west ham 3-0

Independent:

Torres finally makes a splash at sodden Bridge
Chelsea 3 West Ham United 0
By Steve Tongue at stamford bridge

Amid Wagnerian scenes of thunder and lightning over west London, West Ham's best hope of salvaging something from the day turned out to be an abandonment. The unpredictable Easter weather was against them, however, like so much else, even assisting Fernando Torres to break his scoring duck at last after 732 minutes in a blue shirt. Despite a brave fight founded on a bold 4-3-3 formation, West Ham finished the game where they had begun it, at the bottom of the table.
For once they made light of missing Scott Parker, named Footballer of the Year on Friday, even after losing another midfielder, Mark Noble, to injury. The captain Matthew Upson had not been able to play and luck was absent too, two goal-bound efforts being blocked by defenders.
It did not look like a 3-0 game and nor was the gap between the sides reflected in the respective performances. But Chelsea, with the old reliables Didier Drogba, Frank Lampard and John Terry to the fore, came through and stay six points behind Manchester United with four games to play – one of them at Old Trafford.
Afterwards Carlo Ancelotti was less confident of achieving his team's aim than Avram Grant of his. "We have less possibility [of the title] because we have one game less," Ancelotti admitted. "I think we stay in the League," Grant claimed, while agreeing that the area in which West Ham must improve is the conversion of chances.
There had been applause before kick-off for the former Chelsea men Parker, Carlton Cole and Grant. Less well received was Wayne Bridge, who had famously refused to shake Terry's hand before his Manchester City team played here last season. This time there was no attempt by either player to observe the courtesies.
Chelsea seemed to have decided that Bridge's partner at full-back, Lars Jacobsen, was the weak link, and it was no surprise that the opening goal materialised from that area. Half a dozen times beforehand, Ashley Cole or Florent Malouda had been played into the space behind Jacobsen. When Drogba, dropping deep, played yet another ball inside the right-back, Cole was on to it immediately, cutting back a precise pass into the path of Lampard. The West Ham old boy scored with a thump.
That curtailed an encouraging revival by West Ham after being comprehensively outplayed in the opening 20 minutes. When they finally moved forward, Demba Ba unleashed a fizzing shot from 30 yards that Petr Cech had to turn over the crossbar for one of a series of corners. Another was forced by Jonathan Spector's header after a break and cross by Freddie Sears. From the next corner Sears was able to manage nothing more than a flick, which Ashley Cole blocked on the line.
By the start of the second half, not only had a number of the floodlights gone out but the amount of water on the pitch had become a serious handicap. Michael Essien and Noble may or may not have blamed if for the injuries they suffered soon after the resumption. There were soon more powerful efforts from David Luiz, who sent a shot from 30 yards against Rob Green's crossbar, and at the other end Ba, with a drive that Cech could not hold. Manuel da Costa's header from a corner was blocked by Jon Obi Mikel, and Robbie Keane shot wastefully from 10 yards.
Torres was given 14 minutes in place of Drogba, quickly setting up another substitute, Nicolas Anelka, for a shot that Danny Gabbidon headed off the line. Given his big opportunity, he was helped when the ball held up in the wet, swinging his left foot to spark protracted celebrations on the pitch and off. Malouda's late goal only made West Ham's day more miserable. This may be the twilightof their Premier League life.

Attendance: 41,656
Referee: Phil Dowd
Man of the match: Malouda
Match rating: 7/10


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Observer:

Fernando Torres delivers for Chelsea at last to sink West Ham

Chelsea 3 Lampard 44, Torres 84, Malouda 93 West Ham United 0

Jamie Jackson at Stamford Bridge

Chelsea's late-season surge continues and, despite Manchester United still heading them by six points, part of the message from Carlo Ancelotti's side is that Fernando Torres has finally scored, and may continue to do so until the title is decided.
The Spaniard's first goal since the second of a pair scored for Liverpool against Wolves in late January suggested his sharpness has returned. On the rain-soaked Stamford Bridge turf the ball held up behind the striker but he was able to nonchalantly pirouette before delivering the sweetest of finishes with his left foot, eight minutes after coming on.
Ancelotti said: "It was an important moment for him and for all the fans who waited for Fernando to score. It was a fantastic moment and now his future will be fantastic here, [at] this club, with his team-mates. The big problem was he came in to a new club and it was not easy to find a relationship with the new team-mates and the play. But now the bad moments have gone."
Asked if the goal was a relief, Ancelotti said: "Obviously for him. He needed to score to move from this moment. The next game for him will be really better. [The finish] was good movement, a fantastic goal."
Torres told ESPN: "It was not the beginning I was expecting when I signed, but it's not easy to go in January or February. I kept working and it's thanks to all my team-mates that I scored. There's less pressure for me now – now I can enjoy it. Today the pitch was not the best [due to heavy rain] to score the goal, but football is like this."
After Florent Malouda smashed home in added time to confirm a 3-0 win that was a touch unfair on West Ham, Ancelotti was asked of his team's ability to retain their title. He said: "We have less possibility because we are one game less [as] now there are just four games [and] the gap is the same [to Manchester United]. So it will be more difficult but we have to keep trying to believe."
West Ham had begun this game rooted to the bottom, two points off 17th, which for any player in the relegation dog-fight at this juncture of the season will appear a yawning margin. Avram Grant lined his side up in a 4-3-3 that matched Ancelotti's formation, and it was Chelsea who had the best of the chances during a first half that frustrated the Italian yet ended in the best way.
Throughout the opening period Ancelotti had been waving at his side to slide balls in behind Lars Jacobsen, the visiting right-back. After 43 minutes Chelsea finally received the message, and they took the lead.
Didier Drogba, who had been the focus of most of Ancelotti's glowering but would end the contest as its best performer, twisted a pass that released Ashley Cole into a gallop. This had the visiting rearguard desperate to regain ground but before they could manage any damage limitation, the England left-back zipped over a cross that allowed Frank Lampard to bury a finish beyond Robert Green for a lead that had been coming.
First up, Malouda had raced down the inside-right channel but unloaded a shot that Green parried with his body, as Chelsea began proving that they can switch tempo when required, which has not always been true this season. When Freddie Sears hacked a clearance away the ball went straight to Malouda. He ambled a couple of steps, then smacked a pass into Drogba's feet. An instant turn allowed the Ivorian to blaze a shot at Green that skidded across the wet surface before the keeper collected.
At this point West Ham appeared to have dug in for an attritional contest in which they would defend while Chelsea came at them in waves of blue. Yet from somewhere Grant's team found their mojo. Sears sprinted from halfway and dinked over a cross that had Jonathan Spector diving into a header that forced Petr Cech into a first save.
Then, after a Mark Noble corner, Sears backheeled from close range but Cole stopped the ball on the line, and Cech gathered.
For a frantic period before Torres's intervention the drenched pitch levelled the contest as Drogba and company hurtled forward, before West Ham subsequently went close themselves.
Drogba played in Lampard but the midfielder could not finish, then the striker appeared in West Ham's area but his chested control proved too heavy. A David Luiz 20-yard drive crashed off Green's crossbar but this presaged West Ham moving into their opponents' territory as Demba Ba stung Cech's hands, then Robbie Keane – on for Mark Noble – failed to finish.
While Grant said the knee injury Noble sustained could be serious, Ancelotti was unsure about the muscle problem that caused Michael Essien's removal.
Ancelotti now has to decide whether Torres will start in Chelsea's next outing, which is next Saturday when Tottenham Hotspur are the visitors to Stamford Bridge. "Considering the performance of Didier today, considering that Fernando scored, we have to try and put both together. We have one week to train and then I will make the decision," he said.
Grant could at least console himself that Scott Parker should return immediately, after the newly crowned Football Writers' Footballer of the Year missed this one with an achilles problem.
Of West Ham's hopes of avoiding the drop Grant said: "We need to do what we need to do." Yes, and quickly.

THE FANS' PLAYER RATINGS AND VERDICT

TRIZIA FIORELLINO, ChelseaSupportersGroup.net
When Torres finally scored I thought the ground was going to collapse, the noise was so loud. We were pretty average and our play was pretty slow. When Lampard scored I thought the flood gates would open but it didn't happen, but it was party time all the way once Torres scored. We keep winning but I think we probably left our run two games too late.
The fan's player ratings Cech 8; Ivanovic 8, David Luiz 7, Terry 8, Cole 7; Essien 7 (Benayoun 57 7), Lampard 7, Mikel 7; Malouda 7, Drogba 9 (Torres 77 8), Kalou 6 (Anelka 70 6)

TIM CONLAN, Observer reader
I never thought we would get anything out of this game, especially when I saw the line-up, but I thought we played quite well. Grant gambled at the end with effectively four forwards and we got caught with two late goals, but I thought the scoreline flattered Chelsea. I think we could still stay up with 39 points, but it's possible rather than probable. We could do with a point at City next week.
The fan's player ratings Green 7; Jacobsen 7, Gabbidon 8, Da Costa 7, Bridge 8; Hitzlsperger 6, Noble 6 (Keane 60 5), Spector 8; Sears 8 (Obinna 82 4), Cole 7 (Piquionne 79 5), Ba 6

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Telegraph:

Chelsea 3 West Ham United 0
Oliver Brown, Stamford Bridge

The thunderclaps that reverberated over West London last night did not go unnoticed at Stamford Bridge. Fernando Torres, with a superb first goal for Chelsea at the 14th time of asking, was making a dramatic enough noise of his own.
It was the moment Chelsea’s fans feared might never happen. Torres – and yes, you have read this correctly – scored. In an instant, the record signing had restored manager Carlo Ancelotti’s faith. One pass from Nicolas Anelka and he was in, swivelling on the treacherous pitch and firing his finish beyond Robert Green on the turn. The stands erupted in almost palpable rapture.
With a gift for irony, a knot of supporters had gathered outside the stadium before kick-off, wearing T-shirts to declare: “I was there when Torres scored.” The gesture did not intimate much hope. But these jokers were proved uncannily prescient.
Torres could not have chosen a better time to start repaying the £50 million invested in him. His Chelsea team-mates were also firing up their engines.
Within six points of Manchester United after a run of results their fans have been waiting all season to see, Chelsea worked up the kind of storm that could have been heard at Old Trafford. Taking their challenge to the alleged champions-elect with a conviction of which Arsenal seem incapable, Ancelotti’s players rode their luck on a treacherous pitch but still saw out a vital victory.
Frank Lampard, determined as ever in the autumn of his career, proved the difference with an emphatic strike on the stroke of half-time. How West Ham United’s disciples, chewing their nails over relegation as a consequence of his goal, must have wished he had never forsaken E13 for SW6.
Teeming rain, scything tackles: there is never a great deal of love lost between these rivals in fair weather, and the downpours made for a combustible affair. Florent Malouda, for all his slaloming movement, captured Chelsea’s initially tentative finishing. Racing on to Salomon Kalou’s flick in the third minute, he ghosted past Manuel da Costa with aplomb but could only fluff a shot straight at the feet of Robert Green.
As the rain sluiced down upon the Stamford Bridge turf, so the tackles began to fly. Thomas Hitzlsperger was rightly booked for a cynical late trip on Kalou, as his team-mates toiled to make any incursions into the Chelsea half. For Didier Drogba, desperate to regain some confidence at the end of a ragged season, the conditions left him a bystander, watching the ball skid out of his reach.
At least Malouda continued to torment Da Costa, leaving the centre-back rooted to the spot with a feint and low strike wide of Green’s near post.
Still, Chelsea’s ability to attack at will left them vulnerable to the counter-punch, with Demba Ba firing in a fine 25-yard effort that Cech did well to palm away on the slippery turf.
Ancelotti conveyed his frustration from the touchline at every mistimed challenge. Drogba was offering the palest imitation of his usual threat, which told you all you needed to know about the Chelsea manager’s verdict on Fernando Torres’ form. Yet again the club’s record signing, without a goal in 13 attempts, had been left on the bench here.
Their concerns would have been better focused on the other goal. Cech, suddenly, found himself under pressure when Freddie Sears scampered beyond Ashley Cole on the left and looped in an inviting cross that Jonathan Spector met with a diving header. Again, the Czech goalkeeper had to be at full stretch to protect Chelsea’s faltering defence.
Briefly, the rain relented, to be replaced by the sound of thunder. The players were struggling to achieve any rhythm but Sears remained dangerous, with the youngster highly unlucky to be denied from an audacious volleyed back-heel. Ashley Cole, tracking back, was inspired in clearing off the line.
Fluency up front was hard to come by. Chelsea’s passing was growing increasingly haphazard and West Ham should have been quicker to punish an ill-advised pass by Kalou. But just when stalemate threatened, Lampard arrived. Drogba threaded a beautiful cross to Cole, who teed up the midfielder to smash the ball high into the net, comfortably out of Green’s reach.
Thrilled as Lampard was by the breakthrough, it may not have been the best idea for him to run jubilantly towards the Shed End, where West Ham’s supporters meted out the usual fearful abuse to their former prodigy.
Torres, though, could celebrate as much as he liked on his triumphant substitute’s appearance. Put through by Anelka, his fellow replacement, the Spaniard showed some of the touch of old to rifle the ball beyond Green on the spin. Malouda, thwarted at the outset, also belatedly joined the party when he dispatched an irresistible strike from the edge of the box – one set up, aptly enough, by that man Torres.


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Mail:

Chelsea 3 West Ham 0:
Torres breaks his duck as Hammers stay rock bottom
By Patrick Collins

Fernando Torres fashioned a goal out of touch and vision and the instinct of a born striker. And thekind of roar which once greeted the winning of cups and titles erupted at Stamford Bridge.
After months of aching misses and hapless misadventures, a player bought for £50million had a goal to his name and Chelsea were still clutching their frail and tenuous chance of finishing at the summit of the Premier League.
The fans bellowed his name over and over again, the communal relief almost matching his own. Chelsea players rushed to him from every corner of the pitch, flinging themselves upon the scorer in celebrations which were almost orgiastic.
They had waited with Torres for this first, desperately elusive goal, and their glee was palpable.
It was not only an important goal, in that it extinguished West Ham’s increasingly confident challenge, it was also an attractive one.
With Chelsea anxiously protecting a fragile lead, Nicolas Anelka played a probing pass through the heart of West Ham’s defence.
Torres raced on to it, only to see the ball halted by the surface water. He reacted more quickly than his markers, shifting the chance from right foot to left, glancing at the far post, then curling home the shot.
Suddenly, as the blue shirts buried him, his world looked a different place. When he helped organise a thumping third goal for Florent Malouda in added time, he departed with the smile of a man who cannot believe his renewed fortune.
While Chelsea could enjoy the moment, West Ham were left to contemplate a fate which is drawingcloser by the game. Yet, they deserved a measure of sympathy.
When they decided to go at Chelsea, they seemed capable of achieving something substantial. Indeed, had Robbie Keane’s finishing matched his reputation, the table might look marginally different.
But as Chelsea’s defence grew increasingly neurotic, Keane missed the opportunities which intelligent pressure had produced.
West Ham had approached their task with depressing timidity, allowing Chelsea space and time to work at leisure.
In the third minute, Didier Drogba sent Malouda in with an incisive ball. The shot hit Robert Green as the keeper advanced, but the move held promise of profit.
Heavy rain started to fall, the first serious downpour London has seen in weeks, and West Ham floundered.
They attempted nothing positive, crowded bodies behind the ball and were forced deeper.
Carlton Cole was a lonely figure up front. Without support, or even the distant company of a claret and blue shirt, he might have been at a different match. Yet, Chelsea’s attacking lacked any great enterprise.
Although Drogba was as dramatically assertive as ever, the midfield was pitifully short of ideas.
West Ham’s first serious retaliation was delayed until 24 minutes, when Demba Ba let fly with aspeculative drive which Petr Cech turned over for a corner.
It gave the visitors a taste for something positive. Freddie Sears embarked on a splendidly determined surge down the left, released a fine, low cross and Jonathan Spector’s header brought Cech plunging to the foot of a post.
Ashley Cole was forced to nudge a Sears effort off his own line as lightning flashed, thunder crashed and Chelsea trembled ominously.
But two minutes before the interval, Chelsea roused themselves to positive effect. Michael Essien played a searching ball down the line to Cole, who cut back a low cross. Frank Lampard, unattended eight yards out, was given the simplest of tasks with his drive.
As the players emerged for the second half, water was lying on the pitch. Passes came up short, withthe conditions resembling late November rather than a drought-ridden April.
West Ham lost Mark Noble, their principal playmaker, but the match was alive.
Chelsea’s David Luiz might have decided it with a drive which threatened to splinter the crossbar. And then, in 76 minutes, Torres made his entrance at the expense of Drogba.
With almost his first contribution, he helped to provide a shooting chance for another substitute, Anelka.
As the goal was prematurely celebrated, Danny Gabbidon arrived from nowhere to make a spectacular block.
Chelsea seemed doomed to worry their way through to the finish, until that 83rd minute.
Then Torres took his splendid goal, and his world went wonderfully mad.

MATCH FACTS

Chelsea (4-3-2-1): Cech; Ivanovic, Luiz, Terry, Cole; Essien (Benayoun 56), Mikel, Lampard; Malouda, Kalou (Anelka 70); Drogba (Torres 76). Subs (not used):Turnbull, Zhirkov, Ferreira, Bertrand. Booked: Ivanovic.

West Ham (4-4-2): Green; Jacobsen, Da Costa, Gabbidon, Bridge; Sears (Obinna 81), Spector, Noble (Keane 59), Hitzlsperger; Ba, Cole (Piquionne 78). Subs (not used): Boffin, Tomkins, Boa Morte, Kovac. Booked: Hitzlsperger, Ba.
Referee: P Dowd (Staffordshire).
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Mirror:

Chelsea 3-0 West Ham:
By Steve Stammers

After 732 minutes of frustration, Fernando Torres finally got the goal that ended his drought.

In front of the Matthew Harding Stand, Torres ­collected a ball from Nicolas Anelka, turned inside and fired past Robert Green.
His joy was ­understandable and Stamford Bridge ­erupted with as much relief as ­delight.
Chelsea are determined to hang on to their title and push Manchester United to the limit. With Torres now remembering where the net is, the hope is not so forlorn.
The initial impression at Stamford Bridge was that Chelsea manager Carlo ­Ancelotti had missed a trick. With Torres desperate for a goal after three barren months since his £50million move from Liverpool, this was ­surely the day he could open his ­account. Even with Matthew Upson, the West Ham defence has looked porous of late.
And when the England ­international defender was ruled out of yesterday’s clash with a chest infection, Torres would have fancied his ­chances of ending his hoodoo.
But Ancelotti opted to keep Roman Abramovich’s prize asset on the bench and went for the physique and power of Didier Drogba.
The agendas for the ­opposing teams could not have been more stark. For Chelsea, ­victory was essential to hang on to the coat-tails of Premier League leaders Manchester United. As for West Ham, they would just settle for United to be on their fixture list next season.
There was ,of course, another undercurrent of emotion for what was already a feisty affair.
John Terry and Wayne Bridge have history – and Bridge was clearly in no mood to forgive and forget.
Etiquette dictates the players shake hands before the start. Bridge was clearly uneasy with the custom and ignored Terry to shake hands instead with the Chelsea mascot.
But a mere two minutes into the match, Ancelotti was so close to justification for his selection as Drogba scythed open the Hammers ­defence with an exquisite through ball that left Florent Malouda clear on goal.
But Robert Green was alert and smothered at the Frenchman’s feet. Chelsea continued to pile on the pressure but desperate defending kept them at bay.
And the longer they held out, the more West Ham’s confidence grew.
A ferocious thunderstorm left the pitch with a difficult surface — and West Ham looked the more at ease.
After 24 minutes, the ­eccentric Demba Ba tested Petr Cech with a fierce shot and two minutes later Cech had to be at his sharpest to keep out a close-range header from Jonathan Spector.
Cech was then grateful for Ashley Cole’s presence on the line when Freddie Sears’ shot looked set to end up in the net.
Cole showed his attacking side just before half-time as he accelerated on to a through ball from Michael Essien to cross low for Frank Lampard to fire home from 10 yards.
West Ham refused to ­capitulate — and they came so close to an equaliser in the 51st minute. A Mark Noble corner eluded the Chelsea defence and Manuel da Costa headed ­goalwards only to see John Obi Mikel block.
Essien went off with a hamstring problem to be replaced by Yossi Benayoun.
West Ham saw Noble stretchered off and ­replaced by ­Robbie Keane.
Drogba was again the menace just after the hour as he sent a cross into the path of Lampard but the rain-soaked pitch took the sting off his shot.
Malouda then broke in to the area but decided to shoot ­instead of crossing and the ball went into the side ­netting. Suddenly the game came to life. David Luiz hit the West Ham bar with a 20-yarder and Cech had to stop Keane’s shot.
But Torres came up with his goal and could then indulge himself as creator to set up Malouda for the home side’s third in injury time
Chelsea alive — West Ham heading down.

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birmingham city 3-1

Independent:


Ancelotti refuses to give up on the title after Drogba rolls back years

Chelsea 3 Birmingham City 1

By Mark Fleming at Stamford Bridge



After two months of chopping and changing, of prevaricating and doing his best to please the boss, Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti has rediscovered the confidence to pick his best team come what may.

The results may be following too late in the season to realistically prevent Manchester United closing out what would be an historic 19th title, but this was much more like the Chelsea side of old, full of bullish bravado capped off by a consummate centre-forward's performance from Didier Drogba.

Ancelotti left £50m striker Fernando Torres on the bench for the second game running, and was rewarded by a classic display from Drogba. The Ivorian did not score as Chelsea brushed aside the challenge of Birmingham City to move up to second in the Premier League, but he was the game's dominant figure.

Drogba's vibrant second-half display in Chelsea's Champions League defeat a week ago to Manchester United has convinced Ancelotti to leave Torres for another day. With Ramires out injured, Ancelotti's side was virtually the same one that wrapped up the Premier League and FA Cup Double a year ago; the only addition being David Luiz, who had possibly his least convincing display in a Chelsea shirt and conceded a late penalty which was converted by Sebastian Larsson.

Ancelotti also turned back the clock with his 4-3-3 formation, the one that has served Chelsea well ever since Jose Mourinho kicked it off almost seven years ago. The Italian said after the game that he might change it all again for West Ham United's visit on Saturday but the comfortable way his side combined suggested that would be a dangerously unwise move.

With Drogba at the helm, Torres on the bench, and the team lining up as they have done for years, it was like Chelsea from the 2010 vintage. Drogba scored 37 goals last season, but this campaign has been hit by a dose of malaria, followed by a spell playing second fiddle to Torres, and his tally stands at 13.

Rarely however has he done as well as this without scoring. Drogba had one of those nights when he is virtually unplayable, and City struggled to cope. He may be 33 but on this kind of form Chelsea would be foolish to let him leave at the end of the season.

Drogba played a part in Chelsea's first two goals. In the third minute John Terry played a fine pass out to the right wing where Paulo Ferreira controlled the ball at the second attempt before crossing. Drogba flicked a header on to Florent Malouda and the France international finished with a volley having nipped ahead of the Birmingham captain Stephen Carr.

The visitors regrouped admirably and passed the ball around well but went 2-0 down in the 26th minute when Drogba slipped the ball to Salomon Kalou, who was allowed to run unchallenged to the edge of the penalty area before curling a low shot inside Ben Foster's left-hand post.

With 11 minutes of the second half gone, Carlo Ancelotti gave 21-year-old left-back Ryan Bertrand his Chelsea debut, and the youngster made an immediate impact, setting up Malouda for Chelsea's third goal. Bertrand made the run on the overlap and whipped in a cross which an unmarked Malouda headed in from close range.

With the points in the bag it was clearly safe now for Ancelotti to give Torres a run out with 23 minutes to go. The £50m man replaced Kalou but scarcely had a kick as he took his scoreless run to 725 minutes in 13 appearances. Instead, it was Birmingham who scored when Larsson fired in a penalty after Luiz's rash challenge on substitute Matt Derbyshire.

Chelsea now entertain West Ham United on Saturday having won 19 points from a possible 21 in their last seven league games, and are the form team going into the final weeks of the season. The club's aim must now be to keep the season alive until what could be a title-deciding game at Old Trafford on 8 May.

For Ancelotti, there is still a glimmer of hope. The Italian said: "In football, I learned that everything can happen in the game right up to the final whistle. You can win the title in the last minute, and you can lose the title in the last minute."


Man of the match Drogba.

Match rating 7/10.

Referee M Jones (Cheshire).

Attendance 40,848.



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Guardian:


Florent Malouda keeps Chelsea's title hopes alive against Birmingham



Manchester United will not be quaking in their boots just yet but Chelsea, largely unnoticed and utterly devoid of fanfare, are creeping back into contention. The defending champions strolled to victory here, the ease with which they brushed Birmingham City aside even reflected in passages of sloppiness after the interval that had Carlo Ancelotti pacing his technical area in frustration. Complacency will not be tolerated but, privately, the Italian will be buoyed. He might even allow himself some optimism.

This win, and Arsenal's inability to retain a two-goal lead at Tottenham Hotspur, meant the champions rose to second place for the first time since November having claimed 19 points from the last 21 available. The implications of that sequence had rather been lost amid the gloomy deflation of their elimination from Europe and the repercussions that could still have on the manager's long-term future. Yet confidence has been seeping back into this side's league form; momentum may be with them.

"If we'd thought that, one month ago, we'd have a little chance to come back to fight for the title, everyone would have said we were crazy," admitted Ancelotti. "Now we are second and I've learned that anything can happen in this game until the referee blows his final whistle. You can win the title in the last minute. You can lose the title in the last minute. Obviously I would like to be in United's position, six points ahead with five games to play. But everything is still open."

There is good reason for cautious confidence, and the possibility remains that the top three could end the campaign on 79 points. United must play an in-form Everton on Saturday before potentially critical collisions with Arsenal and, a week later on 8 May, Chelsea at Old Trafford. Their Champions League tie against Schalke sandwiches that contest at the Emirates. For those in pursuit, and Chelsea in particular, there is little clutter and plenty of clarity. They can curse the mid-season slump that left them playing catch-up but a chance of redemption remains. What is most encouraging is that the management appears to have reinvigorated this side, albeit by returning to the system and, largely, the personnel that produced such a scintillating run-in last season.

Fernando Torres was granted only a substitute's appearance, extending his goal drought to 725 minutes in the process. Didier Drogba, in contrast, was a throwback to the rampaging forward who plundered 37 goals last season and left defenders as blubbering wrecks and their reputations battered and bruised.

His return to form is timely if only because his contract will have 12 months to run at the end of the season. When he plays like this, softening up centre-halves and delivering dead balls with venom, the prospect of losing him seems unthinkable. "He has a strong personality," said Ancelotti of the 33-year-old. "He knew that, when he had malaria [over the winter], he didn't play at his best. Now he's fit and he's showing fantastic quality."

The Ivorian played a part in all three goals, just as he had at West Bromwich Albion on Saturday. The first had been pilfered early while Birmingham wheezed to keep up with the hosts' blistering start. John Terry's raking pass to the right had found Paulo Ferreira unmarked and granted so much time that he could recover from stepping on the ball to reposition his body and fling over a centre that prompted panic. Drogba leapt to flick on at the near post with Florent Malouda bursting ahead of Stephen Carr to convert with relish. "A shocking start," moaned Alex McLeish.

The French midfielder would add his 13th goal of the season before the end, nodding in the substitute Ryan Bertrand's cross five minutes into the 21-year-old's first-team debut for Chelsea. Salomon Kalou's rasping shot, the Ivorian veering away from Roger Johnson and Stuart Parnaby, was squeezed in between with Chelsea's dominance threatened only by carelessness.

David Luiz's needless challenge on Matt Derbyshire – reminiscent of his last-minute error at Fulham in February – allowed Sebastian Larsson his consolation from the penalty spot but Birmingham will have to wait for the victory their manager believes will be enough to keep them up. City's run-in is daunting, with trips to Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle to come. They will be encouraged they did not suffer a rout here, with the damage sustained on their goal difference far from critical.

Yet Chelsea will feel they have thrashings still to inflict. The manager will want Torres to find his feet – he suggested Drogba could be rested on Saturday, which would offer the £50m Spaniard a route back in – and will be wary that any slip could ruin their chances for good. But where they had despaired now they might just dare to dream again.





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Telegraph:


Chelsea 3 Birmingham City 1

By Jason Burt, at Stamford Bridge



It was almost like the last five and a half months didn’t happen at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea brushed aside Birmingham City with the kind of swagger that has not been witnessed since late autumn, since they were pulling apart all-comers, since before Roman Abramovich started his meddling. Again.

Carlo Ancelotti may well have mulled over all of this and also the fear that his team have left it all a bit too late. Five games to go and can they overhaul Manchester United, having taken second place from Arsenal?

Improbable but possible. “Everything is open,” the Chelsea manager said.

“Obviously I would like to be in United’s position, six points ahead. That’s a lot at this stage of the season. [But] In football I learned that everything can happen in the game right up to the final whistle. You can win the title in the last minute, and you can lose the title in the last minute.

"If you thought that one month ago we’d have the chance to come back to fight for the title, I think that everyone could have said we were crazy.”

Crazy would be to ditch Ancelotti now. But crazy is what Chelsea have done in the past and are heading towards again. Plain crazy. But can Ancelotti make a mockery of the pressure that has been put on him? Make a mockery of the sense that here, after another Italian, Claudio Ranieri, the first manager to be sacked by Abramovich, is another 'dead man walking’. He appears to be a man who can and then, who knows?

It helps that he has Didier Drogba in this kind of form, form that has not been seen since he contracted malaria. This was Drogba at his frightening best summed up by a first-half moment in which he challenged for a routine goal-kick, bounced off the defenders and struck a fierce low shot which almost resulted in another goal.

Maybe it’s the knowledge that he can leave this summer, if the right offer is made, because he no longer represents the club’s future. Maybe it’s the freedom of finally being fully fit.

Either way it was, again, £50 million Fernando Torres on the bench until the points were secure and the attacking axis of Drogba, Florent Malouda and Salomon Kalou, back in a 4-3-3 is the way ahead for Ancelotti until the season’s end. Then he has promised a “strong and tough press conference” to discuss this season and exactly what has gone on, and where he goes from here. Let’s see. For now this is a team in prime league form even if there were the fragilities, at times, which have dogged them.

They were liberated by an early goal which vindicated the team selection. It owed much to a superb raking pass from John Terry, out to Paulo Ferreira on the right and although the full-back trod on the ball, no Birmingham defender — Stuart Parnaby was culpable – had tracked across. Ferreira swung in a centre, Drogba headed on and there was Malouda to volley it home.

If that was a resounding piece of evidence then, 23 minutes later, there was another. Again Drogba was involved. This time he collected possession and played a simple pass into Kalou’s feet. The striker spun away from Roger Johnson and set off across the edge of the penalty area, pulling away from Parnaby also. With a sight at goal, Kalou struck a curling, right-footed shot that nestled in the net with Ben Foster rooted.

It was over. “Chelsea were in a different gear tonight,” lamented Birmingham manager Alex McLeish, and the home side shifted through them again with Drogba almost catching out Foster with a swerving shot and a first-time effort from 35 yards. This felt like a Chelsea side unshackled, free of baggage.

Not that they were utterly dominant. There were still mistakes. Terry gave Alexander Hleb a glimpse of goal, only to recover, and Cameron Jerome’s speed caught out the defenders, only for Petr Cech to finger tip his drive into the side-netting. Birmingham had beaten Chelsea, of course, back in November as the crisis started to envelop Ancelotti but Malouda eradicated any slight doubt of a repeat with his second goal. Substitute Ryan Bertrand, the England under-21 left-back making his debut as a replacement for Ashley Cole, swung in a wonderful deep cross from the left which Malouda guided in with his head for the third.

There came a flicker of resistance, courtesy of two Chelsea errors. Firstly, David Luiz, as is his wont, had another moment of rashness and was guilty in bringing down substitute Matt Derbyshire as he twisted into the area. Sebastian Larsson, after a face-off with his team-mate Craig Gardner, drove the penalty high to Cech’s right.

By now Chelsea had Drogba, Torres and Nicolas Anelka on the pitch but it was another striker, Derbyshire, who was gifted another chance as Gardner tackled Mikel. But Derbyshire, clear on goal, dragged his shot wide.

Chelsea, meanwhile, earned an indirect free-kick 10 yards out and, interestingly, Drogba took it ahead of Torres. He drove it high over the bar but, having won the game, he’d earned the right to dictate who was Chelsea’s main striker. For now, at least.





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Sun:


Chelsea 3 Birmingham 1

By MARK IRWIN



MAYBE, just maybe, we have all written off Carlo Ancelotti a bit too soon.

The odds are still stacked against the Italian saving his job with another Chelsea trophy.

But he is not going without a fight and is now threatening the greatest comeback since Lazarus.

Ancelotti, of course, is refusing to even contemplate an against-all-logic title triumph after allowing Manchester United to open a seemingly-unassailable lead.

But that gap at the top is now down to just six points.

And with United facing the fixture list from hell in the next couple of weeks, that deficit could be even narrower by the time Chelsea rock up at Old Trafford on May 8. The Blues have now taken 29 points from their last 12 Premier League games and are entering the home straight at a sprint.

And it would take a brave man to bet against them continuing their red-hot streak right to the end of this most unpredictable of seasons.

Two goals from Florent Malouda and another from Salomon Kalou were more than enough to dismiss nervous Birmingham at the Bridge. And this comprehensive victory was achieved without the assistance of £50million Fernando Torres, once more consigned to the bench until the result was in the bag.

Chelsea have been totally revitalised since Ancelotti reverted to the 4-3-3 system which served them so well during last season's Double.

Didier Drogba is revelling in the responsibility of leading the line while Malouda and Kalou are supplying the attacking support which Torres has been unable to provide.

What a pity that Ancelotti only came to his senses after his team had been dismissed from the Champions League. If only he had found the courage of his convictions before their European exit, he might not be contemplating such an uncertain future right now.

Any ideas that this might prove a tense, nervy affair were dismissed within three minutes of the kick-off when Drogba flicked on Paulo Ferreira's centre for Malouda's emphatic finish.

Birmingham, still not free of relegation fears despite a recent mini-revival, did not help their cause.

Full-back Stuart Parnaby was so far off his man that Ferreira was able to trip over the ball and still have time to get his cross off in the build-up to that early strike.

And Alex McLeish's defence was just as culpable for Chelsea's second goal in the 25th minute, when Kalou ran past Roger Johnson and Parnaby before dispatching a beautiful low shot beyond Ben Foster.

Birmingham, with less than one goal per game, were never going to come back from that and spent the last hour just trying to keep the scoreline respectable.

But Chelsea increased their lead in the 62nd minute when Malouda headed in unchallenged from a cross by debutant Ryan Bertrand.

With the visitors in such a generous mood and the result assured, it was no surprise when Torres was sent on for the final 25 minutes.

If ever the most expensive footballer in Britain was going to break his three-month duck, surely it was going to be against opponents as accommodating as Birmingham. Yet even with the crowd willing the out-of-sorts Spaniard to find his shooting boots, Torres could not respond.

Instead, it was Birmingham who claimed the next goal after David Luiz brought down Matt Derbyshire in the 76th minute.

Seb Larsson, after a row with Craig Gardner over who was taking the penalty, fired past Petr Cech.

It was still not enough to prevent Birmingham from falling below Sunderland on goal difference and one place closer to the drop zone.

Chelsea, meanwhile, are back up to second. And they might not be finished yet.




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Mirror:


Chelsea 3-1 Birmingham: Ancelotti finds new role for Torres - Drogba's understudy

By Martin Lipton


Two months, 13 appearances, 725 minutes - and finally Carlo Ancelotti has found the right role for Fernando Torres.

Unfortunately for the £50million man, that role is on the bench, watching Didier Drogba show the world what a line-leading centre-forward really looks like.

Tweet my Goal! The funniest comments from Wednesday's Premier League games

Last night, as Chelsea slipped back into the old routine a week too late for Ancelotti's hopes of being at the Bridge next season, Torres was facing up to his new reality.

He might be the most expensive player in British football, might be Roman Abramovich's most ludicrous vanity purchase, might, indeed, be the "future" of Chelsea.

But he is not the present. Not even close to it.

Drogba is. As he always should have been, as he certainly should have been at Old Trafford last Tuesday.

Last night the African king was simply irresistible, a force of nature, destroying Alex McLeish's men with his sheer zest and desire as Chelsea took advantage of Arsenal's latest implosion to move up to second for the first time since November.

It may not be enough to get the champions back into the title race. Six points looks a huge gap with only five games to go, although they do have to go to United again next month, with a chance to put the record straight.

After all, in the world of Abramovich, second is simply the first loser. Not good enough, as they said around these parts when Jose Mourinho only delivered a domestic cup double in 2007.

But even so, this was recognisably the Chelsea that scored more than 100 goals in winning the Double.

Same shape, same sense of purpose, basically the same players - only David Luiz, still an accident waiting to happen at times as he showed by giving away a stupid late penalty, was not here last term.

And, surprise, surprise, with Torres not emerging from the bench until Chelsea were three up and able to go through the motions, they looked like Chelsea too.

Of course, it helps when Drogba is in this sort of mood. Justifying Ancelotti's belief that his bout of malaria, and the four-month absence of Frank Lampard, represent the two most pressing reasons this season is destined to finish in frustrated under-achievement.

From the outset he terrorised Roger Johnson and Liam Ridgewell, not players who are scared of physical contact.

Drogba wanted the ball, all game. Knew he was going to do something with it, with his physical threat acting as a magnet, drawing the Birmingham defenders towards him and opening up the holes elsewhere.

That was proved, perfectly, when Chelsea went in front with their first real attack inside three minutes.

John Terry began the move with a glorious cross-field delivery to Paulo Ferreira. The Portuguese tripped over the ball but Stuart Parnaby did not close him down and when Ferreira had time to cross, Drogba's flick was turned home by Florent Malouda from a couple of yards.

Birmingham briefly flickered, Alex Hleb wasting one chance after a rare Terry error, Cameron Jerome foiled by Petr Cech as Luiz went walkabout and gave the ball away.

But all the real chances came at the other end, with Drogba doing everything except get the goal his superb display deserved.

And it was no shock when the Ivorian played his part in the second, although Salomon Kalou did all the real hard work himself.

Receiving from Drogba, Kalou ran away from Johnson and left Parnaby looking a dummy before unleashing a swerving right-footer Ben Foster simply watched fly an inch or two inside his left-hand upright from 20 yards.

Game over, it seemed, although Foster did at least prevent it becoming a rout, although there was an inevitability about the third, which came just after the hour.

England under-21 full-back Ryan Bertrand has played 144 games on loan at Reading and Norwich, but this was his Blues debut and within minutes of replacing Ashley Cole he showed the value of his left foot with a beautiful centre that Malouda flicked past the stranded Foster.

Enter Torres but there was not even a shot from the Spaniard as Chelsea took their foot off the gas.

Luiz' stupid foul on replacement Matt Derbyshire saw Seb Larsson - after a public spat with Craig Gardner - blast home and the substitute then wasted a glorious chance to score a second.

Not that it mattered. Then again, that's how it all feels at the Bridge now.





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Mail:


Chelsea 3 Birmingham 1: Malouda points way for Blues as Torres is benched again

By Laura Williamson



Chelsea showed they will not relinquish their Barclays Premier League title without a fight.

Two goals from Florent Malouda and a dazzling individual effort from Salomon Kalou took Carlo Ancelotti’s side above Arsenal into second place on goal difference.

Birmingham pulled a goal back through a Sebastian Larsson penalty but Chelsea are now six points behind Manchester United with a trip to Old Trafford to come on May 8.

Ancelotti said: ‘It was a good result. Closing a six-point gap with just five matches to go will not be easy, but our aim is to stay focused and close the season well.

‘Everything is open (but) I would like to be in Manchester United’s place at this moment.

‘If we thought one month ago we had a little chance to come back and fight for the title, everyone could say we were crazy.’

Fernando Torres might even score one day. Ancelotti left his £50million signing on the bench again for over an hour but said he is ‘the present and future’ of Chelsea. However, he would do well to copy Kalou after the Ivory Coast forward’s sensational effort.

With Chelsea back to playing a 4-3-3 formation, and Kalou, Malouda and Didier Drogba in attack, Ancelotti’s side showed some of the ruthless, machine-like qualities they exhibited in August. They moved the ball from defence to attack with pace and power, particularly in the first hour.

Remember when it seemed like a second successive Premier League title was a formality, having scored 12 goals against West Bromwich Albion and Wigan without reply?

Last night’s match pitched the league champions and FA Cup holders against the winners of this season’s Carling Cup and, with Torres barely settled on the bench, it took Chelsea just three minutes to score.

John Terry played a long pass to Paulo Ferreira, who delivered a cross into the six-yard area. Drogba flicked it on and Malouda nipped in front of Stephen Carr to prod the ball home.

Drogba, in particular, looked like a man with a point to prove as he whipped a swerving, right-foot shot in Ben Foster’s direction after four minutes. The Birmingham goalkeeper parried the vicious effort, but the way he puffed out his cheeks said it all.

Foster was a relieved man again 20 minutes later, when Drogba attempted to chip him from 35 yards with a right-foot effort. There was another right-foot effort, this time stinging its way past the far post, which had the goalkeeper scampering across his goal-line later in the half.

Drogba played the provider again for Chelsea’s second goal after 26 minutes, sending compatriot Kalou off on a dizzying run across Birmingham’s penalty area with a pass he hoped to receive back.

But Kalou had only one thing on his mind, eluding Roger Johnson and tucking a brilliant right-foot shot into the bottom corner of the net. His second goal in as many games brought deserved applause from his manager. It really was exceptional.

Birmingham’s best two first-half chances fell to Cameron Jerome. If you think Torres has got problems, having failed to score in 725 minutes in a Chelsea shirt, spare a thought for the 24-year-old Birmingham striker. Jerome has not scored in the Premier League since November, a run stretching 19 games.

He forced a save from Petr Cech after 20 minutes and was denied by an Ashley Cole block later in the half but Birmingham, for the most part, looked shell-shocked.

Poor defending, particularly from set-pieces, didn’t help their cause. The way Michael Essien was allowed to meet Drogba’s free-kick just after the restart was a case in point.

Alex McLeish’s side are five points and three places above the relegation zone, but with five matches to play and away fixtures at Liverpool, Newcastle and a final-day trip to Tottenham to come, it will be a nervous run-in.

Johnson looked rueful as he jogged back from a corner having fired a header over. Goal difference could be important come May 22.

Birmingham boss McLeish said: ‘We got off to a shocking start, and you give yourself a mountain to climb.

‘Chelsea are in decent form, but we hung in there and never gave up.

‘Anything could happen the way this Premier League has gone this season. I would say we’re in a good position (to stay up), with five games to go.’

Torres was applauded as he warmed up, Ryan Bertrand, 21, was introduced first. The England Under 21 defender, who has been on loan at Nottingham Forest, slotted in at left back for his Chelsea debut.

It took him only five minutes to make an impact as he delivered a beautiful cross for Malouda to score his second goal of the evening and his 13th of the season after 62 minutes.

Torres, the record signing between two British teams, was introduced to the action in the 67th minute with Nicolas Anelka to cries of ‘attack, attack, attack’ from the home fans.

Chelsea duly reverted to a 4-3-1-2 formation, with Torres alongside Drogba and Anelka just behind the pair of strikers, but it was the new Chelsea signing at the other end who played a more influential role.

David Luiz, a £25m signing from Benfica, brought down Birmingham substitute Matt Derbyshire to give away his second penalty since joining Chelsea in January. Larsson duly converted with a fine spot-kick.




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

west brom 3-1

Independent: Imperious Drogba lifts the Blues West Bromwich Albion 1 Chelsea 3 By Phil Shaw at the Hawthorns It was "sod's law", decreed the West Bromwich manager, Roy Hodgson, that Fernando Torres would break his scoring duck for Chelsea against the man who was his manager at Liverpool. The Spaniard remains goalless, denied by a marginal offside decision in his substitute's cameo, but Didier Drogba again underlined his worth with a goal and a masterclass in centre-forward play. For the first time since Carlo Ancelotti lavished £50m on his new striker in January, Drogba started without either Torres or Nicolas Anelka alongside him. After starting on the bench in the Champions' League tussle at Manchester United, he revelled in the opportunity. First he negated Peter Odemwingie's opener for Albion; then he provided the assist when Solomon Kalou put Chelsea in front; and he launched the move that effectively put the fallen Double winners of last spring out of sight before half-time. Chelsea's eighth win in 11 Premier League games, only one of which has been lost, took them to within a point of second-placed Arsenal. Asked whether they were still contenders to retain their title, Ancelotti's reply seemed to rule out any dramatic late surge while acknowledging that he may not be around come next August's big kick-off. "I know very well we were not good enough this season, but I hope we can finish well," said the Chelsea manager. "After that the club will make a decision." Ancelotti's future would not be being debated if Torres had mustered even the occasional goal. The World Cup winner has now gone 870 minutes without finding the net for club or country, though Ancelottiwas justified in saying he was "very unlucky" when an offside flag stifled his joy after he ran on to a pass by Florent Malouda and beat Scott Carson. Drogba, by contrast, was at his most imperious. Was it not an amazing decision to leave him out of the starting line-up at Old Trafford? "Maybe," said Ancelotti with a coy smile. "He played very well here. But that's in the past. We have to look forward." Albion are still theoretically threatened by relegation but look eminentlycapable of safety. Hodgson, somewhat bizarrely, said: "We've had a wonderful spell. Now we have to learn to lose. The Swedes have a saying that no tree grows to heaven and we've been reminded that we're a very ordinary birch in West Bromwich and not something out of Jack and the Beanstalk." Yet Albion were ahead before Chelsea settled, Youssouf Mulumbu initiating a bout of slick passing which took in James Morrison and Jerome Thomas before Odemwingie was sent clear. A splendidly composed 16-yard chip over Petr Cech brought the Nigerian his 12th goal of the season, an Albion record in the Premier League. If there was a hangover from their European exit, Chelsea would have thrown in the towel there and then. Instead, Michael Essien and John Obi Mikel asserted themselves in midfield while Ashley Cole marauded down the left flank. The increase in tempo found Albion chasing shadowsand before half-time Carson had been beaten three times. The visitors' first goal had unhappyechoes of the goalkeeper's last England outing, the calamity against Croatia that saw them miss Euro 2008. Cole fed Malouda, whose low cross was parried so weakly by Carson that Nicky Shorey was panicked into a sliding clearance. The ball ran to Drogba, who scored easily. Four minutes later, Drogba glided through a couple of challenges before hitting a right-footed shot that Carson again failed to deal with adequately. This time the ball squirted loose to Kalou, who angled his shot into the far corner. Drogba turned playmaker on the stroke of half-time, lofting a pass from 10 yards inside his own half to Malouda. The Frenchman spotted the supporting run by Frank Lampard, who confidently sidefooted home a first-time shot from just inside the 18-yard box. For Chelsea, it was a case of normal service resumed. For their expensive misfit, the wait goes on. Attendance: 25,163 Referee: Lee Probert Man of the match: Drogba Match rating: 7/10 ======================================= Observer: Chelsea bounce back with comfortable dismantling of West Bromwich West Brom 1 Odemwingie 17 Chelsea 3 Drogba 22, Kalou 26, Lampard 45 Joe Lovejoy at The Hawthorns

West Bromwich Albion are much improved under Roy Hodgson but Manchester United they are not, and Chelsea put a grim week behind them with a win much more convincing than the scoreline would suggest. A repeat of the 6-0 drubbing they inflicted on Albion on the first day of the season would not have flattered them unduly, such was their overwhelming superiority on an afternoon when even Fernando Torres had the ball in the net – only to be flagged offside. Dropped after the midweek elimination from the Champions League, the Spaniard got on after 82 minutes, in place of Didier Drogba, but still had time to miscue horribly from close range. In mitigation, the offside decision that denied him his long-awaited first goal for Chelsea was borderline. Hodgson, who had hoisted Albion to 10th in the table in a seven-match unbeaten run, said beforehand that he feared Torres opening his account. Instead, Carlo Ancelotti reverted to the 4-3-3 formation his players prefer, omitting Torres and Nicolas Anelka and playing Drogba on his own through the middle. The big Ivorian responded with a herculean, man-of-the-match performance, scoring Chelsea's first goal and doing the spadework for the other two. The personification of power and incisiveness, his contribution was a reminder of how much he has been missed in his various enforced absences, after surgery and with a bout of malaria. It is not unreasonable to suggest that had he been fit and available more often Chelsea would not have fallen away so badly after their flying start to the season. As it is, they are only a single point behind second-placed Arsenal. It is almost certainly significant that Saturday's improvement came on a day when Drogba played as lone striker, without Torres or Anelka for company, for the first time since the £50m man's arrival. Ancelotti gave an embarrassed smile when he was asked if he was still kicking himself for playing Torres, to the exclusion of Drogba, in the decisive leg of the Champions League quarter-final against United. "Maybe, but this is in the past", he said. "He played very well, but I have already spoken about this, and we have to look forward." Eight points adrift of the league leaders, was the title still a realistic target? "I don't know, but we have a very clear aim – to win the next six games and see what the other teams can do." West Brom, brimming with confidence after successive wins against Liverpool and Sunderland, made the brighter start and after 17 minutes Jerome Thomas played in Peter Odemwingie, who beat Petr Cech to the ball before shooting into the untenanted goal. Chelsea could conceivably have wilted had Albion been able to retain their lead for any length of time, but a daft mistake by Nicky Shorey enabled them to equalise within four minutes. Florent Malouda's cross from the left had run past the far post when Shorey inexplicably knocked it straight to Drogba, who plundered his 11th goal in the Premier League this season, from 12 yards. It was the lift Chelsea needed and, passing the ball with increasing cohesion, they took complete control. They were in front after 26 minutes when Scott Carson, going low to his right, could only parry Drogba's drive from distance and Salomon Kalou dispatched the loose ball, left to right. It was 3-1 just before half-time, with Drogba inevitably involved. He dispossessed Odemwingie on halfway before knocking the ball beyond Steven Reid for Malouda to chase, then supply a cross that Lampard, 16 yards out, tucked low into Carson's right-hand corner. The margin could easily have been wider, Abdoulaye Méïté deflecting a shot from Kalou against his own crossbar before Torres, set up by Malouda, rounded Carson and had the ball in the net, only to be flagged offside. Given a second chance, from Malouda's free-kick, he miskicked horribly in front of goal. What had Hodgson made of his first defeat? In a Cantona moment, he said: "The Swedes have a saying that no tree grows to heaven, and we have been reminded that we are a very ordinary birch in the middle of West Bromwich and not something out of Jack and the Beanstalk." On a less esoteric note, he added: "We've had a wonderful spell, now we've got to learn how to lose. I don't think we can have any complaints. Chelsea were clearly the better side."

THE FANS' PLAYER RATINGS AND VERDICT GLYNIS WRIGHT, Baggies.com We're not too despondent – it's just a bit maddening that the three goals we conceded were sucker punches after taking the lead. We believe in Roy Hodgson and what he's trying to do. I could wring Scott Carson's neck sometimes. He was responsible for at least one goal, but, then again, he came up with a world-class save when he tipped the ball over the bar. He's too inconsistent.

The fan's player ratings Carson 5; Reid 6, Olsson 6, Méïté 6, Shorey 6; Mulumbu 7, Scharner 6 (Jara 73 6); Brunt 5, Morrison 6 (Vela 73 6), Thomas 6 (Tchoyi 82 n/a); Odemwingie 7 DOM JAMES, Observer reader Really comfortable. It wasn't spectacular, but we dictated the tempo and the pattern of play: the gap in class was pretty obvious. Drogba and Mikel were superb: Mikel was a beast in the middle and Drogba was man of the match – he's clearly trying to make a point. But it was good to see Torres coming off the bench and nearly scoring. He'll get one soon. It was just a shame he wasn't given more time: 10 minutes isn't long to make an impact. The fan's player ratings Cech 7; Ivanovic 7 (Bosingwa 63) 7, David Luiz 8, Terry 7, Cole 8; Essien 7, Mikel 9, Lampard 8 (Benayoun 77 7); Kalou 7, Drogba 9 (Torres 82 7), Malouda 7 ========================================== Telegraph: West Bromwich Albion 1 Chelsea 3 By Sandy Macaskill, the Hawthorns Fernando Torres is misfiring, Carlo Ancelotti might be a dead man walking, but Didier Drogba is on fire. The striker scored his second goal in as many games, dismantled West Bromwich Albion and gave Carlo Ancelotti something to smile about. No wonder it left the Italian insisting Drogba still has a future at Chelsea. “Didier is a very important player for this club,” he said. “For the past and for the future.” This was Chelsea at their imperious best, driven on by Drogba at his dynamic best. The only negative was that Torres, who was left to stew on the sidelines until the final 10 minutes, remains a £50 million elephant in the stadium. The Spaniard’s wait for a goal continues. Disappointment stung Chelsea last week with defeat in the Champions League, but the season is not over yet, even if Ancelotti accepts the title is probably beyond reach. “Realistic? I don’t know,” he said. “But we have a very clear aim: to win the next six games. Then we wait and see what happens with the others.” That might well decide Ancelotti’s future, which will continue to be a matter of fevered debate. He sounded sceptical himself: “Practically, I have a contract, but I know very well that we were not good enough this season.” This 90 minutes was about Drogba. Hurt by his omission in favour of Torres against Manchester United in Europe, the Ivorian delivered a display of individual excellence for the collective good. The 33 year-old was everywhere, scoring Chelsea’s first, assisting Salomon Kalou to score the second and setting in train the third, scored by Frank Lampard, while generally making a nuisance of himself. No wonder his manager suggested that he regrets not playing Drogba from the start against United. “Maybe,” he said, with a weary smile. Though Drogba was super-charged, and Chelsea dominant, they were twice assisted by Scott Carson, whose ineptitude was rivalled only by Nicky Shorey. Between them they conjured performances reminiscent of West Brom’s darkest days, even after Peter Odemwingie had given them hope with as classy a finish you will see. This was always going to be a different proposition to Chelsea’s 6-0 destruction of West Brom on the first day of the season, especially when John Terry was caught off-balance, the defender letting Jerome Thomas’s slipped pass underneath his feet and allowing Odemwingie through to chip impudently over Petr Cech. That brought Ancelotti, dressed in his customary funeral black, to the technical area, looking every bit the man in need of a favour. West Brom were happy to oblige. Florent Malouda’s cross after 22 minutes bypassed Carson: a mistake but not a calamitous one, because Shorey was at the far post to tidy up. Option A was to put it out for a corner. Option B was to try to shield it out for a goal-kick. Shorey chose Option C: clip the ball back towards the penalty spot for Drogba to sweep into an open goal from eight yards. He could scarcely believe his luck. So much for West Brom’s composure. Chelsea scented blood. Drogba darted across the face of the area, Carson palmed his shot to Kalou, and the forward stuck his shot into the far corner. Abdoulaye Méïté was cautioned as the last trace of serenity left the home side. With a minute of the first half to play, Drogba cropped up in the left-back position and knocked the ball down the line. Kalou nonchalantly passed it back to Lampard, who had time to control and finish into the near corner. Surely it was time to introduce Torres. If you can’t score against Carson and Co on this form you might as well take early retirement. Drogba made way with eight minutes remaining and, finally, Torres found the net, only for it to be ruled offside. Ancelotti said he will be given an opportunity against Birmingham, their next opponents. “I hope for him that he will score,” he said. “Everyone has confidence that he will score.” ==================================== Mail: West Brom 1 Chelsea 3: Drogba leads fightback to end Hodgson's unbeaten run By Mark Ryan Didier Drogba provided further proof of Carlo Ancelotti's catastrophic error in starting with Fernando Torres against Manchester United in the Champions League last Tuesday. The Italian manager not only hinted that he was still kicking himself for that mistake; he also insisted that 33-year-old Drogba still has a big future at Stamford Bridge. After the striker scored one and made two more, crestfallen Ancelotti could hardly be expected to say anything else. There is no certainty that the 51-year-old will even last until the end of the season or be in a position to perpetuate Drogba's Chelsea career next term, though the man from the Ivory Coast at least gave his boss some breathing space thanks to a comfortable victory. Ancelotti gave Torres a cameo role for the last eight minutes, one which saw the Spaniard round keeper Scott Carson and find the target at last. Perhaps inevitably, Torres was judged to be offside. He has now gone 701 minutes without a goal for Chelsea, though that painful statistic does not even include added time. The only surprise surrounding Torres was the incredible patience and support shown to him by the travelling Chelsea faithful, who continued to chant his name and shout encouragement even though his lack of passion and confidence effectively ended their European dream just a few days ago. If West Bromwich had shown half as much imagination on the field as their manager, Roy Hodgson, showed off it, then things might have been different despite Drogba's super show. In a moment to match the infamous Eric Cantona 'seagull soliloquy' Hodgson found an extraordinary way to portray his team's fallibility after an impressive run of late. He said: 'As the Swedish so rightly say, no tree grows to heaven. We are a mere birch tree in the middle of West Bromwich and no one will be doing any "Jack in the Beanstalks" here.' Albion should survive, and Peter Odenwingie netted his 12th of the season in the 17th minute, having been released by Jerome Thomas. The exquisite way in which he lifted his finish over Petr Cech was an object lesson in composure, and one that would not have been lost of Torres as he warmed the bench. 'Sacked in the morning,' the West Bromwich fans shouted mockingly in Ancelotti's direction. But Drogba refused to let his manager suffer further, when lessor characters might have sought revenge for previous exclusion with diminished commitment. Drogba took advantage in the 22nd minute after Carson's fingertips had failed to clear Florent Malouda's shot and defender Nicky Shorey had inexplicably turned the ball back into the visiting striker's path. No nonsense, just an emphatic finish, which he followed with another testing shot just four minutes later. Carson parried that effort so weakly that Salomon Kalou was able to bury his chance from an unlikely angle, and suddenly Chelsea were cruising. Their killer blow came courtesy of an extraordinary Drogba tackle inside his own half just before the break. He released Malouda down the left, whose cross gave Frank Lampard so much time that he was able to find the corner with ease. No wonder captain John Terry went straight to Drogba to offer his congratulations instead of rushing upfield to celebrate with the scorer. Albion boss Hodgson said: 'The determination, desire and athleticism we showed in the second half was missing for a large period of the first half. And to allow Chelsea to be two goals better by half-time meant we were staring down the barrel of the gun.' Albion were not much hungrier after the break, though Chris Brunt did come close to scoring with a couple of late efforts. By then, Drogba had sent an improvised, swerving punt onto the roof of the Albion net from 30 yards and conjured a wonderful, spontaneous cross with the outside of his boot, which should have seen either Lampard or Kalou take advantage. Ancelotti claimed afterwards: 'The club did not buy Torres so that Didier has to go. Drogba has been important for this club in the past and he will be very important in the future.' On the lack of time that he gave substitute Torres to redeem himself, Ancelotti added: 'A manager has to think about the team and not just one player.' What a pity then, from Chelsea's point of view, that the Italian was not prepared to use that logic earlier in the week when the side travelled to Old Trafford. Now he says he needs to win his last six Premier League matches before asking for a reprieve from club owner Roman Abramovich. Yet even that kind of winning run may not be enough now. =============================================== Mirror: West Brom 1-3 Chelsea: By Ralph Ellis The fans want Torres, the owner wants Torres, the manager may or may not want Torres. But there’s one man at Chelsea who wants the same centre ­forward the club have had for the last seven years. Funnily enough that’s Didier Drogba, who just happens to be the bloke who’s been centre ­forward for the last seven years. This was the first time since the £50million arrival of Fernando Torres that Drogba got his wish, starting on his own up front with neither the Spaniard nor Nicolas Anelka for company. And given the chance to make his point he took it in certain style — just as he’d done at Old Trafford when he’d been forced to spend the first half watching Chelsea crash out of the Champions League. He may be 33, he may be the man rumoured to be on his way out of Stamford Bridge in the summer. But he’s still the striker that Premier League defences least like to face and he proved it by leading a fightback that finished off Roy Hodgson’s ­unbeaten record as West Brom boss. He scored the equaliser – his 144th goal in a Chelsea shirt – and made the other two for a win that still leaves the champions eight points behind ­leaders Manchester United but at least keeping a faint hope alive. Even coach Carlo Ancelotti was close to admitting he was wrong to have axed Drogba in the week. “Are you still kicking yourself you didn’t start Didier, it seems an amazing decision?” he was asked. “Maybe,” he replied. “But this is the past, and to think about this… I gave my personal thoughts about this and now we have to look forward. “Didier can continue to play for a long time. The club bought Torres not to replace him but because he is a fantastic star. “Didier has been a very important player for the club in the past and he will be for the future too.” Just as well, as Torres – who finally got a go for the last 11 minutes when it was no longer a contest – is still having a nightmare. Chelsea’s travelling fans had been calling for the introduction of the Spaniard for far longer, and when he came on began singing: “He’s gonna score in a minute.” Instead, Torres was caught offside with his first touch, and then again for his second, although at least that time he did go round Scott Carson and put the ball in the net. It was a marginal decision, but ­underlined just how much the football fates have turned against him. It’s not as if his new team-mates are not trying everything for him. When Chelsea had a free-kick in injury time John Terry instructed Torres where to run, and told Florent ­Malouda exactly where to put the ball to find him. The move worked a treat – but almost inevitably the £50m man slipped as he tried to get his shot away and hopelessly mis-hit it. So it was down to Drogba to be the star of the show, and his 12th Premier League strike of the season couldn’t have come at a better time. Albion had started in style and their closely packed midfield ­troubled Chelsea. After 17 minutes Jerome Thomas sent Peter Odemwingie clear and the striker hoisted a perfect finish above Petr Cech. Sadly for West Brom, Carson had a howler and failed to hold Malouda’s low cross, and Nicky Shorey’s attempt to clear only pushed the ball into Drogba’s path for him to score. Then he palmed Drogba’s shot feebly sideways and Malouda followed up to put Chelsea in front. On half-time the contest was over, with Drogba and Malouda combining again, and Frank Lampard providing the finish. “We gave away cheap goals,” said Hodgson. “When you’ve had a good run you forget how bad losing feels.” ================================================== People: West Brom 1-3 Chelsea: Drogba restores Blues faith by Matt Butler, THEY may have left it late in the campaign but Chelsea have their mojo back – and it is all down to Didier Drogba. The Ivorian scored one and set up another as Chelsea gave their answer to those who claimed their season ended with defeat to Manchester United in the Champions League. Frank Lampard even netted his first club goal in six weeks as the Blues, who played with a swagger not seen in months, rose to one point behind second-placed Arsenal. Ancelotti was understandably ­elated – especially as the performance, as well as the result, may give him a stay of execution. But beneath the delight was the nagging thought that perhaps he should have started with Drogba rather then Fernando Torres at Old ­Trafford. Ancelotti said: “Should I have ­started with Drogba? Maybe, but this is in the past. I had my thoughts about this but it is in the past and we have to look forward. “Whether the title is realistic or not, I don’t know, but we have a very clear aim – to win the next six games and try to do our best. “We showed good character. It was not easy coming here showing good character and good personality when we conceded a goal. We maintained very good composure.” Boss Ancelotti had claimed ahead of this match it would “not be a ­problem” if he got the bullet from owner Roman Abramovich. But his team selection said something different – it was a blast from the recent past, when the Blues used to slam six goals past their opponents. Torres had to make do with a place on the bench as Ancelotti fielded a side with only two differences – David Luiz and Salomon Kalou – from the 6-0 mauling handed to West Brom on the opening day of the season. And Drogba was on his own up front for the first time since Torres’ £50million arrival – which in itself spoke volumes. Ancelotti added: “Didier played very well and we played very well as a team. He has a body that I think he can continue for a long time. He has to continue to train well and be ­professional. “But for a player over 30 it is very important to keep control of his body and do everything to ­maintain his fitness.” For all of Chelsea’s dominance for much of the match, they started as if they had a train to catch – and paid for it on 17 minutes. Jerome Thomas’ ball to Peter Odemwingie left John Terry bamboozled and the unmarked Baggies striker chipped over Petr Cech. But Chelsea were level just four minutes later thanks to Nicky Shorey’s blunder, as he played Florent Malouda’s cross back across the face of goal when he should have booted it towards the touchline. Drogba pounced on the loose ball to slot home his 13th of the season. And within three minutes, Chelsea were ahead, as Scott Carson dived to stop Drogba’s shot – which looked off-target – and Kalou pounced on the rebound. Frank Lampard could have nabbed the Blues’ third on 34 minutes but Carson saved his 20-yard free-kick superbly. But a minute before half time the England midfielder got his goal as Malouda crossed from the left for Lampard to sidefoot home. Malouda and Kalou went close but the visitors could ­afford to enjoy the ­sunshine for much of the second half. Torres did come on for the last 11 minutes – and a minute after his introduction we were treated to a slice of history, as he put the ball in the back of the net. Too bad the linesman flagged for offside. West Brom manager Roy Hodgson admitted his side were sloppy – but came to terms with his first defeat as Albion boss by way of a Scandinavian proverb. He said: “We have had a wonderful spell, now we have to learn how to lose. The Swedes have a saying: ‘No tree grows to heaven’. “We have played Arsenal and Liverpool here so we shouldn’t be sitting back and thinking it doesn’t matter because it was Chelsea. We have to look at what went wrong and make certain we get back on track.” ============================================ Star: WEST BROM 1 CHELSEA 3: DIDIER DROGBA’S NOT READY FOR THE CHELSEA SCRAPHEAP YET By Harry Pratt

Didier Drogba delivered a sharp reminder to Roman Abramovich here: Sell me at your peril. Before yesterday the Ivory Coast hitman was the bookies’ 7-2 favourite to be the first of Chelsea’s misfiring forwards on his way. But after this stunning individual display, which cut the gap between the Blues and leaders Manchester United to eight points, Red Rom might reconsider. Carlo Ancelotti clearly feels Drogba, now 33, still has plenty to offer, saying: “We did not buy Fernando Torres to replace Drogba. We bought him because he is a fantastic striker. “So it doesn’t mean because of Torres that Didier has to go. He was very good in the past and will be important in the future. “He had problems with malaria but he has come back well. I don’t know how long he has left at this level but he has the body to continue if he does the right things. “Torres was unlucky not to score. Maybe he’ll score next game. He will be involved.” The £50million flop Torres was left kicking his heels on the bench for 81 minutes as Drogba took centre stage and reminded ­everybody what an awesome striker he is. Yes, he may sulk. Yes, he may dive and roll around in prima-donna fashion but there is no doubting when he’s really up for it, there are few better target-men in football. Having got Chelsea’s first, Drogba created two more before the break. It made a ­mockery of Ancelotti’s decision last week to pick Torres ahead of Drogba for the Champions League defeat to Manchester United. That Euro exit effectively ended the Blues’ season and left the coach’s job hanging by the ­merest of threads. If only his players had ­produced performances like this one over the past five months, he would have had no such worries. Sure it came against West Brom, who they hammered for six on the opening day of the campaign – but it was still an impressive response to such a turbulent few days. The Baggies saw their ­early superiority justly rewarded in the 17th minute. As has been the case so ­often during their surge away from trouble, Nigerian Peter Odemwingie was the hero. Five goals in 11 became six in 12 when, ­having been sent clear by Jerome Thomas, he coolly chipped the advancing Petr Cech. But just as the Baggies seemed in control, their frailties reappeared and Chelsea hit back three times before the break. Firstly, Scott Carson and Nicky Shorey failed to deal with a Florent Malouda cross and in doing so allowed Drogba to grab his 13th strike of the season. Straight after, a Drogba shot had Carson fumbling again and Salomon Kalou tucked in the rebound. If that wasn’t bad enough their situation nosedived on the stroke of half-time. Drogba’s ball found Malouda who picked out Frank Lampard, who was never going to miss from eight yards. As the second half petered out, Torres was thrown on to see if he could net for the first time in 12 games. He did after 83 minutes – only to be ruled offside! Ancelotti added: “We have a clear aim – to win our next six games. Is the title still ­realistic? That I can’t answer.” Hodgson, whose side are six points clear of the drop zone, said: “Didier Drogba’s ­reputation as one of the world’s best strikers is ­confirmed every week. But stopping him does not mean you stop Chelsea. They have so many world-class players. “We conceded goals that we have managed to cut out in recent games.” ================================================== Express: WEST BROM 1 CHELSEA 3: FERNANDO IS NO MATCH FOR THE TOP DROG By Richard Jolly AS Roman Abramovich’s axe looms ahead of the latest and bloodiest clearout at Stamford Bridge, Carlo Ancelotti may be Chelsea’s version of a dead man walking. But Didier Drogba is something very different. He is the dead man talking. The one fighting back. As an ungrateful owner prepares to shove him towards the exit, this was no coded message. It was an eloquent plea to be retained, an emphatic reminder of his many qualities. It was too much for West Bromwich Albion. And it was proof that he remains a better bet than his £50million replacement, Fernando Torres. That he is still top Drog at Stamford Bridge. With a goal and an assist, he accomplished far more in four first-half minutes than Torres has in his entire Chelsea career. Playing with a point to prove, he even cleared off the line to deny Jonas Olsson a goal. A decision that may have cost Chelsea their place in the Champions League and the Italian his job saw Drogba left on the bench at Manchester United on Tuesday. This time Drogba started and starred. With power and panache, intelligence and excellence, he ran riot as Chelsea were rampant. “Didier played very well, as did the team,” said Ancelotti. Torment on the touchline for Torres, who had to sit and watch. Torment on the pitch for the Albion defence, who still haven’t kept a clean sheet since August. Trouble for Abramovich, who has to decide whether to bin a striker with 144 Chelsea goals in favour of one who is still 144 behind him. Torres’ cameo took his Chelsea career to 701 minutes. And no goals. Drogba began a spirited fightback, thumping in from eight yards after doubly disastrous defending by Albion. First Scott Carson missed Florent Malouda’s low cross; then, in his attempt to clear, Nicky Shorey diverted the ball back to Drogba. He made no mistake. Then Drogba drove forward and drilled in a low shot. Carson parried it into the path of Salomon Kalou, who finished adeptly. Two goals, two blunders from the West Brom keeper. At least he was faultless for the third. Drogba was involved again. From deep in his own half, he released Malouda. The Frenchman squared the ball for Lampard, who placed his shot past Carson. Later Kalou hit the bar, aided by a deflection off Abdoulaye Meite as Chelsea threatened a fourth. Yet Albion had struck first. Peter Odemwingie, £48.5m cheaper than Torres, is also more prolific. He chipped Petr Cech classily after fine build-up from Youssouf Mulumbu, James Morrison and Jerome Thomas. MAN of the MATCH: DIDIER DROGBA – Back to his fearsome best. Chelsea’s battering ram also showed a deft touch. Albion simply couldn’t halt him. MATCH FACTS Ref: L Probert Att: 25,163 WEST BROM: Carson; Reid, Meite, Olsson, Shorey; Scharner (Jara 72nd), Mulumbu; Brunt, Morrison (Vela 72nd), Thomas (Tchoyi 82nd); Odemwingie. CHELSEA: Cech; Ivanovic (Bosingwa 63rd), Luiz, Terry, Cole; Essien, Mikel, Lampard (Benayoun 77th); Kalou, Drogba (Torres 82nd), Malouda.

man utd 1-2

Independent:


Rooney finds the old magic to reduce Chelsea dream to ruins

Manchester United 2 Chelsea 1 (United win 3-1 on aggregate)

By Sam Wallace at Old Trafford



From his seat in the Old Trafford directors' box last night Roman Abramovich did not need his coterie of advisers and hangers-on to tell him the cold, hard truth that the best part of £750m still does not buy you what Sir Alex Ferguson has got.

And what is that? The simple answer would be a team in the semi-finals of the Champions League for the fourth time in five years but the reality is even harder for Chelsea to take. What Ferguson had last night was a team, from Javier Hernandez at 22 to Ryan Giggs at 37, that – there really is no other way of saying it – just looked better than their opponents in every department.

In Wayne Rooney, United had the game's most effective player. By the end of the game he had grown in confidence to the extent that he attempted a lob of Petr Cech from virtually the halfway line. He was not quite taking the rise out of Chelsea but it was not far off. Rooney was not the only one who sealed United's domination, there were many others too.

As John Terry trailed down the tunnel behind his team-mates, we were reminded that this was not a Chelsea team going out of the Champions League with a snarl and an angry finger jabbed in the direction of another controversy. This was a team outplayed and out-thought for the second successive year and, like every failure in Europe for this club, it is hard to believe that it will not have consequences for Carlo Ancelotti.

This was not a disastrous Chelsea performance – Didier Drogba's second-half goal gave them brief hope – but they were never really close to rescuing this tie from the 1-0 deficit of the first leg. They had their moments, but that was never going to be enough against a United team that looked from the very start like they were not to be shaken from their destiny of a place in the semi-finals against, in all likelihood, Schalke.

The big decision from Ancelotti was dropping Drogba in favour of Fernando Torres, a decision he unpicked at half-time when he substituted Torres for Drogba. There was a clear message in that decision and the message seemed to be that Ancelotti had got this one wrong. Maybe playing Drogba from the start would not have changed the outcome, but it surely would have been a better option.

Ferguson said after the game that any manager would have taken a player of Torres's calibre in January. The problem for Torres was that he walked straight on to the set of Abramovich's serial Champions League obsession and has, if anything, made things worse. It is also worth bearing in mind that when Ferguson is as generous with an opposing manager as he was with Ancelotti last night it is because he has written him off.

Either side of that Drogba goal on 77 minutes, United scored the goals that decided this tie. The first from Hernandez on 43 minutes was just reward for a dominant first half, particularly in the 30 minutes leading up to the break. The second from Park Ji-sung came 21 seconds after the re-start following Drogba's goal. It was the tap on the shoulder from United that, whatever ideas Chelsea might have, this was not to be their night.

The dismissal of Ramires with 20 minutes left came before the last two goals of the game. The second booking, for a tackle on Luis Nani from behind looked harsh. But then Terry's trip on the same player four minutes later looked more justifiably like a yellow card for the Chelsea captain, who was already on a booking.

Ramires had to take his first booking on 32 minutes to stop Nani and a United counter-attack that had swept from one box to the other. Earlier, Rooney had hit a superb cross around Michael Essien from the right side which Hernandez headed in at the near post. The Portuguese linesman called him offside, fractionally.

In the first half especially, United found generous space down Chelsea's left side. That is nominally Frank Lampard's territory but in the 4-3-3 formation that Ancelotti picked last night, Lampard gets drawn inside.

The first United goal came from that side. Rooney struck a half-cleared corner out there to Giggs who, with one touch, played the ball back to John O'Shea. He responded with a beautiful ball inside Nicolas Anelka that allowed Giggs to run at goal. Giggs picked out Hernandez with a fine ball to the back post and, from two yards, the Mexican never misses.

Logic dictates that Giggs should, at his age, have been overrun by a midfield including such athletes as Essien and Ramires but the veteran was superb, creating both United goals. Michael Carrick was again very solid. Park was bright all evening. Rio Ferdinand played through a thigh strain when it looked as if he would have to go off.

Ferdinand never had to chase Torres last night like he has in the past. In defence of the £50m man's performance, he did not have much created for him. The best chances of the first half for Chelsea came around the 15-minute mark and fell to Anelka and Lampard. Neither did much with them.

Drogba gave Chelsea purpose after the break but by then the momentum was already in one direction. At one point in the second half, not only did Rooney win a header on the halfway line against Terry but he won the sprint to the loose ball and crossed to Giggs, who should have scored with his header.

After Ramires' dismissal Chelsea hobbled on, stretched at the back but still only needing one goal to open the tie up again. It came on 77 minutes. Essien's throughball put in Drogba who scored under the body of Edwin Van der Sar. Suddenly Chelsea's 10 men needed just one more goal to win the tie. United's response was quick.

Antonio Valencia, on for Nani, started the move on the right and from Rooney the ball went to Giggs who, for the second time in the game, made the telling pass to Park. In the left channel inside the area, he scored United's second. It was a swift put-down to Chelsea's 10 men and it was a conclusion entirely in keeping with the mood of this game.


Man of the match Rooney.

Match rating 7/10.

Referee O Benquerenca (Portugal).

Attendance 75,000.




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



Guardian:


Manchester United send 10-man Chelsea out of Champions League

Manchester United 2 Chelsea 1

Kevin McCarra at Old Trafford



Manchester United have been as relentless over the course of the years as they were in the three hours of this Champions League quarter-final. It is Chelsea, winners of the Double last season, who allowed themselves to grind to a halt following that glory.

Chelsea have now been beaten home and away by opponents who will be confident about an encounter in the last four that will almost certainly see them face the German side Schalke.

Last season, Chelsea won each Premier League encounter with United, but they have since become diminished and, in practice, have no hope of a trophy this year. They are reduced in stature and also saw their numbers cut here when the midfielder Ramires, already booked, was sent off with a second yellow card after he had fouled Nani 20 minutes from the end.

As that episode showed, Chelsea have been stripped of their judiciousness. The manager, Carlo Ancelotti, should be appreciated for what he did 12 months ago, but is at least as likely now to get the sack.

None of that will have weighed on the minds of an Old Trafford crowd that has witnessed Sir Alex Ferguson reassert his command so swiftly. He has been astute as ever, introducing new faces while still tapping the talent of some senior footballers. There is, of course, no sentiment and Paul Scholes, for example, remained on the bench here, just as he had at Stamford Bridge.

Ancelotti has not had the means to dictate events and some issues still gnaw at Chelsea. The Italian took off Fernando Torres at the interval after a first goal for the team had again eluded the Spaniard. It was his replacement, the 33-year-old Didier Drogba, who scored to tie this match at 1-1.

Drogba did so within moments of Ramires's dismissal by advancing on to a Michael Essien pass and finishing with force and technique. All the same, nothing could suppress Manchester United for long. Almost immediately, Park Ji-sung was in an abundance of space to restore his side's lead in the game. The South Korean had been picked out by the outstanding figure in this contest.

Ryan Giggs dominated by showing not only the know-how of a 37-year-old but also the sort of zest that ought by rights to be the exclusive property of colts just making their entry into the sport. It is very hard to think that limited time remains for the Welshman in football, even though the plain facts of physiology mean that, before too long, time will run out even on him.

An evening such as this will, all the same, keep him safe from melancholy. Gloom, on the other hand, may well be engulfing Torres, since he seemed to have lost even the hope that something must come his way in the goalmouth. He is far from being above criticism but the reshaping of Chelsea will demand more invention – no matter who happens to be in the thick of the attacks.

The verve was largely United's. Indeed Chelsea were very nearly behind after 19 minutes. Wayne Rooney was ruled offside by a fraction as headed in a splendid cross by Javier Hernández when the Englishman, in effect, was barely leaning beyond his marker. The disquiet of Chelsea was apparent in three bookings while United started to take a hold of events.

Ferguson's team recorded the opener in the 43rd minute to establish a 2-0 lead on aggregate. Giggs linked with John O'Shea and took the Irishman's sharp pass to angle the ball towards the far post where Hernández waited to score. The attacker is the embodiment of the perceptiveness with which Ferguson has reinforced his squad.

There was no scope left for etiquette on Ancelotti's part and Torres was withdrawn. The Spaniard, as usual, suffered to some degree because creativity has been leaking out of the Chelsea line-up and the sheer force of Drogba did indeed make more of a dent, but the verdict of the manager also confirmed that it is difficult these days to strike the right balance.

As a veteran, the Ivorian, after all, ought not to be viewed as a key performer. United, in any case, were intent on discouraging any notion of a revival by these opponents. With 57 minutes gone, the Chelsea substitute did put a low drive wide from distance as if to confirm to Ferguson's men that they could not pause in their efforts to deter the Stamford Bridge side.

With an hour gone, Edwin van der Sar had to be alert as he moved to his right and turned away Drogba's attempt from a set piece. All the same, it was Chelsea who needed to achieve something spectacular. Ancelotti could not be passive either and Salomon Kalou took over from Nicolas Anelka after an hour.

Chelsea sought to push downfield but the kind of episode that saw Alex head wide from a corner did not unnerve the opposition greatly and Petr Cech was still the more heavily involved of the goalkeepers. The desperation was shown most vividly in the red card that ended Ramires's night and Chelsea's already dwindling hopes.





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


Telegraph:


MANCHESTER UNITED 2 - 1 CHELSEA

By Henry Winter



Manchester United’s glorious obsession with the Champions League proved far stronger than Chelsea’s. Ryan Giggs, Wayne Rooney, Ji-sung Park, Michael Carrick and company were simply far hungrier than their visitors, whose interest in the season’s grand prizes ended in embarrassing circumstances with the listless Fernando Torres hauled off and Ramires sent off.

It required an admiring glance only at one special cameo to appreciate why United were better, why they utterly deserved victory and a semi-final with Schalke (barring a miracle for Inter Milan).

The game’s defining memory came not from the build-ups to the goals of Javier Hernandez or Park, however fine those moves were; it came with Giggs sliding in on the sluggish Frank Lampard, winning the ball and a standing ovation.

That moment showed who had the greater appetite: Giggs at 37, playing 90 stamina-stretching minutes in central midfield, tackling and creating, the epitome of elegant determination. Remarkable.

United fans chorused his name, warning the opponents that Giggs would tear them apart again. He is a national treasure, a marvellous role model and a poster boy for the career-enhancing joys of yoga. He had Chelsea tied up in knots.

It required only the briefest of checks of Uefa’s head-to-head statistical comparisons to see the detail that underpinned United’s superiority. Ferguson’s men ran further (111,884 metres to Chelsea’s 110,046m), earned more corners (7 to 2), attempted more passes (548 to 497) and committed fewer fouls (13 to 17). Such numbers added up to a performance of great maturity, a disciplined display of relentless application.

By the time Giggs nicked possession off Lampard, Roman Abramovich had left this theatre of broken dreams. The Russian looks rueful at the best of times and he spent long periods after the break with his right hand cradling his chin, resembling a depressed version of Rodin’s “The Thinker".

Abramovich’s passion for Europe had been ignited by watching Real Madrid and United duelling here in 2003; now another season has passed, possibly another manager, and he remains no closer to the Champions League trophy.

Chelsea’s oligarch will doubtless buy again when the transfer window re-opens, probably with a new man in the dug-out. “You’re getting sacked in the morning,” came the Stretford End’s caustic serenade for Carlo Ancelotti. Probably the summer. For those who admire the engaging Italian this will be a sad eventuality but Abramovich is hardly noted for his patience.

Ancelotti has always insisted that he wanted Torres but the striker currently seems only a £50m problem. Ancelotti keeps changing his tactics in an attempt to coax the best out of Torres. He adopted a 4-3-2-1 Christmas tree formation here but this served only to blunt Lampard as well. Chelsea looked a force only when Didier Drogba stormed on, giving their attack a focus and United’s defence a hard time.

Drogba’s arrival was no great surprise. Torres struggled painfully, the striker flicking an early header wide, slicing a shot and then attempting a give and go with Lampard. Unfortunately for Chelsea, Torres forgot to go.

The contrast with the bright, breezy movement of Rooney was clear.

Rooney was excellent, ghosting wide, racing into the box and also dropping deep, giving extra protection to midfield in Ferguson’s well-balanced, successful 4-4-1-1 configuration.

There was a confidence to United, a belief in their system and in each other. The work-rate was typically first rate. When Nicolas Anelka sought to dart through, there was Rio Ferdinand sliding in to win the ball. Ferdinand had suffered a slight knock, briefly restricting his movement, but he soldiered on.

United were giving little away. Florent Malouda did glide through, guiding the ball around Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic, but the Frenchman’s lay-off was wasted by Lampard.

United were building. Hernandez was ruled offside for a diving header but he was getting closer. Before the Mexican finally struck just before the break, United had to negotiate a brief scare. When Anelka chased a ball down the right, Edwin van der Sar charged out but then hesitated. The Dutchman then decided to go for it, racing on and dispossessing Anelka with two expert tackles. The Stretford End loved it.

The atmosphere was relentlessly good and the volume increased two minutes before the interval. Carrick, again a composed presence, seized on a Malouda clearance and laid the ball off to Rooney.

Parading all his vision and passing dexterity, Rooney picked out Giggs on the right. The Welshman’s first touch was exceptional, controlling the ball before passing back to John O’Shea.

The Irishman turned and laced a superb return pass between Malouda and Anelka, statues in the face of the red-flecked zephyr. Giggs calmly placed the ball towards the far-post for Hernandez, timing his run superbly, drove the ball into the roof of the net. It was United’s 500th European goal according to Uefa.

Torres’ failure to emerge for the second period delighted the United fans, whose bonhomie intensified when Ramires departed for another challenge on Nani in the 70th minute. Chelsea actually sprang to life with 10 men, Drogba running on to Michael Essien’s fine pass to shoot past Van der Sar.

No matter. United just went through the gears within 21 seconds, the ball fizzing between Antonio Valencia, Giggs and Rooney before Giggs played one of those delicate yet devastating passes to set up Park, who drilled the ball past Cech. The Treble is on for Ferguson. Trouble is all that lies in store for Ancelotti.




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Mirror:


Man United 2-1 Chelsea (agg 3-1): Park puts Fergie into semis

By Martin Lipton



Determined as hell, relentless as ever, remorseless when it matters. Just like 1999, in fact.

While Sir Alex Ferguson does not like the growing talk of The Treble, knows this team is not as good as the one that conquered every peak 12 years ago, something is stirring at Old Trafford.

Something far too powerful for a Chelsea side fatally compromised by the arrival of Fernando Torres, the ultimate vanity purchase but hooked after a miserable 45 minutes that summed up how he doesn't fit this Blues squad.

Something that, through the enduring, remarkable brilliance of Ryan Giggs has a common thread with the United team that will never be forgotten.

And on the night that surely spelled the beginning of the end for Carlo Ancelotti, as Roman Abramovich walked out seconds before the final act was ended by the Portuguese referee, something that is starting to develop a legend of its own.

Javier Hernandez has supplanted Dimitar Berbatov, not through weight of goals but quality of performances when it really mattered, his 17th of the season demonstrating all of his natural poacher's instincts.

Others are shining too. Edwin Van Der Sar at 40, Nemanja Vidic, Nani and a restored and re-energised Michael Carrick.

And, of course, the man from Liverpool. Last night, every United fan was willing to forgive Wayne Rooney for all his indiscretions, the contract stand-off, the embarrassments brought by his misadventures on and off the pitch, the injuries and the loss of form.

Giggs may have created the two goals that first gave United breathing space and then sealed the deal, but Rooney was the difference.

If there was a blade of Chelsea turf he left uncovered they will have spent all evening searching for it.

For all that Chelsea had dominated early on, they did not possess the extra quality, the real threat, that brought Old Trafford to its feet whenever Rooney took up the ball.

And Rooney's energy, effort, desire made Torres' failure to make any impact all the more stark and graphic.

United might have done the hard work at Stamford Bridge but with Wembley's Arch moving into sight, this was about sealing the deal.

At times, they wobbled, no question.

Even with Torres, an early header aside, little more than a passenger, Ancelotti's tactical "surprise" and shift to a 4-3-2-1 shape with Frank Lampard and Nicolas Anelka supporting the £50million flop created the openings.

The problem, as has been the case for most of the past few months, and certainly since Torres' arrival, was Chelsea's inability to convert them, to take advantage of the 20-minute spell when Rio Ferdinand was struggling with an early ankle knock.

Anelka, teed up by Torres, shot inches wide before Florent Malouda, running purposefully from deep, gave Lampard the sort of chance from 14 yards he would surely have taken in any other of his nine Chelsea seasons.

This time, though, Lampard shot too close to Edwin Van Der Sar and by the time Ancelotti reacted, dumping the Spaniard and sending on Didier Drogba, the striker he should have started, the momentum had shifted.

Only a matter of inches - but correctly - denied Hernandez with a flying header from six yards out as the flag went up as Rooney drilled in a superb cross from the right mid-way through the first period.

And two minutes from the break, after a spate of deserved yellow cards which saw Ramires pick up the first of the two bookings that was to leave Chelsea man short for the final quarter, Hernandez got one that did count.

Rooney picked out the pass to Giggs, who ghosted behind Anelka from John O'Shea's return and steered across goal for Hernandez, behind the ball, to nudge home from a couple of feet.

Ancelotti did what he had to do, sending on Drogba but time was against Chelsea, unable to test Van Der Sar until after Ramires went through Nani from behind to see red.

United, who had stuck to their game plan and threatened on the counter, looked home and hosed, only for Drogba to explode onto Michael Essien's clip over the top and smash through the keeper.

Five minutes of equality and it might have got twitchy. Instead, United were back in front within 47 seconds.

Rooney found Giggs, who amid the bedlam looked up to spot a peach of a pass with the outside of his left foot.

There, in space, was Ji-Sung Park to bury the ball, bury Chelsea, and, surely, bury Ancelotti.

No way back for the Blues, no Holy Grail for Abramovich.

United, though, have glory stretching out in front of them, as far as the eye can see.



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Sun:


Man United 2 Chelsea 1

By SHAUN CUSTIS



IT'S all coming together at the right time for Manchester United.

The Little Pea, Javier Hernandez, continues to sprout at an astonishing rate.

Ryan Giggs is laughing in the face of his pension book and United can swear by Wayne Rooney once again.

This may not be the greatest side ever to be seen at Old Trafford but they are as confident as any of their predecessors and will firmly believe they can land the Treble.

Giggs has seen it all and done it all but the 37-year-old is as enthusiastic as when he burst on the scene at the age of 17.

He was the creator of all three goals in this Champions League quarter-final tie, laying on Rooney's strike at Stamford Bridge and the two here last night for Hernandez and Ji-Sung Park.

Hernandez, 22, is the find of the season and has emerged as one of United's key men.

At £7million, the Little Pea did not even cost big potatoes - unlike Chelsea's £50m misfit Fernando Torres, who was embarrassingly subbed at half-time.

It was the Mexican's 18th goal of his debut campaign which set United on the road to victory in the 43rd minute. Chelsea midfielder Ramires was sent off for two bookable offences with 20 minutes left but sub Didier Drogba equalised on 77 minutes to give Chelsea hope.

Only for United to snuff that out within 21 seconds after play had re-started when the ever- reliable Park netted from 12 yards.

Chelsea's season is done. All that remains is to get a top-four spot so they can have another go at trying to win the trophy which has once more eluded them.

Expect more forensic examination of the tormented Torres along the way. He has now gone 692 minutes without a goal since joining the Blues from Liverpool.

Andy Carroll's double against Manchester City the previous night would suggest it has all worked out rather well at Anfield. As for Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti, can he really survive?

He says his job is not under threat but Blues owner Roman Abramovich, watching from the directors' box, is obsessed by Europe's biggest club prize and will not take this elimination well.

Few would have chosen Torres in the starting line-up but Ancelotti had clearly decided to appease Abramovich by selecting the Spanish striker.

Drogba had good reason to feel aggrieved about that. This game was made for him and his second-half performance showed why he should have got the nod to start.

For all that, Chelsea began the stronger as Torres glanced a header wide and laid a ball back for Nicolas Anelka, who smacked an effort past the post.

But that was it for Torres - we never saw him again. Remember the days when he used to run rings round Nemanja Vidic?

The worry for United was that Rio Ferdinand, so vital to their cause, was limping around at the back having been hurt in a scramble on the edge of the box.

And he was still struggling as Florent Malouda fed Frank Lampard in space.

The England midfielder should have scored but his side-footed shot neither had the power or accuracy to beat Edwin van der Sar.

An Anelka strike whistled over but Hernandez thought he had eased the tension when he met a cracking curling cross from Rooney to head in.

The linesman's flag curtailed celebrations - it was a marginal offside call. But United hit Chelsea with a sucker-punch two minutes before the break.

Rooney played a great pass out wide over the head of Anelka before Giggs cushioned it back to John O'Shea.

The full-back saw Giggs dart in behind the Blues rearguard and picked him out with a defence- splitting ball.

Giggs took the pass in his stride, whipped it across the six-yard box for Hernandez to finish.

It put United two up on aggregate but Chelsea's task was still the same in that they needed to score twice to go through.

Drogba had to replace Torres - which Ancelotti recognised at half time. Ramires was dismissed after two fouls on Nani to add to the Blues' woes.

But suddenly Michael Essien picked out Drogba with a raking pass and the Ivory Coast hitman rattled the ball home.

Nerves were jangling round Old Trafford - but not for long.

Giggs was again the creator, playing in Park who made no mistake and set up a likely date with German side Schalke.

It will be United's fourth Champions League semi-final in five seasons.

Next up, it is the FA Cup and a last-four tie against arch-rivals City at Wembley on Saturday.

The mood United are in, you would not want to be a City player or a fan - even with Rooney suspended.




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Mail:


Manchester United 2 Chelsea 1 (agg 3-1): Hernandez and Park heap more heartache on Roman's Blues

By Matt Lawton



This was all about the contrast between opposing strikers - a contrast that could not have been more pleasing for Manchester United or more painful for Chelsea.

On the one side stood Wayne Rooney and Javier Hernandez, the scorers of two of the three goals that settled this terrific Champions League tie and two players as determined as they were deadly.

On the other stood a pair of apparent misfits, selected together in the first leg, played for a half each in the second and in the end unable to salvage something from what has been a desperate season for Chelsea. A season that descended deeper into crisis with the dismissal of Ramires in the 70th minute.

It amounted to Carlo Ancelotti's worst nightmare. He started with Fernando Torres and the Spaniard was predictably awful, sending on Drogba as his replacement only to see him score a superb goal. It was not enough to alter the outcome of this Champions League quarter-final but enough to embarrass his manager, humiliate the club's new £50million signing and prove a point that could yet prove Ancelotti's downfall.

What a mess it really has become at Stamford Bridge. Only Ancelotti can say why he picked Torres and whether it had anything to do with the pressure he might have been under from his billionaire employer to pick the most expensive player in British football history. Whatever the genesis of the decision, it was a bad one.

Torres was as bad during that opening 45 minutes as Drogba was good after the break. Torres is now without a goal in 693 minutes of football for Chelsea. That, as Ray Wilkins pointed out from his position in the Sky television studio, was Drogba's 143rd goal in 300 Chelsea appearances.

In fairness to Ancelotti, he did get the formation right this time. He reverted to the tried and tested 4-3-3 shape and it appeared to be paying off until Hernandez struck two minutes before the break. Chelsea had played marginally the better football, with Florent Malouda and Ramires causing United real trouble.

The problem for Chelsea was the guy at the pinnacle of that three-man attack. The guy so lacking in confidence he struggled to even execute the simplest pass. The guy who was the antithesis of those marvellous men in red.

They all deserve credit for another superb display but it is hard to praise anyone more than Ryan Giggs when the wonderful Welshman followed his contribution at Stamford Bridge by creating both goals here.

While the surging run that enabled him to deliver the ball to the feet of Hernandez again defied those who expect him to be slowing down at 37, the pass that invited Park Ji-sung to score United's second in the 77th minute was probably more impressive.

Less than a minute earlier, Drogba had dragged the 10 men of Chelsea back into this tie but from Giggs came a quite exquisite ball; a perfectly-weighted chip which the Korean was able to control before beating Petr Cech with a super left-footed finish. What a response.

Others, of course, excelled. Edwin Van der Sar produced the saves when it mattered while Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic provided further security in front of him. For Ferdinand that is now 22 United appearances this season without defeat. Ahead of them Michael Carrick was a composed, confident presence, as was Park.

Rooney and Hernandez are forming quite a partnership and the Mexican went desperately close to opening the scoring in the 26th minute. He met Rooney's cross with a close-range header Cech was powerless to stop but the assistant referee raised his flag. Television replays revealed that he was indeed offside, but by no more than a few inches, much to the disappointment of a vociferous United crowd.

There were no objections, though, when Hernandez found the net for a second time. That was a goal for United and, far more crucially, their second of the tie after Rooney scored in the first leg. Coming just before the break, it amounted to a crushing blow for Chelsea and an example of how not to defend.

While it remained a beautifully executed goal and further evidence of Giggs' enduring qualities, Nicolas Anelka will certainly wince when he sees how easily he was beaten by the reverse pass John O'Shea delivered into the path of his colleague. It enabled Giggs to accelerate into the Chelsea penalty area with the ball at his feet before driving it across the six-yard box where Hernandez was waiting to score.

Ancelotti responded to that by withdrawing Torres for Drogba and the Ivorian wasted little time in demonstrating why he should have been picked from the start. There was a presence about him, determination, too. When he drove a shot narrowly wide, the United back four began to look a touch nervous.

By replacing Anelka with Salomon Kalou, Ancelotti gave United something else to think about. But then Ramires caught Nani for the second time with a challenge that brought a second booking, a tie that he was already going to remember for that penalty appeal rejected at Stamford Bridge turned into a complete disaster. Olegario Benquerenca produced a yellow card and then his red. Game over for the Brazilian.

It was not game over for Chelsea, however, Drogba controlling a ball from Michael Essien before using his pace, strength and considerable finishing ability to put his side within a goal of an unlikely victory.

Until, that is, United responded immediately by scoring their second of the night and so securing a seventh Champions League semi-final for Ferguson. It means the pursuit of the Treble continues.

For Chelsea, though, the future is less certain. There will be bitter recriminations after this. Drogba is sure to be furious but, more significantly for Ancelotti, so is Roman Abramovich. The Russian might have only one thing in mind for his latest manager. What he would perhaps call his own special Roman holiday.