arsenal 2-1

Independent:

Leaders turn on the style as Arsenal rue missed chances
Arsenal 1 Chelsea 2:
Goals from Fernando Torres and Juan Mata see unbeaten Chelsea capitalise on Arsenal's defensive frailties from set-pieces to inflict a first defeat of the season for Arsène Wenger's side

Steve Tongue

A fixture invariably flush with goals and incident provided both, plus a significant result: by inflicting a first defeat of the season on Arsenal, Chelsea preserved their unbeaten record and League leadership. The outcome of an exciting derby may have been determined by two set-piece goals – both following free-kicks taken by Juan Mata – but it was essentially a just one, rich reward for the way the west London side matched the north Londoners' football and proved more solid defensively to move seven points above them in the table.

For the second Saturday running they left out Frank Lampard, who did not qualify for even a few minutes' appearance money, and this time the use of three creative players strung across midfield just behind Fernando Torres worked far better than in the fortunate victory at home to Stoke City. Eden Hazard was more disciplined on the left than a week earlier and, when he did move across, linked up cleverly with Mata and the mercurial young Brazilian Oscar.

Thus far, then, Roberto Di Matteo is bringing off the enviable trick demanded by Chelsea's owner Roman Abramovich of not only winning but doing so in style. "I'm very pleased with the performance," he said. "We came here to take the initiative and I think we won deservedly. It gives the players confidence and belief that we can play differently. We've had a good start and hopefully we can build on that, but we know how much work there still is to do in integrating the new players."
They are currently achieving that a little better than Arsenal, who have a gem in Santi Cazorla as their own playmaker, but cannot be entirely sure of the best way to build around him. Neither Olivier Giroud, who again missed a late chance, or Lukas Podolski have been convincing; Arsène Wenger, a little stubbornly, continues to pick Aaron Ramsey on the right instead of Theo Walcott, although he is not a natural wide player.
Now he has lost Abou Diaby for another three weeks with a thigh strain. The Frenchman hobbled off after fewer than 20 minutes, which did at least allow Ramsey to revert to his proper position; Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, rather than Walcott, came on, the latter having to wait until the last quarter of the game to appear along with Giroud.
Wenger's two complaints were that Chelsea had few real chances and that his defence dealt badly with those that did materialise. He might also have blamed the concession of unnecessary free-kicks in the final third, a fault that his returning captain, Thomas Vermaelen, was prone to. That was how the first goal came about in the 20th minute. Mata swung the free-kick into a dangerous area where David Luiz had been left unmarked and although the ball passed beyond him, Torres won his penalty-area wrestling match with Laurent Koscielny, leaving the Arsenal defender facing the wrong way as he hooked in a clever shot for his fifth goal of the season.
Torres should have added another two minutes later but was left vainly claiming a penalty instead. He brushed Koscielny aside, outpaced him and veered round the goalkeeper, Vito Mannone, before producing an air-shot. His claims to have been fouled by a retreating Koscielny had no substance. Gervinho's goal just before the interval ought, therefore, to have merely been offering Arsenal a little hope, but turned out to be an equaliser.

Oxlade-Chamberlain made it, staying calm on the right to pick out Gervinho, whose fine turn and finish brought his fourth goal of the campaign; as many as in the whole of last season. So Arsenal and their supporters finished the half on a high, only to be cast down again within 10 minutes of the restart. Once more Vermaelen gave away a free-kick, earning one of the afternoon's five yellow cards in the process. Mata lined it up some 30 yards out and this time kept the ball lower, tempting Koscielny into a lunge and a slight touch that left his goalkeeper on the wrong foot.
From then on Arsenal pressed and Chelsea countered swiftly and dangerously. "To come back in every game is difficult," Wenger lamented. "It's impossible because you have all the risk and they can hit you on the counter-attack." They did just that, although only in between some fine goalkeeping.
Petr Cech made two excellent saves, firstly as Podolski headed a cross by Kieran Gibbs, and then as Giroud's shot took a slight deflection. The expensive French striker, who has yet to find his feet in London, could have made himself a local hero in added time; sent through by Oxlade-Chamberlain, he seemed to have eluded Cech but could only hit the side-netting rather than the jackpot.

Arsenal (4-2-3-1): Mannone; Jenkinson, Koscielny, Vermaelen,Gibbs; Arteta, Diaby (Oxlade-Chamberlain, 17); Ramsey (Walcott, 66), Cazorla, Podolski (Giroud, 66); Gervinho.
Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Cech; Ivanovic, Terry, Luiz (Cahill, 81), Cole; Ramires, Mikel; Mata (Bertrand, 84), Oscar (Moses, 73), Hazard; Torres.

Referee: Martin Atkinson
Man of the match: Hazard (Chelsea)
Match rating: 8/10


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Observer:

Juan Mata makes the difference as Chelsea edge out Arsenal

Amy Lawrence at the Emirates Stadium

In the blue corner, Chelsea's band of supporters needed no invitation to offer a reminder of who is London's top dog in terms of the European Cup. On the pitch, their players made the point that they are serious about reasserting themselves in the Premier League. They are certainly well placed to make a big improvement on last season's sixth place.

In inflicting Arsenal's first defeat of the season, Chelsea consolidated their position as Premier League pacesetters. They were helped along the way by some slack defending by the home team, for whom Laurent Koscielny started at the expense of the previously ever-present, and consistently calm, Per Mertesacker. Two set-pieces from the assured boot of Juan Mata did the damage. Fernando Torres dispatched the first with cunning. Koscielny helped the second on its way. It was enough. Chelsea looked like they had a gear in reserve.
Arsenal did not pose enough threat to claw their way back from two crucially loose moments. Indeed, they were flat enough to ensure the home support did not even rouse much sustained hostility for John Terry, who had an untroubled 90 minutes. The pantomime booing petered out once Chelsea took the lead.
Arsenal had been frustrated by their weakness at a set piece to give Manchester City the lead last Sunday. There was not much tangible improvement here. "We gave away two soft set pieces and we were punished," said Arsène Wenger, who was very agitated as his team were outmanoeuvred at both ends of the pitch. "The difference between us and Chelsea in the air was obvious." There may have been improvements this season, but a familiar problem came back to haunt them at an untimely moment.
Chelsea's first decisive free-kick exposed how Arsenal still have issues to iron out concerning their organisation when facing dead balls. Mata's delivery arced towards the far post, over a leap from an unmarked David Luiz, and Torres got the better of Koscielny to supply a clever, instinctive finish. He wrapped his leg around the defender to clip a volley past Vito Mannone.
Torres ought to have given Chelsea an even more emphatic advantage moments later when he ghosted behind the dawdling Koscielny and bore down on Mannone's goal. A 2-0 scoreline felt inevitable, only for the Spaniard to kick thin air instead of the ball. There were other scares before half-time as the inventive Oscar and Eden Hazard crafted chances, while Torres grazed the side-netting.
Chelsea were relaxed, barely stretched as Arsenal strained to build momentum in their passing. They were not helped by an injury to Abou Diaby, who limped off in the 16th minute, which disrupted the pattern Arsenal have established in midfield this season. The Frenchman damaged a muscle in his thigh, which Wenger assessed will keep him out for three weeks. Home frustrations were evident when Thomas Vermaelen lumped in a hopeful shot from 40 yards out. Roberto Di Matteo noted how his newly styled midfield worked well to snuff Arsenal out. "We didn't allow Arsenal to get into any rhythm," he said.

They did keep plugging away, though, and were rewarded when Gervinho – hitherto giving a fairly ineffective impression of a false nine – took a deft touch to swivel on to Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain's pass and drill the equaliser high into the net. Chelsea's determination was palpable. They emerged after half-time keen to make the most of the combination of their three tricksters – Mata, Oscar and Hazard – floating behind the runs of Torres. It was not so pleasing on the eye, though, to see David Luiz trying to win a penalty with an act of blatant simulation, for which he was booked. "He went down, but I don't think he appealed for anything," said Di Matteo. "I'm against diving. It's not something I encourage."
Lukas Podolski needed to get more involved and his driving run opened up Chelsea, only for Santi Cazorla to slice his effort wide. Chelsea eased back in front with another set piece that left Arsenal cursing. Mata's delivery was again excellent, but Koscielny's miserable afternoon worsened when the ball skimmed his shin and past Mannone at the far post.

Di Matteo was enthused to see Mata back at his influential best. "The break we gave him did him good," he explained. "He played at the Euros and went straight to the Olympic Games. If we didn't give him a break, it could have had an effect."
Wenger sent on Olivier Giroud and Theo Walcott, and although Giroud had three moments to seize the day, his Premier League pressures persisted. The Frenchman tested Cech with his first attempt, struck the crossbar (although the linesman had raised a flag) and, in stoppage time, he dinked past Cech only to angle his shot against the side-netting. "It was a top chance," said Wenger.
Chelsea may be changing, but Cech again proved his worth. "We have had a great start to the Premier League," Di Matteo said. "Hopefully we can be there at the end."



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Telegraph:

Arsenal 1 Chelsea 2

This was a match settled by Arsenal’s lame-duck inability to deal with set-pieces. Chelsea were worthy winners as they highlighted their Premier League title credentials by showing that, post-Didier Drogba, they can triumph at Arsenal.
Inevitably, the television cameras tracked the slow walk of Laurent Koscielny, who will be haunted by his torrid afternoon. At fault for both Chelsea’s goals, the defender failed utterly to vindicate Arsène Wenger’s decision to include him ahead of Per Mertesacker.
Wenger was a picture of frustration at the end. Having faced Manchester City last week, gaining a fine draw, and Chelsea this week he knew his players had failed the two-match “test” he had set them.
“Completely, yes,” Wenger acknowledged. “I feel we played against a good team but we gave the game away. They had three shots on target and scored two goals from set-pieces. Defensively we were not at the level we needed to be.
“When you play at home you do not expect to concede from two set-pieces. It puts us on the back-foot. It’s impossible because you then have to take all the risks against good players who can hit you on the counter-attack.”
Wenger went on to accuse his team of lacking “personality” while, to cap it all, he revealed that Abou Diaby, who pulled up injured in the first half, would be out for “at least three weeks” with a thigh injury.
So, the sound around the Emirates yesterday was the slow hiss of growing expectation being punctured.

For all of Arsenal’s early-season promise they defended wretchedly, they lacked bite in midfield and a cutting edge in attack. Olivier Giroud looked an awkward £12 million liability.
As resolute as Chelsea were, as much control as they clearly exerted, as magnificently creative as that tiny triumvirate of Eden Hazard, Oscar and, in particular, Juan Mata were, as brilliant as Ramires was, Arsenal still manufactured and wasted clear opportunities to claim a draw that they did not deserve.
For Fernando Torres this was, quite possibly, his best performance in a Chelsea shirt. He scored a superb goal, almost added a second and led the line cleverly, linking play and showing aggression.
He now has three Premier League goals – and it took him until March to achieve that mark last season.
“I’m enjoying more this season,” Torres said. “The kind of players I have behind me are giving me more support... we have shown with this different style of football that we can dream of having a great season again.”
This evolving Chelsea — new, young, hungry, counter-attacking, tricky — is succeeding without Frank Lampard. Once more the 33-year-old midfielder was relegated to the bench and cannot, any more, regard himself as first choice in what is surely his last season with the club.
John Terry was here and Ashley Cole also and neither were faultless. Chelsea are changing; the old guard is, bit by bit, being ushered out.

Chelsea’s first goal was a collective disaster for Arsenal with Thomas Vermaelen punished for a rash challenge. Mata took the free-kick, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain dozed, as he often does defensively, to allow David Luiz to break away and, in the confusion, Torres was simply too strong for Koscielny, hooking in a volley at the far post.
Soon after, Koscielny slipped, Torres ran free, delayed, took an air shot — claiming he was fouled by the backtracking defender — but rightly no penalty was given.
It was a let-off for Arsenal who suddenly, unexpectedly, drew level when Oxlade-Chamberlain scampered down the right and looked up to pick out Gervinho. This time Terry erred, allowing the striker space and Gervinho swivelled sharply to fire his shot into the roof of the net.
It was not exactly deserved and, on the stroke of half-time, Oscar drove wide before Torres slammed an effort into the side-netting.
And soon after Arsenal’s Santi Cazorla sliced a shot, Chelsea restored their lead.
Torres was fouled by Vermaelen and Mata curled in one of those dangerous cross-cum-shot free-kicks. Koscielny tried to intervene but only succeeded in distracting goalkeeper Vito Mannone as the ball skimmed off his knee and into net. Utterly hapless.
Arsenal tried to claw their way back but were open to Chelsea’s counter-attacks. Still, Petr Cech did superbly to push away Lukas Podolski’s header and, then, did even better to adjust and palm out a Giroud shot that spun up off Luiz’s heels towards goal. Cazorla side-footed over before, at the death, Oxlade-Chamberlain teed up Giroud who shot into the side-netting.
At the end, Chelsea milked the moment with, dare it be said, the swagger of a team who know they are going places.



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Mail:

Arsenal 1 Chelsea 2: Terry the rock as Gunners lose unbeaten record

By Rob Draper

He pumped his fist in that familiar, aggressive fashion as he ran towards the Chelsea fans before applauding them as he received their unmitigated praise.
But the show didn't end there. Off came the boots, as the captain made his way into the crowd, climbing over the hoardings and handing his footwear to two ecstatic boys in the front row.

John Terry was among friends, perhaps a rare feeling this week having been fined and banned by an FA disciplinary hearing for using racist language.

Eventually he had to turn back to reality, making his way to the tunnel, passing through hostile territory to the by now familiar chants of 'scum, scum,' although only from a handful of fans.
And Terry could endure that easily enough. As is so often the case, he had won his own victory.
His team had scored an important win and he had played well. For when his career comes to an end, he will not measure it in friendly testimonials from commentators: league titles, FA Cup wins, will dominate.
Possibly that Champions League medal will merit a mention, though the fact he did not play might be glossed over.
But Terry, for now, marches on, unapologetic, leading his Chelsea team with him. Chelsea remain unbeaten, top of the table and already seven points clear of Arsenal.
They are by no means flawless but there is a growing sense of cohesion about the club.
Again they did without Frank Lampard, fielding Juan Mata, Oscar and Eden Hazard.

Perhaps unsurprisingly against a higher quality team they fared better than they did against Stoke a week before, none more so than Mata, the instigator of this victory.
Ramires, too, was excellent. But Saturday's win was a mix of the old Chelsea and the new. There were neat dummies and the trademark reverse flick from behind the legs from Hazard and there were Mata and Fernando Torres, combining with Oscar in a more Latin link.
But there was also Terry's old Chelsea, the ugly, defiant one that refuses to let teams pass.
For when Arsene Wenger spoke of a lack of 'personality and authority' in his Arsenal team, you could not but think of Terry.
His human deficiencies are manifest, just as his footballing qualities are obvious. No Chelsea team under his direction would have conceded as Arsenal did on Saturday.
Roberto Di Matteo said he had considered resting Terry amid the controversy, but common sense prevailed. 'It was the right choice to pick him,' said the Chelsea boss. 'He showed his leadership qualities.'

As for Wenger, he was clearly infuriated. Had his team failed a test of their title credentials? 'Completely, yes,' he said. 'We gave the game away. They had three shots on target, scored two goals from two soft set-pieces.

'Defensively we were just not at the level you have to be in a big game like that. That's where we were punished.
'For the rest we showed quality, spirit, but we have to show more personality and authority on the goals we conceded.

'We didn't attack the ball, not on the first or the second goal. The difference between Chelsea and us on set-pieces in the air was obvious.

'When you play at home you do not expect to concede two set-pieces. It puts us every time on the back foot. We played two big games in one week and had to come back. It's difficult.

'Every time you are one goal down in a big game you have a 65 per cent chance of losing. We came back last week. We came back today - but straightaway give another goal away.
'It's impossible because you have to take all the risks and open yourself up.'

It was a frank assessment but undeniably true, with Laurent Koscielny, brought in for Per Mertesacker - who had started the season well - primarily, though not exclusively, at fault.

For Chelsea's first goal on 21 minutes, a free kick from the edge of the area was delightfully lofted by Mata towards the far post.
No one from Arsenal attacked the ball and as Torres and Koscielny wrestled – literally – for the ball, the Spaniard found an innovative way of winning the battle: simply hooking his leg round the Frenchman to direct the ball home.
Arsenal kept passing the ball persistently and on 43 minutes, Mikel Arteta set Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain free. He found Gervinho in space after Terry and David Luiz dropped deep.
Still, on last weekend's evidence, the Ivorian seemed an unlikely scorer, but he turned smartly and drove the ball in.

For Chelsea's first goal on 21 minutes, a free kick from the edge of the area was delightfully lofted by Mata towards the far post.
No one from Arsenal attacked the ball and as Torres and Koscielny wrestled – literally – for the ball, the Spaniard found an innovative way of winning the battle: simply hooking his leg round the Frenchman to direct the ball home.
Arsenal kept passing the ball persistently and on 43 minutes, Mikel Arteta set Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain free.

Yet you could sense the nervousness in Arsenal's defensive ranks when Chelsea were awarded a free kick on 54 minutes in an almost identical position to the one that had enabled them to open the scoring.
Mata curled it around the wall into the six-yard box and Koscielny, caught in a moment of indecision, ended up deflecting it in.
For Arsenal, Abou Diaby had limped off after 17 minutes, a thigh strain ruling him out for three weeks. Olivier Giroud's afternoon ended dismally when he sidestepped Petr Cech only to slice into the sidenetting.
No doubt Torres would sympathise.


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Mirror:

Arsenal 1-2 Chelsea: Gunners defence not so strong after all

Laurent Koscielny gifts the table topping Blues all three points with two terrible mistakes
By Matt Law

Given the events of the past few days, it was perhaps no surprise this was not a game for the defence.
John Terry captained ­Chelsea to victory two days after his defence against an FA charge of racism towards Anton Ferdinand had failed.
Read Andy Dunn's Big Match Verdict: Defiant John Terry refuses to keep a low profile
Chelsea manager Roberto Di Matteo claims he has been proved right to stand by captain Terry.
It was Terry and David Luiz who were caught out for ­Gervinho’s goal, but it did not prove costly as Arsenal ­defender Laurent Koscielny gifted Chelsea all three points with two terrible errors.
The victory maintained Chelsea’s unbeaten start to the season and meant Arsenal slipped to their first defeat.
It is far too early to declare this result proves Arsenal ­cannot challenge for the title, but Arsene Wenger knows his team cannot slip into the bad habit of conceding goals from set-pieces.
Terry was able to play while he waits for the written ­reasons for his four-game ban and £220,000 fine before ­deciding whether to appeal.
Wenger may go in search of some answers himself and would do well to ditch his policy of rotating his defence for specific games.
Wenger declared at the start of the season he would choose between Koscielny, Per ­Mertesacker and Thomas ­Vermaelen, depending on who Arsenal are facing.
Fine in theory, but ­yesterday’s evidence ­suggested Wenger may be ­better to settle on his best partnership and stick to it.
Mertesacker was dropped to the subs’ bench as Wenger believed Koscielny and ­Vermaelen would be better equipped to deal with Chelsea’s Fernando Torres, Juan Mata, Oscar and Eden Hazard.
But Wenger’s decision ­backfired as Koscielny had a day to forget and the change appeared to upset Arsenal’s ability to defend set-pieces.
An early injury to Abou Diaby did not help, either.
Koscielny was outmuscled by Torres to a Mata free-kick in the 20th minute and the Spaniard managed to wrap his foot around the defender to open the scoring for Chelsea.
Arsenal breathed a sigh of relief three minutes later, as Koscielny misjudged a long ball upfield by the visitors.
But Torres delayed and ­delayed before taking an air shot and falling over with just keeper Vito Mannone to beat.
Koscielny then undid ­Arsenal’s good work to get back into the match by ­turning another Mata free-kick past his own keeper eight minutes into the second half.
Arsenal had looked the more likely side to take the lead – before Koscielny’s second howler – after Gervinho had fired them level.
Diaby’s replacement Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain crossed from the right and Gervinho lost Terry and Luiz to swivel and shoot past Petr Cech.
And three minutes before Chelsea’s second goal, Santi Cazorla squandered a good opportunity, firing wastefully wide when Lukas Podolski’s cross was played straight into the midfielder’s path by ­Ashley Cole.
Once ahead, Chelsea were grateful to Cech on two ­occasions for maintaining the visitors’ lead.
First, he produced a ­wonderful save to keep out Podolski’s header and then Cech stretched out a hand to divert sub Olivier Giroud’s ­deflected effort wide.
Giroud then squandered a wonderful opportunity to grab a ­deserved draw. But it was Arsenal’s defending that proved their undoing.
Terry gave his boots to a grateful Chelsea fan at the final whistle.
Koscielny and Giroud may have been tempted to chuck theirs into the bin.


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Sun:

Arsenal 1 Chelsea 2

By SHAUN CUSTIS

SAY what you like about John Terry — and everybody has — had he been playing for Arsenal they surely would not have lost.

Another week of turmoil for the Chelsea skipper saw Terry quit England and land a four-game ban and £220,000 fine for racially abusing Anton Ferdinand.

But he ended it conducting the celebrations in front of Chelsea’s fans, milking the acclaim from those who will forever view him as captain, leader, legend.

And he earned extra kudos for taking off his boots and handing them to a couple of grateful young supporters.

No matter what goes wrong in Terry’s life, he has an uncanny ability to produce on the pitch.

The Gunners supporters booed him and ex-Arsenal full-back Ashley Cole during the first half but gave up after the break, realising it was actually spurring the pair on.

And, as the home supporters streamed out of the Emirates fearing another season without silverware, there were those who grudgingly admitted they would love Terry in their defence.

Why? Because he brings order, organisation and confidence.
By contrast, whatever the hard work being done on the Gunners back four by new assistant Steve Bould, they remain an accident waiting to happen.

Two shocking errors cost them dear with French centre-back Laurent Koscielny the chief culprit. Last Sunday Koscielny was the hero with his late equaliser at Manchester City.

But here he was bullied by Fernando Torres — yes, honestly — for the opener. And after Gervinho equalised he deflected in Juan Mata’s whipped free-kick.

Manager Arsene Wenger picked Koscielny instead of big German Per Mertesacker, who had started all the previous five Premier League matches.

The boss reasoned that Koscielny would be more mobile against Torres but it was a decision he was to regret.

It seems rumours of Arsenal being potential title challengers have been greatly exaggerated.

But it is time to start taking Chelsea seriously. The Blues have been a distant third in the Premier League betting behind both Manchester clubs.

Yet this victory ensured they maintained their position at the top with five wins and a draw from their opening six games.

They have only conceded three goals in the process and Torres is, at last, finding the net on a regular basis.

Koscielny, though, should never have allowed the Spaniard to score on 20 minutes.

The Gunners used to get roughed up by Didier Drogba but you would not expect Torres to be capable of doing the same.

However, as Mata’s free-kick was floated towards the far post, Torres wrestled his way in front of his French marker, stuck out his right leg and volleyed into the corner. Torres was proving a right handful and hit the net again only to be ruled offside.

Arsenal were not helped by losing Abou Diaby to injury early on and the fact they cannot keep the midfielder fit is a real concern.

Having said that, his replacement, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, did fashion the 42nd-minute equaliser.

The Ox managed to get the ball in the box through Cole’s legs and Gervinho had time and space to turn and rifle it into the roof of the net.

Thomas Vermaelen fouled Torres and Mata’s curling free-kick caused more panic.

Koscielny came across to try and cut it out but only succeeded in helping it on its way past the dive of Vito Mannone.
Chelsea could thank Petr Cech for ensuring they stayed ahead as he saved well to keep out Lukas Podolski’s header.

And Cech also re-adjusted to claw away sub Olivier Giroud’s strike which deflected off the inside of David Luiz’s leg.

Even then Giroud could have rescued a point for Arsenal at the death when he ran on to a lovely ball from Oxlade- Chamberlain.

It would be fair to say the home crowd were not banking on the Frenchman.

He tried to go round Cech but, with the angle narrowing, his shot was turned into the side-netting by the keeper.

Robin van Persie has gone and we cannot keep harping on about it.

But it is impossible to ignore the fact that there are some chances you just know the Dutchman would have scored.

Arsenal: Mannone,Jenkinson,Koscielny,Vermaelen,Gibbs, Diaby (Oxlade-Chamberlain 17),Arteta,Ramsey (Walcott 66), Cazorla,Podolski (Giroud 66),Gervinho. Subs Not Used: Martinez,Mertesacker,Andre Santos,Djourou. Booked: Ramsey,Vermaelen. Goals: Gervinho 42.

Chelsea: Cech,Ivanovic,Luiz (Cahill 81),Terry,Cole,Mikel, Ramires,Oscar (Moses 73),Hazard,Mata (Bertrand 84),Torres. Subs Not Used: Turnbull,Romeu,Lampard,Azpilicueta. Booked: Oscar,Luiz,Ramires. Goals: Torres 20,Mata 53.

Att: 60,101
Ref: Martin Atkinson (W Yorkshire).


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Express:

ARSENAL 1 - CHELSEA 2: LAURENT KOSCIELNY IS VILLAIN OF THE PIECE

By John Richardson

JOHN TERRY was predictably booed like a villain but it was his Arsenal counterpart Laurent Koscielny who ended up as the pantomime dame.
Twice the Frenchman ignored cries of, ‘He’s behind you’ as Chelsea were gifted both their goals at The Emirates.
No one was surprised that Terry once again fronted up, pushing any decision whether to appeal against his four-match ban to one side to go about his business as Chelsea’s unflinching captain.
Place Terry in the stocks and he would still be smiling. He’s football’s Mr Teflon.
‘John Terry, you know what you are,’ goaded the Gooners. In Chelsea’s eyes he is someone who refuses to be knocked down, a human punch bag who will never be counted out.
A bit like Chelsea who, following their unexpected Champions League triumph, are now determined to have a big say in the outcome of this season’s Premier League title chase.

There’s a lot of negativity surrounding John Terry but he does a lot of good work as well. He gives a lot of things away to kids
On this showing they represent London’s best chance of challenging the Manchester duopoly.
At the final whistle Terry hugged and kissed every Chelsea player in sight before moving towards the travelling army of away fans, calmly taking off his boots before presenting them to a disbelieving youngster, whose eyes popped in bewilderment.
At least he is still a hero in some people’s eyes, the Chelsea fans exploding into a chorus of, ‘There’s only one England captain’.
His act of charming benevolence was no surprise to his manager Roberto Di Matteo, who said: “There’s a lot of negativity surrounding John Terry but he does a lot of good work as well. He gives a lot of things away to kids.

“I think it was the right choice to pick him. He looked such a good defender out there. I was very pleased with the performance. We came here with the intention of gaining the initiative and that’s what we did.”
Sadly it was a game to forget for his Gunners counterpart Koscielny, who was exposed by Fernando Torres for Chelsea’s opener and couldn’t defend another deadly Juan Mata free-kick, his slightest of touches beating his own keeper Vito Mannone.
 The two slack pieces of defending left Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal paying the ultimate price and punctured the confidence secured from last weekend’s deserved draw with Manchester City.
 Wenger said: “We have failed our test, completely. We played against a good team but gave the game away with two soft goals. Defensively we are not at the level we should be at.
“My players showed no personality and authority with the goals we conceded. You don’t expect to concede two set-pieces at home.”
Chelsea’s higher tempo and sharper passing earned them the lead with a goal plucked from Torres’ dim and distant past.
 The Arsenal defending supposedly given an upgrade by Wenger’s new right-hand man and former member of the Gunners’ famous back five, Steve Bould, went to pieces allowing the struggling Spaniard to pounce.
 Mata, again integral in Chelsea’s creative play, lofted in a free-kick which completely bamboozled Koscielny, and Torres instinctively hooked in at the far post in the style which made him such a goal hero at Atletico Madrid and Liverpool.
 Any ideas that his third Premier League goal of the season was going to open the floodgates disappeared two minutes later, when the striker fluffed a golden opportunity to leave the Gunners well and truly on the canvass.
 Koscielny was again the Arsenal villain, being caught in possession by Torres who then had a clear path to goal. In taking the long route he allowed Koscielny to snap at his heels as he confronted keeper Mannone and compounded his error by failing to connect with the ball before falling in an embarrassed heap, predictably claiming a penalty.
 Arsenal needed a spark before the break to pierce the gloom descending over most of The Emirates. It arrived from an unlikely source.
 Gervinho, whose erratic finishing six days earlier against Manchester City had cost his side victory, struck with a vengeance this time around.
 Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain who had replaced the injury-cursed Abou Diaby, crossed low and Gervinho, peeling away from Terry and David Luiz, turned sharply to bury his shot despite a flailing hand from Petr Cech.
 It was the first goal Chelsea had conceded on their Premier League travels this season and one which no doubt would have sparked a half-time inquest within their dressing room.
 But Chelsea, not content to settle for a point, set up to be offensive and pleasing on the eye, as decreed by their demanding owner Roman Abramovich, and they were soon back in front.
 Again it was a Mata free-kick which did the damage, this time Koscielny applying the slightest of touches from the dangerous in-swinger, enough to divert it beyond Mannone.
Arsenal looked deflated but it still needed a fine save from Cech to palm away a looping header from Lukas Podolski.
 While the German promises goals, Frenchman Olivier Giroud doesn’t.
 He came off the substitutes’ bench and had a golden opportunity to grab a point in added-on time. But from Oxlade-Chamberlain’s inviting ball inside the box, he could only find the side netting.
“It was a top chance,” Wenger admitted.
 It was left to Chelsea’s fans to mock, ‘Robin van Persie, he’s left you in the ****’.
Food for thought for disgruntled Gooners this morning.


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


Star:

ARSENAL 1 - CHELSEA 2: NOT-SO-SWEET 16 FOR ARSENE WENGER

By Harry Pratt

ARSENE WENGER celebrates his 16th anniversary as Arsenal manager tomorrow.

Well, ‘celebrate’ might be stretching it a bit, after this first defeat of the season for Wenger’s men, against their deadly rivals.
 And while the Frenchman clearly remains head over heels with his beloved north Londoners, there is also a nasty seven-year itch threatening to destroy the marital bliss.
 That, of course, is how long it is since the great Wenger, a two-time Double winner, delivered a trophy of any sort to the Gunners’ success-starved fans.
 On the evidence of yesterday, the Premier League title – last lifted here in 2004 – is not coming back any time soon.
 Shocking defending led to both Chelsea goals, tucked away by Spanish pair Fernando Torres and Juan Mata.
 And a furious Wenger blasted: “We completely failed the test today. Chelsea had three shots and scored two. Defensively, we were not where we should be. We didn’t attack the ball for either goal.”
As for his own spell in N5, Wenger refused to say if this was his toughest period, saying: “I don’t know because I never look back.”
If Wenger has all the time in the world to get things right – the club already want him to sign a new deal – it is the complete opposite for Chelsea boss Roberto Di Matteo.
 He may have won the Champions League after only a few months in charge – but that barely secured him a permanent job.
 Chelsea’s owner RomanAbramovich does not deal in honeymoons, or long-term partnerships with coaches – Di Matteo is his sixth full-time boss in eight years.
 But it’s so far so good for the Italian, in his first full season as manager.
 This was Chelsea’s’ fifth league win from six but, according to Di Matteo, it is still a work in progress.
 The Blues’ boss said: “We’ve had a good start and hopefully we can build on it.
“We have a lot of new players to settle in and that will take time. But I was pleased with this performance against a very good team.”
Chelsea went ahead against the run of play, when Mata’s 21st-minute free-kick escaped everyone except Torres, who calmly struck a right-foot volley past keeper Vito Mannone, for his third goal of the season.
 The visitors then felt they should have had a penalty, after Torres went tumbling under a clumsy challenge by Laurent Koscielny.
 Arsenal hit back three minutes before the break, as Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain crossed to Gervinho and with his back to goal the Ivory Coast hitman took one touch and swivelled, before crashing an unstoppable rocket into the roof of the net.
 But the optimism around The Emirates evaporated nine minutes into the second half as Mata’s in-swinging free-kick caused mayhem and Koscielny’s attempted clearance could only help the ball past Mannone.
 Arsenal tried to respond and Lukas Podolski’s header was turned over by Petr Cech, Koscielny crashed an effort against the bar and Olivier Giroud sliced wide.
 The sight of Wenger beating the ground in anger said everything about his miserable day.
 Di Matteo last night defended disgraced skipper John Terry.
 After the win at The Emirates, Terry – found guilty by the FA on Thursday of racially abusing QPR’s Anton Ferdinand – handed his boots to a young travelling fan.
 And Di Matteo said: “There is a lot of talk about John’s negative side but he does a lot of good work too. He gives a lot of boots away and other positive stuff like that.”
Ex-England man Terry, who retired from international football last Monday, has another ten days to appeal against the four-match ban and £220,000 fine dished out by the FA, over last season’s infamous bust-up with Ferdinand.
 Di Matteo said: “I had to think about whether to play him and I had a conversation with John about it. But it proved to be the right choice. John showed his leadership qualities out there.”

wolves 6-0

Independent:

Terry defiant as Chelsea hit Wolves for six
Chelsea 6 Wolverhampton Wanderers 0

Sam Wallace

A mid-week League Cup tie against Championship opposition is not the kind of match that demands John Terry play, but then this game signified a lot more for the Chelsea captain than a routine win in the least important competition of the season.

By playing last night, Terry was signalling to the Football Association, the four men of the independent commission hearing his case for alleged racial abuse and the wider football world that, whatever the pressure, he is unbowed. To paraphrase the song the Chelsea fans sing about him: that John Terry, he does what he wants.
Certainly, being in the midst of one of the most high-profile FA disciplinary hearings in recent history was not about to affect his decision about whether he should play. It probably made him more determined to do so. His supporters will point to the fact that, for now, he remains an innocent man. His detractors will suggest that this is a man who relishes in sticking two fingers up to his critics.
What is not in doubt for Terry is that, at Stamford Bridge, he is the recipient of unconditional love. They applaud the announcement of his name. They sing about him when he runs out on the pitch. Last night the home fans chanted, "There's only one England captain" – and this to a man who had retired from international football 48 hours earlier.
The decision to play Terry was made yesterday afternoon, first team assistant coach Eddie Newton said, but by whom he did not say. This game could be the last Terry plays in a long time, although do not bet against him appealing a guilty verdict.
Stale Solbakken, the Wolves manager, indicated how little interest he had in the League Cup by picking a team that had 10 changes from the side that beat Peterborough on Saturday. It is depressing when a manager cannot even be bothered to put up a fight in a cup game in September, eight months from the end of the season, but this is modern football.
Solbakken said: "We had thought about this before we did it, and it was always a risk that something like this [scale of defeat] could happen. But we were punished really hard in the beginning with a soft set-piece goal, then came another. That made it hard for the young boys out there.
"But there's no one else to blame but me. It was a calculated risk because we'd had three games in six days and have that again [coming up]. I'd have done the same again."
Roberto Di Matteo gave debuts to Lucas Piazon, the 18-year-old signed from Sao Paulo two years ago, and the right-back Cesar Azpilicueta bought from Marseilles in August. There was also a first start for Victor Moses. Chelsea scored through Gary Cahill on four minutes and Wolves were never in it.
The first goal came when Cahill jumped strongly at the back post to meet a cross from Juan Mata and the tone was set. The second came three minutes later when Oriol Romeu's shot was pushed away by goalkeeper Dorus De Vries, Piazon cut the ball back and Ryan Bertrand scored.
Wolves were three behind within 16 minutes with a move started by Mata and then finished by the Spain international.
There were three goals after the break and, to his relief, the second of those was scored by Fernando Torres. First however, the striker, who had not previously scored for a month, deferred to Romeu on penalty-taking duties when referee Neil Swarbrick gave a soft decision for a collision between De Vries and Moses. In the absence of the injured Lampard, Romeu scored.
Torres scored the fifth with a header from Mata's corner from the right side. Moses headed the sixth from a cross from substitute Oscar.
For sheer lack of any imagination, Wolves got exactly what they deserved. This is their fifth game in a run of six in 17 days but they were woeful. Cup runs require a leap of faith from a manager and Solbakken picked a team to lose. Last night was not even a contest. For Terry, however, the significance of the evening was a lot more profound.

Man of the match Mata.
Match rating 6/10.
Referee N Swarbrick (Lancashire).
Attendance 32,569.


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


Guardian:

John Terry puts on show of strength as Chelsea thrash weakened Wolves
  
Dominic Fifield at Stamford Bridge

John Terry will have enjoyed this brief respite. His had been a tumultuous few days, a period scarred by the "heartbreak" of taking leave of international football after nine years and 78 caps and fuelled by fury that his position had, in his opinion, been rendered "untenable" by the charges brought against him by the Football Association. Off the field he finds himself embroiled yet again in a fight to clear his name.
So, as he spent an hour and a half with the majority in this arena frequently chorusing his name with typical gusto and enjoyed a stroll against fragile lower league opponents, the turmoil of his week to date could at least be forgotten. The distractions could go ignored as he heaved himself into clearances, barked instructions to those alongside and acknowledged the acclaim from the stands with applause of his own. This was only ever going to be a brief lull. Terry, after all, is due back at Wembley stadium on Wednesday morning to resume his hearing into a charge of racially abusing Anton Ferdinand. Yet a fleeting return to football amid the maelstrom must have been welcome.
It was all the more so because it felt unexpected. The 31-year-old was always eager to feature here, and that had apparently been Roberto Di Matteo's plan all along, but he had not trained with the full first-team since last week and had spent the previous two days a frustrated figure sat in front of an FA independent regulatory commission as he confronted his charge. His attendance amounted to six hours on Monday and another five on Tuesday morning, with day two of the hearing duly extended by lengthy legal arguments. Chelsea knew he could be selected only when he slipped out and away just after 1pm and telephoned the management en route to the team hotel.
"We wanted him to start but we had to see how everything panned out [at the hearing]," said the assistant first-team coach, Eddie Newton. "We had a phone call that he was making his way back from the FA nice and early, so it wasn't last minute. We'd covered all the bases, all the scenarios, and the best one happened."
The dream scenario was improved further by the team selection of the Wolves manager, Stale Solbakken, who made 10 changes from the weekend win at Peterborough and put out what was effectively a second string team that was limp in resistance. The thwack of Terry's second-minute headed clearance set a tone. The visitors were eagerly swept aside.
Amid the merriment the captain could afford to drift into the background and relax in a bit-part role, so infrequently was he tested. If his very involvement was a show of strength, the only real surprise was that it was his central defensive partner, Gary Cahill, who clambered above Richard Stearman at the far post to thump a header from Juan Mata's free-kick through Dorus de Vries after four minutes. The opener might more normally have been scripted as Terry's. Regardless, Wolves were breached and already beaten.
Solbakken will presumably be rebuked by the Football League under new rules aimed at preventing clubs fielding under-strength teams, though sanctions will not be imposed until next season, but he appeared sanguine. "We had to be sensible," he said. "When you see our fixtures... it was a calculated risk and I'd have done the same again, but there's no one else to blame but me. This could happen if Chelsea played well and they did."
Those he had picked will have departed scorched. Ryan Bertrand, fed by Lucas Piazon's precise pull-back, added to the plunder – as did the excellent Mata – while the visitors were still groggy. There was a penalty won by Victor Moses and dispatched by Oriol Romeu, a near-post header from Torres and a first Chelsea goal for Moses nodded into a gaping net. It was a mismatch from start to finish, with the home side ruthless and the visitors prone.
Terry's own battle will be significantly harder and it is to that reality that he returns on Wednesday. His defence counsel is expected to start delivering evidence in his favour as the hearing continues during this week. This match, by comparison, was light relief.


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


Telegraph:

Chelsea 6 Wolves 0:
By Gerry Cox, at Stamford Bridge

John Terry made what could be his final appearance for some time as he captained Chelsea in their comprehensive Capital One Cup victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Terry had spent little time on the training ground in the preceding days, with much of Monday and yesterday taken up at Wembley, where he has been facing a Football Association charge of racial abuse against Anton Ferdinand.
The former England captain announced his retirement from international football after training on Sunday, following a brief appearance as a substitute against Stoke the day before, and then did some light fitness work ahead of last night’s game.
Not that he needed to be at his sharpest against a Wolves side who simply capitulated . Terry barely broke sweat as his side coasted to a three-goal lead inside the opening 17 minutes and won at a canter. But Terry will be sweating on the outcome of his FA hearing, which is expected later this week.
If the independent tribunal finds him guilty, Terry could be suspended with immediate effect, possibly beginning with Chelsea’s visit to Arsenal on Saturday. The club have contingency plans ready should he be absent, as they did on Tuesday before the player declared himself ready to play after half a day at Wembley.
“We wanted John to start, but obviously with everything happening with the FA, we had to see how it panned out,” assistant manager Eddie Newton said. “We had a phone call to say he was making his way back from Wembley nice and early . We had covered all the bases, thought of all scenarios, and the best one happened.”
Newton said he and manager Roberto Di Matteo had been monitoring Terry closely. “We’ve been talking to John and seeing what his mindset is. He’s been very positive and enthusiastic and wanted to play. He’s been fine, dealing with the situation at hand, coming in and doing what he has to do at the club. ”
Newton dismissed suggestions that lack of training would hamper Terry or the club’s preparations. “He’s played a lot of games and done enough training. He’s a senior player who knows how to look after his body. He’s done that well. He was fine to play in this game.”
Newton also felt Terry’s decision to call a halt to his England career could benefit Chelsea. “The commitment of playing for your club and your country is hard physically, and the older you get, the more demanding that becomes on your body. If you want to play at the top level for as long as possible, at some point you’re going to have to make a decision.” As for Saturday? “It’s not difficult. We’ll prepare as we always do. It’s just a matter of making sure we cover all our bases, as we did today. Whatever scenario pans out, we’ll deal with that.
“There are ways and means around it when it comes to training, after what he does at the FA. We’ll be in constant contact with John, the fitness coaches and medical staff will get around him and make sure he’s prepared in the best way possible, as we always do.”
By the weekend, the panel that is chaired by an independent QC may have reached a conclusion. They were due to conclude hearing the case for the prosecution yesterday and will move on to Terry’s defence, with Ray Wilkins and Ashley Cole likely to support him. Terry had arrived at Wembley at 9am, along with Chelsea chairman Bruce Buck, who supported him throughout the criminal trial at Westminster Magistrates Court in July. He left shortly after lunchtime, and walked out on to the Stamford Bridge pitch to loud applause six hours later.
It was a trouble-free evening for Chelsea even though a number of players were rested. Gary Cahill, Terry’s defensive partner, opened the scoring in the fourth minute when he headed in Juan Mata’s corner kick at the far post. Ryan Bertrand, playing in place of Cole, made it 2-0 when he curled home a shot from 15 yards and Mata added the third in the 17th minute when he shot home after a delightful run from the halfway line, exchanging passes with Ramires and Fernando Torres on the way.
Romeu made it 4-0 from the penalty spot shortly after half time, when De Vries brought down Victor Moses. Even Torres, who looked out of sorts and low on confidence, found the net when he stooped to power home a header from another Mata corner kick in the 58th minute.
Wolves offered little in reply, with Chelsea’s reserve goalkeeper Ross Turnbull hardly troubled. Moses made it 6-0 in the 71st minute when he headed in a cross from Oscar.
Torres had chances to increase the score, but was denied by De Vries and his own profligacy before being replaced by Eden Hazard, but it mattered little as Chelsea strolled into the fourth round of the competition.
Whether Terry will be in their line-up when they play next is another question, however, with his fate to be decided in the coming days.
Meanwhile, police are investigating after another incident at Chelsea’s Cobham training ground in Surrey earlier this month in which six wallets, nine mobile phones and several watches were stolen from players and staff in the academy dressing room area. Nobody from the football club is under suspicion.

Match details

Chelsea (4-5-1): Turnbull; Azpilicueta, Cahill, Terry, Bertrand; Moses, Ramires (Oscar 60), Romeu, Mata (Marin 70), Piazon; Torres (Hazard 78).
Subs Hilario, Luiz, Mikel, Ferreira.

Wolverhampton Wanderers (4-5-1): De Vries; Stearman, Baath, Margreittar, Zubar; Peszko (Ismail 83), Edwards, Hunt (Forde h-t), Davis, Boukari (Nouble 63); Sigurdarson.
Subs Ikeme, Jonsson, Foley, Price.

Referee: N Swarbrick (Lancs).


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

Mail:

Chelsea 6 Wolves 0: Terry skippers Blues cruise at the Bridge
By Matt Barlow


If John Terry fears he is about to be thrown to the wolves by the FA, he can only hope they turn out to be as feeble as the sorry pack dragged down to London by Stale Solbakken.
Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Norwegian manager sent out his reserves here and they were promptly destroyed by a Chelsea team captained by Terry.
After two days in front of a disciplinary commission, looking on as lawyers grappled with the legal complications of his FA racism charge, this will have served as an ideal distraction.

Back in the warm embrace of the Chelsea fans, Terry performed as if without a care as his side breezed into the fourth round of the Capital One Cup.
 He started the game by saluting supporters in the Matthew Harding Stand who serenaded him with, ‘There’s only one England captain’, and left the pitch after a six-goal stroll, blowing kisses, waving and patting the badge on his chest.
‘We wanted John to start,’ said Eddie Newton, Chelsea’s assistant manager. ‘With everything happening with the FA, we had to see how it panned out but we had a phone call that he was making his way back nice and early. We’d covered all the bases, all the scenarios, and the best one happened.’
Roberto Di Matteo will take the same flexible approach to Saturday’s game at Arsenal, according to Newton.
Terry had left Wembley six-and-a-half hours before Tuesday night’s kick-off, after sitting through five hours of legal argument at the FA hearing which will continue on Wednesday.
The crowd was well below capacity but there were lusty cheers for their captain’s name when the teams were announced.

This would be a theme of the evening, at least when the home crowd were not jeering Stephen Hunt, never to be forgotten or forgiven in these parts for his challenge on Petr Cech six years ago.

Cech was among those given the night off as Di Matteo blended the experience of Terry, Ramires and Fernando Torres with some of his newcomers. Lucas Piazon, Cesar Azpilicueta and Victor Moses started their first games and Marko Marin came off the bench 20 minutes from time to make his debut.

Of the six different scorers, Gary Cahill struck first, although Wolves had every right to feel aggrieved. Ronald Zubar seemed to win the ball but was penalised for a foul on Moses and then Cahill scrambled over Richard Stearman at the far post to reach Juan Mata’s free-kick and head it in.

Four minutes later, Ryan Bertrand swept forward and curled in the second. Mata made it 3-0, jinking inside from the right, trading passes with Torres on the edge of the penalty box and finishing with a sweet left-footer.

All this inside 17 minutes. Although Chelsea relaxed briefly and lost a little focus, an astonishing fightback never seemed likely. Moses sped clear seven minutes into the second half and was deemed by referee Neil Swarbrick to have been fouled by Dorus De Vries.
 Oscar was booked for a dive at Stamford Bridge against Stoke on Saturday and this was a little suspicious, too. Moses certainly started to fall before the goalkeeper took his legs but there was contact and a penalty was awarded. Oriol Romeu converted it, his first goal for the club.

Torres headed in the fifth at the near post from a corner taken by Mata and Moses scored the sixth, heading in a cross from Oscar.
Solbakken defended his selection. ‘This was the fourth game in nine days,’ he said, but Wolves can expect a letter from the Football League for breaching their rules on fielding weakened teams.


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


Mirror:

Chelsea 6-0 Wolves: Capital One Cup walkover is no trial for John Terry

Racism-row Blues skipper is a virtual spectator as two goals in the first seven minutes turn third-round tie with Championship side into a procession
It's a fair bet John Terry’s FA hearing is not proving as easy for him as this was.
The Chelsea captain made up for the time he has missed training with a sedate workout against Stale Solbakken’s sheep in Wolves clothing.
He was also back among friends after the widespread indifference to which he called time on his England career.
After another six hours at Wembley in front of that four-man disciplinary commision – and with Arsenal away on Sunday – it was a surprise to some that Terry was named in the Chelsea side for this third-round tie.
But then with the eyes of the football world on him Terry has never been one to hide.
He has proven that on several occasions before and it’s a near certainty that he would have been determined to play here.
The Blues’ faithful welcomed his warmly back into the bosom of the Chelsea family and chants of ‘One England captain’ rang around the stadium.
He went on to enjoy a few dances with Wolves as the Blues racked up their biggest win since beating Ipswich 7-0 in the FA Cup in January 2011.
Terry is expecting a far more difficult end to the week with his camp - and his club - fearing a big ban at the hands of the Football Association.
Blues assistant boss Eddie Newton insisted afterwards that there was never any doubt about Terry playing.
He said: “We wanted John to start. Obviously, with everything happening with the FA, we had to see how it panned out.
“We had a phone call he was making his way back from the FA nice and early so it wasn’t last minute dot com.
“We’d covered all the bases, all the scenarios, and the best one happened.”
Solbakken defended his decision to make 10 changes from his weekend side for this one.
He said: “I think the fans will understand. That is why I put the squad on our club website the day before. The fans understand the demands of the squad.”
The match itself was over as a contest as early as the fourth minute when Gary Cahill headed home at the far post.
Ronald Zubar’s foul on Victor Moses allowed Juan Mata to float in a free-kick that the England defender despatched with the minimum of fuss.
It was a taste of things to come as Chelsea strolled through what masqueraded as the Wolves ­backline at will.
Three minutes later, Oriol Romeu sent in a low daisy cutter that Wanderers keeper Dorus de Vries did well to parry.
Lucas Piazon, however, was fastest to the rebound.
The Brazilian, making his debut, cut the ball back to Ryan Bertrand and the youngster let fly with an effort to give De Vries no chance.
Already this was painful for the Wolves fans that had made the journey south.
You had to wonder why Solbakken had ripped up the side that had won away at ­Peterborough in the league at the weekend.
He will argue that this was the fifth of six games in 16 days for his men.
Yet what about the fans who had paid to see their team at the Bridge?
Will they be happy about seeing their club so utterly embarrassed?
And make no mistake they were, with the match over as a contest before some spectators had even taken their seats.
Goal No.3 came when Mata - a class apart from anyone on the opposing side - played a one-two with Fernando Torres and sent the ball beyond De Vries on 16 minutes.
By that point you really did wonder how many Chelsea would score by half time let alone the end of the match.
Torres, however, still lacks confidence. At anything like his best he would have controlled an 18th-minute ball into the box and put it beyond De Vreis before the Wolves keeper had time to blink.
Last night’s Torres allowed defender Danny Batth to make a challenge and worry him out of it.
Amazingly, Wolves then had a couple of chances to get back into it. First, David Davis forced Ross Turnbull to push a long-range effort over the bar.
Then midfielder Slawomir Peszko rounded keeper Turnbull, but then hit the side netting with the goal at his mercy.
Those chances had come, however, because Chelsea had the cigars out. Roberto Di Matteo’s men responded through Mata, who sent a 33rd-minute free-kick narrowly wide.
Piazon narrowly failed to reach a Torres ball across the six-yard box three minutes later, and only the Brazilian will know how he failed to score from Mata’s ball into the box two minutes before half time.
Worse was to come for Wolves in the second half with Chelsea taking just eight minutes to go 4-0, Romeu smashing home from the spot after Victor Moses was fouled by De Vries.
Again, incredibly, Pesko missed again from ten yards out three minutes later when Razak Boukari reached the byline and cut the ball back.
Torres piled on the misery when he headed home on 58 minutes from Moses’ corner.
The former Wigan forward joined the party on 71 minutes when he nodded in a cross from substitute Oscar to put the Blues on course for their biggest win since they beat Ipswich 7-0 in the FA Cup last January.
But this was the European Champions’ chance to show their backing for the man who continues to be at the eye of the storm.


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

Sun:

Chelsea 6 Wolves 0

By MARK IRWIN

JOHN TERRY found some welcome relief from his troubles as he provided the biggest shock of the night.
Just hours after another tortuous grilling from the FA’s disciplinary commission, the former England skipper was a surprise selection to lead Chelsea out against Wolves.
Terry had only left the Wembley hearing into his alleged racist abuse of Anton Ferdinand in the early afternoon following five hours of questioning and legal wrangling.
And no one had expected the 31-year-old defender to be on duty after such a draining battle to save his reputation.
But the football pitch is Terry’s only safe haven right now and with a potential lengthy ban looming he clearly wants to take full advantage of every opportunity to play.
He will be back at Wembley today as his lawyers continue to plead his innocence but the Stamford Bridge supporters have already delivered their verdict on the man they call captain, leader, legend.
“One England captain,” they chanted as soon as their hero appeared and Terry acknowledged their support with an appreciative gesture.
As a contest, this one was as easy as Terry could ever have dared to hope for as Chelsea put the tie to bed while barely breaking sweat.
They were ahead after just four minutes and never took their foot off the gas as poor Wolves were simply crushed in this Capital One Cup tie.
It all started with Ronald Zubar’s foul on Victor Moses which allowed Juan Mata to send over a free-kick for an emphatic back post header by Gary Cahill.

And with the visitors still trying to sort themselves out at the back, Chelsea doubled their lead inside eight minutes when keeper Dorus de Vries failed to hold Oriol Romeu’s low shot and Ryan Bertrand pounced on Lucas Piazon’s pull-back.
It was shaping up to be a long night for Wolves boss Stale Solbakken, who had made 10 changes to the team which had won at 2-0 Peterborough at the weekend.

The last time he had faced Chelsea was two years ago in the Champions League when he was boss of FC Copenhagen.

Now he was trying to halt the European champions with his reserve team... and failing miserably.
Chelsea looked capable of scoring every time they crossed the halfway line and it came as no surprise when the impeccable Mata fired them even further ahead on 17 minutes.
Swapping passes with first Ramires and then Fernando Torres, the little Spanish maestro waltzed through the mesmerised Wolves defence before lashing home his first goal of the season.
It was like shooting fish in a barrel for Chelsea and they almost paid for taking things a bit too easily midway through the first-half.

David Davis’ ball allowed Slawomir Peszko to run right between Terry and Cahill and around keeper Ross Turnbull, but with the goal beckoning the Polish winger shot wide.
It was as close as Wolves were going to get to a consolation all night and they were soon back deep in their own half desperately trying to keep the score respectable.
Mata, all 5ft 7in of him, shaved the post with a free-kick and Torres fired across the face of goal after a poor first touch had forced him wide.
Georg Margreitter almost sliced into his own net and Mata fizzed another free-kick perilously close on a night when Piazon, Moses and Cesar Azpilicueta all started their first game for the Blues.

But any Wolves hopes that Chelsea might take things easy after the break were quickly dashed when Moses was brought down by De Vries and Romeu scored from the spot with 53 minutes gone.
Even Torres got in on the act with his first goal in five games, the striker heading in unchallenged from Mata’s 58th-minute corner.
And Moses completed the rout from substitute Oscar’s cross.
Chelsea started the season going for seven trophies and have already waved goodbye to the Community Shield and Super Cup.
But at least their Capital One Cup hopes are still alive.

DREAM TEAM RATINGS
STAR MAN - JUAN MATA (Chelsea)

CHELSEA: Turnbull 5, Azpilicueta 7, Cahill 7, Terry 7, Bertrand 7, Ramires 7 (Oscar 7), Romeu 7, Moses 8, Mata 9 (Marin 6), Piazon 6, Torres 7 (Hazard 5). Subs not used: Hilario, Ferreira, Luiz, Mikel.

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


Express:

CHELSEA 6 WOLVES 0: SIX OF BEST FOR TERRY
By Tony Banks

THE legal eagles have caused John Terry far more trouble this year than the toothless Wolves did on the pitch last night.
The Chelsea captain stepped unexpectedly straight from his FA hearing at Wembley into allegations of racially abusing QPR’s Anton Ferdinand into the third round of the League Cup a mere six hours later.
He did not need much of a brief. Fielding a strong side, Chelsea crushed a young Wolves outfit with embarrassing ease, as six different players found the scoresheet – Gary Cahill, Ryan Bertrand, Juan Mata, Oriol Romeu with a penalty, Fernando Torres and Victor Moses.
Terry had not trained properly with the rest of the squad since Friday, working on his own for the previous 48 hours – but it was the Capital One Cup after all. Glory beckons. The lure of silverware cannot be denied.
Also included was £50million man Torres, four games without a goal. He was in, though, only because Chelsea’s other frontline striker, Daniel Sturridge, was still injured.
Chelsea gave debuts to Brazilian youngster Lucas Piazon and £8m Spanish full-back Cesar Azpiliceuta, while forward Moses made his first start.
Chelsea were ahead after just four minutes.
Mata curled in a free-kick from the right and Cahill easily climbed over Richard Stearman at the far post to head home.
Four minutes later, it was two. Romeu’s thunderous, 30-yard shot was pushed away by goalkeeper Dorus De Vries, but Piazon got to the loose ball first to pull it back for Bertrand to crash home from 12 yards.
Goal No3, in only the 17th minute, came as Mata played two beautiful one-two moves, with first Ramires and then Torres, and strolled through to slot the ball home.
Wolves gamely tried to hit back, as first David Davis saw his shot tipped over but, when Slawomir Peszko neatly turned Cahill and found himself clean through, he went round keeper Ross Turnbull – and then hit the side-netting with the goal gaping.
After 53 minutes it as four, as the Wolves defence collapsed again. This time they were a touch unfortunate though, as De Vries hardly seemed to touch Moses as he raced through.
But referee Neil Swarbrick gave the penalty nevertheless and up stepped Romeu to stroke home his first goal for Chelsea.
Peszko missed another sitter on what was turning out to be a miserable night for a young and inexperienced Wolves team at Stamford Bridge.
And it only got worse for Wolves, as striker Torres at last broke his four-game duck, moving on to Mata’s near-post corner and glanced home an accurate header. The sixth arrived as substitute Oscar broke away on the left to cross and Moses was all alone as he headed home at the near post to complete the rout.

Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Turnbull; Azpilicueta, Cahill, Terry, Bertrand; Ramires (Oscar 58), Romeu; Moses, Mata (Marin 69), Piazon; Torres (Hazard 77). Goals: Cahill 4, Bertand 8, Mata 17, Romeu 53 pen, Torres 58, Moses 71.

Wolves (4-4-2): De Vries; Zubar, Stearman, Margreitter, Batth; Peszko (Ismail 82), Edwards, Davis, Hunt (Forde 46); Boukari (Nouble 62), Sigurdarson.
Referee: N Swarbrick (Lancashire).


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

Star:

CHELSEA 6 - WOLVES 0: JOHN TERRY ENJOYS 6 OF THE BEST
By Adrian Kajumba

JOHN TERRY put his off-field turmoil to one side to lead Chelsea’s bid for Capital One Cup glory.
Terry was surprisingly back to skipper the Blues 48 hours after sensationally quitting England and then spending five hours at day two of his FA race row ­hearing yesterday morning.
It was typical Terry, with the defiant defender renowned for his ability to blank out controversy when he steps on to the pitch.
He was hardly tested by a tame Wolves side and all the action was at the other end as Chelsea looked to book their place in round four.
Gary Cahill, Ryan Bertrand, Juan Mata, Oriol Romeu, Fernando Torres and Victor Moses were all on target as Chelsea put woeful Wolves to the sword.
As well as recalling Terry, who was rested against Stoke, Roberto Di Matteo handed first starts to summer signings Moses, Cesar Azpilicueta and highly-rated Brazilian teenager Lucas Piazon.
Wolves boss Stale Solbakken made 10 changes to his side.
Chelsea got off to a flier when Cahill powered Mata’s free-kick past Dorus De Vries with a back-post header.
And the Blues doubled their lead three minutes later. De Vries did well to turn Romeu’s drive clear, but Piazon picked up the loose ball and pulled it back to Bertrand, who fired home.
Chelsea were tormenting Wolves with their pace and movement, and it was soon 3-0.
Mata came in off the right flank and played a one-two with Torres before sliding No.3 past De Vries.
Wolves finally tested Ross Turnbull when the Chelsea keeper tipped over a David Davis effort.
And Slawomir Peszko should have pulled a goal back when he rounded Turnbull but fired into the sidenetting.
But Wolves were lucky not to be further behind at the break after Mata went close with two free-kicks and Torres fired a cross-shot just wide.
Chelsea finally got their fourth eight minutes after the break.
De Vries was judged to have brought down Moses in the box, though he appeared to be going to ground before the contact.
Despite Di Matteo trying to get a message on to get goal-shy Torres to take the penalty, Romeu stepped up to wrong-foot De Vries.
Torres did get his goal, though, when Mata swung in a corner from the right which his fellow Spaniard powered into the net with a thumping header. Moses got on the scoresheet with a similar header from Oscar’s cross.

stoke 1-0

Independent:

Rare sight of a Cole goal keeps Chelsea on top of pile
Chelsea 1 Stoke City 0:

Disciplined Stoke keep Chelsea’s new stars quiet but the old guard come to the rescue

Steve Tongue

It took the collector’s item that is an Ashley Cole goal to ensure that Chelsea will still top the Premier League whatever their Manchester rivals manage from tricky assignments today.

Statisticians were checking the last time they had last played out successive goalless draws when the England left-back finished off one of their more coherent moves by dinking the ball over Asmir Begovic from close in for his first score since May 2010.
Significantly, one international colleague, Frank Lampard, had just been summoned from the dug-out, where he had sat all afternoon beside another one, John Terry, who was then called on to preserve the lead in the final minutes. The key was that the ball had at last been moved wide rather than pushed through the centre, however elegantly, by an unbalanced  midfield. A trio of Juan Mata, Oscar and Eden Hazard in a line behind Fernando Torres may have looked appetising, but proved an embarrassment of very expensive riches.
As against Juventus in midweek Hazard, gifted as he is, declined to stay wide on the left, repeatedly cluttering up the middle where a solid Stoke defence repelled them with ease for much of the afternoon. There was a perfect example of the problem midway through a dull first half, when Mata moved sideways in possession, looking to spread the play to the left flank only to find there was nobody there; Hazard had wandered inside again.
“We certainly need more work to integrate into our system,” Chelsea’s manager Roberto di Matteo admitted. “Sometimes we certainly lacked a bit of width so we needed the full-backs to provide us with that.”
The imbalance essentially stemmed from resting Lampard, which meant Ramires, who has come to look comfortable playing wide on the right, had to sit deeper alongside Jon Obi Mikel as a defensive midfielder. Mata was more disciplined on the right but too often Chelsea were left relying on Branislav Ivanovic and Cole to push forward.
On the few occasions that Robert Huth and the equally solid Ryan Shawcross were troubled, Fernando Torres’s sad lack of confidence was all too evident and Chelsea only improved when Hazard was replaced by Victor Moses, who produced an encouraging cameo for the second weekend running with his direct running down the right. Unlike the game at Queens Park Rangers last Saturday, there was reward this time.
In the 84th minute, Cole was involved early on in a slick passing move in which Lampard, newly arrived, helped the ball out wide, Ivanovic laid it square and Mata with a deft back-heel found Cole, who had kept running, unmarked and onside in the six- yard box to score.
It was hard on Stoke, who had begun the campaign with four successive draws. Jonathan Walters sat deep on right, breaking when he could, Charlie Adam slung diagonal balls towards Peter Crouch, and they could have been ahead from the 20th minute with a set-piece. Cole conceded a free-kick which Glenn Whelan placed right into the danger area, where Walters rose highest to head against the bar.
Tony Pulis, who may have succeeded Martin O’Neill as the most demonstrative Premier League manager, showed his frustration but had little else to concern him at that stage. Chelsea struggled to create anything more than half chances, the earliest two falling to the out-of-touch Torres. He headed Mata’s corner too high and after taking down the same player’s lovely chip on his chest, missed his kick completely. “Didier Drogba, he would have scored” the visiting fans mocked; a good many home supporters must have thought the same.
Little actually reached Begovic in goal, whereas Petr Cech did at least have to hold Marc Wilson’s 30 yarder; the goalkeeper then fumbled an attempted header by Michael Kightly, who was on the end of a fiercely hit cross by Geoff Cameron, the American full-back.
The home team’s frustration, keenly felt by a quiet crowd, was summed up early in the second half when Oscar was rightly shown a yellow card by Michael Oliver for his outrageous piece of simulation in attempting to win a penalty. As the rush of substitutions began it was notable that Stoke’s were in attack. Pulis, quite happy with the way his defence was coping, sent on a promising little striker called Michael Owen for his longest run yet; he duly laid the ball out for a cross by Cameron, the other substitutes Kenwyn Jones and Matthew Etherington almost contriving a goal from it.
“I’m very disappointed to lose,” said Pulis. “We’ve played well against Arsenal, Manchester City and Chelsea now and today we just haven’t had the breaks. It’s probably the best we’ve played against Chelsea in the five years we’ve been in the Premier League.” Stoke have yet to beat them, but Di Matteo was showing unjustified optimism in suggesting that from the start of the second half “I thought it was a question of time.”
That time was running out fast before the decisive intervention from an unexpected source.

Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Cech; Ivanovic, Cahill, Luiz, Cole; Ramires, Mikel (Lampard, 81); Mata (Terry, 88), Oscar, Hazard (Moses, 61); Torres.

Stoke (4-2-3-1): Begovic; Cameron, Huth, Shawcross, Wilson; Whelan, N’Zonzi; Walters, Adam (Owen, 64), Kightly (Etherington, 71); Crouch (Jones, 75).

Referee: Michael Oliver.
Man of the match: Mata (Chelsea)
Match rating: 5/10


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


Observer:

Chelsea's Ashley Cole strikes late to break stubborn Stoke City

Paul Doyle at Stamford Bridge

Chelsea's quest for style means more than integrating recent recruits: it also, apparently, entails teaching old dogs new tricks. After 85 minutes of frustration, Ashley Cole, who had not scored since an 8-0 win over Wigan in May 2010, popped up and finished like a natural striker, dinking the ball over Asmir Begovic to sicken valiant Stoke City and give Chelsea a three-point reward for an uncertain performance.
Chelsea went into the match on top of the league but that did not fool anyone into thinking this evolving team is flawless. The demolition by Atlético Madrid in the Super Cup, followed by haphazard draws with Queens Park Rangers and Juventus, left plenty of room for doubt about the rebuilding at Stamford Bridge. The team's transition is far from complete.
Roberto Di Matteo rotated his squad by leaving John Terry and Frank Lampard on the bench and deploying the three creators who have been bought to add panache to the team's play. Juan Mata, Oscar and Eden Hazard began together for the first time, forming a trio of inventors just behind Fernando Torres.
The home side began well and forced early corners but the effects of their unfamiliarity with each other soon became apparent, as passes were mislaid and intentions misread. There also seemed to be a systemic problem as, despite Stoke's solidity in the centre, Chelsea persisted in trying to pick a way through the middle, occasional bursts down the right by Branislav Ivanonic being the only use that was made of the wings.
On the one occasion in the first half that Chelsea's intricacy was enough to undo diligent Stoke, Torres fluffed in all too familiar fashion. The Spaniard made a clever run to collect Mata's looped pass and killed the ball beautifully on his chest but then embarrassed himself with a miskick from six yards.
"Didier Drogba, he would have scored that!" taunted Stoke fans, who had a point. The effect of that mishap on Torres's already bruised confidence seemed clear later in the half when he twice shunned chances to shoot and passed instead.
Stoke could have been in front before that, Jonathan Walters having powered a header against the bar in the 19th minute after he and Robert Huth were left unmarked to attacked a Glenn Whelan free-kick.
Not until the second half did Chelsea's conjurers summon magic. Beguiling interplay between Hazard and Oscar bewitched the visiting defence before the Brazilian collapsed in the box under a challenge from Ryan Shawcross. The referee made Oscar a grouch by booking him for simulation.
Oscar came close to cheering himself up two minutes later but Begovic blocked his well-struck shot from the edge of the area and, in general, Chelsea still looked short of ideas. Di Matteo sought to stimulate improvement by replacing Hazard with another summer recruit, Victor Moses.
The Nigeria international's first contribution was to unhinge the defence with a run through the middle in the 67th minute, before slipping the ball to Oscar, whose 18-yard shot brought another block from Begovic.
Oscar's influence was growing, but that of Torres was receding to the point that the striker was irrelevant as Chelsea chased victory in the closing stages.
Di Matteo said that Daniel Sturridge is expected to be fit by next weekend, which means the manager will have a big selection decision for the game with Arsenal. "I don't care who scores," said Di Matteo. "We've got goals coming from all over the team and that makes us more unpredictable."
It was certainly hard to see Cole's decisive contribution coming. He had seldom ventured forward until appearing at the edge of Stoke's six-yard box five minutes from time. He finished with aplomb, clipping the ball over Begovic after receiving a deft flick from Mata.
Di Matteo, who last night secured David Luiz to a new five-year deal, insisted the win was deserved but acknowledged his team must improve. "It's the first time we've tried that lineup [with Hazard, Mata and Oscar behind Torres]," he said. "It certainly needs more work and practice to be able to tactically integrate them perfectly into our system, but it's just a question of time and them getting to know each other better."


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

Telegraph:

Chelsea 1 Stoke City 0
By Jason Burt, Stamford Bridge

For much of this encounter Roman Abramovich had that look on his face — a mixture of bemusement and Roman Emperor-like displeasure — that suggested Chelsea manager Roberto Di Matteo should be shifting a little uneasily on the bench.
In the end, Chelsea got the victory they desired, but did not necessarily deserve, and the club’s owner will have felt a pang of vindication that his visit to the training ground the day after the Champions League draw at home to Juventus had the necessary effect.
Certainly there appeared to be a reaction in the Chelsea line-up. No John Terry — who on Monday faces the Football Association charge for allegedly racially abusing Anton Ferdinand – and no Frank Lampard as youth was given its head. And there was bravery in that.
Both eventually came on but this was most definitely a glimpse at Chelsea’s future, at the young, creative team that Abramovich craves, that he has demanded no less, and which he has spent so much money to assemble.
Eden Hazard (tricky as ever) £32 million. Oscar (who was excellent) £25 million. Juan Mata (tirelessly creative) £23 million and Fernando Torres, the costliest of them all at £45 million and, once more, a crushing, brooding disappointment at the point of Chelsea’s attack. That’s a cool £125 million of attack.
The Oscar-Mata-Hazard axis is hugely exciting. “It’s the first time we have tried it,” Di Matteo said. “It needs more work, more practice to tactically integrate them into our system but it’s important to have these players with their technical ability.”
Torres’s body language, his lack of movement said it all. He had one outstanding opportunity to score and fluffed it completely — taking an 'air shot’ when through on goal after yet more superb build-up play by Mata who was instrumental in Chelsea’s late goal — from the unlikeliest source with Ashley Cole scoring for the first time in more than two years.
Inevitably, the Stoke fans sang “Didier Drogba, he would have scored that” at Torres’s miss which brought to mind that this was exactly the type of game the now former striker would have grabbed by the scruff of the neck. “Chelsea will miss Drogba and it will mean a few points less,” Jose Mourinho had declared and Di Matteo may well have fretted until Cole’s intervention.
It is always dangerous for Chelsea managers when Abramovich is in town and he was in his executive box, next to his right-hand man and key director Eugene Tenenbaum as he watched his team huff and puff and weave pretty patterns that hit a stonewall of Stoke resistance stoically marshalled by Ryan Shawcross.
It would appear ridiculous to suggest that Di Matteo is under any pressure but Chelsea are about style as well as substance. Abramovich wants a different way of playing; he wants some bang for his buck and the fact that he was here has to make any manager nervous — just ask the last six who have been sacked by the Russian billionaire. And a Champions League trophy is no insulation for Di Matteo; not when the man who signs the cheques is demanding more. Chelsea are on top of the Premier League, three points clear, and unbeaten but this was a far from impressive performance. It was also a first win in four matches in all competitions.
Stoke were unfortunate, with manager Tony Pulis raging that David Luiz should have been dismissed for a late, reckless tackle on Jonathan Walters. He had a case. And probably had a case when complaining that Branislav Ivanovic had dived in search of a penalty; although he was harsh on Oscar by levelling the same accusation.
“This is most probably the best we have played at Chelsea in the five years we’ve been in the Premier League,” Pulis said and he was right. He will, in particular, rue a header from Walters that crashed against the bar as he met Glenn Whelan’s free-kick and also a rash decision by Geoff Cameron to drive a cross at Michael Kightly rather than merely pick out the winger who nevertheless drew a save from Petr Cech with Gary Cahill hacking the rebound clear.
Then there was a shot by substitute Matthew Etherington which was dragged across goal but, despite the attacking intent of both sides, chances were at a premium while Chelsea looked 'narrow’ in attack, lacking width to draw out the Stoke defence.
Torres headed over from Mata’s corner and that attacking trio behind the Spanish striker worked hard to try and eke out opportunities for him. Sometimes their build-up play was over-elaborate, sometimes they were out of synch, but there is a huge amount of young talent bubbling along with substitute Victor Moses also continuing to impress.
Despite his slight frame, Oscar almost made the breakthrough. Asmir Begovic did well to hold on to a low shot from the 21 year-old who almost capitalised as Moses turned strongly on halfway to power forward and lay the ball off. Oscar cut inside but, again, his shot was held before he another powerful effort skimmed wide.
Mata also went close. He got his angles wrong with one Ivanovic lay-off, side-footing inaccurately and then was only stopped by a fine tackle by Shawcross as he threatened to wriggle free. Finally Chelsea did score. This time Moses laid the ball out to Ivanovic who crossed low. Mata’s clever flick made it — turning the ball goalwards for Cole, of all people, to lift his shot over Begovic and into the net.

Match details
Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Cech; Ivanovic, Cahill, Luiz, Cole; Ramires, Mikel (Lampard 82); Mata (Terry 89), Oscar, Hazard (Moses 62); Torres.
Subs: Turnbull (g), Romeu, Azpilicueta, Bertrand.
Booked: Oscar, Luiz.

Stoke City (4-5-1): Begovic; Cameron, Shawcross, Huth, Wilson; Walters, N'Zonzi, Whelan, Adam (Owen 64), Kightly (Etherington 72); Crouch (Jones 75).
Subs: Sorensen (g), Whitehead, Upson, Shotton.
Booked: Adam.

Referee: M Oliver (Northumberland)

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

Mail:

Chelsea 1 Stoke 0: Blues get a taste of their own medicine
By Rob Draper

For Chelsea the scenario is familiar. A technical team playing neat, passing football are frustrated by a much more physical, direct team.
Only now the roles are reversed and, fortunately for Chelsea on Saturday, Stoke could not quite repeat the miracle of the Nou Camp that their hosts had performed in Barcelona last April.

But Chelsea have changed; the tactics that earned them their precious European Cup have been consigned to the dustbin in pursuit of the more joyous football demanded by Roman Abramovich, who was watching.

The trouble is, theory and practice are often uneasy bedfellows.
Even though Frank Lampard and John Terry started on the bench - merely squad rotation according to Roberto di Matteo - an attacking line of Eden Hazard, Oscar and Juan Mata supporting Fernando Torres was enough to quicken the pulse.
You feared for Stoke . . . quite unnecessarily, of course.
For Tony Pulis and his players these challenges are routine. They simply applied the defensive template Chelsea used against Barcelona.
The hosts were permitted to pass the ball endlessly in front of City's disciplined defensive ranks but were rarely permitted behind the lines.
And it was not just that they were five minutes from pulling it off; at times they looked a degree more effective on the break than Chelsea did.

'It's the first time we have tried Mata, Hazard and Oscar together and it certainly needs more work and practice to be able to integrate them into our system,' said manager Di Matteo.

'But I thought today it worked very well. It's a question of time, practice and them knowing each other better.
'But I think it's great to have these players with great technical ability who are good in small spaces, because every team who come to Stamford Bridge defend very deep with a lot of men so there's not much space.'
When the goal did come, on 85 minutes, it was at least worthy of the wait, if only for the delightful Mata backheel which provided Ashley Cole with the opportunity to lift the ball over Asmir Begovic from six yards out for his first Chelsea goal in more than two years.
That had been preceded by a crisp passing movement initiated by Lampard to Ramires, who found Branislav Ivanovic, who touched the ball on to Mata.
The preceding 84 minutes were less inspiring and of the Chelsea front four, ironically it was Torres who looked least at ease, given that this is the system supposedly designed for him.
To his credit, he never stops trying. On the debit side, there was another bad miss on 27 minutes when a delightful chip from Mata found him in space eight yards out.
Although he controlled with his chest well, he completely missed his shot. Oscar, bridging the cultural chasm between Pele and Pulis, was not altogether successful: a theatrical fall after a robust yet clean challenge from Ryan Shawcross in the penalty area earned him a yellow card and the wrath of Pulis.

But he was not without his moments either.
His touch is exquisite and his precocious talent not in doubt as he cut inside Geoff Cameron on 66 minutes to force a stretched one-handed save from Begovic with a shot from 20 yards.

His movement to slip away from Shawcross on 70 minutes, to create a chance to shoot just wide, was beguiling and it was Hazard, not the 21-year-old Brazilian, who gave way after 60 minutes when Di Matteo needed to make a change But it was Stoke who had created the first clear-cut chance on 20 minutes.
A superb inswinging freekick from Glenn Whelan was met firmly by Jon Walters but rebounded off the bar. Then Cameron thumped in a cross which was met by a Michael Kightly header.

Cech fumbled and it took Gary Cahill to hack clear. Long-range wayward efforts from Cole and David Luiz did little to hearten the locals but so effective were Stoke's defensive lines that Chelsea could manage little else.

Mata went close with a fierce shot from 20 yards, which was saved by Begovic, but was less impressive two minutes later, skewing a shot embarrassingly wide.

The introduction of Michael Owen on 64 minutes - 'a breath of fresh air at the club,' according to Pulis - suggested the manager wanted more than mere survival but it was Kenwyne Jones, heading on a cross for Matt Etherington eight yards out on 79 minutes, who almost provided a first victory this season.

Etherington though shot wide.

Two minutes into added time, there was a Luiz tackle on Walters.
Studs were up and Luiz connected with Walters' shin.
Had he been in red-and-white stripes, you suspect it might have been a red rather than yellow card that was shown.

'You said that, not me,' said Pulis. 'And make sure the Premier League know that!'


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

Mirror:

Chelsea 1-0 Stoke City: Rare Cole goal keeps Blues flying high
By Matt Law

It was the left-back's first goal in two years as the Potters dogged defending was broken late on to keep the Blues top of the league

Roberto Di Matteo tried to give the Chelsea fans a glimpse into the future, but it took one of the golden oldies to spare his blushes.
Chelsea have been stalling on offering 31-year-old Ashley Cole a new contract, with ­manager Di Matteo under orders to usher in a new era.
But, in front of owner Roman Abramovich, left-back Cole proved it may still be a bit early to dispense with the old boys.
Cole, whose deal runs out at the end of the season, rescued three points for Chelsea after the home side had been ­frustrated by Stoke and ­survived a couple of scares.
Jonathan Walters hit the bar for the visitors from a Glenn Whelan free-kick, while David Luiz was forced to hack clear to stop Peter Crouch pouncing.
Di Matteo dropped captain John Terry and Frank Lampard to the bench and put his faith in a £125million Fab Four of Fernando Torres, Eden Hazard, Juan Mata and Oscar.
Mata conjured the assist for Cole with a backheel and Oscar produced another performance full of promise, but Torres and Hazard had days to forget.
The Belgian dragged an ­angled shot wide, while Torres chested down a Mata chip but missed his kick with just ­keeper Asmir Begovic to beat.
Ambramovich will not have been impressed with what he saw and presumably gave up looking for the receipt on Torres long ago.
The Russian had visited the Chelsea training ground after the Champions League draw with Juventus.
If he thought that game was bad, yesterday was far worse despite Cole’s late winner.
Torres has now gone four games without a goal, Ramires was poor and a defence without Terry looked vulnerable.
Abramovich will expect ­better, despite the fact Chelsea are yet to lose a Premier League game this season.
Di Matteo dropped Terry with his FA hearing over the racism row with Anton Ferdinand due to start tomorrow.
Terry had been at fault for the Juventus equaliser and the club confirmed he was not injured, but gave ‘rotation’ as the reason for his omission.
Gary Cahill and Luiz were uncomfortable dealing Crouch. but the Brazilian reacted well to hack clear after Petr Cech had spilled a Michael Kightly effort.
Branislav Ivanovic was lucky not to be booked for ­diving in the penalty area, but Oscar did not get away with his less-than-convincing act five minutes after the break.
The Brazilian tried to dance round Ryan Shawcross and threw himself down, only for ref Michael Oliver to rightly pull out the yellow card.
Di Matteo decided it was time to split up his Fab Four just after the hour mark, replacing Hazard with Victor Moses.
Stoke boss Tony Pulis also changed it and threw on free transfer Michael Owen.
The striker had been given three minutes against Manchester City but had longer to try to make his mark here. But he barely touched the ball.
Oscar was doing his best to find a way through but saw two shots from distance well saved by Begovic and another flash just wide.
Di Matteo made a last roll of the dice by finally sending on Lampard, but it was Cole who bailed him out in the 85th minute with his first ­Chelsea goal since May 2010.
Di Matteo said: “I thought it was just a question of time ­before we scored. Obviously, when it comes to the last 20 minutes, time is running out.
“But when you play against Stoke, it’s always so hard to break them down. They ­’re very well-drilled.”
The goal came when ­Ivanovich crossed from the right, Mata produced a wonderful backheel and Cole was in the right place to convert.
He might just want to knock on the owner’s door about that new contract tomorrow.


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

Sun:

Chelsea 1 Stoke 0

By MARK IRWIN

ROMAN ABRAMOVICH has finally got his Chelsea wish — but he does not look that happy about it.
Since he took control at Stamford Bridge nine years ago, the hard-to-please Russian has demanded sexy, entertaining football.
Well, the good news for Abramovich is Roberto Di Matteo finally has his team playing just like Arsenal. The bad news is it means lots of intricate passing on the edge of the area with little end product.
And Abramovich’s permanent frown, as he looked down on this unconvincing victory from his lofty perch up in the West Stand, was worth a million words.

Ashley Cole’s 85th-minute goal was just about enough to see off a doggedly determined Stoke and move Chelsea three points clear at the top of the table.

But do not be fooled by their lofty league position. Abramovich certainly is not.
The owner paid one of his dreaded visits to the training ground the other day to ask why they had surrendered a two-goal lead against Juventus on Wednesday.

He also wanted to know why Di Matteo is still not getting the best out of Fernando Torres, despite spending £80million on new signings this summer.
Yet the answer is blindingly obvious. It does not matter who is feeding the ammunition to Torres when the £50m striker is in such wretched form.
Di Matteo, predictably, claimed to be delighted with the Spaniard’s performance and disputed suggestions Torres was anything but magnificent as his lone striker.
He also insisted his team will be even more impressive when his new signings have had more time to gel. And that one is probably true.
For the first time this season, Oscar, Eden Hazard and Juan Mata started together as part of the most expensively assembled attacking line in football.

It was also quite likely the smallest side the Blues have fielded for some time and certainly a case of men against boys compared to Tony Pulis’ giants.

Yet it was not a lack of physical presence that was the problem. Quite simply, while Daniel Sturridge is ruled out by a hamstring injury, Torres is Plan A through to Plan Z.
When Didier Drogba was allowed to leave in the summer, Torres was assured he would be the main man this season and appeared to respond to the vote of confidence with goals against Reading and Newcastle.
But he has now gone right back into his shell and, after four games without a goal, is wearing that all too familiar put-upon look again.

He had two decent first-half opportunities but headed over from Hazard’s early corner and then failed to make a decent connection from Mata’s clever chip over the City defence.
Jon Walters should have claimed the lead for the visitors when he was picked out by Glenn Whelan’s 19th-minute free-kick but sent his close-range header against Petr Cech’s bar.
And Stoke were out of luck again just before the break when Geoff Cameron hammered a cross into the chest of Michael Kightly. That forced Cech into a quick reaction save to keep out the deflection.
Against such a physically imposing side as the Potters, it was a curious day for Di Matteo to ‘rotate’ John Terry to the subs’ bench — particularly as the captain could soon be on a long break courtesy of this week’s FA disciplinary commission.
Frank Lampard was also given a rest and it was only when he was sent on for the final 10 minutes that Chelsea finally opened up a Stoke back four impressively marshalled by captain Ryan Shawcross.
In the home side’s defence, at least they never threw in the towel. And their persistence was finally rewarded when Branislav Ivanovic’s low cross was exquisitely flicked on by Mata to leave Cole clear through on goal.
The England full-back last scored for Chelsea back in May 2010 but showed an impressive calmness as he placed his shot beyond stranded Asmir Begovic.
It was a desperately cruel outcome for Stoke, who are still waiting for their first victory of the season and have won only one of their last 18 games.
Boss Tony Pulis was jumping up and down on the touchline at some of Chelsea’s antics and was particularly upset by theatrical penalty appeals from Ivanovic and Oscar. He was no happier with David Luiz’s stoppage-time foul on Walters.

In the end, the Blues picked up the result which will allow them to watch today’s events at Anfield and the Etihad nicely relaxed.
But it will not always be this comfortable. Arsenal away next week will give us a better indicator of where Chelsea are right now.


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


Express:

CHELSEA 1 - STOKE 0: ASHLEY COLE'S JUST TOO HOT FOR STOKE

By John Richardson

A RARE Ashley Cole goal probably prevented a grumpy bearded Russian from making another swift return to the Chelsea training ground.
Chelsea, with a seemingly cloned midfield of diddymen with deft touches, must have driven owner Roman Abramovich, watching on from the posh seats, to distraction.
For 85 minutes they had passed themselves into a frenzy, hitting cul de sac after cul de sac – the satnav obviously having a malfunction.
Abramovich was promised an enlightened era of swashbuckling football designed to place some glitter on the stoic stuff which ended in Champions League glory.
For much of this game against a Stoke side who grew in stature and carved out the better chances, it seemed a bleak return for the oligarch’s near £100million summer investment.
It was reported the owner wasn’t too pleased with the loss of a two-goal lead in the Champions League against Juventus in midweek and made his displeasure known at the training ground the next morning.

But at times the tippy-tappy football was only producing louder and louder groans from the stands
Until the unlikely figure of England defender Cole popped up in the box to score only his seventh goal in his 269th appearance for the club Roberto Di Matteo and company could have been fearing another untimely visit from the main man.
The Chelsea fans couldn’t care less as they sang ‘We’re the champions of Europe, we know who we are’.
Nothing can take that away from them – at least in the coming months – but if they want to be English champions there is still a long road ahead.
Manager Di Matteo was happy to celebrate an extended lead on the Premier League summit maintaining:
“When you play Stoke it’s always hard to break them down. I felt it was only a question of time before we scored.”

But at times the tippy-tappy football was only producing louder and louder groans from the stands.
It was only when £9million Victor Moses was plucked from the substitutes bench to replace an ineffective £32m Eden Hazard with less than 30 minutes to go that Chelsea discovered width and a much needed injection of pace.
Di Matteo had also gambled by leaving John Terry and Frank Lampard on the bench until the dying embers of the game. Regarding Terry’s omission from the starting line-up, the Italian denied it was anything to do with his skipper’s appearance before an FA commission tomorrow on racism charges involving QPR’s Anton Ferdinand.
“We have a big squad and I don’t want players burned out by November. I will continue to utilise the squad.”
Chelsea had to wait until five minutes from the end of normal time for the vital penetration.
The man they invested £50m to provide the cutting edge is still in cow’s bottom and banjo country.
That was never more graphically illustrated as when Juan Mata chipped into the area only for Fernando Torres to miskick as he searched for the killing finish. There was plenty of Chelsea possession but the clear chances came at the other end. It’s why this morning Stoke boss Tony Pulis will be wondering how his side didn’t pick up their fifth consecutive draw of the embryonic season.
The reason they didn’t was through some Chelsea artistry which finally packed a punch.
Branislav Ivanovic went on a charge and his low cross was expertly back heeled into Cole’s path by Mata. The England full-back, who now looks set to sign a lucrative new deal at his club, might have been in nosebleed territory but he didn’t freeze and neatly dinked over Begovic.
That left Pulis exasperated and it soon turned to anger when David Luis escaped with a yellow card with a scything challenge on Jon Walters.
He said: “It was a dreadful challenge. Even David will admit he was lucky to stay on the pitch.”
By then the real damage had been done and Stoke were left contemplating their missed chances.
The hard-running Walters sent a header thudding against the bar from Glenn Whelan’s free-kick.
Petr Cech grabbed a long range effort from Marc Wilson and did better to keep out Michael Kightly’s attempt following Geoff Cameron’s fiercely driven cross.
Walters was just wide from a Peter Crouch knockdown while Charlie Adam wasted a razor sharp break led by the impressive Kightly.
Pulis added: “This is the best we have played here in five years of being in the Premier League.

”Ref: M Oliver Att: 41,112

CHELSEA: Cech; Ivanovic, Luiz, Cahill, Cole; Mikel (Lampard 81), Ramires; Mata (Terry 88), Oscar, Hazard (Moses 62); Torres.

STOKE: Begovic; Cameron, Huth, Shawcross, Wilson; N’Zonzi, Adam (Owen 64), Whelan, Kightly (Etherington 72); Walters; Crouch (Jones 75).

MAN of the MATCH: Juan Mata – kept Chelsea’s supply line going when it was in danger of being cut off through over elaboration. He also made the winning goal.


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Star:

CHELSEA 1 - STOKE CITY 0: ASHLEY COLE'S RARE GEM SINKS BRAVE STOKE

By Tony Stenson

ASHLEY COLE, whose goals are as rare as his chats to the press, kept Chelsea on top of the Premier League.
The England defender grabbed a late winner, just when Stoke looked set to follow the form book.
Tony Pulis’s Potters had drawn all four of their Premier League matches this season – with their last win coming way back in April.
But Cole showed that in the land of the giants, the small man can still be a winner.
England star Cole stands at barely 5ft 8ins, with most Stoke players towering over him.
But he stole on to Juan Mata’s clever 85th-minute back-heel to decide a game that for long periods lacked class.
Stoke haven’t won at Stamford Bridge since 1995 but on a sun-kissed afternoon they made Chelsea work so hard for the three points.
To be a Stoke player you need to look more like a basketball star but at times they showed a decent touch on the floor.
And with the exceptions of Mata and David Luiz, Chelsea were made to look very ordinary.
Fernando Torres had another game to forget and John Obi Mikel showed that he can’t unlock doors in midfield.
Roberto Di Matteo’s side were often guilty of tippy-tappy football, with players bunching and trying to walk the ball into the net.
Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich continues to give his support to manager Di Matteo.
But even he threw up his hands in despair when Stoke forward Jonathan Walters thundered a 19th-minute header on to Chelsea’s crossbar, from Glenn Whelan’s free-kick.
That shook the home side and Torres missed a golden chance in the 26th minute, when he failed to convert a sweet chip from fellow Spaniard Mata.
Oscar was booked in the 50th minute for diving but then forced Stoke keeper Asmir Begovic to get down sharply to keep out his snapshot from 18 yards.
Chelsea looked a more inventive side after Victor Moses replaced Eden Hazard in the 62nd minute.
And with five minutes of normal time to play Cole swooped to finally break Stoke’s resistance.
There were a few unpleasant moments before the final whistle, as Luiz and Walters were booked for tackles that, on another day, might have warranted a red card.
John Terry and Frank Lampard both made late appearances off the bench, after resting tired muscles, following a start to the season that has given notice that the Blues are back in the title hunt.
Terry has his FA case tomorrow, to answer allegations of racism against QPR’s Anton Ferdinand – a ridiculous waste of time, since he has already been cleared in a court of law.
The FA will face the full might of Terry’s lawyers should they find him guilty.
Meanwhile, boss Di Matteo revealed that Chelsea are close to getting Cole to sign a new, long-term contract.
The Italian said: “We are talking. My recommendation is he should stay here. I hope he does.”
Di Matteo also denied he ‘rested’ skipper Terry because of his FA appearance tomorrow and said: “We have a good squad here and everyone deserves a chance. I will not answer any other questions about him.”
Stoke boss Pulis accused Oscar and Branislav Ivanovic of diving. He said: “Oscar is a fabulous player, so is Ivanovic, but we can’t allow players to fall over without talking about it.
“We are disappointed as this is the closest Stoke have come to winning here in many years.”