Observer:
Early Anelka strike sinks Villa as Hiddink opens with a winAston Villa 0 Chelsea 1 Anelka 19
Paul Wilson at Villa Park
Guus Hiddink could hardly have wished for a better start to his Chelsea stewardship. Three points took his new team back above Aston Villa to third in the table (why all the fuss about failing to qualify for the Champions League?) while victory at Villa Park is an achievement that even José Mourinho never managed to supervise.
This fixture, if you recall, was the scene of the first public rift between Mourinho and Roman Abramovich two years ago, when the owner left his seat before the end of a 2-0 defeat. The last time Chelsea won here in the league was 1999, when the two sides were respectively managed by John Gregory and Gianluca Vialli. That's a long time in Chelsea years.
So Hiddink has stopped the rot and seems well on his way to restoring confidence to a still-talented collection of players, even if this result only underlined what we already knew. Chelsea are not playing as well as they were when they blew Villa away at Stamford Bridge back in October, and while Martin O'Neill's side are considerably better than they appeared that day, they still appear likely to disappoint anyone who expects them to put a bomb under the top four any time soon.
Chelsea were clinically efficient here, though not sufficiently so totally to impress a new manager who complained his players were too static in the second half. Villa suffered from stage fright, appearing either nervous or reluctant to believe they could see off a team of Chelsea's stature, though O'Neill blamed it on tiredness.
Nicolas Anelka's goal was good enough to settle any encounter, though Villa made enough chances to get back on terms and missed them all. Absent too was the searing pace that has undone so many teams in their 13-match unbeaten run, yet perhaps credit should go to Chelsea for effectively shutting down the flanks and keeping an organised back line. In the final 15 minutes Chelsea created enough opportunities to win three games and missed them all, so Villa could have no complaints.
"I was pleased with the way we played in the first half," Hiddink said. "With our extra man in midfield we found we could get into their box quite easily and that is how the goal came about. I would have liked to dominate the second half too, but we became too static. We needed more movement. I feel we can improve on that a little bit, but it was not easy when Villa threw on their huge guys. There was always the threat of an air force."
O'Neill thought his players looked leggy after their midweek exertions against CSKA Moscow, and admitted the difficulty of chasing a top-four place is making him reevaluate the Uefa Cup, but did not disagree with Hiddink's conclusions. "They passed it around better than we did. They have been playing that midfield system for years, they keep three men close together and do it very well," the Villa manager said.
"We have strengths in other areas, we can be more explosive, but we couldn't turn it round today. We're disappointed, we felt we could win; even at half time we felt we could win, but we'll bounce back.
"We must have been doing something right because José Boswinga was time-wasting with half an hour to go. That's only a small crumb of comfort to take, but I'll still take it."
Chelsea again left themselves vulnerable to criticism that they lack width by playing without recognised wingers or marauding full-backs, yet they came up with the neatest of answers to take the lead after 19 minutes. When you can split defences through the middle as deftly as Frank Lampard did to create Anelka's opportunity you don't really need to use the flanks.
Lampard shuffled the ball between his feet and turned expertly past Curtis Davies's rushed challenge, then took Zat Knight out of the equation with a clever ball into the space between goalkeeper and back line. Brad Friedel knew he had to leave his goal but even as he did so Anelka darted in to lift the ball over him.
Friedel made a good save to deny John Terry from a corner on the half hour, but the next 30 minutes was about Villa fluffing their lines and missing a succession of chances. Emile Heskey headed comically wide after Ashley Young had rattled Cech's bar with a free-kick, and Gabriel Agbonlahor failed to get a crucial touch when Young's cross from the left picked him out in front of goal. Agbonlahor missed an even better chance at the start of the second half when a mistake by Alex left him free in the area; but he chose to shoot early from an unfavourable angle when he had time to get closer to goal.
After further misses from Gareth Barry and Agbonlahor, O'Neill sent on John Carew with 20 minutes remaining but it was Chelsea who finished the stronger side, with Deco and Didier Drogba missing decent chances and Friedel producing a save when Boswinga looked certain to score, then acrobatically denying Michael Ballack at the death.
"We could have scored one or two more, but overall I am pleased," Hiddink concluded. "After getting to know Frank Lampard as an opponent I enjoyed having him on my side. He made the goal and played well. And, as you English say, he's a good lad too."
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Mail :
Aston Villa 0 Chelsea 1: Anelka ushers in new era with a winner that jolts Villa fansBy Rob Draper
In the end, fans were leaving Villa Park as the fourth official raised the board that indicated four more minutes to be played. That, in itself, told its own damning story.This corner of Birmingham had been full of excitement a few hours previously, anticipation that has perhaps not been felt since Ron Atkinson's team chased Manchester United down to the first Premier League title.Yet, even with the score standing at 1-0, it seemed pointless for many to stay. Having surveyed the previous 90 minutes, it was clear there was not to be a late rally.
Potentially, it had been a historic day for the club. Victory would have been a huge step towards Villa qualifying for the Champions League and breaking up the cosy foursome that dominates the game.Chelsea, under new management, should have been vulnerable, but yesterday was merely a re-establishment of the old order.Villa are made in England, both in personnel and style, and how it showed. In fact, it was rather like watching one of those dreary England games, when they try to break down more intelligent and technical foreign opposition with long balls, crosses and set-pieces.
But Ashley Young is no David Beckham. Then again, Emile Heskey was no, well, Emile Heskey. 'We've all been around too long to draws lots on conclusions from one game,' argued Martin O'Neill.'Sometimes you can read an incredible amount into a game just because of a result. I don't see it. I see it as a setback and disappointment.'If I want to take a positive, it's Jose Bosingwa taking about four days to take a throw in with half an hour to go. I don't mind in the last few minutes. I've done it myself. But with half an hour left! I drew some small comfort from that.'We're not a long way away. There is absolutely no dent in belief. Absolutely not! We thought we could win today, at half-time we thought we could. We were beaten on the day, but we are still in there.'
Still, Guus Hiddink's Chelsea side played the part of the continental sophisticates extremely well. There were few innovations in formation and personnel, but the team looked more disciplined in midfield, less porous in defence and more potent up front, with Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka both on the pitch. That said, a better side might have exposed the deficiencies of Alex and Paulo Ferreira.In short, Hiddink could pronounce himself pleased, announce that Frank Lampard was a 'good lad' as well as a great player, yet concede that there might need to be some improvement to beat Juventus this week.'I'm very satisfied with the result, especially as we were coming here with Villa setting records at the moment. In the first half we could be very pleased, we had a good attacking way of football and were rather dominant,' said Hiddink. 'The only critical thing is that we did not finish it off. In the second half we were a little bit static in possession.'We forgot to move when we had the ball, so we can improve a little bit, but we are satisfied to get this game in our pocket.'
Hiddink claims that he sees no evidence of the personality clashes in the Chelsea team but nevertheless spent his first week reminding his players of the professionalism that is required from them.'We asked them, "Why are you in a big club?",' he said. 'But I didn't have to push them towards that attitude, they were there already.'How long will it take to get them back to their potential? I would like to do it in three or four days. When you are playing top football you have to be intelligent as a player, and open-minded and this week we have worked very well.'I was surprised, because there were these rumours about divisions but I was pleased with the attitude.' Principally he was pleased with Anelka and Lampard, who contrived to win the match with a superb combination of passing and finishing in the 19th minute.Lampard won the ball in midfield and, as Curtis Davies over committed himself in defence, he slid a delightful ball through for Anelka, who simply guided it home to take his tally to 21 for the season. 'I have been an opponent of Lampard on a few occasions and was always frightened of his performance,' said Hiddink.'He was impressive how he prepared this goal. He's a very good lad, as they say here.' It was not that Villa did not have chances. Ashley Young's superb free-kick on 34 minutes hit the underside of the bar and spun back as goalkeeper Petr Cech stood rooted to his line.
Gabriel Agbonlahor's pace and power rushed Alex into a mistake on 54 minutes and took the England man into a one-on-one with Cech, but the Chelsea keeper pulled off a smart save.And had Heskey pulled the ball back with greater accuracy after 69 minutes, Agbonlahor would surely have scored.Yet, there were as many occasions when Brad Friedel had to rescue his team-mates, not least from John Terry's header in the first half and Michael Ballack's shot after 90 minutes.For, in reality, the home supporters who left to beat the jams had it right. Villa are not in this class just yet.
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Telegraph:
Chelsea give Guus Hiddink the perfect startAston Villa 0 Chelsea 1 By Patrick Barclay at Villa Park To the neutral, the attraction of this match was the opportunity it afforded Aston Villa to embed themselves in the top four at the possible expense of Chelsea. But it was evident, even in the 18 minutes before Nicolas Anelka scored the only goal, that the away team were the better equipped. And we should have been able to predict it.
It was not just that class told (though it did) or that Chelsea benefited from new management (who knows?); both of these sides, the faded former champions and the Champions League aspirants, have obtained a majority of their points on their travels this season. This is especially true of Villa, who have now won only five of 13 home matches while winning 10 of 13 away. They do struggle to open defences here and visitors come aware that, if they blunt Ashley Young’s threat from the left flank, there is little else to worry about.
Seldom has Young been as quiet as on this occasion. Chelsea’s right-back, Jose Bosingwa, gave a masterly display of attack as the best form of defence, forcing Young on to his back foot with elegant forays. Towards the end Bosingwa might even have scored when he sprinted, executed a sweet one-two with Didier Drogba, and made Brad Friedel save sharply. Only Frank Lampard contributed more to Guus Hiddink’s satisfactory initiation as caretaker-manager. The England midfielder offered skill - most delightfully the turn, dart and pass that made the goal - and sweat in equal measure.
"I’ve been an opponent of his a few times," said Hiddink, "so it’s good to have him on my side. He made the goal very impressively and Frank’s a good lad - as they say here - for the team." The first-half performance, Hiddink added, had been especially pleasing, with its accent on attack. Afterwards, he conceded, Chelsea had shown that passing entails movement. "We were static - and that gave us a problem. Aston Villa came at us with these big guys, their air force. But it was good to get away with the points."
They were secured, as it turned out, by the most handsome move of the match, in which Lampard wheeled and spurted between Curtis Davies and Stilian Petrov before laying a perfect ball into the path of Anelka. The Frenchman deserved credit too; he times those runs almost by instinct. He also knows to shoot early and so, while Friedel got a touch to the ball, it was not decisive enough to prevent Anelka from celebrating his 15th Premier League goal of the season (he has 21 in all).
A five save by Friedel from John Terry’s header kept Villa in the match and they almost equalised when Ashley Young, from a free-kick Emile Heskey had dubiously earned, struck the crossbar. Terry was again dangerous in the air, Gareth Barry being obliged the head his effort off the goal-line, but Chelsea lost momentum. Hiddink ascribed it to a lack of movement rather than complacency, but it did invite Villa to try again and Petr Cech had to parry a full-blooded drive from Barry. There was, however, a shortage of subtlety in both their approach play and the movement of Heskey and Gabriel Agbonlahor.
The notion that the end of their Champions League dream is nigh was pooh-poohed by Martin O’Neill, who cited his players’ heavy programme of late (they lost in the FA Cup at Everton last Sunday and drew at home to CSKA Moscow in the Uefa Cup on Wednesday) and said: ‘’On other days, other teams will have to cope with that. We’ll bounce back.’’ Unfavourable comparison of his team with Chelsea need not be conclusive. ‘’They have been playing for a number of years with a style in which three midfield players operate close together, and it works well. That’s why we were outnumbered in there at times today. But we hope to make a difference in other areas of the field and to be explosive.’’
Among those who have encountered their explosions are that fine footballing side Arsenal, but that was at the Emirates Stadium. Here Villa have fired too many blanks. It cannot, however, be stressed often enough that they have travelled far under O’Neill in a relatively short time. Less than a year after we were congratulating them on finishing sixth in the Premier League, it is a bit premature to be demanding they break up the cosy dominance of the top four. Yet it could still happen. There is plenty of life in Villa’s season - as, with O’Neill around, you would expect.
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The Sunday Times
February 22, 2009
Guus Hiddink passes special test for ChelseaAston Villa 0 Chelsea 1
Joe Lovejoy at Villa Park
HERE’S to the new boss — same as the old boss. Guus Hiddink had the victory he and his team needed in his first match in charge but the new Chelsea, as they were billed, looked much like the model that got Jose Mourinho sacked in September 2007, grinding out an amply deserved but uninspiring 1-0 victory to leapfrog Villa and take third place in the table.
Roman Abramovich, who tired of Mourinho’s pragmatism and yearned for something more flamboyant, seemed happy enough at the final whistle, applauding with his phalanx of lieutenants and hailing Hiddink as the new “Special One”.
Chelsea’s self-satisfaction was excusable. Hiddink, having had only a week in which to work the Dutch oracle with his new charges, has at least got them playing like a united team rather than some clique-ridden collection of sulky prima donnas. Their form had dipped in the weeks before Luiz Felipe Scolari was dismissed but they were the powerfully effective machine of old throughout the first half and should have won by a more convincing margin, John Terry having a header cleared off the line by Gareth Barry with Brad Friedel well beaten.
Martin O’Neill said on Friday that this was a match Chelsea could not afford to lose but made no mention of any pressures on his own team, which was taken as a tacit admission that Villa were not genuine title contenders. At no stage did they threaten to disabuse their manager here. Faced with their third match in seven days, one of the smallest squads in the Premier League was found wanting. Their England players in particular had been to the well once too often and looked desperately tired.
That 13-match unbeaten run ended with more of an exhausted whimper than a bang. They have another Uefa Cup match on Thursday in Moscow and the challenge of regaining their lost momentum is bound to be mentally and physically demanding. The fourth Champions League place is probably the best they can hope for.
Beyond the West Midlands, interest focused on Chelsea and the latest manager to try to fill Mourinho’s shiny size nines. The cast were entirely familiar, but the line-up less so. Scolari maintained that Chelsea did not have the right players for a 4-4-2 formation and tended to use only one striker — either Nicolas Anelka or Didier Drogba. The new broom swept out the old thinking and picked both. The result was instantly impressive, Frank Lampard’s neat turn and bisecting through-pass inviting Anelka to run on and beat Friedel from 12 yards with the cool expertise of a born finisher. That’s 21 goals and counting for the reborn French striker.
With Chelsea’s midfield dominant, it would have been 2-0 after half an hour but for the flying, one-handed save with which Friedel repelled Terry’s header from a Lampard corner.
The wingers on whom Villa’s attacking tactics depend made little worthwhile progress and when they did their crossing was poor. That said, they did have Petr Cech’s heart in his mouth once in the first half, when Ashley Young shivered the crossbar with a an impressive 20-yard free kick and Emile Heskey nodded the rebound horribly wide.
Barry made his goalline clearance from Terry early in the second half but the lack of the second goal that Chelsea always threatened kept Villa in with a shout and they began to fashion chances of their own. Gabriel Agbonlahor demanded a decent save from Cech, as did Barry from 20 yards, and suddenly Chelsea were reduced to familiar time-wasting ploys. They still came closer to scoring, however, with Jose Bosingwa and Ballack testing Friedel in the last 10 minutes.
Hiddink pronounced himself “very pleased and very satisfied”. Invited to elaborate, he said: “Villa had not been beaten for a long time, so it is pleasing to get the points. In the first half we played in a good, attacking way and were dominant in midfield, where we always had the extra man. The only thing wrong was that we didn’t do well enough in their box. In the second half they came at us with their air force and sometimes we were a bit too static in possession. As a principle, when you have the ball, you have to move — if you don’t, you ask for trouble. The movements don’t have to be big but they do have to be smart.”
In his first week, he said he had worked his players hard “not just physically but strategically”. The attitude in the dressing room was a pleasant surprise but he had seen fit to tell all and sundry “why you’re at a big club and what is expected”. Juventus at home on Wednesday in the Champions League will come as another reminder.
ASTON VILLA: Friedel 6, Cuellar 5, Knight 6, Davies 5 (Carew 70min), L Young 7, Milner 6, Petrov 5, Barry 6, A Young 6, Agbonlahor 6, Heskey 6
CHELSEA: Cech 6, Bosingwa 6, Alex 6, Terry 7, Ferreira 6, Mikel 6, Kalou 5 (Deco 55min, 5), Ballack 7, Lampard 8, Drogba 6 (Belletti 90min), Anelka 7
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Independent:
Hiddink does his homework to expose Villa
Aston Villa 0 Chelsea 1: Anelka goal earns debut win for Chelsea’s new manager as O’Neill’s men begin to look weary
By Steve Tongue at Villa Park
It was the week in which Aston Villa, keen to establish a position among the big beasts, bared their teeth and failed to frighten anyone. Put to the test in the space of seven admittedly arduous days, they lost against Everton in the FA Cup, surrendered third place in the Premier League to Chelsea and were held at home in the Uefa Cup by CSKA Moscow, a result that must be improved on in the second leg on Thursday.
There can be no second chance against Guus Hiddink’s new charges, however. Well beaten 2-0 at Stamford Bridge on Luiz Felipe Scolari’s best day in charge in October, Villa were found wanting again yesterday and for all their undoubted progress in the past 12 months have now won only one of a dozen games against the big four English clubs they are attempting to match. Hiddink had done his homework and knew Martin O’Neill’s team are essentially a counter-attacking side reliant on the pace of Gabriel Agbonlahor and Ashley Young. Yesterday that pair were allowed little scope, while Emile Heskey, just back from injury, looked nothing like the frightening figure who had once terrorised Hiddink’s Russia at Wembley.
Five other Englishmen started in claret and blue yesterday in front of Fabio Capello, but Chelsea’s patriotic pair Frank Lampard and John Terry were their team’s best players, as they have often been in this troubled season. Troubled though hardly hopeless; Hiddink has taken over a side that is about to meet Juventus in the Champions’ League, should reach the FA Cup semi-final and has the momentum to continue pursuing Liverpool and Manchester United in the League. Already the wily old Dutchman has a notch on his gun that even Jose Mourinho never achieved with Chelsea: a win at Villa Park, where the London side had not succeeded for almost exactly 10 years.
His first game in charge, after watching the 3-1 victory at Watford last weekend, saw Michael Ballack and Didier Drogba more committed, the latter happy to take a turn out on the left occasionally and allow Nicolas Anelka more space down the middle where they both prefer to operate. There was much neat and confident passing in midfield, although Paulo Ferreira offered less of an attacking option from left-back than the suspended Ashley Cole would have done.
Villa, even after 13 unbeaten League matches, needed a bright start for extra self-belief, but found themselves trailing to a lovely goal after 19 minutes. Lampard’s quick feet confounded two defenders before a perfect pass found Anelka moving into the inside-right slot to chip over the advancing Brad Friedel. It was his 21st goal of the season but first in nine League games. Hiddink jumped to his feet for the first time before resuming his seat and stony expression, as if admonishing himself for this outburst of emotion.
There could easily have been a second goal 15 minutes later. Lampard took a corner from in front of adoring Chelsea fans on the right and his England colleague and captain Terry rose above everyone for a header that Friedel had to be at his best to paw away. It would have been an injustice had Villa equalised just after that, not least because Heskey merely slipped over to win them a free-kick from Mark Halsey. From 20 yards Ashley Young curled it against the bar, Heskey heading the rebound feebly wide. The near miss did enliven the home crowd, however, and Villa had plenty of possession from then on. Agbonlahor was gifted a glorious chance when Alex failed to deal with Luke Young’s hopeful punt down the touchline, but Petr Cech, slowly returning to form, saved well, before holding two strong shots from Gareth Barry. Chelsea’s potential at set-pieces through Terry, Alex, Drogba and Ballack was evident again following another excellent delivery by Lampard. Once again Terry headed powerfully at goal and Stilian Petrov had to clear off the line. Hiddink’s first substitution as manager then brought Deco into the game for Salomon Kalou, sitting a little deeper and unable to exert much influence on the game.
Villa went for broke by introducing big John Carew alongside Heskey, but Terry and Alex are not a pair to be intimidated by physical power. Carew glanced his one chance wide and at the other end Drogba, shooting too high, and then the right-back Jose Bosingwa, and Ballack, both thwarted by Friedel, could have allowed Hiddink to relax.
Villa’s manager Martin O’Neill felt that not too much should be read into one result. The two defeats by Chelsea this season nevertheless say something about where his team stand in relation to their admirable ambitions.
Attendance: 42,585
Referee: Mark Halsey
Man of the match: Lampard
Match rating: 6/10
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NOTW:
ASTON VILLA 0, CHELSEA 1 Frank Lampard gets new boss Hiddink off to a flier From ANDY DUNN at Villa Park
“WHERE’S your missus gone?” enquired the Holte End. In response, Frank Lampard gave them only trouble ’n strife.
And he was still out there when that huge stand had emptied into the streets of Aston. Co-ordinating the group hug, high-fiving more sheepish-looking team-mates, wrapping an arm around the bare shoulders of John Terry.
And he was still out there when Roman Abramovich was working his way through underground pathways, seeking out his latest managerial plaything, Guus Hiddink.
And he was still out there after everyone else had disappeared down the tunnel. It was symbolic.
By example, Lampard had led from the front. Now he wanted to bring them home from the rear. And as he finally ducked under the tunnel canopy, Lampard let out a final screech of triumph.
The brave, new world of Hiddink turned out to be the brave, old world of Chelsea. The one symbolised by Lampard and Terry, stood bicep-to-bicep in front of the travelling fans, screaming out their unity.
It will take more than an orchestrated show of chumminess to prove there are no splits in the Stamford Bridge dressing room. But this was a start.
It was not so much that the players reacted to Hiddink’s arrival with a determination to convince us that, even though they are unlikely to catch United, they are united.
It was that they reacted to the embarrassment of losing a World Cup-winning manager his job. It was that they reacted to being labelled a hotch-potch of moaning minnies. Hangdog millionaires.
Lampard was inspirational, his work for the goal sublime and one late defensive chore earning the fist of approval from Deco. Terry, if not exactly foot-sure, was wildly determined, unlucky not to net.
Didier Drogba was on his best behaviour, diligent, bustling and not a single toy leaving the pram. And Nicolas Anelka’s finesse won the game, all silk and no sulk.
Hell, even Michael Ballack tried. And Petr Cech looked as safe as I’ve seen him for a while, apart from when he turned frozen orange as Ashley Young’s free-kick sent the crossbar into convulsions.
Cech fielded a couple of heartily-hit Gareth Barry efforts in the second half but this was the performance of a Villa side who have jumped a string of fences only to see Becher’s Brook looming in the distance as their breathing gets harder.
Even the odd injury exposes Martin O’Neill’s squad. With Martin Laursen missing after knee surgery, Zat Knight and Curtis Davies form an unconvincing partnership at the heart of the defence. They are too similarly gangly, with rash interventions their speciality.
Lifting So it was when Davies hurriedly advanced on Lampard only to see the England midfielder’s quick feet take him clear and gently persuade a pass into the path of Anelka.
The Frenchman — now with 21 goals in a tantrum-free season — did not have to interrupt his thoroughbred stride before delicately lifting his finish over Brad Friedel.
He may be hard to take to but he is one class act. And Anelka was as enthusiastic as anyone in the post-match love-in . . . maybe he’s beginning to buy into this team thing.
There has never been any doubting Villa’s team ethic and, after an insipid first-half display, they at least brought a touch of vibrancy after the interval.
Gabriel Agbonlahor annexed Alex to leave himself alone with Cech but struck straight at the Chelsea keeper. And Barry connected well with his attempts but sent them both into Cech’s comfort zone.
The Villa captain was again the source of most things promising but even he looked a little laboured as Lampard loped remorselessly from box to box.
With Fabio Capello joining the rich and, er, even richer in the directors’ box, the man who must have impressed him most was a man he knows an awful lot about. And a man to whom he preferred Barry and Manchester United’s Michael Carrick the last time out.
England captain Terry must also have pleased Capello, even though he looks increasingly liable to take a gamble (and I’m not talking parking the roller outside Ladbrokes).
In fact, Terry was more eye-catching in the opposite area — his first effort a thumping header that brought a wonderful reaction save out of Friedel, his second a looping little number that was cleared off the line by Stiliyan Petrov.
The main criticism of Chelsea yesterday was that they did not quell doubts after Anelka’s beautiful finish.
Even when Deco entered proceedings and promptly beat more men in a minute than he has all season, his pass was wasted by Ballack — the German’s shot bringing out a posturing save that Friedel should not have been allowed to make.
The inability to brush Villa aside niggled at Hiddink and brought him into the technical area, although not with O’Neill’s inimitable style.
But there was little on which to judge the Dutchman yesterday. He looks tidy, organised, stern, determined, tough to crack. Presumably, that is what he wants his side to look like.
Grinning And that is what Chelsea always used to look like. The Chelsea Abramovich used to love under Jose Mourinho. And then didn’t . . . most notably when he slunk away early from the self-same Villa Park when Mourinho’s mediocrity finally became too much to bear.
Gazing down at Guus and grinning, Roman was there again yesterday. You don’t see him for two months and then, all of a sudden, he’s stalking you.
So was Randy Lerner, who had to be prodded when the Holte End stopped taunting Frank about his missus and chanted the owner’s name. But despite the presence of the uber-rich and the uber-coach, this day was about old values on the pitch.
About Chelsea — led by Frank’s imperious example — going back to the basics and proving that, sadly unlike the Lampard household, there are no splits.
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Early Anelka strike sinks Villa as Hiddink opens with a winAston Villa 0 Chelsea 1 Anelka 19
Paul Wilson at Villa Park
Guus Hiddink could hardly have wished for a better start to his Chelsea stewardship. Three points took his new team back above Aston Villa to third in the table (why all the fuss about failing to qualify for the Champions League?) while victory at Villa Park is an achievement that even José Mourinho never managed to supervise.
This fixture, if you recall, was the scene of the first public rift between Mourinho and Roman Abramovich two years ago, when the owner left his seat before the end of a 2-0 defeat. The last time Chelsea won here in the league was 1999, when the two sides were respectively managed by John Gregory and Gianluca Vialli. That's a long time in Chelsea years.
So Hiddink has stopped the rot and seems well on his way to restoring confidence to a still-talented collection of players, even if this result only underlined what we already knew. Chelsea are not playing as well as they were when they blew Villa away at Stamford Bridge back in October, and while Martin O'Neill's side are considerably better than they appeared that day, they still appear likely to disappoint anyone who expects them to put a bomb under the top four any time soon.
Chelsea were clinically efficient here, though not sufficiently so totally to impress a new manager who complained his players were too static in the second half. Villa suffered from stage fright, appearing either nervous or reluctant to believe they could see off a team of Chelsea's stature, though O'Neill blamed it on tiredness.
Nicolas Anelka's goal was good enough to settle any encounter, though Villa made enough chances to get back on terms and missed them all. Absent too was the searing pace that has undone so many teams in their 13-match unbeaten run, yet perhaps credit should go to Chelsea for effectively shutting down the flanks and keeping an organised back line. In the final 15 minutes Chelsea created enough opportunities to win three games and missed them all, so Villa could have no complaints.
"I was pleased with the way we played in the first half," Hiddink said. "With our extra man in midfield we found we could get into their box quite easily and that is how the goal came about. I would have liked to dominate the second half too, but we became too static. We needed more movement. I feel we can improve on that a little bit, but it was not easy when Villa threw on their huge guys. There was always the threat of an air force."
O'Neill thought his players looked leggy after their midweek exertions against CSKA Moscow, and admitted the difficulty of chasing a top-four place is making him reevaluate the Uefa Cup, but did not disagree with Hiddink's conclusions. "They passed it around better than we did. They have been playing that midfield system for years, they keep three men close together and do it very well," the Villa manager said.
"We have strengths in other areas, we can be more explosive, but we couldn't turn it round today. We're disappointed, we felt we could win; even at half time we felt we could win, but we'll bounce back.
"We must have been doing something right because José Boswinga was time-wasting with half an hour to go. That's only a small crumb of comfort to take, but I'll still take it."
Chelsea again left themselves vulnerable to criticism that they lack width by playing without recognised wingers or marauding full-backs, yet they came up with the neatest of answers to take the lead after 19 minutes. When you can split defences through the middle as deftly as Frank Lampard did to create Anelka's opportunity you don't really need to use the flanks.
Lampard shuffled the ball between his feet and turned expertly past Curtis Davies's rushed challenge, then took Zat Knight out of the equation with a clever ball into the space between goalkeeper and back line. Brad Friedel knew he had to leave his goal but even as he did so Anelka darted in to lift the ball over him.
Friedel made a good save to deny John Terry from a corner on the half hour, but the next 30 minutes was about Villa fluffing their lines and missing a succession of chances. Emile Heskey headed comically wide after Ashley Young had rattled Cech's bar with a free-kick, and Gabriel Agbonlahor failed to get a crucial touch when Young's cross from the left picked him out in front of goal. Agbonlahor missed an even better chance at the start of the second half when a mistake by Alex left him free in the area; but he chose to shoot early from an unfavourable angle when he had time to get closer to goal.
After further misses from Gareth Barry and Agbonlahor, O'Neill sent on John Carew with 20 minutes remaining but it was Chelsea who finished the stronger side, with Deco and Didier Drogba missing decent chances and Friedel producing a save when Boswinga looked certain to score, then acrobatically denying Michael Ballack at the death.
"We could have scored one or two more, but overall I am pleased," Hiddink concluded. "After getting to know Frank Lampard as an opponent I enjoyed having him on my side. He made the goal and played well. And, as you English say, he's a good lad too."
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Mail :
Aston Villa 0 Chelsea 1: Anelka ushers in new era with a winner that jolts Villa fansBy Rob Draper
In the end, fans were leaving Villa Park as the fourth official raised the board that indicated four more minutes to be played. That, in itself, told its own damning story.This corner of Birmingham had been full of excitement a few hours previously, anticipation that has perhaps not been felt since Ron Atkinson's team chased Manchester United down to the first Premier League title.Yet, even with the score standing at 1-0, it seemed pointless for many to stay. Having surveyed the previous 90 minutes, it was clear there was not to be a late rally.
Potentially, it had been a historic day for the club. Victory would have been a huge step towards Villa qualifying for the Champions League and breaking up the cosy foursome that dominates the game.Chelsea, under new management, should have been vulnerable, but yesterday was merely a re-establishment of the old order.Villa are made in England, both in personnel and style, and how it showed. In fact, it was rather like watching one of those dreary England games, when they try to break down more intelligent and technical foreign opposition with long balls, crosses and set-pieces.
But Ashley Young is no David Beckham. Then again, Emile Heskey was no, well, Emile Heskey. 'We've all been around too long to draws lots on conclusions from one game,' argued Martin O'Neill.'Sometimes you can read an incredible amount into a game just because of a result. I don't see it. I see it as a setback and disappointment.'If I want to take a positive, it's Jose Bosingwa taking about four days to take a throw in with half an hour to go. I don't mind in the last few minutes. I've done it myself. But with half an hour left! I drew some small comfort from that.'We're not a long way away. There is absolutely no dent in belief. Absolutely not! We thought we could win today, at half-time we thought we could. We were beaten on the day, but we are still in there.'
Still, Guus Hiddink's Chelsea side played the part of the continental sophisticates extremely well. There were few innovations in formation and personnel, but the team looked more disciplined in midfield, less porous in defence and more potent up front, with Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka both on the pitch. That said, a better side might have exposed the deficiencies of Alex and Paulo Ferreira.In short, Hiddink could pronounce himself pleased, announce that Frank Lampard was a 'good lad' as well as a great player, yet concede that there might need to be some improvement to beat Juventus this week.'I'm very satisfied with the result, especially as we were coming here with Villa setting records at the moment. In the first half we could be very pleased, we had a good attacking way of football and were rather dominant,' said Hiddink. 'The only critical thing is that we did not finish it off. In the second half we were a little bit static in possession.'We forgot to move when we had the ball, so we can improve a little bit, but we are satisfied to get this game in our pocket.'
Hiddink claims that he sees no evidence of the personality clashes in the Chelsea team but nevertheless spent his first week reminding his players of the professionalism that is required from them.'We asked them, "Why are you in a big club?",' he said. 'But I didn't have to push them towards that attitude, they were there already.'How long will it take to get them back to their potential? I would like to do it in three or four days. When you are playing top football you have to be intelligent as a player, and open-minded and this week we have worked very well.'I was surprised, because there were these rumours about divisions but I was pleased with the attitude.' Principally he was pleased with Anelka and Lampard, who contrived to win the match with a superb combination of passing and finishing in the 19th minute.Lampard won the ball in midfield and, as Curtis Davies over committed himself in defence, he slid a delightful ball through for Anelka, who simply guided it home to take his tally to 21 for the season. 'I have been an opponent of Lampard on a few occasions and was always frightened of his performance,' said Hiddink.'He was impressive how he prepared this goal. He's a very good lad, as they say here.' It was not that Villa did not have chances. Ashley Young's superb free-kick on 34 minutes hit the underside of the bar and spun back as goalkeeper Petr Cech stood rooted to his line.
Gabriel Agbonlahor's pace and power rushed Alex into a mistake on 54 minutes and took the England man into a one-on-one with Cech, but the Chelsea keeper pulled off a smart save.And had Heskey pulled the ball back with greater accuracy after 69 minutes, Agbonlahor would surely have scored.Yet, there were as many occasions when Brad Friedel had to rescue his team-mates, not least from John Terry's header in the first half and Michael Ballack's shot after 90 minutes.For, in reality, the home supporters who left to beat the jams had it right. Villa are not in this class just yet.
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Telegraph:
Chelsea give Guus Hiddink the perfect startAston Villa 0 Chelsea 1 By Patrick Barclay at Villa Park To the neutral, the attraction of this match was the opportunity it afforded Aston Villa to embed themselves in the top four at the possible expense of Chelsea. But it was evident, even in the 18 minutes before Nicolas Anelka scored the only goal, that the away team were the better equipped. And we should have been able to predict it.
It was not just that class told (though it did) or that Chelsea benefited from new management (who knows?); both of these sides, the faded former champions and the Champions League aspirants, have obtained a majority of their points on their travels this season. This is especially true of Villa, who have now won only five of 13 home matches while winning 10 of 13 away. They do struggle to open defences here and visitors come aware that, if they blunt Ashley Young’s threat from the left flank, there is little else to worry about.
Seldom has Young been as quiet as on this occasion. Chelsea’s right-back, Jose Bosingwa, gave a masterly display of attack as the best form of defence, forcing Young on to his back foot with elegant forays. Towards the end Bosingwa might even have scored when he sprinted, executed a sweet one-two with Didier Drogba, and made Brad Friedel save sharply. Only Frank Lampard contributed more to Guus Hiddink’s satisfactory initiation as caretaker-manager. The England midfielder offered skill - most delightfully the turn, dart and pass that made the goal - and sweat in equal measure.
"I’ve been an opponent of his a few times," said Hiddink, "so it’s good to have him on my side. He made the goal very impressively and Frank’s a good lad - as they say here - for the team." The first-half performance, Hiddink added, had been especially pleasing, with its accent on attack. Afterwards, he conceded, Chelsea had shown that passing entails movement. "We were static - and that gave us a problem. Aston Villa came at us with these big guys, their air force. But it was good to get away with the points."
They were secured, as it turned out, by the most handsome move of the match, in which Lampard wheeled and spurted between Curtis Davies and Stilian Petrov before laying a perfect ball into the path of Anelka. The Frenchman deserved credit too; he times those runs almost by instinct. He also knows to shoot early and so, while Friedel got a touch to the ball, it was not decisive enough to prevent Anelka from celebrating his 15th Premier League goal of the season (he has 21 in all).
A five save by Friedel from John Terry’s header kept Villa in the match and they almost equalised when Ashley Young, from a free-kick Emile Heskey had dubiously earned, struck the crossbar. Terry was again dangerous in the air, Gareth Barry being obliged the head his effort off the goal-line, but Chelsea lost momentum. Hiddink ascribed it to a lack of movement rather than complacency, but it did invite Villa to try again and Petr Cech had to parry a full-blooded drive from Barry. There was, however, a shortage of subtlety in both their approach play and the movement of Heskey and Gabriel Agbonlahor.
The notion that the end of their Champions League dream is nigh was pooh-poohed by Martin O’Neill, who cited his players’ heavy programme of late (they lost in the FA Cup at Everton last Sunday and drew at home to CSKA Moscow in the Uefa Cup on Wednesday) and said: ‘’On other days, other teams will have to cope with that. We’ll bounce back.’’ Unfavourable comparison of his team with Chelsea need not be conclusive. ‘’They have been playing for a number of years with a style in which three midfield players operate close together, and it works well. That’s why we were outnumbered in there at times today. But we hope to make a difference in other areas of the field and to be explosive.’’
Among those who have encountered their explosions are that fine footballing side Arsenal, but that was at the Emirates Stadium. Here Villa have fired too many blanks. It cannot, however, be stressed often enough that they have travelled far under O’Neill in a relatively short time. Less than a year after we were congratulating them on finishing sixth in the Premier League, it is a bit premature to be demanding they break up the cosy dominance of the top four. Yet it could still happen. There is plenty of life in Villa’s season - as, with O’Neill around, you would expect.
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The Sunday Times
February 22, 2009
Guus Hiddink passes special test for ChelseaAston Villa 0 Chelsea 1
Joe Lovejoy at Villa Park
HERE’S to the new boss — same as the old boss. Guus Hiddink had the victory he and his team needed in his first match in charge but the new Chelsea, as they were billed, looked much like the model that got Jose Mourinho sacked in September 2007, grinding out an amply deserved but uninspiring 1-0 victory to leapfrog Villa and take third place in the table.
Roman Abramovich, who tired of Mourinho’s pragmatism and yearned for something more flamboyant, seemed happy enough at the final whistle, applauding with his phalanx of lieutenants and hailing Hiddink as the new “Special One”.
Chelsea’s self-satisfaction was excusable. Hiddink, having had only a week in which to work the Dutch oracle with his new charges, has at least got them playing like a united team rather than some clique-ridden collection of sulky prima donnas. Their form had dipped in the weeks before Luiz Felipe Scolari was dismissed but they were the powerfully effective machine of old throughout the first half and should have won by a more convincing margin, John Terry having a header cleared off the line by Gareth Barry with Brad Friedel well beaten.
Martin O’Neill said on Friday that this was a match Chelsea could not afford to lose but made no mention of any pressures on his own team, which was taken as a tacit admission that Villa were not genuine title contenders. At no stage did they threaten to disabuse their manager here. Faced with their third match in seven days, one of the smallest squads in the Premier League was found wanting. Their England players in particular had been to the well once too often and looked desperately tired.
That 13-match unbeaten run ended with more of an exhausted whimper than a bang. They have another Uefa Cup match on Thursday in Moscow and the challenge of regaining their lost momentum is bound to be mentally and physically demanding. The fourth Champions League place is probably the best they can hope for.
Beyond the West Midlands, interest focused on Chelsea and the latest manager to try to fill Mourinho’s shiny size nines. The cast were entirely familiar, but the line-up less so. Scolari maintained that Chelsea did not have the right players for a 4-4-2 formation and tended to use only one striker — either Nicolas Anelka or Didier Drogba. The new broom swept out the old thinking and picked both. The result was instantly impressive, Frank Lampard’s neat turn and bisecting through-pass inviting Anelka to run on and beat Friedel from 12 yards with the cool expertise of a born finisher. That’s 21 goals and counting for the reborn French striker.
With Chelsea’s midfield dominant, it would have been 2-0 after half an hour but for the flying, one-handed save with which Friedel repelled Terry’s header from a Lampard corner.
The wingers on whom Villa’s attacking tactics depend made little worthwhile progress and when they did their crossing was poor. That said, they did have Petr Cech’s heart in his mouth once in the first half, when Ashley Young shivered the crossbar with a an impressive 20-yard free kick and Emile Heskey nodded the rebound horribly wide.
Barry made his goalline clearance from Terry early in the second half but the lack of the second goal that Chelsea always threatened kept Villa in with a shout and they began to fashion chances of their own. Gabriel Agbonlahor demanded a decent save from Cech, as did Barry from 20 yards, and suddenly Chelsea were reduced to familiar time-wasting ploys. They still came closer to scoring, however, with Jose Bosingwa and Ballack testing Friedel in the last 10 minutes.
Hiddink pronounced himself “very pleased and very satisfied”. Invited to elaborate, he said: “Villa had not been beaten for a long time, so it is pleasing to get the points. In the first half we played in a good, attacking way and were dominant in midfield, where we always had the extra man. The only thing wrong was that we didn’t do well enough in their box. In the second half they came at us with their air force and sometimes we were a bit too static in possession. As a principle, when you have the ball, you have to move — if you don’t, you ask for trouble. The movements don’t have to be big but they do have to be smart.”
In his first week, he said he had worked his players hard “not just physically but strategically”. The attitude in the dressing room was a pleasant surprise but he had seen fit to tell all and sundry “why you’re at a big club and what is expected”. Juventus at home on Wednesday in the Champions League will come as another reminder.
ASTON VILLA: Friedel 6, Cuellar 5, Knight 6, Davies 5 (Carew 70min), L Young 7, Milner 6, Petrov 5, Barry 6, A Young 6, Agbonlahor 6, Heskey 6
CHELSEA: Cech 6, Bosingwa 6, Alex 6, Terry 7, Ferreira 6, Mikel 6, Kalou 5 (Deco 55min, 5), Ballack 7, Lampard 8, Drogba 6 (Belletti 90min), Anelka 7
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Independent:
Hiddink does his homework to expose Villa
Aston Villa 0 Chelsea 1: Anelka goal earns debut win for Chelsea’s new manager as O’Neill’s men begin to look weary
By Steve Tongue at Villa Park
It was the week in which Aston Villa, keen to establish a position among the big beasts, bared their teeth and failed to frighten anyone. Put to the test in the space of seven admittedly arduous days, they lost against Everton in the FA Cup, surrendered third place in the Premier League to Chelsea and were held at home in the Uefa Cup by CSKA Moscow, a result that must be improved on in the second leg on Thursday.
There can be no second chance against Guus Hiddink’s new charges, however. Well beaten 2-0 at Stamford Bridge on Luiz Felipe Scolari’s best day in charge in October, Villa were found wanting again yesterday and for all their undoubted progress in the past 12 months have now won only one of a dozen games against the big four English clubs they are attempting to match. Hiddink had done his homework and knew Martin O’Neill’s team are essentially a counter-attacking side reliant on the pace of Gabriel Agbonlahor and Ashley Young. Yesterday that pair were allowed little scope, while Emile Heskey, just back from injury, looked nothing like the frightening figure who had once terrorised Hiddink’s Russia at Wembley.
Five other Englishmen started in claret and blue yesterday in front of Fabio Capello, but Chelsea’s patriotic pair Frank Lampard and John Terry were their team’s best players, as they have often been in this troubled season. Troubled though hardly hopeless; Hiddink has taken over a side that is about to meet Juventus in the Champions’ League, should reach the FA Cup semi-final and has the momentum to continue pursuing Liverpool and Manchester United in the League. Already the wily old Dutchman has a notch on his gun that even Jose Mourinho never achieved with Chelsea: a win at Villa Park, where the London side had not succeeded for almost exactly 10 years.
His first game in charge, after watching the 3-1 victory at Watford last weekend, saw Michael Ballack and Didier Drogba more committed, the latter happy to take a turn out on the left occasionally and allow Nicolas Anelka more space down the middle where they both prefer to operate. There was much neat and confident passing in midfield, although Paulo Ferreira offered less of an attacking option from left-back than the suspended Ashley Cole would have done.
Villa, even after 13 unbeaten League matches, needed a bright start for extra self-belief, but found themselves trailing to a lovely goal after 19 minutes. Lampard’s quick feet confounded two defenders before a perfect pass found Anelka moving into the inside-right slot to chip over the advancing Brad Friedel. It was his 21st goal of the season but first in nine League games. Hiddink jumped to his feet for the first time before resuming his seat and stony expression, as if admonishing himself for this outburst of emotion.
There could easily have been a second goal 15 minutes later. Lampard took a corner from in front of adoring Chelsea fans on the right and his England colleague and captain Terry rose above everyone for a header that Friedel had to be at his best to paw away. It would have been an injustice had Villa equalised just after that, not least because Heskey merely slipped over to win them a free-kick from Mark Halsey. From 20 yards Ashley Young curled it against the bar, Heskey heading the rebound feebly wide. The near miss did enliven the home crowd, however, and Villa had plenty of possession from then on. Agbonlahor was gifted a glorious chance when Alex failed to deal with Luke Young’s hopeful punt down the touchline, but Petr Cech, slowly returning to form, saved well, before holding two strong shots from Gareth Barry. Chelsea’s potential at set-pieces through Terry, Alex, Drogba and Ballack was evident again following another excellent delivery by Lampard. Once again Terry headed powerfully at goal and Stilian Petrov had to clear off the line. Hiddink’s first substitution as manager then brought Deco into the game for Salomon Kalou, sitting a little deeper and unable to exert much influence on the game.
Villa went for broke by introducing big John Carew alongside Heskey, but Terry and Alex are not a pair to be intimidated by physical power. Carew glanced his one chance wide and at the other end Drogba, shooting too high, and then the right-back Jose Bosingwa, and Ballack, both thwarted by Friedel, could have allowed Hiddink to relax.
Villa’s manager Martin O’Neill felt that not too much should be read into one result. The two defeats by Chelsea this season nevertheless say something about where his team stand in relation to their admirable ambitions.
Attendance: 42,585
Referee: Mark Halsey
Man of the match: Lampard
Match rating: 6/10
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NOTW:
ASTON VILLA 0, CHELSEA 1 Frank Lampard gets new boss Hiddink off to a flier From ANDY DUNN at Villa Park
“WHERE’S your missus gone?” enquired the Holte End. In response, Frank Lampard gave them only trouble ’n strife.
And he was still out there when that huge stand had emptied into the streets of Aston. Co-ordinating the group hug, high-fiving more sheepish-looking team-mates, wrapping an arm around the bare shoulders of John Terry.
And he was still out there when Roman Abramovich was working his way through underground pathways, seeking out his latest managerial plaything, Guus Hiddink.
And he was still out there after everyone else had disappeared down the tunnel. It was symbolic.
By example, Lampard had led from the front. Now he wanted to bring them home from the rear. And as he finally ducked under the tunnel canopy, Lampard let out a final screech of triumph.
The brave, new world of Hiddink turned out to be the brave, old world of Chelsea. The one symbolised by Lampard and Terry, stood bicep-to-bicep in front of the travelling fans, screaming out their unity.
It will take more than an orchestrated show of chumminess to prove there are no splits in the Stamford Bridge dressing room. But this was a start.
It was not so much that the players reacted to Hiddink’s arrival with a determination to convince us that, even though they are unlikely to catch United, they are united.
It was that they reacted to the embarrassment of losing a World Cup-winning manager his job. It was that they reacted to being labelled a hotch-potch of moaning minnies. Hangdog millionaires.
Lampard was inspirational, his work for the goal sublime and one late defensive chore earning the fist of approval from Deco. Terry, if not exactly foot-sure, was wildly determined, unlucky not to net.
Didier Drogba was on his best behaviour, diligent, bustling and not a single toy leaving the pram. And Nicolas Anelka’s finesse won the game, all silk and no sulk.
Hell, even Michael Ballack tried. And Petr Cech looked as safe as I’ve seen him for a while, apart from when he turned frozen orange as Ashley Young’s free-kick sent the crossbar into convulsions.
Cech fielded a couple of heartily-hit Gareth Barry efforts in the second half but this was the performance of a Villa side who have jumped a string of fences only to see Becher’s Brook looming in the distance as their breathing gets harder.
Even the odd injury exposes Martin O’Neill’s squad. With Martin Laursen missing after knee surgery, Zat Knight and Curtis Davies form an unconvincing partnership at the heart of the defence. They are too similarly gangly, with rash interventions their speciality.
Lifting So it was when Davies hurriedly advanced on Lampard only to see the England midfielder’s quick feet take him clear and gently persuade a pass into the path of Anelka.
The Frenchman — now with 21 goals in a tantrum-free season — did not have to interrupt his thoroughbred stride before delicately lifting his finish over Brad Friedel.
He may be hard to take to but he is one class act. And Anelka was as enthusiastic as anyone in the post-match love-in . . . maybe he’s beginning to buy into this team thing.
There has never been any doubting Villa’s team ethic and, after an insipid first-half display, they at least brought a touch of vibrancy after the interval.
Gabriel Agbonlahor annexed Alex to leave himself alone with Cech but struck straight at the Chelsea keeper. And Barry connected well with his attempts but sent them both into Cech’s comfort zone.
The Villa captain was again the source of most things promising but even he looked a little laboured as Lampard loped remorselessly from box to box.
With Fabio Capello joining the rich and, er, even richer in the directors’ box, the man who must have impressed him most was a man he knows an awful lot about. And a man to whom he preferred Barry and Manchester United’s Michael Carrick the last time out.
England captain Terry must also have pleased Capello, even though he looks increasingly liable to take a gamble (and I’m not talking parking the roller outside Ladbrokes).
In fact, Terry was more eye-catching in the opposite area — his first effort a thumping header that brought a wonderful reaction save out of Friedel, his second a looping little number that was cleared off the line by Stiliyan Petrov.
The main criticism of Chelsea yesterday was that they did not quell doubts after Anelka’s beautiful finish.
Even when Deco entered proceedings and promptly beat more men in a minute than he has all season, his pass was wasted by Ballack — the German’s shot bringing out a posturing save that Friedel should not have been allowed to make.
The inability to brush Villa aside niggled at Hiddink and brought him into the technical area, although not with O’Neill’s inimitable style.
But there was little on which to judge the Dutchman yesterday. He looks tidy, organised, stern, determined, tough to crack. Presumably, that is what he wants his side to look like.
Grinning And that is what Chelsea always used to look like. The Chelsea Abramovich used to love under Jose Mourinho. And then didn’t . . . most notably when he slunk away early from the self-same Villa Park when Mourinho’s mediocrity finally became too much to bear.
Gazing down at Guus and grinning, Roman was there again yesterday. You don’t see him for two months and then, all of a sudden, he’s stalking you.
So was Randy Lerner, who had to be prodded when the Holte End stopped taunting Frank about his missus and chanted the owner’s name. But despite the presence of the uber-rich and the uber-coach, this day was about old values on the pitch.
About Chelsea — led by Frank’s imperious example — going back to the basics and proving that, sadly unlike the Lampard household, there are no splits.
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