Swansea 0-2

Independent:
Branislav Ivanovic's schoolboy errors give Swansea City shot at history
Sam Wallace

Mutiny in the stands and mediocrity on the pitch. When even the Capital One Cup descends into acrimony and defeat, Rafa Benitez must wonder if he will ever turn around this disaffected, unhappy club that he currently calls home.
The Chelsea interim coach will have considered defeat to Queen's Park Rangers at Stamford Bridge a week ago as deeply regrettable, but things rapidly went downhill tonight. In the semi-final first leg of the good old League Cup they slumped to Swansea who scored two goals that were gifted to them by two schoolboy errors from the defender Branislav Ivanovic.
Ten years ago, Swansea City were in such a bad state that they were fighting for their lives in the fourth tier and changed hands for £1. That was the same year that Roman Abramovich began his colossal investment in Chelsea, £1bn and counting, and tonight at possibly the lowest ebb in the Russian's ownership the two stories collided in dramatic fashion.
Life at Stamford Bridge is, at the moment, surreal to say the least. There is a manager who is subject to hostility, as intense as ever tonight from the home fans. Then there were the calls for Demba Ba to be brought on, just one game into his Chelsea career. And to top it all there is the Frank Lampard, who spent much of the night running up and down the touchline applauding the fans taking his side in the contract stand-off.
Oh, and the chairman Bruce Buck, who made a pre-match presentation on the pitch, was booed for his role – as the fans see it – in the refusal to extend Lampard's stay at the club beyond the summer. And this was before they went and lost their second home game in the space of eight days.
In the midst of it all, Benitez was batting on bravely. He insisted that his team had played well and although some of their football was excellent, his plea to look beyond the result fundamentally misunderstood how life at Chelsea operates. The decision to appoint him was based on the conviction that – however unpopular – he would bring the club success and results like tonight were not part of the plan.
The achievement of Swansea and their manager Michael Laudrup should not be overlooked on a monumental night for the club. They have won at Anfield and the Emirates this season but tonight was as good as either of those wins with the peerless Michu opening the scoring and his useful sidekick Danny Graham, a second-half substitute, nicking the second in added-time at the end.
Bravo, Laudrup, who is 90 minutes away from Swansea's first-ever major cup final if they can negotiate the second leg at the Liberty Stadium in two weeks' time when away goals will count double only after extra-time is played. The Dane is unflappable and although this team is a talented ensemble there is no-one quite like the lethal Michu who scores goals in the fashion that Chelsea wish Fernando Torres would.
Oh dear, Fernando, another night in which he sunk beneath the waves, hiding behind the shoulders of defenders and failing to affect the game. Ba achieved more in the nine minutes he played than Torres did in the 81 minutes in which he was involved, including two headers and a late goal from the new boy that were incorrectly ruled offside by referee Anthony Taylor.
Where do Chelsea go from here? To Stoke, of all places, on Saturday where Benitez will hope that the roller-coaster form his team have endured in the last week stabilises. He surely cannot start with Torres away from home against a side as physical as Tony Pulis' outfit, which was presumably the rationale for playing the Spanish striker.
Laudrup said that, in all, Chelsea created just four clear chances to score, yet in the first half they dominated possession completely. The little band of brothers who operate behind Torres – Juan Mata, Oscar and Eden Hazard – looked lively and there was no better move all half than the sequence of passes that played in Ramires on 11 minutes for a disappointing stab at goal.
That was not the only chance that was missed. Hazard teed up Mata on 26 minutes and he hit his shot straight at the goalkeeper. The Spain international struck another across the face of goal. Even Cesar Azpilicueta, yet to score for his new club had a crack at goal. The expectation was that one would go in at some point.
The first Swansea goal was presented to them by Ivanovic, who took the ball from goalkeeper Ross Turnbull and turned straight into trouble. The enterprising Jonathan de Guzman, who played well against Arsenal in the FA Cup on Sunday, stole the ball away from Ivanovic and it broke left to Michu.
Even from that position, the Swansea striker's task was by no mean simple. Gary Cahill had recovered and was moving into position to block the direct route to goal. No problem for the goal machine from Oviedo, who switched the ball from his right foot to his left, away from Cahill and found the space to lift a shot quickly past Turnbull.
After that, Laudrup's team parked the bus resolutely and Benitez's players were obliged to pick their way through the roadblock. The calls for Ba became more insistent and when finally he came on there were cheers – as much, it seemed, for the departure of Torres.
Chelsea besieged Swansea in the closing stages of the match. Then Ivanovic went into malfunction mode again, passing the ball short to Turnbull and allowing Graham to steal in and finish neatly for the second.
After that, Ba scored a goal when Lampard flicked on Azpilicueta's cross that should have stood but was ruled out for offside. Replays showed that decision was incorrect. Less forgivable was a decision by Taylor to book Ba, presumably for diving, as he challenged for a ball with goalkeeper Gerhard Tremmel. Ba deserved better on his home debut.
Certainly, the goal Ba scored that was disallowed was legitimate, and the two headers that followed, marked him out as an excellent option for Chelsea. The way things are going, Benitez may feel he has no option but to play his new signing. Certainly they cannot afford to lose to Stoke City on Saturday.

Man of the match Williams.
Match rating 7/10.
Referee A Taylor (Greater Manchester).
Attendance 40,172.

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

Guardian:

Danny Graham scores late as Swansea secure shock win over Chelsea
Dominic Fifield at Stamford Bridge

The money men at Capital One who chose to plough millions into sponsoring this competition presumably never saw this coming, even if they could still end up with something remarkable at Wembley next month. Swansea stand on the brink of a first major cup final after registering a victory here that had Chelsea's players wheezing in disbelief and their support in uproar, with the prospect of a showpiece against Bradford City of League Two very real. There is romance, if perhaps not ratings, to be had in that.
The last time those sides met was in front of 7,347 people at Valley Parade almost six years ago, a game that was drawn 2-2 with a more youthful Leon Britton presumably scuttling effectively at the heart of the visitors' midfield. Considerably more spectators would grace the national stadium on 24 February to see Michael Laudrup's slick side dazzle, even in a final no one would have considered conceivable a few months ago. They may have been on the verge of extinction 11 years ago but they have won at Anfield and the Emirates already this term. Laudrup described those as "historic results" with this, victory over the fading European champions, another swelling the list.
This was a different kind of win, one achieved while chasing the ball for long periods where usually they hog it so stylishly. The home side could cry foul at a harshly disallowed goal in stoppage time or, as Rafael Benítez did, point to profligacy at one end and uncharacteristic sloppiness at the other which condemned them to a first-leg deficit they will do well to recover. Yet with Chelsea so unpredictable at present, Swansea were everything the hosts were not: resilient and ruthless. This tie is surely theirs. "We're still far away," said Laudrup. "We will need a great, great performance, like this one, in the second match because there's still so much offensive potential in Chelsea. But we have a realistic possibility."
He will have enjoyed the journey home on the team bus to south Wales, basking in this success even with a trip to Everton looming large at the weekend. Swansea's attacking football had caught the imagination over their rise through the divisions, but they have successfully allied all that pizzazz with solidity. They were stingy in the Championship, and hardly porous last term when restored to the top flight, with this a lesson in stubborn defence. Ashley Williams was inspirational at the heart of their back-line, the second-choice goalkeeper Gerhard Tremmel excelling to deny Branislav Ivanovic and David Luiz when clear chances were eked out. Those in midfield were industrious throughout, with the bite provided up front by a strike force that cost a combined £5.5m.
They needed that team prowess to prevail. Chelsea had dominated, their own flow summed up by one glorious passing combination delivered at pace by Juan Mata, David Luiz, Oscar, Eden Hazard and Ramires early on with the last Brazilian eventually drawing a save from Tremmel. Yet, with Fernando Torres peripheral on his 100th Chelsea appearance and Demba Ba kicking his heels on the bench until nine minutes from time, they rarely threatened a finish to all the finesse.
Ba, eventually summoned with Frank Lampard, did convert neatly as full-time approached only for an assistant referee, wrongly, to rule him offside. Yet the reality was that, whenever frustration had built, Chelsea imploded at the other end with Ivanovic, usually so dependable, twice culpable of aberrations. The Serb first dawdled as he collected Ross Turnbull's roll out, with Jonathan de Guzmán robbing him of the ball and squaring for Michu to belt in a 16th of a productive campaign from 20 yards. To think the Spaniard cost only £2m is still unfathomable.
Late on it was Ivanovic again who played a blind back-pass towards his goalkeeper which the substitute Danny Graham intercepted, the forward taking his time to convert into the gaping net as both Chelsea centre-halves dived in. Ivanovic marched from the turf at the final whistle staring steadfastly at the ground as all around the implications of this defeat rumbled. This club is mutinous at present, with the rancour likely to be sustained to the summer.
Benítez denied it in the aftermath, but the atmosphere – forever teetering on open revolt – cannot be helping nervous players for all that the locals feel justified in their fury. This game was played out to bellowed chants of disgust from the stands, with calls for the introduction of Lampard and Ba, or the reinstallation of Roberto Di Matteo or José Mourinho, interspersed with hostility at Benítez, the misfiring Torres and even the chairman, Bruce Buck, upon his appearance on the pitch prior to kick-off. There is discord all around and, when that early dominance in possession petered out after the interval, the exasperation duly boiled over.
Other sides might not have had the nous to take advantage but Swansea are too good not to capitalise on such opportunities. There have been Welsh Cups and Football League trophies over the years. This time around, there might be something even more glittering for this club to celebrate. "Aston Villa and Chelsea are still the favourites to reach Wembley," added Laudrup, though momentum is with the underdogs.

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

Telegraph:

Chelsea 0 Swansea City 2
by Henry Winter

This is turning into a strange, almost macabre season for Chelsea.
They are champions of Europe, brimming with some of the best creative talent around, capable of huge wins, yet leaderless and directionless at times.
Rafael Benítez’s side were embarrassed by Swansea City, who played with all the defensive resilience and cutting edge that Chelsea lacked.
“Que sera, sera, we’re going to Wembley,’’ chanted the jubilant visiting Swansea fans, feeling they have one foot in the Capital One Cup final. “Champions of Europe?’’ they then enquired of their hosts, “you’re having a laugh.’’
Chelsea supporters were too busy turning on their interim first-team manager with “f--- off, Benítez, you’re not wanted here” to respond to the caustic Welsh choirs.
There is a unity to Swansea as a team and a club that Chelsea urgently need. The damage was inflicted by Michu and Danny Graham, who took their goals well, exploiting mistakes by Branislav Ivanovic in particular. Chelsea were toothless in comparison and Fernando Torres managed only 19 touches in his 81 minutes. The contrast between the £2 million Michu and the £50 million Torres was painful for Chelsea fans to behold.
The atmosphere turns too febrile too quickly at Stamford Bridge. Even the chairman, Bruce Buck, endured an awkward reception on the pitch beforehand, the Matthew Harding Upper and Lower stands immediately launching into their paean to “Super Frankie Lampard”, whose time at the Bridge draws to a close this summer.
They chanted Lampard’s name until he eventually came on. They chanted the name of Demba Ba until he eventually replaced Torres. Benítez could have made his changes earlier; the memory endures of Jose Mourinho being far more decisive with his substitutions.
Benítez was outwitted by Michael Laudrup, who set Swansea up superbly, almost as a classic counter-attacking team, as if preparing for Europe. When Chelsea had possession, which was for long periods of the game, Swansea pressed hard, then dropped deep, manning the barricades with only Michu left up.
Laudrup’s creative wide players, Wayne Routledge and Pablo Hernández, tracked back time after time to cover their full-backs. Angel Rangel and the calm teenager Ben Davies threw themselves into blocks, working hard to stop Chelsea crosses at source.
In the centre, Ashley Williams was immense, dominating the air (albeit predominantly against a tepid Torres), and a model of concentration and commitment that set the tone for his team. Here was a real leader, again demonstrating the character that Chelsea need more of.
Alongside Williams, Chico Flores even found time to deal with a pitch invader.
In possession, Swansea were neat and nimble, particularly in central midfield. Leon Brittain kept moving the ball forward, occasionally darting past David Luiz. Jonathan de Guzmán broke forward, looking to link with Michu.
Praise needs bestowing on Laudrup as well as his players. He set Chelsea problems with his starting line-up and tactics and then set them more problems with his changes, particularly sending on Graham, who harried Chelsea’s defence and took Swansea’s second goal well.
Swansea’s prominence has inevitably stirred speculation as to whether Michu will leave — and he probably will in the summer for a substantial fee — but the club will also beware suitors for Laudrup.
He has been one of the managerial stars of the season and if he leads Swansea to the final his stock will soar higher than the famous arch.
Chelsea had their chances but seemed almost obsessed with over-elaborating. It was all pass, pass, pass, all style but no substance.
They enjoyed a wonderful opportunity early on, the ball flowing from the captain Ashley Cole to Juan Mata, Luiz and Oscar and then on to Eden Hazard. The Belgian played in Ramires, who delayed his shot and eventually stabbed a weak effort straight at Gerhard Tremmel.
Still Chelsea sought to find a way through. Mata (twice), César Azpilicueta and Gary Cahill had chances but failed to trouble Tremmel. Such profligacy was then punished by Michu, striking his 16th goal of the season.
Ross Turnbull, such an inexperienced understudy for Petr Cech, hardly did Ivanovic any favours with his ball out, although the Serb was still culpable. He dawdled, De Guzmán nipped in and Chelsea were punished. One of the rules of the season has been that no risks can be taken with Michu lurking.
The moment the ball was transferred to the left foot of Michu, Chelsea feared the worse. The striker calmly swept the ball past Turnbull from the edge of the area. Ivanovic immediately sought to make amends, charging forward and unleashing a strong shot that Tremmel did well to push away.
After the break, Chelsea again tried to turn all their possession into something tangible. Luiz was denied by Tremmel. Still the calls for Lampard came and he arrived with 20 minutes left. Still the clamour grew for Ba to replace Torres.
When Oscar crossed from the right, Torres was too static, Tremmel cleared with his feet and Benítez had seen enough. Ba bounded on much to the delight of the Chelsea fans, who immediately saw the new striker twice go close with headers.
Chelsea continued to do so little with so much possession. A Lampard strike was well saved by Tremmel. Luiz also blasted the ball over. Ba then ran through but was harshly deemed to have dived when it seemed a simple collision with Tremmel.
Referee Anthony Taylor crazily then cautioned a disbelieving Ba.
Chelsea’s evening continued to dissolve into a nightmare. Ivanovic played the ball back blind to Turnbull, almost in a ghastly reverse of their first-half aberration. Graham pounced, rounded Turnbull and stroked the ball home past the sliding, despairing Ivanovic and Cahill. Ivanovic beat the pitch in frustration. When Ba was wrongly ruled offside on drilling the ball into the net, the nightmare deepened for Chelsea.

Team details
Chelsea Turnbull, Azpilicueta, Ivanovic, Cahill, Cole, Luiz, Ramires (Lampard 71), Hazard, Oscar (Marin 83), Mata, Torres (Ba 81).
Subs Hilario, Ferreira, Bertrand, Ake.
Booked Ba.
Swansea Tremmel, Rangel, Chico, Williams, Davies, Britton, De Guzman, Ki, Routledge (Tiendalli 62), Hernandez, Michu (Graham 83).
Subs Vorm, Dyer, Monk, Shechter, Agustien.
Booked Hernandez, Chico.
Goals Michu 39, Graham 90.
Att 40,172.
Referee A Taylor (Cheshire).

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

Mail:

Chelsea 0 Swansea 2: Michu and Graham make careless Blues pay after TWO Ivanovic howlers
By Matt Barlow

Don’t mention it to the people at Capital One but how about Swansea against Bradford at the end of next month? At Wembley, where else?
Last night Swansea won at Stamford Bridge thanks to two horrendous errors from Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic which handed goals to Michu and Danny Graham.
First the Serbian was dispossessed as he hesitated, releasing Michu to finish in some style. Then, in the 90th minute, he played a blind backpass that allowed  Graham to surge forward and beat stranded keeper Ross Turnbull.
There was still time for substitute Demba Ba to see his reply for Chelsea ruled out for offside. This after he had been booked for diving when the home crowd screamed for a penalty.
Despite these scares, it is Swansea who are now in control of the tie and dreaming of Wembley, along with Bradford, 3-1 winners over Aston Villa on Tuesday.
The last time Bradford and  Swansea met was in League One, six years ago, when fewer than 8,000 turned up at Valley Parade. On February 24, it will not be a play-off final, the unsung teams may well be contesting the first big prize of the season. Swansea have never won a major trophy and it is more than a century since Bradford claimed the FA Cup, their only one.
Swansea manager Michael Laudrup claimed  Villa and Chelsea are still the favourites for the final but the Capital One Cup has defied logic this season and here was another unpredictable script.
It was a match dominated by the home team and gifted to the visitors by a pair of calamitous defensive mistakes from Ivanovic.
Michu scored the first, lethal as ever, after Ivanovic was dispossessed by Jonathan de Guzman, and Danny Graham added the second in stoppage time. The Serbian defender this time turned a blind pass towards his goalkeeper and gave it straight to Graham, who applied the punishment. Ivanovic was distraught. Stunned, he stalked straight down the tunnel at the final whistle as Swansea celebrated.
Few predicted the European champions would be toppled last night, even those who saw QPR win at Stamford Bridge last week, and it fuelled the simmering dissent inside the ground.
Before the game chairman Bruce Buck was booed as he stepped on to the pitch to present Petr Cech with something to commemorate his 400 games for the club. A chorus of ‘Super Frankie Lampard’ erupted from the Matthew Harding Stand, where hardcore fans congregate.
They cannot understand why  Lampard, who started on the bench, will be allowed to leave when his contract expires in June and sang ‘Sign him up’, too. There was the usual homage to Roberto Di Matteo in the 16th minute and they sang ‘We want Demba Ba’ as Fernando Torres ended his 100th Chelsea appearance without a goal.
On the pitch, Chelsea seemed in more  harmony. Ivanovic flashed a header over from a swerving cross, delivered by Torres from the left.
Gerhard Tremmel saved to deny Ramires what would have been a beautiful goal, after an intricate pattern of passes between those players who Buck and Roman Abramovich hope will represent the next generation.
Juan Mata, Oscar, David Luiz and Eden Hazard were all involved before Ramires twisted away from two challenges but was unable to beat the German goalkeeper.
Ben Davies blocked a shot from Mata and Cesar Azpilicueta lashed a 25-yard drive wide. Gary Cahill escaped Chico Flores at a corner but headed over. Mata dragged another effort wide after a flashy flick from Oscar.
Swansea were neat and tidy as ever but created virtually nothing. Twenty minutes had passed before their first attempt, a rather hopeful 25-yarder from Michu comfortably fielded by Ross Turnbull.
Yet they defended brilliantly and were clinical on the counter. Benitez fidgeted on the touchline, clearly concerned these missed opportunities would return to haunt him. Then Michu scored his 16th goal of the season.
De Guzman pressed Ivanovic, stole the ball and poked it to Michu, who manoeuvred it on to his left foot and finished from 20 yards. This type of lethal strike has become a trademark in his first 25 games in English football.
Buck and his cohorts in the executive seats must have gazed down and wondered how this £2million snip eluded their extravagant scouting network. At the other end, Torres toiled. It is nearly two years since his record-breaking £50m transfer and finally the Chelsea fans are losing patience, longing for Ba.
Tremmel saved spectacularly from Ivanovic before the break and then, after the restart, from Luiz.
Benitez grew more exasperated, flapping his arms and shaking his glasses at the fourth official. Eventually, he gave in to the hostile demands of the crowd. On went Lampard for Ramires. On went Ba for Torres. Both changes greeted with roars of approval - or relief.
Lampard had a low shot saved but it was Ba who gave Chelsea a different threat. Suddenly they were direct and physical.
Marko Marin swung in a cross from the right and Ba ran on to it, turning a header a foot wide of the far post. Seconds after Graham had made it 2-0, Ba put the ball in the Swansea net, only to see it ruled out for offside.
Replays showed he was on, just as they suggested he was unfortunate to be booked for a dive when he nudged the ball past Tremmel and crashed to the turf. It may not have been a penalty. It was certainly not a dive. Swansea hung on. Can they hang on for another 90 minutes?


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

Mirror:

Chelsea 0-2 Swansea
by Martin Lipton

Ivan the terrible: Two Branislav Ivanovic howlers gift Swansea Cup win at Chelsea
They didn't know who to boo loudest or longest. And that sums up the mess Chelsea are in.
On a night when the feats of the Spanish striker who cost £2million completely overshadowed the failures of the one who arrived with a £50m price-tag, Stamford Bridge was locked in despair.
The targets were from top to bottom:
* Jeers for chairman Bruce Buck before the game - punishment for Roman Abramovich's desire to get rid of local hero Frank Lampard.
* An unprecedented chorus of disapproval for Fernando Torres - a pale imitation of Swansea ace Michu - when he was eventually replaced by Demba Ba.
* Disbelief, mixed with anger, at Branislav Ivanovic after the Serb compounded one nightmare blunder with a potentially killer second, accepted as gleefully by Danny Graham as Michu had profited earlier.
* And, of course, four-letter abuse for Rafa Benitez, the man they love to hate, the architect of a disastrous evening that leaves Swansea within 90 minutes of the first major final in their history.
 This was a story of self-inflicted woes. Of chances created but nobody able to applying the finishing touch - a flaw exposed with clinical efficiency by Michael Laudrup's men.
Swansea, though, who last tasted victory at the Bridge in 1925, and who had not kept a clean sheet on their travels for 19 games, did not, do not, care.
Nor should they.
This was, for the men from South Wales, a night of glory, the stuff of legends, the side from the Liberty taking liberties at the home of the champions of Europe.
Yet for Chelsea, this is now a season on the verge of total implosion, free-fall, despair.
Already out of five competitions. Now, on the brink of exiting a sixth.
Fourteen points adrift and fighting for a top four finish in the Premier League.
A club where the fans are on the edge of turning rebellious thoughts into acts of outright mutiny.
 This night - in truth, the entire campaign to date - was encapsulated; including the continuing plaintive chants for Roberto Di Matteo, the calls for Lampard to stay.
At times, some of Chelsea's intricate, one-touch football was sublime - Juan Mata, Eden Hazard and Oscar terrific, David Luiz maturing in the middle.
But Mata's finishing was awry when it mattered, weakly firing at Gerhard Tremmel - as Ramires had done earlier - and then wide, with the keeper then brilliantly protected after the break by Chico Flores, Ashley Williams and the rest.
Torres' 100th Chelsea appearance was reminiscent of too many of the previous 99, lacking any of the drive, swagger and belief he displayed under Benitez at Liverpool.
And then staggeringly crass defensive errors, two horror-show moments for Ivanovic, both of them punished with devastating brutality by Swansea.
The first, seven minutes from the break, was symptomatic of too many games this term.
When Ross Turnbull tapped out to Ivanovic, he appeared to have had all the time in the world.
But his touch was horrific, allowing Jonathan De Guzman to nip in and steal possession away.
Enter Michu, digging the ball out , before curling home a beauty from the edge of the box - Turnbull nowhere close - for his 16th of a truly stellar first season in British football.
It was an outstanding strike from one of the stand-out players of the campaign, a man whose movement ensured that Chelsea were always living on their nerves even as they piled forward, a close flag call denying him a second.
Yet that wealth of second half possession added up to a great big fat nothing, only Luiz testing Tremmel before Benitez looked for salvation.
Lampard was followed by Ba - Torres jeered off by the home fans - and suddenly a threat, Tremmel saving from both.
But the final twist was yet to come.
Seconds after Ba was harshly booked for diving - there was clear, if accidental, contact with Tremmel - Ivanovic played a ball back to Turnbull without noticing Graham, just on for Michu.
Only one outcome - the substitute walking round the keeper to slot home, sparking more outrage, mainly directed at Benitez.
An offside flag thwarted a potential lifeline thrown by Ba at the death, but nothing could spare Chelsea from the wrath of SW6.
Salvation is possible in a fortnight.
The Blues fans, though, doubt Benitez even more than they now doubt Torres.

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

Sun:

Shaun Custis

WHO would have thought it? We could be heading for a Swansea v Bradford final — thanks to blundering Branislav Ivanovic.
Not a contest which will please the sponsors but for those who get fed up with the big boys dominating, it would be a unique event.
After Bradford stunned Villa the previous evening by taking a 3-1 lead in the first leg of their Capital One Cup semi-final, the Swans came to town and properly ruffled Chelsea’s feathers.
They were helped in no small measure by Blues centre-back Ivanovic, who could not have done more for the Swansea cause if he had been wearing one of their red shirts.

The Serb was at fault for both goals, which have given Rafa Benitez’s team such a mountain to climb.

First he was day dreaming on 39 minutes and failed to control a ball which was rolled out by his goalkeeper Ross Turnbull.

Jonathan de Guzman pounced, fed Michu on his left and you just knew what was coming.

Michu is in such outstanding form that the moment he pulled back his left foot there was no doubt his shot was destined for the net as he registered his 16th goal of the season.

As if Ivanovic had not done enough damage, in added time he laid a pass back towards Turnbull having failed to spot sub Danny Graham and the Swans striker finished expertly.

Chelsea thought they had grabbed a lifeline right at the end when new signing Demba Ba, who had replaced Fernando Torres with nine minutes left, fired in but he was given offside.

It was a hairline decision and could easily have gone in the home side’s favour but it went Swansea’s way.

For interim boss Benitez, who so wants to prove he should get the Chelsea job, this was a major setback.

He has already lost the Club World Cup and could be tumbling out of the League Cup too.

With Chelsea having lost at home to QPR in the Premier League last week as well, there is plenty more ammunition for the supporters who hate Benitez so much.

Ironically, Chelsea had been scoring for fun in this competition, netting 16 goals in three games before last night with six against Wolves and five against Manchester United and Leeds.

But Swansea have impressed under Michael Laudrup and, in the free- scoring Michu, he has acquired the snip of the century for a bargain £2million.And he certainly upstaged his fellow Spaniard, Torres, who cost 25 times more.

Torres was hopelessly ineffective again and did not justify starting in place of Ba, who must surely now be given the main striker’s role.

It was actually Chelsea who started this game the better with Ivanovic heading over a cross from Torres.

Then a lovely flowing move finished with Ramires jinking his way into the box but his prod was tame and keeper Gerhard Tremmel, who had an excellent night, saved easily. Juan Mata should have put the Blues ahead when he ran on to Eden Hazard’s pass only to fire straight at Tremmel.

Mata, who has scored 13 goals this campaign, was off target again with a right-foot effort following a delightful backheel by Oscar.

And Michu made him regret those misses with a clinical finish following Ivanovic’s error.

Ivanovic tried to make amends with a blistering strike but Tremmel was equal to it, flying to his left to push it away.

Chelsea had much work to do after the break and earned a couple of free-kicks, both of which David Luiz missed. His first effort was well over the top but the second — a low right-foot strike from 25 yards out — was only inches wide.

For a while, it was a bit of a one-man show by Luiz. And when he was presented with the ball by Hazard his shot was firm.

But the excellent Tremmel just managed to stop the ball from squirming under his body.

The impatient crowd had, as usual, chanted for former boss Roberto Di Matteo and wanted to see their hero Frank Lampard and Ba out there doing battle.

They sang Lampard’s name all night, still furious he is being allowed to leave, and there was a huge reception when he came on with 19 minutes left.

Ba joined him with nine minutes remaining and the ex-Newcastle man was harshly booked for diving when he challenged Tremmel for a ball out on the right-hand side of the box.

Immediately, though, Swansea scored again as Ivanovic suffered another aberration and turned the ball into the path of Graham. The big frontman has been frustrated by a lack of action and could be sold in the transfer window.

But he showed why he is attracting plenty of interest by slotting the ball into an empty goal after rounding stranded Turnbull.

Ba netted with almost the last kick of the game only to be given offside by the linesman’s yellow flag.

By the time they have played the second leg at the Liberty in a fortnight, Chelsea could be waving the white flag.

DREAM TEAM RATINGS

STAR MAN — HERNANDEZ(Swansea)
CHELSEA: Turnbull 6, Azpilicueta 6, Ivanovic 4, Cahill 6, Cole 6, Hazard 7, Luiz 7, Mata 6, Ramires 6, Oscar 7, Torres 5. Subs: Lampard (Ramires 71) 6, Ba (Torres 81) 6, Marin (Oscar 83) 5.Not used: Hilario, Ferreira, Bertrand, Ake. Booked: Ba.
SWANSEA: Tremmel 7, Rangel 6, Chico 6, Williams 7, Davies 6, De Guzman 7, Ki 6, Britton 7, Routledge 6, Hernandez 8, Michu 7. Subs: Tiendalli (Routledge 62) 6, Graham (Michu 83) 7. Not used: Vorm, Monk, Dyer, Agustien, Shechter. Booked:Chico, Hernandez.
REF: A Taylor 7


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

Express:

CHELSEA 0 - SWANSEA 2: LAUDRUP’S SWANS TAKE FLIGHT
Tony Banks

Never before in their proud but topsy-turvy 100-year existence have the Welsh club been in a major cup final. But thanks to a pair of terrible blunders by Branislav Ivanovic at Stamford Bridge last night, Swansea have one foot in the Capital One Cup final.
Ivanovic’s first-half error handed a 16th goal of the season to the deadly Michu – and a blind backpass in injury time gifted substitute Danny Graham the chance to round Ross Turnbull and slide home a crucial second goal for the visitors.
Demba Ba had a reply ruled out seconds later, leaving Chelsea manager Rafa Benitez with a mountain to climb at the Liberty Stadium.
But Swansea showed last night they have the courage and the calibre to hold on to this precious lead and make it to Wembley on February 24.
The result was a major setback for Blues boss Benitez – whose side battered the Welshmen but could not break them down, with too many men off colour on the night. He must pray his side can turn this around.
Benitez, looking for his first trophy as Stamford Bridge chief, left two-goal debutant Ba on the bench and went instead with Fernando Torres up front – the £50million man making his 100th appearance for the club.
But memories of Swansea will not have been entirely happy ones for the Spaniard. Torres scored but was sent off against the Welsh side in the league last season.
Also left on the bench was Frank Lampard, but he got a massive cheer from the fans, with chants of “Super Frankie Lampard” ringing round the ground. Unlike chairman Bruce Buck, who was booed when he made a pre-match presentation to Blues legend Peter Bonetti and injured keeper Petr Cech.
Chelsea, beaten finalists in 2008, last won this particular trophy in 2007 when Didier Drogba’s double saw off Arsenal. But Benitez knew Laudrup’s skilful, clever team carried a real threat, having won three of their last five away games, including a 2-0 victory over Arsene Wenger’s men at the Emirates.
The fate of Aston Villa, humbled at League Two side Bradford 24 hours earlier, was warning enough for the European champions. And Benitez, make no mistake, needed a trophy – hence the strong, attacking line-up.
Chelsea started brightly and Ramires should have scored when he beat three men in a mazy dribble, but then shot straight at Gerhard Tremmel.
Swansea were content to soak up the pressure, though Ki Sung-Yueng did break to test Turnbull with a low shot. But for the most part the Welsh side were on the back foot, and Cesar Azpilicueta flashed a drive just wide, before Gary Cahill nodded over.
Juan Mata then wasted an even better chance when put clean through by Eden Hazard, as the usually unerring Spaniard shot straight at Tremmel. Then, from Oscar’s lovely flick, Mata’s low shot skimmed past the post.
Chelsea gifted Swansea the lead as Ivanovic received a throw out from Turnbull but was far too casual.
Jonathan de Guzman pounced on his awful touch and fed the ball to Michu. The Spaniard has shown this season that he does not miss chances like that and he rattled a drive inside the near post.
Ivanovic tried to make up for his blunder before the break, but his thunderous shot was pushed away by Tremmel.
Chelsea were stunned by the setback and Benitez had plenty of work to do at half-time. David Luiz flashed a free-kick over as they attacked straight from the restart, and then cracked another effort just wide. Then the Brazilian moved menacingly on to Mata’s pass – but Tremmel pulled off a great save from his thundering drive.
Chelsea were becoming desperate, but Swansea’s diligent marking and covering was giving them little room for manoeuvre. The crowd’s calls for Lampard got louder – and, eventually, on he went. Even that, though, made little difference and nor did the arrival of Ba, for the once again hapless Torres, 10 minutes from time.
The new signing headed a Marko Marin cross wide of the far post, but then tumbled over the challenge of Tremmel in the box and was booked for diving. After his late attempt was ruled out by a marginal offside decision, Ba’s new club could also be heading for a major fall.

Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Turnbull; Azpilicueta, Cahill, Ivanovic, Cole; Ramires (Lampard 71), Luiz; Oscar (Marin 83), Mata, Hazard; Torres (Ba 81). Booked: Ba.

Swansea (4-2-3-1): Tremmel; Rangel, Flores, Williams, Davies; Britton, Ki; Hernandez, De Guzman, Routledge (Tiendalli 63); Michu (Graham 83). Booked: Hernandez, Flores. Goals: Michu 39, Graham 90.
Referee: A Taylor (Cheshire).

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

Star:
by Paul Brown

CHELSEA 0 - SWANSEA 2: MICHU HAS STAR POWER

THE DEADLIEST Spaniard in the country struck again last night... and it wasn’t Fernando Torres.
Swansea star Michu bagged his 16th goal of a spectacular season to ruin his countryman’s 100th appearance for Chelsea.
And the underdogs put one foot firmly in the fi nal of the CapitalOne Cup when substitute Danny  Graham grabbed a second in the dying moments.
Swansea were helped by two appalling errors by Branislav Ivanovic, but they thoroughly deserved their victory after a backs-to-the-wall performance.
Chelsea boss Rafa Benitez spent the build-up talking about how the Blues need a new generation of players to keep winning trophies. He even underlined that point by sticking Frank Lampard on the bench.
Silverware has certainly been eluding this generation of Chelsea  players so far this season. They were thrashed in the Super Cup by Atletico Madrid, then lost the Club World Cup to Corinthians.
Would things be different in this competition? They haven’t won it since 2007 but they were the clear  favourites going into last night’s game.
However, that wasn’t the case by the end.
Chelsea may have beaten Bayern Munich in their own back yard to capture the Champions League, but coming back from this  in Wales in two weeks looks a monumental ask, and you wouldn’t bet against a Swansea v Bradford final on this evidence.
This is uncharted territory for the Swans. They have never won a major trophy in their 100-year existence – and they did not get off to the best of starts.
They should have been behind when Chelsea carved them open beautifully in the 10th minute after a slick one-touch passing move, with Eden Hazard eventually picking out Ramires.
The Brazil midfielder should have hit it first time but delayed so long that by the time the shot finally came in it was comfortable for keeper Gerhard Tremmel.
At times, Chelsea taught the Premier League’s pass-masters a lesson in possession football, but the closest they came to scoring was when Gary Cahill headed a corner from Oscar over the bar.
Swansea had been totally outplayed but they certainly put the cat among the pigeons when they took the lead six minutes before half-time.
Ivanovic was caught in possession by Jonathan de Guzman, and the midfi elder quickly fed Michu on the edge of the box.
The surprise package of the season so far does not miss from that range and scooped his shot over the despairing dive of Ross Turnbull to send the away fans wild.
Ivanovic almost made up for his mistake with a wicked shot at the other end which Tremmel was at full stretch to tip away. It was the only real save he had to make for the best part of an hour.
David Luiz, who was outstanding in midfield, should have beaten  him after another patient passing move but shot straight at the German.
The longer it went on, the more frustrated the home fans became, calling for fi rst Lampard and then new boy Demba Ba to come on.
Eventually they got their wish, but neither man could rescue this one. Lampard forced Tremmel into one save, and Ba did the same with a header.
But the former Newcastle striker was then booked for diving.
Then disaster struck for Chelsea when Ivanovic played a back pass right to Graham, who doubled Swansea’s advantage. Ba then had a goal wrongly disallowed for offside in stoppage-time.
By then Chelsea fans were taking it out on Benitez. When the whistle blew, there weren’t many left in the stadium to boo.