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Defoe delight as Portsmouth hold ChelseaPortsmouth 1 Chelsea 1
By MALCOLM FOLLEY
Jermain Defoe created an instant impression on an afternoon when Harry Redknapp gave the discarded England striker what he most craved — a game of football.
At £9 million, Defoe has been brought from the shadowlands of Tottenham's squad to provide a cutting edge at Portsmouth. And during an exciting, unpredictable second half at Fratton Park, he claimed a 64thminute equaliser against a Chelsea team heavily involved on four fronts, domestically and in Europe.
He also went excruciatingly close on three other occasions late in the game as Redknapp proved himself once more adroit at making the market work for him. On this performance, Defoe will not be languishing on the bench in his new environment. His future as an integral cog in the team is assured. Unlike that of Benjani Mwaruwari.
Until Thursday, he had been luxuriating in the position of Portsmouth's leading scorer with 12 Premier League goals. Without warning, he suddenly found himself demoted from first-choice striker to a pawn in Redknapp's world of wheeler-dealing.
He was invited to take himself to Manchester City's Eastlands to finalise a £7.6m transfer to offset the cost of Defoe.
But yesterday, due to an array of circumstances — involving missed flights, stories of a failed medical and conflicting reports that the paperwork had failed to be registered in time to beat Thursday's midnight transfer deadline — Benjani was living in a footballer's no-man's land.
The promise is that all will be revealed next week but for the moment Benjani is unwanted by Portsmouth and without a contract at Manchester City. Redknapp used the arrival of Defoe to deploy Niko Kranjcar in a role behind his strikers. It is the Croat's preferred position and he rivalled Lassana Diarra, playing against his former club, as the most influential player in the first half.
Diarra, small in stature but huge in authority, was sold by Chelsea to Arsenal, then brought to Portsmouth for £5.5m two weeks ago. Yesterday, he patrolled midfield with huge purpose.
Kranjcar, meanwhile, fulfilled his defensive responsibilities as well as acting as a probing force in support of Defoe and Milan Baros. In the 35th minute, stationed on the back post, the Croat headed Michael Ballack's header off the goalline after Alex had flicked Juliano Belletti's corner into the German's path. A couple of minutes later, Portsmouth appealed for a penalty after Baros struck the ball against Belletti's arm as he cleverly turned into the Chelsea area.
From Kranjcar's corner, Noe Pamarot delivered a thunderous header against a Chelsea post. Just before half-time, Portsmouth goalkeeper David James needed to be alert to deny Nicolas Anelka, advancing from his goal to make a critical block. But Anelka was not to be denied in the 55th minute.
He benefited from a classic counterattack as Chelsea sprung out of their own area into Portsmouth's with three passes. First, Claude Makelele won the ball and moved it upfield to Shaun Wright-Phillips. The England winger swiftly put Florent Malouda in possession over the halfway line and he gained ground before finding Joe Cole in Portsmouth's penalty area with a 40-yard crossfield pass.
Cole took the pace out of the ball with a delightful volleyed pass to Anelka. And the Frenchman, twisting to deal with a ball, beat James with a skilful first-time volley.
But Portsmouth deserved to draw level in a manner that Redknapp envisaged when he captured Defoe's signature. The goal came down route one but was no less aesthetic for that.
When Baros won an aerial duel to reach a downfield punt from James, Defoe anticipated the path of the ball and although alone against Petr Cech, arguably the best goalkeeper in the Premier League, he won the instant approval of Portsmouth fans with a cool finish in the bottom corner.
Later James had to make a superb close-range save from Belletti and Defoe had a fabulous chance but Cech's presence encouraged the striker to place a snap-shot wide. Rightly, the game ended all square but the day belonged to Defoe.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Indy:
Portsmouth 1 Chelsea 1: Defoe makes instant impact for PortsmouthBy Ronald Atkin, Fratton ParkSunday, 3 February 2008
Whether he cost seven, eight or nine million, depending on the source of the transfer information, Jermain Defoe was joyously welcomed by Portsmouth as well worth the money as a coollytaken equaliser halted Chelsea's winning run at nine and applied a brake on their title ambitions in a rousing contest.
Defoe could have had a couple more, but victory for either side would have been unjust, since David James, reprising his brilliant form of a week ago against Plymouth in the Cup, denied Chelsea time and again as a rousing first half was capped for thrills by the second.
As Portsmouth's manager, Harry Redknapp, pointed out, "It could have gone either way – a good game for neutrals."
There were comforting words for Chelsea from Redknapp. "The championship is nowhere near over," he said, before turning to his Chelsea counterpart, Avram Grant, seated alongside him with the comment, "Full credit to this man, he has been fantastic for them when you think how many of his players are injured or away."
One player away for Ports-mouth was the striker Benjani Mwaruwari, whose transfer to Manchester City fell through on transfer-deadline day. "He is the big loser in all this. He is sitting up there [in Manchester] in a hotel and he doesn't deserve that. I hope it will get resolved in the next couple of days," offered a sympathetic Redknapp.
While giving credit to Defoe for his goal, Redknapp reserved his full praise for the brilliant midfield work of Lassana Diarra. "That little kid turned in a performance you would have to go a long way to see bettered in any league in the world. Absolutely superb." And so he was.
In a midfield containing the world-renowned likes of Michael Ballack and Claude Makelele, Diarra shone like a Portsmouth harbour light, forever prompting, setting up attacks at one end and closing them down at the other. It was the sort of performance which covered up weaknesses such as the slowness of Sol Campbell and the errors of Glen Johnson.
Defoe's goal did more than lift Portsmouth's fans. It shattered a dismal run of nine Premier League games lost to Chelsea in which one goal had been scored and 19 conceded. It was perhaps too much to hope Pompey would pull off their first win against the London side in any League for 60 years, but they certainly gave it a go. Though Petr Cech was in urgent action earlier than James, falling to his left to save from Diarra, it was the Ports-mouth goalkeeper who was busier after the first half-hour. When Florent Malouda flicked on a corner Ballack rose to send in a fierce header that Niko Kranjcar headed off the line.
Then Ballack put in an outstanding, finely timed tackle in his own penalty area to halt Milan Baros, while Noë Pamarot deserved to do better than hit the bar with glancing header from a corner. Back to the other end swung this fascinating match, for James to rush out and block Nicolas Anelka in time added on in the first half.
Defoe's first chance came at the very start of the second half, sent through by Kranjcar. He cut inside Alex smartly enough but fatally delayed his shot andwas closed down, though the rebound fell to Baros, who saw Cech save with his feet.
Anelka made up for his first-half miss in the 55th minute, and a fine goal it was. Malouda made ground on the left and crossed to the far post, where Joe Cole turned it back for Anelka to volley in.
Portsmouth needed only nine minutes to pull level with a Route One goal which clearly upset the Chelsea bench. James's mighty clearance was turned on by the head of Baros and Defoe strode through to tuck the goal away. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Telegraph:
Jermain Defoe shines on Portsmouth debutBy Duncan White at Fratton Park
Jermain Defoe, dropped by Juande Ramos, discarded by Fabio Capello, but in Harry Redknapp he has found a manager who believes. Redknapp brought Defoe to West Ham as a teenager and the Portsmouth manager has never wavered in his admiration for a striker whose career stuttered and stalled when it should have been gathering momentum.
Signed for £9 million from Tottenham with just five minutes left before the transfer deadline closed, Defoe was quick to work. Trailing to Nicolas Anelka's first Premier League goal for Chelsea, Defoe, played onside by Juliano Belletti, collected Milan Baros's flicked header and calmly slotted the ball beyond Petr Cech. Three days into his new job and he is back to doing what he does best. "He needs to play, he needs to score," Redknapp said. "It was good for him to get the goal and he had a couple of other chances, too. Maybe if he had been sharp he would have stuck in the winner. That'll come when he gets games under his belt."
Defoe thrice came close to scoring that winner, a goal that would have broken Chelsea's 48-year unbeaten run against Portsmouth. Cech was swift out to deny him the first time but he leant back when teed up by Lassana Diarra and shot wide of the near post after cutting inside Claude Makelele. "I'm a little bit disappointed not to get the second," Defoe said. "But I'll take the goal and build on this. I really enjoyed it out there."
Chelsea came just as close to taking the three points in a thrillingly frantic second half. They had opened the scoring with a superb counter-attack, Shaun Wright-Phillips playing in Florent Malouda down the left for the Frenchman to send in a deep cross. Joe Cole calmly side-footed the ball to the on-rushing Anelka and he met it on the full, volleying into the bottom corner.
Niko Kranjcar had headed a Michael Ballack header off the line in the first half and, with the scores at 1-1, Wright-Phillips lobbed wide from a fine Ballack diagonal pass. Belletti had the chance to make up for his role in the Portsmouth goal but was denied by the excellent David James after Joe Cole's clever approach play. It was frustrating for Avram Grant and his first return to the club where he was director of football ended his hopes of securing a club record 10th straight win.
They are six points behind leaders Arsenal but have reinforcements on the horizon. Either Michael Essien or John Obi Mikel will be back after Ghana play Nigeria in the Africa Cup of Nations, while Frank Lampard is fit and ready. The influential Ricardo Carvalho, who is suspended, will also return.
Portsmouth have their own personnel on the way back from Ghana, but the status of Benjani Mwaruwari remains fraught. Portsmouth hope he will complete his £9?million move to Manchester City in the coming days.
"The big loser in all this has been Benji," Redknapp said. "You have never met a nicer boy in your life. He's sitting up there in a hotel, in limbo. It's sad, he doesn't deserve that."
Portsmouth deserved more than their solitary goal. Belletti clearly handled in the area in the first half and Noe Pamarot headed against the top of the far post from the ensuing Kranjcar corner. It was impressive from an improving Portsmouth. Baros was full of running in his second game since joining on loan from Lyon, while Diarra is rapidly earning cult-hero status among the support. "Absolutely superb," was Redknapp's verdict on the Frenchman's exemplary performance in the middle of midfield.
Man of the match Ashley Cole (Chelsea) 8/10 • Completed 85% of passes• Won 80% of tackles• Made 3 clearances Best moment of the matchLassana Diarra’s early slide tackle on a sprinting Ashley Cole was absolute perfection. Worst momentThe ball broke loose to Milan Baros, with Petr Cech stranded, it looked like a simple goal. The Czech striker tried a lob but could only dink the ball to his compatriot. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Defoe makes a point and dents Chelsea's title hopes
Stuart Barnes at Fratton ParkSunday February 3, 2008The Observer
Delight for Jermain Defoe, disappointment for Chelsea and another twist in a fascinating Premier League championship race from a match that ebbed and flowed entertainingly throughout.Satisfying moments were few and far between for the £9million striker during a frustrating career with Tottenham - and for the best part of an hour here, not surprisingly, he struggled to make an impact for his new club.
Then some of that frustration began to wash away as he put Portsmouth on level terms. The confidence began to flow to such an extent that Defoe could easily have gone on to deliver a famous victory.
His goal was set up by fellow newcomer Milan Baros and, although it is unwise to pass judgment on the basis of one match, there was enough evidence to suggest their partnership could prove productive.'I enjoyed playing alongside him,' Defoe said. 'He worked his socks off. I was a little disappointed not to get a second because we could have taken all three points. But I'll settle for the one.'
Manager Harry Redknapp said: 'He took his goal well and with a couple of games under his belt could have stuck away the winner. He needs to be playing regularly.'
Chelsea were denied a club-record tenth successive win in all competitions, although Redknapp believes they are capable of an instant response. 'Considering the players they have been without, their run was tremendous. With the likes of Terry, Lampard, Essien and Drogba back, they are capable of going on another run.'
Avram Grant also felt his side should be applauded for overcoming injuries and Africa Cup of Nations calls. 'We should respect the players who have done it,' said the Chelsea manager. 'We are not so happy when we are not winning, especially after leading. But we were playing a good side and had chances to win it.'
Current form and past results between the teams weighed heavily in favour of another Chelsea victory. You had to go back to December 1960 for Portsmouth's last success - in a League Cup fourth- round tie - and more than 50 years for a win with points at stake.
They had lost all nine previous Premier League matches, conceded 19 goals in the process and scored just the one. That, ironically, was an October 2006 strike by Benjani, the player whose move to Manchester City remains clouded in uncertainty.
Baros had the first chance to mark his home debut with something special, gathering a long, precise through ball from the impressive Lassana Diarra but firing into the crowd with a shot on the run.
But Chelsea came closest to going ahead when Juliano Belletti's corner was helped on by Florent Malouda, headed goalwards by Michael Ballack and cleared off the line by Niko Kranjcar. Portsmouth were even closer as Noe Pamarot's header from Kranjcar's corner rattled the angle of bar and post.
Kranjcar, like Diarra, was getting through some good work, and when he played in Defoe, the newcomer's speed looked to have taken him into a shooting position. Although his run was halted, the ball broke favourably for Baros, who
shot straight at the advancing Petr Cech. Within a minute, Chelsea also threatened. Shaun Wright-Phillips released Ashley Cole, who cut in from the left and was denied by a combination of a touch by James and a completed clearance from Hermann Hreidarsson.
A classic counter brought them the lead. After Howard Webb turned down Portsmouth appeals for a penalty for handball, Wright-Phillips sent Malouda away and his deep cross was cushioned back across goal by Joe Cole for Nicolas Anelka to volley in. The advantage did not last long. A clearance by James was won in the air by Baros, who sent Defoe clear through the middle to beat Cech with a flourish.
Redknapp was full of praise for Diarra's display. 'You would go a long way to see one like that,' he said.
The Portsmouth manager is also hoping that Benjani's move, which faltered after a medical, will be sealed soon. 'He's been the big loser in all of this. He is in limbo waiting to see what happens and I'm hoping it goes through. If not, he will be back here,' Redknapp said.
THE FANS' PLAYER RATINGS AND VERDICT
Robin Dunford, Pompey.org The second half especially was very exciting and a fairer score would have been 4-4 - Defoe was very lively and could have had a hat-trick. As it was, our goal looked obviously offside and theirs was, too, apparently, and came from a rapid break after we had a penalty shout. Thanks to the Africa Cup of Nations we had no option for right midfield, so had to have a diamond, but we really went for it, with two up front plus Kranjcar in a free role. And the crowd was up for it as well and enjoyed having a go at Ashley Cole. Diarra looks a class act and I can't believe he'll be here too long, while Kranjcar was very creative. Hreidarsson was moved to centre-half today and made a number of crucial blocks.
Player ratings James 8; Johnson 7, Pamarot 7, Campbell 7, Hreidarsson 9; Davis 7 (Mvuemba 7), Diarra 9, Hughes 7, Kranjcar 9; Baros 7, Defoe 8
Trizia Fiorellino, Chair, Chelsea Supporters' Group We missed a hatful and in the end I was relieved we got a point. Wright?Phillips is a complete enigma. One game it looks as if we have a world-class player and the next he is hopeless. Today he was hopeless. And it's hard to know what Ashley Cole is doing in the team when we have Wayne Bridge only on the subs' bench. Bridge is a much better player - a better defender and a better attacking player. I'm so glad we have signed Anelka, though. He is class. He took his goal brilliantly and looked a danger all afternoon. He needs a bit more service, however, as he has to go looking for the ball too often. I hope we can stay in touch with the leaders till the other lads come back from injury and the Africa Cup of Nations.
Player ratings Cech 7; Belletti 7, Ben Haim 8, Alex 8, A Cole 4; Makelele 6; J Cole 7, Wright-Phillips 5, Ballack 6, Malouda 6 (Pizarro 6); Anelka 8
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Sunday Times:
Jermain Defoe quick off the mark for new club Portsmouth
Portsmouth 1 Chelsea 1
Andrew Longmore at Fratton Park
Chelsea might know a little about the limbo that claimed Benjani Mwaruwari on transfer deadline. Given a rare chance to close the gap on Manchester United, if not Arsenal, Chelsea were left in no man’s land after Jermain Defoe, inevitably, had cancelled out Nicolas Anelka’s goal yesterday at Fratton Park.
Chelsea do not often let leads slip, least of all to Portsmouth, who were claiming their first point in 10 Premier League games against the London side.
Mwaruwari was marooned in a Manchester hotel awaiting a decision on his fate. In his absence, Defoe took 64 minutes to begin the payback on his £9m transfer from Tottenham and could have crowned his debut with a winner, blazing over from 15 yards and chipping another chance over Petr Cech but just wide in a pulsating final quarter. Both Coles, Joe and Ashley, had chances to claim a club record 10th straight victory for Chelsea.
It has been a crazy week at Portsmouth, but with Defoe and Milan Baros, making his home debut, providing a sharper edge to Harry Redknapp’s new-look side, Portsmouth will expect to renew their challenge for a place in Europe next season.
With Avram Grant, his former technical director at Fratton Park, alongside him, Redknapp laid down Chelsea’s title credentials rather more forcefully than the quietly spoken Israeli. “No Lampard, no Terry, no Drogba, no Essien and they won nine on the spin,” said the Portsmouth manager. “Carvalho was out today. When they all come back, they’ll get stronger and stronger. This championship is a long way from being over.”
Chelsea will echo those sentiments, but Frank Lampard and John Terry can not return soon enough given the staccato nature of their performance yesterday. Ricardo Carvalho, who was suspended, would surely not have been out-jumped by the diminutive Baros before Defoe’s equaliser. Alex and Tal Ben-Haim, both six-footers, should hold their heads in shame. But Chelsea could not argue with the outcome after Howard Webb had ignored a handball in the penalty area by Juliano Belletti midway through the first half.
After a quiet first half, illuminated only by the energy and creativity of Lassana Diarra and a header by Noe Pamarot that crashed against the post, both sides shed their inhibitions after the break. “A draw is not enough for us,” said Grant. “We had more chances to win the game, but we played against a very good team. All the top teams have found it difficult here.”
When Chelsea did take the lead, it was a goal of Arsenal-like speed and precision with just a touch of good fortune. Momentarily distracted by claims for handball by Claude Makealele, Portsmouth were slow to track back and when a long cross by Florent Malouda found Joe Cole on the right of the Portsmouth penalty area, his neat, volleyed pass was turned home from close range by Anelka.
Within 10 minutes, though, they were feting a new hero. It had to be. Yet, even Defoe might wonder how Baros managed to fend off Chelsea’s central defenders and plant a header straight into his path 10 yards out.
Presented with the sort of opportunity that brought him 43 goals for Tottenham, Defoe rolled the ball past Cech with a true striker’s confidence.
Level and sensing a shock, Portsmouth pushed on for all three points, leaving themselves wide open for a swift counter-thrust. Grant also gambled, replacing Malouda with the more direct Claudio Pizarro and pushing Shaun Wright-Phillips, who had begun the first half in a roving central role, back to his usual station on the right wing. Nico Kranjcar, playing behind the front two strikers for an hour, constantly probed Chelsea’s back line, but it was Diarra driving forward from midfield that threatened to turn the game decisively in favour of the home side.
“From the moment he walked in here, he’s been doing that,” said Redknapp. “The kid turned in a performance you would go a long way to see in the Premier League.”
James twice saved magnificently in the dying minutes and, Defoe might have banished fond memories of Mwaruwari with the winner. “I’m a little bit disappointed not to get a second,” said Defoe. “But I’ll take a goal any day.”
Star man: Lassana Diarra (Portsmouth)
Player ratings: Portsmouth: James 7, Johnson 7, Campbell 5, Hreidarsson 6, Pamarot 6, Hughes 6, Diarra 8, Davis 5 (Mvuemba 68min), Kranjcar 7, Baros 6, Defoe 7Chelsea: Cech 7, Belletti 6, Alex 5, Ben Haim 5, A Cole 6, Makelele 6, Ballack 6, Wright-Phillips 7, Malouda 7 (Pizarro 74min), J Cole 6, Anelka 7
Scorers: Portsmouth: Defoe 64 Chelsea: Anelka 55
Yellow cards: Portsmouth: Davis, Pamarot
Referee: H Webb
Attendance: 20, 488