when Chelsea filled the newspapers, Mourinho also had to deny a report that he would be leaving Stamford Bridge for Inter Milan this summer. "I am staying here at Chelsea," he said. "I see no reason why I won't be here next season. The whole story, the false story, is a lack of respect for me, for Chelsea, for Roberto (Mancini, the Italian side's coach) and for Inter Milan.
"The reality is my contract is until 2010, I am happy to be here and we, I hope, will again have a successful season. There are people who have had no success and stayed in their jobs. We are waiting for success this season, perhaps the most successful ever for Chelsea, and preparing for the next one already. There are no problems between us. I am happy with the group and they are happy with me."Mourinho's team show just why they are winners by the way they face up to defeatTony Cascarino says Chelsea are right to hate losing CHELSEA ARE BAD LOSERS. SPOILT brats. But José Mourinho should be delighted. He will know from the reactions of his players during yesterday’s defeat that he manages a bunch of winners. Hating to lose and reacting badly to it are traits that successful teams have in common. You see your team-mates cracking as the clock ticks down. Their eyes go. Frustration spreads. Normally calm individuals — such as William Gallas — act out of character. Look at Arsenal and Manchester United when they were at their peaks a few years ago. The finest teams become ill-disciplined when things do not go their way. They are not used to it and they do not like it. It may get ugly, but managers do not mind. Show me a good loser and I will show you a loser.
The defeat by Barcelona in the Champions League seems still to be affecting Chelsea. Overall they have not been quite as good as they were last season. Take Frank Lampard. Still impressive, but week in, week out, that little bit less influential compared with last year.
Mourinho substituted his two wingers after 25 minutes yesterday and that summed up another reason why Chelsea have not consistently rediscovered last season’s heights. He added Shaun Wright-Phillips last summer, but he, Damien Duff and Arjen Robben have too often disappointed. Only Joe Cole has done as well, if not better, than in 2004-05, and even he was substituted yesterday. Ineffectiveness from the wingers has blunted Chelsea’s cutting edge.
Taking off players so early is dangerous, even for a manager as powerful as Mourinho. He is not afraid to be bold and change the formation during games and it often works, but cold displays of ruthlessness can have a negative effect in the long term. It cuts players very deeply. They take it badly and that resentment can surface in the dressing-room and lead to dissent. If things are going badly early on, players want to be told how they can make it right, not to suffer the indignity of being hauled off.
Mourinho evidently is not hauling himself off to Italy this summer. No wonder he was so quick yesterday to deny a story suggesting that he was in line to switch to Inter Milan. It made no sense. Why would Mourinho want to leave Chelsea now? No other club could match his salary or his spending power in the transfer market. Having taken Chelsea so far so quickly, he wants to push them on to the next level: champions of Europe. Less than two years into his Stamford Bridge career, Mourinho has created something that you cannot just buy — amazing team spirit and unity. Why would he want to give up that and go to Inter — arguably not a bigger club — and have to create it all over again?
Maybe he is wearied by the constant attention and controversy at Chelsea, but it would be no less frenzied in Italy. A bad start next season, another Champions League failure and everything could change, but right now there is no way the club would want to replace him, either. As long as losing hurts the players as much as it did last night, he’s doing all right. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------