morning papers man utd away

The Times September 24, 2007
Chelsea made to suffer by Mike Dean’s deficienciesManchester United 2 Chelsea 0Martin Samuel, Chief Football Correspondent
Mike Dean had some big calls to make at Old Trafford yesterday. It really would have spoilt it had he got one right. He gave a penalty that was not; missed a penalty that was; sent off a player that did not deserve it; merely cautioned one that did. When Sir Alex Ferguson describes a red card to an opposition player as harsh, it would suggest an extreme miscarriage of justice. If the jury is out on the new Chelsea manager, Avram Grant, it is because the performance of the referee ruled this match a mistrial.
Chelsea were not particularly impressive, but the dismissal of John Obi Mikel for a tackle that was at worst recklessly overenthusiastic in the 31st minute, ended the match as a fair contest. Denied their two most significant attacking players in Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard, Chelsea were already struggling to contain Manchester United; once reduced to ten men it made the first goal a matter of time, and roughly 14 minutes later one duly arrived.
The only reason to withhold sympathy for Chelsea, who, with 11 points from seven games are experiencing their worst spell since the stewardship of Gianluca Vialli in the 2000-01 season, is the fact that before Dean had wrongly dismissed Mikel, he had also failed to spot a certain penalty when Joe Cole clumsily hacked Patrice Evra down in the penalty area. As the second half unfolded, the calamities continued. Joe Cole could easily have followed Mikel to the dressing-room for taking out Cristiano Ronaldo, late, from behind and with no chance of winning the ball. Louis Saha looked to have played Dean for a patsy when winning a penalty in the 88th minute, making the most of minimal contact from Tal Ben Haim and collapsing to the ground as if picked off by a stadium sniper.
In this way, Dean ensured that few are any the wiser about Grant or his regime. Had he continued to hold United to a goalless draw, what would he have done to win the game late on? Would understandable early caution have given way to a more expansive style? Would he have thrown a second striker on, perhaps moved away from the 4-3-3 blueprint of José Mourinho? We must wait and see; the dead hand of Dean killed the game, as surely as Grant’s solemn demeanour and a series of hangdog touchline expressions are doing no favours for Chelsea’s hopes of sending a global brand around the world, after the departure of the handsome, smartly attired and compelling José Mourinho.
Grant had little to crack a smile about, once Dean ripped a hole in his solidly-constructed midfield, by showing Mikel a straight red card for a tackle that warranted at most a yellow, if that. Mikel’s tackle on Evra may have looked two-footed from Dean’s angle, but replays showed Mikel led with one and mistimed his arrival only slightly.
It looked much worse than it was, but experienced professional referees such as Dean are there to judge such things and five dismissals in his past seven matches suggests a certain overeagerness. The reaction of the United players, particularly Wayne Rooney, did not help, though. For obvious reasons he, more than anyone, should have known better.
As should Joe Cole when, in the seventeenth minute, he chased Evra back into Chelsea’s penalty area from along the flank, before attempting a diving tackle that took the ball, but only after removing the player first. As the crowd roared for a penalty, Dean signalled a firm negative in front of the Stretford End. Full marks for bravery, zero for accuracy. Anyone can take the ball if the man can be sent airborne, too, and Chelsea could have been a goal down almost 30 minutes before Carlos Tévez opened the scoring.
Even that goal, his first of the season, was not without controversy. Dean’s assistant showed that two minutes of injury time would be played at the end of the first half, but there were more than three additional minutes on the clock when Tévez met a perfect cross from Ryan Giggs at the near post to glance the ball past Petr Cech.
And that, really, was that. A shot by Giggs over the bar in the 58th minute aside, the second half consisted of little more than bookings and unsuccessful Chelsea substitutions - Claudio Pizarro looking even more cumbersome than Andriy Shevchenko and Shaun Wright-Phillips seeming about as far away from an England player as it is possible to be, without turning into Michael Ricketts – punctuated by the odd howler from Dean.
His final lowlights comprised the decision to book Joe Cole for a tackle on Ronaldo that was considerably worse than Mikel’s hit on Evra and the penalty given to Saha for a small touch from Ben Haim, followed by a dive that appeared to make even his manager uncomfortable. Saha converted from the spot, underlying rough justice as the theme for the day.
United were much the better team and deserved the win, incredibly the first time since April 28 that Ferguson’s team have scored more than a single goal in a game. Chelsea’s premium performer was Cech, whose first-half display in goal was exceptional, including saves from Rooney, Michael Carrick, Tévez and a quite stunning stop after a glancing header from Nemanja Vidic.
Chelsea, by contrast, were ineffectual and the continued inclusion of Roman Abramovich’s favourite, Shevchenko, is doing little to increase their chances of scoring. He had a shot travel over after eight minutes and pulled off an exquisite turn six minutes later, which caused Evra and Vidic to run into each other, but these were party tricks, when his club needed a star turn. He was replaced by Salomon Kalou after 58 minutes to the surprise of nobody.
At the end, Abramovich stood and applauded warmly as if what he had seen was a big improvement. It was nothing of the sort. Chelsea were predictable and uninspiring, as they have been for much of the season; the only change was that this time it was agreed widely that they also had the referee to blame. In a bizarre way, while being stitched up by Dean, the new manager might also have been a little lucky he was there.
AVRAM WATCH
Team selection Grant would have to be a cross between Rinus Michels and Arsène Wenger to fulfil the demand for beautiful football, but on this evidence he is closer to José Mourinho. Sprang a surprise by dropping Salomon Kalou for an extra midfield player, although, in the circumstances, it was justified. 3 Mourinhos out of 5
Substitutions Grant showed that he is his own man. Andriy Shevchenko was bravely removed after 58 minutes and he took a gamble by putting on Shaun Wright-Phillips and Claudio Pizarro in search of an equaliser. The manager was unable to get his side back into the game, but he was not responsible for losing it, either. 3/5
Tactics If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then maybe Grant liked Mourinho after all. The Israeli’s tactics were reminiscent of his predecessor’s, if not more conservative, with Chelsea’s 4-1-4-1 formation designed to smother Manchester United. As the home side dominated entirely, they cannot be deemed a success. 2/5
Touchline demeanour With his ill-fitting tracksuit, Grant resembles a provincial PE teacher in contrast to Mourinho’s slick corporate lawyer, and their approach to management appears equally different. Whereas Mourinho ranted and raved, Grant was either sat in the dugout or standing silently with arms folded, offering little in the way of inspiration. 2/5
Specialness To judge from the fact that the travelling supporters refused to chant his name – singing instead for Mourinho and Steve Clarke – Chelsea fans are still to be convinced. The home supporters taunted them with “Where is the Special One?”. After this, Chelsea fans may be wondering the same. 2/5 Matt Hughes
Manchester United 2 Tévez 45, Saha 90 (pen) Chelsea 0
How they rated
Manchester United 4-2-3-1
E van der Sar 6 W Brown Y 7 R Ferdinand 8 N Vidic 7 P Evra 6 M Carrick 7 P Scholes 6 C Ronaldo 7 C Tévez 7 R Giggs 7 W Rooney Y 7 Substitutes L Saha (for Tévez, 78min) Not used Nani, G Piqué, J O’Shea, T Kuszczak Next: Birmingham City (a)
Chelsea 4-1-4-1
P Cech 8 P Ferreira 6 T Ben Haim 6 J Terry Y 6 A Cole 7 M Essien 6 C Makelele 6 J O Mikel R 5 J Cole Y 5 A Shevchenko 5 F Malouda 6 Substitutes S Kalou 5 (for Shevchenko, 58), S Wright-Phillips 4 (for Malouda, 68), C Pizarro (for J Cole, 75) Not used C Cudicini, Alex Next: Fulham (h)
Referee M Dean Attendance 75,663 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Telegraph:Man Utd quick to capitalise on Chelsea vacuumBy Henry Winter
Manchester United (1) 2 Chelsea (0) 0
On the day that "Avram Who?" became "Avram Why?", Chelsea lost a player, two goals and three points to compound the disaster of losing the inspirational Jose Mourinho. If they are to rebuild for the future, Chelsea must appoint a more substantial successor to Mourinho than Avram Grant, who possesses neither the leadership skills nor the coaching licence.
As Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich sat alone with his thoughts in a deserted directors' box at the break, serenaded by United chants of "You've Lost Your Special One", even the Russian oligarch must have acknowledged that success comes to those who employ high-class managers and then leave them alone. Arsene Wenger's vibrant Arsenal lead the Premier League followed by Sir Alex Ferguson's Manchester United, who are beginning to find their elegant stride.
Chelsea supporters must surely hope that Grant is merely a caretaker while they await the arrival of a heavyweight manager such as Fabio Capello or Marcelo Lippi or even that bright, young Teutonic thing, Jurgen Klinsmann. The unexplained presence of Marco van Basten, the highly admired Holland coach, in the smart seats must have excited Chelsea followers.
Visitors were greeted by local wags with "We hear it's cold down at Chelsea – it is Minus One but it is a Special One!" Mourinho's departure was certainly mourned by the away fans, who signalled their displeasure with chants and banners. "Jose Mourinho – Simply The Best" read one.
Chelsea fans' lack of respect for Grant was brutally obvious in their sustained chant of "Stevie Clarke's Blue And White Army", showing support for the team, and a loyal club servant, but deliberately omitting the new manager. The second line of "We Hate Tottenham" has been construed in some quarters as a coded criticism of Abramovich, who is Jewish.
In fairness to Abramovich's contentious appointment, Grant made a few decent decisions. After an hour, he removed Abramovich's favoured one, Andrei Shevchenko, who ran hard but was largely ineffectual. Before John Obi Mikel's dismissal forced Chelsea to sit deep and rely on counter-attacks, Grant's side pushed forward in numbers. Equally encouraging was Chelsea's new-found refusal to hound the hapless referee Mike Dean.
Yet Grant lacks presence and he cut a lonely figure in the dug-out, with swathes of empty seats around him, watching the dispiriting events of the first half unfolding in front of him. Not for the first time in recent days, Chelsea found themselves a man down in controversial circumstances.
When Mikel over-ran the ball in midfield after 30 minutes, Patrice Evra slid in for a routine piece of mopping up. Angered by his own carelessness, Mikel carried through with his right boot slightly raised, making contact with little Evra, who went somersaulting through the air. Brandishing a red card, Dean called the challenge "two-footed", although Mikel's left foot made no contact. "There was intent, and he could have hurt the boy, but it was still harsh for him to go," said Ferguson. "Some referees would have let it go."
Grant emerged from the dug-out, indicating that Chelsea should switch from 4-1-2-2-1 to 4-4-1 with Shevchenko isolated in attack. The ball inevitably came largely into United's domain. One Giggs free-kick was brilliantly met by the excellent Nemanja Vidic, who beat Terry to power a header goalwards. Petr Cech saved superbly, echoing his feat in the first minute when he had pushed away Wayne Rooney's curling shot.
Chelsea's keeper was beaten deep into stoppage time. In the wake of a Ryan Giggs corner, the busy Wes Brown headed the ball back down the inside-right channel to the Welsh winger. Chelsea froze. Shevchenko should have closed down Giggs. Terry should have tracked Tevez's run towards the near post. Giggs bent the ball in with the outside of his left foot, Tevez escaped Terry and nipped ahead of Cech to score with a wonderful flicked header. United fans turned and did 'chin up' signals to Abramovich.
Yet Chelsea did not fall apart, although Joe Cole was fortunate to stay on the field, following a spiteful and deliberate targeting of Ronaldo's right Achilles. The Portuguese sorcerer fortunately retained all his limbs but Ferguson lost his temper, giving Dean a blast of the famous hair-drier. "These are the kind of tackles that put players out of the game," railed Ferguson later. "It was a clear red card, but he only got a yellow."
Dean soon erred again, gifting United the softest of penalties two minutes from time. When Louis Saha drifted inside Tal Ben Haim, the defender made contact but it was minimal. Saha, though, reacted as if he had been hit by a knuckle-duster rather than feather-duster, and went down in embarrassingly exaggerated fashion.
The penalty earned, Saha jumped up and calmly slotted the dead ball past Cech. "I have seen our penalty and that was harsh," said Ferguson. It was the first time his side had struck twice in a game since April, and the good times are clearly rolling again for United. Chelsea have some good players – they just need a good manager.
Man of the match
Carlos Tevez (Manchester Utd)
One goal from six efforts Created one scoring chance Lost possession just four times ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Indy:Manchester United 2 Chelsea 0: Mikel red card upstages Grant to leave Abramovich bemused By Sam Wallace
Having a friend like Roman Abramovich must be a wonderful thing indeed, especially when he dishes out the kind of job that obscure coaches with precious little relevant experience do not usually get. The hitch for Avram Grant yesterday was that for all the marvellous things his new pal can do, he cannot influence opponents, fickle fate or even referees. Not yet anyway.
Played one, lost one is the record of the new Chelsea manager although on the final whistle yesterday Abramovich leapt to his feet and applauded in the directors' box rather than turning on his heel and walking out in a huff. A few minutes later he and his entourage set off, Sopranos-style, for the changing room presumably to reassure Grant that he was still in a job. Now Abramovich has the manager he wants, it is just the results that are a problem.
No points but at least Grant had plenty of excuses when Abramovich pushed open the door. Specifically, they will have focused upon the referee Mike Dean who made two erratic decisions, the first when he failed to award a penalty to Manchester United for Joe Cole's crude challenge on Patrice Evra on 17 minutes. Then, more crucially from Grant's point of view, there was the poorly-judged dismissal of John Obi Mikel on 32 minutes for a challenge on Evra that was worth of a booking yet ended up tipping the balance of the match.
Judging Grant's impact on Chelsea will take longer than this one game which had to be viewed through the prism of the upheaval of the last six days, the absence of Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba and Dean's unique take on the match. The referee also allowed Carlos Tevez an extra 30 seconds of the allotted first half injury-time to score United's first goal, and awarded a late penalty to Louis Saha. The Frenchman was certainly guilty of embellishment, if not an outright con, in his tangle with Tal Ben Haim.
The new Chelsea manager has not levered himself into the centre of Abramovich's private court of confidantes without some sense of the politicking required to survive there. That much was evident in the way he flicked aside the questions about his coaching qualifications and shrugged off the opportunity to skewer Dean completely as his predecessor would no doubt have done. To say Grant lacks Jose Mourinho's combative instincts would be an understatement.
That even the Chelsea supporters seem unsure, and divided, as to who is to blame for the situation their club find itself in was evident in their songs. Mourinho was barely afforded a mention after a few early blasts of his name and, in the appropriate style of a totalitarian regime, Grant's existence was simply denied altogether. The chant of "Steve Clarke's blue and white army," was the Chelsea supporters' unusually oblique way of voicing an opinion on their new manager.
There was not really the great outpouring of love that Mourinho might have expected or hoped for. The only aspect of the whole saga the Chelsea fans seemed wholeheartedly agreed upon was the usual uncomplimentary chant about chief executive Peter Kenyon that is the fall-back option in times of crisis. The United fans lent their voices to that one as well.
A strange afternoon, which left Chelsea's billionaire Russian owner with that usual non-plussed expression and, no doubt, the nagging doubt that he may have to chuck another £200m at putting this show back on the road. Without Drogba, and Lampard, this is a very ordinary Chelsea team who even Mourinho would have struggled to make rise to the occasion yesterday. Chelsea held their own for the first 30 minutes but with Mikel's dismissal, United took over.
United? It was easy to forget them at times as the whole Chelsea plot took another absorbing twist. They are now second in the Premier League, just two points behind Arsenal with Chelsea in disarray and Liverpool's gloss wearing thin. Yet Sir Alex Ferguson – by far the most angry man in the entire stadium – was still chasing the fourth official around the coaching area and demanding the dismissal of Joe Cole in the closing stages.
It would be easy to say that life is simpler now for the champions but they have problems of their own, especially the enduring question of whether Tevez and Wayne Rooney are really compatible. The latter also worked himself into a snorting rage in the closing stages, pointlessly targeting Ashley Cole with a particularly bad challenge despite the fact that he had already been booked.
United faced a new Chelsea team which was much like the old Chelsea team – 4-5-1 with Andrei Shevchenko lumbering around on his own up front – but they never really dominated the away side even with the one-man advantage. The sending off came in innocuous circumstances as Mikel slightly overran the ball in midfield and, out of embarrassment, went in on Evra with one set of studs showing. United's players were quick to surround Dean but even they looked surprised when he produced a red.
Before then Joe Cole had, in his own box, brought down Evra with a tackle that was first man and then ball and deserved a penalty. Ironically for Mourinho it was exactly the kind of tracking-back duties that he spent three years imploring the midfielder to undertake. United's break came in the 48th minute of the first half, a corner recycled to Ryan Giggs on the right who hit a brilliant cross with the outside of his right foot for Tevez to head in.
Grant tried to advance some notion of independence in the second half when he substituted the woeful Shevchenko for the equally ineffectual Salomon Kalou. No signs of disapproval were discernible among Abramovich and his stone-washed denim brigade in the directors' box. Rooney let off a bit of steam by stepping all over Claude Makelele. Then Joe Cole scythed down Cristiano Ronaldo and Ferguson's temper exploded.
The challenge on Saha by Ben Haim was clumsy but not criminal and the Frenchman did a good job of his anguished expression and arched-back dive to win the penalty. The spot-kick was sent straight down the middle by Saha to tie things up. No matter, seemed to be the mood from Chelsea, the whole project starts again from today. It could prove to be another expensive experiment.
Goals: Tevez (45) 1-0; Saha pen (89) 2-0.
Manchester United (4-4-2): Van der Sar; Brown, Vidic, Ferdinand, Evra; Ronaldo, Carrick, Scholes, Giggs; Rooney, Tevez (Saha, 79). Substitutes not used: Kuszczak (gk), Nani, Pique, O'Shea.
Chelsea (4-5-1): Cech; Ferreira, Terry, Ben Haim, A Cole; Essien, Makelele, Mikel, J Cole (Pizarro, 76), Malouda (Wright-Phillips, 69); Shevchenko (Kalou, 59). Substitutes not used: Cudicini (gk), Alex.
Booked: Manchester United Rooney, Brown; Chelsea J Cole, Terry.
Sent off: Mikel (32).
Referee: M Dean (Wirral).
Man of the match: Essien---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------United have last laugh as Blues are undone by man in black
Kevin McCarra at Old TraffordMonday September 24, 2007The Guardian
The contrast with the Jose Mourinho era took the expected form. Avram Grant's Chelsea lost to Manchester United, a failing almost unknown when the Portuguese was in charge. Football, admittedly, is too complex ever to be covered by that sort of bald summation. Yesterday, for instance, the outcome must have been affected by the dubious red card for the visitors' midfielder Mikel John Obi when the match was goalless.Once United had scored, with Carlos Tevez notching his first goal for the club, Chelsea enjoyed no more than a meaningless rally. Sir Alex Ferguson's side remembered to keep ample numbers behind the ball and spirited breaks by the visitors petered out, with no genuine saves required of Edwin van der Sar. Those seeking to have their emotions stirred were best advised to keep their eyes on the referee.
The most that can be said for Mike Dean is that he was entitled to show a red card and to give a penalty. The official, though, will not be pardoned for making those decisions in incidents that did not merit them. While Mikel overreacted after losing control of the ball in the 32nd minute, the stretching challenge that bit into Patrice Evra's left ankle merited a caution instead of the third dismissal of his Chelsea career.There was no relation between the real incident and the two-footed lunge indicated by Dean. Penalty rulings were equally haphazard. With less than a minute to go Tal Ben Haim, face to face with Louis Saha, made the merest contact with the substitute and the Frenchman, cocking a snook at the laws of physics, fell forward. His conscience did not distract him from converting the penalty.
Grant, as different from his pre- decessor at Stamford Bridge as the rest of the human race, later made his complaints without attempting an amateur's impersonation of an esoteric Mourinho tirade. His side, on other occasions, had sinned and been absolved by Dean. Joe Cole did foul Evra inside the penalty area in the 18th minute, yet the offence went unrecognised. The same Chelsea midfielder got off, too, with a caution for a cynical foul on Cristiano Ronaldo after 74 minutes when there was no intent or prospect of getting the ball.
All things considered, a just verdict may have been reached by accident. The opener came through a rare piece of artistry that merited some reward. Even then, however, Dean could be faulted. Two minutes of first-half stoppage time had been completed, but the referee let play continue after Chelsea had dealt with a corner.
Wes Brown knocked the ball accurately towards Ryan Giggs on the right and the veteran bent it exquisitely towards the near post with the outside of his left foot. Tevez beat Petr Cech to the cross and headed his first goal for United from close range.
The Argentinian had a productive day, roaming and linking when United went on the attack, yet it is at least as relevant that Ferguson's team have racked up a fifth consecutive clean sheet. They might not look as if they are related to the effervescent line-up that won the Premiership title last season, and Arsenal are the sole team in the top flight who can be recommended wholeheartedly for style and excitement, but United rise to second place in the table.
The Old Trafford side will be thrilling sooner or later. They can barely help but do so when such talents are available to them. After two minutes, Wayne Rooney cut inside Ben Haim and Cech had to pull off an outstanding fingertip save to thwart his curling drive. United did hint at reserves of creativity at times and, for instance, it was only the tightness of the angle that stopped them from scoring when Giggs put a volley over after Rooney's cross had gone beyond the reach of Cech.
Chelsea should not allow their grievances to distract them from their faults. Some are accounted for by the injuries to Ricardo Carvalho, Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba, but a lot of money had still been laid out on the footballers who did take part. Whenever funds are discussed, the conversation turns to the £30m Andriy Shevchenko.
The Ukrainian's wish to make a fresh start was apparent and his work was laudable, good enough for Roman Abramovich to applaud warmly when Shevchenko went off after an hour. None the less, he lacked the predatory trait that made him worth such a hefty price in bygone times.
United were prudent after the interval. In a generally dull contest people such as Michael Carrick caught the eye. The midfielder, who has lost status in the England squad, passed better yesterday than he has previously in this campaign.
Chelsea, who last won when they beat Portsmouth on August 25, badly need to mount a comeback of their own. Grant made minor alterations yesterday to Mourinho's tactics but the Israeli will have to pull off remarkable feats before supporters bin the "Jose Mourinho - simply the best" banner raised yesterday.
After a difficult month or two, he was back to his normal self and used the ball reliably and well.
Man of the match: Michael Carrick
After difficult month or two, he was back to his normal self and used the ball reliably and well.
Best moment A long diagonal ball in the 58th minute which was fired high by Giggs.
Four decisions that shaped the game
The penalty that was but wasn't given ...
Joe Cole recklessly scythes down Patrice Evra just inside the penalty area. Replays show that Cole got the man not the ball but the referee, Mike Dean, ignores calls for a spot-kick.
The penalty that wasn't but was given ...
Tal Ben Haim's boot makes the slightest of touches with Louis Saha. The United striker theatrically goes to ground and Dean points to the spot. Saha scores to make it 2-0.
The red card that was given ...
Mikel John Obi's two-footed lunge on Evra misses the ball but takes out the defender. Referee Dean has no hesitation in punishing the challenge with a straight red card for dangerous play.
The red card that wasn't
Joe Cole is the unpunished villain once again as his rash sliding challenge on Cristiano Ronaldo sends the Portuguese winger sprawling. But the tackle goes unpunished, to Sir Alex Ferguson's dismay.
Attendance: 75,663.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Mail:
Tevez the wrecker on Grant's big dayManchester United 2 Chelsea 0
by IAN LADYMAN
Manchester United deepened Chelsea's early-season misery on a bad-tempered and controversial afternoon at Old Trafford yesterday.
Three days after the departure of Jose Mourinho, new Chelsea coach Avram Grant saw his team slip five points behind Premier League leaders Arsenal as goals from Carlos Tevez and Louis Saha gave United victory.
But the game was riddled with disputes as referee Mike Dean harshly sent off John Obi Mikel for a late tackle on Patrice Evra and then appeared to play too much added time at the end of the first half — allowing Tevez to score the crucial first goal from a Ryan Giggs cross.
Dean could easily have sent off Joe Cole for a second-half tackle that United manager Sir Alex Ferguson claimed might have ended Cristiano Ronaldo's career and then gave United a late penalty when Saha appeared to dive after the slightest touch from Chelsea defender Tal Ben Haim.
Afterwards, new Chelsea coach Grant, who is confident of obtaining a UEFA Pro Licence by the end of the year, suggested his team could have won had it not been for Dean's performance.
Grant said: "The referee tried his best but he made three big mistakes.
"Sir Alex can be more than happy with the referee's performance.
"Too many strange things happened today.
"There was the sending-off that was not a sending-off, then he played three minutes of added time instead of two and then there was the penalty at the end.
"Maybe it's a coincidence that these things happened or maybe I am naive.
"But the fact is that the decisions affected the result.
"I have every respect for Alex, but you can imagine what his reaction would have been had these same decisions gone against his team."
Mikel's dismissal seemed harsh and Chelsea confirmed last night they have already appealed in a bid to get the Nigerian's automatic three-match ban overturned.
But Cole could also have been sent off in the second period for what appeared a deliberate kick on Ronaldo's ankle.
Ferguson said: "The tackle by Joe Cole was the kind that could have put a player out of the game.
"Cristiano gets this all the time and it's not right.
"But the referee gave Cole a yellow card simply because he had already given a red card to one of their players. He wanted to balance it out.
"The actual sending-off was a bit harsh. There was intent there and he could have hurt the lad. But it's harsh.
"A lot of referees wouldn't have given it.
"The penalty was also a bit harsh. But I think that made up for the one that he should have given us in the first half.
"Maybe there was some balancing out there, too.
"But the decisions did not affect the result of the match.
"We were the better team and we looked as though we had got a bit of our confidence back.
"I am delighted. We were the better team and are beginning to look a bit more like our old selves again."
United's win takes them up to second in the Premier League table behind Arsenal. This was their fifth victory on the bounce after an uncertain start to the season.
For Grant, the size of the task ahead is clear.
Not only will some Chelsea players need convincing he is the man to take the club forward, but he must try to win over the supporters who sang Mourinho's name and draped a banner across the front of the away section, reading: "Jose Mourinho — Simply the best".
Chelsea later made the bizarre claim that Sky Television were responsible for the banner, something the company later denied.
Grant said: "It is not a problem for me. I appreciated his (Mourinho's) achievements as a coach.
"He did good things here. I remember that.
"This just shows our supporters remember that too and that they are good supporters.
"I have only been here for three days so there are no songs for me yet!
"Maybe after a couple of years there will be. I respect him (Mourinho) and enjoyed working with him.
'But give me some time and we will see what happens. I want to do the best for Chelsea.
"We are five points back but that is not a problem for us.
"The base of Chelsea is good but every coach has his own style. Over time, you will see mine."
Grant has been told by the Premier League that he has 12 weeks to obtain the licence he needs to coach in this country.
Last night, a Chelsea spokesman said there are precedents that suggest Grant should be given one on the back of his experience.
"The spokesman said: "If it doesn't happen that way then, as long as he has started the course within the 12 weeks, he will be OK.
"All the processes are under way and we are confident there will not be a problem."
Tevez's headed opener came two-and-a-half minutes into added time, even though the fourth official had indicated there would just be two extra minutes.
But Ferguson said: "I am delighted Tevez got his first goal. He will be a great signing for us." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Sun:Man Utd 2 Chelsea 0
By SHAUN CUSTISSeptember 24, 2007 ONE of the abiding images during the final weeks of Jose Mourinho’s reign was a disgruntled Roman Abramovich stomping out of Villa Park before the final whistle.
Here in the Old Trafford coliseum the margin of defeat was exactly the same — but this first outing under new boss Avram Grant got the thumbs up from Roman as he stayed to applaud manically at the end.
How Mourinho would have loved such unequivocal support.
Clapping dutifully alongside were chairman Bruce Buck and director Eugene Tenenbaum.
Chief executive Peter Kenyon, once of United and sat a row in front, was no doubt joining in too.
Abramovich is throwing his lot in with the compliant Grant, certainly in the short-term, whether the fans like it or not. And you can be sure they will find a way to obtain the proper coaching qualifications.
The sight of Dutch legend Marco van Basten, sat in the row behind the Chelsea billionaire, was a red herring apparently. He was present as a guest of United, although it is well known he is hugely admired by some of Roman’s advisors.
It would be unfair to draw sweeping conclusions about new Chelsea from this performance because the Blues had to play nearly an hour with 10 men after the 32nd-minute dismissal of Mikel John Obi.
Referee Mike Dean was one person Roman was definitely not applauding for what was a harsh sending off which effectively killed a muchanticipated game as a proper contest.
Mikel had run the ball too far and as he stretched to retrieve the situation, he went in foot up on Patrice Evra while at the same time trying to pull out of the challenge at the very last second.
It was not a great challenge but it was a yellow card at worst. Instead Dean came straight out with the
red. Mikel got the bird from the home fans who have not forgotten how, having signed for United, he had his head turned by a better offer from Chelsea and went through a legal minefield to secure a move to Stamford Bridge.
Grant reckoned the ref made three mistakes — the sending off, playing beyond two minutes of added time at the end of the first half which allowed Carlos Tevez to score, and giving United a penalty at the end.
He neglected to mention a terrible tackle by his own Joe Cole on Cristiano Ronaldo which was more of a red-card offence than Mikel’s and an early foul by the same Cole on Evra which looked a stick-on penalty.
United manager Alex Ferguson had it about right when he argued Dean spent the afternoon balancing his mistakes. The ref had a bit of a nightmare.
There was a feeling disgruntled Chelsea might get a thumping so cheesed off were they with Mourinho’s departure. And when Petr Cech had to make an early world-class save from Wayne Rooney the signs were ominous.
But Chelsea’s commitment could not be faulted and midfield man-mountain Michael Essien put in a display which said it does not matter who the manager is, those in the Blue shirt have a duty to perform.
The visiting Chelsea fans were lost in a wave of confusion about the week’s events. They sang a couple of times for Mourinho and cheered skipper John Terry’s name despite claims his row with Mourinho was a factor in the manager’s departure.
They also chanted “Stevie Clarke’s blue and white army” in deference to the first-team coach and former Chelsea player who has become part of the furniture at Stamford Bridge and is now assisting Grant. Nothing for Abramovich or Grant though. Mikel’s misdemeanour meant Chelsea could only hope to hang on for a draw. With United having failed to score more than once in their previous games this season, there was a chance.
But as the clock ticked on past the two minutes of time added at the end of the first half, Ryan Giggs struck a cross with the outside of his left foot and Tevez dived in front of Cech to head in — his first goal for the club.
Rooney was booked for a foul on Ashley Cole and then did his best to even up the sides when he ploughed into Cole again and was fortunate to escape with a warning.
With a minute left, sub Louis Saha turned into the box, Tal Ben Haim flicked out a leg and the United man went down as if shot.
Dean bought it and Saha showed his amazing powers of recovery to slot the spot-kick straight down the middle.
Chelsea have not won any of their last four games and are sixth in the table. While United are not wholly convincing, they have won their last five matches without conceding a goal to sit second behind Arsenal.
Now Mourinho has gone it is back to Fergie v Wenger again.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Mirror:NO JOSE AND NO MERCY BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE LIFE AFTER MOURINHO MAN UTD 2 CHELSEA 0 FROM OLD TRAFFORDUnited and blunder ref Dean pile on the misery for Chelsea
Martin Lipton Chief Football Writer 24/09/2007
No Room for sympathy, no place for sentiment, as Old Traf ford revelled in Chelsea's week of misery.
Sir Alex Ferguson made the most of Stamford Bridge disarray in the wake of Jose Mourinho's exit as his side ominously shifted into gear, moving up to second place by scoring more than one for the first time all season.
Chelsea had spent the week shooting themselves in the foot, the worst possible preparation for a game that always has so much at stake.
Last night, though, they found themselves scalped by The Apache, as Carlos Tevez scored his first United goal, and undermined by referee Mike Dean twice over.
AdvertisementDean will surely accept he was wrong to send off John Obi Mikel and make a difficult job nigh-on impossible for Avram Grant and that he was conned by Louis Saha's blatant dive for the clinching penalty in the death throes of the game.
United, for all Fergie's claims to the contrary, are still not firing on all cylinders - but they remain supremely confident about their final destination.
Chelsea, by contrast, are a ship cut adrift without a rudder, listing precariously, buffeted by every passing wind and wave, holed, perhaps fatally, below the water-line.
They have suffered their worst Premier League start since 2000-01.
The most damaging blows, however, have been the selfinflicted ones, the decision taken by Roman Abramovich, whose lop-sided grin as he sat a row in front of Marco Van Basten in the directors' box appears a fixture on his face.
Abramovich alone bears responsibility for the shambles he has created. Even though Grant pointed an accusatory finger at Mr Dean - nowhere near as aggressively as Fergie's claim that Joe Cole's foul on Cristiano Ronaldo could have ended the winger's career - this was a victory handed to United on a plate.
Chelsea were, unfortunately, down to 10 men from the 32nd minute. Sure, Mikel could have pulled out as he lost control of the ball and let it run to Patrice Evra. But it was clear that the Nigerian went in with one foot, not the two the referee insisted he had seen as justification for the red card he produced.
Yet even before that there was an inevitability about the direction of the match, in which the impressive Michael Carrick pulled the strings. Petr Cech was forced into a flying leap to deny Wayne Rooney - later to be sidetracked by a spat with Ashley Cole that saw him teeter on the disciplinary brink once again.
Andriy Shevchenko, clapped off by the owner after an hour as the Chelsea fans gave an altogether different verdict, was the catalyst for so much of the breach between Abramovich and Mourinho.
But surely the Sheva of old, the man Chelsea thought they were buying for £30million, would have been more alert when Michael Essien teased the ball through the six-yard box from the right.
Then Mr Dean saw nothing wrong with England midfielder Cole's desperate tackle after he allowed Evra beyond him and into the box. But Chelsea's gameplan, whatever it was, went out of the window as Mikel's over-exuberance was harshly punished and it became finger in the dyke time.
Nemanja Vidic beat John Terry to a Ryan Giggs free-kick and bring a save from Cech, who then kicked away Rooney's nearpost delivery.
And 30 seconds beyond the two extra minutes that had been signalled, United struck.
Giggs made the most of the second opportunity to deliver from wide on the right and Tevez threw himself in front of Cech at the near post to divert home.
Tevez wheeled away, pointing one finger in the air to the Stretford End, aware he had got the monkey off his back, scoring 12 games faster than it took him to net his first for West Ham.
Chelsea never looked like recovering. Giggs ran behind Paulo Ferreira, catching his volley flush but was unable to keep it on target. Ferreira stopped Ronaldo getting on the end of Rooney's subtle sandwedge and Cech saved from the Portuguese ace's free-kick, as Ferguson launched a touchline tirade aimed at Joe Cole.
But a minute from time, Mr Dean intervened again, falling for Saha's tumble as he brushed into Tal Ben Haim's leg, and allowing the Frenchman to drill home from 12 yards.
Old Trafford rocked with delight and the roof would have come off if Saha had hit the target after getting in behind the Chelsea defence in added time.
For United, though, another dagger had been stuck in Chelsea's exposed guts. Arsenal will see a familiar shape looming in their wing-mirrors too.
After the Mourinho era, has normal service been resumed?
54% POSSESSION 46%
9 SHOTS ON TARGET 0
8 SHOTS OFF TARGET 3
0 OFFSIDES 0
10 CORNERS 1
13 FOULS 17
2 YELLOW CARDS 2
0 RED CARDS 1
ATTENDANCE: 75,663
Man Of The Match: Carrick

sunday papers blackburn home

The Sunday Times
September 16, 2007
Chelsea in goal row
Chelsea 0 Blackburn 0
Brian Glanville at Stamford Bridge
Jose Mourinho, Chelsea’s ever-voluble not to say explosive manager, had no doubt about it. Chelsea were denied a legitimate goal. They scored, he insisted, an undeniably good goal after 58 minutes which was scandalously given offside. When asked about its validity, he answered: “That’s the kind of question you don’t need to ask. I think that’s the question you can ask to the linesman if you have the chance, not to me. Only the linesman can tell you why he disallowed the goal. It’s no question, because everybody has the answer. It was so obvious that I think you should try to ask the linesman, because I can’t understand . . . I tell him, tomorrow I’m waiting for his phone call and his apology.”
What happened was that Joe Cole found the adventurous Brazilian right-back Juliano Belletti on the right, and his cross, seemingly pulled back, was knocked in by Salomon Kalou. The linesman flagged and referee Howard Webb endorsed his decision.
Chelsea’s assistant manager, Steve Clarke, surged fuming from the dugout, followed by an incensed, gesticulating Mourinho. Right or wrong, he was arguably lucky that Webb restricted himself to a few placatory words, rather than sending him as many a referee might have done to the stand.
As for Mark Hughes, the Blackburn manager, he replied to questions with tongue probably in cheek: “He was only about half a yard, but from our point of view, we were happy that it was offside. He immediately put his flag up and it means the right decision.”
Mourinho lamented the absence of such key players as Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard. He had no extra strikers on the bench, he complained. Andriy Shevchenko, the £30m Ukrainian centre-forward who scored unavailingly for his country against Italy last Wednesday, made his first appearance of the season and was clearly well short of match practice. Only at the very end of a previously anonymous performance did he swoop on a right-wing cross from Florent Malouda with a far-post header which brought a glorious save, his second of the match, from big Brad Friedel in the Blackburn goal.
The veteran American had already saved his team with supreme agility, belying his giant frame when, after 27 minutes, a dash by Joe Cole ended with the ball breaking to Michael Essien.
The Ghanaian let fly a tremendous right-footed shot, but Friedel flew across his goal, got his left hand to the ball, and turned it round the left-hand post. Chelsea also accorded a rare start to Steve Sidwell, the central midfielder from Reading, but he looked seriously off the pace and was substituted early in the second half.
Both managers somewhat excessively praised their teams. Mourinho said: “We played well enough with a great spirit and great attitude.” For his part, Mark Hughes believed that though his team had started slowly “we were a little bit guilty of playing in our own half” – in the second half, things much improved. I’ve sensed a different mentality in the dressing room.” But apart from a sudden ferocious right-footed drive from a hitherto ineffective Robbie Savage after 76 minutes – Petr Cech leapt to turn it over – Blackburn’s attack carried little threat.
The game was slow to ignite, and only after 27 minutes did it truly come to life with Chelsea, in a three-minute burst, thrice threatening to score. First came Essien’s bullet, and Freidel’s save. Next, after a long run by the adventurous Belletti, his low shot was comfortably fielded by Friedel. Then, on the half hour, Joe Cole and Essien engineered a chance for Shevchenko. But clean through on goal, and seemingly a safe bet to score, he failed to keep control, and Friedel pounced on the ball. He subsequently easily dealt with Joe Cole’s curling right-footer, but was perhaps fortunate that when Joe Cole flighted a clever pass through to his namesake Ashley, the full-back just failed to make contact.
We were 42 minutes into the game when Blackburn at last attacked with any real threat. David Bentley, gratuitously booed by the crowd whenever he had the ball, guilty of the sin of pulling out of the England under21 scene, went round Ashley Cole with surprising ease to deliver a cross which Morten Gamst Pedersen, coming in at the far post, could do no better than fend into the side netting. In the opening minutes of the second half, David Dunn in Blackburn’s midfield sent a powerful drive from outside the box not far over, but we had to wait until that 76th minute and Savage’s drive before Blackburn struck again with any menace.
Christopher Samba alas tooka kick on the head and collapsed in the closing minutes. He was taken to hospital but was later discharged. Chelsea Blackburn 6 Shots on target (incl goals) 1 9 Shots off target 4 4 Blocked shots 1 9 Corners won 2 21 Total fouls conceded 13 6 Offsides 0 2 Yellow cards 2 0 Red cards 0 58% Possession 42%
Star man: Brad Friedel (Blackburn)
Player ratings. Chelsea: Cech 7, A Cole 7 (Ben-Haim 88min), Essien 7, Shevchenko 6, Sidwell 5 (Obi 57min, 6), J Cole 6, Kalou 6, Wright-Phillips 6 (Malouda 57min, 6), Terry 7, Alex 6, Belletti 6
Blackburn: Friedel 9, Emerton 6, Nelsen 6, Samba 6, Warnock 6, Bentley 6, Savage 6, Dunn 6, Pedersen 6, McCarthy 6 (Roberts 67min, 6), Santa Cruz 6 (Mokoena 79min) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Sunday Telegraph
Mourinho left seething as Chelsea draw blank By Duncan White
Chelsea (0) 0 Blackburn Rovers (0) 0
This was supposed to be Andrei Shevchenko's redemption and the realignment of Chelsea's title surge. Instead Stamford Bridge was left seething with frustration and a sense of injustice as Chelsea stuttered for the second game in succession.
Jose Mourinho's histrionics on the touchline were a testament to Blackburn's resolution - this was the 15th game unbeaten for Mark Hughes's team - but they also belied his anger at Chelsea's inadequacies. With the talismanic Didier Drogba nursing a knee injury and Claudio Pizarro exhausted from a transatlantic flight, Shevchenko was given his first game of the season. His performance made it easier to understand why he is a £30 million fourth-choice striker. He worked hard but played like he had too much to prove. The nerveless assassin of Serie A looked anxious and impotent: twice he missed free headers from close range and in the first half, with his head down and a heavy touch, he wasted a one-on-one with the outstanding Brad Friedel.
Even so, Chelsea should have won and were denied a goal by a a wrong decision by a linesman. After just under an hour, Jole Cole slipped in Juliano Belletti on the right and the full-back squared the ball across goal to the unmarked Salomon Kalou. The Ivorian tapped into the net and it was only after almost a minute of ecstatic celebration that he realised the linesman had flagged him offside.
Mourinho was apoplectic. He brandished a video screen at the fourth official, giving it a petulant slap for emphasis. This was Mourinho theatrics at work and referee Howard Webb had to calm the Chelsea manager down. However, crucially, Mourinho was right and Chelsea had been wrongly denied a goal.
"Why the goal was not given is a question for the linesman," Mourinho said. "It is not a question for me, or the fans, or Mark Hughes. To me it was an obvious goal.
"The fourth official has no other responsibility in the game, and this is a sport where technology could instantly tell you whether it was a goal. I do not know why the linesmen or assistant referees are not required to explain their decisions after the game."
Still, the short-term injustice cannot obscure long-term problems in the attacking options available to Mourinho. The Chelsea manager admitted the absence of Drogba and Frank Lampard through injury left his side "without ammunition", hardly a compliment to Shevchenko.
Where is the man the Chelsea manager can turn to if he needs that moment of technical daring? Who can puncture even the doughtiest defence with improvised guile? Arjen Robben, shipped off to Real Madrid, may have lacked the macho attitude of the Chelsea dressing room, but they miss a player of his subtlety.
While they lack flair, they have plenty of force. Mourinho was in no mood to watch his team bullied by this robust Rovers side. Alex, the Brazilian centre-back with the build of a heavyweight boxer, was preferred to Tal Ben Haim as defensive partner for John Terry, presumably to negate the visitors' aerial threat.
That tactic was a resounding success. David Dunn and Robbie Savage were remarkably industrious in the centre of midfield and were certainly not cowed by Michael Essien and Steve Sidwell. Still, Blackburn struggled to open up their hosts: Petr Cech's only real test came in tipping over Savage's looping shot late in the second half.
With Shevchenko misfiring, Essien was Chelsea's most potent attacking threat and only an outstanding full-stretch save from Friedel denied the Ghanaian when he connected crisply with a half-volley from 25 yards.
Mourinho realised his team needed shaking up with just over 10 minutes gone in the second half: off came Shaun Wright-Phillips and Sidwell and on came Florent Malouda and John Obi Mikel. Seconds later Kalou scored the goal that wasn't.
Shevchenko had faded almost entirely in the second half, only to crop up with five minutes to go at the far post, found by Malouda's inswinging cross. Inevitably, his header was straight at Friedel.
Unfortunately, in clearing the ball Chris Samba slipped and was forced to head away from close to the turf. Shevchenko went for the ball at the same time and kicked Samba, without a hint of malice, in the back of the head. The Blackburn defender received extensive medical treatment on the pitch from both medical teams and was carried off strapped carefully to a stretcher.
"That was the one negative from our point of view," Hughes said "We hope it is not going to be too serious. I don't think he had come around when he was in the dressing room so there is a bit of concern." The good news emerging from hospital last night was that Samba had regained consciousness and was talking.----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The Observer:
Mourinho moans while Samba feels force of Shevchenko
Stuart Barnes
Jose Mourinho has enjoyed the luxury of free-scoring performances in three home league games against Blackburn during his stewardship at Stamford Bridge. Not so this time. The Chelsea manager was left frustrated by his side's failure to win a game they dominated for long spells and angry that what he felt was a perfectly good goal by Salomon Kalou was ruled out by a linesman.Peter Kirkup's ruling that Kalou's conversion of Juliano Belletti's cross as Chelsea's second-half pressure reached a peak looked, on TV replays, a borderline one. Mourinho had no doubt he had erred - and went in with both barrels afterwards.
'You don't need to ask me whether it was a goal,' he said. 'Nor my players, Mark Hughes, the crowd, or the people watching at home. Everyone knows it was a great goal and should have stood - it was so obvious. You should ask the linesman. I told him I am waiting for his apology tomorrow.'I have no complaints about Blackburn - only good things to say. They came with a good attitude. But we played with a great spirit and deserved to win the game. Even though we were without several players and did not have a single striker on the bench, we applied massive pressure.'
Hughes, predictably, took a different view. 'It was half a yard offside,' said the Blackburn manager. 'The assistant referee put his flag up straight away and that usually means he is certain about his decision. When everyone calms down they will see it was the right one.
'We showed some great qualities. I have sensed a different atmosphere in our dressing room which is enabling us to come to places like this and get something out of the game.'
Blackburn's performance was overshadowed to some extent when Chris Samba was kicked unconscious by an accidental boot from Andriy Shevchenko and carried off to hospital - an incident that contributed to nearly nine minutes of stoppage-time. Later, a club spokesman said Samba was talking and could be flying home with the Blackburn squad.
Mourinho brought Shevchenko in from the cold to replace the injured Didier Drogba, impressed enough with the underachieving £30m striker's performances for Ukraine in European qualifying matches to give him his first club appearance of the season.
With a sharper touch, and against a lesser goalkeeper than Brad Friedel, he could have marked his first appearance of the season with a couple of goals, starting with a header steered over from a good position. After gathering an awkward low cross fired into the six-yard box by Belletti, Friedel made a flying save from Michael Essien's sweetly struck 25-yarder aimed for the top corner, then saved low from Shevchenko when Essien played the ball through.
Rovers responded through David Bentley, who crossed to the far post for the unmarked Morten Gamst Pedersen to volley into the side netting. They reinforced their own threat when David Dunn's instant volley from distance was too high. Mourinho was soon berating match officials when Kalou's effort was disallowed. Hughes sent on Jason Roberts for Benni McCarthy, who had rarely threatened - or been given the opportunity to threaten by indifferent service. In a frantic finish, Robbie Savage had a shot touched over by Petr Cech. Friedel again denied Shevchenko, this time from Malouda's cross. In the melee that followed, Samba took the full force of Shevchenko's boot in the head.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Mail:
Chelsea fury as Kalou goal is ruled out
Chelsea 0 Blackburn 0
By DANIEL KING
Jose Mourinho claimed he would be sitting by the telephone waiting for an apology after a controversial offside decision denied his team joint leadership of the Premier League.
A sickening injury to Christopher Samba,who was taken to hospital unconscious after being kicked accidentally in the head by Andriy Shevchenko,put into perspective the furore over Salomon Kalou's disallowed 'goal' in the 58th minute.
But Mourinho was in no mood to count his blessings. In a title race which promises to be the tightest for years, these two dropped points could prove crucial, and whatever happens, the Chelsea manager will remember Peter Kirkup, the assistant referee whose surname hints at his error.
After Mourinho somehow avoided being sent to the stands for his animated protests, which included demanding that fourth official Peter Walton watch the incident again on his monitor, a mental consultation of the rulebook suggested that since Kalou was behind the ball when Juliano Belletti crossed, it did not matter that he was ahead of the last Blackburn defender and the goal should have stood.
When referee Rob Styles gave Chelsea a penalty which should never have been and earned them a point at Liverpool earlier in the season, referees' chief Keith Hackett rang Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez to apologise and demoted Styles from the Premier League. Mourinho, it seems, will accept nothing less himself.
The Chelsea boss, who continued his complaints when referee Howard Webb ended a dramatic match with 98 minutes and 53 seconds on the clock, said: "I told him (Kirkup) that of course I will be waiting for his phone call tomorrow for an apology.
"It was so obvious. You don't need to ask me, my players, the Blackburn players, the crowd or all the people watching at home. You should ask the linesman why he disallowed it. I can't understand it.
"He should have to explain."
It is not often you feel sorry for Chelsea and Mourinho, but his team thoroughly deserved to win and leap to second in the table, behind Arsenal only on goal difference.
As it is they have now dropped five points in their last two games, following their defeat at Aston Villa and now lie fourth.
Mourinho's injury-hit team were unfortunate to find Brad Friedel in his usual sparkling form, but were also guilty of wasting chances to make Kirkup's decision irrelevant.
Mourinho was defiant and it seems Kalou's strike will assume the status of being the flipside to Luis Garcia's 'phantom goal' in the 2005 Champions League semi-final which Chelsea lost to Liverpool.
"I agree that one goal for such a dominant team is not enough," said Mourinho. "But we scored a goal, a good goal, a winning goal, but we finished with just one point."
If Shevchenko, making his first appearance of the season in the Chelsea squad, let alone team, had maintained the form which so impressed Mourinho in the Ukraine's midweek 2-1 defeat by Italy, the arguments would have been forgotten.
But in what was billed as a last chance for the £30 million striker, in the absence of the injured Didier Drogba and jet-lagged Claudio Pizarro, he failed to impress again.
After Michael Essien had forced Friedel into his first brilliant save in the 22nd minute, the Ghana midfielder played Shevchenko in, but his first touch was poor and his second sent the ball far enough ahead to allowed Friedel to smother.
In the closing minutes, after Shevchenko's header was blocked by Friedel, Samba stooped to head the loose ball clear. Shevchenko was also following up and unwittingly struck the defender on the back of the head, which knocked him unconscious. In the stoppage time which resulted, the lively Joe Cole's shot was deflected over.
Blackburn had gone close to snatching the lead themselves shortly after the Kalou incident but Petr Cech's only save of the match, from Robbie Savage, was excellent.
With the exception of Samba's injury, Blackburn manager Mark Hughes was happy.But what about the 'goal'? "It wasn't a goal, it was offside," he said Hughes. "The assistant referee immediately put his flag up and that usually means he's pretty certain it's the right decision."
But that will not stop Mourinho waiting for that call.
CHELSEA (4-4-2): Cech; Belletti, Alex, Terry, A Cole (Ben-Haim 87min); Wright-Phillips (Malouda 57), Sidwell (Mikel 57), Essien, J Cole; Kalou, Shevchenko. Subs: Cudicini, Ferreira. Booked: Belletti, J Cole.
BLACKBURN (4-4-2): Friedel; Emerton, Samba (Ooijer 90), Nelsen, Warnock; Bentley, Savage, Dunn (Mokoena 81), Pedersen; McCarthy (Roberts 68), Santa Cruz. Subs: Brown, Derbyshire. Booked: Warnock, Savage.
Referee: H Webb (South Yorkshire). ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

morning papers villa away

The TimesSeptember 3, 2007
Abramovich scuttles from scene of defeat Aston Villa 2 Chelsea 0
Martin Samuel at Villa Park
The sing-along for the travelling fans before the game proved eerily appropriate. Chelsea Dagger by The Fratellis got the vistors going. By the end, however, speculation surrounded the likelihood of one being planted between the shoulder blades of José Mourinho, if he fails to improve on this.
Roman Abramovich does not say much. Yesterday he did not need to. His exit two minutes from time after Gabriel Agbonlahor put the match beyond Chelsea’s reach was a speech in itself. Face like thunder, Abramovich headed for the exit as his team limped towards journey’s end behind him, pausing only to give the most cursory handshake of congratulation to Doug Ellis, the former Aston Villa chairman.
The official explanation was that he had gone down to the dressing-room to see the players, but that is a strange one. Did he not think they were still going to be there five minutes after the final whistle? Why the rush? Already rumours have circulated that he is unhappy with the thrill factor of Chelsea’s play this season — hence his stalking of Ronaldinho — but until now he has at least been unable to question the return. This was quite different, though. Lousy football is one thing; lousy losing football quite another.
This is to take nothing from Aston Villa, who were worth their win, whatever the bizarre protests of Chelsea’s manager. If anything, Villa played Chelsea at their game, looking like Mourinho’s championship vintage team from two seasons ago, with pace on the flanks, energy in the heart of midfield, solid defence and a bruising battering ram of a striker.
Ashley Young marked his call-up to the England squad with an outstanding performance but it was John Carew, in the role of Didier Drogba, that left Chelsea’s defence uncommonly rattled. John Terry had terrible problems with him early on, while debutant Alex looked worryingly short of the combative qualities that are essential for Premier League success. In many ways, this is mitigation for Mourinho. It is hard to blame him for Chelsea’s failings, when so many of his judgment calls are being proven right.
He was believed to be resistant to the purchase of Alex last season, considering him short of the level required, and Juliano Belletti was not his first-choice right back, coming into the picture only when the move for Daniel Alves had collapsed. On both men, his instincts appear correct. Neither Alex nor Belletti impressed on their debuts.
Unlike Villa’s new signing Zat Knight, scorer of the first goal after 47 minutes. His header from Gareth Barry’s corner, which eluded Petr Cech and Ashley Cole on the goalline, revealed just how vulnerable Chelsea can be when challenged. They demonstrated a damning absence of invention when asked to chase the game.
Mourinho tried all his tricks, throwing on Joe Cole, Claudio Pizarro and Salomon Kalou and even ordering Terry to go up front but to no avail. By the time Joe Cole hit a post with a shot from the left it was deep in injury time and Chelsea needed two goals for a point, not one.
Chelsea’s problem was a surfeit of scufflers: John Obi Mikel, Claude Makelele and Michael Essien all deployed. Without Frank Lampard there was no goal threat from central midfield, Drogba had one of his petulant afternoons while Florent Malouda was largely anonymous and Shaun Wright-Phillips lively but overanxious in front of goal. The upshot was that Chelsea, for all their possession, did not look like scoring. Villa, by contrast, were counterattacking chaos on toast.
While Carew battered the defence black and blue, Agbonlahor and Young wreaked havoc down the flanks and Luke Moore was tireless in support. Often, Chelsea’s centre halves had no answer to the physical challenge of Carew other than crude attempts to manhandle him, much to Martin O’Neill’s frustration. It could be argued that Villa rode their luck when Martin Laursen made a similarly clumsy effort to stop Wright-Phillips in the second minute and was fortunate not to concede a penalty, but Chelsea more than got their own back as Villa pressed on.
Alex never gained composure but even Terry looked uncomfortable. His fitness is still an issue and neither centre half was anywhere near a cross by Young in the 45th minute, which Ashley Cole cleared from his goalline under pressure from Moore.
Ultimately, Young got his reward as the architect of the opening goal. It was his shot from 20 yards, tipped over by Cech, that won Villa’s corner from which Knight scored.
A late second on the counter was always likely. It was rather a splendid one, though, Young bursting down the left flank and whipping in a cross that was rewarded by a first-time finish from Agbonlahor.
The best result for Villa under O’Neill? Undoubtedly. As for Chelsea, they are two points worse off than at the same stage last season when the grapevine began humming with news of Abramovich’s dissatisfaction. Yesterday, though, the empty seat said it all.
How they rated
Aston Villa 2 Knight 47, Agbonlahor 88
4-4-2 S Carson 7 O Mellberg 7 Z Knight 7 M Laursen 6 W Bouma 7 G Agbonlahor Y 7 N Reo-Coker Y 7 G Barry Y 7 A Young 8 J Carew Y 7 L Moore 7 Substitutes S Petrov (for Moore, 79min) Not used S Taylor, M Harewood, C Gardner, S Maloney
Chelsea 0
4-4-2 P Cech 7 J Belletti 5 Alex 4 J Terry 6 A Cole 6 M Essien 6 C Makelele 6 J O Mikel 5 F Malouda 5 D Drogba Y 5 S Wright-Phillips 6 Substitutes Kalou 6 (for Makelele, 63min), Pizarro 6 (for Mikel, 52), J Cole 6 (for Wright-Phillips, 63) Not used C Cudicini, T Ben Haim
Referee: M Clattenburg
Attendance 37,714 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Telegraph;Martin O'Neill plots Chelsea's downfall By Henry Winter
Aston Villa (0) 2 Chelsea (0) 0
Martin O'Neill is a dervish of the dug-out, a manager who kicks every ball with his team, so it is little surprise to find him fashioning an Aston Villa side very much in his own playing image. Belief, hard work and plenty of width characterise O'Neill's Villa, who boast a touch more pace in their busy feet.
Such uplifting qualities, and goals from Zat Knight and Gabriel Agbonlahor, brought Villa their first success over a top-four side in three years, sending Chelsea spiralling to their first Premier League defeat since January. The Holte End shouted themselves hoarse with delight at the embarrassment befalling John Terry and Chelsea, who simply could not break down O'Neill's magnificent defence even when the visitors switched to 3-2-5 late on. As loud as they were long, the hosts' celebrations were thoroughly justified. Villa's owner, Randy Lerner, sported a smile as broad as the Mississippi as the Holte End's songs of praise rolled around this famous old ground.
Chelsea's owner, Roman Abramovich, briefly held his head in his hands. The Russian has not invested so heavily to be left so heavy-hearted, yet he still went down to the dressing-room to console Terry and his vanquished colleagues.
An unexpected loss should not dampen Chelsea's fire. Jose Mourinho's side were all at sea at times yesterday, but only a fool would scramble the life-boats simply because Terry, Didier Drogba and company showed a rare weakness at defending and attacking corners.
Clearly missing Frank Lampard's vibrant movement and shooting, and with two new defenders in Juliano Belletti and Alex needing to learn the tricks of Terry's trade, Chelsea will be stronger next time out. In a Premier League race of welcome openness, Chelsea will not be the only ones to slip up on occasion.
advertisementIf only Shaun Wright-Phillips and Michael Essien impressed for the visitors, Villa were blessed with good individual displays all over the pitch. Gareth Barry covered every yard of Villa Park, looking every inch the inspirational captain and a genuine midfield option for England.
O'Neill and his assistant, John Robertson, know all about wide men influencing games from their Nottingham Forest playing days, and their current charges, Ashley Young and Agbonlahor, almost wore grooves out wide with their relentless running.
Young, all acceleration and ambition, will not be short of confidence when reporting for England duty this evening. O'Neill has instilled real belief in Villa's players and supporters.
Such fearlessness was thrillingly evident from the start. Agbonlahor turned Terry and drew a fine save from Petr Cech. Barry was dominating central midfield, spraying passes out to Young in particular.
Nigel Reo-Coker was putting in tackle after tackle, including one thunderous dispossession of Florent Malouda.
Chelsea still had their chances, and should have been awarded a penalty when Martin Laursen wrestled Wright-Phillips over. Opportunity knocked for the visitors but was spurned. Wright-Phillips hit the side-netting. Terry headed over.
Terry's moaning to officials began to enrage Villa Park. The Holte End, at their raucous best, inquired "Have you won a European Cup?'' The fantastic atmosphere generated by the home support certainly kept the adrenalin pumping through O'Neill's men.
Villa's determined mood seemed embodied by O'Neill removing his track-suit top as the second half launched into life, as if signalling a desire to get down to work.
His team certainly did. Within two minutes, Villa's persistence paid off. Barry, a mix of tenacity in seeking the ball and composure in using it, was predictably at the heart of the move that led to Villa's opener.
Barry's pass to John Carew was perfectly judged, and the striker laid the ball off to Young. The England aspirant's shot was clawed over by Cech. From Barry's inswinging corner, Knight showed most appetite for the ball, muscling between Drogba and John Obi Mikel to head powerfully home.
Ashley Cole attempted to clear but could only divert the ball into the roof of the net. Villa fans were also raising the roof as Knight, Solihull born and bred, sprinted off around the ground, pausing to high-five with O'Neill on the way.
Mourinho rang the changes, throwing more and more people into attack, including Terry and Alex. Joe Cole worked hard to break Villa's resistance, lifting in a corner that Terry headed over. Villa refused to yield. Barry twice shrugged off Malouda. Reo-Coker put in a wonderful tackle on Belletti. The noise intensified.
So did the siege. To push Chelsea back, O'Neill introduced the delicate creative talents of Stilian Petrov, which was rather like ushering Darcey Bussell into a game of 'Rollerball'. Petrov soon lost possession but Salomon Kalou wasted the moment, shooting wide.
Villa were doing more with less. With two minutes remaining, Young eluded Belletti, sprinted upfield and shot into the area where Agbonlahor stuck out a leg to flick the ball past Cech.
Frustration ate deep into Chelsea. Joe Cole rolled a shot against a post. Then Drogba went down, holding his knee, which Chelsea say may require a scan today.
Man of the match
Gabriel Agbonlahor (Aston Villa) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Indy:
Aston Villa 2, Chelsea 0: Chelsea exposed by Villa's sense of purpose By Sam Wallace
Fourth place was not exactly what Roman Abramovich had in mind when he agreed with Jose Mourinho that Chelsea needed to reinvent themselves as the Premier League's most entertaining side. Beaten by Aston Villa yesterday, and with a team struggling to score goals, Mourinho has a lonely week ahead to contemplate just how his side are to re-launch a season that went badly awry yesterday.
Abramovich himself, walked out of the directors' box seconds after Gabriel Agbonlahor hit Villa's second goal with just two minutes remaining for Chelsea's first Premier League defeat since January.
With John Terry playing centre-forward and the Chelsea defence in tatters it was certainly entertaining – but not in the way that Abramovich had hoped. That should take nothing away from Martin O'Neill's side, who were relentless after coming under pressure in the early stages and deserved their win.
There was a goal on his Villa debut from Zat Knight and, against a Chelsea defence that never looked settled, a brilliant performance from Ashley Young, included in Steve McClaren's England squad today, on the left wing. To make it even worse for Mourinho, Didier Drogba had to be helped from the pitch with a leg injury in the closing minutes. Without Frank Lampard they never looked quite the same threat in front of goal.
It looked very different in the early stages. In this brave new world of Mourinho's, the winger is king and Shaun Wright-Phillips played in the first half like a man who believes his time has come. Twisting and skipping away from challenges and switching with Florent Malouda on the opposite wing, he looked like a player who deserved to start for England against Israel on Saturday. Bundled to the ground in the earlier stages by Martin Laursen, Wright-Phillips might have been given a penalty on another day.
It seemed a painful afternoon was in prospect for Laursen as Villa struggled to contain Wright-Phillips in the opening stages. He skipped away from the Villa defender on 13 minutes and hit a shot that Scott Carson tipped wide. Knight had an unforgiving task marking Drogba, and for the early stages of the first half, Chelsea looked like the side Mourinho had promised in the summer: pacey, aggressive and built to attack.
Villa, however, have wingers of their own and they resisted the early pressure to gain a foothold in the game. In Gabriel Agbonlahor and Ashley Young they have thrilling pace on the flanks although it was John Carew in the centre whom Terry found the hardest to deal with. The England captain is rarely outmuscled, but the Norwegian proved difficult to dislodge with the ball at his feet.
It was a mistake from Alex, making his first Premier League start at centre-back for Chelsea, that let in Villa for their second good chance on 14 minutes. With the ball not properly cleared it fell to Agbonlahor on the edge of the area who hit his shot straight at Petr Cech. The England under-21 international had earlier picked up a ball from the left from Young and, with Terry behind him, spun and hit a shot that Cech did well to save.
The first half ended with Villa in the ascendance, and Chelsea's defence increasingly uncertain. One ball into the box appeared to clip Terry's hand, and in the closing stages, Ashley Cole had to head off the line.
There is a rule set in stone at Mourinho's Chelsea that it is Drogba who comes back to defend corners – and it is a plan that has served them well over the past three seasons.
Two minutes into the new half, the Chelsea striker jogged back into his own area to undertake his defensive duties and failed completely to spot the run of Knight. The £3m signing arrived behind Drogba to head the ball down past Cech.
It has been some eight days for the man signed from Fulham who played at Villa Park the previous week for Fulham and was substituted at half-time. His return to his native Birmingham looked like the ideal way out of Fulham until his brother Carlos's house in Erdington was raided by police – he was taken in for questioning and bailed – on the morning Zat was presented as a Villa player. A goal on his debut was the conclusion to an eventful few days.
Villa were proving worthy opposition for Mourinho, a frantic, hustling gameplan that closed down Chelsea at every turn. Very soon Mourinho called for Claudio Pizarro, sending on the Peruvian striker with such urgency that John Obi Mikel was shouted at by his manager for not coming off the pitch quickly enough. Very soon Joe Cole and Salomon Kalou were also called upon, but Villa stood strong.
Young, who joins up with Steve McClaren's England squad today, looked quick and direct against Juliano Belletti, the Brazilian from Barcelona making his debut at right-back. However, it was Terry who was sent back-pedalling as Young attacked the Chelsea box on 88 minutes. His sharply hit cross was tucked past Cech by Agbonlahor.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Knight slays Chelsea as Abramovich exits early
Kevin McCarra at Villa ParkMonday September 3, 2007The Guardian
It was the day when the Premier League season began to make good on its promise. The expectation that the major clubs will have to endure distress more frequently was fulfilled as a mediocre Chelsea, stifled and stopped, were left last night as sullen occupiers of fourth place in the table. All that rose steeply for the visitors was the frustration that Martin O'Neill causes in them. This was Chelsea's first defeat in the league since they were beaten 2-0 at Anfield in January.
Jose Mourinho will have counted last season's pair of draws with Villa as significant in the loss of the title and the nature of the match should concern the Stamford Bridge club. Roman Abramovich was reported at the weekend to be still dissatisfied with Mourinho's type of football. There was compelling if circumstantial evidence for that here in his sullen expression and early departure from his seat.He did go to the dressing room and shook hands with the players when Mourinho was elsewhere, conducting post-match interviews, but solidarity is not synonymous with approval. While a fan with a grievance might settle for composing poison-pen letters in his mind, more profound steps are open to an owner.
The reported efforts of Abramovich to buy Ronaldinho, who dazzled with Barcelona yesterday, were a radical reaction to the cautious mediocrity that afflicts Chelsea now and again. It is an oddity that Mourinho, in his fourth season at the club, should be treated as if he were an unknown and rather dubious quantity.
The flaws at Villa Park are of the type known to exasperate a Chelsea proprietor craving spectacle. There was scant indication of any capacity in the side to respond to the opener from the debutant Zat Knight. Perhaps Abramovich will revert to championing the return of Andriy Shevchenko, who has been fit enough to represent Ukraine.
If England were looking for omens that Scott Carson can soon be their preferred goalkeeper they were disappointed because he was not granted many opportunities to shine, although he did put a Shaun Wright-Phillips attempt round the post in the 13th minute. It reflected well on Villa that mostly Carson was a bystander.
The game, in fairness to Chelsea, could have taken a very different course. After two minutes, Martin Laursen manhandled Wright-Phillips and Mark Clattenburg's refusal to award a penalty was perplexing. Maybe referees, like some footballers, need time to warm up, but Chelsea can hardly be asked to show understanding.
Chelsea, all the same, were toothless after Knight had put them behind. The injured Frank Lampard was missed terribly and in a squad of this value others should have compensated. While Wright-Phillips did that for a while and Juliano Belletti, on his first start for Chelsea, had some good moments there was no mood of mounting inevitability.
Villa were resilient and, ultimately, deadly. O'Neill's selection was intriguing, since it had a very adventurous air yet also required those men of attacking intent to get behind the ball whenever Chelsea were in possession. John Carew alone had the luxury of staying upfield. As on too many occasions last season, the visitors' destiny lay with Didier Drogba alone.
The striker is a phenomenon, yet he was just about shackled at Villa Park. The efforts of Laursen epitomised the persistence when, in the 87th minute, he recovered to tackle Drogba after he seemed to have broken away on the right. Moments later, defeat for Chelsea was confirmed.
Ashley Young, the surprise selection in the England squad, at long last had scope to run freely on Villa's left and his driven ball across was turned into the net by Gabriel Agbonlahor.
Villa had not lacked encouragement. They found a defence, in which Alex started for the first time, that was ill at ease. After seven minutes, Agbonlahor was fed by Young and John Terry could not prevent him from spinning to hit a drive that Petr Cech parried. Later Cech would tip over an attempt by Young.
Villa's progress since the first-day defeat to Liverpool here was remarkable, but Chelsea were more malleable material with which to work. After 47 minutes, Gareth Barry's corner was headed in by Knight. Ashley Cole might have cleared but he preferred the awkwardness of kicking with his favoured left. That moment was a perfect image of Chelsea's limitations yesterday.
Man of the match Nigel Reo-Coker (Aston Villa)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Mail:Zat's the way to do itAston Villa 2 Chelsea 0By MATT LAWTON
AS Zat Knight said, it has been a funny old week. A week when Chelsea could, and perhaps should, have bought Ronaldinho.
A week that started with a sense of excitement but, judging by Roman Abramovich's mood as he stormed out of the Villa Park directors' box last night, ended with a deep sense of disappointment.
If ever a game demonstrated the value of wingers who provide width and flair, this was it. If ever Abramovich has reflected on a business meeting with some regret, it would have been the one he had with Ronaldinho's brother last week.
How Chelsea could have used a player of Ronaldinho's ability against Aston Villa. How Abramovich must wish those talks had concluded with the Brazilian at Stamford Bridge.
How he would have cursed at the news of Ronaldinho's two goals for Barcelona last night.
Chelsea could also have used Frank Lampard here yesterday, his absence with injury a major reason why they failed even to threaten Villa's goal after Knight opened the scoring in the 47th minute.
They did not manage a single effort on target after that, conceding a second two minutes from the end. But Abramovich did not appear prepared to accept any excuses.
He wants entertainment but again he was treated to a fairly dire display. The same, of course, could not be said of the side Martin O'Neill guided to what amounted to the most significant victory of his Villa tenure.
They were terrific, using the pace and poise of Ashley Young and Gabriel Agbonlahor to attack on the flanks and the sheer physical presence of Knight to land the first blow.
For Knight, it has indeed been a funny old week. From the own goal he scored here as a Fulham player the previous weekend to the events that very nearly ruined his first day at his new club.
The armed police officers who carried out the drugs raid on Knight's family home early on Wednesday morning certainly have a claim to fame after this. Who did they arrest and then release on bail without charge?
The bloke who traded handcuffs for a winning header against Chelsea and did so by rising above Didier Drogba and Mikel John Obi to meet Gareth Barry's corner.
Villa's second was more impressive and the product of wide rather than remarkably tall men — Young leaving Juliano Belletti in his wake then unleashing a shot that was guided in by the outstretched leg of Agbonlahor.
It was all too much for Chelsea's Russian owner, the sight of his side conceding a second convincing him it was time to go. Well, time to nip down to the dressing room to see his beaten boys anyway.
Contrary to what Jose Mourinho dared argue afterwards, they were well beaten. They might have deserved a first-half penalty for Martin Laursen's foul on Shaun Wright-Phillips.
If Mark Clattenburg and his bosses on the Match Officials Board look at it again and conclude it was a penalty perhaps they will call him and 'offer an apology'.
But they were conquered by a team who attack the way Chelsea used to attack when they had Arjen Robben on one wing and Damien Duff on the other.
Even when Mourinho sent on his second-half substitutes they had no effect. Claudio Pizarro, Joe Cole and Saloman Kalou were all unleashed but Villa soaked up the pressure with ease.
Nigel Reo-Coker was a constant presence, providing protection to his back four with a combative performance.
Mourinho would have been disappointed with his midfield. Claude Makelele seemed to sit far too deep and Michael Essien failed to fill the void left by Lampard. Mikel was also poor.
Most impressive, however, was Young, marking his call-up to Steve McClaren's squad with a display that suggested it will not be long before he is pushing for a place on England's left.
It was his cross which Agbonlahor volleyed to test Petr Cech at the start and his shot which led to Barry's crucial corner.
Chelsea offered little in response and even less when Mourinho tried to reshuffle, which must have been worrying for McClaren given that Wright-Phillips was replaced with the equally ineffective Cole.
Painfully aware that the chance to return to the top of the Premier League was slipping from his grasp, Mourinho abandoned all caution in the end and left two at the back.
Young needed no more invitation than that, exploiting the vast space behind Belletti with one neat touch and a surging run before driving the ball across the face of the six-yard box and into the path of Agbonlahor.
For O'Neill, perhaps here was revenge for the 2003 UEFA Cup Final defeat when he was in charge at Celtic and Mourinho at Porto.
Revenge, in the Ulsterman's opinion, for the diving and dishonesty. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Mirror:JOSE'S KNIGHT TO FORGET BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE ASTON VILLA 2 CHELSEA 0 DEBUT BOY HITS MOURINHO HOPES Zat's not the way you keep Roman happy as Villa batter sloppy Blues Martin Lipton Chief Football Writer Reports From Villa Park 03/09/2007
The last time Chelsea lost 2-0 in the league, Roman Abramovich was ready to get rid of Jose Mourinho.
By the look on the Russian's face as he darted from the Villa Park directors' box last night, not much has changed in the past eight months.
Abramovich is known to be demanding more imagination, creativity and excitement from Mourinho and his team this season - after all, you don't spend £500million to be bored to death every weekend.
He certainly got the unexpected in the West Midlands, but not in the manner he could ever have anticipated as Chelsea gave arguably their most abject display since they lost at Middlesbrough two years ago. While Mourinho's Chelsea are not about flair, they are usually about grit and determination and will to win that allows them to overcome.
Yet, missing the injured Frank Lampard far more than was possibly acceptable, all of those qualities were lacking. At Anfield in January, Mourinho had all the excuses he could think of - no John Terry or Ricardo Carvalho, Petr Cech returning in a helmet for the first time, disruption all round.
But last night, as Martin O'Neill saw the last 14 months finally coming together in 90 high-octane minutes, there were no excuses, no justification.
A team as physically big as Chelsea cannot concede the simple set-piece goal which allowed Zat Knight to make a dream debut back in his home city.
They cannot lose shape and conviction so badly, to end the game with desperation hoofs forward, to be so disorganised as they were when Gabriel Agbonlahor finally brought profit from one of the terrific Ashley Young's lung-bursting runs.
Mourinho's men looked disjointed, dispirited and plain wrong. Key to that was the absence of Lampard's midfield energy, compounded by Claude Makelele playing so deep he nearly required oxygen.
But then again, the Frenchman was only responding to the uncertain Alex, the Brazilian looking over-priced at the nominal 50p Chelsea paid to acquire his services from PSV Eindhoven, as Terry struggled against John Carew.
At the same time, as Nigel Reo-Coker and Gareth Barry won the midfield tussle with Michael Essien and John Obi Mikel, the zest of England new-boy Young on the left and Agbonlahor on the right caused real problems.
Agbonlahor demanded a good save from Cech, before twice embarrassing Ashley Cole at the far post, while Wright-Phillips' raking shot from 20 yards after cutting inside Olof Mellberg was the only time Scott Carson was tested.
Chelsea are a threat in the air but Terry and Alex failed to hit the target from eight yards out, failures that were made to look all the more damning when Knight did not make the same mistake at the start of the second period.
Cech palmed Young's bending shot over the top but he could do nothing as Knight out-muscled Didier Drogba to plant Barry's corner into the net. Mourinho acted, sending on Claudio Pizarro for Mikel and switching to four in the middle.
It gave Chelsea better definition, but no more conviction. Mourinho then played his final cards, adding Joe Cole and Salomon Kalou to the mix.
But Villa were resolute and two minutes from time, the young guns combined, as Young skinned Juliano Belletti to scamper into the huge hole behind the full-back, before his thrash across goal was diverted beyond Cech by Agbonlahor's outstretched leg.
Abramovich's response was instant, leaving the director's box at a rate of knots. It meant he did not see Joe Cole's shot come off the post in added time. He had seen more than enough.
Villa: Carson 6, Mellberg 6, Knight 7, Laursen 7, Bouma 6, Agbonlahor 8, Reo-Coker 7, Barry 7, Young 8, Carew 7 (Petrov, 79, 6), Moore 6
Chelsea: Cech 7; Belletti 6, Alex 4, Terry 6, A Cole 7, Makelele 6 (Kalou 63, 6), Essien 6, Mikel 6 (Pizarro, 53, 6), Wright-Phillips 6 (J Cole, 63, 6), Drogba 5, Malouda 6 Ref: Mark Clattenburg ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Didier Drogba was guilty of such histrionics here, even if it looked like a genuine knee injury that forced him to limp off at the end.
ASTON VILLA (4-4-2): Carson 6; Mellberg 6, Knight 7, Laursen 8, Bouma 5; Agbonlahor 7, Reo-Coker 7, Barry 7, Young 7; Carew 6 (Petrov 79min, 5) Moore 6. Booked: Agbonlahor, Carew, Reo-Coker.
CHELSEA (4-3-3): Cech 6; Belletti 5, Alex 6, Terry 6, Cole 5; Makelele 6 (Kalou 62, 5) Mikel 5, (Pizarro 53, 5) Essien 6; Malouda 5, Drogba 7, Wright-Phillips 6. (Cole 63, 5).
Man of the match: Martin Laursen.
Referee: Mark Clattenburg.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Birmingham Post:
Vibrant Villa rip up the script Sep 2 2007 By Lisa Smith BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE
When Premier League form books were given out last month, someone obviously omitted to give Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill a copy.
Here, his vibrant side cast aside Chelsea and all their statistics with an incredibly brave display.
Prior to kick-off, fans had been told how the game was Chelsea's chance to notch up their 1,500th Premier League win.
Chelsea, we were told, would also go back to the top of the table but someone also forgot to remind the pundits that Chelsea hadn't won at Villa Park for eight years.
And in the end, it was that latter statistic which was to be upheld at the final whistle as O'Neill's young guns ruined the form guide and snatched all three points.
Villa made two major changes from the side which beat Fulham last week, debutant Zat Knight given a centre-back's role alongside Martin Laursen, with Olof Mellberg moving to right-back.
Craig Gardner was the casualty while Stiliyan Petrov was also relegated to the bench, with Luke Moore coming in alongside John Carew up front.
And from the off, it appeared this was going to be a game played at some tempo, with both goalkeepers being severely tested within minutes of referee Mark Clattenburg signalling the start of play.
Just four minutes into the game, Michael Essien came close to opening the visitors' account but his shot was deflected just past Scott Carson's post and then Mellberg twice had to spare Villa's blushes as Didier Drogba and Florent Malouda went close.
It was then Villa's turn to threaten with Wilfred Bouma — celebrating his 50th game in a Villa shirt — making great strides on the left. He threaded an inch-perfect pass through to Gabriel Agbonlahor who fired straight at the Chelsea goal, only to force a fine save from Petr Cech.
Carew then found space on the wing and fired the ball across the box, but his pass-cum-shot was easily cleared by Essien and the rebounding ball gathered safely by the keeper.
In the 12th minute, a Chelsea corner saw John Terry climbing highest in the Villa penalty area but his effort just tipped over the roof of the net and then Scott Carson had to dive at full strength to deny an effort from Shaun Wright-Phillips.
Two minutes later and some neat trickery from Ashley Young — no doubt eager to show just why England manager Steve McClaren is putting his faith in him — forced Claude Makelele to clear his lines.
Mr Clattenburg was soon on the receiving end of some jibes from the Holte End when Carew appeared to have been pulled back by John Terry as he made a run for goal.
The official misread the situation and instead rewarded the free-kick Chelsea's way, much to the derision of the Villa faithful.
In the 25th minute, great work by Young again opened up an opportunity but the £9.5 million man's shot ended up over the crossbar. Carew then forced Cech into making another save after good work from Mellberg, before Ashley Cole headed away a Young effort but only as far as the edge of the penalty area.
As the second half got under way, it was Villa who came out all guns blazing, with Young having a fine floated effort just tipped over the bar and then, as Villa won a corner, up stepped Knight to ensure his dream debut.
The £3.5 million signing rose majestically above the visiting defence to beat Cech. Ashley Cole, minding the far post, was powerless to prevent the ball entering the net.
Just seven days after his own goal had helped Villa snatch three points from his former club Fulham, so he made his giant presence felt again as his goal sent the Villa Park stands into raptures.
By now, frustration was beginnign to show amongst Jose Mourinho's men and Drogba earned little respect from the home fans when he feigned a facial injury in a tussle with Moore to earn a free-kick.
Now it was Chelsea applying the heat as, time and again, they peppered the Villa goal; time and again, though, the home defence was equal to the task.
Mourinho then resorted to a double-substitution in a bid to try to win the game, replacing Wright-Phillips with Joe Cole and Makele with Solomon Kalou.
Cole immediately added to the mix, allowing Terry through for a header which just dipped over Carson's bar and then forcing Knight to make a couple of telling challenges.
O'Neill himself decided to try to close down Chelsea in midfield, bringing on Petrov for Carew, but this was not a question of Villa shutting up shop as they continued to seek the second goal which would put the game out of Chelsea's reach.
With just three minutes left, Villa's bravery was rewarded when Ashley Young got the better of Juliano Belletti, cut into the penalty area and drove the ball across the goalmouth.
Agbonlahor's predatory connection speared the ball past Cech.
Scorers: Knight (47), Agbonlahor (87).ASTON VILLA (4-4-2): Carson; Mellberg, Knight, Laursen, Bouma; Young, Barry, Reo-Coker, Agbonlahor; Carew (Petrov, 80), Moore. Subs: Taylor, Harewood, Gardner, Maloney.Chelsea (4-4-2): Cech; A Cole, Terry, Alex, Makelele (Kalou, 70); Essien, Malouda, Obi (Pizarro, 48) Belletti, Drogba, Wright-Phillips (J Cole, 70). Subs: Cudicini, Ben-Haim.Referee: Mark Clattenburg (Tyne & Wear).Bookings: Villa — Reo-Coker (foul), Agbonlahor (dissent), Barry (foul), Carew (foul); Chelsea — Drogba.Attendance: 37,714.Villa man of the match: Martin Laursen — timely interventions as Chelsea looked for a way through.

sunday papers portsmouth home

The Sunday TimesAugust 26, 2007
Lampard on strikeChelsea 1 Portsmouth 0
Brian Glanville at Stamford Bridge Jose Mourinho, Chelsea’s manager, seemed to have been resigned in advance to what kind of a disappointing game this would turn out to be. He makes no secret of the fact that he dislikes those weeks in which a host of international matches take place, taking his players away from him in numbers.
“I don’t like to play after one of the international weeks,” he said. “Some train very hard, some don’t train at all, some come back and train yesterday. I can’t train with the team. At the same time, I think Portsmouth is a good team, with good players and they made it difficult for us. Also, the weather is very hot. Very difficult to play in the first half. I have to shake them at half time.”
Though Chelsea won by Frank Lampard’s solitary goal, and thereby extended their remarkable unbeaten home sequence to 66 games, they could so easily have been caught at the end by a Portsmouth team less dynamic and well organised, consistent, persistent, and intelligent.
It was then that Sulley Muntari Pompey’s Ghana international, eulogised by his manager Harry Redknapp, after the game, sent in a high corner from the left. Hermann Hreidarsson who had adventurously moved upfield from defence, got his head to it strongly, obviously beating Petr Cech in Chelsea’s goal but Ashley Cole resourcefully cleared off the line. It was by far Cole’s most important contribution of a hot afternoon on which we scarcely saw him overlapping as he so famously can.
Harry Redknapp, the Portsmouth manager, had praise for the only goal of the game, which was scored, characteristically, by Frank Lampard. After 31 largely soporific minutes, Cech booted the ball Route One upfield, Didier Drogba controlled it and flicked it on, and on ran Lampard to send his strong right-footed shot home, though the Pompey goalkeeper David James did get a hand to it. Lampard, said Redknapp admiringly, gambled that Drogba was going to get the ball, ran past him, and was duly rewarded.
“Frank scored at Reading and Liverpool and now it’s four consecutive matches for England and Chelsea. They were important goals for us and every goal meant something,” Mourinho added.
Unsurprisingly, Redknapp had high praise for the intricate virtuosity of the lanky Nigerian, Kanu, in attack. “Kanu,” he said, “was terrific for us, he held the ball up, got people into the game, gave John Terry a hard day, which isn’t easy. What a footballer! Can you imagine what he must have been when he was 20 years old? The man’s a top-class footballer. He’s always got a smile on his face. He isn’t going to run all over the field like a looney, he’s a footballer.”
Memory was stirred to recall a still more remarkable display by Kanu on this very field. Playing for Arsenal, getting the ball on the left-hand goal line, he picked his way like some chamois past man after man, before finding the net.
Redknapp also rejoiced in the fact that “we can give anybody a game, now. I think we’re a decent team, we don’t come here thinking, my God, we’re going to get a real caning.”
He was also predictably pleased with the resilient performance in central defence of Sol Campbell, who, he pointed out, had had only one day’s training.
For the first half hour, the game stuttered in the sunshine. Drama was at a premium, though on 12 minutes, Kanu found Matt Taylor, always eager to strike, whose shot flew over the crossbar. Stepping his way past tackles, Kanu continued to keep his team on the move and then there was Taylor once again to shoot only narrowly wide from Kanu’s left-wing cross.
Lampard’s goal, however, brought Chelsea finally and belatedly to life.
On 44 minutes the same player had a powerful right-footed drive from outside the box that James threw himself full length to block. And now, Shaun Wright-Phillips, who had done so well for England last Wednesday at Wembley despite being brought on only in the second half and stuck on the left wing on his wrong foot, began to show his speed. Less than a minute of the second half had gone when he sidestepped his marker and shot just wide of the target.
But you never knew when Portsmouth were going to hit back and this they did when Kanu capped a perfect invitation to Sean Davis, only for Davis close in to shoot high over the bar and pantomime his dismay.
In due course, Chelsea sent on their newly acquired Brazilian right-back from Barcelona, Juliano Belletti, which enabled Michael Essien, another Ghanaian who is appreciated by Redknapp, to move into his preferred position in central midfield where we soon saw him bring James to full length with a fierce drive. On 84 minutes, there was James again to frustrate Drogba, who has been served by Florent Malouda.
There was still time for Chelsea’s narrow escape when Ashley Cole frustrated Hreidarsson. On the balance of play, and opportunities you might say that Chelsea just about deserved their exiguous victory. But who, even with enough Portsmouth supporters, could have begrudge the away team the draw they so nearly achieved. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Telegraph:
David James blunder hands Chelsea top spotBy Roy Collins at Stamford BridgeChelsea (1) 1 Portsmouth (0) 0
If ever there was an accident waiting to happen it was David 'Calamity' James appearing in the dress rehearsal before his official unveiling as the new/old England goalkeeper, with the emphasis very much on the old.
Both England manager Steve McClaren and his assistant, Terry Venables, thought it necessary to monitor the form of James, 37, who appeared to have reclaimed his old international job when he replaced the hapless Paul Robinson against Germany in midweek. But James never lets the headline writers down, allowing a half-hit shot by Frank Lampard to bounce under his left hand and into the net as the England management team threw their heads into their hands.
What does McClaren do now? Having attempted to make himself look like a fearless manager by briefing against Robinson 24 hours after the Germany game, he now faces going back cap in hand, which is the only thing his goalkeepers seem capable of holding on to, to tell Robbo that he is still the man.
Another fine mess McClaren has got himself into, although Pompey could not have expected anything else but embarrassment on a ground on which they have not won for 52 years and which has seen every Premier League game end in defeat.
As it turned out, they were unlucky to lose, especially to such a soft goal, manager Harry Redknapp diplomatically claiming not to have seen it clearly.
For all Jose Mourinho's promise of a new, attacking and exciting Chelsea, this was the same old boring stuff, the Lampard goal coming from a 70- yard clearance by goalkeeper Petr Cech, albeit embellished by a nice back-heel from Didier Drogba, who then immediately fell over and rolled around for a bit, as is his wont.
Pompey fans serenaded James beforehand as "England, England's number one" but we did not hear a peep out of them after his error, nor after he then proceeded to fumble a weak effort from Shaun Wright- Phillips, who continues to keep Joe Cole out of the side.
Mourinho left his new £3.5 million right-back Juliano Belletti on the bench, which meant Michael Essien once again filling an unfamiliar role, which he should perhaps take as a compliment, even if he covets the marauding midfield role of John Obi Mikel. He got that wish in the 64th minute when Mikel was replaced by Belletti.
The pick of the Chelsea new boys was Claudio Pizarro, who almost scored in the opening minutes and then showed great awareness to volley a free-kick from Florent Malouda over the bar. His sharpness and eye for a chance suggest it will be a long time before Andrei Shevchenko forces his way back in. The latter's whereabouts are a mystery, in any case - injured according to the club but as fit as a flea according to his website, though presumably a flea with a limp, given his performances last season.
For Chelsea, as always, gathering points is the only sort of entertainment they believe in, happy to hold on to their lead for a victory that puts them top of the league, just ahead of Manchester City - yes City, not United - with the slackers from Old Trafford already eight points behind.
Pompey took the Henry Ford view that all history is bunk, almost scoring when Matt Taylor's angled shot was diverted to safety by Ben Haim. Sean Davis also squandered a glorious second-half chance before Gary O'Neill lashed one into the side-netting. In between times Kanu pulled the attacking strings with that extraordinary ball control that only a man of his elastic limbs could manage.
McClaren and Venables looked so concerned in the stands that they might have been watching England. And they hardly needed to come here to check the fitness of Lampard, Terry or even Sol Campbell, though they did get the chance to watch a cameo by Joe Cole in the final 15 minutes. He came closest to making the game safe with a rasping shot past a post which James had covered. At least, he appeared to. And Campbell, who pulled out of the England squad with injury, produced a great recovery tackle to dispossess Drogba.
It was a curiously unconvincing performance by Chelsea, for whom Terry looked like a man still recovering full fitness, almost as lackadaisical as he was for England in midweek. Mourinho blamed it on international week and the weather, though his side were lucky not to pay for it in the dying minutes when only an acrobatic header off the line stopped Herman Hreidarsson scoring what only Mourinho would have denied to be a deserved equaliser. Why should he care after his 98th unbeaten home game here and in Portugal?
Chelsea are once again out in front in the title race, where they prefer to be, with the season just settling down. On Friday the draw for the group stages of the Champions League will put a spring in their step as they anticipate the big nights yet to come.
If Pompey continue to play with such spirit and flair, they might even be entertaining European ambitions of their own for next season. But one could not help feel sympathy for James, a consummate professional who performs brilliantly for over 90 per cent of the time, except on the occasions when it really matters.
Match summary Moment of the match: Ashley Cole's fantastic goal-line clearance with an acrobatic header which denied Hermann Hreidarsson a deserved equaliser, not that you would have got Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho to agree with that statement. Match rating: 5/10 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Indy:
Chelsea 1 Portsmouth 0: James fails to convince as Chelsea take pole position McClaren's dilemma goes on after hesitant display from England's No 2 By Nick Townsend at Stamford Bridge
Whether in artistic or goalkeeping guise, David James enjoys giving an exhibition. Yesterday, even he would probably admit, it was not his finest piece of work that he placed in front of his most demanding judges, the England coach Steve McClaren and his assistant Terry Venables, who, if they were looking to solve their goalkeeping dilemma after England's defeat by Germany, were no more the wiser after this. For that duo, it is back to the drawing board.
The curious aspect was, given that James was facing the club who already consider themselves champions-elect, the 37-year-old was not exactly overworked. However, he will not reflect well on the manner in which Frank Lampard's venomous drive from outside the area eluded him for what transpired to be the winner during an unconvincing first half for the former Aston Villa and Liverpool man.
It did not exactly rate full-on "Calamity" status, but nor will it have instilled karma in the watching England hierarchy. "I don't know if it took a deflection; I'll have to have a look later," was about the extent of his manager Harry Redknapp's non-committal reply, preferring to stress his admiration for James's quality as a "fantastic professional".
Unconvincing was also an adjective which could also apply to Jose Mourinho's men after a victory that left Chelsea top of the table, and more crucially eight points in front of Manchester United. The Chelsea manager attributed a generally turgid performance to post-international-week-itis and the heat. Certainly, for half an hour his players had the look of men who had forgotten each other over the preceding few days.
James, who could be restored as England's No1 against Israel in 13 days' time after Paul Robinson's indifferent display on Wednesday night, was virtually redundant as Portsmouth largely negated the threat of the Londoners. Claudio Pizarro headed over Florent Malouda's inswinging free-kick, but otherwise the visitors, with Sol Campbell restored to the side, defended stoutly. Indeed, Pompey had the best opportunity of the opening exchanges. Kanu's low right-wing cross was well-struck by Matt Taylor, but a challenge from Tal Ben Haim deflected the ball wide.
Mourinho's irritation with his side was evident from his histrionics on the touchline, but his men duly responded on the half hour. Didier Drogba collected Petr Cech's long clearance, and cleverly back-heeled the ball to Lampard who thumped the ball low and firmly past James. It seemed to affect the keeper, too. Before half-time, James spilled Wright-Phillips's effort, and then had his hands burnt by another attempt from Lampard.
The England coaches were also scrutinising Campbell and the Chelsea quintet, Terry, Lampard, Wright-Phillips, Ashley and Joe Cole, although the last-named started on the bench again. All impressed, although Terry, as Redknapp opined, was given a severe examination by the remarkable Kanu who appears to improve with the years.
The Brazilian attacking right-back, Juliano Belletti, Chelsea's £3.75 million acquisition from Barcelona, began his new career on the bench, but appeared late in the game, as did Pompey's David Nugent, who has been linked with a swift move on to Derby. Redknapp did not dismiss that possibility, but added: "we're happy to keep him".
If Chelsea believed they could stroll to victory, having forged into a lead, they were sorely mistaken. Pompey have a touch of class about them which extended their hosts to the limit, with Sulley Muntari prominent.
Just after the break, Kanu, under pressure in the area, set up Sean Davis, but the midfielder turned the ball over Cech's bar. Then O'Neill fired just wide. He was immediately replaced by Benjani Mwaruwari, who went close as Pompey strove for an equaliser they fully merited.
Though James, with an improved second-half performance got down well to save a deflected attempt from Michael Essien and later also thwarted Drogba, there was too much activity at the opposite end for Chelsea fans liking. The Portsmouth bench were all ready to celebrate the equaliser when Nugent contrived to strike the back of Kanu with a goal-bound effort. Then, as the ball bounced up off the striker, Hermann Hreidarsson's header had to be cleared off the line by Ashley Cole.
Essien, who made a fine contribution, apparently does appreciate the perils of hubris, claiming before yesterday that Manchester United are already too far behind Chelsea to catch up. Now that advantage has been extended further. But after four games? Sir Alex may have something to say about such audacity today.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------James error hands win to lacklustre Chelsea
Will Buckley at Stamford BridgeSunday August 26, 2007The Observer
It is now over a year since Chelsea produced a performance that showcased all their talents, their championship-clinching 3-0 victory against Manchester United in April 2006, which culminated with Ricardo Carvalho's length-of-the-pitch team goal.The oddity of last season was not that Chelsea should finish second but that they should do so having played so moderately. It is meant to be a sign of a good team that they win when playing badly but Chelsea took it to ridiculous lengths. It is also surely the sign of a good team that they occasionally play to their full potential.
Yesterday, they were at it again. Chelsea managed to go top of the table and they achieved their first clean sheet of the season but that was the limit of the positives. They played dismally and if the goalkeepers had been exchanged the result would have been reversed. Even with David James at his most jittery, Portsmouth can consider themselves unlucky not to have emerged with at least a point.'I felt we was always in the game,' said Harry Redknapp, the Pompey manager. 'There were some terrific performances.
'I thought [Sulley] Muntari was outstanding, you can see why he and [Michael] Essien are so good in the middle for Ghana,' he added, having watched the Black Stars draw 1-1 with Senegal at Millwall's New Den last Tuesday.
Jose Mourinho did not pretend that Chelsea had been anything other than average. 'I don't like to play the week after national games,' he said. 'I cannot train with the team, I cannot prepare the team. Some arrive on Thursday, some yesterday, some happy, some tired, some frustrated. If we play a bad game next Saturday I will be very frustrated. We are top of the league but we can play better.'
The game started slowly and it was not until the quarter-hour that a Florent Malouda free-kick presented Claudio Pizarro with a header, which he negligently put over. Essien was prominent at both ends, marauding down the right and producing a sharp tackle on the six-yard line to prevent John Utaka reaching a dangerous cross.
Pompey threatened again when Nwankwo Kanu smartly dragged the ball back for Matt Taylor whose shot curled just wide. On chances, if not possession, Portsmouth were shading it. 'We had no real problems in the first half-hour,' said Redknapp.
They were unfortunate therefore to fall behind thanks to - and how often have you heard this phrase? - a howler from an Observer columnist. There appeared little danger when Frank Lampard collected a knock-down from Didier Drogba, passed the ball to himself on the edge of the area and shot towards James, standing in the middle of the goal.
However, the England goalkeeper saw things rather differently and somehow contrived to dive over the ball. He got things half-right in that he went the right way, but his timing was awry.
Soon afterwards Shaun Wright- Phillips tested him again with a shot and he went all shaky before finally hanging on. It was enough to have the watching Steve McClaren checking his contact books for Joe Corrigan's number.
A minute before the interval there was another juggle when he was confronted by another unthreatening effort from Lampard. And at the other end another fine effort from Taylor, his crafty lob drifting just over. If James had been less calamitous, Portsmouth might have gone in at the break ahead rather than behind.
Chelsea should have increased their lead in the opening minute of the second half. Drogba stepped over and shielded the ball, shrugging off a defender in the process, and produced a perfect pass to Wright-Phillips but the winger over-elaborated.
Sean Davis fluffed a decent chance after wonderful work by Kanu. Minutes later the visitors broke swiftly from a Chelsea corner after Muntari had pulled off one of the braver challenges of the season, stopping Essien at full pelt, but Gary O'Neil shot wide.
Mourinho rejigged his line-up bringing on Salomon Kalou for the ineffectual Pizarro, the Peruvian having made a lesser attacking contribution than Essien at right back. Next, the Chelsea manager brought on new signing Juliano Belletti for the impressive John Obi Mikel, thereby releasing Essien to play in the middle of midfield. His best player, at last, in his most effective position.
It was not until the 75th minute that Joe Cole was finally introduced. One of the reasons given for the dour nature of many of Chelsea's performances last season was Cole's absence. Now he is fit but rarely used. In the short period available he did enough to suggest he deserves more time.
Five minutes from time, Portsmouth should have levelled when a goalmouth melee ended with Ashley Cole clearing Hermann Hreidarsson's header off the line. 'I was waiting for the ball to hit the back of the net. But never mind,' said Redknapp.
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James fumbles main chanceChelsea 1 Portsmouth 0
By DANIEL KING
Frank Lampard stuck another one in the eye of his critics and David James gave his detractors some more ammunition as under-par Chelsea ground out a trademark victory to go top of the table.
Lampard's goal a little after the half-hour mark, his third in a week after last weekend's controversial penalty at Liverpool and the opener against Germany, was enough to decide a game which never did justice to the long-awaited sunshine.
The strike may also be sufficient to put a few clouds of doubt in the mind of England manager Steve McClaren. Both he and assistant Terry Venables were in the stands to cast an eye over the man they apparently intend to restore to the national starting XI, but they may well be less secure in that conviction now.
Not that James's error, if it can be called such, was of the magnitude of the Paul Robinson blooper which had allowed Kevin Kuranyi to equalise and turn what had begun as a promising evening at Wembley into another long dark night of the soul. But most felt the Portsmouth keeper could have kept Lampard's low, 20-yard drive out of the net if his left hand had been stronger. A couple of nervous moments soon afterwards served only to cement that impression.
Ashley Cole had to nod Hermann Hreidarsson's header off the line with three minutes remaining, but apart from that late scare Portsmouth rarely threatened to take anything from a game which they had begun quite impressively. Chelsea, despite looking far from fluent, did just enough to win, and manager Jose Mourinho said he had expected nothing more.
"It is always like this after an international week," he said. "I knew it would happen. I had some players back on Thursday, some on Friday,some happy, some unhappy, some frustrated.
"I had to shake them at half-time to improve in the second half."
Since returning to the top flight, Portsmouth have taken not so much as a point off Chelsea and must still look back to 1955 for their last win at Stamford Bridge, but for half-an-hour, Harry Redknapp's game-plan had worked perfectly.
Pressing high up the pitch, his team were happy to let Chelsea play keep-ball across their back four, but stifled any sign of loftier ambitions so that the best chance for the home side was Claudio Pizarro's free header over the bar from a Florent Malouda free-kick.
Signs of frustration soon emerged from the Chelsea bench and crowd, and Portsmouth, as if sensing Chelsea had already run out of ideas, created two decent opportunities of their own, for John Utaka and Matt Taylor, before Lampard's goal arrived straight from the route one textbook.
Petr Cech launched a huge free-kick down the field which Didier Drogba won in a challenge with Sylvain Distin. The Frenchman and his team-mate Sean Davis then impeded each other,the ball broke to Lampard and although he struck the ball firmly, the feeling was that James should have done better than merely to delay the billowing of the net.
Redknapp preferred to praise the goalscorer, his nephew — "Frank does that better than anyone else" — but the impression James was partially at fault gained strength after the incident when the would-be England No 1 fumbled a cross-shot by Wright-Phillips and a save at the end of the half from Lampard was not much more convincing.
"Who else is there, again?" McClaren and Venables might have been forgiven for asking each other at the break. There was some encouragement for the away team in a scoop over the bar by Davis and a shot just wide by Gary O'Neil early in the second half, but little to suggest the game would end in anything but a home win.
So Redknapp threw on Benjani for O'Neil and moved Utaka to the wide position where he had enjoyed success in the previous three games.
But not this time. Mourinho brought on his latest make-do-and-mend signing, Juliano Belletti, allowing Michael Essien to take up his preferred midfield role, from which he tested James with a deflected shot after Malouda had sent a left-foot drive fizzing past the goalkeeper's right-hand post.
In between, Benjani had wasted Portsmouth's best chance yet to force Chelsea to find a higher gear by failing to control a crossfield ball well enough on his chest to allow himself a decent shot on goal.
"I thought we were always in the game," said Redknapp, but that was as much a product of Chelsea's failure to find a second goal as his team's opportunities to equalise.
Ashley Cole's clearance from Hreidarsson after the late goalmouth scramble ensured that Lampard's goal was decisive.
But James's performance,even allowing for a smart stop from Drogba, offered more questions than answers. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------