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The TimesDecember 12, 2007
Avram Grant favours his tried and tested in quest to preserve momentumChelsea 0 Valencia 0Alyson Rudd
Chelsea achieved the landmark of a half-century of matches without defeat at Stamford Bridge and Avram Grant, their first-team coach, could boast a 16-game unbeaten run after he opted to show Valencia precisely why his team qualified as group winners with a match to spare for the knockout stage of the Champions League. It was lively fare, but perplexing; Valencia barely resembled a side that had something to play for. Chelsea by contrast managed to enjoy themselves without putting their home record in peril.
“We deserved 5-0,” Grant said. That they scored no goals serves only to underline how much his team miss Didier Drogba, who underwent a knee operation on Saturday. In some respects Grant wanted the best of both worlds last night. He wanted to continue his unbeaten run, but he also felt the need to haul off Andriy Shevchenko and Frank Lampard to rest them for the match away to Arsenal in the Barclays Premier League on Sunday.
There might have been a few Chelsea fans who trudged rather than marched to the ground concerned that the tie could represent Chelsea going through the motions. But the team were in celebratory mood, keen to stamp their credentials on a competition that they so badly want to win.
They enter the next phase among the top seeds. “It’s a good feeling,” Grant said, and in some respects almost rubbed Valencia’s noses in the fact. A gulf few predicted emerged between the clubs, leaving Valencia playing for a place in the Uefa Cup, a place that they surrendered last night to Rosenborg.
Valencia looked stunned as Chelsea, from the whistle, attempted to scintillate. Cross-field passes were inch perfect, runs were clever and confidence was high. The sell-out crowd waved flags and the only person in need of pity was Steve Sidwell, who, having been chosen by the club to be the face of Chelsea’s mandatory Champions League media conference, must have assumed he would be given a rare opportunity to show Grant he ought to figure more prominently in his thoughts. In the end Grant decided in favour of continuity.
Valencia could not afford to let pride enter the equation, but with the giant screen flashing up the score between Schalke 04 and Rosenborg, the visiting side could be forgiven for feeling disheartened; they could not progress in Europe if Schalke won, which they did.
The highlight of the first half was Santiago Cañizares’s fabulous reaction save from Lampard’s powerful strike.
From Chelsea’s perspective what was particularly pleasing was the way Shevchenko appeared utterly relaxed and in tune with the runs of Shaun Wright-Phillips and the passing of Lampard and Michael Essien, even if he did squander a clear opportunity. David Villa, a Spain player and striker on many a manager’s Christmas wish list, forced a save from Petr Cech in the 42nd minute, but it was Cañizares who was giving the masterclass, denying Claudio Pizarro after the Peruvian had made a mesmeric run.
Valencia are on a pitiful run, having gone five matches without scoring. Just as Grant evidently thought winning brings its own momentum, Ronald Koeman, the Valencia manager, must have been concerned that his team had forgotten how to finish. His side certainly appeared tentative not only in front of goal, but also when building from midfield.
Grant made his mark as Chelsea first-team coach by showing clear faith in Joe Cole - Cole was the architect of Chelsea ’s victory at the Mestalla Stadium on October 3 – and Grant brought him on in the second half for Lampard. At this point Sidwell must have wondered if Grant had forgotten he was on the bench. Almost immediately Salomon Kalou thought he had scored but his effort was, correctly, ruled offside. Pizarro took on Shevchenko’s mantle of lacking the killer touch and wasted a clear chance. In the 74th minute, Kalou hit the underside of the crossbar and Cole looked to have won the game when he ran at an increasingly dispirited Valencia defence and unleashed a shot that had the crowd celebrating, but the magnificent Cañizares somehow pushed the ball on to an upright.
Chelsea (4-4-2): P Cech - P Ferreira (sub: J Belletti, 71min), J Terry, T Ben Haim, W Bridge – S Wright-Phillips, M Essien, F Lampard (sub: J Cole, 62), S Kalou – A Shevchenko (sub: C Makelele, 46), C Pizarro. Substitutes not used: C Cudicini, S Sidwell, J O Mikel, Alex.
Valencia (4-3-3): S Cañizares – L Miguel (sub: M Fernandes, 65), R Albiol, I Helguera, E Moretti – Sunny, C Marchena, D Silva – Vicente (sub: J Mata, 74), F Morientes, D Villa (sub: J Arizmendi, 50). Substitutes not used: J Mora, N Zigic, D Lomban, A Montoro. Booked: Cañizares. Referee: G Gilewski (Poland).
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A show of strength from ChelseaBy John Ley at Stamford Bridge
Chelsea (0) Valencia (0) 0
Chelsea achieved another milestone last night when they extended their unbeaten Stamford Bridge record in all competitions to 50. Already assured of their place in next week's Champions League knockout draw, and against a sadly inept Valencia showing nothing of their past brilliance, this was a canter and the result was predictable.
They ended their group campaign with another hugely impressive landmark yet when the Champions League began there were few signs of such an outcome, with Jose Mourinho's Chelsea stumbling to a 1-1 draw. Fast-forward to a dominant Chelsea display at a near-capacity Stamford Bridge happy to witness an uncomplicated affair ahead of Sunday's London collision with Premiership leaders Arsenal.
In terms of overall importance, this was hardly going to register as one of the great European nights at Stamford Bridge. But as a tool for returning key figures, it was a valuable outing. Already confirmed as group winners - that was achieved with a 4-0 win in Norway against Rosenborg - Chelsea could have been forgiven for treating this affair lightly, but that was far from the case.
Petr Cech was back ahead of Sunday's trip to the Emirates Stadium, making his first appearance since he damaged a calf muscle in the game in Gelsenkirchen against Schalke early last month. In addition, there was the welcome sight for Chelsea of defender Paulo Ferreira, returning after missing seven games with an ankle problem.
Add the presence of Michael Essien, in the middle of a league suspension, and Chelsea had reasons to be cheerful, even if Didier Drogba was out after undergoing a knee operation.
Drogba's absence offers Andrei Shevchenko an extended opportunity, and a player with one of the best goalscoring records in European competition almost added to his huge tally in the opening four minutes.
The Ukrainian began the night on 47 Champions League goals and 60 in all Uefa competitions, just three behind record-holder Filippo Inzaghi. When Frank Lampard threaded the ball forward, Shevchenko was a whisker away from goal No 61, only to be thwarted by veteran goalkeeper Santiago Canizares. From the corner Chelsea went close again, captain John Terry placing a header just wide of the target. Then Shaun Wright-Phillips forced Canizares into a clumsy punched clearance as Chelsea continued to display just how far they have come under Avram Grant, 11 weeks after the departure of Mourinho.
Chelsea were passing the ball comfortably and showing little of their caution under Mourinho, as demonstrated in the 17th minute when Ferreira ventured forward before crossing from the right, where Claudio Pizarro was inches away from deflecting the ball inside the near post.
Valencia, without a goal in their previous four games, showed a cavalier attitude of their own soon afterwards when Canizares rushed out of his area to clear from Salomon Kalou, only to lose the ball in a stranded position. Fortunately for the Spaniards, Kalou's return was every bit as casual. Canizares redeemed himself with a one-handed save to deny Lampard as Chelsea maintained their constant pressure.
Not until the 43rd minute was Cech brought properly into action, and he demonstrated that he had lost nothing during his sojourn when parrying an angled drive from David Villa.
At half-time Chelsea replaced Shevchenko - presumably to protect him for the Arsenal trip - with Claude Makelele, the Frenchman dropping in front of the back four and Pizarro operating as a lone striker, though with Kalou in close attendance.
Chelsea threatened again early in the second half when Essien fed Pizarro. Though the flag stayed down, by the time Canizares had saved, the referee's assistant belatedly gave offside.
Lampard was replaced by Joe Cole as Chelsea looked to protect their assets further and within seconds they had the ball in the Valencia net, only for Kalou to be judged offside as he converted Pizarro's through ball.
Canizares was called on again, in the 66th minute, to deny Pizarro as Chelsea tried with vigour to end their group campaign with a victory.
Before the end, Chelsea were denied twice by a post, first from Kalou and then Joe Cole, either side of another impressive save from Canizares, to deny Pizarro.
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Chelsea 0 Valencia 0: Grant on defensive as Chelsea fire blanks By Sam Wallace
No Didier Drogba, no goals and not even 90 minutes for Andrei Shevchenko, the man who would be the new goal king of Stamford Bridge. Chelsea might have wondered how they failed to win this one but the more pertinent question for Avram Grant is who will score the goals against Arsenal on Sunday.
Shevchenko was replaced at half-time – as agreed before the match, according to Grant – but he did not do much in the first 45 minutes to suggest he is ready to step into Drogba's boots. This was the Ukrainian's sixth start since Grant took over in September and it showed. Chelsea are undefeated in 16 games under Grant but winning is the problem for now.
It was only a Champions League dead rubber, and one which Grant said his side "deserved to win 5-0", but in the increasingly frantic attempts to break down a woeful Valencia side there was the tacit acknowledgment that Chelsea really should be winning games like this. Relying on a piece of Joe Cole magic may be an entertaining way of trying to win a game but it is hardly the most reliable.
Grant was back on the defensive after the match, claiming that he did not fear playing without the injured Drogba, who will be back before the next stage in February. "We have won games without Didier before and this was the best I could expect [in the circumstances]," he said. "The game was not important for qualification and we wanted to play good football. We deserved to win 5-0."
There was a sense of disbelief from Grant that yet more is expected of his side, who had won Group B before last night's game. As ever, they have the capacity to get results and remain unconvincing at the same time. Nevertheless they are in the draw for the knockout stages a week on Friday and Grant and John Terry were making all the usual noises last night about being one of the teams who could win the competition.
Petr Cech was back in goal for the first time since 6 November, although his biggest challenge was keeping warm in the chill December air. Paulo Ferreira, out since the end of October, was also back. In fact Grant picked at least seven players who have a chance of starting against Arsenal. Stamford Bridge managed a crowd of more than 41,000; not bad when you consider that Jose Mourinho's last game in charge, against Rosenborg, was in front of 24,973.
The other major question was how have Valencia become so poor? When Chelsea beat them on 3 October it was the launchpad for the Grant regime. Since then Valencia have lost seven times in league and Champions League and sacked their manager. Seventh in La Liga, their new coach, Ronald Koeman, is finding it hard to turn the club around.
Frank Lampard was withdrawn shortly before the hour as Grant sought to rest some of his key men. Salomon Kalou hit the bar when Claudio Pizarro headed the ball back across goal in the 74th minute; Pizarro's shot was turned wide by Santiago Cañizares.
The best moment was a Cole run and shot that Cañizares turned on to his post. Then, faced with a suicidal back pass from Stephen Sunday, the goalkeeper had to turn the ball wide with a diving header. John Terry squared up to Ivan Helguera at the end and had a word with the Polish referee. That was as exciting as it got.
Chelsea (4-4-2): Cech; Ferreira (Belletti, 71), Terry, Ben Haim, Bridge; Wright-Phillips, Essien, Lampard (J Cole, 59), Kalou; Pizarro, Shevchenko (Makelele, ht). Substitutes not used: Cudicini (gk), Sidwell, Mikel, Alex.
Valencia (4-3-3): Cañizares; Miguel (Fernandes, 64), Albiol, Helguera, Moretti; Sunday, Marchena, Silva; Villa (Arizmendi, 50), Morientes, Vicente (Mata, 74). Substitutes not used: Mora (gk), Zigic, Lomban, Montoro.
Referee: G Gilewski (Poland).
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Grant content to preserve unbeaten run as Cañizares denies wasteful Chelsea
David Hytner at Stamford BridgeWednesday December 12, 2007The Guardian
Avram Grant pronounced himself satisfied enough at Chelsea's unbeaten march into the knockout stage yet he could not help but lament their profligacy against off-colour opponents from Valencia.In the absence of the injured Didier Drogba, who Grant hopes may yet return towards the end of the Christmas programme before he departs for the African Cup of Nations, a succession of strikers were asked to play as a single spearhead and breach the Spanish defences. One after the other, they failed.
Andriy Shevchenko was withdrawn at half-time - a prearranged move, Grant insisted, with the Premier League trip to Arsenal in mind - after he had spurned a gilt-edged opportunity from close range. Claudio Pizarro then took up the baton to similar frustration - he was thwarted on several occasions by Santiago Cañizares - before Salomon Kalou was moved to centre stage and managed to top them all. When Pizarro headed square, the goal yawned wide for Kalou but he smashed his effort against the underside of the bar and watched the ball scrambled to safety.
Cañizares was the star turn and he deserved his luck when a shot from the substitute Joe Cole squirmed underneath him but rebounded off the far post.
Chelsea extend their unbeaten run in all competitions to 16 matches and they have now not tasted defeat at Stamford Bridge in 50. They will need their shooting boots, however, when the tougher tests loom, beginning at Arsenal on Sunday.
"We deserved to win 5-0 at least but because it was not important I enjoyed the game," said Grant, who knew beforehand that a top-place finish in Group B was assured. "We want Didier with us but we have won games without him also. This game was the best 0-0 I could expect. We played great football.
"Maybe Sheva had a chance but it's more important to keep his physical condition. He is supposed to play on Sunday. It's the same with Frank Lampard [who was also withdrawn]. The decision to take Sheva off was made before the game, he knew that. We have important games ahead."
Chelsea will benefit from top seeding in the second-round draw in Nyon next Friday and Grant remained bullish about his team's prospects. They have scored twice as many goals in the Premier League when Drogba is in the team and, indeed, they look twice the team. Grant can be cheered that Drogba will have returned from Africa when the Champions League resumes.
"It's a good feeling to go through as group winners but more important is how we play," said the manager. "We have played very good games. We want to be in the final at least. This is our target for the next years and I think we can do it this year. We want to achieve the best."
With a nod towards the Arsenal game, Grant welcomed back Petr Cech and Paulo Ferreira from injury and fielded an almost full-strength line-up. Only the Coles, Joe and Ashley, were excused from starting duties, although Grant insisted that the latter, who was not on the bench, was fit and would play against his former club.
Valencia, in transition under the new coach, Ronald Koeman, offered little and Chelsea were on the front foot throughout. Some of their approach work was easy on the eye but they could not find the finish. Lampard crossed for Shevchenko early on and the Ukrainian, in space and six yards out, looked certain to score, yet he slid and generated little power in his effort, allowing Cañizares to save.
Chelsea deserved a half-time lead and would have taken it but for Cañizares. The veteran saved brilliantly from Lampard's drive and in more regulation fashion from Pizarro's long-range shot.
Pizarro moved to the front of Grant's 4-2-3-1 formation after half-time but when the manager brought on Cole he shuffled again and opted for Kalou in the role. Pizarro and Kalou, in particular, should have done better when opportunities knocked and, when Cole's shot kissed the upright, Chelsea knew it was not to be their night.
Who's next? One of Rangers/Lyon, Roma, Celtic, Olympiakos, Fenerbahce/PSV Eindhoven, or Sevilla (if they are runners-up to Arsenal in Group H)
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Chelsea have Arsenal on their minds as they go through the motions in draw with Valencia
Chelsea 0 Valencia 0
By SIMON CASS
If Chelsea's chances of overhauling their title rivals in the packed Christmas programme rest on the shoulders of Andriy Shevchenko, then Avram Grant clearly has a major task on his hands.
Going 50 games unbeaten at home in all competitions is admirable. But Chelsea's toothless display against a Valencia side devoid of ambition did nothing to suggest that coping without Didier Drogba will be easy.
In the Premier League this season Chelsea have scored almost twice as many goals when Drogba has been in in the side than when he has been an absentee.
And with Ivory Coast striker Drogba unlikely to turn out for his club before departing for the African Cup of Nations, they are set to be without him for two months.
Given that, the decision to withdraw Shevchenko at the break rather than hand him a full 90-minute work-out in a meaningless game ahead of Sunday's vital visit to Arsenal seemed odd.
Manager Grant insisted it had always been the plan. "It was a decision taken beforehand. We have three games in eight days and many more to come, so we took a decision about Shevchenko and Lampard that they would not play 90 minutes. Maybe with the chances we had in the second half he could have scored but it was more important to keep his physical condition."
Bridling at suggestions his side will flounder without Drogba, Grant added: "We want Didier to play but we've also won games without him. Tonight we played great football and deserved to win 5-0."
If Drogba had been on the park they probably would have. Shevchenko spurned a decent chance just four minutes in.
But a combination of poor finishing and the evergreen talents of veteran keeper Santiago Canizares were enough to keep Shaun Wright- Phillips, Claudio Pizarro and Frank Lampard from opening the scoring in the opening half hour.
As for Valencia, the combined attacking talents of Fernando Morientes, David Villa and Vicente had not managed a goal for a staggering 351 minutes before last night.
And the limp nature of Villa's and the Spanish side's first shot on goal did little to suggest that figure would not be increased by another 90.
With the first half petering out, Villa did at least force the returning Petr Cech to concede a corner before another tame effort from Shevchenko was easily gathered at the other end by Canizares.
In a bid to find more of a cutting edge, Grant switched to 4-3-3 at the break, replacing the increasingly ineffective Shevchenko with Claude Makelele.
Valencia were forced into a change of their own five minutes later when Villa, the best of a bad bunch, limped out and was replaced by Javier Arizmendi.
And with Group B rivals Schalke winning comfortably at home against Rosenborg to deny the Spanish side the chance of even a place in the UEFA Cup, what little fight they had shown soon disintegrated, particularly as Chelsea skipper John Terry was in his usual no-nonsense mood.
With the game played like a preseason friendly, Grant withdrew Lampard for Joe Cole — tormentor- in chief of Valencia in their previous meeting.
Chelsea did finally manage to put the ball in the net, but Pizarro delayed his pass a fraction too long and Kalou was half a yard offside when he stroked the ball home.
Kalou then hit the underside of the bar from six yards after Cole's free-kick was headed across goal by substitute Juliano Belletti. Cole tested Canizares again, the 37-year-old keeper tipping his effort on to the post.
Chelsea, of course, had already secured top spot, a feat Grant should be rightly proud of after picking up the reins from Jose Mourinho.
"It is a good feeling to finish top of the group, I like it," said Grant. "It's no secret that we want to be in the final. I think we can do it."
Given that Drogba will be back from international duty by the time the competition resumes, making the Champions League Final remains a realistic target.
Whether in his absence Chelsea can stay in the Premier League title race is another matter.
CHELSEA (4-4-2): Cech 6; Ferreira 6 (Belletti 71min, 6), Terry 7, Ben Haim 7, Bridge 6; Wright-Phillips 5, Essien 7, Lampard 7 (J Cole 62, 7), Kalou 6; Pizarro 5, Shevchenko 6 (Makelele 46, 6).
VALENCIA (4-3-3): Canizares 8; Miguel 6 (Fernandes 65, 6), Albiol 6, Helguera 6, Moretti 7; Sunny 5, Marchena 6, Silva 6; Vicente 5 (Mata 74, 4), Morientes 5, Villa 6 (Arizmendi 50, 6). Booked: Canizares.
Man of the match: Santiago Canizares.
Referee: G rzegorz Gilewski (Poland). ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------