Chelsea Fc Thread

[Seapok]

Deschamps admits Blues interest

Didier Deschamps has admitted he would be interested in taking charge at Chelsea.

The Frenchman spent a season playing for Chelsea and was linked with the manager's job at Stamford Bridge before Jose Mourinho was appointed in 2004.

He was installed as one of the favourites to succeed Mourinho following his shock departure on Thursday, but Chelsea moved quickly to name Avram Grant as manager.

Deschamps, currently out of work, is unsure how long Grant will be at the helm and has declared that he would consider an offer from the club.

"If you find a manager who would not be interested in Chelsea, then show me who it is," Deschamps told radio station RMC Info.

"I am free, on the market, but as Avram Grant has been named, the question is not topical.

"I do not know whether he is there as a stand-in or not. We'll have to see in the future."

Deschamps insists he knows as little as everyone else about the details of Mourinho's exit, but feels there is so much pressure at big clubs that no manager can be guaranteed to stay in their job.

"I do not know the ins and outs of what has happened," he said.

"I know there has been a relationship problem between Mourinho and his directors and owner that did not date from Wednesday.

"And surely the results being a little less good recently have accentuated these differences.

"Chelsea are a team who are there to win trophies. These are the demands of top-level football."

[Suszzy]

you know what?

i'm so nervous about the match on sunday!!

lost confidence? well...yes!

but i think it will be a good game..

especially at old trafford..who's know?

[chavy]

I think Deschamps would be a good move, not too sure about the appointment of the Israeli chap though.

[EastSaxCol]

Song for Avram Grant.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrs8CgpH980

I'm no Chelsea fan, but even I share the insult to real Chelsea supporters that I've heard expressed over that Kenyon stage-managed, showpiece.

Alistair Campbell is alive and well and working at Chelsea Football Club apparently.

[mrtoad]

Song for Avram Grant.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrs8CgpH980

I'm no Chelsea fan, but even I share the insult to real Chelsea supporters that I've heard expressed over that Kenyon stage-managed, showpiece.

Alistair Campbell is alive and well and working at Chelsea Football Club apparently.

Kenyon, is a devious and manipulative piece of shit and although some people were dissapointed when he left Manchester United, I think in honesty it was for the best. Considering his <deleted> UP with Ronaldhino in 2003 bloody good ridance.

People like him are the root of many of the problems in the game.

[Seapok]

Mourinho rules out job in England

Jose Mourinho wants to manage again in England - but his next coaching job will be in another European country.

The Portuguese left Chelsea by "mutual consent" on Thursday and he was quickly linked with a move to Tottenham.

"I will come back and manage here, but I don't want it as my next step - it must be another country, another experience, another football," he said.

"I'm 44 and I hope I will have many years in English football. I love English football."

The former Chelsea manager added that he was not interested in coaching the Portuguese national team.

"I don't want the Portuguese national team," said Mourinho.

"I want to make that very, very clear. I want Portugal to succeed, I want them to work calmly and I don't want Scolari to have to look behind him thinking I'm waiting.

"Not just the Portuguese national team, I don't want to work in Portuguese football."

Mourinho, who speaks Spanish and French, wants to learn another language as he waits to decide on the next club he will manage.

"I have to choose between Italian and German," he said.

Mourinho insisted that the atmosphere at his next club would be important factor for him.

"I just hope I'm surrounded by love so I can express my personality," said the Portuguese coach.

It is unclear whether Mourinho's decision not to initially manage another English team was influenced or determined by his separation package from Chelsea.

At the unveiling of former director of football Avram Grant as Chelsea's new manager, club chairman Buck would not confirm whether there was a clause in Mourinho's severance package preventing him from coaching another Premier League club this season.

"The specific terms of the contract are confidential," said Buck. "There is nothing (in it) which I, as a corporate lawyer, would view as particularly unusual in the context of an executive of a company moving on."

However, Mourinho did say he would like to return to England in the future, admitting: "I think sometime I will return to coach in England."

The Portuguese also urged his former players and fans to get behind the new regime at Stamford Bridge.

Scores of supporters protested outside the ground following his departure, while reports suggest several players are considering their futures at the Blues.

But he said: "I don't want players to threaten to leave because I have. I don't want the fans to chant my name. I don't want demonstrations of any sort."

He added that he was "happy" about his departure, saying: "In professional terms and in personal terms I'm fine.

"I'm happy to have left and I'm happy with what I achieved at Chelsea not only with the results but with the mark I made."

[Seapok]

Doubts raised over Grant's future

Avram Grant's long-term future as Jose Mourinho's successor at Chelsea could be in doubt because he lacks the required coaching licence.

Uefa and Premier League rules require anyone wishing to manage in the top flight to hold the Uefa pro licence.

But Chelsea have confirmed that Grant does not have one, and he now requires special dispensation to manage the club for more than 12 weeks.

The pro licence requires 240 hours of study and usually takes a year to gain.

In the past the Premier League has granted extensions beyond the 12-week period of grace in a couple of exceptional cases.

Glenn Roeder received an extension on health grounds while Gareth Southgate was deemed to have had restricted opportunities to gain a licence because of his international career.

Martin O'Neill was also granted an exemption after undergoing a five-day refresher course.

Grant has not held a manager's position for five years but won league titles when coaching in Israel.

[Seapok]

One word about the man......LEGEND!

Jose hails 'fantastic period'

Jose Mourinho has hailed his time in England as a 'fantastic period' in his career, and also confirmed that he mutually parted ways with Chelsea.

The 44-year-old parted company with Chelsea in the early hours of Thursday and has been succeeded by Avram Grant at Stamford Bridge.

Despite having several confrontations with English officials during his time at Chelsea, Mourinho took time out to praise the quality of the refereeing in the Premier League.

He also revealed that he thoroughly enjoyed his ongoing pantomime with the English press.

"One or another frustration with referees doesn't stop me saying (England has) very good referees, honest people. Some of them were calling today," he told Sky Sports News.

"The English press, if you understand their philosophy, it was very funny to play their game - salt and pepper every day.

"Other managers, great people, top people. Very supportive and very nice to me.

"In football terms, a fantastic period of my career. I want to be back but not the next step."

The Portuguese tactician also reiterated that he was 'not sacked' and believes 'mutual agreement' is the correct term for the eventual outcome.

"Roman (Abramovich), Peter (Kenyon), the top people at the club are happy, and I'm happy too," he added.

"It is right that we are both happy. I was not sacked and I didn't close the door

"If I wanted to close the door I would do it before - at the end of season.

"I gave my word to the supporters I would not go for another club.

"If Chelsea wanted to sack me they would do it at the end of the season and not at this moment.

"So mutual agreement I think is the correct English for what happened."

[mrtoad]

One word about the man......LEGEND!

Jose hails 'fantastic period'

Jose Mourinho has hailed his time in England as a 'fantastic period' in his career, and also confirmed that he mutually parted ways with Chelsea.

The 44-year-old parted company with Chelsea in the early hours of Thursday and has been succeeded by Avram Grant at Stamford Bridge.

Despite having several confrontations with English officials during his time at Chelsea, Mourinho took time out to praise the quality of the refereeing in the Premier League.

He also revealed that he thoroughly enjoyed his ongoing pantomime with the English press.

"One or another frustration with referees doesn't stop me saying (England has) very good referees, honest people. Some of them were calling today," he told Sky Sports News.

"The English press, if you understand their philosophy, it was very funny to play their game - salt and pepper every day.

"Other managers, great people, top people. Very supportive and very nice to me.

"In football terms, a fantastic period of my career. I want to be back but not the next step."

The Portuguese tactician also reiterated that he was 'not sacked' and believes 'mutual agreement' is the correct term for the eventual outcome.

"Roman (Abramovich), Peter (Kenyon), the top people at the club are happy, and I'm happy too," he added.

"It is right that we are both happy. I was not sacked and I didn't close the door

"If I wanted to close the door I would do it before - at the end of season.

"I gave my word to the supporters I would not go for another club.

"If Chelsea wanted to sack me they would do it at the end of the season and not at this moment.

"So mutual agreement I think is the correct English for what happened."

Even if he was sacked, which is likely he's obviously signed an NDA and an NCA, which means that if he breaks any of the terms in those then he will have to forefit his compensation. I don't think we will get the full story for sometime on this. I also agree, that he is a "legend", as his acheivements show.

[Suszzy]

hi..true blue..!!

are you ready for today match?

[lazeeboy]

chelsea will have a point to prove today ,life goes on after morinho ...........

[Seapok]

hi..true blue..!!

are you ready for today match?

I'm really looking forward to the game today, the players should wear black armbands and have a minute applause in the dressing room.

I can imagine if one of the players score they will reveal a Mourhino picture or slogan under their shirts, that would be worth a yellow card in the process.

I'm trying to be positive after Jose's departure but I'm still in shock and I must admit slightly depressed. I just hope the players get together and play well for each other,

if not just for themselves but for the fans and even the new geezer in charge.

I think it will be a close game, something along the lines of 1-1 or 2-1 to Chelsea.

Come on the BLUES!!

[Seapok]

Man Utd v Chelsea

Old Trafford

Sunday, 23 September

Kick-off: 1600 BST

Coverage on the BBC Sport website, BBC Radio Five Live & highlights on MotD2.

Sir Alex Ferguson is set to stick with the same squad which carved out a midweek Champions League win in Lisbon.

Gary Neville and Owen Hargreaves are inching towards full fitness but neither will play and Carlos Tevez and Nani are vying for a place in attack.

Chelsea manager Avram Grant will start his first match in charge with Andriy Shevchenko in attack as Didier Drogba and Claudio Pizarro are both injured.

Frank Lampard and Ricardo Carvalho remain sidelined with thigh injuries.

Manchester United (from): Van der Sar, Kuszczak, Heaton, Brown, Vidic, Ferdinand, Pique, Evans, Evra, Ronaldo, Scholes, Carrick, Anderson, Nani, Gibson, Eagles, Martin, Giggs, Rooney, Tevez, Saha, Dong.

Chelsea (from): Cech, Cudicini, Hilario, Ferreira, Terry, Alex, Ben Haim, Obi, A Cole, Belletti, J Cole, Essien, Shevchenko, Kalou, Malouda, Wright-Phillips, Obi, Sidwell, Sawyer, Hutchinson.

BIG-MATCH FACTS

The second of this season's clashes between the so-called "Big Four" clubs; Manchester United's first and Chelsea's second, after drawing 1-1 away to Liverpool on 19 August.

United are pursuing a fifth straight win in all competitions and fourth on the spin in the Premier League, however they've not scored more than a single goal in any game this season.

Chelsea begin the post-Mourinho era, in search of their second win in six league and cup outings, and first goal in three Premier League matches.

Victory in Avram Grant's first match in charge, would also be Chelsea's 1,500th league win in their history.

Sir Alex Ferguson had only registered one win in six Premier League meetings with Jose Mourinho; the 1-0 victory at Old Trafford on 6 November 2005 in which Darren Fletcher scored, famously ending Chelsea's 40-match unbeaten League run.

CLUB FORM

MANCHESTER UNITED

(all statistics are ahead of this weekend's round of Premier League fixtures)

1. Won the last four in all competitions, all by 1-0 margins, home to Spurs and Sunderland and away to Everton in the Premier League, and away to Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League.

2. Not won four consecutive league games in 13 outings, since registering seven in a row on 31 March.

3. Only Reading have scored fewer Premier League goals (three).

4. Their league matches have yielded just a goal a game on average - the lowest such ratio by any club in the Premier League; six games, six goals - four for, two against.

5. On the longest current run in the Premier League of nine matches since scoring more than one goal in a game; the most recent being the 2-4 victory, away to Everton on 28 April.

6. Netted more than a single goal in only one of the last 11 league fixtures.

7. Let in more than a single goal in only one of the last 12 league fixtures.

8. On the longest current run in the Premier League of 46 matches since losing by more than a single goal; the 3-0 reverse by Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on 29 April 2006.

9. Conceded just three goals in nine league games and none in the last three or 329 minutes (five hours 29 minutes) of Premier League football, since Geovanni's winner for Manchester City in the derby clash at Eastlands on 19 August.

CHELSEA

(all statistics are ahead of this weekend's round of Premier League fixtures)

1. Drawn the last two; 0-0, home to Blackburn in the Premier League, and 1-1, home to Rosenborg in the Champions League.

2. Won one of the last four Premier League matches; 1-0 home to Portsmouth.

3. Fallen behind in four of their six Premier League matches.

4. Gained an unparalleled seven points from matches in which they were losing (won two, drawn one).

5. Not scored in two Premier League games, or 239 minutes (three hours 59 minutes) since Frank Lampard's winner, home to Portsmouth on 25 August.

6. They only lost 10 of 120 Premier League matches under Jose Mourinho.

7. Lost one of 10 away league games; 2-0 at Aston Villa in their most recent league game on the road on 2 September.

8. The next Premier League fixture will be the local derby, home to Fulham, next Saturday.

KEY PLAYER NOTES

MANCHESTER UNITED

Paul SCHOLES, Louis SAHA, NANI and Nemanja VIDIC are the only players to have scored for Manchester United in this Premier League season - one goal each.

RONALDO and Ryan GIGGS are their only other scorers - just one each also.

GIGGS is a double short of 100 career League goals.

If he plays:-

Wayne ROONEY will be making his 150th appearance in a Manchester United shirt.

Louis SAHA will be making his 200th English league appearance (Newcastle, Fulham and Manchester United).

If on the field from the outset:-

John O'SHEA will be making his 200th start for Manchester United.

Chris EAGLES will be making his 50th English league start (Manchester United, Watford and Sheffield Wednesday).

Gary NEVILLE will be making his 350th Premier League start - all for the Red Devils.

CHELSEA

Frank LAMPARD is Chelsea's leading scorer with three goals - all in the Premier League.

If he plays:-

ASHLEY COLE will be making his 200th career league appearance (Arsenal, Crystal Palace and Chelsea).

John Mikel OBI will be making his 50th appearance in a Chelsea shirt.

Michael BALLACK will be playing three days before his 31st birthday.

HEAD TO HEAD

Manchester United and Chelsea met 10 times in all competitions when Jose Mourinho was in charge at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea won five; Manchester United won one in normal time, and also won this season's Community Shield on penalties after a 1-1 draw at Wembley.

Chelsea's only win in five Premier League matches at the Theatre of Dreams was 1-3 on 10 May 2005 when Tiago, Eidur Gudjohnsen and Joe Cole got on the score sheet.

Home and away

League (inc PL): Man United 54 wins, Chelsea 36, Draws 40

Prem: Man United 8 wins, Chelsea 9, Draws 13

at Man United only

League (inc PL): Man United 25 wins, Chelsea 17, Draws 23

Prem: Man United 4 wins, Chelsea 4, Draws 7

LAST SEASON'S CORRESPONDING GAME

Manchester United 1-1 Chelsea

26 November 2006 - Ref: Howard Webb

Man United scorer: Saha 29

Chelsea scorer: Carvalho 69

REFEREE

Mike Dean (Wirral)

[Seapok]

That was NEVER a pen, if anyone says it was they weren't watching the same game!!!

Man Utd 2-0 Chelsea

Manchester United added to Chelsea woes by beating their rivals in Avram Grant's first game in charge of the Blues after Jose Mourinho's exit.

Chelsea put in a resolute showing but had Mikel Jon Obi harshly sent off for a rash tackle on Patrice Evra.

United then went ahead after first-half injury-time had elapsed with a near-post Carlos Tevez header.

Chelsea stubbornly kept the deficit to one goal until Louis Saha's spot-kick after a foul on him by Tal Ben Haim.

The Chelsea players had been firmly under the microscope at the start of the game after Mourinho's exit and came away with their pride intact after a battling display.

They traded high-fives and hugs in a show of unity as they gathered together just before kick-off.

If there was any fragility about the Blues' resolve, a professional United quickly tried to expose it as they took a stranglehold of the game.

United striker Wayne Rooney cut inside Ben Haim on the edge of the box and curled a shot on the visitors goal which keeper Petr Cech finger-tipped wide at full-stretch.

Chelsea heeded the warning and duly got into their stride, producing some promising periods of play - only to squander their good work with poor decisions and a lack of a cutting edge in the final third.

The home side were denied a penalty when a sliding Joe Cole appeared to make contact with Evra ahead of getting a touch on the ball, before Giggs then wasted a gilt-edged chance.

Michael Essien gave the ball away to Rooney and he crossed for Giggs, who side-footed a volley high from a tight angle at the far post.

Referee Mike Dean sends off Mikel to reduce Chelsea to 10 men

Chelsea suffered a setback when Mikel was sent off when he led with his studs as he chased down the ball and their resistance finally buckled on the stroke of half-time.

Giggs curled an outswinging cross to the near post with the outside of his left foot and Tevez got his head to the ball before Cech to head in his first goal for the club.

Chelsea will be unhappy referee Mike Dean did not blow for half-time before the goal as the allotted two minutes of added time had already elapsed.

United pressed for a second after the break and Giggs blazed a volley high but the home side struggled to create chances as a determined Chelsea held them at arm's length.

Joe Cole was fortunate to stay on the pitch for a lunge at Cristiano Ronaldo as Chelsea hoped to snatch an equaliser.

But the visitors' hopes were ended when Saha stroked in a penalty to move United up to second and leave the visitors five points adrift of top place in the Premier League.

Man Utd: Van der Sar, Brown, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, Ronaldo, Scholes, Carrick, Giggs, Tevez (Saha 79), Rooney.

Subs Not Used: Kuszczak, Nani, Pique, O'Shea.

Booked: Rooney, Brown.

Goals: Tevez 45, Saha 90 pen.

Chelsea: Cech, Ferreira, Ben-Haim, Terry, Ashley Cole, Makelele, Essien, Obi, Joe Cole (Pizarro 76), Shevchenko (Kalou 59), Malouda (Wright-Phillips 69).

Subs Not Used: Cudicini, Alex.

Sent Off: Obi (32).

Booked: Joe Cole, Terry.

Att: 75,663

Ref: Mike Dean (Wirral).

[Seapok]

(b)Grant encouraged despite defeat[/b]

New Chelsea boss Avram Grant revealed he has been delighted with his players' attitude, despite his first game ending in defeat at Manchester United.

Chelsea's preparations for the trip to Old Trafford had been dogged by rumours of a players' revolt following the midweek departure of Jose Mourinho.

But Grant said: "With everything that has happened, I'm happy with the way they have behaved.

"It was a shock to everyone, including me, but they have responded well."

Carlos Tevez headed United in front deep into first-half stoppage time and the dismissal of Mikel Jon Obi in the 32nd minute was a significant turning point.

"We were playing well until Mikel was sent off and the game changed then," added Grant.

I saw in the game and at the hotel, the players are more than OK and are trying to do their best on and off the pitch

"It seemed the wrong decision and it was also wrong that United scored in the third minute of injury time when the referee said there would only be two."

The game was over for Chelsea when Louis Saha scored from the spot after he had tumbled under an innocuous challenge from Tal Ben Haim.

But the Blues' obvious frustration could be seen as a sign of their desire to respond to their current situation and Grant was impressed by his side's attitude.

"I have been happy with the support of the players," he insisted. "I have only been with them for three days and as a manager I am happy.

"I saw in the game and at the hotel, the players are more than OK and are trying to do their best on and off the pitch.

"The only thing we can do is to work hard to put the team in the place they deserve to be. Chelsea have a good team but it is easy to say."

United assistant Carlos Queiroz conceded the dismissal of Mikel turned the game but felt his side were worthy winners.

"It was a great result but it felt like two games - one before the red card and one after - but before then I felt we played probably our best football of the season," he said.

"We deserved to be leading when the red card came and Chelsea then became more compact and invited us to attack and make a mistake.

"But we were patient and clever and never got frustrated as we knew we had the three points in our pocket."

[farangconnection]

It's a shame that what was potentionally going to be a great game of football is ruined by the ref. I guess all the refs had a meeting before the season to deny Chelsea any possibility of winning the premiership. Look at the facts. Definate penalty against Villa in the first five minutes, which Chelsea went on to lose. Perfectly good goal disallowed against Blackburn. And yesterdays fiasco. OK United deserved to win over the game, but no-one knows what would have happened if Mikel had stayed on.

OH, sorry I forgot. Against Liverpool we got a penalty that never was. But of course the ref was demoted after for going against orders.

Wonder if yesterdays ref has still got a job tomorrow. Of course he has. He orchestrated the result in favour of United at Old Trafford. No-one gets sacked for that. Sour grapes........................??? of course it's sour grapes.

[Plus]

Chelsea battled till the very end. That's important.

However they had absolutely no plans how to score. "If you get the ball - pass it to Shevchenko, otherwise - run forward."

Shevchenko is clearly Roman's favourite, but I doubt anyone can build an English team around this personality cult. Even the best goalscorers need to work their socks off in English football.

It's easy to reduce the game to "was there a red card and when was the first goal scored", but the fact was (as I saw it), all through the game Chelsea were like headless chickens bravely piling up bodies in front of the goal.

[MiG16]

saw bits and pieces of the first half only.

hmmmm

[mrtoad]

It's a shame that what was potentionally going to be a great game of football is ruined by the ref. I guess all the refs had a meeting before the season to deny Chelsea any possibility of winning the premiership. Look at the facts. Definate penalty against Villa in the first five minutes, which Chelsea went on to lose. Perfectly good goal disallowed against Blackburn. And yesterdays fiasco. OK United deserved to win over the game, but no-one knows what would have happened if Mikel had stayed on.

OH, sorry I forgot. Against Liverpool we got a penalty that never was. But of course the ref was demoted after for going against orders.

Wonder if yesterdays ref has still got a job tomorrow. Of course he has. He orchestrated the result in favour of United at Old Trafford. No-one gets sacked for that. Sour grapes........................??? of course it's sour grapes.

Well, I'm a United fan, and the ref was bloody useless. He got plenty of decisions wrong. I really thought that Mikel was unlucky to get sent of, his foot was up, but it was more in that he was stretching to get the ball that he had miscontrolled and unfortunatley caught Evra. The tackle by Joe Cole on Ronaldo was far worse and should have been a red as there was clear intent.

As regards the penalty, United had a far clearer penalty denied in the firts half when Tevez was chopped down by Ben Haim, the second Penalty was a joke, very little contact. Furthermore, Dean was just dishing out stupid Yellow cards throughout, and he would have been better off dealing with Ashley Cole, whose behaviour I thought was pretty disgraceful throughout.

This ref has given out 14 reds in 20 games, which suggests he is either not applying much common sense to the game or the games are dirty. Last nights was certainly not a dirty game, and I agree the ref spolied it.

Fair play to Chelsea for battling away, but without Drogba there looks to be little out let up front and a part from a few nice touches Shevchencko was pretty anonymous, tending to be drifting out wide for most of the match. For the amount of money spent at Chelsea you would expect a more polished performance regardless of the weeks events, in the end they spent most of the match chasing shadows.

I still think at the end of the season Chelsea, Man Utd, Arsenal and Liverpool will be pretty close.

[lazeeboy]

It's a shame that what was potentionally going to be a great game of football is ruined by the ref. I guess all the refs had a meeting before the season to deny Chelsea any possibility of winning the premiership. Look at the facts. Definate penalty against Villa in the first five minutes, which Chelsea went on to lose. Perfectly good goal disallowed against Blackburn. And yesterdays fiasco. OK United deserved to win over the game, but no-one knows what would have happened if Mikel had stayed on.

OH, sorry I forgot. Against Liverpool we got a penalty that never was. But of course the ref was demoted after for going against orders.

Wonder if yesterdays ref has still got a job tomorrow. Of course he has. He orchestrated the result in favour of United at Old Trafford. No-one gets sacked for that. Sour grapes........................??? of course it's sour grapes.

Well, I'm a United fan, and the ref was bloody useless. He got plenty of decisions wrong. I really thought that Mikel was unlucky to get sent of, his foot was up, but it was more in that he was stretching to get the ball that he had miscontrolled and unfortunatley caught Evra. The tackle by Joe Cole on Ronaldo was far worse and should have been a red as there was clear intent.

As regards the penalty, United had a far clearer penalty denied in the firts half when Tevez was chopped down by Ben Haim, the second Penalty was a joke, very little contact. Furthermore, Dean was just dishing out stupid Yellow cards throughout, and he would have been better off dealing with Ashley Cole, whose behaviour I thought was pretty disgraceful throughout.

This ref has given out 14 reds in 20 games, which suggests he is either not applying much common sense to the game or the games are dirty. Last nights was certainly not a dirty game, and I agree the ref spolied it.

Fair play to Chelsea for battling away, but without Drogba there looks to be little out let up front and a part from a few nice touches Shevchencko was pretty anonymous, tending to be drifting out wide for most of the match. For the amount of money spent at Chelsea you would expect a more polished performance regardless of the weeks events, in the end they spent most of the match chasing shadows.

I still think at the end of the season Chelsea, Man Utd, Arsenal and Liverpool will be pretty close.

the referee was a disgrace ,even fergy didnt look happy even though he won .

[mrbojangles]

Did you see the cheek of Ferguson at half time. 3 hours into stoppage time and united score. Straight after the goal, Fergie was shaking his head at the ref that time was up for half time. The ref saw him and promptly blew up

[mrtoad]

Did you see the cheek of Ferguson at half time. 3 hours into stoppage time and united score. Straight after the goal, Fergie was shaking his head at the ref that time was up for half time. The ref saw him and promptly blew up

A classic Fergie time keeping moment

[Sunderland]

Did you see the cheek of Ferguson at half time. 3 hours into stoppage time and united score. Straight after the goal, Fergie was shaking his head at the ref that time was up for half time. The ref saw him and promptly blew up

A classic Fergie time keeping moment

Fergie expected at least another 5 mins to be added on.

As for Saha's gymnastics ... I think 7.5 is fair. Wasn't impressed with the landing.

[farangconnection]

Fergie expected at least another 5 mins to be added on.

geroff....................all refs are instructed to add on time till united score, then blow. How many times have we seen that happen?

[Seapok]

Fergie expected at least another 5 mins to be added on.

geroff....................all refs are instructed to add on time till united score, then blow. How many times have we seen that happen?

I don't want to go on but this has been a terrible 5 days!, apart from losing yesterday to Man Utd and the Ref I thought we played quite well,

although I can't believe how a team of Chelsea's capabilities can be so poor up front. The team looked strong at the start, nice bit of bonding going on.

Then up steps the w*anker in the black to spoil things. I reckon in about 3 weeks time we will be back in the swing of things, I just hope that its

not too late by then!

[redrus]

Song for Avram Grant.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrs8CgpH980

I'm no Chelsea fan, but even I share the insult to real Chelsea supporters that I've heard expressed over that Kenyon stage-managed, showpiece.

Alistair Campbell is alive and well and working at Chelsea Football Club apparently.

Kenyon, is a devious and manipulative piece of shit and although some people were dissapointed when he left Manchester United, I think in honesty it was for the best. Considering his <deleted> UP with Ronaldhino in 2003 bloody good ridance.

People like him are the root of many of the problems in the game.

That was no <deleted> up mate, he didn't want Ronaldinho coming to United, as he (Kenyon) already knew he was going to Chelsea and the deal would've done him no favours at all . I guess the idea was then to take him to Chelsea but that back fired.

Ronaldinho was all ready for the United move but, was totally miffed by the goings on and quadruple word score <deleted> coming from United, all part of Kenyon's plan I'm afraid.

redrus

[Jockstar]

Defiant Mourinho - 'I think I'm still special'

Jose Mourinho insists he is still the 'Special One' despite having left Chelsea.

The Portuguese, who departed Stamford Bridge by mutual agreement last week, made his now famous proclamation upon his arrival in England and believes he proved himself to be just that during his three-year stay.

The Blues enjoyed the most successful period in their history under Mourinho's stewardship, the former Porto manager leading them to their first league title in 50 years in his first season in charge before repeating the feat the following campaign.

'I took a chance in saying that I was special, but I think there are now a lot of people who would sign up to that,' Mourinho told Portuguese newspaper Maisfutebol.

'I think I'm still special. I achieved good things and it was a fantastic period in my career. I'll try to forget the bad things and remember the good ones, which are endless.'

Mourinho, who has been replaced by Avram Grant, admits the past week has proven an emotional experience but insists he will always remember his relationship with the club's players and supporters.

'Yes, I cried,' he said. 'I tend to say that I have a family at home and another at work. I've always had a relationship of love with the players and fans. I won't forget them and they won't forget me.'

During Mourinho's reign Chelsea were never beaten on home soil in any of their 42 home league matches and Blues' fans chanted their former manager's name during their defeat to Manchester United on Sunday.

Mourinho said: 'The fans never left Stamford Bridge crying, because we never lost. We beat the record and the day they lose a match at home they will remember they were three years without losing a single league game there.

'Here (England), the culture is not one of change. Sir Alex Ferguson was at Manchester United a lot of years without winning titles, I think it was three years in a row, and he continues in his job. (Arsene) Wenger's already in his third year without winning titles and continues in his work.

'If it were for the fans I'd have a contract for 20 years. Here the culture is different. People like me and there is an excellent relationship.'

[EastSaxCol]

It's unapologetically long. The original source I don't know. Make of it what you will.

Tears, hugs and two icy handshakes'

Jose Mourinho's reign at Chelsea ended emotionally, with warm dressing-room embraces for 23 of his players - and a cold handshake for Andriy Shevchenko and skipper John Terry. His departure, though, was a long time coming.

Duncan Castles reports

Tuesday, 10pm, home dressing room, Stamford Bridge. Andriy Shevchenko is taking Michael Essien to task on his performance in the night's embarrassing 1-1 draw with Rosenborg. The former European footballer of the year tells Africa's finest midfielder that he tried to make too many passes through the centre of the Norwegians' formation where '70 percent of their players were'. Essien learns he should have been passing to the wings 'where they only had 30 percent of their men'.

Not the most insightful of tactical advice, but then these are not the thoughts of a Ukraine international, they are those of a Russian billionaire. Standing beside Shevchenko, tactics board in hand, Roman Abramovich is the man telling Essien how to play football. Shevchenko is merely there to translate. In another room, attending to the press, Mourinho is utterly unaware of his employer's actions.

Tuesday, 7:11pm, the home dressing room. Chelsea's squad of 18 are called out for their pre-match warm up. All the players step out for the carefully prepared drill - except one. John Terry remains sitting where he is. One of Jose Mourinho's assistants urges Terry out. Chelsea's captain refuses, swears, and, according to an eye witness, says he is upset and has 'things on my mind'. Terry is said to be furious after finding out that Mourinho had been asking in Chelsea's treatment room whether there was a medical reason for his perceived loss of form over recent weeks. The stand-off continues until a team-mate cajoles his friend out on to the pitch.

The game starts, Chelsea quickly lose a goal at a free kick as Miika Koppinen stretches ahead of Terry to turn in a near-post cross. Chelsea go in at half time 1-0 down and Jose Mourinho takes his captain to task, blaming the defender for the deficit. Terry says nothing but all his team-mates can see the anger on his face.

The pair had once been the closest of footballing allies, but within 24 hours Mourinho is no longer Terry's manager as Chelsea agree to a £10.5 million pay-off to rid themselves of a man they describe as 'the most successful manager the club has known'.

'The relationship broke down not because of one detail or because of something that happened at a certain moment. It broke down over a period of time.' - Jose Mourinho, 21 September 2007.

To understand how the winner of two Premier League titles, two League Cups and one FA Cup, a man who averaged an unprecedented 2.33 points from his 120 Premiership games in just over three seasons, steadily became persona non grata at the club he made great, it is necessary to return to the summer of 2005.

'In Jose's first season everything was fine,' said a Chelsea employee who suffered the Abramovich guillotine long before the Portuguese. 'He came in, he won the title by miles, almost made the Champions League final, everyone was happy. But then it all began to go wrong. Peter Kenyon started thinking it was his genius as a chief executive that was important. Abramovich's mates were telling him his money had done it and any half-decent coach would win the league with those resources. They forgot that the most important man at any club is the manager.'

That summer, Chelsea poached Tottenham Hotspur's sporting director Frank Arnesen at a cost of £5m. Ostensibly recruited to revolutionise the club's sub-standard youth ranks, the Dane was actually brought in on the recommendation of Piet de Visser, a well-known Dutch talent scout who had advised Abramovich on football matters from his first months as Chelsea owner.

Arnesen and De Visser, friends and allies from their time together at Dutch club PSV Eindhoven, steadily worked to influence Abramovich's thinking on the first team, and, most importantly, player recruitment. Along with the agents Soren Lerby, Vlado Lemeic and Pini Zahavi they sought to steer Abramovich towards the purchase of certain footballers. Their objective, according to one source, was 'to get to Abramovich's money. To do that they needed power at the club, needed a manager who would do what they wanted.

Mourinho was not that manager.'

Thus emerged a power struggle in which Arnesen and others seemed to undermine Mourinho by questioning him at every opportunity. When Mourinho went to war with Uefa over the actions of referees they told Abramovich his coach was embarrassing the club. When Mourinho's team dourly won key matches by a goal to nil, they told the owner a better coach would win by more goals and bring him far more flamboyant football. When a Mourinho signing failed to perform on the pitch, they told Abramovich that better players could be found elsewhere.

Within a year, and despite Mourinho's success in claiming a second successive Premiership, the manager had lost control of transfers. In the

2006 summer window, Mourinho asked the board to buy Samuel Eto'o; they spent a UK record £30m on Shevchenko. Chelsea sold William Gallas to Arsenal against Mourinho's wishes, and forced the £7m Khalid Boulahrouz upon him, while Arnesen compounded the error of allowing Chelsea's most effective defender to leave the club by pulling the plug on the £5m purchase of Micah Richards. Inside a season Richards was a full England international, while Boulahrouz was stinking out the reserves until Chelsea paid Sevilla to take him off their hands.

At least Mourinho could easily leave the Dutch defender out of the first team. A personal friend of Abramovich's, Shevchenko played regardless of his performances, and those were usually awful. In his first 26 appearances for Chelsea, the Ukrainian striker scored five goals. His coaches and team-mates often felt as though Chelsea were playing with 10 men and Mourinho was faced with a problem - should he leave out the owner's pal or lose the faith of the rest of the team?

As January approached, Mourinho asked to be allowed to sign a new striker.

The board refused. Mourinho asked for a centre-back to cover for Terry, then sidelined with a serious back problem. The board offered him a choice between Alex, a Brazilian bought via De Visser and 'parked' at PSV for two seasons, and Tal Ben Haim, a Zahavi client. Mourinho wanted neither.

Worse still, Chelsea's manager was instructed to sack one of his assistants and add the Israeli Avram Grant to his coaching staff. When he refused, the club descended into open warfare.

Mourinho dropped Shevchenko from his first team, leaking the story to a national newspaper in an open challenge to Abramovich to sack him. On an emotional afternoon at Stamford Bridge the manager first rallied his team around him, then sent them out to overrun Wigan 4-0. Long before kick-off the Chelsea supporters were chanting 'Stand up for the Special One' through standing ovation after standing ovation.

An infuriated Abramovich ceased attending games and instructed his advisors to find a replacement coach. Mourinho let it be known that he would leave, but only on payment of the outstanding value of his contract - about £28m comprising £5.2m per annum for three-and-a-half years and up to £10m in bonuses. In the meantime he kept winning matches, pushing his injury-hit squad to within a few games of a remarkable quadruple.

Ultimately Chelsea won the League Cup and the FA Cup, forcing Abramovich to reconcile with his manager. A consciously 'mellow' Mourinho promised to avoid conflict with opposing managers and football authorities, accepted restrictions on his transfer budget, and reshaped his team in a more flamboyant 4-4-2 formation. Fatefully, he also acceded to the appointment of Grant as Chelsea's director of football.

Though some in Mourinho's camp had Grant pinned as a 'Mossad Spy' from the off, the manager attempted to work with him, holding long meetings with him during the club's staggeringly positive pre-season US tour and letting it be known that he welcomed his arrival as a buffer against Arnesen and route to Abramovich. The early-season optimism, however, swiftly evaporated.

Grant began calling individual players aside to ask them questions.

'You look sad, why?' 'How do you feel in this position?' 'Is this the best place for you to play?' 'Are we using your abilities well?' Because many of them complained about this to Mourinho, the manager decided to cut back radically on team meetings, the only one this season having been arranged for the Jewish New Year when Grant had returned to Israel.

While Grant looked on at training, Shevchenko treated it with disdain. A morose, lonely figure around the camp, he seemed to show more interest in improving his golf swing than his shooting. As the first team prepared for their final pre-season friendly against Danish side Brondby, Shevchenko declared himself unfit with a back problem. A 2-0 victory ensured the £121,000-a-week striker was not missed, but Mourinho was bemused to discover that Shevchenko's bad back had not prevented him from enjoying a round of golf at Sunningdale that day.

The board, though, were not interested and the club's descent continued.

Other players began to realise what was happening, that the summer's peace was a false one, that their manager had no support from the top. 'The mentality became weaker and weaker,' said one insider. 'You could feel the team's strength sapping away.'

Mourinho knew his time at Chelsea was coming to an end. At Uefa's forum for elite coaches in Geneva a fortnight ago he allowed Premier League rivals an insight into his thinking. 'Mourinho said he loved Chelsea and he loved English football, but thought he would not stay for long,' said one coach.

'One of us asked him why. He wouldn't answer, but it was obvious something was seriously wrong.'

His next Champions League match brought the end. On Wednesday afternoon the board asked Mourinho to resign, citing his handling of Shevchenko, his attitude to authority and, crucially, his relationship with Terry as reasons why he should go. Mourinho refused to walk, and fought only to maximise his pay-off as Chelsea apparently threatened to call club employees to testify against him at any employment tribunal.

A £10.5m pay-off was agreed and the following morning Mourinho made a final trip to the training centre at Cobham to pick up his possessions and say goodbye to his squad. There was a message in each farewell. For most there was a Latin embrace and warm words of thanks. For Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard the emotions were so strong that both men were reduced to tears, Lampard retreating to the shower room in an attempt to hide his. For Shevchenko and Terry there was nothing but a handshake that, in the words of one observer, could have 'frozen a mug of tea'. No one was in any doubt about who he considered the true captains of his team.

Out with the old, in with the new. Furious at Mourinho's dismissal, senior players describe Grant's appointment as 'a disgrace'. Some at Cobham call him 'an idiot' and describe his coaching techniques as '25 years behind the times'. Abramovich pushes the Israeli around 'without a hint of respect'.

Former academy coach Brendan Rogers has been drafted in to help out with the first team, a promotion that may not be unconnected to the one-on-one training sessions he gave Abramovich's son. Only in Steve Clarke is there the level of football knowledge to deal with a squad full of international superstars. As the sole survivor of Mourinho's cadre of four assistant managers, the Scotsman has an unenviable task.

But then neither he nor Grant will be picking the team. As Michael Essien discovered on Tuesday night, the new manager of Chelsea is also the owner."

[Seapok]

Chelsea needed a change - Grant

New manager Avram Grant insists Chelsea needed to change their approach after a stuttering start to the new campaign.

"We haven't played well this season and the time has come in the last month for a change," said the 52-year-old, who succeeded Jose Mourinho last week.

"We played one game against Birmingham which was fantastic and 20 minutes against Reading.

"There are many things we can improve on and we want to give the supporters a style of football."

Grant, formerly Chelsea's director of football, accepts that his biggest challenge is to get the side hitting the net again.

"I think scoring goals is the main problem," he said.

"Things have not gone well in the last two months and we have only scored two goals in five games. But I know the problems. The players have the quality but we haven't shown it so far."

Grant, who takes his side to face Hull City in the Carling Cup on Wednesday, added: "The team has had periods for two to three years when Chelsea have played good, but maybe the time has come to change the base a little bit, maybe 20 to 25 per cent."

The former Israel coach, who has taken the manager's job without a contract and does not have the mandatory Uefa pro licence, admits that he won't have long to get things right at Stamford Bridge.

"I know that I don't have long term credit," he said. "Everyone knows in football that even the term permanent is temporary and I just have to do my job."

Mourinho's back-up team all left the club along with the Portuguese coach when he left by mutual consent last Wednesday.

The speed of events has left Grant working alongside Mourinho's assistant Steve Clarke but he confirmed plans were in place to install his own team.

Grant said: "Everything happened so quickly but we are looking for staff that will be good for Chelsea.

"We are still looking but I think in two or three weeks, you will see the arrival of the new staff.

"The previous staff did a good job here but they decided to go with Jose. I understand them. I want to do it as quickly as possible but we want quality and will take our time.

"We are looking in England and abroad. We need a fitness and a goalkeeping coach. We are using people from the academy at the moment and they are doing a good job."

Grant also insists he has the backing of the squad, despite their 2-0 defeat to Manchester United in his first match in charge on Sunday.

He said: "I have spoken with most of them. I want feedback from them on the pitch and when they speak with me.

"They speak with me very well. The injured players are trying to get back sooner than expected..

"I can only judge the players by their actions or the way they speak to me. the way they speak to me was on the pitch on sunday and in training. But Chelsea can be proud of these players they are very professional, have a good attitude and I don't see too many problems."

"When you have 25 players in the squad, sometimes it happens one or two aren't happy, so far I've not seen it and I'm very positive person.

"I expect some will be some happy and some will not but I know it can never be 100% happiness."

[Seapok]

Hull v Chelsea

Avram Grant will be searching for his first win as Chelsea manager when his side begin their defence of the Carling Cup against Hull, live on Sky Sports 2.

The Blues made a disappointing start to life without Jose Mourinho as they suffered a 2-0 defeat to Manchester United on Sunday.

They have scored just one goal in their last four games and will be looking to boost confidence with a smooth progression to the next round.

Mourinho rested key players on occasion in the Carling Cup last season but did not rotate his squad as much as some of his rival managers, and fielded a full-strength team as Chelsea came from behind to beat Arsenal 2-1 at The Millennium Stadium in February.

Grant is also likely to select a strong side to take on Hull, although he will be without the injured Frank Lampard (thigh) and Didier Drogba (knee).

Ricardo Carvalho (back) is not yet ready to return, while Michael Ballack and Wayne Bridge are both still sidelined with ankle injuries.

John Obi Mikel is also suspended after the Football Association rejected his appeal against the red card he received against Manchester United.

John Terry and Petr Cech could be rested, but senior players such as Ashley Cole and Michael Essien are expected to feature, while Andrei Shevchenko is likely to partner Claudio Pizarro up front.

Hull are languishing in the bottom half of the Championship after an inconsistent start to the season, and come into the game on the back of a 1-0 loss to Sheffield Wednesday.

The Tigers booked a meeting with Chelsea by surprising Wigan in the last round and will now be hoping to take the scalp of a second Premier League club.

Henrik Pedersen could make his first start for Hull at the expense of Michael Bridges.

But Dean Windass (calf) may not be risked and Caleb Folan is cup-tied after recently signing from Wigan.