The TimesNovember 29, 2007
Brilliant Didier Drogba sends Chelsea through with something to spare
Rosenborg 0 Chelsea 4
Matt Hughes in Trondheim
In his quieter moments Avram Grant has been known to reflect that he was lucky to end up as the first-team coach of Chelsea, although not half as fortunate as he remains in being able to call upon Didier Drogba.
With a typically powerful demonstration of his art, the Ivory Coast striker fired Chelsea into the knockout phase as group B winners last night, scoring two early goals to set them on course for a comfortable victory. Alex, the Brazilian who resembles an old-fashioned English defender, and Joe Cole, the Englishman who plays like a Brazilian, scored the others to finish off limited opponents in style.
Grant’s improved fortunes since he was putting out the cones at Portsmouth are not all down to luck, however, and the quietly-spoken Israeli deserves considerable credit for transforming a traumatised set of players into a team who have remained in contention in all competitions.
Chelsea have scored 30 goals in winning ten and losing only one of his 14 matches in charge – the first, at Old Trafford – while playing with greater freedom than they were afforded under José Mourinho. Greater challenges await, but Grant is confident enough to suggest that he could yet give Roman Abramovich a dream Champions League final in Moscow in May. “This is one of our targets, maybe the main target, because we want to be a big club,” Grant said. “One of the things to achieve is to get to the final. I hope we will do it and we will do it.”
Given Drogba’s antipathy towards Grant’s appointment, it is a testament to the striker’s professionalism that he has recovered so quickly not only to stabilise but to strengthen a regime that looks capable of fighting for honours on all fronts. Drogba scored the surprise match-winning goal against Valencia last month that convinced many doubters of Grant’s credentials, so it was fitting that he should seal Chelsea’s qualification with another authoritative display.
Grant’s only concern was a jittery performance by Carlo Cudicini, whose poor positioning and vulnerability under crosses emphasised how important it is for Chelsea that Petr Cech recovers from a calf injury as soon as possible. Drogba was too hot to handle on a freezing night in Norway in a performance that underlined his case for individual honours.
The World Player of the Year award will be presented at a gala dinner in Zurich next month and although Fifa’s obsession with Champions League winners means that it will be won by Kaká, of AC Milan, Drogba deserves to feature in the top three. His dominance was all the more startling given that Vidar Riseth, the Norway centre back, had boasted beforehand of formulating a cunning plan to contain him after working with John Carew, the Aston Villa striker, on international duty; it proved to be as effective as one of Baldrick’s schemes.
“Didier is a very good striker,” Grant said. “We won without him [against Derby County on Saturday], but we wanted him to play. It’s easier with him in the side. It won’t be easy without him in January [when he will be at the African Cup of Nations], but we cannot change him.”
Grant had joked during the build-up to this match that his players would need to run around more than usual to combat the cold conditions and in an energetic opening they appeared to take him at his word. Chelsea could have opened the scoring on three occasions before Drogba finally did so in the eighth minute, with the Ivory Coast striker twice shooting wide before finding Michael Essien with an intelligent header from which he volleyed over the bar.
With Drogba at his rampaging best, it was only a matter of time before he was rewarded with a goal, although he was reliant on the brilliance of one of his teammates. After collecting the ball in his own half, Joe Cole embarked on one of those mazy runs that used to be his trademark before Mourinho stifled such creativity.
The England midfield player beat three opponents before unleashing a swerving shot from 25 yards that was saved by Lars Hirschfeld. Unfortunately for the former Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper, he followed the example of one of his successors, Paul Robinson, by failing to clear the ball from the danger area and Drogba was on hand to sweep home from close range.
In this sort of mood, Drogba is unstoppable and he put the match beyond Rosenborg 12 minutes later. The 29-year-old had sought treatment for a back injury moments earlier, but he showed no ill-effects as he bundled home his ninth goal of the season.
Shaun Wright-Phillips found Essien in the penalty area and the Ghana midfield player held off two defenders, giving Drogba time to pounce with a left-foot finish. Chelsea’s dominance was such that they allowed Alex to score with a free kick in the 40th minute, before Cole added a fourth in the second half, to which Andriy Shevchenko, a substitute, even contributed. The Ukraine striker remains a peripheral figure under Grant, but many will seek to avoid his liberated team in the knockout phase.
How they lined up
Rosenborg (4-1-3-2): L Hirschfeld – F Stoor, B Kvarme, V Riseth, M Dorsin (sub: C Basma, 86min) – A Tettey, P Skjelbred, M Sapara, A Traoré (sub: R Strand, 56) – S Iversen, Y Koné (sub: D K Ya, 63). Substitutes not used: A Lund Hansen, M Koppinen, O Storflor, A Nordvik.
Chelsea (4-3-3): C Cudicini – J Belletti, Alex, J Terry, A Cole – M Essien, C Makelele, F Lampard (sub: C Pizarro, 77) – S Wright-Phillips (sub: S Kalou, 68), D Drogba (sub: A Shevchenko, 68), J Cole. Substitutes not used: Hilário, J O Mikel, W Bridge, T Ben Haim. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Telegraph:
Didier Drogba double helps Chelsea throughBy John Ley in Trondheim
Rosenborg (0) 0 Chelsea (3) 4
With Christmas less than a month away Chelsea banished the ghost of managers past with another hugely impressive performance, to move into the knockout stages of the Champions League with a game to spare. Norway traditionally gift Trafalgar Square a Christmas tree; last night, Christmas came early for Chelsea in Norway.
Jose Mourinho's last act as Chelsea manager was to see his side stumble to a draw with Rosenborg on the opening day of the competition, but two goals from Didier Drogba and a third by Alex before half-time confirmed a stimulating victory. Joe Cole's second-half goal extended their advantage and even Chelsea's fans got into the festive spirit early, singing "Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle all the way, Oh what fun it is to see Chelsea win away". On that September evening Chelsea's Champions League aspirations took a jolt in what was to prove Mourinho's final game. A half-empty Stamford Bridge saw a lack-lustre performance and, at the time, it was hard to imagine Chelsea in the position they found themselves on a considerably colder night.
Mourinho left, Avram Grant was controversially appointed and, in Norway, he confirmed Roman Abravomich's decision was a prudent one by steering Chelsea a step closer to their Holy Grail with a hugely impressive performance.
The Scandinavian snow had relented but it was still bitterly cold with a slippy surface made worse by rain earlier in the day. With both sides needing a win, the stakes were high and the atmosphere in the Lerkendal Stadion tense.
Chelsea were still without key figures such as Petr Cech, Paulo Ferreira, Ricardo Carvalho, Florent Malouda and Michael Ballack. But Drogba, missing when these teams met two months ago, was back in place of Andrei Shevchenko while Claude Makelele, Cole and Alex returned, for Steve Sidwell, Salomon Kalou and Tal Ben Haim.
Having beaten Valencia home and away, Rosenborg should have started confidently, but the Norwegians appeared nervous and after a succession of early attacks, Chelsea took the lead.
Drogba had already troubled Rosenborg, finding the side- netting with a first-minute effort and shooting narrowly wide soon afterwards. And, in the eighth minute, Cole's strongly-hit attempt was only parried by Lars Hirschfeld, the former Spurs goalkeeper. The ball fell to Drogba, albeit at an acute angle, but the striker responded with a marvelous half-volley over the Canadian.
Chelsea continue to improve under Grant and this was the perfect start. Rosenborg responded, for the first time, with a speculative long-range shot from Marek Spara which bounced off the chest of Carlo Cudicini but the Chelsea goalkeeper gathered at the second attempt.
Chelsea were soon taking advantage of midfield mistakes and Michael Essien tested Hirschfeld again, the goalkeeper diving to his left to save. But, by the 20th minute, Drogba had extended Chelsea's advantage.
A long ball into the Rosenborg area caused confusion and after two failed attempts to clear Drogba seemed to push Essien out of the way before firing the ball high into the net with another exhibition of sublime finishing.
Drogba took his tally in 38 Champions League games to 21 goals and Chelsea were almost three goals to the good in the 28th minute when Frank Lampard attempted an audacious chip that Hirschfeld just saved on the line, juggling the ball precariously before taking it under his control.
Fellow England John Terry international made a tremendous challenge on Steffen Iversen at another brief Rosenborg flurry, but Chelsea finished the half in overall control, with Alex securing the third goal before the interval.
In the 40th minute Cole was fouled by Alexander Tettey and Alex was allowed to send a low, right-foot free-kick from 30 yards through a crowd area and into the left-hand corner.
Cole claimed the fourth, in the 73rd minute, finishing off a a move after Essien's shot had been parried by Hirschfeld---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Indy:
Rosenborg 0 Chelsea 4:Drogba in regal form as Chelsea win group By Jason Burt at Lerkendal Stadium In the city of the kings, Chelsea made a regal procession. It's still to Trondheim, as ancient custom dictates, that the Norwegian sovereign comes for his blessing and last night the kings of the King's Road, with Didier Drogba at their head, made their own serene progress into the last 16 of the Champions League as winners of their group.
Drogba didn't so much overwhelm Rosenborg as humble them, taking control inside the first minute. The Ivorian, known as "King Drogba" in his homeland, struck twice in the first-half – he now has 21 goals in 38 appearances in this competition – to make a mockery of the pre-match claim by the home side's veteran defender Vidar Riseth that they had "devised" a plan to stop him. Some plan.
Drogba himself had said that Chelsea needed to win this Group B tie last night to prove they are contenders for the European Cup. Well, on that criteria, the case is proven although whether or not Rosenborg can be regarded as a litmus test is doubtful. In plunging temperatures they duly froze.
The 21,600-seat stadium could have sold out twice over and the build-up of chanting from the vertiginous stands promised a stern examination. It proved wholly illusionary. Rosenborg may have been buoyed by back-to-back victories over Valencia, and the draw at Stamford Bridge which ended Jose Mourinho's regime, but they played more like players who have just finished fifth in the Norwegian league – which they have – than equals with the continent's top teams.
Chelsea can count themselves among those with manager Avram Grant declaring of their performance and the conditions: "I was freezing but I was warm in the heart." It's now 13 games undefeated under him – 10 victories and three draws – with Grant admitting that winning this competition now represented the priority for Chelsea. "This is one of our targets, maybe the main target," the Israeli said. "We want to do it and we will do it. Hopefully we will do it this year. It's not just that we win games, it's that we progress and play better with good attacking football."
The importance of Drogba to that "project" cannot be underestimated. When he was replaced by the leaden Andrei Shevchenko it only served to highlight how crucial he is. Chelsea will have to contend without him early next year, with the African Nations Cup, with Grant admitting it will "not be easy" to cope.
Drogba set the tone immediately when he reached Ashley Cole's flick-on, ahead of Riseth, only to steer the ball the wrong side of the post. If that served as a warning then so did a fierce shot just three minutes later that whistled past Rosenborg goalkeeper Lars Hirschfeld and narrowly wide.
The Norwegians poured forward but were doused by a counter-attack which ended with Michael Essien spooning a shot, from Drogba's header down, over the bar when he should have scored.
Moments later and Chelsea struck. Another strong run by the impressive Joe Cole carved a hole in the Rosenborg defence and gave him a clear sight of goal. His powerful drive was palmed out by Hirschfeld but the ball fell to Drogba who, from an acute angle, slammed his right-footed shot high into the net. Quickly he struck again by darting into the area to take the ball from Essien after Shaun Wright-Phillips' astute pass. With the defenders regrouping, the striker instantly steered the ball beyond Hirschfeld.
It deflated the Norwegians and that continued when Hirschfeld blundered. After Joe Cole was fouled, the former Tottenham goalkeeper was all too easily beaten by Alex with a low grass-cutter of a free-kick from almost 40 yards. The ball went straight through the Rosenborg wall.
The home side were booed off at half-time but immediately after the re-start they almost fell further behind as Wright-Phillips' rising shot only just cleared the bar.
Essien then broke away and his powerful drive was blocked by Hirschfeld only for Joe Cole, one of three on-rushing Chelsea players, to bundle the rebound home. Given his vibrant, clever contribution it was a deserved reward for the midfielder. And crowned an impressively-assured performance.
Rosenborg (4-3-1-2): Hirschfeld; Stoor, Riseth, Kvarme, Dorsin ( Basma, 86); Skjelbred, Tettey, Traoré (Strand, 56); Sapara; Kone (Ya, 63), Iversen. Substitutes not used: Lund Hansen (gk), Koppinen, Storflor, Nordvik.
Chelsea (4-3-3): Cudicini; Belletti, Alex, Terry, A Cole; Essien, Makelele, Lampard (Pizarro, 76); Wright-Phillips (Kalou, 68), Drogba (Shevchenko, 68), J Cole. Substitutes not used: Hilario (gk), Mikel, Bridge, Ben Haim.
Referee: O Benquerenca (Portugal).---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Drogba double shows his value in Blues cruise
Dominic Fifield at Lerkendal StadiumThursday November 29, 2007The Guardian
The Champions League was supposed to have done away with mismatches like this. Chelsea claimed Group B at a canter last night, ripping a floundering Rosenborg side to shreds and ensuring that, when this competition resumes for the knockout phase in the new year, they will be paired with a runner-up rather than a group winner. Avram Grant's conviction that a first European Cup can be secured in Moscow next May remains unswayed.
This was a frighteningly comfortable evening against this season's supposed surprise package. The locals had arrived in this arena braced for temperatures to plummet to around -6C. In the end, they departed just grateful that their side's goal difference had not quite followed suit.It is hard to believe that these two teams could not be separated at Stamford Bridge back in September, when Jose Mourinho selected his last Chelsea line-up and Grant still peered out from the back of the dug-out. The Israeli can now survey this group from the summit.
Yet, poor as Rosenborg were, Chelsea were admirably ruthless. Crucially, Didier Drogba had been absent injured for the section's opening fixture. Last night, recovered from a knee complaint, he was simply irresistible to leave the home side gasping at the gulf in class. The Ivorian spent much of the first period either clutching his back or hobbling around the turf watching his team-mates dominate possession but, just as a Gordon Greenidge limp invariably signalled an imminent century, so Rosenborg should have known Drogba was in the mood.
He might have scored after 58 seconds and could have secured a hat-trick in the first 20 minutes. By then he had managed two splendid goals, however, the first battered into the roof of the net to set the tone after Lars Hirschfeld could only palm away the excellent Joe Cole's fizzed attempt from distance. When Shaun Wright-Phillips and Michael Essien combined midway through the half, Rosenborg's defenders crumpled in an untidy if obliging heap and Drogba curled a second into the corner.
Drogba will be missed in the new year when the African Cup of Nations takes him away for up to a month. "Ask me how to replace him in January when it comes to December. We'll lose four very important players from our squad for a long time. It won't be easy, but we cannot change it. There was a lot out there to please us. We scored four good goals and created plenty of other chances."
Others were just as impressive. Joe Cole tormented dithering markers all night, his fine run proving to be the prelude to Drogba's opener, and the England man eventually earned his own reward by tapping in the rebound when the overworked Hirschfeld could only palm out Essien's drive 17 minutes from time. The Ghanaian and Frank Lampard dominated central midfield throughout, Claude Makelele harrying at their backs, with Wright-Phillips a busy presence on the right. The winger clipped the woodwork early in the second half, but by that time the game was already won.
Some five minutes before the interval Alex stepped up to slap a low free-kick from 35 yards which scuttled across the icy turf and beyond the unsighted goalkeeper's delayed dive.
That was a goal more in keeping with the popular 1990s computer game Sensible Soccer than a Champions League tie, but it rather summed up the Norwegian side's glaring deficiencies. Rosenborg may have drawn the group's opening fixture in London, but they are a side who could finish only fifth in their domestic league this time around. Now they need to avoid defeat when they travel to Schalke on December 11 to reach the last 16.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Mail:
Drogba makes it a Chelsea stroll
Rosenborg 0 Chelsea 4
By NEIL ASHTON
Two months ago, Rosenborg's remarkable draw with Chelsea put Jose Mourinho out of a job. Last night, it was simply job done.
The temperature here fell to minus five but that figure could end up being Rosenborg's goal difference in Group B after Chelsea inflicted a beating.
This was ruthless, right out of the old Mourinho school of magic. Avram Grant, more Mafia don in his black turtleneck sweater and long overcoat, really is getting to grips with management.
"I had to wear the jacket because it was freezing in the second half, but the performance warmed me up," said Grant. No one can argue with that.
Two goals from Didier Drogba, along with strikes by Alex and Joe Cole, secured Chelsea's right of passage to the next phase. It should have been more. They certainly deserved it.
Rosenborg, who finished fifth in the Norwegian league, froze on their big night and Chelsea, 13 games unbeaten, are through to the next round with a game to spare. Happy days, indeed.
This handsome victory means next month's visit of Valencia is a dead rubber, a chance to throw in the likes of Hilario, Claudio Pizarro and maybe Andriy Shevchenko.
"It's a long way until May but reaching the final is one of our targets, maybe even the main target," admitted Grant.
"We want to be considered as a 'big' club and to do it we have to reach the final. Hopefully, we can do it this season."
There is a chance, especially in this mood. Drogba could have put Chelsea ahead after just 58 seconds but they did not have to wait long before they took the lead.
The opener owed much to the ingenuity of that little ferret Joe Cole, darting down the left whenever he had the ball or cutting inside and driving past Rosenborg's static defence.
Cole shrugged off challenges from four Rosenborg players before electing to shoot. Lars Hirschfeld, the hero when these two teams met at Stamford Bridge, could only parry and Drogba lashed in the rebound with eight minutes on the clock.
This was a mismatch. Rosenborg second in the group? Astonishing. Embarrassing even. The gulf between these teams is as wide as the North Sea and it was a matter of time only before Rosenborg were scrambling for the life rafts.
Their domestic season finished two weeks ago and it showed. They were leggy, lethargic and lazy. Chelsea's wingers were electric, flashing one way then the other, and took full advantage.
Shaun Wright-Phillips is always eager to please and Chelsea's bundle of energy down the right deserves enormous credit for playing a significant role in their second goal.
He refused to give up a lost cause and finally battled his way past the Rosenborg defence before slipping a pass to Michael Essien.
Drogba timed his run, Essien found his man and the Chelsea striker did the rest.
Drogba was at his best last night.
Infuriating when he was sent off against Fulham at the beginning of Grant's regime, he illuminated this desperately one-sided game with a glorious performance.
He acted as the pivot at the head of Chelsea's attack, holding off Rosenborg's defenders with an arrogant swagger and waiting for his team-mates to join him in assault after assault. The heavy artillery was in Trondheim and Rosenborg had nowhere to hide.
Chelsea players should have spent the interval signing the match ball for Drogba but Hirschfeld finally came to Rosenborg's rescue when the striker attempted to chip him for a hat-trick.
"Didier is a very good striker," added Grant. "We won without him at Derby last week but it is easier for us when he is in the side.
"We will lose four very important players in January when they go to the African Nations Cup. It won't be easy but we cannot change it."
Crucially, Drogba will be back in time for the second phase of the Champions League but he deserves a pat on the back for this performance.
A third goal was coming and when it came it was right out of the top drawer. Chelsea are scoring goals at will — 30 in 14 games under Grant — and there was a smile on the face of Alex when his 35-yard free-kick found its way past the Rosenborg defence.
Wright-Phillips hit the post after the break, Essien had yet another opportunity to get on the scoresheet but Joe Cole sealed this special win with a 73rd-minute strike.
Essien, who will miss Saturday's clash with West Ham through suspension, had another effort blocked but Joe Cole finished off another sweeping move to stab in the rebound.
Try as they might, Chelsea finished one goal short of their record result in the competition — a 5-0 win over Galatasaray in 1999 — but this team is right in the groove.
Watch out, West Ham.
ROSENBORG (4-3-3): Hirschfeld 5; Stoor 5, Kvarme 6, Riseth 5, Dorsin 5 (Basma 84); Skjelbred 5, Tettey 4, Traore 5 (Strand 55min, 5); Iversen 5, Sapara 5, Kone 5 (Ya 63, 5).
CHELSEA (4-5-1): Cudicini 7; Belletti 7, Alex 7, Terry 7, A Cole 7; Wright-Phillips 7 (Kalou 68, 6), Makelele 7, Lampard 7 (Pizarro 76), Essien 7, J Cole 7; Drogba 8 (Shevchenko 68, 6).
Man of the match: Dider Drogba.
Referee: Olegario Benquerenca (Portugal). ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Mirror:
Grant: My Euro vision GROUP B: ROSENBORG 0 CHELSEA 4 'WE MUST WIN CHAMPS LEAGUE' Neil Mcleman From Trondheim 29/11/2007
Avram Grant claimed the Champions League was Chelsea's main target this season because they want to become a "big club" after coasting into the knockout stages last night.
The inspirational Didier Drogba caught Rosenborg cold with two ice-cool finishes in the first 20 minutes on a freezing night and stretched Chelsea's red-hot unbeaten streak to 13 games.
Alex added another before the break with Joe Cole rounding off the scoring. But such were the number of chances created by Grant's side - they had 21 shots in all, including 10 on target - they could have surpassed the eight goals scored by Liverpool against Besiktas earlier this month.
It was a very different story from the last time these sides met in September when the Norwegians' stubborn display in a 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge proved to be Jose Mourinho's last game in charge.
But the style of the performance, as well as going through the group stages undefeated away from home, confirmed Chelsea as genuine Champions League contenders again this season.
And after two Premier League titles in the Roman Abramovich era, the new coach said the club was now focusing on European domination.
"It's a long way until May, but Chelsea have never been in the final," said Grant. "This is one of our targets, maybe the main target, because we want to be a big club.
"One of the things to achieve that is to get to the final. I hope we will do it, and we will. Hopefully this year. We want to play positive, attacking football and I'm very happy with what's happened up to now. We've not just won games, but played better from game to game, good attacking football."
Admittedly, Rosenborg were the worst outfit to represent Norway since the last time they got nul points in the Eurovision Song Contest. But Chelsea were wonderfully in tune in a simply superb opening 45 minutes.
In a frantic opening five minutes, Drogba shot wide twice and Michael Essien scooped over to set the tone for the evening. When 60 seconds later Joe Cole's mazy run ended with a shot which former Spurs keeper Lars Hirschfeld could only parry, Drogba clipped home the rebound.
On 20 minutes Essien exchanged passes with Shaun Wright-Phillips to slice through the home rearguard and Drogba converted.
The Norwegian league season, where Rosenborg finished fifth, ended on November 3 and the home team had not played since a win in Valencia three days later. Last night it looked like it.
Alex put the game beyond the hosts on 40 minutes with a 30-yard free-kick. Wright-Phillips hit a post and Essien saw a shot cleared off the line before Joe Cole completed the rout on 73 minutes.
After this success in the land of mackerel, Chelsea have bigger fish to fry in Europe.
Rosenborg: Hirschfeld 7, Stoor 5, Riseth 4, Kvarme 4, Dorsin 5, Sapara 6, Tettey 5, Skjelbred 5, Traore 4 (Strand, 55), Iversen 4, Kone 5 (Ya, 63).
Chelsea: Cudicini 6, Belletti 7, Terry 8, Alex 8, A Cole 7, Makelele 5, Wright-Phillips 8 (Kalou, 68, 4), Lampard 8, Essien 8, J Cole 7, Drogba 9, (Shevchenko, 68, 6).
48% POSSESSION 52%
3 SHOTS ON TARGET 10
7 SHOTS OFF TARGET 11
0 OFFSIDES 2
6 CORNERS 3
7 FOULS 10
0 YELLOW CARDS 0
0 RED CARDS 0
ATTENDANCE: 21,582
Man Of The Match: Drogba ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Sunday, November 25, 2007
sunday papers derby away
The Sunday Times November 25, 2007 Red card for fiery Michael Essien Derby 0 Chelsea 2 John Aizlewood at Pride Park They say there are no easy games in the Premier League. As most of Derby Countys opponents this season have discovered, sometimes there are. This game, though, was different and this was a performance upon which they can build, although for all their winning endeavour, they still do not know how to win or even score, even if referee Andre Marriners decision to disallow Kenny Millers 65th-minute strike for offside when they were only a solitary goal in arrears was incorrect. A stoppage-time red card for Michael Essien, on as a 75th-minute substitute for Steve Sidwell, for an ugly elbow on Miller soured Chelseas night, and drew from the manager, Avram Grant, a claim referees may be making easy pickings of his players. I have a feeling we are easy targets in the way they give us red cards, Grant said. Since I came here we have had three red cards, two that were absolutely not. Chelsea, though, will be satisfied with their evenings work. They came to town, picked some of their more peripheral superstars and won with clinical endeavour. The three points only kept them in the fourth place that Liverpool briefly prised from them at lunchtime, but the Stamford Bridge machine is beginning to crank itself up again. September seems so long ago, but back then few would have given Grant much hope of not merely holding the dam that seemed about to break around Stamford Bridge after Jose Mourinhos departure, but of rebuilding the entire reservoir. Grants first-game defeat at Old Trafford was followed by an unbeaten 11-match run of mostly swashbuckling victories. Already, the Special One has been cast into the vaults of Stamford Bridge history, his folk memory gaining a sepia hue to match that of Roy Bentley, Charlie Cooke and Roberto Di Matteo. Chelsea rolled north yesterday without Didier Drogba, Petr Cech and Roberto Carvalho, but buoyed by the return of John Terry - three days too late, some might muse - and Joe Cole, albeit only as far as the bench where he smouldered alongside Essien, such was Grants confidence in his fringe players, a description that now - as it did under Mourinho includes Andriy Shevchenko. In glum contrast, Derby kicked off not having scored in eight hours and 41 minutes of Premier League football. A debacle at home to West Ham United before the international break had left them marooned firmly at the bottom of the table, licking wounds that are already seen by some as mortal. With centre-backs Claude Davis and Dean Leacock recovered from injuries, manager Billy Davies tinkered yet again, utilising Leacock in front of that leaky defence, a role, curiously, Jon Obi Mikel fulfilled for Chelsea, although Mikels role was to start attacks rather than bolster defence. Derby started eagerly, Craig Fagan trying to pick a Chelsea pocket or two and Giles Barnes matching his youthful gusto with a worldlywise way. Indeed, for the first 10 minutes, they were the more enterprising team. Chelsea whose England players, even the Terry and Ashley Cole were at sixes and sevens with Shevchenko again playing like a man with legs of lead. Then, 17 minutes in, they attacked and scored. Mikel found Frank Lampard the butt of the loudest jeers every time he touched the ball, and resoundingly booed off when substituted in the 89th minute whose neat through-ball reached Sidwell. As Derby back-pedalled, too late and too slowly seeing the crisis developing around them, Salomon Kalou nipped in to tuck imperiously past Stephen Bywater. As the ball nestled in Bywaters net, the hitherto fervid atmosphere evaporated into the drizzle and you sensed, even at this early stage, that Derbys moment had already gone. Soon, Bywater was making a thrilling, flying save from the industrious Shaun Wright-Phillips after Andy Griffin had been too easily outpaced and Kalou missed the most straightforward of chances when he ballooned over from almost under the bar after Davis had rashly nodded Wright-Phillipss cross into his path. Indeed, Chelsea had already began to give the impression they were thinking more of Rosenborg on Wednesday than the second half and by the end of the first, they were controlling the game at walking pace. In the second, Chelseas remit was clearly to keep slowing the game down; Derbys to raise the tempo as, when and however they could. Miller whipped a 48th-minute shot past Carlo Cudicini and the far post, but the Italian was finally tested when he dived to save Craig Fagans drive. Even so, for all their menacing flurries, the home side could never quite generate a head of steam. The clincher began when Shevchenko scythed through the back of Barness ankles. As Barnes lay prostrate, Marriner waved play on, Lampard ran through to shoot against the post and the rebound fell perfectly to Wright-Phillips, who poked home. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Telegraph: Wright-Phillips has last laugh at Derby By Nick Alexander Derby County (0) 0 Chelsea (1) 2 Shaun Wright-Phillips scored his first goal for Chelsea for seven months to silence the Derby boo-boys who had turned on the Blues' England contingent. Wright-Phillips, Frank Lampard and returning captain John Terry were all jeered and taunted after England's abject failure to qualify for Euro 2008. But after Salomon Kalou had fired home the 17th-minute opener at Pride Park, Wright-Phillips sealed the points in the 73rd minute to send Chelsea up to fourth in the Barclays Premier League. With fellow centre-back Ricardo Carvalho out for four weeks with a back injury, manager Avram Grant pressed Terry, returning as captain after seven weeks out after knee surgery, into service a few days earlier than he would have liked. Grant was without Didier Drogba after the striker sustained a knee injury on international duty with the Ivory Coast, resulting in a forward pairing of Andriy Shevchenko and Kalou. Derby boss Billy Davies recalled centre-backs Claude Davis and Dean Leacock after both missed the Rams' 5-0 mauling at home to West Ham. Terry at least looked fit as he made a number of cool, calm and telling contributions in the opening exchanges. Lampard had the game's first opportunity in the 15th minute, but he blazed a 22-yard right-foot shot over the bar, much to the delight of the home faithful who greeted his effort with derision. But their scorn was soon stifled as the visitors sliced open Derby's back four to take the lead via Kalou's fifth goal of the season. Mikel Jon Obi, Shevchenko and Steve Sidwell all played their part, with the latter sliding a ball into the path of Kalou, who passed a low shot into the net beyond Stephen Bywater. When Derby created their opening chance in the 27th minute as Giles Barnes teed up David Jones, it came as no surprise Terry was on hand to provide the necessary block. The rebound fell to Jay McEveley, but he ballooned a long-range shot over the bar, failing to trouble Carlo Cudicini, standing in for Petr Cech, out with a calf injury. Wright-Phillips then came close to personally silencing the Derby boo-boys, only to be denied by a fingertip save from Bywater as he turned away a 25-yard drive. It should have been 2-0 just over six minutes from the break as Davis nodded a Wright-Phillips cross down into the path of Kalou. But the 22-year-old failed to accept the gift, inexcusably not even testing Bywater as he side-footed Davis' gaffe over the bar from six yards. The home side offered a semblance of hope that the second period would not be so one-sided when captain Matt Oakley drove a right-foot shot through the six-yard box in the 47th minute. That was swiftly followed by a Lampard free-kick from wide on the left wing which was tipped wide by Bywater, with his effort taken under appalling provocation from the Derby fans. But they were at least raising their own players as Cudicini finally made a save after 50 minutes, pawing away a Fagan drive. Miller had the ball in the back of the net in the 65th minute, looping a fine shot over Cudicini after taking a Leacock pass on his chest, only for the assistant referee's flag to wrongly intervene. Wright-Phillips then tapped home the decisive second after Lampard hit the post. That was much to Davies' fury as Barnes was tackled from behind by Shevchenko and lay injured as Lampard then strode into the area. The game ended in contentious circumstances, substitute Michael Essien dismissed for flailing his arm into the face of Miller. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Indy: Derby County 0 Chelsea 2: Blues cruise to victory but Essien red card spoils day Kalou and Wright-Phillips hit the target to finish off hopeless Derby By Ronald Atkin at Pride Park Not a sniff of a goal for nine hours now as Derby sink ever deeper into the relegation ooze, but at least there was a scalp for them to celebrate here with the straight red card dismissal in added time of Chelsea's substitute Michael Essien for a hand into the face of Kenny Miller. The Essien incident marred an otherwise comfortable evening's stroll for Chelsea, who closed the gap on Manchester United while still fielding a side with an eye on their Champions' League trip to Rosenborg in Wednesday. The midfielder will not miss the trip to Norway but is suspended for the next three Premier League games as a result of a completely unnecessary foul with the game as good as over. For Derby's manager, Billy Davies, the situation is even more dire. There were rumours before this game that he had two more matches to save his job and afterwards, calling for major investment in new blood in the January window, he admitted, "The team we have at the moment is not good enough to stay in the League. They have done a magnificent job but they need to see players walking through the door with the special technique needed to play at this level." The record to date hardly qualifies as "magnificent": one win, six points and just five goals from 14 matches this season. Derby rarely looked capable of improving on those dismal statistics, though Davies insisted that a Miller chip in the second half, greeted by a raised offside flag, was in fact a genuine goal, perhaps the sort of ill-luck which dogs teams in these straits. Avram Grant, presiding over his 12th game without defeat since stepping into Jose Mourinho's shoes, denied he was stamping his personality on the team. "I just wanted to do my job from the first day, and it was not easy," he said. But he was as close to indignant as it is possible for this quietly spoken Israeli to get when he complained: "I won't say anything to Essien. We are an easy target for red cards." It was their third this season. While not as humiliating as the five-goal hammering by West Ham in their last home game, Derby rarely showed any vestige of decent combination. A three-pass move was a rarity and Chelsea needed less than a quarter of an hour to suss out that this would be one of their easier outings. At that point they scored, having not by any means for the first time pene-trated Derby's porous central defence with a simply delivered ball down the middle. Steve Sidwell, making one of his rare starts, was the provider and Salomon Kalou supplied the sidefooted finish. Chelsea made light of the booing that greeted every touch by Frank Lampard and Shaun Wright-Phillips, who had been on the Wembley pitch last Wednesday, and John Terry and Ashley Cole, who had not. Grant had advised his players beforehand to "put it behind you", adding:, "What happened for them on Wednesday was some kind of tragedy, but they know life goes on." In their lollipop-man fluorescent yellow strip, Chelsea were clearly content that if boos were the worst part of this game they could handle it comfortably, as they did. Terry, having missed seven games with knee trouble, was back to captain the side with customary authority and Carlo Cudicini, standing in for the injured Petr Cech, did not have a shot to handle in the first half. A few Davies verbals at the interval clearly pepped Derby for the second half, when they should have been at least two goals behind. Kalou, benefiting when Claude Davis misheaded a Wright-Phillips cross on to his boots, shovelled a miserable effort over the top and Stephen Bywater made one excellent save from Wright-Phillips. For a while, a very short while, it seemed a price might be paid for those misses as Craig Fagan brought a low save from Cudicini at his near post before Miller's "offside" chip, but any Chelsea nerves were settled in the 72 minute by a second goal which Derby hotly disputed. Andriy Shevchenko, in his one notable contribution to the match, brought down Giles Barnes from behind just outside the centre circle, and with the Derby man lying injured Chelsea surged forward, Lampard struck a post and Wright-Phillips buried the rebound. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Davies rages at Derby dilemma Jamie Jackson at Pride Park Sunday November 25, 2007 The Observer Chelsea will take the three easy points from this outing against dire opposition, but will be cursing the straight arm that late substitute Michael Essien offered Kenny Miller in added time. The Ghana midfielder was sent off and Avram Grant faces the loss of a key player for three games. It was clumsy from Essien, but at least Chelsea fans wake up this morning to see their team just two points behind champions Manchester United, who lost at Bolton. If that means the Premier League title race is very much back on in west London, there seems a little trouble brewing at Pride Park judging by the remarks of the Derby manager, Billy Davies, who had a go at his team - 'they're not good enough' - and the new chairman, Adam Pearson: 'I have not spoken to him for three weeks, but it would be nice if I could see him before Christmas.' Before kick-off Pearson had chosen his third match since replacing Peter Gadsby as chairman to arch his back, though he had a differing target. 'There have been a lot of comments in relation to Disney of late which I am sure journalists have loved and it was very easy copy for them. I do feel however that the last laugh will be ours, if we can secure significant overseas investment and still align it to local stewardship. This club has too much heritage and tradition to be the butt of cheap jibes.' The idea that the company fronted by the mouse with the big ears could hook up with the club of Brian Clough, Dave Mackay and Roy McFarland will always sound like a half-decent yarn. So it is questionable if writing about it in programme notes is the best way to silence the hacks. Investment was also precisely the word that peppered Davies' hardly disguised rant at his chairman. Here is a flavour: 'To compete in this league and at this level you need investment in players. We have to invest in the playing staff. I haven't spoken to the new chairman in three weeks' - which seemed a staggering admission - 'because he's a busy man who does things different to the ex-chairman. But it would be nice to meet up soon. 'The club received £50 million from winning the play-off [final] against West Brom, we have average gates of 33,000, and record season-ticket sales. Everybody at this club must see we need,' he said, offering the word one more time, 'cash investment in players.' Is he, then, frustrated at never having set eyes on the man with the purse strings. 'Oh no, its not frustration,' Davies said, with an admirable straight face, before he was off again. 'But to compete at this level you have to invest in players. It would be nice if I could have a word with the chairman.' Pearson, though, may well feel like doing a Tom Hicks, the Liverpool co-owner, and informing his manager exactly who is in charge. As for the Derby players, what will they make of this? 'The team is not good enough for the Premier League,' said Davies. 'That's no reflection or disrespect to the players. They know that. They're not good enough.' Maybe, but telling the world may not be wise man-management. Grant, meanwhile, also did his bit to maintain the idea that managers are sane, intelligent and right-minded folk when asked about Essien's red card. 'I don't like to speak against the referee,' he began, announcing that he was about to do precisely that. 'But he [Andre Marriner] is in his first year [actually his fourth as a Premier League referee] and we are an easy target. 'It happened against Fulham and Manchester United [Didier Drogba and John Obi Mikel were sent off] and it cost us points.' When it was suggested that Essien had clearly stuck an arm out, Grant came up with the following: 'The uniforms have no pockets so [players] have to put their hands out like this.' Grant said he would take another look at it, but confirmed the club would probably appeal. Davies, meanwhile, had seen again the incident 64 minutes in when Miller lobbed Carlo Cudicini but was ruled offside. 'I know he was onside,' he said, and Davies did seem to have a point. Derby had huffed and puffed throughout, but it always appeared Chelsea's three points. Their opener came from a dazzling move that began when Mikel found Frank Lampard - booed along with his England colleagues throughout - who instantly turned it across midfield to Steve Sidwell. His pass to Salomon Kalou allowed the striker to run and finish inside the area. The clincher arrived after 73 minutes. Andriy Shevchenko had been anonymous as he can be. But when he lost possession, the striker made an impressive recovery to slide in on the ball and Giles Barnes. While the home fans howled at the referee to blow for a foul - it seemed a fair enough challenge - Lampard collected, advanced, and hit the post. Shaun Wright-Phillips was calm enough to finish. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mail: Essien red card takes the gloss off smooth riposte from Chelsea Derby 0 Chelsea 2 By IAN RIDLEY Avram Grant's brief of turning Chelsea into the entertainers of England will have to be put on hold until those days when players are not wearied or deflated by international double-headers, nor harried and chased by relegation candidates with bile and bite as their main weapons. The only blot on a smooth win yesterday came in added time when substitute Michael Essien was sent off for swinging an arm at Kenny Miller. Otherwise, Chelsea were efficient and adequate, with goals by Salomon Kalou and Shaun Wright-Phillips enough to keep them in the top-four hunt. As for Derby, they lamented two moments that went against them. First Miller was denied a potential equaliser by an offside flag, then Giles Barnes was floored in the build-up to Chelsea's second. Even well below full-strength and their best, Chelsea were value enough for their 12th game unbeaten in all competitions under new manager Grant. In keeping with the theme of the day, the England players on view were roundly jeered. Derby fans' venom was particularly spiteful. "You're not fit to wear the shirt," they sang at Wright- Phillips and Frank Lampard, who may not have had his best game for England but at least had the courage to convert the penalty. John Terry and Ashley Cole, absent against Croatia but fit to return for Chelsea, presented a bit of a problem. The crowd settled for: "Where were you on Wednesday night?" It may have contributed to a subdued Chelsea start, though the absence of Didier Drogba, who had injured a knee on duty for Ivory Coast, was probably a more significant factor as they adjusted to playing with Andriy Shevchenko as central striker. Even with Ricardo Carvalho injured and Essien and Joe Cole on the bench, Chelsea had far too many weapons for Derby. Lampard did not seem especially concerned by the ridicule he received after sending a shot over the bar. Within a minute he instigated the move that ended with Steve Sidwell slipping a ball into Kalou, darting through the gaping Derby central defence, Chelsea's other Ivorian tucking the ball neatly past Stephen Bywater. Kalou should have doubled the lead before half-time. Wright- Phillips, revelling in more accommodating opposition than the Croatians, floated in a cross from the left and Claude Davis horrendously headed the ball straight down on the edge of the Derby six-yard box. Kalou, unaccountably, fired over. It would have been fair reflection of the balance of play, with Derby exhibiting the English disease, not good enough to retain possession for long enough to carve out clear-cut chances or sustain pressure. Talented teenager Barnes did offer hope but he was too often isolated. When David Jones found Barnes, he in turn supplied Craig Fagan in space on the right but the drilled shot was wide. Derby rarely tested Carlo Cudicini, deputising for the injured Petr Cech, aside from a Fagan shot pushed away and the Miller lobbed finish which was controversially ruled out. Then when Barnes was caught in possession near halfway by Shevchenko, referee Andre Marriner waved play on, Lampard went on to hit a post and a kind rebound allowed Wright-Phillips to tap home.
Monday, November 12, 2007
morning papers everton home
The TimesNovember 12, 2007
Blue is the colour...football is the same
Chelsea 1 Everton 1Martin Samuel, Chief Football Correspondent, at Stamford Bridge
As Avram Grant will be aware, this was the sort of result – and pretty much the sort of performance – that got José Mourinho, his predecessor, his P45. With managerial changes no longer part of the picture at Chelsea, however, Roman Abramovich, the owner, will have to grin and bear it.
Chelsea murdered Everton for most of the match, did not turn their possession and supremacy into goals and conceded from the first shot on target faced, which came in the 90th minute.
These days Grant will be commiserated on his bad luck by a benign employer who is also a friend; two months ago, this would have formed part of the case for the prosecution, not least because Chelsea appeared to settle for three points from a single goal scored by Didier Drogba in the 75th minute. Failing to press for a more convincing margin of victory was a criticism often levelled at Mourinho.
Everton’s point was no travesty, though, for it rewarded the three best players on the pitch. Tim Howard, the Everton goalkeeper, was man of the match, with one save in the first half from Frank Lampard as good as any seen this season. At other times, his handling was decisive and confident. Just behind him were Joseph Yobo and Joleon Lescott, the centre backs who had a Premier League defender’s most demanding job – dealing with Drogba, the man mountain.
The task fell mostly to Lescott, who was outstanding, and would have delivered a near-perfect display had he not lost his man from a corner for the goal. It was tough luck that this rare lapse was punished in typical Chelsea style. Salomon Kalou whipped the ball in and Drogba was left challenging Lee Carsley at the near post. His header was beyond a furious Howard in the blink of an eye.
This was an echo of the heartbreaking champions of old. Under Mourinho, Chelsea’s forte was the killer goal scored just when it looked as if the end was in sight. In this way, they would sap the morale of the opposition, stretched to full capacity trying to keep the score tied. When Drogba scored, even a resolute Everton team should have been there for the taking, such was their disappointment. Instead, Chelsea made no attempt to kick for home, much as they would not have done under Mourinho. The difference being that when Mourinho’s influence was at its most potent, Chelsea knew how to keep a lead.
This may be a simple personnel matter. Chelsea are again missing John Terry, the captain and centre back, and Petr Cech in goal, the double whammy that did irreparable damage to their title challenge last season, but a back injury suffered by Ricardo Carvalho after 28 minutes brought the introduction of the cumbersome Tal Ben Haim.
Yesterday, equally harmful was the continued absence of Paulo Ferreira, missing since the Champions League win over Schalke 04 in October. Ferreira is not the most eye-catching right back, but in the matter of holding a lead, he is an improvement on Juliano Belletti, the new arrival. When Everton equalised, it was because, one-on-one with Tim Cahill, Belletti came up short.
James McFadden, introduced at half-time and as responsible for Everton’s second-half improvement as anybody, hit a shot cutting in on the right that Cahill held up with his back to goal, shielding the ball from Belletti as it hung in the air. With a flash of attacking inspiration at odds with the cautious nature of the rest of Everton’s performance, he leapt backwards, striking a most sublime bicycle kick that left Carlo Cudicini grasping at air in the Chelsea goal.
On the touchline, Grant’s dour visage reminded of nothing more than Les Dawson’s colourful description of his battleaxe mother-in-law. A face, the comedian said, like a tin of condemned veal.
Certainly, the beautiful football that Abramovich is said to have demanded as a return on his £500 million investment is more of an aspiration for Grant than an achievement. The 6-0 victory over Manchester City the previous weekend wrote a cheque that this Chelsea team could not cash and, while Grant saw good, positive, attacking football here, he was not among the majority.
Chelsea had greater ambition than Everton, which was not hard, and Howard’s one-handed save from a shot by Lampard in the 30th minute was a stunner, but Mourinho’s style was not so dull or Grant’s brand so scintillating for there to be a huge difference between the two. How could there be when the players are largely the same, Grant’s introduction of Joe Cole on a consistent basis his most radical contribution?
Cole was good again here without fully displaying the wit to find a path through Everton’s massed ranks. The best return on his creativity was a Drogba header from a corner, which Howard dealt with comfortably. Indeed, the best move down the left came from a run by Wayne Bridge – much like the run for his money he is giving Ashley Cole – fed into Shaun Wright-Phillips, who switched the ball across to Drogba.
Amazingly, the striker missed his kick; Steven Pienaar did the same for Everton after a cut-back from Leon Osman in the fourteenth minute, but it was not quite as unexpected.
Even when Howard was threatened, the Everton defence was in top form. A shot from Lampard in the 26th minute was headed clear by Nuno Valente, just at the point when it was threatening to sneak inside the right-hand post.
Later, after Howard had punched a Lampard corner only as far as Alex, Tony Hibbert, the right back, blocked his shot on the line.
David Moyes, the Everton manager, described the performance as gritty and it was certainly that. For Grant, it was the sort of grit that lodges in the shoes and makes walking uncomfortable. Either that or he was having flashbacks to the bold promises made on the day he took the job. Something had to explain that pained expression.
How they rated
CHELSEA
4-3-3 C Cudicini 6 J Belletti Y 5 Alex 7 R Carvalho 6 W Bridge 7 M Essien Y 7 J O Mikel 7 F Lampard 7 S Wright-Phillips 6 D Drogba 7 J Cole 7
Substitutes T Ben Haim 4 (for Carvalho, 28min), S Kalou 6 (for Wright-Phillips, 63) Not used Hilário, A Shevchenko, C Pizarro
EVERTON
4-2-3-1 T Howard 9 T Hibbett 7 J Yobo 8 J Lescott 8 Nuno Valente 7 L Carsley 6 P Neville Y 5 T Cahill 7 L Osman 7 S Pienaar Y 6 Yakubu 5
Substitutes T Gravesen (for Carsley, 75min), J McFadden 6 (for Neville, 46), V Anichebe 5 (for Yakubu, 46) Not used S Wessels, P Jagielka
Referee: A WileyAttendance: 41,683
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Telegraph:
Tim Cahill cracker stuns ChelseaBy John Ley
Chelsea (0) 1 Everton (0) 1
Two Tims from either side of the planet blunted Chelsea's attempt to edge closer to the Premier League zenith, with an American goalkeeper and an Australian midfielder dampening blue spirits on a frustrating afternoon.
Tim Howard had produced a succession of outstanding saves to obstruct Chelsea before Tim Cahill stole a draw with a spectacular 89th-minute equaliser, cancelling out Didier Drogba's opening goal.
In restoring parity, Cahill also succeeded in becoming the first player to breach Chelsea's defence in the Premier League for a minute short of nine hours.
Having been repeatedly thwarted by the brilliance of Howard and the dogged belligerence of the Everton defence, Chelsea will also feel aggrieved at wasting chances. They may be trying to play attractive football, but that sometimes comes at a cost, with Chelsea ultimately exposed late on as they pushed for a second goal.
"We lost two points today and that's disappointing," said manager Avram Grant. "We want to win every game and we want to play good football."
As all the Englishmen appeared to come through unscathed it was an American who stole the show. Howard has been key to Everton's success and, against a Chelsea side keen to match their 6-0 thrashing of Manchester City in their previous Stamford Bridge league outing, the early signs pointed to another dominating home performance.
When Frank Lampard's volley was blocked in front of goal by Nuno Valente, Everton survived for the first time. But it was a save after half an hour which most impressed. Juliano Belletti fed Lampard, who side-footed a volley which Howard saved, changing his direction before tipping the ball around his left post.
It was a breathtaking save, following soon after another block, from Shaun Wright-Phillips. Howard then saved again, on the line, from Drogba's header.
In first-half added time, an error by Phil Neville saw Wayne Bridge set off on a 60-yard run before finding Wright-Phillips. The winger fed Drogba - who proceeded to kick air in front of goal. The quality of both the sublime move and faltering finish summed up Chelsea's half.
Everton manager David Moyes, sensing Neville and Yakubu were showing signs of fatigue following Thursday's 2-0 Uefa Cup win in Nuremberg, made two brave changes, with James McFadden and Victor Anichebe offering fresh legs.
Howard continued to impress in the second half, tipping over a Lampard chip, while Tony Hibbert cleared off the line after Alex's shot had deflected off Joleon Lescott.
Soon afterwards, Leon Osman was the subject of a high, crunching challenge from Michael Essien. The Chelsea midfielder was booked and Cahill later claimed that the Ghanaian would say sorry. "He's known for a few dodgy tackles," said Cahill.
"I heard the crunch, so if he's gone in a bit high he'll know about it and apologise later."
Chelsea finally got their breakthrough in the 71st minute when a corner from Salomon Kalou was met by the head of Drogba at the near post.
But with just a minute remaining McFadden's shot came off Belletti and spun up high. Cahill responded with an athletic and mesmeric bicycle kick to steal a draw for the visitors.
Steve McClaren may have chosen Stamford Bridge yesterday to check on Frank Lampard, Joe Cole, Shaun Wright-Phillips, Phil Neville and Joleon Lescott, but he will have left contented with the performance of another.
With Liverpool's Yossi Benayoun ruled out of Saturday's European Championship qualifier between Israel and Russia, the performance of Chelsea defender Tal Ben Haim could prove decisive in Tel Aviv. That the Israeli enjoyed more than an hour of action after coming on for the injured Ricardo Carvalho, will have given McClaren considerable satisfaction. It was only his second participation since September, so Ben Haim needed a game and he showed he could prove to be a hurdle for the Russian strikers. Dror Kashtan, the Israel coach, may be concerned that Ben Haim has struggled to hold down a regular place at Stamford Bridge but fellow Israeli Avram Grant, the Chelsea manager, said: "We have a different back four from a month ago, but that shows the strength we have in our squad.
"The fact that Chelsea have Alex, Carvalho and John Terry was always going to affect his chances of playing, but in terms of his ability to aid Israel - and England - he showed little to concern McClaren, who will also have been impressed with Lescott, whose performance alongside Joseph Yobo was imposing."
Man of the matchDidier Drogba (Chelsea)• The Ivorian scored one goal from six attempts • 50 per cent shooting accuracy• 100% tackle success---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Indy:Chelsea 1 Everton 1: Cahill's bicycle kick puts brake on Grant's winning streak By Sam Wallace
Delivering exciting football, as Avram Grant is discovering, is a splendid idea as long as you make sure your team win the game too. Chelsea's excitement factor was waning considerably yesterday when Tim Cahill's overhead kick levelled the score in the last minute and made the home side wish they could have been boring and victorious instead.
The notion of exciting football was seized upon by Grant in those desperate, chaotic days in September when no one could understand why he of all people had been brought in to replace the most charismatic manager of his generation. On days like these that promise sits upon Grant like a curse. He may be the man charged with bringing pulse-quickening football to the post-Jose Mourinho era but he still moans about an injury crisis like any other manager who finds his back against the wall.
A goal to the good, thanks to Didier Drogba, Chelsea found themselves seeing out the last few minutes with a defensive five that, Grant pointed out, included none of his first-choice defenders and a second-choice goalkeeper. That was not all down to injuries – Grant left Ashley Cole on the bench and no one knows who his favourite right-back is – but the absence of John Terry and Ricardo Carvalho was telling. Chelsea are now another two points further away from Manchester United.
They are third in the Premier League but after four straight victories under their new manager – including six goals at home to Manchester City – yesterday it was fair to concede that maybe the stylistic changes promised by Grant are still some way off. The only thing more complex than figuring out how to change Chelsea into the club everyone loves to watch is making sense of Grant's post-match explanations, which seem more arcane the worse the result.
He claimed yesterday that "we dominated the game for 90 minutes". He added: "We created a lot of chances, the other team did not. They scored from one good chance." There was, Grant said, "raised expectation" for his players, although he can blame himself for that. Once upon a time Chelsea would win 1-0 and Grant's predecessor would say afterwards they were the best team on the planet. Nowadays not even 1-0 is enough.
It will overshadow the achievement of Everton, whose equaliser was beautifully taken by Cahill for his third goal of the season, having recovered from a broken metatarsal last month. The Australian had his say about Michael Essien too after the Chelsea midfielder ran his studs down Leon Osman's leg and was fortunate to get away with a booking.
"I was behind Ossie and I heard the crunch," Cahill said. "If he [Essien] has gone in a bit high he'll know and he'll apologise later. He is known for a few dodgy tackles. Ossie's still walking and that's the main thing. Everyone has a dodgy tackle from time to time in football as long as he knows what he has done."
Even without Mikel Arteta, Andy Johnson and Leighton Baines, David Moyes has a side of typically British strengths – strength and tenacity above all. The Everton manager poured praise on his England defender Joleon Lescott, whom he named as one of his side's best players along with Joseph Yobo and the goalkeeper, Tim Howard. Lescott, however, might not have inspired complete confidence in Steve McClaren in the seconds leading to Drogba's goal.
In those moments, in the 71st minute, Salomon Kalou hit a corner to the near post and Drogba simply ran away from Lescott and Lee Carsley to head the ball past Howard from a tight angle.
"I always thought we were in it," Moyes said. "We were gritty and hung on." He took off Yakubu and Phil Neville off at half-time but it was Cahill who did the trick in the end.
The substitute James McFadden drilled in a shot which cannoned off Juliano Belletti and Cahill inside the area before the Everton man, with his back to goal, executed a textbook overhead kick to beat Carlo Cudicini from close range. By then the centre of Chelsea's defence was being marshalled by Alex da Costa and Tal Ben Haim, which is no-one's idea of a safe back line.
Carvalho's departure half an hour into the match was a major blow for Grant – turned upside down while challenging Yakubu for a header, the Portuguese landed awkwardly and was barely able to walk thereafter. Later in the first half Howard pulled off a brilliant one-handed save from Frank Lampard's close-range shot although in Stamford Bridge no-one was requiring oxygen from the St John's Ambulance on account of too much excitement.
In fact the only out-of-the-seat moment in the first half came when Drogba conspired to miss a chance from five yards out. There was a great, barnstorming run from Wayne Bridge, a cut-back from Shaun Wright-Phillips and then, with the goal at his mercy, the Ivorian striker seemed to collapse involuntarily. Proof that even the great Drogba can let the excitement get to him at times.
Goals: Drogba (71) 1-0; Cahill (89) 1-1.
Chelsea: (4-1-4-1): Cudicini; Belletti, Alex, Carvalho (Ben Haim, 29), Bridge; Mikel; Wright-Phillips (Kalou, 64), Essien, Lampard, J Cole; Drogba. Substitutes not used: Hilario (gk), Shevchenko, Pizarro.
Everton (4-4-1-1): Howard; Hibbert, Yobo, Lescott, Valente; Cahill, Carsley (Carsley, 73), Neville (McFadden, h-t), Pienaar; Osman; Yakubu (Anichebe, h-t). Substitutes not used: Wessels (gk), Jagielka.
Referee: A Wiley (Staffordshire).
Booked: Chelsea Belletti, Essien, Mikel. Everton Neville.
Man of the match: Howard.
Attendance: 41,683.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Chelsea cut to the quick by Cahill's overhead scissors
Kevin McCarra at Stamford BridgeMonday November 12, 2007The Guardian
They say it is unhealthy not to mourn the departed. After an unexpected delay this was put right as Chelsea fans felt the loss of Jose Mourinho keenly for the first time since he left the club in September. He was, after all, the master of converting a narrow lead into a victory. The Portuguese seemed to prefer that sort of win but it is now out of fashion at a club that showed zest yesterday, only to falter at the last.
Everton's 89th-minute equaliser was hit with acrobatic force by Tim Cahill and it would take a dreary soul to reproach Chelsea too much. Avram Grant's side produced bright football and were on the verge, as well, of a sixth consecutive clean sheet in the Premier League. The credit for Everton was due primarily for continuing to be dogged despite 48 hours less rest than the opposition following midweek matches in Germany for both clubs.David Moyes, their manager, is seeking to manage with a boldness appropriate to the improved quality of his squad. When it was goalless at the interval he took off his captain Phil Neville because the presence of a pair of defensive midfielders looked excessive. "We made a brave decision," Moyes said in excusable self-congratulation. "I always thought we were in it."
The Scot, none the less, could not claim to have transformed the match. Only with a minute to go did Everton cause consternation. James McFadden, Neville's replacement, came in from the right to aim a shot that bounced off Juliano Belletti. Cahill ensured that the full-back could not complete the clearance, putting his body in the way before hitting the net with a strong overhead kick. It was the Australian's first Premier League goal of the season. The finish flew past Carlo Cudicini, the deputy for the injured Petr Cech. A rueful Grant mused that the Chelsea defence in place at the close of this fixture was entirely different from the one present at the start of last month. Ricardo Carvalho went off with a back injury here and will have a scan today.
Even so John Terry and Cech were not badly missed. The luxurious options were such that the splendid Wayne Bridge was picked in preference to Ashley Cole. The latter lacks only match fitness and will join up with the England squad this week. Irrespective of the personnel, Chelsea played with enough conviction to make it appear that the composition of the defence was immaterial.
Grant has introduced verve and the principal concern lies in the fact that Didier Drogba is the sole forward who can be trusted to score. With this match tied at 0-0, it was a withering rebuke to the experienced attackers Andriy Shevchenko and Claudio Pizarro that they were kept on the bench.
The African Nations Cup will do its main harm to Chelsea in January by plundering Stamford Bridge for Drogba. The Ivorian, judging by comments to interviewers, envisages a permanent separation but Grant brushes that aside. "I see Drogba play with a lot of passion," the manager remarked. "He hasn't said anything to me about leaving."
Chelsea do have a terrible need for high quality reinforcements in the forward line, lending credence to claims that a bid will be made for someone like Bolton's Nicolas Anelka in January. There is a burden on Drogba, even if those broad shoulders do not look as if they feel the weight.
Steven Pienaar might have scored from a Leon Osman header after quarter of an hour but the match was largely about Chelsea's hankering for a goal. With 30 minutes gone, the outstanding Tim Howard made a particularly good save when he needed to change direction to deal with Frank Lampard's effort following a Belletti cross. The goalkeeper, by then, had denied Shaun Wright-Phillips as well.
In the 45th minute Howard was powerless. The lively Bridge intercepted an attempted pass, burst past Joseph Yobo and found Wright-Phillips. While the winger's cross did bobble it was still remarkable that Drogba could not make some sort of connection in front of an open goal.
Everton were often beleaguered and Tony Hibbert needed to knock an Alex attempt off the line after Howard had punched out a Lampard corner in the 64th minute. Joleon Lescott generally looked calm and authoritative in the midst of the havoc, making his claim, before the watching Steve McClaren, for filling the vacancy in the England defence this week.
"He dealt with one of the best forwards in Europe," said an admiring Moyes. Well, not entirely. Drogba did break through in the 71st minute, slipping away from Lescott and not being picked up at the near post by Lee Carsley before he had headed the substitute Salamon Kalou's corner into the net.
Chelsea celebrated, never dreaming Everton's perseverance would meet with so unlikely a reward.
Man of the match Tim Howard
The American goalkeeper was outstanding when Chelsea's pressure was at its greatest and he ensured that the game was not killed off in the first half. He also denied Shaun Wright-Phillips after the interval and punched away a Frank Lampard corner.
Best moment His change of direction to put behind Lampard's attempt during the first half.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Mail:
Chelsea fall flat, exactly like their bossChelsea 1-1 Everton
By MATT LAWTON
Avram Grant might think the football is more exciting these days but the post-match entertainment has definitely disappeared at Stamford Bridge.
Imagine how previous Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho would have responded had he seen Everton equalise in the final minute with their first effort on target.
He would have condemned the opposition for playing the first 45 minutes with five in midfield. Criticised them for defending too deep. Accused them, even, of "parking the bus".
It might not have been fair but the 'Special One' has never been big on rational thought when he plays the victim. Just ask a certain 12-year-old schoolboy in Portugal.
Grant reacts rather more passively, however.
"It was disappointing to drop two points," he said. "Especially after the number of chances we created. Except for the result, though, I'm happy."
He thought the football was every bit as sexy as he has promised since taking charge, which prompted the obvious question.
Was he watching the game or does he simply shut his eyes for 90 minutes and hope for the best?
His programme notes pointed to the latter, given that he described that recent Carling Cup encounter with Leicester as a game that "must have been amazing to watch".
Chelsea should have won this relatively one- sided contest and their failure to do so had as much to do with a lack of urgency as a brilliant defensive display from the visitors.
An Everton display that was memorable for one save in particular from Tim Howard and a performance from Joleon Lescott that would have encouraged a watching Steve McClaren.
Centre-halves are proving hard to find for England's coach and the way Lescott coped with Didier Drogba yesterday was timely.
It was a shortage of defenders that ultimately cost Chelsea on this occasion.
As Mourinho discovered last season, trying to protect your goal in the absence of goalkeeper Petr Cech and captain John Terry can be difficult.
For Grant yesterday, the situation was actually even more distressing. Left back Ashley Cole was also missing - although only because he has just returned from injury - and when Ricardo Carvalho then collided with Aiyegbeni Yakubu and suffered what looks like a nasty back injury, Chelsea started to look vulnerable.
So vulnerable, in fact, that David Moyes took off his holding midfielder, Phil Neville, and switched to 4-4-2. 'It was a brave decision,' said the Everton boss.
It looked a little too brave when Drogba scored in the 70th minute, accelerating away from Lee Carsley to meet a Salomon Kalou corner with a terrific header at the near post.
But Moyes had sent on James McFadden as part of his tactical reshuffle and it paid off.
It was Scotland forward McFadden, after all, who drove the ball into the Chelsea penalty area and Tim Cahill who then held off Juliano Belletti before flicking the ball into the air and beating Carlo Cudicini with a spectacular bicycle kick.
"Fantastic goal," said Moyes, which it was.
Moyes and Cahill were less impressed with Michael Essien's reckless challenge on Leon Osman in the 67th minute.
"It wasn't the best," said Moyes, while Cahill noted that 'Ossie' was at least "still walking".
Cahill added: "He's known for a few dodgy tackles. I heard the crunch, so if he has gone in a bit high he will know it and he will apologise later."
It was actually one of Essien's less serious offences and deserved no more than the booking he received but it gave some indication of Chelsea's frustration against a determined opposition.
After Everton squandered the first decent chance of the game - when Steven Pienaar somehow failed to connect with a header from Osman that bounced invitingly across Chelsea's six-yard box - what chances there were fell to Chelsea.
Shaun Wright-Phillips had a shot blocked close to the line and when Belletti then crossed to the feet of Frank Lampard it required a magnificent one-handed save from Howard to deny the England midfielder.
Drogba was then guilty of committing an error not that dissimilar to Pienaar's. Wayne Bridge made a terrific run down the left, Wright-Phillips then drove the ball into the box and Drogba, like Everton's South African, failed to connect.
Everton then survived a vicious strike from Alex that was blocked by Tony Hibbert, but in the end could not stop the brilliant Drogba.
If Grant thought a fifth consecutive Premier League win was about to follow, Cahill had other ideas.
"It is difficult when you are missing four of your best defenders," said Grant, as a first League goal against Chelsea since September 23 then proved.
Mourinho would have been livid. If only Grant had been too. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Blue is the colour...football is the same
Chelsea 1 Everton 1Martin Samuel, Chief Football Correspondent, at Stamford Bridge
As Avram Grant will be aware, this was the sort of result – and pretty much the sort of performance – that got José Mourinho, his predecessor, his P45. With managerial changes no longer part of the picture at Chelsea, however, Roman Abramovich, the owner, will have to grin and bear it.
Chelsea murdered Everton for most of the match, did not turn their possession and supremacy into goals and conceded from the first shot on target faced, which came in the 90th minute.
These days Grant will be commiserated on his bad luck by a benign employer who is also a friend; two months ago, this would have formed part of the case for the prosecution, not least because Chelsea appeared to settle for three points from a single goal scored by Didier Drogba in the 75th minute. Failing to press for a more convincing margin of victory was a criticism often levelled at Mourinho.
Everton’s point was no travesty, though, for it rewarded the three best players on the pitch. Tim Howard, the Everton goalkeeper, was man of the match, with one save in the first half from Frank Lampard as good as any seen this season. At other times, his handling was decisive and confident. Just behind him were Joseph Yobo and Joleon Lescott, the centre backs who had a Premier League defender’s most demanding job – dealing with Drogba, the man mountain.
The task fell mostly to Lescott, who was outstanding, and would have delivered a near-perfect display had he not lost his man from a corner for the goal. It was tough luck that this rare lapse was punished in typical Chelsea style. Salomon Kalou whipped the ball in and Drogba was left challenging Lee Carsley at the near post. His header was beyond a furious Howard in the blink of an eye.
This was an echo of the heartbreaking champions of old. Under Mourinho, Chelsea’s forte was the killer goal scored just when it looked as if the end was in sight. In this way, they would sap the morale of the opposition, stretched to full capacity trying to keep the score tied. When Drogba scored, even a resolute Everton team should have been there for the taking, such was their disappointment. Instead, Chelsea made no attempt to kick for home, much as they would not have done under Mourinho. The difference being that when Mourinho’s influence was at its most potent, Chelsea knew how to keep a lead.
This may be a simple personnel matter. Chelsea are again missing John Terry, the captain and centre back, and Petr Cech in goal, the double whammy that did irreparable damage to their title challenge last season, but a back injury suffered by Ricardo Carvalho after 28 minutes brought the introduction of the cumbersome Tal Ben Haim.
Yesterday, equally harmful was the continued absence of Paulo Ferreira, missing since the Champions League win over Schalke 04 in October. Ferreira is not the most eye-catching right back, but in the matter of holding a lead, he is an improvement on Juliano Belletti, the new arrival. When Everton equalised, it was because, one-on-one with Tim Cahill, Belletti came up short.
James McFadden, introduced at half-time and as responsible for Everton’s second-half improvement as anybody, hit a shot cutting in on the right that Cahill held up with his back to goal, shielding the ball from Belletti as it hung in the air. With a flash of attacking inspiration at odds with the cautious nature of the rest of Everton’s performance, he leapt backwards, striking a most sublime bicycle kick that left Carlo Cudicini grasping at air in the Chelsea goal.
On the touchline, Grant’s dour visage reminded of nothing more than Les Dawson’s colourful description of his battleaxe mother-in-law. A face, the comedian said, like a tin of condemned veal.
Certainly, the beautiful football that Abramovich is said to have demanded as a return on his £500 million investment is more of an aspiration for Grant than an achievement. The 6-0 victory over Manchester City the previous weekend wrote a cheque that this Chelsea team could not cash and, while Grant saw good, positive, attacking football here, he was not among the majority.
Chelsea had greater ambition than Everton, which was not hard, and Howard’s one-handed save from a shot by Lampard in the 30th minute was a stunner, but Mourinho’s style was not so dull or Grant’s brand so scintillating for there to be a huge difference between the two. How could there be when the players are largely the same, Grant’s introduction of Joe Cole on a consistent basis his most radical contribution?
Cole was good again here without fully displaying the wit to find a path through Everton’s massed ranks. The best return on his creativity was a Drogba header from a corner, which Howard dealt with comfortably. Indeed, the best move down the left came from a run by Wayne Bridge – much like the run for his money he is giving Ashley Cole – fed into Shaun Wright-Phillips, who switched the ball across to Drogba.
Amazingly, the striker missed his kick; Steven Pienaar did the same for Everton after a cut-back from Leon Osman in the fourteenth minute, but it was not quite as unexpected.
Even when Howard was threatened, the Everton defence was in top form. A shot from Lampard in the 26th minute was headed clear by Nuno Valente, just at the point when it was threatening to sneak inside the right-hand post.
Later, after Howard had punched a Lampard corner only as far as Alex, Tony Hibbert, the right back, blocked his shot on the line.
David Moyes, the Everton manager, described the performance as gritty and it was certainly that. For Grant, it was the sort of grit that lodges in the shoes and makes walking uncomfortable. Either that or he was having flashbacks to the bold promises made on the day he took the job. Something had to explain that pained expression.
How they rated
CHELSEA
4-3-3 C Cudicini 6 J Belletti Y 5 Alex 7 R Carvalho 6 W Bridge 7 M Essien Y 7 J O Mikel 7 F Lampard 7 S Wright-Phillips 6 D Drogba 7 J Cole 7
Substitutes T Ben Haim 4 (for Carvalho, 28min), S Kalou 6 (for Wright-Phillips, 63) Not used Hilário, A Shevchenko, C Pizarro
EVERTON
4-2-3-1 T Howard 9 T Hibbett 7 J Yobo 8 J Lescott 8 Nuno Valente 7 L Carsley 6 P Neville Y 5 T Cahill 7 L Osman 7 S Pienaar Y 6 Yakubu 5
Substitutes T Gravesen (for Carsley, 75min), J McFadden 6 (for Neville, 46), V Anichebe 5 (for Yakubu, 46) Not used S Wessels, P Jagielka
Referee: A WileyAttendance: 41,683
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Telegraph:
Tim Cahill cracker stuns ChelseaBy John Ley
Chelsea (0) 1 Everton (0) 1
Two Tims from either side of the planet blunted Chelsea's attempt to edge closer to the Premier League zenith, with an American goalkeeper and an Australian midfielder dampening blue spirits on a frustrating afternoon.
Tim Howard had produced a succession of outstanding saves to obstruct Chelsea before Tim Cahill stole a draw with a spectacular 89th-minute equaliser, cancelling out Didier Drogba's opening goal.
In restoring parity, Cahill also succeeded in becoming the first player to breach Chelsea's defence in the Premier League for a minute short of nine hours.
Having been repeatedly thwarted by the brilliance of Howard and the dogged belligerence of the Everton defence, Chelsea will also feel aggrieved at wasting chances. They may be trying to play attractive football, but that sometimes comes at a cost, with Chelsea ultimately exposed late on as they pushed for a second goal.
"We lost two points today and that's disappointing," said manager Avram Grant. "We want to win every game and we want to play good football."
As all the Englishmen appeared to come through unscathed it was an American who stole the show. Howard has been key to Everton's success and, against a Chelsea side keen to match their 6-0 thrashing of Manchester City in their previous Stamford Bridge league outing, the early signs pointed to another dominating home performance.
When Frank Lampard's volley was blocked in front of goal by Nuno Valente, Everton survived for the first time. But it was a save after half an hour which most impressed. Juliano Belletti fed Lampard, who side-footed a volley which Howard saved, changing his direction before tipping the ball around his left post.
It was a breathtaking save, following soon after another block, from Shaun Wright-Phillips. Howard then saved again, on the line, from Drogba's header.
In first-half added time, an error by Phil Neville saw Wayne Bridge set off on a 60-yard run before finding Wright-Phillips. The winger fed Drogba - who proceeded to kick air in front of goal. The quality of both the sublime move and faltering finish summed up Chelsea's half.
Everton manager David Moyes, sensing Neville and Yakubu were showing signs of fatigue following Thursday's 2-0 Uefa Cup win in Nuremberg, made two brave changes, with James McFadden and Victor Anichebe offering fresh legs.
Howard continued to impress in the second half, tipping over a Lampard chip, while Tony Hibbert cleared off the line after Alex's shot had deflected off Joleon Lescott.
Soon afterwards, Leon Osman was the subject of a high, crunching challenge from Michael Essien. The Chelsea midfielder was booked and Cahill later claimed that the Ghanaian would say sorry. "He's known for a few dodgy tackles," said Cahill.
"I heard the crunch, so if he's gone in a bit high he'll know about it and apologise later."
Chelsea finally got their breakthrough in the 71st minute when a corner from Salomon Kalou was met by the head of Drogba at the near post.
But with just a minute remaining McFadden's shot came off Belletti and spun up high. Cahill responded with an athletic and mesmeric bicycle kick to steal a draw for the visitors.
Steve McClaren may have chosen Stamford Bridge yesterday to check on Frank Lampard, Joe Cole, Shaun Wright-Phillips, Phil Neville and Joleon Lescott, but he will have left contented with the performance of another.
With Liverpool's Yossi Benayoun ruled out of Saturday's European Championship qualifier between Israel and Russia, the performance of Chelsea defender Tal Ben Haim could prove decisive in Tel Aviv. That the Israeli enjoyed more than an hour of action after coming on for the injured Ricardo Carvalho, will have given McClaren considerable satisfaction. It was only his second participation since September, so Ben Haim needed a game and he showed he could prove to be a hurdle for the Russian strikers. Dror Kashtan, the Israel coach, may be concerned that Ben Haim has struggled to hold down a regular place at Stamford Bridge but fellow Israeli Avram Grant, the Chelsea manager, said: "We have a different back four from a month ago, but that shows the strength we have in our squad.
"The fact that Chelsea have Alex, Carvalho and John Terry was always going to affect his chances of playing, but in terms of his ability to aid Israel - and England - he showed little to concern McClaren, who will also have been impressed with Lescott, whose performance alongside Joseph Yobo was imposing."
Man of the matchDidier Drogba (Chelsea)• The Ivorian scored one goal from six attempts • 50 per cent shooting accuracy• 100% tackle success---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Indy:Chelsea 1 Everton 1: Cahill's bicycle kick puts brake on Grant's winning streak By Sam Wallace
Delivering exciting football, as Avram Grant is discovering, is a splendid idea as long as you make sure your team win the game too. Chelsea's excitement factor was waning considerably yesterday when Tim Cahill's overhead kick levelled the score in the last minute and made the home side wish they could have been boring and victorious instead.
The notion of exciting football was seized upon by Grant in those desperate, chaotic days in September when no one could understand why he of all people had been brought in to replace the most charismatic manager of his generation. On days like these that promise sits upon Grant like a curse. He may be the man charged with bringing pulse-quickening football to the post-Jose Mourinho era but he still moans about an injury crisis like any other manager who finds his back against the wall.
A goal to the good, thanks to Didier Drogba, Chelsea found themselves seeing out the last few minutes with a defensive five that, Grant pointed out, included none of his first-choice defenders and a second-choice goalkeeper. That was not all down to injuries – Grant left Ashley Cole on the bench and no one knows who his favourite right-back is – but the absence of John Terry and Ricardo Carvalho was telling. Chelsea are now another two points further away from Manchester United.
They are third in the Premier League but after four straight victories under their new manager – including six goals at home to Manchester City – yesterday it was fair to concede that maybe the stylistic changes promised by Grant are still some way off. The only thing more complex than figuring out how to change Chelsea into the club everyone loves to watch is making sense of Grant's post-match explanations, which seem more arcane the worse the result.
He claimed yesterday that "we dominated the game for 90 minutes". He added: "We created a lot of chances, the other team did not. They scored from one good chance." There was, Grant said, "raised expectation" for his players, although he can blame himself for that. Once upon a time Chelsea would win 1-0 and Grant's predecessor would say afterwards they were the best team on the planet. Nowadays not even 1-0 is enough.
It will overshadow the achievement of Everton, whose equaliser was beautifully taken by Cahill for his third goal of the season, having recovered from a broken metatarsal last month. The Australian had his say about Michael Essien too after the Chelsea midfielder ran his studs down Leon Osman's leg and was fortunate to get away with a booking.
"I was behind Ossie and I heard the crunch," Cahill said. "If he [Essien] has gone in a bit high he'll know and he'll apologise later. He is known for a few dodgy tackles. Ossie's still walking and that's the main thing. Everyone has a dodgy tackle from time to time in football as long as he knows what he has done."
Even without Mikel Arteta, Andy Johnson and Leighton Baines, David Moyes has a side of typically British strengths – strength and tenacity above all. The Everton manager poured praise on his England defender Joleon Lescott, whom he named as one of his side's best players along with Joseph Yobo and the goalkeeper, Tim Howard. Lescott, however, might not have inspired complete confidence in Steve McClaren in the seconds leading to Drogba's goal.
In those moments, in the 71st minute, Salomon Kalou hit a corner to the near post and Drogba simply ran away from Lescott and Lee Carsley to head the ball past Howard from a tight angle.
"I always thought we were in it," Moyes said. "We were gritty and hung on." He took off Yakubu and Phil Neville off at half-time but it was Cahill who did the trick in the end.
The substitute James McFadden drilled in a shot which cannoned off Juliano Belletti and Cahill inside the area before the Everton man, with his back to goal, executed a textbook overhead kick to beat Carlo Cudicini from close range. By then the centre of Chelsea's defence was being marshalled by Alex da Costa and Tal Ben Haim, which is no-one's idea of a safe back line.
Carvalho's departure half an hour into the match was a major blow for Grant – turned upside down while challenging Yakubu for a header, the Portuguese landed awkwardly and was barely able to walk thereafter. Later in the first half Howard pulled off a brilliant one-handed save from Frank Lampard's close-range shot although in Stamford Bridge no-one was requiring oxygen from the St John's Ambulance on account of too much excitement.
In fact the only out-of-the-seat moment in the first half came when Drogba conspired to miss a chance from five yards out. There was a great, barnstorming run from Wayne Bridge, a cut-back from Shaun Wright-Phillips and then, with the goal at his mercy, the Ivorian striker seemed to collapse involuntarily. Proof that even the great Drogba can let the excitement get to him at times.
Goals: Drogba (71) 1-0; Cahill (89) 1-1.
Chelsea: (4-1-4-1): Cudicini; Belletti, Alex, Carvalho (Ben Haim, 29), Bridge; Mikel; Wright-Phillips (Kalou, 64), Essien, Lampard, J Cole; Drogba. Substitutes not used: Hilario (gk), Shevchenko, Pizarro.
Everton (4-4-1-1): Howard; Hibbert, Yobo, Lescott, Valente; Cahill, Carsley (Carsley, 73), Neville (McFadden, h-t), Pienaar; Osman; Yakubu (Anichebe, h-t). Substitutes not used: Wessels (gk), Jagielka.
Referee: A Wiley (Staffordshire).
Booked: Chelsea Belletti, Essien, Mikel. Everton Neville.
Man of the match: Howard.
Attendance: 41,683.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Chelsea cut to the quick by Cahill's overhead scissors
Kevin McCarra at Stamford BridgeMonday November 12, 2007The Guardian
They say it is unhealthy not to mourn the departed. After an unexpected delay this was put right as Chelsea fans felt the loss of Jose Mourinho keenly for the first time since he left the club in September. He was, after all, the master of converting a narrow lead into a victory. The Portuguese seemed to prefer that sort of win but it is now out of fashion at a club that showed zest yesterday, only to falter at the last.
Everton's 89th-minute equaliser was hit with acrobatic force by Tim Cahill and it would take a dreary soul to reproach Chelsea too much. Avram Grant's side produced bright football and were on the verge, as well, of a sixth consecutive clean sheet in the Premier League. The credit for Everton was due primarily for continuing to be dogged despite 48 hours less rest than the opposition following midweek matches in Germany for both clubs.David Moyes, their manager, is seeking to manage with a boldness appropriate to the improved quality of his squad. When it was goalless at the interval he took off his captain Phil Neville because the presence of a pair of defensive midfielders looked excessive. "We made a brave decision," Moyes said in excusable self-congratulation. "I always thought we were in it."
The Scot, none the less, could not claim to have transformed the match. Only with a minute to go did Everton cause consternation. James McFadden, Neville's replacement, came in from the right to aim a shot that bounced off Juliano Belletti. Cahill ensured that the full-back could not complete the clearance, putting his body in the way before hitting the net with a strong overhead kick. It was the Australian's first Premier League goal of the season. The finish flew past Carlo Cudicini, the deputy for the injured Petr Cech. A rueful Grant mused that the Chelsea defence in place at the close of this fixture was entirely different from the one present at the start of last month. Ricardo Carvalho went off with a back injury here and will have a scan today.
Even so John Terry and Cech were not badly missed. The luxurious options were such that the splendid Wayne Bridge was picked in preference to Ashley Cole. The latter lacks only match fitness and will join up with the England squad this week. Irrespective of the personnel, Chelsea played with enough conviction to make it appear that the composition of the defence was immaterial.
Grant has introduced verve and the principal concern lies in the fact that Didier Drogba is the sole forward who can be trusted to score. With this match tied at 0-0, it was a withering rebuke to the experienced attackers Andriy Shevchenko and Claudio Pizarro that they were kept on the bench.
The African Nations Cup will do its main harm to Chelsea in January by plundering Stamford Bridge for Drogba. The Ivorian, judging by comments to interviewers, envisages a permanent separation but Grant brushes that aside. "I see Drogba play with a lot of passion," the manager remarked. "He hasn't said anything to me about leaving."
Chelsea do have a terrible need for high quality reinforcements in the forward line, lending credence to claims that a bid will be made for someone like Bolton's Nicolas Anelka in January. There is a burden on Drogba, even if those broad shoulders do not look as if they feel the weight.
Steven Pienaar might have scored from a Leon Osman header after quarter of an hour but the match was largely about Chelsea's hankering for a goal. With 30 minutes gone, the outstanding Tim Howard made a particularly good save when he needed to change direction to deal with Frank Lampard's effort following a Belletti cross. The goalkeeper, by then, had denied Shaun Wright-Phillips as well.
In the 45th minute Howard was powerless. The lively Bridge intercepted an attempted pass, burst past Joseph Yobo and found Wright-Phillips. While the winger's cross did bobble it was still remarkable that Drogba could not make some sort of connection in front of an open goal.
Everton were often beleaguered and Tony Hibbert needed to knock an Alex attempt off the line after Howard had punched out a Lampard corner in the 64th minute. Joleon Lescott generally looked calm and authoritative in the midst of the havoc, making his claim, before the watching Steve McClaren, for filling the vacancy in the England defence this week.
"He dealt with one of the best forwards in Europe," said an admiring Moyes. Well, not entirely. Drogba did break through in the 71st minute, slipping away from Lescott and not being picked up at the near post by Lee Carsley before he had headed the substitute Salamon Kalou's corner into the net.
Chelsea celebrated, never dreaming Everton's perseverance would meet with so unlikely a reward.
Man of the match Tim Howard
The American goalkeeper was outstanding when Chelsea's pressure was at its greatest and he ensured that the game was not killed off in the first half. He also denied Shaun Wright-Phillips after the interval and punched away a Frank Lampard corner.
Best moment His change of direction to put behind Lampard's attempt during the first half.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Mail:
Chelsea fall flat, exactly like their bossChelsea 1-1 Everton
By MATT LAWTON
Avram Grant might think the football is more exciting these days but the post-match entertainment has definitely disappeared at Stamford Bridge.
Imagine how previous Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho would have responded had he seen Everton equalise in the final minute with their first effort on target.
He would have condemned the opposition for playing the first 45 minutes with five in midfield. Criticised them for defending too deep. Accused them, even, of "parking the bus".
It might not have been fair but the 'Special One' has never been big on rational thought when he plays the victim. Just ask a certain 12-year-old schoolboy in Portugal.
Grant reacts rather more passively, however.
"It was disappointing to drop two points," he said. "Especially after the number of chances we created. Except for the result, though, I'm happy."
He thought the football was every bit as sexy as he has promised since taking charge, which prompted the obvious question.
Was he watching the game or does he simply shut his eyes for 90 minutes and hope for the best?
His programme notes pointed to the latter, given that he described that recent Carling Cup encounter with Leicester as a game that "must have been amazing to watch".
Chelsea should have won this relatively one- sided contest and their failure to do so had as much to do with a lack of urgency as a brilliant defensive display from the visitors.
An Everton display that was memorable for one save in particular from Tim Howard and a performance from Joleon Lescott that would have encouraged a watching Steve McClaren.
Centre-halves are proving hard to find for England's coach and the way Lescott coped with Didier Drogba yesterday was timely.
It was a shortage of defenders that ultimately cost Chelsea on this occasion.
As Mourinho discovered last season, trying to protect your goal in the absence of goalkeeper Petr Cech and captain John Terry can be difficult.
For Grant yesterday, the situation was actually even more distressing. Left back Ashley Cole was also missing - although only because he has just returned from injury - and when Ricardo Carvalho then collided with Aiyegbeni Yakubu and suffered what looks like a nasty back injury, Chelsea started to look vulnerable.
So vulnerable, in fact, that David Moyes took off his holding midfielder, Phil Neville, and switched to 4-4-2. 'It was a brave decision,' said the Everton boss.
It looked a little too brave when Drogba scored in the 70th minute, accelerating away from Lee Carsley to meet a Salomon Kalou corner with a terrific header at the near post.
But Moyes had sent on James McFadden as part of his tactical reshuffle and it paid off.
It was Scotland forward McFadden, after all, who drove the ball into the Chelsea penalty area and Tim Cahill who then held off Juliano Belletti before flicking the ball into the air and beating Carlo Cudicini with a spectacular bicycle kick.
"Fantastic goal," said Moyes, which it was.
Moyes and Cahill were less impressed with Michael Essien's reckless challenge on Leon Osman in the 67th minute.
"It wasn't the best," said Moyes, while Cahill noted that 'Ossie' was at least "still walking".
Cahill added: "He's known for a few dodgy tackles. I heard the crunch, so if he has gone in a bit high he will know it and he will apologise later."
It was actually one of Essien's less serious offences and deserved no more than the booking he received but it gave some indication of Chelsea's frustration against a determined opposition.
After Everton squandered the first decent chance of the game - when Steven Pienaar somehow failed to connect with a header from Osman that bounced invitingly across Chelsea's six-yard box - what chances there were fell to Chelsea.
Shaun Wright-Phillips had a shot blocked close to the line and when Belletti then crossed to the feet of Frank Lampard it required a magnificent one-handed save from Howard to deny the England midfielder.
Drogba was then guilty of committing an error not that dissimilar to Pienaar's. Wayne Bridge made a terrific run down the left, Wright-Phillips then drove the ball into the box and Drogba, like Everton's South African, failed to connect.
Everton then survived a vicious strike from Alex that was blocked by Tony Hibbert, but in the end could not stop the brilliant Drogba.
If Grant thought a fifth consecutive Premier League win was about to follow, Cahill had other ideas.
"It is difficult when you are missing four of your best defenders," said Grant, as a first League goal against Chelsea since September 23 then proved.
Mourinho would have been livid. If only Grant had been too. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wednesday, November 07, 2007
morning papers shalke away
The TimesNovember 7, 2007
Post, bar and Carlo Cudicini come to the aid of underfire ChelseaSchalke 0 Chelsea 0
Matt Hughes in Gelsenkirchen
As a self-styled aesthete, Avram Grant wants to make Chelsea the most attractive team in the world while continuing to win trophies, although he can be grateful that his players have not cast off the resilience instilled by his more pragmatic predecessor. The visiting team needed all their fortitude and considerable fortune last night to escape with a goalless draw that keeps them top of group B, needing only one win from their final two matches to reach the knockout phase.
How they retreated from the Rhineland intact is a mystery, however, as Schalke 04 hit the bar and a post, had two shots cleared off the line and were denied by good saves from two goalkeepers after Carlo Cudicini replaced Petr Cech, who hobbled off at half-time with a calf injury that will be examined today. For the first time in Grant’s 11-match reign as first-team coach, Chelsea were overrun, surprisingly so, given that their opponents had only five fit men on the bench because of injuries that have left them without a win in five matches.
Grant refused to condemn his players, however, saying: “It was not our best performance, but it was not a bad game for us. Everything is in our hands and I’m very happy with that.”
With Chelsea having dropped points in their first match against Rosenborg at Stamford Bridge, which proved to be José Mourinho’s last in charge, their position remains favourable, although they will have to improve considerably if they harbour hopes of winning the competition. Grant has stuck to the substance of Mourinho’s system while seeking to add more style, although both were absent last night in their worst performance of the season.
The impressive Ivan Rakitic was allowed to dominate midfield as Claude Makelele’s ageing legs appeared to be catching up with him, while Gerald Asamoah and Mesut Ozil gave Wayne Bridge and Juliano Belletti a torrid time on the flanks, though in mitigation Florent Malouda and Joe Cole offered precious little protection. Even Frank Lampard was anonymous on another difficult trip to the AufSchalke Arena, with Didier Drogba and Ricardo Carvalho the only outfield players to perform anywhere near their potential.
Chelsea began with the confidence that one would expect from a side who have won seven successive matches but, in between Manuel Neuer’s saves from Drogba in the sixth and 42nd minutes, found themselves on the back foot. Belletti attacks like a true Brazilian, as he demonstrated with his wonderful goal against Wigan Athletic, but unfortunately he defends like one, too. The former Barcelona full back’s desire to get forward left space at the back that enabled Schalke to take control, with Cech making good saves from Ozil and Heiko Westermann in the space of a minute.
Such warning signs were not heeded as Schalke were allowed to pour forward with impunity. Westermann again got the better of Belletti and Cole to bring another brilliant save from Cech, Marcelo Bordon heading wide from the resultant corner, but it was a rare error from the goalkeeper that presented the home side with their best chance.
Cech’s failure to claim Rakitic’s right-wing corner led to a goalmouth scramble in which he picked up the calf injury, the danger finally being averted when Belletti cleared Westermann’s shot off the line.
Chelsea’s problems increased when Cech was deemed unfit to continue after the interval, leaving Cudicini to keep a labouring team level. Rakitic caused most of the problems, playing a wonderful through-pass to Ozil only to watch the Germany Under21 midfield player shoot straight at the goalkeeper, before being denied by Cudicini himself with a good save at his near post.
With his side under siege, Grant responded with a positive substitution reminiscent of Mourinho, bringing on John Obi Mikel and moving Michael Essien to right back, and the latter made a crucial contribution when he headed Soren Larsen’s shot off the line after Rafinho had hit the bar. Peter Løvenkrands, a substitute, finally beat Cudicini but saw his shot rebound off the inside of a post late on, summing up Schalke’s misfortune.
Chelsea can make amends by beating Rosenborg in three weeks’ time, though given the freezing temperatures expected in Trondheim, Grant’s beautiful game may have to wait.
Group B
Schalke 04 (4-2-3-1): M Neuer – Rafinha, M Bordon, M Krstajic, H Westermann – J Jones, Z Bajramovic – G Asamoah, I Rakitic, M Ozil (sub: P Løvenkrands, 60min) – S Larsen. Substitutes not used: M Schober, C Grossmüller, B Howedes, M Azaouagh. Booked: Rakitic.
Chelsea (4-3-3): P Cech (sub: C Cudicini, 46) – J Belletti (sub: J O Mikel, 64), R Carvalho, Alex, W Bridge – M Essien, C Makelele, F Lampard – J Cole, D Drogba, F Malouda (sub: S Wright-Phillips, 79). Substitutes not used: A Shevchenko, C Pizarro, S Kalou, T Ben Haim.
Referee: M Busacca (Switzerland). ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Telegraph:
Chelsea lucky to escape with a pointBy John Ley in Gelsenkirchen
Schalke (0) 0 Chelsea (0) 0
An uncharacteristically disjointed performance under the roof of the Arena AufSchalke cost Chelsea the chance to confirm qualification for the knockout stages last night. With Rosenborg winning in Valencia, a Chelsea victory would have guaranteed their passage. Instead they left grateful for the point that keeps them at the head of Group B following a woeful performance.
Unlucky Schalke struck the woodwork and saw two chances cleared off the line as they dominated for most of the game. Yet Chelsea should still qualify; they need one win from their final two games - away to Rosenborg followed by the visit of Valencia - to progress for the fifth season in succession. The draw, though, brought to an end a sequence of seven straight victories under the careful stewardship of Avram Grant.
Worryingly for Chelsea, goalkeeper Petr Cech failed to emerge for the second half after injuring a calf in an early collision. With John Terry and Ashley Cole still sidelined, Chelsea will eagerly await results of a scan today.
Perhaps this poor display will act as a wake-up call for the new Chelsea. After such an inspirational run under Grant, this was his worst performance, yet still Chelsea took a valuable point. As Jose Mourinho would often point out, the key to long-term success is to ride occasional blips, so Sunday's visit of Everton provides a telling test
Of more concern will be the lacklustre performances of Joe Cole, recalled after a two-game rest, and Frank Lampard. Add an uncharacteristically poor display from the recalled Claude Makelele, and there is cause for concern, even if Grant preferred to look at the positives.
Schalke have suffered in recent weeks but the atmosphere belied their poor run; a sea of blue greeted the players, the stadium rocking to Status Quo.
If Roman Abramovich had his way, Chelsea would be rocking all over the world, but for now they will settle for an extended run in Europe in search of their holy grail and they remain on course, even if they must show a huge improvement in the cold of Trondheim in a fortnight. The early signs, though, were encouraging; just as in London when goalkeeper Manuel Neuer erred for Florent Malouda's early goal, so Mladen Krstajic slipped to offer Chelsea their first chance.
The defender gave the ball away, Michael Essien took advantage and threaded it to Cole, whose pass presented Didier Drogba with the kind of one-on-one chance he relishes. This time Neuer reacted well, deflecting the ball wide off his legs. From the corner, Juliano Belletti headed narrowly over.
When the Germans threatened in the opening exchanges, Chelsea's confidence shone through their goalkeeper. Mesut Ozil forced space, in the 19th minute, but Cech was down quickly to hold the low shot with ease. Another speculative attempt, from Heiko Westermann, forced Cech to parry clear for a corner and then Soren Larsen headed into the side netting.
But Schalke continued to improve and Cech was needed again, pushing aside another attempt by Westermann.
The pressure continued and a rare slip by Ricardo Carvalho almost let in Larson but the Portuguese defender responded with a telling second challenge. And, in the 28th minute, Chelsea almost conceded when Cech, who appeared to be impeded, dropped the ball to Westermann, whose goal-bound shot was hooked off the line by Belletti.
Cole had been quiet but, in the 42nd minute, he made a terrific run before freeing Drogba, but again the Ivorian was thwarted by Neuer when he should have scored. Lampard added a chance of his own, shooting wide just before the whistle sounded.
Carlo Cudicini came on for only his third appearance of the season and he was soon tested. In the 51st minute a tremendous pass from Ivan Rakitic found Ozil, who beat Makelele easily but then shot straight at the goalkeeper. And, in the 58th, Rakitic drove in a low, hard shot which Cudicini did well to push around his right-hand post.
In the 73rd minute Chelsea survived again when Marcio Rafinha rattled the bar from the right flank and, from the rebound, Larsen shot towards goal only for Essien to clear off the line.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Indy:
Schalke 04 0 Chelsea 0: Cech injured as Chelsea hang on for grim draw
By Jason Burt at the Arena AufSchalke
Just as Avram could be forgiven for taking management for Grant-ed; a stern footballing lesson. This was substandard in every aspect from Chelsea – apart from the result. As the temperature plummeted, a minus performance.
And when Peter Lovenkrands raced past Michael Essien, a make-shift right-back to replace the woeful Juliano Belletti, in the 88th minute, hearts were in mouths. The Dane's shot was fierce and beat Carlo Cudicini but cannoned back off the far post. If he had scored, then who knows? Chelsea's qualification for the knockout stages would have been far more in the balance.
An eighth successive win for Chelsea would have secured their passage. But it was an evening to forgot – especially for the Brazilian defenders Alex and Belletti, while Wayne Bridge walked away accused of elbowing an opponent in frustration. Chelsea may also have to contend with the loss of Petr Cech. The goalkeeper damaged his calf in a first-half scramble and had to be replaced by Cudicini.
"He couldn't continue. How bad is the injury? We'll have to see," Grant said.
The damage could have been far worse had Schalke taken their chances. It certainly makes Chelsea's next encounter, away to Rosenborg, who were victorious in Valencia, a little tastier.
"We wanted to win but it was not easy," Grant said. "A draw for them wasn't good enough so it wasn't a bad result, although it wasn't our best game. After so many good games in a short time we can play a game that is not at the high level. We are still in first place. We started the tournament not very well, but it's still in our hands."
As early as the sixth minute, Didier Drogba almost scored but his shot was pushed away by Manuel Neuer and from then on Chelsea struggled.
It was another Dane, the Schalke striker Soren Larsen, who caught the eye. Twice he cut inside Belletti only for Cech to push away his shots while, from one of a series of corners, Marcelo Bordon stole in front of Drogba but headed over. He should have scored.
The pressure rose. Cech flapped at another corner, the ball fell to Larsen, again, and he hooked it goalwards only for Florent Malouda to clear off the line while Ricardo Carvalho, charging back, dispossessed Mesut Ozil.
Chelsea were in desperate need of respite and almost secured it when Joe Cole squeezed a pass to Drogba. Through again, his shot cannoned off Neuer's chest. Cudicini, soon after his arrival, performed a similar save from Ozil and the second-half pattern took on an even more lop-sided feel. Schalke attacked, Chelsea retreated and, from one more corner, Cudicini was alert to prevent Ivan Rakitic's fierce inswinging shot from dipping inside the near post.
By now, the alarm bells were not so much ringing, as rapidly increasing in decibels. In defence Chelsea were ragged, as yet another cross was bounced along the six-yard area before Cudicini was deceived by Rafinha's lob. And then Lovenkrands almost won it at the death. But Chelsea escaped. "It wasn't a bad game for us," Grant said. However, it was certainly a bad performance.
Schalke (4-2-3-1): Neuer; Rafinha, Krstajic, Bordon, Westermann; Bajramaovic, Jones; Ozil (Lovenkrands, 60), Rakitic, Asamoah; Larsen. Substitutes not used: Schober (gk), Grossmüller, Howedes, Azaouagh.
Chelsea (4-3-3): Cech (Cudicini, 46); Belletti (Mikel, 64), Alex, Carvalho, Bridge; Essien, Makelele, Lampard; J Cole, Drogba, Malouda (Wright-Phillips, 78). Substitutes not used: Shevchenko, Pizarro, Kalou, Ben Haim.
Referee: M Busacca (Italy).
Results: Chelsea 1 Rosenborg 1; Schalke 04 0 Valencia 1; Rosenborg 0 Schalke 04 2; Valencia 1 Chelsea 2; Chelsea 2 Schalke 04 0; Rosenborg 2 Valencia 0; Schalke 04 0 Chelsea 0; Valencia 0 Rosenborg 2.
Remaining fixtures: 28 November: Rosenborg v Chelsea; Valencia v Schalke 04. 11 December: Chelsea v Valencia; Schalke 04 v Rosenborg.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Stumbling Chelsea do just enough as Cech limps off
Dominic Fifield at the Arena AufSchalke
The Guardian
Chelsea have thrilled in recent weeks, but the scintillating has now been pursued by the unsettling. A seven-game winning streak lurched to an end last night in shivering stalemate in the Rhineland, with the visitors fortunate to emerge even with a point, so horribly stretched were they at times by an average Schalke side.The draw has edged them to the verge of qualification, which will be confirmed with a win in either of their remaining group games, and Avram Grant will cling to that encouraging reality because so little of what he witnessed here can have offered satisfaction. The manager was in denial in the aftermath, insisting he was not disappointed with his team's defending and still hopeful that a calf injury sustained by Petr Cech would not prove too serious. Yet, on nights such as this, John Terry's absence is felt keenly across the Chelsea back line.
The clean sheet was deceptive, and Cech's possible absence is unnerving. Ricardo Carvalho tried manfully to marshal those around him but the visitors spluttered throughout. Schalke's profligacy has most likely cost them a place in the knockout phase, given Rosenborg's victory in Valencia. The hosts struck the woodwork twice through Rafinha and the substitute Peter Lovenkrands, and must still be cursing the thigh injury sustained during last week's defeat to the Bundesliga's bottom club, Energie Cottbus, by their Germany striker Kevin Kuranyi.Even so it was disturbing to witness Chelsea's uncharacteristic vulnerability. What chances they created were plucked on the break, Didier Drogba twice liberated by Joe Cole only to be denied by the home side's young goalkeeper, Manuel Neuer. At the back, they creaked alarmingly throughout.
It took time for the home side to pluck up the courage to venture forward, the Germans apparently braced for a battering which never matierialised, but they found rhythm as the game progressed. Chelsea were nothing other than sloppy, with the Brazilian Alex hardly inspiring confidence and Carvalho desperately attempting to hold the rearguard together. Yet nowhere were their frailties more exposed than at right-back.
Juliano Belletti may offer real punch when he joins the attack but he cut an increasingly desperate figure as a defender. His substitution just after the hour mark was merciful. The £4m signing from Barcelona was a mess of misplaced passes, half-hearted challenges and hands-on-hips huffing at his team-mates.
He presented Mesut Ozil and Heiko Westermann with time and space to spit two shots at goal within one first-half minute. When Westermann was again allowed to progress unchallenged down the channel nominally guarded by the Brazilian, Cech had to tip a swirling shot behind. That Belletti recovered some of his composure to scramble Westermann's shot from the goalline after Cech had seen the ball slip from his grasp, in the challenge when he sustained his injury, could not mask the full-back's clear deficiencies.
Cech departed on crutches and will undergo a scan at Cobham today to ascertain the extent of his injury. "I don't know how serious it is," said Grant. "All I know is that, when I asked the doctor at half-time whether or not he could continue, he said he couldn't."
Carlo Cudicini saw Rafinha loft a cross-shot on to the bar, the emergency right-back Michael Essien nodding the rebound from the line, and Lovenkrands dragged a shot on to the far post when he should have converted. Quite how Marcelo Bordon and Gerald Asamoah missed from in front of goal remains a mystery.
Grant conceded that this was "not our best game". It was undoubtedly the worst of his 11-match reign. "But, after so many games at such a high level, we can have one that is not so good," he added. "Everything is still in our own hands."---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Mail:
Schalke shaker as Chelsea hang on in Jose's shadow but lose CechSCHALKE 0 CHELSEA 0
By NEIL ASHTON in Gelsenkirchen
Avram Grant arrived at the Auf-Shalke Arena with seven successive victories, featuring 19 goals, and players beginning to talk of winning the Champions League. But the shadow of Jose Mourinho remains.
A little over three years ago, in this stadium, Mourinho outwitted Monaco and secured the European Cup for Porto with a handsome 3-0 victory.
Well, Chelsea could have played until next week and they would still not have scored here.
Rolling over the chocolate soldiers of Leicester, Manchester City, Middlesbrough and Bolton is the minimum requirement for any Chelsea manager.
Having the tactical nous to outwit the best teams in European is another.
Chelsea are only ever one game away from a crisis and this was as close as it has come under their Israeli manager.
Grant, and his team, had no answers to Schalke's enterprising display. Neither did Henk Ten Cate, the fabled Dutch coach brought into lead them to European Cup glory and beyond.
Schalke were superb, Chelsea were shocking. Yes, it really was that bad.
Struggling to make an impact in the Bundesliga after losing their last four games, they surrendered early territorial advantage but they refused to surrender the tie.
Mirko Slomka's side had been reduced by injury — he could only name five substitutes — but they wanted to hit Chelsea where it hurts — on the break and at breakneck speed.
Alex, so impressive at the heart of Chelsea's defence in recent weeks, gave away two clumsy fouls on the edge of the box in the opening 10 minutes but Schalke could not find a way past Petr Cech from two free-kicks outside the box.
Grant's side, on the verge of progressing to the last 16, were nervous. Despite stringing five across their midfield, Chelsea threatened to push the panic button.
Joe Cole, restored to the right in place of Shaun Wright- Phillips, looked like a lost soul at times and Florent Malouda was missing the magic touch.
Jermaine Jones provided the ring of steel in front of Schalke's defence and he attached himself to Lampard like glue. Wherever the Chelsea skipper went, so did Jones.
It has taken six years, but maybe someone has finally worked out how to play the midfielder. Some gameplan, but Schalke should have sneaked ahead.
They were magnificent on the break, flooding past Chelsea's fluorescent shirts and threatening the usually reliable Cech.
Didier Drogba had been denied the opening goal when Manuel Neuer pushed the Chelsea's striker's effort around the post but then Schalke, beaten 2-0 at Stamford Bridge last month, settled into their stride.
Cech saw Heiko Westermann's effort late and did well to turn the left-back's effort around the post, but the onslaught had only just begun.
Soren Larsen, preferred up front to former Rangers striker Peter Lovenkrands, hit the side netting midway through the first half and Westermann had another effort beaten out by Cech.
It was stirring stuff from a team struggling to kick start their season in the Bundesliga and Chelsea had clearly underestimated them.
Chelsea could barely muster a shot. Drogba shot wildly over the crossbar — more in frustration than with any realistic prospect of find a way past Neuer — but it summed up Chelsea's performance.
They were rattled, no doubt about it. Juliano Belletti, who scored at Wigan last weekend with a magnificent effort with the outside of his right boot, struggled to contain the runs of Mesut Ozil.
Cole, on the right and with licence to raid down the wing whenever Chelsea were in possession, took time to settle. When he did, he was electric.
He slipped the ball into the path of Belletti to cross in the closing stages of the first half, but the Chelsea full back failed to find his target.
Chelsea had finally found the chinks in Schalke's armoury, but they could not beat Neuer. Drogba's effort was straight at the keeper's chest and Lampard, who had scored four times in his previous two games, sent a left foot effort wide of the target.
Chelsea emerged after the break with Cudicini in goal. Chelsea officials claimed Cech may have injured his calf muscle in the first half.
Cudicini is an adequate replacement but Schalke were quick to test the substitute keeper. Whenever they had the ball, they attacked with pace down both wings and threatened to break Chelsea's resistance.
Belletti, who scored the winning goal for Barcelona in the final two years ago, never quite got to grips with Ozil. The Schalke winger must wish he played against Belletti every week and he turned his man time and again. Chelsea were in bits, struggling to find their rhythm and struggling to find a way to stop Schalke's rampaging runs.
Claude Makelele, once the warrior in the Chelsea team, gave the ball away too easily in midfield and the bulldozer Michael Essien was too sluggish to stop Schalke pouring forward.
In the end, they were queueing up to test Cudicini. Rakitic's effort was turned around the post and Rafinha's lob came back off the crossbar.
Post, bar and Carlo Cudicini come to the aid of underfire ChelseaSchalke 0 Chelsea 0
Matt Hughes in Gelsenkirchen
As a self-styled aesthete, Avram Grant wants to make Chelsea the most attractive team in the world while continuing to win trophies, although he can be grateful that his players have not cast off the resilience instilled by his more pragmatic predecessor. The visiting team needed all their fortitude and considerable fortune last night to escape with a goalless draw that keeps them top of group B, needing only one win from their final two matches to reach the knockout phase.
How they retreated from the Rhineland intact is a mystery, however, as Schalke 04 hit the bar and a post, had two shots cleared off the line and were denied by good saves from two goalkeepers after Carlo Cudicini replaced Petr Cech, who hobbled off at half-time with a calf injury that will be examined today. For the first time in Grant’s 11-match reign as first-team coach, Chelsea were overrun, surprisingly so, given that their opponents had only five fit men on the bench because of injuries that have left them without a win in five matches.
Grant refused to condemn his players, however, saying: “It was not our best performance, but it was not a bad game for us. Everything is in our hands and I’m very happy with that.”
With Chelsea having dropped points in their first match against Rosenborg at Stamford Bridge, which proved to be José Mourinho’s last in charge, their position remains favourable, although they will have to improve considerably if they harbour hopes of winning the competition. Grant has stuck to the substance of Mourinho’s system while seeking to add more style, although both were absent last night in their worst performance of the season.
The impressive Ivan Rakitic was allowed to dominate midfield as Claude Makelele’s ageing legs appeared to be catching up with him, while Gerald Asamoah and Mesut Ozil gave Wayne Bridge and Juliano Belletti a torrid time on the flanks, though in mitigation Florent Malouda and Joe Cole offered precious little protection. Even Frank Lampard was anonymous on another difficult trip to the AufSchalke Arena, with Didier Drogba and Ricardo Carvalho the only outfield players to perform anywhere near their potential.
Chelsea began with the confidence that one would expect from a side who have won seven successive matches but, in between Manuel Neuer’s saves from Drogba in the sixth and 42nd minutes, found themselves on the back foot. Belletti attacks like a true Brazilian, as he demonstrated with his wonderful goal against Wigan Athletic, but unfortunately he defends like one, too. The former Barcelona full back’s desire to get forward left space at the back that enabled Schalke to take control, with Cech making good saves from Ozil and Heiko Westermann in the space of a minute.
Such warning signs were not heeded as Schalke were allowed to pour forward with impunity. Westermann again got the better of Belletti and Cole to bring another brilliant save from Cech, Marcelo Bordon heading wide from the resultant corner, but it was a rare error from the goalkeeper that presented the home side with their best chance.
Cech’s failure to claim Rakitic’s right-wing corner led to a goalmouth scramble in which he picked up the calf injury, the danger finally being averted when Belletti cleared Westermann’s shot off the line.
Chelsea’s problems increased when Cech was deemed unfit to continue after the interval, leaving Cudicini to keep a labouring team level. Rakitic caused most of the problems, playing a wonderful through-pass to Ozil only to watch the Germany Under21 midfield player shoot straight at the goalkeeper, before being denied by Cudicini himself with a good save at his near post.
With his side under siege, Grant responded with a positive substitution reminiscent of Mourinho, bringing on John Obi Mikel and moving Michael Essien to right back, and the latter made a crucial contribution when he headed Soren Larsen’s shot off the line after Rafinho had hit the bar. Peter Løvenkrands, a substitute, finally beat Cudicini but saw his shot rebound off the inside of a post late on, summing up Schalke’s misfortune.
Chelsea can make amends by beating Rosenborg in three weeks’ time, though given the freezing temperatures expected in Trondheim, Grant’s beautiful game may have to wait.
Group B
Schalke 04 (4-2-3-1): M Neuer – Rafinha, M Bordon, M Krstajic, H Westermann – J Jones, Z Bajramovic – G Asamoah, I Rakitic, M Ozil (sub: P Løvenkrands, 60min) – S Larsen. Substitutes not used: M Schober, C Grossmüller, B Howedes, M Azaouagh. Booked: Rakitic.
Chelsea (4-3-3): P Cech (sub: C Cudicini, 46) – J Belletti (sub: J O Mikel, 64), R Carvalho, Alex, W Bridge – M Essien, C Makelele, F Lampard – J Cole, D Drogba, F Malouda (sub: S Wright-Phillips, 79). Substitutes not used: A Shevchenko, C Pizarro, S Kalou, T Ben Haim.
Referee: M Busacca (Switzerland). ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Telegraph:
Chelsea lucky to escape with a pointBy John Ley in Gelsenkirchen
Schalke (0) 0 Chelsea (0) 0
An uncharacteristically disjointed performance under the roof of the Arena AufSchalke cost Chelsea the chance to confirm qualification for the knockout stages last night. With Rosenborg winning in Valencia, a Chelsea victory would have guaranteed their passage. Instead they left grateful for the point that keeps them at the head of Group B following a woeful performance.
Unlucky Schalke struck the woodwork and saw two chances cleared off the line as they dominated for most of the game. Yet Chelsea should still qualify; they need one win from their final two games - away to Rosenborg followed by the visit of Valencia - to progress for the fifth season in succession. The draw, though, brought to an end a sequence of seven straight victories under the careful stewardship of Avram Grant.
Worryingly for Chelsea, goalkeeper Petr Cech failed to emerge for the second half after injuring a calf in an early collision. With John Terry and Ashley Cole still sidelined, Chelsea will eagerly await results of a scan today.
Perhaps this poor display will act as a wake-up call for the new Chelsea. After such an inspirational run under Grant, this was his worst performance, yet still Chelsea took a valuable point. As Jose Mourinho would often point out, the key to long-term success is to ride occasional blips, so Sunday's visit of Everton provides a telling test
Of more concern will be the lacklustre performances of Joe Cole, recalled after a two-game rest, and Frank Lampard. Add an uncharacteristically poor display from the recalled Claude Makelele, and there is cause for concern, even if Grant preferred to look at the positives.
Schalke have suffered in recent weeks but the atmosphere belied their poor run; a sea of blue greeted the players, the stadium rocking to Status Quo.
If Roman Abramovich had his way, Chelsea would be rocking all over the world, but for now they will settle for an extended run in Europe in search of their holy grail and they remain on course, even if they must show a huge improvement in the cold of Trondheim in a fortnight. The early signs, though, were encouraging; just as in London when goalkeeper Manuel Neuer erred for Florent Malouda's early goal, so Mladen Krstajic slipped to offer Chelsea their first chance.
The defender gave the ball away, Michael Essien took advantage and threaded it to Cole, whose pass presented Didier Drogba with the kind of one-on-one chance he relishes. This time Neuer reacted well, deflecting the ball wide off his legs. From the corner, Juliano Belletti headed narrowly over.
When the Germans threatened in the opening exchanges, Chelsea's confidence shone through their goalkeeper. Mesut Ozil forced space, in the 19th minute, but Cech was down quickly to hold the low shot with ease. Another speculative attempt, from Heiko Westermann, forced Cech to parry clear for a corner and then Soren Larsen headed into the side netting.
But Schalke continued to improve and Cech was needed again, pushing aside another attempt by Westermann.
The pressure continued and a rare slip by Ricardo Carvalho almost let in Larson but the Portuguese defender responded with a telling second challenge. And, in the 28th minute, Chelsea almost conceded when Cech, who appeared to be impeded, dropped the ball to Westermann, whose goal-bound shot was hooked off the line by Belletti.
Cole had been quiet but, in the 42nd minute, he made a terrific run before freeing Drogba, but again the Ivorian was thwarted by Neuer when he should have scored. Lampard added a chance of his own, shooting wide just before the whistle sounded.
Carlo Cudicini came on for only his third appearance of the season and he was soon tested. In the 51st minute a tremendous pass from Ivan Rakitic found Ozil, who beat Makelele easily but then shot straight at the goalkeeper. And, in the 58th, Rakitic drove in a low, hard shot which Cudicini did well to push around his right-hand post.
In the 73rd minute Chelsea survived again when Marcio Rafinha rattled the bar from the right flank and, from the rebound, Larsen shot towards goal only for Essien to clear off the line.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Indy:
Schalke 04 0 Chelsea 0: Cech injured as Chelsea hang on for grim draw
By Jason Burt at the Arena AufSchalke
Just as Avram could be forgiven for taking management for Grant-ed; a stern footballing lesson. This was substandard in every aspect from Chelsea – apart from the result. As the temperature plummeted, a minus performance.
And when Peter Lovenkrands raced past Michael Essien, a make-shift right-back to replace the woeful Juliano Belletti, in the 88th minute, hearts were in mouths. The Dane's shot was fierce and beat Carlo Cudicini but cannoned back off the far post. If he had scored, then who knows? Chelsea's qualification for the knockout stages would have been far more in the balance.
An eighth successive win for Chelsea would have secured their passage. But it was an evening to forgot – especially for the Brazilian defenders Alex and Belletti, while Wayne Bridge walked away accused of elbowing an opponent in frustration. Chelsea may also have to contend with the loss of Petr Cech. The goalkeeper damaged his calf in a first-half scramble and had to be replaced by Cudicini.
"He couldn't continue. How bad is the injury? We'll have to see," Grant said.
The damage could have been far worse had Schalke taken their chances. It certainly makes Chelsea's next encounter, away to Rosenborg, who were victorious in Valencia, a little tastier.
"We wanted to win but it was not easy," Grant said. "A draw for them wasn't good enough so it wasn't a bad result, although it wasn't our best game. After so many good games in a short time we can play a game that is not at the high level. We are still in first place. We started the tournament not very well, but it's still in our hands."
As early as the sixth minute, Didier Drogba almost scored but his shot was pushed away by Manuel Neuer and from then on Chelsea struggled.
It was another Dane, the Schalke striker Soren Larsen, who caught the eye. Twice he cut inside Belletti only for Cech to push away his shots while, from one of a series of corners, Marcelo Bordon stole in front of Drogba but headed over. He should have scored.
The pressure rose. Cech flapped at another corner, the ball fell to Larsen, again, and he hooked it goalwards only for Florent Malouda to clear off the line while Ricardo Carvalho, charging back, dispossessed Mesut Ozil.
Chelsea were in desperate need of respite and almost secured it when Joe Cole squeezed a pass to Drogba. Through again, his shot cannoned off Neuer's chest. Cudicini, soon after his arrival, performed a similar save from Ozil and the second-half pattern took on an even more lop-sided feel. Schalke attacked, Chelsea retreated and, from one more corner, Cudicini was alert to prevent Ivan Rakitic's fierce inswinging shot from dipping inside the near post.
By now, the alarm bells were not so much ringing, as rapidly increasing in decibels. In defence Chelsea were ragged, as yet another cross was bounced along the six-yard area before Cudicini was deceived by Rafinha's lob. And then Lovenkrands almost won it at the death. But Chelsea escaped. "It wasn't a bad game for us," Grant said. However, it was certainly a bad performance.
Schalke (4-2-3-1): Neuer; Rafinha, Krstajic, Bordon, Westermann; Bajramaovic, Jones; Ozil (Lovenkrands, 60), Rakitic, Asamoah; Larsen. Substitutes not used: Schober (gk), Grossmüller, Howedes, Azaouagh.
Chelsea (4-3-3): Cech (Cudicini, 46); Belletti (Mikel, 64), Alex, Carvalho, Bridge; Essien, Makelele, Lampard; J Cole, Drogba, Malouda (Wright-Phillips, 78). Substitutes not used: Shevchenko, Pizarro, Kalou, Ben Haim.
Referee: M Busacca (Italy).
Results: Chelsea 1 Rosenborg 1; Schalke 04 0 Valencia 1; Rosenborg 0 Schalke 04 2; Valencia 1 Chelsea 2; Chelsea 2 Schalke 04 0; Rosenborg 2 Valencia 0; Schalke 04 0 Chelsea 0; Valencia 0 Rosenborg 2.
Remaining fixtures: 28 November: Rosenborg v Chelsea; Valencia v Schalke 04. 11 December: Chelsea v Valencia; Schalke 04 v Rosenborg.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Stumbling Chelsea do just enough as Cech limps off
Dominic Fifield at the Arena AufSchalke
The Guardian
Chelsea have thrilled in recent weeks, but the scintillating has now been pursued by the unsettling. A seven-game winning streak lurched to an end last night in shivering stalemate in the Rhineland, with the visitors fortunate to emerge even with a point, so horribly stretched were they at times by an average Schalke side.The draw has edged them to the verge of qualification, which will be confirmed with a win in either of their remaining group games, and Avram Grant will cling to that encouraging reality because so little of what he witnessed here can have offered satisfaction. The manager was in denial in the aftermath, insisting he was not disappointed with his team's defending and still hopeful that a calf injury sustained by Petr Cech would not prove too serious. Yet, on nights such as this, John Terry's absence is felt keenly across the Chelsea back line.
The clean sheet was deceptive, and Cech's possible absence is unnerving. Ricardo Carvalho tried manfully to marshal those around him but the visitors spluttered throughout. Schalke's profligacy has most likely cost them a place in the knockout phase, given Rosenborg's victory in Valencia. The hosts struck the woodwork twice through Rafinha and the substitute Peter Lovenkrands, and must still be cursing the thigh injury sustained during last week's defeat to the Bundesliga's bottom club, Energie Cottbus, by their Germany striker Kevin Kuranyi.Even so it was disturbing to witness Chelsea's uncharacteristic vulnerability. What chances they created were plucked on the break, Didier Drogba twice liberated by Joe Cole only to be denied by the home side's young goalkeeper, Manuel Neuer. At the back, they creaked alarmingly throughout.
It took time for the home side to pluck up the courage to venture forward, the Germans apparently braced for a battering which never matierialised, but they found rhythm as the game progressed. Chelsea were nothing other than sloppy, with the Brazilian Alex hardly inspiring confidence and Carvalho desperately attempting to hold the rearguard together. Yet nowhere were their frailties more exposed than at right-back.
Juliano Belletti may offer real punch when he joins the attack but he cut an increasingly desperate figure as a defender. His substitution just after the hour mark was merciful. The £4m signing from Barcelona was a mess of misplaced passes, half-hearted challenges and hands-on-hips huffing at his team-mates.
He presented Mesut Ozil and Heiko Westermann with time and space to spit two shots at goal within one first-half minute. When Westermann was again allowed to progress unchallenged down the channel nominally guarded by the Brazilian, Cech had to tip a swirling shot behind. That Belletti recovered some of his composure to scramble Westermann's shot from the goalline after Cech had seen the ball slip from his grasp, in the challenge when he sustained his injury, could not mask the full-back's clear deficiencies.
Cech departed on crutches and will undergo a scan at Cobham today to ascertain the extent of his injury. "I don't know how serious it is," said Grant. "All I know is that, when I asked the doctor at half-time whether or not he could continue, he said he couldn't."
Carlo Cudicini saw Rafinha loft a cross-shot on to the bar, the emergency right-back Michael Essien nodding the rebound from the line, and Lovenkrands dragged a shot on to the far post when he should have converted. Quite how Marcelo Bordon and Gerald Asamoah missed from in front of goal remains a mystery.
Grant conceded that this was "not our best game". It was undoubtedly the worst of his 11-match reign. "But, after so many games at such a high level, we can have one that is not so good," he added. "Everything is still in our own hands."---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Mail:
Schalke shaker as Chelsea hang on in Jose's shadow but lose CechSCHALKE 0 CHELSEA 0
By NEIL ASHTON in Gelsenkirchen
Avram Grant arrived at the Auf-Shalke Arena with seven successive victories, featuring 19 goals, and players beginning to talk of winning the Champions League. But the shadow of Jose Mourinho remains.
A little over three years ago, in this stadium, Mourinho outwitted Monaco and secured the European Cup for Porto with a handsome 3-0 victory.
Well, Chelsea could have played until next week and they would still not have scored here.
Rolling over the chocolate soldiers of Leicester, Manchester City, Middlesbrough and Bolton is the minimum requirement for any Chelsea manager.
Having the tactical nous to outwit the best teams in European is another.
Chelsea are only ever one game away from a crisis and this was as close as it has come under their Israeli manager.
Grant, and his team, had no answers to Schalke's enterprising display. Neither did Henk Ten Cate, the fabled Dutch coach brought into lead them to European Cup glory and beyond.
Schalke were superb, Chelsea were shocking. Yes, it really was that bad.
Struggling to make an impact in the Bundesliga after losing their last four games, they surrendered early territorial advantage but they refused to surrender the tie.
Mirko Slomka's side had been reduced by injury — he could only name five substitutes — but they wanted to hit Chelsea where it hurts — on the break and at breakneck speed.
Alex, so impressive at the heart of Chelsea's defence in recent weeks, gave away two clumsy fouls on the edge of the box in the opening 10 minutes but Schalke could not find a way past Petr Cech from two free-kicks outside the box.
Grant's side, on the verge of progressing to the last 16, were nervous. Despite stringing five across their midfield, Chelsea threatened to push the panic button.
Joe Cole, restored to the right in place of Shaun Wright- Phillips, looked like a lost soul at times and Florent Malouda was missing the magic touch.
Jermaine Jones provided the ring of steel in front of Schalke's defence and he attached himself to Lampard like glue. Wherever the Chelsea skipper went, so did Jones.
It has taken six years, but maybe someone has finally worked out how to play the midfielder. Some gameplan, but Schalke should have sneaked ahead.
They were magnificent on the break, flooding past Chelsea's fluorescent shirts and threatening the usually reliable Cech.
Didier Drogba had been denied the opening goal when Manuel Neuer pushed the Chelsea's striker's effort around the post but then Schalke, beaten 2-0 at Stamford Bridge last month, settled into their stride.
Cech saw Heiko Westermann's effort late and did well to turn the left-back's effort around the post, but the onslaught had only just begun.
Soren Larsen, preferred up front to former Rangers striker Peter Lovenkrands, hit the side netting midway through the first half and Westermann had another effort beaten out by Cech.
It was stirring stuff from a team struggling to kick start their season in the Bundesliga and Chelsea had clearly underestimated them.
Chelsea could barely muster a shot. Drogba shot wildly over the crossbar — more in frustration than with any realistic prospect of find a way past Neuer — but it summed up Chelsea's performance.
They were rattled, no doubt about it. Juliano Belletti, who scored at Wigan last weekend with a magnificent effort with the outside of his right boot, struggled to contain the runs of Mesut Ozil.
Cole, on the right and with licence to raid down the wing whenever Chelsea were in possession, took time to settle. When he did, he was electric.
He slipped the ball into the path of Belletti to cross in the closing stages of the first half, but the Chelsea full back failed to find his target.
Chelsea had finally found the chinks in Schalke's armoury, but they could not beat Neuer. Drogba's effort was straight at the keeper's chest and Lampard, who had scored four times in his previous two games, sent a left foot effort wide of the target.
Chelsea emerged after the break with Cudicini in goal. Chelsea officials claimed Cech may have injured his calf muscle in the first half.
Cudicini is an adequate replacement but Schalke were quick to test the substitute keeper. Whenever they had the ball, they attacked with pace down both wings and threatened to break Chelsea's resistance.
Belletti, who scored the winning goal for Barcelona in the final two years ago, never quite got to grips with Ozil. The Schalke winger must wish he played against Belletti every week and he turned his man time and again. Chelsea were in bits, struggling to find their rhythm and struggling to find a way to stop Schalke's rampaging runs.
Claude Makelele, once the warrior in the Chelsea team, gave the ball away too easily in midfield and the bulldozer Michael Essien was too sluggish to stop Schalke pouring forward.
In the end, they were queueing up to test Cudicini. Rakitic's effort was turned around the post and Rafinha's lob came back off the crossbar.
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