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Chelsea 1 Bolton Wanderers 1: Terry hopes to be fit for Moscow after title failureBy Jason Burt Monday, 12 May 2008
No Premier League title and no John Terry either. Or so we thought. Just as Chelsea have shown remarkable powers of recovery this season, then so, most of all, has their captain. His reputation for brushing off injury is legendary but when he went down early in the first half, clattered, ironically, by his own goalkeeper Petr Cech, it did not look good.
Rumours swept around the ground that he had broken his arm. Actually, X-rays showed he had only dislocated his elbow. After the game, Terry told the expectant crowd: "It's not broken. So, hopefully, I'll be all right." That hope may prove vain – his manager, Avram Grant, was more circumspect – but Terry expects to be all right for the Champions League final a week on Wednesday. For the European Cup is what Chelsea have to aim for after missing the chance to win a third title in four years.
In the end it did not go down to goal difference. Chelsea conceded with almost the last kick thanks to a piece of appalling defending by Alex – a stand-in for the injured Ricardo Carvalho – which gave the indefatigable Matt Taylor the opportunity to drive a sweet, left-foot shot through Cech's legs. By then, though, the game was up.
The game may also almost be up for Didier Drogba – who sat on the pitch, his left knee heavily strapped, with his friend Florent Malouda afterwards looking as if he was soaking it all up for the last time – and Grant. The manager received polite applause as he patrolled the circumference of the pitch, far behind his coaching staff and players, shaking hands. But, as ever, he appeared slightly ill at ease.
Roman Abramovich was here also. For the first time in almost two months the Russian billionaire appeared at the club where he has spent almost £500m. In sunglasses and open-necked shirt he clapped along but disappeared before Grant, too, took the microphone to talk to the supporters. Too much can be read into that. Grant certainly believes he will survive. He may do but that may be because of default. The indications are he will be replaced if the right replacement can be found.
It was a sweltering, surreal afternoon. Twice cheers rolled around Stamford Bridge with claims that Wigan Athletic had scored. Twice they were false. They even distracted the Chelsea bench, with goalkeeping coach Christophe Lollichon animatedly asking if it was true.
Lollichon may also have taken a keener-than-most interest in the team-sheets. Bolton, accused of too much partying before this game after sealing their own survival, named two goalkeepers among their substitutes. When their manager, Gary Megson, donned a Chelsea cap towards the end of the first-half, to protect himself against the fierce sun, it appeared the conspiracies were complete. But Megson, wisely, ordered the cap's badge to be taped over and his team, also, made an impressive fist of smothering Chelsea's efforts.
The heat did not help but Bolton defended equally ferociously. Time and again Gary Cahill, Andy O'Brien and Gretar Steinsson threw themselves in front of opposition players while Ali Al Habsi proved an alert, agile goalkeeper. Drogba could have settled nerves, but failed to turn Michael Ballack's low cross into the net before Joe Cole and Drogba were thwarted by fine last-ditch challenges. Drogba then turned a free-kick narrowly wide.
At half-time, Andrei Shevchenko, in the absence of Nicolas Anelka who, under the terms of his move from Bolton was barred from playing, was brought on. Abramovich would have approved and approved further when the Ukrainian secured the lead. It came after Joe Cole's shot was blocked from a corner and the ball fell to Frank Lampard, who fired it across goal. Shevchenko swung a right boot at it, made half a contact and beat Al Habsi.
Before then Chelsea had struck the bar, when Malouda's shot looped off Cahill only for Al Habsi to flick it onto the bar. They should have gone further ahead when Drogba powered through only for his shot to be pushed over by Al Habsi.
Then Bolton started to work their way back into contest. Maybe it was the scoreline at the JJB Stadium, but Chelsea lost a little heart. The ball came in, Taylor turned it goalwards and El Hadji Diouf's point-blank shot was blocked by Cech. Then Cech punched the ball straight to Taylor who looped a header towards goal. It struck the bar and dropped to the substitute Stelios Giannakopoulos, who turned it wide. Bolton attacked again. A free header for Kevin Davies was planted straight at Cech before he was finally beaten by Taylor.
Goals: Shevchenko (62) 1-0; Taylor (90) 1-1.
Chelsea (4-1-2-3): Cech; Essien, Alex, Terry (Belletti, 14), A Cole; Makelele (Shevchenko, 46); Ballack, Lampard; J Cole (Mikel, 78), Drogba, Malouda. Substitutes not used: Cudicini (gk), Kalou.
Bolton Wanderers (4-3-2-1): Al Habsi; Steinson, A O'Brien, Cahill, Samuel; McCann, Nolan, J O'Brien; Davies, Taylor; Diouf (Giannakopoulos, 69). Substitutes not used: Walker (gk), Jaaskelainen (gk), Meite, Cohen.
Referee: C Foy (Merseyside).
Booked: Chelsea Drogba; Bolton J O'Brien, McCann, Davies.
Man of the match: Taylor.
Attendance: 41,755.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The TimesMay 12, 2008
Avram Grant’s men left in the shade as sun shines for title rivalsChelsea 1 Bolton Wanderers 1
Matt Dickinson, Chief Sports Correspondent, at Stamford Bridge
Drama with Fulham, a massacre at Middlesbrough, celebrations for Manchester United, tears with Reading and Birmingham City. Super-dooper Soaraway Showdown Sunday lived up to its billing in many parts of the country, but at Chelsea we got a suntan and, in place of the Premier League trophy, a parade of players’ offspring and WAGs.
See you in Moscow, Avram Grant said to those fans who remained for the post-match lap of honour. They will see a Chelsea team for the Champions League final in Russia, but probably not the rather listless lot who played out a draw in the final domestic game of the season. The chance to make history should see to that. It should force Didier Drogba to concentrate on his game rather than picking a pathetic squabble with the inoffensive Gavin McCann. It should make Alex focus instead of ceding an equaliser with a sloppy clearance. It should get Joe Cole crossing to the near post rather than five yards over the bar.
The opportunity to win the Champions League should restore Chelsea to the forceful, committed bulldozer of recent months (make that recent years) rather than the team who seemed to sense right from kick-off that they could play the game of their lives against Bolton Wanderers and it would still not be enough to wrest away the championship.
The optimistic bulletin from John Terry that the dislocated elbow he suffered yesterday should not prevent him running out against United will give hope that the Chelsea team will be at their strongest in Russia. Drogba finished with one knee wrapped in ice, but he has been known to exaggerate his injuries and Ricardo Carvalho should return from a bad back.
Chelsea should be close to their best but yesterday did serve to stop anyone running away with the idea that Grant’s team are clear favourites to lift the European Cup because of their recent victory over United. If things seemed to be slipping away from the champions then, particularly with Wayne Rooney aggravating an injury, temper tantrums in the tunnel and a ruckus with the men with the lawnmowers, United reasserted themselves yesterday. The conclusion of the domestic season was a reminder that Grant could yet end up with nothing; could yet be sacked; could yet return to obscurity as a curious footnote in Chelsea’s history. We were none the wiser about his future yesterday even if Roman Abramovich was in attendance, for a change. The owner popped into the dressing-room after the match to offer his commiserations to his players, but it seems that he will not be making any definitive statements until he knows whether he will have his hands on the European Cup.
Abramovich did not hear any massed chants of support for Grant, but there were some warm hugs for the man who has not lost for 21 Premier League matches and who, until yesterday’s anticlimax, had made it an enthralling race to the title. “Don’t go,” pleaded one young fan, as if Grant has any say in the matter.
The Israeli chose simply to be generous in his praise for the champions, saying that he had sent a message of congratulations to Sir Alex Ferguson. “I respect him a lot as a manager and as a person,” he said. “Ten championships? I can’t put it into words.”
Grant talked of how difficult it had been trying to catch United after the turbulent start to the season. José Mourinho’s departure feels from a different era, although the team do remain true to the Portuguese’s credo of organisation and doggedness.
Grant has managed with considerable success marshalling the squad left by Mourinho — rebuilding the team is an altogether bigger challenge, particularly if Drogba heads off to AC Milan. If this was his last appearance at Stamford Bridge, he chose to go out as a flouncing pain in the whatsit rather than a frighteningly formidable forward. He kicked out at McCann, then deliberately trod on the midfield player’s foot, for which he was cautioned. Having aggravated a knee, he spent the last ten minutes standing near the touchline shrugging his shoulders at his first-team coach who had made all three substitutions and could do nothing to get him off.
Drogba should have scored early on but shanked his far-post shot after a cross by Michael Ballack. A free kick flew inches wide. Forced to rearrange after Terry’s withdrawal, with Michael Essien and Alex at centre half, Chelsea finally scored just after the hour-mark thanks to Andriy Shevchenko’s shin. A half-time substitute as Grant switched to 4-4-2, Shevchenko celebrated his first goal since Boxing Day while Abramovich clapped up in his executive box.
But United were already leading and the news that Ryan Giggs had doubled their advantage made this even more of a lazy Sunday afternoon. Alex certainly appeared to have nodded off in added time, hitting a poor clearance at Matthew Taylor, whose shot passed back through the legs of Alex and Petr Cech.
Perhaps goaded by Ferguson’s claim that they had been partying all week, Bolton had not lacked resolve. Indeed they had been a little over-committed with Joey O’Brien risking dismissal after scything down Ballack.
What ice could be found at Stamford Bridge was required to soothe troubling injuries to Terry and Drogba rather than to chill bottles of celebratory champagne. Now Chelsea have ten days to recover from the bumps and bruises for what Grant called “the game of our dreams”. See you in Moscow, like the man said.
Expect the real Chelsea to turn up.
How they rated
Chelsea (4-3-3): P Cech 4 M Essien 6 Alex 5 J Terry - A Cole 5 M Ballack 6 C Makelele 6 F Lampard 6 J Cole 4 D Drogba Y 5 F Malouda 5 Substitutes: J Belletti 5 (for Terry, 13), A Shevchenko 6 (for Makelele, 46min), J O Mikel (for J Cole, 78). Not used: C Cudicini, S Kalou.
Bolton Wanderers (4-4-1-1): A Al Habsi 7 G Steinsson 6 A O’Brien 6 G Cahill 7 J L Samuel 6 K Davies Y 6 J O’Brien Y 5 G McCann Y 6 M Taylor 6 K Nolan 6 E-H Diouf 6 Substitutes: S Giannakopoulos 5 (for Diouf, 69min). Not used: I Walker, J Jaaskelainen, A Meïté, T Cohen.
Referee: C Foy Attendance: 41,755
End-of-term report
Chelsea
Season’s summary: Have fared as expected. How to improve: Find a reliable right back. Player of season: Michael Essien. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Telegraph:
Bolton draw leaves Chelsea in second placeBy Clive Tyldesley at Stamford Bridge
Chelsea (0) 1 Bolton Wanderers (0) 1
John Terry lifted his young daughter up with his right arm and motioned to her to wave to the sun-baked crowds as the Chelsea players and their families took their traditional end-of-season bow yesterday. Terry is still hoping to lift the European Cup before the month is out.
The standby Premier League trophy had left Stamford Bridge in an unopened box, and with Terry's dislocated left elbow heavily strapped following a freak collision with Petr Cech, a small toddler appeared to be all he was likely to be picking up for a while. But nobody present was surprised to hear Terry declare to 40,000-odd Chelsea fans that "three or four days' rest" would be all he would require to revive his battered body for its biggest challenge of all in Moscow. Manchester United may have won the war, but Terry's powers of recovery will be the rallying point for Chelsea's bid to win the ultimate battle on Wednesday week.
The three-point gap that separated United and Chelsea at the end of Avram Grant's first game in charge last September had been reduced to two at the end of the final, fraught afternoon of the season. Beaten by a short head. Grant had the satisfaction of seeing another substitution pay dividends, when Andrei Shevchenko put his team in front against an obdurate Bolton. But United were always in control of both theirs and Chelsea's destiny at Wigan, and Grant's day fell flat when Matthew Taylor scored a late equaliser for the visitors.
The game was only 10 minutes old when Chelsea's thoughts turned abruptly away from the English championship towards the European title. The sight of their stricken captain being lifted delicately on to a stretcher immediately raised doubts about Terry's ability to lead the team in Moscow.
For his own preservation, Cech led with his knee as he came out to collect a hopeful through ball. But the Chelsea keeper inadvertently made sickening contact with Terry's arm, sending his captain crashing to the ground with a cry of agony. As soon as he landed Terry was beating his leg against the turf in acute pain.
With Ricardo Carvalho absent due to a worrying back complaint, Michael Essien was switched from right-back to centre-back as Chelsea tried to clear their minds and return to the business in hand. The atmosphere was so edgy that a strong penalty appeal 200 miles away quickly turned into a rumour of a Wigan goal. Disbelieving cheers sprung up in corners of Stamford Bridge, swelling into hearty roars before anyone with a radio had the heart to reveal that, in fact, all was going to plan for United at the JJB.
Chelsea were frantically trying to make their early pressure tell. Maybe a little too frantically. Didier Drogba sliced anxiously wide from close range after Michael Ballack had steered a precise low cross into his path. However much celebrating their players have or haven't been doing in the last week, Bolton were seeing out their responsibilities to United with a ruggedness that infuriated the Chelsea fans. They weren't averse to wasting every second they could either.
Joey O'Brien, Gavin McCann and Kevin Davies all collected bookings for fouls that interrupted Chelsea attacks and broke up the home team's attacking momentum.
Not until the opening moments of the second half was Bolton goalkeeper Ali Al Habsi called into significant action. A smart turn by Florent Malouda created space for a looping pot shot from 25 yards that Al Habsi leapt to turn against his crossbar with the palm of his hand. A minute later, Joe Cole unlocked the left side of the Bolton defence and cut the ball back for Juliano Belletti to fire powerfully goalwards. Only a brave block by Taylor diverted his shot for a corner.
The Chelsea assault was reaching fever pitch. Drogba saw a left-foot shot on the run clawed over by Al Habsi before half-time substitute Shevchenko made a deserved breakthrough just after the hour mark. A Chelsea corner drifted through to Joe Cole, and although his snap shot was blocked, Frank Lampard connected with the rebound and his low drive found its way to Shevchenko who hooked it in from six yards. It was his first Chelsea goal since Boxing Day, but an alert piece of finishing that was greeted by a chuckling smile spread wide across the face of the watching Roman Abramovich.
With news of Ryan Giggs' clincher for United filtering fatefully around Stamford Bridge, Bolton nearly equalised. An arcing header from Taylor cleared the goalmouth crowd and fell agonisingly over the leaping John Obi Mikel on to the crossbar. Ashley Cole was well placed to clear the dropping ball from his goalline.
But with three minutes of stoppage time played, Chelsea's weary resistance was broken by a low shot from Taylor shot that eluded Cech's flimsy attempt to keep it out and the sense of anti-climax was complete. Their tally of 85 points was the highest ever achieved by a runner-up for the Premier League title, but no amount of extenuating circumstances and conspiracy theories will provide solace for a club of Chelsea's ambition. They can only come in Moscow.
Read the latest from Clive Tyldesley Man of the match Frank Lampard (Chelsea) 8 • One assist and three other chances• 86 per cent pass completions• Four shots - all off target
Abramovich returns Roman Abramovich returned to Stamford Bridge yesterday, having not been seen at a Chelsea match since the 2-1 win over Arsenal on March 23.The club's billionaire owner had been in Russia on political business in recent months and even missed the Champions League semi-final win against Liverpool.His absence may have added to the uncertainty surrounding the long-term future of Avram Grant but, after yesterday's game against Bolton, he visited the players' dressing room to show his support.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Guardian:
Chelsea walk tall despite falling short at the last
Chelsea 1 Shevchenko 62 Bolton Wanderers 1 Taylor 90
Dominic Fifield at Stamford Bridge
Any sense of choking anticlimax which might have strangled Chelsea appeared to have eased by the time the squad strolled through their post-match lap of honour in the sunshine. The likelihood of their pursuit of Manchester United yielding a third Premier League title had always been slim. In the end those efforts did indeed prove futile, though there were still smiles from the players and appreciation from the fans in the aftermath. Forget failure; there was some satisfaction to be had in coming close.
To have extended the race into the final 10 minutes of the season, as Chelsea effectively did here, represented a considerable achievement, and one clearly recognised by Roman Abramovich, present for the first time since March 23, as he clapped from his box then shared his appreciation with the team in the dressing room.
The mood of optimism had briefly flared when a wild rumour swept around the arena after almost 20 minutes, emanating in the Shed End, that Wigan led in Lancashire. Ryan Giggs' 80th-minute goal for United at the JJB ultimately pricked the mood here for good.
The real news Chelsea had to savour was the possibility that John Terry's dislocated elbow, sustained in an early aerial clash with his own goalkeeper, Petr Cech, might not rule him out of the Champions League final in Moscow next week.
The joint had apparently been "popped back in" in the ambulance as the Chelsea captain was whisked away for an x-ray. The centre-half was back for the stroll on the turf after the final whistle, his arm in a sling and his mood defiant, with the possibility of a European Cup still to be lifted. United will confront a side sustained by self-belief in Moscow rather than a team left crestfallen and deflated.
There was even appreciation from the supporters, perhaps not raucous, but noticeable nevertheless, for Avram Grant. The Israeli embraced his children, held his arms aloft to those in the stands, and can focus with relish on the trip to Russia in the days to come. Didier Drogba, an ice pack strapped to his left knee, will need to be rehabilitated swiftly. Yet even the Ivorian mustered a smile after the game, hauling a topless and tattooed fan from the stands to be photographed with Michael Essien and Claude Makelele on the touchline.
That the home side had failed to win this contest, surely the bare minimum requirement, hardly seemed to matter with the destiny of the title having been decided in the north-west.
Chelsea might well have been tighter in the final exchanges had events at Wigan taken a more favourable course. Realisation had dawned on the hosts by the time Alex's poor clearance fell to Matthew Taylor in the penalty area, deep into stoppage-time, for the Bolton midfielder to scuff an equaliser beyond the Brazilian and through Cech's legs. They merited reward of a kind for their tireless efforts. If they were a side who had been celebrating survival all week, as Sir Alex Ferguson had suggested, then professionalism had demanded this display.
Bolton have been flimsy at times this season but there was no fancy dress on the pitch - Gary Megson even borrowed a Chelsea baseball cap to protect his pate from the sun, but he taped over the home side's badge. His team gave everything to frustrate Chelsea and Ferguson could have no complaints. Taylor also struck the bar with a looping header, Ashley Cole scrambling Stelios Giannakopoulos's follow-up from the line, although theirs was an approach born of solid defence.
Gretar Steinsson and Joey O'Brien tackled feverishly, Gary Cahill and Andrew O'Brien were superb at the centre of defence and Ali Al Habsi excelled in goal. Megson had included two substitute goalkeepers on the bench, with Ian Walker suffering from a stomach bug and Jussi Jaaskelainen deemed necessary in case either Al Habsi or his deputy could not feature, but the Omani blocked almost everything Chelsea flung at him.
His touch over from Drogba's battered attempt while the game was still goalless prompted wailed fury in the stands. He was just as athletic in touching Florent Malouda's shot, looping up off Cahill's attempted block, on to the crossbar as Chelsea sought reward.
It took over an hour before Bolton cracked. An inability to clear a corner left them exposed, Frank Lampard's shot across the area veering beyond Jlloyd Samuel for Andriy Shevchenko, having been summoned from the bench at the interval, to touch in at the far post.
Abramovich sprang to his feet, hope rekindled in the knowledge that a Wigan goal to claw United back to parity was all it would take for Chelsea to squeeze breathing space at the top. United's second from Giggs dashed such aspirations.
Chelsea's title challenge had always been a game of catch-up, with points having been surrendered early in the campaign, but a 21-match unbeaten league run stretching back to mid-December remains remarkable. Grant can take satisfaction in that achievement, but for this club real solace can be found in Moscow. The chance to make history remains.
Man of the match Gary Cahill
The captain was outstanding as he attempted to nullify Didier Drogba, with this an inspirational performance to douse the home side's aspirations
Best moment The early clearance from near his goalline which set the tone for Chelsea's afternoon of frustration ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Mail:
Close but no cigar, Avram - Shevchenko strike not enough for Chelsea in race for titleChelsea 1 Bolton 1
By NEIL ASHTON
One down, one to go. Chelsea's assault on the Barclays Premier League is offically on hold until August 17, but Moscow is all that matters now. "We've lost the league, but we still have the biggest trophy of all to come and hopefully we can bring it back for the Chelsea fans," admitted John Terry when he soldiered on to the Stamford Bridge pitch.
Memories fade fast, especially when the team has just been pipped to the Premier League title. They were close, but not close enough.
United have their hands on a tenth Premier League title under Sir Alex Ferguson and Avram Grant's team will re-adjust their sights over the next ten days. Getting their hands on the European Cup would be a fitting trade off.
"The league title was never in our hands," admitted Grant. "We wanted to win it, but the Champions League was always something we could affect. We have to be proud of what we have done this season."
They did their bit in this title race, hoovering up points at a frightening rate after they were beaten 1-0 at Arsenal on December 16 2007. Jousting with United to the bitter end, they only just lost out.
Chelsea's manager is 21 games unbeaten in the Premier League and he has never been afraid to remind anyone who will listen. "Don't go Avram," screamed one young fan as he relucantly made his way around the pitch at the final whistle to take in a polite round of applause for Chelsea's manager.
His future is not for now. That will be decided at a later date, when the team returns from Moscow on May 22, but the team have certainly done their bit. "I had to be polite to the fans because my children were near me," joked the Chelsea manager.
Still there is finally some acceptance of his achievements, as well as his existence.
Overhauling United was always against the odds. By the time Andriy Shevchenko scored for the first time this year, United were already ahead. Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 43rd goal of the season from the penalty spot and the game was up. Or was it?
Midway through the second half, Stamford Bridge erupted. Roman Abramovich, in the stands for the first time since they beat Arsenal on March 23, demanded answers. Good to see you, Roman.
Fans were glued to their transistor radios, others phoned home, but it was a false alarm. United were still in front and Chelsea would have to settle for being second best.
They are not used to this, not after Jose Mourinho led them to two league titles, two Carling Cups and an FA Cup in three hugely successful seasons. They want more and no doubt they will get it, whoever is the manager.
Abramovich was in the dressing rooms after the game, patting the players on the back and reminding them that all is not lost. When Arsenal fell apart in March, Chelsea stepped in and made a fist of it. No-one can fault them for that.
They were typically workmanlike yesterday, taking their time to assert their authority over a Bolton team who were all but safe. Gary Megson frequently demanded to know the score from Reading, Birmingham and Fulham, but Bolton deserve an eighth successive season in the top flight.
Typically, they made it tough for Chelsea. They know no other way, especially after being schooled under Sam Allardyce. Next season, they will continue their education in the Premier League. Is there any other place to play?
"I have been here for 28 games and never had a single complaint from my players and they have never complained about our approach," admitted Megson. "We have problems that need sorting out, but I'm delighted we can sort them out as a Premier League club.
"For the last 18 games of the season we have done well, but there are problems. Since January 1 2007, we have beaten only two teams from the top half of the table - Manchester United and West Ham."
They did not come close to breaking Chelsea's 83 match unbeaten run in the league at Stamford Bridge, but they made Grant's side work.
Shevchenko, of all people, put Chelsea in front when he swept home Frank Lampard's misplaced shot from outside the area. Abramovich could barely believe it, but the goal was good. About time, it has to be said.
Chelsea's supporters dared to dream, but Ryan Giggs ended their title ambitions when he scored 10 minutes from time. Concentration was gone and so were Chelsea. Alex failed to clear a routine corner and Matthew Taylor struck the equaliser. That settled the Premier League title, but Grant is gearing up for Moscow.
"We're in the Champions League final - Mr Abramovich must be very sad," added Grant with more than a hint of sarcasm.
The European Cup is certainly the one they want. Now they just have to win it. Official.
Chelsea: Cech, Essien, Alex, Terry, Ashley Cole, Ballack, Makelele, Lampard, Joe Cole, Drogba, Malouda. Subs: Cudicini, Shevchenko, Obi, Kalou, Belletti. Bolton: Al Habsi, Steinsson, Andrew O'Brien, Cahill, Samuel, Davies, Joey O'Brien, McCann, Nolan, Taylor, Diouf. Subs: Walker, Jaaskelainen, Meite, Giannakopoulos, Cohen. Referee: Chris Foy (Merseyside)