Sunday Times
November 2, 2008
Nicholas Anelka leads Chelsea romp
Chelsea 5 Sunderland 0
David Walsh at Stamford Bridge
David Walsh at Stamford Bridge
THERE are afternoons in football when you want to find a hole in the ground and disappear. So, perhaps referee Martin Atkinson was being kind to Roy Keane when banishing him to a quiet seat in the stand for the second half of this hopelessly one-sided match. By then Sunderland were losing 3-0 and it really was just a question of how many more Chelsea would score. From his new seat Keane was close enough to a defeat that bordered on humiliation.
The Sunderland manager got on Atkinson’s wrong side by pointing out, a little too vigorously, the failure to spot Joe Cole’s foul on Pascal Chimbonda in the preamble to Chelsea’s third goal. “He told me not come to the dugout for the second half, so whether that’s been officially sent off, you’ll have to ask him,” said Keane. Cole did get away with a foul and Nicolas Anelka did look offside when touching home Chelsea’s second game but we’re nit-picking here. Chelsea were miles the better side.
“I don’t want to sit here and take anything from Chelsea,” added Keane. “They were outstanding today, there was no shame in losing to a top team like that. I am very relaxed after the game, I felt my players kept going and when you’re 5-0 down and there’s 35 minutes to go and Drogba’s getting warmed up, you think, ‘I wish someone would fast forward that clock’.”
Sunderland tried but weren’t nearly good enough. Keane and his coaches would have noted how well Javier Mascherano and Xabi Alonso shackled Frank Lampard and Deco a week ago and Sunderland set out to suffocate Chelsea. They had two lines of four defenders inside their own half, every intention in the world of frustrating their rivals, but effort is no substitute for technical mastery, and there aren’t that many Mascheranos around.
Chelsea were more urgent and sharper in their passing than a week ago, almost as if they felt freer without the burden of having to defend that four-year unbeaten league run at Stamford Bridge. How else to explain the energy and concentration they brought to this match? Even at 5-0, they defended as if the concession of one goal would cost them the title.
The quality was epitomised by almost every Chelsea player, but especially by John Terry, the much improved Alex, Jon Obi Mikel, Lampard and Deco. With the rain cascading down and Sunderland desperate to make their tackles count, you wondered how Deco would cope. It wasn’t like this when he was learning the game in the Brazilian town of Sao Bernardo do Campo, but he was brilliant through the first half hour; that is, when the match was a contest.
He constantly wanted the ball, he looked for the pass that would hurt Sunderland and made the intelligent runs that catch out defenders. With him and Lampard running the game so brilliantly, it did always seem only a matter of time. The time came in the 27th minute after Lampard played a neat pass through to Joe Cole, who drove his shot across the goal. Sunderland’s keeper Marton Fullop should have done better than let the ball through his grasp and Alex had only to touch it over the line.
As there was no set piece, you may wonder what the centre-back was doing inside Sunderland’s six-yard box and you won’t be surprised to know he was just hanging around, waiting for a chance. Such had been his team’s dominance, moonlighting as a striker wasn’t exactly risky.
Before Sunderland could respond, they were two down. Deco opened Sunderland’s defence with the pass, Lampard’s cross was accurate and either Alex or Nicolas Anelka could have finished. Alex got the first touch and as his slightly mis-hit effort bobbled into the unguarded goal, Anelka followed in to make sure. He was in an offside position, unnoticed by the match officials. Sunderland were too demoralised to protest. Coming just before half-time, the third goal began with that foul on Chimbonda but from there, was the best of the five; Joe Cole, Lampard and Malouda combined brilliantly to pass their way through the opposition and left Anelka with another tap-in.
The rain kept falling, Sunderland continued to run but endeavour couldn’t lessen the chasm in class. What was remarkable was Chelsea’s professionalism; Terry and Alex never gave their rivals an inch, Mikel chased and harried and hardly ever gave the ball away. And as happens when Chelsea play, Lampard got another goal, this one a fine back-post header after Joe Cole skinned George McCartney.
Perhaps when the other four have slipped from the memory, the fifth goal will remain because it started with a fine piece of defending by Terry and when the clearance was played back to the centre-back by Deco, Terry struck the finest pass to send Malouda surging down the left. Anelka turned in the cross for his third, but it was the goal belonged to the skipper. Unlike other times this season, he looked the real John Terry yesterday.
CHELSEA:Cech 6, Bosingwa 6, Alex 7, Terry 7,A Cole 6 (Bridge 36min, 6), Mikel 7, Deco 8, Lampard 7, J Cole 6 (Drogba 63min), Anelka 7 (Mineiro 75min), Malouda 6
SUNDERLAND:Fulop 4, Chimbonda 5, Nosworthy 6, Ferdinand 5, McCartney 5, Malbranque 4 (Henderson ht, 5), Whitehead 5, Tainio 4, Richardson 6, Waghorn 5 (Diouf ht, 5), Jones 5 (Cisse 58min, 4)
100 The number of Premier League goals scored by Chelsea’s Frank Lampard and Wigan’s Emile Heskey. Both netted yesterday but are the slowest to reach the target in terms of games played - Lampard (406) and Heskey (414)
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Telegraph:
Nicolas Anelka scores hat-trick as Chelsea destroy soggy Sunderland
Chelsea (3) 5 Sunderland (0) 0 By Patrick Barclay at Stamford Bridge
Midway though the second half, the cameras spotted Roy Keane on his mobile phone. It was safe to assume the Sunderland manager was not fielding inquiries about his players, who can seldom, in all their 49 matches since promotion, have been made to look so unfit for Premier League progress.
And the worrying aspect is that even humiliation does not come cheap on this unforgiving stage: of the 14 players Keane used here, six arrived during the summer on substantial contracts.
It was one of those occasions that made you despair of a League once considered the most competitive in Europe. Unless, of course, you were a Chelsea supporter, gaily singing, free of the cares that beset Arsenal’s travellers at Stoke or even Old Trafford in the defiant face of Hull.
Luiz Felipe Scolari’s team hardly required the assistance of an illegitimate goal that contributed to Nicolas Anelka’s hat-trick and, indirectly, Keane’s banishment to the stands for a half-time protest to the referee, Martin Atkinson.
Chelsea, to their credit, entertained us handsomely with passing crisp enough to delight their Brazilian manager.
Keane reasserted complaints about both the second and third goals, saying: ‘’I’ve been with a big team and all you want, when you come to play them, is a bit of fairness. But I’ve never had a problem with praising the opposition and today I’ll do that.’’
Beforehand, he had declared a willingness to alter his team within five minutes if it became apparent they were not up to the task. After 10 minutes, we wondered what was keeping him and, although he made changes later, Keane said: ‘’I don’t think any system would have worked today.’’
For the first 26 minutes of their battering, Sunderland defended with as much dignity as the slippery surface permitted, riding their luck when Deco artfully scooped the ball against Martin Fulop’s crossbar.
Then Joe Cole turned inside George McCartney and, essaying a left-footer, miskicked, only for Fulop to let it squirm under his body and out to Alex, who hit an unguarded net.
There was scarcely any more resistance to the next goal, though it should have been disallowed. Deco found Frank Lampard, whose low cross was again met by Alex --- what else was there for a Chelsea defender to do on this day but try to score as often as possible? --- only for Anelka, sliding, to help it over the line.
In truth this was a daft thing for Anelka to do, because he was in front of not only Alex but any Sunderland player. Yet neither Atkinson nor the relevant linesman saw anything untoward.
By comparison such controversy as preceded the next goal was a mere tinge. Joe Cole’s challenge was wild enough to prompt Pascal Chimbonda to pull out and Cole, permitted to play on, found Lampard. A slick move ensued, Florent Malouda unselfishly setting up Anelka.
As Sunderland trooped off, the thought occurred that they would probably have preferred to stand in the rain. At any rate, whatever Keane said made so little difference that within seven minutes of the resumption they had conceded two more goals.
First came a nightmare for McCartney, whose wrestling failed to prevent Joe Cole from crossing for Lampard to nod wide of Fulop. Then, with Chimbonda AWOL, Malouda found Anelka, whose ill-placed shot looped in off Fulop.
Later Didier Drogba made his comeback after injury, but Scolari said Anelka would start Tuesday’s Champions League match in Rome because he was the fitter spearhead.
The luckier too, Scolari might have added. Anelka, joint leading scorer in the Premier League with eight, would not have minded.
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Independent:
Anelka the top dog as goals rain down on Keane's head
Chelsea 5 Sunderland 0: Blues cruise with Lampard on century duty but Sunderland manager sees red
By Glenn Moore at Stamford Bridge
It must be hoped Triggs is in the mood for a good walk this morning. Roy Keane is in the habit of taking his dog for a hike when he has matters to brood on, and after this thrashing there is plenty for the Sunderland manager to contemplate.
His team were outclassed at Stamford Bridge, where it rained cats, dogs and Chelsea goals. Nicolas Anelka helped himself to three of them, taking his season's tally to eight in the League. With Didier Drogba making his return it was a timely treble, though the plaudits belonged to its architects, Joe Cole and Frank Lampard. Keane's ire was further exacerbated by his being sent to the stands at the interval for disputing the validity of Chelsea's goals.
He had a point. Anelka was offside when he tapped in the second and Pascal Chimbonda was fouled in the lead-up to the third, but while goals change matches it is hard to believe the result would have been substantially altered. Keane admitted as much when he said: "Chelsea were outstanding and there is no shame in losing to them."
"We played football," said Chelsea's manager, Luiz Felipe Scolari. The Brazilian, who reserved particular praise for Joe Cole, added in a reference to his team's failings in last week's defeat by Liverpool: "We tried to play on the ground, not high balls, feet to feet with the players changing positions." The only negative for Scolari was a calf injury to Ashley Cole which will rule him out of Tuesday's Champions' League tie in Rome.
Keane denied he had been dismissed, but said the referee, Martin Atkinson, had "told me not to come to the dug-out for the second half," which sounds very much like it. He added: "All you want is a bit of fairness. We felt we did not get that today."
Keane was unhappy enough going into the match, making five changes from the side beaten at Stoke. Clearlyhe felt too many had still been basking in the glory of last weekend's first home League victory over Newcastlein nearly 30 years. The reshaped side never got going, and Chelsea's early dominance was nearly rewarded when Deco chipped Marton Fulop only to hit the bar. After 27 minutes the dam broke. Lampard slid a ball down the inside-right channel to Joe Cole, who turned George McCartney before driving in a low shot that Fulop allowed to squirm under his body for Alex to tap in. Three minutes later Alex was driving forward again as Deco picked out Lampard's excellent run into the same inside-right channel with a beautifully weighted pass. Lampard squared and Alex steered the ball goalwards, only for Anelka to pinch the goal. The Frenchman, though, was offside, having been ahead of Alex when he shot.
Chelsea had not got round the back of the defence at Liverpool once last Sunday. Now they were doing it to order. A minute before the break Joe Cole, Lampard and Florent Malouda exchanged passes and, with the Sunderland defence appealing optimistically for offside, Anelka tapped in.
Keane made two changes at the break, one positional as he switched to 4-5-1. As a damage-limitation exercise it failed miserably. Within six minutes Joe Cole skipped around the hapless McCartney again and chipped a cross which an unchallenged Lampard headed in. It was his 100th League goal.
"He can get 150 goals," said Scolari. "For a midfielder it is fantastic. We need to think about who is the best in the world in this position – maybe it is Frank Lampard."
With the next attack Anelka completed a 23-minute hat-trick, tapping in after John Terry freed Malouda on the left. Malouda missed further chances as Chelsea passed around the bedraggled visitors with ease. In the stand the cameras caught Keane on the phone. An amateur lip-reader swore he said: "Is that the Samaritans?"
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Observer:
Anelka spearheads rout to return Chelsea to summit
Chelsea 5 Alex 27, Anelka 30, Anelka 45, Lampard 51, Anelka 53 Sunderland 0
Jamie Jackson at Stamford Bridge
Delight and a return to the top of the table for Chelsea; a thrashing for Sunderland and an enforced seat in the stands for Roy Keane. This was far too easy for the home side. But while the five unanswered goals might seem to make last week's surrender of Chelsea's proud unbeaten run at home faintly unbelievable, there were hints that Luiz Felipe Scolari does need to find differing ways to beat sides who do not just roll over.
'We played well not because we won 5-0 but because we play football,' said Chelsea's head coach, who had bemoaned a lack of such qualities during the week. 'We try to play on the ground, feet by feet, and the players change position.
'Joe Cole, for me, played the best game [yet]. He helped when we did not have the ball and tried to build things for us - not only on the wing but inside, in midfield. This is what we need - for players to switch position.'
Cole was indeed outstanding. But as Keane pointed out, he is just one of a side who include Deco and Frank Lampard. 'We were outclassed by a top, top team. When you're losing 5-0 and Didier Drogba comes on, you know you're in trouble. You want that clock to go forward. I was in my bedroom last night thinking of tactics and tactic boards, but nothing would have worked today - I'm not too despondent.'
Early on, Chelsea had oozed class, but there were signs of frustration from Scolari at a lack of end product. Then came the opener. Lampard found Cole on the right. The midfielder scampered inside and shot with his left. Marton Fulop saved, but not well enough. It squeezed out from under the goalkeeper's body and pinged sideways to Alex, who had made the run into Sunderland's penalty area.
A second goal came very quickly. And was very similar. This time it was Lampard who was on the right and in a shooting position. Instead, he slid a reverse pass that wrong-footed Sunderland and again found Alex - Nicolas Anelka grabbed the final touch for his seventh goal this season, a tally to which he would add two more by the end in collecting his first Chelsea hat-trick.
Scolari had been counting the number of bookable fouls and conscientiously informing fourth official Andy D'Urso. By 31 minutes a flash of three palms indicated the count was now at 15 including one that did seem worth the yellow, by Steed Malbranque on Ashley Cole.
It was late and painful enough to finish the left-back's match - 'He could miss the trip to Roma on Tuesday,' Scolari said - but as Wayne Bridge replaced him in rain now hurtling down, Chelsea had not halted scoring. Joe Cole picked out Lampard on the edge of the Sunderland area, the ball went to Florent Malouda, then Anelka, and it was 3-0 in added time.
'You would have to ask the referee,' said Keane, when asked why he was forced to watch the second half away from the Sunderland bench after arguing with the official in the tunnel at the break. 'We certainly thought their third goal was unfair because of a foul on [Pascal] Chimbonda.' That incident was unclear, though. And the Irishman added: 'I don't want to take anything away from Chelsea - they are quality and still my favourites to edge the title.'
All Keane got from his new position in the stands after the break was the difficult sight of his team being routed. Cole would be replaced after 63 minutes by Didier Drogba. Before this, though, he had created wonderfully for Lampard. Again the winger was allowed inside on Sunderland's right and dinked the ball up for Lampard who, with his head, scored his 100th Premier League goal.
Soon afterwards, Anelka claimed his third. Sunderland seemed incapable of retaining possession and of providing resistance. Malouda set up his countryman inside the visitors' penalty area, Anelka's finish hit Fulop, but there was enough on it to make it 5-0.
THE FANS' PLAYER RATINGS AND VERDICT
Jonathan Dyer, ChelseaBlog.com I didn't actually feel that Sunderland played too badly, but they came up against a good team on a good day. They were solid and trying not to concede, but the first two goals knocked them and they fell apart a bit. And after Keane got sent to the stands it was all over for them. Anelka was exceptional – he's not got a reputation as a hard worker, but he was doing box-to-box stuff here and tackling back as well as scoring the hat-trick. Joe Cole was excellent, very difficult to play against. It's hard for anyone to contain him in a game like this. It remains to be seen whether we can marry this attractive football with winning trophies – in the Liverpool game, we couldn't open them up – but this was good stuff.
The fan's player ratings Cech 7; Bosingwa 7, Alex 8, Terry 7, A Cole 7 (Bridge 7); Mikel 8; J Cole 8 (Drogba 7), Deco 7, Lampard 8, Malouda 7; Anelka 9 (Mineiro 7)
Martyn McFadden, A-Love-Supreme.comWhere do I start? Their first three goals were really dubious – the first looked offside, the second definitely was offside because someone was standing on the line, and for the third there was a foul in the build-up. After that, it was over. I'm not sure about our formations overall – we've been playing 4-5-1 game after game yet Keane had a slightly more attacking set-up here, and it isn't really fair on Waghorn to be played as an attacker. It was a miserable day – horrible, cold and wet – but the Sunderland fans were still outsinging Chelsea's, who were probably too busy with their cappuccinos and biscuits. But then Chelsea just seems part of the London tourist trade – Madame Tussauds in the morning, game in the afternoon.
The fan's player ratings Fulop 5; Chimbonda 5, Nosworthy 5, Ferdinand 6, McCartney 6; Malbranque 5 (Henderson 6), Whitehead 6, Tainio 6, Richardson 7, Waghorn 5 (Diouf 5); Jones 5 (Cissé 5)
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Mail:
Chelsea 5 Sunderland 0: Anelka puts Keane's men to shame
By IAN RIDLEY
Most competitive league in the world? Not when the team second in the table going into the game can do this to the one then placed 10th.
It was a mismatch and an embarrassment.
Chelsea may have more charisma these days, but still a shambolic Sunderland should not have subsided so readily, even if they felt at least two of the goals should not have been allowed.
For complaining too forcibly, Roy Keane was banished to the stand for the second half by referee Martin Atkinson.
A hat-trick by Nicolas Anelka - though his first goal was blatantly offside - built on Alex's opener and made the Frenchman the joint top scorer in the Premier League with eight.
The other came from the deserving Frank Lampard, who was at his creative best, topping off his performance with his 100th goal in the top flight.
On a grey, grizzly day at Stamford Bridge, the pitch made slick by the steady drizzle, Sunderland mirrored the weather, Chelsea the pitch.
It could have been many more. The idea that Chelsea are casting off the shackles of the Jose Mourinho era may be to insult a fine manager who brought a winning mentality to the club, but it is clear that on good days against limited opposition they can certainly purr.
'We play football. We try to play on the ground, not the high ball. Feet by feet,' said the Chelsea manager Luiz Felipe Scolari in charming English.
'The players change position and I think we play well.'
Sunderland manager Keane was surprisingly philosophical about the defeat for a man who was such a competitor and winner as a player.
At one point he was spotted on his mobile, perhaps to his chairman Niall Quinn for another wedge of transfer money in January or to the Samaritans.Or even to the referees' chief Keith Hackett about two decisions.
'Against the big boys you just want a bit of fairness and we didn't get that,' Keane lamented. 'I thought my players kept going. Could we have played better? Yes. Could we have avoided two or three of the goals? Yes. But that's football.'
For all their impressive qualities yesterday, with Joe Cole and Deco delightful on the ball, it has to be said that stricter tests await Chelsea's lighter touch.
And they have already failed one, last Sunday at home to Liverpool.
Keane shook up his Sunderland side after the midweek surrender to Stoke with strikers Djibril Cisse and El Hadji Diouf consigned to the bench.
Goalkeeper Craig Gordon was still injured. But their replacements did not seize their moment, however, and, after his return from long-term injury, Kenwyne Jones barely touched the ball.
It did look for the first quarter of the game as if it could be a frustrating afternoon for Chelsea, though, with Sunderland initially solid of shape and firm of discipline.
But they probed persistently and Deco's chip against the bar from the edge of the box hinted at the possibilities.
Then came the break Chelsea needed. Lampard stretched Sunderland again with a ball wide to Joe Cole on the right and he cut inside George McCartney to send in a shot which squirmed under Martin Fulop and dropped conveniently for Alex to tap home from close range.
Within three minutes it was two. Deco played in Lampard for a low cross that Alex turned goalwards and which Anelka - clearly offside - seized upon to guide over the line from a couple of yards out.
It was never going to make material difference to the result, however, as confirmed by Anelka's second goal, and Chelsea's third, in added time at the end of the first half.Lampard was again the instigator, receiving a pass from Joe Cole and supplying Malouda for a low cross that saw Anelka all alone for another tap-in, with Sunderland left claiming a foul on Pascal Chimbonda in the build-up and Keane sent from the dugout for his half-time protest.
Sunderland's hopes were shattered with the swift arrival of a fourth goal early in the second half.
John Obi Mikel sent Joe Cole clear of McCartney on the right with a piercing pass and his cross to the far post was met with a simple header home for the persevering Lampard.
Within another few minutes it was five.
This time John Terry sent Malouda clear on the left and he picked out Anelka in the box, his sliding shot hitting Fulop, but dribbling over the line to give the Frenchman his hat-trick.
It was clearly to Sunderland's relief that Chelsea all but declared after that, as Keane admitted when Didier Drogba came on for a late run-out after injury.
'You just wish someone would fastforward at that point,' he said.Kenwyne Jones barely touched the ball on his return from long-term injury. He had that in common with Petr Cech in the home goal.
CHELSEA (4-3-3): Ce Alex, Terry, Ashley Col Mikel, Deco, Lampard (Drogba 63), Malouda 75). Subs (not used): Kalou, Belletti. SUNDERLAND (4-4- Chimbonda, Noswort McCartney; Malbranq 46), Whitehead, Taini Waghorn (Diouf 46), J Subs (not used): Colg Meyler. Booked: Tainio.Referee: M Atkinson (Yorkshire)
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NOTW:
CHELSEA 5, SUNDERLAND 0
Nic Anelka's trick 'n treat
By ROB SHEPHERD at Stamford Bridge, 01/11/2008
The Stamford Bridge fans were singing in the rain: “Boring, boring Chelsea.”
The chant was ironic of course. The Blues were brilliant — it really was like watching Brazil.
True, Sunderland played their part. They were minging in the rain.
Chelsea boss Phil Scolari has constantly played down comparisons of the Blues’ style to his native Brazil, emphasising the need to win nasty at times.
But there is no question he has promoted a more expansive, entertaining brand of football.
It always seemed a little harsh that Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea were branded boring. And Avram Grant’s hangdog expression made them appear dull when they weren’t.
But there is certainly a feel-good factor around the club right now. Even Nicolas Anelka is smiling.
He had good cause after bagging his first Premier League hat-trick and then hearing he will continue to lead the line for Tuesday night’s trip to Roma even though Didier Drogba is fit again.
It is not often a striker grabs a hat-trick and does not get the man-of-the-match vote but Scolari agreed that Joe Cole had been the outstanding performer.
There were plenty of candidates though.
Frank Lampard, who became the first midfielder to hit 100 Premier goals, was everywhere. Deco was a delight and Alex, who opened the scoring, spent nearly as much time in the Sunderland box as his own.
Scolari, though, insisted: “We were probably better when we beat Aston Villa 2-0. The difference was we had more shots here and took more chances.
“The way we play? The emphasis is to play, play, to pass the ball on the ground not in the air.”
Sunderland boss Roy Keane was surprisingly calm about the defeat — and even about referee Martin Atkinson, who ordered him into the stands after a heated exchange in the tunnel at half-time.
Keane said: “The referee told me to sit in the stands for the second half. If that’s being sent off then you will have to ask him.
“But, to be honest, I am not as angry as I was after the Stoke game in the week. It’s no shame to be beaten by a team like Chelsea. They are a really top side.
“I was most disappointed with the third goal but I am not looking for excuses.”
Chelsea started slowly but with an assuredness that suggested they knew it was just when, not if, they would break through.
It wasn’t a long wait.
Deco laid down a marker in the 16th minute when he collected a pass from Joe Cole and, from 20 yards, caressed a chip which glided over keeper Marton Fulop.
It almost matched Lampard’s effort in the midweek crushing of Hull but dipped a fraction late and bounced back off the bar. After that Chelsea simply swaggered around, constantly cutting swathes through a Sunderland back four that just could not cope with the movement and subtle passing patterns of Scolari’s side.
After 27 minutes Lampard rolled a super ball into the path of Joe Cole, who then turned George McCartney inside out before shooting low and hard. The ball slithered under the body of Fulop and Alex tapped in like a centre-forward not a centre-half.
Two minutes later Alex miscued a Lampard cross and Anelka, looking suspiciously offside, rolled it in.
And in first-half stoppage time a great one-touch move ended with Florent Malouda crossing for Anelka to slide in another sitter.
Joe Cole was in dazzling mood and in the 51st minute produced a brilliant run and chip for Lampard to head his landmark goal.
Scolari added: “In a few years’ time when people ask who was the best midfielder of that time in the world then you would have to say Frank Lampard.
“If he carries on like this he will score 150 before he retires.”
Cole sent Malouda clear again after 53 minutes and Anelka scrambled home his third and Chelsea’s 27th in 11 games this season.
The only downside for the Londoners was losing Ashley Cole with a first-half injury. He may be out for a couple of weeks.
But Keane is still tipping them to regain the championship.
He admitted: “I have fancied them for the title since the start and I’m still sure. I think because they have lost out twice they will just have the edge over United.”
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And the worrying aspect is that even humiliation does not come cheap on this unforgiving stage: of the 14 players Keane used here, six arrived during the summer on substantial contracts.
It was one of those occasions that made you despair of a League once considered the most competitive in Europe. Unless, of course, you were a Chelsea supporter, gaily singing, free of the cares that beset Arsenal’s travellers at Stoke or even Old Trafford in the defiant face of Hull.
Luiz Felipe Scolari’s team hardly required the assistance of an illegitimate goal that contributed to Nicolas Anelka’s hat-trick and, indirectly, Keane’s banishment to the stands for a half-time protest to the referee, Martin Atkinson.
Chelsea, to their credit, entertained us handsomely with passing crisp enough to delight their Brazilian manager.
Keane reasserted complaints about both the second and third goals, saying: ‘’I’ve been with a big team and all you want, when you come to play them, is a bit of fairness. But I’ve never had a problem with praising the opposition and today I’ll do that.’’
Beforehand, he had declared a willingness to alter his team within five minutes if it became apparent they were not up to the task. After 10 minutes, we wondered what was keeping him and, although he made changes later, Keane said: ‘’I don’t think any system would have worked today.’’
For the first 26 minutes of their battering, Sunderland defended with as much dignity as the slippery surface permitted, riding their luck when Deco artfully scooped the ball against Martin Fulop’s crossbar.
Then Joe Cole turned inside George McCartney and, essaying a left-footer, miskicked, only for Fulop to let it squirm under his body and out to Alex, who hit an unguarded net.
There was scarcely any more resistance to the next goal, though it should have been disallowed. Deco found Frank Lampard, whose low cross was again met by Alex --- what else was there for a Chelsea defender to do on this day but try to score as often as possible? --- only for Anelka, sliding, to help it over the line.
In truth this was a daft thing for Anelka to do, because he was in front of not only Alex but any Sunderland player. Yet neither Atkinson nor the relevant linesman saw anything untoward.
By comparison such controversy as preceded the next goal was a mere tinge. Joe Cole’s challenge was wild enough to prompt Pascal Chimbonda to pull out and Cole, permitted to play on, found Lampard. A slick move ensued, Florent Malouda unselfishly setting up Anelka.
As Sunderland trooped off, the thought occurred that they would probably have preferred to stand in the rain. At any rate, whatever Keane said made so little difference that within seven minutes of the resumption they had conceded two more goals.
First came a nightmare for McCartney, whose wrestling failed to prevent Joe Cole from crossing for Lampard to nod wide of Fulop. Then, with Chimbonda AWOL, Malouda found Anelka, whose ill-placed shot looped in off Fulop.
Later Didier Drogba made his comeback after injury, but Scolari said Anelka would start Tuesday’s Champions League match in Rome because he was the fitter spearhead.
The luckier too, Scolari might have added. Anelka, joint leading scorer in the Premier League with eight, would not have minded.
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Independent:
Anelka the top dog as goals rain down on Keane's head
Chelsea 5 Sunderland 0: Blues cruise with Lampard on century duty but Sunderland manager sees red
By Glenn Moore at Stamford Bridge
It must be hoped Triggs is in the mood for a good walk this morning. Roy Keane is in the habit of taking his dog for a hike when he has matters to brood on, and after this thrashing there is plenty for the Sunderland manager to contemplate.
His team were outclassed at Stamford Bridge, where it rained cats, dogs and Chelsea goals. Nicolas Anelka helped himself to three of them, taking his season's tally to eight in the League. With Didier Drogba making his return it was a timely treble, though the plaudits belonged to its architects, Joe Cole and Frank Lampard. Keane's ire was further exacerbated by his being sent to the stands at the interval for disputing the validity of Chelsea's goals.
He had a point. Anelka was offside when he tapped in the second and Pascal Chimbonda was fouled in the lead-up to the third, but while goals change matches it is hard to believe the result would have been substantially altered. Keane admitted as much when he said: "Chelsea were outstanding and there is no shame in losing to them."
"We played football," said Chelsea's manager, Luiz Felipe Scolari. The Brazilian, who reserved particular praise for Joe Cole, added in a reference to his team's failings in last week's defeat by Liverpool: "We tried to play on the ground, not high balls, feet to feet with the players changing positions." The only negative for Scolari was a calf injury to Ashley Cole which will rule him out of Tuesday's Champions' League tie in Rome.
Keane denied he had been dismissed, but said the referee, Martin Atkinson, had "told me not to come to the dug-out for the second half," which sounds very much like it. He added: "All you want is a bit of fairness. We felt we did not get that today."
Keane was unhappy enough going into the match, making five changes from the side beaten at Stoke. Clearlyhe felt too many had still been basking in the glory of last weekend's first home League victory over Newcastlein nearly 30 years. The reshaped side never got going, and Chelsea's early dominance was nearly rewarded when Deco chipped Marton Fulop only to hit the bar. After 27 minutes the dam broke. Lampard slid a ball down the inside-right channel to Joe Cole, who turned George McCartney before driving in a low shot that Fulop allowed to squirm under his body for Alex to tap in. Three minutes later Alex was driving forward again as Deco picked out Lampard's excellent run into the same inside-right channel with a beautifully weighted pass. Lampard squared and Alex steered the ball goalwards, only for Anelka to pinch the goal. The Frenchman, though, was offside, having been ahead of Alex when he shot.
Chelsea had not got round the back of the defence at Liverpool once last Sunday. Now they were doing it to order. A minute before the break Joe Cole, Lampard and Florent Malouda exchanged passes and, with the Sunderland defence appealing optimistically for offside, Anelka tapped in.
Keane made two changes at the break, one positional as he switched to 4-5-1. As a damage-limitation exercise it failed miserably. Within six minutes Joe Cole skipped around the hapless McCartney again and chipped a cross which an unchallenged Lampard headed in. It was his 100th League goal.
"He can get 150 goals," said Scolari. "For a midfielder it is fantastic. We need to think about who is the best in the world in this position – maybe it is Frank Lampard."
With the next attack Anelka completed a 23-minute hat-trick, tapping in after John Terry freed Malouda on the left. Malouda missed further chances as Chelsea passed around the bedraggled visitors with ease. In the stand the cameras caught Keane on the phone. An amateur lip-reader swore he said: "Is that the Samaritans?"
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Observer:
Anelka spearheads rout to return Chelsea to summit
Chelsea 5 Alex 27, Anelka 30, Anelka 45, Lampard 51, Anelka 53 Sunderland 0
Jamie Jackson at Stamford Bridge
Delight and a return to the top of the table for Chelsea; a thrashing for Sunderland and an enforced seat in the stands for Roy Keane. This was far too easy for the home side. But while the five unanswered goals might seem to make last week's surrender of Chelsea's proud unbeaten run at home faintly unbelievable, there were hints that Luiz Felipe Scolari does need to find differing ways to beat sides who do not just roll over.
'We played well not because we won 5-0 but because we play football,' said Chelsea's head coach, who had bemoaned a lack of such qualities during the week. 'We try to play on the ground, feet by feet, and the players change position.
'Joe Cole, for me, played the best game [yet]. He helped when we did not have the ball and tried to build things for us - not only on the wing but inside, in midfield. This is what we need - for players to switch position.'
Cole was indeed outstanding. But as Keane pointed out, he is just one of a side who include Deco and Frank Lampard. 'We were outclassed by a top, top team. When you're losing 5-0 and Didier Drogba comes on, you know you're in trouble. You want that clock to go forward. I was in my bedroom last night thinking of tactics and tactic boards, but nothing would have worked today - I'm not too despondent.'
Early on, Chelsea had oozed class, but there were signs of frustration from Scolari at a lack of end product. Then came the opener. Lampard found Cole on the right. The midfielder scampered inside and shot with his left. Marton Fulop saved, but not well enough. It squeezed out from under the goalkeeper's body and pinged sideways to Alex, who had made the run into Sunderland's penalty area.
A second goal came very quickly. And was very similar. This time it was Lampard who was on the right and in a shooting position. Instead, he slid a reverse pass that wrong-footed Sunderland and again found Alex - Nicolas Anelka grabbed the final touch for his seventh goal this season, a tally to which he would add two more by the end in collecting his first Chelsea hat-trick.
Scolari had been counting the number of bookable fouls and conscientiously informing fourth official Andy D'Urso. By 31 minutes a flash of three palms indicated the count was now at 15 including one that did seem worth the yellow, by Steed Malbranque on Ashley Cole.
It was late and painful enough to finish the left-back's match - 'He could miss the trip to Roma on Tuesday,' Scolari said - but as Wayne Bridge replaced him in rain now hurtling down, Chelsea had not halted scoring. Joe Cole picked out Lampard on the edge of the Sunderland area, the ball went to Florent Malouda, then Anelka, and it was 3-0 in added time.
'You would have to ask the referee,' said Keane, when asked why he was forced to watch the second half away from the Sunderland bench after arguing with the official in the tunnel at the break. 'We certainly thought their third goal was unfair because of a foul on [Pascal] Chimbonda.' That incident was unclear, though. And the Irishman added: 'I don't want to take anything away from Chelsea - they are quality and still my favourites to edge the title.'
All Keane got from his new position in the stands after the break was the difficult sight of his team being routed. Cole would be replaced after 63 minutes by Didier Drogba. Before this, though, he had created wonderfully for Lampard. Again the winger was allowed inside on Sunderland's right and dinked the ball up for Lampard who, with his head, scored his 100th Premier League goal.
Soon afterwards, Anelka claimed his third. Sunderland seemed incapable of retaining possession and of providing resistance. Malouda set up his countryman inside the visitors' penalty area, Anelka's finish hit Fulop, but there was enough on it to make it 5-0.
THE FANS' PLAYER RATINGS AND VERDICT
Jonathan Dyer, ChelseaBlog.com I didn't actually feel that Sunderland played too badly, but they came up against a good team on a good day. They were solid and trying not to concede, but the first two goals knocked them and they fell apart a bit. And after Keane got sent to the stands it was all over for them. Anelka was exceptional – he's not got a reputation as a hard worker, but he was doing box-to-box stuff here and tackling back as well as scoring the hat-trick. Joe Cole was excellent, very difficult to play against. It's hard for anyone to contain him in a game like this. It remains to be seen whether we can marry this attractive football with winning trophies – in the Liverpool game, we couldn't open them up – but this was good stuff.
The fan's player ratings Cech 7; Bosingwa 7, Alex 8, Terry 7, A Cole 7 (Bridge 7); Mikel 8; J Cole 8 (Drogba 7), Deco 7, Lampard 8, Malouda 7; Anelka 9 (Mineiro 7)
Martyn McFadden, A-Love-Supreme.comWhere do I start? Their first three goals were really dubious – the first looked offside, the second definitely was offside because someone was standing on the line, and for the third there was a foul in the build-up. After that, it was over. I'm not sure about our formations overall – we've been playing 4-5-1 game after game yet Keane had a slightly more attacking set-up here, and it isn't really fair on Waghorn to be played as an attacker. It was a miserable day – horrible, cold and wet – but the Sunderland fans were still outsinging Chelsea's, who were probably too busy with their cappuccinos and biscuits. But then Chelsea just seems part of the London tourist trade – Madame Tussauds in the morning, game in the afternoon.
The fan's player ratings Fulop 5; Chimbonda 5, Nosworthy 5, Ferdinand 6, McCartney 6; Malbranque 5 (Henderson 6), Whitehead 6, Tainio 6, Richardson 7, Waghorn 5 (Diouf 5); Jones 5 (Cissé 5)
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Mail:
Chelsea 5 Sunderland 0: Anelka puts Keane's men to shame
By IAN RIDLEY
Most competitive league in the world? Not when the team second in the table going into the game can do this to the one then placed 10th.
It was a mismatch and an embarrassment.
Chelsea may have more charisma these days, but still a shambolic Sunderland should not have subsided so readily, even if they felt at least two of the goals should not have been allowed.
For complaining too forcibly, Roy Keane was banished to the stand for the second half by referee Martin Atkinson.
A hat-trick by Nicolas Anelka - though his first goal was blatantly offside - built on Alex's opener and made the Frenchman the joint top scorer in the Premier League with eight.
The other came from the deserving Frank Lampard, who was at his creative best, topping off his performance with his 100th goal in the top flight.
On a grey, grizzly day at Stamford Bridge, the pitch made slick by the steady drizzle, Sunderland mirrored the weather, Chelsea the pitch.
It could have been many more. The idea that Chelsea are casting off the shackles of the Jose Mourinho era may be to insult a fine manager who brought a winning mentality to the club, but it is clear that on good days against limited opposition they can certainly purr.
'We play football. We try to play on the ground, not the high ball. Feet by feet,' said the Chelsea manager Luiz Felipe Scolari in charming English.
'The players change position and I think we play well.'
Sunderland manager Keane was surprisingly philosophical about the defeat for a man who was such a competitor and winner as a player.
At one point he was spotted on his mobile, perhaps to his chairman Niall Quinn for another wedge of transfer money in January or to the Samaritans.Or even to the referees' chief Keith Hackett about two decisions.
'Against the big boys you just want a bit of fairness and we didn't get that,' Keane lamented. 'I thought my players kept going. Could we have played better? Yes. Could we have avoided two or three of the goals? Yes. But that's football.'
For all their impressive qualities yesterday, with Joe Cole and Deco delightful on the ball, it has to be said that stricter tests await Chelsea's lighter touch.
And they have already failed one, last Sunday at home to Liverpool.
Keane shook up his Sunderland side after the midweek surrender to Stoke with strikers Djibril Cisse and El Hadji Diouf consigned to the bench.
Goalkeeper Craig Gordon was still injured. But their replacements did not seize their moment, however, and, after his return from long-term injury, Kenwyne Jones barely touched the ball.
It did look for the first quarter of the game as if it could be a frustrating afternoon for Chelsea, though, with Sunderland initially solid of shape and firm of discipline.
But they probed persistently and Deco's chip against the bar from the edge of the box hinted at the possibilities.
Then came the break Chelsea needed. Lampard stretched Sunderland again with a ball wide to Joe Cole on the right and he cut inside George McCartney to send in a shot which squirmed under Martin Fulop and dropped conveniently for Alex to tap home from close range.
Within three minutes it was two. Deco played in Lampard for a low cross that Alex turned goalwards and which Anelka - clearly offside - seized upon to guide over the line from a couple of yards out.
It was never going to make material difference to the result, however, as confirmed by Anelka's second goal, and Chelsea's third, in added time at the end of the first half.Lampard was again the instigator, receiving a pass from Joe Cole and supplying Malouda for a low cross that saw Anelka all alone for another tap-in, with Sunderland left claiming a foul on Pascal Chimbonda in the build-up and Keane sent from the dugout for his half-time protest.
Sunderland's hopes were shattered with the swift arrival of a fourth goal early in the second half.
John Obi Mikel sent Joe Cole clear of McCartney on the right with a piercing pass and his cross to the far post was met with a simple header home for the persevering Lampard.
Within another few minutes it was five.
This time John Terry sent Malouda clear on the left and he picked out Anelka in the box, his sliding shot hitting Fulop, but dribbling over the line to give the Frenchman his hat-trick.
It was clearly to Sunderland's relief that Chelsea all but declared after that, as Keane admitted when Didier Drogba came on for a late run-out after injury.
'You just wish someone would fastforward at that point,' he said.Kenwyne Jones barely touched the ball on his return from long-term injury. He had that in common with Petr Cech in the home goal.
CHELSEA (4-3-3): Ce Alex, Terry, Ashley Col Mikel, Deco, Lampard (Drogba 63), Malouda 75). Subs (not used): Kalou, Belletti. SUNDERLAND (4-4- Chimbonda, Noswort McCartney; Malbranq 46), Whitehead, Taini Waghorn (Diouf 46), J Subs (not used): Colg Meyler. Booked: Tainio.Referee: M Atkinson (Yorkshire)
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NOTW:
CHELSEA 5, SUNDERLAND 0
Nic Anelka's trick 'n treat
By ROB SHEPHERD at Stamford Bridge, 01/11/2008
The Stamford Bridge fans were singing in the rain: “Boring, boring Chelsea.”
The chant was ironic of course. The Blues were brilliant — it really was like watching Brazil.
True, Sunderland played their part. They were minging in the rain.
Chelsea boss Phil Scolari has constantly played down comparisons of the Blues’ style to his native Brazil, emphasising the need to win nasty at times.
But there is no question he has promoted a more expansive, entertaining brand of football.
It always seemed a little harsh that Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea were branded boring. And Avram Grant’s hangdog expression made them appear dull when they weren’t.
But there is certainly a feel-good factor around the club right now. Even Nicolas Anelka is smiling.
He had good cause after bagging his first Premier League hat-trick and then hearing he will continue to lead the line for Tuesday night’s trip to Roma even though Didier Drogba is fit again.
It is not often a striker grabs a hat-trick and does not get the man-of-the-match vote but Scolari agreed that Joe Cole had been the outstanding performer.
There were plenty of candidates though.
Frank Lampard, who became the first midfielder to hit 100 Premier goals, was everywhere. Deco was a delight and Alex, who opened the scoring, spent nearly as much time in the Sunderland box as his own.
Scolari, though, insisted: “We were probably better when we beat Aston Villa 2-0. The difference was we had more shots here and took more chances.
“The way we play? The emphasis is to play, play, to pass the ball on the ground not in the air.”
Sunderland boss Roy Keane was surprisingly calm about the defeat — and even about referee Martin Atkinson, who ordered him into the stands after a heated exchange in the tunnel at half-time.
Keane said: “The referee told me to sit in the stands for the second half. If that’s being sent off then you will have to ask him.
“But, to be honest, I am not as angry as I was after the Stoke game in the week. It’s no shame to be beaten by a team like Chelsea. They are a really top side.
“I was most disappointed with the third goal but I am not looking for excuses.”
Chelsea started slowly but with an assuredness that suggested they knew it was just when, not if, they would break through.
It wasn’t a long wait.
Deco laid down a marker in the 16th minute when he collected a pass from Joe Cole and, from 20 yards, caressed a chip which glided over keeper Marton Fulop.
It almost matched Lampard’s effort in the midweek crushing of Hull but dipped a fraction late and bounced back off the bar. After that Chelsea simply swaggered around, constantly cutting swathes through a Sunderland back four that just could not cope with the movement and subtle passing patterns of Scolari’s side.
After 27 minutes Lampard rolled a super ball into the path of Joe Cole, who then turned George McCartney inside out before shooting low and hard. The ball slithered under the body of Fulop and Alex tapped in like a centre-forward not a centre-half.
Two minutes later Alex miscued a Lampard cross and Anelka, looking suspiciously offside, rolled it in.
And in first-half stoppage time a great one-touch move ended with Florent Malouda crossing for Anelka to slide in another sitter.
Joe Cole was in dazzling mood and in the 51st minute produced a brilliant run and chip for Lampard to head his landmark goal.
Scolari added: “In a few years’ time when people ask who was the best midfielder of that time in the world then you would have to say Frank Lampard.
“If he carries on like this he will score 150 before he retires.”
Cole sent Malouda clear again after 53 minutes and Anelka scrambled home his third and Chelsea’s 27th in 11 games this season.
The only downside for the Londoners was losing Ashley Cole with a first-half injury. He may be out for a couple of weeks.
But Keane is still tipping them to regain the championship.
He admitted: “I have fancied them for the title since the start and I’m still sure. I think because they have lost out twice they will just have the edge over United.”
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