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.