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The TimesJanuary 9, 2008
Shaun Wright-Phillips talent show rescues Chelsea from another off nightMatt Hughes
Shaun Wright-Phillips is due a drink from all of his teammates as a reward for his contribution to this dramatic last-gasp win, though John Obi Mikel should treat him to another night out at the club in Soho where the England winger recently held his infamous 26th birthday party.
The Nigeria midfield player appeared to have irrevocably altered the course of an eventful match that Chelsea were dominating with his 55th minute sending-off, before Wright-Phillips popped up in injury time to change it again by forcing a dramatic winner off Joleon Lescott, the Everton defender.
Whether Chelsea deserved to take a lead to Goodison Park in a fortnight is doubtful after Everton’s impressive second-half display, though Wright-Phillips was a worthy winner after producing his most enterprising performance of the season in front of Fabio Capello, the new England manager. Given the inconsistencies that have marked his career to date, all England fans will hope that this represents a new beginning.
Wright-Phillips opened the scoring with a curling shot in the 26th minute before leaping above Lescott to force a late own goal. For a moment it appeared as if the 5ft 6in winger had headed the ball himself, but that would have been too much to ask.
Above all it was his versatility that will have impressed Capello, a quality conspicuous by its absence among the other players who will make up his first squad. After starting off in midfield, Wright-Phillips moved to the right wing when Joe Cole was sacrificed after Mikel’s dismissal, before ending up in the unfamiliar role of a lone striker as Chelsea held on for a draw with Everton pouring forward. Avram Grant, the Chelsea first-team coach, also deserves credit for turning an essentially defensive substitution into an attacking weapon.
“I put Shaun forward because he’s faster than everyone else, but I didn’t know he’d score with his head,” Grant said. “Shaun was in the last England squad and will be in Capello’s. He’s a good player, very quick and can play in a lot of different positions as we saw today.”
Grant was on less comfortable ground as he skirted around Mikel’s fourth sending-off in the past 16 months, which was thoroughly deserved for a lunge at Phil Neville reminiscent of his dismissal against Manchester United in September.
The 20-year-old has also collected 13 yellow cards since he was stolen from under the noses of Manchester United two years ago, and for all his promise is starting to become a liability. Peter Crouch, who was sent off at Stamford Bridge in the previous round after reacting to Mikel’s perceived provocation, would have been pleased, but after 68 appearances no one at Chelsea can be satisfied at their prodigy’s continued impetuousness.
Although he would not say so publicly, Grant will have hardened to this view when Everton equalised ten minutes after Mikel’s dismissal, particularly given the nationality of their goalscorer. James McFadden’s wonderful free kick from the left was missed by the flapping Hilário, with Joseph Yobo volleying back across goal for Yakubu Ayegbeni to score acrobatically.
Having spent much of last week negotiating with Berti Vogts, the Nigeria coach, over the release date of players for the African Cup of Nations, Grant will have been regretting his diplomacy, particularly as Everton looked like taking a valuable first-leg lead. Yakubu almost returned the favour for McFadden four minutes later, releasing the Scotland midfield player with a brilliant backheel and watching opened-mouthed as he held off rash challenges from Alex and Ricardo Carvalho before shooting across the face of goal. As the ball bounced back off the far post, Grant will definitely have rued his decision to pick up the phone to Lagos.
As a spiteful contest threatened to spill over into further acrimony with a running battle between Lescott and Juliano Belletti, Chelsea appeared to settle for a draw, when Grant replaced Claudio Pizarro with Paulo Ferreira, though the decision to send Wright-Phillips up front proved inspired.
Michael Ballack hoisted an overhead kick high into Everton’s penalty area, but cannot have anticipated Wright-Phillips’s unlikely leap. David Moyes, the Everton manager, claimed that Lescott was impeded by an arm on his shoulder, though having got up so high, Wright-Phillips deserved to get away with it. Lescott had an opportunity to add a further late twist when he found himself through on goal, though his left-foot shot was well saved by Hilário.
Capello will have been heartened by a match-winning performance from one of his prospective players, if slightly concerned at confirmation that his new country does pace and passion far better than calculated cunning. Capello is charged with bringing back the glory days by doing an Italian Job on the national side, though he will have enjoyed watching this footballing version of The Fast and the Furious.
Chelsea (4-3-3): Hilário – J Belletti, Alex, R Carvalho, W Bridge – S Wright-Phillips, J O Mikel, M Ballack – J Cole (sub: S Sidwell, 61min), C Pizarro (sub: P Ferreira, 83), F Malouda (sub: T Ben Haim, 90). Substitutes not used: C Cudicini, B Sahar. Booked: Belletti, Cole. Sent off: Mikel.
Everton (4-4-1-1): T Howard – A Hibbert, J Yobo, P Jagielka, J Lescott – P Neville, L Carsley, T Cahill, J McFadden – A Johnson – Yakubu Ayegbeni (sub: V Anichebe, 90). Substitutes not used: S Wessels, T Gravesen, J Vaughan, N Valente. Booked: Carsley, Hibbert, Neville, Johnson.
Referee: P Walton. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Telegraph:
Own-goal agony for Joleon Lescott at ChelseaBy Henry Winter at Stamford Bridge
Chelsea (1) 2 Everton (0) 1
In a mesmerising tie that switch-backed between the sublime, the ridiculous and the malicious, Everton's Joleon Lescott conceded an own goal deep into stoppage time to give Chelsea real hope of reaching the Carling Cup final.
After Shaun Wright-Phillips and Ayegbeni Yakubu had exchanged fine goals, this semi-final first leg appeared destined for a draw. But under pressure from the outstanding Wright-Phillips, Lescott headed into his own net and Chelsea, who had lost John Obi Mikel to a red card, celebrated as if they had won the trophy again.l Even before Wright-Phillips' magnificent strike inside the opening half-hour and two Lee Carsley lunges - tackles that could have drawn red - the atmosphere had been fired up. Everton fans had travelled in huge numbers, taking over the Shed End, giving their team loud and endless backing. Chelsea supporters responded in kind, stirred up by an opera singer's rousing pre-match rendition of Blue Is The Colour.
An engrossing tie kept the decibel level high. Chelsea, for all their absentees, kept pouring forward in numbers, leaving only Mikel to shield the defence. Wright-Phillips was in the Frank Lampard role, tucked into midfield with a licence to break into Everton's box.
Wright-Phillips' career as a winger at the Bridge has been largely disappointing, failing to build on the rich promise he revealed at Manchester City. But he impressed in a more central position last night, perhaps motivated by the presence of England's new head coach, Fabio Capello.
With Wright-Phillips darting around in support of the attacking trident of Florent Malouda, Claudio Pizarro and Joe Cole, Chelsea shimmered with menace. Cole had a shot blocked by the diving Carsley, the Everton midfielder then showing a less appealing side by upending Malouda and plunging a boot into Wright-Phillips' shin.
Carsley's desperation reflected Chelsea's control over the first half. Danger flowed from every quarter. Both of Avram Grant's full-backs, Juliano Belletti and Wayne Bridge, gave Chelsea additional width. Belletti unleashed one shot that flew over.
Bridge's involvement raised a few eyebrows as Ashley Cole was fit but not included in the match-day 16. Last seen musing over Grant's decision to take the armband off him and hand it to Didier Drogba, Cole took up his seat in the stands, along with his injured captain, John Terry. In front of him and Capello, Bridge was seizing the moment, playing an influential part in Wright-Phillips' 26th-minute goal.
Bridge took the throw-in on the left, launching the ball to Malouda, who was returning after two months in the treatment room. Malouda and Bridge exchanged passes before the Frenchman rolled the ball into the box to the unmarked Wright-Phillips. Everton's defence stood off. Madness.
Moyes, a former centre-half of supreme determination, almost collapsed in frustration. Wright-Phillips took immediate advantage, gently nudging the ball on before placing it, with a hint of bend, past Tim Howard.
It was the very least that Chelsea, and Wright-Phillips in particular, deserved and the diminutive England international disappeared under his jubilant team-mates.
Chelsea could easily have been two clear by the break and their captain, Michael Ballack, was inches away with a driven free-kick after Phil Jagielka had fouled Cole on the edge of the area. Against modern practice, Cole had stayed on his feet and brought a good save from Howard, but the referee, Peter Walton, brought play back.
Just when they thought they had Everton on the ropes, Chelsea were almost caught by a sucker-punch moments before the break. Lescott raced into the box and shot straight at Henrique Hilario. It was Everton's most creative moment of the first half and they were clearly missing the injured Leon Osman, the suspended Mikel Arteta and Steven Pienaar, who had become tangled up in Fifa red tape and was now training with South Africa.
A goal ahead, Chelsea fell a player behind 10 minutes after the restart. In the current climate of referees cracking down on players who leave the floor in launching challenges, Mikel was certainly guilty of stupidity. Leading in with his right foot, Mikel's tackle was certainly studs-up on Phil Neville, who was left writhing on the floor. Peter Walton had no doubt about the malice in Mikel's challenge and he brandished a red card to the astonishment of everyone connected with Chelsea.
At least Mikel will not have to serve any ban as the Nigerian departs immediately for the African Cup of Nations. This makes a mockery of the Laws, and there will surely be a debate over whether Mikel should sit out three matches on his return.
Walton's inconsistency will certainly come under scrutiny. Ten minutes after dismissing Mikel, the Northamptonshire official merely gave Steve Sidwell a talking-to for burrowing his right boot into Carsley's ankle.
Evertonian bemusement soon disappeared as they levelled in spectacular fashion. When James McFadden lifted over a free-kick from the left, Hilario flapped, allowing Joseph Yobo to cut the ball back from the byeline. As Alex dived in, Yakubu cut the ball beautifully, and it sped unerringly into the net. Andrew Johnson avoided serious injury by ducking out of the way as Yakubu's shot passed him. "Feed the Yak and he will score," chanted the Everton fans. They were soon spellbound by a running feud between Lescott and Belletti. Chelsea's right-back claimed he was caught in the face by Lescott's elbow and the pair then tore into each other again moments later.
As the game raced through injury time, Lescott endured two moments of agony, first heading Michael Ballack's hooked ball past Howard and then wasting a golden chance of redemption by firing straight at Hilario.
Match details Chelsea (4-1-2-3): Hilario; Belletti, Alex, Carvalho, Bridge; Mikel; Wright-Phillips, Ballack; J Cole (Sidwell 61), Pizarro (Ferreira 83), Malouda (Ben-Haim 90).Subs: Cudicini (g), Sahar.Booked: Cole, Belletti.Sent off: Mikel.Everton (4-4-1-1): Howard; Hibbert, Yobo, Jagielka, Lescott; Neville, Cahill, Carsley, McFadden; Johnson; Yakubu (Anichebe 89).Subs: Wessels (g), Gravesen, Vaughan, Nuno Valente.Booked: Carsley, Hibbert, Neville, Johnson.Referee: P Walton (Northamptonshire).
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Chelsea 2 Everton 1: Lescott's late error hands slim advantage to depleted Chelsea By Sam Wallace at Stamford Bridge
Someone must have had to explain to Fabio Capello exactly what this strange Carling Cup competition was all about but when it came to the performance of Shaun Wright-Phillips, no such explanation was necessary. As the new England manager watched, Chelsea's English nearly-man delivered his performance of the season to give Avram Grant's 10-man team a dramatic last-minute win.
At Goodison Park on 23 January, Chelsea will defend a one-goal lead in the Carling Cup semi-final second leg that came from the most improbable source. With injury-time ticking away, the 5ft 6in tall Wright-Phillips leapt above Joleon Lescott to force the Everton defender into scoring a bizarre own goal. Advantage Chelsea, but there is life left in this tie yet.
John Obi Mikel's moment of madness came in the 54th minute to earn him his fourth red card of his short Chelsea career, a studs-up lunge on Phil Neville that sent the Everton captain spinning. Off went Mikel and back surged Everton to level with a brilliant volley from Ayegbeni Yakubu after Wright-Phillips had scored earlier. Then, in the closing seconds, the little Chelsea winger reinvented himself as Nat Lofthouse to win the match.
Plenty to think about for Capello, watching his third English cup tie in four days. So far he has watched Wayne Rooney turn a game against Aston Villa, Peter Crouch rescue Liverpool and last night he got a first-hand view of an England international who has divided opinion since he scored on his debut for the national team against Ukraine in August 2004. Wright-Phillips certainly picked his moment.
First the £24m man found himself in central midfield alongside Michael Ballack and then, with Chelsea reduced to 10 men, he was thrown into attack on his own. Claudio Pizarro was replaced by Paulo Ferreira as Avram Grant took the conservative option. Wright-Phillips was thrust up front and his part in the winning goal conspired to make his manager look like a tactical genius.
What are Chelsea to do with Mikel? For such an accomplished midfielder he seems unable to tell the difference between a 50-50 ball and a lost cause. His lunge at Neville was not as wince-inducing as the challenge on Patrice Evra at Old Trafford in September that earned him a red card against Manchester United but it was certainly not the smartest tackle. A consolation is that Mikel's three-match ban will coincide with his absence at the African Nations Cup in Ghana this month.
Doing his best to be completely unmemorable in the post-match press conference, Grant did say he had reason to believe Everton were lucky to get away without a red card themselves. Specifically he must have been talking about Lee Carsley's rush of blood in the opening few moments in which he was booked for dissent and then up-ended Wright-Phillips. But, on balance, referee Peter Walton got this game right.
Perhaps Grant is starting to feel the pressure – he may wave away any attempt to bring Jose Mourinho back into the narrative but there is no doubt that this trophy would be of great use to the new Chelsea manager. His predecessor won it in his first season and this time around, with Arsenal playing the kids, Chelsea are still the favourites.
The first Chelsea goal was uncharacteristic of an Everton side so rigorously well-organised by David Moyes. Florent Malouda cut in and threaded a ball into the box. There to receive it was Wright-Phillips, completely unmarked, who turned and bent a beautifully-hit shot inside Tim Howard's left-hand post.
Mikel was sent off nine minutes after the break and soon after he was followed byJoe Cole. It was Cole's misfortune that he had to be replaced by another holding midfielder, Steven Sidwell, especially as Pizarro was a more obvious candidate to be taken off.
Everton struck when James McFadden's free-kick from the left was cut back at the far post by Joseph Yobo and Yakubu volleyed it home. For Everton, this precious away goal will only count double if the aggregate score is level after extra-time in the second leg.
McFadden had hit the post in the 69th minute and then an extraordinary ending. In injury time, Ballack struck a long looping ball back into the box and, under pressure from the leaping Wright-Phillips, Lescott inadvertently headed the ball past Howard. Not the most auspicious start for the Everton defender in front of Capello but Wright-Phillips can rest assured that the new England manager knows exactly who he is.
Chelsea (4-1-4-1): Hilario; Belletti, Alex, Carvalho, Bridge; Mikel; J Cole (Sidwell, 61), Wright-Phillips, Ballack, Malouda; Pizarro (Ferreira, 83). Substitutes not used: Cudicini (gk), Ben Haim, Sahar.
Everton (4-4-2): Howard; Hibbert, Yobo, Jagielka, Lescott; Cahill, Neville, Carsley, McFadden; Johnson, Yakubu (Anichebe, 89). Substitutes not used: Wessels (gk), Gravesen, Vaughan, Valente.
Referee: P Walton (Northamptonshire).---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Lescott lets Chelsea off the hook after Mikel's reckless red lunge
Dominic Fifield at Stamford BridgeWednesday January 9, 2008The Guardian
Everton have waited 13 years for a major final to rise into view though, after all this time, they will wonder if fate is conspiring to deny them passage to Wembley yet again. The visitors had all but tamed Chelsea in this first leg here last night when, three minutes into stoppage time, a spasm of indecision gripped the centre of their defence to cost them their reward. Where they had briefly revelled in parity and even threatened to forge ahead, a deficit must now be retrieved in the second leg; serious psychological damage has been sustained.
David Moyes spoke of the tie still being "alive" in the aftermath, though his concession that "this was a missed opportunity" carried more weight. Agonisingly for Everton, the home side had lost Mikel John Obi to a red card following a one-footed lunge on Phil Neville before the hour mark and then surrendered their lead to Yakubu Ayegbeni's equaliser, when James McFadden wriggled his way in from the left touchline and squirted a shot which flicked the outside of the far post and drifted away. Yet the cruellest cut was inflicted at the last.Chelsea were whipping up late frantic pressure when Michael Ballack hooked a cross into the six-yard box where Shaun Wright-Phillips sprang above a grounded and aghast Joleon Lescott. It was unclear whether the England defender had anticipated Tim Howard emerging from his goal-line to claim the looping ball or whether he was unsure if he should nod the chance behind, but he succeeded only in planting a header down and into the corner beyond his helpless goalkeeper. The PA announcer credited "the smallest player on the pitch" with the goal. Everton shrunk at the absurdity of it all.
Lescott might still have recovered, marauding upfield and finding space in the Chelsea area before the final whistle had sounded only to miscontrol his second touch and see Hilario suffocate the first leg's last opportunity from close range. The late twist was cruel on the defender, who had been outstanding. The reality was that Everton had been punished for a late lull, their energy and belief appearing to ebb away in the latter stages when this game - as McFadden had shown - was there for the taking. "I do feel hard done by because I think we worked so hard to get back into the game, but Chelsea just keep going," said Moyes.
That Chelsea prevailed was down to their relentless quality. This is a side who have grown used to choking the hope out of opponents in recent times, their challenge sustained remarkably as they strain under an horrendous injury list and, here, with the imminent African Cup of Nations having already denied them three players. Yet the holders will not wilt. Their late winner was reward for a stubborn, bloody-minded determination to squeeze out a lead which can be defended at Goodison Park.
Midway through the first period, with Everton having held their hosts at arm's length, Wright-Phillips drifted into space behind Lee Carsley on the edge of the box and gathered Florent Malouda's pass. The Irishman was too slow on the turn to intervene, with Tony Hibbert distracted as he tracked Wayne Bridge's advance down the left flank, allowing Wright-Phillips to spin the ball out of his feet and curl a delicious shot across the turning Joseph Yobo and in beyond Howard off his far post.
It was a fine goal and a reminder of Wright-Phillips' ability, though other opportunities were passed up, the significance of which only became apparent when Mikel slid in wildly on Neville. The challenge was one-footed, though the studs were showing and raked the Everton captain's shin as his leg was raised in anticipation. The spate of recent dismissals has been for two-footed leaps, with this one more reckless than malicious. Yet there was still a fourth red card for the Nigerian in a fledgling Chelsea career, the midfielder offering up a wry smile as he trudged from the turf and presumably straight to Ghana.
Avram Grant might have wished that Nigeria had called up their players earlier for the African Cup of Nations, particularly with Yakubu reacting smartly to Yobo's fine knock-back to slam an equaliser just after the hour mark. From there, Everton might have prospered. Now they must chase this tie from arrears.
"Chelsea will be favourites but the tie is still alive," insisted Moyes through a monotone of disappointment. Regardless, a thunderous evening on Merseyside is now in prospect.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Mail:
Shaun steals the show for Chelsea as Lescott own goal swings tieChelsea 2 Everton 1
By NEIL ASHTON
After dining out at the Italian restaurant Cipriani at the end of his first day in the job, Fabio Capello found the acquired taste of English football to his liking last night.
The England manager watched the drama unfold from his cushioned seat in the stands as Shaun Wright-Phillips — marked 'at risk' as Capello swots up for his first game against Switzerland — took a starring role in this absorbing semi-final tie.
The Italian, high up in the stands at Stamford Bridge alongside his trusted assistant Franco Baldini, saw the very best and very worst of English football in the space of 90 relentless minutes.
That, it has to be said, is just how we like it.
Chelsea drew first blood when Wright- Phillips curled a quite beautiful effort beyond Everton keeper Tim Howard in the 26th minute, but the maddening sight of John Mikel Obi launching into another reckless tackle after the break also left its mark on this Carling Cup tie.
Then the two teams were toe to toe, slugging it out until Yakubu equalised with a hooked effort in the 64th minute, but Chelsea finished off this first leg with a dramatic winner deep into injury time.
Harsh on Everton, who battled bravely for 90 minutes, but Chelsea's tiny midfield dynamo deserves a hero-gram.
Wright-Phillips, infuriating one game and intoxicating the next, was at his brilliant best against an Everton team with their sights firmly set on their first major final for 13 years.
The Chelsea midfielder, playing alongside Michael Ballack and Obi in the centre of their three-man midfield, twisted, teased and tantalised his way through this first leg. He was electric.
Whenever the ball is at this boy's feet, 40,000 supporters at Stamford Bridge slide towards the edge of their seats; sometimes they slip off them in despair and sometimes they stand to attention to applaud those magical runs down the right wing.
Last night they watched openmouthed as he bent the opening goal beyond Howard. Wayne Bridge began the move on the left when he twice swapped passes with Florent Malouda, but Wright-Phillips can stand alone for this moment of magic.
Everton's defenders failed to close him down and he swept the ball past Howard with the deftest of touches. Beautiful. Simply beautiful.
The home side were on the charge, but Obi made a game of it when he was sent off for the fourth time in his career at Chelsea for a reckless challenge on Phil Neville.
Down to 10 men, they were almost down and out when Everton equalised.
They may not be the Dogs of War that characterised the Everton team who won the FA Cup in 1995 under Joe Royle, but there is a determination about this emerging side.
With Obi in the dressing room, Everton dominated possession. Lee Carsley went close, James McFadden almost fashioned an equaliser, but Yakubu signed off for the African Cup of Nations with a powerful effort just inside the area. Cue delirium in The Shed, where 6,000 travelling Evertonians were stationed behind the goal as they savoured a nostalgic trip down memory lane.
They were spoilt under Howard Kendall in the 1980s, when Kevin Sheedy, Andy Gray, Trevor Steven and Neville Southall regularly made their way up the 39 steps to the Royal Box at Wembley.
The School of Science won the league, the FA Cup and the European Cup-Winners' Cup under Kendall, but semi-finals are unique occasions for this famous old club.
They are not out of it by any means, but Chelsea were there for the taking.
The Carling Cup holders creaked whenever Everton piled forward and McFadden had the chance to put them on Fantasy Island when he burst into the penalty area.
Juliano Belletti pulled out of a challenge, but McFadden's effort clipped the outside of a post. Chelsea responded by withdrawing the talented Joe Cole and sending Steve Sidwell into battle against the bruisers in the middle of Everton's midfield.
Joseph Yobo, Phil Jagielka, Neville and Carsley snap and snarl their way through 90 minutes each week for this Everton team and they did not deserve to be on the losing side.
They rolled up their sleeves and never once shirked a challenge, but Chelsea nicked it in the final seconds of this wonderful cup tie.
Ballack, captaining Chelsea in the absence of just about anyone senior and responsible enough to take the armband, somehow scooped the ball back over his head towards the far post.
At 5ft 6ins, Wright-Phillips had no hope of beating Lescott in the air. Instead, he took a ride on his England team-mate's back and Lescott headed the ball into his own net.
Tough on Everton, but this tie is still to be decided. There will be 40,000 Evertonians waiting for Chelsea at Goodison Park in two weeks' time, but they will be without their main goalscoring threat for the second leg.
Yakubu will be on international duty with Nigeria, but at least Everton have the comfort of an away goal to consider over the next fortnight.
They know that a 1-0 victory would be enough after extra time at Goodison Park to take them to the final, and an expert in the art of narrow wins has just arrived in England.
If Moyes needs any advice, just dial 'F' for Fabio.
Chelsea: Hilario, Belletti, Alex, Carvalho, Bridge, Wright-Phillips, Obi, Ballack, Malouda, Joe Cole, Pizarro. Subs: Cudicini, Sidwell, Ferreira, Ben-Haim, Sahar.
Everton: Howard, Hibbert, Yobo, Jagielka, Lescott, Cahill, Neville, Carsley, McFadden, Johnson, Yakubu. Subs: Wessels, Gravesen, Vaughan, Nuno Valente, Anichebe.
Referee: Peter Walton (Northamptonshire) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------