The Times
Joe Cole steals limelight on Chelsea returnChelsea 1 Queens Park Rangers 0
Russell Kempson
It may have represented little more than a duel for local bragging rights but Chelsea, the Barclays Premier League leaders, were forced to take it seriously by a resolute Queens Park Rangers at Stamford Bridge last night. Only after the second-half introductions of Frank Lampard, Ashley Cole and John Terry, the England stalwarts, did they earn safe passage into the fourth round.
Until the arrival of Lampard, at half-time, Cole, midway through the second period, and Terry, towards the end, Chelsea had spluttered throughout the West London derby. However, once the big guns had been rolled out and got to work, they were stronger all round and always capable of nullifying a stirring late rally from QPR.
It was an eighth successive win in all competitions for Carlo Ancelotti, the Chelsea manager, and perhaps the most valuable in many ways. Long-term absentees returned from injury and youngsters were blooded.
Even if Ancelotti could be accused of not taking the competition seriously by fielding a weakened line-up, at least it gave the home fans a possible glimpse of the future. Joe Cole and Paulo Ferreira returned from knee injuries and Yuri Zhirkov, an £18 million summer buy from CSKA Moscow, made a belated debut after suffering from a similar problem.
Ancelotti also offered a chance to youth, a gesture rarely made by his recent predecessors. Sam Hutchinson, a 20-year-old former club academy central defender, made his debut and Fabio Borini, the 18-year-old Italian striker, his first start.
“QPR gave us a tough game,” Ray Wilkins, the Chelsea assistant first-team coach, said. “It was a testimony to how well they played that we had to use all three substitutes. Frank is not a bad player to bring on at half-time and then Ashley and John to shore things up.
“Joe got 90 minutes, Yuri got a bit out of it and the two youngsters as well. It’s good for the young men to push themselves forward. It’s a competition we want to win. If we can blood a few youngsters along the way, all well and good.”
How Flavio Briatore, the QPR co-owner, would have loved the occasion, hobnobbing it with their illustrious capital cousins. In twelfth place in the Coca-Cola Championship, QPR perhaps deserved an evening in the spotlight, albeit against a tad tougher opposition than in previous rounds, when they defeated Exeter City and Accrington Stanley.
In the wake of “Crashgate”, though, Briatore, the disgraced former Formula One mogul, was lying low, believed to be abroad trying to salvage what was left of his reputation. Pity. He would have witnessed a stirring first-half display from QPR, in which they more than matched Chelsea for spirit and endeavour.
“Any questions on Flavio Briatore will not be answered,” a QPR public relations minion said afterwards.
“I’ve never met him,” Jim Magilton, the manager, joked. “I got the job because of how I go about my business and, hopefully, that won’t change. We’ve got to use this as a springboard to go on.”
As expected, Chelsea exhibited the class. Joe Cole, the captain for the night, was everywhere, cutting in from the left flank and orchestrating all their best moves. He has been away a long time and it is nine months to the World Cup finals in South Africa, but his absence does not appear to have dulled his ambition or sense of adventure.
“This is just a stepping stone for me,” Cole said. “I have just got to keep working hard in training and get back to the best of my ability. I was delighted how it went. I didn’t feel off the pace, I was among the action. I’m just happy to be playing again.”
Chelsea lacked penetration in the final third of the pitch but were transformed after Lampard entered the fray and took the lead in the 52nd minute. Salomon Kalou cut in from the right, took sight of goal and beat Tom Heaton with a low shot that cannoned in off the far post.
Back came QPR and how, launching themselves forward in wave after wave. Jay Simpson shot across the face of Hilário’s goal with Wayne Routledge only inches from making contact at the far post. Akos Buzsaky then forced the Chelsea goalkeeper into a sprawling save.
Only when Ancelotti recognised the signs and brought on his other England stars did the QPR threat recede.
Chelsea (4-1-3-2): Hilário — P Ferreira, S Hutchinson (sub: J Terry, 77min), B Ivanovic, Y Zhirkov (sub: A Cole, 68) — J O Mikel — J Belletti, F Malouda (sub: F Lampard, 46), J Cole — S Kalou, F Borini. Substitutes not used: R Turnbull, M Essien, N Matic, J Bruma.
Queens Park Rangers (4-4-2): T Heaton — M Leigertwood, D Stewart, K Gorkss, G Borrowdale — W Routledge, M Rowlands (sub: H Ephraim, 73), A Faurlin, A Buzsaky — R Vine (sub: A Taarabt, 66), J Simpson (sub: A Pellicori, 73). Substitutes not used: R Cerny, P Ramage, G Mahon, P Agyemang.
Referee: M Jones.
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Telegraph:
Chelsea 1 Queens Park Rangers 0
By Jason Burt at Stamford Bridge
A Carling Cup tie in mid-September would hardly appear worthy of the billing - not for a seasoned international, a Champions League veteran and a Premier League winner - but Joe Cole described his return to the Chelsea first-team as “one of the biggest games of my career”.
Given the 27-year-old has been absent, through a cruciate knee injury, since January, and much has changed at Chelsea since then, including two managers, then the sentiment was understandable.
“It’s beautiful to be back playing football again,” Cole, captain for the evening and the architect of Chelsea’s winning goal, added.
“Chelsea are my club. It's the first time I’ve been captain. That was a nice touch. To captain Chelsea is just unbelievable. I was a ballboy here…It was an emotional night for me.”
And, hopefully for Chelsea, and England, in a season that culminates with the World Cup Finals, a significant one also.
The home supporters sang about celery, Cole had talked about playing in the “sausage roll” but Rangers were, ultimately, unable to provide much food for thought for Carlo Ancelotti - a gourmet himself - or his side.
It’s eight wins from eight for the Italian and 23 matches unbeaten - equalling the club record set by Jose Mourinho in early 2007 - for Chelsea.
The “sausage roll” is Cockney-rhyming slang, of course, for “in the hole” (ie behind the strikers) or, alternatively, the tip of the diamond.
Although Cole, who craves the position was far from polished Ancelotti will have noted that it was from his clever through ball that Chelsea struck although the midfielder was denied adding the second late on after exchanging passes with Salomon Kalou only for Tom Heaton to beat out his rising shot.
Kalou had scored early in the second-half, running on from the left wing to meet Cole’s threaded ball through, after the latter’s nimble turn in the centre circle, and curl his shot around the goalkeeper.
The sight - by the end - of John Terry, Ashley Cole and Frank Lampard all on the field would suggest that Chelsea made heavy weather of this tie. Although hardly fluent, they didn’t.
The arrival of the substitutes came for various reasons with Lampard upping the tempo as a half-time replacement, Cole replacing the tiring £18 million debutant Yuri Zhirkov, also returning from injury, and Terry, well, it looked like he fancied a run out.
“It was testimony to QPR that we had to use Frank, Ashley and John to shore things up,” said Chelsea assistant manager Ray Wilkins.
Understandably Rangers manager Jim Magilton readily agreed. “That was as a mark of respect for us,” he suggested.
However that wasn’t quite true. Few other leading clubs would have put on their main central defender in such circumstances but even though this is a competition which is firmly last in the list of Chelsea’s priorities, such is the strength of player opinion that it’s difficult for any coach to stop the likes of Terry from appearing.
“When we set our season out we want to win everything we enter,” Wilkins explained.
All in all, Ancelotti made 10 changes from Sunday’s victory over Tottenham Hotspur but also made a mockery of suggestions that he would, in the light of the Fifa transfer ban, surrender this competition even if, finally, here was a Chelsea manager prepared to field an apparently weakened team. But not one packed with youngsters.
There were full debuts for Fabio Borini - the technically-gifted 18-year-old Italian striker who has caught Ancelotti’s eye but who looked a little lightweight at times - and Sam Hutchinson, 20, but others, such as Jeffrey Brouma and Nemanja Matic remained on the bench while Paulo Ferreira, another cruciate victim, also made his comeback.
“If you see the size of the squad that we have it’s vitally important that they get some air-time as well,” Wilkins said in explaining why more academy players were not given a chance.
Even so it left Chelsea a little disjointed and chances were, predictably, at a premium. Rangers played two strikers but also deployed a defensive shield. Two banks of four to be breached.
With 6,000 supporters also in attendance - although disgraced co-owner Flavio Briatore stayed away - there was plenty of backing for the Championship club, buoyed by recent results.
Borini flashed a header wide, from Zhirkov’s cross, but it was a rare moment of threat while Rangers clung to hopes of hurting Chelsea on the counter-attack.
The contest rumbled on until Joe Cole swept Ferriera’s cross past a post and Juliano Belletti stung Heaton’s hands with a fierce free-kick from distance. Then Lampard replaced Florent Malouda and suddenly there was impetus and, finally, there was a goal.
Rangers responded by pouring forward. Corners and free-kicks were won but they, now, were vulnerable to the counter and from one break Lampard cleverly picked out Borini and he scampered into the penalty area to draw a save from Heaton with the ball then falling behind the unmarked Belletti.
Akos Buzsaky, with a shot that bounced just before the goalkeeper, finally forced a meaningful save from Henrique Hilario and although Rangers ended the match in Chelsea’s half they couldn’t really threaten. Instead it was to be Cole’s night.
Match details:
Chelsea (4-1-2-1-2): Hilario; Ferreira, Hutchinson (Terry 77), Ivanovic, Zhirkov (A Cole 69); Mikel; Belletti, Malouda (Lampard 46); J Cole; Borini, Kalou.Subs: Turnbull (gk), Essien, Matic, Bruma.Goal: Kalou 52.
Queens Park Rangers (4-4-2): Heaton; Leigertwood, Stewart, Gorkss, Borrowdale; Routledge, Rowlands (Ephraim 73), Faurlin, Buzsaky; Simpson (Pellicori 73), Vine (Taarabt 66).Subs: Cerny (gk), Ramage, Mahon, Agyemang.Referee: M Jones (Cheshire).
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Independent:
Cole shines in the hole for Chelsea
Chelsea 1 Queen's Park Rangers 0
By Sam Wallace
Eight months had passed since Joe Cole last played for Chelsea, but on his comeback last night he learnt that some things never change. Even in the Carling Cup, Carlo Ancelotti had to rely on the big guns to see Chelsea through.
The Italian might have thought that he could pick any XI from his mighty 29-man squad to dispose of their west London neighbours from the Championship but he was wrong. The fringe players were not good enough and by the end of the game Frank Lampard, Ashley Cole and John Terry were all on the pitch to steer Chelsea through to the fourth round of the competition.
Joe Cole could at least reflect on a sweet through ball to Salomon Kalou for the winning goal. It was a vintage Cole pass, of a quality that Chelsea showed too rarely. But it was not until Lampard came on at half-time that Chelsea found the fluency to win the match.
Cole, who ruptured cruciate ligaments against Southend in the FA Cup in January, was captain for the night. "I'm just delighted to be back here," he said. "Everyone at the club has been blinding. I want to be part of a successful season. It was an emotional night for me. I can't thank the fans enough.
"There was a little lump in my throat just warming up against Porto the other night," Cole added. "You think people have forgotten you so to come out there and hear them singing my name, it's just brilliant. Chelsea are my club. It's the first time I've been captain. That was a nice touch. To captain Chelsea is just unbelievable. I was a ballboy here. I know it was the Carling Cup, but tonight was one of the biggest games of my career.
"I know it's a stepping stone for me, it's not 'Joe's back' and I'm going to be how I've been immediately. I don't want people to think that. You have to get the knee used to all the movement and all the twisting and turning which is a big part of my game. If I am back to my best on Saturday, or next week or next month we will have to see."
Unlike Arsène Wenger at Arsenal, Ancelotti does not have a team of brilliant academy players to play in the Carling Cup, although given the money his sporting director Frank Arnesen has spent, he really should. Instead, Chelsea have an enormous first-team squad who have to play at some point. For the likes of Paulo Ferreira and Juliano Belletti this is about as good as it gets.
"Look at the size of our squad," said Ancelotti's assistant, Ray Wilkins, "we have a lot of guys who don't play week in, week out. They need to play and beyond that it is up to the young men to push themselves forward."
Of the estimated £62m that Arnesen has, in his wisdom, spent on teenage players for Chelsea's academy, the only one on show last night was Fabio Borini, a promising 19-year-old signed from Bologna. Sam Hutchinson, 20, who started at centre-back, comes from Slough and does not count as an Arnesen prodigy. For the youngsters in the Chelsea academy it must feel like a long way to the first team.
Jim Magilton's side were magnificently defiant in the face of such an expensively acquired second string, with £18m Yuri Zhirkov at left-back. But the Rangers manager admitted that his side did not create enough goalscoring chances. "We did not have the belief in the final third to take a risk and win the game," he said.
Joe Cole picked out Kalou on the left wing who cut in on his right foot to beat the goalkeeper Tom Heaton in the 52nd minute. Cole might have scored himself on 85 minutes but Heaton did well to save. Chelsea clearly want to win this trophy again, but it may have to be their first team which does it.
Chelsea (4-1-4-1): Hilario; Ferreira, Hutchinson (Terry, 77), Ivanovic, Zhirkov (A Cole, 69); Mikel; Belletti, Kalou, J Cole, Malouda (Lampard, h-t); Borini. Substitutes not used: Turnbull (gk), Essien, Matic, Bruma.
Queen's Park Rangers (4-4-2): Heaton; Leigertwood, Stewart, Gorkss, Borrowdale; Routledge, Rowlands (Ephraim, 73), Faurlin, Buzsaky; Simpson (Pellicori, 73), Vine (Taarabt, 63). Substitutes not used: Cerny (gk), Ramage, Mahon, Agyemang.
Referee: M Jones (Cheshire).
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Guardian:
Salomon Kalou's strike put the gloss on Joe Cole's dream return for Chelsea
Carling Cup Third Round Chelsea 1 Kalou 52 QPR 0
David Hytner at Stamford Bridge
Joe Cole had dreamed of this moment for eight long months. From time to time, during the arduous rehabilitation from his cruciate knee ligament injury, the Chelsea midfielder closed his eyes and heard the roar of the Stamford Bridge crowd and imagined the thrill of a return to first-team football. When the long overdue feelings came back, he could also celebrate his part in what proved to be the winning goal.
Cole's close control and pass early in the second half caught out the Rangers back line and urged Salomon Kalou to gallop forward on goal. There was still plenty of work to be done but the Ivorian's composure and finish matched the slick build-up. For Cole, who was pressed through the whole 90 minutes, and his team, this was an eighth consecutive victory of the season. Carlo Ancelotti, the coach, knows only the grinding satisfaction of result after result.
The Rangers co-owner Flavio Briatore, meanwhile, has already supervised one car crash and he could be pleased that there was not another here. The manager, Jim Magilton, declared himself "immensely proud", but, despite their endeavour, Rangers lacked the finesse to fashion anything of note in front of goal. The moment that most dramatically quickened the pulses of their supporters was Akos Buzsaky's 25-yard shot that reared up and forced Henrique Hilário to paw behind for a corner. Otherwise, Chelsea were comfortable.
"It was an emotional night for me," said Cole, who was named as captain. "There was a lump in my throat just warming up against Porto last week. You think people have forgotten you, so to come out and hear them singing my name was just brilliant.
"Chelsea are my club, I was a ballboy here and to captain Chelsea for the first time was unbelievable. I know it was the Carling Cup, but tonight was one of the biggest games of my career."
The major pre-match talking point concerned the identity of the Chelsea starting line-up. Although Ancelotti retained just Florent Malouda from that which beat Tottenham Hotspur here on Sunday, he began with only two players from the club's academy – the central defender Sam Hutchinson and the striker Fabio Borini. For both, it represented their full debut. Jeffrey Bruma, another academy centre-half, was an unused substitute.
Much has been made of the lack of first-team progress of the club's youth players, who, until recently, were under the charge of the sporting director, Frank Arnesen. Yet, in some respects, the sight of two of them in the team was encouraging. Ancelotti may have discovered that it is no easy task telling John Terry, Frank Lampard, Ashley Cole et al that they must start on the bench. Chelsea's leading stars always insist on playing.
It was also understood that Gaël Kakuta, the academy winger at the centre of Chelsea's 12-month transfer window ban, could have been selected because the club had still not received Fifa's full written explanation of its ruling by kick-off. Kakuta's four-month suspension is only to begin when the paperwork arrives. Chelsea expect to receive it by 5pm tomorrow.
Rangers, mid-table in the Championship, were up for the fight. So were their supporters, who filled the Shed End. As a light rain fell, there was a real cup-tie derby under the floodlights. Their discipline was laudable but Magilton remarked that they "lacked belief in the final third or someone to take a risk to win the game".
Chelsea, who gave a debut to the £18m summer signing Yuri Zhirkov, went close through Borini, Joe Cole and Juliano Belletti in the first half. They needed a spark in the second half and Lampard's introduction helped to provide it. Yet it was Cole who prised Rangers apart. He released Kalou through the inside-left channel and, with the Rangers back-pedalling, he cut inside Mikele Leigertwood to drill home low and right-footed.
After Borini had shot unconvincingly at Tom Heaton, from Lampard's through ball, and Hilario saved from Buzsaky, Cole almost set the seal on his evening. Having swapped passes with Kalou, he tiptoed into the area but shot straight at Heaton. "I should have scored," he said. "But I'm back and it's just blinding."
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Mail:
Chelsea 1 QPR 0:
Cole returns but Lampard has the answers for Ancelotti
By Simon Cass
Carlo Ancelotti took just over 45 minutes to realise what five of his predecessors would testify to: when in need, call for Frank Lampard.
A returning Joe Cole, captain for the evening, may have provided the pass for Salomon Kalou to score, but it was the introduction of Lampard that finally shook Ancelotti's re-jigged Carling Cup XI into life.
By the final whistle, Ashley Cole and John Terry had also been introduced as, for much of the game, QPR matched their neighbours.
Indeed, if Ancelotti needed any convincing that riding out the FIFA transfer ban may not be as easy as anticipated, then the workout his understudies were handed by Jim Magilton's side was evidence enough.
It was a night for understudies, as assistant-manager, Ray Wilkins, fielded the questions on behalf of the Italian.
'QPR acquitted themselves very well and gave us a tough evening,' said Wilkins. 'It's not a bad substitution putting Frank on. It was a testament to how well QPR played that we had to use Frank, Ashley Cole and John Terry to shore things up.'
Magilton added: 'That was a mark of respect to us. I was hoping they'd remain on the bench. I was immensely proud of the team.'
Chelsea's supporters might not feel the same way, despite the win, and, perhaps, they would have preferred to see more academy products than just Sam Hutchinson and Fabio Borini.
Hardly the Arsenal approach. And Chelsea fans could be forgiven for wondering just whether Frank Arnesen's worldwide scout for talent is actually worth it, such were the familiar names on the bench.
But at least this Carling Cup fixture allowed Joe Cole and Yuri Zhirkov to get up and running. Like Cole, Zhirkov has been dogged by a knee problem but, playing at left back, the Russia international was soon marauding forward.
Chelsea took just two minutes to register their first effort on QPR's goal, but Florent Malouda's strike from Kalou's pass was well held by Tom Heaton. Then Borini headed narrowly wide.
After some initial ring rustiness, Joe Cole, too, began to get into his stride, playing behind the strikers.
As for a nigh-on full-strength QPR, the amount of possession they enjoyed resulted in little action for Henrique Hilario in the Chelsea goal. But neither was Heaton having the busiest of nights. Malouda fired into the side netting and Cole lashed a Paulo Ferreira cross wide, the full back also on his first outing of the season after knee trouble.
QPR midfielder Alejandro Faurlin then failed to trouble Hilario from distance while at the other end, Juliano Belletti sent an effort wide. The former Barcelona star was much more accurate with 30-yard free-kick on the stroke of half-time, stinging Heaton's palms.
Tired of QPR's dogged resistance, Ancelotti brought on Lampard to try to unpick the opposition. But just three minutes after the restart it was Chelsea who came close to being undone as Wayne Routledge find himself one-on-one with Hilario only for the Portuguese keeper to boot the ball clear well outside his area.
Kalou then finally calmed Chelsea nerves with 52 minutes played. Joe Cole's ball out to the Ivory Coast striker was not the best, but neat footwork saw him cut in from the left-wing, jink past Mikele Leigertwood before sending a right-foot strike in off the bottom of the post.
Moments later. Lampard's 40-yard through-ball sent Borini scampering away but, having taken the ball too wide of Heaton's goal, he could not beat the QPR keeper from a tight angle.
To their credit QPR rallied and Akos Buzasky had Chelsea hearts in mouth as his angled drive bounced awkwardly in front of Hilario leaving him to save at full stretch.
With Chelsea's advantage slender, soon Ashley Cole and Terry were called upon to ensure progression to the fourth round.
Joe Cole, clearly out on his feet, came close to rubber-stamping matters for with five minutes to go, his shot striking the shoulder of Heaton after a one-two with Kalou.
Given Chelsea's transfer predicament, the return of the England midfielder could not be more timely.
Cole was certainly delighted to be back. He said: 'It's been a long wait. Tonight is just a stepping stone. It's beautiful to be back out there playing football again. It's what I love doing but there's plenty of hard work ahead.'
CHELSEA (4-1-2-1-2): Hilario; Ferreira, Hutchinson (Terry 77min), Ivanovic, Zhirkov (A Cole 69); Obi; Malouda (Lampard 46), Belletti; J Cole; Kalou, Borini.
QPR (4-4-2): Heaton; Stewart, Gorkss, Borrowdale, Leigertwood; Routledge, Faurlin, Rowlands (Ephraim 73), Buzasky; Vine (Taarabt 66), Simpson (Pellicori 73).
Man of the Match: Frank Lampard.
Referee: Mike Jones.
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Sun:
Chelsea 1 QPR 0
MARK IRWIN at Stamford Bridge
JOE COLE made an emotional return to lead edgy Chelsea into the fourth round.
The England ace proudly wore the captain's armband for his first match back after eight months out with a cruciate ligament injury.
And Cole set up Salomon Kalou's 52nd-minute winner as he ran himself into the ground on pure adrenalin.
Kalou's goal was just enough to maintain Chelsea's perfect start to the season under new manager Carlo Ancelotti.
But this was far from easy for a team who have become accustomed to winning at a stroll of late.
Ancelotti made 10 changes to the side who hammered Spurs 3-0 at the weekend.
But he still had eight internationals in the starting line-up. They also had probably the highest-paid substitutes' bench in the history of football, just in case things did not go to plan.
That plan was to allow Cole, Yuri Zhirkov and Paulo Ferreira to pick up some much-needed match sharpness in their returns from injury.
And for youngsters Fabio Borini and Sam Hutchinson to accumulate experience in their first starts for the club. But QPR clearly had not read Ancelotti's script as they boldly took the game to their billionaire neighbours.
If only they had shown the composure to match their courage, they might just have taken advantage of Chelsea's defensive uncertainty.
Jay Simpson lashed a good opportunity over early on and keeper Hilario twice had to race from his area to avert potential embarrassment.
Chelsea had twice lost at home to Championship sides in this competition in recent years.
But Rangers' hopes of emulating the heroics of Charlton and Burnley were finally dashed by Kalou.
Cole's reverse pass found the Ivory Coast striker, who cut inside Mikele Leigertwood to shoot in off the far post.
Yet Ancelotti was still taking no chances and sent on superstar subs Frank Lampard, Ashley Cole and John Terry to see the game out.
Borini, 18, had the chance to put the tie to bed but his impressive turn of speed was thwarted by Rangers keeper Tom Heaton.
And Joe Cole was denied a comeback goal in the 85th minute when his powerful shot cannoned off Heaton's body.
But Cole can wait.
For now he will settle for 90 minutes under his belt.
Joe Cole steals limelight on Chelsea returnChelsea 1 Queens Park Rangers 0
Russell Kempson
It may have represented little more than a duel for local bragging rights but Chelsea, the Barclays Premier League leaders, were forced to take it seriously by a resolute Queens Park Rangers at Stamford Bridge last night. Only after the second-half introductions of Frank Lampard, Ashley Cole and John Terry, the England stalwarts, did they earn safe passage into the fourth round.
Until the arrival of Lampard, at half-time, Cole, midway through the second period, and Terry, towards the end, Chelsea had spluttered throughout the West London derby. However, once the big guns had been rolled out and got to work, they were stronger all round and always capable of nullifying a stirring late rally from QPR.
It was an eighth successive win in all competitions for Carlo Ancelotti, the Chelsea manager, and perhaps the most valuable in many ways. Long-term absentees returned from injury and youngsters were blooded.
Even if Ancelotti could be accused of not taking the competition seriously by fielding a weakened line-up, at least it gave the home fans a possible glimpse of the future. Joe Cole and Paulo Ferreira returned from knee injuries and Yuri Zhirkov, an £18 million summer buy from CSKA Moscow, made a belated debut after suffering from a similar problem.
Ancelotti also offered a chance to youth, a gesture rarely made by his recent predecessors. Sam Hutchinson, a 20-year-old former club academy central defender, made his debut and Fabio Borini, the 18-year-old Italian striker, his first start.
“QPR gave us a tough game,” Ray Wilkins, the Chelsea assistant first-team coach, said. “It was a testimony to how well they played that we had to use all three substitutes. Frank is not a bad player to bring on at half-time and then Ashley and John to shore things up.
“Joe got 90 minutes, Yuri got a bit out of it and the two youngsters as well. It’s good for the young men to push themselves forward. It’s a competition we want to win. If we can blood a few youngsters along the way, all well and good.”
How Flavio Briatore, the QPR co-owner, would have loved the occasion, hobnobbing it with their illustrious capital cousins. In twelfth place in the Coca-Cola Championship, QPR perhaps deserved an evening in the spotlight, albeit against a tad tougher opposition than in previous rounds, when they defeated Exeter City and Accrington Stanley.
In the wake of “Crashgate”, though, Briatore, the disgraced former Formula One mogul, was lying low, believed to be abroad trying to salvage what was left of his reputation. Pity. He would have witnessed a stirring first-half display from QPR, in which they more than matched Chelsea for spirit and endeavour.
“Any questions on Flavio Briatore will not be answered,” a QPR public relations minion said afterwards.
“I’ve never met him,” Jim Magilton, the manager, joked. “I got the job because of how I go about my business and, hopefully, that won’t change. We’ve got to use this as a springboard to go on.”
As expected, Chelsea exhibited the class. Joe Cole, the captain for the night, was everywhere, cutting in from the left flank and orchestrating all their best moves. He has been away a long time and it is nine months to the World Cup finals in South Africa, but his absence does not appear to have dulled his ambition or sense of adventure.
“This is just a stepping stone for me,” Cole said. “I have just got to keep working hard in training and get back to the best of my ability. I was delighted how it went. I didn’t feel off the pace, I was among the action. I’m just happy to be playing again.”
Chelsea lacked penetration in the final third of the pitch but were transformed after Lampard entered the fray and took the lead in the 52nd minute. Salomon Kalou cut in from the right, took sight of goal and beat Tom Heaton with a low shot that cannoned in off the far post.
Back came QPR and how, launching themselves forward in wave after wave. Jay Simpson shot across the face of Hilário’s goal with Wayne Routledge only inches from making contact at the far post. Akos Buzsaky then forced the Chelsea goalkeeper into a sprawling save.
Only when Ancelotti recognised the signs and brought on his other England stars did the QPR threat recede.
Chelsea (4-1-3-2): Hilário — P Ferreira, S Hutchinson (sub: J Terry, 77min), B Ivanovic, Y Zhirkov (sub: A Cole, 68) — J O Mikel — J Belletti, F Malouda (sub: F Lampard, 46), J Cole — S Kalou, F Borini. Substitutes not used: R Turnbull, M Essien, N Matic, J Bruma.
Queens Park Rangers (4-4-2): T Heaton — M Leigertwood, D Stewart, K Gorkss, G Borrowdale — W Routledge, M Rowlands (sub: H Ephraim, 73), A Faurlin, A Buzsaky — R Vine (sub: A Taarabt, 66), J Simpson (sub: A Pellicori, 73). Substitutes not used: R Cerny, P Ramage, G Mahon, P Agyemang.
Referee: M Jones.
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Telegraph:
Chelsea 1 Queens Park Rangers 0
By Jason Burt at Stamford Bridge
A Carling Cup tie in mid-September would hardly appear worthy of the billing - not for a seasoned international, a Champions League veteran and a Premier League winner - but Joe Cole described his return to the Chelsea first-team as “one of the biggest games of my career”.
Given the 27-year-old has been absent, through a cruciate knee injury, since January, and much has changed at Chelsea since then, including two managers, then the sentiment was understandable.
“It’s beautiful to be back playing football again,” Cole, captain for the evening and the architect of Chelsea’s winning goal, added.
“Chelsea are my club. It's the first time I’ve been captain. That was a nice touch. To captain Chelsea is just unbelievable. I was a ballboy here…It was an emotional night for me.”
And, hopefully for Chelsea, and England, in a season that culminates with the World Cup Finals, a significant one also.
The home supporters sang about celery, Cole had talked about playing in the “sausage roll” but Rangers were, ultimately, unable to provide much food for thought for Carlo Ancelotti - a gourmet himself - or his side.
It’s eight wins from eight for the Italian and 23 matches unbeaten - equalling the club record set by Jose Mourinho in early 2007 - for Chelsea.
The “sausage roll” is Cockney-rhyming slang, of course, for “in the hole” (ie behind the strikers) or, alternatively, the tip of the diamond.
Although Cole, who craves the position was far from polished Ancelotti will have noted that it was from his clever through ball that Chelsea struck although the midfielder was denied adding the second late on after exchanging passes with Salomon Kalou only for Tom Heaton to beat out his rising shot.
Kalou had scored early in the second-half, running on from the left wing to meet Cole’s threaded ball through, after the latter’s nimble turn in the centre circle, and curl his shot around the goalkeeper.
The sight - by the end - of John Terry, Ashley Cole and Frank Lampard all on the field would suggest that Chelsea made heavy weather of this tie. Although hardly fluent, they didn’t.
The arrival of the substitutes came for various reasons with Lampard upping the tempo as a half-time replacement, Cole replacing the tiring £18 million debutant Yuri Zhirkov, also returning from injury, and Terry, well, it looked like he fancied a run out.
“It was testimony to QPR that we had to use Frank, Ashley and John to shore things up,” said Chelsea assistant manager Ray Wilkins.
Understandably Rangers manager Jim Magilton readily agreed. “That was as a mark of respect for us,” he suggested.
However that wasn’t quite true. Few other leading clubs would have put on their main central defender in such circumstances but even though this is a competition which is firmly last in the list of Chelsea’s priorities, such is the strength of player opinion that it’s difficult for any coach to stop the likes of Terry from appearing.
“When we set our season out we want to win everything we enter,” Wilkins explained.
All in all, Ancelotti made 10 changes from Sunday’s victory over Tottenham Hotspur but also made a mockery of suggestions that he would, in the light of the Fifa transfer ban, surrender this competition even if, finally, here was a Chelsea manager prepared to field an apparently weakened team. But not one packed with youngsters.
There were full debuts for Fabio Borini - the technically-gifted 18-year-old Italian striker who has caught Ancelotti’s eye but who looked a little lightweight at times - and Sam Hutchinson, 20, but others, such as Jeffrey Brouma and Nemanja Matic remained on the bench while Paulo Ferreira, another cruciate victim, also made his comeback.
“If you see the size of the squad that we have it’s vitally important that they get some air-time as well,” Wilkins said in explaining why more academy players were not given a chance.
Even so it left Chelsea a little disjointed and chances were, predictably, at a premium. Rangers played two strikers but also deployed a defensive shield. Two banks of four to be breached.
With 6,000 supporters also in attendance - although disgraced co-owner Flavio Briatore stayed away - there was plenty of backing for the Championship club, buoyed by recent results.
Borini flashed a header wide, from Zhirkov’s cross, but it was a rare moment of threat while Rangers clung to hopes of hurting Chelsea on the counter-attack.
The contest rumbled on until Joe Cole swept Ferriera’s cross past a post and Juliano Belletti stung Heaton’s hands with a fierce free-kick from distance. Then Lampard replaced Florent Malouda and suddenly there was impetus and, finally, there was a goal.
Rangers responded by pouring forward. Corners and free-kicks were won but they, now, were vulnerable to the counter and from one break Lampard cleverly picked out Borini and he scampered into the penalty area to draw a save from Heaton with the ball then falling behind the unmarked Belletti.
Akos Buzsaky, with a shot that bounced just before the goalkeeper, finally forced a meaningful save from Henrique Hilario and although Rangers ended the match in Chelsea’s half they couldn’t really threaten. Instead it was to be Cole’s night.
Match details:
Chelsea (4-1-2-1-2): Hilario; Ferreira, Hutchinson (Terry 77), Ivanovic, Zhirkov (A Cole 69); Mikel; Belletti, Malouda (Lampard 46); J Cole; Borini, Kalou.Subs: Turnbull (gk), Essien, Matic, Bruma.Goal: Kalou 52.
Queens Park Rangers (4-4-2): Heaton; Leigertwood, Stewart, Gorkss, Borrowdale; Routledge, Rowlands (Ephraim 73), Faurlin, Buzsaky; Simpson (Pellicori 73), Vine (Taarabt 66).Subs: Cerny (gk), Ramage, Mahon, Agyemang.Referee: M Jones (Cheshire).
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Independent:
Cole shines in the hole for Chelsea
Chelsea 1 Queen's Park Rangers 0
By Sam Wallace
Eight months had passed since Joe Cole last played for Chelsea, but on his comeback last night he learnt that some things never change. Even in the Carling Cup, Carlo Ancelotti had to rely on the big guns to see Chelsea through.
The Italian might have thought that he could pick any XI from his mighty 29-man squad to dispose of their west London neighbours from the Championship but he was wrong. The fringe players were not good enough and by the end of the game Frank Lampard, Ashley Cole and John Terry were all on the pitch to steer Chelsea through to the fourth round of the competition.
Joe Cole could at least reflect on a sweet through ball to Salomon Kalou for the winning goal. It was a vintage Cole pass, of a quality that Chelsea showed too rarely. But it was not until Lampard came on at half-time that Chelsea found the fluency to win the match.
Cole, who ruptured cruciate ligaments against Southend in the FA Cup in January, was captain for the night. "I'm just delighted to be back here," he said. "Everyone at the club has been blinding. I want to be part of a successful season. It was an emotional night for me. I can't thank the fans enough.
"There was a little lump in my throat just warming up against Porto the other night," Cole added. "You think people have forgotten you so to come out there and hear them singing my name, it's just brilliant. Chelsea are my club. It's the first time I've been captain. That was a nice touch. To captain Chelsea is just unbelievable. I was a ballboy here. I know it was the Carling Cup, but tonight was one of the biggest games of my career.
"I know it's a stepping stone for me, it's not 'Joe's back' and I'm going to be how I've been immediately. I don't want people to think that. You have to get the knee used to all the movement and all the twisting and turning which is a big part of my game. If I am back to my best on Saturday, or next week or next month we will have to see."
Unlike Arsène Wenger at Arsenal, Ancelotti does not have a team of brilliant academy players to play in the Carling Cup, although given the money his sporting director Frank Arnesen has spent, he really should. Instead, Chelsea have an enormous first-team squad who have to play at some point. For the likes of Paulo Ferreira and Juliano Belletti this is about as good as it gets.
"Look at the size of our squad," said Ancelotti's assistant, Ray Wilkins, "we have a lot of guys who don't play week in, week out. They need to play and beyond that it is up to the young men to push themselves forward."
Of the estimated £62m that Arnesen has, in his wisdom, spent on teenage players for Chelsea's academy, the only one on show last night was Fabio Borini, a promising 19-year-old signed from Bologna. Sam Hutchinson, 20, who started at centre-back, comes from Slough and does not count as an Arnesen prodigy. For the youngsters in the Chelsea academy it must feel like a long way to the first team.
Jim Magilton's side were magnificently defiant in the face of such an expensively acquired second string, with £18m Yuri Zhirkov at left-back. But the Rangers manager admitted that his side did not create enough goalscoring chances. "We did not have the belief in the final third to take a risk and win the game," he said.
Joe Cole picked out Kalou on the left wing who cut in on his right foot to beat the goalkeeper Tom Heaton in the 52nd minute. Cole might have scored himself on 85 minutes but Heaton did well to save. Chelsea clearly want to win this trophy again, but it may have to be their first team which does it.
Chelsea (4-1-4-1): Hilario; Ferreira, Hutchinson (Terry, 77), Ivanovic, Zhirkov (A Cole, 69); Mikel; Belletti, Kalou, J Cole, Malouda (Lampard, h-t); Borini. Substitutes not used: Turnbull (gk), Essien, Matic, Bruma.
Queen's Park Rangers (4-4-2): Heaton; Leigertwood, Stewart, Gorkss, Borrowdale; Routledge, Rowlands (Ephraim, 73), Faurlin, Buzsaky; Simpson (Pellicori, 73), Vine (Taarabt, 63). Substitutes not used: Cerny (gk), Ramage, Mahon, Agyemang.
Referee: M Jones (Cheshire).
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Guardian:
Salomon Kalou's strike put the gloss on Joe Cole's dream return for Chelsea
Carling Cup Third Round Chelsea 1 Kalou 52 QPR 0
David Hytner at Stamford Bridge
Joe Cole had dreamed of this moment for eight long months. From time to time, during the arduous rehabilitation from his cruciate knee ligament injury, the Chelsea midfielder closed his eyes and heard the roar of the Stamford Bridge crowd and imagined the thrill of a return to first-team football. When the long overdue feelings came back, he could also celebrate his part in what proved to be the winning goal.
Cole's close control and pass early in the second half caught out the Rangers back line and urged Salomon Kalou to gallop forward on goal. There was still plenty of work to be done but the Ivorian's composure and finish matched the slick build-up. For Cole, who was pressed through the whole 90 minutes, and his team, this was an eighth consecutive victory of the season. Carlo Ancelotti, the coach, knows only the grinding satisfaction of result after result.
The Rangers co-owner Flavio Briatore, meanwhile, has already supervised one car crash and he could be pleased that there was not another here. The manager, Jim Magilton, declared himself "immensely proud", but, despite their endeavour, Rangers lacked the finesse to fashion anything of note in front of goal. The moment that most dramatically quickened the pulses of their supporters was Akos Buzsaky's 25-yard shot that reared up and forced Henrique Hilário to paw behind for a corner. Otherwise, Chelsea were comfortable.
"It was an emotional night for me," said Cole, who was named as captain. "There was a lump in my throat just warming up against Porto last week. You think people have forgotten you, so to come out and hear them singing my name was just brilliant.
"Chelsea are my club, I was a ballboy here and to captain Chelsea for the first time was unbelievable. I know it was the Carling Cup, but tonight was one of the biggest games of my career."
The major pre-match talking point concerned the identity of the Chelsea starting line-up. Although Ancelotti retained just Florent Malouda from that which beat Tottenham Hotspur here on Sunday, he began with only two players from the club's academy – the central defender Sam Hutchinson and the striker Fabio Borini. For both, it represented their full debut. Jeffrey Bruma, another academy centre-half, was an unused substitute.
Much has been made of the lack of first-team progress of the club's youth players, who, until recently, were under the charge of the sporting director, Frank Arnesen. Yet, in some respects, the sight of two of them in the team was encouraging. Ancelotti may have discovered that it is no easy task telling John Terry, Frank Lampard, Ashley Cole et al that they must start on the bench. Chelsea's leading stars always insist on playing.
It was also understood that Gaël Kakuta, the academy winger at the centre of Chelsea's 12-month transfer window ban, could have been selected because the club had still not received Fifa's full written explanation of its ruling by kick-off. Kakuta's four-month suspension is only to begin when the paperwork arrives. Chelsea expect to receive it by 5pm tomorrow.
Rangers, mid-table in the Championship, were up for the fight. So were their supporters, who filled the Shed End. As a light rain fell, there was a real cup-tie derby under the floodlights. Their discipline was laudable but Magilton remarked that they "lacked belief in the final third or someone to take a risk to win the game".
Chelsea, who gave a debut to the £18m summer signing Yuri Zhirkov, went close through Borini, Joe Cole and Juliano Belletti in the first half. They needed a spark in the second half and Lampard's introduction helped to provide it. Yet it was Cole who prised Rangers apart. He released Kalou through the inside-left channel and, with the Rangers back-pedalling, he cut inside Mikele Leigertwood to drill home low and right-footed.
After Borini had shot unconvincingly at Tom Heaton, from Lampard's through ball, and Hilario saved from Buzsaky, Cole almost set the seal on his evening. Having swapped passes with Kalou, he tiptoed into the area but shot straight at Heaton. "I should have scored," he said. "But I'm back and it's just blinding."
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Mail:
Chelsea 1 QPR 0:
Cole returns but Lampard has the answers for Ancelotti
By Simon Cass
Carlo Ancelotti took just over 45 minutes to realise what five of his predecessors would testify to: when in need, call for Frank Lampard.
A returning Joe Cole, captain for the evening, may have provided the pass for Salomon Kalou to score, but it was the introduction of Lampard that finally shook Ancelotti's re-jigged Carling Cup XI into life.
By the final whistle, Ashley Cole and John Terry had also been introduced as, for much of the game, QPR matched their neighbours.
Indeed, if Ancelotti needed any convincing that riding out the FIFA transfer ban may not be as easy as anticipated, then the workout his understudies were handed by Jim Magilton's side was evidence enough.
It was a night for understudies, as assistant-manager, Ray Wilkins, fielded the questions on behalf of the Italian.
'QPR acquitted themselves very well and gave us a tough evening,' said Wilkins. 'It's not a bad substitution putting Frank on. It was a testament to how well QPR played that we had to use Frank, Ashley Cole and John Terry to shore things up.'
Magilton added: 'That was a mark of respect to us. I was hoping they'd remain on the bench. I was immensely proud of the team.'
Chelsea's supporters might not feel the same way, despite the win, and, perhaps, they would have preferred to see more academy products than just Sam Hutchinson and Fabio Borini.
Hardly the Arsenal approach. And Chelsea fans could be forgiven for wondering just whether Frank Arnesen's worldwide scout for talent is actually worth it, such were the familiar names on the bench.
But at least this Carling Cup fixture allowed Joe Cole and Yuri Zhirkov to get up and running. Like Cole, Zhirkov has been dogged by a knee problem but, playing at left back, the Russia international was soon marauding forward.
Chelsea took just two minutes to register their first effort on QPR's goal, but Florent Malouda's strike from Kalou's pass was well held by Tom Heaton. Then Borini headed narrowly wide.
After some initial ring rustiness, Joe Cole, too, began to get into his stride, playing behind the strikers.
As for a nigh-on full-strength QPR, the amount of possession they enjoyed resulted in little action for Henrique Hilario in the Chelsea goal. But neither was Heaton having the busiest of nights. Malouda fired into the side netting and Cole lashed a Paulo Ferreira cross wide, the full back also on his first outing of the season after knee trouble.
QPR midfielder Alejandro Faurlin then failed to trouble Hilario from distance while at the other end, Juliano Belletti sent an effort wide. The former Barcelona star was much more accurate with 30-yard free-kick on the stroke of half-time, stinging Heaton's palms.
Tired of QPR's dogged resistance, Ancelotti brought on Lampard to try to unpick the opposition. But just three minutes after the restart it was Chelsea who came close to being undone as Wayne Routledge find himself one-on-one with Hilario only for the Portuguese keeper to boot the ball clear well outside his area.
Kalou then finally calmed Chelsea nerves with 52 minutes played. Joe Cole's ball out to the Ivory Coast striker was not the best, but neat footwork saw him cut in from the left-wing, jink past Mikele Leigertwood before sending a right-foot strike in off the bottom of the post.
Moments later. Lampard's 40-yard through-ball sent Borini scampering away but, having taken the ball too wide of Heaton's goal, he could not beat the QPR keeper from a tight angle.
To their credit QPR rallied and Akos Buzasky had Chelsea hearts in mouth as his angled drive bounced awkwardly in front of Hilario leaving him to save at full stretch.
With Chelsea's advantage slender, soon Ashley Cole and Terry were called upon to ensure progression to the fourth round.
Joe Cole, clearly out on his feet, came close to rubber-stamping matters for with five minutes to go, his shot striking the shoulder of Heaton after a one-two with Kalou.
Given Chelsea's transfer predicament, the return of the England midfielder could not be more timely.
Cole was certainly delighted to be back. He said: 'It's been a long wait. Tonight is just a stepping stone. It's beautiful to be back out there playing football again. It's what I love doing but there's plenty of hard work ahead.'
CHELSEA (4-1-2-1-2): Hilario; Ferreira, Hutchinson (Terry 77min), Ivanovic, Zhirkov (A Cole 69); Obi; Malouda (Lampard 46), Belletti; J Cole; Kalou, Borini.
QPR (4-4-2): Heaton; Stewart, Gorkss, Borrowdale, Leigertwood; Routledge, Faurlin, Rowlands (Ephraim 73), Buzasky; Vine (Taarabt 66), Simpson (Pellicori 73).
Man of the Match: Frank Lampard.
Referee: Mike Jones.
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Sun:
Chelsea 1 QPR 0
MARK IRWIN at Stamford Bridge
JOE COLE made an emotional return to lead edgy Chelsea into the fourth round.
The England ace proudly wore the captain's armband for his first match back after eight months out with a cruciate ligament injury.
And Cole set up Salomon Kalou's 52nd-minute winner as he ran himself into the ground on pure adrenalin.
Kalou's goal was just enough to maintain Chelsea's perfect start to the season under new manager Carlo Ancelotti.
But this was far from easy for a team who have become accustomed to winning at a stroll of late.
Ancelotti made 10 changes to the side who hammered Spurs 3-0 at the weekend.
But he still had eight internationals in the starting line-up. They also had probably the highest-paid substitutes' bench in the history of football, just in case things did not go to plan.
That plan was to allow Cole, Yuri Zhirkov and Paulo Ferreira to pick up some much-needed match sharpness in their returns from injury.
And for youngsters Fabio Borini and Sam Hutchinson to accumulate experience in their first starts for the club. But QPR clearly had not read Ancelotti's script as they boldly took the game to their billionaire neighbours.
If only they had shown the composure to match their courage, they might just have taken advantage of Chelsea's defensive uncertainty.
Jay Simpson lashed a good opportunity over early on and keeper Hilario twice had to race from his area to avert potential embarrassment.
Chelsea had twice lost at home to Championship sides in this competition in recent years.
But Rangers' hopes of emulating the heroics of Charlton and Burnley were finally dashed by Kalou.
Cole's reverse pass found the Ivory Coast striker, who cut inside Mikele Leigertwood to shoot in off the far post.
Yet Ancelotti was still taking no chances and sent on superstar subs Frank Lampard, Ashley Cole and John Terry to see the game out.
Borini, 18, had the chance to put the tie to bed but his impressive turn of speed was thwarted by Rangers keeper Tom Heaton.
And Joe Cole was denied a comeback goal in the 85th minute when his powerful shot cannoned off Heaton's body.
But Cole can wait.
For now he will settle for 90 minutes under his belt.
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