marseille 2-0

Independent:

Anelka turns on style after Terry hands Chelsea the perfect start
Chelsea 2 Marseilles 0

By Sam Wallace at Stamford Bridge

It was with the cool detachment of a great centre-forward that Nicolas Anelka dispatched Chelsea's second goal from the penalty spot last night; a reminder that in the early stages of this competition the champions of England can make it look blissfully simple.
Anelka's most infamous Champions League penalty for Chelsea will always be that one in the final in Moscow two years ago that was saved by Edwin van der Sar which meant that the trophy went to Manchester United. As easy as Chelsea make the Champions League look in the autumn, everyone at Stamford Bridge knows that it is in May that the crunch comes.
Last night, Carlo Ancelotti's team flicked Marseilles aside with the ease of a team who are veterans of the group stages. From the moment that John Terry's opening goal crept inside Marseilles' near post in the seventh minute, Chelsea looked safe. They might be the champions of France but Stamford Bridge can be a humbling place on nights such as these.
Anelka's penalty was the night's stand-out moment, an insouciant shuffle towards the ball before it was prodded into the corner without Steve Mandanda in the Marseilles goal even diving. To say that Anelka got a frosty reception from the away fans would be putting it mildly but, in their part of the world, once a Paris St-Germain man, always a Paris St-Germain man.
Chelsea's French striker was excellent last night leading the line in the absence of Didier Drogba, serving the second game of a two-match suspension from last season. At half-time Chelsea's striker came onto the pitch to greet the Marseilles fans who received him rapturously. Substituted against Manchester City on Saturday, Drogba will surely come back into the team against Arsenal on Sunday. Last night he was not missed.
Ancelotti acknowledged that Marseilles turned the game around to a degree in the second half but even this most courteous of managers could not really say that his team were ever in danger. "Marseilles were in the game to the end," he said. "They play good football. They wanted to score. We played very well in the first half though and we have a good defence.
"It's a little bit different [without Drogba]. We can use the power and ability of Drogba in the box and he has a different kind of movement in the final third. It is better that Drogba is in the game but we can play without him."
After two successive defeats in the Carling Cup to Newcastle United and Manchester City in the Premier League on Saturday, this was a return to business as usual for Chelsea. The Marseilles manager Didier Deschamps, who as coach of Monaco in 2004 was responsible for eliminating Chelsea in the semi-finals, was left to reflect that even missing Drogba and Frank Lampard this is still a formidable team.
A former Chelsea player himself, Deschamps' best-laid plans were undone by the early goal. It was Terry's first for 26 games, a clever run to the near post for Gaël Kakuta's corner and a flick that took the ball between the post and Edouard Cissé who was supposed to be guarding it. It was an unforgivable bit of defending from the former West Ham man.
If you think Cissé has done well to reach the Champions League, bear in mind that Marseilles' centre-back Souleymane Diawara once played for Charlton Athletic. He struggled against Anelka who, inspired by the stick from the away end, was a real threat in the first half.
The penalty against Marseilles on 27 minutes was harsh. Michael Essien's shot from the right struck the hand of Stephane Mbia as he jumped to block the shot and the Belgian referee gave a penalty. Deschamps said later that "it was a penalty because the referee gave it," which was his way of saying that he did not agree with the decision.
With much shouting, whistling and making of provocative gestures from the Marseilles fans in Anelka's sightline behind the goal he took it brilliantly. It was a stroll rather than a run-up which completely deceived Mandanda.
Asked later whether Anelka's penalty-taking was too much on the casual side to be comfortable for a manager, Ancelotti disagreed. "I don't have to say to Anelka how he has to take a penalty," he said. "He can do this. He scored two goals [from the penalty spot in two games including the Carling Cup tie]. I'm happy with that."
Anelka's penalty established for Chelsea a position of strength that they never looked like relinquishing. They were obliged to absorb some pressure from Marseilles at the start of the second half but this Chelsea side are the masters of Champions League group-stage football. They can slow play down, speed it up, attack or soak up pressure.
It may be a different story in November when Chelsea go to the Stade Velodrome for the last game of this group but by that time they will surely have qualified for the knockout stages. John Obi Mikel looked, as he has this season, much more assured in midfield. Terry and Alex da Costa were so dominant that the centre-forward Andre-Pierre Gignac, the France international, was substituted before the hour.
There was a booming free-kick from Alex on 66 minutes, struck from around 35 yards out, that hit the post with Mandanda unmoved. In the last 15 minutes Essien hit the post and struck another shot wide as Chelsea took total control.
Josh McEachran was given the last few minutes and looked assured again. Along with Kakuta he is being introduced gradually in games that matter to get a taste of playing for Chelsea at the very highest level. They are the future for Chelsea, although Ancelotti will be expected to win this competition long before his youngsters come of age.

Chelsea (4-3-3): Cech; Ivanovic, Alex, Terry, A Cole; Essien, Mikel (McEachran, 88), Zhirkov (Sturridge, 73); Kakuta (Ramires, 61), Anelka, Malouda. Substitutes not used Turnbull (gk), Ferreira,, Van Aanholt, Bruma.

Marseilles (4-3-3) Mandanda: Kabore, Diawara, Mbia, Heinze; Gonzalez, Cisse, Cheyrou (Ayew, 59); Remy, Gignac (Valbuen, 59), Brandao. Substitutes not used Andrade (gk), Azpilicueta, Taiwo, Hilton, Abriel.

Man of the match Anelka

Referee F De Bleeckere (Neth)
Attendance 40,675.
Match rating 6.

Group F
Results so far MSK Zilina 1 Chelsea 4, Marseilles 0 Spartak 1; Chelsea 2 Marseilles 0, Spartak 3 MSK Zilina 0.

Chelsea's remaining fixtures 19 Oct Spartak (a); 3 Nov Spartak (h); 23 Nov MSK Zilina (a); 8 Dec Marseilles (a).
Spartak Moscow 3-0 MSK Zilina

Spartak followed up their opening day victory at Marseilles with a convincing win on a rain-soaked artificial pitch in Moscow. The Russians' early domination was rewarded with goals from two of their Brazilian contingent. Ari scored the first with a looping header from Alex's corner after 34 minutes and added a second with a tap in of Kombarov's cross on the hour. Ibson converted a Maidana cross late on to seal the win.

Benji Inwood

Man-for-man marking
Chelsea
Petr Cech
Few, if any, direct saves to make from a weak Marseilles attack. Handled and kicked well enough when required. 7
Branislav Ivanovic
Strong in defence with one or two shuddering tackles, the right-back was keen as ever to push forward and also join set-pieces. 6
John Terry
Left limping a couple of times early on, Chelsea's captain remained as strong as usual when Marseilles came forward more after half-time. 7
Alex
First-choice alongside Terry now that Carvalho has gone, he stood up well in physical battle. Smashed 35-yard free-kick against post. 7
Ashley Cole
Enjoyed his sorties down the left, hitting one fierce right-footed drive over the bar. Solid in keeping highly rated Loïc Rémy quiet. 7
Michael Essien
Won the penalty from out on the right wing. Otherwise busy without getting forward until hitting the post in the second half. 7
John Obi Mikel
Sat deepest of the midfield trio. Mishit one shot that could have brought only his third goal in 174 games. 6
Yuri Zhirkov
Preferred to the Brazilian Ramires, and justified selection. Uefa stats confirmed he covered more ground than anyone. 7
Gael Kakuta
On his second European start, the French teenager showed considerable confidence and some nice touches in the hour he was allowed. 7
Nicolas Anelka
Leading the line in Didier Drogba's absence, made little headway on either side of stroking in the coolest of penalty kicks. 5
Florent Malouda
After an off-day at the weekend, Chelsea's third Frenchman had his moments without recovering scintillating early-season form. 6
Substitutes
Ramires (for Kakuta, 61) Dropped after a poor game at Man City, the midfielder was given half an hour in the second half. 5
D Sturridge (for Zhirkov, 72) Laid off a neat pass or two but missed good chance laid on by Cole. 6
J McEachran (for Mikel, 88) The 17-year-old gained a bit more experience, adding to a career that should blossom given the chance n/a

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Mail:

Chelsea 2 Marseille 0: John Terry and Nicolas Anelka on target as Blues ease to Champions League win

By Matt Lawton

Before Nicolas Anelka stepped up to take the penalty that secured victory in this European encounter, there was much that could have troubled his complicated mind.
The fact that this game was being shown live on national French television; the fact that, in this competition anyway, the subject of spot-kicks is something he would probably rather avoid.
But where there was an overwhelming sense of anxiety in Moscow two years ago, and with it crushing failure in that Champions League final against Manchester United, there was something altogether different here.
Anelka struck with a shot that was so outrageously casual in it's execution it was probably closer to arrogance than confidence.
It was incredible even if he did score in much the same fashion against Newcastle in the Carling Cup last week.
Having become the fall guy in France for those astonishing events at the World Cup, much was being made across The Channel of how Anelka would cope in the knowledge that France was watching their enfant terrible.
At Carlo Ancelotti’s pre-match press conference on Monday the issue was raised by members of the French media, no doubt in the belief that there would be a desire to see the French champions inflict further punishment after his 18-match international ban.
Ancelotti being Ancelotti, he just shrugged his shoulders and suggested it would not be a problem. Even on a night when he would become Chelsea’s principal striker in the absence of the suspended Didier Drogba.
And Chelsea’s manager was right. After a two or three step run-up, Anelka sent the Marseille goalkeeper one way and the ball the other with a shot as weak as an Alex free-kick later in the game was powerful.
Had Steve Mandanda remained still, he probably could have trapped the ball with his left foot. As it was, he was well beaten, Anelka’s wild celebration suggesting he particularly enjoyed it and understandably so.
Just as Ancelotti said he had no fears about Anelka, he said he had no concerns about a team weakened by the loss of Drogba to suspension and Frank Lampard, Salomon Kalou and Yossi Benayoun to injury and, again, he was right.
This was a comfortable win for the English champions, with Didier Deschamps the first to recognise the gulf in quality between his team and his former club.
If Chelsea were bruised by their first defeat of the season at Manchester City last weekend, they proved quick healers. They were not as impressive as Ancelotti would have hoped.
Having responded to the suggestion that his bench was not as strong as City’s by claiming Gael Kakuta was every bit as gifted as Adam Johnson, he appeared to grow so frustrated with the French teenager he hooked him after 61 minutes.
Of the three Frenchmen who made up the Chelsea attack, he was the weakest link. But from the moment John Terry put Chelsea ahead in the seventh minute — the first goal in 26 games for club and country for Chelsea’s captain and the wearer of the 26 shirt — they were in control, and when Anelka scored the second 21 minutes later it was pretty much game over.
And Chelsea almost added further goals, with both Alex and Michael Essien coming close.
Marseille are left to reflect on a second defeat after losing at home to Spartak Moscow in their opening group game, while Chelsea already have one foot in the first knock-out stage after matching the Russians they meet next in taking six points.
It supported Ancelotti’s argument that Chelsea do possess the necessary strength in depth to cope with the absence of so many key players. Last night he even started without £18million Ramires, who lost his place to Yuri Zhirkov despite his manager’s claim the previous day that, statistically, he was Chelsea’s best player at Eastlands.
Kakuta’s selection ahead of Daniel Sturridge was also a surprise but the 19-year-old was quick to make an impression even if he did eventually incur Ancelotti’s wrath for too often losing possession.
He delivered the corner that enabled Terry to open the scoring, and what a fine corner it was. That said, it remained a goal that owed much to the incompetence of Marseille’s defence. Terry did well to divert Kakuta’s ball goalwards with a flick of his left boot, but it really should have been blocked given the positioning of keeper Mandanda and the player assigned to defend the near post.
As it was, Benoit Cheyrou allowed the ball to squeeze between him and the post and Chelsea had their advantage. With Florent Malouda terrorising the visitors with his direct running, the pressure on Marseille was enormous. But they were probably a little unfortunate to concede the 28th-minute goal.
Stephane Mbia blocked a cross from Essien with his arms but there did not appear to be much, if any, intent. More a case of ball to hand than hand to ball.
Anelka blocked out the heated protests as well as any other outside influences, converting from the spot and so ending this game as a contest. Even after less than half an hour, Deschamps’ men seemed incapable of mustering a response.
Only Chelsea seriously threatened after the break. Alex unleashed a rocket of a free-kick that struck a post, while Essien then hit the woodwork with a right-foot effort while on the run. Easy penalty. Easy win.

MATCH STATS

CHELSEA (4-3-3): Cech 6; Ivanovic 6, Alex 6, Terry 7, Cole 7; Essien 7, Mikel 7(McEachran 88min), Zhirkov 6 (Sturridge73, 6); Kakuta 6 (Ramires 61, 6), Anelka 8, Malouda 7. Subs not used: Turnbull,Ferreira, Van Aanholt, Bruma.Booked: Mikel.

MARSEILLE (4-3-3): Mandanda 6; Kabore 5, Diawara 6, Mbia 4, Heinze 5; Lucho 5, Cisse 6, Cheyrou 5 (Ayew 59, 6); Remy 5, Gignac 4 (Valbuena 59, 5), Brandao 6.
Subs not used: Andrade, Azpilicueta,Taiwo, Hilton, Abriel.
Booked: Heinze, Mbia.Man of the match: Nicolas Anelka.Referee: Frank de Bleeckere (Bel) 6.

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Guardian:

Chelsea shrug off weekend woes to dismiss Marseille

Chelsea 2 Terry 7, Anelka (pen) 28 Marseille 0
Kevin McCarra at Stamford Bridge

Chelsea are still to win the Champions League but they have enjoyed every other benefit it can offer. This win was permeated with knowhow as Carlo Ancelotti's side betrayed no signs of agitation even in the periods when Marseille attacked with fervour if not precision.
The margin of victory would have been misleadingly wide had shots from Alex and Michael Essien gone in instead of cracking against the post in the latter part of the game. Chelsea top Group F on goal difference from Spartak Moscow, but even though each club has a full six points this opening phase of the Champions League does not always seem as dull and simple as a chore.
While there are reasons for Marseille's lack of any points, they differ from the handicaps that lumber MSK Zilina with the same unhappy record. Didier Deschamps's players had enterprise but all their endeavour failed to force Petr Cech into a memorable save. Ancelotti himself adopted a low-key tone afterwards and, regardless of the score, had not been enraptured by his side's efforts.
By the time he spoke, of course, his mind was already edging towards Sunday's match with Arsenal at this stadium. The meeting with Marseille has served him rather well. Didier Drogba enjoyed a night off thanks to his suspension yet was not missed and the £18m acquisition Ramires, who is still to convince as a defensive midfielder, had some respite and did not come off the bench until the 61st minute, when Marseille's punchless play was beyond remedy.
Even so, it would be wrong to dismiss the intensity and enterprise Marseille brought to the occasion. They were undone mostly because calm and, in the goalmouth, finesse were so elusive. Deschamps was frank about the inferiority of his squad. Even so, his opponents have also had a glimpse of their own limitations.
A 1-0 defeat to Manchester City at the weekend was not so terrible a blow. Even so, the result might have hinted at the end of the carefree mood that has characterised Ancelotti's side. In practice, they were scarcely racked by insecurity here and there was vivid proof that the impetus of the side has not been brought to a halt.
The advance of Florent Malouda from worthwhile squad member to key presence was confirmed once more. If the result against City had people wondering if Frank Lampard is being missed as he recovers from a hernia operation, the England midfielder's name would not have come to mind for many in the crowd at this game.
While Ancelotti will surely appreciate his return, he may still be heartened by any hint that the club's future may not depend on a few ageing footballers. A capable showing when Lampard and Drogba were sidelined may help foster confidence in men hitherto viewed as members of the supporting cast. Perhaps others can prosper in a similar fashion to Malouda.
Marseille, despite a sprightly start, were behind as early as the seventh minute. Gaël Kakuta's low corner ran to John Terry, who turned the ball home at a near post where Benoît Cheyrou had failed to cover properly. That swift breakthrough was reassuring in view of the context.
Aside from dropping three points, Chelsea had been unable to score on Saturday after hitting 28 goals in the previous seven games. There was a trace of experimentation in Ancelotti's selection against Marseille, with the 19-year-old Kakuta involved from kick-off. Deschamps's men wanted to be bold, yet were short of the means or good fortune to do harm before Chelsea extended their lead.
The award of a penalty exasperated them as Michael Essien drove the ball hard from the right and so provoked severe doubts as to whether the contact made by Stéphane Mbia's arm had even a trace of intent. Bookings for the centre-half and the former Manchester United player Gabriel Heinze then added to the delay before Nicolas Anelka could take the penalty. The striker still left the goalkeeper, Steve Mandanda, rooted as he converted the kick in the 28th minute.
Marseille had improved, yet the execution was still flawed at the critical moment. Despite being content to resist at length, it was Chelsea who came closest to scoring in that period. The visitors lacked nothing in ambition and began the second half with a few minutes of sustained pressure, but the execution was flawed then and it was usually too simple for Cech to gather.
Circumstances invited Chelsea to be slightly more conservative and, with that two-goal advantage, they usually had an eye for the counterattack. This still did not look wholly like the line-up that has been liberated by Ancelotti, but Marseille called for more respect than some Premier League rivals have merited. None the less, Deschamps's men were beaten as authoritatively as most visitors to Stamford Bridge.


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Telegraph:

Chelsea 2 Marseille 0
By Henry Winter, Stamford Bridge

After the blip, it’s business as usual. Chelsea returned to winning ways on Tuesday night, showing their resilience in defence and sufficient fluidity of attack and urgency of tempo to account for a Marseille side who failed to match the edge of their impassioned support.
This will hardly be remembered as one of the great Chelsea performances but it carries a real significance. Chelsea’s sensible summer strategy of trimming the wage bill, shedding well-paid stars like Michael Ballack and Deco, Joe Cole and Ricardo Carvalho, and relying more on the youth, had come under critical scrutiny following back-to-back defeats for an injury-depleted team.
So this victory will quell many doubts, soothe the racing pulses and take Chelsea closer to qualifying for the knock-out stage of the Champions League. Next up are two Group F tests against Spartak Moscow, who sit second to Chelsea on goal difference. Didier Drogba will return from suspension while Frank Lampard and Salomon Kalou should be fit for the Russian challenge.
On Tuesday night, the old guard sealed the points for Chelsea, John Terry scoring with a neat flick and Nicolas Anelka converting the calmest of penalties, but the next generation revealed glimpses of their promise.
Gael Kakuta, controversially plucked from the Lens academy, started and worked hard as the right attacking point of Carlo Ancelotti’s 4-3-3 formation. Josh McEachran again displayed a maturity beyond his 17 years when installed late on in the middle. More used to a left-sided role, McEachran patently enjoys the central duties.
On a night of positives for Chelsea, Michael Essien demonstrated why is one of the best box-to-box midfielders in Europe, almost capping an assertive display with a goal but the post denied him. John Obi Mikel anchored well, breaking up Marseille attacks and launching Chelsea ones.
Many of those breaks flowed down the left, carried on swiftly by Ashley Cole, Yuri Zhirkov and particularly Florent Malouda, an elegant mistral blowing through Marseille. It was this intensity of football that Marseille simply could not deal with, this quickness of pass and move that kept propelling the ball deep into enemy territory.
Malouda set the scene for Chelsea’s opener, running at the visitors’ defence in that sinewy, silky way of his, forcing a corner after seven minutes. Kakuta’s delivery wasn’t the best, failing to carry deep into the box but Terry had anticipated well. Redirecting his run, Terry met the ball with an outstretched left boot, flicking the ball past the sluggish Benoit Cheyrou on the near post.
Having called for "nothing less than a win in this battle of the champions’’, Terry celebrated noisily in front of the Shed. Nothing would silence Marseille’s 3,000 fans but his goal certainly lifted Chelsea spirits after those losses to Newcastle United in the Carling Cup and Manchester City in the Premier League.
With Spartak Moscow defeating Zilina earlier in the day, Terry had known that victory was vital. When Chelsea needed their captain most he delivered, leading by example, settling nerves and showing his enduring danger at set-pieces.
Cheyrou, brother of the former Liverpool player Bruno, sought to drag Marseille level, firing over when well-placed before Chelsea resumed their attacks. With the tie beamed live in France, French observers had predicted a bravura performance from Anelka. The striker was banned by France following his World Cup histrionics, and he reminded them what they were missing.
Anelka’s touch and bursts of acceleration caused Marseille’s defenders endless problems while his Paris St-Germain connections drew inevitable howls of derision from the away enclosure. His 29th-minute goal owed much to good fortune. Marseille were incensed when Stephane Mbia was adjudged to have deliberately handled Essien’s cross.
The way he jumped, though, pushing his arms slightly towards the ball, encouraged Frank de Bleeckere to point to the spot. Anelka was composure personified: he took four medium-paced steps in, watched Steve Mandanda commit himself right and placed the ball to the keeper’s left. In calmness of execution, it echoed Anelka’s spot-kick against Newcastle last week.
Defensive errors had contributed to Chelsea’s Carling Cup demise then but there was a determination and concentration to their first-half display that thwarted Marseille on their rare forays. Alex did make one mistake but responded well to recover.
Perhaps feeding on their fans’ adrenalin, Marseille emerged for the second half in far brighter mood and Gabby Heinze even attempted an overhead kick, although the ball dropped far too close to Petr Cech to trouble the keeper.
Now it was Chelsea’s turn to man the barricades. When Kakuta dawdled, Heinze seized the ball and Alex had to repel the danger. Brandao then unleashed a left-footed drive that Cech clutched out of the air.
Happy to sit deep, Chelsea were content to hit on the break. They almost made it 3-0 when Alex’s stunning long-range free-kick almost snapped a Marseille post. Chelsea struck woodwork again with 15 minutes remaining, Essien meeting Cole’s cross, beating Mandanda but not the upright.
Life was draining from Marseille and Chelsea were home and dry. Cech even dribbled the ball around Loic Remy. This was a painful return to the Bridge for Didier Deschamps, who spent a season here. Another French manager, Arsene Wenger, visits with Arsenal on Sunday. Chelsea have re-found their mojo just in time.


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Sun:

Chelsea 2 Marseille 0
From MARK IRWIN

IT has taken John Terry a long time to get his own back on Didier Deschamps.
But the Chelsea captain's patience finally paid off last night as normal service was restored at Stamford Bridge.
Terry was the only survivor of the class of 2004 who were infamously dumped out of the Champions League semi-final by Deschamps' Monaco. It was a bitter defeat which cost poor old Claudio Ranieri his job and ushered in the dawn of the Mourinho era.
And JT has never forgotten the night Ranieri committed career suicide after being totally outwitted by former Chelsea midfielder Deschamps.
Fortunately for Terry's current European ambitions, there was absolutely no danger of Carlo Ancelotti turning Tinkerman as Deschamps returned to the Bridge with Marseille.
The French champions came to London threatening to do a Manchester City and get up close and personal with the Premier League leaders.
But the closest they got was when Deschamps greeted Ancelotti with a kiss on both cheeks. Very Continental.
There certainly was not a defender in sight when Terry stuck out his left boot to turn Gael Kakuta's seventh-minute corner in at the near post. It was the perfect start for a team reeling from successive defeats by Newcastle and City.
And it was to get even better 21 minutes later when Stephane Mbia batted down Michael Essien's cross into the box with both arms.
Nicolas Anelka might have missed his last Champions League penalty in Moscow in 2008 but he clearly has not been scarred by that experience as he stepped forward to roll in the most casual of spot-kicks.
If you thought he was laid-back with his penalty against Newcastle in the Carling Cup last week, he was practically horizontal this time.
In the absence of the suspended Didier Drogba and the injured Frank Lampard, Anelka's willingness to step up to the plate was just what Chelsea needed.
But it was Florent Malouda who was to prove the real thorn in Marseille's side.
The visitors had no idea how to stop him other than use brute force.
It was Malouda's blistering shot which forced the corner for Terry's early opener.
He probably should have had a penalty when he was checked by Andre-Pierre Gignac after Souleymane Diawara had stopped for a phantom whistle from the crowd. But Malouda's finest moment came when he brushed off three muscular challenges before delivering a ferocious shot which flew just inches over.
Marseille, who lost their opening Group F game to Spartak Moscow, huffed and puffed.
Although they enjoyed their fair share of possession, they were restricted to a series of long-range efforts which were never going to seriously trouble Petr Cech. The best shot from distance, though, came midway through the second half when Chelsea centre-half Alex almost broke an upright with an astonishing 35-yard free-kick.
Anelka had the ball in the net again but the Chelsea striker had strayed offside before pouncing on a loose ball.
Essien also hit a post as Marseille started to wilt in the closing 15 minutes and Chelsea threatened to cut loose.
Another Essien piledriver from the edge of the area flew just wide as the French accepted their fate and settled for damage limitation.
But Ancelotti was more than happy to settle for just the two goals as his team strengthened their vice-like grip on the group.
It was an effective rather than expansive victory but one which leaves them with one foot in the last 16 already.
Having reached five Champions League semi-finals and one final in the last eight seasons, no one at Chelsea is going to get too excited at this early stage of the competition.
There will certainly be much sterner challenges ahead before they can live up to Roman Abramovich's expectations of ruling Europe.
But at least they can take comfort from the knowledge that Deschamps is unlikely to impede their progress this time.


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manchester city 0-1

Independent:

Tevez puts brakes on Chelsea juggernaut to sheikh up title race
Manchester City 1 Chelsea 0: League leaders wilt under Mancini's Italian job as City come up with the perfect formula to stop Ancelotti's goalscoring machine

By Steve Tongue at Eastlands

"Good team, eh?" Chelsea's manager, Carlo Ancelotti, had said with a smile when taking the unusual step of publicly naming his side 24 hours before yesterday's game. Good, yes, as 21 goals against one in five successive League victories had illustrated; but second best here as Manchester City ended that run by again beating the team their own manager had said would win the Premier League "easy".
It had been billed as the champions' first real test of the season against a side who did the double over them last term, and they flunked it. If the defence was sound, with John Terry untroubled by the predictable abuse on Wayne Bridge's home ground, the real difference and disappointment was at the other end.
Three forwards who went into the game with 17 goals between them did not once threaten another one. Didier Drogba had one of those frustrating days, spending too much time on the floor, and ended up being hauled off with quarter of an hour to play; and a header by the right-back Branislav Ivanovic against the bar was the only moment of concernfor Joe Hart between City's posts.
Chelsea weigh in as the biggest and heaviest side in the League but City stood up to them in some shuddering collisions, no one more so than Nigel de Jong, whose challenges this time were generally more legitimate than for Holland against Spain in the World Cup final. Carlos Tevez rivalled his team-mate for individual honours and claimed more headlines with the only goal, scored following an exciting burst from his own half that finally brought the game to life.
That was the first time this season Chelsea had been behind and the response was surprisingly muted. By the end they were reduced to withdrawing Drogba, and sending on a 17-year-old waif in Josh McEachran. Still Hart was not given a save to make.
Blackpool last weekend had tried, initially, to defend against them, Wigan to take them on. City, with greater quality at their disposal thanks to Sheikh Mansour's generosity, came up with a winning blend of the two ideals, all backed up by Roberto Mancini's work ethic. Invited afterwards to make all sorts of promises about how City could challenge for the title, his key point was: "This can help us understand that if people work hard they work well."
Chelsea therefore found themselves pressured all over the pitch in a manner that future opponents would do well to replicate. Marseille in the Champions' League at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday have the first opportunity and will find Ancelotti's squad again lacking Frank Lampard, Yossi Benayoun and Salomon Kalou. Although all three should be fit after the next international break, Lampard's goalscoring potential would have been invaluable yesterday with the attack misfiring so badly; or, more precisely, not firing at all.
Mancini has not changed his mind that they are the most likely title winners, but Manchester United, who can cut Chelsea's lead to one point today, will take heart from this result. For City themselves, the principal doubt about a work still in progress concerns the number of goals they will score. Tevez might chant at Chelsea "Can we play you every week?" – he has six goals against them in his past five appearances – but while Emmanuel Adebayor is left in the dugout, he is still too often the only man in the opponents' penalty area. Mancini, blessed like England with an abundance of wide men, is keen to use two of them, so Tevez needs help from a midfield trio who are essentially defensive.
For a long time, all this pressing did not make for much of a spectacle, since the home side were finding little room to work in either half. By half-time, there was only one highlight for Sky Sports to dwell on, which came in the 27th minute. Florent Malouda received a short corner from Drogba on the left and feinted to return it before chipping beyond the far post where one tall defender, Alex, nodded across goal for another, Ivanovic, whose header rebounded to him off the bar. Unable to put sufficient power into the second one, he allowed Hart a comfortable catch.
Fear that both managers would be happy enough with a draw were allayed by a brighter period immediately after the interval. Nicolas Anelka's one shot of the afternoon against his former club was probably going wide before Hart pushed it for a corner, from which Michael Essien headed over. Then Petr Cech was required to make an authentic save low at his near post from David Silva, and four minutes later came a goal.
Tevez was in his own half when the busy Yaya Touré won possession and sent him away. Chelsea unwisely backed off and when Ashley Cole attempted a block on the shot that arrived from some 20 yards out, the ball zipped through his legs and past a possibly unsighted Cech.

Attendance: 47,203
Referee: Andre Marriner
Man of the match: De Jong
Match rating: 7/10

-----------------------------------------------

Guardian:

Carlos Tevez inspires Manchester City to victory over Chelsea

Manchester City 1 Tevez 59 Chelsea 0

Louise Taylor

Roberto Mancini's belief that Carlos Tevez can be his Diego Maradona looks a little less fanciful after the Manchester City captain's goal destroyed Chelsea's hitherto perfect start to the Premier League season.
Tevez's impressively opportunistic second-half strike secured a victory of the chillingly efficient rather than thrill-a-minute variety. If it still might not be quite sufficient to convince neutrals of City's ability to challenge for top spot, those who suspected Carlo Ancelotti's title defence could turn into a procession may want to revise such opinions.
Afterwards Mancini was still tipping Chelsea to finish ahead of everyone else but could not disguise his delight at closing the gap on a compatriot. "Carlo is one of the world's best managers," he said, evidently exhilarated by his team's containment of previously unstoppable looking opponents.
"If Chelsea find space they score but if they do not have it, it is too hard. Our players defended well," he added. "But, after today, we must not think we've done it all."
Ancelotti regarded his players' collective stumble as a bad afternoon at the office. "We didn't play well and suffered in midfield, we were not able to play our football," he said. "I'm disappointed. We were not at our best, it wasn't good. But you can't judge our team on one defeat."
With Chelsea's midfield creativity foundering on the rocks of a home engine-room comprising three holding players, attacking service was sporadic and an uninterested looking Didier Drogba disappointed hugely.
Even so Ancelotti's decision to withdraw Drogba in the second half against opponents who beat Chelsea twice last season proved controversial. "This is not a very good place for us and I wanted more speed up front," he shrugged. "But Manchester City are very good, there's a possibility they can run us close in the title race."
If so, hopefully in slightly more dashing fashion than this reminder that, while wealth can guarantee many things, excitement is not always among them. Pushed nose-to-nose, two of the world's richest, most expensively stocked sides produced a thoroughly anticlimactic first half.
Admirers of the defensive arts may have relished John Terry's tremendous block on Tevez when City's Argentina international slid in to connect with James Milner's low left-wing cross and Dedryck Boyata's brilliant tackle to deny Nicolas Anelka as the Chelsea striker shaped to shoot, but the goalkeepers were woefully underworked.
The nearest thing to an early goal arrived when Mancini's rearguard almost undid much high class defending by losing concentration at a corner. It led to City's Pablo Zabaleta, filling in at left-back, appearing mightily relieved to see his attempted headed clearance rebound off a post and fall kindly for Joe Hart.
Although Anelka gave Kolo Touré a reasonable workout, attacking improvisation remained elusive. While Chelsea badly missed the injured Frank Lampard's late dashes into the box, Mancini's deployment of three orthodox holding midfielders did not exactly promote dynamism.
Mark Hughes's willingness to embrace attacking risk may have contributed to his Eastlands downfall but, behind the optimism generated by today's win, there is a real fear that his successor's innate, Italianate conservatism could eventually take City backwards.
Mancini's safety-first, counterattacking, tactics proved fruitful but the real test will come against less illustrious opponents when attacking gambles will be required to dismantle packed, draw-seeking defences.
In mitigation a lengthy injury list combined with the need for several new faces to bed in must be factored into the equation but playing on the counterattack at home with a formation that frequently seems more 4-5-1 than 4-3-3 can be a bit of a thrill killer.
Adam Johnson's penchant for what Mancini perceives as cheap thrills – the England winger raised managerial eyebrows when he paid several thousand pounds for a charity auction date with Katie Price – was perhaps one reason why he began on the bench, having been replaced by David Silva.
The Spaniard started by once again suggesting that his transition to English football will be of the slow-burn variety but, after spending the best part of an hour being unceremoniously bundled off the ball, Silva finally exacted revenge.
It came in the form of a highly intelligent decoy run which confounded Ancelotti's defence while permitting Tevez, who had assumed possession in the centre circle, to accelerate towards goal. Finally, Tevez pulled right before unleashing a shot which flew through Ashley Cole's legs and reached the bottom corner via the inside of a post.
If that was an example of shocking defending on the part of Terry – roundly booed by City fans who will not let him forget the reason for the breakdown of his friendship with (the absent, injured) Wayne Bridge – it also proved a case of dead-eyed finishing from Tevez. He now has 25 goals in his last 29 Premier League appearances. Small wonder Mancini trusts his captain can emulate Maradona's feats in the 1980s at Napoli where the Argentinian inspired unprecedented glory.
"Carlos is a fantastic player not just because he scored the goal but because he fights for the ball every time," said City's manager. "Even against bigger players."
Put Tevez in Drogba's body and you might just have the world's most formidable striker.

THE FANS' PLAYER RATINGS AND VERDICT

KEVIN CUMMINS, Observer reader We were like two heavyweight champions slugging it out, and City were the stronger team, which I believe showed that we can win the title. We played a very tight game but one of the reasons we have admired United is that they are able to break away and score and Tevez did exactly that. Gareth Barry was absolutely outstanding and for us to outmuscle a Chelsea midfield including Essien and Mikel was a great statement of intent. In Kompany and Kolo Touré I have no doubt that we have the best centre-halves in the league, and watch out for David Silva: he has a great understanding with Tevez already.

The fan's player ratings Hart 9; Boyata 8 (Boateng, 88), K Touré 10, Kompany 10, Zabaleta 8; Y Touré 9, De Jong 10, Barry 10; Silva 8 (A Johnson, 77 6), Tevez 9 (Adebayor, 86), Milner 7

ROB BARKLAMB, Observer reader Most fans would have taken a draw before the game and it seemed both managers shared that view. Naturally the match seemed very Italian – City set themselves to defend and nick a goal and had their tactics absolutely spot on. I was surprised to see Drogba go off – it hadn't been his greatest game but we were behind and it didn't make sense for Ancelotti to keep Ramires on for as long he did. It's early days but he looked woefully off the pace. I thought the defeat in midweek would be a wake-up call to those who thought we would win the title at a canter. If they didn't know then they should do by now.

The fan's player ratings Cech 6; Ivanovic 7, Alex 6, Terry 7, Cole 6; Mikel 6 (Zhirkov, 68 7); Essien 6, Ramires 5 (McEachran, 80 7); Anelka 7, Drogba 6 (Sturridge, 75 6), Malouda 6


==================================

NOTW:

TERRIFIC TEVEZ BLOWS BLUES 100% RECORD

Manchester City 1 Chelsea 0

By Neil Ashton

CARLOS TEVEZ should have been lifted shoulder high, chaired out of the stadium by delirious supporters.
No question, the captain's carrying this Manchester City team.
Quite where he's taking them no one is certain but the top four has to be on after this.
Tevez rules the roost at Eastlands, a rare bird ruffling the feathers of last season's Double winners.
Isolated up front, stationed in front of the enforcers in City's midfield, this guy had everything.
Enthusiasm, endeavour and most of important of all, end product.
He can barely speak a word of English and yet his message to the champions is crystal clear.
The truth is, if you can beat Chelsea, you can beat anyone.
They can gorge on AC Milan, Inter, Barcelona and Real Madrid in future but the Premier League is their staple diet for now.
Champions League football is the minimum target and City will have no excuses after putting down this marker.
Tevez raised the bar, setting the gold standard for City to maintain after this thrilling performance.
He had a message for his mum, 'Happy birthday' scrawled underneath his sky blue shirt after scoring the winner.
Then there was the warning for Chelsea, screaming out at Carlo Ancelotti's team from the giant scoreboards at each end.
Chelsea are on notice now, crumpled and crushed after their first league defeat since Tottenham in April. They are still top but City shaved their lead with a performance laced with power.
Nigel de Jong, Yaya Toure and Gareth Barry formed a protective shield in front of City's impressive defence.
That trio tackled anything that moved, squaring up to the physical presence of John Obi Mikel and Michael Essien.
Then there was the slight figure of Ramires, outstaying his welcome in the centre of Chelsea's midfield.
Frank Lampard is unlikely to be back until the next round of international matches have taken place in mid-October.
The sooner he returns the quicker Chelsea can settle into their rhythm again, a more rounded unit whenever he is fit.
Eastlands was no place for Ramires, suffocated by the body builders in the centre of City's midfield.
They may not be the most dynamic individuals but what they lack in finesse they make up by what they can bench press.
Pound for pound they took Chelsea on, beating up Brazilian Ramires and more than a match for Essien and Mikel. Ramires could not cope, floundering in the centre when City began flexing their considerable muscle.
Chelsea's new boy has ability in abundance but it will take a while to acclimatise to the rough and ready of the Premier League.
He was bundled off the ball for the umpteenth time when Tevez scored, losing another 50-50 to the swashbuckling James Milner.
With Mikel out of position, Yaya Toure prodded the ball into Tevez's path just inside the City half and the Argentinian did the rest.
Ashley Cole stood off him, jockeying until Tevez reached the outside of the area and doing nothing to prevent his angled effort beating Petr Cech.
Eastlands erupted, a trip down memory lane for the 40,000 who witnessed them beat Chelsea in the driving rain last season.
At times it was a free-for-all, with Barry smashing into Branislav Ivanovic and Mikel taking retribution on Tevez's ankles.
With the captaincy comes maturity, Tevez flying the flag for the club now that he is responding to Mancini's methods.
Tevez deserved to be the match-winner, a lone wolf up front supported by a team hunting in packs.
Dedryck Boyata, a surprise pick at right-back, was superb, linking well with David Silva down the right.
Whenever he was on the ball he passed it on to his Spanish team-mate, a simple and effective solution.
It was 19-year-old Boyata's first league start this season, delivering an accomplished performance in front of his anxious manager.
Mancini remains convinced the title is beyond them, despite another £150million outlay.
His reasoning will not wash for long, especially if they can beat Newcastle and Blackpool in their next two league fixtures.
Expectations have been raised again after this result, keeping another clean sheet as they continue to climb the table.
They still live dangerously at times but this was an unexceptional day to be a Chelsea player. Victory would have bumped City out of the title race, extending their lead over the new kids to 10 points.
Instead, they are just four points behind, causing confusion and self-doubt after wrecking the Londoners' impressive start.
Didier Drogba, their most potent weapon, headed a long list of subdued superstars.
Florent Malouda, Nicolas Anelka, Ivanovic, Essien, Ramires, Alex and Cole were a long way short of their best.
They knew they were in for a battle, a team preparing to mix and match Chelsea's midfield.
Instead, they were rationed, restricted to a first-half chance that hit the upright when Alex's header fell neatly to Ivanovic.
Essien nearly went into double figures, with most efforts heading into the stands instead of troubling Joe Hart.
Mancini's team have to be a match for anyone, concentrating on their league programme in the weeks ahead.
That's where the manager will be judged.
So long as Tevez is in the team there's a chance they can lead the high life.

====================================

Mail:

Manchester City 1 Chelsea 0: Tevez's magic moment lights up £1.4b drudge match

By Rob Draper

Premier League titles are never won in September, no matter what Roberto Mancini claims. The Manchester City manager was sticking to his line that Chelsea would win the League easily afterwards, despite this impressive collective display from his own side.
But not like this they won't, and possibly not with this squad. Carlo Ancelotti is well aware that when he names his starting XI he can be as confident as any man in football that his team are potential victors; when he digs down into his reserves, his self-assurance wavers.
Seldom will you see a Chelsea team outmuscled and outfought and even more rarely will you see them reduced to long-range shots from outside the area.Yet City achieved both feats yesterday, with Gareth Barry, Yaya Toure and Nigel de Jong acting like a mountain range protecting their back four.
And Chelsea never looked like scaling such heights.'This is not a good place for us,' sighed Ancelotti. 'Or a good team,' he added, bemoaning his third successive defeat by City. As when they lost 4-2 at Stamford Bridge in February, Chelsea were undone by the counter-attacking of Carlos Tevez.'They played how we expected,' conceded Ancelotti, not that his side could do anything about it. 'We saw the power of Manchester City in midfield and we lost a lot of ball.
'We weren't able to play our football, we were too complicated and gave them the opportunity to counter-attack.'
Indeed, and how bizarre to see the usually physically-imposing Chelsea shirk that combative challenge.
Michael Essien and John Obi Mikel both struggled but no one suffered like poor Ramires, who looked like a little boy lost, transported from Brazil via Benfica to be thrust into the frenzy of aggression that is a typical day in the Premier League.He already looked a serial offender at being caught in possession when James Milner snapped at his heels on the hour and took the ball off him to release Yaya Toure.
From there, the ball was delivered directly to Tevez who, darting this way and that, utterly bewildered Ashley Cole and John Terry.
The Argentine sized up his opportunity upon reaching the edge of the area and shot through the legs of Cole to beat Petr Cech at the far post.
'He is a fantastic striker,' said Mancini, the tension between the manager and his captain seemingly dissipating with time.'Not just because of the goals he scores but because of the fight he shows.'
That said, City need to show more collective fight when the opposition are less exciting. Inspired when they take on the likes of Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal, they need to master the art of matching the likes of Blackburn and Sunderland.
'This is why football is a fantastic sport,' said Mancini, which suggested such aberrations were simply inevitable consequences of the fickle wheel of fortune.
Yet his side possess a psychological weakness and he himself hinted at it last week when he noted that his team seemed less well prepared for lesser games.
Yesterday, even though they were more focused on the task in hand, there was little to inspire from either side in the opening exchanges.
Milner's free-kick on 10 minutes had Cech scrambling in vain to collect the ball, but no City player could direct it in.
There were periods of sustained possession from City, who were wresting control of the midfield, but with little end product.
For all City's early momentum, it was Chelsea who threatened the most. On 28 minutes, Florent Malouda neatly tricked Tevez and found Alex at the far post.
The Brazilian's header back across goal was met by Branislav Ivanovic, whose own header rebounded off the crossbar.
Chelsea might have had a penalty when Didier Drogba, advancing off the ball, was shoulder-charged to the ground by Dedryck Boyata.
City were also fortunate when Pablo Zabaleta lifted his foot as he slid in late on Ivanovic; referee Andre Marriner, who struggled throughout to control the game, saw it as a yellow-card offence.
David Silva was City's most inventive player and his shot from a tight angle on 55 minutes forced a smart save from Cech.
A second opportunity for the Spaniard was only denied by a crucial header from Alex. When Drogba was withdrawn for Daniel Sturridge on 75 minutes, it seemed a curious change.
Drogba trudged off with a sad shake of the head as though even he suspected the game was up.

========================================

Telegraph:

Manchester City 1 Chelsea 0:
By Duncan White, at Eastlands

Manchester City brought Chelsea’s sprint out of the blocks to a grinding halt at Eastlands, an accurately struck Carlos Tevez goal in the second half ending the champions’ 100 per cent start to their title defence.
It was a ferociously competed game as City took on Chelsea’s customary physical superiority and, while Chelsea hit the post in the first half, there were very few clear chances for either side.
It took a special goal to separate the teams. Just shy of the hour mark, James Milner stole the ball off Ramires with most of the Chelsea team committed up field for a corner. Milner found Yaya Toure who set Tevez off from about the half way line. Ashley Cole backed off the City captain willing to let him shoot from range; Tevez accepted the invitation and steered a low shot across Petr Cech and in off the far post.
Before that, it was Chelsea who had come closest, Branislav Ivanovic hitting the post in a tight first half. Dider Drogba, subdued by his standards, took a corner short which Florent Malouda feinted superbly, making room for a cross. The Frenchman found Alex at the far post and the Brazilian nodded back into the box where Ivanovic headed against the post and then nodded the rebound into the arms of a relieved Joe Hart.
Otherwise City fought aggressively to stop Chelsea imposing themselves on the game. Nigel de Jong and Gareth Barry were outstanding as they snapped into challenge after challenge. Ramires, especially, appeared lost. Chelsea are not used to this sort of treatment.
There were times when City nearly went too far. Dedryck Boyata body-checked Drogba off the ball in the penalty area in the first half when Vincent Kompany had the ball covered - high risk indeed but a permissive Andre Marriner let this physical game play out.
David Silva had brought out a sharp near-post save from Cech shortly before the goal and, once they had taken the lead, they finished strongly.
Aside from a mistimed Alex header, and a couple of miscued long-rangers from Michael Essien, Chelsea could not break Roberto Mancini’s team down.


========================================

Mirror;

Manchester City 1-0 Chelsea:
By Simon Mullock

Manchester City haven’t won a trophy since Roberto Mancini was at junior school.
But after beating Chelsea for the third successive time, maybe they should get to keep Carlo Ancelotti.
Carlos Tevez’s second-half strike sentenced the champions to their first defeat of the season and established City as genuine title contenders.
It was a victory built on Mancini outmanoeuvring ­Ancelotti, a man he regards as a close friend. The City boss knew that to have any chance his team would have to neutralise the talents of Didier Drogba and Florent Malouda.
Man-of-the-match Vincent Kompany took care of Drogba to such an extent that the Ivory Coast striker was substituted with 15 minutes to go and Chelsea chasing the game.
Malouda fared little better against Dedryck Boyata, even though the 19-year-old was plunged into an unfamiliar right-back role by an injury crisis.
Once City had taken the sting out of the free-scoring Londoners – 21 goals in their opening five matches – during a dour first half, they began to take control. And when James Milner won possession deep inside his own half with a 59th-minute challenge on Ramires that typified City’s aggression, it brought the winning goal.
There still seemed little danger when Yaya Toure moved the ball on to Carlos Tevez just inside his own half. But the ­Argentine has past form with John Terry and Co.
The was only one thing on Tevez’s mind as he powered down the middle and when both Terry and Ashley Cole started backing off it was fatal. Tevez was on the edge of Chelsea’s box before Cole decided to make a move and as soon as he did the City striker unleashed a low shot that flew through the legs of the full-back and bounced in off Petr Cech’s post.
Tevez has now scored six goals in his last six games against Chelsea wearing Mancunian blue and red.
And he celebrated his latest strike by pulling up his shirt to reveal a Happy Birthday message to his mother back in Buenos Aires. Mancini said: “Carlos is a fantastic striker, not just because of his goals but because he of the way he always fights for the ball.
“He was against two very strong defenders today, but he always works so hard for the team.”
Those words illustrate Mancini’s mantra. He may have once been one of Serie A’s most gifted forwards, but his teams are built on graft and a level of organisation rarely seen in England.
Last season he failed to deliver Champions League football despite City twice humbling a Chelsea team that won the Double. This time, City have already beaten Liverpool and the champions and have conceded only two goals in the Premier League.
The closest Chelsea came to scoring was when Branislav Ivanovic’s header bounced back off the angle of post and bar before Joe Hart saved the defender’s follow-up.
Michael Essien wasted their best chance when he found space 18 yards out just before the break only to blaze over with his weaker left foot.
Ancelotti said: “We suffered from the power of City in midfield and lost a lot of tackles.
“We complicated our game and that gave them the ­possibility to hurt us on the counter-attack.”

===========================================

newcastle united 3-4

Independent:

Ameobi delivers the knockout blow in a classic bout at Bridge
Chelsea 3 Newcastle United 4
By Sam Wallace

Whatever happens to Newcastle United in the Premier League this season they will always have the night of 22 September 2010 when they conquered the fortress of Stamford Bridge in a Carling Cup classic.
The same goes for Shola Ameobi, whose career might have meandered at times since his early promise but who last night scored a 90th-minute winner that takes its place in Newcastle folklore. It was the first domestic defeat for Chelsea since April. It was the first domestic cup defeat in open play since Roman Abramovich bought the club in 2003. It was a remarkable night.
It was also the Carling Cup third round at its very best: two sides with teenagers in their teams who attacked without remorse. Give Carlo Ancelotti some credit – unlike his predecessors at Chelsea in the Carling Cup he gave the academy players a chance. Ancelotti picked three teenagers and named four on the bench but it was the injuries his team sustained that will haunt him.
Chelsea finished with 10 men, having lost Salomon Kalou, Yossi Benayoun and Gaël Kakuta to injury and with all their substitutions used up. Kalou is out of Saturday's game against Manchester City, which hurt Ancelotti more than elimination from a competition that he said was "not a priority". Although it was difficult to tell that from the way his team played.
Chelsea were not beaten by Chris Hughton's best side; indeed, the Newcastle manager made 10 changes from the team that had beaten Everton at the weekend. He picked three teenagers in his first XI – Haris Vuckic, Nile Ranger and Shane Ferguson – and Newcastle responded magnificently, coming from behind to lead 3-1 after Patrick van Aanholt scored the first for Chelsea in the sixth minute.
In the last 20 minutes, they were pegged back by two goals from Nicolas Anelka, the second of which came from the penalty spot. The decision by referee Phil Dowd to penalise Chiek Tiote for a clash with Alex da Costa was a very bad call and, until Ameobi scored his second to win the game, it threatened to be one that robbed Newcastle of a very famous victory.
"This was a game that most people felt we couldn't win irrespective of the side that we put out," Hughton said. "I think it speaks volumes for the players and, hopefully, it will give us momentum. It shows that we have competition for places."
Ancelotti picked Kakuta, 19; Van Aanholt, 19 and Jeffrey Bruma, 18, in his starting line-up and also gave a home debut to Josh McEachran as a substitute. The manager was not happy about two tackles from Ryan Taylor, the first of which caused Kakuta's injury. Having waved an imaginary red card when Taylor made his second challenge, Ancelotti was conciliatory afterwards.
There was also a Newcastle debut for the 36-year-old Sol Campbell in the centre of defence but it was the 19-year-old Ranger who made an early impression. Originally from Highgate in north London, he was thrown out of Southampton's academy and was sent to a young offenders' institution as a 15-year-old. Ranger was badly at fault for Van Aanholt's first goal but made amends with the equaliser.
Ranger lost the ball to Van Aanholt within six minutes and from there Kakuta crossed for the Dutch teenager to score. On 27 minutes, Ferguson crossed and John Terry was beaten to the ball by Peter Lovenkrands, who flicked it on to Ranger for the equaliser at the back post. Terry had not played since 15 September and came off at half-time as had been planned. Ancelotti said he was fit for Saturday's game.
Newcastle's second came when Taylor hit a brilliant free-kick past Ross Turnbull in the Chelsea goal. It was not the young goalkeeper's best night – Newcastle's third goal was stroked in beautifully by Ameobi after a dreadful pass from Paulo Ferreira. Chelsea came back through Anelka who finished Van Aanholt's excellent cross. The penalty award on 86 minutes later was a bad decision; Anelka converted it beautifully. Just as it looked like the game was heading for extra time Ameobi outjumped Alex to head the winner direct from Jonas Gutierrez's corner.

Chelsea 4-1-4-1 Turnbull; Ferreira, Bruma, Terry (Alex, h-t), Van Aanholt; Ramires; Sturridge, Benayoun, Zhirkov, Kakuta (Kalou, h-t; McEachran, 56); Anelka. Substitutes not used Cech (gk), Clifford, Mellis, Chalobah.

Newcastle 4-4-2 Krul; R Taylor (Tiote, 63), Campbell, Coloccini (Williamson, 63), Ferguson (Barton, 90); Ranger, Smith, Vuckic, Gutierrez; Amoebi, Lovenkrands. Substitutes not used Soderberg (gk), Nolan, Carroll, Arfa.

Man of the match Ameobi

Referee P Dowd (Staffordshire).
Attendance 41,511.
Match rating 9/10

======================================

Guardian:

Shola Ameobi twists the knife as Chelsea's winning streak ends

Chelsea 3 van Aanholt 6, Anelka 70, Anelka (pen) 87

Newcastle United 4 Ranger 27, Taylor, R 32, Ameobi 49, Ameobi 90

Jamie Jackson at Stamford Bridge

Chelsea faced Newcastle United with 10 men for close to half an hour after second-half injures to Salamon Kalou and Yossi Benayoun and yet still came so, so close to forcing extra-time through Nicolas Anelka's second strike four minutes from time. But in a frantic finish Shola Ameobi's even later header settled an enthralling match and handed Chelsea a first defeat here since José Mourinho's Internazionale ruined last season's Champions League quest with a 1-0 victory in March.
Carlo Ancelotti confessed no real disappointment at the defeat and was more at the injuries to Kalou and Benayoun after Gaël Kakuta had been the first player added to the wounded list when the French forward was replaced at half-time by Kalou due to a back injury. The substitute was then substituted when he suffered a thigh problem before Benayoun exited after 62 minutes.
As John Terry had also been take off at half-time, having been given the promised 45 minutes by Ancelotti, this left the Italian down a man and he appeared to rule his injured three out of the weekend trip to Manchester City.
"I'm not so disappointed. It's not our priority, we have a very important game this weekend," the Chelsea coach said. "We have three injuries. Kalou a thigh injury – I don't think he will be available for the next few games. Benayoun also has a massive problem with his calf. Both need to have more time to rest. We will see in the next day or so how long they will be out for. We will know more tomorrow but they do not look good. Kakuta [also] has a back problem."
Ancelotti then made a few friends by apologising for waving an imaginary yellow card in Ryan Taylor's direction during the second half, after the Newcastle right-back had been booked for an industrial tackle on Kakuta early in the game. "This is something from Italian football, maybe that's the last time I will do that here and I'm sorry for that," he said.
Newcastle arrived in west London with a team that showed 10 changes from the one that defeated Everton at the weekend, with Fabricio Coloccini the only survivor and Sol Campbell finally making his debut for the club four days after his 36th birthday.
Ancelotti had switched nine of the side from the 4-0 rout of Blackpool on Sunday in an experimental 11 that featured Ross Turnbull for the regular keeper, Petr Cech, Patrick van Aanholt and Jeffrey Bruma, the young Dutch defenders, plus the forwards Kakuta and Daniel Sturridge.
Precisely six minutes were required for Chelsea to take the lead and it came courtesy of a double mix-up by the visitors. Campbell and Tim Krul, the goalkeeper playing for the injured Steve Harper, both went for a ball that the Dutchman failed to deal with conclusively. The rebound fell to Alan Smith and the Newcastle captain played a too-casual pass to Nile Ranger. He lost possession and Kakuta moved down his left flank and played in Van Aanholt and the 20-year-old completed business against the club he played for on loan last season in the Championship.
Despite the changes in personnel Chelsea's early-season fluidity had appeared unaffected until six minutes before and after the half-hour when the visitors overtook them. Shane Ferguson floated in a cross which was finished by Ranger, a 19-year-old former Newcastle trainee. Then Taylor smashed a 20-yard free-kick across Turnbull, who might have saved if he had raised his left hand quicker.
Paulo Ferreira had taken the armband from Terry at half-time, but he hardly led by example with the errant pass across midfield that fell into Ameobi's path. From around 25 yards out the striker finished sweetly with a perfectly placed shot that bent around Turnbull and finished inside his left post. Chelsea were reeling and now Kalou, then Benayoun, pulled up in similar fashion and it was down to only 10 men to try to claw the tie back. Anelka had certainly not given up the fight as he proved by finishing Van Aanholt's ball from the left on 70 minutes.
Alex was lucky to win the late penalty that Anelka finished coolly to set up the helter-skelter climax to the evening.

================================

Telegraph:

Chelsea 3 Newcastle United 4
By Henry Winter

Fog on the Thames. What a night for Newcastle United in London. This was one of the great Cup ties, a game that will long shape the dreams of Newcastle United's passionate followers and briefly stalk the sleep of Chelsea fans.
This was an epic, see-saw match finally settled when Shola Ameobi, terrific all evening, rose high in injury time to knock Chelsea out of the Carling Cup, giving Newcastle United their first success here since Peter Beardsley was the talk of the Toon in 1986. At the 23rd attempt since then, Newcastle prevailed and it was a man with 23 on his back, Ameobi, who brought a famous triumph.
The last visiting manager to mastermind victory here had been Inter Milan’s Jose Mourinho, although Chris Hughton is far too humble to consider himself special and was quick to transfer praise to his tireless players, particularly the youngsters.
"That was the most pleasing thing,’’ said Newcastle’s manager. "Nile Ranger played out of position on the right and did a great job for us. Shane Ferguson floats between left-back and left-wing.’’ And shone.
Ameobi always seemed to possess the technical gifts but not the ruthlessness required to be a top professional. Here, though, he stretched Chelsea’s admittedly depleted defence, scoring twice. "Shola showed why he has a future at this football club,’’ added Hughton.
Ameobi brimmed with belief and industry, qualities that could be found in every black-and-white shirt. Newcastle’s work-rate was embodied by Jonas Gutierrez, who was tracking back deep into the six minutes of injury time, doing everything he could to thwart Chelsea attacks.
Defeat will hurt Chelsea because they fought like lions, young lions in the case of the highly promising Josh McEachran, to claw back a 3-1 deficit, playing for most of the second half with 10 men after Salomon Kalou and Yossi Benayoun departed injured.
"Benayoun has a calf problem,’’ said Carlo Ancelotti. "Kalou has a thigh muscle. We have to see in the morning but I don’t think they will be ready for Saturday (against Manchester City).’’
Ancelotti defended his decision to play a weakened team, a change in policy at a club which has drunk deeply from the Carling Cup in recent times.
"It’s a competition for the younger players,’’ said Ancelotti. "It’s not our priority. I wanted to give an opportunity to the younger players for them to improve their skills.’’
He certainly learned one lessson, earning a loud rebuke from the Newcastle bench for waving an imaginary card when Ryan Taylor, already cautioned for flattening Gael Kakuta, fouled Patrick van Aanholt. "This is football,’’ shrugged Ancelotti. "Italian football. Maybe it’s the last time I’ll do it.’’ Good.
In a topsy-turvy first half that saw the Toon Army initially concerned but soon chanting "ole’’, Newcastle had endured the worst of starts, a succession of mistakes by Sol Campbell (otherwise assured), Tim Krul and Alan Smith, gifting the ball to Kakuta. His cutback was swept home by Van Aanholt.
So far, so expected. Football’s natural order seemed to be asserting itself. Newcastle had other ideas. And so unfolded a crazy cup tie. Smith began biting into tackles, wresting control from Ramires. Ranger started speeding down the right while Gutierrez troubled Paulo Ferreira on the other flank.
Booed by the home fans for his Arsenal and Spurs affiliations, Campbell promptly rolled back the years to roll back a Chelsea attack, dispossessing Nicolas Anelka.
Pouring forward in waves one moment, Chelsea were suddenly all at sea. Confidence drained from them. When Ferguson, Newcastle’s excellent young left-back, lifted in a 26th-minute cross, Chelsea’s defence froze. Hughton’s players simply wanted it more, reacting faster to the cross. Peter Lovenkrands beat Terry in the air, flicking the ball to the far post where Ranger poached an equaliser, diving in ahead of Van Aanholt to ram the ball home.
The Bridge was stunned. The visitors sensed an upset. Now the force was with Newcastle. Ranger missed with the goal gaping. Then Fabricio Coloccini swept the ball down the middle and Ameobi was off and running, his journey towards Ross Turnbull’s area halted illegally by Jeffrey Bruma.
Twenty yards out, slightly to the left of centre, this was Ryan Taylor country and he thumped the ball past the wall and Turnbull.
Ameobi really came to the fore in the second half. When Ferreira lost possession, Ameobi advanced with the ball and Alex, who had replaced Terry as planned, stood off. Mistake. Ameobi needed little bidding and his right-footed shot flew past the sluggish Turnbull. "Pinch me, Bob, it feels like I’m dreaming,’’ shouted the radio commentator from Newcastle to his Toon legend of an analyst, Bob Moncur.
The dream soon seemed in danger. Willed on by their fans, Chelsea made it 3-2 when Anelka brilliantly turned in Van Aanholt’s cross. Chelsea were fighting for their lives, Alex constantly storming upfield and McEachran refusing to go quietly. Their equaliser was shaped by iniquity. When Alex slipped, Phil Dowd pointed to the spot and Anelka rolled the ball home. But then came Ameobi.

Match details

Chelsea (4-3-3): Turnbull; Ferreira, Bruma, Terry, Van Aanholt; Benayoun, Ramires, Zhirkov; Sturridge, Anelka, Kakuta. Subs: Cech (g), Kalou, Alex, McEachran, Clifford, Mellis, Chalobah.

Newcastle United (4-4-2): Krul; R Taylor, Campbell, Coloccini, Ferguson; Ranger, Vuckic, Smith, Gutierrez; Lovenkrands, Ameobi.
Subs: Soderberg (g), Nolan, Williamson, Barton, Carroll, Tiote, Ben Arfa. Referee: P Dowd.

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Mail:

Chelsea 3 Newcastle 4: Ameobi late show kills off Carlo's young stars

By Matt Barlow

It was supposed to be the night when Chelsea's young starlets stepped out of the cobwebbed shadows in the old folks' home.It did not go quite according to plan and for once, Carlo Ancelotti lost his cool, waving an imaginary red card to demand the dismissal of Ryan Taylor in the first half.
Ancelotti became agitated as he watched his young team crash out of the Carling Cup in bruising fashion, surrendering their 100 per cent record for the season and losing Salomon Kalou, Yossi Benayoun and Gael Kakuta to injuries. All this after taking a sixth-minute lead through Patrick van Aanholt. Nile Ranger, Taylor and Shola Ameobi then hit back for Newcastle. Two late goals from Nicolas Anelka, one a disputed penalty, seemed to rescue Chelsea, who fought level despite playing the last 25 minutes with 10 men because Benayoun was injured after Ancelotti had used his three substitutes. But Ameobi headed the winner in the 90th minute to spark unbridled joy for Newcastle, more commonly on the wrong end of seven-goal thrillers, as they won for the first time at Stamford Bridge since 1986.
Like Chelsea, the visitors rested senior players, making 10 changes, yet Chris Hughton will swell with pride when he recalls the spirit they summoned. Many players remain the same but, in terms of bottle and desire, this team bear no comparison to the side who slid into the Championship last year. Ancelotti, meanwhile, will steel himself for his first real test of his second campaign in English football. There will be no fanciful talk of the quadruple and perhaps it will not be the cakewalk it promised to be after a goal-fuelled start. With a slender senior squad at his disposal, the fresh injuries will be felt as Chelsea prepare for games against Manchester City, Marseille and Arsenal.
And Ross Turnbull's wobbly performance in goal comes as a reminder that the champions are not the same team without No 1 goalkeeper Petr Cech.It had all started so well, when Van Aanholt, on loan at Newcastle for a month last season, slammed the first goal of the night past Tim Krul, a Holland Under 21 team-mate, after a pass delivered by Kakuta with delicious disguise. Kakuta had looked in sublime touch until he was fouled by Taylor, which earned the Newcastle defender a booking. When Taylor then clipped Van Aanholt before the break, Ancelotti wanted him off. He leapt up waving an imaginary card incessantly at fourth official Tony Bates, then at Hughton who sat down unimpressed, then to no-one in particular.
'That is football, Italian football,' said Ancelotti after the game. He was apologetic but refused to apologise. 'Maybe this is the last time I do it,' he added.By this point, Newcastle were ahead. Ranger, casual in defence for the opening goal, was untracked by Van Aanholt as he scored from Shane Ferguson's cross.
Newcastle's second wasn't far away. Jeffrey Bruma hauled down Ameobi on the edge of the penalty area and Taylor whipped the free-kick beyond Turnbull, who should have done better. John Terry came off as planned at half-time. Kakuta also came off with a sore back as Alex and Kalou were sent on but the situation got worse before it got better when Ferreira produced a terrible pass.It was aimed by the right back towards his central defenders but never got close. Ameobi picked it up and took aim as Alex backed off. Again, the shot should not have beaten Turnbull, a boyhood Newcastle fan, but he was slow to get down and it squirted into the bottom corner.
To darken Ancelotti's mood further, Kalou pulled a thigh muscle in the 54th minute and was carried off and replaced by 17- year-old Josh McEachran, who performed brilliantly on his home debut. Then Benayoun pulled a calf muscle as he chased a long ball, immediately signalled to come off and hobbled down the tunnel. With three subs used, Chelsea would play the rest of the game with 10 men. But Anelka sparked a comeback, with a clinical first and a dubious penalty.Sub Cheik Tiote was judged to have pulled Alex. 'Soft as you will see,' was Hughton's description. 'It would have been a travesty if that had cost us.' Ferreira then fired a volley against the post before Ameobi leapt to head a corner beyond Turnbull and the visitors survived six nervous minutes of stoppage time to reach the fourth round.

MATCH FACTS Chelsea (4-3-2-1): Turnbull 4; Ferreira 4, Bruma 6, Terry 6 (Alex 46min, 6), Van Aanholt 6; Benayoun 6, Ramires 6, Zhirkov 6; Sturridge 5, Kakuta 7 (Kalou 46, 6; McEachran 54, 7); Anelka 7. Subs not used: Cech, Clifford, Mellis, Chalobah. Booked: Bruma.

Newcastle United (4-4-1-1): Krul 7; Taylor 6 (Tiote 64, 6), Coloccini 6 (Williamson 64, 6), Campbell 6, Ferguson 7 (Barton 90); Ranger 6, Smith 7, Vuckic 6, Gutierrez 6; Lovenkrands 6; Ameobi 7. Subs not used: Soderberg, Nolan, Carroll, Ben Arfa. Booked: Taylor, Tiote, Ameobi.

Man of the match: Shola Ameobi.
Referee: Phil Dowd 6.

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Sun:

Injury blow hits Ancelotti

CHELSEA suffered a double injury blow as Shola Ameobi KO’d their Carling Cup bid

By ANDREW DILLON

CARLO ANCELOTTI'S awesome run with Chelsea came to an end with a slip, a stumble and a trip before falling flat on his face.
Of course the Carling Cup was not his priority but last night the Double winners lost their way.
Shola Ameobi's 90th-minute winner was the final act of an amazing match which rewarded the punters who turned up.
Newcastle deservedly became the first team to beat Chelsea since Tottenham on April 17 and the first team to score four goals at fortress Stamford Bridge since Manchester City in February.
Chris Hughton's battlers also have the honour today of being the first team to beat Chelsea in open play in a domestic cup since Roman Abramovich took over the club in 2003.
One for the number crunchers maybe and boss Ancelotti is unlikely to lose his job because Chelsea won't be lifting the Carling Cup this season.
But for sheer drama and entertainment Ancelotti and Hughton already deserve medals.
The Toon roared back after rookie left-back Patrick van Aanholt's sixth-minute opener to go 3-1 up four minutes into the second half.
The Blues, down to 10 men for nearly half an hour with Salomon Kalou and Yossi Benayoun pulling up lame, refused to give up even though this competition is clearly fourth-rate for them.
Nicolas Anelka took the game by the scruff of the neck to give his team a chance going into extra time with a superb strike and a dodgy penalty.
The climax was in stark contrast to the foreplay when Dutch kid Van Aanholt, 20, picked up an exquisite pass from Gael Kakuta on the edge of the box and drilled a shot under Sol Campbell's legs and into the net for his first goal for the club.
But then it slowly started to come to life. Hughton was hugging a hoodie by the 27th minute when reformed tearaway Nile Ranger equalised.
Ranger was jailed at 15 for a street robbery in North London, was kicked out of Southampton amid accusations of theft and was expelled from school.
Even now he gets stick from his Toon team-mates for his lateness but Ranger's timekeeping at the back post was impeccable when he met a flick on from Peter Lovenkrands with a powerful finish. There were heroes all over the pitch for Newcastle.
After Ranger's equaliser, Ryan Taylor blasted home a stunning free-kick from the edge of the box, picking a spot on the opposite side of the goal from Chelsea's dozing five-man wall. Ancelotti's defence was way below par and right-back Paulo Ferreira's woeful underhit pass fell perfectly for Ameobi. He beat Chelsea sub Alex with a shimmy then finished past stand-in keeper Ross Turnbull.
Ancelotti's mix 'n match side of reserves and kids looked incapable of recovery but then veteran Anelka took charge.
Eight minutes after Benayoun went off leaving his team a man short, Anelka, 31, collected a cut-back from Van Aanholt and side-footed in with style from 16 yards.
Chelsea had centre-half Nathan Chalobah - aged 15 years, 284 days - on the bench but should he have been up so late on a school night?
And it looked like extra time when Anelka scored the best goal of the night from the worst decision - Alex winning a penalty after the mildest of touches from Cheick Tiote.
Anelka stepped up and cheekily deceived Tim Krul with his toe-tap.
But Ameobi popped up to head home a corner with seconds of normal time left and clinch the Toon's first win here since 1986. It was justice for Newcastle - something Ranger knows a bit about.

DREAM TEAM

STAR MAN - SHOLA AMEOBI (Newcastle)

CHELSEA: Turnbull 5, Ferreira 4, Terry 6 (Alex 5), Bruma 6, V Aanholt 6, Benayoun 5, Zhirkov 5, Ramires 5, Kakuta 6 (Kalou 5 (McEachran 6)), Anelka 7, Sturridge 4. Subs not used: Cech, Clifford, Mellis, Chalobah. Booked: Bruma.

NEWCASTLE: Krul 6, R Taylor 6 (Tiote 6), Campbell 5, Coloccini 6 (Williamson 6), Ferguson 7 (Barton 5), Vuckic 6, Gutierrez 6, Ranger 8, Smith 6, Lovenkrands 7, Ameobi 9. Subs not used: Soderberg, Nolan, Carroll, B Arfa. Booked: R Taylor, Ameobi, Tiote.


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Blackpool 4-0

Independent:

Kalou serves perfect starter but Chelsea now face sterner tests
Chelsea 4 Blackpool 0
By Mark Fleming


The suggestion put to the Chelsea manager, Carlos Ancelotti, after this easy victory was that his team might be under-cooked ahead of next week's trip to Manchester City, a team that he has been tipping as potential title rivals all summer.
"Under-cooked? I don't understand under-cooked." Ancelotti replied, for although his English is improving, this phrase tested his vocabulary beyond its limits. For a man whose recent autobiography is packed with as many references to eating as to football, it was unfortunate that he should be tripped up by a culinary term.
After all, his team have provided nothing but the finest gourmet football so far this season, with 15 points from a possible 15 that gives them a four-point lead over Arsenal, with the added cushion of a 10-goal advantage in goal difference.
Yet there is no escaping the suspicion that as his free-flowing team have yet to face anything resembling a competitive game this season they remain an unknown quantity. Blackpool gave Chelsea a decent game; sadly for the visitors by then Chelsea were 4-0 up.
Chelsea took their foot off the gas – with half an eye on the forthcoming challenges they face against Manchester City next weekend, followed by the visit of Arsenal in a fortnight's time – but Ancelotti promised they will be up to the tasks ahead. Asked if his team had been handed an easy start to the season, the Italian replied: "It could be, it could be. But every game could be easy afterwards. If you don't play well, maybe it looks like a difficult game. We didn't play the top teams but we have played very well. Now it's important to have confidence in our football. We have to maintain this quality against the top teams like Manchester City. It's an important test not just for us, but also for them."
The question remains whether Chelsea are able to play their magnificent, high-tempo passing game against better teams than Blackpool. If they are, then heaven help the rest of the Premier League as this Chelsea team will take some stopping.
Florent Malouda, who scored twice in the first half to put Chelsea comfortably ahead, promised the champions will continue the style at City. He said: "People talk about Manchester City because they don't give us the credit for what we have done up to now. We know what we have done last season against the big teams. We can do it. It's not a problem for us."
Chelsea were without their two greatest stalwarts, John Terry and Frank Lampard. Rarely in the past decade have Chelsea been without both of their key players, Terry lost to a rib injury and Lampard still recovering from hernia surgery. Their absence was barely noticed however as the game was over before it had barely begun. Blackpool came with the intention of keeping things tight but went 1-0 down after 66 seconds when they failed to mark properly at a corner. Branislav Ivanovic flicked on Didier Drogba's corner at the near post and Salomon Kalou finished from a couple of yards.
Malouda added a second shortly afterwards, with a one-touch strike to meet Drogba's low cross from the right. The number-crunchers came up with the stat that this was Chelsea's 100th goal in all competitions in 2010.
Drogba, who is playing with a smile on his face these days after six seasons at Chelsea when his default mode has been a moaning scowl, scored the third with a shot that was deflected past Blackpool's goalkeeper Matthew Gilks after Ashley Cole had popped up on the left wing, much to the delight of Ancelotti who was on his feet applauding.
When Kalou crossed for Malouda to score emphatically for Chelsea's fourth in the 41st minute, a cricket score seemed on the cards. But Chelsea eased off and Blackpool came out fighting after the interval, and the visitors played so well in the second 45 minutes they were unfortunate not to score.
Marlon Harewood fired into the side-netting, sparking frenzied celebrations among the travelling Tangerine Army who thought it had gone in, and when DJ Campbell managed to beat Petr Cech from a tight angle, Ivanovic was on hand to clear off the line. At the other end, Chelsea continued to make chances but Drogba seemed more interested in setting up the goal for Malouda that would have given his mate a hat-trick, and they were squandered.
Blackpool manager Ian Holloway admitted responsibility for the defeat, saying he had got his tactics wrong. "I thought we could try to contain them, but after they scored in the second minute that went out the window," he said. "I put my hand up, my tactics didn't work. I looked at it beforehand and though 'Blow me down, we are in trouble'. But we looked better when we played the way we play in the second half, with four strikers."

Match facts

Chelsea (4-3-3): Cech; Ferreira, Alex (Bruma 71), Ivanovic, Cole; Essien, Mikel (Benayoun 78), Ramires (Zhirkov 75); Kalou, Drogba, Malouda. Substitutes not used Turnbull (gk), Kakuta, Sturridge, Anelka.
Booked Drogba

Blackpool (4-3-2-1): Gilks; Eardley (Taylor-Fletcher h-t), Keinan, Evatt, Crainey; Vaughan, Baptiste, Adam; Grandin (Harewood 61), Varney (Ormerod, 61); Campbell. Substitutes not used Halstead (gk), Southern, Cathcart, Carney.

Booked Eardley, Vaughan
Man of the match Essien
Possession Chelsea 59% Blackpool 41%.
Shots on target Chelsea 15, Blackpool 4.
Referee M Clattenburg (Tyne & Wear). Att 41,761
Match rating 8/10.

=========================================

Guardian:

Didier Drogba shines as Chelsea maintain perfect start against Blackpool
Chelsea 4 Kalou 2, Malouda 12, Drogba 30, Malouda 41 Blackpool 0

Sachin Nakrani at Stamford Bridge


Another win and another rout but for Chelsea the hard work begins now. The team travel to Manchester City on Saturday having blitzed their way through an opening set of fixtures which proved as comfortable for them as had first appeared. This latest game was over as a contest by half-time but ahead of the visit to Eastlands, and the arrival of Arsenal here on 3 October, it will have done the hosts no harm to have endured some anxiety after the interval.
The champions, after all, could be forgiven for believing in their own invincibility having now won six consecutive matches, scoring 25 goals in the process. But Blackpool's admirable if not surprising decision to maintain an emphasis on attacking despite being 4-0 down after the first 45 minutes here reminded Chelsea of their vulnerability.
That was acknowledged by the manager, Carlo Ancelotti, after his side nearly conceded a goal on three occasions. The closest of those was a low drive from DJ Campbell on 49 minutes that had to be hacked off the line by Branislav Ivanovic. There then followed a volley from Luke Varney that had power but little direction before, on 61 minutes, the substitute Gary Taylor-Fletcher hit a curling shot which Petr Cech had to stretch fully to push over the bar. A much-satisfied crowd was suddenly fearing trouble ahead.
"Blackpool showed a good reaction after the first half and had good chances to score," said Ancelotti. "But this happened because we were not playing so well. We did not have fantastic play like in the first half. During that period it was a pleasure to watch my team play."
That was a sentiment shared by Florent Malouda, who spoke of his team-mates "enjoying" the manner in which they swept aside another set of opponents. For the Frenchman in particular it proved a stellar day as he scored the sixth and seventh goals of the season so far.
His first came on 12 minutes after Didier Drogba, outstanding here having been rested for the midweek win over MSK Zilina in the Champions League, held off the Blackpool right-back Stephen Crainey before sweeping a cross towards the back post where the 30-year-old was waiting to convert a side-footed shot. Malouda's second arrived four minutes before half-time, a drilled left-footed drive that came from Salomon Kalou's precise cut-back.
That made it 4-0 and destroyed any faint hopes Blackpool had of recreating the wins they had secured at Wigan Athletic and Newcastle United following their promotion to the Premier League. Even with the endeavour they showed after the interval, defeat was inevitable.
"Some people have take us for granted, but the champions didn't, their movement throughout was different to what I've seen before and they've got some fantastic players here," said Ian Holloway, the Blackpool manager. "We're light-years away from teams like Chelsea but my challenge is to get us closer to them and I'm glad to be part of it."
That challenge, Holloway insisted, will continue to be underlined by a policy of adventure. It had been fascinating before kick-off to wonder if he would stick with the 4-3-3 formation that has inspired those wins at the DW Stadium and St James's Park but also played a part in the 6-0 defeat to Arsenal in between. As it was, Blackpool began in a 4-3-2-1 system which encouraged Elliot Grandin and Varney to stay wide and support the lone striker Campbell as often as possible. Indeed it was Varney who had Blackpool's best effort of the first half, a long-range drive on 17 minutes that forced Cech to make a low save.
By then, however, Chelsea had established a strong lead with Kalou opening the scoring with a close-range shot after Ivanovic – who was playing at centre-back due to John Terry not recovering from the rib injury he picked up during last week's win at West Ham United – had flicked Drogba's corner into his path. The striker scored Chelsea's third on 30 minutes after collecting a pass from Ashley Cole, whose tormenting of the right-back Neal Eardley was such that the full-back had to be substituted for his own good at half-time.
The speed with which Chelsea pour forward, allied to the robustness shown by the likes of Michael Essien, suggests they would be in first place even if their opponents to date had been sterner. They will also travel to City with Frank Lampard restored to the team after Ancelotti confirmed the midfielder is training again following a groin injury.
The Italian recognised that game as a "test" but baulked at suggestions that his side has had it easy so far, as did Malouda. "People do not want to give us credit for what we have done so far," said the player. "But we know we can achieve great performances against big teams so we are looking forward to the [City] game."


=======================================

Telegraph:

Chelsea 4 Blackpool 0

Chelsea moved four points clear at the top of the Premier League with a comfortable victory over Blackpool at Stamford Bridge

Chelsea destroyed Ian Holloway's side with four first-half goals - two from Florent Malouda and others from Salomon Kalou and Didier Drogba.
Blackpool improved in the second half and Branislav Ivanovic had to clear off the line from DJ Campbell while substitute Gary Taylor-Fletcher brought a fine save from Petr Cech.
It took just two minutes for Chelsea to take the lead when Drogba's corner was flicked on by Branislav Ivanovic and Kalou supplied the finish at the far post.
It was the Ivory Coast striker's fourth league goal of the season and Chelsea's 22nd in total so far this season.
Michael Essien almost made it two in the seventh minute but the midfielder's 20-yard shot was too high.
But Chelsea doubled their lead in the 12th minute when Kalou put Drogba clear of the Blackpool defence.
Instead of having a shot himself, Kalou's international team-mate chose to cross superbly for the unmarked Malouda to fire home his fifth goal of the season.
Branislav Ivanovic almost made it three seconds later but his header from a Malouda corner fell just wide of the upright.
Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech was forced into his first save of the game in the 16th minute when he tipped a shot from Alex Baptiste around the post.
Chelsea made it 3-0 on the half-hour when Ashley Cole fed Drogba and the Ivory Coast striker's shot on the turn was deflected past Matthew Gilks. It was Drogba's fifth of the season.
Chelsea were now in rampant form and only some poor decision-making from Cole prevented Blackpool from falling further behind.
The England left-back should have made it four to the home side seconds after Drogba's goal but his cross-shot went wide of the far post.
In the 38th minute another Chelsea attack almost brought yet another goal.
Paulo Ferreira headed the ball into space for Kalou to collect but his cross was smashed wide by Malouda.
Another simple Chelsea move sliced Blackpool open in the 41st minute to make it 4-0 to the champions.
Drogba's ball over the top to Kalou was inch-perfect and he crossed for Malouda to fire into the bottom corner.
Gilks then thwarted Drogba in the 44th minute as the Chelsea forward looked to make it five.
Blackpool almost reduced the arrears in the 49th minute when DJ Campbell rounded Petr Cech but Ivanovic cleared the ball off the goal-line.
Moments later Luke Varney squandered a chance for the visitors when he volleyed over from eight yards.
Chelsea had lost the initiative and a 20-yard shot from Varney was deflected just over the bar as the visitors, for once, enjoyed the upper hand.
On the hour, substitute Gary Taylor-Fletcher brought a fine save from Cech with a curling shot which was going in until the Czech Republic international tipped it over the bar.
Seconds later Holloway removed Elliott Grandin and Varney and replaced them with Brett Ormerod and Marlon Harewood.
But Chelsea squandered a chance to go five in front in the 63rd minute when Drogba put Kalou in the clear but a poor touch allowed Gilks to save his eventual shot
Moments later a cross from Drogba was met by Malouda but the France international's far-post volley was tipped over by Gilks.
In the 66th minute, Malouda spurned another hat-trick chance by firing wide of the left-hand upright.
Essien sent a rising shot over the crossbar 10 minutes from time and Drogba did the same four minutes from time.

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Mail:

Chelsea 4 Blackpool 0: Poor Blackpool couldn't afford a meal here, let alone compete

By Martin Samuel

If this had been a cricket match it would have been one of those investigated by the ICC for suspicious scoring patterns.Chelsea were four goals up before half-time, at which moment anything was possible, even double figures.The sole final score that nobody considered probable was 4-0. The prospect of Chelsea failing to add to their first-half total was unthinkable.
In the circumstances — and ruling out the potential for foul play — bookmakers must have cleaned up.
Hit a little, block a little, is supposed to be the formula for successful spot fixing in one-day cricket, and score plenty, score none at all, would certainly work equally well in football.
There is no question, however, of Chelsea deliberately failing to grind Blackpool into the dust, their surprising 45-minute drought being a combination of ennui, desperate defending, poor finishing and a revival that, incredibly, saw the opposition amass the best chances of the half.
Branislav Ivanovic cleared off the line and Petr Cech made several good saves, enabling the visiting supporters to add genial mockery to their appealing disposition by informing Chelsea that they were not as good as Arsenal (who beat Blackpool 6-0 at home).
‘You’ve only got four,’ they teased to the tune of Sloop John B and, ironic or not, there was the odd boo from the home support when Mark Clattenburg brought the game to a halt, Chelsea no further forward than they had been at the break.
Still, mustn’t grumble. Even an average Chelsea performance is a thing of beauty these days, and this was a completely average Chelsea performance, in that before the game they had scored 40 goals in 10 games and after it they had scored 44 in 11.
So easy has their procession through the Barclays Premier League fixture list been that the sole worry could be that they travel to Manchester City at the end of the week undercooked.
‘We can achieve great performances against very big teams,’ said Florent Malouda, once again exceptional in his wide forward role.
‘People are too concerned about the Manchester City game; they do not give us credit for what we have done before.’
Malouda did, however, add that Chelsea could be more focussed, while Didier Drogba blamed a lack of concentration for Chelsea’s journey backwards through the gears.
They will need to be sharper for longer in Manchester on Saturday, make no mistake about that.
Blackpool could not even afford a meal at Stamford Bridge, let alone attempt to compete with the many millions thrown at the team.
They asked Chelsea to cost portions of lasagne to be consumed on the return journey north, and the quote came back at £15 per head.
Too rich for Blackpool’s blood, apparently. The chairman had a pink fit when Newcastle asked them for a fiver each for lasagne earlier this month. Sandwiches it was, then.They would certainly have worked up an appetite, though. Even playing within themselves, Chelsea’s movement is exhausting and in the first half they were a big blue perpetual motion machine.
A cynic might argue the game was won within 72 seconds when Chelsea scored their first, but they maintained a stunning tempo for the 2,628 seconds that followed, too, and Blackpool were no match.
In addition to the goals, there was a solid penalty appeal from Ashley Cole against defender Dekel Keinan, several near misses and one save from goalkeeper Matthew Gilks that denied Drogba one of the greatest goals of his career.
He started it with a back-heel and one touch later took three defenders out of the game; still, it was not to be.
Blackpool have only themselves to blame for the day turning sour so quickly, however.
Chelsea won an early corner, Drogba whipped it in, Ivanovic flicked the ball on and Salomon Kalou finished comfortably at the far post.
Stage fright struck Ian Holloway’s men instantly, with unsurprising results. In the 12th minute, a fine pass from Michael Essien found Drogba on the right and Malouda hit a low shot from his cross for the second.
Cole, in brilliant form this season, then made the third after 30 minutes, his cross picking out Drogba, whose shot wrong-footed the helpless Gilks thanks to an unfortunate deflection.By now, Chelsea were playing for fun as several outrageous Drogba tricks indicated, but the fourth goal encapsulated the quality that truly makes them special: sublime skill married to a magnificent work ethic.
Cole had gone forward, so Drogba took his place at left back and from that position chased across into midfield to dispossess the slow-witted Elliot Grandin.
His forward pass from deep was the highlight of the day and was seized by Kalou, who found Malouda for a low shot across Gilks. Perfection.
Carlo Ancelotti, the Chelsea manager, said it was a pleasure to watch his team play in the first half, before acknowledging that greater challenges lie ahead.
He added that it was hard to maintain the intensity after the fourth goal went in; a frequent problem for him, but one that would delight other managers.
Holloway, for instance. ‘Some of the movement Chelsea showed was just different, my players had never seen anything like it,’ he said.
‘They are a credit to the club. Anyone who beats them must have a fantastic team.
'In some ways this was always going to happen. The fact is, we’ve got to get closer to these teams than we are now, because we’re light years away.’
Perhaps the moment that summed up that fact came in the 62nd minute when Blackpool captain Charlie Adam began to sprint with the ball down the left flank. Malouda kept him company, almost coasting.
On Adam went, lacking the speed to leave his man behind, or the flair to beat him with a cunning turn. Malouda maintained his pace, almost curiously by now, waiting for the denouement.
Adam reached the by-line, still resolutely one paced, shaped to cross, stubbed a foot in the turf and fell over. The ball rolled into touch. Everyone laughed, even the Blackpool contingent.
Well, what else was there to do?

Match facts

Chelsea (4-3-3): Cech 7; Ferreira 6, Alex 6 (Bruma 71min, 6), Ivanovic 7, Cole 8; Essien 8, Mikel 7 (Benayoun 77), Ramires 7 (Zhirkov 74, 6); Malouda 8, Drogba 9, Kalou 7. Subs not used: Turnbull, Sturridge, Anelka, Kakuta. Booked: Drogba.
BLACKPOOL (4-1-4-1): Gilks 7; Eardley 4 (Taylor-Fletcher 46, 6), Keinan 5, Evatt 5, Crainey 5; Baptiste 5; Grandin 5 (Harewood 60, 5), Vaughan 6, Adam 5, Varney 5 (Ormerod 60, 6); Campbell 5. Subs not used: Halstead, Cathcart, Southern, Carney. Booked: Eardley, Vaughan.
Man of the match: Didier Drogba.
Referee: Mark Clattenburg.
Attendance: 41,761.


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Sun:

Chelsea 4 Blackpool 0
By ANDREW DILLON

IAN HOLLOWAY'S Premier League paupers took their playing strip home to wash themselves. In stark contrast, Chelsea can give their kit man the day off.
They did not even break sweat as yet another team was taken to the cleaners and the champions' menacing advance into the new season continued.
The Blues have hit 21 Premier League goals in five matches and conceded only one.
They are top of the table and already four points clear of Arsenal and Manchester United.
Chelsea are scoring for fun but it is not very enjoyable if you are on the receiving end.
The romantics hoping Blackpool could pull off a miracle quickly realised the Blues are more about routine and they simply refused to give in to sentiment in any way.
Far from stir the heart, mismatches like this serve only as a reminder that English football is anything but a level playing field.
Salomon Kalou, who scored the first goal of this rout, cost as much as Blackpool's entire £8million budget for the season.
Instead of dazzling the punters, some fans were wincing as early as half-time as Carlo Ancelotti's hot-shots threatened to run riot against a side whose players wash their own kit to save money.
Kalou set the tone by scoring after just 72 seconds - 27 seconds quicker than it took his team to set the ball rolling with the opener in last weekend's 3-1 win at West Ham.
Didier Drogba swung in a corner, Branislav Ivanovic flicked it on and Kalou was unmarked to net from six yards.
Just like one of Blackpool's famous rollercoasters on the Golden Mile, there was loads of anticipation and then it was all over inside two minutes.
There was no way back for Holloway's battlers, even though they had the popular vote yesterday in a battle against one of the richest clubs in the world for whom winning is simply business.
Chelsea have been given a relatively easy start to the campaign - West Brom, Wigan, Stoke, West Ham. And yesterday it was the Tangerines' turn to have the life squeezed out of them.
Things will get a bit stickier now, with a trip to Manchester City looming. That will be followed by Marseille, Arsenal and then Liverpool in early November. Drogba provided some swash as Blackpool buckled under the weight of Chelsea's onslaught. He set up goal No 2, scored No 3 and took on the role of general entertainer with tricks, flicks, power and pace. But then again, so he should at £25m - more than Blackpool FC is worth.
Barely 10 minutes after Kalou's opener, Drogba sprung the visitors' offside trap to latch on to a through ball from Michael Essien. He darted to the edge of the box and then cut the ball back for Florent Malouda to score at the far post.
Seasiders boss Holloway had urged his players not to cave in and be overawed by the opposition and the surroundings on their big day out to West London. The longer it went on, he gambled, the more confidence they could wring out of Chelsea. What he failed to understand is that no one tells Chelsea what to do, especially at home.
His gameplan lasted less than 90 seconds.
As well as his dazzle, Drogba showed his finishing is also top dollar.
After half an hour he scored the best goal of this exhibition. Ashley Cole drifted to the corner of the area, then slotted the ball back to Drogba on the edge of Blackpool's box. His turn and shot was spectacular, though deflected, and the ball zipped in off keeper Matt Gilks' right leg.
Malouda made it 4-0 four minutes before the break, when Drogba teed him up again.
Even when Blackpool did manage to beat Petr Cech, with a shot from DJ Campbell, Ivanovic was on hand to scoop it calmly off the line.


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Star:

CHELSEA CRUSH BLACKPOOL ON THE HUNT FOR PREMIER LEAGUE DOMINATION
By David Woods

CHELSEA 4 - BLACKPOOL 0


WATCHING tasty Chelsea peel apart the Tangerines suggested they could be the new Invincibles.
At this scoring rate, they are on course to top a century of league goals again – against Sunderland on February 1!
Of course, five games represents only just over an eighth of the season and we will find out plenty more about the Blues’ resolve in the next seven weeks, during which they face Manchester City – away on Saturday – Arsenal at home and trips to Aston Villa and Liverpool.
The Gunners, of course, have been the only team to go a season in the Premier League undefeated.
They will pose far more of a threat than Ian Holloway’s top-flight rookies, who produced a shocking first-half display as the Double winners scored through Salomon Kalou, Florent Malouda twice and Didier Drogba.
The good-hearted travelling fans had a dig in the goalless second half, chanting “You’re not as good as Arsenal” and “How sh*t must you be, you’ve only got four?”
However, with the Champions League underway it was not hard to imagine boss Carlo Ancelotti advising his men to take it easy after the break.
Five wins out of five, 21 goals scored and just one conceded and a four-point lead already – the Italian is hardly sweating.
And nor were his players as they strolled through this game.
Blackpool players wash their own kit, while Chelsea players could just give their own an airing!
With two wins and a draw out of their first four Premier League matches, you might have expected the Tangerines not to be overawed at Stamford Bridge.
But that is just what they were as Chelsea went ahead after just 72 seconds when Branislav Ivanovic flicked on Drogba’s corner and Kalou was left unmarked to sidefoot in a half-volley.
In the 12th minute Chelsea struck again. Drogba got in behind the visitors’ backline to run on to Kalou’s throughball. Outstripping Stephen Crainey, he unselfishly squared for Malouda to guide the ball home under Matt Gilks’ body from close range.
He was not so team spirited shortly after when, after being put in down the left by John Obi Mikel, he tried a flashy curler for the top corner which he fluffed completely.
In the 17th minute Petr Cech pulled off a superb save, diving full length to tip away Alex Baptiste’s long-range effort which was going just inside a post.
Drogba then produced a flick pass using one leg behind the other, which no doubt did little to endear him to his opponents.
Blackpool were lucky not to concede a spot-kick when the dithering Dekel Keinan barged over Ashley Cole after messing up a backpass to keeper Gilks.
Drogba got his goal in the 30th minute after Cole raced on to Michael Essien’s throughball and turned Neal Eardley in the box.
Prodding it to Drogba, the striker turned in a flash and drove past Gilks, though aided by a big deflection off Ian Evatt. Drogba then dropped into midfield to dispossess Elliot Grandin before sending Kalou clear with a marvellous pass with backspin.
Kalou picked out Malouda and the Frenchman drilled in at the fast post with his left foot from 12 yards in the 41st minute.
After the break Blackpool started with a new resolve, with Charlie Adam influential in midfield. In the 50th minute he put DJ Campbell through, but his shot was slowed down by Cech getting something on it and Ivanovic was able to clear off the line.
Then he produced a sublime pass with the outside of his left foot to set up Luke Varney for a volley, but he blasted wildly. At least Blackpool kept trying, with substitute Gary Taylor-Fletcher forcing Cech to tip over his curling drive.
Kalou’s poor first touch from a Drogba ball allowed Gilks to dash out and deny him a second goal.
Chances continued to be fashioned at either end as substitute Marlon Harewood drove into the sidenetting. Then Keinan denied Cole a goal, blocking his shot after yet more great work from Drogba.
In the end the Blues settled for four – with Malouda’s double taking him joint top of the goal charts with Dimitar Berbatov.
Berbatov and Manchester United, of course, will have a big say in whether Malouda and Co. can go the season unbeaten.

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Express:

CHELSEA V BLACKPOOL: FLORENT MALOUDA IS JOINING THE FEAST
By Tony Banks Chelsea 4, Blackpool 0


FLORENT Malouda was the last player Jose Mourinho bought in his controversial spell in charge at Chelsea. But it is Carlo Ancelotti who is reaping the benefits of his skills.
Fifteen goals last season proved crucial to Chelsea’s winning of the Double under Ancelotti. Two more yesterday took France winger Malouda’s tally for this season to six, and illustrated once more the gulf between the haves and have nots in the Premier League.
Chelsea’s second goal at Stamford Bridge yesterday, slotted in expertly from six yards after Didier Drogba’s low cross, was their 100th in all competitions in this calendar year. Fittingly, it was scored by Malouda with typical aplomb.
He rifled in a second later in a game that in all honesty was over inside one minute 12 seconds, when Chelsea took the lead.
Five league games, five wins; 21 goals scored, one conceded; West Brom, Wigan, Stoke, West Ham and now Blackpool seen off. The critics carp it is an easy start, and battle really commences at Manchester City next Saturday. Easy?
“Maybe,” said Ancelotti. “But every game is easy afterwards. If you don’t play well, then they are difficult.
“We have played very well and want to keep this going. We know that City will be more difficult but we can play this way against the top sides.”
Malouda was more defensive. “Everyone talks about Manchester City, but they do not give us credit for what we have done so far,” he said. “We know we can achieve great performances against the big teams so we are looking forward to it.”
It is difficult to argue against that, especially given Chelsea’s performances against the ‘big four’ last year, when they won every game. They did, however, lose home and away to erratic City – so no comparisons with Arsenal’s Invincibles just yet.
Games like this, though, are becoming almost routine at Stamford Bridge these days. When Salomon Kalou volleyed in Branislav Ivanovic’s flick from Drogba’s corner, Blackpool boss Ian Holloway had barely got to the dugout.
Ancelotti sticks to his word and rotates his players but Malouda is more or less a constant. His finishing is lethal, his speed of foot and thought just as deadly. The wayward performances of his first year in England are long gone.
It was no surprise to see him rattling in Drogba’s low cross in the 12th minute. On the half-hour Ashley Cole once again destroyed Blackpool’s right flank and crossed for Drogba to score. Then, four minutes before the break, Kalou got away on the right and squared the ball for Malouda to complete the job.
Holloway said: “Some of the football they played made hairs I didn’t know I still had on the back of my neck stand on end. They were phenomenal.
“Some teams in this league have taken us for granted a bit but Chelsea didn’t. I have never seen some of that movement before from them.
“There is no doubt, though, that in this game the rich are getting richer, the best are getting better. The rest of us are just hanging on to their coat-tails. But we did draw the second half.”
Blackpool did – and might even have pulled a goal back had not Petr Cech made a superb stop from Gary Taylor-Fletcher’s curler.
Chelsea, though, could have had seven or eight, but understandably their feet were off the gas.
It is not all sweetness and beauty though. Statistics released at the weekend noted Chelsea are the heaviest team in the Premier League and the second tallest. Blackpool found that out as they were all too frequently outpaced, outmuscled and outjumped.
Malouda is of average height and average build. But so important to Chelsea.

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