FINAL WHISTLE VERDICT: GOOD RESPONSE

Posted on: Sat 19 Oct 2013

 

A spirited second-half display saw Chelsea come from behind to beat Cardiff City 4-1, making it three successive wins, and lifting us above Liverpool and into second place in the Premier League table.
The Blues had fallen behind inside nine minutes when Jordon Mutch capitalised on a mix-up at the back to give the visitors the lead, but we were back on level terms just after the half-hour mark when Eden Hazard equalised after Samuel Eto'o had won the ball from goalkeeper David Marshall.
Eto'o gave us the lead with his first goal for the club in the 65^th minute, finishing in trademark style following a clever Hazard pass, and Oscar made it 3-1 with a wonderful strike which flew in off the underside of the bar 13 minutes from time.
There was still time for Hazard to add a fourth, doubling his personal tally late on, ensuring we head into Tuesday's crucial Champions League encounter with Schalke in fine form.
Jose Mourinho, as he did at Norwich, turned the game in our favour with his substitutions, replacing Juan Mata with Oscar and Ryan Bertrand with Fernando Torres, but the Blues boss was forced to watch much of the second half from the stands after leaving his technical area to complain to the referee about how time wasting was being judged.
The post-match media duties were handed to Steve Holland, with the assistant first team coach explaining the reasons behind Mourinho's frustration, before reflecting on the game's key incidents.
'Jose is very frustrated and it stems from the time wasting by the opposition from the first two or three minutes of the game,' said Holland. 'We mentioned it to the fourth official on countless occasions in a very professional manner. Where he assured us he had contact with the referee and that he was aware of the clear time wasting, he didn't appear to do anything about it and it didn't have any effect on the Cardiff players and the time they were taking for free-kicks and goal-kicks.
'The result changed from 1-0 to them to 2-1 to us and we had a throw-in right in front of the dug-out. I think they'd just kicked the ball out because they had to give us the ball back, the young ball boy who went to the corner flag threw it back, Ivanovic had it in his hands for two seconds, no more, and the referee was on to him about getting the ball back into play and pointing at his watch.
'It didn't run consistently with how that issue had been dealt with for the previous hour, so it's purely a case of huge frustration at that, and to have then been sent off for showing that frustration is very harsh.'

On our equaliser, which stemmed from Eto'o stealing the ball off Cardiff goalkeeper Marshall as he took a goal-kick...'My view of it was that Samuel was on the shoulder of the goalkeeper, I think the goalkeeper was aware that he was there.
'He went to bounce the ball and as it was in mid-air Samuel touched it, the ball broke for us and we equalised. The referee had a very good view of it, I'm sure he's aware of the rules of the game.
'If that is the case [that the goal shouldn't have stood], over the course of the season those things can go for you or against you. The referee had a very clear view of it and was happy with it, so we move on.'
On a first Chelsea goal for Eto'o...'It's always difficult when you change clubs, but to change countries and leagues as well increases that. He's scored goals at the top level throughout Europe all through his career, but I'm sure he'll still be feeling happier to have that first one under his belt and be off the mark.
'It's something the staff and players have seen on many days in training. Physically you can change as your life moves on but quality is permanent and we've seen that finishing in training for a good few weeks now and it was good that the supporters got to see it in a game today. Hopefully that's something we'll see more often in the future.
'All strikers like to be scoring goals, it's what helps makes them tick, and to get off the mark is something I'm sure he'll be happy about and hopefully we get the benefits of that immediately.'
On the mix-up at the back which led to Cardiff's opener'It was uncharacteristic for us, our defensive record is very good but it was a misunderstanding at the back between the defensive players and the goalkeeper. The defenders thought the 'keeper had it, the 'keeper thought the defenders had it. It's not something that's occurred often and hopefully it doesn't happen too often in the future.'
On the overall performance'It was a good response from the players to come back from that. When you're playing opposition who play, as they're quite entitled to, with so many players behind the ball and make it difficult for you, if you give them that break it gives them belief and creates anxiety in your own performance, so it wasn't a good start for us, but the players responded very well.'

MATCH REPORT: CHELSEA 4 CARDIFF CITY 1

Posted on: Sat 19 Oct 2013

Summary On an eventful afternoon at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea came from behind with Samuel Eto'o scoring his first Chelsea goal which was added to by Oscar and Eden Hazard deep into the second-half, the Belgian's goal his second of the game.
The winger had equalised with what was an unusual strike, Eto'o having caught the goalkeeper out as he was about to clear up pitch, and to add to the talking points Jose Mourinho was sent to the stands in the second half.
Chelsea have now scored 11 goals in the last three games. Oscar now has five goals for the season.


Team NewsPetr Cech made his 300^th Premier League appearance and in front of him there was one change to the defence - Ryan Bertrand coming in for Ashley Cole who had yet to recover from the rib injury suffered at Norwich a fortnight ago.
Oscar was on the bench after games in Korea and China with Brazil so Willian was handed his home debut, joining Juan Mata and Hazard behind Eto'o. Fernando Torres, having won his race to be fit, was on the bench.
Cardiff moved Peter Odemwingie from the wing to upfront where he was joined by Jordon Mutch, pushed into an advanced position. Frazier Campbell and Kim Bo-Kyung were dropped with Don Cowie coming into the visitors' midfield.
First halfCech's hope of celebrating his landmark game with a clean sheet disappeared with only nine minutes played. Confusion ahead of him left our keeper unprotected as Ramires's knock-back was allowed to roll on by David Luiz, giving Mutch the chance to collect the ball and find the net.
Prior to that there had been plenty of Chelsea possession but no threat to David Marshall's goal. Eto'o was fouled by Medel on five minutes for a free-kick in Lampard territory. Firmly struck, it caught Ben Turner in the face, flooring the lofty centre-back. Mata later took a swipe at but made only minimal contact with a low centre hammered across by Eto'o.
Having gone behind, the Blues came within a whisker of levelling with 16 minutes on the clock when Terry headed a Mata corner just past the post, but then Cech needed to be alert and sharp to punch behind a free-kick that whipped off the head of Odemwingie and was heading for the top corner.
Lampard, with characteristic quick vision, played the ball long and early into Eto'o's path and when Marshall raced out to intervene, the Stamford Bridge crowd was sure the keeper had come too far and handballed. Replays showed they were right. Half an hour had been played.
If Cardiff's goal had come out of the blue, it was nothing compared with the equaliser two minutes later. Marshall, preparing to kick up the pitch with Eto'o just behind him, chose to bounce the ball.
The Cameroonian snapped into action and kicked it away from the Cardiff keeper. Hazard picked up possession on the left of the area and squared back to Eto'o in front of the target. Unexpectedly and unadvisedly he took a controlling touch, inviting a challenge from Medel. In the end it would have been a penalty to Chelsea but Hazard rendered that academic by smashing the loose ball in. A debate over whether the goal should have been allowed according to the laws of the game was only just beginning.


With the ship steadied, David Luiz went for a lead before half-time, aiming a yard too high when invited to shoot. Our centre-back was booked soon after for blocking off Gunnarsson's run.
The final chance of the half was another Lampard free-kick after a clumsy foul by Cowie out wide on Mata which was worthy of a booking. From a tight angle our vice-captain drilled the ball across the face of goal but wide.
Jose Mourinho set off for the dressing room before the half-time whistle was blown. Chelsea chances had come from set-pieces and opposition carelessness rather than open play. There were things to be said.
Second halfThere were things to be said too by Mourinho when David Luiz misplaced his pass deep in the Cardiff half soon after the restart and then chased the counter-attacking Mutch. The manager appeared to be warning the Brazilian he had already been booked as the two ran past the benches, but in the end his player did well to retrieve the ball with a judicious challenge.
The length of time Cardiff were taking over dead balls had been annoying Chelsea ever since the visitors took the lead, and Marshall was booked for delaying a goal-kick beyond the limit of the referee's patience.
Still the home side needed a spark. Oscar replaced Mata in the first Chelsea switch just before the hour and Torres followed soon after for Bertrand as Mourinho made a similar change as at Norwich when the scoreline was the same.
Cardiff had been pushing forward as much as Chelsea in this half without looking dangerous, their shooting too wayward, but now the Blues had three defenders at the back and plenty of bodies in attack.
The goal that gave us the lead came three minutes after the second substitution and it was vintage Samuel Eto'o. Taking a Hazard pass on the edge of the area, he sidestepped inside Steven Caulker and smashed the ball into the bottom corner. And how he celebrated too!

With his side in the lead, Mourinho restored the back four by bringing on Azpilicueta for Eto'o. It was a passage of events so reminiscent of his first spell in charge but the manager's afternoon took another turn on 69 minutes when he was sent from the pitchside.
Having been spoken to earlier in the half for leaving the technical area, when Mourinho did so again unhappy about what was going on in front of him, the officials made their decision and he watched the game from among fans in the East Stand lower tier.
Fernando Torres and Willian could have added to the lead as Chelsea found spaces to counter-attack but the keeper saved on each occasion. Marshall was however beaten by a drive from Oscar from 20 yards out to make it 3-1 after Ramires had foraged possession, and by Hazard who shot in low. The Brazilian's shot had been near unstoppable, the Belgian's anything but. It was a soft goal to concede to cap a strange day for the Welsh club's stopper.

Cardiff had shown resistance when only 2-1 down, substitute Kim Bo-Kyung forcing a good save from Cech with a shot flashed in from an angle, but they were now a beaten side.
With Liverpool drawing at Newcastle earlier in the day but Arsenal beating Norwich, Chelsea move into second place in the table.
Chelsea (4-2-3-1):Cech; Ivanovic, D Luiz, Terry (c), Bertrand (Torres 62); Ramires, Lampard; Willian, Mata (Oscar 58), Hazard; Eto'o (Azpilicueta 68).
Unused subs Schwarzer, , Cahill, Essien, De Bruyne.
Scorers Hazard 32, Eto'o 65, Oscar 77, Hazard 82.
Booked David Luiz 40.

Cardiff (4-4-2):Marshall; Theophile-Catherine, Caulker (c), Turner, Taylor; Cowie, Gunnarsson (Gestede 79), Medel (K Bo-Kyung 55), Whittingham; Odemwingie (Campbell 69), Mutch.
Unused subs Lewis, Hudson, Noone, Maynard.
Scorer Mutch 9,
Booked Cowie 44, Marshall 53.
Referee Anthony Taylor.
Crowd 41,475.

HAZARD: HOME COMFORTS

Posted on: Sat 19 Oct 2013

 

Eden Hazard can't wait to take to the Stamford Bridge pitch again after four weeks, and four games, away from our home turf. Since we beat Fulham 2-0 at the Bridge we have travelled to Swindon, Tottenham, Bucharest and Norwich, picking up three wins and a draw from those away games. A break for international duty has also prolonged our absence.
'One month is too long,' Hazard told the official Chelsea website.
'For the fans and for us it's better to play at Stamford Bridge. We want to continue from the last game in Norwich when we won 3-1, and I want to score again for the fans at Stamford Bridge to enjoy.'
The Belgian has understandably returned to training at Cobham this week in high spirits after helping his national side book their place at the World Cup in Brazil next summer. Belgium guaranteed their first appearance in the showpiece tournament since 2002 with victory in Croatia last Friday night. The winger is pleased to be heading into our game with Cardiff on the back of such personal success, and hopes to prolong that feel-good factor today.
'When you lose a game you are always a little bit disappointed, so it's better to come back from playing with your country after a victory,' Hazard explains.
'You want to stay at the top level when you return to your club, keep scoring goals, making assists and winning games.'
It is no surprise that the 22-year-old is being more closely monitored than ever when he is on the pitch, such was the impact that he made on English football in his first year at Chelsea. He knows that he and his fellow playmakers must keep linking up if they are to find those elusive gaps in the opposition defence, starting this afternoon.
'It's difficult for me. I need to change something on the pitch, and understand the situation each game. Against three defenders it is different than against one, and obviously more difficult. I need to play more simply, but also more quickly.
'It's so great to play with Juan (Mata), with Oscar and with Andre (Schurrle). We have to work together to make playing together easier. When we do that we always make chances and score goals, and we hope to do that again today.'

Chelsea vs Cardiff Preview: Team News, Likely Line-Ups, Key Man & Predicted Score

Chelsea entertain Cardiff City at Stamford Bridge on Saturday afternoon looking to put some pressure on the early pace-setters.

The Blues currently sit third in the table, just two points off leaders Arsenal, after a 3-1 win over Norwich before the international break and they will hope to put some pressure on the Gunners with another three points this weekend.

Jose Mourinho’s men boast a 100% record at the Bridge this season and head into the game in excellent form having won four and drawn the other of their last five games in all competitions.

Cardiff arrive in west London after a difficult week off the pitch with boss Malky Mackay reportedly ready to quit the club after former head of recruitment Iain Moody was sacked by owner Vincent Tan.

Mackay appears to have settled his differences with the club though and will look to get back to on-field matters this weekend with his side currently sitting 14th in the table – just one point off the relegation zone.

Team News

Chelsea will be without defender Ashley Cole after he was ruled out with a rib injury that kept him out of England recent World Cup qualifying double-header. Jose Mourinho has confirmed Ryan Bertrand will deputise at left-back.

Fernando Torres has been passed fit to play after recovering from a knee injury that he picked up against Steaua Bucharest earlier this month. However, the Spaniard may have to make do with a place on the bench with Demba Ba expected to retain his place after an excellent showing against the Canaries last time out.

Andre Schurrle will miss the game with a knock picked up playing for Germany in midweek but Eden Hazard is likely to be recalled in his place.

Cardiff have reported no fresh injury worries ahead of the game. Mackay’s major absentee is striker Andreas Cornelius who has been ruled out for several weeks with an ankle injury.

Likely Line-Ups

Key Man

Juan Mata: The Spanish maestro has regained his first team place after some fine displays and was on target for Spain in midweek. Mata seems to have found his confidence again so we think he’ll be the one to watch again this weekend.

Predicted Score

Chelsea 3-0 Cardiff: We can see the Blues maintaining their 100% record at the Bridge with a comfortable win over Cardiff.

Stoke City Striker Arnautovic Explains How He had Eto'o's Car Stolen

Stoke City striker Marko Arnautovic has recalled the time he had Chelsea forward Samuel Eto’o‘s stolen.
The pair played together at Inter Milan.

“So I earned my licence and said to Sam that I want to buy a car,” the Austrian told the Daily Mail, “and Sam replied: ‘Don’t bother, you can have one of mine’.

“He gave me a Bentley and I was very happy with that. I was driving into the city every day and was getting it washed all the time and keeping it nice.

“One day I went to the restaurant for 45 minutes. After I’d finished the car was not there and at first I thought it had been removed for bad parking. I was shocked, I was crying and throwing up, I was really scared.

“I called Sam and told him the car had been taken but I have to say he was really nice to me.

“He said it wasn’t my fault but I was calling him day and night to say sorry. I must have called him 100 times. When I went to Bremen I got a call to say they had found the car.

“I was worried Eto’o thought I might have asked somebody to take it for me so that was a big relief. When I see him at Chelsea this season we will have a laugh about it – I hope!”

NEWSFLASH: TORRES FIT FOR CARDIFF

Posted on: Fri 18 Oct 2013

Jose Mourinho reports that Fernando Torres has recovered from the knee injury suffered away against Steaua Bucharest and is in the squad for Saturday's match versus Cardiff.

The Spaniard is fit to start the game if selected. Demba Ba and Samuel Eto'o are also in the squad.

Ashley Cole has not recovered from the rib injury that kept him out of England duty and is rated a doubt by the manager for next week's match against Schalke. Ryan Bertrand will start tomorrow's game.

Andre Schurrle is unavailable to play Cardiff having returned from Germany's internationals with a leg muscle strain.

Lukaku loan to damage Chelsea's rivals, believes Bruce

Hull City boss Steve Bruce believes Jose Mourinho’s logic behind Romelu Lukaku’s loan switch to Everton was to win points from Chelsea’s Premier League title rivals, ITV Sport has reported.


After confusion as to why Chelsea manager Mourinho has sent Lukaku out on loan when the Blues have struggled to find a prolific striker, Hull manager Bruce has given his suggestion as to why Mourinho allowed the 20-year-old to leave.

“Maybe the reason why he's gone there is Jose has thought 'maybe Everton can go and get as few points off the big boys with him in their team’,” Bruce said. “That would be pretty shrewd really and I think they can.

Bruce’s side face Lukaku’s Everton on Saturday, and the manager has been doing his homework on the young forward. “He's a hell of a loan signing on deadline day, someone like Lukaku. I saw him playing for Belgium in midweek and he's going to be one hell of a player.

“Roberto Martinez inherited a very good side and with the addition of Lukaku and James McCarthy they've really added to a squad which has grown well over the last few years.”

Lukaku has scored four goals in three appearances for Everton this season, and is continuing to prove his worth in Martinez’s side as they prepare for the visit of Hull on Saturday.

 Interest has also been shown in Romelu’s younger brother, Jordan, who is currently playing on loan for Belgian Pro League club Oostende. Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly interested in the 19-year-old left-back, who faced Spurs in the NextGen Series last December.

SCHURRLE: PRESENT FOR MY MUM

Andre Schurrle was the hero for Germany last night, netting an incredible 19-minute hat-trick in the second half as the Germans recovered from 2-0 down to triumph 5-3 in Sweden.
Goals from Mesut Ozil and Mario Gotze either side of the interval had leveled up the scores at 2-2 before Schurrle struck for the first time, alertly intercepting a pass from Per Nilsson before outpacing the Nuremberg defender and calmly finishing past Johan Wiland in the Sweden goal.
Schurrle scored his second and Germany's fourth nine minutes later, latching on to a Gotze pass in the inside-left channel and again slotting the ball beyond Wiland with ease. The hosts fought back and scored again, sparking the possibility of a repeat of the extraordinary 4-4 draw between the two sides in Berlin last year.
But Schurrle had the final word, saving his best for last. He picked out the top right-hand corner of Wiland's goal from the edge of the box with a curling effort that the Swedish goalkeeper didn't even try to stop. It left Schurrle with a question about what to do with the match ball that his three strikes had earned.
'This is my first hat-trick so I've got to see,' he said. 'Maybe I'll give it to my mum.'
Germany finished as top scorers across the whole of European qualifying, scoring 36 times in total. Schurrle is part of an attacking squad that features the likes of Ozil, Gotze, Thomas Muller, Marco Reus, and Toni Kroos, and our winger thinks that attacking strength proved too impressive for Sweden to deal with.
'We've seen once again how strong we are going forwards. Everybody struggles against us.
'In the second half, we upped the tempo and they had problems and we fully deserved to beat them.'
Germany coach Joachim Low had words of praise for his hat-trick hero, and believes that his summer move to Stamford Bridge has helped him progress ahead of the World Cup next summer.
'I told him recently that last year I wasn't very happy with his development, but now, in some games with us and in England, he has shown again what he can do.
'He is dynamic, works back well and has a strong finish. His physical strength was also an issue, but he has worked hard on that.
'If he continues to play like that, the World Cup will certainly not pass him by.'

THE SELECTOR: MARK SCHWARZER

Posted on: Sun 13 Oct 2013

Mark Schwarzer is the latest player to put six subjects into the categories first, last, best, worst, easiest and hardest....

FIRST
Game. It was playing for Dynamo Dresden in the Bundesliga at home against Eintracht Frankfurt, we ended up drawing 1-1. We were leading 1-0 until late in the game but then we had a player sent off and they scored. I played pretty well so I was pleased with my performance but obviously disappointed with the result.
LAST
Holiday. I go to Spain [pictured below] every year, my wife is half Spanish and we've been going there for 15 years. My kids see it as their second home but also I love going back to Australia when I get the chance, that's always very special.


BEST
Opponent. I would have to say Arsenal when they had players such as [Thierry] Henry, [Dennis] Bergkamp, [Robert] Pires and [Marc] Overmars. They also had such a good defence with the likes of Tony Adams and [Martin] Keown, as well as David Seaman in goal. Ray Parlour was also in that side and I played with him later on at Middlesbrough. They had a phenomenal team and there were players like Kanu on the bench who would also come on and weave his magic, so that's probably the best side I've played against.
WORST
Music. Definitely full-on rave music, that's certainly not my thing.
EASIEST
TV. The easiest thing for me to watch on TV is Modern Family. We're always a bit late catching on to these things but that's what we're enjoying most at the moment.

HARDEST
Training. Any training session that involves running is probably the least enjoyable for me personally.