Southampton 1-3

Telegraph:

Chelsea 1 Southampton 3
Home fans round on Jose Mourinho as champions lose again
What started as a blip has now become a crisis for Chelsea manager as Saints come from goal down to win

 By  Matt Law

Never mind retaining the Premier League title, Chelsea have got a fight on their hands to finish in the top four and manager Jose Mourinho is clearly worried about his job after owner Roman Abramovich watched the season go from bad to worse.
Abramovich, who was in the Stamford Bridge stands, will have heard the Chelsea fans around him boo Mourinho’s decisions to take off goalscorer Willian and substitute Nemanja Matic. What started as a blip has now become a full-blown crisis.
Mourinho has tried everything in recent weeks, frequently switching his players in a desperate attempt to find a solution to Chelsea’s mounting problems.
Whereas everything Mourinho touched turned to gold last season, everything he currently attempts is going wrong. John Terry and Eden Hazard returned to the team and were to blame for goals, while Branislav Ivanovic kept his place and was giving a chasing by Dusan Tadic.

The Chelsea fans who chanted ‘We want our captain back’ in Portugal cheered loudly when Terry’s name was read out among the starters ahead of kick-off, but by the end they sang ‘We’re ****ing shit’ and they were not wrong.
Mourinho spoke of wanting to build a Chelsea dynasty, but an all-too-familiar soap opera is once again developing at Stamford Bridge.
He left Oscar, Radamel Falcao and Lois Remy in England when the rest of his squad travelled to Porto in the Champions League. Oscar and Falcao returned to the side against Southampton, but if they were placated then Nemanja Matic will have gone home on Saturday night with his pride severely dented.
Matic once again started on the bench, but only lasted 28 minutes as a second-half substitute before being dragged off. Unsurprisingly, the midfielder did not shake the hand of Mourinho when he was replaced by Loic Remy.
Chelsea had got off to the perfect start, when Hazard won the free-kick from which Chelsea took a ninth-minute lead. The Belgian was fouled by former Chelsea midfielder Oriol Romeu left of centre and Willian scored for the fourth successive game from a set piece.

That should have provided Mourinho’s men with the perfect confidence boost, but Chelsea retreated further back into their shells the longer the first half went on.
Southampton saw their first penalty appeal ignored in the 14th minute when Ivanovic appeared to hold down Virgil van Dijk in the penalty area and there were louder shouts in the 33rd minute, when Ramires trod on the foot of Sadio Mane in his own area, but referee Robert Madley allowed play to continue.
Barely 60 seconds later, Mane went down again outside the area and Madley booked the Southampton forward for diving – even though replays showed he had been taken out by Ivanovic.
Goalkeeper Asmir Begovic saved from Victor Wanyama and Steven Davis, but Chelsea could not hold on to their lead until half-time.
Following a cynical trip from Ramires, Cedric Soares hit a long ball that was chested down by Graziano Pelle and Davis crashed a first-time shot past Begovic and into the net.
Both teams made changes at half-time, with Matic taking over from Ramires and James Ward-Prowse replacing Romeu, before Chelsea completely collapsed.

The home side were lucky to see Begovic save from Mane after Tadic had completely outpaced Ivanovic. Mane then had another shot blocked before Ward-Prowse fired wide after the Blues had failed to properly clear the ball.
Falcao was largely a passenger until Cesc Fabregas played the Colombian through into the penalty area and he went down as Maarten Stekelenburg went for the ball. Chelsea expected referee Madely to point to the penalty spot, but he instead showed Falcao a yellow card for diving. Mourinho responded with ironic laughter.
Disaster struck for the home side on the hour mark, following two horrendous defensive errors. Gary Cahill gave the ball away to Pelle and the striker passed to Mane, who turned Terry far too easily and beat Begovic to put Southampton ahead.

Mourinho responded by sending on Pedro, but the first signs of discontent among the Chelsea fans was evident as they booed his decision to take off Willian. Afterwards he revealed the Brazilian had been vomiting at half-time.
The mood really turned sour with 18 minutes remaining, as Southampton sealed all three points with a goal that again exposed all of Chelsea’s problems. Hazard needlessly lost the ball to Pelle, who passed to Mane and received the ball back to score.

Mourinho threw on Remy in place of the substitute Matic, who had only lasted 28 minutes on the pitch. The Chelsea fans jeered and then booed loudly at the final whistle. Abramovich will understand why.

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

Observer:
Chelsea and José Mourinho endure more misery as Southampton hit three
Chelsea 1 - 3 Southampton

Dominic Fifield

There were times here when José Mourinho, alone in his technical area as his ailing champions slumped yet again, wore the haunted look of the condemned. The kind of haggard demeanour that, dare it be said, marked out André Villa-Boas and Roberto Di Matteo before him, and the Portuguese is not used to being in such company. He was the one, unsolicited, who brought up the prospect of suffering the sack in the aftermath and, if that was him challenging his employers, a parting of the ways no longer feels an outlandish suggestion.
This was a humiliation, a fourth defeat of their Premier League defence inflicted by a rampant Southampton side whose effervescence simply blinded Chelsea. Sadio Mané ran amok, Steven Davis hassled and harried the hosts to distraction, and Graziano Pellè bullied his markers who merely wilted, cramped by anxiety. There was no saviour to celebrate in John Terry, the restored captain exposed and exploited when the visitors first forced themselves ahead. Mourinho’s complaints over the non-award of a penalty to Radamel Falcao ignored the reality Virgil van Dijk and Mané had legitimate complaints of their own at seeing appeals for spot-kicks dismissed.
More troubling was the lack of any coherent strategy imposed from the bench. Chaos reigned. Theirs had always felt a fragile midfield given the pace and movement Southampton boast in the centre. The half-time introduction of Nemanja Matic acknowledged as much, but he was hauled off 28 minutes later, the boos which erupted at that change echoing those at the withdrawal of Willian, who had been unwell at the break. They betrayed an audience mystified by the decisions of a manager in whom, only recently, they had placed every ounce of their trust. Now there was doubt, scepticism, even murmurings of revolt, with the chorusing of the team’s name bellowed out only in defiance.
The champions languish fifth bottom, 10 points from the summit, having lost half their Premier League games this season going into another international break when the manager will have only a handful of players to work with. He has offered no answers out on the pitch as yet, with no formula struck to rekindle last season’s swagger. This team feel broken, none of which will have escaped Roman Abramovich, peering down from his box up in the Gods in the west stand.
His manager’s post-match challenge will not have gone unnoticed, either.
“This is a crucial moment in the history of this club because, if they sack me, they sack the best manager this club has had,” he offered. “And the message again is that if there are bad results, the manager is guilty.” Yet Mourinho suddenly feels vulnerable, the memory of last season’s triumph fading fast.
That much is evident when two of last year’s stalwarts, Terry and Branislav Ivanovic, did not win a single tackle between them here. Self-doubt has infected even the most seasoned winners this club has ever had.
They were embarrassed here by a wonderful Southampton performance, the early lead enjoyed when Willian’s free-kick flew in off the woodwork nothing but a mirage. It took the visitors some time to find proper rhythm, but Ivanovic’s pull on Van Dijk could have earned them an immediate penalty, Ramires might have conceded another when he stepped on Mané’s foot, and Asmir Begovic did well to deny Ryan Bertrand. The hosts were eventually prised apart: José Fonte’s lofted pass was chested down by Pellè, free of Gary Cahill, and Davis tore on to the loose ball to crunch home a volley from distance. The Northern Ireland international had been ignored by Chelsea’s midfield shield, with Willian and Cesc Fàbregas dawdling. The error felt familiar.
Matic’s introduction did little to stem the flow, with Mané such a menace and the home side constantly on edge. They cracked again on the hour mark while Mourinho was still chuckling in livid disbelief that Falcao had been booked for a dive as Maarten Stekelenburg slid in and made contact. When Cahill surrendered possession at the other end, Pellè eventually slipped a pass into space which Terry, stretching out his left leg awkwardly, failed to intercept. Mané rolled away from the centre-half and on to the ball, his finish flicking from Begovic’s glove to dribble into the net. Terry, crestfallen, buried his head in his shirt, a saviour no more.
Mourinho’s disgust at the non-award of the penalty was an acknowledgement of his own team’s vulnerability. “They are in such a low moment that they collapse,” he explained, with Hazard’s poor touch duly allowing Pellè to seal possession and liberate Mané. The Senegalese galloped upfield and had options both ways, but his clipped return pass to the Italian was ideal, Pellè thumping home his finish across Begovic to shatter what hopes remained.
“We were the better team, had the better chances, and totally deserved the win,” added Ronald Koeman. That was an understatement even if the majesty of this win was rather buried beneath Chelsea’s utter mediocrity. Their title defence has endured a new nadir. The ramifications for the management could yet be grim.

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Independent:

Crisis at Stamford Bridge as Jose Mourinho's Blues are well beaten by Saints
Chelsea 1 Southampton 3

Glenn MOORE

The season is not yet a quarter old, summer is still hanging on, but already Chelsea look set for the worst title defence since Leeds United in the Premier League’s debut season 23 years ago. Chelsea look struck in a crisis of confidence compounded by key players ageing and exacerbated by Jose Mourinho’s capricious management.
John Terry came in for his 677th appearance for the club, but only his second since August.
Terry’s name was lustily cheered when announced.
In attack Radamel Falcao replaced the suspended Diego Costa while Oscar and Eden Hazard returned in place of Pedro and John Obi Mikel. Nemanja Matic was again on the bench. For all their early-season stuttering, Chelsea are still the champions and Ronald Koeman recalled one of their old boys to stiffen his midfield. In the only change from the Southampton team that beat Swansea 3-1 a week ago Oriel Romeu, whose career at Stamford Bridge fell away sharply, replaced James Ward-Prowse.
Romeu was booked just nine minutes later for tripping Hazard, his fourth caution in six Premier League games.
It proved an expensive foul. Willian, who has become a dead-ball dead-eye this season, did it again, deceiving Maarten Stekelenburg with a curler that went in off the post.
At the other end, Branislav Ivanovic was fortunate not to concede a penalty for virtually tugging Virgil Van Dijk’s shirt off at a corner. Few referees are brave enough to give spot-kicks in such circumstances; Robert Madley is evidently not one of them. That suspicion deepened when he failed to give a penalty when Saido Mané was tripped by Ramires, then booked Mané for simulation after Ivanovic upended him outside the box.
Those incidents highlighted Saints’ growing pressure and, after Asmir Begovic denied Ryan Bertrand, he was beaten by Davis’ 43rd-minute volley, Graziano Pelle having held off Gary Cahill to feed the scorer.
Whatever Mourinho said to his players at half-time went unheeded as Southampton created a series of chances immediately after the break, with Mané the most wasteful and Ivanovic again Chelsea’s weak link as he was bamboozled by Dusan Tadic.
Chelsea briefly responded and a sharp move ended with Falcao booked for throwing himself down after touching the ball around Stekelenburg.
It was a brief flash of the old Chelsea and on the hour Saints made their dominance pay. Cahill lost possession, Pelle fed Mané, who turned Terry inside out and squeezed his shot past Begovic.
Mourinho called up his cavalry in the shape of multiple medal-winner Pedro. Loïc Rémy followed, but he was waiting on the touchline when Saints capitalised on a slack Hazard pass to launch a counter-attack that concluded with Pelle scoring from Mané’s pass. Matic, on for only 28 minutes, was withdrawn. He is the new scapegoat.
Tadic wasted a chance to make it four after Mané embarrassed Cahill before boos rang out at the final whistle.

Chelsea: (4-2-3-1) Begovic; Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry, Azpilicueta; Fabregas, Ramires (Matic, h-t; Rémy, 73); Willian (Pedro, 64), Oscar, Hazard; Falcao.

Southampton: (4-4-1-1) Stekelenburg; Soares, Fonte, Van Dijk, Bertrand; Davis, Romeu (Ward-Prowse, h-t), Wanyama, Tadic (Rodriguez, 78); Mané (Yoshida, 90); Pelle.

Referee: Robert Madley
Man of the match: Mané (Southampton)
Match rating: 8/10

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Mail:

Chelsea 1-3 Southampton: Blues' nightmare start continues as Steven Davis, Saido Mane and Graziano Pelle score to stun Premier League champions at Stamford Bridge  
 
Rob Draper

Jose Mourinho has tried it all. He has criticised his players and questioned their attitude. He has then back pedalled and killed them with kindness, defending them after defeats. He has dropped some players and left others back in London when the team was in Portugal.
On Saturday, he went for restoring club captain John Terry to the line-up, to no avail; he was hopelessly exposed again. Then he brought on Nemanjic Matic at half time and took him off again after 28 minutes. Humiliated, Matic wasn’t even offered a handshake from his manager.
But it doesn’t really what he tries, what trick he tries to pull. None of them are working at present. Chelsea are abysmal. They have lost four times in the Premier League this season, won just twice and conceded 17 goals. Last season they lost three, and conceded 32 all season. This is not so much a title defence as a humiliating abdication before the autumn leaves have stated to fall.
Yesterday the crowd even booed his substitutions at Stamford Bridge, especially that of Matic. It seems they weren’t buying the gesture politics. Defensive solutions would be more appropriate but one of the great coaches of his generation can find none at present.
At which point you begin to question whether these players want to dig their manager out of this hole. It seems extraordinary to suggest as much when but five months ago they were parading down the Fulham Road with the Premier League title. Yet they play as if they are unconcerned at the growing crisis enveloping Stamford Bridge.
What made it all the more bizarre was that the evening had started well for Chelsea. The lethargy of the Porto performance was initially replaced by an energetic intensity. Notably Oscar, left at home in midweek, and Hazard, dropped in Oporto, were insatiable in their appetite to close down Southampton players and get on the ball themselves. It was much more like the Chelsea of last season; even more so when Willian opened the scoring on ten minutes.
In fact, it was rather like the Chelsea of last week, the Brazilian repeating his trick of curling in the ball from a lengthy free kick thirty yards out. What looked like a magnificent cross had sufficient spin on it to curl and curl on t the post and in the net past the despairing out-stretched arm of Stekelenburg. It was rather magnificent; being Brazilian, the odds were he meant it.
Chelsea seemed much more at ease with the world. When Fabregas and Oscar exchanged crisp passes inside the box and the Brazilian struck a shot goal-wards which Maarten Stekelenburg grasped out of the air, it seemed as though some of the joie de vivre of the title-winning might be returning.
It didn’t last. Chelsea can’t deliver over 45 minutes at present, let alone 90. Slowly Southampton eased themselves back into the game and Sadio Mane began to torment in the manner in which Porto’s players had in midweek.
It was to referee’s Robert Madley’s discredit that he didn’t award the excellent Senegalese a penalty on 30 minutes when clumsy Ramires felled him. It was to his shame that he booked him a minute later, when Ivanovic felled him and he was deemed to have dived.
Like most of Ivanovic’s opponents this season he was simply much too quick for the Serbian. The diving directive is all well and good in theory; in practice it is almost impossible to police with the naked eye.
Victor Wanyama then tested Begovic with a swirling cross which threatened to drop in under the cross bar. By now Chelsea had conceded the initiative and would never recover it.
They dropped deep and failed to compete as they had in the opening quarter of the game. So little surprise when Jose Fonte lofted a long ball which Graziano Pelle chested down quite superbly into the path of Steven Davis. The quality of his half volley matched the assist; Begovic barely saw it.
Having conceded, Chelsea could not re-adjust to their previous superiority. Mane by now was thoroughly enjoying himself, his pace and movement pulling Chelsea one way and another. Begovic denied him sliding in on 48 minutes and Ivanovic blocked him as the ball rebounded. Ward-Prowse then struck wide from the corner.
Chelsea felt aggrieved when Fabregas’ lovely through ball saw Falcao felled by Stekelenburg – the Colombian stated his fall a fraction top early and received a yellow card instead of the penalty he might have won had he not been so eager to fall into the challenge.
Yet, the pattern of the game was emerging. Chelsea were struggling, Mane was in the ascendancy. So when on the hour, when Pelle was allowed by Gary Cahill to play in a dangerous looking ball, which Terry completely misjudged with his sliding interception and Mane found himself clear on goal, the result was inevitable,. The Senegalese cooly dispatched the finish and then proceeded to celebrate in ecstatic fashion in front of the Southampton fans.
Mane then was fouled by Falcao, the Colombian fortunate not to attract a second yellow. And on 70 minutes, came the denouement. Hazard gave the ball away in midfield and Mane sprinted away, through the Chelsea defence and released Pelle wide on his right.
The Italian looked up, shot and finished superbly from just inside the box. Chelsea had been well beaten again. More worrying, they look wholly incapable of halting their decline.

Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Begovic 7, Ivanovic 4, Cahill 3, Terry 5, Azpilicueta 6.5, Ramires 5 (Matic 45 (Remy73 )), Fabregas 4, Willian 6.5 (Pedro 65), Oscar 6, Hazard 5, Falcao 3
Subs not used: Zouma, Baba, Blackman, Loftus-Cheek
Booked: Ramires, Falcao
Scorers: Willian 10

Southampton (4-2-3-1): Stekelenburg 5, Soares 6, Fonte 7, Van Dijk 7.5, Bertrand 6, Romeu 5 (Ward-Prowse 45), Wanyama 7.5, Mane 9 (Yoshida 92), Davis 7.5, Tadic 7 (Rodriguez 78), Pelle 8.5
Subs not used: Davis, Long, Martina, Juanmi
Booked: Bertrand, Romeu, Mane, Pelle
Scorers: Davis 43, Mane 60, Pelle 72

Referee: Robert Madley
Attendance: 41,642

John Terry return as captain failed to help Chelsea as nothing changed for Jose Mourinho's side at Stamford Bridge

John Terry was at fault for one of Southampton's goals in the loss
The captain returned to Jose Mourinho's starting line-up

By Matt Barlow for The Mail on Sunday

The sight of John Terry leading out the Chelsea team was supposed to soothe the anxieties of those inside Stamford Bridge.
They have missed their captain (leader, legend) and rather hoped his return would end a difficult spell and represent a return to last season's dominance.
It did not quite work out that way. Chelsea slumped to a sixth defeat of the season. Worse still, his misjudgment allowed Sadio Mane the chance to fire Southampton into a 2-1 lead, soon after half-time.
It was not the only reason Chelsea lost to Saints, but it was a pivotal moment.
Terry read the pass from Graziano Pelle. That, in a way, was his problem. He tried to step across the front of Mane but could not quite reach the ball.
Quick and smart, Mane rolled past him and was through on goal. Though not the most clinical of finishers, this time he forced a shot through Asmir Begovic.
Terry looked up to the heavens. Was it lack of match-sharpness; a rustiness from not playing regularly? Or was he feeling his almost 35 years?
It is impossible to know. What was Mourinho thinking? Would Kurt Zouma have dealt with it better?
The Chelsea boss has often preferred Zouma for his extra pace but, in Porto, on Tuesday, the 20-year-old looked like a young player ready for a break and the team lacked organisation, know-how and leadership.
Back came Terry, and nothing changed. There was no magic wand.
Mourinho's team were still flat in attack, devoid of zip or creativity, while strangely vulnerable at the back from both open play and when defending set-pieces.
Last year's title was built on a solid base around the twin towers of Terry and Gary Cahill, with two imposing full-backs and Nemanja Matic prowling deep in midfield.
Matic has not been quite the same force since the suspension and injury suffered in February and the form of Branislav Ivanovic has been so poor that it remains a mystery how bad it has to become before he is dropped.
No Chelsea player has played more minutes this season than Ivanovic, with £17million left-back Abdul Baba Rahman clearly not yet trusted by the manager.
Terry's return could not reinforce the defensive shield and when Eden Hazard surrendered the ball and Southampton broke for their third, Mourinho's team were in danger of falling apart.
Never before had they conceded three at the Bridge under his command.
Matic was hauled off having only come on at half-time. It may have been a tactical switch enforced by the third goal, but there was no explanation or word of consolation from the manager on the touchline.
Sheepishly, Matic returned to the bench where others offered him handshakes and back-pats.
Chelsea supporters, having jeered Mourinho's decision to take off Willlian, stirred to offer their team songs of defiance, but it was not supposed to be this way.
Terry's name had received a raucous cheer when the teams are announced and the Matthew Harding Stand burst into their John Terry song as soon as the match was under way.
All seemed to be going to plan when Willian curled in the opener with his fourth goal in as many games, all converted directly from free-kicks.
Southampton had started slowly, but once they found their rhythm mid-way through the first-half, Chelsea could not keep them out.
'Our league form up to now has been a long way short of what we expect,' wrote Terry in his captain's programme notes. 'It's up to us to put that right and start winning.
'With a win here before the international break, we can return for another home game in two weeks' time ready to build some momentum and get ourselves going again.'
It did not work out that way. Another defeat, and Chelsea are deep in trouble.

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Mirror:

Chelsea 1-3 Southampton: 5 things we learned as Blues' disastrous start continues at Stamford Bridge

By Darren Lewis
 
Goals from Steven Davis, Sadio Mane and Graziano Pelle sent Chelsea crashing to their fourth league defeat of the season already

Helpless Jose Mourinho was booed by his own fans as Southampton deepened the crisis at Chelsea.
The Special One is officially under pressure as Ronald Koeman’s side condemned the Champions to their fifth defeat in all competitions and their fourth in eight Premier League games.
Worse still, Mourinho humiliated midfielder Nemamja Matic after calling him from the bench to replace Ramires at half time - only to take him off after just 26 minutes.
The home fans booed the decision along with the move to replace goalscorer Willian as Falcao laboured.
Southampton may have scored three but they could have had several more as Chelsea's leaky defence failed utterly to cope with the visitors' strike force.
Willian netted in the tenth minute direct from a free-kick which flew into the top corner.
Steven Davis volleyed an equaliser from the edge of the box after the ball was chested into his path by Graziano Pelle two minutes before the break.
Man of the Match Sadio Mane took advantage of a mistake by John Terry, restored to the starting line-up by Mourinho, to put the Saints ahead on the hour. And Mane set up Pelle to rifle home a third with 18 minutes left.
Southampton were also denied two first-half penalties, first when under-fire Branislav Ivanovic pulled on the shirt of Virgil van Dijk in the box then when Ramires tripped Mane in the box.

Here are five things we learned.

1) Terry might be staring down the barrel of another spell on the bench

The Champions have now kept just two clean sheets in their last 11 games in all competitions.
Terry was making his first start in the Premier League since the 3-1 defeat at Everton yet he was at fault for Mane’s goal.
By then Steven Davis had already scored, Ramires should have given away a penalty and Branislav Ivanovic was also lucky not to do so too.

2) Ivanovic is still a liability

Mourinho continues to keep faith with the Serbian but his opponents continue to cash in.
Southampton should have conceded a penalty when Ivanovic pulled on the shirt of Virgil van Dijk in the box.
Tadic became the latest player to bamboozle him with a deft move to ghost past him shortly after half time.
It remains a mystery as to why Mourinho does not drop him, move Azpilicueta to right-back and slot £21.7m Baba Rahman in on the left.

3) Mane enhances his glowing reputation

Southampton were annoyed at the way that Manchester United leaked their supposed interest during the summer to deflect from their failed attempt to land Pedro.
That said, the 23-year-old Senegal midfielder is surely a player they could yet revisit.
He has now netted five time 12 appearances this season and is easily Southampton’s key man.

4) Chelsea crowd beginning to turn

They booed the decision to take off goalscorer Willian for substitute Pedro. Some fans made it cleared that they’d have preferred Cesc Fabregas to come off instead.
Then widespread boos and incredulity swept around Stamford Bridge as Nemanja Matic, thrown on at half time, was replaced by Loic Remy after 28 minutes.
Late on a section of the fans in the Matthew Harding Stand chanted: ‘We’re f*****g s***’.
The team as a whole do not look to be improving one iota and Southampton bossed them for long periods of this game.

5) Falcao really has lost it

It is sad to see. A player that was once the most feared frontman in Europe did not even belong in this company.
Mourinho talked in pre-season about the Colombian proving a few people wrong this season after Manchester United decided against making his disastrous loan permanent.
Falcao, however, has become even worse. How he lasted 90 minutes is a mystery.
Diego Costa can’t come back soon enough.

Chelsea: Begovic 4, Azpilicueta 4, Terry 3, Cahill 3, Ivanovic 2, Ramires 4 (Matic 3 [Remy 73, 3), Fabregas 3, Hazard 5, Oscar 4, Willian 6 (Remy 64, 4), Falcao 3.

Southampton: Stekelenburg 7, Soares 7, Fonte 7, Van Dijk 7, Bertrand 7, Wanyama 8, Romeu 7 (Ward-Prowse 45, 6), Tadic 8 (Rodriguez 78), Davis 8, Mane 9 MOTM (Yoshida 92), Pelle 8.


Mourinho's seven-minute rant

"I think you know me, and I think I don't run away from responsibilities.
"I think, first of all, I want to say that because we are in such a bad moment, I think you shouldn't be afraid to be also honest.
"Because when we were at the top, I understand that it is quite a big pleasure, and it is gone.
"But when you are so down, I think it's time to be a little bit honest and to say clearly the referees are afraid to give decisions for Chelsea.
"The result was 1-1 when it was a huge penalty, and, once more, we didn't get one.
"And the penalty was a crucial moment in the game with the result 1-1.
"And, I repeat, if the FA wants to punish me, they can punish me. They don't punish other managers, they punish me, but it's not a problem for me.
"I want to repeat because I think my players deserve it, Chelsea fans deserve it, I am a Chelsea fan too, and I want to say it again: referees are afraid to giving decisions to Chelsea.
"Why? Because when they give, there is always a question mark from you [the media].
"There is always a question, there is always a critic, so we are always punished.
"We are punished because Diego Costa is suspended with images. In other matches we see the same thing and that doesn't happen.
"Clear penalties are not given and with us it's one and one and one and one, and even in the Champions League, in a match we lost 2-1 [to Porto], which is a game with not three officials, but five, we are not given a penalty in the last minute.
"And this penalty in this game today is more than crucial, and do you know why? Because my team, in this moment, the first negative thing that happens, the team collapses.
"The team, mentally, psychologically, is unbelievably down. It looks like good players are bad players.
"In the first-half, we didn't show our quality, but we were in control, we were more than in control, and one mistake, a lack of concentration, one goal and you have a tough time.
"In normal circumstances, you come to the second-half and you do your game. I told the players 'no panic, we are not losing 4-0, it's 1-1, no panic'.
"The team comes out with a good spirit, we have a penalty and the penalty is a giant penalty, and he [the referee] was afraid to give, like everybody else is afraid to give, so no penalty.
"And, after that, the team lost even more confidence and you know that their second goal is an individual mistake and their third goal was another individual mistake.
"And the team, mentally, they tried but they collapsed.
"I can also know, what you are thinking and what you are saying in the studio about what is going to happen and what is not going to happen.
"I want to make it clear. One , I don't run away.
" Two , if the club wants to sack me, they have to sack me because I'm not running away from my responsibility and my team. To be champions will obviously be very, very difficult because the distance is considerable, but I am more than convinced that we will finish in the top four. And, when the season is so bad, if you finish top four, it is ok.
" Three , even more important than the first and the second, I think this is a crucial moment in the history of this club. Do you know why? Because if the club sacks me, they sack the best manager that this club has, and secondly, the message is again: bad results and the manager is guilty.
"And this is the message that not just these players but the other ones before [sic] they got during a decade.
"I think this is a moment for everybody to assume responsibilities. I assume my responsibilities, I think the players should assume their responsibilities, there are other people in the club who should also assume their responsibilities, and to stick together. This is what I want.
"The players still have to play until the end of the season with the gold champion thing in their shirt, and I want to work, as always.
"I consider myself, you know, that I have a big self esteem and a big ego, I consider myself the best.

"Leaving the worst period of my career, the worst results of my career, doing that as a professional hurts me a lot.
"Doing that at Chelsea hurts me twice, because it hurts me as a professional and it hurts me because I like this club very, very much and that's why I came back.
"So I want to carry on, no doubt, no doubt.
"And I assume my responsibilities, but I think it's time for everybody to assume their responsibilities, because when you go down to so many individual mistakes and fear to play, they have their responsibilities.
"They are players who are performing really, really bad, individually.
"I cannot come here and say, you and you and you and you - it's not my job - but I think it's clear that we are being punished by too many individual mistakes.
"And, as I was saying, sadness brings sadness, bad results attract bad results. The first mistake is just the first because after comes another one.
"This team needs to finish the first-half winning two or three nil, with the fears disappearing, coming into the second-half with a free brain, with a free spirit.

"This is what this team needs and unfortunately for them, this is not happening.
"And again, I repeat, so I want to make it clear again, because I don't want to be offensive, the referees are afraid to give us decisions.
"When you are top, you want to see people come down. When people are down, give us a break, and be honest and be loyal with us because the team deserves that and the penalty is clear, and 2-1 is a completely different story."

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

Express:

Chelsea 1 - Southampton 3: Davis, Mane and Pelle ruin Willian's early opener
JOSE MOURINHO really does need to see the doctor now.
By Colin Mafham

His ailing Chelsea stars went down yesterday with the sort of collective ills for which he needs to find a cure - and quick.
Southampton clinically heaped salt into their wounds to maintain an  unbeaten away record that rarely looked in danger yesterday.
Their three goals - all crackers - exposed everything that's wrong with Chelsea at the moment  to bring boos at the end from a disgruntled crowd that were cheering them not so long ago.

Hardly any wonder that the Special One looked the Sick One as he trudged off at the end of what turned out to be a drubbing.
He, too, is in need of a tonic right now. Times really are a changing at Stamford Bridge these days, though.
No one seems to worry about playing there anymore - least of all Southampton.

Apart from the fact that Chelsea didn't manage to beat them at all last season Saints turned up yesterday unbeaten on their travels and not phased one bit by the faltering champions.
Mourinho, without the suspended Diego Costa and wrestling with more problems these days than he's had for years, preferred Radamel Falcao up front to Loic Remy and Oscar for his big money buy, Pedro.
It's an understatement to say he was in need of something extra special yesterday. He got it with less than 10 minutes on the clock.
A free kick given after Romeu tripped Eden Hazard in full flow looked in a harmless enough position. But Willian was having none of that.
The Brazilian's exquisite cross floated over everyone - including keeper Maarten Stekelenburg - and into the net off the post.
You could have almost touched the relief that went round the Bridge.
But to be honest, that would have changed in a flash if Steven Davis hadn't blasted a great chance wide five minutes later with only Asmir Begovic to beat.
His manager, Ronald Koeman, was not a happy bunny. The Dutchman's mood was hardly lifted as Chelsea temporarily started to play with some of the swagger that served them so well last season.
And if one silky move involving Cesc Fabregas, Hazard and Oscar had got the reward it deserved he would have been contemplating a two goal deficit within half an hour.
Credit where credit's due, though, Saints are a good side. They ruffled Chelsea's feathers with set pieces and but for Begovic's bravery former Chelsea man, Ryan Bertrand, would surely have equalised before they eventually did.
And, boy, was it worth waiting for. A cracking volley from Davis two minutes before the interval that was his first goal in 63 games and 19 long months for a Southampton side that were growing in confidence by the minute.
It was no more than Saints deserved either. They were stunned by that Willian opener, but they worked their way back so very well.
Chances of Mourinho getting one over Koeman for the first time in four meetings were beginning to look less likely - especially as Chelsea persisted in playing long balls up to lone striker Falcao when the Colombian is clearly considerably shorter than the men marking him.
Even more significant was the uncharacteristic low profile role the Chelsea chief seemed to have settled for. Not once did he get to his feet in those first 45 minutes.
That changed - and it had to - when the increasingly confident Saints put John Terry and Co under the cosh after the restart, literally queuing up to take pot shots at the besieged Begovic. This was not the way it used to be.
And when Sadio Mane gave Southampton the lead they richly deserved on 59 minutes you got the feeling that things might be going to get a lot worse for Mourinho before they get better.

The tricky Senegalese winger had been threatening that all afternoon before wriggling his way through a floundering Chelsea rearguard to cooly stroke home Saints second.
No wonder Mourinho found his voice again. This time, though, Branislav Ivanovic and skipper Terry were the targets for his vitriol in the absence of anyone with medical qualifications.
Not that it made any difference as rampant Southampton got a superb third on 72 minutes.
Cesar Azpilicueta recklessly gifted possession, the ball went through to Pelle and the Saints striker lived up to his famous surname (with an extra l that is) with a rasping low shot.
Game over. And the banished Dr Carneiro was sadly missed to ease the pain in Chelsea minds and bodies.

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

Star:

Chelsea 1 Southampton 3: Saints pile more pressure on Jose Mourinho
JOSE MOURINHO really does need to see the doctor now.

By Colin Mafham

His ailing Chelsea stars went down yesterday with the sort of collective ills for which he needs to find a cure – and quick.
And after the Portuguese blamed the result on referee Bobby Madley for being “scared” to give decisions to his team, maybe he needs his head testing too.
Mourinho railed at the referee for failing to give a penalty when Falcao tumbled under Maarten Stekelenburg’s challenge.
In truth, the Colombian hammered the ball out of play and cynically made sure he fell into the prone keeper.
But Jose said the referee was “afraid to give decisions for Chelsea” and ranted for a full seven minutes about his side’s woes.
He knows he’s under pressure like never before, but said: “One. I don’t run away.
“Two. We will finish top four.
“Three. This is a crucial moment in the history of this club because if they sack me they sack the best manager this club has ever had.
“This is a moment for everybody to assume their responsibilities and to stick together.
“I have a big ego, I consider myself the best. I will not walk away.”
Southampton’s three goals – all crackers – exposed everything that is wrong with Chelsea at the moment to bring boos at the end.
Mourinho, without the suspended Diego Costa and wrestling with more problems these days than he’s had for years, preferred Radamel Falcao up front to Loic Remy and Oscar for his big money buy, Pedro.
And with less than ten minutes on the clock Willian conjured up something special that he desperately needed.
His free-kick, given after Oriol Romeu tripped Eden Hazard in full flow, floated over everyone – including keeper Stekelenburg – and into the net off the post.
You could have almost touched the relief that went round the Bridge.
Credit where credit’s due, though, Saints are a good side. They ruffled Chelsea’s feathers with set-pieces and but for Asmir Begovic’s bravery former Bridge man, Ryan Bertrand, would surely have equalised before they eventually did.
And it was worth waiting for.
A cracking volley from Steven Davis two minutes before the interval that was his first goal in 63 games and 19 months.
And when Sadio Mane gave Southampton the lead they richly deserved in the 59th minute you got the feeling that things might be going to get a lot worse for Mourinho before they get better.
The tricky Senegal winger had been threatening that all afternoon before wriggling his way through a floundering Chelsea rearguard to coolly stroke home Saints’ second.
Mourinho raged on the touchline.
Branislav Ivanovic and skipper John Terry were the targets for his anger.
Not that it made any difference as rampant Southampton got a superb third after 72 minutes.
Cesar Azpilicueta recklessly gifted them possession, the ball went through to Graziano Pelle and the Saints striker made no mistake with a rasping low shot.
Game over.
Koeman said: “We had a difficult start, made it 1-1 with a great goal.
“The difference was how we came out of the dressing room in the second half.
“We were much more aggressive and totally deserved the three points. “If they should have had one penalty, we should have had two penalties.”

Porto 1-2

Independent:

Porto 2 Chelsea 1

Jose Mourinho's misery continues on return to former club in Champions League
Matt McGeehan

Chelsea have now lost five matches before October for the first time in 37 years
Jose Mourinho's return to former club Porto ended in a 2-1 Champions League defeat as Chelsea's miserable start to the season continued.
Chelsea lost to Porto on Mourinho's first return in 2004-05 and history repeated itself at Estadio do Dragao as Andre Andre and Maicon scored either side of Willian's free-kick in the Group G clash.
Eden Hazard dropped to the substitutes bench alongside captain John Terry and Nemanja Matic as Mourinho proved there were no untouchables in his squad.
His hardline approach also followed his outspoken criticism of his players' attitude, but Mourinho's words did not have the desired effect as Chelsea looked vulnerable throughout.
Yacine Brahimi waltzed inside Branislav Ivanovic and behind Pedro, then fired in a shot which Asmir Begovic punched only as far as Andre, who hooked the ball in.
Willian replied with a delightful curling free-kick on the stroke of half-time, but then woeful defending allowed Maicon to head in a corner seven minutes into the second half.
Diego Costa hit the bar, but Porto placed Chelsea under siege and the visitors were grateful to goalkeeper Asmir Begovic for some crucial interventions and a Danilo header came off the post.
Mourinho, who won the 2004 Champions League with Porto, was scathing in his criticism following Saturday's 2-2 draw at Newcastle, which left the defending champions 14th in the Premier League with two wins from seven games.
He appears no closer to finding the answers to Chelsea's poor form.
Costa returned up front after serving two games of a three-match domestic ban, but Hazard, Matic and Terry were substitutes and Loic Remy, Radamel Falcao and Oscar were not even selected to travel.
Mourinho once made a statement at Real Madrid by dropping Iker Casillas and a rotten relationship ensued.
The Blues boss issued a curt reply in relation to Casillas, now the Porto goalkeeper, on the eve of the match, saying he would greet him - probably in the frosty manner he met Arsene Wenger at Stamford Bridge 10 days ago.
Casillas seemed keen to prove a point on his record 152nd Champions League appearance and saved from Cesc Fabregas and then denied Pedro one on one. Pedro should have scored.
Sloppy Chelsea struggled to find any fluidity as Porto probed down Chelsea's right.
Ivanovic avoided punishment for a clumsy challenge on Vincent Aboubakar and, down Chelsea's left, Maxi Pereira shot across goal.
Brahimi next easily cut inside Ivanovic and evaded the back-tracking Pedro before firing a shot which Begovic could only palm out as far as Andre, who volleyed in.
Chelsea equalised after Ramires earned a soft free-kick. Willian curled in from 20 yards, with Casillas flat-footed.
Porto were ahead again with defending uncharacteristic of a Mourinho team, but becoming increasingly familiar this season.
Ruben Neves floated in a corner and Maicon got in front of Ramires, Gary Cahill and Costa to head in at the near post.
Costa beat Casillas with a fine effort which ricocheted off the bar before Hazard replaced John Obi Mikel and soon fired into the side-netting.
Porto piled on the pressure, with Begovic saving from Giannelli Imbula and then scrambling clear at the feet of Brahimi.
Ivanovic headed wide from a Willian corner, but Porto went closer when Danilo's header hit a post.
Costa wanted a handball in the area against Marcano and Kenedy fired wide late on after Costa made space as Chelsea fell to defeat.

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

Guardian:

Maicon downs Chelsea as Mourinho’s return to Porto ends in defeat
Porto 2 - 1 Chelsea

Dominic Fifield at Estádio do Dragão

José Mourinho scowled out from the fringes of his technical area, hands planted deep in his pockets as the locals who used to rejoice in his presence poured scorn on his side. Rarely can the Chelsea manager have felt so helpless. The Premier League champions were overwhelmed at times, their attempts at defence reduced to wreckage as Porto, rampant amid the din, sliced through them at will.
The London club may still recover from this defeat to emerge from the group but their campaign, two months in, seems gripped by panic. Theirs were all familiar frailties. The sight of Branislav Ivanovic flailing desperately to claw back a winger has become a sorry if regular feature of this team’s displays since the start of the season.
Likewise, quick-footed creative talents have exposed the spaces permitted by the absence of an effective defensive shield in the centre too often already this term, just as Yacine Brahimi did so thrillingly at the Dragão while Danilo, Giannelli Imbula and André André rampaged forward at the Algerian’s side.
This was the seventh time in 10 competitive games that Chelsea have conceded at least twice, the defensive surety they once considered their forte fast becoming a thing of the past. What is even more disturbing than those clear deficiencies is the manager’s inability, as yet, to solve the issues undermining his side.
 
Chelsea have tried optimistically declaring “business as normal”, crossing their fingers in the hope that last year’s key performers recall the qualities that allowed them to secure the Premier League title and League Cup so impressively. When that did not work, Mourinho went the other way and was publicly critical of his players, most notably questioning their “attitude, desire and commitment” in the wake of Saturday’s slack draw at Newcastle.
Now he has even tried mixing and matching his selection, carrying through his threat to withdraw senior stalwarts by dropping Nemanja Matic and Eden Hazard to join John Terry kicking his heels on the bench. A trio of forward thinkers – Oscar, Loïc Rémy and Radamel Falcao – did not even travel to Portugal – and yet the mess remains.
The indecision that has dogged them all season manifested itself with skewed defensive headers or jittery clearances – and cost them both of Porto’s goals.
Ivanovic has become the fall guy only because he is being exposed more brutally than anyone else, but his form is in tatters. It was the Serb who allowed Brahimi to turn inside far too easily six minutes from the interval, Pedro tentative and reluctant to muster a challenge inside the area, with the forward spitting a shot round Kurt Zouma.
Asmir Begovic was perhaps unsighted but the save he managed with his right hand was weak, the ball merely looping to André, who crunched a volley through the goalkeeper’s attempt to recover before Gary Cahill could block.
Then there was the set piece that restored the home side’s lead soon after the interval, Ivanovic having been exposed by a lofted pass down the flank and Cesc Fàbregas bamboozled by Brahimi’s quick feet. Zouma conceded the corner but Rúben Neves’ ball to the near post should not have threatened.
Instead, Maicon burst away from Ramires and guided a neat header inside Begovic’s upright, with the goalkeeper slow to react. It was the kind of slackness that made Willian’s delicious equaliser, a free-kick curled beyond the static Iker Casillas from distance in first-half stoppage time, seem utterly irrelevant. Danilo, completely unmarked at Miguel Layún’s corner, should have added a third only to plant his header on to a post, with Begovic somehow summoning saves to deny Danilo and Imbula before the end.
Chelsea were a side laced with anxiety, all the authority that used to permeate their displays having drained away. Terry merely watched on from the sidelines at his manager’s back.
“More than anything I just think it lacked composure,” said Rio Ferdinand, the former England captain, in his capacity as a television pundit. “There was no real leadership out there. You look back on Mourinho sides, the Chelsea sides that were successful: you had the Drogbas, the Terrys, the Lampards, who the other players could look to. They’d turn around and say: ‘Listen, I’ve been here before, just follow me. You’ll be all right, we’ll get through this. Weather the storm.’ I didn’t see that tonight. I didn’t see players that would stand up and be counted in that way.”
Ferdinand has had his own issues with Terry, but his words carried weight.
Mourinho’s post-match assertions that, aside from the two errors at corners, his team had been defensively sound did not ring true. Perhaps that was merely the latest tactic to coax a positive reaction from his players. He has tried virtually everything else, other than offering Ivanovic some respite.
Admittedly, his side carried an attacking threat, Diego Costa striking the woodwork and impressive on a run-out in the midst of his domestic three-match ban, and Casillas – on his record 152nd appearance in this competition – doing well to thwart Fàbregas and Pedro early on. They might have plucked an unlikely point had Ivanovic nodded into an empty net or Kenedy, fouled according to his manager, not prodded wide with the last touch of the match. A draw, however, would not have been merited.
Seventh from bottom in the Premier League and now third in their Champions League section, albeit with time still to turn things round, this team is lurching from one befuddled display to the next.

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

Telegraph:

Porto 2 Chelsea 1

Jose Mourinho sees his side lose again, this time to his former team
Maicon punishes Premier League champions after Jose Mourinho wields axe

By  Matt Law

Jose Mourinho suffered a miserable return to the home of one of his greatest triumphs, as Chelsea’s bad start to the season threatens to slide into a more serious decline.
What Mourinho had hoped was just a blip is becoming a worrying trend, with the manager seemingly running out of options to initiate a change in form and, more importantly, results.
Having originally insisted it was business as usual at Chelsea, Mourinho this week got stuck into his players and attempted to wake them from their slumber by making a series of changes for his latest return to Porto, where he won the 2004 Champions League.
But while some of the names may have been different in Portugal, Chelsea once again paid for terrible defending and lacklustre individual performances.
It is becoming harder and harder for Mourinho to justify the fact he continues to select the fast-declining Branislav Ivanovic, who captained Chelsea on Tuesday night.
What must John Terry think as he watches from the substitutes’ bench, while Ivanovic seemingly survives error after error, match after match?
It was no surprise that Ivanovic was largely to blame for Porto’s opening goal from Andre Andre, before Maicon ensured the home side enjoyed a happy 122nd anniversary.
Their Champions League qualification from Group G may not currently be in any danger, but Mourinho must be increasingly concerned that everything he is trying to kick-start the season is failing.
Having complained about the “unstable attitudes” of some of his players, Mourinho dropped last season’s Player of the Year Eden Hazard and midfielder Nemanja Matic down to the substitutes’ bench. Oscar, Radamel Falcao and Loic Remy missed out altogether.
Mourinho confirmed before kick-off that Oscar, Falcao and Remy did not even travel to Portugal, and were simply not selected.
The decision raises doubts over the trio’s future, as Mourinho preferred to have no strikers on the bench with Diego Costa Chelsea’s sole frontman. When Chelsea were behind, the Portuguese could only call on Hazard, Matic and youngster Kenedy.
Midfielder Oscar had already been frustrated about his limited starting opportunities before the Porto game. It is hard to see how he and Remy will now feel anything but anger towards Mourinho, as their absences were not ultimately justified with a victory.
Mourinho’s team selection had echoes of the dramatic decisions made by Andre Villas-Boas and Roberto Di Matteo in the Champions League that effectively cost the duo their Chelsea jobs.
Villas-Boas was sacked shortly after dropping Ashley Cole, Michael Essien, Frank Lampard and Fernando Torres, and losing to Napoli, while Di Matteo was axed immediately after the defeat in Juventus, when he played Hazard up front instead of Torres.
Big team decisions are great when you win, but when you lose they bring scrutiny upon the manager and Mourinho cannot be considered blameless in this slump.
Ivanovic has been attracting most of the criticism for Chelsea and the right-back was again dreadful as he was at fault for Porto’s opening goal in the 39th minute.
Yacine Brahimi cut inside Ivanovic far too easily before unleashing a shot that Asmir Begovic could only claw back into the danger area and Andre scored.
For Porto, Iker Casillas made his 152nd Champions League appearance that earned the goalkeeper the outright record in the competition.
Casillas fell out spectacularly with Mourinho at Real Madrid and the Spaniard threatened to haunt his old manager with two superb saves before Andre had broken the deadlock.
First, Casillas saved from Cesc Fabregas after he had been played in by Costa and the 34-year-old did even better to stop Pedro after the former Barcelona man had been sent through by Willian.
Chelsea gave themselves a lifeline with the last kick of the first half. Danilo fouled Ramires on the edge of his own penalty area and Willian gave Casillas no chance by planting the resulting free-kick into the corner of the net before referee Antonio Mateu Lahoz blew up for half-time.
That should have been the cue for Chelsea to come out all guns blazing after the break, but if anything they were worse in the second period and quickly went behind again thanks to sloppy defending from a set piece.
Ruben Neves delivered a corner to the front post and Maicon nipped away from Gary Cahill and in front of the Ramires to head the ball into the net. Had there been a Chelsea player on the post, he would have been able to block the ball on the line.
The visitors almost responded immediately, but Costa’s long-range effort bounced back off the crossbar with Casillas beaten. Willian then got away down the left and should have done better than deliver a cross the evaded both Pedro and Fabregas.
Mourinho made his first change just after the hour mark, sending Hazard on to replace John Obi Mikel with the midfielder tasked with trying to rescue at least a draw for Chelsea. Hazard took over the number 10 role behind Costa and Fabregas dropped back next to Ramires.
Hazard almost made an immediate impact, as he skipped past a challenge after being found by Fabregas, but his shot smashed into the side-netting.
Mourinho tried his last throw of the dice by sending on Kenedy and Matic, and Ivanovic wasted a good chance to equalise by heading Willian’s corner over the bar.
Porto, though, were worthy winners and their margin of victory would have been greater had Danilo’s header not struck the post.

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

Mail:

Porto 2-1 Chelsea: Jose Mourinho has unhappy return to former stomping ground as Blues fall to Champions League defeat

By Matt Barlow for the Daily Mail 

The warnings from Jose Mourinho were loud and clear. Stars on the bench, stars left in London and still Chelsea were unable to stop their star from falling a little further.
Mourinho blamed attitude ahead of the game, but it was not a problem of desire in Porto, where they were outclassed at times and flattered by the result.
They were not awful for the entire game – there was a flurry in stoppage-time - but they were unrecognisable from the champions of last season, that imperious winning machine, built in Mourinho's ruthless image.
Suddenly Chelsea are ravaged by nerves, prone to panic, vulnerable from set-pieces and low on confidence. No-one epitomises the mess more than Branislav Ivanovic who was tormented by the outstanding Yacine Brahimi.
How Iker Casillas enjoyed this record-breaking night as Mourinho's mind tricks produced no magic and begged the question: what can he do next?
He has tried to charm and defend his players, he chided them gently before his verbal criticism became fiercer and culminated with threats to drop them all and 'play the kids'.
Then this setback. Another defeat, a fifth in a campaign when the only wins have come against Walsall, Maccabi Tel Aviv, nine-man Arsenal and West Bromwich. Are they still listening?
Asmir Begovic emerges with some credit, having kept the score down with a series of saves, while in front of him only Willian responded to a recall, scoring his third free-kick in as many games to equalise at the end of the first half.
Porto had gone ahead through Andre Andre – so good they named him twice – and went back in front early in the second half when captain Maicon headed in from a corner.
Conceding such a crucial goal from a set-piece will infuriate a meticulous organiser such as Mourinho - but he has broader issues.
This was a difficult test against an ambitious team and the result is not fatal in Champions League terms. Chelsea ought to qualify from Group G, which also contains Maccabi Tel Aviv and Dynamo Kiev.
Mourinho, however, cannot cajole his team into life. Keep an eye out for his selection for Saturday's game at home to Southampton.
Double Player of the Year Eden Hazard and Nemanja Matic were axed for this one. There was no John Terry, but that has become the norm and the reason remains a mystery.
Can they be much worse with Terry at the back? He would bring leadership and organisation at least. Kurt Zouma and Gary Cahill are Mourinho's new guard and they lacked composure in Porto.
Omitting Hazard and Matic was perhaps an attempt to jolt them back into form. Both are vital to Chelsea, but the future looks bleaker for others.
Radamel Falcao, Loic Remy and Oscar did not make the squad, left in London despite being fit and available. It meant no recognised centre forward on the bench, and fortunately the unreliable hamstrings of Diego Costa did not twang on this occasion.
Costa, free from the ban ruling him out of domestic matches at the moment, started hungrily and created an early chance but Cesc Fabregas was denied by Casillas, making a record 152nd appearance in the Champions League.
Casillas saved again from Pedro as Chelsea broke quickly. It was Costa again who carried the ball, before Willian slid a pass to Pedro but for the second time in quick succession a former Barcelona player was denied by a Real Madrid legend.
At the back, Chelsea started sloppily and got worse. Porto moved fluently forward with the ball through a midfield, energised by a noisy home crowd and encouraged by casual marking and hurried clearances.
They seemed anxious. Others were dropped but Ivanovic remains in the team. Not only that, he is the captain, and yet badly out of touch and perhaps trying too hard to make amends.
Spanish referee Antonio Mateu Lahoz, said to be Mourinho’s favourite, stirred Porto fans when he allowed a shuddering tackle by Ivanovic on Vincent Aboubakar to go unpunished.
And, as the decibels increased, the home side grew in stature. Aboubakar and Maxi Pereira fired wide and they took the lead six minutes before the interval.
Brahimi skipped past Ivanovic into the penalty box and forced Begovic to parry. Andre seized on the rebound and his volley had enough power to force its way past the goalkeeper.
As in Newcastle, on Saturday, it was a combination of Ramires and Willian which hauled Chelsea level. A burst from Ramires drew a foul and Willian curled the free-kick inside the post.
Casillas barely flinched as it whipped into his net, but Chelsea surrendered the impetus when Maicon slipped free to convert a corner with a glancing header at the near post. Again, the set-piece had been conceded after Brahimi had given Ivanovic the slip.
The Dragao Stadium was still jumping with joy when Costa swung an improbable effort against the bar. On came Hazard, Kenedy and Matic but Porto pushed for a third. Begovic saved and Gary Cahill blocked as the visitors resisted.
Ivanovic went close with a header and Costa had a good claim for a penalty for handball, but even Mourinho’s friendly referee did not oblige.
As in Newcastle, on Saturday, it was a combination of Ramires and Willian which hauled Chelsea level. A burst from Ramires won a free-kick 25 yards from goal and Willian stepped up to curl it over the wall and inside the post.
Casillas did not move as it whipped past into his net. It was the last kick of the first half and it offered hope to the visitors as they disappeared down the tunnel.
For Willian it was his third goal in three games, all from free-kicks, but Porto were soon back in front when Maicon slipped his markers to convert a corner with a glancing header at the near post. Again, the corner had been conceded after Brahimi had given Ivanovic the slip.
Chelsea were stunned but the Dragao erupted in a frenzy of celebration. Porto fans were still bouncing with joy when Cesar Azpilicueta swung an improbable effort against the bar from long range.
As Hazard, Kenedy and Matic came on, Porto pushed for a third. Begovic saved and Gary Cahill blocked as the visitors resisted.
Ivanovic went close with a header and Costa claimed a penalty for handball in stoppage time, but even Mourinho's favourite referee did not oblige.
The final chance fell to Kenedy but it was deflected wide.

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

Mirror:

Porto 2-1 Chelsea: Blues continue to flounder as Jose Mourinho's homecoming ends in defeat
 
By Dave Kidd
 
The Special One warned he would axe his players for youngsters if they failed to perform - and may have to raid the youth academy soon

If Jose Mourinho was in a dark, brooding and threatening mood ahead of this Champions League homecoming, then Heaven help his crisis-hit team now.
And if the Chelsea manager is to make good his pre-match threats, then the club’s youth academy had better brace itself to be raided.
Mourinho had played Bad Cop by warning his players they would be axed in favour of the kids, should they fall out of trophy contention, and even claimed they could end up as Premier League also-rans ‘like Newcastle’.
Yet this tough talking fell on deaf ears. The atmosphere of fear and loathing which seems to have submerged Chelsea since Mourinho’s bust-up with his medical staff on the opening day of the season, has infected their on-pitch performances.
Mourinho claimed this was a decent performance ruined by a couple of ‘ridiculous’ mistakes – but it sounded like a smokescreen to cloud a strange team selection.
Goals from Andre Andre and Maicon dealt Chelsea a Group G defeat after Mourinho had axed Eden Hazard and Nemanja Matic from his starting line-up, kept John Terry on the bench and left two of his three senior strikers, Loic Remy and Radamel Falcao, back home in England along with Oscar.
Yet Branislav Ivanovic, consistently the worst performer during Chelsea’s shocking start to their title defence, does not only keep his place but wears the captain’s armband – and was found wanting in the build-up to both Porto goals.
Nobody is quite sure whether Mourinho is still trying to send coded messages to Roman Abramovich with all these confusing personnel changes or whether the manager is actually beginning to lose the plot.
It looked as though Chelsea had been set up to draw last night, yet they failed even to garner a point, with Porto the more positive side and the deserving victors.
While the Blues must still fancy themselves to get out of what had looked a straightforward group, nothing can be taken for granted by English clubs in Europe any more – with five defeats in six matches for the once-mighty Premier League this season.
Dressed in black, to match their manager’s mood, Chelsea forced the first clear chance.
Diego Costa, in a break from his domestic suspension, showed some neat footwork down the left and teed up Cesc Fabregas, whose shot was beaten away by Iker Casillas.
Then Willian led a swift break, feeding Pedro who forced another decent save from Mourinho’s old Real Madrid enemy in the Porto goal.
It was the veteran keeper’s 152nd Champions League appearance – a new record for the competition – not that Mourinho would have been presenting him with any sort of silver salver to mark the occasion.
Six minutes before the break, Porto made the English champions pay for squandering those early chances when Yacine Brahimi danced past the flat-footed Ivanovic, his shot forcing an improvised save from Begovic but the rebound falling to Andre who drilled it in.
Yet with the final kick of the first half, Chelsea were level – though not without a hint of fortune.
Ramires went on a dribble towards the Porto box but after beating a couple of defenders, he appeared to lose control and fall without any contact. Yet ref Antonio Mateu Lahoz gave the free-kick and Willian hammered it into the top corner.
But just six minutes into the second half, Ivanovic was caught out as Porto forced a corner, which Ruben Neves delivered to the near post for Maicon to head home.
Mourinho sent on Hazard in place of John Obi Mikel, yet there was no sign of a Chelsea response, with Porto continuing to apply all the pressure and Begovic kept busy by a flurry of attacks.
A Danilo effort was deflected narrowly over and the crowd at the Estadio do Dragao was reaching fever pitch with Mourinho’s men rocking.
There was a late surge of Chelsea pressure, a decent penalty shout for handball and sub Kenedy having a shot deflected wide right at the death.
But it was too little, too late. Even Bad Cop Jose couldn’t arrest Chelsea’s decline.

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

Express:

Porto 2 - Chelsea 1: Jose Mourinho leaves former club empty handed

CHELSEA’S disastrous form in the Premier League was extended to Europe, as Jose Mourinho’s return to his former club Porto turned into a nightmare.

By Harry Talbot 

Chelsea, who kicked off their European campaign with a thumping 4-0 win over Maccabi Tel Aviv in Group G and yet lie 14th in the English top flight, crashed to defeat at the Estadio do Drago against the club he steered to European Cup glory in 2004.
Mourinho had used most of his motivational tricks in the build-up to the return to his old stomping ground, but he still saw his struggling side picked apart.
Mourinho’s teams were once built on sound defensive blocks, but time after time they are crumbling.

Chelsea went behind in the first 45 minutes of the clash, the eighth occasion they have conceded before the break this season.
And although Willian equalised, they were breached again before the hour as the home side sensed something was very amiss with this current Chelsea team when it comes to the defence.
Mourinho moaned before this match that his men had been consistent this season – as in consistently poor during their first-half displays.

He had also warned that if they continued to struggle he would boot out the big names and play the kids after slamming his players for having an attitude problem.  
Mourinho did not name names. But all the talk before the match was of former Porto star Radamel Falcao, Oscar and Loic Remy being left at home, despite not being injured.
Eden Hazard was downgraded to the bench and there was again no place for skipper John Terry. But Chelsea started brightly, at least when it came to attack.
Diego Costa did superbly in the sixth minute to burst down the left, cut back and tee up Cesc Fabregas, but his shot was parried for a corner by Iker Casillas.
The former Real Madrid skipper did even better seven minutes later, thrusting out his right leg after guessing correctly where Pedro would shoot after he was played in by Willian.
But Porto refused to be forced on to the back foot and looked lively and sharp.

Vincent Aboubakar bent a shot just over the bar in the 35th minute after another direct run, while Maxi Pereira hammered another effort wide.
But they were finally rewarded for their efforts in the 39th minute. Branislav Ivanovic was easily beaten by Yacine Brahimi and the Porto star cut inside before shooting.
Asmir Begovic did well to keep it out, but the ball fell for Andre Andre, whose volleyed follow-up beat Begovic, even though he got hands on it.
The lead did not last long, though, as Chelsea hit back.
A direct run by Ramires ended with him being brought down by Danilo and Willian stepped up to bend the free-kick into the far corner past a motionless Casillas.

It made it three free-kick conversions for the Brazilian in his last three appearances for Mourinho’s side.
But Porto were not to be outdone and went ahead again in the 52nd minute.
Centre-back Maicon got in front of Ramires at the near post to glance in a header from a Rubin Neves cross.
A long-range effort from Costa struck the bar but Porto were not to be denied, as Mourinho’s poor start to the season continued.

PORTO (4-4-1-1): Casillas; Pereira, Maicon, Marcano, Martins Indi; Andre (layun 80), Danilo, Neves (Goebel 78), Imbula; Brahimi (Osvaldo 87); Aboubakar. Booked: Marcano, Martins Indi, Danilo. Goals: Andre 39, Maicon 52.

CHELSEA (4-2-3-1): Begovic; Ivanovic, Cahill, Zouma, Azpilicueta; Mikel (Hazard 62), Ramires Matic 73); Pedro (Kenedy 73), Fabregas, Willian; Costa. Booked: Cahill, Matic, Azpilicueta. Goal: Willian.  NEXT UP: Southampton (h), Sat PL.

REFEREE: A Mateu Lahoz (Spain).

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

Star:

Porto 2 Chelsea 1: Jose Mourinho's selection gamble backfires as hosts down Blues
JOSE MOURINHO’S Porto whine failed to inspire punch-drunk Chelsea last night.

By David Woods
    
The Blues boss tried every trick in his book to motivate his flops, but they were still left staggering in Porto.
Mourinho’s teams have always been built on sound defensive blocks, but they crumbled once again.
The Stamford Bridge side went behind in the first half, the eighth time they have conceded before the break this season.
Willian equalised, but Chelsea conceded again as Mourinho’s former club sensed the game was their for the taking.
Mourinho moaned before last night’s Group G clash that his players had been consistent this season - consistently bad in the first-half.

He warned them that if they continued to struggle they would be kicked out and he would play the kids.
The angry boss also slammed the players for having an attitude problem.
Mourinho did not name names. But all the talk before the match was of former Porto star Radamel Falcao, Oscar and Loic Remy all being left at home despite apparently not being injured.
Eden Hazard was downgraded to the bench and there was again no place for skipper John Terry.
But Chelsea started brightlywhen Diego Costa burst down the left, cut back in to tee up Cesc Fabregas but his shot was parried for a corner by Iker Casillas.

The former Real Madrid skipper did even better to thrust out his right leg after guessing correctly where Pedro would shoot.
But Porto refused to be forced on to the back foot and the goal they had threatened arrived in the 39th minute.
Not for the first time this season Branislav Ivanovic was all too easily beaten, this time by Yacine Brahimi.
He cut inside and slam a shot at Asmir Begovic, which the keeper did well to keep out his trailing left hand.
But the ball went straight to Andre Andre, who volleyed home.
The lead did not to last long though, with Chelsea rewarded after a direct run by Ramires ended with him being brought down by Danilo.

Willian stepped up to bend the free kick into the far corner past a motionless Casillas.
Porto grabbed the winner in the 52nd minute when centre back Maicon got in front of Ramires at the near post to glance in a header from a Rubin Neves cross.
Costa then hit the bar with a long-range shot.
But Porto continued to target Ivanovic and Giannelli Imbula and Brahimi were denied by Begovic.
Danilo then found space to head Mugeul Layun’s corner against the far post before Chelsea yelled for a penalty in one mad last raid.
But at the end Mourinho was first down the tunnel to yet another inquest into a defeat.

Newcastle 2-2

Independent:

Newcastle United 2 Chelsea 2
Ramires and Willian cancel out Toon Army's lead
Michael Walker St James' Park 

Crisis averted. Jose Mourinho says he does not hold with the ‘c’ word, but even he must be reconsidering that opinion as Chelsea stared a fourth loss in seven Premier League games in the face. Newcastle, unrecognisable from the shower that lost in the League Cup to Sheffield Wednesday, led through goals from Ayoze Perez and the vivacious Georginio Wijnaldum and with 11 minutes left, Chelsea were flat and, apparently, beaten.
Then substitute Ramires belted in a piledriver and eight minutes later another substitute Willian delivered a free-kick that flew over everyone and past Tim Krul.
So Chelsea snatched a point as they prepare for Mourinho’s return to Porto, but they remain flat in comparison to last season’s title winners. For Newcastle, beaten by Watford here last Saturday, this was much better. Newcastle played more football in the first 10 minutes than they did in the entire 90 here against Sheffield Wednesday three days earlier.    
Jack Colback was missing then and the midfielder’s return was central, in different ways, to the home improvement. Colback won a number of tussles with Cesc Fabregas as Newcastle overcame local concerns that this could be a pummelling from the beginning from Chelsea. 
Kevin Mbabu, a 20 year-old Swiss right-back who made his debut as a second-half substitute against Wednesday, was given a full debut – at left-back. You could call this a surprise – Mbabu’s name is not among the 29 on the back of the Newcastle programme – but now he found himself faced by Pedro, a player of rather greater status and experience. But Mbabu exceeded all expectation as Newcastle gave as good as they got, which in truth was not much.
Chelsea lacked midfield zip, Eden Hazard was peripheral and on the touchline Mourinho, pining for Diego Costa, was gesturing to Loïc Rémy to be more physical. Rémy had a sniff of a chance on 12 minutes, side-footed wide, and in the 38th minute Fabregas forced a diving save from Krul. But Newcastle were the more dangerous.
Aleksandar Mitrovic, back from suspension, got onto a Wijnaldum cross, then Moussa Sissoko had a decent shot. These moments were followed by efforts from Perez and Daryl Janmaat, both of which were parried by Asmir Begovic.
Mourinho will have been noting how his defence was being exposed, but he still will not have anticipated the way Kurt Zouma hesitated in the 42nd minute to allow Perez to score. Seeing a Vurnon Anita cross travel 30 yards, Zouma appeared about to jump and clear it but then stalled. Perez had nipped between Zouma and Branislav Ivanovic. The 22 year-old from Tenerife brought the ball down with his first touch then smacked in a volley off the post with his next.
As a collective, Chelsea looked stunned. When they began the second half on the front foot, but could make no breakthrough, Mourinho summoned Radamel Falcao and Willian from the bench.
However, as they warmed up, Newcastle broke away. Their speed and determination yielded a corner and Perez took it. to supporters’ chagrin, Newcastle are notoriously unproductive at corners but this one found Wijnaldum unmarked. With a flick of the head, the Dutchman’s accurate header slid beyond Begovic

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

Observer:

Chelsea rescue a point against Newcastle with late comeback
Newcastle 2 - 2 Chelsea
Paul Wilson at St James' Park

Never mind the Newcastle crisis, the Chelsea one was nearly back on again here. Steve McClaren started this game as arguably the Premier League manager under most pressure following the reaction of Newcastle supporters to the tamest of exits from the first cup of the season. He came within 10 minutes of passing much of that burden on to José Mourinho, whose Chelsea side once again looked pallid and likely to slump to a fourth league defeat, before a remarkable late recovery left the home side hanging on just to earn a point.
 
Mourinho deserves some credit for his substitutions, for Ramires came on to pull the first goal back and was crucially involved in the equaliser, even if he failed to get anything on the Willian free kick that ended up in the back of Tim Krul’s net. Eden Hazard was the real spark of Chelsea’s fightback, however, and the travelling fans must have made their way home wondering why he, and their team in general, only showed any spark in the final few minutes.
Perhaps it was the shock of finding themselves two goals down to Newcastle that spurred Chelsea into action, and the slightly depressing news for the home side was that once the visitors began to mean business they could not live with them. A draw was a fair result in the end and, if Newcastle were left deflated at the final whistle after coming so close to picking up their first league win, at least they showed some of the fight and application their manager had demanded. If they can keep playing like this, they should be climbing the table before long.
McClaren made five changes to the side beaten by Sheffield Wednesday’s reserves in the Capital One Cup in midweek, and asked the inexperienced Kevin Mbabu, a right-footed central defender, to play at left-back against the defending champions.
Mbabu only made his Newcastle debut in the cup game in midweek and, on his first Premier League start, he found himself marking Pedro. In fairness, he kept the former Barcelona player quiet for most of the game. Chelsea stuck with the side that beat Arsenal last week apart from the one enforced alteration, replacing the suspended Diego Costa with Loïc Rémy, booed from the start after his period on loan here two seasons ago.
 
Rémy might have put his team ahead with the first real chance of the game after Branislav Ivanovic fought his way to the byline and crossed from the right, but the ball came to him quickly and his stabbed shot from the six-yard line flew harmlessly wide. McClaren had made an impassioned plea for fight from his players after the Wednesday horror-show and, in the first part of the game, the home side showed it. Georginio Wijnaldum took on and beat Ivanovic down the left to send over a cross that Aleksandar Mitrovic reached with his head but could not keep on target, then on Newcastle’s next attack Moussa Sissoko advanced to the edge of the penalty area and rolled a shot narrowly wide of Asmir Begovic’s goal. McClaren’s players deserved the vocal backing they were now getting from the crowd, for they were putting up a decent show.
Mbabu incensed Mourinho by upending Pedro right in front of the dugout, but otherwise Newcastle were matching their opponents fairly, with Jack Colback and Vurnon Anita winning most of the midfield contests. From a move that Colback started, Ayoze Pérez brought the first save of the game from Begovic, quickly followed by another stop by the goalkeeper when Daryl Janmaat carried the ball into the area. It took a last-ditch block by Gary Cahill to halt another Janmaat run and, as the interval approached, it was possible to argue Newcastle had enjoyed the better of the game. There was no real end product though, and Chelsea almost made their hosts pay for over-adventurousness in attack when Chancel Mbemba was caught in possession much too far up the pitch, creating a hole in central defence into which Cesc Fàbregas strode to bring a diving save from Krul.
With Chelsea obviously so dangerous on the counter, Newcastle were probably thinking they needed to cash in on their overall supremacy with a goal before half time, when one arrived from nowhere with three minutes to spare.
Actually it arrived from Anita’s long, diagonal ball into the Chelsea area, but there seemed no obvious danger until Ivanovic and Kurt Zouma left it to each other and allowed Ayoze a free shot at goal. He took one right foot touch to bring the ball down then a second to beat Begovic via the inside of an upright, with the two Chelsea defenders practically standing back and applauding
 
If that soured Mourinho’s mood at half time it would not have improved when Newcastle increased their lead from a set piece on the hour, again taking advantage of hesitant Chelsea defending. It is hard to believe a defence featuring John Terry would have allowed Wijnaldum to score with a soft header from a corner but, when Ayoze’s cross came over, the Dutch forward met little resistance when guiding a stooping header into the bottom corner.
Mourinho sent on all his substitutes and Ramires pulled a goal back with an unstoppable drive after Hazard had finally managed to impose himself on the game by deftly cutting in from the left.
The Belgian came to life after that and was Chelsea’s best hope in the closing minutes, but Mbemba threw himself in the way of Hazard’s best chance of an equaliser.
Yet Chelsea kept coming, and Newcastle were finding it hard to repel the blue tide. Two substitutes combined for the final goal, when Newcastle gave away a free kick on the edge of their area, with Ramires distracting Krul and Willian claiming the goal.
It saved Chelsea from embarrassment, though the harsh truth for Newcastle is that had the match lasted another 10 minutes there might not even have been the consolation of a point.

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

Telegraph:

Newcastle 2 Chelsea 2
Premier League champions fight back for a point against whipping boys
Late goals from Ramires and Willian see Jose Mourinho's side come back from two goals down

By John Wardle, St James' Park

Chelsea left it late, but two goals from substitutes in the closing stages offered some relief for manager Jose Mourinho and left Newcastle United still waiting for their first Premier League win of the season.
Newcastle remain in the bottom three, but this was a performance that suggested head coach Steve McClaren is making progress. He insists there is no crisis at his club and can offer the first hour of this game as proof.

They led through goals from Ayoze Perez and Georginio Wijnaldum that displayed difficulties at the heart of Chelsea’s defence, but the final minutes brough replies from substitutes Ramires and Willian.
The first 45 minutes was the best experienced by Newcastle this season, not least because it ended with them going ahead through Perez. It was a lead they deserved after winning personal battles in all areas of the pitch,
And, if good news has been virtually non-existent here, some supplied by Kevin Mbabu, who surely anticipated a more daunting debut. The 20-year-old is in his third season at Newcastle since signing from Swiss club Servette and, hindered by injuries, had not done enough to convince previous managers he was worthy of starting a league game.

Even when he was among several players loaned to Rangers last February, he was left on the sidelines by the Scottish club, but McClaren had seen enough in training and during a brief appearance in the midweek Capital One Cup defeat by Sheffield Wednesday to call him up.
McClaren could have opted for Jack Colback or Vurnon Anita as an emergency replacement at left-back for the injured Massadio Haidara, but chose to leave them in midfield. Whoever he had chosen, it was an uncomfortable situation for United and strengthened the belief that they should have added depth to their defence during the transfer window.
Mbabu was one of three changes McClaren made to the team that lost to Watford in their last league game, with Aleksandar Mitrovic back from suspension and Anita recalled in place of Florian Thauvin, another expensive signing whose failure to adapt to the Premier League has made painful viewing.

Loic Remy, once of Newcastle, was Mourinho’s only change in place of the suspended Diego Costa, as the manager resisted pressure from a sizeable section of their support to leave out Branislav Ivanovic, who was captain again in the absence of John Terry.
Terry was replaced again by Kurt Zouma, who has already assumed free-kick duties ahead of the talent surrounding him. He almost justified Mourinho’s faith inside the first five minute with a talent surrounding when his ferocious free-kick avoided Newcastle’s wall but finished narrowly wide of Krul’s right-hand post.
The other post was similarly threatened in the 12th minute when Ivanovic won a tussle with Wijnaldum and powered in cross that Remy knew little about as it rebounded off him and wide of the goal.
Wijnaldum, withdrawn from his favoured role behind the striker to protect Mbabu, soon had debates with coach Paul Simpson about his positioning, but illustrated his value in attack mode with a 16th minute break that exposed Ivanovic’s speed on the turn before his cross was headed wide by Mitrovic.

Finally, the Newcastle crowd was fired up and Moussa Sissoko’s response was an angled shot that found it was through a crowded area and past the far post. This was an awkward spell for Chelsea, particularly Ivanovic.
The captain was again exposed by the acceleration of Mbabu, whose low cross almost reached Mitrovic, while Cesc Fabregas was outwitted by Jack Colback at the start of a move that ended with Perez dragging a shot wide.
Newcastle, who failed to direct a shot on target until the 90th minute against Wednesday, achieved it twice in a few seconds in the 28th minute. Perez was involved again as he swept in a shot that Asmir Begovic beat away, then the keeper saved from Daryl Janmaat after the full-back ignored two feeble tackles by Oscar and Fabregas on the edge of the area.

With a third of the game gone, Mourinho was the more anxious of two managers who are experiencing troubled seasons, but Fabregas did finally force a save from Tim Krul, who reacted well to the Spaniard’s 20-yard effort.
Chelsea went behind, however, in the 42nd minute through a goal that raised further questions about their defending. Zouma must take most of the blame as he failed to deal with an Anita cross as Perez found space between him and Ivanovic, cushioned the ball and hooked it in off a post.

Mourinho had plenty to say at the interval - enough to keep Newcastle waiting on the pitch before the Chelsea team re-emerged, but his words had little impact and the manager was preparing two substitutions when Newcastle added their second goal on the hour.
Radamel Falcao and Willian were standing on the touchline as Perez swung in a corner and Wijnaldum profited from the space he was allowed to glance his header past Begovic.

Ramires was also sent on later and the replacements were to play a crucial role in the dramatic climax. With 79 minutes gone, Ramires drove in a superb long-range effort that even beat the excellent Krul.
And, seven minutes later, Willian’s free-kick earned Chelsea a point that will give Mourinho some breathing and buy valuable time for McClaren.

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

Mail:

Newcastle 2-2 Chelsea: Substitutes Willian and Ramires rescue champions after falling behind to strikes from Ayoze Perez and Georginio Wijnaldum at Blues' bogey ground

Craig Hope for The Mail on Sunday

Salvaging a point at the Premier League’s crisis club is not the stuff of champions, and Jose Mourinho knew it.
Rather than accept the invitation to laud the positives – namely two goals in the final 11 minutes from substitutes Ramires and Willian which rescued a barely-deserved draw – the Chelsea boss was instead irked by the performance of several individuals.
He went as far as to label the team’s first-half display the worst of his time in charge. It was hard to disagree
Chelsea were, in Mourinho’s own words, ‘awful’. They were laboured and predictable in attack, sluggish and unpredictable at the back.
Nemanja Matic, Loic Remy and Oscar were all hooked in the second half, but Mourinho admits he would have made six changes had rules allowed.
Pedro, Cesc Fabregas and Eden Hazard were fortunate to see out the match and, in the end, contributed little to the fightback in any case.
And this on the day Manchester City let them back into the title race following their defeat at Spurs.
It is one thing losing at White Hart Lane, however, but to be beaten at St James’ Park is as good as surrendering your crown. For Steve McClaren’s side have been so poor in recent weeks that even Sheffield Wednesday’s reserves enjoyed victory here in the League Cup on Wednesday night.
To that end, their performance – they were much the better team and led through Ayoze Perez and Georginio Wijnaldum - was unrecognisable.
But so, too, was Chelsea’s until the late revival – and Mourinho was not hiding from that fact.
‘I have extreme feelings – negative and positive,’ said the Portuguese, who has now failed to win in six league visits to Tyneside.
‘That was as bad as we have played in one half of football. A minus one out of 10.
‘I put it down to awful individual performances. It is impossible for a team to be a team when you have so many bad performances.
‘The team only played much better because of Ramires and Willian – not because they scored the goals, but both brought the team to a different level.’
On the subject of different levels, Newcastle produced a massively uncharacteristic display – for in short, they were good.
Booed from the field following their midweek humiliation in the cup, those jeers turned to cheers on full-time here, even despite their late collapse.
Mourinho had an interesting take on why the Magpies repeatedly rally against his side.
‘One of the reasons Newcastle do not get good positions (in the league) is because of this mentality - they chose to sweat in some matches and not others, those sorts of teams win nothing,’ he said.
But they should have won here.
Newcastle goalkeeper Tim Krul said on the eve of the game that is was time for ‘men’ to emerge from the dressing-room and the signs were there from the off that they had done a lot of growing up in just 72 hours.
Aleksandar Mitrovic – back from a three-game ban – set the tone as he bullied Gary Cahill and Zurt Zouma. The Serb might have had the opening goal when Wijnaldum escaped down the left and swept over a cross that he flashed wide with a towering header.
Perez then led a home break through the middle and Moussa Sissoko slammed inches wide after accepting the Spaniard’s pass.
Asmir Begovic then produced a fine double save to deny Perez and Daryl Janmaat and the breakthrough goal came as no surprise.
Vurnon Anita dug out a high ball into the box from halfway but Perez had both Zouma and Branislav Ivanoic for company.
The 22-year-old, however, managed to outwit the pair of them with a cushioned first touch and killer second, slamming a volley beyond Begovic.
Chelsea were out late for the second half but whatever extra instruction Mourinho had given them in the dressing-room they failed to implement on the pitch.
Mourinho responded by ordering Willian and Radamel Falcao to get stripped but that pair were still waiting to come on when Newcastle netted their second on the hour.
Perez delivered an out-swinging corner from the right and Wijnaldum stole in unmarked to score his second headed goal at the Gallowgate End.
The concession begged one question: where was John Terry? Answer: sat on the bench.
But there was to be a cruel twist in the tale for the hosts and Ramires unleashed a 25-yard scorcher into the top corner to kickstart the comeback.
That snapped Chelsea from their slumber and Willian broke Newcastle’s stiff resistance on 86 minutes, albeit fortuitously as his deadball delivery – intended as a cross – evaded all before bouncing in.
It saved a point, yes, but Mourinho's men had failed to prove one

Newcastle (4-3-2-1): Krul 7; Janmaat 7, Mbemba 7, Coloccini 6.5, Mbabu 7.5; Colback 6.5 (Obertan 54), Anita 7; Wijnaldum 7; Sissoko 6 (de Jong 90), Perez 8; Mitrovic 7.5 (Toney 85).
Subs not used: Elliot, Williamson, Lascelles, Thauvin.
Goals: Perez 42, Wijnauldum 60
Booked: Colback

Chelsea (4-2-3-1) Begovic 6; Ivanovic 5, Zouma 5, Cahill 6, Azpilicueta 6, Matic 4 (Willian 61), Fabregas 4.5; Pedro 5, Oscar 4.5 (Ramires 73), Hazard 5; Remy 4 (Falcao 61).
Subs not used: Blackman, Terry, Mikel, Kenedy.
Goals: Ramires 79, Willian 86
Booked: Ivanovic, Pedro
Man of the Match: Perez
Referee: Martin Atkinson
Attendance: 48,682


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

Mirror:

Newcastle 2-2 Chelsea:
5 things we learned as Chelsea come from behind to take a point at St James' Park

By Simon Bird
 
Victory at St James' Park once more proved elusive to Jose Mourinho's Chelsea, whose two-goal comeback secured the champions a point
 
Jose Mourinho's Chelsea mustered a two-goal fightback to rescue a point against resurgent Newcastle.
Steve McClaren's men were four minutes from a shock first win of the season, when sub Willian's log range free kick, meant as a cross, flew straight past Tim Krul.
Newcastle took the lead in the first half when Ayoze Perez controlled Vurnon Anita's cross and volleyed in off the post from 15 yards out.
Georginio Wijnaldum doubled the hosts' lead on the hour, stooping to head home his second of the season, from a corner won and taken by Perez.
Chelsea responded with a fight back, and got a goal back through sub Ramires.
He pinged home a brilliant 25 yarder out of nothing. Willian then leveled to rescue a fortunate point.
Here are 5 things we learned:

1. Jose Mourinho hates St James' Park
The Chelsea boss has never won a Premier League game on Tyneside in six attempts.
He spoke well of his trips to Newcastle on Friday... nice hotel, great view of the river and bridges, big stadium.
The one thing that is missing is three points. Something about Chelsea heading here sees Newcastle raise their game.
Mourinho will be pleased, though, with their fightback and spirit that they conjured in the last 20 minutes especially. It was the spirit of Champions, if not an all round performance, he wanted.

2. Chelsea still have ingredients missing
The Champions beat Arsenal last weekend to make it three wins in a row before this game.
But there is a swagger and a fizz lacking in their play until a desperate last 15-20 minutes, when they narrowly avoided their fourth consecutive defeat on Tyneside.
They were out-fought in the first half by Newcastle, and done by a defensive mistake. After the break they has territory and possession, but were caught out again by sloppy marking Newcastle's second goal
Mourinho didn't have the mix right, but will have noted that his side were transformed by Willian, Ramirez and to a lesser extent Falcao, when they can on as substitutes.

3. John Terry will fancy his chances of a recall
Terry is in a battle for his place with Zouma, who is a superb athlete and certainly much quicker then the ex England man.
But errors like Zouma made in the first half will lessen Jose Mourinho's faith in him.
He was out of position when Vurnon Anita threw in a deep cross, let it sail over his head, allowing Perez to control and blast home of the post.

4. Are Newcastle fighters of victims? On this evidence.... fighters
Steve McClaren drew a “line in the sand” after Newcastle's defeat to Sheffield Wednesday in midweek. His challegne was simple: fight or be victims.
He couldn't have asked for a better response from his side. They came out fighting from the first minute.
This was a side transformed from the misery of recent performances. Fiesty, aggressive but controlled and positive when they had the ball.
They just about deserved their first half lead through Ayoze Perez.
A first win of the season can't be far away, can it?

5. Aleksandar Mitrovic can lead the line without getting sent off
The Serbian target man finally showed what he is all about. He was a huge handful up front, and gave Gary Cahill and Kurt Zouma problem.
Mitrovic's absence through suspension for the previous three games has been under played. He gives his team-mates a get out ball, and hold play up enough to bring the midfield runners into the game.
Mitrovic is the kind of physical presence Newcastle have been crying out for. Goal will come if he is patient.

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

Express:

Newcastle 2 - Chelsea 2: Willian and Ramiers strike late to deny McLaren's Toon first win

WILD MAN Diego Costa was caged and Chelsea were almost tamed as Steve McClaren was denied his first league win as Newcastle boss.

By Clive Hetherington

But Jose Mourinho’s Toon jinx struck again – the Blues’ boss is still waiting for his first league victory on Tyneside.
Newcastle’s Spanish starlet Ayoze Perez made the breakthrough three minutes from the break – and then provided the corner on the hour for Georginio Wijnaldum to double the lead.
Mourinho said before a ball was kicked this season that Holland midfielder Wijnaldum – a £14.5million summer capture from PSV Eindhoven – would not look out of place at Stamford Bridge. Maybe now he will be wishing he had beaten Newcastle to the punch.
The Geordies looked on course for their fourth successive home success against Chelsea but Brazilian substitutes Ramires and Willian struck on 79 and 86 minutes to cut short the home fans’ celebrations.
Volatile Blues striker Costa was in the middle of a three-match ban after the FA found him guilty of violent conduct against Arsenal.

But Newcastle had their bad boy available again. Serbia striker Alexsandar Mitrovic – a £13million summer signing from Anderlecht – was back after a three-match suspension for leaving his own mark on Arsenal with a studs-up challenge on Francis Coquelin in the Gunners’ 1-0 win at St James’ last month.
Toon were pinning their hopes on Mitrovic in the absence of Papiss Cisse, whose lack of form and fitness are an added worry for McClaren.
Swiss rookie Kevin Mbabu, 20, who made his Newcastle debut as a substitute in the woeful midweek Capital One Cup exit at home to Sheffield Wednesday, came in for a league baptism of fire as a replacement at left-back for the unfit Massadio Haidara.
The Geordies’ cup shaker had forced McClaren to admit there was “close to a crisis" on Tyneside – and the demand from the boss was for “fighters, not victims".

Loic Remy, who hit 14 goals while on loan to Newcastle from QPR two seasons ago, led the line for Chelsea in place of Costa.
And with the home fans mindful that the Frenchman didn’t want to make the move permanent, he was immediately booed when he touched the ball for the first time.
It was Chelsea who threatened first, Jack Colback tripping Nemanja Matic and Kurt Zouma fizzing the resulting free-kick past keeper Tim Krul’s right-hand post.
Branislav Ivanovic then presented Remy with a chance. The Blues’ skipper delivered the ball and Remy’s reaction shot flew wide.
Wijnaldum brought the home crowd to life on 16 minutes with a blistering left-wing burst before whipping in a cross that Mitrovic headed wide. Moussa Sissoko then drove past the far post moments later.

Perez and Daryl Janmaat kept the Magpies’ momentum going, forcing saves from keeper Asmir Begovic in quick succession as the half-hour mark approached.
Colback picked up a yellow card for a clumsy challenge on Remy, before Cesc Fabregas launched an impressive right-foot effort that was palmed away one-handed by Krul.
But no one could deny that Newcastle deserved their lead.
Vurnon Anita swung the ball in from the right and Perez just about brought it under control before hooking in right-footed off a post.
Krul made a superb point-blank save from Remy’s header on 50 minutes, but the offside flag was raised. Remy then powered a header well wide as Chelsea began the second half in the ascendancy.
But as Mourinho prepared to make a double substitution, Newcastle struck again.
Perez supplied the right-wing corner and Fabregas let Wijnaldum go, allowing the Dutchman to head in.
But Chelsea hit back with Ramires’ long-range thunderbolt and then Willian curled in a free-kick to deal Newcastle a cruel blow.

Newcastle: Krul; Janmaat, Mbemba, Coloccini, Mbabu; Anita, Colback (Obertan 54); Sissoko (de Jong 90), Perez, Wijnaldum; Mitrovic (Toney 84)
Chelsea: Begovic; Ivanovic, Zouma, Cahill, Azpilicueta; Fabregas, Matic (Willian 61); Pedro, Oscar (Ramires 73), Hazard; Remy (Falcao 61).

Star man: Georginio Wijnaldum.
Referee: M Atkinson.

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

Star:

Newcastle 2 Chelsea 2: McClaren denied first win but Blues struggle without Costa

WILDMAN Diego Costa was caged and Chelsea were almost tamed as Steve McClaren was denied his first league victory as Newcastle boss.

 By Clive Hetherington
    
But Jose Mourinho’s Toon jinx struck again – the Blues’ boss is still waiting for his first league win on Tyneside.
Mourinho rated his side’s display in the first half at “minus one out of ten” – and one of the worst under his command.
He said: “I’ve been in charge of so many Chelsea matches and we’ve had some bad performances.
“But this first half, I can rate as one of those performances.
“I put that down to awful individual performances.”
And Mourinho will be public enemy No.1 on Tyneside tomorrow morning with his scathing assessment of Newcastle.
He added: “One of the reasons they don’t get into a good position is their mentality.

“They choose some matches to sweat blood and in other matches they don’t.
“That’s typical of an attitude of a team that wins nothing.”
McClaren said: “It was so close to a great win, but with four or five minutes to go, we could have won or lost.
“The players responded after the week we’ve had – they were magnificent. The attitude was great and the crowd responded to them. We looked like a team.”
Starlet Ayoze Perez got the first just before half time and he then provided a corner on the hour for Georginio Wijnaldum to double the lead.
Mourinho said before a ball was kicked this season that Holland midfielder Wijnaldum – a summer capture from PSV Eindhoven – would not look out of place at Stamford Bridge.
Maybe now he will be wishing he had beaten Newcastle to the punch.

The Geordies looked on course for a fourth successive home win against Chelsea.
But Brazilian substitutes Ramires and Willian struck in the 79th and 86th minutes to cut short the home fans’ celebrations.
Volatile Blues striker Costa was in the middle of a three-match ban after the FA found him guilty of violent conduct in last week’s 2-0 victory over nine-man Arsenal.
The Geordies’ cup shock forced McClaren to admit there was “close to a crisis” on Tyneside – and his demand was for “fighters, not victims”.
Wijnaldum brought the crowd to life in the 16th minute with a left-wing burst before whipping in a cross that Aleksandar Mitrovic headed wide.
Moussa Sissoko then drove past the far post as Newcastle began to show some genuine menace.
And no one could deny they deserved their lead when Vurnon Anita crossed and Perez hooked in off a post.
Loic Remy powered a header wide as Chelsea began the second half on top. But as Mourinho prepared a double change, Newcastle struck – Wijnaldum heading in Perez’s corner.
But Chelsea hit back through Ramires’ cracker and Willian’s free-kick.

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

Walsall 4-1

Independent:

Walsall vs Chelsea match report: Kenedy scores first goal as Blues cruise into fourth round
Kevin Garside

In times of trouble there is nothing like a trip to Walsall to restore the equilibrium. Chelsea’s first appearance in defence of the Capital One Cup was for them a soothingly unremarkable affair. No law suits resulted and there was no overtly sharp practice from Brazilian-born strikers.
Apart from a slip in concentration when James O’Conner fired an unexpected riposte to goals from Ramires and Loïc Rémy, Chelsea and their manager Jose Mourinho could not have enjoyed a more serene experience.
That is not to say Chelsea were not made to work for the passage into the next round. Walsall were never less than industrious. Only that the difference in class between the sides afforded a measure of control Chelsea have not enjoyed in defence of their Premier League title.  
Kenedy’s first goal for the club, a crisp finish from a tight angle after being fed in neatly by Ruben Loftus-Cheek restored Chelsea’s two-goal advantage early in the second  half.
With 20 minutes remaining Pedro and Nemanja Matic were introduced, and to demonstrate his value the latter danced through the Walsall defence in added time to embroider the perfect cameo with a brilliant fourth
The game was 10 minutes old when Ramires headed the opener. It might have been two or three by then, easing what had been another troubled day off the pitch for Chelsea.
Whatever embarrassment Eva Carneiro’s likely legal dispute with the club might generate, whatever anger lingered at the retrospective loss of Diego Costa for three matches, the pitch was a rare oasis of calm for Chelsea.
There was even a start for Radamel Falcao, who was unlucky not to score in the 19th minute with a shot Walsall skipper Adam Chambers hacked off the line.
The visit of Chelsea was the reward for victories over Forest and Brighton. A capacity Banks’s Stadium produced what were forecast to be record gate receipts, which was the real result for third-tier Walsall.
The second goal Chelsea threatened arrived five minutes before the break, Rémy racing on to a pass from Ramires and smashing it into the roof of the net.
It was richly deserved but counter-productive, since Chelsea wrongly assumed their work for the half was done. With 45 minutes on the clock James O’Connor was quickest to the rebound off Asmir Begovic and turned the ball into the net.

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

Guardian:

Rogue sprinkler fails to disrupt Chelsea flow in victory over Walsall
Paul Wilson

José Mourinho could do with a few more incident-free games such as this. Controversy has dogged Chelsea’s every step this season though a passage to the fourth round of the Capital One Cup was achieved with few alarms, even if play was interrupted in the second half when a pitch sprinkler went off of its own accord.
“We were strong, I’m happy with the result,” the Chelsea manager said. “Walsall play good football, they are not what you expect from a League One team, but I think we showed we did not come here to make mistakes. We could not afford that. When you make a start to the season like we have done you cannot lose to a side from League One.”
Chelsea could have taken the lead as early as the third minute when Ruben Loftus-Cheek created a shooting opportunity for Kenedy with a weighted pass. The initial shot was blocked but the rebound rolled invitingly into the path of Ramires, who had the whole of the goal to aim at and should have scored, only for Neil Etheridge to get down to his left to save.
The same two visiting players combined to make amends with the opening goal on 10 minutes, Kenedy sending over a deep cross from the left for an unchallenged Ramires to score with his head at the far post. While Ramires is not renowned for his heading ability or his finishing the opportunity that opened up in front of him would have been difficult to miss.
The League One side tried to get back into the game but found the going difficult against a Chelsea team that showed several changes. Eden Hazard, Pedro and Nemanja Matic were all on the bench, yet as each player Mourinho brought in had either a point to prove or a reputation to make Chelsea played from the off as if they meant business.
Radamel Falcao certainly has a point to prove after his disappointing spell at Manchester United but could not finish convincingly enough when given the chance to double Chelsea’s lead mid-way through the first half.
When Ramires played him clean through with a defence splitting pass Falcao could not beat the goalkeeper in a one-on-one situation, allowing Etheridge to take the pace off the shot so that James O’Connor could run round and complete a clearance off the line. Falcao was slightly unlucky with his next chance just before the interval, controlling a Mikel John Obi pass neatly before getting in a shot off balance, only to see Paul Downing head out from under his own crossbar.
Milan Lalkovic went close for the home side after beating Branislav Ivanovic on the left touchline, cutting in purposefully but finding only the side-netting with a shot from the edge of the area. Things began to look bleak for the Saddlers when Chelsea extended their lead four minutes from the interval.
Walsall left far too much space for Loïc Rémy to exploit on the right, and once Ramires had spotted his run and laid the ball into his path the striker lashed a rising shot from a narrow angle emphatically into Etheridge’s top corner.
The home side managed an almost instant reply, however, after Ivanovic conceded a free kick just outside the area. Asmir Begovic managed to parry Lalkovic’s stinging shot, but could do nothing to prevent O’Connor’s scuffed follow-up creeping across the line to give the underdogs hope.
The respite turned out to be brief. Just eight minutes into the second half Chelsea restored their two-goal advantage through Kenedy’s first goal for the club, a composed finish from six yards out after Mikel, impressive for a change, had muscled Rico Henry off the ball following a Walsall throw-in in their own half. Apart from Falcao falling over in the act of taking a free kick then hitting the roof of the stand with a shot from near the penalty spot the most fun the crowd had after that was an out of control water hydrant at one corner of the pitch briefly halting play. Walsall’s spirits hardly needed any more dampening, though rather cruelly Pedro came on to add a fourth goal in stoppage time that led to a slightly flattering final scoreline.

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Telegraph:

Walsall 1 Chelsea 4  Kenedy makes his presence felt as holders ease through

Matt Law

Jose Mourinho was hoping for a big performance from one of his famous names, but it was Kenedy, full name Robert Kenedy Nunes do Nascimento, who shined for Chelsea and not Radamel Falcao.
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho may have missed out on some of his more familiar summer transfer targets, but the £6.3million the Blues paid Fluminense for Kenedy looks like money well spent on the evidence of his first start for the club.
He scored one goal, set up another, and put Falcao in the shade with a performance full of creativity and energy against a spirited Walsall side. Ramires, Loic Remy and substitute Pedro were also on target as holders Chelsea set-up a Capital Cup fourth-round clash against Stoke City.
Falcao’s night was summed up by a second-half free-kick he took, which ended up with on-loan striker slipping on to his backside and the ball bobbling embarrassingly to the grateful Walsall wall.
Mourinho rested Eden Hazard and Oscar, and handed a first start to Brazilian teenager Kenedy, who caused the home defence all kinds of problems.
Kenedy had already created one chance for Ramires before the pair combined again to open the scoring for the Blues. Kenedy got away down the left and lofted a high cross to the back post that Ramires headed into the net.
Ramires was also involved in Chelsea’s second goal four minutes before half-time, when he passed to Remy and the Frenchman smashed a first-time shot past Walsall goalkeeper Neil Etheridge.
Walsall are second in League One, losing just once, and were certainly no pushovers during the first period with former Chelsea trainee Milan Lalkovic particularly dangerous.
The home support thought Lalkovic had levelled the scores in the 26th minute after he had beaten Branislav Ivanovic, but the midfielder’s shot hit the side-netting.
It was also Lalkovic who took the free-kick that forced Walsall’s goal on the stroke of half-time and gave the home support hope that the Saddlers could still cause a shock.
Asmir Begovic saved Lalkovic’s set piece, but James O’Connor reacted quickest to slot the rebound into the net from a tricky angle.
Chelsea could have been out of sight by then, with Falcao squandering three good chances. The Colombian replaced Diego Costa, who started his three-match retrospective ban while the Blues wait for the Football Association’s written reasons and consider their next move.
Ramires sent Falcao through on goal, but his chip over Etheridge did not have enough power on it and O’Connor cleared off the line.
Falcao had another effort cleared off the line, this time by the head of Paul Downing, and Remy fired over the bar.
The Colombian’s third first-half chance came in the 40th minute, when he slid in to try to convert a Baba Rahman cross but Etheridge got to the ball first.
As expected, captain John Terry had been brought back in after spending the victory over Arsenal on the substitutes’ bench. He went into referee Lee Mason’s book shortly after half-time for kicking the ball away.
But Kenedy quickly extinguished any hopes of a Walsall upset shortly before the sprinklers were turned on. John Obi Mikel played the ball into the impressive Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who found Kenedy and the Brazil international placed the ball through the legs of Etheridge and into the net.
Play was then stopped when a rogue sprinkler at the Chelsea end started covering the pitch and some unfortunate Walsall fans in water, much to the amusement of the away supporters who sang ‘is there a fire drill?’
Kenedy deservedly received a standing ovation from the Chelsea travelling supporters, when he was replaced by Pedro with just over 20 minutes remaining. Not taking any risks, Mourinho also sent on Nemanja Matic to take over from Loftus-Cheek.
Walsall kept plugging away for what would have been another consolation goal, but Sam Mantom sent a volley wide and Pedro put the icing on the cake for Chelsea with a clinical finish.

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Mail:

Ramires, Loic Remy, Kenedy and Pedro strikes secure Blues' Capital One Cup fourth round spot
By Matt Barlow

After the dirty tricks and the lady vanishes, Chelsea will have been grateful for more signs that their showman Jose Mourinho might be getting his act back together.
Mourinho did not look like satisfied man as he fumed about Diego Costa's ban but his team eased into the fourth round of the Capital One Cup with a solid display and goals from Ramires, Loic Remy, Kenedy and Pedro.
He said the loss of Costa was certain to 'hurt' his team, and Radamel Falcao backed up those words as he misfired on a wet Wednesday in Walsall.
Falcao had two efforts cleared from the goal line and blazed a glorious chance so high over the bar that it hit the Banks's ale sign on top of the stand behind the goal.
The Colombian, on loan from Monaco, brought the house down when he slipped taking a free-kick, and succeeded in merely scooping the ball into the air and only just cleared the wall.
It threatened to turn into one of those nights. A pitch sprinkler burst into life during the second-half, and the Chelsea fans sang: Is there a fire drill?
But in truth there was only one brief moment of alarm for the Barclays Premier League champions.
It came just before half-time when centre-half James O'Connor struck for Walsall, reducing the lead to 2-1, just before half-time and offering hope to the League One team.
The Banks's Stadium buzzed with belief during the break and memories were rekindled of Chelsea's FA Cup demise at the hands of Bradford in January.
Mourinho's team had led 2-0, on that occasion, only to concede before the interval and lose 4-2.
'It was not easy,' said the Chelsea boss. 'When you start with bad results in the league as we did you cannot lose against a League One team. You can do that when the league form is fantastic.
'To lose against a League One team now would not be good for us. We don't need those feelings. I'm happy with the results and I'm happy with the players.'
Kenedy scored the vital third, a goal his vibrant performance deserved. Signed this summer for £6.7million from Fluminense, the teenage Brazilian created an early chance for Ramires, which was saved by goalkeeper Neil Etheridge.
When Kenedy and Ramires combined again, Chelsea were ahead. Ramires arrived at the back-post to head in from close range. It was a simple goal and reflected the early dominance of the top-flight visitors.
Falcao almost stretched the lead. Released by Ramires, the Colombian clipped a shot over Etheridge but the 'keeper managed to make a partial block, which was enough for O'Connor to recover and clear from the line.
Falcao was denied again before half-time. Having wriggled past Etheridge inside the penalty box his effort, turned on goal from an acute angle from was headed off the line by Paul Downing.
After a torrid start, Walsall grew in confidence as the first-half developed and produced some patches of pleasing football.
'We never lost the philosophy or the way we try to play,' said boss Smith. 'At times we were very good.'
Chelsea's second, created by Ramires and converted emphatically by Remy before the interval, ought to have soothed any anxieties, but the home team responded quickly.
Begovic was unable to hold a free-kick from Milan Lalkovic and centre-half O'Connor pounced on the rebound. He did not connect cleanly but squeezed a shot past Chelsea's goalkeeper and two defenders, sliding across the goal.
There would be no heroic comeback. Mourinho's team performed well in the second half.
Pedro Rodriguez came off the bench to score the fourth and quell a spirited finish from Walsall.
The holders were into round four, on their way to Stoke and back in the old routine. Three wins in eight days, despite the storms around Costa, Gabriel and Eva Carneiro.
THE LOWDOWN ON KENEDY
So, who is Kenedy?
Robert Kenedy Nunes do Nascimiento, to give him his full name, is a 19-year-old attacking midfielder who Chelsea signed from Brazilian side Fluminense this summer.
Is he any good?
Well, he has long been part of the Brazil youth set-up, and was top scorer in the U17 South America Championships in 2013. He has seven caps and a goal for Brazil’s Under 20s.
What type of player is he?
He is left footed, but can be destructive coming in off the right side. A creative player who scores goals, the 19-year-old loves to dribble and his long range shooting is a big asset.

MATCH FACTS
WALSALL 4-1-4-1: Etheridge 6; Demetriou 5.5, O'Connor 7, Downing 6.5, Henry 6; Chambers 5.5 (Flanagan); Morris 6, Mantom 6, Sawyers 6, Lalkovic 6 (Forde); Cook 6 (Baxendale).
Subs not used: MacGillivray, Taylor, Preston, Kinsella. Bookings: Chambers, Forde.
Manager: Dean Smith 6.
CHELSEA 4-3-3: Begovic 6; Ivanovic 5.5, Cahill 6, Terry 6, Rahman 6; Ramires 8, Mikel 6.5, Loftus-Cheek 6 (Matic); Remy 6.5, Falcao 5 (Djilobodji), Kenedy 7.5 (Pedro).
Subs not used: Blackman, Aina, Traore, Hazard. Bookings: Mikel, Terry
Manager: Jose Mourinho 6
Man of the match: Ramires
Referee: Lee Mason Att: 10,525

FULL CAPITAL ONE CUP FOURTH ROUND DRAW
Manchester City v Crystal Palace
Liverpool v Bournemouth
Manchester United v Middlesbrough
Everton v Norwich
Southampton v Aston Villa
Sheffield Wednesday v Arsenal
Hull v Leicester
Stoke v Chelsea
*Ties to be played on the week commencing October 26

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

Mirror:

Walsall 1-4 Chelsea: Kenedy stars as Blues put Diego Costa wrangle behind them to cruise through
By Dave Kidd

The Brazilian scored one and assisted another as Ramires, Loic Remy and Pedro made it a comfortable night for Jose Mourinho's men
Jose Mourinho does enjoy a conspiracy theory - so he’ll have loved the Kenedy assassination of little Walsall.
Chelsea’s manager is said to be raging at Sky TV again for supposedly provoking the three-match ban handed to Diego Costa.
But he found another less troublesome Brazilian-born player to ease the raging sewage storms surrounding Stamford Bridge.
Kenedy, the 19-year-old winger signed from Fluminense this summer, scored one and made another on his first Chelsea start as the Capital One Cup holders booked a last-16 visit to Stoke.
Despite the controversy over Costa’s suspension for his antics against Arsenal and the looming legal battle over the departure Dr Eva Carneiro, Chelsea have kick-started their season with three straight wins in a week.
Mourinho said: “It was not easy but we showed we were not here to make mistakes and throw away a competition. When you start with bad results as we did, you cannot lose against a League One team.
“You can do that when the league is fantastic but now it would not be good for us. We don’t need those feelings.
“Kenedy played well. He had a calf pain, so had to take him off but it was a nice performance and good experience for him.”
Walsall tried everything to stop the Premier League champions – even a rogue sprinkler which delayed the match by two minutes as it jetted water on to the pitch early in the second half.
But Kenedy laid on the opener for Ramires and netted the third himself, with Loic Remy and Pedro also scoring.
Radamel Falcao looked out of sorts – suggesting that Costa’s absence for matches against Newcastle and Southampton could prove costly.
Yet compared to their previous meeting with a League One side - the 4-2 FA Cup home defeat by Bradford last season - this was smooth.
The Saddlers are flying in League One but were slow out of the traps and Ramires had a shot saved by Neil Etheridge even before he nodded home a tenth-minute cross from fellow Brazilian Kennedy.
Falcao was denied by goal-line clearances from James O’Connor and Paul Downing before Ramires slid an angled pass to Remy, who thumped into the roof of the net.
Yet Chelsea were given a jolt in first-half injury-time when Branislav Ivanovic conceded a free-kick 25 yards out and Milan Lalkovic’s dead-ball effort was pushed out by Asmir Begovic for O’Connor to roll home the rebound.
After the break, John Terry was booked for kicking the ball away but frustrations were eased when Kenedy nutmegged Etheridge to score from a Ruben Loftus-Cheek pass and Pedro added a gorgeous individual effort in injury-time.
Player ratings

Walsall: Etheridge 5; Demetriou 6, Downing 7, O’Connor 7, Henry 6; Chambers 6 (Flanagan, 68 min, ); Morris 7, Mantom 6, Sawyers 6, Lalkovic 7 (Forde, 68 min, ); Cook 5 (Baxendale, 88mins).
Chelsea: Begovic 6; Ivanovic 5, Cahill 7, Terry 6, Rahman 7; Mikel 5, Ramires 8; Remy 7, Loftus-Cheek 7 (Matic, 5, 65 min), Kenedy 8 (Pedro, 65 min, 6); Falcao 4 (Djilobodjl, 90).

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

Star:

Walsall 1 Chelsea 4: Ramires, Remy, Kenedy and Pedro send Blues into fourth round
CHELSEA’S samba stars stepped forward to mark John Terry’s milestone recall.
By Dave Armitage

Brazilian aces Ramires and Kenedy weighed in with goals as their legendary skipper stepped up to make his 650th start for the club.
There was no Doctor Eva and no Diego Costa as boss Jose Mourinho set about brightening up another gloomy few days for his struggling side.
Costa’s controversial suspension and the Eva Carneiro saga were hardly ideal preparation for a potentially tricky third round tie.
But when Ramires headed Chelsea into a 10th-minute lead it was no more than they deserved.
It had been one-way traffic up to that point with Kenedy causing all sorts of problems down the left before picking out Ramires lurking at the far post and the midfielder netted with a tumbling header.
Walsall keeper Neil Etheridge, a former Stamford Bridge youth team keeper, had done well to keep Chelsea out until then.
With only 68 seconds on the clock, he had to move smartly, rushing out from his goal to smother at the feet of Radamel Falcao.
Then Etheridge came to the rescue again with a good save at the foot of his left-hand post to smother a Ramires shot.
Dean Smith’s League One side battled away but were struggling to hold the determined Premier League champions.
They looked like they had extended their lead in the 19th minute when Ramires sent Falcao racing clear with a measured pass.
Etheridge was beaten by Falcao’s shot but got enough on it to slow it on its way in and James O’Connor scrambled back to make a superb clearance off the line.
But Walsall fought the tide and showed they weren’t prepared to just be brushed to one side.
And they came close to levelling in the 27th minute when former Chelsea forward Milan Lolkovic left Branislav Ivanovic trailing and homed in on goal.
He hit the side netting with an angled shot but two minutes later they threatened again when Asmir Begovic was forced to pluck a Jason Demetriou cross off the head of Sam Mantom.
But it was only a temporary respite and Ramires was again in the thick of things as the visitors extended their lead four minutes before half-time.
He set up Loic Remy with another deadly pass and the French ace thumped the ball into the roof of the net.
But just as it looked as if things were careering away from them, Walsall hit back right on the stroke of half-time when O’Connor cashed in from a free-kick.
Lalkovic thumped the ball goalwards and when Begovic could only parry it away at full stretch, O’Connor was waiting to clip the ball back across goal and into the far corner of the net.
That must have made the home dressing room a lot brighter at the interval but their jubilation was short-lived.
Kenedy scored a third in the 52nd minute with a well-drilled shot through the legs of Etheridge after being sent away by Ruben Loftus-Cheek.
And sub Pedro completed a comfortable night for Mourinho when he brilliantly carved his way through to the edge of the penalty area before netting a low shot in added time.

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