Independent:
Chelsea's callow surrender piles yet more pressure on Villas-Boas
Chelsea 0 Liverpool 2
RORY SMITH STAMFORD BRIDGE
It was supposed to be about Fernando Torres and Andy Carroll; for a moment, it threatened to be about Phil Dowd. In the end, though, as it always seems to be these days, it will be about Andre Villas-Boas. Another defeat, another callow, anodyne performance, beaten by Liverpool and out of the Carling Cup: it could not be about anything else.
The Chelsea manager has now overseen five defeats in nine games – two of them to Kenny Dalglish's team – a run that has cost the club any realistic chance of regaining the Premier League title, and any chance at all of winning the Carling Cup.
And so while Liverpool remain on course for a first Wembley appearance since 1996, Villas-Boas has missed the opportunity to emulate Jose Mourinho and win the first trophy available to him. The damage may be more serious than that, though. Newcastle, Valencia and Manchester City await. The Portuguese stands on the brink.
This was clearly one of those evenings when nobody wanted penalties. Not the players, aware that there are more crucial, more exacting Premier League challenges awaiting; not the managers, a long, harsh winter on their minds; and, judging by the evidence of the first 10 minutes, not the referee.
Twice in the space of 120 seconds Phil Dowd waved away concerted appeals for a spot-kick; first, most convincingly, from the hosts, when Sebastian Coates appeared to trip David Luiz as the Brazilian careered into the Liverpool box, and then when the Chelsea defender seemed to nudge Carroll as he leapt to meet a Jose Enrique cross.
Both, in truth, could have been given; it was understandable why both were not. Though Coates was some considerable distance from the ball when he felled Luiz, there was a lingering suspicion that the Brazilian sought the contact. Carroll, meanwhile, made the most of a slight push. Parity, either way, was the correct outcome.
Even when Dowd did award a penalty, he seemed to do it begrudgingly, on the advice of either his assistant referee or the fourth official. This time, though, he adjudged it undeniably correctly, Alex clearly – if not entirely explicably – handling the ball as he tussled with Carroll to meet another Enrique cross. The referee initially awarded a corner kick; furious protests, led by the striker, prompted him to consult his support staff and admit his error.
No matter: Carroll spurned the opportunity. Such has been his luck, and his form, since he inherited Torres's shirt that it was presumably out of sympathy that his team-mates permitted him to take the ball in the absence of any of Liverpool's three regular penalty takers, Dirk Kuyt, Charlie Adam and Luis Suarez. He is unlikely to be invited back. His effort was hit well enough, but Ross Turnbull did not need to extend himself fully to his right to parry it.
Even the 22-year-old, though, will be able to take solace that his evening was an unadulterated triumph compared to Dowd's. Not content with the chaos of the three penalty decisions, the referee then managed to book Ryan Bertrand for a lunging tackle on Jordan Henderson by Romelu Lukaku.
Dowd's performance lent the game a surreal air; it was no surprise that neither team found it within themselves to fashion a chance out of their own merit, rather than their opponents' flaws. The best, perhaps, fell to Lukaku, the Belgian fed by Florent Malouda but denied by a wonderfully-timed tackle from Coates.
The 20-year-old stymied Chelsea's best chance, too, clearing from Luiz on the line after Jose Bosingwa steered Frank Lampard's corner on to the bar. His timing was impeccable: no sooner had Dalglish's team regained their composure than Rodriguez had struck again, his second on this ground in nine days. It was a sumptuous counter-attack, Henderson splitting the hosts' back-line, Bellamy racing down the right flanks and squaring for the Argentine to tap home.
Kelly's first goal for the club soon followed; here, too, an exercise in simplicity. Bellamy swung in a free-kick from the left, and the 21-year-old, unmarked on the edge of the six-yard box, nodded home.
Chelsea's response was fleeting. Nicolas Anelka was foiled, more by accident than design, by Pepe Reina; the goalkeeper then denied Torres, his close friend, clasping a goal-bound header. That was the striker's first real involvement. It was not about him at all. It was not about Carroll, either, or Dowd. It was about Villas-Boas, alone.
Chelsea (4-1-2-1-2): Turnbull; Bosingwa, Alex, David Luiz, Bertrand; Romeu; Lampard, Malouda (Mata, 64), McEachran (Ramires, 41); Lukaku (Anelka, 64), Torres. Substitutes not used Hilario (gk), Ivanovic, Ferreira, Kalou.
Liverpool (4-4-1-1): Reina; Kelly, Carragher, Coates, Jose Enrique; Henderson, Lucas (Adam, 70), Spearing, Maxi Rodriguez (Skrtel , 89); Bellamy (Kuyt, 79); Carroll. Substitutes not used Doni (gk), Suarez, Downing, Flanagan.
Referee P Dowd (Staffs).
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Guardian:
Craig Bellamy drives Liverpool past Chelsea into semi-finals
Dominic Fifield at Stamford Bridge
Those in the Shed End, a stand bedecked for the night in the visitors' red, were erupting in riotous celebration at their side's second goal when Craig Bellamy quietly turned away from his team-mates to walk alone back to the centre circle, a player lost in his own thoughts. The architect of Liverpool's progress into the last four of this competition had lost a close friend and mentor in Gary Speed on Sunday. Even in victory, football must still have felt trivial.
The forward had been too distraught to play any part in the visit of Manchester City to Anfield that day. This was a wonderful return to action in those desperate circumstances, with Bellamy setting up each of his side's goals to smooth their passage into the semi-finals at Chelsea's expense. When he was substituted 11 minutes from time there were handshakes of appreciation offered by team-mates, and a bear hug from his manager waiting on the touchline. "For someone to come back and play like that …" said Kenny Dalglish, his admiration clear as he drifted into a mumble. Speed would have approved.
Bellamy's poise and delivery had epitomised Liverpool's second-half dominance here, the more imposing of the two selections eventually stamping some authority on a scrappy contest. The home side might have opened the scoring and changed the complexion of the night but Florent Malouda's shot bounced up and off the crossbar, with Sebastián Coates stifling David Luiz's header from the rebound. Liverpool, so aggrieved at having to play just 48 hours after hosting the league leaders, duly snapped out of their slumbers to settle the tie.
Their breaks downfield cut swathes through Chelsea's back line. David Luiz and Ryan Bertrand were bypassed by Jordan Henderson's slide-rule pass that liberated Bellamy down the right, with the forward's delivery across the six-yard box unselfish and inviting. Maxi Rodríguez, a player who so relishes scoring significant goals in the capital and had scored here just nine days previously, converted with ease and the Londoners were floored. The second, a free header from Martin Kelly off Bellamy's free-kick, was softly shipped. These remain testing times for whatever back line is put out by André Villas-Boas.
The Portuguese has now overseen three defeats in four home matches, a troubling statistic with such a decisive Champions League group game to come here against Valencia on Tuesday. This selection had been youthful, maintaining a policy consistent through their three-match involvement in this competition, though the only real mark left by any of the juniors came courtesy of Romelu Lukaku's studs on Henderson's shin just before the interval. Mystifyingly, the referee, Phil Dowd, booked the 5ft 10in Ryan Bertrand for the challenge, as opposed to the 6ft 4in Belgian, with the full-back having dived in from the other side. That summed up the official's rather slapdash first-half display.
The game should have yielded three penalties in the opening quarter, only for Dowd to leave most people perplexed. Only 165 seconds had elapsed when a backheel from Josh McEachran, whose appearance had been eagerly anticipated only for the teenager to hobble from the fray before the interval, sent David Luiz into the area. Coates's lunge was horribly telegraphed, missing the ball and making clear contact with the Brazilian as he eased beyond him, only for Dowd to deem David Luiz guilty of a dive. The centre-half was booked and might still have been feeling aggrieved five minutes later when he blatantly shoved Andy Carroll in the back as the striker leapt to reach José Enrique's cross.
Yet, once again, the offence was ignored and even the subsequent decision to grant the game's solitary spot-kick was confused. José Enrique's cross was aimed again at Carroll, with Alex edging in front of the forward but jumping with his left arm raised. The ball deflected off the hand only for the officials to freeze while Liverpool players cried foul. Indecision reigned for fully five seconds before the offence was confirmed. Carroll, a player so eager to justify his £35m worth, slapped the kick down the centre when he was permitted to proceed, with Ross Turnbull blocking smartly as he dived to his right.
Carroll recovered his poise thereafter, his muscular presence putting the anaemic Fernando Torres to shame in the opposing ranks, as Liverpool steadily exposed the hosts' brittle confidence.
Dalglish described his striker as "brilliant". "He worked for the team and was fantastic," said the manager. "But every one of my players can look at his own performance and be delighted."
Chief among them would be Bellamy. These are difficult times, but there was pride to be had in this display.
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Telegraph:
Chelsea 0 Liverpool 2
By Jason Burt, Deputy Football Correspondent at Stamford Bridge
The Carling Cup doesn’t matter — as Roman Abramovich told Andre Villas-Boas — and theChelsea manager is apparently not in danger of losing his job.
Yet. But he is losing too many matches and that simply can’t continue. This was another defeat, another seeping of much-needed confidence, another questioning of the “new Chelsea” promised by the new man, another question mark over where the club is heading.
It may well be the fourth competition in terms of Abramovich’s priorities and, in truth, it doesn’t really matter but it was a third home defeat in four — and another to Liverpool, who deservedly swept into the semi-finals, and whose manager Kenny Dalglish maintained his astonishing record of dominating Chelsea (10 wins and three draws in two spells).
Liverpool prevailed with a remarkable performance from Craig Bellamy, playing just two days after the death of his mentor Gary Speed, and the creator of both goals. Neither were celebrated by Bellamy who turned away from his team-mates for his own private moment.
The result makes it five defeats in nine matches for Chelsea and Villas-Boas, who now face an away trip to vibrant Newcastle United in the Premier League and then a must-win Champions League tie at home to Valencia.
December could be the defining month with Chelsea also facing Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur. The message from the club’s hierarchy is that they are trying not to panic.
Chelsea’s mantra is that the club must always remain competitive but this wasn’t competitive. Where there were pluses all over the pitch for Liverpool — Sebastian Coates, Martin Kelly, even Andy Carroll — for Chelsea there were minuses, with Fernando Torres woeful and Romelu Lukaku, even worse. The only negative for Liverpool was a knee injury to the peerless Lucas, who was carried off on a stretcher. It looked like ligament damage and there will be anxiety if that prognosis is confirmed given just how vital the Brazilian is to the prospects of a Liverpool team who are shaping up to be genuine contenders. They are organised, committed and conditioned whereas Chelsea appear ragged and, to an extent, dispirited and only rallied once they had fallen two goals behind.
The game was also made all the more spikier by a poor performance by referee Phil Dowd, who awarded one penalty under controversial circumstances and could have given three more in a chaotic first-half. It opened with the colourful David Luiz slaloming into the Liverpool area, appearing to be caught by Coates only for Dowd to book the Chelsea defender for diving.
That caused confusion, and soon after, Luiz escaped when he shoved Carroll in the back — only for Dowd to wave away the penalty appeals. Almost immediately, Liverpool were appealing again and this time Dowd eventually relented after Alex, with an outstretched arm, blocked Jose Enrique’s cross.
At first Dowd gave nothing but following pressure from Liverpool — or perhaps radio confirmation in his earpiece — he pointed to the spot. Carroll drove the penalty firmly but far too straight and Ross Turnbull saved.
There was still more controversy to come. Luiz appeared to catch Carroll inside the area — again Dowd didn’t react. He booked Ryan Bertrand, though, rather than Lukaku, who had caught Jordan Henderson with a high, reckless tackle. Henderson carried on but, unfortunately, Chelsea lost Josh McEachran to an ankle injury which dismantled their midfield diamond.
Chelsea lacked a cutting edge — Lukaku headed wastefully over and there was a slice of fortune for Liverpool when Florent Malouda met Frank Lampard’s free-kick only for his header to skim off the crossbar. Coates made a hash of the clearance, presenting the ball to Luiz, but chested away the Brazilian’s goal-bound header. Chelsea soon paid for the miss.
If anything the pace increased — and Liverpool struck through Maxi Rodríguez. His goal, however, owed much to Chelsea’s defensive failings with Bertrand caught out as Henderson played in Bellamy with both Alex and Luiz at fault as the striker crossed for the Argentinian to turn the ball beyond Turnbull.
Villas-Boas had seen enough and prepared to make changes. But before he could, his defence crumbled again. Bellamy, again, was the provider, swinging in a free-kick which was met by Martin Kelly who headed into the net to spark more Chelsea recriminations after he was left unmarked by Lukaku. Pepe Reina saved Torres’s header and substitute Nicolas Anelka was denied after rounding the goalkeeper but Chelsea simply couldn’t reply. And that will have really hurt.
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Mail:
Chelsea 0 Liverpool 2: Villas-Boas loses a lifeline as Blues dumped out of Carling Cup
By MATT LAWTON
By the time this contest reached the interval, it seemed Andre Villas-Boas' luck was finally changing. Chelsea's manager argued to the contrary, pointing to the fact that his side would have had the first of three penalties that should have been awarded.
But after 45 minutes he could have been a man as well as a goal down and it was only because of referee Phil Dowd's pure incompetence - mistakes as well as a bizarre case of mistaken identity - that he was not.
These, however, are dark days for Villas-Boas and two second-half Liverpool goals condemned Chelsea to a fifth defeat in nine games and left the 34-year-old Portuguese under intense pressure.
Even if he still thinks he retains the support of Roman Abramovich, Villas-Boas must recognise the importance of the next two or three games. A trip to Newcastle this weekend is unlikely to be easy, while an encounter with Valencia could finish him if his team are eliminated from the Champions League as well as the Carling Cup.
And after that, if he is still in a job? Well it's Manchester City and Tottenham either side of a rather less daunting trip to Wigan.
Did defeat matter that much when it was the Carling Cup? When Villas-Boas, much like Kenny Dalglish, selected a much-changed side for the quarter-final that included an inept Fernando Torres against a similarly unimpressive Andy Carroll? Well, yes it did, and not just because he needed to arrest this appalling run and restore some confidence.
Villas-Boas could also do with landing a trophy as quickly as possible, and this competition was the first opportunity. The weekend win against Wolves was nothing more than a brief break from the misery for Villas-Boas, Liverpool inflicting a second defeat in nine days at Stamford Bridge thanks to goals from Maxi Rodriguez and Martin Kelly.
Liverpool were so much better, and Chelsea's defending was so abject. It was only because of Dowd that they were not punished sooner. Yes, his first mistake was to miss the very obvious foul Sebastian Coates committed on David Luiz inside the Liverpool area. But my how Dowd's bizarre decision-making favoured Chelsea after that, not least when he booked Ryan Bertrand for a Romelu Lukaku challenge on Jordan Henderson that was worth a straight red.
The opening 10 minutes were memorable only for the astonishing leniency Dowd displayed in failing to award clear penalties to both teams.
After executing a delightful one-two with Josh McEachran, the marauding Luiz burst into the Liverpool box only to have his progress halted by a reckless challenge from the otherwise excellent Coates. The Uruguayan took the man rather than the ball, though not in Dowd's eyes.
Luiz was then guilty of a blatant shove in Andy Carroll's back as the Liverpool striker moved to meet a cross from Jose Enrique, but again Dowd missed the foul. It made what happened in the 21st minute all the more bizarre.
Dowd was right to award the penalty to Liverpool. Alex, just awful in this game, had indeed diverted a cross from Enrique away from Carroll with his left arm. But there was a delay in the decision, Dowd only pointing to the spot after Carroll had sprinted to him to complain.
There appeared to be no signal from the assistants but the reaction of the Chelsea bench seemed to point to the possible involvement of the fourth official. That Carroll missed the penalty - his poor effort was saved comfortably by Ross Turnbull - defused the row that was fast developing on the touchline.
On the pitch there was plenty of commitment, too, not least from Craig Bellamy. Visibly emotional when Stamford Bridge paid tribute to Gary Speed, the Welshman performed in a manner that suggested he was playing for two managers, and the fact that he provided the final ball for both goals was to his considerable credit.
There was a warm hug from Dalglish as he left the field in recognition of the courage of a grief-stricken man who could not even contemplate playing against Manchester City on Sunday.
Here Lukaku then benefited from Dowd's lack of judgment, because he really should have gone for the manner in which he planted his right boot on Henderson's ankle.
But good fortune was not Villas-Boas's companion for much longer. In the 55th minute Florent Malouda diverted a Frank Lampard free-kick on to the bar before Coates cleared Luiz's effort from the rebound off the line.
Three minutes after that, Liverpool scored, a rapidly executed move that started with a fine ball from Henderson and continued with a super delivery from Bellamy ending with a simple finish for the Argentine that was made all the easier by the absence of Alex.
Villas-Boas responded by ordering Nicolas Anelka and Juan Mata to get stripped for action, but before he could get them on Liverpool had scored a second.
Again Bellamy was the provider, delivering the free-kick that Kelly rose unopposed - Alex had once more gone missing - to head home. Delight for Dalglish. Disaster for Villas-Boas.
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Mirror:
Chelsea 0-2 Liverpool: Reds heap pressure on AVB
By Martin Lipton
Victory, at a price that might be very costly.
But on a night when Kenny Dalglish's enduring affair with both the Carling Cup and his favourite opponents continued, Andre Villas-Boas plunged deeper into the mire.
Inspired by Craig Bellamy and - until his worrying knee injury - Lucas Leiva and despite the best efforts of blunder ref Phil Dowd, Liverpool moved to within 180 minutes of their first Wembley appearance since 1996.
Villas-Boas, though, took an equally big step nearer the Stamford Bridge exit door, next week's Champions League date with Valencia emerging as, truly, football "life or death" for the Portuguese.
What was teed up as the battle of the flops, with Fernando Torres and Andy Carroll adding up to £85million-worth of under-achievement, was transformed into a tale of two managers.
The best of times for Dalglish, revelling in his second coming at Anfield, relishing his second win at Stamford Bridge in nine days and making it 13 unbeaten against Chelsea in his two spells as Liverpool manager.
But the worst of times for Villas-Boas, who could never have conceived of five defeats in nine matches when he was building his team of Porto invincibles 12 months ago.
For the Chelsea boss, the next three games, at Newcastle then home to Valencia and Manchester City, will surely determine his length of tenure in SW6, no matter that Roman Abramovich and the Blues board are desperate to back him.
Their faith, like that of the Bridge fans who jeered their displeasure at the final whistle, has been shaken and shocked by the disintegration of Chelsea's season.
And while Villas-Boas' team-sheet - missing John Terry, Didier Drogba, Ashley Cole and others - gave him an alibi last night, the jury is ready to consider a guilty verdict.
Not that Villas-Boas, for all his misplaced optimism in Ryan Bertrand, Romelu Lukaku and the unfortunate Josh McEachran, was the most guilty party on display.
Nor, despite a performance that made Carroll look good - and, in truth, despite playing against Alex and David Luiz, he wasn't - was Torres, even if the Spaniard now cuts a diminished, peripheral, unrecognisable figure, failing to make any impact at all.
That badge of shame must go to Dowd, who gave arguably the worst officiating performance witnessed at the Bridge since Tom Henning Ovrebo cheated Chelsea out of a Champions League Final appearance in 2009.
In the first half alone, Dowd missed two stone-wall penalties and then rightly gave a third only after he was surrounded by furious Liverpool players, could have given another as well and booked Bertrand for what was a potential red card foul by Lukaku instead.
The first came when Luiz was downed by Sebastian Coates, with the Brazilian ludicrously booked for diving, although the Chelsea man instantly got away with one when he barged Carroll in the back.
Dowd did give a spot-kick when Alex unaccountably raised his arm as Carroll met another searching Luis Enrique centre, although he initially gave a goal kick before changing his decision completely as Liverpool vented their disbelief.
Carroll's penalty was smashed straight at Ross Turnbull and Liverpool might have paid the price when Florent Malouda volleyed down and up onto the barf with Coates throwing himself in front of Luiz's rebound.
Enter Bellamy. The Welshman, paying his own tribute to Gary Speed, exposed Chelsea's high defensive line when he received from Jordan Henderson - the victim of Lukaku's earlier lunge - and then, just as in the league game, set up Maxi Rodriguez for a tap-in.
And before Villas-Boas could send on the reinforcements, Bellamy was at it again, drawing a foul from Ramires on the left and delivering the free-kick into the danger-zone where Martin Kelly, between the ball-watching Luiz and Lukaku, glanced home.
No way back for Chelsea, with only Lucas' injury, after a clash with Juan Mata, clouding Dalglish's evening.
The storm clouds, though, are gathering darker still over Villas-Boas, his hold on the job looking more fragile with every passing week.
He has never been in this situation before. It looks that way as well.
==============================
Sun:
Chelsea 0 Liverpool 2
By MARK IRWIN
ANDRE VILLAS-BOAS warns that Chelsea's season faces total meltdown after being taunted with chants of 'You're getting sacked in the morning' by gloating Liverpool fans.
His side have now lost five of their last nine games, a damning statistic which is testing the patience of owner Roman Abramovich to the limit.
Next up are three vital games against Newcastle and Manchester City in the league and Valencia in a decisive Champions League clash.
And unless AVB can raise his team's level of performance way beyond this, he is in serious trouble.
The under-fire Portuguese boss admitted: "The Champions League game against Valencia next week is life or death and this standard of performance won't be enough.
"This was far inferior to the game we played against Wolves and Liverpool were the superior team tonight.
"We've just not been good enough at home and have become anxious about playing at Stamford Bridge. For our challenge to stay alive, we need to make the most of our December fixtures and they include Newcastle, Manchester City and Tottenham as well as Valencia."
Second-half goals from Maxi Rodriguez and Martin Kelly booked Liverpool into the Carling Cup semi-finals and kept them on track for a record eighth win in this competition.
They could even afford a missed first-half penalty as they extended their unbeaten run to 11 games, including two victories at Stamford Bridge in the space of nine days.
And it was achieved with such ease that it made a mockery of Kenny Dalglish's pre-match concerns about the timing of this tie.
Kop manager Dalglish was so angry about playing two days after facing Manchester City in the league that he had told Reds fans to think twice about travelling to London as he may be forced to 'play the kids'.
But 5,000 Scousers ignored his advice and — surprise, surprise — Dalglish didn't use the kids at all.
True, he did make seven changes from the City game. But the return of Jamie Carragher, Andy Carroll, Maxi and Craig Bellamy hardly left Liverpool short of experience.
Bellamy had missed Sunday's game following the death of his Wales boss Gary Speed and was visibly moved during the minute's applause before the game.
But if there was sympathy for Bellamy from the travelling fans, there was none for the return of Fernando Torres after a run of three games on the Chelsea bench.
The Spanish international will never be forgiven for leaving Anfield last season despite his £50m price tag and alarming lack of goals since his move to Stamford Bridge.
Yet if Torres had a point to prove against his old club, he had a funny way of showing it as he flitted around but rarely got involved.
Chelsea chief AVB even binned his favoured 4-3-3 formation for a midfield diamond in a bid to get the best from his £180,000-a-week striker.
Yet the end result was depressingly familiar as Torres failed to make any kind of impact and was once again totally anonymous. The same accusation could hardly be levelled at David Luiz, who arrived at the Bridge the same day as Torres — and has had the fans on the edge of their seats ever since.
The unpredictable Brazilian defender was convinced he should have had a penalty when he went down under Sebastian Coates' third-minute challenge after bursting on to Josh McEachran's backheel.
But all he got was a booking for diving — and three minutes later he was lucky to escape further punishment for a blatant push on Carroll in his own area.
Fellow centre-half Alex was not so lucky midway through the first half when he stuck out an arm to stop Jose Enrique's cross reaching Carroll.
Ref Phil Dowd initially seemed to award a goal-kick and it was only after furious protests that he pointed to the penalty spot.
It was the correct decision, however slowly it was reached, but Carroll's spot-kick went straight down the middle and was saved comfortably by Ross Turnbull.
Carroll, like Torres, has managed just five goals in 10 months with his new club and has also failed to justify his club-record fee.
Between them the pair cost a staggering £85m in transfer fees and have so far pocketed £11m in wages.
Nice work if you can get it.
But, if Carroll and Torres were having a bad night, it was nothing compared to Dowd. He hardly managed to get a decision right all night.
The ref's biggest gaffe came before the break when Jordan Henderson was flattened by a horrific Romelu Lukaku tackle which ended in a booking... for Ryan Bertrand.
With both teams eager to avoid extra-time, it was inevitable the tie would open up after the break.
Florent Malouda hit the bar from a Frank Lampard free-kick and Luiz's follow-up was blocked on the line.
But Chelsea were always vulnerable to the quick counter and were ruthlessly punished on 58 minutes.
Henderson's pass gave Bellamy room to thread the ball right across the face of goal for Maxi to outstrip the lumbering Alex to sidefoot home.
It was the winger's second goal at the Bridge in nine days.
This time there was to be no Chelsea response as Liverpool extended their lead on 63 minutes. Again Bellamy was provider, picking out Martin Kelly with a free-kick which the full-back, 21, headed home totally free of any Chelsea challenge.
Liverpool are going from strength to strength while Chelsea go from bad to worse. You fear it's going to end in tears.
DREAM TEAM RATINGS
STAR MAN — JORDAN HENDERSON (Liverpool)
CHELSEA: Turnbull 7, Bosingwa 6, Luiz 5, Alex 4, Bertrand 6, Lampard 6, Romeu 6, McEachran 6 (Ramires 5), Malouda 5 (Anelka 5), Torres 4, Lukaku 5 (Mata 5). Subs not used: Hilario, Ivanovic, Ferreira, Kalou. Booked: Luiz, Alex, Malouda, Bertrand, Ramires.
LIVERPOOL: Reina 6, Kelly 7, Carragher 7, Coates 6, Jose Enrique 7, Henderson 8, Lucas 7 (Adam 6), Spearing 7, Maxi 7 (Skrtel 5), Bellamy 7 (Kuyt 5), Carroll 5. Subs not used: Doni, Suarez, Downing, Flanagan. Booked: Coates.
================================
Star:
CHELSEA 0 - LIVERPOOL 2: MAXI POWER FLATTENS AVB
Maxi Rodriguez popped up to score his second goal of the season
By Adrian Kajumba
ANDRE VILLAS-BOAS was left cursing Maxi Rodriguez for the second time last night.
The Argentinian popped up to score his second goal of the season – nine days after scoring the first goal in Liverpool’s 2-1 Premier League win at Stamford Bridge.
Maxi’s opener from Craig Bellamy’s cross put Liverpool in the driving seat after 58 minutes.
And Kenny Dalglish’s men booked their semi-final spot when Martin Kelly nodded in No.2 just five minutes later, from another Bellamy cross.
By that stage Andy Carroll’s first-half penalty miss was a distant memory.
But things look bleak for Blues boss Villas-Boas, who was already under huge pressure after overseeing Chelsea’s worst start to a season under owner Roman Abramovich.
And it made his gamble of sending out his kids for this Carling Cup quarter-final a spectacular failure.
Ryan Bertrand, 22, and 18-year-olds Josh McEachran and Romelu Lukaku were all handed their third starts of the season, while Oriol Romeu kept his place in midfield after featuring against Wolves.
There was a rare start for struggling Spaniard Fernando Torres, the former Liverpool star who had started the last four games on the bench.
Dalglish has happy memories of the League Cup, having won it four times as a Liverpool player in the 1980s.
But the Scot reckoned the authorities and TV were threatening his chances of winning it again – and ending Liverpool’s six year-trophy drought into the bargain.
Dalglish was fuming his side were forced to face Chelsea just 48 hours after their titanic League tussle with Manchester City.
But despite his complaints, the powers-that-be wouldn’t budge and it was no surprise he made seven changes in total.
It was still a strong Liverpool side, though, spearheaded by £35m Carroll whose inclusion made it a battle of the big-money flops with £50m Torres.
Welshman Bellamy was also recalled after being left out of the City draw following the shock death of close friend Gary Speed.
Both sides survived strong penalty shouts inside the first seven minutes.
Referee Phil Dowd booked David Luiz for diving rather than pointing to the spot after the Brazillian seemed to be tripped in the box after three minutes.
Then Luiz got away with a needless shove in the back of Carroll as the pair jumped for Jose Enrique’s cross.
Dowd had another penalty appeal to deal with after 20 minutes and this time he gave it – though how he reached his final decision was a huge mystery.
Alex handled as he leapt under pressure from Carroll to reach another Enrique left-wing delivery in the 20th minute.
Neither Dowd, who was set to give Liverpool a corner, or his assistant appeared to see the incident.
But then he pointed to the spot after consulting his fellow official and being surrounded by Liverpool’s furious players.
After all that Carroll wasted the chance to give Liverpool the lead, blasting his effort straight at stand-in keeper Ross Turnbull. A tense first half of few chances was drifting towards the interval until it burst into life again.
Lukaku was lucky to stay on the pitch after an X-rated, studs-up challenge on Jordan Henderson.
But blundering Dowd showed the yellow card to the wrong man as Bertrand found his name in the book instead.
The official was probably breathing a huge sigh of relief along with Liverpool when Lukaku’s header from Jose Bosingwa’s cross looped wide at the end of a tense first half.
There was another nearly moment for Chelsea early in the second half, when they were twice inches away from going in front in the same attack. Frank Lampard’s free-kick from the right was headed against the bar by Florent Malouda.
Luiz was following up but his header was then blocked on the line by defender Sebastian Coates.
But Liverpool’s two goals in five minutes mean that it’s the Merseysiders who march into the last four of the competition.
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Express :
CHELSEA 0 LIVERPOOL 2: CRAIG BELLAMY OFFERS UP SPECIAL TRIBUTE
By Tony Banks
CRAIG BELLAMY hauled himself out of the depths of grief after the death of his friend Gary Speed to inspire Liverpool to the semi-finals with an astonishing show.
Fiery Welshman Bellamy simply could not play against Manchester City on Sunday, so shattered was he by the Wales manager’s tragic death.
But last night Bellamy, so often the scourge of Chelsea, was fuelled by the fire of performing for his friend as he created the strikes that turfed out ragged Chelsea.
At the same time, the goals he set up for Maxi Rodriguez and Martin Kelly pushed hapless Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas one step nearer the sack.
That will not come after this latest setback – but for the second time in nine days he saw his side dismantled by Liverpool. And the sands of time are now running out.
This was the battle of the expensive flops – £50million Fernando Torres recalled to the Chelsea line-up and £35m Andy Carroll leading the Liverpool line.
Kenny Dalglish – whose team had finished their home clash with Manchester City 48 hours before this, prompting some major grumbling from him – and Villas-Boas rang the changes.
The Blues, who had won only three of their previous eight games before last night, gave rare chances to Ryan Bertrand, Josh McEachran and Ross Turnbull, while Liverpool summoned up both Jay Spearing and Sebastien Coates. Bellamy, stunned and upset by Speed’s death at the weekend, took his place on the left.
These teams met only nine days before last night, Liverpool inflicting yet more pain on the under-pressure Villas-Boas with a 2-1 league win at Stamford Bridge.
Torres, after a four-game gap without a start, had to make do with a spot on the right last night, as Belgian teenager Romelu Lukaku took the central berth. Between them, Torres and Carroll had netted just 10 goals from 55 appearances before last night. Value for money?
Chelsea were robbed of a penalty after just two minutes, when David Luiz surged into the box and was brought down by Coates.
Incredibly, referee Phil Dowd waved away Chelsea’s appeals and booked the Brazilian for diving. Then, at the other end, Luiz appeared to blatantly shove Carroll in the back – and that was not given either.
The hosts were playing a so-far unseen – under Villas-Boas at least – diamond formation, with McEachran at the point.
Liverpool, with the more experienced team, looked the stronger early on. A penalty was awarded after 20 minutes – and, amazingly, given Dowd’s performance until then, it was given correctly, as Alex inexplicably handled a cross from Jose Enrique.
Dowd took a long time to award the spot-kick, being surrounded by appealing players. But eventually he did so after appearing to consult his linesman via his earpiece.
However, Carroll blasted his penalty too close to Turnbull, and the Chelsea keeper pulled off a superb save. Manager Dalglish was left to hold his head in his hands.
McEachran, unluckily for him with opportunities so rare, then had to limp off with an ankle problem. Ramires came on and gave Chelsea more pace but perhaps less precision.
Keeper Pepe Reina dived at Florent Malouda’s feet to save, before Lukaku nodded just over the bar. But Dowd was having an utterly wretched game.
As well as missing those two blatant penalties and having to be helped to give the right decision for the third shout, he then booked Bertrand for a horrible, over-the-top tackle on Jordan Henderson when it should have been Lukaku, And it should have been a red card.
Apart from when Dowd got involved, it was a tight, tense game with few chances.
Bellamy exploded into action several times, but too often his final pass was wayward. But then Malouda’s header from Frank Lampard’s free-kick bounced off the crossbar and, when the ball came down, Luiz saw a header blocked on the line by Coates.
But Henderson then found Bellamy in yards of space on the right – and this time the Welshman got it right.
He cut in and angled his low pass to the far post, where Rodriguez buried an easy chance. The same combination had done for Chelsea in the league game.
Once again Chelsea’s defending was exposed. And once again, as so often in recent years, Bellamy was the man who had punished them. Whether playing for City or Liverpool, he is a figure the Londoners fear.
He settled victory just five minutes after setting up the opener, his accurate free-kick from the left looping criminally over the woefully out of position Luiz. There was Kelly to head home the second goal. Bellamy did not celebrate, though, just walking back on his own.
But those cold winds swirling around Villas-Boas are getting chillier.
Chelsea (4-3-3): Turnbull; Bosingwa, Luiz, Alex, Bertrand; Lampard, Romeu, McEachran (Ramires 41); Malouda (Anelka 64), Torres, Lukaku (Mata 74). Booked: Luiz, Malouda, Bertrand, Alex, Ramires.
Liverpool (4-4-2): Reina; Kelly, Coates, Carragher, Jose Enrique; Henderson, Spearing, Lucas (Adam 70), Rodriguez (Skrtel 89); Bellamy (Kuyt 79), Carroll. Booked: Coates. Goals: Rodriguez 58, Kelly 63.
Referee: P Dowd (Staffordshire).
